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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to process machinery, and more particularly, to a valve system that provides upstream isolation during purging and when not purging provides uninhibited recirculating fluid flow.
2. Description of Related Art
There are a number of devices in the prior art provided for controlling fluid flow. Fluid flow controlling devices are often used to control the rate of a desired fluid flowing through conduit for either cooling or heating processing machinery or articles being fabricated with the machinery. The fluid flows through the machinery, for either cooling or heating the machinery and any article produced thereby if desired, while the equipment is performing desired processing. However, over time the processing machinery, or conduit, or both, often become contaminated and cleaning of the processing machinery, or conduit, or both, and replacement of the fluid is needed.
One method of fluid removal and replacement may comprise first deactivating the processing machinery on both the supply and load sides. Once the processing machinery is deactivated, any required disassembly of the machinery or conduit to perform maintenance or replace portions of the conduit is performed. The fluid is then removed and the conduit or processing machinery may be cleaned if necessary, using known methods such as purging. The conduit and the machinery is reassembled, the fluid is replaced in the conduit and processing machinery, and the machinery is activated for processing.
An obvious disadvantage of the discussed method is that the processing machinery is deactivated while the fluid is being replaced and during cleaning of the conduit or machinery. With the processing machinery deactivated, processing is not performed and product output is potentially substantially reduced. Another disadvantage is that peripheral components provided to supply the fluid to the processing machinery, for example, may be adversely affected by the downtime of the machinery during the machinery or conduit cleaning.
A further disadvantage is that, often the fluid is maintained within a prescribed temperature range for maintaining the processing machinery at its optimal operating temperature. When the fluid is not circulating, the fluid tends to deviate from the prescribed temperature range. Thus, once the fluid is reintroduced into the processing machinery, there is an initialization time period wherein both the fluid flowing through the machinery and the machinery itself normalize toward the desired operating range. This further decreases the productivity time of the processing machinery and causes stress to devices for controlling the temperature of the fluid.
It therefore would be advantageous to provide a system that enables a purge process to be performed while simultaneously providing upstream isolation of the fluid flow and recirculating the fluid flow for maintaining the temperature of the fluid.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,219, to Lansberry et al., is directed to a supercritical fluid recirculating system for a precision inertial instrument parts cleaner. The disclosed system includes a fluid tight recirculating flow system including a parts holding chamber for holding parts to be cleaned. The fluid tight system directs supercritical carbon dioxide fluid flow across the parts being cleaned. A fluid recirculating cylinder has a first fluid port and a second fluid port connected in the flow system. A fluid piston is in the cylinder between the ports. A pneumatic cylinder has a further piston between a first pneumatic port and a second pneumatic port. A driving member is connected between the pistons for reciprocal movement caused by air from a source alternately introduced to the pneumatic ports to cause the fluid piston to pump fluid through the chamber and back to the recirculating cylinder. A plurality of one way valves are in the system to insure that the fluid pumped by the piston exhibits unidirectional flow through the chamber.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,958,659, to Dowdall, is directed to a pressuring and purging apparatus for pressurizing and purging an interior of an enclosure. The apparatus disclosed therein includes a purge valve for admitting gas to the enclosure at either a high flow rate or a low flow rate. A pneumatic control system for the purge valve includes a purge/power selector module. An enclosure pressure module and timing module are also provided. Each of the respective modules are mounted on respective faces of the purge valve body. The purge valve serves as a manifold for providing necessary connection of the control modules with each other and the enclosure interior for minimizing pipe connections.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,064,898, to Petersen et al., discloses and charge equipment that comprises a self-contained, portable apparatus that scrubs contamination from a sealed container and charges the scrubbed container with inert gas. The disclosed apparatus includes a housing for the apparatus, a gas reservoir, valves, and pneumatic logic for controlling the valves.
Although the devices disclosed in the above enumerated prior art references have improved features, there still exists a need for a valve system that provides upstream isolation and recirculating fluid flow, while simultaneously enabling a purge process to be performed.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a valve system that provides upstream isolation and recirculation fluid flowing along a flow path, while simultaneously enabling a purge process to be performed;
It is another object of the present invention to provide a valve system that provides upstream isolation and recirculation of the fluid flow on one side of the flow path;
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a valve system that provides upstream isolation and recirculation of the fluid flow during a simultaneous purge process for maintaining the temperature and flow rate of the fluid;
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a valve system that provides upstream isolation and recirculation of the fluid flow during a simultaneous purge process for eliminating contamination of components coupled to the valve system during maintenance of the components;
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a valve system that provides upstream isolation and recirculation of the fluid flow during a simultaneous purge process for maintaining the temperature and flow rate of the fluid for reducing stress to the components;
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a valve system that provides upstream isolation and recirculation of the fluid flow during a simultaneous purge process that reduces the initialization time period of components coupled thereto after maintenance of the components;
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a valve system that provides upstream isolation and recirculation of the fluid flow during a simultaneous purge process that reduces disassembly of components coupled thereto required for maintenance of the components;
It is another object of the present invention to provide a valve system that provides upstream isolation and recirculation of the fluid flow during a simultaneous purge process that includes drain means for removing contaminated fluid from process machinery coupled thereto without contaminating the recirculating fluid; and
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a valve system that provides upstream isolation and recirculation of the fluid flow during a simultaneous purge process for rapidly changing the temperature of the process components.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are achieved by providing a valve system that affords up stream isolation and recirculation of fluid flowing along a flow path, while simultaneously enabling a purge process to be performed. The invented valve system allows for recirculating fluid flow on a supply side thereof while process componentry or conduit on a load side thereof is undergoing maintenance procedures, while maintaining the temperature and flow rate of the supply side fluid. Thus, upon completion of process component or conduit maintenance, any setup or initialization time period for supplying the fluid to the process components is minimized.
Since fluid flow rate and temperature are maintained substantially constant on the supply side of the valve system, wear on temperature control devices for the fluid, such as chillers and heat exchangers is reduced. Additionally, the supply side of the invented valve system can be mechanically isolated from load side process componentry and conduit during maintenance procedures to eliminate contamination of critical components on the supply side during maintenance. Thus, the invented valve system is well suited for use with process equipment, such as semiconductor wafer fabrication, medical, and petrochemical equipment.
In the preferred embodiment, the valve system comprises a valve body having a supply side coupled to a fluid supply source, such as a reservoir and pump coupled with a fluid chiller or heat exchanger, and a load side coupled to conduit and process machinery, such as semiconductor wafer fabrication, medical, and petrochemical equipment. The fluid circulated by the invented system could be any as is commonly used in various industrial procedures. For example, fluids such as water, fluorinate, or deionized water and glycol. Alternatively, the circulated fluid may comprise a semisolid polyamide, photo resist, or other suitable polymers. Therefore, the term fluid for the purposes of describing the system of the present invention, incorporates each of the above mentioned fluids and semisolids along with appropriate alternative materials.
The system includes switch means for switching the valve body from a normal operating position, to a bypass position, wherein a load side flow path is isolated from a supply side flow path for isolating fluid flowing on the supply side from the load side. The switch means can be activated either manually or automatically. Thus, an operator can activate the switch means at their discretion for isolating the supply side fluid flow from the load side. Alternatively, a timer may be coupled to the switch means for automatically isolating and recirculating fluid flowing on the supply side, while purging load side process components and conduit. The supply side fluid flow is also preferably isolated from the load side while initializing the system to restore the load side fluid levels for processing.
In the normal operating position, fluid flows uninterrupted through the valve body of the invented system, for maintaining a prescribed operating temperature range of load side equipment, such as wafer fabrication, medical, and petrochemical equipment. Critical load side process componentry or conduit often requires periodic routine maintenance. Enabling maintenance to the critical componentry or conduit without interrupting recirculating supply fluid flow is achieved using the invented system by first activating the switch means to cause the valve body to switch from purge the normal position to the bypass position. When the valve system is in the bypass position, the supply fluid flow is recirculated back to the supply side source and prevented from entering the load side of the valve system.
The invented valve body is configured to maintain the flow rate of the fluid, for maintaining the temperature of the fluid and to prevent any interruption in recirculation of supply side fluid. The bypass position of the valve body allows maintenance to be performed on load side process componentry and conduit by preventing supply fluid from flowing into the load side of the valve body and through the equipment. In the bypass position, fluid remaining in the load side at the time of switching is usually discharged through a drain means in the valve body. Maintenance to any process componentry or conduit on the load side can then be performed without interrupting supply side fluid flow.
The present invention readily allows for maintenance procedures to be performed on supply side components and conduit as well as load side process components and conduit. Performing the steps similar to those disclosed above, particularly, draining the supply side fluid, while isolating the load side from the supply side and leaving the load side process components immersed in the heated or cooled fluid, maintenance procedures can be performed on the supply side components. By retaining the load side process components in fluid, the lubrication of the components is maintained, and the temperature of the fluid does not deviate substantially from its desired temperature, such as if the fluid from both the load and supply sides is changed. By maintaining the temperature of the fluid, stress on the load side and supply side process components is minimized, initialization and down time for the overall system is reduced, and contamination of the load side from the supply side is eliminated.
Additionally, while the valve body is in the bypass position, if it is desired to perform further cleaning of load side process equipment or conduit, a purge procedure may be initialized. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the switch means includes a purge activation switch for controlling the purge procedure. The switch means includes means for admitting a purge media, such as nitrogen, into the load side of the valve body under a pressure, preferably within the range of 40 to 80 p.s.i. and which is sufficient to purge unwanted particulate matter from the conduit and process components for discharge through the drain means in the valve body.
The purge media may be any gas or liquid known in the art that is suitable for the purge process. The purge media may simply push fluid and contaminants completely out of the load side and into a reservoir via the drain means, or may be required to loosen or dissolve particulate matter in the conduit or process componentry to clean the componentry and reduce hardening of the conduit. Therefore, the purge media preferably comprises any known purge media that is appropriate for use with the selected fluid circulated with the valve system for the process needs. For example, semisolids such as photo resist or polyamides require a purge media such as alcohol, while fluorinate or deionized water and glycol require a purge media of nitrogen.
The purge procedure provides an added benefit by allowing for rapid cooling or heating of the process components. In some cases, it is beneficial to the life of process components if they are first cooled or heated to a temperature proximal to the ambient atmosphere before exposure to that atmosphere. For instance, heating process components to the ambient temperature before removing them from their housing prevents condensation from forming on the components, thereby reducing stress on the components as well as minimizing repair time thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The objects and features of the present invention, which are believed to be novel, are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing the valve system of the preferred embodiment of the present invention in a normal operating mode;
FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing the valve system of the preferred embodiment in an isolation/bypass on and purge off operating mode;
FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing the invented valve system in an isolation/bypass on and purge on operating mode;
FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing the invented valve system in an isolation/bypass on and purge off operating mode, wherein purging is complete and process components may be removed;
FIG. 5 is a schematic, side elevational view of a valve body of the valve system of the preferred embodiment in the normal operating mode, partially shown in cross section;
FIG. 6 is a schematic, side elevational view of the valve body of the valve system of the preferred embodiment in the isolation/bypass on and purge on operating mode, partially shown in cross section; and
FIG. 7 is a schematic, exploded view of the valve body of the valve system of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a vertical cross section through valve block 58 of FIG. 7 showing supply side channel 84.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The following description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention and sets forth the best modes presently contemplated by the inventor of carrying out the 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.
Referring now to FIGS. 1-4 of the drawings, there is shown generally at 10, a preferred embodiment of a valve system that affords multiple function modes of continuously recirculating fluid flow for the heating, cooling, and lubrication of process equipment, such as semiconductor wafer fabrication, medical, and petrochemical equipment. The system of the present invention 10 provides continuously recirculating fluid flow, of one or more fluids 12 such as water, fluorinate, or deionized water and glycol, or semisolids such as polyamide, photo resist, or other suitable polymers, along with appropriate alternative materials and combinations thereof, along a flow path 14.
The invented system 10 allows recirculating fluid flow along the flow path 14 between a supply side 16 and a load side 18 of the system 10. The system 10 also affords recirculating fluid flow along a supply side recirculating flow path 14S, while load side components 20 undergo maintenance. Recirculating the fluid 12 on the supply side 16 maintains the temperature and flow rate of the fluid 12 along the flow path 14S to reduce wear on the components of a supply source 22 for minimizing down time of the system 10 due to repairs on the load side process components 20. The supply source 22 may comprise a fluid reservoir and pumping means to generate and maintain fluid flow through a closed system.
In the preferred embodiment of the invented system 10, the supply side 16 of the system 10 includes a supply side 24 of a valve body 26 having an inflow aperture 28 coupled to the supply source 22, via a supply conduit 30, and an outflow aperture 32 also coupled to the source 22 via the conduit 30. The load side 18 of the system 10 includes a load side 34 of the valve body 26 having an outflow aperture 36 coupled to the load side componentry 20 via a load side conduit 38 and an inflow aperture 40 for receiving return fluid from the load side components 20. Thus, the supply side 16 of the invented system 10 comprises the supply source 22, inflow aperture 28, conduit 30, outflow aperture 32, and supply side 24 of the valve body 26, while the load side 18 consists of the load side 34 of the valve body 26, outflow aperture 36, inflow aperture 40, load side conduit 38, and process components 20.
FIGS. 1-4 illustrate a preferred method of operation of the invented valve system 10 which may be operated in several different modes. The valve system 10 provides operation in a normal fluid flow mode (shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 5), a second mode, wherein upstream isolation and supply side recirculating fluid flow and load side stagnate fluid flow occur (shown in FIG. 2), a third mode, wherein upstream isolation and supply side recirculating fluid flow and load side fluid purging and draining occur (shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 6), and upstream isolation and supply side recirculating fluid flow and load side stagnate fluid flow, wherein fluid is drained from the load side for allowing the removal and maintenance for load side process components (shown in FIG. 4).
Referring now to the drawing Figures, the invented valve system 10 comprises the valve body 26 that has its supply side 24 coupled to the supply source 22 and its load side 34 coupled to the load side components 20. Activation means 42, including a switch means 44, is coupled to the valve body 26 for controlling the operating mode thereof, such as by allowing the valve body 26 to operate in the normal mode, second mode wherein upstream isolation and supply side recirculating fluid flow and load side stagnate fluid flow occur, or third mode.
The switch means 44 is coupled to the valve body 26 via an isolation/bypass tube 46 and a normal tube 48, for conveying a valve control media 50, such as nitrogen (N 2 ) or clean dry air (CDA) for example, to the valve body 26, and a purge tube 52, for conveying a purge media 54 to the valve body 26. The purge media 54 may be any gas or liquid known in the art that is suitable for the purge process. The purge media 54 may simply push fluid 12 and contaminants completely out of the load side components 20 and conduit 38, or may be required to loosen or dissolve particulate matter in load side conduit 38 or componentry 20 to clean the componentry 20 and reduce hardening of the conduit 38. Therefore, the purge media 54 preferably comprises any known purge media that is appropriate for use with the selected fluid 12 circulated by the valve system 10 for the process needs. For example, semisolids such as photo resist or polyamides require a purge media such as alcohol, while fluorinate or deionized water and glycol require a purge media of nitrogen.
Referring particularly to FIGS. 5-7, the valve body 26 comprises a head 56 affixed to a block portion 58, using known means such as bolts 60. The block portion 58 is provided with an elongated passage 62 that extends substantially the length of the block 58, from a first end 64 toward a second end 66 thereof. A preferably cylindrical chamber 68 that communicates with the passage 62 is formed in the head 56. The valve control media 50 (shown in FIGS. 1-3) is coupled to a pair of valve control inlets 72, 74 that are formed though the head 56 and extend into the chamber 68. The valve control inlets 72, 74 couple to the valve control media 50 for activating and deactivating the valve system 10. A first one, or bypass, of the valve control inlets 72 is positioned adjacent to a top wall 76 of the chamber 68 and the second one, or normal, of the valve control inlets 74 is positioned adjacent to a bottom edge 78 of the chamber 68. Valve control media 50 is alternately fed into the inlets 72, 74 for actuating the invented system 10 between its operating modes.
The block 58 is configured with a first channel 80 extending between the inflow aperture 28 of the valve body's supply side 24 and the outflow aperture 36 of the valve body's load side 34, a second channel 82 extending between of the valve body's load side inflow aperture 40 on and the valve body's supply side outflow aperture 32, and a supply side channel 84 extending between the supply side apertures 28, 32. Each of the channels 80, 82, 84 are configured to enable fluid 12 to flow through the valve body 26 in an uninterrupted flow path 14 and at a desired flow rate. The block 58 is additionally provided with a purge input orifice 86 communicating with the passage 62 and a drain output aperture 88. The purge input 86 is coupled to the process componentry 20 for purging the process componentry 20 (discussed hereinafter), while the drain output 88 is provided for draining fluid 12 from either the supply side 16 or load side 18 of the system 10.
Referring still to FIGS. 5-7, and particularly to FIG. 7, an elongated shaft 90 is slidably retained in the passage 62 formed in the block 58. The shaft 90 has a connecting portion 92 configured to be affixed to a piston member 94 that is slidably retained in the cylindrical chamber 68. The piston 94 is fastened to the connecting portion 92 of the shaft 90 with conventional means, such as a screw 96. The piston 94 has an annular seal 98 that provides an air tight seal between the piston 94 and chamber 68. The shaft 90 is provided with a pair of angle seals, acting as flow diverters 100, that extend obliquely to a longitudinal axis L of the shaft 90. The diverters 100 are configured to seal the first 80 and second 82 channels and divert fluid 12 flowing into the supply side inflow aperture 28 into the supply side channel 84 and out the supply side outflow aperture 32 for recirculating the fluid 12 throughout the supply side 16 along the supply side flow path 14S. FIG. 8 shows how the supply side channel 84 connects to the elongated passage 62 through short connecting passages 116 and 118.
The shaft 90 is additionally provided with a plurality of channel seals 102 that extend substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis L thereof. The channel seals 102 are positioned about on the shaft 90 to prevent fluid 12 from inadvertently entering the supply side channel 84 and drain output 88, when the shaft 90 is in normal operating mode, as shown in FIG. 5, for maintaining fluid flow rate through the valve body 26. In the preferred embodiment, the shaft 90 has a channel seal 102 interposed between the flow diverters 100, a seal 102 located adjacent to the connecting portion 92, and a seal 102 located adjacent to an end 104 of the shaft 90.
A load side 106 of the shaft 90 is provided with pair of grooves 108 formed therein. The grooves 108 aid with purging the process componentry 20 and draining contaminated fluid from the load side 18. When the shaft 90 is in an isolation/bypass position, the grooves 108 are sufficiently long to provide a purge flow path 14P between the purge input 86 and load side outflow aperture 36 via a portion of the passage 62 extending therebetween, for purging the process componentry 20 when desired, and a drain flow path 14D between the load side inflow aperture 40 and drain output aperture 88, when it is desired to drain contaminated fluid 12 from the load side 18. A supply side 110 of the shaft 90 is configured with a notch 112 to additionally aid with draining contaminated fluid 12.
A spacer 114 may be interposed between the block 58 and head 56. The spacer 114 provides a water and air tight seal between the head 56 and block 58.
The flow diverters 100 coact with the channels 80, 82, 84 to allow fluid 12 to flow along the appropriate flow paths 14, 14S, 14P, 14D, through the valve body 26 at the flow rate, when the shaft 90 is in either of the normal or isolation/bypass positions. Additionally, the diverters 110 mechanically isolate the supply side 16 of the invented valve system 10 from the load side 18 to eliminate contamination of critical components, such as the supply source 22. while maintenance procedures are performed on the load side componentry 20. Additionally, maintenance procedures may be carried out on the supply side 16 while the load side 18 contains stagnate fluid 12. Thus, the invented valve system 10 is well suited for use with process equipment, such as semiconductor wafer fabrication, medical, and petrochemical equipment, or other particulate matter sensitive equipment.
Referring again to FIGS. 1-4 of the drawings, the valve system 10 of the preferred embodiment of the present invention includes the activation means 42 for controlling the operating mode and purge process. The switch means 44 consists of a switch body 116 having a valve control switch 118 coupled to the valve control media 50 and isolation and bypass tubes 46, and normal tube 48 for controlling the position of the shaft 90 in the valve body 26. The switch body 116 also includes a purge control switch 120 coupled to the purge media 54 and to the purge input 86 via the purge tube 52.
Valve mode control is accomplished by diversion of the valve control media 50 into one of the two valve control inlets 72, 74, for actuating the shaft 90 between the normal and isolation/bypass modes. The purge process is executed by activation of the isolation/bypass mode and subsequent delivery of the purge media 54 to the valve body 26 and to the process components 20.
Specifically, valve control media 50 is supplied to the switch body 116 via valve control media line 122 and an input coupling 124. A pair of output couplings 126, 128 couples the valve control switch 118 to the bypass 72 and normal 74 inlets in the valve body 26, via the isolation/bypass tube 46 and normal tube 48. The valve control switch 118 is actuated to direct the valve control media 50 to the desired inlet 72, 74 for actuating the shaft 90 in the valve body 26 for changing the operating mode of the system 10.
In the preferred embodiment, when the valve control switch 118 is set to the normal position, the valve control media 50 flows through the switch body 116, out through the output coupling 126, and into the normal inlet 74 via the normal tube 48, for forcing the shaft 90 upwardly to the uninterrupted flow position (shown in FIG. 1). Alternatively, when the valve control switch 118 is set to the isolation/bypass mode position (FIG. 3), valve control media 50 flows to the switch body 116, through the output coupling 128, and into the bypass inlet 72, via the isolation/bypass tube 46, for forcing the shaft 90 downward in the valve body 26 so that the fluid 12 flows along the recirculating flow paths 14S, 14D, 14P.
Similarly, when the purge control switch 120 is set to the on position, the purge media 54 flows through an inlet coupling 129 coupled to the switch body 116, out through an output coupling 130, and into the purge input 86 in the valve body 22, via the purge tube 52. A check valve 132 is secured between the purge input 86 and tube 52 to prevent backflow of the purge media 54 along the purge tube 52 and toward the switch body 116.
Referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 7, after some operating time period, critical components 138 of the load side process componentry 20 often require routine maintenance. Enabling maintenance to the critical components 136 without interrupting supply fluid flow is achieved by adjusting the valve control switch 118 to the isolation/bypass position. When the switch 118 is adjusted to the isolation/bypass position, the valve control media 50 is discharged into the chamber 68 at bypass inlet 72 with sufficient pressure to force the piston 94 downward through the chamber 68, causing the shaft 90 to move from the normal position to the bypass position, as shown in FIG. 6. Preferably, the media 50 is emitted with a force ranging from approximately 40 p.s.i. to approximately 80 p.s.i.
When the shaft 90 is in the isolation/bypass position, the diverters 100 seal the first 80 and second 82 channels to direct contaminated fluid 12 from the process componentry 20 which enters the valve body 26 through the load side inflow aperture 36, along the drain flow path 14D into the drain output 88 and out of the valve body 26. The diverters 100 mechanically isolate the supply side 16 of the invented valve system 10 from load side 18 to eliminate contamination of critical components of the supply source 22, while maintenance procedures are performed on the process componentry 20. The diverters 100 direct the fluid 12 along the recirculating supply side flow path 14S, wherein fluid 12 flows into the supply side inflow aperture 28 into the supply side channel 84 and out the supply side outflow aperture 32 for recirculating the fluid 12 between the supply source 22 and the valve body's supply side 24 at the flow rate. The rate of fluid flow in the recirculating flow path 14S remains constant at the desired flow rate for maintaining the temperature of the fluid 12, to prevent any interruption in recirculation of supply side fluid, for reducing stress to the supply side components 22, and for eliminating contaminants from traveling to the supply side 16 of the system 10 from the load side 18.
Alternatively, fluid 12 may be allowed to stagnate on the load side 18 while maintenance procedures are performed on the supply source componentry 22. The heated or cooled stagnate fluid 12 on the load side 18 aids with maintaining and lubricating the process componentry 20. The temperature of the process componentry 20 does not change substantially rapidly with the fluid 12 retained therein thereby minimizing stress of the components 20 and reducing initialization and down times of the entire valve system 10. Furthermore, contamination from the supply side components 22 is substantially eliminated.
Referring now to FIG. 3 of the drawings, if it is desired to perform cleaning of load side componentry 20, the purge procedure may be initialized. In the preferred embodiment of the valve system 10 present invention, the purge control switch 120 is set to the purge position, while the valve control switch 118 is maintained at the isolation/bypass position. When the purge control switch 120 is set to the purge position, the purge media 54 is discharged into the purge input 86 with sufficient pressure, approximately 40 to 80 p.s.i., to force the purge media 54 through load side componentry 20, for purging unwanted particulate matter and fluid 12 therefrom for cleaning the componentry 20. The unwanted particulate matter and fluid 12 are forced out of the load side 18 and out of the valve body 26 through the drain 88, and into a reservoir 134, for reprocessing of the fluid 12 if desired. The purge process is deactivated by adjusting the purge control switch 120 back to the purge-off position. The valve control switch 118 is then adjusted to the normal position and fluid 12 again flows through the valve body 26 along the normal flow path 14 in a substantially uninterrupted manner and at the flow rate.
Referring to FIG. 4, maintenance can be performed on load side components 20, including critical components 138 which can safely be removed from the general process components 20. Maintenance, such as replacement or cleansing can be performed on the conduit 38, as well as to the other load side components 20, while maintaining supply side temperature, flow rate, and flow pressure, since fluid 12 is recirculating along the supply side flow path 14S, while maintenance is performed on the load side 18 of the system 10. Additionally, the purge process may be used to control the temperature of process components 20 as it may be desirous to quickly adjust the temperature of the components 20 to the ambient temperature, before exposing the components 20 to the environment. By performing some of the previous steps, the purge process has the affect of quickly adjusting the temperature of the components 20 so that condensation or the like does not occur on the components 20.
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 valve system that affords up stream isolation and recirculation of fluid flowing along a flow path, while simultaneously enabling a purge process to be performed is provided. The valve system allows recirculating fluid flow on a supply side thereof, while enabling componentry on a load side thereof to undergo maintenance, for maintaining the temperature and flow rate of supply side fluid. Upon completion of maintenance, setup or initialization time is reduced, since the supply fluid is continuously recirculating. Fluid flow rate and temperature are constant on the supply side, for reducing wear on temperature control devices. The supply side is preferably mechanically isolated from load side componentry during maintenance for eliminating contamination of critical components on the supply side, so that the system is suited for use with process equipment. The valve system includes a switch for switching the system from a normal position where fluid flows through the system, to a bypass position to isolate the load side from the supply side. In the bypass position, the supply fluid flow is recirculated, so that maintenance may be performed on load side componentry. Fluid in the load side may be discharged through drain means in the system. The switch preferably includes a purge activation control for controlling the purge process. The purge control admits a purge media into the load side under pressure for purging unwanted matter from the load side componentry. | 5 |
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of Invention
[0002] This invention relates to the formation of olefins by thermal cracking of liquid whole crude oil and/or condensate derived from natural gas. More particularly, this invention relates to utilizing whole crude oil and/or natural gas condensate as a feedstock for an olefin production plant that employs hydrocarbon thermal cracking in a pyrolysis furnace in combination with a partitioned vaporization unit.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] Thermal (pyrolysis) cracking of hydrocarbons is a non-catalytic petrochemical process that is widely used to produce olefins such as ethylene, propylene, butenes, butadiene, and aromatics such as benzene, toluene, and xylenes.
[0005] Basically, a hydrocarbon feedstock such as naphtha, gas oil, or other fractions of whole crude oil that are produced by distilling or otherwise fractionating whole crude oil, is mixed with steam which serves as a diluent to keep the hydrocarbon molecules separated. The steam/hydrocarbon mixture is preheated to from about 900 to about 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit (F.), and then enters the reaction zone where it is very quickly heated to a severe hydrocarbon thermal cracking temperature in the range of from about 1,450 to about 1,550 F. Thermal cracking is accomplished without the aid of any catalyst.
[0006] This process is carried out in a pyrolysis furnace (steam cracker) at pressures in the reaction zone ranging from about 10 to about 30 psig. Pyrolysis furnaces have internally thereof a convection section and a radiant section. Preheating is accomplished in the convection section, while severe cracking occurs in the radiant section.
[0007] After severe thermal cracking, the effluent from the pyrolysis furnace contains gaseous hydrocarbons of great variety, e.g., from one to thirty-five carbon atoms per molecule. These gaseous hydrocarbons can be saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated, and can be aliphatic, alicyclics, and/or aromatic. The cracked gas also contains significant amounts of molecular hydrogen (hydrogen).
[0008] Thus, conventional steam (thermal) cracking, as carried out in a commercial olefin production plant, employs a fraction of whole crude and totally vaporizes that fraction while thermally cracking same.
[0009] The cracked product is then further processed in the olefin production plant to produce, as products of the plant, various separate individual streams of high purity such as hydrogen, ethylene, propylene, mixed hydrocarbons having four carbon atoms per molecule, fuel oil, and pyrolysis gasoline. Each separate individual stream aforesaid is a valuable commercial product in its own right. Thus, an olefin production plant currently takes a part (fraction) of a whole crude stream and generates therefrom a plurality of separate, valuable products.
[0010] Natural gas and whole crude oil(s) were formed naturally in a number of subterranean geologic formations (formations) of widely varying porosities. Many of these formations were capped by impervious layers of rock. Natural gas and whole crude oil (crude oil) also accumulated in various stratigraphic traps below the earth's surface. Vast amounts of both natural gas and/or crude oil were thus collected to form hydrocarbon bearing formations at varying depths below the earth's surface. Much of this natural gas was in close physical contact with crude oil, and, therefore, absorbed a number of lighter molecules from the crude oil.
[0011] When a well bore is drilled into the earth and pierces one or more of such hydrocarbon bearing formations, natural gas and/or crude oil can be recovered through that well bore to the earth's surface.
[0012] The terms “whole crude oil” and “crude oil” as used herein mean liquid (at normally prevailing conditions of temperature and pressure at the earth's surface) crude oil as it issues from a wellhead separate from any natural gas that may be present, and excepting any treatment such crude oil may receive to render it acceptable for transport to a crude oil refinery and/or conventional distillation in such a refinery. This treatment would include such steps as desalting. Thus, it is crude oil that is suitable for distillation or other fractionation in a refinery, but which has not undergone any such distillation or fractionation. It could include, but does not necessarily always include, non-boiling entities such as asphaltenes or tar. As such, it is difficult if not impossible to provide a boiling range for whole crude oil. Accordingly, whole crude oil could be one or more crude oils straight from an oil field pipeline and/or conventional crude oil storage facility, as availability dictates, without any prior fractionation thereof.
[0013] Natural gas, like crude oil, can vary widely in its composition as produced to the earth's surface, but generally contains a significant amount, most often a major amount, i.e., greater than about 50 weight percent (wt. %), methane. Natural gas often also carries minor amounts (less than about 50 wt. %), often less than about 20 wt. %, of one or more of ethane, propane, butane, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, and the like. Many, but not all, natural gas streams as produced from the earth can contain minor amounts (less than about 50 wt. %), often less than about 20 wt. %, of hydrocarbons having from 5 to 12, inclusive, carbon atoms per molecule (C5 to C12) that are not normally gaseous at generally prevailing ambient atmospheric conditions of temperature and pressure at the earth's surface, and that can condense out of the natural gas once it is produced to the earth's surface. All wt. % are based on the total weight of the natural gas stream in question.
[0014] When various natural gas streams are produced to the earth's surface, a hydrocarbon composition often naturally condenses out of the thus produced natural gas stream under the then prevailing conditions of temperature and pressure at the earth's surface where that stream is collected. There is thus produced a normally liquid hydrocarbonaceous condensate separate from the normally gaseous natural gas under the same prevailing conditions. The normally gaseous natural gas can contain methane, ethane, propane, and butane. The normally liquid hydrocarbon fraction that condenses from the produced natural gas stream is generally referred to as “condensate,” and generally contains molecules heavier than butane (C5 to about C20 or slightly higher). After separation from the produced natural gas, this liquid condensate fraction is processed separately from the remaining gaseous fraction that is normally referred to as natural gas.
[0015] Thus, condensate recovered from a natural gas stream as first produced to the earth's surface is not the exact same material, composition wise, as natural gas (primarily methane). Neither is it the same material, composition wise, as crude oil. Condensate occupies a niche between normally gaseous natural gas and normally liquid whole crude oil. Condensate contains hydrocarbons heavier than normally gaseous natural gas, and a range of hydrocarbons that are at the lightest end of whole crude oil.
[0016] Condensate, unlike crude oil, can be characterized by way of its boiling point range. Condensates normally boil in the range of from about 100 to about 650 F. With this boiling range, condensates contain a wide variety of hydrocarbonaceous materials. These materials can include compounds that make up fractions that are commonly referred to as naphtha, kerosene, diesel fuel(s), and gas oil (fuel oil, furnace oil, heating oil, and the like). Naphtha and associated lighter boiling materials (naphtha) are in the C5 to C10, inclusive, range, and are the lightest boiling range fractions in condensate, boiling in the range of from about 100 to about 400 F. Petroleum middle distillates (kerosene, diesel, atmospheric gas oil) are generally in the C10 to about C20 or slightly higher range, and generally boil, in their majority, in the range of from about 350 to about 650 F. They are, individually and collectively, referred to herein as “distillate” or “distillates.” It should be noted that various distillate compositions can have a boiling point lower than 350 F and/or higher than 650 F, and such distillates are included in the 350-650 F range aforesaid, and in this invention.
[0017] The starting feedstock for a conventional olefin production plant, as described above, has first been subjected to substantial, expensive processing before it reaches that plant. Normally, condensate and whole crude oil is distilled or otherwise fractionated in a crude oil refinery into a plurality of fractions such as gasoline, naphtha, kerosene, gas oil (vacuum or atmospheric) and the like, including, in the case of crude oil and not natural gas, a high boiling residuum. Thereafter any of these fractions, other than the residuum, are normally passed to an olefin production plant as the starting feedstock for that plant.
[0018] It would be desirable to be able to forego the capital and operating cost of a refinery distillation unit (whole crude processing unit) that processes condensate and/or crude oil to generate a hydrocarbonaceous fraction that serves as the starting feedstock for conventional olefin producing plants. However, the prior art, until recently, taught away from even hydrocarbon cuts (fractions) that have too broad a boiling range distribution. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 5,817,226 to Lenglet.
[0019] Recently, U.S. Pat. No. 6,743,961 (hereafter “USP '961” issued to Donald H. Powers. This patent relates to cracking whole crude oil by employing a vaporization/mild cracking zone (unit) that contains packing. This zone is operated in a manner such that the liquid phase of the whole crude that has not already been vaporized is held in that zone until cracking/vaporization of the more tenacious hydrocarbon liquid components is maximized. This allows only a minimum of solid residue formation which residue remains behind as a deposit on the packing. This residue is later burned off the packing by conventional steam air decoking, ideally during the normal furnace decoking cycle, see column 7, lines 50-58 of that patent. Thus, the second zone 9 of that patent serves as a trap for components, including hydrocarbonaceous materials, of the crude oil feed that cannot be cracked or vaporized under the conditions employed in the process, see column 8, lines 60-64 of that patent.
[0020] Still more recently, U.S. Pat. No. 7,019,187 issued to Donald H. Powers. This patent is directed to the process disclosed in USP '961, but employs a mildly acidic cracking catalyst to drive the overall function of the vaporization/mild cracking unit more toward the mild cracking end of the vaporization (without prior mild cracking)—mild cracking (followed by vaporization) spectrum.
[0021] The disclosures of the foregoing patents, in their entirety, are incorporated herein by reference.
[0022] One skilled in the art would first subject the feed to be cracked to a conventional distillation column to distill the distillate from the cracking feed. This approach would require a substantial amount of capital to build the column and outfit it with the normal reboiler and overhead condensation equipment that goes with such a column. In this invention, a vaporization unit (splitter or stripper) is employed in a manner such that much greater energy efficiency at lower capital cost is realized over a distillation column. By use of this vaporization unit, reboilers, overhead condensers, and related distillation column equipment are eliminated without eliminating the functions thereof, thus saving considerably in capital costs. Further, this invention exhibits much greater energy efficiency in operation than a distillation column because the extra energy that would be required by a distillation column is not required by this invention since this invention instead utilizes for its splitting function the energy that is already going to be expended in the operation of the cracking furnace (as opposed to energy expended to operate a standalone distillation column upstream of the cracking furnace), and the vapor product of the stripper goes directly to the cracking section of the furnace.
[0023] This invention employs a unique partitioned vaporization unit (zone) that can produce a side draw stream that is low, if not essentially free, of asphaltenes, tars, and/or solids that can be associated with the feed material that is routinely fed to that unit.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0024] In accordance with this invention, there is provided a process for utilizing whole crude oil and/or natural gas condensate as the feedstock for an olefin plant, as defined above, in combination with a partitioned vaporization unit.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0025] FIG. 1 shows a simplified flow sheet for a prior art process for thermally cracking whole crude oil/natural gas condensate using a vaporization unit that is not partitioned in the manner of this invention.
[0026] FIG. 2 shows a whole crude oil/condensate vaporization unit that has a lower chamber thereof partitioned in the manner of this invention.
[0027] FIG. 3 shows a cross-section of the partitioned chamber of FIG. 2 .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0028] The terms “hydrocarbon,” “hydrocarbons,” and “hydrocarbonaceous” as used herein do not mean materials strictly or only containing hydrogen atoms and carbon atoms. Such terms include materials that are hydrocarbonaceous in nature in that they primarily or essentially are composed of hydrogen and carbon atoms, but can contain other elements such as oxygen, sulfur, nitrogen, metals, inorganic salts, and the like, even in significant amounts.
[0029] An olefin producing plant useful with this invention would include a pyrolysis (thermal cracking) furnace for initially receiving and cracking the feed. Pyrolysis furnaces for steam cracking of hydrocarbons heat by means of convection and radiation, and comprise a series of preheating, circulation, and cracking tubes, usually bundles of such tubes, for preheating, transporting, and cracking the hydrocarbon feed. The high cracking heat is supplied by burners disposed in the radiant section (sometimes called “radiation section”) of the furnace. The waste gas from these burners is circulated through the convection section of the furnace to provide the heat necessary for preheating the incoming hydrocarbon feed. The convection and radiant sections of the furnace are joined at the “cross-over,” and the tubes referred to hereinabove carry the hydrocarbon feed from the interior of one section to the interior of the next.
[0030] Cracking furnaces are designed for rapid heating in the radiant section starting at the radiant tube (coil) inlet where reaction velocity constants are low because of low temperature. Most of the heat transferred simply raises the hydrocarbons from the inlet temperature to the reaction temperature. In the middle of the coil, the rate of temperature rise is lower but the cracking rates are appreciable. At the coil outlet, the rate of temperature rise increases somewhat but not as rapidly as at the inlet.
[0031] Steam dilution of the feed hydrocarbon lowers the hydrocarbon partial pressure, enhances olefin formation, and reduces any tendency toward coke formation in the radiant tubes.
[0032] Radiant coils in the furnace heat the hydrocarbons to from about 1,450° F. to about 1,550° F. and thereby subject the hydrocarbons to severe cracking.
[0033] Hydrocarbon feed to the furnace is preheated to from about 900° F. to about 1,000° F. in the convection section by convectional heating from the flue gas from the radiant section, steam dilution of the feed in the convection section, or the like. After preheating in a conventional commercial furnace, the feed is ready for entry into the radiant section.
[0034] The cracked gaseous hydrocarbons leaving the radiant section are rapidly reduced in temperature to prevent destruction of the cracking pattern. Cooling of the cracked gases before further processing of same downstream in the olefin production plant recovers a large amount of energy as high pressure steam for re-use in the furnace and/or olefin plant. This is often accomplished with the use of transfer-line exchangers that are well known in the art.
[0035] Downstream processing of the cracked hydrocarbons issuing from the furnace varies considerably, and particularly based on whether the initial hydrocarbon feed was a gas or a liquid. Since this invention uses whole crude oil and/or liquid natural gas condensate as a feed, downstream processing herein will be described for a liquid fed olefin plant. Downstream processing of cracked gaseous hydrocarbons from liquid feedstock, naphtha through gas oil for the prior art, and crude oil and/or condensate for this invention, is more complex than for gaseous feedstock because of the heavier hydrocarbon components present in the liquid feedstocks.
[0036] With a liquid hydrocarbon feedstock downstream processing, although it can vary from plant to plant, typically employs termination of the cracking function by a transfer-line exchanger followed by oil and water quenches of the furnace effluent. Thereafter, the cracked hydrocarbon stream is subjected to fractionation to remove heavy liquids, followed by compression of uncondensed hydrocarbons, and acid gas and water removal therefrom. Various desired products are then individually separated, e.g., ethylene, propylene, a mixture of hydrocarbons having four carbon atoms per molecule, fuel oil, pyrolysis gasoline, and a high purity hydrogen stream.
[0037] In accordance with this invention, a process is provided which utilizes crude oil and/or condensate liquid that has not been subjected to fractionation, distillation, and the like, as the primary (initial) feedstock for the olefin plant pyrolysis furnace in whole or in substantial part. By so doing, this invention eliminates the need for costly distillation of the condensate into various fractions, e.g., from naphtha, kerosene, gas oil, and the like, to serve as the primary feedstock for a pyrolysis furnace as is done by the prior art as first described hereinabove.
[0038] This invention can be carried out using, for example, the apparatus disclosed in USP '961 when modified in accordance with the teachings of this invention. Thus, this invention is carried out using a self-contained vaporization facility that operates separately from and independently of the convection and radiant sections of the furnace. When employed outside the furnace, crude oil and/or condensate primary feed is preheated in the convection section of the furnace, passed out of the convection section and the furnace to a standalone vaporization facility. The vaporous hydrocarbon product of this standalone facility is then passed back into the furnace to enter the radiant section thereof. Preheating can be carried out other than in the convection section of the furnace if desired or in any combination inside and/or outside the furnace and still be within the scope of this invention.
[0039] The vaporization unit of this invention receives the condensate feed that may or may not have been preheated, for example, from about ambient to about 350 F, preferably from about 200 to about 350 F. This is a lower temperature range than what is required for complete vaporization of the feed. Any preheating preferably, though not necessarily, takes place in the convection section of the same furnace for which such condensate is the primary feed.
[0040] Thus, a first chamber in the vaporization operation step of this invention (zone 4 in USP '961) employs vapor/liquid separation wherein vaporous hydrocarbons and other gases, if any, in the preheated feed stream are separated from those distillate components that remain liquid after preheating. Gases can also be formed in this chamber. The aforesaid gases are removed from the vapor/liquid separation section and passed on to the radiant section of the furnace.
[0041] Vapor/liquid separation in this first, e.g., upper, chamber knocks out distillate liquid in any conventional manner, numerous ways and means of which are well known and obvious in the art.
[0042] Liquid thus separated from the aforesaid vapors moves into a second, e.g., lower, chamber (zone 9 in USP '961). This can be accomplished by external piping. Alternatively this can be accomplished internally of the vaporization unit. The liquid entering and traveling along the length of this second chamber meets oncoming, e.g., rising, steam. This liquid, absent the gases removed by way of the first chamber, receives the full impact of the oncoming steam's thermal energy and diluting effect.
[0043] This second chamber can carry at least one liquid distribution device such as a perforated plate(s), trough distributor, dual flow tray(s), chimney tray(s), spray nozzle(s), and the like.
[0044] This second chamber can also carry in a portion thereof one or more conventional tower packing materials and/or trays for promoting intimate mixing of liquid and vapor in the second zone.
[0045] As the remaining liquid hydrocarbon travels (falls) through this second chamber, lighter materials such as gasoline or naphtha that may be present can be vaporized in substantial part by the high energy steam with which it comes into contact. This enables the hydrocarbon components that are more difficult to vaporize to continue to fall and be subjected to higher and higher steam to liquid hydrocarbon ratios and temperatures to enable them to be vaporized by both the energy of the steam and the decreased liquid hydrocarbon partial pressure with increased steam partial pressure.
[0046] FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of the process just described in diagrammatic form for sake of simplicity and brevity.
[0047] FIG. 1 shows a conventional cracking furnace 1 wherein a crude oil and/or condensate primary feed 2 is passed in to the preheat section 3 of the convection section of furnace 1 . Steam 6 is also superheated in this section of the furnace for use in the process of this invention.
[0048] The pre-heated cracking feed is then passed by way of pipe (line) 10 to the aforesaid vaporization unit 11 , which unit is separated into an upper vaporization chamber 12 and a lower chamber 13 . This unit 11 achieves primarily (predominately) vaporization with or without mild cracking of at least a significant portion of the naphtha and gasoline boiling range and lighter materials that remain in the liquid state after the pre-heating step. Gaseous materials that are associated with the preheated feed as received by unit 11 , and additional gaseous materials formed in zone 12 , are removed from 12 by way of line 14 . Thus, line 14 carries away essentially all the lighter hydrocarbon vapors, e.g., naphtha and gasoline boiling range and lighter, that are present and/or formed in chamber 12 . Liquid distillate present in 12 , with or without some liquid gasoline and/or naphtha, is removed there from via line 15 and passed into the upper interior of lower chamber 13 . Chambers 12 and 13 , in this embodiment, are separated from fluid communication with one another by an impermeable wall 16 , which can be a solid tray. Line 15 represents external fluid down flow communication between chambers 12 and 13 . In lieu thereof, or in addition thereto, chambers 12 and 13 can have internal fluid communication there between by modifying wall 16 to be at least in part liquid permeable by use of one or more trays designed to allow liquid to pass down into the interior of 13 and vapor up into the interior of 12 . For example, instead of an impermeable wall 16 , a chimney tray could be used in which case vapor carried by line 17 would pass internally within unit 11 down into section 13 instead of externally of unit 11 via line 15 . In this internal down flow case, distributor 18 becomes optional.
[0049] By whatever way liquid is removed from 12 to 13 , that liquid moves downwardly into the interior of 13 , and thus can encounter at least one liquid distribution device 18 . Device 18 evenly distributes liquid across the transverse cross section of unit 11 so that the liquid will flow uniformly across the width of the tower into contact with packing 19 .
[0050] Dilution steam 6 passes through superheat zone 20 , and then, via line 21 into a lower portion 22 of chamber 13 below packing 19 . In packing 19 liquid and steam from line 21 intimately mix with one another thus vaporizing some of liquid 15 . This newly formed vapor, along with dilution steam 21 , is removed from 13 via line 17 and added to the vapor in line 14 to form a combined hydrocarbon vapor product in line 25 . Stream 25 can contain essentially hydrocarbon vapor from feed 2 , e.g., gasoline and naphtha, and steam.
[0051] Stream 17 thus represents a part of feed stream 2 plus dilution steam 21 less liquid distillate(s) and heavier from feed 2 that are present in bottoms stream 44 . Stream 25 is passed through a mixed feed preheat zone 27 in a hotter (lower) section of the convection zone of furnace 1 to further increase the temperature of all materials present, and then via cross over line 28 into the radiant coils (tubes) 29 in the radiant firebox of furnace 1 . Line 28 can be internal or external of furnace cross over conduit 30 . Line 44 removes from stripper 11 the residuum, if any, from feed 2 .
[0052] Steam 6 can be employed entirely in chamber 13 , or a part thereof can be employed in either line 14 and/or line 25 to aid in the prevention of the formation of liquid in lines 14 or 25 .
[0053] In the radiant firebox section 22 of furnace 1 , feed from line 28 which contains numerous varying hydrocarbon components is subjected to severe thermal cracking conditions in coils 29 as aforesaid.
[0054] The cracked product leaves the radiant fire box section of furnace 1 by way of line 31 for further processing in the remainder of the olefin plant downstream of furnace 1 as shown in USP '961.
[0055] In a conventional olefin production plant, the preheated feed 10 would be mixed with dilution steam 21 , and this mixture would then be passed directly from preheat zone 3 into the radiant section 22 of furnace 1 , and subjected to severe thermal cracking conditions. In contrast, this invention instead passes the preheated feed at, for example, a temperature of from about 200 to about 350 F, into standalone portioned unit 11 (see FIG. 2 ) which is physically located outside of furnace 1 .
[0056] In the embodiment of FIG. 1 , cracked furnace product 31 is passed to at least one transfer line exchanger (TLE) 32 wherein it is cooled sufficiently to terminate the thermal cracking function. The cracked gas product is removed by way of line 33 and can be further cooled by injection of recycled quench oil 34 immediately downstream of TLE 32 . The quench oil in streams 34 and 45 is a complex mixture of C12 and heavier hydrocarbons boiling in the range of from about 380 to about 700 F, and is often referred to as pyrolysis fuel oil or pyrolysis gas oil. Normally, pyrolysis fuel (gas) oil that is not recycled by way of line 34 is separated from the process by way of line 45 , and used and/or sold as fuel oil, but can also be used in this invention as described here in after. The quench oil/cracked gas mixture passes via line 33 to oil quench tower 35 . In tower 35 this mixture is contacted with a lighter boiling hydrocarbonaceous liquid quench material such as pyrolysis gasoline which contains primarily C5 to C12 hydrocarbons and boils in the range of from about 100 to about 420 F. Pyrolysis gasoline is provided by way of line 36 to further cool the cracked gas furnace product as well as condense and recover additional fuel oil product by way of lines 34 and 45 . Cracked gas product is removed from tower 35 via line 37 and passed to water quench tower 38 wherein it is contacted with recycled and cooled water 39 that is recovered from a lower portion of tower 38 . Water 39 condenses liquid pyrolysis gasoline in tower 38 which is, in part, employed as liquid quench material 36 , and, in part, removed via line 40 for other processing elsewhere.
[0057] A lighter side draw stream 53 can be taken from unit 35 intermediate overhead 37 and bottoms streams 34 / 45 which stream 53 is composed essentially of pyrolysis gas oil boiling in the range of from about 380 to about 700 F. Stream 53 is also useful in this invention as described hereinafter.
[0058] The thus processed cracked gas product is removed from tower 38 via line 41 and passed to compression and fractionation facility 42 wherein individual product streams aforesaid are recovered as products of the cracking plant, such individual product streams being collectively represented by way of line 43 .
[0059] Feed 2 can enter furnace 1 at a temperature of from about ambient up to about 300 F at a pressure from slightly above atmospheric up to about 100 psig (hereafter “atmospheric to 100 psig”). Feed 2 can enter zone 12 via line 10 at a temperature of from about ambient to about 500 F at a pressure of from atmospheric to 100 psig.
[0060] Stream 14 can be essentially all hydrocarbon vapor formed from feed 2 and is at a temperature of from about 500 to about 750 F at a pressure of from atmospheric to 100 psig.
[0061] Stream 15 can be essentially all the remaining liquid from feed 2 less that which was vaporized in pre-heater 3 and is at a temperature of from about 500 to about 750 F at a pressure of from atmospheric to 100 psig.
[0062] The combination of streams 14 and 17 , as represented by stream 25 , can be at a temperature of from about 650 to about 800 F at a pressure of from atmospheric to 100 psig, and contain, for example, an overall steam/hydrocarbon ratio of from about 0.1 to about 2.
[0063] Stream 28 can be at a temperature of from about 900 to about 1,100 F at a pressure of from atmospheric to 100 psig.
[0064] In chamber 13 , dilution ratios (hot gas/liquid droplets) will vary widely because the composition of condensate varies widely. Generally, the hot gas 21 , e.g., steam, to hydrocarbon ratio at the top of 13 can be from about 0.1/1 to about 5/1, preferably from about 0.1/1 to about 1.2/1, more preferably from about 0.1/1 to about 1/1.
[0065] Steam is an example of a suitable hot gas introduced by way of line 21 . Other materials can be present in the steam employed. Stream 6 can be composed of that type of steam normally used in a conventional cracking plant. Such gases are preferably at a temperature sufficient to volatilize a substantial fraction of the liquid hydrocarbon 15 that enters chamber 13 . Generally, the gas entering 13 from conduit 21 will be at least about 350 F, preferably from about 650 to about 1,000 F at from atmospheric to 100 psig. Stream 17 can be a mixture of steam and hydrocarbon vapor that has a boiling point lower than about 350 F. It should be noted that there may be situations where the operator desires to allow some distillate to enter stream 17 , and such situations are within the scope of this invention. Stream 17 can be at a temperature of from about 600 to about 800 F at a pressure of from atmospheric to 100 psig.
[0066] It can be seen that steam from line 21 does not serve just as a diluent for partial pressure purposes as does diluent steam that may be introduced, for example, into conduit 2 (not shown). Rather, steam from line 21 provides not only a diluting function, but also additional vaporizing energy for the hydrocarbons that remain in the liquid state. This is accomplished with just sufficient energy to achieve vaporization of heavier hydrocarbon components and by controlling the energy input. For example, by using steam in line 21 , substantial vaporization of feed 2 liquid is achieved. The very high steam dilution ratio and the highest temperature steam are thereby provided where they are needed most as liquid hydrocarbon droplets move progressively lower in 13 .
[0067] Note that chamber 13 of prior art FIG. 1 contains transversely extending packing bed 19 and unitary distributor 18 , so that the flow of liquid remainder 15 at the inlet (upper) end of 13 above distributor 18 is deliberately spread uniformly across the full transverse cross-section of 13 from the top to the bottom of that chamber. In this regard chamber 13 is not partitioned as to fluid flow transversely across its interior volume. That is to say, chamber 13 is not partitioned or otherwise channeled in regards to the transverse cross-sectional flow of fluid across the interior of chamber 13 , and this is so from its upper inlet at 15 to its lower outlet at 44 .
[0068] FIG. 2 shows vaporization unit 11 without individual distributor 18 of FIG. 1 and modified pursuant to this invention so that lower chamber 13 that receives remaining liquid 15 from upper chamber 12 is physically vertically partitioned (divided) by an upstanding, fluid impervious wall 60 that is disposed within the inner volume of chamber 13 to form first and second volumes (sides) 51 and 52 that are each filled with packing like packing 19 of FIG. 1 . Note that the combination of the packing filling volumes 51 and 52 together with partition 60 forms a structure that extends fully across the entire transverse cross-section of chamber 13 , and leaves no large vertical passages or unobstructed conduit paths through this structure. Thus, liquid flowing downwardly from top to bottom in chamber 13 must pass through either packing 51 or packing 52 , and at no transverse location across chamber 13 allowed to flow freely from the top to bottom without having to pass through a packing bed.
[0069] Partition 60 extends above the top of the packing at 54 to keep incoming remaining liquid 56 from line 15 on side 51 and out of side 52 . Accordingly, sides 51 and 52 at their upper inlet ends are, by way of wall 60 , physically separated as far as transverse liquid flow is concerned, but yet these inlet ends are in fluid communication as far as vapor movement is concerned so that gas from both sides can rise and be recovered by way of line 17 for transport to furnace 1 ( FIG. 1 ). Similarly, the lower outlet ends of sides 51 and 52 that are nearer bottom 67 of unit 11 are physically separated as to liquid flow there between while still open at these outlet ends for the transfer of vapor there between as shown by arrow 62 . Each of sides 51 and 52 can, if desired, carry an individual distributor (not shown) like unitary distributor 18 . The individual distributors in each of sides 51 and 52 will be carried in an upper portion of those sides, and on opposite sides of partition 60 .
[0070] Side 51 has no floor thereto, while side 52 has a vapor pervious floor 61 which can be, for example, a valved tray, and the like, which is well known in the art. Floor 61 thus catches liquid and directs it into sump 63 from which it is withdrawn by way of line 64 , while still allowing any vapor 62 to pass upwardly through both floor 61 (as shown by arrow 70 ) and side 52 towards outlet line 17 . Note that floor 61 can be located above the lower outlet level of side 51 for better liquid separation without impeding vapor transfer between sides 51 and 52 .
[0071] Pursuant to this invention, the process within chamber 13 is broken down into two distinct steps. The first step is the passage of remaining liquid 15 downwardly through side 51 while keeping such liquid out of side 52 . The second step is the introduction by way of line 50 into the upper inlet end of side 52 of a pyrolysis fuel oil type stream, and keeping this liquid out of side 51 . Note that these two steps are carried out while the upper inlet ends (receiving streams 56 and 59 ) and the lower outlet ends of sides 51 and 52 are in open vapor communication with one another, for example at 62 , while the separation of liquid streams 56 and 59 is maintained.
[0072] The quench oil bottoms stream 45 from prior art unit 35 of FIG. 1 can be passed, in whole or in part, into quench oil stream 65 in unit 11 of FIG. 2 of this invention. Lighter side draw pyrolysis gas oil stream 53 from prior art unit 35 of FIG. 1 can be passed, in whole or in part, into stream 50 in unit 11 of FIG. 2 of this invention.
[0073] Thus, in the primary mode of operation for this invention remaining liquid 15 will be processed essentially exclusively in side 51 , while liquid pyrolysis fuel (gas) oil will be processed at the same time essentially exclusively in side 52 , vapors at both the inlet and outlet ends of sides 51 and 52 being free to intermingle with one another. This separate two step operation within the same chamber 13 of unit 11 not only provides two streams 14 and 17 that are well suited for cracking in furnace 1 of FIG. 1 , but, in addition, provides the flexibility of recovering a third stream 64 from sump 63 .
[0074] Side draw stream 64 is a hydrocarbonaceous stream that is essentially free of asphaltenes, coke, and other solids that can be present in feed 10 , and, therefore, is suitable for processes other than thermal cracking which cannot tolerate the presence of such solids, e.g., hydrocracking catalyst. For example, stream 64 not only is suitable for thermal cracking if desired, but, due to its lack of asphaltenes, coke, and other solids, can also be used as feed for conversion processes, refinery hydrocracking operations for upgrading to olefins plant feed or to a low sulfur gasoline blending component, hydrotreating, and the like. This is not the case for solids containing residual liquid removed from unit 11 by way of bottoms outlet 71 .
[0075] Accordingly, stream 64 can vary widely in its hydrocarbon composition, but will generally primarily contain C5 to C20 hydrocarbons having a boiling range of from about 100 to about 700 F.
[0076] The process of this invention, by using a divided chamber in vaporization unit 11 is quite flexible. For example, if the operator desires, for any one of a number of reasons, he can pass a small but effective amount of remaining liquid 15 to the upper inlet end of side 52 as shown by arrow 57 , and/or pass a small but effective amount of pyrolysis fuel (gas) oil to the upper inlet end of side 51 as shown by arrow 58 . For example, stream 50 can be upgraded by way of processing in side 52 with its light ends going to furnace 1 by way of line 17 , and its heavy aromatic end being fed to a hydrocracker by way of line 64 . Such steps are optional, but, nevertheless available if the operator deems either or both of them to be worthwhile from an operational point of view.
[0077] Another option available to the operator is to recycle some of the high value, solids clean product 64 back to the inlet end of side 51 and/or side 52 as shown by arrows 66 , 58 , and 59 . Loop line 66 can be provided with cooling capacity (not shown) if desired. Using solids clean product 64 in recycle loop 66 can improve vapor and liquid contacting inside chamber 13 .
[0078] Yet another option is the introduction in a lower portion of chamber 13 below the outlets of sides 51 and 52 of a quench oil stream 65 . This stream can be quench oil from line 45 of FIG. 1 .
[0079] FIG. 3 shows a transverse cross-section through chamber 13 (see FIG. 1 ). The packing beds are not shown for sake of clarity in viewing bottom 67 and floor 61 . FIG. 3 shows partition 60 to extend fully across the transverse cross-section of the interior of chamber 13 , thereby forming a vertical liquid barrier between sides 51 and 52 .
EXAMPLE
[0080] A natural gas condensate stream 5 characterized as Oso condensate from Nigeria is removed from a storage tank and fed directly into the convection section of a pyrolysis furnace 1 at ambient conditions of temperature and pressure. In this convection section, this condensate initial feed is preheated to about 350 F at about 60 psig, and then passed into a vaporization unit 11 wherein a mixture of gasoline and naphtha gases at about 350 F and 60 psig are separated from distillate liquids in chamber 12 of that unit. The separated gases are removed from chamber 12 for transfer to the radiant section of the same furnace for severe cracking in a temperature range of 1,450° F. to 1,550° F. at the outlet of radiant coil 29 .
[0081] The hydrocarbon liquid remaining from feed 2 , after separation from accompanying hydrocarbon gases aforesaid, is transferred to lower chamber 13 and allowed to fall downwardly in that section toward the bottom thereof on side 51 of wall 60 . At the same time pyrolysis fuel (gas) oil from oil quench tower 35 is introduced into chamber 13 by way of line 50 at a temperature of about 450 F and about 10 psig.
[0082] Preheated steam 21 at about 1,000 F is introduced near the bottom of chamber 13 to give a steam to hydrocarbon ratio in section 22 of about 0.5. The falling liquid droplets are in counter current flow with the steam that is rising from the bottom of chamber 13 toward the top thereof through both sides 51 and 52 . With respect to the liquid falling downwardly in sides 51 and 52 , the steam to liquid hydrocarbon ratio increases from the top to bottom of those sides.
[0083] A mixture of steam and naphtha vapor 17 at about 340 F is withdrawn from near the top of chamber 13 and mixed with the gases earlier removed from chamber 12 via line 14 to form a composite steam/hydrocarbon vapor stream 25 containing about 0.5 pounds of steam per pound of hydrocarbon present. This composite stream is preheated in zone 27 to about 1,000 F at less than about 50 psig, and introduced into the radiant firebox section of furnace 1 .
[0084] A pyrolysis hydrocarbon side draw is recovered in line 64 at a temperature of about 400 F. This stream is essentially free of asphaltenes, coke, and other solids.
[0085] Bottoms product 71 of unit 11 is removed at a temperature of about 460 F, and pressure of about 60 psig. This stream contains essentially all of the asphaltense, coke, and other solids originally present in feed stream 10 . | A method for thermally cracking a feed composed of whole crude oil and/or natural gas condensate using a partitioned vaporizer to gasify the feed before cracking same. | 2 |
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims priority of Provisional Application No. 60/233,922 which was filed on Sep. 20, 2000.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to electronic data processing and more specifically to systems and methods of use for querying, selecting and ordering complex multi-component packages.
Purchasers of specialized, complex, multi-component packages, such as fishing tackle packages, have traditionally had to perform independent research on the requirements of a particular location, species and fishing method. They then had to coordinate the individual item selection to obtain a workable ensemble and then order the components of the package, which might have hundreds of components, through many vendors. Research could be required which may include review of guidebooks and equipment catalogs and consultations with salesmen or manufacturer's representatives. Often the requirements for a particular fishing location may only be known to a small group of specialists requiring investigation by the user to find those specialists.
Today many people are very busy and have less time than in the past. In order to acquire the required components it is probable that multiple stores, catalog vendors or other sources would have to be contacted and orders placed therewith. Performing the required research and purchase coordination for complex multi-component packages requires significant effort and is time consuming.
Given the complexity and number of specialized items required to form a package, it is possible that the user could be provided with erroneous information leading to the purchase of one or more components that are not suited to the required use. Since the components have to be matched to one another to operate correctly, an incorrect component choice can lead to non-functionality of the system as a whole. Additionally, a user may fail to identify and purchase a required component thus leading to the acquisition of a non-functioning system.
Even with sophisticated search engines it may be difficult for users to find the invention website. The invention's ability to be accessed and used directly through multiple separate websites facilitates the user's access and further ensures that the user can obtain a coordinated, appropriate system.
Thus, purchasers of complex multi-component packages need systems and methods of purchase that do not require extensive investments of time and effort. Additionally, obtaining a coordinated, appropriate multi-component package needs to be more assured of occurring.
Many of the foregoing identified problems are solved by this invention. The systems and methods of use for querying, choosing and ordering complex multi-component packages of the invention provides a convenient, efficient and more reliable alternative to the methods currently available.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to permit the user to be queried on the required use of the items, with subsequent selection of components and ordering using a personal computer communicating over a global communications network.
Further, it is another object of the present invention to present the user with staged queries on the intended use, location, family of items and relative item quality requirements, or other suitable criteria. It is another objective of the present invention that the system determines the required components based on the results of the queries and presents those component choices to the user. It is yet another objective of the present invention that the user can make modifications, additions or deletions, to the component lists, if desired. It is yet another object of the present invention to permit the user to place an order for the components.
It is yet another object of the present invention to have access from other websites on the global communication network by requesting a purchase and having the invention site appear with originating site framing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
These and other objects of the invention are accomplished with the principle of the present invention being providing systems and methods for choosing multi-component packages.
The present invention uses a personal computer on a global communications network for querying a user, selecting and ordering complex multi-component item packages. A local personal computer is used to access databases via the global communications network. The user is prompted through a series of staged queries, which are stored in a database. The interactive queries progressively question on item use, location, family of item type and quality requirements, for instance. A logic tree is used to select appropriate queries from the selection database as the queries progress.
Based on the results of the querying, the components will be selected from a component database. The selection logic is preprogrammed based on specific expertise and research that is integrated into the logic, thus comprising an expert system. The selected recommended items forming a package are then displayed. The selected items represent all those necessary to comprise a fully functional system. The user can then review the recommended items selection and make changes if, for instance, they already own some of the specific components. Upon finalization of the selections, an order can then be placed electronically.
A user from another website, who may require a complex multi-component package, may access the invention website by requesting purchase (i.e. clicking “PURCHASE EQUIPMENT PACKAGES”) from within the original website. The invention website has interchangeable framing that will mimic the originating website. The user will not be aware that he has left the originating website. This feature allows seamless user interaction. A user could book a trip on the global communications network to Brazil on a certain river and wish to buy a multi-component fishing package. The user would then “click” on “PURCHASE EQUIPMENT PACKAGES” and have access to the invention website under the trip vendor's framing. This facilitates purchase of an integrated package for the user.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a specific embodiment of the hardware and software of a system according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram depicting a flow chart illustrating the logical flow of a specific embodiment of the software according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the software block, as shown in FIG. 1 illustrating the specific embodiment of a data structure of the databases according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a representation of a display image of a specific embodiment of the process initiation screen according to the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a representation of a display image of a specific embodiment of the fish query screen according to the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a representation of a display image of a specific embodiment of the country query screen according to the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a representation of a display image of a specific embodiment of the fishery or water type query screen according to the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a representation of a display image of a specific embodiment of the type of tackle query screen according to the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a representation of a display image of a specific embodiment of the quality of tackle query screen according to the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a representation of a display image of a specific embodiment of the addition or deletion of components screen according to the present invention.
FIG. 11 is a representation of a display image of a specific embodiment of a listing of items selected by the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIG. 1 , there is illustrated a computerized order selection, processing and delivery system 11 according to the present invention. The present invention includes a personal computer system 12 and a display device 13 . The personal computer system 12 may be any suitable personal computer using conventional operating systems such as Microsoft Windows™, Apple Macintosh™, UNIX, LINUX or any future operating system. The computer system with associated operating system has to be capable of running a browser 14 such as Microsoft Internet Explorer™, or Netscape Navigator™.
A user may communicate to the computer system through data entry devices such as a keyboard 15 or a pointing device such as a mouse 16 . However, other data entry devices may be used, such as speech recognition devices. The term “click” or “clicking” as will be used hereafter, is well known to computer users familiar with mouse devices 16 . These terms mean that a particular action is taken by the personal computer system 12 when the user depresses a button 17 on the mouse 16 while a symbol corresponding to the position of the mouse relative to a graphical image on the display 13 is shown.
The browser 14 is an application program running from the hard drive 18 of the personal computer system 12 that provides a method where the user may request information from a web server 19 . The user requested information from the browser 14 is communicated by a modem 20 or equivalent which will convert digital signals from the personal computer system 12 to signal suitable for transmission over telephone lines or equivalent communication networks.
The user requested information is transmitted in HTTP/HTTPS's (Hypertext Transfer Protocol/Secure Hypertext Transfer Protocol) requests 21 , or other suitable protocol. These protocols allow files to be exchanged in a standardized method on the global communications network. User request responses are by the use of HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) documents 22 to the browser 14 . The HTML program instructions to the browser 14 indicate the method information is to be displayed. The web server 19 is a program that communicates the files that form documents to users of the personal computer system 12 , by communicating with a remote application server 23 which is an operating system that supports the business logic for the invention. The application modules 24 perform the functionality of the invention within the application server 23 . The application modules 24 , via the datasource interface 25 , communicate data from the query database 26 , selection database 27 and component database 28 . Upon completion of choosing and ordering an item package, an order is sent to a fulfillment center 29 , such as a warehouse with associated shipping department, for package assemblage and mailing.
Referring to FIG. 2 , there is illustrated as an example, the logical flow steps that would be used to order a complex multi-component equipment package such as a fishing rod, reel, lures, terminal items and accessory package. Referring to FIG. 4 there is illustrated a representation of a display image of the process initiation screen containing the “Tackle Wizard” icon 30 which is used to initiate the query, selection and ordering system of the invention. The user may also access a “Tackle Browser” which can be used to scan the items in the database, grouped by type. The user can also access a “Tackle Searcher” which is used to search the equipment items 45 based on a typed search term input by user. The screen may be varied to mimic an originating website via which a user may have entered this website. The user would typically initiate the process by clicking on a “Tackle Wizard” icon 30 .
Referring to FIG. 2 , the expert system would then prompt the user with a fish query 31 generated and based on the fish query database 32 asking what type of fish the package was intended to be used for. Referring to FIG. 5 there is illustrated a representation of a display image of the fish query 31 screen where the user can select the fish species requiring the equipment components. Based on the response, using the country query database 34 and associated programming logic, the application server 23 would then answer with a country query 33 querying the country the package was to be used in.
Referring to FIG. 6 there is illustrated a representation of a display image of the country query 33 screen where the user can select the country requiring the equipment components. Based on the fish and country query responses, using the water query database 35 and associated programming logic, the application server would then answer with an iterative water query 36 asking the water type (clear, cloudy, etc.) or the name of the body of water the package is intended to be used in. Referring to FIG. 7 there is illustrated a representation of an image of the water query 36 screen where the user can select the water type or body of water that the required equipment components are to be used in.
Based on the response, returning to FIG. 2 , using the tackle query database 37 and associated programming logic, the application server 23 would then query with a tackle query 38 asking the type of tackle (baitcasting, spinning or fly) the customer prefers. Referring to FIG. 8 there is illustrated a representation of a display image of the tackle query 38 screen where user can select the tackle type desired.
Returning to FIG. 2 , based on the series of responses, using the quality level database 39 and associated programming logic, the application server 23 would then answer with an iterative quality query 40 asking the product quality level the customer prefers (i.e. economy (“silver”), moderate (“gold”), premium (“platinum”)). Referring to FIG. 9 there is illustrated a representation of a display image of the quality level 40 screen where user can select the tackle quality level desired.
Based on the query responses, the application server 23 and associated programming would then access the selection database 41 which contains the package template 42 . The package template 42 accesses sequentially within the selection database 41 the data consisting of a package of groups 43 which is the selected items from equipment groups such as lures, rods, etc. The associated programming then sequentially accesses the data consisting of the groups of items 44 , such as a subset of lures. The associated programming then sequentially accesses the individual items 45 within the group of items 44 . The application server 23 with associated program logic then produces proposed multi-component package items 46 broken down into the categories of rods and reels, lures and terminal items and accessories and other items which would then be displayed to the customer.
The user may make additions or deletions of listed equipment items to the proposed package. Referring to FIG. 10 there is illustrated a representation of a video image of the package of groups 43 selection generated by the “Tackle Wizard” which can then have components added or deleted from a multi-component package. For the deletion option 47 , the user may click on a “remove” box next to the equipment item. For the addition option 48 , the user may click on an additions icon, then the equipment classification icon, then the particular item in order to choose an additional item. This is accomplished by accessing the component database. The user may then accept the package, pay through an on-line credit card or other suitable method and the order 49 would be completed. Referring to FIG. 10 there is illustrated a representation of an image of the items 45 selection generated by the invention. FIG. 11 contains a selected portion of items. Items chosen by the invention may be numerous.
Referring to FIG. 3 , there is illustrated the data structure of the database. The database sub-categories consist of the individual tables of package level 50 , tackle type 51 , fish type 52 , water or river type 53 item type 63 , manufacturer 64 , and country 55 , and relational tables of group 59 , group item 60 , item 61 , item description 62 , river 54 , package 57 , package query 56 , and description 65 .
The database sub-categories are all accessed through the application server 23 , utilizing programming logic which is accessed through the user interface 66 . The user interface 66 resides in the personal computer system 12 which then communicates orders via a modem or equivalent 20 which are then filled via a remote fulfillment center 29 .
Specific embodiments of the system and method for choosing multi-component packages according to the invention have been described for the purpose of illustrating the manner in which the invention can be made and used. It should be understood that implementation of other variations and modifications of the invention and its various aspects will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and that the invention is not limited by these specific embodiments described. It is therefore contemplated to cover by the present invention any and all modifications, variations or equivalents that fall within the true spirit and scope of the basic underlying principles disclosed and claimed herein. | A system and method for querying, selection and ordering complex multi-component item packages using a personal computer communicating over a global communications network. The system prompts the user with interactive staged queries on the intended equipment use, location, type and relative equipment quality requirements, for instance. The system determines the required item components of a package that correspond to the user requirements by referencing an expert system database which contains a listing of items. The user may then choose the entire selected package of items or delete any items not needed and then place the order. The selection website has interchangeable framing for access from another website in a manner transparent to the user. | 8 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to devices for stabilizing a paper web in a papermaking machine in general, and in particular to devices for stabilizing a paper web dried on a Yankee dryer, Through Air Dryer (hereinafter referred to as TAD) or other tissue and towel making apparatus and processes including winder equipment and processes and web converting equipment and processes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Lightweight grades of paper which have a soft absorbing texture are formed by drying the paper web on a single large drying cylinder referred to as a Yankee dryer. The lightweight paper web, after being formed in the forming section of a papermaking machine and pressed in a press section, is dried on the surface of the Yankee dryer. The paper web is pressed on the Yankee dryer by a press roll. The Yankee dryer is heated by steam which is supplied to the interior of the Yankee dryer. An aircap placed over the top of the Yankee dryer blows high velocity heated air down onto the dryer surface to increase the drying rate of the Yankee dryer.
The paper dried on the Yankee dryer is given its characteristic absorbency by a creping action which takes place at the doctor blade which scrapes off paper from the surface of the Yankee dryer. The scraping action of the doctor blade compresses the paper about 3 to 75 percent. Lightweight grades of tissue which are produced on the Yankee dryer are fabricated at relatively high-speed. The highest speed Yankee dryers currently operate at about 6,700 feet per minute before the paper is compressed in the creping process.
The high speed at which tissue types of paper are manufactured combined with the creping action which removes the paper from the surface of the Yankee dryer produces large quantities of paper fiber dust. The dust is a fire hazard, increases maintenance costs and can contaminate the product. The dust also creates health concerns. The low strength of the tissue as it is removed from the Yankee dryer by the doctor blade and an unstable web run can create problems and lead to frequent breaks of the paper web. Increasing web tension to avoid paper breaks by increasing tension produced by the reel can result in the web being stretched which reduces its absorbency.
In existing tissue making machines the necessity of frequently cleaning and removing broke from the vicinity of the doctor blade has prevented the placement of any support sufficiently close to the doctor blade to prevent occasional paper breaks.
Skinning doctor blades positioned in front of the creping doctor have been used to deflect air from the aircap and from the air naturally moving with the paper web away from the web before it is scraped from the Yankee dryer roll, yet the effectiveness of such skinning doctor blades is limited.
What is needed is a tissue web support device which can decrease paper breaks and the amount of dust generated as a tissue web is scraped off the surface of the Yankee dryer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A web support foil is positioned adjacent to a Yankee dryer just above the creping doctor. The foil overlies the tissue web which is being scraped off the Yankee dryer and supports the web as it leaves the dryer. Mounted to the top of the foil is an adjustable air deflector in the form of an adjustable blade which is positioned as close as practicable to the Yankee dryer. The blade blocks air from the aircap and from the boundary layer moving along with the web and deflects the air over the top of the foil.
The foil can be less than six inches thick or greater than twelve inches thick but generally is about six inches thick, and can be of varying lengths but generally has a length of two to four feet. Duct work and/or other equipment is mounted on or close to the foil, and used for dust removal. This equipment can increase the thickness of the foil. The foil is positioned parallel or substantially parallel to the tissue web as it travels away from the Yankee dryer after being scraped from the Yankee dryer by the doctor blade. The foil has a leading-edge which is opposite and spaced from the Yankee dryer. A deflector blade which is mounted to the leading-edge of the foil defines a leading-edge pocket with the Yankee dryer, the foil leading-edge, and the tissue web which is moving along the bottom of the foil. The interior of the foil is divided into a number of air exhaust boxes and air supply chambers. One air exhaust box is located directly beneath the deflector blade and has a slotted opening which draws air from the leading-edge pocket.
By drawing air from the leading-edge pocket the downward pressure on the tissue web caused by air blowing along the web surface can be controlled, and paper fibers which are broken loose during the creping action can be drawn into the air exhaust box positioned beneath the air deflection blade. This arrangement removes a major source of airborne dust which is released from the tissue web as it is being creped. The tissue paper web is held adjacent to the bottom side of the foil by one or more air jets depending on the length of the foil which are arrayed in the cross machine direction on the bottom of the foil. The first set of jets is located immediately downstream, on the bottom portion of the leading-edge of the foil. The jets are directed over the bottom surface on the foil. The jets of air function as coanda air jets and prevent the web from sticking to the bottom surface of the foil. The injected air also creates a Bernoulli affect where increasing velocity of the stream air reduces the air stream's pressure, thus creating a region of low pressure which serves to hold the web against the bottom of the foil.
Other sets of air jets are positioned along the length of the foil as needed to create the same effect described for the first set of air jets. Here the air jets are arranged in a cross machine direction and are directed parallel or substantially parallel to the bottom of the foil. The air jets may be directed in the down machine direction or angled towards the front and back of the papermaking machine to spread the tissue web in a cross machine direction.
Adjacent to the trailing edge of the foil is a second air exhaust which draws air through a plurality of holes or slots in the bottom surface of the foil which extend in a cross machine direction. The second air exhaust serves to remove additional dust from the surface of the web and hold the web against the bottom surface of the foil.
It is a feature of the present invention to reduce the amount of dust released during the creping process in the formation of a tissue paper web.
It is another feature of the present invention to provide a means for reducing the web breakage in a tissue forming papermaking machine by, among other reasons, stabilizing the web.
It is a further feature of the present invention to provide a means for supporting a tissue web as it is led away from a Yankee dryer.
It is a further feature of the present invention to provide a means for deflecting air traveling along the surface of the Yankee dryer on which a web is being dried away from the web before it is creped from the Yankee dryer by a doctor blade.
Further objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevational cross-sectional view of the web support foil of this invention shown in position against a portion of a Yankee dryer.
FIG. 1a is an enlarged detail view of the leading edge of the foil of FIG. 1.
FIG. 1b is an enlarged detail view of the bottom of the foil of FIG. 1.
FIG. 2 is a schematic top plan view, partially cut away in section, of the web support foil of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a schematic side elevational cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the web support foil of FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is a schematic side elevational cross-sectional view of a further alternative embodiment of the web support foil of FIG. 1.
FIG. 5 is a schematic side elevational view of a prior art web support foil shown positioned relative to a Yankee dryer and a doctor blade.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring more particularly to FIGS. 1-5 wherein like numbers refer to similar parts, a web support foil 20 is shown in FIG. 1. The foil 20 is positioned adjacent to a Yankee dryer roll 22 and above a creping doctor 24. The foil 20 has a leading end 26 and a trailing end 28, and a bottom surface 30 which is positioned over a paper web 32, and a top surface 34. As best shown in FIG. 2, the foil 20 extends in a cross machine direction and is mounted by flanges 36, 38. The flanges may be positioned on the machine frames (not shown) to allow vertical and horizontal motion of the foil 20. The foil may also be mounted to swing away from the Yankee dryer and the creping doctor 24 to facilitate changing the doctor blade.
The interior of the foil is defined between the leading end 26, the trailing end 28, the top surface 34, and the bottom surface 30. The interior is divided by a number of baffles 42, 43, 45, 47 into chambers which are supplied with vacuum or with pressurized air. A first vacuum chamber 40 is formed by an L-shaped baffle 42. The first vacuum chamber 40 is connected to a leading-edge pocket 44. The pocket 44 is formed between an adjustable air deflector 46 mounted on the upper leading corner 48 of the foil 20, the Yankee dryer roll 22, and the paper web 32 as it leaves the Yankee dryer 22 at the doctor blade 24. As shown in FIG. 1A, air is drawn from the pocket 44 along a slot 49 formed between the L-shaped baffle 42 and the leading end 26 of the foil. The air is drawn into the first vacuum chamber 40 by a reduced pressure in the first vacuum chamber corresponding to a vacuum of, for instance, a few inches of water.
The process of forming tissue paper is a mechanically intense process. The wet web is pressed onto the Yankee dryer roll, thereby bringing the web into intimate contact with the role surface. Yankee dryer creping aids can be applied to the web in order to control the web's adhesion to the Yankee dryer. The web adheres tightly to the surface of Yankee dryer. This adherence is necessary for good creping and heat transfer between the dryer and the web and to holding the web onto the dryer as high velocity air is blown onto the web from an aircap (not shown). Removal of the web from the surface of the Yankee dryer involves scraping the web off the surface with a doctor blade. The doctor blade not only removes the paper from the surface of the Yankee dryer, but crepes or compresses the web approximately 3 to 75 percent.
The creping action breaks some of the fiber bonds in the dried web, creating softness and absorbency of the sheet. At the same time, the creping action results in a certain percentage of the fibers breaking completely free of the web creating a dust problem. By drawing air out of the leading-edge pocket 44, a large portion of the fibers released by the creping action are drawn into the first vacuum chamber 40 and exhausted through an air duct 50. The vacuum chamber 40 should have a tapered manifold (not shown) so that the vacuum chamber does not become clogged due to areas of reduced air velocity within the chamber.
The adjustable air deflector 46 may be adjusted by means of the clamping bolts 52 and machine direction slots 54, as shown in FIG. 2, which allow the positioning of the air deflector 46 with respect to the web 32. The air deflector 46 is not actually brought into engagement with the web but is very closely spaced from the web to strip off the boundary layer air which is traveling with the web.
Ideally, the air deflector would be placed within thousandths of an inch of the web on the Yankee dryer. But practical limitations, particularly thermal expansion of the foil 20 and the air deflector 46, may require a spacing of between one-eighth and one and a half inches. The air deflector 46 should be constructed of a material which is considerably softer than the Yankee dryer surface which is invariably constructed of cast iron so that in the event the air deflector engages the Yankee dryer, the dryer would not be damaged. Typical materials for construction of the deflector 46 would include plastic, aluminum, stainless steel, composite materials and graphite. The air deflector blade also prevents air from the aircap (not shown) from impending on the web 32 as it leaves the Yankee dryer 22. The top surface 34 of the foil 20 protects the first several feet of the web 32 as it leaves the Yankee dryer from the downwash of air from the aircap (not shown).
The web 32 is guided and supported along the bottom surface 30 of the foil 20 by injecting air from a first chamber 63 formed between the L-shaped baffle 42 and the second baffle 43. As shown in FIG. 1, the injected air from a first supply duct 65 is supplied to the first chamber 63 and is forced through a slot or slots or holes 56 aligned in the cross machine direction and pointing along the bottom surface 30 of the foil 20 in a down machine direction, as shown in FIG. 1A. The air jets may be directed in the down machine direction or angled towards the front and back of the papermaking machine to spread the tissue web in a cross machine direction. The first row 58 of holes or slots 56 is positioned downstream of a cylindrical or curved lower leading edge 60 of the foil 20. Air in the first supply duct is supplied at various pressures but generally about 20 psi. The supply holes or slots 56 are positioned slightly below the surface of the cylindrical leading edge 60 and blow high velocity air along a first bottom panel 62. The blowing creates a region of low pressure due to the Bernoulli effect along the first bottom panel 62. The injected air also functions as coanda air preventing the web 32 from frictionally engaging the bottom panel 62.
As shown in FIG. 2, a second air supply chamber 64 is defined between the second baffle 43 and a third baffle 45. The second air supply chamber 64 supplies air from a duct 67, as shown in FIG. 1B to a second row 66 of holes or slots 68 which are positioned slightly below the downstream end 70 of the first bottom panel 62 and blow over a second bottom panel 72. The function and action of the second row 66 of holes or slots 68 is similar to the first row 58 of holes 56 or slots. The second row 66 of holes or slots 68 may be directed in the down machine direction or angled towards the front and back of the papermaking machine to spread the tissue web in a cross machine direction. Again the second duct is supplied with air at various pressures but generally about 20 psi.
Following the second panel 72 is a vacuum panel 74 with a multiplicity of oblong holes 76 as shown in FIG. 2. Vacuum corresponding to a few inches of water is drawn on the vacuum panel 74 by a second exhaust chamber 78 which is connected to a duct 75. The vacuum panel serves two functions: first, holding the web 32 to the foil 20; and second, removing additional dust from the upper surface of the web. Again the design of the exhaust chamber 78 formed by the baffle 47 should include a manifold (not shown) which assures even velocity of the vacuum air to prevent the buildup of paper dust within the exhaust chamber 78.
An angled shelf 80 extends from the trailing end 28 of the foil 20. As shown in FIG. 2, large oblong holes 82 extend in the cross machine direction to break the vacuum between the foil 20 and the web 32.
An alternative embodiment foil 84 is shown in FIG. 3 which is similar to the foil 20 with the difference that the adjustable air deflector 46 is replaced by a deflection pipe 86 mounted on the top of the foil 84. The deflection pipe 86 has a slot 88 extending in the cross machine direction which is angled upwardly along the Yankee dryer towards the downwardly moving web 85. Air is supplied to the deflection pipe 86 at various pressures generally approximately 20 psi. The jet of air shown by arrows 90 functions as an air knife, stripping away the boundary air layer on the web surface as indicated by arrows 92. The alternative embodiment foil 84 also has a vacuum panel 94 which is angled away from the paper web 85 which performs the function of the angled shelf 80, including dust removal.
A further alternative embodiment foil 95 is shown in FIG. 4. The foil 95 is similar to the foil 20 except that an air/dust removal chamber 96 is positioned on top of the foil 95 and an adjustable air deflector 98 is positioned adjacent to the Yankee dryer 100. Because the chamber 96 is positioned above the foil 95, the L-shaped baffle 42 shown in FIG. 1 is not required. A longer cleaning area is achieved by placing a small tubular manifold 102 on the leading edge 104 of the foil 95. The tubular manifold 102 has holes (not shown) which produce jets indicated by arrows 106 which blow air along a web 108 on the Yankee dryer 100 towards an air intake slot 110 which leads to the air/dust removal chamber 96.
This design has the advantage that air is supplied to and removed from a leading edge pocket 112 and thus can be balanced preventing any tendency for air or the web 108 to be drawn into the pocket 112.
It should be understood that the arrangement of the foil 95 shown in FIG. 4 could be incorporated with the various features of the foil before shown in FIG. 3.
It should be understood that where a slot is shown, an array of holes could be used similarly, and where an array of holes is described a slot or slots could be used. Holes are preferred for manufacturing reasons whereas slots produce a more even flow of air or vacuum.
FIG. 5 shows a prior art configuration 113 similar to that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,512,139 to Worcester. The prior art design has a skinning doctor 114 and a creping doctor 116 positioned against a Yankee dryer 118. A web 120 is scraped from the Yankee dryer by the creping doctor 116. A foil 122 is positioned some distance from the Yankee dryer and picks up the web 120 spaced from the Yankee dryer 118. The function of the skinning doctor 114 is to doctor the web 120 off the Yankee dryer while the creeping doctor blade is being replaced. Thus the skinning doctor is only used when the creping doctor is not being used.
It is understood that the invention is not limited to the particular construction and arrangement of parts herein illustrated and described, but embraces such modified forms thereof as come within the scope of the following claims. For example, features described for other than the leading edge area can be applied to foils at other locations in the web run besides at the Yankee dryer, and also, on the foils for tissue machines with TAD rather than Yankee dryers. | A web support foil positioned adjacent to a Yankee dryer above a creping doctor. The foil supports the web as it leaves the dryer. Mounted to the top of the foil is an adjustable air deflector which is positioned tangent to the Yankee dryer. The air deflector blocks air moving along the web. A slotted opening draws air from a leading-edge pocket collecting fibers which are broken loose during the creping action. The web is held against the bottom side of the foil by one or more air jets which are directed over the bottom surface on the foil. The jets of air function as coanda air jets and prevent the web from sticking to the bottom surface of the foil while creating a Bernoulli effect which holds the web against the bottom of the foil. | 3 |
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
The present application claims priority to the U.S. provisional application having Ser. No. 60/736,518 entitled “Trolley Brake”, filed on Nov. 10, 2005 by the Applicant, James K. Britcher, which is incorporated herein by reference.
The present application also claims priority to the U.S. provisional application having Ser. No. 60/754,588 entitled “Kick Bag Trolley Beam System”, filed on Dec. 19, 2005 by the Applicant, James K. Britcher, which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to a system and apparatus for transporting objects along an overhead beam or track, and in particular to a transport mechanism having a braking means particular suitable for the transport of punching or kick bags in a gymnasium or Dojo.
Prior methods of using an overhead transport system are well known. Typically, a rolling trolley is suspended from an overhead rail or track. The trolley includes wheel that engage the track and a brake mechanism for locking the wheels or otherwise preventing the movement of the trolley after the objected suspended therefrom has been moved to the desired location on the rail.
Such trolleys have been developed and are used for transporting industrial equipment. Other uses suggested in the literature are for transporting patients and food. It should be appreciated that while there are many ways to configure such a trolley and braking system, the development of this art has only evolved to the point to meet the needs of the particular industry and application. In particular, such a system would be expected to take into account the weight and size of the object being transported, whether machinery is used to power the trolley, the need for automation.
The current invention addresses the recently discovered and unmet need for a trolley and system adopted to the transport kick/punching bags that are used in a gymnasium or dojo.
Such kick/punching bags are suspended from above so that the can swing freely when punched or kicked. Typically, a gymnasium is used for multiple purposes. As such, it would be convenient to be able to store the kick/punching bags when not needed, but have them available with a means for rapid deployment throughout the facility, spacing them apart to safely accommodate a large number of athletes.
Overhead rail transport systems are generally capable of supporting such bags in a clustered arrangement for storage, and generally transporting them to the dispersed location for use. It has been discovered by the inventor that the state of the art such trolley and their brake and release mechanism are not suitable to support kick/punching bags that are used in a gymnasium or dojo.
In particular, there is a need for the rapid deployment and return of the bags, it is desirable that the Athletes themselves can deploy them. However, such deployment must be done safely, taking into account that the age and skill of the athletes can vary considerably, as it is unlikely that they will receive or recall the type of safety training that would be given in industrial or commercial establishments. Given that such bags frequently weight more than an adult and are going to subject to repeated impact from the athletes it is of parameter important that they do not move or slip once they are moved to the desired location.
Accordingly, there is a need for a system for conveying and supporting kick/punching bags that is particularly adapted to disperse then from a clustered arrangement for storage in a gym or Karate dojo to a different arrangement where they are accessible to the athletes.
It is therefore a first object of the present invention to provide such a transport system wherein the kick/punching bags is readily released from a locked position on the rail.
It is a further object of the invention to provide such a system wherein it is relatively easy to transport the bag along the rail.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a system where the bag will not move or come loose once it is moved.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
In the present invention, the first object is achieved by providing a combination of supporting posts, suspended rails and rolling trolleys that support the punching/kick bags. Each trolley supports the punching bag from a lower fixture and also has an upper fixture to securely grips or latches to the suspended rails. In particular, the trolley is configured such the user/athlete applies lateral force to the trolley via a lever to pull the bag along the rail. Pulling the lever also releases a brake such that when the bag reaches the desired to location releasing the lever causes the brakes to again firmly grip the rails.
Most preferably, a second aspect of the invention is characterized in that the brake mechanism is resilient to lateral motion of the trolley inducing by the swinging mass of the bag suspended below. Such a trolley deploys a pair of spaced apart wheels that engage one portion of the rail and a pair of brake pads disposed to apply frictional force to the underside of the rail opposite the pair of wheel. In particular, the brakes are configured to latch via a single cog mechanism that tightens the brakes as the punching/kick bag swings.
Accordingly, such a rail/I-beam, trolley and brake system provides for the secure gripping of the bag to the an I-beam when the brake is locked to resist momentum transfer when the bag swings as well as the facile unlatching from the and ease of transport along I-beam to an alternative position.
The above and other objects, effects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of the embodiments thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an elevation of a trolley system supporting a kick bag above the floor.
FIG. 2 an external elevation view of the trolley of FIG. 1
FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the trolley of FIG. 1
FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional elevation of the I-beam trolley of FIG. 1 orthogonal to the view in FIG. 2
FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional plan view of the I-beam trolley of FIG. 2 .
FIG. 5A is a vector diagram illustrating the operative principle of the braking system in the engaged state.
FIG. 5B is a vector diagram illustrating the operative principle of the braking system in the released state.
FIG. 5C is a vector diagram illustrating the operative principle of the braking system in the engaged state when the bag swings to the left.
FIG. 5D is a vector diagram illustrating the operative principle of the braking system in the engaged state when the bag swings to the right.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring to FIGS. 1 through 5 , wherein like reference numerals refer to like components in the various views, there is illustrated therein a new and improved I-Beam Trolley, generally denominated 100 herein.
In accordance with the present invention, the kick bag 10 is suspended from the I-beam trolley 100 . The trolley rollingly engages I-beam 15 . I-beam 15 is suspended above the floor 1 at a first position by a post 2 . The other side of the I-beam 15 is shown as being held by a vertical surface 3 which is optionally another post, a wall or a overhead descending fixture or support.
The I-beam is stiffened by an integral truss 20 .
The I-beam trolley in FIGS. 1 through 4 comprises a trolley body made of plates 110 , having wheels 120 that engage the horizontal extending track or ledge 11 of I-beam 15 . When the bag 10 has been moved to the desired location, and is not intended to move when kicked, the trolley 100 is prevented from rolling via wheel 120 by a braking mechanism that applies a lateral force against the bottom surface 12 of I-beam 15 via the upper surface or brake pad 131 of at least one break plate 130 . The break plates 130 and 130 ′ are each preferably disposed below each pair of wheels 120 . The break plates 130 and 130 ′ are ordinarily engaged between a latched locking mechanism when the athlete is not moving the bag along the rail, as the latch must be released to disengage the brake. The force applied to release the latch also pulls the trolley along the beam 15 .
In particular break plates 130 and 130 ′ are generally disposed to extend out laterally at the distal end of break arms 125 and 125 ′ respectively. Each break arm has a hole or rotary bearing receiving portion 126 between the distal and proximal ends so that pivoting about this rotary axis urges the brake plate against bottom surface 12 . The hole or rotary bearing receiving portion 126 engages shaft 145 that extends between each of the side plates 110 that comprise trolley body 110 . The proximal ends of each break arm 125 and 125 ′ have laterally extending pin 132 and 132 ′ respectively. A rotary cam 140 has a pair of spiral grooves 142 and 142 ′ for engaging laterally extending pins 132 and 132 ′ respectively. Cam 140 is central disposed about rotary shaft 141 . Either shaft 141 or cam 140 has lever arm 150 extending at right angles from shaft 141 . Lever arm 150 is pulled downward to release or unlatch the break mechanism. A torsion spring 160 is axial disposed about shaft 141 being coupled at opposite ends to the plate 110 and the cam 140 or lever 150 . The torsion spring 160 urges the cam 140 to rotate in the counter clockwise direction in this embodiment. As the spiral groove 142 and 142 ′ radiate outward from the center of cam 140 , rotating the cam 140 by lever arm 150 urges the pins 132 and 132 ′ to greater separation in the vertically disposed plane common with cam 140 . As the brake arms have a common pivot point on shaft 145 that is disposed between break plates 130 , it should be appreciated that such movement of the cam 140 caused by the spring 160 causes the break plates 132 and 132 ′ to swing toward each other. As shown in the schematic diagram in FIG. 5A , break plate 132 ′ rotates upward in the clockwise direction with respect to the pivot axis, and break plate 132 rotating counterclockwise. Thus, such cooperative motion of the break plates causes both break pads 131 and 131 ′ to press against the underside or bottom surface 12 of I-beam 15 . Brake pads are preferably rubber. Further, the wheels 120 are preferably “DELRIN”® grade plastic.
It should now be appreciated that noted that each break plate is disposed vertical downward and on the opposite side of the I-beam from each of the opposing pairs of wheels 120 . It has been found that this configuration offers the maximum stability, as will be further explained with reference to FIG. 5 .
When it is desired to move the trolley, and hence transport for example punching bags along I-beam 15 , the break is released by pulling downward on release lever 150 . Typically, a rope or cable 151 is attached to the end of release lever 150 . Thus, continued pulling of either cable 151 or lever 150 results in the trolley rolling freely on the I-beam or track. Thus, when the user or athlete has positioned the bag 10 , the mere release of the lever 150 relocks the bag 10 in a secure fixed position. Accordingly, the release and movement of the bags is simple and intuitive, requiring little instruction, yet provides a reliable method of assuring that the bags are secure before the athlete uses it for practice and exercise.
Preferably, the cam 140 has two arcuate grooves 142 and 142 ′ as shown in FIG. 2 for actuating dual break plates 130 and 130 ′, each of which is urged to contact the dual break plates 130 and 130 ′ straddling both sides of the hanging fixture 230 , which is suspended from the underside of trolley 100 , provide the benefit of resisting movement in response to an momentum in any direction. Such momentum is generated by hanging a punching or kick bag from hanging fixture 230 , which in this embodiment is shown as hanging from the shaft 145 that acts as a pivot axis for break arms 125 and 125 ′. More preferably, the grooves are portion of a spiral curve having the shape of logarithmic spiral, equiangular spiral or growth spiral, which is similar to a spiral following the so-called “golden ratio” has a ratio of the base to height of about 1.6180.
As will be first explained with reference to FIG. 5 , the brake mechanism is resilient to lateral motion of the trolley inducing by a swinging mass suspend below. Accordingly, the trolley is particularly adapted for transporting punching bags to disperse then from a clustered arrangement for storage in a gym or Karate dojo to a well dispersed arrangement where they are accessible to the athletes.
As shown in FIG. 5 A, the two brakes arms 125 and 125 ′ pivot about a common axis 145 . This common axis 145 is between the brakes point or region of contact with the bottom of the I-beam, under each pair of wheels. As the pivoting movement is controlled by cam 140 the spring 160 urges the cam 140 the counter clockwise. The lever end of each brake arm is connected to the cam 140 by a pin that slide within opposing spiral slots 142 of the cam 140 . Thus, as the torsion spring 160 urges the cam 140 counterclockwise, each of the lever arm ends are driven outward from the center of the cam, and applying an upward force at the brake pad end of each arm against the underside of the beam. it should be noted in FIGS. 5A and 5B that as force, represented as a vector by the downward arrow on the bag, is opposed by the rail at the contact point with the wheel, shown by upward pointing arrows above the rail.
As shown in FIG. 5B , the brakes are both released by rotating the cam 140 in the counter clockwise direction, as this causes the cam connected end of each brake arm to move toward each other being driven by the opposing spiral slots 142 in the cam 140 .
Not wishing to be bound by theory, FIGS. 5C and 5D illustrate how it is currently believed that the cam 140 mechanism further secures the brake system as the bag oscillates. First, it should be appreciated that as the bag swings up, the loading on the wheels 120 will be reducing. However, the bag still loads the trolley 100 , as shown by the vector that swings with the bag. To the extent that one wheel pair exerts move lateral force to roll than the other, the associated and opposing break pad must exert a correspondingly higher force. The direction of these forces is best understood by considering that the load on the bag is directed in the direction the bag swings, as shown by the arrow that points into the bag. The expected force exerted by the wheel is now illustrated including the horizontal and vertical load components represented as decomposed vectors by the arrows originating at the point at the upper portion of the rail opposite each break pads. This force, when transferred to the wheel is no longer normal to the rail, with the horizontal component inducing the bag to more but for the resistance from the break pads. As the bag swings to the right in FIG. 5C , the right wheel is unloaded so the majority the lateral force is coming from the left wheel. The cam 140 takes advantage of this imbalance to actually tighten, as the break lever associated with the right (rear) break can now imparts a greater upward force to the cam, not being loaded by the right wheel. The greater force urges the cam clockwise, applying more force to the opposite lever arm and compensating for the effect of momentum that otherwise weakens that break.
The same benefit is realized when the bag swings to the left as shown in FIG. 5D . When the bag swings to the left the left wheel is unloaded so the right brake pad must resist the force directed to the left. The break lever associated with the left (front) break pad can now imparts a greater upward force to the cam, not being loaded by the left wheel. This larger force in turn also drives the cam 140 counter clockwise urging the opposite break arm outward along the groove to exert more force on the rail or track.
It should now be appreciated that the cyclic unbalance of the break mechanism, that results from the swinging bag, rather than loosening the brake mechanism, actually tightens it. Further, the spiral grooved path in the cam is of sufficient length to accommodate variation in the thickness of the brake pad as well as the wear that can be expected to occur.
While the invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment, it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to the particular form set forth, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
Thus it should be understood, that although the trolley mechanism 100 has been described in the contest of being adapted to roll along and grasp an I-beam, the term I-beam is intended to embrace equivalents that include for example . . . I-beam includes any shaped beam that form a linear or curvilinear track, being stiffened by connected horizontal and vertical disposed elongated plates, such as T-shapes, U shapes, squares and rectangular shaped channels and the like. One such equivalent track includes has horizontal groves that engage a matching member on the break plate 4 or more wheels. Alternatively, the wheels 120 may engage a different portion of such a rail system or I-beam.
It will also be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, having the benefit of this disclosure, that such wheels can be replaced with gear and bicycle chain or roller bearings that are part of the trolley. Further, one of ordinary skill in the art, having the benefit of this disclosure, will also appreciate that Wheels, gear and bicycle chain, or roller bearings can be on the I-beam, instead of the trolley. Further, it should be understood that the hanging fixture for attaching the bag need not be attached directly to the trolley, but can have its own rollers and be pushed or pulled by the trolleys motion. | A trolley for transporting objects hanging from an I-beam normally securely grips or latches to the I-beam via a pair of brake pads that are urged upward against the bottom of the beam by a torsion spring. The torsion spring is released by pulling a lever downward. Applying lateral force to the trolley, preferably by applying a lateral force to the same lever, pulls the trolley along the I-beam as the wheels engaging the upper portion of the I-beam can rotate freely once the brake pads are released. Releasing the lever after the trolling is pulled to the desired location causes the brakes to again firmly grip the I-beam. | 1 |
This application claims the benefit of Provisional Application 60/311,965 filed Aug. 13, 2001.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field of the Invention
This invention broadly relates to well cementing. The invention further relates to well plugging. The invention more particularly relates to a method of forming a cement plug in a well bore.
2. Description of the Prior Art and Problems Solved
The term, “primary cementing,” is employed by persons skilled in the art of well cementing to refer to the formation of a sheath of cement in the annular space between the wall of a bore hole drilled in the earth and the exterior wall of a casing positioned in the bore hole. The sheath is ordinarily formed as a part of the initial construction of a well, such as a well which produces hydrocarbons, for example, liquid petroleum and natural gas, from a subterranean earth formation. The purpose of the sheath is to stabilize the bore hole, support the casing in the bore hole and segregate subterranean formations which contain hydrocarbons from subterranean formations which contain water, particularly potable water. The sheath of cement can extend from the bottom of the casing to the surface of the earth. A method of forming the sheath is well known.
The term “casing” is employed in the previous paragraph to broadly refer to at least one and usually two or more tubular conduits of decreasing diameter which, together in a telescoping mode, extend from the surface of the earth to the bottom of the bore hole. In one typical example, a so-called surface casing having a large diameter continuously extends from the surface of the earth to a point below the deepest formation which contains potable water. A second casing, sometimes called a production casing whose outside diameter is less than the inside diameter of the surface casing, continuously extends from the surface of the,earth to a target formation, such as one which contains hydrocarbons. A sheath of cement is placed in the entire annular space between the surface casing and the bore hole and a second sheath of cement is placed in the annular space from the bottom of the production casing to a point above the target formation.
When the producing life of a well is complete, such as when recovery of hydrocarbons from the well is no longer economically sound, the well is abandoned. Abandoned wells pose a variety of hazards, one of which is the potential of undesirable fluids, such as hydrocarbons and/or salt water, which originate from subterranean formations penetrated by the bore hole, to migrate to and contaminate potable water in other subterranean formations which are also penetrated by the bore hole. To prevent such contamination, regulatory agencies in the several states require that abandoned wells be plugged, such as by placing a mass of hardened cementitious material in the well bore at least at points adjacent hydrocarbon producing formations and also at points adjacent potable water formations. Such plugs completely occupy the well bore volume adjacent the formations and function as a barrier to migrating fluids.
The current method of plugging a well broadly comprises forming a slurry of cement in water at the well head, introducing a continuous connected string of delivery pipe (sometimes called tubing), into the well bore until the bottom of the tubing attains a desired point of delivery of the slurry, pumping the slurry down the tubing to the bottom thereof and back up the exterior thereof, continuing pumping until a desired quantity of slurry has been deposited in the well bore to form a plug therein, and then withdrawing the tubing from the well bore. In the current method when the tubing is withdrawn from the well bore, the top of the slurry on the exterior of the tubing is preferably at the same level as the slurry in the interior of the tubing. This is referred to as a balanced plug. Before a second balanced plug can be placed, the cement in the preceding plug must first be permitted to set to a minimum hardened condition. Accordingly, if multiple plugs are required, then they cannot all be placed in a continuous operation due to the need to wait on cement to set.
Note use of the terms “bore hole” and “well bore.” For purposes of disclosure, the term “bore hole” is employed to describe the linear hole actually drilled in the earth. The wall of the bore hole is the earthen rock exposed by the drill. The term “well bore” is employed to describe the containment vessel for the conduit or the intended conduit through which fluids pass between the surface of the earth and subsurface formations penetrated by the bore hole. It is common to install a continuous string of casing in the interior of the bore hole. The volume of the interior of the casing is the well bore. The volume between the wall of the bore hole and the exterior surface of the casing is referred to as the annular space. Thus, primary cementing involves placing cement in the annular space and well plugging involves placing cement in the well bore. In the absence of a casing it is clear that there is no annular space and there is no distinction between bore hole and well bore.
Persons skilled in the art know that considerable surface equipment is required to perform the current method of well plugging. Such equipment comprises a derrick to suspend tubing in the hole, transports for delivering to and storing dry cement and water at the well head, equipment at the well head for blending and mixing the cement and water to form the slurry and a high volume/high pressure pump at the well head to pressure the slurry down the suspended tubing and back up the exterior thereof to a predetermined destination.
The current method is employed to produce cement plugs in wells regardless of depth, and is particularly useful to form plugs in wells whose internal pressures are sufficiently high to cause fluids to naturally flow to the surface of the earth. Such wells require the use of methods and equipment which function to control such pressures and to prevent the flow of fluids from the well while the cementing operation is proceeding.
A need thus exists for a method of forming cement plugs in wells whose internal pressures are not sufficiently high to cause formation fluids to flow to the surface of the earth.
THE INVENTION
Summary of the Invention
By this invention there is provided a method of well cementing which comprises forming a plug of cement in the well bore. According to the method of the invention, a suitable bore hole is first selected. Upon selection of a suitable bore hole, a liquid comprising a cementitious slurry is introduced into the well bore at the surface of the earth. The liquid is permitted to descend in the well bore by gravity, form a column of slurry to a desired point in the well bore and then permitted to harden therein to form a plug. The bulk density of the introduced liquid is selected so that it, when multiplied by the distance from the surface of the earth to a designated location in the well bore, produces a pressure which is in excess of the natural pressure at the face of any subsurface formation actually contacted by the liquid. The method of this invention thus depends upon hydrostatic pressure generated by introduced liquid and not on mechanical pressure generated by a surface pump.
A suitable bore hole is one which penetrates at least one subsurface formation which produces a well fluid other than fresh water, wherein the natural pressure of the formation is not great enough to cause the well fluid to flow from the formation through the bore hole to the surface of the earth. The formation must possess sufficient permeability and porosity to permit the well fluid to be injected into it within an acceptable period of time by pressure induced at the formation face by hydrostatic pressure in the well bore and the formation must also possess sufficient structural strength to avoid being fractured by such induced pressure.
The method of this invention features positioning all plugs required within the entire well bore in one continuous operation without stopping to wait for a preceding plug to set. Thus, the reference in the preceding paragraph to an “acceptable period of time” of injection of well fluid into a subsurface formation is the amount of time that a slurry must remain in a flowable liquid state before it begins to set. It is believed that such an “acceptable period of time” is in the range of from about 8 to about 10 hours. A set time in the range of 8 to 10 hours can be selected by the addition to the slurry of known set time additives.
As mentioned, the formation into which well fluid is injected must also possess sufficient structural strength to avoid being fractured by the total hydrostatic pressure produced at the formation. In this regard, if the total hydrostatic pressure at a formation divided by the distance to the formation from the surface, i.e. the pressure gradient, is a value in the range of from about 0.4 to about 0.5 lb/sq.in. per foot of depth, then it is believed that a fracture will not be produced in the formation. For example, a liquid having a bulk density equal to the density of water (62.43 lb/cu.ft.) in a well having a depth of about 6500 feet produces a pressure gradient of about 0.4335 lb/sq.in. per foot of depth.
In addition to the low probability that a fracture will be induced by the hydrostatic pressure created by liquid in a well that is less than or equal to about 6500 feet deep, the well bore temperature in such wells is considered by persons skilled in the art to be low. Minimal performance requirements are demanded of cement at low temperature applications, so a wide range of cement compositions will operate.
Accordingly, by the method of this invention, a suitable well is first selected. Such a well is one which is no longer productive of useful well fluids, such as oil and gas, and has a subsurface formation containing such well fluids which is penetrated by a bore hole. The term well fluid can also include water produced from the formation which is sometimes referred to as produced formation water. The formation is not blocked by any device in the bore hole and, thus, has unobstructed access to the surface of the earth via the well bore. The natural pressure in the formation is not great enough to cause well fluids to flow to the surface of the earth. Such a condition can be evidenced by a static column of well fluid in the well bore which does not reach the surface of the earth.
Having thus located such a candidate well, the next step in the selection method is to determine whether the formation has sufficient porosity and permeability to accept low viscosity fluids in an acceptable period of time without undergoing a fracture. Accordingly, a simple injectivity test is performed by filling the well bore to the surface of the earth with a measured quantity of a fluid having a known density and a known viscosity; permitting fluid to flow into the mentioned formation; measuring the time required for fluid in the well bore to attain a static condition; and measuring the level of the attained static column of fluid. The measured quantity of fluid introduced into the well bore is that quantity which is equal to the volume of the well bore between the formation and the surface of the earth less the quantity of the static column of well fluid initially present therein. The quantity of fluid which actually enters the formation is determined by appropriate mathematical combination of fluid in the well bore before the test, the quantity of fluid in the well bore after the test and the measured quantity of fluid introduced into the well bore during the test. The density of the fluid added during the test is at least equal to, and is preferably greater than, the density of the fluid initially at rest in the well bore. The natural pressure within the formation can be calculated by those skilled the art by use of the density of the well fluid and the height of the static column of fluid above the formation. The porosity and permeability of the formation is then determined by application of, for example, the D'arcy Equation which is known by those skilled in the art of reservoir evaluation.
Having thus selected a candidate well, the method of this invention is further comprised of forcing at least a portion of the well fluid initially standing in the well bore from the well bore into the subsurface formation or formations of its source while, simultaneously, entirely replacing such portion, in one aspect, with a single quantity of a first liquid comprising a cementitious material, or, in a second aspect, with a combination of the first liquid, a second liquid and dense spacing discs or plugs followed by a single quantity of the first liquid.
The combination of first liquid, second liquid and dense spacing discs or plugs is defined herein as “a cementing unit” which consists of two spacings discs, a single quantity of first liquid and a single quantity of second liquid, wherein the spacing discs are placed between successive quantities of second liquid and, first liquid or between well fluid and first liquid as the case may be.
The single quantity of first liquid is defined herein as “a final unit” which consists of a single quantity of cementitious material and one spacing disc.
In the mentioned second aspect, the method of this invention is comprised of a series of steps which operate to force the well fluid into the subsurface formation or formations of its source in stages by employing at least one cementing unit and a final unit, wherein at least one cementing unit is employed per subsurface formation containing an undesirable well fluid. The final unit is used to block formations containing potable water. The entire well bore from the bottom thereof to the surface is filled with the cementing units and the final unit.
Guided by the known relationship that pressure is the product of height and density, to create hydrostatic pressure sufficient to force the well fluid into the formation the bulk density of the cementing units and final unit can be equal to or greater than the bulk density of the well fluid. Furthermore, the hydrostatic pressure created by the weight of the combination of cementing units and final unit at the formation must be greater than the natural reservoir (pore) pressure of the formation. Methods of preparing the first liquid, which is comprised of cementitious material, and the second liquid, which is a spacer fluid, each having a desired density, are well known in the art of well cementing.
Descriptions of the cementitious materials, spacer fluids and spacing discs as well as a more detailed account of the steps employed in the method of this invention are provided below in connection with the drawings and appended example.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a drawing of an abandoned well which penetrates various subsurface formations, including those having fluids originating therefrom.
FIG. 2 is a drawing of the abandoned well shown in FIG. 1 which has been plugged in accordance with the method of this invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to the drawings, bore hole 2 is shown penetrating the surface 4 of the earth and extending therein and completely passing through subsurface formations 6 , 8 , 10 , 12 , 14 , 16 , 18 , and 20 and entering, but not completely passing through, subsurface formation 22 . Bore hole 2 thus terminates in formation 22 .
A tubular metal casing 24 is installed in bore hole 2 to form annulus space 26 between wall 28 of bore hole 2 and exterior surface 30 of casing 24 . A sheath of cement 32 occupies annulus 26 and extends from the bottom 34 , not shown, of casing 24 in subsurface formation 22 to the top of bore hole 2 at surface 4 of the earth. Sheath 32 can be produced by means known in the art. As is well known in the art, sheath 32 supports casing 24 in bore hole 2 , stabilizes bore hole 2 and isolates and protects subsurface formations 6 , 8 , 10 , 12 , 14 , 16 , 18 , 20 and 22 which are penetrated by bore hole 2 . The structure thus described can be referred to as a well wherein the interior of casing 24 can be adapted to admit and contain fluids originating from formations penetrated by bore hole 2 to enable such fluids to be conducted to surface 4 . For purposes of definition, the portion of bore hole 2 containing fluid originating from formations penetrated by bore hole 2 is referred to as the well bore. In FIGS. 1 and 2 the well bore is the interior of casing 24 and is referred to as well bore 38 .
The top 36 of casing 24 is permanently sealed by cap 40 . As shown in FIG. 1, no equipment is connected to well bore 38 to enable the transport of fluids from formations penetrated by bore hole 2 to surface tanks or treating facilities. The well is thus considered to be abandoned.
The abandoned well shown in FIG. 1 penetrates several subsurface formations including formations 8 and 12 , which do contain fresh, or potable, water, and formations 16 and 20 , which do not contain fresh water. Well bore 38 is in direct communication with formation 22 , and is also in direct communication with formations 16 and 20 . In this regard holes 42 and 44 , called perforations, made by well known means, exist in the wall of casing 24 and in cement sheath 32 and extend from well bore 38 into formation 16 . Similarly, perforations 46 and 48 extend from well bore 38 through casing 24 and sheath 32 into formation 20 . An unobstructed path of communication thus exists between formations 16 and 20 and surface 4 via perforations 42 , 44 , 46 and 48 and well bore 38 .
A static column of well fluid 50 originating from either one or both of formations 16 and 20 occupies a portion of well bore 38 . Well fluid 50 is comprised of water, which is not fresh, and can also include hydrocarbons and other components. Formation 22 is in direct contact with well fluid 50 . In one aspect, the hydrostatic pressure produced by well fluid 50 at formation 22 is balanced by the pore pressure of formation 22 , accordingly well fluid 50 does not enter formation 22 . In another aspect, formation 22 is not sufficiently permeable and porous to permit well fluid 50 to drain therein by gravity or by applied pressure less than that required to fracture the same. In this later case, formation 22 could be cement placed in bore hole 2 during primary cementing. Well fluid 50 thus poses a contamination threat to fresh water contained in formations 8 and 12 .
The surface 52 of well fluid 50 in well bore 38 is below the top of bore hole 2 at surface 4 of the earth. The natural internal pressure of formations 16 and 20 , that is the pore pressure, is insufficient to cause the surface 52 of well fluid 50 to extend to surface 4 , but is of sufficient intensity to maintain well fluid 50 in a static condition as shown in FIG. 1 .
Referring now to FIG. 2, the abandoned well shown in FIG. 1 has been plugged by masses of hardened cementitious material 54 , 56 and 58 positioned in separate portions of well bore 38 adjacent to formations 8 and 12 , which do contain fresh water, and formations 16 and 20 , which do not contain fresh water. Cementitious material 54 , 56 and 58 are thus positioned in well bore 38 to protect formations 8 and 12 from fluids, such as salt water and hydrocarbons liquid, which migrate from formations 16 and 20 , and to prevent such fluid migration from formations 16 and 20 . Notice that cementitious material 54 continuously extends from a point below the bottom of formation 12 to cap 40 at top 36 of casing 24 to thereby shield formations 8 and 12 from migrating fluid. Also notice that cementitious material 56 continuously extends from a point below perforations 42 and 44 which penetrate formation 16 to a point above formation 16 to thereby prevent well fluid 50 from entering well bore 38 from formation 16 . Notice further that cementitious material 58 continuously extends from a point at or slightly above perforations 46 and 48 which penetrate formation 20 to a point above formation 20 . The cooperation of cementitious material 58 and formation 22 prevents well fluid 50 from entering well bore 38 from formation 20 .
A plug 60 is positioned in well bore 38 at a point at or slightly above perforations 46 and 48 . The bottom of plug 60 is believed to be adjacent to the lowest portion of the lower of perforations 46 and 48 . The side surface of plug 60 is slidably pressed against the interior surface of casing 24 and the bottom surface of plug 60 is supported by well fluid 50 at surface 52 a . Cementitious material 58 is supported by the top surface of plug 60 . The top surface of cementitious material 58 is positioned at a point above the top of formation 20 and at a point below the bottom of formation 16 .
A plug 62 is positioned in well bore 38 at a point below perforations 42 and 44 . The side surface of plug 62 is slidably pressed against the interior surface of casing 24 and the bottom surface of plug 62 is supported by the top surface of cementitious material 58 . Spacer fluid 64 is positioned in well bore 38 and is supported by the top surface of plug 62 . The top surface of spacer fluid 64 terminates at a point below perforations 42 and 44 . The combination of plug 60 , cementitious material 58 , plug 62 and spacer fluid 64 is defined herein as a “cementing unit.”
A plug 66 is positioned in well bore 38 at a point below perforations 42 and 44 . The side surface of plug 66 is slidably pressed against the interior surface of casing 24 and the bottom surface of plug 66 is supported by the top surface of spacer fluid 64 . Cementitious material 56 is supported by the top surface of plug 66 . The top surface of cementitious material 56 is positioned at a point above the top of formation 16 and at a point below the bottom of formation 12 .
A plug 68 is positioned in well bore 38 at a point below the bottom of formation 12 . The side surface of plug 68 is slidably pressed against the interior surface of casing 24 and the bottom surface of plug 68 is supported by the top of cementitious material 56 . Spacer fluid 70 is positioned in well bore 38 and is supported by the top surface of plug 68 . The top surface of spacer fluid 70 terminates at a point below the bottom of formation 12 . The combination of plug 66 , cementitious material 56 , plug 68 and spacer fluid 70 is defined herein as a “cementing unit.”
A plug 72 is positioned in well bore 38 at a point below the bottom of formation 12 . The side surface of plug 72 is slidably pressed against the interior surface of casing 24 and the bottom surface of plug 72 is supported by the top of spacer fluid 70 . Cementitious material 54 is supported by the top surface of plug 72 . The bottom surface of cementitious material 54 is positioned at a point below the bottom of formation 12 and the top surface of cementitious 54 extends to cap 40 at top 36 of casing 24 . It is clear that cementitious material 54 extends in a continuous mass from a point below formation 12 to a point above formation 8 and terminates 69 at cap 40 . The combination of plug 72 and cementitious material 56 is defined herein as the “final unit.”
It is clear that the abandoned well shown in FIG. 1 is plugged with two cementing units and one final unit as shown in FIG. 2 .
Operation of the Invention
The porosity, permeability and formation pressure of formations 16 and 20 are first determined by an injectivity test as previously described to verify that the abandoned well is eligible for plugging by the method of this invention.
A quantity of cementitious material is then introduced into measuring tank 74 through conduit 76 which includes valve 78 . The quantity of cementitious material thus introduced is equal in volume to the volume of cementitious material 58 required to occupy well bore 38 from a point at perforations 46 and 48 to a point above formation 20 .
Plug 60 is then introduced into well bore 38 via line 79 which includes valve 80 . The combination of line 79 and valve 80 is referred to in the well cementing art as a “plug launcher.” The outer surface of plug 60 is adapted to contact and slide along the inner surface of casing 24 . In addition, plug 60 , including the outer surface thereof, is still further adapted to prevent the passage of fluid through or around the plug. Plug 60 thus operates to segregate well fluid 52 in contact with the bottom surface thereof from contacting and otherwise mixing with cementitious 58 in contact with the top surface thereof.
Thereafter, valves 78 and 80 are closed, valve 82 between tank 74 and top 36 of casing 24 is opened and pump 84 is activated to thereby transfer the cementitious material previously measured into tank 74 into well bore 38 via conduits 86 , 88 and 90 . The cementitious material is placed on and supported by the upper surface of plug 60 . The combination of the hydrostatic pressure developed by cementitious material 58 and the pressure generated by pump 84 causes plug 60 to slide within casing 24 and to force at least a portion of well fluid 52 into either one or both of formations 16 and 20 via perforations 42 and 44 and perforations 46 and 48 , respectively. The density of cementitious material 58 is preferably equal to or greater than the density of well fluid 52 in order to minimize the pressure required by pump 84 to force well fluid 52 to enter formations 16 and 20 .
A quantity of spacer fluid is then introduced into measuring tank 74 through conduit 92 which includes valve 94 . The quantity of spacer fluid thus introduced is equal in volume to the volume of spacer fluid 64 required to occupy well bore 38 from a point adjacent the top surface of cementitious material 58 to a point below perforations 42 and 44 .
Plug 62 is then introduced into well bore 38 via line 79 . Plug 62 and plug 60 are identical in all respects. Plug 62 operates to segregate cementitious fluid 58 in contact with the bottom top surface thereof from contacting and otherwise mixing with spacer fluid 64 in contact with the top surface thereof.
Thereafter, valves 94 and 80 are closed, valve 82 between tank 74 and top 36 of casing 24 is opened and pump 84 is activated to thereby transfer the spacer fluid previously measured into tank 74 into well bore 38 via conduits 86 , 88 and 90 . The spacer fluid is placed on and supported by the top surface of plug 62 . The combination of the hydrostatic pressure developed by spacer fluid 64 , cementitious material 58 and the pressure generated by pump 84 causes plugs 62 and 60 to slide within casing 24 and to force a still further portion of well fluid 52 into either one or both of formations 16 and 20 via perforations 42 and 44 and perforations 46 and 48 , respectively. The bulk density of cementitious material 58 and spacer fluid 64 is preferably equal to or greater than the density of well fluid 52 in order to minimize the pressure required by pump 84 to force well fluid 52 to enter formations 16 and 20 .
A single cementing unit consists of the combination of plugs 60 and 62 , cementitious material 58 and spacer fluid 64 . Upon the introduction of this cementing unit a portion of well fluid 52 has been forced into formations 16 and 20 . At this time it believed that the bottom of plug 60 is approaching perforations 46 and 48 .
A second cementing unit, consisting of the combination of plugs 66 and 68 , cementitious material 56 and spacer fluid 70 is then introduced into well bore 38 in the manner described for introduction of the first cementing unit. Upon the completion of the introduction of the second cementing unit, it is believed that a still further portion of well fluid 52 is forced into formations 16 and 20 , that the bottom of plug 60 is positioned slightly above, if not adjacent to the lowest portions of perforations 46 and 48 , and the top surface of spacer fluid 70 is positioned above the bottom of formation 12 .
A quantity of cementitious material is then introduced into measuring tank 74 through conduit 76 . The quantity of cementitious material thus introduced is equal in volume to the volume of cementitious material 54 required to occupy well bore 38 from a point at or slightly below formation 12 to cap 40 .
Plug 72 is then introduced into well bore 38 via line 79 . Plug 72 and plug 60 are identical in all respects. Plug 72 operates to segregate cementitious fluid 54 in contact with the top surface thereof from contacting and otherwise mixing with spacer fluid 70 in contact with the bottom surface thereof.
Thereafter, valves 78 and 80 are closed, valve 82 between tank 74 and top 36 of casing 24 is opened and pump 84 is activated to thereby transfer the cementitious material previously measured into tank 74 into well bore 38 via conduits 86 , 88 and 90 . The cementitious material is placed on and supported by the top surface of plug 72 . The combination of the hydrostatic pressure developed by cementitious materials 54 , 56 and 58 , spacer fluids 64 and 70 and the pressure generated by pump 84 cause plugs 60 , 62 , 66 , 68 and 72 to slide within casing 24 and to force well fluid 52 into either one or both of formations 16 and 20 via perforations 42 and 44 and perforations 46 and 48 , respectively. The bulk density of cementitious materials 54 , 56 and 58 and spacer fluids 64 and 70 is preferably greater than the density of well fluid 52 in order to minimize the pressure required by pump 84 to force well fluid 52 to enter formations 16 and 20 .
The final unit consists of the combination of plug 72 and cementitious material 54 .
Upon the completion of the introduction of the final unit, it is believed that all of well fluid 52 which can be forced into formations 16 and 20 has been forced into formations 16 and 20 . It is also believed that the bottom of plug 60 is positioned at or slightly below the lowest portions of perforations 46 and 48 . It is further believed that the top surface of spacer fluid 70 is positioned below the bottom of formation 12 . It is still further believed that top surface of cementitious material 54 is in contact with the bottom surface of cap 40 .
To complete the method, cementitious materials 58 , 56 and 54 are permitted to set to thereby form the hardened cementitious material as shown in FIG. 2 .
The above description features the use of a single measuring tank 74 . Accordingly, the method as described is conducted as a batch process because the tank is employed to contain cementitious material and spacer fluid in alternation. However, the process can be performed in at least a partial continuous flow process by the use of an additional measuring tank and appropriate connecting plumbing. In the continuous process one tank is dedicated to cementitious material and the second is dedicated to spacer fluid.
The first liquid can be, and is preferably, delivered to the sight of the well to be plugged in a standard concrete ready-mix truck. This mode of delivery permits the slurry to be prepared at a remote location to thereby avoid the necessity of equipment at the site of the well to store the ingredients and mix the slurry.
The cementitious material useful herein can be any material having hydraulic activity which is defined as a material which hardens in the presence of water. Examples of such materials include Portland cement, fly ash, lime, gypsum, granulated blast furnace slag and mixtures thereof. A preferred cementitious material is ASTM Type 1(API Class A) which is readily available in construction concrete yards.
In addition, the cementitious material can have, and preferably does have, mixed therewith a quantity of filler, such as graded sand, pozzolan, mortar sand, of the type normally employed in general concrete construction operations, and mixtures thereof. The ratio of cementitious material to filler useful herein is an amount in the range of from about 0.25 to 5, preferably 0.5 to 4 and still more preferably from about 1 to about 2 pounds of filler per pound of cementitious material. The particle size of the filler is in the range of from about 20 to 2000, preferably 50 to 500 and still more preferably from about 100 to about 200 microns. Stated differently, the particle size of the filler is usually in the range of 10 to 325 mesh U.S. Sieve Series or 44 to 2000 microns.
It is evident from above that the filler can be present in the first liquid in quantities of up to about 500% of the cementitious material and is thus an important feature of the cement hydration reaction. The filler not only functions as a diluent, but also bonds with the cement to create a solid matrix. The filler in the concentrations involved acts to reduce shrinkage and enhance the strength of the set mass. In addition, the particle size of the filler can enable the filler to act as a bridging agent to prevent or reduce slurry loss if fracture does occur. Still further, the filler aids the effectiveness of low shear mixing ordinarily employed in ready mix applications which permits the preparation and pumping of low viscosity cement which is associated with high set strength cement and reduced water shrinkage.
The cementitious material or the combination of cementitious material and filler is mixed with water to produce the first liquid, a slurry, which can be transferred by pump 84 as shown in FIG. 2 . The ratio of cementitious material to water useful herein is an amount in the range of from about 0.36 to 0.56, preferably 0.40 to 0.53 and still more preferably from about 0.44 to about 0.50 pounds of water per pound of cementitious material.
Cement set time retarders can also be employed in the first liquid to control the setting of cement employed in the cementing units and final unit to avoid premature hardening while the method is being performed. Set time retarders and the methods of their use are well known in the art of well cementing.
The first liquid prepared according to the above recipe has a density in the range of from about 100 to about 150 pounds of slurry per cubic foot of slurry.
The pump, such as pump 84 shown in FIG. 2, used to transfer the first liquid (and the second liquid) from measuring tank 74 to well bore 38 is any positive displacement, transfer pump capable of pumping a viscous fluid suspending large-diameter solids. Such pumps useful herein are known as concrete pumps and are capable of being towed on a trailer by a pickup truck.
The second liquid functions to space adjacent quantities of slurry and is thus also referred to as a spacer fluid. Spacer fluids remain in the liquid phase and do not harden. The density of spacer fluids employed herein can be less than, equal to or greater than the density of the first liquid. It is merely preferred that the bulk density of the total quantity of first liquid and the total quantity of second liquid employed to form a plug in a particular well bore be greater than the density of the well fluid in that particular well.
Spacer fluids known in the art are useful herein. Such fluids, which are preferably inert to the environment in which they are placed, include drilling fluid, water, produced formation water and gelled water containing additives. Examples of such additives are corrosion inhibitors, weighting agents and dispersants. The density of known spacer fluids useful herein can be in the range of from about 63 to about 150 pounds per cubic foot of fluid.
The dense spacing discs or plugs are placed between successive quantities of second liquid and first liquid or between well fluid and first liquid as the case may be. The discs, which are ordinarily insoluble solid plugs, are well known in the art of well cementing as wiper plugs and are readily available from a variety of well service company suppliers. The wiper plugs operate to support liquid placed on their top surfaces, to prevent intermixing of the liquids between which the plugs are placed and are designed to fit tightly against the interior wall of a casing and yet readily slide against such wall upon the application of hydrostatic pressure. Examples of such plugs include Haliburton five wiper plugs and Industrial Rubber
EXAMPLE
A cementitious plug was placed in the well bore of an abandoned well in accordance with the method of this invention. The well contained a 4.5 inch casing and was 2179 feet deep. The annular space was cemented from the bottom to the surface and the casing was perforated at 1681 feet and 1689 feet below the surface. An injectivity test was performed in which 70 barrels of salt water were pumped into the casing. The casing could not be filled with water. The well was on a vacuum. It was reported that the water entered the perforations at about 3 barrels per minute at 0 psi.
A cement slurry was prepared and transported to the well location in a ready mix truck. The slurry contained Class A cement, 200% sand by weight of cement, 0.6% lignosulfonate set time retarder by weight of cement and sufficient water to produce a slurry having a density of 18 pounds of slurry per gallon of slurry (134.63 pounds per cubic foot).
A rubber plug was placed in the casing. Then, 6.5 barrels of the cement slurry were pumped into the casing on top of the plug. A second rubber plug was placed in the casing on top of the slurry and then 15.6 barrels of salt water spacer fluid were placed on top of the second plug.
Thereafter, a third rubber plug was placed in the casing on top of the spacer fluid which was followed by a quantity of slurry required to fill the remainder of the casing, about 350 feet. The well bore was filled to the surface. Operations were terminated.
The well was checked the next day. It was observed that the cement had set to a hard mass and that the surface of the mass was about 3 feet below the surface of the earth. | A method of forming a cementitious plug in a well is disclosed. According to the method, a well is selected for treatment which lacks sufficient formation pressure to cause well fluid to naturally flow to the surface of the well. In addition, a formation penetrated by the well has unobstructed access between it and the surface. Having thus selected a well for treatment, a liquid slurry comprising a cementitious material, whose density is greater than the density of the well fluid, is introduced into the well. The slurry is permitted to drive the well fluid into the formation. Sufficient slurry is added to the well to fill the well to the surface. The slurry is then permitted to set into a hardened mass. | 4 |
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] Embodiments described herein relate to a washing machine provided with an electric motor which rotates a load such as a rotating tub.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] For example, a drum washing machine is provided with an electric motor which rotates a drum serving as a rotating tub rotatably mounted in a water tub. In the washing machine, the drum is rotated at low speeds in a positive direction or a reverse direction in each of wash and rinse steps, and the rotating tub is rotated at high speeds in one direction in an intermediate or final dehydration step. The drum is thus rotated at high speeds so that centrifugal dehydration is carried out.
[0003] The motor used in the above-described washing machine necessitates low-speed rotation and high torque in a washing operation including rinsing, whereas the motor necessitates high-speed rotation and low torque in a dehydrating operation including the intermediate dehydration and final dehydration, as shown in FIG. 9 . In conventional motors, however, motor characteristics cannot be changed. Accordingly, a maximum efficiency point A of the motor is set between wash and dehydration as shown in FIG. 10 . This results in a problem that the motor cannot efficiently be operated at each operation step.
[0004] In order that the above-described problem may be coped with, there is disclosed a technique of switching motor characteristics.
[0005] Although the motor characteristics can be switched so as to be suitable for the operation in each step in the aforementioned technique, the switch (the relay) is necessitated to switch between the Y-connection and the delta connection. The motor has a defect that the arrangement thereof is complicated.
[0006] An object of the disclosure is to provide a washing machine in which motor characteristics can be switched so as to be suitable for the operation of each step, by a simpler arrangement.
MEANS FOR OVERCOMING THE PROBLEM
[0007] To achieve the foregoing object, there is provided a washing machine which includes a water tub and an electric motor which rotates a load housed in the water tub and which executes a washing operation including a wash step, a rinse step and a dehydration step, the motor comprising a stator having a stator coil; and a rotor having a rotor magnet including a first magnet comprised of a permanent magnet with a higher coercive force and a second magnet which is comprised of a permanent magnet with a lower coercive force than the first magnet and is easier in flux change, wherein the second magnet is magnetized in the wash step of the washing operation so that the magnetic flux of the rotor magnet acting on the stator is increased, and the second magnet is magnetized in the dehydration step of the washing operation so that the magnetic flux of the rotor magnet acting on the stator is reduced as compared with the magnetic flux in the wash step.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIGS. 1A and 1B are a schematic longitudinal side section and a schematic longitudinal rear section of the washing machine in accordance with a first embodiment, each showing an outline construction of the washing machine, respectively;
[0009] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an electric motor;
[0010] FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view of a rotor;
[0011] FIG. 4 is a graph showing the characteristics of a neodymium magnet and a alnico magnet;
[0012] FIG. 5 is a graph showing the relationship between steps of washing operation and a rotational speed of a drum;
[0013] FIG. 6 is a graph showing a voltage-magnetic flux characteristic of a first magnet and operations of magnetization and demagnetization of the second magnet;
[0014] FIGS. 7A and 7B are partial perspective views of magnetized rotor magnet and demagnetized rotor magnet of a rotor in a second embodiment respectively;
[0015] FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 6 ;
[0016] FIG. 9 is a graph showing the relationship between torque and rotational speed in each of wash and dehydration needed for a washing machine motor; and
[0017] FIG. 10 is a graph showing the relationship between rotational speed and efficiency of a conventional motor.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
First Embodiment
[0018] A first embodiment which is applied to a drum washing machine will be described with reference to FIGS. 1A to 6 .
[0019] Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B , firstly, the washing machine is provided with a water tub 2 in an outer casing 1 . The water tub 2 is formed into a substantially cylindrical shape and has a closed rear 2 a serving as an end (a right end surface as viewed in FIG. 1A ). The water tub 2 is elastically supported by a damper mechanism (not shown) with an axis thereof being retained in a substantially horizontal state relative to the ground. A drum 3 constituting a rotating tub is rotatably accommodated in the water tub 2 . The drum 3 is also formed into a substantially cylindrical shape and also has a closed rear surface 3 a serving as an end (a right end surface as viewed in FIG. 1A ). The drum 3 is accommodated in the water tub 2 with an axis thereof being retained in a substantially horizontal state relative to the ground. The drum 3 has a circumferential wall formed with a number of apertures (not shown). The outer casing 1 has a door (not shown) which is mounted on a front 1 a thereof so as to close or open an access opening. The water tub 2 and the drum 3 have respective fronts which are open, whereby laundry is put into and taken out of the drum 3 through the access openings.
[0020] The washing machine is provided with an electric motor 4 which is mounted on the outer surface of the rear 2 a of the water tub 2 and rotates the drum 3 . The motor 4 is a brushless DC motor of the outer rotor type in the first embodiment. The motor 4 includes a rotor 5 to which a shaft 6 is connected. The shaft 6 is further connected to the rear of the drum 3 . As a result, the washing machine is constructed into a direct drive system in which the drum 3 is directly driven by the electric motor 3 . The drum 3 serves as a load that is rotated by the motor 4 .
[0021] The motor 4 will now be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 . The motor 4 comprises a stator 7 further comprising a stator core 9 having a number of teeth 8 formed on an outer circumference, stator coils 10 wound on the respective teeth 8 and mounts 11 made of a synthetic resin. The stator 7 is fixed via the mounts 11 to the rear 2 a of the water tub 2 . For example, thirty-six teeth 8 are provided in the embodiment.
[0022] The rotor 5 comprises a frame 12 made of a magnetic material, a rotor core 13 , first magnets 14 and second magnets 15 . The frame 12 is formed into a shallow container and has an annular wall 12 a on an outer circumference thereof. The rotor core 13 is formed into an annular shape and disposed on an inner circumference of the annular wall 12 a . The first and second magnets 14 and 15 are inserted in a number of magnet insertion holes formed in the rotor core 13 respectively. The shaft 6 is connected to a shaft mount 16 provided in a central part of the frame 12 .
[0023] The first and second magnets 14 and 15 each of which comprises a permanent magnet constitute a rotor magnet. Each first magnet 14 comprises a neodymium magnet having a higher coercive force. In this case, the neodymium magnet constituting each first magnet 14 has a coercive force of not less than 700 kA/m. On the other hand, each second magnet 15 comprises an alnico magnet having a lower coercive force than each first magnet 14 . In this case, the alnico magnet constituting each second magnet 15 has a coercive force of not more than 350 kA/m. FIG. 4 shows characteristics of coercive forces and magnetic fluxes of the neodymium and alnico magnets. The first and second magnets 14 and 15 have polarities different from each other and are arranged circumferentially alternately. In the first embodiment, twenty-four first magnets 14 and twenty-four second magnets 15 and in total, forty-eight magnets are arranged. Each second magnet 15 has a larger thickness than each first magnet 14 . Each first magnet 14 and each second magnet 15 are magnetized so that the polarities differ from each other in the radial direction, as shown in FIG. 3 . The rotor core 13 has an inner circumference which is opposed to the stator 7 and has a number of protrusions 13 a . The protrusions 13 a are formed into arc shapes according to the first and second magnets 14 and 15 respectively.
[0024] The above-described motor 4 is controlled via an inverter circuit by a control device (not shown) including a microcomputer. The control device executes a control of washing operation by the washing machine.
[0025] The washing machine constructed as described above will work as follows. FIG. 5 shows an example of the relationship between each step of a washing operation and a rotational speed of the drum. Upon start of the washing operation, the control device executes a water supply step. The control device opens a water-supply valve (not shown) in the water supply step so that water is supplied into the water tub 2 and that is, the drum 3 . The water supplied into the water tub 2 is stored therein. The control device subsequently executes a wash step. The control device drives the motor 4 in the wash step so that the drum 3 is rotated by the motor 4 after detergent has been put into the water tub 2 . In this case, the motor 4 is driven to rotate the drum 3 alternately in a normal direction and a reverse direction at a low rotational speed ranging from 50 rpm to 60 rpm, for example. As a result, laundry put into the drum 3 is washed. The control device executes a drain step after the wash step has been executed for a predetermined period of time. The control device opens a drain valve (not shown) connected to a drain outlet of the water tub 2 in the wash step while the drum 3 is stopped. As a result, the water stored in the water tub 2 and the drum 3 is discharged out of the washing machine.
[0026] The control device subsequently executes a first intermediate dehydration step. The control device drives the motor 4 in the first intermediate dehydration step so that the drum 3 is rotated at a high speed, for example, 1500 rpm in one direction. As a result, the laundry in the drum 3 is centrifugally dehydrated. The water extracted from the laundry is discharged through the drain outlet out of the washing machine.
[0027] Upon end of the first intermediate dehydration, the control device re-executes the water supply step while the drum 3 is stopped. As a result, water is supplied into the water tub 2 and the drum 3 to be stored therein. Subsequently, the control device executes a first rinse step. No detergent is used in the first rinse step. The control device executes the same control manner in the rinse step as in the wash step except for nonuse of detergent. More specifically, the control device drives the motor 4 so that the drum 3 is rotated alternately in the normal and reverse directions at low a rotational speed ranging from 50 rpm to 60 rpm, for example. As a result, the laundry put into the drum 3 is rinsed. The control device then executes a drain step in the same manner as described above after the first rinse step has been carried out for a predetermined time.
[0028] The control device then executes a second intermediate dehydration step. The control device executes the same control manner in the second intermediate dehydration step as in the first intermediate dehydration step. Upon end of the second intermediate dehydration step, the control device re-executes the water-supply step while the drum 3 is stopped. As a result, water is supplied into the water tub 2 and the drum 3 to be stored in the water tub 2 . The control device then executes a second rinse step. The control device executes the same control manner in the second rinse step as in the first rinse step. After having executed the second rinse step for a predetermined period of time, the control device executes the drain step in the same manner as described above.
[0029] The control device then executes a final dehydration step. The control device drives the motor 4 in the final dehydration step so that the drum 3 is rotated at a high speed of, for example, 1000 rpm in one direction. As a result, the laundry accommodated in the drum 3 is centrifugally dehydrated, whereby the washing operation is completed.
[0030] In the case of the above-described wash step, the rotational speed of the drum 3 and accordingly the rotational speed of the motor 4 are set to low speeds ranging from 50 rpm to 60 rpm. Accordingly, the motor 4 necessitates a low-speed rotation and high-torque operation. The control device executes magnetization of the second magnets 15 constituting the rotor magnet of the motor 4 in the water supply step prior to the wash step, so that the magnetic flux is increased.
[0031] FIG. 6 shows voltage-flux characteristics of the first high-coercive force magnets 14 and magnetization and demagnetization of the second low-coercive force magnets 15 . A magnetizing voltage in the magnetization of the first magnets 14 is set to about ±3000 V, and a magnetizing voltage in the magnetization of the second magnets 15 is set to about ±500 V. Point B 1 is now assumed to designate the magnetic flux of the second magnets 15 indicative of a demagnetized state in the case where a washing operation starts. When the second magnets 15 are to be magnetized in this state, the control device controls energization of the stator coils 10 while the rotor 5 is held at a predetermined position, thereby magnetizing the second magnets 15 .
[0032] More specifically, the control device applies, for example, voltage of +500 V to the stator coils 10 . As a result, the magnetic flux of the second magnets 15 is increased to the maximum as shown by point B 2 in FIG. 6 . In this case, the current magnetic flux is maintained even when the second magnets 15 are released from voltage application. Consequently, the magnetic flux of the whole rotor magnet acting on the stator 7 is increased. The motor 4 develops high torque when the wash step is executed with the drum 3 being rotated at a low speed by the motor 4 in the aforementioned flux-increased state. In the wash step, a normal operating voltage of the stator coil 10 ranges between about ±200 V. Accordingly, the magnetic flux remains unchanged even when the second magnets 15 have a low coercive force.
[0033] On the other hand, the rotational speed of the drum 3 or the motor 4 is increased to 1500 rpm in the first intermediate dehydration step. In this case, the motor 4 necessitates high-speed rotation and low-torque operation. Accordingly, the control device demagnetizes the second magnets 15 in the rotor magnet of the motor 4 in the drain step prior to the first intermediate dehydration step, thereby decreasing the magnetic flux of the second magnets 15 .
[0034] More specifically, the control device applies a voltage slightly higher than −500 V to the stator coils 10 . As a result, the magnetic flux of the second magnets 15 is decreased nearly to zero. In this case, the current magnetic flux is maintained even when the second magnets 15 are released from voltage application. Consequently, the magnetic flux of the whole rotor magnet acting on the stator 7 is decreased. The operation of the motor 4 is rendered suitable for low-torque and high-speed rotation when the intermediate dehydration step is executed with the drum 3 being rotated at a high speed by the motor 4 in the aforementioned flux-decreased state. A normal operating voltage of the stator coils 10 ranges between about ±200 V in the intermediate dehydration step. Accordingly, the magnetic flux remains unchanged even when the second magnets 15 have a low coercive force.
[0035] The rotational speed of the drum 3 or the motor 4 is reduced to 50 rpm to 60 rpm in the first rinse step as in the wash step. In this case, the motor 4 necessitates low-speed rotation and high-torque operation. Accordingly, the control device magnetizes the second magnets 15 in the rotor magnet of the motor 4 in the water supply step prior to the first rinse step in the same manner as described above, thereby increasing the magnetic flux of the second magnets 15 . The control device executes the first rinse step with the second magnets 15 having been magnetized.
[0036] The rotational speed of the drum 3 or the motor 4 is also increased to 1500 rpm in the second intermediate dehydration step as in the first intermediate dehydration step. In this case, the motor 4 necessitates high-speed rotation and low-torque operation. Accordingly, the control device demagnetizes the second magnets 15 in the rotor magnet of the motor 4 in the same manner as described above, thereby decreasing the magnetic flux of the second magnets 15 . The control device executes the second intermediate dehydration step with the second magnets 15 having been demagnetized.
[0037] The rotational speed of the drum 3 or the motor 4 is reduced to 50 rpm to 60 rpm in the second rinse step as in the wash step and the first rinse step. In this case, the motor 4 necessitates low-speed rotation and high-torque operation. Accordingly, the control device magnetizes the second magnets 15 in the rotor magnet of the motor 4 in the water-supply step prior to the second rinse step in the same manner as described above, thereby increasing the magnetic flux of the second magnets 15 . The control device executes the second rinse step with the second magnets 15 having been magnetized.
[0038] The rotational speed of the drum 3 or the motor 4 is increased to about 100 rpm in the final dehydration step. In this case, the motor 4 necessitates high-speed rotation and low-torque operation. Accordingly, the control device demagnetizes the second magnets 15 in the rotor magnet of the motor 4 in the drain step prior to the final dehydration step in the same manner as described above, thereby decreasing the magnetic flux of the second magnets 15 . The control device executes the final dehydration step with the second magnets having been demagnetized.
[0039] The following effect can, be achieved from the first embodiment as described above. The rotor magnet of the rotor 5 includes the first high-coercive-force magnets 14 each having the high coercive field strength and the second low-coercive-force magnets 15 each of which has the low coercive field strength and the magnetic flux easy to change. The second magnets 15 are magnetized in each of the wash and rinse steps so that the magnetic flux of the rotor magnet acting on stator 7 is increased. The second magnets 15 are magnetized in each of the dehydration steps including the intermediate and final dehydration steps so that the magnetic flux of the rotor magnet is decreased as compared with that in each of the wash and rinse steps. As a result, the magnetic flux of the rotor magnet acting on the stator 7 is increased in each of the wash and rinse steps, whereupon the motor 4 driving the drum 3 marks the characteristics of low-speed rotation and high torque operation, which characteristics are suitable for the wash and rinse steps. On the other hand, in the dehydration step, the magnetic flux of the rotor magnet 7 is decreased as compared with each of the wash and rinse steps, whereby the motor 4 driving the drum 3 as the load marks the characteristics of high-speed rotation and low torque operation, which characteristics are suitable for the dehydration step. In this case, the characteristics of the motor 4 are controlled by changing the magnetic flux of the second magnets which constitute the rotor magnet and each have the lower coercive force. As a result, this control manner necessitates no switch such as a switching relay, differing from the control manner of switching an electrical connection mode of the stator coils. Accordingly, the characteristics of the motor 4 can be switched by a simple arrangement so as to be suitable for the operation in each step.
[0040] In the first embodiment, the first high-coercive force magnets 14 and the second low-coercive force magnets 15 form magnetic poles differing from each other, and the first and second magnets 14 and 15 are arranged circumferentially alternately. Consequently, although the magnetic flux of the rotor magnet is switchable, the arrangement for changing the magnetic flux can be prevented from being rendered complex.
[0041] In the first embodiment, the magnetic flux of the second magnets 15 is increased in the water-supply step of the washing operation, whereby the magnetization is executed. The magnetic flux of the second magnets 15 is decreased in the drain step of the washing operation, whereby the demagnetization is executed. The drum 3 serving as the load is not substantially driven by the motor 4 in each of the water-supply and drain steps. Accordingly, the position of the rotor is stabilized, and each of the magnetization and demagnetization can be executed in a stable state of the rotor 5 .
[0042] The voltage applied to the stator coils 10 is set to about ±500 V in the first embodiment when the magnetic flux of the second magnets 15 is changed. The aforementioned applied voltage is higher than a voltage of ±200 V applied to the motor 4 for the normal operation and lower than the magnetization voltage of ±3000 V in the case where the first magnets 14 are magnetized. Consequently, the magnetic flux of the first magnets 14 can stably be ensured even when the magnetic flux of the second magnets 15 is changed, and a change in the magnetic flux of the second magnets 15 can be reduced in the normal operation of the motor 4 .
[0043] In the first embodiment, the rotational speed of the drum 3 in the final dehydration step is set to 1000 rpm, which value is lower that the rotational speed of 1500 rpm in the intermediate dehydration step. In the demagnetization prior to the final dehydration step, the magnetic flux is reduced nearly to zero as in the demagnetization prior to the intermediate dehydration step as shown as point B 1 in FIG. 6 . In the demagnetization prior to the final dehydration step, however, the magnetic flux may be controlled so as to mark, for example, point B 4 indicative of a value slightly larger than point B 1 according to the reduction in the rotational speed. In this case, the voltage applied to the stator coils 10 for demagnetization is set to about −400 V. The magnetic flux of the second magnets 15 or of the whole rotor magnet is controlled in three stages. Accordingly, the motor efficiency can further be improved.
Second Embodiment
[0044] FIGS. 7A to 8 illustrate a second embodiment. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the following respects.
[0045] The rotor magnet constituting the rotor 20 includes first and second magnets 21 and 22 each of which comprises a permanent magnet as shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B . Each first magnet 21 comprises a neodymium magnet having a higher coercive force in the same manner as each first magnet 14 in the first embodiment. The neodymium magnet has a coercive force of not less than 700 kA/m. On the other hand, each second magnet 22 comprises an alnico magnet having a lower coercive force than each first magnet 21 in the same manner as each second magnet 15 in the first embodiment. The alnico magnet has a coercive force of not more than 350 kA/m.
[0046] The first magnets 21 are provided so as to correspond to protrusions 13 a of the rotor core 13 respectively. In the embodiment, a number of, for example, forty-eight first magnets 21 are disposed in the circumferential direction. The first magnets 21 are magnetized so that the polarities differ from each other in the radial direction. The second magnets 22 are each located between two adjacent protrusions 13 a so as to be nearer to the stator 7 side as shown in FIG. 2 than the first magnets 21 . The second magnets 22 are magnetized so that the polarities differ from each other in the circumferential direction. In this case, each one first magnet 21 and two second magnets 22 located at right and left sides of each first magnet 21 respectively constitute one pole. The second magnets 22 are shared by the poles adjacent to each other. The rotor core 13 has openings 23 at the stator 7 side of the second magnets 23 . The openings 23 are closed by a synthetic resin 24 .
[0047] In the second embodiment configured as described above, the washing operation is executed in the same manner as shown in FIG. 5 in the first embodiment. In this case, the drum 3 is rotated at a low rotational speed ranging, for example, from 50 rpm to 60 rpm alternately in the normal and reverse directions by the motor 4 in each of the wash, first and second rinse steps. Accordingly, the motor 4 necessitates high torque. The control device then executes magnetization of the second magnets 22 in the rotor magnet of the motor 4 in the water supply step prior to the wash step, the water supply step prior to the first rinse step and the water supply step prior to the second rinse step, thereby increasing the magnetic flux of the second magnets 22 .
[0048] In magnetizing the second magnets 22 , the control device controls energization of the stator coil 10 so that, for example, a voltage of +500 V is applied to the stator coils 10 while the rotor 5 is retained at a predetermined position. As a result, the magnetic flux of the second magnets 22 is increased to the maximum as shown by point C 1 in FIG. 8 . In this case, each magnet 22 has a side which faces and has the same magnetic pole as the corresponding first magnet as shown in FIG. 7A . For example, when the protrusion 13 a side of the first magnet 21 has a north pole, each of the second magnets 22 located on the right and left sides of the first magnet 21 has a north pole. The magnetic flux is retained even when each second magnet 22 is released from voltage application in this state. This increases the magnetic flux of the whole rotor magnet acting on the stator 7 . The control device executes the wash, first and second rinse steps while rotating the drum 3 at the low speed by the motor 4 in this state. Consequently, the motor achieves the characteristics suitable for the low-speed rotation and high-torque operation. A normal operating voltage of the stator coils 10 ranges between about ±200 V in each of the wash, first and second rinse steps. Accordingly, the magnetic flux of the second magnet 22 is prevented from being changed even when the second magnets 22 have a low coercive force.
[0049] Furthermore, the drum 3 is rotated in one direction at a higher rotational speed of 1500 rpm or 1000 rpm in each of the first and second intermediate dehydration and final dehydration steps. Accordingly, the motor 4 necessitates high speed rotation and low torque operation. As a result, the control device demagnetizes the second magnets 15 in the rotor magnet of the motor 4 in the drain steps prior to the first and second intermediate dehydration steps and the final dehydration step respectively, thereby decreasing the magnetic flux of the second magnets 15 .
[0050] In demagnetizing the second magnets 22 , the control device controls energization of the stator coils 10 so that, for example, a voltage of −500 V is applied to the stator coil 10 while the rotor 5 is retained at a predetermined position. As a result, the magnetic flux of the second magnets 22 is increased to the maximum in the negative direction as shown by point C 2 in FIG. 8 . In this case, the magnetic pole is reversed between the north and south poles. More specifically, each magnet 22 has two sides which face and have the same magnetic poles as those of the corresponding first magnets 21 respectively as shown in FIG. 7B . For example, when the protrusion 13 a side of the first magnet 21 has a north pole, each of the second magnets 22 located on the right and left sides of the first magnet 21 has a south pole. The magnetic flux is retained even when each second magnet 22 is released from voltage application in this state. As a result, the magnetic flux of the whole rotor magnet acting on the stator 7 is decreased. The control device executes the first, second and final intermediate dehydration steps while rotating the drum 3 at the high speed by the motor 4 in this state. Consequently, the motor achieves the characteristics suitable for the high-speed rotation and low-torque operation. A normal operating voltage of the stator coils 10 ranges between about ±200 V in each of the first, second and final intermediate dehydration steps. Accordingly, the magnetic flux of the second magnets 22 is prevented from being changed even when the second magnets 22 have a low coercive force.
[0051] The following effect can be achieved from the second embodiment as described above. The rotor magnet of the rotor 20 includes the first high-coercive-force magnets 21 each having the high coercive field strength and the second low-coercive-force magnets 22 each of which has the low coercive field strength and the magnetic flux easy to change. The second magnets 22 are magnetized in each of the wash and rinse steps so that the magnetic flux of the rotor magnet acting on the stator 7 is increased. The second magnets 22 are magnetized in each of the dehydration steps including the intermediate and final dehydration steps so that the magnetic flux of the rotor magnet is decreased as compared with that in each of the wash and rinse steps. As a result, the magnetic flux of the rotor magnet acting on the stator 7 is increased in each of the wash and rinse steps, whereupon the motor 4 driving the drum 3 marks the characteristics of low-speed rotation and high torque, which characteristics are suitable for the wash and rinse steps. On the other hand, in the dehydration step, the magnetic flux of the rotor magnet is decreased as compared with each of the wash and rinse steps, whereby the motor 4 driving the drum 3 as the load marks the characteristics of high-speed rotation and low torque, which characteristics are suitable for the dehydration step. In this case, the characteristics of the motor 4 are controlled by changing the magnetic flux of the second magnets 22 which constitute the rotor magnet and each have the lower coercive force. As a result, this control manner necessitates no switch such as a switching relay, differing from the control manner of switching an electrical connection mode of the stator coils. Accordingly, the characteristics of the motor 4 can be switched by a simple arrangement so as to be suitable for the operation in each step.
[0052] In the second embodiment, one first magnet 21 having a high coercive force and two second magnets 22 each having a low coercive force constitute one pole. Accordingly, the magnetic pole of each second magnet 22 can be reversed, whereupon an amount of magnetic flux can be increased and decreased to a large extent. With this, an amount of magnetic flux of the whole rotor magnet can be increased and decreased to a large extent, and the characteristics of the motor 4 can be rendered more suitable for each of the steps of the washing operation.
[0053] In the second embodiment, the magnetic flux of the second magnets 22 is increased in the water-supply step of the washing operation, whereby the magnetization is executed. The magnetic flux of the second magnets 22 is decreased in the drain step of the washing operation, whereby the demagnetization is executed. The drum 3 serving as the load is not substantially driven by the motor 4 in each of the water-supply and drain steps. Accordingly, the position of the rotor is stabilized, and magnetization and demagnetization can be executed in a stable state of the rotor 5 .
[0054] In the second embodiment, the voltage applied to the stator coils 7 is set to about ±500 V when the magnetic flux of the second magnets 22 is changed. The aforementioned applied voltage is higher than a voltage of ±200 V applied to the motor 4 for the normal operation and lower than the magnetization voltage of ±3000 V in the case where the first magnets 21 are magnetized.
[0055] Consequently, the magnetic flux of the first magnets 21 can stably be ensured even when the magnetic flux of the second magnets 22 is changed, and a change in the magnetic flux of the second magnets 22 can be reduced in the normal operation of the motor 4 .
[0056] In the second embodiment, the second magnets 22 with the magnetic flux increased or decreased are disposed so as to be located nearer to the stator 7 than the first magnets 21 is. Accordingly, the magnetic flux can easily be changed by the energization control of the stator coils 10 .
[0057] In the second embodiment, too, the rotational speed of the drum 3 in the final dehydration step, is set to 1000 rpm, which value is lower than the rotational speed of 1500 rpm in the intermediate dehydration step. Accordingly, the magnetic flux may be controlled so as to be slightly larger than point C 2 without reduction to point C 2 in the demagnetization prior to the final dehydration step.
Other Embodiments
[0058] The disclosure should not be limited to the above-described embodiments but the embodiments may be modified or expanded as follows. The motor 4 should not be limited to the exemplified outer rotor type but may be of the inner rotor type, instead. The washing machine may be a washer-drier with a drying function. The washing machine should not be limited to the drum type washing machine but may be a vertical axis type washing machine having a rotating tub extending up and down in the direction of gravitational force. In the case of the vertical axis type washing machine, an electric motor rotates an agitator agitating laundry at a low speed in a normal direction or a reverse direction in each of wash and rinse steps. The motor rotates the agitator and the rotating tub together in one direction at a high speed in the dehydration step. In this case, a load driven by the motor is the agitator and the rotating tub.
[0059] The foregoing description and drawings are merely illustrative of the principles of the present disclosure and are not to be construed in a limiting sense. Various changes and modifications will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. All such changes and modifications are seen to fall within the scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims. | A washing machine has a water tank and a motor for rotationally driving a load received in the water tank and performs a washing operation including a washing process, a rinsing process, and dewatering process. The motor has a stator and a rotor. The stator has a stator coil, and the rotor has a rotor magnet including a first magnet and a second magnet. The first magnet has a permanent magnet having a high coercive force, and the second magnet has a permanent magnet having a lower coercive force than the first magnet and generating easily changeable magnetic flux. In the washing process of the washing operation, the second magnet is magnetized so that the magnetic flux of the rotor magnet acting on the stator increases, and in the dewatering process, the second magnet is magnetized so that the magnetic flux acting on the stator decreases from the level in the washing process. | 3 |
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The technical field of the system disclosed herein relates to navigation, particularly navigation of aircraft, although the system disclosed herein could relate to the navigation of any craft.
BACKGROUND
[0002] A company route is defined by a list of records that include airports, procedures, airways, and/or waypoints satisfying regulatory authorities regarding the flight of an aircraft. Essentially, a company route is a description of the flight path to be followed by an aircraft as it flies between origin and destination airports. This flight path is designed specifically to fit the requirements of airline operators who operate between origin and destination points.
[0003] A company route is typically designed on the ground by navigation personnel, who receive the requirements from the airline operators. The navigation personnel use a list of waypoints between origin and destination airports along the flight path as inputs so as to produce the company route. The design of a company route is a mostly manual process and it is certainly time-consuming. As a result, the process is error prone. Also, the design process is textually oriented, which makes it difficult for the navigation personnel to visualize the actual company route, which is made even more difficult because, during this design process, the designer has no idea about the terrain and obstacles which may present along the designed company route.
[0004] As can be seen, the step by step process that is necessary to create a company route is complex. The source airport, the departure, runway transitions, common transitions, en-route transitions, waypoint fixes, airways, arrival transitions, approach transitions, and the actual approach all/few need to be selected and specified based on defined criteria and stringed together in a way that forms the record of the company route. At each selection point, the navigation personnel use multiple sources (charts, Aeronautical Information Packages (AIPs), etc.) to select the desired points of interest. Because so many sources are needed to provide the information required for designing a company route, there is a distinct possibility of making mistakes, and the designer will not have any leverage to view the sources together. Also, during this whole process, the designer has no idea about the terrain and obstacles which may be present along the designed route. Moreover, text based route design provides little means to select an optimal path.
[0005] Therefore, there is a need for an interactive and graphical navigation system that interactively provides navigation personnel with a graphical view of a company route as it is being designed, along with additional information such as information about terrain, obstacles, airports, airways, etc. This system can be used by navigation personnel on the ground and can be arranged to empower them to be more aware of the choices of the route at a particular fix (a real time view of the route on a world map backdrop if a choice is selected), to compare different choices so that they can make better decisions quicker, to be aware of terrain and obstacle information, and to verify the company route by viewing a virtual fly through of the route.
[0006] The relevant choices (e.g., fixes, airways, procedures, etc.) relative to a particular fix can be shown graphically, and the user can make selections based on the graphics so as to construct the company route. This company route can then be verified by virtually flying through the coded route with underlaid terrain and obstacles.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] Features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
[0008] FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional manual process of creating and verifying company routes by navigation personnel;
[0009] FIG. 2 illustrates a computer system that overcomes one or more of the problems associated with the current manual process of FIG. 1 ;
[0010] FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating a program that can be executed by the computer system of FIG. 2 so as to build a company route;
[0011] FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating a program that can be executed by the computer system of FIG. 2 so as to verify a company route; and,
[0012] FIGS. 5-9 illustrate examples of screen displays rendered on the monitor of the computer system of FIG. 2 during execution of the programs of FIGS. 3 and 4 .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0013] As discussed above, a company route is a sequence of flight segments, which define a path from an origin to a destination. A company route origin is a fix (in this case typically an airport) that represents the starting point of the company route. A company route destination is a fix (in this case also typically an airport) that represents the final or destination point of the company route. Other fixes which may be part of a company route are navaids, ndbs and waypoints. A navaid is any visual or electronic device airborne or on the surface which provides point-to-point guidance information or position data to aircraft in flight. Ndbs are non-directional beacons. A waypoint is a set of coordinates that is typically given as longitude, latitude, and altitude.
[0014] The company route data contains information about the legs of the company route. This information specifies the details of each flight segment of a company route commonly known as “VIA”. Each VIA can be an alternate airport, an approach, an airway, a direct path to a fix, an initial fix, a SID (Standard Instrument Departure), or a STAR (Standard Terminal Arrival Route).
[0015] FIG. 1 shows the conventional process of creating and verifying company routes by the navigation personnel. Navigation personnel 10 rely on company route requirements 12 to produce a company route 14 . The designing process is complicated for the navigation personnel 10 since the process involves references to charts and other aeronautical information. For example, the navigation personnel 10 use en-route paper charts 16 , terminal paper charts 18 , and other aeronautical information paper charts 20 as inputs to their design process. The navigation personnel 10 refer to the applicable en-route paper charts 16 , terminal paper charts 18 , and other aeronautical information paper charts 20 in creating the company route 14 based on the pre-defined company route requirements 12 .
[0016] This process of creating the company route 14 is manual and time consuming, and may lead to errors. Moreover, design and verification of the company route 14 are not integrated by the process. Verification of the company route 14 as currently performed is tedious and drawn out because it involves manually looking at the coded company route data in text format to check for the correctness of the company route 14 .
[0017] Additionally, the current en-route paper charts 16 , the terminal paper charts 18 , and the other aeronautical information paper charts 20 are very cluttered, especially the en-route paper charts 16 , which makes it very tedious for the navigation personnel 10 to expediently select the required airway segments. Further, there is no mechanism to display the company route 14 graphically during the construction process, making the design process even more difficult.
[0018] FIG. 2 illustrates a computer system 30 that overcomes one or more of the problems associated with the current manual process of designing and/or verifying company routes. The computer system 30 includes a computer 31 that includes a selection engine 32 , a compute engine 34 , a render engine 36 . The computer system 30 further includes a terrain database 38 , an obstacle database 40 , and a navigation database 42 . The terrain database 38 interfaces with the selection engine 32 through a terrain database manager 44 , the obstacle database 40 interfaces with the selection engine 32 through an obstacle database manager 46 , and the navigation database 42 interfaces with the selection engine 32 through a navigation database manager 48 . The render engine 36 communicates with a monitor 50 so that the design and/or verification of the company route 14 may be displayed graphically. The compute engine makes computations as needed.
[0019] An automated flight block 52 can be used by the user to fly through the coded company route once the company route has been designed. During automated flight, the user cannot change any dynamic parameters such as aircraft velocity, pitch, roll and yaw. The user can only stop the flight at the desired location. However, an user controlled flight block 54 allows the user to assume manual control of these dynamic parameters.
[0020] The computer system 30 can be used by the navigation personnel 10 to encode the company route 14 in an interactive manner (shown, for example, by way of the flow chart of FIG. 3 ). Additionally or alternatively, the computer system 30 can be used by the navigation personnel 10 to verify the encoded company route 14 by performing a virtual fly through the encoded company route 14 (shown, for example, by way of the flow chart of FIG. 4 ). The design and/or verification process shown by way of example in FIGS. 3 and 4 can be performed by desktop applications executing on the computer system 30 .
[0021] The flow chart of FIG. 3 is an example of a route building process 60 that can be executed by the computer system 30 and that eases the encoding of the company route 14 , thereby lessening the burden on the navigation personnel 10 . The route building process 60 begins with the configuration of a map display area at 62 . The navigation personnel 10 can use this configured map display area to code the company route 14 . This configured map display area is displayed on the monitor 50 .
[0022] The map display area is the area which the user configures by setting the latitude and longitude position of the rectangular bounding box and the range. This view may be constructed both in 2D and 3D. The map display area is computed based on the current position (latitude and longitude) as specified by the user and the distance up to which the user wants the simulated view to be constructed. Based on these two inputs, a 2D rectangular view and a 3D view volume will be constructed programmatically.
[0023] Required information for the configured map display area is fetched from the terrain database 38 , from the obstacle database 40 , and from the navigation database 42 at 64 . For example, the required information fetched at 64 can include all of the airports within the map display area configured at 62 . Also, terrain, obstacle and navigation data, and all airports, navaids, ndbs, and waypoints in the configured map area/volume are fetched and displayed.
[0024] At 66 , the computer system 30 determines whether the navigation personnel 10 has positioned a mouse cursor over any of the airports (fixes) displayed on the monitor 50 within the configured map area. If so, the navigation personnel 10 at 68 selects the origin and destination airports (fixes) for the company route 14 from among the fixes displayed on the monitor 50 within the configured map area such as by clicking on these origin and destination airports.
[0025] At this point, the navigation personnel 10 starts the coding of the company route, keeping the selected origin airport as the starting fix. Accordingly, the route building process 60 the navigation personnel 10 selects a next via (route) type in building the company route 14 at 70 selects in response to a suitable operation by the navigation personnel 10 . This via type is in the form of a record, and this next record, for example, can be a fix, an airway, or a procedure. Depending on the selection of the next via type (whether a fix, an airway, or a procedure), required features will be rendered on the map area displayed on the monitor 50 by the route building process 60 . A desired fix, airway, or procedure is interactively selected by suitable operation of the navigation personnel 10 and is added to the record of the company route 14 . This route building process 60 continues to iterate until the navigation personnel 10 selects the destination record as the next record, at which point the record of the company route 14 is complete.
[0026] A procedure is a collection of fixes that create a coded path for flight departures and arrivals. It can be classified in three categories—SID (Standard Instrument Departure), STAR (Standard Terminal Arrival Route) and APPROACH. Generic example for a procedure (SID). The following chart is an example of such a procedure:
[0000]
AirportName
ProcedureIdent
Cycle
Rwy
Fix
PathTerminator
VHHH
ATEN2A
B
07R
PORPA
CF
VHHH
ATEN2A
B
07R
RAMEN
DF
VHHH
ATEN2A
B
07R
COLEY
TF
VHHH
ATEN2A
B
07R
ATENA
TF
VHHH
ATEN2A
B
07R
BEKOL
TF
[0027] Thus, if the next selected record is a fix as determined at 72 , all non-directional (radio) beacons (NDBs), navigational aids (Navaids) such as ILS, and/or waypoints within proximity of the current fix (such as within a circular radius of 75 nautical miles of the current fix) are fetched from the navigation database manager 48 and are displayed on the monitor 50 at 74 . When the navigation personnel 10 have just begun building the company route 14 , the current fix is the origin, such as source airport, of the flight. At 76 , the computer system 30 determines whether the navigation personnel 10 has positioned a mouse cursor over a desired one of the displayed NDBs, Navaids, or waypoints. The navigation personnel 10 at 78 selects the desired NDB, Navaid, or waypoint for building the company route 14 . The route building process 60 adds this selected record for the company route 14 at 80 to the database corresponding to the company route 14 .
[0028] Terrain and obstacle features can also be used by the route building process 60 . For example, the route building process 60 can be arranged to provide a warning when the navigation personnel 10 makes a selection that conflicts with the terrain and obstacle features. Thus, the route building process can be made intelligent to perform dynamic/runtime analysis of the detection of terrain/obstacle presence on the path which is being coded by the navigational personnel.
[0029] If the next selected record is an airway as determined at 82 , all airways having a starting fix as the current fix previously selected by the navigation personnel 10 are fetched from the navigation database manager 48 and are displayed on the monitor 50 at 84 . For example, if the immediately previous fix selected by the navigation personnel 10 is the source or origin airport, such as when the navigation personnel 10 have just begun building the company route 14 , then all airways that have this airport as their starting fix are displayed at 84 . At 86 , the computer system 30 determines whether the navigation personnel 10 has positioned a mouse cursor over a desired one of the displayed airways. The navigation personnel 10 at 88 selects the desired airway for building the company route 14 . This selected record for the company route 14 is added at 80 to the database corresponding to the company route 14 .
[0030] If the next selected record is a procedure as determined at 90 , all relevant procedures are fetched from the navigation database manager 48 and are displayed on the monitor 50 at 92 . At 94 , the computer system 30 determines whether the navigation personnel 10 has positioned a mouse cursor over a desired one of the displayed procedures. The navigation personnel 10 at 96 selects the desired procedure for building the company route 14 . This selected record for the company route 14 is added at 80 to the database corresponding to the company route 14 .
[0031] A procedure helps in defining a departure path from the runway. It also helps in defining an arrival and approach path to the desired runway.
[0032] If the building of the company route 14 is not complete and there are more records to select in building the company route 14 as determined at 98 , the route building process 60 returns to 70 to permit the navigation personnel 10 to select the next record. However, when the building of the company route 14 is complete and there are no more records to select in building the company route 14 as determined at 98 , a check is made at 97 to determine whether the route is a valid route. In making this check, the route building process 60 , for example, may determine one or more of the following: whether the client ID assigned to the route is blank, whether the route ID assigned to the route is blank, whether any fix ID is NULL, whether each fix has been correctly designated, whether the sequence number is blank or numeric, whether each VIA has been correctly designated, whether each transition is correct, and/or whether the altitude has been specified as a number or a flight level. Additional or alternative checks can be made. If the route is not valid, a flag message is issued at 99 and/or the route is deleted from the database. Program flow then returns to 66 to amend the current route or to build a new route. Once a route is determined to be valid at 97 , the route building process 60 ends.
[0033] The user configures the map area by specifying North-East and South-West corner in terms of Latitude/Longitude. After the selection of the extreme corners, data will be processed by the selection engine 32 and passed to the compute engine 34 . The compute engine 34 performs all mathematical calculations including calculating parameters such as range for the view and preparation of the viewing volume. Using the North-East and South-West Latitude/Longitude coordinates, the compute engine 34 fetches the terrain, obstacle and navigation data from the respective databases. These data will be refined and given to the render engine 36 to display on the computer screen. Instead of separate engines, the program 60 may be executed by a single engine.
[0034] The vehicle route data stored at 80 , for example, may have a format consistent with ARINC 424 /Navigation Data—Record layout/Company Route Records. Accordingly, this vehicle route data can include the following elements: record type, customer ID, origin of route, destination of route, route ID, record sequence number, type of route, sid/star/app/awy ID for type of route, “to fix,” runway transition, enroute transition, cruise altitude, and cycle date. The record type, for example, may indicate whether the data in the record is standard data or data tailored by the user. The record sequence number defines the location of the record in the sequence defining the route of the flight identified by the route ID. The route type includes alternate airport, approach route, designated airway, direct to fix, initial fix, preferred route, route via fix, route via fix not permitted, standard instrument departure, standard instrument departure—enroute transition, standard instrument departure—runway transition, standard terminal arrival and profile descent, standard terminal arrival and profile descent—enroute transition, and standard terminal arrival and profile descent—runway transition. The sid/star/app/awy ID is the identification of the particular route to be flown as reference by the route type. The “to fix” data is a company route and preferred route “to fix” filed that is used to terminate the route referenced by the sid/star/app/awy ID, or to terminate a direct segment or to start an initial segment when no sid/star/app/awy ID is referenced.
[0035] The flow chart of FIG. 4 is an example of a verification process 100 that can be executed by the computer system 30 and that can be used by the navigation personnel 10 to verify the company route 14 such as when the company route 14 is encoded with use of the route building process 60 . The verification process 100 flies the company route 14 virtually in order to check its validity and correctness. A three dimensional representation of the company route 14 provides a better understanding of the designed company route 14 and, therefore, reduces the workload on the navigation personnel 10 . Also, a three dimensional representation of the terrain and obstacles below the company route 14 help to visualize its path position with respect to the terrain and obstacles. This visualization permits easier detection of potential conflicts between the company route 14 and the terrain and obstacles along the company route 14 , and also allow the navigation personnel 10 to design the company route 14 around any hazardous areas.
[0036] Verification begins at 102 with the navigation personnel 10 selecting the company route 14 for verification. When the company route 14 is selected at 102 , the coordinates of all fixes listed in the record of the company route 14 are fetched from the navigation database 42 at 104 . At 106 , the verification process 100 performs any interpolation between the fixes in order to determine additional coordinates and heading information that are required to smooth the flight path along the company route 14 .
[0037] The virtual fly through the company route 14 is started at 108 . At 110 , the virtual fly through starts at the coordinates of the first fix, typically the airport from which the company route 14 originates. At 112 , terrain and obstacle information within a predefined distance of the first fix coordinates are fetched from the terrain and obstacle databases 38 and 40 and are buffered by the computer system 30 .
[0038] At 114 , the computer system 30 constructs a three dimensional model of the terrain and obstacles corresponding to the terrain and obstacle information fetched at 112 based on the current fix coordinates set at 110 . If the current position is a fix as determined as 116 , highlighting information for the fix is added to the three dimensional model at 118 . This highlighting information may include but not be limited to fix identifier, altitude of the fix (if present), and frequency of the fix in case the fix is a navaid or ndb. If the current position is not a fix as determined as 116 , or after highlighting information for the fix has been added to the three dimensional model at 118 , this three dimensional model is rendered and displayed by the monitor 50 at 120 .
[0039] The designed route can be displayed in three dimensions. The flight path made up of fixes will be rendered in three dimensions which the user will view while validating the coded path or a demo fly of the coded path or company route. The flight path can be rendered on top of rendered terrain and obstacle data.
[0040] At 122 , the computer system 30 determines whether it is necessary to refill the buffer with terrain and obstacle information corresponding to the current position along the flight path. If so, the buffer is refilled at 124 with terrain and obstacle information fetched from the terrain and obstacle databases 38 and 40 . If not, or after the buffer is refilled with terrain and obstacle information fetched from the terrain and obstacle databases 38 and 40 at 124 , the computer system 30 determines at 126 whether the current position of the virtual fly through is the last fix of the constructed flight path for the company route 14 .
[0041] If not, the coordinates of the next fix along the company route 14 is set at 128 and program flow returns to 114 to add the appropriate information to the three dimensional model. If the current position of the virtual fly through is the last fix as determined at 126 , the computer system 30 determines at 130 whether to restart the virtual fly through, i.e., whether the navigational personnel want to virtually fly the company route 14 again. If so, program flow returns to 110 . If not, the execution of the verification process 100 ends.
[0042] Accordingly, the computer system 30 , with the route building process 60 and/or the verification process 100 , is capable of designing the company route 14 in an interactive and graphical way, such as by way of a two dimensional map. The designed company route 14 is verifiable by virtually flying the company route 14 in presence of actual terrain and obstacles. The computer system 30 displays all of the airports in the selected area. Origin and destination fixes are chosen by the navigation personnel 10 , starting the route encoding process with the origin airport as the starting fix. The computer system 30 provides the navigation personnel 10 with the ability to specify the next via type (e.g., fix, airway, or procedure). Depending on this selection, required features are rendered on the map area. The navigation personnel 10 interactively selects the desired fix and adds it to the record of the company route 14 . This process is followed until the navigation personnel 10 sets the next record as the destination record. At this point, the record is marked as completed record.
[0043] FIG. 5 shows by way of example a display on the monitor 50 of source and destination airports OMSJ and OOMS, respectively, for a company route, such as the company route 14 , against the backdrop of a map selected by the navigation personnel 10 . The beginnings of the population of the record of the company route 14 is shown in the bottom right of FIG. 5 . This display gives the navigation personnel 10 a clear view of the positions of these airport positions and along with their identifiers.
[0044] FIG. 6 shows that the navigation personnel 10 has specified the next via type as a SID such that all of the applicable Standard Instrument Departures are shown in the left side of the Selection Window. The navigation personnel 10 can select the required SID (TARDI) and add it to the company route 14 . Once the SID is added, the Company Route Window is updated to include the final fix of the SID. FIG. 6 shows the step increment in the company route construction. The exact process may differ, for example, such as in the case where a procedure needs to be selected. In this latter case, the Selection Window would show the list of available procedures from which selections can be made.
[0045] As shown in FIG. 7 , the navigation personnel 10 has specified the next via type as an airway. All of the airways passing through the fix TARDI are displayed against the backdrop of the map. In this example, the navigation personnel 10 has selected airway N 629 which starts from the fix TARDI. The list of fixes of the airway is shown in the Selection Window. The navigation personnel 10 chooses the fix MCT which is the end of the airway fix selection. Thereafter, the Company Route Window is updated to include the airway record as shown.
[0046] As shown in FIG. 8 , the navigation personnel 10 has selected the next via type as the destination which is considered as the end of the record of the company route 14 (shown on the right bottom side). The graphical output is shown on the monitor 50 which allows the navigation personnel 10 to validate the constructed company route 14 both textually as well as graphically on the same screen. The screens may differ from those shown such as in case where the arrivals and approach need to be selected. The example shown in FIGS. 5-8 is a simple one to showcase the graphical construction of the company route 14 . The computer system 30 can be configured to handle any kind of company route design.
[0047] Once full company route is coded, the navigation personnel 10 can virtually fly through the coded path as shown in FIG. 9 . This virtual fly through reduces the risk of an incorrect route. If any modification to the data is made, the navigation personnel 10 can again check the changes in the data graphically in real time. The route will be flown virtually to check for validity and correctness. A three dimensional representation of company route provides a better understanding of the designed route and, therefore, reduces the workload of the navigation personnel 10 . A three dimensional representation of terrain and obstacle below the planned company route helps the navigation personnel 10 to visualize path position with respect to terrain and obstacles. This representation is an easy way to detect potential company route conflicts with terrain and obstacles, and also to design optimal paths around hazardous areas.
[0048] Certain modifications of the present invention have been discussed above. Other modifications of the present invention will occur to those practicing in the art of the present invention. For example, as described above, company routes are designed on the ground by navigation personnel. However, company routes could be designed by navigation personnel is the air or on water.
[0049] Accordingly, the description of the present invention is to be construed as illustrative only and is for the purpose of teaching those skilled in the art the best mode of carrying out the invention. The details may be varied substantially without departing from the spirit of the invention, and the exclusive use of all modifications which are within the scope of the appended claims is reserved. | A system and method are disclosed that permits a user to interactively and graphically design a company route to be traveled by a vehicle such as an airplane. Alternatively or additionally, a system and method are disclosed that permits a user to interactively and graphically conduct a virtual travel through, such a virtual fly through, a company route to be traveled by a vehicle such as an airplane. | 6 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This application claims the priority of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2005-0036687, filed on May 2, 2005 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) module and a multiple PCR system having the PCR module, and more particularly, to a PCR module capable of preventing contamination of a detecting unit and a heater unit when installing or removing a PCR chip, and a multiple PCR system including the PCR module.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Polymerase chain reaction (PCR), which is a technology to amplify DNA copies of specific DNA or RNA fragments in a reaction container, is an epoch-making development in life science technology. In the PCR technology at the beginning, PCR products are separated on a gel and the approximate amount of the PCR products is estimated. Recently, however, co-amplification of different samples at different temperatures has been carried out and precisely monitored in real-time.
[0006] FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a multiple PCR system 1 disclosed in Korean Patent Application No. 10-2004-0102738 filed by the applicant of the present invention on Dec. 8, 2004. In the multiple PCR system 1 , co-amplification of different samples at different temperatures is performed in addition to monitoring the PCR reaction process in real-time, as described above. Referring to FIG. 1 , the multiple PCR system 1 includes a plurality of PCR modules 40 and a host computer 50 , which controls the PCR modules 40 and collects data. Each of the PCR modules 40 performs a PCR reaction on a single sample at a specific temperature and monitors the process and transmits the monitoring results to the host computer 50 in real-time. Any number of PCR modules 40 can be detachably installed in the PCR system 1 and connected to the host computer 50 .
[0000] 50 in real-time. Any number of PCR modules 40 can be detachably installed in the PCR system 1 and connected to the host computer 50 .
[0007] As illustrated in FIG. 1 , each of the PCR modules 40 includes a detachable microchip-type PCR reaction container (hereinafter referred to as a PCR chip) 10 , a detecting unit 30 that detects a PCR product signal based on the amount of a PCR product of a sample solution (hereinafter referred to as a PCR solution) contained in a PCR reaction chamber (hereinafter referred to as a PCR chamber) 11 of the PCR chip 10 in which a PCR reaction is to occur, and an operation control unit 41 that automatically controls the whole PCR process and transmits and receives data to and from the host computer 50 . The detachable PCR chip 10 can be used once or repeatedly. The PCR chamber 11 in which the PCR solution is accommodated and where the PCR reaction occurs is formed in the PCR chip 10 . The PCR module 40 further includes a heater 20 contacting the bottom surface of the PCR chip 10 and transmitting heat so that the temperature of the PCR chip 10 is maintained at an appropriate temperature. A separate power supply device 51 applies a constant voltage to the heater 20 . In addition, the PCR module 40 may further include a cooling device 43 besides the heater 20 so that the temperature of the PCR solution inside the PCR chip 10 quickly reaches a target temperature.
[0008] The detecting unit 30 in the PCR module 40 includes a light source 31 or an AC power supply unit 33 , and detects a PCR product signal based on the amount of a PCR product. The PCR product signal may be a fluorescent signal emitted from the PCR chamber 11 disposed inside the PCR chip 10 . In this case, the detecting unit 30 includes the light source 31 which emits light onto the PCR solution. After the light is emitted from the light source 31 onto the PCR solution, a fluorescent light emitted from the PCR solution is detected by a detector (not shown). The PCR product signal can also be an electrical signal, in which case the detecting unit 30 includes a sensor (not shown) for detecting the electrical signal. The sensor installed inside the PCR chip 10 senses a PCR product signal generated when an AC current is supplied to the PCR solution and transmits the sensed PCR product signal to the host computer 50 . To do this, the detecting unit 30 includes the AC power supply unit 33 instead of the light source 31 .
[0009] The operation control unit 41 , which transmits and receives data to and from the host computer 50 by automatically controlling the entire PCR process, includes a central processing unit (CPU) 42 composed of a microprocessor, an auxiliary memory device 44 , and a random access memory (RAM) 45 , and controls the PCR process according to a set program. The operation control unit 41 independently controls the detecting unit 30 , the PCR chip 10 , the heater 20 , the cooling device 43 , and the power supply device 51 via a data communication unit (not shown) in real-time. Also, the operation control unit 41 performs a predetermined operation according to the set program or predetermined parameter values set by a user after performing appropriate operations based on information obtained from the sensor adhered to the detecting unit 30 , the PCR chip 10 , the heater 20 , and the cooling device 43 or the data communication unit. For example, according to the PCR process, the temperature of the PCR chamber 11 is appropriately controlled, or operation of the cooling device 43 , the detecting intervals of the detecting unit 30 , etc. can be controlled. In addition, the operation control unit 41 may further include a separate input and output device 46 so that the PCR module 40 can be independently driven.
[0010] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the multiple PCR system 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 . As illustrated in FIG. 2 , the multiple PCR system 1 has a space in which a plurality of modules 40 can be accommodated. A plurality of slots (not shown) are formed in the space in which the PCR modules 40 can be installed, and thus the PCR modules 40 are easily detachable. Also, a display unit 60 which displays data received from the PCR modules 40 and an input unit 70 in which the user inputs required signals are installed in the multiple PCR system 1 .
[0011] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one of the PCR modules 40 . As illustrated in FIG. 3 , the PCR module 40 includes a main body 48 and a cover 47 installed on the main body 48 capable of performing a hinge motion. A pin 49 in which a plurality of electrodes are formed is formed on the bottom surface of the main body 48 . The PCR module 40 can be installed in the slot in the PCR system 1 via the pin 49 . When the PCR module 40 uses, for example, a fluorescent signal as the PCR product signal, a detecting unit 30 composed of an optical system including a light source having lenses is installed in the cover 47 . Also, a space for accommodating the PCR chip 10 is formed in a portion of the main body 48 corresponding to the detecting unit 30 , and the heater 20 is installed below the space. In such a structure, if the cover 47 closes by rotating the cover 47 after the PCR chip is placed in the space above the heater 20 , the detecting unit 30 of the cover 47 faces the PCR chamber 11 of the PCR chip 10 , and thus, the fluorescent signal emitted from the PCR solution within the PCR chamber 11 can be detected. As illustrated in FIG. 4 , the PCR chamber 11 in which the PCR solution is accommodated is formed in the PCR chip 10 , the PCR solution flowing in via an inlet 12 and flowing out via an outlet 13 . Thus, the detecting unit 30 can detect the fluorescent signal emitted from the PCR solution during the PCR reaction.
[0012] However, in the PCR module 40 having the above-described structure, the optical system in the detecting unit 30 is exposed to the outside when mounting the PCR chip 10 in the PCR module 40 , and thus the detecting unit 30 is susceptible to contamination. As a result, the accuracy of measured values is reduced. The heater 20 also gets contaminated when installing the PCR chip 10 , thereby making it difficult to appropriately adjust the temperature of the PCR solution inside the PCR chip 10 . In addition, because the user places the PCR chip 10 on top of the heater 20 , the heater 20 and the PCR chip 10 can get damaged due to carelessness and it is difficult to adhere the heater 20 and the PCR chip 10 with the optimum pressure. Furthermore, it is inconvenient for the user to use since the cover 47 of the PCR module 40 needs to be opened and closed whenever installing or removing the PCR chip 10 .
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] The present invention provides a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) module capable of preventing contamination of a detecting unit and a heater unit when installing or removing a PCR chip, and a multiple PCR system including the PCR module.
[0014] The present invention also provides a PCR module that is easily mountable or detachable with one touch, and a multiple PCR system including the PCR module.
[0015] The present invention also provides a PCR module that is structured so that a heater and the PCR chip can be optimally adhered to each other, and a multiple PCR system including the PCR module.
[0016] According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a PCR module, including: a detachable PCR chip including a PCR chamber unit in which a PCR solution is accommodated; a heater unit for heating the PCR solution in the PCR chip with a preset temperature; a detecting unit for detecting a PCR signal of the PCR solution; a PCR chip installation unit for mounting/detaching the PCR chip using a one-touch method, in which the heater unit is adhered to the PCR chip with a predetermined pressure when mounting the PCR chip and the heater unit is separated from the PCR chip when detaching the PCR chip; and a housing covering at least the heater unit and the detecting unit so that they are not exposed to the outside.
[0017] The PCR chip installation unit may include: a heater mounting guide for adhering the heater unit to the PCR chip with a predetermined pressure when mounting the PCR chip; a push rod which enables the PCR chip to be mounted by locking the heater mounting guide when the PCR chip is not yet mounted, and enables the heater mounting guide to adhere the heater unit to the PCR chip by releasing the heater mounting guide when mounting the PCR chip; and a detaching button to draw back the heater unit to separate the heater unit from the PCR chip when detaching the PCR chip. The heater mounting guide may have a link structure in which respective ends of the heater mounting guide are rotatably coupled to the heater unit and the housing.
[0018] The heater unit may be elastically biased towards the PCR chip by a spring.
[0019] The push rod may be elastically biased towards the heater mounting guide by a spring, and a first end of the push rod may push and lock the heater mounting guide when the PCR chip is not yet mounted. The first end of the push rod locking the heater mounting guide may be slanted, and the slanted surface may push the heater mounting guide when the PCR chip is not yet mounted. Also, a protrusion may be formed on a side of the push rod so that the protrusion can contact the bottom of the PCR chip when the PCR chip is being mounted. When mounting the PCR chip, the bottom of the PCR chip may be hooked by the protrusion of the push rod and the push rod may retreat from the heater mounting guide, thereby releasing the locked heater mounting guide.
[0020] The PCR chip installation unit further include an installation detecting sensor for detecting whether or not the PCR chip is mounted. For example, the installation detecting sensor may be a switch that is turned “on” by being pushed by a second end of the push rod when mounting the PCR chip and is turned “off” when the PCR chip is detached.
[0021] The PCR chip installation unit may further include: a cover encompassing the heater unit and the heater mounting guide to provide a safe movement path for the PCR chip when mounting or detaching the PCR chip and to protect the PCR chip; and a flat chip guide disposed between the cover and the heater unit to form the movement path for the PCR chip together with the cover. A curved protrusion corresponding to the width and height of the PCR chip may be formed in the center of the cover. In this case, the PCR chip may move between the curved protrusion of the cover and the chip guide. An aperture is formed in the chip guide so that the PCR chip disposed at the front of the chip guide and the heater unit disposed at the rear of the chip guide can adhere to each other when mounting the PCR chip.
[0022] Also, a window may be formed in a part of the cover facing the PCR chamber unit of the PCR chip mounted inside the PCR module. Then, light emitted from the detecting unit is incident on the PCR solution in the PCR chamber unit via the window, and fluorescent signals generated from the PCR solution may be transmitted to the detecting unit via the window.
[0023] The heater unit may include: a heater plate for heating the PCR chip by directly contacting the PCR chip; a substrate in which a circuit for setting a temperature of the heater plate to a preset temperature is installed; a substrate holder for fixing the substrate; and electrodes formed between the substrate and the heater plate to transmit current from the substrate to the heater plate. Also, the heater unit may further include a heater plate guide for fixing the electrodes and the heater plate together by encompassing the circumference of the electrodes and a top surface of the heater plate. The electrodes may prevent poor connection by being elastically biased towards the heater plate via a spring, and ends of the electrodes contacting the heater plate being flat. Also, a shaft is formed in a protrusion on both sides of the substrate holder so that the heater mounting guide can be rotatably coupled.
[0024] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a PCR system including: the PCR module described above; and a host computer which controls the PCR module and collects data. Any number of PCR modules can be detachably installed. The PCR system can simultaneously cause PCR reaction to different PCR solutions at different temperatures using multiple PCR modules in addition to monitoring multiple PCR reaction processes in real-time via the host computer. Also, the PCR system may further include a plurality of slots for mounting at least one PCR module, and a pin in which electrodes are formed protrudes from a bottom of each of the PCR modules so that the PCR modules can be mounted in the slots.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025] The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings in which:
[0026] FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a prior multiple polymerase chain reaction (PCR) system;
[0027] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the multiple PCR system illustrated in FIG. 1 ;
[0028] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a prior PCR module installed in the multiple PCR system illustrated in FIG. 1 ;
[0029] FIG. 4 is a plan view of a prior PCR chip installed in the PCR module illustrated in FIG. 3 ;
[0030] FIGS. 5A and 5B are perspective views of a PCR module according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0031] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the inner structure of the PCR module illustrated in FIGS. 5A and 5B ;
[0032] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating the inner structure of the PCR module illustrated in FIG. 6 from which a detecting unit is removed;
[0033] FIGS. 8A and 8B are exemplary views of a PCR chip installation unit according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0034] FIGS. 9A through 9C are diagrams for illustrating operations of the PCR chip installation unit illustrated in FIGS. 8A and 8B ;
[0035] FIGS. 10A and 10B are a perspective view and a cross sectional view of a heater unit according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0036] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the structure of a PCR chip according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0037] FIG. 12 is a schematic plan view of multiple PCR chambers included in the PCR chip illustrated in FIGS. 5A and 5B ;
[0038] FIGS. 13A and 13B are front and rear perspective views of a heater-plate cleaning chip according to an embodiment of the present invention; and
[0039] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a temperature calibration chip of a heater unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0040] The present invention will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown.
[0041] FIGS. 5A and 5B are perspective views of a PCR module 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 5A , both a detecting unit 110 (see FIG. 6 ) and a heater unit 230 (see FIG. 8B ) are installed inside the PCR module 100 unlike a prior PCR module. Also, a PCR chip 300 can be installed with a single touch via an inserting slot 105 formed on top of the PCR module 100 . Therefore, there is less possibility of a user causing damage when installing the PCR chip 100 because the detecting unit 110 and the heater unit 230 are not exposed to the outside. FIG. 5B is a view of the PCR module 100 in which the PCR chip 300 is installed. The PCR chip 300 can be detached from the PCR module 100 when a detaching button 210 is pressed. Therefore, the present invention contains improvement to parts of a prior PCR system 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 indicated by dotted-lined rectangles.
[0042] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the inner structure of the PCR module 100 illustrated in FIGS. 5A and 5B . As illustrated in FIG. 6 , the detecting unit 110 , an operation control unit 120 , and a PCR chip installation unit 200 are installed inside a housing 101 of the PCR module 100 . The operation control unit 120 has the same function and structure as an operation control unit 41 of the prior PCR system 1 . That is, the operation control unit 120 has a structure in which a central processing unit (CPU), an auxiliary device, etc. are mounted on a PCB circuit, and controls the PCR process according to a set program. In addition, a pin 122 in which electrodes are formed protrudes downwards from the housing 101 so that the PCR module 100 can be installed in a slot formed in a PCR system.
[0043] The detecting unit 110 illustrated as an example in FIG. 6 uses a fluorescent signal emitted from a PCR solution inside a PCR chamber (see FIG. 12 ) as a PCR product signal. Therefore, although not illustrated in FIG. 6 , the detecting unit 110 includes a light source disposed to face the PCR chamber inside the PCR chip 300 and an optical system which condenses the fluorescent signal. The fluorescent signal is, for example, transmitted to a plurality of optical detectors 114 via a light transmitting element 112 . The optical detectors 114 may be photodiodes, photo multiplier tubes (PMT), charge coupled devices (CCDs), etc. The optical detectors 114 measure the size of the fluorescent signal and transmit the result to the operation control unit 120 . Thereafter, the operation control unit 120 analyzes the PCR reaction of the PCR solution based on the size of the fluorescent signal and transmits the results to the PCR system. Similar to the prior PCR system 1 , the PCR signal may be an electrical signal in which case the detecting unit 110 includes sensors (not shown) to detect the electrical signal instead of the optical detectors 114 and includes an AC power supply unit instead of the light source.
[0044] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating the inner structure of the PCR module 100 from which the detecting unit 110 is removed, including a cooling fan 130 , a blast pipe 135 , and the PCR chip installation unit 200 . The purpose of the cooling fan 130 and the blast pipe 135 is to enable the temperature of the PCR solution inside the PCR chip 300 to quickly reach a target temperature as in the prior art. The PCR chip installation unit 200 enables the PCR chip 300 to be safely installed and removed from the PCR module 100 , and applies the PCR chip 300 installed inside the PCR module 100 to the heater unit 230 with a pressure of, for example, about 20-30 psi. The PCR chip 300 can be installed and/or removed from the PCR module 100 without exposing the detecting unit 110 and the heater unit 230 to the outside by using the PCR chip installation unit 200 according to the current embodiment of the present invention.
[0045] FIGS. 8A and 8B are exemplary views of the PCR chip installation unit 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8A is a front perspective view of the PCR chip installation unit 200 and FIG. 8B is an exploded perspective view of the PCR chip installation unit 200 . In FIG. 8A , a cover 220 is illustrated which provides a safe movement path for the PCR chip 300 when installing and/or removing the PCR chip 300 and protects the installed PCR chip 300 . However, in FIG. 8B , the cover 220 is not illustrated for convenience of explanation. Referring to FIGS. 8A and 8B , the PCR chip installation unit 200 includes the cover 220 , a push rod 211 , an installation detecting sensor 213 , a heater mounting guide 214 , a chip guide 216 , and the detaching button 210 .
[0046] As illustrated in FIG. 8A , the cover 220 surrounds the heater unit 230 and the heater mounting guide 214 . A curved protrusion corresponding to the width and height of the PCR chip 300 is formed in the center of the cover 220 . Therefore, the cover 220 forms a movement path of the PCR chip 300 together with the flat chip guide 216 . In other words, the PCR chip 300 is inserted between the protrusion of the cover 220 and the chip guide 216 . Also, a window 225 is formed in the cover 220 so that the PCR chamber inside the PCR chip 300 can be seen when the PCR chip 300 is inserted. Therefore, the light emitted from the light source of the detecting unit 110 can be incident on the PCR solution inside the PCR chamber via the window 225 , and the fluorescent light emitted from the PCR solution can also be incident on the optical system of the detecting unit 110 via the window 225 .
[0047] Meanwhile, the push rod 211 locks the heater mounting guide 214 when the PCR chip 300 is not yet inserted, and when the PCR chip is inserted, releases the heater mounting guide 214 . Thus, the push rod 211 applies the heater unit 230 to the PCR chip 300 . A protrusion 211 a is formed on the push rod 211 so that the bottom portion of the PCR chip 300 is hooked by the protrusion 211 a when inserting the PCR chip 300 . Therefore, the push rod 211 is pushed downwards by the PCR chip 300 when inserting the PCR chip 300 , and the push rod 211 is elevated by the recovery force of a spring 212 when removing the PCR chip 300 . The purpose of the installation detecting sensor 213 is to notify the operation control unit 120 of whether or not the PCR chip 300 is inserted, and can be configured in a simple switch. For example, when the switch is turned “on” by the downward motion of the push rod 211 , it means that the PCR chip 300 is inserted. Conversely, when the switch is turned “off” by the upward motion of the push rod 211 , it means that the PCR chip 300 is removed.
[0048] The purpose of the heater mounting guide 214 is to apply the heater unit 230 to the PCR chip 300 with an appropriate pressure. As illustrated in FIG. 8B , the heater mounting guide 214 has a link structure. That is, both ends of the heater mounting guide 214 are each rotatably coupled to the heater unit 230 and the housing 101 . In such a structure, the heater mounting guide 214 is locked by the push rod 211 when the PCR chip 300 is not inserted, and when the heater mounting guide 214 is released by the downward motion of the push rod 211 , the heater unit 230 is applied to the PCR chip 300 by the force of the spring 215 . The purpose of the detaching button 210 is to draw back the heater mounting guide 214 so that the heater unit 230 separates from the PCR chip 300 .
[0049] The operation of the PCR chip installation unit 200 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 9A through 9C .
[0050] FIG. 9A is a side view of the PCR chip installation unit 200 when the PCR chip 300 is not inserted. The cover 220 is omitted in FIG. 9A . As illustrated in FIG. 9 , the push rod 211 is elastically biased towards the heater mounting guide 214 due to the elastic force of the spring 212 . Also, an end of the push rod 211 towards the heater mounting guide 214 is slanted. The slanted end of the push rod 211 pushes the heater mounting guide 214 , and thus the heater unit 230 connected to the heater mounting guide 214 in the link structure is separated and drawn back from the chip guide 216 .
[0051] FIG. 9B is a side view of the PCR chip installation unit 200 in which the PCR chip 300 is inserted. When the PCR chip 300 is inserted between the curved protrusion (see FIG. 8A ) of the cover 220 and the chip guide 216 , the bottom portion of the PCR chip 300 is hooked by the protrusion 211 a formed on the push rod 211 , and thus the push rod 211 descends. The installation detecting sensor 213 is disposed on the bottom of the push rod 211 . Therefore, when the PCR chip 300 is inserted, the switch of the installation detecting sensor 213 is pushed by the bottom portion of the push rod 211 and is turned “on,” thereby notifying the operation control unit 120 that the PCR chip 300 is inserted. Meanwhile, the heater mounting guide 214 is separated from the slanted end of the push rod 211 when the push rod 211 descends. As a result, the heater unit 230 is applied to the PCR chip 300 as the heater unit 230 is pushed by the elastic force of the spring 215 . That is, when the PCR chip 300 is inserted in a direction illustrated by an arrow A 1 , the push rod 211 moves in a direction illustrated by an arrow A 2 and the heater unit 230 moves in a direction indicated by an arrow A 3 . An aperture 219 (see FIG. 8B ) must be formed in the chip guide 216 so that the PCR chip 300 located at the front of the chip guide 216 and the heater unit 230 located at the rear of the chip guide 216 can adhere to each other.
[0052] FIG. 9C is a side view of the PCR chip 300 illustrating a removal operation of the PCR chip 300 . When wishing to remove the PCR chip 300 , the detaching button 210 above the heater mounting guide 214 is pressed in a direction indicated by an arrow A 4 . Then, the heater mounting guide 214 in the link structure is pushed by the detaching button 210 and rotates. Accordingly, the heater unit 230 connected to the heater mounting guide 214 separates from the PCR chip 300 and retreats in a direction indicated by an arrow A 5 . Simultaneously, the push rod 211 ascends in the direction indicated by an arrow A 6 due to the recovery force of the spring 212 , and thus the PCR chip 300 separates from the PCR chip installation unit 200 and ascends.
[0053] FIGS. 10A and 10B are detailed views of the heater unit 230 . FIG. 10A is a perspective view of the heater unit 230 and FIG. 10B is a cross sectional view of the heater unit 230 . Referring to FIGS. 10A and 10B , the heater unit 230 includes a heater plate 235 which heats the PCR chip 300 by directly contacting the PCR chip 300 , a PCB substrate 236 on which a control circuit for controlling the temperature of the heater plate 235 to a preset temperature is mounted, a PCB holder 231 to which the PCB substrate 236 is fixed, and an electrode 237 vertically formed between the PCB substrate 236 and the heater plate 235 to transmit current from the PCB substrate 236 to the heater plate 235 . The electrode 237 and the heater plate 235 can be fixed to each other by a heater plate guide 233 encompassing the circumference of the electrode 237 and the top of the heater plate 235 . Also, the electrode 237 may prevent unstable supply of current due to poor contact caused by, for example, the vibration of the PCR module 100 by adhering the electrode 237 to the heater plate 235 using, for example, a spring. Furthermore, a contact surface of the electrode 237 and the heater plate 235 may be maximized by making the end of the electrode 237 contacting the heater plate 235 as flat as possible. Two shafts 232 are respectively formed on both sides of the PCB holder 231 so that the heater mounting guide 214 can be connected in a link structure. The heater mounting guide 214 may be rotatably coupled to the heater unit 230 via the shafts 232 .
[0054] As described above, in the case of the prior PCR module, a user installed a PCR chip by opening a cover of the PCR module, personally placing the PCR chip on top of a heater inside the PCR module, and then closing the cover. Thus, a relatively small-sized PCR chip was manufactured since the PCR chip needs to be completely inserted into the PCR module. As a result, it is difficult for the user to handle the PCR chip, and there is a possibility of contaminating a PCR solution inside the PCR chip due to carelessness. However, in the case of the present invention, the PCR chip 300 can be installed by a one-touch operation from the outside of the PCR module 100 via the inserting slot 105 as illustrated in FIG. 5A , and thus a relatively large PCR chip 300 can be manufactured. FIG. 11 is an exemplary perspective view of the structure of the PCR chip 300 . As illustrated in FIG. 11 , the PCR chip 300 includes a multiple PCR chambers 310 in which a PCR reaction occurs and is formed on a substrate made of, for example, plastic, and a round handle 320 is formed at one end of the PCR chip 300 so that it is convenient for the user to handle the PCR chip 300 . The user holds the PCR chip 300 by the handle 320 and vertically inserts the PCR chip 300 into the inserting slot 105 of the PCR module 100 , thereby installing the PCR chip 300 in multiple PCR modules 100 .
[0055] FIG. 12 is an exemplary schematic plan view of the multiple PCR chambers 310 included in the PCR chip 300 . In the case of a prior PCR chip illustrated in FIG. 4 , a single chamber is included in a single PCR chip. However, the PCR chip 300 according to the present invention can have a multiple chamber structure in which a plurality of chambers are included in a single PCR chip, as illustrated in FIG. 12 . Therefore, it is possible to observe a PCR reaction of a number of samples at once. First through fourth chambers 311 a through 311 d are illustrated in FIG. 14 as an example. Referring to FIG. 12 , the first through fourth chambers 311 a through 311 d are formed side by side on a substrate 315 made of silicon, glass, or plastic, and inlets 312 a through 312 d and outlets 313 a through 313 d are respectively connected to each of the first through fourth chambers 311 a through 311 d . Also, a barrier rib 314 may be further formed on both sides of each of the first through fourth chambers 311 a through 311 d to separate fluorescent signals generated from adjacent chambers. The fluorescent signals generated from each of the first through fourth chambers 311 a through 311 d are transmitted to the four optical detectors 114 via the four light transmitting elements 112 such as optical fibers illustrated in FIG. 6 . A number of structures of an optical system to transmit a plurality of fluorescent signals generated from multiple chambers to optical detectors via separate light transmitting elements are disclosed. Thus, their descriptions will be omitted.
[0056] Meanwhile, in the case of the PCR module 100 of the present invention, the heater unit 230 is not exposed to the outside without dismantling the housing 101 of the PCR module 100 , and thus it may be difficult to remove contamination from the heater plate 235 or to periodically clean the heater plate 235 . As a result, a cleaning chip having a similar structure to the PCR chip 300 may be used to clean the heater plate 235 . FIGS. 13A and 13B are front and rear perspective views of a heater-plate cleaning chip 330 . As illustrated in FIGS. 13A and 13B , the heater-plate cleaning chip 330 includes a stick 332 that can move up and down mounted in a plastic substrate having a similar shape to the PCR chip 300 . A top portion of the stick 332 is exposed to the outside even when the heater-plate cleaning chip 330 is completed inserted in the PCR module 100 . Therefore, the user can move the stick 332 up and down by holding the top portion of the stick 332 . Also, as illustrated in FIG. 13B , a cleaner 335 to clean the heater plate 235 is formed on a rear surface of the stick 332 which contacts the heater plate 235 .
[0057] In addition, in order for the optimum PCR reaction to occur, the heater unit 230 must accurately heat the PCR chip 300 with a preset temperature. Thus, the heater unit 230 should be constantly checked to determine if it is accurately operating. To do this, a temperature-adjusting chip having a similar shape to the PCR chip 300 on which a temperature sensor is formed can be produced, as in the case of the heater-plate cleaning chip 330 . FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a temperature-adjusting chip 350 of the heater unit 230 . As illustrated in FIG. 14 , the temperature-adjusting chip 350 is structured to include a temperature sensing unit 353 in a plastic substrate having a similar shape to the PCR chip 300 . A temperature sensor such as a thermocouple is mounted on a substrate made of, for example, plastic, glass, or silicon and installed in the temperature sensing unit 353 . Therefore, the heater plate 235 adheres to the temperature sensing unit 353 when the temperature-adjusting chip 350 is installed in the PCR module 100 . The temperature sensing unit 353 converts the temperature of the heater plate 235 into electrical signals and the electrical signals generated in the temperature sensing unit 353 are transmitted via wires 352 . Thus, the temperature of the heater plate 235 can be simply measured from the outside.
[0058] Up to now, the structure and operation of the PCR module 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention has been explained. Any number of the above-described PCR modules 100 can be detachably installed in a PCR system illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 and be connected to a host computer 50 of the PCR system 1 . That is, any number of PCR modules 100 can be installed in slots (not shown) in the PCR system 1 via a pin 122 protruding from each of the bottom of the PCR modules 100 . Therefore, the PCR modules 100 of the present invention are installed in the PCR system 1 using the same prior method and operate in the same manner.
[0059] According to the present invention described above, a detecting unit and a heater unit installed in a PCR module are not exposed to the outside. Thus, damage to or contamination of the detecting unit or the heater unit when installing or removing a PCR chip can be prevented. In addition, according to the present invention, a user can easily install and remove the PCR chip in with one-touch, thereby making it convenient for the user to use, and there is less possibility of contaminating a PCR solution when installing the PCR chip in the PCR module due to carelessness. Furthermore, according to the present invention, a heater plate and the PCR chip are adhered to each other with optimum pressure, and thus a PCR reaction can occur at an optimum temperature.
[0060] Also, cleaning of the heater plate and adjusting the temperature of the heater plate can be performed by a simple method.
[0061] While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims. | Provided are a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) module and a PCR system including the same. The PCR module includes: a detachable PCR chip including a PCR chamber unit in which a PCR solution is accommodated; a heater unit for heating the PCR solution in the PCR chip with a preset temperature; a detecting unit for detecting a PCR signal of the PCR solution; a PCR chip installation unit for mounting/detaching the PCR chip using a one-touch method, in which the heater unit is adhered to the PCR chip with a predetermined pressure when mounting the PCR chip and the heater unit is separated from the PCR chip when detaching the PCR chip; and a housing covering at least the heater unit and the detecting unit so that they are not exposed to the outside. | 2 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the field of outdoor lighting, one conventional approach to mounting a luminaire on a pole or building is to secure the housing on a generally horizontal cylindrical or tubular mast. The mast may fit into a sleeve or partial sleeve integral to the housing and be clamped to the housing by one or more clamps or U bolts bolted to the sleeve. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 2,908,809 issued Oct. 13, 1959 to Beach et al. Another approach is to provide a frame or sleeve into which the mounting mast fits and using bolts or set screws to impinge against the mast and allow adjustment of the luminaire inclination. See U.S. Pat. No. 3,032,648 to Pfaff issued May 1, 1962.
The providing of external clamps or U bolts requires added parts and inventory. The partial sleeve of the mounting housing allows the housing to be cast or molded. With a full 360° sleeve, the mounting section cannot be cast or molded integrally with the housing and must also be an add-on part as shown by the '648 patent.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a luminaire with a mounting sleeve integral to the housing, the mounting sleeve configured to allow casting or molding of the housing.
The housing disclosed is of the type used for lighting an area of a yard or the entry area of a house to deter break-ins. The mounting sleeve of the luminaire is integral to the housing and the entire housing and sleeve may be molded of suitable plastic or die cast of metal such as aluminum.
With either material, the mounting sleeve is fabricated integrally as part of the housing. The mounting sleeve comprises a discontinuous tubular bore leading to a slotted closure wall at the entry to the housing. The slot provides entry for the electrical wires while the closure is required to meet safety regulations.
The mounting sleeve or body includes a first and a second upper semi circular section, the sections being spaced apart by an axial air space. The first semi circular section is adjacent to and integrally connected to the bore closure wall. This section covers the upper 180° of the bore and extends downwardly for a distance beyond the horizontal. Spaced axially from the first section is the second upper section of like extent. In the space between the upper sections, a single lower semi circular section completes the bore. The lower section is integrally formed with the upper sections and is opposite the air space which separates the first and second upper sections.
In this way there are formed discrete semi circular sections on alternate diametral sides of the horizontal to complete a discontinuous bore for a mounting mast. One or all of the sections may have a centrally located reinforced boss with an opening therein for receiving a set screw to bear against a mast held in the sleeve bore. Each section encompasses approximately 180° of arc and each has an equal sized air gap diametrically opposite.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an outdoor luminaire housing with integral mounting sleeve adapted to receive a mounting mast. The mounting sleeve is discontinuous with its bore diameter large enough to receive the mast in a tight fitting relation.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side view in elevation of an outdoor luminaire mounted on a tubular mast, the luminaire using the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a plan view of the mast mounting area of the luminaire of FIG. 1 with the mast removed;
FIG. 3 is a side view in elevation of the mounting area of FIG. 2; and
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along lines 4--4 of FIG. 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The luminaire or outdoor lighting fixture 12 shown in FIG. 1 is of a type commonly used for security lighting of residences, and is frequently called a yard light. In such a luminaire, the main housing 14 is essentially a one piece or two piece frusto conic shell, molded or cast, which houses the lamp and other components (not shown). A frusto conic glass or plastic lens 16 is mounted on the housing and completes the structure. The lens or refractor 16 may be open at the bottom to transmit light from the vertically downwardly facing lamp primarily to the area below. Such luminaires are very well known in the art and produced by many manufacturers.
With such luminaires, the housing is generally cast or molded as a unitary part of aluminum or suitable engineering grade plastic with an integral mounting channel or slipfitter mounting extending from the housing. The ends of the channel in the known art design are reinforced and frequently have threaded openings to receive a bolt at each side of the channel for clamping a clamp bracket to the underside of the mast arm to which the luminaire is secured.
As shown in FIG. 1, the luminaire mast mounting structure 20 extends from the housing and includes reinforcing webs 22 extending from the housing to the outer end of the mounting structure outwardly of each side of the mounting area.
The mounting area is best shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. In these views, there can be seen the reinforcing webs 22 on both sides of and framing the mounting area. Also seen in these views are the embosses 30 used for mounting the socket (not shown) and other interior components as necessary.
The mounting area comprises a discontinuous sleeve composed of two axially spaced apart upper semi-circular clevis members 32 and 34, and a lower clevis member 36 intermediate between the upper clevis members. Horizontal rails 35 and 37 extending the length of the sleeve on each side of the sleeve join the clevis members which may also be called semi-circular sections or clevises. The horizontal rails maintain the structural integrity of the mounting area. These rails extend a distance above and below the horizontal plane through the bore axis.
The innermost clevis 32 is integrally affixed to the housing for its full extent of almost 180° of angular extent. At its diametral ends clevis 32 is integrally connected to both side rails 35 and 37. Spaced axially from clevis 32 by an air space 33 is the second upper clevis 34 which is coextensive with the inner clevis 32. Clevis 34 is also connected integrally at its diametral ends to the rails 35 and 37. Each clevis has diametrally opposite an air space with an area at least equal to that of the clevis. For each clevis and air space, the term area as used herein means the area of projection on a horizontal plane parallel to the axis of the mounting bore.
Intermediate between the upper clevis members 32 and 34 and axially opposite the air space 33 is a single lower, semi-circular clevis 36 which also encompasses almost 180° of axial extent. At its axial ends, the lower clevis 36 is inherently connected to the rails to the upper clevises and diametrally the lower clevis 36 is inherently connected to the webs at both diametral sides.
The upper and lower clevises form a discontinuous sleeve or bore of circular cross section. Each clevis member extends almost 180° of angular extent and opposed to each clevis member is an air space. Two such upper clevises are provided with a lower clevis axially positioned between the upper clevises. By providing clevises covering almost 180° of angular extent with an air space covering the remaining 180°, the luminaire housing may be molded or cast as a single integral unit and be readily removed from the mold or casting.
At the center of each clevis, there is a circular emboss 40 with a central opening 42. The opening may be threaded to receive a screw or may be retained as a bore extending to the discontinuous mast bore to receive a self tapping screw or bolt as a set screw (not shown). A set screw may be mounted in each embossed opening, or one may be mounted in only the lower clevis or in any combination of clevises to hold the luminaire discontinuous bore on the mast and against rotation or axial movement.
The discontinuous bore is preferrably slightly larger in circumference than the circumference of the mast which fits into the bore so that the mast rests in the bore with little clearance.
As viewed in FIG. 3, the discontinuous mounting bore is inherently connected to the housing along the 180° of arc encompassed by the inner clevis 32 (as seen best in FIG. 4). The luminaire is set on the mast and the discontinuous bore is advanced onto the mast until the mast end strikes the housing terminal enclosure 50 which covers most of the bore area. The enclosure 50 is integral with said housing and is joined to the inner clevis 32 (as seen best in FIG. 3) to form a nest for receiving and holding the end of the mast. An inverted T shaped opening 52 in the lower portion of enclosure 50 provides entry for the power leads into the housing cavity. With the opening in the lower portion of the enclosure, the nesting area for the end of the mast is a semi-circular ridge formed between the inner clevis 32 and the top of the enclosure 50.
The lower clevis is spaced a distance from the terminal enclosure, the distance being at least one inch, to firmly hold the mast within the bore preferably with one or more set screws. The outer upper clevis 34 is spaced from the innermost clevis 32 to provide two spaced apart members for preventing drooping of the mast free end. The preferred approach is to use a set screw in each upper clevis, or in the lower clevis.
A number of variations on the general principle shown may be employed. For example, the bore of the mounting structure formed by the clevis members could be slightly smaller than the circumference of the mast with the mast having an axially elongate split or slit to enable press fitting of the mast into the bore of mounting structure. The mast in this case would compress as it enters the bore of the mounting structure to enable a tight fit of mast in housing mounting. With cooperative structure of this type, the mast could be provided with a keyway or slot along the mast split to mate with one or more inwardly extending embosses of the bore clevis members to prevent rotation of the housing about the mast axis.
A further variation could be to configure the mast tube into a multi-sided polygon such as one of hexagonal cross-section. Thus, the mast tube would be uniform in cross-section with the polygonal cross-section, i.e., square, rectangular, hexagonal, trapezoidal or the like. The clevis members could be configured of a like cross-section to receive the mast tube tightly. The mating edges of the polygon within like shaped clevis members would coact with the mounting to prevent rotation of the housing relative to the mast without the need for screws.
By use of the structure shown, an inexpensive one-piece mounting structure which may be integral with the luminaire housing may be provided. | A mounting structure for an outdoor luminaire adapted to mount on a tubular mast. The structure has a discontinuous tubular bore comprised of two axially spaced apart semi circular sections forming the top of the bore and a bottom semi circular section spaced midway between the two upper sections. The bore structure is integral to the housing with the inner top section adjoining an enclosing face on the housing terminating said bore. One or more of said sections includes a central boss for receiving a set screw therein adapted to bear against the mast and prevent relative movement between the housing and mast. | 5 |
BACKGROUND
[0001] 1. Technical Field
[0002] The present disclosure relates to vending machines, and more particularly to a goods picking door assembly for a vending machine.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] A vending machine provides twenty-four hours services. Different kinds of goods, such as cold and hot beverages, are provided by the vending machine. When the cool or hot beverage is sent to an access door of the vending machine, a temperature of the beverage may be influenced by external environment, such that the cool beverage may become heated, and vice versa. Such experiences may lead to unsatisfied customers.
[0005] Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.
[0007] FIG. 1 is an exploded, isometric view of an embodiment of a goods access door assembly of a vending machine.
[0008] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of encircled portion II of FIG. 1 .
[0009] FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 2 , but viewed from another aspect.
[0010] FIG. 4 is an assembled view of the goods picking door assembly of FIG. 1 .
[0011] FIG. 5 is a sectional view in an enlarged scale taken along line V-V of FIG. 4 .
[0012] FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of encircled portion VI of FIG. 5 .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0013] The disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean “at least one.”
[0014] FIGS. 1 to 3 show one embodiment of a goods picking door assembly for a vending machine. The goods picking door assembly includes an outer plate 10 , a strip assembly 40 , a hermetic seal 20 , and a goods bracket 30 .
[0015] The outer plate 10 defines an access opening 11 . An inner side 15 of the outer plate 10 defines a plurality of first fixing holes 12 and second fixing holes 13 surrounding the access opening 11 .
[0016] The hermetic seal 20 includes a pair of parallel long edges 21 and a pair of parallel short edges 23 . The hermetic seal 20 is made of resilient and elastic material, such as rubber. The pair of short edges 23 are perpendicular to the pair of long edges 21 . The pair of parallel long edges 21 and the pair of parallel short edges 23 surrounds a through opening 25 . A side of each long edge 21 facing to the through opening 25 defines a first groove 211 . A side of each short edge 23 facing to the through opening 25 defines a second groove 231 . A size of the through opening 25 is slightly larger than a size of the access opening 11 .
[0017] The strip assembly 40 includes two long hermetic strips 41 and two short hermetic strips 43 . Each of the two long hermetic strips 41 and the two short hermetic strips 43 defines a plurality of first through holes 45 corresponding to the plurality of first fixing holes 12 of the outer plate 10 . An outer side of each long hermetic strip 41 forms a first inserting flange 411 . An outer side of each short hermetic strip 43 forms a second inserting flange 431 .
[0018] The goods bracket 30 includes a bottom wall 31 , a rear wall 32 , two side walls 33 , and a front wall 34 . The rear wall 32 is perpendicularly connected to a rear edge of the bottom wall 31 . Two side walls 33 are perpendicularly connected to left and right edges of the bottom wall 31 . The front wall 34 is perpendicularly connected to a front edge of the bottom wall 31 . The front wall 34 is parallel to the rear wall 32 . The two side walls 33 are parallel to each other. A receiving room 36 is surrounded by the bottom wall 31 , the rear wall 32 , the front wall 34 , and two side walls 33 . The receiving room 36 is adapted to receive goods selected from the vending machine. A door 37 is movably mounted on the front wall 34 . The door 37 protrudes from the front wall 34 . A pair of fixing pieces 331 is connected the front wall 34 . Each of the pair of fixing pieces 331 defines a plurality of second through holes 332 corresponding to the second fixing holes 13 of the outer plate 10 .
[0019] Referring to FIGS. 4 to 6 , in assembly, the through holes 45 of the two long hermetic strips 41 and the two short hermetic strips 43 are aligned to the first fixing holes 12 . A plurality of screws are mounted in the through holes 45 and the first fixing holes 12 to mount the strip assembly 40 on the inner side 15 of the outer plate 10 . At this position, the two long hermetic strips 41 are parallel to each other, and the two short hermetic strips 43 are parallel to each other. The two short hermetic strips 43 are perpendicular to the two long hermetic strips 41 . Then, the hermetic seal 20 is slightly stretched to be set on the strip assembly 40 . The first inserting flanges 411 of the long hermetic strips 41 are inserted in the first grooves 211 of the long edges 21 of the hermetic seal 20 . The second inserting flanges 431 of the short hermetic strips 43 are inserted in the second grooves 231 of the long edges 23 . Thereby, the hermetic seal 20 is secured on the inner side 15 of the outer plate 10 . The access opening 11 is located in the through opening 25 .
[0020] The second through holes 332 of the goods bracket 30 are aligned to the second fixing holes 13 of the outer plate 10 . A plurality of screws are mounted in the second through holes 332 and the second fixing holes 13 to fix the goods bracket 30 on the outer plate 10 . At this position, the door 37 of the goods bracket 37 is located in the through opening 25 and aligned to the access opening 11 . Periphery of the doors 37 abuts an inner side of the hermetic seal 20 to seal the door 37 .
[0021] In the above goods picking door assembly, because the door 37 is sealed by the hermetic seal 20 , a temperature of goods received in the goods bracket 30 is substantially maintained.
[0022] It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and functions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in the matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the present disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. | A goods access door assembly for a vending machine includes an outer plate, a hermetic seal, and a goods bracket. The outer plate defines an access opening. A hermetic seal is mounted on the inner side of the outer plate and surrounding the access opening and functions to isolate the goods in the vending machine from a hotter or colder ambient temperature until the moment that the goods are taken out of the vending machine. | 0 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This Application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/779,848, filed Mar. 13, 2013, the entire contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.
FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates to bodily fluid drainage, more particularly, to a pancreatic stent drainage system.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Pancreatic endotherapy has been used for years for treatment of several types of pancreatic disorders including but not limited to chronic pancreatitis, idiopathic acute recurrent pancreatitis, and many such others.
[0004] Normally, inside the human body the pancreas is connected to the duodenum via the pancreatic duct. The pancreatic duct abuts the sphincter of Oddi, which connects the pancreatic duct to the duodenum. The pancreatic duct delivers to the duodenum pancreatic fluids required for metabolism. In various pancreatic disorders, pancreatic tissues may swell or increase abnormally thereby constricting the pancreatic duct and obstructing flow of pancreatic fluids into the duodenum. Such obstructions could lead to various complications including those arising from the accumulation of pancreatic fluids inside the pancreatic tissue or the pancreatic duct. In such cases, an intraluminary prosthesis, such as a stent, may be used for treatment of the obstructed pancreatic duct. The stent provides an outwardly-directed radial force that opens the constriction of the pancreatic duct thereby allowing pancreatic fluid to flow into the duodenum. In some cases, at least a portion of the stent is placed proximal to the sphincter of Oddi and adjacent to ampulla of Vater near and inside head region of the pancreas in a patient's body.
[0005] Intraluminal stents within the pancreatic duct are associated with several drawbacks including stent migration and blockage of side branches of the pancreatic duct. Blockage of pancreatic duct side branches can impede flow of pancreatic fluids and result in chronic pancreatitis. Some pancreatic stents are polymer tubes that have side holes helically placed along a length of the stent. The side holes allow pancreatic fluid to flow into the lumen of the stent thereby reducing the incidence of side branch occlusion while still allowing for stent removal at a future time. An example of a intraluminal pancreatic stent is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 6,132,471, which is incorporated herein by reference.
[0006] Recently physicians are looking to metal stents for use in the pancreas. Expandable metal stents provide substantially consistent outward radial force over time, which allows the stent to expand as duct constriction is relieved. In this way, metal stents avoid the need to exchange the stents multiple times, each time for a progressively larger diameter stent, until the desired dilation of the pancreatic duct is achieved. Another benefit of metal stents is a greater patency rate.
[0007] A concern with metal stents is that surrounding tissue may grow into the stent, complicating stent removal and compromising the stent lumen. For this reason metal stents are often coated with a polymeric covering that reduces growth of host tissue into the interstices of the metal stent. Coated metal stents allow for easier and less traumatic stent removal. Unfortunately, coated stents are more susceptible to stent migration, which can result in the stent exiting the treatment site.
[0008] Coated stents are also more likely to occlude pancreatic fluid flow within side branches of the pancreatic duct. Pancreatic fluid flows to the duodenum through a network of branching upstream ducts that converge into a central pancreatic duct. Coated stents placed in a downstream pancreatic duct may block the mouth of an upstream tributary duct that empties into the downstream duct. In this way, a coated stent could dam an upstream network of ducts. Impeding the flow of pancreatic fluid can harm the pancreas and result in pancreatitis.
[0009] Thus, there exists a need for a stent with an additional drainage system to avoid occlusion of upstream ducts while reducing the likelihood of stent migration.
[0010] Without limiting the scope of the invention, a brief summary of some of the claimed embodiments of the invention is provided below. Additional details of the summarized embodiments of the invention and/or additional embodiments of the invention can be found in the detailed description of the invention.
[0011] A brief abstract of the technical disclosure in the specification is provided as well for the purposes of complying with 37 C.F.R. 1.72. The abstract is not intended to be used for interpreting the scope of the claims.
[0012] All US patents and applications and all other published documents mentioned anywhere in this application are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
SUMMARY
[0013] In at least one embodiment, the present invention relates to a medical device equipped with a drainage feature. The medical device includes a stent having an outer surface, a proximal end, and a distal end. The medical device further includes a drainage tube. The drainage tube includes an internal surface, an external surface, a distal end, and a proximal end. In an embodiment, the drainage tube is configured to be attached to the outer surface of the stent. The medical device is configured such that the proximal end of the drainage tube is positioned adjacent to the proximal end of the stent. Further, the external surface of the drainage tube is configured to include a plurality of holes. The holes on the outer surface of the drainage tube are connected to the internal surface of the drainage tube.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0014] The invention and the following detailed description of certain embodiments thereof can be understood with reference to the following figures:
[0015] FIG. 1A is an anatomical view of the inventive medical device operationally positioned in a body of a patient.
[0016] FIG. 1B is an enlarged view of the medical device in FIG. 1A positioned in the body of the patient.
[0017] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the inventive medical device comprising a stent and a drainage tube.
[0018] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the inventive medical device comprising a stent, a drainage tube, and a covering disposed on the outer surface of the stent.
[0019] FIG. 4A is a perspective view of an embodiment of the inventive medical device comprising a stent, a drainage tube, and a covering disposed on an inner surface of the stent.
[0020] FIG. 4B is an end view of the drainage tube of FIG. 4A .
[0021] FIG. 5A is a perspective view of a portion of an embodiment of a drainage tube with a circular cross-section.
[0022] FIG. 5B is an end view of the drainage tube of FIG. 5A .
[0023] FIG. 6A is a perspective view of a portion of an embodiment of a drainage tube with an oval cross-section.
[0024] FIG. 6B is an end view of the drainage tube of FIG. 6A .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0025] While this invention can be embodied in many different forms, specific embodiments of the invention are described in detail herein. This description is an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the particular embodiments illustrated.
[0026] The invention can be used in humans and used in non-human animals. This invention is suitable for use in the pancreas and for use in other organs and tissues. Although, illustrated embodiments refer to a stent being placed in the pancreatic duct, the inventive medical device can be used for performing a medical procedure in any body passageway including but not limited to gastrointestinal tract, the biliary tract, the urinary tract, the respiratory tract, the arteries and veins. Those skilled in the pertinent art will recognize that the use of the inventive medical device as described herein is not limited to the pancreas, but can be used in vascular conduits and other ductal systems such as a bile duct, a urinary tract, and the like in the human body. One aspect of the inventive medical device is to expand or open a passageway to allow flow of materials or air inside the body of a patient
[0027] Various aspects of the invention are depicted in the figures. For the purposes of this disclosure, like reference numerals in the figures shall refer to like features unless otherwise indicated.
[0028] As used in the specification, the terms proximal and distal should be understood as being in terms of a physician delivering the medical device to a patient. The term “proximal” refers to an area or portion of the medical device or patient that is closest to the physician during a placement procedure. The term “distal” refers to an area or portion that is farthest from the physician.
[0029] FIG. 1A is an anatomical elevational view of a pancreas 1 , duodenum 2 , gall bladder 3 , and adjacent portions of the alimentary canal. In one embodiment, the inventive medical device 100 is used to treat a narrowing or constriction of the pancreatic duct 4 . The site of treatment is herein referred to as the target site 110 .
[0030] FIG. 1B shows an enlarged view of the region where pancreatic duct 4 abuts duodenum 2 . In at least one embodiment, medical device 100 is delivered to target site 110 by an endoscopic delivery catheter 102 that has been advanced from the esophagus (not shown) into duodenum 2 . In some embodiments, medical device 100 is implanted using a delivery catheter 102 having a guide wire 104 that aids in placement of medical device 100 . Guide wire 104 is advanced past the sphincter of Oddi 5 and along the pancreatic duct 4 to reach target site 110 . Medical device 100 is shuttled from delivery catheter 102 along guide wire 104 to target site 110 . In at least one embodiment, an introducer catheter (not shown) maintains medical device 100 in an unexpanded conformation and delivers unexpanded medical device 100 to target site 110 . Once medical device 100 is properly positioned adjacent target site 110 , medical device 100 is radially expanded so as to support and reinforce the vessel at target site 110 . In some embodiments, medical device 100 is self-expanding and will radially expand once deployed. In some embodiments, the introducer catheter comprises an outer sheath that keeps medical device 100 in an unexpanded conformation. Once the introducer catheter reaches target site 110 , the outer sheath of the introducer catheter is retracted, allowing medical device 100 to expand and engage the lumen wall of target site 110 . In some embodiments, radial expansion of medical device 100 is accomplished by inflation of a balloon (not shown) attached to the introducer catheter.
[0031] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one embodiment of inventive medical device 100 , wherein a drainage tube 204 wraps around at least a portion of the outer surface 220 of a stent 202 . In some embodiments, drainage tube 204 is of similar design to a 3 French plastic stent made of a polyethylene material.
[0032] An outer surface 220 of stent 202 defines an outer diameter 224 of stent 202 . An inner surface 222 of stent 202 defines a lumen 226 of stent 202 . Stent 202 has a proximal end 230 , a distal end 234 , and a central region 232 located between proximal end 230 and distal end 234 . Central region 232 has a mid-plane 233 , which is equidistant from proximal end 230 and distal end 234 . Stent 202 has a proximal region 231 and a distal region 235 , wherein proximal region 231 is the region of stent 202 located between mid-plane 233 and proximal end 230 , and distal region 235 is the region of stent 202 located between mid-plane 233 and distal end 234 . In some embodiments, stent 202 is flared at at least one end so that outer diameter 224 in central region 232 is smaller compared to outer diameter 224 at proximal end 230 and/or distal end 234 . Proximal flare 254 and distal flare 252 increase the anti-migratory ability of stent 202 , thereby facilitating stent fixation. Proximal flare 254 resists migration of stent 202 in the proximal direction. Similarly, distal flare 252 resists migration of stent 202 in the distal direction. In some embodiments, proximal flare 254 and the distal flare 252 are constructed to readily conform to changes in body lumen walls during transmittal of bodily fluids or food. In some embodiments, stent 202 is self expanding and able to conform to changes in the body lumen walls thereby mitigating the need to replace stent 202 with another stent having a larger outer diameter 224 .
[0033] In some embodiments, distal end 244 of drainage tube 204 is located at base 250 of distal flare 252 , wherein base 250 of distal flare 252 is the portion of the distal flare 252 that is contiguous with central region 232 of stent 202 . In some embodiments, stent 202 facilitates treatment of blockages present in the pancreatic duct. In at least one embodiment, stent 202 can be placed so that the proximal end 230 of stent 202 is proximate the ampulla of Vater so that the pancreatic fluid from the pancreatic duct can unite with the bile juices to form a mixture, which proceeds toward the sphincter of Oddi 5 and into the duodenum 2 to facilitate digestion of food. In at least one embodiment, proximal end 240 of drainage tube 204 is positioned adjacent to proximal end 230 of stent 202 , allowing proximal end 240 of drainage tube 204 to empty into the duodenum when proximal end 230 of stent 202 is positioned proximal to the sphincter of Oddi 5 . In some embodiments, stent 202 includes radiopaque markers made of gold or any other radiopaque material suitable for implantation. The radiopaque markers aid fluoroscopic imaging of stent 202 during placement of stent 202 . In some embodiments, the radiopaque markers are incorporated at the proximal flare 254 and/or the distal flare 252 of stent 202 .
[0034] In some embodiments, stent 202 is flexible and elastomeric in nature, allowing stent 202 to be radially compressed for intraluminary catheter implantation. Stent 202 can be any type of expandable stent, such as laser cut or braided designs. In some embodiments, outer surface 220 of stent 202 has a substantially uneven structure. The uneven structure increases the amount of frictional force between the body lumen walls and the outer surface 220 of the stent 202 thereby increasing anti-migratory properties of stent 202 . In at least one embodiment, stent 202 is cylindrical. In some embodiments, stent 202 has an annular transverse cross-section. The transverse cross-section of stent 202 may be circular or non-circular, having a uniform bore or non-uniform bore.
[0035] Stent 202 or portions thereof can be metal, including but not limited to shape memory metal such as nitinol. Stent 202 and drainage tube 204 or portions thereof can be fabricated using shape memory polymers, or simple elastic medical-grade polymers, or medical-grade plastically expandable materials. Examples of some suitable materials include but are not limited to expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE), polytetrafluoroethylene which is not expanded, polyurethane olefin polymers, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl, polyvinyl chloride, fluorinated ethylene propylene copolymer, polyvinyl acetate, polystyrene, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) polyesters, naphthalene dicarboxylate derivatives, such as polyethylene naphthalate, polybutylene naphthalate, poly trimethylene naphthalate and trimethylenediol naphthalate, polyurethane, polyurea, silicone rubbers, polyamides, polycarbonates, polyaldehydes, natural rubbers, polyester copolymers, styrene-butadiene copolymers, polyethers, such as fully or partially halogenated polyethers, copolymers, polyesters, including, polyolefins, polymethyl acetates, polyamides, naphthalene dicarboxylene derivatives, natural silk, and combinations thereof Stent 202 and drainage tube 204 can be made from biodegradable or bioabsorbable materials. Stent 202 can be formed of biocompatible materials, such as polymers which may include fillers such as metals, carbon fibers, glass fibers or ceramics.
[0036] Drainage tube 204 has an external surface 212 and an internal surface 214 , which defines a lumen 216 of drainage tube 204 . Drainage tube 204 has an intermediate portion 242 , which connects proximal end 240 to distal end 244 . Drainage tube 204 includes a plurality of drainage holes 260 , which connect external surface 212 to internal surface 214 . In some embodiments, drainage holes 260 are fabricated along at least a portion of intermediate portion 242 . Drainage holes 260 facilitate flow of pancreatic fluid to the duodenum 2 by providing a pathway for the pancreatic fluid to access lumen 216 of drainage tube 204 .
[0037] In at least one embodiment, drainage tube 204 wraps around stent 202 so that proximal end 240 of drainage tube 204 is positioned adjacent to the proximal end 230 of stent 202 . In some embodiments, drainage tube 204 wraps around only a portion of stent 202 . For example, in at least one embodiment drainage tube 204 wraps around stent 202 from the proximal end 230 of stent 202 to mid-plane 233 of stent 202 so that distal end 244 of the drainage tube 204 is adjacent to mid-plane 233 of stent 202 . In some embodiments, distal end 244 of drainage tube 204 lies distal of mid-plane 233 of stent 202 . In some embodiments, distal end 244 of drainage tube 204 lies proximal of mid-plane 233 of stent 202 . In some embodiments, drainage tube 204 wraps around the entire length of stent 202 so that proximal end 240 of drainage tube 204 is adjacent to proximal end 230 of stent 202 , and distal end 244 of drainage tube 204 is adjacent to distal end 234 of stent 202 .
[0038] In some embodiments, drainage tube 204 wraps helically around outer surface 220 of stent 202 . External surface 212 of drainage tube 204 includes two portions—a first portion 217 that is in contact with a body lumen wall, and a second portion 219 that is in contact with outer surface 220 of stent 202 . In at least one embodiment, second portion 219 of drainage tube 204 is secured to outer surface 220 of stent 202 at one or more discrete points of contact between drainage tube 204 and outer surface 220 , allowing drainage tube 204 to slide along and maintain contact with outer surface 220 as stent 202 radially expands. In at least one embodiment, drainage tube 204 is secured to outer surface 220 by at least one of an adhesive coupling, thermal coupling, and mechanical coupling.
[0039] In some embodiments, first portion 217 includes a plurality of drainage holes 260 while second portion 219 does not contain any drainage holes 260 . Placement of drainage holes 260 on external surface 212 is defined by an angular coordinate that is referenced to a polar coordinate system located centrally within lumen 216 of drainage tube 204 . Such a coordinate system is shown in FIGS. 5B and 6B . In the reference coordinate system, an angle of 0° refers to the mid-line of second portion 219 . Placement of drainage holes 260 is also defined by a longitudinal coordinate that specifies the distance of travel along drainage tube 204 from proximal end 240 . In at least one embodiment, all drainage holes 260 have the same angular coordinate. In some embodiments, at least two drainage holes 260 have different angular coordinates. In some embodiments, two or more drainage holes 260 have the same longitudinal coordinate and a different angular coordinate. In some embodiments, drainage holes 260 are uniformly spaced along the longitudinal coordinate direction. In some embodiments, drainage holes 260 are non-uniformly spaced along the longitudinal coordinate direction.
[0040] External surface 212 of drainage tube 204 defines a transverse cross-sectional shape. The transverse cross-sectional shape of drainage tube 204 can be any geometry that can be extruded or molded and allow fluid to pass without creating permanent anchoring points of pancreatic tissue. In some embodiments, external surface 212 defines a circular transverse cross-sectional shape. In at least one embodiment, external surface 212 defines a transverse cross-sectional shape that is an oval. In some embodiments, drainage tube 204 has a variable internal and/or external diameter. In at least one embodiment, drainage tube 204 has a uniform lumen 216 and a uniform transverse cross-sectional shape. In some embodiments, lumen 216 is non-uniform. In at least one embodiment, the diameter of lumen 216 is smaller in the distal region of drainage tube 204 compared with the diameter of lumen 216 in the proximal region of drainage tube 204 .
[0041] Drainage holes 260 have a width 262 . In at least one embodiment, all drainage holes 260 have the same width 262 . In some embodiments, at least two drainage holes 260 have different widths 262 from one another. In some embodiments, width 262 of each drainage hole 260 varies from 0.005 inches to 0.015 inches. In at least one embodiment, width 262 is 0.010 inches. In some embodiments, drainage holes 260 are oval shaped or circular. In some embodiments, drainage holes 260 are different shapes other than the circular shape or oval shape. For example, in some embodiments drainage holes 260 have an elliptical shape or a polygonal shape, such as a square or a rectangular cross-sectional shape. In some embodiments, all drainage holes 260 have the same shape. In some embodiments, at least two drainage holes 260 have different shapes from one another. In at least one embodiment, the shape of drainage hole 260 tapers as drainage tube 204 is traversed. For example, in at least one embodiment all drainage holes 260 are circular with the width 262 of the drainage holes 260 decreasing as the drainage tube 204 is traversed in the distal direction.
[0042] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the inventive medical device 100 , in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. In some embodiments, medical device 100 includes a covering 302 attached to stent 202 . In some embodiments, covering 302 is disposed on outer surface 220 of stent 202 . In some embodiments, covering 302 is an integral part of outer surface 220 of stent 202 . In some embodiments, covering 302 extends over the entire central region 232 of the stent 202 . In some embodiments, covering 302 extends over some but not all of central region 232 . In at least one embodiment, outer surface 220 of stent 202 is free from covering 302 at proximal flare 254 and distal flare 252 to preserve the anti-migratory ability of stent 202 . In some embodiments, covering 302 is disposed on outer surface 220 of stent 202 at proximal flare 254 and distal flare 252 .
[0043] In some embodiments, covering 302 is disposed on inner surface 222 of stent 202 . FIG. 4A is a perspective view of one embodiment of medical device 100 having a covering 302 disposed on inner surface 222 of stent 202 . FIG. 4B is an end view of the embodiment of medical device 100 depicted in FIG. 4A . In some embodiments, covering 302 is attached to inner surface 222 of stent 202 . In at least one embodiment, covering 302 is an integral part of inner surface 222 of stent 202 . In some embodiments, covering 302 extends over the entire central region 232 of stent 202 . In some embodiments, covering 302 extends over some but not all of central region 232 . In at least one embodiment, covering 302 is disposed on inner surface 220 of stent 202 at proximal flare 254 and distal flare 252 . In some embodiments, inner surface 220 of stent 202 is free from covering 302 at proximal flare 254 and distal flare 252 .
[0044] In some embodiments, covering 302 is made of a material selected from the group consisting of silicone, urethane, biocompatible materials, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, covering 302 is made of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).
[0045] In some embodiments, covering 302 makes stent 202 less susceptible to invasion from surrounding tissue. In at least one embodiment, covering 302 increases patency by reducing the area of stent 202 that is available as a scaffold for accumulation of undesired substances that lead to occlusion. Few exemplary situations leading to occlusion include but are not limited to sludge formation, tumor overgrowth, tumor ingrowth, food debris, or stone formation.
[0046] FIG. 5A is a perspective view of one embodiment of drainage tube 204 that has a circular cross-section. FIG. 5B is an end view of the drainage tube 204 of FIG. 5A .
[0047] FIG. 6A is a perspective view of one embodiment of drainage tube 204 that has an oval cross-section. FIG. 6B is an end view of the drainage tube 204 of FIG. 6A . The oval geometry can be configured to minimize the overall profile of the stent 202 and still provide a passage for the pancreatic fluid. The oval geometry of the transverse cross-section can be helpful in mechanical traction to prevent migration. In some embodiments, the transverse cross section of external surface 212 of drainage tube 204 can be of a different shape other than the circular-shape or the oval-shape. For example, the cross-sectional shape of drainage tube 204 can be an elliptical shape or polygon shape, such as a square or a rectangular cross-sectional shape.
[0048] A description of some exemplary embodiments of the invention can be contained in the following numbered paragraphs:
[0049] 1. A medical device equipped with a drainage feature, the device comprising:
[0050] a stent having a proximal end, a distal end, and an outer surface; and
[0051] a drainage tube having a proximal end, a distal end, an internal surface, and an external surface, the external surface having a plurality of drainage holes, the drainage holes connecting to the internal surface, the drainage tube being attached to the outer surface of the stent.
[0052] 2. The medical device of claim 1 wherein the proximal end of the drainage tube is positioned adjacent to the proximal end of the stent.
[0053] 3. The device of claim 1 wherein the drainage tube wraps around the outer surface of the stent.
[0054] 4. The device of claim 3 wherein the drainage tube helically wraps around the outer surface of the stent.
[0055] 5. The device of claim 1 wherein the external surface of the drainage tube has a transverse cross section which is oval-shaped.
[0056] 6. The device of claim 1 wherein the external surface of the drainage tube has a transverse cross section which is circular.
[0057] 7. The device of claim 1 wherein internal surface of the drainage tube has a length and a transverse cross section, the transverse cross section varying in size along the length of the drainage tube.
[0058] 8. The device of claim 1 wherein at least one of the distal and proximal ends of the stent is flared.
[0059] 9. The device of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the stent is made of a material selected from a group consisting of metals, polymeric materials, biodegradable materials, bio-absorbable materials, and combinations thereof.
[0060] 10. The device of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the drainage tube is made of a material selected from a group consisting of polymeric materials, biodegradable materials, bio-absorbable materials, and combinations thereof.
[0061] 11. The device of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of holes has a diameter of about 0.010 inch.
[0062] 12. The device of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of holes is oval-shaped.
[0063] 13. The device of claim 1 wherein the plurality of holes vary in size and shape.
[0064] 14. The device of claim 1 wherein the stent further comprises a covering, the covering surrounding the outer surface of the stent and being made of a material selected from a group consisting of silicone, urethane, biocompatible materials, and combinations thereof.
[0065] 15. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the stent is of a braided type.
[0066] 16. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the drainage tube is secured over the external surface of the stent by at least one of an adhesive coupling, thermal coupling, and mechanical coupling.
[0067] 17. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the drainage tube includes a first portion exposed to a body lumen wall and a second portion in contact with the stent, wherein the plurality of holes are provided along at least a portion of the drainage tube such that the plurality of holes stay at the first portion and are exposed to the body lumen wall.
[0068] This completes the description of the invention. Those skilled in the art can recognize other equivalents to the specific embodiment described herein which equivalents are intended to be encompassed by the claims attached hereto. | The present invention relates to a medical device, for pancreas, equipped with drainage feature. The medical device includes a stent having an exterior surface, a proximal end and a distal end. The medical device further includes a drainage tube helically wrapped around the stent. The drainage tube includes an external surface, an internal surface, a proximal end, and a distal end. The external surface of the drainage tube is designed with a plurality of holes. The pluralities of holes are connected to the internal surface via a lumen. The plurality of holes can be configured to direct the fluid from side walls of pancreas and bring it out through lumen to avoid occlusion of the side walls in pancreas. | 0 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A piston with a slide shoe for a hydraulic piston engine, as well as a method of manufacturing same.
The present invention relates to a piston with a slide shoe for a hydraulic piston engine, where the slide shoe comprises a ball socket, and where the piston is arranged with a corresponding ball head, whereby these are connected in a ball-and-socket joint.
Hydraulic piston engines with such pistons with slide shoes may function for example according to the axial piston or radial piston principle. In both cases are the pistons placed slidingly in a cylinder block, and the slide shoe is held in contact against a guide surface in such a manner that the piston is moved in the cylinder block as a result of a relative movement of the cylinder block in relation to the guide surface, whereby the slide shoe slides across the guide surface.
In order to reduce friction between among other things the piston and the slide shoe, several constructions are known where one of the contact surfaces in the ball-and-socket joint connecting the piston and the slide shoe is made at least partially of a friction-reducing material.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,601,009 describes a piston with a slide shoe of the type described in the introduction, where the piston is provided with a ball head, which is connected to a slide shoe, on which slide shoe a ball socket is moulded on, so that together the ball socket and the ball head form the ball-and-socket joint between the piston and the slide shoe. Here the ball socket is moulded together with a second surface on the slide shoe, which forms the sliding surface of the slide shoe in relation to the guide surface, whereby an effective fixation of both the ball socket and the slide surface on the slide shoe is obtained.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is based on the preceding technology according to U.S. Pat. No. 5,601,009, and is a further development of same. The invention is particular by the fact that the ball head on the piston is constituted at least partially of a spherical surface of a friction-reducing material which is moulded on and held in relation to the piston.
By this method, as a consequence of the subsequent shrinking of the moulded-on, friction reducing material, a possibility is obtained of good fixation of the ball head on the piston, while at the same time a gap can be created between the ball socket and the ball head, which is not immediately obtainable by the technology according to U.S. Pat. No. 5,601,009, where, due to thermal shrinking of the material, the ball socket moulded on to the slide shoe will tend to dissociate itself from the slide socket and press against the ball head on the piston, which in the worst case may cause fracture of the moulded-on layer on the slide shoe during operation, because the moulded-on layer is constantly deformed in the areas abutting on the ball head.
In addition, the present invention makes it simpler to dimension the gap established between the moulded-on ball head on the piston and the slide socket. Among other things, this is important when low-viscosity pressure media such as water are used, where a relatively large gap is often required to obtain a satisfactory lubricating and cooling effect on the ball-and-socket joint.
The shrinkage of the moulded-on ball head on the piston is uniform over the whole spherical surface, because the moulded-on ball head can have a uniform layer thickness on the part of the ball formed on the piston.
However, according to the present invention it is possible to mould the ball head on so that it is secured in relation to the piston in or on a simple recess or similar, which is arranged on the piston, which can render production of the piston cheaper.
Furthermore, it is advantageous to fix the moulded on ball head in relation to the piston by geometrical locking.
The slide shoe is provided with moulded-on surfaces of friction reducing material on the sliding surface of the slide shoe against the guide surface and against a pressure unit holding the slide shoe against the guide surface.
A lubricating and/or cooling medium can be fed to the contact surface between the slide shoe and the guide surface.
The guide surfaces moulded on to the slide shoe can suitably be fixed in relation to the slide shoe by geometrical locking.
The invention also relates to a method of producing a piston with a slide shoe of the type described in the introduction, which method, is particular in that the piston and the slide shoe are first positioned in relation to each other, after which the ball head on the piston is finished by injection of friction reducing moulding material into the void between the piston and the ball socket of the slide shoe. By this method an especially simple production and assembly process is obtained, because the forming of the ball head and its mounting in the slide shoe are executed at the same time, for example in a plastic injection moulding machine.
The production and mounting process can be further simplified by simultaneous moulding of the friction reducing surface of the slide shoe in the same moulding process where the ball head is moulded.
By the method of moulding the ball head on the piston and the surface on the slide shoe as a coherent unit and then removing the parts of the moulded body connecting the ball head and the surfaces on the slide shoe, an especially simple moulding process is obtained, because an injection moulding tool with only one inlet nozzle may be used. In addition, the slide shoe is held rigidly in relation to the piston until the parts connecting the ball head and the surfaces on the slide shoe are removed, which may facilitate any intermediate machining of the mounted piston with a slide shoe.
By the method an especially advantageous production method is obtained for production of pistons with a slide shoe that are provided with a lubricating or cooling duct, because the lubricating/cooling duct can be formed simultaneously with the removal of the moulding material connecting the ball head and the surfaces on the slide shoe. The number of production and mounting processes is hereby reduced to a minimum.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Suitable embodiments of the invention are described in the following in detail, with reference to the drawing, where:
FIG. 1 is a sectional drawing of a part of a hydraulic axial piston engine with a piston and a slide shoe unit according to the invention,
FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional drawing of the ball head connecting the piston and the slide shoe according to FIG. 1,
FIG. 3 is a sectional drawing of an alternative embodiment of a ball-and-socket joint for the piston with a slide shoe, here as a semimanufactured unit, and
FIG. 4 shows the ball-and-socket joint according to FIG. 3, as a finished unit.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
With reference to FIG. 1 a hydraulic piston engine is shown, which has an exterior housing 1 and therein a rotatingly placed cylinder block 2, in which a number of pistons 3 are placed. The pistons 3 are equipped with slide shoes 4, so that there is a ball-and-socket joint between the slide shoe 4 and the piston 3. The slide shoe abuts on an oblique disk 5, and a holder 6 is arranged to ensure contact between the two. The oblique disk 5 is secured in relation to the housing 1.
Now if the cylinder block 2 is imagined to rotate in relation to the housing 1, this will cause a forced shift of the piston 3 in the cylinder block 2, as a consequence of the slide shoe 4 being held in contact against the stationary oblique disk 5.
Thus, since there is a forced connection between the movement of the piston 3 in the cylinder block 2 and the movement of the cylinder block 2 in relation to the housing 1, this allows the hydraulic piston engine to be used either as a hydraulic pump or as a hydraulic motor.
In the piston 3 a bore 7 may be arranged as shown, extending further in a bore 8, which is connected to a bore 10 in the slide shoe via a duct 9. In manner known this system can be exploited for hydraulic relief of the contact surfaces between the slide shoe 4 and the oblique disk 5, and possibly between the piston 3 and the slide shoe 4. The hydraulic relief may also cause lubrication or cooling of these slide surfaces in operation. The present invention relates more specifically to the piston 1 and the slide shoe 4, as shown in FIG. 1, and especially a ball-and-socket joint by which these are mounted as a unit.
FIG. 2 shows enlarged this ball-and-socket joint between the piston 3 and the slide shoe 4 according to FIG. 1, where the piston 3 alone is shown with the end on which the ball-and-socket joint 13 is formed.
Thus the piston 3 has a cylindrical part 11, which at its lower end is provided with a circular flange 12. On to the circular flange 12 is moulded a ball head of friction reducing material such as plastics. The ball head 13 is placed in a spherical socket 14 in the slide shoe 4, whereby the ball-and-socket joint between the slide shoe 4 and the piston 3 is formed. As shown, the moulded-on ball head 13 is provided with a duct 9, which connects a bore 8 in the piston 3 with a corresponding bore 10 in the slide shoe 4. Therefore, at small angular turns between the ball head 13 and the slide shoe 4, the bores 8, 10 and the duct 9 arranged in the ball head 13 will be able to conduct a hydraulic medium from the pressure side of the piston via the bore 8, the duct 9, and the bore 10 to the slide surface 15 on the slide shoe 4. FIG. 2 is shown with the bores 8 and 10 in a straight line, and in a similar manner it is shown in FIG. 1 how the bores 8 and 10, via the duct 9, are in connection with each other at a small angular turn between the piston 3 and the slide shoe 4.
Thus the slide shoe 4 has a support body 16, which forms the spherical socket 14. Additionally, moulded on to the slide shoe there is a layer of friction reducing material 17, which forms both the sliding surface 15 of the slide shoe 4 and the contact surface 21, which abuts on the holder 6, as shown in FIG. 1.
When moulding the ball head 13 on to the piston 3 with the cylindrical part 11 with the flange 12, the moulded-on ball head 13 will press around the cylindrical part 11 and the flange 12 due to thermal shrinking, whereby an extremely secure connection is formed between these.
In the moulding process, which may be a plastic injection moulding process, the ball head 13 can be formed by placing the support body 16 on the slide shoe 4 and the piston 3 facing each other in the injection moulding tool, after which the friction reducing plastic is injected between the cylindrical part 11 with the flange 12 and the ball socket 14 on the slide shoe. Thus the thermal shrinking of the injected plastic material will further cause generation of a small gap between the moulded-on ball head 13 and the ball socket 14 on the slide shoe 4. This ensures that there is no constant contact pressure between the ball head 13 and the ball socket 14, so that the friction between these in relatively unloaded condition is very small. In addition, this construction causes very little risk of fatigue failure in the moulded-on material forming the ball head 13, so that failures in the moulded-on ball head are very improbable.
For example, the friction reducing layer 17 on the slide shoe, which forms among other things the sliding surface 15 and the contact surface 21, may be formed in the same injection moulding process where the ball head 13 on the piston 3 is formed. For example, this may be done by feeding plastic material into the injection moulding tool via individual inlet nozzles to the ball head 13 and the layer of friction reducing material 17 moulded on to the slide shoe 4. This will also allow use of various plastic materials for the ball head and the layer 17 moulded on to the slide shoe, whereby the properties of the single plastic materials can be optimally exploited.
For example, the friction reducing layers of plastic material may consist of high-strength thermoplastic materials based on polyaryletherketones, especially polyetheretherketones, polyamides, polyacetals, polyarylethers, polyethyleneterephthalates, polyphenylenesulphides, polysulphones, polyethersulphones, polyetherimides, polyamideimides, polyacrylates, phenol compounds such as novolaks or others. Glass, graphite, polytetrafluorethylene or carbon, especially in fibre form, can be used as filler and reinforcement. Among other things, these materials will be extremely suitable if for example water is used as pressure medium.
If the same plastic material is intended to be used both for moulding the ball head 13 and moulding on of the friction reducing layer 17, which forms the sliding surface 15 and the contact surface 21 on the slide shoe 4, an especially suitable method is described according to the invention for producing the ball-and-socket joint between the piston 3 and the slide shoe 4.
Thus in FIG. 3 it is shown how both the ball head 13 and the moulded-on layer 17 on the slide shoe 4 can be moulded as a coherent unit. By subsequent boring of the duct 10, as shown in FIG. 4, the ball head 13 and the moulded-on layer 17 on the slide shoe 4 are separated, whereby the movable ball-and-socket joint has been formed. Among other things this is advantageous in that the moulding together of the slide shoe 4 and the piston 3 is rigid, so that subsequent handling and machining are much facilitated. It is clear that the basic principle, which is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, whereby the ball head 13 and the layer 17 of friction reducing material moulded on to the slide shoe 4 are moulded at the same time, can be carried out in other ways than the ones described, with the same advantage. It is required, however, that the injection moulding tool has a cavity in the mould which forms a connection between the cavity forming the ball head 13, and the cavity forming the moulded-on layer 17 on the slide shoe 4.
In this manner the ball head 13 and the friction reducing layer 17 on the slide shoe 4 will be moulded integrally, and therefore subsequent machining will be required for removal of the parts of the moulded body that connect the ball head 13 and the layer 17 on the slide shoe 4.
Incidentally, the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is different from the one shown in FIG. 2 in that the cylindrical part 11 and the flange 12, as shown in FIG. 2, have in FIGS. 3 and 4 been replaced by a ball head 18, with a diameter that permits introduction of the ball head 18 into the ball socket 14 on the slide shoe 4. In FIGS. 3 and 4 it is further shown how it is ensured that the moulded-on ball head 13 on the ball head 18 is secured by providing the ball head 18 with retaining organs 19 and 20.
It is evident that the ball head 13, which is moulded on to the piston, can be moulded on in other ways than the ones shown. For example, the ball head may be moulded on to the piston, so that the ball head is constituted of a solid, moulded-on plastic ball, or the piston may be shaped in other ways than the ones shown. It is a condition, however, that the ball head 13 is retained on the piston 3 after moulding.
In the same manner, both regarding the support body and the moulded-on layer 17, can the slide shoe may be designed in many different ways without losing the principle of the invention. | A piston with a slide shoe for a hydraulic piston engine, where the slide shoe comprises a ball socket, and where the piston is arranged with a corresponding ball head, whereby these are joined in a ball-and-socket joint, and where at least partially the ball head is constituted of a spherical surface of a friction reducing material moulded onto and retained in relation the piston. As a consequence of the subsequent shrinking of the moulded-on, friction reducing material, a possibility is obtained of good fixation of the ball head on the piston, while at the same time a gap can be created between the ball socket and the ball head. | 8 |
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is an original application and claims priority to provisional application Ser. No. 61/558,744, filed on Nov. 11, 2011.
BACKGROUND
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to solvent-borne products having enhanced physical properties. More particularly, the present invention concerns the use of small-diameter fibers as thixotrope agents in solvent-borne products.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Thixotrope agents are used in various solvent-borne products, such as coatings, adhesives, sealants, caulks, and mastics, in order to improve the application and/or workability of these products. More specifically, thixotrope agents are generally incorporated into the solvent-borne products to obtain better control over the viscosity of the products.
[0006] Various types of thixotrope agents are utilized in solvent-borne products. For example, particulate thixotrope agents, such as powder silica, bentonite, and starch, control the viscosity of the solvent-borne product by forming networks within it via hydrogen bonding. However, particulate thixotrope agents have a number of drawbacks. For instance, particulate thixotrope agents provide very little or no reinforcement to the solvent-borne product. Furthermore, particulate thixotrope agents are generally inefficient, requiring large quantities of the particulate thixotrope agent to obtain the desired viscosity control in the solvent-borne product. This can increase the overall costs of producing the solvent-borne product. Moreover, the ability of the particulate thixotrope agents to regulate viscosity is greatly affected by the type of processing techniques used and is particularly vulnerable to aging and temperature changes.
[0007] Fibrous thixotrope agents are known to be suitable replacements for particulate thixotrope agents. Fibrous thixotrope agents involve incorporating various types of small-diameter fibers (e.g., less than 100 microns) into the solvent-borne product to thereby regulate its viscosity and provide reinforcement to the product. Fibrous thixotrope agents have some advantages over particulate thixotrope agents; however, fibrous thixotrope agents also exhibit a number of drawbacks. For instance, depending on the type of material used, fibrous thixotrope agents can be quite brittle and can lead to eventual cracking of the composite formed by the solvent-borne product. In addition, some types of fibrous thixotrope agents may wick moisture from the environment into the composite formed by the solvent-borne product, thus making the composite unsuitable for some applications. Furthermore, fibrous thixotrope agents may induce such high viscosities that it becomes difficult to disperse and apply the solvent-borne product incorporating them.
[0008] Therefore, a need exists for a thixotrope agent that effectively provides the ability to control the viscosity of solvent-borne products and overcomes or minimizes the disadvantages of conventional thixotrope agents.
SUMMARY
[0009] One embodiment of the present invention concerns a process for producing a solvent-borne product suitable for application to a substrate and capable of adhering to the substrate when the solvent-borne product is dried and/or cured thereon. The process comprises: (a) combining an initial medium comprising a non-aqueous solvent with a plurality of short-cut multi-component fibers having a length of not more than 25 millimeters, wherein each of the short-cut multi-component fibers have a plurality of discrete solvent insoluble segments and at least one solvent soluble component that substantially isolates the discrete solvent insoluble segments from one another; and (b) dissolving at least a portion of the solvent soluble component in the initial medium without substantially dissolving the solvent insoluble segments, thereby releasing the discrete solvent insoluble segments in the form of short-cut microfibers. The short-cut microfibers have a length of not more than 25 millimeters, an effective diameter of not more than 25 microns, and a longitudinal aspect ratio of at least 50:1. The solvent-borne product comprises at least a portion of the short-cut microfibers, at least a portion of the non-aqueous solvent, and at least a portion of the dissolved solvent soluble component.
[0010] Another embodiment of the present invention concerns a solvent-borne product suitable for application to a substrate and capable of adhering to the substrate when the solvent-borne product is dried and/or cured thereon. The solvent-borne product comprises a non-aqueous solvent, a base polymer, a solvent soluble fiber-forming polymer dissolved in the non-aqueous solvent, and a plurality of short-cut microfibers. The short-cut microfibers have a length of not more than 25 millimeters, an effective diameter of not more than 25 microns, and a longitudinal aspect ratio of at least 50:1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0011] In one embodiment, the present invention concerns solvent-borne products containing short-cut microfibers. In another embodiment, the present invention concerns a process for incorporating short-cut microfibers into solvent-borne products through the use of short-cut multi-component fibers.
[0012] The solvent-borne products provided in accordance with certain embodiments of the present invention can include any solvent-borne product that is suitable for application to a substrate and is capable of adhering to the substrate when the solvent-borne product has dried and/or has been cured thereon. In one embodiment, the solvent-borne product can be selected from the group consisting of a coating, a sealant, a caulk, a mastic, and an adhesive. When the solvent-borne product is a coating, such a coating can be, for example, an automotive coating, an architectural coating, an industrial coating, or a marine coating.
[0013] The solvent-borne product can include a number of components that can be added at various stages during the production of the solvent-borne product. For example, the solvent-borne product can contain at least the following components: a non-aqueous solvent, a base polymer, a solvent soluble component, and a plurality of short-cut microfibers. In certain embodiments, the solvent-borne product can also contain pigments and/or fillers.
[0014] As discussed in detail below, the solvent soluble component and the short-cut microfibers present in the solvent-borne product can originate from short-cut multi-component fibers that have been added to an initial medium under conditions sufficient to cause substantial dissolution of the solvent soluble component in the non-aqueous solvent. In one embodiment, the initial medium to which the short-cut multi-component fibers are added can be formed entirely of the non-aqueous solvent. In another embodiment, the initial medium to which the short-cut multi-component fibers are added can be a pigment grind comprising the pigment, at least a portion of the non-aqueous solvent, optionally the filler, and optionally various grinding aids; but, not containing the base polymer. In yet another embodiment, the initial medium to which the short-cut multi-component fibers are added contains all of the components of the solvent-borne product, except the solvent soluble component and the short-cut microfibers. In this later embodiment, the initial medium can be, for example, a fully-functional coating, sealant, caulk, mastic, or adhesive that has not yet been enhanced with short-cut microfibers.
[0015] The non-aqueous solvent present in the initial medium can consist of one solvent or can be a mixture of two or more solvents. In one embodiment, the non-aqueous solvent is in a solvent class selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbons, alcohols, esters, ketones, glycols, glycol derivatives, and mixtures thereof. Additionally or alternatively, the non-aqueous solvent can be selected from the group consisting of xylene, toluene, ethyl benzene, ethylene glycol, formaldehyde, hexane, methanol, styrene, benzene, methylene chloride, 1,1,1,-trichloroethane, ethoxyethyl propionate, naptha, mineral spirits, acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone, methyl amyl ketone, methyl propyl ketone, 2-propoxyethanol, 2-butoxyethanol, ethyl 3-ethoxypropionate, ethanol, methanol isopropyl alcohol, diacetone alcohol, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether acetate, ethyl acetate, propyl acetate, isopropyl acetate, butyl acetate, isobutyl acetate, diethylene glycol ethyl ether, propylene glycol methyl acetate, ethylene glycol butyl acetate, propylene glycol monomethyl ether, diethylene glycol methyl ether, propylene glycol monobutyl ether, diethylene glycol ethyl ether, propylene glycol monopropyl ether, ethylene glycol monopropyl ether, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, N-methylpyrrolidone, ethyl 3-ethoxypropionate, and mixtures thereof. The solvent-borne product can comprise the non-aqueous solvent in an amount of at least 5, 10, 15, or 20 weight percent and/or not more than 95, 90, 85, or 80 weight percent based on the total weight of the solvent-borne product.
[0016] The base polymer present in the solvent-borne product can consist of a single base polymer or can be multiple base polymers. In one embodiment, the base polymer can be any polymer or mixture of polymers capable of adhering to a substrate when the solvent-borne product is dried and/or cured on the substrate. The base polymer can be selected from the group consisting of acrylics, vinyl-acrylics, epoxides, alkyds, polyesters, styrene block copolymers, polyurethanes, butyl rubbers, ethylene vinyl acetates, starches, polyisobutylenes, dextrins, chlorinated rubbers, EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer) rubbers, nitriles, cyanoacrylates, polyolefins, polyvinyl acetate emulsions and derivatives, silicones, soy-based polymers, polyesters, cellulose esters, animal glues, caseins, polyamides, polysulfides, natural rubbers, and combinations thereof. The solvent-borne product can comprise the base polymer in an amount of at least 5, 10, 15, or 20 weight percent and/or not more than 95, 90, 85, or 80 weight percent based on the total weight of the solvent-borne product.
[0017] In one embodiment, the solvent-borne product and/or the initial medium contain little or no water. Accordingly, the solvent-borne product can comprise water in an amount of not more than 10, 5, 2, or 1 weight percent based on the total weight of the solvent-borne product and/or the initial medium can comprise water in an amount of not more than 10, 5, 2, or 1 weight percent based on the total weight of the initial medium.
[0018] As mentioned above, to make the solvent-borne product, the short-cut microfibers and the solvent soluble component can be added to the initial medium through the use of short-cut multi-component fibers. Each of the short-cut multi-component fibers can comprise a plurality of discrete solvent insoluble segments and at least one solvent soluble component that substantially isolates the discrete solvent insoluble segments from one another.
[0019] The short-cut multi-component fibers can have a number of different cross-sectional configurations including, for example, islands-in-the-sea, striped, segmented pie, sheath-core, and combinations thereof. In one embodiment, the short-cut multi-component fibers have an islands-in-the-sea configuration, with the solvent insoluble segments forming the islands and the solvent soluble component forming the sea. Each short-cut multi-component fiber can comprise at least 5, 10, 20, or 30 individual solvent insoluble segments.
[0020] The solvent soluble component of the short-cut multi-component fiber can be formed of a fiber-forming polymer. As used herein, “fiber-forming polymer” is understood to encompass any polymer that can be formed into a fiber using conventional melt extrusion techniques.
[0021] In one embodiment, the solvent soluble component, in its undissolved state, exhibits a glass transition temperature of at least 40° C., 45° C., 50° C., 55° C., or 57° C. Further, the solvent soluble component, in its undissolved state, can exhibit a melt viscosity of not more than 12,000, 10,000, 8,000, or 6,000 and/or at least 500 1,000, or 2,000 poise measured at 240° C. at a strain rate of 1 radians per second. In certain embodiments, the solvent soluble component can be selected from the group consisting of cellulose esters, acrylic homopolymers, acrylic copolymers, styrenic homopolymers, styrenic copolymers, and combinations thereof.
[0022] The solvent soluble component is at least partially dissolvable in the non-aqueous solvent of the initial medium. In one embodiment, the non-aqueous solvent has a Hildebrand solubility parameter of at least 10, 14, or 16 and/or not more than 30, 26, or 24 MPa 1/2 . The solvent soluble component dissolves more readily in the non-aqueous solvent if they exhibit similar Hildebrand solubility parameters. Therefore, the solvent soluble component can have a Hildebrand solubility parameter within 10, 8, 6, 4, or 2 MPa 1/2 of the Hildebrand solubility parameter of the non-aqueous solvent.
[0023] The multi-component fibers described herein are referred to as “short-cut” since they have been previously cut to a relatively short predetermined length. For example, the short-cut multi-component fibers can have a length of at least 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, or 1.0 millimeter and/or not more than 25, 15, 10, 7.5, 5, or 2.5 millimeters. Additionally, the short-cut multi-component fibers can have an effective diameter of at least 4, 8, 10, or 12 microns and/or not more than 100, 75, 50, or 25 microns. Furthermore, the short-cut multi-component fibers can have a longitudinal aspect ratio of at least 5:1, 10:1, or 20:1 and/or not more than 800:1, 400:1, or 200:1.
[0024] The short-cut microfibers present in the final solvent-borne product can be incorporated by adding the short-cut multi-component fibers to the initial medium. As mentioned above, the initial medium can be any medium containing a non-aqueous solvent. Thus, the short-cut multi-component fibers can be added to the solvent-borne product at any point during its production as long as the non-aqueous solvent is present. In one embodiment, the short-cut multi-component fibers can be added to a fully-functional solvent-borne product after its production. Alternatively, the short-cut multi-component fibers can be added to an initial medium that contains the non-aqueous solvent, but lacks one or more components of the final solvent-borne product. When the initial medium is a pigment grind, the multi-component fibers can be added to the pigment grind before, during, and/or after grinding of the pigment.
[0025] When the short-cut multi-component fibers are added to the initial medium, at least a portion of the solvent soluble component of the short-cut multi-component fibers dissolves in the non-aqueous solvent of the initial medium, while the solvent insoluble segments remain undissolved. This dissolution of the solvent soluble component releases the discrete solvent insoluble segments from the short-cut multi-component fibers in the form of short-cut microfibers. The dissolution of the solvent soluble component can be carried out at a temperature of not more than 50° C., 40° C., 30° C., or 25° C. and can cause at least 75, 90, 95, or 99 weight percent of the solvent soluble component to dissolve in the non-aqueous solvent.
[0026] The short-cut microfibers released into the initial medium (and the solvent insoluble segments from which the short-cut microfibers are derived) can be formed from a synthetic polymer. In one embodiment, the short-cut microfibers and solvent insoluble segments are formed from a material selected from the group consisting of polyolefins, polyesters, copolyesters, polyamides, polylactides, polycaprolactones, polycarbonates, polyurethanes, cellulose esters, acrylics, polyvinyl chlorides, and blends thereof.
[0027] The short-cut microfibers released into the initial medium can have a length of at least 0.05, 0.1, 0.5, or 1 millimeter and/or not more than 25, 15, 10, 7.5, 5, or 2.5 millimeters. In addition, the short-cut microfibers can have an effective diameter of at least 0.05, 0.1, 0.5, or 1 micron and/or not more than 10, 5, 3.5, or 2 microns. Furthermore, the short-cut microfibers can have a longitudinal aspect ratio of at least 50:1, 100:1, 250:1, or 500:1 and/or not more than 5,000:1, 2,500:1, 1,000:1, or 800:1. Additionally or alternatively, the short-cut microfibers can have a transverse aspect ratio of not more than 20:1, 10:1, 5:1, 2:1, 1.5:1, or 1.1:1.
[0028] The short-cut microfibers can have a cross-sectional shape selected from the group consisting of round, wedge-shaped, substantially rectangular, and substantially trapezoidal. In one embodiment, the solvent-borne product comprises the short-cut microfibers in an amount of at least 0.01, 0.05, 0.1, or 0.5 weight percent and/or not more than 10, 5, 2, 1, or 0.5 weight percent based on the total weight of the solvent-borne product. Further, the solvent-borne product can comprise the solvent soluble component in an amount of at least 0.005, 0.01, 0.05, or 0.1 weight percent and/or not more than 5, 2.5, 1, 0.5, or 0.1 weight percent based on the total weight of the solvent-borne product.
[0029] The dissolving of the solvent soluble component in the initial medium forms a short-cut-microfiber-containing mixture comprising the initial medium, the short-cut microfibers, and the solvent soluble component dissolved in the non-aqueous solvent. In one embodiment, various other compounds (e.g., base polymers, additional solvents, and/or pigments) can be added to the short-cut-microfiber-containing mixture to form the final solvent-borne product. In another embodiment, the short-cut-microfiber-containing mixture is the final solvent-borne product.
[0030] The short-cut microfibers can function to enhance the physical properties (e.g., thixotropy, strength, and/or durability) of the solvent-borne product before and/or after the solvent-borne product has dried and/or cured. One particularly advantageous function of the short-cut microfibers can be as a fibrous thixotrope agent used to control the viscosity of the solvent-borne product prior to drying and/or curing.
[0031] The inventors hereby state their intent to rely on the Doctrine of Equivalents to determine and assess the reasonably fair scope of the present invention as it pertains to any apparatus not materially departing from but outside the literal scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.
EXAMPLES
Example 1
[0032] Eastman Tenite® Butyrate from Eastman Chemical Company and polypropylene HIVAL 2412 from Ashland, Inc. were spun into bicomponent islands-in-the-sea cross-section fibers with 37 island fibers using a bicomponent extrusion line. The primary extruder fed polypropylene melt to form the islands in the islands-in-the-sea fiber cross-section structure. The secondary extruder fed the Tenite® Butyrate polymer melt to form the sea in the islands-in-sea bicomponent fiber.
[0033] These islands-in-sea bicomponent fibers were made using a spinneret with 72 holes and a throughput rate of 0.23 gms/hole/minute. The polymer ratio between “islands” polypropylene and “sea” Tenite® Butyrate was 50% to 50%. These bicomponent fibers were spun using an extrusion temperature of 245° C. for the polypropylene component and 245° C. for the Tenite Butyrate component. The bicomponent fiber contains a multiplicity of filaments (74 filaments) and was melt spun at a speed of about 500 meters/minute, forming filaments with a nominal denier per filament of about 4.2. These filaments comprised polypropylene microfiber “islands” having an average diameter of approximately 2.5 microns.
Example 2
[0034] The drawn islands-in-sea bicomponent fibers of Example 1 were cut into short length fibers of 1.5 millimeter lengths, thereby, producing short length bicomponent fibers with 37 islands-in-sea cross-section configurations. These short cut bicomponent fibers comprised “islands” of polypropylene and “sea” of Tenite® Butyrate polymer. The cross-sectional distribution of islands and sea was essentially consistent along the length of these short cut bicomponent fibers.
Example 3
[0035] A solvent-borne coating formulation was prepared as follows: to 29.3 grams of butyl acetate, 58.7 grams of ethyl acetate, and 3.9 grams of isopropyl alcohol were added amounts described in Table 1 of Tenite® Butyrate polymer and the short cut microfiber of Example 2 to yield a liquid formulation with a total solids content (polymer and fiber) of 8.1%. These mixtures were placed on a roller for 24 hours in order to allow both the Tenite® Butyrate polymer pellets and the Tenite® Butyrate polymer present as the sea in the short cut bicomponent fibers of Example 2 to dissolve in the solvent mixture. After 24 hours, the samples were vigorously agitated, and then allowed to stand for one hour. Low shear viscosity measurements were made on the samples using a Brookfield Model DV-II+ Viscometer equipped with a #2 spindle at a shear rate of 0.6 rpm. It can be clearly seen from the data in Table 1 that inclusion of the polypropylene microfibers in the solvent-borne coating formulation significantly enhances the low-shear viscosity of the material.
[0000]
TABLE 1
grams Tenite
grams fiber
wt % PP microfiber
viscosity
Sample
Butyrate
from Ex. 2
in coating
(cps)
Control
8.1
—
0
250
A
7.9
0.2
0.10
1550
B
7.6
0.5
0.25
6800
C
7.1
1.0
0.50
27450
D
6.1
2.0
1.00
48500 | Solvent-borne products enhanced with short-cut microfibers and processes for making such enhanced solvent-borne products are disclosed. The short-cut microfibers can function to impart enhanced physical properties (e.g., enhanced thixotropy) to the solvent-borne products. Solvent-borne products suitable for enhancement with short-cut microfibers include flowable products (e.g., coatings, sealants, caulks, mastics, and adhesives) that can be applied to a substrate and that adhere to the substrate when dried and/or cured. | 2 |
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
This invention relates to jigs which separate materials in a feed mixture on the basis of differing specific gravities and especially, but not exclusively, to centrifugal jigs of the general type described in International Patent Publication Nos. WO86/04269 and WO90/00090, in which a feed slurry is introduced into a rotating chamber bounded radially by a screen provided with ragging on its inner surface, the ragging being dilated repetitively to provide jigging action.
In WO86/04269, the ragging is dilated by pulsing the water in a hutch chamber which surrounds the screen. The water is pulsed by means of a diaphragm positioned at the base of the hutch chamber. In WO90/00090, a number of hutch chambers are circumferentially spaced about the jig screen, with the water in the hutch chambers being pulsed sequentially. Each hutch chamber has a diaphragm positioned below the screen, with the diaphragms being actuated by respective pushrods driven by a central crank assembly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention seeks to provide an improved pulsating mechanism for a jig.
There is disclosed herein a centrifugal jig having a container mounted for rotation about a longitudinal axis thereof, the container having an axial region, a peripheral region including one or more hutch chambers separated from the axial region by ragging which is radially restrained by screen means, means for introducing feed material to the axial region and means for pulsating fluid in said peripheral region so as to repetitively dilate said ragging, characterised in that the pulsating means is located directly radially outwards of said screen means and includes a reciprocating radially outer wall portion of the respective hutch chamber, each reciprocating wall portion including a concentrate outlet and a convergence leading thereto.
Preferably the peripheral region includes a plurality of said hutch chambers circumferentially spaced about said axis, each hutch chamber having respective reciprocating drive means for actuating the respective reciprocating wall portion.
Preferably the reciprocating drive means includes a lever driven by a respective pushrod, and crank means for reciprocating each of the pushrods.
Preferably each reciprocating wall portion is biased to non-pulsating position by centrifugal motion of the jig.
Preferably each reciprocating wall portion includes a diaphragm with a support block.
Preferably each reciprocating wall portion reciprocates along a substantially radial line of action which intersects with the screen.
There is further disclosed herein a method of separating components of a feed material on the basis of specific gravity, the method employing the centrifugal jig of claim 1 and including the steps of introducing the feed material to the axial region and repetitively dilating the ragging by activation of said pulsating means.
There is further disclosed herein a jig having at least one hutch chamber, said hutch chamber having a reciprocating wall portion which includes a concentrate outlet and a convergence leading thereto.
Preferably reciprocation of said wall portion causes pulsation of fluid in the hutch chamber so as to effect repetitive dilation of a ragging layer in the jig.
Preferably the jig is a centrifugal jig and wherein the hutch chamber is located radially outside a screen means which supports the ragging.
Preferably the jig is a gravity jig and the hutch chamber is located below a screen means which supports the ragging.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Further preferred embodiments of the invention shall now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a sectional elevation of a centrifugal jig employing a preferred pulsing hutch arrangement; and
FIG. 2 is a sectional elevation of the screen, hutch and pulsating assembly shown in FIG. 1 .
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 shows a centrifugal jig of the general type according to the Applicant's WO90/00090 but employing a pulsation mechanism according to the present invention. The general construction and operation of the jig are described in detail in that patent, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, and shall now be described here only briefly.
The centrifugal jig of FIG. 1 has a frame 10 supporting a jig drive motor 12 , a crank drive motor 13 , a fixed launder arrangement 14 and cover 16 and a jig main shaft 18 which is supported in bearings 20 to rotate about a rotational axis 22 .
The main shaft 18 is driven by the jig drive motor 12 through jig drive pulley 24 and jig drive belt 26 . Mounted on the main shaft is a screen housing 28 supporting a screen 30 defining an inner chamber 32 and a number of hutch chambers 34 circumferentially spaced about the screen mounted inside the jig main shaft for independent rotation in bearings 35 is a crankshaft 36 with crank 38 for reciprocating a respective pushrod 40 for each hutch chamber.
Ragging material 41 (shown in FIG. 2 ), such as run-of-mill garnet, aluminum alloy or lead glass balls, is provided on the inner surface of the screen 30 . The ragging is held against the surface of the screen due to the rotation of the jig. The feed slurry entering the inner chamber 32 through the feed tube 42 migrates to the inner surface of the ragging.
Hutch water is supplied to tube 43 , passing through bores (not shown) in the screen housing 30 , into each of the hutch chambers 34 circumferentially spaced about the screen. The crank 38 sequentially reciprocates a series of radially extending pushrods 40 , with each pushrod in turn reciprocating a respective hutch chamber 34 , as will be described below with reference to FIG. 2 . The reciprocation of the hutches causes pulsation of the water in the respective hutches.
The ragging is repetitively dilated by the pulsation of the hutch water. This dilation allows the higher specific gravity material in the feed slurry to pass through the ragging and the screen and enter the hutch chambers. The concentrate material then travels along the convergent walls 45 of the hutch to the radially outermost part of the hutch chamber and passes through concentrate outlet spigot 44 , which is aligned with a gap in the inner wall of a concentrate launder 46 . The lower specific gravity material in the feed slurry does not pass through the ragging, but passes upwardly and escapes past the open top 48 of the inner chamber and then to a tailings launder 50 .
The jig of FIG. 1 is mounted for rotation on an inclined axis 22 so that the ragging and feed material in the jig will fall to the lower side of the jig when the jig is stopped or is rotated only slowly. The inclined axis also requires the use of only one outlet from each of the tailings and concentrate launders.
Screen cleaning apparatus 54 is mounted on the stationary jig cover 16 and extends into the high side of the jig, pivoting and retracting between a cleaning position (shown in FIG. 1) for cleaning the screen and a withdrawn position (shown in ghost) radially inwards of the jig feed material, during normal operation of the jig. The cleaning apparatus includes a high pressure water spray 56 and a series of scraper wheels 58 depending from cantilevered cleaner head 59 and acting against the inner surface of the screen, which will typically have a large number of circumferentially elongate slots extending therethrough. The wheels have a series of projecting blades 60 disposed diagonally on their circumference for forcing particles accumulated on the screen to be sheared off at the screen surface and then forced through the screen by the water spray. The wheels are resiliently mounted so as not to cause damage to the screen when an unusually resistant particle is encountered.
In an unillustrated modification, the screen cleaner can include a plurality of spring-mounted buttons on the end face of an enlarged cantilevered cleaner head 59 instead of using scraper wheels 58 . The buttons may be moved up and down across the screen surface to shear off lodged particles for removal by the water spray 56 .
The screen cleaning arrangement is applicable to centrifugal jigs and other equipment employing rotating screens.
FIG. 2 illustrates the new pulsing hutch assembly in more detail.
With reference to FIG. 2, the inner surfaces of the hutch chamber walls are convergent in the direction of travel of a particle—i.e. radially outwards for a centrifugal jig as illustrated, or downwards for a non-rotary jig (not shown)—for example conical or rectangular pyramidal, with the concentrate outlet spigot 44 at its apex. The radially inwards portion 62 of the hutch is part of the casting of the jig screen housing 28 , while the radially outwards part surrounding and attached to the outlet spigot 44 is formed by a diaphragm 64 backed by a support block 66 . Each support block is attached to the upper end of a lever 68 pivoting about a fulcrum member 70 attached to the screen housing 28 . The lower end of each lever is attached to a respective pushrod 40 .
When each pushrod 40 is forced radially outwards by the crank 38 , the respective lever 68 forces radially inwards movement of the hutch diaphragm 64 , with the resultant pulsation of the hutch water in the hutch chamber causing dilation of the ragging. The concentrate material passes through the ragging and exits the hutch chamber via outlet spigot 44 as discussed above in relation to FIG. 1 .
The heavy block 66 behind the diaphragm causes the hutch to be strongly biased toward the radially outwards (non-pulsing) position under influence of the centrifugal motion of the jig. This causes the hutch to quickly and positively return to this position after actuation of the pushrod by the crank, holding the pushrods 40 against the crank 38 with little or no “bounce”. This is an advance over the prior art, in which the pulse water pressure was used to force the diaphragm return, and gives protection against damage to the machine in the event of the hutch water supply being interrupted.
A spring actuated lever return 72 may also be provided to hold the hutch in the non-pulsed position when the jig is stationary or is being rotated at very low speeds for routine maintenance.
By providing the pulsators directly and centrally opposite the respective portions of the screen, in accordance with the first form of the invention, the depth of water through which each pulse is transferred from the pulsator to the ragging is decreased. This allows higher pulsation rates with greater coupling between the pulsator and the ragging, resulting in less water hammer and smoother operation of the jig.
Other advantages of preferred forms of the invention are increased energy efficiency and smoother operation caused by a reduction in the volume of the hutch chamber, and thus the volume of water pulsated, as it is no longer necessary to extend the hutch chamber below the level of the screen. The volume of the hutch may be further reduced as the the rapid pulsation of the hutch wall portion containing the convergent walls and concentrate outlet assists discharge of the concentrate from the hutch. Higher density concentrate slurries can pass through the hutch and the wall angle of the hutch can be reduced without accumulation of concentrate on the hutch wall, thus allowing the use of a flatter, more compact hutch. The reduction in hutch volume gives scope for production of higher capacity jigs than capable with the prior art pulsation mechanisms.
A yet further advantage is more even dilation of the bed of ragging, allowing more efficient use of the screen area and therefore increasing the throughput capacity of the jig, due to the pulsator.
While particular embodiments of this invention have been described, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments and examples are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein. | A centrifugal jig has a container mounted for rotation about its longitudinal axis. The container is separated into an axial region and a peripheral region by ragging material supported by a screen. The peripheral region is composed of a series of hutch chambers with reciprocating wall portions located radially outside the screen, for repetitively dilating the ragging. The disclosed hutch chamber construction has a reciprocating wall portion which includes convergent wall surfaces that narrow toward the hutch chamber concentrate outlet. | 1 |
REFERENCES CITED
[0001] This patent application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/357,369 to Edward Padlo on Jun. 22, 2010 and entitled “High torque helical wind turbine design for a wide range of wind conditions”.
DESCRIPTION
[0002] The wind Auger is a high torque, three-dimensional horizontal axis wind turbine (HAWT) designed for a wide range of wind conditions
[0003] The device is comprised of the following:
Please refer to the drawings at the end of the example for a key to the reference numbers. 1 . Cylindrical support member (CSM) 2 . Rotor shafts and end plates 3 . Wind auger Fins 4 . Top edge of fins 5 . Support ribs 6 . Base or bottom edge of fins 7 . Wind auger 8 . Helical fin row orientation 9 . Back or outer side of fin 10 . Slot opening between fins 11 . Angle and shape of top edge of fin in relation to the CSM 12 . Outer facet of rib 13 . Inner facet of rib 14 . Angle and shape of top edge of fin in relation to the CSM 15 . 120 degree equidistant spacing between rows 16 . Bearings 17 . Support stand 18 . Ideal wind direction 19 . Negative pressure or lift 20 . Direct positive pressure 21 . Mounting tabs 22 . Rotatable structure 23 . Power transmission unit 24 . Dual mount power transmission unit 25 . Chord of the non-linear shape of the top edge of the fins 26 . Chord of the non-linear shape of the base of the fins 27 . Horizontal axis of the HAWT
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0032] Harnessing energy from the wind has been a goal of civilized societies for centuries. modern innovations in turbine designs and power transmission components have allowed communities all over the world to benefit from the clean, abundant energy from the wind. However, many locations are not ideal for conventional wind turbines. Since the power generated by the wind is proportional to the velocity of the wind speed cubed, conventional wisdom has dictated the design trend in wind turbines towards medium to high wind efficient units. This has left most areas with low to medium wind averages with no practical alternative.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0033] The Wind Auger is designed to extract energy from the wind in three distinct ways: positive pressure, aerodynamic drag, and negative pressure or lift. First, the fin surfaces of the Wind Auger facing the wind and perpendicular to its path receive a direct impact effect from the moving mass of air. The helical design of the fin rows and the unique orientation to the wind in which the Wind Auger operates most efficiently offer a large surface area exposed to direct positive pressure. Second, in the preferred embodiment, the ribs ( 5 ) of the fins create an aerodynamic drag effect when the wind strikes them and pulls them around the horizontal axis ( 27 ) of the HAWT. Third, the windward performance of the Wind Auger's fins that are rotating directly into the wind are the result of negative pressure or lift. The angle and orientation of the fins on the Wind Auger when the HAWT is turned out of the wind up to 45 degrees create a unique airfoil profile for each fin advancing into the wind during each rotation. Also, the interrelation of the offset fins on the Wind Auger is important. Wind tunnel tests have shown that the introduction of a slot ( 10 ) between airfoils may enhance the airflow in and around the combined airfoil profiles. However, if the slot is not large enough, air will not be able to pass through freely and it will become turbulent and inefficient; if the slot is too large, the beneficial effect of the combined air flows will be largely dissipated. The combined effects of direct positive pressure, aerodynamic drag, and negative pressure or lift are added empirically, greatly enhancing the performance of the Wind Auger in a wide range of wind conditions.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
[0034] Drawing 1 : Front view, side view, and isometric south-east view
[0035] Drawing 2 : Ideal wind direction in relation to the Wind Auger
[0036] Drawing 3 : 15 degree front view
[0037] Drawing 4 : Fin detail with circumferential orientation
[0038] Drawing 5 : Exploded fin
[0039] Drawing 6 : Single fin row during top rotation
[0040] Drawing 7 : Single fin row during bottom rotation
[0041] Drawing 8 : Fin details
[0042] Drawing 9 : Wind Auger on stand
[0043] Drawing 10 : Wind Auger on rotatable stand
[0044] Drawing 11 : Dual mount rotatable structure
[0045] Drawing 12 : Wind Auger in boxed structure
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0046] Most wind turbines require high sustained wind velocities to perform well, yet many areas of the world have average wind velocities of 5-15 mph. The Wind Auger's unique design develops high torque at relatively low wind speeds. In addition, it is known that the larger the machine the higher the performance value. Since wind turbines are a two dimensional machine, the only way to increase performance is to increase the area swept by the rotor blades. This is trending towards extremely large wind turbines that cannot be accommodated in most places. The Wind Auger's three-dimensional profile can accomplish the same level of performance within a much smaller area. The Wind Auger's diameter and length can be adjusted and manipulated to work in a wide range of situations.
[0047] The wind auger is a device configured and designed to harness wind energy. The wind auger is comprised of a cylindrical support member (CSM) ( 1 ) which extends the length of the device. It may be comprised of any hard, supportive material known in the art, including but not limited to metal, wood, or plastic. Rotor shafts ( 2 ) preferably, but not limited to, 1 inch-3 inch in diameter are mounted with end plates on both ends of the CSM to allow rotation around a horizontal axis. Three rows of fins ( 3 ) originating circumferentially 120 degrees apart, extend helically ( 8 ) along the length of the CSM. Each fin is permanently mounted to the CSM and may be comprised of any light, strong material known in the art, including but not limited to metal, plastic, wood, or fabric. The back sides ( 9 ) of the fins are preferably smooth and stream lined, enhancing their airfoil performance. The front sides of the fins are preferably ribbed, although they may be smooth like the backside. The ribs ( 5 ) in the preferred embodiment provide structural support for the fins and enhance the aerodynamic drag on the front side of the fins. Preferably the fins are attached to the CSM on mounting tabs ( 21 ), but may be attached any way known to the art.
[0048] The fins ( 3 ) of the wind auger are preferably connected to the CSM ( 1 ) in a helical pattern ( 8 ) along its horizontal axis. Any connections described in this application may include any known connections, including bolts, screws, adhesive, etc. The fins are attached at their base ( 6 ) to mounting tabs ( 21 ) on the C.S.M. The mounting tabs are permanently affixed on the CSM in specific spacing and orientation to hold the fin bases so that the chord ( 26 ) of the non-linear shape of the bases is offset up to 45 degrees ( 11 ) in relation to the horizontal axis ( 27 ) of the HAWT. The top edges of the fins are oriented so that the chord ( 25 ) of the non-linear shape of the top edges is offset up to 90 degrees ( 14 ) in relation to the horizontal axis of the HAWT. The different orientations of the bases and top edges of the fins create a twist in the profile of the fin which enhances their unique off wind performance.
[0049] The fins are preferably mounted in three identical helical patterns ( 8 ) oriented 120 degrees apart ( 15 ) spiraling along the horizontal length of the CSM. The leading edge of each fin is spaced circumferentially up to 60 degrees left or right from the trailing edge of the preceding fin of the same row. In the preferred embodiment, there is no overlap between successive fins in each row, however the leading edge of each fin may overlap the trailing edge of each preceding fin by up to 25 percent of said fin's surface area.
[0050] The rotor shafts ( 2 ) are preferably mounted in bearings ( 16 ) which support the CSM and allow it to rotate along its horizontal axis. Preferably, one or both of the rotor shafts are coupled to a power transmission unit ( 23 ) known in the art, including but not limited to pulleys, gear reducers, electric generators, or hydraulic pumps.
[0051] The CSM ( 1 ), rotor shafts ( 2 ) bearings ( 16 ), and fins, ( 3 ) are necessary elements of this invention. The optional elements all provide additional features and benefits as previously described. For example, the mounting tabs ( 21 ) provide support and aid in assembly. The ribs ( 5 ) provide structural integrity and contribute to aerodynamic drag. The support stand ( 17 ) provides support for the Wind Auger and maintains the proper orientation to the wind.
[0052] To make this invention, one could first provide the elements, including a CSM ( 1 ) rotor shafts and end plates ( 2 ), bearings ( 16 ), and fins ( 3 ). In the preferred embodiment the fins are formed by joining together the individual ribs ( 5 ). The shape of the outer facet ( 12 ) of the rib combines with the other ribs to form the smooth aerodynamic outer surface ( 9 ) of the fin. The inner facet ( 13 ) of the rib is formed to create a recessed area or pocket which enhances the aerodynamic drag along the inner surface of the fin. In another embodiment, the fin is stamped from aluminum sheets wherein the non-linear shapes of the tops and bases of the fins, as well as the twist formed by the difference between the two, is pressed into the sheets of aluminum. The ribs are then attached to the front side of the fins to provide support and enhance the aerodynamic drag. All of these elements could be connected using bolts, rivets, and/or screws to produce the Wind Auger as shown.
[0053] The preferred use of the Wind Auger ( 7 ) is to install it on a rotatable structure ( 22 ) with mechanical or electrical sensors to maintain the optimum orientation with the wind. In the preferred embodiment, the wind auger could be connected to a power transmission system ( 23 ) known to the art, including but not limited to pulleys, gear reducers, or electric generators.
[0054] In one embodiment, (drawing 9 and drawing 12 ) the Wind Auger ( 7 ) could be installed on a fixed support structure in a region with prevailing wind patterns. The Wind Auger has an ideal performance angle of up to 45 degrees left or right from front view. However, the wind auger has few dead zones and will perform to some degree at most angles. In another embodiment, (drawing 11 ) two Wind Augers could be mounted on a rotatable structure with a combined center mount dual power transmission unit ( 24 ). In another embodiment, the Wind Auger could be mounted on a transport trailer and moved to temporary locations. The Wind Auger could transfer its converted energy to electrical control panels on site through extension cords, or the wind auger could charge battery packs or compressed air tanks on transfer trailers to be unloaded later. In another embodiment, a Wind Auger with collapsible fabric fins (not shown) could be used in a portable model. They could collapse and store inside the CSM making for easy storage and transport It could be used by outdoor recreation enthusiasts in any number of applications including (but not limited to) campers, hikers, and boaters.
[0055] Regions or locations with low average wind speeds could benefit from the Wind Auger. Because of the unique design of the Wind Auger, multiple units may be installed in close proximity to each other, allowing for a high density of effective area in a wind zone. Because the ideal position is between 15-45 degrees out of the wind, wind augers can be aligned end to end to form a continuous line without a reduction in performance. Wind auger frame works could be linked together to parallel fences or property borders. They could line the peaks of factories or barns. They also could be incorporated into the designs of solar panel arrays.
LIST OF DRAWINGS
[0000]
Drawing 1 : Front view, side view, & isometric south-east view
Drawing 2 : Ideal wind direction
Drawing 3 : 15 degree front view
Drawing 4 : 3 fin detail
Drawing 5 : Exploded fin
Drawing 6 : 1 fin row top section
Drawing 7 : 1 fin row bottom section
Drawing 8 : Fin details
Drawing 9 : Wind auger on stand
Drawing 10 : Rotatable structure
Drawing 11 : Dual mount rotatable structure
Drawing 12 : Boxed structure | The purpose of the Wind Auger is to harness wind energy in a new and efficient manner. The wind auger utilizes a unique fin design and orientation to the wind to achieve superior performance in low to medium wind velocity locations. In addition, the simple, rugged structure of the design results in a quiet, stable performance in high wind situations. The combined effects of direct positive pressure, aerodynamic drag, and negative pressure greatly improve the performance of the Wind Auger in a wide range of wind conditions. This exponential improvement should shift the focus of design of wind turbines from a two-dimensional plane to a three-dimensional space. | 8 |
RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/019,598, filed on Jan. 24, 2008 and entitled “ACCESS DEVICE,” issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,922,696 on Apr. 12, 2011, which claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/886,443, filed Jan. 24, 2007, the entire contents of each hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention is generally directed to access devices for introducing and delivering a catheter cannula or sheath into an artery, vein, vessel, body cavity, or drainage site.
2. Description of the Related Art
A preferred non-surgical method for inserting a catheter or vascular sheath into a blood vessel involves the use of the Seldinger technique, which includes an access needle that is inserted into a patient's blood vessel. A guidewire is inserted through the needle and into the vessel. The needle is removed, and a dilator and sheath combination are then inserted over the guidewire. The dilator and sheath combination is then inserted a short distance through the tissue into the vessel, after which the dilator and guidewire are removed and discarded. The catheter may then be inserted through the sheath into the vessel to a desired location.
A number of vascular access devices are known. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,241,019, 4,289,450, 4,756,230, 4,978,334, 5,124,544, 5,424,410, 5,312,355, 5,212,052, 5,558,132, 5,885,217, 6,120,460, 6,179,823, and 6,210,332 disclose examples of such devices. None of these devices, however, has the ease and safety of use that physicians and other healthcare providers would prefer and, thus, there is a need for an easier-to-use and safer vascular access device, especially one that would clearly indicate when a blood vessel has been punctured.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention involves several features for an access device useful for the delivery of a catheter or sheath into a space within a patient's body, such as, for example, a blood vessel or drainage site. Without limiting the scope of this invention, its more prominent features will be discussed briefly. After considering this discussion, and particularly after reading the Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments section below in combination with this section, one will understand how the features and aspects of this invention provide several advantages over prior access devices.
One aspect of the present invention is an access device for placing a medical article within a body space. The device has a needle section that includes an elongated body and a needle hub. The elongated body has distal and proximal ends. The distal end is configured for insertion into a patient's body. The proximal end is coupled with the needle hub. The device further includes a dilator portion including a dilator and a dilator hub. The dilator is coaxially disposed and slideable over the elongated body of the needle section with the dilator hub being disposed distal of the needle hub. The device further includes a sheath section that has a sheath and a sheath hub. The sheath is coaxially disposed and slideable over the dilator with the sheath hub being disposed distal of the dilator hub. The device further includes a first locking mechanism operably disposed between the needle hub and the dilator hub to inhibit at least unintentional axial movement between the needle section and the dilator portion when the first locking mechanism is engaged and a second locking mechanism operably disposed between the dilator hub and the sheath hub to inhibit at least unintentional axial movement between the dilator portion and the sheath section when the second locking mechanism is engaged. Each of said first and second locking mechanisms is configured to be engaged by moving the respective hubs in a non-axial manner relative to each other. The first locking mechanism is configured to move in a manner different from the manner in which the second locking mechanism is engaged.
Another aspect of the invention is an access device for placing a medical article within a body space. The device includes a needle section including an elongated needle body with a sharp distal tip and a needle hub from which the needle body extends. The device further includes a dilator portion that includes a dilator and a dilator hub. The dilator is coaxially disposed and slideable over the needle body with the dilator hub being disposed distal of the needle hub. The device further includes a sheath section that includes a sheath and a sheath hub. The sheath is coaxially disposed and slideable over the dilator with the sheath hub being disposed distal of the dilator hub. The device further includes a locking mechanism disposed within the dilator and selectively operating between the needle body and the dilator. The locking mechanism is configured to arrest axial movement of the needle body at least in the distal direction once the distal tip of the needle body is drawn into the dilator portion to sheath the distal tip.
Yet another aspect of the invention is an access device for placing a medical article within a body space. The device includes a dilator hub that has a passageway configured to receive an elongated needle. The needle has at least one side receptacle. The device further includes one or more fingers or tangs disposed in the dilator hub and configured to engage with the at least one side receptacle at least when the needle is retracted through the passageway.
Additionally, a releasable interlock can be provided in some embodiments to inhibit relative rotational movement between the needle section and the dilator section, at least when the needle is inserted into a patient. By inhibiting such relative rotational movement, communicating side openings in the needle and the dilator can be held in alignment to provide a simplified passageway through which the blood or fluid may flow. Thus, when the needle enters a blood vessel or drainage site in the patient, blood or other body fluid quickly flows into the passageway. The resulting blood or fluid flash is visible through the sheath section (or catheter) to indicate that the needle tip has entered the vessel or drainage site.
For example, but without limitation, the dilator portion or section can comprise, in some embodiments, a dilator hub and dilator having one or more side openings. The dilator hub may have a luer connection and a releasable locking mechanism. The releasable locking mechanism can be configured to releasably engage and secure the dilator section to another part, such as the needle hub. When the needle hub and the dilator hub are releasably locked to prevent rotation therebetween, one or more of the side openings in the dilator are aligned with one or more side openings in the needle. The locking mechanism can also be configured to inhibit unintentional relative axial movement between the needle and the dilator.
The sheath section preferably, but not necessarily, includes a sheath and sheath hub. The sheath may be made partially or completely from a clear, translucent, semi-opaque, or transparent material. Such transparent, translucent, semi-opaque and clear materials allow a clinician the ability to see when blood or other body fluids flows into the needle, through the needle side opening(s), through the side dilator opening(s), and into the viewing space between the dilator and sheath.
These and other aspects of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, which refers to the attached figures. The invention is not limited, however, to the particular embodiments that are disclosed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the invention disclosed herein are described below with reference to the drawings of preferred embodiments, which are intended to illustrate and not to limit the invention.
FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of an access device configured in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 1B is an enlarged plan view of a needle hub, a dilator hub, and a sheath hub of the access device illustrated in FIG. 1A , shown in an assembled state.
FIG. 1C is a perspective view of the assembly of the needle hub, dilator hub and sheath hub illustrated in FIG. 1B .
FIG. 2A is side view of a needle section of the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1A .
FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view of the needle section of the embodiment depicted in FIG. 2A taken along line A-A.
FIG. 2C is an enlarged plan view of the needle hub of the needle section of FIG. 2B .
FIG. 3A is a side view of the dilator portion of the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1A .
FIG. 3B is a proximal end view of the dilator portion of FIG. 3A .
FIG. 3C is a cross-sectional view of the dilator portion of the embodiment depicted in FIG. 3A , taken along line B-B.
FIG. 3D is an enlarged perspective view of the dilator hub of the dilator portion of FIG. 3A .
FIG. 4A is a side view of a sheath section of the embodiment from FIG. 1A .
FIG. 4B is a proximal end view of the sheath section of FIG. 4A .
FIG. 4C is an enlarged perspective view of the sheath hub of the sheath section of FIG. 4A .
FIG. 5 is a side view of the access device of FIG. 1A .
FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5 which is circled by line C-C.
FIG. 7A is a schematic, enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of the needle within the dilator and illustrates an embodiment of a locking mechanism configured in accordance with one aspect of the present invention.
FIGS. 7B-7D illustrate the operational steps of the locking mechanism of FIG. 7A when arresting relative axial movement between the needle and the dilator.
FIG. 8A is a similar cross-sectional view of a portion of a locking mechanism which is configured in accordance with another preferred embodiment of present invention. FIG. 8A illustrates the locking mechanism in an unlocked state.
FIG. 8B illustrates the locking mechanism of FIG. 8A in a locked state.
FIG. 9A is a schematic, enlarged cross-sectional view of a locking mechanism configured in accordance with an additional embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9A illustrates the locking mechanism in an unlocked state.
FIG. 9B illustrates the locking mechanism of FIG. 9A in a locked state.
FIG. 10A is a schematic, enlarged cross-sectional view of a locking mechanism configured in accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10A illustrates the locking mechanism in an unlocked state.
FIG. 10B is a cross-sectional view of the locking mechanism of FIG. 10A taken along lines 10 B- 10 B.
FIG. 11 is an enlarged exploded view of a dilator hub and locking plate assembly configured in accordance with an additional preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 12A is an enlarged view of an embodiment of the locking plate that can be used with the dilator hub shown in FIG. 11 .
FIG. 12B is an enlarged view of another embodiment of the locking plate that can be used with the dilator hub shown in FIG. 11 .
FIG. 12C is an enlarged view of an additional embodiment of the locking plate that can be used with the dilator hub shown in FIG. 11 .
FIGS. 13A-13D are enlarged views of perimeter shapes that the locking plate can have in accordance with additional embodiments of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present disclosure provides an access device for the delivery of a catheter or sheath to a blood vessel or drainage site. FIG. 1 illustrates an access device 102 that is configured to be inserted into a blood vessel in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. While the access device is described below in this context (i.e., for vascular access), the access device also can be used to access and place a catheter or sheath into other locations within a patient's body (e.g., for draining an abscess) and for other purposes.
FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of an access device 102 . The access device 102 comprises a needle section 20 , a dilator portion 28 , a sheath section (e.g., catheter or cannula) 58 , and a guidewire 120 . In preferred embodiments, the dilator portion 28 is coaxially mounted on the needle section 20 , and the sheath section 58 is coaxially mounted on the dilator portion 28 . The needle section 20 comprises a needle 22 and a needle hub 21 . The needle hub 21 is disposed on a proximal end of the needle 22 . The dilator portion 28 comprises a dilator 30 and a dilator hub 32 . The dilator hub 32 is disposed on the proximal end of the dilator 30 . The sheath section 58 comprises a sheath 54 and a sheath hub 53 . The sheath hub 53 is disposed on the proximal end of the sheath 54 .
FIG. 1B is an enlarged plan view of the needle hub 21 , the dilator hub 32 , and the sheath hub 53 of the access device illustrated in FIG. 1A , shown in an assembled state. The needle hub 21 , the dilator hub 32 , and the sheath hub 53 include structures that releasably interlock the hubs so as to provide a structural and fluid connection between the needle section 20 , the dilator portion 28 , and the sheath section 58 .
FIG. 1C is a perspective view of the assembly of the needle hub 21 , dilator hub 32 and sheath hub 53 illustrated in FIG. 1B . With reference to FIGS. 1A and 1B , the needle section 20 , dilator portion 28 , and sheath section 58 are interlocked at the proximal end 110 of the access device 102 . In some embodiments, the releasable interlock between the needle section 20 , dilator portion 28 , and sheath section 58 is a tandem interlock where the dilator portion 28 is locked to the needle section 20 at interface 101 and the sheath section 58 is locked to the dilator portion 28 at interface 103 . In additional to a structural connection, the interlocks provide a fluidic connection through the access device 102 .
Preferably, the needle section 20 locks to the dilator portion 28 via a lock mechanism 26 . The lock mechanism 26 may comprise an engaging mechanism such as hinged clips 27 with actuator sides 29 . The hinged clips 27 may releasably engage and secure to corresponding catches 25 on the dilator portion 28 . In some embodiments, the clip sides 29 engage and secure the dilator portion 28 by clipping to the outer lip of a luer connection 33 on the dilator portion 28 . Although hinged clips 27 are shown, the lock member 26 may comprise any suitable engaging mechanism known in the art. In the illustrated embodiment, as best seen in FIG. 3B , the portions of the outer lip onto which the hinge clips 27 engage are flats to inhibit rotation of the needle hub 21 relative to the dilator hub 32 after a certain degree of relative rotation (e.g., 180 degrees) between the needle hub 21 and the dilator hub 32 .
Similarly, the sheath section 58 is secured to the dilator portion 28 through a lock member 59 . The sheath section 58 may, preferably, comprise a twist lock member 59 so that the user may releasably engage and secure the dilator portion 28 to the sheath section 58 . In some preferred embodiments, the dilator portion 28 comprises teeth or prongs that are configured to mate or attach to corresponding areas on the sheath section 58 . Preferably, the needle 20 , dilator 28 and sheath 58 are releasably locked so that a physician or user may remove sections or portions of the access device as needed for treatment.
FIG. 2A is side view of the needle section 20 of the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1A . FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view of the needle section 20 depicted in FIG. 2A taken along line A-A. As shown in both FIGS. 2A and 2B , the needle section 20 has a needle 22 , distal portion 106 , and proximal portion 24 . Preferably, the proximal portion 24 has the needle hub 21 and the lock member 26 . In addition, the needle 22 may have a bevel tip 108 disposed on the distal portion 106 . The needle 22 may further comprise one or more side openings 34 .
FIG. 2C is an enlarged plan view of the needle hub 21 of the needle section 20 of FIG. 2B . As most clearly shown in FIG. 2C , the needle hub 21 may also have a luer connection 35 at the proximal portion 24 of the needle 20 . This allows the physician or healthcare provider, for example, to introduce a guidewire 120 through the hollow portion of the luer connection 35 , through the needle 22 , and into a punctured vessel. Additionally, a physician or healthcare provider may also attach a syringe to the luer connection 35 to perform other procedures as desired.
As discussed above, in preferred embodiments, the needle hub 21 comprises the lock member 26 . The lock member 26 may be configured to lock or secure another part such as, for example, the dilator portion 28 or the sheath section 58 , to the needle section 20 . As shown most clearly in FIG. 2C , the lock member 26 can comprise an engaging mechanism such as a pair of hinged clips 27 , although other types of locking mechanisms comprising tabs and/or slots can also be used. Preferably, the clip sides 29 of the hinged clips 27 can engage a lipped surface such as the outer lip of a luer connection 33 , shown in FIG. 1A . Once engaged, the clip sides 29 prevent the locked part from undesired slipping or releasing. In certain embodiments, the clips 27 are hinged to provide a bias towards the center of the needle hub 21 . Preferably, the bias prevents the secured part from slipping or disengaging from the hinged clips 27 . More preferably, the bias of the hinged clips 27 can be overcome by simultaneously applying pressure on the sides 29 of the clips 27 to release, for example, the luer connection 33 from the needle hub 21 . To apply the appropriate releasing pressure, a physician or healthcare provider may, for example, place an index finger and thumb on the sides 29 of the hinged clips 27 and apply squeezing pressure to overcome the hinge bias. The hinged clips 27 will, preferably, release only when sufficient releasing pressure is applied to both clip sides 29 .
As shown most clearly in FIG. 2A , the needle proximal portion 24 may have color coding, words, or other indicia, such as a pivot or notch, to indicate to the operator the position of the bevel tip 108 relative to the dilator 28 or the sheath section 58 . For example, the arrow embedded into the needle hub 21 indicates the bevel up position of the needle 22 and may further indicate to the healthcare provider the proper way to use the device. Also, there may be a mechanical fit between the dilator 28 and the needle 22 so that the physician or healthcare provider would sense by feel or sound (e.g., by a click) when the needle 22 has been rotated to change the position of the bevel tip 108 .
FIG. 3A is a side view of the dilator portion 28 of the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1A . FIG. 3B is a proximal end view of the dilator portion 28 of FIG. 3A . FIG. 3C is a cross-sectional view of the dilator portion 28 of the embodiment depicted in FIG. 3A , taken along line B-B. As shown, the dilator portion 28 may comprise the dilator 30 and the dilator hub 32 . The dilator 30 may further comprise one or more side openings 111 . The dilator hub 32 preferably comprises a luer connection 33 with an outer lip 37 . In some embodiments, the outer lip 37 can be configured to engage to the lock member 26 on the needle section 20 illustrated in FIG. 2C .
Additionally, the dilator 30 may be coaxially mounted to the needle 22 by slipping a hollow section 113 of the dilator 30 over the needle 22 and releasably securing the dilator hub 32 to the needle hub 21 . Preferably, the proximal end 45 of the dilator hub 32 is configured to mechanically fit and interlock with the needle lock member 26 to inhibit at least some rotational and axial motion. More preferably, the dilator 30 is releasably mounted to the needle 22 so that the dilator 30 can be mounted and released, or vice versa, from a coaxial position relative to the needle 22 .
FIG. 3D is an enlarged perspective view of the dilator hub 32 of the dilator portion 28 of FIG. 3A . As is most clearly illustrated in FIG. 3D , the dilator hub 32 may further comprise a locking mechanism 39 . The locking mechanism 39 comprises one or more posts, teeth, or prongs projecting from the dilator hub 32 . The locking mechanism 39 , which may be in the form of teeth, can be configured to mate or attach to corresponding receiving areas disposed on another part such as the sheath section 58 or the needle hub 21 . This locking mechanism 39 will be explained in greater detail in the following section.
FIG. 4A is a side view of the sheath section 58 of the embodiment from FIG. 1A . FIG. 4B is a proximal end view of the sheath section 58 of FIG. 4A . In preferred embodiments, the sheath section 58 comprises a sheath 54 and a sheath hub 53 . The sheath 54 may also be made partially or completely from clear, translucent, transparent, or semi-opaque material. The sheath hub 53 may further comprise winged ends 55 and a lock member 59 .
FIG. 4C is an enlarged perspective view of the sheath hub 53 of the sheath section 58 of FIG. 4A . Preferably, the locking member 59 may comprise a locking or attaching structure that mates or engages with a corresponding structure. As most clearly shown in FIGS. 4B and 4C , the locking member 59 may comprise indentations, bumps, or grooves designed to engage and secure the locking mechanism or teeth 39 on the dilator hub 32 described above with reference to FIG. 3D .
The sheath hub 53 , as best seen in FIGS. 4B and 4C , preferably is designed so that the locking mechanism or teeth 39 of the dilator hub 32 can enter the sheath hub 53 substantially unobstructed. However, in use, once the sheath hub 53 is placed at a desired location over the dilator 30 , the physician or healthcare provider can twist the sheath hub 53 and disengage or engage the locking member 59 . The locking member 59 can be, for example, a protruding bump, dent, etc., that creates a mechanical fit so that the dilator hub 32 and the sheath hub 53 are releasably interlocked. In the illustrated embodiment, the locking member 59 of the sheath hub 53 comprises a pair of axial arranged grooves which extend from a distal side of the sheath hub 53 and terminate at a protruding bump, dent, etc. Preferably, the locked position can be disengaged by twisting the dilator hub 32 relative to the sheath hub 53 . Additionally, the sheath hub may comprise wings 55 or handle structures to allow for easy release and removal of the sheath 54 from other parts of the access device 102 .
In some applications, the wings 55 are sized to provide the healthcare provider with leverage for breaking apart the sheath hub 53 . For example, the sheath hub 53 may comprise a thin membrane 61 connecting the halves of the sheath hub 53 . The membrane 61 is sized to keep the halves of the sheath hub 53 together until the healthcare provider decides to remove the sheath hub 53 from the access device. The healthcare provider manipulates the wings 55 to break the membrane 61 and separate the sheath hub 53 into removable halves.
FIG. 5 is a side view of the access device of FIG. 1A in which the needle section 20 , dilator portion 28 , and sheath section 58 are interlocked together. In the assembly, as noted above the needle section 20 , dilator portion 28 and sheath section 58 are coaxially disposed about a common longitudinal axis and form a central fluid connection.
FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5 which is circled by line C-C. As noted above, the needle 22 , preferably, comprises one or more side openings 34 in its side wall. Additionally, the dilator may comprise one or more side openings 111 . FIG. 6 , however, illustrates the alignment between only one set of corresponding side openings. Other sets of side openings can also be aligned or be misaligned depending upon the relative orientations of the needle and the dilator.
Preferably the dilator 30 may be coaxially positioned to minimize the annular space 36 between the needle 22 and the dilator 30 . The inner surface 38 of the dilator 30 need not, though it can, lie directly against the outer-surface 40 of the needle 22 . Preferably, the annular interface 36 between the outer-surface 40 of the needle 22 and the inner surface 38 of the dilator 30 is minimized to inhibit the flow of blood or its constituents (or other bodily fluids) into the annular interface 36 between the dilator 30 and needle 22 . Advantageously, this feature minimizes the blood's exposure to multiple external surfaces and reduces the risk of contamination, infection, and clotting.
The sheath 54 is made partially or completely from clear, semi-opaque, translucent, or transparent material so that when blood flows into the needle 22 , (1) through the needle side opening 34 , (2) through the dilator side opening 111 , and (3) into an annular space 60 between the dilator 30 and the sheath 54 , the physician or healthcare provider can see the blood. This will indicate to the physician or healthcare provider that the bevel tip 108 of the needle 22 has punctured a blood vessel.
More preferably, the dilator 30 can be coaxially mounted to the needle 22 such that at least one side opening 34 disposed on the needle 22 is rotationally aligned with at least one side opening 111 on the dilator 30 . In some embodiments, the needle 22 and dilator 30 may (both) have multiple side openings 34 , 111 where some or all of these side openings 34 , 111 can be rotationally aligned. Preferably, the needle 22 and dilator 30 maintain rotational alignment so that blood flows substantially unobstructed through the needle side opening 34 and dilator side opening 111 .
While the side openings 34 , 111 in the needle 22 and the dilator 30 are aligned in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6 , the side openings alternatively can overlap with each other or can be connected via a conduit. The conduit can be formed between the side openings 111 , 34 in the dilator and the needle.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an interlock or interconnection between the needle 22 and at least one of the dilator 30 or dilator hub 32 . The interlock or interconnection inhibits the bevel tip 108 disposed on the distal portion 106 of the needle 22 from being advanced beyond the distal end of the dilator 30 once the dilator 30 has been advanced over the needle 22 during use. The dilator 30 thus sheaths the sharp bevel tip 108 of the needle 22 to inhibit accidental needle sticks from occurring.
FIG. 7A is a schematic, enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of the needle 22 within the dilator 30 and illustrates an embodiment of a locking mechanism 115 configured in accordance with one aspect of the present invention. When engaged, the locking mechanism 115 inhibits movement of the needle 22 with respect to the dilator 30 in at least one direction. For example, the locking mechanism 115 can inhibit movement of the needle 22 at least in the distal direction once the distal tip of the needle body is drawn into the dilator portion to sheath the distal tip. The embodiment of the locking mechanism 115 illustrated in FIG. 7A comprises one or more arms or tangs 117 , 119 , one or more bases 121 , 123 , and one or more pivot couplings or hinges 127 , 129 .
The arm 117 may be axially aligned with the arm 119 . Alternatively, the arms 117 , 119 may be offset from each other in a radial direction. The arms 117 , 119 may be slightly rotated relative to each other or disposed at different radial locations on the inside surface of the dilator 30 . The tang or arm 117 , 119 may move in a direction generally transverse to a longitudinal axis of the needle body when engaging the receptacle or hole 131 .
The locking mechanism 115 is illustrated on the dilator 30 . However, the needle 22 may instead comprise the locking mechanism 115 . In the illustrated embodiment, the needle 22 comprises a receptacle, recess, opening, or hole 131 which interacts with the locking mechanism 115 of the dilator 30 when the needle 22 is sufficiently retracted into the dilator 30 . The receptacle, recess, opening, or hole 131 may extend entirely around the needle 22 forming an annular groove or around only a portion of the needle 22 .
For embodiments that have arms 117 , 119 disposed at different radial locations on the inside surface of the dilator 30 , the needle 22 may comprise more than one recess, opening, or hole 131 . The multiple recesses, openings, or holes 131 are disposed at radial locations around the outer surface of the needle 22 that correspond to the radial spacing of the arms 117 , 119 around the inside surface of the dilator 30 .
The arm 117 is coupled to the base 121 via hinge 127 and rotates from an unlocked position to a locked position in a counter-clockwise direction. The arm 119 is coupled to the base 123 via hinge 129 and rotates from an unlocked position to a locked position in a clockwise direction. In the illustrated embodiment, each arm 117 , 119 rotates approximately 90 degrees between the unlocked position and the locked position. However, the locked position may be more or less than 90 degrees from the unlocked position. The arms 117 , 119 need only rotate a sufficient amount to allow their distal ends to abut against a portion of the perimeter of the recess, opening, or hole 131 .
The recess, opening, or hole 131 in the needle 22 locally increases a gap located between an outside surface of the needle 22 and an inside surface of the dilator 30 a sufficient amount to allow the arms 117 , 119 to rotate about their respective hinges 121 , 123 and towards the locked position. When the arm 117 is in the locked position, the needle 22 is inhibited from relative axial movement with respect to the dilator 30 in a proximal direction. When the arm 119 is in the locked position, the needle 22 is inhibited from relative axial movement with respect to the dilator 30 in a distal direction.
The one or more bases 121 , 123 are attached to or integral with the dilator 30 and extend generally towards the coaxially aligned needle 22 . The bases 121 , 123 are sized so as to not interfere with movement of the needle 22 through the dilator 30 while providing hinge points for attachment of the arms 117 , 119 . The arms 117 , 119 are sized to allow movement of the needle 22 through the dilator 30 when the arms 117 , 119 are in the unlocked position. The hinges 127 , 129 permit the arms 117 , 119 to move from the unlocked position illustrated in FIG. 7A to a locked position illustrated in FIG. 7D .
Each arm 117 , 119 can separately move to the locked position when the arm 117 , 119 is axially aligned with the recess, opening, or hole 131 in the needle 22 . Once in the locked position, the hinge 127 , 129 does not permit the arm 117 , 119 to move back to the unlocked position. In some embodiments, the hinges 127 , 129 slightly bias the arms 117 , 119 to move towards the locked position. For example, the tang or arm 117 , 119 can be biased toward the receptacle, recess, opening, or hole 131 .
FIGS. 7B-7D illustrate the operational steps of the locking mechanism 115 of FIG. 7A when arresting relative axial movement between the needle 22 and the dilator 30 . FIG. 7B illustrates the arms 117 , 119 in the unlocked position. In the unlocked position, the recess, opening, or hole 131 in the needle 22 is not axial aligned with the arms 117 , 119 of the locking mechanism 115 . A healthcare provider can move the needle 22 with respect to the dilator 30 in both proximal and distal directions as long as the recess, opening, or hole 131 in the needle 22 stays on the proximal side of the locking mechanism 115 as is illustrated in FIG. 7B .
FIG. 7C illustrates the arm 117 in the locked position. In the locked position, the distal end of the arm 117 is disposed within the recess, opening, or hole 131 in the needle 22 . Once in the locked position, the hinge 127 does not permit the arm 117 to rotate back to the unlocked position. When the arm 117 is in the locked position, the needle 22 may still move in a distal direction with respect to the dilator 32 until the recess, opening, or hole 131 is aligned with the arm 119 .
FIG. 7D illustrates both arms 117 , 119 in the locked position. In the dual locked position, the distal ends of the arms 117 , 119 are disposed within the recess, opening, or hole 131 in the needle 22 . Once in the dual locked position, the hinges 127 , 129 do not permit the arms 117 , 119 to rotate back to the unlocked position. When the arm 119 is in the locked position, the needle 22 is inhibited from moving in the distal direction with respect to the dilator 32 .
FIG. 8A is a similar cross-sectional view of a portion of a locking mechanism 137 which is configured in accordance with another preferred embodiment of present invention. When engaged, the locking mechanism 137 inhibits movement of the needle 22 with respect to the dilator 30 in both directions. The embodiment of the locking mechanism 137 illustrated in FIG. 8A comprises one or more pairs of v-shaped arms 135 , 137 . The pairs of arms 135 , 137 are disposed on diametrically opposite sides of the needle 22 . Alternatively, the arms 135 , 137 may be offset from each other in a radial direction more or less than 180 degrees apart.
The locking mechanism 133 is illustrated on the dilator 30 . However, the needle 22 may instead comprise the locking mechanism 133 . In the illustrated embodiment, the needle 22 comprises a recess, opening, or hole 139 which interacts with the locking mechanism 133 of the dilator 30 when the needle 22 is sufficiently retracted into the dilator 30 . The receptacle, recess, opening, or hole 139 may extend entirely around the needle 22 forming an annular groove or around only a portion of the needle 22 . The needle 22 may comprise more than one recess, opening, or hole 139 . The multiple recesses, openings, or holes 139 are disposed at radial locations around the outer surface of the needle 22 that correspond to the radial spacing of the arms 135 , 137 around the inner surface of the dilator 30 .
The pairs of arms 135 , 137 extend from the dilator 30 towards the needle 22 . Each pair of arms 135 , 137 is biased towards the needle 22 and is illustrated in a compressed or unlocked state in FIG. 8A . In the unlocked state or position, the recess, opening, or hole 139 in the needle 22 is not axial aligned with the arms 135 , 137 of the locking mechanism 133 . A healthcare provider can move the needle 22 with respect to the dilator 30 in both proximal and distal directions as long as the recess, opening, or hole 139 in the needle 22 stays on the proximal side of the locking mechanism 133 as is illustrated in FIG. 8B . Each pair of arms 135 , 137 gently presses against the outer surface of the needle 22 as the needle 22 slides within the dilator 30 when the arms are in the unlocked state. Each pair of arms 135 , 137 can rotate or bend to reach a locked state when the arms 135 , 137 are axially aligned with the recess, opening, or hole 139 .
In the illustrated embodiment, each arm of each pair of arms 135 , 137 rotates towards the other arm between the unlocked position and the locked position. The arms 135 , 137 need only be sufficiently biased so that when the arms 135 , 137 align with the hole 139 their distal ends abut against a portion of the perimeter of the recess, opening, or hole 139 . In the locked position, the distal ends of the arms 135 , 137 are disposed within the recess, opening, or hole 139 in the needle 22 .
The recess, opening, or hole 139 in the needle 22 locally increases a gap located between an outside surface of the needle 22 and an inside surface of the dilator 30 a sufficient amount to allow the arms 135 , 137 to flex from their biased or unlocked state towards the locked position. FIG. 8B illustrates the pair of arms 135 of the locking mechanism 133 of FIG. 8A in a locked state. When one or both of the pair of arms 135 , 137 is in the locked position the needle 22 is inhibited from relative axial movement with respect to the dilator 30 in both proximal and distal directions.
In the unlocked state Illustrated in FIG. 8A , the arms 135 , 137 are biased to contact the needle 22 but not substantially interfere with movement of the needle 22 through the dilator 30 . The arms 135 , 137 are sized in their unbiased or locked state to inhibit movement of the needle 22 through the dilator 30 . The biasing of the arms 135 , 137 moves the arms 135 , 137 from the unlocked position illustrated in FIG. 8A to the locked position illustrated in FIG. 8B .
Each pair of arms 135 , 137 can separately move to the locked position when the pair of arms 135 , 137 is axially aligned with the recess, opening, or hole 139 in the needle 22 . Once in the locked position, the size and shape of the pair of arms 135 , 137 inhibit movement back to the unlocked position.
FIG. 9A is a schematic, enlarged cross-sectional view of a locking mechanism 141 configured in accordance with an additional embodiment of the present invention. When engaged, the locking mechanism 141 inhibits movement of the needle 22 with respect to the dilator 30 in both directions. The embodiment of the locking mechanism 141 illustrated in FIG. 9A comprises a protrusion 143 .
The locking mechanism 141 is illustrated on the dilator 30 . However, the needle 22 may instead comprise the locking mechanism 141 . In the illustrated embodiment, the needle 22 comprises a recess, opening, or hole 145 which interacts with the locking mechanism 141 of the dilator 30 when the needle 22 is sufficiently retracted into the dilator 30 . The receptacle, recess, opening, or hole 145 may extend entirely around the needle 22 forming an annular groove or around only a portion of the needle 22 . The needle 22 may comprise more than one recess, opening, or hole 145 .
The protrusion 143 extends from the dilator 30 towards the needle 22 and is biased towards the needle 22 . FIG. 9A illustrates the protrusion 143 in a compressed or unlocked state. In the unlocked state or position, the recess, opening, or hole 145 in the needle 22 is not axial aligned with the protrusion 143 of the locking mechanism 141 . A healthcare provider can move the needle 22 with respect to the dilator 30 in both proximal and distal directions as long as the recess, opening, or hole 145 in the needle 22 stays on the proximal side of the locking mechanism 141 as is illustrated in FIG. 9A . The protrusion 143 gently presses against the outer surface of the needle 22 as the needle 22 slides within the dilator 30 when the locking mechanism 141 is in the unlocked state. At least a portion of the protrusion 143 can extend to reach a locked state when the protrusion 143 is axially aligned with the recess, opening, or hole 145 .
The protrusion 143 need only be sufficiently biased so that when the protrusion 143 aligns with the hole 145 its distal end abuts against a portion of the perimeter of the recess, opening, or hole 145 . In the locked position, the distal end of the protrusion 143 is disposed within the recess, opening, or hole 145 in the needle 22 .
The recess, opening, or hole 145 in the needle 22 locally increases a gap located between an outside surface of the needle 22 and an inside surface of the dilator 30 a sufficient amount to allow the protrusion 143 to flex or extend from its biased or unlocked state towards the locked position. FIG. 9B illustrates the protrusion 143 of the locking mechanism 141 of FIG. 9A in a locked state. When the protrusion 143 is in the locked position the needle 22 is inhibited from relative axial movement with respect to the dilator 30 in both proximal and distal directions.
In the unlocked state Illustrated in FIG. 9A , the protrusion 143 is biased to contact the needle 22 but not substantially interfere with movement of the needle 22 through the dilator 30 . The protrusion 143 is sized in its unbiased or locked state to inhibit movement of the needle 22 through the dilator 30 . The biasing of the protrusion 143 moves the distal end of the protrusion from the unlocked position illustrated in FIG. 9A to the locked position illustrated in FIG. 9B .
FIG. 10A is a schematic, enlarged cross-sectional view of a locking mechanism 147 configured in accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention. When engaged, the locking mechanism 141 inhibits movement of the needle 22 with respect to the dilator 30 in both directions. The embodiment of the locking mechanism 141 illustrated in FIG. 10A comprises a detent 149 .
The locking mechanism 147 is illustrated on the dilator 30 . However, the needle 22 may instead comprise the locking mechanism 147 . In the illustrated embodiment, the needle 22 comprises a recess, opening, or hole 151 which interacts with the locking mechanism 149 of the dilator 30 when the needle 22 is sufficiently retracted into the dilator 30 . The receptacle, recess, opening, or hole 151 may extend entirely around the needle 22 forming an annular groove or around only a portion of the needle 22 . The needle 22 may comprise more than one recess, opening, or hole 151 .
The detent 149 extends from the dilator 30 towards the needle 22 and rides in an axial groove in the needle 22 . The proximal end of the groove connects with the hole 151 . FIG. 10A illustrates the detent 149 in an unlocked state. In the unlocked state or position, the recess, opening, or hole 151 in the needle 22 is not axial aligned with the detent 149 of the locking mechanism 147 . A healthcare provider can move the needle 22 with respect to the dilator 30 in both proximal and distal directions as long as the recess, opening, or hole 151 in the needle 22 stays on the proximal side of the locking mechanism 147 as is illustrated in FIG. 10A . The detent 149 rides in the groove in the outer surface of the needle 22 as the needle 22 slides within the dilator 30 when the locking mechanism 147 is in the unlocked state. The detent 149 and groove further inhibit relative rotation of the needle 22 with respect to the dilator 30 . The detent 149 reaches a locked state when the detent 149 is axially aligned with the recess, opening, or hole 151 .
The recess, opening, or hole 151 in the needle 22 locally increases a gap located between a bottom surface of the groove in the needle 22 and an inside surface of the dilator 30 a sufficient amount to allow the detent 149 to flex or extend from a biased or unlocked state towards the locked position. FIG. 10B illustrates the detent 149 of the locking mechanism 147 in the unlocked state. While not illustrated, when the detent 149 is in the locked position the needle 22 is inhibited from relative axial movement with respect to the dilator 30 in both proximal and distal directions.
In the unlocked state illustrated in FIGS. 10A and 10B , the detent 149 is slightly biased to contact the bottom of the groove in the needle 22 but not to substantially interfere with movement of the needle 22 through the dilator 30 . The detent 149 is sized in its unbiased or locked state to inhibit movement of the needle 22 through the dilator 30 .
FIG. 11 is an enlarged exploded view of a dilator hub and locking plate assembly 153 configured in accordance with an additional preferred embodiment of the present invention. The assembly 153 includes a dilator hub 155 and one or more fingers or tangs 162 . The one or more fingers or tangs 162 are spaced and sized such that they enter or snap into the side hole or holes in the needle 22 when the needle 22 is retracted. In some applications, a single finger or tang 162 is employed.
The one or more fingers or tangs 162 inhibit the bevel tip 108 disposed on the distal portion 106 of the needle 22 from being advanced beyond the distal end of the dilator 30 once the dilator 30 has been advanced over the needle 22 during use. The dilator 30 thus sheaths the sharp bevel tip 108 of the needle 22 to inhibit accidental needle sticks from occurring.
The one or more fingers or tangs 162 may be integrated into the dilator hub 155 or part of a separate structure that is combined with the dilator hub 155 . In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 11 , the one or more fingers or tangs 162 are formed on a separate structure in the form of a locking plate 157 ( a )-( c ). In this way, the locking plate 157 ( a )-( c ) comprises the one or more fingers or tangs 162 . Exemplary locking plates 157 ( a )-( c ) are illustrated in FIGS. 12A-12C . Of course the structure of the locking plates 157 ( a )-( c ) is not limited to the illustrated embodiments. For example, the locking plate 157 could be configured to include one or more of the locking mechanisms illustrated in FIGS. 7A , 8 A, 9 A, and 10 A. For embodiments that have the one or more fingers or tangs 162 integrated into the dilator 155 , the assembly 153 need not include a separate locking plate 157 .
The dilator hub 155 and locking plate 157 ( a )-( c ) may be separately manufactured and assembled as is illustrated in FIG. 11 or manufactured as a unitary assembly. The dilator hub 155 and locking plate 157 ( a )-( c ) may be manufactured from the same or different materials, including, for example, plastics, metals, combinations thereof, and other materials. The locking plate 157 can be co-molded within the dilator hub 155 to form a unitary assembly. For example, a metal locking plate 157 can be molded into a plastic dilator hub 155 . As explained above, a separate structure in the form of the locking plate 157 is for the In some applications, the locking plates 157 ( a )-( c ) are movable with respect to the dilator hub 155 between unlocked and locked positions.
The dilator hub 155 is similar to the dilator hub 32 illustrated in FIG. 3A except that the dilator hub 155 is configured to slideingly receive the one or more locking plates 157 ( a )-( c ) through one or more slots 158 ( a )-( c ). While multiple locking plates 157 ( a )-( c ) and slots 158 ( a )-( c ) are illustrated in FIG. 11 , only a single locking plate 157 ( a )-( c ) and slot 158 ( a )-( c ) can inhibit movement of the needle 22 . In some applications, multiple locking plates 157 ( a )-( c ) are inserted from different sides of the dilator hub 155 so that the fingers or tangs 162 from the locking plates 157 ( a )-( c ) combine to completely surround the needle 22 even though separately the tangs or fingers 162 of each locking plate 157 would not surround the needle 22 . The slot 158 ( a )-( c ) need not be arranged perpendicular to the axis of the needle 22 or located in a specific side or surface of the dilator hub 155 as is illustrated in FIG. 11 . Multiple locking plates 157 ( a )-( c ) may be inserted into a single slot 158 .
A healthcare provider slides the locking plate 157 ( a )-( c ) from an unlocked position to a locked position relative to the dilator hub 155 . The locking plate 157 ( a )-( c ) may be completely removed from the slot 158 ( a )-( c ) or partially inserted into the slot 158 ( a )-( c ) when in the unlocked position. When the locking plate 157 ( a )-( c ) is in the locked position, the needle 22 is disposed in a hole or center region 160 of the locking plate 157 ( a )-( c ). The small size of the guide wire 120 inside the needle 22 does not affect the locking feature of the assembly.
FIG. 12A is an enlarged view of an embodiment of a locking plate 159 that can be used with the dilator hub 155 shown in FIG. 11 . The locking plate 159 comprises a hole 160 surrounded by one or more fingers or tangs 162 . An opening 164 extends from an outer perimeter of the locking plate 159 to the hole 160 . The opening 164 permits the locking plate 159 to be inserted into the dilator hub 155 after the needle 22 is inserted through the dilator hub 155 . The needle 22 passes through the opening 164 as the locking plate 159 is slid into the slot 158 and eventually enters the hole 160 when the locking plate 159 is in the locked position or state. Since the one or more fingers or tangs 162 do not extend entirely around the needle 22 when the needle 22 is inserted through the dilator hub 155 , preferably the one or more side holes, receptacles, or annular groove in the needle 22 extend or are spaced radially about the needle 22 so that one of the fingers or tangs 162 will catch the one or more side holes, receptacles, or annular groove when the one or more side holes, receptacles, or annular groove passes through the locking plate 159 .
When in the locked position, at least one of the distal ends of the fingers or tangs 162 extends a sufficient distance toward the needle 22 to enter a hole or slot in the needle 22 and inhibit further axial movement of the needle 22 . In some applications, the hole or slot in the needle 22 falls onto the finger or tang 162 . The hole may be the one or more side openings 34 in the side wall of the needle 22 or the receptacle, recess, opening, or hole 131 , 139 , 145 , and 151 illustrated in, for example, FIGS. 7A , 8 A, 9 A, and 10 A, respectively. In some applications, the receptacle, recess, opening, or hole 131 , 139 , 145 , and 151 is the same structure as the one or more side openings 34 .
FIG. 12B is an enlarged view of another embodiment of a locking plate 161 that can be used with the dilator hub 155 shown in FIG. 11 . The locking plate 161 comprises a hole 160 surrounded by one or more fingers or tangs 162 . An opening 164 extends from an outer perimeter of the locking plate 161 to the hole 160 . The opening 164 permits the locking plate 161 to be inserted into the dilator hub 155 after the needle 22 is inserted through the dilator hub 155 . The needle 22 passes through the opening 164 as the locking plate 161 is slid into the slot 158 and eventually enters the hole 160 when the locking plate 161 is in the locked position or state.
Since the one or more fingers or tangs 162 do not extend entirely around the needle 22 when the needle 22 is inserted through the dilator hub 155 , preferably the one or more side holes, receptacles, or annular groove in the needle 22 extend or are spaced radially about the needle 22 so that one of the fingers or tangs 162 will catch the one or more side holes, receptacles, or annular groove when the one or more side holes, receptacles, or annular groove passes through the locking plate 161 .
FIG. 12C is an enlarged view of an additional embodiment of a locking plate 163 that can be used with the dilator hub 155 shown in FIG. 11 . The locking plate 163 comprises a hole 160 surrounded by one or more fingers or tangs 162 . Unlike the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 12A and 12B , the locking plate 163 has a closed pedal 166 instead of an opening. Further, the fingers or tangs 162 extend all the way around the needle 22 . When the needle 22 passes through the dilator hub 155 , the side hole in the needle 22 will be caught by the fingers or tangs 162 irrespective of whether the needle 22 is rotated relative to the dilator hub 155 .
In this embodiment, the locking plate 163 is inserted in the dilator hub 155 before the needle 22 is axially inserted into the dilator hub 155 . Since the fingers or tangs 155 extend entirely around the needle 22 , a sheath or mandrel temporarily covers the side hole in the needle 22 to allow the needle 22 to be assembled through the dilator hub 155 . Once assembled, the sheath or mandrel is removed from the needle 22 .
FIGS. 13A-13D are enlarged views of perimeter shapes that the locking plate 157 ( a )-( c ) can have in accordance with additional embodiments of the present invention. Any of the perimeter shapes illustrated in FIGS. 13A-D can be added to any of the locking plates 159 , 161 , 163 . Of course the perimeter shapes are not limited to the illustrated embodiments. In some applications, the perimeter shape is selected to prevent the locking plate 157 from being removed from the dilator hub 155 or merely inhibit the locking plate 157 from falling out of the dilator hub 155 .
The slot 158 ( a )-( c ) in the dilator hub 155 would include corresponding shaped surfaces which engage with the perimeter shape 165 , 167 , 169 of the locking plate to inhibit the healthcare provider from removing the locking plate from the dilator hub 155 once the locking plate 157 has been slid to the locked position. In this way, the healthcare provider is prevented from accidently removing the locking plate and releasing the needle 22 .
The embodiments herein described are comprised of conventional, biocompatible materials. For example, the needle preferably consists of a rigid polymer or a metal such as stainless steel, nitinol, or the like. The other elements can be formed of suitable polymeric materials, such as nylon, polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, polypropylene, fluoropolymers and copolymers such as perfluoro (ethylene-propylene) copolymer, polyurethane polymers or co-polymers.
As noted above, the present access device can be used to place a catheter at other locations within a patient's body. Thus, for example, but without limitation, the access device can be used with a variety of catheters to drain fluids from abscesses, to drain air from a pneumotorax, and to access the peritoneal cavity. In such applications, body fluids flow into the viewing space to indicate when the needle has been properly placed.
Although this invention has been disclosed in the context of certain preferred embodiments and examples, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention extends beyond the specifically disclosed embodiments to other alternative embodiments and/or uses of the invention and obvious modifications and equivalents thereof. In addition, while a number of variations of the invention have been shown and described in detail, other modifications, which are within the scope of this invention, will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art based upon this disclosure. It is also contemplated that various combinations or subcombinations of the specific features and aspects of the embodiments may be made and still fall within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that various features and aspects of the disclosed embodiments can be combined with or substituted for one another in order to form varying modes of the disclosed invention. Thus, it is intended that the scope of the present invention herein disclosed should not be limited by the particular disclosed embodiments described above, but should be determined only by a fair reading of the disclosure. | An access device places a medical article within a body space of a patient. The device has a needle section that includes an elongated body and a needle hub. The device further includes a dilator portion that has a dilator and a dilator hub. The dilator is coaxially disposed and slideable over the elongated body of the needle section. The device further includes a sheath section that has a sheath and a sheath hub. The sheath is coaxially disposed and slideable over the dilator. The device further includes a first locking mechanism operably disposed between the needle hub and the dilator hub to inhibit at least unintentional axial movement between the needle section and the dilator portion and a second locking mechanism operably disposed between the dilator hub and the sheath hub to inhibit at least unintentional axial movement between the dilator portion and the sheath section. | 0 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a furnace firing apparatus and method for burning pulverized fuel and, more particularly, to such an apparatus and method for use in large arch firing units or for use in burning low volatile fuel.
Over the years a wide variety of burner and furnace designs have been developed for handling and burning pulverized fuels. In a typical coal-fired furnace, pulverized coal, suspended in primary air, is delivered from a pulverizer, or mill, to the coal burners, or nozzles, and secondary air is provided to supply a sufficient amount of oxygen to support combustion. After initial ignition by a high energy arc igniter or small oil or gas conventional gun igniter, the subsequent incoming coal is ignited by recirculating a portion of the hot gases, generated from the combustion of previously introduced coal, into the incoming fuel stream.
Low volatile fuels, such as anthracite, antracite silt and petroleum coke, have less than one-third of the volatile matter of other fuels, and they require more time to ignite and longer time for complete, or near complete, combustion. The self-sustaining method as described above results in an inefficient method of burning low volatile fuels since a relatively large amount of the fuel will remain unconsumed, unless an arch unit is utilized. In an arch unit, this self-sustaining flame is produced by down-firing the coal into the furnace and introducing secondary air further down. This process can be enhanced by using conventional cyclone burners to introduce the fuel into the furnace with less suspension air.
To increase the percentage of low volatile fuel which can be consumed in arch fired furnaces, the length of the arch can be increased to subject the fuel to a longer burn time. However, there are physical and economical limits to a furnace's arch length. When these limits are reached, multiple arches are required. Lining a furnace with multiple arches, however, significantly increases the cost of both building and operating the furnace since each arch requires fuel and air inlets and initial ignition by conventional igniters.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved furnace firing apparatus and method for burning low volatile fuels which increases the combustion efficiency over current designs.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved furnace firing apparatus and method which reduces the cost of operating large furnaces which require multiple burners.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved furnace firing apparatus and method which increases the firing capacity of a furnace without penalizing its performance.
Toward the fulfillment of these and other objects, the furnace firing apparatus and method of the present invention provides both a primary row of burners and a secondary row of burners. The primary burners are aligned near the top of a combustion chamber in such a manner as to deliver fuel in a downward direction. The secondary burners are located below the primary burners and aligned to entrain a portion of the combustion products resulting from the combustion of the flow from the primary burners. Secondary air is provided by a pair of plenum chambers to support combustion of the fuel discharged from each burner. An intermediate row of burners, along with an associated plenum chamber, can be located between the primary and secondary rows of burners to result in even longer burn periods.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The above brief description, as well as further objects, features and advantages of the present invention, will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of presently preferred but nonetheless illustrated embodiments in accordance with the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein: FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view depicting the firing apparatus of the present invention; and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view depicting an alternative embodiment of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the drawing, the reference numeral 10 refers in general to a standard furnace. The furnace has a housing 11 which is formed by base walls 12 and 12a, opposite side walls 14 and 14a, front and back walls (not shown) and arch top walls 16 and 16a which together form a continuous and integral structure. Although not shown in the drawing, it is understood that the walls 12, 12a, 14, 14a, 16 and 16a (and those not shown) include an appropriate thermal insulation material.
The left half of the furnace 10 as viewed in the drawing is formed by mirror images of all structures described on the right half, and therefore will not be described in detail.
The side wall 14 of the furnace housing 11 is formed by a lower vertical segment 18 extending upwardly from the base wall 12, an inwardly pinched-in segment 20 extending upwardly from the segment 18 at an intermediate level spaced above the base wall 12, an outwardly sloping segment 22 extending upwardly from the pinched in segment 20 and an upper vertical segment 24 extending upwardly from the outwardly sloping segment 2 to the arch top wall 16.
The base walls 12 and 12a of the furnace housing 11 do not meet but are instead divided by an opening 25 which extends along their entire length from the front wall to the back wall. Extending downwardly from the perimeter of the opening 25 are two vertical, spaced walls 26 and 26a which define a passage to an ash pit (not shown). Likewise, the two arch top walls 16 and 16a are spaced apart to define an opening 27 which extends along their entire length from the front wall to the back wall. Rising upwardly from the perimeter of the opening 27 are two vertical, spaced walls 28 and 28a which define a passage into an upper furnace (not shown).
A combustion chamber 30 is located within the furnace housing 11 and is defined by two base walls 32 and 32a, front and back walls (not shown) and opposite side walls 34 and 34a which together form a continuous and integral structure. The side wall 34 is formed by an outwardly sloping segment 36 extending upwardly from the base wall 32, a vertical segment 38 extending upwardly from the outwardly sloping segment 36, an inwardly sloping segment 40 extending upwardly from the vertical segment 38 and a vertical segment 42 extending upwardly from the inwardly sloping segment 40 and in a closely-spaced relation to the wall 28.
The walls 32, 32a, 34, 34a and the front and back walls which define the combustion chamber 30 are formed with boiler tubes through which a heat exchange fluid is circulated in a conventional manner.
As shown in the drawing, the upper end portions of the base walls 32 and 32a are spaced apart to define an opening 33 in alignment with the opening 25 to help define the passage to the ash pit (not shown).
A series of ducts 44 extend through aligned openings formed through the arch top wall 16 and the side wall segment 40. A primary burner 46 is mounted in the duct 44 and is aligned to deliver fuel, suspended in air commonly known as "primary air", in a generally downward direction into a primary combustion zone Z1 in the combustion chamber 30. The burner 46 is preferably of the type which bleeds off a portion of the primary air suspending the fuel before the fuel is delivered into the combustion chamber 30 to improve the burning of the fuel by reducing the amount of primary air in the primary combustion zone Z1. The cyclone burner is one such burner. Although not shown in the drawing for the convenience of presentation, it is understood that various conventional devices can be provided that produce ignition energy for a short period of time to ignite the fuel particles discharging from the primary burner 46.
An air plenum chamber 48 is defined between the side wall segments 38 and 24, the arch top wall 16, the back walls (not shown), a vertical wall 50 extending between and parallel to the wall segment 24 and the wall segment 42, and an angled wall 52 extending from the wall segment 24 to the wall segment 38. A pair of partitions 54 and 56 divide the plenum chamber 48 into three compartments 48a, 48b and 48c. An air inlet 58 extends through the side wall segment 24 and is in communication with the plenum chamber 48 for delivering air, commonly known as "secondary air", from an external source (not shown) to the chamber. A perforated air distribution plate 60 is provided covering an opening 38a in the side wall segment 38 for discharging pressurized air from the plenum chamber 48 and the opening 38a into the primary combustion zone Z1 of the combustion chamber 30 to support combustion of the fuel being discharged from the primary burner 46.
Air dampers 62 are provided in each of the plenum chamber compartments 48a, 48b and 48c for controlling the flow of secondary air through the compartments. The dampers 62 are suitably mounted in the compartments 48a, 48b and 48c for pivotal movement about their centers in response to actuation of external controls (not shown) to vary the effective openings of the compartments and thus control the flow of secondary air through the compartments. Since these dampers 62 are of a conventional design they will not be described in any further detail.
The flame and combustion gas flow pattern caused by the burning of fuel discharged from the primary burner 46 is depicted by the flow arrows in the drawing. The flame begins in a downward direction into the primary combustion zone Z1 as shown by flow arrow A due to the momentum of the fuel and air discharging from the primary burner 46. The flame, the hot combustion gases and any unspent fuel then turn and travel upwardly along the path generally depicted by flow arrow B due to the natural forces of convection and the impact of the combustion supporting air from the distribution plate 60. A majority of the combustion gases continue in this upward direction and rise to the upper regions of the furnace as depicted by flow arrow C where their heat can be productively utilized. However, a portion of the combustion gases and the unspent fuel are entrained into the jet flow of fuel and air being discharged from the primary burner 46 as portrayed by flow arrow D. The entrained combustion gases are hot enough to ignite the fuel discharging from the primary burner 46 thereby enabling both fuel discharging from the primary burner 46, as well as the entrained unspent fuel, to burn which eliminates the need for additional ignition energy from an ignition device after the initial start-up of the system.
The apparatus and method described thus far is generally known. According to the present invention, a series of ducts 64 extend through aligned openings formed through the side wall segments 22 and 38. A secondary burner 66 is mounted in the duct 64 and is aligned to deliver fuel, suspended in air, preferentially in a downward direction into a secondary combustion zone Z2 which extends in the combustion chamber 30 below the primary combustion zone Z1. The burner 66 is also preferably of the type which, like a cyclone burner, bleeds off a portion of the primary air suspending the fuel before the fuel is delivered into the combustion chamber 30. It is understood that the secondary burner 66 can either be fixed or adjustable to direct the fuel where needed for the purpose of entraining combustion gases and unspent fuel from the primary combustion zone Z1 as depicted by flow arrow E. These entrained combustion gases are hot enough to ignite the fuel discharging from the secondary burner 66 which eliminates the need for an ignition device associated with the secondary burner.
Two angled walls 68 and 70 extend between the wall segments 18 and 36 and define with the latter segments and front and back walls (not shown) an air plenum chamber 72. A pair of partitions 74 and 76 divide the plenum chamber 72 into three compartments 72a, 72b and 72c. An air inlet 78 extends through the side wall segment 18 and is in communication with the plenum chamber 72 for distributing secondary air from an external source (not shown) to the chamber. A perforated air distribution plate 80 is provided covering an opening 36a in the side wall segment 36 for discharging pressurized air from the plenum chamber 72 and the opening 36a into the secondary combustion zone Z2 of the combustion chamber 30 to support combustion of the fuel being discharged from the secondary burner 66.
Air dampers 82 are provided in each of the plenum chamber compartments 72a, 72b and 72c for controlling the flow of secondary air through the compartments. The dampers 82 are suitably mounted in the compartments 72a, 72b and 72c for pivotal movement about their centers in response to actuation of external controls (not shown) to vary the effective openings of the compartments and thus control the flow of secondary air through the compartments. Since these dampers 80 are of a conventional design they will not be described in any further detail.
In the preferred embodiment, the burning of the fuel discharged from the secondary burner 66 into the secondary combustion zone Z2 of the combustion chamber 30 creates a pattern composed of flame, combustion gases and unspent fuel as depicted by the flow arrows F and G. The flame begins in a downward direction as shown by flow arrow F due to the momentum of the fuel and air discharging from the secondary burner 66. The flame, the resulting combustion gases and any unspent fuel then turn and travel upwardly along the path generally depicted by flow arrow G due to the natural forces of convection and the impact of the combustion supporting air from the distribution plate 80. A majority of the combustion gases continue in this upward direction and rise to the upper regions of the furnace as depicted by flow arrow C, but a portion of the combustion gases and unspent fuel are entrained into the jet flow of fuel and air being discharged from the primary burner 46 as shown by flow arrow D.
In operation, fuel, suspended in air, is discharged into the primary combustion zone Z1 of the combustion chamber 30 via the primary burner 46. Initially, this fuel is ignited by a device such as a high-energy arch igniter or a small oil or gas conventional gun igniter (not shown). The resulting flame and combustion gases travel downwardly as shown by flow arrow A due to the momentum of the incoming jet of fuel. Combustion supporting air is delivered into the primary combustion zone Z1 from the plenum chamber 48 through the opening 38a in the side wall segment 38 and the distribution plate 60. The flow of the combustion supporting air is controlled by the air dampers 62 to match the slow burning characteristic of the low volatile fuel.
At this point, the path taken by the combustion products depends on whether the secondary air and fuel burner 66 is firing. If the secondary burner 66 is not firing, the furnace 10 of the present invention operates as those furnaces known in the art. Specifically, the flame, the combustion gases and any entrained unspent fuel from the primary combustion zone Z1 start to turn and travel upwardly as shown by flow arrow B due to the natural forces of convection and the impact of the combustion supporting air from the distribution plate 60. A majority of the combustion gases continue in this upward direction and rise to the upper regions of the furnace as depicted by flow arrow C where their heat can be productively utilized. A portion of the combustion gases and the unspent fuel are entrained into the jet flow of fuel and air being discharged from the primary burner 46 as shown by flow arrow D. The entrained combustion gases are hot enough to ignite the fuel discharging from the primary burner 46 thereby enabling both the fuel discharging from the primary burner 46, as well as the entrained unspent fuel, to burn which eliminates the need for additional ignition energy from an ignition device after the initial start-up of the system.
If the secondary burner 66 of the present invention is firing, a portion of the combustion gases and the unspent fuel from the primary combustion zone Z1 are entrained into the jet flow of fuel an air being discharged through the secondary burner 66 as depicted by flow arrow E, thereby providing a longer burn time for the unspent fuel. The entrained combustion gases are hot enough to ignite the fuel discharging from the secondary burner 66 thereby eliminating the need for any igniter apparatus whatsoever associated with this burner. If too little or too much of the combustion products from the primary combustion zone Z1 are being entrained into the jet flow of fuel and air being discharged from the secondary burner 66, the alignment of the secondary burner 66 can be altered to vary the amount of entrained combustion products.
The flame and combustion gases of the secondary combustion zone Z2 travel preferentially in a downward direction due to the momentum of the fuel and air discharging from the secondary burner 66. Combustion supporting air is delivered into the secondary combustion zone Z2 from the plenum chamber 72 through the opening 36a in the side wall segment 36 and the distribution plate 80. The flow of the combustion supporting air is controlled by the air dampers 82 to match the slow burning characteristic of the low volatile fuel.
The flame, the resulting combustion gases and the entrained unspent fuel then turn and travel upwardly as shown by flow arrow G due to the impact of the natural forces of convection and the incoming combustion supporting air from the plenum chamber 72. Most of the combustion gases continue to rise following the path of flow arrow C due to the forces of convection. A portion of the combustion gases and the unspent fuel, however, are entrained into the jet flow of fuel and air being discharged from the primary burner 46 as shown by flow arrow D.
The ash produced by the burning of the fuel falls through the aligned openings 25 and 3 and is deposited in the ash pit (not shown) via the passage formed by the walls 26 and 26a.
Several advantages result from the foregoing. For example, the passage of the entrained unspent fuel into the secondary combustion zone Z2 allows low volatile fuels such as anthracite or coke to be efficiently consumed due to their longer burn time. Further, in large furnaces, the use of both a primary burner and a secondary burner permits the burning of an amount of fuel in excess of what is achievable through the use of a single arch which is limited in size by both physical and economical limits. The present invention is also more economical than conventional multiple arch burners due to the entrainment of combustion gases from one combustion zone into another thereby eliminating the need for start-up igniters for each burner.
An alternative design of the present invention is shown in FIG. 2, in which the reference numeral 83 refers in general to a combustion chamber located within the furnace 10. The combustion chamber 83 is defined by two base walls 84 and 84a, front and back walls (not shown) and opposite side walls 86 and 86a which together form a continuous and integral structure. Since the left half of this embodiment is also formed by mirror images of all structures described on the right half, it will not be described in detail.
The side wall 86 is formed by an outwardly sloping segment 88 extending upwardly from the base wall 84, a vertical segment 90 extending upwardly from the outwardly sloping segment 88, an inwardly sloping segment 92 extending upwardly from the vertical segment 90, a vertical segment 94 extending upwardly from the inwardly sloping segment 92, an inwardly sloping segment 96 extending upwardly from the vertical segment 94 and a vertical segment 98 extending upwardly from the inwardly sloping segment 96. The walls 84, 86, 88, 90, 92, 94, 96 and 98 and the front and back walls which define the combustion chamber 83 are formed with boiler tubes through which a heat exchange fluid is circulated in a conventional manner.
A duct 102 extends through an opening formed to the side wall segment 96, and a primary burner 104 is mounted in the duct 102 in line to deliver fuel, suspended in primary air, in a generally downward direction into a primary combustion zone Z1' in the combustion chamber 83. Although not shown in the drawing for the convenience of presentation, it is understood that various conventional devices can be provided that produce ignition energy for a short period of time to ignite the fuel particles discharging from the primary burner 104.
A plenum chamber 106 delivers secondary air from an external source (not shown) to the combustion chamber 83 through a perforated air distribution plate 108 covering an opening 94a in the side wall segment 94 to support combustion of the fuel being discharged from the primary burner 104 into the primary combustion zone Z1'. Air dampers (not shown) are provided for controlling the flow of secondary air through the plenum 106 as previously described.
The flame and combustion gas flow pattern caused by the burning of fuel discharged from the primary burner 104 is identical to the pattern caused by the primary burner 46 and is depicted here in FIG. 2 by flow arrows H, I, J and K. As before, the entrained combustion gases shown by flow arrow K are hot enough to ignite the fuel discharging from the primary burner 104 thereby enabling both fuel discharging from the primary burner 104, as well as the entrained unspent fuel, to burn which eliminates the need for additional ignition energy from an ignition device after the initial start up of the system.
A duct 110 extends through an opening formed through the side wall segment 92 and contains a secondary burner 112 which is in line to deliver fuel, suspended in primary air, preferentially in a downward direction into a secondary combustion zone Z2' which extends in the combustion chamber 83 below the primary combustion zone Z1'. It is understood that the secondary burner 112 can either be fixed or adjustable to direct the fuel where needed for the purpose of entraining combustion gases and unspent fuel from the primary combustion zone Z1' as depicted by flow arrow L. These entrained combustion gases are hot enough to ignite the fuel discharging from the secondary burner 112 which eliminates the need for an ignition device associated with the secondary burner.
A plenum chamber 114 distributes secondary air from an external source (not shown) to the combustion chamber 83 through a perforated air distribution plate 116 covering an opening 90a in the side wall segment 90 to support combustion of the fuel being discharged from the secondary burner 112 into the secondary combustion zone Z2'. As earlier described, the flow of secondary air through the air plenum 114 can be controlled by air dampers (not shown).
In this embodiment, the burning of the fuel discharged from the secondary burner 112 into the secondary combustion zone Z2' of the combustion chamber 83 creates a pattern composed of flame, combustion gases and unspent fuel as depicted by flow arrows M and N. The flame begins in a downward direction as shown by flow arrow M due to the momentum of the fuel and air discharging from the secondary burner 112. The flame, the resulting combustion gases and any unspent fuel then turn and travel upwardly along the path generally depicted by flow arrow N due to the natural forces of convection and the impact of the combustion supporting air from the plenum 114. A majority of the combustion gases continue in this upward direction and rise to the upper regions of the furnace as depicted by flow arrow J. a portion of the combustion gases and unspent fuel are entrained in the jet flow of fuel and air being discharged from the primary burner 104 as shown by flow arrow K.
A third duct 118 extends through an opening in the side wall segment 90 and contains a tertiary burner 120 which is in line to delivery fuel, suspended in primary air, preferentially in a downward direction into a tertiary combustion zone Z3' which extends in the combustion chamber 83 below the secondary combustion zone Z2'. It is understood that the tertiary burner 120 can either be fixed or adjustable to direct the fuel where needed for the purpose of entraining combustion gases and unspent fuel from the secondary combustion zone Z2' as depicted by flow arrow O. these entrained combustion gases are hot enough to ignite the fuel discharging from the tertiary burner 120 which eliminates the need for an ignition device associated with the tertiary burner.
A plenum chamber 122 distributes secondary air from an external source (not shown) to the combustion chamber 83 through a perforated air distribution plate 124 covering an opening 88a in the side wall segment 88 to support combustion of the fuel being discharged from the tertiary burner 120 into the tertiary combustion zone Z3'.
The burning of the fuel discharged from the tertiary burner 120 in to the tertiary combustion zone Z3' creates a pattern composed of flame, combustion gases and unspent fuel as depicted by the flow arrows P and Q. The flame begins in a generally horizontal direction as shown by flow arrow P due to the momentum of the fuel and air discharging from the tertiary burner 120. The flame, the resulting combustion gases and any unspent fuel then turn and travel upwardly along the path generally depicted by flow arrow Q due to the natural forces of convection and the impact of the combustion supporting air from the plenum chamber 122. A majority of the combustion gases continue in this upward direction and rise to the upper regions of the furnace as depicted by flow arrow J, but a portion of the combustion gases and unspent fuel are entrained into the jet flow of fuel and air being discharged from the primary burner 104 as shown by flow arrow K.
The alternative design shown in FIG. 2 operates in the same manner as the previous embodiment. However, if the tertiary burner 120 of the present invention is firing, a portion of the combustion gases and the unspent fuel from the secondary combustion zone Z2' are entrained into the jet flow of fuel and air being discharged through the tertiary burner 120 as depicted by flow arrow O, thereby providing an even longer burn time for the unspent fuel. The entrained combustion gases are hot enough to ignite the fuel discharging from the tertiary burner 120 thereby eliminating the need for any igniter apparatus whatsoever associated with this burner. If too little or too much of the combustion products from the secondary combustion zone Z2' are being entrained into the jet flow of fuel and air being discharged from the tertiary burner 120, the alignment of the tertiary burner 120 can be altered to vary the amount of entrained combustion products.
The flame and combustion gases of the tertiary combustion zone Z3' travel preferentially in a generally horizontal direction due to the momentum of the fuel and air discharging from the tertiary burner 120. Combustion supporting air is delivered into the tertiary combustion zone Z3' from the plenum chamber 122 through the opening 88a in the side wall segment 88 and the distribution plate 124. The flow of the combustion supporting air is controlled by the air dampers (not shown) to match the slow-burning characteristic of the low volatile fuel.
The flame, the resulting combustion gases and the entrained unspent fuel then turn and travel upwardly as shown by flow arrow Q due the impact of the natural forces of convention and the incoming combustion supporting air from the plenum chamber 122. Most of the combustion gases continue to rise following the path of flow arrow J. A portion of the combustion gases and the unspent fuel, however, are entrained into the jet flow of fuel and air being discharged from the primary burner 104 as shown by flow arrow K.
Besides having the advantages of the previous embodiment, the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 results in even longer burn periods by entraining the unspent fuels into multiple combustion zones. Any number of a plurality of intermediate burners can be located such that they discharge into the combustion chamber to create multiple arches, each complete with its own combustion supporting air, to further lengthen the burn period.
It is understood that several variations may be made in the foregoing without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, both the primary burner 46 and the secondary burner 66 can be conventional nozzles or cyclone burners. Further, a plurality of intermediate burners can be located between the primary burner and the secondary burner to create multiple arches, each complete with its own combustion supporting air, to result in even longer burn periods by entraining the unspent fuels into multiple combustion zones.
Other modifications, changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosure and although the invention has been described with reference to a specific embodiment, the foregoing description is not to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications to the disclosed embodiment as well as alternative applications of the invention will be suggested to persons skilled in the art by the foregoing specification and illustrations. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the true scope of the invention therein. | A furnace firing apparatus and method for burning low volatile fuel in which first and second burners are provided to introduce particulate, air-suspended fuel into primary and secondary combustion zones of a combustion chamber. The alignment of the second burner is adjustable and aligned so that the stream of fuel and air introduced by the second burner entrains combustion products produced by the burning of fuel in the primary combustion zone in order to ignite the fuel introduced by the second burner. Secondary air is provided by a pair of plenum chambers to support combustion of the fuel. In an alternate embodiment, an intermediate burner is provided to entrain combustion products from the combustion of fuel introduced by the first burner and whose combustion products are entrained into the fuel introduced by the second burner. | 5 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pump and metering apparatus having improved flow stability.
2. Description of Background Art
For certain analytical techniques, e.g. within medical research, access to pumps capable of low, stable flows is required. A conventional type of such a pump basically consists of a syringe and a means for actuating the syringe plunger. The latter device usually comprises a rotatably mounted screw, along which a runner engaging the screw and actuating the syringe plunger is moved by rotating the screw through either a stepping motor or a DC motor and a gear-wheel transmission. Factors which directly will influence the precision and flow stability of such a pump device are backlashes and wobbles in gear-wheel transmissions, slip-stick phenomenons of the syringe plunger, temporary absorption of energy in connections between driving motor and screw, and elongations of the pump chassis. While the flow stability achievable by such a pump device is completely sufficient for many purposes, there has recently, e.g. in biosensor technology, arisen a need for pump devices having improved flow stability performance.
While several of the above enumerated disturbing factors may be reduced or eliminated relatively easily, e.g. by replacing a DC motor and necessary transmission with a stepping motor and/or avoiding elastic couplings for eliminating slip-sticks, it was found to be more difficult to overcome the disturbances in the form of flow ripple caused by wobbles of the screw, either due to it not being completely straight or not being completely aligned with the motor axis. Such wobbles cause the runner threads to travel up and down on the thread flank of the screw, and also very small wobbles have been found to give unacceptable flow disturbances in cases where the requirements of flow stability are high.
It is known to use so-called ball screws to avoid travelling on the screw thread flank. Such ball screws are, however, relatively expensive, and the biasing of the balls must also be continuously adjusted in accordance with the wearing of the balls for them to contact the thread flank all the time.
SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide an improved pump and metering apparatus, in which the above mentioned problem of flow instability due to wobbles of the screw has been eliminated and which may thus be made to fulfil very high requirements concerning flow stability.
According to the invention this is achieved by a pump and metering apparatus, which supported in a chassis or frame has a liquid container with a movable plunger therein, by means, of which liquid may be pressed out from or drawn into the container. The plunger is connected to a runner means which through a nut portion thereof is in thread engagement with a screw rotatably mounted in the frame and connected to a driving motor. The rotation of the screw caused by the driving motor brings about a longitudinal movement of the runner and thereby a corresponding displacement of the plunger in the container. The invention is characterized in that the above mentioned nut portion is arranged to be movable in the radial direction of the screw relatively to the remaining runner structure. Hereby self-centering of the runner means nut portion on the centre axis of the screw is achieved, whereby all tendencies to travelling on the thread flank of the screw, e.g. due to a not completely straight screw or the screw being inclined in relation to the motor axis, are eliminated such that excellent flow stability is achieved.
In the present context radial movability means movability in all radial directions with respect to the screw axis. Such radial movability of the nut portion of the runner means, simultaneously with rigidity in the axial direction of the screw, may be achieved in various ways within the scope of the invention; the term nut portion is herein to be understood in a wide sense and may also constitute the major part of or substantially the whole runner means.
According to one embodiment radially overlapping portions of a separate nut and a separate runner member are slidably biased against each other, e.g. by a spring bias. The overlapping portions are preferably connected to each other by means of rigid axial connecting means extending from one of the nut and the runner into axial bores of the other, the radial movability of the connection being ensured on one hand by these bores having a larger diameter than the connecting means and on the other hand by the biasing permitting a slight but sufficient axial movability between the nut and the runner to allow relative sliding.
According to another embodiment the nut portion is radially movably attached to the runner through at least one radially extending rigid connecting means, such as a pin(s), flange means on the runner or nut, or the like. These connecting means may either be fixedly arranged on one of the runner and the nut portion and extend into one or more radial recesses of the other, or be separate means extending into radial recesses in both the runner and the nut portion, the recesses in both cases having sufficient dimensions in the radial direction to permit the desired radial movability of the nut in relation to the runner.
According to still another embodiment, the nut is connected to the runner through a portion of a material which is elastic in the radial direction of the screw but at least substantially non-elastic in the axial direction of the screw. Alternatively, a conventional elastic material may be used if guide means are provided which prevent relative movability in the axial direction.
For the advantages of the self-centering of the runner on the screw accomplished in accordance with the invention to be utilized in their full extension, the connection between the driving motor and the screw should be rigid. Otherwise, as mentioned previously, energy will be absorbed, which may give rise to disturbances when it is released.
Further, in cases where very small flows are required, it is preferred to use a stepping motor, the risk of flow disturbances due to backlashes in the gear box necessary for a DC motor hereby being eliminated.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention the nut portion of the runner is of the backlash-free nut type. A standard type of such a nut consists of two halves, which by means of an intermediate rigid or elastic spacer member is biased against the thread flanks of the screw.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Hereinafter the invention will be described in more detail with regard to some preferred embodiments, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is an elevational view, partially in section and with portions cut away, of an embodiment of a pump and metering apparatus according to the invention;
FIG. 2 is a simplified partial sectional view of the radially movable connection between nut portion and plunger supporting part of the runner means in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a part of the radially movable nut/runner connection in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a schematic elevational view, partially in section, of another embodiment of radially movable connection between nut portion and plunger supporting part of the runner means;
FIG. 5 is a top view, partially in section, of the embodiment in FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is a schematic elevational view, partially in section, of still another embodiment of radially movable connection between nut portion and plunger supporting part of the runner means; and
FIG. 7 is a sectional view along A--A in FIG. 6.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The pump and metering apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 has a frame 1, consisting of a bottom plate 2 and a top plate 3 connected through three vertical supporting rods 4 (only one of which is shown). In the upper part 3 of the frame a driving motor 5, here a stepping motor, for driving a vertical screw 6 is supported. The screw 6 is rotatably mounted in the bottom plate 2 through a ball bearing 7a and two axial roller bearings 7b and rigidly connected to the drive shaft of the motor 5 through coupling means 8. The two roller bearings 7b are axially biased towards each other by a cup spring 7c, thereby eliminating gaps in the ball bearing.
A piston pump device 9 is supported in the upper part of the frame 1 through a bracket 10. The piston pump device 9 consists of a connecting block 11 having an outlet/inlet opening 12, to which the open end of a syringe cylinder 13 can be fixed to communicate with the opening 12. In the syringe cylinder 13 a syringe piston (not shown) is displaceably mounted and connected to a piston rod 14 rotatably and removably mounted in an actuating member 15. The syringe assembly 13, 14 may thus easily be removed from the apparatus.
The rotational movement of the screw 6 caused by the driving motor 5 is transmitted to the actuating member 15 through a transmission means consisting of a nut 16 engaging the screw 6 and a runner 17 connected to the nut 16, the actuating member 15 of the piston rod being fixed to the lower part of the runner by a screw 18. The runner 17 is via ball bushings 19, 20 slidably mounted on a vertical rod 21 extending between the top and bottom plates 2, 3 of the frame and guiding the runner 17 linearly to prevent rotation thereof.
The nut 16 is of the backlash-free type and consists of a lower half 22 and an upper half 23, which halves are mutually biased apart by a spring 24, such that the respective nut half is pressed against the thread flank of the screw 6 and backlashes thereby are eliminated. The top part of the backlash-free nut 16 is a planar triangular portion 25, the corners of which in a flange-like manner project past the side of the nut body and to which an overlying flange portion 26 of the runner 17 having a central recess 27 for the screw 6 is attached by special bolt joints in such manner that the nut 16 is movable in the radial direction in relation to the runner 17. This movable attachment of the nut 16 to the runner 17 is shown in more detail in FIGS. 2 and 3.
While FIG. 2 illustrates the basic concept of movable nut/runner attachment used in the FIG. 1 embodiment, it does not exactly conform with the latter in the detailed design thereof. FIG. 3, on the other hand, is an enlarged view of a part of the movable attachment of the embodiment in FIG. 1.
As appears from FIGS. 2 and 3 the flange portion 26 of the runner 17 and the upper part 25 of the nut 16 have aligned bores 28 and 29, respectively, through which three axially movable rod members 30 run (in FIG. 2 only two such rod members 30 are shown), the bores 29 being arranged in the projecting corners of the nut fastening plate 25 and being a little larger than the rod diameter such that the nut 16 will obtain radial movability in relation to the rod members. The radial movement is restricted by elastic members 31, e.g. o-rings (two in FIG. 3), mounted in the interspace between the rod members 30 and the fastening bores 29. The rod members 30 are in both ends thereof provided with upper and lower stopping means 32 and 33, respectively, e.g. stopping washers or the like. While the lower stopping means 33 contact the underside of the fastening plate 25, resilient members 34, such as screw springs, are provided between the upper stopping means 32 and the runner 17. By the spring bias, the nut 16 will all the time press axially against the flange portion 26 of the runner simultaneously as it may slide radially.
To ensure such sliding between flange portion 26 and nut part 25 a low friction material washer 35 (e.g. of Teflon(®)) is inserted therebetween. For the same reason the members 33 in FIGS. 2 and 3 are made of a low friction material (e.g. POM [polyoxymethylene]). The spring bias is adapted to permit sliding but prevent separation of the contacting surfaces when drawing in liquid.
By virtue of this radial movability the nut 16 will all the time be centered on the centre axis of the screw 6. Hereby it is avoided that the centers of the nut and the screw are displaced in relation to each other when the screw wobbles, e.g. due to a not complete linearity of the screw, which displacement would cause the nut to travel up and down on the thread flank. It may be noted that even such small wobbles as 5/100 mm in the absence of this self-centering may cause unacceptable disturbances of the pump flow.
When using the pump and metering apparatus illustrated in the drawings the stepping motor 5 is micro-stepped for driving the screw 6. Due to the rigid direct coupling between screw and driving motor shaft an exact transmission of the rotation is obtained, whereby the risk of elongations and absorbed energy with consequential slip-stick phenomenons is eliminated. The screw 6 transmits its rotation to a vertical movement of the runner 17 via the backlash-free nut 16. This movement is transmitted by the runner to the syringe plunger in the syringe cylinder 13. As mentioned above, the self-centering on the centre axis of the screw obtained by the radial movability of the nut 16 brings about freedom from travelling on the thread flank when the screw 6 wobbles, the movement of the syringe plunger being very stable and a flow from the opening 12 substantially free from flow instabilities being obtained even for extremely low flows. Thus, with the illustrated apparatus having, for example, a syringe volume of 500 μl, flows varying between 1 and 10 5 μl/min with extraordinary stability and precision may be obtained, and the pump and metering apparatus is therefore well suited for applications with highly put requirements as to flow stability, such as in biosensor technology and the like.
In the illustrated construction the o-rings 31 in the fastening bores 29 of the nut 16 are not necessary for a disturbance-free travel movement to be obtained, but the o-rings 31 minimize the turning spring obtained in the suction/discharge change-over when the pump is used as a metering unit.
In the pump and metering apparatus shown in the drawings, the biasing of the nut 16 and the runner 17 obtained by the springs 34 may instead be accomplished by draw springs acting between the runner 17 and the bottom plate 2 of the frame. In this case, however, the biasing will vary with the position of the runner along the screw. Further, the nut 16 may alternatively be fixed to the top of the runner 17 instead of to the underside as in FIGS. 1 and 2. The spring members 34 may alternatively be mounted between the lower stopping means 33 and the nut top part 25. In this case the rod members 30 may be fixedly arranged in the flange portion 26 of the runner.
FIGS. 4-7 illustrate alternative embodiments of the radially movable but axially rigid connection between nut 16 and runner 17 in FIG. 1, corresponding parts having the same reference numerals but being provided with prime (') and bis (") marks, respectively.
In FIGS. 4 and 5 the runner 17' is connected to the nut 16' on drive screw 6' through a horizontally projecting guide pin 36 fixed in a corresponding bore in the top portion 25 of nut 16'. The free end of guide pin 36 extends into an aligned bore 37 in runner 17' of sufficient depth to slidably receive guide pin 36. While the guide pin 36 is not movable in the bore 37 in the axial direction of screw 6' and therefore ensures axial stiffness in the connection, the gap 38 between the pin end and the bottom of bore 37, in combination with the rotatory mounting of runner 17' on rod 21', permits sufficient radial movability of nut 16' to ensure self-centering thereof on screw 6'. It is to be noted, however, that this embodiment, due to the utilization of rotation of runner 17' on rod 21', requires a slight radial movability of piston rod 14 in the syringe cylinder 13 in FIG. 1.
In FIGS. 6 and 7 the runner 17" is connected to the nut 16" through an elongate elastic material member 39, e.g. of rubber, disposed inside a horizontal recess 40 provided in a protrusion 41 on one side of runner 17", which recess 40 has a corresponding height as the thickness of the nut top plate 25" for the edge portion of the latter to be slidably accomodated therein. It is not necessary that the elastic member 39 be fixed to the respective runner and nut portions, but in practice the elastic member is suitably fixed in recess 40. Radial movability and rotatory restriction of nut 16" relatively to runner 17" is ensured by the elastic member 39, whereas axial movements of nut 16" in relation to runner 17" are prevented by the upper and lower walls of recess 40 straddling the top plate 25" of nut 16".
In a variation of the embodiment of FIGS. 6 and 7 the protrusion 41 with recess 40 is omitted, as indicated by dashed line 42. In this case the elastic member 39 is fixed to both the runner and the nut and is made of a material which is substantially stiff in the axial direction of screw 6" but resilient in the radial direction.
The invention is, of course, not restricted to the embodiment specifically described above and illustrated in the drawings, but many variations and modifications are possible within the scope of the general inventive concept as defined in the subsequent claims. | A pump and metering apparatus includes a frame supporting a liquid container with a movable plunger therein for discharging respectively liquid which is drawn therein. A plunger is connected to a runner member, connected by a nut portion thereof which threadedly engages a screw rotatably mounted in the frame and coupled to a driving motor. According to the invention the nut portion of the runner member is movable in relation to the remaining structure of the runner member in the radial direction of the screw, such that the nut portion will be self-centering on the center axis of the screw. | 5 |
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to low sudsing liquid detergent compositions.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Anionic surfactant compositions are well known in the art and are desirable components in liquid detergents due to their good cleaning ability, especially with respect to hydrophobic greasy soil removal. However, the incorporation of anionic surfactants in typical detergent compositions results in high sudsing formulations.
A number of systems have been described in the art for use in detergent compositions in order to counter act the sudsing ability of the surfactants. Such suds suppressing systems include anti-foam agents such as silicone. However, anti-foam agents have problems associated with them such as the difficulty to maintain them as a dispersion in liquid compositions. In addition silicone anti-foam agents are difficult to process and are expensive.
Therefore it is an object of the present invention to provide a liquid detergent composition comprising an anionic surfactant, said composition having a controlled sudsing profile, said composition requiring a minimum amount of conventional suds suppressing agents.
It has now been found that this can be achieved by formulating a liquid detergent composition comprising a conventional anionic surfactant in combination with an -branched anionic surfactant.
It has unexpectedly been found that such surfactant combinations provide controlled sudsing, and simultaneously improve said compositions' performance on hydrophobic greasy soil removal.
Another advantage of the present invention is that the sudsing is reduced by the adaptation of straight chain anionic surfactants to their -branched counterparts, i.e. Guerbet anionic surfactants and thus other suds suppressing agent may only be required in minimum amounts.
Another advantage of the present invention is that the surfactants are easier to formulate due to the increased solubility of the surfactant. Furthermore, said compositions are easier to form as `concentrated` compositions because of the almost total omission of conventional suds suppressing agents. In addition the compositions are cheaper to formulate.
Another advantage of the compositions of the present invention is that said compositions are phase stable.
The term "Guerbet" surfactant as used herein refers to branched surfactants derived from 2-alkyl-alkanol.
Guerbet surfactants are known in the art. DE 41 11 335 discloses a low sudsing ternary surfactant mixture comprising an alkylglycoside, linear and branched secondary dialkylethersulphates and sulphate and sulphonate anionic surfactants. There is no specific mention of Guerbet anionic surfactants.
WO 91/16409 discloses a liquid detergent composition comprising branched primary alkyl sulphates. There is no mention of suds suppressing properties or any specific mention of Guerbet anionic surfactants.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a liquid detergent composition comprising one or more of an anionic surfactant, characterized in that said anionic surfactant comprises from 1% to 99% by weight of said anionic surfactant of a compound according to the formula: ##STR1## wherein R 1 is a C 3 -C 22 alkyl group, R 2 is a C 3 -C 22 alkyl group. m is 2, 3 or 4, n is between 0 and 14 and R 3 is a sulphate or a sulphonate.
All weights ratios and percentages are given by the weight of the total composition unless otherwise stated.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The detergent compositions according to the present invention comprise an anionic surfactant, characterized in that said anionic surfactant comprises from 1% to 99% by weight of said anionic surfactant of a compound according to the formula: ##STR2## herein after referred to as Guerbet anionic surfactant. Said Guerbet anionic surfactants are low sudsing due to the -branching. The compositions of the present invention require only a minimum amount of other suds suppressing agents. Said amount as used herein being an amount less than that used in conventional liquid detergents comprising anionic surfactants.
According to the present invention R 1 is a C 3 -C 22 , preferably a C 3 -C 10 , more preferably a C 3 -C 8 alkyl group. Said R 1 alkyl group may be linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated. R 2 is a C 3 -C 22 , preferably a C 6 -C 14 , more preferably a C 6 -C 12 alkyl group. Said R 2 alkyl group may be linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated. n is between 0 and 14, preferably between 0 and 7, more preferably between 0 and 5. R 3 is a sulphate or a sulphonate or mixtures thereof.
The Guerbet anionic surfactant is typically present at levels from 1 to 70%, preferably from 5 to 50%, more preferably from 5 to 25% by weight of the total detergent composition.
According to the present invention the compositions may further comprise non Guerbet anionic surfactants. Suitable anionic surfactants are selected from the group of sulphates and sulphonates. The like anionic surfactants are well known in the detergent art and have found wide application in commercial detergents. Preferred anionic sulphates and sulphonates have in their molecular structure an alkyl radical containing from about 8 to about 22 carbon atoms. Examples of such preferred anionic surfactants are the reaction products obtained by sulphating C 8 -C 18 fatty alcohols derived from e.g. tallow oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil and coconut oil; alkyl benzene sulphonates wherein the alkyl group contains from about 9 to about 15 carbon atoms;sodium alkylglyceryl ether sulphonates; ether sulphates of fatty alcohols derived from tallow and coconut oils; coconut fatty acid monoglyceride sulphates and sulphonates; water soluble salts of paraffin sulphonates having from about 8 to about 22 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain. Sulphonated olefin surfactants as more fully described in e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 3,332,880 can also be used. The neutralizing cation for the anionic synthetic sulphonates and/or sulphates is represented by conventional cations which are widely used in detergent technology such as sodium, potassium or alkanolammonium.
A suitable anionic synthetic surfactant component herein is represented by the water soluble salts of an alkylbenzene sulphonic acid, preferably sodium alkylbenzene sulphonates, preferably sodium alkylbenzene sulphonates having from about 10 to 15 carbon atoms in the alkyl group.
Another anionic surfactant suitable for use herein can be alkyl alkoxylated sulphate surfactants. Alkyl alkoxylated sulphate surfactants hereof are water soluble salts or acids of the formula RO(A) m SO 3 M wherein R is an unsubstituted C 10 -C 24 alkyl or hydroxylalkyl group having a C 10 -C 24 alkyl component, preferably a C 12 -C 18 alkyl or hydroxylalkyl, A is an ethoxy or propoxy unit, m is greater than zero, typically between about 0.5 and about 6, more preferably between about 0.5 and 3, and M is H or a cation which can be for example a metal cation (e.g. sodium, potassium, lithium, calcium, magnesium, etc.), ammonium or substituted-ammonium cation. Alkyl ethoxylated sulphates as well as alkyl propoxylated sulphates are contemplated herein. Specific examples of substituted ammonium cations include methyl-, dimethyl, trimethyl-ammonium cations and those derived from alkanolamines, eg. monoethanolamine, diethanolamine and triethanolamine. Exemplary surfactants are C 12 -C 18 alkyl polyethoxylate (1.0) sulphate (C 12 -C 18 E(1.0)M), C 12 -C 18 alkyl polyethoxylate (2.25) sulphate (C 12 -C 18 E(2.25)M), C 12 -C 18 alkyl polyethoxylate (3.0) sulphate (C 12 -C 18 E(3.0)M), C 12 -C 18 alkyl polyethoxylate (4.0) sulphate (C 12 -C 18 E(4.0)M), wherein M is conveniently selected from sodium and potassium.
Another type of anionic surfactant suitable for use herein are alkyl ester sulphonate, which can be synthesized according to known methods disclosed in the technical literature. For instance, linear esters of C 8 -C 20 carboxylic acids can be sulphonated with gaseous SO 3 according to "The Journal of the American Oil Chemists Society", 52 (1975), pp. 323-329. Suitable starting materials would include natural fatty substances as derived from tallow, palm and coconut oils. The preferred alkyl ester sulphonate, comprise alkyl ester sulphonates of the structural formula ##STR3## wherein R 4 is a C 8 -C 20 hydrocarbyl, preferably an alkyl or combination thereof R 5 is a C 1 -C 6 hydrocarbyl, preferably an alkyl or combination thereof and M is a soluble salt forming cation. Suitable salts include metal salts such as sodium, potassium and lithium salts and substituted or unsubstituted ammonium salts, such as methyl-, dimethyl-, trimethyl and dimethyl piperdinium and cations derived from alkanolamines, e.g. monoethanolamine, diethanolamine and triethanolamine. Preferably R 4 is C 10 -C 16 alkyl and R 5 is methyl, ethyl or isopropyl. Especially preferred are the methyl ester sulphonates wherein R 4 is C 14 -C 16 alkyl.
When included herein, the non-Guerbet anionics are present at levels from 1% to 40%, preferably from 3% to 20%, by weight of the total detergent composition.
The rest of the liquid detergent composition according to the present invention is made of conventional detergency ingredients, i.e. water, surfactants, builders and others.
The liquid detergent compositions herein may additionally comprise as an optional ingredient from 1% to 50%, preferably from 5% to 25% of an organic surface-active agent selected from nonionic, cationic and zwitterionic surface active agents and mixtures thereof.
The nonionic surfactants suitable for use herein include those produced by condensing ethylene oxide with a hydrocarbon having a reactive hydrogen atom, e.g., a hydroxyl, carboxyl, or amido group, in the presence of an acidic or basic catalyst, and include compounds having the general formula RA(CH 2 CH 2 O) n H wherein R represents the hydrophobic moiety, A represents the group carrying the reactive hydrogen atom and n represents the average number of ethylene oxide moieties. R typically contains from about 8 to 22 carbon atoms They can also be formed by the condensation of propylene oxide with a lower molecular weight compound. n usually varies from about 2 to about 24.
A preferred class of nonionic ethoxylates is represented by the condensation product of a fatty alcohol having from 12 to 15 carbon atoms and from about 4 to 10 moles of ethylene oxide per mole or fatty alcohol. Suitable species of this class of ethoxylates include: the condensation product of C 12 -C 15 oxo-alcohols and 3 to 9 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of alcohol; the condensation product or narrow cut C 14 -C 15 oxo-alcohols and 3 to 9 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of fatty(oxo)alcohol; the condensation product of a narrow cut C 12 -C 13 fatty(oxo)alcohol and 6,5 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of fatty alcohol; and the condensation products of a C 10 -C 14 coconut fatty alcohol with a degree of ethoxylation (moles EO/mole fatty alcohol) in the range from 4 to 8. The fatty oxo alcohols while mainly linear can have, depending upon the processing conditions and raw material olefins, a certain degree of branching, particularly short chain such as methyl branching. A degree of branching in the range from 15% to 50% (weight %) is frequently found in commercial oxo alcohols.
The compositions according to the present invention contain from 0% to 30% preferably from 0% to 10% of nonionic surfactants.
Suitable cationic surfactants for use herein include quaternary ammonium compounds of the formula R 1 R 2 R 3 R 4 N + where R 1 ,R 2 and R 3 are methyl groups, and R 4 is a C 12 -C 15 alkyl group, or where R 1 is an ethyl or hydroxy ethyl group. R 2 and R 3 are methyl groups and R 4 is a C 12 -C 15 alkyl group. The compositions according to the present invention contain from 0% to 20% of cationic surfactants.
Another optional ingredient are zwitterionic surfactants. Suitable zwitterionic surfactants include derivatives of aliphatic quaternary ammonium, phosphonium, and sulphonium compounds in which the aliphatic moiety can be straight or branched chain and wherein one of the aliphatic substituents contains from about 8 to about 24 carbon atoms and another substituent contains, at least, an anionic water-solubilizing group. Particularly preferred zwitterionic materials are the ethoxvlated ammonium sulphonates and sulfates disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,925,262, Laughlin et al., issued Dec. 9, 1975 and 3,929,678, Laughlin et al., issued Dec. 30, 1975. The compositions according to the present invention contain from 0% to 20% of zwitterionic surfactants.
Semi-polar nonionic surfactants include water-soluble amine oxides containing one alkyl or hydroxy alkyl moiety of from about 8 to about 28 carbon atoms and two moieties selected from the group consisting of alkyl groups and hydroxy alkyl groups, containing from 1 to about 3 carbon atoms which can optionally be joined into ring structures.
Also suitable as nonionic surfactants are poly hydroxy fatty acid amide surfactants of the formula
R.sup.2 -C(O)-N(R.sup.1)-Z,
wherein R 1 is H, or R 1 is C 1-4 hydrocarbyl, 2-hydroxy ethyl, 2-hydroxy propyl or a mixture thereof, R 2 is C 5-31 hydrocarbyl, and Z is a polyhydroxyhydrocarbyl having a linear hydrocarbyl chain with at least 3 hydroxyls directly connected to the chain, or an alkoxylated derivative thereof. Preferably, R 1 is methyl, R 2 is a straight C 11-15 alkyl or alkenyl chain such as coconut alkyl or mixtures thereof, and Z is derived from a reducing sugar such as glucose, fructose, maltose, lactose, in a reductive amination reaction.
The compositions according to the present invention may further comprise a builder system. Any conventional builder system is suitable for use herein including polycarboxylates and fatty acids, materials such as ethylenediamine tetraacetate, metal ion sequestrants such as aminopolyphosphonates, particularly ethylenediamine tetramethylene phosphonic acid and diethylene triamine pentamethylenephosphonic acid. Though less preferred for obvious environmental reasons, phosphate builders can also be used herein.
Suitable polycarboxylates builders for use herein include citric acid, preferably in the form of a water-soluble salt, derivatives of succinic acid of the formula R -- CH(COOH)CH 2 (COOH) wherein R is C 10-20 alkyl or alkenyl, preferably C 12-16 , or wherein R can be substituted with hydroxyl, sulpho sulphoxyl or sulphone substituents. Specific examples include lauryl succinate, myristyl succinate, palmityl succinate, 2-dodecenylsuccinate, 2-tetradecenyl succinate. Succinate builders are preferably used in the form of their water-soluble salts, including sodium, potassium ammonium and alkanolammonium salts.
Other suitable polycarboxylates are oxodisuccinates and mixtures of tartrate monosuccinic and tartrate disuccinic acid such as described in U.S Pat. No. 4,663,071.
Suitable fatty acid builders for use herein are saturated or unsaturated C 10-18 fatty acids, as well as the corresponding soaps. Preferred saturated species have from 12 to 16 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain. The preferred unsaturated fatty acid is oleic acid.
A preferred builder system for use herein consists of a mixture of citric acid, fatty acids and succinic acid derivatives described herein above. The builder system according to the present invention preferably represents from 0% to 30%, preferably from 5% to 25% by weight of the total composition.
The compositions according to the invention preferably comprise enzymes. Suitable enzymes for use herein are protease, lipases, cellulases and amylases and mixtures thereof. The compositions according to the present invention may also comprise an enzyme stabilizing system. Any conventional enzyme stabilizing system is suitable for use herein, and preferred enzyme stabilizing systems are based on boric acid or derivatives thereof, 1,2-propanediol, carboxylic acids, and mixtures thereof The compositions according to the present invention contain from 0% to 15%, more preferably from 0% to 5% of enzymes.
The compositions herein can contain a series of further, optional ingredients. Examples of the like additives include solvents, alkanolamines, pH adjusting agents, suds suppressing agents such as silicones and 2-alkyl-alkanol, opacifiers, agents to improve the machine compatibility in relation to enamel-coated surfaces, perfumes, dyes, bactericides, brighteners, soil release agents, softening agents and the like.
The compositions according to the present invention can be formulated as conventional liquid detergent compositions or, as an alternative as so-called "concentrated" liquid detergent compositions, i.e. liquid detergent compositions comprising less than 30% by weight of water.
Whilst the detergent compositions of the invention are of particular utility in machine washing processes, most especially when formulated as heavy duty liquid laundry detergent compositions, they may also be usefully be employed in other washing processes where suds control is of importance. In particular the compositions of the invention may be usefully be formulated as machine dishwashing compositions, especially granular machine dishwashing compositions.
EXAMPLES
The following compositions are made by combining, the following ingredients in the listed proportions.
______________________________________Composition in % A B C D E______________________________________Branched C.sub.12 -C.sub.15 alkyl 5 10 20 25 --sulphate*Branched C.sub.12 -C.sub.15 alkyl -- -- -- -- 253EO sulphate**Linear C.sub.12 -C.sub.14 alkyl sulphate 15 10 1 1 --Fatty alcohol (C.sub.12 -C.sub.15 ) ethoxylate 12 12 12 12 12Fatty acid 10 10 10 10 10Oleic acid 4 4 4 4 4Citric acid 1 1 1 1 1Diethylenetriaminepenta- 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5methylene phosphonic acidMonoethanolamine 3 3 3 3 3Propanediol 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5Ethanol 10 10 10 10 10Ethoxylated tetraethylene pentamine 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7Thermamyl.sup.R 300 KNU/g 0.13 0.13 0.13 0.13 0.13Carezyme.sup.R 5000 CEVU/g 0.014 0.014 0.014 0.014 0.014Protease 40 mg/g 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.8Lipolase.sup.R 100 KLU/g 0.14 0.14 0.14 0.14 0.14Endoglucanase A 5000 CEVU/g 0.53 0.53 0.53 0.53 0.53Water & Minors (suds up to 1 00 partssuppressors, perfume)pH adjusted to 7.5-9 with NaOH______________________________________ *Lial C.sub.12 -C.sub.15 alkyl sulphate Na salt prepared from the Lial C.sub.12 -C.sub.15 alcohol available from Enichem **Lial C.sub.12 -C.sub.15 alkyl ethoxy sulphate Na salt prepared from the Lial C.sub.12 -C.sub.15 alcohol 3 times ethoxylated available from Emiche | Liquid detergent compositions containing a branched anionic surfactant. These compositions are low sudsing and have improved hydrophobic greasy soil removal performance. | 2 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The field of the invention is mass transfer devices and the invention relates more particularly to devices that are constructed to pass a bulk fluid along the exterior surface of a plurality of hollow fibers. One such device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,794,468. A porous cylindrical core is wound with a single length of capillary tubing as the core is being turned. A core insert directs the bulk fluid from the interior of the porous core over the exterior of the capillary tubes and out of the outlet tubes. A second fluid passes counter currently through the interior of the capillary tubes.
Another process for making a fiber bundle is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,572,446. Again, a bundle of hollow fibers are wound around a length of a core.
A similar design is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,299,749. Continuous lengths of filament are laid down on a core around a length of a core.
The flow of fluid within the hollow fibers and the fluid flowing on the outside of the hollow fibers is almost counter current. For some separation processes, it is beneficial that the flow be more across the axis of the hollow fiber rather than along the axis of the hollow fiber.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is for a mass transfer device having a fluid permeable core for the passage of a bulk fluid. The core has a bulk fluid inlet end and a bulk fluid outlet end. The core is surrounded by a bundle of hollow fibers. The core is fabricated from a sintered plastic or metal material having pores ranging in porosity from about 50 microns to about 200 microns. A baffle is positioned within the hollow center of the core so that fluid pumped into the inlet end of the core must pass outwardly through the walls of the core to get around the baffle. The fiber bundle is surrounded by a housing which forces the bulk fluid back into the side walls of the core downstream of the baffle. The fiber bundle is made from a first and a second plurality of semi permeable hollow fibers wound around the exterior of the core so that the first and second plurality of fibers form an angle between 20 and 60 degrees and preferably about 35 degrees with respect to one another.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the mass transfer device of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a side view with the facing side of the housing removed from the mass transfer device of FIG. 1 .
FIG. 3 is an enlarged diagrammatical view taken along line 3 — 3 of FIG. 2 .
FIG. 4 is a side view showing the winding of hollow fibers around a core in the production of the mass transfer device of FIG. 1 .
FIG. 5 is a view analogous to FIG. 4 , but showing additional winding.
FIG. 6 is a diagrammatical view of the mass transfer device of FIG. 1 affixed to input and output streams.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The mass transfer device of the present invention is indicated in cross-sectional view in FIG. 1 by reference character 10 . Device 10 has a fluid permeable core 11 . Hollow fiber bundle 12 is wrapped around exterior surface 13 of core 11 . Core 11 has an inner surface 14 which surrounds an inner passageway 15 . Permeable core 11 is in two halves and is joined by the ends of baffle 16 . Baffle 16 is sealed to bore 11 by O-rings 16 ′.
A baffle 16 blocks the flow of fluid in inner passageway 15 . Thus, bulk fluid entering the device, as indicated by reference character 17 through bulk fluid inlet fitting 17 ′, must pass through the side walls of core 11 , as indicated by arrows 17 . Core 11 has a bulk fluid inlet end 32 and a bulk fluid outlet end 33 . The fluid flow path 17 passes completely through fiber bundle 12 to an outer gap 12 ′ between the outer edge of the bundle 12 and the inner surface of housing 20 .
The details of the fluid passageway around the exterior of hollow fiber bundle 12 is shown best in FIG. 3 and discussed below. Broadly, however, bulk fluid passes back into interior passageway 15 , as indicated by arrows 18 , and leaves through bulk fluid outlet fitting 19 .
Hollow fiber bundle 12 is surrounded by housing 20 which has a housing inlet end 21 and a housing outlet end 22 .
Hollow fiber bundle 12 is subjected to the flow of bulk fluid around the exterior surfaces of the individual hollow fibers. A bore fluid flows through the interior of the hollow fiber bundle. This is accomplished by potting the ends of the bundle in a curable sealant 23 at a bore fluid exit end 24 . Similarly, a curable sealant 25 is sealed around the bore fluid entrance end 26 . A bore fluid exit manifold 27 surrounds the exterior open ends of the hollow fibers and a bore fluid entrance manifold 28 surrounds the open ends of the hollow fiber bundle 12 . Thus, bore fluid enters the device through bore fluid entrance fitting 29 and exits the device through bore fluid exit fitting 30 . The device and the core have a longitudinal axis indicated by reference character 31 .
The mass transfer device 10 is shown in side view in FIG. 2 with the housing 20 cut away. Two sets of hollow fibers 32 and 33 , one upwardly wound and one downwardly wound, are shown spaced apart a distance about equal to the width of one set. These are also indicated in FIG. 4 in an initial winding step discussed below.
An enlarged view of a portion of the fiber indicated by arrow 3 in FIG. 2 is shown in FIG. 3 . In FIG. 3 the bulk fluid N is indicated by the shaded arrows 17 . The bulk fluid passes into inner passageway 15 . The bulk fluid 17 then passes outwardly through the side walls of the sintered fluid permeable core 11 . It then passes across the outer surface of the hollow fiber bundle 12 . This is shown in enlarged view in FIG. 3 where a hollow fiber is indicated by reference character 35 . It then, having been forced around baffle 16 , passes through the side walls of fluid permeable core 11 and continues to the bulk fluid outlet fitting 19 . As can be seen in FIG. 3 , the fluid tends to flow across the outer surface of the hollow fibers 35 more than it flows along parallel to the outer surfaces as generally taught by the prior art. It is believed that this provides a further anti-fouling scrubbing action of the bulk fluid against the outer surface of the fibers and helps the flow of a portion of bore fluid 34 through the walls of hollow fibers 35 and into the bulk fluid.
The winding process of the present invention is indicated in FIG. 4 where fiber feeding shuttle 36 can guide from 1 to 16 individual hollow fibers 35 in a set 37 of hollow fibers. Set 37 has a width 38 . Each set 37 is spaced from an adjacent set by a space 39 which is preferably about equal to the width of a set. The set indicated in FIG. 4 is wound at an angle “a” to the longitudinal axis 31 of core 11 . Then the winding process is reversed and a second set of hollow fibers is wound as indicated in FIG. 5 . The second set is wound at an angle indicated by reference character b in FIG. 5 . Angles a & b are arranged so that the angle between the set indicated by reference character 37 and the set indicated by reference character 40 are at an angle of about 35 degrees indicated by reference character “c”. This angle can range between 20 and 60 degrees, but keeping this angle well below 180 degrees provides a crossflow rather than a longitudinal/tangential flow of the fluid passing within the hollow fibers and the bulk fluid passing over the exterior of the hollow fibers.
A schematic view of a laboratory setup is shown in FIG. 6 . A bulk fluid container 41 contains bulk fluid 42 . This is passed through pump 43 , pressure gauge 44 , and into bulk fluid entrance fitting 17 ′. It passes upwardly through the mass transfer device 10 and out of bulk fluid exit fitting 19 . While the bulk of the above discussion has indicated counter-current flow, the diagram of FIG. 6 depicts co-current flow. Thus, the bore fluid passes into inlet fitting 29 through the center of the hollow bores and hollow fibers 35 and out the bore fluid outlet fitting 30 . The bore fluid is indicated by reference character 45 .
The present embodiments of this invention are thus to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive; the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are intended to be embraced therein. | A mass transfer device having a fluid permeable core wound with many stands of a hollow fiber. A bulk fluid enters the interior of the core, passes through the side wall of the core, and along the outer surfaces of the hollow fibers. A baffle positioned in the center of the core so that the bulk fluid passes outwardly upstream of the baffle and inwardly through the core along the downstream of the block. | 1 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to textile fabrics and, more particularly, to warp-knitted textile fabrics adapted for use in swimwear, other sportswear and like activewear apparel.
It is often desirable for many types of sportswear and like activewear apparel to have a sufficient degree of stretchability to conform to the wearer's body yet also to permit the wearer a freedom of movement attendant to the activities for which the garments are intended. This combination of characteristics is perhaps most typical of swimwear, especially women's swimwear. Likewise, apart from these functional characteristics, it is equally desirable for such apparel items to have good wear resistant qualities, e.g., to resist snagging and picking, and to present a pleasing appearance, particularly as to its surface effect. Unfortunately, conventional fabrics seldom provide an optimal combination of these characteristics.
With reference to FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings, an example of a popular form of conventional swimwear fabric is depicted in a common form of point diagram representing the stitch patterns of the respective yarns in the fabric. As will be recognized by those persons skilled in the art, this fabric is a conventional form of Raschel-type warp-knitted fabric of a three-bar construction formed of one warp set of elastic yarns and two warps of inelastic body yarns, e.g., polyester yarns, in a repeating pattern wherein the elastic warp yarns are knitted on Bar I of the warp knitting machine in a 2-2, 4-4, 2-2, 0-0 stitch pattern, one warp set of the polyester yarns are knitted on Bar II of the warp knitting machine in a 2-2, 2-4, 2-2, 2-0 stitch pattern, and the other warp set of the polyester yarns are knitted on Bar III of the warp knitting machine in a 4-6, 4-4, 2-0, 2-2 stitch pattern.
While the conventional fabric of FIG. 1 has achieved a degree of acceptance and success in use as a swimwear fabric, it suffers from several disadvantages which limit its acceptability. First, the fabric is susceptible to being snagged or picked in use, i.e., the surface yarns are sufficiently exposed to becoming caught on objects so as to subject the constituent filaments in the yarns to being pulled from the knitted structure and even severed. Secondly, the stitch construction of the fabric as described above gives the fabric an imbalance in lengthwise stretchability in relation to widthwise stretchability, which can affect the fit and wear properties of apparel items made from the fabric. Finally, the fabric presents a rather shiny surface appearance, which may be desirable in some apparel applications, but may be equally undesirable for use in other apparel items.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly an object of the present intention to provide an improved warp-knitted fabric which overcomes the disadvantages of the conventional fabric of FIG. 1. A more particular object of the present invention is to provide such a fabric with a matte surface effect, resistance to snagging, and a relatively uniform stretchability in both widthwise and lengthwise directions.
Briefly summarized, the present invention provides a warp-knitted textile fabric of a three-bar knitted structure basically comprised of three sets of warp yarns interknitted in a Raschel-type stitch pattern wherein one of the sets of warp yarns is knitted in a double needle overlap pattern. Preferably, the three sets of warp yarns comprise two sets of body yarns and a third set of elastic yarns, with one of the sets of body yarns being knitted in the double needle overlap pattern, the other set of body yarns being knitted in a plain stitch pattern, and the elastic yarns being knitted in an inlay pattern. More specifically, the one set of body yarns is preferably knitted in a repeating 1-3, 2-2, 2-0, 1-1 double needle overlap pattern, the other set of body yarns is knitted in a repeating 1-1, 1-2, 1-1, 1-0 stitch pattern, and the set of the elastic yarns is knitted in a 1-1, 2-2, 1-1, 0-0 inlay pattern. Advantageously, the warp-knitted fabric of the present invention having this construction is accordingly adapted for use in activewear apparel and particularly is characterized by a matte surface effect, resistance to snagging, and relatively uniform stretchability in widthwise and lengthwise directions.
Other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will be understood and will become apparent to those persons skilled in the art from the description hereinbelow of a preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a point diagram showing the stitch patterns for, and the interconnecting relationship between, the body and elastic yarns carried out by a warp knitting machine in knitting a conventional form of warp-knitted fabric as already described more fully above; and
FIG. 2 is a similar point diagram showing the stitch patterns for, and the interconnecting relationship between, the body and elastic yarns carried out by a warp knitting machine in knitting one preferred embodiment of a warp-knitted fabric according to the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
As explained more fully herein, the fabric of the present invention is formed on a warp knitting machine which may be of any conventional type of an at least three-bar construction having three or more yarn guide bars and a needle bar, e.g., a conventional tricot or Raschel warp knitting machine. The construction and operation of such machines are well-known in the knitting art and need not herein be specifically described and illustrated. In the following description, the yarn guide bars of the knitting machine are identified as “top”, “middle”, and “bottom” guide bars for reference purposes only and not by way of limitation. As those persons skilled in the art will understand, such terms equally identify knitting machines whose guide bars may be referred to as “front”, “middle” and “back” guide bars, which machines of course are not to be excluded from the scope and substance of the present invention. As further used herein, the “bar construction” of a warp knitting machine refers to the number of yarn guide bars of the machine, while the “bar construction” of a warp knitted fabric refers to the number of different sets of warp yarns included in the fabric, all as is conventional terminology in the art.
As is conventional, the needle bar of the warp knitting machine carries a series of aligned knitting needles, while each guide bar of the machine carries a series of guide eyes, the needle and guide bars of the machine preferably having the same gauge, i.e., the same number of needles and guide eyes per inch. According to the embodiment of the present fabric illustrated in FIG. 2, the bottom (or back) guide bar I is threaded on every guide eye with a set of elastic yarns 10 delivered from a respective warp beam (not shown), the middle yarn guide bar II of the machine is likewise threaded on every guide eye with a set of inelastic body yarns 12 delivered from another warp beam (also not shown), and the top (or front) guide bar III is similarly threaded on every guide eye with another set of inelastic body yarns 14 from a third warp beam (also not shown).
Preferably, all of the body yarns 12 , 14 , are multifilament synthetic yarns, e.g., polyester, but may be of differing denier and filament makeup. For example, in the preferred embodiment of the present fabric depicted in FIG. 2, the body yarns 12 of the middle guide bar II are a 40 denier, 13 filament dull polyester yarn of a tri-lobal cross-sectional shape, while the body yarns 14 of the top guide bar III are a 45 denier, 13 filament dull polyester yarn of an essentially round cross-sectional shape. Of course, those persons skilled in the art will recognize that various other types of body yarns may also be employed as necessary or desirable according to the fabric weight, feel, and other characteristics sought to be achieved.
Similarly, various types or forms of elastic yarns may be utilized as the elastic yarns of bottom bar I. By way of example, the elastic yarns 10 in the preferred embodiment of FIG. 2 are monofilament zinc-free LYCRA brand yarns of a 140 denier and a fifty percent (50%) stretchability.
With more particular reference now to the accompanying drawing of FIG. 2, one particular preferred embodiment of the present warp knitted fabric of a three-bar construction knitted according to the present invention on a three-bar warp knitting machine, is illustrated in a traditional dot or point diagram format wherein the repeating stitch patterns of the body and elastic yarns as carried out by the respective lateral traversing movements of the guide bars of the knitting machine are diagramatically represented in the formation of several successive fabric courses C across several successive fabric wales W, with the individual points 15 representing the needles of the needle bar of the knitting machine in the formation of such courses and wales.
According to this embodiment, the bottom guide bar I of the machine manipulates the elastic yarns 10 to traverse laterally back and forth relative to the needles 15 of the needle bar of the machine to stitch the elastic yarns 10 in a repeating 1-1, 2-2, 1-1, 0-0 inlay pattern as the elastic yarns 10 are fed progressively from their respective warp beam. Simultaneously, the middle guide bar II of the knitting machine manipulates the body yarns 12 as they are fed from their respective warp beam to traverse relative to the needles 15 to stitch the body yarns 12 in a repeating 1-1, 1-2, 1-1, 1-0 stitch pattern and, at the same time, the top guide bar III of the machine manipulates the body yarns 14 as they are fed from their respective warp beam to traverse relative to the needles 15 to stitch the body yarns 14 in a repeating 1-3, 2-2, 2-0, 1-1 double needle overlap stitch pattern.
As will thus be understood, the elastic and body yarns 10 , 12 , 14 are interknitted with one another in the described stitch constructions with each body yarn 12 being formed in respective series of needle loops 12 n appearing in alternating fabric courses C 1 and in connecting underlaps 12 u extending between the successive needle loops 12 n across the intervening fabric courses C 2 , while each elastic yarn 10 is inlayed within the needle loops 12 n in the alternating courses C 1 and each body yarn 14 is knitted in the aforementioned pattern of an overlap 14 n across two needles in each intervening course C 2 with an underlap 14 u extending between the overlaps 14 n.
In this manner, the respective stitch patterns executed by the elastic and body yarns 10 , 12 , 14 impart to the fabric a much higher than conventional degree of uniform stretchability in both widthwise (i.e., coursewise) and lengthwise (i.e., walewise) directions. In comparison specifically with the conventional fabric of FIG. 1, the present fabric at a given weight has a widthwise stretchability approximately fifteen percent (15%) greater than the fabric of FIG. 1 and a lengthwise stretchability approximately thirty percent (30%) less than the fabric off FIG. 1 . Likewise, as compared to the fabric of FIG. 1, the stitch patterns of the constituent yarns in the present fabric cause the fabric to exhibit a much improved resistance to snagging or picking on both sides of the fabric. Furthermore, as a result of the use of the dull finish polyester body yarns 12 , 14 in conjunction with the yarn stitch patterns in the present fabric, each surface of the fabric has a matte finish as compared to the conventional fabric of FIG. 1 which has a shiny satin appearance on one face and a non-satin appearance on the opposite face. As a result, the fabric of the present invention is uniquely and more advantageously suited for use in any swimwear or other activewear applications for which the conventional fabric of FIG. 1 is typically used, without to be recognized disadvantages or shortcomings of the conventional fabric.
It will therefore be readily understood by those persons skilled in the art that the present invention is susceptible of broad utility and application. Many embodiments and adaptations of the present invention other than those herein described, as well as many variations, modifications and equivalent arrangements, will be apparent from or reasonably suggested by the present invention and the foregoing description thereof, without departing from the substance or scope of the present invention. Accordingly, while the present invention has been described herein in detail in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that this disclosure is only illustrative and exemplary of the present invention and is made merely for purposes of providing a full and enabling disclosure of the invention. The foregoing disclosure is not intended or to be construed to limit the present invention or otherwise to exclude any such other embodiments, adaptations, variations, modifications and equivalent arrangements, the present invention being limited only by the claims appended hereto and the equivalents thereof. | A warp-knitted textile fabric adapted for use in activewear apparel and characterized by a matte surface effect, resistance to snagging, and relatively uniform stretchability in widthwise and lengthwise directions, the fabric having a three-bar warp knitted structure comprised of first and second sets of body yarns and a third set of elastic yarns interknitted in a Raschel-type stitch pattern wherein one of the sets of body yarns is knitted in a double needle overlap pattern. | 3 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention is directed to the preparation of derivatives of the family of antibacterial agents incorporating a 2-azetidinone (beta-lactam) ring. Chemically, the antibacterial agents are identified as 2-substituted-2-penem-3-carboxylic acid compounds.
2-Substituted-2-penem-3-carboxylic acid compounds have been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,155,912; Belgian Pat. No. 866,845; published European Patent Applications 636 and 2,210; and Journal of the American Chemical Society, 101, 2210 (1979). According to the abstract thereof published by Derwent Publications Ltd., published Japanese patent application No. 66694/1979 also discloses 2-substituted-2-penem-3-carboxylic acid compounds.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention is directed to a method for preparing compounds of the formula ##STR1## or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein:
R is hydrogen, 1-hydroxyalkyl having 1 or 2 carbon atoms or wherein the 1-hydroxyalkyl is substituted with a hydroxyl-protecting group;
R 1 is (alk)-G, (alk)-G 1 ,G 1 or CH(G 2 ) 2 wherein (alk) is an alkyl group having one to four carbon atoms;
G is hydrogen, alkoxy having one to five carbon atoms, 2-(alkoxy)ethoxy having three to seven carbon atoms, alkylthio having one to five carbon atoms, phenoxy, thiophenoxy, azido, amino, amino substituted with an amine-protecting group, N-phenyl-N-alkylamino wherein the alkyl has one to four carbon atoms, N-alkanoylamino having two to six carbon atoms, N-alkoxyalkanoylamino having three to ten carbon atoms, 2-(N-alkanoylamino)ethoxy having four to eight carbon atoms, aminocarbonyl, aminocarbonyloxy, N-alkylaminocarbonylamino having two to five carbon atoms, alkanoylaminoacetylamino having four to seven carbon atoms, N-alkylaminocarbonyloxy, aminocarbonylalkoxy having two to five carbon atoms, N-alkylaminocarbonyl having two to five carbon atoms, N-(alkoxyalkyl)aminocarbonyl having three to nine carbon atoms;
G 1 is azetidinyl or azetidinyl substituted with N-alkanoyl having two to six carbon atoms or an amine-protecting group; a five- or six-membered ring which is carbocyclic or heterocyclic having one or two oxygen atoms, one, two, three or four nitrogen atoms, a sulfur atom, a nitrogen atom and an oxygen atom or a nitrogen atom and a sulfur atom, or said five- or six-membered ring substituted with alkyl having one to four carbon atoms, dialkyl each having one to four carbon atoms, oxo, amino, amino substituted with an amine-protecting group, alkoxycarbonyl having two to five carbon atoms, di(alkoxycarbonyl) each having two to five carbon atoms, aminocarbonyl, alkoxyalkyl having two to seven carbon atoms, phenyl, formyl, N-alkylaminocarbonyl having 2-5 carbon atoms, alkylaminocarbonylamino having two to five carbon atoms, alkanoylamino having two to five carbon atoms, alkoxy having one to four carbon atoms or phenoxyacetyl;
G 2 is alkanoylaminomethyl each having three to seven carbon atoms or alkoxy each having one to four carbon atoms.
R 2 is hydrogen, and ester group which is hydrolyzed in vivo or a carboxylic acid protecting group; and
X is oxygen or sulfur;
wherein the compound is prepared by the steps of:
(a) desulfurizing a first beta lactam of the formula ##STR2## to obtain a second beta lactam of the formula ##STR3## wherein:
R 4 is alkyl having 1-7 carbon atoms or alkyl substituted with alkoxy having 1-4 carbon atoms, phenyl, pyridyl or 2-benzothiazolyl; and
i is zero or 1;
(b) halogenating the beta lactam of formula VII to obtain a third beta lactam of the formula ##STR4## wherein R 5 is chloro, bromo or iodo; and
(c) cyclizing the beta lactam of formula III to obtain said compound.
Included within the invention is the method wherein the hydroxyl-protecting group is benzyloxycarbonyl, p-nitrobenzyloxy-carbonyl, allyloxycarbonyl, 2,2,2-trichcloroethoxycarbonyl or trialkylsilyl wherein each alkyl has 1-6 carbon atoms. When the hydroxy-protecting group is trialkylsilyl, the method may comprise the additional step of removing the hydroxyl-protecting group with a tetralkylammonium compound wherein each alkyl has 1-7 carbon atoms. Preferably, the tetraalkylammonium compound is a fluoride salt.
The carboxylic acid protecting group may be benzyl, p-nitrobenzyl, allyl or 2,2,2-trichloroethyl.
Within the method, the amine-protecting group may be benzyloxycarbonyl, p-nitrobenzyloxycarbonyl, allyloxycarbonyl, 2,2,2-trichloroethoxycarbonyl or together with the amine nitrogen atom being protected azido.
The method may include the additional step of removing the hydroxyl-protecting group, carboxyl-protecting group or amine-protecting group by hydrogenation treatment with zinc or treatment with tetrakis(triphenylphosphine)palladium.
In step (a) a base or a base and trivalent phosphorus compound may be employed. The preferred base is sodium hydride. The trivalent phosphorus compound is preferably trialkylphosphine, triarylphosphine or trialkylphosphite, more preferably triphenylphosphine.
In step (c) a base may be employed. Preferred bases include a trialkylamine wherein each alkyl has 1-4 carbon atoms or a tetralkylammonium hydroxide wherein each alkyl has 1-7 carbon atoms. More preferably the base is diisopropylethylamine.
The present method includes the preparation of compounds wherein R is hydrogen, X is oxygen and R 1 is methyl, ethyl, 2-methoxyethyl, 2-ethoxyethyl, 1-methoxy-2-propyl, bis(methoxymethyl)methyl, 2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethyl, 2-azidoethyl, aminocarbonylmethyl, 1-(aminocarbonyl)-1-ethyl, 1-(N-methylaminocarbonyl)-1-ethyl, bis(acetyl-aminomethyl)methyl, 2-(aminocarbonylmethoxy)ethyl, 2-(N-methylaminocarbonyloxy)ethyl, 1-(N-(2-methoxyethyl)aminocarbonyl)-1-ethyl, 2-(aminocarbonyloxy)ethyl, 2-(N-methylaminocarbonylamino)ethyl, 2-(methoxymethylcarbonylamino)ethyl, 2-(acetylaminoacetylamino)ethyl, 2-(2-acetylaminoethoxy)ethyl, 1-acetylamino-2-propyl, 2-(acetylamino)ethyl, 2-azidocyclohexyl, 2-methoxycyclohexyl, 2-formylaminocyclohexyl, 2-acetylaminocyclohexyl, 2-(N-methylaminocarbonylamino)-cyclohexyl, 2-methoxycyclopentyl, 1-acetyl-3-azetidinyl, 1-acetyl-3-pyrrolidinyl, 1-ethylcarbonyl-3-pyrrolidinyl, 1-formyl-3-pyrrolidinyl, 2-pyrrolidon-3-yl, 3-tetrahydrofuranyl, 2-tetrahydrofuranylmethyl, 2-(1-imidazolyl)ethyl, 2-(4-methoxycarbonyl-1,2,3-triazolyl)ethyl, 2-(4,5-dimethoxycarbonyl-1,2,3-triazolyl)ethyl, 2-(4-aminocarbonyl-1H-1,2,3-triazolyl)ethyl, 1,3-dioxolan-2-ylmethyl, 1,3-dioxolan-4-ylmethyl, 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxolan-4-ylmethyl, 3-methyl-1,3-oxazolid-2-on-4-ylmethyl, 2-(2H-1,2,3,4-tetrazol-2-yl)ethyl, 2-piperidon-5-yl, 1-methyl-2-piperidon-3-yl, 1-formyl-3-piperidyl, 1-formyl-4-piperidyl, 1-acetyl-3-piperidyl, 1-phenoxymethylcarbonyl-3-piperidyl, 1-ethylcarbonyl-3-piperidyl, 1-aminocarbonyl-3-piperidyl, 1-aminocarbonylmethyl-2-piperidon-3-yl, 2-perhydropyrimidinon-5-yl, 1,3-dioxan-5-yl, 2-phenyl-1,3-dioxan-5-yl, 2-methoxymethyl-1,3-dioxan-5-yl, 2-phenoxyethyl, 2-thiophenoxyethyl, 2-phenethyl, 2-(2-thienyl)ethyl, 2-(2-pyridyl)ethyl, 3-(3-pyridyl)propyl, 2-(pyrazolinyl)ethyl, 2-(4-methyl-thiazol-5-yl)ethyl, 2-(phthalimido)ethyl, 2-(2-thiazolylthioethyl 2-(N-methylanilino)ethyl, 2-(2-tetrahydropyranyloxy)ethyl, 2-tetrahydropyranyl-methyl, 2-(1-morpholino)ethyl, 2-azido-2-phenethyl, 1-acetyl-2-pyrrolidylmethyl, 2-(2-pyrrolidon-1yl)ethyl, 2-(2-pyridinoylamino)ethyl, 2-(2-furanoyl-amino)ethyl, 2-(2-imidazolidinon-1-yl)ethyl 2-piperidon-3-yl or 2-(2-piperidon-1-ylacetylamino)ethyl; preferably R 2 is p-nitrobenzyl.
Additional compounds which can be prepared by the present method are those wherein R is 1-hydroxyethyl or 1-hydroxyethyl substituted with a hydroxyl-protecting group, X is oxygen and R 1 is 1-formyl-3-piperidinyl, 1,3-dioxan-5-yl 1,3-dioxan-2-yl, 1,3-dioxolan-2-yl, 1,3-dioxolan-4-yl, 1,3-dioxolan-4-ylmethyl, 2-piperidinon-3-yl, 2-piperidinon-5-yl, 2-pyrrolidinon-3-yl, 1-methoxy-2-propyl, 2-methoxyethyl, 3-methyl-1,3-oxazolidin-2-on-4-ylmethyl, 2-tetrahydropyranylmethyl, 1-methyl-2-piperidinylmethyl or 2-(4-acetyl-1-piperazinyl)ethyl; preferably wherein R 2 is p-nitrobenzyl.
Other compounds which can be prepared by the present method are those wherein R is hydrogen, X is oxygen and R 1 is 2-azidoethyl, 2-aminoethyl, 1-azido-2-propyl, 1-amino-2-propyl, 1-p-nitrobenzyloxycarbonyl-3-pyrrolidinyl, 3-pyrrolidinyl, 1-p-nitrobenzyloxycarbonyl-3-piperidinyl, 3-piperidinyl, 1-p-nitrobenzyloxycarbonyl-2-pyrrolidinylmethyl, 2-pyrrolidinylmethyl or 2-aminocyclohexyl; preferably wherein R 2 is p-nitrobenzyl.
The present invention includes the method wherein R 2 is alkanoyloxymethyl having from 3 to 8 carbon atoms, 1-(alkanoyloxy)ethyl having from 4 to 9 carbon atoms, 1-methyl-1-(alkanoyloxy)ethyl having from 5 to 10 carbon atoms, alkoxycarbonyloxymethyl having from 3 to 6 carbon atoms, 1-(alkoxycarbonyloxy)ethyl having from 4 to 7 carbon atoms, 1-methyl-1-(alkoxycarbonyloxy)ethyl having from 5 to 8 carbon atoms, N-(alkoxycarbonly)aminomethyl having from 3 to 9 carbon atoms, 1-(N-[alkoxycarbonyl]amino)ethyl having from 4 to 10 carbon atoms, 3-phthalidyl, 4-crotonolactonyl, gamma-butyrolacton-4-yl or carboxyalkylcarbonyloxymethyl having from 4 to 12 carbon atoms.
The beta lactam of formula VII and the beta lactam of formula III both substituted as previously discussed, are also included with the scope of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The compounds of formula I are useful as antibacterial agents, or precursors thereof, and are derivatives of the bicyclic nucleus of the formula: ##STR5## Throughout this specification, the nucleus of formula II is identified by the name "2-penem," and ring atoms are numbered as shown. Also, throughout this specification, the abbreviation "PNB" is used for the p-nitrobenzyl group.
When R is other than hydrogen, the relationship between the hydrogen or bridgehead carbon 5 and the remaining hydrogen on carbon 6 can be cis or trans. The present invention embraces both isomers as well as mixtures thereof. The trans isomer is generally preferred in pharmaceutical applications and the cis isomer can be readily converted to the trans isomer.
As will be appreciated various optically active isomers may exist. The present invention embraces such optically active isomers as well as mixtures thereof.
An ester group which readily hydrolyzes in vivo is intended to refer to non-toxic ester residues which are rapidly cleaved in mammalian blood or tissue to release the corresponding free acid (i.e., the compound of formula I wherein R 2 is hydrogen). Typical examples of such readily hydrolyzable ester-forming residues which can be used for R 2 are alkanoyloxymethyl having from 3 to 8 carbon atoms, 1-(alkanoyloxy)ethyl having from 4 to 9 carbon atoms, 1-methyl-1-(alkanoyloxy)ethyl having from 5 to 10 carbon atoms, alkoxycarbonyloxymethyl having from 3 to 6 carbon atoms, 1-(alkoxycarbonyloxy)ethyl having from 4 to 7 carbon atoms, 1-methyl-1-(alkoxycarbonyloxy)ethyl having from 5 to 8 carbon atoms, N-(alkoxycarbonyl)aminomethyl having from 3 to 9 carbon atoms, 1-(N-[alkoxycarbonyl]amino)ethyl having from 4 to 10 carbon atoms, 3-phthalidyl, 4-crotonolactonyl or gamma-butyrolacton-4-yl. Another class of esters which readily hydrolyze in vivo are the carboxyalkylcarbonyloxymethyl esters having from 4 to 12 carbon atoms; a pharmaceutically acceptable cation may be employed with these esters.
The manner in which the compounds of formula I can be prepared is illustrated by reference to Scheme A. The compounds of formula I are obtained from the corresponding compound of formula III. R 1 represents all of the same groups enumerated earlier except those groups which contain a primary or secondary amino group. When R 1 contain a primary or secondary amino group, this is a special case which will be discussed hereinafter. ##STR6##
The compounds of formula I are obtained by cyclization of the corresponding compound of formula III as shown in Scheme A. The cyclization is normally carried out by treatment of the compound of formula III with a base, for example, an excess, e.g. a ten-fold excess, of a trialkyl amine wherein each alkyl has 1-4 carbon atoms, such as triethylamine or diisopropylethylamine, or a tetraalkylammonium hydroxide wherein each alkyl has 1-4 carbon atoms, e.g., diisopropylethylamine in a reaction-inert solvent such as chloroform, tetrahydrofuran, or dichloromethane. The reaction is normally carried out at a temperature range of about 0° to 40° C., preferably about 25° C. and it is normally complete within a few hours, e.g. from 2 to 24 hours. At the end of the cyclization reaction, the amine hydrochloride is removed by washing with water, and the product is recovered by, for example, solvent evaporation.
The manner in which the compounds of formula III are obtained is illustrated by reference to Scheme B. According to the invention, these compounds are obtained by halogenation of a compound of the formula VII. For example, chlorination of a compound of formula VII where i is zero normally carried out by treating the compound with one molar equivalent or more of chlorine in a chlorinated hydrocarbon solvent such as dichloromethane, chloroform or carbon tetrachloride, at a temperature range of about -40° to 5° C., preferably about -20° C. The reaction is normally complete within one to two hours, and then the product is recovered by solvent evaporation. The chloro compound III is usually obtained as an oil, which is usually used directly, without purification, in the preparation of a compound of formula I.
Other suitable chlorinating reagents may also be employed. Furthermore R 5 need not be chloro in order for the conversion of III to I to occur. Other halogens, e.g., bromo may be employed. These other halogens may be prepared by appropriate halogenation of VII; for example, bromination with bromine. Of course, R 5 may be any other suitable leaving group which will allow cyclization of III to occur. ##STR7##
The compounds of formula VII are obtained by desulfurization of a xanthate or trithiocarbonate of formula VI. The desulfurization is normally carried out by treating the compound of formula VI with about one molar equivalent of a strong base such as sodium hydride in a reaction-inert solvent such as tetrahydrofuran, at a temperature of between about -10° and 5° C., preferably about 0° C. The reaction is normally complete within about one to two hours, and then the reaction is quenched by the addition of about one molar equivalent of acetic acid. The product is then recovered by solvent evaporation. Although the product thus obtained can be used directly in the preparation of a compound of formula III, it is usual to purify VII. Purification can be achieved by standard techniques; a particularly convenient method is chromatography on silica gel.
In most instances, in the conversion of a compound of the formula VI into a compound of formula VII, it is advantageous to add one molar equivalent of a trivalent phosphorus compound such as a trialkylphosphine (e.g., tributylphosphine, tricyclohexylphosphine), a triarylphosphine (e.g., triphenylphosphine) or a trialkylphosphite (e.g., trimethylphosphite, triethylphosphite), preferably triphenylphosphine, to the reaction medium prior to the addition of the strong base.
The compounds of formula VI are obtained by coupling the compound of the formula V with a xanthate salt of the formula M + R 1 --O--(C═S)--S - , or a trithiocarbonate salt of the formula M + R 1 --S--(C═S)--S - , wherein M + represents a metal cation such as sodium or potassium. The coupling is normally carried out by contacting equimolar amounts of the xanthate salt or trithiocarbonate salt and the compound of the formula V in a biphasic organic-aqueous mixture such as dichloromethane and water, in the presence of one molar equivalent or less of a phase-transfer catalyst such as benzyltriethylammonium chloride. The reaction is normally carried out at a temperature between about 0° and 30° C., preferably about 0° C., and it is usually complete within one to two hours. At the completion of the reaction, the product is in the organic phase, and it can be recovered by separating the layers and evaporating the solvent. The product can be purified by conventional methods for a beta-lactam compound, e.g. chromatography using silica gel.
The method by which the compound of formula V can be prepared is shown in Scheme C. Thus, it will be seen that the compound of formula V is prepared by halogenation of the corresponding hydroxy compound (XIII) with a halogenating agent such as thionyl chloride, methanesulfonyl chloride or methanesulfonyl bromide. For thionyl chloride, the chlorination is carried out by treating a solution of the compound of formula XIII in tetrahydrofuran with a slight molar excess of thionyl chloride, in the presence of a hindered amine such as 2,6-lutidine, at about 0° C. Reaction takes place rapidly, and after about 15 minutes, the product is recovered by evaporation of the filtered tetrahydrofuran solution. ##STR8##
The compound of formula XIII is prepared by coupling a compound of formula XII with the ester of glyoxylic acid ethyl hemiacetal (X). The coupling is carried out by heating the two reagents in refluxing benzene, with provision for continuous removal of water and ethanol by azeotropic distillation.
An alternate procedure is to treat XII (R is preferably 1-hydroxyethyl or hydroxymethyl having a hydroxyl-protecting group such as p-nitrobenzyloxycarbonyl) with a benzyloxycarbonylformaldehyde hydrate or hemiacetal to obtain XIII (R 2 =a benzyl group). The preferred benzyloxycarbonylformaldehyde hydrate is p-nitro-benzyloxycarbonyl-formaldehyde hydrate which is reacted with XII in an aprotic solvent such as benzene or dimethylformamide, preferably benzene at a temperature of about 80° C.
The azetidine of formula XII is prepared from the corresponding 4-acetoxy-2-oxo-azetidine XI by reaction with the sodium salt of the thiol, and the ester of glyoxylic acid ethyl hemiacetal X is prepared by periodic acid cleavage of the corresponding ester of tartaric acid IX. 4-Acetoxy-2-oxo-azetidines XI and the tartrates IX are prepared by methods known in the art. The sulfide (XII or XIII, i is zero) may be oxidized to the sulfoxide (i is one) with an oxidizing agent such as soidum periodate, ozone or, preferably, m-chloroperbenzoic acid. Oxidation with m-chloroperbenzoic acid is generally carried out with a reaction-inert solvent such as dichloromethane at a temperature between about -30° and 0° C., preferably about -20° C. ##STR9##
When R is 1-hydroxyalkyl or the hydroxy protected group thereof, the compound of formula XII can be prepared according to Scheme D from the known dibromo penam of formula XIV. The dibromo penam (XIV) undergoes an exchange reaction with t-butyl magnesium chloride at a temperature of between about -90° and -40° C., preferably about -76° C. in a reaction-inert solvent such as tetrahydrofuran, diethyl ether or toluene preferably tetrahydrofuran. Other organometallic reagents may also be employed. The resultant reaction mixture is treated in situ with the appropriate aldehyde; acetaldehyde for the 1-hydroxyethyl derivative, formaldehyde for the hydroxymethyl derivative. The aldehyde is added at between about -80° and -60° C., preferably about -76° C. for acetaldehyde.
The resulting bromo hydroxy penam XV is hydrogenated to remove the 6-bromo substituent. Preferred hydrogenation catalysts include noble metals such as platinum and palladium. A suitable hydrogenation catalyst is palladium on calcium carbonate. The reaction is carried out in a protic medium such as 1:1 methanol-water or water-tetrahydrofuran preferably 1:1 methanol-water at a pressure of about 1 to 4 atm., preferably 4 atm. and a temperature of between about 0° and 30° C., preferably about 25° C.
The hydrogenated compound XVI is treated to protect the hydroxyl with a hydroxyl-protecting group, for example, a protecting group of the formula R 8 CO, such as benzyloxycarbonyl, p-nitrobenzyloxycarbonyl, allyloxycarbonyl, 2,2,2-trichloroethoxycarbonyl and the like. The hydroxyl is reacted, for example, with the corresponding chloride, bromide or iodide of the hydroxyl-protecting group. For, p-nitrobenzyloxycarbonyl, the chloride is reacted with XVI in a suitable reaction-inert solvent such as dichloromethane at a temperature between about 0° and 30° C., preferably about 25° C.
The resulting alkanoyl penam XVII is treated with mercuric acetate in acetic acid at a temperature of about 90° C. to yield the olefin XVIII.
In order to obtain the desired azetidine XII, the olefin XVIII is ozonized in a reaction insert solvent such as dichloromethane at a temperature of between about -80° and -40° C., preferably about -76° C. The reaction product is not isolated, but is treated with an alkanol such as methanol to yield the azetidine XII.
Alternatively the alcohol of formula XVI can be protected with a trialkylhalosilane of formula ##STR10## wherein R 9 at each occurrence is independently an alkyl of 1-6 carbon atoms and Q is chloro, bromo or iodo. Thus, dimethyl-t-butylchlorosilane in the presence of an amine proton acceptor such as imidazole in a polar, aprotic solvent such as dimethylformamide a temperature range of between about 5° and 40° C., preferably about 25° C. forms a trialkylsilyl hydroxyl-protecting group as shown in formula XIX.
Mercuric acetate treatment XIX under the conditions employed with XVII results in the olefin XX. Ozonolysis of this olefin XX in the same method employed with XVIII results in XII wherein R is the trialkylsilyl derivative of 1-hydroxylethyl or hydroxymethyl.
The xanthate salts of the formula M + R 1 --O--(C═S)--S - are prepared from the appropriate alcohol of formula R 1 --OH and carbon disulfide in the presence of a strong base. For example, the alcohol of formula R 1 --OH is reacted with an equimolar amount of sodium hydride or potassium t-butoxide, followed by a slight excess of carbon disulfide, according to well-known procedures.
The trithiocarbonate salts of the formula M + R 1 --S--(C═S)--S - are similarly prepared by the procedure employed to prepare the xanthate salts, from the appropriate mercaptan of the formula R 1 --SH.
Conversion of a compound of formula I wherein R 2 is an acid protecting group into a compound of formula I wherein R 2 is hydrogen can be performed by employing known methods. For example, when R 2 is benzyl or p-nitrobenzyl the preferred method is a conventional hydrogenolysis reaction, and it is carried out in conventional fashion for this type of transformation. Thus, a solution of a compound of the formula I (R 2 is an acid protecting group) is stirred or shaken under an atmosphere of hydrogen, or hydrogen mixed with an inert diluent such as nitrogen or argon, in the presence of a catalytic amount of a hydrogenolysis catalyst, for example, a noble metal catalyst such as palladium-on-calcium carbonate. Convenient solvents for this hydrogenolysis are lower-alkanols, such as methanol; ethers, such as tetrahydrofuran and dioxan; low molecular weight esters, such as ethyl acetate and butyl acetate; water; and mixtures of these solvents. However, it is usual to choose conditions under which the starting material is soluble. The hydrogenolysis is usually carried out at about 25° C. and at a pressure from about 0.5 to about 5 kg/cm 2 . The catalyst is usually present in an amount from about 10 percent by weight based on the starting material up to an amount equal in weight to the starting material, although larger amounts can be used. The reaction commonly takes about one hour, after which the compound of the formula I (R 2 is hydrogen), is recovered simply by filtration followed by removal of the solvent in vacuo. If palladium-on-calcium carbonate is used as the catalyst, the product is often isolated as the calcium salt. The compounds of formula I can be purified by conventional methods for beta-lactam compounds. For example, the compounds for formual I can be purified by gel filtration on Sephadex, or by recrystallization.
If for I, R 1 is 1-hydroxyethyl or hydroxymethyl protected with benzyl derivatives such as p-nitrobenzyloxycarbonyl, the hydroxyl-protecting group can be removed using the hydrogenolysis procedure just described.
For compounds of formula I wherein R is 1-hydroxyethyl or hydroxymethyl whose hydroxyl group is protected with a trialkylsilyl group, the trialkylsilyl group is preferably removed prior to the hydrogenolysis to remove the acid-protecting group (I, R 2 is an acid protecting group). The trialkylsilyl group can be removed with a tetralkylammonium fluoride generally wherein each alkyl has 1-7 carbon atoms an ethereal solvent such as tetrahydrofuran at about 25° C.
The compound of the formula I, wherein R 1 includes a primary amino group, can be prepared from the corresponding azido compound by hydrogenolysis. The conditions described earlier for removal from I of R 2 wherein R 2 is an acid protecting group such as the p-nitrobenzyl group can be used for this azido hydrogenolysis reaction, but it is necessary to allow the reaction to proceed until reaction with hydrogen ceases. Thus, it is evident that if one subjects the compound of formula I, wherein R 1 includes an azido group, to the aforesaid hydrogenolysis conditions, partial hydrogenolysis leads to the compound of formula I, wherein R 1 includes the azido group; exhaustive hydrogenolysis leads to the compound of formula I, wherein the azido group of R 1 has been converted to a primary amino group.
Alternatively, primary or secondary amines can be protected with suitable amine-protecting groups. A particularly advantageous class of amine-protecting groups are benzyloxycarbonyls such as benzyloxycarbonyl or p-nitrobenzyloxy-carbonyl, allyloxycarbonyl, 2,2,2-trichloroethoxycarbonyl and the like. The corresponding benzyloxycarbonyl chloride or bromide, for example p-nitrobenzyloxycarbonyl chloride, can be reacted with the amine in a reaction-inert solvent such as dichloromethane in the present of a tertiary amine at a temperature range of about -20° to 25° C., preferably about 0° C. The amine-protecting group, such as p-nitrobenzyloxy-carbonyl, can be removed by the same hydrogenolysis procedure previously described.
The compounds of formula I are acidic and will form salts with basic agents. Such salts are considered to be within the scope of this invention. These salts can be prepared by standard techniques, such as contacting the acidic and basic components, usually in a stoichiometric ratio, in an aqueous, non-aqueous or partially aqueous medium, as appropriate. They are then recovered by filtration, by precipitation with a non-solvent followed by filtration, by evaporation of the solvent, or in the case of aqueous solutions by lyophilization, as appropriate. Basic agents which are suitably employed in salt formation belong to both the organic and inorganic types, and they include ammonia, organic amines, alkali metal hydroxides, carbonates, bicarbonates, hydrides and alkoxides, as well as alkaline earth metal hydroxides, carbonates, hydrides and alkoxides. Representative examples of such bases are primary amines, such as n-propylamine, n-butylamine, aniline, cyclohexylamine, benzylamine and octylamine; secondary amines, such as diethylamine, morpholine, pyrrolidine and piperidine; tertiary amines, such as triethylamine, N-ethylpiperidine, N-methylmorpholine and 1,5-diazabicyclo[4,3,0]non-5-ene; hydroxides, such as sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, ammonium hydroxide and barium hydroxide; alkoxides, such as sodium ethoxide and potassium ethoxide; hydrides, such as calcium hydride and sodium hydride; carbonates, such as potassium carbonate and sodium carbonate; bicarbonates, such as sodium bicarbonate and potassium bicarbonate; and alkali metal salts of long-chain fatty acids, such as sodium 2-ethylhexanoate.
Preferred salts of the compounds of the formula are sodium, potassium and calcium salts.
As indicated hereinbefore, the compounds of formula I and salts thereof are anti-bacterial agents. The in vitro activity of the compounds of the formula I and salts thereof can be demonstrated by measuring their minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC's) in mcg./ml. against a variety of microorganisms. The procedure which is followed is the one recommended by the International Collaborative Study on Antibiotic Sensitivity Testing (Ericcson and Sherris, Acta. Pathologica et Microbiologia Scandinav, Supp. 217, Section B: 64-68 [1971]), and employs brain heart infusion (BHI) agar and the inocula replicating device. Overnight growth tubes are diluted 100 fold for use as the standard inoculum (20,000-10,000 cells in approximately 0.002 ml. are placed on the agar surface; 20 ml. of BHI agar/dish). Twelve 2 fold dilutions of the test compound are employed, with initial concentration of the test drug being 200 mcg./ml. Single colonies are disregarded when reading plates after 18 hrs. at 37° C. The susceptibility (MIC) of the test organism is accepted as the lowest concentration of compound capable of producing complete inhibition of growth as judged by the naked eye.
The following Examples and Preparations are provided solely for further illustration. Infra-red (IR) spectra were measured either as potassium bromide discs (KBr disc), or as solutions in chloroform (CHCl 3 ), methylene chloride (CH 2 Cl 2 ) or dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), and diagnostic absorption bands are reported either in wave numbers (cm -1 ) or in microns (micrometers). Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra were measured for solutions in deuterochloroform (CDCl 3 ) perdeutero-water (D 2 O) or perdeuterodimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO-d 6 ), or mixtures thereof, and peak positions are expressed in parts per million downfield from tetramethylsilane. The following abbreviations for peak shapes are used: s, singlet; d, doublet; t, triplet; q, quartet; m, multiplet c, complex; b, broad. The abbreviations "ss" and "sss" denote that a particular proton appeared as two or three singlets respectively, owing to the presence of diastereoisomers. Throughout the Examples and Preparations, the abbreviation "PNB" represents the p-nitrobenzyl group.
EXAMPLE 1
p-Nitrobenzyl 2-(4-ethylthio-3-p-nitrobenzyloxycarbonyloxyethyl-2-oxo-1-azetidinyl)-2-(1,3-dioxan-5-yl-oxythiocarbonyl)acetate
A solution of 8.40 g p-nitrobenzyl 2-(4-ethylthio-3-p-nitrobenzyloxycarbonyloxyethyl-2-oxo-1-azetidinyl)-2-(1,3-dioxan-5-yl-oxythiocarbonylthio)acetate and 2.95 g triphenylphosphine in 200 ml anhydrous tetrahydrofuran was cooled to 0° C. under a nitrogen atmosphere, sodium hydride (550 mg. 50% oil dispersion) was added and the reaction mixture was stirred at 0° C. for 20 min. Acetic acid (0.65 ml) was then added dropwise at 0° C. and the resulting solution was concentrated in vacuo. The residue was dissolved in 200 ml ethyl acetate and the solution was washed successively with 100 ml saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution and 100 ml water, dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate and concentrated in vacuo. The residue was chromatographed on silica gel eluting with 15% ethyl acetate in chloroform to yield 6.9 g of the title compound. The NMR spectrum in deuterochloroform showed absorptions at 1.0-1.56 (c, 6H); 2.58 (m, 2H); 3.4 (m, 1H); 3.86-4.1 (c, 5H); 4.63-5.46 (c, 9H); 7.5 (m, 4H) and 8.2 (m, 4H) ppm.
EXAMPLE 2
The compounds of formula VII wherein R is p-nitrobenzyloxycarbonyloxyethyl, X is oxygen, R 4 is ethyl, i is zero and R 2 is p-nitrobenzyl as listed for different R 1 in Table I were obtained by the desulfurization of the corresponding xanthate of formula VI, using the procedure of Example 1. For the compounds in Table I, NMR spectra were measured for deuterochloroform solutions.
TABLE I______________________________________R.sub.1 NMR (ppm)______________________________________2-piperidinon-5-yl 1.0-1.56 (c,6H); 2.0-2.72 (c,6H); 3.36 (m,1H); 3.58 (c,2H); 4.8-5.32 (c,8H); 6.1 (b,1H); 7.48 (m,4H); 8.2 (m,4H)1-formyl-3-piperidyl 1.0-2.2 (c,10H); 2.6(IR: 5.64, 5.70 5.97 (m,2H); 3.1-4.1 (c,5H);microns (CHCl.sub.3)) 4.95-5.4 (c,7H); 5.5 (m,1H); 7.5 (m,4H);1-methoxy-2-propyl 1.04-1.6 (c,9H); 2.6 (m,2H); 3.3(s) and 3.26-3.6 (c,6H); 4.96-5.4 (c,7H); 5.66 (c,1H); 7.5 (m,4H); and 8.2 (m,4H)1,3-dioxolan-2-yl-methyl 1.0-1.58 (c,6H); 2.6 (m,2H); 3.4 (m,1H); 3.98 (b,4H); 4.5 (d, 2H); 4.9-5.44 (c,8H); 7.52 (m,4H); and 8.2 (m,4H)2-pyrrolidinon-3-yl 0.98-1.66 (c,6H); 2.26-3.0 (c,4H); 3.0- 3.5b (c,3H); 4.75-5.46 (c,8H); 5.9 (b,1H); 7.5 (m,4H); and 8.2 (m,4H)3-methyl-1,3-oxazolidin- 1.0-1.56 (c,6H); 2.542-on-4-ylmethyl (m,2H); 2.86 (s,3H); 3.4 (m,1H); 3.9-5.42 (c,12H); 7.5 (m,4H); and 8.2 (m,4H)1,3-dioxolan-4-ylmethyl 1.02-1.68 (c,6H); 2.58 (m,2H); 3.42 (m,1H); 3.6-4.66 (c,5H); 4.68- 5.4 (c,9H); 7.54 (m,4H); and 8.2 (m,4H)2-methoxyethyl 1.06-1.58 (c,6H); 2.6 (m,2H); 3.36 (s) and 3.26-3.8 (c,6H); 4.54-5.4 (c,8H); 6.52 (s,1H); 7.5 (m,4H); and 8.2 (m,4H)______________________________________
EXAMPLE 3
p-Nitrobenzyl 2-(4-Ethylthio-2-oxo-1-azetidinyl)-2-(ethoxythiocarbonyl)acetate
To a stirred solution of 3.5 g. of p-nitrobenzyl 2-(4-ethylthio-2-oxo-1-azetidinyl)-2-(ethoxythiocarbonylthio)acetate in 100 ml of tetrahydrofuran, at 0° C., was added 545 mg. of a 50% dispersion of sodium hydride in mineral oil. Stirring was continued at 0°-5° C. for 1 hour, and then a solution of 713 mg. of acetic acid in 5 ml. of tetrahydrofuran was added dropwise. The reaction mixture was concentrated to dryness in vacuo, and the residue was partitioned between a mixture of 100 ml. of chloroform and 50 ml of dilute hydrochloric acid. The chloroform layer was removed and washed successively with 50 ml. of water, 50 ml. of saturated sodium bicarbonate and 50 ml. of water. The chloroform solution was dried using anhydrous sodium sulfate. Evaporation in vacuo gave the title compound as a yellow viscous liquid. This product was purified by chromatography on silica gel (150 g.), eluting with a 95:5 mixture of chloroform:ethyl acetate. The product containing fractions were combined and evaporated in vacuo to give 1.8 g. of the title compound as a yellow liquid. The IR spectrum chloroform of the product showed an absorption at 5.56 microns. The NMR spectrum deuterochloroform showed absorptions at 1.0-1.6 (m, 6H); 2.35-3.68 (m, 4H); 4.6 (q, 2H); 5.1 (m, 1H); 5.2 and 5.3 (ss, 3H); 7.46 (d, 2H); and 8.3 (d, 2H) ppm.
EXAMPLE 4
The compounds of formula VII wherein R is hydrogen, X is oxygen, R 4 is ethyl, i is zero, and R 2 is p-nitrobenzyl as listed for different R 1 in Table II were obtained by desulfurization of the appropriate xanthate of formula VI, using the procedure of Example 3. For the compounds in Table I, IR spectra were measured for solutions in chloroform and NMR spectra were measured for solutions in deuterochloroform.
TABLE II______________________________________ IR NMRR.sub.1 (microns) (ppm)______________________________________2-methoxyethyl 5.56 1.2 (t,3H); 2.36-3.86 (m,9H); 4.7 (m,2H); 5.1 (m,1H); 5.25, 5.35 and 5.4 (sss,3H); 7.55 (d,2H); 8.25 (d,2H)2-phenoxyethyl 5.66 1.15 (m,3H); 2.34-3.62 (m,4H); 4.24 (m,2H); 4.7- 5.2 (m,3H); 5.24 (s,2H); 5.34 and 5.48 (ss,1H); 6.7-7.68 (m,7H); 8.14 (d,2H)2-thiophenoxyethyl 5.66 1.0-1.4 (m,3H); 2.3- 3.9 (m,6H); 4.45-5.35 (m,6H); 7.1-7.62 (m,7H); 8.16 (d,2H)2-phenylethyl 5.66 1.2 (t,3H); 2.3-3.65 (m,6H); 4.6-5.14 (m,3H); 5.28 and 5.32 (ss,3H); 7.15-7.65 (m,7H); 8.22 (d,2H)2-azidoethyl 4.77 1.22 (t,3H); 2.4-3.86 5.66 (m,6H); 4.62-5.25 (m,3H); 5.3 and 5.4 (ss,3H); 7.58 (d,2H); 8.25 (d,2H)______________________________________
EXAMPLE 5
p-Nitrobenzyl 2-(4-Ethylthio-2-oxo-1-azetidinyl)-2-(2-acetamidoethoxythiocarbonyl)acetat
To a stirred solution of 1.02 g. of p-nitrobenzyl 2-(ethylthio-2-oxo-1-azetidinyl)-2-(2-acetamidoethoxythiocarbonylthio)acetate and 514 mg. of triphenylphosphine in 25 ml. of tetrahydrofuran, at ca. 0° C., was added 101 mg. of a 50% dispersion of sodium hydride in mineral oil. Stirring was continued for 1 hour at ca. 0° C., and then 0.14 ml. of acetic acid was added. The resulting solution was evaporated in vacuo, and then the residue was dissolved in 50 ml. of chloroform. The chloroform solution was washed with water, dried with anhydrous sodium sulfate, and evaporated in vacuo to give a solid residue (1.58 g.). The solid was chromatographed on 100 g. of silica gel eluting with a 95:5 mixture of ethyl acetatemethanol. The fractions containing the product were combined and evaporated in vacuo to give 500 mg. of the title compound. The IR spectrum in chloroform showed absorptions at 5.66 and 5.98 microns. The NMR spectrum in deuterochloroform showed absorptions at 1.2 (m, 3H); 2.0 (s, 3H); 2.4 3.9 (m, 6H); 4.7 (m, 2H); 5.13 (m, 1H); 5.28, 5.36 and 5.44 (sss, 3H); 7.0 (m, 1H); 7.64 (d, 2H); and 8.3 (d, 2H) ppm.
EXAMPLE 6
The compounds of formula VII where R is hydrogen, X is oxygen, R 4 is ethyl, i is zero and R 2 is p-nitrobenzyl as listed for different R 1 in Table III were obtained by desulfurization of the appropriate xanthate of formula VI, using the procedure of Example 5. For the compounds in Table III, IR spectra were measured for solutions in chloroform unless otherwise indicated and NMR spectra were measured for solutions in deuterochloroform unless otherwise indicated.
TABLE III______________________________________ IR NMRR.sub.1 microns (ppm)______________________________________2-ethoxyethyl 5.63 1.08-1.45 (m,6H); 2.4- 3.95 (m,8H); 4.58 (m,2H); 5.17 (m,1H); 5.27, 5,38 and 5.43 (sss,3H); 7.58 (d,2H); 8.26 (d,2H)2-(2-(methoxy)- 5.63 1.22 (t,3H); 2.38-4.0ethoxy)ethyl (m,13H); 4.7 (m,2H); 5.12 (m,1H); 5.25, 5.36, 5.42 (s,3H); 7.58 (d,2H); 8.22 (d,2H)2-(morpholino)ethyl 5.64 1.2 (t,3H); 2.32-3.8 (m,14H); 4.62 (t,2H); 5.1 (m,1H); 5.2 and 5.3 (s,3H); 7.52 (d,2H); 8.22 (d,2H)2-(2-thienyl)ethyl 5.64 1.16 (t,3H); 2.3-3.6 (m,6H); 4.5-5.16 (m,3H); 5.2, 5.24 and 5.28 (sss,3H); 6.8- 7.68 (m,5H); 8.2 (d,2H)2-(2-pyridyl)ethyl 5.66 1.18 (t,3H); 2.3-3.6 (m,6H); 4.7-5.18 (m,3H); 5.2 and 5.25 (ss,3H); 6.96-7.85 (m,5H); 8.2 (d,2H); 8.5 (m,1H)2-(1-pyrazolyl)- 5.62 1.18 (m,3H); 2.3-3.68ethyl (m,4H); 4.36-5.12 (m,5H); 5.2 and 5.26 (ss,3H); 6.22 (m,1H); 7.34-7.7 (m,4H); 8.2 (d,2H)2-(4-methyl-5- 5.63 1.2 (t,3H); 2.3-3.7thiazolyl)ethyl (m,9H); 4.7 (m,2H); 4.96-5.38 (m,4H); 7.72 (d,2H); 8.22 (d,2H); 8.62 (s,1H)2-(2-oxo-1- 5.66 1.22 (m,3H); 2.38-3.78imidazolidinyl)ethyl 5.88 (m,10H); 4.62 (m,2H); 5.12 (m,1H); 5.26 and 5.36 (ss,3H); 7.6 (d,2H); 8.28 (d,2H)2-(2-oxo-1- 5.65 1.2 (m,3H); 1.7-3.8pyrrolidinyl)ethyl (m,12H); 4.62 (m,2H); 5.1 (m,1H); 5.2, 5.25 and 5.3 (sss,3H); 7.56 (d,2H); 8.22 (d,2H)2-(2-thiazolylthio) 5.66 1.02-1.4 (m,3H); 2.35-ethyl 3.74 (m,6H); 4.66-5.4 (m,6H); 7.36-7.7 (m,4H); 8.2 (d,2H)2-methoxycyclopentyl 5.66 1.0-1.4 (m,3H); 1.6- 2.0 (m,6H); 2.0-4.0 (m,5H); 3.3 (s,3H); 5.2 (m,1H); 5.3 (m,2H); 5.6 (m,1H); 7.5 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H)2-methoxycyclohexyl 5.65 1.0-2.2 (m,11H): 2.2- 4.0 (m,5H); 3.4 (s,3H); 5.0 (m,1H); 5.4 (d,2H); 5.5 (m,1H); 7.5 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H)2-azidocyclohexyl 4.76 1.0-2.0 (m,11H); 2.0- 5.66 4.0 (m,5H); 5.2 (m,1H); 5.3 (d,2H); 5.4 (m,1H); 7.5 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H)2-azidocyclopentyl 4.76 1.0-1.4 (m,3H); 1.6- 5.63 2.0 (m,6H); 2.2-3.8 (m,4H); 4.1 (m,1H); 5.2 (m,1H); 5.3 (s,2H); 5.4 (m,1H); 7.5 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H)3-tetrahydrofuranyl 5.65 1.0-1.4 (t,3H); 2.0- 3.8 (m,6H); 3.8-4.1 (m,4H); 5.0 (m,1H); 5.3 (s,2H); 6.9 (m,1H); 7.8 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H)1-acetyl-2-pyrroli- 5.65 1.0-1.4 (m,5H); 2.0dinyl (s,3H); 2.2-4.0 (m,8H); 5.2 (m,1H); 5.4 (s,2H); 5.9 (m,1H); 7.6 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H)1-acetyl-3-piperi- 5.66 1.0-1.4 (m,3H); 1.4-dinyl 2.0 (m,4H); 2.0 (s,3H); 2.2-4.0 (m,8H); 5.2 (m,1H); 5.3 (s,2H); 5.6 (m,1H); 7.5 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H)2-tetrahydrofuranyl- 5.65 1.0-2.4 (m,3H); 1.6-methyl 2.1 (m,4H); 2.2-3.8 (m,4H); 3.8-4.1 (m,3H); 4.6 (d,2H); 5.2 (m,1H); 5.4 (s,2H); 7.6 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H)2-(2-pyridinoylamino- 5.64 1.15 (m,3H); 2.5 (q,2H);ethyl 5.98 2.8-4.05 (c,4H); 4.7 (m,2H); 4.92-5.35 (c,4H); 7.2-8.7 (c,9H).1-formyl-3-piperidyl 5.64 1.03 (t,3H); 1.44-2.26 5.72 (c,4H); 2.38-4.1 (c,8H); 4.7-5.7 (c,5H); 7.56 (d,2H); 7.82- 8.36 (c,3H).N--methylaminocarbonyl- 5.68 1.2 (m,3H); 2.6 (q),methyl 5.98 2.76 (d) and 2.16-3.7 (c,7H); 4.8-5.44 (c,6H); 7.56 (c,3H);. 8.2 (d,2H).1-(aminocarbonyl)ethyl 5.67 1.07-1.7 (c,6H); 5.92 2.32-3.84 (c,4H); 4.74- (CH.sub.2 Cl.sub.2) 5.4 (c,4H); 5.7 (q,1H); 6.14 (b,1H); 7.13 (b,1H); 7.48 (d,2H); 8.15 (d,2H)2-(methoxymethylcar- 5.66 1.26 (m,3H); 2.66 (q,bonyl-amino)ethyl 5.96 2H); 2.9-4.1 (c, total (CH.sub.2 Cl.sub.2) 9H) including 3.45 (s,3H), 3.76 (q,2H), 3.9 (s,2H); 4.7 (m,2H); 5.14 (m,1H); 5.3 (d,1H); 5.4 (s,2H); 7.1 (b,1H); 7.6 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H).2-(aminocarbonyloxy)ethyl 5.65 1.18 (m,3H); 2.58 5.76 (m,2H); 2.8-5.1 (c, (CH.sub.2 Cl.sub.2) 8H); 5.2 (d,1H); 5.3 (s,2H); 7.55 (m,2H); 8.2 (d,2H).1,3-dimethoxy-2-propyl 5.65 1.25 (m,3H); 2.5 (m,2H); 2.84-3.9 (c,12H) including 3.35 (5,6H); 4.9-5.46 (c, 4H); 5.8 (m,1H); 7.6 (d,2H); 8.28 (d,2H).2-(2-furylcarbonyl- 5.64 1.25 (m,3H); 2.6 (q,2H);amino)ethyl 6.0 2.8-4.0 (C,4H); 4.74 (CH.sub.2 Cl.sub.2) (m,2H); 5.08 (m,1H); 5.24 (d,1H); 5.34 (s,2H); 6.5 (m,1H); 7.0 (b,1H); 7.1 (d,1H); 7.42 (d,1H); 7.5 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H).1,3-dioxan-5-yl 5.62 1.2 (t,3H); 2.33-3.5 (c,4H); 4.04 (m,4H); 4.66-5.44 (c,7H); 7.5 (m,2H); 8.2 (d,2H).1-methyl-2-piperidinon- 5.66 1.22 (m,3H); 1.7-2.23-yl 6.04 (c,4H); 2.6 (m,2H); 2.96 (5,3H); 3.0-3.65 (c,4H); 4.8-5.46 (c,4H); 5.86 (m,1H); 7.56 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H).1-(aminocarbonylmethyl- 5.68 1.2 (m,3H); 1.7-4.42-piperidnon-3-yl 6.0 (c,12H): 4.8-5.4 (c,5H); 6.0 (n,2H); 7.5 (m,2H); 8.2 (d,2H).2-(2-acetylamino- 5.68 1.25 (m,3H); 2.0 (s,3H);ethoxy)ethyl 6.0 2.6 (m,2H); 2.8-4.0 (CH.sub.2 Cl.sub.2) (c,8H); 4.62 (m,2H); 4.95- 5.4 (c,4H); 6.44 (b,1H); 7.52 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H).2-piperidinon-3-yl 5.68 1.2 (m,3H); 1.6-3.66 5.98 (c,8H); 4.8-5.4 (c,5H); 6.4 (b,1H); 7.5 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H).2-pyrrolidinon-3-yl 5.66 1.2 (m,3H); 2.36-3.8 5.85 (c,8H); 4.9-5.5 (c,5H); 7.6 (c,3H); 8.2 (m,2H) (DMSO-d.sub.6).2-piperidinon-5-yl 5.64 1.24 (m,3H); 2.0-3.8 6.0 (c,11H); 5.05 (m,1H); 5.2 (m,1H); 5.3 (5,2H); 7.2 (b,1H); 7.5 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H).3-methyl-1,3-oxazolid- 5.66 1.24 (m,3H); 2.6 (q,2H);2-on-4-ylmethyl 2.9 (s,3H); 3.1-4.8 (c,7H); 5.0 (m,1H); 5.22 (m,1H); 5.35 (s,2H); 7.5 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H).1,3-dioxolan-4- 5.64 1.24 (m,3H); 2.6 (m,2H);ylmethyl (CH.sub.2 Cl.sub.2) 2.82-4.6 (c,7H); 4.9 (d,2H); 5.1 (m,1H); 5.24 (d,1H); 5.34 (s,2H); 7.56 (d,2H); 8.22 (d,2H).______________________________________
EXAMPLE 7
p-Nitrobenzyl 2-(4-chloro-3-p-nitrobenzyloxycarbonyloxyethyl-2-oxo-1-azetidinyl)-2-(1,3-dioxan-5-yl-oxythiocarbonyl)-acetate
A solution of 6.90 g of p-nitrobenzyl 2-(4-ethylthio-3-p-nitrobenzyloxycarbonyloxyethyl-2-oxo-1-azetidinyl)-2-(1,3-dioxan-5-yl-oxythiocarbonyl)-acetate in 110 ml methylene chloride was cooled to -20° C. under a nitrogen atmosphere. A solution of chlorine in carbon tetrachloride (98 ml of 0.1M solution) was then added. The reaction mixture was stirred at -20° C. for 75 min., then allowed to warm to 0° C. and was washed successively with 75 ml saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution (5° C.), 75 ml H 2 O (5° C.) and 75 ml saturated aqueous sodium chloride solution. The organic phase was dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate and concentrated in vacuo yielding 5.97 g of crude title compound. The NMR spectraum in deuterochloroform shows absorptions at 1.5 (d, 3H); 3.4 (m, 1H); 3.8-4.14 (c, 5H); 4.75 (s, 2H); 4.98-5.5 (c, 6 H); 5.8-6.2 (c, 1H); 7.5 (m, 4H); 8.2 (m, 4H) ppm.
EXAMPLE 8
Compounds of formula III wherein R is p-nitro benzyloxycarbonyloxyethyl, R 5 is chloro, R 2 is p-nitrobenzyl, X is oxygen and R 1 is as shown in Table IV where prepared according to the procedure of Example 7. For these compounds, NMR spectra were measured in deuterochloroform.
TABLE IV______________________________________R.sub.1 NMR (ppm)______________________________________1-formyl-3-piperidyl 1.3-2.14 (c,7H); 3.1-4.1(IR(chloroform): 5.6 5.7 (c,5H); 4.83-5.36 (c,7H);and 5.97 microns) 5.75-6.12 (c,1H); 7.4 (m,4H); 7.94 (b, 1H); 8.1 (m,4H).1-methoxy-2-propyl 1.1-1.6 (c,6H); 3.18-3.8 (c,7H); 4.9-5.4 (c,6H); 5.96 (c,1H); 7.48 (m,4H); 8.14 (m,4H)1,3-dioxolan-2-ylmethyl 1.5 (m,3H); 3.5-4.0 (c,5H); 4.3 (c,2H); 5.0-5.4 (c,7H); 6.0 (c,1H); 7.5 (m,4H); 8.2 (m,4H)2-pyrrolidinon-3-yl 1.5 (m,3H); 2.5 (m,2H); 3.3 (m,2H); 3.7 (m,1H); 4.86-5.4 (3,7H); 6.0 (m,1H); 7.48 (c,5H); 8.18 (m,4H).2-piperidinon-5-yl 1.5 (m,3H); 1.9-2.94 (C,4H); 3.3-3.94 (c,3H); 4.7-5.5 (c,7H); 5.9 (c,1H); 6.6 (b,1H); 7.5 (m,4H); 8.2 (m,4H)3-methyl-1,3-oxazolidin- 1.5 (m,3H); 2.92 (c,3H); 3.3-2-on-4-ylmethyl 5.4 (c,12H); 5.9 (c,1H); 7.5 (m,4H); 8.2 (m,4H)2-methoxyethyl 1.5 (m,3H); 3.32 (s) and 3.1 3 3.4 (c,4H); 3.62 (m, 2H); 3.96-4.6 (c,3H); 5.1-5.4 (c,5H); 6.0 (c,1H); 7.5 (m,4H); 8.16 (m,4H)1,3-dioxolan-4-ylmethyl 1.5 (d,3H); 3.5-4.52 (c, 6H); 4.75-5.42 (c,8H); 6.95 (c,1H); 7.5 (m,4H); 8.2 (m,4H)______________________________________
EXAMPLE 9
p-Nitrobenzyl 2-(4-Chloro-2-oxo-1-azetidinyl)-2-(ethoxythiocarbonyl)acetate
To a stirred solution of 214 mg. of p-nitrobenzyl 2-(4-ethylthio-2-oxo-1-azetidinyl)-2-(ethoxythiocarbonyl)acetate in 20 ml of dichloromethane, at ca. 0° C., was added dropwise 8.5 ml. of a 0.1M solution of chlorine in dichloromethane. Stirring was continued for 45 minutes at ca. 0° C. The reaction medium was then diluted with 30 ml. of dichloromethane, and the resulting solution was washed successively with 40 ml. of water, 40 ml. of saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate and 40 ml. of water. The dried dichloromethane solution was evaporated in vacuo to give the title compounds (387 mg). The IR spectrum (chloroform) of the product showed absorptions at 5.6 and 5.72 microns. The NMR spectrum (deuterochloroform) showed absorptions at 1.4 (m, 3H); 3.0-3.8 (m, 2H); 4.3 (q, 3H); 5.32 and 5.35 (ss, 3H); 5.88 (m, 1H); 7.4 (d, 2 H); and 8.2 (d, 2H).
EXAMPLE 10
Chlorination of the appropriate compound of formula VII wherein R is hydrogen, R 1 is as shown in Table V, R 2 is p-nitrobenzyl, R 4 is ethyl, i is zero and X is oxygen, using the procedure of Example 9, afforded the compounds of formula III, R 5 being chloro, in Table V. In Table V, IR spectra were measured as solutions in chloroform, NMR spectra were measured as solutions in deuterochloroform, unless otherwise indicated.
TABLE V______________________________________ IR NMRR.sub.1 (microns) (ppm)______________________________________2-methoxyethyl 5.62 3.0-3.8 (m,7H); 4.18- 5.72 4.7 (m,2H); 5.2, 5.22 and 5.25 (sss,3H); 5.86 (m,1H); 7.4 (d,2H); 8.05 (d,2H)2-ethoxyethyl 5.6 1.25 (m,3H); 3.0-3.94 5.7 (m,6H); 4.25-4.86 (m,2H); 5.38 (m,3H); 6.0 (m,1H); 7.6 (d,2H); 8.25 (d,2H)2-(2-methoxyethoxy)- 5.6 3.0-4.0 (m,11H); 4.4ethyl 5.7 (m,2H); 5.1-5.4 (m,3H); 6.0 (m,1H); 7.6 (d,2H); 8.22 (d,2H)2-phenoxyethyl 5.6 3.0-3.86 (m,2H); 4.22 5.7 (m,2H); 4.4-5.0 (m,2H); 5.16, 5.22 and 5.26 (sss,3H); 5.94 (m,1H); 6.64-7.72 (m,7H); 8.1 (m,2H)2-phenylthioethyl 5.6 3.0-3.95 (m,4H); 4.35 5.7 (m,2H); 4.82 (s,1H); 5.3 and 5.35 (s,2H); 5.9 (m,1H); 7.12-7.7 (m,7H); 8.2 (d,2H)2-azido-ethyl 4.76 3.0-3.8 (m,4H); 4.2- 5.66 4.8 (m,2H); 5.18-5.5 (m,3H); 5.9 (m,1H); 7.42 (d,2H); 8.17 (d,2H)2-(acetamido)ethyl 5.58 2.02 (s,3H); 2.98- 5.7 3.98 (m,4H); 4.2-5.82 5.97 (m,2H); 5.38 (m,3H); (CH.sub.2 Cl.sub.2) 5.98 (m,1H); 7.1 (m,1H); 7.6 (d,2H); 8.24 (d,2H)2-(morpholino)ethyl 5.6 2.4-3.94 (m,12H); 4.4 5.7 (m,2H); 5.3, 5.34 (s,3H); 6.0 (m,1H); 7.58 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H)2-phenylethyl 5.6 2.9-3.86 (m,4H); 4.45 5.72 (m,2H); 5.16-5.4 (m,3H); 5.9 (s,1H); 7.15-7.65 (m,7H); 8.2 (d,2H)2-(2-thienyl)ethyl 5.6 2.98-3.8 (m,4H); 4.34 5.7 (m,2H); 5.18, 5.22 (s,3H); 5.9 (m,1H); 6.7- 7.15 (m,3H); 7.4 (d,2H); 8.1 (d,2H)2-(2-pyridyl)ethyl 5.6 3.0-3.8 (m,4H); 4.6 5.7 (m,2H); 5.3 (m,3H); 5.9 (m,1H); 7.3-7.9 (m,5H); 8.16 (d,2H); 8.52 (m,1H)2-(1-pyrazolyl)ethyl 5.64 3.0-3.6 (m,2H); 4.32- 5.7 5.06 (m,4H); 5.22 (m,3H); 5.88 (m,1H); 6.2 (m,1H); 7.3-7.64 (m,4H); 8.18 (d,2H)2-(4-methyl-5- 5.6 2.34-3.62 (m,7H); 4.7thiazolyl)ethyl 5.8 (m,2H); 5.3 and 5.35 (ss,3H); 5.96 (m,1H) 7.5 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H); 8.7 (s,1H)2-(2-oxo-1- 5.6 3.0-3.9 (m,8H); 4.66imidazolidinyl)- 5.7 (m,2H); 5.4 (m,3H); 6.0ethyl 1705 (m,1H); 7.6 (d,2H); 8.22 (d,2H)2-(2-oxo-1- 5.58 1.7-3.8 (m,10H); 4.64pyrrolidinyl)- 5.67 (m,2H); 5.36 (m,3H);ethyl 5.94 5.9 (m,1H); 7.58 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H)2-(2-thiazolylthio)- 5.6 3.0-3.8 (m,4H); 4.56ethyl 5.7 (m,2H); 5.35 (m,3H); 6.0 (m,1H); 7.46-7.84 (m,4H); 8.3 (d,2H)2-methoxycyclopentyl- 5.6 1.4-2.0 (m,6H); 3.0- 5.72 4.0 (m,3H); 3.2 (s,3H); 5.0 (m,1H); 5.4 (s,2H); 6.0 (m,1H); 7.5 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H)2-methoxycyclohexyl 5.58 1.0-1.8 (m,8H); 3.0- 5.7 3.8 (m,3H); 3.3 (s,3H); 4.8 (m,1H); 5.4 (s,2H); 6.0 (m,1H); 7.6 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H)2-azidocyclohexyl 4.76 1.4-2.2 (m,8H); 3.0- 5.6 3.8 (m,3H); 5.4 (m,3H); 5.7 6.0 (m,1H); 7.6 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H)2-azidocyclopentyl 4.76 1.4-2.0 (m,6H); 3.0- 5.6 4.0 (m,3H); 5.3 (m,3H); 5.7 6.0 (m,1H); 7.6 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H)3-tetrahydrofuranyl 5.58 2.0-2.4 (m,2H); 3.0- 5.67 3.8 (m,2H); 3.8-4.2 (m,4H); 5.4 (m,3H) 6.0 (m,1H); 7.6 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H)1-acetyl-3-pyrroli- 5.6 1.2-1.4 (m,2H); 2.3dinyl 5.7 (s,3H); 3.0-4.0 (m,6H); 5.3 (m,3H); 6.0 (m,1H); 7.5 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H)1-acetyl-3-piperi- 5.6 1.5-2.2 (m,4H); 2.3dinyl 5.7 (d,3H); 3.0-4.2 (m,6H); 5.0 (m,1H); 5.4 (s,2H); 6.0 (m,1H); 7.6 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H)2-tetrahydrofuranyl- 5.6 1.8-2.2 (m,4H); 3.0-methyl 5.8 3.8 (m,5H); 4.2 (s,2H); 5.4 (s,2H); 6.0 (m,1H); 7.5 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H)2-tetrahydropyranyl- 5.6 1.2-2.0 (m,6H); 3.0-methyl 5.7 4.58 (m,7H); 5.33 (m,3H); 6.0 (m,1H); 7.57 (d,2H); 8.22 (d,2H)1-acetyl-2-pyrroli- 5.6 1.76-2.58 (m,7H) 3.0-dinylmethyl 5.7 3.84 (m,4H); 3.96-4.7 (m,3H); 5.3 (m,3H); 5.9 (m,1H); 7.58 (d,2H); 8.25 (d,2H)2-(2-pyridinoylamino)- 5.56 3.80-4.1 (c,4H);ethyl 5.9 4.3-4.95 (m,2H); 5.36 (m,3H); 6.0 (m,1H); 7.35-8.8 (c,9H).1-formyl-3-piperidyl 5.6 1.5-2.3 (c,4H); 5.72 2.8-4.2 (c,6H); (CH.sub.2 Cl.sub.2) 4.6-6.07 (c,5H); 7.56 (m,2H); 7.82-8.34 (c,3H).N--methylaminocarbonyl- 5.6 2.82 (d,3H); 3.28-methyl 5.96 3.98 (m,2H); 4.56- 5.42 (c,5H); 6.0 (m,1H); 7.6 (c,3H); 8.24 (d,2H).1-(aminocarbonyl)- 5.6 1.6 (d,3H); 3.1-ethyl 5.9 3.9 (m,2H); 4.83- (CH.sub.2 Cl.sub.2) 5.52 (c,4H); 5.82 (m,1H); 6.3 (b,1H); 7.5 (c,3H); 8.2 (d,2H).2-(methoxymethyl- 5.62 2.92-4.8 (c,11H);carbonylamino)ethyl 5.98 5.35 (m,3H); 6.0 (m,1H); (CH.sub.2 CL.sub.2) 7.2 (b,1H); 7.6 (d,2H); 8.3 (d,2H).2-(aminocarbonyloxy)- 5.6 3.2-5.2 (c,8H); 5.3ethyl 5.78 (m,3H); 5.9 (m,1H); 7.55 (m,2H); 8.2(d,2H).1,3-dimethoxy-2-propyl 5.58 2.9-3.84 (c,12H) including 3.34 (s,6H); 5.3 (m,3H); 5.68- 6.18 (c,2H); 7.6 (d,2H); 8.26 (d,2H).2-(2-furylcarbonyl- 5.57 3.0-4.04 (c,4H);amino)ethyl 6.0 4.5 (m,2H); 5.4 (m,3H); (CH.sub.2 CL.sub.2) 5.98 (m,1H); 6.5 (m,1H); 7.16 (d,1H); 7.6 (c,4H); 8.25 (m,2H).1,3-dioxan-5-yl 5.6 3.0-4.3 (c,6H); 4.63-5.42 (c,5H); 6.0 (c,1H); 7.5 (m,2H); 8.18 (d,2H).1-methyl-2-piperidinon- 5.62 1.7-2.34 (c,4H);3-yl 6.02 2.84 and 2.94 (s,3H); 3.0-3.64 (c,4H); 4.8-5.5 (c,4H); 5.9 (m,1H); 7.6 (m,2H); 8.2 (m,2H).1-(aminocarbonylmethyl)- 5.6 1.72-2.4 (c,4H);2-piperidinon-3-yl 6.0 3.16-4.44 (c,6H); 4.8-5.5 (c,4H); 5.94 (m,1H); 7.1 (b,2H); 7.52 (m,2H); 8.18 (d,2H);2-(2-acetylaminoethoxy)- 5.62 2.06 (s,3H); 3.0-4.0ethyl 6.0 (c,8H); 4.4 (m,2H); (CH.sub.2 Cl.sub.2) 5.3 (m,3H); 6.0 (m,1H); 6.25 (b,1H); 7.54 (d,2H); 8.22 (d,2H);2-piperidinon-3-yl 5.6 1.6-2.4 (c,4H); 5.98 2.9-3.9 (c,4H); (CH.sub.2 Cl.sub.2) 4.76-5.4 (c,4H); 5.9 (m,1H); 6.8 (b,1H); 7.54 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H).2-pyrrolidinon-3-yl 5.6 2.0-3.9 (c,6H); 5.85 4.9-5.5 (c,4H); (CH.sub.2 Cl.sub.2) 5.9 (m,1H); 7.45 (c,3H); 8.1 (d,2H).2-piperidinon-5-yl 5.6 1.85-2.6 (c,4H); 6.0 3.0-3.8 (c,5H); 5.3 (m,3H); 5.82 (m,1H); 6.6 (b,1H); 7.54 (d,2H); 8.25 (d,2H);3-methyl-1,3-oxazolid- 5.6 2.9 (m,3H); 3.15-4.842-on-4-ylmethyl 6.0 (c,7H); 5.34 (m,3H); 5.9 (m,1H); 7.6 (d,2H); 8.25 (d,2H).1,3-dioxolan-4-ylmethyl 5.6 3.0-4.4 (c,7H); (CH.sub.2 Cl.sub.2) 4.86 (d,2H); 5.3 (m,3H); 5.9 (m,1H); 7.56 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H).______________________________________
EXAMPLE 11
p-Nitrobenzyl 6-p-nitrobenzyloxycarbonyloxyethyl-2-(1,3-dioxan-5-yloxy)-2-penem-3-carboxylate, cis and trans isomers
A solution of 6.75 g p-nitrobenzyl 2-(4-chloro-3-p-nitrobenzyloxycarbonyloxyethyl-2-oxo-1-azetidinyl)-2-(1,3-dioxan-5-yl-oxythiocarbonyl)-acetate and 17.0 ml diisopropylethylamine in 30 ml methylene chloride was stirred at 25° C. under a nitrogen atmosphere for 3 hours. The reaction mixture was diluted with 150 ml methylene chloride and the resulting solution was washed successively with two 150 ml portion of 1N aqueous hydrochloric acid, 150 ml water and 150 ml saturated aqueous sodium chloride solution. The methylene chloride phase was dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate and concentrated in vacuo. The crude mixture of penems was purified by column chromatography on silica gel. Elution with 15% ethyl acetate in diethyl ether yielded 1.25 g of cis title compound and 480 mg of trans title compound.
The NMR spectrum of the cis title compound in deuterochloroform showed peaks at 1.6 (d, 3H); 3.9-4.3 4 (c, 6H); 4.84 (s, 2H); 5.0-5.4 (c, 5H); 5.76 (d, 1H); 7.55 (m, 4H); and 8.22 (m, 4H) ppm. The NMR spectrum of the trans title compound in deuterochloroform showed peaks at 1.5 (d, 3H); 3.8-4.38 (c, 6H); 4.84 (s, 2H); 5.0-5.5 (c, 5H); 5.62 (d, 1H); 7.6 (m, 4H); and 8.2 (m, 4H).
EXAMPLE 12
The procedure of Example 11 was employed on the corresponding 4-chloroazetidinyl acetates of formula III to obtain the cis and trans isomers of compounds of formula I listed in Table VI wherein R is p-nitrobenzyloxycarbonyloxyethyl, X is oxygen, R 1 is as indicated in Table VI and R 2 is p-nitrobenzyl. The NMR spectra were measured in deuterochloroform.
TABLE VI______________________________________R.sub.1 NMR (ppm)______________________________________1-formyl-3-piperidyl (trans) 1.3-2.2 (c,7H); 2.94-(IR(chloroform): 5.64, 5.70, 4.4 (c,5H); 4.7-5.45.97 microns) (c,6H); 5.6 (m,1H); 7.5 (m,4H); 7.9 (b,1H); 8.13 (m,4H)(cis) 1.3-2.2 (c,7H); 3.0-(IR(chloroform): 5.58, 5.71, 4.46 (c,5H); 4.64-5.455.97 microns) (c,6H); 5.82 (m,1H); 7.52 (m,4H); 7.96 (b,1H); 8.2 (m,4H)1,3-dioxolan-4-ylmethyl (trans) 1.5 (d,3H); 3.6-4.4 (c,6H); 4.95 (d) and 4.7- 5.4 (c,7H); 5.6 (d,1H); 7.5 (m,4H); 8.18 (m,4H)(cis) 1.6 (d,3H); 3.68-4.45 (c,6H); 4.95 (d,2H); 5.05- 5.4 (c,5H); 5.74 (d,1H); 7.5 (m,4H); 8.2 (m,4H)1-methoxy-2-propyl (trans) 1.2-1.6 (c,6H); 3.35 (s,3H); 3.5 (d,2H); 3.9 (m,1H); 4.2 (b,c,1H); 4.9-5.4 (c,5H); 5.6 (d,1H); 7.54 (m,4H); 8.18 (m,4H)(cis) 1.14-1.7 (c,6H); 3.36 (s,3H); 3.5 (d,2H); 4.1 (m,1H); 4.3 (b,c,1H); 5.0-5.4 (c,5H); 5.7 (d,1H); 7.54 (m,4H); 8.2 (m,4H)1,3-dioxolan-2-ylmethyl (trans) 1.5 (d,3H); 3.8-4.12 (c,5H); 4.2 (a,2H); 5.0- 5.44 (c,6H); 5.62 (d,1H); 7.56 (m,4H); 8.2 (m,4H)(cis) 1.6 (d,3H); 3.8-4.12 (c,5H); 4.2 (d,2H); 5.0- 5.5 (c,6H); 5.75 (d,1H); 7.52 (m,4H); 8.2 (m,4H)2-pyrrolidinon-3-yl (trans) 1.5 (d,3H); 2.5 (m,2H); 3.36 (m,2H); 3.92 (m,1H); 4.7 (m,1H); 4.9-5.4 (c,5H); 5.54-5.65 (d,1H); 7.1 (b,1H); 7.52 (m,4H); 8.18 (m,4H)(cis) 1.6 (d,3H); 2.44 (m,2H); 3.34 (m,2H); 4.06 (m,1H); 4.72 (m,1H); 4.9-5.4 (c,5H); 7.5 (m,4H); 8.18 (m,4H)2-piperidinon-5-yl (trans) 1.5 (d,3H); 1.86-2.68 (c,4H); 3.56 (c,2H); 3.86 (m,1H); 4.56 (c,1H); 5.0- 5.32 (c,5H); 5.6 (d,1H); 6.6 (b,1H); 7.48 (m,4H); 8.2 (m,4H)(cis) 1.6 (d,3H); 1.9-2.68 (c,4H); 3.6 (c,2H); 4.1 (m,1H); 4.62 (c,1H); 4.9-5.46 (c,5H); 5.76 (d,1H); 7.0 (b,1H); 7.5 (m,4H); 8.2 (m,4H)3-methyl-1,3-oxazolid-2- 1.48 (d,3H); 2.9 (s,3H);on-4-ylmethyl (trans) 3.76-4.46 (c,6H); 4.95- 5.36 (c,5H); 5.62 (d,1H); 7.52 (m,4H); 8.2 (m,4H)(cis) 1.58 (d,3H); 2.9 (s,3H); 3.8-4.44 (c,6H); 4.94- 5.30 (c,5H); 5.74 (d,1H); 7.5 (m,4H); 8.18 (m,4H)2-methoxyethyl (trans) 1.48 (d,3H); 3.36 (s,3H); 3.62 (m,2H); 3.86 (m,1H); 4.3 (m,2H); 5.0-5.36 (c,5H); 5.56 (d,1H); 7.46 (m,4H); 8.16 (m,4H)(cis) 1.6 (d,3H); 3.36 (s,3H); 3.64 (m,2H); 3.9-4.4 (c,3H); 5.1-5.36 (c,5H); 5.7 (d,1H); 7.5 (m,4H); 8.18 (m,4H)______________________________________
EXAMPLE 13
p-Nitrobenzyl 6-p-nitrobenzyloxycarbonyloxyethyl-2-(1,3-dioxan-5-yloxy)-2-penem-3-carboxylate, trans isomer
A solution of 960 mg p-nitrobenzyl 6-p-nitrobenzyloxycarbonyloxyethyl-2-(1,3-dioxan-5-yloxy)-2-penem-3-carboxylate, cis isomer, 96 mg hydroquinone and 150 ml toluene was refluxed under a nitrogen atmosphere for 90 min. The reaction mixture was cooled to 25° C. and concentrated in vacuo. The residue was dissolved in 100 ml ethyl acetate and the resulting solution was washed successively with two 100 ml portions 1N aqueous sodium hydroxide solution, 100 ml water and 100 ml saturated aqueous sodium chloride solution. The ethyl acetate solution was dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate and concentrated in vacuo. The residue was chromatographed on silica gel. Elution with 15% ethyl acetate-diethyl ether yielded 425 mg of the starting cis penem and 300 mg of the title compound.
EXAMPLE 14
p-Nitrobenzyl 2-Ethoxy-2-penem-3-carboxylate
To a solution of 387 mg. of p-nitrobenzyl 2-(4-chloro-2-oxo-1-azetidinyl)-2-(ethoxythiocarbonyl)acetate in 20 ml. of dichloromethane was added 1.74 ml. of diisopropylethylamine. The reaction mixture was stirred overnight at room temperature and then it was diluted with 30 ml. of dichloromethane. The resulting solution was washed successively with 40 ml. of dilute hydrochloric acid (2 times) and 40 ml. of water (2 times), and then it was dried using anhydrous sodium sulfate. Evaporation in vacuo gave the title compound as a yellow viscous liquid. This crude product was purified by column chromatography on 35 g. of silica gel, eluting with 95:5 chloroform-ethyl acetate. The fractions containing the product were combined and evaporated in vacuo to give the title compound as a solid (yield: 100 mg). The IR spectrum in chloroform of the product showed absorptions at 5.6 and 5.88 microns. The NMR spectrum in deuterochloroform showed absorptions at 1.45 (t, 3H); 3.21-4.1 (m, 2H); 4.25 (q, 2H); 5.25 (d, 2H); 5.6 (m, 1H); 7.5 (d, 2H); and 8.1 (d, 2H) ppm.
EXAMPLE 15
Cyclization of the appropriate compound of formula III wherein R is hydrogen, R 1 is as shown in Table VII, R 2 is p-nitrobenzyl, R 5 is chloro and X is oxygen with diisopropylethylamine, substantially according to the procedure of Example 14, afforded the corresponding compounds of formula I in Table VII. For the compounds in Table VII, NMR spectra were measured in deuterochloroform unless otherwise indicated, IR spectra were measured in the medium indicated.
TABLE VII______________________________________ IR NMRR.sub.1 microns (ppm)______________________________________2-methoxyethyl 5.57 3.25-4.0 (m,7H); 4.3 5.88 (t,2H); 5.3 (d,2H); 5.65 (CHCl.sub.3) (m,1H); 7.54 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H)2-ethoxyethyl 5.58 1.16 (t,3H); 3.2-4.08 5.88 (m,6H); 4.32 (m,2H); 5.3 (CHCl.sub.3) (d,2H); 5.62 (M,1H); 7.58 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H)2-(2-(methoxy)- 5.6 3.22-4.1 (m,11H); 4.36ethoxy)ethyl 5.7 (m,2H); 5.32 (d,2H); 5.68 5.88 (m,1H); 7.6 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H)2-phenoxyethyl 5.57 3.2-4.0 (m,2H); 4.25 5.88 (m,2H); 4.55 (m,2H); 5.3 (CHCl.sub.3) (d,2H); 5.7 (m,1H); 6.75- 7.42 (m,5H); 7.5 (d,2H); 8.1 (d,2H)2-(phenylthio) 5.57 3.2-4.0 (m,6H); 5.3ethyl 5.88 (d,2H); 5.65 (m,1H); (CH.sub.2 Cl.sub.2) 7.1-7.7 (m,7H); 8.2 (d,2H)2-(azido)ethyl 4.76 3.25-4.06 (m,4H); 4.3 5.56 (t,2H); 5.3 (d,2H); 5.68 5.88 (m,1H); 7.55 (d,2H); 8.2 (CHCl.sub.3) (d,2H)2-(acetamido)- 5.58 1.95 (s,3H); 3.22-4.4ethyl 5.88 (m,6H); 5.3 (d,2H); 5.65 6.0 (m,1H); 6.6 (m,1H); 7.6 (CHCl.sub.3) (d,2H); 8.26 (d,2H)2-morpholino)- 5.58 2.3-3.0 (m,6H); 3.16-ethyl 5.88 4.1 (m,6H); 4.34 (t,2H); (CHCl.sub.3) 5.3 (d,2H); 5.66 (m,1H); 7.6 (d,2H); 7.8 (d,2H)2-phenylethyl 5.58 3.15-4.05 (m,4H); 4.45 5.88 (t,2H); 5.36 (d,2H); 5.68 (CH.sub.2 Cl.sub.2) (m,1H); 7.14-7.62 (m,7H); 8.25 (d,2H)2-(2-thienyl)- 5.58 3.0-4.1 (m,4H); 4.36ethyl 5.86 (t,3H); 5.3 (d,2H); 5.6 (CHCl.sub.3) (m,1H); 6.74-7.3 (m,3H); 7.5 (d,2H); 8.14 (d,2H)2-(2-pyridyl)- 5.58 3.1-4.06 (m,4H); 4.66ethyl 5.88 (t,2H); 5.3 (d,2H); 5.68 (CHCl.sub.3) (m,1H); 7.04-7.82 (m,5H); 8.26 (d,2H); 8.62 (m,1H)2-(1-pyrazolyl)- 5.58 3.2-4.04 (m,2H); 4.54ethyl 5.88 (m,4H); 5.32 (d,2H); 5.62 (CH.sub.2 Cl.sub.2) (m,1H); 6.25 (m,1H); 7.2- 7.7 (m,4H); 8.2 (d,2H)2-(4-methyl-5- 5.57 2.42 (s,3H); 3.06-4.08thiazolyl)ethyl 5.87 (m,3H); 4.38 (t,2H); 5.32 (CH.sub.2 Cl.sub.2) (d,2H); 5.65 (m,1H); 7.6 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H); 8.6 (s,1H)2-(2-oxo-1- 5.58 3.04-3.8 (m,8H); 4.28imidazolidinyl)- 5.88 (m,2H); 5.24 (d,2H); 5.6ethyl (CHCl.sub.3) (m,1H); 7.5 (d,2H); 8.1 (d,2H)2-(2-oxo- 5.58 1.7-2.6 (m,4H); 3.3-1-pyrrolidinyl)- 5.98 4.5 (m,8H); 5.34 (d,2H);ethyl (CHCl.sub.3 ) 5.7 (m,1H); 7.62 (d,2H); 8.26 (d,2H)2-(2-thiazolylthio)- 5.58 3.35-4.1 (m,4H); 4.5ethyl 5.88 (t,2H); 5.26 (s,2H); 5.72 (CHCl.sub.3) (m,1H); 7.46-7.8 (m,4H); 8.2 (d,2H) (DMSO-d.sub.6)2-methoxycyclo- 5.58 1.4-2.0 (m,6H); 3.3pentyl 5.88 (s,3H); 2.8-4.0 (m,2H); (CHCl.sub.3) 3.7-4.1 (m,1H); 4.5 (m,1H); 5.3 (s,2H); 5.7 (m,1H); 7.6 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H)2-methoxycyclo- 5.60 1.2-2.0 (m,8H); 2.8-hexyl 5.85 4.0 (m,2H); 3.4 (s,3H); (CHCl.sub.3) 3.8-4.2 (m,2H); 5.3 (d,2H); 5.6 (s,1H); 7.6 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H)2-azidocyclo- 4.76 1.2-2.0 (m,8H); 3.0-hexyl 5.65 4.0 (m,4H); 5.3 (d,2H); 5.85 5.7 (q,1H); 7.6 (d,2H); (CHCl.sub.3) 8.2 (d,2H)2-azidocyclo- 4.75 1.4-2.0 (m,6H); 2.9-pentyl 5.65 4.0 (m,3H); 4.3 (m,1H); 5.85 5.2 (d,2H); 5.6 (q,1H); (CHCl.sub.3) 7.5 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H)2-tetrahydro- 5.58 2.0-2.4 (m,2H); 2.9-furanyl 5.85 4.0 (m,2H); 3.4-4.1 (CHCl.sub.3) (m,4H); 4.9 (m,1H); 5.3 (d,2H); 5.7 (q,1H); 7.6 (d,2H); 8.3 (d,2H)1-acetyl-3- 5.58 1.2-1.6 (m,2H); 2.0pyrrolidinyl 5.85 (s,3H); 3.4-4.0 (m,4H); (CHCl.sub.3) 5.0 (m,1H); 5.4 (d,2H); 5.7 (m,1H); 7.6 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H)1-acetyl-3- 5.58 1.2-2.0 (m,4H); 2.0piperidinyl 5.85 (s,3H); 3.0-4.4 (m,7H); (CHCl.sub.3) 5.3 (s,2H); 5.7 (s,1H); 7.6 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H)2-tetrahydro- 5.60 1.8-2.1 (m,4H); 2.9-furanylmethyl 5.86 4.0 (m,2H); 3.8-4.1 (CHCl.sub.3) (m,3H); 4.2 (s,2H); 5.3 (d,2H); 5.6 (q,1H); 7.6 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H)2-tetrahydro- 5.58 1.14-1.96 (m,6H); 3.16-pyranylmethyl 5.88 4.28 (m,7H); 5.3 (d,2H); (CHCl.sub.3) 5.68 (m,1H); 7.6 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H)1-acetyl-2- 5.58 1.7-2.3 (m,7H); 3.22-pyrrolidinyl- 5.88 4.02 (m,4H); 4.02-4.52methyl (CHCl.sub.3) (m,3H); 5.34 (d,2H); 5.68 (m,1H); 7.6 (d,2H); 8.22 (d,2H)2-(2-pyridinoyl- 5.57 3.23-4.6 (c,6H); 5.4amino)ethyl 5.85 (d,2H); 5.62 (m,1H); 6.0 7.25-8.7 (c,9H) (CH.sub.2 Cl.sub.2)1-formyl-3-piperidyl 1.08-2.3 (c,4H); 3.04-(less polar diastere- 4.44 (c,7H); 5.3 (d,2H);omer) 5.6 (m,1H); 7.54 (d,2H); 7.93 (d,1H); 8.14 (d,2H)(more polar diastere- 1.1-2.66 (c,4H); 3.1-omer) 4.47 (c,7H); 5.3 (s,2H); 5.7 (m,1H); 7.58 (d,2H); 7.96 (s,1H); 8.2 (d,2H)N--methylamino- 5.56 2.8 (d,3H); 3.3-3.84carbonylmethyl 5.84 (m,2H); 4.6 (s,2H); 5.32 5.92 (d,2H); 5.7 (m,1H); 7.62 5.97 (c,3H); 8.2 (d,2H) (CHCl.sub.3)1-(aminocarbonyl)- 5.56 1.46 (d,3H); 3.12-4.08ethyl 5.85 (m,2H); 4.68 (q,1H); 5.34 5.95 (d,2H); 5.72 (m,1H); 7.5 (CHCl.sub.3) (b,2H); 7.7 (d,2H); 8.26 (d,2H) (DMSO-d.sub.6)2-(methoxymethyl 5.58 3.45 (s,3H); 3.5-4.1 (c)carbonylamino) 5.96 and 3.95 (s,2H) (total 6H);ethyl (CH.sub.2 Cl.sub.2) 4.35 (t,2H); 5.4 (d,2H); 5.7 (c,1H); 7.15 (b,1H); 7.64 (d,2H); 8.26 (d,2H)2-(aminocarbonyloxy) 5.58 3.2-4.5 (c,6H); 5.25ethyl 5.78 (m,2H); 5.64 (m,1H); 5.88 6.25 (b,2H); 7.5 (d,2H); (CHCl.sub.3) 8.1 (d,2H)1,3-dimethoxy- 5.57 3.34 (s,6H); 3.3-4.22-propyl 5.84 (c,6H); 4.4 (m,1H); 5.26 (CHCl.sub.3) (d,2H); 5.6 (m,1H); 7.54 (d,2H); 8.14 (d,2H)2-(2-furylcarbonyl- 5.56 3.2-4.5 (c,6H); 5.3amino)ethyl 5.84 (d,2H); 5.6 (m,1H); 6.42 6.0 (m,1H); 7.0 (m,1H); 7.05 (CHCl.sub.3) (d,1H); 7.36 (m,1H); 7.54 (d,2H); 8.15 (d,2H)1,3-dioxan-5-yl 5.57 3.23-4.37 (c,7H); 4.8 5.88 (s,2H); 5.29 (d,2H); 5.64 (CHCl.sub.3) (m,1H); 7.57 (d,2H); 8.14 (d,2H)1-methyl-2- 5.57 1.7-2.4 (c,4H); 2.94piperidinon-3-yl 5.88 (s,3H); 3.18-3.8 (c,4H); 6.0 4.56 (m,1H); 5.3 (d,2H); (CHCl.sub.3) 5.65 (m,1H); 7.6 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H)1-(aminocarbonyl- 5.57 1.7-2.4 (c,4H); 3.1-methyl)-2-piperi- 5.88 4.1 (c,6H); 4.6 (m,1H);dinon-3-yl 6.0 5.26 (m,2H); 5.6 (m,1H); (CHCl.sub.3) 6.1 (b,1H); 6.5 (b,1H); 7.5 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H)2-(2-acetylamino- 5.56 1.9 (s,3H); 3.1-4.1ethoxy)ethyl 5.88 (c,8H); 4.3 (m,2H); 5.62 6.0 (m,1H); 7.1 (b,1H); 5.24 (CHCl.sub.3) (m,2H); 7.54 (d,2H); 8.12 (d,2H)2-piperidinon- 5.57 1.6-2.4 (c,4H); 3.0-4.13-yl 5.88 (c,4H); 4.54 (m,1H); 5.28 5.98 (m,2H); 5.7 (m,1H); 7.6 (CHCl.sub.3) (d,2H); 7.85 (b,1H); 8.2 (d,2H)2-pyrrolidinon- 5.55 2.02 (m,2H); 3.06-4.063-yl 5.85 (c,4H); 4.86 (m,1H); 5.3 5.9 (d,2H); 5.74 (m,1H); (CHCl.sub.3) 7.5 (b,1H); 7.64 (d,2H); 8.22 (d,2H) (DMSO-d.sub.6)2-piperidinon- 5.57 1.9-2.3 (c,4H); 3.22-5-yl 5.85 4.14 (c,5H); 5.25 (s,2H); 6.0 5.74 (m,1H); 7.4 (b,1H); (CHCl.sub.3) 7.6 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H)3-methyl-1,3- 5.57 2.9 (s,3H); 3.24-4.5oxazolid-2-on- 5.7 (c,7H); 5.2 (d,2H); 5.64-ylmethyl 5.88 (m,1H); 7.45 (d,2H); 8.1 (CHCl.sub.3) (d,2H)1,3-dioxolan-4- 5.57 3.2-4.5 (c,7H); 4.9ylmethyl 5.88 (d,2H); 5.26 (d,2H); (CHCl.sub.3) 5.64 (m,1H); 7.58 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H).______________________________________
EXAMPLE 16
2-Ethoxy-2-penem-3-carboxylic Acid, Calcium Salt
A suspension of 140 mg. of 5% palladium on calcium carbonate in 10 ml. of water was shaken under an atmosphere of hydrogen at a pressure of ca 55 psi. until hydrogen uptake ceased. A solution of 140 mg. of p-nitrobenzyl 2-ethoxy-2-penem-3-carboxylate in 10 ml. of tetrahydrofuran was added, and this mixture was shaken under an atmosphere of hydrogen at a pressure of ca 55 psi. for 1 hour. The catalyst was then removed by filtration and the tetrahydrofuran was removed from the filtrate by evaporation in vacuo. The resulting aqueous solution was washed with ethyl acetate, and then it was lyophilized to give the title compound as an amorphous solid 50 mg. The IR spectrum (potassium bromide disc) showed an absorption at 5.7 microns. The NMR spectrum (deuterochloroform) showed peaks at 1.4 (t, 3H); 3.2-4.4 (m, 4H); and 5.58 (m, 1H) ppm.
EXAMPLE 17
Hydrogenolysis of compounds of formula I wherein R is hydrogen, R 1 is as indicated in Table VII, R 2 is p-nitrobenzyl and X is oxygen, according to the procedure of Example 13, afforded the compounds of formula I wherein R 2 is the calcium ion, shown in Table VIII. The IR and NMR spectra were measured in the media indicated.
TABLE VIII______________________________________ IR NMRR.sub.1 (microns) (ppm)______________________________________2-methoxyethyl 5.7 3.25 (s,3H); 3.2-4.1 (KBr disc) (m,4H); 4.2 (m,2H); 5.5 (m,1H) (DMSO-d.sub.6)2-ethoxyethyl 5.65 1.1 (t,3H); 3.2-3.88 (KBr disc) (m,6H); 4.22 (m,2H); 5.56 (m,1H) (DMSO-d.sub.6)2-(2-methoxy- 5.65 3.16-3.86 (m,11H); 4.22ethoxy)ethyl (CHCl.sub.3) (m,2H); 5.56 (m,1H) (DMSO-d.sub.6)2-phenoxyethyl 5.75 3.2-4.0 (m,2H); 4.2 (KBr disc) (m,2H); 4.42 (m,2H); 5.54 (m,1H); 6.76 (m,5H) (DMSO-d.sub.6)2-(phenylthio) 5.7 3.14-3.9 (m,4H); 4.22ethyl (KBr disc) (m,2H); 5.52 (m,1H); 7.04- 7.56 (m,5H) (DMSO-d.sub.6)2-azidoethyl 4.75 3.3-3.98 (m,4H); 4.3 5.7 (m,2H); 5.66 (m,1H) (KBr disc) (DMSO-d.sub.6)2-(acetamido)- 5.65 1.82 (s,3H); 3.18-4.1ethyl 6.10 (m,6H); 5.56 (m,1H); 9.0 (KBr disc) (m,1H) (DMSO-d.sub.6)2-(morpholino)- 5.65 2.32-2.7 (m,6H); 3.26-ethyl (CHCl.sub.3) 3.98 (m,6H); 4.22 (m,2H); 5.62 (m,1H) (DMSO-d.sub.6)2-phenylethyl 5.75 2.98 (m,2H); 3.3-4.0 (KBr disc) (m,2H); 4.3 (m,2H); 5.58 (m,1H); 7.3 (s,5H) (DMSO-d.sub.6 )2-(2-thienyl)- 5.75 3.1-3.88 (m,4H); 4.3ethyl (KBr disc) (m,2H); 5.54 (m,1H); 6.94 (m,2H); 7.34 (m,1H) (DMSO-d.sub.6)2-(2-pyridyl)- 5.75 3.02-3.92 (m,2H); 4.46ethyl (KBr disc) (m,2H); 5.54 (m,1H); 7.14- 7.44 (m,2H); 7.7 (m,1H); 8.5 (m,1H); (DMSO-d.sub.6)2-(1-pyrazolyl)- 5.65 3.1-3.9 (m,2H); 4.46ethyl (KBr disc) (m,4H); 5.54 (m,1H); 6.23 (m,1H); 7.48 (m,1H); 7.8 (m,1H) (DMSO-d.sub.6)2-(4-methyl-5- 5.65 2.36 (s,3H); 2.96-4.0thiazolyl)ethyl (KBr disc) (m,4H); 4.3 (m,2H); 5.56 (m,1H); 8.8 (s,1H) (DMSO-d.sub.6)2-(2-oxo-1- 5.75 2.96-3.8 (m,8H); 4.14imidazolidinyl)- (KBr disc) (m,2H); 5.58 (m,1H)ethyl (DMSO-d.sub.6)2-(2-oxo-1- 5.65 1.6-2.46 (m,4H);pyrrolidinyl) (KBr disc) 3.0-4.44 (m,8H); 5.56 (m,1H) (DMSO-d.sub.6)2-(2-thiazolyl- 5.65 3.22-3.96 (m,4H); 4.4thio)ethyl (KBr disc) (m,2H); 5.58 (m,1H); 7.72 (m,2H) (DMSO-d.sub.6)2-methoxycyclo- 5.65pentyl 6.25 (DMSO)2-methoxycyclo- 5.65hexyl 6.25 (DMSO)2-azidocyclo- 4.75hexyl 5.65 6.25 (DMSO)2-aminocyclo- 5.65pentyl 6.25 (DMSO)2-tetrahydro- 5.65furanyl 6.25 (DMSO)1-acetyl-3- 5.7pyrrolidinyl 6.20 (KBr disc)1-acetyl-3- 5.65piperidinyl 6.10 6.15 (DMSO)2-tetrahydro- 5.65furanylmethyl 6.25 (DMSO)2-tetrahydro- 5.65 0.98-1.88 (m,6H); 3.04-pyranylmethyl (KBr disc) 4.22 (m,7H); 5.56 (m,1H) (DMSO-d.sub.6)1-acetyl-2- 5.62 1.7-2.14 (m,7H); 3.08pyrrolidinylmethyl (KBr disc) (m,7H); 5.54 (m,1H) (DMSO-d.sub.6)2-(2-pyridinoyl- 5.65 3.15-3.9 (c,4H); 4.25amino)ethyl 6.0 (m,2H); 5.55 (m,1H); 7.6 (KBr disc) (m,1H); 8.05 (m,2H); 8.65 (m,1H); 9.05 (m,1H) (DMSO-d.sub.6)1-formyl-3- 5.68piperidyl 5.93 (DMSO)N--methylamino- 5.65 2.62 (d,3H); 3.2-3.94carbonylmethyl 6.0 (m,2H); 4.44 (s,2H); 5.64 (Kbr disc) (m,1H) (DMSO-d.sub.6)1-(aminocarbonyl) 5.65 1.42 (d,3H); 3.1-4.0ethyl 5.9 (m,2H); 4.6 (m,1H); 5.7 6.25 (m,1H) (DMSOd-.sub.6) (KBr disc)2-(methoxymethyl- 5.65 3.1-4.3 (c) and 3.3 (s,3H)carbonylamino) 6.05 (total 11H); 5.58 (m,1H);ethyl (KBr disc) 8.46 (b,1H) (DMSO-d.sub.6)2-(aminocarbon- 5.75 3.2-4.7 (c,6H); 5.56yloxy)ethyl 5.85 (m,1H); 6.6 (b,2H) (DMSO-d.sub.6) (KBr disc)1,3-dimethoxy-2- 5.7 3.4 (s,6H); 3.3-3.94 (c,6H);propyl (KBr disc) 4.48 (m,1H); 5.66 (m,1H) (DMSO-d.sub.6 and D.sub.2 O)2-(2-furylcarbon- 5.65 3.2-3.9 (c,4H); 4.2 (m,2H);ylamino)ethyl 6.2 5.58 (m,1H); 6.6 (m,1H); (KBr disc) 7.32 (m,1H); 7.82 (m,1H); 9.18 (m,1H) (DMSO-d.sub.6)1,3-dioxan-5-yl 5.65 3.2-4.4 (c,7H); 4.82 (KBr disc) (s,2H); 5.56 (m,1H) (DMSO-d.sub.6)1-methyl-2-piperi- 5.6 1.64-2.28 (c,4H); 2.84dinon-3-yl 6.1 (s,3H); 3.14-3.9 (c,4H); (KBr disc) 4.66 (m,1H); 5.58 (m,1H) (DMSO-d.sub.6)1-(aminocarbonyl- 5.7 1.7-2.36 (c,4H); 3.14-methyl)-2-piperi- 6.0 4.06 (c,6H); 4.74 (m,1H);dinon-3-yl 6.1 5.56 (m,1H); 7.14 (b,1H); (KBr disc) 7.56 (b,1H) (DMSO-d.sub.6)2-(2-acetyl- 5.7 1.82 (s,3H); 3.06-4.42aminoethoxy) 6.0 (c,10H); 5.58 (m,1H); 8.08ethyl (KBr disc) (b,1H) (DMSO-d.sub.6)2-piperidino-3-yl 5.7 1.5-2.3 (c,4H); 2.94- 6.1 4.0 (c,4H); 4.6 (m,1H); (KBr disc) 5.56 (m,1H); 8.16 (b,1H) (DMSO-d.sub.6)2-pyrrolidinon- 5.653-yl 5.90 (KBr disc)2-piperidinon- 5.7 1.78-2.46 (c,4H); 3.1-5-yl 6.1 4.2 (c,5H); 5.6 (m,1H); (KBr disc) 7.56 (b,1H) (DMSO-d.sub.6)3-methyl-1,3- 5.65 2.8 (m,3H); 3.2-4.54oxazolid-2-on-4- (KBr disc) (c,7H); 5.6 (m,1H)ylmethyl (DMSO-d.sub.6)1,3-dioxolan-4- 5.7 3.2-4.4 (c,7H); 4.86ylmethyl (KBr disc) (d,2H); 5.56 (m,1H) (DMSO-d.sub.6)______________________________________
EXAMPLE 18
Trans-6-hydroxyethyl-2-(1,3-dioxan-5-yloxy)-2-penem-3-carboxylic acid, calcium salt
The procedure of Example 16 was employed for the hydrogenolysis of p-nitrophenyl trans-6-p-nitrobenzyloxycarbonyloxyethyl-2-(1,3-dioxan-5-yloxy)-2-penem-3-carboxylate to obtain 205 mg of the title compound. The infrared spectrum of the title compound in a potassium bromide disc showed absorptions at 2.93 and 5.65 microns.
EXAMPLE 19
The procedure of Example 16 was employed for the corresponding compounds listed in Table VI to obtain compounds of formula I wherein R is hydroxyethyl, X is oxygen, R 2 is a calcium dication and R 1 is as indicated in Table IX along with the IR spectra measured as a potassium bromide disc.
TABLE IX______________________________________R.sub.1 IR (microns)______________________________________1-formyl-3-piperidyl (trans) 2.92, 5.64, 6.01,3-dioxolan-4-ylmethyl (trans) 2.94, 5.651-methoxy-2-propyl (trans) 2.92, 5.71,3-dioxolan-2-ylmethyl (trans) 2.92, 5.72-pyrrolidinon-3-yl (trans) 2.9, 5.7, 5.92-piperidinon-5-yl (trans) 2.94, 5.7, 6.03-methyl-1,3-oxazolidin-2- 2.92, 5.56, 5.72on-4-yl-methyl (trans)2-methoxyethyl (trans) 2.9, 5.7______________________________________
PREPARATION A
p-Nitrobenzyl 2-(4-Ethylthio-2-oxo-1-azetidinyl)-2-(ethoxythiocarbonylthio)acetate
To a stirred mixture of 3.2 g. of potassium ethyl xanthate, 5.4 g. of benzyltriethylammonium chloride, 100 ml. of water and 50 ml. of dichloromethane, at 0° C., was added a solution of 7.12 g. of p-nitrobenzyl 2-(4-ethylthio-2-oxo-1-azetidinyl)-2-chloroacetate in 75 ml. of dichloromethane. Stirring was continued at 0°-5° C. for 1 hour, and then the organic phase was removed. The aqueous phase was extracted with 100 ml. of dichloromethane, and then the combined dichloromethane layers were washed successively with 75 ml. of dilute hydrochloric acid, 75 ml. of saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate and 75 ml. of water. The dichloromethane solution was dried with anhydrous sodium sulfate and evaporated to dryness in vacuo, and the residue was purified by column chromatography on 200 g. of silica gel, eluting with 95:5 chloroform-ethyl acetate. The product containing fractions were combined and concentrated in vacuo to give 4.3 g of the title compound. The IR spectrum (chloroform) showed an absorption at 5.66 microns. The NMR spectrum (deuterochloroform) showed peaks at 1.02-1.6 (m, 6H); 2.35-3.65 (m, 4H); 4.4-5.1 (m, 3H); 5.3 (s, 2H); 6.3 and 6.4 (ss, 1H); 7.4 (d, 2H); and 8.2 (d, 2H) ppm.
PREPARATION B
Reaction of p-nitrobenzyl 2-(4-ethythio-2-oxo-1-azetidinyl)-2-chloroacetate with the appropriate xanthate salt of the formula K + R 1 --O--(C═S)--S - , whose R 1 is shown in Table X, according to the procedure of Preparation A, afforded the corresponding compounds formula VI in Table X. The IR spectra were measured for chloroform solutions and the NMR spectra were measured for deuterochloroform solutions.
TABLE X______________________________________ IR NMRR.sub.1 (microns) (ppm)______________________________________2-methoxyethyl 5.66 1.23 (t,3H); 2.4-3.84 (m,9H); 4.56-5.14 (m,3H); 5.3 (s,2H); 6.24 and 6.3 (ss,1H); 7.42 (d,2H); 8.16 (d,2H)2-ethoxyethyl 5.65 1.0-1.4 (m,6H) 2.4- 3.9 (m,8H); 4.6-5.18 (m,3H); 5.34 (s,2H); 6.3 and 6.36 (ss,1H); 7.52 (d,2H); 8.22 (d,2H)2-(2-(methoxy- 6.63 1.22 (t,3H); 2.4-4.0ethoxy)ethyl (m,13H); 4.62-5.2 (m,3H); 5.33 (s,2H); 6.34 and 6.4 (ss,1H); 7.58 (d,2H); 8.25 (d,2H)2-phenoxyethyl 5.66 1.2 (m,3H); 2.3-3.55 (m,4H); 4.2 (m,2H); 4.6- 5.1 (m,3H); 5.22 (s,2H); 6.2 and 6.3 (ss,1H); 6.68-7.56 (m,7H); 8.12 (d,2H)2-(phenylthio)- 5.66 1.22 (t,3H); 2.38-3.9ethyl 5.7 (m,6H); 4.6-5.14 (m,3H); 5.3 (s,2H); 6.3 and 6.42 (ss,1H); 7.2-7.68 (m,7H); 8.2 (d,2H)2-azidoethyl 4.76 1.22 (t,3H); 2.38-3.82 5.6 (m,6H); 4.6-5.14 (m,3H); 5.3 (s,2H); 6.3 and 6.4 (ss,1H); 7.5 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H)2-(acetamido) 5.66 1.3 (t,3H); 2.08 (s,3H);ethyl 6.0 2.46-3.9 (m,6H); 4.5- 5.35 (m,3H); 5.42 (s,2H); 6.43 and 6.56 (ss,1H); 6.9 (m,1H); 7.6 (d,2H); 8.32 (d,2H)2-(morpholino)- 5.66 1.25 (t,3H); 2.4-3.86ethyl (m,14H); 4.6-5.26 (m,3H); 5.36 (s,2H); 6.36 and 6.42 (ss,1H); 7.57 (d,2H); 8.22 (d,2H)2-phenylethyl 5.66 1.25 (t,3H); 2.38-3.7 (m,6H); 4.65-5.12 (m,3H); 5.34 (s,2H); 6.36 and 6.5 (ss,1H); 7.15-7.75 (m,7H); 8.26 (d,2H)2-(2-thienyl)- 5.64 1.2 (t,3H); 2.35-3.7ethyl (m,6H); 4.6-5.1 (m,3H); 5.26 (s,2H); 6.25 and 6.38 (ss,1H); 6.7-7.26 (m,3H); 7.44 (d,2H); 8.14 (d,2H)2-(2-pyridyl)- 5.63 1.2 (t,3H); 2.36-3.56ethyl (m,6H); 4.6-5.1 (m,3H); 5.22 (s,2H); 6.2 and 6.33 (ss,1H); 6.9-7.7 (m,5H); 8.14 (d,2H); 8.46 (m,1H)2-(1-pyrazolyl)- 5.62 1.24 (m,3H); 2.2-3.7ethyl (m,4H); 4.42-5.22 (m,5H); 5.32 (s,2H); 6.2-6.5 (m,2H); 7.4- 7.75 (m,4H); 8.24 (d,2H)2-(4-methyl-5- 5.64 1.24 (t,3H); 2.36-3.64thiazolyl)ethyl (m,9H); 4.68-5.18 (m,3H); 5.38 (s,2H); 6.38 and 6.5 (ss,1H); 7.58 (d,2H); 8.28 (d,2H); 8.64 (s,1H)2-(2-oxo-1- 5.66 1.2 (t,3H); 2.36-3.8imidazolidinyl)- 5.88 (m,10H); 4.5-5.12ethyl (m,3H); 5,32 (s,2H) 6.32 and 6.45 (ss,1H); 7.5 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H)2-(2-oxo-1- 5.66 1.25 (t,3H); 1.7-3.8pyrrolidinyl)- 5.98 (m,12H); 4.58-5.1ethyl (m,3H); 5.26 (s,2H); 6.3 and 6.4 (ss,1H); 7.46 (d,2H); 8.18 (d,2H)2-(2-thiazolylthio)- 5.65 1.20 (t,3H); 2.36-3.78ethyl (m,6H);.4.72-5.2 (m,3H); 5.33 (s,2H); 6.32 and 6.42 (ss,1H); 7.4-7.72 (m,4H); 8.22 (d,2H)2-methoxycyclo- 5.62 1.0-1.2 (m,3H); 1.4-pentyl 2.0 (m,6H); 2.2-4.0 (m,5H); 3.3 (s,3H); 5.0 (m,1H); 5.3 (s,2H); 5.7 (m,1H); 6.2 (ss,1H); 7.5 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H)2-methoxycyclo- 5.62 1.0-2.0 (m,11H); 2.2-hexyl 4.0 (m,5H); 3.3 (s,3H); 5.0 (m,1H); 5.4 (m,2H); 5.6 (m,1H); 6.3 (ss,1H); 7.5 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H)2-azidocyclo- 4.75 1.0-2.2 (m,11H); 2.2-hexyl 5.65 4.0 (m,5H); 5.0 (m,1H); 5.3 (s,2H); 5.5 (m,1H); 6.4 (ss,1H); 7.5 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H)2-azidocyclo- 4.75 1.0-1.5 (m,3H); 1.6-pentyl 5.65 2.2 (m,6H); 2.2-4.0 (m,4H); 4.2 (m,1H); 5.0 (m,1H); 5.3 (s,2H); 5.6 (m,1H); 6.3 (ss,1H); 7.5 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H)3-tetrahydro- 5.65 1.0-1.6 (m,3H); 2.0-furanyl 4.0 (m,6H); 4.0 (m,4H); 5.0 (m,1H); 5.4 (s,2H); 6.0 (m,1H); 6.4 (ss,1H); 7.5 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H)1-acetyl-3- 5.66 1.0-1.4 (m,5H); 2.0pyrrolidinyl (d,3H); 2.2-4.0 (m,8H); 5.0 (m,1H); 5.3 (s,2H); 5.9 (m,1H); 6.4 (ss,2H); 7.5 (d,2H) 8.2 (d,2H)1-acetyl-3- 5.66 1.0-1.2 (m,3H); 1.4-piperidinyl 2.0 (m,4H); 2.0 (s,2H); 2.2-4.0 (m,8H); 5.0 (m,1H); 5.2 (s,2H); 5.4 (m,1H); 6.3 (ss,1H); 7.4 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H)2-tetrahydro- 5.66 1.0-1.2 (m,3H); 1.6-furanylmethyl 2.2 (m,4H); 2.2-4.0 (m,4H); 3.8-4.1 (m,3H); 4.6 (m,2H); 5.0 (m,1H); 5.4 (s,2H); 6.4 (ss,1H); 7.6 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H)2-tetrahydro- 5.66 1.02-2.04 (m,9H);pyranylmethyl 2.36-4.08 (m,7H); 4.46 (d,2H); 4.74, 5.0 (m,1H); 5.24 (s,2H); 6.18 and 6.27 (ss,1H); 7.42 (d,2H); 8.14 (d,2H)1-acetyl-2- 5.66 1.22 (t,3H); 1.7-2.3pyrrolidinyl- (m,7H); 2.4-3.67methyl (m,6H); 4.22-5.16 (m,4H); 5.35 (s,2H); 6.32 and 6.42 (ss,1H); 7.5 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H)2-(2-pyridinoyl- 5.66 1.25 (t,3H); 2.6 (q,2H);amino)ethyl 5.98 2.8-4.05 (c,4H); 4.75 (m,2H); 4.95-5.35 (c,4H); 7.2-8.7 (c,9H)1-formyl-3- 5.65 1.27 (t,3H); 1.46-2.27piperidyl 5.72 (c,4H); 2.4-4.1 (c,8H); 4.7-5.6 (c,4H); 6.3, 6.46 (s,1H); 7.54 (d,2H); 7.88-8.36 (3H)N--methylamino- 5.7 1.2 (m,3H); 2.3-3.68carbonylmethyl 5.98 (c,7H); 4.68-5.38 (c,5H); 6.16, 6.34 (s,1H); 6.78 (b,1H); 7.4 (d,2H); 8.1 (d,2H)1-aminocarbonyl) 5.68 1.06-1.74 (c,6H); 2.36-ethyl 5.9 3.7 (c,4H); 4.76-5.4 (c,3H); 5.6-6.8 (c,4H); 7.54 (d,2H); 8.26 (d,2H)2-(methoxymethyl- 5.66 1.22 (t,3H); 2.62 (q,2H);carbonylamino) 5.96 3.0-3.95 (c, total 9H)ethyl (CH.sub.2 Cl.sub.2) including 3.4 (s,3H) and 3.9 (s,2H); 4.55 (m,2H); 4.8-5.2 (c,1H); 5.32 (s,2H); 6.4 (d,1H); 7.1 (b,1H); 7.55 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H)2-(aminocarbonyloxy) 5.66 1.2 (m,3H); 2.6 (q,2H);ethyl 5.76 2.9-3.6 (c,2H); 4.34 (m,2H); 4.75 (m,2H); 5.05 (b,3H); 5.3 (s,2H); 6.36 (d,1H); 7.5 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H)1,3-dimethoxy-2- 5.65 1.25 (m,3H); 2.6 (m,2H);propyl 2.8-4.3 (c,12H) including 3.35 (s,6H), 4.8 and 5.06 (m,1H); 5.34 (s,2H); 5.9 (m,1H); 6.26 (d,1H); 7.55 (d,2H); 8.26 (d,2H)2-(2-furylcarbonyl- 5.68 1.22 (m,3H); 2.58 (q,2H);amino)ethyl 6.0 2.8-3.96 (c,4H); 4.65 (m,2H); 4.8-5.2 (c,1H); 5.25 (s,2H); 6.36 (c,2H); 7.06 (d,1H); 7.26 (b,1H); 7.5 (c,3H); 8.2 (d,2H)1,3-dioxan-5-yl 5.66 1.22 (t,3H); 2.38-3.6 (c,4H); 4.06 (m,4H); 4.66-5.58 (c,6H); 6.16, 6.37 (s,1H); 7.46 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H)1-methyl-2- 5.66 1.2 (m,3H); 1.76-2.34piperidinon-3-yl 6.02 (c,4H); 2.6 (m,2H); 2.95 (s,3H); 3.0-3.6 (c,4H); 5.0 (m,1H); 5.3 (s,2H); 6.06 (m,1H); 6.32 (d,1H); 7.52 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H)1-(aminocarbonyl- 5.68 1.2 (m,3H); 1.7-5.32methyl)-2- 5.98 (c,16H); 6.0 (b,2H);piperidinon-3-yl 6.24 and 6.38 (d,1H); 7.5 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H)2-(2-acetylamino- 5.68 1.26 (m,3H); 2.64 (q,2H);ethoxy)ethyl 6.0 2.86-4.0 (c,8H); 4.72 (m,2H); 4.8 and 5.05 (m,1H); 5.34 (s,2H); 6.38 (d,1H); 6.4 (b,1H); 7.54 (d,2H); 8.24 (d,2H)2-piperidinon-3-yl 5.66 1.2 (m,3H); 1.7-3.6 5.98 (c,8H); 4.75-5.35 (c,4H); 6.34 (d,1H); 6.74 (b,1H); 7.54 (d,2H); 8.25 (d,2H)2-pyrrolidinon- 5.66 1.24 (m,3H); 2.05-3.623-yl 5.85 (c,8H); 4.7-5.2 (c,2H); 5.26 (s,2H); 6.2 and 6.3 (d,1H); 7.44 (c,3H); 8.1 (d,2H)2-piperidinon- 5.65 1.24 (t,3H); 2.0-3.785-yl 6.0 (c,11H); 4.8 and 5.0 (m,1H); 5.3 (s,2H); 6.25 and 6.42 (s,1H); 6.96 (b,1H); 7.5 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H)3-methyl-1,3- 5.66 1.22 (t,3H); 2.6 (q,2H);oxazolid-2-on- 2.9 (d,3H); 3.0-3.624-ylmethyl (c,2H); 3.9-4.9 (c,5H); 5.02 (m,1H); 5.3 (s,2H); 6.25 and 6.4 (d,1H); 7.5 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H)1,3-dioxolan-4- 5.67 1.24 (m,3H); 2.64 (t,2H);ylmethyl 2.8-4.6 (c,7H); 4.9 (d,2H); 5.1 (m,1H); 5.3 (s,2H); 6.34 (m,1H); 7.5 (d,2H); 8.2 (d,2H)______________________________________
PREPARATION C
p-Nitrobenzyl 2-(4-ethylthio-3-p-nitrobenzyloxycarbonyloxy-ethyl-2-oxo-1-azetidinyl)-2-1,3-dioxan-5-yl-oxythiocarbonyl-thio)acetate
The procedure of Preparation A was employed with p-nitrobenzyl 2-(4-ethylthio-3-p-nitrobenzyloxycarbonyloxyethyl-2-oxo-1-azetidinyl)-2chloroacetate (11.6 g) and potassium 1,3-dioxan-5-yl xanthate (4.8 g) as the starting materials to yield 8.4 g of the title compound. The NMR spectrum in deuterochloroform showed peaks at 1.02-1.56 (c, 6H); 2.6 (m, 2H); 3.4 (m, 1H); 3.6 4.2 (c, 5H); 4.6 5.56 (c, 8H); 6.34 (d, 1H); 7.5 (m, 4H); and 8.2 (m, 4H) ppm.
PREPARATION D
The procedure of Preparation A was employed with compounds of formula V wherein R is p-nitrobenzyloxycarbonyloxyethyl, i is zero, R 2 is p-nitrobenzyl, R 4 is ethyl and R 7 is chloro and the potassium salt of xanthates of the formula R 1 --O--(C═S)--S-- wherein R 1 is as shown in Table XI to obtain the corresponding compounds of formula VI whose NMR spectrum is deuterochloroform is shown in Table XI.
TABLE XI______________________________________R.sub.1 NMR (ppm)______________________________________1-formyl-3-piperidyl 1.02-2.2 (c,10H); 2.58(IR(chloroform): 5.64, 5.70, (m,2H); 3.1-4.0 (c,5H);5.98 microns) 4.67-5.34 (c,6H); 5.52 (m,1H); 6.22, 6.4 (s,1H); 7.44 (m,4H); 7.8-8.2 (c,5H)1,3-dioxolan-4-ylmethyl 1.04-1.56 (c,6H); 2.6 3.4 (m,1H); 3.56-4.75 (c,5H); 4.75-5.4 (c,8H); 6.3, 6.4 (s,1H); 7.52 (m,4H); 8.2 (m,4H)1-methoxy-2-propyl 1.0-1.6 (c,9H); 2.6 (m,2H); 3.32 (s) and 3.23-3.64 (c,6H); 4.8- 5.34 (c,6H); 5.78 (c,1H); 6.3, 6.35 (s,1H); 7.44 (m,4H); 8.18 (m,4H)1,3-dioxolan-2-ylmethyl 1.0-1.6 (c,6H); 2.6 (m,2H); 3.36 (m,1H); 3.98 (b,4H); 4.56 (d,2H); 4.96-5.44 (c,7H); 6.34 (s,1H); 7.5 (m,4H); 8.2 (m,4H)2-pyrrolidinon-3-yl 1.0-1.6 (c,6H); 2.15- 3.0 (c,4H); 3.22-3.62 (c,3H); 4.7-5.42 (c,7H); 6.02 (m,1H); 6.34 (b,1H); 7.5 (m,4H); 8.2 (m,4H)2-piperidinon-5-yl 1.0-1.6 (c,6H); 1.9- 2.8 (c,6H); 3.36 (m,1H); 3.62 (c,2H); 4.7-5.4 (c,6H); 5.84 (c,1H); 6.26, 6.42 (s,1H); 6.62 (b,1H); 7.5 (m,4H); 8.2 (m,4H)3-methyl-1,3-oxazolidin-2- 1.0-1.6 (c,6H); 2.56on-4-ylmethyl (m,2H); 2.88 (s,3H); 3.12- 5.46 (c,12H); 6.0-6.46 (c,1H); 7.46 (m,4H); 8.16 (m,4H)2-methoxyethyl 1.06-1.58 (c,6H); 2.6 (m,2H); 3.36 (s) and 3.26-3.8 (c,6H); 4.54- 5.4 (c,8H); 6.52 (s,1H); 7.5 (m,4H); 8.2 (m,4)______________________________________
PREPARATION E
p-Nitrobenzyl 2-(4-ethylthio-3-p-nitrobenzyloxycarbonyloxyethyl-2-oxo-1-azetidinyl)-2-chloroacetate
A solution of 11.3 g p-nitrobenzyl 2(4-ethylthio-3-p-nitrobenzyloxycarbonyloxyethyl-2-oxo-1-azetidinyl)-2-hyroxyacetate and 3.02 ml 2,6-lutidine in 175 ml anhydrous tetrahydrofuran was cooled to 0° C. under a nitrogen atmosphere. Thionyl chloride (1.75 ml) was added dropwise and the resulting mixture was stirred at 0° C. for 20 min. The mixture was filtered through Supercel and the filtrate was concentrated in vacuo. The concentrate was dissolved in methylene chloride and the resulting solution was washed successively with 200 ml 1N aqueous hydrochloric acid, 200 ml saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution and 200 ml saturated aqueous sodium chloride solution, dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate and concentrated in vacuo to an oil (11.6 g) of the title compound. The NMR spectrum of the title compound in deuterochloroform showed peaks at 1.04-1.6 (c, 6H); 2.6 (m, 2H); 3.4 (m, 1H); 4.8-5.4 (c, 6H); 5.85, 5.9, 5.98, 6.1 (s, 1H); 7.5 (m, 4H); 8.2 (m, 4H) ppm.
PREPARATION F
p-Nitrobenzyl 2-(4-Ethylthio-2-oxo-1-azetidinyl)-2-chloroacetate
To a stirred solution of 6.8 g. of p-nitrobenzyl 2-(4-ethylthio-2-oxo-1-azetidinyl)-2-hydroxyacetate in 200 ml. of tetrahydrofuran, at 0°-5° C., was added 2.98 ml. of 2,6-dimethylpyridine, followed by dropwise addition of a solution of 1.73 ml. of thionyl chloride in 20 ml. of tetrahydrofuran, over a 5-minute period. Stirring was continued at 0°-5° C. for 15 minutes, and then the reaction mixture was filtered. The filtrate was evaporated to dryness in vacuo, and the residue was dissolved in 200 ml. of dichloromethane. The resulting solution was washed successively with dilute hydrochloric acid and water, and then dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. Evaporation in vacuo gave 7.12 g of the title compound as a yellow, viscous liquid. The IR spectrum chloroform of the product showed an absorption at 5.63 microns. The NMR spectrum deuterochloroform of the product showed peaks at 1.3 (t, 3H); 2.47-3.7 (m, 4H); 4.9-5.3 (m, 1H); 5.4 (s, 4H); 6.06 and 6.18 (ss, 1H); 7.58 (d, 2H); and 8.22 (d, 2H) ppm.
PREPARATION G
p-Nitrobenzyl 2-(4-Ethylthio-2-oxo-1-azetidinyl)-2-hydroxyacetate
A solution of 12.3 g. of 4-ethylthio-2-oxoazetidine and 25.5 g. of p-nitrobenzyl glyoxylate ethyl hemiacetal in 900 ml. of benzene was heated under reflux for 16 hours. During the heating for 16 hours, water and ethanol were removed from the reaction mixture by azeotropic distillation using a Dean-Stark trap. At this point, the benzene was removed by evaporation in vacuo, and the residue was dissolved in 700 ml. of dichloromethane. The dichloromethane solution was washed three times with water, and then dried with anhydrous sodium sulfate. Evaporation in vacuo afforded 32.5 g of the title compound as a yellow semi-solid. The IR spectrum of the product in chloroform showed an absorption at 5.65 microns. The NMR spectrum of the product in deuterochloroform showed peaks at 1.25 (t, 3H); 2.35-3.62 (m, 4H); 4.3 (s, 1H); 4.85 (m, 1H); 5.22 and 5.54 (ss, 1H); 5.38 (s, 2H); 7.5 (d, 2H); and 8.2 (d, 2H) ppm.
PREPARATION H
p-Nitrobenzyl 2-(4-ethylthio-3-p-nitrobenzyloxycarbonyloxyethyl-2-oxo-1-azetidinyl)-2-hydroxyacetate
4-Ethylthio-3-p-nitrobenzyloxycarbonyloxyethyl-2-oxo-azetidine (9.0 g), p-nitrobenzyl glyoxylate ethyl hemiacetal (8.15 g) and benzene (350 ml) were heated at reflux for 20 hours under a nitrogen atmosphere using a Dean-Stark water separator. The solution was then concentrated in vacuo and the residue was dissolved in 700 ml of dichloromethane. The dichloromethane solution was washed two times with water, dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate and concentrated in vacuo to a yellowish semi-solid (15.0 g) of the title compound. The NMR spectrum in deuterochloroform showed peaks at 1.02-1.52 (c, 8H); 2.6 (m, 2H); 3.3 (m, 1H); 4.1 (b, 1H); 4.78-5.56 (c, 5H); 7.48 (d, 4H); and 8.18 (d, 4H) ppm. The IR spectrum in dichloromethane showed absorptions at 5.62 and 5.7 microns.
PREPARATION I
4-Ethylthio-2-oxoazetidine
To a solution of 8.0 g. of sodium hydroxide in 200 ml. of water, cooled to 0°-5° C., was added 15.5 ml. of ethanethiol. The cold solution was stirred for 5 minutes, and then a solution of 25.8 g. of 4-acetoxy-2-oxoazetidine in 200 ml. of dichloromethane was added in one portion. The mixture was stirred at 0°-5° C. for 90 minutes, and then the pH was adjusted to 6 using 6N hydrochloric acid. The dichloromethane layer was removed, and the aqueous layer was extracted with further quantities of dichloromethane. The combined dichloromethane solutions were washed with water, followed by saturated sodium chloride, and then they were dried using Na 2 SO 4 . Evaporation in vacuo afforded 23.4 g of the title compound as an oil.
PREPARATION J
p-Nitrobenzyl Glyoxylate Ethyl Hemiacetal
A stirred solution of 32.0 g. of the bis(p-nitrobenzyl)ester of tartaric acid in 850 ml. of tetrahydrofuran was cooled to 0°-5° C., and 26.0 g. of periodic acid was added all in one portion. Stirring was continued for 2 hours at 0°-5° C., and then the reaction mixture was filtered. To the filtrate was added 100 ml. of ethanol, and then the resulting solution was evaporated in vacuo. The residue was dissolved in 700 ml. of chloroform, and it was washed successively with concentrated aqueous sodium thiosulfate (5 times) and water (2 times). The chloroform solution was dried using anhydrous sodium sulfate, and then it was evaporated in vacuo to give 25.5 g of the title compound as a viscous liquid.
PREPARATION K
Sodium 2-(Morpholino)ethyl Xanthate
To a stirred solution of 4.91 g. of N-(2-hydroxyethyl)morpholine in 250 ml. of anhydrous tetrahydrofuran at room temperature was added 1.79 g. of a 50% dispersion of sodium hydride in mineral oil. A precipitate formed. The mixture was stirred for 30 minutes, and then 2.75 ml. of carbon disulfide was added, causing the initial precipitate to dissolve. The reaction mixture was stirred for 30 minutes during which time a further precipitate formed. To the mixture was added 200 ml. of anhydrous ether, and the precipitate was recovered by filtration. The solid was washed with ether, and dried, to give 8.8 g. of the title compound.
PREPARATION L
Potassium 2-(2-oxo-pyrrolidino)ethyl Xanthate
To a stirred solution of 5.16 g. of N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-2-oxo-pyrrolidine in 200 ml. of anhydrous tetrahydrofuran at room temperature was added 4.48 g. of potassium t-butoxide. A gummy precipitate formed. The mixture was stirred for 1 hour, and then 3.6 ml. of carbon disulfide was added. The mixture was stirred for 2 hours, and then 100 ml. of anhydrous ether was added, causing the formation of a gummy precipitate. The solvent was decanted from the gummy precipitate, and the gummy precipitate was dried under high vacuum to give a foam (5.0 g.) of the title compound.
PREPARATION M
4-Ethylthio-3-p-nitrobenzyloxycarbonyloxyethyl-2-oxo-azetidine
To a cooled (0° C.) solution of 572 mg sodium hydroxide in 50 ml. water was added 1.32 ml. of ethanthiol. After 10 minutes a solution of 5.02 g. 4-acetoxy-3-(p-nitrobenzyloxycarbonyloxyethyl)-2-oxo-azetidine in 100 ml. dichloromethane was added and the mixture was stirred vigorously at 0° C. for 30 minutes then at 25° C. for 3 hours. The dichloromethane layer was separated and the aqueous phase was extracted with two 70 ml. portions of dichloromethane. The combined dichloromethane extracts were washed with 70 ml. water, then with 70 ml. saturated aqueous sodium chloride solution, dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate and concentrated in vacuo to an oil. The crude product was purified by column chromatography silica gel, eluting with 5:1 chloroform ethyl acetate, to obtain 4.15 g. of the title compound. | Certain substituted-2-penem-3-carboxylic acid compounds, and pharmaceutically-acceptable salts thereof, can be prepared from the appropriate xanthate or trithiocarbonate by desulfurization, followed by halogenation and ring closure. The corresponding desulfurized and halogenated intermediates are disclosed. | 2 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a process for producing cyanopiperidines. More specifically, but without restriction to the particular embodiments hereinafter described, the present invention relates to an improved single step process for producing cyanopiperidines by dehydrating the respective piperidine carboxamide employing a suitable dehydrating agent.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Cyanopiperidines, especially 4-cyanopiperidine, are used as intermediates for the production of pharmacologically valuable substances like antidepressants, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulators. 4-Cyanopiperidine is also used as a starting material for the preparation of a large number of piperidine derivatives.
[0003] Several different conventional methods for producing cyanopiperidines are known.
[0004] U.S. Pat. No. 5,869,663 to Emonds-Alt et al., discloses a single step process for producing 4-cyanopiperidine from isonipecotamide (or piperidine-4-carboxamide) by dehydrating with phosphorous oxychloride, addition of concentrated mass to maintain pH—13, followed by multiple extractions with dichloromethane and ether. This process is laborious and is not commercially lucrative due to the involvement of multiple extractions with a mixture of low boiling solvents and generation of significant amounts of effluents. Moreover, the yield with above process is very low (approx. 25% w/w, 30% molar).
[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 4,284,636 to Carr et al., discloses the preparation of 4-cyanopiperidine by reacting piperidine-4-carboxamide with triflouroacetic anhydride and refluxing the reaction mass for 19 hours. Trifluoroacetic anhydride and trifluoroacetic acid are removed in vacuo and residual 4-cyano-1-fluoroacetyl piperidine is added to aqueous solution of potassium carbonate and methanol. Methanol is recovered and benzene is added to the concentrated reaction mass. Workup and distillation in vacuo gives the desired product 23%, w/w and 27% molar yield of 4-cyanopiperidine. The major drawbacks of this process are that it involves several steps, usage of hazardous chemicals, multiple solvents, generation of effluents and lower yields, thus, rendering the process industrially unattractive.
[0006] Therefore, there is a need to develop an improved process for producing cyanopiperidines, in particular 4-cyanopiperidine, which overcomes the disadvantages associated with the processes discussed above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to improve upon the limitations of the processes described above. These and other objects are attained in accordance with the present invention wherein there is provided several embodiments of an improved and, optionally, single step process for producing cyanopiperidines by dehydrating piperidine carboxamides using the dehydrating agent thionyl chloride to produce cyanopiperidine with higher yields and selectivity. Thus, the present invention provides a process for producing a cyanopiperidine, comprising treating a piperidine carboxamide with thionyl chloride.
[0008] In one preferred embodiment, a reaction mass is produced from the reaction of the piperidine carboxamide with the thionyl chloride and the process further comprises neutralizing the reaction mass, extracting the neutralized reaction mass with an aromatic hydrocarbon solvent, distilling out the hydrocarbon solvent to produce a crude product and distilling the crude product under vacuum to obtain the cyanopiperidine.
[0009] In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an improved process for producing 4-cyanopiperidine, wherein the process comprises treating piperidine-4-carboxamide with thionyl chloride, neutralizing the resultant reaction mass with caustic lye and extracting the desired product from the reaction mass using a suitable non-polar solvent.
[0010] In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an improved and, optionally, single step process, wherein the process comprises dehydrating the piperidine-4-carboxamide by treating piperidine-4-carboxamide with thionyl chloride at a temperature of 10°-150° C., preferably 20°-100° C., to produce 4-cyanopiperidine, where the ratio of piperidine-4-carboxamide and thionyl chloride is 1:15 moles, preferably 1:80 moles.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0011] The present invention provides an improved process for producing cyanopiperidine. The process of the present invention is advantageous over known processes because it involves a single step reaction, use of a single solvent and better yields and selectivity, by suppressing the formation of unwanted products.
[0012] As discussed above, the present invention provides a process for producing a cyanopiperidine, comprising treating a piperidine carboxamide with thionyl chloride. The piperidine carboxamide may be 2-, 3- or 4-piperidine carboxamide which produces 2-, 3- or 4-cyanopiperidine, respectively.
[0013] In a preferred embodiment, the piperidine-4-carboxamide used for the preparation of 4-cyanopiperidine is of high purity (M.p.—144-149° C.) and moisture contents of less than 0.2-2% preferably 0.2-1.0%.
[0014] In a preferred embodiment, the process of the present invention comprises treating piperidine-4-carboxamide with thionyl chloride in a ratio of 1:15 moles, preferably 1:80 moles, at a temperature of 10°-150° C., preferably 20°-100° C., for 4-6 hours, drying the resultant product and adding 46% caustic lye to adjust to pH 12-13, extracting the resultant alkaline mass with a suitable non-polar solvent at a temperature of 20°-25° C., separating the organic layer and distilling the concentrated mass through high vacuum, cooling the reaction mass to 30°-35° C., pouring into crushed ice and treating with excess of 46% caustic lye to adjust to a pH between 12 and 13. The alkaline reaction mass is extracted with suitable aromatic hydrocarbon solvents, like benzene, toluene and xylene etc. The organic layer is separated and concentrated to recover solvent. The concentrated mass thus obtained is distilled under vacuum to obtain pure 4-cyanopiperidine in 60-65% molar yield. Thus, the product is obtained in at least 60% molar yield. The purity of the cyanopiperidine is at least 98%.
[0015] The temperature range described above, i.e., 100-150° C., includes all specific values and subranges therebetween, such as 20°, 30°, 40°, 50°, 60°, 70°, 80°, 90°, 100° and 110° C. The molar ratio of the piperidine carboxamide and thionyl chloride may be between 1:4 to 1:80 moles, inclusive of all specific values and subranges therebetween, such as 1:5, 1:8, 1:10, 1:20, 1:25, 1:40, 1:50, 1:60 and 1:70.
EXAMPLES
[0016] The following examples are illustrative of the invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner. It is understood that the variation of the process described below are possible without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.
Example 1
[0017] Thionyl chloride 232 gm (molar ratio thionyl chloride:piperidine-4-carboxamide is 2.53:1) is taken in a 500 ml four-necked reaction flask, fitted with glass agitator and a condenser. A vent is provided at the condenser top passing through a 10% diluted solution of caustic lye to neutralize the vent gases. Piperidine-4-carboxamide 100 gm is added lot wise with continuous stirring over a period of 30 minutes, temperature increased from 32° to 65° C. due to the exothermicity of the reaction. The reaction mixture is maintained at 65°-70° C. for 3-4 hours and a sample is drawn and analyzed, 4-cyanopiperidine 94.78% Area, Piperidine-4-carboxamide=Nil is obtained. The reaction mass is cooled to room temperature and poured over 400 gm crushed ice by maintaining the temperature at 0°-10° C. Then, 160 gm (46% solution) caustic lye is added to the above mass while maintaining the temperature between 15°-20° C. and the pH is adjusted between 12 and 13. The alkaline reaction mass is extracted with (400 ml×4) toluene. The organic layer is separated and the solvent is recovered by atmospheric distillation. The concentrated mass is distilled under high vacuum (4-6 mm Hg) to obtain 52.5 gm (molar yield=61%) 4-cyanopipeiridne with purity 99.75%.
Example 2
[0018] Thionyl chloride 70 gm (molar ratio, thionyl chloride:piperidine-4-carboxamide (1.50:1) is taken in a 250 ml 4-necked glass reactor fitted with an agitator and a condenser. A vent is provided at the condenser top passing through a 10% diluted solution of caustic lye to neutralize the vent gases. Piperidine-4-carboxamide 50 gm is added lot wise and the same procedure as in Example 1 is followed. 27 gm (molar yield 62.8%) 4-cyanopiperidine is obtained after final distillation with purity 99.0%.
Example 3
[0019] Thionyl chloride 465 gm (molar ratio, thionyl chloride:piperidine-4-carboxamide 10:1) is taken in a 500 ml, 4-necked glass reactor fitted with an agitator and a condenser. A vent is provided at the condenser top passing through a 10% diluted solution of caustic lye to neutralize the vent gases. Piperidine-4-carboxamide 48 gm is added lot-wise and after following the same procedure as in Example 1, 13.5 gm (molar yield 32.7%) of 4-cyanopiperidine is obtained with 98.75% purity.
[0020] Certain modifications and improvements of the disclosed invention will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of invention, which is limited only by the appended claims.
[0021] This application is based on Indian patent application Serial No. 2035/IDEL/2004, filed on Oct. 18, 2004, and incorporated herein by reference. | The present invention relates to an improved and single step process for producing cyanopiperidine by dehydrating respective piperidine carboxamide employing a suitable dehydrating agent. | 2 |
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/703,642 filed on Aug. 27, 1996.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application(s) No(s).:
60/010,959 filed Feb. 1, 1996, now abandoned
60/016,565 filed May 3, 1996, now abandoned
06/019,745 filed Jun. 10, 1996, now abandoned.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a device and method for removing ice and snow from roofs and overhangs.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A common problem found throughout the world is the buildup of ice and snow on the roofs of buildings during the winter months of the year. The problem can be seen on all types of buildings, from small cottages to the largest of industrial and commercial complexes. Typically, as the snow sits on a sloped roof, the bottom portion of the roof area will begin to show ice buildup after only a few days. As ice begins to form on the roof, the problem is further compounded by the formation of icicles and other ice formations in the gutter and eve section of many roofs. While the formation of ice may cause damage to a building's gutters, roof, eve and walls, the formation of icicles can lead to a much greater problem-falling ice. The resulting problems of ice and snow buildup on outdoor structures are well known and include; damage to structures, interior and exterior water damage, excessive roof loading, which may eventually lead to roof failure, falling ice, which may injure people located below the ice formation, window damage, gutter damage, etc.
Several devices and techniques have been employed in the past to attempt to overcome these problems. One method is to use an electric heating tape fastened to roofs to melt ice and snow. Not only are heating tapes unsightly, but also draw electric power continuously, even when not needed.
Another method is to climb onto a roof and shatter the ice with a hard, blunt object, like a shovel, hammer, pipe, or ax. This has the disadvantage of being extremely dangerous, since a person must climb onto an icy roof. Also, the action of shattering ice with a hard object may damage the roof.
Another method is to climb onto a roof and chip away at the ice using a sharp object, like an ice chopper or hatchet. This method is even more likely to cause damage to the roof and associated structures.
Similarly, the prior art method for removing icicles is to knock them down from below. This method is extremely dangerous.
The methods of shattering with a blunt object, chipping with a sharp object, and knocking down from below, have the additional disadvantage of having very high labor costs. Companies that provide these services charge high rates, since the work is hazardous and seasonal. The use of a heating tape is also unsatisfactory, since the tapes use electric power continuously during a time of year when electricity use is already high. The tapes must be energized continuously, and do not shut off when ice and snow have been removed. They are also ineffective, since they only heat their immediate area.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a simple device that can be easily installed on common roof designs, which will eliminate the problem of ice buildup.
Another object is to provide an apparatus that is easy to install and remove so that it can be used during the winter season, can be removed easily in the spring and be stored until the next winter.
Another object is to provide a user of the invention with a high level of safety when operating the system to dislodge ice formations and icicles from the roof. The user may use a portable inflation device (blower or pump) to inflate the sleeve from a safe location.
Another object of the invention is to operate the system on a routine basis, preventing large amounts of ice from forming in the first place.
Another object of the invention is to allow the mounting frame assembly to remain in place year round without effecting the function and aesthetics of the roof.
Another object of the invention is to provide a mounting frame that can be removed from the roof along with the inflatable sleeve easily and then be reinstalled for use for the next winter in the event that a user of the device does not desire the mounting frame to be in place on the roof during non-winter months.
Another object of the invention is to provide a modular system that can be made up of many standard lengths and designs that can be mixed and matched (combined) for almost any roof size and roof design. The frame and sleeve components can be combined with each other to create a total system if desired.
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus that incorporates replaceable parts in the event that a portion of the apparatus fails.
Another object of the invention is protect gutters and other components of the roof from ice, water and other damage caused from loading. A drip edge will also help direct runoff water away from the exterior wall of the structure and over the gutter system.
Another object of the invention is to secure the system so that wind will not blow it around. It is designed to remain secured to the roof while also being able to expand and move during inflation.
Another object of the invention is to provide the user with an affordable solution to ice and snow build up problems. The materials used for the components will be relatively inexpensive. Reinforced vinyl-coated fabric will be used for the inflatable sleeve and a plastic extrusion can be used for the frame hardware. The air source can be a simple air pump or vacuum/blower.
Another object of the invention is to provide many problem solving features of the overall system. One embodiment would simply be the use of plastic sheeting only. This on its own may cause the ice to slide off. A Teflon type surface may be useful for this purpose. Other designs would help protect gutter assemblies, as well as provide a drip edge away from the side of the structure.
Another object of the invention is to provide a solution with a low energy requirement. It is well known that electrical wiring can be mounted on a roof surface to heat the ice and snow away. This type of melting system requires constant power to have any effectiveness. The power requirement for the disclosed invention is minimal, the compressor or blower may be turned on only until full inflation is reached--usually a minute or less.
Another object of the invention is to provide safe and easy operation of the invention when installed on high roofs and overhangs that would otherwise require work crews and extension ladders and a lift.
Another object of the invention is to allow the operator to operate the system from indoors.
Another object of the invention is to allow the user to operate the invention from a ground level location.
Another object of the invention is to use hot or warm air as part of the mounting frame assembly (via a passage way or tube of some kind) or through the inflatable sleeve device.
Another object of the invention is to use a wire assembly as part of the mounting frame to melt snow and ice in desired locations. A hot wire assembly may also be used on a portion of the inflatable sleeve assembly.
Another object of the invention is to allow the roof system to function as designed without limiting the run-off and snow slide principals.
Another object of the invention is to provide modular components so that virtually any roof configuration can be fitted.
Another object of the invention includes the use of a release agent (Silicone or Teflon) on the invention (inflatable sleeve and/or mounting frame) to help free the invention from snow and ice.
Another object of the invention is to provide protection against the roof surface as well as flashing, side wall and other roof areas of a building.
Another object of the invention is to manufacture the mounting frames with extensions tabs and components so they will overlap and join together eliminating seams that might leak.
Another object of the invention is to provide one universal mounting frame that can be easily installed for use with a wide variety of rigid roof panels designs.
Another object of the invention is to provide a dam or gate effect that is able to hold back and control snow from sliding off roofs.
Another object of the invention is to provide a one-piece system using a flexible mounting tab as part of the inflatable sleeve system.
Another object of the invention is to provide a disposable or limited use system at a low cost.
The foregoing objects are accomplished using a device for removing ice and snow from roofs and overhangs comprising an inflatable sleeve made of a flexible material, an installation mounting frame and method that can be easily interfaced with existing building designs, and a means for inflating the inflatable sleeve. The inflatable sleeve is mounted near the bottom of a roof, in the region where ice tends to form. After ice has formed over the sleeve, an operator can inflate the sleeve remotely using a low pressure air supply. The expansion of the sleeve shatters the ice, after which it falls to the ground in a controlled and safe manner.
The types of sleeve and installation devices can be selected to protect a variety of different roofs and gutters. Installations may be permanent or temporary. An additional gate-type sleeve may also be inflated to prevent snow from falling from a roof, and then deflated to permit the snow to fall.
The inflatable sleeves can be used with many different types of installation or mounting frame configurations for almost any type of roof construction. Mounting frames or other systems for holding the inflatable sleeves in position upon a roof can be provided for metal, fiberglass and other types of roofing systems, including shingled roofs.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is the side view of the lower section of a roof for a typical home. The figure shows the installation of a mounting frame assembly to the roof structure with a protective shield having an inflatable sleeve in its proper location along the bottom of the roof. The sleeve is shown in a deflated position, with the formation of ice on it as well as snow on top of the roof.
FIG. 2 is a side view of a protective shield design that shows the roped edge assembly at the top. It also shows other elements of the design including a drip edge flap, bungee cord restraint line on the bottom of the sleeve, a fastening means on the bungee and an air inlet fixture for inflating and deflating the sleeve.
FIG. 3 is a side view of a roof section, illustrating the inflation of the inflatable sleeve. As the sleeve is inflated, causing it to expand, the ice breaks away and falls.
FIG. 4 shows an air source, which can be used to inflate the inflatable sleeve.
FIG. 5 shows two inflatable sleeves with two roped edges, and a flap to protect the joint.
FIG. 6 is a side view of the inflatable sleeve installed on the top structure of a substantially flat roof.
FIG. 7 is a detailed view of the fastener and clamping assembly of the inflatable sleeve on a flat roof surface.
FIG. 8 is an elevated view of a corner roof section and mounting frame.
FIG. 9 is a side view showing the mounting frame sandwiched between the roof panels and the underlayment decking of the roof.
FIG. 10 is a side view of the bottom section of a roof with the mounting insert in place under the roof panels. The clamping end slot opening is angled upwards to create a different inflating direction.
FIG. 11 is a side view of the bottom section of a roof with the inflatable sleeve inflated in the clamping end that is slotted upwards.
FIG. 12 is an end view of the inflatable sleeve showing the installation flap.
FIG. 13 is an end view of the inflatable sleeve with a stiffener type batten held within a pocket compartment.
FIG. 14 is a side angle view of a mounting frame with reduced surface area to increase heat transfer from the roof to the shingles.
FIG. 15 shows a mounting frame fastened to the face of a roof structure.
FIG. 16 is an end view of a roof showing a different version of a mounting frame and bracket that is hidden under a row of shingles.
FIG. 17 shows an embodiment of the invention that uses a slick cover in place of an inflatable sleeve.
FIG. 18 is a close up view of the bottom of an extra exterior flap attached to the flexible sleeve cover of FIG. 17.
FIG. 19 is a version of the invention that uses an inflatable sleeve and fastener, but does not use a mounting bracket or mounting frame.
FIG. 20 shows the construction and design details of a section of the apparatus.
FIG. 21 shows the placement and position of guide-anchors used to restrict the movement of the inflatable sleeve.
FIG. 22 shows a version of the inflation and control means for the inflatable sleeve.
FIG. 23 shows a version of the invention adapted for use with a panel type roof.
FIG. 24 is an end view showing details of the invention used with a panel type roof.
FIG. 25 shows a version of the invention adapted to remove snow as well as ice from an entire roof.
FIG. 26 shows a version of the invention as in FIG. 25 with the addition of a snow brake feature, shown as a rigid structure.
FIG. 27 shows a version with a snow brake feature as in FIG. 25, except that the snow brake is an inflatable tube instead of a rigid structure.
FIG. 28 shows a version of the invention adapted for removing ice and snow from shallow or flat roofs.
FIG. 29 shows a version of the invention adapted for use in a corner between two roof sections.
FIG. 30 is an end view of a roof section showing the permanently attached fabric end frame with a zipper connection to hold the inflatable sleeve component in place on a shingled roof.
FIG. 31 is an overhead, side view showing the zipper connection between the mounting frame end and the inflatable sleeve.
FIG. 32 is an end view of a shingled roof section showing further detail of the zipper connection design between the permanent mounting flap and inflatable sleeve component.
FIG. 33 is an end view of a roof section of a building showing a mounting tab assembly that is mounted on top of a shingle.
FIG. 34 is a bird's eye view of a roof section of a building with a ceramic tile surface, which is the most common design of roof system in Europe and is shown equipped with an inflatable sleeve system.
FIG. 35 is an end view of a panel type roof section showing a permanently attached mounting tab with a zipper connection that will enable the inflatable sleeve to be easily installed and removed from the roof as required.
FIG. 36 is an angled front view of a panel type roof section showing a permanently attached mounting tab and zipper connection that will enable the inflatable sleeve to be easily installed and removed from the roof as required.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 shows the invention installed on the lower section of a sloped, shingled roof 14 covered with snow 11 and ice 12. The invention comprises three components: a mounting frame 15, a protective shield 1 having an inflatable sleeve 19; and a blower (not shown) for inflating the inflatable sleeve. The mounting frame 15 is secured to the roof 10 by first lifting up the next higher row of shingles 14 were the frame is to be mounted. A fastener 16 will go through a mounting hole 35 on the mounting frame 15 and into the roof beam 40. The mounting frame 15 has a clamping means 17 to hold a roped edge 18 top section of the protective shield 1 in place on the roof 10. The lower bottom section of the protective shield 1 is held in position on the roof 10 by bungee cords 21, which are secured to the roof 10 by fasteners 22 being secured to mounting clips 23 that are affixed to the house. The inflatable sleeve 19 of said protective shield 1 may be placed over the gutter 13 to provide further protection. A drip edge flap 20 may be placed on the edge of the inflatable sleeve to direct water away from the gutter and house.
FIG. 2 is an end view of the protective shield 1. The top section of the shield has a rope 37 sewn into it forming a roped edge 18. Adjacent to the roped edge 18 is a non-inflatable section 26 of the shield, which is used to isolate the expansion of the inflatable sleeve 19 away from its clamping point so that the expansion and upward movement of the inflatable sleeve 19 will not lift up or loosen the mounting frame from its fixed position. An optional drip edge flap 20 may be located on the bottom edge of the inflatable sleeve 19 to direct any water or runoff away from the side of the structure. An air inlet fixture 25 is located near the bottom of the inflatable sleeve 19 to allow for the inflation and deflation operations. A support flange flap is 24 is secured to the bottom section of the inflatable sleeve 19 to provide an anchoring point from which to fix cord 21. A fastening means 22 is at the other end of the cord 21 is used to secure the bottom of inflatable sleeve 19 to the structure. The cord 21 may be elastic (bungee cord ) or non-elastic. The cord's 21 purpose is to provide a means for holding the inflatable sleeve 19 in position, even during windy and stormy conditions, while still allowing the inflatable sleeve to inflate during the operation of the device. There may be many variations of anchoring the top and bottom sections of the protective shield to the roof, which will be discussed in further detail below.
FIG. 3 shows the inflation of the inflatable sleeve 19. As pressurized air is introduced into the inflatable sleeve 19, its expanding action breaks the ice formations 12 that formed on top of the sleeve. A slick coating, such as silicone spray, (WD-40 or Armor-All) may be used as a release agent to remove any excess ice and snow that may build up on inflatable sleeve 19 after installation. Again, notice that non-inflatable section 26 is positioned between roped edge 18 and inflatable section 19F of inflatable sleeve 19. In practice, this boundary or non-inflatable zone 26 may isolate the upward force of the inflation action from the mounting frame. The only force on mounting frame should be laterally, on the same plane with the mounting frame (at the roof slope angle and downward). If the inflatable section is too close to the mounting frame, it may lift and loosen the mounting frame, which could result in problems.
FIG. 4 shows one configuration of how the air source 29 can be used to operate the inflatable sleeve 19. Generally, the inflatable sleeve 19 may only be able to withstand a maximum pressure of between 5 and 10 PSI before rupturing under a "no load" condition. It may be necessary however, that a higher pressure may be required to start the inflation and resulting expansion of the inflatable sleeve 19 under a "full load" condition. A "full load" condition can best be illustrated when the inflatable sleeve is actually locked or encased in ice. It needs extra pressure to begin inflating and expanding. Once the inflation and expansion process begins, the pressure requirements for continued inflation and expansion may decrease considerably and stabilize substantially between 1/4 to 5 PSI. To accomplish this feature and to ensure that the inflatable sleeve is not operated under "no load" conditions beyond safe pressure levels, valve 48 can be manually switched to bypass the flow of pressurized air around the pressure regulator 49. Once the inflation action begins and the "full load" condition has subsided, the operator can change position of valve 48 to direct air pressure through the pressure regulator. The valve may be a hand operated valve or a solenoid type valve that is controlled by a switch, button, or the like. Air hoses 261a, 261b and 261c create the bypass function allowing the pressurized air to inflate inflatable sleeve 19 through air hose 261 and inflatable sleeve air fixture 25. Under normal operating procedures, the air would travel back through the same hose and valve system for deflation. A one-way (in) check valve would normally not be required. Intake/exhaust port 50 can be mounted on air source 29. A dryer may be required to eliminate moisture from going into the inflatable sleeve 19. The inflatable sleeve 19 may be able to withstand high pressures (up to 15 PSI or more) during the initial inflation process. The pressure and expansion force is directed against the load (ice) and not necessarily against the contraction integrity of the inflatable sleeve 19. Also, the interior volume of the inflatable sleeve must be fully inflated before any over pressurization damage may occur. There is an important difference between operating pressures for "no load" conditions vs. "full load" conditions.
FIG. 5 shows a top view of the two inflatable sleeves 19a and 19b. Roped edges 18a and 18b remain as the primary holding area for installation into mounting frame. Roped edges 53a and 53b are normally located at the vertical ends of the inflatable sleeves (any sleeve) and are perpendicular to roped edges 18a and 18b. The roped edge design provides an easy method of installation for both the Do-It-Yourselfer as well as the Professional. The roped edge design also provides a strong end seam and simple closure method for sealing end sections of the inflatable sleeve and modular component system. Flap 54 may act as a cover over the joint created by holding means 52 so that water, snow and ice does not get under the mounting frame and inflatable sleeve system. Flap 54 may be fastened to inflatable sleeve 19a and 19b by "VELCRO" hook and loop fasteners, ties, snaps, removable caulk, adhesive, etc. Of course, alternative embodiments of the invention use other fastening means in place of the roped edge-holding assembly. Other fastening means include zippers or other like means for joining adjacent inflatable sleeves.
FIG. 6 is a side view of a the top structure 67 of a building that has a generally flat or gently sloped roof line. Clamp assembly 68 may be used install inflatable sleeve 19 on the top surface of building structure 67.
FIG. 7 is an enlarged view showing fastener 69 holding inflatable sleeve 19 and clamping assembly 68 in place. Roped edge 18 cannot pull through clamping assembly 68. While the inflatable sleeve design will generally assume the same size and shape dimensions, the mounting frame or mounting assembly can be adapted to fit almost any kind of mounting surface. Clamping assembly 70 may also be used to secure the bottom end of inflatable sleeve 19. Flap 69 with roped edge is secured by clamp 70 to the side of building.
FIG. 8 is a bird's-eye view of a corner roof section of a building. The mounting frame 15 may be a single, pre-formed component or can be made of one or more sections. A standard length of extruded mounting frame 15 may be formed on site if desired. The right side of mounting frame 15b is fastened to roof section 74 while the left side of mounting plate 15a is fastened to vertical wall 76 of the roof. Corner joint 84 of mounting frame 15 fits securely in wall/roof joint 83 so that a watertight fit is made. Caulk or other sealant may be applied around the mounting frame. Clamping fixture 61 runs from end to end on the right angle mounting frame, on the vertical clamping fixture 79a and horizontal clamping fixture 79b.
Mounting holes 80a and 80b hold the mounting frame section 15a tightly secured to wall 76 while mounting holes 80c and 80d hold down mounting frame section 15b. This right angle mounting frame section 15 can be designed to interface easily with other modular or custom made mounting frame sections if desired. Roped edge of inflatable sleeve (not shown) will fit securely in slot 79 of clamping fixture 61.
FIG. 9 shows mounting insert 92 with the top end 93 slightly tapered and clamping end 91 at the bottom of the roof line, sandwiched between rigid roof panels 56 and roof decking 60. Screws 90 hold the roof panels 56 and mounting insert 92 in place on the roof decking 60. Inflatable sleeve 19 utilizes rope 37 to form roped edge 18 to fit inside clamping end 91 of mounting insert 92. As inflatable sleeve 19 is inflated, any ice formations or icicles will be broken away from the eve section of the roof 10. To avoid any blockage for snow that may slide off roof panels 56, it may be desirable to fabricate mounting insert 92 so that clamp end 91 is below the lower elevation plane of roof panel 56. In actual use, face plate 94 will provide a backstop for inflatable sleeve 19 to inflate against.
FIG. 10 shows the mounting insert 92 secured between roof panel 56 and roof 10. Clamping end 91 of mounting insert 92 has slot opening 93 facing up to create a different inflation pattern for inflatable sleeve 19. Roped edge 18 of inflatable sleeve 19 is secured through slot opening 93 that is narrower than rope 37 inside roped edge 18 of inflatable sleeve 19. Inflatable sleeve 19 is shown in the deflated position.
FIG. 11 shows the inflatable sleeve 19 in the inflated position. Because the slot opening 93 is facing up and bottom end 94 of clamp end 91 of mounting insert 92 is beyond slot opening 93, the inflatable sleeve 19 will tend to inflate upwards as shown. This configuration will cause the inflatable sleeve to act as a dam or gate to hold snow 11 from sliding off roof panels 56. In addition to breaking off ice that may hang vertically from the end of roof panels 56 and clamping end 91 of mounting insert 92, this configuration may provide safety from snow sides. A user may deflate inflatable sleeve 19 to allow snow to slide off roof panels 56 at controlled or designated times, rather than at random, which could cause potential dangerous situations. User can inflate inflatable sleeve 19 and leave inflated for various time.
FIG. 12 shows an end view of a protective shield 1 having inflatable sleeve 19 with mounting flap 95. Mounting flap 95 may be made of more than one ply of fabric to provide greater strength.
FIG. 13 shows an end view of protective shield 1 having inflatable sleeve 19 with a compartment 97 fabricated as part of mounting flap 95 so that a batten type stiffener 98 may be inserted to provide a more even support along the length to the inflatable sleeve component. Without the batten stiffener, the inflatable sleeve could sag between fastening points. The batten 98 will act like a curtain rod or closet hanger pole to prevent sagging between anchor points of flap 95.
FIG. 14 is another version of mounting frame 15 with a reduced surface area to allow the transfer of heat from the roof to the shingles and snow above. Installation tabs 104a, 104b, 104c, 104d and 104e are provided as part of mounting frame 15 for fastening the unit to the roof. Bottom clamp fixture 17 of mounting frame will need to provide strength and stability of frame for securing the inflatable sleeve component of the invention.
FIG. 15 is a side view of a roof section showing a modified mounting frame 108 fastened to face 110 of roof structure 10. Modified mounting frame 108 can be designed so that it is adjustable to fit a variety of roof types and slopes. The top section 108a of mounting frame 108 will extend upwards along the roof surface (shingles 14a to 14f) so that protective shield 1 can be secured to mounting frame extension 108a at fastening location 109. Non-inflatable section 26 of inflatable sleeve 19 can be used for the fastening area 109. Upper flap 112 of inflatable sleeve 19 will extend upwards and under shingle 14e to form a watertight surface. This mounting frame 108 design eliminates the need to fasten anything to the roof surface whether it is covered with shingles (14a to 14f) or metal or fiberglass panels, etc. Holding fixture 111 may be added to mounting frame 108 to secure cord 21 from inflatable sleeve 19 so that it remains in position and does not flap around causing noise and damage during windy conditions.
FIG. 16 is an end view of a roof section showing a mounting frame 117 and a mounting bracket 118 hidden under the row of shingles 14. When the inflatable sleeve 19 is removed for part of the year, the mounting frame 117 is not noticeable and will not detract from the normal aesthetics of the roof 10.
FIG. 17 is an end view of a roof section showing a simple embodiment of the invention. This embodiment comprises the use of a protective shield 1 comprising a simple cover 121, which protects the roof in the area where ice typically forms. Top end of the cover 121 is fastened to the roof 10 under the shingle 14. A bottom end 122 of the cover 122 is fastened to the eave 113 by attaching shock cord 21 to the anchor 23. The cover 121 may be made of a rigid material like plastic sheeting or of a flexible material like coated fabric. The gutter 13 is thus protected from ice damage. As compared with a shingle roof that is uncovered and holds ice like it was glued on, a smooth cover surface over the shingles allows one to remove ice formations much easier. The cover 121 acts as a release surface so that the ice may be removed from the roof 10 much easier and with less damage. Any of the mounting frames, mounting brackets and other installation methods may be used with this non-inflatable configuration of the invention. In addition to simply providing a smooth surface so that ice may easily slide off of a roof, this embodiment could incorporate a mechanical agitation means, which would in essence "shake" any ice formed on top of cover 121 off of the roof. The mechanical agitation means may comprise pull cords, ropes or other lines 123, which extend down towards the ground where a person could tug upon them to agitate the cover's surface. Alternatively, a person could use a long pole or rod (not shown) to physically disturb the cover where it passes over the edge of the roof.
FIG. 18 is a close up of lower end 121b of extra exterior flap 121a. The lower end of the flap includes a pocket 121f, which is configured to hold a weighting medium and thus prevent flap 121a from flapping uncontrollably in windy conditions.
FIG. 19 is a side view of a roof section showing a top end of the inflatable sleeve 120 without any rigid reinforcement or mounting bracket attached. The fastener 16 is simply screwed, nailed or stapled through the top end 120 of the inflatable sleeve 19 and to the roof 10 under the shingle 14.
FIG. 20 is a bird's eye view of the protective shield 1 that shows many of the individual design components in their preferred embodiments. On the underside of the bottom of the inflatable sleeve 19, air inlet fixtures 25R and 25L are shown as 90 degree elbows. External openings 127L and 127R of the air inlet fixtures 25L and 25R, respectively, are on the same plane as the length of the inflatable sleeve.
This design will ensure that the inflatable sleeve 19 does not wrinkle or buckle when the connecting air hoses are attached. In general, the air inlet fixtures 25R and 25L are located 6 inches (15 cm) from each end to allow for overlapping of the inflatable sleeve 19 modular components when they are connected into one system.
A bungee cord 21 may be attached to the ends of the inflatable sleeve at points 21L and 21R. The bungee cord 21 is held inside a loop assembly 124. Openings are provided in the loop assembly 124 at certain intervals so that the bungee cord 21a, 21b and 21c can be extended and attached to guide-anchors. (See FIG. 60 that show the guide-anchors 21a, 21b, 21c.) The preferred average distance interval 128 between bungee attachments 21a, 21b and 21c is substantially 18 inches (46 cm).
An air tight compartment 19a of the inflatable sleeve 19 is made by sewing an end to the main section at stitch location 125. A sealant 126 may be applied after the stitching procedure to ensure that a water tight seal is maintained. While air leakage through the stitch area is not an insurmountable problem, water that may leak through the stitch may fill the air inlet fixtures 25 and block the flow of air during inflation. The non-inflatable section 26 is shown between the top mounting bracket 118 and the inflatable sleeve compartment 19a of the inflatable sleeve 19.
The top mounting bracket 118 is attached to the top side of the inflatable sleeve 19 at location 119. Gaps 150 are provided between the mounting brackets 118 so that the sleeve assembly can be folded for easier handling when not installed. Rivets 118b and glue (not shown) are used to hold the mounting bracket 118 to the inflatable sleeve 19. The mounting frame 117 is shown with holes 117b for mounting. An edge tab 118a of the mounting bracket 118 is placed in a slot 117a of the mounting frame 117 for attachment.
FIG. 21 is a bird's eye view of the roof section 10 with shingles 14 and eave section 113. Guide-anchors 23a, 23b and 23c are shown permanently fastened to the eave 113 of the roof 10. Guide-anchors 23 are designed to hold the shock cord 21 in place while also providing the installer a design for easy attachment and removal.
FIG. 22 is a front view of a building 131, obstructed by objects 132 like bushes and shrubs. A control box 29 provides air to the inflatable sleeve 19 through an air hose 261. An antenna 133 on the control box 29 allows the operator to inflate the sleeve 19 by remote control. Remote control operation permits the operator to remove ice and snow from a clear and safe area. Alternatively, a timer may be utilized to activate the air source so that ice removal could be accomplished on a scheduled basis.
FIG. 23 is a bird's eye view of a panel type roof 56. The lower section of the panel roof 56 (approximately 30 inches or 76 cm) is removed or not installed, as the case may be, and a panel 134 is installed in its place under the bottom end of the roof panel 56. A top end of a mounting frame 135 is installed on top of the panel 134, also under the roof panel 56 as shown. Holes 56a may be plugged with foam or other material to prevent access by birds, dirt and other debris to the underside of the paneled roof 56.
FIG. 24 is a close up end view of a section of panel type roof 56. Panel 134 acts as the roof surface if the protective shield 1 is removed for the non-winter months of the year. The mounting frame 135 sits on top of the panel 134 and both are held in place by a fastener 16. The bottom end of the panel 134 is held in place on the roof 10 by a fastener 16a. The mounting bracket 135, attached to the inflatable sleeve 19 at position 119, is inserted into the "U" shaped end of the mounting frame 135.
The bottom of the inflatable sleeve 19 is attached to the roof 10 by extending a shock or "bungee" cord 21 from a loop assembly 124 to a guide-anchor 23. The use of the bungee cord 21 holds the inflatable sleeve tightly to the roof 10 during high wind conditions while allowing the inflatable sleeve 19 to expand and move away from the roof 10 during the inflation. After inflation, the bungee cord 21 pulls the sleeve 19 back in place and holds it there until the next inflation. While a rigid frame system could be used on the bottom of the inflatable sleeve 19, the bungee cord 21 is the preferred embodiment for this feature of the invention.
FIG. 25 is an end view of a building with sloped roof. This embodiment of the invention is adapted to remove snow as well as ice from a roof or overhang. An inflatable membrane 137 uses a very similar bungee cord 21 and guide-anchor 23 as the ice design. Because the inflatable membrane 137 must push the snow 11 off of the roof, extra fabric 139a is provided at the top end of the system as shown on the left side of the roof.
In operation the extra fabric 139a should expand by first forming a steepening angle that will cause the snow to roll off the roof in a manner similar to a crashing wave. A bungee cord 140 will hold a top section of the membrane 139a gathered at the top by gathering holding rings 141a, 141b, 141c and 141d together. A mounting Plate 138 will hold the top sections 142a and 142b of the inflatable membrane 137 on the roof 10.
FIG. 26 is an end view of a building showing a version of the invention provided with a substantially rigid snow brake device 144. The mounting frame 138 is fastened directly to the roof 10. At the top of the inflatable membrane 137, extra material 139 is provided for gathering by a bungee cord 140. At the bottom of the roof 10, a snow brake 144 is used to hold back snow from sliding off of roof 10. This configuration of the invention provides the building manager with complete control as to when the snow comes off. The snow brake 144 acts as a gate. When it is up, the snow is held in place. When the snow brake 144 is let down the snow can slide and fall off the roof 10. The expansion of the inflatable membrane 137 provides the control as to exactly when the snow comes off, which is a preferred feature. A mounting plate 143 is equipped so that the snow brake 144 can rotate up and down at a pivot point 146. The snow brake 144 can be manually or electronically controlled. So that the inflatable membrane stays in the proper position, it is attached to the snow brake 144 fence at attachment points 145a and 145b. The membrane can be inflated with the snow brake 144 fence in the "up" position if desired. A perforated tube 148, that is affixed to the bottom ply of the membrane will help the top ply to be pulled back into position when a vacuum is applied through the perforated tube 148 inside the membrane. It is important to create the gate or dam effect.
FIG. 27 is an end view of a roof section showing an alternative embodiment of the snow brake mechanism. In this embodiment, an inflatable tube 147 is inflated to act as the snow brake.
FIG. 28 is a side view of a house showing a relatively flat roof 10x with an inflatable membrane 137 installed on top. In this configuration, the inflatable membrane 137 is mounted on the vertical sidewall of the building and attached to the building at mounting plates 138a and 138b. The extra fabric 139 is formed at the top of the inflatable membrane 137 so that it is higher than the snow when it starts inflating so that it can push the snow 11 off the roof and not just lift it up. The porch supports 149 and porch 150 are shown. This configuration of the invention can be used on canopies over loading docks, canopies at movie theaters and all other shallow sloped or flat roof sections of a building. It also provides a leak proof barrier on these roof sections. Typically, a flat shingled roof section will leak long before a steep sloped roof. Many older buildings show the stress of heavy snow loads leading to structural damage or collapse. These snow removal systems can be used on all types of buildings, including domed type buildings and other flat roof construction designs. There is no limit to their size, function and use. Many canopies also suffer from severe ice build up problems that can also be solved by this invention.
FIG. 29 is a bird's eye view of a version of the invention adapted for use in a valley section of a roof. Because the valley section of a roof must handle a disproportionately increased amount of runoff, the icicles, ice dam and ice build up will tend to be very heavy. The top of the inflatable membrane 137 should be mounted much higher on the roof so that it has the ability and size to break up the much heavier ice build up in the valley.
As a result, the valley inflatable membrane 137 component must be held down on all four sides by mounting frames 138a, 138b and 138c, as well as the standard bungee cord hold down system used on the bottom, as described above. Side mounting frame brackets 138b and 138c are necessary to prevent the wind from blowing underneath the inflatable membrane 137 which could result in damage or cause the sleeve 137 to be ripped off of the roof 10.
As in all of the versions of the invention, this component can be designed for modular use with other the components. Like the other snow removal systems, extra fabric 139 may be used to help push the snow and ice pack off the roof 10. The slope of the roof 10 will help determine if some manual help will be required to get the ice and snow off the roof once it is broken free from the valley section. If the roof 10 is steep, the snow and ice will probably slide off. If the slope of the roof is shallow, some manual effort may be required to pull or push the snow and ice off the roof 10.
FIG. 30 is end view of the roof section of a building showing a further embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the mounting frame 15 of FIG. 1 is replaced with mounting tab 151. As with previous embodiments, a mounting tab 151 is secured to a roof 10 by a fastener 16 between two shingles 14a and 14b. Also, in a manner similar to previous embodiments, the top end of the mounting tab 151 extends upward and beyond the opening between the shingles on the same row. As explained earlier, this is important so that water can not get behind the mounting tab 151 and then under the inflatable sleeve 19. The fastener 16 is secured to the roof 10, through the mounting tab 151 in location 160. Mounting tab 151 differs from the mounting plates utilized by the previous embodiments of the invention in that it comprises a zipper assembly 152, which is attached, for example by sewing, on the underside of the mounting tab 151.
The mounting tab end 157 should be lower than the zipper teeth 153 so that the zipper assembly 152 remains protected from possible contamination or clogging due to exposure to the elements. The covering effect of the mounting tab end 157 over the zipper assembly 152 will also provide a cleaner and more atheistic appearance for the system when the inflatable sleeve 19 component is removed during the summer months. During the winter months when the inflatable sleeve 19 component is in operation on the roof 10, the seam or connection 165 that is made when attaching the zipper assembly 155 that is attached to the underside of the top end 156 of the inflatable sleeve 19 to the zipper assembly 152 attached to the mounting tab 151 will also protect the connection 165 from the elements, especially snow, rain, water and ice.
In the preferred embodiment, the bottom end of shingle 14a extends lower on the roof line than the bottom end 157 of the mounting tab 151. Thus the roof will look as though no ice removal system is installed during the summer months when the inflatable sleeve 19 is unzipped and removed from the roof. The fastening system on the bottom end of the inflatable sleeve 19 is basically the same for most of the inflatable sleeve 19 designs regardless of the other different types of mounting frames that may be used. A loop 124 holds a shock cord 21 in place on the underside of the inflatable sleeve 19. The shock cord 21 extends and is fastened to a fastener 23 that is attached to the eaves of the roof 10. The inflatable sleeve 19 is shown in an inflated and fully expanded by an state outline 159.
Using a zipper assembly to fasten inflatable sleeve 19 to mounting tab 151 has several distinct advantages. It is much easier to install and remove. The zipper and sleeve assembly can be rolled up instead of having to have long sections stacked on top of one another. The sleeve and zipper assembly can be cut to precise lengths in the field. Furthermore, the use of zippers does not require the manufacture of expensive dies for extruding plastic mounting frames.
FIG. 31 shows the arrangement of the zipper assembly 152 attached to the underside of the mounting tab 151. An upper mounting tab extension 157 of the mounting tab 151 is rolled up in this drawing to show detail. Typically, the mounting tab 151 would be fairly stiff and heavy duty even though it may be made of a flexible material like coated fabric. The heavier scrim will allow the mounting tab 151 to provide more overall support when fasteners are secured to roof through the mounting area 160 on the mounting tab 151 as shown by a hole pattern 160. Section 26 of the protective shield 1 can remain as non-inflatable and simply provide protection for the roof section covered underneath. The zipper teeth 153 and 154 are connected together by a zipper fastener 158. For the preferred embodiment, the upper mounting tab extension 157 of the mounting tab 151 should cover the zipper assemblies 152 and 155 and a top end 156 of the protective shield 1.
FIG. 32 shows a similar use of the mounting tab 151 using a removable zipper connection with an additional bottom flap extension 161. The flap extension 161 may help keep shingle aggregate material, such as small stone and dust, from clogging up the zipper teeth 153. The shingle 14a is shown curved upward, simulating how the mounting tab 151 can be installed by using the fastener 16 to the roof decking 10. The fastener 16 may be a screw, nail, staple, or other fastener well known to those skilled in the art. A flexible housing 162 can be used to hold the stiffener 163 in place when greater support for the mounting tab 151 is required.
The protective shield 1 and the mounting tab 151 assemblies can be manufactured in bulk lengths of several hundred feet or more. For cutting and installing special lengths of each mounting tab assembly 151 and inflatable sleeve assembly 19, the zipper teeth 153 and 154 of each component respectively, can be cut to length and modified using standard zipper stops and clasps for easy and on-site custom installations. The zipper assembly 155 may be sewn to underside of the inflatable sleeve 19 top end 156. A hook and loop fastening system, such as that sold under the trademark "VELCRO", may also be used in place of zippers and other frame connection designs.
FIG. 33 shows the mounting tab 151 mounted directly on top of a row of shingles 14a rather than between two rows of shingles 14a and 14b. Some shingled roof systems do not provide a space between them because they are cemented down on one another. A rigid clamp bar 167 is secured over the mounting tab 151 by fastening a screw 16, or other fastening means, to the roof 10. A waterproof and adhesive roofing tar or caulk placed, for example, at locations 169a, 169b, 169c and 169d, ensure that the hole created by the fastener 16 is waterproof.
Additional gasket or caulk material 168 may be placed above and directly against a roped edge 170 assembly of the mounting tab 151 to provide a smooth surface so that water and other debris will not collect in this joint area. A removable connection 165 is created by a zipper assembly 152 which is permanently attached to the underside bottom section of the mounting plate to the zipper assembly 154 that is attached to the top end of the inflatable sleeve 19. The bottom end of the mounting tab 151 extends over the connection 165 and the top end of the protective shield 1 to form a smooth and overlapping surface for the water, snow and other debris to flow across smoothly.
FIG. 34 shows the mounting tab 151 of the inflatable sleeve 19 system positioned under a bottom row of tile 166 secured to a roof 10 decking with fasteners placed, for example, at intervals 16a, 16b, 16c, and so on. Any of the different types of top and bottom frame assemblies, accessories, components, blower systems, controls, as shown in the drawings of other embodiments, may be interchangeably combined with this embodiment suitably adapted for tile roofs.
FIG. 35 is an end view of the roof section of a building having a rigid panel-type roof. The bottom section, about three feet (0.9 meters) from the bottom, of the panel type roof decking has been removed so that the inflatable sleeve 19 system can be made ready for installation. A rigid insert panel 173 is placed on the roof beams and slid up and under the existing roof panel 56.
The mounting tab 151 may be made slightly stiffer than the type used on shingled roofs because it will be exposed to the wind and other elements and will not be protected beneath a layer of shingles. The mounting tab 151 should remain somewhat flexible so that it can be lifted up so that the zipper connection 165 can be made between the mounting tab 151 and the inflatable sleeve 19. The zipper assembly 152 may attached to the mounting tab 151 or simply lay underneath it and be attached towards the top end of the insert panel 174 by a fastener 16a, or other fastening means well known to those skilled in the art. The mounting tab 151 may be equipped with a roped edge 180 at its upper most top end so that it cannot slip past the joint 174 created where the bottom end of the panel roof 56 and the insert panel 173 meet.
The fastener 16a may hold down the bottom end of the panel roof 56, mounting tab 151, and zipper 152. Each component can also be secured independently from the other. The bottom of the insert panel 173 may extend beyond the existing roof line to help provide a better drip edge arrangement. The bottom of the insert panel may be designed with special mounting designs so that a fastener 16X can be used to secure it to the roof 10.
Similar to most of the other configurations mentioned, the loop 124 that holds the shock cord 21 and fastener 23 can be used to hold the bottom of the inflatable sleeve 19 to the roof 10. To properly support the end and hold in place the various components of the system during installation and for permanent use, additional bracing 176 may be required as part of the roof structure, especially in the joint area 174. Caulks and other types of sealants may be used in the joint 174 area.
FIG. 36 is an angled front view showing how the bottom of the roof panel 56 has been cut so that the rigid insert 173 may be installed. With the right end of the mounting tab 151 folded upward, the zipper assembly 152 is visible. The mounting tab 151, rigid insert 173, zipper assembly 152, and the existing panel roof 56 may all be sandwiched together and secured to the roof decking and beams by fasteners 16a, 16b and 16c. Extra roof bracing 176 may be required during this roof modification procedure.
Additional roof bracing may be installed as required, per the design of each roof system. To prevent birds, insects and other debris from getting under the roof, holes around the bracing 175 may be plugged with caulk, plastic foam, or other means.
While there have been described what are at present considered to be the preferred embodiments of this invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention, and it is, therefore, aimed to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. | A device and method for removing ice and snow from roofs whereby a flexible sleeve attached to the lower part of a roof is remotely inflated, thereby shattering the ice in a controlled and safe manner. In the preferred embodiment, a mounting frame is sealingly attached to the roof surface and is configured to removably retain the flexible, inflatable sleeve in position on the roof. A number of retention means are disclosed. However, the preferred means is a zipper assembly, which is easy to operate and retains the overall flexibility of the inflatable sleeve to allow it to be rolled up for easy storage when it is removed from a roof. The lower end of the inflatable sleeve extends beyond the lower edge of the roof surface where it is movably secured to the edge of the roof. An operator realizing the need to remove ice from a roof remotely inflates the sleeve with a low pressure air supply. The expansion of the sleeve attached to the roof shatters the brittle ice. The movable attachment to the lower edge of the roof allows the sleeve to expand and still retains it in a taught manner when the sleeve is not inflated to prevent flapping in windy conditions. | 4 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION AND RELATED ART
The present invention relates to a heating apparatus for heating a sheet of recording medium or the like. In particular, it relates to a heating apparatus which employs a heat generating system based on electromagnetic induction. This type of heating apparatus is employed, as a fixing apparatus, in an image forming apparatus, for example, a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile machine, or the like.
Usually, an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, or a facsimile machine, is equipped with a heating apparatus.
A heating apparatus is used as a fixing apparatus, or a surface treating apparatus. In the case of the latter usage, it is used to heat a sheet of recording medium comprising a surface layer of porous high polymer, to melt the porous high polymer surface layer after an image is formed on the sheet with the usage of, for example, an ink jet system.
Next, a case in which a heating apparatus is employed as a fixing apparatus will be described.
An electrophotographic copying machine or the like is equipped with a fixing apparatus which fixes a toner image to a sheet of recording medium, for example, recording paper, after the toner image is transferred onto the sheet.
Such a fixing apparatus comprises a fixing roller for thermally melting the toner on a sheet of recording medium, and a pressure roller for holding the sheet against the fixing roller with a predetermined pressure. The fixing roller is sometimes called a heating roller.
The fixing roller comprises a hollow cylinder, and a heating member disposed in the cylinder. They are concentrically supported with the central axis of the fixing roller.
The heating member consists of a tubular heater such as a halogen lamp or the like, and generates heat as a predetermined voltage is applied to the heating member.
Since the heating member, or a halogen lamp, is concentrically supported, along with the cylinder of the heating roller, by the central axis of the heating roller, the radiant heat from the halogen lamp is uniformly distributed across the internal surface of the cylinder of the fixing roller. As a result, the temperature distribution of the cylinder of the fixing roller becomes uniform in terms of the circumferential direction of the cylinder.
The cylinder of the fixing roller is heated until its temperature reaches a specific temperature suitable for image fixation (for example, 150°-120°).
The fixing roller, the temperature of which is within the above range, and the pressure roller are rotated in the directions opposite to each other while being in contact with each other, and hold between them a sheet of recording medium on which a toner image has been temporarily adhered.
The toner on the sheet is melted by the heat from the fixing roller, and is fixed to the sheet by the pressure generated by the two rollers, in their interface (hereinafter, “nip”).
However, in the case of a fixing apparatus such as the above described one equipped with a heating member consisting of a halogen lamp or the like, the fixing roller is heated with the use of radiant heat from a halogen lamp or the like, and therefore, the time necessary for the temperature of the fixing roller to reach the predetermined temperature suitable for image fixation after a power source is turned on (hereinafter, “warmup time”), is relatively long.
In other words, a user has to wait for a relatively long time without being able to use the copying machine during this warmup period, which is a problem.
There is a method for reducing the length of the warmup time so that the operational efficiency of the apparatus is improved, according to which a large amount of electric power is given to the fixing roller. However, this method increases the electrical power consumption of the fixing apparatus, which is a problem in terms of energy conservation.
Thus, recently, more attention has been paid to reducing the amount of energy consumed by a fixing apparatus while improving operational efficiency (quick print capability), so that the commercial value of such merchandise as a copying machine can be further improved.
As for an apparatus which meets such a requirement, there is an induction heating based fixing apparatus disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 33,787/1984, according to which a high frequency induction system is used as a heating generating source.
The aforementioned induction heating based fixing apparatus comprises a hollow roller formed of electrically conductive metal, and a coil disposed in the hollow roller, concentrically with the hollow roller. In operation, eddy current is induced in the hollow roller by a high frequency magnetic field generated by flowing high frequency electric current through the coil, and heat (joule heat) is directly generated within the hollow roller by the induced current and the electrical resistance of the hollow roller.
The inductive heat generation system is very high in electrothermal conversion efficiency, and therefore, its employment makes it possible to substantially reduce the warmup time of a fixing apparatus.
Further, combining the coil with a core formed of magnetic material (magnetic field shielding material) can improve the efficiency with which high frequency magnetic field is generated.
In particular, the employment of a core with a T-shaped cross section reduces the amount of electric power necessary to generate a given amount of heat required by a fixing apparatus, because the core with a T-shaped cross section is effective in focusing high frequency magnetic fluxes, and also shielding the magnetic field so that the magnetic field is confined in the heat generating area.
However, the aforementioned conventional technology had the following problems.
That is, in the case of an inductive heat generation based fixing apparatus such as the one described above, the temperature of the magnetic core itself increased due to the inward heat radiation from the fixing roller, which was one of the problems.
More specifically, as the temperature of the magnetic core increased beyond the Curie-point of the magnetic material of the core, the heat generation efficiency decreased, which resulted in fixation failure, which in turn resulted in the production of inferior images.
Thus, various proposals for preventing the temperature increase of the magnetic core were made. According to one of the proposals, disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 39/645/1979, a cooling mechanism such as a means for sending air into the interior of the fixing roller was provided to reduce the amount of the coil temperature increase.
However, the provision of a cooling mechanism resulted in the increase in the apparatus size, as well as the complication of the apparatus.
The inventors of the present invention proposed a simple structure which was capable of preventing the temperature increase of the magnetic core without increasing the apparatus size. According to this proposal, the supporting member for fixing the core and the coil to the side plate or the like of a fixing apparatus was formed of highly heat conductive material such as aluminum, so that heat was conducted out of the fixing roller through the supporting member.
However, such a structure was only theoretically successful in allowing heat to escape outward through the highly heat conductive material such as aluminum so that the core remained cool. More specifically, the surface of the core formed of magnetic material with the use of extruding, grinding, or the like production method did not fit tightly with the supporting member (hereinafter, “stay”) due to design error or the like. Therefore, heat was not allowed to efficiently escape from the core to the stay.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary object of the present invention is to prevent the temperature increase of the magnetic member, so that it becomes possible to provide an image heating apparatus capable of reliably heating an image.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus equipped with a heat conductive member for filling the gap between the magnetic member and the heat conductive member (stay).
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon a consideration of the following description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of the fixing apparatus in the first embodiment of the present invention, and depicts the general structure of the apparatus.
FIG. 2 is a graph which shows the temperature fluctuation of the fixing roller and the magnetic core which is affected by the presence or absence of the highly heat conductive adhesive.
FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view of the fixing apparatus in the second embodiment of the present invention, and depicts the general structure of the apparatus.
FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view of the fixing apparatus in the third embodiment of the present invention, and depicts the general structure of the apparatus.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Hereinafter, the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the appended drawings. The measurements, materials, shapes, positional relationships, and the like, of the structural components described in the following embodiments do not need to be limited to those described in this specification unless specifically noted.
The heating apparatuses in the following embodiments are those compatible with image forming apparatuses such as a copying machine. The structure and operation of an image forming apparatus are well known, and therefore, their detailed descriptions will be omitted here.
In the following embodiments of the present invention, cases in which a heating apparatus is employed as the fixing apparatus of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus will be described.
Briefly, describing the structure of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus is provided with a fixing apparatus so that after a toner image is formed on a sheet of recording medium through a known electrophotographic process, the toner image (unfixed image) on the sheet can be fixed to the sheet with the application of heat and pressure.
First, referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the image heating apparatus (fixing apparatus) in the first embodiment of the present invention will be described.
FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of the fixing apparatus in the first embodiment of the present invention, and depicts the general structure of the apparatus.
A fixing roller 1 , which is an electrically conductive member, comprises a steel cylinder 1 a and a surface layer 1 b. The steel cylinder 1 a has an external diameter of, for example, 40 mm, and a thickness of, for example, 0.7 mm. The surface layer 1 b is, for example, a 10-50 μm thick PTFE layer or a 10-50 μm thick PFA layer.
A pressure roller 2 , which is a backup member, comprises a hollow metallic cylinder 14 , and an elastic layer 15 , that is, a layer of heat resistant, separation enhancing rubber, formed on the peripheral surface of the cylinder 14 .
The pressure roller 2 is rotatively supported at each longitudinal end by one of the bearing portions of the frame of an unillustrated fixing unit.
Although the fixing roller 1 and the pressure roller 2 are both rotatively supported, only the fixing roller 1 is driven.
The pressure roller 2 is placed in contact with the peripheral surface of the fixing roller, with the application of a predetermined amount of contact pressure, so that is rotates due to the friction between the two rollers in the nip.
The pressure roller 2 is kept under the pressure generated toward the rotational axis of the fixing roller 1 by an unillustrated mechanism, which comprises a spring or the like.
The amount of the pressure applied to the pressure roller 2 is approximately 30 kg so that a nip with a width of approximately 6 mm, in terms of the circumferential direction of the pressure roller 2 , is formed between the pressure roller 2 and the fixing roller 1 .
The nip width may be varied by varying the amount of the pressure applied to the pressure roller 2 , in consideration of the condition under which the apparatus is operated.
The temperature of the peripheral surface of the fixing roller 1 is automatically controlled so that it remains at a predetermined point. More specifically, a temperature sensor 6 is placed in contact with, or immediately adjacent to, the peripheral surface of the fixing roller 1 , and the amount of the electric power to be supplied to an exciter coil 3 as an exciting means is increased or decreased in response to the signals which reflect the temperatures detected by the temperature sensor 6 .
A conveyer guide 7 is disposed so that a recording medium 19 on which an unfixed toner image 8 is borne is guided into the interface (nip) between the fixing roller 1 and the pressure roller 2 .
A separating claw 10 is disposed in contact with, or immediately next to, the peripheral surface of the fixing roller 1 to prevent the recording medium 19 from being wrapped around the fixing roller 1 .
An exciter coil 3 is wound around a magnetic core 4 with a T-shaped cross section (hereinafter, “core 4 ”). More specifically, it is wound around a holder 5 disposed in a manner to surround the central projection of the magnetic core 4 so that the straight portions of the coil 3 extend in the longitudinal direction of the fixing roller in parallel to the internal surface of the cylinder 1 a. The holder 5 is formed of heat resistance material such as PPS, PEEK, phenol resin, or the like.
In order to generate magnetic fluxes, an AC current with a frequency of 10-100 kHz is flowed through the exciter coil 3 .
The magnetic field (in other words, magnetic fluxes) induced by the AC current is guided by the core 4 , as a magnetic field guiding means, with a high degree of magnetic permeability, and generates magnetic fluxes and eddy current within the fixing roller 1 as a heating means. This eddy current generates Joule heat due to the specific resistivity of the cylinder 1 a of the fixing roller 1 .
In order to increase the amount of the Joule heat, it is possible to increase the number of times the exciter coil is wound, to use such material as ferrite or Permalloy, which is high in magnetic permeability and low in residual magnetic flux density, as the material for the core 4 , and/or to increase the frequency of the AC current.
The core 4 is structured so that its cross section becomes T-shaped, and extends in the direction of the rotational axis of the fixing roller 1 , in order to shield the magnetic field generated by the excitation of the exciter coil 3 so that the magnetic field is concentrated toward the heating portion.
The T-shaped core 4 is adhered to an aluminum stay 9 , as a supporting member, which has a width of 32 mm and a thickness of 3 mm, with the use of highly heat conductive adhesive 20 .
The highly heat conductive adhesive 20 is, for example, a compound composed of, for example, epoxy resin, which is heat resistance resin, and boron nitride mixed as filler 20 a in the epoxy resin to provide the adhesive 20 with heat conductivity (heat conductivity of highly heat conductive adhesive 20 is 3 W/mK). Boron nitride is nonmagnetic, and is in the form of a particle, in this embodiment.
The stay 9 is a heat conductive member for dissipating the heat of the core 4 . The material for the stay 9 has only to be capable of effectively conducting the internal heat of the core 4 . In essence, it may be any material as long as it is superior in heat conductivity; for example, copper as well as aluminum. The heat conductive adhesive 20 fills the gap between the core 4 and the stay 9 .
The radiant heat from the fixing roller 1 increases the temperature of the core 4 , but this heat is conducted from the core 4 to the stay 9 through the highly heat conductive adhesive 20 . The stay 9 extends in the axial direction of the fixing roller 4 as does the core 4 .
Then, the heat is further conducted to an unillustrated side plate of the fixing apparatus; the heat is dissipated out of the magnetic core 4 .
In order for the above described structure to keep the surface temperature of the fixing roller 1 at 190° C., that is, the most appropriate temperature for image fixation, approximately 200 W of electric power must be supplied to the exciter coil 3 .
As 200 W of electric power is supplied to the exciter coil 3 , the temperature of the exciter coil 3 reaches approximately 210° C., and the temperature of the magnetic core 4 reaches approximately 200° C.
Further, in order to continuously fix a large number of toner images at a high rate, for example, a rate of 30 toner images (sheets) per minute, it is necessary to supply the exciter coil 3 with approximately 450 W of electric power. Under this condition, the temperature of the exciter coil 3 reaches as high as approximately 230° C., and the temperature of the magnetic core 4 reaches as high as approximately 220° C.
Therefore, the Curie point of the magnetic core 4 must be no less than 220° C. in consideration of the aforementioned situation in which a large number of toner images (sheets) are continuously fixed.
As the temperature of the magnetic core 4 exceeds its Curie point (point beyond which the magnetism of the magnetic core 4 is drastically weak), the electrothermal conversion efficiency of the heating roller 1 suddenly drops.
FIG. 2 is a graph which comparatively shows the fluctuation in the surface temperature of the fixing roller 1 , and the fluctuation of the temperature of the magnetic core 4 , which occurred when unfixed toner images (sheets) were continuously fixed at 190° C. while applying a high frequency AC power with a voltage level of 100 V and a frequency of 20 kHz to the exciter coil 3 after initially supplying the exciter coil 3 with 1,300 W; (a) and (b) represent the tests in which the gap between the stay 9 and the magnetic core 4 was filled, and not filled, with the adhesive 20 , respectively.
It is evident from FIG. 2 that in the case of the test (b), the surface temperature of the fixing roller 1 dropped after the passage of 200 sheets.
This drop occurred because the temperature of the magnetic core 4 disposed within the fixing roller 2 reached 240° C., that is, the Curie point of the magnetic core 4 , beyond which the electrothermal conversion efficiency of the fixing roller 1 dropped.
After dropping for a while, the surface temperature of the fixing roller 1 began increasing again.
On the contrary, in the case of the test (a), in which the highly heat conductive adhesive 20 was present between the magnetic core 4 and the stay 9 , the temperature drop did not occur; the surface temperature of the fixing roller 1 remained stable.
The temperature drop did not occur because the heat was efficiently conducted out of the magnetic core 4 , and therefore, the temperature of the magnetic core 4 was prevented from rising.
In the first embodiment of the present invention described above, the image fixing member consisted of a heating roller. However, the present invention is also applicable to a fixing apparatus in which a sheet of thin metallic film is employed in place of a heating roller.
As is evident from the above description of the present invention, filling the gap between the magnetic core and the stay by interposing heat conductive adhesive between the magnetic core and the stay can prevent the temperature increase of the magnetic core, which in turn can keep the heating efficiency of the fixing roller. As a result, the fixing performance of a fixing apparatus remains stable.
Boron nitride dispersed as filler in the heat conductive adhesive in this embodiment is nonmagnetic. Therefore, the magnetic fluxes are not absorbed by the adhesive. In other words, the temperature of the adhesive 20 is not increased by the magnetic field; the presence of the adhesive layer 20 simply improves the heat generation efficiency of the fixing roller 1 .
FIG. 3 depicts the second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a piece of heat conductive double-sided adhesive tape is used as heat conductive material, unlike the first embodiment in which heat conductive adhesive was used as heat conductive material.
Since the structure and operation of the fixing apparatus in this embodiment are the same as those in the first embodiment, the same structural components as those in the first embodiment are given the same referential characters as those in the first embodiment, and their descriptions will be omitted.
FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view of the fixing apparatus in the second embodiment of the present invention, and depicts the general structure of the apparatus.
As shown in the drawing, in this embodiment, a piece of highly heat conductive adhesive tape 21 is placed between the magnetic core 4 and the stay 9 .
Also in this double-sided tape 21 , highly heat conductive and nonmagnetic filler 21 a is contained.
The gap between the magnetic core 4 and the stay 9 can also be relatively easily filled by this configuration to prevent the temperature increase of the magnetic core 4 .
FIG. 4 depicts the third embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, highly heat conductive grease is used as heat conductive material, unlike in the first embodiment in which heat conductive adhesive was used as heat conductive material.
Since the structure and operation of the fixing apparatus in this embodiment are the same as those in the first embodiment, the same structural components as those in the first embodiment will be given the same referential characters, and their descriptions will be omitted.
FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view of the fixing apparatus in the third embodiment of the present invention, and depicts the general structure of the apparatus.
As the drawing shows, a certain amount of highly heat conductive silicon grease 22 is interposed between the magnetic core 4 and the stay 9 .
The grease used in this embodiment is composed of highly heat resistant silicon grease, and particles of aluminum nitride. The particles of aluminum nitride, which is highly heat conductive, and nonmagnetic, are added, as filler particles 22 a, to the silicon grease by 5%.
With this arrangement, the gap between the magnetic core 4 and the stay 9 can be satisfactorily filled regardless of the method for fixing the magnetic core 4 to the stay 9 , to prevent the temperature increase of the magnetic core 4 .
The heat conductivities of the heat conductive materials described up to this point are desired to be no less than 1 W—m −1 k −1 and no more than 500 W·m −1 k −1 .
As for the material for the particles to be dispersed as filler in the heat conductive material, the particles of aluminum (Al), alumina (Al 2 O 3 ), silica, carbon, etc., which are highly heat conductive and nonmagnetic, can be listed in addition to those mentioned above.
Further, the above described heating apparatuses as a fixing apparatus can be utilized as a surface treating apparatus for giving a surface treatment to a sheet of recording medium with a porous high polymer surface layer.
To describe such a case briefly, an image forming apparatus is provided with a surface treating apparatus, so that a sheet of recording medium with a porous high polymer layer, on which an image is formed with the use of the so-called ink jet system, is heated to melt the porous high polymer layer.
Also in the case of such an apparatus, the employment of the structure in accordance with the present invention assures that the surface of the recording medium is satisfactorily treated with a stable amount of heat.
While the invention has been described with reference to the structures disclosed herein, it is not confined to the details set forth, and this application is intended to cover such modifications or changes as may come within the purposes of the improvements or the scope of the following claims. | An image heating apparatus includes an electro-conductive member; an excitation coil for generating magnetic flux; wherein eddy current is produced in the electro-conductive member by the magnetic flux, so that the electro-conductive member generates heat which heats an image on a recording material; a magnetic member for guiding the magnetic flux generated by the excitation coil; a heat removing member for removing heat from the magnetic member and a thermo-conductive member disposed in a gap between the magnetic member and the heat removing member. | 6 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 07/173,079, filed March 25, 1988, now abandoned.
The present invention is related to a clipping and shearing machine for removing from bobbinet and similar fabric such as lace, the loose threads, called "clips" or "floats", which bridge the lace's motives (designs) to one another.
In the lace making art, warp knitting machines are employed to form repeating patterns of lace designs in a web-like fabric which is knitted simultaneously as motif. The knitted fabric which features the lace thereon emerges from the machine in certain standard widths and is rolled up on a roll. The final lace pattern consists of discreet, unconnected motives (flowers or other adornments). However, because it is most practical to use continuous thread in the lace knitting process, the lace emerges with the discreet motives connected by loose bobbin threads which connect the motives to one another and which must be removed from the fabric.
Conventional wisdom in the art of lace making has been to process the clip lace, after it emerges from the lace making machine, in special, very high speed and expensive clipping and shearing machines which first cut each connecting thread into two strands which are thereafter sheared from the material close to the motives.
The lace making process is relatively slow and the myriad of possible patterns and applications has spawned numerous specialty lace making shops. An average lace mill may have 20 to 30 lace making machines and typically may run one third to one half of the machines on clip lace patterns, depending on market demand, as well as the type of machines in the shop. Accordingly, it has been customary for small lace making shop owners to subcontract the clipping and shearing aspect of their work to specialty houses which can justify the large investment in the high-speed shearing and clipping machines.
The present industry practice has resulted in a bottleneck wherein the small operators must postpone final delivery of their product pending the routing of their work product through the clipping and shearing processors. These small specialty shops cannot justify the large investment in the high-speed shearing and clipping machines.
Clipping and shearing machines for handling lace are old. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 361,563 dating back to 1887 discloses a machine for clipping lace, i.e. cutting each float into two strands. Machines for shearing the loose threads or strands created by the clipping operation are described for example in U.S. Pat. No. 2,747,534 to Piper et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 3,327,366 to Holm.
PREVIOUS ART
Other machines have attempted to deal with clipping lace patterns by attaching clipping and shearing apparatus to lace machines but all the prior art dealing with apparatus attached to the lace machine share one major fault, namely, complexity of design, installation and operation which severely limits the practical application of such machinery. Because of their complex design these apparatus must be assembled and permanently or semipermanently mounted to a lace machine to create an operable relationship between themselves, the lace sheet and the lace machine. These fixed machines are also cumbersome and make repairs of damages on the lace sheet awkward, as well as repairs to lace machines. Furthermore, the previous art, because of its fixed attached nature, does not allow for flexibility in moving of a clipping and shearing apparatus from one lace machine to another. The importance of this flexibility is paramount to the novelty of this invention.
Because frequent pattern changes are made on lace machines according to market demand, a mill operator cannot always pick which machine a clip lace pattern will go on. Under the present scope of the prior art this leaves the mill operator with two poor choices. Firstly, he can disassemble and reassemble an apparatus on a lace machine each time a new clip pattern needs it. This would result in 24 to 72 hours downtime and extensive labor costs. Secondly, he can outfit his entire mill of lace machines with the fixed apparatus resulting in excessively impractical outlay of capital.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a simpler clipping and shearing machine having the attribute of being more commonly affordable.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a portable, self contained clipping and shearing apparatus allowing flexibility of movement from one machine to another.
It is a third object of the present invention to provide a clipping and shearing apparatus which can be quickly and easily attached and synchronized with a lace machine.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a self contained clipping and shearing apparatus which will provide easier access when repairing damages on the lace cloth while it is still on the lace machine.
It is another object of the clipping and shearing machine to be powered by the lace machine through two chains connecting the take up mechanism and the clipping and shearing mechanisms to the take up roller and the main shaft of the lace machine.
In realization of the foregoing and other objects, the present invention provides a portable clipping and shearing machine for finishing lace sheets produced by a lace machine. A take up roller, in the portable machine, receives the lace sheet as it emerges from the lace machine and directs it to a clipping mechanism at which time each float on the lace sheet is cut into two dangling strands.
The lace sheet then travels to a shearing mechanism which shears the strands off the lace sheet, close to the surface of the motives from which the strands dangle. To enable the portable clipping and shearing machine to operate in tandem with the lace knitting machine, the lace sheet processing speed of the clipping and shearing machine is synchronized to the speed at which the lace sheet emerges from the lace machine.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments thereof which are presented below in relation to the appended drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 depicts a section of lace having a plurality of motives interconnected by floats.
FIG. 2 illustrates, perspectively, a preferred embodiment of a portable and synchronized shearing and clipping apparatus in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 3 shows the cutting blades of the clipping section of the machine shown in FIG. 3.
FIG. 4 shows the enclosed, self contained clipping and shearing apparatus in relationship to a lace machine and a worker fixing a damage on the lace.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a swatch of lace 10 comprising a plurality of discreet lace insertions 12. Each one of the discreet lace insertions 12 defines a pattern such as a flower, a star or the like, each pattern being referred to in this art as a "motif" or "motives" in the plural.
To knit lace on a warp knitting machine, in a width which is determined by the particular pattern's mechanical set out and usually approximately 130 inches, the fine threads from main beam warps are knitted into loops which are patterned to form the basic fabric. As these loops are formed, the pattern threads from spot beams are "laid-in" to the loops to form predetermined designs or motives.
The linear speed of the knitted lace is slow, approximately 3 to 6 inches per minute, even though the loops are formed at a rate between 300-400 per minute, depending on a main drive shaft's RPM which corresponds at a 1:1 ratio to loop forming. (There are approximately 40-60 loops per inch, depending on, the pattern. In some machines, the linear speed of the knitted lace is about 4-7 inches per minute.
All threads must be continuous in this knitting process. Therefore, each motif is connected to adjacent motives by the floating motif (pattern) ends. This excess thread must be removed from the finished lace product by trimming each float at both ends close to the motives to which it is connected. Customarily, lace sheet 10 which emerges from the knitting machine, is rolled up and sent out to be trimmed.
In accordance with the present invention, the lace sheet undergoes a post processing step involving feeding the lace first through a clipping machine to cut each float 16 into two floating strands 17 as shown at the right hand side of FIG. 1. In a second step, a shearing device shears strands 17 from lace sheet 10 close to motives 12.
FIG. 3 illustrates a preferred embodiment of a self contained, wheelable and thus portable clipping and shearing machine 18 which includes a housing 99 and in the housing 99 a take up roller 24 for taking up lace sheet 10 directly from knitting machine 20. Take up roller 24 is rotated by chain 26, which is driven by power derived from a low speed shaft (not shown) of knitting machine 20. Chain 26 is designed to rotate take up roller 24 at that speed which will cause lace sheet 10 to be fed into clipping and shearing machine 18 at the speed at which the sheet 10 is dispensed from knitting machine 20. It is feasible, however, to construct chain 26 as a tensioning mechanism, for example, as an independently driven motor (not shown) and a suitable control circuit for enabling rotator 26 to rotate roller 24 at a speed that will result in the taking up of lace sheet 10 at the speed at which it is supplied from knitting machine 20.
Next, lace sheet 10 passes through an arrangement of direction and tension rollers 30, which readjust the tension on lace sheet 10 and orient floats 16 as shown.
A first redirection roller 32 changes the orientation of lace sheet 10 such that floats 16 face up and toward clipping apparatus 34. Clipping, apparatus 34 comprises, as shown for example in FIG. 2, a plurality of, sickle-shaped, cutting blades 36 which are supported on bar 38 and are cam-driven to oscillate perpendicularly to the direction of travel of lace sheet 10, in the directions of arrows 39 such that the blades will lift and cut yarn floats 16. Cutting blades 36 span the entire width of lace sheet 10 over a distance of about 130 inches, which is typical of lace sheets. Each cutting blade 36 has a spoon-tip shaped end 37 that serves to slice float 16 during a forward oscillation (to the right in FIG. 4). Thus, each float 16 is transformed into two floating strands 17.
Tension level adjustor 40 is disposed beneath lace sheet 10, directly below clipping apparatus 34, to adjust the spacing between lace 10 and cutting blades 36 to assure that all the yarn floats 16 are snagged and cut by the cutting blades of the clipping apparatus.
Secondary direction roller 42 is disposed past clipping apparatus 34 and serves to orient strands 17 to face downwardly in a position that enables the strands 17 to flip upwardly just as they are engaged by shearing blades 46 of shearing apparatus 48.
Shearing apparatus 48 comprises a bottom platen 50 and a top roller 52 which supports shearing blades 46. The shearing blades 46 project radially from the roller 52, spiraling about the axis of rotation of the roller 52. As top roller 52 rotates in the direction of arrow 47, strands 17 are sheared and collected in waste bin 49. Generally, shearing apparatus 48 is of the type illustrated in Holm's U.S. Pat. No. 3,327,366 which is described in the background section of the present specification, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein. Adjustable ledge 54 controls the position of lace sheet 10 relative to shearing blades 46 and determines how close strands 17 will be trimmed relative to motives 12.
After emerging from shearing apparatus 48, lace sheet 10 is rolled up into a roll 56 on a roller (not shown) and is ready for dyeing, cutting or other operations. In a preferred embodiment, the aforementioned roller is comprised of the take up roller of the knitting machine 20. In this case, lace sheet 10 is typically diverted temporarily to clipping and shearing apparatus 18 for being clipped and sheared. It is, however, returned to knitting machine 20 to be rolled up on the take up roller which is part of the knitting machine 20.
Shearing apparatus 48 and clipping apparatus 34 are driven solely from knitting machine 20. In this case, shearing apparatus 48 is coupled to a high speed shaft (not shown) of knitting machine 20, via line 28. Conventional gear boxes are included to drive the shearing apparatus 48 at a speed which is suitable for carrying out the clipping and shearing functions. The shearing apparatus 48 and clipping apparatus 34 may be driven by power derived from other sources of high rotational speed, for example, an independent motor (not shown) or the like. But this is not preferred.
FIG. 4 illustrates the mechanisms illustrated in FIG. 3 but supported by a housing 99 and enclosed by a metal shell 58 and positioned by lace machine 20. The self contained apparatus 18 illustrated in FIG. 4 will have an approximate height of 18-24 inches, a similar width and a length which is at least as long as the width of the lace sheet 10, typically about 130 inches. The metal shell 58 is at an approximate height 50 inches so as not to block the view of lace 10 as it moves off the lace machine 20 but allowing a worker to comfortably kneel on top of it to repair damages on lace sheet 10.
Metal shell 58 has a hinged top 59 and similar sides to allow full view of clipping and shearing operation as well as access for repairs or replacement of clipping or shearing knives.
The enclosed self contained shell 58 has lockable casters 60 underneath to allow for easy wheeling thereof by two people since its overall weight is approximately 200 lbs. Also because of their light weight, several of the apparatuses of the present invention which might not be needed at some point can be stacked on top of one another.
FIG. 4 also shows the simple manner in which the chain connections 26 and 28 which drive the take up rollers 30 and the clipping and shearing apparatus of FIG. 3 are coupled to the lace machine 20. These chain connections 26 and 28 link the clipping and shearing apparatus to the high speed main cam shaft (not shown) of the knitting machine 20 through a gear box 61 on the side of the cutting shears.
On the left side of the FIG. 4 apparatus there is the chain 26 which connects the take up rollers of the lace machine (not shown) to the take up rollers of the portable clipping and shearing apparatus. This provides exact continuity of the lace sheet movement from the lace machine through the portable clipping and shearing apparatus.
Furthermore, besides the ease of moving this portable clipping and shearing apparatus from one machine to another it can be connected and made operable on a machine with a new clip lace pattern in approximately two hours time. This is so because it is self contained and easily synchronized by means of the two chain connections 26 and 28 and through adjustment, if needed, of the gear box 61 tension level adjustor 40 and the adjustable ledge 54.
The present invention therefore makes the task of coupling a shearing and clipping apparatus to a knitting machine exceedingly simple. All that is needed is to wheel the apparatus 18 adjacent the lace machine 20 and to couple thereto the chain 28 and/or the chain 26. If needed, the gear box 61, the tension level adjustor 40 and the adjustable ledge 54 are adjusted as well. With this simple procedure, the system is readied for operation. The key to the invention is that no part of the clipping and shearing apparatus 18 need be connected either permanently or semipermanently, as by bolts or the like, to the lace machine 20.
Although the present invention has been described above in relation to specific embodiments thereof, many other variations and modifications will now become apparent to those skilled in the art. It is therefore preferred that the present invention be limited not by the specific embodiments disclosed herein but only by the appended claims. | A portable clipping and shearing apparatus for clipping and shearing float from lace sheet. The apparatus is mechanically coupled to the lace-knitting machine and is adapted to take up the sheet directly as it emerges from the lace-knitting machine to clip and shear the float forthwith. Consequently, trimmed lace sheet flows out of the portable device of the present invention, avoiding costly multiple handling of the lace sheet. The portable clipping and shearing apparatus is provided with a synchronization mechanism that synchronizes its processing speed to that of the lace-knitting machine. As the portable shearing and clipping apparatus is adapted for the relatively slow lace making machine, the device of the present ivnention is small enough to be easily transported to the location of a warp knitting machine, simple in construction, and more commonly affordable. | 3 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a shed formation device for use in weaving. More particularly, the present invention relates to a shed formation device which is particularly useful in weaving narrow strips of fabric. Most particularly, the present invention relates to a shed forming device which is useful in an automatic seaming apparatus which is used to join the fabric ends to render the fabric endless.
2. Description of Prior Art
It is known to join woven fabrics in order to render them endless. Likewise, it is known to join the ends of a woven fabric through a process of reweaving. In the known processes, the ends of the fabric to be joined are processed so as to produce a yarn fringe which is comprised of yarns from the fabric body. The fringe yarns from each end are then interwoven, generally in the same repeat pattern as the remainder of the fabric, with a system of yarns selected in accordance with the original yarns that were interwoven with the fringe. Through this reweaving process, the resulting fabric is endless and has the same general construction throughout its length.
In the prior art, it is been known to join the fabrics through manual procedures, semiautomatic procedures and automatic procedures. In connection with forming the weaving shed, standard loom harnesses, dobby movements and a Jacquard movement have been utilized to form the shed. Although the semiautomatic and automatic devices of the prior art have produced some improvement over the manual procedure, the prior art devices exhibit three principal flaws. One, the shed formation devices do not easily accommodate changes in the weave pattern. Two, the join speed of the prior art devices is limited by the speed of the shed formation. Three, the need for mechanical interconnection, generally, means that the shed formation control device and the actual shed formation apparatus must be positioned close to each other.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a shed formation apparatus that can easily accommodate a change of weave patterns and can achieve shed formation speeds not available with the prior art devices.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a shed formation apparatus which has increased flexibility and speed and finds particular application in automated reweaving of the ends of a fabric which is to be joined or seamed. The apparatus is generally comprised of a plurality of heddles which will control yarn movement during the shed formation. Each of the heddles has a yarn mail and at least one control lead. Each control lead is under the influence of a controller - stopper mechanism which controls heddle movement and position. The actuation of the stopping mechanism is controlled by a shed formation repeat pattern output means which determines the position of the heddle and the selection of the stopping mechanism in accordance with the repeat pattern.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a shed formation apparatus in accordance with the present invention retrofitted to a known automatic seaming apparatus.
FIG. 2 is a fragmentary section of a typical plate which illustrates a yarn guide in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 3 illustrates a yarn heddle in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 4 illustrates, in section, the assembly of a controller, including the guide, a heddle selector and a stopper mechanism, in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 5 illustrates a heddle selector in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 6 illustrates a section of the guide in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 7 illustrates one arrangement for a plurality of controllers in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 8 illustrates a shed formation plate in accordance with the invention.
FIG. 9 illustrates a shed formation plate and varied lead positions in accordance with the invention
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The preferred embodiment will be described with reference to the drawing figures.
With reference with FIG. the shed formation apparatus 10 will be described in more detail. It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that the apparatus 10 in FIG. 1 is shown without any means of securement. It is shown in this manner for the purpose of illustration and it is expected that the fixed elements of the apparatus will be secured in accordance with the configuration of the weaving device into which it is incorporated. The weaving apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,027,483 which is commonly assigned and incorporated herein as if fully set forth.
For the purpose of a general understanding of the process, the process is briefly described. The ends of the fabric are presented on either side of auxiliary yarns 12 with the prepared fringe 14 comprised of a plurality of yarns which are retained in their relative positions by the ribbon 16. As a result of manipulation of the ribbon 16, individual fringe yarns 14 are released and presented to a transfer arm 18. The transfer arm 18 will position the yarn 14 below the surface of the fabric. As a result of the shedding apparatus, the yarns 12 will be manipulated to form a shed in accordance with the fabric repeat pattern. Since the weaving takes place beneath the plane of the yarns, the shed is formed downwardly. The interlacing arm 20 will accept the yarn 14 from the transfer arm 18 and will interweave it with the yarns 12. After the transfer arm 18. has traversed the shed and is against the fell of the cloth, an extractor arm 22 will grip the yarn and pull it against the fell and through to one side of the fabric so that it may be ultimately trimmed. In the complete operation, a beat up mechanism is provided, however, it is not shown here for the sake of clarity. As this process continues, the joint area 24 will be completed and the resultant endless fabric will have a common weave structure throughout.
Still with reference to FIG. 1, the shed formation apparatus 10 will be further described. Apparatus 10 has a plurality of fixed plates 30, 32, 34, 36 and 38 and a moveable shed formation plate 40. All of the fixed plates are at fixed distances from each other. As noted previously, the specific arrangement for fixing the plates relative to each other will depend on the weaving apparatus. In some instances, it is expected that the illustrated arrangement will be inverted. In order to facilitate an understanding of the invention, it will be beneficial to discuss the purpose of the plates prior to discussing operation of the shedding apparatus.
Plates 30 and 32 are set at a fixed distance from each other and are positioned so that the heddles 42 will depend from the fixed plate 30 with the mail 48 positioned in plane of the yarns 12. In the preferred embodiment, each of the heddles 42 is of the type commonly associated with a Jacquard mechanism. The heddles 42 will be described in more detail with respect to FIG. 3. In general, the end 44' of the heddle is spring loaded and secured to the underside of plate 30 by a first lead 46. Each second lead 50 passes through one of the apertures 52 in plate 32. Each lead 50 continues through a respective aperture 54 in plate 34. As can be seen from the illustration, the plate 34 has a substantially larger area than the plate 32 and the apertures 54 are spaced further apart than the apertures 52 and plate 32. As a result, the leads 50 are defused over a larger area as they pass through plate 34.
Still with reference to FIG. 1, the plates 34 and 36 are at a fixed distance with respect to each other. At present, it is preferred that the plates 34 and 36 be equal in area with the respective apertures 54 and 56 on centerline with each other. The second lead, 50 terminates at one end of the selector 80, and a third lead 84 is attached to the other end of the selector 80, see FIGS. 4 and 5. Each third lead 84 passes through its respective aperture 56, through the respective aperture 58 in plate 38 and is terminated at shed formation plate 40. As can been seen from FIG. 1, plate 38 has an area which is substantially equal to that of plate 32. The spacing of the apertures 58 corresponds generally to the spacing of apertures 52. Since the plate 38 has a smaller area than the plate 36, the leads 84 will be concentrated as they pass through the apertures 58. Accordingly, plate 34 will cause a diffusion of the second leads 50 and plate 38 will cause a concentration of third leads 84.
Before turning to a detailed description of additional elements of the invention, it is believed that a description of shed formation with this apparatus will benefit an understanding of the invention. Still with reference to FIG. 1, the movable plate 40 is moved in response to the repeat pattern which is required by the weave. Since the interweaving arms of the present weaving apparatus are generally below the plane of the fabric being joined, the shed will be formed beneath the plane of the yarns 12. As is known to those skilled in the art, each yarn 12 will be threaded through the respective mail 48 of a given heddle. Movement of the heddle will position the yarns 12 in the proper shed position.
If we assume an initial position with all of the auxiliary yarns 12 in a common plane, all of the mails 48 will also be in a common plane. In order to form a shed, the moveable shed formation plate 40 will move downwardly. As a result of this movement, the third lead 84 will move downwardly and cause a resultant downward movement of the mails 48 and extension of the spring 44. After plate 40 has completed its movement, selected controllers 60 will be activated. The selected controllers will be determined in accordance with the weave pattern as will be explained hereinafter. As soon as the selected controllers 60 have been activated, the moveable plate 40 will be permitted to return to its initial position. As a result of this movement, each yarn which is not associated with an activated controller will return to the original plane of the auxiliary yarns by the contraction of spring 44. Those yarns which have been selected will remain in a down position. After interweaving of the selected yarn has been completed, the moveable plate 40 will be activated and the selection process will be repeated. In the event that the repeat pattern does not require any change in the position of a previously selected yarn, no further activity will take place with respect to that yarn. In the event that a previously non-selected yarn is now a selected yarn, the weave pattern information will cause actuation of the associated controller 60. Accordingly, the moveable plate 40 will act upon each of the third leads 84 at each and every shedding, however, the controllers 60 will only be activated as needed. The information regarding the weave pattern must include a repeat pattern output means for selectively activating the controllers 60. However, the specific weave pattern output means is not critical to the invention. Those familiar with Jacquard movements will recognize that such a shed formation apparatus may be controlled by punch cards, tape or a computerized information source. Any of these weave patterns information output means will work with the present invention so long as the weave pattern information is presented in a form which will cause switching of the controllers 60. If one considers a standard Jacquard device, the yarn control information would not pass directly to the heddle, instead, the selected heddle information would be passed directly to a switching mechanism which will activate the selected controllers 60. The moveable plate 40 will be activated on each shedding pass and does not require specific control other than sequential timing in coordination with the selector operation.
With reference to FIG. 2, there is shown a typical aperture through one of the plates 30 through 40. It is expected that each of the plates will be formed of steel or some other metal. Since all of the leads will be subject to abrasion, it is preferred that each of the apertures be provided with a ceramic eyelet 41. Such eyelets are well known in the art and are frequently used as thread guides.
With respect to FIG. 3, there is shown a typical heddle 42. Heddle 42 is very similar to those which are generally associated with Jacquard movements however, in the presently preferred embodiment, the second lead 50 is longer than that normally associated with the Jacquard heddle. Typically, such a heddle has a sleeve encased spring 44 at one end thereof. Generally, the spring terminates at one end in a mounting loop 45 and at the other end in a first lead 46. The loop 45 is dimensioned so as to abut the sleeve 43 and permit elongation of the spring 44 as a result of movement of the first lead 46. The first, lead 46 is attached to one end of the mail 48. The second lead 50 is attached to the other end of the mail 48. As is common in the art, mail 48 includes an aperture 49 through which the yarn is threaded.
With respect to FIG. 4, there is illustrated a controller 60 in accordance with the presently preferred embodiment. The controller 60 is comprised of a guide 62 which is further comprised of guide halves 64 and 66. At least one guide half, includes an aperture 76 which extends into the slot 78. In the present embodiment, the aperture 76 is illustrated in the guide half 66. The controller also includes a stopper mechanism 68. Stopper mechanism 68 is comprised of a solenoid 70 which activates the plunger 72. Plunger 72 includes a projection 74 which is dimensioned to pass through the aperture 76 and to impede the movement of the selector 80 within the slot 78 in guide 62. In the presently preferred embodiment, the projection 74 is dimensioned to engage an aperture 82 in the selector 80. This provides a positive mechanical stop against further movement of the selector 80. Alternatively, the plunger 72 could merely move into an interfering contact to halt movement of the selector 80. Actuation of the solenoid 70 is accomplished through the electorial lead 71. As noted previously, the passage of electorial current to the lead 71 will be made in accordance with the weave pattern selection process. When it is determined by the weave pattern that a particular heddle should remain in the down position, the solenoid will be activated and the projection 74 will impede movement of the selector 80. As a result, the associated heddle will remain at a down position.
With reference to FIG. 5, the selector 80 will be described in more detail. The selector 80 will have a configuration very similar to that associated with the heddle 42. However, the selector 80 will have sufficient length so that it will move within the guide 62 without causing abrasion or other alignment problems. Since one end of the selector 80 is connected to the primary lead 50, it will be appreciated that the lengths of the primary lead 50 and the selector 80 must be selected in accordance with the movement necessary to produce the shed opening. In the preferred embodiment the selector 80 includes an aperture 82 which is dimensioned to receive projection 74. The third 84 is affixed to the other end of the selector 82 and is routed as discussed previously.
With respect to FIG. 6, guide half 66 is shown in more detail. From FIG. 6, it can be seen that the aperture 76 is positioned in one wall of the guide. The dimensions of slot 78 will be determined by selector 82. At present, it is preferred that guide halves 64 and 66 be used to fully encase the selector 80. However, it is contemplated that the selector 80 could be captured within a single slot as indicated by the phantom lines in FIG. 6.
With reference to FIG. 7, there is illustrated a plurality of controller 70 as they may be positioned on the plate 36. The specific arrangement of the controller 60 is not critical to the present invention. It is intended by FIG. 7 to illustrate the flexibility in spacial arrangements. In the presently preferred embodiment each controller 60 includes a miniature solenoid which is available from Autotronics, Inc. of Joplin, Missouri. Each controller 60, including the guide 62 and the stopper mechanism 68, requires approximately 121 square millimeters on plate 36.
In FIGS. 1, 4 and 7, the controllers have not been depicted as affixed to the plate 36 and the controller has not been shown with the stopper mechanism 68 affixed to the guide 62. Since it is believed such attachments are well within the skill of the art, the specific means of attachment do not require description herein. However, it must be recognized that attachment of the controller 60 to the plate 36 must permit movement of the third lead 84 and the selector 80. For example, each controller 60 may be secured to a generally "L" shaped mount of the type which is shown in phantom at 63 on FIG. 4. The mount is removably secured to the guide 62 to permit quick interchange of the elements when necessary.
With reference to FIGS. 8 and 9, the shed formation plate 40 will be described in more detail. Plate 40 is secured to the roller 100 which is mounted for rotation at its ends in the mounts 102. The mounts 102 may be affixed to the floor, a cross member or some other portion of the weaving apparatus to fix them against movement. The free end of plate 40 is secured to a solenoid 104. Solenoid 104 will move through an arc, as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 8, which will generally translate into vertical movement of the secondary leads 84. In view of the fact that the roller 100 must rotate, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that either the attachment of plunger 106 to plate 40 or the attachment of solenoid 104 to the base 110 must be a moving attachment to accommodate the arcuate movement of plate 40. As noted previously, the solenoid 104 will be activated on each pass of the shed formation apparatus. The actuation of the solenoid 104 is accomplished through the lead 108. As will be recognized by those skilled in the art, mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic or other electrical - electronic means may be used in place of the solenoids described herein.
With reference to FIG. 9, there is shown a side view of the plate 40 which illustrates the position of representative secondary leads 84 during a weaving operation. In the preferred embodiment, each third lead 84 passes through an aperture 86. The end of the lead 84 is terminated and a small weight 88 is affixed thereto. Thus, the weight 88 also serves as the termination of the lead 84. The principle purpose of the weight 88 is to retain the lead 84 in a generally vertical condition. As noted previously, a selected heddle will not return to the original plane of the yarns 12. Since the projection 74 retards movement of the heddle selector 80, the lead 84 is unloaded. In order to avoid entanglement and to retain the generally vertical position of the lead 84, the weight 88 is attached. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the weight 88 does not need to be substantial, however, the attachment to lead 84 must be secure in order to maintain control during movement of the plate 40. Still with reference to FIG. 9, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the plate 40 will traverse an arcuate path and the stroke length of the plunger 106 must be considered in positioning the selector 80 with respect to the respective stopper mechanism 68.
At present, it is preferred to use electrically operated solenoids in connection with the present invention. Since each solenoid does not have to be activated on each pass, the electrical load of the present invention is greatly reduced. In addition, electrical switching devices which are controlled by punch cards or computer information are relatively common. Accordingly, the use of solenoids eliminates the need for conversion of data from an electrical format to some other format.
It will be understood by those skilled in the art that variations in the preferred embodiment will still come within the scope of the claimed invention. | A shed formation apparatus which has increased flexibility and speed and finds particular application in automated reweaving of the ends of a fabric. The apparatus is generally comprised of a plurality of heddles which will control yarn movement during the shed formation. Each of the heddles has a yarn mail and at least one control lead. Each control lead is under the influence of a controller - stopper mechanism which controls heddle movement and position. The actuation of the stopping mechanism is controlled by a shed formation repeat pattern output device which determines the position of the heddle and the selection of the stopping mechanism in accordance with the repeat pattern. | 3 |
RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/446,651, filed on Feb. 11, 2003, the entire teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Liquid crystal display (LCD) devices usually consist of two-dimensional arrays of thin-film circuit elements (pixels). Each pixel cooperates with liquid-crystal material to either transmit or prevent light travel through a column of liquid crystal material. The physical size of the pixel array is determined by the application.
[0003] A two-dimensional (2D) array, for example, can include two sets of conductive lines extending in perpendicular directions. Each line extending in one direction can provide signals to a column of the array; each line extending in another direction can provide signals to a row of the array.
[0004] Conventionally, each row-column position in a 2D array includes a pixel that responds to signals on the lines for the pixel's row and column combination. Through one set of parallel lines, illustratively called “data lines,” each pixel receives signals that determine its state. Through the other set of parallel lines, illustratively called “scan lines,” each pixel along a scan line receives a signal that enables the pixel to receive signals from its data line.
[0005] In conventional arrays, each scan line provides a periodic scan signal that enables a component in each pixel connected to the scan line to receive a signal from its data line during a brief time interval of each cycle. Therefore, tight synchronization of the scan signals with signals on the data lines is critical to successful array operation. Tight synchronization in turn requires that the driving signals to the data lines be provided with precise timing.
[0006] The circuitry driving the data lines is termed the “data scanner.” The circuitry driving the scan lines is termed the “select scanner.”
[0007] The arrays are built on substrates, usually of glass or quartz. The pixel arrays require driving and interface circuitry, and in most cases this circuitry is analog rather than digital, making the circuitry capable of delivering or sensing a range of input signals. However, in many applications the video signal originates in digital form and must be converted to analog form to drive the display. Suitable digital-to-analog (DAC) conversion circuitry can be built using well-known techniques in conventional silicon integrated circuits (ICs). These ICs are mounted on or adjacent to the substrate containing the pixel array and a large number of electrical connections are made between the two. The cost of the peripheral drive, interface chips, mounting, and electrical connections to the display can constitute a significant proportion of the overall cost of a system containing the display.
SUMMARY
[0008] If the ICs and connections can be eliminated or greatly reduced by integrating suitable circuitry on the substrate, then the system cost can be reduced and its reliability improved.
[0009] An apparatus and method can convert digital data to analog data using column load capacitances on adjacent pairs of column lines of the LCD. The apparatus can include a data bus containing digital data. A row buffer can be coupled to the data bus for receiving and distributing the digital data. A switch network can be coupled to the row buffer for converting the digital data received from the row buffer to analog data using column load capacitances on adjacent pairs of column lines of the LCD.
[0010] The switch network can include a plurality of switching devices, where each switching device can be coupled to an adjacent respective pair of column lines of the LCD. Each switching device can include a logic circuit which can receive digital data from the row buffer and at least three MOSFETs which can convert the received digital data received from the logic circuit to analog data and transmit the analog data through respective column lines. The MOSFETs can be n-channel MOSFETs, p-channel MOSFETs, or a combination of n-channel and p-channel MOSFETs.
[0011] A first column line of the pair of column lines can be coupled to alternating pixels in a first column of pixels and a second column line of the pair of column lines can be coupled to alternating pixels in a second column of pixels. The pixels of the first column line can be in alternating rows with respect to the pixels in the second column line.
[0012] The pixels can be arranged in a rectangular layout for a black and white display or the pixels can be arranged in a delta layout for a color display.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of particular embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the different views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention.
[0014] [0014]FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a prior art data scanner;
[0015] [0015]FIG. 2A is a schematic representation of a typical pixel layout for a black and white (B/W) display for the data scanner of FIG. 1;
[0016] [0016]FIG. 2B is a schematic representation of a typical pixel layout for a color display for the data scanner of FIG. 1;
[0017] [0017]FIG. 2C is a circuit diagram of a typical pixel of FIGS. 2A and 2B;
[0018] [0018]FIGS. 3A-3I are circuit diagrams of a DAC of FIG. 1 converting a digital signal to an analog signal;
[0019] [0019]FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of a data scanner according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0020] [0020]FIG. 5A is a schematic representation of a typical pixel layout for a B/W display for the data scanner of FIG. 4;
[0021] [0021]FIG. 5B is a schematic representation of a typical pixel layout for a color display for the data scanner of FIG. 4; and
[0022] [0022]FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram of a switch device of FIG. 4.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0023] [0023]FIG. 1 shows a data scanner 50 and column load capacitances 160 of an LCD 100 . The data scanner 50 includes integrated DACs 140 and amplifiers 150 to drive the column load capacitance 160 of the display 100 . The configuration can be used to drive the column load capacitances 160 of black and white (B/W) or color displays. Generally, a row buffer 110 distributes digital data arriving from a data bus 130 to the DACs 140 on a pulse received from a clock 120 . The DACs 140 operate in parallel and receive the digital data and convert the digital data to analog signals. Because the DACs 140 typically provide a high impedance output, display applications need the amplifiers 150 to drive the column load capacitance 160 . In particular, the switched-capacitor DACs 140 require the amplifiers 150 because the column load capacitances 160 are typically greater than practically realizable DAC capacitors 330 , 340 (FIGS. 3A-3I). Thus, the amplifiers 150 provide a greater output to the column load capacitances 160 of column lines 135 of the display 100 .
[0024] [0024]FIG. 2A shows a typical pixel array and column line 135 layout for a display 100 with pixels 200 in a “rectangular” arrangement, while FIG. 2B shows a typical pixel array and column line 135 layout for a display 100 with pixels in a “delta” arrangement. The “rectangular” arrangement is commonly used for B/W displays, while the “delta” arrangement is commonly used for color displays. The letters RGB stand for Red, Green, and Blue and are well known in the art for color displays. Rectangular pixels 200 are used in both black-and-white and color displays, typically with square pixels for monochrome and rectangular stripes (height:width ratio=3:1) for color.
[0025] [0025]FIG. 2C shows a circuit diagram of a typical pixel 200 as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B. The typical pixel 200 includes a MOSFET transistor 220 and a capacitor 160 . Each pixel 200 is connected to a row line 210 and a column line 135 . The row line 210 controls the gate of MOSFET 220 , which turns the pixel on and off. When the MOSFET 220 is turned on, the pixel 200 is driven by the column load capacitance 160 (FIG. 1) on the column line 135 .
[0026] [0026]FIGS. 3A-3I shows a switched-capacitor DAC 140 converting a digital signal to an analog signal. The simple bit-serial DAC 140 includes two capacitors 330 , 340 and two switches 310 , 320 . Switch 310 may be connected high, connected low, or left open. Switch 320 may connect the top plates of capacitors 330 and 340 or may be left open. Bit-parallel DACs using more capacitors and appropriate switch configurations can also be used. In this example, as illustrated sequentially in FIGS. 3A-3I, a 16 bit digital input code, 1101 or 16 decimal, is converted to an analog signal which is {fraction (13/16)} V FS , where V FS =full-scale output voltage.
[0027] Numerous problems arise when using switch-capacitor DACs 140 and associated amplifiers 150 (FIG. 1). First, the capacitors 330 , 340 of the DACs 140 must be well-matched for predictable charge sharing. The example of FIGS. 3A-3I relies on the capacitors 330 , 340 being equal, so that the charge is shared equally when switch 320 is closed. Second, it is hard to integrate DACs 140 on fine pitch column lines 135 because more area is needed for well-matched DAC capacitors 330 , 340 . If the DAC capacitors 330 , 340 are too small, then undesirable parasitic capacitances become more significant. Third, it is hard to integrate numerous amplifies 150 (FIG. 1) on the display 100 because the amplifiers 150 need to be low power, have good matching (i.e., to prevent vertical lines in the image), and be integrated with fine pitch column lines. Lastly, multiplexers may need to be used to share DACs 140 and amplifiers 150 because of size restrictions, adding more complexity to the display 100 .
[0028] Embodiments of the present invention eliminate the need for specific switched-capacitor DACs 140 and their associated amplifiers 150 . As shown in FIG. 4, the DACs 140 and amplifiers 150 (FIGS. 1-31) of the data scanner 50 are replaced by a switch network that utilizes the column line capacitances 160 to convert the digital signals to analog signals. That is, new switched capacitor DACs are constructed using the switch network and the column load capacitances 160 as the DAC capacitors. In this configuration, a row buffer 110 distributes digital data arriving from a data bus 130 to switches 410 on a pulse received from a clock 120 . The switches 410 convert the digital data to analog signals using the column load capacitances 160 of an adjacent pair of column lines 135 .
[0029] [0029]FIG. 5A shows pixel array layout connections required to convert the digital signal to an analog signal using the switch 410 and column load capacitances 160 for B/W displays, while FIG. 5B shows pixel array layout connections for color displays. As shown, a rectangular layout is commonly used for B/W displays and a “delta” layout is commonly used for color displays. Each column line pair 500 is connected to one pixel 200 per row. The column pairs 500 have matched column capacitances if they have the same number of left and right connected pixels 200 . The use of column line pairs 500 suggests more display area, which reduces the active pixel aperture. However, in anticipated technology, the pixel aperture is limited by optical, LC, and other issues and not by the interconnect pitch.
[0030] [0030]FIG. 6 shows a circuit diagram of the switch 410 of FIG. 4. The switch 410 includes five MOSFET transistors 610 , 620 , 630 , 640 , and 650 . The gates of each MOSFET are connected to a logic circuit 660 . The logic circuit 660 contains the digital data received from the row buffer 110 (FIG. 4) and distributes the digital data to the MOSFETs. MOSFETs 610 and 630 perform a similar operation of switch 310 of FIG. 3. MOSFET 610 can drive the column high to VFS, MOSFET 630 can drive it low, or both MOSFETs can be turned off for an open connection. Similarly, MOSFET 650 performs a similar operation of switch 320 of FIG. 3, connecting the two columns to equalize charge. Optional MOSFETs 620 and 640 are provided for symmetry to MOSFETs 610 and 630 . The circuit can be operated with MOSFETs 610 and 630 driving the left column line while, charge is accumulating on the right column line, or else with MOSFETs 620 and 640 driving the right column line, while charge is accumulating on the left column line.
[0031] [0031]FIG. 6 uses n-channel MOSFETs for switches. However, P-channel MOSFET or complementary pairs of n- and p-channel MOSFETs may also be used. Additional MOSFETs may be used for charge injection cancellation, using the well-known technique in which both source and drain of a compensating MOSFET are connected to the high-impedance side of the switch, and in which the gate of the compensating MOSFET is driven with the logical inverse of the gate of the switch MOSFET, and in which the compensating MOSFET is one half the size of the switch MOSFET.
[0032] While this invention has been particularly shown and described with references to particular embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made without departing from the scope of the invention encompassed by the appended claims. | An apparatus and method can convert digital data to analog data using column load capacitances on adjacent pairs of column lines of the LCD. The apparatus includes a data bus containing digital data. A row buffer is coupled to the data bus for receiving and distributing the digital data. A switch network is coupled to the row buffer for converting the digital data received from the row buffer to analog data using column load capacitances on adjacent pairs of column lines of the LCD. | 6 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to All-IP (All-Internet Protocol) communication systems, and in particular to routing between network elements, such as CSCFs (Call State Control Functions), BGCFs (Breakout Gateway Control Functions) and MGCFs (Media Gateway Control Functions), when two or more of these network elements are the same element.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] There are different kinds of network elements participating in a call setup. For example, FIG. 1 shows a call-setup between subscriber A and B via an originating P-CSCF (Proxy Call State Control Function), originating S-CSCF (Serving Call State Control Function), I-CSCF (Interrogating Call State Control Function), terminating S-CSCF and terminating P-CSCF. These network elements can be seen as logical functionalities instead of actual physical CSCFs. One physical CSCF may accommodate two or more of these functionalities in the set-up of one call.
[0003] Normally, two CSMs (Call State Models), an O-CSM (Originating CSM) and a T-CSM (Terminating CSM), are needed in every CSCF, BGCF (Breakout Gateway Control Function) or MGCF network element to handle a single call from subscriber A to subscriber B where the logical functionalities of the originating operator could be e.g. P-CSCF, S-CSCF, I-CSCF, S-CSCF and P-CSCF; or P-CSCF, S-CSCF, BGCF and MGCF, and the logical functionalities of the terminating operator could be e.g. MGCF, I-CSCF, S-CSCF and P-CSCF; or BGCF and MGCF. CSM has one or more states. In case at least two of the network elements in question are the same element, i.e. one physical network element accommodates two or more logical functionalities in the set-up of one call, the set-up is done via an external loopback ME 1 from a T-CSM to an O-CSM as shown in FIG. 7 . No care is taken as to whether the network elements are the same element, and the signaling is conducted always through an interface between two network elements.
[0004] An example for this prior art solution is given in FIG. 8 . According to FIG. 8 , logical functionalities P-CSCF and S-CSCF are used as example of the two logical functionalities that are located in the same network element called here P-CSCF/S-CSCF. Originated and terminated call state models (i.e. O-CSM and T-CSM) of a logical functionality are separated. SIP is used as NNI (Network to Network Interface) protocol i.e. as protocol that is used between network elements. An originating call case where P-CSCF and S-CSCF are located in the same network is used as an example.
[0005] As it is shown in FIG. 8 , when a terminal A wants to invite another party to a session, in a step 801 , it sends an INVITE message to the P-CSCF/S-CSCF network element. Then, in a step 802 , Call control signaling adaptation transforms the INVITE message to the internal format of the call control and stores it to an internal data structure.
[0006] In a step 803 , the content of the internal data structure is passed as data to an O-CSM of the P-CSCF. The O-CSM stores the data to an internal data structure in a step 804 , and handles its content. In a step 805 , the O-CSM passes the control and the handled data in the internal data structure to a T-CSM of the P-CSCF. The T-CSM stores the data to an internal data structure in a step 806 , and handles its content.
[0007] In a step 807 , the content of the internal data structure is passed to Call control signaling adaptation. Call control signaling adaptation stores the data to an internal data structure and transforms its content to an INVITE message in a step 808 . DNS (Domain Name Server) resolving is used to find out the IP address of the next network element. In a step 809 , an INVITE message is sent from the-P-CSCF to an S-CSCF via external routing.
[0008] This INVITE message is received by an S-CSCF the functionality of which is located in the same network element P-CSCF/S-CSCF. In a step 810 , Call control signaling adaptation transforms the INVITE message to the internal format of the call control and stores it to an internal data structure.
[0009] In a step 811 , the content of the internal data structure is passed as data to an O-CSM of the S-CSCF. The O-CSM stores the data to an internal data structure in a step 812 , and handles its content. In a step 813 , the O-CSM passes the control and the handled data in the internal data structure to a T-CSM of the S-CSCF. The T-CSM stores the data to an internal data structure in a step 814 , and handles its content.
[0010] In a step 815 , the content of the internal data structure is passed to Call control signaling adaptation. Call control signaling adaptation stores the data to an internal data structure and transforms its content to an INVITE message in a step 816 . DNS resolving is used to find out the IP address of the next network element. In a step 817 , an INVITE message is sent from the S-CSCF to an I-CSCF via external routing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] It is an object of the present invention to optimize routing when two or more network elements are the same element on a signaling path.
[0012] According to the present invention, this object is achieved by routing a call between at least two logical network elements each performing a logical functionality on the call, the logical functionalities of the at least two logical network elements being accommodated in one physical control entity in an IP communication network system. When a call is received at the physical control entity as a first logical functionality, call-related processing is performed in the physical control entity as the first logical functionality, thereby obtaining a content of a first data structure. Then, a second logical functionality is invoked in the physical control entity, wherein the content of the first data structure is supplied inside the physical control entity to a second data structure of the second logical functionality so that the content of the second data structure is substantially similar to a content obtained at the same stage in said second logical functionality by external routing between logical network elements.
[0013] “Substantial similarity” between two contents of data structures means, for example, that the data structures are similar enough to avoid the introduction of significantly different program codes for the processing of the contents.
[0014] According to a first embodiment of the present invention, the content of the first data structure is supplied within one call state model for a beginning of a functionality and an ending of a functionality.
[0015] According to a second embodiment of the present invention, the content of the first data structure is supplied by sending a message inside the physical control entity from a call state model for an ending of a functionality to a call state model for a beginning of a functionality.
[0016] According to a third embodiment of the present invention, the content of the first data structure is supplied by sending a first message from a call state model for an ending of a functionality to a first adapter process for translating the content of the first data structure to a data structure of an inter network element sending signaling, sending a second message from the first adapter process to a second adapter process for supplying the content of the inter network element sending signaling data structure to a data structure of an inter network element receiving signaling, so that the content of the inter network element receiving signaling data structure is substantially similar to a content obtained at the same stage in said second adapter process by external routing between logical network elements, and sending a third message from the second adapter process to a call state model for a beginning of a functionality, for translating the content of the inter network element receiving signaling data structure to the second data structure.
[0017] According to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, the content of the first data structure is supplied by sending a first message from a call state model for an ending of a functionality to a first adapter process for translating the content of the first data structure to a data structure of an inter network element sending signaling, performing processing on the content of the inter network element sending signaling data structure, thereby obtaining a content of a processed inter network element sending signaling data structure, sending a second message from the first adapter process to a second adapter process for supplying the content of the processed inter network element sending signaling data structure to a data structure of a processed inter network element receiving signaling, so that the content of the processed inter network element receiving signaling data structure is substantially similar to a content obtained at the same stage in said second adapter process by external routing between logical network elements, performing processing on the content of the processed inter network element receiving signaling data structure, thereby obtaining a content of an inter network element receiving signaling data structure and sending a third message from the second adapter process to a call state model for a beginning of a functionality, for translating the content of the inter network element receiving signaling data structure to the second data structure.
[0018] According to a fifth embodiment of the present invention, the content of the first data structure is supplied by sending a first message from a call state model for an ending of a functionality to a first adapter process for translating the content of the first data structure to a data structure of an inter network element sending signaling, performing processing on the content of the inter network element sending signaling data structure, thereby obtaining a content of a processed inter network element sending signaling data structure, performing looping from the first adapter process to a second adapter process via a protocol level below the used signaling protocol between network elements for supplying the content of the processed inter network element sending signaling data structure to a data structure of a processed inter network element receiving signaling, so that the content of the processed inter network element receiving signaling data structure is substantially similar to a content obtained at the same stage in said second adapter process by external routing between logical network elements, performing processing on the content of the processed inter network element receiving signaling data structure, thereby obtaining a content of an inter network element receiving signaling data structure and sending a third message from the second adapter process to a call state model for a beginning of a functionality, for translating the content of the inter network element receiving signaling data structure to the second data structure.
[0019] According to the first embodiment, an extremely efficient use of messages and processes is achieved, i.e. the number of messages and processes can be reduced significantly compared with an external loopback. Moreover, an efficient use of bandwidth can be obtained.
[0020] According to the second embodiment, messages and processes can be used very efficiently. Further, an efficient use of bandwidth is achieved.
[0021] According to the third embodiment, messages, processes and bandwidth can be used efficiently. Moreover, a clean CSM is provided.
[0022] According to the fourth embodiment, an efficient use of bandwidth is achieved and CSM is kept clean.
[0023] According to the fifth embodiment, bandwidth is used efficiently.
[0024] In the following the present invention will be described by way of preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025] FIG. 1 shows a schematic block diagram of a signaling path when subscriber A makes a call to subscriber B and both subscribers are located in the same network.
[0026] FIG. 2 shows a schematic block diagram according to a control entity of a first embodiment of the present invention.
[0027] FIG. 3 shows a schematic block diagram according to a control entity of a second embodiment of the present invention.
[0028] FIG. 4 shows a schematic block diagram according to a control entity of a third embodiment of the present invention.
[0029] FIG. 5 shows a schematic block diagram according to a control entity of a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
[0030] FIG. 6 shows a schematic block diagram according to a control entity of a fifth embodiment of the present invention.
[0031] FIG. 7 shows a schematic block diagram of a solution according to the prior art.
[0032] FIG. 8 shows an example of the prior art solution.
[0033] FIG. 9 shows an example of the solution according to the first embodiment.
[0034] FIG. 10 shows an example of the solution according to the second embodiment.
[0035] FIG. 11 shows an example of the solution according to the third embodiment.
[0036] FIG. 12 shows an example of the solution according to the fourth embodiment.
[0037] FIG. 13 shows an example of the solution according to the fifth embodiment.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0038] The idea of the present invention is to route outgoing signaling internally in a control entity accommodating two or more logical functionalities of different logical network elements. For example, the respective functionality of a calling S-CSCF (Serving CSCF) and a called I-CSCF and possibly also of a called S-CSCF may be performed in the same physical CSCF. For instance, the S-CSCF must inspect the logical address e.g. FQDN (Fully Qualified Domain Name) or an IP (Internet Protocol) address obtained by performing a DNS (Domain Name Server) resolution procedure to check whether it refers to an own network. In that case, the S-CSCF may perform an I-CSCF functionality (e.g. a called party S-CSCF search), and then it may invoke a logical called party S-CSCF functionality, if the logical address or the returned IP address refers to the same node.
[0039] In the present context, a call refers to any multimedia sessions in addition to voice calls, e.g. video calls.
[0040] It is to be noted that a call state control function is not necessarily just a CSCF in accordance with 3GPP specifications. For instance, it can also be a call processing server in accordance with IETF session initiation protocol RFC 2543. It can also be a gatekeeper in accordance with ITU-T H.323 specifications. It can be any call processing server or call state control function performing call signaling related tasks.
[0041] The present invention is not bound to any specific NNI (Network to Network Interface) protocol. The messages described in the embodiments may reside on call control level, SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) level or TCP/UDP (Transmission Control Protocol/User Datagram Protocol) level, for example.
[0042] Throughout FIGS. 2 to 7 , merely a T-CSM of a first logical functionality and an O-CSM of a second logical functionality are illustrated. The O-CSM of the first and the T-CSM of the second logical functionality are not shown.
[0043] FIG. 2 shows a schematic block diagram according to a control entity of a first embodiment. A control entity accommodating two or more logical functionalities of network elements on a signaling path is represented by a CSCF, BGCF or MGCF. According to the first embodiment, one integrated CSM (Call State Model) is used that contains the functionality to route outgoing signaling internally in the CSCF/BGCF/MGCF. The integrated CSM combines both functionalities of an originating CSM and a terminating CSM. When signaling has to be performed from one logical network element to another, this signaling is done internally in the integrated CSM in the CSCF/BGCF/MGCF by a process R3 processing the content of a data structure A. As a processing result, a content of a data structure F is obtained which is substantially similar to a content as if the signaling was conducted externally from a terminating CSM to an originating CSM. The broken lines in FIG. 2 and in the following figures represent an input/output of data.
[0044] FIG. 3 shows a schematic block diagram according to a second embodiment. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that a CSCF/BGCF/MGCF accommodating two or more logical funtionalities of different logical network elements comprises an originating CSM and a terminating CSM. The terminating CSM sends a signaling message MI 3 directly to the originating CSM inside the CSCF/BGCF/MGCF. The message MI 3 carries the content of the data structure A to the data structure F so that the content of F is substantially similar to a content of F as if the message path was an external path between logical network elements. A process P 1 on the data of
[0045] A is needed for sending the message MI 3 from the terminating CSM, and a process P 6 is needed when the message is received at the originating CSM in the CSCF/BGCF/MGCF. For example, when SIP is used, the process P 6 may add the FQDN (Full Qualified Domain Name) of a network element corresponding to the originating CSM functionality receiving the message to a Record-Route header, but may add nothing to the Via header.
[0046] FIG. 4 shows a schematic block diagram according to a third embodiment. This embodiment differs from the second one in that the terminating CSM sends the signaling via an adapter process CC-SS to the originating CSM. At first, the terminating CSM sends a message MI 1 to a first adapter process CC-SS. The message MI 1 is received by a process P 2 in the first CC-SS and the content of the data structure A is converted into a data structure B. Then, a message MI 4 is sent from a process P 7 in the first adapter process. The message MI 4 carries the content of the data structure B to a data structure E in a second adapter process CC-SS, so that the content of E is substantially similar to a content of E if the message path was an external signaling path between adapter processes. The message MI 4 is received at a process P 8 , where the FQDN of the network element corresponding to the functionality of the second adapter process may be added to a Record-Route header, but nothing may be added to the Via header. In the second CC-SS, a message MI 2 is sent from a process P 5 in the second adapter process to the originating CSM. The message MI 2 is received at the process P 6 in the originating CSM.
[0047] FIG. 5 shows a schematic block diagram according to a fourth embodiment. This embodiment differs from the third one in that also processing is performed in the adapter processes CC-SS. In the first adapter process, the data structure B is processed into a data structure C by a process R 1 . The content of the data structure C is then carried to a data structure D in the second adapter process by a message MI 5 , so that the content of D is substantially similar to a content of D if the message path was an external signaling path between adapter processes. A process P 3 serves to send the message MI 5 , and a process P 4 serves to receive the message MI 5 . At P 4 , the FQDN of the network element corresponding to the functionality of the second adapter process may be added to a Record-Route header, but nothing may be added to the Via header.
[0048] FIG. 6 shows a schematic block diagram according to a fifth embodiment. This embodiment differs from the fourth one in that the content of the data structure C is looped to the data structure D from the first adapter process to the second adapter process, so that the content of D is substantially similar to a content of D if the signaling path was an external path between logical network elements. In looping L, “localhost” hostname and/or loopback address are used. According to the fifth embodiment, the idea is to go down in the protocol stack from application and signaling protocol level to the lower levels and use a protocol there, e.g. UDP (User Datagram Protocol) or IP (Internet Protocol), to transfer the information from T-CSM to O-CSM without external route.
[0049] For example,
a) in the T-CSM the outgoing message goes down the protocol stack: SIP→UDP→IP, b) the IP protocol finds out that the target address is the same physical network element and does not route the message out of the physical network element but puts it to the queue of incoming messages, c) the message goes up the protocol stack in the O-CSM: IP→UDP→SIP.
[0053] In this example, the IP protocol finds out that the target is the same as the origin and does not send the message via external route.
[0054] At P 4 , the FQDN of the network element corresponding to the functionality of the second adapter process may be added to a Record-Route header, but nothing may be added to the Via header. The FQDN address is used in Record-Route and Via headers instead of the “localhost” hostname, and real IP address is used instead of the loopback IP address. However, if the usage of the “localhost” hostname and loopback IP address is insisted, the entry has to be swapped with the previous entry in the Via header.
[0055] Moreover, according to the fifth embodiment, some extra tasks have to be carried out at P 6 , when the message MI 2 is received.
[0056] It is to be noted that the Via and Record-Route headers may be updated somewhere else than in P 6 , P 8 and P 4 . When SIP is used as NNI protocol Via header and Record-Route header are normally updated. Via header is used to route the response back via the same route. Record-Route header is used to record the route in order to be used in the subsequent messages. Via and Record-Route headers can be handled at least in two ways. In the first way the address of each logical functionality on the route is inserted to the message as Via header as well as Record-Route header if it is used. If the Via header is utilized for the loop detection, identical addresses should be avoided in Via header because they indicate a loop. That is why the second way to handle Via header and Record-Route header is to add only one Via header and possibly one Record-Route header to the message so that the both headers contain the address of the physical network element instead of the logical functionalities included in the physical network element.
[0057] Furthermore, it is to be noted that according to the second embodiment and referring to FIGS. 3, 5 and 7 , comparison on a substantial similarity is done between F which is obtained from A via P 1 →MI 3 →P 6 →F) and F which would be obtained from A via external routing, i.e. via P 1 →MI 1 →P 2 →B→R 1 →C→P 3 →external message ME 1 →P 4 →D→R 2 →E→P 5 →MI 2 →P 6 →F.
[0058] According to the third embodiment and referring to FIGS. 4, 5 and 7 , comparison on a substantial similarity is done between E which is obtained from B via P 7 →MI 4 →P 8 →E, and E which would be obtained via external routing, i.e. via R 1 →C→P 3 →external message ME 1 (shown in FIG. 7 )→P 4 →D→R 2 →E.
[0059] Moreover, according to the third and fourth embodiments, in B and in E the data is not yet in the format of external signaling while in C and D it might be. One of the tasks of the adapter function CC-SS is to transform the internal signaling to external signaling and vice versa. This is depicted with R 1 and R 2 .
[0060] According to the above described embodiments, at the process P 6 , also a correct CSM has to be selected. For this purpose, the message MI 2 or MI 3 can be used to indicate what service is required in the next network element. This indication may be deduced from the content of the message and/or from the format of the message and/or from the name of the message and/or from the type of the message and/or from the address of the message.
[0061] It is to be noted that in an embodiment there may also be just one call state model for each logical functionality. The originating and the terminating call state model could be combined into one call state model. In this embodiment, the functions related to the originating and the terminating call state model are combined into the unified call state model representing both the originating and the terminating side call processing tasks. Moreover, some of the logical functionalities may be stateless, i.e. there is no call state model or there is a call state model but it has only one state. Hence, according to the present invention, a call state model may be stateless or comprise at least two states. Or, in other words, a call state model has at least one or more states. For example, an I-CSCF may be transactionally statefull, i.e. stores the state only during the registration when it communicates with HSS (Home Subscriber Server).
[0062] Now, examples are given for the first to fifth embodiments. In these examples, the following assumptions are made:
1) Logical functionalities P-CSCF and S-CSCF are used here as example of the two logical functionalities that are located in the same network element called here P-CSCF/S-CSCF. 2) Originated and terminated call state models (i.e. O-CSM and T-CSM) of a logical functionality are separated. 3) SIP is used as NNI (Network to Network Interface) protocol i.e. as protocol that is used between network elements. 4) Originating call case where P-CSCF and S-CSCF are located in the same network is used as an example. 5) Combined CSM is only an example. It can include different combinations of O-CSM and T-CSM of P-CSCF and O-CSM and T-CSM of S-CSCF. 6) There are several methods how the decision can be done, whether the next logical functionality is located in the same network element or not. For example DNS resolving and/or deduction process based on the format and/or content and/or address of the message can be used. 7) There are several methods how the decision can be made, which logical functionality should be started when an NNI message is received in the network element that accommodates several logical functionalities. One method to distinguish the logical functionalities is to check the logical address of the message. For example pcscf.ims.sonera.fi should be taken care of by the P-CSCF logical functionality while scscf.ims.sonera.fi should be taken care of by the S-CSCF logical funtionality. 8) Every logical functionality that is located in the same network element may have its own call control signaling adaptation or have a common call control signaling adaptation with other logical functionalities.
[0071] FIG. 9 shows an example of the solution according to the first embodiment, i.e. the combined CSM.
[0072] According to FIG. 9 , in a step 901 , an INVITE message is sent from a terminal A to the P-CSCF/S-CSCF. In a step 902 , Call control signaling adaptation transforms the INVITE message to the internal format of the call control and stores it to an internal data structure. In a step 903 , the content of the internal data structure is passed as data to an O-CSM of the P-CSCF. The O-CSM of the P-CSCF stores the data to an internal data structure and handles its content in a step 904 .
[0073] In a step 905 , the O-CSM of the P-CSCF passes the control and the handled data in the internal data structure to the combined CSM. The combined CSM stores the data to an internal data structure and handles its content like a T-CSM of the P-CSCF in a step 906 . A method is used to find out whether the next logical functionality is located in the same network element. For example, DNS resolving is done or addresses are compared. Because the next logical functionality is located in this same network element, combined CSM continues handling the data like an O-CSM of the S-CSCF instead of passing it to a call control signaling adaptation for outgoing messages (step 808 of FIG. 8 .) The steps 807 - 812 of FIG. 8 are skipped in this case.
[0074] In a step 913 , the combined CSM passes the control and the handled data in the internal data structure to a T-CSM of the S-CSCF. The T-CSM of the S-CSCF stores the data to an internal data structure and handles its content in a step 914 . In a step 915 , the content of the internal data structure is passed to Call control signaling adaptation. The Call control signaling adaptation stores the data to an internal data structure and transforms its content to an INVITE message in a step 916 . For example, DNS resolving is used to find out the IP address of the next network element. In a step 917 , an INVITE message is sent from the P-CSCF/S-CSCF to an I-CSCF via external routing.
[0075] FIG. 10 shows an example of the solution according to the second embodiment.
[0076] According to FIG. 10 , the steps 1001 to 1004 correspond to steps 901 to 904 of FIG. 9 .
[0077] In a step 1005 , an O-CSM of the P-CSCF passes the control and the handled data in the internal data structure to a T-CSM of the P-CSCF. The T-CSM of the P-CSCF stores the data to an internal data structure and handles its content in a step 1006 . A method is used to find out whether the next logical functionality is located in the same network element. For example, DNS resolving is done or addresses are compared. Because the next logical functionality is located in this same network element, the T-CSM of the P-CSCF modifies the data if needed.
[0078] In a step 1007 , the T-CSM of the P-CSCF passes the control and the modified data to an O-CSM of the S-CSCF instead of passing it to Call control signaling adaptation for outgoing messages (step 808 in FIG. 8 ). Steps 808 - 811 according to FIG. 8 are skipped in this case.
[0079] In a step 1012 , the O-CSM of the S-CSCF stores the data to an internal data structure, modifies it if needed and handles its content. The O-CSM of the S-CSCF passes the control and the handled data in the internal data structure to a T-CSM of the S-CSCF in a step 1013 . Steps 1014 to 1017 correspond to steps 914 to 917 in FIG. 9 .
[0080] FIG. 11 shows an example for the solution according to the third embodiment.
[0081] According to FIG. 11 , steps 1101 to 1105 correspond to steps 1001 to 1005 of FIG. 10 . In a step 1106 , the T-CSM of the P-CSCF stores the data to an internal data structure and handles its content. The content of the internal data structure is passed to Call control signaling adaptation in a step 1107 . In a step 1108 , the Call control signaling adaptation stores the data to an internal data structure, modifies it if needed and handles its content. A method is used to find out whether the next logical functionality is located in the same network element. For example, DNS resolving is done or addresses are compared. Because the next logical functionality is located in this same network element, the Call control signaling adaptation modifies the data if needed.
[0082] In a step 1109 , the Call control signaling adaptation of the T-CSM of the P-CSCF passes the control and the modified data to the Call control signaling adaptation of an O-CSM of the S-CSCF instead of building a SIP message (INVITE) and sending it to the next network element via external routing. The Call control signaling adaptation of the O-CSM of the S-CSCF stores the data to an internal data structure, modifies it if needed and handles its content in a step 1110 . In a step 1111 , the content of the internal data structure is passed as data to the O-CSM of the S-CSCF. Steps 1112 to 1117 correspond to steps 1012 to 1017 of FIG. 10 .
[0083] FIG. 12 shows an example of the solution according to the fourth embodiment.
[0084] According to FIG. 12 , steps 1201 to 1207 correspond to steps 1101 to 1107 of FIG. 11 . In a step 1208 , the Call control signaling adaptation stores the data to an internal data structure, modifies it if needed, handles its content and transforms its content to an INVITE message. A method is used to find out whether the next logical functionality is located in the same network element. For example, DNS resolving is done or addresses are compared. Because the next logical functionality is located in this same network element, Call control signaling adaptation modifies the INVITE message if needed.
[0085] In a step 1209 , Call control signaling adaptation of the T-CSM of the P-CSCF passes the control and the INVITE message to the Call control signaling adaptation of an O-CSM of the S-CSCF instead of sending it to the next network element via external routing. Call control signaling adaptation of the O-CSM of the S-CSCF transforms the INVITE message to the internal format of the call control and stores it to an internal data structure, modifies the data if needed and handles the content of the internal data structure in a step 1210 . Steps 1211 to 1217 correspond to steps 1111 to 1117 of FIG. 11 .
[0086] FIG. 13 shows an example of the solution according to the fifth embodiment.
[0087] According to FIG. 13 , steps 1301 to 1308 correspond to steps 1201 to 1208 of FIG. 12 . In step 1309 , Call control signaling adaptation of the T-CSM of the P-CSCF passes the INVITE message down to the outgoing protocol stack. IP protocol level finds out that the target address is the same as the address of the current network element. IP protocol level doesn't send the message (i.e. the corresponding IP packets) to the external IP media but moves the message (or the corresponding IP packets) from the outgoing IP stack to the incoming IP stack.
[0088] In a step 1310 , Call control signaling adaptation of an O-CSM of the S-CSCF receives the INVITE message (or the corresponding IP packets) from the incoming protocol stack and transforms the INVITE message to the internal format of the call control and stores it to an internal data structure, modifies the data if needed and handles the content of the internal data structure. Steps 1311 to 1317 correspond to steps 1111 to 1117 of FIG. 11 .
[0089] While the invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, the description is illustrative of the invention and is not to be construed as limiting the invention. Various modifications and applications may occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. | A call is routed between at least two logical network elements each performing a logical functionality on the call, the logical functionalities of the at least two logical network elements being accommodated in one physical control entity in an IP communication network system. When a call is received at the physical control entity as a first logical functionality, call-related processing is performed in the physical control entity as the first logical functionality, thereby obtaining a content of a first data structure. Then, a second logical functionality is invoked in the physical control entity, wherein the content of the first data structure is supplied inside the physical control entity to a second data structure of the second logical functionality so that the content of the second data structure is substantially similar too a content obtained at the same stage in said second logical functionality by external routing between logical network elements. | 7 |
FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention generally relates to oil well casing handling devices typically referred to as elevators. More particularly, it relates to an improved shoe type, shoulder elevator.
BACKGROUND
In order to lower and raise long strings of pipe, such as well casing, into a well bore, an elevator and a spider are typically arranged in alignment with an opening in the rotary table on the working platform of an oil well derrick. The spider is mounted within or on the working platform and is used to grip and release a string of tubulars such as pipe or casing as the tubulars are suspended in the well bore. The elevator is suspended above the spider by hangers and bails that are attached to a hoist mounted on the rig derrick. The elevator is used to grip, lift, and release a string of tubulars in cooperation with the spider to add pipe to the tubular string and to lower and raise the tubular string into and out of the well bore. A length or joint of pipe or casing has a threaded connection at each end. These pipe segments have internally threaded bands called collars that extend outward around the periphery of at least one end of each of these pipe segments. Long strings of pipe or casing are connected together by threaded connections at these collars for installation into a well bore. The annulus surface at the base of the collar between the outer periphery of the collar and the periphery of pipe is called the shoulder of the collar. These strings of casing pipe may weight hundreds of tons. Such weight can put substantial stress, strain, and fatigue on the elevator and its components during its use. An elevator that supports a string of casing pipe on the shoulder of the collar is known as a shoulder-type elevator.
SUMMARY
A rotating shoulder-type elevator is described. The elevator has a frame, a pair of hanger pins, and a pair of support rods for suspending the elevator by the hanger pins on bails at the end of a hoist. The frame supports a ring shaped body which has a plurality of movable shoes. The shoes travel up and down along a short taper within the interior of the body ring in response to movement of a timing ring positioned above the body. An array of pins and link assemblies pivotally connect the timing ring to the movable shoes. T-slots or other types of machine slides may be provided on the tapered interior surface of the body ring and the body ring side surface of the shoes in order to guide the movement of the shoes within the body ring. The timing ring, the movable shoes, and the pins and link assemblies provide a shoe assembly that is actuated by remotely controlled hydraulic cylinders attached to the body ring and the timing ring.
Remotely operated hydraulic cylinders are mounted to the elevator frame and each support rod in order to rotate the frame and the elevator body ring about the axis of the hanger pins by extension and retraction of the hydraulic cylinder rods. These cylinders allow the elevator to be rotated on the hanger pins to axially receive an incoming joint of pipe within the body ring whether the pipe joint is presented on a skate or on slings through the “Vee Door” of a rig derrick. After the pipe enters the elevator body ring, the shoes are lowered by manipulation of the timing ring, and the elevator may be rotated on the hanger pins by extension of the support rod cylinders to return the elevator to its upright position as the pipe is lifted.
The elevator is intended for use with pipe having shouldered connection collars. The shoe assembly is designed to take-up the clearance between the pipe and the elevator body and to keep the pipe and pipe collar centralized within the body ring of the elevator. In operation, the timing ring and thus the movable shoes are lowered by the hydraulic cylinders to a point where the timing ring contacts compression springs placed around the cylinder rods of the hydraulic cylinder. Downward powered movement of the timing ring and thus the shoes then ceases when the cylinders bottom out and the timing ring is then supported on the cylinder rod springs with the shoes in a position slightly up from their fully down position.
As the elevator is raised further, the pipe collar shoulder contacts the upper surface of the shoes and forces the shoes and timing ring down against the resistance of the rod springs until the shoes contact the circumference of the pipe body at point below the pipe collar. At that point, no further travel of the shoes is possible and no gap exists between the pipe surface and the elevator's shoes. The pipe and the collar are then surrounded and supported by the elevator's shoe assembly for virtually 360 degrees. In this manner, the elevator may be safely employed to support the pipe regardless of the bevel configuration of the pipe collar.
When the pipe joint has been stabbed into the top of a preceding pipe joint in the pipe string, the elevator may be lowered slightly to permit the shoes to move upward by action of the cylinder rod springs and slightly away from the pipe circumference to provide clearance between the elevator shoes and the pipe circumference. This movement allows the pipe joint to be rotated freely without drag during make-up with the pipe string. Because the shoes are still in position around and below the pipe collar during such rotation, the connection with the pipe string may be made while the pipe joint is still under control of the elevator. This will provide a safeguard from dropping or loosing the pipe during the make-up.
DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the elevator of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a partial front elevation view of the elevator of FIG. 1 .
FIG. 3 is a partial side elevation view of the elevator of FIG. 1 .
FIG. 4 is a top view of the elevator of FIG. 1 .
FIG. 5 is a top cross-sectional view of the elevator of FIG. 1 .
FIG. 6 is a side cross-sectional view of the elevator of FIG. 1 with the timing ring and shoes in a lowered position.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the elevator of the elevator of FIG. 1 with the elevator in a rotated position to receive a joint of pipe.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the elevator of the elevator of FIG. 1 with the elevator in an upright and centered position supporting a joint of pipe.
FIG. 9 is a side cross-sectional view of the elevator shown in FIG. 7 .
FIG. 10 is a side cross-sectional view of the elevator shown in FIG. 8 .
FIG. 11 is a side cross-sectional view of the elevator of FIG. 1 with the timing ring and shoes in a raised position.
FIG. 12 is an exploded view of the components of the elevator of FIG. 1 .
DESCRIPTION
FIGS. 1 through 5 and exploded view FIG. 12 , show an embodiment of the rotating shoulder-type elevator of Applicant's invention. The elevator ( 10 ) has a frame ( 12 ) comprised of a pair of vertically oriented frame plates ( 14 ). A ring-shaped elevator body ( 16 ), the interior of which is slightly tapered inward, is supported between the frame plates ( 14 ). A hanger pin ( 18 ) extends perpendicularly outward from the top of each of the frame plates ( 14 ). A vertically oriented hanger plate ( 20 ) extends between the hanger pins ( 18 ) and overhanging flange segments ( 22 ) that project from, and that are preferably integrally formed with, the body ring ( 16 ).
The hanger pins ( 18 ) allow the elevator to be pivotally on bails ( 24 ) at the end of hanger rods ( 26 ) that are attached to a hoist, not shown. The hanger plate ( 20 ) distributes the elevator loads to the body ring ( 16 ). For the sake of strength and safety, the frame plates ( 14 ), the body ring ( 16 ), the hanger pins ( 18 ), and the hanger plates ( 20 ) are preferably constructed of forged, alloy steel.
As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 , brackets ( 28 ) are mounted to the frame plates ( 14 ). Heavy duty hydraulic cylinders ( 30 ), each having piston rods ( 32 ), are pivotally attached to the brackets ( 28 ) by means of bracket pins ( 29 ). The piston rods ( 32 ) are in turn pivotally attached at their distal end to the hanger rods ( 26 ) by means of hanger rod clamps ( 34 ). The cylinders ( 30 ) may be remotely activated to extend and retract the piston rods ( 32 ) by hydraulic, pneumatic, or mechanical control lines, not shown, that extend to a remotely located control center, also not shown.
As shown in FIG. 6 , a series of moveable shoes ( 40 ), pivotally attached to a timing ring ( 42 ) by an array of pin and link assemblies generally designated as ( 44 ) so that the movable shoes ( 40 ) are positioned within the central opening of the body ring ( 16 ). The array of shoes ( 40 ) forms a curvilinear ring around the interior of the body ring ( 16 ). The shoes ( 40 ) travel up and down along the interior of the body ring ( 16 ) which has a short inward taper so that the shoes ( 40 ) move radially inward and outward within the interior of the body ring ( 16 ) in response to upward and downward movement of the timing ring ( 42 ). Machine slides such as T's or keys ( 46 ) are provided on the tapered interior surface of the body ring ( 16 ) to interlock with T-slots or key slots ( 47 ) on the ring side surface of the shoes ( 40 ) to serve as a guide for movement of the shoes ( 40 ).
The timing ring ( 42 ), the movable shoes ( 40 ), and the pins and link assemblies ( 44 ) together provide a shoe assembly ( 48 ). The shoe assembly ( 48 ) is actuated for reciprocal upward and downward movement with respect the body ring ( 16 ) by a plurality of remotely controlled hydraulic cylinders ( 50 ) that are mounted on the exterior of the body ring ( 16 ). The cylinders ( 50 ) have a cylinder rod ( 52 ) that supports the timing ring ( 42 ) for reciprocal movement in response to actuation of the cylinders ( 50 ). Contact rod coil compression springs ( 54 ) are placed on the cylinder rods ( 52 ) below the timing ring ( 42 ) to restrict powered downward movement of the timing ring ( 42 ) and to bias the timing ring ( 42 ) and shoes ( 40 ) upward as the shoe assembly ( 48 ) moves downward in the body ring ( 16 ).
Other means to bias the timing ring ( 42 ) and shoes ( 40 ) upward as the shoe assembly ( 48 ) moves downward in the body ring ( 16 ) might be utilized. Examples of such other means to bias the timing ring ( 42 ) and shoes ( 40 ) upward include Belleville washers or disk springs stacked as necessary on the cylinder rods ( 52 ) or leaf springs or hydraulic shock springs mounted on the body ring ( 16 ) at a desired point for contact with the timing ring ( 42 ).
Control lines, not shown, that extend to a remotely located control center, also not shown, are used to remotely activate the cylinders ( 50 ) to extend and retract the piston rods ( 52 ). While hydraulic fluid cylinders are described, it is thought that the cylinders ( 50 ) could be hydraulically, pneumatically, or mechanically operated.
As shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 , retraction of the piston rods ( 32 ) into the cylinders ( 30 ) will rotate the elevator ( 10 ) and the body ring ( 16 ) about the axis of the hanger pins ( 18 ). It is expected that at least 90 degrees of rotation can be achieved with proper arrangement of the cylinders ( 30 ), cylinder rods ( 32 ), and hanger clamps ( 34 ). This rotation will allow the body ring ( 16 ) of the elevator ( 10 ) to be matched with an incoming pipe P having a collar C whether the incoming pipe P is presented on a skate or on slings through the “Vee Door” of a derrick. Extension of the cylinder rods ( 32 ) will allow the elevator ( 10 ) and its body ring ( 16 ) to be returned to its upright position.
It can be seen that other methods and means to rotate the elevator ( 10 ) about the axis of the hanger pins ( 18 ) might be utilized. For example, cables, not shown, may be attached to the body ring ( 16 ) or the frame plates ( 14 ). Extension and retraction of the cables would serve to rotate the elevator ( 10 ) about the hanger pins ( 18 ). The hydraulic cylinders ( 30 ), the brackets ( 28 ), and the hanger rod clamps ( 34 ) shown in the drawings provide merely one embodiment of elevator rotation means.
The operation of the elevator is as shown in FIGS. 8 , 9 , and 10 . In operation, the piston rods ( 32 ) of the cylinders ( 30 ) are retracted to rotate the elevator ( 10 ) on the hanger pins ( 18 ) to receive an incoming pipe P having a collar C within the body ring ( 16 ) as shown in FIG. 9 . The timing ring ( 42 ) and thus the movable shoes ( 40 ) are then lowered by the cylinders ( 50 ) to a point where the timing ring ( 42 ) comes in contact the springs ( 54 ) around the cylinder rods ( 52 ) and where the shoes ( 40 ) are positioned around and below the collar C of pipe P. The shoe assembly ( 48 ) is configured to take-up the clearance between the pipe P and the body ring ( 16 ) of the elevator ( 10 ) and to keep the pipe P centralized within the body ring ( 16 ).
The cylinders ( 50 ) are configured so that at the point where the timing ring ( 42 ) comes into contact with the cylinder rod springs ( 54 ), further powered downward movement of the timing ring ( 42 ) and shoes ( 40 ) will cease. The timing ring ( 42 ) is then supported by the rod springs ( 54 ) with the shoes ( 40 ) of the shoe assembly ( 48 ) in a position slightly up from their fully down position.
Extension of the piston rods ( 32 ) of the cylinders ( 30 ) will rotate the elevator ( 10 ) on the hanger pins ( 18 ) to an upright position as shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 10 . In the upright position shown, the base of the collar C of the pipe P will contact the upper surface of the shoes ( 40 ) as the pipe P is supported by the shoe assembly ( 48 ). The weight of the pipe P on the shoes ( 40 ) from the collar C will move the shoes ( 40 ) downward against the resistance of the rod springs ( 54 ) and thus radially inward toward the pipe P until the shoes ( 40 ) contact the circumference of the pipe P below the collar C.
When the pipe P is contacted upon radial inward movement of the shoes ( 40 ), no further travel of the shoes ( 40 ) is possible and the pipe P is then virtually surrounded by the shoes ( 40 ) with the collar C supported around its periphery by the elevator shoe assembly ( 48 ). Because the pipe P is surrounded and supported for virtually 360 degrees with its collar C bearing on the shoes ( 40 ) and with the shoes ( 40 ) bearing on the exterior surface of the pipe P, the elevator ( 10 ) can safely support the pipe P regardless of the bevel configuration at the base of the pipe collar C.
Once the pipe P has been stabbed into the collar at the top of a preceding pipe in the pipe string which is being held in place by a spider or by other means, the elevator ( 10 ) may be lowered slightly to place the weight of the pipe P on the preceding pipe. This permits the time ring ( 42 ) and thus the shoes ( 40 ) to move upward by resistance from the cylinder rod springs ( 54 ).
The upward movement of the timing ring ( 42 ) induced by the compression rod springs ( 54 ) will cause the shoes ( 40 ) to move slightly radially away from the circumference surface of the pipe P. Thus, the slightly downward movement of the elevator ( 10 ) will provide clearance between the shoes ( 40 ) and the circumference surface of pipe P and thereby allow the pipe P to be rotated freely without drag or resistance from the shoes ( 40 ) as the pipe P is added to the pipe string during make-up. Because the shoes ( 40 ) are still positioned around and below the collar C of pipe P, the connection of pipe P to the pipe string may be made while the pipe P is still under control of the elevator ( 10 ). This will provide a safeguard from dropping or loosing pipe P as it is added to the pipe string during the make-up.
LIST OF COMPONENTS
Elevator (10)
Frame (12)
Frame plates (14).
Ring-shaped elevator body (16)
Hanger pins (18)
Hanger plate (20
Body flange segments (22)
Bails (24)
Hanger rods (26)
Cylinder brackets (28)
Bracket pins (29)
Hydraulic cylinders (30)
Piston rods (32)
Hanger rod clamps (34)
Shoes (40)
Timing ring (42)
Pin and link assemblies (44)
T's or keys (46)
T-slots or key slots (47)
Shoe assembly (48)
Hydraulic cylinders (50)
Cylinder rod (52)
Rod compression springs (54)
Pipe (P)
Collar (C)
It is thought that the elevator described herein and many of its intended advantages will be understood from the foregoing description. It is also thought that various changes in form, construction, and arrangement of the parts of the elevator may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention described herein. The form herein described is intended to be merely illustrative of the preferred embodiment of the invention. | A pipe elevator comprised of a frame pivotally mounted on elongated hangers and having a body with an inward tapered opening that is configured to receive a length of pipe having an outwardly protruding collar around its periphery. A plurality of shoes is mounted within the body. The shoes are poweredly positionable upward and downward within the inward tapered opening of the body and thereby positionable radially inward and outward around the pipe. A means for biasing the shoes upward is provided whereby the weight of the pipe against the shoes will move the shoes around the pipe collar against the periphery of the pipe. | 4 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to pipe insulation. More particularly, it relates to improved lightweight pipe insulation which has good compression resistance and which can readily be applied in the field.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Pipes which conduct hot or cold fluids are commonly insulated by a variety of different types of insulation materials. The particular materials used depend in part on the requirements of the environment of the pipes. For example, insulation used to cover pipes on ships ideally would be lightweight, in order not to contribute to the weight of the vessel, and would be durable so as to resist the compressive force of impacts which inevitably occur in crowded conditions. Further, the insulation should be easy to install, in order to keep the installation cost low, and should be resistant to fire.
One common insulation used on ships is PVC-nitrile foam which, although an effective thermal and acoustical insulation, tends to sustain combustion with the generation of large amounts of thick smoke and toxic combustion products. A replacement product should have low flame spread characteristics which reduce or prevent the migration of a fire from its initial point of combustion to other locations. Preferably, it should further have low fuel contribution to reduce smoke generation.
One type is insulation material which has demonstrated good insulating performance in low densities in other types of environments is fiber glass insulation. It is normally not resistant to compressive forces, however, particularly in the low densities used in making a lightweight insulation material. A special configuration of fiber glass insulation comprising fibers which are generally oriented perpendicular to an outer jacketing material and to the surface being insulated has been found to provide greater resistance to compressive forces, but due to its nature this product is used only in insulating large diameter pipes and tanks. The minimum diamater of such pipes and tanks is much larger than the pipes found in environments such as on shipboard. In addition, these insulation products use binders which result in undesirably high water absorption and fuel content.
It would be desirable to produce an improved pipe insulation product which overcomes the drawbacks of the types of pipe insulation described above and which is also economical and simple to manufacture.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a generally cylindrical split tube of bonded inorganic fibers, preferably glass fibers, in which a majority of the fibers are oriented substantially radially of the pipe on which the insulation is installed. A flexible substantially non-stretchable sheet is adhered to the inner cylindrical surface of the insulation tube and corresponds in dimension to the outer circumference of the pipe. A flexible sheet is also adhered to the outer cylindrical surface of the insulation tube. A majority of the fibers in the tube are thus oriented at substantially right angles to the flexible sheets. This arrangement of fibers enables the insulation to resist severe compressive forces and allows the split tube of insulation to be flexed open enough to fit over the pipe being insulated.
The materials making up the components of the pipe insulation and the type and amounts of binders and adhesives provide a low fuel content anti-sweat pipe insulation system that meets the goals stated above. Further, the method of fabricating the pipe insulation is simple and inexpensive.
Other features and aspects of the invention, as well as its various benefits, will be made clear in the more detailed description of the invention which follows.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of a section of pipe insulation shown mounted on a length of pipe;
FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the installed pipe insulation taken on line 2--2 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a partial pictorial view of a layer of fiber glass insulation, shown in the process of being severed during the first stage of the fabricating process;
FIG. 4 is a pictorial representation of the next step in the fabrication process wherein a flexible sheet is applied to the outer face of the pipe insulation;
FIG. 5 is a partial side view of the insulation laminate resulting from the step shown in FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is a pictorial view of the next step in the fabrication process showing a flexible sheet being applied to a mandrel;
FIG. 7 is a pictorial view of the next step in the fabrication process showing the laminate of FIG. 5 being adhered to the flexible sheet on the mandrel;
FIG. 8 is a transverse sectional view of the pipe insulation of the present invention after it has been removed from the mandrel;
FIG. 8A is an enlarged view of the circled portion of the pipe insulation of FIG. 8, showing the various layers more clearly;
FIG. 9 is a partial side view similar to that of FIG. 5, but showing a modified arrangement of the fibrous insulation; and
FIG. 10 is a transverse sectional view similar to that of FIG. 8, but showing pipe insulation formed from the fibrous insulation of FIG. 9.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a section of pipe insulation 10 of the present invention is shown mounted on metal pipe 12. The insulation is tubular in shape and the inside cylindrical surface of the tube can be seen to snugly fit against the outside surface of the pipe 12. The insulation material is comprised of bonded inorganic fibers 14, preferably glass fibers, wherein a majority of the fibers are oriented generally radially of the pipe. Thus when the pipe insulation is subjected to severe compressive forces, such as when an object strikes it or a person stands on it, the fibers, being oriented so as to receive the impact on end rather than on their sides, will bend but quickly return to their original condition when the load is removed. The insulation itself during this process will be observed to compress but to quickly return to its uncompressed state when the load is removed.
An outer flexible sheet or jacket 16 is adhered to the outer cylindrical surface of the tube and an inner flexible sheet 18 is adhered to the inner cylindrical surface of the tube. The tube of insulation will have been provided in the form of a split cylindrical tube having adjacent edges separated to form the split. After being installed the eges abut one another so that the installed insulation tube performs as an integral closed tube. The juncture of the abutting edges is represented in FIG. 2 at 20. Immediately radially outwardly of the juncture is an extension of the outer sheet or jacket 16 which forms a tab or overlap 22, the purpose of which is to cover the joint or juncture of the edges so as to completely cover the fibrous insulation. In practice, the tab would be taped down after the insulation section has been installed.
The fibrous insulation is of the type formed by the usual fiber glass manufacturing process wherein the fibers are collected in blanket form and generally extend in the direction of the length of the blanket. The length of such fibers is generally in the range of 0.5 to 2 inches and the diameter of the fibers is generally in the range of 3 to 8 microns. The density of such fibrous material is generally in the range of 2.5 to 3 pcf, and most commonly is about 2.8 pcf. A layer of fiber glass insulation of this type is shown in FIG. 3 at 24. A cutter 26 is shown in the process of slitting the layer of insulation 24 into strips 28. Although a reciprocating blade has been shown as the cutter for purpose of illustration, obviously other suitable cutting devices such as rotary cutters can be used instead.
As shown in FIG. 4, the next step in the fabrication of the insulation of the present invention is to adhere the outer sheet or jacket material 16 to the strips of insulation 28. In this operation the strips will be positioned in adjacent side by side contact so that the width of the strips are originally cut from the sheet 24 is now the height. A majority of the individual fibers 14 are therefore vertically arranged and are perpendicular to the sheet material 16. The sheet 16 is then adhered to the upper faces of the strips to form the intermediate laminate shown in FIG. 5 comprising the sheet 16 adhered to the strips by a layer of adhesive 30. The strips are thus held in place to form a continuous layer of fibrous insulation in which the majority of fibers extend generally perpendicular to the sheet 16. The tab 22 extends beyond the end of the insulation as explained above. If desired the strips can be moved onto the stationary sheet instead of moving the sheet onto the strips, although it is preferred to move the sheet against stationary strips in order to better hold the strips in contiguous relationship during the laminating process.
Referring to FIG. 6, in a separate step from the laminating step described above, the inner sheet 18 is wrapped around a mandrel 32 which is of the same outer diameter as the pipe on which the insulation is designed to be installed. the inner sheet 18, which is flexible but substantially non-stretchable, fits about the mandrel so that its free ends abut but are unattached to each other. The length of the sheet 18 is therefore equal to the circumference of the mandrel and thus also to the circumference of the pipe on which the insulation will be installed. The sheet can be retained in place on the mandrel by any suitable means which will permit the sheet to be subsequently removed, such as by a mechanical clamping device, not shown, adpated to be closed to hold the sheet in place and opened to release it. Such devices are readily available to one or ordinary mechanical skill.
Referring to FIG. 7, after the sheet 18 has been set in place on the mandrel 32, the laminate of the outer sheet 16 and the layer of insulation strips 28 is wrapped around the covered mandrel and adhered to the inner sheet 18 by suitable adhesive. The resulting product, after it has been removed from the mandrel, is shown in FIG. 8 to correspond to the insulation of FIG. 2 prior to installation on a pipe, with the sheet 16 adhered to the outer circumference of the fiber glass tube by a layer of adhesive 30, and the sheet 18 adhered to the inner circumference of the fiber glass tube by a layer of adhesive 33. The adhesive layers and the other components of the insulation product are shown in more detail in the enlarged view of FIG. 8A.
The majority of the fibers 14 extend generally perpendicular to the inner and outer sheets 18 and 16, but due to the shorter radius of curvature of the inner surface of the tube the fibers 14 are squeezed more closely together adjacent the inner sheet 18 than they are adjacent the outer sheet 16. Because the inner sheet 18 is substantially shorter than the outer sheet 16, and because it is substantially non-stretchable, the insulation is held thereby in a generally cylindrical shape, the adjacent edges 34 and 36 of the insulation layer being spaced a short distance from each other. The resilient nature of the product permits the tube to be spread apart to widen the gap between the eges 34 and 36 in order to place the tube over a pipe. The edges are then brought together and the tab 22 is taped or otherwise adhered in place, resulting in a smooth length of insulation completely covering the pipe inside.
As previously mentioned, it is desirable that the insulation product have as low a fuel content as possible in order to prevent or resist fire. In order to make the product economically viable, however, it is not practical to use inorganic binder material. For this reason it is preferred that organic binder used to bond the fibers together in blanket form during the fiber blanket manufacturing process be present in minimal amounts, but in sufficient quantities to provide the necessary structural cohesiveness to enable the manufacturing process and the necessary handling to take place. Preferably, in order to avoid unacceptable contribution to combustion and flame spread the organic binder content of the fibrous insulation should be in the approximate range of 5% to 9% by weight of the bonded fibrous insulation. As an example, a fiber glass layer comprising 5% by weight of phenolic resin binder was found to have sufficient structural integrity. If preferred, binder blends can be used in order to impart certain desired properties. For example, silicone binder can be present in minor amounts, such as 1% by weight of the fiber glass insulation, to take advantage of its nonwetting characteristics.
The outer sheet or jacket 16 should also preferably have a low fuel content and function as a vapor barrier as well. In addition, the adhesive layer 30 used to bond the sheet 16 to the insulation must have adequate bonding strength and also preferably should not contribute to combustion or flame spread. An example of the sheet 16 is a polymide film sold by E.I. DuPont De Nemours and Company under the trademark Kapton. The thickness of the film can vary but preferably is in the range of 1 to 4 mils. If desired, in order to make the insulation more durable and resistant to wear, sheet 16 can comprise a laminate of materials selected for their particular attributes. For example, the polyimide film may be laminated to a tough glass cloth of the type known as marine cloth, to take advantage of the wearing characteristics of the marine cloth. Even though the sheet 16 comprises a laminate, the fabrication of the pipe insulation would remain the same as described above in connection with the sheet 16.
The inner sheet 18, as noted above, must be substantially non-stretchable in order for the radially directed fiber arrangement to be feasible and in order for the snap-fit of the product to work. As in the case of the outer sheet, the inner sheet should have a low fuel content and the adhesive bond 33 between the inner sheet and the fibrous layer must be strong enough to remain intact when subjected to application and service stresses. A conventional fiber glass scrim sheet has been found to function well as the inner sheet. Such scrim sheets ar flexible, lightweight, tolerant to the adhesive, and contain sizing sufficient to prevent unraveling of the fiber glass strands in the scrim.
The thickness of the insulation product of this invention is quite substantial compared to the diameter of the pipe being covered. When the pipe is of very small diameter, however, up to about two inches, the required thickness of insulation makes the formation of a tubular shape difficult to achieve. This is due to the fact that the fibers adjacent the inner sheet compress together when the fibrous layer is formed into a cylinder about the mandrel. When forming a cylinder of insulation having an inner circumference corresponding to the circumference of a very small diameter pipe, there is simply not enough room for the fibers adjacent the inner sheet, even when they are compressed during the formation of the insulation tube.
In order to form insulation of ths size a laminate of the type shown in FIG. 9 can be used. this comprises an outer sheet 16', similar to the sheet 16 of the FIG. 5 arrangement, and alternately arranged fibrous strips 40 and 42. The strips 40 are similar in size and shape to the strips 28 shown in FIG. 4, which establishes the thickness of the insulation layer. The strips 42, however, are not as thick as the strips 40 so that when the laminate is wound onto a mandrel to adhere the inner sheet to the insulation layer and to establish the cylindrical shape of the product, the fibers of the strips 42 will not extend all the way to the inner sheet. Thus because there is less fibrous material adjacent the inner sheet in this embodiment there is room for the fibers to be compressed together even within the tight confines created by the very small radius of curvature of the inner cylindrical surface of the insulation tube. Preferably, to aid in the formation of such a product, the strips 42 are narrower than the strips 40, but it should be understood that the relative widths of the strips depend on the diameter of the pipe to be covered.
The insulation product resulting from the laminate of FIG. 9 is illustrated in FIG. 10 and can be seen to comprise outer and inner sheets 16' and 18' establishing the boundaries of a tube of insulation as in the FIG. 8 arrangement. As in the FIG. 8 arrangement the majority of the fibers 14' are at substantially right angles to the sheets. Although there are fewer fibers adjacent the fibrous face of the laminate of FIG. 9 than there are adjacent the fibrous face of the laminate of FIG. 5, after the mandrel forming operation the amount of fibrous material adhered to the inner sheet 18' is generally the same as the amount of fibrous material adhered to the inner sheet 18 of the FIG. 8 arrangement. The types of adhesives and inner and outer facing sheets are similar to those of the first embodiment and need not be changed due to the small size of the insulation tube.
It should now be clear that the present invention provides a unique pipe insulation arrangement which satisfies the physical requirements outlined above for a lightweight product which must be capable of withstanding high impact abuse. Further, the preferred materials of construction enable the product to resist combustion and flame spread, which can be a vital consideration in any environment where fire could be especially calamitous, and especially on shipboard.
It should be obvious that although preferred embodiments of the invention have been described, changes to certain details of the embodiments can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. | Inorganic fibrous pipe insulation in the shape of a tube comprising outer and inner flexible sheets on the outer and inner cylindrical surfaces of the tube. A majority of the fibers are at right angles to the flexible sheets and therefore extend radially of the pipe to offer good compression resistance to impact. By using substantially non-stretchable material for the inner sheet a fibrous layer whose fibers are generally perpendicular to the layer can be permanently formed into generally cylindrical shape. For insulation designed to cover very small diameter pipes the thickness of the fibrous layer is varied to provide fewer adjacent the inner flexible sheet than are adjacent the outer flexible sheet. | 5 |
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0001] 1. Field of the Disclosure
[0002] The present disclosure pertains to logging while drilling apparatus, and more particularly, to an acoustic logging while drilling apparatus for determination of formation permeability.
[0003] 2. Summary of the Related Art
[0004] The permeability of a reservoir is an important quantity to know as it is one of the factors determining the rate at which hydrocarbons can be produced from the reservoir. Historically, two types of measurements have been used for determination of permeability. In the so-called drawdown method, a probe on a downhole tool in a borehole is set against the formation. A measured volume of fluid is then withdrawn from the formation through the probe. The test continues with a buildup period during which the pressure is monitored. The pressure measurements may continue until equilibrium pressure is reached (at the reservoir pressure). Analysis of the pressure buildup using knowledge of the volume of withdrawn fluid makes it possible to determine the permeability.
[0005] In the so-called buildup method, fluid is withdrawn from the reservoir using a probe and the flow of fluid is terminated. The subsequent buildup in pressure is measured and from analysis of the pressure, a formation permeability is determined. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,708,204 to Kasap, U.S. Pat. No. 7,181,960 to Shen et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 4,890,487 to Dassan et al.
[0006] The shut-in and build-up methods are time-consuming and require shut-down of the well for extensive periods of time. For this reason, acoustic wireline measurements have been used to estimate formation permeability. See, for example, Tang and Chen (Geophysics 1990), U.S. Pat. No. 4.787,859 to Hornby, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,784,333 to Tang et al.
[0007] Wireline measurements of formation permeability suffer from the possible effects of invasion of permeable zones during drilling operations by borehole mud. The present disclosure addresses this issue by using an acoustic logging while drilling (LWD) to estimate formation permeability during drilling.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0008] One embodiment of the disclosure is an apparatus for determining a permeability of an earth formation. The apparatus includes a logging tool configured to be conveyed in a borehole on a drilling tubular, an acoustic transmitter on the logging tool configured to generate a Stoneley wave in an annulus between the logging tool and a wall of the borehole, an array of acoustic receivers configured to generate signals responsive to the generated Stoneley wave, and a processor configured to process the generated signals using a model derived from a formation compressional wave velocity, a formation shear wave velocity, and a formation density to estimate the permeability of the earth formation. The processor is further configured to record the estimated permeability on a suitable medium. The apparatus may further include a first stabilizer at a first end of the logging tool and a second stabilizer at a second end of the logging tool, the first and second stabilizers configured to maintain the logging tool in a substantially centralized position in the borehole during rotation of the drilling tubular. The acoustic transmitter is configured to operate in a monopole mode at a frequency of between 0.2 kHz and 10 kHz. The processor may be further configured to estimate the permeability by determining a value of the formation permeability in the model which produces a Stoneley wave spectrum which substantially matches a Stoneley spectrum derived from the signals, and/or a Stoneley wave that has a time delay which substantially matches a Stoneley wave time delay derived from the signals. The processor may be further configured to estimate a frequency shift/or a time delay of the generated Stoneley wave relative to an output of the model with zero permeability. The processor may be configured to estimate the permeability by performing a slowness-time-coherence analysis and/or a velocity-frequency-coherence analysis. The apparatus may further include an acoustic isolator configured to attenuate an acoustic signal propagating along a body of the logging tool. The apparatus may further include at least one formation evaluation sensor configured to determine the formation compressional wave velocity, the formation shear velocity and/or the formation density. The receiver array may be positioned between the transmitter and a drillbit.
[0009] Another embodiment of the disclosure is a method of determining a permeability of an earth formation. The method includes conveying a logging tool in a borehole on a drilling tubular, activating an acoustic transmitter and generating a Stoneley wave in an annulus between the logging tool and a wall of the borehole, using an array of acoustic receivers to generate signals responsive to be generated Stoneley wave, processing the generated signals using a model derived from a formation compressional wave velocity, a formation shear wave velocity, and a formation density to estimate a permeability of the earth formation, and recording the estimated permeability on a suitable medium. The method may further include maintaining the logging tool in a substantially centralized position in the borehole during rotation of the drilling tubular. The method may further include operating the acoustic transmitter in a monopole mode at a frequency of between 0.5 kHz and 10 kHz. The permeability may be estimated by determining a value of the formation permeability in the model which produces a Stoneley wave spectrum which substantially matches the Stoneley wave spectrum derived from the signals and/or a Stoneley wave that has a time delay which substantially matches a Stoneley wave time delay derived from the signals. The method may further include estimating a frequency shift of the generated Stoneley wave relative to an output of the model with zero permeability. The method may also include estimating a time delay of the generated Stoneley wave relative to an output of the model with zero permeability. Estimating the permeability may be done by performing a slowness-time-coherence analysis and/or a velocity-frequency-coherence analysis. The method may further include using an acoustic isolator to attenuate an acoustic signal propagating along a body of the logging tool. The method may also include determining the formation compressional wave velocity, the formation shear wave velocity and the formation density using formation evaluation sensors. The method may further include estimating the permeability by using a relationship of the form:
[0000]
k
=
k
e
2
+
2
ρ
pf
ωκ
(
ω
)
R
η
(
R
2
-
a
2
)
-
ω
/
D
+
k
e
2
K
1
(
R
-
ω
/
D
+
k
e
2
)
K
0
(
R
-
ω
/
D
+
k
e
2
)
[0000] where ω is the angular frequency, R and a are borehole and tool radii respectively, D is a dynamic pore fluid diffusivity, and k(ω) is dynamic permeability; ρ pf and η are pore fluid density and viscosity respectively. K 0 and K 1 are modified Bessel functions of the second kind of orders zero and one respectively; and k e is the Stoneley wavenumber for the impermeable porous formation.
[0010] Another embodiment of the disclosure is a computer-readable medium for use with an apparatus for determining a permeability of an earth formation. The apparatus includes a logging tool configured to be conveyed in a borehole on a drilling tubular, an acoustic transmitter configured to generate a Stoneley wave in an annulus between the logging tool and a wall of the borehole, and an array of acoustic receivers configured to generate signals responsive to the generated Stoneley wave. The medium includes instructions which enable a processor to process the generated signals using a model derived from a formation compressional wave velocity, a formation shear wave velocity, and a formation density to estimate a permeability of the earth formation, and to record the estimated permeability on a suitable medium. The medium may include a ROM, an EPROM, an EAROM, a flash memory, and/or an optical disk.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0011] The patent or application file contains at least one drawing executed in color. Copies of this patent or patent application publication with color drawing(s) will be provided by the Office upon request and payment of the necessary fee. For detailed understanding of the present disclosure, reference should be made to the following detailed description of exemplary embodiment(s), taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements have been given like numerals, wherein:
[0012] FIG. 1 is an illustration of a bottomhole assembly (BHA) deployed in a borehole from a drilling tubular that includes the apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0013] FIG. 2 is an illustration of a LWD acoustic tool mounted with stabilizers;
[0014] FIG. 3 is an illustration showing the acoustic model of a porous formation used to simulate acoustic wave propagation;
[0015] FIG. 4 shows simulated wireline array monopole-wave data for a 3-kHz source for an impermeable formation. The four plots of this figure show, respectively: (a) 3-kHz Stoneley wave; (b) wave spectrum; (c) semblance correlogram contour from the STC processing; and (d) velocity-frequency-coherence display from the dispersion analysis of the wave;
[0016] FIG. 5 shows results similar to those of FIG. 4 for a permeable formation;
[0017] FIG. 6 shows simulated LWD array monopole-wave data for a 3-kHz source for an impermeable formation. The four plots of this figure show, respectively: (a) 3-kHz Stoneley wave; (b) wave spectrum; (c) semblance correlogram contour from the STC processing; and (d) velocity-frequency-coherence display from the dispersion analysis of the wave;
[0018] FIG. 6 shows results similar to FIG. 5 for a permeable formation;
[0019] FIG. 7 shows the Stoneley wave phase velocities for a centered tool and an off-centered tool; and
[0020] FIG. 8 is an example showing permeability estimation from wireline and LWD measurements; and
[0021] FIG. 9 shows exemplary data and processing results from a well.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0022] In view of the above, the present disclosure through one or more of its various aspects and/or embodiments is presented to provide one or more advantages, such as those noted below.
[0023] FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of an MWD drilling system 10 with a drill string 20 carrying a drilling assembly 90 (also referred to as the bottom hole assembly, or “BHA”) conveyed in a “wellbore” or “borehole” 26 for drilling the wellbore. The drilling system 10 includes a conventional derrick 11 erected on a floor 12 which supports a rotary table 14 that is rotated by a prime mover such as an electric motor (not shown) at a desired rotational speed. The drill string 20 includes tubing such as a drill pipe 22 or a coiled-tubing extending downward from the surface into the borehole 26 . The drill string 20 is pushed into the wellbore 26 when a drill pipe 22 is used as the tubing. For coiled-tubing applications, a tubing injector (not shown), however, is used to move the tubing from a source thereof, such as a reel (not shown), into the wellbore 26 . The drill bit 50 attached to the end of the drill string 20 breaks up the geological formations when it is rotated to drill the borehole 26 . If a drill pipe 22 is used, the drill string 20 is coupled to a drawworks 30 via a Kelly joint 21 , swivel 28 and line 29 through a pulley 23 . During drilling operations, the drawworks 30 is operated to control the weight on bit, a parameter that affects the rate of penetration. The operation of the drawworks is well known in the art and is thus not described in detail herein.
[0024] During drilling operations, a suitable drilling fluid 31 from a mud pit (source) 32 is circulated under pressure through a channel in the drill string 20 by a mud pump 34 . The drilling fluid passes from the mud pump 34 into the drill string 20 via a desurger 36 , fluid line 38 and Kelly joint 21 . The drilling fluid 31 is discharged at the borehole bottom 51 through openings in the drill bit 50 . The drilling fluid 31 circulates uphole through the annular space 27 between the drill string 20 and the borehole 26 and returns to the mud pit 32 via a return line 35 . The drilling fluid acts to lubricate the drill bit 50 and to carry borehole cutting or chips away from the drill bit 50 . A sensor S 1 preferably placed in the line 38 provides information about the fluid flow rate. A surface torque sensor S 2 and a sensor S 3 associated with the drill string 20 respectively provide information about the torque and rotational speed of the drill string. Additionally, a sensor (not shown) associated with line 29 is used to provide the hook load of the drill string 20 .
[0025] Rotating the drill pipe 22 rotates the drill bit 50 . Also, a downhole motor 55 (mud motor) may be disposed in the drilling assembly 90 to rotate the drill bit 50 and the drill pipe 22 is rotated usually to supplement the rotational power, if required, and to effect changes in the drilling direction.
[0026] In the embodiment of FIG. 1 , the mud motor 55 is coupled to the drill bit 50 via a drive shaft (not shown) disposed in a bearing assembly 57 . The mud motor 55 rotates the drill bit 50 when the drilling fluid 31 passes through the mud motor 55 under pressure. The bearing assembly 57 supports the radial and axial forces of the drill bit. A stabilizer 58 coupled to the bearing assembly 57 acts as a centralizer for the lowermost portion of the mud motor assembly.
[0027] A drilling sensor module 59 is placed near the drill bit 50 . The drilling sensor module 59 contains sensors, circuitry and processing software and algorithms relating to the dynamic drilling parameters. Such parameters may include bit bounce, stick-slip of the drilling assembly, backward rotation, torque, shocks, borehole and annulus pressure, acceleration measurements and other measurements of the drill bit condition. A suitable telemetry or communication sub 72 using, for example, two-way telemetry, is also provided as illustrated in the drilling assembly 90 . The drilling sensor module 59 processes the sensor information and transmits it to the surface control unit 40 via the telemetry system 72 .
[0028] The communication sub 72 , a power unit 78 and an NMR tool 79 are all connected in tandem with the drill string 20 . Flex subs, for example, are used in connecting the MWD tool 79 in the drilling assembly 90 . Such subs and tools form the bottom hole drilling assembly 90 between the drill string 20 and the drill bit 50 . The drilling assembly 90 makes various measurements including the pulsed nuclear magnetic resonance measurements while the borehole 26 is being drilled. The communication sub 72 obtains the signals and measurements and transfers the signals, using two-way telemetry, for example, to be processed on the surface. Alternatively, the signals may be processed using a downhole processor in the drilling assembly 90 .
[0029] The surface control unit or processor 40 also receives signals from other downhole sensors and devices, signals from sensors S 1 -S 3 and other sensors used in the system 10 and processes such signals according to programmed instructions provided to the surface control unit 40 . The surface control unit 40 displays desired drilling parameters and other information on a display/monitor 42 utilized by an operator to control the drilling operations. The surface control unit 40 preferably includes a computer or a microprocessor-based processing system, memory for storing programs or models and data, a recorder for recording data, and other peripherals. The control unit 40 is preferably adapted to activate alarms 44 when certain unsafe or undesirable operating conditions occur. An acoustic logging tool 100 (discussed next) may be positioned at a suitable location such as shown.
[0030] Turning now to FIG. 2 , an exemplary tool 200 using the method of the present disclosure is illustrated. The logging tool includes an acoustic transmitter 203 and an array of acoustic receivers designated by 207 . An acoustic isolator 205 is used to attenuate signals from the transmitter to the receiver array that propagate directly through the tool. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,082,484 to Molz et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,615,949 to Egerev et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,915,875 to Dubinsky et al., having the same assignee as the present disclosure and the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The drillbit is in the direction indicated by 211 . The logging tool is also provided with stabilizers 201 , 209 , the necessity for which is discussed below.
[0031] Acoustic logging in a permeable porous formation has been studied by many authors. See, for example, Rosenbaum (1974) and Tang and Cheng. Existing analyses, however, address the wireline situation where the logging tool occupies only a small portion of the borehole. In many of the analyses, the presence of the logging tool is even neglected. For modeling the LWD acoustic propagation with a porous formation, the presence of the tool must be included because, the large-sized LWD tool substantially influences the wave propagation characteristics. For modeling the Stoneley waves that are monopole waves dominant in the low-frequency range, the effect of the isolator is neglected. Stabilizers mounted at the both ends of the tool help maintain the tool position in a centralized position during drilling. As will be discussed later, maintaining the tool position to avoid severe tool decentralization is important for the permeability measurement.
[0032] The LWD acoustic model with a porous formation is also shown in FIG. 3 . Shown therein is a formation 301 with a borehole 311 , drill collar 309 with a ring acoustic transducer 307 . The annulus between the drill collar and the borehole wall is denoted by 303 , while 305 denotes the fluid channel inside the drill collar. Acoustic propagation in the porous formation is formulated using Biot's poroelastic wave theory (Biot, 1956a; 1956b) and the boundary condition at the borehole-formation interface is assumed “open” to allow free hydraulic exchange between borehole and formation (Tang and Cheng). The “open” boundary condition simulates a permeable formation. For comparison purposes, the “sealed” borehole boundary condition is also used to simulate an impermeable porous formation (Schmitt et al., 1988). The impermeable formation is equivalent to an elastic formation, with elastic parameters equivalent to those of the fluid saturated porous formation. The permeable and impermeable results are compared to indicate the effects of permeability.
[0033] The acoustic model parameters are listed in Table I.
[0000] TABLE I Acoustic model Δt p (μs/ft) Δt s (μs/ft) ρ(g/cm 3 ) Radius (in.) Inner fluid 200 1.0 1.06 Drill collar 52 97.4 7.8 3.51 Outer fluid 200 1.0 4.25 Porous formation 68 133 2.6 Porosity 0.25 Permeability 1D Fluid viscosity 1 cp
The LWD tool has a 6.75-in diameter and is centered in an 8.5-in diameter borehole. The transmitter source is modeled by placing a monopole ring source at the rim of the tool. The modeled acoustic waveform is recorded by an array of receivers disposed longitudinally at the rim of the tool with a receiver-to-receiver spacing of 0.75 ft.
[0034] To compare the similarity and difference between the wireline and LWD scenarios, we first model the wireline scenario and use it as a basis for the comparison. As indicated in Table I, the formation for this modeling is a fast formation (the shear velocity in the formation is greater than the compressional velocity in the borehole fluid) with 25% porosity and 1-Darcy permeability, saturated with water (viscosity=1 cp). In modeling the wireline scenario, the LWD tool is removed from the model. To demonstrate the effects of permeability, the modeling results are shown for impermeable (sealed borehole) and permeable borehole wall conditions.
[0035] FIG. 4 is the modeling result for the impermeable borehole condition. For an acoustic source of 3-kHz center frequency, the simulated waveforms and their amplitude spectra for the six-receiver array along the tool are respectively shown in FIG. 4 a and FIG. 4 b. The abscissa of the display in FIG. 4 a is time while in FIG. 4 b, it is frequency. The waveform shows mainly the Stoneley wave 401 in this low-frequency wave. A straightforward velocity/slowness analysis using the semblance method gives the correlogram image plot (called Slowness-Time-Coherence, or STC, display). The abscissa in FIG. 4 c is slowness (reciprocal of velocity) and the ordinate is the intercept time. As seen in FIG. 4 c, the peak of the correlogram corresponds to the moveout slowness of the wave across the receiver array. The frequency dependence of the wave velocity, or dispersion, can be seen from the dispersion analysis result for the array waveform data, as shown by an image display (called Velocity-Frequency-Coherence, or VFC, display) in FIG. 4 d, where the abscissa is frequency and the ordinate is velocity. In this analysis, the wave phase coherence for various moveout velocity values across the array is calculated for each frequency, with the peak coherence corresponding to the phase velocity of a wave mode. Thus the high-coherence trend (central part 403 of the bright area) versus frequency in the VFC image display delineates the frequency-dependent characteristics of the wave mode's phase velocity. In the frequency range of 0-5 kHz, the wave's velocity increases only slightly with frequency. The center frequency is generally indicated by 405 .
[0036] FIG. 5 shows the modeling result for the permeable borehole condition. The permeable formation significantly attenuates the Stoneley wave amplitude. Because of the attenuation of the Stoneley wave, the small-amplitude shear waves 501 , which were hidden in FIG. 4 a, can now be seen in FIG. 5 a. In the presence of the attenuation, the high-frequency portion of the wave is attenuated more than the low-frequency portion, resulting in the shift of the center frequency of the wave spectra. This center frequency 509 in FIG. 5 b is clearly seen to be shifted from the center frequency 405 in FIG. 4 b. The Stoneley wave velocity is also significantly affected by permeability. The slowness from the STC analysis ( FIG. 5 c ) is increased from its impermeable counterpart ( FIG. 4 c ). Also shown in FIG. 4 d, the velocity dispersion curve 507 falls significantly below its impermeable counterpart ( 505 , as picked from the VFC result in FIG. 4 d ), resulting in the delay of the wave's travel time relative to the impermeable condition. The modeling results for the wireline scenario demonstrate that the permeability-induced Stoneley wave attenuation and dispersion are two useful wave attributes that can be used to measure permeability. These attributes can be respectively measured by the shift of the wave's frequency content and by the delay in Stoneley wave travel time. In fact, the Stoneley wave frequency shift and travel time delay are jointly used in estimating formation permeability with wireline measurements (Tang and Patterson, 2004), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,784,333 to Tang et al., having the same assignee as the present disclosure and the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
[0037] Similar to the wireline modeling, the LWD modeling includes the impermeable and permeable scenarios. FIG. 6 shows the impermeable case, corresponding to its wireline counterpart in FIG. 4 . The modeled waveform in FIG. 6 a shows mainly the Stoneley wave 601 for the 0-5 kHz frequency range (see wave spectrum in FIG. 6 b ). The presence of the LWD tool, however, substantially increases the wave's slowness ( FIG. 6 c ), and lowers the wave's velocity dispersion curve 603 in FIG. 6 d as compared to the wireline scenario of FIG. 4 . In contrast to the wireline case where tool size is small, the presence of an LWD tool replaces a large portion of the borehole fluid. Consequently, the Stoneley wave propagating in the remaining fluid annulus becomes quite sensitive to the formation elastic property. For the same reason, this enhancement of sensitivity also applies to permeable porous formations. That is, relative to the wireline situation, the Stoneley-wave's sensitivity to permeability will be substantially enhanced in the LWD situation.
[0038] FIG. 7 shows the modeling result for the permeable borehole condition. The permeable formation substantially attenuates the Stoneley wave 701 amplitude. Because of the attenuation of the Stoneley wave, the small-amplitude arrivals, which were hidden in FIG. 6 a, can now be seen in FIG. 7 a. These arrivals, according to their arriving sequence, are tool and formation P waves 711 , formation shear wave 713 , and the Stoneley wave in the inner-tool fluid channel 715 (Tang et al., 2003). For the present analyses, we focus only on the Stoneley wave 701 in the fluid annulus between tool and formation. The large attenuation of the Stoneley wave shifts the wave's frequency content to an even lower frequency range 709 , as compared its wireline counterpart 509 of FIG. 5 b. The Stoneley wave slowness/velocity is even more significantly affected by permeability. The slowness from the STC analysis ( FIG. 7 c ) is substantially increased from its impermeable counterpart ( FIG. 6 c ). Also shown in FIG. 7 d, the velocity dispersion curve falls 507 substantially below its impermeable counterpart (solid line 505 , as picked from the VFC result in FIG. 6 d ). Compared with its wireline counterpart ( FIG. 5 d ), this velocity decrease is more than doubled. The result in FIG. 7 demonstrates that the presence of an LWD tool in borehole substantially increases Stoneley wave's sensitivity to formation permeability
[0039] The results obtained by the above numerical modeling can be theoretically predicted by analytical solutions that account for the presence of a large-size LWD acoustic tool in the borehole. The Stoneley wavenumber for a permeable porous formation can be calculated (see Tang and Cheng 2004).
[0000]
k
=
k
e
2
+
2
ρ
pf
ωκ
(
ω
)
R
η
(
R
2
-
a
2
)
-
ω
/
D
+
k
e
2
K
1
(
R
-
ω
/
D
+
k
e
2
)
K
0
(
R
-
ω
/
D
+
k
e
2
)
,
(
1
)
[0000] where ω is the angular frequency, R and a are borehole and tool radii respectively, D is the dynamic pore fluid diffusivity given by Tang and Cheng, and k(ω) is dynamic permeability given by Johnson et al. (1987); ρ pf and η are pore fluid density and viscosity respectively. K 0 , and K 1 are modified Bessel functions of the second kind of orders zero and one respectively; k e is the Stoneley wavenumber for the impermeable porous formation (i.e., a sealed borehole wall), which, in the presence of an elastic logging tool is given by the solution of the following dispersion equation (Cheng et al., 1982):
[0000]
I
0
(
fR
)
+
E
tool
K
0
(
fR
)
I
1
(
fR
)
+
E
tool
K
1
(
fR
)
=
f
ρ
l
ρ
f
{
2
gl
k
s
2
[
1
gR
+
2
k
e
2
k
s
2
K
0
(
gR
)
K
1
(
gR
)
]
-
[
2
k
e
2
k
s
2
-
1
]
2
K
0
(
lR
)
K
1
(
lR
)
}
,
(
2
)
[0000] Where I 0 and I 1 are modified Bessel functions of the first kind opposite orders zero and one respectively, ρ f and ρ are borehole fluid and formation density respectively. The borehole fluid (f). formation compressional (l) and formation shear (g) radial wavenumbers are respectively given by:
[0000]
f
=
k
e
2
-
k
f
2
;
l
=
k
e
2
-
k
p
2
;
g
=
k
e
1
-
k
s
2
;
with
:
k
f
=
ω
v
f
;
k
p
=
ω
v
p
;
k
s
=
ω
v
s
[0000] where the symbol v with subscripts f, p and s denoted the borehole fluid, formation compressional, and formation shear velocity respectively. The effect of the loffing tool is modeled by the parameter E tool , expressed as the ratio of Bessel function combinations and parameters related to the elastic tool and the borehole fluid (Tang and Cheng):
[0000]
E
tool
=
(
M
T
/
a
)
fI
1
(
fa
)
+
ρ
f
ω
2
I
0
(
fa
)
(
M
T
/
a
)
fK
1
(
fa
)
-
ρ
f
ω
2
K
0
(
fa
)
,
(
3
)
[0000] where M T is an effective tool modulus accounting for the tool's elasticity, which can be calculated for the given tool property and dimensions (Tang and Cheng, 2004). With the Stoneley wavenumber given by eqn.(1) the Stoneley phase velocity (V ST ) and attenuation (inverse of quality factor Q) are calculated using:
[0000] V ST =•/ ( k )
[0000] Q −1 =2ℑ( k )/ ( k ) (4),
[0000] where and ℑ denote taking the real and imaginary part of a complex function.
[0040] The result of the above analytical solution is plotted as 705 in FIG. 7 d (dashed curve). The theoretical Stoneley wave phase velocity is calculated for the same acoustic model parameters in Table I. The predicted theoretical velocity dispersion curve agrees with the result from the VFC analysis of the synthetic waveform data. The theoretical solution can therefore be used as a forward model for estimating permeability from field Stoneley-wave data.
[0041] In the actual LWD environment, several influences on the acoustic measurements are always present and can cause difficulties for the Stoneley wave measurement. One major influence is the noise caused by drilling. The drilling environment is very demanding for acoustic measurements. Acoustic noises can be generated by various vibrations of the drill string in its axial, radial, lateral, and azimuthal directions. The tool position has complicated movements drilling, which, if not controlled, will impact the borehole to generate acoustic noises. For example, impacts of the drill string on the borehole, and the impact of the drill bit on the formation, generate strong drilling noises. A large portion of the drilling noise exists as “common modes” around the LWD tool. For example, the impact of the drill bit on the formation rock generates mainly tube waves to propagate along borehole. The tube wave is essentially the low-frequency Stoneley wave. Field measurements have shown that the frequency range for typical drilling noise is 0-3.5 kHz. Therefore the existence of drilling noise in the LWD acoustic data is one factor that affects the use of Stoneley waves for the LWD permeability measurement.
[0042] LWD tools are designed to minimize the effect of drilling noise. The tool design configuration, as shown in FIG. 2 , can reduce the noise effect. For this configuration the direct acoustic waves (including Stoneley wave) from the source and the acoustic noise from the drill bit travel in opposite directions, preventing the drilling noise from adversely affecting the velocity analysis of the acoustic data. A recent development of the LWD technology is the enhancement of source transmitter power so as to enhance the signal-to-noise ratio in the low-frequency range (Tang et al., 2006).
[0043] Another feature of the LWD Stoneley wave measurement is the existence of tool waves that travel along the tool body. The acoustic isolator ( FIG. 2 ) operates around or above 10 kHz and therefore can not attenuate the tool waves in the Stoneley-wave measurement frequency range of a few kilohertz. Fortunately, the tool waves travel very fast, almost at the plate velocity of steel (˜5300 m/s), and therefore do not adversely affect the Stoneley-wave velocity analysis. However, because the two types of wave have similar frequency content, the tool waves, when strong, may affect the calculation of the Stoneley-wave attenuation using the frequency shift method.
[0044] Besides the drilling noise and tool wave effects, an off-centered tool position during drilling will adversely affect the permeability measurement using Stoneley waves. This effect is an essential factor that determines the validity of the measurement and will be discussed next.
[0045] The presence of an LWD acoustic tool replaces a large portion the fluid volume in the borehole, making the Stoneley wave in the remaining fluid annulus quite sensitive to the tool position in the borehole. That is, an off-centered tool reduces the Stoneley wave velocity, masking the effect of formation permeability. A numerical finite element modeling was done to simulate Stoneley wave response for an off-centered LWD tool (Zheng et al., 2004). An example of the modeling result is shown in FIG. 8 for two off-center positions. For a fluid annulus of 0.75-in thickness, the tool off-centered by 0.25 in (⅓ of the annulus thickness) appreciably decreases the Stoneley velocity 803 relative to the centered tool result 801 in the frequency range above 1 kHz; a severely decentralized tool (off-centered by 0.5 in, ⅔ of the annulus thickness) substantially reduces 805 the Stoneley velocity. For a decentralized tool in the LWD measurement, it is difficult to distinguish whether the Stoneley velocity reduction is caused by tool decentralization or caused by formation permeability. Although the Stoneley velocity in the low-frequency limit is independent of tool position (as shown by 811 in FIG. 8 and also theoretically proved by Norris (1990)), a low-frequency measurement (below 1 kHz) is prone to strong drilling noise contamination and is presently not considered. A solution in the present disclosure is focused on maintaining the tool position from severe decentralization during drilling.
[0046] A hardware solution for the tool decentralization problem is using stabilizers mounted at the two ends of the LWD acoustic tool, as illustrated in FIG. 3 . The radial dimension of the stabilizer is comparable to the drill bit size that controls the borehole diameter. The stabilizers have two functionalities that help the LWD acoustic measurement. The first and most important functionality is maintaining the tool position to avoid severe tool decentralization during the LWD measurement. With a centered (or approximately centered) tool, the measured Stoneley wave attributes, e.g., travel-time delay and frequency shift, can then be related to formation permeability. The second functionality is keeping the tool from impacting the borehole to avoid the generation of acoustic noises. LWD measurement practices show that data from tools mounted with stabilizers generally have less noise contamination compared to those without stabilizers.
[0047] As demonstrated from previous modeling, permeability relates to two important attributes of Stoneley waves: travel-time delay and frequency shift. In LWD, the large-size tool makes these attributes accentuated. Further, because the attributes are related to permeability, the correlation/correspondence between them provides a permeability indication (Tang and Cheng, 2004). Using the Stoneley wave attributes, one can design a method to characterize/indicate permeable formation intervals even while the well is being drilled.
[0048] Specifically in the LWD data acquisition, we perform a low-frequency monopole measurement to acquire Stoneley wave data in the 0.2-10 kHz frequency range. The Stoneley wave data can be processed downhole to compute Stoneley wave slowness and center frequency. The real-time data can be transmitted to the surface via existing technology (e.g., mud pulse). Using compressional and shear velocity and density obtained from LWD measurements, together with known drilling fluid properties and borehole/tool dimensions, we can calculate the impermeable Stoneley slowness/center-frequency and use them to compare with the measured values. The compressional and shear velocity and density may be obtained by suitable formation evaluation sensors on the bottom hole assembly. This comparison determines the travel-time delay and frequency shift parameters that relate to formation permeability. Depth intervals with significant time-delay and frequency-shift values that correlate/correspond to each other can then be characterized as permeable formations (Tang and Cheng, 2004).
[0049] In the permeability estimation, the Stoneley-wave travel time across the receiver array, as calculated from the measured slowness, is compared with the theoretical travel time value of an impermeable formation. The measured Stoneley-wave spectrum is also compared with a modeled wave spectrum for the impermeable case. The comparison yields the travel time delay and frequency shift of the measured data relative to the modeled (impermeable) data across the receiver array. The correlation between the time-delay and frequency-shift data indicates the permeability effects. The two data sets are then simultaneously fitted by using the model theory (e.g., equations (1)-(4)) to calculate the wave attributes for the measurement frequency range. The actual results of the above-described processing procedure are demonstrated using a field data example, to be discussed below.
[0050] To demonstrate the validity of the modeling/theoretical results and the feasibility of LWD permeability measurement, we analyze both the LWD and wireline Stoneley wave data sets acquired from a well. The LWD data was acquired by a 9.5-in tool (mounted with stabilizers) in a 12.25-in well. After drilling the well, a wireline acoustic tool was used to acquire the Stoneley wave data from the same well. FIG. 9 shows the raw LWD (track 4 , 907 ) and wireline (track 6 , 911 ) Stoneley wave data across two permeable sand formation intervals in the well (see Gamma-ray log curve in track 1 901 ). The early portion of the LWD wave data with an invariant arrival time, as indicated in track 4 , is the low-frequency tool wave. The later portion belongs to the Stoneley wave with a center frequency around 4 kHz. The wireline data (track 6 ) shows two frequency components, one around 1 kHz and the other around 3-4 kHz. The wireline data is low-pass filtered to maximize the 1 kHz component for the processing.
[0051] Using the available compressional, shear, and density log data for the interval (not shown) we obtain the Stoneley-wave travel time delay and frequency shift data for the LWD (track 3 , 905 ) and wireline (track 5 , 909 ). Two observations can be made for the LWD and wireline results. The first is that the time-delay and frequency-shift data are well correlated for both LWD and wireline scenarios, corresponding to the same permeable intervals of the formation. The second is that the LWD time delay and frequency shift values are much higher that their wireline counterpart. Although it is not straightforward to compare the frequency shift data due to different frequency ranges used to process the LWD (around 3-4 kHz) and wireline (around 1 kHz) wave data, the time-delay data can be quantitatively compared. On the average, the LWD time-delay value is about twice higher than its wireline counterpart. This enhanced LWD Stoneley-wave permeability response due to large tool size, as compared to the wireline situation, is well predicted by the theoretical modeling shown in FIG. 7 . The theoretical analysis results are thus validated by the field data.
[0052] Formation permeability values are independently estimated from the LWD and wireline data by simultaneously fitting their time-delay and frequency-shift data using the model theory (i.e., eqns (1)-(4)) above. The theoretical fitting curves are respectively indicated in tracks ( 3 ) and ( 5 ). The estimated permeability values are compared in track 2 . Despite very different tool size and processing frequency range for the LWD and wireline data, the estimated LWD 915 and wireline 913 permeability values compare quite well. This indicates the model theory can correctly accommodate the effects of frequency and tool dimension. This field data comparison example demonstrates the feasibility of permeability measurement using LWD Stoneley-wave data.
[0053] It should be noted that while the example shown depicted the transmitter assembly and the receiver assembly on a single tubular, this is not to be construed as a limitation of the disclosure. It is also possible to have a segmented acoustic logging tool to facilitate conveyance in the borehole.
[0054] Implicit in the processing of the data is the use of a computer program implemented on a suitable machine readable medium that enables the processor to perform the control and processing. The machine readable medium may include ROMs, EPROMs, EAROMs, Flash Memories and Optical disks. The determined formation permeabilities may be recorded on a suitable medium and used for subsequent processing upon retrieval of the BHA. The determined formation permeabilities may further be telemetered uphole for display and analysis.
[0055] The foregoing description is directed to particular embodiments of the present disclosure for the purpose of illustration and explanation. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that many modifications and changes to the embodiment set forth above are possible without departing from the scope and the spirit of the disclosure. It is intended that the following claims be interpreted to embrace all such modifications and changes. | Stoneley-wave data acquired in the LWD environment are used to characterize/estimate formation permeability. Real-time Stoneley-wave time-delay/slowness and center-frequency/attenuation data are used to indicate/characterize formation permeability even during drilling. The use of stabilizers mounted at the tool ends helps maintain the tool position from severe decentralization, reducing ambiguities in the permeability characterization/estimation. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. | 6 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention generally relates to an improved apparatus and method for the recording of credit card transactions at point of sale, and for facilitating the reporting of such transactions to a central accounting or other processing activity.
Using the automotive service station industry as an example, commonly used practices call for a customer's purchase to be manually recorded by an attendant on a perforated triplicate copy sales ticket interspersed with two carbon leaves. Variable information, such as the monetary amount of sale, are recorded manually on the ticket with pen or pencil, and then imprinted thereon by an imprinting apparatus in a quality susceptible of optical character recognition equipment processing. Constant information, such as dealer name and code, and customer name and credit card account number, are respectively obtained from a fixed plate secured to the imprinting apparatus and from the customer's credit card when the latter is inserted into the imprinting apparatus.
Once the imprinting is completed, the multicopy sales ticket is usually presented to the customer on a clipboard, for authorizing signature. After signature, the attendant separates the perforated triplicate copies. The top, original copy is presented to the customer when his credit card is returned to him. The bottom, second copy is retained by the attendant for station records. The middle, third copy is retained by the attendant for an arbitrary time, such as one business day, and then transmitted with other similarly accumulated copies to a central accounting activity for subsequent billing of the customer's account and crediting of the station's account.
Considerable difficulties are encountered by the central accounting activity in batch processing the accumulated third copies. For example, such copies do not always arrive in chronological sequence, necessitating hand sorting by date of transaction. Individual copies are sometimes lost, resulting in expensive reconcilement efforts. And, most important, the sheer physical bulk and weight in handling of individual transaction copies results in significant handling, postage or other expense.
To overcome those problems, the instant invention concentrates the transmittal document information by providing a single sheet, continuous form transaction log sheet which carries certain significant information for each transaction such as date, amount of sale, credit card number and signature on a single line of the log sheet. The transactions are listed chronologically, and each transaction may be assigned a printed sequential transaction number. Finally, the invention reduces the physical number of transmittal documents that must be accumulated and mailed to and processed by the central accounting activity, thereby reducing probability of loss and handling expense.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The instant invention generally comprises a self contained, portable, cassette like transaction log recorder for use with a relative stationary imprinter mechanism. The recorder contains both an external duplicate sales ticket and an internal continuous form log sheet for the sequential recording of individual transactions at the time the sales ticket is completed. The recorder is lightweight, so as to be capable of being handled with one hand, and of minimal exterior dimension to permit its passage through an automobile window for customer signature.
The apparatus of this invention is provided with external receiving means for receiving the customer's credit card at a receiving station, means for translating the card from the receiving station to an imprinting station, means for latching the card immovably at the card from the imprinting station to an external removing station. The recorder is further provided with a safety interlock system which prevents the human error of recording two discrete transactions on the same line or portion of the log sheet. This interlock system includes means for effectively disabling the card latching means until the log sheet is deliberately incrementally advanced, thereby displacing the record of the previous transaction from the imprint station and presenting an unused portion or the next line of log sheet for recording of the next sequential transaction. When the card latching means is inoperative or disabled, no imprinting can take place.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the transaction log recorder apparatus of the instant invention, with a credit card receiving tray in the card imprinting position.
FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a form of sales ticket which may be used in conjunction with the instant invention.
FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a form of transaction log sheet which may be used in conjunction with the instant invention.
FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the anvil member of the recorder apparatus, with a log sheet take-up roller in place.
FIG. 5 is a front cross-sectional view of the take-up roller taken on line 5--5 of FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is a front cross-sectional view of the credit card receiving tray taken on line 6--6 of FIG. 4.
FIG. 7 is a front cross-sectional view of a portion of the interlock mechanism of the instant invention, with the credit card receiving tray latched in its operative imprinting position, taken on line 7--7 of FIG. 4.
FIG. 8 is a top plan view of a portion of the structure shown in FIG. 7.
FIG. 9 is an end view of the credit card receiving tray.
FIG. 10 is an end cross-sectional view of a driven sector gear and return spring comprising a portion of the log sheet advance mechanism, and taken on line 10--10 of FIG. 5.
FIG. 11 is a side view similar to FIG. 7, but with the credit card receiving tray unlatched and in position for removal of the credit card.
FIG. 12 is an end view of a portion of the log sheet and roller advancement mechanism taken on line 12--12 of FIG. 4.
FIG. 13 is a front cross-sectional taken on line 13--13 of FIG. 12.
FIG. 14 is a front cross-sectional view of the roller gear train assembly of the instant invention, taken on line 14--14 of FIG. 4.
FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 15--15 of FIG. 14.
FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the transaction log recorder of the instant invention with the top cover lid open, and the credit card tray in the imprinting position.
FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the recorder with the top cover closed, and the credit card tray in position for receiving or removal of the credit card.
FIG. 18 is a perspective view of an imprinter mechanism with the recorder in place and the upper imprinter frame raised.
FIG. 19 is a view similar to FIG. 18, but with the upper frame lowered into the imprint position.
FIG. 20 is an end view of the take-up roller of the instant invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Before describing the details of the apparatus, reference may first be made to one example of a sales ticket and a log sheet which may be used with the apparatus. A sales ticket 136 which may be used in conjunction with the instant invention is seen in FIG. 2 and comprises, for example, a duplicate two-sheet form both bound and having locating perforations 139 at their left edges. Said sheets may be either of impact-imaging paper, or a translucent paper imaging from a separate double faced carbon leaf between said sheets. Thus, upon imprinting as is hereinafter discussed, transaction identification information is simultaneously transferred to the top customer's copy by carbon impression on the back side of the copy, and to the lower service station's copy by carbon impression of the front side of the copy. The reverse side of the service station's copy may also be provided with a carbon backing to simultaneously transfer all or any of the imprinted information to a generally continuous transaction log sheet 44, seen in FIGS. 3 and 16 when the latter is positioned below the sales ticket. By selective sizing of said carbon backing, various items of information can be prevented from imprinting on the transaction log sheet, as desired.
Referring to FIGS. 1, 16 and 17, the transaction log recorder 2 of the instant invention comprises a lower rigid shell 4, and a complementary upper cover lid 6 hinged to said shell along only one edge thereof by hinges 7 seen in FIG. 4. A generally rectangular aperture is provided in the top surface of lid 6 wherein is secured a planar mask 10 slightly recessed from said top surface to form a slight ledge 12 in said lid 6. Mask 10 is provided with a central imprinting aperture 134, and two transaction obliteration apertures 5. When in the closed orientation, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 17, the lid 6 may be releasably secured to lower shell 4 by means of standard bayonet and slot fasteners or the like, not shown.
Also disposed within the lower shell 4 is a rigid anvil 14, best seen in FIGS. 4, 8 and 16, with a generally planar top writing surface 16, a rounded frontal edge 18, a recessed planar, inclined ramp surface 20, a recessed horizontal surface 24, a left side aperture 26, a track slot 28, a spring-retaining groove 30, and a central aperture 32. The writing surface 16 forms a desk top for customer signature of the sales ticket. The rounded edge 18 forms a guide for the transaction log sheet 44 as it advances across the anvil, while the ramp surface 20 forms a guide for a credit card holding tray hereinafter described. The horizontal surface of the anvil also defines and forms a location pad wherein is secured the service station's fixed printing plate, listing constant information such as dealer name, address and identification-code number.
Anvil 14 is secured to the lower shell 4 by a plurality of machine screws threaded in tapped bosses 33. Also rotatably secured to the underside of anvil 14 is a bank of tandem sequential transaction number imprinter wheels 144. Upper portions of said wheels extend upwardly through the central aperture 32 in anvil 14 to contact the lower surface of log sheet 44. Vertically extending from the top surface of mask 10 are two cylindrical locating pins 137 upon which the locating perforations 139 in ticket 136 center when the ticket is placed into position directly above mask 10 in the recess formed by ledge 12. When in this position, aperture 134 in the mask is directly below a portion of said ticket, and permits imprinting contact by said service station plate, the sequential transaction imprinter wheels 144, the customer's credit card, and other additional imprinting wheels desired so as to imprint transaction data and variable monetary amount of the sale.
Also disposed within lower shell 4 is a log sheet take-up roller 34, whose detail is best seen in FIGS. 4, 5 and 20. Referring to FIG. 20, the roller may be seen to comprise a central bearing shaft extension 36 longitudinally extending from a member 38 having a flat surface 37. Generally enveloping the member 38 along a central length thereof is a generally right-circular cylindrical sleeve 40. The sleeve 40 is recessed into the member 38 along the annular circumference thereof, so that the sleeve has a diameter equal to the major diameter of said member 38. A linear portion 41 of said sleeve runs parallel to said flat surface 37 of the chordal member, and an annular portion 39 of the sleeve overhangs said linear portion and is spaced therefrom. Radially extending from the chordal member 38 at the distal extremities of said sleeve are a plurality of locating pins 42 upon which corresponding perforations 43 in the upper edge of the sheet of transaction log paper may be located. As is seen in FIG. 16, the body of the log paper is laid flat, planar, and generally above and tangent to the top writing surface 16 of anvil 14, and the remainder of said sheet is curled in a reversed roll and disposed in a cavity 45 formed in lower shell 4. Thus it may be appreciated that, when said log paper is so located, and the chordal member 38 is rotated clockwise in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 20, the paper will wrap itself in a spiral of concentric circles whose radii will vary only by the paper thickness of the log sheet. Accordingly, constant angular advancement of roller 34 will incrementally advance said log sheet a generally constant linear amount equal to the interlineal transaction spacing shown in FIGS. 3 and 16. And, in the instant invention, the distance between the locating perforations 43 and the first transaction line is fixed so that, when an unused log sheet is initially affixed to said roller and the take-up roller advancement lever, hereinafter described, is cycled, the first transaction line will be appropriately indexed at the imprinting station immediately subjacent aperture 134 in mask 10.
Referring to FIGS. 1, 4, 12, 16 and 17, operatively connected to said take-up roller 34 is a roller advancement lever 46 disposed outside lower shell 4 in a complementary recess in said shell. The lever is connected to the roller by a gear train assembly best seen in FIGS. 4, 5, 10, 12, 13, 14 and 15.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 13, lever 46 is keyed by a threaded pin 54 to a sector pinion gear 48 having a tandem cam lobe 50 in fixed angular relationship therewith. As shown in FIGS. 10 and 14, pinion 48 is meshed with a complementary driven sector gear 52 which is rotatably fitted about the circumference of a cylindrical barrel 54. Said barrel is coaxial with the bearing shaft extension 36 and secured thereto by a set pin 55, as best seen in FIG. 15. Extending from one lateral surface of said gear is a cylindrical spring pad 56. Extending from the other lateral surface of said gear is a cubic anchor lug 58 from which extends a cantilevered leaf spring 60. Also extending from said other lateral surface is a pivot pin 62 about which is rotatably fastened an advancement pawl 64. As seen in FIGS. 14 and 15, the pawl is spring biased by the leaf spring 60 to engage a ratchet wheel 66 which is secured to and rotates with the barrel 54.
When assembled as in FIG. 14, the barrel 54 is supported at its one extremity near bearing shaft extension 36 by a perforated stanchion 68. Said stanchion has a cam surface 70 at its upper extremity, and a notch 72 at its lower extremity, said notch receiving and locating upon a rib 74 formed into the lower shell 4. The barrel is supported near its other extremity by a bearing rib 76, also formed in the lower shell 4. As seen in FIG. 14, a terminal portion of barrel 54 extends beyond rib 76. As best seen in FIG. 10, a helical torsion return spring 78 is fitted about the outer circumference of the barrel immediately adjacent said rib. The lower extremity 82 of said spring is held immovably against an inner wall 80 of lower shell 4, while the upper extremity of said spring contacts the cylindrical spring pad 56 on sector gear 52. Thus, said spring biases sector gear 52 in the counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 10.
Referring to FIGS. 4, 6, 7, 9 and 11, the credit card receiving and holding tray 84 is a generally rectangular receptable with a horizontal planar top surface 85 having a peripheral lip edge 86 for laterally containing a credit card, and a cutaway notch 88 for ease of insertion and removal of the card while holding same between the thumb and index finger. As best seen in FIG. 6, the tray is spring-biased by a compression spring 92 which is laterally restrained by the walls of aforementioned spring-retaining groove 30 in anvil 14, and which exerts axial force against a spring pad 94 which depends from the lower surface 90 of the tray. As is best seen in FIGS. 7 and 11, tray 84 is of wedge-shaped cross section, the lower surface 90 thereof slidingly cooperating with the aforementioned recessed planar inclined-ramp surface 20 in anvil 14. The tray is guided in the track slot 28 in anvil 14 by two parallel guide protrusions, 102 and 103 respectively, which depend from lower surface 90 in the tray's upper surface 85, and depend completely through the track slot between the guide protrusions and engage a keeper member 100. Said keeper member spans between said two guide protrusions in cantilever fashion, as best seen in FIGS. 9 and 11. Thus, it may be appreciated that, as said tray 84 is moved against spring bias from the card receiving and removal position, illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 16, said tray and a card supported thereon will remain in a horizontal attitude.
The transaction log recorder 2 of the instant invention is intended for cooperative use with a relatively stationary imprinter mechanism 130 seen in FIGS. 18 and 19. Said imprinter mechanism comprises a stationary lower frame member 132, with a plurality of slidable transaction amount keys 133 mounted therein. Said keys are operatively connected to a corresponding number of conventional imprint wheels, not shown, which are rotatably carried by the frame member. Thus, when the transaction amount is set by keys 133, the corresponding amount will be presented by said wheels in an upwardly facing attitude. Chordal portions of such wheels are adapted to extend through the left side aperture 26 of anvil 14 to contact the lower surface of log sheet 44 for imprinting action thereupon.
The imprinter mechanism 130 also includes an upper frame member 138 pivotably secured to said lower frame member. Slidably secured to said upper frame member is a slidable grip 140 from which is suspended a right circular cylindrical imprinting roller 142 which translates in unison with said grip. The central cylindrical axis of said roller is, of course, generally normal to the direction of translation of said grip along said upper frame member. Upper frame member 138 is shown in a raised inoperative orientation in FIG. 18, as when the transaction log recorder 2 is to be inserted into or removed from the lower frame member 132. Upper frame member 138 is shown in the operative imprint orientation in FIG. 19, as when the transaction log recorder is in place within the lower frame member 132 and awaiting an imprinting stroke by the grip 140.
Also contained within lower frame member 132 is a mechanism, now shown, which operatively cooperates with the sequential transaction imprinter wheels 144. When the grip 140 is translated through a complete imprint stroke, this mechanism increments the sequence count by a single digit, thereby imprinting each line on the transaction log sheet with a discrete sequential transaction number.
Interlock System
Referring to FIGS. 12 and 16, the cam lobe 50 on section pinion gear 48 moves in unison with take-up roller advancement lever 46. Said cam is so angularly positioned with respect to the lever that, when the lever is manually angularly rotated from the generally horizontal position shown in FIGS. 1, 12, 16 and 17, to the phantom line position shown in FIG. 12, said cam lobe is rotated to extend in a generally horizontal attitude as also shown in FIG. 12. As the cam is rotated to this attitude, it laterally displaces a spring biased cam follower 101 which comprises a terminal portion of a laterally extending connecting rod 104. As is best seen in FIGS. 7, 11 and 16, the other extremity of the connecting rod is secured in an anchoring perforation in a pivotable latch plate 106. The latch plate is itself pivotably secured to a lower surface of anvil 14 by a pivot pin 108, and is further spring biased by a compression spring, not shown, to oppose the action of said cam against the follower and connecting rod. It is this spring bias which provides the aforementioned spring bias of the cam follower against the cam lobe.
Also comprising part of the interlock mechanism is a pivotable latch member 110 shown in FIGS. 7, 8 and 11. The latch member has a bearing shaft 112 which pivotably cooperates with bearing bosses 114 integrally formed in a lower surface of anvil 14. At one distal extremity of the latch member is formed a rectangular upper step 116 and a bevelled lower step 118. At the other distal extremity of said latch member is formed a pushactuated button 120 which is spring biased generally vertically downwardly by a compression spring 122.
When the customer's credit card has been inserted in the tray 84 and it is desired to move said tray and said card into the imprinting position, the aforediscussed interlock system becomes active. In its normal position between imprint cycles, the latch plate 106 and latch member 110 are disposed as shown in FIG. 11 and perform no latch action. Thus when the tray and card are manually pushed into the imprint position, the bias of spring 92 against pad 94 forces said tray back to the credit card receiving-removal position. That is, the tray cannot be latched into the imprint position until the lever 46 is advanced through its full cycle to advance the transaction log sheet by one line increment. This safety interlock feature prevents the possibility of the inadvertent imprinting of two discrete transactions on the same single line of the log sheet.
To latch tray 84 in the imprint position, the advancement lever must be manually advanced through its full cycle. This measurement causes the cam lobe 50 to displace connecting rod 104 which, in turn, pivotally rotates latch plate 106 to the position shown in FIG. 7. With the latch plate in this position, the bevelled lower step 118 of latch member 110 will respond to the bias of spring 122 and pivot generally upwardly past the edge latch plate 50, to the position also shown in FIG. 7. At this juncture, the tray 84 is manually moved from the card insert-removal position shown in FIG. 11 to the imprint position shown in FIG. 7. Thus it may be appreciated that the guide protrusion 103 will, as the tray is so moved, ride over and abut against rectangular upper step 116 of latch member 110, as shown in FIG. 7, thereby effectively latching said tray in the imprint position for imprinting operations. When said imprinting operations have been completed, the tray and card may be returned to the external receiving-removal position by mere fingertip depression of push button 120 which protrudes through aperture 124 in lower shell 4. When said button is so depressed, the rectangular upper step 116 of latch member 110 is removed from the path of guide protrusion 103, thereby permitting the tray and card to return to the external insert-remove position under the bias of spring 92.
OPERATION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the aforediscussed structure of the present invention, operation of the instant embodiment is as follows:
At the beginning of a business period, such as the start of each business day, the attendant will set a date imprint wheel to that day's date. An unused transaction log sheet 44 is inserted into the recorder and located upon pins 42 on the take up roller. The recorder cover lid is closed and secured to the recorder lower shell. The roller advancement lever is advanced and returned through one or more complex cycles to index the first transaction line of the fog sheet to the imprint position.
When a sales transaction is to be recorded, an unused duplicate sales ticket 136 is inserted atop mask 10 on the recorder and located upon pins 137. The customer's credit card is inserted in tray 84 at the receiving position, and said tray and card are moved together to the imprint position above the anvil so that the raised or embossed characters on the card extend upwardly to contact the lower surface of sheet 44. Since the take up roller has already been advanced to the next available transaction line, the safety interlock system will permit and said tray to latch fixedly in place in said imprint position.
The recorder is now physically placed on the imprinter mechanism, and the transaction value amount is set on the keys 133 which, in turn, set the imprinter wheels to the corresponding amount. The imprinter upper frame member is then pivoted downwardly to positon the imprinting roller immediately above mask 10. The grip 140 and roller 142 are then slidably translated through the imprinting cycle, thereby imprinting both the duplicate sales ticket and the transaction log sheet with the desired variable and constant information, the mask 10 preventing the roller from smudging the log sheet. After said imprinting cycle, the upper frame member 138 is automatically pivoted to the raised orientation, by means not shown, or manually raised to the position shown in FIG. 18 for removal of the recorder.
The recorder 2 is now removed from the imprinter and handed to the customer through his automobile window aperture for signature on the sales ticket. When so signed by the customer, a facsimile carbon signature is produced on the log sheet 44. The attendant, holding the recorder in one hand, now manually pushes push button 120 to release the card and tray from the latched imprint position to the card removal position. The card is then removed from the recorder and returned to the customer, along with the top original copy of the sales ticket. The attendant retains the second duplicate copy of the sales ticket for his records. The log sheet, containing the transaction details in sequential line order, with one transaction per line, is retained in the recorder for recording of future transactions of the business period. At the end of the business period, or when the log sheet is full, sheet 44 is removed and mailed to the central accounting activity for billing of the listed customers and crediting of the dealer's account. Depending upon the requirements of the central accounting activity, the sequential transaction wheels may be reset when a log sheet is changed; at the end of business period; or not at all to sequence transactions over multiple business periods. | An improved apparatus for the recording of credit card transactions at point of sale, and for reporting said transactions to a central accounting and processing activity. The instant invention includes a self contained, compact, portable and lightweight cassette-like transaction log recorder which is adapted to be releasably and operatively engageable with an imprinter mechanism. The recorder contains both an external duplicate sales ticket and an internal continuous form log sheet for the sequential recording of individual transactions at the time various data is applied to successive sales tickets. The recorder is also provided with external receiving means for receiving the customer's credit card at a receiving station, means for translating the card from the receiving station to an imprinting station, means for latching the card immovably at the imprinting station to an external removing station. The recorder is further provided with a safety interlock system which prevents the human error of recording two discrete transactions on the same portion of the log sheet. This interlock system includes means for effectively disabling the card latching means until the log sheet is deliberately incrementally advanced, thereby displacing the record of the previous transaction from the imprint station and presenting an unused portion of the log sheet for recording of the next sequential transaction. Unless the card latching means is operative, no imprinting can occur. | 1 |
[0001] This application is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/905,832, filed Oct. 15, 2010, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/090,352, filed Apr. 15, 2008, which claims priority to International Patent Application No. PCT/GB2006/050256, filed Aug. 23, 2006, which claims priority to United Kingdom patent Application Nos. 0523927.2, filed Nov. 24, 2005 and 0606408.3, filed Mar. 30, 2006. The entirety of all of the aforementioned applications is incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates to a gabion, particularly to a gabion, and especially to a multi-compartmental gabion, which can be used without a lining material.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Gabions are temporary or semi-permanent fortification structures which are used to protect military or civilian installations from weapons assault or from elemental forces, such as flood waters, lava flows, avalanches, slope erosion, soil instability and the like. WO-A-90/12160 discloses wire mesh cage structures useful as gabions. The cage structure is made up of pivotally interconnected open mesh work frames which are connected together under factory conditions so that the cage can fold concertina-wise to take a flattened form for transportation to a site, where it can be erected to take an open multi-compartmental form for filling with a suitable fill material, such as sand, soil, earth or rocks.
[0004] WO-A-00/40810 also concerns a multi-compartmental gabion which folds concertina-wise for transportation, and which comprises side walls extending along the length of the multi-compartmental gabion, the side walls being connected at spaced intervals along the length of the gabion by partition walls which are formed from two releasably connected sections, which after use of the gabion can be released, and the gabion unzipped for recovery purposes.
[0005] Existing gabions have certain disadvantages with respect to construction and longevity. For example, such gabions frequently comprise a wire mesh cage structure lined with a geotextile material, the lining adding to the cost and complexity of the gabion structure, and constituting a significant limitation on the functionality of the gabion after deployment over a long period of time. Particularly in harsh environmental conditions (intense sunlight, wind, rain, snow, sand or salt spray, or a combination of any two or more of these), the geotextile material tends to degrade and this can weaken the functionality of the gabion by, for example, the occurrence of rips, tears or holes in the liner, through which the gabion fill material can fall.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0006] The invention will now be more particularly described with reference to the following drawings, in which:
[0007] FIGS. 1A-1C shows a perspective view of a multi-compartmental gabion in accordance with the invention;
[0008] FIG. 2 shows the multi-compartmental gabion of FIGS. 1A-1C filled with a gabion fill material;
[0009] FIGS. 3A-3D shows a perspective view of a multi-compartmental gabion in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention;
[0010] FIG. 4 shows in close-up perspective view the pivotal connection between neighbouring side wall element panels of the gabion of FIGS. 1A-1C , 2 or 3 A- 3 D;
[0011] FIG. 5 shows in close-up perspective view the optional openable pivotal connection between neighbouring side wall element panels of the multi-compartmental gabion of FIGS. 1A-1C , 2 or 3 A- 3 D, before the releasable locking member is installed;
[0012] FIG. 6 shows in close-up perspective view the openable pivotal connections were made between the components of the FIG. 5 drawing;
[0013] FIG. 7 shows a close-up of a hinged connection of a gabion according to the invention;
[0014] FIG. 8 shows a close-up of a hinged connection of a gabion according to the invention under load;
[0015] FIG. 9 shows a close-up of a hinged connection of a gabion according to the invention being broken;
[0016] FIGS. 10 to 15 show different partial cross-sections through edges of the walls;
[0017] FIGS. 16 to 19 show different partial cross-sections through edges of the walls; and
[0018] FIG. 20 shows a side view of a wall of the gabion.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0019] Accordingly, there is a need for an improved gabion. There is also a need for an improved multi-compartmental gabion.
[0020] According to the present invention there is provided a gabion comprising side walls connected together at spaced intervals by partition walls, the side walls comprising at least one substantially closed side wall element panel, wherein the or each substantially closed side wall element is manufactured of a relatively rigid sheet material.
[0021] According to the present invention there is provided a multi-compartmental gabion comprising opposed side walls connected together at spaced intervals along the length of the gabion by a plurality of partition walls, the side walls comprising a plurality of side wall element panels, at least one side wall element panel comprising a substantially closed panel, wherein the or each substantially closed side wall element is manufactured of a relatively rigid sheet material.
[0022] The substantially closed panel acts in use of the gabion to prevent a gabion fill material (sand, earth, soil, stones or fines, for example) from falling through the side wall without the aid of a gabion lining material.
[0023] Preferably, the rigidity of the material is sufficient to prevent excessive bulging of the side wall element panel when the gabion is filled with a fill material.
[0024] Other desirable characteristics of the sheet material include, either alone or in combination:
Durability Toughness Tear resistance Scratch and erosion resistance Corrosion resistance Thermal stability Ultraviolet stability Low density Low cost Recyclability
[0035] Suitable materials include steel, aluminum, titanium, other metals, alloys, plastic or certain natural materials, or combinations of two or more thereof. Where a metal is used, it is preferably either treated for corrosion resistance, e.g. by galvanisation and/or painting or is inherently corrosion resistant, e.g. a stainless steel.
[0036] Where the sheet material is a plastic material it may be polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) or a composite such as glass fibre reinforced polymer (GFRP). The molecular weight of the chosen plastic can be selected to suit the application (e.g. LDPE, HDPE, LDPP, HDPP). Where plastic are used, they are preferably ultraviolet stabilised e.g. by the addition of fillers to prevent them becoming discoloured and/or brittle upon extended exposure to sunlight.
[0037] In certain circumstances, it may be desirable to add coloured fillers to the plastic material to provide a desired aesthetic effect. In one aspect of the invention, more than one colour filler is added to the plastic material and partially blended therewith to create a non-homogeneous coloured/marbled effect. For example; green and brown; white and grey; or yellow and brown colour fillers could be added to provide camouflage for vegetated, snowy or dessert environments, respectively. Because such colours are integral with the sheet material (i.e. not a surface decoration), they are less susceptible to removal by erosion (e.g. by sand in a sandstorm).
[0038] It is desirable to make the sheet material as thin as possible to reduce the folded volume of the gabion when being stored or transported. A major advantage of using thin-sheet materials is weight saving, which reduces transportation costs and facilitates manual deployment/rearrangement of the gabion.
[0039] The substantially closed panel is preferably provided with means for receiving a hinge member for the purpose of connecting the substantially closed panel pivotally to a neighbouring side wall element panel. The hinge receiving means are preferably provided on a region of the closed panel of greater thickness than an adjacent region of the panel. This helps to prevent tearing of the panel by the hinge member in use of the gabion when the side walls of the gabion act to restrain the gabion fill material. The region of the closed panel of relatively greater thickness is preferably provided at or in the region of an interconnection edge of the closed panel. Preferably, the region of relatively greater thickness is an elongated panel region alongside or at the interconnection edge.
[0040] In one example, illustrated by FIG. 7 , the hinged connections 10 comprise helical springs 112 threaded through apertures 114 disposed towards the edges off each wall 116 , 118 , which are manufactured of sheet material. In FIG. 8 , it can be seen that when a force F is applied to the hinged connection 10 , the apertures 114 tend to deform. Upon application to sufficient force, as illustrated in FIG. 9 , the apertures 114 tear-through, thereby disconnecting the hinged connection. One solution is to provide thicker sheet material. Where mesh-type walls are used, this is not necessarily a problem because the wires of the mesh can be thicker for a given overall gabion weight. However, to use sheet metal of the same thickness as the wire diameter could give rise to a prohibitively heavy gabion.
[0041] It is therefore desirable, additionally or alternatively to the aforementioned variants, to reinforce the sheet material walls in regions of increased stress.
[0042] The elongate panel section of relatively greater thickness may be provided by a folded over edge section of the substantially closed panel. In order to facilitate the folding over of the panel under factory conditions, the corners of the panel at either or both ends of the edge being folded may be removed prior to folding.
[0043] If further reinforcement is required, the edge of the sheet material can be folded a number of times or rolled-up.
[0044] Additionally or alternatively, additional reinforcing members may be affixed at or near to the edges of the sheet material. Preferably, such reinforcing members are strips that can be welded, glued or otherwise fastened in-situ.
[0045] Apertures in the sheet material may pass through one or more layers.
[0046] Where the sheet material is provided with reinforcement, the reinforcement may be faired to minimize/prevent snagging with other objects and/or a user's hands.
[0047] Fairings may be provided by way of trimming corners, removing burrs and/or providing rounded edges.
[0048] Suitably, the substantially closed panel is provided with means for connecting the panel pivotally to a neighbouring panel in the gabion. When such means comprise one or more apertures in the panel, for receiving a hinge member for example, the gabion may be provided with means for covering the one or more apertures to prevent or hinder a gabion fill material from escaping through said one or more apertures. Suitable covering means include cover strips, cover sheets, cover tapes, cover bands, cover ribbons, cover plates, cover coatings, cover layers, cover tabs, covering adhesives and covering gels, doughs, putties and the like. Alternatively, or as well, the one or more apertures may be provided with blocking means for at least partly blocking the egress of fines and other gabion fill materials from the gabion in use thereof. Suitable blocking means include blocking strips, blocking sheets, blocking tapes, blocking bands, blocking ribbons, blocking plates, blocking coatings, blocking layers, blocking tabs, blocking adhesives and blocking gels, doughs, putties and the like.
[0049] Other forms of pivotal connection between neighbouring side wall element panels are also contemplated within the scope of the invention—for example an interconnecting edge of a first neighbouring panel may be provided with a protruding portion interconnecting with a corresponding inset portion in the corresponding interconnection edge of a second neighbouring panel. A locking member may extend through the protruding portion and be received in the second neighbouring panel interconnection edge either side of the inset portion to lock the protruding portion into the inset portion in a pivotal fashion.
[0050] Alternatively, an elongate locking member may be provided in the interconnection edge of a first neighbouring side wall element panel, extending slightly beyond the interconnection edge at the top and bottom of the panel, and one or more linking members may then secure the locking member to the second neighbouring side wall element panel in the region extending slightly beyond the interconnection edge. Many other forms of pivotal connection may also be suitable in the realisation of the invention.
[0051] The gabion of the invention may be provided with a plurality of side wall element panels, each comprising a substantially closed panel having releasable interconnections which when released, allow the side wall element panels to open with respect to the gabion to allow access from the side of the gabion to any contents of the gabion compartments.
[0052] According to the present invention, there is provided a multi-compartmental gabion as hereinbefore described comprising opposed side walls connected together at spaced intervals along the length of the gabion by a plurality of partition walls, the spaces between neighbouring pairs of partition walls defining, together with the side walls, individual compartments of the multi-compartmental gabion, individual compartments of the multi-compartmental gabion being bounded by opposed side wall sections of the respective opposed side walls, the partition walls being pivotally connected to the side walls, and the side wall sections of the individual compartments comprising at least one substantially closed side wall element panel, pivotal connections being provided between neighbouring side wall element panels allowing the multi-compartmental gabion to fold concertina-wise for storage or transport.
[0053] At least one side wall element panel may be formed from a closed panel having an interconnection edge adjacent a neighbouring side wall element panel, an elongate panel being provided at or in the region of the interconnection edge, the thickness of the elongate panel being greater than the side wall element panel in the region thereof adjacent the elongate panel, the elongate panel section being provided with means for receiving a hinge member for pivotally connecting the side wall element panel to a neighbouring side wall element panel.
[0054] The partition walls may likewise be formed from closed panels. However, the partition walls may also be formed from an open mesh material, for example.
[0055] One multi-compartmental gabion of the invention therefore facilitates post-deployment recovery of the gabion by providing at least one openable side wall section along the length of the gabion. Preferably, a plurality of openable side wall sections are provided. More preferably all of the side wall sections, except those at the ends of the gabion in a gabion having more than two compartments, are openable. Most preferably, all of the side wall sections along the length of the gabion are openable. By “openable” is meant that the pivotal connection between the connected side wall element panels of the side wall section is provided by a hinge member provided on one or both of the connected side wall element panels and by a releasable locking member cooperating with the hinge member releasably to secure the pivotal connection therebetween. In some preferred embodiments of the invention, a first hinge member is provided on a first neighbouring side wall element panel and a second hinge member is provided on a second neighbouring side wall element panel, the releasable locking member cooperating with both the first hinge member and the second hinge member releasably to secure the pivotal connection. Opening of an openable side wall section is achievable by releasing the locking member and pulling apart the resulting unconnected side wall element panels.
[0056] Each side wall section may comprise a single side wall element panel, in which case the openable pivotal connection between neighbouring side wall element panels is located between neighbouring side wall sections. In this case the pivotal connection between neighbouring side wall element panels and the partition wall marking the boundary between corresponding neighbouring side wall sections is also openable to allow the first neighbouring side wall element panel to be released both from the second neighbouring side wall element panel and from the partition wall. Alternatively, each side wall section may comprise a plurality of side wall element panels, in which case the openable pivotal connection may be provided between neighbouring side wall element panels of a given side wall section. However, even when side wall sections comprise a plurality of side wall element panels, openable pivotal connections may be provided between neighbouring side wall sections as well as or instead of between neighbouring side wall element panels of a given side wall section. Multi-compartmental gabions comprising a plurality of side wall sections, with different numbers of side wall element panels constituting different side wall sections are also contemplated.
[0057] Deployment of the gabion of the invention will generally be effected by transporting the folded gabion to a deployment site, unfolding the gabion and filling each individual compartment of the gabion with a fill material. Generally the fill material will be dictated at least partly by the availability of suitable materials at the deployment site. Suitable fill materials include, but are not limited to, sand, earth, soil, stones, rocks, rubble, concrete, debris, snow, ice and combinations of two or more thereof.
[0058] There are a number of reasons why it could be desirable to open side wall sections of the gabion. For example, when the deployed gabion is to be decommissioned, it is often desirable to recover the gabion for environmental or aesthetic reasons, or simply out of consideration for the local population. Recovery of the gabion of the invention is facilitated by opening up all of the openable side wall sections of the gabion, at least partly removing the fill material from the compartments, and removing the gabion from site.
[0059] By way of further example, if the deployed gabion is damaged in use it may be desirable to replace or repair the damaged section of the gabion. Access via the openable side walls of the damaged section facilitates this. Similarly, when it is desired for reasons unconnected with damage to move, alter or replace a gabion section (for example if the position or orientation of the gabion requires alteration), such replacement is again facilitated by the capacity to remove at will fill material from selected gabion sections.
[0060] Although certain embodiments of the invention are characterised by the presence of at least one openable side wall section, and preferably by a plurality of openable side wall sections, it will often be desirable to provide each individual compartment of the gabion, optionally with the exception of the end compartments of the gabion (when the gabion has more than two compartments), with openable side wall sections. Accordingly, there is provided in accordance with the invention a multi-compartmental gabion as described wherein the pivotal connection between the connected side wall element panels of each of the side wall sections, or between each neighbouring side wall section, optionally with the exception of the end side wall sections, is provided by a hinge member provided between the first side wall element panel of a given side wall section and a second neighbouring side wall element panel of the given or a neighbouring side wall section, and a releasable locking member cooperating with the hinge member releasably to secure the pivotal connection. Preferably, a first hinge member is provided on the first side wall element panel and a second hinge member is provided on the second neighbouring side wall element panel, and the releasable locking member cooperates with both first and second hinge members releasably to secure the pivotal connection.
[0061] Furthermore, although a multi-compartmental gabion will be in accordance with the certain aspects of the invention if a plurality of openable side wall sections are provided on one side wall, it is also contemplated that openable side wall sections may be provided on both side wall sections of an individual compartment to allow access to the fill material from both sides. Accordingly, the invention provides a multi-compartmental gabion as described wherein the pivotal connection between the connected side wall element panels of at least a plurality of opposed side wall sections is provided by a hinge member provided between a first side wall element panel of a given side wall section and a second neighbouring side wall element panel of the given or a neighbouring side wall section, and by a releasable locking member cooperating with the hinge member releasably to secure the pivotal connection. Also contemplated within the scope of the invention is a multi-compartmental gabion as described wherein the pivotal connection between the connected side wall element panels of at least a plurality of opposed side wall sections is provided by a first hinge member provided on a first side wall element panel of a given side wall section and by a second hinge member on a second side wall element panel of the given or a neighbouring side wall section and by a releasable locking member connecting the first hinge member to the second hinge member.
[0062] Also contemplated is that openable side wall sections may be provided alternately on first and second opposed side walls along at least part of the length of the gabion. In this way when a gabion is being recovered, cooperating excavating equipment or personnel can be deployed on opposite sides of the gabion to remove fill material from neighbouring compartments simultaneously or in rapid succession if simultaneous excavation is undesirable for safety or other reasons. Thus, the invention provides a multi-compartmental gabion as described wherein the pivotal connection between the connected side wall element panels of at least a plurality of side wall sections staggered on alternating opposite side walls along at least part of the length of the gabion is provided by a hinge member provided between a first side wall element panel of a given side wall section and a second neighbouring side wall element panel of the given or a neighbouring side wall section, and by a releasable locking member cooperating with the hinge member releasably to secure the pivotal connection. Also contemplated within the scope of the invention is a multi-compartmental gabion as described wherein the pivotal connection between the connected side wall element panels of at least a plurality of side wall sections staggered on alternating opposite side walls along at least part of the length of the gabion is provided by a first hinge member provided on a first side wall element panel of a given side wall section and by a second hinge member on a second side wall element panel of the given side wall section and by a releasable locking member connecting the first hinge member to the second hinge member.
[0063] A side wall section preferably comprises a single side wall element panel, or two side wall element panels. However, a side wall section, a plurality of side wall sections, or each side wall section may, if desired comprise more than two side wall element panels. In this case pivotal connections are preferably provided between each side wall element panel.
[0064] Accordingly, the invention provides a multi-compartmental gabion as described wherein one or more side wall sections comprise a single side wall element panel. The invention also provides a multi-compartmental gabion as described wherein one or more side wall sections comprise two side wall element panels pivotally connected together (preferably openably pivotally connected together). Also contemplated within the scope of the invention is a multi-compartmental gabion as described wherein one or more side wall sections comprise more than two side wall element panels, with pivotal interconnections being provided between each neighbouring pair of side wall element panels.
[0065] One multi-compartmental gabion of the invention comprises a plurality of connected compartments, each compartment being bounded at opposed ends by a pair of opposed partition walls, and being bounded at opposed sides by a pair of opposed side wall sections, each side wall section comprising at one side wall element panel. In at least one, two, three or more individual compartments of the multi-compartmental gabion, at least one such side wall element panel is arranged to be openable, the mechanism of opening being operable when the compartment is loaded with a fill material.
[0066] The concertina-wise folding of the gabion may be effected by the side wall sections folding in towards the central longitudinal axis of the gabion, or by the side wall sections folding out away from the central longitudinal central axis of the gabion. The former manner will generally be preferable as the resulting folded gabion will have a relatively smaller cross-sectional surface area in a plane orthogonal to the central longitudinal axis of the gabion.
[0067] In one preferred embodiment of the invention the pivotal interconnection between connected walls and/or wall sections and/or wall elements is achieved by providing interconnected walls, wall sections and/or wall elements with a row of apertures along or in the region of an interconnection edge thereof and by providing a coil member helically threaded through a plurality of apertures along the interconnection edge. In the case of a straightforward (i.e.—non-openable) pivotal connection, a single coil member may be helically threaded through the connection edge apertures of two (or more) neighbouring walls, wall sections and/or wall elements to achieve pivotal interconnection therebetween. Accordingly, there is provided in accordance with the invention a multi-compartmental gabion as described wherein at least one pivotal connection is provided by the presence of a coil member helically threaded through connection edge apertures of connected walls, wall sections or wall elements.
[0068] In another preferred embodiment of the invention the openable pivotal interconnection between connected side wall element panels is achieved by providing the interconnected side wall element panels with a row of apertures along or in the region of an interconnection edge thereof and by providing a first coil member helically threaded through a plurality of apertures along the interconnection edge of a first side wall element panel, a second coil member helically threaded through a plurality of apertures along the interconnection edge of a second side wall element panel (connected to the first side wall element panel along the interconnection edge) and a releasable locking member threaded through overlapped first and second coil members. Thus, in the case of an openable pivotal connection, a pair of coil members may be helically threaded through the respective opposed connection edge apertures of two neighbouring side wall element panels, and a releasable locking member inserted through the overlapped coils of the opposed pair of coil members. Accordingly, there is provided in accordance with the invention a multi-compartmental gabion as described wherein at least one openable pivotal connection between neighbouring side wall element panels is provided by the presence of a pair of coil members helically threaded through respective connection edge apertures of neighbouring side wall element panels and by a releasable locking member threaded through the respective coil members when overlapped.
[0069] Thus, there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a multi-compartmental gabion, as described, wherein the or at least one hinge member comprises a helical coil.
[0070] The releasable locking member may be of any suitable shape or size and may for example comprise an elongated locking pin. The pin may be provided with a gripping protrusion at one end to facilitate manual insertion and/or removal of the locking pin. The gripping protrusion may for example comprise a loop at one end of the locking pin. Accordingly, there is provided in accordance with the invention a multi-compartmental gabion as described wherein at least one locking member comprises an elongated locking pin.
[0071] The side walls, side wall sections, side wall element panels and/or partition walls preferably comprise one or more panel sections of any suitable material, for example steel, aluminium, titanium, any other suitable metal or alloy, or from a plastic, ceramic or natural material such as timber, sisal, jute, coir or seagrass. Normally, steel is preferred, in which case the steel is preferably treated to prevent or hinder steel erosion during deployment of the gabion. The panel is a substantially closed panel which acts in use of the gabion to contain a gabion fill material without the need for a gabion compartment lining material, such as a geotextile liner. However, the gabion of the invention may be used together with a suitable lining material if necessary. In the case of a closed panel, connection edge apertures where needed will normally be machined or otherwise provided in or in the region of the panel edge.
[0072] The gabion of the invention may comprise pivotally interconnected, substantially closed, side wall element panels which are connected together under factory conditions so that the gabion can take a flattened form for transportation to site where it can be erected to take a form in which panels thereof define side, partition and end walls and an open top through which the compartments of the gabion may be filled. Preferably, under factory conditions said panels define side, partition and end walls and are pivotally interconnected edge to edge and are relatively foldable to lie face to face in the flattened form for transportation to site and can be relatively unfolded to bring the gabion to the erected condition without the requirement for any further connection of the side, partition or end walls on site.
[0073] In preferred embodiments of the invention, the side walls of the gabion each comprise a plurality of side panels pivotally connected edge to edge and folded concertina fashion one relative to another. The side walls are preferably connected by partition walls which are pivotally connected thereto, the gabion structure being adapted to be erected on site by pulling it apart by the end walls so that when it is moved from the flattened form to the erected condition the side walls unfold and define with the end walls and partition walls an elongated wall structure having a row of cavities to be filled with a fill material and of which each partition wall is common to the pair of cavities adjacent the partition wall.
[0074] Referring in more detail to FIGS. 1A-1C and 2 , there is shown multi-compartmental gabion 1 comprising opposed side walls 2 , 3 connected together at spaced intervals along the length of gabion 1 by a plurality of partition walls 4 , 5 , 6 defining, together with side walls 2 , 3 individual compartments 7 , 8 , 9 of multi-compartmental gabion 1 . Individual compartment 8 (and other similar individual compartments) of multi-compartmental gabion 1 is bounded by opposed side wall sections 10 , 11 of the respective opposed side walls 2 , 3 . Partition walls 4 , 5 (and similar partition walls) are pivotally connected to side walls 2 , 3 at hinge points 11 , 11 ′, 12 , 12 ′.
[0075] In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1A-1C and 2 , each side wall section 10 , 11 of multi-compartmental gabion 1 comprises two side wall element panels 13 , 13 ′; 14 , 14 ′, with pivotal connections being provided between neighbouring side wall element panels 13 , 13 ′, and between neighbouring side wall element panels 14 , 14 ′.
[0076] The pivotal connections between partition walls 4 , 5 (and other partition walls in the multi-compartmental gabion) and side walls 2 , 3 , and the pivotal connections between neighbouring side wall element panels 13 , 13 ′; 14 , 14 ′, allow multi-compartmental gabion 1 to fold concertina-wise for flat-packing in transportation and storage. In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1A-1C and 2 , the concertina-wise folding preferably operates so that the pivotal connections between neighbouring side wall element panels 13 , 13 ′; 14 , 14 ′, move inwardly with respect to the longitudinal axis of multi-compartmental gabion 1 so that the width of the flat-packed gabion is at least approximately corresponding to the width of partition walls 4 , 5 , 6 .
[0077] The side wall element panels may be provided with texture, ribbing or other irregularities in order to maintain effective strength of the panel whilst minimising its weight, and/or to provide decorative effect.
[0078] Referring to FIG. 2 , multi-compartmental gabion 1 is shown filled with a gabion fill material 21 . Fill material 21 may be selected from any suitable available material, as hereinbefore described. Rough earth and stones are shown as the fill material in FIG. 2 . FIG. 2 also shows a cover strip 22 , 22 ′ over the hinged interconnection edges of the gabion.
[0079] Referring now to FIGS. 3A-3D , there is shown a second embodiment of the multi-compartmental gabion, in which each individual compartment comprises a pair of partition walls 34 , 35 , and a pair of opposed side wall element panels 312 , 313 . Pivotal connections therebetween allow the gabion to fold concertina-wise (first one way, and then the other) for flat packing and storage.
[0080] Referring now to FIG. 4 , there is shown a close-up perspective view of the pivotal connection between neighbouring side wall element panels 13 and 13 ′. This pivotal connection may be between two side wall element panels only, or may also include a partition wall. For convenience in the drawing, partition wall 5 has been omitted from the close-up perspective view. However, it will be understood that partition wall 5 may share this particular pivotal connection in a similar fashion. Referring to FIG. 4 , side wall element 13 comprises a substantially closed panel 41 comprising a folded over edge region 42 in which is machined a row of interconnection edge apertures 43 . Prior to folding of folded over edge portion 42 , the corners of side wall element panel 41 at either end of the interconnection edge are removed to facilitate folding. Pivotal connection therebetween is effected by a helical coil 45 which is helically threaded through the interconnection edge apertures of the neighbouring panels. Although not shown in FIG. 4 , loose end 45 of helical coil 44 may be bent round or otherwise prevented from accidentally disengaging with the top most aperture of side wall element 13 , and weakening the pivotal connection by such disengagement.
[0081] Referring now to FIG. 5 , there is shown in close-up perspective view the optional openable pivotal connection between neighbouring side wall elements 13 , 13 ′. In this case, both neighbouring closed panels are provided with helical coil members threaded helically through the interconnection edge apertures thereof. The first hinge member 51 and the second hinge member 52 are thereby provided. Releasable locking member 53 is shown in FIG. 6 connecting the overlapped helical coils.
[0082] Referring now to FIGS. 10 to 15 , cross-sections through the gabion are shown where the walls 126 are manufactured of sheet metal. As can be seen, a helical spring 112 is threaded through apertures 114 in the side wall 126 .
[0083] In FIG. 10 , a single fold 130 is provided to reinforce the edge of the wall 126 . The aperture 114 passes through both thicknesses 132 of the fold 130 .
[0084] In FIG. 11 , a double fold 134 is provided and the aperture 114 passes through all three thicknesses 136 of the fold 134 .
[0085] In FIG. 12 , a single fold 130 is provided, but the aperture 114 only passes through a single thickness 132 .
[0086] In FIG. 13 , a double fold 134 is provided, but the aperture 114 only passes through a single thickness 136 .
[0087] In FIGS. 14 and 15 , a reinforcing strip 138 is stuck to the wall 126 using a layer of adhesive 140 . The aperture can either pass through the reinforcing strip 138 , or the wall 126 , respectively.
[0088] In FIGS. 16 , 17 and 18 , the aperture only passes through the wall 126 . Strength/reinforcement advantages can nonetheless be attained so long as the spring 112 is pulled in the direction indicated by arrow A. This arrangement has the further advantage that the aperture 114 need only be drilled or punched through one thickness of material, which reduces manufacturing costs and/or complexity.
[0089] FIGS. 16 to 19 show partial cross-sections of the gabion where the wall 126 is manufactured of a plastic material. As can be seen, a thicker, reinforced region 142 is relatively easily formed using a suitable moulding technique. In FIGS. 17 to 19 , a reinforcing wire 144 has been co-moulded with the wall 126 to further reinforce the edge thereof.
[0090] A further possible variant of the invention sees reinforcing wires or a reinforcing mesh 146 being integrally mounded with the wall 126 as illustrated in FIG. 17 . This feature means that much thinner wall thicknesses can be provided for a given strength requirement.
[0091] Finally, FIG. 20 shows a side view of a wall panel 126 having an edge reinforcement as illustrated in FIG. 6 . As can be seen, the corners of the fold 130 have been cut away 150 to prevent sharpe edges 151 (indicated by a dotted line) protruding above the edge 152 of the wall 126 .
[0092] As can also be seen in FIG. 16 , the top and bottom edges 153 of the wall 126 have also been folded over to facilitate manual handling of the gabion and to prevent damage to neighbouring objects (not shown) such as a floor surface. | The invention provides a gabion which may be used to protect military or civilian installations from weapons assault or from elemental forces, such as flood waters, lava flows, avalanches, soil instability, slope erosion and the like, the gabion comprising side walls connected together at spaced intervals by partition walls, the side walls comprising at least one substantially closed side wall element panel, which acts in use of the gabion to prevent a gabion fill material from falling through the side wall, the said action of the substantially closed side wall element panel being effective without the aid of a gabion lining material. | 4 |
This application is a continuation-in-part of copending application Ser. No. 224,446, filed Jan. 12, 1981, which is a continuation-in-part of copending application Ser. No. 203,566, filed Nov. 5, 1980, now all abandoned.
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to packaged adhesive-surfaced sheet-like articles. Particularly, this invention relates to packaged, delicate, sheet-like articles and to methods of application of these fragile articles to an adherend.
BACKGROUND ART
It has been customary for many years to mount adhesive-surfaced articles such as bandages, name tags, and transfer decalcomanias onto a release liner from which the article has to be peeled prior to placement at its intended location. Often, it is difficult to separate an edge of the article from the release liner, and even after this is accomplished the article invariably curls up and frequently becomes unmanageable. The placement of such an adhesive-surfaced article after removal from the liner is generally complicated by the difficulty, if not altogether impossibility, of holding the article in such a manner as to avoid contaminating or damaging the adhesive surface.
Articles which can be applied to an adherend without the necessity of touching the surface have been proposed. Thus, it is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,703,083, among others, that the adhesive surface of the article may have releasably attached thereto a plurality of overlaying protective facing members which have finger gripping portions by which the facing members may be stripped from the adhesive without touching the adhesive. Although such a packaging construction allows for improved handling and placement of adhesive-surfaced articles, the often different release rates of the various protective facing members makes it difficult to avoid curling, wrinkling, folding, stretching, or surface-contamination of the adhesive-surfaced article during application. Where the adhesive-surfaced article is extremely fragile, this curling, wrinkling, folding, and stretching of the adhesive-surfaced article simply cannot be avoided.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,899,077 discloses another means for packaging an article having adhesive zones. In accordance with this patent, a strip package is provided for a flat adhesive bandage, the bandage having a central pad and adhesive zones on each side thereof, and the adhesive zone being covered by removable protective foils. At least one of the protective foils is automatically removed when the bandage is removed from the strip package. Such a strip package does not provide a means for the handling and placement of fragile, adhesive-surfaced articles so as to avoid curling, wrinkling, and stretching the adhesive-surfaced article.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,260,260 discloses a surgical drape or laminate comprising a flexible plastic sheet with a pressure sensitive adhesive on the center portion of one of its surfaces, a cover sheet releasably attached thereto, and a pair of handles or strips, to provide removal means, attached to marginal portions of the flexible plastic sheet by means of a permanent adhesive. Such a laminate is of limited use as a bandage or decal due to the presence of the permanent pair of handles.
It is known in the art to attach a substantial, adhesive-surfaced sheet-like article to an adherend, the purpose of which is to hold a device, such as a bioelectrode, in position on a living body. This article has an adhesive surface which is covered with a release sheet having a central scored portion for separate removal therefrom. However, much smaller ratios of total article area to apertured release sheet area, and much greater article thickness, are required in the prior art article than are useful in the present invention. In addition, the utility disclosed herein is very different from the prior art usage.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
The present invention provides an adhesive-surfaced article packaged for facile placement onto an adherend without distortion and surface contamination of the article. The package comprises a release carrier sheet having an aperture cut therein and the adhesive-surfaced article, particularly an adhesive-surfaced delicate article, disposed over the aperture and overlapping the periphery of the carrier sheet around the aperture to an extent necessary to support the article. A release cover, either cut out from the release carrier sheet or from a separate release sheet, protects the adhesive surface of the article exposed by the aperture. The release carrier sheet with the aperture cut therein is hereinafter referred to as the peripheral release carrier. The adhesive surface of the carrier can also be protected by placing the articles one on top of the other to form a stack or pad. In this arrangement the upper surface of the article is preferably treated with a low-adhesion backsize to allow separation of the articles. The design of the overlap is significant. The adhesive bond between the article and the peripheral release carrier must be sufficient to support the article during removal of the release cover, yet low enough to allow removal of the peripheral carrier after the article is adhered to the intended surface.
Briefly summarizing, the present invention provides a package comprising:
an adhesive-surfaced, sheet-like article;
a release carrier laminated to the adhesive surface of the article and apertured to form a peripheral release carrier that is releasably adhered to peripheral areas of said adhesive surface; and
a release cover, substantially as large or larger than said aperture in said release carrier, releasably adhered over the portion of said adhesive surface exposed by said aperture;
the ratio of the length of a straight line joining any two points on the perimeter of the article and passing through the center of the article, to the summation of the lengths of the segments of that line overlapped by said peripheral release carrier, being at least about 5 to 1.
With such a package, delicate, adhesive-surfaced sheet-like articles such as bandages and decalcomanias which may be fragile can be handled without curling or distortion and accurately placed onto an adherend without danger of contaminating the adhesive surface.
A "delicate" article refers to a thin element which may be flexible, rigid, strong, limp, brittle, filmy or fragile, can be easily torn or hurt, or is subject to stretching, wrinkling, folding or to surface contamination. It is up to 250 microns thick.
The invention further provides a process for placement of an adhesive-surfaced article onto an adherend comprising the steps of packaging the article in the described assembly, removing the release cover from said article, as by flexing the package to release an edge of the release cover and peeling the release cover from the adhesive-surfaced article while holding the peripheral release carrier, positioning the adhesive-surfaced article onto an adherend and adhering it thereto, and removing the peripheral carrier by pulling the release carrier sheet away from the edges of the attached article while the article is in position on the adherend.
Additionally, the invention provides a process for mechanically placing an adhesive-surfaced article onto an adhered comprising the steps of packaging the article in the described assembly, removing the release cover from the article, and then mechanically plucking the article from the peripheral release carrier by means of a vacuum, contact adhesion device, or other suitable instrument which contacts and adheres to the article. Mechanical plucking depends on a difference in relative holding strengths between the plucking means and article, and the article and peripheral release carrier. Successful plucking requires the former strength to be greater than the latter strength. With the release cover removed, the required differential in relative strengths is easily achieved. For example, a vacuum platen can be utilized to contact the top of the article to be plucked, causing the article to adhere to the platen if the vacuum strength is greater than the adhesive strength of the article. Then, mechanically, the platen transfers, positions, and applies the article to the designated adherend. The platen is then removed from the article. A contact adhesive or other suitable device can be similarly used.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
In the accompanying diagrammatic drawings which illustrate the invention:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a packaged adhesive-surfaced bandage according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a cross-section of the packaged article shown in FIG. 1 taken along line 2--2, showing the beginning of the removal of the release cover from the package;
FIG. 3 is a cross-section similar to FIG. 2, showing the application of the article onto an adherend;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a roll of packages of the invention;
FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a packaged bandage according to the invention; and
FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a packaged decalcomania according to the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring now more particularly to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a package 10 comprising a delicate, adhesive-surfaced article 12, having upper sheet-like element 14 and pressure sensitive adhesive lower layer 16. The article 12 fits over and is slightly larger in dimensions than an aperture 18 in a release carrier 20, which comprises a release coating 22 on substrate 24 (see FIG. 2). The carrier 20 supports the adhesive-surfaced sheet-like article 12 around the periphery 26 of the article. A portion of the adhesive surface 16 of sheet-like article 12 is exposed by the aperture 18 and this exposed portion is covered by release cover 28. As shown, release cover 28 is cut out of release carrier 20 along cut lines 19 and has the exact dimensions of aperture 18, although it may be a separately applied release cover of dimensions different from those of aperture 18.
FIG. 2 shows the package 10 of FIG. 1 in cross-section. Release cover 28 is beginning to be removed by peeling it away from sheet-like article 12. In preferred usage this peeling is caused by flexing package 10.
FIG. 3 shows, in cross-section, the application of sheet-like article 12 to an adherend 32. Release cover 28 has been removed and adhesive surface 16 of sheet-like article 12 is exposed. Release carrier 20, from which release cover 28 has been removed to form a peripheral release carrier, is readily positioned, without curling or contamination of the sheet-like article 12, on adherend 32. The article 12 is adhered to the adherend 32 by pressure, in the case of a pressure-sensitive adhesive surface 16, or by application of solvent, moisture, or heat when other types of adhesives are used. Release carrier 20, from which release cover 28 has been removed, is gently pulled away from sheet-like article 12 and thereby removed from the periphery 26 of the article, leaving the article in position. Slight additional pressure, solvent, moisture, or heat applied to article 12 along its periphery secures it neatly to adherend 32.
FIG. 4 shows a coil 34 of packages 10 mounted on release carrier 20 which is scored between each package at perforations 38 for easy separation of an individual package 10. Coil 34 may be unwound and separated by passing it under and around a dowell (not shown) having a diameter of about 5 to 25 mm, sufficient to cause the release cover to separate at its kiss cut from the release carrier supporting the article 12. Package 10 may be grasped at end 36 and easily torn or cut (by means not shown) at score 38.
FIG. 5 depicts an exploded view of one embodiment of the present invention. Bandage 12 has sheet-like element 14 and lower adhesive surface 16. Release carrier 20 comprises release coating 22 on substrate 24 and has aperture 18 cut therein. Release cover 28 is created by kiss cutting release carrier 20 along cut lines 19 and has the dimensions of aperture 18 and comprises upper release coating 22 on substrate 24.
FIG. 6 shows an exploded view of another embodiment of the invention. Decalcomania 40a has been kiss cut along cut lines 42 from sheet-like article 40, which comprises sheet-like element 44 and lower adhesive surface 46. In use, peripheral release carrier 48 supports both decal 40a and residual portion 40b of sheet-like article 40. Release cover 50 is kiss cut from the release carrier thereby forming aperture 56. Peripheral release carrier 48 and release cover 50 both have upper release coating 52 on substrate 54.
As mentioned above, adhesive-surfaced article 12 comprises a sheet-like element 14 and a lower adhesive layer 16. Sheet-like element 14 can be any sheet-like body, i.e., an article having relatively small thickness in comparison to its length and breadth. Examples of sheet-like element 14 include bandage constructions, sealing gaskets, validation labels, and decalcomanias. Sheet-like element 14 may comprise one or more layers of woven or nonwoven fibers or plastic sheet material and may be body-fluid absorptive or non-absorptive and, if desired, may carry medication. Particularly useful packages of the invention are embodiments where the sheet-like element is a mechanically fragile decalcomania useful for providing tamper-proof labels for machinery, appliances, and the like. It is also contemplated that the sheet-like element may have a second adhesive layer. In this event, a second release sheet is used over this second adhesive layer and is removed after positioning of the article on the adherend.
Lower adhesive layer 16 preferably is a coating of pressure sensitive adhesive but could instead be any moisture, solvent, or heat activated adhesive coating known in the art. Adhesives that may be used include acrylate-type adhesives as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. Re. 24,906 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,112,213. Adhesive layer 16 can cover the entire lower surface of the article 12 or it can be applied in a regular or random pattern so that only about 10 to 80 percent of the lower surface of the article is covered.
Release carrier 20 and release cover 28 can be formed from any sheet material, transparent or opaque, to which a releasable bond can be made with adhesive layer 16. Generally, any sheet material to which the adhesive of layer 16 bonds with a peel force of less than about 400 g/cm, as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,157,418, is suitable. Examples of such sheet materials include polyethylene, polypropylene, Teflon, silicone resin treated paper, fluorocarbon treated paper, and the like. Examples include NS62 Buff® VBL 251-1 from Akrosil, and paper or film which is first coated with a layer of polyethylene and then overcoated with a silicone release agent, commercially available as Polyslik® SH 8004 from H. P. Smith Co. Other abherent materials are the polyacrylate and polymethacrylate fluorocarbon polymers disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,803,615. Teflon and silicone resins are inherently releasant and do not require a release coating. Release carrier 20 has an aperture or opening 18 cut or punched out of release sheet material, the aperture being made so that a peripheral area of the release carrier of up to 10 mm, preferably about 1 to 5 mm, in width will be overlapped by the article 12; in other words article 12 is slightly larger than aperture 18 in release carrier 20. In some instances it is useful to eliminate the overlap at projections on the article or at the starting point for peeling off the remaining peripheral carrier; a scalloped peripheral edge may be desirable in some cases.
The ratio of the length of a straight line joining any two points on the perimeter of the article and passing through the center of the article, to the summation of the segments of that line overlapped by said peripheral release carrier, should be at least about 5 to 1 to achieve convenient removal of the peripheral release carrier after the sheet-like article has been adhered to an adherend. The article may be of any desired shape, e.g., square, rectangular, circular, oval, or irregular. Where the total area of the article is 50 cm 2 or less, it is preferable that the aforementioned ratio be at least about 8 to 1.
The package according to the invention is formed preferably by applying the adhesive-surfaced article to release sheet material and then kiss cutting the adhesive-surfaced article to the desired dimensions and, if desired for cosmetic reasons, removing the weed, and kiss cutting an aperture in the release sheet material so that the periphery of the release sheet material around the aperture will be suitably overlapped by the outer edges of the adhesive-surfaced article. Alternately, the release carrier may be non-continuously kiss cut to form alternate cut and uncut segments in the release carrier between packages. The packaged articles can then be separated, stacked and placed in boxes or they can be left unseparated and coiled into rolls for distribution.
By "kiss cutting" is meant the cutting of one layer of a laminate without cutting a lower layer. Kiss cutting can be accomplished by use of a die in a platen or rotary die-cutting press.
An advantage of the package of the invention is the inherent characteristic of the automatic separation of the release cover from the adhesive-surfaced sheet-like article on flexing the package. This procedure was described above in the discussion of FIG. 4. In addition, the delicate sheet-like article of the present invention may be readily positioned onto an adherend without curling or stretching, and without touching the adhesive coated thereon.
Various modifications and alterations of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention, and it should be understood that this invention is not to be unduly limited to the illustrative embodiment set forth herein. | A package for adhesive-surfaced sheet-like articles which may be delicate is formed by mounting the adhesive surface of the article onto a two-part release-surfaced carrier, one part of which supports the periphery of the article and the other part supporting the interior area of the article. With such a package, adhesive-surfaced sheet-like articles can be accurately placed onto an adherend without danger of contaminating the adhesive surface or allowing tearing, curling, or distortion of the article. | 8 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims priority to U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/304,599, filed Jul. 10, 2001, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety to the extent not inconsistent with the disclosure herewith.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention is in the field of reducing or eliminating acid rock drainage from sulfidic iron containing rocks and acidic mine waste tailings. Acid rock drainage (formation of sulfuric acid and related acids from natural air/water oxidation processes on various materials) is a common phenomenon from mining and leaching of various metallic and non-metallic minerals such as iron-containing sulfidic materials. These sulfidic materials include tailings, overburden, discarded waste rock and unmined exposed rock. Acid rock drainage causes severe pollution problems throughout the world.
There have been various attempts to render these sulfidic materials non-reactive which include partially converting pyrite and pyrrhotite into an oxide structure so that each iron sulfide particle is coated with an iron oxide film, microencapsulation of pyrite by artificial inducement of iron phosphate coatings, the coating of exposed surfaces with various polymeric materials, and the formation of manganese dioxide coatings on pyrite surfaces. These methods of treating materials have been at best partially effective and economically unattractive.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,587,001 (DeVries, Dec. 24, 1996) describes a method for reducing acid rock drainage from sulfidic iron-containing rock by contacting the rock with an aqueous solution of manganate ion at a pH between 6–13. This treatment reportedly creates a manganese oxide layer on the iron-containing sulfidic rock. The process in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,587,001 requires pH 6–13 at all times during the treatment, preferably a pH greater than 10. U.S. Pat. No. 5,587,001 also requires that permanganata color be maintained during the treatment. This condition often requires high dosage of manganate ions for treating reactive tailings because a considerable amount of manganate ions are dissolved in solution and react with other ions before reaching the sulfide surface. U.S. Pat. No. 5,587,001 also requires that the sulfides contain a significant concentration of iron bearing minerals so that the reaction between iron bearing sulfides and permanganate ions can be sustained. Several dissolved metals undergo precipitation reactions at pH>12. Precipitated metal hydoxycomplexes coat the sulfides, thus preventing the desired electrochemical reaction.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,086,847 (Thompson, Jul. 11, 2000) discloses a process for reportedly preventing acid rock drainage of metal-bearing rocks comprising contacting a sulfidic iron-containing rock with an acid passivating agent which comprises at least one alkaline earth metal to produce a combination; contacting the combination with manganate ions and a base and maintaining the pH of the system between 11 and 13.5.
The waste rock naturally yields very low acidic pH in the range of 1–4. To raise the pH and maintain it at a higher level than is naturally found (such as the pH required by the process disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,587,001 and 6,086,847) requires high dosage of neutralization agents (for example, lime/caustic soda). This is not economically and technically viable. Also, at high pH (above about 11.0), gypsum (CaSO 4 ) and MgSO 4 precipitate on the sulfide and complete coating of desired materials cannot be achieved. Improved and cost effective treatments are necessary to treat iron containing sulfidic minerals to prevent or minimize the natural oxidation of these materials to form acids.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A method for passivating sulfidic iron-containing rock and mine wastes is provided. This method is useful to reduce the amount of acid rock drainage from mine waste tailings and other areas where formation of acid products is a problem, among other uses. The process disclosed herein is independent of the concentration of iron sulfide in the materials to be treated and the physical state of materials. Also, the low pH treatment ensures that the sulfide surfaces are exposed and are in direct contact with the layers of coating agents.
The tailings, waste rock and other exposed surfaces at mining operations can react with atmospheric air and surface water over a period of time forming polluting acid drainage. Formation of magnesium oxysulfate coatings on iron-containing sulfides shield them from atmospheric air or surface water containing oxygen to prevent or minimize acid drainage problems.
As used herein, “passivating” means rendering the substance passivated less reactive than it was before passivation. For example, a passivated sulfidic iron-containing ore is an ore that generates no acid or less acid than a non-passivated ore upon being exposed to acid-generating and/or weathering processes. An “effective amount” is an amount that given the desired effect, as taught herein.
In one embodiment, the process of this invention for passivating sulfidic iron-containing rock comprises the steps of:
contacting said rock with a magnesium-containing substance; if necessary, adjusting the pH of the slurry so that magnesium oxysulfate is formed; optionally adding silicates, for example, sodium or calcium silicates; optionally allowing oxidation of the rock to form oxysulfates on a surface of the rock; and optionally adding an iron-containing substance, for example FeCl 3 or Fe 2 (SO 4 ) 3 to form ferrous iron-magnesium sulfates.
The magnesium-containing substance used can be any suitable composition such as one or more members of the group consisting of magnesium oxide, magnesium hydroxide, magnesium chloride, magnesium nitrate and magnesium carbonate. In addition, any suitable form can be used. For example, an aqueous saturated solution may be used, or dry solid may be used. The use of magnesium hydroxide prevents reaching of overdose level of alkali. An overdose level of alkali is the concentration that blocks solution passage and permeability. The use of MgO maintains the pH at near 9 and below. Preferably, the magnesium-containing substance is in the form of an aqueous saturated solution of magnesium oxide or dry magnesium oxide (about 2.2–22.0 lbs MgO/ton of rock which is about 0.1–1% magnesium oxide by weight in the solution) or magnesium hydroxide (preferably 2.5% by weight of solution magnesium hydroxide).
Preferably, the rock and magnesium are reacted in the form of a slurry. The rock can be directly treated in the natural environment or as crushed rock preferably containing about 20%–50% by weight of solids, but any concentration or range of concentrations which allows the desired reaction to occur at a desired rate is included in this description. When magnesium oxide is used, the weight ratio of magnesium oxide: rock: water is preferably maintained at up to 1:100:400–10:100:400.
The pH of the rock slurry is usually between about 1 and 5 as it naturally occurs. It is generally not necessary to adjust the pH of the slurry before treatment. If the pH of the starting system is greater than about 4–5, pH adjustment is needed using any suitable pH adjustment treatment, as described further herein and as is known in the art without undue experimentation.
After the magnesium-containing substance is contacted with the rock for a time sufficient to form magnesium sulfate as determined by means known in the art, the pH is raised by any means known in the art (preferably calcium oxide or sodium hydroxide are added) to causes the formation of magnesium oxysulfate (preferably the pH is raised to 9–11 for the formation of magnesium oxysulfate). At this point, the reactive sulfide in the rock is stabilized. Optional oxidation of the slurry, preferably with air, but any oxidizing agent may be used, results in the formation of different phases of oxysulfates on the surfaces of the sulfides. If desired, an effective amount (for example, 1–5 lb/ton rock) of silicate (for example, sodium silicate or calcium silicate) added at any stage of the process increases the strength of the coating due to formation of magnesium sulfate and magnesium silicate compounds. Any amount of silicate that causes formation of magnesium sulfate or magnesium silicate can be used. If desired, an iron-containing substance such as an iron salt may be added in a suitable concentration to form ferrous iron-magnesium sulfates. The iron salt may be any suitable salt known to one of ordinary skill in the art, including FeCl 3 . The concentration of iron-containing substance added is any concentration sufficient to form the desired amount of ferrous iron-magnesium sulfate. If there is a low concentration of dissolved iron, enough iron must be added to form the complex. This is typically 1–2 lb/ton of ore.
A presently-preferred embodiment of the process is the method of reducing acid rock drainage from sulfidic iron-containing rock comprising the steps of contacting said rock with dry/hydrated magnesium oxide wherein the concentration of magnesium oxide in the mixture is 0.1–1% by weight and the slurry density is about 20% by weight of solids in the mixture, and the pH of the resultant slurry is between 1–5; allowing a reaction between magnesium oxide and the sulfides in said rock to proceed so as to form in slurry dissolved magnesium sulfate; raising the pH of the slurry to form magnesium oxysulfate (preferably by the addition of CaO or sodium hydroxide, and preferably to about 10–10.5); optionally adding silicates of sodium or calcium; optionally performing air oxidation of slurry so as to cause the formation of magnesium oxysulfates coating on the surface of said sulfides.
Another preferred embodiment of the process is a process for reducing acid rock drainage from sulfidic iron-containing rock comprising the steps of:
contacting said rock with an aqueous colloidal suspension of 2.5% magnesium hydroxide; allowing a reaction between magnesium hydroxide and the sulfides in said rock to proceed; raising the pH of the slurry to form magnesium oxysulfate (preferably by the addition of CaO or sodium hydroxide, preferably to about 10–10.5); optionally adding silicates of sodium or calcium; optionally performing air oxidation of slurry; optionally adding FeCl 3 or other iron salts.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURE
FIG. 1 shows solution pH of pyrite sample in the hydrogen peroxide test as a function of time after passivation using MgO and silicate.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The ores that may be treated using the method of the invention include pyrrhotite, bomite, chalcopyrite, arsenopyrite and pyrite. Any ore that contains iron and sulfur in its reduced form (sulfide) may be treated to passivate the sulfur using the disclosed process. The ore may be in any form, for example, slurry, rock pile or exposed rock.
The reaction proceeds for a suitable time required to achieve the desired amount of passivation of the sulfur in the ore. This time naturally depends on the nature of the ore treated, the desired amount of passivation of the sulfur in the rock and other parameters, such as concentration of reactants used. This time is readily determined by routine experimentation well within the skill of one of ordinary skill in the art without undue experimentation, using the teachings herein.
The processes of this invention can be carried out at temperatures above the freezing point of the solutions up to about 60° C.
Applicant does not wish to be bound by any theory presented herein. The theory and examples below are presented to aid in the understanding of the invention and illustrating some of the presently-preferred embodiments of the invention.
EXAMPLE 1
Effect of Magnesium Oxide Dosage on Passivation in the Presence of Permanganate
5 gms −325 mesh pure pyrite sample was mixed with 20 mg of lime to increase the pH to basic pH (about 10.5). In place of lime, caustic soda or sodium carbonate or other suitable materials that increase the pH to the desired range may be added. Different dosage levels of magnesium oxide were used (0, 2.2 lbs magnesium oxide/ton rock, 4.4 lbs./t, 8.8 lbs./t, 13.2 lbs./t and 22.0 lbs./t). 20 ml. of tap water was added to the mixture of pyrite, lime and magnesium oxide and the slurry pH were measured to be about 1.5. The slurry pH was then raised to 10–10.3 by the addition of 1 N NaOH. At this point, 1.32 lbs./t of permanganate was added. The slurry was left undisturbed for 2 hours. The slurry was filtered and the solids were washed. The washed solids were suspended in 91 ml. of water and to this 9 ml. of 50% hydrogen peroxide was added. The pH of the solution was monitored for 1 day. At the end of 1-day duration, the tests which showed pH of above 7, were considered to be successful tests in-terms of passivation. If the pH drops below 7 much before 24 hours, the test is also considered a fail. The results are presented in Table 1 below.
TABLE 1
Peroxide Tests Results with different dosage of MgO. The
KMnO 4 dosage was maintained constant in each test (1.32 lbs./T)
MgO Dosage
Peroxide
(lbs./t)
Test Result
Remarks
0
Failed
Vigorous reaction, fails at 60 minutes
2.2
Failed
Vigorous reaction, fails at 60 minutes
4.4
Failed
Vigorous reaction, fails at 60 minutes
8.8
Failed
Slow reaction, fails after 1 day
13.2
Failed
Slow reaction, fails after 1 day
22.0
Passed
Slow reaction, pH above 7.8
These results show that at lower dosages of MgO, passivation was not effective due to enormous surface area of pyrite involved. However, when the dosage was increased to 22 lbs./t level, the pyrite was successfully passivated. Considering the fact that in mine tailings sample, the pyrite present is fraction of the total sample, the dosage level of MgO required to passivate an actual sample will be at considerably lesser dosage level than 22 lbs./t.
These results show that in order to passivate the same pyrite sample, MgO dosage level of 22 lbs./t was required. Note that in these experiments, permanganate dosage level of 1.37 lbs./t was present. Since permanganate is beneficial in passivating the pyrite sample (as indicated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,587,001), it was not clear as to what extent MgO was responsible for the passivation.
EXAMPLE 2
Effect of Potassium Permanganate Dosage on Passivation in the Presence of MgO
5 gms −325 mesh pure pyrite sample was mixed with 10 mg of MgO and 20 mg of lime. This amounts to 4.4 lbs./t of MgO and 8.8 lbs./t of CaO. 20 ml. of tap water was added to the mixture of pyrite, lime and magnesium oxide and the slurry pH were measured to be about 1.5. The slurry pH was then raised to 10–10.3 by the addition of 1 N NaOH. At this point, different dosage of permanganate (0, 1.32 lbs./t, 2.64 lbs./t, 5.28 lbs./t, 10.56 lbs./t, 21.12 lbs./t) was added. The slurry was left undisturbed for 2 hours. The slurry was filtered and the solids were washed. The washed solids were suspended in 91 ml. of water and to this 9 ml. of 50% hydrogen peroxide was added. The pH of the solution was monitored for 1 day. At the end of 1-day duration, the tests which showed pH of above 7, were considered to be successful tests in-terms of passivation. The results are presented below in Table 2.
TABLE 2
Peroxide Tests Results with different dosage of KMnO 4 .
The MgO dosage was maintained constant in each test (4.4 lbs./T)
KMnO 4
Peroxide
Dosage (lbs./t)
Test Result
Remarks
0
Failed
Vigorous reaction, fails at 60 minutes
1.32
Failed
Vigorous reaction, fails at 60 minutes
2.64
Failed
Vigorous reaction, fails at 60 minutes
5.28
Failed
Vigorous reaction, fails at 60 minutes
10.56
Failed
Vigorous reaction, fails after 1 day
21.12
Passed
Slow reaction, pH above 9
These results show that in order to passivate the same pyrite sample, permanganate dosage level of 21.12 was required. Please note that in these experiments, MgO dosage level of 4.4 lbs./t was present. Since MgO is beneficial in passivating the pyrite sample, it was not clear as to what extent permanganate was responsible for the passivation.
EXAMPLE 3
Effect of Magnesium Oxide Dosage on Passivation in the Absence of Permanganate
5 gms −325 mesh pure pyrite sample was used. Different dosage levels of magnesium oxide were used (11.0 lbs./t, 15.4 lbs./t, 19.8 lbs./t, and 22.0 lbs./t). 20 ml. of tap water was added to the mixture of pyrite and magnesium oxide. The slurry pH was measured to be about 1.3. The slurry pH was then raised to 10–10.3 by the addition of 1 N NaOH. The slurry was left undisturbed for 2 hours. The slurry was filtered and the solids were washed. The washed solids were suspended in 91 ml. of water and to this 9 ml. of 50% hydrogen peroxide was added. The pH of the solution was monitored for 1 day. At the end of 1-day duration, the tests which showed pH of above 7, were considered to be successful tests in-terms of passivation. The results are presented in Table 3 below.
TABLE 3
Peroxide Tests Results with different dosage
of MgO in the absence of KMnO 4 .
MgO Dosage
Peroxide
(lbs./t)
Test Result
Remarks
11.0
Failed
Vigorous reaction, fails at 60 minutes
15.4
Failed
Vigorous reaction, fails at 60 minutes
19.8
Failed
Vigorous reaction, fails at 60 minutes
22.0
Passed
Slow reaction, pH above 7.5
Comparing the results of Table 1 and Table 3, it is clear that the presence of permanganate does not favorably affect the passivation process. To passivate the pyrite sample, 22.0 lbs./t of MgO was needed regardless of the presence of permanganate in the solution.
EXAMPLE 4
Effect of Potassium Permanganate Dosage on Passivation in the Absence of MgO
5 gms −325 mesh pure pyrite sample was used. 20 ml. of tap water was added to the pyrite and the slurry pH was measured to be about 1.3. The slurry pH was then raised to about 8 by the addition of 1 N NaOH. At this point, different dosage of permanganate (6.6 lbs./t, 11.0 lbs./t, 13.2lbs/t, 15.4lbs./t and 22.0 lbs./t) was added. The final pH was adjusted to be 10–10.3. The slurry was left undisturbed for 2 hours. The slurry was filtered and the solids were washed. The washed solids were suspended in 91 ml. of water and to this 9 ml. of 50% hydrogen peroxide was added. The pH of the solution was monitored for 1 day. At the end of 1-day duration, the tests which showed pH of above 7, were considered to be successful tests in-terms of passivation. The results are presented below in Table 4.
Comparing the results of Table 2 and Table 4, it is clear that permanganate dosage level about 15.4 lbs./t is needed in the absence of MgO to passivate the pyrite.
TABLE 4
Peroxide Tests Results with different dosage
of KMnO 4 in the absence of MgO
KMnO 4
Peroxide
Dosage (lbs./t)
Test Result
Remarks
6.6
Failed
Vigorous reaction, fails at 60 minutes
11.0
Failed
Vigorous reaction, fails at 60 minutes
13.2
Failed
Vigorous reaction, fails at 60 minutes
15.4
Passed
Slow reaction, pH above 7
22.0
Passed
Slow reaction, pH above 7
The results listed in Table 1–4 show that the passivation is favorably affected by increasing the dosage level of permanganate and MgO. On a tonnage basis, even though little higher dosage of MgO is required than permanganate, however, considering the enormous price difference between permanganate and MgO (Permanganate $1.50/lb, MgO 50 cents/lb), it is economical to use MgO in place of permanganate.
EXAMPLE 5
Effect of Lime Dosage on Passivation in the Absence of MgO
5 gms −325 mesh pure pyrite sample was mixed with 100 mg of lime (44.0 lbs./t). 20 ml. of tap water was added to the mixture of pyrite and lime and the slurry pH were measured to be about 4.5. The slurry pH was then raised to 10–10.3 by the addition of 1 N NaOH. At this point, 1.32 lbs./t of permanganate was added. The slurry was left undisturbed for 2 hours. The slurry was filtered and the solids were washed. The washed solids were suspended in 91 ml. of water and to this 9 ml. of 50% hydrogen peroxide was added. The pH of the solution was monitored for 1 day. At the end of 1-day duration, the tests which showed pH of above 7, were considered to be successful tests in-terms of passivation. The results are presented in Table 5 below.
TABLE 5
Peroxide Tests Results with High dosage
of CaO in the absence of MgO
The KMnO 4 dosage was maintained (1.32 lbs./T).
CaO Dosage
Peroxide
(lbs./t)
Test Result
Remarks
44.0
Failed
Vigorous reaction, fails at 60 minutes
As expected even at very high dosage of CaO, the passivation did not occur.
EXAMPLE 6
Effect of Addition of Magnesium Oxide at Higher pH (5.0) on Passivation in the Absence of Permanganate
5 gms −325 mesh pure pyrite sample was mixed with 20 mg of CaO. 20 ml. of tap water was added to the mixture of pyrite and lime. The slurry pH was then raised to 5 by the addition of 1 N NaOH. At pH 5.0, 22 lbs./t of MgO was added. The pH was then raised to 10–10.3. The slurry was left undisturbed for 2 hours. The slurry was filtered and the solids were washed. The washed solids were suspended in 91 ml. of water and to this 9 ml. of 50% hydrogen peroxide was added. The pH of the solution was monitored for 1 day. At the end of 1 day duration, the tests which show pH greater than 7 were considered successful in terms of passivation. The results are presented in Table 6 below.
TABLE 6
Peroxide Tests Results with MgO added at
pH 5.0 in the absence of KMnO 4 .
MgO Dosage
Peroxide
(lbs./t)
Test Result
Remarks
22.0
Passed
Slow reaction, pH above 7.5
Comparing the results of Table 3 and Table 6 it is clear that the addition of MgO whether added at pH 1.7 or at pH 5.7 does not make any difference.
EXAMPLE 7
Effect of the Addition of Hydrated Magnesium Oxide on Passivation
5 gms −325 mesh pure pyrite sample was mixed with 20 mg of CaO. 20 ml. of tap water was added to the 50 mg of MgO, which resulted in the pH of 10.3. This hydrated MgO slurry was added to the mixture of pyrite and lime. The slurry pH was then raised to 10–10.3 by the addition of 1 N NaOH and 1.32 lbs./t KMnO 4 was added. The slurry was left undisturbed for 2 hours. The slurry was filtered and the solids were washed. The washed solids were suspended in 91 ml. of water and to this 9 ml. of 50% hydrogen peroxide was added. The pH of the solution was monitored for 1 day. At the end of 1 day duration, the tests which showed pH of above 7 were considered to be successful tests in-terms of passivation. The results are presented in Table 7 below.
TABLE 7
Peroxide Tests Results with the MgO addition in Hydrated Form
MgO Dosage
Peroxide
(lbs./t)
Test Result
Remarks
22.0
Passed
Slow reaction, pH above 7.5
Comparing the results of Table 3, Table 6 and Table 7 it is clear that the pH and the form of MgO does not affect the passivation process.
EXAMPLE 8
MgO as Limiting Factor in the Passivation Process
5 gms −325 mesh pure pyrite sample was mixed with 50 mg (22.0 lbs./t) of MgO and 20 mg of CaO. 20 ml. of tap water was added to the mixture of pyrite, lime and magnesium oxide and the slurry pH were measured to be about 1.65. The slurry was subjected to different treatments, such as pH adjustment to 10.0 and 12.0 followed by with and without aeration, KMnO 4 addition at pH 10.0 and 12.0 followed by with and without aeration, KMnO 4 addition at low pH followed by with and without aeration at pH 10.0. For the tests where there was no aeration, the slurry was left undisturbed for 2 hours. The slurry was then filtered and the solids were washed. The washed solids were suspended in 91 ml. of water and to this 9 ml. of 50% hydrogen peroxide was added. The pH of the solution was monitored for 2 days. The tests which showed pH of above 7, were considered to be successful tests in-terms of passivation. The test conditions and results are presented in Table 8 below.
TABLE 8
Peroxide Tests Results with different conditions
in the presence of 22.0 lbs./t of MgO
Peroxide
Conditions
Test Result
pH measured after 2 days
Adjusted to pH 10.0
Passed
Final pH 7.62
Adjusted to pH 12.0
Passed
Final pH 8.08
Adjusted to pH 10,
Passed
Final pH 7.65
2 hours of Aeration
Adjusted to pH 10 + added
Passed
Final pH 7.82
1.37 lbs./t of permanganate
Adjusted to pH 10 + added
Passed
Final pH 7.65
1.37 lbs./t of permanganate,
2 hours of aeration
Adjusted to pH 12 + 1.37
Passed
Final pH 8.05
lbs./t of permanganate
Added 1.37 lbs./t of
Passed
Final pH 7.59
permanganate at pH 1.7,
Increase pH to 10
Added 1.37 lbs./t of
Passed
Final pH 7.58
permanganate at pH 1.7
Increase pH to 10,
2 hours of aeration
Added 1.37 lbs./t of
Passed
Final pH 7.85
permanganate at pH 5.7,
Increase pH to 10,
2 hours of aeration
The results listed in Table 8 clearly show that the addition of MgO is a limiting factor in the passivation process. As long as the 22-lbs./t-dosage level of MgO was met in the experiment, the passivation is successfully achieved in all the tests. However, the pH monitoring data shows that the aeration is beneficial during the passivation treatment and brings down the dosage level of MgO required to achieve the passivation.
EXAMPLE 9
Effect of Magnesium Oxide Dosage on Passivation for Hecla Tailing Sample
5 gms of as-received dry Hecla tailings sample was mixed with 20 mg of CaO and different dosage levels of magnesium oxide (0, 2.2 lbs./t, 4.4 lbs./t, 8.8 lbs./t). 20 ml. of tap water was added to the mixture of pyrite, lime and magnesium oxide. Hecla is a mine in Idaho. The slurry pH was measured to be about 12.02, 12.28, 12.3 and 12.4 respectively. The slurry was left undisturbed for 2 hours. The slurry was filtered and the solids were washed. The washed solids were suspended in 91 ml. of water and to this 9 ml. of 50% hydrogen peroxide was added. The pH of the solution was monitored for 1 day. At the end of 1-day duration, the tests which showed pH of above 7, were considered to be successful tests in-terms of passivation. The results are presented in Table 9 below.
TABLE 9
Peroxide Tests Results for the Hecla
Tailings Sample with Different Dosage of MgO.
MgO Dosage
Peroxide
(lbs./T)
Test Result
Final pH after 1 day
0
Failed
4.3
2.2
Passed
7.28
4.4
Passed
8.03
8.8
Passed
8.20
The data in Table 9 shows that much lower dosage of MgO (<2.2 lbs./t) was required as opposed to 22 lbs./t in the case of pyrite.
EXAMPLE 10
Effect of Magnesium Oxide Dosage on Passivation for Nevada Mine Tailings Sample
5 gms of as-received dry mine tailings sample from a mine in Nevada was mixed with 20 mg of CaO and different dosage levels of magnesium oxide (0, 2.2 lbs./t, 4.4 lbs./t, 8.8 lbs./t, 13.20 lbs./t, 17.60 lbs./t). 20 ml. of tap water was added to the mixture of pyrite, lime and magnesium oxide. The slurry pH was adjusted to 10.0 with 1 N NaOH. The slurry was left undisturbed for 2 hours. The slurry was filtered and the solids were washed. The washed solids were suspended in 91 ml. of water and to this 9 ml. of 50% hydrogen peroxide was added. The pH of the solution was monitored for 1 day. At the end of 1-day duration, the tests which showed pH of above 7, were considered to be successful tests in-terms of passivation. The results are presented in Table 10 below.
TABLE 10
Peroxide Tests Results for Mine Tailings
Sample with Different Dosage of MgO.
MgO Dosage
Peroxide
(lbs./T)
Test Result
Remarks
0
Failed
pH 2.54 after 3 hours
2.2
Failed
pH 2.57 after 3 hours
4.4
Failed
pH 2.59 after 3 hours
8.8
Failed
pH 3.58 after 3 hours
13.20
Passed
Final pH after 1 day 7.22
17.60
Passed
Final pH after 1 day 7.42
The data in Table 10 shows that much lower dosage of MgO (<13.2 lbs./t) was required as compared to 22 lbs./t in the case of pyrite.
EXAMPLE 11
Effect of Magnesium Oxide Dosage on Passivation for Ruby Gulch Tailings Sample
5 gms of as-received dry Ruby Gulch tailings sample was mixed with 20 mg of CaO and different dosage levels of magnesium oxide (0, 2.2 lbs./t, 4.4 lbs./t, 8.8 lbs./t, 13.20 lbs./t). 20 ml. of tap water was added to the mixture of pyrite, lime and magnesium oxide. Ruby Gulch is a mining site in South Dakota. The slurry pH was adjusted to 10.0 with 1 N NaOH. The slurry was left undisturbed for 2 hours. The slurry was filtered and the solids were washed. The washed solids were suspended in 91 ml. of water and to this 9 ml. of 50% hydrogen peroxide was added. The pH of the solution was monitored for 1 day. At the end of 1-day duration, the tests which showed pH of above 7, were considered to be successful tests in-terms of passivation. The results are presented in Table 11 below.
TABLE 11
Peroxide Tests Results for the Ruby Gulch
Tailings Sample with Different Dosage of MgO.
MgO Dosage (lbs./T)
Peroxide Test Result
Remarks
0
Failed
pH 3.16 after 3 hours
2.2
Failed
pH 3.52 after 3 hours
4.4
Failed
pH 6.34 after 1 day
8.8
Passed
Final pH after 1 day 7.17
13.20
Passed
Final pH after 1 day 7.82
The data in Table 11 shows that much lower dosage of MgO (<8.8 lbs./t) was required as opposed to 22 lbs./t in the case of pyrite.
A large column test was performed using magnesium oxide. The pH during passivation was maintained at 10 using MgO only. MgO was added as a passivating agent. After passivation, a sample representing 150 grams of solid was transferred to the humidity cell experiment. The humidity cell experiment was operated on seven-day cycles. In the first three days dry air was passed into the sample, followed by three-day moisturized air treatment. On the seventh day the sample was leached and the leachate was analyzed for pH, alkalinity, acidity, sulfate and other elements. Long-term testing with Ruby Gulch tailings affirmed the effectiveness of the process, as shown in Table 12.
In the table below, each cycle is for the same sample and is reported as the function number of cycles.
TABLE 12
Analysis of leachates obtained from humidity cell experiments
(Column test, Ruby Gulch - Waste Dump Sample, High Sulfide)
Sample weight: 4000 g
Dosage: 7.7 lbs./t Magnesium Oxide
Sample
CYCLE-1
CYCLE-2
CYCLE-3
CYCLE-4
CYCLE-5
CYCLE-6
Constituents
(mg/l)
(mg/l)
(mg/l)
(mg/l)
(mg/l)
(mg/l)
PH
7.63
8.05
7.61
8.31
8.32
8.09
Conductivity
920
890
460
370
225
220
(μυ/cm)
Acidity as
0
<15
<15
<15
<15
<15
CaCO 3
Alkalinity as
44
30
40
25
45
30
CaCO 3
Calcium
19.8
18.9
16.9
13.8
11.1
11.4
Iron
0.028
0.051
0.030
<0.020
<0.020
0.020
Magnesium
127
104
42.7
32.6
14.2
13.6
Manganese
0.036
<0.010
<0.010
<0.010
<0.010
<0.010
Sulfate
492
139
95.6
28.4
26.3
27.8
TDS
700
560
235
238
175
<50
Antimony
<0.003
<0.006
0.006
<0.006
<0.006
<0.006
Barium
<0.050
0.061
0.064
0.080
0.075
0.075
Beryllium
<0.002
<0.002
<0.002
<0.002
<0.002
<0.002
Cadmium
<0.002
<0.003
<0.003
<0.003
<0.003
<0.003
Chromium
<0.010
<0.010
<0.010
<0.010
<0.010
<0.010
Cobalt
<0.025
<0.025
<0.025
<0.025
<0.025
<0.025
Copper
<0.010
<0.010
<0.010
<0.010
<0.010
<0.010
Lead
<0.007
<0.007
<0.007
<0.007
<0.007
<0.007
Mercury
<0.001
<0.001
<0.001
<0.001
<0.001
<0.001
Molybdenum
<0.050
<0.050
<0.050
<0.050
<0.050
<0.050
Nickel
<0.025
<0.025
<0.025
<0.025
<0.025
<0.025
Selenium
<0.007
<0.007
<0.007
<0.007
<0.007
<0.007
Silver
<0.035
<0.035
<0.035
<0.035
<0.035
<0.035
Thallium
<0.001
<0.001
<0.001
<0.001
<0.001
<0.001
Vanadium
<0.100
<0.100
<0.100
<0.100
<0.100
<0.100
Zinc
<0.050
<0.050
<0.050
<0.050
<0.050
<0.050
EXAMPLE 12
Combined Effect of Sodium Silicate with MgO
In another series of experiments the combined effect of MgO with silicate was tested. The pH of the pyrite sample was increased to 10.5 with CaO and a small amount of sodium silicate was added prior to MgO addition. After reaction, the sample was filtered and H 2 O 2 test was conducted as described above. The results are shown in Table 13.
TABLE 13
Peroxide Tests Results for the Pyrite Sample
with Different Dosage of MgO and Sodium Silicate.
MgO Dosage
Sodium Silicate
Peroxide
(lbs./T)
Dosage (lbs./T)
Test Result
Remarks
13.2
0
Failed
pH 3.70 after 3 hours
17.6
0
Failed
pH 4.30 after 3 hours
22.0
0
Passed
Final pH after 1 day 7.80
26.4
0
Passed
Final pH after 1 day 8.30
17.6
4.4
Passed
Final pH after 1 day 7.81
22.0
4.4
Passed
Final pH after 1 day 8.30
As can be seen in Table 13, with addition of only 17.6 lbs./t MgO, pyrite was not passivated. However, addition of 4.4 lbs./t sodium silicate in the presence of 17.6 lb/ton MgO increased the stability and the pH remained about 7.81. It is evident that sodium silicate improves the passivation.
The effect of silicate addition is also demonstrated in FIG. 1 . As can be seen, passivated pyrite samples with MgO and silicate in the presence of lime showed improved resistance to peroxide oxidation as compared to samples with no silicate.
Combined Effect of Calcium Silicate with MgO
In another series of experiments the combined effect of MgO with calcium silicate was tested. The pH of the pyrite sample was increased to 10.5 with CaO and a small amount of calcium silicate was added prior to MgO addition. After reaction, the sample was filtered and an H 2 O 2 test was conducted as above. The results are given in Table 14.
TABLE 14
Peroxide Test Results for the Pyrite Sample
with Different Dosage of MgO and Calcium Silicate.
(MgO Dosage,
Calcium Silicate
Peroxide Test
lb/T)
(lb/T)
Result
Remarks
13.2
0
Failed
pH 3.7 after 3 hrs
17.6
0
Failed
pH 3.78 after 24 hrs
17.6
4.4
Passed
pH 7.6 after 24
hours
As can be seen from Table 14, 4.4 lb/ton addition of calcium silicate increased the passivation of pyrite. This shows that calcium silicate can be used in conjunction with CaO to passivate pyrite at pH 10.5.
REFERENCES
1. Caruccio, F. T., Geidel, G., Pelletier, M., “Occurrence and predication of acid drainage”. J. of the Energy Division, ASCE, 107, No. 1, pp.167, 1981.
2. De Vries, Nadine H. C. Process for Treating Iron-Containing Sulfide Rocks and Ores, U.S. Pat. No. 5,587,001, 1996.
3. Doyle, F. M. and Mirza, A. H., “Understanding the mechanisms and kinetics of pyrite wastes”. Proceedings of the Western Regional Symposium on Mining and Mineral Processing , Doyle, F. M. (eds.), Society of Mining Engineering. 1990.
4. Evangelou, V. P., “Pyrite Chemistry: The Key for Abatement of Acid Mine Drainage”. Acidic Mining Lakes: Acid mine Drainage, Limnology and Reclamation Springer-Verlag, 1998.
5. Huang, X. and Evangelou, V. P., Abatement of acid mine drainage by encapsulation of acid producing geological materials, US Bureau of Mines, Contract No. J0309013, 1992.
6. Kleinmann, R. L. P., “Acid mine drainage: US Bureau of Mines researches and develops control methods for both coal and metal mines”. Enviro. Mining J., July, pp161–164, 1989.
7. Marshall, G. P., J. S. Thompson, and R. E. Jenkins, “New technology for the prevention of acid rock drainage”. Proceedings of the Randol Gold and Silver Forum , pp. 203, 1998.
8. Sobek, A. A., Schuller, W. A., Freeman, J. R., and Smith, R. M., Field and laboratory methods applicable to overburden mine soils. EPA 600/2-78-054, pp203, 1978.
In the disclosed process, as is generally true for other processes, the fewer chemicals used, the more cost effective the process. If desired, other chemicals can be used in the disclosed process, including barium hydroxide and calcium carbonate for pH control, but it is desired that as few chemicals as possible be used to lower the cost of the process.
All numerical ranges given herein include all useful intermediate ranges and values thereof. Useful ranges and values may be determined using the teachings herein and those known in the art without undue experimentation. Useful chemical equivalents may be used for those chemicals specifically exemplified in this disclosure, as known by one of ordinary skill in the art without undue experimentation.
All references cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the extent not inconsistent with the disclosure herein. Although the description herein contains many specificities, these are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention, but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently-preferred embodiments of the invention. For example, the magnesium may be in the form of magnesium oxide, or other forms, as known in the art. Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given. | A method is provided for passivating sulfidic iron-containing rock comprising contacting sulfidic iron-containing rock with one or more members of the group consisting of magnesium oxide, magnesium hydroxide, magnesium chloride, magnesium nitrate and magnesium carbonate, thereby reducing the acid generation potential of rock. | 8 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a nonprovisional application which claims priority from U.S. provisional application No. 62/107,025, filed Jan. 23, 2015, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD/FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0002] The present disclosure relates to processing of seismic data.
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0003] In order to determine the composition and structure of an underground formation, seismic data may be utilized. As understood in the art, when a seismic wave propagates through the earth from a source to a receiver, the received seismic wave may bring information about geophysical properties of the subsurface volume. The properties may include, without limitation, seismic wave velocity, mass density, and anisotropy properties. In exploration geophysics, by recording the seismic waves at the surface by one or more geophones or hydrophones, a model of the subsurface strata may be determined through various seismic processing techniques.
[0004] The time between transmission of the seismic wave and reception of the reflected seismic waves may be measured to determine the distance to an interface. More advanced techniques, such as reflection velocity tomography, are capable of using kinematic information contained in the seismic reflection data to transform the seismic data gathered from the reflected waves to determine a more detailed and complete model of the underground seismic velocity model. Another technique, known as full waveform inversion (FWI), utilizes full waveform information, i.e. both phase and amplitude data, both transmission seismic data and reflection seismic data, both primaries and multiples, contained in the seismic data gathered from the recorded seismic waves to generate a high resolution velocity model or other geophysical property model of the underground formation through optimal data fitting.
[0005] Because of hardware limitations of geophones and hydrophones, seismic data is typically band limited, rendering low frequency seismic data unavailable. Due to the lack of low frequency data, large underground structures are less able to be identified due to issues including without limitation nonlinearity of the FWI and the cycle-skipping phenomenon. Nonlinearity and cycle-skipping can result in incorrect data fitting as, for example, the inversion may be trapped in local minima, preventing the updated models from progressing properly. Nonlinearity and cycle-skipping each increase in effect and likelihood with increasing frequency during an inversion operation.
SUMMARY
[0006] The present disclosure provides for a method for generating a model of an underground formation from seismic data. The method may include measuring seismic data from one or more receivers in the time domain. The one or more receivers may be positioned to receive seismic waves generated by a source and emitted into the underground formation, the seismic waves forming the seismic data. The method may further include converting the seismic data from the time domain to the frequency domain to form frequency domain seismic data. The method may further include extracting, from the frequency domain seismic data, first measured frequency domain data from corresponding to a first signal at a first frequency. The method may further include extracting, from the frequency domain seismic data, second measured frequency domain data corresponding to a second signal at a second frequency. The second frequency is different from the first frequency. The method may further include generating, from a first velocity model, first simulated frequency domain data at the first frequency and second simulated frequency domain data at the second frequency. The method may further include calculating a gradient of a cost function utilizing the first and second measured frequency domain data and first and second simulated frequency domain data. The method may further include generating a second velocity model based at least in part on the calculated gradient, the second velocity model corresponding to at least one feature of the underground formation.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] The present disclosure is best understood from the following detailed description when read with the accompanying figures. It is emphasized that, in accordance with the standard practice in the industry, various features are not drawn to scale. In fact, the dimensions of the various features may be arbitrarily increased or reduced for clarity of discussion.
[0008] FIGS. 1A, 1B depict a beat signal of an Amplitude-Frequency-Differentiation (AFD) method FWI consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure as created by two higher frequency signals.
[0009] FIGS. 2A, 2B depict a beat signal of an Amplitude-Frequency-Differentiation (AFD) method FWI consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure as received.
[0010] FIGS. 3B, 3C depict a beat signal of an Amplitude-Frequency-Differentiation (AFD) method FWI consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure as received showing velocity anomalies as depicted in FIG. 3A .
[0011] FIGS. 4A, 4B depict phase data of a beat signal of a Phase-Frequency-Differentiation (PFD) method FWI consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure as received.
[0012] FIGS. 5B, 5C depict phase data of a beat signal of a Phase-Frequency-Differentiation (PFD) method FWI consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure as received showing velocity anomalies as depicted in FIG. 5A .
[0013] FIGS. 6B, 6C depict phase data of a beat signal of a Phase-Frequency-Differentiation (PFD) method FWI consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure as received showing velocity anomalies as depicted in FIG. 6A .
[0014] FIGS. 7C, 7D depict iterations of a model generated by a Phase-Frequency-Differentiation FWI consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure from the model depicted in FIG. 7A using an initial model as shown in FIG. 7B .
[0015] FIG. 8 is a flow chart depicting an FWI consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] It is to be understood that the following disclosure provides many different embodiments, or examples, for implementing different features of various embodiments. Specific examples of components and arrangements are described below to simplify the present disclosure. These are, of course, merely examples and are not intended to be limiting. In addition, the present disclosure may repeat reference numerals and/or letters in the various examples. This repetition is for the purpose of simplicity and clarity and does not in itself dictate a relationship between the various embodiments and/or configurations discussed.
[0017] In the following disclosure, it is to be understood that frequency of a signal may be expressed as either ordinary frequency, commonly measured in cycles per second or Hz, or angular frequency, measured in radians per second. As used herein, f refers to ordinary frequency and co refers to angular frequency. One having ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure will understand that the frequencies are related according to:
[0000] ω=2π f
[0000] and thus unless explicitly stated otherwise, the use of one or the other is not intended to be limiting.
[0018] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, a seismic geologic survey is carried out utilizing a seismic source commonly referred to as a “shot” to generate seismic waves. As understood in the art, the shot may be band limited, but include seismic waves in a range of frequencies. In some embodiments, the shot may create seismic waves from, for example and without limitation, 0.2 to 100 Hz. In analyzing the seismic waves received by the one or more geophones or hydrophones, frequency domain data may be extracted from the received time domain seismic waves corresponding to two frequencies of seismic waves using various signal processing techniques. These signals are referred to herein as S 1 and S 2 . The frequencies of S 1 and S 2 are selected to be different but close to each other. In some embodiments, S 1 and S 2 may each be between 4 and 100 Hz, between 5 and 30 Hz, or between 5 and 15 Hz. In some embodiments, for example and without limitation, S 1 and S 2 may be separated by 5 Hz or less, 2 Hz or less, or 0.5 Hz or less.
[0019] As understood in the art, when two time domain single frequency acoustic waves are close in frequency, the interference between the two signals may result in an apparently single tone of temporally varying volume or amplitude. The rate of variation in volume, known as a beat frequency, is determined by the difference between the two sound frequencies. For a first signal, S 1 (t)=cos(2πf 1 t) and a second signal S 2 (t)=cos(2πf 2 t), where |f 1 −f 2 |<<f 1 and f 2 , the summation of the two signals is given by:
[0000]
S
3
(
t
)
=
S
1
(
t
)
+
S
2
(
t
)
=
2
cos
(
2
π
f
1
+
f
2
2
t
)
cos
(
2
π
f
2
-
f
1
2
t
)
[0020] The addition of S 1 (t) and S 2 (t) creates a perceived carrier signal (defined by
[0000]
S
c
(
t
)
=
2
cos
(
2
π
f
1
+
f
2
2
t
)
)
,
[0000] whose amplitude varies slowly with the beat frequency
[0000]
f
b
=
f
2
-
f
1
2
[0000] (according to the
[0000]
cos
(
2
π
f
2
-
f
1
2
t
)
[0000] term). Thus, by selecting the difference in frequency between S 1 (t) and S 2 (t), the high frequency carrier signal S c (t), is modulated with the low frequency beat signal. In some embodiments, as an example and without limitation, for time domain single frequency signals, by taking the envelope of S 3 ( t ), referred to herein as beat signal S B (t), low frequency data may be extracted from the high-frequency signals S 1 (t) and S 2 (t). As depicted in FIG. 1A , signals S 1 (t) and S 2 (t) when superimposed create the amplitude variations of beat signal S B (t) as shown in FIG. 1B , and the frequency of beat signal S B (t) is determined by the difference in frequency between signals S 1 (t), S 2 (t). By selecting the frequencies of S 1 (t) and S 2 (t) close to one another, beat signal S B (t) may have a low frequency.
[0021] As understood in the art, when two frequency domain seismic waves recorded at multiple spatial locations are close in frequency, the interference between the two signals results in an apparently single tone of spatially varying amplitude. The rate of variation in amplitude is determined by the difference between the two seismic wave frequencies or wavenumbers. As understood in the art, wavenumber refers to the spatial frequency of a wave, and may be calculated according to:
[0000]
k
=
ω
v
[0000] where k is the wavenumber and v is the phase velocity of the wave. For a first signal, S 1 (x)=exp(ik 1 x) and a second signal S 2 (x)=exp(ik 2 x), where x is the spatial location, |f 1 −f 2 |>>f 1 and f 2 ,
[0000]
k
1
=
ω
1
v
,
k
2
=
ω
2
v
,
[0000] the summation of the two signals is given by:
[0000]
S
3
(
x
)
=
S
1
(
x
)
+
S
2
(
x
)
=
2
|
x
|
exp
(
k
1
+
k
2
2
x
)
cos
(
k
2
-
k
1
2
x
)
[0022] The addition of S 1 (x) and S 2 (x) creates a perceived carrier signal (defined by
[0000]
S
c
(
x
)
=
exp
(
k
1
+
k
2
2
x
)
)
,
[0000] whose amplitude varies slowly with the beat wavenumber
[0000]
k
b
=
k
2
-
k
1
2
[0000] (according to the
[0000]
cos
(
k
2
-
k
1
2
x
)
term
)
.
[0000] Thus, by selecting the difference in frequency between S 1 (x) and S 2 (x), the high wavenumber carrier signal S c (x) is modulated with the low wavenumber beat signal. In some embodiments, as an example and without limitation, for frequency domain signals, by taking the envelope of S 3 (x), referred to herein as beat signal S B (x), low wavenumber data may be extracted from the high-wavenumber signals S 1 (x) and S 2 (x). As depicted in FIG. 2A , signals S 1 (x) and S 2 (x) when superimposed create the amplitude variations of beat signal S B (x) as shown in FIG. 2B , and the wavenumber of beat signal S B (t) is determined by the difference in wavenumber or frequency between signals S 1 (x), S 2 (x). By selecting the frequencies of S 1 (x) and S 2 (x) close to one another, beat signal S B (x) may have a low wavenumber.
[0023] By utilizing the data in a low wavenumber beat signal S B for a FWI operation, otherwise unavailable low wavenumber data may be obtained.
[0024] An FWI inversion begins with an initial model, referred to herein as KO. After iterative inversions of seismic data, the model is gradually updated by using determined gradient information. Acoustic waves propagate according to:
[0000] ∇ 2 p+ω 2 ρκρ=−iωQ
[0000] where p is the pressure, Q is the injected volume acting as the source, ρ is the mass density, and κ is the compressibility of the medium. The seismic P-wave velocity, v p is determined according to:
[0000] v p =1/√{square root over (ρκ)}
[0025] The model is updated until a model κ n =κ 0 +Δκ which is close to the true model (referred to herein as κ true ) is determined, such that the simulated data closely fits the measured data. The gradient information is calculated from the sensitivity kernel, i.e. the response of the simulated data to the perturbation of the medium property, according to:
[0000]
∂
p
∂
κ
=
-
ρω
2
∫
τ
p
(
ω
,
κ
;
x
,
x
r
)
G
(
ω
,
κ
;
x
,
x
s
)
x
[0000] where G(ω, κ; x, x s ) is the Green's function, i.e., the solution to
[0000] ∇ 2 p+ω 2 ρκρ=δ( x−x s )
[0026] Because
[0000]
∂
p
∂
κ
[0000] is a function of κ and ω, the inversion is nonlinear, and the level of nonlinearity increases with increasing frequency. Additionally, if the simulated data at κ n =κ 0 and the measurement data are out of phase for more than a half period, then the gradient-based search direction will be incorrect, a phenomenon known as cycle-skipping, causing errors to propagate in subsequent models.
[0027] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the low wavenumber information buried in beat signal S B may be extracted to carry out the FWI operation and reconstruct a model for the underground formation without suffering from cycle-skipping. Rather than inverting data from signal S 1 at frequency f 1 , or data from signal S 2 at frequency f 2 , or data from signal S 3 at frequencies f 1 and f 2 using the conventional FWI method, for example and without limitation, the inversion may be carried out utilizing the low wavenumber data extracted from beat signal S B , which is constructed from high frequency seismic data at two different frequencies through mathematical operations and signal processing techniques.
[0028] In some embodiments, FWI may be carried out utilizing the amplitude data of beat signal S B . In such an amplitude-frequency differentiation (AFD) inversion, beat signal S B may be defined as the envelope of S 3 , which may then be utilized as the input data of at least one iteration of the FWI operation. As an example, FIGS. 2A and 2B depict simulated data received by 313 receivers located evenly from 100 m to 4000 m from a signal source at 0 m with constant seismic velocity v. FIG. 2A depicts real parts of frequency domain data S 1 and S 2 overlaid as received by the receivers. FIG. 2B depicts S B , calculated by computing the absolute value of the amplitude or the envelope of the summation of frequency domain data from signals S 1 at f 1 and S 2 at f 2 . FIG. 2B also depicts S LF . S LF , shown only for comparison purposes, corresponds to a true low frequency signal captured at the frequency
[0000]
f
1
-
f
2
2
.
[0000] In this nonlimiting example, S 1 and S 2 are 15 and 12 Hz respectively, with S LF thus being 1.5 Hz. As can be seen, although S B is constructed from high frequency seismic data, it includes all the same low wavenumber information as the true low frequency S LF , also shown by:
[0000]
S
1
+
S
2
=
2
|
x
|
cos
(
k
1
-
k
2
2
x
)
exp
(
-
i
k
1
+
k
2
2
x
)
[0000] and thus:
[0000]
|
S
1
+
S
2
|
=
2
|
cos
(
k
1
-
k
2
2
x
)
/
x
|
[0029] By inverting |S 1 +S 2 | instead of S 1 or S 2 alone, for example and without limitation, during FWI processes, low wavenumber information contained in beat signal may contribute to the recovery of large scale structures while mitigating issues with cycle-skipping and local minima without using true low frequency seismic data. Because S B includes all the same low wavenumber information as the true low frequency S LF , the FWI result obtained by inverting data from beat signal S B is expected to be identical or close to that obtained by inverting data S LF .
[0030] As an example, FIG. 3A depicts velocity anomalies as ideally detectable by the receivers. FIG. 3B depicts real parts of frequency domain data from signals S 1 and S 2 as computed. FIG. 3C depicts beat signal S B (the envelope of S 1 +S 2 ) and real part of true low frequency data S LF , showing the effect of the anomalies on S B .
[0031] In order to carry out FWI utilizing the AFD data, beat signal S B may be used to determine an initial model after which single-frequency FWI (for example using only S 1 , S 2 , or another seismic signal at another frequency) may be utilized to generate subsequent, updated models. In other embodiments, beat signal S B may be used to determine the initial model κ 0 as well as each subsequent model κ n . In some embodiments, for each iteration of the FWI, beat signal S B may be generated by S 1 and S 2 at constant frequencies. In other embodiments, for each iteration of the FWI, beat signal S B may be generated by S 1 and S 2 at different frequencies selected to generate a different beat signal S B . In some embodiments, for each iteration, beat signal S B may be generated by a variation in one or both of S 1 and S 2 .
[0032] At each iteration, the quality of the fit may be calculated according to the cost function for AFD, given by:
[0000]
C
(
m
n
)
=
1
2
||
|
S
(
ω
1
)
+
S
(
ω
2
)
|
2
-
|
M
(
ω
1
)
+
M
(
ω
2
)
|
2
||
2
+
λ
n
R
n
(
m
n
)
[0000] where S is the simulated data from the model, M is the measurement data, m is the unknown vector, a function of seismic velocity model v or compressibility model κ, to be inverted, λ is the regularization parameter, R is the regularization term, w is the angular frequency, and n denotes the iteration index. By minimizing C(m n ) or iterating until it is within an acceptable error tolerance, the fit of the generated model may be improved. As understood by one having ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure, as the simulated data becomes closer to the measurement data, the value of the cost function decreases.
[0033] In some embodiments, FWI may be carried out utilizing phase data of S 1 /S 2 to render low wavenumber information to inversion processes. In such a phase-frequency differentiation (PFD) inversion, beat signal data is defined as Φ(S 1 /S 2 ), i.e., phase of S 1 /S 2 , rather than envelope of S 1 +S 2 as in AFD. In some embodiments, dividing S 1 by S 2 may, for example and without limitation, reduce the effects of source estimation uncertainty, measurement error, or unnecessary cross talk between reflection energy.
[0034] Utilizing the phase-frequency-differentiation data (i.e., beat signal data in PFD method) may mitigate or eliminate errors caused by, for example and without limitation, sensitivity to amplitude measurement error, unknown attenuation parameters Q, and uncertainty of mass density.
[0035] As an example, FIGS. 4A and 4B depict simulated data received by 313 receivers located evenly from 100 m to 4000 m from a signal source at 0 m with constant seismic velocity v. FIG. 4A depicts the phases of frequency domain data from signals S 1 at frequency f 1 and S 2 at frequency f 2 overlaid as received by the receivers. FIG. 4B depicts the phase of S B (i.e., Φ(S 1 /S 2 )). FIG. 4B also depicts the phase of S LF . The phase of S LF , shown only for comparison purposes, corresponds to a true low frequency signal captured at the frequency of f 1 -f 2 . As can be seen, the phase of S 1 /S 2 and S LF are identical.
[0036] As an example, FIG. 5A depicts velocity anomalies as ideally detectable by the receivers. FIG. 5B depicts the phases of S 1 and S 2 as received. FIG. 5C depicts S B (i.e., Φ(S 1 /S 2 )) and the phase of S LF , showing the effect of the anomalies on the phase of S B . Because S B and the phase of data S LF are identical, the FWI result obtained by inverting data S B is expected to be identical or close to that obtained by inverting the data S LF .
[0037] In order to carry out FWI utilizing the PFD data, the beat signal S B may be used to determine an initial model after which single-frequency FWI (for example using only S 1 , S 2 , or another seismic signal at another frequency) may be utilized to generate subsequent, updated models. In other embodiments, beat signal S B may be used to determine the initial model KO as well as each subsequent model κ n . In some embodiments, for each iteration of the FWI, beat signal S B may be generated by S 1 and S 2 at constant frequencies. In other embodiments, for each iteration of the FWI, beat signal S B may be generated by S 1 and S 2 at different frequencies selected to generate a different beat signal S B . In some embodiments, for each iteration, beat signal S B may be generated by a variation in one or both of S 1 and S 2 .
[0038] At each iteration, the quality of the fit may be calculated according to the cost function for PFD, given by:
[0000]
C
(
m
n
)
=
1
2
||
Φ
[
S
(
ω
2
)
/
S
(
ω
1
)
]
-
Φ
[
M
(
ω
2
)
/
M
(
ω
1
)
]
||
2
+
λ
n
R
n
(
m
n
)
[0000] where S is the simulated data from the model, M is the measurement data, m is the unknown vector to be inverted, λ is the regularization parameter, R is the regularization term, ω is the angular frequency, Φ is the phase extraction operator, and n denotes the iteration index. By minimizing C(m n ) or iterating until it is within an acceptable error tolerance, the fit of the generated model may be improved. The gradient vector of the cost function with respect to the unknown vector m, a function of seismic velocity model v or compressibility model κ, is calculated. The gradient vector alone, or combined with other information, may be utilized in the FWI inversion processes for velocity model update direction searching to minimize the cost function.
[0039] As understood by one having ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure, as the simulated data becomes closer to the measurement data, the value of the cost function decreases.
[0040] As another example of PFD measurement data (i.e., beat signal data) to be inverted, FIG. 6A depicts a test model (here, the Marmousi model) with a single source and the associated multiple receivers depicted at the top thereof. FIG. 6B depicts the phase data of S 1 and S 2 as receive by the receivers. FIG. 6C depicts the beat signal data (i.e., Φ(S 1 /S 2 )) as a result of the PFD technique described hereinabove. As is clearly visible, the beat signal data (i.e., Φ(S 1 /S 2 )) includes far fewer phase-wraps, thus reducing the possibility of cycle-skipping.
[0041] In order to further the understanding of the present disclosure, a merely exemplary and non-limiting PFD FWI operation is depicted in FIGS. 7A-7D . FIG. 7A depicts the true seismic velocity model for the exemplary PFD FWI operation, here depicted as the Marmousi model. FIG. 7B depicts the initial model used. Data is extracted from a shot such that S 1 is at 5 Hz and S 2 is at 5.5 Hz and is used with the PFD inversion as discussed above, resulting in the model shown in FIG. 7C . This model is used as the starting model for a FWI operation, which after several operations utilizing single frequency data results in the final model result depicted in FIG. 7D .
[0042] In order to further the understanding of this disclosure, FIG. 8 depicts a flow chart of a FWI operation consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 8 is intended as an example and is not intended as limiting the scope of the disclosure in any way. As previously discussed, seismic data is recorded ( 20 ). In some embodiments, the seismic data may be pre-processed ( 30 ). Pre-processing may include, for example and without limitation, filtering of the recorded data.
[0043] The two frequencies f 1 and f 2 for beat signal construction may be determined ( 40 ) based on, for example and without limitation, knowledge of initial velocity model ( 10 ) and the quality and frequency range of the pre-processed data. The pre-processed time domain seismic data may be converted to frequency domain data ( 50 ) using signal processing techniques. The frequency domain data at frequency f 1 and f 2 may be extracted as M 1 and M 2 ( 60 ). The initial velocity model may be input to a seismic wave propagation engine to generate the simulated frequency domain data from signals S 1 with the frequency f 1 and S 2 with the frequency f 2 ( 70 ). The cost function and the data residual of AFD method or PFD method may then be calculated using the measurement data M 1 and M 2 and the simulated data for signals S 1 and S 2 ( 80 ) as discussed herein above. The gradient of the AFD or PFD cost function and the velocity update direction are calculated ( 100 ) to obtain an updated velocity model ( 120 ). The updated velocity model may be input into the seismic wave propagation engine to obtain a new set of simulated data S 1 and S 2 to be used for cost function and data residual evaluation ( 140 ). The updated velocity model and the data fitting are judged ( 160 ). If the data fitting is satisfactory and the update velocity model is accepted, the beat tone FWI process finishes ( 180 ). Otherwise, using the calculated gradient of the cost function, the velocity model may be updated ( 170 ) and used as the input to operations 100 , 120 , 130 , 140 , and 160 . These operations may repeat until the data fitting is satisfactory, and the reconstructed velocity model is satisfactory.
[0044] In some embodiments, additional operations may be included in the above described FWI operation. For example and without limitation, in some embodiments, the initial velocity model ( 10 ) may be obtained through well logs, velocity tomography procedures, or any other velocity analysis techniques. In some embodiments, in operation 40 , besides initial velocity model and pre-processed seismic data, other available information (e.g., seismic migration image, geology information) may be used to help determine f 1 and f 2 .
[0045] In some embodiments, in operation 70 , the seismic wave propagation engine may be based on a time domain method or a frequency domain method. In some embodiments, it may be a finite-difference method, finite-element method, integral-equation method, or other numerical methods suitable for wave propagation simulations.
[0046] In some embodiments, in operations 80 and 100 , extra regularization terms may be added to further stabilize the FWI processes.
[0047] In some embodiments, in operation 120 , the updated velocity model may be further modified based on a priori information such as, for example and without limitation, water bottom profile or salt body geometry.
[0048] The foregoing outlines features of several embodiments so that a person of ordinary skill in the art may better understand the aspects of the present disclosure. Such features may be replaced by any one of numerous equivalent alternatives, only some of which are disclosed herein. One of ordinary skill in the art should appreciate that they may readily use the present disclosure as a basis for designing or modifying other processes and structures for carrying out the same purposes and/or achieving the same advantages of the embodiments introduced herein. One of ordinary skill in the art should also realize that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure and that they may make various changes, substitutions, and alterations herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. | A full wave inversion (FWI) may utilize an Amplitude-Frequency-Differentiation (AFD) or a Phase-Frequency-Differentiation (PFD) operation to form a velocity model of a subterranean formation utilizing recovered low wavenumber data. Received seismic data is processes to isolate two data signals at different frequencies. In an AFD operation, the two data signals are summed and the data of the envelope of the summed function is used for the FWI. In a PFD operation, the phase data of the quotient of the two data signals is used for the FWI. The FWI proceeds iteratively utilizing either the AFD or PFD data or with single frequency data until the cost function of the AFD or PFD is satisfied. | 6 |
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to heavy equipment load lifting hooks and in particularly to a remote controlled engaging and releasing load coupler for cranes or the like.
The typical method for coupling a lifting hook on a crane or other load lifting equipment is for the crane operator or a load hooker laborer to climb upon the load to be hoisted to couple the crane hook to a lifting ring or supporting cables around the load. While this method may be adequate for many types of loads, it is often a very hazardous or perhaps impossible if, for example, it is necessary to couple or release a crane hook from a stack of loose lumber, if it becomes necessary to lift a load from a fire or a hot area, if the load is in an explosive or toxic atmosphere, etc.
Briefly described, the load hooker of the invention includes an upper assembly with a top lifting ring for connecting the assembly to a crane hook. An elongated hollow lifting pin axially extends from the lower end of the upper section and is shaped to engage and center itself in a funnel shaped collar attached to the load, to a plate connected to chains or cables around the load, or to other systems that may be hoisted, moved or merely requiring some type of physical connections. Upon the seating of the upper assembly and its lifting pin in the load collar a linear drive mechanism in the upper assembly lifts an inner cam shaft in the hollow lifting pin to force outward through openings in the lifting pin jacket a plurality of balls that are normally recessed in an annular groove in the cam shaft. These extended balls engage a shoulder in the load collar to firmly lock the upper assembly on the crane hook to the load collar to effectively couple the upper assembly and the lifting pin directly to the load to be moved.
A second embodiment of a load hooker is particularly for use in dark areas and includes a small television camera and light sources mounted in the upper assembly and directed down toward the direction of the position of a load collar to guide the crane operator in locating and positioning the load hooker upper assembly.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the drawings which illustrate the preferred embodiment of the invention:
FIG. 1 is a sectional elevational view of the load hooker;
FIG. 2 is a sectional view illustrating the details of the load hooker lifting pin released from the load collar and the location of the engaging balls in the cam shaft;
FIG. 3 is a sectional elevational view of an alternate embodiment of a load hooker having therein a small television camera tube for positioning the hooker from a remote location or in a dark environment; and
FIG. 4 is sectional view illustrating a means for signalling the approach of a full connection of the upper assembly of the hooker to the load collar.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1 illustrates in section the load hooker comprising a strong, tubular upper housing 10 having a removeable top end cap 12 firmly attached thereto. Centered on top of the end cap is an attached lifting ring 14 of a suitable size for coupling to a crane hook 16. At the opposite or lower end of the tubular portion of the upper housing and firmly attached thereto is a collar 18 having a conical lower section 20 extending a short distance below the end of the tubular housing 10.
Axially extending from the lower end of the collar 18 and connected through the collar to a supporting annular ledge 22 formed in the bore of the collar is a strong, tubular, elongated, lifting pin 24 having at its lower or distal end a conically shaped end surface 26. An inch or more above the end surface 26 are a plurality of preferably three or four radial holes through the tubular lifting pin 24. As will be explained in detail in connection with FIG. 2, these radial holes permit a like number of steel balls 28 to withdraw into the pin or extend therefrom to engage a load collar to be subsequently described.
Axially located within the bore of the tubular lifting pin 24 is a straight elongated cam shaft 30 having at its lower end a section 32 with a diameter slightly less than the inside diameter of the tubular pin 24 and a length slightly less than the distance between the lower conical end of the pin 24 and the lower edges of the radial holes therethrough that accommodate the balls 28. Above and adjacent the end section 32 of the cam shaft 30 is an annular recessed section 34 having a depth suitable for the complete withdrawal of the balls 28 into the recess and the pin's radial holes as shown in FIG. 2 to be later described.
The linear movement of the cam shaft 30 within the tubular lifting pin 24 is controlled by a linear actuator unit within the upper housing 10 and comprising a reversible motor 36 driving gears in gear box 38 which in turn rotates a drive screw mechanism 40 that extends or retracts the linear movement of the screw 42. The linear moveable screw 42 is coupled through a universal coupling 44 to the upper end of the cam shaft 30. Thus, the operation of the reversible motor 36 linearly moves the cam shaft 30 to either extend the locking balls 28 from their respective radial holes in the pin 24 or withdraw the balls into the annular recess section 34. If preferred, the motor 36 and associated gears 38 and linear actuator 40, 42 may be replaced by a spring biased electro-mechanical solenoid (not shown) which will operate the cam shaft 30 within the lifting pin 24.
The preferred embodiment of the load hooker includes a battery 46 that may be recharged through a side port 48 in the housing, and a small radio receiver 50 having an antenna 52 extending through a waterproof grommet in the wall of the upper housing. A radio signal from a remote transmitter may thus cause the receiver 50 to energize a DPDT relay 54 within the housing 10 to apply battery power to the reversible D.C. motor 36, or electromechanical solenoid as mentioned above. In either embodiment the control of the cam shaft 30 is directed via radio link from a remote operator who receives a signal that the load hooker is engaged or disengaged from the load by an indicator lamp 56 in the side wall of the upper housing 10. The indicator lamp is energized by the battery 46 in circuit with a microswitch 58 that is closed by a spring biased plunger 60 that slideably extends through the collar 18 along an axis substantially parallel with the axis of the lifting tube 24 but offset therefrom so that the lower end of the plunger 60 may contact the flat top surface 62 of a load collar 64 into which the lifting pin may extend and which now will be discussed.
The load collar 64 is a strong, thick-walled tubular member with a lower circular flange 66 containing a plurality of bolts 68 that may be attached to the top of the load to be hoisted, or to a ring or plate to which loading chains or cables may be attached. Axially extending down from the top flat surface 62 of the collar is conical shaped funnel 70 having a conical angle somewhat similar to that in the lower end of the upper section collar 18. The apex end of the funnel is bored with an axial straight hole 72 having a diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the lifting pin 24, and the lower end of the axial hole 72 in the flange 66 is counterbored to provide a flat shoulder 74 against which the lifting pin balls 28 may engage the load collar.
In operation, the load hooker with the load collar engaging balls recessed in the annular section 34 of the cam shaft 30 is lowered toward the funnel 70 in the load collar which is attached to a load to be lifted. The lifting pin, contacting any part of the funnel wall, will guide itself down and through the axial apex hole to the point at which the balls may be extended to engage the shoulder 74 in the counterbored lower surface of the load collar 64. At this point, the end of the plunger 60 will have contacted the top flat surface 62 of the load collar 64 and will have moved to close the microswitch 58 which simultaneously energizes the indicator lamp 56 and the relay 54. The closing of the relay 54 energizes the motor 36, or solenoid (not shown), in a first direction that will cause the cam shaft 30 to raise up in the tubular lifting pin 24 to force the load collar engaging balls 28 outward to firmly lock the load hooker to its load collar. The lamp 56 indicates to a remote operator that the load hooker is engaged. When it is desired to release the load, the operator transmits a signal to the receiver 50 which triggers a second relay 76 that reverses the polarity of the power to the motor and drives it in its reverse direction to lower the cam shaft 30 and to retract the balls 28 from their engagement on the shoulder 74 in the bottom surface of the load collar 64.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view illustrating in detail the load collar 64 with the lifting pin 24 poised above, either before or after insertion of the lifting pin in the axial collar hole 72 at the bottom of the conical funnel 70. The cam shaft 30 has been lowered in the bore of the tubular lifting pin to permit the several load collar engaging balls 28 to fall into the annular recessed section 34 near the lower end of the cam shaft so that no surface of any ball extends out beyond the outer surface of the tubular lifting pin 24. It will be noted that the radial holes 78 in the walls of the lifting pin are conical with the minimum diameter of a hole at the outer surface of the lifting pin and having a diameter slightly less than the diameter of a ball 28 to both prevent the loss of the balls through the holes 78 and also to cause the balls to drop back into the annular recess 34.
In the embodiment disclosed in FIGS. 1 and 2 the load hooker has been described with the load collar 64 attached to a load to be hoisted and the upper housing 10 having a lifting ring 14 so that it may be supported from a crane hook. There may be times when it may be desired to reverse the positions of these members so that the collar 64 with its conical funnel aperture 70 would be lowered to engage the lifting pin 74 which extends vertically upward from the housing 10 which is connected to the load to be hoisted. This is quite possible with the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 which employs the rechargable, self contained battery system for operation of the linear actuator in response to the closure of the microswitch and the disengagement signal from the radio receiver, but is not a convenient method of operation in the embodiment to be now described.
FIG. 3 is a sectional view illustrating a second embodiment of the load hooker that is substantially identical with that of FIG. 1, but equipped with a small television camera tube 80 mounted in the collar 82 at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the load hooker so that it will view the lower end of the lifting pin 84 and the area toward which the load hooker would be lowered. The camera tube 80 is used in the load hooker whenever the load to be hoisted is out of the vision of the operator such as, for example, a load in a well or quarry, or during operations at night or in dark areas. Not illustrated in FIG. 3 are small illuminating lamps that are mounted at two or three points around the collar 82 and at angles suitable for providing adequate lighting for the camera tube when the load hooker is being used in such dark areas.
The television camera tube 80 in the embodiment of FIG. 3 is coupled to the crane operator's monitor by a suitable cable 86 that is passed through a water-tight, strain-relief, collar 88 in the upper housing or removeable top cap of the load hooker. Inasmuch as the embodiment of FIG. 3 requires that one conductor pair must be introduced from the outside for use with the camera tube 80, additional conductor pairs may also introduce outside power to the load hooker to replace the internal power pack and some of the controls used in the embodiment of FIG. 1. Therefore, the battery pack 46 and the radio receiver 50 of FIG. 1 have been eliminated from the embodiment of the load hooker illustrated in FIG. 3.
The operation of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3 is similar to that illustrated in FIG. 1. Using the camera tube 80 the operator can readily see to place the lifting pin 84 into the funnel of the load collar 90. When properly seated therein, the plunger closed microswitch 92 signals the contact by the indicator light 94 and also applies excitation to the relay 96 which actuates the linear drive motor 98 causing the cam shaft 100 to raise and force the balls 102 outward to engage the shoulder in the base of the load collar 90. When ready for release, the operator applies a signal that closes the relay 104 which applies a reversed polarity power to the motor 98 to lower the cam shaft 100 and permit the engaging balls to drop into the annular recess in the end of the cam shaft.
In many instances, it may be desired to detect the point at which the load hooker lifting pin first approaches engagement with a load collar and just prior to a locking engagement by the extending locking balls. Such information may be desired, for example, for starting motors, external sensing, robotic or various timing apparatus associated with the load hoisting.
FIG. 4 is a sectional view illustrating such a pre-engagement alarm that includes an electrically conductive plunger 106 having at its top end a collar 108 for supporting the spring 110 that biases the plunger downward away from a supporting angle bracket 112 that is attached to the inner housing wall of the load hooker. The portion of the plunger above the plunger collar 108 is electrically non-conductive and extends from the collar 108, through an insulated collar 116 and a hole in the angle bracket 112, and to the actuating arm on the microswitch 114 which, as previously described, closes a relay that starts the upward movement of the liner actuator and the cam shaft. The biasing spring 110 is therefore compressed between the stationary insulated collar 116 and the plunger collar 108.
The conductive plunger 106 is slideable within an insulating bushing 118 in the load hooker upper collar 120 and extends down so that its end will contact a copper ring 122 that is cemented to a similar insulation ring 124 mounted in an annular groove in the top flat surface 126 of a load collar 128. Both the insulation ring 124 and the conductive copper ring 122 therefore completely encircle the funnel opening in the top of a load collar 128. The conductive ring 122 is connected to a suitable insulated conductor (not shown) that extends through a radial slot formed in the surface 126 of the load collar to the desired pre-engagement alarm mechanism. Thus, the conductive plunger 106 and the copper ring 122 form an electrical pre-engagement alarm switch which is closed by plunger contact with the ring. | A remote operable coupler for rapidly connecting the loading hook of a crane, or the like, to a load to be hoisted comprises a load collar that is attached to the load and an upper unit support on the crane hook. The load collar has a funnel shaped aperture vertically aligned therethrough and the upper unit has a depending lifting tube that is lowered into and through the funnel in the collar. Steel balls are located in radial holes near the bottom of the lifting tube and normally are recessed into an annular groove near the bottom end of a cam rod in the bore of the lifting tube. The cam rod is automatically moved by an actuator controlled by a switch that detects the seating of the lifting tube in the load collar to force the balls outward and against a locking shoulder in the bottom of the load collar funnel, and disengagement of the balls is made by a remote operator by either a radio control signal or an electrical signal that reverses the movement of the linear actuator and the cam shaft thus permitting the balls to fall back into the annular groove. | 8 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention concerns a light-emitting attachment for ornaments such as Christmas lamps, decorative eggs and the like.
Common ornaments are usually enjoyed during daytime, but during nighttime they have to be illuminated with a bright light, otherwise they cannot be seen for enjoyment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention provides a light-emitting attachment to be utilized with ornaments of a small size, such as Christmas lamps, decorative eggs, small animal dolls and the like.
The main feature of the present invention has two kinds of chemical solutions filled in two separate chambers in a body. When the two differenct chemical solutions are mixed together, the mixed solutions provide illumination guide tube with a lengthwise passageway in the tube body is pressed down to provide communication between the two liquid filled chambers. The body is thereafter shaken to mix the solutions and create illumination.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
This invention will be better understood referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a light-emitting attachment in the present invention, showing it in a half filled condition;
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a light-emitting attachment in the present invention, showing it in a fully filled condition;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a light-emitting attachment in the present invention, showing how the two different chemicals are mixed with each other; and,
FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the light-emitting attachment of the present invention as used in Christmas ornaments.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
A light-emitting attachment in the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, has a transparent body 1, a wall 10 dividing the interior of the body 1 into two separate chambers 11,12 for separately containing two different chemical solutions therein. A center hole 100 is bored through the wall 10, and an opening 13 is provided in an upper wall portion of the body 1, an inlet hole 14 is provided in a bottom wall portion of body 1 and a tapered guide tube 2 is inserted through the inlet hole 14 from the exterior and fitted in the center hole 100 of the wall 10, with its upper end projecting out of the opening 13. Tube 2 has a lengthwise passageway 20 with two spaced short fork-shaped passages 20A, 20B extending laterally from the passageway 20 to two sides thereof. The upper fork-shaped passage 20A normally communicates with upper chamber 11, while the lower fork-shaped 20B is sealed by the interior wall of hole 100. A first chemical solution, such as oxalic acid, is filled through the lengthwise passageway 20 and passage 20A into the first chamber 11, and the projecting end of the guide tube 2 of the body 1 is heat melted into a flat push block 21, thus closing up the upper opening of the guide tube 2 and the opening 13 of the body 1. Thereafter, the body 1 is inverted and a second chemical solution, such as hydrogen peroxide, is filled through the bottom hole 14 into second chamber 12, with the bottom hole 14 being thereafter closed up by heating and melting the adjacent portion of body 1.
In use, referring to FIG. 3, the flat push block 21 of the guide tube 2 is pressed down to provide communication between chambers 11, 12 through passage 20B, passageway 20 and passage 20A. Body 1 is then shaken to mix the different solutions in chambers 11, 12, thereby creating illumination from the mixture. This light-emitting attachment for ornaments may be used in Christmas lamps, any other lamps of any shape and small animals dolls or the like, as shown in FIG. 4.
While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described above, it will be recognized and understood that various modifications may be made therein and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications which may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention. | Illumination is provided by a transparent body having two separate chambers for containing different liquids which are mixed together when a guide tube is pressed to provide communication between the chambers and the body is shaken. | 8 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an LED (Light Emitting Device) lamp module and, in particular, to an LED lamp module for a street light.
2. Description of Related Art
Traditional street lights are quite common to be used in city streets, highways, and tunnels. They not only beautify the city, but also significantly improve the traffic safety and public order. However, with the developments of the times and the LED street lights as new energy, replacing the traditional street lights with the LED ones, which extends the lifetime of the street lights and lowers energy consumption and carbon emissions, obviously becomes a main research topic worldwide at the current stage.
Therefore, related manufacturers have developed LED street lights having various shapes or meeting various specifications. However, the developed LED street lights are not compatible with the currently traditional street lights. Thus, the traditional replacement of the street light is mostly made by a complete replacement, which signifies the high cost of the LED street light and the large manpower and associated equipment for the replacement. Accordingly, people desiring the replacement may step back, which needs to be overcome.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a replacement LED lamp module for a street light, which can achieve the replacement of a lighting module without affecting the main structure of a traditional street light.
The present invention provides a replacement LED lamp module for a street light. The replacement LED lamp module comprises a heat dissipating cover, a driver, and an LED module. The heat dissipating cover has a receiving cavity and a receiving recess disposed inward of a bottom of the heat dissipating cover. The driver is installed in the receiving cavity. The LED module is disposed corresponding to the receiving recess and fixed to the heat dissipating cover. The LED module is electrically connected to the driver.
The present invention also has the following effects. Heat generated by the LED module is dissipated via a thermal module, which enhances heat dissipation efficiency and extends the lifetime of the lighting unit of the LED module. By means of a fixture module, the LED lamp module of the present invention can be directly combined with the upper cover of the traditional street light to considerably reduce the manpower and the cost of the associated equipment.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING
FIG. 1 is an assembled view of the replacement LED lamp module of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the replacement LED lamp module of the present invention;
FIG. 3 shows partial exploded views of the heat dissipating cover, the thermal module, and the driver of the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a top view of the heat dissipating cover in combination with the thermal module of the present invention;
FIG. 5 is an assembled cross-sectional view of the present invention applied in a street light;
FIG. 6 is an assembled view of the present invention applied in a street light;
FIG. 7 is an operational view of the present invention applied in a street light; and
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the present invention according to another embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The detailed description and technical details of the present invention will be explained below with reference to accompanying figures. However, the accompanying figures are only for reference and explanation, but not to limit the scope of the present invention.
Please refer to FIGS. 1-4 . The present invention provides a replacement LED lamp module for a street light. The replacement LED lamp comprises a heat dissipating cover 10 , a driver 20 , and an LED module 30 .
The heat dissipating cover 10 , which is made of metal such as aluminum, comprises a base plate 11 having an oval-like shape and a surrounding plate 12 bending upward from an edge of the base plate 11 . A folding edge 13 is formed at an end portion of the surrounding plate 12 away from the base plate 11 . The shape of the heat dissipating cover 10 is similar to that of the translucent cover of the traditional street light. A receiving cavity 14 is surrounded and formed by the base plate 11 and the surrounding plate 12 . A round receiving recess 15 is recessed in a direction from the base plate 11 to the receiving cavity 14 . A first hole 16 having a capsule shape and a plurality of second holes 17 are formed on the base plate 11 in the receiving recess 15 . Also, a plurality of longitudinal cuts 18 are formed on the surrounding plate 12 such that the gas in the receiving cavity 14 and that out of the heat dissipating cover 10 can be exchanged for heat transfer.
The driver 20 has a main body 21 and a cable 22 electrically connected to the main body 21 . A connector 23 is disposed at an end of the cable 22 . The driver 20 is installed in the receiving cavity 14 . The connector 23 is disposed corresponding to the first hole 16 .
The LED module 30 is disposed corresponding to the receiving recess 15 and fixed to the heat dissipating cover 10 and is electrically connected to the driver 20 . In the current embodiment, the LED module 30 comprises a collar 31 , a lighting unit 32 , a lens 33 , a washer 34 , and a sealing ring 35 . The lighting unit 32 , which is composed of a substrate and a plurality of LEDs fixed on the substrate, is fixed to a lower surface of the base plate 11 and is electrically connected to the connector 23 of the driver 20 via a butting connector (not shown). The lens 33 is fixed to the collar 31 through the sealing ring 35 . The collar 31 presses the washer 34 to be attached to the lower surface of the base plate 11 . The collar 31 is fixed to the base plate 11 via fastening elements such as screws such that the lens 33 covers the lighting unit 32 hermetically.
Preferably, the replacement LED lamp module of the present invention further comprises a thermal module 40 which is disposed in the receiving cavity 14 and thermally connected to the heat dissipating cover 10 . The thermal module 40 comprises a thermal plate 41 , a heat pipe 42 , and a fixing plate 43 . A long slot 411 is formed in the middle of the thermal plate 41 . A slot hole 412 is formed on the right side of the long slot 411 . The heat pipe 42 roughly has a “C” shape, which comprises a flat evaporation segment 421 and a condensation segment 422 extending from the evaporation segment 421 . The fixing plate 43 has a screw hole 431 for screwing an end of the connector 23 . The thermal plate 41 is attached to an upper surface of the base plate 11 . The evaporation segment 421 of the heat pipe 42 is attached to the upper surface of the base plate 11 and formed inside the long slot 411 . The condensation segment 422 of the heat pipe 42 is attached circularly to the surrounding plate 12 . The fixing plate 43 is pressed to contact the evaporation segment 421 of the heat pipe 42 and the top of the thermal plate 41 to provide a screw connection for the collar 31 .
Preferably, the replacement LED lamp module of the present invention further comprises a fixture module 50 connected to an open end of the heat dissipating cover 10 . The fixture module 50 comprises a separation plate 51 , a sealing member 52 , and a frame 53 . The separation plate 51 caps the heat dissipating cover 10 and is attached to the folding edge 13 . The sealing member 52 clamps the folding edge 13 and an edge area of the separation plate 51 . The frame 53 is stacked on the sealing member 52 . By means of fastening elements such as screws passing through the folding edge 13 , the frame 53 and the heat dissipating cover 10 can be fixed to each other (as shown is FIG. 1 ).
Please refer to FIGS. 5-7 . The replacement LED lamp module of the present invention can be applied in a traditional street light 8 which has a upper cover 81 . Since the structure of the present invention can replace the lighting member and light shell of the traditional street light 8 , the fixture module 5 can be embedded in the upper cover 81 and can be combined by the clipping mechanism of the traditional street light 8 .
The power of the driver 20 comes from the street light 8 . After the electric characteristics of voltage/current of the power are modulated and rectified by the main body 21 , the power is provided for the lighting unit 32 of the LED module via the cable 22 and the connector 23 .
The heat generated by the lighting unit 32 is delivered to the evaporation segment 421 of the heat pipe 42 and the thermal plate 41 via the base plate 11 . Some of the heat is delivered and dissipated from the condensation segment 422 to the heat dissipating cover 10 by vapor-to-liquid phase heat transfer in the heat pipe 42 . Some of the heat is delivered and dissipated to the fixing plate 43 by thermal conduction via the thermal plate 41 .
Since the replacement LED lamp module of the present invention is specifically arranged according to the above-mentioned structure, when it is installed in the street light 8 , the illumination range provided by the LED module 30 is basically consistent with that provided by the street light 8 .
Please refer to FIG. 8 . The replacement LED lamp module of the present invention can be implemented as the above embodiments. Besides, for a high power lighting unit (i.e., an electric power between 60 W and 80 W or between 100 W to 120 W), a heat dissipator 60 can be additionally installed to the current embodiment. The heat dissipator 60 is made of aluminum material by extrusion molding and has a substrate thermally contacted to the upper surface of the base plate 11 and has a plurality of fins extending upwards from the substrate. The fins are spacedly arranged for enhanced heat dissipation.
In summary, the replacement LED lamp module of the present invention can achieve the expected objective and overcome the disadvantages of the prior art. Also it is indeed novel, useful, and non-obvious to be patentable. Please examine the application carefully and grant it as a formal patent for protecting the rights of the inventor. | A replacement LED lamp module for a street light includes a heat dissipating cover ( 10 ), a driver ( 20 ), and an LED module ( 30 ). The heat dissipating cover ( 10 ) has a receiving cavity ( 14 ) and a receiving recess ( 15 ) disposed inward of a bottom of the heat dissipating cover ( 10 ). The driver ( 20 ) is installed in the receiving cavity ( 14 ). The LED module ( 30 ) is disposed corresponding to the receiving recess ( 15 ) and fixed to the heat dissipating cover ( 10 ); the LED module ( 30 ) is electrically connected to the driver ( 20 ). Thus, the replacement of the LED lamp module can be achieved without affecting the main structure of the conventional street light. | 5 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to improving the stealth capability of an optical instrument and, in particular, to an improved system, method, and apparatus for improving the stealth capability of an optical instrument.
2. Description of the Related Art
Optical devices often contain one or more lenses or other reflective surfaces. For example, optical devices for ranging, guidance, communication or information gathering, such as binoculars, telescopes, periscopes, rifle scopes and the like, all contain one or more lenses that can reflect incident light. Laser beam detection devices have found increased use in locating and/or ranging functions, particularly in military applications, and rely on analysis of reflected beams to detect and/or determine the position of an apparatus that contains a reflective surface, for example such optical devices as mentioned above. For example, a scanning laser may be projected across a combat area to determine an enemy's location. Reflected laser beams from a reflective surface of an optical device can be analyzed to determine the presence and location of the source of reflection.
Such scanning as well as targeting, ranging, designating and offensive lasers are capable of causing eye injury and, as a safety measure, soldiers and others who might be exposed to such beams frequently include dielectric or other filters in optical devices to prevent transmissions of harmful light to the eye. For example, laser protective filters have been incorporated into optical devices used in military settings, such as armored vehicle sights, binoculars and the like. The protective filters are often positioned behind one or more optical elements, e.g., behind one or more transparent or translucent lenses. Alternatively, the protective filters may be positioned in front of an optical device, such as in front of the outermost lens element of the device. In particular, to retrofit optical devices such as a scope to include a laser protective filter, often the only cost effective or practical place to put the filter is in front of the device.
While such laser protective filters can effectively block transmission of harmful electromagnetic radiation, the filters are typically highly reflective and thus can produce reflections of incident light, such as light of the dome of the sky, the sun or a scanning laser beam that can be readily detected by a viewer. As used herein, the term viewer refers to both a person and/or an apparatus for detecting such items. Moreover, a protective filter positioned in the front of an optical device, such as in the case of a retrofitted device, is particularly prone to produce reflections that can be readily discerned by a viewer.
In military situations, reflections from certain sensors that are part of optical systems also can be a problem. These sensors, such as charged coupled devices in video cameras, are typically reflective surfaces, and thus can generate retro-reflections back through the optical system, much in the way that at night, reflections of light from a car's headlights can be seen from a cat's retina. Such retro-reflections from a sensor element can be a serious problem, particularly in military situations. Systems are employed that scan a battlefield with a laser looking for retro-reflections such as from sensor elements located at the focal plane or other reflective surfaces within an optical system such as thermal sights and armor vehicle sights. The laser scanning systems use these retro-reflections from such optical devices to locate, identify and/or target the optical devices for offensive fire.
There are other instances where it is also very undesirable to have light reflected from an observing instrument returned to an object or scene being imaged or viewed. For example, in some chemistry experiments involving chemo-luminescence, a chemical reaction results in the production of light, and the quantity or time-rate of production of this light may provide an indication of the rate of the chemical reaction.
Another example is provided by particle physics in which the light produced by particle interactions with one another or with an indicator medium is of importance in detecting the fact of or the nature of such particle interactions, or their path in a magnetic or electric field, for example. In such cases, and others, the reflection of light from an optical observation instrument back into the scene being viewed or back to an object being viewed can be very detrimental. Thus, an improved system, method, and apparatus for improving the stealth capability of an optical instrument would be desirable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One embodiment of a system, method, and apparatus for improving the stealth capability of an optical aperture utilizes an inclined optical flat that is mounted in a tube. The optical flat has an oval, light-absorbing finish or coating on a central portion of its rear surface, and is mounted in front of existing instrument optics. Most of the light from the scene being viewed passes through the optical flat and is undistorted. Any light that is reflected from the optical flat is absorbed by the inner surface of the light-absorbing tube. Light that enters the distal end of tube is absorbed in the same manner. The light from the scene is slightly reduced by the rear finish before it passes on through the instrument optics to the observer or detector.
Any light entering the instrument optics from the observer's (i.e., proximal) end and light that is reflected from the various surfaces within the instrument optics emanate from virtual focal points (VFP) within the optics. Much of this light is absorbed by the rear finish on the optical flat. Careful consideration of the VFP's and the placement of the optical flat relative to the instrument optics reduce the size requirement of the rear finish on the optical flat. As a result, light reflecting from the optical flat and much of the light returning from the instrument optics is absorbed by the rear finish within the stealth tube, thereby rendering the glint from the instrument optics undetectable. The presence and location of the instrument is not revealed to other observers and/or instruments.
The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, in view of the following detailed description of the present invention, taken in conjunction with the appended claims and the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
So that the manner in which the features and advantages of the invention, as well as others which will become apparent are attained and can be understood in more detail, more particular description of the invention briefly summarized above may be had by reference to the embodiment thereof which is illustrated in the appended drawings, which drawings form a part of this specification. It is to be noted, however, that the drawings illustrate only an embodiment of the invention and therefore are not to be considered limiting of its scope as the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments.
FIG. 1 is a sectional side view of one embodiment of an optical aperture constructed in accordance with the present invention and illustrating light entering the aperture from the scene.
FIG. 2 is a sectional side view of the optical aperture of FIG. 1 illustrating light entering the observing end and/or light that is reflected by the optics.
FIG. 3 is an end view of an optical flat of the optical aperture of FIG. 1 .
FIG. 4 is a plan view of the optical flat of FIG. 3 .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 , one embodiment of a system, method, and apparatus for improving the stealth capability of an optical instrument is disclosed. Although the present invention is illustrated as a single, integrated device 11 for accomplishing the stated purpose, the present invention is readily configured as an auxiliary component (e.g., an attachment) for existing optical instruments, and/or may be used to incorporate other optical instruments, depending on the application. For example, the dashed vertical line 13 in FIGS. 1 and 2 represents one possible division between the optical instrument 15 (i.e., to the left of line 13 ) and the present invention (i.e., to the right of line 13 ), if they were to be configured separately. The optical instrument 15 itself may comprise one or more lenses 17 (e.g., two convex lenses are shown), such as is commonly known in the art.
In the embodiment shown, the optical device 11 comprises a round or cylindrical tube 21 having an axis 23 , a proximal end 25 , a distal end 27 , and an inner surface 29 . Again, the optical instrument 15 may or may not be part of the optical device 11 , such that it is not located inside the tube 21 (see, e.g., proximal end 25 b ). A light-absorbing treatment 31 (for clarity, shown greatly exaggerated in thickness) is located on at least a portion of the inner surface 29 of the tube 21 . In the embodiment shown, the light-absorbing treatment 31 comprises flat black and is located both in front of (to the right) and behind (to the left) of the optical flat 33 . However, the light-absorbing treatment 31 may comprise many other forms, including a coating, a plating, a surface treatment, grating, powder, etc. Moreover, the light-absorbing treatment 31 may be formed on the entire inner surface 29 , or on fewer portions than those illustrated, depending upon the application.
Although the light-absorbing treatment 31 is designed to absorb light, no object “perfectly” absorbs light. Thus, as used herein, “light-absorbing,” “absorbed,” etc., means, at the very least, a reduction in reflected light and, in many cases, a very substantial reduction in the amount of light reflected. In addition, the “light” may comprise visible light, ultraviolet (UV) light, infrared (IR) light, and/or still other forms of “light,” depending on the application.
In the embodiment shown, the optical instrument 15 is mounted inside the tube 21 adjacent to the proximal end 25 of the tube 21 . The optical instrument 15 is designed and adapted to magnify a distant object (“scene light” 35 in FIG. 1 ) for observation by a user and/or detector 37 located proximal to the optical instrument 15 , as is commonly known in the art.
The optical flat 33 of the present invention is mounted inside the tube 21 between the optical instrument 15 and the distal end 27 of the tube 21 . The optical flat 33 is mounted at an inclined proximal angle 43 (approximately 45 degrees, in one embodiment) relative to the tube 21 and a proximal surface of the optical flat 33 . A distal angle 45 (preferably in excess of 90 degrees) is defined between a distal surface of the optical flat 33 and the tube 21 .
Since the tube 21 is cylindrical in the embodiment shown, the optical flat 33 is elliptical in shape. However, from an end view perspective ( FIG. 3 ), the optical flat 33 appears circular. The optical flat 33 completely circumscribes the entire inner surface 29 of the tube 21 . Thus, all light that reaches the optical instrument 15 from the distal end 27 of the tube 21 passes through the optical flat 33 . The optical flat 33 is preferably transparent, has parallel proximal and distal surfaces, and has a smoothness or flatness that meets optical commercial laboratory standards. For example, the smoothness and parallel nature of the surfaces of the flat 33 vary by no more than approximately one-fourth of a wavelength of the light passing therethrough. However, the optical flat should be as thin as possible for the application, but rugged enough for the application.
The material of the optical flat 33 (e.g., glass) has high transmittivity for the light being transmitted, whether UV, IR, visible, or still other forms of light. Moreover, the present invention is also applicable to any other forms of electromagnetic radiation in the electromagnetic spectrum. An axial distance 39 from the distal end 27 of the tube 21 to a nearest portion of the optical flat 33 is greater than a diameter of the tube 21 . The tube is completely unobstructed from the optical flat 33 forward to beyond the distal end 27 of the tube 21 . In other words, nothing obstructs the light entering the tube 21 , such as in the case of prior art louver-type devices.
The optical flat 33 has a light-absorbing element 41 or optical aperture (for clarity, shown greatly exaggerated in thickness), mounted thereto for reducing light emitted from the tube 21 (i.e., to the right). Like the optical flat 33 , the light-absorbing element 41 is generally oval (although is appears circular in the end view of FIG. 3 ). The optical flat 33 and element 41 may be other shapes as well, including, for example, elliptical, ovate, etc. In one embodiment, the light-absorbing element 41 is mounted on the proximal surface of the optical flat 33 as shown, and is slightly beneath the center of the optical flat 33 . The light-absorbing element 41 is opaque to reduce and prevent reflection of light out the distal end 27 of the tube 21 . The light 35 from the scene is slightly reduced by the light-absorbing element 41 before it passes on through the optical instrument 15 to the observer or detector 37 .
Any light 35 that enters the tube 21 from the distal end 27 that is reflected by the optical flat 33 is absorbed by the light-absorbing treatment 31 on the inner surface 29 of the tube 21 . Any light 37 entering the optical instrument 15 from the proximal end 25 of the tube 21 (see, e.g., FIG. 4 ) and light that is reflected from surfaces within the optical instrument 15 (e.g., from the surfaces of lenses 17 ) emanate from virtual focal points, or VFP, (see, e.g., VFP 47 ) within the optical instrument 15 , and is absorbed by the light-absorbing element 41 , as shown in FIG. 2 .
As alluded to above, the present convention also comprises a method of improving a stealth capability of an optical device. One embodiment of the method comprises providing an optical instrument 15 and a tube 21 with an optical flat 33 , placing a light-absorbing treatment 31 on an inner surface 29 of the tube 21 and a light-absorbing element 41 on the optical flat 33 , passing light from a scene through a distal end 27 of the tube 21 , the optical flat 33 , and the optical instrument 15 , absorbing light entering the distal end 27 with the light-absorbing treatment 31 , and absorbing light reflected by the optical instrument 15 with the light-absorbing element such that light emitted from the tube 21 is reduced.
The method may further comprise absorbing light entering a proximal end 25 of the tube 21 , and/or absorbing visible, UV, and/or IR light, depending on the application. In addition, the optical flat 33 and the light-absorbing element 41 may be provided in oval shapes, and the optical flat 33 oriented at an inclined angle 43 relative to the tube 21 . The method may further comprise passing all light that reaches the optical instrument 15 from the distal end 27 of the tube 21 through the optical flat 33 . The light-absorbing element 41 may be mounted on a proximal surface of the optical flat 33 as dictated by the intersection of a cone and a plane ( FIG. 4 ). For example, the element 41 may be slightly off-center with respect to the optical flat 33 , depending on the virtual focal point (of the optical instrument 15 ) from which the cone is projected.
The method may further comprise absorbing any light that enters the tube 21 from the distal end 27 that is reflected by the optical flat 33 with the light-absorbing treatment 31 on the inner surface 29 of the tube 21 . The optical flat may be provided as transparent with parallel surfaces, and a smoothness or flatness that varies no more than approximately one-fourth of a wavelength of the light passing therethrough. In addition, the method may further comprise unobstructing the distal end 27 of the tube 21 from the optical flat 33 forward to beyond the distal end 27 of the tube 21 .
The present invention has several advantages, including the ability to improve the stealth capability of an optical aperture. Almost all light moving toward or away from the interior of the device is absorbed by the rear finish on the optical flat and/or by the interior finish of the tube. This design renders the glint from the instrument optics virtually undetectable, and thereby avoids revelation of the presence and location of the instrument to other observers and/or instruments.
While the invention has been shown or described in only some of its forms, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible to various changes without departing from the scope of the invention. | A tube-mounted inclined optical flat for improving the stealth capability of an optical aperture is disclosed. The optical flat has a light-absorbing finish on its rear surface, and is mounted in front of existing instrument optics. The light from the scene being viewed passes through the optical flat and is undistorted. Any light that is reflected from the optical flat is absorbed by the light-absorbing tube. Light that enters the distal end of tube is absorbed in the same manner. Any light entering the instrument optics from the observer's end and internal reflected light emanate from within the optics. Much of this light is absorbed by the rear finish on the optical flat. Selection of the optics' virtual focal points and placement of the optical flat relative to the optics reduce the size requirement of the rear finish on the optical flat. | 6 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a recording-material such as pressure-sensitive recording paper, heat-sensitive recording paper, electro-heat sensitive recording paper, etc. More in detail, the present invention relates to a recording-material prepared by using a divinyl phthalide compound represented by the formula (I): ##STR2## wherein A represents ##STR3## X 1 represents an alkyl group, an alkoxy group, an alkoxyalkoxy group, an aryloxy group, a cycloalkoxy group, a haloalkoxy group, an alkenyloxy group, an aralkyloxy group, a halogen atom or a combination thereof,
X 2 represents a halogen atom or a combination thereof,
X 3 represents an alkyl group of less than eight carbon atoms, an alkoxy group of less than eight carbon atoms, a halogen atom or a combination thereof,
R 1 represents a heterocyclic ring having one or more nitrogen atoms,
R 2 and R 3 represent respectively a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, alkoxyalkyl group, a haloalkyl group or a combination thereof, and
m and n represent an integer of 0, 1, 2 or 3, respectively. When m and n are not less than 2, X 1 of (X 1 ) n , X 2 of (X 2 ) 4 and X 3 of (X 3 ) m can be same or different.
(Hereinafter the same sign means the same meaning.)
The divinyl phthalide compounds represented by the formula (I) are the novel compounds synthesized for the first time by the present inventors. The compounds are by themselvees almost colorless, extremely stable in the atmosphere, have no subliming property and spontaneously chromogenic property and dissolve extremely well in organic solvent. They give a blackish color rapidly by a developer and its color image is excellent in light-resistance and moisture-resistance. Furthermore, since the color image has a strong absorption between 700 and 1000 nm in addition of the visible region, the color image has a distinctive feature that it is possible to be read by the optical letter-reading apparatus using the near infrared rays (such as OCR and OMR) and the barcord reading apparatus. Namely, the divinyl phthalide compound of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as the present compound) is an extremely valuable and novel compound which can be used as a chromogenic agent for an ordinary recording-material developing black color, of which demand is rapidly increasing recently, as well as the material readable with OCR, OMR, etc.
The color image due to the black-coloring fluorane compound (A), which has been used as a conventional chromogenic agent for a recording-material, does not have any absorption in the near infrared region and accordingly, the color image could not be read by an optical letter-reading apparatus (refer to FIG. 2): ##STR4## (refer to Japanese Patent Publication No. 56-52759/1981).
On the other hand, as the chromogenic agents having an absorption in the near infrared region, some compounds have been recently proposed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 58-5940/1983, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (KOKAI) No. 59-199757/1984 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (KOKAI) No. 60-230890/1985. However, each of the proposed compounds has the following defects and any satisfactory chromogenic agent has not been obtained in the present situation.
Namely, the compound (B) of Japanese Patent Publication No. 58-5940/1983 and the compound (C) of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (KOKAI) No. 60-230890/1985 have been themselves strongly colored in yellow and besides, they are strong in the spontaneous coloring. These defects have very bad effect on production of the recording materials.
Although the fluorene compound (D) of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (KOKAI) No. 59-199757/1984 is colorless, the chromogenic property and the stability of color image are poor.
Furthermore, the hue of each of compounds (B), (C) and (D), when developed color, is green and accordingly, to obtain blackish color, another chromogenic agent giving red or black color must be added in a large amount, and since the chromogenic property and the chromogenic speed of each agent are different from those of compounds (B), (C) and (D) and particularly, the light-resistance of red-chromogenic agent is generally poor, bad influences such as unbalance of color-development and reduction of light-resistance could not be avoided. ##STR5## (refer to Japanese Patent Publication No. 58-5940/1983). ##STR6## (refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (KOKAI) No. 60-230890/1985). ##STR7## (refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (KOKAI) No. 59-199757/1984).
As a result of the present inventors' earnest studies to improve the defects of the conventional chromogenic agents, the present invention has been attained.
The present invention has been attained by the present inventors who have found out that the divinyl compounds (I) are unexpectedly excellent in several properties such as the solubility, the coloring of the compound itself, the hue of the developed color, the chromogenic property, the absorbancy of near infrared rays and the stability of color image and have studies further the problems, and the present invention provides the compounds represented by the formula (I) and a chromogenic recording materials, which contains the compound (I) as a chromogenic agent.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention lies in offering a novel divinyl compound represented by the following formula (I): ##STR8##
Furthermore, the object of the present invention lies in offering a chromogenic dye-precursor material of blackish color represented by the formula (I).
Still more, the object of the present invention lies in offering a recording-material characterized in that it contains the divinyl compound represented by the formula (I) as a chromogenic agent.
BRIEF EXPLANATION OF THE DRAWINGS
Of the attached drawings, FIGS. 1 and 2 are the reflection spectra of a color images of pressure-sensitive and heat-sensitive recording papers, respectively, prepared with the present compound and the referenced compound and FIG. 3 is the reflection spectra of a texture of heat-sensitive recording paper prepared with the present compound and the referenced compound.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present compound is a divinyl compound represented by the following formula (I): ##STR9## and as the concrete example thereof, the following compounds may be exemplified. Every compound is an almost colorless solid and develops a blue-black to black color rapidly by the action of activated clay.
1. 3,3-Bis[2-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)-2-(p-methoxyphenyl)ethenyl]-4,5,6,7-tetrachlorophthalide,
2. 3,3-Bis[2-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)-2-(p-ethoxyphenyl)ethenyl]-4,5,6,7-tetrachlorophthalide,
3. 3,3-Bis[2-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)-2-(p-propoxyphenyl)ethenyl]-4,5,6,7-tetrachlorophthalide,
4. 3,3-Bis[2-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)-2-(p-iso-propoxyphenyl)ethenyl] -4,5,6,7-tetrachlorophthalide,
5. 3,3-Bis[2-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)-2-(p-butoxyphenyl)ethenyl]4,5,6,7-tetrachlorophthalide,
6. 3,3-Bis[2-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)-2-(p-iso-butoxyphenyl)ethenyl]-4,5,6,7-tetrachlorophthalide,
7. 3,3-Bis[2-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)-2-(p-sec-butoxyphenyl)ethenyl]4,5,6,7-tetrachlorophthalide,
8. 3,3-Bis[2-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)-2-(p-tert-butoxyphenyl)ethenyl]4,5,6,7-tetrachlorophthalide,
9. 3,3-Bis[2-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)-2-(m-methyl-p-methoxyphenyl)ethenyl]4,5,6,7-tetrachlorophthalide,
10. 3,3-Bis[2-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)-2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)ethenyl]-4,5,6,7-tetrachlorophthalide,
11. 3,3-Bis[2-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)-2-phenyl-ethenyl]-4,5,6,7-tetrachlorophthalide,
12. 3,3-Bis[2-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)-2-(p-methylphenyl)ethenyl]-4,5,6,7-tetrachlorophthalide,
13. 3,3-Bis[2-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)-2-(p-methoxyphenyl)ethenyl]-4,5,6,7-tetrabromophthalide,
14. 3,3-Bis[2-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)-2-(p-pentyloxyphenyl)ethenyl]-4,5,6,7-tetrachlorophthalide,
15. 3,3-Bis[2-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)-2-(p-iso-pentyloxyphenyl)ethenyl]-4,5,6,7-tetrachlorophthalide,
16. 3,3-Bis[2-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)-2-(p-chlorophenyl)ethenyl]-4,5,6,7-tetrachlorophthalide,
17. 3,3-Bis[2-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)-2-(p-ethoxyphenyl)ethenyl]-4,5,6,7-tetrabromophthalide,
18. 3,3-Bis[2-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)-2-(m-methoxy-p-ethoxyphenyl) ethenyl]-4,5,6,7-tetrachlorophthalide,
19. 3,3-Bis[2-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)-2-(m-methyl-p-ethoxyphenyl)ethenyl]-4,5,6,7-tetrachlorophthalide,
20. 3,3-Bis[2-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)-2-(p-methoxyphenyl)ethenyl]-5,6-dichloro-4,7-dibromophthalide,
21. 3,3-Bis[2-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)-2-(p-methylphenyl)ethenyl]-5-chloro-4,6,7-tribromophthalide,
22. 3,3-Bis[2-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)-2-(p-methylphenyl)ethenyl]-4,5,6,7-tetrabromophthalide,
23. 3,3-Bis[2-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)-2-(o-methyl-p-methoxyphenyl)ethenyl]-4,5,6,7-tetrachlorophthalide,
24. 3,3-Bis[2-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)-2-(3,4-dimethylphenyl)ethenyl]-4,5,6,7-tetrabromophthalide,
25. 3,3-Bis[2-(p-pyrrolidino-o-methylphenyl)-2-(p-methylphenyl)ethenyl]-4,5,6,7-tetrachlorophthalide,
26. 3,3-Bis[2-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)-2-(p-ethylphenyl)ethenyl]-4,5,6,7-tetrachlorophthalide,
27. 3,3-Bis[2-(p-pyrrolidino-o-chlorophenyl)-2-(p-methoxyphenyl)ethenyl]-4,5,6,7-tetrachlorophthalide,
28. 3,3-Bis[2-(p-2,5-dimethylpyrrolidinophenyl)-2-(p-methylphenyl)ethenyl]-4,5,6,7-tetrachlorophthalide,
29. 3,3-Bis[2-(p-piperidinophenyl)-2-(p-methoxyphenyl) ethenyl]-4,5,6,7-tetrachlorophthalide,
30. 3,3-Bis[2-(p-piperidinophenyl)-2-(p-methylphenyl)ethenyl]-4,5,6,7-tetrachlorophthalide,
31. 3,3-Bis[2-(p-piperidinophenyl)-2-(p-methylphenyl)ethenyl]-4,5,6,7-tetrabromophthalide,
32. 3,3-Bis[2-(p-2-methylpiperidinophenyl)-2-phenylethenyl]-4,5,6,7-tetrachlorophthalide,
33. 3,3-Bis[2-(p-4-methylpiperidinophenyl)-2-(p-methoxyphenyl)ethenyl]-4,5,6,7-tetrachlorophthalide,
34. 3,3-Bis[2-(p-hexamethyleneiminophenyl)-2-(p-methylphenyl)ethenyl]-4,5,6,7-tetrachlorophthalide.
35. 3,3-Bis[2-(p-morpholinophenyl)-2-(p-methoxyphenyl)ethenyl]-4,5,6,7-tetrachlorophthalide,
36. 3,3-Bis[2-(p-pyrrodinophenyl)-2-(p-octylphenyl)ethenyl]4,5,6,7-tetrachlorophthalide,
37. 3,3-Bis[2-(1-ethylindolin-5-yl)-2-(p-methylphenyl)ethenyl]-4,5,6,7-tetrachlorophthalide,
38. 3,3-Bis[2-(1-methylindolin-5-yl)-2-(p-methoxyphenyl)ethenyl]-4,5,6,7-tetrachlorophthalide,
39. 3,3-Bis[2-(1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinolin-6-yl)-2-(p-methylphenyl)ethenyl]-4,5,6,7-tetrachlorophthalide,
40. 3,3-Bis[2-(1-methoxyethyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinolin-6-yl)-2-(p-methylphenyl)ethenyl]-4,5,6,7-tetrabromophthalide,
41. 3,3-Bis[2-durrolidinyl-2-(p-ethoxyphenyl)ethenyl]- 4,5,6,7-tetrachlorophthalide,
42. 3,3-Bis[2-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)-2-(p-methoxyethoxyphenyl)ethenyl]-4,5,6,7-tetrachlorophthalide,
43. 3,3-Bis[2-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)-2-(p-allyloxyphenyl)ethenyl]-4,5,6,7-tetrachlorophthalide,
44. 3,3-Bis[2-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)-2-(p-chloropropoxyphenyl)ethenyl]-4,5,6,7-tetrachlorophthalide,
45. 3,3-Bis[2-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)-2-(p-cyclopentyloxyphenyl)ethenyl]-4,5,6,7-tetrachlorophthalide,
46. 3,3-Bis[2-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)-2-(p-cyclohexyloxyphenyl)ethenyl]-4,5,6,7-tetrachlorophthalide,
47. 3,3-Bis[2-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)-2-(p-benzyloxyphenyl)ethenyl]-4,5,6,7-tetrachlorophthalide,
48. 3,3-Bis[2-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)-2-(p-phenoxyphenyl)ethenyl]-4,5,6,7-tetrachlorophthalide, and
49. 3,3-Bis{2-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)-2-[p-(p-methoxyphenoxy)phenyl]ethenyl}-4,5,6,7-tetrachlorophthalide.
The divinylphthalide compounds according to the present invention can be synthesized by the method shown below.
As a first step, an ethylene derivative represented by the formula (2) is synthesized from a ketone by one of the following Grignard reactions a, b and c: ##STR10## wherein X represents a halogen atom.
Then, 2 mols of the ethylene derivative (2) and 1 mol of a phthalic acid derivative (3) are condensated in the presence of a dehydrating agent such as acetic anhydride, sulfuric acid, etc., and by purifying the reaction product, the divinylphthalide compounds represented by the formula (I) are obtained as nearly colorless crystals. ##STR11##
As the concrete examples of the ethylene derivatives represented by the formula (2), the following compounds can be exemplified:
1. 1-Phenyl-1-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)ethylene,
2. 1-(p-methylphenyl)-1-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)ethylene,
3. 1-(p-methoxyphenyl)-1-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)ethylene,
4. 1-(p-ethoxyphenyl)-1-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)ethylene,
5. 1-(p-butoxyphenyl)-1-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)ethylene,
6. 1-(p-methoxyphenyl)-1-(p-pyrrolidino-o-methylphenyl)ethylene,
7. 1-(p-methoxyphenyl)-1-(p-pyrrolidino-o-methoxyphenyl)ethylene,
8. 1-(2,4-dimethylphenyl)-1-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)ethylene,
9. 1-(2,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-1-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)ethylene,
10. 1-(p-chlorophenyl)-1-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)ethylene,
11. 1-(p-methylphenyl)-1-(p-2,5-dimethylpyrrolidinophenyl)ethylene,
12. 1-(p-methylphenyl)-1-(p-piperidinophenyl)ethylene,
13. 1-(p-methoxyphenyl)-1-(p-4-methylpiperidinophenyl)ethylene,
14. 1-(p-methylphenyl)-1-(p-hexamethyleneiminophenyl)ethylene,
15. 1-(p-methoxyphenyl)-1-(p-morpholinophenyl)ethylene,
16. 1-(p-methoxyphenyl)-1-(1-methylindoline-5-yl)ethylene,
17. 1-(p-methoxyphenyl)-1-(1-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinolin-6-yl)ethylene, and
18. 1-(p-methoxyphenyl)-1-durrolidinylethylene.
As phthalic acid derivatives represented by the formula (3), for instance, the following compounds can be mentioned.
Tetrachlorophthalic anhydride; 4-chloro-3,5,6-tribromophthalic anhydride; 4,5-dichloro-3,6-dibromophthalic anhydride; 4-bromo-3,5,6-trichlorophthalic anhydride; 4,5-dibromo-3,6-dichlorophthalic anhydride; tetrabromophthalic anhydride; tetrafluorophthalic anhydride; tetraiodophthalic anhydride; 4,5-dichloro-3,6-difluorophthalic anhydride; 4-chloro-3,5,6-triiodophthalic anhydride and 4,5-dichloro3,6-diiodophthalic anhydride.
In case where a pressure-sensitive recording paper, a heat-sensitive recording paper, etc. is produced with these divinylphthalide compounds, one or more of the compounds can be used. By mixing not less than two of the compounds, the chromogenic property and the stability in preserving the color image are improved. Moreover, to make the hue and the concentration of developed color, and the stability of color image more complete, various known chromogenic agents which give various hues can be used with the present compound to the extent not to damage the facilities of the present compound.
For instance, the present compound can be used with the chromogenic agent which has the fundamental skeleton such as 3,3-bis(aminophenyl)-6-aminophthalide, 3,3-bis(indolyl)phthalide, 3-aminofluoran, aminobenzofluoran, 2,6-diaminofluoran, 2,6-diamino-3-methylfluoran, spiropyrane, phenothiazine, phenoxazine, leucoauramine, diarylcarbazolylmethane, 3-indolyl-3-(aminophenyl)azaphthalide, triaminofluorenephthalide, tetraaminodivinylphthalide.
When producing a pressure-sensitive recording paper, as a solvent for a chromogenic agent, various solvents of alkylbenzene series, alkylbiphenyl series, alkylnaphthalene series, diarylethane series, hydrogenated terphenyl series and chlorinated paraffin series can be used singly or as a mixture, and for encapsulation, a coacervation method, an interfacial polymerization method or an In-situ method can be applied.
As a developer, clays such as bentonite, activated clay, acid clay, etc.; metal salt of salicylic acid, salicylic ester derivatives, salicylic acid derivatives, etc.; hydroxy compounds such as 2,2-bis(p-hydroxyphenyl)propane (bisphenol A), esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid, etc.; p-phenylphenol-formaldehyde resin, p-octylphenolformaldehyde resin and metal salt thereof, are used.
When producing a heat-sensitive recording paper, as a binder, polyvinyl alcohol, methylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, gum arabic, gelatine, caseine, starch, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, copolymer of styrene and maleic anhydride, can be used.
As a developer, one or more of the following hydroxy compounds can be used: p-phenylphenol, p-hydroxydiphenyl ether, methyl p-hydroxybenzoate, benzyl p-hydroxybenzoate, 2,2-bis(p-hydroxyphenyl)propane, 4,4'-thiodiphenol, bis-(4-hydroxy-3-methylphenyl) sulfide, 4,4'-dihydroxydiphenylsulfone, 4-hydroxy-4'-methyldiphenylsulfone, 4-hydroxy-4'-ethyldiphenylsulfone, 3,4-dihydroxy-4'-methyldiphenylsulfone, 4-hydroxy-4'-isopropoxydiphenylsulfone, 4,4'-dihydroxy-3,3'-dimethyldiphenylsulfone, 4,4'-dihydroxy-3,3'-diallyldiphenylsulfone, 1,5-di(4-hydroxyphenylthio)-3-oxapentane, 1,7-di(4-hydroxy-phenylthio)-3,5-dioxaheptane, 1,8-di(4-hydroxyphenylthio)-3,6-dioxaoctane, bis(4-hydroxy-3-methylphenyl) sulfide, etc.
As a sensitivity-improving agent, acetoanilide; paraffin wax; carnauba wax; higher fatty acids; esters of a higher fatty acid; amides of a higher fatty acid; phthalic esters; terephthalic esters; benzyl 4-benzyloxybenzoate; naphthol benzyl ether; 1,4-dialkoxynaphthalene; m-terphenyl; p-benzylbiphenyl, dibenzylbenzene; esters of 1-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid; 1-phenoxy-2-naphthoxy-1-ethane; 1,2-di(3-methylphenoxy)ethane; 1-(2-isopropylphenoxy)-2-naphthoxy2-ethane; esters of 2-hydroxy-3-naphthoic acid; 4,4'-dialkoxydiphenylsulfone; benzamide; diphenylamine, benzenesulfonamide; benzenesulfonanilide; carbazole, hydroquinone dibenzyl ether; diphenyl carbonate, etc. can be used singly or after mixing together.
Furthermore, in order to improve the lightresistance and the preservability of the color image, it is effective to add an anti-oxidant, an anti-deteriorant or an ultraviolet absorbent, or to overcoat a high polymeric substance.
The present invention will be concretely explained while referring to the Synthetic Examples of the compound represented by the formula (I) and the Production Examples of the chromogenic recording-material with the compound represented by the formula (I) as follow.
SYNTHETIC EXAMPLE 1
Synthesis of 3,3-bis[2-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)-2-(p-methoxyphenyl)ethenyl]-4,5,6,7-tetrachlorophthalide.
Into a mixture of 25 ml of acetic anhydride and 75 ml of o-dichlorobenzene, 14.0 g of 1-(p-methoxyphenyl)-1-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)ethylene (m.p. 115°-118° C.) and 21.5 g of tetrachlorophthalic anhydride were added and the mixture was stirred for 6 hours at 120° C. Into 200 ml of water the reaction mixture was added and after making the mixture alkaline by adding sodium hydroxide, the alkaline reaction mixture was extracted with 70 ml of toluene. The solid matter obtained by evaporating toluene from the extract was recrystallized from acetone while purifying with activated carbon to obtain 17.6 g of pale yellow crystals melting at 159° to 161° C. (Yield: 85.2%)
From the elementary analysis, the infrared absorption spectrum and the nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum of the product obtained, it was confirmed that the product was represented by the following formula: ##STR12##
The compound was colored rapidly into blue-black by activated clay and the λ max thereof in methanol.stannic chloride was 900 nm.
The ethylene derivative, 1-(p-methoxyphenyl)-1-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)ethylene, used in the above reaction, was synthesized as follows.
Into 30 ml of ether, 4 g of metallic magnesium were added and then 0.2 ml of methyl iodide was added to the mixture. After stirring the mixture for a while, a solution prepared by dissolving 24.8 g of methyl iodide into 40 ml of ether was added to the mixture taking 2 hours under a reflux condenser while stirring the mixture.
Separately, a solution was prepared by mixing 19.7 g of 4-methoxy-4'-pyrrolidinobenzophenone (melting at 152°-154° C.) and 100 ml of tetrahydrofurane, and the solution was slowly added to the liquid reaction mixture and the whole matter was stirred for one hour at a temperature of 40 to 50° C. Then the whole matter was mixed with 400 ml of water and 300 ml of toluene and after making the mixture weakly acidic by dilute hydrochloric acid, the acidified mixture was stirred for a while at 80° C. and separated into an aqueous layer and an organic layer (toluene layer). After adding activated carbon to the toluene layer and filtering the layer while hot, toluene was distilled off from the filtrate to obtain 18.5 g of 1-(p-methylxyphenyl)-1-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)ethylene of pale yellow in color.
SYNTHETIC EXAMPLE 2
Synthesis of 3,3-bis[2-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)-2-(p-ethoxyphenyl)ethenyl]-4,5,6,7-tetrachlorophthalide.
Into 50 ml of acetic anhydride 14.7 g gf 1-(p-ethoxyphenyl)-1-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)ethylene (m.p. 134°-136° C.) and 14.3 g of tetrachlorophthalic anhydride were added and the mixture was stirred for 6 hours at 115° C. Into 200 ml of water the reaction mixture was added and after making the mixture alkaline by adding sodium hydroxide, the alkaline reaction mixture was extracted with 70 ml of toluene. The solid matter obtained by evaporating toluene from the extract was recrystallized from acetone while purifying with activated carbon to obtain 17.7 g of pale yellow crystals melting at 221° to 223° C. (Yield: 82.9%).
From the elementary analysis, the infrared absorption spectrum and the nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum of the product obtained, it was confirmed that the product was represented by the following formula: ##STR13##
The compound was colored rapidly into blue-black by activated clay and the λ max thereof in methanol.stannic chloride was 897 nm.
SYNTHETIC EXAMPLE 3
Synthesis of 3,3-bis{2-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)-2-[p-(p-methoxyphenoxy)phenyl]ethenyl}-4,5,6,7-tetrachlorophthalide.
Into a mixture of 10 ml of acetic anhydride and 25 ml of o-dichlorobenzene, 14.3 g of tetrachlorophthalic anhydride was added and then 18.6 g of 1-[p-(p-methoxyphenoxy)phenyl]-1-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)ethylene (m.p. 123.5°-124.5° C.) was added dropwise for 1 hour at 120° C. and the mixture was stirred for 2 hours at the same temperature. Into 200 ml of water the reaction mixture was added and after making the mixture alkaline by adding sodium hydroxide, the alkaline reaction mixture was extracted with 70 ml of toluene. The solid matter obtained by evaporating toluene from the extract was recrystallized from ethyl alcohol while purifying with activated carbon and obtained 18.2 g of pale yellow crystals melting at 95° C. (decomposed).
From the elementary analysis, the infrared absorption spectrum and the nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum of the product obtained, it was confirmed that the product was represented by the following formula: ##STR14##
The compound was colored rapidly into blue-black by activated clay and the λ max thereof in methanol. stannic chloride was 910 nm.
SYNTHETIC EXAMPLES 4 to 43
By bringing various ethylene derivatives into reaction with various phthalic acid derivatives in the same manner as in Synthetic Examples 1, 2 and 3, the divinyl compounds shown in Table 1 were synthesized. All the compounds were solid and colorless to pale yellow in color. They were colored rapidly into the hue shown in Table 1.
For preparing a pressure-sensitive recording paper with the divinyl compound represented by the formula (I), any publicly known method can be used, for instance, the coacervation method disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,800,458 and 2,806,457. For preparing the heat-sensitive recording paper, a publicly known method, for instance, the method disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 45-14039/1960, can be used.
TABLE 1__________________________________________________________________________Compound λ.sub.max M. P.Number A X.sup.1 X.sup.2 Color (nm) (°C.)__________________________________________________________________________ ##STR15## p-n-C.sub.3 H.sub.7 O Cl Blue black 898 208-2105 " p-iso-C.sub.3 H.sub.7 O Cl Blue black 900 205-2086 " p-n-C.sub.4 H.sub.9 O Cl Blue black 900 168-1717 " p-i-C.sub.4 H.sub.9 O Cl Blue black 902 192-1948 " p-s-C.sub.4 H.sub.9 O Cl Blue black 900 157-1609 ##STR16## p-t-C.sub.4 H.sub.9 O Cl Blue black 900 149-15210 " n-CH.sub.3 O, Cl Blue black 898 165-167 m-CH.sub.311 " 3,4-(CH.sub.3 O).sub.2 Cl Blue black 910 190-19212 " -- Cl Black 920 218-221 (n = 0)13 " p-CH.sub.3 Cl Black 910 152˜ 15414 " p-CH.sub.3 O Br Blue black 904 162˜ 16515 " n-C.sub.5 H.sub.11 O Cl Blue black 900 136-13916 ##STR17## p-i-C.sub.5 H.sub.11 O Cl Blue black 902 118˜ 12217 " p-Cl Cl Black 930 95˜ 10018 " p-C.sub.2 H.sub.5 O Br Blue black 902 217-21919 " p-C.sub.2 H.sub.5 O, Cl Blue black 910 145˜ 14820 " p-C.sub.2 H.sub.5 O, Cl Blue black 900 170-173 m-CH.sub.321 " p-CH.sub.3 O 5,6-Cl.sub.2, Blue black 902 164-166 4,7-Br.sub.222 " p-CH.sub.3 OC.sub.2 H.sub.4 O Cl Blue black 905 Difficult to crystallize23 ##STR18## ##STR19## Cl Blue black 902 135-13824 " ##STR20## Cl Blue black 903 151-15525 " ##STR21## Br Blue black 910 Difficult to crystallize26 " p-CH.sub.3 O 5-Cl, Black 900 135-138 Br.sub.327 " 3,4-(CH.sub.3).sub.2 Cl Black 910 168˜ 17028 ##STR22## p-CH.sub.3 O Cl Black 840 Difficult to crystallize29 ##STR23## p-CH.sub.3 Cl Black 850 Difficult to crystallize30 ##STR24## p-CH.sub.3 Cl Black 910 128-13131 ##STR25## p-C.sub.2 H.sub.5 O Cl Blue black 890 180˜ 18532 ##STR26## p-CH.sub.3 5,6-Cl.sub.2, 4,5-Br.sub.2 Black 910 Difficult to crystallize33 ##STR27## p-OCH.sub.3 Cl Blue black 905 180-18434 ##STR28## -- (n = 0) Cl.sub.4 Black 910 Difficult to crystallize35 ##STR29## p-CH.sub.3 O Cl Black 910 Difficult to crystallize36 ##STR30## p-CH.sub.3 O Br Black 922 163-16637 ##STR31## p-CH.sub.3 O 5-Cl, Br.sub.3 Black 923 Difficult to crystallize38 ##STR32## p-CH.sub.3 O 5,6-Cl.sub.2, Br.sub.2 Black 921 145-14839 " p-CH.sub.3 O Cl Black 915 150° C. (decomposition)40 ##STR33## p-n-C.sub.3 H.sub.7 O, m-CH.sub.3 Cl Blue black 900 132-13541 " p-iso-C.sub.3 H.sub.7 O, Cl Blue black 898 148-151 m-CH.sub.342 " 3,4-(C.sub.2 H.sub.5 O).sub. 2 Cl Blue black 910 165-16843 " p-C.sub.8 H.sub.17 O Cl Blue black 900 Difficult to crystallize__________________________________________________________________________
PRODUCTION EXAMPLE 1
Production of a pressure-sensitive copying paper.
Into 95 parts by weight of monoisopropylbiphenyl, 5 parts by weight of the compound of Example 2, namely, 3,3-bis[2-(p-pyrrolidinophenyl)-2-(p-ethoxyphenyl)ethenyl]-4,5,6,7-tetrachlorophthalide, were dissolved and a solution of 24 parts by weight of gelatine and 24 parts by weight of gum arabic into 400 parts by weight of water, of which pH was adjusted to 7, was added to the monoisopropylbiphenyl solution and the mixture was emulsified by a homogenizer. Into the emulsion, 100 parts by weight of warm water were added and after stirring the mixture for 30 minutes at 50° C. about one part by weight of an aqueous 10% solution of sodium hydroxide was added and the mixture was further stirred for another 30 minutes at the same temperature.
In the next step, dilute acetic acid was added to the mixture to adjust the pH to 4.5 and after stirring for about one hour at 50° C., the mixture was cooled to 0° to 5° C. and stirred for 30 minutes. Then, 35 parts by weight of an aqueous 4% solution of glutaraldehyde were slowly added to the mixture to harden the resulting capsules and pH of the mixture was adjusted to 6 by adding a dilute aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide to complete the capsulation. During the operations, no coloring was observed.
The capsule suspension obtained was uniformly coated on a sheet of paper by a wire-bar so that the coated weight of capsules after drying became 6 g/m 2 and the sheet was dried to obtain a capsule-coated paper sheet (the upper paper sheet).
On piling the upper paper sheet onto a sheet of paper coated with a phenol-formaldehyde resin as a developer and applying writing pressure by a ball-pen on the sheets of paper, letters of deep black in color rapidly appeared on the piled-up sheets of paper.
The color image appeared were excellent in light-resistance and moisture-resistance and since the image had a strong absorption in the range of 800 to 1000 nm, it was possible to read the letters by OCR. Furthermore, the surface of the paper coated with the capsules had an excellent light-resistance, and its color and chromogenic ability were not reduced by sun light.
COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 1
In the same manner as in Production Example 1 except for using 5 parts by weight of the compound (D) as the chromogenic agent, a pressure-sensitive copying paper was prepared.
On subjecting the pressure-sensitive copying paper to color-development by a lower paper sheet on which a phenolformaldehyde resin had been applied, a light green image appeared slowly.
As the absorption of near infrared rays by the image was weak, it was difficult to read it by OCR (refer to FIG. 1).
PRODUCTION EXAMPLE 2
Production of a heat-sensitive recording paper:
(1) Preparation of a liquid dispersion of a chromogenic agent (A-liquid):
A mixture of the following recipe was pulverized by a paintshaker (made by TOYO-SEIKI Co., Ltd.) until the mean diameter of the particles of the chromogenic agent became 2 μm:
5 parts by weight of 3,3-bis[2-(p-pyrrodinophenyl)-2-(p-methoxyphenyl)ethenyl]-4,5,6,7tetrachlorophthalide (Synthetic Example 1),
15 parts by weight of kaoline,
100 parts by weight of an aqueous 10% solution of polyvinyl alcohol and
85 parts by weight of water.
(2) Preparation of a liquid dispersion of a developer and a sensitizer (B-liquid):
A mixture of the following recipe was pulverized by a paintshaker until the mean diameter of the particles of developer and sensitizer became 3 μm:
15 parts by weight of bisphenol A,
10 parts by weight of zinc stearate,
15 parts by weight of stearic amide and
150 parts by weight of an aqueous 10% solution of polyvinyl alcohol.
(3) Preparation and application of a liquid heat-sensitive material:
By mixing 10 parts by weight of A-liquid and 6.5 parts by weight of B-liquid, a liquid heat-sensitive material was obtained. The liquid material was coated on a sheet of paper by a wire-bar uniformly so that the coated weight of solid materials after drying became 6 g/m 2 and the sheet of paper was dried to obtain a heat-sensitive recording paper.
The heat-sensitive recording paper was nearly colorless and did not show any spontaneous coloring (refer to FIG. 3). The heat-sensitive recording paper showed a dark-black color by the heating with a heated pen. The color image obtained was excellent in light-resistance and moisture-resistance and as the color image had a strong absorption in the range of 700 and 1050 nm, it was possible to read the image by OCR.
The same results have been obtained on using the compounds in another Synthetic Examples.
COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 2
In the same manner as in Production Example 2 except for using 5 parts by weight of the compound (A), a heat-sensitive recording paper was obtained. Althugh the heat-sensitive recording paper was colored into black by heating with a heated pen, as the color image did not absorb any near infrared rays, it was impossible to read the color image by OCR (refer to FIG. 2).
COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 3
In the same manner as in Production Example 2 except for using 5 parts by weight of the compound (B), a heat-sensitive recording paper was obtained. The heat-sensitive recording paper showed yellowish green spontaneous coloring. On heating the paper with a heated pen, green color was developed (refer to FIGS. 2 and 3).
From the above Production Examples and Comparative Examples, it has been confirmed that the divinyl compound according to the present invention is the excellent chromogenic agent for the recording materials. | Disclosed herein are novel divinyl compounds represented by the formula (I): ##STR1## and a recording-material prepared by utilizing the divinyl compounds. The present divinyl compound is in itself almost colorless, extremely stable in the atmosphere and develops rapidly blakish color by a developer. The color image given by the present divinyl compound is excellect in light-resistance and moisture-resistance and the letters developed can be read by an optical letter-reading apparatus or a barcord reading apparatus. | 2 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to an electric double layer capacitor, and more specifically, relates to an electric double layer capacitor having a pair of polarizing electrodes sandwiching therebetween a separator. The present invention also relates to a method for fabrication thereof.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] An electric double layer capacitor (EDLC) is known as an electric charge storage device which stores electric charge in an electric double layer formed at the interface between a polarizing electrode and an electrolyte. The structure of a basic cell for the EDLC is shown in FIG. 1. The EDLC includes a stacked cell structure including at least one basic cell (single basic cell in this example) sandwiched between a pair of thrust plates 19 by using bolts and nuts 20 and 21 . The basic cell includes a pair of polarizing electrodes 11 , a separator 12 sandwiched therebetween, a pair of current collectors sandwiching therebetween the polarizing electrodes 11 and the separator 12 .
[0005] The polarizing electrode 11 is required to be stable in the presence of the electrolyte, and have excellent electric conductivity and a large surface area. Thus, activated carbon powder or activated carbon fiber is used as the polarizing electrode 11 . The polarizing electrode 11 is also obtained by molding activated carbon with a binder such as polytetrafluoroethylene, as described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication Hei 6-196364, or a solid-state activated carbon in which activated carbon is bonded with polyacene and carbon, as described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publications Hei 7-99141 and Sho 63-226019.
[0006] The electrolyte is largely categorized into two types including an aqueous solution type and an organic solvent type. As the aqueous solution type electrolyte, sulfuric acid or potassium hydroxide is mainly used, and as the organic solvent type electrolyte, quaternary ammonium salt or the like is mainly used. As a separator 12 , porous films having an electrical insulating property and high ionic permeability are used, which include, for example, nonwoven fabrics such as glass fiber or polypropylene fiber, and polyolefine porous films. As the current collector 13 , rubber or elastomer imparted with electric conductivity by carbon powder or the like is used in the case of electrolyte of the aqueous solution type, whereas a metallic film is used in the case of electrolyte of the organic solvent type.
[0007] A gasket 14 has a function of maintaining the shape of the basic cell and preventing the electrolyte from leaking, as well as preventing a short-circuit failure due to contact of top and bottom collectors 13 . On the outside of the collector 13 , there are provided terminal boards or lead terminals 15 electrically connected to the current collectors 13 . In order to reduce the internal resistance of the basic cell, thrusting pressure is applied by the insulating thrust plates 19 from outside of the upper and lower terminal boards 15 , and four corners of the thrust plate 19 are secured by bolts 20 and nuts 21 .
[0008] The withstand voltage of the basic cell shown in FIG. 3 is determined depending on the electrolyte. When the aqueous solution type electrolyte is used, the withstand voltage is 1.0 V. When the organic solvent type electrolyte is used, it is about 2.0 to 3.0 V depending on the electrolyte to be used. In the cell structure of the EDLC, a plurality of basic cells are stacked one on another depending on the necessary withstand voltage.
[0009] The EDLCs have been used for applications of relatively small current, such as back up of semiconductor memory devices. On the other hand, recently, development for an application requiring a large current, such as energy regeneration in vehicles, no-service interruption power source in electronic equipment or the like, has been desired. In order to obtain the large current, it is desired to reduce the thicknesses of the electrodes 11 and the current collectors 13 and to reduce the equivalent series resistance (hereinafter referred to as “ESR”) of the EDLC. Moreover, since the electronic equipment have been made small, the EDLC for use in such electronic equipment is also desired to have a lower thickness.
[0010] However, with the conventional EDLC shown in FIG. 1, there is a problem in that the contact resistance between the current collector 13 and the polarizing electrode 11 is large. There is also another problem in that even if this contact resistance is reduced by applying a thrust pressure from both the sides of the cell structure for fixing, the contact resistance eventually increases with the reduction of the applied pressure, thereby increasing the ESR. Moreover, with the conventional EDLC, there is another problem in that if it is used for a long time in a condition exceeding the working temperature range and the voltage range, peeling-off occurs between the current collector 13 and the polarizing electrode 11 and between the polarizing electrode and the separator 12 due to the gas generated inside the capacitor, and as a result, the ESR increases.
[0011] In order to solve those problems as recited above, it is considered to bond the polarizing electrode and the current collector, and to bond the polarizing electrode and the separator. As a method of bonding the polarizing electrode and the current collector, there can be mentioned a method of bonding these with an adhesive strength that the current collector originally has, or a method of bonding these with a conductive adhesive, as shown in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publications Hei 05-082396 and Hei 11-154360.
[0012] On the other hand, with regard to the method of bonding the polarizing electrode and the separator, since it is difficult to impart an adhesive strength to either of the polarizing electrode or the separator, there is no example reported to date.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] It is therefore an object of the present invention to suppress a change in the ESR of the EDLC due to a change in the applied pressure from both the ends of the cell structure to realize a long-term reliability.
[0014] The present invention provides a method for fabricating an electric double layer capacitor comprising the consecutive steps of: sandwiching a separator between a pair of polarizing electrodes; bonding the separator to the pair of polarizing electrodes; forming a pair of current collectors in electric contact with respective the polarizing electrodes to obtain a basic cell; forming a cell structure including at least one the basic cell and a pair of lead terminals in electric contact with the current collectors disposed outermost sides of the cell structure.
[0015] In accordance with the method of the present invention, the EDLC fabricated by the method has an excellent ESR property and a long lifetime for operation. In particular, the bonded structure of the polarizing electrodes and the separator affords prevention of the change of the ESR and peeling-off between the polarizing electrodes and the separator. The bonding structure may be preferably obtained by a thermal fusion between the polarizing electrodes and the separator by using a specific material for the separator.
[0016] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following description, referring to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] [0017]FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a basic cell of a conventional EDLC.
[0018] FIG 2 is a sectional view of an EDLC showing a first embodiment of the present invention;
[0019] [0019]FIG. 3 is a sectional view of an EDLC showing a sixth embodiment of the present invention; and
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0020] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail, with reference to the drawings.
[0021] [Embodiment 1]
[0022] [0022]FIG. 2 is a sectional view of an EDLC showing a first embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the EDLC has a stacked cell structure 16 including three basic cells stacked one on another. The structure of the EDLC of the present embodiment is similar to that of the conventional EDLC shown in FIG. 1, except for the number of basic cells, the bonded structure of the polarizing electrodes 11 and the separator 12 , and the absence of the thrust plates in the present embodiment.
[0023] The polarizing electrodes 11 are made of a composite material made of activated carbon and polyacene, with the size of 68×48 mm, and the thickness of 0.5 mm.
[0024] The separators 12 are made of unwoven fabric made of acrylic fiber containing a polyolefine resin (for example, polypropylene fiber) by 10% in weight ratio, with the size of 70×50 mm, and the thickness of 50 μm.
[0025] The current collectors 13 are made of unvulcanized conductive butyl rubber, with the size of 80×60 mm, and the thickness of 100 μm.
[0026] The gaskets 14 are made of unvulcanized butyl rubber, and configured to have a frame shape having an outer size of 84×64 mm, an inner size of 70×50, and a thickness of 1 mm.
[0027] Next, a fabrication method of the EDLC shown in FIG. 1 will be described. Each basic cell of the EDLC has a structure such that the separator 12 is sandwiched between a pair of polarizing electrodes 11 , and the polarizing electrodes 11 and the separator 2 are bonded together to form a bonded structure by a hot pressing or thermal fusion technique using a thrust pressure applied at both the polarizing electrodes 11 . Here, the bonding conditions are set such that the temperature at the time of applying the thrust pressure is 120° C., and the time for applying the thrust pressure is 10 minutes.
[0028] After three basic cells each having a bonded structure wherein the separator 12 is sandwiched between the pair of polarizing electrodes 11 are prepared in similar bonding conditions, these bonded structures are introduced into a 40 wt. % aqueous solution of sulfuric acid to impregnate the polarizing electrodes 11 and the separators 12 with the aqueous solution of sulfuric acid under a reduced pressure.
[0029] Subsequently, the gasket 14 is arranged around the bonded structure and the current collector 13 are alternately laminated, to thereby sandwich the bonded structure and the gasket 14 between the pair of current collectors 13 .
[0030] Then, an aluminum terminal 15 plated with tin is stacked and temporary bonded by a silver paste to each of the two current collectors 13 disposed at both the top and bottom surfaces. Then, a thrust pressure is applied from the current collectors and the gaskets from both the top and bottom by hot pressing, to thereby bond the aluminum terminals 15 and the current collectors 13 by means of the silver paste, bond the current collectors 13 and the polarizing electrodes 11 , and further bond the current collectors 13 and the gaskets 14 . It is to be noted that the current collectors 13 and the polarizing electrodes 11 , and the current collectors 13 and the gaskets 14 are bonded by means of an adhesive strength of the current collectors.
[0031] A laminated film 17 is arranged to each of the top and bottom surfaces of the resultant device 16 , so that a thermal fusion layer of the laminated film 17 and the aluminum terminal 15 are in contact with each other. The laminated film 17 is obtained by attaching a PET (polyethylene terephthalate) film having a thickness of 20 μm onto the entire top surface of one side of a thin aluminum alloy film, and attaching an ionomer film as the thermal fusion layer, having a thickness of 50 μm, onto the opposite side of the thin film. This laminated film 17 has a size such that the film extends far beyond the periphery of the device 16 .
[0032] Finally, after the peripheral portions of the two laminated films 17 arranged on the top and bottom sides of the device 16 are overlapped one on another, the overlapped portions are thermally fused for bonding under a reduced pressure. In this manner, the preparation of the EDLC is completed.
[0033] In the present embodiment, three samples of EDLC were prepared by the fabrication method described above. These three samples of capacitor were prepared by different applied pressures of 50, 100 and 200 kg/cm 2 , with the temperature at the time of applying the thrust pressure being 120° C., and the time for applying the thrust pressure being 10 minutes, as the bonding conditions at the time of preparing the bonded structure.
[0034] In addition to the samples of the EDLC of the embodiment, a comparative example #1 of EDLC was also prepared. The comparative example #1 was prepared by omitting the step of bonding the polarizing electrode 11 and the separator 12 by the hot pressing step among the steps for the samples of the embodiment described above.
[0035] Measurement of ESR and electrostatic capacitance was then conducted with respect to the samples of the embodiment and the comparative example #1.
[0036] The ESR was determined by applying an alternating voltage of 1 kHz and 10 mV in root-mean-square value to the aluminum terminal 5 of the EDLC, and measuring the strength and the phase of the current at that time. The electrostatic capacitance can be determined by applying a DC voltage of 900 mV to the aluminum terminal 15 of the EDLC for 30 minutes, discharging the stored electric charge at a rate of 1 A, and calculating the capacitance from the discharge curve at the time when the discharge voltage is reduced from 60% to 50% of the charged voltage.
[0037] Subsequently, after the aluminum terminals 15 of the EDLCs in the embodiment and the comparative example #1 had been left for 240 hours under the environment of 70° C., with a voltage of 1.2 V applied thereto, the ESR and the electrostatic capacitance were measured with respect to the samples and the comparative example #1.
[0038] The results of measurement of the ESR and the electrostatic capacitance with respect to the respective EDLCs in this embodiment and the comparative example #1 are shown in Table 1.
TABLE 1 Immediately after After 240 hrs. fabrication at 70° C., 1.2 V Thrust Capacit- Capacit- Pressure ESR ance Appear- ESR ance Appear- Sample (kg/cm 2 ) (mΩ) (F) ance (mΩ) (F) ance Emb. 1 50 25 26 No 110 25 No change change 100 24 28 No 27 32 No change change 200 24 27 No 28 32 No change change Com. No 26 27 No 1000 Not Swelled Ex. #1 bonding change measur- able
[0039] Comparing the EDLC in the first embodiment and the EDLC in the comparative example #1, a significant difference in the ESR and the electrostatic capacitance cannot be recognized, immediately after the fabrication. However, after a voltage of 1.2 V had been applied for 240 hours under the environment of 70° C., the ESR of the EDLC in the comparative example #1 increased clearly. On the contrary, with the three samples of EDLC in the first embodiment, although the ESR increased in the sample in which the thrust pressure at the time of bonding of the polarizing electrode 11 and the separator 12 was 50 kg/cm 2 , the ESR did not increase significantly in the samples in which the thrust pressure at the time of bonding was 100 and 200 kg/cm 2 .
[0040] Thus, it is understood that the thrust pressure applied at the time of bonding the polarizing electrode 11 and the separator 12 should not be smaller than 100 kg/cm 2 .
[0041] For a further comparison, bonding was tried between the polarizing electrode 11 and the separator 12 at a room temperature, not at 120° C., other than the comparative example #1; however, these could not be bonded.
[0042] [Embodiment 2]
[0043] Next, as a second embodiment, samples of EDLC were prepared in the manner similar to that in the first embodiment except that a separator 12 was composed of unwoven fabric made of glass fiber containing 10 wt. % polypropylene fiber.
[0044] Also in this embodiment, three samples of EDLC were prepared. These three samples were prepared by different applied pressures of 50, 100 and 200 kg/cm 2 , with the temperature at the time of applying the thrust pressure being 120° C., and the time for applying the thrust pressure being 10 minutes, as the bonding conditions at the time of preparing the bonded structure of the polarizing electrodes 11 and the separator 12 .
[0045] The results of measurement of the ESR and the electrostatic capacitance with respect to the samples in this embodiment are shown in Table 2, in the manner similar to that in the first embodiment.
TABLE 2 Bonding Immediately after fabrication After 240 hrs, at 70° C., 1.2 V Pressure ESR Capacitance ESR Capacitance Sample (kg/cm 2 ) (mΩ) (F) Appearance (mΩ) (F) Appearance Emb. 2 50 23 26 No change 95 22 No change 100 23 28 No change 27 33 No change 200 22 27 No change 26 31 No change
[0046] The ESR and the electrostatic capacitance with respect to the EDLCs in the second embodiment indicate a tendency similar to that of the first embodiment. More specifically, although the ESR increased and the electrostatic capacitance decreased in the sample in which the thrust pressure of bonding the polarizing electrode 11 and the separator 12 was 50 kg/cm 2 , no significant change was seen in the samples in which the thrust pressures were 100 and 200 kg/cm 2 , respectively. Thus, it is understood that, also in the case of this embodiment, the thrust pressure applied at the time of bonding the polarizing electrode 11 and the separator 12 should not be smaller than 100 kg/cm 2 .
[0047] [Embodiment 3]
[0048] Next, as a third embodiment, samples of EDLC were prepared similarly to the first embodiment, except that the separator 12 was composed of unwoven fabric made of polypropylene. Also in this embodiment, three samples of EDLC were prepared. These three samples were prepared by different applied pressures of 50, 100 and 200 kg/cm 2 , with the temperature at the time of applying the thrust pressure being 120° C., and the time for applying the thrust pressure being 10 minutes, as the bonding conditions at the time of preparing the bonded structure of polarizing electrodes 11 and separator 12 . The results of measurement of the ESR and the electrostatic capacitance with respect to the EDLCs in this embodiment are shown in Table 3 similarly to the first embodiment.
TABLE 3 Thrust Immediately after fabrication After 240 hrs, at 70° C., 1.2 V Pressure ESR Capacitance ESR Capacitance Sample (kg/cm 2 ) (mΩ) (F) Appearance (mΩ) (F) Appearance Emb. 3 50 26 26 No change 180 12 No change 100 24 28 No change 27 31 No change 200 25 27 No change 26 30 No change
[0049] The ESR and the electrostatic capacitance with respect to the samples of EDLC in the third embodiment indicate a tendency similar to that of the first embodiment. Thus, it is seen that the thrust pressure applied at the time of bonding the polarizing electrodes 11 and the separator 12 should not be smaller than 100 kg/cm 2 .
[0050] [Embodiment 4]
[0051] Next, as a fourth embodiment, polarizing electrodes 11 and separator 12 were bonded at a room temperature, using a separator 12 composed of acrylic fiber containing fluororesin (for example, polytetrafluoroethylene) by 10 wt. %. The other conditions were identical to those of the first embodiment to thereby prepare the EDLCs.
[0052] Also in this embodiment, three samples of EDLC were prepared. These three samples were prepared by different applied pressures of 50, 100 and 200 kg/cm 2 , with the temperature at the time of applying the thrust pressure being a room temperature, and the time for applying the thrust pressure being 10 minutes, as the bonding conditions at the time of preparing the bonded structure of polarizing electrodes 11 and separator 12 .
[0053] Moreover, in addition to the samples of EDLC in this embodiment, a comparative sample #2 was also prepared. The EDLC of the comparative example #2 was prepared by omitting the step of bonding the polarizing electrodes 11 and the separator 12 by room temperature pressing, among the fabrication steps in this embodiment. The results of measurement of the ESR and the electrostatic capacitance with respect to the samples in this embodiment and the comparative example #2 are shown in Table 4 similarly to the first embodiment.
TABLE 4 Thrust Immediately after fabrication After 240 hrs, at 70° C., 1.2 V Pressure ESR Capacitance ESR Capacitance Sample (kg/cm 2 ) (mΩ) (F) Appearance (mΩ) (F) Appearance Emb. 4 50 33 28 No change 85 25 No change 100 33 27 No change 36 30 No change 200 30 27 No change 31 31 No change Com. No 38 27 No change 760 7 Swelled Exa. 2 bonding
[0054] Comparing the EDLC in the fourth embodiment and the EDLC in the comparative example 2, a significant difference in the ESR and the electrostatic capacitance cannot be seen, immediately after the assembly. However, after a voltage of 1.2 V had been applied for 240 hours under the environment of 70° C., the ESR of the EDLC in the comparative example 2 increased and the electrostatic capacitance decreased. On the contrary, with the EDLCs in the fourth embodiment, there can be hardly seen any change in the ESR and the electrostatic capacitance, for the samples of the thrust pressure applied during bonding the polarizing electrodes 11 and the separator 12 being not smaller than 100 kg/cm 2 .
[0055] Thus, it is understood that an increase in the ESR can be suppressed even under an applied voltage at high temperatures, by bonding the separator 12 composed of acrylic fiber containing 10 wt. % polytetrafluoroethylene and the polarizing electrode 11 at a thrust pressure which is not smaller than 100 kg/cm 2 at a room temperature.
[0056] [Embodiment 5]
[0057] As a fifth embodiment, the polarizing electrodes 11 and the separator 12 were bonded at a room temperature, using a separator 12 composed of acrylic resin containing EPDM (ethylene-propylene dien monomer) rubber by 10 wt. %. The other conditions were similar to those of the first embodiment.
[0058] Also in this embodiment, three samples of EDLC were prepared. These three samples were prepared by different applied pressures of 50, 100 and 200 kg/cm 2 , with the temperature at the time of applying the thrust pressure being a room temperature, and the time for applying the thrust pressure being 10 minutes, as the bonding conditions at the time of preparing the bonded structure of polarizing electrodes 11 and separator 12 .
[0059] Moreover, in addition to the samples of EDLC in this embodiment, a comparative sample #3 was prepared. The EDLC of the comparative example #3 was prepared by omitting the step of bonding the polarizing electrodes 11 and the separator 12 by room temperature pressing among the fabrication steps in this embodiment. The results of measurement of the ESR and the electrostatic capacitance with respect to the respective EDLCs in this embodiment and in the comparative example #3 are shown in Table 5 similarly to the first embodiment.
TABLE 5 Thrust Immediately after fabrication After 240 hrs, at 70° C., 1.2 V Pressure ESR Capacitance ESR Capacitance Sample (kg/cm 2 ) (mΩ) (F) Appearance (mΩ) (F) Appearance Emb. 5 50 35 25 No change 140 25 No change 100 33 29 No change 32 34 No change 200 32 26 No change 35 29 No change Com. No 40 25 No change 1,200 Not Swelled Exa.#3 bonding measurable
[0060] Comparing the three samples of EDLC in the fifth embodiment and the EDLC of the comparative example #3, there can be seen a similar tendency to that of the fourth embodiment. Thus, it is understood that an increase in the ESR can be suppressed for the samples wherein the separator 12 composed of acrylic fiber containing 10 wt. % EPDM rubber are bonded to the polarizing electrodes 11 at a thrust pressure of not lower than 100 kg/cm 2 at a room temperature.
[0061] [Embodiment 6]
[0062] [0062]FIG. 3 is a sectional view of an EDLC according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, an EDLC of a single cell was prepared.
[0063] The polarizing electrodes 11 were produced by adding ethanol to a mixture composed of 80 wt. % coconut shell activated carbon powder, 10 wt. % polytetrafluoroethylene and 10 wt. % carbon black, and kneading the mixture, and thereafter, molding the mixture into a sheet shape and drying the sheet, and rolling the sheet to a thickness of 0.5 mm and punching the sheet in a size of 68×48 mm.
[0064] The separator 12 was composed of unwoven fabric made of acrylic resin containing 10 wt. % polypropylene fiber, with the size of 70×50 mm, and the thickness of 50 μm.
[0065] The current collector 13 was composed of an aluminum foil having a roughed surface, with the size of 80×60 mm, and the thickness of 50 μμm.
[0066] The gasket 14 was composed of unvulcanized butyl rubber, and configured to have a frame shape having an outer size of 84×64 mm, an inner size of 70×50, and a thickness of 1 mm.
[0067] Next, a fabrication method of the EDLC shown in FIG. 3 will be described. Also in this embodiment, there is used a structure in which the separator 12 is sandwiched between a pair of polarizing electrodes 11 , and the polarizing electrodes 11 and the separator 12 are bonded together, by a hot pressing technique using a thrust pressure applied from the polarizing electrodes 11 on both the sides. The bonding conditions are set such that the temperature at the time of applying the thrust pressure is 120° C., the thrust pressure is 100 kg/cm 2 , and the time for applying the thrust pressure is 10 minutes.
[0068] The bonded structure in which the separator 12 is sandwiched between the pair of polarizing electrodes 11 is introduced into propylene carbonate in which 1.0 mol/liter of tetraethylammonium tetrafluoride, an electrolyte, has been dissolved. The polarizing electrodes 11 and the separator 12 are thus impregnated with the electrolyte under a reduced pressure.
[0069] Subsequently, the gasket 14 is arranged around the bonded structure and the bonded structure and the gasket 14 are sandwiched between a pair of current collectors 13 . At this time, a carbon based conductive adhesive is applied in advance on each surface of the two polarizing electrodes 11 which are to be in contact with the current collectors 13 , and an epoxy based adhesive is applied in advance on the contact surfaces of the gasket 14 which is to be in contact with the current collectors 13 .
[0070] Thereafter, aluminum terminals 15 plated with tin is stacked and bonded onto each of the two current collectors 13 disposed at both the top and bottom surface, by using a silver paste. Then, a thrust pressure is applied to the current collectors and the gasket from both the top and bottom surfaces by using a hot pressing technique, to thereby bond the aluminum terminals 15 and the current collectors 13 together by means of the silver paste, and bond the current collectors 13 and the polarizing electrodes 11 together, and further bond the current collectors 13 and the gasket 14 together.
[0071] A laminated film 17 is arranged to each of the top and bottom sides the device 16 obtained in this manner, so that a thermal fusion of the laminated film 17 and the aluminum terminal 15 are in contact with each other. After overlapping the peripheral portions of the two laminated films 17 , the overlapped portions are thermally fused for bonding under a reduced pressure. The use of laminated film 17 and the thermal fusion step are similar to the first embodiment. The results of measurement of the ESR and the electrostatic capacitance with respect to the samples of EDLC in this embodiment are shown in Table 6 similarly to the first embodiment.
TABLE 6 Immediately after fabrication After 240 hrs. at 70° C., 1.2 V Electrostatic Electrostatic ESR Capacitance Appear- ESR Capacitance Appear- Sample (mΩ) (F) ance (mΩ) (F) ance Emb. 6 175 110 No 182 115 No change change
[0072] The samples of the sixth embodiment were such that the polarizing electrodes were obtained by molding activated carbon powder with a polytetrafluoroethylene binder and an organic solvent was used as the electrolyte. Immediately after fabrication and after applying a voltage of 1.2 volts for 240 hours, substantially no change in the ESR and the electrostatic capacitance appeared.
[0073] From these results, it is understood that the polarizing electrodes obtained by molding activated carbon powder with a polytetrafluoroethylene binder, other than using a solid-state activated carbon, can achieve the advantage of the present invention. Moreover, it is understood that an organic solvent type electrolyte, other than the aqueous solution type electrolyte, also achieves the present invention. The polarizing electrodes 11 of the present invention may be made of the activated carbon powder or activated carbon fiber described above, one obtained by molding these types of activated carbon with a polytetrafluoroethylene binder, or a solid-state activated carbon obtained by bonding these types of activated carbon with carbon.
[0074] Moreover, in the present invention, as a method of applying the thrust pressure to the pair of polarizing electrodes 11 , any process which can apply a pressure of 100 kg/cm 2 or higher may be used. For example, hot pressing, isostatic pressing and the like can be exemplified. The thrust pressure should be 100 kg/cm 2 or higher within the critical limit of the pressure for the materials used therein.
[0075] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiments, the polyolefine resin, fluororesin or rubber contained in the separator 12 is 10% in weight ratio. However, it may be 10% or more. In addition, as in the first to third embodiments, when unwoven fabric made of acrylic fiber, glass fiber or polypropylene, containing a polyolefine resin by 10% or more in weight ratio, is used as the separator 2 , polyolefine resin in a fiber form may be used as the polyolefine resin to be contained. When a porous film such as polyolefine containing a polyolefine resin by 10% or more in weight ratio is used for the separator 12 , polyolefine resin powder may be used for the polyolefine resin to be contained.
[0076] In addition, in the case of the fifth embodiment, examples of the rubber include ethylene-propylene copolymer, styrene-butadiene rubber and butyl rubber. Moreover, when the separator is a porous film, porous ceramic powder or fiber such as silica gel or alumina can be used.
[0077] According to the above embodiments, by bonding the polarizing electrodes and the separator together closely in advance, peeling-off between the polarizing electrodes and the separator due to the gas generated in the EDLC hardly occurs, even if the EDLC is used in a range exceeding the working temperature range and the working voltage range, and hence a rise in the ESR can be suppressed for a long term of working. Moreover, since the ESR can be suppressed without using thrust plates conventionally used, the weight and volume of the EDLC can be reduced.
[0078] In some embodiment, wherein the unwoven fabric or porous film containing a polyolefine resin by 10% or more in weight ratio is used for the separator, and wherein a pressure of 100 kg/cm 2 or higher is applied to the polarizing electrodes at a temperature higher than a softening point of the polyolefine resin contained in the separator, the softened polyolefine resin is bonded closely to the polarizing electrodes, and hence peeling-off between the polarizing electrodes and the separator can be prevented.
[0079] In other embodiment, wherein the unwoven fabric or porous film containing fluororesin or rubber by 10% or more in weight ratio is used for the separator, and wherein a pressure of 100 kg/ 2 or higher is applied to a pair of polarizing electrodes, the separator and the polarizing electrode are closely bonded together by means of the tackiness of the fluororesin or rubber, and hence peeling-off between the polarizing electrode and the separator can be prevented.
[0080] Since the above embodiments are described only for examples, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and various modifications or alterations can be easily made therefrom by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention. | An electric double layer capacitor includes a plurality of basic cells each including a pair of polarizing electrodes sandwiching therebetween a separator and impregnated with an electrolyte. The separator is made of unwoven fabric or porous film including polyolefine or fluorine based resin. The polarizing electrodes and the separator are bonded together in advance before stacking the basic cells to form a stacked cell structure. The bonding is performed by applying a thrust pressure to the polarizing electrodes sandwiching the separator, while heating at a temperature above a softening temperature of the polyolefine or fluorine based resin. | 8 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to switches and more particularly to electromechanical multiposition rotary switches and to a method of manufacturing rotary switches.
2. Description of Related Art
As compared to many other types of electrical switching mechanisms, the electromechanical rotary switch provides a desirable means to control large numbers of circuits over a wide range of currents, voltages and power requirements. Rotary style switches provide electrical control for instrumentation, medical equipment, aircraft, computers, industrial controls, communication, ordnance, as well as ground support equipment.
Conventional rotary switches include a cylindrically shaped metal housing with an integral ferrule fabricated into one end of the housing. A rotor mounted within the metal housing is coupled to a shaft which extends through the ferrule such that the shaft can be manipulated and rotated by the fingers of an operator's hand. The metal housing also contains a stator mounted at the other end thereof adjacent to the rotor. The stator typically has an arrangement of stationary terminals and common contacts thereon. An arrangement of contact springs and metallic balls and brush contacts located on the rotor slidably and selectively engage certain of the terminals or contacts on the stator. More specifically, metal contacts associated with terminals or common contacts located on the stator are selectively electrically coupled to various other terminals or common contacts on the stator by turning the shaft and the rotor therewith.
Disadvantageously, the metal housing arrangement described above is labor intensive to fabricate requiring a number of intricate machining operations to complete, which is especially problematic for smaller switch sizes. Additionally, where the metal housing is used to engage the rotor detent mechanism, wear of the internal surface of the metal housing over time will produce tiny metal fragments. Such fragments may become lodged on the surface of the stator and cause undesirable shorting between the electrical contacts thereon. A plastic sleeve inside of the metal housing may be used for indexing purposes to substantially reduce the shorting problem. However, such sleeve increases the overall diameter of the switch and adds to the manufacturing cost . A rotary switch without these aforementioned problems and other undesirable features would provide an advancement in the art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a rotary switch with an improved housing arrangement that is relatively easy to manufacture and assemble.
It is another object of the invention to provide a rotary switch that is of simple construction yet reliable with high switching capacity.
It is still a further object of the invention to provide a rotary switch that is of relatively low cost as compared to conventional metal housing rotary switches.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide an improved method for assembling a rotary switch.
It is an advantage of the invention that the improved , housing arrangement provides good mechanical life of the rotary switch in a relatively small size.
It is another advantage/objective of the invention to form the housing out of a plastic material to thereby eliminate tiny metal fragments which often result with the use of a metal housing, therein rendering the switch more reliable in low voltage and low current applications.
A rotary switch according to the present invention includes a rotor and shaft rotatably mounted in a generally cylindrically shaped housing made of plastic-like material. A ferrule is mounted on a seating structure in one end of the housing and the edges of the housing are formed over the ferrule to hold it within the housing and to form an annular groove which holds a panel seal in place. A shaft carrying a rotor disc, is rotatably mounted in the housing with the shaft extending through the ferrule. A stator is mounted at the other end of the housing on another seating structure and the edges of the housing are formed over the stator to hold the stator within the housing. The rotor rotates over the stator and a cooperate contact arrangement mounted thereon selectively electrically couples contacts on the stator. A detent mechanism arrangement may also be employed between the rotor and housing to provide a number of switch positions as desired.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a switch assembly in accordance with the principles of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a partially broken away perspective view of the housing of FIG. 1;
FIGS. 3-9 illustrate various steps in a preferred method for fabricating the switch assembly of FIG. 1;
FIG. 10 is an exploded view of the major components of the switch assembly of FIG. 1; and
FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the switch assembly taken along line 11--11 of FIG. 8.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to the drawings, wherein like or similar parts are designated by the same numerals throughout the various figures, a rotary switch 10 aligned along a longitudinal axis x-x is illustrated in FIGS. 1-2 and 10-11, having a housing 12 which is generally cylindrically shaped and preferably made of a plastic material such as a reinforced thermoplastic or other nonmetallic material. For example, the housing is preferably made of reinforced thermoplastic (such as nylon)with a V-O (self extinguishing) rating. An inner annular edge or shoulder 16 protrudes from the interior wall of the housing at one end thereof and circumscribes the interior wall to form a step or seat structure as shown. Ferrule 14 is located at one end of housing 12. In this example, ferrule 14 has a disc-shaped base portion 15 and an axially aligned threaded cylindrical portion 17 protruding from the base portion. Ferrule 14 sits on the inner annular shoulder 16 and is held against the shoulder by housing top flange 18 which overlaps the ferrule base portion 15, extending radially inwardly thereover.
The external threads 26 (FIG. 10) on ferrule 14 along with a panel nut and washer (not shown) provide a means to affix the rotary switch 10 to a instrument panel or other desired location. The flange 18 forms an annular groove 19 which confines a panel seal 28 to the groove area and prevents distortion of the panel when compressed by the panel nut to secure the switch in place. The panel seal 28 seals the interior area of the switch from possible external contaminants such as moisture. In order to hold or lock the ferrule 14 and housing 12 in a fixed relationship so the ferrule 14 does not rotate with respect to the housing 12, ferrule 14 and interior wall of housing 12 have a cooperative key arrangement 32/34 (FIGS. 2 and 10), provided by complementary interlocking surfaces. More specifically as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 10, one or more notches 32 may be provided on the lateral edge of the ferrule base portion 15 and the interior wall of the housing 12 may have one or more tabs 34 thereon of similar size and shape to the notches 32. The tabs engage the notches and seat together when the base portion 15 is placed on the inner annular shoulder 16. Also see FIG. 4.
Shaft 20 is rotatably mounted in ferrule 14 and may be made of steel or nickel plated brass. A C-clip 22, positioned in an annular groove 21 (FIG. 10) holds the shaft 20 axially in position with respect to the ferrule. At the other end of the ferrule a rubber O-ring 24 surrounding the shaft 20 and located in an annular recess in the ferrule seals the interior area of the housing from possible external contamination. Shaft 20 may have a typical "D" cross-section with a flat side wall. In use, a turning knob (not shown) is slipped over the end of the shaft and a set screw in the knob is tightened against the flat side wall to hold the knob securely to the shaft. The rotary switch can then be easily manipulated by the finger of an operator's hand.
The rotor is preferably cylindrical and is comprised of a nonconductive material such as a printed circuit board laminate. A stop plate 44 with integral tab 45 is mounted on the shaft 20 and seated on top of the rotor 40. A cooperative key arrangement provided by interlocking tabs 41 and notches 43, on the rotor 40 and stop plate 44, respectively, locks the shaft and rotor together, as shown more specifically in FIGS. 10 and 11. The shaft and rotor thus rotate together along longitudinal axis x-x. The tab 45 on plate 44 cooperates with stop pins 46, inserted in holes in the ferrule 14, to prevent rotation of the shaft 20 and rotor 40 past the first or last detent positions as shown with more particularity in FIGS. 10 and 11. The shaft 20, rotor 40 and stop plate 44 typically are put together in the form of a subassembly, which subassembly is mounted within the housing 12 with the shaft inserted into the ferrule 14.
Stator 60 is located adjacent to the bottom of the rotor 40 and at the other end of housing 12. Stator 60 seats on another inner annular edge or shoulder 62 at the other end of the housing. The inwardly projecting shoulder 62 forms a step or seating structure and the stator is held against this edge by bottom annular flange 64 which extends radially inwardly over the stator 60. The stator 60 is a thin disc-shaped block molded in one piece from an insulating plastic material. Stator 60 has a front surface with a plurality of metallic contact portions 65 formed thereon. These contact portions 65 are arranged in circumferentially spaced relationship. Each contact portion 65 has an associated connecting metal terminal 66 molded in the stator block with the wire connecting portion extending rearwardly out the back surface of the stator, such wire connecting portions are typically provided with a wire connecting slot for receiving an electrical insulated wire (not shown). The stator 60 and housing 12 may also have a cooperative key arrangement comprising tabs 63 on the stator which seat in similarly sized and shaped notches 61 (FIG. 2) on the inner wall of the housing 12.
The detent or switch positions of the rotary switch 10 may be facilitated by an arrangement of metallic detent balls backed by a spring located in the rotor. The metallic detent balls cooperatively engage laterally spaced recesses in the interior wall of the housing as will be explained. More specifically, in this particular embodiment, to provide the detent or switch positions, spring 48 and detent balls 50 are located in hole 52 (See FIG. 10). This hole is traversely disposed through rotor 40. The interior wall 54 of housing 12 has a plurality of interior laterally spaced axially extending grooves 56 and ridges 58. These grooves form detent ball receiving positions. The balls 50 seat on the interior wall surface between the ridges 58 in the grooves 56 as shown in FIG. 10. Shaft 20 may be rotated such that detent balls 50 digitally rotate along the interior wall of the housing passing over ridges from one groove (detent position) to another groove. Upon achieving the desired shaft position the spring 48 holds the detent balls 50 in their respective opposed grooves 56 and consequently the rotor 40 is held in fixed position in relation to the stator 60.
To achieve electrical contact between selected common and terminal contacts, stator 60, detent balls 72 and finger brush contacts 74 are located in recesses which extend into the bottom of the rotor 40. The brush contacts 74 are held, in resilient engagement via springs 70, against the inner surface of the stator 60. The stator inner top surface has contact portions 65 for the various common and terminal contacts 66 which are engaged by the brush contacts 74. The brush contacts 74 electrically connect certain common and terminal contacts 65 upon rotation of the switch shaft into its various detent positions. The rotor 40 selectively locates the brush contacts 74 on pairs of contact pads associated with certain common and terminal contacts as is illustrated in FIG. 1
The rotary switch 10 may be made by a preferred process as illustrated by FIGS. 3-9. FIG. 3 shows a cross section of the switch housing 12 showing the upper inner annular edge or shoulder 16 and the lower annular edge or shoulder 62. Ferrule 14 is preheated to an elevated temperature in the range of about 180 to 240 degrees centigrade (° C.) the preferred temperature range being about 200° to 220° C. and most preferably about 210° C. After heating, the ferrule 14 is inserted into the housing 12 with the base portion thereof sitting on inner annular edge 16 of housing 12. The end portion of housing 12 extends above the base portion 15 of the ferrule 14, as shown in FIG. 4.
The housing 12 with the preheated ferrule 14 positioned therein is located under a mandrel 90. The mandrel 90 is cylindrically shaped and the end thereof has an inwardly extending shoulder 92 which flattens into an annular ring 94 as shown in FIG. 5. The mandrel 90 is heated to an elevated temperature in the same range as the ferrule. The end portion of housing 12 is then pressed into the mandrel as shown in FIG. 6 such that the inwardly extending shoulder of the mandrel rolls the end portion of housing toward the center and consequently over the upper surface of ferrule base portion forming annular top flange 18 overlapping the ferrule base portion 15. The housing 12 is heated by the mandrel during this flange forming process to soften the housing plastic material to its deformable plastic state to allow the material to fold over and onto the ferrule base portion. The ferrule 14 is now securely located within housing 12 between top annular flange 18 and annular edge 16, as shown in FIG. 7.
The interior parts (rotor assembly) of the switch 10 are assembled and located within the housing 12, such as shaft 20 and rotor 40 with springs 48, 72, detent balls 50, 72, and brush contacts 74, O-ring 24, stop 46 and C-clip 22 as shown in FIG. 8. Stator 60 is next inserted into the other end of housing 12 and seated on opposed inner annular edge or shoulder 62 with the bottom end portion of the housing extending above the stator plate 61. The bottom end portion is then rolled toward the center portion and over the stator by the heated mandrel 90 pressing onto the end of the housing as shown in FIG. 9. During this forming process the housing is again heated by the mandrel 90 to the same temperature range discussed above with respect to the ferrule securing step. The heat softens the plastic material to facilitate the remolding process of the housing.
Switch 10 is thus fabricated using a minimum number of steps. The bottom end of the switch may be sealed by applying a layer of epoxy or other sealant over the outer area of the stator. External contaminants thus will be inhibited from entering the internal area of switch 10. Features of the invention may be used in switches of various sizes with different numbers of stator contacts and contact configurations and arrangements.
The switch and method of assembling the same described above has resulted in lowering the manufacturing costs by about 30%-40% as compared with comparable prior art switches employing a one-piece metal housing and ferrule.
The above-described detailed description of a preferred embodiment described the best mode contemplated by the inventors for carrying out the present invention at the time this application was filed and is offered by way of example and not by way of limitation. Accordingly, various modifications may be made to the above-described preferred embodiment without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that although the invention has been described and shown for a particular embodiment, nevertheless various changes and modifications obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertains are deemed to lie within the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. | A rotary switch is disclosed which has a ferrule, rotor and stator assembly housed within a plastic cylindrically shaped housing. The ends of the housing are uniquely folded to hold the ferrule and stator in end positions within the housing on edges located on the interior wall the housing. The rotor has a shaft which is rotatably mounted in the ferrule for relative movement over the stator. Stationary contacts are provided on the stator, while moveable ball contacts carried by the rotor seat on the stator for displacement relative to the stationary contacts upon turning of the rotor via the shaft. A detent mechanism cooperates with the interior wall of the housing to establish detent positions corresponding with predetermined electrical coupling of the stator contacts by the ball contacts.
This housing arrangement provides a relatively simple and inexpensive rotary switch of relatively small sized which has a high switch capacity. | 7 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/221,678, filed on Aug. 5, 2008, which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,133,436 on Mar. 13, 2012, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to medical implants formed of a polymeric material such as ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), with superior oxidation and wear resistance produced by an irradiation process. The UHMWPE is doped with the anti-oxidant anthocyanin.
Various polymer systems have been used for the preparation of artificial prostheses for biomedical use, particularly orthopedic applications. Among them, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene is widely used for articulation surfaces in artificial knee, hip, and other joint replacements. Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) has been defined as those linear polyethylenes which have a relative viscosity of 2.3 or greater at a solution concentration of 0.05% at 135° C. in decahydronaphthalene. The nominal weight-average molecular weight is at least 400,000 and up to 10,000,000 and usually from three to six million. The manufacturing process begins with the polymer being supplied as fine powder which is consolidated into various forms, such as rods and slabs, using ram extrusion or compression molding. Afterwards, the consolidated rods or slabs are machined into the final shape of the orthopedic implant components. Alternatively, the component can be produced by compression molding of the UHMWPE resin powder.
All components must then go through a sterilization procedure prior to use, but usually after being packaged. There exist several sterilization methods which can be utilized for medical applications, such as the use of ethylene oxide, gas plasma, heat, or radiation. However, applying heat to a packaged polymeric medical product can destroy either the integrity of the packaging material (particularly the seal, which prevents bacteria from going into the package after the sterilization step) or the product itself.
It has been recognized that regardless of the radiation type, the high energy beam causes generation of free radicals in polymers during radiation. It has also been recognized that the amount or number of free radicals generated is dependent upon the radiation dose received by the polymers and that the distribution of free radicals in the polymeric implant depends upon the geometry of the component, the type of polymer, the dose rate, and the type of radiation beam. The generation of free radicals can be described by the following reaction (which uses polyolefin and gamma ray irradiation for illustration):
Depending on whether or not oxygen is present, primary free radicals r. will react with oxygen and the polymer according to the following reactions as described in “Radiation Effects on Polymers,” edited by Roger L. Clough and Shalaby W. Shalaby, published by American Chemical Society, Washington, D.C., 1991.
In the Presence of Oxygen
In radiation in air, primary free radicals r. will react with oxygen to form peroxyl free radicals rO 2 ., which then react with polyolefin (such as UHMWPE) to start the oxidative chain scission reactions (reactions 2 through 6). Through these reactions, material properties of the plastic, such as molecular weight, tensile and wear properties, are degraded.
It has been found that the hydroperoxides (rOOH and POOH) formed in reactions 3 and 5 will slowly break down as shown in reaction 7 to initiate post-radiation degradation. Reactions 8 and 9 represent termination steps of free radicals to form ester or carbon-carbon cross-links. Depending on the type of polymer, the extent of reactions 8 and 9 in relation to reactions 2 through 7 may vary. For irradiated UHMWPE, a value of 0.3 for the ratio of chain scission to cross-linking has been obtained, indicating that even though cross-linking is a dominant mechanism, a significant amount of chain scission occurs in irradiated polyethylene.
By applying radiation in an inert atmosphere, since there is no oxidant present, the primary free radicals r. or secondary free radicals P. can only react with other neighboring free radicals to form carbon-carbon cross-links, according to reactions 10 through 12 below. If all the free radicals react through reactions 10 through 12, there will be no chain scission and there will be no molecular weight degradation. Furthermore, the extent of cross-linking is increased over the original polymer prior to irradiation. On the other hand, if not all the free radicals formed are combined through reactions 10, 11 and 12, then some free radicals will remain in the plastic component.
In an Inert Atmosphere
r .+polyolefin-----------P. (10)
2 r .---------- r - r (C—C cross-linking) (11)
2P.----------P—P(C—C cross-linking) (12)
It is recognized that the fewer the free radicals, the better the polymer retains its physical properties over time. The greater the number of free radicals, the greater the degree of molecular weight and polymer property degradation will occur. Applicant has discovered that the extent of completion of free radical cross-linking reactions is dependent on the reaction rates and the time period given for reaction to occur.
UHMWPE is commonly used to make prosthetic joints such as artificial hip joints. In recent years, it has been found that tissue necrosis and interface osteolysis may occur in response to UHMWPE wear debris. For example, wear of acetabular cups of UHMWPE in artificial hip joints may introduce microscopic wear particles into the surrounding tissues.
Improving the wear resistance of the UHMWPE socket and, thereby, reducing the rate of production of wear debris may extend the useful life of artificial joints and permit them to be used successfully in younger patients. Consequently, numerous modifications in physical properties of UHMWPE have been proposed to improve its wear resistance.
It is known in the art that ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) can be cross-linked by irradiation with high energy radiation, for example gamma radiation, in an inert atmosphere or vacuum. Exposure of UHMWPE to gamma irradiation induces a number of free-radical reactions in the polymer. One of these is cross-linking. This cross-linking creates a 3-dimensional network in the polymer which renders it more resistant to adhesive wear in multiple directions. The free radicals formed upon irradiation of UHMWPE can also participate in oxidation which reduces the molecular weight of the polymer via chain scission, leading to degradation of physical properties, embrittlement and a significant increase in wear rate. The free radicals are very long-lived (greater than eight years), so that oxidation continues over a very long period of time resulting in an increase in the wear rate as a result of oxidation over the life of the implant.
Sun et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,414,049, the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference, broadly discloses the use of radiation to form free radicals and heat to form cross-links between the free radicals prior to oxidation.
Hyun et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,168,626 relates to a process for forming oriented UHMWPE materials for use in artificial joints by irradiating with low doses of high-energy radiation in an inert gas or vacuum to cross-link the material to a low degree, heating the irradiated material to a temperature at which compressive deformation is possible, preferably to a temperature near the melting point or higher, and performing compressive deformation followed by cooling and solidifying the material. The oriented UHMWPE materials have improved wear resistance. Medical implants may be machined from the oriented materials or molded directly during the compressive deformation step. The anisotropic nature of the oriented materials may render them susceptible to deformation after machining into implants.
Salovey et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,228,900, the teachings of which are incorporated by reference, relates to a method for enhancing the wear-resistance of polymers, including UHMWPE, by cross-linking them via irradiation in the melt.
Saum et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,316,158 relates to a process for treating UHMWPE using irradiation followed by thermally treating the polyethylene at a temperature greater than 150° C. to recombine cross-links and eliminate free radicals.
Several other prior art patents attempt to provide methods which enhance UHMWPE physical properties. European Patent Application 0 177 522 81 relates to UHMWPE powders being heated and compressed into a homogeneously melted crystallized morphology with no grain memory of the UHMWPE powder particles and with enhanced modulus and strength. U.S. Pat. No. 5,037,928 relates to a prescribed heating and cooling process for preparing a UHMWPE exhibiting a combination of properties including a creep resistance of less than 1% (under exposure to a temperature of 23° C. and a relative humidity of 50% for 24 hours under a compression of 1000 psi) without sacrificing tensile and flexural properties. U.K. Patent Application GB 2 180 815 A relates to a packaging method where a medical device which is sealed in a sterile bag, after radiation/sterilization, is hermetically sealed in a wrapping member of oxygen-impermeable material together with a deoxidizing agent for prevention of post-irradiation oxidation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,153,039 relates to a high density polyethylene article with oxygen barrier properties. U.S. Pat. No. 5,160,464 relates to a vacuum polymer irradiation process.
In addition to cross-linking via a stabilization or annealing process, it is possible to chemically cross-link the polyethylene. However, when implanting a polyethylene in the human body it is necessary to chemically cross-link with a non-toxic chemical. U.S. Pat. No. 5,827,904 relates to the use of a carotenoid doped into a powder base or stock solid polyethylene material to produce a stabile oxidation resistant matrix for use in medical implants. U.S. Pat. No. 6,277,390 teaches the use of vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) to protect from irradiation damage. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0264541 and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0059334 also relate to utilizing vitamin E to stabilize UHMWPE. U.S. Pat. No. 6,448,315 relates to a method using CO 2 under super critical fluid conditions at elevated temperatures and pressures to dope the UHMWPE with vitamin E. Sequentially irradiating and annealing is taught in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005/0043431. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0194723 also relates to methods for making medical devices having vitamin E diffused therein.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method for providing a polymeric material, such as UHMWPE, with superior oxidation resistance, mechanical strength and wear properties. For the purpose of illustration, UHMWPE will be used as an example to describe the invention. However, all the theories and processes described hereafter should also apply to other polymeric materials such as polypropylene, high density polyethylene, polyhydrocarbons, polyester, nylon, polyurethane, polycarbonates and poly(methylmethcrylate) unless otherwise stated. The method involves using a series of relatively low doses of radiation with an annealing process after each dose.
As stated above, UHMWPE polymer is very stable and has very good resistance to aggressive media except for strong oxidizing acids. Upon irradiation, free radicals are formed which cause UHMWPE to become activated for chemical reactions and physical changes. Possible chemical reactions include reacting with oxygen, water, body fluids, and other chemical compounds while physical changes include density, crystallinity, color, and other physical properties. In the present invention, an anthocyanin compound is used to eliminate the free radicals during irradiation. Furthermore, this process does not employ stabilizers, antioxidants, or any other chemical compounds which may have potentially adverse effects in biomedical or orthopedic applications.
An orthopedic preformed material such as a rod, bar or compression molded sheet for the subsequent production of a medical implant such as an acetabular or tibial implant with improved wear resistance is made from a polyethylene material doped with an anthrocyanin in a concentration of up to 5% wt/wt. The material is cross-linked by a total radiation dose of from about 2 MRads to 100 MRads and preferably between 5 MRads and 15 MRads and most preferably 9-12 MRads.
The polyethylene of the present invention may be in the form of a preformed rod or sheet with a subsequent production of a medical implant with improved wear resistance. The preformed rod or sheet doped with an anthrocyanin is cross-linked by irradiation one or more times. The preferred method is to apply the radiation dose in increments, the incremental dose for each radiation is preferably between about 2 and 5 MRads with the total dose between 2 and 100 MRads and preferably between 5 and 21 MRads and most preferably 9 and 12 MRads.
A first method of forming a cross-linked ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene blend comprises: combining an anthocyanin material and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene to form a doped ultra-high-molecular weight polyethylene; and sequentially irradiating the ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene blend with electron-beam or gamma ray radiation to a total dose of at least about 2 MRad and preferably 9-12 MRads to form a cross-linked ultra-high-molecular weight polyethylene blend. The amount of anthocyanin combined in the blend is preferably between about 0.002 w/w % and about 2.0 w/w %. Even more preferably the amount of anthocyanin combined in the blend is between about 0.005 and about 0.4 w/w %.
The preferred method further comprises the step of heating the ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene doped with anthocyanin after each irradiation. Preferably the temperature is between 110° C. and 130° C. but less than the melting point for about 8 hours. This sequential radiation and annealing process is taught in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2004/0043431, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. The cross-linked ultra-high molecular weight doped polyethylene may be formed into an implant such as by molding. The implant is sterilized during or subsequent to irradiating. Preferably the sterilizing step comprises contacting the implant with electron-beam radiation, gamma radiation, gas plasma or ethylene oxide. After sterilization the implant is packaged in a sterile container. The sterilizing step may occur during, after or both during and after packaging the implant. The ultra high molecular weight polyethylene doped with anthocyanin is a substantially uniform blend.
A second method of forming a sterilized packaged implant comprises: forming an implant from a resin blend of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene and anthocyanin such as by molding or extrusion and then packaging the implant. The packaged implant is then irradiated with electron-beam radiation to a total dose of at least about 2 MRad and preferably 9 to 12 MRads at a dose rate of at least about 0.5 MRAD per hour. The irradiation may be done in one step or preferably sequentially. Preferably the implant is packaged in an oxygen-deprived barrier package and the ultra-high molecular weight doped polyethylene is a substantially uniformly blended mixture.
The methods produce a load bearing medical implant, comprising: a solid UHMWPE material; and a sufficient amount of anthocyanin compound doped into the polymeric solid material to produce a stable, oxidation resistant, matrix for forming the medical, load bearing implant. The anthocyanin compound is preferably present in a range of from 0.002 w/w % amounts to 2% by weight. The blended resin composition may be formed into a polymeric solid material in a rod bar or block stock form by extrusion or preferably by molding. The implant made of the UHMWPE is machined out of UHMWPE blocks or extruded bars or rods, wherein anthocyanin is dispersely imbedded in the polyethylene with a preferred concentration K of 0.002%<K<2%. The doped implant is exposed to gamma ray or electron beam irradiation amounts of at least about 2.0 MRad to prevent the implant from becoming brittle in the long term and improve wear properties.
The implant may be manufactured from doped UHMWPE, where the implants have been machined out of doped UHMWPE blocks or extruded bars or rods, wherein anthocyanin is dispersely imbedded in the polyethylene with a concentration K of 0.002%<K<2%, the implant being exposed to gamma ray or electron beam irradiation in amounts of 9 to 12 MRad and annealed after irradiation. Preferably this is done sequentially as described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2004/0043431. The anthocyanin prevents the implant from becoming brittle in the long term and thereby wear and tear at contact locations. The inclusion of anthocyanin is preferably by mixing a powder or granulate of UHMWPE with an aqueous liquid such as deionized water that contains anthocyanin (which is water soluble) in a predetermined amount. The water is evaporated in order to deposit the anthocyanin in a predetermined concentration on the polyethylene particles. The polyethylene particles are compressed into blocks at temperatures in a range of approximately 135° C.-250° C. and pressures in a range of approximately 2-70 MPa.
The preformed doped polyethylene material is then machined into a medical implant or other device. If the irradiation process takes place in air, then the entire outer skin to about 2 mm deep is removed from the preform prior to machining the medical implant or other device. If the process is done in a vacuum or an inert atmosphere such as nitrogen, then the outer skin may be retained.
The end-results of reduced chain-scission and free-radical concentration are improved mechanical properties, improved oxidation resistance and enhanced wear resistance.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Anthocyanins are water soluble naturally occurred products. They are present in plants, flowers, fruits such as grapes, berries and in red wine. Anthocyanins are natural pigments that appear red, purple to blue according to pH. Importantly, anthocyanins act as powerful antioxidants to protect the plant from free radical induced oxidation. Their antioxidant capacity could be up to 4 times higher than Vitamin E. Anthocyanins have also been found to have anti-inflammability, anti-angiogenic and anti-carcinogenic properties. Currently anthocyanins are widely used in the food industry.
Two anthocyanin extracts in powder form from grape skin (Antho-G) and bilberry (Antho-B) respectively and a total of four concentrations were tested: The anthocyanin extract (Antho-G) from grape skin was obtained from Food Ingredient Solution LLC as a food additive. Anthocyanin content in the grape extract is about 8%. The anthocyanin extract from bilberry (Antho-B) was obtained from Charles Bowman and Company and anthocyanin content in the bilberry extract is 50%.
The anthocyanin extract used was obtained as a red powder. In the preferred method the red powder was dissolved in water at appropriate concentrations. A solution of 2.5% of either extract was used. The mixing formed a red aqueous solution. Typically, 16 ml of the 2.5% solution of either Antho-G or Antho-B was added to 800 g UHMWPE powder and the mixture was blended using a Papenmeier shear blender. The doped powder wet mixture (light pink depending on the concentration of anthocyanin) was dried under nitrogen and then consolidated at 350° F., with a maximum unit pressure of approximately 1000 psi (34 MPa). A pinkish colored UHMWPE block in a size of 2×3×6 inches was obtained in a custom Wabash 4 opening press.
Alternately, 0.4 grams of dry anthocyanin (Ortho-G or Antho-B) red powder could be blended with 800 UHMWPE powder. This will result in a similar colored UHMWPE powder as was obtained with the wet blended powder. Molding would be performed as described above.
The content of anthocyanin in the UHMWPE may be up to 5% by weight and preferably 0.005 to 2% by weight. The color of the UHMWPE got deeper from pink to dark red with an increase of anthocyanin content.
The UHMWPE may be formed into a block by compression molding and the block with anthocyanin was gamma irradiated at an approximately 9 MRad in three steps with annealing after each step of cumulated doses. The color of the UHMWPE was visually examined and no color change was observed.
EXAMPLE
Gur 1020 brand UHMWPE powder per ASTM F 648 Type I was purchased from Ticona GmbH, FrankfurtMain, Germany. The partial size of the powder was less than 300 μm.
The anthocyanin Antho-G and Antho-B extracts were dissolved in water in a concentration of 2.5% and mixed into the UHMWPE powder using a Papenmeier shear blender. The amount of the 2.5% solution added to the UHMWPE powder was varied to produce either 500 ppm (0.05% w/w) or 250 ppm (0.025% w/w) of the antho-G extract or 250 or 125 ppm of the antho-B extract. The actual concentration of anthocyanin contained in each sample is shown in Table 1. After drying under nitrogen, the UHMWPE blend was then molded at 350° F. and with a maximum unit pressure of approximately 1000 psi (4 MPa) to produce a test sample plaque in a size of 2×3×6 inches.
The anthocyanin doped plaques were sequentially gamma irradiated 3 MRad for a total dose of 9 and annealed after each dose at 130° C. for 8 hours. Test samples (1 mm slices) were then machined out of the treated blocks and tested according to the ASTM standard methods.
The density measurements were determined according to ASTM D1505 using density gradient column. Two (2) specimens per sample were evaluated. Average value and standard deviation are reported.
Crystallinity measurements were obtained in accordance with ASTM D3418. Standard testing on Perkin-Elmer Diamond DSC was used. Both heating and cooling runs were performed at 10° C./min. The peak temperature on the heating and the cooling curves determined the melting point and the crystallization temperature, respectively. The crystallinity was calculated as the heat of fusion of the test specimen divided by 287.3 J/g (the heat of fusion for a perfect PE crystal). Five (5) specimens per sample were analyzed; the average value and standard deviation are reported. A virgin GUR 1020 sample was included in every run for control. The results of the analysis are shown in Table 1.
The tensile test was conducted according to ASTM D638 (Reference 3), Type IV with a crosshead speed set at 5.08 cm/min (or 2 in/min). A standard tensile tester (Instron 4505) was used. Eight specimens per sample condition were tested; the average value and standard deviation are reported for yield strength, ultimate strength and elongation. The results are shown in Table 1.
TABLE 1
Physical and mechanical properties of anthocyanin UHMWPE
Antho-G
Antho-G
Antho-B
Antho-B
500 ppm
250 ppm
250 ppm
125 ppm
Material
Undoped
of
of
of
of
Property
Reference
Extract
Extract
Extract
Extract
Density,
939
938
939
937
939
kg/m3
Crystallinity
59.2 ± 1.2
58.6 ± 0.7
61.2 ± 3.4
57.3 ± 0.1
59.0 ± 0.8
(*) %
Tensile
23.8 ± 0.2
24.2 ± 0.2
24.1 ± 0.2
23.9 ± 0.2
23.5 ± 0.3
Yield
Strength,
MPa
Tensile
54.0 ± 4.4
52.9 ± 3.5
56.6 ± 2.4
58.2 ± 2.9
55.3 ± 3.5
Ultimate
Strength,
MPa
Tensile
268 ± 13
262 ± 12
272 ± 7
278 ± 8.8
270 ± 9.2
Elongation at
Break, %
Anthocyanin
0
40 PPM
20 PPM
125 PPM
62.5 PPM
concen-
tration
(PPM)
Physical and mechanical properties of the anthocyanin doped UHMWPE are shown in Table 1. The data indicate that addition of the anthocyanin extract resulting in either a 125, 250 ppm (0.0125% w/w) or 500 ppm (0.05% w/w) concentration of extract in the GUR 1020 did not affect the physical and mechanical properties.
Free radical measurements were conducted at the Department of Physics, The University of Memphis. The experiment procedures are as follows: Following machining/cutting, each sample was cleaned in ethanol and dried in a drying environment using filtered dry nitrogen. However, precut/pre-machined, cleaned and prepackaged samples are used without any additional cleaning. Before measurements, the mass of each sample was recorded using a microgram scale (GA 110, Ohaus). The sample for measurement was placed in a high purity suprasil quartz tube of size 4 mm outer and 3 mm inner diameters, and varying between 100 and 200 mm in length (Wilmad Glass). Along with each sample, a reference standard (SRM 2601, NIST) was also placed in the tube. For free radical measurements, an X-band electron spin resonance (ESR) spectrometer (EMX 300, Bruker) was used. The spectrometer operates at around 9.7 GHz (empty cavity frequency), it was fitted with a multimode high-sensitive cavity (Bruker), and was fully automated. Experimental resonance frequency, which was factored into the calculation for the spectral g value (characteristic splitting factor of a spectrum), was automatically recorded as an operating parameter when the cavity was tuned with the tube-with-sample in place. ESR signal was detected as the first derivative of the resonance absorption by setting the frequency of the magnetic field modulation and that of the signal detection at 100 kHz. In general, the amplitude of modulation (1-5 G) and that of the microwave power (0.5-5.0 mW) were preset to obtain desired signal-to-noise ratio and to keep the detection range below saturation level of the absorption signal. For spectral discrimination, however, modulation amplitude was varied between 1 mG and 20 G, and the microwave power between 1.0 □W and 100 mW, respectively, as needed. First-derivative absorption signal of the reference standard was also recorded at the same time without re-tuning the cavity or altering any operating parameters of the spectrometer. Spectral data as well as the operating parameters are automatically recorded by a dedicated PC, and subsequent calculations or presentations were performed using a WinEPR program (Bruker). Using the known number of free spins in the standard, free-radical concentration (FRC) in the sample was determined. The results are shown in Table 2.
TABLE 2
Free radical data
Sample
FRC (Spins per gram, x E-14)
Antho-G-500 PPM
5.99
Antho-G-250 PPM
17.07
Antho-B-250 PPM
11.68
Antho-B-125 PPM
10.45
Reference (undoped)
11.31
An accelerated aging test was conducted following the standard method described in ASTM2102. UHMWPE without antioxidant (reference), which was gamma irradiated sterilized at 3 MRads in either air (gamma-air) or nitrogen (N2) respectively, were used as references. The aged specimens were analyzed by FTIR and the data are shown in Table 3.
TABLE 3
Oxidation index (OI) of the anthocyanin doped UHMWPE
after two weeks accelerated aging
Max OI
SOI (0-3 mm)
BOI (0.5 mm)
Sample
2 wks
4 wks
2 wks
4 wks
2 wks
4 wks
Antho-G-500 ppm
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
Antho-G-250 ppm
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
Antho-B-250 ppm
0.00
0.01
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
Antho-B-125 ppm
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
Reference Gamma
0.56
0.35
0.22
irradiated in Air
Reference Gamma
0.34
0.19
0.30
irradiated in N2
Max OI: maximum oxidation index;
SOI: average surface oxidation index;
BOI: average bulk oxidation index;
2 wks: 2 weeks (ASTM standard);
4 wks: 4 weeks.
The results demonstrate that no oxidation was detected in the anthocyanin doped specimens after two weeks accelerated aging. The oxidation was found through the entire range of specimens of the two references. When the accelerated aging was extended to four weeks, there was still no oxidation detected in the anthocyanin doped sample.
Wear testing was conducted on the acetabular cups with an inner diameter of 32 mm, and a thickness of 5.9 mm. Inserts were manufactured from four anthocyanin doped UHMWPE. All samples were inserted into titanium acetabular shells which are mounted to UHMWPE fixtures using titanium bone screws. Appropriate diameter CoCr femoral heads were mated against the inserts. A multi-station MTS (Eden Prairie, Minn.) hip joint wear simulator was used for testing.
Reference UHMPE materials included: (1) undoped UHMWPE and UHMWPE doped with 500 PPM vitamin E using a powder-liquid blending process. All materials were gamma irradiated at 3 MRads and then annealed at 130° C. for 8 hours. This was done sequentially three times for a total of 9 MRads.
The test specimens were submerged in a lubricant bath for the duration of testing. Alpha Calf Fraction serum was used. After diluted and protein adjusted, the serum solution was 0.2 μm filed before use. The standard method described in ASTM F2025-06 was used for cleaning, weighing and assessing the wear loss of the acetabular inserts. The serum solution was replaced and the inserts weighed every 0.5 million cycles. Testing was conducted for a minimum of 2 million cycles.
Wear rates were determined based on the weight loss of the specimens during testing. The weight loss of the specimens was corrected by fluid absorption that was done by monitoring the weight gain of the static soaked specimens.
TABLE 4 Wear rates of anthocyanin doped UHMWPE after two million cycles on a hip join stimulator Wear rate (mm 3 /mc) Antho-G-500 ppm 1.3 ± 0.1 Antho-G-250 ppm 3.3 ± 1.3 Antho-B-250 ppm 1.4 ± 1.5 Antho-B-125 ppm 2.2 ± 0.6 UHMWPE-vitamin E 6.0 ± 0.4 500 PPM UHMWPE 2.9 ± 0.3 undoped
Table 4 shows the wear rates of the anthocyanin doped UHMWPE after two million cycles on a hip joint stimulator. Lower wear rates were seen in the UHMWPE doped with high concentrations of the anthocyanin (Antho-G 500 PPM and Antho-B 250 PPM). Compared to the 500 PPM vitamin E doped UHMWPE and undoped UHMWPE that were processed and fabricated under the same conditions. The anthocyanin doped UHMWPE had lower wear rates and better wear resistance.
It is well known that antioxidants will react with free radicals during the irradiation-crosslinking process; this reduces the availability of free radicals in UHMWPE for crosslinking. However, the above results demonstrated that the addition of anthocyanin will improve wear resistance of crosslinked UHMWPE. The UHMWPE containing anthocyanin showed a lower wear rate than undoped UHMWPE that received the same irradiation crosslink and heat treatment. All UHMWPE containing anthocyanin showed significant (p<0.011) lower wear than that with 500 ppm vitamin E doped UHMWPE.
Although the invention herein has been described with reference to particular embodiments, it is to be understood that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and applications of the present invention. It is therefore to be understood that numerous modifications may be made to the illustrative embodiments and that other arrangements may be devised without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. | A method for manufacturing of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) for implants, where the implants have been machined out of UHMWPE blocks or extruded rods, has anthocyanin dispersely imbedded in the polyethylene. The implant is then exposed to γ ray or electron beam irradiation in an amount of at least 2.5 Mrad followed by a heat treatment to prevent the implant from becoming brittle in the long term as well as to improve strength and wear. The method includes mixing a powder or granulate resin of UHMWPE with an aqueous liquid that contains anthocyanin in a predetermined amount. The water is then evaporated in order to deposit the anthocyanin in a predetermined concentration on the polyethylene particles. The doped UHMWPE particles are compressed into blocks at temperatures in a range of approximately 135° C.-250° C. and pressures in a range of approximately 2-70 MPa. Medical implants are made from the blocks. | 0 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The device of this invention is a support to be placed on a roof between two ladders. Specifically, the invention is to be used in aiding firefighters cut holes in the roofs of burning buildings. In conventional firefighting procedure, where the roof of a building is exposed to the fire, it is necessary to open a hole in the roof so that the smoke and flame will be concentrated there rather than weakening the entire roof. This also creates an updraft that has a tendency to clear the windows and doors of smoke so that the firefighter may evacuate persons trapped in the building and may themselves enter the building to fight the fire.
In making such an opening usually a single roof ladder is hooked over the ridge of the roof. The firefighter must then lean over and chop a hole near the side of the ladder. This is a very awkward procedure. He may have to leave one foot on the ladder and put one foot on the roof. In that case, a burning roof weakened on the under side could collapse under the foot of the firefighter that is directly in contact with the roof thereby causing the firefighter to fall into the fire.
By use of a unique and simple design the invention may be used with two conventional ladders to form a safe support for the second foot of the fireman. The applicant's invention makes it exceedingly unlikely that the fireman would lack the support that is needed for him to maintain his balance when cutting a hole in a roof even if the fire underneath is severe.
While many devices are known which support either a step or a scaffold from one or more ladders, none are known to the inventor which use his method of hooking his invention to the ladders. For example U.S. Pat. No. 1,886,921 (Tobin) discloses a structure in which a pair of ladders support a board 33, see FIG. 6 of the Tobin patent, which crosses between them. The support structure shown at the right hand side of the illustration (FIG. 6) hooks over a single rung of the ladder. The structure shown at the left side of the illustration bolts to the side rail of the ladder. An alternative structure shown in FIG. 8 has a bracket around the side rail of the ladder. These structures are disclosed as alternatives to one another. However none of structures boxes the side rail and hooks over two of the rungs of the ladders, as does the applicant's invention. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,279,327 (Warren) and 4,531,613 (Keigher) are two patents that relate specifically to firefighting but show a rather different structure than that of the applicant's invention in which a single ladder has an extension at the top wide enough to embrace the area where the hole is to be made. These two patents show devices that limit the firefighter to the area where the ladder has been hooked and as such are not nearly as adaptable as the applicant's invention. In addition the footing is not as secure.
The remaining prior art patents, specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 1,487,243 (Jackson), U.S. Pat. No. 2,426,825 (Geary), U.S. Pat. No. 2,439,185 (Patt), U.S. Pat. No. 2,856,112 (Broderick), and U.S. Pat. No. 2,948,349 (Reddy) show variations in which a step or a scaffold is supported from one or more ladders. Some of the prior art inventions attach to rungs of the ladder while others attach to the side rails but no case is there a single structure that both attaches to the rungs and boxes the side rails as does the applicant's invention. Also, the step or scaffold disclosed in the prior art is usually a board rather than a metal piece having non-skid tread elements.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The device of the present invention is an accessory or platform that is hung between two ladders and aids firefighters in cutting a hole in a roof by increasing the amount of support that they have and minimizing the potential danger should the roof weaken underneath them by giving the firefighter a platform which is stable and will not collapse under his weight as he works to ventilate the roof.
The center of the device has a sheet of non-skid metal parallel to the roof and a box section extending at a right angle to the roof so that at any pitch of the roof the foot of the fireman will have adequate support. At each end of the invention is a box which is deep enough to enclose the rail of the ladder regardless of the depth of the rail. The hooks at the lower edge of each outer side of a box have an opening that just tightly receives a ladder rung of standard size. The sheet material of which the hook is formed is narrow enough so that it will hook between the ladder rung and the roof regardless of the spacing of the ladder rung from the edge of the side beam of the ladder. Ladder side rails have several standard dimensions but because of the box this device will fit any of them.
A hand hole is provided to the center of the device to make it easier for a firefighter to carry to the point where it can be used.
An important distinction between the device of this invention and the prior art is that most of the prior art devices disclosed were designed to be used on ladders that are erected at the side of a building. The device of the instant invention is designed to be used when the ladders of a firefighter are hung over the peak or ridge of a roof in order for a firefighter to ventilate that roof. The invention is used with the two ladders that it is hooked to attached to the peak or upper edge of a roof.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the firefighting roof ladder accessory.
FIG. 2 is a top plan view showing the firefighting roof ladder accessory between two ladders as the invention would used by a firefighter.
FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view on line 3--3 of FIG. 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Although the disclosure hereof is detailed and exact to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, the physical embodiments herein disclosed merely exemplify the invention which may be embodied in other specific structure. While the preferred embodiment has been described, the details may be changed without departing from the invention, which is defined by the claims.
The firefighting roof ladder necessary as a whole is referred to as the unit 10 in this description. The unit 10 is comprised of side boxes 20 and a beam 30.
As disclosed in FIGS. 1 and 3 each of the side boxes 20 have hooks 21 and 25 which allow the boxes 20 to be attached to the rungs 41 of the ladders 40; as illustrated in FIG. 2. The side boxes 20 of the unit 10 are of such width that they can be placed over a wide variety of ladders 40 despite those ladders having different sizes of ladder side rails 42. The hooks 21 and 25 of the side boxes 20 are open ended thereby allowing each hook 21 and 25 to attach to any rung 41. Each hook 21 and 25 has a end 22. Referring to FIG. 3 the position of end 22 in relationship to the ladder 40 and the ladder side rail 42 may be seen. The end 22 of the hooks 21 and 25 is designed to be sufficiently narrow so as to allow the hooks 21 and 25 to engage a wide variety of rungs 41 without engaging or coming into contact with the surface of the roof itself when the unit 10 is attached to the ladders 40 on the roof. The width of the end 22 is designed such that only the side rails 42 of each ladder 40 will be in contact with the roof when each ladder 40 is attached to the roof.
FIGS. 1 and 2 disclose a hand hole 50 located on the beam 30. The hole 50 allows a firefighter to easily carry the unit 10 up to the point where it can be used. The hole 50 is large enough to allow for a hand to pass through it but it is not large enough to allow the foot of a fireman standing on the beam 30 to pass through. This is especially true if the foot of the firefighter is in a boot as is usually the case when the firefighter is out working to extinguish a fire.
Still referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 the relationship of the beam 30 with the side boxes 20 and the ladders 40 may be seen. The beam 30 is comprised of two fire fighter support surfaces 31 and 32. When the unit 10 is attached to the ladders 40 that are hung from the peak or edge of the roof the surface 31 of the beam 30 is parallel to the surface of the roof while surface 32 of the beam 30 is perpendicular to the surface of the roof. This allows a firefighter to have a firm place of support upon which to brace himself when he is ventilating a roof no matter what the angle of that roof may be.
The unit 10 is made of metal. As such the beam 30 and the side boxes 20 are of a stiff rigid construction that will not bend or break under normal use; for example, when a fireman is standing on the beam 30. The structural strength of the unit 10 is increased by relationship of the side boxes 20 and the beam 30. The side boxes 20 are at right angles to the beam 30 and are longer than the width of the beam 30. This allows the side boxes 20 to cover a larger area and thereby increasing the stability as well as the stiffness of the beam 30 when the unit 10 is in use. This is because by having the side boxes 20 at right angles to the beam 30 the ability of the beam 30 to flex on bend under the weight of a firefighter is reduced. The ends 35 and 36 of the beam 30 are welded to the side boxes 20. Since the side boxes 20 are at right angles to the ends 35 and 36 the side boxes 20 are resistant to bending in the same direction as the ends 35 and 36. This resistance imparts greater stability and stiffness to the unit 10 as a whole thus making it a uniquely stable platform for a firefighter.
FIGS. 1 and 2 also show that the surfaces 31 and 32 of the beam and surfaces 23 and 24 of the side boxes are covered with gripping elements 33. The gripping elements 33 reduce the chance that a firefighter or other person who is using the beam 30 to support his or her foot could slip; thereby increasing their safety when using the unit 10.
For the purpose of the following claims a roof ladder is defined as a ladder having grappling means which allow the ladder to be easily hung from the ridge of a roof.
The above described embodiments of this invention are merely descriptive of its principles and are not to be limiting. The scope of this invention instead shall be determined from the scope of the following claims, including their equivalents. | A firefighting roof ladder accessory that is designed to be supported between two roof ladders. The accessory comprises a beam, having two foot supprot surfaces that are perpendicular to each other, and end boxes each extending over a ladder rail and provided at its outer edge with hooks that go over the rungs of the roof ladders. | 4 |
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/113,875 filed on Aug. 30, 1993,now abandoned.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to optical scanners used to convert optical images into digital data for subsequent reproduction and/or manipulation, and more particularly to optical scanners used in conjunction with printers.
2. Description of the Related Art
Optical scanners have long been used to capture existing optical images so that they may be transferred, stored, or manipulated using a more convenient means, typically a digital computer. The scanner captures the image by illuminating the image with a light source and sensing reflected light. The presence or absence of reflected light at a particular point determines the image characteristics at that point. For a black and white image, the absence of reflected light indicates a black region, while the presence of reflected light indicates a white region. For gray scale images the intensity of the reflected light must also be measured to determine the intensity of the image. In the case of color, separate light sources or filters are sometimes used to detect the presence or absence of each color component.
Although use of scanners has shown significant increase in the recent past, the commercial acceptance of the individual scanner has been limited by its cost and consumption of precious office space. Although not as expensive as many other computer peripherals, e.g., laser printers, the additional cost can be prohibitively expensive, especially if the device is used only by a single user.
In addition to the cost, the consumption of space by a scanner may also be prohibitive. The computer user already has a computer, a monitor, a printer, and possibly a fax machine. The computer user, faced with steadily shrinking office space, has been reluctant to include additional computer peripherals in the confines of the user's immediate office space, especially if the device is not used frequently. However, this is exactly what is required for commercial success of the scanner. Commonly, peripherals that are not in constant use are relegated to a common office area where the device is shared by all of the people in the office. The effect of relocating the peripheral away from the user produces a productivity loss, resulting from walking to and from the device, proportional to the number of times the user must use the device. Further productivity is lost when the device is currently in use by another person in the office. Recently, manufacturers have attempted to address these concerns by combining computer peripherals into so-called multi-function-peripherals (MFPs) incorporating one or more of the following: printer, copier, facsimile and scanner. Typically, these devices are based around an electrophotographic (EP) engine. The EP engine executes a process by which a polymer toner is transferred onto a print media and then fused onto the media. Electrophotographic engines are being used in black and white copiers, printers, and facsimiles and thus provide a good base for MFPs. Color EP engines are available but are considerably more expensive than black and white EP engines. As a result, color EP engines are used in only the most cost insensitive applications, e.g., color proofing, and, consequently, have not been used as a platform for MFPs.
The MFP has not been widely accepted by the marketplace. The primary reasons being, once again, cost and space. Although their cost is less than the combined cost of the devices purchased separately, the MFP is still too expensive for each computer user to own one, especially considering that most computer users already own one or more of the devices, most frequently a printer. In many cases, users own less expensive printers, such as an ink-jet printer, especially small business and/or home users who require color printing. In addition, the MFPs, because of their increased functionality, consume more space than any one of the devices separately. As a result, these devices, if purchased at all, are once again relegated to a large common area where the device is shared by the office at large, resulting in the aforementioned productivity losses.
Accordingly, a need remains for an inexpensive optical scanner that consumes a minimum amount of additional space which, moreover, can operate in conjunction with existing low-cost ink-jet printers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is, therefore, an object of the invention to disclose a method and corresponding apparatus for adding scanning capability to an existing ink-jet printer with little or no additional space required.
Another object of the invention is to disclose an optical scanner which requires no alignment when operated in conjunction with an ink-jet printer mechanism.
A further object of the invention is to disclose an optical scanner which can accept cut-sheet and fan-fold paper.
A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which can be incorporated into an ink-jet printer to provide scanning capability in addition to the printing capability of the printer. In the preferred embodiment, the scanner is housed in an identical body to that of the removable ink cartridge of the printer. When the ink cartridge is mounted on the printer, it is operable to print on paper moving through the print media path of the printer. When the scanner is mounted on the printer, it is operable to scan images on the paper moving through the print media path.
Another object of the invention is to describe a method of adding the optical scanning capability to an existing ink-jet printer.
The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an ink-jet printer mechanism of the type having a moving carriage which passes over the print media.
FIG. 2 is a cutaway view of the scanner body of a first embodiment of the present invention showing reflected light path through the scanner.
FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the scanner of FIG. 2 identifying each of the constituent parts thereof.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the scanner electronics for the scanner shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 5 is a flow-chart diagram showing the imaging sequence of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIG. 1, a printer mechanism is shown generally at 10. The printer mechanism has an internal frame, which defines the print media path 18, and a carriage 14 mounted on a fixed transverse rod 15. A sheet of paper 16 is shown passing through the print media path suspended on paper rails 11 and 13 along an X-axis . Not shown is the means for advancing the paper through the print media path, nor the means for advancing the carriage 14 along the fixed transverse rod 15. These techniques are well known in the art, e.g., gears and stepper motors. The printer mechanism 10 is typical of those used in ink-jet or dot-matrix type printers.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the scanner (not shown in FIG. 1) is substituted for an existing ink-jet ink cartridge 17 mounted on carriage 14. In an alternate ink jet printer embodiment having multiple carriages (not shown), the scanner can be substituted for one of the cartridges, while the others remain. The ink-jet cartridge contains a reservoir of ink and individual nozzles, through which the ink passes onto the print media, and a flexible circuit interconnect, through which the printer electronics (not shown) selectively enables, i.e., fires, each nozzle.
The flexible circuit interconnect consists of a flexible circuit with contact points and metal traces electrically connecting a contact and a corresponding nozzle. The contact points are sometimes raised to facilitate an electrical connection. The flexible circuit can also be used to communicate to other portions of the cartridge by routing a separate trace from the circuit to another portion of the cartridge, e.g., to an identification circuit which identifies the type of cartridge installed. Such interconnects are known in the art.
The carriage 14, in which cartridge 17 is housed, is movable on fixed transverse rod 15 along a Y-axis directly over the print media. As the carriage 14 advances along the frame, the appropriate nozzles are enabled thereby depositing ink at the point generally beneath the nozzle. Because the ink cartridges 17 eventually run out of ink, the cartridge must be replaceable. In order for the replacement cartridges 17 to maintain electrical contact with the printer electronics, the carriage 14 must be designed to allow the cartridge to fit snugly upon reinsertion. Therefore, the cartridge must adhere to the precise mechanical dimensions of the carriage 14.
Referring to FIG. 2, a scanner is shown, according to the invention, housed in a scanner body 44 which adheres to the mechanical specifications of the carriage 14, allowing it to be inserted in place of the replaceable printer cartridge 17. The scanner is cut away to show an axis of reflected light path 25 through the body of the scanner. The reflected light originates on the scanner from an LED light source 38 along emitted light axis 23. Alternatively, an incandescent light source can be used, as well as many other suitable equivalents. The emitted light is projected along axis 23 onto an image below the scanner and the light is reflected back into the scanner, as shown by reflected light path 25. Each of the constitute elements of the scanner are shown separated from the scanner body 44 for better illustration in FIG. 3.
Referring to FIG. 3, a cartridge pen plug 22 is attached to the top of the scanner body 44 which is used to hold the scanner when inserting and removing the scanner from the carriage 14. Attached to the cartridge pen plug 22 is a printed circuit board (PCB) 24 which is electrically connected to both a flexible circuit interconnect 32 and a light receptor means, e.g., a charge coupled device (CCD) sensor, 26. Scanner electronics (not shown in FIG. 3), herein after described, are mounted on PCB 24.
A bi-convex lens 28 and plano-convex lens 30 are held by a lens mirror holder 40 and act to focus the reflected light onto the CCD sensor 26. An LED light source 38 is held in place by a LED holder 42. A first mirror 34 and a second mirror 36 are also held by the lens mirror holder 40 in order to direct the incoming reflected light onto the CCD sensor 26. The second mirror 36 directs the incoming light off its face at an angle dictated by the interior dimensions of the scanner cartridge and the orientation of the cartridge with respect to the image. The first mirror 34 reflects the light reflected off the second mirror 36 so that the light contacts the CCD 26 at a perpendicular angle.
In order to focus the image onto the CCD array, a focusing means is employed. In the preferred embodiment a bi-convex lens 28 and plano-convex lens 30 are held by the lens mirror holder 40 and act to focus the incoming light onto the CCD sensor 26. In an alternative embodiment, a simple convex lens can be used in reduction mode. If the simple convex lens is used the necessary lens dimensions can be calculated based on the simple lens maker's formula. The lens/mirror holder 40 is then modified to satisfy these dimensions.
In an alternative and preferred embodiment, a graded-index ("GRIN") fiber lens can be employed instead of the discrete lenses, which requires less space and weight. The GRIN lens is an array of cylindrical pieces of glass, each piece having metal ions implanted therein to create a gradient in the refractive index. The GRIN lens requires a shorter focal distance between the image and the image sensor than other lenses. GRIN lenses are known in the art of optics. A GRIN lens would allow for a direct optical path between the image and the sensor, rather than the extended optical path shown in FIG. 2.
In order to direct the incoming light into the CCD sensor 26, a light directing means is required. The light directing means not only accommodates the mechanical requirements of the cartridge but can also effectively increase the image distance. The light directing means comprises a the first mirror 34 and the second mirror 36, each held by the lens mirror holder 40 at a 45 degree angle with respect to the base of the scanner, although other mirror configurations, at different angles and/or using additional mirrors could be used to direct the light onto the light sensor. The second mirror 36 reflects the incoming light off its face at a 45 degree angle towards the first mirror, or parallel to the base of the scanner. The first mirror 34 reflects the light reflected off the second mirror 36 at an angle 45 degrees from its face, thereby causing the light to contact the CCD 38 at a perpendicular angle. If a GRIN lens is employed and a direct optical path design used, the first and second mirrors could be eliminated.
The light which is sensed by the CCD 26 is produced by the light source 38, which is held in place by LED holder 42, and reflected off the image below. The light source 38 is chosen based on the spectral response of the light receptor means. In the preferred embodiment, the peak relative response of the CCD 26 occurs at a wavelength of 675 nm. This is within the red region, hence, a red light is used. In addition, a light source 38 is chosen which will reduce the amount of interference due to ambient light, however, this is not critical.
The light source 38, e.g., consisting of six LEDs, each having a wavelength of 645 nm, such as the, HLMP-K101 manufactured by Hewlett Packard of Palo Alto, Calif., is biased to produce approximately 40 mcds of intensity. The LEDs are arranged in two rows, each row having three LEDs. Different types and arrangements of LEDs or lamps are possible to produce substantially the same results. Saturation of the CCD 38 can occur, however, with any light source 38 that has high output levels near the wavelength at which the light receptor means sensitivity peaks. Filters can be employed to counteract this problem, as is well known in the art.
The CCD 26 is a commercially available sensor which is used in a wide variety of light sensing applications. The CCD 26 consists of a linear array of detection sensors, hereafter referred to as pixels, each of which detects the light received at each corresponding pixel location. For example, the Toshiba TCD 104-D CCD consists of 128 such pixels each spaced 32 microns apart forming an array 4096 microns wide. The CCD array is mounted parallel to the axis of the print media path. Incorporated within the CCD is an analog shift register wherein the image pixel data is latched responsive to a shift signal received on a shift signal input of the CCD 26. Once the data is latched, the image data is shifted out serially with the use of two anti-phase clock signals.
The scanner electronics, which are mounted on the PCB 24, are shown schematically in FIG. 4 (excluding CPU 54 and memory 57). The basic function of the scanner electronics is to capture an image and transfer the corresponding image data to either a host PC for remote storage or to the printer electronics for local storage. The scanner electronics, therefore, have two modes of operation. A first mode transfers the image to a host PC where the image can be permanently stored on hard disk or can be modified. A second mode transfers the image to the resident memory in the printer for contemporaneous reproduction. Thus, in the second mode, the scanner/printer combination operates as a stand-alone copy machine, as described further below.
Although the image data is transferred to two separate destinations depending on the mode of operation, FIG. 4 is used to represent both. In the first mode, the CPU 54 resides in the host PC (not shown) and the image data is stored in memory 57. The memory 57 in the first mode can either be a permanent memory, e.g., hard disk, or a temporary memory, e.g., RAM. The memory 57 is coupled to the CPU 54 by data bus 59.
In the second mode, the CPU 54 and memory 57 exist in the printer itself. The image data stored in memory 57 can, therefore, be processed by the printer as if the data were received from the host PC as a print job. The CPU 54 may need to perform some pre-processing of the data, however, to make it compatible with the format anticipated by the printer.
The initial analog image is latched into the CCD 26 under the control of a synchronization circuit 55. The individual bits of the analog image are shifted out serially, under the control of a clock generator 48, to an analog subtractor 56, where the analog image is corrected. The corrected analog image is converted to a digital format with the use of a digital to analog converter 58 before being converted to a parallel format for transmission over data bus 86. The parallel data is transferred over the data bus under the control of a direct memory access schedule (DMA) controller 52.
The scanner electronics operate under the control of electronics in the printer (not shown in FIG. 4). The printer electronics interfaces with the scanner electronics over the flexible circuit interconnect 32. Since the printer electronics typically drive high voltages, e.g., 20 V, across the flexible circuit interconnect in order to drive the thin-film resistors of the ink-jet printhead, an opto-coupler 45 is required to reduce the voltage of the signals received over the interconnect 32 to a level usable by the scanner electronics, e.g., TTL compatible (5 V). The opto-coupler 45 produces a firing pulse on firing pulse line 47 which is coupled to synchronization circuit 55.
The firing pulse received by the synchronization circuit 55 is synchronized to the scanner electronics clock signal 46 received from clock generator 48. The clock generator circuit 48 generates several clock signals derived from a fixed clock source such as an oscillator. The minimum frequency of the oscillator is determined by the specifications of the CCD 26, as described below. The synchronization circuit 55 is connected to CCD array 26 through shift-pulse line 49 and reset-pulse line 51. In the preferred embodiment, the shift-pulse line 49 is connected to a shift input of the CCD 26 and the reset-pulse line 51 is connected to the reset input of the CCD 26. The shift-pulse line 49 is used to latch the image pixel data into the CCD 26, while the reset-pulse signal 51 is used to prepare the CCD for shifting the next bit of image data out of the CCD. The synchronization circuit is also connected to byte counter 50 and DMA scheduler 52 through initialization line 53, which is used to initialize both the byte counter 50 and the DMA scheduler 52 upon receipt of the firing pulse.
As described above, the scanner includes a CCD 26 organized as a linear array of light sensors. The CCD 26 shown in FIG. 4 transfers the light present on the individual sensors to an analog shift register within the CCD upon receipt of a shift pulse on the shift-pulse line 49. Once the data is latched, the image data, i.e, the image vector, is shifted out serially with the use of first and second anti-phase clocks 64 and 66 connected to the CCD 26 produced by the clock generator 48. The frequency at which the serial data can be shifted out is described by the following equation:
(N.sub.S +N.sub.D)/F.sub.CLK <=T.sub.INT
where:
N S is the number of valid pixels,
N D the number of dummy pixels,
F CLK the clocking frequency of the analog shift register,
T INT the CCD's integration time.
In the preferred embodiment, the CCD sensors are arranged perpendicular to the direction of the carriage motion. For a 300 dots per inch (dpi) printer, having a printhead traveling with a velocity of 12 inches per second (ips), the printhead will traverse 3600 dots per second (dps), i.e., 300 dpi*12 ips=3600 dps, which translates to 278 microseconds between adjacent dots. Within this period of time all of the CCD's pixels, both valid and dummy, must be shifted out, in order to prepare for the next vector of image data. In addition, the CCD's integration time (T INT ) must be less that the period between adjacent dots. For the Toshiba TCD104-D CCD, the total number of pixels is 148, producing a minimum frequency of:
F.sub.CLKmin =148 dots/278 microseconds=0.53 MHz
However, this frequency does not take into account propagation delays of the various logic gates through which the image data element passes. The two anti-phase clocks 64 and 66 are derived from a standard divide-by-four circuit within the clock generator 48, requiring a minimum crystal frequency of 2.12 MHz. The use of a divide by 4 circuit facilitates generating all clocking signals required by the CCD26. In order to provide a degree of safety margin, however, a 5 MHz crystal oscillator is used in the clock generator 48 to create the required clock signals.
The serial data of CCD 26 is produced on two analog outputs, a video output (OS) 76 and a dark signal output (DOS) 78, which are both connected to analog subtractor 56. The video output OS 76 corresponds to the current image data bit being shifted out of the analog shift register. The dark signal output DOS corresponds to the CCD's inherent dark signal error. In order to eliminate the dark signal error, the analog subtractor subtracts the DOS from the OS to produce a compensated analog video output 80. The analog subtractor 56 can be implemented using a differential amplifier such as a LM318 manufactured by National Semiconductor of Santa Clara, Calif.
The compensated analog video output 80 is connected to an analog to digital converter (A/D) 58 in order to produce a digital image data bit capable of being read by the host computer. In the preferred embodiment, the A/D converter 58 is a one bit black/white comparator, such as the LM306 manufactured by National Semiconductor, whose threshold is set to distinguish between "black and white" images. The first input of the comparator would receive the compensated video output 80 and the other would receive a predetermined threshold voltage. The threshold voltage can be variable by using a potentiometer to set the level, in order to tune the comparator to the operating conditions of the circuit and the ambient light. The digital image on the digital image output line 82 of the A/D converter 58 is either high or low, corresponding to a black or white pixel image, respectively. In an alternate embodiment (not shown), an A/D converter can provide a grey-scale image wherein the number of grey scales depends on the resolution of the A/D converter.
The digital image output line 82 of the A/D converter 58 is connected to a data input of a serial to parallel converter 60. The digital image data on the digital image output line 82 is clocked into the serial to parallel converter 60 responsive to a clock signal received on clock line 67, from the clock generator 48, connected to the serial to parallel converter 60 . The serial to parallel converter, in the preferred embodiment, is an 8-bit serial-in parallel-out shift register such as an 74LS164 manufactured by Texas Instruments of Dallas, Tex. The parallel output 84 of the serial to parallel converter 60 is connected to a data latch 62 such as an 74LS374 manufactured by Texas Instruments. Once an entire byte has been received in the serial to parallel converter 60, the parallel output 84 of the serial to parallel converter 60 is latched into a data latch 62, to be held until DMA scheduler 52 can transfer the latched byte to the CPU 54. In order to avoid overflowing the serial to parallel converter 60, the DMA scheduler 52 must be able to transfer one byte in the time required to shift in a new byte into the serial to parallel converter 60.
A byte counter 50 is used to monitor the number of bits shifted into the serial to parallel converter 60. Therefore, the byte counter 50 and the serial to parallel converter 60 are connected to the same clock line 67 produced by the clock generator 48. Once the correct number of bits is reached, e.g., 8-bits, the byte counter 50 indicates to DMA scheduler 52, via the output byte indicator line 68 connected between the byte counter 50 and DMA scheduler 52, that the data is ready to be latched into data latch 62. When the output byte indicator line 68 is asserted, the DMA scheduler 52 issues a latch signal over latch line 74 connected to the data latch, which causes the data present on parallel output 84 to be latched into the data latch 62. In addition, responsive to the output byte indicator 68, the DMA scheduler 52 increments a counter to maintain a count of the number of bytes transferred since the receipt of the an initialization signal on initialization line 53. The DMA scheduler 52 thereby keeps track of the number of bytes of the current image vector that have been transferred to the CPU 54.
A DMA scheduler 52 is used to arbitrate and handshake the digital image data to the CPU 54. Connected between the DMA scheduler 52 and the CPU are three DMA control lines: DMA request (DREQ) 70, DMA acknowledge (DACK) 72, and terminal count (TC) 73. These DMA control lines are representative of the control lines necessary to handshake the image data. The number and purpose of each will vary depending on the particular microprocessor being used. The DMA scheduler 52 arbitrates for the data bus by asserting the DMA request line (DREQ) 70 when a byte is ready to be transferred to the CPU. The CPU responds by asserting the DMA acknowledge line (DACK) 72 to indicate to the DMA 52 scheduler that the CPU 54 is no longer driving the bus. The DMA scheduler 52 enables the data latch 62 responsive to the DACK 72 assertion, by setting the output enable signal active on the output enable line 75, driving the contents of the data latch 62 onto the data bus 86. The CPU 54 latches the data and transfers it to a predetermined memory 57 location, which the CPU established by configuring its own DMA controller.
There are two distinct methods of transmitting the image data from the scanner electronics to the host PC. The first, and preferred, method uses an existing I/O channel between the printer and the host PC such as a bi-directional Centronics (IEEE P1284), RS-232, or a high-speed infra-red I/O. By using the existing I/O communication channel between the printer and the host PC, there is no need for a separate interface card in the host PC nor an additional cable.
The image data is transmitted to the printer CPU via the flexible interconnect 32 either as a serial bit stream out of the serial to parallel converter 60 or as a parallel byte out of the data latch 62. Additional multiplexing circuitry (not shown in FIG. 4) is required to multiplex the image data and DMA control signals, described further below, over the flexible interconnect 32. The printer CPU receives the data over the flexible interconnect 32, packetizes the data according to the I/O channel protocol, and transmits the data across the I/O channel using the corresponding handshake. If the printer is operating in the "copy" mode, i.e., the second mode of operation, the printer CPU would simply route the image data to its resident memory.
The second method of transmitting the image data from the scanner electronics to the PC requires a PC interface card to be installed in the host PC. The interface card is a industry standard board which plugs into the PC backplane thereby gaining access to the entire PC bus including the DMA control signals and the data bus. The required DMA control signals 70, 72, 73 and the data bus 86 are coupled from the PC interface card to the scanner cartridge 44 through an electrical cable (note shown). The cable can be made to couple to either the flexible circuit interconnect 32 or to the printed circuit board 24 directly.
Prior to beginning a DMA transfer, the host PC DMA controller (not shown in FIG. 4) must be configured. The host PC DMA controller, i.e., Intel 8237 DMA controller, must be set in a single transfer mode where a single byte is transferred per request. In order to accomplish this the following actions on the DMA controller must be performed prior to the DMA request:
1). Clear the 8237 internal flip-flop.
2). Select single transfer mode operation.
3). Select auto address increment.
4). Disable auto reload (init).
5). Set page register.
6). Select DMA channel.
7). Specify destination address.
8). Set number of bytes to transfer.
9). Enable DMA transfer.
Software operating on the host PC required to accomplish these tasks is readily known to those skilled in the art and, as such, is not disclosed in the course of this invention.
Once an entire band wide scan, or swath, of data has been transferred into the host PC's memory, the CPU 54 is notified and is able to begin processing the information, further DMA transfers are inhibited until the beginning of the next scan, at which point the entire process is repeated. A terminal count signal is generated by the host DMA controller and transmitted over the terminal count line 73 when the specified number of bytes is transferred within the current DMA cycle. The TC is combined with DACK within the DMA controller 52 to disallow further DMA requests until the next initialization phase.
According to the invention, the scanner shown in FIG. 2 is substituted for the removable ink-jet cartridge 17 of the printer. Built into the scanner cartridge is a means for uniquely identifying the cartridge as a scanner cartridge. This is accomplished by having a unique identification pattern, i.e., I.D. bits, that can be read by the printer electronics off the flexible interconnect. The I.D. bit lines are terminated at the scanner by coupling the lines to either power or ground through terminating resistors, to form a binary pattern corresponding to the I.D. sequence of the cartridge. Typically, two or more traces of the flex interconnect are dedicated to this purpose. Before a scanning operation can commence, the host PC must also detect the presence of a scanner bus interface card, in order to communicate with the scanner electronics. The scanner bus interface card (not shown) inserts into the backplane of the PC thereby making electrical contact to the PC control and data busses. The scanner bus interface card contains the necessary buffering and decode logic to allow the scanner to interface to the PC across the data bus. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the computer automatically senses the presence of the bus interface card by detecting a transition on the direct memory access (DMA) request line (DREQ), described in further detail below. However, the bus interface card can also be polled by the host PC at a predetermined address to determine its presence.
Once the scanner cartridge is identified by the printer electronics and the scanner interface card is recognized by the host PC, the scanning sequence can then be instigated by the user at the host PC by requesting a scanning operation. The image to be scanned is loaded into the input tray of the printer and the scanning operation request is input to the host PC. The host PC then transfers a request to the printer, in the form of a predetermined escape sequence, over the I/O channel to begin the scanning operation.
In general, the scanning operation for each swath covered by the scanner proceeds as follows. The printer feeds the print media, i.e., image, along the print media path until the top of the media is registered under the carriage. A predetermined nozzle location on the flex interconnect is "fired" creating a pulse which the scanner electronics uses to initiate a scanning sequence of the current image pixels covered by the scanner. The pixels are shifted out serially from the CCD array, converted to a digital format, and packed into bytes, which are then transferred over the PC bus to the host PC. The carriage is then advanced to the next image pixel and the nozzle is fired again, causing the sequence to be repeated. In the preferred embodiment, the CCD sensor 26 is arranged to capture a vertical column of the image 128 pixels high and a single pixel wide. In addition, the CCD sensor 26 includes 16 dummy pixels in its output analog shift register which must be shifted out before the actual image data can be accessed. The flow chart illustrating the corresponding sequence is shown in FIG. 5.
Referring to FIG. 5, a flowchart showing the overall sequence of the scanning operation is shown. The sequence begins by firing a first dot in step 88 after the print media has been registered. The firing pulse is received by the scanner electronics through the flexible interconnect 32 and used to latch the image data in the CCD array after being synchronized, as described above. The sixteen dummy pixels are then shifted out of the CCD analog shift register in step 90 and discarded. The first eight bits of the actual image are then shifted out in step 92 of the CCD analog shift register and, after being converted to a digital format, are transferred to the PC via direct memory access. The image data continues to be shifted out eight bits at a time in step 94 until the entire 128 bits of the CCD array have been shifted out. After the CCD shift register has been shifted out, if the entire band has not been scanned (step 96), the printer controller advances the carriage 14 horizontally by a single image dot is step 98, i.e., pixel, and the sequence is repeated, including firing of a nozzle 100, until an entire horizontal band of the image is scanned. The print media is then advanced along the print media path 16 by 128 pixels in step 102 and the process is repeated until all of the horizontal bands of the image are scanned.
Having described and illustrated the principles of the invention in a preferred embodiment thereof, it should be apparent that the invention can be modified in arrangement and detail without departing from such principles. | A scanner is housed in a similar body to that of a removable printer ink jet cartridge and can be inserted in place thereof. The scanner includes a light source mounted on the scanner housing which is able to emit light through an aperture in the housing, a CCD array mounted on the housing to receive light reflected off the image, a lens positioned between the image and the CCD for focusing the reflected light on the CCD, scanner electronics coupled to the CCD array for converting the analog output of the CCD to image data, and means for selecting between optically scanning media or printing thereupon. The scanner electronics transmits the image data to a printer CPU via a flexible interconnect which is normally used to select the individual nozzles of the removable printer cartridge. The printer CPU can forward the image data to a host personal computer for permanent storage in a first mode or store the image data in printer memory for contemporaneous reproduction in a second copy mode. | 7 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In positive displacement compressors employing valves, the valve members may cycle hundreds of times per minute. Valve stops are commonly employed to protect the valve member from being overstressed by limiting movement of the valve member. For example, under liquid slugging conditions, the mass flow during a cycle is such that the valve member would be excessively displaced if a valve stop was not present. Engagement of the valve stop by the valve member can be a significant source of noise. Specifically, a discharge valve stop in a rolling piston rotary compressor has been identified as one of the major noise sources through the impact kinetic energy transmission of a discharge valve member. The impact between the valve and valve stop generates significant noise radiation at the natural frequency of the valve stop due to transmission of valve kinetic energy to the valve stop and the compressor shell.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A discharge valve stop in a rotary compressor has been identified as a major noise source through the impact kinetic energy transmission of a discharge valve. To reduce impact between the valve member and the valve stop, two approaches can be applied. One approach is to design a low attitude profile so that the impact occurs at the moment when only a small amount of kinetic energy has been developed in the valve member. Another approach is to design a high attitude profile so that the impact occurs at the moment when most of the kinetic energy in the valve member has been converted into strain energy.
The first approach is limited by the fact that the valve stop cannot be designed too low so that the efficiency is affected. The second approach is limited by the fact that the valve stop cannot be designed too high so that the valve member stress exceeds its allowable fatigue stress. One big advantage which the second approach has with current material strength of the valve member is that, under normal operating conditions, the valve member contacts the valve stop only within a very small root region. This reduces impact significantly. More fully, impact only occurs under abnormal severe condition, such as liquid slugging conditions. To exploit fully the highest attitude profile of the stop under the allowable stress limitation, the stop is designed in such a way, that at each contact point of the profile the valve member reaches its maximum allowable normal stress.
It is also well understood that besides the attitude of a stop, the profile of a stop is also an important factor for sound. A smooth and gradual contact with a longer time interval transmits less spectrum rich energy and smaller deflection than a short time high velocity impact. Since under normal operating conditions, there is only a very small contact region, a virtual valve stop for an allowable stress is the best choice since the choice of a profile for smooth and gradual contacting is no longer critically important.
It is realized that for a small deflection assumption, the stress in a valve member is proportional to its curvature. However, the following given formulation is more general. It is suitable for large deflections and also gives the contact region between a valve member and a stop and valve member tip deflection as a function of a static force. This force may be used as an estimation to determine the order of magnitude of dynamic impact between a valve member and a stop for different operating conditions. Since the stop is designed using quasi-static approach, the dynamic deflection of a valve may not exactly follow the stop profile. However, it can be well assumed that the deflection before contacting is very close to the stop profile because the deflection is contributed mainly by its first mode if the valve is relatively stiff enough and high modes will contribute to the later deflection after contacting. The experimental results of strain variation on the valve show that the valve strain, σ, descends monotonically after contacting. This evidence shows that the higher stress than σ max due to high modes after contacting does not exist. Hence, the predicted static σ max can be safely used as a ceiling over the real maximum dynamic stress.
It is an object of this invention to reduce sound radiation in a positive displacement compressor.
It is another object of this invention to have valve impact with the valve stop occur at the moment when the valve has the least kinetic and highest potential energy.
It is a further object of this invention to minimize the kinetic energy transferred to the valve stop by the valve member. These objects, and others as will become apparent hereinafter, are accomplished by the present invention.
Basically, the valve stop is designed in such a way that, at each potential contact point of the profile, the valve reaches maximum allowable stress such that the valve stop attitude will be at the highest possible position, and the least possible kinetic energy will be transferred to the valve stop.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For a fuller understanding of the present invention, reference should now be made to the following detailed description thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a discharge valve incorporating the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a graph of the beam deflection at i=0 with no force applied;
FIG. 3 is a graph of beam deflection at i=1,2,3 with forces F 1 , F 2 , F 3 , applied at the tip;
FIG. 4 is a graph of virtual valve stop profiles for maximum normal stresses at 700, 840 and 1000 MPa; and
FIG. 5 is a comparison of the profiles obtained by the discrete approach of the present invention, an equal curvature approach, and also shows the applied force, in Newtons, estimated by the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In FIG. 1, the numeral 10 generally designates a high side, positive displacement, hermetic compressor having a shell 12. Discharge port 16 is formed in member 14 which would be the motor side bearing end cap in the case of a fixed vane or rolling piston compressor. Discharge port 16 is controlled by valve assembly 20 which includes valve member 21, valve stop 22 and bolt or other fastening member 23 for securing valve member 21 and valve stop 22 to member 14.
In operation, when the pressure at discharge port 16 exceeds the pressure in chamber 17 defined by the shell 12 of compressor 10, valve member 21 opens, by deforming or flexing, to permit flow through discharge port 16 into chamber 17. In the absence of valve stop 22, the valve member 21 would flex to a curved configuration during the discharge stroke and seat on discharge port 16 during the suction stroke. The valve stop 22 is only present to prevent excessive flexure of valve member 21, such as would happen during liquid slugging conditions, which would permanently deform the valve member 21. Accordingly, current designs have the valve member 21 impacting the valve stop 22 during normal operation with resultant noise. The present invention configures the valve stop 22 to the shape of valve member 21 at the maximum allowable stress such that any impact occurs at the moment when valve member 21 has the least kinetic and greatest potential energy and thereby the least kinetic energy to transfer to valve stop 22. The maximum allowable stress would differ from the maximum stress of the valve member 21 by whatever design safety factor is desired and will result in an actual touching of the valve stop 22 by valve member 21 rather than a nominal touching.
Valve member 21 is very thin in its bending direction so the shear stress contribution to the resultant maximum principal stress can be neglected. It is assumed that the stop 22 is very thick as compared with the thickness of the valve member 21 so that the valve member 21 can be considered to be clamped at the root of the stop similar to a cantilever beam. It is also assumed that the force applied on the valve head is taken as applied at the tip of a cantilever beam which corresponds to the head center of the valve member 21. The accuracy of this approximation depends on the accuracy requirement of the problem. It will normally predict a good order of stress level in the valve member 21. Thus, a cantilever beam will be used to represent the valve member 21 in the following discussion.
In the design logic, the superposition of force, displacement and stress has been used for all the calculation steps. This is valid for quasi-static deflection of the beam. To avoid confusion in the following derivation, we assign the subscript i to be the calculation step with i=0 denoting no test force applied and the subscript j to be the location index for x j with x 0 the beam origin.
As shown in FIG. 2, the cantilever beam with a length L is clamped at x=x 0 =0 and is divided into n segments of Δx (=x j -x j-1 , where j=1,2, . . . ,n). FIG. 3 shows that the beam is deflected, as shown in curve A, under the tip force F 1 for i=1 so that the stress at x=0 reaches to σ max where σ max is the maximum bending stress, or the maximum allowable fatigue stress if it is so designed. When the stress at x=0 is σ max , we put a stop point on the beam at x=x 1 to prevent the beam from being overstressed at x=0 if the beam is going to deflect more due to an additional force added later. Thus, the stop point is the first point (except for x=0) of the stop profile. The beam stress at x=x 1 is σ 1 and the deflection at x=x 1 is y 1 now. FIG. 3 also shows the beam deflection at i=2, curve B, when a larger force F 2 (=F 1 +σF 1 ) is applied. The magnitude of σF 1 is chosen so that the beam stress at x=x 1 reaches to σ max . Then, another stop point is put on the beam Y 2 at x=x 2 . The deflection for i=3 under force F 3 , curve C, determines the profile point y 3 at x=x 3 . In this way all the coordinates of the stop profile with n points can be determined.
Design equations are given as follows. The required force ΔF i to produce the stress Δσ i is given by: ##EQU1## where I is the moment of inertia of the beam cross section area and δ is the half thickness of the beam in the bending direction. Note that the stress or its increment is calculated only at the stop point when i=j. The stress increment Δσ i is given by:
Δσ.sub.i =σ.sub.max -σ.sub.i, i=1,2, . . . ,n, (2)
and the length L i is called the free beam length and defined by:
L.sub.i =L.sub.0 -i Δx, i=1,2, . . . , n-1, (3)
where L o is the length of the beam. The beam stress σ i for each calculation step at the location x j can be simply written by the relationship: ##EQU2## Denote the beam deflection by y i ,j (i=1,2, . . . ,n, j=1,2, . . . n). The coordinates of the stop profile are (x j , y i ,j δ i ,j) where the Dirac delta function is given by: ##EQU3## The y coordinate of the profile is the superposition of the beam deflection under each test force and can be calculated using the recursive relationship:
y.sub.i,j =y.sub.i-1,j +Δy.sub.i-1,j j≧i, (6)
with y 0 ,j =0 and Δy 0 ,j =y 1 ,j for j=1,2, . . . ,n. The deflection variation Ay can be obtained by: ##EQU4## where E is the modulus of elasticity of the beam. The total static force applied at each step can be calculated using: ##EQU5## by assuming ΔF 0 =F 1 .
Using the maximum fatigue stress of the valve member 21, three stops were designed respectively for σ max =700, 840 and 1000 MPa where the valve thickness is 0.00038 m, the width is 0,005 m, the length is 0.027 m, the modulus of elasticity is 2×10 1 Pa and the area moment of inertia is 0.2286×10 -13 m 4 . The three profiles are shown in FIG. 4. A comparison between the results obtained by the equal curvature approach and the approach of the present invention is shown in FIG. 5. The results agree well in the small x region. In the large x region, the equal curvature approach underestimates the real stress in the valve. As a result, in the case of a 38 mm radius valve stop, as illustrated, the present invention and the equal radius profile would be the same from the root to about 0,012 m where the present invention has a continually reducing radius to the tip. As a result, the tip does not strike the stop first. The applied force calculated according to the teachings of the present invention is also shown in FIG. 5. For instance, it indicates that there a contact region at about 21 mm under a 20 Newton applied static force with the stop designed for 1000 MPa.
Although a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described and illustrated, other changes will occur to those skilled in the art. For example, while there has been a specific reference to a rolling piston compressor, this invention applies to all fixed displacement compressors using reed discharge valves. It is therefore intended that the scope of the present invention is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims. | The profile of the valve stop of a discharge valve conforms to the maximum bending stress or the maximum allowable fatigue stress whereby impact of the valve element with the valve stop occurs when the valve element has the least kinetic energy and highest potential energy such that the least possible kinetic energy is transferred to the valve stop. | 5 |
[0001] The contents of the following Japanese patent are incorporated herein by reference:
[0002] No. JP 5725634 B1 registered on Apr. 10, 2015.
BACKGROUND
[0003] 1. Technical Field
[0004] The present invention relates to a foot sole stimulation tool that presses a foot sole through protrusions.
[0005] 2. Related Art
[0006] A tool (which has protrusions to press a foot sole in many cases) on which a foot is placed to stimulate pressure points has been well known since there are many pressure points on the foot sole and a physical condition improving effect can be obtained by stimulating these pressure points. Specifically, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, there have been many tools to stimulate foot soles by shoe insoles.
[0007] Also, as disclosed in Patent Document 2, having protrusions in shoe insoles and the like could also support arches that foot bones form.
[0008] When stimulations to pressure points are performed by providing protrusions in shoe insoles and the like, it is not easy to adjust positions of the protrusions. Since positions of each part of a foot differ from individual to individual, it is preferable to adjust the positions of the protrusions to conform with each user.
[0009] On this point, a foot sole stimulation tool which can move a position of a pressing component has been disclosed in Patent Document 3. Further, a foot sole stimulation tool where a plurality of magnetic poles are provided around accurate stimulation positions has been disclosed in Patent Document 4. Nevertheless, the tool disclosed in Patent Document 3 requires a position adjustment on the user's own, and the tool disclosed in Patent Document 4 is not possible to be applied to pressure protrusions.
PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS
Patent Documents
[0010] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2007-061235
[0011] Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2012-245029
[0012] Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2013-048874
[0013] Patent Document 4: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2008-173309
SUMMARY
[0014] The present invention may provide a foot sole stimulation tool which presses pressure points or supports arches by using protrusions, the foot sole stimulation tool being able to place the protrusions in accurate positions.
[0015] In many cases, the positions of the pressure points are known as positions relative to other points of the foot sole. For example, there is a “middle point” between two fixed positions. Although it is difficult to determine positions of the pressure points with respect to an entire foot sole, it is easy to determine relative positions of the pressure points with respect to such fixed positions. In the present invention, positions of projections which stimulate a foot sole are determined based on the above fact.
[0016] A foot sole stimulation tool according to an embodiment of the present invention is a foot sole stimulation tool configured to be affixed to a shoe sole and to stimulate the foot sole, comprising a bag body whose bottom side is affixed to the shoe sole and four or more projections sealed in the bag body tightly, wherein three or more of the four or more projections are projections for recessed portion to be placed on a recessed portion of the foot sole, and one or more of the four or more projections is(are) projection(s) for convex portion to be placed on a pressed target part of the foot sole, and wherein a position of the projections for convex portion is a predetermined stimulation position with respect to positions of other projections determined by fixing the projections for recessed portion on the shoe sole in predetermined fixed positions.
[0017] When placing the foot sole stimulation tool on a foot sole, the projections for recessed portion are led to the recessed portion of the foot sole and are arranged accurately. The projections for convex portion press the foot sole (or support the arch). When the pressed target part is a convex portion of a foot sole such as a position of a muscle and the like, it has been difficult to arrange the projections for convex portion accurately. The foot sole stimulation tool according to an embodiment of the present invention has the projections all sealed tightly in the bag body, and therefore, the position of the projection for recessed portion relative to the projections for recessed portion is stable. For example, with respect to a triangle (a triangle which differs slightly depending on the user since it is determined by the position of the recessed portion of the foot sole) determined by three projections for recessed portion, the position of the projection for convex portion (the coordinate relative to the apexes of the triangle) is stable. The projection for convex portion can be arranged accurately. Further, three or more of the projections for recessed portion are necessary so as to set a reference point of a coordinate on the plane of the foot sole (a two-dimensional space).
[0018] According to the foot sole stimulation tool according to an embodiment of the present invention, the height of the projections for convex portion with respect to the bottom side is greater than a height of the projections for recessed portion with respect to the bottom side.
[0019] The projections for convex portion have the height sufficient to press the pressure points or to support the arch.
[0020] In the foot sole stimulation tool of the present invention, the bag body is filled with a liquid.
[0021] When the projections move within the bag body, the surface shape of the bag body does not change extremely any more to protect the bag body.
[0022] According to the foot sole stimulation tool according to an embodiment of the present invention, the fixed positions are: (1) between a first proximal phalange and a second proximal phalange, (2) between a third proximal phalange and a fourth proximal phalange or between the fourth proximal phalange and a fifth proximal phalange, and (3) a foot arch part of an outer side of a first metatarsal bone; and the stimulation position(s) is(are): (1) a center by a second toe, of a flexor hallucis brevis muscle, (2) a spot by the second toe, of an adductor hallucis muscle connected to the second toe, and (3) a spot by an ankle, of an adductor hallucis muscle connected to a third toe.
[0023] As shown in examples described below, the foot sole stimulation tool according to an embodiment of the present invention is in a form having a significant effect.
[0024] The foot sole stimulation tool according to an embodiment of the present invention can press the pressure points or support the arch by using the protrusions, and can place the protrusions in accurate positions.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025] FIG. 1 shows a foot sole stimulation tool (Example 1), according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0026] FIG. 2 shows a cross section drawing of the foot sole stimulation tool (Example 1), according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0027] FIG. 3 shows a positional relationship between the foot sole stimulation tool and bones (Example 2), according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0028] FIG. 4 shows a positional relationship between the foot sole stimulation tool and muscles (Example 2), according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0029] FIG. 5 shows a relationship between the foot sole stimulation tool and an arch (Example 2), according to an embodiment of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
[0030] The following describes Example 1 showing a configuration of the foot sole stimulation tool according to an embodiment of the present invention and Example 2 showing specific usages and effects of the foot sole stimulation tool according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Example 1
[0031] FIG. 1 is a drawing showing a foot sole stimulation tool according to an embodiment of the present invention. The drawing shows a foot sole stimulation tool 1 for right foot viewed from a foot sole side. The foot sole stimulation tool 1 comprises many (at least four) projections sealed tightly within a bag body 2 .
[0032] The projections include projections for convex portion 3 ( 3 a, 3 b, 3 c, and 3 d ), projections for recessed portion 4 ( 4 a, 4 b, and 4 c ) and other projections 5 . Further, the other projections 5 are not always necessary; it is also possible to arrange the projections for convex portion 3 and the projections for recessed portion 4 only.
[0033] Although the projections can move within the bag body, since many projections are sealed tightly, the movement is limited by the adjacent projections; i.e., one projection is not able to move over another projection, and it is unchanged that each of the projections contacts which of the other projections (the relative position of the projections). The term “tightly” indicates a state where the projections are sealed at a density that the relative position of the projections is substantially unchanged. FIG. 1 shows that the projections are sealed tightly, no movement of the projections being able to broaden an interval between two projections more than a minor axis of the adjacent projection (i.e., the adjacent projection cannot move between two projections).
[0034] When a foot is placed on the foot sole stimulation tool 1 , the projections for recessed portion 4 are disposed on a recessed portion of the foot sole without any movement. As the foot is put on the foot sole stimulation tool 1 , positions of three projections for recessed portion 4 a, 4 b and 4 c are fixed. On a two-dimensional plane of the foot sole, since three points are fixed, the position of the foot sole stimulation tool 1 is also fixed (and the position with respect to the foot sole is also fixed).
[0035] The following describes positions of projections other than the projections for recessed portion 4 .
[0036] When the three projections for recessed portion 4 are fixed (an actual structure of the foot sole matches the structure of the foot sole stimulation tool 1 ) as shown in the drawing, other projections are also fixed in the positions shown in the drawing, although there is a deviation of slight interval parts between the projections.
[0037] When the actual structure of the foot sole does not match the structure of the foot sole stimulation tool 1 and the three projections for recessed portion 4 are fixed in positions different from the ones shown in the drawing, corresponding to a scaling with respect to the drawing of the interval of two of the three projections for recessed portion 4 , it gets into a state where the drawing gets scaled on a line connecting the two projections for recessed portion 4 . As for the whole foot sole stimulation tool 1 , although there is a deviation on a basis of slight intervals among the projections, it gets into a state as performing a linear transformation such as moving the portion of the three projections for recessed portion 4 with respect to the drawing. (This is equivalent to the following one: regarding one of the three projections for recessed portion 4 as an origin and to apply a linear transformation matrix such as moving a coordinate on the plane corresponding to the foot sole of the other two projections for recessed portion 4 to a fixed coordinate.)
[0038] The case that the number of the projections for recessed portion 4 is three has been described as above. In a case that the number of the projections for recessed portion 4 is four or more, it can be considered in the same manner by dividing them into triangles configured by three of the projections for recessed portion 4 . Although it is not rigorous mechanically, it is close to the actual situation merely with a small difference therebetween according to the above consideration.
[0039] As described above, the positions of the projections other than the projections for recessed portion 4 become the predetermined positions, and the projections for convex portion 3 are placed in positions designed for pressing the pressure points, etc.
[0040] FIG. 2 is a cross section drawing of the foot sole stimulation tool according to an embodiment of the present invention. It shows a cross section of FIG. 1 taken along line A-A. The bag body 2 includes a bottom side part 2 a and a surface part 2 b , the bottom side part 2 a affixed to a shoe sole, a shoe insole and the like. The bottom side part 2 a can be affixed to a shoe sole, a shoe insole and the like by adhering the bottom side part 2 a to the shoe sole, the shoe insole and the like, by peeling a sheet which is covering an adhesive applied on the bottom side part 2 a, or by other type of methods.
[0041] In addition to the projections, gel 6 is sealed within the bag body 2 . The gel 6 diminishes the shape change of the surface of the bag body 2 small when the projections move. Also, the same effect can be obtained through other liquids other than the gel.
[0042] The height H 2 of the projections for convex portion 3 is greater than the height H 1 of the projections for recessed portion 4 . The projections for convex portion 3 press the pressure points and the like by sufficient strength.
[0043] As described above in detail, according to the foot sole stimulation tool 1 of the present example, the projections for convex portion 3 are placed in positions designed for pressing the pressure points and the like due to the positions being fixed at the projections for recessed portion 4 . Even if there is a little difference in structures of foot soles according to the users, the projections for convex portion 3 exhibit effects.
Example 2
[0044] The present example shows specific usages and effects of the foot sole stimulation tool 1 . Since the structure of the foot sole stimulation tool 1 is substantially similar to the one of the Example 1, the detailed description is omitted here.
[0045] FIG. 3 is a drawing showing a positional relationship between the foot sole stimulation tool and bones, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The foot sole stimulation tool 1 can be attached to a position that is matched with a drawing showing a front part of the shoe sole. FIG. 3 shows the positions of the foot sole stimulation tool and the bones in this case. The projection for recessed portion 4 a is placed between the first proximal phalange 7 a and the second proximal phalange 7 b, the projection for recessed portion 4 b is placed between the third proximal phalange 7 c and the fourth proximal phalange 7 d, and the projection for recessed portion 4 c is placed on the exterior foot arch part of the first metatarsal bone 7 e. The three projections for recessed portion 4 a, 4 b and 4 c are fixed between the bones. Accordingly, the position with respect to the foot sole of the foot sole stimulation tool 1 is fixed.
[0046] FIG. 4 shows a positional relationship between the foot sole stimulation tool and muscles, according to an embodiment of the present invention. It shows a case of a state shown in FIG. 3 where the foot sole stimulation tool is fixed. The projection for convex portion 3 a is placed on a spot by the second toe, of an adductor hallucis muscle 8 a connected to the second toe, the projection for convex portion 3 b is placed on a spot by an ankle, of an adductor hallucis muscle 8 b connected to the third toe, the projection for convex portion 3 c is placed on a center by the second toe, of a flexor hallucis brevis muscle 8 c, and the projection for convex portion 3 d is placed on a spot of an interossei plantares muscle 8 d. As shown in FIG. 2 , the projections for convex portion 3 have a sufficient height to press the spots.
[0047] The projection for convex portion 3 a and the projection for convex portion 3 b press the adductor hallucis muscles 8 a and 8 b that result in a comfortable pressing effect.
[0048] The projection for convex portion 3 c presses the flexor hallucis brevis muscle 8 c, due to which a first toe is pressed outwards. Also, the projection for convex portion 3 d presses the interossei plantares muscle 8 d, due to which a fifth toe is pressed outwards. By combining these effects, a comfortable effect of spreading the toes can be obtained.
[0049] FIG. 5 shows a relationship between the foot sole stimulation tool and the arch, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The arch of the foot sole has an effect such as supporting the weight when walking. The projections for convex portion 3 a, 3 b and 3 c hold up the metatarsal bone 7 e from below and support the arch as shown in the drawing.
[0050] As described above in detail, the foot sole stimulation tool 1 of the present example exhibits effects by pressing, and supports the arch.
[0051] The foot sole stimulation tool presses the pressure points or supports the arch by using the protrusions, and can place the protrusions in accurate positions. Usages by many individuals and medical workers are expected. | A foot sole stimulation tool is provided to press pressure points or support an arch by using protrusions, and the foot sole stimulation tool can place the protrusions in accurate positions. Four or more projections are sealed tightly within a bag body whose bottom side is affixed to a shoe sole, three or more of the projections determine a position of each projection by projections for recessed portion placed on a recessed portion of a foot sole, and projections for convex portion placed on a pressed target part of the foot sole are arranged accurately. The projections for convex portion press the pressure points and support the arch. For example, it can execute pressures to an adductor hallucis muscle precisely and is helpful for preventing hallux valgus. | 0 |
BACKGROUND
[0001] Owing to both the decrease of the oil stocks and the rise of their price, and environmental aspects such as green house effect, research attention has recently been focused on the use of renewable resources isolated from agro-resources to produce various types of organic compounds, such as for example raw materials, intermediates, fine chemicals, organic polymers, and solvents (Monomers, polymers and composites from renewable resources, M. N. Belgacem and A. Gandini Eds; Elsevier, Amsterdam, 2008; A. Corma, S. Iborra, A. Velty, Chem. Rev. 2007, 107, 2411-2502.).
[0002] Among the products that can be isolated from agro-resources, such as vegetable oils and sugars, terpenes and terpenoids appear particularly attractive. Terpenoids are a class of compounds formally assembled from terpene building blocks.
[0003] The term “terpenes” is generally used to indicate compounds derived from five-carbon isoprene units, while the term “terpenoids” is generally used to indicate modified “terpenes”, such as for example terpene oxygen-containing compounds such as alcohols, aldehydes or ketones. If not otherwise indicated, in the present disclosure and in the following claims the terms “terpenes” and “terpenic compounds” will include also “terpenoids”, respectively “terpenoid compounds”. The terms “terpenoid derivative” is generally used to indicate compounds derived from terpenic compounds.
[0004] Some terpenes, mainly the most expensive ones, are used directly but many transformation processes have been necessary to transform the cheapest compounds, such as for example pinene, limonene, citral, into high added value products such as fragrances (Monomers, polymers and composites from renewable resources, M. N. Belgacem and A. Gandini Eds; Elsevier, Amsterdam, 2008; A. Corma, S. Iborra, A. Velty, Chem. Rev. 2007, 107, 2411-2502).
[0005] The prior art processes not only require an excessive number of steps, but are not sufficiently eco-compatible.
[0006] To be more “eco-compatible”, the chemical processes dedicated to the conversion of raw materials obtained from renewable resources must use environmentally benign reactions. Catalyzed reactions are particularly suitable to reach that aim. Ruthenium-based catalysts are known for their use as olefin metathesis catalysts in olefin metathesis of terpenic compounds, as disclosed in (a) Vieille-Petit, L.; Clavier, H.; Linden, A.; Blumentritt, S.; Nolan, S. P.; Dorta, R. Organometallics, 2010, 29, 775, (b) Monfette, S.; Camm, K. D.; Gorelsky, S. I.; Fogg, D. E. Organometallics 2009, 28, 944 and (c) Conrad, J. C.; Parnas, H. H.; Snelgrove, J. L.; Fogg, D. E. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005, 127, 11882.
[0007] (d) Hoye, T. R.; Zhao, H. Org. Lett. 1999, 1, 1123 and (e) Mathers, R. T.; McMahon, K. C.; Damodaran, K.; Retarides, C. J.; Kelley, D. J. Macromolecules 2006, 39, 8982 disclose the use of ruthenium-based catalysts for the ring-opening metathesis of D-limonene and the ring-closing metathesis of, for example, citronellene.
[0008] Consequently, there exists the need for a simple and eco-compatible process for the transformation of terpenoids obtained from renewable resources.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] According to a first aspect, the present disclosure relates to a process for transforming a terpenoid into a terpenoid derivative, the process comprising at least one metathesis of an olefin and the terpenoid, wherein the terpenoid has the following general formula:
[0000]
wherein R 1 is
[0000]
n is 0 and R 2 is
[0000]
or
R 1 is or
[0000]
n is 0 and R 2 is
[0000]
or
R 1 is or
[0000]
n is 1 and R 2 is —C(H)═O or —C(H 2 )—OAc, and
wherein R 3 and R 4 are the same or different and are each independently hydrogen or alkyl,
wherein the olefin has the following general formula:
[0000]
wherein R 7 , R 8 , R 13 and R 14 are the same or different and are each independently hydrogen, alkyl, halo, haloalkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, aralkyl, alkoxy, carbonyl, carboxyl, hydroxyl, amide, sulfonamide, or amine;
wherein when n=1, R 7 and R 8 are not both —CH 3 ; and
wherein when n=0, R 7 and R 8 together are different from R 3 and R 4 together.
[0023] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the process comprises a first metathesis of a first olefin as described above and a terpenoid as described above to prepare a first terpenoid derivative and a second metathesis of a second olefin and the first terpenoid derivative, wherein the second olefin has the following general formula:
[0000]
wherein R 11 , R 12 , R 15 and R 16 are the same or different and are each independently hydrogen, alkyl, halo, haloalkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, aralkyl, alkoxy, carbonyl, carboxyl, hydroxyl, amide, sulfonamide, or amine;
wherein R 11 and R 12 are not both —CH 3 ; and
wherein R 11 and R 12 together are different from R 3 and R 4 together.
[0027] According to an embodiment, the terpenoid has only one double bond.
[0028] According to an embodiment, the terpenoid has a leaving group which can be eliminated by an elimination reaction, such as for example a hydroxyl group. In this case, the process may further comprise an elimination reaction, which is dehydration if the leaving group is a hydroxyl group.
[0029] According to an embodiment, the terpenoid has at least two double bonds. In this case, in a preferred embodiment, the process further comprises oxidizing at least one allylic carbon of the terpenoid prior to the olefin metathesis.
[0030] According to an embodiment, the terpenoid has two double bonds and the process further comprises protecting one of the two double bonds with a leaving group, for example with a hydroxyl group.
[0031] According to an embodiment, the olefin metathesis is a olefin cross-metathesis. In a preferred embodiment, the olefin cross-metathesis is a catalyzed olefin cross-metathesis, for example with a ruthenium Hoveyda type catalyst.
[0032] According to a second aspect, the present disclosure relates to novel terpenoid derivatives having the following general formula:
[0000]
wherein R 5 is
[0000]
n is 0 and R 6 is
[0000]
or
R 5 is
[0000]
n is 0 and R 6 is
[0000]
or
R 5 is
[0000]
n is 0 and R 6 is
[0000]
or
R 5 is
[0000]
n is 1 and R 6 is —C(H)═O or —C(H 2 )—OAc,
wherein R 3 and R 4 are as described above,
wherein R 7 and R 8 are the same or different and are each independently hydrogen, alkyl, halo, haloalkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, aralkyl, alkoxy, carbonyl, carboxyl, hydroxyl, amide, sulfonamide, or amine, and
wherein when R 5 is
[0000]
R 7 and R 8 are not both hydrogen, and
wherein when R 5 is
[0000]
R 7 and R 8 are not both —CH 3 .
[0050] According to a third aspect, the present disclosure relates to novel terpenoid derivatives having the following general formula:
[0000]
wherein R 9 is
[0000]
and R 10 is
[0000]
or
R 9 is
[0000]
and R 10 is
[0000]
wherein R 7 and R 8 are as described above,
wherein R 11 and R 12 are the same or different and are each independently hydrogen, alkyl, halo, haloalkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, aralkyl, alkoxy, carbonyl, carboxyl, hydroxyl, amide, sulfonamide, or amine,
wherein when R 9 is
[0000]
and when R 11 and R 12 are both hydrogen, R 7 and R 8 are not both —CH 3 , and
wherein when R 9 is
[0000]
and when R 7 and R 8 are both hydrogen, R 11 and R 12 are not both —CH 3 .
[0062] According to an embodiment, R 7 , R 8 , R 11 , R 12 are the same or different and are each independently hydrogen, alkyl, for example a lower alkyl, aryl, ketone, ester, ether, amide, or sulfonamide.
[0063] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the terpenoid derivative is obtained by the process according to the first aspect of the present invention.
[0064] According to a fourth aspect, the present disclosure relates to the use of ruthenium Hoveyda type catalysts for the catalyzed cross-metathesis of a terpenoid with an olefin.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0065] Terpenoids, catalysts, terpenoid derivatives and processes for the transformation of terpenoids in terpenoid derivatives are described in the following.
[0066] As most terpenic compounds contain one or more carbon-carbon double bond, olefin metathesis, which in oleochemistry has been considered as a versatile tool for thirty years, is potentially a tool of choice to convert them into valuable products with a high selectivity.
[0067] The process comprises the catalyzed transformation of terpenoids by at least one olefin metathesis reaction.
[0068] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the terpenoids that may be transformed by olefin metathesis may be any compound having the following general formula (I):
[0000]
or the following general formula (II):
[0000]
or the following general formula (III):
[0000]
or the following general formula (IV):
[0000]
wherein R 3 , R 4 are the same or different and each may be independently hydrogen or alkyl.
[0073] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the process may comprise one olefin metathesis with an olefin and a terpenoid as described above, the olefin having the following general formula:
[0000]
wherein R 7 , R 8 , R 13 and R 14 are the same or different and are each independently hydrogen, alkyl, halo, haloalkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, aralkyl, alkoxy, carbonyl, carboxyl, hydroxyl, amide, sulfonamide, or amine;
wherein when n=1, R 7 and R 8 are not both —CH 3 ; and
wherein when n=0, R 7 and R 8 together are different from R 3 and R 4 together.
[0077] According to an embodiment of the invention, the process may comprise a first olefin metathesis with a first olefin as described above and a terpenoid as described above to prepare a first terpenoid derivative and a second olefin metathesis of a second olefin and the first terpenoid derivative to prepare a second terpenoid derivative. The second olefin may have the following general formula:
[0000]
wherein R 11 , R 12 , R 15 and R 16 are the same or different and are each independently hydrogen, alkyl, halo, haloalkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, aralkyl, alkoxy, carbonyl, carboxyl, hydroxyl, amide, sulfonamide, or amine;
wherein R 11 and R 12 are not both —CH 3 ; and
wherein R 11 and R 12 together are different from R 3 and R 4 together.
[0081] According to an embodiment, the terpenoids are monoterpenoids.
[0082] The process of the present invention comprises a reaction based on olefin metathesis of terpenoids, for example olefin cross-metathesis.
[0083] When the process comprises reacting terpenoids comprising one double bond, the terpenoids can be reacted as such.
[0084] When the process comprises reacting terpenoids comprising two double bonds, one of the two double bonds is preferably oxidized. The oxidation may introduce for example a hydroxy, aldehyde, ketone or epoxide group.
[0085] When the process comprises reacting terpenoids comprising two double bonds, one of the two double bonds is preferably protected with a leaving group, for example with a hydroxyl group or any other group which can be for example eliminated by an elimination reaction. The leaving group may be for example a hydroxyl group. In this case, the elimination reaction is dehydration.
[0086] When the process comprises reacting terpenoids comprising more than two double bonds, the double bonds exceeding one are preferably protected with respective leaving groups.
[0087] According to an embodiment, R 1 is
[0000]
[0000] and the process further comprises a dehydration reaction after the olefin metathesis.
[0088] According to an embodiment, the process is carried out in the presence of an olefin metathesis catalyst, for example an organometallic catalyst.
[0089] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the olefin metathesis catalyst is a Hoveyda type catalyst, for example a ruthenium Hoveyda type catalyst.
[0090] Ruthenium Hoveyda type catalysts, containing an aminocarbonyl function linked to the benzylidene ligand, were used.
[0091] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the Ruthenium Hoveyda type catalysts may have the following general formula:
[0000]
wherein L is SIMes or SIPr and R is CF 3 , CO 2 Et, OiBu, C 6 F 5 or C 15 H 31 .
[0000]
[0093] According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the Ruthenium Hoveyda type catalysts may have the following general formula:
[0000]
or the general formula:
[0000]
[0095] The novel terpenoid derivatives according to the present invention may have the general formula (V):
[0000]
or the general formula (VI):
[0000]
or the general formula (VII):
[0000]
or the general formula (VIII):
[0000]
or the general formula (IX):
[0000]
or the general formula (X):
[0000]
wherein R 3 and R 4 are as described above,
wherein R 7 and R 8 are the same or different and each may be independently hydrogen, alkyl, halo, haloalkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, aralkyl, alkoxy, carbonyl, carboxyl, hydroxyl, amide, sulfonamide, or amine,
wherein when the terpenoid derivative has the general formula (VI), (VII) or (IX), R 7 and R 8 are not both hydrogen, and
wherein when the terpenoid derivative has the general formula (V), (VIII) or (X), R 7 and R 8 are not both —CH 3 .
[0105] According to an embodiment, terpenoid derivatives having the general formulae V, VI, VIII or IX, as described above, may then be transformed to second terpenoid derivatives by a second olefin cross-metathesis of the terpenoid derivative and the second olefin.
[0106] Further novel terpenoid derivatives according to the present invention may have the following general formula (XI):
[0000]
or the general formula (XII):
[0000]
wherein R 7 and R 8 are as described above,
wherein R 11 and R 12 are the same or different and each may be independently hydrogen, alkyl, halo, haloalkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, aralkyl, alkoxy, carbonyl, carboxyl, hydroxyl, amide, sulfonamide, or amine,
wherein when the terpenoid derivative has the general formula XII and when R 11 and R 12 are both hydrogen, R 7 and R 8 are not both —CH 3 , and
wherein the terpenoid derivative has the general formula XI and when R 7 and R 8 are both hydrogen, R 11 and R 12 are not both —CH 3 .
[0112] According to an embodiment, R 7 , R 8 , R 11 and R 12 are the same or different and each may be independently hydrogen, alkyl, for example a lower alkyl, aryl, ketone, ester, ether, amide, or sulfonamide.
[0113] Each of R 7 , R 8 , R 11 and R 12 may optionally be substituted.
[0114] As used herein, the term “alkyl” refers to an aliphatic group that is branched or unbranched and is a saturated hydrocarbon group of 1 to 24 carbon atoms, such as methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, isobutyl, s-butyl, pentyl, hexyl, heptyl, octyl, decyl, tetradecyl, hexadecyl, eicosyl, tetracosyl and the like. A “lower alkyl” group is a saturated branched or unbranched hydrocarbon having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms. The terms “halogenated alkyl” or “haloalkyl group” refer to an alkyl group as defined above with one or more hydrogen atoms present on these groups substituted with a halogen (F, Cl, Br, I). Exemplary haloalkyl groups include perhaloalkyl groups, wherein all of the hydrogen atoms present on the group have been replaced with a halogen, for example perfluoromethyl refers to the group —CF 3 . The term “cycloalkyl” refers to a non-aromatic carbon-based ring composed of at least three carbon atoms. Examples of cycloalkyl groups include, but are not limited to, cyclopropyl, cyclobutyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, etc. The term “heterocycloalkyl group” is a cycloalkyl group as defined above where at least one of the carbon atoms of the ring is substituted with a heteroatom in the ring such as, but not limited to, nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, or phosphorous. In contrast with heterocycloalkyl groups, the term “alicyclic” refers to a group that is both aliphatic and cyclic. Such groups contain one or more saturated or unsaturated all-carbon rings, which are not aromatic. Alkyl groups, including cycloalkyl groups and alicyclic groups optionally may be substituted. The nature of the substituents can vary broadly. Typical substituent groups useful for substituting alkyl groups in the presently disclosed compounds include halo, fluoro, chloro, alkyl, alkylthio, alkoxy, alkoxycarbonyl, arylalkyloxycarbonyl, aryloxycarbonyl, cycloheteroalkyl, carbamoyl, haloalkyl, dialkylamino, sulfamoyl groups and substituted versions thereof.
[0115] The term “alkenyl” refers to a hydrocarbon group of 2 to 24 carbon atoms and structural formula containing at least one carbon-carbon double bond.
[0116] The term “alkynyl” refers to a hydrocarbon group of 2 to 24 carbon atoms and a structural formula containing at least one carbon-carbon triple bond. The term “aliphatic” refers to moieties including alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, halogenated alkyl and cycloalkyl groups as described above. A “lower aliphatic” group is a branched or unbranched aliphatic group having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms.
[0117] The term “amine” or “amino” refers to a group of the formula —NR′R″, where R′ and R″ may be the same or different and independently are hydrogen or an alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, aralkyl, cycloalkyl, halogenated alkyl, or heterocycloalkyl group described above. The term “amide” refers to a group represented by the formula —C(O)NR′R″, where R′ and R″ independently can be a hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, aralkyl, cycloalkyl, halogenated alkyl, or heterocycloalkyl group described above.
[0118] The term “aryl” refers to any carbon-based aromatic group including, but not limited to, benzyl, naphthyl, etc. The term “aromatic” also includes “heteroaryl group,” which is defined as an aromatic group that has at least one heteroatom incorporated within the ring of the aromatic group. Examples of heteroatoms include, but are not limited to, nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, and phosphorous. The aryl group can be substituted with one or more groups including, but not limited to, alkyl, alkynyl, alkenyl, aryl, halide, nitro, amino, ester, ketone, aldehyde, hydroxy, carboxylic acid, or alkoxy, or the aryl group can be unsubstituted. The term “alkyl amino” refers to alkyl groups as defined above where at least one hydrogen atom is replaced with an amino group.
[0119] The term “aralkyl” refers to an aryl group having an alkyl group, as defined above, attached to the aryl group. An example of an aralkyl group is a benzyl group.
[0120] Optionally substituted groups, such as “substituted alkyl,” refer to groups, such as an alkyl group, having from 1-5 substituents, typically from 1-3 substituents, selected from alkoxy, optionally substituted alkoxy, acyl, acylamino, acyloxy, amino, aminoacyl, aminoacyloxy, aryl, carboxyalkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkenyl, optionally substituted heteroaryl, optionally substituted heterocyclyl, hydroxy, thiol and thioalkoxy.
[0121] The term “carbonyl” refers to a radical of the formula —C(O)—. Carbonyl-containing groups include any substituent containing a carbon-oxygen double bond (C═O), including acyl groups, amides, carboxy groups, esters, ureas, carbamates, carbonates and ketones and aldehydes, such as substituents based on —COR′ or —CHO where R′ is an aliphatic, heteroaliphatic, alkyl, heteroalkyl, hydroxyl, or a secondary, tertiary, or quaternary amine.
[0122] The term “carboxyl” refers to a —COOH radical. Substituted carboxyl refers to —COOR′ where R′ is aliphatic, heteroaliphatic, alkyl, heteroalkyl, aralkyl, aryl or the like. The term “derivative” refers to compound or portion of a compound that is derived from or is theoretically derivable from a parent compound.
[0123] The term “hydroxyl” refers to a moiety represented by the formula —OH. The term “alkoxy group” is represented by the formula —OR′, wherein R′ can be an alkyl group, optionally substituted with an alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, aralkyl, cycloalkyl, halogenated alkyl, or heterocycloalkyl group as described above.
[0124] The term hydroxyalkyl refers to an alkyl group that has at least one hydrogen atom substituted with a hydroxyl group. The term “alkoxyalkyl group” is defined as an alkyl group that has at least one hydrogen atom substituted with an alkoxy group described above. Where applicable, the alkyl portion of a hydroxyalkyl group or an alkoxyalkyl group can be substituted with aryl, optionally substituted heteroaryl, aralkyl, halogen, hydroxy, alkoxy, carboxyalkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkenyl and/or optionally substituted heterocyclyl moieties.
[0125] Valuable terpenoid intermediates and products were produced by using catalysts with olefin cross-metathesis substrates starting from terpenes or derivatives thereof.
EXAMPLES
[0126]
[0127] General informations: 1H (400 MHz) and 13C (100 MHz) NMR spectra were recorded on a Bruker ARX400 spectrometer with complete proton decoupling for nucleus other than 1H. Chemical shifts are reported in ppm with the solvent resonance as the internal standard (CDCl3, δ 7.26 ppm, 13C: δ 77.00 ppm). Data are reported as follows: chemical shift δ in ppm, multiplicity (s=singlet, d=doublet, t=triplet, q=quadruplet, hept=heptuplet, m=multiplet), coupling constants (Hz), integration and attribution.
[0128] All non-aqueous reactions were performed under an argon atmosphere. HPLC grade AcOEt was used. n-Butyl acrylate, acrolein, crotonaldehyde were distilled before use. All others chemical reagents and solvents were obtained from commercial sources and used without further purification. Olefin metathesis catalysts C1, C2 and C3 are commercially available complexes.
[0129] General Procedure for the Olefin Cross-Metathesis
[0130] The catalyst was introduced in a round bottom flask under argon. The solvent and the two olefinic compounds were added. The solution was carefully degassed (3 vacuum/argon cycles) then was heated and stirred the required period of time. When the reaction was completed, the solvent was removed under vacuum and the residue was purified by flash chromatography (cyclohexane/ethyl acetate).
Example 1
[0131] The reactivity of different terpenoids compounds, using different olefins in the presence of catalyst C1a according to Scheme 1, was investigated.
[0000]
[0132] The reaction was run in ethylacetate solvent and the results are summarized in Table 1.
[0000]
TABLE 1
Screening of terpenoid compounds S6-S7 in olefin cross-metathesis
Olefin
Substrate
(n eq.)
Catalyst loading
Conditions
Product (yield)
S6
O1 (2)
1 mol %
80° C., 1 h,
P4 (43%)
AcOEt (0.25 M)
S7
O1 (2)
1 mol %
60° C., 17 h,
P5 (71%)
AcOEt (1 mL/1
mmole S7)
[0133] Terpenoid compounds having only one double bond were reacted. When citronellol acetate S6 was reacted with n-butyl acrylate (2 eq.) O1 in AcOEt in the presence of 1 mol % of catalyst C1a, the expected product P4 was obtained in 43% isolated yield.
[0134] Terpenoid compounds having two double bonds were reacted. The second double bond was masked, for instance as the hydrated form. The reactivity of dihydromyrcenol S7 was evaluated. S7 can be considered as a derivative of citronellene where one double bond is masked as a hydroxyl group. The double bond could be regenerated later from the alcohol through a simple elimination reaction. When S7 was reacted 17 h at 60° C. with n-butyl acrylate (2 eq.) O1 and in the presence of 1 mol % of catalyst C1a, the expected olefin cross-metathesis product P5 was obtained in an isolated yield of 71%.
Example 2
[0135]
[0136] Four catalysts “Hoveyda type” boomerang Ruthenium catalysts C1a-d containing an aminocarbonyl function was evaluated in the model reaction of dihydromyrcenol S7 and n-butyl acrylate O1 (Table 2). Two supplementary commercial catalysts, M2 catalyst C2, available from Umicore, and Grubbs' 2 catalyst C3 were also tested. 1 mol % catalyst was used and the reagents were heated at 60° C. in ethylacetate during 17 h. While catalysts C1a-d and C2 showed similar behaviors (Table 2), affording the expected olefin cross-metathesis product P5 with good yields (63-73%), a bad result was observed with Grubbs'2 catalyst C3 which afforded P5 in low yield (25%).
[0000]
[0000]
TABLE 2
Evaluation of catalysts C1a-d and C2-C3 in the olefin
cross-metathesis of S7 and n-butyl acrylate O1
Catalyst
P5 isolated yield (%)
C1a
71
C1b
63
C1c
73
C1d
67
C2
68
C3
25
Example 3
[0137] The reactivity of dihydromyrcenol S7 was then evaluated towards other olefins, using the catalyst C1a in ethylacetate as the solvent (Scheme 2, Table 3).
[0000]
[0000]
TABLE 3
Cross-metathesis between dihydromyrcenol S7 and olefins O1-5
Catalyst
Olefin (n eq.)
loading (mol %)
Conditions
Product (yield)
O1(2)
1
60° C.,
18 h
P5 (75%)
O1(2)
0.5
60° C.,
17 h
P5 (47%)
O1(2)
0.2
60° C.,
17 h
P5 (28%)
O2(1.2)
1
60° C.,
23 h
P6 (53%) a
O3(1)
0.5
60° C.,
16 h
P6 (80%) b
O4(1)
1
50° C.,
24 h
P7 (43%)
O5(1.5)
2
80° C.,
3 h
P8 (61%) c
P9 (71%) d
S7
1
80° C.,
3 h
P10 (82%)
a Isolated as a (E)/(Z) 95/5 mixture.
b Isolated as a (E)/(Z) 94/6 mixture.
c Isolated as a (E)/(Z) 87/13 mixture.
d Isolated as a (E)/(Z) 86/14 mixture.
[0138] The first olefin studied was n-butyl acrylate O1. After 18 h at 60° C. in the presence of 1 mol % of catalyst, P5 could be isolated in 75% yield. The decrease of the loading to 0.5 mol % caused a significant drop of the yield (47%). A further decrease of the catalyst loading (0.2 mol %) caused a further drop of the efficiency of the reaction; 28% yield was obtained after 17 h of reaction.
[0139] A similar behavior was observed with crotonaldehyde O2 since, in the presence of 1 mol % of C1a, P6 was isolated in 53% yield after 23 h at 60° C. A far better result was observed with acrolein O3 since P6 could also be isolated with a higher yield (80%) although only 0.5 mol % catalyst was used. A lower yield (43%) was obtained in product P7 when 1-octen-3-ol O4 was used as the olefin.
[0140] The reaction of dihydromyrcenol S7 and methyl oleate O5 in the presence of 2 mol % of C1a afforded the two expected products in good isolated yields (61% for P8 and 71% for P9). It must be noted that competitive isomerisation of the double bond is likely to occur in this case as the presence of a small amount (<10%) of an impurity having one CH 2 group missing (M-14) could be detected in HRMS experiments of P8 and P9.
[0141] When dihydromyrcenol S7 was reacted at 80° C. in the presence of 1 mol % of catalyst and in the absence of a second olefin, self metathesis occurred which afforded P10 as a mixture of diastereoisomers in a good yield (82%).
Example 4
[0142] Finally, the possibility to regenerate a double bond through the elimination of the alcohol group was checked (Scheme 3).
[0000]
[0143] To compound P5 (600 mg, 2.34 mmole) was added a 5 mol % solution of sulphuric acid in AcOH (6 μl/600 μL). The solution was heated 2 h at 120° C. The mixture was then diluted in AcOEt and the organic phase was washed with a saturated solution of NaHCO 3 then dried (MgSO 4 ). The solvent was removed under vacuum and the residue was purified by flash chromatography (Cyclohexane/AcOEt 90/10) to give the mixture of P11 and P11′ in a 9/1 ratio as a colourless oil (334 mg) in rather good yield (60%).
[0144] A final olefin cross-metathesis between the regenerated double bond of P11 and methyl acrylate was then undertaken in order to validate the strategy suggested to overcome the selectivity problem. Thus, the P11/P11′ mixture was reacted 17 h at 60° C. with methyl acrylate in the presence of 1 mol % of catalyst C1c, which afforded the expected products (P12/P12′: ˜9/1) in a rather good yield (72%). This result demonstrates that the difficulty arising from the presence of two double bonds in many terpenes (as citronellene) can be overcome by the protection of one of these double bonds as an alcohol.
[0145] To conclude, the Applicant has shown that by using masked derivatives such as dihydromyrcenol where one double bond is protected as the hydrated form, high selectivity can be obtained in the olefin cross-metathesis of terpenoid compounds having more than one double bond. The cross-metathesis between dihydromyrcenol and various olefins was successfully proven, showing that olefin cross-metathesis is suitable for the synthesis of valuable synthetic intermediates from renewable terpenoid feedstocks.
[0146] NMR Data
[0147] Compound P4: 1 H RMN δ (ppm)=0.92 (d, J=6.6 Hz, 3H, CH—CH 3 ); 0.93 (t, J=7.4 Hz, 3H, CH 2 CH 3 ); 1.23-1.73 (m, 9H, 4CH 2 and CH); 2.03 (s, 3H, CH 3 CO); 2.13-2.28 (m, 2H, CH 2 CH═); 4.03-4.16 (m, 4H, 2CH 2 O); 5.81 (dt, J=15.6, 1.5 Hz, 1H, CH═CHCO); 6.94 (dt, J=15.6, 6.8 Hz, 1H, CH═CHCO). 13 C RMN δ (ppm)=13.7, 19.1 (2), 21.0, 29.3, 29.5, 30.7, 35.0, 35.2, 62.6, 64.1, 121.4, 148.9, 166.7, 171.1
[0148] Compound P5: 1 H RMN δ (ppm): 0.93 (t, J=7.2 Hz, 3H, CH 2 —CH 3 ); 1.05 (d, J=6.4 Hz, 3H, CH—CH 3 ); 1.19 (s, 6H, C(OH)(CH 3 ) 2 ); 1.31-1.67 (m, 10H, 5CH 2 ); 2.27-2.37 (m, 1H, CH), 4.13 (t, J=6.8 Hz, 2H, CH 2 O); 5.77 (dd, J=15.6, 1.0 Hz, 1H, CH═CHCO); 6.85 (dd, J=15.6, 8.0 Hz, 1H, CH═CHCO). 13 C RMN, δ (ppm): 13.7; 19.2; 19.4; 21.9; 29.3; 30.7; 36.4; 36.5; 43.8; 64.1; 70.9; 119.7; 154.4; 167.0. HRMS (ESI) calcd for C 15 H 28 O 3 Na: 279.1936; found: 279.1928 (3 ppm).
[0149] Compound P6 (E isomer): 1 H RMN δ (ppm): 1.10 (d, J=6.8 Hz, 3H, CH—CH 3 ); 1.20 (s, 6H, C(OH)(CH 3 ) 2 ); 1.32-1.48 (m, 6H, 3CH 2 ); 2.40-2.51 (m, 1H, CH); 6.08 (ddd, J=15.6, 7.6,1.2 Hz, 1H, CHCHO); 6.74 (dd, J=15.6, 7.6 Hz, 1H, CH═CHCHO); 9.50 (d, J=7.6 Hz, 1H, CHO). 13 C RMN δ (ppm): 19.1; 21.9; 29.2; 29.3; 36.3; 37.0; 43.7; 70.8; 131.3; 163.9; 194.3. HRMS (ESI) calcd for C 11 H 20 O 2 Na: 207.1361; 207.1358 (1 ppm).
[0150] Compound P7 (mixture of diastereoisomers): 1 H RMN δ (ppm): 0.86 (t, J=6.8 Hz, 3H, CH 2 —CH 3 ); 0.96 and 0.97 (2d, J=6.8 Hz, 3H, CH—CH 3 ); 1.18 (s, 6H, C(OH)(CH 3 ) 2 ); 1.24-1.57 (m, 14H, 7CH 2 ); 2.05-2.18 (m, 1H, CH—CH 3 ); 4.01 (q, J=6.4 Hz, 1H, CHOH); 5.38 and 5.39 (2dd, J=15.6, 6.4 Hz, 1H, ═CHCHOH); 5.46 and 5.47 (2dd, J=15.6, 7.6 Hz, 1H, CH═CHCHOH). 13 C RMN δ (ppm): 14.0; 20.6 (2); 21.9; 22.0; 22.6; 25.1; 25.2; 29.1; 29.2; 29.3; 31.7; 36.3; 36.4; 37.1; 37.3; 37.4; 43.8; 43.9; 71.0; 73.1; 73.2; 131.6; 137.5; 137.7. HRMS (ESI) calcd for C 16 H 32 O 2 Na: 279.2300; found: 279.2300 (0 ppm).
[0151] Compound P8 (E isomer): RMN 1 H δ (ppm): 0.87 (t, J=6.8 Hz, 3H, CH 2 —CH 3 ); 0.95 (d, J=6.8 Hz, 3H, CH—CH 3 ); 1.20 (s, 6H, C(OH)(CH 3 ) 2 ); 1.23-1.46 (m, 18H, 9CH 2 ); 1.93-2.00 (q, J=6.6 Hz, 2H, ═CH—CH 2 ); 2.05 (hept, J=6.8 Hz, 1H, CH—CH 3 ); 5.23 (ddt, J=15.2, 7.6, 1.2 Hz, 1H, CH—CH═CH); 5.35 (dt, J=15.2, 6.8 Hz, 1H, CH═CH—CH 2 ). 13 C RMN δ (ppm): 14.1; 21.0; 22.1; 22.7; 29.1; 29.2; 29.3; 29.4; 29.7; 31.9; 32.6; 36.7; 37.6; 44.0; 71.1; 128.7; 136.1. HRMS (ESI) calcd for C 18 H 36 ONa: 291.26639; found: 291.2663 (0 ppm).
[0152] Compound P9 (E isomer): 1 H RMN δ (ppm): 0.95 (d, J=6.8 Hz, 3H, CH—CH 3 ); 1.19 (s, 6H, C(OH)(CH 3 ) 2 ); 1.23-1.65 (m, 16H, 8CH 2 ); 1.96 (q, J=6.8 Hz, 2H, ═CH—CH 2 ); 2.06 (hept, J=7.0 Hz, 1H, CH—CH 3 ); 2.29 (t, J=7.2 Hz, 2H, CH 2 COOMe); 3.66 (s, 3H, OCH 3 ); 5.23 (ddt, J=15.2, 7.6, 1.2 Hz, 1H, CH—CH═CH), 5.33 (dtd, J=15.6, 6.4, 0.5, 1H, CH═CH—CH 2 ). 13 C RMN δ (ppm): 21.0; 22.0; 24.9; 28.9; 29.1; 29.2; 29.6; 32.5; 34.1; 36.7; 37.6; 44.0; 51.4; 71.0; 128.6; 136.2; 174.3. HRMS (ESI) calcd for C 19 H 36 O 3 Na: 335.25622; found 335.2566 (1 ppm).
[0153] Compound P10 (mixture of diastereoisomers): 1 H RMN δ (ppm): 0.95 and 0.96 (2d, J=6.4 Hz, 6H, CH—CH 3 ); 1.19 and 1.20 (2s, 12H, C(OH)(CH 3 ) 2 ); 1.20-1.48 (m, 12H, 6CH 2 ); 2.00-2.12 (m, 2H, CH—CH 3 ); 5.13-5.24 (m, 2H, CH═CH). 13 C RMN δ (ppm): 21.1; 21.4; 21.9; 22.0; 29.1; 29.2; 29.5; 36.6; 37.0; 37.6; 37.7; 43.9; 71.0; 71.1; 134.5; 134.7. HRMS (ESI) calcd for C 18 H 36 O 2 Na: 307.26075; found: 307.2613 (2 ppm).
[0154] Compound P11: 1 H RMN δ (ppm): 0.94 (t, J=7.6 Hz, 3H, CH 2 —CH 3 ); 1.04 (d, J=6.8 Hz, 3H, CH—CH 3 ); 1.32-1.46 and 1.56-1.70 (m, 6H, 3CH 2 ); 1.58 and 1.68 (br s, 6H, C(CH 3 ) 2 ); 1.98 (q, 2H, J=7.2 Hz, CH 2 —CH═); 2.31 (hept, J˜7 Hz, 1H, CH—CH═); 4.12 (t, J=6.8 Hz, 2H, CH 2 O); 5.04-5.09 (m, 1H, CH═CMe 2 ); 5.77 (dd, J=15.6 Hz, 1.2, 1H, CH═CHCO); 6.86 (dd, J=15.6, 8.0 Hz, 1H, CH—CH═CH). 13 C RMN, δ (ppm): 13.7; 17.7; 19.2; 19.3; 25.6; 25.7; 30.7; 36.0; 36.1; 64.1; 119.7; 124.0; 131.9; 154.4; 167.0. Compound P11′ selected value: 1 H RMN δ (ppm) 4.65 and 4.69 (2 br s, 2H, C═CH 2 ). HRMS (ESI) (mixture of P11 and P11′) calcd for C 15 H 26 O 2 Na: 261.18305; found 261.1830 (0 ppm).
[0155] Compound P12: 1 H RMN δ (ppm): 0.94 (t, J=7.4 Hz, 3H, CH 2 —CH 3 ); 1.06 (d, J=6.8 Hz, 3H, CH—CH 3 ); 1.35-1.68 (m, 6H, 3CH 2 ); 2.12-2.24 (m, 2H, CH 2 ); 2.28-2.39 (m, 1H, CH—CH=); 3.72 (s, 3H, CO 2 CH 3 ); 4.13 (t, 2H, J=6.6 Hz, CH 2 O); 5.79 (dd, J=15.6, 1.2 Hz, 1H, CH═CHCO 2 Bu); 5.81 (dt, J=15.6, ˜1.5 Hz, 1H, CH═CHCO 2 Me); 6.81 (dd, J=15.6, 8.2, 1H, CH—CH═CH); 6.92 (dt, J=15.6, 7.0, 1H, CH 2 —CH═CH). 13 C RMN, δ (ppm): 13.7; 19.2; 19.4; 29.8; 30.7; 34.1; 35.9; 51.4; 64.2; 120.4; 121.3; 148.6; 153.2; 166.8; 167.0. HRMS (ESI): m/z [M+Na] + calcd for C 15 H 24 O 4 Na: 291.1572; found: 291.1575 (1 ppm). | The present invention relates to a process for preparing a terpenoid derivative, the process comprising a metathesis of an olefin and a terpenoid, and to terpenoid derivatives prepared with said process. | 1 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There have been many attempts to sheet a bed or stretcher from a roll of sheeting material secured to the bed or stretcher. Many of these proposed the use of a dispensing roll at one end of the stretcher and a take-up roll at an opposite end of the stretcher. Such a system is not desirable because it stores the contaminated sheet on the take-up roll where is could possibly cross-contaminate patients using the same stretcher even though a new section of sheeting were advanced between the two rolls.
It has also been proposed to use a single dispensing roll and sever the sheeting and to discard it immediately after use. Various severing mechanisms have been proposed, such as knife-like structures at the end of the stretcher. Such knife cutters require continual maintenance to insure their sharpness and they can frequently malfunction. There is also the problem of having to measure each length before cutting it. Some examples of patents on roller dispensing sheet systems for stretchers or beds are U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,339,828; 2,466,679; and 3,641,600. One patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,956,782, describes a sheet with sealed corners forming a "fitted " sheet of a precise length and width and a series of such sheet joined together by a series of perforations. The perforations were spaced apart a distance essentially equivalent to the mattress length. Such a fitted sheet was not suitable to take on varying lengths and widths of mattresses, such as might occur in stretchers of different manufacturers, models, styles, etc. The mattresses could also vary in thickness from approximately 2 inches to 8 inches.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention overcomes the problems of the previous roller sheet dispensers. It provides a roll of disposable sheeting that has a series of transverse weakened sections that are longitudinally spaced a distance substantially greater than the mattress length plus twice its thickness. Thus, a single sheeting roll can fit numerous widths, lengths, and thicknesses of mattresses that might be used in various styles and models of stretchers and beds within a hospital. Because there are no transverse weakened sections within the body of the sheet, it cannot be pulled apart to give an unusable short sheet. Such short sheet might happen in a roll of material that had a series of intermediate square panels connected by perforations, such as in paper towels or toilet tissue.
In one embodiment, the roll of disposable sheeting is mounted to the stretcher with J-hook structure and in an another embodiment, a housing with a pivoted openable section is secured to the stretcher and encases the roll of sheeting.
THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a mobile stretcher with a first embodiment of the disposable sheet system installed;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the axle support bracket for the sheet dispensing roll of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the disposable sheet showing its configuration in folded and unfolded conditions;
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 5--5 of FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is an enlarged side elevational view of a second embodiment of the disposable sheet system showing a housing for a sheet roll;
FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6, but showing the housing in open position for loading;
FIG. 8 is a front elevational view of the sheet housing structure of FIG. 6;
FIG. 9 is a right end view of an upper portion only of the housing taken along line 9--9 of FIG. 8;
FIG. 10 is a right end view of a lower portion only of the housing taken along line 9--9 of FIG. 8;
FIG. 11 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 11--11 of FIG. 10; and
FIG. 12 is a right end view of FIG. 11 taken along line 12--12.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring to the drawings, the stretcher is shown including a conventional wheeled substructure 1 supporting a stretcher top 2 which can have a pipe railing 3. Supported on top 2 is a resilient mattress pad 4. In a first embodiment, a pair of spaced apart axle supporting brackets, shown generally at 5, are secured with bolts 6 or other fasteners. These axle support brackets 5 can be welded directly to the stretcher structure if desired.
In the enlarged view of the axle supports shown in FIG. 2, a suspending member 7 is shown attached to a generally U-shaped saddle member 8 giving the axle support a somewhat J-shape. Such mounting brackets are extremely simple and easy to manufacture and the supporting arm of the J-shaped member is of a sufficient length to permit ready insertion and removal of an axle without loosening or removing the J-shaped member. They can be routinely installed on the stretchers and manufactured without substantially increasing their cost. They do not require a supporting wall structure on the stretcher in axial alignment with the roll's axle on which to secure the U-shaped saddle members. Thus, such stretchers would always have the option of using a disposable sheeting system. The hospital would simply have to buy the rolls of disposable sheeting material.
As shown in FIG. 3, the roll of sheeting material 9 has a tubular paper core 10 that might or might not protrude from ends 11 and 12 of the rolled sheet material. An axle 13, such as a wooden dowel pin, protrudes from each end of the tubular core 10. It is the ends of this dowel pin 13 that fits in the spaced apart saddles 8 of the hanging brackets.
The width of the roll 9 of the sheeting material in continuous roll form is approximately equal to the width of the mattress pad 4. While the sheet is on the coiled roll, side portions 15 and 16 are superimposed over a central portion 14. As the roll is uncoiled, the side portions 15 and 16 lie on top of the central portion 14. Each side portion covers more than 1/4 (and preferably approximately 1/2) of the central portion 14. When the disposable sheet is lying on top of the mattress, the sheet is severed by manual tension along the superimposed perforation 17 in the side and central portions of the sheet and the continuous roll sheet material is substantially uniform and unweakened between these spaced frangible sections. Preferably, these perforations are in the form of elongated slots with a central plug of material in each slot that is or can be removed and the frangible sections are held together by the sheet material itself in an unseamed structure. It has been found that this greatly enhances the visibility of the position of the perforated section. Therefore, an operator can see such perforations so he can slightly twist the sheeting material to tear it against one end of the stretcher and rip off an individual sheet, even though he may be standing at an opposite end of the stretcher to where he has pulled the sheeting material.
In FIG. 4, the overlying relationship of the side portions and central portion are clearly illustrated. Preferably this sheeting material is made of a laminated top layer 19 of nonwoven cellulosic material, such as of rayon fibers oriented in a longitudinal direction. To this top layer is laminated a bottom layer 20 of liquid impervious thermoplastic, such as polyethylene. FIG. 5 shows the laminated structure of one side panel. As the side panel is unfolded, the absorbent layer 19 will be on top of layer 20 until it is tucked under the mattress pad. The central section 14 which lies under the patient has absorbent layer 19 as its top layer. It has been found that tearability improves when the transverse perforations 17 are across the fiber directions rather than parallel to them. Because of the longitudinal orientation of the fiberous nonwoven material, the preferred sheeting material can stretch slightly in its transverse direction, but stretches very little in its longitudinal direction, thereby making a more positive unrolling action. If desired, a very thin central foam layer (not shown) could be laminated between the nonwoven top layer and the thermoplastic bottom layer to increase the liquid absorption capacity of the sheet.
A second embodiment of the sheeting system shown in FIGS. 6-12 has a supporting stretcher top structure 30 on which is supported a mattress 31. Sheet material 32 is dispensed from a roll encased in a housing, shown generally as 33.
Housing 33 includes an upper shell portion 34 that is rigidly mounted to the stretcher top 30 by mounting brackets 35 and 36. Shell 34 does not rotate on brackets 35 and 36, but is secured to such brackets by double-sided adhesive foam tape sections 37 and 38. Pivot pins 39 and 40 extend through both the mounting brackets and end walls of shell 34 to pivotally mount a movable closure or lid 41. The pivot pins can be machine screws or bolts.
In FIG. 6, the lid 41 is shown in closed dispensing condition. Preferably, the shell and lid have flanges 42 and 43 respectively to guide the sheet material as it is dispensed from a slot between shell 34 and lid 41. These flanges also help to strengthen and rigidify the shell and lid. The shell 34 can also have a flange 44, but preferably lid 41 has only the single flange 43. Thus, lid 41 can fit very close to shell 34 as it pivotally rotates within shell 34 for opening the shell, as shown in FIG. 7 for loading and unloading the rolls of sheeting, such as shown at 45.
The actual shape of the shell and lid can best be seen in FIGS. 9 and 10. Here the shell 34 includes a central section that is generally semicircular and is joined to a pair of end walls 46 and 47. An aperture 48 provides the mounting structure for the pivot pins.
Fitting inside shell 34 is lid 41 that likewise has a central portion which is generally semicircular and joins end walls 49 and 50. As shown in FIG. 8, the end walls 49 and 50 of the lid fit inside the end walls 46 and 47 of the shell. Thus, aperture 48 of the shell and aperture 51 of the lid can be aligned for receiving a pivot pin.
The shell 34 and lid 41 can be economically formed of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) thermoplastic material. To strengthen the thermoplastic lid and also provide an actual support, a structure, shown in FIG. 11, is used. Here a metal disk 52 has an offset flange 53 that is adhesively bonded or otherwise secured to the thermoplastic material of lid 41. A U-shaped metal saddle 52a is welded or otherwise attached at a shoulder area of disk 52. This configuration is shown in FIG. 12.
Since U-shaped saddle 52a is attached to movable lid 41 and not stationary shell 34, the saddle can rotate and be generally inverted in the FIG. 7 view for easy insertion and removal of sheeting rolls. As lid 41 assumes the position in FIG. 6 for dispensing, the U-shaped saddle is again upright providing pivoting structure support for axles of the sheeting rolls. These axles can be wooden dowel pins, as described in the FIG. 1 embodiment of this invention.
Once the roll of sheeting has been installed in the housing described in the second embodiment, the lid automatically pivots to close the shell's opening to a narrow dispensing slot. This is because the lid has a structure, shown in FIG. 10, in which the center of gravity is below its pivot point 51. Therefore, no complicated springs or other mechanisms are needed to close the lid and maintain a narrow slot for dispensing the sheeting material. Such narrow slot helps to reduce the chance of contaminating the sheet material prior to use.
Although specific examples have been used to describe the invention, it is understood by those skilled in the art that certain modifications could be made to the examples without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. | A stretcher for patient support which has a roll of disposable sheeting beneath an end portion of the stretcher. Individual sheets are manually separated from the roll at transverse weakened sections in the sheeting material that are longitudinally separated by a distance greater than the length of a mattress pad plus twice its thickness. In one embodiment, a roll of disposable sheeting is encased within a housing that has a pivotally mounted openable section. | 8 |
GOVERNMENT RIGHTS
The Government has rights in this invention pursuant to Subcontract 4524210 under Prime Contract DE-AC03-76SF00098 awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy.
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention is in the field of physics. It relates to controlling the vapor pressure of a mercury lamp, thus, providing for resonance radiation with a well-defined linewidth and intensity.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The specific excitation of mercury isotopes by photochemical means is well established. See Webster, C. R. and Zare R. W., Photochemical Isotope Separation of Hg-196 by Reaction with Hydrogen Halides, J. Phys. Chem. 85, 1302 (1981).
Mercury vapor lamps are commonly used as the excitation source of Hg isotope specific photochemical reactions. To be successful, photochemical separation of a single isotope requires that the spectral bandwidth of the exciting mercury lamp or laser source must be sufficiently narrow to excite only the isotope of interest, the specificity depending on the spectral bandwidth of the source. The rate and extent of separation of the particular isotope from the feedstock can be strongly dependent on the intensity of the radiation emitted from the mercury lamp.
The vapor equilibrium pressure of the Hg used in the mercury lamp strongly affects the intensity and spectral linewidth of the light which is emitted from the lamp. Lamps of the prior art used for this purpose are not able to adequately control the Hg vapor pressure inside of the lamps. This is due to the fact that the lamp cold spot is not well established. The lamp cold spot is the lowest temperature region within a lamp. This cold spot temperature determines the Hg equilibrium vapor pressure within the lamp. After lamp start-up, many hours of lamp operation may be required to fix the region. During this transition time, a definite Hg pressure is not attained. This variance in the vapor pressure of the mercury within the lamp can cause disturbances in the linewidth and intensity of resonance radiation emitted, thus, undersirable isotopes of Hg can be stimulated and the rate of separation of the desired isotope of mercury can be affected. Further, without knowing the location of the cold spot, it may not be possible to monitor the Hg vapor pressure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention comprises a process for controlling the vapor equilibrium pressure in a mercury lamp. This is done by establishing and controlling two temperature zones within the lamp. The first of the two temperature zones is a cold spot and the second zone is at a temperature greater than the first zone. In this manner, the temperature and the equilibrium vapor pressure of the Hg within the entire lamp can be controlled. As a consequence of this, the bandwidth and intensity of the radiation emitted by the lamp is controlled.
This invention also comprises a novel mercury-inert gas microwave lamp which contains a means for creating a controlling a cold spot. The lamp comprises an inner quartz discharge tube and an outer tube. In one embodiment, the outer jacket is made of quartz. The inner tube may be made with various diameter. A novel aspect of this lamp is the demountable outer jacket. The outer jacket serves several purposes. First, it allows for two separate temperature zones. This permits the use of a gas purge for eliminating O 2 about the transmission section which reduces O 3 formation. By using gas instead of water, microwave power losses are substantially reduced. Second, it permits the interchange of different inner discharge tubes. This makes possible the use of different Hg isotopic distributions in the same outer jacket by simply exchanging inner discharge tubes. Also, different diameter inner discharge tubes may be used to affect the Hg linewidth.
Third, the fact that the outer tube is demountable allows for the use of outer tubes made of different types of materials. For example, by changing the outer tube material to Vycor 7910, it is possible to filter the 185 nm radiation.
Flow diffusers, sections of "O" rings or gaskets, allow for uniform distribution of cooling medium within the discharge tube and maintains spacing of the inner tube and outer discharge tube.
An "O" ring creates two separate zones for cooling, one cooled by water and one cooled by gas. The temperature of the zone cooled by gas can be further regulated by a heater coil. This ensures that the cold spot temperature is always at the water cooled end of the excitation source.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 illustrates a mercury lamp, the cold spot of which is controlled using the process and apparatus of the present invention.
FIG. 2 illustrates graphs of the variation in intensity as a function of lamp cold spot temperature.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with this invention, a process for creating and controlling a cold spot or mercury liquid vapor equilibrium temperature within a mercury-noble gas lamp is provided. A cold spot is the lowest temperature within the lamp. It is necessary to control the cold spot temperature because this temperature determines the vapor equilibrium within the lamp, which greatly influences the intensity and linewidth of the radiation wavelength emitted from the lamp. By creating and isolating a cold spot within a lamp, a known and fixed vapor equilibrium pressure is established throughout the lamp. This eliminates long term transient lamp output and results in a more reproducible lamp output intensity and linewidth.
In one embodiment, a cold spot temperature is created in a lamp by circulating H 2 O about an isolated section of the lamp. An inert gas, preferably nitrogen, is circulated about the remainder of the lamp in order to control the temperature of that portion of the lamp. The use of a heater coil permits separate temperature control of the inert gas. This ensures that the cold spot temperature is always at the water cooled end of the excitation source.
This process produces a lamp with two temperature zones. The inert gas which is circulated about the remainder of the lamp must be at a higher temperature than that of the cold spot. The creation of the cold spot establishes a fixed mercury vapor pressure within the lamp. The inert gas which is circulated about the remainder of the lamp also prevents the formation of O 3 by purging any O 2 in the vicinity of the lamp. Ozone is created when O 2 is exposed to the 185 nm radiation emitted by the lamp. Ozone, in turn, absorbs the 253.7 nm radiation emitted from the lamp and used to selectively excite different isotopes of mercury. Thus, by circulating an inert gas about the entire exterior of the lamp, all of the O 2 is purged from the immediate vicinity of the lamp which allows for a greater intensity of 253.7 nm radiation. The use of water as a purge substance results in a strong loss of microwave energy being coupled and away from the lamp into the water. This greatly reduces the lamp output.
FIG. 1 illustrates a lamp which incorporates the elements of this invention.
The mercury lamp 12 of FIG. 1 is comprised of an inner quartz discharge tube 14 and an outer tube 16. The inner tube 14 may be made of various diameters. For the isotope separation of Hg 196 the inner diameter of the tube is 5 mm. The inner tube 14 typically contains argon (2.5 Torr) and Hg However, any comparable inert gas may be used. A minimum of 1-2 mg of Hg is contained within an inner discharge tube with an inner diameter of 5 mm.
"O" ring 18 divides and partitions the exterior portion of the inner discharge tube 14 and the inner portion of the exterior tube into two segments 20 and 21. The cold spot segment 20 is cooled by H 2 O. H 2 O is introduced into the interior of the external tube 16 through inlet 22. The H 2 O circulates about the portion of the inner discharge tube 24 which is contained within cold spot 20. The H 2 O then exits the cold spot 20 through outlet 26 contained in the outer tube 16.
An inert gas is circulated about segment 21 of the mercury lamp 12. In a preferred embodiment, the inert gas used is nitrogen. The gas is introduced into the interior of the outer tube through inlet 28; it circulates about section 30 of the inner discharge 14. The nitrogen then exists through outlet 32. Partial "O" rings 34 and 36 promote the even circulation of the nitrogen. In this manner, the temperature of segment 21 of the mercury lamp 12 is controlled. By controlling the temperature of the mercury lamp the equilibrium vapor pressure of the lamps is then controlled. This allows for greater control of the intensity and selectivity of the linewidth of the radiation that is to be emitted from the lamp.
Experimentally, the cold spot temperature is controlled by the temperature of the circulating water (as long as rest of lamp is at higher temperature). As the circulating water temperature increases or decreases so does the cold spot temperature. The linewidths of the 253.7 nm components are strongly affected by cold spot temperatures between 10° C. and 15° C. and higher temperatures for a 5 mm internal diameter (ID) lamp. The emission intensity depends strongly on the cold spot temperature for any lamp I.D.
Measuring the linewidth and the line intensity via a suitable detector (e.g. Fabry-Perot interferometer) permits a calibration of linewidth and intensity versus the temperature of the water bath being circulated about a portion of the lamp creating the cold spot of the lamp. Furthermore, the lamp wall temperature can be directly measured to relate linewidth and line intensity to wall temperature.
A difference, which is often neglected, exists between the lamp cold spot temperature and the lamp wall temperature. The difference is usually determined by calculation based on energy balance and heat transfer concepts. Thus, for a 40 watt lamp, 4 feet long, and 1.5 inches in diameter, the cold spot is about 2° C. higher in temperature than the wall temperature when normal operation takes place. This difference is particularly important for theoretical modeling, but not critical for application of the present invention.
FIG. 2 illustrates the relationship between the cold spot temperature, the intensity of the radiation emitted and the linewidth of the 253.7 nm line. The colder that the temperature of the cold spot is, the lower the vapor equilibrium pressure becomes. The vapor pressure of the Hg within the lamp and the intensity of the radiation are proportional within 10-15%. However, as the intensity of the radiation emitted from the lamp increases, the linewidth of the radiation emitted also increases; this can cause undesired isotopes of Hg to be excited. Therefore, it is very important to control the vapor pressure of the lamp to ensure that radiation with the proper linewidth is emitted. The vapor pressure is controlled by controlling the cold spot temperature of the lamp as described above. For a further explanation of the relationship between lamp temperature, radiation intensity and linewidth of the radiation see Maya J., Grossman M. W., Layushenko R., and Waymouth I. F., Energy Conservation Through More Efficient Lighting, Science 26 435-436 (Oct. 26, 1984) and Webster C. R. and Zare R. N. Photochemical Isotope Separation of Hg-196 by Reaction with Hydrogen Halides, J. Phys. Chem 85, 1302-1305 (1981) the teachings of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
By using a mercury lamp of the present invention in a photochemical separation apparatus such as the one shown in Zare and Webster, id at page 1302, greater and purer yields of Hg-196 can be obtained. Because the vapor equilibrium pressure of the mercury in the lamp is controlled, only Hg-196 is excited and is available for a chemical reaction with a halide. If the vapor pressure exceeds a certain point, the 253.7 nm line broadens sufficiently so that other mercury isotopes are excited.
Successful photochemical separation of a single isotope requires that two fundamental conditions be fulfilled: (i) The spectral bandwith of the exciting mercury lamp or laser source must be sufficiently narrow to excite only the isotope of interest, the specificity depensing on both the spectral bandwidth and the profile of the 253.7-nm line. (ii) A substrate must be found that reacts with excited mercury atoms to form a stable, separable compound but has no reaction with unexcited atoms. Furthermore, both the substrate and reaction product must be photochemically stable in the presence of 253.7-nm radiation. Condition (i) is satisfied in the experiments reported here by using a "monoisotopic" mercury lamp and filter combination. Cooling of the lamp below 35° C. is necessary to avoid problems of self-reversal which otherwise serve to broaden the spectral bandwidth and thereby reduce the isotope specificity. The profile of the 253.7-nm line referred to in condition (i) includes not only the extent to which any isotopic lines are overlapped within their Doppler widths but also any homogeneous or inhomogeneous broadening resulting from the atomic mercury density and substrate pressure used.
Isotope depletion is an unwanted effect. In a static system, as all of the Hg-196 available is converted into product, the wings of the lamp emission profile take on an increasing importance by eventually separating out the other isotopes, the result producing a less enriched or an unenriched compound. Similarly, in a flow system a precipitate highly enriched in Hg-196 may build up at the reactant entrance to the excitation region, while a precipitate depleted in Hg-196 may build up near the exit; collecting both deposits and mixing them then produces a sample of less apparent enrichment. The use of intermittent illumination by means of a rotating sector constructed to reduce the time of exposure to radiation of a given mercury sample can be used to solve this problem.
Accordingly, natural mercury is exposed to 253.7-nm radiation in the reaction chamber, a hydrogen halide (HCl, HBr or HI) or other suitable reactant containing 1,3-butadiene is to mixed with the mercury reacting with the excited Hg-196. A mercurous compound is produced containing primarily only Hg-196.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
The invention described herein relates to a process and apparatus for controlling the equilibrium vapor pressure of Hg within a mercury lamp. Thus, it is useful in controlling the intensity and linewidth of the radiation emitted from a mercury lamp. This, in turn, is useful in selectively exciting isotopes of mercury for the isolation of a particular isotope of mercury.
EQUIVALENTS
Those skilled in the art will recognize or be able to ascertain, using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific embodiments described herein. Such equivalents are to be covered by the following claims. | The invention described herein discloses a method and apparatus for controlling the Hg vapor pressure within a lamp. This is done by establishing and controlling two temperature zones within the lamp. One zone is colder than the other zone. The first zone is called the cold spot. By controlling the temperature of the cold spot, the Hg vapor pressure within the lamp is controlled. Likewise, by controlling the Hg vapor pressure of the lamp, the intensity and linewidth of the radiation emitted from the lamp is controlled. | 7 |
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claim priority to U.S. Patent Application 61/421,072, filed Dec. 8, 2010, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] This invention relates generally to self-cooling containers and more particularly to self-cooling containers having an independent cooling chamber utilizing water-activated endothermic cooling agents, a water-activated mixer within the chamber, a simple actuation means for initiating the cooling process, a feature that facilitates the recycling of the spent cooling agents and a method for using the same.
[0004] 2. Description of the Art
[0005] Self-cooling containers that utilize water-activated or liquid-activated endothermic cooling agents are known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,003,324 discloses a compartmentalized container for cooling beverages consisting of an outer chamber containing the beverage to be chilled, a two-part inner container holding water and the cooling agent separated by a barrier or membrane and a means for making contact between the cooling agent and the water within the inner compartment to facilitate the cooling effect. Because membranes that separate liquids from cooling agents are often difficult to reliably penetrate or fail to completely empty their contents in a rapid manner, several inventions in the prior art such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,023,587 also disclose techniques for improving penetration and release. In another embodiment, U.S. Pat. No. 4,784,678 discloses an internal mixing device within the compartment holding the liquid and cooling agent to overcome the inadequate mixing of the contents upon activation that is known to be a problem affecting self-cooling containers. Other similar examples are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,350,732, 7,117,684, 6,889,507, 6,351,953, 6,134,894, and 6,103,280. However, at the present time, none of these prior self-cooling containers have met with commercial success. Self-cooling containers described in the prior art that utilize endothermic chemical agents are also not intentionally designed to be recyclable or to facilitate the reuse of the spent coolant held within, and thus have a reputation of being a wasteful and non-sustainable product and technology.
[0006] Self-cooling containers must embody several attributes in order to be commercially successful. A container must be adaptable to current container manufacturing techniques and processes; the cooling mechanism must be safe, simple, inexpensive and efficient; the actuation technique for initiating the cooling process must be tamper-evident and simple in order to appeal to the consumer; the internal chamber holding the liquid and cooling agent must provide rapid and complete contact and mixing between the liquid and the solid cooling agents; and the device must facilitate and encourage the environmentally safe reuse or recycle of the spent cooling agent. Self-cooling containers shown in the prior art have not accomplished one or more of the above criteria.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] It is an object of the present invention to provide a self-cooling container and method which can efficiently and safely cool beverages prior to consumption.
[0008] It is another object of this invention to provide a self-cooling container which can manufactured without major alterations in manufacturing machinery or equipment.
[0009] It is another object of this invention to employ an endothermic chemical process or reaction with safe and inexpensive materials as a self-contained cooling mechanism.
[0010] It is yet a further object of this invention to provide a self-cooling container which can be easily and safely actuated to initiate the cooling process.
[0011] Still a further object of this invention is to provide a self-cooling container that can facilitate and encourage the environmentally safe reuse or recycle of the spent cooling agent held within.
[0012] Accordingly, the present invention provides a self-cooling container comprising:
[0013] (a) an outer compartment containing a beverage to be cooled, having at least one sidewall, a top end and a bottom end whereby the sidewall, top end and the bottom end form a first cavity for storing a liquid.
[0014] (b) an openable closure means located on, adjacent to incorporated within the surface of the top end of the outer compartment such that the means can be penetrated or opened or removed to provide access to the liquid stored within.
[0015] (c) an inner compartment having a smaller diameter and volume than the outer compartment and located within the cavity of the outer compartment adjacent to the bottom end of the outer compartment, said inner compartment including: (i) at least one sidewall, a top end and a bottom end, (ii) a second cavity containing a liquid, (iii) a third cavity containing an endothermic cooling agent or composition that will react when contacted with the liquid to absorb heat, (iv) a rupturable membrane or barrier means separating the second and third cavities, (v) a openable closure or tear panel or means attached to the bottom end that provides tamper-free access to the inner compartment while preventing accidental activation of the cooling mechanism, (vi) a hollow, porous but rigid puncturing means located in its un-activated state within the third cavity and having a sharpened end for rupturing the membrane or barrier separating the second and third cavities, which further comprises a hollow tube of which one end is sharpened to a point and the other end is blunt and having sidewalls punctured by a series of openings or orifices that allow the passage of liquids from the second cavity throughout the contents of the third cavity to promote rapid diffusion and ensure complete and thorough contact between the solid and liquid components or reactants, (vi) a flexible diaphragm attached to or comprising the bottom end of the inner compartment and accessible through the openable closure or tear panel having an interior-oriented surface and an exterior-oriented surface whereby the interior-oriented surface is affixed to the non-sharpened end of the puncturing means, (vii) a cooling mechanism comprising the compressible diaphragm attached to the puncturing means that is activated by compressing the diaphragm towards the interior of the inner compartment to allow the puncturing means to penetrate the membrane separating the two cavities such that the liquid from the second cavity gains access to the cooling agent in the third cavity and (viii) a static spring mixer consisting of compressed spring held in its compressed state by a solvent-soluble tape or glue where the solvent is typically water located in the third cavity containing the cooling agent adjacent to the interior surface of the flexible diaphragm such that the static spring mixer expands to mix the contents of the second and third cavities upon activation by water.
[0016] According to an embodiment of the invention, a self-cooling container as described above whereby a layer of insulation is affixed to the interior or the exterior surface of the sidewall of the outer compartment.
[0017] According to another embodiment of the invention, a self-cooling container as described above has an openable closure means on the surface of the top end of the outer compartment comprising a rupturable tear panel or pull tab which may be ruptured to provide access to the liquid stored within the first cavity whereby (i) the pull tab has a front end and a bottom end and (ii) the back end of the pull tab is placed adjacent to the rupturable tear panel such that when the front end of the pull tab is pulled away from the top end of the outer compartment, the rupturable tear panel ruptures and moves into the first cavity, provide access to the liquid stored within.
[0018] According to another embodiment of the invention, a self-cooling container as described above has an openable closure means consisting of a cap that can be firmly attached to top end of the outer compartment to form a sealed unit comprising: (i) a threaded cap equipped with a female -threaded fitting or other female-threaded means having an exterior surface and an interior surface such that the cap when screwed onto the self-cooling container will create a self-contained unit, (ii) a seal or gasket affixed to the interior surface of the cap that can also cover the opening of the outer compartment to create an isolated first cavity within the outer compartment that can contain any enclosed beverage or liquid without leakage or spillage and without any contamination from the environment even when the liquid is pressurized under those pressures typical of a carbonated beverage, (iii) a top end of the outer compartment equipped with a male-threaded fitting or other male threaded means that can mate with the threaded cap when screwed together to form a tight-fitting seal between the cap, the gasket, the top end of the outer compartment and the first cavity of the outer compartment.
[0019] According to another embodiment of the invention, a self-cooling container as described above has the inner compartment directly and permanently attached to the bottom end of the outer compartment and in direct contact with the liquid contained within the outer compartment and located within the first cavity of the outer compartment. As shown above, the inner compartment is self-contained without any seals or penetrations between the contents of the inner compartment and the contents of the first cavity of the outer compartment so that contamination of a beverage with cooling agent is virtually eliminated. With respect to the inner compartment, the flexible diaphragm is affixed to the bottom of the inner compartment to create a completely self-contained unit that can be activated by the consumer with no contact between the consumer and contents of the inner compartment. As an additional safety feature, the flexible diaphragm and contact interface with the consumer with respect to activating the cooling mechanism is completely separated from the pull tab at the top of the container whereby the consumer accesses the beverage. By these features, the self-cooling container is made safe to use.
[0020] According to another embodiment of the invention, a self-cooling container as described above has the inner compartment in direct contact with the expanded exterior surface of the bottom end of the outer compartment such that the inner compartment is removable without loss of the liquid contained within the first cavity of the outer compartment. The bottom end of the outer compartment is expanded to displace some of the volume of the first cavity that contains the liquid to be cooled such that a fourth cavity is formed that does not contain any liquid and is open to the environment. The fourth cavity conforms to the shape of the inner compartment and is made to hold the inner compartment in place. The inner compartment can be held in place within the self-cooling container by a pressure seal attached to the circumference of the bottom end of the sidewall of the inner compartment or by modifying the bottom end of the sidewall to form a male threaded fitting that can be screwed into a female threaded fitting formed as a modification of the bottom expanded end of the outer container. In this manner a separate cooling device or insert that comprises the cooling mechanism, the static spring mixer, the cooling agent, the separating barrier and the liquid to activate the cooling agent can all be manufactured separately from the container holding the beverage to be cooled, and thus the described cooling device can be inserted into and removed from the beverage container for ease of use and to promote efficiency with respect to the manufacturing of the container and the device and with respect to the recycling and reuse of the containers and the spent cooling materials.
[0021] According to another embodiment of the invention, a self-cooling container as described above is affixed with a balloon containing the liquid that is positioned to occupy all of the interior space of the second cavity such that the balloon forms the membrane or barrier that separates the liquid in the second cavity from the cooling agent in the third cavity.
[0022] According to another embodiment of the invention, a self-cooling container as described above is modified to allow the hollow, porous and rigid puncturing means to be extended through the flexible diaphragm to the open environment to allow a porous conduit between the cavities of the inner compartment and the environment. In this modification, the puncturing means, which in its unmodified state can be visualized as a hollow tube of which one end is sharpened to a point and the other end is blunt and having sidewalls punctured by a series of openings or orifices that allow the passage of liquids, is connected by its blunt end to a removable plug that is fitted into an orifice located in the center of the flexible diaphragm. The plug can be held in place within the flexible diaphragm by a pressure seal attached to the circumference of the bottom end of the plug or by modifying the bottom end of the plug to form a male threaded fitting that can be screwed into a female threaded fitting formed as a modification of the orifice within the flexible diaphragm. The plugs and the fittings serve as a safety device and minimize the risk of contact between the consumer and the contents of the cooling device when the consumer activates the device. The puncturing means is further modified by forming a raised rib extending around the circumference of the sidewall of the hollow tube below the sharpened area or by forming a threaded means in the same area such that the rib or threaded means connects with the groves of the female fitting within the flexible diaphragm when the puncturing means is extended through the orifice of the diaphragm, thus securing the extended puncturing means in place within the flexible diaphragm such that the contents of the inner compartment will flow through the series of openings within the sidewall of the hollow puncturing means in a predictable and controlled manner and not leak out around the orifice.
[0023] According to still another embodiment of the invention, a self-cooling container as described above is first activated to chill the liquid or beverage contained within the outer container and after completion of this functionality, the removable plug affixed to the porous hollow tube of the puncturing means is loosened from the orifice in the flexible diaphragm and the puncturing means extended through the orifice and secured in place in the extended position. The spent liquid coolant which may have residual value can now flow through the openings in the sidewall of the puncturing means without spillage. Where the spent liquid coolant has residual value as a fertilizer, which is commonly the case for the most effective, inexpensive and safe-to-use cooling agents, the container equipped with the extended puncturing means can be inserted into the soil or media containing the plants to be fertilized and the liquid fertilizer can then flow through the openings in a slow and controlled way to provide a controlled release of nutrients in a manner designed to enhance plant growth. In this mode, the self-chilling container promotes the reuse and recycling of the spent cooling agent and facilitates the recycling and enhances the residual value of the container and its contents.
[0024] The self-chilling container disclosed herein thus provides several additional benefits, some of which are detailed below. For example, since self-chilling beverages do not have to be refrigerated to provide a chilled liquid, their use may reduce the cost borne by retailers of beverage containers to store and market the beverage containers at low temperatures. Self-cooling beverage containers may similarly reduce or eliminate the need for vending machines that employ traditional refrigeration methods to store the beverage containers at low temperatures. Notably, as the self-chilling beverage container does not use electricity or refrigerant gas to chill the beverage within the container, the self-chilling beverage container has less adverse impact upon the environment compared to a traditional chilled beverage can. The beverages within self-chilling containers may also be chilled in a significantly shorter amount of time as compared to customary refrigeration methods. When traditional beverage containers are placed in freezers to chill them at a faster rate, the containers often explode upon freezing and expansion of the contents contained within, while a self-chilling container as described herein is not prone to exploding when placed in a freezer or stored in below-freezing temperatures in an unheated warehouse.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION AND DRAWINGS
[0025] The objects of the present invention and the associated advantages thereof will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the following drawings in which:
[0026] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a self-chilling beverage container.
[0027] FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-section through an insulated self-chilling beverage container illustrating the inner compartment coupled to the outer compartment and illustrating: the first cavity containing the beverage; the second cavity containing the liquid activating material; the third cavity containing the cooling agent; the hollow, porous puncturing means; the static spring mixer; the flexible diaphragm; and the closed tear panel.
[0028] FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-section through an insulated self-chilling beverage container illustrating the opening of the access tear panel and illustrating the puncturing means puncturing the rupturable membrane and showing the flow of liquid from the first cavity into the second cavity through the ruptured membrane and through the openings in the puncturing means.
[0029] FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-section through an insulated self-chilling beverage container illustrating the expansion of the static spring mixer and subsequent mixing of the contents of the inner compartment.
[0030] FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-section through the lower half of the inner compartment of the self-chilling beverage container illustrating: the puncturing means; the compressed static spring mixer; the barrier membrane fixed between the second and the third cavities; the un-activated flexible diaphragm; and the closed tear panel.
[0031] FIG. 6 illustrates the compressed static spring mixer held in place by the solvent-activated tape and the expanded static spring mixer.
[0032] FIG. 7 illustrates one embodiment of the cooling mechanism where the puncturing means is permanently affixed to the flexible diaphragm and another embodiment of the cooling mechanism where the puncturing means is affixed to a removable plug inserted into the flexible diaphragm.
[0033] FIG. 8 is a vertical cross-section through an insulated self-chilling beverage container illustrating the outer compartment with the first cavity containing the beverage and an expanded bottom end forming a fourth cavity modified with a female-threaded means in which is inserted the threaded cooling device.
[0034] FIG. 9 is a vertical cross-section through a self-chilling beverage container illustrating the outer compartment with the first cavity containing the beverage and an expanded bottom end forming a fourth cavity modified with a female-threaded means, and an illustration of the cooling device insert having: the second cavity containing the liquid activating material; the third cavity containing the cooling agent; the hollow, porous puncturing means; the static spring mixer; the flexible diaphragm; and the bottom end of the sidewall modified with a male-threaded means.
[0035] FIG. 10 is a vertical cross-section through an insulated self-chilling beverage container illustrating the outer compartment with the first cavity containing the beverage and an expanded bottom end forming a fourth cavity in which is inserted the cooling device equipped with a pressure seal.
[0036] FIG. 11 is a vertical cross-section through an insulated self-chilling beverage container illustrating the outer compartment with the first cavity containing the beverage and an expanded bottom end forming a fourth cavity and an illustration of the cooling device insert having: the second cavity containing the liquid activating material; the third cavity containing the cooling agent; the hollow, porous puncturing means; the static spring mixer; the flexible diaphragm; and the bottom end of the sidewall equipped with a pressure seal.
[0037] FIG. 12 is a vertical cross-section through a self-chilling beverage bottle illustrating the inner compartment coupled to the outer compartment and illustrating: the first cavity containing the beverage; the second cavity containing the liquid activating material; the third cavity containing the cooling agent; the hollow, porous puncturing means; the static spring mixer; the flexible diaphragm; and the tear panel.
[0038] FIG. 13 illustrates the fully extended removable plug containing the puncturing means secured within the flexible diaphragm.
[0039] FIG. 14 illustrates the self-chilling beverage container where the fully extended removable plug containing the puncturing means is inserted into soil surrounding plants such that the spent liquid cooling agent can flow from the device into the soil.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0040] With reference to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a self-cooling container 5 particularly suited for carbonated soft drinks, fruit drinks, beer and other similar beverages. Preferably, the container 5 is a can constructed of conventional materials such as aluminum or other suitable materials, or a bottle constructed of a plastic material such as polycarbonate as illustrated in FIG. 12 . With reference to FIG. 2 , the container 5 has an outer compartment 10 having a top end 11 , a bottom end 12 and at least one sidewall 13 , an optional insulation means 14 , an outer compartment 10 that encloses a first cavity 16 that contains a beverage 17 to be cooled, an openable closure means 18 and an inner compartment 19 that contains the liquid activating agent 20 , the cooling agent 21 , a barrier or rupturable membrane 22 that separates the liquid activating agent 20 from the cooling agent 21 , a puncturing means 23 for rupturing the membrane 22 in order to initiate the cooling process, a compressed static spring mixer 24 , a flexible diaphragm 25 used to apply force to the puncturing means 23 and an openable closure or tear panel 26 that prevents accidental activation of the cooling mechanism. A close view of the lower half of the inner compartment 19 of the self-chilling beverage container 15 illustrating the puncturing means 23 , the compressed static spring mixer 24 , the barrier membrane 22 fixed between the second and the third cavities 30 and 31 , the un-activated flexible diaphragm 25 , and the closed tear panel 26 is shown in FIG. 5 .
[0041] With further reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 , the openable closure means 18 typically consists of a pull tab 6 coupled to the top end 11 of the outer compartment 10 and is generally opened by pulling up on the tab 6 to pivot the tab 6 such that the tab 6 breaks a rupturable tear panel 7 incorporated into the top end 11 of the outer compartment 10 , allowing access to the beverage 17 contained within the first cavity 16 . Typically, the openable closure means 18 is made from the same materials commonly used to manufacture metal cans including steel, aluminum and alloys.
[0042] Alternatively, and in reference to FIG. 12 , the openable closure means 18 may consist of a cap that can be firmly attached to top end 11 of the outer compartment 10 to farm a sealed unit comprising: (i) a threaded cap equipped with a female -threaded fitting or other female-threaded means having an exterior surface and an interior surface such that the cap when screwed onto the self-cooling container 5 will create a self-contained unit, (ii) a seal or gasket affixed to the interior surface of the cap that can also cover the opening of the outer compartment 10 to create an isolated first cavity 16 within the outer compartment 10 that can contain any enclosed beverage 17 or liquid without leakage or spillage and without any contamination from the environment even when the liquid is pressurized under those pressures typical of a carbonated beverage, (iii) a top end 11 of the outer compartment 10 equipped with a male-threaded fitting or other male threaded means that can mate with the threaded cap when screwed together to form a tight-fitting seal between the cap, the gasket, the top end 11 of the outer compartment 10 and the first cavity 16 of the outer compartment 10 .
[0043] With further reference to FIG. 2 , the inner compartment 19 is positioned adjacent to the bottom end 12 of the outer compartment 10 and has at least one sidewall 27 , a top end 28 and a bottom end 29 . The inner compartment 19 also contains a second cavity 30 that contains the liquid activating agent 20 and a third cavity 31 that contains the cooling agent 21 . The liquid activating agent 20 in the second cavity 30 can be any suitable liquid which will react with the cooling agent 21 in the third cavity 31 such that the mixture will absorb heat and will typically be water although other inorganic and organic liquids can be used depending upon the selection of the cooling agent 21 . The cooling agent 21 can be any material which reacts on contact with the liquid activating agent 20 in the second cavity 30 to absorb heat. This chemical reaction or related dissolution process, known as an endothermic reaction or process, comprises the means by which the mixture of cooling agent 21 and liquid 20 cools the beverage 17 held in the first cavity 16 of the outer compartment 10 by heat transfer through the wall of inner compartment 19 from the beverage 17 . To facilitate heat transfer from the beverage 17 , the inner compartment 19 should be constructed of a suitable heat transfer material and is preferably made from materials such as steel, aluminum or other metal alloys.
[0044] A wide variety of endothermic chemical compounds can be used as cooling agents in this invention and such chemicals are disclosed in the prior art. When the liquid activating agent 20 is water, typical cooling agents 21 include urea, potassium fluoride dihydrate, potassium chloride, potassium bromide, potassium iodide, potassium nitrite, potassium nitrate, potassium thiosulfate pentahydrate, potassium cyanide, potassium cyanate, potassium thiocyanide, sodium perchlorite, sodium perchlorate, sodium perchlorite dihydrate, sodium bromide dihydrate, sodium nitrite, sodium nitrate, sodium acetate trihydrate, sodium thiosulfate pentahydrate, sodium cyanide dihydrate, sodium cyanate, ammonium chloride, ammonium bromide, ammonium iodide, ammonium iodate, ammonium nitrite, ammonium nitrate, ammonium cyanide, ammonium thiocyanide, silver nitrate, rubidium nitrate, ammonium phosphate, diammonium phosphate, ammonium polyphosphate, ammonium pyrophosphate and ammonium metaphosphate. The selection of a cooling agent 21 is based upon performance, cost, toxicity, safety and recyclability, and the preferred cooling agent contains a nitrogen compound, a potassium compound and a phosphorus compound and can be reused as a liquid fertilizer when no longer useful as a coolant. To accomplish this goal, various additives such as surfactants and thicken agents including guar and xanthate gums are added to the cooling agent to improve the performance of the spent coolant as a liquid fertilizer.
[0045] With further reference to FIG. 2 , the insulation means 14 may be coupled to the interior and exterior surfaces of the sidewall 13 of the outer compartment 10 to insulate the beverage 17 within the first cavity 16 from heat. The insulation means 14 is typically made out of a non-toxic material such as expanded polystyrene especially when it is applied to the interior surface of the sidewall 13 where the material would come in contact with the beverage 17 .
[0046] The barrier or rupturable membrane 22 shown in FIG. 2 that separates the liquid activating agent 20 from the cooling agent 21 is coupled to the sidewall 27 of the inner compartment 19 and divides an area formed by the sidewall 27 and the top and bottom ends 28 and 29 into a second cavity 30 and third cavity 31 . The second cavity 30 and the third cavity 31 can be of different sizes and the rupturable membrane 22 is made out of material that can be punctured by the puncturing means 23 , including rubber, elastomers, latex, polychlororprene, films, plastics etc. The rupturable membrane 22 is sufficiently durability to keep the contents of the second cavity 30 from coming into contact with the contents of the third cavity 31 during normal handling.
[0047] Alternatively, the rupturable membrane 22 may consist of a balloon containing the liquid 20 that is positioned to occupy all of the interior space of the second cavity 30 such that the balloon forms the membrane or barrier 22 that separates the liquid 20 in the second cavity 30 from the cooling agent 21 in the third cavity 31 .
[0048] The puncturing means 23 shown in FIG. 2 comprises a hollow, porous but rigid cylindrical tube 32 having a top end 33 , a bottom end 34 and at least one sidewall 35 . The top end 33 of the tube 32 is sharpened to a point and the bottom end 34 is blunt. The tube 32 has an internal diameter between 0.125 and 0.5 inches and is of sufficient length to be able to extend at least 0.25 inches into the second cavity 30 from the third cavity 31 after having penetrated the rupturable membrane 22 upon activation. At rest the puncturing means 23 is of sufficient length to extend within around 0.25 inches below the rupturable membrane 22 . The bottom end 34 of the puncturing means 23 is coupled or attached to the interior surface of the flexible diaphragm 25 by a housing 36 such that the housing 36 orients the puncturing means 23 to move vertically upward towards the rupturable membrane 22 without moving significantly side-to-side. The tube 32 is penetrated by a series of openings or orifices 37 through the sidewall 35 of the tube 32 such that any liquid 20 moving through the hollow core of the tube 32 can be distributed in a uniform manner from the hollow core into the third cavity 31 .
[0049] As shown in FIG. 3 , when upward force is applied to the flexible diaphragm 25 attached to the puncturing means 23 , the puncturing means 23 is driven through the membrane 22 which ruptures and allows the passage of some of the liquid 20 from the second cavity 30 directly into the top of the third cavity 31 and also throughout all parts of the third cavity 31 through the core of the hollow tube 32 and out through the openings 37 in the sidewalls 35 of the tube 32 to promote rapid diffusion and ensure complete and thorough contact between the cooling agents 21 in the third cavity 31 and liquid activation agents 20 in the second cavity 30 .
[0050] With respect to the inner compartment 19 , the flexible diaphragm 25 is affixed to the bottom of the inner compartment 19 to create a completely self-contained unit that can be activated by the consumer with no contact between the consumer and contents of the inner compartment 19 . As an additional safety feature, the flexible diaphragm 25 and contact interface with the consumer with respect to activating the cooling mechanism is completely separated from the pull tab 6 at the top of the container 5 whereby the consumer accesses the beverage 17 . By these features, the self-cooling container 5 is made safe to use.
[0051] The compressed static spring mixer 24 illustrated in FIG.2 comprises a compressed spring 38 placed but not permanently attached at the bottom of the third cavity 31 and on top of the interior surface of the flexible diaphragm 25 . The compressed spring is held in its compressed state by a solvent-soluble tape or glue 39 whereby the solvent is typically water, and has sufficient tensile strength to be able to spring open and push through into the second cavity 30 from the third cavity 31 while overcoming any resistance presented by remnants of the ruptured membrane 22 . A close view of the compressed spring 38 secured with the solvent-activated tape 39 and the uncompressed spring 40 is shown in FIG. 6 . The compressed spring 38 is activated into becoming a static mixer when solvent dissolves or loosens the solvent soluble tape 39 that holds the spring 38 in its compressed state. The compressed spring 38 can be made of various materials including steel, aluminum, carbon fiber and plastic such that the material has sufficient tensile strength to be effective as a static mixer when the spring is uncoiled. The water soluble tape or glue 39 is well known to those familiar with the prior art and can be procured from various suppliers such as 3M. Alternatively, if the liquid activating agent 20 is not water, then the tape or glue 39 used to secure the compressed spring 38 must be soluble in the non-aqueous liquid activating agent 20 . There are many examples shown in the technical literature of tapes and glues that are soluble in liquids other than water and can be used for this invention in the event that the liquid activating agent 20 is an alcohol, ketone, acetate or hydrocarbon or the like.
[0052] As shown in FIG. 4 , when liquid loosens or dissolves the tape 39 , the spring 38 uncoils with sufficient force to roil the liquid coolant mixture 20 and 21 and improve the contact between clumps of undissolved cooling agent 21 in the third cavity 31 and isolated pockets of liquid activation agent 20 in the second cavity 30 . The uncoiled spring 40 is now free to move throughout the inner compartment 19 and when the self-chilling container 5 is shaken up and down after activation of the cooling mechanism and cooling process, the uncoiled spring 40 continues to improve mixing within the inner compartment 19 by moving from the top to the bottom of the inner compartment 19 , breaking up any remaining clumps of undissolved material and improving the transfer of heat from the beverage 17 in the first cavity 16 through the sidewall 27 of the inner compartment 19 by creating turbulent mixing forces that promote efficient heat transfer through boundary layers adjacent to the interior and exterior surfaces of the inner compartment 19 .
[0053] Although other mechanical mixing means are described in the prior art, the static spring mixer 24 described herein is a significant improvement over other such devices because it simple, inexpensive, free of complex and unreliable drivers or rubber bands that may deteriorate and break or other such motive forces and can be easily inserted into the third cavity 31 of the inner compartment 19 during manufacture.
[0054] With further reference to FIG. 2 , an openable closure or tear panel 26 is shown that prevents accidental activation of the cooling mechanism. This tear panel 26 can be any material which will prevent access to flexible diaphragm 25 until it is desirable to access the flexible diaphragm 25 and activate the cooling mechanism. The tear panel 26 can be an adhesive foil, a plastic cap or the like which can be pealed back, opened, or otherwise removed by the consumer. The tear panel 26 is shown in the opened position in FIG. 3 .
[0055] FIG. 2 through 5 describe a self-cooling container 5 whereby the flexible diaphragm 25 is sealed off from the environment. In another embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 7 , the flexible diaphragm 25 is modified to allow the puncturing means 23 to be extended through the flexible diaphragm 25 to the open environment to allow a porous conduit between the cavities 30 and 31 of the inner compartment and the environment. In this modification, the puncturing means 23 , which in its unmodified state can be visualized as a hollow tube 32 of which the top end 33 is sharpened to a point and the bottom end 34 is blunt and having sidewalls 35 punctured by a series of openings or orifices 37 that allow the passage of liquids 20 , is connected by its blunt end 34 to a removable plug 41 that is fitted into an orifice 42 located in the center of the flexible diaphragm 25 . The plug 41 can be held in place within the flexible diaphragm 25 by a pressure seal 43 attached to the circumference of the bottom end of the plug 41 or by modifying the bottom end of the plug 41 to form a male threaded fitting 44 that can be screwed into a female-threaded fitting 45 formed as a modification of the orifice 42 within the flexible diaphragm 25 . The plug 41 and the fittings 44 and 45 serve as a safety device and minimize the risk of contact between the consumer and the contents of the cooling device when the consumer activates the device.
[0056] The puncturing means 23 is further modified by forming a raised rib 46 extending around the circumference of the sidewall of the hollow tube 32 below the sharpened area or by forming a threaded means 46 in the same area such that the rib or threaded means 46 connects with the groves of the female fitting 45 within the flexible diaphragm 25 when the puncturing means 23 is extended through the orifice 42 of the diaphragm 25 , thus securing the extended puncturing means 23 in place within the flexible diaphragm 25 such that the contents of the inner compartment 19 will flow through the series of openings 37 within the sidewall 35 of the hollow puncturing means 23 in a predictable and controlled manner and not leak out around the orifice 42 .
[0057] In another embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14 , the removable plug 41 affixed to the porous hollow tube 32 of the puncturing means 23 is loosened from the orifice 41 in the flexible diaphragm 25 and the puncturing means 23 extended through the orifice 41 and secured in place in the extended position. The spent liquid coolant 20 and 21 which may have residual value can now flow through the openings 37 in the sidewall 35 of the puncturing means 23 without spillage. Where the spent liquid coolant 20 and 21 has residual value as a fertilizer, which is commonly the case for the most effective, inexpensive and safe-to-use cooling agents 21 , the container 5 equipped with the extended puncturing means 23 can be inserted into the soil or media 47 containing the plants 48 to be fertilized and the liquid fertilizer 20 and 21 can then flow through the openings 37 in a slow and controlled way to provide a controlled release of nutrients in a manner designed to enhance plant growth. In this mode, the self-chilling container 5 promotes the reuse and recycling of the spent cooling agent 20 and 21 and facilitates the recycling and enhances the residual value of the container 5 and its contents.
[0058] FIGS. 2 through 7 describe a self-cooling container 5 whereby the inner compartment 19 is directly and permanently attached to the bottom end 12 of the outer compartment 10 and in direct contact with the beverage or liquid 17 contained within the outer compartment 10 and located within the first cavity 16 of the outer compartment 10 . In another embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 8 through 11 , a self-cooling container 5 as described above has the inner compartment 19 in direct contact with the expanded exterior surface of the bottom end 12 of the outer compartment 10 such that the inner compartment 19 is removable without loss of the liquid 17 contained within the first cavity 16 of the outer compartment 10 . The bottom end 12 of the outer compartment 10 is expanded to displace some of the volume of the first cavity 16 that contains the liquid 17 to be cooled such that a fourth cavity 15 is formed that does not contain any liquid and is open to the environment. The fourth cavity 15 conforms to the shape of the inner compartment 19 and is made to hold the inner compartment 19 in place. As illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11 , the inner compartment 19 can be held in place within the self-cooling container 10 by a pressure seal 49 attached to the circumference of the bottom end 29 of the sidewall 27 of the inner compartment 19 or as illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9 , by modifying the bottom end 29 of the sidewall 27 to form a male threaded fitting 50 that can be screwed into a female threaded fitting 51 formed as a modification of the bottom expanded end 12 of the outer container 10 . In this manner a separate cooling device or insert 51 that comprises the cooling mechanism, the static spring mixer 24 , the cooling agent 21 , the separating barrier 22 and the liquid 20 to activate the cooling agent 21 can all be manufactured separately from the container 5 holding the beverage 17 to be cooled, and thus the described cooling device 51 can be inserted into and removed from the beverage container 5 for ease of use and to promote efficiency with respect to the manufacturing of the container 5 and the device 51 and with respect to the recycling and reuse of the containers 5 and 51 , and the spent cooling materials 20 and 21 .
[0059] With respect to the above, the operation of the present self-cooling container 5 is safe and simple. A customer first pulls away the tear panel 26 located at the bottom of the container 5 to gain access to the cooling mechanism, applies pressure to the flexible diaphragm 25 with their finger thereby causing the force to be exerted upon the puncturing means and rupturing the rupturable membrane 22 . Once the membrane 22 is ruptured, the liquid 20 from second cavity 30 enters the third cavity 31 and reacts or solubilizes the cooling agent 21 in the third cavity 31 initiating an endothermic reaction that absorbs heat from the beverage and cools the beverage. The liquid 20 from the second cavity 30 also travels to the compressed spring 38 and dissolves the solvent-activated tape 39 and the spring 38 is uncoiled with sufficient force to thoroughly mix the materials in the inner compartment 19 speed up the cooling process. The beverage is consumed through the openable closure means 18 by pulling on the pull tab 6 or unscrewing the bottle cap. After consuming the beverage 17 , the consumer may then recycle the self-chilling container 5 as a unit or as in one embodiment, remove the cooling device 51 from the self-cooling container 5 and recycle the cooling device 51 and the remaining component of the self-cooling container 5 separately. In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the consumer may loosen the plug 41 from the flexible diaphragm 25 from either the self-cooling container 5 or the removable cooling device 51 equipped with a removable plug 41 and extend the hollow and porous tube 32 of the puncturing means 23 to a secure position within the orifice 42 of the flexible diaphragm 25 . The self-cooling container 5 so affixed can then be inserted into the soil or media 47 to provide a controlled release of nutrients in a manner designed to enhance plant growth, thus facilitating the reuse of the spent coolant.
[0060] While the preferred form of the present invention has been shown and described above, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the subject invention is not limited by the Figures and that the scope of the invention includes modifications, variations and equivalents which fall within the scope the attached claims. Moreover, it should be understood that the individual components of the invention include equivalent embodiments without departing from the spirit of this invention. | A self-cooling container having an independent cooling chamber in which are utilized water-activated endothermic cooling agents, a water-activated mixer within the chamber, a simple actuation means for initiating the cooling process, a feature that facilitates the recycling of the spent cooling agents and a method for using the same. | 2 |
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority of German application No. 10 2007 041 912.2 filed Sep. 04, 2007, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention relates to a method for the representation of image data from several image data volumes in at least one common image representation on an image display device connected to a computer, in particular a method for the representation of medical image data, as well as to an associated medical apparatus.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] When recording image data it is often helpful, for example for establishing a diagnosis, as well as in the training of doctors and personnel working in the medical sector, such as technicians who operate image recording modalities, to produce not just one image data volume but several image data volumes. This offers the advantage that information can be used from several or, in the most frequent case, two different volumes. For example, images of cerebral vessels can be captured in a first recording as image data volume A while in a further recording of image data the surrounding tissue or surrounding structures are recorded as a volume B. The image data volume showing the vessels then makes it possible for example to detect narrowing (stenosis) or widening (aneurysm) of the vessels. The surrounding tissue or the surrounding structures of the second volume make it possible to spatially assign information from the first volume data record.
[0004] For an optimal assignment of the information from the two data records to each other it is desirable to have a visualization which shows the data from the two volume data records in a single representation. Using such a representation pathologies could be detected and at the same time a spatial localization could be made. This has prompted attempts to visualize the two volume image data records in a merged representation, for which a certain fixed mixture ratio is set for the data from the two volumes. The problem is, however, that under certain circumstances some details of a first image data volume, which are important for example for making a diagnosis, are concealed by information from the second image data volume, which for example serves the purpose of spatial orientation. This can in certain circumstances lead to considerable deficiencies in the usability or the evaluation of the image data.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The invention therefore derives from the task of providing a method which is better in this respect.
[0006] To solve this task a method for the representation of image data from several image data volumes in at least one common image representation on an image display device connected to a computer, in particular for the representation of medical image data, is provided which distinguishes itself in that in the or at least one image representation image data from at least one image data volume which are being assigned or have been assigned to different areas of the image representation are represented by the computer, at least in part, with reciprocally different opacity.
[0007] In accordance with the invention a fixed mixture ratio is therefore not specified for the representation of the two volumes or several volumes and the representation is effected in such a way that for at least one image data volume the opacity, at least in one partial area of the volume or in only one point, but generally in a larger area, differs from the opacity in the rest of the image area. Also, the opacity in a certain area, for example in the middle of the image, can exhibit a fixed different value than in the rest of the image, or the opacity can be varied in several areas of the image representation. In particular, the opacity can be varied starting from a certain area or a certain point of the image representation, for example by a constant increase or decrease, possibly to a certain limit value or an image area boundary.
[0008] In this connection it is advantageous if the opacity of the second or of the other image data volumes is likewise varied, for example inversed, in adaptation to the change in opacity of the first volume.
[0009] Opacity is used here as a measure of the non-transmission of light. As opacity is the reciprocal of transmission, the transmission or transparency of the image data volume is also changed according to the variation in opacity. This is covered by the method in accordance with the invention, even though a variation in opacity is primarily dealt with below. The method therefore relates to the evaluation of the image data of multi-dimensional image data volumes to be regarded as physical data in such a way that from the image information of the various volume recordings, which for example were made using different recording equipment, a suitable or evaluatable image is obtained by means of the method in accordance with the invention.
[0010] The method thus relates to image data processing with the purpose of integrating the image data from different volumes in a common image representation or a common image. This image is then displayed on a display device, for example a screen, a monitor and the like, but can also initially be merely stored for later use. In particular, the actual representation can take place subsequently to processing in order to determine the varying opacities. In this case an image data record is therefore initially determined which has been expanded to such an extent that the suitable opacity values found have been assigned to the image data. This image data record then permits a subsequent optimized representation of the data with varying opacity in accordance with the invention.
[0011] In accordance with the invention several, in particular two, image data volumes which are registered with each other can be represented. The most frequent example will be the representation of two image data volumes, for example a representation of internal vessels or bone structures and of a surrounding area of tissue or the skin, in order to permit localization or spatial assignment. It is, however, also conceivable for several, for example three or four, image data volumes to be recorded and evaluated and represented in accordance with the invention. To facilitate a problem-free representation and assignment of the image data, it is advantageous for the image data volumes to be registered with each other, as only thus can a correct assignment of the data be ensured.
[0012] In connection with fixing the opacity of an image representation for image data from at least one image data volume, at least one interesting point and/or area can be determined in the image data volume and/or in at least one image representation, in particular automatically by the computer or manually by an operator. When reference is made below for the sake of simplicity to an opacity of or for the image data, the opacity to be used for a desired representation is always, strictly speaking, meant.
[0013] The invention therefore makes it possible to vary the opacity specifically with regard to areas or points in one of several image volumes which are, for example, particularly important for making a diagnosis. This can happen in such a way that the computer, which incidentally can also at the same time be a control unit for an image recording unit, using suitable programs such as image processing programs, which permit edge detection or pattern recognition or a comparison with anatomical databases and the like, identifies a relevant area (“region of interest”) or a relevant point (“point of interest”) in the image data volume, starting from which the opacity or transparency of the image data representation can be varied in such a way that the representation in this area is optimal for subsequent evaluation.
[0014] Furthermore, interesting or also critical areas and regions can be determined manually by an operator, who for example clicks on a point in a representation using a mouse, which point is then represented with a maximum or minimum opacity for example for a volume but under certain circumstances also for several volumes.
[0015] It is also conceivable for this selection of one or several interesting points or areas in the volume or in an image representation to be made fundamentally by the computer, for example by it making a suggestion. An operator can then confirm the selection or change it by making a finer selection.
[0016] Particularly advantageously, image data from at least one image data volume are represented with at least fundamentally increasing or decreasing opacity starting from at least one interesting point and/or area. This means that for example a particularly relevant point is selected e.g. by an operator, at which point a volume is represented with maximum opacity, i.e. is non-translucent, whereby in the representation plane the representation is varied in such a way starting from this point that the opacity gradually decreases as the distance from this point becomes greater. Conversely, a point or an area can be represented with a minimum opacity, starting from which the opacity increases, possibly in all directions or at least marked directions. This increase can be a straight increase, i.e. it can take place unvaryingly or continuously, or it can be an increase or decrease which fundamentally takes place in such a way that the opacity remains unchanged (plateaus are formed) in small areas, although the distance to the interesting point changes, or that the opacity in a certain area changes in a different direction from the direction mainly envisaged, e.g. decreases instead of increases. These subtleties can be specified by the computer or by an operator in order to further optimize the representation.
[0017] The opacity can be fixed for image data from at least one image data volume by specifying at least one opacity profile, in particular by specifying at least one opacity profile referred to a distance from an interesting point or an interesting area.
[0018] Such a profile sets how the opacity and, correspondingly, the transparency or transmission should behave for example in the area of the image plane or also multi-dimensionally in the representation. Accordingly, curved profiles or profiles as two-dimensional or higher-dimensional representations can be specified which set the associated opacity value for a certain point in the image plane or in the volume. In particular, a profile can be formed in such a way that the opacity value is set as a function of the distance from an interesting point or from an interesting area with a maximum or minimum opacity or merely with an opacity fixed in a certain way. The curve shapes or profile shapes are variable as desired and can be changed by a user, if appropriate on the basis of certain specifications of suitable or recommendable profiles made by the computer or a computer program equipped for this purpose with a data collection of corresponding profile shapes.
[0019] The opacity of at least one or of the image representation can be fixed for image data from at least one image data volume by specifying at least one opacity profile providing for a change in opacity up to a certain distance from at least one interesting point or area and/or an opacity profile increasing or decreasing continuously or in stages at least fundamentally and/or at least to a certain value.
[0020] The opacity can therefore be changed in such a way that an interesting point is determined, starting from which the opacity continuously increases until a maximum value is reached. Alternatively, starting from such a point the opacity can continuously decrease until at a certain distance from the point a desired minimum opacity is reached. In principle it is also conceivable for the opacity not to continuously increase or decrease but e.g. to be varied in stages, although the case of a continuous increase or decrease as a rule will be most suitable for obtaining informative image representations.
[0021] The maximum value of the opacity does not necessarily have to be 100%. Likewise, the minimum value does not have to be 0%. The key factor when fixing the values is merely how the best-possible presentation or evaluation of data can be achieved for several image data volumes. It can, however, be appropriate, for example for an image data volume showing vessels, to specify an opacity of 100% in a particularly relevant area which then away from the relevant area, for example from the middle of the image, gradually decreases to 0%, so that for example the image data from a volume showing the surrounding skin structure can be seen clearly around the edge, which facilitates localization and spatial orientation.
[0022] At least one opacity profile for image data from at least one image data volume or for a corresponding image representation can be determined as a function of at least one opacity profile from at least one further image data volume, in particular by inversion on a vertical axis of a characteristic describing an opacity profile and/or, at least fundamentally, by reversing the course of the opacity profile of at least one further image data volume. As already described, the first and further opacity profile can be determined by the computer or control unit and/or by an operator.
[0023] In particular a characteristic of a profile of a further image data record can be created as standard by inverting the characteristic for the first image data record on a vertical line. If the characteristic is structured in such a way that the opacity is changed up to a certain maximum distance from an interesting point, it is recommendable to make the inversion on a vertical line halfway along this distance. From this the characteristic of the further data record or, as the case may be, for several further image data volumes can be ascertained. Such an approach to determining opacity profiles or transparency profiles on the basis of fixed specifications is, however, merely to be understood as an example. In general the opacity profile for a certain image data volume of already determined opacity profiles or characteristics can be selected independently and as desired for the image data volume or the several other image data volumes.
[0024] Particularly advantageously at least one opacity profile can be a two- or higher-dimensional opacity profile, in particular a, with regard to a representation plane, depth-dependent higher-dimensional opacity profile. Opacity profiles can, therefore, be used which not only consist of a characteristic for a certain distance from an interesting point or area in a representation plane or screen plane but which in further dimensions also provide for a change in opacity. Thus, depth information of an image data record can, for example, be used for orientation, whereby then at the same time by suitable variation of the opacity a concealment of information from a different volume can be prevented. In such opacity profiles with more than three dimensions or corresponding transparency profiles the associated transparency and opacity values in one image data volume are therefore not necessarily the same in each parallel section (referred to the screen plane), but can be varied as desired.
[0025] In particular, as at least one opacity profile a two-dimensional opacity profile with a circular or elliptical or polygonal two-dimensional surface in each case having the same opacity values or a three-dimensional opacity profile with, in each case with regard to the same opacity values, a conical shape or cylindrical shape or cuboid shape or parallelepiped shape or polyhedral shape or a body with, at least in part, bent surfaces can be used.
[0026] The opacity profiles can thus for example be shaped two-dimensionally in such a way that in each case two circles with a same center derive on which the opacity or the transparency has the same value. In the same way other two-dimensional opacity profiles with for example elliptical shapes having the same opacity or transparency values can be provided, in which case the selection of the suitable shape depends, among other things, on the structure to be represented.
[0027] In addition, it is possible to specify opacity profiles three-dimensionally. In this case the areas having the same opacity can lie on a cone, a cylinder (this would e.g. correspond to a two-dimensional circular profile in the screen plane, from which the same path is followed in the depth in each case) or a cuboid and the like. It is, of course, not absolutely necessary to have such a regular geometrical shape and any three-dimensional shapes and profiles desired can be specified, in the individual case even so that each point is assigned an opacity value in the volume data record without a certain body being specified as the basic shape. As a rule, however, the use of certain basic shapes is recommendable because in this case associated opacity paths can be realized in the image representation with relatively little computational effort and, furthermore, such a representation matches what a viewer is used to seeing.
[0028] At least one opacity profile can be determined by the computer, in particular automatically or with assistance from an operator, or freely by an operator. An opacity profile can therefore be specified completely automatically by the computer. If necessary, following such a specification a change or confirmation by an operator is possible. Furthermore, it is conceivable for the opacity profiles to be specified completely freely by an operator, for example using a corresponding operating tool the operator can insert or draw a desired geometrical shape for an opacity profile in an initial merged representation of the two image data volumes with a constant mixture ratio.
[0029] In principle the opacity profiles and transparency profiles can be determined or adjusted as desired to achieve the best representation possible. For effective realization it is, however, expedient to specify certain particularly suitable profiles which can then be varied by a user.
[0030] In accordance with the invention at least one image data volume can be represented with image data to be assigned to bones and/or vessels of an image recording area and/or at least one image data volume with image data which in relation to the image data from a first and/or further image data volume are to be assigned to surrounding structures, in particular skin structures and/or tissue structures. As a rule, at least one image data volume will show internal (concealed or not externally visible) vessels or structures and a further image data volume recorded with a different resolution range or by a different modality will show surrounding structures which can serve the purpose of spatial orientation, for example the skin or surrounding tissue and the like. Bone structures (not recognizable externally) can, of course, also represent surrounding tissue, for example with regard to vessels or a tumor.
[0031] In addition, at least two image data volumes recorded with different contrasts can be represented, in particular at least one image data volume recorded with a high contrast and at least one image data volume recorded with a low contrast for the purpose of spatial orientation and/or localization. The high-contrast recording is preferably a recording which can be evaluated for making a diagnosis or for assessing treatments and the like. For example, the high-contrast recording can show pathological areas in the body. The additionally provided low-contrast recording or the recording exhibiting an at least slightly lower contrast then for example shows surrounding structures which simplify spatial orientation and for which a lower contrast suffices. The representation of high-contrast data for relevant structures or vessels together with low-contrast data which for example show externally visible structures such as the skin makes it possible for example to plan more precisely and conduct surgical interventions and incisions.
[0032] Under the method in accordance with the invention image data from at least one, in particular several, three- or more than three-dimensional image data volumes can be represented. In particular it is also conceivable for image data volumes to be represented which were recorded over a certain time and which thus exhibit a time component, for which an opacity profile that changes over the course of time can also be applied.
[0033] Furthermore, under the method several image data volumes can be recorded using at least one medical apparatus for recording images. A medical apparatus is therefore used which is configured for recording image data, possibly with different methods and modalities, in order to record image data which subsequently as part of evaluation can be represented in an optimized form with varying transparency or opacity. Here it may be expedient to use an integrated medical apparatus which is configured for recording images with several methods.
[0034] In addition, several recorded image data volumes can be aligned against each other, in particular using at least one merged representation, by the computer or by an operator. This enables an operator, in particular in a representation which already shows both or all recorded image data volumes, to rotate them as desired, to zoom into them, to pan etc., in order to align them suitably, so that an optimal evaluation or further use of the image data is possible. For example a technician or scientist controlling the preparation of the image recordings can perform an alignment in such a way that subsequently the use of the image recordings which have been reworked with regard to the opacity values is optimally possible for a doctor, e.g. in order to make a diagnosis.
[0035] A work procedure in accordance with the invention can therefore be such that initially two at least three-dimensional data records are recorded which, if this has not already been carried out by the recording modality, are registered with each other. Furthermore, a merged representation of the two image data volumes or data records is optionally possible. This can be followed by an alignment of the data records as described above. An interesting point or area can then be marked in the representation or generally, whereby an interesting point can be represented in a subsequent visualization with maximum opacity (with maximum transparency of the other data record).
[0036] The interesting point can be the image center point or also a point which was determined by a computer or the operator on the basis of the shown structures or the image content. Then a suitable transparency or opacity profile is selected for the two data records, automatically or by an operator. Next the two data records can be represented taking these transparency or opacity profiles into account. The profiles can e.g. have the same or constant values in each depth (parallel to the screen plane), or depth-dependent profiles can be specified. If now a further change in the representation is made, for example a rotation, the superimposed representation is recalculated according to the transparency or opacity profiles applied. Expediently, the profiles always relate to the screen plane, not to the data records as such.
[0037] In addition, the invention relates to a medical apparatus configured for the representation of image data from several image data volumes, in particular recorded using the medical apparatus, in at least one common image representation on an image display device connected to a computer of the medical apparatus, in particular in accordance with a method as described above, whereby the computer is configured for the representation, in the or at least one image representation, of image data from at least one image data volume which are to be assigned or have been assigned to different areas of the image representation with, at least in part, reciprocally different opacity.
[0038] The medical apparatus is thus for example an apparatus with which image data, possibly obtained by different image recording methods, for example computer tomography data or magnetic resonance data or also camera recordings (e.g. of the skin surface), can be prepared which can then be represented together as physical-technical data, for which purpose the medical apparatus incorporates a computer to which these image data are sent and which then, using suitable programs, produces a representation in which the data from the two or several image data volumes are represented together in such a way that at least the opacity of one of the two or several volumes is not uniform over the entire representation area but exhibits different values. Image data are therefore represented which belong to different points or point areas of the representation, at least in part, with varying or different opacity (and correspondingly different transparency).
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0039] Further advantages, features and details of the invention are reflected in the following exemplary embodiments and in the drawings which are as follows:
[0040] FIG. 1 shows a representation for the performance of a method in accordance with the invention,
[0041] FIG. 2 shows an image representation obtained using a method in accordance with the invention,
[0042] FIG. 3 , 4 and 5 show characteristics of possible opacity profiles,
[0043] FIG. 6 shows a representation relating to an opacity profile unchanged over the depth of the image data volume, and
[0044] FIG. 7 shows an example of a three-dimensional opacity profile.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0045] FIG. 1 shows a representation for the performance of a method in accordance with the invention, whereby, as presented in box a, initially a high-contrast recording of an artery leading to the brain is made. As presented in box b, a second volume data record is also recorded with a low contrast which shows surrounding structures, in this case bone structures in the area of the skull or the spinal column.
[0046] As indicated by the arrows leading to box c, from these two image data records or image data volumes a merged image representation is produced which shows the two image data volumes with a constant mixture ratio. Such a representation is not absolutely necessary for the method in accordance with the invention, but can be produced for example to enable an operator to rotate the image data records suitably in order to obtain a desired view or to facilitate subsequent evaluation, or to change them in some other way with regard to the alignment or view. A disadvantage of the merged representation as in box c is that for example a localization of the pathology in the area of the artery as in box a is rendered more difficult by the fact that certain areas of the artery path, i.e. certain details of the image data volume as in box a, are concealed by bone structures of the image data record as in box b. This is particularly the case in the area of the shadow of the jaw bone, which is highlighted as a partial area here by circle d. In this area the artery path is concealed to a large extent by the jaw bone.
[0047] To prevent this, a representation in accordance with the invention is produced as in box e, in which the data record of box b, which shows the bone structures in the surrounding area, exhibits a high transparency in the area of the circle d, while at the same time in this area of the circle d the data record of box a, which is assignable to the arteries, is particularly opaque, so that this detail stands out clearly in the representation. The opacity can, as is here the case, exhibit a fixed (compared with the rest of the image representation higher) value in the entire area d marked by the circle. Also in a further circular area around the area d the opacity still exhibits a high value at increased transparency of the bone representation. It is, however, also conceivable for the opacity within the area of the circle d or into further areas of the image to be varied more or less steadily, for example by a corresponding continuous increase in the opacity of the volume as in box a and a corresponding decrease in the opacity of the volume as in box b.
[0048] The representation and evaluation method in accordance with the invention for the physical image data offers the advantage that several, in this case two, data records can be optimally superimposed in the representation, so that if any pathologies exist they are visible as image data of an image data record without being affected by outside influences. The orientation information which in FIG. 1 derives from the image data record as in box b can nevertheless continue to be optimally deployed or inserted.
[0049] For selection of a (particularly) interesting area, e.g. the area as in circle d, the area can simply be highlighted using the mouse. The associated transparency or opacity profile as well as its maximum radius (and maximum distance to an interesting point or area) can then be set by the operator using a corresponding program on a computer. This for example permits a visualization and representation for training purposes, including to show trainee doctors structures, vessels and the like inside the body together with externally visible or surrounding structures.
[0050] FIG. 2 shows an image representation 1 obtained using a method in accordance with the invention. This image representation 1 shows two different image data volumes, namely one image data volume with image information relating to the bones and vessels in the hand of a patient, and another image data volume which shows the skin as an externally visible structure. The image data volume with the information relating to the bones and the vessels exhibits a maximum opacity in a middle area 2 which decreases towards the edge of the image concentrically in a circular fashion (the areas having in each case the same opacity are therefore circles with the same center). The volume showing the skin shows a correspondingly inverted behavior, so that here the transparency in the middle of the image is the maximum and it decreases towards the edge of the image, likewise in a circular fashion. With this type of representation pathologies to be found in the image data of the volume showing the bones and vessels can be viewed unfiltered in the area in focus, e.g. the middle of the image, i.e. (at least fundamentally) without superimposing image data from the second volume. At the same time the image data from the second volume, which in this case shows the skin, make it possible to achieve optimal orientation.
[0051] FIG. 3 , 4 and 5 show characteristics of possible opacity profiles. In each case on the x-axis 3 the distance from an interesting point is inserted as fixed by an operator, while on the y-axis 4 the opacity is represented in %.
[0052] The characteristic 5 of FIG. 3 shows the case where the opacity at an interesting point amounts to 0% and then starting from this point it rises continuously in the shape of curve 5 to an opacity value of 100%, which is to be assigned to a maximum distance or radius from the interesting point in accordance with value 6 on the x-axis 3 . The behavior is distance-dependent and the characteristic or curve 5 is to be understood in such a way that the distance from the interesting point relating to the screen plane is viewed. The depth is not taken into account. Even at greater distances than the maximum distance the opacity value remains at 100%.
[0053] It is likewise feasible for the opacity to follow the characteristic 7 in FIG. 4 , therefore once again to rise from an opacity value of 0% to an opacity value of 100% at a maximum distance 8 , but now on a linear path. In the areas which exhibit a greater distance than the maximum distance 8 to the interesting point the opacity is then likewise set at 100%. This does not necessarily have to be the case, however, because in particular the opacity can decrease again if there is another interesting area in the image. For many image representations half the image width can be a suitable value for the maximum distance 8 . It is, however, just as conceivable to select any other values desired for the maximum distance, for example with regard to how big the proportion of the image data is which are referred in the volume to one pathology.
[0054] A further opacity profile is specified by the characteristic 9 in FIG. 5 , according to which the opacity once again increases from a value of 0% initially very steeply and then more flatly and which finally in the area of a maximum distance 10 again rises steeply to the opacity value of 100%. This characteristic 9 therefore has the effect that the opacity even in an area of the image which is very close to the interesting point exhibits a value which is recognizably different from 0. This can be desirable for example when the orientation, even in the area of one pathology, needs to be safely guaranteed. In the areas of the image which exhibit a greater distance than the maximum distance 10 from the interesting point, the opacity is at a constant 100%.
[0055] It is, of course, just as conceivable for the opacity to exhibit such a path that the maximum value is not assumed until an image edge in (at least) one direction has been reached. Likewise, other curves or characteristics than the continuously rising curves or characteristics 5 , 7 or 9 , can be used, in particular also characteristics which exhibit plateaus or which change the direction of the path and/or change themselves in stages.
[0056] Expediently, the opacity behavior of the in each case other image data record or of also several other image data records will at least fundamentally be the other way round. To this end, the curves or characteristics 5 , 7 , 9 can be inverted on a vertical axis halfway along the maximum distance 6 , 8 and 10 in order to obtain the opacity profile of a second data record. This will then exhibit 100% opacity in the interesting area, therefore will stand in the forefront here, and at the maximum distance an opacity of 0%, i.e. will recede here completely behind the representation of the data of the other data record.
[0057] FIG. 6 shows a representation for an opacity profile which is unchanged over the depth of the image data volume. The sectional views 11 , 12 and 13 in each case show opacity paths at different depths of an image data volume, i.e. at different depths referred to a screen plane. The opacity profile applied here exhibits a circular basic shape, i.e. areas of the same opacity in each case lie on a circular line. The opacity profile in accordance with the sectional views 11 , 12 , 13 is referred in depth to the screen plane and therefore is shaped in the same way in all planes which are parallel to the current screen plane.
[0058] By contrast, FIG. 7 shows an example of a three-dimensional opacity profile 14 , which is represented here in a surrounding image volume 15 . A three-dimensional surface of the opacity profile 14 is shown here to which in each case the same opacity values are assigned. The opacity profile 14 is shaped as a three-dimensional cone whose base lies in a screen plane 16 of the representation and whose tip 17 projects into the image plane.
[0059] The application of such a three-dimensional opacity profile 14 or of a comparable three-dimensional opacity profile makes it possible to use lower-lying information of an image data volume which primarily serves the purpose of orientation or localization, without there being any risk that the other image data volume or the several other image data volumes will be concealed with regard to the relevant image data information in these other volumes. Accordingly, the multi-dimensional, i.e. three- or higher-dimensional transparency or opacity profile can, depending on the content of the image data, exhibit extremely different suitable or optimized shapes. | Method for the representation of image data from several image data volumes in at least one common image representation on an image display unit connected to a computer, in particular for the representation of medical image data, whereby in the or at least one image representation image data from at least one data volume which are to be assigned or have been assigned to different areas of the image representation are represented by the computer, at least in part, with reciprocally different opacity. | 6 |
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application No. 61/201,450 filed on Dec. 10, 2008.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This application concerns manually operated garlic presses which are used to crush garlic cloves to obtain finely divided fresh garlic for use in cooking.
[0003] Such presses have long been in use and typically are of a “nutcracker” design, wherein a pair of handles are hinged at one end and connected to a pressure plate located between the handles and forced down into a pressure chamber, also located between the handles. The pressure chamber is defined by a perforated bottom plate and surrounding side walls. The pressure plate is advanced down into the pressure chamber by squeezing the handles together which crushes the garlic inserted beneath the pressure plate and forces it through the bottom plate holes.
[0004] In conventional designs, significant effort is required to squeeze the handles with sufficient force so as to push the garlic through the bottom plate holes. If the pressure applied is insufficient some of the crushed garlic may not be forced through the holes and remains on the bottom plate and is then cleaned out with the garlic clove skin and wasted.
[0005] The pressure chamber being completely enclosed by the surrounding walls and located between the two operating handles is not easily accessed to load garlic cloves therein, and the recessed perforated bottom plate is also difficult to keep clean.
[0006] In U.S. Ser. No. 10/592,300 published as U.S. 2007/0175342A1, a hand-operated double lever garlic press is described, intended to reduce the effort required, but further reductions in effort using that design are desirable, and it would be advantageous to provide a more easily accessed pressure chamber in such a garlic press.
[0007] It is an object of the present invention to reduce the effort required to operate a hand operated garlic press so as to completely crush garlic cloves, as well as to make loading garlic cloves into the press pressure chamber easier than that of conventional garlic presses.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The above object and other objects of the present invention which will be understood upon a reading of the following specification and claims are achieved by a handle operated garlic press having a pressure chamber which is open on front side which allows easier insertion of items to be crushed, and also allows a perforated bottom plate in the pressure chamber to be pivoted out and exposed for easier cleaning.
[0009] Access to the pressure chamber is also made easier by not being located between the handles, but instead by a geometry in which the handles do not extend across the pressure chamber as in many of the conventional garlic presses.
[0010] Rather, the pressure chamber is located forward of the handles and the pressure plate is moved against the bottom plate by an intermediate lever system extending from the handle rather than directly by the handles located over the pressure chamber.
[0011] Improved leverage is achieved by the handles being pivoted together at one end and located well behind the pressure chamber, and a pair of crossed levers which carry out the compression of the item are pivoted to each other at an intermediate point along their lengths, and each cross lever is also pivoted at one end to a respective handle at a point closer to the handle pivot ends than to the free end of the handles to create a mechanical advantage in being operated to crush an item in the pressure chamber.
[0012] The other end of one of the cross levers has the pressure chamber fixed thereto while the other end of the other cross lever has a plunger bar mounted to the pressure plate and pivoted thereto allowing the attached pressure plate to be swung back from a perforated bottom plate defining in part the pressure chamber. The pressure plate is guided downwardly in the pressure chamber by guide slots in the side walls of the pressure chamber receiving projections on the pressure plate instead of being guided by a front wall of the pressure chamber. This allows the pressure chamber to be open at the front allowing easy access thereto to insert garlic cloves beneath a retracted pressure plate to be crushed upon squeezing together the handles.
[0013] The bottom plate is pivoted along a front side to be able to be swung out once the pressure plate is swung up and back out of the way, for providing complete access to the bottom plate convenient cleaning thereof.
[0014] The pivotally connected handles provide a first stage lever system in carrying out a compressing stroke of the pressure plate by the shorter distance from their pivoted ends to the point of connection to the cross levers than from the pivoted ends to the handle free ends.
[0015] A second stage lever system having a mechanical advantage is provided by the shorter distance from the location of the pivot of the cross levers to the pivot connection of pressure plate plunger bar than the distance from the cross pivot to the pivot connection of each of cross the levers to a respective handle.
[0016] This creates a greater overall mechanical advantage in advancing the pressure plate by squeezing the handles than prior presses, and thus requires only a modest effort by the user to generate a powerful crushing force which can force all of the clove meat through the bottom plate openings.
[0017] The assembly of the crossed levers and pivoted together handles is compact by slots and recesses receiving the levers when the handles are closed together.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] FIG. 1 is an enlarged pictorial view from the front of a manually operated garlic press according to the present invention, with operating handles squeezed together and a pressure plate fully advanced against the bottom plate of a pressure chamber.
[0019] FIG. 2 is a pictorial view from the front of the garlic press shown in FIG. 1 with the handles fully opened and the pressure plate retracted in preparation for a press operation.
[0020] FIG. 3 is a pictorial view of the garlic press as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 with the pressure plate pivoted back to allow swinging out the perforated bottom plate defining a pressure chamber.
[0021] FIG. 4 is a pictorial view from the front of the garlic press shown in FIGS. 1-3 with the perforated bottom plate flipped out for cleaning.
[0022] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the components of the garlic press shown in FIGS. 1-4 .
[0023] FIG. 6 is a side view from of the garlic press shown in FIGS. 1-4 with the handles opened and the pressure plate in its pivoted back position, with dimension lines indicating the component lengths creating the mechanical advantage obtained by the cross lever pivot locations.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0024] In the following detailed description, certain specific terminology will be employed for the sake of clarity and a particular embodiment described in accordance with the requirements of 35 USC 112, but it is to be understood that the same is not intended to be limiting and should not be so construed inasmuch as the invention is capable of taking many forms and variations within the scope of the appended claims.
[0025] Referring to the drawings and particularly FIGS. 1 and 2 , a garlic press 10 according to the present invention is shown which includes a pair of generally elongate handles 12 A, 12 B, which may be constructed of cast aluminum, steel, stainless steel or plastic or other material and provided with soft elastomeric pads 14 .
[0026] The handles 12 A, 12 B have interfit portions at one end which are pivotally connected to each other by a pivot pin 15 . Upper handle 12 B is formed with a clevis opening 16 and handle 12 A with a reduced thickness end 18 fit therein with sufficient clearances provided to allow the handles 12 A, 12 B to be spread apart as shown in FIG. 2 .
[0027] The pivotally connected together handles 12 A, 12 B define a first lever system which operates a second lever system defined by a pair of crossed levers 20 , 22 which also may be constructed of stainless steel, cast aluminum, plastic, ect., pivotally connected together at a location intermediate their ends with a pivot pin 24 .
[0028] Cross lever 22 passes through a slot 23 extending through the middle of cross lever 20 which is long enough to permit pivoting movement of cross lever 22 therein.
[0029] One of the cross levers 20 has a U-shaped space 26 between two separated curved end portions 27 at one end which together with a perforated bottom plate 50 define two sides and a bottom of a scoop shaped pressure chamber 28 .
[0030] Cross lever 20 is formed with a narrower blade portion 21 at its other end which is received in the clevis opening 16 of the upper handle 12 B and is pivotally mounted therein to the handle 12 B with a pin 30 .
[0031] The other cross lever 22 is shaped as a very shallow letter S and has one end 32 received in a recess 34 in the handle 12 A so as to be swingable therein about a pivot defined by a pin 36 .
[0032] The other end 38 of the other cross lever 22 is rounded and of a reduced thickness with a hole 39 formed therein, which is received between gudgeons 41 integrally formed at an upper end of a plunger bar 40 which is integrally fixed to a pressure plate 42 at the other end. A pin 43 established a rotatable connection between cross lever end 38 and gudgeons 41 . This allows the pressure plate 42 to be swung up out of the way as seen in FIGS. 3 and 4 or swung down to ready the garlic press 10 for operation as seen in FIG. 2 .
[0033] When swung down, projections 46 on opposite sides of the pressure plate 42 enter guide slots 48 on the inner surface of each sides 27 with a rounded entry insuring that the projections 46 will enter the slots 48 when the lever ends are moved together. The interaction between the guide projections 46 and slots 48 controls the pivoting of the pressure plate 42 so as to be constrained to descend and be pivoted to eventually assume an orientation parallel to perforated bottom plate 50 of the pressure chamber 28 as the cross lever 22 end 38 is swung down by the user squeezing together the handles 12 A and 12 B.
[0034] The bottom plate 50 is preferably constructed of stainless steel and has an array of through elongated holes 51 and slots 52 formed therein. The use of slots 52 instead of all round holes maximizes the effective open area of the bottom plate 50 , and is preferred over the use of holes only to create the openings.
[0035] The bottom plate 50 is rounded at one end to mate with the rounded shape of the inner end of the pressure chamber 28 and is pivotally mounted at its other end with a pin 54 received through a hole in an end bar 53 and in a hole 57 in both of the pressure chamber side walls 27 .
[0036] The bottom plate 50 has a stepped perimeter edge 54 which rests on a shoulder 55 extending around the bottom of the U-shaped opening 26 to be positively secured in position closing off the bottom of the cavity 26 in an operative position shown in FIG. 5 .
[0037] A stop 59 (FIGS. 2 , 5 ) can be formed on each side to hold the bottom plate 50 in a flipped out horizontal position shown in FIG. 4 for ease in cleaning. In addition, the pressure plate 42 when lowered as seen in FIG. 1 will lock the bottom plate 50 in its flipped out position to make scrubbing easier.
[0038] The bottom plate 50 can also be sized to have a slight press fit to the pressure chamber walls in the operative position so as to be releasably held in position by frictional contact.
[0039] Since the pressure plate 42 is not guided by the constraint of a front wall of the pressure chamber 28 but by the interaction of guide projections 46 and slots 48 , this allows the front of the chamber 28 , to be open as shown, allowing free access thereto for placing cloves of garlic in the pressure chamber 28 from the front. The pressure plate 42 is tilted up at its front side as seen in FIG. 2 , at the beginning of a stroke so that garlic cloves or other items to be crushed can be conveniently inserted in the space below the pressure plate 42 .
[0040] As noted above, the bottom plate 50 can be swung up and out through the open front end of the chamber 28 for cleaning as seen in FIG. 4 .
[0041] Referring to FIG. 6 , the mechanical advantage exerted by the handles 12 A, 12 B approximates the ratio of the shorter distances X 1 , from pivot 15 to pivot 36 , and the longer distances X 2 from pivot pin 15 to approximately the end of the handles 12 A, 12 B. The distances X 2 would vary somewhat depending on where the user's hand was located but would normally be longer than the distance X 1 .
[0042] This leverage is then exerted on the second lever system via pins 36 , which develops a mechanical advantage equal to the shorter distance Y 1 , from the pivot pin 24 to the pivot 38 divided into the longer distance Y 2 from the pivot 24 to the pivot 36 .
[0043] Thus, a compounded mechanical advantage is obtained by this combination of two lever systems.
[0044] A pair of spring loaded detent balls or pins 60 can be provided on opposite sides of the end 18 of handles 12 A to limit opening of the handles 12 A, 12 B to that position shown in FIGS. 2 and 6 to locate the handles 12 A, 12 B in the desired position to be ready for a squeeze stroke.
[0045] As can also be seen in FIG. 6 , the recess 23 angles forwardly to accommodate the pivoting movement of cross lever 22 . The underside of the cross lever 20 is scalloped at 19 to accommodate the end 18 of the lower handle 12 A as the handles 12 A, 12 B are squeezed together.
[0046] Accordingly, relatively great pressure can be developed without the need for an excessive exertion by the user such that a maximum amount of the meat of the garlic clove or cloves is forced though the holes 51 and slots 52 .
[0047] The open front of the chamber 28 facilitates loading, while the swing out bottom plate 50 allows convenient access for cleaning.
[0048] The interfitting of the cross levers 20 , 22 and handles 12 A, 12 B within the various slots and recesses described creates a compact assembly in the closed position. | A hand operated garlic press includes a pair of crossed levers operated by pivoted together handles combined with the cross levers to easily create a strong crushing pressure in a pressure chamber into which garlic cloves are placed through an open front end of the chamber. | 0 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a voltage regulator for a charging generator. More particularly, the present invention relates to a voltage regulator for a charging generator which is mounted to an automobile and suppresses a high voltage generated when disconnection of the output wires of the generator occurs.
A voltage regulator for a charging generator regulates the output voltage of the generator for charging a battery and holds the battery voltage connected to the generator at a predetermined level. The voltage regulator compares the battery voltage with a reference voltage and regulates the voltage. In this case, if disconnection of connecting wires connecting the generator to the battery occurs, the power is not fed to the battery and hence, the battery voltage drops. Accordingly, the output voltage of the generator rises so as to raise the battery voltage. When the voltage of the generator becomes a high voltage, the load connected directly to the output of the generator undergoes breakage or is burnt out. To solve this problem, the regulator is constructed so that when the output voltage of the generator exceeds a predetermined voltage, the operation of the generator is stopped. This construction is known in the art from Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 157942/1980, for example. In the case where a heavy load is connected to the battery, the output voltage of the generator will rise if this heavy load is drastically released. Accordingly, the voltage which stops the generation of the generator must be set to a voltage higher than the voltage which rises when the load is released, since otherwise the operation of the generator will be stopped undesirably whenever the heavy load is released. However, if the voltage for stopping the generator operation is set to a high level, an undesirably high voltage will be impressed upon the load in a case where the connecting series between the generator and the battery become broken.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is therefore directed to provide a voltage regulator for a charging generator which is devoid of the problems described above. In other words, the present invention is directed to provide a voltage regulator for a charging generator which accurately detects the disconnection of connecting wires connecting the rectified output from the generator to the battery and does not apply any damage to the load.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a voltage regulator for a charging generator which can accomplish the object described above with a simple circuit construction.
The voltage regulator for a charging generator in accordance with the present invention is based upon the technical concept that when the connecting wires connecting the rectified output from the generator to the battery are disconnected or broken, the output voltage of the generator is different from the battery voltage but there is no remarkable difference between the output voltage and the battery voltage when the heavy load is released. Thus, the voltage regulator of the invention detects abnormality by comparing the rectified output voltage with the battery voltage.
This comparsion can be easily accomplished by detecting the voltage difference or a voltage ratio.
It is necessary to raise an alarm using a simple device when the abnormality is detected. In the present invention, a circuit construction is employed in which the operation of the generator is stopped at the time of trouble and a current flows from the battery through a charge lamp so that the charge lamp is lit to raise the alarm.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a voltage regulator for a charging generator in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of the internal circuit of the voltage regulator shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a waveform chart showing the voltage (V L ) at the L terminal;
FIG. 4 is a waveform chart showing the voltage (V S ) at the S terminal;
FIG. 5 is a waveform chart showing the difference voltage (V L -V S ) between the voltage at the L terminal and that at the S terminal;
FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram showing the internal circuit of a holding circuit of FIG. 2;
FIG. 7 is a circuit diagram of the voltage regulator in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 8 is a waveform chart showing the voltage ratio of the voltage at the L terminal to the voltage at the S terminal.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of the voltage regulator for a charging generator in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The charging generator consists of Y-connected armature windings 1 and a field winding 2. The a.c. output of the armature windings 1 is converted to a d.c. output by three-phase full-wave rectifiers 3, 4 and an auxiliary rectifier 5. The voltage regulator 6 controls the current flowing through the field winding 2 and regulates the output voltage of the generator. Power is also supplied from a battery 9 to the field winding 2 through a key switch 8 and a charge lamp 7. This circuit supplies the power to the field winding 2 until the output of the generator reaches a predetermined value. The power which is converted to d.c. by the three-phase full-wave rectifiers 3, 4 is applied to the battery 9. A load 10 is connected to the battery 9 via a switch 11. On the other hand, another load 12 such as an auto-choke, heater or the like is connected to a connecting wire that connects the charge lamp 7 to the cathode of the auxiliary rectifier 5.
FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing the internal circuit of the voltage regulator 6 shown in FIG. 1. A Darlington-connection power transistor 13 is connected to the F terminal which is in turn connected to the field coil 2. A flywheel diode 14 is also connected to the F terminal. The other end of this diode is connected to the L terminal so that when the power transistor 13 is turned off, it circulates the current flowing through the field winding 2 and prevents the occurrence of a high voltage in the field winding 2. A resistor 15 is interposed between the L terminal and the base of the power transistor 13 and applies a base current to the power transistor 13. An AND circuit 16 is connected to the base of the power transistor 13. One of the input terminals of the AND circuit 16 is connected to a comparator 18 with the other being connected to another comparator 19 via a holding circuit 17. A constant voltage diode 20 is disposed between I and E terminals via a resistor 21. A series circuit of resistors 22 and 23 and a series circuit of resistors 24 and 25 are connected in parallel with one another to the constant voltage diode 20 so as to divide the voltage that is generated by the constant voltage diode 20. A series circuit of resistors 26 and 27 is connected between S and E terminals to divide the voltage at the S terminal. A series circuit of resistors 28 and 29 is also disposed between the L and E terminals to divide the voltage at the L terminal. The voltage at the S terminal and the divided voltage of the set voltage are applied to the comparator 18. The divided voltage formed by the resistors 22, 23 is applied to one of the input terminals of the comparator 19 and the output voltage of a differential amplifier 30 is applied to the other. The differential amplifier 30 includes an operational amplifier 31 and resistors 32 through 35. The divided voltage at the S terminal is applied to one of the terminals of the differential amplifier 30 and the divided voltage at the L terminal, to the other.
The circuit having the construction described above operates in the following manner. When the key switch 8 is actuated, an initial exciting current flows from the battery through the charge lamp 7, the field winding 2 and the power transistor 13. Under this state, the constant voltage diode 20 inside the voltage regulator 6 supplies a predetermined voltage and the voltage at the S terminal, which is connected to the positive terminal of the battery 9, is below the set voltage V s (ordinarily about 14.7 V) that is given by the resistors 22 through 25. Accordingly, the comparator 18 is at the high level.
Since the voltages at the L and S terminals as the input of the differential amplifier 30 are substantially the same, the output of the differential amplifier 30 is at the low level. For this reason, the output of the comparator 19 is at the high level. When the comparator output is at the high level, the holding circuit 17 transmits the high level as such to the AND circuit 16, so that the output of the AND circuit 16 is at the high level and the power transistor 13 becomes conductive.
Next, when the generator starts generation, the voltage of the battery 9 rises and the current to the field winding 2 is supplied from the armature windings 1 through the auxiliary rectifier 5. Accordingly, the current does not flow from the battery 9 to the field winding 2 any longer and the charge lamp is turned off. When the voltage of the battery 9 exceeds the set voltage V s , the output of the comparator 18 drops to the low level and the output of the AND circuit 16 drops also to the low level. Hence, the power transistor 13 becomes non-conductive.
The field current attenuates through the flywheel diode 14 and reduces the output voltage of the generator. When the output voltage of the generator drops and the voltage of the battery 9 also drops, the voltage at the S terminal drops and the output of the comparator 18 rises to the high level. The output voltage of the AND circuit 16 rises then to the high level and the power transistor 13 becomes conductive, thereby raising the voltage of the generator. The operations described above are repeated and the battery voltage is controlled to a predetermined voltage, that is, to the set voltage V s .
Next, the protective operation when the connectihg wires between the generator and the battery 9 are disconnected or broken will be explained.
When the point B of the wire in FIG. 1 is broken, for example, the battery 9 is not charged so that the voltage at the S terminal is low, the output of the comparator 18 is always at the high level, the power transistor 13 remains conductive, the output voltage of the generator becomes higher, the current flowing through the field winding 2 increases and the output voltage becomes all the more higher, thus establishing the non-control state. However, since the voltage difference between the voltage at the L terminal as the output terminal of the generator and the voltage at the S terminal as the voltage of the battery 9 is detected by the differential amplifier 30, the output voltage of the differential amplifier 30 becomes greater. When it exceeds the predetermined voltage, the output of the comparator 19 drops to the low level. The holding circuit 17 holds this low level until it is reset. Accordingly, the output of the AND circuit 16 changes to the low level, whereupon the power transistor 13 is turned off and the supply of the current to the field winding 2 is stopped. The current of the field winding 2 then attenuates. Accordingly, the generator stops power generation and prevents the output voltage from reaching a high voltage. Since the operation of the generator is stopped, on the other hand, the current flows from the battery 9 through the charge lamp 7 and the load 12 and the charge lamp 7 is lit to raise the alarm.
The advantages brought forth by the construction described above will be explained with reference to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the relation between the voltage V L at the cathode of the auxiliary diode 5, that is, the voltage at the L terminal, and the time (t). Curve 3A represents the voltage change when the load 10 shown in FIG. 1 is a heavy load and the switch 11 is abruptly opened. The voltage V L at the L terminal instantaneously rises from the reference voltage V ss to the maximum voltage V L1 because the field current can not change abruptly due to the flywheel diode 14.
Curve 3B represents the voltage waveform when breakage of the wire takes place. It has been a customary practice to detect the voltage V L at the L terminal so that when the voltage V L exceeds a predetermined voltage V L0 , the operation of the generator is stopped. If the predetermined voltage V L0 is below the maximum voltage V L1 described above, however, the generator operation will be also stopped when the heavy load is stopped. Accordingly, the predetermined voltage V L0 must be higher than the maximum voltage V L1 . In this case, the voltage V L at the L terminal is higher than the maximum voltage V L1 .
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the change of the voltage V S at the S terminal connected to the positive terminal of the battery 9 with respect to time. In the diagram, curve 4A represents the waveform when the load is changed over from ON to OFF and curve 4B does the waveform when the connecting wire B connecting the output of the generator to the battery 9 is broken. FIG. 5 shows the relation between the voltage difference (V L -V S ) of the voltage V L at the L terminal and the voltage V S at the S terminal and the time. The waveform 5A when the load is released is remarkably smaller than the waveform 5B when the connecting wire B is broken. Since the present invention detects the voltage difference between the voltage V L at the L terminal and the voltage V S at the S terminal as the abnormal voltage, it can accurately detect abnormality.
FIG. 6 illustrates one example of the holding circuit showing in FIG. 1. In the drawing, two NAND gates 41 and 42 constitute a flip-flop. The input terminal 43 is connected to the input of one (42) of the NAND gates and the output of the NAND gate 41 is connected to the output terminal 44. A resistor 46 and a capacitor 47 are interposed between the power terminal 45 and the ground and the junction between the resistor and capacitor is connected to the NAND gate 41. The power terminal 45 is connected to the I terminal shown in FIG. 2. When the voltage at the power terminal 45 is at the low level, the output of the NAND gate 41 is at the high level and the output terminal is at the high level, too. After the key switch 8 is made, the time delay circuit consisting of the resistor 46 and the capacitor 47 resets the output terminal 44 to the high level. Next, when the input terminal 43 drops to the low level, the flip-flop inverts and the output terminal 44 drops to the low level. This state is kept when the input terminal 43 rises to the high level until the key switch 8 is turned off and the voltage at the power terminal 45 drops to the low level. Accordingly, the operation as the holding circuit 17 shown in FIG. 2 is satisfied.
FIG. 7 illustrates the voltage regulator in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. In the drawing, like reference numerals are used to identify like constituents as in FIG. 2. The foregoing embodiment detects whether or not the voltage difference between the voltage at the L terminal and the voltage at the S terminal exceeds the predetermined value, whereas this embodiment detects the ratio of the voltage at the L terminal to the voltage at the S terminal. In the drawing, the divided voltages of V S and V L at the S and L terminals are applied respectively to a comparator 50.
In the construction described above, the voltage regulating operation under the steady state is accomplished in the same way as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 and hence, the explanation is omitted.
The case where the connecting wire between the generator and the battery 9 shown in FIG. 1 is broken will be explained with reference to FIG. 8. The voltages V L and V S at the L and S terminals are the same as those shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, respectively, when the switch 11 of the load 10 is abruptly changed from ON to OFF at the time t 1 , and remains substantially at 1; hence, no great change occurs. When the connecting wire B is broken, on the other hand, a great change occurs as represented by curve 8B.
The divided voltage of the voltage V L at the L terminal by the resistors 28, 29 and the divided voltage of V s at the S terminal by the resistors 26, 27 are applied to the comparator 50 shown in FIG. 7, so that the comparator 50 detects the ratio V L /V S of the voltage V L at the L terminal to the voltage V S at the S terminal and the output voltage of the comparator 50 drops to the low level under the following condition; ##EQU1## where R 26 , R 27 , R 28 , R 29 represent the resistance
values of the resistors 26 through 29, respectively. When the comparator 50 reaches the low level, the low level is transmitted to the AND circuit 16 through the holding circuit 17 and the power transistor 13 is cut off. This state continues until the holding circuit 17 is reset. Accordingly, the generator stops the power generating operation and it becomes possible to prevent the output voltage from rising to the high voltage.
According to this embodiment, the circuit construction can be more simplified than the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 and disconnection of the connecting wires can be reliably detected, even at the initial state, in the same way as the foregoing embodiment. Hence, it becomes possible to prevent the high voltage from being impressed upon the load and the voltage regulator.
In the embodiments described above, the current flows from the battery to the load 12 through the charge lamp and lights the charge lamp when the generator stops the power generating operation. However, it is also possible to employ a circuit construction in which a new circuit becomes conductive from the battery through the charge lamp when the voltage at the L terminal becomes the high voltage in order to raise the alarm of abnormality. | A voltage regulator for a charging generator is disclosed which comprises an a.c. generator having armature windings and a field winding, and a battery which receives the rectified output of the a.c. generator and is charged by the same. The voltage regulator regulates the output voltage of the a.c. generator by controlling the current flowing through the field winding. To prevent the output voltage of the a.c. generator from becoming a high voltage when a connecting wire connecting the rectified output of the a.c. generator to the battery is broken, the regulator also includes an abnormality detection means which compares the rectified output of the a.c. generator with the battery voltage and detects the abnormality when both voltages are different by more than a predetermined value. This arrangement makes it possible to detect the abnormality at the point of time where the output voltage of the a.c. generator is not yet very high. | 8 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is claims priority to European Patent Application No. 07023329.1 filed Dec. 3, 2007, entitled LAPAROSCOPIC APPARATUS, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to a laparoscopic apparatus. In particular, the invention finds utility as a training apparatus for laparoscopic surgery techniques.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Laparoscopic surgery is a modern surgical technique performed through small incisions, which involves the visualisation of body cavities using telescopes with attached camera systems. Trocars or cannulae are inserted through the incisions to facilitate the smooth passage of telescopes and slender long instruments into these cavities. A fundamental feature of laparoscopic surgery is the use of a laparoscope: a telescopic rod lens system that is usually connected to a visual acquisition device, such as a camera. Most typically, a fibre optic cable system connected to a ‘cold’ light source such as halogen or xenon is used to illuminate the operative field. The internal appearances of the body cavities are visualised on visual display monitors. The monitor image is 2-dimensional, and the movement of the instruments is seen in parallax. These combined features mean that surgeons training in this field of surgery not only have to learn individual surgical procedures, they must also become comfortable working in a 3-dimensional environment which has been translated to a 2-dimensional output.
[0004] The restricted vision, the difficulty in handling of the instruments, the acquisition of new hand-eye coordination skills, the lack of tactile perception and the limited working area are factors which add to the technical complexity of this surgical approach. For these reasons, minimally invasive surgery has emerged as a highly competitive new sub-specialty within various fields of surgery. Surgical residents, who wish to focus on this area of surgery, gain additional training during one or two years of fellowship after completing their basic surgical residency. Accordingly, the use of a simulator allows the trainee surgeon not only to learn the skills that when eventually combined, become a procedure, but they can also experience the unique appreciation of 2-dimensional visualisation of the 3-dimensional surgical field.
[0005] A simulator replicating the laparoscopic environment as experienced in an operating theatre, is superior to other inanimate simulators. Any learned procedure is a combination of several different skills, in other words all procedures can be broken down into individual component skills. These skills include the ability to correctly orientate a camera, manipulate objects in 3 dimensions, cut tissue, and suture (stitch). The simulator facilitates the trainee in attaining proficiency at these tasks prior to actually entering the operating room environment.
[0006] Once a surgical trainee or surgeon acquires a skills set, they can then move on to performing a variety of surgical procedures. It is estimated that individual skills have to be repeated up to 30 times before a surgeon is considered proficient. This also applies to entire procedures. A simulator can also help simulate an entire procedure, where the skills are combined on a suitable model, again without endangering a patient. For example a laparoscopic cholecystectomy (removal of a gall bladder), the most common laparoscopic procedure performed, is a combination of grasping, dissection, clipping and cutting. All these skills can be simulated and indeed the procedure itself can then be performed on a simple model.
[0007] It is an object of the present invention to provide a laparoscopic apparatus for the training of medical professionals, particularly those engaged in the field of laparoscopic surgery. In particular, it is envisaged that the present invention will provide a realistic surgical experience by mimicking the sensation of carrying out surgical techniques on a patient.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a laparoscopic apparatus comprising a housing; a joint in operative association with the housing and adapted to substantially accommodate a laparoscopic tool, in use, through the joint, the joint permitting movement of the laparoscopic tool, in use; and resistance means in operative association with the joint, adapted to provide resistance to movement of the laparoscopic tool, in use.
[0009] Preferably, the housing comprises a base and a lid.
[0010] Preferably, the lid is generally curved in form, to substantially mimic the form of a human torso.
[0011] Preferably, the laparoscopic tool is a visual acquisition device.
[0012] Preferably, the joint further comprises a substantially hollow generally cylindrical tube, which is open at both ends.
[0013] Preferably, the joint permits concurrent movement of the laparoscopic tool (for example, the visual acquisition device) in all three axes. Further preferably, the joint is a rotatable joint.
[0014] Preferably, the joint is adapted to simulate the resistive forces experienced during laparoscopic surgical techniques.
[0015] Preferably, the joint comprises a ball-and-socket joint. The joint may comprise a ball rotatably enagagable within a socket
[0016] Preferably, the joint comprises a ball, and a socket within which the ball is at least partially housed; the ball being rotatably engagable within the socket, and the socket being adapted to provide resistance to movement of the ball.
[0017] Preferably, the socket is generally annular in form, and shaped and dimensioned to accommodate the ball therein.
[0018] Preferably, the ball is generally conoid. Although, it will be seen that the ball can be any form that permits triaxial rotation within the socket.
[0019] Preferably, the socket comprises a first section and a second section, spaced apart, shaped and dimensioned to house the ball therebetween. Optionally, the socket comprises a first section, and a second section spaced apart by a distance from the first section; the socket being shaped and dimensioned to house the ball therebetween.
[0020] Preferably, the first section can be removably mounted to the housing of the laparoscopic apparatus. Preferably, the first section is mounted by a plurality of clips.
[0021] Preferably, the first and second sections are biased towards one another by the resistance means. Alternatively, the first and second sections are biased away from one another by the resistance means. The resistance means may comprise at least one resiliently deformable resilient member. Preferably, the at least one resilient member extends between the first and second sections of the socket. Optionally, the resilient member is in operable association with one or both of the first and second sections of the socket. Further optionally, at least one of a respective terminal end of the resilient member is attached to one or both of the first and second sections.
[0022] Preferably, the resilient member is elastic.
[0023] Optionally, the resilient member comprises a spring. The spring may be, for example, a torsion spring, such as a coil spring or helical spring; or a flat spring, such as a leaf spring. The spring may be a compression spring or a tension spring. The coil or helical spring may be a compression coil or a tension coil.
[0024] Preferably, the distance between the first and second sections of the socket is defined by the spring in operable association with one or both of the first and second sections.
[0025] Preferably, the spring extends between the first and second sections.
[0026] Preferably, the resistance is adjustable by altering the pressure applied to the ball by the socket.
[0027] Preferably, the resistance is adjustable, by altering the distance between the first and second sections of the socket.
[0028] Optionally, the resistance means further comprises means to adjust the distance between the first and second sections of the socket. The adjusting means can be in operable association with one or both of the first and second sections.
[0029] Preferably, the adjusting means further comprises at least one actuator, which facilitates the adjustment of the relative distance between the first and second sections.
[0030] Preferably, the at least one actuator is a screw fixing.
[0031] Preferably, the spring is loaded by a screw fixing.
[0032] Optionally, a buffer is provided between the first and second sections of the socket. Further optionally, a buffer is provided between the ball and at least one of the first and second sections. Preferably, the buffer is formed from a deformable material, such as rubber.
[0033] Optionally, the housing of the laparoscopic apparatus further comprises one or more apertures through each of which a laparoscopic tool can pass, in use; the aperture being overlaid by a membrane to at least partially resist the laparoscopic tool, when the laparoscopic tool is applied thereto. It will be appreciated that when there are several apertures, the respective laparoscopic tools can be the same or different.
[0034] Preferably, the membrane comprises a synthetic skin. Further preferably, the membrane comprises a pad.
[0035] Preferably, the pad is adapted to simulate the resistive forces experienced during laparoscopic surgical techniques.
[0036] Preferably, the pad comprises an outer membrane, and a core. Preferably, the outer membrane at least partially surrounds the surface of the core.
[0037] Preferably, the outer membrane is formed from at least one synthetic material selected from the group including, but not limited to: synthetic latex, natural latex, a silicone elastomer, and a hydrocarbon solvent.
[0038] Preferably, the synthetic material is inert.
[0039] Preferably, the hydrocarbon solvent is a medium evaporating hydrocarbon solvent.
[0040] Preferably, the core comprises at least one silicone elastomer.
[0041] Preferably, the silicone elastomer is a pourable room temperature vulcanising silicone rubber. Further preferably, it holds a Shore A Hardness of about 14.
[0042] Optionally, the core further comprises a liquid silicone elastomer.
[0043] Preferably, the pad is flexible. Optionally, it is extensible.
[0044] Optionally, the housing defines an internal chamber having a platform. Preferably, the position of the platform relative to the opening is adjustable.
[0045] Optionally, the laparoscopic apparatus further comprises a moveable platform. Preferably, the movable platform is located within the base of the laparoscopic apparatus.
[0046] Preferably, the platform comprises a first side and second side, the position of at least one of the first side and the second being adjustable relative to the opening.
[0047] Further preferably, the position of each side of the platform can be altered independently of any other side.
[0048] Optionally, a drawer is provided in the laparoscopic apparatus to accommodate instruments or any similar implements.
[0049] For the purposes of this specification, what is meant by the term “laparoscopic tool” is any instrument that may be used during the course of a laparoscopic operation, and is intended to include, but is not limited to cannulae, telescopes, and trocars.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0050] An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0051] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a laparoscopic apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
[0052] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a base section of the laparoscopic apparatus of FIG. 1 ;
[0053] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view along the line A-B of FIG. 2 ;
[0054] FIG. 4 is a plan view of a lid section of the laparoscopic apparatus of FIG. 1 ;
[0055] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a rotatable joint of the lid section of FIG. 4 ;
[0056] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional side view of the rotatable joint of FIG. 4 in use;
[0057] FIG. 7A is a cross-sectional view of an incision aperture of the lid of FIG. 4 ; and
[0058] FIG. 7B is an exploded perspective view of an incision aperture of FIG. 7B .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0059] Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, there is shown a laparoscopic apparatus 10 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The laparoscopic apparatus 10 comprises a base section 12 , and a lid section 14 .
[0060] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the base section 12 of the laparoscopic apparatus 10 . The base section 12 comprises a hollow substantially parallelepiped-shaped body 16 , with an open, in use, uppermost face. A generally planar platform 18 is located within the body 16 , and is of similar size to a, in use, bottom face of the body 16 . A generally obround-shaped elongate aperture 20 is provided on at least one face of the body. Each elongate aperture 20 is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the body 16 . A hinge projection 22 is provided, which is cooperably attached to at least one side of the platform 18 . The hinge projection 22 facilitates relative rotational motion between the platform 18 and the hinge projection 22 . A screw threaded fixing bolt 26 is provided, which locates through the elongate aperture 20 , and engages with the hinge projection 22 (See FIG. 3 ). An annular washer 24 is provided, which locates between the face of the body 16 and the fixing bolt 26 , and engages with a numerical scale rule 25 to facilitate accurate quantitative placement of the hinge projection 22 relative to the elongate aperture 20 . Adjusting the position of the fixing bolt 26 relative to the elongate aperture 20 can thereby temporarily alter the relative height of the side of the platform 18 . A generally planar elliptical-shaped mount 28 is provided on each of two respective opposing sides of the body 16 , and each is substantially parallel to and continuous with the respective sides of the body 16 .
[0061] FIG. 4 is a plan view of the lid section 14 of the laparoscopic apparatus 10 . The lid section 14 is generally rectangular in shape, and curved in form, FIG. 1 . A number of apertures 34 are provided through the lid section 14 . A joint 32 is provided through which, a laparoscopic tool 42 , FIG. 6 , can be mounted.
[0062] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the joint 32 , which comprises a socket 35 and a ball 39 . The socket 35 comprises an annular second section 36 , which is inter-engaging with an annular first section 36 ′. The ball 39 comprises a generally hemi-spherical outer member 40 ′ and a generally hemi-spherical inner member 40 . A generally hollow cylindrical tube 41 , is provided through each of the hemi-spherical members 40 , 40 ′, and, in use, is substantially coaxial with the socket 35 . When in use, the socket 35 inter-engages with the ball 39 , facilitating rotation of the ball 39 through multiple planes relative to the socket 35 .
[0063] In use, the first annular section 36 ′ is spaced a distance apart from the second annular section 36 , and the ball 39 is housed therebetween. The distance between the first annular section 36 ′ and the second annular section 36 is defined by resistance means in the form of four springs 38 . The springs 38 extend between each of the first annular section 36 ′ and the second annular section 36 . In an embodiment of the invention, the spring 38 is a compression spring, whereby the first annular section 36 ′ and the second annular section 36 are biased away from each other. In an alternative embodiment, the spring 38 is a tension spring, whereby the first annular section 36 ′ and the second annular section 36 are biased toward each other. In either case, the respective terminal ends of the spring 38 can be attached to one or both of the first annular section 36 ′ and the second annular section 36 .
[0064] It is, however, envisaged that the socket 35 may be formed from a resilient material, which can be adapted to apply varying pressure to the ball 39 . In such an embodiment, the socket 35 is the resistance means.
[0065] Four screws 38 ′ are provided, in use, to adjust the pressure applied to the ball 39 by the socket 35 , and in the preferred embodiment illustrated, by adjusting the distance between the first annular section 36 ′ and the second annular section 36 . Each screw 38 ′ extends between the first annular section 36 ′ and the second annular section 36 , and is in operable association with either of the sections 36 , 36 ′. The first annular section 36 ′ is provided with a complementary screw thread (not shown), with which each of the screws 38 ′ can reversible engage, in use. Rotation of the screw 38 ′ in a first direction will advance the screw 38 ′ toward the first annular section 36 ′, thereby decreasing the distance between the first annular section 36 ′ and the second annular section 36 . Rotation of the screw 38 ′ in a second, opposing direction will retract the screw 38 ′ toward the first annular section 36 ′, thereby increasing the distance between the first annular section 36 ′ and the second annular section 36 .
[0066] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional side view of the joint 32 , in use, with a laparoscopic tool 42 mounted thereto. The first section 36 ′ of the socket 35 is attached to the lid section 14 , FIG. 4 , by a set of clips 37 . The second section 36 of the socket 35 is attached to the first section 36 ′ by four spring biased screws 38 , 38 ′, surrounding the hemi-spherical members 40 , 40 ′ of the ball 39 . The ball 39 is positioned between the first section 36 ′ and the second section 36 of the socket 35 . The spring biased screws 38 , 38 ′ allow the level of friction to be adjusted between the first section 36 ′ and the second section 36 of the socket 35 , resultantly adjusting the friction between the socket 35 and the ball 39 . The laparoscopic tool 42 is a telescope comprising a camera 44 , which is mounted within the telescope body. An optical connection 46 transmits visual graphics from the camera 44 to a visual display unit (not shown).
[0067] FIG. 7A is a cross-sectional view of an aperture 34 of the lid section 14 of the laparoscopic apparatus 10 . The aperture 34 comprises an annular housing 52 and a pad 50 . The pad 50 is generally cylindrical in shape. The annular housing 52 is generally annular in form and is shaped and dimensioned to accommodate the pad 50 , within the inner edge of the annular housing 52 . The annular housing 52 locates in a recessed opening 48 in the housing 30 of the lid section 14 of the laparoscopic apparatus 10 . Preferably, the pad 50 is formed from a material that is deformable under a first given pressure, but is severable under a second higher given pressure, so as to provide a realistic response representative of skin, when an instrument is applied with force against the pad 50 .
[0068] The present invention finds utility in the training of medical professionals, such as trainee surgeons. In particular, the present invention finds utility as an affordable and portable platform that effectively demonstrates or trains laparoscopic skills and techniques by providing a realistic physical experience with real-time interaction outside of the operating room. The present invention allows a trainee surgeon to master the skills required to compensate for the narrow field of view, limitation of work space, and the lack of depth sensation associated with this field of surgery. The shape and dimension of the apparatus offers a realistic semblance to the human torso; and the integrated adaptable joint allows for a variety of laparoscopic instruments, including canullae, trocars and telescopes, to be used in a realistic fashion to augment both basic and advanced laparoscopic experiences, and ultimately to develop the coordination, technique, and precision of the trainee surgeon. The incision pads also lend to the realistic experience by mimicking the response of human skin to the application of a surgical instrument. Use of the invention in cooperative association with a visual display system also affords the user the opportunity to become acquainted with visualising a 3-dimensional operative field as a 2-dimensional output, and the imposition associated therewith. Moreover, the simple and lightweight design makes the apparatus easy to assemble and transport. Taken together, the present invention provides a realistic surgical experience, by simulating the response of an actual human torso, without endangering patients or animal models.
[0069] It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to what has been particularly shown and described herein above. In addition, unless mention was made above to the contrary, it should be noted that all of the accompanying drawings are not to scale. A variety of modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, which is limited only by the following claims. | The present invention relates to a laparoscopic apparatus. In particular, it relates to an apparatus for the training of medical professionals, particularly those engaged in the field of laparoscopic surgery. The apparatus comprises a housing; an opening in the housing through which a laparoscopic tool can pass; retaining means in operative association with the opening and adapted to guide the laparoscopic tool through the opening, the retaining means providing resistance to movement of the laparoscopic tool. Accordingly, the present invention provides a realistic surgical experience by mimicking the sensation of carrying out surgical techniques on a patient. | 0 |
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application claims the benefit of, and priority to, U.S. Provisional Serial No. 60/398,994 filed Jul. 27, 2002, by Mark Littell entitled “Male Genital Protection Device,” the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
FIELD OF INVENTION
[0002] The present invention generally relates to an apparatus for protecting the male genitalia while providing a more comfortable and secure fitting. In particular, the genital protection device comprises conformed areas for securing the testicles and/or scrotum, the penis, and/or a flange positioned about the male crotch for stabilizing the device to prevent movement.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Protective cups have been used for years by a variety of athletes, workers security personnel and the like. Traditionally, baseball players, hockey players, football players, and rugby players used protective cups to protect their male genitals from injury resulting from sporting contact or external impact. Recently, protective cups have become important in other sports such as mountain biking, motocross, snow skiing, waterskiing and the like. In describing traditional protective cups, it is important to understand the general physiology of the male anatomy as relating to a groin impact.
[0004] Because the testicles hang in a sac (i.e., scrotum) outside the body, they are not protected by bones and muscles like the rest of the reproductive system. The location of the testicles makes it easier for them to be injured or hit, a painful sensation most males have experienced. Generally, because the testicles are loosely attached to the body and are made of a spongy material, they are able to absorb the shock of impact Without permanent damage. It is common, nonetheless, for males to experience testicular trauma, which is when the testicles are struck, hit, kicked, or crushed. Most testicular injuries of this sort occur during sports and can be very painful.
[0005] Another common type of testicular problem that occurs suddenly is called testicular torsion, and, although it is known to occur in males of all ages, it is particularly frequent in males between the ages of 12 and 18. It should be appreciated that within the scrotum, the testicles are secured at either end. Sometimes, a testicle can become twisted, cutting off the blood vessels that supply blood to the testicle. Testicular torsion occurs as the result of trauma to the testicles or as a result of strenuous activity. In the United States, testicular torsion occurs in one out of 4,000 males younger than 25. A more rare type of testicular trauma is called testicular rupture. This condition may occur when the testicle receives a direct blow or when the testicle is crushed by some object. The testicle is compressed against the pubic bone, crushing the testicle against the bone and the object, causing blood to leak into the scrotum.
[0006] The first type of protective cups developed, and still available, are the flat-profiled cups, which are not contoured and often do not have the necessary volume to provide any real protection. Traditional protective cup and similar devices include, for example, those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,283,684; 3,314,422; 3,782,375; 4,453,541; 4,590,931; 5,479,942; 5,807, 299; and 6,319,219, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. The more recent of the traditional cups are profiled and generally differ in two respects: the shape of the bottom end and the volume. For example, the traditional cups manufactured by Bike® and the Original Banana cups are pointed and relatively narrow; and the cups sold by Bauere®, Protex® and SafeTGard®) are rounded at the bottom end and are relatively wide. These traditional devices have been primarily designed to absorb or divert the force of an impact from the genital region to the pelvic bone. In this regard, these devices have been relatively successfully in preventing testicular trauma as a result of a direct impact. However, the traditional cup design just described allows for a great deal of movement and jarring between testicles in the scrotum and the cup, between one testicle and the other, and between the testicles and the penis. Indeed, in some instances, depending on the particular male physiology, the traditional cup confines the testicles and penis in an open environment so as to increase the jarring activity, e.g., one testicle banging against the other. This jarring is enhanced during the performance of sporting or other physical activity—when a protective cup is most likely to be worn. During the course of fast moving sporting activity, the testicles shift within the cup and often shift place as the athlete moves quickly from one position to another. This confinement of the testicles in the open space of the traditional protective cup is believed to either increase the likelihood of testicle torsion or, at minimum, to not help prevent testicular torsion.
[0007] As those experienced in athletics can attest, the banging of one testicle against the other, or against the penis, or against the wall of a protective cup, results in a very discomforting, if not painful experience. As previously noted, this also may contribute to testicular torsion or even testicular rupture. The continuous jarring of the testicles causes minor discomfort at a minimum and has been known to cause at least temporary injury to the groin region.
[0008] The association of pain and discomfort with the wearing of the traditional protective cup has residual effects as well. For example, many do not wear a protective cup because of this discomfort associated therewith. These people are therefore much more susceptible to injury. Therefore, there is a currently unmet need in the protective device industry for a protective cup that not only provides protection from impact, but is more comfortable, easier to wear, and minimizes likelihood of testicular torsion.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] This invention relates to a genital protection device that better conforms to the male genital anatomy to provide better comfort while maintaining a protective environment for the male genitals, thus overcoming the problems existing in the current state of the art of athletic cups. In particular, a preferred embodiment of this device includes a first and second portion, wherein the first portion has an elongated concave inner surface area extending from approximately the center of the device upward and the second portion has oval-shaped inner surface area. The first portion positions the penis in an upward direction and generally apart from the scrotum. The second portion conforms to the scrotum and preferably has two generally concave inner surface areas for separating and securing each of the two testicles. It is an objective of the present invention to minimize jarring of the testicles to aide in comfort for the user of the device. It is a further objective of this invention to provide reduce the likelihood of testicular trauma by providing a device that better conforms to the male genitals, thereby separating genitalia and minimizing possibility of testicular torsion and/or rupture.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0010] The present invention is directed to a male genital protection device that is not a protective “cup” in the traditional sense because it is not necessarily a cup-shaped device. Rather, this device overcomes the problems of the traditional protective “cup” by generally conforming to and isolating the testicles and/or penis to prevent significant movement, thereby reducing the likelihood of, inter alia, (i) discomfort, (ii) testicular trauma, (iii) testicular torsion, and/or (iv) testicular rupture.
[0011] As such, a male genital protection device is described that is generally conformed to the male genitalia (i.e., male organs) to enhance comfort and increase protection. An exemplary embodiment of this device is depicted in FIGS. 1 - 5 . As shown FIGS. 1 - 5 , in an exemplary embodiment, a genital protection device 2 is formed with a first portion 6 configured to hold the penis in-place to prevent significant movement during exercise, sports or other activity. In addition, the genital protection device 2 may be formed with a second portion 8 , which substantially secures the scrotum in place where each testicle may be generally separated, via conforming areas 8 A and 8 B, to further minimize jarring and other impact associated with wearing said device 2 . The first portion 6 is preferably formed as a narrow, elongated concave inner-surface area that corresponds to the shape of the male penis. And, unlike prior art devices, when worn the first portion 6 of device 2 positions the penis pointed upward and generally against the body so as to held in a in a very natural position during physical activity. The second portion 8 preferably is separately contoured for each testicle, e.g., areas 8 A and 8 B. 8 A and 8 B are preferably configured horizontally and substantially next to each other, so each testicle is positioned horizontally during normal wear and activity. Of course, the device may be formed in various sizes and shapes to account for various ages and physiques.
[0012] In yet another embodiment or as an extension of the previously described embodiment, the device 2 may be configured with a flange 10 to reduce or minimize movement of the device 2 against the body and/or to provide a further separation from the body to absorb the shock of an impact. Flange 10 is positioned such that when device 2 is worn under normal conditions, the flange 10 helps to prevent lateral (i.e., horizontal x1-x2) or axial (i.e., vertical y1-y2) movement. This arrangement facilitates proper positioning such that on impact the force is diverted from the genital region to the pubic bone. In addition, the flange 10 may be formed of a more flexible material designed to collapse under forces applied to the device and/or during body movements. Other exemplary embodiments contemplated by the present invention include various combinations which may include only the penis portion 6 , only the testicles/scrotum portion 4 , the flange 10 or any combination of these. Depending on the sporting or athletic activity; or other protection desired, the protective device 2 may be suitably conformed to isolate various regions.
[0013] The device may be formed of any material of sufficient rigidity and durability to absorb and divert external impact forces. Examples of suitable materials include various hard plastics, polypropylene, HDPE, ABS, PC/ABS, PBT, and/or the like that may be extruded, vacuumed formed, molded, or formed by any suitable process. In addition, it may be desirable to have ventilating holes in the protective device 2 . Furthermore, it is also contemplated that padding (e.g., foam, rubber, etc.) may be used for additional comfort. For security and military applications, the material used may be Kevlar or other harder materials.
[0014] It should be appreciated that the particular implementations shown and described herein are illustrative of the invention and its best mode and are not intended to otherwise limit the scope of the present invention in any way. Indeed, for the sake of brevity, conventional athletic cup materials, composites, ventilation and the like, which are known in the art, have not been described in detail herein. It should be appreciated, however, that a genital protection device configured with Kevlar or other similarly resilient material is also contemplated for use in military, police and/or other hazardous settings. It is also contemplated that the interior of the device may be configured so as to be conformed to the genitals whereas the exterior may take a traditional shape. Furthermore, it is also contemplated that the exterior surface may comprise a suitable material resistant to impact, while the interior surface may comprise a more cushioned or softer material. | A male genital protection device configured to conform to the shape of the male genital anatomy, which provides the wearer with added comfort and protection. | 0 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/033,529, entitled “Fire and Smoke Suppressing Surface for Substrates”, filed on Feb. 19, 2008, issuing as U.S. Pat. No. 9,028,633 on May 12, 2015, which application claims the benefit of the filing of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/890,395, entitled “Fire and Smoke Suppressing Surface for Substrates”, filed on Feb. 16, 2007, and which is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/324,519, entitled “Fire and Smoke Suppressing Surface for Substrates”, filed on Dec. 30, 2005, now abandoned, which application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/609,239, entitled “Reinforced Flame-Retardant and Smoke-suppressive Fabrics, filed on Jun. 27, 2003, now abandoned. The specifications and claims thereof are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention (Technical Field)
[0003] This invention relates generally to raw material fire retardant constituents transported to a secondary manufacturing process in media, and more particularly to fire retarding surfacing media, including but not limited to fabrics, films and sheets, intended for consumption in the creation of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites.
[0004] 2. Description of Related Art
[0005] Note that the following discussion refers to a number of publications by authors and year of publication, and that due to recent publication dates certain publications are not to be considered as prior art vis-a-vis the present invention. Discussion of such publications herein is given for more complete background and is not to be construed as an admission that such publications are prior art for patentability determination purposes.
[0006] Typically, thermoset and thermoplastic resins are petroleum by-products that have generally undesirable burning characteristics, i.e., high flammability at relatively low temperatures, very toxic and acrid smoke, and rapid destructive flame spread. It is well known that the flammability of thermoset and thermoplastic resins can be reduced by incorporating flame retardant agents. However, when additives are used to fill these resins, a multitude of problems arise.
[0007] Synthetic polymer resins are frequently used in the manufacture of reinforced plastics, fiberglass laminates, and molded plastics. Composite polymer materials are widely used in such industrial applications as structural components, siding and roof panels, roof decking, cable trays and mechanical parts such as threaded rod and strut due to their corrosion resistance. Both thermoplastics and thermosetting plastics are also widely used by automobile, rail transportation and aircraft manufacturers because of their light weight and high strength.
[0008] The burning behavior of such materials, particularly those that are to be used in an enclosed environment, are of primary concern to the present invention. Many reinforced plastics can be designed to have a degree of fire resistance. Many fire retardant additives are available. Unfortunately, a large number of the prior art fire retardant compounds give off extremely toxic fumes, such as nitrous oxides, cyanide compounds, and a variety of toxic brominated compounds, such as hydrobromic acid (HBr), which causes pulmonary edema at relatively low concentrations.
[0009] Less toxic additives, such as aluminum trihydroxide (ATH), are inefficient and require loading levels that are so high that the desirable physical properties and characteristics of the finished product are dramatically diminished.
[0010] Those conventional polymeric additives have numerous problems associated with their use in a variety of ways. For example, during fabrication of a product, a thermoset polymer resin must have a sufficiently low viscosity to soak or “wet-out” the glass reinforcements prior to curing. This wet-out is necessary to achieve a high cross-link density within the finished product. However, when a fire retardant powder additive such as ATH is mixed into the resin in the necessary quantities for acceptable fire retardancy, e.g., perhaps as much as 60 parts in 100 parts of total mix, the resin viscosity increases dramatically as the styrenated resin wets-out the additive. As a result higher viscosity resin no longer has the ability to fully saturate the glass reinforcements.
[0011] To overcome this higher viscosity processing problem, virgin styrene is typically added to the mixed composition to lower the viscosity back to the required working viscosity range. Consequently, the resin contains a disproportionate, higher quantity of styrene. When the part has been processed and cured, the part contains a disproportionate quantity of cross-linked styrene and polystyrene. The heavily filled part has undesirable physical characteristics such as reduced tensile, flexural and shear strength. The only way to make up for the reduced physical strength characteristics is to produce a thicker, heavier, more expensive part.
[0012] Although the excessively high ATH fire retardant loading does reduce the likelihood of the part to combust, when exposed to an open flame or high radiant heat, the ATH inefficiently reduces combustion by liberating bound water. As the decomposition of the ATH complex continues, the additional styrene constituent makes a major contribution as a combustible fuel source, and provides the composite surface with a greater affinity towards flammability.
[0013] In addition, virgin and cured styrene is an egregious smoke generating compound, which significantly adds to overall smoke production of the part. Therefore, with ATH, there are processing problems which yield weaker parts, and which have the characteristic of generating larger quantities of toxic smoke.
[0014] To reduce the fire retardant loading in a thermoset resin, an alternative to ATH is a combination of decabromodiphenyl ether (DBPE) with antimony trioxide (ATO), e.g., less than 20 parts per 100 parts of total mix. However, an additional quantity of styrene is still necessary to reduce the buildup in viscosity.
[0015] When compared with ATH during a fire insult scenario, the brominated fire retardant package is more efficient at reducing flammability of the substrate than ATH. However, the brominated constituent package produces large quantities of dense, acrid smoke which is extremely toxic.
[0016] Bromine works as a fire retardant in a pyrolysing composite part by competing with oxygen in the ionization phase of the combustion reaction by generating large quantities of brominated acidic vapor, soot and acrid, thick particulate smoke. The formation of these compounds further reduces the availability of oxygen at the laminate surface, and the negative contributions due to the required styrene diluent are still present.
[0017] Although effective as a flame retardant, the smoke generated by brominated compounds renders the environment biologically toxic. A significant byproduct of the decomposition of decabromophenyl ether is hydrobromic acid (HBr). This acid is notorious for causing pulmonary edema when inhaled, having similar effects as mustard gas used in the First World War. In addition, many other brominated byproduct compounds are produced, which have significant toxicity, with the possible production of suspect carcinogens.
[0018] In the case of thermoplastics, the same issues arise with fire retardant additives. These plastics have the ability to be formed into various shapes and profiles with heat and pressure, without the presence of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or hazardous air pollutants (HAPs). As an added benefit, thermoplastics may then be re-formed under heat and pressure to an entirely new shape and profile. This behavior makes them attractive for intermediary fabrication and re-cycling. Although fire retardant compounds are available that are easily processed into these polymers, the trade-off is they are almost exclusively brominated. These compounds are additionally attractive as they are the most economical. Nonetheless, upon combustion, they are the cause of the production of large volumes of smoke, rich with aggressive biological toxins.
[0019] The selection of a suitable smoke suppressant for curable and non-curable resins is not predictable. The selection is particularly difficult when flame retardants are employed, exacerbated by the complex interaction between the resin and the flame retardant agent. Although efficient in suppressing the rate of combustion of finished products that incorporate the resin, most flame retardants tend to affect adversely one or more key properties of the resin. For example, many flame retardant additives are ineffective at producing low density and low toxicity formulations.
[0020] It is well known that the flame retardant and smoke suppressive properties of additives in resin formulations vary greatly with the nature of the substrate. This is particularly true for intumescent compositions. The rapid formation of a protective char is highly dependent upon such factors as the combustion temperature, and the viscosity of the melt formed by the burning substrate.
[0021] Other considerations can also come into play, even where the properties of the retardant and suppressive properties of the composition are optimal. These considerations include the effect of the additive on the physical properties, color and molding characteristics of the base resin.
[0022] U.S. Pat. No. 3,293,327 describes the production of bicyclic phosphites, phosphonates, thiophosphates, and selenophosphates. These compositions are said to be stabilizers for vinyl halide resins. They are said to be useful as heat stabilizers for vinyl chloride resin, and as antioxidants for fats and oils.
[0023] Intumescent, fire-retardant coating compositions containing carbonifics, film-forming binders and phosphorous materials are well known in the art. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,562,197; 3,513,114; 4,009,137; 4,166,743 and 4,247,435 disclose such compositions containing ammonium polyphosphates as the phosphorous containing material.
[0024] U.S. Pat. No. 3,654,190 discloses an intumescent paint comprising a resinous binder, a blowing agent, a phosphorous containing material, a source of chlorine a solvent, an anti-settling agent, a pigment and a surfactant.
[0025] U.S. Pat. No. 3,969,291 describes the use of an amide polyphosphate condensate as a fire-retardant additive in an intumescent coating composition. U.S. Pat. No. 3,914,193 discloses the similar use of a crystalline form of melamine pyrophosphate.
[0026] U.S. Pat. No. 4,166,743 describes an intumescent flame-retardant coating composition consisting substantially of a film-forming agent, an ammonium polyphosphate, one or more substances which are carbonizable under the action of heat, a dispersant, and optionally a filler. The coating composition additionally contains an ammonium polyphosphate activator weighing 0.5 to 50% of the weight of ammonium polyphosphate. The activator is constituted by at least one salt which contains water of crystallization which is liberated upon the composition being heated. As a coating, this material is unsuitable for fabrics.
[0027] U.S. Pat. No. 4,743,625 describes a flame-retardant polyurethane product that is produced by mixing and reacting a salt-forming compound with an acidic salt-forming compound containing phosphorus in a polyol and/or a polyisocyanate, and then reacting the polyol and polyisocyanate. That fire retardant mixture when exposed to excessive heat proceeds through two primary reaction phases. First, an early formation of a char layer is intended to slow the oxidative penetration into the foam core substrate, and second, a glassy layer of non-combustible vitrified material is intended to slow the penetration of radiant heat. However, borates and silicates typically melt together, at relatively low temperatures, to form brittle, fragile matrices. The fragile matrices there add no structural integrity to the char layer profile.
[0028] U.S. Pat. No. 4,801,625 describes a flame resistant composition having an organic polymeric substance in intimate contact with a bicyclic phosphorous compound, and a gas producing compound. The patent is silent on the use of bicyclic compounds to attain smoke suppressed flame retardant thermoset compositions.
[0029] U.S. Pat. No. 5,356,568 describes a solvent-based heat-resistant and fire-retardant coating containing carbonifics, film-forming binders, and phosphorous materials. Also described is an application where the coating is sprayed on steel and aluminum plates using a gravity flow gun. Not described are any smoke retardant properties, nor the use of the coating with resins or polymer plastics.
[0030] The development of additives for use with resins remains a highly empirical art. The predictability of the behavior of the final composition is rare to non-existent. The prior art has largely concentrated on developing highly specific additive combinations for particular resins and end-uses.
[0031] This is a particular problem when the fire retardant additive powder needs to be combined into composite structures and component products such as glass rovings, yarns, cloths, mat, and knitted fabrics. Typically, this is done by mixing the powder with high strength thermoset or thermoplastic resins. However, none of the prior art compounds are truly suitable for adding to curable resins.
[0032] The following U.S. patents describe flame retardants to be used with fabrics. However, those patents describe the fabric in a manner and style that is in contrast with the capabilities, functionality and specificity of the desired compounds and products. Exterior electrical cable wraps, door seals, a membrane to reinforce sprayable mastics or coatings or a mesh fabric with undefined intumescent materials are clearly in contradiction with the technical merits and uniqueness of the present invention.
[0033] U.S. Pat. No. 6,340,645 describes a flexible laminated fabric comprising a glass fiber web or glass fiber fabric coated with a four component intumescent composition. That composition is described as being suitable as a hot gas seal for fire doors, as fire protection curtains, and as fire protection windings surrounding individual cables or cable runs. The flexible fabric is intended for external use only to cover or seal a variety of components. The patent does not describe the ability of the intumescent constituent mix to reduce smoke when exposed to open flame. Neopentyl glycol and ethylene glycol phosphates have the propensity to generate smoke upon thermal decomposition. This is undesirable. That patent is extremely vague on the mechanism and smoke characteristics of the preferred polyol partial phosphates. The inorganic frame-forming candidate compounds are simple inorganic compounds which do not contribute significantly to structure.
[0034] U.S. Pat. No. 6,205,728 describes a laminated building component composed of a rigid resilient composite panel which is covered by a membrane. That membrane is selected from a group of non-combustible materials such as glass, quartz, carbon or stainless steel. The membrane is bonded to the panel with an adhesive and coated with a thin film fire protective intumescent coating. That membrane serves as a lath to hold and reinforce a spray, brushed or rolled intumescent coating. The patent is silent on the composition of the fire protective intumescent coating, and the coating's ability to reduce surface flammability or reduce smoke generated by the under-laminate structure.
[0035] U.S. Pat. No. 6,096,812 describes a low density epoxy-based intumescent fire resistive mastic coating with means for reinforcing the mastic with a carbon fiber mesh. That reinforced coating is strictly a surfacing treatment. Epoxies have a propensity to generate significant quantities of acrid smoke which can render an environment toxic. Additionally, the coating requires “at least one spumific” comprised of an isocyanurate. Isocyanurates are organic compounds containing nitrogen which can form hydrogen cyanide (HCN) as a thermal decomposition product contributing significantly to the toxic gas environment. That is also undesirable.
[0036] U.S. Pat. No. 6,001,437 describes a method for making high-temperature glass fiber by treating E-glass fiber with selected acids and then treating the fiber with organo-metallic material. Additionally, the patent describes the use of the fiber in thermal protective structures. The open weave mesh fabric is comprised of at least one layer of thermoplastic resin which had been pre-coated with subliming and/or intumescent material. The fabric may be pre-formed into a self supporting structure or embedded into a pre-existing structural automotive container.
[0037] Not described are specifics as to the constituents or processing ranges of the subliming or intumescent materials. No mention is made of a chemical mechanism which can reduce the flammability or smoke generation of the thermoplastic layer or underlying substrate.
[0038] In a combustion scenario, burning polypropylene thermoplastic produces particulate smoke, mostly carbon dioxide (CO2), some carbon monoxide (CO) and water (H 2 O) Conversely, polyvinyl chloride thermoplastic, which does have an inherent fire retarding characteristic, combusts to form large quantities of hydrochloric acid (HCl) and acrid, chlorinated organic compounds. Hydrochloric acid vapor is extremely toxic for human tissue. A common result of exposure to hydrochloric acid rich smoke is impaired vision, respiratory pain and narcosis, resulting in confusion and possible loss of consciousness. All of these effects are undesirable. The patent is silent on the ability of the thermal protective layer to address the biologically toxic byproduct species created during combustion of the thermoplastic glass layer or the underlying thermoplastic substrate.
[0039] The physiological effects of exposure to heat in fires and/or the resultant toxic smoke can result in varying degrees of incapacitation, permanent injury or death. Visual obscuration and painful irritation of the eyes can impair or reduce the efficiency of egress due to psychological and/or physiological effects. Breathing difficulties, lung inflammation, narcosis and respiratory tract injury, are physiological hazards potentially present in fire scenarios. Narcotic gases, e.g., carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide and reduced oxygen, can affect the nervous and cardiovascular systems, causing confusion, a period of intoxication, followed by a collapse and loss of consciousness, followed ultimately by death from asphyxiation. Any prior art compounds that include materials that produce these effects are undesirable.
[0040] More particularly, even though they are effective fire retardants, for the reasons stated above, it is ideally desirable to provide a non-toxic finished product that does not include any of the following classes of compounds: Brominated compounds, including decabromodiphenyl ether (DBPE, Deca-BDE), octabromodiphenyl ether (Octa-BDE), pentabromophenyl ether (Penta-BDE), hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), decadbromobiphenyl ether (DeBBE) as well as other polybrominated biphenyls (PBB), tetrabromo phthalic anhydride and all related aliphatic and aromatic brominated compounds.
[0041] Some polymeric manufacturing resins, e.g., polyester, vinyl ester, epoxy, and adhesives are available which have tetrabromobisphenol-A and/or derivatives of such brominated monomer flame retardant compounds incorporated into the backbone of the resin chain during the manufacturing process. These resins “carry” their bromine and do not require additives other than antimony trioxide (ATO).
[0042] The heavy metallic bromine synergist antimony trihydroxide (ATO) greatly assists bromine in fire suppression but is nonetheless a heavy metallic.
[0043] Therefore, it is desired to provide a disparate assembly, containing a disproportionately large quantity of fire retardant, that is capable of intimately combining with a rigid composite surface during a secondary manufacturing process. When the assembly is positioned to envelop a pre-processed schedule of raw fibrous reinforcement and polymeric resin, and the secondary manufactured product has reached completion, the resultant assembly has lower surface flammability than would otherwise be achieved by the substrate material alone.
[0044] Bromine compounds can be concentrated in a surface boundary layer of a composite that will provide a significant reduction in surface flammability characteristics. However, resultant combustion species will be abundant with biologically toxic compounds.
[0045] A more attractive embodiment would be a non-toxic fire retarded surface, such as the toxicity contribution that would be provided by aluminum trihydrate (ATH), however with the efficiency of brominated compounds.
[0046] Although any fire retardant constituent or composition is a candidate for inclusion into the transport media of the present invention, the preferred embodiment of the article of manufacture would not contain compounds that yield products with undesirable physical and flame retardant characteristics that are inconsistent with current building and life safety regulatory standards, and are physiologically toxic.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION (DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION)
[0047] The present invention is a fire resistant structure comprising a substrate and a transport medium comprising a fire retarding composition. The transport medium is integrated with the substrate and forms a surface of the substrate. The composition preferably comprises a fire retardant, smoke suppressant, cement, ceramic, graphite, and/or combinations thereof. The composition is preferably an intumescent. The transport medium is optionally processed with fibrous reinforcements. The transport medium optionally comprises a cloth material, including but not limited to, fabric, non-woven fabric, woven fabric, knitted fabric, air texturized fabric, needle punched fabric, felt, fleece, crochet, knotted fabric, tufted fabric, lace, pile, twill fabric, glass fabric, carbon fabric, polyamide fabric, aramide fabric, ceramic fabric, mineral fabric, metal fabric, thermoset fabric, and/or thermoplastic fabric, etc. The transport medium optionally comprises glass fibers and is optionally affixed to a fabric. The transport medium is preferably positioned during manufacture of the substrate to form the surface of the structure. The transport medium optionally comprises a thermoplastic, thermoplastic fibers, a sheet, and/or a film.
[0048] The composition of the present invention is optionally dispersed in a crosslinkable polymer or a thermoplastic, or is optionally coated with an adhesive resin or is affixed to a thermoplastic medium. The substrate optionally comprises a thermoplastic. The transport medium is preferably heat consolidated with one or more thermoplastics into a solid prefabricated thermoplastic assembly. The composition is preferably integrated into a thermoplastic using heat and pressure. The transport medium is preferably manufactured by a process, including but not limited to, casting a thermoplastic, extruding a thermoplastic, calendering the composition into a polymer, and rolling. The composition optionally comprises an aqueous slurry which is applied to a cloth medium by a process, including but not limited to, coating with a knife-over fabric coater, dipping, roll coating, and/or spraying.
[0049] The present invention is also a method for increasing the fire resistance of a substrate. The method comprises forming a transport medium comprising a fire retarding composition and integrating the transport medium with a substrate so that the transport medium forms a surface of the substrate. The integrating step is preferably performed during manufacture of the substrate. The method optionally further comprises affixing the transport medium to a fabric. The forming step optionally comprises dispersing the composition in a crosslinkable polymer or a thermoplastic, or coating the composition with an adhesive resin. The forming step preferably comprises affixing the composition to a thermoplastic medium. The method preferably comprises heat consolidating the transport medium with one or more thermoplastics into a solid prefabricated thermoplastic assembly. The forming step preferably comprises integrating the composition into a thermoplastic using heat and pressure. The forming step preferably comprises a process, including but not limited to, casting a thermoplastic, extruding a thermoplastic, calendering the composition into a polymer, and/or rolling. The forming step optionally comprises applying an aqueous slurry comprising the composition to a cloth medium by a process, including but not limited to, coating with a knife-over fabric coater, dipping, roll coating, and/or spraying.
[0050] The present invention is also a method of manufacturing a fire resistant structure, the method comprising the steps of dispersing a fire resistant powder on a substrate and heat consolidating the powder and the substrate to form a composite structure comprising an integrated fire resistant surface. The method optionally further comprises the step of mixing the powder with a hot melt adhesive prior to the dispersing step. The method optionally further comprises the step of disposing hot melt adhesive on the substrate. The present invention is also a method of manufacturing a fire resistant structure, the method comprising the steps of mixing a fire resistant powder with an adhesive to form a slurry, depositing the slurry on a substrate, and drying the deposited slurry. This method optionally comprises heat consolidating the dried slurry and the substrate, either alone or with additional thermoplastic layers. The present invention is also a method of manufacturing a fire resistant structure, the method comprising the steps of dispersing a fire resistant powder on a first substrate, covering the powder with a second substrate, and heat consolidating the powder and the substrates to form a composite sandwich structure comprising an integrated fire resistant layer. In any of the above methods, the substrate is preferably selected from the group consisting of a polymer film, a polymer sheet, a reinforced thermoplastic, and a reinforced thermoset. The reinforced thermoplastic preferably comprises commingled woven glass fibers or layered glass fibers.
[0051] An object of the present invention is to increase the fire resistance of thermoset, thermoplastic, composite, fiberglass, and other resin-based substrates.
[0052] An advantage of the present invention is that the physical properties of the substrate are not significantly diminished since the fire retardant film, sheet or fabric is bound only to the surface of the substrate.
[0053] Other objects, advantages and novel features, and further scope of applicability of the present invention will be set forth in part in the detailed description to follow, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0054] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated into and form a part of the specification, illustrate one or more embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. The drawings are only for the purpose of illustrating one or more preferred embodiments of the invention and are not to be construed as limiting the invention. In the drawings:
[0055] FIG. 1 is a flow diagram of a process for manufacturing an intumescent additive powder according to an embodiment of the invention;
[0056] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of a process for manufacturing a flame retardant and smoke suppressive fabric according to an embodiment of the invention;
[0057] FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of a process for manufacturing an intumescent additive powder composition with a solid hot melt adhesive applied to a fabric according to an embodiment of the invention;
[0058] FIG. 4A is a flow diagram of a process for making a fabric with an additive powder constituent using heating and cooling steps according to an embodiment of the invention;
[0059] FIG. 4B is a flow diagram of an alternative process for making a fabric or assembly with an additive powder constituent using heating and cooling steps according to an embodiment of the invention;
[0060] FIG. 4C is a flow diagram of a process for making a fabric or assembly with an additive powder constituent and a hot melt adhesive according to an embodiment of the invention;
[0061] FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of a process for applying a powder coating to a fabric according to an embodiment of the invention;
[0062] FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of a process for applying an additive powder to a fabric according to the invention;
[0063] FIG. 7 is a flow diagram of a process for adhering an additive powder to a fabric according to an embodiment of the invention;
[0064] FIG. 8 is a depiction of extrusion of a thermoplastic fire retardant sheet or film of an embodiment of the present invention;
[0065] FIG. 9 illustrates calender production of a fire retardant sheet or film of an embodiment of the present invention; and
[0066] FIG. 10 illustrates casting a fire retardant sheet or film of an embodiment of the present invention.
[0067] FIG. 11 is a photograph of a pipe assembly showing the fire retardant coating of an embodiment of the present invention.
[0068] FIGS. 12-15 depict processes for manufacturing various embodiments of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0069] The invention provides an assembly of fire retardant and smoke suppressing constituents that are combined with a transporting medium, including but not limited to a fabric or an adhesive matrix, which is preferably subsequently employed to envelop or face an un-processed schedule of composite raw materials. Upon further curing or consolidation, during a secondary manufacturing process, the fire retardant transporting medium preferably becomes the surface of the structural matrix, and is preferably thus as durable, rigid, and hard as the surface of the unmodified substrate. This novel composition includes an additive powder and a supporting media capable of transporting the powder to a secondary manufacturing process, typically used in polymeric reinforced composites or laminates fabrication.
[0070] As used throughout the specification and claims, the term “substrate” means any rigid laminate or composite, including but not limited to resin-based materials, polymers, reinforced composites, thermosets, thermoplastics, fiberglass, and the like.
[0071] In one embodiment, the additive powder is incorporated on and within a transporting profile of a fabric, and preferably held temporarily in place by a feeble adhesive binder that provides the minimal adhesion effectiveness required, prior to a secondary manufacturing. The fabric may be selected from a wide assortment of commodity and specialty industrial textile materials in a number of profile thicknesses dependent on the particular application.
[0072] In composite resin and reinforcement applications, the transport medium is typically a single ply surfacing veil that is capable of chemically bonding with a thermoset resin. A multi-layer stacked schedule is also possible. The fabric can be positioned in an isolated section or area of a part during fabrication for enhanced localized fire and smoke protection.
[0073] Alternatively, a light bias weight glass fabric functioning as a transport medium can be used as a primary reinforcement material in a laminate, such as a thin skin on a cored “sandwich” panel, and other cellular foam constructions.
[0074] In another embodiment, the additive powder is incorporated into thermoplastic to produce a transport media analogue to a film or sheet. The thermoplastic can be selected from a wide assortment of commodity and specialty polymer materials to form films and sheets in a number of profile thicknesses dependent on the particular application.
[0075] The interior of a laminate of the present invention can be adulterating filler free, with the fire retardant situated only where it's needed, i.e., at the point of contact with an open flame or high radiant heat. If addition of a fire retarding additive, mixed en masse into the structural resin component, is necessary for a composite specimen to pass an exceptionally aggressive fire test protocol, then less fire retardant additive can be incorporated into the specimen as would otherwise be necessary with prior art fire retardant additives.
[0076] The fire retarding assembly according to the invention reduces a substrate's ability to ignite when exposed to open flame or high radiant heat, reduces the surface flammability characteristics, stops the spread of flame, minimizes smoke density generated by a combustion event, increases the time to structural failure of the assembly in a catastrophic fire or high thermal event, and suppresses biologically toxic gas emissions from the underlying substrate in a burning or smoldering condition.
[0077] These fire retarding assemblies can be used in a range of industrial fabrication processes, such as pultrusion, filament winding, compression molding, resin transfer molding, vacuum assisted resin transfer molding, hand lamination, press molding, reaction injection molding, impression molding, and secondary associated processes as well. When incorporated into a thermoplastic substrate under heat and pressure, the assembly can be thermoformed, vacuum formed, and re-formed.
Additive Powder
[0078] As discussed above, all fire retardant additives in general polymeric use, whether designed for thermoset or thermoplastic resins, are candidate constituents or compositions for transport by supporting media into manufacturing substrate processes that necessitate fire retardancy.
[0079] The present invention preferably provides a flame retardant and smoke suppressive powder that is compatible with both polymeric structural resins and the industrial manufacturing processes that are devoted to converting resins and reinforcements into composite structures. Additionally, those manufacturing processes have the capability to incorporate powders into fabrics, films and sheets. When the powdery additive according to the invention is positioned in the surface of a substrate, the propensity of the otherwise untreated resin to combust, generate toxic smoke, and transmit heat when exposed to an open flame or excessive heat is significantly reduced.
[0080] Single compound candidates, aside from the family of brominated fire retardants, are relatively inefficient and have a tendency to require an undesirable thicker profile surface. Historically, it was discovered that a means to attain a more desired result was to combine a multitude of single constituent compounds, each with different thermal and decomposition characteristics. It was discovered decades ago that some particular distinct candidate fire retardants, when mixed together in certain proportions, exhibited synergistic behavior when exposed to open flame. The generic formula for such a system was the use of an acid forming compound, a char forming compound and a gas forming compound. The mixture, upon exposure to high heat, decomposes in the following order with the noted end result: a) An acid former such as a phosphorus compound decomposes to form phosphoric acids that lower the decomposition temperature of the char former; b) The char former, often an alcohol, forms a carbonific char and typically further produces fire snuffing gases, including water vapor and carbon dioxide; and 3) The gas forming constituent, typically a carbon and nitrogen compound, also produces fire snuffing gases, e.g., typically carbon dioxide, ammonia and urea.
[0081] The additive powder of the present invention preferably comprises a mixture according to the composition cited above, i.e. an acid former, a char former and a gas former, with the addition of a cement. The additive in its final form is typically a homogeneous, white fine powder. The invention does not seek to foam or expand, nor vitrify upon exposure to open flame or high radiant heat. The acid, char, and gas formers, as well as the cement, act only in the guise of a fire mitigating constituent system. When the invention is employed, it provides a fire resistant surface that suppresses smoke and reduces the transmission of heat.
[0082] Each class of constituent in the composition compounds contributes a specific property to the formulation that is advantageous to the success of the invention in yielding a reduced propensity for the resin substrate so treated to burn, smoke, generate toxic gases or transmit heat.
Fabric
[0083] Fabrics employed to transport the fire retardant can be woven, non-woven, knitted, air texturized, needle punched, felt, fleece, crochet, knotted, tufted, lace, pile, twill or mixtures thereof. The transport fabric may comprise glass, carbon, polyamide, aramide, acrylic, ceramic, mineral, metal, thermoset, thermoplastic, any other man-made natural fabric material, or mixtures thereof, which can be assembled in some fashion into a cloth or fabric material suitable as a transport medium. Natural materials include but are not limited to cotton and hemp. The fibrous transport medium material is preferably non-combustible and does not make a fuel contribution in the event of exposure to a pyrolysing event or radiant heat.
[0084] A transport assembly comprised of reinforcement fibers and the fire retardant and smoke suppressing powder according to the invention overcomes the noted disadvantages of highly loading a resin en masse with fire retarding fillers. By putting an extremely high concentration of the fire retardant and smoke suppressing powder in a surfacing medium, the outermost surfaces of the part can be fire hardened and provide smoke suppression.
[0085] The additive powder according to the invention can be applied to the fabric by a variety of methods. The pure, dry powder can be mechanically applied to a medium by, including but not limited to: deposition, rubbing, or inserting on, or within, the fabric material.
[0086] A pure liquid slurry of the fire retarding powder and an evaporative liquid can be applied by spraying, dipping, roll coating or other technique common to the paper or textiles industries, where the liquid slurry or foam is incorporated on and into a medium and the evaporative liquid is driven off in a second stage by a variety of techniques. These techniques include, but are not limited to, convective heat, exposure to quartz heating elements, vacuum, etc.
[0087] Techniques such as dipping and pinch-rolling can be used to produce symmetrical layers on each side of the fabric, e.g., a fire retarding layer on the outside and a reinforced layer on the inside. In the preferred fibrous embodiment, the strands, threads or rovings which comprise the medium are open sufficiently to hold a substantial quantity, by weight, of the additive powder as compared to the weight of the unmodified medium.
[0088] The preferred transport media has an open structure or pore volume to enable permeability of a polymer resin fluid. Permeability allows structural polymer resins to flow or permeate through the filled media, wetting or saturating the powder and fibrous medium from every direction. For quantification, permeability is typically measured by ASTM D737-96 “Test Method for Air Permeability of Textile Fabrics.”
[0089] The adhesive preferably makes no contribution as a fuel source in the event of a fire episode. The minor adhesive component is completely compatible with the assembly when it is integrated, affixed or attached, and has feeble but sufficient tack so that the transport media can be handled, cut, stacked, draped, wound, molded, or stitched without dusting or dislodgement of the resinous clinging powder. The glue-like adhesive is stable under normal processing temperatures and pressures so that the medium can be handled by conventional manufacturing and conversion processes.
Adhesive
[0090] The inventive constituent that provides adherence of the fire retarding and smoke suppressing powder to fibrous composite reinforcements preferably comprises an adhesive resin. As nearly all resins generate smoke upon combustion, this adhesive is preferably employed in the most minimalist fashion. Its function is typically not to impart lengthy life-cycle integrity or behave in the manner of a film-forming binder. Its essential characteristics are preferably that it effectuates the enclosure of the powder particulate and allows reciprocal adhesion between the powder and composite reinforcements. The adhesive resin preferably comprises, but is not limited to, a styrenic, olefinic, acrylic, cellulosic, polyester, phenolic, rosin, shellfish resin or polyamide. Any compound or material which exhibits an ability to hold the fire retarding composition together while on and/or within a reinforcement media may alternatively be used. The adhesive binder preferably makes no contribution as a combustible fuel source nor generates smoke when exposed to open flame or high radiant heat.
Thermoplastic Transport Media
[0091] Thermoplastic polymer can be used to encapsulate the fire retarding additive and subsequently processed into an assembly analogue to a film or sheet. The thermoplastic can be selected from a wide assortment of commodity and specialty polymer materials to form films and sheets in a number of profile thicknesses dependent on the particular end application. The polymer may comprise, but is not limited to, an olefinic.
[0092] The benefit of incorporating the additive into a thermoplastic sheet, rather than relying on fibrous reinforcements alone, allows the heat consolidation (i.e. melting into under pressure) of the sheet with other resin dry thermoplastic substrates to form the surface of the assembly without the need for adding additional resin, for example, with a thermoplastic slip-sheet. Additionally, the thermoplastic transport medium can be heat consolidated, i.e. melted into under pressure, on and into an alien prefabricated thermoplastic assembly, such as a solid panel, to form a new fire hardened surface, as the fire retardant has been wet-out with and carries its own thermoplastic resin.
Manufacturing Processes
[0093] FIG. 1 shows a process for manufacturing the additive powder 106 according to the invention. The process preferably mixes the catalyst 101 , the carbonific 102 , the blowing agent 103 , the inorganic binder 104 and the ceramic 105 , all powders, into a uniform powder composition. The powder composition can be sifted, milled or further processed as described below.
[0094] FIG. 2 shows a process for manufacturing a fabric product to be integrated within an end product 242 . First, the additive powder 106 is mixed 210 with a water-based liquid binder 201 . The result can be stored as a blended master batch 211 or applied 220 as a liquid mix to a fabric material 202 , such as a nonwoven glass veil, and processed 230 , e.g., dried by heating, to produce a dry fabric product 231 . The dry fabric product 231 is stored typically in rolls. These rolls can be kept for extended periods in inventory storage 232 for later use, if so desired. The fabric product 231 is incorporated with structural component or fabrication or construction materials 241 during a fabrication process 240 to produce an end product 242 containing the fabric product 231 within a surface of the end product 242 . Fabrication process 240 may include methods such as heat consolidation when materials 241 comprise a reinforced thermoplastic, or reacting fabric product 231 with reinforced thermoset resin.
[0095] FIG. 3 shows a process for manufacturing the additive powder composition with a solid hot melt adhesive 301 . The process can be accomplished two ways. First, the catalyst 101 , carbonific 102 , blowing agent 103 , inorganic binder 104 and ceramic 105 are mixed 310 with the solid hot melt adhesive 301 in a blending step to produce an additive master batch mix with hot melt 311 . Second, the catalyst 101 , carbonific 102 , blowing agent 103 , inorganic binder 104 and ceramic 105 are mixed 320 . This additive powder mix 320 is then mixed 322 again to produce the additive master batch with hot melt 311 .
[0096] FIG. 4A shows a process for making a fabric with additive powder constituent using heating and cooling steps. Additive powder with pre-mixed hot melt adhesive 401 , produced as described above, is applied to a fabric 402 by means of a powder or roll coater machine 410 . The fabric with powder coating proceeds through a heat source, e.g., an oven, and is cooled 430 . Then, the fabric can be processed 440 directly on-line or stored as rolls of finished product 450 for processing at a later time.
[0097] FIG. 4B shows a process for making a fabric, or assembly, with additive powder constituent using heating and cooling steps. Additive powder 401 B is preferably applied to fabric 402 B by means of a powder or scatter coater 410 B. The fabric with the scatter or other coating preferably proceeds through a heat source, preferably where pressure is applied 420 B, and cooled 430 B. Consolidated fabric or assembly 440 B can be processed directly or stored as rolls of finished product for processing at a later time.
[0098] FIG. 4C shows a process for making a fabric, or assembly, with additive powder constituent and a hot melt adhesive. Fabric 402 C preferably has hot melt adhesive 403 C and additive powder 401 C applied to it by means of a powder or scatter coater 410 C. Separate powder coaters 410 C, 420 C may optionally be used for hot melt adhesive 403 C and additive powder 401 C. The fabric with the hot melt and additive powder scatter coating preferably proceeds through heat source 425 C, e.g., an oven, preferably where pressure is applied, and is cooled 430 C. Consolidated fabric or assembly 440 C can be processed directly or stored as rolls of finished product for processing at a later time.
[0099] FIG. 5 shows a process for applying a powder coating, produced as described above, to a fabric and binding the powder to a fabric by employing a solvent spray apparatus. The process applies the additive powder 501 to a fabric 502 using a powder or roll coater machine 510 . A solvent sprayer 520 sprays an organic solvent based adhesive binder onto one or both sides of the coated fabric. Additional additive material can be applied with a second powder coater 521 . The additive fabric is dried 530 to produce the finished fabric product 540 .
[0100] FIG. 6 shows a process for applying a slurry including the additive powder 601 and a solvent based liquid binder 602 to produce a final fabric product 640 , and then a final end product 651 . First, the additive powder 601 and the solvent-based liquid binder 602 are mixed 610 to form a slurry. The slurry can be stored as a master batch 611 . After mixing 610 , the slurry is applied 620 to a fabric 603 and processed 630 into a final fabric product 640 . The final fabric product 640 can be put in inventory storage 641 . The final fabric product 640 can be used immediately in a fabrication process whereby it is integrated using a structural fabrication process 650 to manufacturer a final end product 651 .
[0101] FIG. 7 shows a process for adhering the additive powder 501 to the fabric 502 with a water based adhesive by means of an aqueous sprayer 720 . First, the additive powder 501 is applied to the fabric 502 using the powder coater 510 . The coated fabric is then sprayed with an adhesive dissolved in aqueous solvent 701 by means of an aqueous sprayer. The fabric proceeds through a drying 730 step to produce the final fabric product 740 .
[0102] FIG. 8 illustrates extrusion of a thermoplastic sheet or film of the present invention. Typically the dry thermoplastic polymer and the fire retardant are fed into a screw extruder. The materials are preferably mixed as they migrate down the barrel(s) and are exposed to high heat towards the end of the extruder. The mix is then preferably forced through a slotted die and enters a cooling station. The subsequently formed sheet or film is then preferably wound as rolls.
[0103] FIG. 9 illustrates calender production of a sheet or film of the present invention. The dry thermoplastic polymer and the fire retardant are preferably fed to a mixer. The mixer preferably deposits the mixture into a calendar, which preferably further mixes the mixture to homogeneity. The calendered sheet is the preferably drawn and heated as it travels to, and subsequently through, pinch rollers. The subsequently formed sheet or film is then preferably wound as rolls.
[0104] FIG. 10 illustrates the casting of a sheet or film of the present invention. The dry thermoplastic polymer and fire retardant are preferably fed to a mixer. The resulting mixture is preferably moved to a heater that heats the mixture to a condition where it will flow onto a transitional moving cooling station. The subsequently formed sheet or film is then preferably wound as rolls.
[0105] FIG. 11 is a photograph of a pipe assembly showing the fire retardant coating of the present invention. This particular pipe assembly can withstand a petroleum jet fire test required by the American Bureau of Shipping for fire fighting water delivery pipe on oil drilling rigs. It is also corrosion resistant to sea water. As shown in FIG. 11 , the pipe first layer is a corrosion resistant, resin rich liner layer 800 . A second layer 810 is a fiber reinforcement layer that provides the physical characteristics and strength necessary for the application. The third layer 820 comprises three fire retardant and smoke suppressive layers 822 , 824 , 826 , although any number of layers may be utilized in accordance with the present invention. Filament wound pipe is produced by wrapping a tapered mandrill with resin wet cloth, preferably in the orientation of stripes on a barber pole, under high tension. The fire retardant surface, in this particular embodiment, was wound three times and the individual wound layers 822 , 824 , 826 can be seen.
[0106] FIGS. 12-15 depict processes for manufacturing various embodiments of the present invention. In FIG. 12 , a roll of polymer film or sheet is unwound moving to the right. Additive flame retardant powder is deposed preferably by a scatter coater on to the film. The coated film is preferably further processed by heat consolidation (heat and pressure), then cooled. The modified film, i.e., a combined polymer film and additive powder, is preferably then re-wound into a processed roll. In FIG. 13 , after scatter coating a second polymer film is applied from the top forming a sandwich construction (film-powder-film). The sandwiched films are preferably further processed by heat consolidation (heat and pressure then cooled). The processed modified sandwiched film, i.e., a combined polymer films and additive powder, has formed a single sheet that is preferably then re-wound into a processed roll.
[0107] As shown in FIG. 14 , a roll of commingled woven, or layered, glass fiber (or carbon or arimide fiber) and thermoplastic polymer is unwound and moving to the right. Examples of such substrate material are TWINTEX® products or products of Polystrand, Inc. The substrate may comprise any orientation, such as 0/90 or 45/45. Additive (flame retardant) powder is preferably mixed with a water-based adhesive slurry and applied to the fabric. The coated fabric is moved through an oven whereupon it is dried. The coated fabric is preferably then re-wound onto a processed roll. The coated fabric may further optionally be heat consolidated alone or with additional glass/thermoplastic layers (not shown).
[0108] As shown in FIG. 15 , a roll of commingled woven, or layered, glass fiber (or carbon or arimide fiber) and thermoplastic polymer is unwound and moving to the right. Additive (flame retardant) powder is deposed by a scatter coater onto the glass/thermoplastic substrate. The coated substrate is preferably further processed by heat consolidation (heat and pressure) and then cooled. The now solid substrate, which incorporates a fire retardant surface, is preferably then re-wound into a processed roll.
[0109] Depending on the substrate reinforcement and composition, preferably approximately 10 to approximately 40 grams/sq. ft., and more preferably approximately 28 grams/sq. ft., of additive powder is applied to the substrate.
Example 1
[0110] A dry fire retarding additive powder was produced by uniformly mixing constituents that when exposed to open flame or high radiant heat will provide a catalyst; a carbonific; a blowing agent; an inorganic binder; and ceramic. The powder was placed into a scatter coater, which uniformly applies a desired quantity of dry powder to a substrate which moves under the coater horizontally at a fixed speed. The substrate comprised fibrous thermoplastic polypropylene and glass fibers that have been commingled and woven into a box weave fabric (TWINTEX®) weighing 22 ounces per square yard. The substrate was scatter coated with approximately 20 grams/square foot of additive powder and moved horizontally at approximately 10 feet/minute into a heat consolidator. The heat consolidator comprises three sections: a heating section, a pressure section that employs rollers and can apply up to hundreds of psi, and a cooling section that uses chilled water. The heat consolidator pre-heat the substrate to 400° F., applied 50 psi pressure, and then cooled the substrate using chilled water to less than 150° F., consolidating the substrate into a solid laminate sheet which was then wound into a processed roll.
Example 2
[0111] Standard testing methods and protocols are used by many authorities to determine fire hazards and surface burning characteristics of building materials, e.g., ASTM E-84 Standard Test Method for Surface Burning Characteristics of Building Materials (example). It is accepted that test results with higher values for flame spread and smoke obscuration are indicative of a greater fire hazard and potential dangerous smoke. Comparative results for the ASTM protocol are listed in Table A.
[0000]
TABLE A
Property
Invention
Typical Prior Art
Flame Spread Ratio
23.3
25.0
Smoke Obscuration
351
980+
Toxicity
None
High
ASTM E-84 Classification
1/A
1/None
[0112] The tested specimen was a glass fiber reinforced, iso-phthalic polyester pultruded flat laminate that contained the fire and smoke suppressing surface. During the pultrusion manufacturing process, the reinforcement raw materials, e.g., glass rovings and glass mats, were saturated, e.g., wet-out, with the polyester resin composition. After this procedure, this combination was wrapped in the fire and smoke suppressing transport media and subsequently forced through a die at a temperature of 325° F. and pressure of approximately 82 psi. The polyester resin proceeded through an initiated free-radical reaction that chemically and mechanically bonded the entire composite assembly within a single thermoset matrix with the fire and smoke suppressing medium bound as the surface. The propensity of the fully formed part to combust, generate toxic smoke, and transmit heat when exposed to an open flame or excessive heat is significantly reduced.
[0113] As seen in Table A, the flame spread ratio is as good or better and smoke obscuration for the test material of the present invention is reduced to about ⅓ of that of typical prior art result. This is a significant reduction. More surprising and important, low quantities of toxic by-products are produced by the invented material, as illustrated in the amount of the registered smoke obscuration.
[0114] Smoke obscuration measurement by the ASTM E-84 protocol is based upon the attenuation, e.g., change in the concentration, of a white light beam by smoke accumulating in a chamber. Results are derived from measuring optical density as absorbance within the chamber. The photometric scale used to measure smoke by this method is similar to the optical density scale for human vision. Hence, obscuration can result from such combustion byproduct species as particulate matter, e.g. acrid soot, or gaseous vapor, e.g. water.
[0115] As particulate smoke matter generated by pyrolyzing brominated polymers is biologically toxic, as opposed to water vapor, many regulators measure the total quantity of these toxic constituents by ASTM E-1354, e.g., Cone calorimetry. This apparatus uses red laser spectrophotometry to measure the specific mass of particulate smoke generated during the combustion of a sample specimen in comparison to the total mass loss of the test specimen as shown in Table B.
[0000]
TABLE B
Property
Present Invention
Typical Prior Art
Initial Mass
40.6 grams
40.6 grams
Final Mass
23.6 grams
26.2 grams
Smoke Obscuration:
Ave. Smoke Yield (g/g)
.057
.106
Total Smoke Release (g)
13.979
26.130
[0116] As seen from Table B, the release of particulate smoke from a specimen employing the invented material is about half of that of typical prior art results obtained from the identical unprotected brominated substrate alone.
[0117] The ASTM E-84 smoke obscuration results can be assessed in conjunction with the ASTM E-1354 total smoke release results. Tested typical prior art specimens are compared with specimens employing the current invention. The reduction in toxic smoke generation is dramatic. The corrected value of E-84 smoke obscuration, excluding the water vapor, is reduced from a smoke index value of 350 to about 187. The particulate smoke is about 38% of the typical prior art compound. These are surprising and unexpected results.
[0118] Although the invention has been described in detail with particular reference to these preferred embodiments, other embodiments can achieve the same results. Variations and modifications of the present invention will be obvious to those skilled in the art and it is intended to cover all such modifications and equivalents. The entire disclosures of all references, applications, patents, and publications cited above, and of the corresponding applications, are hereby incorporated by reference. | This invention relates generally to fabrics, films, sheets and other supporting media that contain and transport fire retarding materials. These transport media deliver fire retarding and smoke suppressing constituents to the surface of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composite substrates during a manufacturing process. Upon exposure to open flame or radiant heat, the resultant manufactured product has much lower surface flammability and smoke development characteristics than would otherwise be achieved by the substrate material alone. By economizing the fire retardant constituents at the surface only, cost is reduced while also avoiding deleterious adulteration of the substrate material. When fire is prevented from penetrating the surface, combustion of the entire part is delayed or prevented. By embedding fire retardant within the surface using the native resin, no peeling or chipping occurs (as with paint), and the finish will be essentially as hard and durable as an untreated part. | 8 |
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
The present application claims the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/829,108, filed Aug. 18, 2015, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/038,733, filed Aug. 18, 2014, both of which are fully incorporated by reference herein.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention are generally related to underlayments associated with radiant floor or wall heating systems.
BACKGROUND
In-floor and in-wall heating and cooling is well known that utilizes heat conduction and radiant heat, for example, for indoor climate control rather than forced air heating that relies on convection. The heat is usually generated by a series of pipes that circulate heated water or by electric cable, mesh, or film that provide heat when a current is applied thereto. In-floor radiant heating technology is used commonly in homes and businesses today.
Electrical floor heating systems have very low installation costs and are well suited for kitchens, bathrooms, or in rooms that require additional heat, such as basements. One advantage of electric floor heating is the height of installation. For example, floor buildup can be as little as about one millimeter as the electric cables are usually associated with a specialized installation board or directly onto the sub floor. Electric underfloor heating is also installed very quickly, usually taking a half a day to a day depending on the size of the area to be heated. In addition, warm up times are generally decreased because the cables are installed approximate to the finished flooring, e.g., tile, wherein direct connection is made with the heat source rather than a stored water heater as in fluid-based systems. Electric systems are offered in several different forms, such as those that utilize a long continuous length cable or those that employ a mat with embedded heating elements. In order to maximize heat transfer, a bronze screen or carbon film heating element may be also used. Carbon film systems are normally installed under the wire and onto a thin insulation underlay to reduce thermal loss to the sub floor. Vinyls, carpets, and other soft floor finishes can be heated using carbon film elements or bronze screen elements.
Another type of in-floor heating system is based on the circulation of hot water, i.e., a “hydronic” system. In a hydronic system, warm water is circulated through pipes or tubes that are incorporated into the floor and generally uses pipes from about 11/16 inch to 1 inch to circulate hot water from which the heat emanates. The size of tubes generally translates into a thicker floor, which may be undesirable. One other disadvantage of a hydronic system is that a hot water storage tank must be maintained at all times, which is less efficient than an electric floor heating system.
In order to facilitate even heating of a floor, the wires must preferably be spaced at specific locations. One such system is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0026192 to Fuhrman (“Fuhrman”), which is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein. Fuhrman discloses a mat with a plurality of studs extending therefrom that help dictate the location of the wires. The mat with associated studs is placed over a sub floor with a layer of adhesive therebetween. Another layer of adhesive is placed above of the studs. The studs also guide the finishers to form a correct floor thickness. The studs thus provide a location for interweaving the wire or wires that are used in the heating system. The wire of Fuhrman, however, is not secured between adjacent studs and still may separate therefrom, which may cause uneven heating or wire damage. Furthermore, Fuhrman discloses a continuous mat wherein subsequent layers of adhesive are not able to interact with those previously placed.
SUMMARY
It is with respect to the above issues and other problems that the embodiments presented herein were contemplated. In general, embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods, devices, and systems by which various elements, such as wire, heating elements, and the like, may be routed and/or contained in a flooring underlayment. In one embodiment, the underlayment may include a number of protrusions extending from a base material. The protrusions may be configured in a cluster, or array, or even as part of another protrusion, forming routing hubs. As provided herein, a wire may be routed around, through, and even around and through the routing hubs and/or protrusions. The unique shape and arrangement of the protrusions disclosed herein can provide for the efficient routing of wires in an underlayment for any shape and/or purpose.
In some embodiments, the protrusion forms a geometric shape extending away from a base material surface to a contact surface (e.g., the contact surface for flooring, tile, etc.). This extension between the base material surface and the contact surface defines the overall protrusion height. The protrusion may include a number of sides extending from the base material to the contact surface. As can be appreciated, at least one of the sides of the protrusion may include a surface configured to receive a wire. This receiving surface can be concave, convex, arcuate, linear, etc., and/or combinations thereof. Additionally or alternatively, the surface may follow, or contour, the geometric shape of the protrusion.
It is an aspect of the present disclosure that at least two protrusions are arranged adjacent to one another on an underlayment base material. In one embodiment, the protrusions may be arranged such that the receiving surface of a first protrusion is offset from and facing the receiving surface of a second protrusion. The distance of the offset and the receiving surfaces can form a receiving cavity configured to receive a wire, heating element, or other element. For example, an underlayment may include a number of protrusions arranged about an array axis to form a routing hub. Where four protrusions make up a routing hub, there may exist heating element receiving cavities disposed between each protrusion. Additionally or alternatively, the underlayment may include a number of routing hubs equally-spaced along a first linear direction and/or a second linear direction to form a matrix of routing hubs. In this case, additional heating element receiving cavities may be disposed between each routing hub. As can be appreciated, the matrix of routing hubs and the array of protrusions allow for heating elements to be routed in the underlayment according to any configuration of routing curves, angles, and/or lines.
In some embodiments, the protrusions, base material, and/or other features of the underlayment may be formed into a shape from at least one material. Examples of forming can include, but are not limited to, thermoforming, thermo-molding, injection molding, casting, molding, rotational molding, reaction injection, blow molding, vacuum forming, twin sheet forming, compression molding, machining, 3D printing, etc., and/or combinations thereof.
The protrusions, base material, and/or other features of the underlayment may include a number of cutouts, or holes. In some embodiments, the cutouts can extend at least partially into the protrusion, base material, and/or the underlayment. In one embodiment, one or more of the cutouts may completely pass through the underlayment. In any event, the cutouts may be configured to receive a mating material. For instance, the cutouts may be configured to receive adhesive, epoxy, grout, cement, glue, plastic, or other material capable of flowing at least partially into the cutouts. These cutouts can provide a number of surfaces on the underlayment to which material can adhere, or key. Additionally or alternatively, these cutouts can increase the strength of the underlayment by providing a structural skeleton, around which material can flow and cure in addition to providing a pathway for airflow, thereby enabling the utilization of a modified thinset, which requires air for curing. The cutouts further provide a passageway for moisture to flow out of the subfloor. In one embodiment, the cutouts may be provided via the forming process of the underlayment. In another embodiment, the cutouts may be made via a cutting operation performed prior to the forming process. In yet another embodiment, the cutouts may be made via a cutting operation performed subsequent to the forming process.
The underlayment may include areas in and/or between the routing hubs that are configured to receive material. For instance, the areas may be configured to receive adhesive, epoxy, grout, cement, glue, plastic, or other material capable of flowing at least partially into the areas. These areas can provide a number of surfaces on the underlayment to which material can adhere, or key. Additionally or alternatively, these areas can increase the strength of the underlayment by providing a structural skeleton, around which material can flow and cure.
In some embodiments, the underlayment may include a pad layer. The pad layer may include a sound dampening material, heat reflective material, insulative material, porous substrate, vapor barrier, waterproof material, energy reflective material, etc., and/or combinations thereof. Examples of pad layers can include, but are in no way limited to, foil, cork, rubber, plastic, concrete, wood, organic materials, inorganic materials, composites, compounds, etc., and/or combinations thereof. The pad layer may be attached to the base material via adhesive, thermal bonding, welding, mechanical attachment, etc., and/or combinations thereof. As can be appreciated, the pad layer may include adhesive on the side opposite the base material side for affixing to a surface, such as a subfloor, floor, etc. In one embodiment, the pad layer may be configured to receive adhesive for affixing to a surface.
The phrases “at least one”, “one or more”, and “and/or” are open-ended expressions that are both conjunctive and disjunctive in operation. For example, each of the expressions “at least one of A, B and C”, “at least one of A, B, or C”, “one or more of A, B, and C”, “one or more of A, B, or C” and “A, B, and/or C” means A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, or A, B and C together. When each one of A, B, and C in the above expressions refers to an element, such as X, Y, and Z, or class of elements, such as X 1 -X n , Y 1 -Y m , and Z 1 -Z 0 , the phrase is intended to refer to a single element selected from X, Y, and Z, a combination of elements selected from the same class (e.g., X 1 and X 2 ) as well as a combination of elements selected from two or more classes (e.g., Y 1 and Z 0 ).
The term “a” or “an” entity refers to one or more of that entity. As such, the terms “a” (or “an”), “one or more” and “at least one” can be used interchangeably herein. It is also to be noted that the terms “comprising”, “including”, and “having” can be used interchangeably.
The term “means” as used herein shall be given its broadest possible interpretation in accordance with 35 U.S.C., Section 112, Paragraph 6. Accordingly, a claim incorporating the term “means” shall cover all structures, materials, or acts set forth herein, and all of the equivalents thereof. Further, the structures, materials or acts and the equivalents thereof shall include all those described in the summary of the invention, brief description of the drawings, detailed description, abstract, and claims themselves.
It should be understood that every maximum numerical limitation given throughout this disclosure is deemed to include each and every lower numerical limitation as an alternative, as if such lower numerical limitations were expressly written herein. Every minimum numerical limitation given throughout this disclosure is deemed to include each and every higher numerical limitation as an alternative, as if such higher numerical limitations were expressly written herein. Every numerical range given throughout this disclosure is deemed to include each and every narrower numerical range that falls within such broader numerical range, as if such narrower numerical ranges were all expressly written herein.
The preceding is a simplified summary of the disclosure to provide an understanding of some aspects of the disclosure. This summary is neither an extensive nor exhaustive overview of the disclosure and its various aspects, embodiments, and configurations. It is intended neither to identify key or critical elements of the disclosure nor to delineate the scope of the disclosure but to present selected concepts of the disclosure in a simplified form as an introduction to the more detailed description presented below. As will be appreciated, other aspects, embodiments, and configurations of the disclosure are possible utilizing, alone or in combination, one or more of the features set forth above or described in detail below.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The accompanying drawings are incorporated into and form a part of the specification to illustrate several examples of the present disclosure. These drawings, together with the description, explain the principles of the disclosure. The drawings simply illustrate preferred and alternative examples of how the disclosure can be made and used and are not to be construed as limiting the disclosure to only the illustrated and described examples. Further features and advantages will become apparent from the following, more detailed, description of the various aspects, embodiments, and configurations of the disclosure, as illustrated by the drawings referenced below.
FIG. 1 shows a plan view of an underlayment section in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure;
FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of an area of the underlayment taken along line A-A shown in FIG. 1 ;
FIG. 3 shows a detail cross-sectional view of an area of the underlayment in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure;
FIG. 4 shows a detail plan view of a routing hub of the underlayment in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure;
FIG. 5 shows a plan view of routing hubs of an underlayment in accordance with a first embodiment of the present disclosure;
FIG. 6 shows a plan view of routing hubs of an underlayment in accordance with a second embodiment of the present disclosure;
FIG. 7 shows a detail cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of the routing hubs taken along line D-D shown in FIG. 6 ; and
FIG. 8 shows a detail cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the routing hubs taken along line D-D shown in FIG. 6 .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Before any embodiments of the disclosure are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The disclosure is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items.
FIG. 1 shows a plan view of an underlayment section 1 in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. The underlayment section 1 includes a number of routing hubs 2 , comprising four protrusions 2 a arranged in an equally-spaced circular array about an array axis 2 b , in a matrix configuration. The matrix is configured in the form of an eight row by twelve column matrix of routing hubs 2 . The matrix provides heating element receiving cavities 3 in the X-direction, Y-direction, and in directions approximately 45 degrees to the X-direction and/or the Y-direction. A sample routing 4 of the heating element 5 is shown in FIG. 1 . In particular, the heating element section 5 shown runs along the Y-direction between the first and second columns of routing hubs 2 , proceeds around the routing hub 2 in the first row and second column (2, 8) and along the negative Y-direction between the second and third columns to the (3, 1) routing hub 2 , proceeds along the Y-direction between the third and fourth columns until about the (3, 4) routing hub 2 , and then proceeds diagonally through the heating element receiving cavities 3 in the (4, 5), (5, 6), (6, 7), and (7, 8) routing hubs 2 , and so on.
FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of an area of the underlayment 1 taken along line A-A. In some embodiments, one or more of the protrusions 2 a can extend from the base material surface 6 to a contact surface 7 . The contact surface 7 may be configured to support tile, flooring, or other material. The distance from the base material 6 to the contact surface 7 is called the protrusion height 7 a . The thickness of the base material 6 is called the base thickness 6 a . In some embodiments, the protrusions 2 a may be formed from the base material 6 , and as such, may have a wall thickness approximately equal to that of the base thickness 6 a.
FIG. 3 shows a detail cross-sectional view of an area of the underlayment 1 in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. In one embodiment, the areas adjacent to each protrusion 2 a can form a heating element receiving cavity 3 . Each heating element receiving cavity 3 can include an interference fit 8 , or contained area, to hold a heating element 5 or wire in place. In some cases, the heating element 5 may be inserted into the heating element receiving cavity 3 with a predetermined amount of force required to part (e.g., elastically deform, plastically deform, flex, and/or deflect, etc.) at least one of the receiving surfaces 9 of the cavity. In one embodiment, when the heating element 5 is inserted into the heating element receiving cavity 3 the at least one of the receiving surfaces 9 may return to an original position thereby closing the heating element receiving cavity 3 and containing the heating element 5 .
FIG. 4 shows a detail plan view of a routing hub 2 of the underlayment 1 in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. The heating element receiving cavities 3 are shown disposed between protrusions 2 a and/or routing hubs 2 . In some embodiments, one or more of the heating element receiving cavities 3 can be configured differently from another heating element receiving cavity 3 . For instance, several heating element receiving cavities 3 may be configured to provide a frictional fit for holding a heating element 5 , while other heating element receiving cavities 3 may be configured to merely contain a heating element 5 . In any event, the underlayment 1 can include one or more configurations of heating element receiving cavity 3 .
FIG. 5 shows a plan view of routing hubs 2 of an underlayment 1 in accordance with a first embodiment of the present disclosure. As described above, the protrusions 2 a , base material 6 , and/or other features of the underlayment 1 may include a number of cutouts 10 , or holes. In some embodiments, the cutouts 10 can extend at least partially into the protrusion 2 a , base material 6 , and/or the underlayment 1 . In some embodiments, the cutouts 10 are shown as extending at least partially into at least one side of at least one protrusion 2 a.
FIG. 6 shows a plan view of routing hubs 2 of an underlayment 1 in accordance with a second embodiment of the present disclosure. The underlayment 1 section includes a number of routing hubs 2 , comprising four protrusions 2 a arranged in an equally-spaced circular array about an array axis 2 b , in a matrix configuration. A sample routing 4 of the heating element 5 is shown in FIG. 6 . In particular, the heating element section 5 shown runs along the Y-direction of the first column of routing hubs 2 , proceeds around the routing hub 2 in the second row and first column (1, 2) and along the negative Y-direction between the first and second columns, and then proceeds diagonally through the heating element receiving cavity 3 in the (2, 1) routing hub 2 .
FIG. 7 shows a detail cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of the routing hubs 2 taken along line D-D shown in FIG. 6 . As shown, the heating element receiving cavity 3 in FIG. 7 includes arcuate receiving surfaces 9 . The arcuate receiving surfaces 9 may be configured as concave, curvilinear, arched, and/or other shape configured to receive the heating element 5 . In some cases, at least one of the arcuate receiving surfaces 9 of the routing hubs may be configured to contact the heating element receiving cavity 3 . The contact may provide a frictional force that retains the heating element 5 in the underlayment 1 . In some embodiments, the arcuate receiving surfaces 9 may contain the heating elements 5 in the heating element receiving cavity 5 without frictional contact.
Additionally or alternatively, the underlayment 1 may include a pad layer 11 . The pad layer 11 may include a sound dampening material, heat reflective material, insulative material, porous substrate, vapor barrier, waterproof material, energy reflective material, etc., and/or combinations thereof. Examples of pad layers 11 can include, but are in no way limited to, foil, cork, rubber, plastic, concrete, wood, organic materials, inorganic materials, composites, compounds, etc., and/or combinations thereof. The pad layer 11 may be attached to the base material 6 via adhesive, thermal bonding, welding, mechanical attachment, etc., and/or combinations thereof. As can be appreciated, the pad layer 11 may include adhesive on the side opposite the base material 6 side for affixing to a surface, such as a subfloor, floor, etc. In one embodiment, the pad layer 11 may be configured to receive adhesive for affixing to a surface. It should be appreciated that any of the underlayment 1 embodiments as disclosed may include such a pad layer 11 . In some embodiments, there may be additional pad layers 11 , one above another (e.g., a stack of two, three, four, five, or more pad layers 11 ) for strengthening and controlling anti-fracture. This enables isolation of cracks in a substrate from traveling to the tile layer.
FIG. 8 shows a detail cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the routing hubs 2 taken along line D-D shown in FIG. 6 . As shown, the heating element receiving cavity 3 in FIG. 8 includes angular receiving surfaces 9 . The angular receiving surfaces 9 may be configured as a draft angle 9 a , a dovetail, a “V” shape, or other channel shape configured to receive the heating element 5 . In some cases, at least one of the angular receiving surfaces 9 of the routing hubs 2 may be configured to contact the heating element receiving cavity 3 . The contact may provide a frictional force that retains the heating element 5 in the underlayment 1 . In some embodiments, the angular receiving surfaces 9 may contain the heating elements 5 in the heating element receiving cavity 5 without frictional contact.
The exemplary systems and methods of this disclosure have been described in relation to electronic shot placement detecting systems and methods. However, to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present disclosure, the preceding description omits a number of known structures and devices. This omission is not to be construed as a limitation of the scopes of the claims. Specific details are set forth to provide an understanding of the present disclosure. It should, however, be appreciated that the present disclosure may be practiced in a variety of ways beyond the specific detail set forth herein.
While the flowcharts have been discussed and illustrated in relation to a particular sequence of events, it should be appreciated that changes, additions, and omissions to this sequence can occur without materially affecting the operation of the disclosed embodiments, configuration, and aspects.
A number of variations and modifications of the disclosure can be used. It would be possible to provide for some features of the disclosure without providing others.
The present disclosure, in various aspects, embodiments, and/or configurations, includes components, methods, processes, systems and/or apparatus substantially as depicted and described herein, including various aspects, embodiments, configurations embodiments, subcombinations, and/or subsets thereof. Those of skill in the art will understand how to make and use the disclosed aspects, embodiments, and/or configurations after understanding the present disclosure. The present disclosure, in various aspects, embodiments, and/or configurations, includes providing devices and processes in the absence of items not depicted and/or described herein or in various aspects, embodiments, and/or configurations hereof, including in the absence of such items as may have been used in previous devices or processes, e.g., for improving performance, achieving ease and/or reducing cost of implementation.
The foregoing discussion has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. The foregoing is not intended to limit the disclosure to the form or forms disclosed herein. In the foregoing Detailed Description for example, various features of the disclosure are grouped together in one or more aspects, embodiments, and/or configurations for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. The features of the aspects, embodiments, and/or configurations of the disclosure may be combined in alternate aspects, embodiments, and/or configurations other than those discussed above. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claims require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed aspect, embodiment, and/or configuration. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into this Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate preferred embodiment of the disclosure.
Moreover, though the description has included description of one or more aspects, embodiments, and/or configurations and certain variations and modifications, other variations, combinations, and modifications are within the scope of the disclosure, e.g., as may be within the skill and knowledge of those in the art, after understanding the present disclosure. It is intended to obtain rights which include alternative aspects, embodiments, and/or configurations to the extent permitted, including alternate, interchangeable and/or equivalent structures, functions, ranges or steps to those claimed, whether or not such alternate, interchangeable and/or equivalent structures, functions, ranges or steps are disclosed herein, and without intending to publicly dedicate any patentable subject matter. | An underlayment system is provided that includes a plurality of protrusions that extend from a common base member. The protrusions and base member can include an opening therethrough that allows for subsequent layers of material, such as adhesive, to interact and bond to each other. The protrusions are arranged in such a way to contain a wire, string, or heating element, within a receiving area. The arrangement of the protrusions allow for routing of the wire, string, or heating element in a variety of angles, bends, and other routing layouts. | 5 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continuation-in-part of application U.S. Ser. No. 07/157,024, filed Feb. 18, 1989 now abandoned.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to ceramic compositions containing a distillable binder, shaped articles formed therefrom and preparative processes for the shaped articles and for the compositions.
Shapeable ceramic or preceramic compositions containing polymeric binders wherein the polymer provides a matrix for the composition are well known. Examples of such polymeric binders are epoxy resins, phenolic resins, polyimides, polysulfones, polystyrenes, polyaramids, polyesters and polycarbonates; see, for example, Lee et al., "Metal and Polymer Matrix Composites", Noyes Data Corp., 1987, pages 10 to 18 and 121 to 123. Polymers provide plastic properties which impart toughness and shapeability to ceramic components. However, the polymers must be destructively burned off during densification/firing of the ceramic composite. Frequently, undesirable carbonization occurs during removal of the polymer binder by the technique of burning it off.
So far as can be determined, the art until this time has been unaware of a process for forming ceramic articles from a ceramic/binder composition without the necessity for destructive removal of the binder with the dangers attendant thereon of contaminating the ceramic with undesired polymer residues. It is the subject of this invention to provide compositions of ceramic particulates and methods for making and working the compositions so that it will now be possible to make ceramic articles without the necessity and cost of destroying the polymeric binder matrix used to hold the ceramic particles together until the sintering step.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention is based on the discovery that certain materials heretofore unknown to be useful for this purpose can be employed as distillable binders for ceramic particles. These materials can be nondestructively distilled or sublimed from the shaped composite without formation of carbon or other byproducts, and are available for reuse. Suitable distillable binders include crystalline organic compounds which form plastic crystalline mesophases known as "plastic crystals", said plastic crystalline phases usually having cubic symmetry and two transition temperatures (melting points) between which "plastic" properties are exhibited. When the plastic properties occur within a practical temperature range, such crystals can serve as matrices for ceramic materials.
This invention comprises a composition of particulates of one or more ceramic materials, precursors of one or more ceramic materials, or mixtures thereof, and at least 10% by weight of a distillable binder wherein said distillable binder:
(a) is a nonpolymeric organic compound, or a mixture of such compounds, having plastic crystalline properties and at least one melting point in a temperature range of about -40° C. to about 300° C.; and
(b) can undergo distillation, sublimation or evaporation to be recovered chemically unchanged under ceramic composition densification conditions; said composition capable of being formed into a shaped article.
This invention further comprises said composition in the form of a shaped article.
This invention further comprises a process for the preparation and densification of a ceramic shaped article comprising:
(i) admixing particulates of one or more ceramic materials, precursors of one or more ceramic materials, or mixtures thereof, and at least 10 weight percent of a distillable binder wherein said distillable binder:
(a) is an organic compound or mixture of such compounds having plastic crystalline properties and at least one melting point in the temperature range of from about -40° C. to about 300° C.; and
(b) can undergo distillation, sublimation, or evaporation to be recovered chemically unchanged under ceramic composition densification conditions;
(ii) forming said admixture into the desired shape; and
(iii) removing said distillable binder by distillation, sublimation, or evaporation, and sintering the ceramic components.
This invention further comprises the above process wherein said distillable binder removed in step (iii) is recovered, and wherein said recovered distillable binder is reused in step (i).
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The term "ceramic" as employed in the description of this invention specifically includes superconducting oxides in the broadest sense. The term also includes high melting metals and ceramic precursors which are converted into ceramics at elevated temperature.
By "distillable binder" is meant one that can be removed from the composition by distillation, sublimation, evaporation, and the like, and recovered chemically unchanged under ceramic composition densification conditions. Distillable binders include, but are not limited to, organic nonpolymeric compounds having plastic crystalline properties (plastic crystals).
Plastic crystals differ from solid crystals in that they show unusually low yield points. The most plastic will flow under their own weight, although the majority are less soft. The pressure required to produce flow is very considerably less than that required to extrude an ordered solid crystal produced by transition from the plastic crystal at a lower temperature.
Plastic crystals are thus neither true liquids wholly devoid of long-range molecular order nor true crystalline solids with molecules in regular long-range orientational and positional order, but constitute a further mesomorphic state of matter.
The mesophases are typically constituted by rather compact globular molecules which are not markedly anisodimensional and which, when undergoing rotatory displacements about certain axes, acquire, effectively, close-to-spherical symmetry. These globular molecules in the stationary state may, however, depart quite appreciably from spherical symmetry. Thus, tetramethylmethane and the carbon tetrahalides (near-to-spherical), hexamethylethane (prolate spheroid), cyclohexane (oblate spheroid) and 2,2-dimethylbutane (pear-shaped) are among the very numerous compounds which form cubic mesophases or as these are more commonly termed, plastic crystals.
It was early recognized that the formation of plastic crystals is due to the capacity of the constituent molecules over a particular range of temperatures to arrange themselves in a cubic array while at the same time undergoing thermal rotatory displacements so that there is no long-range orientational order between the molecules. The term "plastic" is used herein to denote this state. At the upper limit of this temperature range liquefaction occurs with breakdown of the cubic arrangement but with only a small increase in entropy and little increase in volume. At the lower temperature limit a transition occurs (Crystal I→Crystal II), typically to an ordered anisotropic solid crystal. In this case there is a large decrease in entropy. Occasionally, however, there is a transition with only a small entropy decrease to a second (and sometimes even to a third) plastic crystalline form which undergoes a transition at a still lower temperature with a larger decrease in entropy to an ordinary solid crystal. The successive plastic crystalline phases presumably differ in the details of the permissible thermal displacements of the molecules and thus provide an analogy in the plastic mesophases to the polymorphism encountered in the smectic series.
It is now known that the molecular motion in plastic crystals is rarely, if ever, free molecular rotation in the literal sense. Such motion is not generally found even in amorphous liquids. Rather, the barriers between positions of minimum potential energy are small enough to allow the molecules to tumble rapidly from one orientation to another, the orientations at distances of more than a few molecular diameters being randomly distributed throughout the phase.
It was their peculiar thermal behavior which led to the recognition of plastic crystals as a unique intermediate state of matter. In addition to a very low entropy of liquefaction, plastic crystals usually also show a relatively high temperature of liquefaction. Thus, with globular molecules which form plastic crystals the normal amorphous liquid phase as formed by the majority of non-globular and non-lath-like molecules is replaced, over a particular range of temperatures, by the cubic plastic mesophase. The transition, crystalline solid→mesophase, is accompanied by a high entropy increase, while the entropy increase for the transition mesophase→amorphous liquid is relatively small. This points to a degree of molecular disorder in the mesophase closer to that in the amorphous liquid than to that in the solid crystal. A value for the number of permissible molecular orientations that can be adopted at random in the plastic crystals may be estimated in some instances from measurements of heat capacities and entropies of phase change.
Such plastic crystals and their properties are described in Sherwood (Ed.), "The Plastically Crystalline State", Wiley, 1979, especially Chaps. 1 and 8; Gray et al., (Eds.), "Liquid Crystals and Plastic Crystals", Horwood/Wiley, 1974, pages 48 to 59; Aston in Fox et al. (Eds.), "Physics and Chemistry of the Organic Solid State", Interscience, 1963, pages 543 to 583. There is no suggestion in this art or any other so far as can be determined that plastic crystals can be employed as binders or matrices for ceramic compositions. The above listed references are herein incorporated by reference.
Distillable binder compounds having plastic crystalline properties suitable for use in the present invention include, for example, selected alkanes and substituted alkanes, which may be acyclic or cyclic containing not more than about 10 carbon atoms, such as succinonitrile, t-butanol, cyclohexanol, trioxane, d-1-camphor and adamantane. For use in the present invention, the distillable binder compounds must have at least one melting point in a temperature range of about -40° C. to about 300° C.
The most preferred binder of this invention is succinonitrile. Another preferred binder is 1,3,5-trioxane (trioxane).
The ceramic component of the compositions of this invention may be broadly selected from oxides, nitrides, carbides or silicides, or from metals such as iron. Preferred are aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride, or a mixture of aluminum nitride and boron nitride. Representative of the ceramics that can be employed to make the compositions of this invention are those discused in Kirk-Othmer, "Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology", 3rd Edition, Vol. 5, "Ceramics", pages 234 to 314, 1979, herein incorporated by reference. See, especially, the Tables on pages 251, 252, 312 and 313.
Especially preferred ceramic materials for use in preparing the ceramic/distillable binder compositions of the present invention are mixed metal oxide phases which are superconducting. The development of superconducting oxide materials is described by Clarke in Advanced Ceramic Materials, 2(3B), 273 (1987). Examples of superconducting oxides that can be employed to make the compositions of this invention include La 1-x (Ba, Sr, Ca) x CuO 4-y wherein x is typically about 0.15 and y indicates oxygen vacancies (Bednorz et al. Europhys. Lett. 3, 379 to 384, (1987), or the so-called "1-2-3" superconducting phases having the formula MBa 2 Cu 3 O x wherein M is selected from Y, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, La AND Lu,and x is from about 6.5 to 7.0 (Chu et al. Science 235, 567 (1987). See also Cava et al. Phys. Rev. Lett. 58, 1676 (1987). The above references are herein incorporated by reference.
Also useful are powdered precursors of superconducting oxides. A suitable precursor can be prepared by mixing barium oxide and yttrium oxide with an aqueous solution of cupric nitrate or acetate at a temperature of about 50° C. to 100° C. to obtain a suspension of yttrium:barium:copper in an atomic ratio of about 1:2:3, and drying the suspension to obtain the powdered precursor. Also useful are superconductors having the formula Bi 2 Sr 3-z Ca z Cu 2 O 8+w wherein z is about 0.1 to 0.9, preferably 0.4 to 0.8, and w is greater than 0 but less than about 1. Pure phase superconductive ceramics as well as ceramics containing no superconductive phase or mixed ceramic/superconductive phases, of any crystal structure and morphology, can be employed in the compositions and processes of this invention.
Following are several typical embodiments of the compositions of this invention.
A. A composition comprising one or more ceramic particulates and/or particulate precursors thereof, and at least about 10 weight percent, preferably at least about 20 weight percent, of a distillable binder comprising one or more organic compounds having plastic crystalline properties in a temperature range of about -40° C. to 300° C., preferably about 15° C. to 200° C.
B. A composition as in Embodiment A wherein the organic crystalline compound is succinonitrile or trioxane.
C. A composition as in Embodiment B wherein the ceramic compound comprises a superconducting phase such as a "1-2-3" type.
D. A composition as in Embodiment B wherein the ceramic compound comprises one or both of aluminum oxide or nitride.
E. A composition of any one or more of Embodiments A to D in the form of a shaped article.
F. A composition as in Embodiment E wherein the article is in the shape of a film or fiber.
This invention further comprises a process for the preparation and densification of a ceramic shaped article.
The following represent several typical embodiments of methods for forming the compositions of this invention.
G. A process for preparing a composition as in Embodiments A through D comprising admixing a distillable binder comprising an organic compound or mixture of such compounds having plastic crystalline properties, and one or more ceramic materials, optionally in the presence of a solvent for the binder.
H. A process as described in Embodiment G conducted at a temperature within, or above, the plastic range of said binder followed by removing any solvent that may be present.
I. A process for densifying a composition as described in any of Embodiments A through F comprising distilling, subliming or evaporating the binder from the composition and sintering the ceramic component, the process being characterized in that the distillation, sublimation or evaporation step does not destroy the binder or leave binder residue in the component during densification.
J. A process as in Embodiment I comprising the additional step of recovering the binder, chemically unchanged.
The ceramic materials should be in particulate form, preferably fine powder containing largely submicron particles. The distillable binder for use in the invention preferably is any organic compound, or mixture of such compounds, which has at least one melting point and exhibits plastic properties in a given temperature range. Many but not all of the distillable binders contemplated for use in this invention have dual melting points with the plastic range usually occurring between the two melting points. Trioxane, however, is one instance of a preferred distillable binder that has but a single melting point.
It is convenient, but not essential, to dissolve the binder in a comparatively volatile solvent which is chemically inert in the mixing and solvent removal steps. When the binder is succinonitrile or trioxane, then methylene chloride, or more preferably, mixtures of methylene chloride and methanol, are suitable solvents. It is desirable that the solvent be capable of wetting the ceramic component. It may also be desirable to add other materials, such as acetic acid, which aid dispersion of the particulate ceramic material and/or prevent caking or agglomeration of the particulate ceramic.
Uniform mixing in the presence of solvent can be conveniently accomplished on a small scale in a Waring or food blender, although other mixing methods can be employed which will be known to those of ordinary skill in the ceramic art. After mixing, solvent(s) should be removed by evaporation under gentle heat. Alternatively, the components can be blended without added solvent at a temperature at which the binder is in liquid form. The binder can be supported on an inert support such as an oxide, and dry-mixed in particulate form with the ceramic particulate. The blend, after removal of solvent, if any, is then molded into a shape, for example a film, or extruded into a fiber, said shaping being performed at a temperature within, or above, the plastic range of the binder. Most conveniently, the compositions, after shaping but before, densification, are handled at temperatures within the plastic range of the binder.
The most preferred binder of this invention, succinonitrile, has melting points at -40° C. and at +54° C. In the intervening temperature range, succinonitrile looks and acts like a soft plastic, undergoing plastic deformation under pressure to give clear flexible films. A blend containing 80 weight percent of alumina and 20 weight percent of succinonitrile can be processed into shaped articles at temperatures from somewhat below room temperature to, say, 100° C. or higher. The preferred binder, trioxane, melts at 64° C. but has plastic properties at room temperature. A composition containing about 20 weight percent or more of trioxane can be shaped at temperatures from room temperature to 100° C. or higher.
The compositions and processes of this invention are useful to make ceramic-containing laminates. For instance, an electronically useful substrate such as alumina, zirconia or magnesia can be coated with a composition of this invention. Upon firing, the ceramic will adhere to the substrate to form a two-layer laminate desirably free of contaminant residue. Multilayer laminates can be formed by stacking ceramic particulate/binder films of the same or different composition, or by applying ceramic particulate/binder films to laminates before firing. Structures of widely varying configuration can be made consistent only with the need to provide exit capability for the distillable binder. Such laminates comprising one or more superconducting layers can be employed as bases for connecting electronic components with the objective of reducing electrical losses in the interconnections when said layers are placed in the superconducting state by cooling below the superconducting transition temperature.
In the following illustrative Examples, parts and percentages are by weight and temperatures are in degrees Celsius unless otherwise specified.
EXAMPLE 1
Methylene chloride (150 mL), succinonitrile (20 g), Alcoa A-16 alumina powder (80 g), methanol (20 mL) and acetic acid (0.4 mL) were mixed in a food blendor. Solvent was removed by evaporation while slowly mixing, giving a gray plastic residue. A plug (2.9 cm diameter×0.92 cm length) and thin sheet were pressed at room temperature and slowly heated to 1500° during which time the succinonitrile was distilled. The thin sheet provided a hard, strong, crack-free ceramic that gave a strong metallic ring when tapped. The larger plug held together but contained some cracks which were believed due to too rapid distillation of the succinonitrile from thick sections.
EXAMPLE 2
Alcoa A-16 alumina (160 g), succinonitrile (40 g) and acetic acid (1 mL) were blended on an ink mill at 120°. The blend was easily molded at 100° and 300 psi (2700 kPa), giving very flexible molded pieces.
EXAMPLE 3
Substitution of trioxane for the succinonitrile employed in Example 1 would provide similar shaped articles when worked up according to the procedure described in that Example.
EXAMPLE 4
Substitution of trioxane for the succinonitrile employed in Example 2 would provide a composition of similar moldability when worked up according to the procedure described in that Example.
EXAMPLE 5
Iron powder containing 2 percent nickel (180 g) and succinonitrile (20 g) were blended on a rubber mill at 300°. Part of the succinonitrile was thought to have evaporated. The blend was pressed at room temperature to a flexible film.
EXAMPLE 6
Three g of YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 superconducting oxide particulate and 1 g of succinonitrile were placed in a glass vial. The mixture was stirred with a spatula while being warmed in a stream of hot air. The resulting dispersion was quickly poured on a piece of aluminum foil to form a thick pliable film. Half of this film was sandwiched between sheets of aluminum foil and pressed in a Carver laboratory press at room temperature with a load of about 12000 pounds. The resulting black pliable film was about 25 to 40 mils thick.
Strips cut from this film were laid on a thin piece of ZrO 2 electronic substrate and on a piece of single crystal MgO. The combinations were placed in a horizontal position in an oven with an air atmosphere. The temperature was raised from room temperature to 160° at 1 degree per minute, held at 160° for 180 minutes, raised from 160° to 910° at 2 degrees per minute, held at 910° for 1 minute, raised from 910° to 915° at 2 degrees per minute, and held at 915° for 60 minutes. The oven was then allowed to cool to 650° at 5 degrees per minute, held at 650° for 60 minutes, then cooled from 650° to 50° at 2 degrees per minute. The resulting black adherent coatings were tested for conductivity by a four probe technique. The film laminates both showed transitions to superconductivity at temperatures above that of liquid nitrogen.
EXAMPLE 7
The composition of Example 6 can be made employing succinonitrile supported on zirconium oxide. Powdered supported binder and superconducting oxide are milled together in a rubber mill at about 100° and the composite pressed into a film as described in that Example.
EXAMPLE 8
Compositions similar to those described in Examples 6 and 7 can be made from powdered precursors of the superconducting oxide employed in those Examples. A suitable powdered precursor can be prepared, for example, as follows: aqueous solutions of yttrium acetate and cupric acetate at about 75° are mixed together, and then barium hydroxide (Ba(OH) 2 .8H 2 O) is added slowly thereto, with stirring, the amounts being such that yttrium, barium and copper are present in an atomic ratio of about 1:2:3, respectively. The resulting suspension is stirred at 75° until a paste is obtained. The paste is heated until dry, then further dried in a vacuum oven at about 170° for 1 hour, and ground to a fine powder. Likewise, trioxane can be employed in place of, or in admixture with, the succinonitrile of Examples 5, 6 and 7. | Ceramic compositions comprising a distillable binder, shaped articles formed therefrom and a method for making said compositions and for forming the shaped articles. | 8 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of copending International Application No. PCT/EP2011/057143, filed May 4, 2011, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, and additionally claims priority from German Application No. 102010028746.6-31, filed May 7, 2010, which is also incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to an image sensor and a method of capturing an image as may be employed, e.g., in a camera, namely a still-picture camera or a video camera.
[0003] Image sensors nowadays have a very limited dynamic range, so that many typical scenes cannot be fully imaged. Therefore, as high a dynamic level as possible per shot would be desirable. Previous techniques for a high dynamic range (HDR) exhibit marked image interference in the shooting of moving scenes. High-resolution shots exhibiting correct motional blurring involve a lot of effort.
[0004] There are various possibilities of expanding the dynamic range for image sensors, i.e., for HDR. The following group of possibilities provides computational combination of images following a regular shot:
According to a first possibility, individual independent shots of a scene which have been obtained with exposure durations of different lengths are combined with each other. For still pictures, this approach is trouble-free, however, image interference will result in the event of a movement occurring during shooting, as is described in [2]. This possibility is also made use of in video cameras [16]; however, this approach there will also lead to movement artifacts caused by a rolling-shutter readout pattern and by different exposure times of the individual exposures. An alternative approach according to which individual images are computationally combined with one another, provides that the different measurements for each image point are combined differently to take into account an uncertainty of measurement in the event of movement. The result is an HDR shot without any movement and completely without any motional blurring [10], which is not desired for the capturing of high-quality moving images, however. Alternative possibilities are based on post-processing of shots and on estimating a movement between two images. These approaches involve clearly more computational power. Such post-processing may be used for reducing the noise and, thus, for increasing the dynamic range for existing video sequences [1]. The capturing of a video sequence with alternating short and long exposures may also result in improved images by means of movement estimation and subsequent interpolation [5]. However, in the event of unfavorable scenes, no success is guaranteed in either case.
[0008] Other possibilities of achieving a higher dynamic range start with the sensor design. The following options present themselves:
One possibility is to design improved sensors having a large “full-well capacitance”, so that many electrons may be collected per pixel. The difference between many and few electrons will yield the large dynamic range. However, the problem with this approach is that a large capacitance in each pixel also involves a large pixel area. In addition, in the implementation one has to consider the fact that a large dynamic range also involves a particularly low noise level, a high level of accuracy and slow operation in the area of the readout circuits. A further possibility consists in using sensors having a non-linear characteristic, such as logarithmic or LIN-LOG characteristics. Systems which are based on such sensors, however, exhibit a large amount of FPN (fixed pattern noise) image interferences that are particularly difficult to compensate for [14]. Finally, it is possible to utilize the sensors in connection with particular modes for multiple readout during exposure, the information collected so far not being deleted during readout [9, 3, 4]. However, direct extrapolation will also lead to artifacts in the event of there being a movement. A further possibility consists in providing each pixel with an additional circuit which may comprise, e.g., a comparator, a counter, etc. Such additional circuits may be used for controlled imaging with a high level of dynamics. [7] and [6] explain a comparison of various such implementations and their noise behaviors. In the LARS iii principle, for example, each pixel measures not only the intensity up to the end of the exposure but also the point of time of the overflow. This yields pixels with exposure durations of different lengths depending on the brightness and, thus, interferences in dependence on the brightness of the scene in the event of there being a movement.
[0013] Further possible approaches to extending the dynamic range provide an array of pixels having different levels of sensitivity in each case [15]:
For example, in [12], utilization of an optical ND (neutral density) filter per pixel with different densities in a fixed arrangement is described, so that an image having a higher level of dynamics may be reconstructed by means of a reconstruction. However, this involves a decrease in the spatial resolution. The optical mask for each image is fixed. The Eastman Kodak Image Sensor achieves a larger dynamic range and higher sensitivity by means of additional panchromatic pixels. Here, too, a loss of resolution occurs, and additional algorithms for color reconstruction may be used [8]. The Fuji Super CCD additionally comprises very small pixels between the normal pixels and may use additional algorithms for reconstruction [15].
[0017] Splitting of the light beam via a beam splitter, for example, while shooting the same scene from the same perspective while using several cameras may be exploited to cover a higher level of dynamics. This enables shooting even without any artifacts. A system comprising three cameras is described in [17], for example. However, a large outlay for mechanical alignment and optical components is involved.
[0018] In the field of adaptive systems there is a proposition according to which an LC display is mounted in front of a camera [13]. Starting from an image, the brightness may then be adapted in specific image areas for the further images. Skillful reduction of the brightness in bright image areas may then create exposure of a scene which exhibits correct motional blurring. Some of the above-mentioned possibilities of expanding the dynamic range are not able to produce a high-quality HDR image of a moving scene. Artifacts will arise, since each image point is incorporated in the shot at a different time or with a different effective exposure duration. Software correction comprising estimating and interpolating the movement in the scene is possible; however, the result will invariably be inferior to a real shot.
[0019] Systems having image points of different sensitivities, as were also described above, may use different pixels on the image sensor for each of the possible cases, namely “bright” and “dark”. This reduces spatial resolution. Additional electronics in each pixel furthermore leads to reduced sensitivity since in these areas, no light-sensitive surface can be realized.
[0020] Systems which circumvent both disadvantages may use additional mechanics. As was mentioned above, it is possible, for example, to provide beam splitters in connection with utilization of several cameras [17] or to use additional optical reducers in front of each pixel [13]. However, said solutions are either extremely expensive or also lead to a reduction in the resolution.
[0021] Moreover, U.S. Pat. No. 4,040,076 describes a technique known as “skimming gate”. This technique involves initially reading out some of the accumulated charge of the pixels so as to achieve increased dynamics which, however, may use additional circuitry.
SUMMARY
[0022] According to an embodiment, an image sensor may have: a multitude of pixel sensors, the image sensor being configured to capture an image and is configured such that during capture of the image a first pixel sensor in each one of a first number of non-overlapping first accumulation intervals which succeed each other in an essentially uninterrupted manner and together yield an exposure interval detects one value in each case so as to achieve a number of values which, if the first number is larger than 1, are subjected to a summation so as to achieve a pixel value for the first pixel sensor, and a second pixel sensor in each of a second number of non-overlapping second accumulation intervals which succeed each other in an essentially uninterrupted manner and together yield the exposure interval, detects a value so as to achieve a number of values which, if the second number is larger than 1, are subjected to a summation so as to achieve a pixel value for the second pixel sensor, a subdivision of the exposure interval into the first accumulation intervals differing from a subdivision of the exposure interval into the second accumulation intervals, wherein the multitude of pixel sensors include pixel sensors of a first color sensitivity spectrum and pixel sensors of a second color sensitivity spectrum, the first pixel sensor belonging to the pixel sensors of the first color sensitivity spectrum, and the second pixel sensor belonging to the pixel sensors of the second color sensitivity spectrum, the image sensor being configured such that the subdivision of the exposure interval into accumulation intervals for the pixel sensors of the first color sensitivity spectrum and the pixel sensors of the second color sensitivity spectrum is identical, but for the pixel sensors of the first color sensitivity spectrum is different from that for the pixel sensors of the second color sensitivity spectrum.
[0023] According to another embodiment, an camera may have an image sensor, which image sensor may have: a multitude of pixel sensors, the image sensor being configured to capture an image and is configured such that during capture of the image a first pixel sensor in each one of a first number of non-overlapping first accumulation intervals which succeed each other in an essentially uninterrupted manner and together yield an exposure interval detects one value in each case so as to achieve a number of values which, if the first number is larger than 1, are subjected to a summation so as to achieve a pixel value for the first pixel sensor, and a second pixel sensor in each of a second number of non-overlapping second accumulation intervals which succeed each other in an essentially uninterrupted manner and together yield the exposure interval, detects a value so as to achieve a number of values which, if the second number is larger than 1, are subjected to a summation so as to achieve a pixel value for the second pixel sensor, a subdivision of the exposure interval into the first accumulation intervals differing from a subdivision of the exposure interval into the second accumulation intervals, wherein the multitude of pixel sensors include pixel sensors of a first color sensitivity spectrum and pixel sensors of a second color sensitivity spectrum, the first pixel sensor belonging to the pixel sensors of the first color sensitivity spectrum, and the second pixel sensor belonging to the pixel sensors of the second color sensitivity spectrum, the image sensor being configured such that the subdivision of the exposure interval into accumulation intervals for the pixel sensors of the first color sensitivity spectrum and the pixel sensors of the second color sensitivity spectrum is identical, but for the pixel sensors of the first color sensitivity spectrum is different from that for the pixel sensors of the second color sensitivity spectrum.
[0024] According to another embodiment, a method of capturing an image with a multitude of pixel sensors, the method may have the following steps in capturing the image: controlling a first pixel sensor, so that in each one of a first number of non-overlapping first accumulation intervals which succeed each other in an essentially uninterrupted manner and together yield an exposure interval, said first pixel sensor detects one value in each case so as to achieve a number of values while—if the first number is larger than 1—summing the values so as to achieve a pixel value for the first pixel sensor, and controlling a second pixel sensor, so that in each of a second number of non-overlapping second accumulation intervals which succeed each other in an essentially uninterrupted manner and together yield the exposure interval, said second pixel sensor detects a value so as to achieve a number of values while—if the second number is larger than 1—summing the values so as to achieve a pixel value for the second pixel sensor, a subdivision of the exposure interval into the first accumulation intervals differing from a subdivision of the exposure interval into the second accumulation intervals, the multitude of pixel sensors including pixel sensors of a first color sensitivity spectrum and pixel sensors of a second color sensitivity spectrum, the first pixel sensor belonging to the pixel sensors of the first color sensitivity spectrum, and the second pixel sensor belonging to the pixel sensors of the second color sensitivity spectrum, the subdivision of the exposure interval into accumulation intervals for the pixel sensors of the first color sensitivity spectrum and the pixel sensors of the second color sensitivity spectrum being identical to one another, but being different for the pixel sensors of the first color sensitivity spectrum from that for the pixel sensors of the second color sensitivity spectrum.
[0025] Another embodiment may have a computer program having a program code for performing the method of capturing an image with a multitude of pixel sensors, which method may have the following steps in capturing the image: controlling a first pixel sensor, so that in each one of a first number of non-overlapping first accumulation intervals which succeed each other in an essentially uninterrupted manner and together yield an exposure interval, said first pixel sensor detects one value in each case so as to achieve a number of values while—if the first number is larger than 1—summing the values so as to achieve a pixel value for the first pixel sensor, and controlling a second pixel sensor, so that in each of a second number of non-overlapping second accumulation intervals which succeed each other in an essentially uninterrupted manner and together yield the exposure interval, said second pixel sensor detects a value so as to achieve a number of values while—if the second number is larger than 1—summing the values so as to achieve a pixel value for the second pixel sensor, a subdivision of the exposure interval into the first accumulation intervals differing from a subdivision of the exposure interval into the second accumulation intervals, the multitude of pixel sensors including pixel sensors of a first color sensitivity spectrum and pixel sensors of a second color sensitivity spectrum, the first pixel sensor belonging to the pixel sensors of the first color sensitivity spectrum, and the second pixel sensor belonging to the pixel sensors of the second color sensitivity spectrum, the subdivision of the exposure interval into accumulation intervals for the pixel sensors of the first color sensitivity spectrum and the pixel sensors of the second color sensitivity spectrum being identical to one another, but being different for the pixel sensors of the first color sensitivity spectrum from that for the pixel sensors of the second color sensitivity spectrum, when the program runs on a computer.
[0026] A core idea of the present invention consists in that a better compromise may be achieved between the dynamic range, the spatial resolution, the implementation outlay and the image quality if—although each pixel effectively carries out exposure over the entire exposure interval—different subdivisions of said exposure interval into accumulation intervals are performed for different pixel sensors or pixels. In the case of more than one accumulation interval per exposure interval, the values detected in the accumulation intervals are summed in order to obtain the respective pixel value. Since the exposure effectively continues to take place for all pixels over the entire exposure interval, no impairment of the image quality arises, or no artifacts arise in image movements. All pixels undergo the same image blur on account of the movement. The additional hardware outlay compared with commercially available pixel sensors, such as CMOS sensors, for example, is either entirely non-existent or can be kept very small, depending on the implementation. Moreover, a reduction in the spatial resolution is not necessary since the pixels, in principle, contribute equally to the image capturing. In this manner, pixels which accumulate charges more slowly in response to the light to be absorbed because they are less sensitive to the light or because a smaller amount of light impinges on them may be controlled with a finer subdivision, and pixels for which the opposite is true may be controlled with a coarser subdivision, thereby increasing the dynamic range overall while maintaining the spatial resolution and the image quality and while requiring only little implementation outlay.
[0027] In accordance with an embodiment, the exposure interval subdivision is performed in dependence on the level of brightness of the image at the different pixel sensors, such that the brighter the image at the respective pixel sensor, the larger the number of accumulation intervals. The dynamic range thus increases even further, since brightly illuminated pixels are less likely to go into saturation, since the exposure interval is subdivided into the accumulation intervals. The subdivisions of the illumination intervals of the pixels or pixel sensors in dependence on the image may be determined individually for each pixel in accordance with a first embodiment. The accumulation interval subdivision is selected to be finer for pixel sensors or pixels in whose positions the image is brighter, and are selected to be less fine for the other pixel sensors, i.e., are selected to exhibit fewer accumulation intervals per exposure interval. The exposure interval subdivider, which is responsible for subdividing the exposure interval into the accumulation intervals, may determine the brightness at the respective pixel sensor from the shot of the preceding image, such as from the pixel value of the preceding image for the respective pixel sensor. Another possibility is for the exposure interval subdivider to currently observe the accumulated amount of light of the pixel sensors during the exposure interval and to end a current accumulation interval and to start a new one when the current accumulated amount of light of a respective pixel sensor exceeds a predetermined amount. The observation may be performed continually or intermittently, such as periodically at intervals that are equal in length and smaller than the exposure time period, and may include, for example, non-destructive readout of an accumulator of the respective pixel sensor.
[0028] Instead of setting the exposure interval subdivision into the accumulation intervals for each pixel individually, provision may be made for the exposure interval subdivision into the accumulation intervals to be performed for different disjoint real subsets of the pixel sensors of the image sensor, said subsets corresponding to different color sensitivity spectra, for example. In this case it is also possible to use sensors in addition to the pixel sensors so as to perform image-dependent exposure interval subdivision. Alternatively, representative pixel sensors of the image sensor itself may be used. On the basis of the information thus obtained about the image or the scene, a color spectrum of the image is detected, and the exposure interval subdivision into the accumulation intervals is performed, depending thereon, for the individual pixel sensor groups, such as the individual color components of the image sensor.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0029] Embodiments of the present invention will be detailed subsequently referring to the appended drawings, in which:
[0030] FIG. 1 shows a graph wherein the response of color channels of a typical image sensor is represented in values, which are coded in a normalized manner, for white light of the color temperature T;
[0031] FIG. 2 shows a graph wherein a camera output is plotted over a variation of the amount of light for a color temperature T=2700 K for the red, green and blue color channels (continuous lines) as well as the noise standard deviation (dashed horizontal lines) and the dynamic range limits (dotted vertical lines);
[0032] FIGS. 3 a to 3 c show diagrams wherein the dynamic range at a color temperature T=2700 K for the red, green and blue color channels is represented together with a “safe range” for correct exposure of all of the color channels, specifically once for normal exposure with continuous exposure of the pixels, once for subdividing half of the exposure intervals into accumulation intervals for each primary color, and a different time for continuous exposure for blue pixels at a subdivision of half of the exposure intervals into accumulation intervals for red and green pixels;
[0033] FIG. 4 shows a schematic drawing of an image sensor in accordance with an embodiment;
[0034] FIG. 5 shows a schematic drawing for illustrating exposure intervals subdivision into accumulation intervals in accordance with an embodiment;
[0035] FIG. 6 shows graphs wherein the accumulation state of a pixel sensor is represented over time for various exemplary exposure interval subdivisions into accumulation intervals and different illumination states at the pixel sensors;
[0036] FIG. 7 shows a schematic representation of an image sensor in accordance with a further embodiment; and
[0037] FIG. 8 shows a block diagram of a section of an image sensor in accordance with a further embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0038] Before several embodiments of the present application will be described below with reference to the figures, it shall be noted that identical elements which occur in several of said figures are provided with identical reference numerals and that repeated descriptions of said elements are avoided as much as possible, but that the descriptions of said elements with regard to one figure shall also apply to the other figures as long as no contradiction results from the specific descriptions of the respective figure.
[0039] In addition, it shall be noted that in the following, the description will initially relate to embodiments of the present application, according to which the exposure interval subdivision into accumulation (sub)intervals is performed, in a manner that is individual for each color, for different colors of an image sensor even though, as will be subsequently described, the present invention is not limited to this type of granularity of the exposure interval subdivision, but the exposure interval subdivision may also be determined with local granularity, e.g., it may be determined individually for each pixel or, for other local pixel groups, in dependence on the image. Illustration of the advantages of the present application with regard to the embodiments comprising exposure interval subdivision per color of an image sensor may also be readily transferred to the embodiments following same.
[0040] In order to make the advantages of image-dependent exposure interval subdivision into accumulation intervals easier to understand, the problems existing in color image sensors in connection with while balancing will initially be addressed briefly.
[0041] Digital cameras are used in a wide range of applications, and in many cases, scene illumination may vary widely. However, digital image sensors are fixed with regard to their spectral sensitivities.
[0042] For example, if white light of a specific color temperature T impinges upon a sensor, one will see, e.g., a different output in each of the color channels. The normalized output of a typical image sensor is shown in FIG. 1 . Additional processing, referred to as white balancing, may be performed in order to produce white pixels or super pixels from the pixels of the different primary colors.
White Balancing Typically Includes Two Aspects:
[0043] Firstly, the color temperature of the illumination of the scene may be known in order to perform a correction. In the field of consumer photography, many algorithms are employed for automatically estimating the illumination color temperature. In high-end recording scenarios, such as moving pictures, the color temperature forms a controlled parameter known to the camera operator.
[0044] Secondly, the data should be adapted. Different color spaces may be used for applying multiplicative correction.
[0045] However, the problem of unbalanced color response is more serious. As will be shown in the following, the safe range for correct exposure is very much smaller than the camera dynamic range. Even though there are elaborate algorithms for improving underexposed color images with the aid of correctly exposed grey-scale images [5], said methods are complex with regard to the computational expenditure and involve many exposures. If a specific image region is overexposed, even elaborate error elimination techniques can only attempt to guess the missing information. However, this, too, is complex in terms of computation, and there is no guarantee for success.
[0046] Rather, it would be more important for the exposure to be correct initially. The embodiments described below achieve this goal. In particular, it is possible to address the limited dynamic range—as is provoked, by way of example, specifically by unbalanced colors—during detection. A few possibilities were described in the introduction to the description of the present application. However, many of said possibilities result in artifacts if there is a scene movement. The embodiments described below, however, allow digital sensitivity adaptation for pixels and/or color channels without impairing the motional blurring.
[0047] The problem of dynamic range reduction due to unbalanced color sensitivity will be explained in some more detail below.
[0048] The dynamic range of image sensors is limited. In particular, the dynamic range is limited from above, specifically by clipping, and from below, specifically when the signal is swallowed up by the noise. For example, reference shall be made to FIG. 2 , which indicates a typical dynamic range for a typical camera response. FIG. 2 shows pixel values in relative intensities in a log-log scale of the basis of 10 . The continuous lines show the responses for each of the color channels.
[0049] As may be seen, each color channel exhibits a maximum of different intensities. The vertical doted lines on the right show the maximum intensity for each color channel. Above said intensity, no image information can be detected, and for a correctly exposed image, the scene intensities would have to remain below it.
[0050] The lower limit of the dynamic range is defined by the noise floor. The dashed horizontal line shows the standard deviation σ of the noise in the dark. The lower limit of the dynamic range is at a signal/noise ratio of 1. The dotted vertical lines on the left show the minimum intensities. Any information below said threshold will not be visible in the image but will be swallowed up by the noise.
[0051] There resulting dynamic range limits are summarized in FIG. 3 a . It can be seen that in relation to one another, the color channels have similar dynamic ranges of 38 dB, but different positions along the Φ axis show different relative sensitivities.
[0052] In the field of imaging one is interested in producing images with all three color channels at the same time. A safe range for exposure will then be that intensity range for which all of the color channels provide a valid image, i.e., an image wherein all of the pixels are correctly exposed, i.e., wherein the intensity is within the limits explained above. If there is a mismatch between the color channels, the exposure will have to be restricted to a dynamic range wherein all of the color channels produce valid images. This “safety range” is shown on the right-hand side of FIG. 3 a . The “safe range” thus forms the intersection of all of the dynamic ranges of the individual color components, and in the example of FIG. 3 a , it is reduced by about 4 dB or, put differently, by 1.5 f-stops, as compared to the individual dynamic ranges of the individual color components.
[0053] The above examples are represented for a source of white light having a correlated color temperature T=2700 K. For other light sources, a different ratio of the output signals of the color channels would result.
[0054] FIG. 1 shows the intensity ratio of the color channels across a typical range of color temperatures. The green channel has the highest sensitivity and the output signals are therefore normalized to the green output value. The red and blue channels are below same, and the reduction of the dynamic range shows across the entire range of color temperatures.
[0055] An image which is normally captured at these color temperatures, i.e., with a continuous exposure time which is the same for all colors, shows a significant color cast. A typical white balancing operation might compensate for this by multiplying the pixel values. This multiplication corresponds to a vertical shift in the color channels in FIG. 2 . Said vertical shift, in turn, results in a white color response in the final images, but the dynamic range limits will remain the same.
[0056] The full dynamic range of a camera might be maintained if all of the color channels would respond to white light with the same sensitivity. An image sensor might be specifically designed to provide a balanced output for a specific color temperature. What is common is balancing for typical daylight recording conditions at T=5600 K.
[0057] In the field of analog film and photography, white balancing is sometimes achieved with optical filters. For example, a scene illuminated with tungsten filament or even the light source itself may be filtered with a color conversion filter. The camera will then see a different white balance. Said filters are still in use nowadays for high-end digital imaging. However, optical filters belong to a sensitive and expensive part of cameral equipment. Additionally, filters reduce the amount of light for all of the color channels, and the overall sensitivity is also reduced.
[0058] In order to produce balanced exposure, it would also be possible, of course, to individually set the exposure time periods of the color channels, i.e., to use different exposure intervals for the individual colors. Blurring effects, however, would then be different for the different colors, which again represents an image deterioration.
[0059] For the reasons set forth above, the following considerations result in embodiments of the present invention. In order to avoid different image properties, or different blurring in the individual pixel colors, the effective exposure time period should be the same for all colors. However, since the different color pixels, or the pixels of different colors, go into saturation at different speeds, namely in dependence on their sensitivity and the hue of the scene being captured, the exposure interval is subdivided differently for the different colors of the image sensor, e.g. into different numbers of accumulation intervals, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, at the ends of which readout values are read out in a respective uninterrupted readout/reset process and are finally summed to yield the pixel value. Thus, the image properties remain the same since the effective exposure time period is the same for all color pixels. However, each color may be exposed in an optimum manner, specifically to the effect that no overexposure occurs.
[0060] The decision regarding the exposure interval subdivision per color may—but need not—be made as a function of the image and/or scene, so that the dynamic range expansion may be achieved independently of the scene and/or of the image and its illumination and/or color cast. However, an improvement may also be obtained with a fixed setting of the exposure interval subdivision. For example, differences in sensitivity of the individual color pixels may be compensated for by different exposure interval subdivisions such that the dynamic range wherein all of the color pixels of a simultaneous image capturing are correctly illuminated is enlarged overall.
[0061] To illustrate this, please refer to FIGS. 3 a to 3 c once again. All of said figures are based on an illumination with T=2700 K. FIG. 3 a was already explained above. It represents the measured dynamic ranges for regular operation of an image sensor with pixel sensors. This means that the color pixels of all of the colors were exposed continually over the exposure interval with the same exposure interval. What results is the “safe dynamic range” shown on the right-hand side. FIG. 3 b shows the case where all color pixels, i.e., green, blue and red, are controlled with an equal subdivision of the exposure time interval into two equally large accumulation subintervals so as to subject the two resulting accumulation values per pixel to a summation in order to obtain the respective pixel value, whereby the dynamic range was shifted upward to due the equal subdivision of the exposure interval. As may be seen, the dynamic range thus increases by about 1.5 dB for each channel, and the dynamic range is shifted upward by about 3 dB, i.e. shifted toward brighter scenes. The resulting “safe dynamic range” has increased slightly as a result.
[0062] A more pronounced dynamic range gain, however, results in the case of FIG. 3 c , wherein, specifically, the fainter pixels, namely the blue pixels, were controlled normally, i.e., with an exposure over the entire exposure time period without any intermittent uninterrupted readout/reset, whereas the more sensitive green and red pixels were controlled with equal subdivision of the exposure interval into two equally large accumulation subintervals—with subsequent summation of the readout values—so as to shift their dynamic range in accordance with FIG. 3 b . Performing this shift—in a manner that is individual for each color—in the dynamic ranges for the red and green colors while maintaining the dynamic range for the blue color in accordance with FIG. 3 a all in all ensures, in the case of FIG. 3 c , a clearly more pronounced overlap of the individual dynamic ranges, i.e., an enlargement of the “safe dynamic range” which, again, is depicted on the right. The useable dynamic range has increased by 3 dB or, put differently, by a small f-stop as compared to the case of 3 a. The effective exposure time and, thus, the motional blurring of the color channels therefore is identical for all of the three channels.
[0063] The dynamic gain that has just been described may even be increased if the exposure interval subdivision is performed as a function of the image and/or scene.
[0064] And the dynamic gain that has just been described may even be increased if in addition to the dependence on the image and/or scene even the granularity of the setting of the exposure interval subdivision is performed in dependence on the location, i.e., if the disjoint sets of pixels—these being the units in which the exposure interval subdivision may be adjusted—are separated not only in accordance with their color association but also with the lateral location within the surface of the pixel sensors of the image sensor. Specifically, if an exposure interval subdivision across the image is locally varied for pixels of the same sensitivity spectrum and/or the same color, depending on whether or not the respective part of the image sensor is brightly illuminated, the image-dependent exposure interval subdivision may even compensate for large image contrasts in that the dynamic range of respective pixels is shifted to where the amount of light is currently found at the corresponding location of the image sensor (cf. FIG. 3 c ).
[0065] Now that the advantages of embodiments of the present invention have been set forth and explained, embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail below.
[0066] FIG. 4 shows an image sensor 10 comprising a multitude of pixel sensors 12 . In the case of FIG. 4 , the pixel sensors 12 are regularly arranged, by way of example, in an array in an image sensor surface—in FIG. 4 in rows and columns, by way of example, even though other arrangements, be they regular or not, are also possible. The image of an object 14 is mapped to the image sensor 10 , in FIG. 4 by means of a suitable optical system 16 , by way of example; however, such optical mapping is not essential, and the image sensor 10 may also be used for the purpose of capturing images that have not originated from an optical mapping.
[0067] The image sensor 10 is configured to capture an image specifically such that, during capturing of the image, each pixel sensor 12 effectively performs exposure over a shared exposure interval, but different exposure interval subdivisions into accumulation subintervals are used among the pixel sensors 12 . To illustrate this in more detail, the pixel sensors 12 are indicated as being numbered, by way of example, in FIG. 4 , and on the left-hand side of FIG. 4 , control during image capturing is illustrated by way of example for two different pixels, here pixels number 1 and 2 , by way of example. More specifically, two timing diagrams are represented one on top of the other on the left-hand side in FIG. 4 , namely a timing diagram 16 1 for pixel 1 and a timing diagram 16 2 for pixel 2 , and it is indicated that similar diagrams exist for the other pixel sensors 12 but are not shown in FIG. 4 for the sake of clarity. Each timing diagram exhibits a horizontal time axis and a vertical accumulation axis. The timing diagram 16 1 indicates that pixel No. 1 accumulates over the exposure interval 18 . However, the exposure interval for pixel No. 1 is subdivided into four accumulation subintervals 20 1 . The accumulation subintervals may be equal in size, but this is not mandatory. The accumulation subintervals do not overlap but essentially border on each other in a temporally seamless manner so as to extend essentially over the entire exposure interval 18 together. At the end of each accumulation subinterval 20 1 , pixel No. 1 is read out and reset. At the end of the last accumulation subinterval 20 1 within the exposure interval 18 , resetting of the pixel sensor 1 might possibly be dispensed with. In other words, at the ends of the accumulation subintervals 20 1 , an accumulator of the pixel sensor is read out and then reset so as to accumulate, in a subsequent accumulation subinterval 20 1 , charge carriers on account of the incident light radiation. FIG. 4 provides an exemplary indication of there being a maximum amount of charge Q max for the pixel sensor and/or its accumulator. Moreover, FIG. 4 indicates the time curve of the charge state at 22 1 . As is indicated by the dotted line 24 1 , the pixel sensor 12 of the pixel 1 would have been overexposed if the accumulation had been performed, as usual, continuously over the exposure interval 18 . To obtain the pixel value of the pixel 1 , the readout values obtained at the ends of the accumulation subintervals 20 1 are summed up, specifically possibly still below a weighting or without weighting, it being possible for the weighting to depend on the number of accumulation subintervals, so that the weighting factor might be 1/N, for example, wherein N=number of accumulation subintervals per exposure interval 18 , or so that the weighting corresponds to the relative sensitivity of the respectively associated color of the pixel—normalized to the most sensitive color. The sum obtained is a measure of the amount of light incident on pixel 1 during the exposure time period 18 .
[0068] By way of example, FIG. 4 shows that pixel 2 performs no further subdivision of the exposure interval into accumulation subintervals, or that the accumulation subinterval 20 2 corresponds to the exposure interval 18 . As may be seen, pixel 2 has also not been overridden either, but its accumulation state 24 2 remains below the charge quantity threshold value Q max .
[0069] In other words, FIG. 4 shows that during capturing of an image it is in the non-overlapping accumulation subintervals 20 1 , which essentially succeed one another without any gaps and which together form the exposure interval 18 , the pixel sensor No. 1 detects a readout value in each case to obtain a number of readout values which are subjected to a summation so as to obtain a pixel value for the pixel sensor 12 at pixel No. 1 , pixel No. 12 at pixel No. 2 detecting a readout value in the accumulation subinterval 20 2 , said readout value representing the pixel value for this pixel sensor.
[0070] It is only by way of example that the representation of FIG. 4 is limited to the exposure interval subdivisions for two exemplary pixels. The exposure interval subdivisions of the remaining pixel sensors 12 may also vary.
[0071] The image sensor 10 may be configured such that the exposure interval subdivision into one, two or more accumulation subintervals is fixedly set for all pixel sensors 12 and is set to differ at least for two real subsets of pixel sensors. As was described above, a different exposure interval subdivision may be employed, e.g., for the more light-sensitive pixel sensors 12 of a first color sensitivity spectrum, such as the green pixels, than for pixel sensors 12 of a different color sensitivity spectrum, such as the red and/or blue pixels. In this case, for example, the exposure interval subdivision may be selected to be finer for those pixels sensors for which a reduction in sensitivity is desired, a finer exposure interval subdivision leading to a larger number of accumulation subintervals. As was explained above with reference to FIG. 3 c , the dynamic range of the image sensor 10 may be increased in this manner. The pixel sensors 12 of the different color sensitivity spectra may be arranged, as is common, over the image sensor and/or laterally over the image sensor 12 in an evenly distributed manner, such as in super pixel clusters or the like. Generally, the dynamic range which may be sampled may be shifted to a desired area of higher levels of scene intensities by means of the method. For the specific case of a single pixel, the sensitivity may be shifted entirely into the range of the actual scene brightness. The grouping of pixels, for which a shared exposure interval subdivision is used, by means of the color channels is only one of several embodiments of a fixed grouping. The image sensor might also comprise groups of pixels and/or pixel sensors having different sizes and having light-sensitive areas of different sizes, and this group subdivision might be used as the basis for granularity wherein the exposure interval subdivision varies; of course, also pixel sensors having light-sensitive areas of different sizes comprise different color sensitivity spectra, “different” being understood in terms of amount and scaling, whereas different color pixels also differ with regard to the spectral shapes of their color sensitivity spectra.
[0072] Instead of a presetting, it is also possible for the image sensor 10 to comprise an exposure interval subdivider 26 configured to perform, or set, the subdivisions of the exposure interval 18 into the accumulation subintervals. The exposure interval subdivider 26 may comprise, e.g., a user interface which allows a user to control or at least influence the exposure interval subdivision. Preferably, the exposure interval subdivider is configured to be able to change the fineness of the exposure interval subdivision of different pixels relative to one another, such as the ratio of the number of accumulation subintervals per exposure interval 18 , for example. It would be possible, for example, for the exposure interval subdivider 26 to comprise an operating element for a user on which the user may input a color temperature used for illuminating a scene. For very low color temperatures, for example, provision may be made for the exposure interval subdivision to be performed and/or set to be finer for the red and green pixel sensors than for the red pixel sensors, and in the case of a high color temperature, the exposure interval subdivision might be set to be finer for the colors blue and green than for the color pixel sensors of the color red.
[0073] Alternatively or additionally to providing a user influence on the exposure interval subdivision, provision may be made for the exposure interval subdivider 26 to be configured to perform the exposure interval subdivision for the pixel sensors 12 in dependence on the image or scene. For example, the exposure interval subdivider 26 might set the ratio of the exposure interval subdivision fineness among the differently colored pixel sensors automatically in dependence on a color cast, or hue, of the image to be captured or of the scene to be captured in which the image is to be captured. An embodiment will be explained later on this score. The exposure interval subdivider might obtain information about a scene color cast from dedicated color sensors or from a shot of a preceding image. FIG. 4 shows by way of example that the exposure interval 18 starts at a time t image(i) , whereupon a new shot is performed at a time t image(i+1) , etc. In other words, the image sensor 10 might be the part of a video camera, and for the shooting at the time t image(i+1) , the exposure interval subdivision might be performed in dependence of settings that were performed for capturing the image at the time t image(i) . The image shots might be performed at a frame rate 1/Δt, i.e., t image(i+1) =t image(i) +Δt.
[0074] Moreover, the image sensor 10 might be configured such that the exposure interval subdivider is able to differently set, during a shot, exposure interval subdivisions of pixel sensors of equal color or color sensitivity spectrum which are arranged at laterally different positions. In particular, the exposure interval subdivider might therefore be configured to perform the subdivision of the exposure interval 18 into the accumulation subintervals in dependence on the brightness of the image at the positions corresponding to the pixel sensors 12 , so that the number of accumulation subintervals increases as the brightness of the image at the corresponding position increases. The exposure interval subdivider 26 , in turn, might predicate the brightness at the corresponding pixel positions from previous image pick-ups or, as will be explained below, it might determine and/or estimate it by observing the current accumulation state of the respective pixel sensors 12 . Local granularity in which the exposure interval subdivider 26 performs the local exposure interval subdivision might be pixel-wise, superpixel-wise or, naturally, even coarser than single pixel or single superpixel granularity.
[0075] FIG. 5 once again shows, by way of example, the case of an exposure interval subdivision for pixel No. 1 into four accumulation subintervals and for pixel No. 2 into only one accumulation subinterval, specifically for the exemplary case of subdivision into equally long accumulation intervals and in a more detailed manner. The exposure interval has a length of τ exp and extends from time t 1 to time t 2 . For pixel No. 2 , a reset operation is performed at the beginning of the accumulation subinterval 20 2 and a readout operation is performed at the end of the accumulation subinterval 20 2 . For pixel No. 1 , a reset operation is performed at the beginning of the first accumulation subinterval 20 1 and a readout operation is performed at the end of the last accumulation subinterval 20 1 and an uninterrupted readout/reset operation is performed between the accumulation subintervals 20 1 . Thus, FIG. 5 shows an approach wherein four essentially uninterrupted readout/reset operations are performed during the exposure interval 18 in pixel No. 1 or wherein, to be precise, three such operations are performed within the exposure interval 18 and one readout operation is performed at the at time t 2 , whereby the exposure interval 18 for the pixel 1 is subdivided into four accumulation subintervals of the length τ N with N=4, wherein τ N =τ xp/N . As may also be seen, the last operation may be limited to a readout, and the corresponding pixel sensor will be—or is still—reset at the beginning of the exposure interval 18 at the time t 1 . Said resetting results in presetting of the accumulation storage which has already been mentioned above, e.g. a capacity, within the corresponding pixel sensor which will then be discharged or charged at a rate corresponding to the currently incident light stream. Said readout results in a readout value of the current charge state of the accumulation storage. The readout may be destructive, i.e., change the charge state since, after all, resetting is performed again thereafter. In FIG. 5 , the exposure interval 18 has been subdivided, by way of example, into four accumulation subintervals for pixel No. 1 and into only one for pixel No. 2 ; however, a finer or coarser subdivision with N≧2 is also possible. Resetting of the accumulation storage may provide complete discharge. Alternatively, in accordance with a so-called skimming gate technique, resetting may be performed such that in the readout/reset operations only part of the accumulated charge is skimmed off or converted to voltage, and a different, predetermined part remains in the accumulator in which the latter part might form the target value for the reset operations, as it were.
[0076] The above mentioned readout/reset operations in FIGS. 4 and 5 involve a readout operation and a reset operation which essentially directly follow each other. Thus, essentially no light accumulation occurs between them. The ratio between the sum of the time gaps between the readout operation and the following reset operation and the time duration t exp is, e.g., equal to or less than 9/10 or more advantageously even less than 99/100.
[0077] According to the embodiment of FIG. 5 , therefore, the accumulation subintervals are equal in length. Accordingly, the image sensor of FIG. 4 therefore might be configured such that the exposure interval subdivision for the pixel sensors 12 may be performed only in such a manner that the exposure interval 18 is subdivided into equally sized accumulation subintervals in each case, i.e., that for pixel sensors 12 , only N is varied; specifically, as was described above, per pixel or per color, etc.
[0078] The final pixel value i for the current frame or the current shot is then obtained in the image sensor 10 by summing the individual readout values if there are several of them, so that the following is true, for example, for the pixel values of the pixel sensors 12 of the image sensor 10 :
[0000] 1 =Σ I n n=≡ 5 1 . . . N}
[0079] wherein I n be the readout value of the n th accumulation interval and N be the number of accumulation intervals within an exposure interval. As can be seen, the summation may be missing if there is only one accumulation interval present, such as with pixel No. 2 in FIGS. 4 and 5 , for example.
[0080] The sum might be weighted. For example, the image sensor 10 might be configured such that the pixel values of pixel sensors 12 of a first color sensitivity spectrum and/or of a first color are weighted with a first factor a color — 1 so as to weight them differently in relation to pixel values of pixel sensors of a different color sensitivity spectrum, so that the following would be true:
[0000] 1 = a color — 1 ·ΣI n n={1 . . . N}
[0081] The correction might ensure white balancing, i.e., it might balance out the inherent imbalance of the sensitivity of the differently colored pixel sensors when assuming a specific white light temperature. As has already been mentioned, however, there might also be other differences between the pixels, such as differences in the size of the light emitting surface area, for which a different factor a group — 1 might then be provided, to put this in more general terms.
[0082] In the embodiment of FIG. 5 , according to which the exposure interval subdivision can be performed only in equally sized accumulation subintervals, the exposure interval subdivider 26 is restricted in its work in that said exposure interval subdivider 26 also predefines, when specifying the length of the first—or any—accumulation subinterval for a pixel sensor 12 or a specific group of pixel sensors 12 , such as the pixel sensors 12 of a specific color, the remaining subdivision of the exposure interval and/or the remaining subdivision of the exposure interval is inherently specified. Subsequent changes in the brightness of the image during the remaining time of the exposure interval can then no longer be taken into account by the exposure interval subdivider. In the case of FIG. 5 , the exposure interval subdivider 26 may perform the division, as was described above, for example on the basis of past information such as the settings for preceding image shot or by observing the current accumulation state of a pixel 12 from the beginning of the shooting, for example to then specify N, whereupon no further “rectification” or adaptation to sudden changes in light conditions will be possible.
[0083] FIG. 6 shows the exposure interval subdivisions for three different pixels in accordance with a somewhat different embodiment. In accordance with the embodiment of FIG. 6 , the exposure interval 18 is subdivided into a number of unit intervals which in FIG. 6 are, by way of example, eight unit intervals 30 of equal length, by way of example. In accordance with the embodiment of FIG. 6 , the exposure interval subdivision here is limited to the fact that the arising accumulation subintervals 20 of an exposure interval 18 can only end or begin at the unit interval boundaries, i.e. that the uninterrupted readout/reset operations can only be at said points in time or, put in other words, the accumulation intervals in the exemplary case of FIG. 6 can be extended only in units of the unit intervals 30 so as to comprise temporal lengths corresponding to integer multiples of the length of a unit interval 30 . For example, at these points in time a comparison of the current accumulation state with a specific threshold is performed, said threshold amounting to, e.g., ⅓, ⅖ or any fraction therebetween of the maximum accumulation state so as to trigger an uninterrupted readout/reset operation upon the threshold being exceeded.
[0084] It is therefore possible, in the embodiment of FIG. 6 , that the exposure interval subdivider 26 is able to take into account any changes in the incident light intensity neither during the exposure interval subdivision nor during the current exposure interval 18 . Such a change in the incident light intensity during the current exposure interval 18 is depicted in FIG. 6 by way of example for a pixel No. 4 ; in FIG. 6 , a current accumulation state I is plotted for each pixel over the time t, a change in the light intensity being indicated, by way of example, at the time t 0 , namely in that the accumulation state changes more quickly from this time onward. The right-hand side of FIG. 6 indicates how the respective pixel value Ī results from the individual readout values I, the superscript indices indicating the respective pixel number and the subscript indices indicating the respective readout value in the order of their being readout during the exposure interval 18 .
[0085] Two embodiments of an image sensor will be described below with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8 ; they have already been insinuated in the above description but will be described in more detail below.
[0086] FIG. 7 shows an image sensor 10 ′ having a multitude of pixel sensors 12 of different color sensitivity spectra, FIG. 7 depicting, by way of example, three different pixel sensor types and/or colors, namely by using different types of hatching. The three different colors are red, green and blue, for example; however, other color sensitivity spectra are also possible and the number of different colors sensitivity spectra may also be selected differently. The image sensor 10 ′ further comprises a sensor 32 which is specifically provided for sampling light incident on the image sensor 10 ′ at the different color sensitivity spectra. For example, the sensor 32 in turn comprises different sensor elements 32 a , 32 b and 32 c whose sensitivity spectra are different from one another and whose light spectra are located at the light sensitivity spectra of the pixel sensors 12 such that they are associated with same 1:1. The image sensor 10 ′ of FIG. 7 further comprises an exposure interval subdivider 26 which, on the basis of the output signal of the sensor 32 , determines a hue and/or a color cast of the incident light and/or which changes, in dependence thereon, the fineness of an exposure interval subdivision for the pixel sensors 12 of the different color sensitivity spectra in relation to one another, such as the number of accumulation subintervals into which the exposure interval is subdivided for capturing an image, as was described above. There may be a time offset between the measurement and/or determination of the hue and/or the color cast of the scene and the setting of the exposure interval subdivision for the individual colors of the image sensor, i.e., the color cast may be measured prior to the actual image capturing. Alternatively, the measurement for detecting the color cast of the scene may be started at the same time as the actual image capturing. In accordance with an embodiment, the exposure interval subdivider 26 may perform, e.g., the evaluation of the color cast of the scene at a predetermined point in time after the start of the exposure interval and may thereupon specify an exposure interval subdivision for one of the color sensitivity spectra such that the accumulation intervals—except for maybe one if the subdivision does not divide exactly—are located between a length of time equal to the time period between the beginning of the exposure interval and the color hue evaluation and the length of time of the entire exposure interval.
[0087] FIG. 7 further shows that the image sensor 10 ′ may optionally comprise a white balancer 34 configured to weight the pixels values of the pixel sensors 12 with different weightings, specifically with different weightings for the different color sensitivity spectra to which the individual pixel sensors 12 belong so as to thereby balance out the inherent sensitivity difference of the pixel sensors 12 of the different colors by means of the weightings, or so as to set a hue of the shot as desired, i.e., in accordance with a specific intension on the part of the user.
[0088] FIG. 8 shows a further embodiment of an image sensor 10 ″ in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The image sensor of FIG. 8 includes a multitude of pixel sensors 12 . In place of the pixel sensors 12 , FIG. 8 shows that a pixel sensor 12 comprises, e.g., a light-sensitive surface 36 and an associated accumulator 38 , such as a capacitor or a different capacitance wherein charges are accumulated which are induced by light impinging on the light-sensitive surface 36 or wherein accumulated charge is discharged during resetting due to light impinging on the light-sensitive surface 36 .
[0089] In accordance with FIG. 8 , the accumulator 38 may be connected to a digital-to-analog converter 40 capable of converting the current charge state of the accumulator 38 to a digital value. It shall immediately be pointed out that the digital-to-analog converter 40 is not critical. Instead of a digital-to-analog converter, a different readout unit might also be provided which reads out the current accumulation state of the accumulator 38 in an analog manner and outputs it at its output.
[0090] The output of the readout unit 40 is adjoined by an adder 42 , which exhibits a further output and a further input between which an intermediate storage (latch) 44 is connected. By means of this connection, the value read out by the readout unit 40 is added to a sum of the values of the same pixels which were previously readout in the same exposure interval. At the end of an exposure interval, thus, the summed value of the readout values of the respective pixel sensor 12 is present at the output of the adder 42 , it being possible for a weighting unit 46 to optionally adjoin the output of the adder 42 , which weighting unit may perform, e.g., the above-mentioned color-dependent weighting of the pixel value, so that the pixel value of the pixel considered would be present in a weighted manner at the output of the optional weighting unit 46 .
[0091] The image sensor 10 ″ further includes an exposure interval subdivider 26 which sets, for the pixel sensor considered in FIG. 8 by way of example, the exposure interval subdivision and correspondingly controls the readout unit 40 to read out and reset the accumulation state of the accumulator 38 at the end or ends of the accumulation subintervals.
[0092] Now that the architecture of the image sensor of FIG. 8 has been described above, its mode of operation will be described below. Prior to exposure of an image, the intermediate storage 44 is reset to 0. The accumulator 38 is also reset, and care is taken to ensure that the accumulation across the light-sensitive surface 36 is not effected until the start of the exposure interval, i.e., at the first accumulation subinterval. By this time, the exposure interval subdivider 26 has either already determined or is yet to determine the setting of the exposure interval subdivision. As was mentioned above, the exposure interval subdivider 26 may be influenced in its determination by a user input means 48 or a dedicated sensor 32 . Alternatively or additionally, the exposure interval subdivider 26 may also observe the current accumulation state of the accumulator 38 , for example by means of a comparator, which compares the accumulation state, as was mentioned above, with a predetermined value and causes one of the uninterrupted readout/reset operations if the latter value is exceeded. It is also possible for the exposure interval subdivider 26 to observe the accumulator 38 ′ of a representative pixel sensor of the image sensor 10 ″ so as to deduce the accumulation state of the accumulator 38 of the current pixel sensor 12 and/or to use the accumulation state of this representative accumulator 38 ′ as an estimation value for the accumulation state of the accumulator 38 so as to then, as was described above, set the exposure interval subdivision during the current exposure interval. This representative pixel sensor might be located, e.g., in the line which is preceding in a line readout scanning direction. As is further indicated by dashed lines, the exposure interval subdivider 26 may also use the pixel value of the pixel sensor 12 for a preceding image shot as a prediction of the level of brightness with which the pixel is (will be) illuminated in the current image shot so as to accordingly perform the exposure interval subdivision for the current exposure interval.
[0093] In the event that the exposure interval subdivision is individually set for each pixel, the exposure interval subdivider 26 may comprise one comparator per pixel sensor 12 , for example.
[0094] It shall be pointed out that the read-out values at the output of the readout unit 40 advantageously have a linear relationship with the amount of light impinging on the light-sensitive surface of the corresponding pixel sensor in the corresponding accumulation interval. It is possible that for linearization, a correction of the otherwise non-linear readout values is performed, such as by a linearizer (not shown) which is placed between the output of the readout unit 40 and the adder 42 and which applies, e.g., a corresponding linearization curve to the values and maps the latter to the linearized values in accordance with said curve. Alternatively, linearization may take place inherently in the readout process, such as in a digitization. An analog circuit might also be used. Additionally, a compensation of the dark current might be provided in the event of exposure times of different lengths, specifically even prior to the actual accumulation. Resetting of the accumulator may also be performed differently than by means of complete discharge, as was mentioned above. Rather, said resetting may be performed, in accordance with the skimming gate technique, such that during readout, only part of the accumulated charge is ever skimmed off and/or converted to voltage and another part remains within the accumulator.
[0095] Thus, the above embodiments show a possibility of performing an adaptation of the dynamic range of an image sensor for individual pixels or pixel groups. In accordance with specific embodiments it is possible, for example, for the exposure interval subdivision into accumulation subintervals to be adjusted more finely for red image points if the scene is illuminated with an incandescent lamp. Specifically, there will be clearly more red within the scene as a result, and the red channel will probably be the first to go into saturation. However, a finer subdivision of the exposure interval leads, as was described with reference to FIGS. 3 a to 3 c , to a shift of the dynamic range toward more brightness, so that this approach for red image points would overall result in a larger signal range. On the other hand, it is also possible to perform the exposure interval subdivision such that image points in bright image areas undergo a finer exposure interval subdivision, so that all in all, shooting of scenes with a very high dynamic is enabled. FIG. 6 shows different cases, which are representative for various pixels 4 , 5 and 6 ; the intensity I, which has been integrated so far, has been plotted over time. Dark image areas are then detected within only one single exposure, for example, as is shown with pixel 6 . The approach enables a high sensitivity of the image sensor. Bright image areas are read out and exposed several times, such as in the case of pixels 4 and 5 . This results in a reduction of the sensitivity and/or in a shift of the dynamic range toward more brightness. In the event of movement in the image of the image shot, classification of the portions may be adapted.
[0096] The above embodiments may use a sensor which may reset individual image points and thus start exposure, whereas other image points or pixel sensors continue exposure. A controller, which may be arranged within the image sensor or sensor chip or may be arranged externally, may decide, depending on the brightness from past images or from the current brightness, which image points are reset. Thus, the system might control itself. As was described above, the exposure interval subdivision might then be performed at each point in time of readout in such a manner that each individual image point will not overflown in the next time segment.
[0097] Returning once again to the example of FIG. 6 , an image point having little intensity on its light-sensitive surface may perform only one single exposure during the exposure interval, for example, whereas a bright image point is reset once or several times during the exposure interval, the intensity then being composed of the individual readout values at the time(s) of the reset(s). An image point, e.g., pixel 4 in FIG. 6 , which is illuminated darkly initially and thus starts with a long accumulation subinterval, may subsequently undergo a finer subdivision of the exposure interval even while in the same exposure interval. For example, a bright object moves in the direction of the image point, from which time on shorter accumulation intervals may be used.
[0098] Since in accordance with the above embodiments the exposure at each image point, or pixel, along the entire exposure time and/or exposure interval takes into account any information about changes in the intensity, the images produced have no artifacts caused by the exposure interval subdivision and/or the sampling, and both bright and dark image areas have the same amount of motional blurring. Thus, the shots that are taken of HDR sequences in the case of a sequence of image shots are also suitable for the high-quality image shots.
[0099] In addition, by means of the above embodiments, complete spatial resolution of the respective image sensor may be exploited. No pixels are provided for other levels of brightness which might not be used in the current scene brightness. The minimum sensitivity of an image sensor need not be changed since no expensive circuits need to be accommodated in each of the pixels.
[0100] With regard to above embodiments it shall be further pointed out that it is readily possible to design the above image sensors with a single CMOS sensor and, optionally, with suitable optics. Additional mechanics/optics may not necessarily be used.
[0101] In particular, in the case of FIG. 8 it is possible, for example, for the multitude of pixel sensors to be integrated in a semiconductor chip or chip module together. The accumulator is also integrated in same, specifically in a 1:1 association, i.e., precisely one accumulator for each sensor 12 . Alternatively, it would also be possible for there to be several accumulators per sensor which are then used in the successive accumulation intervals of an exposure interval. The readout unit 40 may also be integrated in the semiconductor chip or chip module, specifically once for each pixel or once for each group, such as a line, of pixels. The exposure interval subdivider 26 might also be integrated in the semiconductor chip or chip module—with one comparator per pixel or pixel group—and the components 42 and 44 and/or 46 might be integrated in the chip, specifically per readout unit, pixel, etc. Even the additional sensor might be implemented thereon, or at least terminals for 32 and/or 48 are provided if the latter are present.
[0102] With regard to the above embodiments it shall further be pointed out that the decision about resetting the image point may be made either directly in the readout circuits of the sensor or following digitization of the image. The decision may be made on the basis of the intensity of the previous image, as was described above or, as was also described above, an adaptation to the current intensity of each individual image point may be made. If a bright object moves in front of the image point during shooting, a short readout will not make sense before this point in time.
[0103] Above embodiments therefore offer the possibility of providing a camera which might have a very high bit repetition rate, specifically a camera with an extended dynamic range. In particular, there is the possibility, with above embodiments, to obtain cameras for shooting films with a large dynamic range, high resolution and very high image quality. Particularly with large-area projection such as in the cinema, for example, recording of the correct motional blurring is an important element, and above embodiments allow achieving this goal.
[0104] Even though some aspects have been described within the context of a device, it is understood that said aspects also represent a description of the corresponding method, so that a block or a structural component of a device is also to be understood as a corresponding method step or as a feature of a method step. By analogy therewith, aspects that have been described in connection with or as a method step also represent a description of a corresponding block or detail or feature of a corresponding device.
[0105] Depending on specific implementation requirements, embodiments of the invention may be implemented in hardware or in software. Implementation may be effected while using a digital storage medium, for example a floppy disc, a DVD, a Blu-ray disc, a CD, a ROM, a PROM, an EPROM, an EEPROM or a FLASH memory, a hard disc or any other magnetic or optical memory which has electronically readable control signals stored thereon which may cooperate, or actually do cooperate, with a programmable computer system such that the respective method is performed. This is why the digital storage medium may be computer-readable. Some embodiments in accordance with the invention thus comprise a data carrier which comprises electronically readable control signals that are capable of cooperating with a programmable computer system such that any of the methods described herein is performed.
[0106] Generally, embodiments of the present invention may be implemented as a computer program product having a program code, the program code being effective to perform any of the methods when the computer program product runs on a computer. The program code may also be stored on a machine-readable carrier, for example.
[0107] Other embodiments include the computer program for performing any of the methods described herein, said computer program being stored on a machine-readable carrier.
[0108] In other words, an embodiment of the inventive method thus is a computer program which has a program code for performing any of the methods described herein, when the computer program runs on a computer. A further embodiment of the inventive methods thus is a data carrier (or a digital storage medium or a computer-readable medium) on which the computer program for performing any of the methods described herein is recorded.
[0109] A further embodiment of the inventive method thus is a data stream or a sequence of signals representing the computer program for performing any of the methods described herein. The data stream or the sequence of signals may be configured, for example, to be transferred via a data communication link, for example via the internet.
[0110] A further embodiment includes a processing means, for example a computer or a programmable logic device, configured or adapted to perform any of the methods described herein.
[0111] A further embodiment includes a computer on which the computer program for performing any of the methods described herein is installed.
[0112] In some embodiments, a programmable logic device (for example a field-programmable gate array, an FPGA) may be used for performing some or all of the functionalities of the methods described herein. In some embodiments, a field-programmable gate array may cooperate with a microprocessor to perform any of the methods described herein. Generally, the methods are performed, in some embodiments, by any hardware device. Said hardware device may be any universally applicable hardware such as a computer processor (CPU), or may be a hardware specific to the method, such as an ASIC.
[0113] While this invention has been described in terms of several embodiments, there are alterations, permutations, and equivalents which fall within the scope of this invention. It should also be noted that there are many alternative ways of implementing the methods and compositions of the present invention. It is therefore intended that the following appended claims be interpreted as including all such alterations, permutations and equivalents as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention.
[1] E. P. Rennett and L. McMillan. Video enhancement using per-pixel virtual exposures. In ACM SIGGRAPH 2005 Papers, p. 852. ACM, 2005. [2] P E Debevec and J. Malik. Recovering high dynamic range radiance maps from photographs. The ACM SIGGRAPH 97, 1997. [3] B. Fowler and P.D.I.I. PDI. Low Noise Wide Dynamic Range Image Sensor Readout using Multiple Reads During Integration (MRDI). Technical report, Technical Report, 2002. [4] A. Kachatkou and R. van Silfhout. Dynamic range enhancement algorithms for CMOS Sensors with non-destructive readout. In IEEE International Workshop on Imaging Systems and Techniques, 2008. IST 2008, pages 132-137, 2008. [5] S. B. Kang, M. Uyttendaele, S. Winder, and R. Szeliski. High dynamic range video. ACM Transactions on Graphics, 22(3):319-325, 2003. [6] S. Kavusi, K. Ghosh, and A. El Gamal. Architectures for high dynamic range, high speed image sensor readout circuits. International Federation for Information Processing Publications IFIP, 249:1, 2008. [7] Sam Kavusi and Abbas El Gamal. Quantitative study of high-dynamicrange image sensor architectures. In SPIE Sensors and Camera Systems for Scientific, Industrial, and Digital Photography Applications V, volume 5301, pages 264-275. SPIE, 2004. [8] T. Kijima, H. Nakamura, J. T. Compton, and J. F. Hamilton. Image sensor with improved light sensitivity, Jan. 27, 2006. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/341,210. [9] . Liu and A. El Gamal. Photocurrent estimation from multiple nondestructive samples in CMOS image sensor. In Proceedings of SPIE, Vol. 4306, p. 450, 2001. [10]X. Liu and A. El Gamal. Synthesis of high dynamic range motion blur free image from multiple captures. IEEE Transaction.s on Circuits and Systems 1 : Fundamental Theory and Applications, 50(4):530-539, 2003. [11] M. Schoberl and A. Oberdorster and and S. Föβel and H. Bloss and A. Kaup. Digital neutral density filter for moving picture cameras. In SPIE Electronic Imaging, Computational Imaging VIIL SPIE, 1 2010. [12]Shree K. Nayar and Tomoo Mitsunaga. High dynamic range imaging: spatially varying pixel exposures. Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition, IEEE Computer Society Conference on, 1:1472, 2000. [13] S. K. Nayar and V. Branzoi. Adaptive dynamic range imaging: Optical control of pixel exposures over space and time. In Proceedings of the Ninth IEEE International Conference an Computer Vision, page 1168, 2003. [14]S. O. Otim, D. Joseph, B. Choubey, and S. Collins. Modelling of high dynamic range logarithmic CMOS image sensors. Proceedings of the 21st IEEE Instrument ation and Measurement Technology Conference IMTC, 1:451-456, May 2004. [15] R. A. Street. High dynamic range segmented pixel sensor array, Aug. 4 1998. U.S. Pat. No. 5,789,737. [16] J. Unger and S. Gustayson. High-dynamic-range video for photometric measurement of illumination. In Proceedings of SPIE, volume 6501, page 65010E, 2007. [17] Hongcheng Wang, Ramesh Rastcar, and Nareudra Ahuja. High dynamic ringe video Ersing split aperture camera. In IEEE 6th Workshop an Omnidirectional Vision, Camera Networks and Non-classical Cameras OMNIVIS, 2005. | A better compromise between the dynamic range, the spatial resolution, the implementation outlay and the image quality is achieved if different subdivisions of the exposure interval into accumulation intervals are performed for different pixel sensors or pixels. In the event of more than one accumulation interval per exposure interval, the values detected in the accumulation intervals are summed to obtain the respective pixel value. Since the exposure effectively continues to take place for all pixels over the entire exposure interval, no impairment of the image quality arises, or no artifacts arise in image movements. All pixels undergo the same image blur on account of the movement. The additional hardware outlay compared with commercially available pixel sensors is either entirely non-existent or can be kept very small, depending on the implementation. Moreover, a reduction in the spatial resolution is not necessary since the pixels contribute equally to the image capturing. | 7 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates generally to radio antennas. More particularly, the invention relates to terrestrial radio and satellite communication antennas for vehicles and other mobile or fixed structures. The invention also relates to an integral antenna assembly that comprises one or more antennas for mounting externally on the surface of a vehicle or other mobile or fixed structure.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a number of antenna systems have been proposed which provide for the reception of satellite transmission signals on vehicles and other mobile or fixed structures. FIG. 1 illustrates a known antenna system that allows transfer of radio frequency (RF) energy across a dielectric such as glass for reception of satellite transmitted signals. The antenna illustrated in FIG. 1 provides for the transfer of RF energy through glass or other dielectric surface to avoid having to drill holes, for example, through the windshield or window of an automobile for installation. After-market glass-mount antenna systems are advantageous because they obviate the necessity of having to provide a proper seal around an installation hole or other window opening in order to protect the interior of the vehicle and its occupants from exposure to external weather conditions.
[0003] In the known antenna system 1 a depicted in FIG. 1, RF signals from an antenna 2 a are conducted across a glass surface 3 a via a coupling device 4 a that typically employs capacitive coupling, slot coupling or aperture coupling. The portion of the coupling device 4 a on the interior of the vehicle is connected to a matching circuit 5 a which provides the RF signals to a low noise amplifier (LNA) 7 a at the input of a receiver 8 a via an RF or coaxial cable 6 a.
[0004] [0004]FIG. 2 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the antenna system 1 a of FIG. 1 at reference numeral 1 b , except that antenna 2 b has been displaced to the roof of a vehicle, V, and is kept in place by a magnet or other securing means. Through cable 3 b , the RF signal travels to coupler 4 b , which is mounted exteriorly on the vehicle's glass (e.g., back windshield) and to second coupler 4 b , which is mounted on the glass, such that the second coupler 4 b is positioned on the interior of the vehicle, V, in a directly opposing relationship to the first coupler 4 b mounted on the exterior of the glass. The RF signal then travels through RF cable 5 b to LNA 6 b and then through RF cable 7 b to receiver 8 b.
[0005] Both types of antenna mounting systems 1 a , 1 b illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 suffer from various deficiencies. First, the antennas 2 a , 2 b of FIGS. 1 and 2, respectively, is, in all likelihood, a second or even third antenna positioned on the vehicle (i.e. an additional antenna in view of the original equipment manufacture (OEM)-installed AM/FM antenna), and thus adds an unsightly appearance to the vehicle, V. Regarding the window mount antenna system 1 a , RF coupling loss through the glass 3 a is generally 1 dB or higher. This causes an increase in noise that results in degradation of receiver sensitivity. Even further, the couplers 4 a may obstruct vehicle operator vision while also generally making the appearance of the vehicle, V, unsightly.
[0006] The vehicle body mount (i.e. roof mount) antenna system 1 b includes other maintenance, safety, and performance issues. For example, the installation of antenna 2 b is located remotely with respect to LNA 6 b and radio receiver 8 b , which is generally considered unattractive to consumers of mobile satellite services, such as SDARS. This is true for several reasons. First, the roof mounted antenna 2 b is unsightly, not only to the external observer, but also to the vehicle occupants where the RF cables 5 b , 7 b must be routed through the interior of the vehicle, V. Secondly, as a result of height restrictions on car carriers, truck carriers, or other vehicle carriers, an antenna 2 b placed on the roof has to be below some maximum height, such that the overall vehicle height does not exceed the maximum allowable height whereby this causes a problem with being loaded on a carrier. Even further, an antenna 2 b that is mounted on the roof of the vehicle, V, adds to the clearance height of the vehicle, V, which may be troublesome if parking the vehicle, V, in a garage. Often, users will forget that the antenna 2 b is on the roof, and will cause damage either to the antenna 2 b and/or the vehicle, V. Even further, if the user minds the fact that the antenna is mounted on the roof, the user may have to stop the vehicle, V, exit it, and dismantle the antenna 2 b before parking in the garage.
[0007] [0007]FIG. 3 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the antenna system at reference numeral 1 c . The antenna system 1 c includes a combined multi-band terrestrial and satellite antenna system installed on a vehicle for reception of AM, FM, satellite and terrestrial retransmitted satellite signals. The combined multi-band terrestrial/satellite antenna system 1 c includes a multi-band terrestrial antenna 2 c , satellite antenna 3 c , bezel 4 c , nut 5 c , bolt 6 c , LNA housing 7 c , SDARS satellite (SDARS/SAT) cable 8 c , SDARS terrestrial (SDARS/TER) cable 9 c , and AM/FM cable 10 c . The system further comprises SDARS receiver (SDARS/RX) 11 c , SDARS audio cable 12 c , and combined head unit and AM/FM tuner 13 c , which includes an AM/FM tuner 14 c and head unit 15 c.
[0008] The multi-band terrestrial antenna 2 c includes a folded-dipole and is used to receive conventional AM and FM transmitted signals and terrestrial retransmission of satellite transmitted signals while the satellite antenna 3 c includes a helical element to receive satellite transmitted signals directly. Essentially, the antennas 2 c , 3 c are two distinct antennas, as applied to SDARS signals (i.e. direct satellite signals and retransmitted terrestrial signals), that are physically separated, requiring three cables that function in providing the satellite signal (SDARS/SAT cable 8 c ), the terrestrial retransmitted satellite signals (SDARS/TER cable 9 c ), and the AM/FM terrestrial signals (AM/FM cable 12 c ). Both antennas 2 c , 3 c are secured through the mounting hole provided in a surface 16 c , via the nut 5 c and bolt 6 c . The SDARS/SAT cable 8 c , SDARS/TER cable 9 c and AM/FM cable 10 c pass through bolt 6 c , which has a suitably large hollowed-out portion to pass the three cables 8 c , 9 c , 10 c through. If desired, the surface 16 c may be the surface of an automobile, and the combined terrestrial/satellite antenna system 1 c may be located on a manufacturer-provided hole (i.e. one that the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) provides for the purpose of installing an AM/FM mast antenna). The three cables 8 c , 9 c , 10 c provide a communication path to other components of the system as explained above and seen at reference numerals 11 c - 15 c , which, for example, may be located in the trunk of the vehicle. Functionally, the SDARS/SAT cable 8 c carries the amplified received satellite signal, the SDARS/TER cable 9 c carries the amplified terrestrial retransmission of a satellite (or cellular) signal, and the AM/FM cable 10 c carries the AM/FM terrestrial signals received by multi-band antenna 2 c.
[0009] Referring to FIG. 4, a schematic block diagram of the combined multi-band terrestrial and satellite antenna system 1 c is seen generally at reference numeral 17 c . The satellite antenna 3 c includes a satellite antenna output cable 18 c . The multi-band terrestrial antenna 2 c includes a multi-band terrestrial antenna output cable 19 c . The cable 18 c is input to the LNA housing 7 c such that it is connected directly to a satellite low-noise amplifier (SAT/LNA) 20 c , the output of which is the SDARS/SAT cable 8 c . The cable 19 c is input to the LNA housing 7 c such that it is connected directly to a combiner 21 c , the output of which are the SDARS/TER cable 9 c and AM/FM cable 10 c , both of which connects to an SDARS/AM/FM splitter 22 c that isolates the AM/FM and terrestrial retransmitted satellite signals. The SDARS/RX 11 c receives SDARS/SAT cable 8 c and the first output of SDARS/AM/FM splitter 22 c , which is an SDARS cable 23 c . The second output of SDARS/AM/FM splitter 22 c is AM/FM splitter cable 24 c , which is input to AM/FM tuner 14 c , the output of which is connected to head unit 15 c via AM/FM tuner output cable 25 c . The head unit 15 c also receives a down-converted satellite transmission signal output from SDARS/RX 11 c that the head unit 15 c can then process and convert to an audio signal. The down-converted signal is carried by SDARS/Audio cable 12 c , which extends from the SDARS/RX 11 c . Likewise, the output of AM/FM tuner 14 c is a down-converted signal which the head unit 15 c can process and output as audio, to speakers (not shown).
[0010] Mounting the satellite antenna 3 c around multi-band terrestrial antenna 2 c , which is itself mounted in an OEM-supplied hole, prevents the necessity of cutting an additional hole in a vehicle or structure and thereby avoids destroys the exterior finish and/or appearance of the vehicle. Even further, the mounting of the satellite antenna 3 c also eliminates the need to use a magnet (for a roof mounted system) or through-the-glass couplers (for window mounted systems). Although adequate for most applications, longer lengths of the cables 8 c , 9 c , 10 c may significantly increase cable loss and thereby impair the capability (i.e., decrease the signal-to-noise ratio and hence the sensitivity) of the radio. Even further, increased length and numbers of cables 8 c , 9 c , 10 c increases the overall cost of the antenna system 1 c.
[0011] A need therefore exists for an antenna that eliminates and reduces the number and length of the cables while also reducing the number of components used in the manufacture of the antenna system. A need also exists for a vehicle antenna mounting system whereby both types of antenna (i.e., a vehicle's OEM supplied AM/FM antenna and an antenna for the reception of SDARS signals) can be co-located, so as to minimize, if not entirely prevent, any additional holes in a vehicle's exterior shell or eliminate the need to locate a magnetically mounted antenna on the glass of a vehicle, or to use antenna couplers in the glass portion of a vehicle, yet provide an integral assembly for installation on the exterior of a vehicle, and an effective means for reception of both terrestrial AM/FM signals and satellite transmitted signals.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] The present invention relates to a combined satellite and terrestrial antenna system for a structure. Accordingly, one embodiment of the invention is directed to an antenna system that includes a terrestrial antenna, a satellite antenna, a satellite receiver, and an AM/FM receiver. The terrestrial antenna includes a multi-band terrestrial antenna mounted on a mounting assembly including a low noise amplifier circuit and a bezel. The bezel is adapted to contain the low noise amplifier. The satellite antenna is concentrically mounted with respect to the terrestrial antenna. The mounting assembly is connected to the satellite receiver for reception of satellite and satellite retransmitted signals by a satellite-terrestrial-retransmitted-satellite cable. The mounting assembly is also connected to the AM/FM receiver for reception of AM/FM terrestrial signals by a terrestrial AM/FM cable. A method for mounting the combined satellite and terrestrial antenna system on a structure is also disclosed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] The novel features and advantages of the present invention will best be understood by reference to the detailed description of the specific embodiments which follows, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which.
[0014] [0014]FIG. 1 illustrates a known antenna system that allows inductive transfer of RF energy across a dielectric such as glass for reception of satellite transmitted signals;
[0015] [0015]FIG. 2 illustrates an alternative known embodiment of the antenna system of FIG. 1 mounted on a vehicle;
[0016] [0016]FIG. 3 illustrates a known combined multi-band terrestrial and satellite antenna system installed on a vehicle for reception of AM, FM, satellite and terrestrial re-transmitted satellite signals;
[0017] [0017]FIG. 4 is a known schematic block diagram of a combined multi-band terrestrial and satellite antenna system for reception of AM, FM, satellite and terrestrial re-transmitted satellite signals according to another embodiment of the invention according to FIG. 3;
[0018] [0018]FIG. 5A illustrates a combined multi-band terrestrial and satellite antenna system installed on a vehicle for reception of AM, FM, satellite and terrestrial re-transmitted satellite signals according to one embodiment of the present invention;
[0019] [0019]FIG. 5B illustrates a combined multi-band terrestrial and satellite antenna system installed on a vehicle for reception of AM, FM, satellite and terrestrial re-transmitted satellite signals according to another embodiment of the present invention;
[0020] [0020]FIG. 6 illustrates a quadrifilar antenna etched on a flexible substrate that may be used in a combined multi-band terrestrial/satellite antenna according to the embodiments of the invention as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B;
[0021] [0021]FIG. 7A illustrates the mechanical configurations of a combined multi-band terrestrial/satellite antenna according to another embodiment of the present invention;
[0022] [0022]FIG. 7B illustrates the mechanical configurations of a combined multi-band terrestrial/satellite antenna according to another embodiment of the present invention;
[0023] [0023]FIG. 7C illustrates the mechanical configurations of a combined multi-band terrestrial/satellite antenna according to another embodiment of the present invention;
[0024] [0024]FIG. 8 is a schematic block diagram of a combined multi-band terrestrial and satellite antenna system for reception of AM, FM, satellite and terrestrial re-transmitted satellite signals according to the embodiments of the invention as described in FIGS. 5A-7C;
[0025] [0025]FIG. 9A illustrates the installation of a combined multi-band terrestrial/satellite antenna in a vehicle according to one embodiment of the invention; and
[0026] [0026]FIG. 9B-9E each illustrate the installation of a combined multi-band terrestrial/satellite antenna in a vehicle according to another embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0027] The various features of the preferred embodiment will now be described with reference to the drawings, in which like parts are identified with the same reference characters.
[0028] [0028]FIGS. 5A and 5B each illustrates a combined multi-band terrestrial and satellite antenna system installed on a vehicle for reception of AM, FM, satellite and terrestrial re-transmitted satellite signals according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to both FIGS. 5A and 5B, the combined multi-band terrestrial/satellite antenna system 10 (FIG. 5A), 100 (FIG. 5B) comprises a single element satellite and terrestrial antenna 12 , 102 and an AM/FM terrestrial antenna 14 , 104 . Primarily, the multi-band terrestrial antenna 14 , 104 is used for AM and FM radio reception. AM and FM radio is generally used for audio reception only, that is, for transmissions from local radio stations with various programming formats, including music, news, sports, “talk radio”, and so on. These programming formats are familiar to many people and are the kind that are commonly received by users in their vehicles and mobile or fixed structures today. However, multi-band terrestrial antenna 14 , 104 may also be used for two-way cellular telephony and for reception of terrestrial retransmission of a satellite transmitted signal. It is known that radio frequency transmissions are often subject to multipath fading; this is especially true of satellite transmitted signals. Signal blockages at receivers can occur due to physical obstructions between a transmitter and the receiver or service outages. For example, mobile receivers encounter physical obstructions when they pass through tunnels or travel near buildings or trees that impede line of sight (LOS) signal reception. Service outages can occur when noise or multipath signal reflections are sufficiently high with respect to the desired signal. At these times, when a direct line-of-sight transmission path between the satellite and single element satellite and terrestrial antenna 12 , 102 is blocked, retransmission of the satellite signals from terrestrial retransmitters is very useful. The single element satellite and terrestrial antenna 12 , 102 is designed to receive satellite transmission signals directly from one or more satellites placed in synchronous or non-synchronous earth orbits, and terrestrial transmission signals from terrestrial repeaters. Satellite transmissions may be used for audio programming, but can be used for other purposes as well.
[0029] The combined multi-band terrestrial/satellite antenna system 10 , 100 also includes a coaxial cable 16 , 106 , a bezel 18 , 108 , a nut 20 , 110 , a bolt 22 , 112 , a low noise amplifier (LNA) housing 36 , 126 , a SDARS satellite-terrestrial (SDARS/SAT/TER) cable 24 , 114 , and AM/FM cable 26 , 116 . The system further comprises an SDARS receiver (SDARS/RX) 28 , 118 , an SDARS audio cable 40 , 130 , and combined head unit and AM/FM tuner 38 , 128 . The combined head unit and AM/FM tuner 38 , 128 includes an AM/FM tuner 34 , 124 and head unit 32 , 122 . The AM/FM terrestrial antenna 14 , 104 is used to receive conventional AM and FM transmitted signals. In other embodiments, it may receive and transmit cellular telephone signals, for example. Single element satellite and terrestrial antenna 12 , 102 may receive satellite and terrestrial transmitted signals directly. The combined multi-band terrestrial/satellite antenna system 10 , 100 is shown mounted on a surface 30 , 120 , which might be the surface (i.e. fender or roof) of an automobile or other vehicle (FIGS. 9A-9E). Alternatively, the surface 30 , 120 of many other fixed or mobile structures. As illustrated, the surface 30 , 120 supports the bezel 18 , 108 .
[0030] As can be seen in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the AM/FM terrestrial antenna 14 , 104 is concentrically mounted within the single element satellite and terrestrial antenna 12 , 102 . Both antennas are secured through a mounting hole (not shown) provided in surface 30 , 120 via the nut 20 , 110 and bolt 22 , 112 . The two antennas are mounted on bezel 18 , 108 , which allows the antenna to always be vertical, even if surface 30 , 120 is somewhat slanted. The SDARS/SAT/TER cable 24 , 114 and AM/FM cable 26 , 116 pass through bolt 22 , 112 , which has a suitably large hollowed-out portion to pass the cable pair (i.e. cables 24 , 26 and 114 , 116 ) through. The LNA housing 36 , 126 , may, according to an embodiment of the invention, reside within bezel 18 , 108 . Other configurations of LNA housing 36 , 126 are possible. The bezel 18 , 108 , LNA housing 36 , 126 (and its components), nut 20 , 110 , and bolt 22 , 112 comprise a mounting assembly.
[0031] If the surface 30 , 120 is the surface of an automobile, the combined terrestrial/satellite antenna system 10 , 100 may have been located on a manufacturer-provided hole (i.e., one that the automobile manufacturer provided for the purpose of installing an AM/FM mast antenna). As such, no additional holes are needed, which eliminates the danger of corrupting the protective paint and/or rust-inhibiting materials applied by the manufacturer. The single element satellite antenna 12 , 102 and multi-band terrestrial antenna 14 , 104 can occupy only one space and utilize only one hole in a vehicle or structure's body, yet can provide access to at least two different services, as will be described in detail below. With regard to the discussion and the Figures, the use of the combined multi-band terrestrial/satellite antenna system 10 , 100 will be as if it were placed on an automobile; however, as will be discussed in detail below, combined multi-band terrestrial/satellite antenna system 10 , 100 may be used with various vehicles and structures.
[0032] The single element satellite antenna 12 , 102 and AM/FM terrestrial antenna 14 , 104 may be located in any desirable implementation. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 5A, the terrestrial antenna 14 is a retractable or fixed mast antenna that is positioned concentrically within the single element satellite and terrestrial antenna 12 such that the coaxial cable 16 extends through the terrestrial antenna 14 to provide a signal communication path for the satellite antenna 12 . Referring to FIG. 5B, it can be seen that single element satellite and terrestrial antenna 102 is placed concentrically around a fixed AM/FM terrestrial antenna 104 . The single element satellite and terrestrial antenna 102 includes a terrestrial antenna bore 103 to receive the AM/FM terrestrial antenna 104 . The terrestrial antenna bore 103 is located at or near the center of single element satellite and terrestrial antenna 102 and is large enough to slide over the AM/FM terrestrial antenna 104 such that an application of mounting glue or epoxy will stay firmly in contact with the terrestrial antenna 104 . The single element satellite and terrestrial antenna 102 is placed around a spacer (not shown), within which is formed terrestrial antenna bore.
[0033] In both embodiments of the invention as illustrated in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the LNA housing 36 , 126 is located at the base of combined the multi-band terrestrial/satellite antenna 10 , 100 . In one embodiment, LNA housing 36 , 126 is designed to be concealed within bezel 18 , 108 . In different embodiments, the LNA housing 18 , 108 might be located several feet away or directly below surface 30 , 120 from combined multi-band terrestrial/satellite antenna 10 , 100 . Also, the single element satellite and terrestrial antenna 12 , 102 , as illustrated in both embodiments, is preferably a quadrifilar helix antenna (FIG. 6). Although the retractable mast antenna of FIG. 5A illustrates the single element satellite and terrestrial antenna 12 positioned at the top of the AM/FM terrestrial antenna 14 , and the fixed antenna of FIG. 5B illustrates the single element satellite and terrestrial antenna 102 positioned below the terrestrial AM/FM antenna 104 , the illustrated embodiments of the invention do not limit the positioning and/or placement of the single element antenna 12 , 102 . If desired, the single element antenna 12 , 102 may be positioned above or below the AM/F terrestrial antenna 14 , 104 or in any other desirable orientation regardless of mechanics of the AM/FM terrestrial antenna 14 , 104 .
[0034] [0034]FIG. 6 illustrates a quadrifilar antenna etched on a flexible substrate that may be used, as illustrated, in the combined multi-band terrestrial/satellite antenna 10 , 100 . The single element antenna 12 , 102 is comprised of quadrifilar helix antenna and includes conductive quadrifilar antenna elements 44 that are etched on a flexible insulating substrate 42 , according to a design which is well known to those skilled in the art. A weatherproofing material may be applied to the exterior surface 46 of the substrate 42 to protect the quadrifilar antenna elements 44 from the deteriorating effects of rain, sunshine, etc. Additionally, a binding agent (not shown) may be applied to the interior surface 48 of quadrifilar antenna 12 , 102 when fabricated into the final desired form as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B. A single element satellite and terrestrial antenna that is comprised of a quadrifilar helix antenna has good performance in receiving satellite transmissions from geosynchronous orbit satellites and acceptable performance in receiving terrestrial transmissions. Since the single element satellite and terrestrial antenna 12 , 102 is placed concentrically about the AM/FM terrestrial antenna 14 , 104 , installation of single element satellite and terrestrial antenna 12 , 102 can be an after-market addition or by the original equipment manufacturer or OEM (automobile manufacturer). In both cases, the RF cables coming from both antennas will fit into the existing pre-cut hole that the existing AM/FM terrestrial antenna 14 , 104 has already been mounted on.
[0035] Mounting the single element satellite and terrestrial antenna 12 , 102 around AM/FM terrestrial antenna 14 , 104 , which is itself mounted in an OEM-supplied hole, prevents the necessity of cutting an additional hole in a vehicle or structure thereby avoiding destroying the exterior finish and/or appearance of the vehicle or structure. It also eliminates the need to use a magnet (i.e. for a conventional roof mounted system, as illustrated in FIG. 2) or through-the-glass couplers (i.e. for conventional window mounted systems, as illustrated in FIG. 1). It is well known in the automotive industry that the application of paints and finishes provides a decorative and appealing uniform appearance, and prevents or inhibits the formation of rust in or on the body of the vehicle. By cutting a hole through this finish or paint, the intent of the manufacturer is circumvented in that a means for deterioration of the automotive body is provided. That is, it will be more likely than not that rust would form and water could enter and damage the interior of the vehicle. Additionally, drilling a hole in the surface of a fender of a vehicle adds the risk of chipping the paint and/or finish material, which may detract form the appearance of the vehicle. Also, placing a second antenna may be considered to be unattractive by many people.
[0036] Referring to back to FIGS. 5A and 5B, combined multi-band terrestrial/satellite antenna 10 , 100 has two cables (i.e. cable pair 24 , 26 and 114 , 116 ) that lead from its base to other components of the system. The first cable is SDARS/SAT/TER cable 24 , 114 , which carries the amplified received satellite signal and the amplified terrestrial retransmission of a satellite (or cellular) signal received by the single element satellite and terrestrial antenna 12 , 102 . The second cable is. AM/FM cable 26 , 116 , which carries the AM/FM terrestrial signals received by AM/FM antenna 14 , 104 . However, because the two antennas are co-located, for example, on the trunk or front or rear fender of a vehicle, other components of combined multi-band terrestrial/satellite antenna system 10 , 100 may also be located in the trunk of the vehicle. If the components are located in the trunk of a vehicle, a shorter length SDARS/SAT/TER cable 24 , 114 will significantly cut down on cable loss and thereby improve the capability (i.e., increase the signal-to-noise ratio, and hence, the sensitivity) of the radio. Another advantage is the cost savings due to a shorter cable.
[0037] It is also contemplated that other antenna structures may be substituted for the quadrifilar antenna structure. For example, three possible embodiments of the multi-band terrestrial/satellite antenna systems 10 , 100 illustrated in FIGS. 5A and 5B are proposed in FIGS. 7A-7C at 200 , 300 , and 400 . The antennas implemented in the antenna system 10 , 100 may alternatively be a patch antenna 200 (FIG. 7A), a loop antenna 300 (FIG. 7B), or a coupled-loop antenna 400 (FIG. 7C). As illustrated, each antenna 200 , 300 , 400 includes a terrestrial antenna element 201 , 301 , 401 and associated AM/FM cables 213 , 313 , 413 and SDARS/SAT/TER cables 214 , 314 , 414 . Each antenna 200 , 300 , 400 may be coupled to a structural element, such as a circuit board 202 , 302 , 402 ) or substrate 206 , 306 , 406 and an LNA 204 , 304 , 404 . Each antenna 200 , 300 , 400 may also include a weatherproofing material (not shown) that may be applied to its exterior surface for protection against the deteriorating effects of rain, sunshine, etc. Additionally, a binding agent (not shown) may also be applied to the interior surface of the antennas 200 , 300 , 400 when fabricated into the final form as shown in FIGS. 7A-7C.
[0038] Referring specifically to FIG. 7A, the patch antenna 200 may also include a circuit board 202 , which has ground plane 208 on both sides of the circuit board 202 , positioned under the substrate 206 , and a conductive area 210 positioned over the LNA 204 , which includes a feed point 212 . The feed point 212 receives a pin (not shown) that extends through the LNA 204 for assembly and electrical communication purposes, which is subsequently soldered for directly connecting the antenna assembly. If any of the antennas 200 , 300 , 400 are positioned on glass a conductive adhesive may be app lied to a surface of the antenna 200 , 300 , 400 to permit attachment thereto. Even further, if any of the antennas 200 , 300 , 400 are secured to an instrument panel or package shelf, the antenna 200 , 300 , 400 may include a bezel, nut, and bolt, and LNA housing (not shown). Yet even further, if any of the antennas 200 , 300 , 400 are secured to the outer glass frame portion, fender, or roof, the antenna 200 , 300 , 400 may also be secured via the bezel, nut, and bolt, and LNA housing combination about an OEM supplied passage for an AM/FM antenna as discussed in relation to FIGS. 5A and 5B.
[0039] Referring now to FIG. 7B, the loop antenna 300 also includes a generally planar substrate/circuit board 306 / 308 , and a generally circular or oval conductive area 310 . As illustrated, the circuit board 302 , may act not only as a planar substrate 306 , but also as a ground plane 308 . FIG. 7C illustrates an alternative embodiment of the loop antenna 300 , such that the conductive element 410 is wrapped or disposed upon a generally tubular or cylindrical substrate 406 that is positioned over the ground plane 408 . As seen in FIG. 7C, the conductive element 410 is essentially a loop that is wrapped about the cylindrical substrate 406 . As illustrated, the conductive element 410 comprises at least one loop portion with conductive strips that extend in a generally perpendicular pattern from the loop. According to the illustrated embodiments of the antennas in FIGS. 7A and 7B, the antennas 200 , 300 may be directly coupled to the LNA 204 , 304 via a soldering technique that includes a feed point at, on, or about the conductive element 210 , 310 as described above. Alternatively, the conductive elements 410 of the antenna 400 illustrated in FIG. 7C are parasitic elements and are parasitically coupled with respect to the main conductive element 410 where the main conductive element 410 is directly coupled to the LNA 404 .
[0040] It is known that antenna impedance is referenced from the ground; therefore, it is preferable to introduce the ground plane 208 , 308 , 408 on circuit boards 202 , 302 , 402 in the design of the antennas 200 , 300 , 400 to avoid undesirable ripple to obtain a smooth polar response. It is preferable to maintain a minimum circuit board ground plane 208 , 308 , 408 of approximately 100 sq-mm or 100 mm-diameter regardless of antenna position. If the antenna 200 , 300 , 400 is located on the glass then ground plane 208 , 308 , 408 may be introduced without any structural alterations to the antenna 200 , 300 , 400 ; however, if the antenna 200 , 300 , 400 is located on the front or rear dash, the ground plane 208 , 308 , 408 is not effected because the a ground plane already exists on the front or rear dash. Although not illustrated in FIGS. 5A and 5B, it is also contemplated that the antenna systems 10 , 100 may also include a ground plane as well. Referring to FIG. 7A, the dielectric dimensions, dielectric constant, and dimensions of the conductive patch element 210 and the ground plane 208 determine the operating characteristics of the patch antenna 200 . According to one embodiment of the invention, the patch antenna 200 may be defined to include an approximate surface area of 1 square inch and height of approximately 4 mm to 6 mm. The conductive patch element 210 may be approximately 0.5 square inches. Referring to FIG. 7B, the loop or micro-strip antenna 300 may be etched on a low-loss dielectric. The loop antenna 300 operates in the TM21 mode and yields adequate performance for elevation angles approximately equal to 20 to 60 degrees and degraded performance at higher angles such as 70 to 90 degrees.
[0041] Referring now to FIG. 7C, the ground plane 408 , diameter, and length of the conductive elements 410 determine the operating characteristics of the coupled loop antenna 400 . According to one embodiment of the invention, the loop perimeter length may be approximately {fraction (1/2)} wavelength and the height may be approximately equal to 30 mm. Referring back to FIGS. 5A-6, the diameter, height, and pitch angle of helical conductive elements 44 determine the operating characteristics of the quadrifilar antenna 12 , 102 . According to one embodiment of the invention, the quadrifilar antenna 12 , 102 may include a diameter approximately equal to 20 mm and a height ranging from 6.0 cm to 6.5 cm.
[0042] Although not illustrated, it is contemplated that any desired alternative antenna may be implemented in the design of the antenna system 10 , 100 other than the antenna systems as illustrated in FIGS. 7A-7C. For example, an alternative antenna structure may include a patch antenna incorporating a plurality of micro-strips that have a specific impedance when placed on the glass, which is similar to known printed glass antennas except for the fact that that the micro-strip patch antenna is pre-tuned by the manufacturer prior to being located on the glass. Another alternative antenna that may be applied to the antenna system 10 , 100 is a cross-dipole antenna to receive terrestrial signals that include AM/FM and SDARS signals. Essentially, the cross-dipole antenna may comprise two circuit boards each including a dipole that are crossed at a 90° angle. Feed points of the circuit boards may be varied in any desirable polarization such as a horizontal, vertical, left-hand, right-hand polarization, by varying tapping points 90°, 180°, or 270°.
[0043] Referring now to FIG. 8, a schematic block diagram of the combined multi-band terrestrial and satellite antenna system 10 , 100 for reception of AM, FM, satellite and terrestrial retransmitted signals is shown according to one embodiment of the invention at 700 . Connected to each single element antenna 12 , 102 and 14 , 104 are output cables 702 and 704 , respectively, which may be an integrated antenna, A. The cable 702 is a single element satellite and terrestrial output cable and the cable 704 is an AM/FM terrestrial output cable. The single element satellite and terrestrial output cable 702 is input to the LNA housing 36 , 126 , which includes a SAT/LNA 706 . Correlating to FIGS. 5A and 5B, each combined multi-band terrestrial/satellite antenna system 10 , 100 includes two cables. A single output cable is seen as the output of the SAT/LNA 706 , which is SDARS/SAT/TER cable 24 , 114 , and at the AM/FM terrestrial antenna 14 , 104 , which is, essentially, the output cable 704 that functions as the AM/FM cable 26 , 116 . Depending on the positioning of the system 10 , 100 in the vehicle, one possible implementation of the antenna system 10 , 100 , may call for the cables 24 , 114 and 26 , 116 that are up to 15 feet in length; however, is preferable to limit the length of the cables 702 , 704 such that the low noise figures sent to the SAT/LNA 706 and AM/FM Tuner 34 , 124 are maintained.
[0044] As illustrated, the output of SAT/LNA 706 is connected to the SDARS/SAT/TER cable 24 , 114 . Referring also to FIGS. 5A and 5B, the SDARS/SAT/TER cable 24 , 114 is connected directly to SDARS/RX 28 , 118 , which carries the amplified signal received by single element satellite and terrestrial antenna 12 , 102 . The output of the SDARS/RX 28 , 118 is an SDARS audio cable 710 , which is input to the head unit 32 , 122 . As explained above, the SDARS/SAT/TER cable 24 , 114 carriers satellite transmitted RF signals and terrestrial retransmitted signals of the same satellite transmitted signals. The output of AM/FM antenna 14 , 104 is the multi-band antenna output cable 704 , which is the AM/FM cable 26 , 116 , which is input to AM/FM tuner 34 , 124 , the output of which is connected to head unit 32 , 122 via an AM/FM tuner output cable 708 . As explained above, the head unit 32 , 122 also receives the SDARS/Audio cable 710 , which is an output from SDARS/RX 28 , 118 . Essentially, once a down-converted satellite transmission signal is received by the head unit 32 , 122 the signal may then be processed and converted to an audio signal. Likewise, the output of AM/FM tuner 34 , 124 is a down-converted signal which the head unit 32 , 122 can process and output as audio, to speakers (not shown). The signals contained in SDARS audio cable 710 and AM/FM tuner output cable 708 may be either analog or digital signals.
[0045] Multiple installation arrangement embodiments of the combined multi-band terrestrial/satellite antenna 10 , 100 for the vehicle are illustrated in FIGS. 9A-9E. Although either the retractable or fixed antenna 10 , 100 may be implemented in any of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 9A-9E, the antenna systems shown in FIGS. 9A-9E are for illustrative purposes only and are not meant to limit the invention. Referring initially to FIG. 9A, two heights of the fixed antenna 100 are illustrated. The first height, h, is the height of satellite antenna 102 , and the second height, H, is the height of the roof 504 of the vehicle 502 . An angle, φ, is formed by a vertical line derived from first height, H, and the second height, h, and a horizontal line is derived of a length, l. The length, l, is the distance between a vertical line established by the multi-band terrestrial/satellite antenna 100 and apex of the roof 504 closest to where combined multi-band terrestrial/satellite antenna 100 is located. Angle, φ, should be less than 20°, in order to provide satisfactory reception from a geosynchronous orbit satellite at northerly latitudes. Angle, φ, is equal to tan −1 ((H−h)/(l)).
[0046] Three factors effect the angle, φ. The first factor is that for a given length, l, and second height, H, making the first height, h, greater would reduce the angle, φ. Conversely, reducing the first height, h, would increase the angle, φ (it is well known that most vehicles satisfy the condition φ<20 degrees). The second factor is that for a given second height, H, and the first height, h, making the length, l, longer, would reduce angle φ. Conversely, reducing the length, l, would increase the angle φ. And lastly, for a given length, l, and first height, h, making the second height, H, shorter, would reduce the angle φ. Conversely, increasing the second height, H, would increase the angle φ.
[0047] Therefore, it can be seen that in some circumstances, the angle, φ, would be too great if configured as shown. In these circumstances, a spacer may be placed under satellite antenna 102 to raise it up making first height, h, greater and thereby reducing the angle, φ. These relationships are shown below:
Angle ϕ = tan - 1 ( H - h l ) Tan 20 ° = 0.363
∴ H - h l ≤ 0.363
[0048] Referring now to FIGS. 9B-9E, each Figure illustrates the installation of an alternative embodiment of the combined multi-band terrestrial/satellite antenna in a vehicle 502 , according to another embodiment of the invention. In FIG. 9B, the satellite antenna 102 is configured to ride on the uppermost or highest portion of the terrestrial antenna 104 . In this manner, the previously described restrictions on the angle between the roof 504 of the automobile 502 and the satellite antenna 102 , for all practical purposes, disappear. In this alternative embodiment, the satellite antenna 102 is located on the top, or highest vertical portion of a fixed or retractable terrestrial antenna 104 . If the terrestrial antenna 104 is fixed, then the embodiments of FIGS. 9B and 9C do not apply. That is, the combined satellite and terrestrial antenna structure would be as illustrated in FIG. 9B, where the satellite antenna 102 would be located at or near the top of the terrestrial antenna 104 . Of course, if the terrestrial antenna 104 is fixed, the satellite antenna 102 can be located at any point from the top to the bottom of the terrestrial antenna 104 , and in most of those positions, the angular restriction would not be applicable.
[0049] Alternatively, as seen in FIGS. 9C and 9D, the terrestrial antenna 104 , as mentioned above, may be a retractable antenna. In this case, it will descend into a suitable recessed area in the vehicle 502 , such that it resides above or completely within a recessed area of the vehicle 502 . The advantage of the embodiments of FIGS. 9B-9D is that the angular restriction discussed above for the satellite antenna fixed in position at the base of the terrestrial antenna 104 is no longer an issue because it rides either even with or above the roof of the vehicle 502 . This improves reception capabilities of the satellite transmitted signals.
[0050] In yet another embodiment of the invention as illustrated in FIG. 9E, the combination antenna 102 , 104 may be a roof-mount antenna such that the antenna 102 , 104 is located about an OEM supplied passage, as explained above. As illustrated, the satellite antenna 102 may be concentrically placed about the terrestrial antenna 104 within a bezel 108 , as explained above. Because the antenna is located about the roof, the signal performance is improved because the physical obstruction of the roof 504 , in view of the implementations in FIGS. 9A-9D, are for all purposes, eliminated. An antenna positioned on the roof 504 may be restricted in height to make the vehicle 502 aesthetically pleasing to the eye. In this implementation, it may be preferable to include a ‘low profile’ antenna, such as a patch, loop, or coupled-loop antenna, as illustrated in FIGS. 7A-7C. However, it is important to consider that if the height of the antenna is limited, signal performance may be weakened.
[0051] Essentially, the satellite element provides a correlated output by providing the satellite and terrestrial retransmitted signal as a single output. Conversely, as seen in FIG. 3, instead of requiring two distinct antennas that have three cables extending therefrom to function in providing the satellite signal (SDARS/SAT cable 8 c ), the terrestrial retransmitted satellite signals (SDARS/TER cable 9 c ), and the AM/FM terrestrial signals (AM/FM cable 12 c ), the present invention include a single antenna element, as applied to SDARS signals, having two cables that provides satellite and terrestrial retransmitted satellite signals over a single cable (SDARS/SAT/TER cable 24 , 114 ) and AM/FM terrestrial signals over a single cable (AM/FM cable 26 , 116 ), respectively. The ability to provide a single SDARS antenna element not only eliminates the SDARS/TER cable 9 c , but it also reduces the complexity and design geometry of the system 10 , 100 by eliminating the need for the SDARS/TER cable 9 c , a combiner 21 c , splitter 22 c , an SDARS cable 23 c , and an AM/FM/splitter cable 24 c . Accordingly, by eliminating the folded-dipole from the design of the antenna system 10 , 100 , the satellite retransmitted terrestrial signals may be provided over the SDARS/SAT cable 8 c (i.e. the SDARS/SAT/TER cable 24 , 114 according to the invention) and the overall complexity and design geometry may be significantly reduced such that the AM/FM cable 26 , 116 directly provides AM/FM terrestrial signals to the AM/FM Tuner 34 , 124 . Even further, cable lengths and signal losses may be limited to a greater degree as a result of the decreased complexity of the design of the antenna system 10 , 100 .
[0052] Although discussion of the combined satellite/terrestrial antenna and combined satellite/terrestrial antenna system 10 , 100 has focused on the particular application of an automobile, it should be readily apparent to one skilled in the art, that the combined satellite/terrestrial antenna system 10 , 100 can be just as easily used in an aircraft, boat, train, mobile home, recreational vehicle or truck. Each installation should ideally follow the same requirements as discussed with respect to FIG. 9A, i.e., that angle, φ, be less than 20°. Care should be taking when installing combined terrestrial/satellite antenna so that such installation does not defeat the minimum angle criterion. Even further, although it is preferable to implement the antenna designs on the basis of an OEM supplied hole to feed the cables, it is also contemplated that the antenna designs may be implemented in an after-market installation as well.
[0053] The present invention has been described with reference to certain exemplary embodiments thereof. However, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that it is possible to embody the invention in specific forms other than those of the exemplary embodiments described above. This may be done without departing from the spirit of the invention. The exemplary embodiments are merely illustrative and should not be considered restrictive in any way. The scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents, rather than by the preceding description. | An combined satellite and terrestrial antenna system for a structure is disclosed. The antenna system that includes a terrestrial antenna, a satellite antenna, a satellite receiver, and an AM/FM receiver. The terrestrial antenna includes a multi-band terrestrial antenna mounted on a mounting assembly including a low noise amplifier circuit and a bezel. The bezel is adapted to contain the low noise amplifier. The satellite antenna is concentrically mounted with respect to the terrestrial antenna. The mounting assembly is connected to the satellite receiver for reception of satellite and satellite retransmitted signals by a satellite-terrestrial-retransmitted-satellite cable. The mounting assembly is also connected to the AM/FM receiver for reception of AM/FM terrestrial signals by a terrestrial AM/FM cable. A method for mounting the combined satellite and terrestrial antenna system on a structure is also disclosed. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. | 7 |
This is a division of application Ser. No. 07/602,732 filed Oct. 24, 1990 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,241,006.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to transparent materials that are capable of absorbing liquids, and, more particularly, to materials that can be used as ink-receptive layers for transparent imageable materials.
2. Discussion of the Art
Transparent materials that are capable of absorbing significant quantities of liquid, while maintaining some degree of durability and transparency, are useful in contact lenses, priming layers for coatings coated out of aqueous solutions, fog-resistant coatings, and transparent imageable materials for use with mechanized ink depositing devices, such as pen plotters and ink-jet printers. Transparent imageable materials are used as overlays in technical drawings and as transparencies for overhead projection. It is desirable that the surface of liquid absorbent materials for use in transparent graphical applications be tack free to the touch even after absorption of significant quantities of ink.
During normal use of pen plotters and ink-jet printers, the inks used in such machines are exposed to open air for long periods of time prior to imaging. After such exposure to air, the ink must still function in an acceptable manner, without loss of solvent. To meet this requirement, ink formulations typically utilize solvents of very low volatility, such as water, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, and so on. Inks that contain water or water-miscible solvents are commonly referred to as aqueous inks, and the solvents for these inks are commonly referred to as aqueous liquids. Materials that are receptive to such aqueous liquids will hereinafter be referred to as hydrophilic compositions.
Because of the low volatility of aqueous liquids, drying of an image by means of evaporation is very limited. In the case of imaging onto a paper sheet which has a fibrous nature, a significant amount of the liquid diffuses into the sheet, and the surface appears dry to the touch within a very short time. In the case of imaging onto polymeric film, some means of absorbing aqueous liquids is needed if satisfactory drying of the image is to occur.
Compositions useful as transparent liquid absorbent materials have been formed by blending a liquid-insoluble polymeric material with a liquid-soluble polymeric material. The liquid-insoluble material is presumed to form a matrix, within which the liquid soluble material resides. Examples of such blends are the transparent water-absorbent polymeric materials disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,300,820, 4,369,229, and in European Patent Application No. 0 233 703.
A problem that frequently arises in the formulation of polymer blends is the incompatibility of the polymers being blended. When attempts are made to blend polymers that are incompatible, phase separation occurs, resulting in haze, lack of transparency, and other forms of inhomogeneity.
Compatibility between two or more polymers in a blend can often be improved by incorporating into the liquid-insoluble matrix-forming polymer chains monomeric units that exhibit some affinity for the liquid-soluble polymer. Polymeric materials having even a small amount of acid functionality are more likely to exhibit compatibility with polyvinyl lactams. Generally, the compatibility of polymers being blended is improved if the polymers are capable of hydrogen bonding to one another.
A second form of incompatibility noted in using blends of liquid-absorbent polymers is the incompatibility of the matrix forming insoluble polymer with the liquid being absorbed. For example, if the liquid being absorbed is water, and if the water-insoluble polymers are hydrophobic, some inhibition of water absorption ability can be expected. One method of overcoming this difficulty is to utilize hydrophilic matrix polymers that are water-insoluble at the temperatures at which they are to be used, though they may be water-soluble at a different temperature. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,503,111, ink-receptive coatings comprising either polyvinyl alcohol or gelatin blended with polyvinyl pyrrolidone are disclosed. Both polyvinyl alcohol and gelatin, being water-insoluble at room temperature, are able to act as matrix-forming polymers for these coatings, and the coatings are quite receptive to aqueous inks. However, the coatings do exhibit a tendency to become tacky, either because of imaging, or because of high humidity.
It therefore becomes clear that while blends of soluble and insoluble polymers may be useful as liquid absorbent compositions, they suffer major limitations in liquid absorption ability and in durability.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention provides a composition comprising a blend of (a) a polymeric matrix component comprising crosslinkable polymers made from 80 to 99 parts by weight of at lease one α,β-ethylenically unsaturated monomer and from 1 to 20 parts by weight of at least one chelating compound, (b) a liquid-absorbent component comprising a water-absorbent, preferably water-soluble, polymer, and (c) a multivalent metal ion as a crosslinking agent. This composition is capable of forming liquid-absorbent, semi-interpenetrating networks, hereinafter referred to as SIPNs. The SIPNs of this invention are polymeric blends wherein at least one of the polymeric components is crosslinked after blending to form a continuous network throughout the bulk of the material, and through which the uncrosslinked polymeric component or components are intertwined in such a way as to form a macroscopically homogeneous composition.
SIPNs of this invention are capable of absorbing significant quantities of those liquids that are solvents of the uncrosslinked portion of the SIPN without loss of physical integrity and without leaching or other forms of phase separation. In cases where the SIPNs are initially transparent, they also remain transparent after absorption of significant quantities of liquids.
The nature of the crosslinking used in the formation of the matrix component of the SIPN is such that it combines durability in the presence of the liquids encountered during use with compatibility toward the liquid-absorbent component. The crosslinked matrix component and the liquid-absorbent component are miscible, exhibit little or no phase separation, and generate little or no haze upon coating. The nature of the crosslinking should also be such that it does not interfere with pot-life and curing properties that are associated with commonly available methods of processing. More particularly, crosslinking should be limited to the matrix component of the SIPN, and should not cause phase separation or other inhomogeneity in the SIPN.
This invention provides polymeric matrices which, when coated on a transparent backing, result in transparent coatings capable of providing improved combinations of ink absorption and durability, while at the same time retaining transparency and being amenable to the types of processing commonly used in producing transparent graphical materials.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The crosslinkable portion of the SIPN will hereinafter be called the matrix component, and the liquid-absorbent portion will hereinafter be called the absorbent component.
The matrix component of the SIPN of the present invention comprises crosslinkable polymers that are either hydrophobic or hydrophilic in nature, and are derived from the copolymerization of acrylic or other hydrophobic or hydrophilic ethylenically unsaturated monomers with monomers having acidic groups or chelating groups, or by hydrolysis, if pendant ester groups are already present in these ethylenically unsaturated monomers.
Hydrophobic monomers suitable for preparing crosslinkable matrix components generally have the following properties:
(1) They form water-insoluble homopolymers if polymerized with themselves.
(2) Polymers formed from them contain no pendant groups having more than 18 carbon atoms, preferably no more than 4 carbon atoms, and more preferably, 1 to 2 carbon atoms.
(3) Polymers formed from them have groups in their backbones or in substituents of their backbones that are capable of hydrogen bonding to enhance the absorption of water or other hydrogen-bonding liquids.
These monomers are preferably selected from:
(1) acrylates and methacrylates having the structure: ##STR1## wherein R 1 represents hydrogen or --CH 3 , and R 2 represents a member selected from the group consisting of alkyl groups having up to 18 carbon atoms, preferably, up to 4 carbon atoms, and more preferably, 1 to 2 carbon atoms, cycloaliphatic groups having up to 9 carbon atoms, aryl groups having up to 14 carbon atoms, and oxygen-containing heterocyclic groups having up to 10 carbon atoms;
(2) acrylonitrile or methacrylonitrile;
(3) styrene or α-methylstyrene having the structure: ##STR2## where X and Y independently represent hydrogen or alkyl groups having up to 4 carbon atoms, preferably 1 or 2 carbon atoms, a halogen atom, alkyl halide group, or OR m where R m represent hydrogen or an alkyl group having up to 4 carbon atoms, preferably 1 or 2 carbon atoms, and Z represents hydrogen or methyl; and
(4) vinyl acetate.
Hydrophilic monomers suitable for preparing crosslinkable matrix components typically have the characteristic that they form water-soluble homopolymers when polymerized with themselves. They are preferably selected from:
( 1) Vinyl lactams having the repeating structure: ##STR3## where n represents the integer 2 or 3. (2) Acrylamide or methacrylamide having the structure: ##STR4## where R 1 is as described previously, R 5 represents hydrogen or an alkyl group having up to 10 carbon atoms, preferably having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and R 6 represents a member selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl groups having up to 10 carbon atoms, preferably having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and hydroxy-substituted alkyl groups or alkoxy-substituted alkyl groups having the structure of --(CH 2 ) p --OR 7 where p represents an integer from 1 to 3, inclusive, and R 7 represents hydrogen or an alkyl group having up to 10 carbon atoms, preferably having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms.
(3) Tertiary amino alkylacrylates or tertiary amino alkylmethacrylates having the structure: ##STR5## where a represents the integer 1 or 2 and R 1 and R 5 are as described previously, where each R 5 can be the same or different.
(4) Alkoxy alkylacrylates, hydroxy alkylacrylates, alkoxy alkylmethacrylates, or hydroxy alkylmethacrylates having the structure: ##STR6## where r represents an integer from i to 4, inclusive, preferably 2 to 3, is as R 1 is as described previously, and R 8 represents hydrogen or an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms.
(5) Alkoxy alkylacrylates or alkoxy alkylmethacrylates having the structure: ##STR7## where s represents an integer from 5 to 25, inclusive, and R 1 is described previously.
Some of the structures of both the above-mentioned hydrophobic and hydrophilic monomeric units contain pendant ester groups, and these can be rendered crosslinkable by hydrolysis. For the others, monomers containing acidic-groups can be copolymerized with them to produce crosslinkable polymers. Suitable monomers containing acidic-groups include acrylic acid or methacrylic acid, other copolymerizable carboxylic acids, and ammonium salts. Monomers containing acidic-groups can also be grafted onto polymers.
When acrylic or methacrylic acid is used, the acidic group is present at a level of from about 1.0% to about 20% by weight of the crosslinkable polymer, and preferably from about 2.5% to 9% by weight. When ammonium salts are used, the amine structure can be as follows: ##STR8## where R 9 independently represents hydrogen or an alkyl group having up to 5 carbon atoms, preferably 1 or 2 carbon atoms, with the preferred amine being NH 3 or another volatile amine. The matrix component also comprises a chelating compound. The preferred chelating compounds can be selected from:
(1) Alkaline metal salts of acrylic or methacrylic acid having the structure: ##STR9## where R 1 is as described previously, and M represents Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, or NH 4 , preferably NH 4 , Na, or K;
(2) N-substituted acrylamido or methacrylamido monomers containing ionic functionalities having the structure: ##STR10## where R 1 is described previously, R 10 represents halogen or alkyl group having up to 4 carbon atoms, but preferably hydrogen atom, R 11 represents --COOM or --SO 3 M where M is described previously;
(3) Alkali metal salt of p-styrene sulfonic acid;
(4) Sodium salt of 2-sulfo ethyl acrylate or methacrylate;
(5) 2- and 4-vinyl pyridine;
(6) Vinyl imidazole;
(7) N-(3-aminopropyl)methacrylamide hydrochloride; and
(8) 2-acetoacetoxy ethyl acrylate or 2-acetoacetoxyethyl methacrylate.
The matrix component is made by copolymerizing appropriate proportions of the above-mentioned hydrophilic or hydrophobic monomers and chelating compounds, using free-radical solution, emulsion, or suspension polymerization techniques. Typically, the matrix component comprises from about 80 to 99 parts by weight of hydrophilic or hydrophobic monomers and from about 1 to 20 parts by weight of chelating compound.
While it is the primary function of the matrix component of the SIPN to impart physical integrity and durability to the SIPN without adversely affecting the liquid-absorbency of the SIPN, it is the primary function of the absorbent component to promote liquid absorbency. When aqueous liquids are to be absorbed, as is in the case of most inks, the absorbent component can be water-absorbent, preferably water-soluble, and can be selected from polymers formed from the following monomers:
(1) Vinyl lactams having the repeating structure: ##STR11## where n is as described previously. (2) Alkyl tertiary amino alkylacrylates or alkyl tertiary amino alkylmethacrylates having the structure: ##STR12##
where m represents the integer 1 or 2, R 1 and R 5 are as described previously, and each R 5 can be the same or different.
(3) Alkyl quaternary amino alkylacrylates or alkyl quaternary amino alkylmethacrylates.
Polymerization of these monomers can be carried out by typical free-radical polymerization techniques as described previously.
Alternately, the absorbent component can also be selected from commercially available water-soluble or water-swellable polymers such as polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl alcohol/polyvinyl acetate copolymer, polyvinyl formal, polyvinyl butyral, gelatin, carboxy methylcellulose, hydroxy ethyl cellulose, hydroxy propyl cellulose, hydroxy ethyl starch, polyethyl oxazoline, polyethylene oxide, polyethylene glycol, polypropylene oxide. The preferred polymers are polyvinyl lactams, and, in particular, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, polyvinyl alcohol, and polyethylene oxide.
Crosslinking can be effected by means of multivalent metal ions, such as multivalent metal ion salts. The ions are preferably selected from the following metals: cobalt, calcium, magnesium, chromium, aluminum, tin, zirconium, zinc, nickel, and iron. Compounds that can provide these ions include aluminum acetate, aluminum ammonium sulfate dodecahydrate, alum, aluminum chloride, chromium (III) acetate, chromium (III) chloride hexahydrate, cobalt acetate, cobalt (II) chloride hexahydrate, cobalt (II) acetate tetrahydrate, cobalt sulfate hydrate, copper sulfate pentahydrate, copper acetate hydrate, copper chloride dihydrate, ferric chloride hexahydrate, ferric ammonium sulfate dodecahydrate, ferrous chloride tetrahydrate, magnesium acetate tetrahydrate, magnesium chloride hexahydrate, magnesium nitrate hexahydrate, manganese acetate tetrahydrate, manganese chloride tetrahydrate, nickel chloride hexahydrate, nickel nitrate hexahydrate, stannous chloride dihydrate, stannic chloride, tin (II) acetate, tin (IV) acetate, strontium chloride hexahydrate, strontium nitrate, zinc acetate dihydrate, zinc chloride, zinc nitrate, zirconium (IV) chloride, zirconium acetate, zirconium oxychloride, zirconium hydroxychloride, ammonium zirconium carbonate, and so on.
The SIPNs of this invention can be used to form ink-receptive layers for graphical materials. Typically, these SIPNs comprise from about 0.5 to 6.0% by weight of crosslinking agents, more preferably from about 1.0 to 4.5% by weight based on the total weight of the SIPN. The matrix component can be present at a level of from about 23.5 to about 98.5% by weight of the total SIPN, more preferably from about 30 to about 57% by weight. The absorbent component can be present at a level of from about 1 to about 70.5% by weight, and more preferably from about 38 to about 69% by weight. When polyvinyl pyrrolidone is present as the absorbent component of the SIPN and acrylates are used as the matrix component, good absorption of aqueous inks can be obtained at room temperature if polyvinyl pyrrolidone comprises at least about 30% by weight, preferably at least about 50% by weight, of the SIPN. Higher absorption can be obtained at the expense of durability if polyvinyl pyrrolidone is present in greater amounts. When polyvinyl pyrrolidone is present at about 80% by weight of the SIPN, the matrix component is not able to form a complete network, and the entire composition loses its physical integrity when washed with water.
In cases where the SIPNs of the invention are to be used as liquid-receptive layers borne by solid substrates, as in transparent graphical materials, it is convenient to apply such layers to the substrates in the form of a coatable composition that is subsequently dried to form a solid layer. A coatable composition can be prepared by dissolving the matrix component and the absorbent component in appropriate proportions in a common solvent, preferably water or a water miscible solvent, depending on the solubility of the components. The solvents can be selected on the basis of Hansen solubility parameters. The crosslinking agent is then added to the solution, and the solution is mixed until it becomes uniform. This solution can then be coated onto a transparent substrate, such as a polymeric film and allowed to dry. The amount of heat required to accomplish the drying in a reasonable time is usually sufficient for causing crosslinking of the matrix component to occur.
SIPN solutions of the present invention may contain additional modifying ingredients such as adhesion promoters, particles, surfactants, viscosity modifiers, and like materials, provided that such additives do not adverrsely affect the liquid-absorbing capability of the invention.
Coating can be carried out by any suitable means, such as by a knife coater, a rotogravure coater, a reverse roll coater, or other conventional means, as would be known to one of ordinary skill in the art. Drying can be accomplished by means of heated air. If preferred, an adhesion promoting priming layer can be interposed between the applied coating and the substrate. Such priming layers can include prime coatings. Alternatively, surface treatments, such as corona treatment, or other appropriate treatment, can be used to promote adhesion. These treatments are known to one of ordinary skill in the art. Adhesion of the SIPN layer can also be promoted by interposing a gelatin sublayer of the type used in photographic film backing between the priming layer and the SIPN layer. Film backings having both a priming layer and a gelatin sublayer are commercially available and are frequently designated as primed and subbed film backings.
When the SIPNs of the present invention are to be used to form the ink-absorbing layers of films for use with ink-jet printers, it is preferred that the backing of the film have a caliper in the range of about 50 to about 125 micrometers. Films having calipers below about 50 micrometers tend to be too fragile for graphic arts films, while films having calipers over about 125 micrometers tend to be too stiff for easy feeding through many of the imaging devices currently in use. Backing materials suitable for graphic arts films include polymeric materials, such as, for example, polyester, e.g., polyethylene terephthalate, cellulose acetates, polycarbonates, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, and polysulfones.
When the SIPNs of the present invention are to be used to form ink absorbing layers for films for ink-jet printing, the SIPN layer may further be overcoated with an ink-permeable anti-tack protective layer, such as, for example, a layer comprising polyvinyl alcohol in which starch particles have been dispersed, or a semi-interpenetrating polymer network in which polyvinyl alcohol is the absorbent component. An additional function of such overcoat layers is to provide surface properties that help to properly control the spread of ink droplets so as to optimize image quality.
In order to more fully illustrate the various embodiments of the present invention, the following non-limiting examples are provided. All parts are parts by weight unless indicated otherwise.
EXAMPLE 1
The polymeric material for the matrix of the SIPN was prepared by combining N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone (28 parts by weight), N,N-dimethyl acrylamide (20 parts by weight), the ammonium salt of 2-acrylamido-2-methyl propanesulfonic acid (2 parts by weight), azo-bis-isobutyronitrile (0.07 part by weight, "Vazo", available from E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company), and deionized water (280 parts by weight) in a one-liter brown bottle. After the mixture was purged with dry nitrogen gas for five minutes, polymerization was effected by immersing the bottle in a constant temperature bath maintained at a temperature of 60° C. for eight hours to give a very viscous clear solution (97.8% conversion). The resulting polymerized mixture was then diluted with deionized water to give a 10% solution in water (hereinafter Solution A).
Solution A (21.94 g of a 10% aqueous solution) was thoroughly mixed with polyvinyl alcohol(28.6 g of a 5% aqueous solution, "Vinol 540", available from Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.), and chromium chloride crosslinking agent (0.29 g of a 10% aqueous solution) in a separate vessel.
The resultant solution was coated onto a backing of polyethylene terephthalate film having a caliper of 100 micrometers, which had been primed with polyvinylidene chloride, over which had been coated a gelatin sublayer of the type used in photographic films for improving gelatin adhesion ("Scotchpar" Type PH primed and subbed film, available from Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company). Coating was carried out by means of a knife coater at a wet thickness of 200 micrometers. The coating was then dried by exposure to circulating heated air at a temperature of 90° C. for five minutes to form a clear SIPN layer.
Printing was performed with an ink-jet printer and pen using ink containing dye (3 to 5% solution in water). After one minute, the imaged film was dry to the touch. The SIPN layer remained intact.
Comparative Example A
Example 1 was repeated with the exceptions that the crosslinking agent was omitted, 15 g of Solution A was used, and 20.5 g polyvinyl alcohol was used. The ink on the imaged film did not dry after five minutes at ambient temperature.
EXAMPLES 2 to 4
The following compositions were prepared:
______________________________________ Amount (g)Ingredient B C D______________________________________N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone 35.0 35.0 35.0N,N-dimethyl acrylamide 13.0 13.0 13.0Sodium salt of allyl ether 5.0 -- --sulfonate (COPS-1, 40% solution,available from AlcolacSpecialty Chemicals)Potassium salt of 3-sulfopropyl -- 2.0 --acrylate (available fromAldrich Chemical Co.)Potassium salt of 3-sulfopropyl -- -- 2.0methacrylate (available fromAldrich Chemical Co.)Azo-bis-isobutyronitrile("Vazo") 0.07 0.07 0.07Water 283.0 283.0 283.0______________________________________
Each composition was mixed in a separate bottle, each bottle purged with nitrogen, and each composition polymerized for 8 to 10 hours at a temperature of 60° C. The resulting resins were very viscous, and each was diluted with 100 g of deionized water. The percentage of conversion ranged from 80 to 95%. Each reacted composition was further diluted with deionized water to give a solution containing 10% by weight dry solids, and each was used to prepare the following compositions:
______________________________________Amount of each ingredient (g) Chromium Poly- chloride Compo- Compo- Compo- (vinyl- (CrCl.sub.3 . sition B sition C sition D alcohol) H.sub.2 O) (10% (10% (10% (10% (5%)Example aqueous aqueous aqueous aqueous aqueousno. solution) solution) solution) solution) solution)______________________________________2 51 60 2.43 35 35 1.154 30 35 2.9______________________________________
The composition of each example was thoroughly mixed and then knife coated onto a primed and subbed polyester film of the type described in Example 1 at a wet thickness of 100 micrometers and dried in conventional hot air oven at a temperature of 90° C. for five minutes. Then the coated films were imaged separately on a Hewlett-Packard Deskjet ink-jet printer. The imaged areas dried quickly and did not smear.
EXAMPLE 5
N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone (40 parts by weight), 2-hydroxy ethyl methacrylate (7.5 parts by weight, available from Aldrich Chemical Co.), 4-vinyl pyridine (2.5 parts by weight, available from Reilly Tar and Chemical Co.), azo-bis-isobutyronitrile (0.07 part by weight, "Vazo"), deionized water (275 parts by weight), and ethyl alcohol (50 parts by weight) was mixed in a one pint bottle. The mixture was then purged with nitrogen gas. After the mixture was purged with nitrogen gas, it was polymerized for 18 to 20 hours at a temperature of 60° C. to give a very viscous opaque resin. The conversion was almost quantitive. The resulting resin was diluted to 7.5% by weight solids with deionized water.
A coatable solution containing the resin of this example (18.0 g of a 7.5% aqueous solution), polyvinyl alcohol (27.0 g of a 7.5% aqueous solution, "Vinol 540") and CrCl 3 .6H 2 O (1.2 g of a 5.0% aqueous solution) was thoroughly mixed and then knife coated onto a primed and subbed polyester film of the type described in Example 1 at a wet thickness of 100 micrometers. The coating was then dried in an oven at a temperature of 95° C. for five minutes. The film was imaged on a Hewlett-Packard Deskjet ink-jet printer. The imaged area dried quickly and did not smear. The images did not wash away even after being soaked in water.
EXAMPLE 6
A polymerizable composition was prepared by mixing the following ingredients in the amounts indicated:
______________________________________ AmountIngredient (parts by weight)______________________________________N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone 32.5N,N-dimethyl acrylamide 15.02-Vinyl pyridine 2.5Azo-bis-isobutyronitrile ("Vazo") 0.07Deionized water 278.0Ethyl alcohol 5.0______________________________________
The mixture was purged with nitrogen gas and then polymerized for 12 to 15 hours at a temperature of 60° C. The conversion was quantitative. The resulting resin was diluted to 7.5% by weight solids with deionized water.
The resin of this example (21.53 g of a 7.5% aqueous solution), polyvinyl alcohol (32.3 g of a 7.5% aqueous solution), and CrCl 3 .6H 2 O (1.42 g of a 5.0% aqueous solution) were thoroughly mixed and the mixed composition was then knife coated onto a primed and subbed polyester film of the type described in Example 1 at a wet thickness of 100 micrometers. The coating was then dried in an oven at a temperature of 95° C. for five minutes. The film was imaged on a Hewlett-Packard Deskjet ink-jet printer. The imaged area dried quickly and did not smear.
EXAMPLE 7
A polymerizable composition was prepared by mixing the following ingredients in the amounts indicated:
______________________________________ AmountIngredient (parts by weight)______________________________________N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone 47.52-Acetoacetoxy ethyl methacrylate 2.5(available from Eastman Kodak)Azo-bis-isobutyronitrile ("Vazo") 0.07Deionized water 200.0Methyl alcohol 50.0______________________________________
The mixture was purged with nitrogen gas and then polymerized for 20 to 24 hours at a temperature of 60° C. to give a viscous opaque solution. The conversion was 96.04%. The resulting resin was diluted to 7.5% by weight solids with deionized water.
The resin of this example (21.53 g of a 7.5% aqueous solution), polyvinyl alcohol (32.6 g of a 7.5% aqueous solution), and CrCl 3 .6H 2 O (0.69 g of a 5.0% aqueous solution) were thoroughly mixed and the mixed composition was then knife coated onto a primed and subbed polyester film of the type described in Example 1 at a wet thickness of 100 micrometers. The coating was then dried in an oven at a temperature of 95° C. for five minutes. The film was imaged on a Hewlett-Packard Deskjet ink-jet printer. The imaged area dried quickly and did not smear.
EXAMPLE 8
A mixture comprising N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone (37.5 parts by weight), N,N-dimethyl acrylamide (10.0 parts by weight), 4-vinyl pyridine (1.5 parts by weight), 1-vinyl imidazole (1.0 part by weight, available from Aldrich Chemical Co.), azo-bis-isobutyronitrile (0.07 part by weight, "Vazo"), deionized water (283.3 parts by weight) was purged with nitrogen gas and polymerized for 14 to 16 hours at a temperature of 60° C. to give a 11.19% solution. The conversion was 97.03%. The resulting resin was diluted to 7.5% by weight solids with deionized water.
The resin of this example (20.5 g of a 7.5% aqueous solution), polyvinyl alcohol (30.75 g of a 7.5% aqueous solution), and CrCl 3 .6H 2 O (1.2 g of a 5% aqueous solution) were thoroughly mixed, and the mixed composition was then knife coated onto a primed and subbed polyester film of the type described in Example 1 at a wet thickness of 100 micrometers. The coating was then dried in an oven at a temperature of 95° C. for five minutes. The film was imaged on a Hewlett-Packard Deskjet ink-jet printer to give an image that did not smear.
Various modifications and alterations of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention, and it should be understood that this invention is not to be unduly limited to the illustrative embodiments set forth herein. | A composition comprising a blend of (a) a polymeric matrix component comprising crosslinkable polymers made from 80 to 99 parts by weight of at least one α,β-ethylenically unsaturated monomer and from 1 to 20 parts by weight of at least one chelating compound, (b) a liquid-absorbent component comprising a water-absorbent, preferably water-soluble, polymer, and (c) a multivalent metal ion as a crosslinking agent. This composition is capable of forming liquid-absorbent, semi-interpenetrating networks. The composition of this invention can provide polymeric matrices which, when coated on a transparent backing, result in transparent coatings capable of providing improved combinations of ink absorption and durability, while at the same time retaining transparency and being amenable to the types of processing commonly used in producing transparent graphical materials. | 8 |
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
This invention relates to a label-equipped ply with a readable liner and method and, more particularly, where the liner is adapted to be imaged on its reverse side so that the imaging is readable from the front of the ply when the label is removed.
When a label-equipped sheet or continuous web, i.e., a ply, is imaged as by being printed with data, it is often desirable to record data on the release liner of the label as well. Thus, when the label is removed from the release liner, the data is viewable from the front surface of the release liner.
In current practice, this has been accomplished with a self-contained carbonless release liner (such as supplied by 3-M Corporation) which is activated when the label is processed in an impact printer. When the characters of an impact printer strike the label, the impact is transmitted through the label and into the self-contained carbonless liner. This activates self-contained carbonless ink capsules resulting in an image in the release liner corresponding to the impact printed characters on the label. This approach has several disadvantages:
(1) Sales of impact printers are declining: non-impact printing technologies such as laser, ion-deposition, xerography, and magnetography are replacing impact printing in many applications.
(2) A self-contained carbonless release liner incurs considerable extra expense over conventional release liners and the image quality it provides is often poor in terms of contrast.
(3) Incompatibility with non-impact printing technologies--this because there is no impact so no discernible image made on the self-contained carbonless liner.
(4) There is further incompatibility with non-impact printing technologies such as ion-deposition which subject the self-contained carbonless liner to overall pressure which activates some of the self-contained carbonless ink capsules and obscures impact printed data.
(5) In some instances, it may be advantageous to record data on the release liner which does not correspond to that imaged or printed on the face of the label, this not being possible using a self-contained carbonless liner except to the extent that data may be omitted (not transferred to the liner) or obscured by virtue of a zone or strip treatment of the self-contained carbonless ink capsules.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
It is the object of the present invention to provide a label-equipped ply which can and/or does retain data on the label release liner without the use of a self-contained carbonless liner. Such label-equipped plies are compatible with impact, non-impact, and even conventional printing technologies. This is accomplished by utilizing a release liner affixed to the back of the ply which is "readable".
By "readable", we refer to the fact that imaging on the back surface can be sensed from the front surface by virtue of the liner being able to transmit energy in the electro-magnetic spectrum therethrough. Thus, the imaging may be sensed by such diverse means as magnetic sensors, infra-red sensors and the human eye. Hereinafter, the term "readable" is generic not only to transparent and translucent materials insofar as passage of visible light is concerned but also includes materials which have imaging which is sensible or readable therethrough--as with infra-red or other portions of the spectrum.
In many cases, visual sensing is desirable so that the liner is at least translucent and, optimally, transparent. Translucency is achieved as a result of the thinness and/or chemical treatment (as with glassine) of the release liner. Transparency is obtained with materials such as acetate or plastic films.
The face of the ply may be printed or imaged utilizing impact and/or non-impact printers. The back of the release liner is printed or imaged with reverse-orientation (mirror-image) data utilizing impact or non-impact printers. When the label is removed from the release liner, the mirror-imaged data on the back of the release liner becomes readable, in conventional orientation, from the face of the liner when the label is removed.
This provides several advantages over the current art: (1) a self-contained carbonless release liner is not required, instead, a wide variety of available materials may be utilized as a release liner such as clear plastic films including polypropylene or polyester, clear organic films such as acetate, papers which have been chemically treated to improve transparency such as glassine, papers which are at least translucent by virtue of their thinness which typically also have a release coating to facilitate label removal, and transfer tapes which combine a thin, translucent paper with release coating and pressure sensitive adhesive; (2) compatibility with impact printers which are equipped with reverse orientation or mirror image characters for printing on the back of the release liner; (3) compatibility with non-impact printing technologies such as ion-deposition, laser, magnetography, and xerography, reverse orientation characters and means for coordinating variable information on the face of the ply with the variable information on the back of the release liner being readily available with these technologies; (4) compatibility with conventional printing technologies such as flexography, lithography, letterpress, etc.--again, reverse orientation characters are readily obtained through technology used to print fixed information on the face of the plies and/or back of the release liner; (5) variable or fixed information may be applied to the face of the ply and/or back of the release liners before, during or after manufacture of the label-equipped plies which adds considerable versatility for the users of the invention.
For example, printing or imaging of the plies which advantageously can be business forms and the like can occur (a) during manufacture of the forms--this is particularly beneficial for high production quantities as handling may be minimized; (b) after manufacture of the forms but at the site of manufacture--for example, some forms manufacturers will manufacture a relatively high quantity of forms which lack printed or imaged data and typically, a portion of the forms will be printed or imaged with data for prompt use while the remainder are placed in inventory for later use; (c) after manufacture but at remote locations--for example, the unimaged forms could be delivered to various locations and/or customers and then the imaged forms could be printed or imaged with data and in quantities as required;
A further advantage over the prior art is that (6) the data imaged or printed on the back of the release liner need not correspond to that imaged or printed on the face of the label. For example, it is sometimes advantageous to display additional data on the back of the release liner which by virtue of security, tracking, timing, or conflict with postal regulations is not displayed on the face of the label. Conversely, data may appear on the face of the label and be omitted from the back of the release liner.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING
The invention is described in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which
FIG. 1 is a side elevational view with certain portions enlarged or exaggerated to facilitate explanation of the invention; and;
FIG. 2 is a side elevational schematic view of apparatus employed in the manufacture of the inventive ply according to the inventive method.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
In the illustration given and with reference first to FIG. 1, the numeral 10 designates generally the overall device or product incorporating teachings of the invention. As such, it includes a ply 11 which is equipped with a label 12. The label 12 and a further portion of the ply 11 are provided with a pattern coating of pressure sensitive adhesive 13 that generally is larger or greater in extent than the area of the label 12 and thereby extends beyond the perimeter of the label 12 on at least one edge. Conventionally, labels are of a generally rectangular configuration although circular and other shapes are equally useful in the practice of the invention. In any event, the adhesive pattern designated 13 in the illustration given does not have to cover the entire area of the label 12.
The pressure-sensitive adhesive 13 is covered by a backer 14 which may have a release coating 15 arranged in contact with the pattern of adhesive 13. The combination of release coating 15 and backer 14 is often referred to as a release liner. The invention, however, is not limited to such commonly employed release liners as the invention also contemplates combinations of backer material which are constructed and arranged so as to be separable from the pattern of adhesive 13. The backer material 14 is readable--and preferably translucent for most applications. This may be brought about by virtue of its minimal thickness, treatment to improve translucence or the nature of the material itself--again, as an example, many plastic materials such as polyester and polypropylene are transparent.
The release coating 15 can cover the entire top surface of backer 14 or can be patterned or strip coated to leave some areas of the backer without release coating.
The label 12 is obtained from ply 11 and is perimetrically defined by a cut 16. The cut 16, in the preferred embodiment, is cut completely through ply 11 but also may be only cut substantially through ply 11. Further, the cut 16 may be continuous around the perimeter of the label or it may be interrupted by perforations, for example. The cut 16 may further penetrate through the adhesive 13 and the release coating 15 (if any). It is usually desirable that the cut 16 does not penetrate the backer 14. The purpose of the cut 16 is to allow the label 12 to be removed from the ply 11 which is an action usually performed subsequent to manufacture.
The numeral 17 generally designates imaging which may be data on the face of the label 12 by means of impact, non-impact or conventional printing technologies. As used herein, the terms "imaged", "imaging", and the like are employed in a generic sense to cover various technologies of placing information of various kinds on the face of the label and, for that matter, as will be brought out hereinafter on the back of the backer.
Reverse orientation imaging or mirror-imaged data generally designated 18 may be imaged or printed on the back (or bottom) of the backer 14 by means of impact, non-impact or conventional printing technology. The reverse orientation imaging 18 may or may not correspond to the data 17 imaged on the face of the label 12. Both datas 17, 18 may take a variety of sensible forms, viz., alphanumeric, bar code, etc.
Thus, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, when the label 12 is peeled away or otherwise removed from the ply 11:
(1) the pressure sensitive adhesive 13 under the label 12 peels away from the release coating 15 and remains substantially adhered to label 12. This provides means of adhering label 12 onto, for example, a package, product, lab sample, envelope, or another sheet;
(2) the pressure sensitive adhesive 13 which extends beyond the perimeter of the label 12 adheres the backer 14 to ply 11; and
(3) the reverse orientation imaging 18 on the back of backer 14 is (a) now viewable in normal orientation, (b) from the face of ply 11 and (c) through the translucent or transparent backer 14.
The reverse orientation imaging 18 will often correspond to the data imaged or printed on the face of the label 17 but could alternatively partially correspond and also contain additional data, partially correspond and contain less data, or not correspond at all.
Method of Manufacture
FIG. 2 illustrates the method of manufacture of the invention when a continuous ply 11 is utilized. It is apparent that as an alternative, individual sheets could be processed by a similar method. As illustrated, the web or ply 11 is fed in a controlled manner from a parent roll designated 11a. A patch material 19 is fed in a controlled proportion to ply 11 typically via feed rollers 20 or as an alternative, pin tractors (not shown). The patch material 19 could also be fed so as to be equal to one or both dimensions of the ply 11. The patch material 19 may be one of several alternatives:
(1) It may be a combination of backer 14, pressure sensitive adhesive 13 and release coating 15. This is often referred to as transfer tape and is supplied suitable by Ludlow Corporation located at Two Ludlow Park, Chicopee, Mass. 01021, under designation Wide Web Transfer Tape.
(2) It may be a combination of backer 14, pressure sensitive adhesive 13, release coating 15 and an extra liner 21. This is a variation of transfer tape and is suitably supplied by United Coating Technologies located at 12024 South Aero Drive, Plainfield, Ill. 60544 under designation Free Film Lite. In this case the extra release liner 21 is peeled away and rewound at rewind station 22.
(3) A combination of backer 14 and a release coating 15. This is known as release liner and is available from such suppliers as the Akrosil Division of International Paper Company, 206 Garfield, Menasha, Wis. 54952, 3-M and others. In this case, the pressure-sensitive adhesive can be applied to the release liner at the adhesive coating station 23 or in patterns onto the back of ply 11 by means of a pattern adhesive applicator 24.
(4) A backer 14 which is a paper material. In this case the backer 14 may receive a treatment to improve translucence. This would occur at the translucence treating station 25. The release coating 15 would be applied at the release coating application and curing station 26. The pressure sensitive adhesive 13 would be applied as in (3) above at the adhesive coating station 23 or at the pattern adhesive applicator 24.
(5) A backer 14 which is a film material. This could be a transparent plastic film such as polypropylene or polyester or, as another alternative, acetate film. These films are supplied by Douglas Hanson, Co., located at 1565 Davis Street, Hammond, Wis. 54015 and others. A release coating 15 can be supplied with the film or applied at release coating application and curing station 26. Pressure sensitive adhesive 13 is applied as in (3) or (4) above at adhesive coating station 23 or at the pattern adhesive applicator 24.
It is obvious to those skilled in the art that the sequence and position of some of the operations described in (3) through (5) above could be varied.
The patch material 19 in its various embodiments as described in (1) through (5) above is fed between cut-off cylinder 27 and applicator cylinder 28. The patch material 19 can be severed into individual pieces of liner 29 or can also remain continuous. The liner 29 is conveyed by the applicator cylinder 28 to be adhesively joined to the ply 11 by means of the pressure sensitive adhesive 13.
The adhesively joined liner 29 and ply 11 proceed to a die cut station generally designated 30 which cuts ply 11 as described previously, perimetrically defining the edges of a removable label 12 from ply 11 and generally within the perimeter of each liner 29.
The adhesively joined liner 29 and ply 11 are ready for imaging or printing at this point of manufacture or, alternatively, at a later time and possibly at a remote location by means of an imaging station 31. Imaging station 31 could provide imaging or printing on the face of the label 12 and the back of the backer 14 or, alternatively, on only one of these two surfaces with the remaining surface imaged at another time, at another location, or left unimaged.
The adhesively joined liner 29 and ply 11 may further proceed to a processor 32 which can deliver output 33 such as folded packs, sheets, or rolls. As a further alternative, the adhesively joined liner 29 and ply 11 could be delivered to other machinery, such as a collator for merging with webs, or envelope stuffing and sealing equipment for mailing, sorting, and the like.
While in the foregoing specification, a detailed description of the invention has been set down for the purpose of illustration, many variations in the details hereingiven may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. | A label-equipped ply with readable liner and method, the ply having a label diecut therein which constitutes only a portion of the ply area, a release backer adhered to the ply back surface and which has an exposed face, the backer being adapted for carrying reverse orientation data imaging on its exposed face and composed of a material capable of being read through the backer. | 8 |
BACKGROUND DESCRIPTION
1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to SPECT and CT imaging. Specifically, it relates to registering SPECT images and CT images of the same patient regions, and “zipping” together SPECT images of different portions of a whole body scan to provide a single whole body image.
2. Background of the Invention
When taking whole body Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (“SPECT”) and Computed Topography (“CT”) scans, in many machines the detector's field of view (“FOV”) is limited. It is therefore often necessary to take several separate scans for SPECT, which overlap in the z direction (see FIG. 1 ), at two or more different positions with respect to a patient. These separate scans must then be “zipped” or appended together after reconstruction.
When such zipping takes place, it is usually impossible to determine the proper zipping position in the overlapping region where zipping occurs, in the z direction (see FIG. 1 ). When two adjacent images are so overlapped, the proper dividing line could be anywhere in the overlapping region. Presently there are no satisfactory methods to determine this position and to zip the two images together based either on relative bed positions or on image positions.
Even in cases where the zipping position can be approximated, i.e. when the full reconstruction range is used in the overlapping region, other factors may hinder a satisfactory zipped whole body image. These factors may include: bed deflection, patient motion, and image edge handling in 3D reconstruction algorithms with CT attenuation correction.
In many current methods, image registration (i.e., between the SPECT and CT images) and zipping (i.e., of two SPECT images of overlapping adjacent patient regions) are done completely separately. Auto-zipping is done after the multiple whole body SPECT images have been individually registered with the CT image. The separate registration and zipping processes do not generate satisfactory whole body images.
To solve these problems, it is desired to merge the registration task and the zipping task into a single optimization task.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, according to the present invention a method for simultaneously registering and zipping a multiple scan whole body SPECT/CT image is provided. The method includes the steps of (a) simultaneously registering and zipping multiple input images and (b) re-sampling the registered images. The step of simultaneously registering and zipping multiple input images is accomplished by (i) initially aligning the images to be registered with each other, (ii) aligning the images with a reference CT image, and (iii) adjusting the alignment of the images with each other.
In order to determine the best registration, which is used to generate a registered output, the method uses the equation:
M total (φ):=Σ j M ( U,V j ∘φ j )=max,
which is subject to
V total (φ):=Σ i≠j ν( V i ∘φ i ,V j ∘φ j )=min
where U is a CT reference image, V is a set of SPECT images, and φ is a transform.
Further provided is a system for implementing the method that includes a SPECT/CT scanning device, a processor that receives scans from the SPECT/CT scanning device, and software that inputs multiple images, simultaneously registers and zips the images and outputs a single, unified, registered image.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will now be described in greater detail in the following by way of example only and with reference to the attached drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is an example of two SPECT scans with an overlapping region.
FIG. 2 is an example of unsatisfactory whole body zipping for two SPECT scans.
FIG. 3 is a diagram of the method for simultaneously registering and zipping a multiple scan whole body SPECT/CT image
FIG. 4 is a diagram of an algorithm for executing the method.
FIG. 5 is a system for simultaneously registering and zipping a multiple scan whole body SPECT/CT image.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
As required, disclosures herein provide detailed embodiments of the present invention; however, the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. Therefore, there is no intent that specific structural and functional details should be limiting, but rather the intention is that they provide a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.
FIG. 1 depicts two whole body SPECT scans 110 and 120 of overlapping adjacent regions of a patient, where the solid lines represent the image reconstruction range for each image. It is desirable to zip these two SPECT scans 110 and 120 together to create one image. The two SPECT scans 110 and 120 will be zipped together somewhere in the overlapping region 140 . However, the proper dividing line 130 could be anywhere in the overlapping region 140 . If the wrong dividing line 130 is chosen, an unsatisfactory final image will be produced (see FIG. 2 ).
FIG. 3 diagrams the method 300 according to one embodiment of the present invention, which may find the proper dividing line 130 from which to zip the SPECT images together to form a single whole body image. The two main processes in the method 300 are (1) simultaneous registration and zipping ( 340 ) and (2) re-sampling ( 350 ). The simultaneous registration and zipping 340 may include imputing a reference CT image 310 and imputing whole body SPECT scans 1 ( 320 ) through K ( 330 ). The simultaneous registration and zipping 340 may not only determine the best alignment (registration) between each individual SPECT image 320 through 330 and the reference CT image 310 , but also may determine the best alignment among the K SPECT images 320 through 330 themselves. After the simultaneous registration and zipping 340 is complete, the registered multiple images 360 may be re-sampled in process 350 . The re-sampling 350 may sample the multiple registered images 360 (which may have overlaps) to generate a single unified output 370 .
FIG. 4 depicts an algorithm 400 for completing the method 300 . The algorithm may consist of the steps of (1) scanning the SPECT images (“V 1 , . . . , V K ”) 410 , (2) finding an initial alignment among V 1 , . . . , V K images 420 , (3) imputing a reference CT image (“U”) 480 , (4) maximizing the total distance between U 480 and each SPECT image (“V i ”) 430 , (5) minimizing the overall variation among overlaps of V 1 , . . . , V K 450 (6) repeating ( 440 ) the maximizing 430 and minimizing 450 steps until the best registration is found, (6) re-sampling 460 , and (7) registering an output 470 .
Finding the initial alignment of the K images V 1 , . . . , V K 420 may be done based on either bed positions or image positions of the K images. The maximizing 430 and minimizing 450 steps may be formulated as an optimization problem as follows.
Let R 3 denote the usual three-dimensional Euclidian space. An image may be defined as a function from R 3 to R which satisfies certain regularity conditions. Given two images U and V, where U is a reference image and V is the image to be registered towards U, the objective of the registration between these two images is to find a proper transformation
φ:R 3 →R 3
such that U and V∘φ are best matched in accordance with a certain objective measure, where V∘φ denotes the registered version of V with V∘φ(x)=V(φ(x)) for xεR 3 .
In a multiple input registration and zipping setting, there may be one reference image U (the CT image) and a set of K SPECT images {V j } to be registered (the multiple whole body SPECT images). It may be necessary to find K best transformations {φ j } under certain optimization criteria, where each φ j represents the best registration between U and V j . The set of functions {φ j } cannot be found separately because their domains have overlaps in general, and those are the regions where transformations need to be adjusted to make the best zipping for the neighboring two images.
If φ=(φ 1 , . . . , φ K ), the maximizing ( 430 ) and minimizing ( 450 ) steps may be formulated as an optimization problem as follows:
Given one reference image U:R 3 →R 3 and a set of K images {V j } to be registered, where V j : R 3 →R 3 , j=1, . . . , K, find a transformation φ such that
M total (φ):=Σ j M ( U,V j ∘φ j )=max
subject to
V total (φ):=Σ i≠j ν( V i ∘φ i ,V j ∘φ j )=min (1)
where
M(U,V j ∘φ j ) measures the similarity between the reference image U and the transformed image V j ∘φ j ; M total is the sum of all M(U,V j ∘φ j ); ν(V i ∘φ i ,V j ∘φ j ) measures the variation between the two registered images V i ∘φ i and V j ∘φ j at their overlapped region; and V total is the sum of all ν(V i ∘φ i ,V j ∘φ j ).
One implementation for the optimization of problem (1) is to set the objective functional as
J (φ):=− M total (φ)+λ V total (φ) (2)
and search for φ* such that J(φ*)=min, where λ is a constant to be determined. A gradient based steepest descent method may be used to seek the minimum of the functional. First the gradient ∇J(φ) may be calculated, and then updates in the search for the optimal transformation φ may be made according to
φ n+1 =φ n −μ∇J (φ n ),μ>0, n= 1,2,3, . . .
where μ is a constant used to control the convergence rate.
Thus, this registration algorithm searches for the best registration φ between the set of images {V j } and the reference image U in such a way that the individual images V j (1≦j≦K) are optimally aligned with respect to the reference image U (in the sense of M total =min).
Once the best registration φ has been found, it may be used in the final re-sampling operation to generate a registered output. Note that in the conventional image registration setting where the re-sample is based on one transformation function φ only, the multiple input re-sample algorithm in this operation must handle the multiple transformation functions {φ j }. In particular, interpolation is needed in the overlapped domain of the functions.
Often some type of regularization is needed because the image registration problem is ill-posed.
Let the transformation function φ:R 3 →R 3 be the deformation map defined by
φ( x )= x+u ( x )
where u is a proper function from R 3 to R 3 .
For the similarity measure M between two images U and V, one may use the popular mutual information defined by
M ( U , V ) = ∫ R 3 × R 3 p U , V ( u , v ) log p U ( u ) p V ( v ) p U , V ( u , v ) ⅆ ( u , v )
where p U and p V are the probability densities of the pixel values of the images U and V, respectively; p U,V is the joint probability density of the pixel values of images U and V.
For the variation measure v between two overlapped images F and G, one can use the sum of the squared difference defined by
v ( F,G )=∫ O ( F ( x )− G ( x )) 2 dx
where O denotes the overlapped region between the two images.
Under these notation, equation (1) can be formulated as the following variational problem:
minimize J(u 1 , . . . , u k )+rS(u 1 , . . . , u k ) (3)
where J is defined as in equation (2), S is a regularization term, and r>0 is a regularization parameter. In many cases, the regularization term S can be defined as a bi-linear form of B:
S ( u 1 , . . . , u k )=Σ j=1 K ∫ D <B ( u j ), B ( u j )> dx,D⊂R 3
where B is a differential operator, and <,> denotes the inner product in L 2 (R 3 ). L 2 (R 3 ) is the completion of the continuous functions with respect to the L 2 -norm. For example, for elastic registration, the integral term in the above expression can be represented as
∫ D 〈 B ( u j ) , B ( u j ) 〉 ⅆ x = ∫ D { α 4 ∑ i , j = 1 3 ( ∂ x i u j + ∂ x j u i ) 2 + β 2 ( ∇ · u ) 2 } ⅆ x
where α and β are the so-called Lamé constants, and ∇● is the divergence operator. Note that u is the function used to define the non-rigid transformation function φ(x)=x+u(x). In a multiple input registration setting, with K input images to be registered, there should be K such u's.
Using a proper discretization technique, the regularized minimization problem can be implemented as an iterative algorithm.
FIG. 5 shows an example system 500 that uses the method 300 . The system may be comprised of a SPECT/CT scanning device 510 and a processing device. The processing device may obtain scanned images from the scanning device 510 and may run software that implements the algorithm 400 to output a single registered and zipped whole body image. The system may include a monitor 520 for displaying data, operating instructions, etc. from the processing device. | A method and a system for implementing the method for simultaneously registering and zipping a multiple scan whole body SPECT/CT image. The method includes the steps of simultaneously registering and zipping multiple input images and re-sampling the registered images. The step of simultaneously registering and zipping multiple input images is accomplished by initially aligning the images to be registered with each other, aligning the images with a reference image, and adjusting the alignment of the images with each other. | 0 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to self-priming systems for liquid pumps, and more particularly to a self-priming pump system wherein a fast-acting, tee-type priming valve is provided to permit automatic priming of the pump.
Self-priming liquid pumping systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,370,604 and 3,381,618, each of which is commonly owned by the assignee of the present invention. As there shown, a pump is positioned so that its suction inlet line is submerged in a suction chamber, and a check valve is provided in the discharge to prevent reverse flow of liquid when suction is lost. A priming valve is positioned between the pump discharge and the check valve to permit the column of liquid therebetween to flow back to the suction chamber and prime the pump.
Previous priming valves included spring-biased valves responsive to liquid dynamic pressure to control the flow of priming liquid to the pump suction inlet. Actuation of the priming valve was by means of a pressure sensing tube which extended into the flow stream, or, alternatively, a venturi was provided to sense the reduced static pressure of the flowing fluid a it passed through the throat of the venturi, and each arrangement caused the priming valve to open when no flow was taking place.
Although the prior art priming valves are entirely suitable for their intended purpose, it is desirable to provide a more rapid acting priming valve construction.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a rapid acting priming valve which does not incorporate a spring to bias the valve to a predetermined position.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a priming valve wherein the operation of the valve is dependent solely upon fluid pressures existing in the pumping system.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a priming valve wherein the control of the actuation range of the valve is accomplished externally of the valve structure.
Briefly stated, in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a self-priming liquid pumping system is provided which incorporates an improved valve structure for providing the priming liquid for a liquid pump. The system includes a pair of check valves positioned downstream of the pump outlet, the fluid between the check valves comprising the priming fluid. Positioned between the two check valves is an improved priming valve in accordance with the present invention, the valve including a valve member having a stem connected to a piston which serve to position the valve member with respect to valve seat. One face of the piston is exposed to the discharge line static pressure and a fluid bleed line extends from the piston chamber to conduct fluid back to the suction tank. A pilot valve is positioned in the bleed line and is adjustable to control the flow which takes place through the piston chamber to the suction tank, to thereby regulate the pressure within the piston chamber and the force acting upon the valve member to urge it into contact with the valve seat.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side elevational view, partially in section, illustrating a self-priming system for liquid pumps and incorporating a priming valve in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view showing one embodiment of a priming valve in accordance with the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown a fluid system 10 which includes a pump 11 having an inlet 12 and an outlet 13. Although the pump as shown is a single stage pump, a similar horizontally-arranged, multiple stage pump could be provided instead. Pump 11 is driven by an electric motor 14, which is connected to the pump impeller 15 by means of a suitable drive connection 16. A suction tank 17 is connected with pump inlet 12 through inlet line 18. Suction tank 17 includes an opening 19 connected through a pipe 21 to storage tank 20. Inlet line 18 extends into suction tank 17 and terminates in an inlet opening 22. Suction tank 17 is maintained with sufficient liquid from storage tank 20 by virtue of the differential pressure across pipe 21 resulting when liquid is pumped from suction tank 17.
A discharge line 23 extends in a generally vertical direction from pump outlet 13 and includes a first check valve 25 positioned immediately downstream of pump 11 and a check valve 24 positioned downstream of check valve 25 a sufficient distance to provide a column of liquid of predetermined volume. A priming valve 26 is connected to discharge line 23 at tee 33a 7and includes an inlet 27 and an outlet 28. A discharge conduit 29 extends from outlet 28 to suction tank 17 to permit priming fluid which passes through valve 26 to flow into suction tank 17 to allow pump 11 to prime itself again. The liquid between check valve 24 and priming valve 26 provides a column of liquid which is of a sufficient quantity to permit priming of the pump.
An air relief conduit 30 extends from suction tank 17 to discharge line 23 immediately upstream of check valve 24 to permit air from suction tank 17 to replace the priming liquid. A relief conduit check valve 31 allows movement of air only toward discharge line 23 in order to prevent liquid from passing through conduit 30. When liquid in discharge conduit 23 is permitted by priming valve 26 to return to tank 17, air in tank 17 is displaced by the priming liquid and passes through relief conduit 30 and check valve 31 to replace the priming liquid in discharge conduit 23. The air cannot return to tank 17, because of check valve 31, and is therefore forced through check valve 24 upon resumption of liquid flow
A vent line 80 extends from the eye of pump 11 to relief conduit 30 to vent air which enters the pump when suction is lost. A vent valve 82 is provided in vent line 80 to control the rate and direction of flow through the vent line, as will be hereinafter described.
Referring now to FIG. 2, priming valve 26 is in the form of a tee-shaped housing 32. Inlet 27 of priming valve 26 is bolted to a corresponding opening 33 in discharge line 23, and opening 33 can be provided in a tee section 33a. Housing 32 is closed at its opposite end by means of an end cap 34, and includes an inlet passageway 35 extending from inlet 27 to an inner chamber 36, which is of cylindrical form and of greater cross-sectional area than that of inlet passageway 35. An outlet passageway 37 interconnects outlet opening 28 and inner chamber 36 to permit communication between inlet 27 and suction tank 17 through valve discharge conduit 29.
Slidably carried within housing 32 is a valve member 38 which includes a valve face 39 positioned at one end thereof and a piston 40 positioned at the other end. Valve face 39 is adapted to selectively block and unblock inlet passageway 35 by seating on or moving from valve seat 41, respectively. Piston 40 has a cross-sectional area which is greater than the opening area of valve seat 41 and includes an inner face 42 and an outer face 43. An O-ring 44 is received in an annular recess in the outer periphery 45 of piston 40.
A first aperture 46 is provided in housing 32 adjacent end cap 34 to receive one end of a first conduit 47, the opposite end of which is positioned in an aperture 48 in discharge line 23 at a point downstream of first check valve 25. A second aperture 49 extends through housing 32 adjacent end cap 34 and communicates with a pilot valve 50.
Pilot valve 50 is of an overall tee-shaped configuration similar to that of priming valve 26, but on a smaller scale, and includes a housing 51 and a valve member 52. An inlet opening 53 and an inlet passageway 54 communicate with an inner chamber 55. Inlet opening 53 of pilot valve 50 communicates with second aperture 49 in inner chamber 36 of priming valve 26. A valve seat 56 is provided in inlet passageway 54 and is blocked or unblocked by valve member 52 to close and open the same, respectively. Valve member 52 includes a piston 57 having an inwardly directed face 58 and an outwardly directed face 59.
A end wall 60 is provided in chamber 55 opposite valve face 56 and a first aperture 61 is provided adjacent end wall 60. A first conduit 62 is connected from aperture 61 to discharge line 23 immediately upstream of check valve 25. A second aperture 63 adjacent end wall 60 is connected by a second conduit 64 to an opening 65 in a priming valve relief conduit 66, which extends from priming valve 26 to suction tank 17. A flow control valve 67, such as a needle valve, is positioned in conduit 64 and controls the pressure exerted on face 59 of piston 57. The cross-sectional area of second conduit 64 is smaller than that of first conduit 62, for reasons which will hereinafter appear. A flexible diaphragm 68 is provided against outwardly directed face 59 of piston 57 to prevent foreign matter from interfering with the smooth movement of piston 57 in chamber 55. It should be noted that diaphragm 68 may very easily be replaced by a suitable bellows or other flexible barrier (not shown).
In the operation of the system, when pump 11 draws liquid from suction tank 17 and pumps it into discharge line 23, the flow opens check valves 24, 25. The static pressure head within discharge line 23 acts upon valve face 39 of priming valve 26 to urge valve member 38 away from valve seat 41 and also acts against outer face 43 of piston 40 by through conduit 47. Because of the cross-sectional area difference, the force exerted on piston 40 exceeds the force exerted on valve face 39 and inlet passageway 35 is closed. Similarly, the same static pressure exerted on outer face 59 of pilot valve piston 57 and on pilot valve face 56 maintains valve member 52 closed to block pilot valve inlet passageway 54. The magnitude of the static pressure acting on pilot valve piston 57 can be controlled by the degree of opening of valve 67, which permits bleed-off of pressure into relief conduit 66 to control the pressure which can be exerted against outer face 59 of pilot valve piston 57.
If the pump exhausts the liquid in suction tank 17, check valves 24 and 25 close to prevent reverse flow in discharge line 23. Because the pressure head upstream of first check valve 25 is zero, because of bleed-off through bleed valve 67, the force exerted by the static pressure acting upon pilot valve face 56 exceeds the force exerted on outer face 59 of pilot valve piston 57. Thus pilot valve member 52 moves away from inlet passageway 54, to open the pilot valve and permit fluid to pass through inner chamber 55 and into relief conduit 66. Second conduit 66 has a cross-sectional area greater than that of first conduit 47, and thus the pressure acting on outer face 43 of piston 40 falls, causing the priming valve to open to permit the column of liquid to return to suction tank 17 through discharge conduit 29 to permit the pump to resume normal operation.
While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the ar that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and it is intended to encompass within the appended claims all such changes and modifications which fall within the scope of the present invention. | A self-priming system for liquid pumps wherein a priming valve is provided to convey a quantity of priming liquid to the pump upon loss of pump suction. A pilot valve is provided to regulate the pressure against a piston which serves to maintain the priming valve closed. The pilot valve includes a bleed valve to vary the liquid pressure exerted against the piston and thereby regulate the pressure level at which the priming valve will open. | 5 |
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates generally to protective shielding for automotive electrical wiring that extends out from a splash shield to a flexible plastic axially slit corrugated conduit.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Splash shields are well known to provide a degree of protection to electrical wiring in automotive use. Electrical wiring harness bundles enter and exit the splash shield and run through flexible corrugated plastic conduit.
What is desired is an adaptable protective shielding that protects electrical wiring extending from a splash shield to a protective conduit that can run along the splash shield. What is also desired is a protective device that can allow for rotatable adjustment of the conduit along the wall. What is also desired is a protective device that allows differently sized protective conduits to be attached to the splash shield.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a wiring protective dress for electrical wiring extends between a splash shield member and a flexible corrugated tubular conduit. The protective dress includes an elbow member having a passage through which the electrical wiring can extend. The elbow has a first open end and second open end transversely angled with respect to each other. The elbow member has at least one circumferentially extending internal flange in proximity to the first end for engagement with the tubular conduit. The elbow member also has an external groove in proximity to the second end. A collar is fastened about the elbow member groove. The collar in turn engages a slot of said splash shield member. Preferably, one of the elbow member and collar has at least one external longitudinally extending rib for selective engagement to at least one longitudinal extending groove in the other of the elbow member and collar to provide for a discrete rotational angular adjustment of the elbow to the splash shield. Preferably the elbow member has a plurality of longitudinal extending external ribs in proximity to the second end for affixation to grooves in the collar at a selective rotated angle. It is desirable that the elbow has two shell sections connected together by a living hinge and closeable by a complementary latching element on each shell section.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the wiring protective dress includes a collar fastenable about the groove in the elbow member. The collar has an axial extending splined fitting for selectively engaging the elbow member in one of a plurality of relative angular positions with the elbow member. The collar has a spaced inner and outer mounting flange, is slideably receivable in a slot of the splash shield, and engages the wall of the splash shield.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the wiring protective dress includes the collar having two half sections connected together with a living hinge and closeable about a conduit and lockable by a complementary latching element on each half section. At least one internal circumferentially spanning rib engages with a groove of the conduit to retain attachment with the conduit.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a wiring protective assembly includes a splash shield having side walls and at least two slots for electrical harness wiring to pass therethrough. A first collar has spaced inner and outer mounting flanges for being installed in one of the slots. The first collar has at least one internal rib engaging a conduit that extends through said first collar and protrudes in a substantially transverse direction from the splash shield side wall. A second collar has spaced inner and outer mounting flanges for installation in another of the slots. The second collar is fastened about an elbow member. The elbow member has a passage with first and second open ends transversely angled with respect to each other and with the second end received through the collar and into the splash shield. The elbow member has at least one circumferentially extending integral flange in proximity to the first end for engagement with another conduit that is received in the second end. Preferably, the second collar and the elbow member has complementary spline connections to selectively mount to the elbow at one of a plurality of rotated angular positions along one of the side walls of the splash shield.
In this fashion a protective dress becomes quite adaptive for a variety of electrical wiring arrangements and still provides protection to the electrical wiring passing out of the splash shield and into the flexible conduits.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a splash shield assembly including a splash shield connected to corrugated flexible conduit in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the splash shield shown in FIG. 1 with one elbow member and a conduit connector shown ready for attachment to the splash shield;
FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the member in an exploded disassembled fashion;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the conduit guide, and conduit fastener shown in an open position disassembled from a corrugated flexible conduit;
FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of another conduit fastener shown in the open position disassembled from a corrugated flexible conduit;
FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the conduit guide positioned to be fastened to an end of a corrugated flexible conduit;
FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of a conduit fastener positioned to be fastened about an end of a corrugated flexible conduit; and
FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of a conduit guide fastener about to be fastened to the conduit guide.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Reference is now made to FIGS. 1 and 2 that illustrate a splash shield assembly 10 having a splash shield body 12 . The splash shield body 12 mounts a pair of conduit guide fasteners 20 and a conduit fastener 22 in respective slots 14 . Two conduits 24 are attached via a conduit guide 25 to fasteners 20 . Conduit 26 is attached directly via a fastener 22 . Conduit fastener 20 , fastener 22 and conduit guide 25 are all molded from a plastic material. Conduits 24 and 26 are a commercially available plastic, flexible, corrugated tube which is axially slit through its length and is well known in the automotive wiring art for housing and protecting a plurality of electrical leads. Electrical wiring leads (not shown for simplicity of the drawings) extend through the conduits 24 and 26 and into and out of the splash shield body 12 where electrical connections are conventionally made.
As shown more clearly in FIGS. 2 and 3, guide conduit fastener 20 has an interior mounting flange 28 and an exterior combination mounting flange and splash plate 30 . The flange 28 and plate 30 are spaced apart to form a groove 32 therebetween which is received into a selected slot 14 of the splash shield 12 . At the exterior side wall 69 of splash shield assembly 10 , a pair of lock apertures 48 which engage respective lock ramps 46 near the bottom of slot 14 to lock the fastener 20 in slot 14 . The splash shield 12 has a air of interior ribs 34 which abut the interior mounting flange 28 to prevent the fastener 20 from rotating in slot 14 . An exterior rib 36 abutting splash plate 30 also prevents rotation of the fastener 20 in slot 14 .
The conduit guide fastener 20 , when in the closed position, as shown in FIG. 3, forms an aperture 38 therethrough. A groove 40 in proximity to end 41 of the conduit guide 25 seats in aperture 38 of fastener 20 . A series of longitudinal grooves 42 extend from a lower section of fastener 20 and engage exterior extending splines 44 on end 41 of conduit guide 25 to prevent the conduit guide 25 from rotating within aperture 38 of fastener 20 .
As shown more clearly in FIGS. 4 and 8, the conduit guide fastener 20 has a living hinge 50 that allows the fastener 20 to move between a closed and open position. An opposite end has complementary latching elements such as a rectangular receptacle 52 and resilient latching arms 54 that locks the fastener 20 in the closed position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.
The conduit guide 25 has two shell sections 56 and 58 connected together by a living hinge 60 in proximity to end 61 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6. Circumferentially opposite from the hinge 60 on respective shell sections 56 and 58 are complementary flexible latching arms 62 and latching arm slots 64 . The shell sections 56 and 58 of the conduit guide 25 move from an open position about an end 66 of conduit 24 to a closed position where the latching arms 62 snap fit into slots 64 and lock the sections 56 and 58 together. Two circumferentially extending internal ribs 67 and 68 engage grooves 70 in the conduit to retain engagement of the conduit 24 to the conduit guide 25 . As shown in FIG. 8, after the conduit guide 25 is secured to conduit 24 , the fastener 20 can then be fastened over groove 40 to help retain the end 41 in the closed position and to couple the conduit guide 25 to the splash shield 12 . The splined connection using grooves 42 and ribs 44 lock the conduit guide 25 in an adjustably selected rotated position relative to the fastener 20 and in turn to the splash shield 12 .
The conduit guide 25 is elbow shaped with end 41 bent traversely with respect to end 61 to allow wire to bend about 90° therein. In this fashion, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the conduit 24 runs along the side wall 69 of splash shield. The angle at which conduit 24 is positioned can be widely adjusted as indicated by arrows 71 in FIG. 1 through the use of the splined connection of grooves 42 and ribs 44 .
The conduit guide 25 can be easily modified to accommodate differently sized conduits. Ribs 67 and 68 are molded to the desired internal diameter during the molding process. In this manner conduits 24 of a different diameter may be used with the same splash shield without modifying the size of the slots 14 .
The splash shield may also easily accommodate differently sized conduits 26 that extend outward from a wall of the splash shield in a traverse direction. The conduit 26 is engaged via a pair of circumferentially extending internal ribs 77 and 78 that surround opening 80 in fastener 22 as shown in FIG. 3 . The ribs engage grooves 70 in the conduit 26 . The fastener 22 does not have splined groove 42 , but the rest of the fastener 22 is constructed similarly to fastener 20 with the live hinge 50 and latching elements 52 and 54 , interior mounting flange 28 and exterior splash plate 30 spaced apart to form a groove 32 , and lock aperture 48 . The fastener 22 is shown in the open position in FIG. 5 . The fastener is positioned in proximity to an end 76 of conduit 26 as shown in FIG. 7 . The fastener 22 is then closed about conduit 26 in proximity to end 76 and the latching elements 52 and 54 retain the fastener in the closed position. The fastener 22 then is slid in place to have groove 32 engage slot 14 in splash shield 12 . The fastener 22 is prevented from rotation by internal and external ribs 34 and 36 on shield 12 . Lock apertures 48 engage locking ramps 46 in the shield 12 to lock the fastener in slot 14 . The internal diameter of the ribs 77 and 78 are molded to correspond to the outer diameter of the groove 70 . In this fashion, different fasteners 22 with differently sized ribs 77 and 78 may be made to accommodate different diameter sized conduits 26 .
In this fashion, a splash shield that can be attached to conduits 24 and 26 that can extend traverse or along a wall of the splash shield. Furthermore, the direction of the conduit 24 that extends along the wall of the shield may be adjusted by selective rotation of a conduit guide 25 within the conduit guide fastener 20 . Furthermore, the mold for either the conduit guide 25 or fastener 22 may have an interchangeable core for the internal circumferentially extending internal ribs 67 , 68 , 77 , and 78 to accommodate different diameter conduits 24 and 26 . The change of conduit diameter and directions are now possible without any change to the splash shield 12 or to its slots 14 . The conduits 24 extending along shield allows placement of an electrical harness bundle very close to the splash shield which is desirable in a limited space.
The use of the conduit guide 25 allows for protection of the electrical harness bundles from the splash shield 12 to the protective conduits 24 . The fasteners 20 and 22 cover the splash shield slots 14 completely and also make a cleaner looking protective assembly. The fasteners 20 and 22 and conduit guide 25 provide for a great amount of adjustability but after installation provides for a stable assembly that offers a great amount of protection for the electrical wiring extending from the splash shield to the conduits 24 and 26 .
Other variations and modifications are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. | A protective splash shield assembly for electrical wiring has a plurality of fasteners installed in slots. The fastener has an elbow shaped conduit guide connected thereto with a distal end connected to a corrugated tubular conduit that extends along a wall of the splash shield. The fastener has a conduit connected to it that extends transverse from the splash shield. | 8 |
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/347,113, filed on Feb. 2, 2006, by Richard F. Harty, and entitled “COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS OF TREATMENT FOR INFLAMMATORY DISEASES,” which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/023,812, filed on Dec. 28, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,417,037, issued on Aug. 26, 2008, by Richard F. Harty, and entitled “COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS OF TREATMENT FOR INFLAMMATORY DISEASES,” which in turn claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/537,766, filed Jan. 20, 2004, the entire disclosure of all of which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference herein.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) including ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, are complex diseases that are thought to result from over activation of the immune system directed at luminal antigens of the gastrointestinal tract (12). In the early 1940's it was observed that sulfasalazine, formed by the chemical union of the antibiotic sulfapyridine and 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA; also referred to as mesalamine) by an azo bond, had a beneficial effect in patients with colitis (29). Subsequent clinical studies over the next two decades established that sulfasalazine had efficacy in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (30, 31). Additional studies were directed to determine the chemical kinetics of sulfasalazine when administered orally and to determine mechanisms of action (32-34). Approximate 75% of sulfasalazine reaches the colon unchanged. Within the colon the azo bond is split by bacterial enzyme action into metabolites, 5-ASA and sulfapyridine. Following azo bond reduction, most of the sulfapyridine is absorbed from the colon whereas only 20% of 5-ASA is absorbed. The majority of 5-ASA remains in the colon and is recovered in the feces primarily as free 5-ASA.
[0003] Postulated mechanisms for the presumed beneficial action of sulfasalazine in the treatment of colitis initially included inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis and inhibition of the lipoxygenase pathway in inflammatory cells such as neutrophils (35,36). Ensuing investigations have established additional therapeutic mechanisms whereby 5-ASA promotes healing and reduces inflammation in IBD (2, 37, 38). These include: free radical scavengers, inhibit T-cell proliferation, inhibit presentation of antigen to T-cells, inhibit adhesion of macrophages and granulocytes, decrease production of interleukins (ILs) and down regulation of the transcription factor, NF-kB, activity. Despite the utility of sulfasalazine for patients with inflammatory bowel disease, experience has shown that up to one third of patients cannot tolerate this medication and manifest one or more side effects of variable severity. These side effects are related directly to systemic absorption of sulfapyridine. Because of sulfasalazine-related side effects, investigators have examined 5-ASA as a single agent for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. There have been several formulations of 5-ASA designed to inhibit proximal intestinal absorption and delivery of this compound to areas of active inflammation (39). Several formulations of 5-ASA have been studied and those currently most popular include coated forms of 5-ASA that are released in a pH-sensitive manner to the distal ileum and colon. Examples of such agents include Asacol™ (Proctor and Gamble) and Pentasa™ (Shire US inc.). Furthermore, 5-ASA preparation for rectal delivery has included the development of suppositories and enemas containing 5-ASA as the active agent. Examples include Rowasa™ rectal suspension enema (Solvay Pharmaceuticals) and 5-ASA suppositories such as Canasa™ (Axcan Scandiapharm). Thus, a number of oral or rectally delivered 5-ASA agents are presently available for the treatment of mild to moderate inflammatory bowel disease.
[0004] Recent investigations into the etiological triad of genetic: environmental: immune factors have expanded our knowledge of these individual components and their potential interactions. Pathogenetic models of IBD envision initiating events, possible microbiologicals, arising from the gut lumen that converts immune tolerance to a sustained hyperactive state with elaboration and amplification of cellular and humoral mediators. Immunocyte derived injurious and proinflammatory substances cause tissue injury and destruction. These substances include prostaglandins, reactive oxygen metabolites, nitric oxide, leukotrienes, proteases and matrix metalloproteinases (3). The role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO) have been examined in experimental models of IBD (4, 5). Pharmacological and genetic manipulation of oxygen free radical and NO generation have been shown to ameliorate experimental colitis induced by luminal administered trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) and dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) (5-10).
[0005] Although several experimental strategies have been employed that suggest the importance of enhanced production of superoxide and nitric oxide in the pathogenesis of IBD, inconsistent results have the issue unresolved. For example, the beneficial effect of superoxide dismutase (SOD) treatment in experimental models of colitis has been reported while SOD treatment in humans with IBD has shown limited benefit (40). Similarly, the inhibitors of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) have yielded mixed results in various experimental models of IBD (6-8, 27). The antioxidants N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and phenyl N-tert-butylnitrone (PBN) when used alone have been shown to be effective in protection against TNBS-induced colitis in rat (9) and DSS-induced colitis in mice, (10) respectfully. Furthermore, recent studies suggest a dominant role of iNOS-derived NO in a murine model of colitis (5). Antioxidant therapy has also been shown to suppress colonic iNOS activity and to decrease colonic NF-κB DNA-binding activity in experimental animals (10). Nuclear factor-κB, NF-κB is a family of transcription factors known to regulate a variety of genes controlling the inflammatory process and regulating programmed cell death (41).
[0006] Thus, there exists extensive experimental support for the notion that reactive oxygen molecules and nitric oxide may contribute to the pathogenesis of mucosal injury in inflammatory bowel disease. Furthermore, experimental evidence also provides support for the concept that inhibition of nitric oxide species and NO generation exert favorable effects on mucosal healing and the inflammatory process in several well-defined models of chemically induced colitis. However, there continues to be a need in the field for a more effective treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases and other conditions related to inflammation. It is to this need that the present invention is directed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] Disclosed herein are methods of treating an inflammatory bowel disease comprising administering a composition comprising 5-aminosalicylic acid and N-acetylcysteine to a mammal or contacting a colonic cell of the mammal with the said composition. Also disclosed are methods of reducing cytokine gene expression or reducing myeloperoxidase activity in colonic tissue of a mammal, the method comprising administering a composition comprising 5-aminosalicylic acid and N-acetylcysteine to a mammal or contacting a colonic cell of the mammal with the said composition.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 : Experimental Design: Colitis was induced at day 0 by rectal administration of TNBS. Three days after TNBS dosing rats received daily intraluminal therapy per rectum for either 5 or 8 days. Four treatment protocols were employed and included: (A) 5-ASA (100 mg/kg), (B) NAC (40 mM), (C) a combination of 5-ASA (100 mg/kg) and NAC (40 mM), and (D) a saline control.
[0009] FIG. 2 : Macroscopic grading of inflammation and injury 8 days after intracolonic administration of TNBS. Macroscopic grading (0-6) 8 days after TNBS revealed moderately severe inflammation and ulceration: score 4.5±0.5. Therapy with the NAC/5-ASA combination for 5d was the only intervention that significantly reduced macroscopic injury: score 2.6±0.7. These results are representative of 4 different experiments done at different times with 5 animals per group per each experiment. * denotes p<0.05 vs TNBS.
[0010] FIG. 3 : Macroscopic injury score 11 days after TNBS and 8 days of treatment with 5-ASA alone, NAC alone and the NAC and 5-ASA combination.
[0011] FIG. 4 : Microscopic grading of inflammation and injury 8 days after intracolonic administration of TNBS. Microscopically, TNBS affected significantly each parameter of injury and inflammation as reflected by a cumulative microscopic injury score (0-15) of 9.4±1.0 p<0.001. The NAC/5-ASA combination significantly reduced the cumulative microscopic injury: score 5.0±1.2 p<0.001. Single agent therapy with either NAC alone or 5-ASA alone did not significantly decrease microscopic injury: NAC 9.0±1.8, and 5-ASA 9.0±0.9. These results are representative of 4 different experiments done at different times with 5 animals per group per experiment. *denotes p<0.05 vs TNBS.
[0012] FIG. 5 : Combination therapy with the NAC/5-ASA combination for 8 days reduced significantly the aggregate microscopic injury score by 75%. Therapy was initiated 3 days after induction of colitis by TNBS. Furthermore, single agent therapy with 5-ASA alone and NAC alone also significantly decreased histological measures of injury by 46 and 53%, respectively. The degree of histologic healing with the NAC/5-ASA combination was significantly greater than that observed with either 5-ASA or NAC alone.
[0013] FIG. 6 : Myeloperoxidase activity in colon tissue 11 days after TNBS and 8 days of treatment with 5-ASA alone, NAC alone and the NAC plus 5-ASA combination. Results represent the mean±SEM of 4-6 rats per condition.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0014] The present invention contemplates use of 5-ASA (mesalamine) plus an antioxidant either together as separate molecular entities or when coupled chemically, to provide an enhanced therapeutic or prophylactic effect against inflammatory bowel diseases in mammals. The combination of mesalamine plus an antioxidant in a mammal model of colitis promotes healing and reduces inflammation to a significantly greater degree than either agent when used alone. The present invention provides an improved anti-inflammatory effectiveness of 5-ASA for use in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease by the addition of an antioxidant. Use of the presently claimed compositions result in a reduction in the need for additional anti-inflammatory agents, such as prednisone and Imuran in the treatment of inflammatory disease (thereby providing a significant cost benefit and reduction in drug-induced toxicity.). Furthermore, the present invention can serve as a model for additional pharmacological approaches to other inflammatory and, possibly, neoplastic conditions within the gastrointestinal tract.
[0015] As shown below experiments were performed to examine the ability of an antioxidant (NAC) and 5-ASA, when administered separately or in combination to the distal colon, to affect mucosal healing and repair following colitis chemically-induced by TNBS or DSS.
[0016] Materials and Methods
[0017] Experimental Animals
[0018] Male Sprague Dawley rats (200-250 grams) were housed in cages containing contact bedding. Rats were deprived of food for 24 hrs prior to the induction of colitis, but were allowed free access to water throughout the experiment. Institutional approval for experimental protocols was provided by the research and animal care committees of the research services at the Oklahoma City Veterans Administration Medical Center.
[0019] Induction of Colitis by TNBS Treatment
[0020] Following a 24 hr fast, rats were lightly anesthetized using isoflurane followed by insertion of a polyethylene catheter into the anus. The tip of the catheter was advanced 8 cm proximal from the anus and a single dose of TNBS (Sigma, St. Louis, Mo.), dissolved in 50% ethanol, was injected through the cannula (15 mg dissolved in a 0.6 ml volume of 50% ethanol) to induce colitis. Following the administration of TNBS the animals were maintained in a head-down position for approximately 60 seconds to prevent leakage of the infusate. After 72 hrs, rats dosed initially with TNBS were randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups to receive daily intracolonic therapy in a manner similar to that used for TNBS administration. The groups were: A.) 5-aminosalicyclic acid (5-ASA) (100 mg/kg) B.) N-acetylcysteine (NAC) (40 mM) plus 5-ASA (100 mg/kg) C.) NAC (40 mM), or D.) saline. An additional group of rats (Group E) served as control and received saline per rectum on day 0 and at subsequent intervals that corresponded to treatment protocols. Rats were treated for either 5 or 8 days and then sacrificed by cervical dislocation. FIG. 1 illustrates the design of these experiments.
[0021] Induction of Colitis by DSS Treatment
[0022] Colitis was induced by oral administration of a 4% solution of DSS (dextran sulfate sodium) in drinking water for 4 days. Experimental groups were randomized to include group 1 control, group 2-5 received DSS in drinking water and groups 3-5 were further randomized to receive daily intracolonic treatment with 5-ASA (100 mg/kg) plus NAC (40 mM), group 3; 5-ASA alone, group 4; and NAC constituted group 5. Animals received treatment for 4 days. Macroscopic indices of colonic injury were scored and tabulated. Histological features that were examined included epithelial damage and mucosal ulceration. Additional measures included determination of serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and cytokine gene expression in colonic tissues performed by ribonuclease protection assay (RPA).
[0023] Macroscopic Assessment of Colitis
[0024] Upon sacrifice, the distal 8 cm of the colon was removed, opened by a longitudinal incision and rinsed with phosphate buffered saline to remove fecal material. Macroscopic assessment of colitis was carried out by an independent observer who was unaware of the treatment groups. The criterial and scale of grading are listed in Table 1. Inflammation was present if the mucosa was erythematous. Ulceration of the mucosa was defined as a distinct break or interruption of the mucosa. Once macroscopic damage was assessed full thickness colonic tissue samples were taken from the inflamed areas and either processed for histology or snap frozen in liquid nitrogen for subsequent cytokine measurement and determination of myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity.
[0000]
TABLE 1
Macroscopic Scoring of colitis
Macroscopic Injury
Score
Normal
0
One area of inflammation
1
No ulcer
No inflammation
2
One ulcer
One area of inflammation
3
One or two ulcers
One area of inflammation
4
More than 2 ulcers
Two areas of inflammation
5
More than 2 ulcers
Ulceration >2 cm
6
[0025] Histological Assessment of Colitis
[0026] Colonic tissue samples taken from the initial segment were immersed in 10% phosphate buffered formalin and subsequently embedded in paraffin. Sections of 3 micron thickness were cut and stained with hematoxylin and eosin. The slides were then evaluated by a pathologist for epithelial damage, architectural changes, mononuclear infiltration, polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) infiltration and ulceration. The individual microscopic features of colitis were graded according to criteria noted in Table 2. In addition to scoring individual features of colitis, an aggregate score of colitis was tabulated by adding together individual scores, thus, providing a global assessment of colitis.
[0000]
TABLE 2
Histological Scoring of Colitis
Epithilial Damage
0
Normal
1
Focal Mucosal injury
2
Extensive mucosal
injury
Architectural Damage
0
Normal
1
Moderately disturbed
2
Severely disturbed
Mononuclear Infiltration
0
Normal
1
Moderate increase
2
Severe increase
PMN Infiltration
0
Normal
1
Present in surface
epithelium
2
Cryptitis
3
Crypt abscesses
Ulcerations
0
None
1
1%-33% ulcerated
2
34%-66% ulcerated
3
67% + ulcerated
[0027] Myeloperoxidase Activity
[0028] Myeloperoxidase activity was used as an indirect measure of the severity of colonic inflammation by PMNs. Whole thickness tissues taken following macroscopic assessment were weighed (100 mg) and immediately snap frozen in liquid nitrogen for storage at −80.degree. C. The tissues were then removed from storage at −80° C. and allowed to thaw on ice. Once thawed, 1 ml of hexadecyltrimethylamonium bromide (HTAB) (Sigma, St. Louis, Mo.) containing 50 mM KH 2 PO 4 (Sigma, St. Louis, Mo.) and 0.1M Na 2 HPO 4 (Sigma, St. Louis, Mo.) was added per 100 mg tissue for homogenization. Homogenates then underwent a series of four freeze/thaw cycles before finally being centrifuged at 12,000×g for 10 minutes at 4° C. The supernatant was collected for measurement of MPO activity. Horseradish peroxidase (Sigma, St. Louis, Mo.) was used as a standard; stock solution of 0.5 mg/ml. Tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) (Sigma, St. Louis, Mo.) was used as the substrate for carrying out the reaction. At the time of assay 25 μl of standard and sample were added to appropriately labeled tubes. TMB was added at a volume of 250 μl to initiate the reaction and 0.1 M H 2 SO 4 (250 μl) was added after 10 minutes to terminate the reaction. The absorbance changes were read at 450 nm and recorded. Results were expressed as ng/ml/g of tissue.
[0029] Ribonuclease Protection Assay (RPA)
[0030] Following the manufacturer's protocol, 1 ml of TRI Reagent (Sigma, St. Louis, Mo.) is used per 100 mg of tissue. The frozen tissue is placed into the TRI Reagent and immediately homogenized using a tissue macerator. The homogenates are transferred to microcentrifuge tubes and 0.2 ml of chloroform is added per ml of TRI Reagent used. The samples are shaken thoroughly and allowed to sit at room temp for 3 min. Samples were then centrifuged at 12000×g for 15 min at 40° C. After centrifugation, the upper aqueous phase was transferred to a new tube and 9.5 ml of 2-propanol is added to precipitate the RNA. After sitting at room temp for 10 min. the samples are centrifuged at 12000×g for 15 min. The supernatants are discarded and the pellets are washed in 70% ethanol followed by centrifugation at 12000×g for 5 min. The ethanol was removed and the pellets are dissolved in 50 μl of DEPC treated water per sample. Quantitation is performed by spectrophotometry at 260 nm and 280 nm.
[0031] RPA analysis was performed with RiboQuant™ multi-probe RNase protection assay system (BD Biosciences-Pharmingen, San Diego, Calif.). To 20 μg of total RNA in 8 μl of hybridization buffer and 2 μl of 32 P-labeled in vitro transcribed RNA probes were added. The probes were transcribed from the multiprobe template set rCK-1 which as a panel of probes against IL-1a, IL-1b, IL-3, IL-5, IL-10, IL-2, TNFα, TNBβ, GAPDH genes. Probes were prepared according to the manufactures protocol. The RNA samples containing labeled probes were incubated briefly at 90° C., slowly cooled to 56° C. and hybridized overnight at that temperature. The samples were then slowly cooled to 30° C. Thereafter, a mixture of RNases A and T1 was added to digest single-stranded RNA leaving the double-stranded RNA formed by the probes annealing to their cognate mRNAs intact. Following proteinase K digestion and phenol-chloroform extraction, the undigested double-stranded RNA was precipitated with ammonium acetate and ethanol. After centrifugation at 14000×g for 20 min., the pellets are washed with 90% ethanol and recentrifuged. The ethanol was removed and the pellets were dissolved in 5 μl of formamide loading dye. The double-stranded RNAs were resolved on a 5% polyacrylamide/urea gel run in TBE buffer. After electrophoresis, the gel was dried at 80° C. under vacuum and then exposed to a PhosphorImager screen overnight. Detection and quantitation of the resolved bands on the gel were performed on a Storm PhosphorImager™ system (Amersham Biosciences, Piscataway, N.J.).
[0032] Statistical Significance
[0033] All values in the figures and text are expressed as means±standard error of the mean (SEM). The statistical significance of any difference among groups was analyzed using Student's two-tailed t test for equal and unequal variance observations. P values of <0.05 were considered to be statistically significant.
[0034] Results
[0035] Macroscopic Findings
[0036] 8 Days After TNBS; 5-Day Treatment
[0037] The macroscopic injury observed at 8 days after rats received TNBS was 4.5±0.5. This value indicated that the distal 8 cm of colon contained more than 2 discrete ulcers in an area of inflammation ( FIG. 2 ). In contrast, combination therapy with the NAC plus 5-ASA combination acted synergistically to cause a significant reduction in macroscopic injury as reflected by an injury score of 2.6±0.7; p<0.05. Monotherapy with either NAC or 5-ASA alone caused reduction in macroscopic injury (4.1±0.6 and 3.0±0.7, respectively) but these values did not achieve significance when compared to TNBS alone.
[0038] 11 Days After TNBS; 8-Day Treatment
[0039] Visual evidence of colitis 11 days after TNBS was scored at 4.1±0.2 ( FIG. 3 ). Animal treated with the NAC plus 5-ASA combination for 8 days showed no evidence of mucosal inflammation on ulceration. The colonic mucosa in these animals appeared normal. Monotherapy with either NAC or 5-ASA alone showed mild inflammation and macroscopic injury scores were 1.2±0.2 and 1.8±0.2 respectively.
[0040] Microscopic Findings
[0041] 8 Days After TNBS; 5-Day Treatment
[0042] The cumulative or aggregate microscopic colitis injury score for rats examined 8 days after TNBS was 9.4±1.0 which represented moderately severe colitis ( FIG. 4 ). Individual therapy for 5 days with either 5-ASA or NAC alone did not alter the aggregate injury score: 9.0±0.9 and 9.0±1.8, respectively. Therapy with the NAC plus 5-ASA combination, however, caused significant reduction (−44%) in cumulative colitis injury and resulted in a score of 5.0±1.2, P<0.02. Subset analysis of individual histological features, when compared to TNBS alone, indicated that therapy with the NAC plus 5-ASA combination acted synergistically to significantly reduce the degree of epithelial damage, the extent of mucosal ulceration and the amount of mononuclear cell infiltration.
[0043] 11 Days After TNBS; 8-Day Treatment
[0044] Eleven days post TNBS the indices of microscopic colitis were reduced slightly but not significantly from aggregate scores recorded at 8 days after TNBS: 7.0±0.9 vs 9.5±1.0; P>0.1. In contrast to the histological results after 5 days of treatment each of the intraluminal therapies for 8 days caused significant reduction in global measures of colitis ( FIG. 5 ). 5-ASA and NAC each when administered alone caused comparable decrease in aggregate injury of 46 and 53%, respectively. Combination therapy with the NAC plus 5-ASA combination caused a 75% reduction in cumulative colitis injury score: 1.8±0.5 vs 7.0±0.9 TNBS alone; P<0.001. Furthermore, comparisons between monotherapies with either 5-ASA or NAC alone and combination therapy indicated that the NAC plus 5-ASA combination acted synergistically to produce a significantly greater degree of healing than either NAC or 5-ASA alone.
[0045] Myeloperoxidase Activity
[0046] MPO activity in colonic tissue 11 days after TNBS treatment was elevated greater than 25 fold above values derived from saline treated rats ( FIG. 6 ). In contrast, the NAC plus 5-ASA combination treatment for 8 days reduced MPO activity by 85% to 100.9±12.9 ng/g (P<0.004 vs TNBS 690.2±101.5 ng/g). MPO activity was also reduced by both NAC and 5-ASA alone to levels that were 40% and 32% below TNBS values but these differences did not achieve statistical significance.
[0047] Inflammatory Cytokine Expression
[0048] Cytokine gene expression in colonic tissues indicate that elevations in interleukins (IL 1a, IL 1b, IL-4 and IL-6) and TNF α that were induced by TNBS after 11 days were inhibited significantly by 8 day treatment with the NAC plus 5-ASA combination (Table 3). Treatments with either NAC or 5-ASA alone did not significantly suppress levels of cytokine expression induced by TNBS.
[0000]
TABLE 3
Cytokine gene expression in rat colon
Relative O.D units
cytokine
Treatment Group
Mean ± SEM
IL-1A
Saline
0.54 ± 0.07
TNBS only
1.97 ± 0.3
TNBS + 5ASA = NAC
0.70 ± 0.08**
TNBS + 5ASA
1.33 ± 0.18
TNBS + NAC
1.28 ± 0.16
IL-1B
Saline
2.25 ± 0.37
TNBS only
11.77 + 1.7
TNBS + 5ASA + NAC
6.03 ± 0.62**
TNBS + 5ASA
11.49 + 2.54
TNBS + NAC
11.88 + 1.0
IL-4
Saline
0.27 ± 0.06
TNBS only
1.76 ± 0.42
TNBS + 5ASA + NAC
0.82 ± 0.12**
TNBS + 5ASA
1.40 ± 0.25
TNBS + NAC
1.20 ± 0.26
IL-6
Saline
0.18 ± 0.03
TNBS only
1.21 ± 0.37
TNBS + 5ASA + NAC
0.46 ± 0.06**
TNBS + 5ASA
0.79 ± 0.22
TNBS + NAC
0.76 ± 0.14
TNF-α
Saline
0.41 ± 0.06
TNBS only
1.51 ± 0.13
TNBS + 5ASA + NAC
0.7 ± 0.15**
TNBS + 5ASA
1.25 ± 0.12
TNBS + NAC
1.04 ± 0.017
**denotes a P value<0.05 vs TNBS alone
Data represent the Mean ± SEM of 6-10 observations per condition
[0049] Results of the TNBS experiments of the present study indicate that intraluminal administration of the NAC plus 5-ASA combination to the distal colon of rats with TNBS colitis act synergistically to cause a significant reduction in colonic inflammation and ulceration and acceleration of mucosal healing when compared to either agent used alone. Furthermore, combination therapy with the NAC plus 5-ASA combination caused significantly greater inhibition of myeloperoxidase activity and proinflammatory cytokine gene expression in colons of TNBS treated animals than either NAC or 5-ASA alone. Duration of treatment was a determinant in the effectiveness of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents on healing of chemically induced colitis. The NAC plus 5-ASA combination was the only dosing regimen that resulted in significant improvement in both macroscopic and microscopic measures of colitis after a five day treatment. In contrast, eight day treatment with NAC alone, 5-ASA alone or the NAC plus 5-ASA combination resulted in significant improvement in histological features of colitis. Treatment with the NAC plus 5-ASA combination, however, caused greater improvement in mucosal injury, inflammation and epithelial regeneration than NAC or 5-ASA alone. Data derived from these studies indicate that intraluminal therapy with the antioxidant NAC plus 5-ASA combination is superior to either agent alone in the treatment of TNBS colitis and that dual therapy has a synergistic effect in reducing inflammation and promoting mucosal repair.
[0050] Colitis induced by intracolonic instillation of TNBS manifests many of the histological and clinical features of colonic inflammatory bowel disease (11). This model of colonic ulceration and transmural inflammation of the mucosa (12) has been employed to study the pathogenesis of colonic inflammation and to investigate potential treatments of IBD. In this latter regard previous reports have shown that both 5-ASA and NAC, when administered singly by intracolonic route to rats, (9, 13) exerted an anti-inflammatory effect on TNBS colitis. Furthermore, the antioxidant NAC was observed to increase colonic glutathione stores which were associated with a reciprocal decrease in the extent of mucosal injury (9). In support of these observations and the role of ROS generation in TNBS colitis Loguercio et al reported that glutathione supplementation improved oxidative damage in TNBS colitis (14).
[0051] Antioxidants, such as NAC, and 5-ASA possess the ability to scavenge oxygen free radicals, inhibit inducible NO formation and to down regulate nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) activity (9, 10, 15-17). Furthermore, antioxidants, such as phenyl N-tert-butylnitrone, and 5-ASA have been shown to inhibit cytokine production, including tumor necrosis factor TNFα, and to retard adhesion module expression and B-cell mediated antibody production (10, 18-20) in experimented models of colitis. Separately and together these agents can, thus, be envisioned to moderate immunocyte (T cell) mediated cytokine elaboration, neutrophil generation of ROS and NO, prostaglandin release and to facilitate an environment for unopposed cellular and growth factor-mediated tissue repair. These results show that treatment with the NAC plus 5-ASA combination cause marked improvement in indices of colitis and, furthermore, demonstrate prominent features of epithelial repair, and mucosal architectural and glandular restoration. These data combined with the near normalization of MPO activity and marked reduction in cytokine (ILa, ILb, IL6) expression indicate that therapy with the NAC plus 5-ASA combination exerts a significantly greater anti-inflammatory and reparative effect in TNBS colitis than either 5-ASA or NAC when used alone.
[0052] Results in the DSS experiments demonstrated that DSS under these experimental conditions produced mild to moderate colitis. The aggregate microscopic injury score for DSS treated animals was 5.5±2.0; maximal score 12. Monotherapy with either 5-ASA or NAC alone caused slight reduction in aggregate scores to 4.1±0.9 and 4.0±1.1, respectively. These values were not significantly different from DSS alone. In contrast, combination therapy with the NAC plus 5-ASA combination reduced global or aggregate histological injury score by 67% to 1.8±0.8. Furthermore, the NAC plus 5-ASA combination caused significant improvement in epithelial damage when compared to DSS alone. DSS colitis was associated with elevated CRP values of 7.0±0.6 mg/ml. CPR levels were reduced substantially by concurrent therapy with NAC plus 5-ASA and values were 1.0±0.3 mg/ml. Similar reductions in CRP levels were observed with either 5-ASA or NAC alone. DSS treatment caused marked elevation in cytokine gene expression for IL 1a and IL 1b and these values represented a 6.8 and 12.1 fold increase, respectively, in gene expression of these cytokines when measured above control values.
[0053] NAC and 5-ASA, alone or in combination, substantially reduced DSS-induced IL 1a and IL1b gene expression by 55-90% to levels that approximated control values. Conclusions from these data indicate that intraluminal therapy with the NAC plus 5-ASA combination caused significant amelioration of mucosal injury induced by DSS. Combination treatment with the NAC plus 5-ASA combination results were associated with substantial reduction in serum CRP levels and proinflammatory cytokine gene expression.
[0054] Current considerations of the pathogenesis of mucosal inflammation in IBD involve a number of steps from antigen presentation and processing by macrophages to amplification of T cell activation and differentiation and cytokine production (1). In addition, inflammatory cells, including granulocytes and mononuclear cells, are recruited to the mucosa in a highly coordinated fashion. Once present in the inflamed mucosa, tissue injury is enhanced by neutrophil production of reactive oxygen species such as superoxide and an increase in the expression of the inducible isoform of NO synthase (iNOS) (5). Mucosal healing is thought to occur, in part, by reduction in injurious and proinflammatory substances and, also, by local liberation of growth factors which facilitate cellular restitution and repair (2). Although several experimental approaches have been employed that suggest the importance of enhanced production of superoxide and nitric oxide in the pathogenesis of IBD, inconsistent results have this issue unresolved (5). The beneficial effect superoxide dismutase (SOD) treatment in experimental models of colitis (21-23) has shown limited effect in humans with IBD (24). In addition, iNOS inhibition has shown variable results in experimental models of IBD (25-27). However, recent studies using gene-targeted mice suggest a dominant role of iNOS-derived NO in a murine model of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) colitis (5). The antioxidants NAC and phenyl N-tert butylnitrone have been shown to be effective in reducing the injurious consequences of TNBS colitis in rats (9) and DDS colitis in mice (10), respectively. Antioxidant therapy has also been demonstrated to suppress colonic iNOS activity and to decrease NF-κB DNA-binding activity in experimental colitis (10) and man (16).
[0055] In conclusion, our results showed that treatment of TNBS-induced colitis with the NAC plus 5-ASA combination was superior to either 5-ASA or NAC when used alone in reducing colonic inflammation and in promoting mucosal repair. In addition, combination therapy with the NAC plus 5-ASA combination acted synergistically to result in a significant reduction in MPO activity and proinflammatory cytokine gene expression.
Utility
[0056] The present invention provides a method for the treatment of a mammal subject (including humans) afflicted with inflammatory diseases, and in particular, inflammatory bowel diseases. The present invention has several advantages over current therapies. As demonstrated herein, combination therapy with 5-ASA plus an antioxidant is synergistically superior to either agent alone in controlling mucosal inflammation. It is envisioned that such combination therapy would be capable of being delivered by oral route, employing existing coating technologies, to sites of inflammation. In addition, such combination therapy would be amenable to local therapy in the distal colon and rectum by enema or suppository. Further description regarding deliver methods and dosing systems and protocols is discussed below.
[0057] The combination of at least two active anti-inflammatory agents into a single delivery system as described herein provides greater clinical efficacy, development of a new pharmacochemical strategy for treating mucosal inflammatory conditions, and a reduction in the need for other potentially toxic and expensive anti-inflammatory agents. The chemical coupling of 5-ASA to an antioxidant substance can provide a further pharmacological approach to the treatment of mucosal inflammatory conditions such as IBD.
[0058] The 5-ASA used in the composition of the present invention may be provided as the free acid, or as a pharmaceutically-acceptable salt or ester, for example as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,013,727, the entirety of which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference herein.
[0059] Both 5-ASA and antioxidants such as NAC and phenyl N-tert-butylnitrone have relatively low profiles for toxicity. 5-ASA may be associated with allergic reactions to the medications and should be avoided in patients with aspirin sensitivity. As with any nonsteroidal agent there exists potential for hepatic and renal toxicity. N-acetylcysteine or Mucomyst™ has had a wide experience in man for the treatment of acetaminophen hepatotoxicity. This agent has proven safe. Other antioxidants contemplated for use herein in conjunction with 5-ASA include other aminosalicylates including 4-aminosalicylic acid (4-ASA), and N-acetyl-5-aminosalicylic acid; other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) including those that inhibit cyclooxygenase I and/or II, such as sulindac, celecoxib and refacoxib; ascorbate; vitamin C; vitamin A; Vitamin E; beta-carotene; herbal agents such as milk thistle; selenium; iron in various ferric and ferrous formulations; phospholipase A2 inhibitors, e.g., carboxymethylcellulose-linked phosphatidylethanolamine; superoxide dismutase mimetics, such as Mn(II/III) tetrakis(1-methyl-4-peridyl) of NmTMPyP; melatonin; zolimid; rebamipide; and phenyl N-tert-butylnitrone (PBN); and combinations of any of the above.
[0060] While is it contemplated that applications of the invention would be principally of treating mucosal inflammatory conditions associated with inflammatory bowel diseases, such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease and Behcet's disease, the invention would also have application to other disorders of the gastrointestinal tract such as radiation and infective enteritis, ischemic injury to the gastrointestinal tract, infectious, caustic agent-induced gastrointestinal injury, hemorrhagic rectal ulcer, ileum pouchitis, ischemic enteritis and drug-induced colitis, mucous colitis, pseudomembranous enterocolitis, non-specific colonic ulcers, collagenous colitis, cathartic colon, ulcerative proctitis, idiopathic diffuse ulcerative non-granulomatous enteritis, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug-induced inflammations, celiac sprue and the like. Furthermore, advances in our understanding of the pathogenesis of gastrointestinal malignancies suggest a role for prostaglandins generated by the cyclooxygenase enzymes to have a role in neoplasia. It has been well established that nonspecific and specific cyclooxygenase inhibitors can reduce the propensity to neoplasia and malignancy in experimental models and in human subjects. Full appreciation of the role of prostaglandins in the cyclooxygenase system in the pathogenesis of gastrointestinal malignancy is not complete. However, it is conceivable that therapies which combine inhibition prostaglandin synthesis through the cyclooxygenase enzymes and antioxidant therapies may have a beneficial role in preventing gastrointestinal malignancies such as colorectal cancer.
[0061] The term “inflammation” as used herein is meant to include reactions of both the specific and non-specific defense systems. A specific defense system reaction is a specific immune system reaction response to an antigen. Examples of a specific defense system reaction include the antibody response to antigens such as rubella virus, and delayed-type hypersensitivity response mediated by T-cells (as seen, for example, in individuals who test “positive” in the Mantaux test).
[0062] A non-specific defense system reaction is an inflammatory response mediated by leukocytes incapable of immunological memory. Such cells include granulocytes, macrophages, neutrophils, for example. Examples of a non-specific defense system reaction include the immediate swelling at the site of a bee sting, the reddening and cellular infiltrate induced at the site of a burn and the collection of PMN leukocytes at sites of bacterial infection (e.g., pulmonary infiltrates in bacterial pneumonias, pus formation in abscesses).
[0063] Although the invention is particularly suitable for cases of acute inflammation, it also has utility for chronic inflammation. Types of inflammation that can be treated with the present invention include diffuse inflammation, traumatic inflammation, immunosuppression, toxic inflammation, specific inflammation, reactive inflammation, parenchymatous inflammation, obliterative inflammation, interstitial inflammation, croupous inflammation, and focal inflammation.
[0064] A therapeutically effective amount of a composition of the present invention refers to an amount which is effective in controlling, treating or moderating the inflammatory response. The terms “controlling”, “treating” or “moderating” are intended to refer to all processes wherein there may be a slowing, interrupting, arresting, or stopping of the progression of the disease and does not necessarily indicate a total elimination of all disease symptoms.
[0065] The term “therapeutically effective amount” is further meant to define an amount resulting in the improvement of any parameters or clinical symptoms characteristic of the inflammatory response. The actual dose will be different for the various specific molecules, and will vary with the patient's overall condition, the seriousness of the symptoms, and counter indications.
[0066] As used herein, the term “subject” or “patient” refers to a warm blooded animal such as a mammal which is afflicted with a particular inflammatory disease state. It is understood that guinea pigs, dogs, cats, rats, mice, horses, cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, llamas, and humans are among the examples of animals within the scope of the meaning of the term.
[0067] A therapeutically effective amount of the compound used in the treatment described herein can be readily determined by the attending diagnostician, as one skilled in the art, by the use of conventional techniques and by observing results obtained under analogous circumstances. In determining the therapeutically effective dose, a number of factors are considered by the attending diagnostician, including, but not limited to: the species of mammal; its size, age, and general health; the specific disease or condition involved; the degree of or involvement or the severity of the disease or condition; the response of the individual subject; the particular compound administered; the mode of administration; the bioavailability characteristic of the preparation administered; the dose regimen selected; the use of concomitant medication; and other relevant circumstances.
[0068] A therapeutically effective amount of the compositions of the present invention will generally contain sufficient active ingredient (i.e., the antioxidant and 5-ASA) to deliver from about 0.1 μg/kg to about 6000 mg/kg (weight of active ingredient/body weight of patient). Preferably, the composition will deliver at least 1.0 pig/kg to 1000 mg/kg, and more preferably at least 1 mg/kg to 100 mg/kg, although each dose of the composition may be more or less than these amounts. For example, the daily dose for an adult may be in the range of about 10 mg to 300 mg/kg, preferably in the range of about 20 mg to 300 mg/kg, especially in the range of 50 mg/kg to 200 mg/kg. Also see U.S. Pat. No. 5,013,727 which is incorporated by reference herein.
[0069] Practice of the method of the present invention comprises administering to a subject a therapeutically effective amount of the composition described herein, in any suitable systemic or local formulation, in an amount effective to deliver the dosages listed above. The dosage can be administered on a one-time basis, or (for example) from one to five times per day or once or twice per week, or continuously via a venous drip, depending on the desired therapeutic effect.
[0070] As noted, preferred amounts and modes of administration are able to be determined by one skilled in the art. One skilled in the art of preparing formulations can readily select the proper form and mode of administration depending upon the particular characteristics of the compound selected, the disease state to be treated, the stage of the disease, and other relevant circumstances using formulation technology known in the art, described, for example, in Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences, latest edition, Mack Publishing Co.
[0071] Pharmaceutical compositions can be manufactured utilizing techniques known in the art. Typically the therapeutically effective amount of the compound will be admixed with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
[0072] The compounds or compositions of the present invention may be administered by a variety of routes, for example, orally, intrarectally or parenterally (i.e., subcutaneously, intravenously, intramuscularly, intraperitoneally, or intratracheally).
[0073] For oral administration, the compounds can be formulated into solid or liquid preparations such as capsules, pills, tablets, lozenges, melts, powders, suspensions, or emulsions. Solid unit dosage forms can be capsules of the ordinary gelatin type containing, for example, surfactants, lubricants and inert fillers such as lactose, sucrose, and cornstarch or they can be sustained release preparations.
[0074] In another embodiment, the compounds of this invention can be tabletted with conventional tablet bases such as lactose, sucrose, and cornstarch in combination with binders, such as acacia, cornstarch, or gelatin, disintegrating agents such as potato starch or alginic acid, and a lubricant such as stearic acid or magnesium stearate. Liquid preparations are prepared by dissolving the active ingredient in an aqueous or non-aqueous pharmaceutically acceptable solvent which may also contain suspending agents, sweetening agents, flavoring agents, and preservative agents as are known in the art.
[0075] For parenteral administration, the compounds may be dissolved in a physiologically acceptable pharmaceutical carrier and administered as either a solution or a suspension. Illustrative of suitable pharmaceutical carriers are water, saline, dextrose solutions, fructose solutions, ethanol, or oils of animal, vegetative, or synthetic origin. The pharmaceutical carrier may also contain preservatives, and buffers as are known in the art.
[0076] The compounds of this invention can also be administered topically. This can be accomplished by simply preparing a solution of the compound to be administered, preferably using a solvent known to promote transdermal absorption such as ethanol or dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) with or without other excipients. Preferably topical administration will be accomplished using a patch either of the reservoir and porous membrane type or of a solid matrix variety.
[0077] As noted above, the compositions can also include an appropriate carrier. For topical use, any of the conventional excipients may be added to formulate the active ingredients into a lotion, ointment, powder, cream, spray, or aerosol. For surgical implantation, the active ingredients may be combined with any of the well-known biodegradable and bioerodible carriers, such as polylactic acid and collagen formulations. Such materials may be in the form of solid implants, sutures, sponges, wound dressings, and the like. In any event, for local use of the materials, the active ingredients usually be present in the carrier or excipient in a weight ratio of from about 1:1000 to 1:20,000, but are not limited to ratios within this range. Preparation of compositions for local use are detailed in Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences, latest edition, (Mack Publishing).
[0078] Additional pharmaceutical methods may be employed to control the duration of action. Increased half-life and controlled release preparations may be achieved through the use of polymers to conjugate, complex with, or absorb the composition described herein. The controlled delivery and/or increased half-life may be achieved by selecting appropriate macromolecules (for example, polysaccharides, polyesters, polyamino acids, homopolymers polyvinyl pyrrolidone, ethylenevinylacetate, methylcellulose, or carboxymethylcellulose, and acrylamides such as N-(2-hydroxypropyl) methacrylamide, and the appropriate concentration of macromolecules as well as the methods of incorporation, in order to control release.
[0079] Another possible method useful in controlling the duration of action by controlled release preparations and half-life is incorporation of the glycosulfopeptide molecule or its functional derivatives into particles of a polymeric material such as polyesters, polyamides, polyamino acids, hydrogels, poly(lactic acid), ethylene vinylacetate copolymers, copolymer micelles of, for example, PEG and poly(1-aspartamide).
[0080] Alternatively, it is possible to entrap the compostions in microcapsules prepared, for example, by coacervation techniques or by interfacial polymerization (for example, hydroxymethylcellulose or gelatine-microcapsules and poly-(methylmethacylate) microcapsules, respectively), in colloidal drug delivery systems (for example, liposomes, albumin microspheres, microemulsions, nano-particles, and nanocapsules), or in macroemulsions. Such techniques are disclosed in the latest edition of Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences.
[0081] U.S. Pat. No. 4,789,734 describe methods for encapsulating compositions in liposomes and is hereby expressly incorporated by reference herein. Essentially, the material is dissolved in an aqueous solution, the appropriate phospholipids and lipids added, along with surfactants if required, and the material dialyzed or sonicated, as necessary. A review of known methods is by G. Gregoriadis, Chapter 14. “Liposomes”, Drug Carriers in Biology and Medicine, pp. 287-341 (Academic Press, 1979). Microspheres formed of polymers or proteins are well known to those skilled in the art, and can be tailored for passage through the gastrointestinal tract directly into the blood stream. Alternatively, the agents can be incorporated and the microspheres, or composite of microspheres, implanted for slow release over a period of time, ranging from days to months. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,906,474; 4,925,673; and 3,625,214 which are expressly incorporated by reference herein.
[0082] When the composition is to be used as an injectable material, it can be formulated into a conventional injectable carrier. Suitable carriers include biocompatible and pharmaceutically acceptable phosphate buffered saline solutions, which are preferably isotonic.
[0083] For reconstitution of a lyophilized product in accordance with this invention, one may employ a sterile diluent, which may contain materials generally recognized for approximating physiological conditions and/or as required by governmental regulation. In this respect, the sterile diluent may contain a buffering agent to obtain a physiologically acceptable pH, such as sodium chloride, saline, phosphate-buffered saline, and/or other substances which are physiologically acceptable and/or safe for use. In general, the material for intravenous injection in humans should conform to regulations established by the Food and Drug Administration, which are available to those in the field.
[0084] The pharmaceutical composition may also be in the form of an aqueous solution containing many of the same substances as described above for the reconstitution of a lyophilized product.
[0085] The compounds can also be administered as a pharmaceutically acceptable acid- or base-addition salt, formed by reaction with inorganic acids such as hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid, perchloric acid, nitric acid, thiocyanic acid, sulfuric acid, and phosphoric acid, and organic acids such as formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, glycolic acid, lactic acid, pyruvic acid, oxalic acid, malonic acid, succinic acid, maleic acid, and fumaric acid, or by reaction with an inorganic base such as sodium hydroxide, ammonium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, and organic bases such as mono-, di-, trialkyl and aryl amines and substituted ethanolamines.
[0086] As mentioned above, the compounds of the invention may be incorporated into pharmaceutical preparations which may be used for therapeutic purposes. However, the term “pharmaceutical preparation” is intended in a broader sense herein to include preparations containing a 5-ASA/antioxidant composition in accordance with this invention, used not only for therapeutic purposes but also for reagent or diagnostic purposes as known in the art, or for tissue culture. The pharmaceutical preparation intended for therapeutic use should contain a “pharmaceutically acceptable” or “therapeutically effective amount” of the composition, i.e., that amount necessary for preventative or curative health measures. If the pharmaceutical preparation is to be employed as a reagent or diagnostic, then it should contain reagent or diagnostic amounts of a 5-ASA/antioxidant combination.
[0087] All references, patents and patent applications cited herein are hereby incorporated herein in their entirety by reference.
[0088] The present invention is not to be limited in scope by the specific embodiments described herein, since such embodiments are intended as but single illustrations of one aspect of the invention and any functionally equivalent embodiments are within the scope of this invention. Indeed, various modifications of the invention in addition to those shown and described herein will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description and accompanying drawings.
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25. Yoshida Y, Iwai A, Itoh K, Tanaka M, Kato S, Hokari R, Miyahara T, Koyama H, Miura S, and Kobayashi M. 2000. Role of inducible nitric oxide synthase in dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis. Ailment Pharmacol Ther 14: 26-32.
26. McCafferty D M, Miampamba M, Shiota E, Sharkey K A, and Kubes P. 1999. Role of inducible nitric oxide synthase in trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid induced colitis in mice. Gut 45: 864-873.
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35. Sharon P., Ligumsky M., Rachmilewitz D., et al. Role of prostaglandins in ulcerative colitis: Enhanced production during active disease and inhibition by sulfasalazine. Gastroenterology 75: 638-640; 1975.
36. Ronne I. A., Nielson O. H., Burhave K., et al. Sulfasalazine and its anti-inflammatory metabolite 5-aminosalicylic acid: Effect on arachidonic acid metabolism in human neutrophils and free radical scavenging. Prostaglandins, Thomboxane and Leukotriene Research 17: 9-8-922; 1999.
37. Papadakis K. A., Targan S. R. Current theories on the causes of inflammatory bowel disease. Gastroenterol Clin North Am 28: 323-351; 1999.
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39. Hanauer S. B., Meyers S., Sachar D. B. The pharmacology of anti-inflammatory drugs in inflammatory bowel disease. In Kirsner J. B., Shorter R. G. (eds) Inflammatory Bowel Disease, ed 4. Baltimore, Williams & Wilkins pp. 643-663, 1995.
40. Emerit J. S., Pelletier S., Likforman J., et al. Phase II trial of copper zinc superoxide dismutase (Cu, Zn, SOD) in the treatment of Crohn's disease. Free Radic Res Common 12: 563-596; 1991. | Inflammatory bowel diseases are represented by two idiopathic disorders, which include ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Ulcerative colitis is restricted to the colon and involves uncertain and inflammation of the lining (mucosa) of the large intestine. Crohn's disease, on the other hand, can involve the mucosa of the small and/or large intestine and may involve deeper layers of the bowel wall. The present invention is a combination of 5-aminosalicylic acid and one or more antioxidants (e.g., N-acetylcysteine) for treating such inflammatory bowel diseases. | 0 |
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The invention relates generally to gas turbine engines and, more particularly, to an improved fuel control system thereof.
BACKGROUND OF THE ART
[0002] Gas turbine engines are generally adapted to be used with a single type of jet fuel, for example JP4 jet fuel. As such, use of a different fuel, for example ethanol, in these engines can be detrimental to the engines' performances, as the fuel flow in the engine is usually controlled through a series of fuel schedules established for a specific type of fuel and as such not adapted for other types of fuel of mixtures thereof.
[0003] With the rise of fuel costs, some areas of the world may choose to use Ethanol or mixtures of Ethanol in Jet fuel, accepting a reduced flight range for the cost savings. However, refuelling with a fuel that may be different from the fuel already contained in the tank can cause the precise equivalent content of the fuel tanks to be unknown. A pilot who is confused as to the exact type of fuel contained in the fuel tanks can be mistaken upon calculation of the range of the aircraft. This can be hazardous, especially in cases where the range is overestimated.
[0004] Accordingly, there is a need to provide an improved fuel control system for a gas turbine engine.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved fuel control system for a gas turbine engine.
[0006] In one aspect, the present invention provides a method of controlling a flow of a fuel in a gas turbine engine comprising sensing at least one characteristic of the flow, determining a combustive energy value of the fuel based on the at least one characteristic, determining a desired fuel flow rate at least based on the combustive energy value, and controlling a fuel metering device of the engine to obtain the desired fuel flow rate.
[0007] In another aspect, the present invention provides a method of monitoring a flow of a fuel in a gas turbine engine comprising sensing at least one characteristic of the flow, determining a combustive energy value of the fuel based on the at least one characteristic, determining at least one equivalent characteristic of a reference fuel corresponding to the combustive energy value, and displaying the at least one equivalent characteristic.
[0008] In a further aspect, the present invention provides a fuel control system for a gas turbine engine comprising at least one sensor determining at least one characteristic of a fuel flow in the engine, a combustive energy value evaluator determining a combustive energy value of the fuel from the at least one characteristic, a fuel metering device metering a fuel flow rate in the engine, and a controller calculating a desired flow rate based at least on the combustive energy value and controlling the fuel metering device such that the fuel flow rate corresponds to the desired flow rate.
[0009] Further details of these and other aspects of the present invention will be apparent from the detailed description and figures included below.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] Reference is now made to the accompanying figures depicting aspects of the present invention, in which:
[0011] FIG. 1 is a schematic, cross-sectional view of a gas turbine engine; and
[0012] FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a fuel control system according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0013] FIG. 1 illustrates a gas turbine engine 10 of a type preferably provided for use in subsonic flight, generally comprising in serial flow communication a fan 12 through which ambient air is propelled, a compressor section 14 for pressurizing the air, a combustion section 16 in which the compressed air is mixed with fuel atomized into a combustion chamber 17 by a fuel injection system 20 , the mixture being subsequently ignited for generating hot combustion gases before passing through a turbine section 18 for extracting energy from the combustion gases.
[0014] Referring to FIG. 2 , the flow of fuel to the fuel injection system 20 is controlled by a fuel control system 22 . The fuel control system 22 includes a fuel metering device 24 metering the fuel reaching the fuel injection system 20 . The fuel metering device 24 is electrically controlled in a precise and predictable manner by a controller 26 . In a particular embodiment, the controller 26 is part of the electrical and electronic engine control (EEC) (not shown) of the engine 10 .
[0015] The controller 26 generally receives data from various engine sensors 28 . This data includes pressure and temperatures at various points of a flow path of the engine 10 , as well as fuel mass flow. Based on this data, the controller 26 refers to fuel schedules 30 both upon start-up of the engine 10 and once the engine 10 is lit, to determine a desired fuel flow and control the fuel metering device 24 accordingly. The fuel schedules 30 generally determine ranges for the desired fuel flow for one type of reference fuel, for example JP4 jet fuel. The controller 26 also sends data to other systems for calculations and display on a display unit 32 which displays the received data, for example in the cabin of the aircraft (not shown). Such data may include, for example, the fuel mass flow, quantity of fuel burned and remaining quantity of fuel. The controller 26 further controls an ignition system 34 of the engine 10 upon start-up.
[0016] In order for the engine 10 to be able to function with fuel such as ethanol or an unknown mixture of ethanol and jet fuel, the fuel control system 22 includes a fuel mixture sensor 36 which is in line with the fuel injection system 20 (shown in FIG. 1 ) and which determines the general mixture between ethanol and jet fuel contained in the fuel supplied to the engine 10 . The fuel mixture sensor 36 thus sends data on the composition of the mixture to the controller 26 . The fuel control system 22 also includes an energy value evaluator 38 which determines an energy value of the fuel mixture, either directly by measurement or by reference to tables based on mixture ratios. In a particular embodiment, the energy value evaluator 38 determines the lower heating value (LHV) of the fuel mixture. The fuel control system 22 further includes a reference fuel table 40 , which contains characteristics of the reference fuel in relation to the corresponding energy value. Such characteristics may include for example fuel mass flow required for various mixtures such that a specific LHV flow rate can be provided to the combustion system.
[0017] In use, at start-up of the engine 10 , the controller 26 actuates the fuel mixture sensor 36 through a signal 50 and the fuel mixture sensor 36 determines the composition of the fuel supplied to the engine 10 , i.e. the proportion of ethanol and jet fuel in the fuel. Alternately, the LHV of the fuel may be measured directly with an in line LHV sensor, providing directly the information desired. The fuel mixture sensor 36 then sends corresponding proportion data 52 to the controller 26 . The controller 26 also actuates engine sensors 28 through a signal 54 and receives sensor data 56 therefrom, which includes for example the air mass flow and the pressure and temperature in the flow path at the end of the compressor section 14 . In the case where a direct LHV sensor is implemented, the fuel mass flow required for a given engine inlet air mass flow can be directly calculated by the engine control system
[0018] The controller 26 then sends data 58 to the energy value evaluator 38 , the data 58 including the proportion of ethanol and jet fuel in the fuel and relevant sensor data. The energy value evaluator 38 determines the instantaneous LHV of the fuel mixture, for example from a database correlating the relevant sensor data and fuel proportion to the LHV. A given fuel mass flow of a particular fuel corresponds to a given amount of fuel energy (LHV*mass flow) that this fuel provides to the combustor. For example, the LHV of JP4 jet fuel is roughly about 18,000 BTU (British Thermal Units) per pound mass of the fuel, and thus at an exemplary fuel consumption rate of about 200 pounds of fuel flow per hour, the LHV input value to the combustor would be about 3.6 million BTU per hour. For the same engine condition using ethanol, for example, 3.6 million BTU per hour would still be required, however since ethanol has only about 60% of the energy content compared to JP4, the fuel mass flow rate of ethanol would need to be about 1.666 times as high as that for JP4, which in this example corresponds to about 366 pound of ethanol per hour. Once the instantaneous LHV of the fuel mixture has been determined by the energy value evaluator 38 , the energy value evaluator 38 then sends the LHV 60 to the controller 26 .
[0019] Alternately, the fuel mixture sensor 36 can directly determine the LHV as a means to determine the proportion of ethanol and jet fuel in the fuel, and in this case the data 52 sent by the fuel mixture sensor 36 to the controller 26 includes the LHV, and the energy value evaluator 38 is used during start-up. However, the proportion of ethanol to jet fuel need not be known if the LHV is measured direction as described above. In one embodiment, the LHV is determined specifically for the start up flow settings, as once the engine is running the LHV of the fuel can be determined using the measured temperatures and air mass flow rates of the engine. Thus, the specifically measured LHV values may not necessarily be needed once the engine has been started. By using the engine air mass flow, the air inlet and outlet temperatures, and the fuel mass flow rate, the instantaneous LVH values in the fuel can be determined. The plurality of instantaneous calculated LVH values are then held in a temporary memory register, and used by the control system to allow smooth control of the engine fuel flow for both steady state running and transient running. The value of LHV may be calculated once the engine is running every second or two, or alternately more or less often. Regardless, the general approach of establishing the LHV of the fuel before start is nonetheless desirable such that correct start-up flow rates can be set without fear of overheating during start or failing to start properly. The LHV values can then be periodically determined, from the engine parameters as described. The LHV before start is determined by establishing the mixture and then using a table or calculation method to determine LHV and then set the start flow based on this. Alternately, however, the LHV may be sensed directly, and the start fuel flow can then be set based on a direct knowledge of the LHV.
[0020] Regardless of how the LHV is determined, the controller 26 accesses the fuel schedules 30 , as shown at 62 , based on the sensor data, and retrieves corresponding fuel schedule data 64 related to start-up. The controller 26 then uses the LHV or the equivalent LHV and fuel proportions as described above, to adapt the fuel schedule data to the actual fuel used in the engine in order to determine a desired fuel flow and ignition settings.
[0021] The BTU input requirement to the engine is always predetermined by engine designers. The fuel flow rate is measured and controlled, and given that the LHV specifications of aircraft fuel must by regulations be within a specific narrow range, the need for LHV measurement or determination by the engine system never existed in the past.
[0022] The controller 26 then actuates the fuel metering device 24 through a signal 66 corresponding to the desired fuel flow, optionally receiving feedback 68 from the device 24 . The controller 26 also actuates the ignition system 34 through a signal 70 corresponding to the ignition settings, optionally receiving a feedback 72 from the ignition system 34 .
[0023] Once the engine 10 is lit, the controller 26 still receives the sensor data 56 from the engine sensors 28 , which includes for example, fuel mass flow, air mass flow, temperature in the flow path at the end of the combustion section 16 , etc. The controller 26 sends this data to the energy value evaluator 38 , as shown at 58 , which determines the corresponding instantaneous LHV of the fuel mixture. The LHV of the fuel input can be calculated by knowing the air mass flow and the temperature rise of that air mass when combustion occurs. This then provides the total BTU/hour of energy released by the fuel, and thus dividing by the fuel flow rate (in pounds per hour, for example) will provide the energy in the fuel in BTU per pound.
[0024] The energy value evaluator 38 sends the LHV 60 to the controller 26 , which again accesses the fuel schedules 30 , as shown at 62 , based on the sensor data, and retrieves corresponding fuel schedule data 64 related to lit operation. The controller 26 uses the LHV to adapt the fuel schedule data to the actual fuel used in the engine in order to determine a desired fuel flow. As during start-up, the controller 26 then actuates the fuel metering device 24 through the signal 66 corresponding to the desired fuel flow.
[0025] The controller 26 thus regulates the operation of the fuel metering device 24 based on the LHV determined by the energy value evaluator 38 . As the energy value evaluator 38 constantly calculates the LHV during the operation of the engine 10 , the controller 26 reacts to variations in composition of the fuel and adjusts the fuel metering device 24 accordingly to optimize performance of the engine 10 .
[0026] While the engine 10 is running, the controller 26 also accesses the reference fuel table 40 , as shown at 74 , and retrieves at least one reference characteristic 76 of the reference fuel corresponding to the LHV of the actual fuel used. For example, the controller 26 determines the corresponding mass flow of the reference fuel which would have been required to obtain the LHV obtained with the actual fuel and determined by the energy value evaluator 38 . Based on the history of the operation of the engine 10 , the controller 26 can also calculate an equivalent quantity of reference fuel burned. The controller 26 then sends normalized data 78 , i.e. the equivalent characteristics of the reference fuel corresponding to the actual LHV of the fuel used, to the display unit 32 , which displays it for the pilot. As such, the pilot can see the fuel data normalized to a reference fuel, i.e. as if the reference fuel was being used in the engine 10 . The display unit 32 also provides the pilot with an indication of the real fuel quantity being used versus how much real fuel quantity is present in the fuel tanks. Accordingly, the actual fuel mass flow is measured and used for any information provided to the pilot. For example the mass flow and quantity of reference fuel corresponding to the actual operation of the engine can be displayed. Using this normalized data, standard calculations for range of the aircraft can be done by the pilot regardless if he/she is aware of the real composition of the fuel being used in the engine 10 , thus eliminating errors due to confusion of fuel type used. This includes corrections of SG (specific gravity) which is also one of the parameters sensed, as the fuel level in the fuel tank may not be representative in terms of available range from one fuel to another, even if the BTU per Lb is known (i.e. the volume of fuel is what is provided by a level measurement device not the mass of fuel in the tank).
[0027] As such, the fuel control system 22 provides for control of the fuel metering device 24 adapted to a fuel which is a mixture of two different fuels with variable proportions, as well as normalisation of the operation of the engine to a known, reference fuel to facilitate operation of the engine. As such, the pilot can use the normalized data displayed to perform standard calculations such as range calculation without the need to verify the exact composition of the fuel.
[0028] Although in the preferred embodiment, the energy value used is the lower heating value or LHV, it is understood that other energy values can similarly be used. The above description is meant to be exemplary only, and one skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made to the embodiments described without department from the scope of the invention disclosed. For example, the fuel control system 22 can be used with other configurations of gas turbine engines and with other types of engine. The reference fuel used can be any appropriate type of fuel. Still other modifications which fall within the scope of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, in light of a review of this disclosure, and such modifications are intended to fall within the appended claims. | A fuel control system having a combustive energy value evaluator determining a combustive energy value of the fuel, and a controller calculating a desired flow rate based at least on the combustive energy value and controlling a fuel metering device such that the fuel flow rate corresponds to the desired fuel flow rate. | 5 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates to a method for priming a substrate by contacting the substrate with a primer fed from a primer source and depositing the primer on the substrate. The invention also relates to a process for the coating of a substrate by contacting the substrate with a primer fed from a primer source, depositing the primer on the substrate, and coating the primed substrate with a coating substance.
[0002] There are several methods of improving the adhesion between a substrate and its coating. These methods can be surface treatment, mechanical roughening, removing weak boundary layers, minimising stresses, using adhesion promoters, using suitable acid-base interactions, as well as providing favourable thermodynamics and using wetting. Typical treatment techniques include the use of chemicals such as primers and solvents, the use of heat and flame, mechanical methods, plasma, corona treatment and radiation. Each technique can have several effects that improve adhesion.
[0003] An important method of improving the adhesion between a substrate and its coating is priming. Priming means the treatment of a substrate with a primer. A primer means a prefinishing coat applied to surfaces that are to be painted or otherwise finished. See McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 6 th Ed., p. 1668 and 1669.
[0004] Typical primers are adhesive organic substances which are soluble in water and/or an organic solvent and are used for treating the substrate surface in order to improve its adhesion or bonding to the coating. In the following table, typical primers and their adhesion and performance characteristics are given.
TABLE 1 Properties of typical primers Adhesion Characteristics Performance Characteristic Plastic Heat Moisture Chemical Type of primer Paper Metal film Resistance Resistance Resistance Shellac Poor Excellent Poor Poor Poor Poor Organic Titanate Good Good Good Fair Fair Fair Polyurethane Very good Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Polyethyleneimine Very good Good Excellent Excellent Poor Poor Ethylene Acrylic Excellent Excellent Fair Fair Excellent Good Acid Polyvinylidene Excellent Fair Excellent Good Very good Fair Chloride
[0005] Traditional priming takes place by conventional solution application techniques. The application of a primer promotes adhesion between the substrate and the coating by increasing the free energy (wettability) of the surfaces, inducing chemical reaction between them, and removing bond weakening impurities from them.
[0006] However, traditional priming has the drawback that it is difficult to achieve the correct coating weight suitable for the specific primer to be used. Uniform deposition is important for all primers. This is especially the case with uneven surfaces, the less available sites of which are poorly reached by conventional priming techniques.
[0007] These drawbacks have now been overcome by a new method for priming a substrate by contacting the substrate with a primer fed from a primer source and depositing the primer on the substrate. The claimed method is essentially characterized in that the deposition is carried out electrostatically. By deposition is meant the application of any material to a substrate. By electrostatically is meant something pertaining to electricity at rest, such as an electric charge on an object. See McGraw-Hill, Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 6 th Ed., p. 707.
[0008] Electrostatic coating methods are known per se. However, the inventors found that these methods are especially suitable for priming purposes. By means of electrostatic coating, the correct coating weight suitable for any specific kind of primer can easily be achieved. Additionally, less available sites on uneven substrate surfaces are conveniently reached by the electrostatic priming techniques. Thus, a larger part of the substrate surface will possess improved primer-induced adhesion.
[0009] Electrostatic coating methods can be divided to three methods: electrostatic spraying and electrospinning, typically from solution under DC field, as well as dry coating from powders using AC fields.
[0010] In the spraying process, a high voltage electric field which is applied to the surface of a liquid causes the emission of fine charged droplets. The process is governed by mass, charge and momentum conservation. Therefore, there are several parameters, which influence the process. The most important parameters are the physical properties of the liquid, the flow rate of the liquid, the applied voltage, the used geometry of the system, and the dielectric strength of the ambient medium. The essential physical properties of the liquid are its electrical conductivity, surface tension and viscosity. An electrospray apparatus is typically formed of a capillary, pressure nozzle, rotating nozzle, or atomizer, which feed the coating liquid, and a plate collector which carries the substrate to be coated. An electrical potential difference is connected between the capillary and the plate.
[0011] The potential difference between the plate and the end of the capillary supplying the coating liquid is several thousands volts, typically dozens of kilovolts. The emitted droplets are charged and they may be neutralized if necessary by different methods. Their size varies, depending on the conditions used. The most suitable electrospraying conditions for priming are discussed in more detail below.
[0012] Electrospinning, just as electrospraying, uses a high-voltage electric field. Unlike electrospraying which forms solidified droplets, solid fibers are formed from a polymer melt or solution, which is delivered through a millimeter-scale nozzle. The resulting fibers are collected on a grounded or oppositely charged plate. With electrospinning, fibers can be produced from single polymers as well as polymer blends.
[0013] Electrospinning can be used to produce ultra-fine continuous fibers, the diameters of which range from nanometers to a few micrometers. The small diameter provides small pore size, high porosity and high surface area, and a high length to diameter ratio. The resulting products are usually in the non-woven fabric form. This small size and non-woven form makes electrospun fibers useful in variety of applications.
[0014] In a spinning process various parameters affect the resulting fibers obtained. These parameters can be categorized into three main types, which are solution, process and ambient parameters. Solution properties include concentration, viscosity, surface tension, conductivity, and molecular weight, molecular-weight distribution and architecture of the polymer. Process parameters are the electric field, the nozzle-to-collector distance, and the feed rate. Ambient properties include temperature, humidity and air velocity in the spinning chamber. The most suitable electrospinning conditions for priming are discussed in more detail below.
[0015] Dry coating is quite similar to the electrospraying and electrospinning processes, with the exception that the raw material is in powder form. One of the latest inventions is to coat paper with this method. Paper coating by dry coating method is an alternative method for the traditional pigment coating. This dry surface treatment (DST) of paper and paperboard combines the coating and calandering processes. In the DST process, the electrically charged powder particles are sprayed onto the surface of the paper or paperboard. The particles form a layer on the surface of the paper and attach to the paper by electrostatic forces. The final fixing which is made in a nip between heated rolls, provides adhesion and makes of the surface smooth.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0016] In the following, the most important technical features of the invention are disclosed. The claimed process relates to the electrostatic priming of a substrate. Preferably the substrate to be primed is a solid material, such as wood, paper, textile, metal, plastic film, or a composite material. A preferred type of substrate is cellulose or wood containing <300 g/m 2 of non-coated or coated garde produced by means of normal wet paper processes. Most preferably, the solid material is paper. By paper is meant any felted or matted sheet containing as an essential part cellulose fibers.
[0017] The electrostatic deposition used in the claimed priming is according to one preferred embodiment electrospraying. In the electrospraying, the primer is preferably initially in the form of liquid droplets dispersed in the gas phase. The droplets may be either droplets of molten primer or, preferably, droplets of a solution of the primer material in a solvent. Typically, the average diameter of the liquid droplets is between 0.02 and 20 μm, preferably 0.05-2 μm.
[0018] According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the claimed priming by electrostatic deposition is electrospinning. In the electrospinning, at least a part of the primer is in the form of fibers dispersed in the gas phase. The fibers may be formed either from molten primer or, preferably, droplets of a primer solution in a solvent. When forming the primer fibers by electrospinning, the average diameter of the fibers is preferably between 0.05 and 5.0 μm, most preferably between 0.1 and 0.5 μm.
[0019] The claimed electrostatic priming may also be a mixture of electrospraying and electrospinning, where both solid droplets and solid fibers are formed on the substrate.
[0020] When using electrostatic deposition (spraying, spinning, or both) from solution, the primer material content of the solution is preferably between 5 and 50% by weight, most preferably between 20 and 45% by weight. The solution is preferably between 40 and 400 cP, most preferably between 50 and 200 cP. The solvent is selected according to the primer applied, considering also that its volatility must be low enough for good productivity and its conductivity must be suitable for the electrostatic process. Preferred solvents are water and water/alcohol systems.
[0021] As was said above in connection with the general description of the invention, the primer material may be a native polymer, a polyalcohol, an organometal compound, and/or a synthetic polymer. Typically, the primer material is a synthetic polymer (homo- or copolymer). According to one advantageous embodiment of the claimed invention, the synthetic polymer is an acrylic copolymer, which most preferably is in the form of an aqueous emulsion. Then the deposited material thickness is typically 0.002-0.05 g/m 2 , preferably 0.006-0.02, and most preferably about 0.01 g/m 2 . According to another advantageous embodiment of the invention, the primer is diethanol aminoethane (DEAE), preferably in aqueous medium. Then, the preferred thickness of the deposited material is 0.02-0.5 g/m 2 , more preferably 0.06-0.02, and most preferably about 0.1 g/m 2 .
[0022] Most preferably, the primer solution also contains an additive to modify the morphology of the primer particles on the substrate. A preferred additive is a polymer soluble in the solvent and compatible with the primer, which has a sufficiently high molecular weight to stabilize the process. Preferably, the polymeric additive has to be suitable for the electrostatic process as well. Examples of polymers suitable as additives in the claimed electrostatic processes are among others polyvinyl alcohol, polyethylene oxide, and acrylic resins.
[0023] The electrostatic primering of the instant invention is preferably carried out by means of an apparatus suitable for either electrospraying or electrospinning. It consists of a fume chamber with minimised interference, in which a construction comprising a metal plate for supporting the substrate and a feed section are arranged. A voltage source is coupled to the metal plate and the feed section. The electrostatic force expressed as the voltage divided by the distance between the substrate and the primer source raised to the second power is according to one embodiment between 0.02 and 4.0 V/mm 2 , preferably between 0.2 and 0.5 V/mm 2 . The electrostatic voltage is preferably between 10 and 50 kV, more preferably between 20 and 40 kV, and the distance between the primer source and the substrate is preferably between 100 and 1000 mm, more preferably between 200 and 500 mm.
[0024] In addition to the above described method for priming a substrate electrostatically, the invention also relates to a process for coating a substrate by contacting the substrate with a primer fed from a primer source, depositing the primer on the substrate, and coating the primed substrate with a coating substance. Said deposition of the primer on the substrate is carried out electrostatically.
[0025] The claimed coating process thus comprises said electrostatic priming followed immediately or later by a coating process. For the priming step, the same specifications apply as above, so, there is no reason to repeat them here. However, when moving on from priming to coating, the primed substrate is preferably flame or, most preferably, corona treated before it is coated with the coating substance.
[0026] Typically, the coating substance is a thermoplastic resin. As the most advantageous substrate was paper, a preferred combination is the coating of paper with said thermoplastic resin. The best thermoplastic resin is a polyolefin resin such as an ethylene polymer (homo- or copolymer).
DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0027] The Figures which will be referred to are:
[0028] FIG. 1 which shows an electrospinning apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention.
[0029] FIG. 2 which shows the feed section of the electrospinnig apparatus according to FIG. 1 .
[0030] FIG. 3 which shows the seed section and the collector plate of the electrospinning apparatus according to FIG. 1 .
[0031] FIG. 4 which shows a SEM of paper coated with P1 with a magnification of 3500×, left with the coating weight 0.1 g/m 2 , right with the coating weight 0.01 g/m 2 .
[0032] FIG. 5 which shows a SEM of paper coated with P2 with a magnification of 750×, left with coating weight 0.1 g/m2, right: with coating weight 0.01 g/m 2 .
[0033] FIG. 6 which shows a SEM of paper coated with P3 with a magnification of 750×, left with the coating weight 0.1 g/m 2 , right with the coating weight 0.01 g/m 2 .
[0034] FIG. 7 which shows a SEM of paper coated with P5 with the magnification 1500×, left with the coating weight 0.1 g/m 2 , right with the coating weight 0.01 g/m 2 .
[0035] FIG. 8 shows a SEM of paper coated with P6 with the magnification 1500×, left with the coating weight 0.1 g/m 2 , right with the coating weight 0.01 g/m 2 .
[0036] FIG. 9 shows a SEM of paper coated with P7 with the magnification 3500×, left with the coating weight 0.1 g/m 2 , right with the coating weight 0.01 g/m 2 .
[0037] FIG. 10 shows a SEM of paper coated with P11 with the magnification 3500×, left with the coating weight 0.1 g/m 2 , right with the coating weight 0.01 g/m 2 .
[0038] FIG. 11 shows a SEM of paper coated with P12 with the magnification 1500×, left with the coating weight 0.1 g/m 2 , right with the coating weight 0.01 g/m 2 .
[0039] FIG. 12 shows a SEM of paper coated with P13 with the magnification 1500×, left with the coating weight 0.1 g/m 2 , right with the coating weight 0.01 g/m 2 .
[0040] FIG. 13 shows the PE-film coating after a peel test, P1-P13 with corona treatment.
[0041] FIG. 14 shows the paperboard with P3 after the peel test. Left without corona treatment and right with corona treatment.
[0042] FIG. 15 shows the paperboard with P5 after the peel test. At left without corona treatment and at right with corona treatment.
[0043] FIG. 16 shows the paperboard with P6 after the peel test and with corona treatment. The magnification was 1500×.
[0044] FIG. 17 shows the paperboard with P7 after the peel test and without corona treatment. The magnification was 1500×.
[0045] FIG. 18 shows SEM pictures after the peel test and without corona treatment; at left paperboard with P11, magnification 3500×; in the middle paperboard with P12, magnification 1500×; and at right paperboard with P13, magnification 1500×.
[0046] FIG. 19 shows the PE-film coating after the peel test without corona treatment, P1-P13.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0047] In the following, the invention is exemplified by a few examples, the procedures of which are described more closely below.
[0048] In this experimental work, priming was made with an electrospinning apparatus as illustrated in FIG. 1 . The apparatus includes a fume chamber, the walls of which, except the front side wall, are constructed of metal plate, to minimise the external and internal electrical interference. The inner wall surfaces are covered with glass fiber composite. The used power supply unit is a high-voltage supply of type BP 50 Simco. The power supply can produce both positive and negative 0-50 kV voltage.
[0049] The apparatus also includes a feed section having a spinneret and a needle. The needle is attached to the spinneret which is made of glass with luer (mikä on luer?) junction and the power supply is connected to the metallic junction of the needle. The feed section is illustrated in FIG. 2 .
[0050] As a counter-electrode to the feed section a square copper plate is arranged, the size of which is 400 mm×400 mm×1 mm. This collector plate, which supports the substrate, is hung on a plastic stand. The collector plate and the feed section is illustrated in FIG. 3 . To the front of the collector plate is attached the substrate to be coated. The substrate can be, for example, a metal folio, a paper, or a non-woven textile. In the experiments carried out, the substrate was paper of quality CTM ion-coated 225 g/m 2 wood free board of chemical pulp.
[0051] Suitable primers were selected by a preliminary test. Then, these primers, called P1-P13, were tested for solution viscosity (Brookfield DV-II+), morphology (JEOL SEM T-100), surface energy (PISARA-equipment), and adhesion (Alwetron peel test). The effect of a corona treatment of the primed paper substrate on the adhesion was also carried out.
[0052] 13 primers, i.e. P1-P13, were tested. The symbols P1-P13 mean:
[0053] P1→Carboxyl methyl cellulose
[0054] P2→Alkyl ketene dimer
[0055] P3→Polyethylene amine
[0056] P4→Polyvinyl amine
[0057] P5→Polyvinyl alcohol
[0058] P6→Emulgated acrylic copolymer
[0059] P7→Ethylene copolymer
[0060] P11→Polyvinyl alcohol modified with ethylene groups
[0061] P12→Diethanol aminoethane (DEAE)
[0062] P13→MSA/C 20 -C 24 -olefin
[0063] B→C 20 -C 24 olefin
[0064] C→ethylene copolymer
[0065] E→Polyvinyl amine
[0066] G→polyvinyl acetone
[0067] H→Dicthand aminoethene (DEAE)
[0068] I→carbonyl methyl cellulose
[0069] The results were as follows.
[0000] Results and Discussion
[0000] The Primer's Suitablility to Electrospraying or -Spinning
[0070] The proper solution contents of primers and process parameters were found by experimentation. Several solution contents of each primer were tested. All primers were sprayed or spun through a 5 cm long needle, the size of which was 18 G.
[0071] Primers P5, P6 and P11 were especially suitable without using morphology modifying additives in the spraying/spinning solution. Primers P1, P2, P3, P7, P12, and P13 were also especially suitable, but they needed additives. Without additives they formed large droplets, and the coated areas were very small. With additives, coated area enlarged significantly and droplet size diminished.
[0000] The Productivity of the Electrospraying or -Spinning
[0072] The productivities for each primer are presented in Table 2. In the table are presented also other properties, which are used for calculating the rate of application, namely the specific weight of the solution, the primer content of the solution, and the primer consumption. Also the needed priming times for dry coating weights 0.1 g/m 2 and 0.01 g/m 2 are presented in the table.
TABLE 2 Productivities and other properties of each primer Specific Primer Weight of the content of Consumption Needed priming time solution solution of solution Area Productivity For For Primer [g/ml] [%] [s/1 ml] [m 2 ] [g/m 2 s] 0.01 g/m 2 0.1 g/m 2 P1 1.028 11.70 5040 0.0491 0.00049 21 s 205 s P2 0.915 31.67 6252 0.0491 0.00094 11 s 106 s P3 1.035 22.35 2768 0.0314 0.00266 4 s 28 s P5 0.973 15.00 3300 0.0491 0.00090 11 s 111 s P6 1.037 45.20 1410 0.0962 0.00346 3 s 29 s P7 1.041 22.33 2040 0.1200 0.00095 11 s 107 s P11 1.018 7.50 1800 0.0452 0.00094 11 s 107 s P12 0.982 25.00 1920 0.0855 0.00149 7 s 67 s P13 1.011 22.39 4562 0.0360 0.00138 7 s 72 s
[0073] During the consumption test, it was easy to see which ones of the primers are suitable for continuing priming and which ones are not, unless some changes are made to the solution or process. Primers P2, P3, P6, and P13 are not suitable for continuous priming, because they gel on the end of the needle. Instead, primers P1, P5, P7, P11, and P12 are suitable for continuous priming.
[0074] The needed priming times are only estimated. In productivity measurement, it was assumed that all of the primer is transferred from the needle to the collector plate. However, in practise some particles fly over the plate and some large droplets may not fly so far. During the consumption measurement, the process was at first faster and then became slower because the solution level and pressure in the needle were reduced with time. Thus the consumption values are average values. Coating areas are defined by eye, so these are also approximate values.
[0000] The Viscosity of the Primer Solutions and the Morphology of the Primed Paperboards
[0075] The viscosities of the used primer solutions were the Brookfield viscosity. The morphologies of the deposited primer particles were measured by analysing SEM pictures. The SEM-pictures presented in this chapter, were taken randomly. In addition to the viscosity and the morphology, this chapter shows further process parameters such as the voltage and the working distance between the substrate and the feeding capillary.
[0076] In the following, each sample is treated separately.
[0077] Primer P1
[0078] The viscosity of the solution was 370 cP. Although the viscosity was high, primer P1 did not form fibers, but droplets. The droplet size was 0.1-0.3 μm, the voltage and working distance were ±35 kV and 350 mm, respectively, and the diameter of the coated area was 25 cm. A SEM of the layer of P1 is presented in FIG. 4 .
[0079] Primer P2
[0080] The viscosity of the solution was 170 cP. Again, although the viscosity was sufficiently high, the primer did not form fibers, but droplets. The droplet size was 0.5-6 μm, the voltage and working distance were ±30 kV and 450 mm, respectively, and the diameter of the coated area was 25 cm. A SEM of the layer of P2 is presented in FIG. 5 .
[0081] Primer P3
[0082] The viscosity of the solution was 215 cP. Also here, although the viscosity was sufficiently high, the primer formed droplets instead of fibers. The droplets were very large and also the size distribution was wide. The size of the droplets was 1.2-17 μm, the voltage and the working distance were ±50 kV and 350 mm, respectivelty, and the diameter of the coated area was 20 cm. A SEM of the layer of P 3 is presented in FIG. 6 .
[0083] Primer P5
[0084] Viscosity of solution was 193 cP. Again, although the viscosity was sufficiently high, primers did not form fibers, but droplets. Droplet size was 0.2-1.5 μm, voltage and working distance were ±40 kV and 400 mm, and diameter of coated area was 25 cm. Layer of P5 is presented in FIG. 7 .
[0085] Primer P6
[0086] The viscosity of the solution was quite low: 90 cP, therefore it formed droplets. The droplet size was 0.2-5 μm, the voltage and working distance were ±30 kV and 300 mm, respectively, and the diameter of the coated area was 35 cm. Layer of P6 is see in FIG. 8 .
[0087] Primer P7
[0088] The viscosity of the solution was 60 cP. Although the viscosity was low, the primer formed also fibers besides droplets. The fiber forming is probably caused by use of additives. The fiber diameter was approximately 0.1 μm and the droplet size was 0.5-6 μm, and the voltage and working distance were ±30 kV and 400 mm, respectively. The primer coated area was very large. The primer coated the whole area of the collector plate. Layer of P7 is presented in FIG. 9 .
[0089] Primer P11
[0090] Thy viscosity of the solution was 110 cP. Primer 11 formed only thin fibers, including some pearls. The fibre diameter was 0.4-0.1 μm and the pearl size was 0.8-1.4 μm. The voltage and working distance were ±40 kV and 400 mm, respectively, and the diameter of the coated area was 24 cm. The layer of P11 is presented in FIG. 11 .
[0091] Primer P12
[0092] The viscosity of the solution was 60 cP. Although the viscosity was low, the primer formed also fibers besides droplets. The fiber formation is probably caused by the use of additives. The droplet size was 0.5-3 μm and the fibre diameter was 0.1-0.4 μm. The voltage and working distance were ±20 kV and 300 mm, respectively, and the direction of the electric field was from minus potential to plus potential. The diameter of the coated area was 33 cm. Layer of P12 is presented in FIG. 12 .
[0093] Primer P13
[0094] The viscosity of the solution was 310 cP. Although the viscosity was sufficiently high, the primer formed droplets instead of fibers. The droplet size was 0.2-2.5 μm, the voltage and working distance were ±30 kV and 250 mm, respectively, and the diameter of the coated area was 18 cm. A layer of P13 is presented in FIG. 13 .
[0095] The Surface Energy
[0096] The critical surface energies of the primers are presented in Chart 1. Their surface energies are compared to the surface energy of the paperboard. Surface energy values of all primers are smaller than surface energy of the paperboard. In the Chart sample K means paperboard and P1-P13 primers, which was used in preliminary tests.
[0097] The critical surface energies of primed paperboard are presented in Chart 2. The critical surface energy values of the primed paperboard are smaller than the surface energy value of the paperboard itself. The surface energy values by geometric mean are presented in Appendix 1.
[0098] The surface energy determination was done with three liquids, which is the minimum count.
[0099] Adhesion of Primers and Priming Methods
[0100] The adhesion was measured by priming paper conventionally (primers B-I) and according to the invention (primers P1-P13), extrusion coating with LDPE, and finally measuring the adhesion force between the LDPE and the paper. The primers B-I which were primed to the paperboard by conventional spreading, are chemically similar to primers P1-P13, respectively. When priming by spreading, the obtained priming weight is higher compared to the electrostatic method (>>0.1 g/m 2 ).
[0101] Adhesion measurement results of primers B-I primed by spreading are presented in Chart 3. Primers B-I applied by spreading do not significantly improve adhesion. Only primer H improves adhesion, if extrusion coating is made without corona treatment.
[0102] In Chart 4 is presented the adhesion of samples, whose priming weights are 0.1 g/m 2 and 0.01 g/m 2 . Priming is done with the electrostatic coating method. Primers P1-P13 need corona treatment for improving adhesion. When corona treatment is not used, the adhesion is zero with almost every primer. Primers P1, P6, P 11, and P13 especially with coating weight 0.01 g/m 2 , and P12 especially with coating weight 0.1 g/m 2 improve the adhesion significantly. Also primer P7 with coating weight 0.01 g/m 2 and primer P2 with coating weight 0.1 g/m 2 are good adhesion promoters.
[0103] The reference in both Charts is PE coated paperboard with corona treatment, and without the use of primer.
[0104] Each primer has a unique coating weight, which gives a maximal adhesion.
[0105] The primers were attached to the paperboard and the PE-film, when corona treatment was used with the extrusion coating. This fact is illustrated in FIG. 14 . The picture is taken after peel test on an iodine dyed surface of the PE-film. Only primers P3 and P6 with priming weight 0.1 g/m 2 have attached to the PE-film only partly.
[0106] When corona treatment is not used in extrusion coating, primers do not promote adhesion, because they do not attach to the PE-film. FIG. 15 shows the PE-film after the peel test. Some of the chemical pulp is attached to the surface of the PE, but mainly it is not attached to the PE without corona treatment.
[0107] In the following figures SEM-pictures after the peel test are presented. These SEM-pictures have been taken from the paperboard side. Thus, the pictures show the morphology changes after extrusion coating, when they are compared to the SEM-pictures, which have been taken just after the priming.
[0108] The morphology of P3 does not change if corona treatment was not used with extrusion coating. When corona treatment was used, the primer was spread on the surface of the paperboard. In FIG. 16 , the picture to the right has been taken at a point, which is not attached to the PE-film. The points where the paperboard primed with P3 is attached to the PE-film looks like the FIG. 14 .
[0109] The paperboard with primer P5 has also been attached partly to the PE-film. The picture to the right in FIG. 17 was taken at a point, where the paperboard is not attached to the PE. The morphology of the primer P5 does not significantly change during extrusion coating despite the use of corona treatment.
[0110] The morphology of primed P6 changed during extrusion coating if corona treatment was used. P6 spreads on the surface of the paperboard. FIG. 18 has been taken at a point, where there is no attachement to the PE. Probably the priming weight 0.1 g/m 2 is too much, because the paperboard with P6 is not attached properly to PE.
[0111] The morphology of P7 changes in extrusion coating significantly. The fiber is attached to the surface of the paperboard, spreads a bit, and probably absorbed ( FIG. 19 ). Instead the morphology of P8 is not significantly changed in extrusion coating ( FIG. 20 ).
[0112] The morphology of P11, P12, and P13 has changed significantly during the extrusion process ( FIG. 21 ). All of these primers are attached to the surface of the paperboard, primers have spread and probably absorbed to the surface of the paperboard.
[0113] Morphology changes during extrusion process depend on primers. Only connecting issue with primers, which is proved already in peel tests, is that corona treatment in extrusion process improves adhesion significantly.
[0114] Conclusions
[0115] This work proves that electrostatic coating methods are suitable for priming. Improvement in adhesion is achieved compared to conventional priming by spreading. Lower priming weights give even better adhesion than higher priming weights. However, primers should preferably be corona treated in extrusion coating when coating paper with polyethylene. Adhesion results shows that every primer have a specific priming weight, which gives a maximal adhesion.
[0116] The correlation between the surface energy values and the adhesion is presented in Charts 5-7. From these charts can be seen that low polarity improves adhesion.
[0117] In Chart 8 is presented the particle size distribution of each primer layer. On the basis of the above, particle sizes affects adhesion. Thus, primer P12 has excellent adhesion properties, because it has a low proportional polarity and small particle size. Probably the effect of particle size is based on the fact that smaller particles form more adhesive spots per area onto the surface of the paperboard.
[0118] In addition to primer polarity and particle size, adhesion properties change also with different priming weights. Some primers improve adhesion better with priming weight 0.01 g/m 2 than with priming weight 0.1 g/m 2 , and others improve adhesion better with priming weight 0.1 g/m 2 .
APPENDIX 1 Surface energy values by geometric mean of paperboard, primers P1-P14, and primed paperboards Dispersion Polarity Surface component component Proportional energy [mJ/m 2 ] [mJ/m 2 ] polarity [mJ/m 2 ] Paperboard 21.26 0.02 0.001 21.28 P1 20.96 31.41 0.600 52.37 P2 22.03 22.72 0.508 44.75 P3 22.49 21.73 0.491 44.22 P4 22.8 20.35 0.472 43.14 P5 22.99 29.35 0.561 52.34 P6 25.37 8.36 0.248 33.73 P7 26.56 6.65 0.200 33.21 P8 28.27 8.64 0.234 36.92 P9 23.27 21.78 0.483 45.05 P10 24.39 9.38 0.278 33.77 P11 24.52 25.75 0.512 50.27 P12 25.27 8.74 0.257 34.01 P13 18.53 13.87 0.428 32.4 P14 19.81 21.35 0.519 41.16 Primed 0.01 g/m 2 P1 21 2.08 0.090 23.08 P2 20.96 1.97 0.086 22.93 P3 23.17 0.33 0.014 23.49 P5 22 0.96 0.042 22.96 P6 21.84 1.19 0.052 23.03 P7 20.78 1.5 0.067 22.27 P11 23.14 0.69 0.029 23.83 P12 22.83 0.09 0.004 22.93 P13 22.64 0.61 0.026 23.25 Primed 0.1 g/m 2 P1 23.75 0.45 0.019 24.2 P2 22.62 0.1 0.004 22.73 P3 23.45 0.02 0.001 23.47 P5 21.37 1.02 0.046 22.39 P6 21.66 0.5 0.023 22.17 P7 23.99 0.39 0.016 24.38 P8 21.34 1.71 0.074 23.06 P11 23.71 0.23 0.010 23.94 P12 22.89 0 0.000 22.9 P13 19.92 0.17 0.008 20.09 | The invention relates to a method for priming a substrate by contacting the substrate with a primer fed from a primer source and depositing the primer on the substrate. Compared to other priming methods, the claimed priming gives better results because the deposition is carried out electrostatically. | 3 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to the field of hardware emulation and testing.
[0002] A critical step in the characterization and bringup test of integrated circuits is the test of the array elements or memories they contain. An array element or memory array, in the sense of the present text is, e.g., an L2 cache. It comprises memory cells (the array memory) as well as associated read and write logic to access these cells.
[0003] Complex test programs are executed on wafer test systems (testers) in order to check the quality of the arrays. One important function of these test programs is to determine the exact location of failing single-bit memory cells. The process is called Bit Fail Mapping, because maps of bit fails are constructed that provide insight into the weaknesses of the circuit and valuable feedback for circuit design and technology.
[0004] Traditionally, developing these test programs for the wafer test systems is extremely difficult because there is no reliable test object against which the test programs could be checked for correctness. Old circuits cannot be used easily as the test programs are highly customized for a specific chip. Furthermore, the actual chip does not provide reliable single bit fails, as it is the device under test (DUT). Also, when the actual chip is available, the test program must already be error-free, and its development should already be complete.
[0005] Running the developed test programs against a DUT simulation is not practically possible. Running the test program on a simulation system requires multiple transformation steps. These too are likely to introduce new errors, thereby rendering such a solution not practical.
[0006] Emulation lends itself as a solution to this problem. Logic circuits can be emulated by directly attaching an emulation system to the wafer tester. Hence, logic emulation without error injection is commonly used. Also, error injection is possible, since non-array signals can be controlled during the runtime of the emulation system. Without error injection, the array circuits can be emulated. In contrast, emulation with error injection is practically impossible for arrays. The reason is that the arrays of the design are mapped to internal memories of the emulation machine. As such, they are not controllable by software running on the emulation machine. Single array cells cannot be simply stuck by software on the emulation machine. Bit Fail Mapping, however, requires single array cells to be stuck reliably and without impact on emulation performance.
[0007] As a remedy one could model arrays as single latches on the emulation machine. But the required amount of emulation resource for this approach is prohibitive. In practice, the test programs are first developed without testing, and checked using actual chips after they arrived from the wafer fabrication. To provide reliable injected errors on actual chips, single bit cells are physically destroyed using the FIB (Focused Ion Beam) method. Such a treatment of wafers is expensive and very time-consuming, since it is done by external companies. It is also error-prone, because the different logical and physical layout of a memory needs to be taken into account.
[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 6,829,572 discloses a method and system in a logic simulator machine for overriding a value of a net in an array during execution of a test routine while the logic simulator machine is simulating a logic design. Although this principally enables sticking of single array cells in a simulation system, sticks have to be renewed per simulation cycle.
[0009] White paper ‘Accelerated Hardware/Software Co-Verification’ of Cadence Design Systems, Inc. discloses a logic simulator for modeling an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) and all other hardware components in a logic design except the processor and memory. The memory is ‘modeled’ by workstation memory, which as a result prevents injection of control and stuck of errors, and thus limits the possibility of emulating erroneous arrays.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] It is therefore an object of present invention to provide a method and system for reliable and fast testing of memory hardware.
[0011] This object is achieved by the invention as defined in the independent claims. Further advantageous embodiments of the present invention are defined in the dependent claims.
[0012] In one aspect of the invention there is provided a method of manipulating a representation of memory array hardware, said method comprising the steps of modifying a representation of an electronic circuit such that errors can be injected in the array by manipulation of associated read and/or write logic of the array via input signals, building an emulator model from said the modified representation, and injecting errors into an emulation of said emulator model for determining the array to get stick (stuck-at fault) capabilities.
[0013] One important point of the inventive manipulation method is that the array itself is not changed, only its associated access logic, either read or write. Therefore, error injection signals can be accessed normally on an emulator. The array can still be mapped to the emulator internal memories, which means that space is saved. Since the model is changed such that array sticks are naturally integrated, no runtime overhead that provides interrupts every cycle through emulator control code is necessary. Therefore, the approach is faster than existing solutions. Furthermore, no read/write path is added, so evaluation takes place only when array is really accessed. Therefore, no additional array evaluations are required compared to a model without such stick capability. The inventive method is not restricted to emulation of array hardware alone, but may the same be applied for simulation applications as well.
[0014] The original hardware representation can be changed before and/or during the emulator model building process. Thus, introduction of array sticks can be carried out in two ways. In the first way it is done manually by user interaction, wherein the user provides e.g. a changed HDL (Hardware Description Language) representation of an array that should get stick capabilities. In the second way it is done automatically during model build process. In the latter case, the user sets a configuration option to determine the array(s) to get stick capabilities. The representation of the array is then changed during the build process for the emulation model e.g. between a compile and a flatten step. The change step does not need to take place at a specific point in the model build process. It can be executed at several places in the process.
[0015] During such step, it is preferred that said input signals can be controlled at emulation runtime, e.g. via command line input. Such control increases reliability of the error injection. For evaluation and testing purposes, said memory errors introduced into the emulator model can also be turned on at configurable memory addresses. This is especially helpful in a further step of stimulating the emulator model for detecting said errors at defined positions.
[0016] In a further aspect of the invention a method of compiling a representation of memory array hardware in the above building step of an emulator model is provided, wherein a hierarchical netlist is used, said method comprising the steps of identifying a desired array memory signal by type or attribute from the netlist, identifying an assignment of said array memory signal to a data output signal in said netlist, and inserting an equivalent of error injection behavioral in between the data output signal and the array memory signal.
[0017] One important aspect of the inventive compilation method is that the netlist, having a design block implementing the above additional steps, allows for reliable error injection at arbitrary bit positions within the array. A further advantage is that the facilities related to error injection are design nets like VHDL (Virtual Hardware Description Language) signals, which can be changed dynamically during the runtime of the emulation model. Error injection may then use an existing read/write port, such that runtime code of the emulation model translates an array stick into the designed instantiation of said port. This enables debugging of a test environment at runtime before the silicon arrives. The test environment may use an emulation machine in conjunction with a tester.
[0018] Hence, in another aspect of the invention there is also provided an emulation computer system adapted for performing the methods described herein, which is connectable to tester hardware. Since the arrays can be manipulated on the machine, they can be tested hard and fast. Said emulation computer system is preferably used for checking the error detection behavioral of a wafer tester device. If such device reliably recognizes the errors injected into the emulator model, error detection in real silicon is improved.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] Manipulation of hardware representation according to present invention will be explained in closer detail throughout the following by way of an example. Same parts or parts of equal effect are denoted by the same reference numerals. It is shown in:
[0020] FIG. 1 a block diagram illustrating a test environment for memory arrays according to the invention;
[0021] FIG. 2 a a flow chart illustrating a traditional emulator model build process for memory arrays, and
[0022] FIG. 2 b a flow chart illustrating the emulator model build process according to the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0023] FIG. 1 shows a block diagram illustrating a test environment for memory arrays according to the invention. Such environment must be prepared using certain methods and operated according to a distinct scheme in distinct order. The invention further requires a certain set of different systems that are connected to each other.
[0024] An emulation computer system 1 executing an especially adapted representation 2 of an array design acts as device under test DUT. Said system 1 is connected via interface card 3 with a wafer test system 4 having a test program 5 . The adapted representation 2 of the device under test is executed such that it acts as a virtual test object for the test program 5 that controls the operation of the wafer test system 4 . The representation 2 of the design is generated automatically during the model build process. The changes are not generally in the array cells, but in the surrounding read and/or write logic.
[0025] As for executing the complete testing process, the wafer test system 4 is connected to the emulation computer system 1 via the interface subsystem 3 . On the emulation computer system 1 , an adapted representation 2 of the device under test is loaded. The representation of the device under test is changed from the original such that errors can be injected into the read or write logic of the memory. The changed representation 2 is generated automatically from the original design source. Commands on the emulation system 1 turn on reliably injected errors (virtual bit fails) at configurable memory addresses. The test program 5 under development is executed on the tester 4 . It stimulates the DUT representation on the emulation system 1 and receives the output of the DUT representation via the interface subsystem 3 . The adapted representation 2 of the device under test is executed on the emulation system 1 . It acts as the test object needed for the checking of the test programs correctness.
[0026] Using this approach, a virtual test object has been created, against which programs for Bit Fail Mapping can be developed and checked. It enables virtual Bit Fail Mapping. This work can be done at leisure, before the actual chip is physically available. The time-consuming debugging process is shifted to a phase where tester time is cheapest. The bit fails of the virtual test object are reliable and configurable, therefore allowing for thorough testing of the developed tester programs. This results in additional timesavings when tester time is most expensive. Giving known-good chips to external companies and physically damage them in order to generate physical test objects is no longer necessary. Thus, the overall time for bit-fail mapping is shortened.
[0027] The adapted representation 2 of the device under test is generated automatically from the original description of the chip design, i.e. during the process of building an emulation model of the hardware description language (HDL) representation of the design under test.
[0028] A change in the design representation is necessary, because arrays are represented by internal memories of the emulation system for performance and resource reasons. Hence, array cells cannot be manipulated directly in the emulated representation of the design.
[0029] The change is targeted at the write or the read logic of the array through the introduction of additional signals and constants. Thus the write or read vector at certain addresses can be manipulated to yield the desired erroneous value in arbitrary bits. Through the use of normal signals the errors can be turned on and off by issuing commands at the command line interface of the emulation system.
[0030] Thus, the HDL description of the array itself is not manipulated, but the description of the directly adjacent logic blocks is. Without this invention, error injection through emulation would be difficult.
[0031] An example description of a memory block in VHDL language for clarifying what automatic changes are applied to the design during the model build process is given below and described throughout the following:
[0000]
ENTITY memory_block IS
PORT(
rwport0
: IN std_ulogic_vector(0 to 4);
rwdataout0
: OUT std_ulogic_vector(0 to 41);
rwdatain0
: IN std_ulogic_vector(0 to 41);
rwren0
: IN std_ulogic;
rwwen0
: IN std_ulogic );
END memory_block;
ARCHITECTURE original OF memory_block IS
--Useful constants
CONSTANT addrlen
: integer := 5;
CONSTANT width
: integer := 42;
CONSTANT addrtotal
: integer := 32;
CONSTANT arraytotal
: integer := 32;
-- The type definition for the RAM
TYPE RAM_TYPE IS ARRAY(0 TO addrtotal−1) OF
std_ulogic_vector(0 TO width−1);
--The RAM
SIGNAL data_array : RAM_TYPE;
BEGIN - Architecture
--writes into the array
WRITES : PROCESS (rwport0, rwwenO, rwdatain0)
BEGIN -- WRITES
-- read/write port 0 enabled
IF (rwwen0 = ‘1’) THEN
data_array(TConv(rwport0)) <= rwdatain0;
END IF;
END PROCESS WRITES;
--reads from array
READS : PROCESS (rwport0, rwren0)
BEGIN -- READS
IF (rwren0 = ‘1’) THEN
rwdataout0 <= data_array(TConv(rwport0));
ELSE
rwdataout0 <= (others => ‘1’);
END IF;
END PROCESS READS;
END original;
[0032] During the model build compile process, the representation is automatically changed to allow for bit error injection capability. To understand how this is effectuated, it is necessary to explain the traditional model build process.
[0033] FIG. 2 a shows a flow chart illustrating a traditional emulator model build process for memory arrays. In S 1 (Step 1 ) the original HDL description of a design DD (Design Data) is first compiled into a hierarchical netlist. The netlist is then flattened in S 2 (Step 2 ), i.e. the hierarchy information is stripped from the netlist. Afterwards, the flat netlist is converted in S 3 (Step 3 ) into the representation required for the simulation/emulation system 1 . Finally, specific optimization for the target simulator/emulator model SM (Simulator Model) can be carried out in S 4 (Step 4 ).
[0034] FIG. 2 b shows a flow chart illustrating the emulator model build process according to the invention. Through the introduction of the error injection capability the process is enhanced by additional steps S 5 . . . S 7 (Step 5 . . . Step 7 ) that are inserted between compilation of the HDL description in S 1 and the flattening of the netlist in S 2 .
[0035] As additional input ES (Error Specification) to the model build process, the user must designate the hierarchical instance name of the memory that should have errors injected. The representation thereof in this memory instance is then adapted during the model build process. This happens in three steps, which are detailed for the case where the representation of the surrounding read logic is changed. The process is analogous for a change in the surrounding write logic.
[0036] In S 5 the desired net that implements the memory in the compiled net list is identified. It can be determined by type or by attribute. In the VHDL example description above, it is designated by its type RAM-TYPE=(array (0 to (addrtotal−1)) of std ulogic vector (0 to width−1)). To identify the net by attribute, an attribute would have to be added to the VHDL signal data array. An option-error_inject_awan may be provided with a hierarchical instance name of the array that should have the error injected.
[0037] Afterwards, in S 6 a netlist location corresponding to a assignment is identified where the memory signal is assigned to the data output signal. In the above VHDL description, this is rwdataout 0 . The assignment is rwdataout 0 <=data_array (TConv (rwport 0 )), which finds the VHDL signal corresponding to the array having the errors and isolates the read output signal fed by the memory signal.
[0038] Finally, in S 7 a design block is interposed between data out signal and memory signal, i.e. the simple assignment above is replaced by the block. It comprises the netlist equivalent of the HDL design block, as shown below. The function for converting the memory signal into the data out signal is given in bold letters. All signals are initialized to zero before continuing model build.
[0000]
BEGIN error_inject_block
--Added signals for error injection
--error injection enable signal
SIGNAL inject_error
: std_ulogic := ‘0’;
--value to stick the erroneous bit to
SIGNAL stuckval: std_ulogic := ‘1’;
--word line address of erroneous cell
SIGNAL stuckwaddr
: std_ulogic_vector (0 to 4) := B“000001”;
--bit address of erroneous cell
SIGNAL stuckbaddr
: std_ulogic_vector (0 to 5) := B“00000”;
rwdataout0 <= data_array(TConv(rwport0));
IF ((rwport0 = stuckwaddr) AND (inject
—
error = ‘1’)) THEN
rwdataout0(TConv(stuckbaddr)) <= stuckval; -- error injection
END error inject_block
[0039] The netlist with the interposed block allows for reliable error injection at arbitrary positions within the array. As the facilities related to error injection are design nets like VHDL signals, they can be changed dynamically during the runtime of the emulation. This would not be possible, if they were implemented as variables. The netlist, which has thus been enhanced with the error injection capability, then undergoes the remaining steps as in the usual model building process. The result is a changed representation of the design under test, i.e. an emulation model SME (Simulation Model Error) with error injection capability.
[0040] Although the example illustrates the automatic representation change of the design during the model build process, a secondary solution is also possible. In this case, the HDL architecture of the array entity in question could be changed manually. It would then show the same behavior as with the inserted error inject block described above.
[0041] In contrast thereto the implementation as model build option that allows for error injection consists of a different architecture, of which a possible implementation is shown in the example below. In the example only the read logic is changed, which is again indicated by bold letters. However, analogous changes can be effectuated on the write logic instead or in addition. By implementing the facilities related to error injection as VHDL signals, they can be changed dynamically during the runtime of the emulation. This would not be practical, if they were implemented as variables.
[0000]
ENTITY memory_block IS
PORT(
rwport0
: IN std_ulogic_vector(0 to 4);
rwdataout0
: OUT std_ulogic_vector(0 to 41);
rwdatain0
: IN std_ulogic_vector(0 to 41);
rwren0
: IN std_ulogic;
rwwen0
: IN std_ulogic );
END memory_block;
ARCHITECTURE allow_error_inject OF
memory_block IS
--Useful constants
CONSTANT addrlen
: integer := 5;
CONSIANT width
: integer := 42;
CONSTANT addrtotal
: integer := 32;
CONSTANT arraytotal
: integer := 32;
The type definition for the RAM
TYPE RAM_TYPE IS ARRAY(0 TO addrtotal−1) OF
std_ulogic_vector(0 TO width−1);
The RAM
SIGNAL data_array : RAM_TYPE;
Added signals for error injection
error injection enable signal
SIGNAL inject — error : std — ulogic := ‘0’;
value to stick the erroneous bit to
SIGNAL stuckval : std — ulogic := ‘1’;
word line address of erroneous cell
SIGNAL stuckwaddr
: std
—
ulogic
—
vector (0 to 4) := B“000001”;
bit address of erroneous cell
SIGNAL stuckbaddr
: std
—
ulogic
—
vector (0 to 5) := B“00000”;
BEGIN - Architecture
writes into the array
WRITES : PROCESS (rwport0, rwwenO, rwdatain0)
BEGIN -- WRITES
read/write port 0 enabled
IF (rwwen0 = ‘1’) THEN
Data_array(TConv(rwport0)) <= rwdatain0;
END IF;
END PROCESS WRITES;
reads from array
READS : PROCESS (rwport0, rwren0)
BEGIN -- READS
IF (rwren0 = ‘1’) THEN
rwdataout0 <= data_array(TConv(rwport0));
IF ((rwport0 = stuckwaddr) AND (inject — error =
‘1’)) THEN rwdataout0(TConv(stuckbaddr))
<= stuckval; -- error injection
END IF
ELSE
rwdataout0 <= (others => ‘1’);
END IF;
END PROCESS READS;
END original;
[0042] What the invention provides for is ‘Virtual Bit Fail Mapping,’ since a virtual test object has been created, against which programs for Bit Fail Mapping can be developed and checked before silicon returns. The time-consuming debugging process is shifted to the phase where tester time is cheapest. Furthermore, the bit fails of the virtual object are reliable and configurable, allowing for thorough testing of the developed tester programs. This results in additional timesavings when tester time is most expensive. Also, no damaging of real hardware is needed to get test objects and FIB treatment can be avoided. Finally, overall time for bit-fail mapping is thus shortened.
[0043] The present invention can be realized in hardware, software, or a combination carrying out the methods described herein is suitable. A typical combination of hardware and software could be a general-purpose computer system with a computer program that, when being loaded and executed, controls the computer system such that it carries out the methods described herein.
[0044] The present invention can also be embedded in a computer program product, which comprises all the features enabling the implementation of the methods described herein, and which, when loaded in a computer system, is able to carry out these methods.
[0045] Computer program means or a computer program in the present context mean any expression, in any language, code or notation, of a set of instructions intended to cause a system having an information processing capability to perform a particular function either directly or after either or all of the following, namely conversion to another language, code or notation, or reproduction in a different material form.
[0046] Furthermore, the method described herein may take the form of a computer program product accessible from a computer-usable or computer-readable medium providing program code for use by or in connection with a computer or any instruction execution system. For the purposes of this description, a computer-usable or computer readable medium may be any apparatus that can contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transport the program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. The medium may be an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system (or apparatus or device) or a propagation medium. Examples of a computer-readable medium include a semiconductor or solid-state memory, magnetic tape, a removable computer diskette, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), a rigid magnetic disk and an optical disk. Current examples of optical disks include compact disk, read only memory (CD-ROM), compact disk, read/write (CD-RW), and DVD. | The invention relates to a method and system for testing bit failures in array elements of an electronic circuit. Said method comprising the steps of changing an original hardware representation (DD) of the array such that errors can be injected in a memory by manipulation of associated read and/or write logic of the memory via input signals, building an emulator model (SME) from said changed hardware representation for emulating the array, and injecting errors into the changed hardware representation for determining the array to get stick capabilities. | 6 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims the priority, under 35 U.S.C. §119, of German Patent Application DE 10 2009 008 111.9, filed Feb. 9, 2009; the prior application is herewith incorporated by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and a printing technology machine for controlling the color in printing technology machines, wherein color measured values are measured without a UV filter and are converted through the use of a computer to color measured values measured with a UV filter, and vice versa, and wherein the color measured values measured without/with a UV filter can be recorded through the use of a color measurement instrument on a substrate.
During the production of printed products, the print quality must be continually checked during production. In order to do that, sample sheets are taken from the printing machine at least at specific time intervals, and are measured through the use of a color measurement instrument. The color measured values recorded in that way are then compared with the original. If any intolerable discrepancies occur during that process, then the color in the printing machine must be changed in such a way that the substrates that are produced are once again as close as possible to the original. So-called optical brighteners are very widely used in modern substrates. However, those optical brighteners influence the color impression since they convert the UV components of the illuminating light to visible light in the short-wave range. Visually, the substrate thereby appears to be slightly bluish, and therefore whiter. However, that influences the overall color impression. When color measurements are then carried out for quality control purposes through the use of a color measurement instrument on substrates such as those with brighteners, the measurement result is significantly dependent on the UV component of the illuminating light, and the effect of the optical brightener. All color measurement instruments which operate without a UV filter have a significant UV component in the illuminating light, as a result of which that problem occurs widely with color measurement instruments. A further problem results from the fact that the UV components in the illuminating light may fluctuate. In consequence, the measured values vary in a corresponding manner, which in turn adversely affects the comparability of measurements which have been carried out using different color measurement instruments and different UV components. Particularly major discrepancies occur when one measurement instrument is equipped with a UV filter while the other operates without a UV filter. In order to make measurements such as those comparable, the color measured values recorded without a UV filter and those recorded with a UV filter must, however, be made comparable in some way. In this application, a UV filter means a UV filter which suppresses the UV component and allows only the spectrum of the light outside the UV spectrum to pass. UV filters such as those are also referred to as UV cut filters, and those two expressions are used synonymously in the instant application.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a method and a printing technology machine for conversion of color measured values measured without a filter into color measured values measured with a filter and vice versa, which overcome the hereinafore-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known methods and machines of this general type and which convert color measured values measured without a spectral filter into color measured values measured with a spectral filter, and vice versa and thus make them comparable.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a method for controlling color in printing technology machines. The method comprises measuring color measured values without/with a UV filter and converting the color measured values with a computer into color measured values measured with/without a UV filter, recording the color measured values measured without/with a UV filter with a color measurement instrument on a substrate, supplying spectral remission values of the substrate measured with and without a UV filter to the computer, and converting color measured values measured without/with a UV filter to color measured values measured with/without a UV filter in the computer while taking the supplied spectral remission values of the substrate into account and using them to control the color in the printing technology machine.
In the case of the method according to the invention, color measured values are measured without a spectral filter and are converted in a computer to color measured values measured with a spectral filter, and vice versa, in order to create comparability between the color measured values measured in various ways. The color measured values measured without/with a spectral filter are recorded through the use of a color measurement instrument on the substrate, whereas the complementary color measured values are simply calculated. In order to allow this conversion to be carried out, the spectral remission values of the substrate are measured on one hand with and on the other hand without a spectral filter and are supplied to a computer, as a result of which the computer can convert color measured values measured without a spectral filter to color measured values measured with a spectral filter, and vice versa, taking into account these supplied spectral remission values of the substrate, and can use them to control the color in a printing machine.
First of all, this type of conversion is independent of the wavelength of the spectrum, and can be used for different spectral filters. However, since the UV component must primarily be taken into account with respect to the paper white, the spectral filter is preferably a UV filter, as a result of which color measured values recorded with a color measurement instrument without a UV filter are converted to color measured values measured with a UV filter, and vice versa.
In accordance with another mode of the invention, the computer is supplied with the spectral remission of the colors on the substrate measured without/with a spectral filter. A correction factor which in each case describes the intensity of the contribution of the optical brightener to the respective remission spectrum of the respective color can be determined empirically, in particular, on the basis of the spectral remission of the four primary colors cyan, yellow, magenta and black. This correction factor is therefore determined for each of the four primary colors.
In accordance with a further mode of the invention, the spectral influence of optical brightener in the substrate is determined in the computer. For this purpose, the difference from the white spectrum of the substrate is formed on one hand without a UV filter and on the other hand with a UV filter. The already mentioned correction factor can then be determined through the use of the spectral influence, determined in this way, of the optical brightener in the substrate.
In accordance with an added mode of the invention, the correction factors are recorded by recording color measured values on a plurality of substrates that have been produced. In order to empirically determine the correction factors for the primary colors, a plurality of printed sheets, for example 14 printed sheets, are measured which have been printed by using two different color series on seven different substrates. Here, in each case one full-tone field and a 50% matrix field are measured for each of the four primary colors, on one hand with a UV filter and on the other hand without a UV filter. The color measured values recorded in this way with a UV filter are converted to color measured values recorded without a UV filter using the already described method, and vice versa, and are compared with the measured values. An optimization method is then used to determine a correction factor, in order to approximate the calculated values to the measured values.
With the objects of the invention in view, there is concomitantly provided a printing machine, comprising a computer for carrying out the steps of the method according to the invention.
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 a method and a printing technology machine for conversion of color measured values measured without a filter into color measured values measured with a filter and vice versa, 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 SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a graph showing, by way of example, a spectrum of a white substrate measured on one hand with a UV filter and on the other hand without a UV filter;
FIG. 2 is a graph showing full-tone spectra of the four primary colors, measured with and without a UV filter; and
FIG. 3 is a graph showing a comparison between the full-tone spectra measured with a UV filter and the full-tone spectra calculated with a UV filter, additionally showing the full-tone spectra measured without a UV filter.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The following detailed description of the invention makes reference to the figures of the drawings as a whole:
1. Conversion of Color Measured Values Measured with a Filter to Color Measured Values Measured without a Filter
a) Determination of the Remission Component of the Color without the Substrate Influence
In a first step, the pure remission component of the color without the substrate influence is determined. Since the glazing printed color acts like a color filter on the substrate, the influence of the substrate can be calculated by division by the substrate spectrum. This results in the N-dimensional remission vector which describes the remission characteristic of the pure color layer.
β F (λ i )=β F with UVcut (λ i )/β PW with UVcut (λ i )
β F (λ i ) Remission level of the pure color layer independently of the substrate influence and independently of whether a filter has or has not been used β F with UVcut(λ i ) Remission level of the color on the substrate measured with a UV filter β PW with UVcut(λ i ) Remission level of the substrate measured with a UV filter
b) Determination of the Spectral Influence of the Optical Brightener in the Substrate
The maximum emission component of the optical brightener is now determined by forming the difference between the substrate/white spectrum in FIG. 1 without a UV filter and the substrate/white spectrum with a UV filter.
γ optical brightener (λ i )=β PW without UVcut(λ i )−β PW with UVcut(λ i )
γ optical brightener (λ i ) Pure emission level of the optical brightener in the i-th wavelength interval β PW without UVcut(λ i ) Remission level of the substrate without a UVcut filter, measured in the i-th wavelength interval β PW with UVcut(λ i ) Remission level of the substrate with a UVcut filter, measured in the i-th wavelength interval
The contribution γ optical brightener (λ i ) is required to determine the correction factor in the next step.
c) Determine Correction Value
The correction value is based on the consideration that the color impression of all printed surfaces is influenced by the contribution of the optical brightener. This contribution is dependent on the excitation level of the optical brightener. Mathematically speaking, this means that the emission component of the optical brightener in the measured remission spectra of the colors is weighted with a factor. This is dependent on the absorption characteristics of the colors in the short-wave range.
The contribution of the optical brightener in the measured remission spectrum varies as a function of the absorption of a color in the short-wave range. There are two reasons for this: on one hand, the transparency of a color in the non-visible short-wave range below about 400 nm governs the excitation level of the optical brightener. On the other hand, the emission radiation produced by the optical brighteners in the short-wave visible range between about 400 nm and 470 nm is once again partially absorbed by the color.
In order to provide for correct recording of the processes, it would be advantageous to know the spectral profile of the colors in the abovementioned wavelength ranges. However, the range below 400 nm can only be inadequately recorded, or not at all, by the color measurement instruments used in the printing industry. It is therefore necessary to estimate the spectral profiles in the short-wave visible range. One or more reliably measured remission values in the wavelength range around 420 nm are used for this purpose. The remission in the wavelength interval 420-430 nm is preferably used. Since this value is different for each printed color, the expression color-dependent factor is used. This describes the response of the real printed color series on the real substrate. This therefore results in an accuracy improvement, and is referred to as β F (λ i=j ). Since a measured remission value describes the behavior of the light passing through the color layer twice, the square root of this remission value must be used, on the basis of the color filter theory, for the conversion process, in order to obtain a measure for the transmissivity of the color in this range.
In addition, an empirically determined correction factor b F must be introduced, which has been determined for each of the four primary printed colors CMYK in FIG. 2 . This describes the intensity of the contribution of the optical brightener to the remission spectrum of the colors.
In order to determine the influence of the optical brightener in a color spectrum measured without a UVcut filter, this therefore results in the following correction term:
β Correction (λ i )=γ optical brightener (λ i )* b F *√β F (λ i=j )
β Correction (λ i ) Remission correction vector in the i-th wavelength interval β F (λ j ) Relative remission of the color in the wavelength interval j, in this case, preferably, λ i=j=420 nm b F Empirically determined correction factors, as a function of the transmissivity of the respective color series in the range from 320-420 nm.
Fε{K, C, M, Y} b K =1.4 b C =0.8 b M =1.3 b Y =1.4
The empirical determination of b F will be described further below.
d) Determine Remission Spectra of the Colors without a UV Filter
In the final step, the sum of the determined correction vector β correction (λ i ) and the spectrum of the substrate with a UV filter is multiplied by the spectrum of the pure color layer. The following term calculates a spectrum which is very similar to a measured corresponding spectrum without a UV filter, see FIG. 3 :
β F without UVcut(λ i )=β F (λ i )*(β PW with UVcut(λ i )+β Correction (λ i ))
The above statements apply only to consideration of primary color full tones. An extension to any desired matrix compositions will be described in the following text.
Variants
1. Variants are possible with modified correction factors in the shortened wavelength range [400 . . . 700 nm] or with broader wavelength intervals (20 nm). 2. If the intention is not to convert the pure primary colors CMYK to the new filter setting, but colors based on dot-matrix printing or over printing, the correction factors b F are calculated on the basis of the proportion of the area coverages.
b
F
=
(
FD
K
100
·
b
K
)
+
(
FD
C
100
·
b
C
)
+
(
FD
M
100
·
b
M
)
+
(
FD
Y
100
·
b
Y
)
(
FD
K
+
FD
C
+
FD
M
+
FD
Y
)
/
100
FD K . . . Area coverage black [%]
FD C . . . Area coverage cyan [%]
FD M . . . Area coverage magenta [%]
FD Y . . . Area coverage yellow [%]
Empirical Determination of the Correction Factors b F :
By way of example, 14 different printed sheets are measured for empirical determination of the correction factors b F , printed with two different color series on seven different substrates. In each case one full-tone field and one 50% matrix field are measured with and without a UV filter for each of the four primary colors CMYK.
The values recorded with a UV filter have been converted to values measured without a UV filter, and have been compared with the measured values, using the above method. The correction factor for an average, minimal delta E over all the samples is determined through the use of an optimization method. In order to do this, the respective pseudo-UV spectra are calculated by variation of b F , the colorimetric lab values are determined from this, and these are compared with the lab values of the corresponding spectra actually measured with a UV filter.
2. Conversion of Color Measured Values Measured without a Filter to Color Measured Values Measured with a Filter
a) Determination of the Spectral Influence of the Optical Brightener in the Substrate
First of all, the maximum emission component of the optical brightener is determined by forming the difference between the substrate spectrum without a UV filter and the substrate spectrum with a UV filter.
γ optical brightener (λ i )=β PW without UVcut(λ i )−β PW with UVcut(λ i )
γ optical brightener (λ i ) Pure emission level of the optical brightener in the i-th remission interval β PW without UVcut(λ i ) Remission level of the substrate measured without a UV filter, in the i-th remission interval β PW with UVcut(λ j ) Remission level of the substrate measured with a UV filter, in the i-th remission interval
This element is required to determine the correction factor in the next step.
b) Determination of the Correction Value
The following correction term is therefore obtained in order to determine the influence of the optical brightener in a color spectrum measured without a UV filter:
β Correction (λ i )=γ optical brightener (λ i )*√{square root over (β F without UVcut (λ i=j ))}* g F
β Correction (λ i ) Remission correction vector in the i-th remission interval β F without UVcut(λ j ) Relative remission of the color in the wavelength interval j, in this case preferably λ i=j=420 nm g F Empirically determined correction factors, as a function of the transmissivity of the respective color series in the range 320-420 nm.
Fε{K, C, M, Y} g K =1.2 g C =0.7 g M =1.1 g Y =1.9
The empirical determination of g F is described below.
c) Determination of the Remission Component of the Color without the Substrate Influence
In this step, the pure remission component of the color without the substrate influence, and therefore also without the influence of the optical brightener, is determined. Since the glazing printed color acts like a color filter on the substrate, the influence of the substrate can be calculated by division by the substrate spectrum. This results in the N-dimensional remission vector, which describes the remission characteristic of the pure color layer.
β F (λ i )=β F without UVcut(λ i )/(β PW without UVcut(λ i )−β Correction (λ i ))
β F (λ i ) Remission level of the pure color layer independently of the substrate influence and independently of whether a filter has or has not been used, in the i-th remission interval β F without UVcut(λ i ) Remission level of the color on the substrate measured without a UV filter, in the i-th remission interval β PW without UVcut(λ i ) Remission level of the substrate measured without a UV filter, in the i-th remission interval
d) Determination of the Remission Spectra of the Colors with a UV Filter
In the final step, the spectrum of the substrate with a UV filter is multiplied by the spectrum of the pure color layer. The following term calculates a spectrum which is very similar to a measured corresponding spectrum with a UV filter, see FIG. 3 .
β F with UVcut(λ i )=β F (λ i )*β PW with UVcut(λ i )
However, the above statements apply only to a consideration of primary color full tones.
The variants mentioned in 1.) are also possible in this conversion direction, and the correction factors g F are empirically determined in the same way as the correction factors b F .
The major advantage of the invention is that only the color measured values for the substrate have to be available, measured on one hand with and on the other hand without a UV filter, in each of the two conversion directions, and all the other color spectra can then be calculated. The color measured values of the substrate can also be provided by the supplier, which means that the printer does not have to carry out his or her own measurements on the substrate. The color measured values can likewise be checked in a database. | A method for controlling color in printing technology machines, includes measuring color measured values without/with a UV filter and converting them with a computer to color measured values measured with/without a UV filter. The color measured values measured without/with a UV filter are recorded by a color measurement instrument on a substrate. The spectral remission values of the substrate measured with and without a UV filter are supplied to the computer and the computer converts color measured values measured without/with a UV filter to color measured values measured with/without a UV filter taking into account these supplied spectral remission values of the substrate, and uses them to control the color in the printing technology machine. A printing technology machine having a computer for carrying out the method, is also provided. | 6 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a thin-film magnetic head, and more particularly to a thin-film magnetic head mounted on a swing-type actuator (a rotary actuator) in a magnetic disk device.
Magnetic disk devices are being miniaturized, so that the diameter of the magnetic disk used in each of them is decreased by about 1.8 inches. Due to the decrease of the diameter of the magnetic disk, the velocity of the magnetic head relative to the magnetic disk is decreased. In addition, to prevent the recording capacity of the miniaturized magnetic disk from being decreased, recording tracks must be formed at a high density on the magnetic disk. Thus, it is required that the thin-film magnetic head function normally even if the relative velocity of the magnetic head to the magnetic disk is decreased and even if the recording tracks are formed at a high density on the magnetic disk.
(2) Description of the Related Art
FIGS. 1A and 1B indicate a structure of a conventional thin-film magnetic head disclosed, for example, in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 61-276110. FIG. 1A is a cross sectional view of the conventional thin-film magnetic head and FIG. 1B is a view thereof projected on the surface of the magnetic disk.
Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, the thin-film magnetic head 10 has a substrate 11, a reproducing head part 15 and a recording head part 13. The reproducing head part 15 is stacked on the substrate 11, and further, the recording head part 13 is formed on the reproducing head part 15. The reproducing head part 15 has an insulating layer 19, a first magnetic layer 16, an insulating layer 19a, a second magnetic layer 17 and a magnetoresistance effect element (hereinafter referred to as an MR element) 14. The insulating layer 19 is formed on the substrate 11, and a structure in which the insulating layer 19a is positioned between the first magnetic layer 16 and the second magnetic layer 17 is stacked on the insulating layer 19. The MR element 14 is provided in the insulating layer 19 so as to face the surface 100 of the magnetic disk. In this reproducing head part 15, a reproducing gap 22 is formed between ends of the first and second magnetic layers 16 and 17 so as to face the surface 100 of the magnetic disk. The recording head part 13 has a structure in which an insulating layer 20a is sandwiched between the second magnetic layer 17 and a third magnetic layer 18, an insulating layer 20 covering the third magnetic layer 18 and coils 12 provided in the insulating layer 20a. A recording gap 21 is formed between ends of the second and third magnetic layers 17 and 18. The magnetic layers 16, 17 and 18 are made of NiFe (permalloy).
In the reproducing head part 15, the first magnetic layer 16 and the second magnetic layer 17 function as shield layers, and in the recording head part 13, the second magnetic layer 17 and the third magnetic layer 18 function as magnetic poles. That is, the second magnetic layer 17 is shared by both the reproducing head part 15 and the recording head part 13. This type of magnetic head is often referred to as a sharing type magnetic head. Another type of magnetic head is referred to, for example, as a separate type magnetic head. In the separate type magnetic head, the reproducing head part 15 and the recording head part 13 have two shield layers and two magnetic poles respectively. Thus, an interval (a) between the recording gap 21 and the reproducing gap 22 in the sharing type magnetic head can be narrower than that in the separate type magnetic head. The interval (a) between the recording gap 21 and the reproducing gap 22 is referred to as a gap interval (a).
According to the thin-film magnetic head having the above structure, information is reproduced from the magnetic disk via the MR element 14 of the reproducing head part 15. Thus, even if the relative velocity of the thin-film magnetic head 10 to the magnetic disk is small, reproducing signals having high levels can be obtained.
The above gap interval (a) depends on the thickness (t) of the second magnetic layer 17. Here, if it is assumed that the magnetic coercive force H c of the recording layer of the magnetic disk is equal, for example, to 1,800 Oe (oersted), a recording magnetic field strength equal to or greater than 3,600 Oe which is twice the magnetic coercive force H c is required to securely record signals in the recording layer of the magnetic disk. Since the saturation magnetic flux density B s of NiFe forming the magnetic layer 17 is equal to 1 T (tesla), the thickness (t) of the magnetic layer 17 must be equal to or greater than 2.4 μm to form a magnetic field having a magnetic field strength equal to or greater than 3,600 Oe in the space facing the end of the magnetic layer 17 (see a line I in FIG. 4). Thus, the conventional thin-film magnetic head has the gap interval (a), for example, of about 5 μm.
The thin-film magnetic head having the above structure is mounted at the end of a swing-type actuator which pivots on the other end thereof. Due to the pivoting of the swing-type actuator having the thin-film magnetic head, the angle between the direction of the thin-film magnetic head and the direction in which tracks of the magnetic disk runs varies. This angle is referred to as the yaw angle. A width of an area on which information is not reproduced to the variation of the yaw angle is defined as a yaw angle loss. Detailed description of the yaw angle and the yaw angle loss will be given later.
For example, in a case where the yaw angle of the swing-type actuator on which the above thin-film magnetic head is mounted is 10 degrees, the yaw angle loss has a large value of 1.75 μm. The larger the yaw angle loss, the smaller the width of a part of each track of the magnetic disk which part effectively faces the MR element 14 in the reproducing gap 22 of the thin-film magnetic head 10. Thus, if the yaw angle loss is large, it is difficult to reproduce a signal having a high quality. In addition the large yaw angle loss prevents the recording tracks from being formed at a high density on the magnetic disk.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, a general object of the present invention is to provide a novel and useful thin-film magnetic head in which the disadvantages of the aforementioned prior art are eliminated.
A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a thin-film magnetic head in which the yaw angle loss is as small as possible in a state where it is mounted on a swing-type actuator.
The above objects of the present invention are achieved by a thin-film magnetic head comprising: a recording unit for generating a magnetic flux at a recording gap, which flux is used to magnetically record information on a magnetic disk; and a reproducing unit for reproducing information at a reproducing gap from said magnetic disk, wherein said recording unit and said reproducing unit are integrated with each other in a state where an interval between a center of the recording gap and a center of the reproducing gap is equal to or less than 2 μm.
The above objects of the present invention are also achieved by a thin-film magnetic head comprising: a recording unit for generating a magnetic flux used to magnetically record information on a magnetic disk, said recording unit having a soft magnetic layer used as one of magnetic poles for generating the magnetic flux; and a reproducing unit for reproducing information from said magnetic disk, said reproducing unit being separated by said soft magnetic layer from said recording unit, wherein said soft magnetic layer has a saturation magnetic flux density greater than 1.3 tesla.
According to the present invention, since the interval between the recording point and the reproducing point can be small, the yaw angle loss of the thin-film magnetic head mounted on the swing-type actuator can be reduced. Thus, the reproducing signal having a high quality can be obtained, and the density at which tracks are arranged on the magnetic disk can be increased.
Additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIGS. 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating a structure of a conventional thin-film magnetic head.
FIGS. 2A and 2B are diagrams illustrating a structure of a thin-film magnetic head according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a swing-type actuator on which a thin-film magnetic head is mounted and a magnetic disk.
FIG. 4 is a graph illustrating relationships between the thickness of the magnetic layer and the magnetic field strength in parameters of saturation magnetic flux density.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a yaw angle loss of a thin-film magnetic head mounted on the swing-type actuator.
FIGS. 6A and 6B are diagrams illustrating a structure of a thin-film magnetic head according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIGS. 7A and 7B are diagrams illustrating a structure of a thin-film magnetic head according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
FIGS. 8A and 8B are diagrams illustrating a structure of a thin-film magnetic head according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
FIGS. 9A and 9B are diagrams illustrating a structure of a thin-film magnetic head according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
A description will now be given, with reference to FIGS. 2A, 2B, 3, 4 and 5, of a first embodiment of the present invention.
A thin-film magnetic head 30 shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B is mounted, as shown in FIG. 3, at an end of a swing-type actuator 32 in a magnetic disk device. Referring to FIG. 3, the swing-type actuator 32 pivots on a supporting point P within an angle range of Θ, so that the thin-film magnetic head is moved in the radial direction of a magnetic disk 33 within a range between the outermost position P1 (corresponding to the outermost track To) and the innermost position P2 (corresponding to the innermost track Ti). The sum of the yaw angle Θ1 between the intermediate position P3 (corresponding to the center track Tc) and the outermost position P1 and the yaw angle Θ2 between the intermediate position P3 and the innermost position P2 is the swing angle Θ. In a case where the swing angle Θ is equal to about 20 degrees, the yaw angles e1 and Θ2 are equal to about 10 degrees.
A thin-film magnetic head 30 having a structure shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B is a sharing type magnetic head. Referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B, a reproducing head part 50 is formed on a substrate 40, and a recording head part 48 is further formed on the reproducing head part 50. The reproducing head part 50 has an insulating layer 41, a lower shield layer 42, an insulating layer 41a, a FeN layer 44 and an MR element 43. The lower shield layer 42 is made of NiFe. The MR element 43 is provided in the insulating layer 41a so as to face the surface 100 of the magnetic disk 33. The FeN layer 44 functions as an upper shield layer. A reproducing gap 51 having a gap-length "c" is formed between the lower shield layer 42 (NiFe) and the FeN layer 44 so as to face the surface 100 of the magnetic disk 33. The recording head part 48 has the FeN layer 44, an insulating layer 47a, an upper magnetic layer 46, an insulating layer 47 and coils 45. The FeN layer 44 is shared by the reproducing head part 50 and the recording head part 48, and used as a lower magnetic layer in the recording head part 48. The upper magnetic layer 46 is made of NiFe. The FeN layer 44 and the upper magnetic layer 46 function as the magnetic poles. The coils 45 are provided in the insulating layer 47a so that a magnetic circuit is formed by the coils 45, the FeN layer 44 and the upper magnetic layer 46. A recording gap having a gap-length "b" is formed between ends of the FeN layer 44 (the lower magnetic layer) and the upper magnetic layer 46. The upper magnetic layer is covered by the insulating layer 47.
The saturation magnetic flux density B s of FeN is about 2 T (tesla) which is about twice as large as that of NiFe forming the conventional magnetic poles. The characteristic line II in FIG. 4 shows the relation between the thickness (t) of the FeN layer 44 (the magnetic layer) having the saturation magnetic flux density of 2T and the magnetic field strength formed in a horizontal direction in an area adjacent to the recording gap 49. According to this characteristic line II, even if the thickness (t) of the FeN layer 44 is reduced to 1.3 μm, the magnetic field strength of 3,600 Oe (oersted) is obtained.
Thus, in the structure of the thin-film magnetic head 30 shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the thickness (t1) of the FeN layer 44 used as the shield layer and the magnetic pole is set to 1.3 μm. In this case, the gap-length "b" of the recording gap 49 is about 0.4 μm, and the gap-length "c" of the reproducing gap 51 is about 0.4 μm. The gap interval a1 between the recording gap 49 and the reproducing gap 51 is about 1.7 μwhich is about half that of the conventional thin-film magnetic head (shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B).
A description will now be given, with reference to FIG. 5, of the yaw angle loss of the thin-film magnetic head 30, having the above structure, mounted on the swing-type actuator.
A state where the thin-film magnetic head 30 is positioned at the intermediate position P3 corresponding to the center track Tc is defined as the base state. In the base state, it is assumed that the center track Tc is not inclined against the recording gap 49, as shown in FIG. 5. When the recording gap 49 of the thin-film magnetic head 30 is fully aligned with the center track Tc in the base state, the reproducing gap 51 is fully aligned with the center track Tc and is not inclined against the center track Tc.
The swing-type actuator 32 pivots by Θ1 so that the thin-film magnetic head 30 is positioned at the outermost position P1 corresponding to the outermost track To. When the recording gap 49 completely faces the outermost track To in this state, the outermost track To is inclined by Θ1 against the reproducing gap 51, as shown in FIG. 5. In this state, the reproducing gap 51 is shifted by a length d1 relative to the outermost track To toward the center of the magnetic disk 33.
The swing-type actuator 32 pivots by Θ2 so that the thin-film magnetic head is positioned at the innermost position P2 corresponding to the innermost track Ti. When the recording gap 49 is fully aligned with the innermost track Ti in this state, the innermost track Ti is inclined by 82 against the reproducing gap 51, as shown in FIG. 5. In this state, the reproducing gap 51 is shifted toward the perimeter of the magnetic disk 33 by a length d2 relative to the innermost track Ti in an outer direction of the magnetic disk 33.
If the width of the MR element 43 is almost equal to the width of each track, due to the above shift of the reproducing gap 51 relative to the tracks, the MR element 43 in the reproducing gap 51 overlaps with an adjacent track. In this case, cross talk may occur.
Thus, to prevent the cross talk, the width of the MR element 43 must be smaller than the width of each track by the length (d1+d2). The length (d1+d2) corresponds to the yaw angle loss. If the yaw angle loss increases, the quality of reproduced signals deteriorates and it is difficult to arrange tracks at a high density on the magnetic disk. The length (d1+d2) depends on the gap interval between the recording gap 49 and the reproducing gap 51. That is, in the sharing type magnetic head, the thickness of the layer (the FeN layer 44) shared as the shield layer of the reproducing head part and the magnetic pole of the recording head part determines the yaw angle loss.
In the above first embodiment, the gap interval a1 is equal to 1.7 μm (the thickness (t) of the FeN layer 44 is equal to 1.3 μm), so that the yaw angle loss is equal to 0.6 μm which is about a third of that of the conventional thin-film magnetic head. Thus, according to the first embodiment, since the yaw angle loss is reduced, signals having a high quality can be reproduced. In addition, the track on the magnetic disk 33 can be narrower than that of the conventional device, so that the information can be recorded at a high density in the magnetic disk.
A description will now be given of other embodiments of the present invention, with reference to FIGS. 6A, 6B, 7A, 7B, 8A, 8B, 9A and 9B. In FIGS. 6A, 6B, 7A, 7B, 8A, 8B, 9A and 9B, those parts which are the same as those shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B are given the same references.
FIGS. 6A and 6B show a structure of the thin-film magnetic head 30A according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In the second embodiment, an FeSi layer 44A is substituted for the FeN layer 44 shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B.
The saturation magnetic flux density B s of FeSi is 2 T (tesla). Thus, with reference to FIG. 4, the thickness t2 of the FeSi layer 44A is 1.3 μm, and the gap interval a2 between the recording gap 49 and the reproducing gap 51 is 1.7 μm.
FIGS. 7A and 7B show a structure of the thin-film magnetic head 30B according to a third embodiment of the present invention. In the third embodiment, an NiFeCo layer 44B is substituted for the FeN layer 44 shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B.
The saturation magnetic flux density B s of NiFeCo is 2 T (tesla). Thus, with reference to FIG. 4, the thickness t3 of the NiFeCo layer 44B is 1.3 μm, and the gap interval a3 between the recording gap 49 and the reproducing gap 51 is 1.7 μm.
FIGS. 8A and 8B show a structure of the thin-film magnetic head 30C according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. In the fourth embodiment, a CoZr layer 44C is substituted for the FeN layer 44 shown in FIGS.2A and 2B.
The saturation magnetic flux density B s of CoZr is 1.5 T (tesla). Thus, with reference to FIG. 4, the thickness t4 of the CoZr layer 44C is 1.5 μm, and the gap interval a4 between the recording gap 49 and the reproducing gap 51 is 1.9 μm.
FIGS. 9A and 9B show a structure of the thin-film magnetic head 30D according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. In the fifth embodiment, a CoZrX (X is a single element selected from among at least Cr, Nb, Rh and Te) layer 44D is substituted for the FeN layer 44 shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B.
The saturation magnetic flux density B s of CoZrX is 1.3 T (tesla). Thus, with reference to FIG. 4, the thickness t5 of the CoZrX layer 44D is 1.6 μm, and the gap interval a5 between the recording gap 49 and the reproducing gap 51 is 2.0 μm.
The thin-film magnetic head in each of the above embodiments is the sharing type magnetic head having a layer shared as the shield layer of the reproducing head part and the magnetic pole of the recording head part. However, the present invention is applicable to the separate type magnetic head in which the shield layer of the reproducing head part and the magnetic pole of the recording head part are separated from each other.
The present invention is not limited to the aforementioned embodiments, and variations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the claimed invention. | A thin-film magnetic head includes a recording unit for generating a magnetic flux at a recording gap, which flux is used to magnetically record information on a magnetic disk, and a reproducing unit for reproducing information at a reproducing gap from the magnetic disk, wherein the recording unit and the reproducing unit are integrated with each other in a state where an interval between the center of the recording gap and the center of the reproducing gap is equal to or less than 2 μm. In addition, a thin-film magnetic head includes a recording unit for generating a magnetic flux used to magnetically record information on a magnetic disk, the recording unit having a soft magnetic layer used as one of magnetic poles for generating the magnetic flux, and a reproducing unit for reproducing information from the magnetic disk, the reproducing unit being separated by the soft magnetic layer from the recording unit, wherein the soft magnetic layer has a saturation magnetic flux density greater than 1.3 tesla. | 6 |
This application is a continuation of application(s) Ser. No. 08/152,427 filed on Nov. 12, 1993, now abandoned.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to sawing apparatus and particularly to a sawing apparatus adaptable to receive cants of varying thickness.
In a conventional sawmill, a generally cylindrical log is cut substantially longitudinally to form flitches, each flitch having two parallel main faces and one or two wane edges. The flitch is sawn to remove the wane edge(s), and the resulting cant is delivered longitudinally to a gang edger for cutting into boards or strips.
A conventional gang edger comprises plural bed rolls that define a horizontal bed plane and multiple circular saws mounted on a common horizontal arbor positioned below the bed plane. Saw guides of durable low friction material, such as Babbitt metal, are provided between each two adjacent saws, just below the bed plane. A cant that is to be edged is fed through the edger on the bed rolls so that the surface of the cant toward the teeth entering the cant is close to the saw guides and the saw guides limit wandering of the saws as the cant is fed through the edger. This type of edger provides high accuracy in sawing, but has a disadvantage in that the cutting teeth pass upwardly through the cant, causing sawdust to be thrown upwardly. Efficient collection of this sawdust material is difficult.
The foregoing disadvantage may be avoided if the saw arbor were placed above the cant, whereby the sawdust is thrown downwardly and collected beneath the bed plane of the edger. However, this construction has not hitherto been practical because cants are usually not all the same thickness. For example, an edger might have to handle cants having a minimum nominal thickness of four inches up to a maximum nominal thickness of ten inches in approximately two inch increments. If the arbor were positioned to allow ten inch cants to be cut, a four inch cant would be approximately six inches from the saw guides, and accordingly the sawing accuracy of the edger would be seriously impaired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an improved edger method and apparatus capable of receiving and accurately sawing cants of varying thickness while enabling efficient collection of sawdust material.
In accordance with the present invention an edger includes a saw carriage upwardly movable relative to the edger bed plane. The saw arbor is positioned on the carriage above the cant to be sawn, according to the thickness of the cant, and rotates in a direction for propelling sawdust downwardly where it is readily collected.
The subject matter of the present invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of this specification. However, both the organization and method of operation, together with further advantages and objects thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like elements.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of a gang edger according to the present invention, the gang edger having an infeed end and an outfeed end;
FIG. 2A is a longitudinal sectional view of the edger illustrating use of the edger to cut a first cant;
FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the edger cutting a second and thicker cant;
FIG. 3 is an outlet end view of the edger according to the present invention;
FIG. 4 is an inlet end view of the same edger;
FIG. 5 is a first, partly broken away side view of the edger;
FIG. 6 is a side view illustrating saw guides;
FIG. 7 is an end view also illustrating saw guides;
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the edger showing the saw arbor;
FIG. 9 illustrates pivoting of saw guides;
FIG. 10 is a second, partially broken away side view illustrating the outfeed cover in raised position;
FIG. 11 is a side view, partially broken away and in cross section of a saw carriage according to a second embodiment; and
FIG. 12 is a plan view, partially broken away, as taken at 12--12 in FIG. 11.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring to the drawings and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, the illustrated gang edger comprises a base structure 10 composed of two longitudinal side plates 12A, 12B held in spaced parallel relation by transverse members, including a transverse plate 14. The two side plates 12 each contain two sets of bearing housings, namely infeed roll bearing housings 16 and outfeed roll bearing housings 18 accommodating infeed bed roll bearings and outfeed bed roll bearings respectively. The infeed and outfeed bed rolls 24 and 28 define a horizontal bed plane 30. Referring to FIG. 5, the infeed and outfeed bed rolls are driven by a motor 34 that is coupled to the bed rolls by a chain and sprocket arrangement 36 further including sprockets 40 and 42. The sprocket 40 is mounted on a shaft that also carries a sprocket 290. Thus, sprocket 290 rotates with sprocket 40 for a purpose that will become apparent hereinbelow. A line bar 44 (FIG. 1) is secured to the plate 12B and extends horizontally, just above the bed plane 30. The line bar 44 has a vertical surface 46 that constitutes an alignment straight edge for guiding movement of cants through the edger.
As can be seen in FIG. 1, the side plates 12 are upswept at the infeed end of the edger. A saw carriage 60 is accommodated partially between the upswept portions of the side plates 12 and comprises two side plates 62A and 62B held in spaced parallel relationship by transverse members, including a weldment 64. The carriage 60 is supported for movement relative to the base structure 10 by means of two, parallel linear guides, each disposed at an angle with respect to the vertical. Each linear guide comprises a cylindrical bar 244 mounted on one of the plates 12A, 12B and upper and lower bearings 246, 248 (FIG. 5) mounted on the carriage 60 and engaging the bar 244. A double-acting hydraulic cylinder 252 is located between a pair of trunnion brackets 254 attached to the transverse plate 14 of the base structure 10 and a clevis 258 attached to the weldment 64. Hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic cylinder 252 is supplied from a hydraulic system for the purpose of moving the carriage along the linear guide bars. The hydraulic cylinder is preferably fitted with a linear transducer 253 which supplies an output signal indicating the height of the saw carriage relative to the bed plane 30. The signal produced by the transducer is suitably provided as a feedback value to control system 251 that is also responsive to cant thickness measurement.
The carriage 60 moves within a few inch clearance between the side plates 12A and 12B, except in the vicinity of two braking strips 264, which extend parallel to the cylindrical bars 244. The carriage includes two hydraulic braking cylinders 266, each provided with a pad of friction material. When the cylinders 266 are actuated, they force the pads of friction material against the respective braking strips 264, thereby holding the carriage against movement relative to the base structure. Since the side plate 62B of the carriage 60 extends below the level of the bed plane 30, the supports 270 for line bar 44 are spacid to accommodate side plate 62B.
Referring to FIG. 8, the side plates 62A and 62B are provided with bearings 66A and 66B while third bearing 66C is supported via sleeve 68 that extends in cantilever fashion from side plate 62B. The three bearings 66A, 66B and 66C are coaxial, their common axis being horizontal, and they support a saw arbor 70 for rotation, the arbor being provided with a drive sheave 74 at its outer end. Sheave 74 is driven from motor 396 via belts 398. A portion of the saw arbor 70 that is between the bearings 66A and 66B is of greater diameter than the rest of the saw arbor and is formed with longitudinal grooves to provide a spline. Multiple circular saws 80 are fitted on the spline.
Two horizontal bars 84 and 88 (FIG. 6) extend between the side plates 62 of the carriage, parallel to the saw arbor 70. Multiple saw guide arms 92 (FIGS. 6 and 7) are mounted on the bars, each one between two adjacent saws and each guide arm comprising a plate that is disposed vertically and extends in a plane perpendicular to the central axis of the saw arbor. A C-shaped spacer plate 96 is at the downstream end of the guide arm and rests on the bar 88, while a C-shaped spacer plate 100 is at its upstream end, resting on the bar 84. The guide arms are substantially narrower than the spacing between two adjacent saws and are positioned relative to the saws by the spacer plates 96 and 100.
Each guide arm includes saw guide mounting areas 106, 108, spaced apart by a generally semicircular recess 110. When the guide arm is installed and is mounted on bars 84 and 88, the mounting areas 106 and 108 are upstream and downstream respectively of arbor 70, the latter extending through the recess 110. Two saw guides 112, of durable low friction material, such as Babbitt metal, are mounted at the mounting areas 106 and 108 respectively of a guide arm. As shown in FIG. 7, a saw guide is substantially U-shaped, and is composed of side plate portions 120A and 120B joined by a base portion 122. The side plate portions 120 define generally rectangular openings 130 through which a guide arm is exposed. The spacing of the saws is related to the thickness of the saw guides such that a very narrow clearance, on the order of about 0.001 inch, exists between the guides and each adjacent saw.
The guide arms 92 are each formed with lubricant passages 150 that communicate with outlet bores 152 within areas 106 and 108 that are exposed through the openings 130. Lubricant is supplied to the passages 150 by bores 154 in spacers 96 and 100. Bores 154 in successive spacers 96 and 100 are aligned, and the resulting passages extend substantially the entire length of the bars 84 and 86. Those bones are plugged at one end and are connected at the other end to a source of lubricant (not shown).
A saw guard 156 is hinged to the weldment 64 at the downstream end thereof, and when the guide arms 92 engage the bars 84 and 88, the guard 156 can pivot between a closed position, shown in FIG. 1, and an open position, shown in FIG. 9.
The saw carriage 60 also includes two infeed holddown roll assemblies 170, 172. Assembly 170 comprises a shaft 174 journaled to the plates 62A, 62B. Brackets 176A, 176B extend from the shaft 174 in a forward and somewhat downward direction while a square section hollow beam 180 is disposed between these two brackets for holding them in a spaced, parallel relationship. At their forward ends, the brackets 176 journal a shaft 178 on which is mounted a holddown roll 182. Holddown roll 182 is rotated via a gear train comprising gears 420, 422 and 424 wherein gear 420 is secured to shaft 178 to which holddown roll 182 is keyed. Gear 424 is driven by a hydraulic motor (not shown) mounted inside hollow beam 180.
An arm 184 extends from beam 180 in a forward and somewhat upward direction. A pair of trunnion brackets 188 are mounted on weldment 64, and a pneumatic cylinder 192 is mounted between the trunnion brackets 188, with the cylinder's piston being connected to the free end of arm 184. Cylinder 192 is used to force the roll 182 downwardly relative to the saw carriage to a position such that its bottom surface is about 1 cm below the saw guides.
The construction and operation of infeed holddown roll assemblies 170 and 172 are essentially the same. Both assemblies rotate a holddown roll for cooperating in the forward propulsion of a cant fed into the edger.
An outfeed cover 200 is pivotally connected to the base structure 10 at the downstream end of the edger at shaft 202 which carries a sleeve on which sprockets 300 are mounted. Brackets 206 are connected to the top of the cover at a location upstream of the pivot axis when the cover is in the closed position (FIG. 5), and these brackets are coupled to the base structure 10 through respective double-acting pneumatic cylinders 210A and 210B. The cylinders 210 can be used either to raise the outfeed cover 200 and provide access to the outfeed bed rolls as shown in FIG. 10, or to firmly hold the cover in closed position as shown in FIG. 5.
Two outfeed holddown roll assemblies 214 and 216 are mounted to cover 200. The holddown roll assembly 214 includes a shaft 224 that is journaled to the side plates of cover 200. Two brackets 226A and 226B extend from the shaft 224 in a forward and somewhat downward direction while square section hollow beam 230 is secured between the two brackets 226 for holding them in a spaced, parallel relationship. At their forward ends, the brackets 226 journal a shaft 306 on which is mounted a holddown roll 308, the shaft 306 being further provided with a sprocket 310 (FIG. 5).
Approximately halfway between the two opposite ends of beam 230, an arm 234 extends in a forward and somewhat downward direction. An actuator 238 is mounted between a pair of trunnion brackets 240 secured to the top of the cover 200, actuator 238 comprising a double-acting hydraulic cylinder 247 having its piston pivotally connected to the aforementioned arm 234. A pneumatic spring 250 is interposed between the hydraulic cylinder and trunnion brackets 240. Hydraulic fluid is supplied to the hydraulic cylinder 247 from a hydraulic circuit by way of a filter 242.
The shaft 224 extends beyond the cover side plate 12B where it is provided with spaced sprockets 322. A chain 326 couples one of these sprockets to a sprocket 300 for rotating the shaft 224, while a chain 325 couples the other sprocket 322 for rotating roll 308 via sprocket 310 and shaft 306. Holddown roll assembly 216 is provided with sprockets 324 similar to sprockets 322, a sprocket 322 and a sprocket 324 being rotated by means of a chain 326 driven from a sprocket 300 and held under tension by sprocket 328 located on spring biased arm 330. Drive sprocket 290 is coupled to sprocket 300 via chain 320 for rotating sprocket 300.
In operation, the assembly 214 positions the roll 308 at a predetermined height relative to the bed plane 30, wherein pneumatic spring 250 allows limited upward movement of roll 308. The operation of the outfeed holddown roll assembly 216 is essentially the same as that of assembly 214.
When the bedrolls are driven to rotate, the holddown rolls also rotate, and the peripheral speed of the holddown rolls is essentially equal to the peripheral speed of the bedrolls. Accordingly, a cant that is fed into the edger at the infeed end thereof is propelled forcibly and in a controlled fashion through the edger and is discharged from the edger at the downstream end thereof.
A sensor array 400 is mounted upstream of the gang edger for detecting the thickness of a cant being fed to the edger. A preferred implementation of the invention is designed to accommodate cants the nominal thickness of which is four inches, six inches, eight inches or ten inches, and accordingly the sensor array includes four LED photodiodes 402 for detecting these four nominal thicknesses of a cant. Light sources (not shown) are provided opposite the photodiodes such that cants break the light beam. The output signal provided by the sensor array is delivered to control system 251 for operating hydraulic cylinder 252.
In operation of the edger as above described, the thickness of a new cant being delivered to the edger is sensed by the sensor array which provides the control system with information representing the thickness of the cant. If the thickness of the cant is the same as the thickness of the previous cant, the saw carriage remains at the same height and the outfeed holddown rolls also remain at the same height. However, if the new cant is of a different thickness from the previous cant, the level of the saw carriage is adjusted accordingly, including the infeed rolls. Brake cylinders 266 are vented, and double-acting cylinder 252 is operated to raise or lower the carriage 60 to the desired new height for correct and accurate sawing. The linear transducer 253 suitably provides a feedback signal to the control system for indicating the height provided by cylinder 252 to ensure that the carriage is brought to the proper level. When the carriage is at the proper height, the brake cylinders 266 are pressurized, locking the carriage 60 relative to the base frame 10. Also, the outfeed holddown roll assembly 214 is actuated by means of cylinder 247 to position holddown roll 308 so that its bottom surface is approximately 0.6 cm below the top surface of the new cant. Assembly 216 is similarly operated. As the new cant is fed into the edger at the infeed end thereof, it is gripped between the infeed bed rolls and the infeed holddown rolls and is propelled towards the saws, whereby the cant is cut longitudinally. Downstream of the saws, the resulting strips or boards are forced between the outfeed bed rolls and the outfeed holddown rolls, which push upward slightly against the force provided by pneumatic spring 250. Consequently, the strips or boards are fed from the edger by the operation of the outfeed bed rolls and the outfeed holddown rolls. FIG. 2A illustrates reception of a cant of a first thickness, while FIG. 2B illustrates the result of an above-described level change for sawing a cant of a different and greater thickness.
It will be appreciated that saws 80 rotate in a counter-clockwise direction as shown in FIG. 2 and accordingly sawdust is thrown downwardly. A conveyor 426 is suitably provided beneath the bed rolls 24 and 28 to collect sawdust and remove it.
Referring to FIGS. 11 and 12, a second embodiment is illustrated having setting saws instead of relatively fixed spaced saws as described for the previous embodiment. Setting saws are preferred when selectable width boards or strips are to be cut. A plurality of circular saws 80 have a splined connection with arbor 70 extending between the side plates of carriage 60', the saws being slideable along the arbor to provide variable spacing. A plurality of guide arms 428 are movable along glide rods 430 positioned between the carriage side plates, each of the guide arms carrying at one side thereof a bifurcated saw guide 432. Sides 432a and 432b of a saw guide are adapted to receive a saw blade 80a therebetween as illustrated in FIG. 12. The guide arms 428 are laterally movable under the control of setworks hydraulic cylinders 434 wherein the actuating rod 440 of each cylinder is secured to a different guide arm. It will be seen that the saws 80 are positionable laterally across the carriage under the control of setwork cylinders 434 whereby various sizes of boards or strips can be sawn. The saw guides 432 are rotatable in a counter-clockwise direction about pivot 436 to the position illustrated in dashed lines at 438 for facilitating removal of the saw blades. Other than as hereinabove described, operation according to the second embodiment is the same as operation according to the first described embodiment.
It will be appreciated that the invention is not restricted to the particular embodiments described and illustrated, and variations may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. | A sawing apparatus comprises a base structure including bed rolls defining a horizontal bed plane for supporting a workpiece, a saw arbor carrying at least one saw for rotation about the central axis of the saw arbor, and a carriage supporting the saw arbor so that its central axis extends horizontally above the bed plane. A drive mechanism selectively raises and lowers the carriage relative to the base structure. | 8 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to tools and fastening devices. More particularly, the present invention pertains to a device for limiting an amount of torque applied by the device.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In various manufacturing, construction, and medical industries, fasteners are utilized that are threaded or screwed into place. These fasteners may require a predetermined amount of torque that has been determined to be optimal for a given fastening situation. In addition, the fastener may identify or stipulate a predetermined amount of torque that has been determined to fatigue or break the fastener. Often, these predetermined torque values are determined by the manufacturer or by a testing facility. In use, a technician or user may employ a device such as a torque wrench to set the fastener according to the predetermined amount of torque. In a particular example, bone screws may be employed by surgeons to reconstruct bones or attach reconstructive components to bones of patients. In such circumstances, applying a proper amount of torque may be critically important.
Conventional torque wrenches utilize forces from coil springs and spring washers along with friction to limit the amount of torque applied. Unfortunately, as components within these conventional torque wrenches slide by one another, wear may alter the torque setting of the conventional torque wrench. As such, conventional torque wrenches often need to be re-calibrated to maintain their torque limit range, typically every six months.
In a typical example, conventional torque wrenches will utilize Belleville washers, which are slightly convex or domed, and flex under pressure. The precision of the force of these Belleville washers may be limited by their dimensional tolerances and their reported spring rates, which may vary from batch to batch. Because they may exhibit a high force value over a small travel distance, the use of many washers may be required to reach a travel distance necessary for the assembly to cycle. Thus, the washers may be stacked up along a rod and pressed together with a screw plunger. In some cases, the washers are alternatively flipped, back-to-back or front-to-front. The net result is a tool that may have many small, imprecisely-aligned pieces, wherein each part may wear and flex at different rates.
In many conventional or state of the art torque tools that can be classified as “screwdriver” type tools, i.e. a handle connected to a shaft, the torque-limiting cycle may be controlled by a “one way dog clutch”. This type of device is composed of two components, both aligned along a common axis. One component is stationary and the other is free to rotate about and slide along the axis. A series of radial ramps on each face align and lock the faces together. The rotation of the free component causes the two faces to alternately align and then slip over each other to the next alignment. During the rotation cycle, the faces separate by displacing a spring designed to apply a predetermined amount of torque resistance to the cam face engagement.
When the faces realign they do so rapidly with the force of the spring driving them together. This snapping together action is known to cause one or the other clutch component to split in half, thereby, breaking the clutch mechanism, additionally the spring washer stack is in constant compression and is continually pressed against a flat washer that in turn presses upon the dog clutch.
In the case of the wrench-style tool, the spring stack presses upon a plunger which, in turn, presses against one of the faces of a rotating cam. The plunger, in turn, pushes the cam into the opposing housing wall, thereby, creating the friction or resistance to rotation.
In axial handled torque-limiting tools, torque limiting occurs when the cam or clutch rotates by pushing the spring washers rearward a sufficient distance to allow rotation. The cam faces rub against each other with every rotation. When the cam rotates, the spring washers are compressed and the cam faces move apart due to the angular inclination of the ramped surfaces. Peak torque is reached when the cam faces are at their maximum separation. When the cam faces realign, they snap together into the next low torque position, and thus, no additional torque may be applied to the fastener.
A major disadvantage of conventional axial handled torque-limiting tools is that the spring washers are constantly under a compression load, even when the tool is at rest. Parts under load tend to fatigue more quickly than parts at rest; as a result, these types of tools require frequent recalibration, usually every six months. Furthermore, each snap of the cams coming together sends a shock wave down the tool shaft and into the fastener, thereby, transmitting an unnecessary force through the tool shaft to the fastener, this action, if of sufficient strength, could potentially damage the fastener.
In the conventional torque wrench type tool, a handle is attached to a tool head, which contains a hexagonal cam. In use, a tool shaft is inserted and locked into the center of the cam. The handle extending from the head contains a piston and spring washers or compression springs, which press the piston against one of the cam faces. The cam face is in turn pressed against the inner wall of the tool head. As with the axial handled torque-limiting tools, when the fastener begins to resist rotation and this resistive force exceeds the predetermined torque force of the springs, the shaft and cam may no longer be driven by the piston. Continued rotation of the handle may cause the piston to compress the springs, permitting the piston to slip over the cam peak to the next cam face. When the piston is located at the cam peak maximum torque is achieved and no further force may be applied to the fastener. With this design as well, the springs are under constant compression load leading to increased susceptibility to wear and breakage. The piston pressure causes the cam to rub and chafe against the opposite inner wall of the tool head during its rotation. Thus, heavy lubrication may be required. Also, the cam is not centered in the head and moves freely when the piston pressure is removed.
When conventional torque-limiting mechanisms fail they bind or lock-up, thereby losing the torque-limiting effect and essentially, converting the tool into a rigid, non-limiting tool, wherein the torque is regulated by the user's ability to discern torque forces by hand. This could lead to over-torqueing, which is an unsafe condition especially in the medical context.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a device that may be capable of overcoming at least to some extent the disadvantages of wear and breakage described herein.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The foregoing needs are met, to a great extent, by the present invention, wherein in one aspect an apparatus is disclosed providing a torque-limiting mechanism that uses a snap ring or spring coil to create a precise torque-resisting arrangement.
Example embodiments of the present invention relate to a torque-limiting tool which includes a central cam having a receiver component, at least one cam holder component surrounding the central cam, propelled by a driving member or a tool handle, wherein the cam holder component includes first portions that substantially complement an external surface of the central cam and at least two second portions providing for space for rotation of the cam holder component relative to the central cam, and at least one connection controlling element positioned to interact with the movement of the cam holder component. The central cam may exhibit a multifaceted or multi-lobed external configuration. In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the central cam may be a hex cam, cylindrical, triangular, or shaped as any polygon. Accordingly, the inner surfaces of the cam holder components may be substantially complementary in shape to the exterior shape of the central cam. The connection controlling element will be composed of a resilient, spring-like material to functionally limit the movement of the cam holder component.
The receiver component may be shaped to receive a connective end of a tool bit. In example embodiments of the present invention, the cam holder component may include a ring spreader bisected through the center of the central cam. In preferred embodiments of the present invention, bearings center the central cam in the base housing. The connection controlling element may include a snap ring or similar ring-type spring to control the torque of the tool shaft. Other example embodiments include a pivot pin about which the cam holder component pivots.
In example embodiments of the present invention, a torque-limiting tool may include a cam having a tool bit receiver, a pair of cam holder contained within a housing and driven by a tool handle, wherein the cam holder components interact with the cam, and at least one connection controlling element limiting the movement of the pair of cam holder components having a tensile strength equivalent to a predetermined torque limit and enabling the cam holder components to move into a cam expansion space.
In example embodiments of the present invention, a torque-limiting device for a tool may include a central cam element disposed about an axis of rotation and defining a receiving space for receiving a body, such as a tool bit body, a pair of cam holder components disposed around the central cam element within a housing. At least one connection controlling element may be disposed around the pair of cam holder components to bias the pair of cam holder components about the central cam element to enable rotation of the central cam element. The pair of cam holder components may be disposed within the housing to spread and rotate around the central cam element in response to an external torque applied to the central cam element by the tool shaft in response to the resistance of the fastener when said resistance exceeds a predetermined torque limit.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, certain embodiments of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof herein may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional embodiments of the invention that will be described below and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of embodiments in addition to those described and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein, as well as the abstract, are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a view of the torque-limiting device with the handle, according to an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a split, expandable chuck assembly within the torque-limiting device of FIG. 1 .
FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view of the split, expandable chuck assembly within the torque-limiting device of FIG. 1 .
FIG. 4 is an angled side view of the split, expandable chuck assembly without the housing and handle of the torque-limiting device.
FIG. 5 is an angled side view of the split, expandable chuck assembly dismantled and without the cover and handle of the torque-limiting device.
FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the individual components of a torque-limiting device, according to another embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 7 is a frontal view of the tool bit receiver end of the central cam and the cam holders disposed about a pivot pin.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The invention will now be described with reference to the drawing figures, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout. An embodiment in accordance with the present invention provides a mechanism for limiting an amount of torque applied by a device using a torque-limiting chuck assembly. Example embodiments of the present invention include a snap ring or similar ring-type spring to control torque. Example embodiments of the present invention potentially allow for a less expensive, simpler assembly of a torque-limiting wrench having fewer parts to assemble than the conventional torque-limiting tools, which typically require many compressed spring washers. Example embodiments of the present invention provide a torque-limiting device that may be less susceptible to wear or breakage because the mechanism does not cause its components to be constantly under compression load. In one example embodiment, the torque-limiting device includes two bearings to center the cam in the wrench head.
Turning now to the figures, FIG. 1 shows a view of the torque-limiting device with the handle according to an embodiment of the invention. In example embodiments of the present invention, a torque wrench or torque-limiting chuck assembly 101 includes a receiver component or a tool bit receiver 110 , which may accept and retain a tool bit (not shown) in its receiver section. The end of the tool bit conforms to the geometry of the tool bit receiver 110 , which is the central cam opening. The tool bit is received therein. Typically, a spring loaded detent retains the tool bit in the cam opening 110 in a manner similar to current socket wrench products in the market today. A tool handle 105 , which is the driving member, is connected to the torque-limiting chuck assembly 101 and is used to rotate the torque-limiting chuck assembly 101 and a retained tool bit (not shown) in a prescribed direction.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a split, expandable chuck assembly within the torque-limiting device of FIG. 1 . In one of several example embodiments of the present invention, a central cam 215 with a hexagonal shaped external configuration and a hexagonal shaped lumen or center opening designed to be a tool bit receiver 210 , is centered in the torque-limiting chuck assembly 201 . The hex cam 215 describes a form with a hexagonal exterior configuration that is in mating contact with at least two ring spreading cam holders 220 , individually 220 A and 220 B, which enclose the external sides of the hex cam 215 . The inner surfaces of the cam holders 220 are substantially complementary to the outer surfaces of the hex cam 215 sufficient to retain the hex cam 215 in a holding position but are not complementary where at least two radial spaces 225 exist between the cam holders 220 and the hex cam 215 . In an embodiment of the present invention, the at least two radial spaces 225 permit the hex cam 215 to rotate in the direction “C” by forcing the cam holders 220 to spread along the arrows “A” and “B”, as shown in FIG. 2 . The space created when the cam holders 220 are pushed apart is the cam holder expansion space 230 . In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 2 , two radial spaces 225 exist between each cam holder 220 and the hex cam 215 . It is understood that the cam holders 220 could function together or have a structure encompassing a single cam holder element having at least one opening point, wherein the single cam holder element would enclose the hex cam 215 , disposed within the housing to disengage from the central cam 215 upon rotation of the cam holders 220 relative to the central cam element 215 in response to an external torque applied to the tool bit exceeding a predetermined torque-limit.
FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view of the split, expandable chuck assembly within the torque-limiting device of FIG. 1 . In example embodiments of the present invention, at least one connection controlling element 235 holds the cam holders 220 around the hex cam 215 , limiting the ability of the cam holders 220 to expand and rotate around the hex cam 215 and its central rotational axis “X”. As used herein, “connection controlling element” can be a snap ring, a garter spring, or a coil spring, or similar spring-like device. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 , they are disclosed as snap rings 235 . As the torque applied at the tool bit receiver 210 increases, the hex cam 215 forces the cam holders 220 apart and stretches the snap rings 235 . When this occurs, the cam holders 220 are free to expand and separate and thereby rotate around the hex cam 215 . The force to open a snap ring 235 , is regulated to the desired torque limit. If the external torque manifested by the fastener remains below the proscribed torque limit, the cam holders 220 will not separate. By varying the size or stiffness of snap ring 235 , the applied torque may be modulated. The snap rings 235 remain unflexed or unstressed when the tool is not in use because force is exerted upon the snap rings only when the cam holders 220 expand due to an applied torque from the central cam. Bearings 240 may be used to center the hex cam 215 in the housing, which is comprised of a base 250 and a cover 245 .
FIG. 4 is an angled side view of the split, expandable chuck assembly without the housing and handle of the torque-limiting device. A multifaceted relationship between the cam holders 220 and the hex cam 215 offers a start/stop cycle to control torque. The hex cam 215 has a tool bit receiver 210 , which is a rotating member that can be coupled to a tool bit shaft. A snap ring 235 maintains a controllable connection between the chuck assembly and said tool bit shaft. The snap rings 235 rotationally couple the chuck assembly to the tool bit shaft up to a predetermined point of applied external torque. Beyond that point, the chuck assembly no longer drives the shaft. The torque-limit will be met and reset several times per handle/chuck assembly rotation depending on the number of holding engagements designed into the cam and can holder relationship. The difference in applied torque is sufficiently pronounced to clearly indicate the change to a user. Once the chuck assembly slips to the next position on the central cam the user knows that the predetermined torque limit has been reached and any further rotation will not increase the torque. The mutual configurational relationship between the cam holders 220 and the hex cam 215 must not only allow the holders to engage and drive the central cam but the relationship must also provide sufficient opening clearance to permit the cam holders 220 to rotate relative to the cam 215 when the torque limit is reached. The hex cam 215 always remains in a fixed position, relative to the fastener.
FIG. 5 is an angled side view of the split, expandable chuck assembly dismantled and without the housing and handle of the torque-limiting device of FIG. 2 . The cam holders 220 enclosing the hex cam 215 form a substantially hexagonal enclosure, formed such that four of the inner surfaces are complementary to the hexagonal portion of the hex cam and four smaller surfaces have a curved radial edge 255 . The radial edge 255 allows for a radial space 225 , which provides room for rotation of the cam holder(s) relative to the central cam, as discussed with regard to FIG. 2 .
FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the individual components of another embodiment of the torque-limiting device of the present invention. A hex cam 615 may have cylindrical portions 615 A that connect to bearings 640 . The hexagonal portion 615 B of the hex cam 615 is enclosed by the cam holders 620 , individually 620 A and 620 B. In example embodiments of the present invention, one snap ring 635 would surround the cam holders 620 . In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cam holder 620 can have round exterior surfaces. Because the outer surfaces of the cam holders 620 are curved, in this example embodiment, the base 650 and cover 645 are rounded to conform to the cam holders 620 .
FIG. 7 is a frontal view of another embodiment of the present invention showing the tool bit receiver end of a split, expandable chuck, which includes a pivot pin. In an example embodiment, two cam holders 720 , individually 720 A and 720 B, may have curved outer surfaces and inner surfaces forming a substantially hexagonal enclosure around the hex shaped cam 715 . The cam holders 720 may interface at a common opening point 770 such that when the two cam holders 720 open, they each pivot around a commonly attached pivot pin 760 . In a preferred embodiment, the cam holders 720 are notched, to engage the pivot pin 760 . The pivot pin 760 may have a narrow portion 760 B to engage a tool cover (not shown) and a cylindrical portion 760 a to receive the cam holders and maintain the pivot pin 760 within a base. A rounded base (not shown) having a pin pocket may be used to accommodate the pivot pin 760 . The rounded base additionally may have base guide slots to accommodate cam holder guide pins 765 .
In other example embodiments, the cam may alternatively be a cylindrical cam surrounded by cam holders having curved surfaces where they contact the cylindrical cam so that the motion of the cam holders around the cylindrical cam is a smooth rotation and torque limiting is controlled by friction rather than geometric configuration. Accordingly, the cam holder(s) may be split with a single separation or segmented with several separations. The clamped or released distance may be very short, as small as a few thousands of an inch. The force limit attainment may only be signaled by a slight change in rotational force. Similarly, a cam having a square, triangular or even-sided polygonal shape may be substituted for the hex cam, as long as a cam holder having a complementary inner shape is used and a space for cam rotation is provided. If triangular cam and cam holders are used, the cam holder may need to be trisected at the three apexes of the triangle. In this embodiment, the clamped or released distance would be the difference between the triangle center to apex distance minus the center to base distance. A square cam may be used if the cam holder is at least bisected or quartered. An even-sided polygonal cam may be used if the cam holder is at least bisected through the center at corners of the polygonal cam.
The many features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the detailed specification, and thus, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such features and advantages of the invention which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and variations will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation illustrated and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention. | Example embodiments of the present invention relate to a torque-limiting tool which includes a central cam having a receiver component, at least one cam holder component surrounding the central cam, propelled by a driving member or a tool handle, wherein the cam holder component includes first portions that substantially complement an external surface of the central cam and at least two second portions providing space for rotation of the cam holder component relative to the central cam, and at least one connection controlling element around the cam holder component having a bending strength to enable the cam holder component positioned to interact with the movement of the cam holder component. | 1 |
The present invention is directed to an improved holster which contains lighting exposure means in the form of one or more comparatively high-intensity short exposure duration lights, e.g., of luminous power or intensity similar to flashbulbs viz., those used in flashguns or blinker lights used by photographers to enhance lighting during photography. The light(s) are positioned interiorally within the holster in the forward inner portion which is adjacent to and faces the rear surface(s) of the front and rear sights of the handgun. The rearward surfaces of both the front and rear sights have applied thereto, e.g., by painting, the light-activatable, luminous material, viz., a material which when exposed to light of sufficient intensity (power or output), e.g., usually an intensity of from about 30 to about 90 lumen seconds per ft 2 (measured at a four foot distance using two fully charged 1.5 volt batteries arranged in series to constitute an electrical power source in an electronic arrangement as shown in FIG. 5). Upon activation for very short time periods, e.g., flash durations of one-three thousandths of one second, the luminous material will glow or become illuminated in the dark sufficiently to permit the holder to see and line up front and rear sights for aiming at the target. Typically the rearwardly illuminated front and rear sights should be sufficiently visible in the dark for comparatively short periods of time, viz., from about 0.5 to 4.0 minutes, depending on the extent of darkness, so as to enable the person holding the handgun to be able to sight it from back to front and aim, thereby determining in advance the direction which the bullet will take upon leaving the piece on its way to the target.
The external shape of the holster has the customary "handgun" holster outward appearance and conforms generally to that of the handgun, e.g., revolver or pistol placed therein and includes a cap portion or upper shielding member to shield the activating flash of comparatively high-intensity light while the handgun is still holstered. This has the affect of preserving the user's concealment security, which is extremely important in the case of peace officers investigating crime at night. Additionally, the present invention makes it possible for the peace officer to activate the sights on the piece slightly in advance of using it, e.g., while still in the police cruiser thereby obtaining further cover and concealment of his position while at the same time providing his handgun with a "night vision" capability.
It will be noted throughout this specification that the holster of this invention is used in combination with a handgun having the rear surfaces of the front and back sights provided with a light-activatable material capable of emitting light in the dark. One significant advantage of this holster-handgun relationship is that the holster provides the handgun with a "night vision" aiming capability without altering the handling, weight, or firing characteristics of the piece. The invention will be discussed in greater detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 of the drawings is a schematic view, partly in phantom, providing a view of a revolver-type handgun secured in the holster from a position above and to the right of the holster.
FIG. 2 is a frontal view, partly in section, of a portion of the handgun and the holster with the holster fastener unsnapped.
FIG. 3 is a partial side elevational view showing the upper portion of the handgun with the coating of light activatable luminous material located on the rear surfaces of the front and back sights, respectfully.
FIG. 4 is a frontal view, partly in section, of one embodiment wherein fur or other fibrous material is employed to act as a shield or barrier to substantially prevent light from the light source being seen at the holster top during activation of the luminous material.
FIG. 5 is a plan view of a typical electronic activator circuit with components for activating the luminous material.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is necessary for a police officer, sheriff, security guard or other peace officer to be able to aim a handgun accurately both in daytime and nighttime. In daylight and other light conditions sufficient to enable the police officer to see both the front and rear sights of his sidearm, no visual problem exists regarding aiming the piece. At nighttime or under darkened conditions, a problem arises because both front and rear sights cannot be seen.
One possible solution to this problem is to illuminate the sights by an auxilliary light source, such as a flashlight during aiming. However, the use of such a solution places the officer in danger because it makes the officer a lighted target in the dark destroying any concealment otherwise provided by the darkness.
Another characteristic practice for peace officers is to utilize a flashlight or other hand-held light, extended as far as possible from the body, while directing the light at the object which may be fired at. Although this procedure allows the officer to see the target, it still does not permit him to accurately aim and sight his gun under darkened inside or outside conditions. Such a use of flashlight becomes more of a handgun "pointing" operation rather than actually aiming the handgun using the front and rear sights thereof.
Another attempt at solving the problem of aiming a handgun in darkened conditions has been to equip a handgun with add-on device(s), e.g., for mounting a flashlight or other light thereon. In this operation, the peace officer is directing his gun whereever the light is pointed. Again, this becomes a "pointing" operation with very little ability to accurately sight the weapon. Further, the light source clearly identifies the location of the officer and makes him an extremely vulnerable target. Further the flashlight mount increases the weight and adversely affects the balance and handling of the handgun while rendering quick use of the weapon exceedingly difficult.
Still another approach to solution of this aiming in the dark problem resides in providing an add-on device or means positioned on or within a weapon to illuminate portions of the front and rear sights thereof. Examples of prior art attempts in this respect can be found in Kaltmann, U.S. Pat. No. 3,813,790, Hayward, U.S. Pat. No. 3,678,590 and Searcy U.S. Pat. No. 2,158,915. These patents relate chiefly to firearms of the rifle type and are not readily adaptable to use in short barreled firearms, such as handguns.
Still another type of device which has been proposed in the prior art for solution of this aiming problem involves the use of a light reflective material positioned, for instance, in the area of the front sight of a gun such as any available light impinging thereon will be concentrated and will render the front sight visible during periods of lower intensity light. Unfortunately, however, such devices do require some available light, viz., light from some external sources whether it be sun light or artificial light, in order to illuminate the front sight. For periods close to total darkness and investigations requiring police officers to enter darkened buildings to investigate burglaries and break-ins; these front sight luminescent illuminating devices, such as taught in Gangl, U.S. Pat. No. 2,822,616 offer little assistance in sighting or aiming of a handgun under darkened conditions. Considering daylight as a source of illumination, these types of devices may render a weapon useable for approximately an additional hour at sunrise and at sunset. No substantial increase in ability to sight or aim a handgun under darkened conditions will be provided in the darkest hours and in darkened interior conditions.
Other types of prior art devices, seeking to enhance the ability to sight a weapon accurately under darkened conditions, involve the use of a source of infra-red light with an infra-red scope sight. This type of equipment is expensive and bulky. Accordingly it does not offer a practical and economical solution to the problem of aiming handguns, such as those with which peace officers are equipped, under darkened conditions.
Still another approach to the problem of accurately sighting and aiming handguns at night is proposed by Knutsen et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,641,676. The Knutsen et al patent teaches the use of so-called "encapsulated" devices incorporating radioactive, radioluminescent materials which are enclosed by, or incorporated within a plastic protective encapsulating medium. These radioluminescent materials are radioactive materials, however, such as radium, tritium and promethium-147 with or with a phosphor. These radio active materials are not only expensive, but are of the type which provide their own radioactive light and do not require any external (activating) light in order to illuminate handgun sights. The radioluminescent materials can be painted on the rear surfaces of the front and rear sights of a handgun followed by covering with a transparent plastic coating to provide protection to the radioluminescent coating. Alternatively radioluminescent material can be incorporated within a plastic shell thereby encapsulating it. In the latter case the radioluminescent add-on capsule(s) is (are) secured to the front and/or rear sights, respectively. The amount of light output available to illuminate the involved sight(s) is dependent upon the particular radioactive isotope selected and the amount thereof used. It is necessary to use sufficient amounts thereof to provide the desired light output recognizing that all radioactive materials undergo a continually increasing loss of radioactivity, including radio luminescence. This loss factor is known as the "half-life", which is specific to each radioactive isotope used. The use of radioactive materials, such as proposed in the Knutsen et al. patent carries with it some personal risk of increased exposure to radiation of a harmful type. Accordingly, elaborate encapsulation proposals are included in Knutsen et al in order to permit the utilization of minimal amounts of radio illuminescent material.
SUMMARY
Thus it will be observed that there is a present need in the art for a means to provide night illumination for the front and rear sights of a handgun sufficiently to enable a peace officer to aim the piece prior to firing same under totally darkened conditions. This objective must be achieved, however, in an economically feasible manner while avoiding bulky add-on devices which increase the weight of the handgun impair normal balance and handling characteristics while making it more difficult to utilize the piece rapidly as the need arises. All of these objectives must be accomplished with the paramount necessity of avoiding illumination of the peace officer or the handgun, thereby preserving the officer's concealment as afforded by darkness.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present invention utilizes light-activatable luminescent materials applied, e.g., by painting or coating, on the rear surfaces of the front and rear sights, respectively, of the handgun and provides for the activation thereof, while holstered with a high intensity light source. This activation occurs over a short period of time, e.g., one-three thousandth of one second, while the piece is still holstered thereby avoiding illumination of either the weapon itself, or the party sighting it during each time the luminescent material is activated. Since light-activatable luminescent materials are employed; there is no radiation hazard or personal danger to the health of the peace officer and no particular precautions are necessary in respect of applying the material to the appropriate rear surfaces of the handgun sights. Also there is no necessity to use minimal amounts only of light-activatable luminescent material. Additionally the luminescence can be restored by resubjecting the coatings to the high intensity light source (activation) within the holster.
The comparatively dark interior of the holster provides a virtually ideal location for activation of the luminescent material from the point of view of protecting the officer's concealment as afforded by darkness. In accordance with certain preferred embodiments of this invention, this darkened holster interior environment can be enhanced by placing additional shielding or masking material, e.g, fur or fabric in the upper portions of the holster at the locations where portions of the handgun, e.g., the handle, trigger guard and the hammer, are exposed to view. Similarly, since the activating light source(s) is incorporated in one or more locations in the interior of the holster, and disposed in such position and of such configuration as to occupy little space therein, the external appearance of such holsters do not readily reveal the fact of their capability to provide handguns with enhanced night aiming or sighting capabilities under virtually totally dark conditions.
The holster in accordance with this invention is one having one or more, and preferably two, self-contained, battery-operated light sources of comparatively high intensity yet operating for a short duration over repeated on-off cycles as controlled conveniently by the peace officer. Each such light source is capable of emitting light within the holster to one or both of the rear surfaces of the front and rear sights respectively. Each of said rear surfaces has been coated with a light-activatable luminescent material which after being exposed to light of sufficient intensity will thereafter glow in the dark. The light source(s) employed herein can be strobe lights of the same type or similar to those known as xenon flash tubes and used in photography. Thus it will be observed that such light sources concealed within the holster, itself, are "on" for extremely short periods and only in each user-controlled activation cycle.
As will be observed from FIG. 1, holster 11 has upper looped portion 12, which can be secured to a waist belt or shoulder harness. In FIG. 1, it is shown as looped for securing to a waist belt 10 worn by the peace officer. The holster has the outward appearances of a conventional handgun holster. Strap portion 13 restrains the revolver R within the receptacle well portion of the holster. The strap fits just behind the rear portion of the hammer H of the handgun between the hammer and the rearward face of the revolver grip G thereof. Located on strap 13 is a snap fastener female portion 14 which is secured to a corresponding snap fastener male portion 14', FIG. 2, located on the exterior wall of the holster. Mounted on the interior surface of strap 13 is a small rigid plate 15, FIG. 2, to impart stiffness to said strap thus enhancing contact with activating switch 16. A similar small rigid plage 15' having an opening 17 is secured to the outer holster surface. On closing (snapping) the fastener, plate 15 contacts switch 16, which is off when the holster strap fastener is snapped. Thus when the snap is unsnapped, and plate 15 is disengaged from activator switch 16, the switch is placed in the on or operating position causing the comparatively high intensity, short duration light sources 18 to come "on" immediately inside the holster thereby activating the luminous material 21 on rear surfaces S 1 ' and S 2 ' of the front and rear sights, S 1 and S 2 respectively (FIG. 3). The light from each light source 18 passes through openings 19 in channel 20 which is shown to be "U-shaped" in cross section. Openings 19 are shown in FIG. 2 whereas the cross sectional shape of channel 20 is apparent in FIG. 1.
This exposure within the confines of the interior of the holster is sufficient to activate or energize the light activatable luminescent material located at rear surfaces S 1 ' and S 2 ' to permit the peace officer to accurately view the front and rear sights and align them with the target for a brief but reasonable period of time subsequent to the removal of the handgun from the holster.
The electronic circuitry and components used in activating the light sources 18 are shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 5 with most of the circuitry and components being located in holster belt mounted power pack P, the internal circuitry and components for which are shown in FIG. 5. Power pack P usually contains two or more 1.5 volt batteries constituting a power source 22 controlled by two position flip switch 23 located at the top of the power pack, which connects the batteries to a conventional oscillator-rectifier circuit (FIG. 5) of the general type described in Honeywell Photographic Products Division Technical Manual 73003 320-001A 3C of June, 1972 relating to AUTO/STROBONAR 460. The oscillator/rectifier circuit converts the low d-c voltage from the batteries to a high d-c voltage which is stored in a storage capacitor. Closing the flip switch 23 triggers the xenon flashtubes thus converting the stored energy into light.
OSCILLATOR CIRCUIT
Part of the energy stored in the batteries is transferred to the storage capacitor 24 and is stored in the capacitor at high voltage until it is used in the flashtubes. A forward drive oscillator, transformer and rectifier accomplish the energy transfer. The oscillator draws energy from the batteries and produces pulses which are suitable for a transformer input. The transformer converts the low voltage pulses to high voltage a-c and the rectifier converts the a-c to d-c for storage in the energy storage capacitor 24.
With switch 23 turned on, current from batteries 22 flows through the primary pins 25 and 26 of transformer 27, the emitterbase junction of transistor 28, pins 29 and 30 of transformer 27 and resistor 31. This current forward biases transistor 28 and allows primary current to flow from the batteries through pins 25 and 26 of transformer 27 and the emitter-collector of transistor 28. As current flow in 27 rises, a voltage is induced in the secondary of 27 pins 29 and 30 and capacitor 32 is charged to this voltage through the emitter-base junction of transistor 28. This charge current saturates transistor 28. The current level in the primary of transformer 27 continues to rise and the induced voltage on 27 (pins 33 and 29) causes a charge current to flow from that winding through diode 34, storage capacitor 24, batteries 22, flip switch 23, the primary of transformer 27 and the emitter-base junction of transistor 28.
This current charges capacitor 24 and supplies base drive to hold transistor 28 in saturation after capacitor 32 has charged to the voltage of pins 29 and 30 of transformer 27. Current in 27 primary continues to rise until it reaches a level for which the base drive can no longer keep transistor 28 saturated. At this time, the emitter-collector impedance of 28 increases, reducing current to pins 25 and 26 of 27. This reduced current causes the induced voltages of 27 secondary to reverse, effectively back biasing the emitter-base junction of transformer 28 thus turning it off. Transformer 27 voltages drop to zero and capacitor 32 discharges through resistor 31 and pins 25 and 26 to power source 22. When 32 has sufficiently discharged, the cycle is repeated.
Capacitor 35 provides a low impedance path for the core energy of 27 during flyback to protect the circuit from overvoltage due to the collapsing magnetic field of 27 when transistor 28 is cutoff.
The voltage induced in 27 secondary drives current through diode 34 to charge energy storage capacitor 24 during the portion of each oscillation that pin 33 of 27 is positive, providing 28 with increased base drive. A portion of the voltage across 24 is impressed across the neon ready light 36. Resistors 37 and 38 act as a voltage divider to establish the firing voltage of ready light 36. The neon lights when the unit reaches about 70% of full light output.
TRIGGER OUTPUT
The trigger circuit provides a high-voltage pulse to the exterior of the flashtubes. This pulse ionizes the xenon gas in the tubes, initiating a discharge path through the tube for the energy stored in capacitor 24.
Pulse transformer 39 is the flashtubes trigger coil which ionizes the gas in the flashtubes by impressing high voltage to the exterior of each flashtube. As storage capacitor 24 charges, capacitor 40 charges through 37, resistor 41, transformer 39 to the voltage across 36. When the open flash (activator) switch 16 contacts closes, 40 discharges through transformer 39 secondary, the high-voltage pulse necessary to ionize the gas in flashtubes 18, the flashtubes then flash (light). Flyback ringing is reduced by resistor 42. Capacitor 43 provides an a-c return path for the high voltage pulse.
In place of the pair of flashtube lights shown in the drawings, a single flashtube light can be used. Characteristically the full power light output ranges from about 75 to about 80 lumen seconds per ft 2 (measured at a four foot distance using a fully charged battery).
Since the luminous material located on the front sight S 1 and the rear sight S 2 is applied only to the rear surfaces of each sight, and the light activation thereof occurs within the interior confines of the holster; the peace officer is permitted to sight the handgun under the darkest possible conditions without revealing his position to the assailant or burglar.
It will be noted from FIG. 4 that holster cap portion 44 assists in shielding the light from observation prevents the predominant portion of the light emitted from being observed from the front of the holster. Further security can be provided to further restrict light emanating during activation of the luminescent material by employing fur or other fibrous material 45 in the form of an interior upper edge lining around the top periphery of the holster 11, as is apparent in FIG. 4. | This disclosure is directed to a handgun holster capable of activating a light activatable, luminous material deposited on the rear surfaces of the front and rear sights, respectively, of the handgun without revealing the position of the party holding and aiming the piece at the critical time it is aimed thereby permitting handguns to be aimed accurately in the darkest conditions by peace officers without hazard. Basically the holster conforms in general contour and appearance to that of the handgun and contains a shielding portion and one or more lights of sufficient intensity to permit short duration light exposure during activation of the luminous material. | 8 |
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority of application Ser. No. 60/521,307, filed on 2004 Mar. 30, and entitled “EFFICIENT MEDIA SCAN OPERATIONS FOR STORAGE SYSTEMS,” which application is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention is related to a method for performing media scan operation for storage system and a storage subsystem and a storage system implementing the method.
[0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0005] Scanning media for defects or problem areas is a relatively common procedure. Most PC operating systems incorporate it as part of the process of preparing a section of media for accommodating data. Storage virtualization systems also commonly offer a way of scanning media for defects or problem areas prior to or during the process of preparing a section of physical media for use. It has also appeared on storage virtualization systems run on on-line media to detect defective media section of a PSD (physical storage device) while the data in that section can still be recovered or damage due to associated loss of data minimized. Storage virtualization systems have typically relied on a RAID parity consistency check operation performed on a RAID disk array to achieve this goal. This operation typically would include a mechanism for re-writing and/or reassigning a section of media that was not read successfully due to potentially defective media. Such an operation, however, suffers from the shortcoming that it is very resource intensive, causing a significant negative impact on normal host IO performance. This is because it requires transferring data in from each member disk in the disk array and then requires computing the XOR parity of all the data read in. Furthermore, it is only applicable to disk arrays that are redundant, that is either incorporate RAID parity (e.g., RAID levels 3, 4, 5) or incorporate mirroring (e.g., RAID 1). It cannot be used on disk arrays that are not redundant, such as simple striped arrays (e.g., RAID 0), nor can it be used on drives that are not members of an array.
[0006] One of the primary functions of the above-mentioned Storage Virtualization Systems (SVSs) is to protect integrity of, while allowing for continued access to, data stored within even in the face of certain kinds of faults. As an example, SVSs supporting some form of redundant array of disk drives allow a single disk drive to fail without loss of data or even loss of access to data stored in the array. However, there are still fault conditions that may cause loss of data itself and/or loss of data access. Such conditions typically consist of multiple faults in a certain set of associated devices, such as faults on two distinct disk drives in a redundant disk array. Applying techniques expressly designed to detect possible sources of faults then taking corrective action before the fault actually occurs can serve to minimize the possibility of such an occurrence.
[0007] One common cause of multiple faults in the set of member drives comprising a disk array is media errors on physical storage devices (PSDs). If a redundant disk array is running in an “optimal” state, media errors can typically be corrected “on-the-fly” without loss of data or loss of access to data. However, if the redundant disk array is operating in a “degraded” state, meaning that it is lacking in some or all redundancy due to the absence or failure of one or more member drives, then yet another fault may lead to such a loss. To avoid such an undesirable occurrence, preventative measures can be taken to reduce the likelihood that such a fault might occur while the disk array is operating in a “degraded” state.
[0008] Accordingly, there is a need for a method to solve the above-mentioned problems of the existing technologies.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0009] An objective of the present invention is to provide an efficient media scan method by which problem areas of physical media in a data storage system can be detected early on so that appropriate counter-measures can be taken while affected data is still recoverable or damage due to associated loss of data can be minimized.
[0010] An further objective of the present invention is to provide a method to lower the possibility that a fault might occur while the redundant array is operated in a degraded state or the array does not have the ability to recover the data in a damaged media section
[0011] A still further objective of the present invention is to provide a data storage subsystem and a data storage system incorporated with the above-mentioned media scan method.
[0012] Accordance to an embodiment of the invention, a method for media scan operations for storage system is provided. The method comprises the steps of: arranging a range of sections of media of PSDs to perform media scan operations; scheduling the media scan operations; selecting a section in the range; verifying media of the selected section; determining the status of the selected section to be ok or not ok; and, if the status is not ok, responding by proceeding with the corrective action processes, and, if the status is ok, responding by selecting another section in the range to proceed with the verifying step, the determining step, and this responding step, until there is no more section in the range to be verified.
[0013] Accordance to another embodiment of the invention, a storage virtualization subsystem is provided in which a media scan mechanism is implemented therein to perform the above-mentioned method.
[0014] Accordance to a further embodiment of the invention, a computer system having a storage virtualization subsystem is provided in which a media scan mechanism is implemented therein to perform the above-mentioned method.
[0015] These and various other features and advantages which characterize the present invention will be described in the detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0016] The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0017] FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of processes for performing media scan operation for storage system according to the present invention;
[0018] FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of the corrective action processes in FIG. 1 according to the present invention;
[0019] FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of the conditional branch C 1 of the corrective action processes in FIG. 2 ;
[0020] FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of the conditional branch C 2 of the corrective action processes in FIG. 2 ; and
[0021] FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of the conditional branch C 3 of the corrective action processes in FIG. 2 .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0022] Brief Introduction to Storage Virtualization
[0023] Storage virtualization is a technology that has been used to virtualize physical storage by combining sections of physical storage devices (PSDs) into logical storage entities, herein referred to as logical media units (LMUs), that are made accessible to a host system. This technology has been used primarily in redundant arrays of independent disks (RAID) storage virtualization, which combines smaller physical storage devices into larger, fault tolerant, higher performance logical media units via RAID technology.
[0024] A Storage virtualization Controller, abbreviated SVC, is a device the primary purpose of which is to map combinations of sections of physical storage media to logical media units visible to a host system. IO requests received from the host system are parsed and interpreted and associated operations and data are translated into physical storage device IO requests. This process may be indirect with operations cached, delayed (e.g., write-back), anticipated (read-ahead), grouped, etc., to improve performance and other operational characteristics so that a host IO request may not necessarily result directly in physical storage device IO requests in a one-to-one fashion.
[0025] An External (sometimes referred to as “Stand-alone”) Storage Virtualization Controller is a Storage Virtualization Controller that connects to the host system via an IO interface and that is capable of supporting connection to devices that reside external to the host system and, in general, operates independently of the host.
[0026] One example of an external Storage Virtualization Controller is an external, or stand-alone, direct-access RAID controller. A RAID controller combines sections on one or multiple physical direct access storage devices (DASDs), the combination of which is determined by the nature of a particular RAID level, to form logical media units that are contiguously addressable by a host system to which the logical media unit is made available. A single RAID controller will typically support multiple RAID levels so that different logical media units may consist of sections of DASDs combined in different ways by virtue of the different RAID levels that characterize the different units.
[0027] Another example of an external Storage Virtualization Controller is a JBOD emulation controller. AJBOD, short for “Just a Bunch of Drives”, is a set of physical DASDs that connect directly to a host system via one or more a multiple-device IO device interconnect channels. DASDs that implement point-to-point IO device interconnects to connect to the host system (e.g., Parallel ATA HDDs, Serial ATA HDDs, etc.) cannot be directly combined to form a “JBOD” system as defined above for they do not allow the connection of multiple devices directly to the IO device channel. An intelligent “JBOD emulation” device can be used to emulate multiple multiple-device IO device interconnect DASDs by mapping IO requests to physical DASDs that connect to the JBOD emulation device individually via the point-to-point IO-device interconnection channels.
[0028] Another example of an external Storage Virtualization Controller is a controller for an external tape backup subsystem.
[0029] The primary function of a storage virtualization controller, abbreviated as SVC, is to manage, combine, and manipulate physical storage devices in such a way as to present them as a set of logical media units to the host. Each LMU is presented to the host as if it were a directly-connected physical storage device (PSD) of which the LMU is supposed to be the logical equivalent. In order to accomplish this, IO requests sent out by the host to be processed by the SVC that will normally generate certain behavior in an equivalent PSD also generate logically equivalent behavior on the part of the SVC in relation to the addressed logical media unit. The result is that the host “thinks” it is directly connected to and communicating with a PSD when in actuality the host is connected to a SVC that is simply emulating the behavior of the PSD of which the addressed logical media unit is the logical equivalent.
[0030] Storage virtualization subsystem may provide storage virtualization to hosts connected via standard host-storage interfaces using a pair of Storage Virtualization controllers configured redundantly so that a controller will takeover all the operations originally performed by the alternate controller should it malfunction.
[0031] Please also refer to the US Provisional Application “EFFICIENT MEDIA SCAN OPERATIONS FOR STORAGE SYSTEMS”, Ser. No. 60/521,307, filed on 2004 Mar. 30, which is the priority basis application of the present application. The operation flows and structure pertaining to such SVSs and SVCs are explained in detail in the Attachment 1 entitled “Serial ATA External Storage Virtualization Controller and Subsystem” and Attachment 2 entitled “Redundant Serial ATA External Storage Virtualization Subsystem” of the US Provisional Application.
Embodiments of the Present Invention
[0032] An embodiment according to the present invention is started from description of the media scan operation on a particular PSD. The entire media scan operation on a particular PSD consists of a series of elemental operations on individual sections of physical media, one for each section of media. Typically, these elemental operations would be executed on physical media sections in a sequential fashion to minimize the performance impact caused by mechanical characteristics of the PSD (e.g., magnetic head seek, rotational latency, etc). However, orders other than a sequential fashion can also be adopted in the present invention. A typical elemental operation would consist of issuing a “Media Check” command to the PSD that would have the PSD perform a check of the state of the media and the data stored therein. On completion of command execution, if the PSD indicates that a problem was found with the state of the media or data stored therein, the Storage Virtualization Controller (SVC) would perform “corrective actions”, that is, actions designed to recover the data or minimize the damage that could finally result from such a condition. The nature of such corrective actions would further depend on whether or not the offending section of media is a “data section”, meaning that it has data that may need to be accessed at some point in the future stored on it, and, if so, whether or not the data stored therein is recoverable (e.g., PSD is a member of a redundant disk array that is currently in “optimal” state).
[0033] If the offending section is not a data section (a “non-data section”), then there are no concerns about the possibility that the data stored therein will be accessed at some point in the future, so the media section can be processed in a destructive way, meaning that media section and/or data stored therein can be freely manipulated without regard to the integrity of the data stored therein. The corrective action applied in this case, hereafter referred to as “Data-Destructive corrective action”, would typically involve executing a write to the media section to force a rewriting of data and regeneration of check data by the PSD followed by a “Media Check” operation to check if the media problem has been corrected. If the problem still exists as evidenced by a failed Media Check operation, then an attempt to map out the offending media section and map in a replacement section (this operation hereafter referred to as a “Media Section Reassignment”) would typically be performed. Alternately, the Media Section Reassignment could be executed directly without first attempting to correct the problem with a media write if it is deemed that the media section might not be reliable enough to store data as is.
[0034] If the offending section is a data section, and data stored therein is stored, in some form, redundantly such that it can be regenerated using data from other media sections on the same or other PSDs, then a process that allows for full recovery of data can be implemented. This would typically involve regenerating the data and then executing a write operation to the media section to write the regenerated data to the offending media section and, at the same time, force regeneration of check data by the PSD, followed by a Media Check operation to check if the media problem has been corrected. If the problem still exists as evidenced by a failed Media Check operation, then a Media Section Reassignment would typically be performed followed by another attempt to write the regenerated data to the media section and a Media Check operation to check if media problem still exists. Alternately, a Media Section Reassignment could be performed before the attempt to write the regenerated data if it is deemed that the media section might not be reliable enough to store data as is.
[0035] If the offending section is a data section, but data stored therein cannot be regenerated, then data recovery is not possible. In this case, it is important either that no “destructive operations” be performed on the media section or that, if destructive operations are to be performed, a non-volatile record be made indicating that the data stored in the offending media section is no longer valid (this operation hereafter referred to as “Marking the media section Bad”). In this way, future IO operations that, for instance, are generated as part of normal operation, can detect the problem and deal with it accordingly (e.g., return error status to requesting entity). If the implementation is such that destructive operations are not performed, typical corrective actions would consist of simply posting an event message to an event log and/or issuing a notification to inform the user that a condition worthy of attention has occurred. If the implementation is such that the offending media section is to be “Marked Bad” thereby allowing destructive operations to be performed as part of the corrective action, then a process similar to the corrective actions defined for media problems detected in non-data sections would typically be applied following the Marking Bad of the offending section.
[0036] In addition to the actual execution of the various Corrective Action processes discussed above, typically, selected steps in the processes would also generate related event messages logged to an event log and/or issue related notifications to keep the user informed as to what has transpired just in case it is deemed worthy of closer monitoring.
[0037] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the host entity (e.g., the SVC) arranges the range of sections of media of PSDs and schedules the media scan operation. The range can be one or some or all section of one or multiple PSDs. To schedule the media scan operation means the operation can be scheduled as periodical, isolated, or instant operation. After the arrangement and the scheduling are completed, the verification on the sections of media of PSDs can be started and the corrective actions can be performed, if necessary, according to data attribute of the sections, such as non-data section, data section that is currently in a state that permits regeneration of data therein, or, data section that is currently in a state that do not permit regeneration of data therein, etc.
[0038] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a typical procedure implementing the media scan operation on sets of media sections that are members of redundant combinations of media sections (e.g. member sections of redundant disk arrays such as RAID-1, RAID-3, RAID-5, and RAID-6 arrays) that are currently in a state that permit data regeneration might be as follows:
[0039] (1) A Media Check command is issued to the PSD to the state of a section of media and the data stored therein.
[0040] (2) The PSD executes the operation and then reports the completion status of the operation to the SVC. If the status is “OK”, then the SVC moves on to scan the next media section and processing continues from (1).
[0041] (3) If the completion status of the operation is not “OK” (“not-ok”) and the failure was a result of an error other than a media error (non-media error) then two possible approaches can be adopted depending on the implementation. The first is that the offending section can be considered to be “unrecoverable” and appropriate counter-measures taken followed by the continuation of processing with the next media section at (1). The second is that the entire media scan operation on the particular PSD can be aborted.
[0042] (4) Otherwise, the completion status of the operation is not “OK” and the failure was due to a media error. Data from corresponding sections on the same or other PSDs is read in and combined to regenerate the data on the section of media in which the Media Check operation failed.
[0043] (5) When the completion status of the operation is not “OK” and the failure was due to a media error, the procedure will evaluate whether or not the media error problem is “persistent”. If it is determined that the problem is “persistent”, a Media Section Reassignment operation can be performed on the offending section of media. One typical criterion to determine “persistency” is that simple rewriting of the data will not prevent problem recurrence in the same media section. Alternately, the criterion can be that all media errors are considered “persistent”, and a Media Section Reassignment can be performed on all media sections for which the Media Check operation failed with a media error.
[0044] (6) If a Media Section Reassignment was performed and it failed or if the Media Section Reassignment should have been performed but could not for some other reason (e.g., because the maximum number of such reassignments that are allowed has been reached), then the offending section is considered to be “unrecoverable” and processing continues with the next media section at (1).
[0045] (7) If the media error is deemed not persistent, the regenerated data is then written to the offending section of media.
[0046] (8) The Media Check is reissued to the offending section of the PSD to verify the offending section of media again and procedure continues from (2).
[0047] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a typical procedure implementing the media scan operation on sets of media sections that are members of non-redundant combinations of media sections (e.g., non-redundant disk arrays such as RAID-0 arrays) or on sets of media sections that are members of redundant combinations of media sections but that are in a state that does not permit data regeneration might be as follows:
[0048] (1) A Media Check command is issued to the PSD to the state of a section of media and the data stored therein.
[0049] (2) The PSD executes the operation and then reports the completion status of the operation to the SVC. If the status is “OK”, then the SVC moves on to scan the next media section and processing continues from (1).
[0050] (3) If the completion status of the operation is not “OK” and destructive operations on the media section are not supported (e.g., Marking a media section Bad is not implemented) or the failure was a result of an error other than a media error (non-media error) then two possible approaches can be adopted depending on the implementation. The first is that the offending section can be considered to be “unrecoverable” and appropriate counter-measures taken followed by the continuation of processing with the next media section at (1). The second is that the entire media scan operation on the particular PSD can be aborted.
[0051] (4) Otherwise, the completion status of the operation is not “OK”, the failure was due to a media error and destructive operations on the media section are supported. In one preferred implementation, the offending media section will be marked bad so that future READ operations of that section can detect the fact that the data in the section may not be valid and take the appropriate counter-measures (e.g., return error status to the requesting entity).
[0052] (5) When the completion status of the operation is not “OK” and the failure was due to a media error, the procedure will evaluate whether or not the media error problem is “persistent”. If it is determined that the problem is “persistent”, a Media Section Reassignment operation can be performed on the offending section of media. One typical criterion to determine “persistency” is that simple rewriting of the data will not prevent problem recurrence in the same media section. Alternately, the criterion can be that all media errors are considered “persistent”, and a Media Section Reassignment can be performed on all media sections for which the Media Check operation failed with a media error.
[0053] (6) If a Media Section Reassignment was performed and it failed or if the Media Section Reassignment should have been performed but could not for some other reason (e.g., because the maximum number of such reassignments that are allowed has been reached), then the offending section is considered to be “unrecoverable” and processing continues with the next media section at (1).
[0054] (7) In determining whether or not the media error is “persistent”, the following measure can be taken. A physical media WRITE command is issued to the offending section of the PSD followed by a re-issuance of the Media Check command. Alternately, a single-command physical media WRITE-VERIFY command can be issued in place of the two-command WRITE followed by Media Check command sequence. Processing continues with (2).
[0055] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a typical implementing the media scan operation on sets of non-data media sections (e.g., spare or unassigned drives) might be as follows:
[0056] (1) A Media Check command is issued to the PSD to the state of a section of media and the data stored therein.
[0057] (2) The PSD executes the operation and then reports the completion status of the operation to the SVC. If the status is “OK”, then the SVC moves on to scan the next media section and processing continues from (1).
[0058] (3) If the completion status of the operation is not “OK” and the failure was a result of an error other than a media error (non-media error) then the offending media section is considered to be “unrecoverable” and appropriate counter-measures can be taken. Processing continues with the next media section at (1).
[0059] (4) Otherwise, the completion status of the operation is not “OK” and the failure was due to a media error. The procedure will then evaluate whether or not the media error problem is “persistent”. If it is determined that the problem is “persistent”, a Media Section Reassignment operation can be performed on the offending section of media. One typical criterion to determine “persistency” is that simple rewriting of the data will not prevent problem recurrence in the same media section. Alternately, the criterion can be that all media errors are considered “persistent”, and a Media Section Reassignment can be performed on all media sections for which the Media Check operation failed with a media error.
[0060] (5) If a Media Section Reassignment was performed and it failed or if the Media Section Reassignment should have been performed but could not for some other reason (e.g., because the maximum number of such reassignments that are allowed has been reached), then the offending section is considered to be “unrecoverable” and processing continues with the next media section at (1).
[0061] (6) In determining whether or not the media error is “persistent”, the following measure can be taken. A physical media WRITE command is issued to the offending section of the PSD followed by a re-issuance of the Media Check command. Alternately, a single-command physical media WRITE-VERIFY command can be issued in place of the two-command WRITE followed by Media Check command sequence. Processing continues with (2).
[0062] In the procedures detailed above, when a failure of a Media Check operation on a media section results in the offending section being considered “unrecoverable”, so-called “appropriate counter-measures” would typically consist of posting an event to the event log and, optionally, issuing a notification to inform the user that a condition worthy of his attention has occurred. For data drives, a replacement drive, could optionally be brought on line and data copied from the offending drive onto it, after which the offending drive could be taken off line being fully replaced by the replacement drive.
[0063] The drawing FIGS. 1 through 5 are main flows showing alternate embodiments in accordance with of the present invention.
[0064] Please refer to FIG. 1 , which is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of processes for performing media scan operation for storage system according to the present invention. The host entity (e.g., the SVC) arranges the range of sections of media of PSDs to perform media scan (step S 110 ). The host then schedules the timing (step S 120 ), such as periodical, isolated, or instant operation, to perform the media scan. When Host starts to perform the media scan operation, it selects a section (step S 130 ) and issues a Media Check command to the associated PSD to verify the selected section (step S 140 ). The PSD executes the check operations in response to the command and then reports the completion status of the operation to the Host (step S 150 ). Now the process has to determine whether the status is “OK” or not (step S 160 ). If the completion status is “OK”, which reflects the fact that the selected section is OK, the Host entity will select another arranged section to perform Media Check operation until there is no more arranged section to verify. So, the process has to test if the selected section just verified is the last section and there is no more arranged section to check (step S 170 ). If there is no more arranged section to verify, then the process is end. Otherwise, the Host entity will select another arranged section (step S 180 ) for performing Media Check operation and the process proceeds to node B to go back to step S 140 to perform the Media Check operation. If the completion status is “not-OK”, the corrective action processes will begin (step S 200 ).
[0065] Please refer to FIG. 2 , whcih is a flowchart illustrating of an embodiment of the corrective action processes in FIG. 1 according to the present invention. The corrective action processes start from testing whether the selected section is a non-data section in step S 210 . If it is, the process goes to node C 3 . Otherwise, the selected section is a data section, it goes to step S 220 to test whether data in the selected section is stored redundantly. If the answer is “no” for S 220 , the process goes to node C 2 . If the answer is yes for S 220 , then it is further tested in step S 230 that whether the data in the selected section can be regenerated. If the answer for S 230 is “no”, the process goes to node C 2 . If the answer for S 230 is “yes”, which means the data in the selected section can be regenerated, the process goes to node C 1 .
[0066] Please refer to FIG. 3 , which is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of the conditional branch C 1 of the corrective action processes in FIG. 2 . Node C 1 corresponds to the corrective action for a typical procedure implementing the media scan operation on sets of media sections that are members of redundant combinations of media sections (e.g. member sections of redundant disk arrays such as RAID-1, RAID-3, RAID-5, and RAID-6 arrays) that are currently in a state that permit data regeneration.
[0067] The process starts from step S 310 to test if the not-OK status results from a media error. If the answer is “no” in S 310 , the process goes to step S 320 or S 330 , either is possible approach and can be adopted depending on the implementation. In S 320 , the selected section is considered to be “unrecoverable” and appropriate counter-measures can be taken. In S 330 , the entire media scan operation on the particular PSD is aborted (step S 332 ) and then the host rearranges the sections of median of PSDs to perform media scan (step S 334 ). After S 320 or S 330 is finished, the process goes to node A.
[0068] If the answer is “yes” in S 310 , the process goes to step S 350 to test if the media error causing the not-ok status is persistent. If the answer is “yes” in S 350 , the process goes to step S 360 to test if the Media Section Reassignment is allowed. If the answer is “yes” in S 360 , Media Section Reassignment will be performed on the selected section (step S 365 ), otherwise the selected section will be considered unrecoverable (step S 370 ). After S 365 or S 370 is finished, the process goes to node A. At node A, process goes to step S 170 , which has been explained earlier with FIG. 2 .
[0069] If the answer is “no” in S 350 , data will be regenerated and written on the selected section in step S 380 and then this section will be selected again in step S 390 so that the Media Check command is reissued to this same section again to verify it again in step S 140 .
[0070] Please refer to FIG. 4 , which is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of the conditional branch C 2 of the corrective action processes in FIG. 2 . Node C 2 corresponds to the corrective action for a typical procedure implementing the media scan operation on sets of media sections that are members of non-redundant combinations of media sections (e.g., non-redundant disk arrays such as RAID-0 arrays) or on sets of media sections that are members of redundant combinations of media sections but in a state that does not permit data regeneration.
[0071] The process starts from step S 410 to test if the not-OK status results from a media error. If the answer is “no” in S 410 , the process goes to step S 420 or S 430 , either is possible approach and can be adopted depending on the implementation. If the answer is “yes” in S 410 , it is tested in step S 440 if destructive operations on the media section are supported. If the answer is “no” in S 440 , the process still goes to step S 420 or S 430 . In S 420 , the selected section is considered to be “unrecoverable” and appropriate counter-measures can be taken. In S 430 , the entire media scan operation on the particular PSD is aborted (step S 432 ) and then the host rearranges the sections of median of PSDs to perform media scan (step S 434 ). After S 420 or S 430 is finished, the process goes to node A.
[0072] If the answer is “yes” in S 440 , the selected section is marked bad in step S 445 and the process goes to step S 450 to test if the media error causing the not-ok status is persistent. If the answer is “yes” in S 450 , the process goes to step S 460 to test if the Media Section Reassignment is allowed. If the answer is “yes” in S 460 , Media Section Reassignment will be performed on the selected section (step S 465 ), otherwise the selected section will be considered unrecoverable (step S 470 ). After S 465 or S 470 is finished, the process goes to node A. If the answer is “no” in S 450 , the process still goes to node A. At node A, process goes to step S 170 , as explained earlier with FIG. 2 .
[0073] Please refer to FIG. 5 , which is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of the conditional branch C 1 of the corrective action processes in FIG. 2 . Node C 3 corresponds to the corrective action for a typical implementation of the media scan operation on sets of non-data media sections (e.g., spare or unassigned drives in the PSD array). The process starts from step S 510 to test if the not-OK status results from a media error. If the answer is “no” in S 510 , the selected section is considered to be “unrecoverable” in step S 520 and appropriate counter-measures can be taken. After S 520 is finished, the process goes to node A.
[0074] If the answer is “yes” in S 510 , the process goes to step S 550 to test if the media error causing the not-ok status is persistent. If the answer is “yes” in S 550 , the process goes to step S 560 to test if the Media Section Reassignment is allowed. If the answer is “yes” in S 560 , Media Section Reassignment will be performed on the selected section (step S 565 ), otherwise the selected section will be considered unrecoverable (step S 570 ). After S 565 or S 570 is finished, the process goes to node A. If the answer is “no” in S 550 , the process still goes to node A. At node A, process goes to step S 170 , which has been explained earlier with FIG. 2 .
[0075] Form the description above, it is noted that, the current invention endeavors to minimize the negative impact on performance of the media scan operation by reducing the resource requirements of the operation. The primary way this is accomplished is by eliminating the RAID parity computation until data recovery is required.
[0076] The current invention also seeks to reduce the negative performance impact by, wherever possible, issuing commands to the PSD that achieve the goal of checking the state of the media and the data stored therein, hereafter referred to as Media Check commands, while, at the same time will minimize resource consumption. The physical media VERIFY command is especially suited for such a task for it does not generate any data transfer to the host entity (the SVC in this case), but, rather, simply check the status of the media and the data stored therein. However, in implementations in which a PSD does not support such a command or a VERIFY command may actually consume more resources than commands that might involve data transfer or engage other functionality (e.g., standard READ command), then other commands can be used in place of the VERIFY command in the role of a Media Check command.
[0077] The current invention adds the ability to run media scan on any PSD, whether or not it is a member of a disk array or a drive storing data. This includes spare drives, both global and dedicated, and drives that have not yet been assigned. This serves the purpose of detecting potential problem media sections before data is stored to them and dealing with them in a preventative fashion.
[0078] The current invention also defines two possible modes of media scan operation. The first is off-line operation mode, meaning that the PSD on which the operation is being performed is not available for IO operations that are generated as part of normal operation. In this mode, the PSD is either already off line or taken off line if it is on line before performing the media scan operation and is kept off line for the course of the operation. The second is on-line operation mode, meaning that the SVC can still dispatch to the PSD IO operations generated as part of normal operation. In this mode, the operating state of the PSD needn't change in order to perform media scan operation. This mode is sometimes referred to as “background” mode, because the operation does not effect the normal operation of the SVC relative to the PSD.
[0079] The current invention also optionally adds functionality that allows setting up background media scan operations to run at user-specified times. This gives the user the ability to schedule such operations for periods when, for example, the system load is relatively low, thereby minimizing the impact of the lowered host IO performance caused by running the operation. Such a scheduling function would typically include the ability to establish schedules that repeat the execution of the media scan operation in a regular fashion (e.g., once every Saturday at midnight) as well as the ability to schedule isolated, or “one-shot”, operation instances. In addition, a single instance background media scan operation immediately executed upon receiving of user instruction can also be performed.
[0080] The current invention also optionally specifies the media scan operation to be incorporated in SVCs and SVSs that support serial point-to-point drive-side IO device interconnects.
[0081] The current invention also optionally specifies the media scan operation to be incorporated in and run on SVSs that consist of a plurality of redundantly configured SVCs.
[0082] Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details thereof. Various substitutions and modifications have been suggested in the foregoing description, and other will occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. Therefore, all such substitutions and modifications are embraced within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. | A method for media scan operations for storage system is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of arranging a range of sections of media of PSDs to perform media scan operations; scheduling the media scan operations; selecting a section in the range; verifying media of the selected section; determining the status of selected section; if the status is not ok, responding by proceeding with the corrective action processes, otherwise responding by selecting another section in the range to proceed with the verifying step, the determining step, and this responding step, until no more sections in the range to be verified. A storage subsystem implementing the method, a computer system comprising such storage subsystem, and a storage media having machine-executable codes stored therein for performing the method are also disclosed. | 6 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the priority benefit of Japanese application serial no. 2002-216295, filed Jul. 25, 2002.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a target including a backing plate and a method for manufacturing the same. The target is used as a depositing source in, for example, a sputtering process.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] In a target used in a deposition process, such as a sputtering process or the like, the target material is usually attached to a backing plate formed from a metallic material like copper to allow the target to cool down more rapidly or to be installed in an apparatus more easily. Moreover, the soldering material used in a target is usually indium (In) that has a low melting point.
[0006] Although there are various target materials currently being used in the art, directly wetting a target material with a soldering material is difficult in most case. Therefore, in the prior art, the surface of a target material to be applied with a soldering material is metallized in advance by forming a metal film of copper, nickel or the like with electroplating or vacuum deposition, so as to enhance the wettability of the target material with the soldering material. The soldering material is then applied to the target material. Moreover, gold can be added into a soldering material of indium to enhance the wettability of the target material with the soldering material, as described in, for example, JP-A-08-269703.
[0007] However, when the bonding surface of the target material is metallized to enhance the wettability of the target material with the soldering material, the adhesion between the metallized layer and the target material may not be sufficient, and an additional cost is required for forming the metallized layer. Moreover, since the soldering material of indium containing gold for enhancing the wettability is expensive, the cost of manufacturing the target is increased. The cost of bonding the target material and the backing plate and the adhesion between the two both are very important issues in the manufacture of a sputtering target.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] In view of the foregoing, one object of this invention is to provide a sputtering target that allows the use of an inexpensive and reliable method for bonding the target material and the backing plate.
[0009] The inventors have studied to improve the adhesion between the target material and the backing plate, and provided a new type of target that has a remarkably higher adhesion strength. In the manufacturing of the target, a coupling agent of a semi-metal oxide or a metal oxide is coated on the bonding surface of the target material or the backing plate before a molten soldering material is applied to the same.
[0010] The target of this invention includes an inorganic target material and a backing plate that are bonded with a soldering material between them. At least one of the target material and the backing plate is coated with a coupling agent of a semi-metal oxide or a metal oxide.
[0011] The target of this invention can be manufactured with, for example, the method disclosed in this invention. In the method, a coupling agent of a semi-metal oxide or a metal oxide is coated on the bonding surface of at least one of the target material and the backing plate, and then a molten soldering material is disposed on the bonding surface of at least one of the target material and the backing plate. Thereafter, the target material and the backing plate are bonded via the soldering material.
[0012] The coupling agent constituting the coupling layer of this invention is preferably a commercially available agent that can be easily obtained, and is suitably a silane coupling agent or one composed of an oxide of a IVa-group element in the Periodic Table of Elements, such as titanium (Ti) or zirconium (Zr). The silane coupling agent is particularly suitable in consideration of the facilitation of handling and the cost.
[0013] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary, and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings,
[0015] [0015]FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a cross-sectional view of the target of Sample 1 according to a preferred embodiment of this invention.
[0016] [0016]FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary procedure of the target bonding method of this invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0017] One important feature of this invention is the formation of a coupling layer of a semi-metal oxide or a metal oxide. The semi-metal oxide or metal oxide coupling agent can be an oxide of a IVa-group element in the Periodic Table of Elements, typically titanium (Ti) or zirconium (Zr), or an oxide of a semi-metal like aluminum (Al) or silicon, particularly a silane coupling agent. The silane coupling agent that is used most widely is synthesized via a polycondensation reaction, wherein silicon atoms form bridging structures via oxygen bonding. Generally, an oxide-type coupling agent has a hydrolyzable group and an organic functional group bonded to a metal atom or a semi-metal atom like a silicon atom, and such a coupling agent is used to bond a metal and an organic substance.
[0018] In this invention, a strong adhesion between inorganic materials is possible via the use of the coupling agent, which may be attributed to the effect of the hydrolyzable group to the inorganic materials having poor wettability. Accordingly, when the metal atom or the semi-metal atom of a coupling agent is bonded with a hydrolyzable group, a higher bonding strength can be anticipated. Moreover, a molten soldering material directly contacts with the coated coupling agent in this invention. The bonded body obtained through such a special mode can have a good bonding strength, which is a main feature of this invention.
[0019] Typically, in this invention, the coupling agent is coated on the bonding surface of the target material having poor wettability to enhance the bonding strength of the soldering material. Of course, if the material of the backing plate has poor wettability, the coupling agent can be coated on the backing plate or on both of the target material and the backing plate. That is, the coupling agent of a semi-metal oxide or a metal oxide is coated on the bonding surface of at least one of the target material and the backing plate according to the properties of the two. In this step, the coupling agent is preferably coated uniformly on the whole bonding surface of the target material or the backing plate.
[0020] After the coupling agent is coated, a molten soldering material is disposed on the bonding surface of at least one of the target material or the backing plate, and then the target material or the backing plate are bonded. In this step, the soldering material is preferably disposed on both of the target material and the backing plate for bonding them, since the soldering material merges well in such a manner. With the aforementioned steps, a target of this invention is obtained with a coupling layer of a semi-metal oxide or a metal oxide formed on at least one of the target material and the backing plate.
[0021] Since this invention uses the aforementioned coupling agent to bond the target material and the backing plate, no metallized layer is required to enhance the wettability of the target material and/or the backing plate with the soldering material, and the process (e.g., a vacuum deposition process) for forming a metallized layer can be omitted.
[0022] Moreover, the preferable examples of the soldering material used to bond the target material and the backing plate include indium (In), indium alloys, tin (Sn) and tin alloys that have low melting points and good softness.
EXAMPLES
[0023] The specific examples of this invention are described as follows to further explain the contents of this invention. The examples are not intended to restrict the scope of this invention, and this invention covers any variations of the examples provided they fall within the principles of this invention.
[0024] The target materials of various compositions and sizes, the copper backing plates and the coupling agents as described in Table 1 are prepared. The method for fabricating Samples 1-7 of the examples of this invention is described first. To fabricate a sample (1, 2, . . . , or 7), a silane coupling agent APZ-6633 produced by Nippon Unicar Co., Ltd. is coated on the bonding surface of a target material, and then a molten soldering material is disposed on the target material and heated to 160° C. or above to wet the surface of the target material. The molten soldering material is also disposed on the backing plate and heated to 160° C. or above to wet the surface of the backing plate, and then the bonding surfaces of the target material and the backing plate are joined together. The aforementioned steps for joining the bonding surfaces 5 of a target material 1 and a backing plate 4 using a soldering material 3 with an intermediate coupling agent 2 are sequentially illustrated in FIG. 2. Moreover, a cross-sectional view of the target formed with the above-mentioned bonding method is schematically illustrated in FIG. 1.
[0025] The method for fabricating Samples 8-9 is described as follows. A titanate coupling agent Orgatics TA-25 (Sample 8) or a zirconium coupling agent Orgatics ZA-60 (Sample 9) produced by Matsumoto Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. are coated on the bonding surface of a target material, and then a molten soldering material is disposed on the target material and heated to 160° C. or above to wet the surface of the target material. The molten soldering material is also disposed on the backing plate and heated to 160° C. or above to wet the surface of the backing plate, and then the two bonding surfaces are joined.
[0026] Moreover, to fabricate Sample 10 of the comparative example, a metallized layer of copper is formed on a target material of pure molybdenum (Mo) with electroplating, and then a molten soldering material is disposed on the target material and heated to 160° C. or above to wet the surface of the target material. The target material is then bonded with a backing plate disposed with the same soldering material. In the fabrication of Sample 11, a soldering material is directly coated on the bonding surface of a target material of pure molybdenum (Mo) and heated to 160° C. or above, wherein no surface treatment like metallized layer formation has been performed to the bonding surface. Since the wettability of the target material with the soldering material is not enhanced, the target material cannot be bonded with the backing plate.
[0027] After the target Samples 1-10 manufactured as above cool down, an ultrasonic flaw detector produced by Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd. is used to measure the bonding area ratios of the target samples. Moreover, to measure the bonding strength of the target material and the backing plate, test plates are prepared from the samples and are drawn vertically along the direction of thickness using a drawing tester for measuring the drawing strength of the target. The drawing strength and the bonding area ratio of each sample are listed in Table 1, wherein the drawing strength of a sample indicates the bonding strength of the same. Moreover, the bonding strength and the bonding area ratio of Sample 11 cannot be measured since the target material and the backing plate thereof cannot be bonded together.
TABLE 1 Target material Bonding Bonding Sample Composition Soldering Structure of sputtering strength area ratio No. (at %) Size (mm) material target Coupling agent (N/cm 2 ) (%) Note 1 pure Mo 8 × 980 × 1150 In Target material + Silane coupling 11.5 99.2 Example of this Soldering material + agent invention Backing plate 2 pure Cr 6 × 980 × 1150 In Target material + Silane coupling 11.8 99.1 Example of this Soldering material + agent invention Backing plate 3 65Mo-35W 16 × 924 × 1134 In Target material + Silane coupling 12.0 99.2 Example of this Soldering material + agent invention Backing plate 4 97Al-3Ti 10 × 630 × 710 In Target material + Silane coupling 11.7 98.9 Example of this Soldering material + agent invention Backing plate 5 80Si-20Mo φ 216 × 6 In Target material + Silane coupling 12.1 99.2 Example of this Soldering material + agent invention Backing plate 6 90W-10Ti φ 314 × 6 In Target material + Silane coupling 12.2 99.3 Example of this Soldering material + agent invention Backing plate 7 pure Ti φ 293 × 6 In Target material + Silane coupling 11.5 98.8 Example of this Soldering material + agent invention Backing plate 8 pure Mo 8 × 980 × 1150 In Target material + Titanate 11.8 99.8 Example of this Soldering material + coupling agent invention Backing plate 9 pure Mo 8 × 980 × 1150 In Target material + Zirconium 11.2 99.3 Example of this Soldering material + coupling agent invention Backing plate 10 pure Mo 8 × 980 × 1150 In Target material + No coupling 11.8 98.9 Comparative Metallized layer + agent example Soldering material + Backing plate 11 pure Mo 8 × 980 × 1150 In Target material + No coupling NA NA Comparative Soldering material + agent example Backing plate
[0028] As shown in Table 1, each of the sputtering targets of Samples 1-9 of this invention, on which a silane coupling agent or a metal oxide coupling agent is coated instead of a metallized layer, has a bonding strength higher than 11.2 N/cm 2 and a bonding area ratio higher than 98.8%. The bonding strengths of Samples 1-9 are at the same level as or even higher than that of Sample 10 in which a metallized layer is formed.
[0029] Since the wettability of the target material and the backing plate with the soldering material can be remarkably improved in this invention, the bonding strength between the target material and the backing plate can be easily enhanced. Therefore, the technique disclosed in this invention is indispensable for the manufacture of targets with backing plates.
[0030] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the present invention covers modifications and variations of this invention provided they fall within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents. | A sputtering target is provided, including a target material and a backing plate that are bonded with a strong adhesion at a reduced cost. The method for bonding the target material and the backing plate does not use a special soldering material, and is therefore cheaper and more reliable. The target includes an inorganic target material and a backing plate that are bonded with a soldering material between them. At least one of the target material and the backing plate is coated with a coupling agent of a semi-metal oxide or a metal oxide. | 1 |
BACKGROUND
In the downhole drilling and completion industry, there is often need to contain fluid within a formation during various operations. Conventionally, a mechanical barrier is put in the system that can be closed to contain the formation fluid when necessary. One example of a system known in the art will use a valve in operable communication with an Electric Submersible Pump (ESP) so that if/when the ESP is pulled from the downhole environment, formation fluids will be contained by the valve. While such systems are successfully used and have been for decades, in an age of increasing oversight and fail safe/failure tolerant requirements, additional systems will be well received by the art.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION
Disclosed herein is a multi-barrier system. The system includes a first valve in fluid communication with a lower completion that is electrically actuatable and inductively coupled to an upper completion. Also included is a second valve in fluid communication with the lower completion, both the first valve and the second valve are positioned proximate an uphole extent of the lower completion, and both the first valve and the second valve are closable in response to retrieving the upper completion and openable subsequent reengagement of an upper completion.
Also disclosed is a method of closing multiple barriers upon retrieval of an upper completion and opening of the multiple barriers subsequent reengagement of an upper completion with a lower completion. The method includes inductively coupling an electric line of the upper completion with an electric line of the lower completion in functional communication with a first valve of the lower completion, retrieving the upper completion from the lower completion, electrically closing the first valve upon functional decoupling of the inductive coupling, mechanically closing a second valve upon disengagement of the upper completion from the lower completion, reengagement of an upper completion with the lower completion, inductively coupling an electric line of the reengaged upper completion with the electric line of the lower completion, and electrically opening the first valve with electrical signals or power transmitted through the inductive coupling.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The following descriptions should not be considered limiting in any way. With reference to the accompanying drawings, like elements are numbered alike:
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a multi-barrier system disclosed herein;
FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the system of FIG. 1 in partial withdrawal from the borehole; and
FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a portion of an alternate multi-barrier system disclosed herein illustrating an alternate inductive coupler configuration.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the disclosed apparatus and method are presented herein by way of exemplification and not limitation with reference to the Figures.
Referring to FIG. 1 , a multi-barrier system 10 is illustrated. Illustrated is a portion of a lower completion 12 , a packer 14 and a portion of an upper completion 16 . One of ordinary skill in the art will be familiar with the lower completion 12 and the packer 14 and the concept of an upper completion 16 in operable communication therewith. In the illustrated embodiment an electric submersible pump (ESP) 18 is included in the upper completion 16 , which is a device well known to the art. Between the illustrated ESP 18 and the lower completion 12 however, one of ordinary skill in the art will be surprised to see a number of mechanical barriers 20 , 22 (sometimes referred to herein as “valves”) that is greater than one. As illustrated in the figures hereof there are two but nothing in this disclosure should be construed as limiting the number of mechanical barriers to two. Rather more could also be added, if desired.
In one embodiment the more downhole valve 20 is an electrically actuated valve such as an ORBIT™ valve available commercially from Baker Hughes Incorporated, Houston Tex. and the more uphole valve 22 is a mechanically actuated valve such as a HALO™ valve available from the same source. It will be appreciated that these particular valves are merely exemplary and may be substituted for by other valves without departing from the invention.
Electrical lines 24 are provided to the valve 20 for electronic operation thereof. The electrical lines 24 run along both the upper completion 16 and the lower completion 12 . In the illustrated embodiment an inductive coupler 26 transports electrical communication that may include one or both of electrical signals and electrical power between a first portion 28 A and a second portion 28 B that are in operable communication with the electrical lines 24 along the upper completion 16 and the electrical lines 24 along the lower completion 12 respectively. The inductive coupler 26 allows for retrieval of the upper completion 16 apart from the lower completion 12 . Also included in this embodiment of the system 10 is a stroker 30 that may be a hydraulic stroker in some iterations.
The components described function together to manage flow between the lower completion 12 and the upper completion 16 . This is accomplished in that the valve 20 is settable to an open or closed position (and may be variable in some iterations) based upon electrical communication in the electrical lines 24 . The valve 22 is opened or closed based upon mechanical input generated by movement of the upper completion 16 , or in the case of the illustration in FIG. 1 , based upon mechanical movement caused by the stroker 30 that is powered by hydraulic fluid pressure. Of course, the stroker 30 could be electrically driven or otherwise in other embodiments. In any condition, the valve 22 is configured to close upon withdrawal of the upper completion 16 . In normal production, both of the valves 20 and 22 will remain open unless there is a reason to close them. Such a reason occurs, for example, when it is required to retrieve the upper completion 16 for some reason. One such reason is to replace the ESP 18 . Regardless of the reason for closure, employment of the system 10 in a completion string provides more than one mechanical barrier 20 , 22 at an uphole extent of the lower completion 12 . The barriers when closed prevent fluid flow after the upper completion is retrieved.
Attention is directed to the inductive coupler 26 and FIG. 2 . During withdrawal of the upper completion 16 , the electrical lines 24 along the upper completion 16 are uncoupled from the electrical lines 24 along the lower completion 12 as the portion 28 A is separated from the portion 28 B. The valve 20 , if not already closed, is configured to close in response to this uncoupling of the electrical lines 24 . This will complete the separation of the upper completion 16 from the lower completion 12 and allow retrieval of the upper completion 16 to the surface. With more than one mechanical barrier 20 , 22 in place at the uphole extent of the lower completion 12 , there is improved confidence that fluids will not escape from the lower completion 12 .
In order to restore production, the same upper completion 16 or another similar upper completion 116 is run in the hole. Whether the same or a new upper completion 16 , 116 is being run items similar to the ESP 18 , the electrical line 24 and the portion 28 A of the inductive coupler 26 are incorporated thereon. The newly installed upper completion 16 , 116 can be fully engaged with the lower completion 12 to provide the full functionality of the original system 10 , including the ability to open and close each of the valves 20 , 22 as desired. Moreover, it should be understood that the process of pulling out and stabbing in with the same or new upper completions 16 , 116 can go on ad infinitum (or at least until practicality dictates otherwise).
Referring to FIG. 3 , a multi-barrier system 110 having an inductive coupler 126 with portions 128 A and 128 B in electrical communication with the electrical lines 24 is illustrated. The inductive coupler 126 differs from the inductive coupler 26 in that the portions 128 A and 128 B are displaced from one another radially instead of axially. As such a gap dimension 130 between the two portions 128 A, 128 B is determined by relative dimensions of the portions 128 A, 128 B and is not altered by foreign material, such as contamination, positioned therebetween. Additionally, the inductive coupler 126 can tolerate a greater range of axial positions between the portions 128 A, 128 B than the inductive coupler 26 while still maintaining full operational functioning thereacross.
The foregoing apparatus and method for its use allows for the retrieval and replacement of an upper completion without the need for a wet connection.
While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment or embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims. Also, in the drawings and the description, there have been disclosed exemplary embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms may have been employed, they are unless otherwise stated used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention therefore not being so limited. Moreover, the use of the terms first, second, etc. do not denote any order or importance, but rather the terms first, second, etc. are used to distinguish one element from another. Furthermore, the use of the terms a, an, etc. do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced item. | A multi-barrier system includes a first valve in fluid communication with a lower completion that is electrically actuatable and inductively coupled to an upper completion. Also included is a second valve in fluid communication with the lower completion, both the first valve and the second valve, positioned proximate an uphole extent of the lower completion, are closable in response to retrieving the upper completion and openable subsequent reengagement of an upper completion. | 4 |
BACKGROUND
The exemplary embodiments disclosed herein relate generally to traffic signals, and, more specifically, they relate to light emitting diode traffic signals.
The basic technology relating to light emitting diode (LED) traffic signals is well established and such traffic signals are in use worldwide. LED traffic signals present numerous advantages over common incandescent lamp traffic signals. Use of LEDs provides a power consumption savings and extremely long life in comparison to common incandescent light sources. The long life span creates improved reliability and sharply lowered maintenance costs.
LED signals have an extremely long service life that has increased with each new generation of LEDs. Incandescent lamps, while having a much shorter service life, have relatively constant light output until a total failure occurs, i.e., burnout of the light filament. LED signals, over an extended period, have gradually diminishing light output. Further, LED light output is negatively affected by temperature. In extreme climate or during unnaturally warm periods LED light output diminishes during the day and then returns to a normal level during cooler periods at night.
Thus, while LED traffic signal technology offers high reliability and low power consumption, it introduces complexity to the overall road traffic control system. Two of the most important issues that need to be addressed are interfacing and monitoring.
Thus, under the current standards, a signal state endangering traffic due to a “single failure” shall be prevented. If the first “single failure” is not apparent, the occurrence of an additional independent “single failure” shall be considered. A signal state endangering traffic due to the combination of both failures shall be prevented. If the first failure is detected by a manual proof test or an on-line test, the detection shall occur within the test proof interval specified by the manufacturer and the probability of a second failure which could cause an unsafe condition within this interval shall be less than 10 −5 per year.
A “single failure” refers to any individual component failure. An “unsafe condition” refers, for example, to a situation where the traffic signal does not generate light when energized and the traffic controller does not detect the failure.
Presently, traffic controllers generally monitor the traffic signal input current to detect a failure. It is assumed that the measured input current always represents the output light. The traffic signal is equipped with an independent monitoring circuit that checks the light output and sets the traffic signal in high impedance state in case of a failure. However, if the traffic signal independent monitoring circuit becomes defective due to a faulty component, the traffic signal may continue to operate and the failure in the monitoring circuit is not apparent to the traffic controller and is not detected. In that situation, a subsequent traffic signal failure that can endanger the public is now possible because the independent monitoring circuit is defective or disabled.
The present invention contemplates a new and improved apparatus and method that resolves the above-referenced difficulties and others.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION
In one aspect of the invention an apparatus for testing an independent monitoring circuit in an LED traffic signal is provided. The apparatus comprises: a proof test circuit embedded within the traffic signal; and a proof test device embedded within the traffic signal.
In another aspect of the invention a method of testing an independent monitoring circuit in a LED traffic signal is provided. The method comprises: via a proof test circuit embedded in the traffic signal, simulating a faulty traffic signal state; activating the independent monitoring circuit without switching the traffic signal into a high impedance state; energizing a proof test device; and via the proof test device, communicating externally the current state of the independent monitoring circuit.
Further scope of the applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided below. It should be understood, however, 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.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention exists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts of the apparatus, and steps of the method, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, specifically pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system into which the exemplary embodiments may be incorporated; and
FIG. 2 is an electrical schematic of one embodiment of LED proof test circuitry.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring now to the drawings wherein the showings are for purposes of illustrating the exemplary embodiments only and not for purposes of limiting the claimed subject matter, FIG. 1 provides a block diagram of one embodiment of the invention. As shown generally, FIG. 1 includes an independent monitoring circuit 10 , which receives LED information 12 , a proof test circuit (PTC) 14 , a proof test device (PTD) 16 , and a disconnect circuit 18 .
The LED information 12 represents a measurement of the current flowing into the LEDs. This may be accomplished, for example, by having at least one resistor in series with the LEDs and measuring the voltage drop on the resistor(s). It is assumed that this current is generating light. Thus, the independent monitoring circuit 10 looks to the state of the LED traffic signal. If the independent monitoring circuit 10 detects that there is no light (i.e., the current is zero or below some threshold value), then it disconnects a fuse in series with the main circuit. The traffic controller detects that a lamp is off and that the traffic signal will need to be repaired or replaced.
The PTC 14 and the PTD 16 are generally embedded into the traffic signal. With reference to FIGS. 1A-1F , the PTC 14 may comprise one of several embodiments, including, but not limited to: (a) a push button 30 with two contacts 32 , with the PTC 16 embedded as a light-emitting device 34 , and, as an option, a current limiting resistor 36 ; (b) any type of mechanical button 38 associated with an electronic circuit; or (c) an electronic circuit 40 that self-generates the test command for the independent monitoring circuit 10 at specified intervals and for a limited period of time.
Likewise, the PTD 16 may comprise one of several embodiments, including, but not limited to: (a) a light-emitting device of any type, e.g., a light emitting diode 42 that generates light when current passes through it (the PTD 16 can use a light conduit device 44 to bring the light spot at a desired location); (b) a wireless transmission signal emitter 46 that establishes a wireless communication path, or an infrared signal emitter, to transfer the independent monitoring circuit state information; or (c) an electronic circuit 48 that uses the traffic signal power cable 50 to transmit the independent monitoring circuit state information.
The disconnect circuit 18 generally comprises a power transistor (MOSFET). Thus, it is possible to drive the power transistor to create a high short circuit current and blow the fuse in series with the main circuit. However, during the proof test, the disconnect circuit 18 is disabled.
In operation, from time to time, the PTC 14 simulates a faulty traffic signal state (i.e., current equals zero or is below some threshold value) to activate the independent monitoring circuit 10 without switching the traffic signal into a high impedance state. That is, the independent monitoring circuit 10 should not disconnect the fuse in series with the main circuit. If the independent monitoring circuit 10 works properly, the PTD 16 is energized, and it communicates externally the current state of the independent monitoring circuit 10 . The failure to communicate shall be considered a traffic signal failure, and the traffic controller or the maintenance technician is thus notified and the traffic signal shall be immediately replaced.
The simulation test does not interfere with the overall functionality of the traffic signal. There is no need to open the traffic signal in order to diagnose the independent monitoring circuit 10 . The test can be done by periodical manual proof testing or on-line testing. The time interval between manual proof tests (or on-line tests) shall be determined such that the second failure probability is less than 10 −5 per year.
FIG. 2 , which shows electronic circuitry within the lamp enclosure 20 , represents one possible embodiment of the invention. It is to be understood, of course, that other embodiments are contemplated.
As shown in FIG. 2 , the input stage 22 is connected to the mains line. Resistor R 1 limits the short circuit current to protect the transistor Q. To start the proof test, contacts C 1 and C 2 (e.g., transistors) are opened. Because contact C 1 is opened, the independent monitoring circuit 10 detects a missing LED signal and energizes the transistor Q. Since contact C 2 is opened, the current is forced to go through resistor R 2 and LED LD, which are in series. (Note that in this example resistor R 2 has high impedance as compared to resistor R 1 , which is simply there to limit the short circuit current to protect transistor Q.) Thus, current passes through the LED LD and light is emitted. The LED LD is now visible from outside the traffic signal and is thus analyzed.
The LED light signal interpretation is as follows:
1. If there is no light present, then the independent monitoring circuit 10 or the PTC 14 is defective. In that case, the traffic light is replaced and the defective one is repaired.
2. If there is light during the test only, then everything is correct. In that case, no action is taken.
3. If there is permanent light, then the PTC 14 is defective. As in the first case, the traffic light is replaced and the defective one is repaired.
To end the test, contacts C 1 and C 2 are closed. It is to be understood that the test duration and the repetition rate (duty cycle) is variable and depends on the traffic signal application.
This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims. | An apparatus and method for testing an independent monitoring circuit in an LED traffic signal is provided. The apparatus comprises: a proof test circuit embedded within the traffic signal; and a proof test device embedded within the traffic signal. The method comprises: via the proof test circuit, simulating a faulty traffic signal state; activating the independent monitoring circuit without switching the traffic signal into a high impedance state; energizing the proof test device; and via the proof test device, communicating externally the current state of the independent monitoring circuit. | 7 |
BACKGROUND
1. Field of the Invention
Aspects of the present invention relate in general to an apparatus that perfects paper, cardboard, greeting cards, cardstock and the like, during the manufacture of printed media.
2. Description of the Related Art
During the manufacture of printed media, such as greeting cards, paper, cardboard, cardstock, and the like, media may be processed on both sides. For example, in the art of greeting card manufacturing, a large sheet of media may be embossed on a first side, scored on the opposite side, then cut on the first side, and finally folded along the scored side to form a greeting card. An analogous situation is when a photocopying apparatus prints a “double-sided” photocopy, because both sides are processed during the manufacturing process.
In such cases, to simplify the manufacturing process, a single sheet is mechanically turned so that it may be processed on both sides of the media. The mechanical turning or “flipping” is known in the art as “perfecting” the media.
Conventionally, when media is processed, the media is held in a gripping arrangement. When the media is perfected, the media is released from the gripping arrangement, flipped, and then regripped for further printing. This is done because most conventional systems accomplish the media perfection through a system of rollers or other sheet-turning drums.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an apparatus embodiment that mechanically perfects media.
FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of a rotating arrangement to rotate the media to be mechanically perfected.
FIG. 3 depicts an embodiment of a gripper bar suspended by a chain.
FIG. 4 shows a gripper bar embodiment suspended by a chain, as viewed from above.
FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of a gripper bar to hold the media to be mechanically perfected.
SUMMARY
In one embodiment, a media perfection device comprises a rotating arrangement that rotates a gripper bar. The gripper bar comprises a fixed part, and a rotatable part to hold media. The rotation of the rotating arrangement rotates the rotatable part of the gripper bar, thus perfecting the media.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Aspects of the invention encompass the discovery of flaws and problems of conventional perfection apparatuses caused by releasing the media when the media is being perfected. Apparatus and method embodiments of the invention further facilitate the perfection of media through an automatic manufacturing system. In one aspect of the present invention, the apparatus continuously holds the media, never having to release the hold on the media as the media is perfected.
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an apparatus embodiment that mechanically perfects media, constructed and operative in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 illustrates how a rotating arrangement 130 may be used to rotate gripper bar 110 . The gripper bar maintains its hold on the media 200 , and thus the media 200 is mechanically perfected without requiring the ungripping and regripping.
As is shown, a perfector apparatus embodiment includes a gripper bar 110 and a rotating arrangement 130 or “perfector” 130 as part of an automatic manufacturing system.
Gripper bar 110 comprises a fixed part 102 , and a rotatable part 106 . The rotatable part 106 is mounted to the fixed part 102 . The fixed part 102 moves linearly through an assembly line conveyor, while the rotatable part 106 is designed to hold the media being processed.
In the conveying system, gripper bar 110 is carried between a pair of chains 120 A-B through a longitudinal slot in a plate 150 .
The perfector 130 adapted to flip the rotatable part 106 of the gripper bar 110 so that both sides of the media may be processed.
As part of the conveying system, the chains 120 A-B and the gripper bar 110 pass through the longitudinal slot or opening 155 in the plate 150 . The plate 150 rotatably carries a ring 140 . The ring is connected to an arrangement that engages the rotatable part of the gripper bar. A belt drives the split ring and rotatable arrangement to rotate, thereby flipping the rotatable part of the gripper bar.
The ring 140 is rotatably carried by the plate 150 . The ring 140 is connected to the rotating arrangement 130 that engages the rotatable part 106 of the gripper bar. When a motor (not shown) engages the drive gear 165 . In turn, the drive gear moves the belt 160 , which moves the ring 140 . The movement of the split ring rotates the perfecter 130 , which rotates the rotatable part 106 , and thus perfects the media.
FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of a rotating arrangement 130 to rotate the media to be mechanically perfected, constructed and operative in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
The rotating arrangement 130 or “perfector” 130 is adapted to flip the rotatable part 106 of the gripper bar 110 so that both sides of the media may be processed.
The perfector 130 is coupled to a plate 150 . In some embodiments, the perfector 130 is coupled to the plate 150 via a ring 140 . The plate 150 has an elongated opening 155 therein. The elongated opening 155 within the plate 150 is large enough so that the chains 120 A-B and the gripper bar 110 may pass through.
The ring 140 is rotatably carried by the plate 150 . The ring 140 is connected to the rotating arrangement 130 . A belt 160 , attached to a drive gear 165 , moves the ring 140 and rotatable arrangement 130 to rotate. As shown in FIG. 4, gears 170 A-G guide the belt so that it engages the ring 140 . Drive gear 165 may be attached to any driving mechanism, such as a motor, as is known in the art.
As depicted in FIG. 2, ring 140 may be a split ring.
It is understood that alternative embodiments of the perfecter 130 may be used to engage and flip the rotatable part 106 of the gripper bar.
In some embodiments, the perfector 130 may engage the rotatable part 106 from above and below, as shown in FIG. 2 .
In alternate embodiments, the perfector 130 may engage the rotatable part 106 from either above or below.
FIGS. 3 and 4 depicts an embodiment of a gripper bar 110 suspended by a chain 120 as part of a conveyor or assembly line system, constructed and operative in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 illustrates the system at an angle, while FIG. 4 illustrates the same system as viewed from above.
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a pair of springs 115 A-B forward biases the fixed part 102 in the slots of the chains 120 A-B. Stops are provided at each station where media is processed. Examples of media processing stations include, but are not limited to, locations where the media is printed, scored, cut, embossed, or otherwise treated. The stops engage rollers 108 A-B on the fixed part 102 of the gripper bar 110 to stop the gripper bar 110 at a precise location. The stopped position may be independent of the position where the chain stops because of the forward bias imposed by the springs 115 A-B.
FIG. 5 is a simplified functional block diagram depicting gripper bar 110 , constructed and operative in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Gripper bar 110 is designed to hold media, and convey media from one manufacturing station to another manufacturing station along a linear media processing/assembly line.
Gripper bar 110 comprises a fixed part 102 , and a rotatable part 106 mounted to the fixed part 102 .
The fixed part 102 is the part of the gripper bar 110 that moves linearly through an assembly line conveyor.
The rotatable part 106 is designed to hold the media being processed. In some embodiments, the rotatable part 106 holds media by exerting pressure on the media, clamping the media between rubber teeth.
The mounting connection between the fixed part 102 and rotatable part 106 may be performed by any rotary joint 104 known in the art that allows the rotatable part 106 to rotate, including a rotary union, ball-bearing, or axle. In some embodiments, the rotary joint 104 is placed in the center of the fixed part 102 and the rotatable part 106 , so that the rotatable part 106 is always centered along the axis of the rotary joint 104 and the fixed part 102 . When the rotatable part 106 is rotated 180° along the rotary joint 104 , while holding media, the media is perfected.
Rotatable part 106 and fixed part 102 may also have detents to lock the rotatable part 106 in a fixed position relative to the fixed part 102 . For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the rotatable part 106 has male detents 103 A-B, while the fixed part 106 has corresponding female detents 105 A-B. It is understood, by those known in the art, that either part may have one or more of such male detents 103 and corresponding female detents 105 . The male detents 103 may be spring-actuated, so that a light amount of pressure along the rotatable part 106 does not rotate the rotatable part 106 . In such an embodiment, a known amount of threshold pressure may be required to rotate the rotatable part 106 .
The rotatable part 106 is normally held parallel to the fixed part 102 by detents 103 105 .
In some embodiments, fixed part 102 may have rollers 108 to help facilitate the movement of the fixed part 102 through a conveyor belt or other assembly line conveyance system.
The previous description of the embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to practice embodiments of the invention. The various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without the use of inventive faculty. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein. | A method and apparatus that perfects media while maintaining a constant grip on the media during the perfection process. A media perfection device comprises a rotating arrangement that rotates a gripper bar. The gripper bar comprises a fixed part, and a rotatable part to hold media. The rotation of the rotating arrangement rotates the rotatable part of the gripper bar, thus perfecting the media. | 1 |
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This Application is related to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/422,566 filed Oct. 31, 2002 entitled ENDOVENOUS CLOSURE OF VARICOSE VEINS WITH MID INFRARED LASER, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, and claims any and all benefits to which it is entitled therefrom.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates generally laser assisted method and apparatus for treatment of varicose veins, and more particularly, to an improved catheter method and apparatus to target blood vessel walls directly and with a controlled amount of the appropriate type of energy using a motorized pull-back device.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Most prior techniques to treat varicose veins have attempted to heat the vessel by targeting the hemoglobin in the blood and then having the heat transfer to the vessel wall. Lasers emitting wavelengths of 500 to 1100 nm have been used for this purpose from both inside the vessel and through the skin. Attempts have been made to optimize the laser energy absorption by utilizing local absorption peaks of hemoglobin at 810, 940, 980 and 1064 nm. RF technology has been used to try to heat the vessel wall directly but this technique requires expensive and complicated catheters to deliver electrical energy in direct contact with the vessel wall. Other lasers at 810 nm and 1,06 um have been used in attempts to penetrate the skin and heat the vessel but they also have the disadvantage of substantial hemoglobin absorption which limits the efficiency of heat transfer to the vessel wall, or in the cases where the vessel is drained of blood prior to treatment of excessive transmission through the wall and damage to surrounding tissue. All of these prior techniques result in poor efficiency in heating the collagen in the wall and destroying the endothelial cells.
[0004] Baumgardner and Anderson teach the advantages of using the mid IR region of optical spectrum 1.2 to 1.8 um, to heat and shrink collagen in the dermis.
[0005] The prior art teaches manual retraction of the catheter. This is a major cause of overheating and perforation of the vessel wall as even the best surgeon may have difficulty retracting the fiber at exactly the correct speed to maintain a vessel wall heating temperature of 85 deg C. Other prior art using thermocouples at the tip of the catheter depend on electrical contact between electrodes inside the vessel and are expensive and require very slow catheter-withdrawal (2 cm/min.) and are difficult to use.
[0006] The relevant references in the prior art teach use of much higher power levels, such as between about 10 to about 20 watts. This is because the prior art laser wavelengths are not as efficiently coupled to the vessel wall and are instead absorbed in the blood or transmitted through the wall into surrounding tissue. It will be understood that methods taught in the prior art can be inefficient to such a degree that external cooling is mandatory on the skin surface to prevent burns.
[0007] Finally, the methods and apparatus taught in the prior art does not mention the use of defusing catheter tips for varicose vein treatment. Use of common, standard, non-diffusing tip fiber optic and other laser delivery devices increases the risk for perforation of the cannulated vessel.
[0008] Navarro et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,398,777 issued Jun. 4, 2002, teaches a device and method of treating varicose veins that involves using a laser whose wavelength is 500 to 1100 nm and is poorly absorbed by the vessel wall. Laser energy of wavelengths from 500 to 1100 nm will penetrate 10 to 100 mm in tissue unless stopped by an absorbing chromophore. See figure X. Most of the energy used by this method passes through the vessel wall and causes damage to surrounding tissue. Procedures using these wavelengths can require cooling of the surface of the leg to prevent burning caused by transmitted energy. Operative complications of this technique include bruising and extensive pain caused by transmitted energy and damage to surrounding tissue.
[0009] However, this technique does appear to be clinically effective because the blood that remains in the vein after compression absorbs the 500 to 1100 nm energy. 500 to 1100 nm light is absorbed in less than 1 mm in the presence of hemoglobin. See figure X. This blood heats up and damages the vein wall by conduction, not by direct wall absorption as claimed by Navarro.
[0010] This prior art technique is poorly controlled because the amount of residual blood in the vein can vary dramatically. During an actual procedure using 500 to 1100 nm lasers it is possible to see the effects of blood absorption of the energy. At uncontrolled intervals white flashes will be seen indicating places of higher blood concentration. The blood can boil and explode in the vessel causing occasional perforation of the vein wall and unnecessary damage to healthy tissue.
[0011] In places without residual blood the laser energy has no absorbing chromophore and will be transmitted through the wall without causing the necessary damage and shrinkage claimed by the inventors.
[0012] Navarro claims that the treatment device described must be in direct “intraluminal contact with a wall of said blood vessel”. This is necessary because the 500 to 1100 nm laser cannot penetrate any significant amount of blood, even though it requires a thin layer of blood to absorb and conduct heat to the vessel wall. This is very difficult to achieve and control.
[0013] Navarro also claims the delivery of energy in bursts. This is required using their technique because they have no means to uniformly control the rate of energy delivered. Navarro teaches a method of incrementally withdrawing the laser delivery fiber optic line while a laser burst is delivered. In clinical practice this is very difficult to do and results in excessive perforations and complications.
[0014] Closure of the greater saphenous vein (GSV) through an endolumenal approach with radiofrequency (RF) or lasers has been proven to be safe and effective in multiple studies. These endovenous occlusion techniques are less invasive alternatives to saphenofemoral ligation and/or stripping. They are typically performed under local anesthesia with patients returning to normal activities within 1-2 days.
[0015] RF energy can be delivered through a specially designed endovenous electrode with microprocessor control to accomplish controlled heating of the vessel wall, causing vein shrinkage or occlusion by contraction of venous wall collagen. Heating is limited to 85 degrees Celsius avoiding boiling, vaporization and carbonization of tissues. In addition, heating the endothelial wall to 85 degrees Celsius results in heating the vein media to approximately 65 degrees Celsius which has been demonstrated to contract collagen. Electrode mediated RE vessel wall ablation is a self-limiting process. As coagulation of tissue occurs, there is a marked decrease in impedance that limits heat generation.
[0016] Presently available lasers to treat varicose veins enddolumenialy heat the vessel by targeting the hemoglobin in the blood with heat transfer to the vessel wall. Lasers emitting wavelengths of 500 to 1064 nm have been used for this purpose from both inside the vessel and through the skin. Attempts have been made to optimize the laser energy absorption by utilizing local absorption peaks of hemoglobin at 810, 940, 980 and 1064 nm. The endovenous laser treatment (EVLT™) of the present invention allows delivery of laser energy directly into the blood vessel lumen in order to produce endothelial and vein wall damage with subsequent fibrosis. It is presumed that destruction of the GSV with laser energy is caused by thermal denaturization. The presumed target is intravascular red blood cell absorption of laser energy. However, thermal damage with resorption of the GSV has also been seen in veins emptied of blood. Therefore, direct thermal effects on the vein wall probably also occur. The extent of thermal injury to tissue is strongly dependent on the amount and duration of heat the tissue is exposed to. When veins are, devoid of blood, vessel wall rupture occurs.
[0017] One in vitro study model has predicted that thermal gas production by laser heating of blood in a 6 mm tube results in 6 mm of thermal damage. This study used a 940-nm-diode laser with multiple. 1 5Jr˜second pulses to treat the GSV. Histologic examination of one excised vein demonstrated thermal damage along the entire treated vein with evidence of perforations at the point of laser application described as “explosive-like” photo-disruption of the vein wall. Since a 940 nm laser beam can only penetrate 0.03 mm in blood (17), the formation of steam bubbles is the probable mechanism of action.
[0018] Initial reports have shown endovenous RF to have excellent short-term efficacy in the treatment of the incompetent GSV, with 96% or higher occlusion at 1-3 years with a less than 1% incidence of transient paresthesia or erythema (10-11) Although most patients experience some degree of post-operative ecchymosis and discomfort, no other major or minor complications have been reported.
[0019] Patients treated with EVLT have shown an increase in post-treatment purpura and tenderness. Most patients do not return to complete functional normality for 2-a days as opposed to the 1 day “down-time” with RF Closure™b of the GSV. Since the anesthetic and access techniques for the 2 procedures are identical, it is believed that non-specific perivascular thermal damage is the probable cause for this increased tenderness. In addition, recent studies suggest that pulsed laser treatment with its increased risk for vein perforation may be responsible for the increase symptoms with EVLT vs RF treatment. Slow uncontrolled pull-back of the catheter is likely one cause for overheating and perforation of the vessel wall as even the best surgeon may have difficulty retracting the fiber at exactly the correct speed to maintain a vessel wall heating temperature of 85 deg C. This technique prevents damage to surrounding tissue and perforation of the vessel.
ADVANTAGES AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0020] This invention is a method and device to treat varicose veins by targeting the vessel wall directly with a more appropriate wavelength of laser light and controlling that energy precisely using a motorized pull back device, diffuse fiber delivery systems and utilizing thermal feedback of the treated tissue. This technique allows less energy to be used and helps prevent damage to surrounding tissue and perforation of the vessel.
[0021] It is an object and an advantage of the present invention to provide an improved method and device that uses a laser wavelength that transmits through any residual blood in the vessels and is absorbed by the water and collagen of the vessel wall. This new technique is more predicable and controllable in the presence of residual blood and is more effective in targeting only the vessel wall.
[0022] Clinical experiments have demons treated that perforation of the vessel wall does not occur using 1.2 to 1.8 um energy, even if the fiber remains at one location for several seconds. This is because the laser energy is uniformly and predictably absorbed without any hot spots, boiling, or explosions caused by blood pockets.
[0023] Clinical experiments have demonstrated a much lower incidence of pain and collateral bruising using 1.2 to 1.8 um laser energy because the vessel wall always stops the energy. Very little transmits outside the vessel to cause damage.
[0024] Clinical experiments have demonstrated the coagulation of side vessels concurrently with larger vessel treatment due to a wave guiding effect of the 1.2 to 1.8 um laser energy into the smaller vessels. This has not been observed using 500 to 1100 nm laser energy because residual blood will absorb and stop any energy from getting into the branch vessels.
[0025] The present improved device and method in contrast to the teachings of the prior art does not require direct intraluminal contact with the vessel wall because it is less affected by residual blood. The energy passes through the residual blood without boiling or exploding and is absorbed primarily by the vessel wall. This is a significant clinical improvement over the methods of the prior art, with much better control and predictability.
[0026] The present improved device and method utilize a continuously running laser and energy delivery with a continuous controlled withdrawal rate using a motorized pull back device.
[0027] Clinical results have shown this device and method to be clearly superior. It is easier to do for less experienced surgeons and helps eliminate perforations, pain and bruising.
[0028] Numerous other advantages and features of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the embodiments thereof, from the claims and from the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0029] [0029]FIG. 1 is a representative schematic block diagram of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus 100 of the present invention for performing a preferred embodiment of the varicose vein closure procedure of the present invention.
[0030] [0030]FIG. 2A is a representative view of varicosed veins 200 to be treated according to the preferred embodiment of the method and apparatus of the present invention.
[0031] [0031]FIG. 2B is a representative-view of the GSV 202 to be treated according to the preferred embodiment of the method and apparatus of the present invention.
[0032] [0032]FIG. 3A is a representative view showing the beginning of the introducer or dilator 300 for percutaneous access according to the preferred embodiment of the method and apparatus of the present invention.
[0033] [0033]FIG. 3B is a representative view showing the use of the introducer or dilator 300 with the laser fiber 306 passing through the lumen 302 of the dilator 300 and into the GSV 202 according to the preferred embodiment of the method and apparatus of the present invention.
[0034] [0034]FIG. 4 is a representative view of the use of an ultrasound device 400 according to the preferred embodiment of the method and apparatus of the present invention.
[0035] [0035]FIG. 5 is a representative view of a physician 500 performing manual compression of tissue near the tip 308 of the fiber 306 according to the preferred embodiment of the method and apparatus of the present invention.
[0036] [0036]FIG. 6 is a representative view of the non-contact thermal sensor 600 and the cooling system 602 of the preferred embodiment of the method and apparatus of the present invention.
[0037] [0037]FIG. 7 is a is a representative view of a varicosed vein 200 , showing prolapsed valves 690 .
[0038] [0038]FIG. 8 is a representative view of administration of tumescent anesthesia 700 and how it compresses the vein 200 around the fiber 306 according to the preferred embodiment of the method and apparatus of the present invention.
[0039] [0039]FIG. 9A is a representative view of a diffusing fiber tip according to the preferred embodiment of the method and apparatus of the present invention.
[0040] [0040]FIG. 9B is a representative view of another diffusing fiber tip according to the preferred embodiment of the method and apparatus of the present invention.
[0041] [0041]FIG. 9C is a representative view of yet another diffusing fiber tip according to the preferred embodiment of the method and apparatus of the present invention.
[0042] [0042]FIG. 10 shows curves for absorption coefficients of melanin, hemoglobin and water as a function of wavelength according to the preferred embodiment of the method and apparatus of the present invention.
[0043] [0043]FIG. 11 is a photograph of experimental results showing the distal greater saphenous vein immediately after treatment with a 1320 nm Nd:YAG laser.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0044] The description that follows is presented to enable one skilled in the art to make and use the present invention, and is provided in the context of a particular application and its requirements. Various modifications to the disclosed embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principals discussed below may be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Therefore, the invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments disclosed, but the invention is to be given the largest possible scope which is consistent with the principals and features described herein.
[0045] It will be understood that in the event parts of different embodiments have similar functions or uses, they may have been given similar or identical reference numerals and descriptions. It will be, understood that such duplication of reference numerals is intended solely for efficiency and ease of understanding the present invention, and are not to be construed as limiting in any way, or as implying that the various embodiments themselves are identical.
[0046] [0046]FIG. 1 is a representative schematic block diagram of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus 100 of the present invention for performing a preferred embodiment of the varicose vein closure procedure of the present invention. As shown, the system 100 of the present invention includes a laser console 102 , a motorized, fiber optic catheter “pull-back” machine 104 , a fiber optic catheter or other laser delivery device 106 to deliver laser energy into the patient's vein, a sterile field 108 and a controller 110 .
[0047] [0047]FIG. 2A is a representative view of varicosed veins 200 to be treated according to the preferred embodiment of the method and apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 2B is a representative view of the GSV 202 to be treated according to the preferred embodiment of the method and apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 3A is a representative view showing the beginning of the introducer or dilator 300 for percutaneous access according to the preferred embodiment of the method and apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 3B is a representative view showing the use of the introducer or dilator 300 with the laser fiber 306 passing through the lumen 302 of the dilator 300 and into the GSV 202 according to the preferred embodiment of the method and apparatus of the present invention.
[0048] [0048]FIG. 4 is a representative view of the use of an ultrasound device 400 according to the preferred embodiment of the method and apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a representative view of a physician 500 performing manual compression of tissue near the tip 308 of the fiber 306 according to the preferred embodiment of the method and apparatus of the present invention. As described herein, it will be understood that the means for applying mechanical compression of the tissue near the tip 308 of the fiber includes manual compression, mechanical clamps or straps, chemical or other drug-induced swelling, etc.
[0049] [0049]FIG. 7 is a is a representative view of a varicosed vein 200 , showing prolapsed valves 690 . FIG. 8 is a representative view of administration of tumescent anesthesia 700 and how it compresses the vein 200 around the fiber 306 according to the preferred embodiment of the method and apparatus of the present invention.
[0050] Prior to treatment with the laser 102 , blood is removed from the vessel 200 by using tumescent anesthesia 700 , typically consisting of lidocaine 0.05 to 0.1% in normal saline. Alternate compositions for tumescent anesthesia 700 will be known to those skilled in the art. A quartz or sapphire fiber optic 306 is inserted into the vein 200 via a 16 gauge needle or similar, or through the vein 200 which has been externalized through a 2-3 mm incision with a phlebectomy hook (not shown). The fiber 306 is preferably 500 to 600 um in diameter, but fibers from 50 um to 1 mm or more or less, could be used. The fiber catheter 300 is threaded through the length of the vein 200 . The position of the fiber 306 within the vein 200 is noted by observing the red aiming beam of the laser 102 as it is emitted from the tip 304 of the catheter 300 and is visible through the skin. In addition, a duplex ultrasound device 400 or similar may be used to visualize the fiber tip 308 as well as the cannulated blood vessel 200 to determine vein wall contraction and closure. In a preferred embodiment of the method of the present invention, the catheter 300 must either be removed prior to pull-back, or be secured to the fiber 306 so that both the fiber 306 and the cannula or catheter 300 are retracted simultaneously.
[0051] The catheter 300 is connected to a motorized pullback device 104 either inside or outside of the sterile field 108 of the patient. The procedure begins by starting the pull back for about 2 or 3 mm and then turning the laser 102 on at about 5 watts of power. The procedure could also be done at 1 to 20 watts of power by varying the speed of the pullback device 104 .
[0052] Optical absorption curves presented by Baumgardner, Anderson, and Grove show that the primary absorbing chromophore in a vein for the 810, 940 and 1.06 um laser wavelengths is hemoglobin. When a vein is drained of blood and these lasers 102 are used, a great majority of the laser energy is transmitted through the vessel wall and heats surrounding tissue 702 . The 1.2 to 1.8 um laser wavelengths are ideally suited to penetrate the small amount of remaining blood in the vessel 200 but also is much more strongly absorbed in the vessel wall 704 by collagen. Most of the energy is concentrated in the wall 704 for heating and shrinkage and is not transmitted through to surrounding tissue 702 . This dramatically increases, the safety of the procedure. In addition these laser wavelength are considered more “eye” safe than the 800 to 1.06 um lasers, decreasing the risk of eye damage to the doctor and others in the operating arena.
[0053] In particular the Nd:YAG laser 102 or any other suitable, similar laser can be used. This laser 102 can operate at a wavelength of 1.32 um and can be either pulsed or continuous wave. This procedure works best when the laser 102 is continuous or pulsed at a high repetition rate to simulate a continuous output. The repetition rate for a pulsed laser 102 should be 10 Hz to 10,000 Hz.
[0054] Other lasers 102 such as Nd:YAP, ER:YAP, ER:YLF and others could be used to provide laser wavelengths in the 1.2 to 1.8 um region. These lasers 102 can be powered by optically pumping the laser crystal using a xenon or krypton flashlamp or laser diodes. They may be continuously pumped or pulsed using electro optical or acousto-optical shutters-or by pulsing the, flashlamp itself. Lasers 102 in this wavelength region also include diode lasers that emit 1.2 to 1.8 um wavelengths directly, or fiber lasers that use a length of doped fiber optic as the lasing medium.
COOLING SYSTEM WITH THERMAL FEEDBACK
[0055] The use of a thermocouple or infrared thermal detector 600 has been described for other applications, including on laser delivery fibers and for the treatment of varicose veins 202 using an radiofrequency heating device. However, by installing a thermocouple on the end of the laser delivery fiber optic device for the treatment of varicose veins, delivery of thermal energy can be more precisely controlled. In addition, in using fiber optic devices made of sapphire, a non-contact thermal sensor can be located in the laser console and measure tip temperature by measuring the black body infrared radiation profile emitted at the opposite end of the fiber reflected from the treatment site, typically via a beamsplitter in the laser console. A small-diameter sapphire fiber can be constructed that can be sterilized and re-used. Data obtained from the non-contact thermal sensor equipment 600 can also be used to either servo control delivery of the laser energy to maintain a certain temperature at the treatment site, or the control system can be used as a safety device, i.e., to terminate delivery of laser energy if a certain temperature is exceeded.
[0056] Another type of thermal feedback device 600 can be an external device that measures the heat that is transmitted out of the side of the vein 200 or 202 and heats up the surface of the skin 608 adjacent the treated vein 200 or 202 . As described above, this detector can be either a contact thermocouple or a, non contact infrared detector 600 . A particularly advantageous use of this type of thermal detection would be to automatically activate a cooling device 602 , such as a cryogen spray, onto the skin surface 604 to keep it cool, or to send an alarm signal to the operator of the laser that too much energy is being delivered to and escaping from the treatment site. In an optional configuration, the laser operator could point an external detector at a red aiming light that is visible through the skin from the end of the treatment, fiber, similar to the use of the ultrasound device currently used, in order to control the location and duration of the delivery of the laser energy.
[0057] [0057]FIG. 6 is a representative view of the non-contact thermal sensor 600 and the cooling system 602 of the preferred embodiment of the method and apparatus of the present invention. Non-contact thermal sensors 600 as well as contact devices, including RTDs, are well known in the art. It will be understood that the cooling device 602 can be any suitable, controlled device which allows a predetermined amount of cryogenic fluid to be dispensed from an on-board fluid reservoir or from an external/line source. In a preferred embodiment, the device 602 is computer controlled, to provide spurts or squirts of cryogenic fluid at a predetermined rate or for a predetermined duration. The cryogenic fluid is dispensed onto the surface of the skin 604 in an area adjacent the fluid dispensing nozzle 606 , and the non-contact thermal sensor 600 determines the temperature of the skin in the same area 604 or in an area 608 distal from the area being cooled 604 . The present invention, this application and any issued patent based hereon incorporates by reference the following issued patents with regards surface cooling methods and apparatus utilized in the present invention: U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/692,929 filed Jul. 30, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,820,626. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 938923 filed Sep. 26, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,976,123. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/185,490 filed Nov. 3, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,413,253. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/364275 filed Jul. 29, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,451,007.
[0058] Diffusing Tip Fibers
[0059] Diffusing tip fibers are well known for use with high energy lasers in other fields particularly to coagulate cancerous tumors. In addition they have been used to direct low intensity visible radiation in conjunction with photo dynamic cancer therapy. As described in the prior art, diffusing tip fibers typically require a scattering material like ceramic to be attached to the tip of a fiber in order to overcome index matching properties of the blood and liquid that the fiber is immersed into. It is frequently insufficient to abrade, roughen or shape the end of a quartz fiber by itself because the index of refraction of typical types of quartz is very close to the index of the immersing liquid, therefore any shape or structure formed in the glass or quartz portion would be ineffective in the liquid. Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, there must be an air gap in the tip somewhere. In an alternate construction, material is selected that has bulk light scattering characteristics, like most ceramics, i.e., light is scattered as it passes through the material, as opposed to simply providing surface scattering properties. The use of diffusing tip fibers for the treatment of varicose veins is unique and has not been previously described.
[0060] Use of diffusing tip fibers for treatment of varicose veins are an improvement because the laser radiation can be directed laterally from the end of the fiber allowing more precise heating and destruction of the vein endothelial cells. Non-diffusing fiber tips direct energy along the axis of the vein and often require that the vein be compressed, in a downward position as well as around the fiber, to be most effective. The procedure described herein will work with either diffusing or non diffusing tip fibers, however, diffuse radiation will provide a more uniform and predictable shrinkage of the vein.
[0061] Adding a ceramic or quartz cap to the end of a small fiber will also aid in inserting the fiber in the vein. The cap can be made smooth and rounded so that the fiber tip does not catch on the vein or on valves within the vein as it is being inserted. A cap or smooth tip also reduces the chance of perforating the vein with a sharp fiber tip.
[0062] [0062]FIG. 9A is a representative view of a diffusing fiber tip 308 A according to the preferred embodiment of the method and apparatus of the present invention. A ceramic or other suitable material diffusing tip 902 has an internal screw thread 904 which screws onto a buffer portion 906 of the fiber optic laser delivery device 306 . The threaded portion 904 can be replaced with a clip portion or any, other suitable mechanical connection. Optionally, a non-toxic, heat-resistant-or other suitable epoxy 908 is used to permanently or removably mount the diffusing tip 902 to the fiber optic laser delivery device 306 .
[0063] The epoxy 908 can also be an adhesive, a bonding agent or joining compound, etc. FIG. 9B is a representative view of another diffusing fiber tip 308 B according to the preferred embodiment of the method and apparatus of the present invention. As shown, a small, circular diffusing bead or head 920 formed of ceramic or other suitable, appropriate material is coupled to the fiber optic laser delivery device 306 . Optionally, a non-toxic, heat-resistant or other suitable epoxy 908 is used to permanently or removably mount the diffusing tip 920 to the fiber optic laser delivery device 306 .
[0064] [0064]FIG. 9C is a representative view of yet another diffusing fiber tip 308 C according to the preferred embodiment of the method and apparatus of the present invention. In this embodiment, a quartz tube 922 is placed over the distal end 906 of the optical fiber laser delivery device 306 , thereby forming a sealed air chamber 924 . Optionally, a spherical or other shaped diffusing ball 926 is placed within the air chamber 924 such that electromagnetic radiation directed through the fiber optic laser delivery device 306 is diffused as it is delivered from the tip 922 of the device 308 C. Optionally, a non-toxic, heat. resistant or other suitable epoxy 908 or other suitable attachment means is used to permanently or removably mount the quartz capillary tube 922 to the fiber optic laser delivery device 306 .
[0065] [0065]FIG. 10 shows curves for absorption coefficients of melanin, hemoglobin and water as a function of wavelength according to the preferred embodiment of the method and apparatus of the present invention. It will be observed in FIG. 10 that the region between about 550 nm to about 1060 nm shows high hemoglobin absorption and low water absorption, as is well known in the prior art technology. It will further be observed that the region between about 1200 nm to about 1800 nm shows low hemoglobin and higher water absorption, which is a key to the present invention. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS A novel endoluminal laser was evaluated in 12 incompetent greater saphenous veins in 11 patients.
[0066] Method Overview: Twelve incompetent greater saphenous veins in 11 patients were treated with a 1 320 nm “continuous” Nd:YAG laser at 5W with an automated pull-back system at 1 mm/sec. Patients were examined at 1 week, 3,6 and 9 months post-operatively. Ten treated veins were examined histologically.
[0067] Brief Results: Full thickness vein wall thermal damage occurred in all patients without evidence for vessel perforation. No post-operative complications or pain was noted in any patient. All patients had complete disappearance of the incompetent GSV with resolution of all pre-operative symptoms.
[0068] Brief Conclusion: The 1320 nm Nd:YAG laser is safe and effective for endovascular ablation of the incompetent greater saphenous vein.
[0069] Method: Patient characteristics are found in Table 1.
TABLE 1 Patient Characteristics: 11 patients 12 Great Saphenous Veins 10 female 1 male Average Age: 50 (19-78) 12/12 legs had varicose and reticular veins 12/12 legs had reflux >1. sec through the saphenofemoral junction down the great saphenous vein 12/12 had leg pain 2/12 had leg edema Great Saphenous vein diameter 2 cm distal to saphenofemoral junction while patient is standing: 5.5-12 mm (Ave. 8.4 mm).
[0070] A 550 um quartz fiber is inserted into the vein through an externalization approach as previously described and threaded up to the saphenofemoral junction. The position of the fiber within the vein is noted by observing the red aiming beam of the laser as it is emitted from the tip of the catheter as well as through Duplex evaluation. The catheter is connected to a motorized pull back device. The procedure begins by starting the pull back for about 2 or 3 mm and then turning the laser on in a near continuous mode at 5W at 167 mjoules given at a repetition rate of 30 Hz. All laser fibers were withdrawn with a motorized pull-back system at a rate of 1 mm/second.
[0071] The average length of treated GSV was-1.7.45+/−3 cm. Average fluence utilized was 755 Joules over 160+/−20 seconds for an average of 4.7 JIsec. Immediately after the veins were lasered, the distal 3 cm was excised, the proximal portion ligated with 3/0 vicryl suture and placed in formaldehyde for histopathologic processing and evaluation. Nine veins were evaluated by a dermatopathologist blinded to the purpose and parameters of the experiment.
[0072] Patients were seen back at 1 day, 1 week, 1 , 3 , 6 , and 9 , months post-operatively for Duplex examination. This examination was performed by a physician not involved in the surgical procedure.
[0073] Experimental Results:
[0074] All patients tolerated the procedure well without any noticeable pain or discomfort. All patients had an unremarkable post-operative course without any pain. Bruising over the course of the treated vein occurred in 2 of the 12 treated legs and resolved within 10-14 days. No evidence of superficial thrombophlebitis occurred.
[0075] Three patients with four treated legs were followed for 9 months, three patients were followed for 6 months and 5 patients were followed for 3 months.
[0076] All patients remarked on the complete resolution of preoperative pain. Of the two patients with pedal edema, one patient had total resolution of the pedal edema. The other patient-had a 75% reduction in pedal edema.
[0077] Duplex examination of the treated GSV segment demonstrated a non-compressible totally occluded vessel for 3r5 months-post-operatively in every patient. At 3 months, the thrombotic GSV was 1-4 mm in diameter smaller (approximately 50%). At 6 months, the GSV could not be identified in any patient.
[0078] [0078]FIG. 11 is a photograph of experimental results showing the distal greater saphenous vein immediately after treatment with a 1320 nm Nd:YAG laser. Table 2 describes the extent of thermal damage into the vein wall in mm of amorphous amphophilic material. In addition, the layers of vein wall exhibiting thermal damage were described. Full thickness vein wall damage occurred in all specimens.
TABLE 2 Perioperative Diameter of the Great Saphenous Vein and Extent of Thermal Damage from intravascular 1320 nm Laser Pre-operative Thickness of thermal damage (amorphous amphophilic Diameter material)(mm) 8.0 mm 0.8 mm full thickness vein wall damage 9.0 mm Full thickness damage 1 mm in depth including hyper- chromasia or loss of endothelial nuclei, and subendothelial necrosis 8.0 mm Full thickness damage of the vein wall to 0.33 mm of endothelial nuclei and subendothelial necrosis 5.5 mm Full thickness subendothelial damage to 0.9 mm with hyperchromasia of endothelial cells 8.2 mm 0.75 mm full thickness vein wall 8.3 mm 0.74 mm full thickness vein wall damage 10 mm 0.6 mm full thickness vein wall damage 7.7 mm 0.7 mm full thickness vein wall damage 8 mm 0.8 mm full thickness vein wall damage
[0079] Discussion: Optical absorption curves show that the primary absorbing, chromophore in a vein for the 810, 940 and 1064 nm laser wavelengths is hemoglobin. When a vein is drained of blood and these lasers are used a majority of the laser energy is transmitted through the vessel wall to heat surrounding tissue. The 1 320 nm laser wavelength is ideally suited to penetrate the small amount of remaining blood in the vessel and is much more strongly absorbed in the vessel wall by collagen. Most of the energy is concentrated in the wall for heating and shrinkage. This study demonstrates that the 1320 nm-Nd:YAG laser with an automated pull-back system is safe and effective for endovascular laser destruction of the GSV.
[0080] Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs. Although any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, the preferred methods and materials are now described. All publications and patent documents referenced in the present invention are incorporated herein by reference.
[0081] While the principles of the invention have been made clear in illustrative embodiments, there will be immediately obvious to those skilled in the art many modifications of structure, arrangement, proportions, the elements, materials, and components used in the practice of the invention, and otherwise, which are particularly adapted to specific environments and operative requirements without departing from those principles. The appended claims are intended to cover and embrace any and all such modifications, with the limits only of the true purview, spirit and scope of the invention. | This invention is an improved method and device for treating varicose veins 200 or the greater saphenous vein 202 . The method comprises the use of infrared laser radiation in the region of 1.2 to 1.8 um in a manner from inside the vessel 200 or 202 such that the endothelial cells of the vessel wall 704 are damaged and collagen fibers in the vessel wall 704 are heated to the point where they permanently contract, the vessel 200 or 202 is occluded and ultimately resorbed. The device includes a laser 102 delivered via a fiber optic catheter 300 that may have frosted or diffusing fiber tips 308 . A motorized pull back device 104 is used, and a thermal sensor 600 may be used to help control the power required to maintain the proper treatment temperature. | 0 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to toilet flush mechanisms and more particularly to a novel and improved device for saving toilet water during each flushing operation resulting in a great conservation of water resources.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of conventional toilet flush mechanisms are known in the prior art, all of these devices functioning in the same general manner as to having a float mechanism operational with the level of the water height to control the flow of incoming water to the tank, and having a flush valve at the bottom of the tank and controlling the water discharged from the tank to the toilet bowl for flushing purposes. Due to the structure and style of the tanks, and as manufacturers must make the tanks to operate properly in areas throughout the country having different water pressures and sewage flush requirements, the tank is of an overly large size with the volume of water contained therein and utilized during each flushing operation being much more than required such that the manufacturers are always on the safe side to be sure that sufficient water is present for the flushing operation.
In view of the countrywide attempt at conservation of water resources, it would be desirable to provide a device readily attached to toilet flush mechanisms without requiring mechanical alteration thereof and which could be individually adjusted for each specific usage of the toilet tank to compensate for the local water pressure such that only the exact amount of water needed for proper flushing in the particular area is utilized, thus resulting in a great saving and conservation of water resources.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention recognizes the deficiencies and disadvantages of presently available toilet flush mechanisms and the wastefulness of water resources as to the use of excessive water during each flushing operation of a toilet, and provides a novel solution thereto in the form of a flotation device adapted to be readily attached to the float support arm of a conventional toilet mechanism with the device having a number of compensating weights which may be affixed to or removed from the device to compensate the flotation buoyancy thereof in cooperation with the float to reduce the amount of water utilized during each flushing operation of the toilet.
It is estimated that the average person flushes a toilet between five and six times daily, and that the present device would result in a savings of approximately nine gallons of water a day per person. Thus, in an average family of four persons this would amount to about 36 gallons of water a day, which, over a year's time, would result in a water conservation saving of about 13,140 gallons of water. In a city having a population of one million people, this would amount to a water savings of approximately 3,285,000,000 gallons of water a year which are saved and which also do not pass through the city sewage plant or require filtering and chlorination thereof before use, this resulting in still greater savings of the cost of operating water and sewage facilities of the city.
It is a feature of the present invention to provide a toilet water saver device which is relatively simple in its construction and which therefore may be readily manufactured at a relatively low cost and by simple manufacturing methods such that it may be retailed at a sufficiently low price to encourage widespread use thereof.
A further feature of the present invention provides a toilet water saver device which is possessed of few parts and which therefore is unlikely to get out of order.
Still a further feature of the present invention provides a toilet water saver device which is of a rugged and durable construction and which therefore may be guaranteed by the manufacturer to withstand many years of intended usage.
Still yet a further feature of the present invention provides a toilet water saver device which is easy to use and reliable and efficient in operation and which may be connected to the conventional flush mechanism without requiring any special tools or expertise on the part of the homeowner.
Yet still a further feature of the present invention provides a toilet water saver which may, in its entirety, be manufactured and installed as part of the original equipment of the toilet flush mechanism, or which may be readily attached to a toilet flush mechanism later as an accessory item, and which is readily adjustable by a homeowner to achieve the desired intended purposes.
Other features and advantages of this invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which like reference characters are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:
FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a toilet tank partially broken away to illustrate interior details thereof and having the device of the present invention attached thereto:
FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but with the toilet tank illustrated after having been flushed, the valve being closed, and the water reserve discharged;
FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the water saver device of the invention with elements thereof in partial cross-section to illustrate details thereof; and
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along Line 4--4 of FIG. 3.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawings in detail there is illustrated a preferred form of a water saver device constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention and which is designated generally in its entirety by the reference numeral 10.
The water saver device 10 is intended for use with conventional type water flush mechanisms, and for purposes of illustration there is illustrated a conventional type hollow rectangular box-like toilet tank 20 having a removable cover 21 and a water containing compartment 22 therein, and water is supplied to the compartment 22 through a water line 23 extending through the bottom surface of the tank and having a water inlet fill valve 24 mounted on the top thereof and which is actuated by pivotal movement of an actuating arm 25 having one end of a rod 16 connected thereto and projecting therefrom and terminating in a conventional hollow float 27 in a conventional manner. Water 30 is discharged into the compartment 22 by means of inlet pipe 23 through valve 24 and inlet pipe 31.
A flush pipe 32 has one end connected to the toilet bowl (not shown) with the opposite end extending through the bottom surface of the tank 20 and terminating in a flush valve seat member 33 having a valve member 34 pivotally associated therewith and operable by means of a flexible chain 35 extending from the valve member upwardly to an arm 36 rotatably associated with a handle 37 extending out of the front surface 38 of the tank 20, rotation of the handle tightening the chain 35 and pivoting the valve member 34 away from valve seat 33 to permit water 30 to be flushed through flush pipe 32.
A vertical overflow pipe 39 projects upwardly from the flush valve seat member 33 to a level above the normal level of the water 30 and is adapted to receive a flow of water thereinto should the water level accidentally extend above the normal water level, this preventing any overflow of the water from the tank 20.
The device 10 consists of a holder 41 preferably manufactured of non-corrosive aluminum material, a support rod 42, a float body member 43, and a plurality of compensating adjustment weights 44.
The holder 41 is of a generally rectangular configuration having a top surface 51 and a bottom surface 52 with an open face channel forming slot 53 extending through one side thereof adapted to receive a portion of float supporting rod 26 therein. An interiorly threaded bore 54 extends through top end 51 and terminates at slot 53 and receives therein a threaded set screw 55 adjustable to engage rod 26 passing through slot 53 to retain the connector 41 affixed thereto. A cylindrical threaded bore 56 extends through the bottom end 52 and receives therein threaded end 61 of rod 42 which extends outwardly therefrom and has its opposite end 62 secured to float 43.
The float 43 is of a rectangular configuration providing buoyancy and flotation properties thereto, the float having a top surface 71, a bottom surface 72, opposed side walls 73, and opposed end walls 74 and 75.
Adjacent end 74 on top surface 71 there is secured thereto a circular washer 77 provided with an aperture 78 extending centrally therethrough, the aperture axially aligned with the threaded aperture of nut 79 affixed to the float bottom surface 72. The end 62 of rod 42 extends through aperture 78 and is threadedly received by nut 79.
Disposed in top surface 71 adjacent end surface 75 are a plurality of recesses 81 each adapted to receive therein an elongated cylindrical weight 82.
In operation, the device 10 is affixed to the float support rod 26 as shown, and weights 82 are either inserted into or removed from the recesses 81 to make compensating adjustments to the flotation and buoyancy characteristics of the float body 43 to adjust the amount of flotation to compensate for the differences in local water pressures and flushing requirements dependent upon the exact area and location in which the tank 20 is located and on which the device is to be utilized.
When the toilet is flushed by operation of handle 37 opening flush valve 34 from valve seat 33, inlet valve 24 would normally open in a conventional toilet flush mechanism as the level of water 30 started dropping as the water was discharged through flush pipe 32. However, in the present invention, the inlet valve 24 will not begin to immediately open due to the presence of the device 10, the inlet valve 24 opening only after the water level closes the flush valve 34. As the water level goes down it effects the lowering of the floats 27 and 43 which are adjusted in a manner to open the inlet valve 24 upon the closing of valve member 34, this then effecting the flow of water through the water inlet filler pipe 31 to refill the water compartment 22 to the preselected level, this level then closing the inlet valve 24 with the toilet now being ready for another flushing operation.
There is thus provided a novel adjustable device for connection to a conventional toilet flush mechanism without requiring any alteration or modification of the flush mechanism and which operates in conjunction therewith in a manner to reduce the amount of water utilized during each flushing of the toilet, this amount of water for flushing operation being specifically adjustable for the specific water pressure and area in which the water tank is located to thus provide a great water savings and conservation of natural water elements.
It is to be understood that the form of this invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that this invention is not to be limited to the exact arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawings or described in this specification as various changes in the details of construction as to shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of the novel concepts thereof, or the scope of the sub-joined claims. | A weighted float device supported on a rod to be connected to the conventional float associated with a toilet flush mechanism and projecting downwardly from the float into the tank water and including compensation adjustment weights thereon for adjusting the amount of floatation of the device to compensate for differences in water pressure and weights of conventional type floats. | 4 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to display racks and particularly to gondola display racks of the type having shelves cantilevered over a base from vertical supporting posts. More specifically, this invention is directed to an improved shelf for use in a gondola display.
2. Description of Prior Art
Typically, a gondola display has a base, vertical gondola posts extending upwardly from the rear of the base, and one or more gondola shelves cantilevered from the vertical posts over the base. When used to support and display, for example, beverage bottles, the gondola display shelf typically has column defining divider wires mounted atop the shelf and extending from the front to the rear of the shelf for maintaining the bottles in columns or rows. Such a gondola display is disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,872,567 and 4,809,855, assigned to the assignee of this invention.
Manufacturers have traditionally employed divider racks mounted atop gondola shelves for neatly organizing and separating different items or products for sale. These divider racks are typically constructed so as to allow rows of items to be displayed along the depth of the gondola shelf. The number of rows of items displayed on any particular shelf depends on the shelf width and the width of the displayed product. The rows or channels defined by the divider rack have heretofore often been of a width dimension creating a rather loose fit of displayed product within the divider rack channels because the standard width shelf often resulted in a fraction of a width channel being wasted. While a loose fit is desirable in order to allow articles to freely slide over an inclined shelf surface toward the front of the gondola display shelf, usable shelf space is forgone to the extent that the gondola shelf channel widths exceed a whole multiple of the product or article width.
According to one aspect of this invention, excess space between displayed product and channel sides is minimized while still allowing the product to freely slide forward to the front of the display. To this end and according to the practice of this invention, one one-half width channel is located at one end of the shelf but that one one-half width channel is utilized when two identical gondola shelves are abutted such that the two one-half-width channels together create an additional usable full-width channel. Thereby more efficient use is made of the available shelf space.
Another aspect of this invention is predicated upon an improved mechanism for attaching and locking a gondola shelf divider rack atop the shelf, which mechanism absolutely locks the divider rack to the shelf such that it may not be inadvertently dislodged from the shelf, even when severely impacted by product sliding on the shelf.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The gondola display of this invention comprises a base, vertical gondola posts, a gondola shelf, a wire divider rack, and a lock mechanism for securing the wire divider rack atop the gondola shelf. The vertical gondola posts contain slots along their length and accept hooks which extend rearwardly from the gondola shelves enabling the shelves to be hung in cantilever style from the gondola posts. The wire divider rack of this invention has wires legs which extend downwardly and when inserted into the lock mechanism of the gondola shelf securely anchor the rack to the shelf.
The gondola divider rack of this invention has front and rear grids which are generally rectangular, with front and rear extending divider wires connecting the grids at their upper edges. This configuration of rack defines a plurality of channels along the depth of the gondola shelf, within which may be displayed articles for sale.
The divider wires are spaced along the grids such that multiple channels are formed, plus an additional fractional width channel. The width of the fractional width channel is equal to one-half the width of the full-width channels. Therefore, when two of these divider racks are placed atop two gondola shelves and the one-half width channels are abutted end-to-end, an additional full width channel is formed from previously unused shelf space.
The gondola shelf of this invention includes a mechanism contained within the gondola shelf edge for permanently securing the divider rack to the display shelf. The lock mechanism anchors the wire legs of the divider rack within the edge of the shelf by allowing the legs to first pass through holes in the shelf surface and next through holes in an intermediate, or retainer surface. The wire legs are advanced until they contact a third, or bottom surface. A downwardly angled retainer spring clip engages the legs of the wire rack and biases and locks the rack legs against the edges of the holes in the shelf surface and the intermediate surface.
The lock mechanism is constructed of a simple sheet metal channel which runs the length of the gondola shelf at its edge. The edge of the gondola shelf is stamped or otherwise formed such that, when the sheet metal channel is attached thereto, the shelf edge serves as the intermediate or retainer surface between the two parallel sides of the sheet metal channel. Holes in the top side of the sheet metal channel and in the shelf allow the legs of the wire rack to pass through until contacting the bottom side of the sheet metal channel. Spring clips are attached to the underneath side of the shelf at points along the shelf's width which correspond to the wire rack leg hole placement. These springs are formed so as to angle downwardly into the imaginary cylinders defined by the holes in the top side of the sheet metal channel and the shelf so that the legs of the wire rack engage these springs and are thereby locked against upward movement as the legs pass through the shelf and toward the bottom side of the sheet metal channel.
Rather than using individual spring clips for each wire rack leg, a continuous piece of sheet metal is preferably utilized which, when slotted along its length, forms a plurality of individual spring clips.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of one gondola display and a portion of another embodying the invention of this application.
FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of a full-width gondola shelf channel generated when two one-half-width gondola shelf channels are abutted.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on lines 3--3 of FIG. 1 and illustrating the wire rack leg locking mechanism contained within the front edge of the gondola shelf.
FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but with the wire anchor leg of the shelf rack withdrawn from its shelf support.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a one-piece sheet metal spring clip used to secure a multiplicity of wire rack legs to a shelf.
FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of a gondola display embodying the invention of this application.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring first to FIG. 1, gondola displays 1 and 2 are illustrated as being adjacent one another. Gondola display 1 comprises a base 10 (FIG. 6), from which extend upwardly and vertically gondola posts 11. The gondola posts 11 have vertically spaced slots 12 into which are inserted hooks 13 (FIG. 6) of a gondola shelf 14 to removably secure the shelf 14 to the posts 11. Mounted atop the gondola shelf 14 is a wire shelf divider rack 15, which functions to define rows or channels for receiving rows of product 16 (FIG. 2). Attached to the front edge of the shelf 14 is a label holder 17.
Gondola display 2 is of like construction and materials of gondola display and therefore gondola display 2 will not be described in detail. Similarly, gondola display 2 comprises a base (not shown), gondola posts 21 (only one of which is shown) with slots 22, a gondola shelf 24 mounted to posts 21 via hooks (not shown), and wire shelf divider rack 25 atop shelf 24. Attached to the front edge of shelf 24 is a label holder 26.
Describing the wire shelf divider rack 15 of gondola display 1 in more detail, a front grid 30 is rectangularly formed out of a length of steel wire with the ends of the wire butt-welded together to form a one-piece construction. Front grid 30 has ends 31 and 32, an upper side 33 and a lower side 34. A rear grid 35 is identically constructed and has ends 36 and 37, an upper side 38 and a lower side 39. Connecting the front grid 30 with the rear grid 35 and defining channels along the length of the wire shelf divider rack 15 of gondola display are divider wires 40. The divider wires 40 are likewise constructed of steel wire and are welded at their connection points with the front grid 30 and the rear grid 35. The divider wires 40 originate at the lower side 34 of the front grid 30 and extend upwardly forming a front vertical portion 41; these divider wires 40 are partially crimped around the upper side 33 of the front grid 30, then extend rearwardly to the upper side 38 of the rear grid 35 forming a divider portion 42. These divider wires 40 are again partially crimped around that upper side 38 of rear grid 35, and then extend downwardly and terminate at lower side 39 of the rear grid 35 forming a rear vertical portion 43. The divider wires 40 are spaced along the front and rear grids 30 and 35 to form a plurality of full width channels 44 and one one-half width channel 45 which is located at the end of the wire shelf divider rack 15. In order to secure the wire shelf divider rack 15 to the shelf 14, the rack 15 is outfitted with wire rack legs 46. To facilitate attaching the wire rack legs 46 to the rack 15, a horizontal wire 47 is welded to the front vertical portions 41 of the divider wires 40. This horizontal wire 47 is welded to the insides of the front vertical portions 41 of the divider wires 40 and near their bottoms, or points of origination. This horizontal wire 47 along with the lower side 34 of the front grid 30 serve as the points of attachment for the wire rack legs 46. These wire rack legs 46 are welded to the outer side of the horizontal wire 47, extend downwardly, and are welded to the lower side 34 of the front grid 30 on its outer side; thus the wire rack legs 46 and the front vertical portions 41 of the divider wires 40 are generally in the same plane and likewise the horizontal wire 47 and the lower side 34 of the front grid 30 are generally in the same plane. The rack legs 46 then extend downwardly from the lower side 34 of the front grid 30 to enable engagement with the shelf 14.
As previously mentioned, wire shelf divider rack 25 is of substantially similar construction to that of wire shelf divider rack 15. Rack 25 is positioned atop shelf 24 such that it is reversed end-to-end when compared to rack 15 atop shelf 14. In other words, rack 25 is positioned such that it is a mirror image of rack 15 about a plane defined by their joinder when they are abutted. Wire rack 25 has a front rectangular grid 50, with an end 51 (other end not shown), an upper side 53 and a lower side 54. Wire rack 25 also has a rear rectangular grid 55, with an end 56 (other end not shown), an upper side 58 and a lower side 59. Wire rack 25 has divider wires 60 spaced along its length, each of which has a front vertical portion 61, a divider portion 62, and a rear vertical portion 63. These divider wires form a plurality of full-width channels 64 along the length of the rack 25, with one one-half width channel 65 being located at the end of the rack 25. The wire rack 25 has rack legs 66 for attaching the rack 25 to the shelf 24. These wire rack legs 66 are connected to a horizontal wire 67 and to the lower side 54 of the front grid 50.
As mentioned previously, the rack 25 atop the shelf 24 is reversed end-to-end when compared to the rack 15 atop the shelf 14. Therefore, when gondola displays as hereinabove described are positioned adjacent one another, the one-half width channel 45 of the rack 15 is abutted with the one-half width channel 65 of the rack 25. Such a positioning thereby creates an additional usable full width channel 68.
Referring now to FIG. 2, a product for sale such as a bottle of beverage 16 is shown contained within the full width channel 68 generated by abutting the one-half-width channel 45 of rack 15 with the one-half-width channel 65 of rack 25.
In order to securely lock the racks 15 and 25 via rack legs 46 and 66 into the front edges 70 and 71 of the shelves 14 and 24, a wire rack leg locking device 75 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3 is utilized. The wire rack leg locking device 75 has four functional components: a top surface 76, an intermediate surface 77, a bottom surface 78, and a retainer spring clip 79.
Referring now to FIG. 3, and describing the wire rack leg locking device 75 in more detail, the top surface 76 corresponds to an upper side 81 of a sheet metal channel 80 oriented generally sideways. This upper side 81 of the sheet metal channel 80 lies upon a sheet metal shelf plate 82 and beneath a low coefficient-of-friction shelf covering material 83. The vertically oriented side 84 of the sheet metal channel 80 corresponds generally to the front edge 70 (or 71) of the shelf 14 (or 24). The lower side 85 of the sheet metal channel 80 is longer than the upper side 81, and has a flange 86 which includes a vertical portion 87 and a horizontal portion 88. This horizontal portion 88 of the flange 86 is used to secure the sheet metal channel 80 to the underneath side of sheet metal shelf plate 82. Attached to the front edge 70 of shelf 14 is a label holder 17.
Describing the sheet metal shelf plate 82 in more detail, a lip 89 is stamped or otherwise formed into this shelf plate 82 to enable the upper side 81 of the sheet metal channel 80 to lie coplanar with a shelf surface 90 of the sheet metal shelf plate 82. This enables the low coefficient-of-friction shelf covering material 83 to smoothly overlie both the upper side 81 of the sheet metal channel 80 and the shelf surface 90 of the sheet metal shelf plate 82. The sheet metal shelf plate 82 has a downwardly-extending first step surface 91 which is generally perpendicular to the shelf surface 90 and extends from a frontmost edge of same. A second step surface 92 extends frontwardly from the lower edge of first step surface 91, and is generally parallel to the shelf surface 90. A third step surface 93 extends downwardly from the frontmost edge of the second step surface 92 and is generally perpendicular to the shelf surface 90. The upper side 81 of the sheet metal channel 80 and the second step surface 92 of the sheet metal shelf plate 82 contain holes 94 and 95 into which are inserted wire rack legs 46 (or 66) of divider rack 15 (or 25). In order to secure these rack legs 46 (or 66), a retainer spring clip 79 is secured to the front edge of the shelf plate 82. This clip 79 is generally U-shaped such that it can be slipped over the third step surface 93 of the shelf plate 82. This clip 79 has a short, upwardly bent tang 96 which aids in guiding the clip 79 onto the third step surface 93. Opposite this short tang 96 is a downwardly bent spring portion 97. As the rack leg 46 (or 66) passes through the second step surface 92, it contacts the spring portion 97 of the retainer spring clip 79. As the rack leg 46 (or 66) is advanced further, the spring portion 97 is deflected thereby biasing and forcing the rack leg 46 (or 66) against the edges of holes 94 and 95 in the upper side 81 of t he sheet metal channel 80 and the second step surface 92 of the sheet metal shelf plate 82. The rack leg 46 (or 66) is advanced further until contacting the top surface 98 of the lower side 85 of the sheet metal channel 80.
Referring now to FIG. 4, the wire rack leg locking device 75 is illustrated with the rack leg 46 (or 66) withdrawn. As can be seen, the spring portion 97 of the retainer spring clip 79 in its undeflected state extends into an imaginary cylinder formed by the holes 94 and 95 in the upper side 81 of sheet metal channel 80 and the second step surface 92 of the sheet metal shelf plate 82 respectively. While the retainer spring clip 79 is shown attached to the third step surface 93, intermediate of the intermediate surface 77 and bottom surface 78, an equivalently functioning arrangement would be to position the spring clip 79 intermediate of the top surface 76 and the intermediate surface 77.
Referring now to FIG. 5, an alternative spring clip 100 is illustrated which is fabricated from a continuous piece of sheet metal. This continuous piece of sheet metal is bent in a U-shape 101, has an upwardly bent tang 102 to aid in installation over the third step 93 of the sheet metal shelf plate 82, and has a downwardly bent spring portion 103. This downwardly bent spring portion 103 is slotted along its length with slots 104, thereby forming a continuous plurality of spring clips 105.
In assembling the gondola display shelf 14 of the present invention, the retainer spring clips 79 are press fitted or otherwise attached to the third step surface 93 of the sheet metal shelf plate 82 at points along the length of the shelf plate 82 corresponding to the placement of the holes 95 in the second step surface 92 of the shelf plate 82. The wire shelf divider rack 15 is then mounted atop the gondola dislay shelf 14 with the rack 15 oriented such that the one-half-width channel 45 is located on the end of gondola shelf 14 for which is desired an additional full-width channel 68 to be located. The wire rack legs 46 of the display rack 15 are inserted first through the holes 94 in the upper side 81 of the sheet metal channel 80. These rack legs 46 are then further advanced until passing through the holes 95 in the second step surface 92 of the sheet metal plate 82. The rack legs 46 are further advanced until contacting the spring portion 97 of the retainer spring clip 79. The rack legs 46 are finally advanced against that spring portion 97 until the bottom of the rack legs 46 contact the upper surface of the lower side 85 of the sheet metal channel 80. The spring portion 97 of the retainer clips 79 assumes its fully deflected state, thereby biasing and forcing the rack legs 46 against the edges of the holes 95 and 94 in the second step surface 92 of sheet metal plate 82 and the upper side 81 of the sheet metal channel 80.
The display shelf 14 with the display rack 15 mounted thereon is then ready for assembly onto the vertical gondola posts 11. The hooks 13 extending from the rear edges of the shelf 14 are inserted into the vertically spaced slots 12 of the vertical gondola posts 11 at the desired height.
A complementing gondola display is likewise assembled but with the wire rack 25 atop the shelf 24 reversed end-to-end when compared to the rack 15 atop the shelf 14. With this rack 25 atop this shelf 24 and mounted to vertical posts 21 via the slots 22, the second gondola display may be abutted against the first gondola display hereinabove described. This arrangement thereby permits the additional full-width channel 68 to be formed by the half-width channel 45 of rack 15 and the half-width channel 65 of the rack 25 atop shelves 14 and 24, respectively. | A gondola display with improved display rack and rack lock is disclosed which utilizes previously unused shelf space by locating a row of product which spans the ends of two abutted display shelves within a novel wire display rack, and which has a rack lock incorporated within the display shelves for securing wire legs of the wire display rack within the edge of the display shelf by biasing and forcing the rack legs against edges of holes in the shelf edge with spring clips. | 0 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to exhaust system combustors of the type used to regenerate particle traps for catching particulate matter in the exhaust system of a vehicle or the like. More particularly, but without limitation, the present invention relates to such combustors which have a compact design.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Some exhaust systems for vehicles or the like include a particle trap for reducing particulate emissions and other emissions. Traps of this type are especially useful on the exhaust systems connected to diesel engines. Over time such particle traps become saturated or clogged and require regeneration. This regeneration can be achieved by a combustor connected to heat the trapped material to a combustion temperature and thereby clean the trap.
Some combustors for exhaust systems are housed aside from or separate from the exhaust conduit. In other systems the combustor extends entirely within or partially within the exhaust conduit. In order to achieve a compact design it is desirable to have the combustor entirely within the exhaust conduit. In this system a combustion chamber resides in the exhaust conduit and exhaust gases flow around and into the combustion chamber on a path to the particle trap. In such a system it is difficult to arrange the ducts for conveying combustion air to the combustion chamber and the fuel conduit for conveying fuel to the combustion chamber. More particularly, it is a problem to connect the systems in a way which does not degrade the atomization of the fuel in the combustion chamber.
For example, it is particularly a problem to connect the fuel conduit to the combustion chamber which resides within the exhaust conduit because the heat of the exhaust gases passing through the exhaust conduit can overheat the fuel in the exhaust conduit causing undesirable variations in the fuel temperature and pressure. In addition, expansion and contraction of the air duct and fuel connections to the atomization portion of the combustion chamber can cause misalignment of the atomization components of the combustor which degrades the atomization and reduces the efficiency of combustion.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an improved combustor of a compact design which has a combustion chamber entirely within the exhaust conduit. It is also an object of the present invention to provide such a combustor having a tolerance to thermal gradients and effects created in the combustor by exhaust gases passing through the exhaust conduit.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide an improved combustor for use in an exhaust gas system which has a fuel conduit which is less exposed to heating from the exhaust gases in the exhaust duct while also providing such a fuel conduit which is compliant to prevent misalignment of the atomizer to which the fuel conduit is connected.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with these objects the present invention comprises a combustor for use in an exhaust gas system which combustor is tolerant to thermal gradients without degrading the atomization of fuel therein. The combustor includes an exhaust duct for conveying exhaust gas therethrough. The exhaust duct includes a side wall, an inlet end through which exhaust gas enters the exhaust duct and an outlet end through which exhaust gas exits the exhaust duct. A combustion chamber is provided with an atomization end and a combustion end. The combustion chamber is fixedly mounted in the exhaust duct facing the outlet end of the exhaust duct. An atomizer is mounted in the atomizer end of the combustion chamber for spraying atomized fuel into the combustion chamber.
The present invention also includes an air duct for conveying combustion air to the combustion chamber and extending through the side wall of the exhaust duct to the atomizer end of the combustion chamber. A fuel conduit is fixedly joined to the atomizer for conveying fuel to the atomizer. The fuel conduit has at least a portion thereof extending in the air duct so that the air in the air duct prevents heating of the fuel conduit by the exhaust gases in the exhaust duct. The portion of the fuel conduit which is located in the air duct includes a longitudinal compliance portion. This longitudinal compliance portion allows expansion and contraction of the combustion chamber and the air duct relative to the fuel conduit while maintaining a constant position and alignment of the atomizer with respect to the combustion chamber.
Preferably, the fuel conduit extends within the air duct to a connection outside of the exhaust duct so that no portion of the fuel conduit extends outside of the air duct and within the exhaust duct. In this manner, the fuel conduit is located entirely within the air duct to keep it relatively less heated by the exhaust gases in the exhaust duct.
For a further understanding of the invention and further objects, features and advantages thereof, reference may now be had to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view of a combustor constructed in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a partial cross sectional view of a portion of the combustor shown in FIG. 1.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to FIG. 1 a combustor constructed in accordance with the present invention is shown at 11. The combustor 11 includes an exhaust duct 13. The exhaust duct 13 is generally cylindrical with an inlet end 15 and an outlet end 17. The inlet end 15 is adapted to be sealingly connected to an exhaust pipe and the outlet end 17 is adapted to be connected to a ceramic particulate trap or the like which, in turn, is connected to a continuing portion of the exhaust pipe. Thus, the exhaust duct 13 is adapted to be connected as a segment in an exhaust pipe which, in turn, is a portion of an exhaust system.
One of the features of the present invention is a compact design allowing the combustor 11 to be inserted as a compact segment of an exhaust pipe.
The combustor 11 is particularly adapted for use in an exhaust system for a diesel engine or the like. Such engines produce particulates which, unless filtered from the exhaust, are emitted into the air. To remove these particulates, a ceramic particulate trap or the like (not shown) can be placed in the exhaust pipe. These particulates are captured by the ceramic particulate trap and are held in the trap until the trap is regenerated by the combustor 11 of the present invention. This regeneration is achieved by means of heating the particulates held in the trap to the combustion temperature of the particulates. Burning of the particulates in the ceramic trap reduces the particulates to gases and ash, unclogging the trap and allowing it to be used for further capturing of particulates.
Located within the exhaust duct 13 is a combustion chamber 19. The combustion chamber 19 is generally conical shaped opening toward the outlet end 17 of the exhaust duct 13. Thus, the combustion chamber faces the outlet end 17 of the exhaust duct. The combustion chamber 19 is located so that the axis 21 of the combustion chamber 19 is aligned along the axis 23 of the exhaust duct 13.
The combustion chamber 19 has an atomizer end 25 and a combustion end 27. The atomizer end 25 of the combustion chamber is formed of a cast housing piece 31 and the combustion end 27 of the combustion chamber 19 is formed of an exhaust liner 33. The exhaust liner 33 is a conically shaped thin metal sheet which extends from the lip 35 of housing 31 to the outlet 17 of exhaust duct 13. Regularly spaced about the exhaust liner 33 are a set of smaller holes 37 and a set of larger holes 39. The smaller holes 37 are located closer to the housing 31 and the larger holes 39 are located closer to the outlet end 17. The holes 37 and 39 are required in order to allow exhaust gases entering the inlet end 15 of the exhaust duct 13 to pass through the exhaust liner 33 and out the outlet end 17 of the exhaust duct 13.
Extending generally at right angles to the combustion chamber axis 21 and the exhaust duct axis 23 are the air duct 41 and the spark plug 29. The air duct 41 is formed in a portion of the housing 31. The air duct 41 extends parallel to and adjacent the opening 43 in housing 31 into which the spark plug 29 is threadedly inserted. The portion of the housing 31 which forms the air duct 41 and opening 43 extends to and through the cylindrical wall 45 of the exhaust duct 13. It forms the support which holds the combustion chamber 19 within the exhaust duct 13.
The air duct 41 is connected to an air pipe 47 outside the exhaust duct 13. Disposed on the air pipe 47 is a check valve 49 which allows air to move through the pipe only toward the combustion chamber 19. An air pump (not shown) is located to supply air to the air pipe 47 upstream of the check valve 49.
Located within air duct 41 is a fuel conduit 51. Fuel conduit 51 is connected at one end to an atomizer assembly 53 and at the other end to a fuel inlet fitting 55. The inlet fitting 55 and the air pipe 47 are both connected to a cover plate 57 which is bolted to housing 31 to cover the air duct 41.
The atomizer assembly 53 to which the fuel conduit 51 is attached includes an atomizer body 59 which has a front end 61 and a rear end 63. Attached to the front end 61 is a fuel swirler assembly 65. The rear end 63 has a cylindrical opening 67 sized to matingly receive a guide pin 69.
Sealingly connected to the housing 31 is an air swirler 71. The air swirler 71 includes both a radially outer swirling air passage 73 and a radially inner or central air passage 75. The fuel swirler assembly 65 fits within the central air passage 75.
The fuel swirler assembly 65 includes an outer piece 77, an inner piece 79 and a spring 81. The outer piece 77 fits closely within the central air passage 75 of air swirler 71 and combines with the air swirler 71 so that the central air passage 75 swirls the air passing therethrough in a vortex which extends out into combustion chamber 19. Similarly, the inner piece 79 and outer piece 77 of the fuel swirler assembly 65 combine to produce a vortex of atomized fuel passing therethrough which extends out into combustion chamber 19. The construction, arrangement and assembly of parts forming the air swirler 71 and the fuel swirler assembly 65 are conventional and well known to those skilled in the art of fuel nozzles.
In order for the proper atomization of fuel to occur in the combustion chamber 19 the fuel swirler assembly 65 must be precicely centrally located in the central air passage 75 of the air swirler 71. This is achieved by making the fuel conduit 51 longitudinally compliant and by aligning the atomizer assembly 53 with the guide pin 69. The outer piece 77 of the fuel swirler assembly 65 fits closely but movably within the air swirler 71. Since the fuel conduit 51 is located within the air duct 41 it is not heated as rapidly as the housing 31 by exhaust gases in the exhaust duct 13. Therefore, the air duct portion of the housing 31 may expand or contract relative to the fuel conduit 51 which, without longitudinal compliance, would cause the fuel duct to become disconnected or cause the atomizer assembly to become misaligned.
Longitudinal compliance is provided in the fuel conduit 51 by a helical bend 83. The fuel conduit 51 can be formed of stainless steel tubing. The stainless steel tubing can be bent into a helical shape 83 and, in this manner, the fuel conduit is longitudinally compliant. By longitudinally compliant it is meant that one end of the conduit is moveable toward or away from the other end of the conduit with a relatively small application of force.
To maintain the atomizer assembly 53 in its forward-most position in air swirler 71 while maintaining its axial alignment a spring 85 mounted on guide pin 69 is provided. A guide pin 69 is sealingly threaded through housing 31 along the central axis 21. A guide pin spring 85 extends about guide pin 69 to urge the atomizer assembly 53 toward the air swirler 71. The front end 87 of the guide pin 69 has a cylinder shape which mates with the cylindrical opening 67 in the rear end 63 of atomizer body 59. This mating connection allows movement of the atomizer body 59 with respect to the guide pin 69 only longitudinally (along axis 21). The spring 85 bears against a shoulder 87 of the pin and the rear end 63 of the atomizer body 59 to urge the atomizer assembly 53 toward the air swirler 71 along this axis of movement.
In a noncombustion or nonregeneration mode, the combustor 11 of the present invention operates to allow exhaust gases to enter through the inlet end 15, around the housing 31, through the holes 37 and 39 and out the outlet end 17. Exhaust gases are prevented from moving back through air duct 41 by the check valve 49.
In a combustion or regeneration mode, the combustor of the present invention allows exhaust gases to pass through the exhaust duct 13 as in a nonregeneration mode but with combustion occurring in the combustion chamber 19. Combustion air is supplied to the combustion chamber 19 from the air pump (not shown), check valve 49, air pipe 47, air conduit 41 and air swirler 71. This air then enters the combustion chamber through both the radially outer swirling air passage 73 and the central swirling air passage 75. Thus, both an inner and outer vortex of air are provided to the combustion chamber 19. Atomized fuel is supplied to the combustion chamber 19 through a fuel pump (not shown), the fuel inlet fitting 55, the fuel conduit 51 and the atomizer assembly 53. A swirling vortex of atomized fuel combines with the central vortex of swirling air to provide a mixture of fuel and air which can be ignited by the spark plug 29. The combustion of the fuel and air mixture heats the particulate trap downstream of the combustor 11 to regenerate the trap.
Because of the corrosive environment produced by the exhaust gases moving through the exhaust duct 13, it is desirable to construct the components of the present invention of stainless steel. Thus, the wall 45 of exhaust duct 13 can be formed of a sheet of stainless steel and the housing 31 can be formed of cast stainless steel. Similarly, the other components of the present invention can be formed of cast or machined stainless steel. A typical combustor 11 would have a diameter of approximately 5 inches and a length of approximately 10 inches.
Assembly of the present invention can be achieved by conventional means. For example, the air swirler 71 can be brazed to the housing 31, and the housing 31 can be brazed to the wall 45 of exhaust duct 13. The flexibility of the helical bend portion 83 of the fuel conduit 51 assists in inserting and assembling the atomizer assembly 53 in the housing 31 and air swirler 71.
The above discussion of this invention is directed primarily to preferred embodiments and practices thereof. It will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that further changes and modifications in the actual implementation of the concepts described herein can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims. | A combustor for an exhaust gas system includes a longitudinally compliant fuel conduit for allowing thermal expansion and contraction of other portions of the combustor relative to the fuel conduit while not misaligning the atomizer to which the fuel conduit is attached. The combustor includes an exhaust duct, a combustion chamber, and an air duct in addition to the atomizer and longitudinally complaint fuel conduit. The combustion chamber and air duct are disposed within the exhaust duct so that they are heated by the exhaust gases passing through the exhaust duct. The fuel conduit is disposed within the air duct so that air passing through the air duct keeps the fuel conduit relatively cool. | 5 |
This is a division of application Ser. No. 08/215,410 filed on Mar. 18, 1994, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/740,491 filed Aug. 5, 1991, now abandoned.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to aircraft and in particular to model aircraft components constructed with twin wail fluted plastic sheet material.
2) Description of Prior Art
In order to provide background information so that the invention may be completely understood and appreciated in its proper context, reference may be made to a number of prior art publications as follows:
1) Cub Instructions, Carl Goldberg Models 4734 W. Chicago Ave, Chicago Ill. 60651 pub 2077 1-585.
2) CoroStar 40 Construction Manual U.S. AirCore 4576 Claire Chennault, Hangar 7, Dallas Tex., 75248 Part Number USA11141.
3) Sig Catalog #51 Sig Manufacturing Company, Inc. 401-7 Front St., Montezuma Iowa 50171
4) Gentle Lady Instructions, Carl Goldberg Models 4734 W. Chicago Ave. Chicago Ill. 60651 pub 2-680
Model aircraft have traditionally been constructed of lightweight wood (such as balsa) used to form a frame, covered with a film which forms the skin (Ref 1). Recent models have been constructed of vacuum formed plastic sheet laminated over foamed plastic cores. More recent models have been constructed of extruded twin wall fluted plastic sheet, (Ref 2), This material is extruded of various plastic compounds. Polypropylene based compounds have been most effective in that they can De formulated to provide a material which is stiff enough to form airfoils, fuselages, and flight control surfaces, and remain flexible enough to absorb most crashes without exceeding the elastic limit of the material, thus avoiding permanent damage.
Construction of model aircraft with twin wall fluted plastic sheet is much less tedious than construction with wooden frame and sheet skin, and results in models which are much more durable than those constructed by other methods. Twin wall fluted plastic sheet construction presents some unique problems, Traditional hinges of thin plastic sheet or leaf and pin construction (Ref 3 p 92) can be used for control surfaces, but are no easier to install in these new aircraft than in those of traditional construction. Model aircraft hinges have also been constructed from heat shrinkable plastic film covering material which forms the skin of model aircraft with traditional wood frames (Ref 4 p 10). These hinges have the advantage of being continuous along the entire length of the control surface, and low in marginal cost, since they are typically constructed of excess covering material. Continuous hinges exhibit less drag than multiple hinges due to the smoothed airflow from the fixed surface over the control surface. Twin wall fluted plastic sheet for model aircraft is not a suitable surface for bonding heat shrinkable film covering material, since the temperatures required exceed the softening point of the polypropylene. A continuous hinge suitable for model aircraft constructed with twin wall fluted plastic sheet is needed.
Early control systems for aircraft provided for distorting or warping wings or other flight surfaces to effect changes in aircraft attitude. There techniques were quickly replaced with separate control surfaces hinged to fixed flight surfaces; since hinged surfaces provided more precise and stable control systems. Until the present invention, the control surface was a separate and distinct piece from its accompanying fixed flight surface, requiring construction of multiple pieces which were joined with hinges. Construction from a single piece, yet resulting in an independent, hinged control surface had yet to be achieved.
Landing gear of model aircraft have, In the past, been constructed of two pieces of spring steel (Ref 1) and affixed to the model's fuselage, The vertical portion of the gear is inserted into slots or holes in the fuselage to provide longitudinal stability to the Gear. Aircraft constructed of twin wall fluted sheet require slots or holes in added wooden parts to accommodate these vertical portions of the gear in order to prevent tearing the plastic during hard landings. Another method of providing longitudinal stability is needed.
Another traditional landing gear is made of flat material (Reference 3, page 58), This gear is made of sheet metal or molded plastic. It provides longitudinal stability with its wide mounting surface, and spring action from the material of construction. It is typically heavier and more expensive than landing gear made from formed spring wire.
Both wire and flat gear have another shortcoming, in that they provide no damping. Gear constructed of concentric cylinders, fluids, and controlled orifices provide damping through viscous friction, but are expensive to construct. Damping in the landing gear prevents the aircraft from bouncing as a result of a hard landing, it is much easier to control the path of an aircraft if initial contact with the landing surface is not interrupted by bouncing.
Biplanes must have a method to secure the two wings at the proper angles to the fuselage and tail surfaces, provide the proper separation between the wings, and, in replications of early biplanes, provide clearance from the top of the fuselage to the bottom of the top wing, Traditionally, wooden frame members and wires have performed this function, it is tedious to construct model aircraft in this manner. Since models made with extruded fluted plastic sheet typically have little or no internal structure, simple struts are needed for these biplanes. Similarly, monoplanes with wing elevated from the fuselage require struts to attach the wing to the fuselage. Struts which attach wings to fuselages are sometimes referred to as cabanes, We use the term "strut" to include both functions.
Electro-mechanical actuators, known as "servos" for radio controlled model aircraft are typically mounted near the center of the model for reasons of balance. If, for example, the servos which control the rudder and elevator were mounted in the tail, additional weight would need to be added to the nose for proper balance. A lightweight mechanical linkage, or "pushrod" is required to transfer force and motion from servos to control surfaces. Likewise, in a control line aircraft, a linkage is required from the center of pull, near the center of the wing, to the elevator. Pushrods are often fabricated from lightweight wood, wire, and string as shown in Reference 1. More recently, pushrod assemblies, consisting of an outer sleeve which houses an inner rod have been manufactured by various suppliers. One such example is shown in Reference 3, page 101 or 152. A lower cost, lighter weight pushrod system is needed for aircraft constructed from fluted plastic sheet.
Whatever the precise merits, features and advantages of the above cited references, none of them achieves or fulfills the purposes of the aircraft components of the present invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide aircraft components which are simpler to construct.
It is another principal object of the present invention to provide aircraft components which are lower in cost.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a continuous hinge suitable for incorporation in an aircraft constructed of twin wall fluted plastic sheet. It is a further object to provide hinged control surfaces and fixed flight surfaces from a single structure. It is a further object to provide lighter weight landing pear with damping. It is a further object to provide struts and pushrods with reduced weight and cost.
In fulfillment and implementation of the above stated objects, the present invention is aircraft components constructed from twin wall fluted plastic sheet, Hinges and landing gear are made of twin wall fluted sheet with a separation in one wall between adjacent webs of the sheet, In the hinge, the separation is cut so as to remove substantially all the wall between the webs, fixed flight surfaces and moveable control surfaces are constructed from the same piece of twin wall fluted plastic sheet by separating one wall along the desired hinge line, leaving the opposite wall to flex as the hinge between the two surfaces. Either or both surfaces can be stiffened by inserting stiffer material such as wood or wire in one or more of the flutes. In the landing pear, the separation need only be wide enough to admit a wire gear spring. The flat sheet provides longitudinal stability and damping for the gear, while the spring provides resilience. In the preferred implementation, the wire is held in place with an additional sheet of plastic glued over the separation. Struts are made with stiffening members, such as steel wires, inserted in flutes of the sheet material. Push rods are constructed using the fluted material as guides for lightweight rods of steel wire, plastic, or wood. In the preferred embodiment, the, fluted material is part of the aircraft structure, so its function as a pushrod guide is achieved with no increase in weight or cost.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 a depicts a hinge and is an end perspective view showing the hinge made by removing one wall between adjacent webs;
FIG. 1b is a plan view of a typical hinge for use in an aileron of an airplane;
FIG. 2a shows use of the hinge strip of FIG. 1b in an aileron assembly mad is an end view of the aileron assembled on the hinge;
FIG. 2b is a perspective of the assembly shown in FIG. 2a;
FIG. 2c is a plan view of the assembly shown in FIG. 2a;
FIG. 3a shows construction of landing gear using twin wall sheet and spring steel wire and is a bottom view of the flexible fluted material piece showing access to a flute liar the spring;
FIG. 3b is an exploded view of the assembly of the landing gear shown in FIG. 3a;
FIG. 3c is an end perspective view of a section of the landing gear showing the spring in place shown in FIG. 3a;
FIG. 4a is a plan view of the tail surface that shows the inclusion of a hinge in a preferred tail surface assembly, where horizontal stabilizer, elevator, and hinge and manufactured from a single piece of tail wall sheet;
FIG. 4b is a perspective end view showing the hinge portion shown in FIG. 4a;
FIG. 5a is a cross section a plan view of a similarly constructed vertical fin, hinge, and rudder assembly;
FIG. 5b is a cross section showing the hinge portion shown in FIG. 5a;
FIG. 6 is a cross section view of a hinge designed for greater range of movement;
FIG. 7 is a cross section view of another embodiment of the hinge where the wall material is left in place;
FIG. 8 is a cross section view of a similar hinge made from fluted material with three walls instead of two;
FIG. 9a shows construction of one embodiment of the struts and is a front view of biplane aircraft showing typical strut placement;
FIG. 9b is a side view of biplane aircraft showing typical strut placement shown in FIG. 9a;
FIG. 9c is a side cutaway view showing details of a strut constructed from fluted material and wire shown in FIG. 9a;
FIG. 10a shows use of flute as a guide for control pushrods and is cutaway side view of a fuselage showing the control wire in place in a time in the side structure of the fuselage; and
FIG. 10b is a cutaway top view of the same control system shown in FIG. 10 a.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Manufacture of the aircraft components begins with twin wall plastic sheet. The manufacture of such sheet is well known, and not a subject of the present invention. The nature of twin wall plastic sheet is shown in FIG. 1a) The walls are the outside flat surfaces of the material. (In multiple wall plastic sheet with more than two walls, at least one of the surfaces called walls will not be have an outside surface). Webs are the joining structures between the walls. The long hollow spaces enclosed lay two walls and two webs are called flutes. Notice that walls are parallel and webs are parallel. In the figure, weds are shown perpendicular to walls, Depending on a number of manufacturing variables, the webs may intersect the walls at angles other than 90 degrees. Manufacture of the various components proceeds as follows:
Twin wall plastic sheet is selected from the variety of thicknesses and materials available to provide the proper flexibility, strength, and size for the required hinge 1. The thickness and material composition of wall 2 determine the flexibility and strength of the resulting hinge 1. The material is then cut to the proper length and width as required for the finished hinge 1, using steel rule dies. Notice that leaf 5 and leaf 6 are of different length as shown in FIG. 1b. They could, of course, be the same length. The final step in manufacturing hinge 1 is to create a separation in wall 2 of the twin wall along flute 7 between web 8 and web 9. This can be accomplished in a number of ways, including a steel rule die and cutting with a hand knife. The portion of wall 3 then remaining between web 8 and web 9 is then free to flex, forming the hinge. Notice that the axis of the hinge is parallel to the walls and webs of the material.
A typical application of the hinge is shown in FIG. 2, where aileron 10 is attached to leaf 5 on two sides with glue, Leaf 6 is then glued between the top and bottom skin portions of an aircraft wing along the trailing edge. Leaf 6 then serves to stiffen the trailing edge of the wing and support the hinge and aileron in the proper position.
Inclusion of the hinge in a tail surface assembly is shown in FIG. 4. A piece of twin wall plastic material is cut to the proper shape to form a horizontal stabilizer and elevator using a steel rule die. A hinge is created by cutting away a portion of the appropriate wall 2 between web 8 and web 9 for the entire width of the piece, thus forming a horizontal stabilizer 11, elevator 12, and hinge 13 from one piece of material. A similar application is shown in FIG. 5, where a rudder 14 and vertical stabilizer 15 joined by hinge 16, are formed from a single piece of twin wall sheet in the same manner.
It is not necessary to remove all of wall 1 between web 8 and web 9 to fabricate hinge 1. The amount of material removed, along with the dimensions of the webs and flutes, will determine the limit of range of free movement of hinge 1. The limit of travel of the hinge 1 is limited to the point where web 8 touches web 9. The travel arc of the hinge can be increased by removing, two or more adjacent sections of wall 2, as shown in FIG. 6. In such hinges it may be advantageous to remove the intervening web 7 for additional flexibility. In this case, the hinge is two flutes wide instead of one, Likewise, if it were desired to construct hinges from material having three or more walls, one could remove portions or all of webs and interior walls as necessary, leaving only wall 3 to flex as a hinge, as shown in FIG. 8, with travel determined by the amount of material removed. This invention is not limited to a particular number of sections of walls or intervening webs which are removed.
Another variation of the hinge is shown in FIG. 7. Here the separation in wall 2 is a single slit, and no material is removed. Flap 22, consisting of the material of wall 2 between slit 23 and web 8, is permanently distorted so it slides inside flap 24, which consists of the material between slit 23 and web 9.
The hinge is not limited in application to aircraft. Persons of skill and imagination will undoubtedly find applications in cabinetry, shipping cases, outdoor shelters, and other equipment and fixtures.
Construction of landing gear 25 is illustrated in FIG. 3. Twin wall flexible plastic sheet is selected for proper strength and stiffness to prevent landing gear wire 17 from rotating fore and aft during takeoff or landing of the aircraft. The piece 21 is then cut to the desired shape with a steel rule die. It may also be scored along the bend lines 20 to facilitate a small radius bend. If the twin wall sheet piece is formed by cutting with a steel rule die, the scores along bend lines 20 can be formed in the same cutting operation by use of blunt blades. A separation in wall 2 is formed along the length of the twin wall sheet piece by cutting, with a hand knife or other method, wall 2 between web 8 and web 9 along the length of flute 18 in piece 21. Then spring steel wire 17 is positioned in flute 18 between web 8 and web 9 through the separation in wall 2. Retaining sheet 19 completes the assembly when glued over wall 2, thus capturing wire 17 inside the finished assembly. The finished landing gear can then be attached to the aircraft with bolts through piece 21 and the bottom of the aircraft, or with other attachment methods such as rubber bands.
The resulting compound landing gear 25 has advantages over landing gear of the same basic shape made of single materials such as spring steel, spring aluminum, fiberglass, or plastic. It weighs less than plastic gear of similar size and shape. The spring steel wire provides the resilience, and the twin wall plastic sheet provides damping in the new compound gear. Aircraft fitted with damped gear exhibit a reduced bounce height in a landing with excess vertical speed. The transition from flight to ground handling is thus much smoother, resulting in more positive control of the attitude and path of the aircraft.
It is not necessary for retaining sheet 19 to completely cover wall 2 of piece 21. In the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the size of sheet 19 is chosen for esthetic reasons. Sheet 19 can be attached with screws, brads, rivets, or attachment methods other than adhesives. Sheet 19 is not necessary in all gear configurations. Steel wire 17 can be held in place with flexible adhesives such as Room Temperature Vulcanizing rubber (RTV). If wall 2 is only slit to form the separation between web 8 and web 9, (no material of wall 2 is removed), it can be reformed with various glues. With certain shapes of landing gear, wire 17 can be inserted from the end of flute 18 without separating wall 2. This invention is not limited as to method of placing or retaining wire 17 in flute 18.
Of course, it is not necessary to remove material in walls or webs for hinges or landing gear if the flexible fluted material is fabricated without the undesired material in place. This can be accomplished by design or modification of the extrusion die which forms the flexible fluted material.
Struts 26 are manufactured by cutting flexible fluted plastic sheet, of the proper cross section to the desired plan shape 27 using steel rule dies. Steel wire 28 is then inserted in a chosen flute extending through piece 27 into the wings or fuselage. Wire 28 is then bent 90 degrees and secured through holes in spars, 29 to hold the wings together. Wire 28 can be secured in the wings or fuselage with traditional methods such as bends in the wire, collars and screws, or threads cut in the wire and nuts and washers. Other structural members, such as ribs, rails, or formers, can be used to secure wire 28. In some installations, wire 28 can be a tension member. In these cases, wire 28 can be multistrand cable, monofilament line, dental floss, or even cotton string. The invention is not limited by the material of the wire, attachment member, or attachment method.
Pushrod control 30 is constructed using an existing flute 38 in the side of fuselage 35 through which wire 31 is inserted. Prior to insertion in flute 38, a double bend 36 is created in wire 31 to provide motional clearance from the inside wall 39 of fuselage 35. Double bend 36 is typically created using a conventional bending jig. Wire 31 is connected to control arm 33 of servo 32 using double bend 37. Separation 40, in flute 38 along inside wall 39 is cut using a hobby knife. Wire 31 is then inserted into flute 38 through separation 39. Next, double bend 41 is formed in wire 39 and elevator control horn 34 is installed on wire 39. Finally, control horn 34 is glued to elevator 42, and servo control horn 33 is installed on servo 32 using screw 43, thus motion of servo arm 33 is transferred to elevator 42.
Flute 38 can be in either side, top, or bottom walls of fuselage 36. Flute 38 might be part of an internal fuselage structure, such as longerons. Wire 31 might be constructed of plastic, or be a compound structure of plastic tube and steel wire end pieces. If pulleys are used instead of control horns. Wire 31 can be in tension, and can therefor be stranded cable, monofilament line, dental floss, or even cotton string. In such cases, use of two flutes for each control may be advantageous to avoid tanging. Attachment of wire 31 to control horns 33 or 34 could be done with plastic or steel devises, as shown in Reference 3, page 156, with ball links, as shown in Reference 3, page 157, or with sliding "keepers", as shown in Reference 3, page 97. In full scale aircraft, pedals, sticks, and other human operated devices may be used in place of servos. Rudders, ailerons, or other control surfaces can be similarly controlled. The invention is not limited by selection of flute, material of the force transfer member, attachment method, size or actuation method of the control input, or specific control surface.
Fluted flexible material can be cut with many methods other than the steel rule die technique mentioned. A hand knife is just one example. A hot wire or blade technique is another. The invention is not limited to cutting method.
Although references have been made in the descriptions to "model" aircraft, all the devices described are applicable to aircraft of any scale, including full scale or conventional aircraft.
Methods of constructing hinges, landing ,gear, struts, and control systems for aircraft have been described in detail in the above text and accompanying drawings. These components are lower in cost and lighter in weight than previously available. Additionally, the landing gear has damping characteristics superior to previous gear.
The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. It is intended that the scope of the invention be limited not by this detailed description, but rather by the claims appended hereto. | Aircraft components utilize flexible fluted extruded twin wall plastic sheet to form aileron hinges, horizontal staibilizers and elevators, vertical stabilizers and rudders, compound landing gear, struts, and control systems which are lighter in weight and lower in cost than previously available structures. The landing gear has damping characteristics superior to previous gear. The invention is particularly well suited to remotely controlled flying model aircraft. | 0 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present invention is related to a patent application having Ser. No. 10/941,566, entitled “Common Charting Using Shapes”, filed on Sep. 15, 2004. The related application is assigned to the assignee of the present patent application and is hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] A chart is a graphical representation of numerical data. Charts are particularly useful for presenting complicated data in a concise and easily-understandable form. In today's desktop publishing environment, users can create impressive presentations using charts. Charts are based on underlying data that is entered into an application program such as “EXCEL” from MICROSOFT CORPORATION of Redmond, Wash. The underlying data can then be used to create a chart of the data in a number of different formats, such as pie-chart, bar-chart, histogram, line chart, etc. In addition, each part of the chart can have associated colors, textures, and other effects to improve the appearance of the chart, which is very important for conveying information.
[0003] The labels included in a chart contribute to the visual function and presentation of a chart. A chart with more than a few data points may become hard to read if the user activates an automated data label function. Generally, previously provided automated chart labeling algorithms result in overlapping text and positioning of labels that is not optimized to use the chart area. Accordingly, alternate methods are needed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] Embodiments of the present invention are related to a system and method that solves for the above-mentioned limitations by optimizing the placement of labels on charts and graphs. The optimization of the label is provided according to an algorithm that scores a specified positioning of the labels based on a set of constraints. The better the current positioning of the labels conforms with the stated constraints, the better the score for the chart. The algorithm attempts to minimize the score by calling a function multiple times, wherein the function repositions a single label each time it is called. In one implementation of the present invention, labels that were manually positioned are exempt from consideration during the optimization process.
[0005] In one aspect of the present invention, the functions of the optimization process are defined according to an objective function, or score function, and perturbation function that operate on the labels and anchors of the chart or graph. An anchor refers to a display element of the chart that has an associated label, such as a specific slice of a pie chart, a bubble of a bubble chart, or other elements depending on the chart used. The objective function refers to a function that defines the goal of the optimization by which a chart may be scored. For example, an objective function may correspond to minimizing overlap of labels, minimizing distance from the edge of an anchor, other goals for optimizing the position of the labels, and possible combinations of these goals. The perturbation function refers to a function that defines the limitations for the adjustment of the labels on the chart. For example, the perturbation function may define range limitations for relocating a label, a limited subset of the types of changes that may be made with regard to a label, and other limitations.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary computing device that may be used in one exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[0007] FIG. 2 illustrates exemplary views of a pie chart with automatic labeling before and after label position optimization in accordance with the present invention.
[0008] FIG. 3 illustrates exemplary views of a bubble chart with automatic labeling before and after label position optimization in accordance with the present invention.
[0009] FIG. 4 illustrates exemplary views of a timeline chart with automatic labeling before and after label position optimization in accordance with the present invention.
[0010] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary charting system 500 for carrying out generating a chart and optimizing the label position in accordance with the present invention.
[0011] FIG. 6 illustrates exemplary pseudo-code for determining the layout of a visual data object that corresponds to the optimal layout of the labels in accordance with the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0012] The present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and which show, by way of illustration, specific exemplary embodiments for practicing the invention. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Among other things, the present invention may be embodied as methods or devices. Accordingly, the present invention may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense.
Illustrative Operating Environment
[0013] With reference to FIG. 1 , one exemplary system for implementing the invention includes a computing device, such as computing device 100 . Computing device 100 may be configured as a client, a server, mobile device, or any other computing device. In a very basic configuration, computing device 100 typically includes at least one processing unit 102 and system memory 104 . Depending on the exact configuration and type of computing device, system memory 104 may be volatile (such as RAM), non-volatile (such as ROM, flash memory, etc.) or some combination of the two. System memory 104 typically includes an operating system 105 , one or more applications 106 , and may include program data 107 . In one embodiment, application 106 includes a chart label optimization application 120 for implementing the functionality of the present invention. This basic configuration is illustrated in FIG. 1 by those components within dashed line 108 .
[0014] Computing device 100 may have additional features or functionality. For example, computing device 100 may also include additional data storage devices (removable and/or non-removable) such as, for example, magnetic disks, optical disks, or tape. Such additional storage is illustrated in FIG. 1 by removable storage 109 and non-removable storage 110 . Computer storage media may include volatile and nonvolatile, 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. System memory 104 , removable storage 109 and non-removable storage 110 are all examples of computer storage media. Computer storage media includes, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, 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 medium which can be used to store the desired information and which can be accessed by computing device 100 . Any such computer storage media may be part of device 100 . Computing device 100 may also have input device(s) 112 such as keyboard, mouse, pen, voice input device, touch input device, etc. Output device(s) 114 such as a display, speakers, printer, etc. may also be included.
[0015] Computing device 100 also contains communication connections 116 that allow the device to communicate with other computing devices 118 , such as over a network. Communication connection 116 is one example of communication media. Communication media may typically be embodied by computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data in a modulated data signal, such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism, and includes any information delivery media. The term “modulated data signal” means a signal that has one or more of its characteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encode information in the signal. By way of example, and not limitation, communication media includes wired media such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, RF, infrared and other wireless media. The term computer readable media as used herein includes both storage media and communication media.
Illustrative Embodiment for Optimizing Automatic Label Placement
[0016] As used herein, the terms “chart” and “visual data object” are used interchangeably to describe various visual objects such as pie charts, bubble charts, line charts, timelines, line graphs, bar graphs, photographs, digital images, and other objects that may have associated labels.
[0017] Embodiments of the present invention are related to using an algorithm for optimizing the positions of labels on a chart. The present invention uses functions to search for an optimal layout of the labels from a set of possible layouts. To frame the layout problem as a search the present invention defines an initial layout and two functions: an objective function that assesses the quality of a layout based on evaluation criteria, and a perturb function that manipulates a given layout to produce a new layout within the search space. Both the score and the perturb functions are defined by the set of constraints on the layout. Given these two functions the search can be performed to determine the optimal layout. In one embodiment, a simulated annealing method is used as a randomized search algorithm for determining the optimal layout.
[0018] The constraints may be divided into two sets: hard constraints and soft constraints. Hard constraints consist of characteristics required of any acceptable layout and therefore hard constraints bound the space of possible layouts. In contrast, soft constraints consist of characteristics desired in the final layout but not required. The hard constraints are typically imposed through the perturb function which is designed to only generate layouts that meet the hard constraints. The score function checks how well a given layout achieves the soft constraints.
[0019] Using the algorithm, a set of data may be used to automatically populate a chart with labels while optimizing the position of the labels in the chart area.
[0020] FIG. 2 illustrates exemplary views of a pie chart with automatic labeling before and after label position optimization in accordance with the present invention.
[0021] View 210 illustrates that the labels on the pie chart are overlapping due to the number of data points included in the pie chart. The overlapping text makes it difficult to visually discern the all the labels and their association with the elements of the pie chart.
[0022] View 220 results in a pie chart with improved labeling by running the optimization algorithm of the present invention. The readability of the pie chart is greatly improved by optimizing the position of the labels within the chart space. The algorithm has moved certain labels away from the anchors (slices) to which they are related, while others have been moved closer or even centered, or partially centered, within their anchors. Other labels have had lead line added to visually link the label with their associated anchor. View 220 illustrates that the algorithm uses various methods for providing the optimal layout for the labels of the chart.
[0023] FIG. 3 illustrates exemplary views of a bubble chart with automatic labeling before and after label position optimization in accordance with the present invention.
[0024] View 310 illustrates that the labels on the bubble chart may be positioned such that determining their related anchors may not be possible. Furthermore, the text of the labels may not be position for optimal viewing of the bubbles within the chart, with text that overlaps the bubble edges.
[0025] View 320 is a bubble chart with improved labeling by running the optimization algorithm of the present invention. The readability of the bubble chart is greatly improved by optimizing the position of the labels within the chart space. The algorithm has moved certain labels away from the anchors (bubbles) to which they are related, while others have been moved closer or even centered, or partially centered, within their anchors. Other labels have had lead line added to visually link the label with their associated anchor while moving the label a distance away from its associated anchor. View 320 illustrates that the algorithm uses various methods for providing the optimal layout for the labels of a bubble chart similar to the various method employed for the pie chart.
[0026] FIG. 4 illustrates exemplary views of a timeline chart with automatic labeling before and after label position optimization in accordance with the present invention.
[0027] View 410 illustrates that the labels on the timeline chart are overlapping due to the number of data points included in the space provided. Furthermore, the automated labeling algorithm without the benefit of the present invention is not intelligent enough to vary the spacing of the text from the data points on the timeline.
[0028] View 420 is a timeline chart with improved labeling by running the optimization algorithm of the present invention. The readability of the timeline is greatly improved by optimizing the position of the labels within the chart space. The algorithm has changed the text format and moved the labels throughout the chart space to optimize the use of the chart space. View 320 illustrates that the algorithm uses various methods for providing the optimal layout for the labels of a timeline chart similar to the various method employed for the pie chart and bubble chart examples provided above.
[0029] Embodiments other than the embodiments shown in FIGS. 2-4 may be provided in accordance with the present invention. For example, the present invention may be used optimize the position of labels on a line graph, within a photograph, or in conjunction with other visual data objects.
[0030] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary charting system 500 for carrying out generating a chart and optimizing the label position in accordance with the present invention. Included in system 500 are application program 502 that provides access to document 504 and graphics module 506 for rendering document 504 on computer monitor screen 508 .
[0031] As used herein, document 504 is a computer-readable file that includes user-readable information, such as text and graphics. Document 504 may be viewed and edited by a user through a user interface of the application program 502 . Exemplary types of documents include, but are not limited to, a spreadsheet, a presentation, or a conventional text document. Thus, depending on the type of document, application program 502 may be, for example, but not limited to, MICROSOFT “WORD”, “POWERPOINT”, “EXCEL”, or other application program. By way of example, as shown on screen 508 , document 504 is a ‘Presentation,’ which is often, but not always, associated with “POWERPOINT”.
[0032] Particularly relevant to the present description is chart 510 in the presentation. Chart 510 shown in the particular implementation of FIG. 1 is a column chart. In accordance with other implementations, chart 510 is not limited to a column chart, but can be any other type of chart, such as, but not limited to, a pie chart, a line chart, a scatter plot, a photograph, or other visual data objects. The various data in chart 510 is originally specified by document 504 . Document 504 specifies chart 510 with a chart definition called chart object 512 .
[0033] Chart object 512 defines the chart 510 in terms of chart elements. Generally, a chart element is a data unit representing an aspect of a chart. Typically a chart element represents an aspect of the chart in relation to the information that the chart conveys or the type of chart. Exemplary chart elements include bars (e.g., for a bar chart), chart axis, chart legends, chart titles, chart labels, element colors, text fonts, element locations, data sources and so on. Chart elements may be referred to as anchors with relation to a label. One implementation of chart object 512 is a set of extensible markup language (XML). To illustrate, an example XML from chart object 512 is shown below:
- <c:Chart xmlns:c=“chart” xmlns:s=“shape”> - <c:Scaling> <c:ScaleID>0</c:ScaleID> <c:Orientation>MinMax</c:Orientation> </c:Scaling> - <c:Scaling> <c:ScaleID>1</c:ScaleID> <c:Orientation>MinMax</c:Orientation> </c:Scaling> <c:Name>Chart 1</c:Name> - <c:PlotArea> <c:Shape /> - <c:Graph> <c:Type>Column</c:Type> <c:SubType>Clustered</c:SubType> <c:Overlap>0</c:Overlap> <c:ScaleID>0</c:ScaleID> <c:ScaleID>1</c:ScaleID> - <c:Series> <c:Index>0</c:Index> <c:Name>Series 1</c:Name> - <c:Shape> - <s:Fill> - <s:Pattern> <s:Title>Wide upward diagonal</s:Title> <s:Color>black</s:Color> <s:Color2>white</s:Color2> </s:Pattern> </s:Fill> - <s:Border> <s:Weight>0</s:Weight> <s:Solid>black</s:Solid> </s:Border> </c:Shape> - <c:DataLabels> - <c:Shape> - <s:Font> <s:FontName>Arial</s:FontName> <s:Size>18</s:Size> <s:AutoScale /> </s:Font> </c:Shape> - <c:Number> <c:FormatString>0.0</c:FormatString> </c:Number> <c:ShowValue /> </c:DataLabels> - <c:Category> <c:DataSource>0</c:DataSource> <c:Data>Sheet1!$A$1:$A$3</c:Data> </c:Category> - <c:Value> <c:DataSource>0</c:DataSource> <c:Data>Sheet1!$B$1:$B$3</c:Data> </c:Value> </c:Series> <c:PlotVisible /> </c:Graph> - <c:Axis> <c:Placement>Bottom</c:Placement> <c:AxisID>0</c:AxisID> <c:ScaleID>0</c:ScaleID> <c:CrossingAxis>1</c:CrossingAxis> - <c:Shape> - <s:Font> <s:FontName>Arial</s:FontName> <s:Size>18</s:Size> <s:AutoScale /> </s:Font> </c:Shape> - <c:Number> <c:SourceLinked /> <c:BuiltInFormat>0</c:BuiltInFormat> </c:Number> <c:MajorTick>None</c:MajorTick> <c:TickMarkSkip>1</c:TickMarkSkip> <c:Type>Automatic</c:Type> </c:Axis> - <c:Axis> <c:Placement>Left</c:Placement> <c:AxisID>1</c:AxisID> <c:ScaleID>1</c:ScaleID> <c:CrossingAxis>0</c:CrossingAxis> <c:CrossesAt>Minimum</c:CrossesAt> <c:CrossBetween>Between</c:CrossBetween> - <c:Shape> - <s:Font> <s:FontName>Arial</s:FontName> <s:Size>18</s:Size> <s:AutoScale /> </s:Font> </c:Shape> - <c:Number> <c:SourceLinked /> <c:BuiltInFormat>0</c:BuiltInFormat> </c:Number> <c:MajorTick>Cross</c:MajorTick> <c:MinorTick>Cross</c:MinorTick> <c:Type>Value</c:Type> <c:MajorUnit>5</c:MajorUnit> </c:Axis> </c:PlotArea> </c:Chart>
[0034] Document 504 typically also has other document data 514 , which includes, but is not limited to, text and formatting information. In accordance with one implementation, when application program 502 is launched and document 504 is opened, chart object 512 is passed to graphics interface 516 of graphics module 506 for rendering.
[0035] Graphics interface 516 determines what type of graphic is represented by the chart object 512 . Types of graphics that may be handled by the graphics interface 516 include, but are not limited to, diagrams, charts, or arbitrary shapes. Chart object 512 includes an identifier that indicates that it defines a chart. Based on the chart identifier, graphics interface 516 determines that chart object 512 defines a chart and sends it to charting module 518 .
[0036] Charting module 118 includes translation engine 520 that translates Chart object 512 into a form that graphics module 506 uses for rendering chart 510 to screen 508 . Specifically, translation engine 520 translates chart object 512 into shape-based chart definition 522 . As its name suggests, shape-based chart definition 522 defines the chart in terms of shapes, rather than chart elements. Use of shapes can improve the chart rendering process, chart appearance, and chart manipulation, by allowing for a mechanism for interacting with graphics.
[0037] In the translation process, translation engine 520 performs a number of operations. For example, translation engine 520 retrieves data (e.g., numerical data) that makes up chart 510 from data source(s) referenced in chart object 512 . The data source(s) may be document 504 itself, or some other source, such as, but not limited to, another document, a database, a file, the Internet, or a queue. In addition to the data, translation engine 520 may retrieve numerical formatting information that describes how the data is formatted. Numerical formatting information includes, but is not limited to a currency symbol, number of decimal points, percentage or fraction format, or date and time format.
[0038] Translation engine 520 also translates the chart elements into shapes, such as lines, rectangles, circles, triangles, and so on. A shape is a data unit that simply represents the visual appearance of a chart element and is not tied to, or reliant upon, the underlying numerical chart data. Thus, for example, a bar in chart object 512 will be translated into a rectangle in shape-based chart definition 522 ; a chart axis will be translated into a line, and so on.
[0039] In addition, translation engine 520 groups selected related shapes to facilitate manipulation of related shapes by the user. Graphics interface 516 provides functions that allow a user to interact with groups of related shapes. Translation engine 520 takes advantage of those functions by grouping related chart elements such as, but not limited to, related data labels and related data series. After retrieving the data, translating chart elements into shapes, and grouping related shapes, translation engine 520 generates shape-based chart definition 522 .
[0040] An implementation of the shape-based chart definition 522 is composed of XML code. To illustrate, XML code from an exemplary shape-based chart definition 522 is shown below:
- <group> <id>Chart</id> - <shapes> - <rect> <id>ChartArea</id> <style>margin-left:0;margin-top:9.75pt;width:501pt;height:319.5pt;z- index:1</style> - <border> <Solid>black</Solid> <Weight>0</Weight> </border> </rect> - <group> <id>Series 1</id> <style>margin-left:88.5pt;margin- top:60pt;width:359.25pt;height:220.5pt;z-index:3</style> <coordorigin>438,743</coordorigin> <coordsize>479,294</coordsize> - <Fill> - <Pattern> <Title>Wide upward diagonal</Title> <Color>black</Color> <Color2>white</Color2> </Pattern> </Fill> - <border> <Solid>black</Solid> <Weight>0</Weight> </border> - <shapes> - <rect> <id>Point 1</id> <style>left:438;top:839;width:80;height:198</style> </rect> - <rect> <id>Point 2</id> <style>left:638;top:743;width:80;height:294</style> </rect> - <rect> <id>Point 3</id> <style>left:837;top:931;width:80; height:106</style> </rect> </shapes> </group> - <group> <id>Y Axis</id> - <border> <Solid>black</Solid> <Weight>0</Weight> </border> - <shapes> - <line> <id>Y Axis Line</id> <style>z-index:4</style> <from>45pt,32.25pt</from> <to>45pt,280.5pt</to> <line> - <line> <id>Y Axis Tick Mark 1</id> <style>z-index:5</style> <from>40pt,281pt</from> <to>48pt,281pt</to> </line> - <line> <id>Y Axis Tick Mark 2</id> <style>z-index:6</style> <from>40pt,256pt</from> <to>48pt,256pt</to> </line> - <line> <id>Y Axis Tick Mark 3</id> <style>z-index:7</style> <from>40pt,231pt</from> <to>48pt,231pt</to> </line> - <line> <id>Y Axis Tick Mark 4</id> <style>z-index:8</style> <from>40pt,207pt</from> <to>48pt,207pt</to> </line> - <line> <id>Y Axis Tick Mark 5</id> <style>z-index:9</style> <from>40pt,182pt</from> <to>48pt,182pt</to> </line> - <line> <id>Y Axis Tick Mark 6</id> <style>z-index:10</style> <from>40pt,157pt</from> <to>48pt,157pt</to> </line> - <line> <id>Y Axis Tick Mark 7</id> <style>z-index:11</style> <from>40pt,132pt</from> <to>48pt,132pt</to> </line> - <line> <id>Y Axis Tick Mark 8</id> <style>z-index:12</style> <from>40pt,108pt</from> <to>48pt,108pt</to> </line> - <line> <id>Y Axis Tick Mark 9</id> <style>z-index:13</style> <from>40pt,83pt</from> <to>48pt,83pt</to> </line> - <line> <id>Y Axis Tick Mark 10</id> <style>z-index:14</style> <from>40pt,57pt</from> <to>48pt,57pt</to> </line> - <line> <id>Y Axis Tick Mark 11</id> <style>z-index:15</style> <from>40pt,33pt</from> <to>48pt,33pt</to> </line> - <line> <id>Y Axis Tick Mark 12</id> <style>z-index:16</style> <from>38.25pt,281pt</from> <to>49.5pt,281pt</to> </line> - <line> <id>Y Axis Tick Mark 13</id> <style>z-index:17</style> <from>38.25pt,157pt</from> <to>49.5pt,157pt</to> </line> - <line> <id>Y Axis Tick Mark 14</id> <style>z-index:18</style> <from>38.25pt,33pt</from> <to>49.5pt,33pt</to> </line> </shapes> </group> - <line> <id>X Axis</id> <style>z-index:19</style> <from>44.25pt,281pt</from> <to>492.75pt,281pt</to> - <border> <Solid>black</Solid> <Weight>0</Weight> </border> </line> - <group> <id>Series 1 DataLabels</id> <style>margin-left:106.5pt;margin- top:33pt;width:324pt;height:164.25pt;z-index:20</style> <coordorigin>462,707></coordorigin> <coordsize>432,219</coordsize> - <Font> <FontName>Arial</FontName> <Size>18</Size> <AutoScale /> </Font> - <shapes> - <rect> <id>Series 1 DataLabel 1</id> <style>left:462; top:803;width:33; height:31;wrap-style:none;text- anchor:top</style> - <textbox style=“fit-shape-to-text:t” inset=“0,0,0,0”> <div style=“text-align:left”>6.0</div> </textbox> </rect> - <rect> <id>Series 1 DataLabel 2</id> <style>left:661;top:707; width:33;height:31;wrap-style:none;text- anchor:top</style> - <textbox style=“fit-shape-to-text:t” inset=“0,0,0,0”> <div style=“text-align:left”>8.9</div> </textbox> </rect> - <rect> <id>Series 1 DataLabel 3</id> <style>left:861;top:895; width:33;height:31;wrap-style:none;text- anchor:top</style> - <textbox style=“fit-shape-to-text:t” inset=“0,0,0,0”> <div style=“text-align:left”>3.2</div> </textbox> </rect> </shapes> </group> - <group> <id>Y Axis Labels</id> <style>margin-left:10.5pt;margin- top:22.5pt;width:19.5pt;height:271.5pt;z-index:21</style> <coordorigin>334,693</coordorigin> <coordsize>26,362</coordsize> - <Font> <FontName>Arial</FontName> <Size>18</Size> <AutoScale /> </Font> - <shapes> - <rect> <id>Y Axis Labels 0</id> <style>left:347;top:1024; width:13;height:31;wrap-style:none;text- anchor:top</style> - <textbox style=“fit-shape-to-text:t” inset=“0,0,0,0”> <div style=“text-align:left”>0</div> </textbox> </rect> - <rect> <id>Y Axis Labels 5</id> <style>left:347;top:858; width:13;height:31;wrap-style:none;text- anchor:top</style> - <textbox style=“fit-shape-to-text:t” inset=“0,0,0,0”> <div style=“text-align:left”>5</div> </textbox> </rect> - <rect> <id>Y Axis Labels 10</id> <style>left:334;top:693; width:26;height:31;wrap-style:none;text- anchor:top</style> stroked=“f”> - <textbox style=“fit-shape-to-text:t” inset=“0,0,0,0”> <div style=“text-align:left”>10</div> </textbox> </rect> </shapes> </group> - <group> <id>X Axis Labels</id> <style>margin-left:112.5pt;margin- top:296.25pt;width:312pt;height:23.25pt; z-index:22</style> <coordorigin>470,1058</coordorigin> <coordsize>416,31</coordsize> - <shapes> - <rect> <id>X Axis Labels Category 1</id> <style>left:470;top:1058; width:15;height:31;wrap-style:none;text- anchor:top</style> - <textbox style=“fit-shape-to-text:t” inset=“0,0,0,0”> <div style=“text-align:left”>A</div> </textbox> </rect> - <rect> <id>X Axis Labels Category 2</id> <style>left:670;top:1058; width:16;height:31;wrap-style:none;text- anchor:top</style> - <textbox style=“fit-shape-to-text:t” inset=“0,0,0,0”> <div style=“text-align:left”>B</div> </textbox> </rect> - <rect> <id>X Axis Labels Category 3</id> <style>left:869;top:1058; width:17;height:31;wrap-style:none;text- anchor:top</style> - <textbox style=“fit-shape-to-text:t” inset=“0,0,0,0”> <div style=“text-align:left”>C</div> </textbox> </rect> </shapes> </group> </shapes> </group>
[0041] Graphics interface 516 receives shape-based chart definition 522 and renders chart 510 on screen 508 as a set of shapes specified by the shape-based chart definition. Graphics interface 516 typically performs the rendering by making calls to operating system or display controller functions. For example, in the WINDOWS operating system, graphics interface 516 may make calls to the graphics display interface (GDI+).
[0042] As shown, graphics module 506 includes a set of graphics services 524 . Graphics services 524 include services accessible by the application program for manipulating chart 510 . Graphics services 524 provide one or more application programming interface(s) (API) to access the services.
[0043] Because graphics module 506 renders shapes, graphics services 524 are able to offer high-level functions for manipulating chart 510 . Graphics services 524 can, for example, perform vector-graphics functions on shapes within the chart. To illustrate, a rectangle can be moved easily by calling a single function of graphics services 524 that moves a shape, rather than calling numerous low-level functions to redraw the rectangle in a new location. In addition, graphics module 506 is common to multiple application programs, so that shape manipulation/editing and appearance will be consistent among the application programs. Thus, graphics module 506 can present a graphics user interface for editing shapes in chart 510 , regardless of the type of application program 502 .
[0044] Label Optimization 526 is the code directed to the present invention within system 500 . Label Optimization 526 receives shape-based chart definition 522 and optimizes the position of the labels according to the optimization algorithm. As previously stated, shape-based chart definition 522 allows the labels to be easily moves since they are defined by their shape rather than by other low-level functions that would require the labels to be redrawn. Label Optimization 526 may be utilized before or after chart 510 is rendered on screen 508 to optimize the positioning of the labels. For example, positioning of the labels according to the optimization algorithm may be automatic for every chart rendered in contrast, optimization of the labels may be provided according to a user selection, where the user affirmatively selects to have the labels optimized. In one embodiment, labels that are manually positioned by the user are ignored during the optimization process.
[0045] The term module is used in a general sense to describe a component that is operable to perform one or more designated functions. A module may be implemented in various ways and forms. For example, a module may be implemented in or as hardware, software, firmware, or in various combinations of hardware, software, and/or firmware, depending on such factors as speed, cost, size, etc. For example, and without limitation, in one implementation each of the modules in the system 100 comprises software, such as a dynamic link library (DLL), that is stored on a computer-readable medium and executed on a computing system, such as the computing system described above with respect to FIG. 1 .
[0046] FIG. 6 illustrates exemplary pseudo-code for determining the layout of a visual data object that corresponds to the optimal layout of the labels in accordance with the present invention.
[0047] Implementing exemplary algorithm 600 requires the specification of different functions. The InitializeLayout( ) function defines the initial placement for each of the visual elements and thereby provides a starting point for the search. The PerturbLayout( ) function corresponds to the perturb function previously described and provides a method for changing a given layout into a new layout. The RevertLayout( ) function inverts the actions of PerturbLayout( ) to go from the new layout back to the previous layout. The Random( ) function returns a number between 0.0 and 1.0. Finally, the ScoreLayout( ) function, which corresponds to the objective function previously described, computes how close the current layout is to optimal. In one embodiment, the termination condition may vary according to time limits for achieving a usable layout, the proximity of the layout to optimal, and other factors. In another embodiment, scores are defined to be positive and the lower the score the better the layout. Therefore, the goal is to minimize the score according to the constraints used. The score that is acceptable for a layout to be used, depends on the termination condition of the algorithm.
[0048] As shown in the pseudo-code, the algorithm accepts all good moves within the search space and, with a probability that is an exponential function of a temperature T, accepts some bad moves as well. As the algorithm progresses, T is annealed (or decreased), resulting in a decreasing probability of accepting bad moves. Accepting bad moves in this manner allows the algorithm to escape local minima in the score function.
[0049] The constraints defined for providing the optimal layout of the labels may include constraints such as minimizing the distance from the anchor, minimizing the overlap of the labels, minimizing the overlap with elements, font restrictions, orientation restrictions, and other limitations that affect how a label may be manipulated. Any number of constraints may be fed into the algorithm for manipulating the labels to optimize their position with the viewable space.
[0050] The above specification, examples and data provide a complete description of the manufacture and use of the composition of the invention. Since many embodiments of the invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended. | An algorithm is provided for optimizing the layout of labels associated with a visual data object such as a chart. The labels are first placed into a chart definition file that defines the labels as a shape. An initial layout of the labels is created and scored. The shapes are then manipulated iteratively until an optimal layout of the labels is obtained that corresponds to the layout having the score closest to an optimal score. The optimal layout is then used in rendering the visual data object on a screen. | 6 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a hitless migration method and apparatus for upgrading an ATM network.
2. Description of Related Art
Currently, telecommunications carriers and service providers widely use Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) technology in their networks. Due to the. ATM widely installed base and the continued evolution of this technology, ATM networks often need to be upgraded as new features or in some cases standard-based implementations become available. However, in many cases these upgrades can result in service disruptions, e.g., service hits in the network. For example, a customer can experience downtime and service outages, e.g., for minutes or even hours, during a typical ATM network upgrade. The typical practice is to interrupt/takedown service during an upgrade. For instance, in private line service, customer downtime can be a big issue, costing a customer and a service provider a large sum of money.
One reason for migrating to a new network can be a service-affecting upgrade of an existing switch network. Another reason can be replacing an existing switch with a new switch to obtain better performance or price. For example, a current vendor might not support the desired features or interfaces, or the current switch can not be scaled up to the newly required performance and capacity.
Due to the explosive growth in the demand in data services, the number of customers and the amount of bandwidth that customers require, there will inevitably be a need to scale up current switches to keep up with new performance and capacity requirements. Service providers are faced with the need to do network maintenance and upgrades without adversely impacting the customers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention provides a system and method for upgrading an ATM network to a new release of a vendor's ATM platform or for converting an ATM network to a different vendor's ATM platform without experiencing any noticeable service disruptions. The system and method of the present invention consists of taking an existing redundant ATM network and reorganizing that network by splitting the redundant links- for example, fiber links- within the existing redundant ATM network among two parallel networks without adding any additional links. For illustrative purposes, these two parallel networks are called Network A and Network B.
Initially, an existing network is ideally setup whereby there are at least two paths for each circuit, e.g., a redundancy setup. The redundant setup allows a system administrator to remove redundant links from Network A to use in Network B. The networks are basically seen as links connecting ATM switches with each other. Upon reorganizing the existing old network into two parallel networks, i.e., Network A and Network B, Network A and Network B will resemble the old existing network without the linkage redundancy, however, Network A may now include an upgrade.
Instead of one network, we will now have two established networks comprising similar links and circuits. The links within each of the two newly established separate networks are non-redundant. One network can be used for upgrading purposes and the other network can be used for continuing uninterrupted service to the customers. Connectivity between the two nodes will be established, for example, by using a SONET ring infrastructure to carry signals between ATM nodes in both networks.
Network A can represent a network in which circuits will be upgraded and Network B can represent a network which is used for continuing service to the customers during the upgrade. In network A, a service-affecting upgrade or a replacement of an existing switch may be required. Network B will be using techniques from the old network architecture. Once all necessary hardware replacements are made in Network A and after a successful hitless upgrade, i.e., a performance objective of no more than 3 short failure events per month, of Network A, the physical links used in Network B can be moved to the newly upgraded ATM Network A.
In other words, circuits are systematically moved from Network B to Network A by preferably using a Bridge and Roll technique. After circuits have been moved and tested, the customer traffic from Network B is migrated to Network A, preferably without experiencing any noticeable customer disruptions. Finally, an upgraded redundant-based ATM network can be established by transferring the links in Network B to Network A.
These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent or obvious from the following description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention is described in detail with reference to the following figures, wherein like numerals reference like elements, and wherein:
FIG. 1 shows an exemplary diagram for hitless migration from one network to another;
FIG. 2 shows an exemplary diagram of an ATM network comprising two regions;
FIG. 3 shows an exemplary diagram for dividing the facilities of FIG. 3 between two parallel networks;
FIG. 4 shows an exemplary Bridge and Roll process; and
FIG. 5 shows a flowchart of an exemplary process of the hitless migration system.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The invention is described below in connection with hitless migration of an ATM network. Mail order companies relying on networks to keep track of orders and inventory, car rental companies utilizing centralized databases to keep track of their cars, banking/finance companies utilizing the network for transactions and trading, as well as utilities companies, medical companies, airline companies, government customers, and the like all depend upon a network continual availability and reliability. It will be appreciated that the invention can be used with many types of network systems, including wired and wireless network, computer network, cable networks, satellite networks, Internet networks, corporate networks or other similar networks that require high reliability.
FIG. 1 shows an exemplary diagram for performing a hitless migration from one network to another. The hitless migration system includes a plurality of ATM networks coupled to: digital cross-connect systems capable of performing bridge and roll techniques, transmission infrastructures for carrying signals between ATM nodes in each network, a network management system (NMS), multiplexers (MUX), and customers circuits (T 1 ). While a DCS 3/1 digital cross-connect system can be used, the hitless migration system is not limited to a DCS 3/1 system, similar systems may also be used.
If a DCS 3/1 is used, the DCS 3/1 system can be used to Bridge and Roll a single customer circuit at a time. This can be a one-way or two-way Bridge and Roll. Vendors usually provide the Bridge and Roll capabilities in their time division multiplexer (TDM) digital cross-connect systems. During a DCS 3/1 Bridge and Roll technique, circuits are moved from one network, i.e., Network B to another network, Network A. Bridging refers to when both Network A and Network B are carrying the customer circuit simultaneously. Rolling occurs when the customer circuit is removed from Network B and is preferably only carried on Network A. The customer circuit can be bidirectional, i.e., capable of both transmitting and receiving data. A Bridge and Roll can be done in one direction and then the Bridge and Roll can be done in the opposite direction.
The hitless migration system of the present invention provides for moving from an installed-base network to a upgraded feature-rich network or to a new upgrade of the same network. In other words, the installed-base network can take advantage of new features by taking existing customers from the legacy network to the new network by using the DCS 3/1, for example, to do a Bridge and Roll without any noticeable disruptions to customer traffic.
As a result, the NMS is upgraded first, then the individual customer circuits can be categorized for upgrading next. The NMS preferably acts like a watchdog for the network switches. Any defects or problems with the switches can be detected by the NMS.
As seen in FIG. 2, a typical ATM network may be divided between two regions, i.e., for illustrative purposes, region 1 and region 2 . Region 1 may be in California whereas region 2 can be in New York. In this example, there are three links between region 1 and region 2 . In order to construct two parallel ATM networks from this typical ATM network, the physical links between region 1 and region 2 must be divided to form two parallel networks, without adding any additional links.
It can be assumed that the typical ATM network is designed based on a redundancy system, i.e., more than one path between individual circuits. Given this assumption, the physical links in the typical ATM network can be divided between two parallel networks with each network including at least one of the paths. Once the two parallel networks are established, a vendor's network elements, e.g., ATM switch hardware, and a network management system (NMS) can be upgraded in Network A, while customer traffic continues in Network B.
After network elements are upgraded in Network A, circuits can be transitioned from Network B. In order to transition circuits from one network to another, one-way or two-way Bridge and Roll techniques can be used. Bridge and Roll is a process used to roll circuits between nodes. First, the circuits can be bridged, e.g., run simultaneously on both Network A and Network B. Then, the circuits can be rolled to Network A, e.g., carried only on Network A. After a successful hitless upgrade, the remaining physical links in Network B can be moved to the newly upgraded ATM network, Network A.
A digital cross-connect system (DCS 3/1) can be used to Bridge and Roll a single circuit at a time. In order to conduct a Bridge and Roll between two parallel ATM networks, the actual Bridge and Roll procedure must be carried out outside the ATM boundaries of the two parallel networks. This is because it is impossible to switch the input into the ATM boundaries from one node to another node from inside the initial node. ATM does not currently have Bridge and Roll capability, therefore, an additional ATM node cannot be used for a Bridge and Roll. Vendors normally provide the Bridge and Roll capabilities in their digital cross-connect systems. The Bridge and Roll process can also be automated by writing scripts, for example, to minimize errors.
Once all circuits are transitioned to Network A and fully tested, the links in Network B can be brought over to Network A thereby creating a redundant setup once again. If for any reason there is a problem associated with Network A, this process allows you to return to Network B if the need arises.
FIG. 3 illustrates three links between region 1 and region 2 , e.g., between A and J, between A and D, and between C and G. FIG. 3 also illustrates how there are at least two paths between each customer circuit. For example, to get from circuit A to circuit E, one path would be from A-D-E, whereas a second path could be from A-J-H-E.
By initially having at least two paths between circuits, the present invention enables the existing network to be divided into at least two parallel networks, Network A and Network B, with some links used only in Network A and the other links used only in Network B. For example, link A-D-E could be in Network A and link A-J-H-E could be in Network B. In other words, by preferably using existing network interface cards, links, etc., Network A can be constructed parallel to Network B by removing some of the redundant paths in existing network and using these paths in Network B, thus establishing two networks.
In FIG. 3 an exemplary diagram for dividing the facilities of FIG. 2 between two parallel networks without having to add additional links is shown. For illustrative purposes, the two parallel networks will again be referred to as Network A and Network B. In the existing network of FIG. 2, there are three links between region 1 and region 2 . One example of dividing such an existing network into two parallel networks is to have Network A consisting of two links between region 1 and region 2 , e.g., A-D and C-G, and have Network B consisting of one link between region 1 and region 2 , e.g., A-J. Furthermore, physical links between individual circuits A-J can be divided between the two parallel networks.
When dividing an existing network into two parallel networks, redundancy capacity may become lost in each individual network. For example, in Network A, only one path may exist between A and F, e.g., A-D-E-F. However, this dual non-redundant network setup is a temporary and beneficial situation. The probability of customer disruption due to the loss of redundancy is low compared to the certainty of customer disruption and/or downtime without the procedure.
The amount of downtime due to the upgrade or replacement to a customer circuit without the Bridge and Roll procedure can be estimated as
D u =2 T n +( n −2)/2( T R )
where D u is the total amount of downtime for a customer circuit due to the upgrade, T n is the time that a node will not be able to carry a customer circuit due to the upgrade or replacement, n is the average number of nodes a customer circuit passes through and T R is the time it takes a circuit to restore due to the loss of an intermediate node.
The amount of downtime due to the probability of customer disruption due to a loss of redundancy can be estimated as
D B&R =T B&R +P n n/N ( T F )+ P L ( n −2) T L
where D B&R is total amount of probable downtime for a customer circuit due to the Bridge and Roll procedure, T B&R is the time that the customer will be down due to the Bridge and Roll, P n is the probability of an individual node failure during the time when there is no redundancy in the split networks, n is the average number of nodes a customer circuit passes through, N is the total number of nodes in the network, T N is the mean time to repair a node, P L is the probability of an individual physical link failing during the time when there is no redundancy in the split networks and T L is the mean time to repair a physical link.
If D B&R is less than D u then the probable downtime for a customer circuit is less if the Bridge and Roll procedure in accordance with the present invention is used than if a standard upgrade or replacement is performed.
FIG. 4 shows an exemplary Bridge and Roll six-step process. For illustrative purposes, the migration procedure is from ATM Network A to ATM Network B with a customer circuit being represented by a test circuit. In step 1 , the transmit and receive of the test circuit are fed to a DCS 3/1 at port 1 a and cross-connected to port 1 b . The circuit appears at port 2 b of the DCS 3/1. It is then cross-connected to port 2 a.
In step 2 , the transmit side of the test circuit is “Broadcast” and carried simultaneously on Network A and Network B, to port 1 c . The transmit side of the circuit appears at port 2 c.
In step 3 , a cross-connect is established between port 2 c and port 2 a by a “Roll” command, e.g., remove traffic from network A to network B, in the DCS 3/1. The Roll command is also responsible for deleting the original cross-connect between port 2 b and port, 2 a . This can be a critical juncture in the Bridge and Roll process. The test circuit is transmitted through one ATM network and received by another ATM network.
The “Roll” can introduce one or two severely errored seconds (SES) onto the test circuit. The data carried in those one or two SESs may be recoverable by higher layer protocols. For some service providers, there is a performance objective not to exceed 3 SFE's per month. An SFE is counted when there are three consecutive SESs. Since this procedure can result in two or less separate occurrences of one or two SESs, this process preferably would not result in an SFE. Hence, the procedure will be “hitless.”
In step 4 , the process can be monitored from an operations perspective. All network events can be gathered in this step. Here, the test circuit is carried through two different networks, the transmit on Network B and the receive on Network A.
In step 5 , the receive side of the test circuit is “Broadcast”, carried simultaneously on Network A and Network B, to port 2 c of the DCS 3/1. The receive side of the test circuit appears at port 1 c.
In step 6 , a cross-connect is established between port 1 c and port la by a “Roll” command, e.g., remove traffic from Network A to Network B, in the DCS 3/1. The Roll command is also responsible for deleting the original cross-connect between port 1 b and port 1 a.
FIG. 5 shows a flowchart of an exemplary process of the hitless migration system. In step 1000 , the system splits the links within an existing network among two parallel networks, Network A and Network B. Both Network A and Network B contain similar physical links, although not necessarily identical to one another, between the different circuits.
In step 1010 , upgrades or replacements are introduced into Network A, then the process goes to step 1020 . In step 1020 , the circuits from Network B, which resembles the old network, are duplicated in the upgraded Network. The circuits can be duplicated in Network A by using the Bridge and Roll techniques explained above. Once the circuits are duplicated in Network A, the process goes to step 1030 .
In step 1030 , the operability of the circuits in Network A are confirmed. The circuits are tested to make sure that there are no problems. Then the process proceeds to step 1040 .
In step 1040 , the customer traffic from Network B can be transitioned to Network A. Network A now includes the upgrades and the customer traffic. Then the process goes to step 1050 .
At step 1050 , the physical links from Network B will be transitioned into Network A, creating a single redundant-based upgraded network.
While the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, preferred embodiments of the invention as set forth herein are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. | This invention provides for a system and method for upgrading an ATM network to a new release of a vendor's ATM platform, or for converting an ATM network to a different vendor's ATM platform, preferably without experiencing any service disruptions. The system and method upgrade involves first reorganizing an existing redundant-based ATM network by splitting the links, for example, fiber links, within the existing redundant-based ATM network among two parallel networks, Network A and Network B. Network A can be changed at this stage. Then the circuits from Network B are moved to Network A by using Bridge and Roll techniques. This hitless procedure allows for the migration of the customer traffic from Network B to Network A without customer traffic disruptions. | 7 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to electric circuit design in general, and more particularly, to an improved radio front end that is well-suited for processing multi-carrier signals with a large dynamic range.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 depicts a schematic diagram of the front-end of a typical radio receiver in the prior art. A variety of signals on different carriers, usually from different sources in different frequency bands, arrive at antenna 101 and are filtered by bandpass filter 105, which has a relatively wide passband. In a common AM radio, for example, this filtered signal spans a finite frequency range and comprises multiple carrier signals. For this reason, the signal is often referred to as a multi-carrier signal.
The purpose of bandpass filter 105 is to suppress all carrier signals that are outside the frequency range of interest and only pass those carrier signals that are within the frequency range. Low noise amplifier 107, typically a class-A amplifier, amplifies the multi-carrier signal so as to fully exploit the available dynamic range of mixer 117. Mixer 117 uses a periodic signal generated by local oscillator 125 to mix-down the multi-carrier signal such that the desired carrier signal passes through bandpass filter 119, which has a relatively narrow passband. Local oscillator 125 is usually a variable frequency oscillator, which is advantageous in that it permits the radio to be tuned by adjusting the frequency of local oscillator 125.
The advantage of bandpass filter 105 is that it reduces the number of carrier signals that are processed by mixer 117, and thus, statistically, reduces the dynamic range requirement of mixer 117. If the dynamic range of the multi-carrier signal is larger than the dynamic range capability of mixer 117, the mixing process produces intermodulation products that can interfere with the respective carrier signals. Typically, the fact that mixers have a finite dynamic range is the factor that most limits the quality of radio reception. The prior art is contains many techniques for building extended dynamic range mixers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A radio receiver front end is disclosed that processes a multi-carrier signal with a large dynamic range. An illustrative embodiment of the present invention incorporates both feedforward and feedback mechanisms to suppress the amplitude of spurious carrier signals so as to prevent those signals from flooding the dynamic range of the mixer that mixes down the multi-carrier signal.
An illustrative embodiment of the present invention incorporates both feedforward and feedback mechanisms to suppress the amplitude of spurious carrier signals so as to prevent those signals from flooding the dynamic range of the mixer.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 depicts a schematic diagram of a radio receiver front-end in the prior art.
FIG. 2 depicts a schematic diagram of an illustrative embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 depicts a schematic diagram of a second illustrative embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Two illustrative embodiments of the present invention are described: one in FIG. 2 and the other in FIG. 3. The embodiment in FIG. 2 can be fabricated less expensively and with fewer components than the embodiment in FIG. 3, but the embodiment in FIG. 3 is advantageous in that is absolutely stable and has less loss.
FIG. 2 depicts a schematic diagram of an illustrative embodiment of the present invention that is particularly well-suited for cellular communications systems and other commercial radio receivers. The radio receiver front-ends depicted in both FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 process a multi-carrier signal comprising a plurality, P, of carrier signals, each of which is individually situated in one of a plurality, P, of distinct frequency bands. The frequency bands are not necessarily of the same width nor are they necessarily contiguous. All of the frequency bands are defined to be within a frequency range R. The ultimate function of each of the illustrative embodiments is to separate and output whichever carrier signal is desired from the input signal while suppressing the other spurious signals and without introducing intermodulation products into the desired carrier signal.
For radio systems that comply with the American Mobile Phone Service analog standard or the IS-54 TDMA standard, each frequency band has a nominal width of 30 KHz. For radio systems that comply with the IS-95 CDMA standard, each frequency band has a nominal width of 1.25 MHz.
The First Illustrative Embodiment
Referring again to FIG. 2, a radio signal is received by antenna 201 and passed through filter 205 to form an input signal. Filter 205, which advantageously is a bandpass filter with a passband of width R. Antenna 201 and filter 205 can be selected from well-known components and will not be elaborated on further.
From filter 205, the input signal passes to amplifier 207, which preferably amplifies the input signal to take full advantage of the dynamic range of mixer 217. The output of amplifier 207 is the multi-carrier signal. Amplifier 207 is preferably a low noise class-A amplifier, the gain of which may advantageously controlled by automatic gain control circuitry 233.
From amplifier 207, the multi-carrier signal is coupled by coupler 209 and fed through delay 211 and delay 231 into summer 213 and summer 227, respectively. The multi-carrier signal fed through delay 231 and into summer 227 forms the basis of a feed-forward loop and may be called the feedforward signal. The multi-carrier signal may be split in various ways (e.g., preferably by coupler 209). Coupler 209 can be implemented using a Wilkinson coupler, a Hybrid coupler or any one of many other standard devices that perform the same functionality.
It is the preferred function of both summer 213 and summer 227 to effectively form the vector difference of its input signals. Summer 213 and 227 can each be fabricated from a summing amplifier (if the relative phases of the input signals are adjusted to be 180° out of phase) or with a difference amplifier, or with any other standard technique which performs the same functionality (e.g., Wilkinson couplers, Hybrid couplers).
The multi-carrier signal on lead 210 passes through delay 211 and to summer 213, which subtracts a suppression signal on lead 230 from the multi-carrier signal on lead 212 to form a feedback signal on lead 214. The feedback signal forms the basis for both the output signal and a signal that feeds back into summer 227. In this way, the embodiment comprises both feedforward and feedback loops that are integrated. The length of delay 211 is preferably set so that the delay through coupler 209 and delay 211 is equal to the delay through coupler 209, delay 231, summer 227 and amplifier 229, thus causing the suppression signal to cancel a broadband set of frequency components in the multi-carrier signal not related to the desired output signal.
By using a combination of feed-forward and feedback, embodiments of the present invention can reduce the dynamic range of the signal entering the mixer, which has the advantage of mitigating the possibility of intermodulation products. It is possible to reduce the dynamic range of this signal by 10 dB, 20 dB, 30 dB or more.
Tap 215 advantageously samples the feedback signal emanating from summer 213 and feeds the sample to automatic gain control 233, which in turn controls the gain of amplifier 207. Tap 215 and automatic gain control 233 can be selected from standard devices.
Mixer 217 takes the feedback signal from summer 213, and with the first oscillatory signal on lead 226, mixes down the feedback signal to create a mixed-down signal. Mixer 217 preferably has a large dynamic range and can be selected from standard components. The first oscillatory signal is preferably created by oscillator 225. The mixed-down signal is passed to filter 219.
Filter 219 is preferably a narrowband bandpass filter that isolates the desired carrier signal from the mixed-down signal. For embodiments that comply with the American Mobile Phone Service analog cellular telephony standard or the IS-54 TDMA standard, filter 219 preferably has a nominal width of 30 KHz. For embodiments that comply with the IS-95 CDMA standard, filter 219 preferably has a nominal width of 1.25 MHz.
The output of filter 219 represents the output of the embodiment and can be sampled by tap 221, for use by the remainder of the radio receiver. The output of filter 219 is preferably fed into mixer 223 to create a mixed-up signal. Mixer 223, with a second oscillatory signal on lead 225, preferably mixes-up the output signal to the frequency range the output signal was at before it was mixed-down by mixer 217. It is preferred that the first oscillatory signal on lead 226 and the second oscillatory signal on lead 224 have the same frequency and it is further preferred that they also be identical. Mixer 223 is preferably selected to exhibit the same electrical characteristics as mixer 217.
The multi-carrier signal going through delay 231 and into summer 227 forms the basis for the feed-forward loop in the embodiment. Summer 227 takes the feed-forward signal on lead 232 and creates the suppression signal on lead 228 by forming the vector difference of the feed-forward signal minus the mixed-up signal. Advantageously, the suppression signal resembles the multi-carrier signal except that the frequency components representing the filtered signal are suppressed.
Because it is preferred that the amplitude of the suppression signal equals the amplitude of the multi-carrier signal as they enter summer 213, the suppression signal in various embodiments, it may be advantageous to amplify or attenuate the suppression signal with amplifier 229. The gain of amplifier 229 can be fixed or variable depending on various factors that will be clear to those skilled in the art.
The Second Illustrative Embodiment
Referring now to the second illustrative embodiment, unless otherwise stated each component described below preferably has the same physical properties and functionality as the corresponding component described above, except where specifically stated.
As shown in FIG. 3, a radio signal is received by antenna 401 and passed through filter 405 to form an input signal. Filter 405 is advantageously a bandpass filter with a passband of nominal width R. Antenna 401 and filter 405 can be selected from well-known components and will not be elaborated on further.
From filter 405, the multi-carrier signal passes to amplifier 407, which preferably amplifies the input signal to take full advantage of the dynamic range of mixer 427. The output of amplifier 407 is the multi-carrier signal. Amplifier 407 is preferably a low noise class-A amplifier, the gain of which may be advantageously controlled by automatic gain control circuitry 411.
From amplifier 407, the multi-carrier signal may be split in various ways (e.g., preferably by coupler 409) and is then fed into mixer 429, which with the first oscillatory signal on lead 451, mixes down the multi-carrier signal to create a mixed-down signal. The mixed-down signal forms the basis of the feedback loop in the embodiment. The first oscillatory signal is preferably created by oscillator 425. The mixed-down signal is passed to filter 433 where filter 433 preferably isolates the desired carrier signal to form a filtered signal.
Filter 433, as well as filter 440, are each preferably bandpass filters that isolate the desired carrier signal from the spurious signals in the mixed-down signal. For embodiments that comply with the American Mobile Phone Service analog cellular telephony standard or the IS-54 TDMA standard, filter 433 and filter 440 preferably have a nominal width of 30 KHz. For embodiments that comply with the IS-95 CDMA standard, filter 433 and filter 440 preferably have a nominal width of 1.25 MHz.
The output of filter 433 is preferably fed into mixer 423 to create a mixed-up signal. Mixer 423, with a second oscillatory signal on lead 455, preferably mixes-up the output signal to the frequency range the output signal was at before it was mixed-down by mixer 429. It is preferred that the first oscillatory signal on lead 451 and the second oscillatory signal on lead 455 have the same frequency, and it is further preferred that they also be identical. Mixer 423 is preferably selected to exhibit the same electrical characteristics as mixer 429 and mixer 427.
From mixer 423, the mixed-up signal is fed into summer 421 where summer 421 forms the suppression signal by forming the vector difference of the multi-carrier signal minus the mixed-up signal. The multi-carrier signal that passes through delay 419 and into summer 421 forms the basis for the feed-forward loop in the embodiment. The length of delay 419 is preferably equal to the delay through mixer 429, filter 433, and mixer 423. In other words, delay 419 and summer 421 are preferably fabricated so that the suppression signal resembles, as closely as possible, the multi-carrier signal entering summer 415 except that the frequency components representing the filtered signal are suppressed.
The multi-carrier signal passes through delay 413 and to summer 415 where summer 415 forms a difference signal by forming the vector difference of the multi-carrier signal minus the suppression signal. The length of delay 413 is preferably set so that the delay through coupler 409, delay 419, summer 421 and amplifier 417 is equal to the delay through coupler 409 and delay 413, thus causing the suppression signal to cancel a broadband set of frequency components in the multi-carrier signal not related to the desired output signal.
By using a combination of feed-forward and feedback, embodiments of the present invention can reduce the dynamic range of the signal entering the mixer, which has the advantage of mitigating the possibility of intermodulation products. It is possible to reduce the dynamic range of this signal by 10 dB, 20 dB, 30 dB or more. Furthermore, in embodiments of the present invention the unwanted carrier signals are suppressed by at least 20 dB.
Tap 431 advantageously samples the feedback signal emanating from summer 415 and feeds the sample to automatic gain control 411, which in turn controls the gain of amplifier 407. Tap 431 and automatic gain control 411 can be selected from standard devices.
Mixer 427 takes the difference signal from summer 415, and with the third oscillatory signal on lead 453, mixes down the difference signal to create the output signal. Mixer 427 preferably has a large dynamic range and can be selected from standard components. The third oscillatory signal is preferably created by oscillator 425. The third oscillatory signal on lead 453 preferably has the same frequency as the first oscillatory signal and the second oscillatory signal, and further preferably is identical to them. The output signal is passed through filter 440 where filter 440 preferably isolates the desired carrier signal from the output signal.
Filter 440 is preferably a narrowband bandpass filter that isolates the desired carrier signal from the mixed-down signal. For embodiments that comply with the American Mobile Phone Service analog cellular telephony standard or the IS-54 TDMA standard, filter 440 preferably has a nominal width of 30 KHz. For embodiments that comply with the IS-95 CDMA standard, filter 440 preferably has a nominal width of 1.25 MHz.
Embodiments of the present invention can work well even when the multi-carrier signal comprises a combination of amplitude modulated (AM), frequency modulated (FM) and spread-spectrum modulated signals.
The following are hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth in their entirety: (1) co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/105082, filed Aug. 11, 1993; (2) Electronic Circuits, Discrete and Integrated, 2nd Ed., by D. L. Schilling and C. Belove, McGraw-Hill Book Company (1979); (3) The Art of Electronics, by P. Horowitz and W. Hill, Cambridge University Press (1980); (4) Principles of Electrical Engineering, V. Del Toro, Prentice-Hall (1972); (5) Electronic Fundamentals and Applications for Engineers and Scientists, J. Millman and C. Halkias, McGraw-Hill Book Company (1976); (6) Reference Manaul for Telecommunications Engineering, 2nd Ed., Roger L. Freeman, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (1991); (7) Communications Standard Dictionary, 2nd Ed. Martin H. Weik, Van Nostrand Reinhold (1989); (8) Reference Data for Radio Engineers, 4th Ed., International Telephone and Telegraph Corp., (1956); (9) Transmission Systems for Communication, 5th Ed., AT&T Bell Laboratories, Inc. (1982); and (10) Newnes Practical RF Handbook, I. Hickman, B. H. Newnes (1993). | A radio receiver front end is disclosed that processes a multi-carrier signal with a large dynamic range. An illustrative embodiment of the present invention incorporates both feedforward and feedback mechanisms to suppress the amplitude of spurious carrier signals so as to prevent those signals from flooding the dynamic range of the mixer that mixes down the multi-carrier signal. | 7 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to endoscope couplers for optically and mechanically coupling an endoscope to a video camera. More particularly, the invention relates to endoscope couplers which enable relative rotation of the endoscope and camera about the endoscope axis.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Endoscopes have become widely utilized in surgery for viewing body cavities and organs to permit performance of diagnostic and surgical procedures internally without the need for invasive surgical procedures. An endoscope is typically inserted through a small incision or portal or natural body passage to provide access to the body cavity. A lens at a distal end of the endoscope is positioned to receive light reflected from a site to be observed, and images of the site can be viewed remotely to conduct diagnostic examinations and to perform closed, or endoscopic surgery. As used herein, the term endoscope refers generically to viewing devices for remotely observing otherwise inaccessible body cavities with minimal trauma and intrusion, including but not limited to arthroscopes, colonoscopes, bronchoscopes, hysteroscopes, cystoscopes, sigmoido-scopes, laparoscopes and ureterscopes, etc.
Endoscopes are sometimes supplied with an eyepiece at the proximal end thereof, and relay lenses in the endoscope typically produce an image for direct viewing through the eyepiece. However, adaptation of video camera technology to endoscopy imaging has enabled the output image of an endoscope to be viewed on a video monitor. Specifically, a video camera is electronically coupled to the video monitor and optically and mechanically coupled with the proximal end of the endoscope. Indirect or video monitor viewing of endoscopic images provides numerous benefits over direct viewing through an eyepiece, including: protection of a direct viewer's vision from high intensity illumination passed through the endoscope and reflecting off bodily tissue; enhancement of operator comfort and freedom of movement; increased endoscope utility and efficiency; reduction in the time required to conduct many endoscopic procedures; simultaneous viewing of endoscopic images by more than one person; and recordation and real time transmission of images of surgical procedures.
An endoscope coupler is required to couple the proximal end of the endoscope to the video camera and may be made as a separate device or in combination with either the endoscope or the video camera or both. Illustrative endoscope couplers are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,569,333 (Bel et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 4,611,888 (Prenovitz et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 4,740,058 (Hori et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 4,781,448 (Chatenever et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,594 (Chatenever); U.S. Pat. No. 4,844,071 (Chen et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 4,969,450 (Chinnock et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,902 (Chinnock et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,359,992 (Hori et al.). Endoscope couplers sometimes include a cylindrical body which may be closed at opposing ends by end windows and contain a lens holder carrying one or more lenses longitudinally movable within the body to optically adjust an image from the endoscope onto a focal plane of the camera. The optical adjustments most commonly used may be a focus and/or zoom adjustment. Sometimes, endoscope couplers operate with the eyepiece of an endoscope and other times the eyepiece is replaced with an optical arrangement which must be viewed through the camera and monitor (that is, no eyepiece is available).
In addition to enabling optical adjustments, in certain applications such as the urology field, it is often necessary to maintain the camera in a fixed position while rotating the endoscope about its axis in order to view the surgical site. Therefore, rotatable endoscopic couplers have been developed to enable this rotation of the scope relative to the camera. Such couplers may not include any optical components although they serve to properly position the proximal end of the scope relative to the distal end of the camera so the image planes are properly spaced along their common axis. Known rotatable endoscopic couplers generally include a distal ring, which may be fixedly attached to the proximal end of the endoscope, a proximal ring, which may be fixedly attached to a camera, and a rotatable interface between the two rings. The rotatable interface often includes a plain bearing structure (not ball bearings) and a selectively actuatable lock (such as a lever with a pin or cam) to selectively prevent rotation.
Additionally, it is advantageous for the surgeon to use only one hand to manipulate the scope or the camera thereby leaving the other hand free to operate various instruments during surgical procedures. Therefore, rotatable couplers must be easy to operate.
Aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,969,450 (Chinnock et al.) discloses a rotatable coupler for a video arthroscope which can be held and controlled with one hand. The rotatability is achieved by closely fitting cylindrical members including bores and counterbores which are rotatable about their common axes and sealed with several O-rings.
Another example of a rotatable coupler is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,611,888 (Prenovitz et al.). The Prenovitz coupler consists of two sections rotatable with respect to one another, the front section being non-rotatably mounted to the proximal end of an arthroscope and the rear section being non-rotatably mounted to the distal end of a video camera. The image produced by the scope is rotatable relative to the camera by simply rotating the front section relative to the rear section.
In order to maintain sterile surgical conditions, all imaging components, including endoscope couplers, whether rotatable or not, must be sterilized before and after each use. Steam autoclaving has long been the best accepted method of sterilization and is used for all instruments that can withstand the necessary high temperature and pressure. Instruments that will not survive the steam autoclave process, such as video cameras and prior art endoscopic couplers are treated by less effective or less efficient means such as immersion in sterilization liquid or gas sterilization. However, there is no known conventional rotatable endoscopic coupler which can withstand repeated steam or other sterilization and all known rotatable endoscopic couplers are adversely affected by such.
While known prior art couplers are available to enable the rotation of the endoscopic image relative to the camera, all known rotatable couplers utilize bearing surfaces, which are rotatable relative to each other, and locking mechanisms in the form of cams and pins to frictionally engage the rotatable elements to lock them together when the desired angular orientation is achieved. Over time, these known rotatable coupler designs become more and more difficult to operate because of the build up of residue caused by improper cleaning as well as the deterioration of the cooperating parts caused by their exposure to the harsh environments of autoclaves. This deterioration eventually leads to the inability to easily operate the rotatable coupler with one hand and eventually leads to the inability to rotate the coupler at all. These prior art couplers must then be totally rebuilt or replaced.
An improved rotatable coupler design is necessary in order to enable the autoclavability of rotatable endoscopic couplers and improve their performance over an extended period of time.
It is, therefore, an object of this invention to produce a rotatable endoscope coupler for joining an endoscope to a camera.
It is also an object of this invention to provide a rotatable endoscope coupler capable of being repeatedly subjected to an autoclave without significant deterioration of performance.
It is still another object of this invention to produce a rotatable endoscope coupler incorporating ball bearings which are adapted to withstand the autoclave environment.
It is still another object of this invention to produce a rotatable endoscope coupler capable of being easily disassembled for repair.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide an endoscope coupler that may be quickly and easily inserted between an endoscope and a video camera or may be formed as an integral part of either the endoscope or the video camera or both.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
These and other objects are accomplished by the preferred embodiment disclosed herein which is a rotatable coupler for coupling a camera to an optical assembly, preferably an endoscopic optical assembly. The coupler comprises a proximal camera attachment means for fixedly securing the coupler to a camera, a distal optical assembly attachment means for fixedly securing the coupler to an optical assembly and a selectively rotatable coupling means interposed between the camera attachment means and the optical assembly attachment means. In one embodiment, the rotatable coupling means comprises a first annular member which is fixedly connected to the optical assembly attachment means and a second annular member is fixedly secured to the camera attachment means. An annular ball bearing means is interposed between the first and second annular members to permit relative rotation therebetween. The first annular member has a plurality of radially inwardly directed slots and a locking means attached to the second annular member annular member is adapted to selectively engage the slots to lock the first annular member to the second annular member.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of an endoscope, a camera and a rotatable coupler constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention.
FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a portion of FIG. 1 .
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional perspective view taken generally along the line 3 - 3 of FIG. 2 .
FIG. 4 is an exploded view of a portion of FIG. 3 .
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 2 taken along the line 5 - 5 .
FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of the first annular ring (element 30 ) shown in FIG. 4 .
FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of FIG. 6 .
FIG. 8 is a rear elevational view of FIG. 6 .
FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 6 taken along the line 9 - 9 .
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the second annular ring (element 32 ) shown in FIG. 4 .
FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 10 .
FIG. 12 is a front elevational view of the locking tab element 92 shown in FIG. 4 .
FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 12 taken along the line 13 - 13 .
FIG. 14 is a rear elevational view of FIG. 12 .
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
FIGS. 1 and 2 show an endoscope 10 releasably connected to a camera head 12 via an intermediate rotatable coupler assembly 14 constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention.
Coupler assembly 14 comprises a distal cylindrical “grabber” means 20 , which is releasably attachable to the eyepiece of scope 10 , and a proximal camera mount means 22 which, in the preferred embodiment is fixedly attached to camera 12 . Grabber means 20 is selectively rotatable relative to camera mount means 22 by virtue of interface or bearing means 24 interposed therebetween, as best seen in FIG. 3 . The freely rotatable grabber means enables a user to permit the camera head 12 (and, therefore, the monitor view) to remain fixed in selected orientation (e.g. upright), while rotating the scope about axis 46 . Either the scope or the camera may be rotated about the axis with the fingers of the hand holding the camera head. For applications such as urology, for example, the surgeon need only grasp the scope thereby allowing the camera to orient itself vertically by virtue of the weight of power cord 16 . Simply rotation of the scope about its axis will not affect the camera orientation. As will be explained below, for procedures requiring the scope and camera to be non-rotatable relative to each other, a locking feature is provided.
While the drawings are shown with an embodiment of the invention adapted to be used with an endoscope having an eyepiece, it will be understood that the invention could be adapted for use with any type of scope. The grabber means 20 may be replaced with an interface adapted to be affixed (permanently or removably) to the particular configuration of the proximal end of the scope to be coupled to the camera. Similarly, the rotatable coupler could be irremovably attached to the scope, or irremovably or removably attached to the camera, or removably or irremovably attachable to both.
As best seen in FIGS. 3 through 5 , bearing means 24 comprises a distal, first annular ring 30 fixedly attached to grabber means 20 , a proximally situated second annular ring 32 and a laterally situated, third annular ring 34 . Annular rings 30 , 32 , 34 have cooperating surfaces 36 , 38 and 40 , respectively, which, when assembled, serve as a race 42 for a plurality of balls 44 circumferentially situated about the axis 46 of the coupler assembly 14 . The assembly of the component parts of bearing means 24 may be understood by reference to the exploded view shown in FIG. 4 .
It is noted that, in the preferred embodiment, race 42 is defined by three cooperating and threadably assembled stainless steel surfaces 36 , 38 and 40 for ease of assembly and servicing. It will be understood that race 42 could be formed by more or fewer cooperating surfaces depending upon the design of the coupler, and could be assembled by means other than threads on rings 32 and 34 . In the preferred embodiment there are thirty five balls 44 , each made of ceramic and having a diameter of 0.125 inches. The ceramic material should be selected to withstand repeated sterilization cycles in an autoclave. However, should additional cleaning be required or should repairs or replacements be necessary, the rings 30 , 32 and 34 may be easily disassembled. In the preferred embodiment surface 36 is an annular groove having a radius of curvature adapted to receive balls 44 , and surfaces 38 and 40 each having planar annular portions 38 a and 40 a (best seen in FIG. 5 ).
Grabber means 20 has an outer cylindrical retaining member 50 that is provided with a fixed radial post 52 . Another radial post 54 is secured to the distal, first annular ring 30 . Retaining member 50 is secured to a spring member (not shown) interposed between the distal annular ring 30 and cylindrical member 50 . Cylindrical member 50 is rotatable about axis 46 when a user squeezes posts 52 and 54 together because post 54 is able to move in arcuate slot 58 . The circular opening 60 of flange 61 formed at the distal end of cylindrical member 50 has a diameter large enough to accept therethrough the eyepiece 62 of endoscope 10 . Three arcuate and radially pivotable retaining arms 64 a , 64 b and 64 c (the latter being hidden from view in FIG. 3 ) are pivotably attached to the distal surface of distal annular ring 30 at points 65 a , 65 b and 65 c (best seen in FIG. 2 ). Each arm has a longitudinally extending pin (not shown) riding in a radially and laterally extending slot (not shown) in the distal flange 61 of cylindrical retaining member 50 . As posts 52 and 54 are squeezed together, the relative rotation between the retaining member 50 and distal annular ring 30 causes the retaining arms to pivot about their attachment points to clear opening 60 to receive eyepiece 62 . Releasing pressure on the posts 52 and 54 allows arms 64 a , 64 b and 64 c to move radially inwardly behind the eyepiece to lock the eyepiece of the endoscope within the cylindrical retaining member 50 . The arms, in cooperation with radially inwardly extending tabs 70 a , 70 b and 70 c on distal ring 30 (best seen in FIG. 6 ) serve to position the eyepiece at the proper axial location relative to the optical components in camera 12 . Once the scope is so situated, it may rotate about axis 46 along with the distal annular ring 30 .
The proximal most rim 72 of annular ring 30 is provided with a plurality of radially inwardly extending slots 74 . Slots 74 extend longitudinally and in the preferred embodiment are open and proximally facing at rim 72 .
Proximally situated second annular ring 32 has an axially aligned opening 76 adapted to receive the distal end of camera 12 . Opening 76 is threaded at its proximal end to receive a camera adapter or to receive a camera mount directly. Ring 32 has an outer cylindrical annular wall 77 and a transverse proximal wall 78 , the latter provided with a plurality of circumferentially arranged ventilation apertures 80 . Annular wall 77 has a length along axis 46 sufficient to properly place bearing race surface 38 relative to bearing surfaces 36 and 40 to define race 42 when the proximal ring 32 is threadably engaged with lateral ring 34 . When fully assembled, the distally facing side 82 of proximal wall 78 will be adjacent to but spaced from the proximal most end of rim 72 , and all surfaces 36 , 38 and 40 will be contiguous with balls 44 .
Second annular ring 32 carries a locking mechanism 90 which serves to prevent the relative rotation between the camera mount means 22 and the grabber means 20 by engaging a pivotable projection with the slots 74 . Locking mechanism 90 , best seen in FIGS. 4 , 12 , 13 , and 14 , comprises a toggle lever 92 pivotably secured to and adjacent the radially outer surface of the proximal side of ring 32 by a shoulder screw 94 . Ring 32 has a screw-receiving threaded bore 96 . Lever 92 is thus situated transversely to axis 46 . The transverse length L of lever 92 is long enough so that when the lever is pivoted a predetermined amount clockwise or counterclockwise about its axis 98 , one corner 100 or 101 will extend radially beyond the outer surface of annular ring 34 . This enables one or the other corner of lever 92 to be easily pushed radially inwardly by the thumb (or other finger) of the hand holding the camera to toggle the lever from one extreme to the other, e.g. from locked to unlocked. Lever 92 is situated a predetermined arcuate lateral distance 93 from the top of the coupler to position it for easy accessibility.
The proximally facing surface 102 of lever 92 is provided with icons 104 and 106 (preferably molded, machined or otherwise form on the surface, or placed via a decal, paint, etc.) depicting a locked or unlocked condition and the direction in which the adjacent corner 100 or 101 must be pushed to achieve the desired condition.
The distally facing surface 108 of lever 92 is provided with a pair of detents 110 and 111 , and a pair of detents 112 and 113 . These detents are designed to cooperate with bores 114 and 115 formed in the proximally facing surface of ring 32 , and with balls 116 , 117 and springs 118 , 119 to frictionally engage lever 92 and hold it in the locked or unlocked position. In the preferred embodiment balls 116 and 117 each have a diameter of 0.063 inches and are made of ceramic. (Balls 116 , 117 and balls 44 are, in the preferred embodiment, also coated with a high temperature grease.) The distally facing surface 108 is also provided with a projection 120 extending distally and having an interference member or tooth 122 . Proximal surface 78 of annular ring 32 is provided with an aperture 124 in order to receive projection 120 and tooth 122 therethrough and enable the tooth to be positioned radially inwardly of slots 74 . When lever 92 is pivoted into a locked position, tooth 122 engages one of the slots 74 , thus preventing relative rotation between the two sides of coupler 14 .
It will be understood by those skilled in the art that numerous improvements and modifications may be made to the preferred embodiment of the invention disclosed herein without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. | A rotatable endoscope coupler which enables an endoscope to be rotatably attached to a camera and selectively locked in place. The coupler enables single handed rotation of the scope while the camera remains in a fixed orientation. A plurality of ceramic ball bearings riding in a stainless steel race enable the coupler to be repeatedly autoclaved. A locking mechanism allows the scope and camera to be fixed from relative rotation. | 0 |
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention is comprised in the technical field of installations for smelting metal parts by casting in sand blocks, and more particularly in the field of mold or sand block conveyors conveying sand blocks coming from the molding machine.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] An installation for smelting metal parts by casting in sand blocks generally comprises a vertical blow molding machine in which the blocks are obtained and a casting installation in which it pours the molten metal in the blocks. Once the molten metal has cooled and the molded part has solidified, said part is released from the mold by means of breaking the sand mold which falls apart. The blocks produced in the molding machine move forward to the casting station and then to the mold release area by means of a series of conveyors.
[0003] At the outlet of the molding machine there is arranged a mold or block conveyor, such as an automatic mold conveyor (“AMC”) or a precision mold conveyor (“PMC”) for example, conveying the blocks to the next work station, such as a synchronized belt conveyor (“SBC”) for example. The mold or block conveyor must be synchronized with the exit of the blocks formed in the molding machine so that the blocks are arranged in a precise row and so that they can furthermore be delivered to the next work station.
[0004] A conventional mold or block conveyor comprises a block inlet and a block outlet and a supporting grille mounted in a frame and in which there is supported a plurality of blocks in positions that are moved forward successively, as well as a clamping mechanism which can move longitudinally with respect to the supporting grille. The clamping mechanism comprises respective longitudinal clamps arranged on opposite sides along the supporting grille. Each of the clamps is also transversely movable by a plurality of actuators moving the clamps transversely between a clamping position in which they can hold the blocks against one another, and a release position in which they are not in contact with the blocks. A reciprocating mechanism is connected to the clamping mechanism to move the clamps forward when they are in their clamping position and to move the clamps backward when they are in their release position.
[0005] In conventional mold or block conveyors, the reciprocating mechanism is hydraulic and comprises a hydraulic cylinder acting on a transverse rocker arm rocking on a fixed support. The rocker arm is connected to respective connecting rods which are in turn connected to the respective clamping mechanisms. The retraction/extension movement of the hydraulic cylinder generates movements that are transmitted to the clamping mechanism in the form of reciprocating linear movements. The reciprocating mechanism is usually arranged at the outlet of the block conveyor to reduce the risk of damage to the blocks (filled with molten metal) and to avoid synchronization problems that can lead to the columns of blocks that are pushed out of the molding machine opening up.
[0006] Although conventional conveyors provide reasonable conveyance synchronization, they have drawbacks relating to the actuation and maintenance of the hydraulic cylinder and due to the fact that the rocker arm is a transverse element exposed to sand falling onto out of the blocks and preventing the arrangement of sand cleaning elements, such as a sand extraction band for example, extending below the entire conveyor for the automatic cleaning of the low area of the conveyor.
BRIEF SUMMARY
[0007] The terms mold conveyors and block conveyors are used indistinctly throughout the description and the claims to refer to objects that are similar for the purposes of the patent, so one term, the other term, or both terms, will be used indistinctly.
[0008] The invention overcomes the drawbacks of the state of the art described above by means of a mold or block conveyor with a block inlet area and a block outlet area, comprising
[0009] a frame having mounted therein a supporting grille for supporting a plurality of molds in positions that are moved forward successively,
[0010] a clamping mechanism which can move longitudinally with respect to the supporting grille and which comprises respective longitudinal clamps arranged on opposite sides along the supporting grille, at least one of the clamps being transversely movable by a plurality of actuators between a clamping position in which the clamps can hold the blocks against one another and a release position in which the clamps do not hold the molds,
[0011] a reciprocating mechanism for moving the clamping mechanism forward when the clamps are in their clamping position and for moving the clamping mechanisms backward when the clamps are in their release position,
[0012] characterized in that
[0013] the clamps comprise a pair of delivery clamps arranged in the outlet area of the mold conveyor;
[0014] the reciprocating mechanism comprises a push device arranged in the outlet area of the mold conveyor, the push device comprising respective lug elements articulated to the delivery clamps by means of respective connecting rods for pulling on the clamp and the push device being connected to actuation means providing reciprocating movement to the push device;
[0015] the push device is a push carriage connected to the actuation means by means of a linear push system comprising at least one linear push element comprising a driving element connected to the actuation means and arranged in an area upstream of the inlet area of the mold conveyor, and a longitudinal push bar connecting the driving element to the push carriage and extending linearly below the supporting grille;
[0016] the push carriage is guided horizontally in a supporting structure to perform a horizontal forward and backward movement.
[0017] The mold conveyor according to the present invention can be equipped with a conveyor device, comprising a waste conveyor belt driven by an electric motor, for example, and arranged below the supporting grille, preferably along the entire block conveyor, including its inlet and outlet areas. The conveyor belt can be guided on transverse rollers the ends of which are rotatably mounted in an axial frame. The axial frame can be mounted on supporting legs. This waste conveyor belt is intended for collecting sand from the blocks falling on the supporting grille while conveying the blocks. The waste conveyor belt is preferably arranged at least below the push carriage.
[0018] The linear push system preferably comprises a single linear push element acting on a transverse part of the push carriage. This transverse part of the push carriage can be a front crosspiece provided with a rear transverse slot in which the push bar is coupled.
[0019] The driving element can be mounted in a structure of a molding machine delivering the blocks to the block conveyor, and it can comprise a longitudinal spindle connected to the push bar and actuated by an electric motor, or a longitudinal rack bar connected to the push bar and a pinion meshing in the rack actuated by an electric motor.
[0020] When it is stated that the driving element or the actuation means are located in the structure of the molding machine, it must be understood to mean that it is in an area attached to said molding machine or included as part of the molding machine, for which purpose since this molding machine is protected against the entrance of molding sand waste or dirt, these actuation means will be protected against premature deterioration as they are in an enclosed area where the entry of dirt is controlled, prolonging installation maintenance periods and the machine maintenance cost.
[0021] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the push carriage comprises respective side arms attached by at least one rear crosspiece and one front crosspiece located below the supporting grille. Each of the side arms has a longitudinal outer guiding rib guided in a longitudinal guidance passage located in the supporting structure. According to this preferred embodiment, the supporting structure can comprise respective upper side plates mounted in respective pairs of side supports, and in each side plate there are mounted upper and lower wheels which together define the longitudinal guidance passage in which the respective guiding rib of the push carriage is guided. Each side plate can have a window in which there is mounted a horizontal roller with the capacity to rotate about a vertical axis of rotation contacting an outer surface of the respective outer guiding rib, thus providing lateral guidance of the push carriage.
[0022] According to this preferred embodiment, the pairs of side supports can be attached by a bridge on which the supporting grille is supported. The bridge can be comprised by a rear crosspiece and a front crosspiece which are optionally attached by respective inner side members. In this case, the push bar extends through the rear crosspiece and the front crosspiece.
[0023] The push bar is preferably guided longitudinally in guiding elements mounted in the frame. At least some of the guiding elements can be hollow bodies with respective axial cavities through which the push bar passes.
[0024] To protect the push bar and, where appropriate, the guiding elements from sand and metal falling from the supporting grille, a longitudinal protective sheet arranged above the push bar and the guiding elements can be envisaged.
[0025] The push carriage can further comprise respective thick side plates connected to the clamps, and the thick side plates of the push carriage can be attached to one another by a crosspiece connected to each linear push element and comprise respective upper parts, each upper part being connected to one of the clamps through an inner upper connecting rod, and the inner upper connecting rod comprising a first end part articulated to said upper part and a second end part articulated to the clamp.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0026] Aspects and embodiments of the invention are described below based on the attached drawings, in which
[0027] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a molding installation comprising a block conveyor according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0028] FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the installation with the block conveyor shown in FIG. 1 ;
[0029] FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the other side of the installation shown in FIG. 2 ;
[0030] FIG. 4 is a partial side elevational view of the side of the block conveyor shown in FIG. 2 ; FIG. 5 is a partial side elevational view of the side of the block conveyor shown in FIG. 3 ;
[0031] FIG. 6 is a partial top plan view of the block conveyor shown in FIG. 1 ;
[0032] FIG. 7 is a bottom partial plan view of the block conveyor shown in FIG. 1 ;
[0033] FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the structure of the molding machine shown in FIG. 1 ;
[0034] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the inlet area of the block conveyor shown in FIG. 1 ;
[0035] FIG. 10 is a front-side perspective view of the supporting structure located in the outlet area of the block conveyor for conveying blocks to the synchronized belt conveyor, according to FIG. 1 ;
[0036] FIG. 11 is a top plan view of the supporting structure shown in FIG. 10 ;
[0037] FIG. 12 is a side elevational view of the supporting structure shown in FIG. 10 ;
[0038] FIG. 13 is a side elevational view of the carriage for pulling on the clamps located in the outlet area of the block conveyor shown in FIG. 1 ;
[0039] FIG. 14 is a top plan view of the carriage for pulling on the clamps shown in FIG. 13 ;
[0040] FIG. 15 is a front-side perspective view of the carriage for driving clamps shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 mounted in the supporting structure shown in FIGS. 10-12 ;
[0041] FIG. 16 is a side view of the assembly formed by the carriages for driving clamps and the supporting structure shown in FIG. 15 ;
[0042] FIG. 17 is a top plan view of the assembly shown in FIG. 15 ;
[0043] FIG. 18 is a front top perspective view of the outlet area of the mold conveyor for conveying molds to the synchronized belt conveyor, according to FIG. 1 ;
[0044] FIG. 19 is a side elevational view of the outlet area of the mold conveyor for conveying molds to the synchronized belt conveyor, according to FIG. 1 ;
[0045] FIG. 20 is a front elevational view of the outlet area shown in FIG. 18 ;
[0046] FIG. 21 is a sectional view along line A-A shown in FIG. 19 ;
[0047] FIG. 22 is a partial top plan view of the outlet area of the mold conveyor shown in FIG. 18 ;
[0048] FIG. 23 is a top perspective view of the push carriage and of the delivery mechanism which are located in the outlet area of the mold conveyor according to an alternative embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0049] According to the embodiment shown in the drawings, the block conveyor - 1 - of the present invention comprises an inlet area - 1 a - where blocks (not shown in the drawings) received from a molding machine enter, said molding machine comprising a structure - 2 -, and an outlet area - 1 b - from where the blocks are delivered to the next station, for example to a conventional synchronized belt conveyor - 3 - comprising a conveyor belt - 3 a - and protective thick side plates - 3 b - extending along the conveyor belt - 3 a -. Between the structure - 2 - and the block conveyor - 1 - there is arranged a gantry - 5 - holding the upper parts of successive blocks as they exit the molding machine. The block conveyor - 1 - is attached to the structure of the molding machine - 2 - by means of first tie rods - 22 - and to the synchronized belt conveyor - 3 - by means of second tie rods - 23 -. Between the structure of the molding machine - 2 - and the supporting grille - 4 - there is arranged a first horizontal thick plate - 2 a -, whereas between the supporting grille - 4 - of the block conveyor - 1 - and the conveyor belt - 3 a - of the synchronized belt conveyor - 3 - there is arranged a second horizontal thick plate - 3 c -. The synchronized belt conveyor - 3 - rests on supporting legs - 3 d -.
[0050] The supporting grille - 4 - comprises a plurality of longitudinal grille bars - 4 a - firmly mounted in a frame comprising lateral lower side members - 6 - mounted between respective side supporting columns - 7 -. At the front ends of the longitudinal grille bars - 4 a - there is mounted a front transverse sheet - 4 b -. Along the supporting grille - 4 - and on opposite sides thereof there transversely extend respective movable clamps - 8 , 9 - forming part of a clamping mechanism which can move longitudinally with respect to the supporting grille - 4 -. The clamps - 8 , 9 - are made up of respective pluralities of vertical clamping plates that are longitudinally aligned and connected to one another. The clamps comprise respective delivery clamps - 8 a, 9 a - intended for delivering successive blocks to the synchronized belt conveyor - 3 -. The sides of the block conveyor - 1 - are protected by a conventional outer fairing - 1 c - which is only shown in FIG. 9 for the sake of clarity of the drawings.
[0051] The clamping mechanism comprises a plurality of actuators - 10 - which can be pneumatic, hydraulic, mechanical or electromechanical actuators, for example, transversely moving one clamp - 8 - out of clamps - 8 , 9 - between a clamping position in which the clamps - 8 , 9 - hold the blocks against one another and a release position in which the clamps - 8 , 9 - do not hold the blocks. Each actuator - 10 - is mounted at the upper end of one of the vertical branches of a U-shaped frame - 11 - comprising two vertical branches attached in the lower portion by a lower horizontal branch - 11 a -. The free upper end - 11 b - of the other vertical branch is attached to clamp - 9 - opposite clamp - 8 - to which the actuator - 10 - is coupled. The actuators - 10 - are protected in the upper portion by transverse protective sheets - 20 -.
[0052] The block conveyor - 1 - comprises a reciprocating mechanism for moving the clamping mechanism forward when the clamps - 8 , 9 - are in their clamping position and to move the clamping mechanisms backward when the clamps - 8 , 9 - are in their release position. To that end, the clamps - 8 , 9 - are supported on transverse rollers - 21 - laterally projecting from the supporting grille - 4 -. In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the reciprocating mechanism comprises a linear push system comprising a longitudinal spindle - 12 - driven by an electric motor - 13 - as well as a push carriage - 25 - longitudinally connected to the linear push system below the supporting grille - 4 - and mounted in the outlet area - 1 b - of the block conveyor - 1 -.
[0053] The longitudinal spindle - 12 - is arranged at the head of the structure of the molding machine - 2 -, i.e., in an area upstream of the inlet area - 1 a - of the block conveyor - 1 -, and connected to the push carriage - 25 - by means of a longitudinal push bar - 15 - which can have reciprocating movement and is mounted in the frame in a plane below the supporting grille. The push bar - 15 - is made up of a plurality of longitudinal sections connected to one another, and it is in turn connected at one of its ends to the spindle - 12 - by means of a coupling - 16 -. Furthermore, the push bar - 15 - is guided longitudinally in axial cavities of guiding elements - 17 - mounted in supporting crosspieces - 18 - mounted between the side supporting columns - 7 -. The U-shaped frames - 11 - are attached by side longitudinal stabilizer bars- 19 -. The push bar - 15 - passes through the free space between the vertical branches and the upper end - 11 b - of the U-shaped frames - 11 -.
[0054] Below the supporting grille - 4 -, and particularly below the push bar - 15 -, there is arranged a conveyor device - 28 - comprising a waste conveyor belt - 28 a - driven by an electric motor (not shown in the drawings) and guided on transverse rollers - 28 b - the ends of which are rotatably mounted in an axial frame - 28 c - which is in turn mounted on supporting legs - 28 d -. The waste conveyor belt - 28 a - collects sand from the blocks falling between the grille bars - 4 a - while conveying the blocks. A longitudinal protective sheet - 14 - is envisaged to protect the push bar - 15 - and the guiding elements - 17 - from falling sand and liquid metal.
[0055] The block conveyor - 1 - further comprises a supporting structure - 24 - attached to the lower side members - 6 - of the frame in the outlet area - 1 a - of the block conveyor - 1 -. This supporting structure - 24 - comprises respective pairs of side supports - 24 a - the upper parts of which are attached to one another by means of a bridge formed by a rear crosspiece - 24 b -, a front crosspiece - 24 c - and two inner side members - 24 d -. The rear and front crosspieces - 24 b, 24 c - are provided with respective passages that are longitudinally aligned with one another. Respective annular bearings - 30 - aligned with said passages are mounted in the front part of the front crosspiece - 24 c - and in the rear part of the rear crosspiece - 24 b -. On the other hand, one of the guiding elements - 17 - is mounted between the rear and front crosspieces - 24 b, 24 c -. The push bar - 15 - extends through the passages, the annular bearings - 30 - and the inner cavity of the guiding element - 17 -. The upper ends of each pair of side supports - 24 a - are attached by a junction plate - 24 k - having a base plate - 24 l - integral with a supporting side plate - 24 e - mounted therein.
[0056] Each of the supporting side plates - 24 e - has in the inner face thereof a longitudinal guidance passage defined between pairs of inner wheels - 24 f - mounted in respective rotating shafts - 24 g -. The lower ends of each of the pairs of side supports - 24 a - are attached to one another by means of a lower longitudinal plate - 24 h - which is in turn coupled to two lower supporting plates - 24 i - resting on the ground by means of a plurality of leveling elements - 24 j -.
[0057] Each of the supporting side plates - 24 e - comprises a window - 24 m - extending from the upper edge of the supporting side plate - 24 e - to the base plate - 241 -. A roller support - 26 a - in which there is mounted a horizontal roller - 26 - with the capacity to rotate about a vertical axis of rotation (not shown in the drawings) is located in window - 24 m -. The roller support - 26 a - and the horizontal roller - 24 - are protected by a protective member - 29 - arranged in the upper part of the window - 26 -
[0058] The push carriage - 25 - comprises two longitudinal side arms - 25 a - the end parts of which are attached to one another by a front crosspiece - 25 d - and a rear crosspiece - 25 e -, respectively, which are located in a plane below the horizontal plane in which the side arms - 25 a - extend. There is envisaged in the rear part of the front crosspiece - 25 d - a transverse slot - 25 f - which is also arranged below the horizontal plane of the side arms - 25 a -. The transverse slot - 25 f - is provided with a coupling passage - 25 g - for the coupling of the push bar - 15 -.
[0059] At the front end of each side arm - 25 a - there is mounted a supporting roller - 31 - for the coupling of connecting arms - 32 - which serves to connect the outlet area - 1 b - of the block conveyor - 1 - with the synchronized belt conveyor - 3 -. Each of the side arms - 25 a - furthermore has an outer guiding rib - 25 b - extending from its rear end to its front end. The push carriage - 25 - moves in the longitudinal guidance passage defined between the inner wheels - 24 f - of the supporting structure - 24 - guided by the outer guiding ribs - 25 b -. The horizontal rollers - 26 - are supported on the outer surface of the respective outer guiding rib - 25 b -, thus providing lateral guidance of the push carriage - 25 -.
[0060] The push carriage - 25 - comprises two lug elements - 25 c - comprising respective upper parts and respective lower parts. The lower part of each thick side plate - 25 c - is integral with one of the side arms - 25 a -, whereas the upper part of each lug element - 25 c - is articulated by a front articulation - 27 a - to a first end of a connecting rod - 27 - for pulling on the clamp. The second end of the connecting rod - 27 - is in turn externally articulated to one of the delivery clamps - 8 a, 9 a - by means of a rear articulation. On the other hand, the lower part of each lug element - 25 c - is integral with one of the side arms - 25 a -.
[0061] In an alternative embodiment, the push carriage - 25 - comprises two thick side plates - 14 a - comprising respective upper parts and respective lower parts. The lower part of each thick side plate - 14 a - is connected with a lateral end of the transverse pusher rod - 26 f - by means of a lower connecting rod - 27 - articulated by one of its ends to said lower part and articulated by the other end to the transverse pusher rod - 26 f -. A rear vertical transverse plate - 26 d - receives the free end of the push bar - 15 - and a transverse pusher rod - 26 f -.
[0062] In turn, the upper part of each thick side plate - 14 a - is articulated to a first end of an inner upper connecting rod - 28 - the opposite end of which is in turn externally articulated to one of the clamps - 8 , 9 -. On the other hand, the upper part of each thick side plate - 14 a - is articulated to one of the lug elements - 25 d - by means of an outer upper connecting rod - 29 - ( FIG. 17 ). The corresponding articulations comprise respective pins - 30 - forming transverse rotating shafts. | The invention relates to a conveyor including a frame having a supporting grille mounted therein, and a clamping mechanism which can move longitudinally with respect to the supporting grille and which includes longitudinal clamps where the clamps have a pair of delivery clamps; the push device is a push carriage connected to the actuation means by means of a linear push system including at least one linear push element having a driving element connected to the actuation means and arranged in an area upstream of the inlet area of the mold conveyor and a longitudinal push bar extending linearly below the supporting grille; and the push carriage is guided horizontally to perform a horizontal forward and backward movement. | 1 |
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] This invention pertains to a pressure control for a piston-type device and, more particularly, to a pressure control which prevents the fuel plunger in a hydraulically-actuated fuel injector from contacting the stop plate of the fuel injector.
BACKGROUND
[0002] A fuel injector is commonly used to pressurize and atomize fuel in an internal combustion engine. In a common hydraulically-actuated fuel injector, a piston and plunger system in a spring cavity transfers hydraulic fluid pressure to the fuel. The piston moves reciprocally up and down within the spring cavity, and the motion of the piston causes the plunger to move, as well. First, fuel is introduced into a fuel cavity beneath the plunger, and hydraulic pressure on the piston forces the plunger down into the fuel cavity to compress the fuel. Since the fuel cavity and plunger are of a smaller cross-section than the spring cavity and piston, the force from the piston through the plunger and to the fuel cavity is magnified accordingly in a known manner for greater efficiency of compression.
[0003] Next, one of two things can happen. The plunger can contact, or “bottom out” on, a stop plate at the bottom of the fuel cavity and the plunger is consequently stopped and ready for the next stage of the compression cycle. Often the plunger/stop plate collision can damage one or both components, so this is generally only a secondary method of stopping the plunger. Alternately and usually preferably, the fuel or another fluid present in the fuel or spring cavity becomes pressurized until the fluid's resistance to further compression resists and/or stops the motion of at least one of the plunger and the piston. The latter condition is referred to in the art as a “hydraulic lock”, in which a fluid cannot be compressed any more by the outside pressure placed upon it, and is of primary interest in the below description.
[0004] Regardless of the plunger stop mechanism, the compressed fuel is injected into the combustion chamber in a known manner at any suitable point in the plunger motion cycle, thereby vacating the fuel cavity. Finally, a piston spring in the spring cavity forces the piston back up to prepare the fuel injector for the next compression cycle. Hundreds or even thousands of these high-speed and high-stress reciprocal fuel compression cycles occur every minute, which makes efficient and robust operation of the various components of the fuel injector a priority.
[0005] Often hydraulic fluid under pressure seeps past the piston and into the spring cavity below the piston during operation of the fuel injector. Since the hydraulic fluid could build up in the spring cavity and hydraulically lock the piston as described above before the fuel is fully pressurized for injection, it is common for a vent hole to be provided at the bottom of the spring cavity to carry any extant hydraulic fluid to a vent line, this evacuation being normally propelled by the downstroke of the piston. This vent hole may also function as an air intake to prevent a vacuum being formed in the spring cavity on the piston upstroke and slowing the motion of the piston.
[0006] The stop plate mentioned previously is commonly located at an end of the fuel cavity opposite the plunger. The stop plate acts partially to form the fuel cavity and partially to halt motion of the plunger in a situation when the fuel or hydraulic fluid in the fuel cavity or the spring cavity is insufficient to hydraulically lock the plunger and piston in the preferred manner. Situations that can cause a low fuel situation and subsequent “bottoming out” of the plunger (allowing the plunger to contact the stop plate) include fuel transfer pump failure, air in the fuel supply line, fuel pressure regulator valve failure, the engine's being simply allowed to run out of fuel through neglect or malfunction, and the like. Additionally, while bottoming out is generally not a preferred plunger function, design features and choices with respect to other components may allow the plunger to occasionally bottom out in an otherwise normally functioning fuel injector.
[0007] There are two main malfunctions that can result when a plunger bottoms out. The high impact velocity of the plunger on the stop plate can cause material failure and stress damage to one or both components, particularly if repeated contact occurs. Also, and more seriously, the piston spring can overtravel or become overcompressed, either of these causing a permanent reduction in the height of the piston spring or even breakage of that spring. Since the piston spring is the only force outside the hydraulic lock acting to resist downward motion of the plunger, a shortened piston spring will probably allow the plunger to bottom out repeatedly until the fuel injector totally fails because of component breakage. It is estimated that this total injector failure occurs within about twenty seconds of the piston spring failure, leaving little to no time for the problem to be detected and the engine shut down to prevent such failure. When the fuel injector fails, the engine effectively loses power in that cylinder and numerous well-known problems typically result.
[0008] Additionally, there are many other applications in the field for a piston assembly such as that described above. Any hydraulic piston assembly working to compress a fluid in much the same manner, perhaps in an injection molding or glue-applying situation, would be subject to these or similar difficulties. Since the overall structure of these piston assemblies is analogous to the fuel injector described, it is intuitively obvious that many different applications can be effected by piston assembly failure as described. Therefore, a solution to the piston assembly failure is widely sought.
[0009] The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems as set forth above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] In an embodiment of the present invention, a hydraulic piston assembly is disclosed. The hydraulic piston assembly includes a piston body, a cavity disposed within the piston body, a piston disposed within the cavity and moveable between a first position and a second position, and a vent hole in the piston body which selectively connects the cavity to a low pressure.
[0011] In an embodiment of the present invention, a hydraulic piston assembly is disclosed. The hydraulic piston assembly includes a piston body, a cavity disposed within the piston body, a piston disposed within the cavity and separating the cavity into a first subcavity and a second subcavity, and a piston hole in the piston.
[0012] In an embodiment of the present invention, a hydraulically-actuated fuel injector is disclosed. The hydraulically-actuated fuel injector includes a piston body defining a piston axis, a spring cavity located inside the piston body and having a first cavity end and a second cavity end spaced apart from the first cavity end along the piston axis, a piston located substantially inside the spring cavity and moveable along the piston axis between a first position and a second position, and a pressure equalization channel.
[0013] In an embodiment of the present invention, a method of controlling the motion of a piston in a fuel injector, wherein the fuel injector includes a spring cavity having a first cavity end and a second cavity end, is disclosed. The method includes the steps of locating the piston within the spring cavity, moving a plunger with the piston, and providing a piston spring within the spring cavity and adapted to provide positive pressure to the piston in a first direction. The method also includes the steps of providing pressurized hydraulic fluid at a first portion of the spring cavity located near the first cavity end, exerting positive pressure on the piston in a second direction, and allowing the pressurized hydraulic fluid to enter a second portion of the spring cavity located between the piston and the second cavity end. The method also includes the steps of substantially equalizing the pressures between the first and second portions of the spring cavity and slowing the piston.
[0014] In an embodiment of the present invention, a hydraulic damping device for a piston mechanism is disclosed. The hydraulic damping device includes an elongate piston body, a piston, a hydraulic source, and a pressure equalizing system. The elongate piston body has a first end and a second end. The piston is adapted to move reciprocally between the first and second ends, thereby defining a variable volume first chamber adjacent the first end and a variable volume second chamber adjacent the second end. The hydraulic source is adapted to supply hydraulic fluid to the piston body. The pressure equalizing system is adapted to substantially equalize pressures of the hydraulic fluid in the first and second chambers.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] [0015]FIG. 1 is a cutaway side view of a fuel injector incorporating a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
[0016] [0016]FIG. 2 a is a partial cutaway side view of a fuel injector incorporating a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
[0017] [0017]FIG. 2 b is a partial cutaway side view of a fuel injector incorporating a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and
[0018] [0018]FIG. 3 is a partial cutaway side view of a fuel injector incorporating another preferred embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0019] [0019]FIG. 1 depicts a fuel injector 100 having a piston body 102 and a spring cavity 104 . The piston body 102 defines a piston axis 106 . The spring cavity 104 includes a first cavity end, shown generally at 108 , a second cavity end spaced apart from the first cavity end 108 along the piston axis 106 , shown generally at 110 , and a cavity midsection located along the piston axis 106 between the first cavity end 108 and the second cavity end 110 , and shown generally at 112 . The operation of a fuel injector is substantially described above, but certain aspects of the operation will be further clarified as needed.
[0020] A piston 114 is located, at least initially, near the first cavity end 108 and is adapted to travel in a reciprocating motion within the spring cavity 104 , driven by hydraulic fluid. The piston 114 will be located in the cavity midsection 112 during at least a portion of the reciprocating travel. A stop plate 116 is located near the second cavity end 110 . A plunger 118 is attached to, or in a contacting relationship with, the piston 114 . The plunger 118 may be the same diameter as the piston 114 , but is preferably of a reduced diameter as shown in the Figs., for pressure intensifying reasons well-known in the art.
[0021] The plunger 118 and the stop plate 116 , along with portions of the spring cavity 104 , define a fuel cavity 120 near the second cavity end 110 . A barrel 122 at least partially surrounds the fuel cavity 120 and at least a portion of the plunger 118 to help define the fuel cavity 120 and to guide the plunger 118 . Preferably, the barrel 122 creates a reduced-diameter fuel cavity 120 as shown so that the pressure-intensifying effects of the varied diameters of the piston 114 and plunger 118 may be utilized. The barrel 122 is adapted to provide fuel to the fuel cavity 120 from a fuel source (not shown), in a known manner.
[0022] Should the fuel injector 100 not include a barrel 122 , the fuel cavity 120 may be formed as an extension of the spring cavity 104 or by any other suitable means. In this case, fuel may be provided to the fuel cavity 120 in any other suitable manner, and a component should be provided which separates the fuel cavity 120 from the spring cavity 104 to contain the fuel.
[0023] Preferably, a piston spring 124 or other suitable resistor member is located substantially within the spring cavity 104 and positioned so as to provide positive pressure in a first direction 126 to the piston 114 . The piston spring 124 has a first spring end 128 which contacts the piston 114 and a second spring end 130 spaced apart from the first spring end 128 along the piston axis 106 which contacts the barrel 122 or, if the fuel injector 100 does not include a barrel 122 , contacts the second cavity end 110 . The piston spring 114 commonly surrounds the plunger 118 within the spring cavity 104 .
[0024] Pressurized hydraulic fluid is provided to the spring cavity 104 near the first cavity end 108 . The hydraulic fluid builds up between the first cavity end 108 and the piston 114 to overcome the pressure provided by the piston spring 124 and propel the piston 114 along the piston axis 106 in a second direction 132 . The motion of the piston 114 causes the plunger 118 to move in the second direction 132 and subsequently reduce the volume of the fuel cavity 120 , therefore increasing the pressure of the fuel within the cavity. When the pressure in the first direction 126 becomes substantially equal to the pressure in the second direction 132 , no disparate hydraulic force is acting on the piston 114 in either the first or second directions 126 , 132 , and the piston 114 will naturally cease motion because of the lack of a “pushing” force. The pressurized hydraulic fluid from area of the first cavity end 108 is then released in a known manner as, or after, the now-pressurized fuel is transferred to the combustion chamber of the engine. Then, the pressure in the second direction 132 overcomes the pressure in the first direction to push the piston 114 back toward the first cavity end 108 . A new fuel injector cycle then begins.
[0025] The pressure in the first direction 126 is substantially provided by a combination of the fuel's resistance to pressure (if there is fuel in the fuel cavity 120 ), the spring force provided by the piston spring 114 , and the resistance to pressure of any hydraulic fluid which happens to be extant in the spring cavity 104 below the piston 114 . By extant, what is meant is that the hydraulic fluid has either seeped past the piston 114 as described above or has been purposely routed past or through the piston; either way, the “extant” hydraulic fluid has come to be present in the spring cavity 104 between the piston 114 and the second cavity end 110 . The pressure in the second direction 132 is mainly from the pressurized hydraulic fluid which drives the piston 114 . In order to equalize these two pressures, a pressure equalization channel adapted to facilitate the transfer of hydraulic fluid in a desired manner is provided by the present invention.
[0026] In a first preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1, 2 a, and 2 b, the pressure equalization channel takes the form of a vent hole 134 provided in the cavity midsection 112 . The vent hole 134 is fluidically connected to a vent line 136 or other low pressure in a known manner. The precise location and dimensions of the vent hole 134 are important to the proper functioning of the present invention but are highly dependent upon the relative dimensions of the other components of the fuel injector 100 and thus do not form a necessary component of the present invention. It is intuitively obvious that experimentation will enable the proper placement of the vent hole 134 in the cavity midsection 112 in practice. It is advantageous, as described below, for the vent hole 134 to be located such that the piston 114 completely covers and blocks the vent hole 134 when the piston 114 is at or near a lower limit of travel in the second direction 132 .
[0027] In a second preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 3, the pressure equalization channel takes the form of a piston hole 342 in the body of the piston 114 . The piston 114 divides the spring cavity 104 into first and second portions or subcavities 238 , 240 , as shown best in FIGS. 2 a, 2 b, and 3 . The first and second subcavities 238 , 240 are variable in volume as the piston 114 moves through its reciprocal cycle. The pressure in each subcavity comes from the sources described above—normally either pressurized hydraulic fluid driving the motion of the piston 114 or hydraulic fluid which has become extant in the spring cavity 104 below the piston 114 . The piston hole 342 directs pressurized hydraulic fluid through the piston 114 and into the second subcavity 240 in order to controllably set up a hydraulic lock situation which will stop the piston 114 when the pressures in the first and second subcavities 238 , 240 are substantially the same.
[0028] The exact configuration of the piston hole 342 is not important, so long as it fluidically connects the first and second subcavities 238 , 240 , though it is obvious that a piston hole 342 substantially parallel to the piston axis 106 will provide a direct path for the hydraulic fluid to travel quickly through the piston 114 . A piston hole 342 using a labyrinthine structure, an integral valve, or the like would be considered a pressure equalization channel, as well.
[0029] The substances used in the operation of the fuel injector 100 have been described as “fuel” and “hydraulic fluid”, but the exact nature of the substances is inconsequential, except as their properties affect other operations of the engine or another larger device encompassing the present invention. The substances may be different from one another or may be the same substance. Oils, petroleum distillates, water, compressed air, other fluids, and the like may be used without affecting the operation of the present invention.
[0030] Industrial Applicability
[0031] [0031]FIGS. 2 a and 2 b depict different stages in the reciprocal compression cycle of the piston 114 within the fuel injector 100 in the first preferred embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 2 a, hydraulic fluid enters the spring cavity 104 at the first cavity end 108 and forces the piston 114 in the second direction 132 . The piston 114 then pushes on the first spring end 128 , causing the piston spring 124 to compress.
[0032] As the pressurized hydraulic fluid enters the spring cavity 104 , often a portion of the hydraulic fluid seeps past the piston 114 and becomes extant in the cavity midsection 112 . This seepage is an inherent characteristic of a hydraulically-actuated fuel injector 100 . In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, hydraulic fluid is also purposely directed into the second subcavity 240 to supplement the seepage and remains in the spring cavity 104 . However, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 a and 2 b, at least a portion of the hydraulic fluid that becomes extant within the spring cavity 104 is forced out of the vent hole 134 and carried away by the vent line 136 in a known manner as the piston 114 travels in the second direction 132 .
[0033] [0033]FIG. 2 b depicts the piston 114 at or near a lower travel limit. The piston spring 124 in FIG. 2 b is almost fully compressed and may overtravel or become overcompressed, probably causing permanent damage to the fuel injector 100 , if the piston 114 continues in the second direction 132 . However, the vent hole 134 is now blocked by the piston 114 , and hydraulic fluid is therefore trapped in the spring cavity 104 . The trapped hydraulic fluid becomes pressurized by the piston 114 action, and the pressure equalizes in the first and second subcavities 238 , 240 , thus providing a damping function to prevent the piston 114 from further travel. The damping function slows or stops the piston 114 because the trapped hydraulic fluid sets up a hydraulic lock in the second subcavity 240 . The pressure of the fluid in the second subcavity 240 acts oppositely on the piston 114 as does the pressurized fluid pushing the piston 114 in the second direction 132 . When these oppositely directed forces become substantially equal, that is, when the pressures in the first and second subcavities 238 , 240 are about the same, there is no disparity of pressure pushing the piston 114 in a certain direction. The piston 114 thus is forced to slow or stop, as any pressure on the piston 114 from the second direction 132 is opposed or canceled out by pressure from the first direction 126 .
[0034] Preferably, the pressure equalizing channel will be located and the piston spring 124 sized to allow the plunger 118 to travel far enough to compress fuel in the fuel cavity 120 as desired, but not far enough that the plunger 118 contacts the stop plate 116 . The damping function provided by the plunger cavity pressure control of the present invention can prevent the piston spring 124 from overcompressing in a no-fuel situation for in the range of 5-10 minutes, rather than the approximately twenty seconds provided by the prior art. This extra time allows for remedial action to be taken before the fuel injector 100 suffers expensive and wasteful damage.
[0035] While aspects of the present invention have been particularly shown and described with reference to the preferred embodiments above, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various additional embodiments may be contemplated without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, the dimensions of the vent hole 134 or piston hole 340 could differ, the fuel injector 100 could be of another known type, the piston assembly could be used in an application other than a fuel injector (such as injection molding, glue application, metering substances, or the like), or the various fluids involved could be supplied or vented in a different manner. However, a device or method incorporating such an embodiment should be understood to fall within the scope of the present invention as determined based upon the claims below and any equivalents thereof.
[0036] The apparatus and method of certain embodiments of the present invention when compared with other methods and apparatus may have certain features worthy of incorporating into the design, manufacture, and operation of fuel injectors. In addition, the present invention may contain other properties that have not been discovered yet. It should be understood that while a preferred embodiment is described in connection with a fuel injector, the present invention is readily adaptable to provide similar functions for other mechanisms. Other aspects, objects, and advantages of the present invention can be obtained from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims. | A fuel injector in an engine includes a spring cavity, a piston, a plunger, a spring, a fuel cavity, and a stop plate. The piston is hydraulically controlled to force the plunger down to compress fuel in the fuel cavity. However, under certain conditions, the plunger can contact the stop plate and/or the spring can become overcompressed. Both of these conditions can cause damage to the fuel injector. The present invention locates a pressure equalization channel in such a way as to dampen the motion of the piston to prevent this damage to the fuel injector. | 5 |
This claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/454,253 filed Mar. 13, 2003; the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The duration of action of orally administered drugs in tablets or capsules is often extended by utilizing a controlled release method of delivery wherein an active pharmaceutical agent is coated and/or encapsulated and/or otherwise entrapped by a material that delays dissolution of the active agent. This method of delivery requires a larger amount of active agent than immediate release formulations to allow for a longer duration of action. Intentional or unintentional mechanical processing of such controlled release tablets or capsule beads could compromise the controlled release action of such formulations, and thereby may produce, subsequent to administration, toxic levels of active drug. Thus, for example, controlled release morphine marketed under the name Avinza® and controlled release oxycodone marketed under the name OxyContin® contain sufficient opioid to produce powerful euphoria as well as potentially fatal respiratory depression when controlled release tablets or capsule beads are chewed, crushed, ground, or otherwise broken so as to compromise the controlled release action of the formulation as indicated by the black box warning on the package insert for OxyContin® and Avinza®).
Because one can easily achieve a powerful morphine-like high after oral intravenous or nasal administration of crushed tablets or capsule beads, the abuse potential of these formulations is great. Consequently, abuse of OxyContin® has become a serious problem as evidenced by medical examiner reports that attribute several hundred deaths per year to abuse of sustained release oxycodone, and as evidenced by the substantial fraction of new enrollees in methadone treatment centers who indicate sustained release oxycodone as their primary drug of abuse.
Numerous U.S. Publications (e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,475,494; 6,451,806; 6,375,957; 6,277,384; 6,228,863; 4,785,000; 4,769,372; 4,661,492; 4,457,933; and 3,966,940) describe the addition of an opioid antagonist such as naloxone or naltrexone to formulations of opioid agonists for purposes of lowering their abuse potential. Typically this approach relies on the use of a form and/or amount of antagonist that is able to neutralize the opioid agonist when the contents of crushed tablets are administered parenterally, but not when unbroken tablets are administered orally as medically indicated. An oral formulation of the opioid pentazocine marketed under the name TALWIN® Nx contains naloxone to impede abusive intravenous administration. Abusive intravenous administration of TALWIN Nx, however, may cause harmful withdrawal syndromes in narcotic dependent individuals. Although Talwin Nx has a lower potential for abusive parenteral administration than previously marketed oral pentazocine formulations containing no antagonist, it still is subject to abusive oral administration. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,149,538 and 5,236,714 discuss the use of antagonists to impede abuse of opiod formulations that are medically indicated for transdermal administration. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,457,933 and 6,475,494 disclose that the presence of an appropriate amount of an opioid antagonist in an agonist formulation medically indicated for oral administration may also reduce abusive oral administration of that formulation. This reduction has been attributed (U.S. Pat. No. 6,475,494) to an aversive effect of the antagonist in physically dependent individuals. WO 02094254 describes addition of an appropriate amount of capsaicin to an oral formulation to deter abusers from crushing prescription pharmaceutical tablets for abusive snorting, injection or ingestion.
Other side effects of opioid analgesics include gastrointestinal dysfunction caused by the opioids binding to the μ receptors present in the gastrointestinal tract. The side-effects in the stomach include a reduction in the secretion of hydrochloric acid, decreased gastric motility, thus prolonging gastric emptying time, which can result in esophageal reflux. Passage of the gastric contents through the duodenum may be delayed by as much as 12 hours, and the absorption of orally administered drugs is retarded. In the small intestines the opioid analgesics diminish biliary, pancreatic and intestinal secretions and delay digestion of food in the small intestine. Resting tone is increased and periodic spasms are observed. The amplitude of the nonpropulsive type of rhythmic, segmental contractions is enhanced, but propulsive contractions are markedly decreased. Water is absorbed more completely because of the delayed passage of bowel contents, and intestinal secretion is decreased increasing the viscosity of the bowel contents. Propulsive peristaltic waves in the colon are diminished or abolished after administration of opioids, and tone is increased to the point of spasm. The resulting delay in the passage of bowel contents causes considerable desiccation of the feces, which, in turn retards their advance through the colon. The amplitude of the non-propulsive type of rhythmic contractions of the colon usually is enhanced. The tone of the anal sphincter is greatly augmented, and reflex relaxation in response to rectal distension is reduced. These actions, combined with inattention to the normal sensory stimuli for defecation reflex due to the central actions of the drug, contribute to opioid-induced constipation.
Although addition of opioid antagonists and other aversive agents to pharmaceutical tablets or capsules may well prevent abuse, they may also do harm. Thus, there is a need for the developments of a new class of opioid analgesics that are abuse resistant and have lower propensity to agonize the μ receptors in the gastrointestinal tract than the opioid analgesics present in the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention fills this need by providing for a method for producing non-naturally occurring prodrugs of analgesic drugs that bind to μ opioid receptors that has a low abuse potential, an extended duration of action and reduced GI side-effects. Also claimed are prodrugs of analgesic drugs that have lower binding affinity to μ opioid receptors than the analgesic drug. The method of this invention involves converting, prior to formulation, a bioavailable analgesic drug that binds to a μ opioid receptor to a prodrug that limits the accessibility of the drug to its target tissue. Unlike many existing sustained release tablet and capsule formulations of active pharmaceutical agents wherein the active pharmaceutical agent can be released by chewing, crushing, or otherwise breaking tablets or capsule beads containing the active pharmaceutical agent, such mechanical processing of tablet or capsule formulations of prodrugs of this invention neither releases the agent nor compromises the conversion of inactive prodrug to active drug.
The prodrug compositions of this invention limit the bioavailability of the drug, because the prodrug is poorly absorbed by the blood after administration by the medically indicated route of administration or in cases wherein the prodrug is absorbed by the blood or in cases wherein the prodrug is injected directly into the blood stream the prodrug is more poorly absorbed by or has a smaller therapeutic effect on the target tissue than the drug.
This invention includes but is not limited to ester prodrug compositions of bioavailable opioid analgesic agents wherein an alkyl or cyclic alkyl, or phenolic or enolic hydroxyl group of the drug is covalently linked to an acyl group, and wherein the acyl group is chosen so as to limit the bioavailability of and rate of conversion of prodrug to drug so as to produce the desired duration of action of the drug.
Also included in this invention is a method involving the use of a thickening agent such as hydroxypropylmethylcellulose or carboxymethylcellulose to impede intranasal or intravenous administration of formulations of the prodrugs of this invention or other formulations of medications that are not medically indicated for intranasal or intravenous administration.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Definitions:
Receptor Binding Affinity is the binding strength that a molecule has to a receptor. Affinity is measured by the equilibrium dissociation constant of the drug-receptor complex (denoted K d ); the fraction of receptors occupied by the drug is determined by the concentration of drug and K d . See Goodman & Gilman's “ The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics ” 10ed. (2001) pages 39–40 (McGraw-Hill, New York, N.Y.).
μ Opioid Receptor is the primary receptor to which the opioid analgesic drugs bind to produce their analgesic effects. The opioid analgesic drugs are morphine-related drugs. Examples of opioid analgesics include morphine, hydromorphone, oxymorphone, levorphanol, levallorphan codeine, hydrocodone and oxycodone. Another class of analgesic drugs that bind to the μ opioid receptor is the piperidine and phenylpiperidine class of analgesics such as meperidine, diphenoxylate, loperamide, fentanyl, sufentanil, alfentanil, and remifentanil.
Included in this invention is a method for producing pharmaceutical agents with both a low abuse potential and an extended duration of action. The method involves conversion, prior to formulation, of a bioavailable analgesic drug to a prodrug that is more poorly absorbed by and/or more poorly activates the target tissue. This invention includes but is not limited to ester prodrug compositions of bioavailable opioid analgesic agents wherein an alkyl or cyclic alkyl or phenolic or enolic hydroxyl group of the drug is covalently linked to an acyl group that has the following structure
wherein the values of m and n are independently selected from the values 0, 1, 2 or 3
Z and X are independently selected from
and W is selected from
R 1 .
wherein, R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 are independently selected from hydrogen.
C 1-4 alkyl unsubstituted or substituted with CH 3 or C 3-7 cycloalkyl, or amino or guanidino or amidino or carboxy or acetamido or carbamyl or sulfonate, phosphate or phosphonate. C 1-4 alkoxy. methylenedioxy. hydroxy. carboxy. sulfonate. C 3-7 cycloalkyl. aryl unsubstituted or substituted with guanidino or amidino or carboxy or acetamido or carbamyl or sulfonate, phosphate or phosphonate. benzyl with the benzene ring unsubstituted or substituted with guanidino or amidino or carboxy or acetamido or carbamyl or sulfonate, phosphate or phosphonate. R 1 and R 2 along with the carbon or carbon atoms to which they are attached form a C 3-7 cycloalkyl ring
wherein R a and R b are independently selected from hydrogen.
C 1-4 alkyl unsubstituted or substituted with CH 3 or C 3-7 cycloalkyl.
C 3-7 cycloalkyl.
aryl unsubstituted or substituted with guanidino or amidino or carboxy or acetamido or carbamyl or sulfonate, phosphate or phosphonate.
benzyl with the benzene ring unsubstituted or substituted with guanidino or amidino or carboxy or acetamido or carbamyl or sulfonate, phosphate or phosphonate.
wherein R c is selected from hydrogen.
C 1-4 alkyl unsubstituted or substituted with CH 3 or C 3-7 cycloalkyl, or amino or guanidino or amidino or carboxy or acetamido or carbamyl or sulfonate, phosphate or phosphonate.
aryl unsubstituted or substituted with guanidino or amidino or carboxy or acetamido or carbamyl or sulfonate, phosphate or phosphonate.
benzyl with the benzene ring unsubstituted or substituted with guanidino or amidino or carboxy or acetamido or carbamyl or sulfonate, phosphate or phosphonate.
cellulose or a cellulose derivative such as methyl cellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose or hydroxypropylcellulose such that one or more hydroxyl groups in the cellulose or cellulose derivative forms an ester or urethane linkage in the prodrug.
poly(ethylene glycol) or a poly(ethylene glycol) derivative such as poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether, poly(ethylene glycol) ethyl ether, poly(ethylene glycol) carboxymethyl ether, poly(ethylene glycol) monolaurate such that one or more of the hydroxyl groups of the poly(ethylene glycol) or the poly(ethylene glycol) derivative form an ester or urethane linkage in the prodrug.
wherein R d is selected from
a polycarboxylic acid such as carboxymethylcellulose or a derivative thereof, polyacrylic acid or a derivative thereof, polymethacrylic acid or a derivative thereof such that one or more of the carboxyl groups of the macromolecule forms an amide linkage in the prodrug.
poly(ethylene glycol) bis(carboxymethyl) ether, or poly(ethylene glycol) carboxymethyl, methyl ether or similar carboxylic acid containing poly(ethylene glycol) derivative such that one or more carboxyl groups of the poly(ethylene glycol) derivative forms an amide linkage in the prodrug.
wherein R e , R f and R g are independently selected from hydrogen.
wherein the values of p, and q are independently selected from the values 0, 1, 2, or 3
wherein R h , R i , R k and R l are independently selected from hydrogen.
C 1-4 alkyl unsubstituted or substituted with CH 3 or C 3-7 cycloalkyl, or amino or guanidino or amidino or carboxy or acetamido or carbamyl or sulfonate, phosphate or phosphonate.
aryl unsubstituted or substituted with a guanidino or amidino or carboxy or acetamido or carbamyl or sulfonate, phosphate or phosphonate.
benzyl with the benzene ring unsubstituted or substituted with a guanidino or amidino or carboxy or acetamido or carbamyl or sulfonate, phosphate or phosphonate R h and R i along with the carbon to which they are attached form a C 3-7 alkyl ring.
R k and R l along with the carbon to which they are attached form a C 3-7 alkyl ring,
wherein R j is selected from hydrogen.
C 1-4 alkyl unsubstituted or substituted with CH 3 or C 3-7 cycloalkyl.
C 3-7 cycloalkyl.
Aryl unsubstituted or substituted with a carboxyl or guanidino or amidino or carboxy or acetamido or carbamyl or sulfonate, phosphate or phosphonate.
benzyl with the benzene ring unsubstituted or substituted with a guanidino or amidino or carboxy or acetamido or carbamyl or sulfonate, phosphate or phosphonate.
a polycarboxylic acid such as carboxymethylcellulose or a derivative thereof, polyacrylic acid or a derivative thereof, polymethacrylic acid or a derivative thereof such that one or more carboxyl groups in the macromolecule forms an amide linkage in the prodrug.
poly(ethylene glycol) bis(carboxymethyl) ether, or poly(ethylene glycol) carboxymethyl, methyl ether or similar carboxylic acid containing poly(ethylene glycol) derivative such that one or more carboxyl groups of the poly(ethylene glycol) derivative forms an amide linkage in the prodrug.
Y is independently selected from the following
wherein the values of u and v are independently selected from the values 0, 1, 2 or 3, and the value of r is a value between 10 and 1,000.
wherein R 4 is independently selected from
R a.
R b.
R d.
The compounds of the invention may have chiral centers and may occur as epimeric mixtures, diastereomers, and enantiomers. All such stereoisomers are included in this invention. When any variable occurs repeatedly in formula I, the definition of that variable is independent of its definition at every other occurrence of that variable. Additionally, combinations of variables and substituents are permissible only when they produce stable compounds.
Some of the abbreviations that may appear in this application are as follows:
Designation
Definition
Boc
tert-butyloxycarbonyl
tBu
tert-butyl
Cbz
benzyloxycarbonyl
DCM
dichloromethane
DCC
N,N′-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide
DCU
N,N′-dicyclohexylurea
DIEA
diisopropylethylamine
DMAP
4-(dimethylamino)pyridine
EtOAc
ethyl acetate
Glu
glutamic acid
h
hour(s)
HOBt
1-hydroxybenzotriazole
HPLC
high performance liquid chromatography
min
minute(s)
NMR
nuclear magnetic resonance
rt
room temperature
TEA
triethylamine
TFA
trifluoroacetic acid
THF
tetrahydrofuran
TLC
thin layer chromatography
The acyl portion of the prodrug ester is chosen so as to endow the prodrug with i) a low bioavailability and ii) a rate of conversion of prodrug to drug that results in a desired oscillation in the plasma concentration of drug over the dosing interval.
To restrict entry of the prodrug into the blood and/or entry of the prodrug into the central nervous system or otherwise restrict the bioavailability of the prodrug, one chooses a macromolecular acyl group (M r greater than about 1000), and/or a low molecular weight acyl group (M r less than about 1000) that contains one or more groups that bear a charge at pH 7, and/or groups that contain multiple hydrogen bond donors and acceptors such as amide groups.
In cases wherein the prodrug is poorly absorbed into the blood stream after administration, the rate of conversion of prodrug to drug substantially controls the duration and intensity of the effect of the drug. In cases wherein the prodrug is directly injected into the blood or it is absorbed into the blood, but does not enter or activate the target tissue, the effect of administration of the prodrug also will be controlled substantially by the rate of conversion of prodrug to drug.
We have discovered how to produce ester prodrugs of alkaloid opioid analgesics with rates of nonenzymatic hydrolysis at pH 7 compatible with a wide range of dosing frequencies. It is recognized that for some of the prodrugs included in this invention, enzymes may contribute to the rate of conversion of prodrug to drug. The contribution of such enzymatically catalyzed conversions to the overall rate of conversion of prodrug to drug may be roughly estimated from in vitro assessment of the conversion of the drug in presence of digestive enzymes and blood plasma. Comparative pharmacokinetic studies after administration of drug and prodrug to a patient should yield an accurate estimate of the time dependent conversion of prodrug to drug in the patient. When desirable it should be possible for someone skilled in the art to adjust the rate of nonenzymatic conversion and enzymatically catalyzed conversion of prodrug to drug by judicious modification of the structure of the prodrug. Moreover, someone skilled in the art should be able to formulate combinations of prodrug derivatives that release the same drug at differents rates so as to produce a desired oscillation in plasma drug concentration over the dosing interval.
The feasibility of forming enol esters of alkaloid opioids related to dihydromorphinone has been demonstrated by Nagase et al. and by Hosztafi et al. These investigators, however, studied neither the hydrolysis of opioid enol esters nor their suitability as prodrugs.
Esters of the phenolic hydroxyl group of various opioid agonists and antagonists have been studied as prodrugs for increasing the efficiency of transdermal, sublingual and buccal delivery and masking the bitter taste opioid agonists and antagonists (see for example, Hansen et al. Stinchcomb et al. and Hussain et al.)
For enol esters and phenyl esters wherein the alcohol portion of the ester is a good leaving group the rate of ester hydrolysis is increased by increasing the acidity of the carboxyl group of parent carboxylic acid and/or by utilizing an acyl group that contains an appropriate neighboring nucleophilic catalyst such as a carboxylate group that is capable of facilitating hydrolysis via nucleophilic catalysis as exemplified below. In cases wherein the intrinsic rate of hydrolysis at pH 7 is more rapid than desired, steric and charge effects can be employed to reduce the rate of hydrolysis at pH 7 as exemplified below.
Listed below by way of example and without limitation are some oxycodone prodrug compositions included in this invention that have an acyl group with structure I.
The zwitterionic character and/or molecular weight of these compounds endow them with a low bioavailability, relative to that of the drug.
Enol ester prodrugs 1–7 are carboxylic acid derivatives, wherein the free carboxylate (at pH 7) group facilitates hydrolysis of the enol ester and endows the enol ester with a rate of hydrolysis that changes little in the pH range 6–8. This effect minimizes intra-individual (over time) or inter-individual variation in the rate of hydrolysis of compounds 1–7 due to variation of the pH within the intestinal lumen. It is important to note that the disposition of the carboxylate group is an important determinant of the rate of hydrolysis of it effect on ester hydrolysis (see Table I).
TABLE I
Half-Life for the Nonenzymatic Hydrolysis of Oxycodone Enol Ester
Prodrugs at pH 7.0, 37° C.*
R—
Half life* (h)
<0.5
11.4
3.5
6.5
2.4
173
66
6.4
11.3
6.9
*Half-life was determined from the first order conversion of prodrug to oxycodone in buffered solution maintained at 37° C. The amount of prodrug remaining was determined by HPLC wherein the ester was quantified from measurements of the area under the prodrug peak in chromatograms wherein the absorbance of the ester (typically at 280 nm) was monitored using a diode array detector. Plots of the logarithm of the fraction of prodrug remaining versus time were linear as expected for a first order process.
It is important to note that the hydrolysis of alkyl esters with higher pK alcohol leaving groups (such as esters 10–12) is not facilitated by the presence of a neighboring carboxyl group (See Table II). We observed, however, that esters of the 14-hydroxyl group in oxycodone are hydrolyzed rapidly at pH 7. For example we found that the half-life for the hydrolysis of the 14-acetate ester of oxycodone is ˜20 min at pH 7, 37° C., whereas the half-life for hydrolysis of the 6-enolacetate is ˜4 days under these conditions. The high rate of hydrolysis of the oxycodone 14-acetate may well reflect intramolecular nucleophilic attack by the neighboring tertiary amino group in oxycodone to form an acylammonium ion intermediate that is rapidly hydrolyzed at pH 7.
TABLE II
Half-Life for the Nonenzymatic Hydrolysis of Oxycodone 14-Ester
Prodrugs at pH 7.0, 37° C.*
R —
Half life (h)
7.0
2.1
1.9
*Half-Life was determined as described in Table I.
Included in this invention is a method to impede intravenous and nasal administration of hydrolytically treated prodrug tablets or capsule beads by formulating the prodrugs with an appropriate amount of a thickening agent such as hydroxypropylmethylcellulose or carboxymethylcellulose. Hydrolytic treatment of such ester prodrug formulations to release the drug produces a high viscosity glue-like material that would be difficult to administer nasally. Moreover, this material requires dilution to more than 10 mL to easily pass through a hypodermic needle suitable for intravenous administration. Also included in this invention is a method to add a sufficient amount of a thickening agent such as hydroxypropylmethylcellulose or carboxymethylcellulose to impede intravenous and nasal administration of drug and prodrug formulations that are not indicated for these routes of administration. Dissolution for intravenous administration of a drug or prodrug in a formulation containing the thickening agent produces a highly viscous glue-like material that requires dilution to more than 10 mL to easily pass through a hypodermic needle suitable for intravenous administration. The thickening agent also reduces absorption of drug or prodrug from nasally administered powdered tablets or capsule beads. This reduction may reflect an osmotic effect of the thickening agent.
Ester prodrugs of the invention can be prepared according to the general procedures outlined below:
General Procedure for the Preparation of Enol Ester Prodrugs.
The free base form of an aldehyde or ketone containing drug at 0.0.025–0.5 mol/L is dissolved or suspended in an aprotic polar solvent such as anhydrous THF or DCM under argon and cooled in a acetone/dry-ice bath. A 1.05 molar excess over drug of potassium tBu-OH is added, and the reaction mixture stirred for 40 min. A 1.0–1.2 molar excess over drug of the nitrophenyl ester of the carboxylic acid to be esterified by the enol group of the drug is added via syringe as a 0.025–2.0 M. solution in THF or DCM. After 1–2 h, or when the reaction is complete as judged by formation of the enol ester and liberation of nitrophenol, the reaction is neutralized by the addition of TFA. If the reaction solidifies at −78° C., it is allowed to warm to rt before addition of the TFA. In cases involving the formation of hemi-esters of certain symmetrical dicarboxylic acids, one can use the cyclic dicarboxylic acid anhydride in place of a nitrophenyl ester.
The Following Carbodiimide Mediated Coupling Reactions can also be Used to Prepare Enol Ester Prodrugs.
The free base form of an aldehyde or ketone containing drug at a concentration of 0.025–1.0 M in an aprotic polar solvent such as anhydrous acetonitrile, THF, or DCM is treated with a 3–6-fold molar excess of a tertiary amine strong base such as TEA or DIEA for 20–30 min at rt to promote enolate formation. DMAP, DCC, and carboxylic acid are then added so that the molar ratio DMAP: carboxylic is in the range of 0.5–1.0, the molar ratio DCC:carboxylic acid is in the range 0.5–1.5, and the molar ratio of carboxylic acid:drug is in the range 2–6.
In cases wherein a low yield is obtained using this procedure, addition, prior to addition of carboxylic acid, of HOBt (in a molar amount approximately equivalent to the carboxylic acid) may increase the yield. Groups in the prodrug that might interfere with ester formation can be blocked with groups (such as Boc, tBu, and Cbz) that may be removed after ester formation without significant decomposition of the ester.
General Procedure for the Preparation of Alcohol Ester and Phenyl Ester Prodrugs.
The above procedure for preparation of enol esters wherein the addition of strong base (to promote enolization) is eliminated may also be used to prepare alcohol and phenyl ester prodrugs. Additionally, alcohol ester prodrug may be prepared by condensing cyclic carboxylic acid anhydrides with drugs containing an alkyl or cycloalkyl hydroxyl group in pyridine as described in EXAMPLE 2. It is important to note that i) dicarboxylic acids (such as maleic acid, phthalic acid and succinic acid) that facilely form cyclic anhydrides form unstable phenyl and enol esters; ii) esters of the 14-hydroxyl group of drugs in the 14-hydroxymorphinan family that contain a tertiary 17-amino group are unstable unless hydroxide ion catalyzed ester hydrolysis is electrostatically or sterically impeded; iii) enol ester formation can be eliminated by forming acid labile ketal and acetal derivatives of drugs that contain these groups. One skilled in the art can exploit these findings together with differential chromatographic properties to convert a drug containing more than one hydroxyl group to a desired mono ester prodrug.
EXAMPLE 1
Preparation of Pentanedioic Acid Mono-(3-methoxy-14-hydroxy-6,7-didehydro-4,5α-epoxy-17-methylmorphinan-6-yl) ester (1-4, Also Designated Compound 2)
Step A: Preparation of Oxycodone Free Base (1-1)
Oxycodone (1 g) was dissolved in water (5 mL) and mixed with 30 mL of a saturated sodium bicarbonate solution to produce the free base. The resulting suspension was extracted with three 70 mL portions of EtOAc. The combined EtOAc extract was washed with 30 mL of saturated sodium bicarbonate, 30 mL of brine and dried over magnesium sulfate. EtOAc was removed under reduced pressure from the resulting solution to yield 785 mg of oxycodone free base.
Step B: Preparation of Pentanedioic Acid Mono-Tert-Butyl Ester (1-2)
Potassium tert-butoxide (2.7 g, 24 mmol) was dissolved in 17 mL of anhydrous THF at rt. After 5 min glutaric anhydride (2.4 g, 21 mmol) was added and the resulting suspension stirred for 2 h at rt. The reaction mixture was then quenched with 20 mL of 1 M KHSO 4 , extracted with 50 mL of EtOAc, adjusted to pH 2–3 with 1 M KHSO 4 and extracted twice with 50 mL EtOAc. The combined extracts were dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate, filtered and concentrated to give a yellow oil which was purified by silica gel flash chromatography (eluent: EtOAc:Hexanes- 1:1) to give 1.65 g (35% yield) pure (TLC) 1-2.
Step C: Preparation of Pentanedioic Acid tert-butyl ester 3-methoxy-14-hydroxy-6,7-didehydro-4,5α-epoxy-17-methylmorphinan-6-yl ester (1-3)
A suspension of oxycodone free base (100 mg, 0.317 mmol) in 1.5 mL of anhydrous acetonitrile was stirred for 20 min with DIEA (0.2 mL 1.15 mmol). DMAP (63 mg, 0.516 mmol) and DCC (112 mg, 0.545 mmol) were then added to the stirred suspension. After 5 min 1-2 (150 mg, 0.8 mmol) was added, the mixture stirred for 16 h at rt, and the resulting orange suspension concentrated to an oil under reduced pressure. The concentrated mixture was stirred with 6 mL of acetone for 10 min, and the precipitated DCU removed by filtration. The filtrate was concentrated to give a brown oil. HPLC analysis of the oil indicated that the primary reaction product was 1-3. The concentrated oil was subjected to reverse phase C-18 silica gel chromatography using a gradient of 25–40% acetonitrile in 0.07% aqueous TFA as eluent. Evaporation of the eluent from the fraction containing 1-3 gave 82 mg (53% yield) of a colorless oil which was greater than >99% pure 1-3 (HPLC).
Step D: Preparation of Pentanedioic Acid Mono-(3-methoxy-14-hydroxy-6,7-didehydro-4,5α-epoxy-17-methylmorphinan-6-yl) ester (1-4)
1-3 was treated with 0.5 mL of TFA and after 15 min at rt, the TFA was removed under reduced pressure to yield >98% pure 1-4 as indicated by HPLC and the 1 H and 13 C NMR spectra. (As expected for enol ester 1-4, the 1 H NMR spectrum of the product exhibited a resonance for a vinylic proton at C 7 at 5.53 ppm and the 13 C NMR spectrum of the product exhibited no resonance for a ketonic carbonyl carbon atom in the region of 207 ppm.)
EXAMPLE 2
Preparation of Phthalic Acid Mono-(3-methoxy-4,5α-epoxy-17-methylmorphinan-6-one-14-yl) ester (2-1, also designated compound 10)
A solution comprised of oxycodone free base, 1-1, (63 mg, 0.2 mmol), phthalic anhydride (1.185 g, 8.0 mmol) and DMAP (24 mg, 0.2 mmol) in 10 mL of pyridine was stirred in an oil bath at 50–55° C. for 24 h and concentrated under reduced pressure. The residue was subjected to silica gel flash chromatography with a 5%–20% methanol in dichloromethane gradient. The fraction containing 2-1 was collected and concentrated under reduced pressure. HPLC indicated that the fraction was 60% pure. The concentrated fraction was subjected to another silica gel flash chromatography using a gradient of 0–20% methanol in dichloromethane as eluent to yield a fraction containing 32 mg (35% yield) of 96% pure (HPLC) 2-1, which was further purified by HPLC. The 1 H and 13 C NMR spectra verified the structure of 2-1 as a hydrogen phthalate ester of the 14-hydroxyl group of oxycodone. (The absence of an 1 H resonance in the region of 5.5–6 ppm for a C 7 vinylic proton, and the presence of a 13 C resonance at 207.5 ppm for the C 6 carbonyl group excluded the presence of an enol ester linkage in 2-1.)
EXAMPLE 3
Preparation of 2-(benzyloxycarbonylamino)-pentanedioic acid 1-(3-methoxy-14-hydroxy-6,7-didehydro-4,5α-epoxy-17-methylmorphinan-6-yl) ester (3-2, also designated compound 1)
Step A: Preparation of 2-(benzyloxycarbonylamino)-pentanedioic acid 5-tert-butyl ester 1-(3-methoxy-14-hydroxy-6,7-didehydro-4,5α-epoxy-17-methylmorphinan-6-yl) ester (3-1)
A solution comprised of oxycodone free base, 1-1, (517 mg, 1.64 mmol), DIEA (1.5 mL, 8.6 mmol) in 9 mL of anhydrous acetonitrile was stirred at rt for 20 min and mixed with a solution containing DMAP (400 mg, 3.3 mmol), DCC (1.01 g, 4.1 mmol), and HOBt (440 mg, 3.3 mmol) in 6 mL of anhydrous acetonitrile. Cbz-L-Glu(OtBu)-OH (1.1 g, 3.3 mmol) was then added to the combined solutions. The mixture was stirred for 45 h at rt, precipitated DCU removed by filtration, and the solution concentrated under reduced pressure to give a dark-brown oil. HPLC analysis indicated that 39% of the oxycodone had been converted to 3-1. The brown oil containing crude 3-1 was dissolved in 20 mL of acetone, cooled in an ice bath for 2 h, and filtered to remove precipitated DCU. The filtrate was concentrated to dryness, and subjected to flash chromatography using a gradient of 0–10% methanol in DCM. The fractions containing 3-1 were combined and concentrated to dryness. The residue was treated with 20 mL acetone and filtered to remove precipitated DCU. The filtrate was concentrated to dryness under reduced pressure to yield partially purified 3-1.
Step B: Preparation of 2-(benzyloxycarbonylamino)-pentanedioic acid 1-(3-methoxy-14-hydroxy-6,7-didehydro-4,5α-epoxy-17-methylmorphinan-6-yl) ester (3-2)
The partially purified 3-1 from Step B was treated with 4 mL TFA in 2 mL DCM at rt for 10 min, dried immediately, and twice taken up in 10 mL acetonitrile and evaporated to dryness. The resulting residue was subjected to C-18 silica gel chromatography using a 20–40% gradient of acetonitrile in 0.07% aqueous TFA as eluent. Fractions containing pure 3-1 were combined to yield 105 mg (11% yield) of >99% pure (HPLC) 3-2.
EXAMPLE 4
Preparation of Fumaric Acid Mono-(3-methoxy-14-hydroxy-6,7-didehydro-4,5α-epoxy-17-methylmorphinan-6-yl) ester (4-3)
Step A: Preparation of Fumaric Acid Ethyl Ester Tert-Butyl Ester (4-1)
To a solution of fumaric acid mono-ethyl ester (721 mg, 5 mmol) and tert-butanol (0.938 mL, 10 mmol) in 10 mL of DCM was added DMAP (122 mg, 1 mmol) followed by DCC (2.06 g, 10 mmol). The resulting mixture was stirred at rt for 16 h, taken to dryness under reduced pressure, stirred overnight with 50 mL acetone and filtered to remove DCU. The resulting filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the residue taken up in EtOAc. The EtOAc was washed twice with 30 mL 0.1 M KHSO 4 , and once with 30 mL saturated NaHCO 3 and once with 30 mL of brine. The resulting EtOAc solution was treated with charcoal and dried over magnesium sulfate, concentrated under reduced pressure, and subjected to silica gel flash chromatography using a gradient of 0–15% EtOAc in hexanes as eluent to give essentially pure (one peak on HPLC) 4-1 (350 mg, 35% yield).
Step B: Preparation of Fumaric Acid Mono-Tert-Butyl Ester (4-2)
4-1 (340 mg, 1.7 mmol) was stirred for 1 h at rt with a solution comprised of 4 mL THF, and 4 mL of a solution containing 1 M NaOH and 1 M LiCl. The resulting mixture was acidified to pH 3-4 with 1 M KHSO 4 and extracted twice with 30 mL of EtOAc. The extract was washed with 30 mL of brine, dried over magnesium sulfate, and concentrated under reduced pressure. The resulting material was subjected to silica gel flash chromatography using a gradient of 5–10% methanol in DCM to yield 240 mg (82% yield) of 4-2.
Step C: Preparation of fumaric acid mono-(3-methoxy-14-hydroxy-6,7-didehydro-4,5α-epoxy-17-methylmorphinan-6-yl) ester (4-3)
Oxycodone free base, 1-1, (13 mg, 0.04 mmol) in 0.5 mL acetonitrile was stirred with TEA (0.034 mL 0.24 mmol) for 30 min at rt. DMAP (15 mg, 0.12 mmol) and DCC (25 mg, 0.12 mmol) were then added to the solution followed by a solution comprised of 4-2 (41 mg, 0.24 mmol) in 1 mL of acetonitrile. The resulting mixture was stirred for 16 h and concentrated under reduced pressure. The resulting residue was stirred with 4 mL of acetone for 30 min, the precipitated DCU removed by filtration, and the acetone removed under reduced pressure. The residue was treated with 0.8 mL of TFA (5 min at rt) to remove the tert-butyl group. The TFA was then removed under reduced pressure and the resulting residue purified by HPLC on a C-18 column eluted with 20% acetonitrile in 0.07% aqueous TFA to yield fraction containing essentially pure 4-3.
EXAMPLE 5
Preparation of poly(ethylene glycol), Mr 2,000, methyl ether, carbonylimidodiacetic acid mono-(3-methoxy-14-hydroxy-6,7-didehydro-4,5α-epoxy-17-methylmorphinan-6-yl) ester (5-4, also designated compound 5)
Step A: Poly(Ethylene Glycol), Mr 2,000, Methyl Ether, Nitrophenyl Carbonate (5-1)
10 g (5 mmol) of poly(ethylene glycol), Mr 2,000, methyl ether was boiled with 200 mL of toluene and 100 mL of solvent distilled off to remove water. The solution was cooled to rt, 10 mL (61 mmol) of DIEA and 10 g (50 mmol) of nitrophenyl chloroformate added, and the mixture stirred overnight at 55° C. The reaction mixture was then concentrated under reduced pressure. The residue was taken up in DCM, and purified by precipitation from DCM with ethyl ether to yield 10 g of 5-1 (92%).
Step B: Preparation of Poly(Ethylene Glycol), Mr 2,000, Methyl Ether, Carbonylimidodiacetic Acid (5-2)
5-1 was added to a stirred mixture of 0.666 g (5 mmol) iminodiacetic acid, 1.9 mL (11.5 mmol) DIEA, and 20 mL of DCM. After 12 h, reverse phase HPLC of an acidified aliquot of the reaction mixture indicated essentially complete release of p-nitrophenol and consumption of 5-1. The reaction mixture was filtered, and the filtrate concentrated under reduced pressure. Ethyl ether (200 mL) was added to the concentrate to precipitate the product. 1 N HCl (50 mL) was added to dissolve the solid. After extraction the aqueous phase with DCM, the DCM was concentrated under reduced pressure. Addition of ethyl ether to the DCM concentrate yielded 5-2 (0.446 g, 45%).
Step C: Preparation of Poly(Ethylene Glycol), Mr 2,000, Methyl Ether, Carbonyliminodiacetic Anhydride (5-3)
DCC (28 mg, 0.25 mmol) was added to 5-2 (430 mg, 0.2 mmol) in 3 mL DCM. After stirring the solution for 4 h, the DCU was removed by filtration to yield a DCM solution of 5-3 which was used in Step D without further purification
Step D: Preparation of Poly(Ethylene Glycol), Mr 2,000, Methyl Ether, Carbonyliminodiacetic Acid Mono-(3-methoxy-14-hydroxy-6,7-didehydro-4,5α-epoxy-17-methylmorphinan-6-yl) ester (5-4)
K-OtBu (28 mg, 0.25 mmol) was added to a stirred suspension of 1-1 (65 mg, 0.21 mmol) in 2 mL DCM under argon at −78° C. in an acetone/dry ice bath. After 40 min, the DCM solution of 5-3 from Step C (which was at rt) was added via syringe to the stirred solution of 1-1 under argon in the acetone/dry ice bath. After one hour the reaction mixture was brought to rt and neutralized with TFA. The resulting DCM solution was washed with 0.1% aqueous TFA and concentrated under reduced pressure. Purified product, 5-4, was obtained by precipitation of the DCM concentrate with ethyl ether.
EXAMPLE 6
Preparation of Poly(Ethylene Glycol), Mr 2,000, Methyl Ether, N-carbonylglutamic Acid 1-(3-methoxy-14-hydroxy-6,7-didehydro-4,5α-epoxy-17-methylmorphinan-6-yl) Ester (6-4, Also Designated Compound 4)
Step A: Preparation of Poly(Ethylene Glycol), Mr 2000, Methyl Ether, N-carbonylglutamic Acid 5-Tert-butyl Ester (6-1)
5-1 (1 g, 0.46 mmol) was added to a stirred suspension of 1.02 g (5 mmol) 2-aminopentanedioic acid 5-tert-butyl ester in 7.5 mL of 0.333 M NaOH at rt. The solution turned yellow concomitant with dissolution of 5-1. After 45 min, reverse phase HPLC indicated essentially complete consumption of 5-1 and liberation of p-nitrophenol. The reaction mixture was acidified to pH 1 with 1 N HCl, and extracted with DCM. The DCM was washed with 0.1 N HCl and concentrated under reduced pressure. Addition of ethyl ether to the DCM concentrate resulted in precipitation of 450 mg (0.202 mmol, 44%) of the desired product (6-1).
Step B: Preparation of Poly(Ethylene Glycol), Mr 2,000, Methyl Ether, N-carbonylglutamic Acid 5-Tert-butyl Ester, 1-p-nitrophenyl Ester (6-2)
6-1 (0.45 g, 0.20 mmol) and p-nitrophenol (36 mg, 0.26 mmol) were dissolved in 1 mL of DCM. The solution was cooled in an ice water bath; after which time DCC (53 mg. 0.26 mmol) was added. After 10 minutes of stirring in the ice water bath, the solution was removed from the ice water bath and stirred overnight at rt. The resulting reaction mixture was filtered to remove DCU. The DCU precipitate was washed with 5 mL of DCM, and the DCM solutions were combined and concentrated under reduced pressure. The product (6-2) was purified from the DCM concentrate by precipitation with ethyl ether to yield 168 mg (36%) of 6-2.
Step C: Preparation of Poly(Ethylene Glycol), Mr 2,000, Methyl Ether, N-carbonylglutamic Acid 5-Tert-butyl Ester, 1-(3-methoxy-14-hydroxy-6,7-didehydro-4,5α-epoxy-17-methylmorphinan-6-yl) Ester (6-3)
K-OtBu (10 mg, 0.0.086 mmol) was added to a stirred suspension of 1-1 (23 mg, 0.073 mmol) in 1 mL DCM under argon at −78° C. in an acetone/dry ice bath. After 40 min, 168 mg (0.071 mmol) of 6-2 in 1 mL DCM (which was at rt) was added via syringe to the stirred solution of 1-1 under argon in the acetone/dry ice bath. After one hour, the reaction mixture was neutralized with TFA. The resulting DCM solution was washed with 0.1% aqueous TFA and concentrated under reduced pressure. The product, 6-3, was purified by precipitation of DCM concentrates of 5-4 with ethyl ether.
Step D: Preparation of poly(Ethylene Glycol), Mr 2,000, Methyl Ether, N-carbonylglutamic Acid 1-(3-methoxy-14-hydroxy-6,7-didehydro-4,5α-epoxy-17-methylmorphinan-6-yl) ester (6-4)
5-4 was dissolved in neat TFA at rt, after 15 min the TFA was removed under reduced pressure to yield 6-4, which was purified by dissolution in DCM and precipitation with ethyl ether.
EXAMPLE 7
Preparation of Poly(Ethylene Glycol), Mr 2,000, Methyl Ether, N-carbonylglycine 1-(3-methoxy-14-hydroxy-6,7-didehydro-4,5α-epoxy-17-methylmorphinan-6-yl) ester (7-3).
Step A: Preparation of Poly(Ethylene Glycol), Mr 2,000, Methyl Ether, N-Carbonylglycine (7-1)
5-1 (1 g, 0.46 mmol) was added to a solution of glycine (0.375 g, 5 mmol) in 5 mL of 0.5 N NaOH. The solution turned yellow concomitant with dissolution of 1. After 45 min reverse phase HPLC of an acidified aliquot of the reaction mixture indicated essentially complete consumption of 5-1 and release of p-nitrophenol. The reaction mixture was acidified to pH 1 with 1 N HCl and extracted three times with 5 mL DCM. The combined DCM extract was washed with water and concentrated under reduced pressure. Addition of ethyl ether resulted in precipitation of 436 mg (0.207 mmol, 45%) of 7-1.
Step B: Preparation of Poly(Ethylene Glycol), Mr 2,000, Methyl Ether, N-carbonylglycine 1-p-nitrophenyl Ester (7-2)
7-1 (436 mg, 0.21 mmol) and p-nitrophenol (37 mg 0.27 mmol) were dissolved in 1 mL of DCM. The solution was cooled in an ice water bath and DCC (55 mg, 0.27 mmol) was added. After 10 minutes of stirring in the ice water bath, the solution was stirred overnight at rt. The solution was filtered to remove the DCU and the DCU precipitate washed with 5 mL of DCM. The DCM solutions combined, concentrated under reduced pressure and the product precipitated with ethyl ether to yield 130 mg (28%) of 7-2.
Step C: Preparation of Poly(Ethylene Glycol), Mr 2,000, Methyl Ether, N-carbonylglycine 1-(3-methoxy-14-hydroxy-6,7-didehydro-4,5α-epoxy-17-methylmorphinan-6-yl) Ester (7-3)
K-OtBu (28 mg, 0.25 mmol) was added to a stirred suspension of 1-1 (65 mg, 0.21 mmol) in 2 mL DCM under argon at −78° C. in an acetone dry ice bath. After 40 min, 130 mg 7-2 in 0.5 mL DCM (which was at rt) was added via syringe to the stirred solution of 1-1 under argon in the acetone/dry ice bath. After one hour, the reaction mixture was neutralized with TFA. The resulting DCM solution was washed with 0.1% aqueous TFA and concentrated under reduced pressure. The product, 7-3, was purified by precipitation of DCM concentrates of 7-3 with ethyl ether.
EXAMPLE 8
Preparation of Poly(Ethylene Glycol), Mr 2,000, Methyl Ether, Carboxy ((3-methoxy-14-hydroxy-6,7-didehydro-4,5α-epoxy-17-methylmorphinan-6-yl) ester) methyl ether (8-3, Also Designated Compound 8)
Step A: Preparation of Poly(Ethylene Glycol), Mr 2,000, Methyl Ether, Carboxymethyl Ether (8-1).
50 g of poly(ethylene glycol), Mr 2,000, methyl ether (25 mmol) in 750 mL of toluene was boiled and 200 mL solvent distilled off to remove water. The solution was cooled to rt and 4.5 g of KOtBu in 50 mL of t-butanol was added. The resulting mixture was stirred for 1 h at rt and 16 mL of ethyl bromoacetate added. The resulting solution was heated to reflux for 0.75 h, stirred at rt for 18 h, stirred with Celite and filtered. The reaction solvent was removed under reduced pressure, the residue taken up in 200 mL DCM and precipitated with 3.3 L of ethyl ether to yield 40 g of the ethyl ester derivative of 8-1. This material was stirred with 400 mL of 1 N sodium hydroxide for 4 h at rt, cooled in an ice water bath, acidified to pH 1 with 2 N HCl, and extracted twice with 200 mL of DCM. The DCM extract was concentrated under reduced pressure to approximately 50 mL, and added to 400 mL of ethyl ether. The resulting precipate was washed with ethyl ether and dried under reduced pressure to yield 37 g (72%) of 8-1.
Step B: Preparation of Poly(Ethylene Glycol), Mr 2,000, Methyl Ether, Carboxy (p-Nitophenyl Ester) Methyl Ether (8-2)
p-Nitrophenol (0.42 g, 3 mmol) was dissolved in a solution of 8-1 (5 g, 2.5 mmol) in 20 mL of DCM, and cooled in an ice bath. DCC (0.62 g, 3) was then added with stirring. After 10 min the solution was removed from the ice water bath and stirrred overnight at room temperature. The reaction mixture was filtered to remove DCU and the filtrate added to 400 mL of ethyl ether. The resulting precipate was collected, washed with ethyl ether and dried under reduced pressure to yield 3.4 g (˜62%) of 8-1.
Step C: Preparation of Poly(Ethylene Glycol), Mr 2,000, Methyl Ether, Carboxy ((3-methoxy-14-hydroxy-6,7-didehydro-4,5α-epoxy-17-methylmorphinan-6-yl) Ester) Methyl Ether 8-3.
K-OtBu (59 mg, 0.52 mmol) was added to a stirred suspension of 1-1 (141 mg, 0.45 mmol) in 6 mL DCM under argon at −78° C. in an acetone/dry ice bath. After 40 min, 1 g (0.5 mmol) of 8-1 in 5 mL DCM (which was at rt) was added via syringe to the stirred solution of 1-1 under argon in the acetone/dry ice bath. The dry ice bath was removed and the stirred reaction mixture was allowed to come to rt over a period of 1 h. The reaction mixture was then neutralized with neat TFA, washed with 0.1% aqueous TFA, and concentrated under reduced pressure. The product, 8-3, was purified by precipitation of DCM concentrates of 8-3 with ethyl ether.
EXAMPLE 9
Binding Affinity of Prodrug of an Analgesic Drug v. the Analgesic Drug
Receptor Interactions:
Interactions of a prodrug of oxycodone with the μ, opioid receptors were assessed wherein receptor affinity was determined from inhibition of radio labeled ligand binding to membranes from C6 rat glioma cells expressing recombinant μ (rat) opioid receptor. Opioid-agonist activity was evaluated from the ability of the test article to stimulate [ 35 S]-GTP's binding. The data in the Table reveal that compound 1, a prodrug of oxycodone, has a substantially lower affinity for the μ receptor than does oxycodone. It is important to note that the affinity of compound 1 for the μ receptor may well be lower than that indicated by the measured K i , since partial conversion of prodrug to oxycodone during the assay may have occurred.
Interactions of compound 1 and Oxycodone with opioid receptors.
Affinity
Agonist Activity
Receptor
Opioid
K i (μM)
EC 50 (μM)
μ
Compound 1
1.21 ± 0.18
3.38 ± 0.29
μ
Oxycodone
0.21 ± 0.01
0.85 ± 0.15
Conclusions:
This shows that the prodrug of oxycodone, compound 1 has a lower binding affinity for the μ opioid receptor than the analgesic drug oxycodone.
EXAMPLE 10
Effect of Pancreatic Enzymes and Pepsin on the Rate of Conversion of Prodrug to Drug
The half-lives for hydrolysis of prodrug to drug listed in the following table indicate that pancreatic enzymes do not markedly effect the liberation of oxycodone from compounds 4 and 5, whereas the release of oxycodone from compound 8 is markedly enhanced by pancreatic enzymes.
Effect of Pancreatin (0.5 mg/mL at 37° C., pH 7.4)
and Pepsin (2 mg/mL at 37° C., pH 2) on the Half-Life
for Release of Oxycodone from Prodrugs 4, 5 and 8
Half-Life for Hydrolysis (h)
Compound
no pancreatin
plus pancreatin
plus pepsin
4
5.5
4.8
105
5
11
8
103
8
6.9
1
CONCLUSIONS
These data indicate that it is possible to identify prodrugs which either resist or are susceptible to the action of pancreatic enzymes. By using one or two or more prodrugs with different half-lives in the digestive tract, it should be possible for one skilled in the art to obtain a desired oscillation in oxycodone concentration in the blood over the dosing interval. | The abuse potential of a bioavailable drug such as an opiate analgesic agent is reduced and its duration of action is extended by converting it to a poorly absorbed ester prodrug or other prodrug derivative prior to formulation. Unlike many existing sustained release formulations of active pharmaceutical agents wherein an active pharmaceutical agent can be released by chewing, crushing, or otherwise breaking tablets or capsule beads containing the active pharmaceutical agent, such mechanical processing of tablets or capsule beads containing a prodrug of this invention neither releases the active drug nor compromises the controlled conversion of prodrug to drug. Moreover, tablets and capsule beads containing prodrugs of this invention or other drugs can be formulated with a sufficient amount of a thickening agent such as hydroxypropylmethylcellulose or carboxymethylcellulose to impede inappropriate intravenous and nasal administration of formulations that are not indicated for these modes of administration. | 0 |
FIELD
[0001] This invention relates generally to tagging systems, more particularly, to methods and systems for a tagging system for a variety of applications.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
[0002] The amount of data available to information seekers has grown astronomically, whether as the result of the proliferation of information sources on the Internet, or as a result of private efforts to organize business information within a company, or any of a variety of other causes. As the amount of available data grows, so does the need to be able to categorize or label that data so that the data may be more efficiently searched. One approach is to use tagging for this task.
[0003] Tagging is the process of adding or attaching metadata such as descriptive attributes to a data object. A tag may be thought of as a category name. As used herein, a data object may be any type of data (e.g., a website, a text file, an image or a Word document). Operating systems, search mechanisms and filtering mechanisms may utilize tags to organize, sort or filter data objects. A taxonomy or system of classification may be defined by a set of tags and their relationships.
[0004] Tagging has become prevalent on the Internet as a means for organizing, and identifying relevant websites, articles and other data objects. Internet services allow users to apply tags to websites, photographic images, articles and the like. Tagging provides users with the ability to classify data objects both for their own use and for use by others. Popular web sites such as Flickr™. and del.icio.us allow users to tag and share photographic images and websites with communities of users.
[0005] Tagging is also useful within the context of a single client and allows the user to organize data within the client. For example, a user may store a collection of photographic images on the client. The user may apply the tag “vacation” to photographs taken while on holiday and “graduation” to photographs from graduation day. By sorting the photographs by the tags, the user is able to retrieve the appropriate photographs quickly and efficiently without having to view irrelevant and/or unwanted photographs.
[0006] Although tagging can be useful, it is not without disadvantages and drawbacks in a single enterprise or client environment. For example, tags can be applied to many types of data objects within the environment but they can only be utilized by the respective application. More specifically, a tag term, e.g., urban, can be applied to a subset of digital images stored within a file system of the environment. Similarly, a set of word processing files can also be tagged with the tag term “urban”. For a user to retrieve urban tagged digital images and documents, the user can be forced to conduct two searches: one search in the imaging software that organizes the photographs and a second search in the document managing system that manages word processing files. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a mechanism to allow user to search for all relevant data types across all types of applications in a single search.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] Various features of the embodiments can be more fully appreciated, as the same become better understood with reference to the following detailed description of an embodiment when considered in connection with the accompanying figures, in which:
[0008] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary system in accordance with an embodiment;
[0009] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary block diagram in accordance with another embodiment;
[0010] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary flow diagram in accordance with yet another embodiment;
[0011] FIG. 4 illustrates another exemplary flow diagram in accordance with another embodiment; and
[0012] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary computer system in accordance with yet another embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0013] For simplicity and illustrative purposes, the principles of the present invention are described by referring mainly to exemplary embodiments thereof. However, one of ordinary skill in the art would readily recognize that the same principles are equally applicable to, and can be implemented in, all types of computing systems, and that any such variations do not depart from the true spirit and scope of the present invention. Moreover, in the following detailed description, references are made to the accompanying figures, which illustrate specific embodiments. Electrical, mechanical, logical and structural changes may be made to the embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 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 and their equivalents.
[0014] Embodiments relate generally to systems and methods for a tagging engine for a variety of applications. More particularly, the context tagging engine can be configured to apply a tag to data objects that may be any type of data (e.g., a website, a text file, an image or a Word document), each data type having a respective application (browser, electronic mail, spreadsheet, content repository, etc.) While a user has a data object opened in an application, a user can activate a menu icon within the application to activate the context tagging engine. The context tagging engine can display a graphical user interface, e.g., a dialog box, for the user to apply tag terms to the data object. After the user completes tagging the data object, the context tagging engine can save each tag term as a triple. The triple can be considered a data set with three elements: a tag term, an application context, and a link to the data object. Accordingly, for each tag term that a user inputs, the context tagging engine creates a respective triple comprising the tag term, the respective application that opens the data object, and a link to the data object. The context tagging engine can then store the triples in a context tag repository, database or similar device.
[0015] Subsequently, the context tagging engine can also comprise a search engine. A user can use the search engine to formulate a query with at least one tag term. The search engine can then return a list of links, where each link points to the data object had been tagged with the at least one tag term. The user can then activate a link to open the data object in its native application.
[0016] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary software environment 100 in accordance with an embodiment. It should be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that the software environment 100 depicted in FIG. 1 represents a generalized schematic illustration and that other components may be added or existing components may be removed or modified.
[0017] As shown in FIG. 1 , the software environment 100 may include an operating system 105 . The operating system 105 may be a version of a Linux™, UNIX™, Windows™, or similar multi-tasking, multi-user operating system. A run-time environment (not shown) may be configured to execute on the operating system 105 . The run-time environment may provide a set of software that supports the execution of applications/programs. The run-time environment may also comprise an application program interface (“API”) 110 and a complementary API (not shown) within an application space 115 . The API 110 may be configured to provide a set of routines that the application space 115 uses to request lower-level services performed by the operating system 105 . The operating system 105 may include a kernel (not shown). The kernel may be configured to provide secure access to the underlying hardware of a processor.
[0018] The application space 115 can represent the space where a user can execute applications given the allotted memory space as determined by a system administrators of the software environment 100 . Within the application space 115 , a user can open and execute a number of applications 120 . The applications that can be executed within the application space 115 can be a wide variety from databases, electronic mail, customer relationship management programs, utilities, browsers, multi-media application, word processing applications, spreadsheet applications, etc. Each of the applications has a native file and/or document format that is associated with the respective application. For example, Microsoft Word™ has default document format, a Word document. Similarly, Adobe™ has a default document type, “pdf” file as another example.
[0019] The software environment 100 can further include a context tagging module 125 . The context module 125 can be configured to to apply tags (or metadata) to the data objects of the applications 120 . While a user has a data object opened in a selected application, a user can activate a menu icon within the selected application to activate the context tagging module 125 .
[0020] The context tagging module 125 can display a graphical user interface, e.g., a dialog box, for the user to apply tag terms to the data object in response to being invoked. After the user completes tagging the data object, the context tagging module 125 can save each tag term as a triple. The triple can represent a data set with three elements: a tag term, an application context, and a link to the data object. The tag term can be metadata that describes an attribute of the data object. The application context can be the native application that opens the data object. The link to the data object can a hyperlink or a pointer to the physical location of the data object.
[0021] Accordingly, for each tag term that a user inputs, the context tagging engine creates a respective triple comprising the tag term, the name of the respective application that operates on the data object, and a link to the data object. The context tagging module 125 can then store the triples in a context tag repository, database or similar device.
[0022] Subsequently, the context tagging module 125 can also comprise a search engine. A user can use the search engine to formulate a query with at least one tag term. The search engine can then return a list of links, where each link points to the data object had been tagged with the at least one tag term. The user can then activate a link to open the data object in its native application 120 .
[0023] FIG. 2 depicts a more detailed block diagram 200 of the context tagging module 125 in accordance with another embodiment. It should be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that the diagram depicted in FIG. 2 represents a generalized schematic illustration and that other components may be added or existing components may be removed or modified.
[0024] As shown in FIG. 2 , the context tagging module 125 can comprise a context tagging engine 205 , a context application interface 210 , a repository 215 , and a search engine 220 . The modules 205 - 220 of the context tagging module 125 can be implemented as software components, hardware components or combinations thereof. More particularly, the module 205 - 220 can be implemented using conventional programming languages (e.g., Pascal, FORTRAN, etc.), objected oriented programming languages (e.g., C++), Java, PHP, Perl, or other similar languages. The module 205 - 220 can also be implemented as hardware components such as an application specific integrated circuit, a programmable read-only memory, an EEPROM, a microcontroller, a microprocessor or other similar computing platform.
[0025] The context tagging engine 205 can be configured to manage the modules 210 - 220 to provide the functionality of the context tagging module 125 as previously described and further described herein below. The context tagging engine 205 can be configured, among other things, to receive tag terms applied to a data object from a user and to create a triple for each tag term, where a triple comprises of three elements: a tag term, an application context, and a link to the data object. The context tagging engine 205 can also be configured to store the triples in the repository 215 . The context tagging engine 205 can be further generated to graphical user interfaces and/or graphical widgets for a user to interface with the context tagging module 125 . For example, the context tagging engine 205 can generate a dialog box for a user to enter tag terms for a data object. In some embodiments, the context tagging module 125 can include a user interface module to generate the appropriate graphical user interfaces.
[0026] The context tagging engine 205 can be coupled to the context application interface 210 . The context application interface 210 can be configured to provide an interface to the applications 120 . More particularly, a menu icon that is linked to the context application interface 210 can be configured to be installed with the application 120 . In some instances, the applications 120 can be open source applications, which allow these configuration/installation modifications. If the applications 120 are proprietary applications, i.e., not open source, the applications 120 may permit the same configuration/installation modification depending on their published application program interfaces. When the menu icon is activated, the context application interface 210 can receive the name of the activating application as well as a link to the data object that is opened in the activating application.
[0027] The context tagging engine 205 can be further coupled to the repository 215 . The repository 215 can be configured to store the triples created by the context tagging engine 205 and to provide a searchable data structure to retrieve previously stored triples. The repository 215 can be implemented as a database using open source technologies, proprietary technologies, or combinations thereof.
[0028] The context tagging module 125 can include a search engine 220 . The search engine 220 can be an independent module 220 or be part of the repository 215 in some embodiments. The search engine 220 can be configured to receive a query from a user that includes at least one tag term. The search engine 220 can then be configured to search the repository 215 for the triples that include the at least one tag term.
[0029] The search engine 220 can then compile a list of matching triples and temporarily buffer the list of matching triples. Subsequently, the search engine 220 can extract the name of the data object from the triples and display the list of matching data objects, each entry on the list displaying the name of the data object as a hyperlink. A user can review the list and activate the link to bring up the data object in its native application. In some embodiments, the user can preview the data object by placing a mouse over the respective entry and bring up a thumbnail image of the data object. Accordingly, a user can bring up matching data objects from every user that contain at least one selected tag term.
[0030] FIG. 3 depicts an exemplary tagging flow diagram 300 implemented by the context tagging engine 205 in accordance with another embodiment. It should be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that the flow diagram 300 depicted in FIG. 3 represents a generalized schematic illustration and that other steps may be added or existing steps may be removed or modified.
[0031] As shown in FIG. 3 , the context tagging engine 205 can be configured to receive at least one tag terms associated with a data object, in step 305 . More specifically, the context tagging engine 205 can be invoked when a user activates a menu icon within the respective application of the data object. The activate of the menu icon can also forward the name of the respective application as well as a link to the data object to the context tagging engine 205 through the context application interface 210 . The name of the respective application and the link can be temporarily buffered by the context tagging engine 205 .
[0032] The context tagging engine 205 can also generate a graphical user interface to receive the tag terms from the user. For example, the context tagging engine 205 can be configured to generate a dialog box that contains a text entry field for a user to input tag terms.
[0033] In step 310 , the context tagging engine 205 can be configured to create a triple for each of the received tags from step 305 . More particularly, the context tagging engine 205 can retrieve the buffered name of the respective application and the link to the data object and populate a triple with a tag term, the name of the respective application and the link to the data object. A respective triple can then be created for each tag term inputted by the user.
[0034] Subsequently, in step 315 , the context tagging engine 205 can be configured to store the triple in the repository 215 .
[0035] FIG. 4 depicts an exemplary tagging flow diagram 400 implemented by the search engine 220 in accordance with another embodiment. It should be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that the flow diagram 400 depicted in FIG. 4 represents a generalized schematic illustration and that other steps may be added or existing steps may be removed or modified.
[0036] As shown in FIG. 4 , the search engine 220 can be configured to receive a query from a user in step 405 . More specifically, a user can access the search engine 220 of the context tagging module 125 by activating a menu option, command prompt, icon, etc. The search engine 220 can then display a query graphical user interface (“GUI”) for a user to enter tag terms to search for data objects. The query GUI can have a text entry field for users to enter tag terms. In some embodiments, boolean logic can be included in the query GUI to allow for a more focused search with additional search terms. The user can forward the inputted tag terms to the search engine 220 in response to an activation of a submit widget on the query GUI. Subsequently, the search engine 220 can temporarily buffer the query with the selected tag terms.
[0037] In step 410 , the search engine 220 can be configured to search the repository 215 with the query. The search engine 220 can be configured to temporarily buffer the matching triples.
[0038] In step 415 , the search engine 220 can then be configured to present the search result list to the user. More specifically, the search engine 220 can extract the name of the data object from the triples and display the list of matching data objects, each entry on the list displaying the name of the data object as a hyperlink. A user can review the list and activate the link to bring up the data object in its native application. In some embodiments, the user can preview the data object by placing a mouse over the respective entry and bring up a thumbnail image of the data object.
[0039] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a computing system 500 where an embodiment may be practiced. The functions of the context tagging module 125 may be implemented in program code and executed by the computing platform 500 . The context tagging module 125 may be implemented in computer languages such as PASCAL, C, C++, JAVA, etc.
[0040] As shown in FIG. 5 , the computer system 500 includes one or more processors, such as processor 502 that provide an execution platform for embodiments of the context tagging module 125 . Commands and data from the processor 502 are communicated over a communication bus 504 . The computer system 500 also includes a main memory 506 , such as a Random Access Memory (RAM), where the context tagging module 125 may be executed during runtime, and a secondary memory 508 . The secondary memory 508 includes, for example, a hard disk drive 510 and/or a removable storage drive 512 , representing a floppy diskette drive, a magnetic tape drive, a compact disk drive, etc., where a copy of a computer program embodiment for the context tagging module 125 may be stored. The removable storage drive 512 reads from and/or writes to a removable storage unit 514 in a well-known manner. A user interfaces with the context tagging module 125 with a keyboard 516 , a mouse 518 , and a display 520 . The display adapter 522 interfaces with the communication bus 504 and the display 520 . The display adapter 522 also receives display data from the processor 502 and converts the display data into display commands for the display 520 .
[0041] Certain embodiments may be performed as a computer program. The computer program may exist in a variety of forms both active and inactive. For example, the computer program can exist as software program(s) comprised of program instructions in source code, object code, executable code or other formats; firmware program(s); or hardware description language (HDL) files. Any of the above can be embodied on a computer readable medium, which include storage devices and signals, in compressed or uncompressed form. Exemplary computer readable storage devices include conventional computer system RAM (random access memory), ROM (read-only memory), EPROM (erasable, programmable ROM), EEPROM (electrically erasable, programmable ROM), and magnetic or optical disks or tapes. Exemplary computer readable signals, whether modulated using a carrier or not, are signals that a computer system hosting or running the present invention can be configured to access, including signals downloaded through the Internet or other networks. Concrete examples of the foregoing include distribution of executable software program(s) of the computer program on a CD-ROM or via Internet download. In a sense, the Internet itself, as an abstract entity, is a computer readable medium. The same is true of computer networks in general.
[0042] While the invention has been described with reference to the exemplary embodiments thereof, those skilled in the art will be able to make various modifications to the described embodiments without departing from the true spirit and scope. The terms and descriptions used herein are set forth by way of illustration only and are not meant as limitations. In particular, although the method has been described by examples, the steps of the method may be performed in a different order than illustrated or simultaneously. Those skilled in the art will recognize that these and other variations are possible within the spirit and scope as defined in the following claims and their equivalents. | An embodiment pertains generally to a method of tagging for a variety of applications. The method includes providing for a data object, the data object associated with a respective application and applying at least one tag term to the data object. The method also includes creating a context triple for each of the at least one tag term, where a first element of the context triple is the at least one tag term. The method further includes storing the context tag triple in a searchable repository. | 6 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a massage device which provides pleasant and effective massaging of the soles of the feet.
Recently several different types of massage machines operating according to mechanical and electromagnetic principles which can replace skilled practitioners in Japanese finger acupressure (Shiatsu) therapy have been developed.
Some of these massage devices resemble the so-called shoulder massage machines for massaging the waist, back, shoulders, etc. which use the opening and closing motion of a pair of massage device elements in contact with the appropriate part of the body. Other massage devices use rollers mounted under a bed which move as they press against the appropriate part of the body of a patient sleeping atop the bed. Vibrator devices which convert rotary motion generated by a motor into reciprocating motion to create vibrations or which transmit vibrations generated by electromagnetic methods to the appropriate part of the body to obtain a massage effect are also well known.
Devices for massaging the sole of the foot, which, operating on the same principle as shoulder massage devices, use the opening and closing motion of a pair of massage device elements in contact with the foot, and hand held vibrators for transmitting vibrations to the sole of the foot are also used.
The shoulder massage devices described above have serious drawbacks, however. The opening and closing of the massage device elements produce a massaging effect only at those places on the body which can be reached by this type of device. These massage devices cannot produce the same effect as shiatsu applied by finger pressure at an acupressure point on the body. Moreover, the pressure applied by the massage device elements on the body varies as the massage device elements move across the surface of the body. Thus an even massaging effect cannot be achieved.
Moving rollers pressing against the body likewise cannot achieve the same effect as shiatsu at the acupressure points of the body. The irregular rises and depressions on the surface of the human body do not correspond to the fixed path which the rollers should follow across the body. Thus the rollers cannot apply pressure evenly along the surface of the body and cannot provide an even massaging effect.
Techniques using hand held vibrators naturally cannot produce shiatsu like effects. Obtaining an even pressure as the vibrator moves along appropriate places on the body is very difficult.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a massage device capable of producing an acupressure effect on sensitive points of the body thus providing massaging on raised and depressed parts of the body with even pressure.
According to one embodiment of the invention there is provided a massage device including a fluid supply; a hydraulic cylinder connected to the fluid supply; a piston slidably fitted in the hydraulic cylinder; a pressure member attached to an end of the piston for applying a pressure to part of the body; and pressure control device for controlling a maximum pressure of a fluid from the fluid supply to the hydraulic cylinder. It is preferred that the pressure control device is a pressure reducing pressure control valve capable of controlling the maximum pressure of a fluid supplied to the hydraulic cylinder.
According to another embodiment of the invention there is provided a massage device including a casing with at least one opening on its top wall; at least one foot rest with a sheet covering the opening; at least one hydraulic cylinder with a piston rod having a pressure unit which applies an intermittent pressure part of the body via the sheet; a driving device for moving the hydraulic cylinder in a plane substantially parallel to the sheet; a fluid supplying circuit for supplying a fluid to the hydraulic cylinder; and a pressure control device provided in the fluid supplying circuit for controlling a maximum pressure of the fluid to the hydraulic cylinder.
The casing may be rotatably mounted on a platform and locked at a given angle by means of a locking device.
According to still another embodiment of the invention there is provided a massage device including a casing with at least one opening; at least one foot rest with a sheet covering the opening; a movable unit provided within the casing such that it is movable in an X-axis direction; a hydraulic cylinder which is secured to the movable unit such that it is movable in a Y-axis direction perpendicular to the X-axis direction and has a piston rod with a pressure unit for applying an intermittent pressure to part of the body via the sheet; an X-axis driving device for moving the movable unit in the X-axis direction; a Y-axis driving device for moving the hydraulic cylinder within the movable unit in the Y-axis direction; a carrier stage attached to the movable unit such that it slidably contacts the sheet, the carrier stage having a groove with a predetermined width in which a tip of the hydraulic cylinder passes; a fluid supplying circuit for supplying a fluid to the hydraulic cylinder; and a pressure control device for controlling a maximum pressure of a fluid supplied to the hydraulic cylinder.
With the first embodiment, it is possible to move the hydraulic cylinder on the proper location of the body so that the shiatsu unit intermittently presses the proper location by means of the hydraulic circuit which reciprocates the piston rod. The pressure control device provided in the hydraulic circuit is equipped with a device capable of keeping the maximum pressure applied to the proper body points constant despite the rises and falls of the body contour. The maximum pressure control device may be a reducing pressure, pressure control valve enabling one to set the maximum pressure at a given value.
With the second embodiment, when the feet rest on the foot rests, the shiatsu units intermittently press the soles of the feet at a predetermined period by means of the hydraulic circuit reciprocates the piston rods. The driving devices are then controlled to move the hydraulic cylinders so that the shiatsu units provide the intermittent pressure over the entire soles of the feet. Similarly, the maximum pressure control device in the hydraulic circuit keeps the pressures to the soles by the shiatsu units constant despite the rises and falls of the sole surface.
With the locking device, the casing may be locked to the platform such that its top surface faces upward thereby permitting the user to sit on a chair for receiving the massage. When the casing is locked to the platform such that its top surface becomes substantially parallel to a vertical plane, the user may lie on the back for receiving the massage. When the locking device is released so that the casing is able to rotate freely, the user may move the ankles freely thereby eliminating unnatural load on the ankles.
In the third embodiment, the movable units are movable in the X-axis direction (between the inner and outer sides of a foot) and the hydraulic cylinders are attached to the movable units such that they are movable in the Y-axis direction (between the toe and heel of a foot), whereby the hydraulic cylinders are movable in both the X-axis and Y-axis directions while applying an intermittent pressure to the soles of the feet. When the feet rest on the foot rests, the feet are supported by the top plate through the sheets so that the feet do not fall while the hydraulic cylinders move in the X-axis and Y-axis directions thereby eliminating the need for an effort to keep the feet at the desired height.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a massage device according to an embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line II--II of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line III--III of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line IV--IV of FIG. 2;
FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line V--V of FIG. 2;
FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line VI--VI of FIG. 3;
FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line VII--VII of FIG. 3;
FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line VII--VIII of FIG. 3;
FIG. 9 is an elevational view of a pneumatic cylinder useful for the massage device of FIG. 1;
FIG. 10 is a longitudinal section of the pneumatic cylinder of FIG. 9;
FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of a pneumatic circuit useful for the massage device of FIG. 1;
FIG. 12 is a sectional view showing the operation of the massage device of FIG. 1;
FIGS. 13 and 14 are perspective views of a massage device according to another embodiment of the invention;
FIGS. 15 and 16 illustrate the operation of the massage device of FIGS. 13 and 14;
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Embodiment of this invention are explained below using the accompanying drawings. First, the application of this invention to a massage machine which massages the sole of the foot is described.
In FIG. 1, a sole massaging machine incorporating this invention includes a pair of foot rests 4,4 made up of parallel openings 2,2 in the top wall 1a of a casing 1 and flexible cloth sheet 3,3 which stretches across the bottom of the openings so as to close them (see FIG. 6 and FIG. 8). Plastic protectors 5,5 in the shape of a foot sole are placed along the circumferential edges of the openings 2,2. Belts 5a,5a and rings 5b, 5b are provided to fasten the foot securely to the foot rests 4,4.
FIG. 2 through FIG. 5 show a pair of moving units 6,6 inside the casing 1 which move in parallel along the X axis (from the left to right). These moving units 6,6 are placed in positions corresponding to the pair of foot rests 4,4 inside the casing 1. Each of the moving units 6 consists of two side plates 7,7 at the front and back; a guide rod 8 fixed in the Y direction (backwards and forwards direction) and extending across the two plates; and a top plate 9 which extends to the upper ends of the side plates 7,7 and is attached to them. The sheet 3 is in contact with the upper surface of top plate 9 or else there is only a small space between the two. Accordingly, when feet are placed in foot rests 4,4 the soles of the feet are supported by the top plate 9 through the sheet 3.
On one side of the interior of casing 1, a first screw shaft 10 extending along the X-axis is supported by bearings 11 so that it can rotate freely. It has a right-handed screw 10a on the right side and a left-handed screw 10b on the left side. A right-handed nut 12 is fastened to the plate 7 at the rear of the right moving unit 6. The right-handed nut 12 is screwed on the right-handed screw 10a of the first screw shaft 10. A left-handed nut 13 is fastened to the plate 7 at the rear of the left moving unit 6. The left-handed nut 13 is screwed onto the left-handed screw 10b of the first screw shaft 10. A gear 14 fastened near the center of the first screw shaft 10 meshes with a gear 17 which is fastened to a drive shaft 16a of a first drive motor 16 (see FIG. 2). The first drive motor 16 produces rotary motion according to a preset electric signal, thereby rotating the first screw shaft 10 and moving the pair of moving units 6,6 symmetrically along the X-axis. In this example, the device which produces the drive in the X-direction includes the first drive motor 16, the first screw shaft 10, the right-handed screw nut 12 and the left-handed screw nut 13. Moreover, on the other side of the interior of the casing 1 (the front side) a guide rod 18 extending in the X-direction is attached to the casing 1. A pair of guide blocks 19, which are attached to the side plate 7,7 at the front of the moving unit 6,6, are mounted on the guide rod 18 in such a way that the guide blocks 19 can move freely, sliding on the surface of the guide rod 18, in the X-direction.
In the central area of the casing 1, a second screw shaft 20 extending in the Y-direction is supported by bearings 21, 21 in such a manner that it rotates freely within the casing 1. A gear 22 fastened to the front section of a second screw shaft 20 meshes with a gear 24 fastened to a drive shaft 23a of a second drive motor 23 (see FIG. 7). A nut 25 is screwed onto the second screw shaft 20. The nut 25 constitutes as a single unit with two extension rods 26, 26 which extend out of both sides of nut 25 along the X-axis. Thus, in this example the device which produces movement in the Y-axis direction is composed of the second drive motor 23, the second screw shaft 20, the nut 25 and the extension rods 26, 26.
The pair of moving units 6, 6 have pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders 30, 30. Fixed to each of the pair pneumatic cylinders 30, 30 are a slide block 32 which has an X-axis shaft hole 31 and a slide block 34 which has a Y-axis shaft hole 33 (see FIG. 6 and FIG. 8). A pair of the extension rods 26, 26 are inserted in the X-axis shaft holes 31, 31 so that they can move freely in the axial direction. Similarly, the guide rod 8 from each of the moving units 6, 6 is inserted in the Y-axis shaft holes 33, 33 so that they can move in the axial direction. Moreover, in each of the top plates 9, 9 on the moving units 6, 6 a channel 35 extending in the Y-axis direction and having a predetermined width permits the upper end of the air cylinder to pass when the air cylinder 30, 30 moves in the Y-direction along the guide rods 8, 8 (see FIG. 2 and FIG. 4).
Limit switches 36 and 37 area attached to the slide block 34 at the bottom of one side (the right side) of air cylinder 30 so as to detect movements of the air cylinder 30 to the left or to the right. A pair of contact rails 38 and 39 which the limit switches 36 and 37 contact are shaped to follow roughly the inner and outer sides of the foot.
Similarly, limit switches 40 and 41 are attached to the slide block 34 at the bottom of the other side (the left side) of the air cylinder 30 so as to detect movements of the air cylinder 30 to the front or to the back. A pair of contact 42 and 43 which the limit switches 40 and 41 contact are positioned corresponding to the toe and the heel of the foot. Here, the contact 42, in a position corresponding to the back of the foot, is fastened to the guide rod 8. The contact 43 on the other side, corresponding to the tip of the foot, is held in place on the bottom wall of the casing 1 so that it can slide forwards and backwards. By sliding the contact 43 on the other side a suitable distance, the position of the front end of the pneumatic cylinder 30 can be changed according to the size of the foot (see FIG. 5 and FIG. 6).
Now, the structure of the pneumatic cylinder 30 is described in detail with reference to FIG. 9 and FIG. 10. The air cylinder 30 has an piston rod 30b fastened to cylinder section 30a in a manner that allows it to move in and out. Selectively supplying or removing the working fluid or air from the upper area or the lower area of the piston 30c produces the up and down movement of the piston rod 30b. A removable bearing block 30d is screwed to the upper end of the piston rod 30b. On the upper end of the bearing block 30d, ball bearings 30e hold a spherical shiatsu unit 30f so that it can rotate freely.
The fluid feeding and exhaust circuit 50 for supplying and removing air in pneumatic cylinders 30, 30 shown in FIG. 11 includes a compressor 51 as its power source (continued within casing 1); a fluid pressure adjustment valve 53 for regulating the pressure of the air from the compressor 51 passing through the main pathway 52; a pressure meter 54 which indicates the value of the air pressure which has been adjusted by the fluid pressure adjustment valve 53; an electromagnetic valve 57 which can select one of two air paths 55 or 56 which pass through the upper or the lower space of pistons 30c, 30con the pair of air cylinders 30, 30. The maximum pressure of the air, which produces the maximum pressure against the sole of the foot by the shiatsu unit 30, can be adjusted manually as desired using a relief valve at the fluid pressure adjustment valve 53. Moreover, the electromagnetic pneumatic valve 57 switches periodically (every two seconds, for example) between air circuits 55 and 56 which serve as the air feeding circuit and the air exhaust circuit, respectively, thereby reciprocating the piston rods 30b, 30b of the pneumatic cylinders 30, 30 at a predetermined period. Moreover, the fluid pressure adjustment valve 53 can be used as a pressure control valve which maintains the pressure from pressure control device constant at the maximum shiatsu pressure as well as a valve for adjusting the maximum pressure of the shiatsu unit 30f on the sole of the foot as desired.
As shown in FIG. 1, this device includes a control panel 60 having a manually operated forward motion limit switch 61, backward motion limit switch 62, inward motion limit switch 63 and outward motion limit switch 64 and a preset limit switch 65 and a control unit 70 (inside the casing 1) which outputs control signals j and k to the first drive motor 16 and the second drive motor 23 in response to input signals a-e from the switches 61-65 of the control panel 60 and signals f-i from the limit switches 36, 37, 40, 41. The electromagnetic control valve 57 is designed to operate in response to a signal m from the control unit 70.
The operation of this embodiment is explained. First, the user, in a sitting position, places his feet on the pair of foot rests 4, 4 and then, as shown in FIG. 12, straps his feet in place using belts 5a, 5a. As FIG. 1 shows, by turning a knob 70a, the sliding contact unit 43 (see FIG. 5 and FIG. 6) linked to the knob are moved into positions depending upon the size of the foot. In this situation, by turning the main switch 71 to ON, the compressor 51 is activated to blow air through the main circuit 52. A signal m is sent from the control unit 70 to the electromagnetic valve 57, causing the piston rods 30b, 30b of the pair of pneumatic cylinders 30, 30 to move in and out periodically. Thus, each shiatsu unit 30f connected to the piston rod 30b intermittently presses the sole of the foot through the sheet 3 as shown in the FIG. 12. Here, the user adjusts for the maximum pressure that the shiatsu unit 30f exerts on the sole of his feet by moving the knob 72 while watching a pressure meter 54 shown in FIG. 1 so as to change the air pressure adjustment made in the fluid pressure adjustment valve 53.
The control unit 70 sends the signal k to the second drive motor 23 to turn the second drive motor 23 clockwise or counterclockwise, which turns the second screw shaft 20 clockwise or counterclockwise, and moves the nut 25 and the extension rod 26, 26 forwards or backwards. This moves the pair of pneumatic cylinders 30, 30 backwards or forwards along the guide rods 8, 8. In this case, the second drive motor 23 switches between clockwise and counterclockwise rotation when a signal h or signal i is ON at limit switches 40 or 41 on the left hand side of pneumatic cylinder 30 as shown in FIG. 5. Accordingly, if the two pneumatic cylinders 30, 30 moves forward, pushing the limit switch 40 into the contact member 43, then the direction of the two pneumatic cylinders 30, 30 changes to backwards. Similarly, if the two pneumatic cylinders 30, 30 moves backwards, pushing the limit switch 41 into the contact member 42, then the direction of the two pneumatic cylinders 30, 30 changes to forwards. If while these operations are being carried repetitively, the user turns the forward motion switch 61 or the reverse motion switch 62 on the control panel 60 to ON, then the input signals a or b to the control unit 70 are ON. This ON signal has priority. If, for example, while the pneumatic cylinders 30, 30 are moving backwards, the signal a from the forward motion switch 61 turns ON, then the pneumatic cylinders 30, 30 will move forward until the signal a turns OFF. Conversely, if while the pneumatic cylinders 30, 30 are moving forward the signal b from the reverse motion switch 62 turns ON, the pneumatic cylinders 30, 30 will move backwards until the signal b turns OFF.
Moreover, if while the pneumatic cylinders 30, 30 are moving back and forth, the user turns the inner movement switch 63 or the other movement switch 64 on the control panel 60 to ON, then a signal c or d input to the control unit 70 will turn ON, the pneumatic cylinders 30, 30 will moves inward in the direction of approach or outward in the direction of separation. The control unit 70, if the signal c from the inner motion limit switch 63 is ON, sends a preset signal j to the first drive motor 16. This signal j makes the first drive motor 16 turn clockwise, which makes the first screw shaft 10 also turn clockwise. This moves the pairs of moving units 6, 6 and of pneumatic cylinders 30, 30 move towards one another. If the signal d from the outward motion switch is ON, the control unit 70 outputs a signal j which makes the first drive motor 16 turn counterclockwise, which makes the first screw shaft 10 also turn counterclockwise. This makes the pairs of moving units 6, 6 and the pneumatic cylinders 30, 30 move away from each other.
If, while the pneumatic cylinders 30, 30 are moving inward or outward, the signal f or g from the limit switches 36 or 37 attached to the right side of the pneumatic cylinder 30 as shown in FIG. 5 turns ON because the limit switch 36 is touching the contact 38 or the limit switch 37 is touching the contact 39, then the control unit 70 sends a signal j for a short interval. This makes the first drive motor 16 reverse its previous direction of rotation so that the remote switch 36 or 37 is temporarily separated from contacts 38 and 39. Accordingly, since the contacts 38 and 39 are made to conform with the inner and outer sides of the foot, the pneumatic cylinder 30 does not deviate from the contours of the foot.
If when the user turns the preset switch 65 on the control panel 60 to ON, the input signal e to the control unit 70 is ON, the control 70 outputs a signal k which makes the direction of rotation of the second drive motor 23 reverse itself at a preset interval (six seconds for example). In this case, the pneumatic cylinders 30, 30 are restricted to back and forth within a narrow range. This enables the shiatsu unit 3f to apply pressure specifically to the acupressure points.
The pneumatic or air cylinder 30 used as the fluid cylinder may, of course, be replaced by a hydraulic or oil cylinder.
FIGS. 13-16 show other embodiments of this invention. The casing 1 of the automatic massaging device described above is supported on a platform 82 through a rotary shaft 81 so that the platform 82 can rotate freely. A locking device 83 on one side of the platform 82 makes it possible to fix the casing 1 at a given angle. The locking device 83 includes a disk 84 fixed to one end of the rotary shaft 81 for rotation as a unit with the casing 1; a pair of pads 85, 85 which press on both side of the disk 84; and a lever 85, connected to the pair of pads 85, 85 by a linkage mechanism not shown in the figure, which presses the pads 85, 85 against a disk 84 or separates the pads 85, 85 from the disk 84. Thus, by operating lever 86, the pair of pads 85, 85 are pressed against the disk 84 and the casing 1 is firmly fixed to the platform 82.
Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 13, if the top wall 1a of the casing 1 of the foot rests 4,4 is oriented upwards and the locking device 83 firmly secures the casing 1 in that attitude to the platform 82, then as FIG. 15 shows, the user can use the this massage machine while sitting down. Moreover, if, as shown in FIG. 14, the top wall 1a of the casing 1 of the foot rests 4,4 is oriented vertically and the locking device 83 firmly secures the casing 1 in that attitude to the platform 82, then, as FIG. 16 shows, the user can use the massage machine while asleep in a reclining position. Releasing the lock of the lock device 83 enables the casing 1 to rotate with respect to the platform 82. Thus the user can use the massage machine while moving the joints of the hands and feet freely without putting an unnecessary strain on the hands and feet.
Although in this embodiment the invention has been adapted to a machine for massaging the feet, this invention also has other applications in massaging the other acupressure points of the body as well.
While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described using specific terms, such description is illustrative purposes only, and it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as recited in the following claims. | A massage device including a casing with a pair of openings; a pair of foot rests with a sheet covering the opening; a pair of movable units provided within the casing and movable in an X-axis direction; a pneumatic or hydraulic engine with a hydraulic cylinder secured to the movable unit such that it is movable in a Y-axis direction perpendicular to the X-axis direction and has a piston rod with a pressure unit at its free end for applying an intermittent pressure to part of the body through the sheet; a fluid supplying circuit for supplying a fluid to the hydraulic cylinder; and a pressure control device for controlling a maximum pressure of a fluid supplied to the hydraulic cylinder. | 0 |
BACKGROUND
[0001] Cancer is one of the most dreaded diseases of mankind, it is a leading cause of death throughout the world, currently, one in 4 deaths in the United States is due to cancer [1]. More than ten million new cancer cases occur annually, roughly half of which is in the developed countries, and the disease causes over six million deaths a year [2,3]. Recent studies revealed that cancer has become an ever-increasing problem in Saudi Arabia [4-6]. In 2005, cancer killed approximately 12,000 of Saudi people, 8000 of those people were under age of 70 [7]. Furthermore, cancer is growing in Saudi Arabia with 7,000 new cases being reported each year and the figure will reach 30,000 in 15 years, according to one expert [8]. The treatment of disseminated cancer has become increasingly aimed at molecular targets derived from studies of the oncogenes and tumor suppressors known to be involved in the development of human cancers [9]. This increase in specificity of cancer treatment, from the use of general cytotoxic agents such as nitrogen mustard in the 1940s, to the development of natural-product anticancer drugs in the 1960s such as Vinca alkaloids and anthracyclines, which are more cytotoxic to cancer cells than normal cells, to the use of specific monoclonal antibodies [10] and immunotoxins [11] targeted to cell surface receptors and specific agents that inactivate kinases in growth-promoting pathways [12], has improved the response rate in cancer and reduced side effects of anticancer treatment but has not yet resulted in cure of the majority of patients with metastatic disease. A study of the mechanisms by which cancers elude treatment has yielded a wealth of information about why these therapies fail and is beginning to yield valuable information about how to circumvent drug resistance in cancer cells and/or design agents that are not subject to the usual means of resistance.
[0002] The failure of the curative treatment of cancer patients often occurs as a result of intrinsic or acquired drug resistance of the tumor to chemotherapeutic agents. The resistance of tumors occurs not only to a single cytotoxic drug used, but also occurs as a cross-resistance to a whole range of drugs with different structures and cellular targets. This phenomenon is called multiple drug resistance (MDR). Once MDR appears, using high doses of drugs to overcome resistance is ineffective, toxic effects appear and resistance are further stimulated. Multidrug resistance (MDR) severely limits the effectiveness of chemotherapy in a variety of common malignancies and is responsible for the overall poor efficacy of cancer chemotherapy [13-17].
[0003] The cytotoxic drugs that are most frequently associated with MDR are hydrophobic, amphipathic natural products, such as the taxanes (paclitaxel and docetaxel), vinca alkaloids (vinorelbine, vincristine, and vinblastine), anthracyclines (doxorubicin, daunorubicin, and epirubicin), epipodophyllotoxins (etoposide and teniposide), antimetabolites (methorexate, fluorouracil, cytosar, 5-azacytosine, 6-mercaptopurine, and gemcitabine), topotecan, dactinomycin, and mitomycin C [16,18-20].
[0004] In spite of the large number of available chemotherapeutic agents the medical need is still largely unmet. The main reasons are: the lack of selectivity of conventional drugs, leading to toxicity; the metastatic spreading, implying early tumor implantation in organs other than primary site; the heterogeneity of the disease, comprising about 100 types of cancer; the intrinsic or acquired resistance to chemotherapy developed after few therapeutic cycles, i.e. multi-drug resistance (MDR) [21]. Therefore, new drugs that offer improvements over current therapies are desperately needed. New chemical entities with novel mechanisms of action will most likely possess activity against MDR cancer. [MDR severely limits the effectiveness of chemotherapy in a variety of common malignancies and is responsible for the overall poor efficacy of cancer chemotherapy [19-23].]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] Accordingly, the present invention describes design, synthesis and antiproliferative activity of novel N,N″-hydrazino-bis(isatin) derivatives with the following general structure (I)
[0000]
[0000] wherein
R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen atom and unsubstituted or substituted phenyl group;
R 1 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen atom and unsubstituted or substituted phenyl group;
X is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen atom or halogen atom; and
Y is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen atom, halogen atom, C 1 -C 4 alkyl group, nitro group, and —OCF 3 group.
[0006] In one embodiment of the present invention, R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen atom and unsubstituted phenyl group.
[0007] In another embodiment of the invention, R 1 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen atom and unsubstituted phenyl group.
[0008] In a further embodiment of the invention, X is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen atom and fluorine atom.
[0009] In still further embodiment of the invention, Y is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen atom, fluorine atom, chlorine atom, bromine atom, methyl group, nitro group and —OCF 3 group.
[0010] Moreover, the present invention is also related to a compound according to the present invention for use in therapy, preferably for the treatment of cancer and most preferably for the treatment of multidrug resistant cancer.
[0011] Further, the present invention is directed to a pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound according to the present invention together with at least one pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.
[0012] In a further embodiment, the present invention is directed to the use of a compound according to the present invention for the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment of cancer, most preferably for the treatment of multidrug resistant cancer.
[0013] The present invention is also related to a method of synthesis of a compound according to claim 1 , wherein
(i) an isatin of Formula (1) is reacted with hydrazine or a hydrazine hydrate to obtain a hydrazone of Formula (2),
[0000]
[0000] wherein R and X are as defined in claim 1 ; and
(ii) reacting the hydrazone obtained in step (i) with an isatin of formula (1′)
[0000]
[0000] to obtain a compound of formula (1), wherein R 1 and Y are as defined hereinabove.
[0016] Preferably, step (i) and (ii) are conducted in a polar organic solvent, preferably methanol in step (i) and ethanol/acid in step (ii).
[0017] In a preferred embodiment, step (i) and (ii) are independently conducted either under reflux conditions or with a microwave assisted method.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
1. General Synthesis of the Target Compounds
[0018] The general procedures for the preparation of the target derivatives of isatin is described in Schemes 1 and 2.
[0000]
[0000]
[0019] The target compounds can be synthesized via the reaction of the appropriate isatin with hydrazine hydrate to get the corresponding (Z)-3-hydrazinyl-indene-1-H— or 1-phenyl-indolin-2-one (2a-c) [24], Scheme 1. 2a-c can be achieved by conventional method or microwave, assisted method (MWI). Target compounds can also be obtained by conventional method or MWI through coupling the appropriate isatin derivatives with 2a-c as illustrated by scheme 2.
[0020] The synthesized compounds were purified by flash chromatography and crystallized from ethanol. The structures were confirmed by spectroscopic methods of analyses. Structures of these targets are given in Table 1.
[0000]
TABLE 1
Structure of reactants isatins 1a-h, hydrazones 2a-c and products 3-23
Isatin 1a-h
Hydrazone 2a-c
Products 3-23
1a
2a
3
1b
2a
4
1c
2a
5
1d
2a
6
1e
2a
7
1f
2a
8
1g
2a
9
1h
2a
10
1b
2b
11
1c
2b
12
1d
2b
13
1e
2b
14
1f
2b
15
1g
2b
16
1h
2b
17
1c
2c
18
1d
2c
19
1e
2c
20
1f
2c
21
1g
2c
22
1h
2c
23
2. Synthesis of hydrazones 2a-c
2.1. Conventional Method:
[0021] A mixture of isatins 1a-c (1 mmol) and hydrazine hydrate (99%, 0.055 g, 1.1 mmol) in absolute methanol (25 ml) was refluxed for 1 h, and then cooled to room temperature. The precipitate of hydrazones was filtered and dried. The crude product was recrystallized from EtOH/DMF to give hydrazones 2a-c in 69-77% yield.
2.2. Microwave Method:
[0022] The appropriate isatins 1a-c (1 mmol) and hydrazine hydrate (99%, 0.055 g, 1.1 mmol) in absolute methanol (10 ml) were placed in the tube of microwave reactor and irradiated at 90° C. for 1 min. The temperature of the reaction mixture was adjusted by the computer of the microwave device. Then left to cool, the resulting residue was recrystallised from EtOH/DMF to afford the corresponding hydrazones 2a-c in 85-90% yield.
3. Synthesis of bis-indolin-2-ones 3-23
3.1. Conventional Method:
[0023] A mixture of hydrazones 2a-c (1 mmol) and isatins 1a-h (1 mmol) in ethanol (25 ml) was refluxed for 4-6 h, and then cooled to room temperature. The precipitate was filtered and dried. The crude product was recrystallized from EtOH/DMF to obtain compounds 3-23 in 66-89% yield.
3.2. Microwave Method:
[0024] A solution of hydrazones 2a-c (1 mmole) and isatins 1a-h (1 mmole) in ethanol (15 ml) were prepared. Few drops of glacial acetic acid were added and whole reaction mixture was irradiated under microwave irradiation at 90° C. for 7 minutes. The reaction mixture was cooled. The solid that separated on cooling was filtered, washed with cold ethanol, dried and recrystallised from EtOH/DMF.
4. Spectroscopical Data of the Synthesized Compounds
(Z)-3-Hydrazonoindolin-2-one (2a)
[0025] IR (KBr) v 3361-3199 (NH, NH 2 ), 1687 (C═O), 1609 (C═N) cm −1 ; 1 H NMR (DMSO-d 6 ) δ 6.87 (d, 1H, J=7.0 Hz, ArH), 6.97 (t, 1H, J=6.5 Hz, ArH), 7.16 (t, 1H, J=6.5 Hz, ArH), 7.37 (d, 1H, J=7.0 Hz, ArH), 9.57 (d, 1H, J=14.0 Hz, D 2 O exch., amino H), 10.56 (d, 1H, J=14.0 Hz, D 2 O exch., -amino H), 10.71 (s, D 2 O exch., 1H, NH); 13 C NMR δ 109.93, 117.43, 121.32, 126.17, 127.0, 162.75; MS m/z (%) 161 (M + , 39.7), 103.7 (64.3), 46.8 (100).
(Z)-5-Fluoro-3-hydrazonoindolin-2-one (2b)
[0026] IR (KBr) v 3365-3153 (NH, NH 2 ), 1682 (C═O), 1585 (C═N) cm −1 ; 1 H NMR (DMSO-d 6 ) δ 6.85 (m, 1H, ArH), 6.97 (m, 1H, ArH), 7.15 (d, 1H, J=7.5 Hz, ArH), 9.81 (d, 1H, J=15.0 Hz, D 2 O exch., amino H), 10.65 (d, 1H, J=15.0 Hz, D 2 O exch., amino H), 10.72 (s, D 2 O exch., 1H, NH); 13 C NMR δ 104.30 ( 2 J F-C =25.3 Hz), 110.74 ( 3 J F-C =8.3 Hz), 113.10 ( 2 J F-C =24.2 Hz), 123.59 ( 3 J F-C =9.2 Hz), 125.65, 134.69, 158.10 ( 1 J F-C =235.3 Hz), 162.95; MS m/z (%) 179 (M + , 11.8), 61.9 (55.7), 40.1 (100).
(Z)-3-Hydrazono-1-phenylindolin-2-one (2c)
[0027] IR (KBr) v 3375-3208 (NH 2 ), 1674 (C═O), 1592 (C═N) cm −1 ; 1 H NMR (DMSO-d 6 ) δ 6.82 (m, 1H, ArH), 7.11 (m, 1H, ArH), 7.20 (m, 1H, ArH), 7.43-7.53 (m, 4H, ArH), 7.59 (m, 2H, ArH), 9.90 (d, 1H, J=15.0 Hz, D 2 O exch., amino H), 10.61 (d, 1H, J=14.5 Hz, D 2 O exch., amino H); 13 C NMR δ 109.06, 117.51, 122.52, 124.63, 126.63, 126.98, 127.86, 129.44, 129.51, 133.79, 139.44, 159.98; MS m/z (%) 237.1 (M + , 100), 192 (60.1), 51 (93.6).
(3Z,3′Z)-3,3′-(Hydrazine-1,2-diylidene)diindolin-2-one (3)
[0028] IR (KBr) v 3276 (2NH), 1722 (2C═O), 1615 (2C═N) cm −1 ; 1 H NMR (DMSO-d 6 ) δ 6.92 (d, 2H, J=7.5 Hz, ArH), 7.02 (t, 1H, J=7.5 Hz, ArH), 7.43 (t, 1H, J=7.5 Hz, ArH), 7.51 (d, 1H, J=7.5 Hz, ArH), 11.02 (s, 2H, 2NH); 13 C NMR δ 111.09, 115.75, 122.53, 128.17, 134.39, 144.70, 145.16, 163.39; MS m/z (%) 290.5 (M + , 6.6), 46 (74.9), 40.1 (100).
(Z)-3-((Z)-(2-Oxoindolin-3-ylidene)hydrazono)-1-phenylindolin-2-one (4)
[0029] IR (KBr) v 3448 (NH), 1734 (2C═O), 1606 (2C═N) cm −1 ; MS m/z (%) 266.1 (M + , 3.5), 40.1 (100).
(Z)-5-Fluoro-3-((Z)-(2-oxoindolin-3-ylidene)hydrazono)indolin-2-one (5)
[0030] IR (KBr) v 3420-3284 (2NH), 1722 (2C═O), 1616 (2C═N) cm −1 ; 1 H NMR (DMSO-d 6 ) δ 6.92-7.53 (m, 7H, ArH), 11.02 (s, D 2 O exch., 2H, 2NH); 13 C NMR δ 111.09, 112.12 ( 3 J F-C =7.4 Hz), 115.0 ( 2 J F-C =25.7 Hz), 115.77, 116.20 ( 3 J F-C =8.6 Hz), 120.77 ( 2 J F-C =23.7 Hz), 122.52, 128.48, 134.59, 141.56, 144.70, 145.16, 145.44, 145.64, 157.50 ( 1 J F-C =263.0 Hz), 163.39, 163.44; MS m/z (%) 308.2 (M + , 5.0), 46 (100).
(Z)-5-Chloro-3-((Z)-(2-oxoindolin-3-ylidene)hydrazono)indolin-2-one (6)
[0031] IR (KBr) v 3420-3244 (2NH), 1736 (2C═O), 1617 (2C═N) cm −1 ; 1 H NMR (DMSO-d 6 ) δ 6.86-7.58 (m, 7H, ArH), 11.03 (s, D 2 O exch., 2H, 2NH); MS m/z (%) 325.2 (M′+1, 6.8), 324.4 (M + , 15), 78 (100).
(Z)-5-Bromo-3-((Z)-(2-oxoindolin-3-ylidene)hydrazono)indolin-2-one (7)
[0032] IR (KBr) v 3239 (2NH), 1735 (2C═O), 1612 (2C═N) cm −1 ; 1 H NMR (DMSO-d 6 ) δ 6.88-7.66 (m, 7H, ArH), 11.02 (s, D 2 O exch., 1H, NH), 11.15 (s, D 2 O exch., 1H, NH); 13 C NMR δ 111.11, 113.05, 113.64, 115.79, 117.48, 122.52, 125.05, 128.62, 130.34, 134.62, 136.52, 144.35, 144.76, 145.43, 145.91, 163.06, 163.43; MS m/z (%) 369 (M + , 19.0), 40.1 (100).
(Z)-5-Methyl-3-((Z)-(2-oxoindolin-3-ylidene)hydrazono)indolin-2-one (8)
[0033] IR (KBr) v 3286 (2NH), 1723 (2C═O), 1615 (2C═N) cm −1 ; 1 H NMR (DMSO-d 6 ) δ 2.21 (s, 3H, CH 3 ), 6.82-7.53 (m, 7H, ArH), 11.01 (s, D 2 O exch., 2H, 2NH); 13 C NMR δ 20.53, 110.87, 111.08, 115.75, 122.53, 128.17, 128.48, 131.42, 134.39, 134.74, 142.94, 144.70, 144.81, 145.16; MS m/z (%) 303.9 (M + , 4.0), 40.1 (100).
(Z)-5-Nitro-3-((Z)-(2-oxoindolin-3-ylidene)hydrazono)indolin-2-one (9)
[0034] IR (KBr) v 3447 (2NH), 1731 (2C═O), 1617 (2C═N) cm −1 ; 1 H NMR (DMSO-d 6 ) δ 6.93-8.36 (m, 7H, ArH), 11.06 (s, D 2 O exch., 1H, NH), 11.69 (s, D 2 O exch., 1H, NH); MS m/z (%) 335 (M + , 9.7), 47.8 (100).
(Z)-3-((Z)-(2-Oxoindolin-3-ylidene)hydrazono)-5-(trifluoromethoxy)indolin-2-one (10)
[0035] IR (KBr) v 3446-3245 (2NH), 1740 (2C═O), 1617 (2C═N) cm −1 ; 1 H NMR (DMSO-d 6 ) δ 6.92-7.56 (m, 7H, ArH), 11.02 (s, D 2 O exch., 1H, NH), 11.20 (s, D 2 O exch., 1H, NH); 13 C NMR δ 111.11, 112.18, 115.72, 116.42, 121.12, 122.54, 127.20, 128.67, 134.69, 142.95, 144.26, 145.15, 145.49, 146.00, 159.38, 163.36, 163.43; MS m/z (%) 374 (M + , 7.9), 44.9 (100).
(3Z,3′Z)-3,3′-(Hydrazine-1,2-diylidene)bis(1-phenylindolin-2-one) (11)
[0036] IR (KBr) v 1731 (2C═O), 1605 (2C═N) cm −1 ; 1 H NMR (DMSO-d 6 ) δ 6.82-7.78 (m, 18H, ArH); 13 C NMR δ 110.03, 115.47, 123.53, 126.92, 128.48, 128.62, 129.67, 133.48, 134.38, 144.11, 146.18, 161.53; MS m/z (%) 442.2 (M + , 3.3), 64 (100).
(Z)-5-Fluoro-3-((Z)-(2-oxo-1-phenylindolin-3-ylidene)hydrazono)indolin-2-one (12)
[0037] IR (KBr) v 3282 (NH), 1735 (2C═O), 1608 (2C═N) cm −1 ; 1 H NMR (DMSO-d 6 ) δ 6.82-7.67 (m, 12H, ArH), 11.07 (s, D 2 O exch., 1H, NH); MS m/z (%) 384.2 (M + , 3.5), 48 (100).
(Z)-5-Chloro-3-((Z)-(2-oxo-1-phenylindolin-3-ylidene)hydrazono)indolin-2-one (13)
[0038] IR (KBr) v 3448 (NH), 1736 (2C═O), 1609 (2C═N) cm −1 ; 1 H NMR (DMSO-d 6 ) δ 6.83-7.63 (m, 12H, ArH), 11.18 (s, D 2 O exch., 1H, NH); MS m/z (%) 400.1 (M + , 5.1), 63 (100).
(Z)-5-Bromo-3-((Z)-(2-oxo-1-phenylindolin-3-ylidene)hydrazono)indolin-2-one (14)
[0039] IR (KBr) v 3448 (NH), 1734 (2C═O), 1608 (2C═N) cm −1 ; MS m/z (%) 444.7 (M + , 1.8), 43.8 (100).
(Z)-5-Methyl-3-((Z)-(2-oxo-1-phenylindolin-3-ylidene)hydrazono)indolin-2-one (15)
[0040] IR (KBr) v 3447 (NH), 1736 (2C═O), 1609 (2C═N) cm −1 ; 1 H NMR (DMSO-d 6 ) δ 2.20 (s, 3H, CH 3 ), 6.83-7.63 (m, 12H, ArH), 11.18 (s, D 2 O exch., 1H, NH); MS m/z (%) 379.9 (M + , 7.4), 62.9 (100).
(Z)-5-Nitro-3-((Z)-(2-oxo-1-phenylindolin-3-ylidene)hydrazono)indolin-2-one (16)
[0041] IR (KBr) v 3447 (NH), 1740 (2C═O), 1609 (2C═N) cm −1 ; MS m/z (%) 411.1 (M + , 1.7), 45.8 (100).
((Z)-3-(Z)-(2-oxo-1-phenylindolin-3-ylidene)hydrazono)-5-(trifluoromethoxy)indolin-2-one (17)
[0042] IR (KBr) v 3236 (NH), 1747 (2C═O), 1608 (2C═N) cm −1 ; MS m/z (%) 449.6 (M + , 2.7), 49.9 (100).
(3Z,3′Z)-3,3′-(Hydrazine-1,2-diylidene)bis(5-fluoroindolin-2-one) (18)
[0043] IR (KBr) v 3252 (2NH), 1739 (2C═O), 1625 (2C═N) cm −1 ; 1 H NMR (DMSO-d 6 ) δ 6.93-7.33 (m, 6H, ArH), 11.04 (s, D 2 O exch., 2H, 2NH); 13 C NMR δ112.12 ( 3 J F-C =7.2 Hz), 115.20 ( 2 J F-C =25.5 Hz), 116.24 ( 3 J F-C =9.2 Hz), 120.90 ( 2 J F-C =23.8 Hz), 141.82, 145.93, 157.50 ( 1 J F-C =238.0 Hz), 163.49; MS m/z (%) 326 (M + , 11), 44.9 (100).
(Z)-5-Chloro-3-((Z)-(5-fluoro-2-oxoindolin-3-ylidene)hydrazono)indolin-2-one (19)
[0044] IR (KBr) v 3245 (2NH), 1736 (2C═O), 1618 (2C═N) cm −1 ; 1 H NMR (DMSO-d 6 ) δ 6.94-7.54 (m, 6H, ArH), 11.04 (s, D 2 O exch., 1H, NH), 11.14 (s, D 2 O exch., 1H, NH); 13 C NMR δ 112.08 ( 3 J F-C =7.5 Hz), 112.60, 115.35 ( 2 J F-C =25.7 Hz), 116.26 ( 3 J F-C =8.9 Hz), 117.05, 120.90 ( 2 J F-C =23.9 Hz), 126.03, 127.82, 133.89, 141.81, 144.24, 145.59, 146.13, 157.50 ( 1 J F-C =237.9 Hz), 163.24, 163.50; MS m/z (%) 342 (M + , 17.9), 63 (100).
(Z)-5-Bromo-3-((Z)-(5-fluoro-2-oxoindolin-3-ylidene)hydrazono)indolin-2-one (20)
[0045] IR (KBr) v 3245 (2NH), 1735 (2C═O), 1616 (2C═N) cm −1 ; 1 H NMR (DMSO-d 6 ) δ 6.89-7.66 (m, 6H, ArH), 11.04 (s, D 2 O exch., 1H, NH), 11.14 (s, D 2 O exch., 1H, NH); 13 C NMR δ 112.14 ( 3 J F-C =7.0 Hz), 113.06, 113.61, 115.37 ( 2 J F-C =25.3 Hz), 116.24 ( 3 J F-C =8.9 Hz), 117.54, 120.90 ( 2 J F-C =23.7 Hz), 130.57, 136.69, 141.81, 144.61, 145.50, 146.18, 157.50 ( 1 J F-C =238.0 Hz), 163.11, 163.50; MS m/z (%) 387 (M + , 8.5), 46.9 (100).
(Z)-5-Fluoro-3-((Z)-(5-methyl-2-oxoindolin-3-ylidene)hydrazono)indolin-2-one (21)
[0046] IR (KBr) v 3392-3186 (2NH), 1735 (2C═O), 1623 (2C═N) cm −1 ; 1 H NMR (DMSO-d 6 ) δ 2.22 (s, 3H, CH 3 ), 6.81-7.33 (m, 6H, ArH), 10.91 (s, D 2 O exch., 1H, NH), 11.02 (s, D 2 O exch., 1H, NH); MS m/z (%) 322.3 (M + , 6.9), 40.1 (100).
(Z)-5-Fluoro-3-((Z)-(5-nitro-2-oxoindolin-3-ylidene)hydrazono)indolin-2-one (22)
[0047] IR (KBr) v 3248 (2NH), 1737 (2C═O), 1624 (2C═N) cm −1 ; 1 H NMR (DMSO-d 6 ) δ 6.93-8.35 (m, 6H, ArH), 11.08 (s, D 2 O exch., 1H, NH), 11.71 (s, D 2 O exch., 1H, NH); MS m/z (%) 353.5 (M + , 12.4), 63 (100).
(Z)-5-Fluoro-3-((Z)-(2-oxo-5-(trifluoromethoxy)indolin-3-ylidene)hydrazono)indolin-2-one (23)
[0048] IR (KBr) v 3246 (2NH), 1735 (2C═O), 1624 (2C═N) cm −1 ; MS m/z (%) 392.4 (M + , 8.9), 62.9 (100).
5. In Vitro Cell Lines and MTT Cytotoxicity Assay
[0049] The cytotoxicity of the prepared compounds was evaluated at Laboratory of Cell Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md. 20892, Group in Biomolecular, USA, using the following protocol:
[0050] KB-3-1 cells (a HeLa deriviative) and its MDR derivative (KB-V1) were grown as previously described [24]. Cell survival was measured by the MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay as previously described [24]. Briefly, cells were seeded in 100 μL of growth medium at a density of 5000 cells/well in 96-well plates and allowed to establish for 24 h, at which time serially diluted drugs were added in an additional 100 μL of growth medium. Cells were then incubated for 72 h at 37° C. in humidified 5% CO 2 , at which time the growth medium was drawn and replaced with MTT in IMDM growth medium and incubated for 4 h. The MTT solution was then drawn from the wells, and 100 μL of acidified ethanol solution was added to each well and after 15 min absorption at 560 nm was measured. IC 50 cytotoxicity values were determined as the drug concentration that reduced the absorbance to 50% of that in untreated control wells and derived from at least three separate experiments·hours, treated with the specified compound or vehicle (0.1% DMSO final) control, and incubated at 37° C. an additional 72 hours. The effect of treatment on cell viability was determined using the luminescent Cell Titer Glo Assay (Promega). Results are given in Table 2.
RESULTS
[0051] Variable and promising activity and selectivity revealed by the synthesized compounds against MDR cells, results are given in Table 2. Accordingly the synthesized bis-isatin derivatives are potential candidates for treatment MDR cancer.
[0000]
TABLE 2
Structure of compounds considered in this study, along with IC 50 values deter-
mined against the parental KB-3-1 cell line, and the P-glycoprotein-expressing cell line KB-V1 a
IC 50 KB3-1
IC 50 KBV1
Compound
Structure
(mM)
(mM)
RR
2a
>500
125.18 ± 39.39
N/A
2b
348.99 ± 51.65
198.68 ± 54.02
1.76
2c
150.42 ± 67.67
31.35 ± 13.38
4.80
3
17.12 ± 0.83
17.26 ± 1.59
0.99
4
8.70 ± 2.21
10.80 ± 1.10
0.81
5
28.12 ± 2.48
25.29 ± 10.10
1.11
6
9.67 ± 1.74
7.72 ± 0.50
1.25
7
9.71 ± 0.31
7.58 ± 1.43
1.28
8
12.12 ± 3.14
14.93 ± 1.26
0.81
9
29.22 ± 2.81
30.39 ± 6.75
0.96
10
9.75 ± 0.11
5.67 ± 1.18
1.72
11
25.56 ± 2.39
22.02 ± 2.37
1.16
12
10.20 ± 1.52
11.24 ± 0.61
0.91
13
6.79 ± 0.63
6.07 ± 1.19
1.12
14
7.93 ± 2.11
8.71 ± 0.27
0.91
15
8.37 ± 0.62
8.06 ± 1.68
1.04
16
37.12 ± 4.05
48.61 ± 2.32
0.76
17
7.67 ± 0.88
4.80 ± 0.12
1.60
18
20.42 ± 4.62
16.54 ± 6.28
1.23
19
17.40 ± 4.41
11.28 ± 3.26
1.54
20
15.39 ± 3.97
18.64 ± 2.01
0.83
21
18.92 ± 0.46
17.85 ± 0.82
1.06
22
56.00 ± 1.50
38.63 ± 13.54
1.45
23
15.23 ± 1.34
11.63 ± 2.55
1.31
a The MDR1 selectivity (RR) is calculated as the ratio of a compound's IC 50 against KB-3-1 cells divided by its IC 50 against KB-V1 cells. A value of >1 indicates that the compound kills P-gp-expressing cells more effectively than parental cells, so-called MDR1-selective activity. A value of <1 indicates that the P-gp-expressing cells are resistant to the compound, relative to parental cells, as is normally observed for P-gp substrates.
“N/A” denotes not tested for selectivity.
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S. V. Ambudkar, S. Dey, C. A. Hrycyna, M. Ramachandra, I. Pastan, M. M. Gottesman, Biochemical, cellular, and pharmacological aspects of the multidrug transporter. Annu Rev. Pharmacol. Toxicol. 39, 361-398 (1999).
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J. A. Ludwig, G. Szakacs, S. E. Martin, B. F. Chu, C. Cardarelli, Z. E. Sauna, N. J. Caplen, H. M. Fales, S. V. Ambudkar, J. N. Weinstein, J. N.; Gottesman. Cancer Res., 66, 4808 (2006). | The invention is directed to a compound of Formula (I),
wherein R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen atom and unsubstituted or substituted phenyl group; R 1 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen atom and unsubstituted or substituted phenyl group; X is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen atom or halogen atom; and Y is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen atom, halogen atom, C 1 -C 4 alkyl group, nitro group, and —OCF 3 group, as well as for its use in therapy, preferably for the treatment of cancer, and to a related pharmaceutical composition, the use of the compound for the manufacture of a medicament for the respective medical indication, and a method of synthesis of the compounds of the invention. | 2 |
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to an arrangement and a rotor for screening of pulp. The arrangement and rotor according to the invention are especially suitable for the screening of chemical and mechanical pulps, i.e. fiber suspensions of the wood processing industry.
This application claims priority to international patent application PCT/F100/01014 filed Nov. 22, 2000, and to Finnish application U990488 filed Nov. 29, 1999.
Naturally, prior art knows several devices used for screening fiber suspension. Reference is here made to solutions according to U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,000,842, 5,224,603 and 5,547,083 which are meant for screening fiber suspensions at a relatively high consistency, which in the field of screening means a consistency of about 2.5-5%. Said consistency is so high, that in order to maintain the screenability of the pulp, special characteristics and construction are required from the pulsation member, i.e. the rotor, to prevent the pulp from forming excessively large and strong fiber accumulations in the screening area. E. g., in the above patents the rotor is essentially cylindrical and on the surface of the cylinder there are so-called bulges arranged according to a certain configuration for maintaining the turbulence level and pulsation of the suspension.
During the years, the screen comprising said rotor has proved to be a reliable and advantageous apparatus, but in some situations the consistency of the suspension in the screening area between the screen drum and the rotor tends to rise so high that said bulges are not capable of increasing the turbulence level high enough to maintain optimum screening efficiency. One solution for the problem is to apply dilution of the suspension in the screening area.
Accordingly, prior art knows several various solutions for diluting the pulp between the cylindrical rotor and the also cylindrical screen drum. As an example of these solutions e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 4,234,417 may be mentioned, in which the surface of the rotor cylinder is provided with blades extending to the whole height of the rotor. On the trailing side of these blades, when looking in the rotating direction of the rotor, there are outlet ports via which dilution liquid is fed in the suspension. Said outlet ports lead inside the rotor, where there are three annular chambers arranged one upon the other so that dilution liquid is fed into each chamber from outside the screen.
Said construction has both advantages and disadvantages. The only advantage worth mentioning is that the dilution liquid is fed specifically via the rotor, whereby it would not be necessary to guide it near to the screening surface. Nevertheless, when performing according to the patent, i.e. when bringing the dilution liquid via the blades of the rotor onto the back surface of the blades, to the area of intense suction, there is a great risk that the dilution liquid is passed onto the screening surface and therethrough quickly further to the accept side without actually diluting the pulp in the screening area. A second disadvantage worth mentioning is the complexity of the construction, as e.g. making the hole of FIG. 5 requires two opposite drillings in the blade and additionally one drilling in the surface of the rotor cylinder.
CA patent 1007576 discloses an another example of a rotary pulp screening device in which dilution water is directed against the screen. There is provided a rotary pulp screening apparatus including a housing with a stock inlet chamber, stock screening chamber, a cylindrical screen and a rotor in the form of a truncated cone having an upper portion and a lower portion. The improvement comprises a circumferential dividing ring extending around the wall of the lower portion of the cone, means for fastening the ring to the wall of the lower portion and a plurality of dilution water nozzle's positioned in the lower portion adapted to direct water against the screen. The dividing ring may be moved up or down the lower portion of the rotor, or it may be welded in a predeterminated position. The dividing ring generally permits the effect of the dilution water to be localized in one area because it stops the water from rising upwards. The impeller rotor, being in the form of a truncated cone, may be provided with a series of blades or with foils, whereas the present invention relates to an essentially cylindrical rotor with turbulence-generating members such as so-called bulges.
Said problems have been solved by the arrangement and rotor according to the present invention, the characteristic features of which are disclosed in the appended claims.
SUMMARY OF DRAWINGS
In the following, the invention is disclosed in more detail with reference to the appended figures, of which
FIG. 1 illustrates an arrangement according to a preferred embodiment of the invention in side projection from the direction of the screen axis, and
FIG. 2 illustrates an arrangement according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention in side projection from the direction of the screen axis.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION
The invention relates to a screen, preferably a pressure screen, comprising an essentially cylindrical outer casing with its end, a stationary essentially cylindrical screen drum (although in some circumstances a conical screen drum is also used) arranged inside it, which leaves between itself and said casing a so-called accept space. Inside the screen is drum, there is a rotor arranged at the shaft led via the other end, which rotor is provided with members for creating pressure impulses required for the screening in the annular so-called screening space between the screen drum and the rotor. The outer casing of the screen is further provided with at least three conduits. A feeding conduit communicates with the screening space and when the screen has been positioned to a vertical position said conduit is arranged at the upper end of the screen casing. An accept discharge conduit is arranged on the outer casing of the screen and communicates with the accept space. And a third conduit is a reject conduit, which communicates with the screening space, from the direction of the feeding conduit with the opposite end thereof. In some cases there is further an apparatus for separating so-called heavy or coarse reject are ranged at the upper end of the screen above the screen drum.
The screen 10 according to FIG. 1 comprises in this embodiment primarily the components described above, of which e.g. the following may be mentioned here: an essentially cylindrical casing 12 , inside of which there is arranged an essentially cylindrical screen drum 14 attached to the casing, inside of which drum there is a rotating essentially cylindrical rotor 16 . From the screening space 18 , more specifically from the lower end thereof, between the outer casing 12 and the screen drum 14 , a so-called accept conduit 20 leads out of the screen. The outer surface of the rotor 16 is provided with pulsation members located at certain intervals, e.g. so-called bulges 22 , which are described e.g. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,842. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in this figure, there is/are at least one, preferably three annular chambers 24 ′, 24 ″ and 24 ′″ arranged inside the rotor 16 . Dilution liquid is fed into these by means of at least one, preferably three tubes 26 ′, 26 ″, 26 ′″ from outside the screen 10 . Preferably there are regulation valves (not shown) arranged in connection with said tubes 26 ′, 26 ″, 26 ′″, by means of which valves the pressure/amount of liquid flowing in the tubes may be regulated if desired. At the location of the chambers 24 ′, 24 ″, 24 ′″, the surface of the rotor is perforated so that dilution liquid from the chambers is allowed to flow through the rotor casing. Said chambers 24 ′, 24 ″ and 24 ′″ extend preferably to at least 50% of the whole length of the rotor, preferably to at least 70% of the length of the rotor. Preferably the lowest chamber 24 ′″ is located in the vicinity of the lower edge of the rotor so that liquid being fed from the chamber into the screening space dilutes the pulp in the space throughout the whole screen drum 14 and the lower edges of the rotor 16 .
FIG. 2 illustrates a screen 100 according to another preferred embodiment of the invention, which screen differs from that of FIG. 1 in that said screen 100 has two screening zones with two accept spaces 119 and 119 ′ and two screen drums 114 ′ and 114 ″. Of course, it is possible to arrange the apparatus to operate with one screen drum only, whereby the type of perforation of the lower part of the screen drum 114 ″ located at the second accept space is preferably different from that of the upper part of the drum 114 ′. The embodiment of the figure has naturally also two accept discharge conduits, conduits 120 ′ and 120 ″, one from each accept space 119 and 119 ′. A further characteristic feature of the invention of this embodiment is that the rotor 116 is further provided with still one dilution liquid chamber 124 ″″ located opposite the second accept space 119 ′. The idea of the solution according to this embodiment is that among the reject i.e. the fiber suspension still present in the screening area after screening in the first screening stage, the upper one in the figure, possibly performed at a relatively high consistency, there still is acceptable fiber fraction that might be separated from the suspension in preferable conditions. These conditions may be created so that dilution liquid is fed amply from the lower dilution liquid chamber into the screening space, whereby the consistency of the fiber suspension in the screening space decreases very low, which in turn ensures that all acceptable fiber material is “washed” from the suspension. This way minimizing the reject amount may maximize the efficiency of the apparatus.
What makes the arrangement according to the present invention superior to prior art solutions is that the dilution liquid is led onto the cylindrical rotor as far away from the screen drum as possible, whereby the risk of the dilution liquid passing quickly into the accept is minimized. However, it is clear that the dilution liquid is efficiently mixed in the fiber suspension, as the continuously operating turbulence-generating elements in the space between the rotor and the screen drum maintain continuous turbulence in the screening space.
In our experiments we have noticed that by bringing the dilution liquid to a distance of at least about 20 mm, though preferably at least 25 mm from the screening surface, the dilution of the accept may be minimized, while the consistency of the fiber suspension in the screening space may be maintained during the whole screening operation essentially the same as the consistency of the untreated fiber suspension being fed into the apparatus. Further our experiments attested our fear, i.e. that if the dilution liquid is brought nearer to the screening surface, the dilution of the accept initiates and the consistency of the suspension in the screening space increases, whereby part of the usable fiber material inevitably remains in the reject.
Additionally our experiments showed that the turbulence-generating elements on the surface of the rotor should preferably be, if not exactly similar to the ones described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,842, at least relatively closely resembling them. That is, the turbulence generating elements shall most preferably be angular and in many cases plow-like in order to both generate an intense turbulence in the fiber suspension and guide the movement of the suspension in the screening space to a desired direction.
As noticed from the above, a new way of treating pulp in connection with screening has been developed, in which way the consistency of the pulp in the screening space between the rotor and the screen drum remains essentially the same during the whole screening operation. What has been presented in the above, is to be understood as just some preferable examples of the invention, from which the invention may differ in many relations within the scope of the appended claims. Thus, it is completely possible that inside the rotor there are not only one or three but e.g. two or four, or even more, dilution liquid chambers. The number of the chambers is completely dependent on the object of application of the rotor. Accordingly, it is totally possible and in some cases even recommendable that the walls between the chambers are not completely impermeable, but between them may be arranged some kind of e.g. throttled flow connection. Further it is possible to lead dilution liquid into all chambers via one and the same inlet tube and to regulate the flow of the liquid into the screening space by changing the size of the flow openings in the longitudinal direction of the rotor. Further it is naturally clear that the screen may be positioned in another position than the vertical position presented in the above description. | An arrangement and a rotor for screening of pulp is disclosed that is suitable for the screening of chemical and mechanical pulps, i.e. fiber suspensions of the wood processing industry. A feature of the arrangement and rotor is that inside the rotor ( 16 ) there is arranged at least one dilution liquid chamber (24′, 24″, 24′″) restricted by a surface of the rotor ( 16 ), which surface is provided with means for connecting said at least one chamber (24′, 24″, 24′″) with the screening space defined between the rotor and the screen drum in such a way that dilution liquid from said at least one chamber (24′, 24″, 24′″) is brought into the screening space at a distance of at least 20 mm from the inner surface of the screen drum ( 14 ). | 3 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for improving the operation of a disc filter. In particular the invention relates to increasing the discharge consistency of fiber suspensions treated with disc filters in the paper and pulp industry.
Disc filters have been known and used for decades, for example in the wood processing industry. For instance the disc filters are disclosed in British patent specification No. 1,146,197 and in U.S. Pat. No. 3,193,105 are typical examples of this. Even the construction of the filters has during recent years become nearly uniform throughout the industry. In recent times the major improvements in disc filters have been in the development of new materials. Even in the earliest disc filters, a jet of water or corresponding liquid was used to detach the cake of pulp from the surface of a filter sector. For a layman this may seem illogical as the consistency of the pulp cake is of course reduced when liquid is added to it. There have been attempts to detach the cake with air but that has proved to be more expensive than the cost of using water and the cost resulting from the dilution of the pulp caused by the use of water. Thus the users of disc filters have been compelled to accept the fact that even though the consistency of the pulp cake can be raised to 15-16% on the surface of the filter sector, the consistency of the cake after being detached from the filter, e.g. measured at the discharge screw, is only 11-12%.
When studying modern disc filters it has been discovered that the pulp cake is quickly detached by itself by the force of gravity, if the upper corner of the cake has been separated from the surface of the filter sector. However, all of the disc filters currently available are so constructed that the jet of liquid detaching the pulp cakes from the disc continuously sprays liquid onto the filter surface. Most of this liquid of course passes through the filter surface but part of it is immediately and deleteriously absorbed by the pulp cake, the consistency of which is thus reduced. As mentioned before the consistency of the pulp cake is thus reduced by several per cent which is detrimental to further treatment of the pulp. Also, even though the detaching liquid jet passes through the filter surface when the pulp cake is no longer attached at that point to the filter surface, a major part of the liquid runs back through the filter surface as there is no suction inside the filter sector to remove the liquid to the filtrate.
We have discovered that the regulation of the volume of the detaching liquid jet will achieve savings in the cost of pumping of the detaching liquid and will also desirably result in the maintenance of the consistency of the pulp to the maximum consistency reached by the filter itself.
Performed tests have shown that it is possible to use the detaching liquid jet intermittently so as to apply it only for about one third of the time. Hence the amount of the liquid to be injected is reduced to a third and it is estimated that the volume of the liquid absorbed by the pulp cake is reduced to about one-half of the volume absorbed with conventional injection method. Thus if the consistency in the detaching stage is reduced by conventional methods by 4 per cent, the reduction of the consistency with the method and the apparatus of the present invention is only approximately 2 per cent.
The method of improving the operation of a disc filter according to the present invention is characterized in that the detaching pressure medium jet is only intermittently on, thereby resulting in a reduction in the use of detaching water whereby the consistency of the pulp discharged from the disc filter is remarkably increased.
The apparatus for improving the operation of a disc filter according to the present invention is characterized in that means for making the pressure medium jet intermittent is disposed in the pressure medium pipe line supplying the nozzle which sprays the detaching liquid, or is in connection with the nozzle itself.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
The method and the apparatus according to the present invention is described, by way of example, in a more detailed way with reference to the accompanying drawings for which:
FIG. 1, which is partly in plan and partly diagrammatic, and illustrates a disc filter the apparatus of the present invention by which the method is applied; and
FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view of disc filters and means for detaching pulp cakes from said disc filters, said means including a valve arrangement of a preferred embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The apparatus according to the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 includes a disc filter 1, the construction of which may be conventional, which in turn preferably comprises several adjacent filter discs 3 (shown in FIG. 2 as three in number) disposed in turn coaxially on a shaft 2. In FIG. 1, the filter discs 3 include sixteen filter sectors 4, this being a commercially available structure and not critical to the invention. Each filter sector 4 has a hollow inner part which is provided with under pressure for suction of water from a fiber suspension in a basin 5 into the filter sector 4. The basin 5 (omitted in FIG. 2) is formed by the lower portion of the filter 1 and is preferably divided by partition walls (not shown) into compartments, desirably one for each filter disc, and in portions between the compartments via which the pulp cake detached from the disc is transferred further. When the pulp flows towards the filter sector 4 fibers are gathered onto the surface of the sector and during movement of the sector in the basin a cake of pulp is deposited on the surface of the filter sector. When each filter sector 4 rises up in its turn from the liquid the pulp cake is firmly attached to the surface of the sector. The pulp cake is then detached from each filter sector 4 by a detaching pressure medium, in most cases water, from one or several nozzles 7 which are directed at the boundary surface between the sector and the pulp cake. When the pulp cake is detached from the surface of the sector by action of the pressure medium, it drops off into a gutter 8 between the compartment walls between the discs 3 and further onto a transport screw 9 (omitted in FIG. 2).
In accordance with our invention and as already has been stated, it is not necessary to spray the pressure medium, which in fact can be for example air, water or other fluid, continuously onto the surface of the sector 4. Short periodic bursts of pressure medium are sufficient to take the pulp cakes from their respective sectors 4. For this purpose a valve 11 may be provided in pipe 10 for supplying pressure medium to the nozzle (7) or in connection with the nozzle itself with which the spraying of pressure medium is regulated depending on the mutual position of the nozzle/nozzles 7 and the sector 4. Spraying is preferably started when the nozzle 7 is in front of the front edge of the sector 4 (i.e. is in register with the front edge of sector 4) whereby the jet of pressure medium discharged from the nozzle hits the boundary surface of the pulp cake and the sector just at the edge of the pulp cake. The spraying is continued for a period of time until the pulp cake is sufficiently detached from the filter that the force of gravity will complete its removal without any assistance of the pressure medium necessary. Tests have confirmed that this period corresponds to 20 to 70% preferably approximately 30%, of the time it takes the width of a sector to pass by the nozzle 7.
There are a large number of devices for carrying out the operation described above. First of all, the impulse for initiating the spraying can be produced either mechanically or electronically. Thus, in one embodiment, a lever or a corresponding means may be provided in the discs which, together with a micro switch controls an electromagnetic valve regulating the supply of pressure medium. Alternatively, the control impulse may also be given with a cam device arranged on the shaft of the filter. Further, as illustrated in FIG. 1, it is possible to employ a sensor 12, either electromagnetic or capacitive, instead of the lever mentioned above, in which case the sensor generates an impulse in response to the proximity or movement of a pin 13 arranged in the filter disc which impulse controls the electromagnetic valve 11 according to the output of sensor 12. The system is preferably further provided with a control unit 14, i.e. a timer for controlling the period the valve 11 is open. Many other types of sensors, for example thermistors or optical sensors, can also be used. In one form of the invention, the sensor 12 initiates the opening of valve 11 and control unit 14 determines how long valve 11 remains open. Of course, other control arrangements may be employed within the scope of this invention.
It is also possible that the nozzle 7 itself is employed as the immediate device to make the jet intermittent which device opens when the pressure in the pipe line supplying detaching medium to the nozzle increases and closes when the pressure in the pipe line drops below a predetermined value. An example of such an apparatus is illustrated in FIG. 2. The apparatus includes a valve device 21 which comprises a cylindrical housing 22 having apertures 22a and is secured to the end of the disc filter shaft 2 or is otherwise driven by said shaft and rotates in a compartment 23. The detaching liquid is brought to the compartment 23 via a connection 24 and is removed from the valve device 21 via a connection 25. The inner surface of the compartment 23 is sealed to the housing 22, especially around the connection 25 so as to let detaching medium flow to the connection 25 only when any of the apertures 22a of the housing 22 is in register with the connection 25. The number of the apertures 22a of the housing is preferably the same as the number of the filter disc sectors 4. The timing and the spacing of the apertures is preferably chosen to make the detaching liquid jet discharging from the compartment 23 via an aperture 22a exactly at the right time and last long enough to detach the pulp cake. Said valve device 21 can of course be used without the pressure-operated nozzle with an ordinary inexpensive hole nozzle.
Also ending the spraying period can be realized either directly mechanically (FIG. 2), as by moving the registered aperture 22a out of register with said connection 25 with electrical means, with or without a conventional timer (FIG. 1), in which an experimentally determined spraying period may be set and which is in most electrical devices easy to adjust, contrary to the mechanical alternative illustrated in FIG. 2. For instance, one way to adjust the spray period in the FIG. 2 embodiment is to adjust the size of the apertures 22a.
Further, it is possible that each filter disc is provided with a control valve 11 of its own, whereby pumping of pressure medium can be carried out with a smaller pump when it is possible to phase the spraying periods Also, the filter discs can be arranged in groups, each group having one guide valve of its own for the entire group; or all the nozzles of the whole disc filter can be controlled with one valve. The most advantageous alternative has been proved to be arranging the filter discs in groups and controlling the operation of the nozzles of a few discs 2 with one valve whereby only a few valves are needed and the operation of the nozzles of different disc groups can still be phased relative to each other and the flow volume of the detaching medium pump maintained also constant all the time.
As the above description discloses, a new type of an arrangement for detaching a pulp cake from the sectors of a disc filter has been devised, with which arrangement the consistency of the pulp cake can be raised by a few per cents compared with prior art methods. However, only a few alternative embodiments have been described above, by way of example; other alternative embodiments will now readily suggest themselves to persons of ordinary skill in the art. The examples given here already clearly reveal the broad scope of the invention, the scope of protection being determined by the appended patent claims, only. | A disc filter and method of operating same is provided in which a liquid jet is intermittently used to detach pulp cake from the disc filter. In operation, mechanical or electrical means actuate a nozzle to spray pressurized fluid at a portion of the boundary between the surface of each disc filter segment and its associated pulp cake. The nozzle is actuated to begin spraying as respective segments move into register with the nozzle and are cause to discontinue spraying prior to moving out of register when the loosened pulp cake falls from the segments by gravity. the improved control of pulp cake removal reduces use of washing fluid and results in improved pulp cake consistency. | 3 |
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