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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to methods for operating a dynamic response polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) cell to increase its transmissivity and responsivity, and to PDLC light valve systems employing such methods.
2. Description of the Related Art
Photoactivated and charge-coupled device (CCD) addressed liquid crystal light valves (LCLVs) are well known, and are described for example in Margerum et al., "Reversible Ultraviolet Imaging With Liquid Crystals", Appl. Phys. Letters, Vol. 17, No. 2, 15 July 1970, pages 51-53, Efron et al., "The Silicon Liquid-Crystal Light Valve", Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 57, No. 4, 15 February 1985, pages 1356-68, Efron et al., "A Submicron Metal Grid Mirror Liquid Crystal Light Valve for Optical Processing Applications", SPIE, Vol. 1151, 1989, pages 591-606, and Sterling et al., "Video-Rate LCLV Using an Amorphous Silicon Photoconductor", SID 90 Digest, Vol. 21, paper 17A.2, 16 May 1990. They use various types of nematic liquid crystal layers to modulate a readout light beam, which may be used in a transmissive or reflective mode of operation, depending upon the design of the LCLV and the input signal. Photoactivated LCLVs are often addressed with an input image to be amplified, such as that presented by the phosphor screen of a cathode ray tube or a scanning laser beam, particularly for dynamic modulation of a readout beam.
Nematic LCLVs operate by modulating the spatial orientation of the liquid crystals in a cell, in accordance with the input signal pattern. This often requires the use of polarizers to obtain a corresponding modulation of the readout beam. The polarizers, however, reduce the total light throughput. Also, alignment layers are needed on each side of the cell for surface alignment of the liquid crystals, thus adding to the expense of the device. The response time of the nematic liquid crystal to changes in the voltage across the cell may also be somewhat limited.
More recently, polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) films have been reported, including the use of such films in photoactive LCLVs and in active matrix LCLV projection displays. Unlike most nematic liquid crystal cells which modulate the optical polarization in response to an applied voltage, PDLCs scatter light and become transparent with an applied voltage. They have several advantages over nematic liquid crystal devices, including the elimination of surface alignment layers and polarizers, and a faster response time. However, while PDLCs exhibit a rapid response to a shift in applied voltage between fully OFF and fully ON voltage levels, their response to gray scale levels (levels not fully on or fully off) is quite slow.
LCLVs are generally operated with an alternating current applied voltage, since the liquid crystals tend to deteriorate under a DC voltage. There have been several reports of the response of PDLC-type films to square wave type voltage pulses, including the use of such films in photoactivated LCLVs and in active matrix LCLV projection displays. In Afonin et al., "Optically Controllable Transparencies Based on Structures Consisting of a Photoconductor and a Polymer-Encapsulated Nematic Liquid Crystal", Sov. Tech. Phys. Lett., Vol. 14, No. 56, January 1988, pages 56-58, a PDLC-type film was photoactivated with a ZnSe photoconductor. The photoactivated rise and decay times (with a constant bias voltage in typical LCLV operation) were 5-10 ms on-time and 1.5-3 seconds off-time; thus, the frame time (on-time plus off-time) is very slow compared to a dynamic television image frame time of less than 33 ms. The response of the PDLC-type film layer to a square voltage pulse was much faster, with rise and decay times of less than 1 ms and 15 ms, respectively, but such a pulse shape and response time is not attainable with this photoconductor.
In Macknick et al., "High Resolution Displays Using NCAP Liquid Crystals", Liquid Crystal Chemistry, Physics, and Applications, SPIE, Vol. 1080, January 1989, pages 169-173, fast response PDLC-type films were reported with a square pulse input signal of 5.3 ms. About 50% transmission was reached during the 5.3 ms pulse, and the decay time at the end of the pulse was about 2 ms; full voltage activation of the film was not shown.
In Takizawa et al., "Transmission Mode Spatial Light Modulator Using a B 12 SiO 20 Crystal and Polymer-Dispersed Liquid Crystal Layers", Appl. Phys. Lett., Vol. 56, No. 11, March 1990, pages 999-1001, fast photoactivated PDLC film response of 10 ms ON and 36 ms OFF was reported for a 60 ms square pulse of bright white activating light with a 30 volt bias across a photoconductor/PDLC cell. A hysteresis loop was reported when the cell was scanned with increasing and decreasing writing light intensities, but the loops were said to disappear when pulsed write light was incident on the device. Response times were reported and discussed only for square wave intensity writing light pulses.
In Kunigita et al., "A Full-Color Projection TV Using LC/Polymer Composite Light Valves", SID International Symposium Digest, May 1990, pages 227-230, a low voltage PDLC-type film was used in an active matrix display with a poly-Si thin film transistor and a storage capacitor for each pixel. Three active matrix cells were used for red, blue and green channels of full color projection TV. The response time of the PDLC-type film to a square wave voltage pulse was given for a full on-time of 35 ms and a decay ) time of 25 ms. The use of a storage capacitor at each pixel was necessary to obtain square wave voltage pulses used in this display.
In Lauer et al., "A Frame-Sequential Color-TV Projection Display", SID International Symposium Digest, May 1990, pages 534-537, a PDLC active matrix display was made with CdSe thin film transistors. The time response characteristics were fast enough for sequential three-color filtering effects at 50 Hz (6.67 ms for each color). PDLC response times were reported only for 50 volt square wave pulses of 5 ms, with the PDLC reaching a transient 60% transmission level in 5 ms of on-time, and decaying in about 2 ms, giving a relatively low light throughput in the frame time. Full projection light illumination was reported as having a large effect on the thin film transistor off-state current.
In each of the above papers, the PDLC response is described with respect to an idealized step-voltage change, or to a square wave pulse.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the limitations of the approaches described above, the present invention seeks to provide a method of operating a PDLC cell to provide a higher optical throughput and better gray scale response than has previously been obtained at comparable current levels, while retaining or even improving upon the fast response of PDLC to a voltage change. The invention also describes a photoactivated LCLV system that utilizes this method.
In accordance with the invention, shaped voltage pulses are applied to a PDLC cell such that the cell achieves a higher optical throughput, good gray scale operation, and a rapid response time. The shape refers to the instantaneous rms (rms per cycle) envelope of the applied AC voltage pulse or the instantaneous DC voltage of the applied DC pulse. The applied voltage is referenced to a time frame during which a readout from the PDLC is desired. The voltage level is initially raised to a level substantially in excess of the PDLC's threshold voltage; this initial voltage level is applied for a substantially shorter period than the duration of the time frame. It is then gradually reduced within the time frame to a level less than the threshold voltage. The initial voltage is applied for a substantially shorter period of time than the time over which the voltage is being reduced; the applied voltage waveform is preferably shaped so that this reduction occurs exponentially. Shaped pulse signals of this type can be obtained, for example, from raster scan inputs from a CRT activating a photosubstrate in which the photoactivation of each spot decays fully within the frame time of the full raster scan, or from an active matrix in which the charge on each PDLC picture element (pixel) decays below the threshold voltage within the frame time, in about 3 to 5 RC time constants of the PDLC film.
The voltage waveform takes advantage of a hysteresis effect in the PDLC transmission versus voltage curves that has previously been considered a nuisance because of the difference in transmission values on voltage rise and fall curves, and because of the long times taken to reach steady state transmission levels at intermediate voltages from either the voltage rise or fall curves. The voltage waveform of this invention always starts below the threshold voltage necessary to change the transmission of the PDLC. This shaped waveform begins with a steep initial increase to a voltage that is substantially higher than the minimum steady state voltage needed to obtain the desired PDLC transmission level, maintains this initial voltage for only a short period that is less than the time required for the PDLC to reach a steady state transmission, and then decreases more gradually back down to below the threshold voltage before the end of the frame time. The PDLC responds quickly to the large initial voltage increase which drives it toward a higher transmission hysteresis state. The transmission changes slowly during the gradual decrease of the voltage waveform, permitting a relatively high integrated transmission. The PDLC transmission drops quickly as the voltage decreases to below the threshold level so that by the end of the frame time the PDLC returns to its initial state and is ready to respond to a new pulse (of the same or different voltage level) without any memory effect from the prior pulse. This provides a rapid response to both gray scale and fully ON levels, with a time-integrated voltage that need be no greater than a square wave that produces a lower throughput and a much slower gray scale response.
To minimize electrochemical deterioration of the PDLC, the voltage is preferably applied so that there is no overall net DC current through the PDLC film. For example, in a photoactivated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) LCLV the applied voltage can be an AC signal, with a periodicity much shorter than that of the frame time, whose pulse envelope establishes the voltage waveform. In an active matrix display the applied voltage can be a series of shaped DC pulses of alternating polarity, each of which establishes the voltage waveform. More complex, unsymmetrical, voltage formats can also be applied, such as are used in MOS-silicon LCLVs, CCD-LCLVs, Schottky-LCLVs, p-i-n photodiode-LCLVs, etc., as long as the desired shaped pulse voltage waveform envelope is obtained. The invention also encompasses an LCLV system which includes an optical input means that, together with the photoconductor, is selected to collectively produce the desired voltage waveform across the PDLC within the light valve.
These and other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a graph of hysteresis curves for two PDLC films;
FIGS. 2a, 2b and 2c are graphs showing the response of a PDLC film to step voltage shifts between fully ON and fully OFF levels, fully OFF and nominal half-on levels, and fully ON and nominal half-off levels, respectively;
FIGS. 3-6 are graphs of applied AC voltage waveforms and PDLC responses in accordance with the invention;
FIGS. 7 and 8 are graphs of a PDLC response respectively to an AC square wave and to an AC voltage waveform that is shaped in accordance with the invention, both voltage signals having approximately the same integrated area;
FIG. 9 is a graph of a PDLC response to alternating positive and negative DC voltage waveforms in accordance with the invention; and
FIG. 10 is an illustrative sectional view of an LCLV/CRT system that can be used to implement the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention takes advantage of a hysteresis effect in PDLC films that previously was considered to be a disadvantage in obtaining gray scale and fast response for displays. Two sets of hysteresis curves showing percent transmission through the PDLC, plotted as a function of RMS voltage across the PDLC, are given in FIG. 1. The right hand set of curves 2 were obtained with BDH-E9/NOA65 PDLC, while the left hand set 4 were obtained with HRL-PD50/NOA65. The rise curves 2a and 4a were obtained by ramping a 100 Hz voltage signal up from zero to a fully ON level of 100 volts over a period of 75 seconds, while the fall curves 2b and 4b were obtained by ramping the voltage back down to zero over another 75 second interval.
As shown in FIG. 1 each type of PDLC exhibits a threshold voltage below which it is non-transmissive. This threshold voltage is about 25 volts for curves 2, and about 6 volts for curves 4. Above these thresholds levels, the hysteresis fall curves 2b,4b are shifted to the left from the rise curves 2a,4a. Thus, for any particular voltage above the threshold level and below the fully ON level, there is a higher degree of transmission through the PDLC on the fall curve than on the rise curve. The invention makes beneficial use of this phenomenon by driving the PDLC cell with a shaped voltage waveform that forces the majority of the transmission period toward the fall curve, and thus produces a substantial increase in the total optical transmission through the PDLC.
FIGS. 2a-2c illustrate the problem of achieving good gray scale response with PDLC films, using square wave pulse envelopes of 100 Hz AC signals for 100 ms. The fully ON and fully OFF PDLC response times can be quite fast, as shown in FIG. 2a. The PDLC in this case was switched between zero volts and a fully ON level of 70 volts (rms) with a 100 msec square wave pulse. The turn-off time along curve segment 6 was about 7 msec, while the turn-on time along curve 8 was about 1 msec.
However, the dynamic response of the PDLC film was found to be strongly influenced by the hysteresis effect when voltages were switched to intermediate gray scale levels, below the fully ON voltage. FIG. 2b shows the results of switching the voltage from zero volts to a gray scale 18 volt level, while FIG. 2c shows switching from a fully ON 70 volt level to a gray scale 18 volt level. As a reference (not shown), a long-term activation of several minutes at 18 volts resulted in 50% transmission. However, as illustrated in FIG. 2b, the transmission level increased to only about 30% with an 18 volt square wave pulse that commenced at time zero and lasted for 100 msec. The result when the voltage was reduced from 70 volts to 18 volts with a 100 msec square pulse is shown in FIG. 2c--the final transmission level was about 60%. All PDLC-type films that were tested showed this type of hysteresis effect, which on the surface would appear to be a serious deterrent to obtaining rapid response displays with reproducible gray scale.
The invention overcomes this problem in a manner that not only achieves good gray scale operation, but also substantially increases the optical throughput. As mentioned above, a shaped waveform that causes an appreciable part of the PDLC transmission to take place along a hysteresis fall curve at a higher transmission level is used, rather than a square wave. In addition, during the initial portion of the applied waveform the PDLC is overdriven by using an initial voltage level that is substantially higher than the voltage level that would produce the desired transmission level in steady-state operation. However, this initial voltage level is rapidly reduced from its initial high level so that the PDLC peaks at about the desired level of transmission. The voltage is reduced, preferably at an exponential decay rate, causing the PDLC to exhibit a relatively high level of optical transmission along a hysteresis fall curve for as long as the applied voltage is above the PDLC's transmission threshold.
It is important that the applied voltage be brought down to a level below the PDLC's transmission threshold voltage before the end of each time frame so that the PDLC transmission returns to the initial bias level during the frame time. In an LCLV, the time frame is established by the scanning periodicity of the input signal on each pixel, such as from a CRT scan of a photoactivated LCLV or an activating voltage in an active matrix LCLV. Starting each time frame from a voltage level below the threshold ensures that the liquid crystal operates reproducibly for a given signal during each frame.
Several experiments have demonstrated the advantages realized with the specially shaped waveform. In these demonstrations a PDLC sample was prepared by photopolymerization of a 1:1 mixture of Norland NAO65 monomer/initiator and BDH-E7 liquid crystal in a transmission mode test cell formed with indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass separated by a 0.5 mil spacing. An ultraviolet cure was performed with a 300 Watt mercury lamp (8 mW/cm 2 at 365 nm) for three minutes, resulting in liquid crystal droplet sizes estimated at between 1 and 2 microns. The cells were read out with a green HeNe laser beam in examples 1-4 and 6, and a red HeNe laser beam in examples 5 and 7.
EXAMPLE 1
A voltage waveform representing the product of a shaped pulse signal and a bias sine wave signal was applied to the PDLC cell, and repeated every 25 msec. The bias voltage level was established slightly below the PDLC's transmission threshold. The peak voltage level of the shaped pulse was 25 volts while the bias level was 1.5 volts, representing a 16:1 amplitude ratio that was higher than presently available LCLV switching ratios. Bias voltage frequencies of 1, 3 and 5 KHz were tested, and showed no significant change in light throughput or response times.
The PDLC optical response with a 5 KHz bias signal is shown in FIG. 3. The shaped voltage waveform can be considered as the instantaneous rms values from the envelope 10 of the alternating polarity 5 KHz cycles. The applied voltage rose rapidly to its peak level 12, and then decayed approximately exponentially to the bias level 14. A maximum transmission level 16 of about 70% was achieved for about 1 msec, and slowly decreased along a generally exponential curve until the voltage neared the bias level, at which point the transmissivity leveled off in region 18 at about a 4% level; this was retained until the end of the frame.
EXAMPLE 2
The PDLC sample was tested with a shaped pulse and a 5 KHz bias signal combination, refreshed at a 60 Hz frame rate. The results are shown in FIG. 4. In one case a very fast-rising 0.1 msec pulse signal 20 with a peak level of 25 volts and a bias level of 4.3 volts was used, while in a second case the pulsed signal 22 had the same 25 volt peak voltage, a bias voltage of 2.6 volts, and a slower 1.5 msec rise time. The PDLC optical response to the voltage waveforms within envelopes 20 and 22 is indicated by curves 24 and 26, respectively. The higher bias voltage of signal 20 did not appear to effect the PDLC's off-state transmission or the resulting contrast.
Transmission curve 24 had a faster rise time than curve 26, corresponding to the faster rise time of its voltage signal 20, but a lower peak transmission level corresponding to the more rapid termination of its peak voltage. Both transmission curves 24 and 26 exhibited a fairly high PDLC transmission level until the voltage dropped to the bias value, resulting in a higher optical throughput than a fast response twisted nematic cell.
EXAMPLE 3
The same PDLC cell was tested with a shaped pulse and a 5 KHz bias signal combination, refreshed at a 60 Hz frame rate. An initial 90 volt peak signal was exponentially decayed down to zero over about half the frame period. This resulted in an initial peak transmission of 91%, which gradually fell to a minimum transmission of 8% by the end of the frame. The voltage envelope 28 and transmission curve 30 are shown in FIG. 5.
EXAMPLE 4
The same conditions were employed as in Example 3, but the initial peak voltage was lowered from 90 volts to 60 volts, as indicated by voltage envelope 32 in FIG. 6. The resulting optical transmission curve 34 exhibited a maximum transmission of 82% and a minimum of 6%. In addition to the change in the maximum and minimum transmission levels, the shape of the transmission decay curve was also changed, with the transmission decaying more rapidly for the lower initial voltage of Example 4. This demonstrated that higher initial voltages (corresponding for example to higher input light levels in a photoconductive LCLV) would result in higher brightness from the PDLC cell, making it possible to achieve quality gray scale operation.
EXAMPLE 5
A similar PDLC cell made with 0.14 mil spacing was subjected to one square voltage pulse and one shaped voltage pulse for comparison, using 10 KHz AC. Both rms signals had the same integrated area (amplitude x pulse width) switching ratio of 1.5, and bias voltage level of 12.7 volts.
The optical response 36 to a 7 msec long, 41.1 volt amplitude square wave pulse 38 is shown in FIG. 7. This signal partially activated the PDLC film, reaching a 37% maximum transmission level at the end of the 7 msec pulse, and rapidly decayed to a transmission level of less than 5%. The resulting total light throughput (LTP) was 8.1% for the 30 Hz frame time.
The optical response 40 of the same PDLC film to a shaped pulse 42 with a 60.0 volt peak and a 7 msec decay is shown in FIG. 8. The voltage area of shaped pulse 42 was equal to that of square wave pulse 38. A much faster rise time of 0.83 msec was experienced with the shaped pulse, in contrast to the square wave pulse whose rise time occupied the entire 7 msec. The maximum light transmission for the shaped pulse was 69%, and its total light throughput for the 30 Hz frame time was 19.5%. This example demonstrated the improvements in rise time and light throughput from a shaped pulse signal with a rapid rise and a gradual decay.
EXAMPLE 6
To compare the shaped pulse mode operation of the PDLC film with twisted nematic liquid crystals, the same liquid crystal as in Examples 1-5 was tested in a 90° twisted nematic cell of 4.8 micron thickness. This liquid crystal thickness corresponded to the 10 micron thick PDLC film of Examples 1-5, which contained about 50% liquid crystal by volume. The cell was fabricated with 90° twisted surface parallel alignment between medium angle deposition/shallow angle deposition SiO 2 coated conductive electrodes. Transmission measurements were performed with the same optical setup used for the PDLC samples, a green HeNe laser, and two parallel polarizers inserted into the system. Shaped pulses of 5 KHz AC voltages with 25 msec repetition rates, as in Example 1, were used. The maximum rms pulse amplitudes were considerably less than in Example 1, since a substantial portion of the applied voltage in a PDLC cell is dropped across the polymer, rather than the liquid crystals themselves. Steady-state levels of only about 2 volts are usually required to turn this type of liquid crystal cell fully on.
The results of this test are summarized in the table below. The PDLC test cells in FIG. 3 exhibited higher contrast ratios and optical efficiency as compared to the twisted nematic cell, which can be attributed to the PDLC film's fast rise time and the effect of hysteresis in slowing down the optical decay. The test results indicated that the twisted nematic mode response time was too slow for a 25 Hz frame rate with an exponential decay pulse mode operation, and that the transmission decay within each time frame was too slow to obtain contrasts above 5:1 even with a signal ratio of 400:1. The high residual transmission at the end of each frame would also interfere with gray scale changes in a dynamic display. With the same shaped driving pulse, the PDLC film of Example 1 was operated between 70% maximum transmission and 4% minimum transmission, for a transmission ratio of 17.5 and a switching ratio of about 17:1.
______________________________________Bias Applied Switching T.sub.max./Voltage Voltage Ratio % T.sub.max % T.sub.min T.sub.min______________________________________0.3 4.7 15.7 84.7 60.0 1.40.2 4.5 22.5 46.0 26.0 1.80.6 10.0 16.7 97.0 42.6 2.31.35 12.0 8.9 94.0 56.8 1.60.03 12.0 400 94.0 22.0 4.3______________________________________
EXAMPLE 7
A voltage waveform of a pulse shape signal of alternating positive and negative DC pulses, each with a 16.7 ms frame time was applied to the PDLC cell of Example 5. This waveform corresponds to that obtained by placing an instantaneous (submillisecond) charge on the PDLC and having it leak off within a frame time by conduction through the PDLC due to its resistivity value of 7.5×10 9 ohm-cm (corresponding to a RC time constant of 3.3 ms), and then in the next frame placing the opposite polarity charge on the PDLC and having it leak off. The results are shown in FIG. 9. In each frame time, the optical response of the PDLC quickly reached a high transmission level within a millisecond, decayed relatively slowly until the DC pulse had decayed by more than an RC time constant, and then dropped back to its off-state transmission before the end of the 16.7 ms frame time. The positive and negative DC shaped pulses gave the same optical response. This resulted in an integrated light throughput which was 37.4% of the total incident light.
This invention may be implemented in a relatively simple active matrix raster-scan display system in which the pixel circuitry requires neither a storage capacitor nor a reset voltage to obtain the type of shaped pulse signal waveform described in Example 7 and shown in FIG. 9. A relatively low resistivity PDLC film, such as the 7.5×10 9 ohm-cm film in Example 7, provides the shaped pulse waveform needed for good optical throughput from the fast response on-time and integrated transmission effect from the exponential decay of the signal in each frame time at the 60 Hz frame rate. Similarly, a PDLC film with a resistivity of 1.5×10 10 ohm-cm provides fast response and good optical throughput when activated at a 30 Hz frame rate. Active matrix displays using nematic LCs (not in PDLCs) require much higher resistivity values (greater than 10 11 ohm-cm) to obtain good light throughput without storage capacitors in the pixel circuitry when operated at 30 Hz and 60 Hz frame rates.
The invention may be implemented in an LCLV system such as that shown in FIG. 10. An LCLV 44 is addressed by a cathode ray tube 46. The LCLV includes a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition deposited a-Si:H photoconductor 48 with a transparent ITO electrode 50 and a fiberoptic face plate 52 on one side, and a CdTe light-blocking layer 54 on the other side. After the light-blocking layer comes a dielectric mirror 56, a PDLC film 58 surrounded by a spacer ring 60, an ITO counter-electrode 62, and a quartz readout window 64. An audio frequency power supply 66 is connected across the two electrodes 50 and 62.
The CRT 46 directs an electron beam 68 across a phosphor screen 70, which is positioned to illuminate the fiberoptic face plate 52 with radiation emitted from the locations on the screen that are struck by the electron beam. Controlled scanning of the beam across the phosphor screen thus forms an input image to the light valve.
The input image is transmitted through the fiberoptic face plate 52 and transparent electrode 50 to the photoconductor layer 48. The impedance of the photoconductor layer is lowered in proportion to the intensity of the incident light, resulting in a spatially varying impedance pattern. This causes a corresponding increase in the voltage dropped across the liquid crystal layer 58 in a spatially varying pattern that matches the input image. This pattern modulates a readout beam 72 that is directed through the liquid crystal, reflects off of dielectric mirror 56 and exits back through the liquid crystal. The input and output beams are thus optically isolated, giving the light valve a capability of accepting a low-intensity light image and converting it into a much higher output image. The light blocking layer 54 prevents the readout beam from interfering with the photoconductor layer 48. For a higher contrast reflective mode PDLC-LCLV display, a wedge-shape front glass surface 64 is used so that the front surface reflection of the readout beam 72 (whether at normal incidence or at a small off-normal angle of incidence as indicated in FIG. 10) is reflected out of the optical system used to collect the main readout beam 72 that is reflected by the dichroic mirrors.
The shape of the voltage waveform across the liquid crystal will be a combined function of the phosphors used in the CRT, and the type of photoconductor in the light valve. These should be selected through empirical determinations to obtain the desired waveform. For example, a suitable combination of phosphor and photoconductor for the voltage waveforms in Example 2 is obtained by using the fast response a-Si:H photosubstrate (with greater than 60 Hz frame rate) characterized by Sterling et al., (cited above) activated with a medium persistence red CRT phosphor such as P22R (about 2 ms decay to 10%). Another example is to use relatively thin (5 μm thick) boron-doped a-Si:H films such as those described by Ashley and Davis, "Amorphous Silicon Photoconductor in a Liquid Crystal Spatial Light Modulator", Applied Optics, Vol. 26, No. 2, 15 January 1987, pages 241-246, in conjunction with a medium-short persistence green CRT phosphor such as P31 (about 38 μs to 10%) to obtain voltage waveforms such as those in Example 1. This voltage waveform on the PDLC will provide frame rates of about 40 Hz, which is considerably greater than the 10 Hz frame rate Ashley and Davis observed using step pulse response from optically chopped white light with the nematic liquid crystal BDH-44. Alternatively, the CRT can be replaced by very short optical pulses from an intense scanning laser beam (e.g. 632.8 nm), or from a laser emitting diode (e.g. 705 nm), in which cases the voltage waveform will be controlled by the response characteristics of the photosubstrate. PDLC films that are activated with such signals have been found to give high light throughput, fast response, and good gray scale operation when the voltage pulse is allowed to decay below the PDLC threshold voltage in each frame time. PDLC films activated in this manner produce faster response times and/or higher light throughputs than typical nematic liquid crystal cells when each are operated on constant gray scale for each frame time.
While several illustrative embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, numerous variations and alternate embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art. Such variations and alternate embodiments are contemplated, and can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. | A shaped voltage pulse is applied to a polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) cell to control its transmission characteristics. The voltage has an initially high level that substantially exceeds the PDLC's threshold voltage. The initial voltage duration is relatively short, and is followed by a gradual reduction of the voltage to a level less than the threshold voltage within a given time frame; the voltage is preferably reduced at a generally exponential rate. Fast response is obtained by setting the initial voltage substantially above the voltage level that corresponds to the desired transmission level in the steady state; the voltage decays from its initial level so that the PDLC transmission actually peaks at the desired range. The shaped waveform forces the PDLC to operate on a hysteresis curve along which the reduction in transmission is delayed as the voltage decays, thereby increasing the cell's optical throughput. The invention is particularly applicable to liquid crystal light valves. | 6 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a sheet feeder particularly useful in feeding batches of sheets and to a method of verifying batches of sheets.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In known batch sheet feeders, sheets may be fed singly from a stack through parallel belts and counted while they are transported through the parallel belts. The sheets are then either fed individually to a target (e.g., a box between flights of a downstream conveyor) so as to be stacked in batches directly on the target, or fed and stacked onto some sort of drop table (e.g., a reciprocating table) to be dropped vertically onto or into their target as a batch.
One drawback with singly feeding sheets to the target is that the target area must not move or be obstructed during the entire time that a given batch is being fed. By stacking the batch on a drop table, this problem is avoided in that the entire batch is dropped to the target together as one group. However, the speed at which the batch drops is fixed (by gravity) and the feeding of sheets to the table must halt for the time it takes the drop table to open, the product to drop and the table to return to its ready position. Another drawback is that the target must be able to accept the product from the top. With both approaches, a further difficulty in stacking the sheets is in controlling the trailing edge of a sheet so that the next sheet does not crash into it. This difficulty increases with the speed of feeding.
While known batch sheet feeders count sheets to ensure there is a proper number of sheets in each batch, in many applications the sheets of a batch are printed differently. Thus, each sheet of a batch may be unique in the batch. In such applications, another problem is ensuring that each batch has a proper set of sheets. Another drawback with the noted types of batch sheet feeder is that they have no mechanism to address this problem.
This invention seeks to provide a batch sheet feeder that avoids at least one of these drawbacks.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
According to the present invention, there is provided a batch sheet feeder comprising: an upstream first conveyor section arranged to convey sheets singly in a downstream direction to a downstream second conveyor section; said second conveyor section comprised of an upper second conveying section and a lower second conveying section forming a gap therebetween, said gap being largest at an upstream end of said second conveyor section and diminishing in size toward a downstream end of said second conveyor section; and a gate positioned proximate said downstream end of said second conveyor section for selectively blocking sheets from exiting said second conveyor section.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a batch sheet feeder, comprising: a lower endless conveyor; an upper endless conveyor arranged with respect to said lower conveyor so as to form a sheet feed path between said lower conveyor and said upper conveyor for feeding sheets in a downstream direction; said lower conveyor substantially paralleling said upper conveyor along an upstream first section, said lower conveyor jogging away from said upper conveyor at an upstream end of a downstream second section so as to form a gap between said lower conveyor and said upper conveyor at said second section that is larger than any gap between said lower conveyor and said upper conveyor at said first section.
According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a sheet feeder, comprising: a sheet conveyor; a sheet sensor; a visual attribute sensor having a field of view covering an area of said conveyor at a certain downstream location so as to sense an area of any sheet on said conveyor at said downstream location, said visual attribute sensor for comparing a sensed area of a sheet at said downstream location with a stored visual attribute.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of verifying batches of sheets, comprising: for each sheet at a given sheet position in each batch of sheets: obtaining a visual attribute for at least an area of said each sheet; comparing said visual attribute with a stored visual attribute; and selectively verifying said each batch based on said comparing.
According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of verifying batches of sheets, comprising: conveying sheets in a sheet conveyor; sensing sheets with a sheet sensor; sensing a visual attribute with a visual attribute sensor having a field of view covering an area of said conveyor at a certain downstream location so as to sense an area of any sheet on said conveyor at said downstream location; verifying batches of sheets at a processor receiving an output from said visual attribute sensor and said sheet sensor.
Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent after reviewing the description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the figures which illustrate example embodiments of the invention,
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sheet feeder made in accordance with this invention,
FIGS. 2 and 2 a are schematic side views of FIG. 1,
FIG. 3 is a perspective end view of a portion of the feeder of FIG. 1,
FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of another embodiment of this invention,
FIG. 5 is a schematic side view of yet another embodiment of this invention, and
FIG. 6 is a schematic side view of a further embodiment of this invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referencing FIGS. 1 and 2, sheet handling apparatus 10 comprises an in-feed sheet feeder 12 , a batch sheet feeder 14 , and a downstream target, such as boxes 15 between flights of flight conveyor 16 .
The in-feed sheet feeder may be of any type that will feed sheets singly to batch sheet feeder 14 . As illustrated, in-feed sheet feeder 12 has a stack 18 of sheets 20 supported by sheet guides 22 arranged such that the bottom sheet contacts a feed belt 23 . A motor 26 is provided to rotate a feed wheel 24 . If feed belt 23 is circulating, rotation of wheel 24 through an arc will feed a single sheet downstream. Such an in-feed sheet feeder 12 is further described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,651,983 to Long, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.
The batch sheet feeder 14 feeds sheets in a downstream direction D from the in-feed sheet feeder 12 to conveyor 16 . The batch sheet feeder 14 has a lower endless conveyor 30 and an upper endless conveyor 32 forming a sheet feed path between them. The conveyors 30 , 32 are driven by a motor 28 . Motor 28 also drives feed belt 23 . As is apparent from FIGS. 1 and 3, each of these conveyors comprises a plurality of endless belts 30 B, 32 B. The lower conveyor 30 substantially parallels the upper conveyor 32 along an upstream first section 34 . The lower conveyor 30 then wraps around separating support rolls 36 , 38 to jog away from the upper conveyor 32 . The separating support rolls are mounted on a base 37 , as is a backstop 66 ; the base allows the downstream position of the separating support rolls (and the backstop) to be adjusted. The separating support rolls define an upstream end of a downstream second section 40 of the batch sheet feeder. With this arrangement, any gap between the upper 32 and lower 30 conveyors at the first section 34 is smaller than the gap 42 between these conveyors at the upstream end of the second section 40 .
The upstream end of the lower 30 and upper 32 conveyors is supported by in-feed support rolls 44 , 46 , respectively. The downstream end of these conveyors is supported by exit rolls 54 , 56 , respectively. Exit rolls 56 , 58 are mounted so that their spacing can be adjusted to some extent by screws 57 , 59 . However, any gap between the exit rolls 54 , 56 should be significantly smaller than gap 42 at the upstream end of second section 40 . In consequence, the gap 42 between the lower 30 and upper 32 conveyors is largest at the upstream end of the second section 40 and reduces in size toward the downstream end of the second section 40 .
An adjustable support roll 60 bears against the upper conveyor 32 at the second section 40 . The adjustable support roll may be adjusted in a direction toward or away from the lower conveyor 30 in order to selectively adjust the size of the gap 42 between the lower 30 and upper 32 conveyors.
Separating support roll 38 is upstream of separating support roll 36 . The lower conveyor 30 wraps around a downstream side of separating support roll 36 and around an upstream side of separating support roll 38 so as to form an “S” shape in the downstream conveyor. (In the right hand side view of FIG. 2, this appears as a backwards “S” shape.)
A retractable gate 62 is positioned proximate the downstream end of the second section 40 to selectively block sheets from exiting the batch sheet feeder 14 . A pneumatic valve 74 provides air pressure to reciprocate the gate. The gate depends from a bracket 72 and a guide 70 (FIG. 3) maintains the gate 62 in its proper orientation. Side sheet guides 73 (FIG. 3) are provided upstream of the gate 62 .
With reference to FIG. 3, each of the exit rolls 54 , 56 may be an undulating roll. These undulating rolls parallel each other with the peaks 76 of the upper undulating exit roll 56 aligned with the troughs 78 of the lower undulating roll 54 . The peaks of each undulating roll have gently sloped crowns 80 . Each belt 30 B, 32 B of the conveyors 30 , 32 wraps around one of these crowns. However, in order to accommodate gate 62 , no belt wraps around the central peak of the upper undulating exit roll 56 . This configuration of the exit rolls 54 , 56 allows the lower conveyor to project to, or above, the level of the upper conveyor at the exit rolls 54 , 56 . Thus, optionally, there may be no gap at all between the lower and upper conveyors at the exit rolls. Furthermore, with this arrangement, the belts self-centre on the crowns 80 of the peaks 76 . Optionally, in-feed support rolls 44 , 46 may be similarly configured undulating rolls.
A visual attribute sensor 82 and a sheet sensor 86 are positioned along the first section 34 of the batch sheet feeder. The visual attribute sensor may be a colour sensor of the type that, when prompted, memorises the colour currently within its field of view. After memorising a colour, the colour sensor outputs a “match” signal whenever it is subsequently prompted to sense the colour within its field of view and the colour it sees is the same as the memorised colour. A suitable colour sensor operating in this fashion is the CZ-K 198 series RGB digital fiberoptic sensor manufactured by Kayence Corporation of Japan. The visual attribute sensor has a mount 84 that allows its transverse and downstream position to be adjusted. A batch sensor 88 is positioned along the second section 40 of the batch sheet feeder.
A processor 90 receives an output signal from each of sheet sensor 86 and batch sensor 88 . The processor is also coupled for communication with visual attribute sensor 82 . The processor outputs control signals to each of motors 26 and 28 and pneumatic valve 74 . The processor also receives batch demand signals on control line 92 .
Sheet handling apparatus 10 may be operated with visual attribute sensor 82 active or inactive. It is assumed first that processor 90 is loaded with an indication visual attribute sensor is inactive. The processor is also loaded with an indication of the number of sheets that are to be in each batch and a stack 18 of sheets 20 is loaded into sheet guides 22 . The downstream position of base 37 is then adjusted so that the length of gap 42 between backstop 66 and gate 62 is sufficient to accommodate the length of the sheets 20 that are in stack 18 .
The processor 90 may then accumulate a first batch of sheets at the second section 40 of batch sheet feeder 14 . To do so, the processor ensures gate 62 is blocking the exit of the batch sheet feeder by sending an appropriate activation signal to the pneumatic valve 74 . The processor then activates motor 28 in order to circulate conveyors 30 and 32 (and feed belt 23 ) and motor 26 to rotate feed wheel 24 in order to feed sheets singly between the conveyors 30 , 32 . The conveyors 30 , 32 entrain the sheets and move them in the downstream direction D toward the gate 62 . As sheets 20 pass sheet-sensor 86 , “sheet sensed” signals are sent to the processor. This allows the processor to keep track of the number of sheets that have been fed. After this number reaches the previously loaded number of intended sheets in each batch, the processor stops motors 26 and 28 .
As each fed sheet passes separating support roll 36 , it drops into the gap 42 between the upper 32 and lower 30 conveyors and then continues downstream until stopped by gate 62 . Adjustable support roll 60 creates a bend in upper conveyor 32 . This causes sheets feeding past support roll 60 to bend—as illustrated by sheet 20 B in FIG. 2 a . Once the trailing edge of a bent sheet enters gap 42 , the sheet naturally begins to straighten out to lose its bend; this urges the trailing edge of the sheet downwardly, thereby reducing the risk of the next upstream sheet crashing into the trailing edge of the straightening sheet. Because of the enlarged gap between the upper and lower conveyors in the second section 40 , the frictional contact of the lowermost and uppermost sheets accumulated in section 40 with respective conveyors 30 and 32 is reduced sufficiently to avoid bruising or spindling the sheets. Adjustable support roll 60 may be adjusted in accordance with the size of a batch: the larger the batch, the larger the gap 42 so as to control the frictional force on the uppermost sheet accumulated in section 40 . Additionally, the spacing between exit rolls 56 , 58 can also be adjusted in accordance with the size of the batch to control the frictional forces on the batch.
Backstop 66 precludes the possibility of the trailing edge of a sheet becoming entrained in the short upstream run of the lower conveyor 30 as it loops back from roll 36 to roll 38 .
Once an entire batch is in gap 42 and the processor has stopped motors 26 and 28 (thereby stopping the conveyors 30 , 32 ), the processor causes the gate 62 to be retracted. Optionally, the processor may then control motor 28 to move conveyors 30 , 32 slowly in order to advance the accumulated batch sufficiently so that the batch is between the exit rolls 54 , 56 , whereupon the processor again stops the conveyors 30 , 32 . (A rotary encoder associated with motor 28 can be used to allow the processor to know how far it has advanced the batch.) In this situation, the front of the batch is tightly held between the exit rolls 54 , 56 (but the trailing edge of the batch has not passed batch sensor 88 ).
When the processor 90 receives a batch demand signal on line 92 , it activates motors 26 and 28 to again begins circulating conveyors 30 and 32 so that the batch exits to conveyor 16 through the exit rolls 54 , 56 . In this regard, with the upper surface of the lower conveyor belts 30 B positioned below the lower surface of the upper conveyor belts 32 B, the sheets in the batch will be forced to assume an undulated shape as they pass through the exit rolls. This enhances the frictional engagement of the batch of sheets with the conveyor belts 30 B, 32 B and thereby assists in ensuring proper feeding. (Where in-feed support rolls 44 , 46 are similarly configured, in-fed sheets may also be forced to assume an undulated shape that enhances frictional engagement and thereby assists in ensuring proper feeding.)
When the trailing edge of a batch passes batch sensor 88 , the batch sensor signals processor 90 . This prompts the processor to extend gate 62 to again block the feed path. With both motors 26 and 28 activated, a new batch is accumulated in the second section 40 of the batch sheet feeder. The operation then repeats as aforedescribed.
The adjustment mechanism for adjustable support roll 60 may be a manually operated mechanism or an actuator controlled by processor 90 . In the latter case, where the ready position of a batch (i.e., the rest position of the batch while a demand signal is awaited) is such that the trailing edge of the batch is upstream of roll 60 , once a batch reaches the ready position, the processor may lower roll 60 to engage the batch more securely. This will allow a batch to be more securely ejected. Once the batch has been ejected, the processor would retract 60 back to a position for accumulation of tire next batch.
Optionally, two adjustable support rolls (not shown) may be provided at the downstream position of gate 62 , one on either side of the gate. If these additional rolls are provided, they may remain in a retracted position while gate 62 blocks the feed path, but may extend to push the conveyor belts 30 B or 32 B with which they are associated closer together when gate 62 is retracted. These two adjustable support rolls may therefore assist in ensuring that the batch is positively fed to the exit rolls 54 , 56 after the gate has been retracted. Also, if the feeder is equipped with these additional adjustable support rolls, the spacing between the exit rolls 54 , 56 may be increased. The increased spacing between the exit rolls helps ensure that the exit rolls are not so tightly spaced as to jam a developing batch against the gate with a force that will spindle sheets in the batch.
In the special case where the processor is loaded with an indication that a batch comprises only a single sheet, the processor can permanently raise gate 62 and, where it can control the position of roll 60 through an actuator, can lower roll 60 so that the conveyors 30 , 32 beneath the roll will pinch a single sheet. The operation of feeder 14 would also differ in that processor would simply operate motors 26 and 28 until batch sensor 88 is interrupted by a single sheet. Thereafter, on receipt of a demand signal, the sheet interrupting the batch sensor would be ejected and feeding would resume until the next sheet interrupted the batch sensor 88 .
Optionally, motors 26 and 28 could be replaced by a single motor with an appropriate drive train to obtain a desired speed ratio between (slower moving) feed wheel 24 and conveyors 30 , 32 .
Optionally, the flight conveyor 16 could move substantially in downstream direction D, rather than transversely to this downstream direction as is shown in FIG. 1 . For example, with reference to FIG. 4, a conveyor 116 conveys target boxes 115 in a target downstream direction DT. Target downstream direction DT crosses downstream direction D at a batch insertion station where a batch 120 is inserted into an open top of a box 115 . In this regard, conveyor 116 may operate continuously and the batch sheet feeder 14 controlled so that it ejects batches at a speed matched to that of the conveyor 116 . As a further example, with reference to FIG. 5, a batch deflector 225 is added to the output end of batch sheet feeder 14 . A conveyor 216 conveys boxes 215 in a downstream direction DT that crosses downstream direction D at a batch insertion station. The batch sheet feeder 14 is controlled so that a batch is projected with sufficient speed to be inserted into the open top of a box 215 as it passes. Again, the speed of feeding batches may be controlled to match that of a continuously operating conveyor. Unlike drop table batch sheet feeders, there is no requirement to feed to a target only from directly above; also, the speed of feeding may be greater than what can be achieved by gravity. And unlike batch feeders that stack a batch directly on to a target, there is no need to stop the target while the batch is fed. It will be apparent that, in fact, if desired, batch sheet feeder 14 may feed batches at high speed. This allows the batch sheet feeder 14 to place batches onto, or into, targets that continuously move past the exit rolls 56 , 58 . Further, these targets may move in, or substantially in, the downstream direction D of the batch sheet feeder 14 .
FIG. 6 wherein illustrates alternate arrangement for the batch sheet feeder. Turning to FIG. 6 wherein like parts have been given like reference numerals, batch sheet feeder 214 differs from batch sheet feeder 14 of FIGS. 1 to 5 in that the downstream second section 40 is separate from the upstream first section 34 . More particularly, the upstream section 34 is defined by conveyors 130 , 132 which ride on rolls 44 , 250 , and 46 , 252 , respectively. And the downstream section 40 is defined by conveyors 230 , 232 which ride on rolls 270 , 54 , and 272 , 56 , respectively. A suitable drive train may operatively couple the conveyors of the upstream section with those of the downstream section. With separate upstream 34 and downstream 40 sections, batch sheet feeder 214 omits the separating rolls 36 , 38 of FIGS. 1 to 4 and so the length of the downstream section 40 is not readily adjustable. In other respects, the batch sheet feeder 214 operates in the same manner as batch sheet feeder 14 of FIGS. 1 to 5 with sheets feeding singly along the upstream section and dropping into gap 42 and accumulating as a batch.
In the batch sheet feeder 214 of FIG. 6, the upper conveyor 132 could be replaced with a stationary sheet guide.
Where the sheets of a batch are visually different, the visual attribute sensor 86 may be used to help ensure each batch is properly constituted. For example, each sheet of a batch may have a different pattern of colours. This could occur where, for example, each sheet of a batch is a different advertisement. For such batches, the visual attribute sensor 86 could be the aforedescribed colour sensor.
Typically, sheets of a batch are printed such that each batch has the same set of sheets (e.g., the same set of advertisements) in the same order. To verify such batches, an area of one sheet (the “target” sheet) of a model batch is selected that is coloured distinctly from the same area of all other sheets of the batch. The target sheet will have a certain ordinal position in the batch. The processor 90 is then prompted to advance sheets of the first batch until the target sheet from the first batch (i.e., the sheet in the first batch that is at the certain ordinal position) is at a given downstream position. Colour sensor 82 is then moved in its mount 85 so that its field of view is aligned with the selected area of the target sheet; the colour sensor is then locked in its mount in that position. With the selected area of the target sheet within the field of view of the colour sensor, the colour sensor is prompted to memorise the colour(s) of that area of the target sheet. The processor is also prompted to memorise the ordinal position of the target sheet in the batch.
Conveniently, the sheet sensor 82 sends a signal to processor 90 each time it senses (a leading or trailing) edge of a sheet (such that the processor counts one sheet after receiving two consecutive signals from sheet sensor 82 ). In such case, the given downstream location of the target sheet can be defined as the position at which the sheet sensor 86 senses the leading edge of the target sheet.
After the processor has memorised the noted parameters (of colour and ordinal position), whenever a batch is fed, the processor monitors for the leading edge of the target sheet (i.e., the sheet at the memorised ordinal position) in the batch and prompts sensor 82 to capture the colour of the selected area of that sheet. Provided the target sheet is, in fact, the intended sheet, the colour sensor will output a “match” signal. On the other hand, if the target sheet is not the intended sheet, the colour of the target sheet at the selected area will not match the memorised colour. In consequence, the processor will not receive the expected “match” signal. This will cause the processor to flag the current batch as faulty so that appropriate action can be taken.
While the example visual attribute sensor 82 is a colour sensor, other visual attribute sensors may be used. For example, the visual attribute sensor may be a visual pattern sensor for sensing the visual pattern within its field of view in addition to, or instead of, the colour. For example, the sensor could include a camera (such as a CCD camera) and output a “match” signal only when the (coloured) pattern within the field of view of the camera matched a memorised pattern. Alternatively, where the sheets included bar codes, the visual attribute sensor could be a bar code reader. Also, instead of the visual attribute sensor being a separate component, the sensor could be a combination of a visual sensor, such as a camera (at the location of sensor 86 ) and the processor 90 . That is, the processor could process signals from a camera in order to store an initial (coloured) pattern and compare it with a current pattern.
Optionally, a visual attribute of more than one sheet, or indeed of all sheets, of a batch may be memorised and used as a metric of comparison with corresponding sheets of future batches to identify faulty batches. As a further option, the last sheet in each batch may be provided with a visible end-of-batch indicia positioned so that it will be in the field of view of the visual attribute sensor as this last sheet passes the sensor. In such instance, the processor learns from the sensor that the last sheet of a batch has been fed. Consequently, there is no need for the processor to be pre-loaded with the batch size and, indeed, this size may change from batch to batch.
Adjustable support roll 60 could be replaced with an adjustable support abutment having a low friction surface that makes sliding contact with the upper conveyor 32 .
Other modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art and, therefore, the invention is defined in the claims. | A batch sheet feeder has an upstream first conveyor section arranged to convey sheets singly in a downstream direction to a downstream second conveyor section. The second conveyor section has an upper second conveying section and a lower second conveying section forming a gap therebetween. The gap is largest at an upstream end of the second conveyor section and diminishes in size toward a downstream end of the second conveyor section. A gate positioned proximate the downstream end of the second conveyor section selectively blocks sheets fed along the second conveyor section. In another embodiment, the sheet feeder has a sheet conveyor, sheet sensor, and visual attribute sensor. The visual attribute sensor has a field of view covering an area of the conveyor at a certain downstream location so as to sense an area of any sheet on the conveyor at this downstream location. The visual attribute sensor can compare a sensed area of a sheet at the downstream location with a stored visual attribute. In this way, where the sheets of a batch are different, the visual attribute sensor can be used to verify that a sheet of a batch has visual characteristics matching those of the expected sheet at that ordinal position in the batch. This assists in ensuring a batch is not faulty. In a related method of verifying batches of sheets, for each sheet at a given ordinal position in each batch a visual attribute measure for at least an area of the sheet is obtained. A comparison is made of the visual attribute measure with a stored visual attribute measure. Each batch is selectively verified based on this comparison. | 1 |
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a mobile information processing apparatus equipped with a touch panel device, and a program for the mobile information processing apparatus, and it relates especially to a mobile information processing apparatus equipped with a touch panel device and an external output interface device, which is connected to an external unit with a display device or to an external unit with a touch panel device, and a program for the mobile information processing apparatus.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] Recently, a mobile information processing apparatus equipped with a touch panel device is used, and especially, in the field of a cellular phone, a touch-panel smart phone which is represented by iPhone (registered trademark) by Apple Inc. is sold increasingly.
[0003] Hereinafter, “a mobile information processing apparatus equipped with a touch panel device” is referred as “a touch-panel mobile information processing apparatus”.
[0004] In the case of a touch-panel mobile information processing apparatus, a suitable input interface for each application can be realized, since an input screen display of a touch panel can be changed variously by a software. For example, in the case of a touch-panel smart phone, a user can carry out a data input operation on a suitable input screen for each input operation such as a telephone number input for a telephone call, a character input for sending an E-mail, and, more over, a data input for operating various application software containing a game program, and, as a result, the convenience of data input is much more improved than a cellular phone only with a hard key.
Patent Document 1: Japanese laid-open patent publication No. 2008-141519 Patent Document 1: Japanese laid-open patent publication No. 2010-003307
[0007] By the way, in the case of a touch-panel mobile information processing apparatus, it is usual that a touch-panel screen is divided into a input area and a display area, and data is inputted by manual operation such as touch or push of the input area and shield of light incoming on the input area, when the input contents are intricately and abundant in such a case as inputting substances.
[0008] However, in the case of a mobile information processing apparatus including at least a cellular phone, a smart phone and PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), size and screen resolution (number of level pixels×number of perpendicular pixels) of a attached display cannot be increased in vain, since its portability is thought as important. If, despite of the limitation, the touch-panel screen is divided as mentioned above, the size and displayable pixels of the input area of the screen will become so small that number of keys should be restricted even though, for example, key board for inputting characters (such as letters, numbers and symbols). As a result, in the case of a character input for sending an e-mail, user suffers such inconvenience as to change the display mode of the input area between the case of letter input and the case of number input and to touch the same key repeatedly. For example, in order to input the fifth character of the Japanese syllabary, user is required to push a certain key, which is assigned to first line of the Japanese syllabary (“kana”), five times after changing an input mode to “kana”.
[0009] On the other hand, the similar inconvenience occurs also in a display area. Since some part of touch-panel screens, of which size and screen resolution are originally small, is devoted to an input area for data input, contents or image pixels which can be displayed on a display area will be decreased further. For this reason, the problem that the whole text cannot be read without frequent scroll will arise when user polishes the text inputted, for example, on the occasion of text creation of an e-mail.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
Technical Problem
[0010] The present invention is invented considering the abovementioned circumstances, and an object of the invention is to provide a touch-panel mobile information processing apparatus, of which size and screen resolution is large enough, and to improve convenience of its user, only with an addition of an interface device to an external unit and a little addition of functions to its own signal processing and control device.
Solution to Problem
[0011] In order to achieve above objectives, according to the first invention of the present invention related to a mobile information processing apparatus, there is provided a mobile information processing apparatus comprising: a touch panel device which has the following functions: a display function to indicate an image on a screen according to a digital display signal, which is received from aftermentioned signal processing and control device; and a input function to detect a manual operation including at least a touch or a push of a screen surface and a shield of incoming light and to generate and send a manual operation signal to aftermentioned signal processing and control device, wherein “a manual operation signal” means “a signal corresponding to a manual operation”; a storage device which stores a program, which activates aftermentioned signal processing and control device; a signal processing and control device which converts the manual operation signal, which is received from said touch panel device signal, to data, generates a digital display signal, according to the data and the program stored in said storage device and sends the digital display signal to said touch panel device and/or aftermentioned external output interface device; and an external output interface device which is connected to an external unit, which is equipped with or is connected to a display device, and sends an external display signal to the external unit according to the digital display signal received from said signal processing and control device; wherein said signal processing and control device selects the following two control mode alternatively: control mode 1 , in which the manual operation signal received from said touch panel device is converted to data, and only a single line of digital display signal is generated and is sent to said touch panel device; and control mode 2 , in which the manual operation signal received from said touch panel device is converted to data in a different way from control mode 1 , two lines of digital display signal are generated, and one is sent to said touch panel device and the other to said external output interface device.
[0012] And according to the second invention of the present invention related to a mobile information processing apparatus, there is provided a mobile information processing apparatus according to the first invention, wherein said signal processing and control device sends a higher-resolution digital display signal to said external output interface device in said control mode 2 , wherein “a higher-resolution digital display signal” means “a digital display signal of which intrinsic resolution is higher than the screen resolution of said touch panel device”.
[0013] Note that “an intrinsic resolution of a display signal” in DESCRIPTION and CLAIMS means “a resolution of a image, which is displayed in a display device with a sufficient screen resolution, when it receives the display signal and processes it appropriately”. And “a display device processes a display signal appropriately” means “a display device realizes logical color information of a display signal per pixel as color display of physical pixel which constitutes its screen with neither excess nor deficiency”, and, more specifically, means “a display device realizes logical color information of a display signal as color display of physical pixel without reducing resolution of a display image by thinning out a pixel nor enlarging resolution of a display image by interpolating a pixel.
[0014] And according to the third invention of the present invention related to a mobile information processing apparatus, there is provided a mobile information processing apparatus according to the first or the second invention, further comprising a connection detection device which detects that said external unit is connected to said external output interface device in the condition that the display device is operable, and sends a signal to said signal processing and control device; wherein said signal processing and control device selects control mode 2 automatically or according to the manual operation signal from said touch panel device, when receiving a signal, which means that said external unit is connected to said external output interface device in the condition that the display device is operable.
[0015] And according to the fourth invention of the present invention related to a mobile information processing apparatus, there is provided a mobile information processing apparatus according to any one of the first to the third invention, wherein said signal processing and control device sends a digital display signal of a screen image with a keyboard simulated image displayed in the whole or in the most part of the touch panel device, and selects keyboard display sub-mode, in which a manual operation signal to a keyboard simulated image display area, which is received from said touch panel device, is converted to character data in said control mode 2 , wherein “a keyboard simulated image” means “an image which simulates a keyboard for a character input”, and “a manual operation signal” means “a signal corresponding to a manual operation”.
[0016] And according to the fifth invention of the present invention related to a mobile information processing apparatus, there is provided a mobile information processing apparatus according to any one of the first to the fourth invention, wherein said signal processing and control device sends a digital display signal of a screen image with a handwriting input area displayed in the whole or in the most part of the touch panel device, and selects handwriting input sub-mode, in which a manual operation signal to the handwriting input area, which is received from said touch panel device, is converted to character data or drawing data in said control mode 2 , wherein “a manual operation signal” means “a signal corresponding to a manual operation”.
[0017] And according to the sixth invention of the present invention related to a mobile information processing apparatus, there is provided a mobile information processing apparatus according to any one of the first to the fifth invention, wherein said signal processing and control device sends a digital display signal of a screen image with a game controller simulated image displayed in the whole or in the most part of the touch panel device, and selects game controller display sub-mode, in which a manual operation signal to the game controller simulated image display area, which is received from said touch panel device, is converted to game input data in said control mode 2 , wherein “a game controller simulated image” means “an image which simulates a game controller” and “a manual operation signal” means “a signal corresponding to a manual operation”.
[0018] And according to the seventh invention of the present invention related to a mobile information processing apparatus, there is provided a mobile information processing apparatus according to any one of the first to the sixth invention, further comprising an external input interface which is connected to an external unit, which is equipped with or is connected to a manual input device, and receives an external manual operation signal, which is generated by the manual input device of the external unit, and sends the external manual operation signal to said signal processing and control device, and said external input interface device is provided integrally with or separately with said external outout interface device; wherein said signal processing and control device processes the manual operation signal received from said touch panel device and the external manual operation signal received from said external input interface device in parallel, converts these operation signal into data, and generates a digital display signal according the data in control mode 2 .
[0019] And according to the eighth invention of the present invention related to a program for a mobile information processing apparatus, there is provided A program which is stored in the storage device of mobile information processing apparatus according any one of the first to the sixth invention, which makes said signal processing and control device select said control mode 1 and said control mode 2 alternatively.
[0020] And according to the ninth invention of the present invention related to a mobile information processing apparatus, there is provided a mobile information processing apparatus comprising: a touch panel device which has the following functions: a display function to indicate an image on a screen according to a digital display signal, which is received from aftermentioned signal processing and control device; and an input function to detect a manual operation including at least a touch or a push of a screen surface and a shield of incoming light and to generate and send a manual operation signal to aftermentioned signal processing and control device, wherein “a manual operation signal” means “a signal corresponding to a manual operation”; a storage device which stores a program, which activates aftermentioned signal processing and control device; a signal processing and control device which converts the manual operation signal, which is received from said touch panel device and/or aftermentioned external input/output interface device, to data, generates a digital display signal, according to the data and the program stored in said storage device and sends the digital display signal to said touch panel device and/or aftermentioned external input/output interface device; and an external input/output interface device which is connected to an external unit, which is equipped with or is connected to a touch panel device, sends an external display signal to the external unit according to the digital display signal received from said signal processing and control device, receives an external manual operation signal inputted by the touch panel device in the external unit and sends the manual operation signal to said signal processing and control device; wherein said signal processing and control device selects the following two control mode alternatively: control mode A, in which the manual operation signal received from said touch panel device is converted to data, and a generated digital display signal is sent to said touch panel device; and control mode B, in which the manual operation signal received from said external input/output interface device is converted to data, and a generated digital display signal is sent to said external input/output interface device.
[0021] “An external input/output interface device” in DESCRIPTION and CLAIMS can be either a integrally constituted interface device, which has both of an external output interface function to send an external display signal to an external unit with a touch panel device and an external input interface function to receive a manual operation signal from an external unit with a touch panel device, or a interface device, which is composed of an external output interface device to send an external display signal to an external unit with a touch panel device and an external input interface device to receive a manual operation signal from an external unit with a touch panel device.
[0022] In control mode B, said signal processing and control device can either process only an external manual operation signal received from said external input/output interface device or process an external manual operation signal received from said external input/output interface device and a manual operation signal received from a touch panel device in mobile information processing apparatus in parallel. And it is possible either that a single line of digital display signal is generated and is sent to an external input/output interface device or that two lines of digital display signal are generated, and one is sent to said external output interface device and the other to a touch panel device in a mobile information processing apparatus.
[0023] And according to the tenth invention of the present invention related to a mobile information processing apparatus, there is provided a mobile information processing apparatus according to the ninth invention, wherein said signal processing and control device sends a higher-resolution digital display signal to said external input/output interface device in said control mode B, wherein “a higher-resolution digital display signal” means “a digital display signal of which intrinsic resolution is higher than the screen resolution of said touch panel device”.
[0024] And according to the eleventh invention of the present invention related to a mobile information processing apparatus, there is provided a mobile information processing apparatus according to the ninth or the tenth invention, further comprising a connection detection device which detects that said external unit is connected to said external input/output interface device in the condition that the display device is operable, and sends a signal to said signal processing and control device; wherein said signal processing and control device selects control mode B automatically or according to the manual operation signal from said touch panel device, when receiving a signal, which means that said external unit is connected to said external output interface device in the condition that the display device is operable.
[0025] And according to the twelfth invention of the present invention related to a program for a mobile information processing apparatus, there is provided A program which is stored in the storage device of mobile information processing apparatus according any one of the ninth to the eleventh invention, which makes said signal processing and control device select said control mode A and said control mode B alternatively.
[0026] And according to the thirteenth invention of the present invention related to a mobile information processing apparatus, there is provided a mobile information processing apparatus according to any one of the first to the seventh invention or any one of the ninth to the eleventh invention, further comprising a wireless communication device which receives and converts a wireless signal into a digital signal and sends the digital signal to said signal processing and control device, and converts a digital signal, which is received from said signal processing and control device, into a wireless signal and sends the wireless signal; wherein said signal processing and control device converts the manual operation signal received from said touch panel device to data, makes necessary processes on the digital signal received from said wireless communication device according to the data, and generates a digital display signal by processing in real time or by reading out and processing a data file, which is once stored in said storage device.
Advantageous Effects of Invention
[0027] A mobile information processing apparatus according to any one of the first or the seventh invention has control mode 2 , where two types of digital display signals are generated, and one is send to the touch panel of the mobile information processing apparatus and the other is send to an external output interface device, in addition to control mode 1 , which is the same processing mode as in the usual touch-panel mobile information processing apparatus. For this reason, it is possible to use a touch panel device in a mobile information processing apparatus only for data input, and to display an image, which is generated according to the input data corresponding to the manual operation signal received from a touch panel device, on the display device which accompanied by the external unit connected to an external output interface device.
[0028] For this reason, it can be avoided that the size of an input area or a display area becomes so small that user's convenience should be spoiled even in the case that complicated input operation is required, since it is not necessary to divide a touch-panel screen into an input area and a display area unlike the usual touch-panel mobile information processing apparatus.
[0029] Especially in a game use, a mobile information processing apparatus can be used as a two screen game machine like Nintendo DS (registered trademark) of Nintendo Co., Ltd., and it is possible to enjoy a software, which is oriented to two screen game machine only by adding an easy correction.
[0030] Especially according to the second invention, an image, of which resolution is higher than screen resolution of the attached touch panel device, can be displayed on the screen of a display device of which screen resolution is higher than a attached touch panel device, by connecting the external unit accompanied by the higher-resolution external display to an external output interface device.
[0031] Hereinafter, “a display device of which screen resolution is higher than a attached touch panel device” is referred as “a higher-resolution external display”.
[0032] In a conventional touch-panel mobile information processing apparatus, screen scrolling or page turning is so frequently required that a smooth understanding had been barred when browsing a web page or a digital book, since the amount of information which is indicates on a screen at once was limited due to restrictions of the screen resolution of an attached touch panel device. Moreover, even if a high-definition image (a still image or a moving image) is downloaded from the Internet, it is impossible to enjoy it in an intrinsic resolution. And it is also impossible to enjoy a game which is accompanied by a high definition image from restrictions of the screen resolution of an attached touch panel device. According to the second invention, however, it becomes possible to make it easy for a user to understand of a web page or a book by indicating a lot of information on a screen at once, and also to enjoy a higher-definition image (a still image and a moving image) or a game which is accompanied by higher-definition images, since the user is freed from the restriction of screen resolution of the attached touch panel device.
[0033] And especially according to the 3rd invention, it can be prevented that a touch-panel mobile information processing apparatus cannot be used as usual (that means in control mode 1 ) even in the state where it is not connected to an external unit, for example, since the control mode 2 is selectable only when the external unit accompanied by a display device is connected in the state where the display device can be operated.
[0034] On the other hand, especially according to the fourth invention, sufficient number of the keys can be displayed, since a keyboard simulated image can be displayed in the whole or in the most part of an attached touch panel device. For this reason, it is not necessary to change the display of an input area when inputting characters, according whether letters are inputted or numbers and symbols are inputted like the conventional touch-panel mobile information processing apparatus.
[0035] And especially according to especially the fifth invention, a sufficient handwriting input area can be used, since a handwriting input area can be displayed in the whole or in the most part of an attached touch panel device. For this reason, a letter with many stroke counts and complicated drawing can also be inputted without difficulties using fingers or a touch pen (stylus).
[0036] And especially according to the sixth invention, it is possible to enjoy a game by using a mobile information processing apparatus of the present invention itself as a game controller, since a game controller simulated image can be displayed in the whole or in the most part of an attached touch panel device.
[0037] On the other hand, especially according to the seventh invention, the convenience of input operation can be further improved, since, in control mode 2 , a touch-panel mobile information processing apparatus and a manual input device accompanied by an external unit, which is connected an external input interface device, can be used together for data input. The same input operation like a PC (personal computer), to which a keyboard with a touchpad or a keyboard with a handwriting pad is connected, can be realized, especially by adopting a keyboard equipment with an insertion part, where a touch-panel mobile information processing apparatus can be inserted, and utilizing the touch-panel screen of the touch-panel mobile information processing apparatus, which is inserted in and is connected to the insertion part as a touchpad or a handwriting pad.
[0038] And by installing a program for a mobile information processing apparatus according to the eighth invention in a storage device of a mobile information processing apparatus, and making the program drive a signal processing and control device of the mobile information processing apparatus, it becomes possible that control mode 1 and control mode 2 can be selected alternatively.
[0039] On the other hand, a mobile information processing apparatus according to any one of the ninth to the eleventh invention, is equipped with an external input/output interface device, and has control mode B, where a manual operation signal, which is received from the external input/output interface device, is converted into data, and the generated digital display signal is sent to the said external input/output interface device, in addition to control mode A, which is the same processing mode as in the usual touch-panel mobile information processing apparatus. For this reason, the same operation and processing as a so-called tablet PC are realized, by connecting an external unit accompanied by a large-sized touch panel device to a small-sized touch-panel mobile information processing apparatus like a smart phone.
[0040] And moreover, in this case, the external unit is required only to be equipped with a touch panel device, which has a display function and an input function, and an interface device with touch-panel mobile information processing apparatus, but not to be equipped with such a signal processing and control device as advanced CPU (Central Processing Unit), with which a usual tablet PC is equipped. For this reason, it is more economical than using together a smart phone and a tablet PC which are independently equipped with a signal processing and control device (and OS (Operating System) and application software for them), respectively. Moreover, user is not bothered to synchronize an application software or data, as in the case using a smart phone and a tablet PC together, either.
[0041] Especially according to the 10th invention, by connecting an external unit accompanied by a touch panel device, of which screen resolution is higher than a attached touch panel device, to an external input/output interface device, an image, of which resolution is higher than screen resolution of the attached touch panel device, can be displayed on the screen of the higher-resolution touch panel device.
[0042] Hereinafter, “a touch panel device of which screen resolution is higher than a attached touch panel device” is referred as “a higher-resolution touch panel device”.
[0043] In a conventional touch-panel mobile information processing apparatus, screen scrolling or page turning is so frequently required that a smooth understanding had been barred when browsing a web page or a digital book, since the amount of information which is indicates on a screen at once was limited due to restrictions of the screen resolution of an attached touch panel device. Moreover, even if a high-definition image (a still image or a moving image) is downloaded from the Internet, it is impossible to enjoy it in an intrinsic resolution. And it is also impossible to enjoy a game which is accompanied by a high definition image from restrictions of the screen resolution of an attached touch panel device. According to the second invention, however, it becomes possible to make it easy for the user to understand of a web page or a book by indicating a lot of information on a screen at once, and also to enjoy a higher-definition image (a still image and a moving image) or a game which is accompanied by higher-definition images, since the user is freed from the restriction of screen resolution of the attached touch panel device like the second invention.
[0044] And especially according to the eleventh invention, it can be prevented that a touch-panel mobile information processing apparatus cannot be used as usual (that means in the control mode A) even in the state where it is not connected to an external unit, for example, since the control mode B is selectable only when the external unit accompanied by a touch panel device is connected in the state where the touch panel device can be operated.
[0045] And by installing a program for a mobile information processing apparatus according to the twelfth invention in a storage device of a mobile information processing apparatus, and making the program drive a signal processing and control device of the mobile information processing apparatus, it becomes possible that control mode A and control mode B are realized alternatively.
[0046] On the other hand, especially according to the thirteenth invention, it becomes possible to display a image, such as a web page, a still image and a moving image, not only on an attached touch panel device but also on an display device accompanied by an external unit connected to the external output interface device or on an touch panel device accompanied by an external unit connected to the external input/output interface device, by downloading and processing an HTML file and a graphics file from a web server linked to the Internet.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0047] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not restricted to the following embodiments and many variations are possible within the spirit and scope of the present invention.
[0048] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a constitution and a function of the first embodiment of the present invention of a mobile information processing apparatus and an information processing system which is composed by connecting the mobile information processing apparatus and an external unit equipped with a display device, especially in the case that the mobile information processing apparatus is a smart phone.
[0049] In this embodiment, a smart phone 1 can be used by itself for telephone call, data communication and processing, or storage and reproduction of image data and/or sound data, and various images are displayed on a touch panel 14 A in the case other than telephone call usage.
[0050] Hereinafter, it is assumed that screen's resolution of the touch panel 14 A is half VGA (horizontal×vertical=320×480 pixels), but another screen's resolution is possible.
[0051] Firstly, when the smart phone 1 is used for telephone call, a sound picked up by a microphone 13 A is converted to a digital signal by a CODEC (COder-DECoder) 13 C and the digital signal goes through a baseband processor 11 A and an RF (Radio Frequency) sending/receiving part 12 B and is sent to public network as a wireless signal from a communication antenna 12 A. In reverse, a wireless signal from public network is received by the communication antenna 12 A and is converted to a digital signal by going through a RF sending/receiving part 12 B and the baseband processor 11 A. The digital signal is converted to an analog electrical signal and is finally is outputted as sound from a speaker 13 B.
[0052] Note that sending and receiving of an wireless signal is realized by communicating with a base station of cellular network in the form such as CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) or by communicating with a base station or an access point of wireless LAN in the form such as DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) and OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing).
[0053] Secondly, when the smart phone 1 is used for data communication and processing, data, which is included in a signal generated by a detection of touch of the touch panel 14 A by finger or touch pen (stylus) and converted to a digital signal by a manual input controller 14 E, and/or data, which is included in an wireless signal conforming to the Internet Protocol and received from public network, goes through the RF sending/receiving part 12 B and the baseband processor 11 A and is converted to a digital signal, and/or data, which is read out from data files (image data files, sound data files, etc.) in a flash memory 15 A are sent to a central processing circuit 11 B via a bus 17 . The central processing circuit 11 B makes necessary processes on the data, according to a program stored in the flash memory 15 A, and sends the processed data to a RAM (Random Access Memory) 15 B, a graphic controller 14 B and the baseband processor 11 via the bus 17 . And eventually, an image is displayed on the screen of the touch panel 14 A, a sound is outputted from the speaker 13 B, an wireless signal is sent from the communication antenna 12 A, or data is stored at the flash memory 15 A.
[0054] Especially, a data signal and a data flow until an image is displayed on the touch panel 14 A are as follows: The central processing circuit 11 B, according to a program stored in the flash memory 15 A, commands the graphic controller 14 B to generate bit-mapped data describing an image with a resolution corresponding to the screen resolution of the touch panel 14 A and send it to a LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) driver 14 D. A graphics controller 14 B generates bit map data, according to the plotting command, and send it to an LCD driver 14 D, while writing on and/or reading out from a VRAM (Video RAM) 14 C, if necessary. The LCD driver 14 D activates each pixel, which constitutes the screen of the touch panel 14 A, by making a source driver part and a gate driver part work according to the bit-mapped data and eventually displays various images and screen images on the touch panel 14 A.
[0055] Note that sending and receiving of a wireless signal conforming to the Internet Protocol is realized by various communication systems. It is possible that communication is conducted by a high-speed wireless LAN system in the area close to an access point of wireless LAN, such as indoor, and otherwise by the third generation mobile communications (cellular system), such as a CDMA system, by making the communication antenna 12 A, the RF sending/receiving part 12 B, and the baseband processor 11 A responsive to several band frequencies.
[0056] And an image data file and/or sound data file can be stored in the flash memory 15 A in the case that the central processing circuit 11 A receives and make necessary processes on a digital signal, which is received via the communication antenna 11 A, the RF sending/receiving part 12 B and the baseband processor 11 A by accessing a web site.
[0057] At that time, image data is stored in MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) format such as MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4) in the case of a moving image, and is stored in such format as EMP, TIFF, JPEG, GIF and PNG in the case of a still image. And sound data is stored in such format as WAVE format, MP3 (MPEG Audio Layer 3) and ATRAC3 (Adaptive TRansform Acoustic Coding 3).
[0058] FIG. 2 is an image showing a screen image which is displayed on a touch panel belonging to the first embodiment of the present invention of a mobile processing communication apparatus, when text of an e-mail is inputted by using the mobile processing communication apparatus solely.
[0059] When text of an e-mail is inputted by using the smart phone 1 solely, the screen of the touch panel 14 A is divided into a touch panel display area 14 A 1 and a touch panel input area 14 A 2 , and keys showing the lines of “kana” (first line of “kana”, second line of “kana”, etc.) are displayed on the touch panel input area 14 A 2 . A user can input a “kana” character by touching these key displays with fingers or a touch pen (stylus). For example, the fifteenth character of “kana” can be inputted by pushing a key, which is assigned to third line of “kana” five times.
[0060] FIG. 3 is another image showing a screen image which is displayed on a touch panel belonging to the first embodiment of the present invention of a mobile processing communication apparatus, when text of an e-mail is inputted by using the mobile processing communication apparatus solely.
[0061] FIG. 4 is yet another image showing a screen image which is displayed on a touch panel belonging to the first embodiment of the present invention of a mobile processing communication apparatus, when text of an e-mail is inputted by using the mobile processing communication apparatus solely.
[0062] When text of an e-mail is inputted by using the smart phone 1 solely, a change key for symbol input 14 A 21 , a change key for number input 14 A 22 , a change key for alphabet input 14 A 23 , and a change key for “kana” input 14 A 24 are displayed on the screen of the touch panel 14 A. FIG. 2 shows the screen image displayed when the change key for “kana” input 14 A 24 is touched, and, on the other hand, a screen image shown in FIG. 3 is displayed when the change key for alphabet input 14 A 23 is touched, and a screen image shown in FIG. 4 is displayed when the change key for number input 14 A 22 is touched, respectively. And, letter “S” of alphabet can be inputted by pushing a key, which is assigned to “PARS” four times.
[0063] And the data inputted by touch operations to the touch panel input area 14 A 2 , which was explained above, is displayed on the touch panel display area 14 A 1 .
[0064] A user checks the text displayed on the touch panel display area 14 A 1 and send it after correction, if needed, but it is necessary to repeat scrolling of a screen repeatedly in order to check the whole text of an e-mail, since there is little amount of information displayed on the touch panel display area 14 A 1 as shown also in a figures.
[0065] Hereinbefore, described is the outline of the function of the smart phone 1 in the case when it used solely.
[0066] Hereinafter, “in the case when the smart phone 1 used solely” referred as “sole use case”.
[0067] On the other hand, the smart phone 1 is equipped with an interface part A_ 16 B for connecting with an external output unit 2 , and the external output unit 2 is equipped with an external LCD panel 24 A and is also equipped with an interface part B 26 B for connecting with the smart phone 1 . Thus, the smart phone 1 and the external output unit 2 can be operated as an integrated information communication system, by connecting the interface part A_ 16 B of the smart phone 1 , and the interface part B_ 26 B of the external output unit 2 through the connection cable 5 .
[0068] Note that, hereinafter, it is assumed that a screen's resolution of the external LCD panel 24 A is XGA (horizontal×vertical=1024×768 pixels, in the case of horizontally long configuration) in principle, but another resolution is possible.
[0069] When the smart phone 1 in work and the external output unit 2 , of which external LCD panel is in displayable condition, are connected with each other, or when the smart phone 1 in work and the external output unit 2 are connected with each other, and then the external output unit 2 is made to work and to be in displayable condition, or when the smart phone 1 and the external output unit 2 in work are connected with each other, and then the smart phone 1 is made to work, the central processing circuit 11 B of the smart phone 1 receives a signal, which means that the external output unit 2 is detected to be connected, and screen's resolution data of the external LCD panel 24 A of the external unit 2 from the external output unit 2 via the interface part B_ 26 B, the connection cable 5 , the interface part A_ 16 B and the bus 17 .
[0070] Hereinafter, “an external LCD panel of the external output unit 2 is in displayable condition” is referred as “an external output unit 2 is in work”. And “a signal, which means that one is detected to be connected” is referred as “one's connection detection signal”.
[0071] And when the connection detection signal of the external output unit 2 and the screen resolution data of the external LCD panel 24 A of the external output unit 2 are received, the central processing circuit 11 B of the smart phone 1 comes to work in different control mode from that in sole use case, which is explained above, as follows: It commands the graphic controller 14 B not only to generate bit-mapped data describing an image with a resolution corresponding to the screen resolution of the touch panel 14 A and send it to the LCD driver 14 D, but also to generate bit-mapped data describing an image with a resolution corresponding to the screen resolution of the external LCD panel and send it to a TMDS transmitter (Transition Minimized Differential Signaling) 16 A.
[0072] Note that, in this case, the image to which the bit-mapped data sent to the LCD driver 14 D correspond is a different image from that in sole use case, and, as a result, a different image from that in sole use case is displayed in the touch panel 14 A, as explained in detail later.
[0073] On the other hand, the bit-mapped data sent to the TMDS transmitter 16 A is converted to the external display signal, which is sent in a TMDS format, and the signal is received by the interface part B_ 26 B of the external output unit 2 via the interface part A_ 16 B of the smart phone 1 . The external display signal is subjected to necessary process in a TMDS receiver 26 A and is sent to an external LCD driver 24 D. And then the external LCD driver 24 A drives each pixel, which constitutes the screen of the external LCD panel 24 A. Eventually, a screen image is displayed on the external LCD panel 24 A.
[0074] Note that neither the external output unit 2 is required to be equipped with a signal processing device for restoring a compressed signal, nor a signal conversion of “digital (bit-mapped data)->analog->digital” is required, since TMDS is a non-compressing digital transmission format. Thus, degradation of the image accompanying signal transformation is avoidable.
[0075] Note that, when a so-called HD television receiving set (horizontal×vertical=1280×720 pixels) and a so-called full HD television receiving set (horizontal×vertical=1920×1080 pixels) are used as the external output unit 2 , both of the interface part A_ 16 B of the smart phone 1 and the interface part B_ 26 B of the external output unit 2 can follows HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) standards, and a HDMI transmitter and a HDMI receiver can be used for the TMDS transmitter 16 A and the TMDS receiver 26 A, respectively.
[0076] Moreover, as a transmission format of the external display signal sent to the interface part B_ 26 B of the external output unit 2 from the interface part A_ 16 B of the smart phone 1 , a different format other than a TMDS format is employable. If a transmission format including at least digital RGB, LVDS (Low Voltage Differential Signaling) (or LDI (LVDS Display Interface)), GVIF (Gigabit Video InterFace), USB (Universal Serial Bus), and DisplayPort, which is a non-compressing digital transmission format like TMDS, are adopted, neither the external output unit 2 is required to be equipped with a signal processing device for restoring a compressed signal, nor a signal conversion of “digital (bit-mapped data)->analog->digital” is required, like in the case of TMDS format.
[0077] FIG. 5 is an image showing a keyboard simulated image which is displayed on a touch panel belonging to the first embodiment of the present invention of a mobile processing communication apparatus, when text of an e-mail is inputted by using the mobile processing communication apparatus in connection with an external unit equipped with a display device.
[0078] And FIG. 6 is an outline diagram showing a constitution of an information processing system which is composed by connecting the first embodiment of the present invention of a mobile information processing apparatus and an external unit equipped with a display device, and an screen image which is displayed on the screen of the display device.
[0079] When the text of an E-mail is inputted in the condition that the smart phone 1 is connected with the external output unit 2 , a screen image which simulates a keyboard of a usual notebook PC or net book is displayed in the most part of screen of the touch panel 14 A, and a user can input a character by touching key display in this keyboard simulated image with fingers or a touch pen (stylus).
[0080] In this case, unlike the case that the smart phone 1 is used solely, alphabet letters, numbers, and symbols are displayed on the same screen, and, moreover, one alphabet letter corresponds to one key display. For this reason, unlike sole use case, it becomes unnecessary to change an alphabet input screen and a number input screen alternately, or to touch a key display repeatedly in order to input the one alphabet letter, and therefore, the complicatedness of a character input is reduced remarkably.
[0081] On the other hand, data inputted by the touch operation to the keyboard simulated image of the touch panel 14 A of the smart phone 1 is displayed on the external LCD panel 24 A of the external output unit 2 .
[0082] A user checks text displayed on external LCD panel 24 A and send it after correction, if necessary, the whole text of an e-mail can be displayed and it is not necessary to scroll a screen when checking text before sending, except for the case of a extremely long text, since the size and screen resolution of the external LCD panel 24 A are larger than the size and screen resolution of the touch panel 14 A as shown in the figure.
[0083] FIG. 7 is an image showing a drawing image which is displayed in a handwriting input area of a touch panel belonging to the first embodiment of the present invention of a mobile processing communication apparatus, when a drawing is inputted by using the mobile processing communication apparatus in connection with an external unit equipped with a display device.
[0084] The smart phone 1 is can be used for various uses in addition to an e-mail input and sending in the state connected to the external output unit 2 , and, especially in drawing input, a character with many stroke counts and a complicated figure can be inputted without a line overlapping by making the most part of screen of the touch panel 14 A to be a handwriting input area.
[0085] FIG. 8 is an image showing a game controller simulated image which is displayed on a touch panel belonging to the first embodiment of the present invention of a mobile processing communication apparatus, when a game is enjoyed by using the mobile processing communication apparatus in connection with an external unit equipped with a display device.
[0086] And FIG. 9 is another outline diagram showing a constitution of an information processing system which is composed by connecting the first embodiment of the present invention of a mobile information processing apparatus and an external unit equipped with a display device, and showing a screen image which is displayed on the screen of the display device.
[0087] When a game is enjoyed in the condition that the smart phone 1 is connected with the external output unit 2 , a screen image which simulates a game controller is displayed in the most part of screen of the touch panel 14 A, and a user can to execute a game program by touching the key display in this game controller simulated image with fingers or a touch pen (stylus).
[0088] Since the smart phone 1 is of size which is suitable for touch operation of the key display by thumbs in the condition that it is held by both hands in horizontally long configuration, a similar feeling of operation like stationary game machines such as Sony PlayStation (registered trademark) can be enjoyed.
[0089] On the other hand, even a complicated game image can be displayed satisfactorily on the external LCD panel 24 A of the external output unit 2 , since the size and screen resolution of the external LCD panel 24 A are larger than the size and screen resolution of the touch panel 14 A, as shown in the figure.
Embodiment 2
[0090] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a constitution and a function of the second embodiment of the present invention of a mobile information processing apparatus and an information processing system which is composed by connecting the mobile information processing apparatus and an external unit equipped with a display device and an input device, especially in the case that the mobile information processing apparatus is a smart phone.
[0091] FIG. 11 is an outline diagram showing a constitution of an information processing system which is composed by connecting the second embodiment of the present invention of a mobile information processing apparatus and an external unit equipped with a display device and an input device.
[0092] In the case the smart phone 1 is used solely, functions of this embodiment of the smart phone 1 is the same as those of the first embodiment of the smart phone 1 . On the other hand, the smart phone 1 is connected with an external input/output unit 3 by directly inserting it into an insertion part 37 of the chassis of the external input/output unit 3 , instead of being connected to an external output unit by a connection cable. Thus, it becomes possible to exchange a signal between the smart phone 1 and the external input/output unit 3 by making an interface part A 1 _ 16 B 1 of the smart phone 1 contact an interface part B 1 _ 36 B 1 of the external input/output unit 3 directly and making an interface part A 2 _ 16 B 2 of the smart phone 1 contact an interface part B 2 _ 36 B 2 of the external input/output unit 3 directly, respectively.
[0093] The external input/output unit 3 is equipped with an external keyboard 38 and an external LCD panel 34 A, and its appearance is similar with a so-called notebook PC, except that it is equipped with the insertion part 37 in its chassis for inserting a smart phone. However, since it is not equipped inside with a signal processing and control device such as CPU, and OS or application software for itself are not needed, it is can be constituted more cheaply than a notebook PC.
[0094] An external manual operation signal, which is generated as a result of the manual operation to the external keyboard 38 , is sent to the smart phone 1 via said interface part B 2 _ 36 B 2 and an interface part A 2 _ 16 B 2 , and, eventually is processed by the central processing circuit 11 B of the smart phone 1 . An external display signal, which is generated as a result of the above process, is sent to the external input/output unit 3 via said interface part A 1 _ 16 B 1 and said interface part B 1 _ 36 B 1 , and eventually, a screen image is displayed on the external LCD panel 34 A as a result that an external LCD driver 34 D drives each pixel, which constitutes the screen of the external LCD panel 34 A, according to the signal.
[0095] Note that sending of the external display signal via said interface part A 1 _ 16 B 1 and said interface part B 1 _ 36 B 1 can be conducted in the non-compressed digital transmission format including at least TMDS, digital RGB, LVDS (or LDI), GVIF, USB, DisplayPort.
[0096] On the other hand, the smart phone 1 in this embodiment can be used like a handwriting pad of a so-called notebook PC, when it is connected with the external input/output unit 3 by being inserted in the insertion part 37 of the external input/output unit 3 . Thus, a character and a drawing can be inputted by touching the touch panel 14 A of the smart phone 1 with fingers or a touch pen (stylus). In this case, the manual operation signal, which is generated by a touch operation, is processed by the central processing circuit 11 B of the smart phone 1 in parallel with the external manual operation signal received via the interface part A 1 _ 16 B 1 , and a screen image is displayed on the external LCD panel 34 A based on the result.
Embodiment 3
[0097] FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing a constitution and a function of the third embodiment of the present invention of a mobile information processing apparatus and an information processing system which is composed by connecting the mobile information processing apparatus and an external unit equipped with a touch panel device, especially in the case that the mobile information processing apparatus is a smart phone.
[0098] FIG. 13 is an outline diagram showing a constitution of an information processing system which is composed by connecting the third embodiment of the present invention of a mobile information processing apparatus and an external unit equipped with a touch panel device, and showing a screen image which is displayed on the screen of the touch panel device, especially a screen image which is displayed on the screen of the touch panel device of the external unit, when text of an e-mail is inputted by using the mobile processing communication apparatus in connection with an external unit equipped with a touch panel device.
[0099] In the case the smart phone 1 is used solely, functions of this embodiment of the smart phone 1 is also the same as those of the first embodiment of the smart phone 1 . On the other hand, the smart phone 1 is connected with an external touch panel unit 4 by exchanging a wireless signal between the external touch panel unit 4 , instead of being connected to an external output unit by a connection cable. Thus, it becomes possible to exchange a signal between the smart phone 1 and the external touch panel unit 4 by the way that the interface part B 1 _ 46 B 1 of the external touch panel unit 4 receives a wireless signal sent from the interface part A 1 _ 16 B 1 of the smart phone 1 and the interface part A 2 _ 16 B 2 of the smart phone 1 receives a wireless signal sent from an interface part B 2 _ 46 B 2 of the external touch panel unit 4 ,
[0100] Note that, hereinafter, it is assumed that a screen's resolution of the external touch panel 24 A is XGA (horizontal×vertical=768×1024 pixels, in the case of vertically long configuration) in principle, but another resolution is possible.
[0101] When text of an e-mail is inputted by using the information processing system which is composed by connecting the smart phone 1 in this embodiment and the external touch panel unit 4 , an external touch panel 44 A of the external touch panel unit 4 is divided into an external touch panel display area 44 A 1 and an external touch panel input area 44 A 2 , and keys, such as characters, numbers, and symbols, are displayed on the external touch panel input area 44 A 2 . This operation method is fundamentally as same as that in the case when a smart phone in the first embodiment is used solely, but the screen resolution of the external touch panel 44 A can be set XGA as mentioned above, since a size of the external touch panel unit 4 can be larger than the smart phone 1 . Therefor, it is not necessary to change frequently input screens of the external touch panel input area 44 A 2 and nor to repeat scrolling of a screen repeatedly for checking the whole text of an e-mail, unlike the sole use case of a smart phone.
[0102] The appearance of the external touch panel unit 4 is similar with a so-called tablet PC. However, since it is not equipped inside with a signal processing and control device such as CPU, and OS or application software for itself are not needed, it is can be constituted more cheaply than a tablet PC.
[0103] An external manual operation signal, which is generated as a result of the manual operation to the external touch panel 44 A, is sent to the smart phone 1 via said interface part B 2 _ 46 B 2 and said interface part A 2 _ 16 B 2 , and, eventually is processed by the central processing circuit 11 B of the smart phone 1 . An external display signal, which is generated as a result of the above process, is sent to the external touch panel unit 4 via said interface part A 1 _ 16 B 1 and said interface part B 1 _ 46 B 1 , and eventually, a screen image is displayed on the external touch panel 44 A as a result that an external LCD driver 44 D drives each pixel, which constitutes the screen of the external touch panel 44 A, according to the signal.
[0104] Note that sending of the external display signal from said interface part A 1 _ 16 B 1 to said interface part B 1 _ 46 B 1 can be conducted in the non-compressed digital transmission format including at least WirelessHD (High Definition), WHDI (Wireless Home Digital Inter-face) and WiGig (Wireless Gigabit).
[0105] And sending of the manual operation signal from said interface part B 2 _ 46 B 2 to said interface part B 1 _ 46 B 1 can be conducted in Bluetooth format.
[0106] FIG. 14 is an explanation diagram showing an exchange of information between an information processing system, which is composed by connecting the third embodiment of the present invention of a mobile information processing apparatus and an external unit equipped with a touch panel, and a web server connected to the Internet.
[0107] When the information processing system, which consisted of the smart phone 1 and the external touch panel unit 4 , accesses a web server 61 which is connected to the Internet 6 , the central processing circuit 11 B in the smart phone 1 sends a user-agent to the web server 61 via the bus 17 , the baseband processor 11 A, the RF sending/receiving part 12 B, and the communication antenna 12 A, according to a browser program stored in the flash memory 15 A. (The component of the smart phone 1 is not shown in FIG. 14 ).
[0108] At that time, the central processing circuit 11 B makes the information, which specifies whether it has ordered the graphics controller 14 B to send bit-mapped data read from the VRAM 14 C to the LCD driver 14 D to or to the TMDS transmitter 16 A, to be included in use-agent along with information which shows that the smart phone 1 has a sending function of a high resolution external display signal
[0109] On the other hand, the web server 61 stores both of a set of data file consisting of a markup document file and its link file, which correspond to web pages assumed to be browsed by a attached display of a cellular phone or a smart phone, and a set of data file without any restriction in size, which correspond to web pages assumed to be browsed by a PC.
[0110] Hereinafter, “a set of data file, which correspond to web pages assumed to be browsed by a attached display of a cellular phone or a smart phone” is referred as “a set of data files for mobile”. And “a set of data file, which correspond to web pages assumed to be browsed by a PC” is referred as “a set of data files for PC”.
[0111] And moreover, the web server 61 selects a preferable set of data files and sends it to an information processing system composed of the smart phone 1 and the external touch panel 4 , according to the information related to sending command, which is included in user-agent, by using a CGI function or a PHP function. Thus, it sends a set of data files for mobile in the case when the central processing circuit 11 B commands to send the bit-mapped data to the LCD driver 14 D, and sends a set of data files for PC in the case when the central processing circuit 11 B commands to send the bit-mapped data to the TMDS transmitter 16 A, respectively.
[0112] As a result, with an information processing system composed of the smart phone 1 and external touch panel devices, preferable web pages, which corresponds to a screen's resolution of the display panel in an active condition, can be browsed.
[0113] Since, moreover, the web server 61 is preparing two or more websites from which an image data file can be downloaded by accessing it and performing download operation, and it distributes automatically so that the web page from which both image data file of the half VGA and of XGA can be downloaded at once by one operation may be accessed, according to the information related to the sending function of an external display signal included in user-agent sent from the smart phone 1 . Thereby, the user can download both image data file of the half VGA and of XGA at once by one operation using the touch panel 14 A of the smart phone 1 or the external touch panel 44 A of the external touch panel unit 4 .
Embodiment 4
[0114] FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing a constitution and a function of an information processing system which is composed by connecting the forth embodiment of the present invention of a mobile information processing apparatus, an external unit equipped with a touch panel device and an external unit equipped with a display device, especially in the case that the mobile information processing apparatus is a smart phone.
[0115] FIG. 16 is an outline diagram showing a constitution of an information processing system which is composed by connecting the forth embodiment of the present invention of a mobile information processing apparatus, an external unit equipped with a touch panel device and an external unit equipped with a display device, and showing a screen image which is displayed on the screen of the display device and on the screen of the touch panel device, especially a screen image which is displayed on the screen of the touch panel device of the external unit and on the screen of the display device of the external unit, when text of an e-mail is inputted by using the mobile processing communication apparatus in connection with an external unit equipped with a touch panel device and an external unit equipped with a display device.
[0116] In the case the smart phone 1 is used solely, functions of this embodiment of the smart phone 1 is also the same as those of the first embodiment of the smart phone 1 . On the other hand, the smart phone 1 is connected to an external output unit by a connection cable, and connected to the external touch panel unit 4 by exchanging a wireless signal between the external touch panel unit 4 .
[0117] Note that, hereinafter, it is assumed that a screen's resolution of the external touch panel 44 A of an external touch panel 4 is XGA (horizontal×vertical=1024×768 pixels, in the case of horizontally long configuration) in principle and a screen's resolution of the external LCD panel 24 A of an external output unit is FWXGA (horizontal×vertical=1366×768 pixels, in the case of horizontally long configuration) in principle, but another resolution is possible.
[0118] When text of an e-mail is inputted by using the information processing system constituted by connecting the smart phone 1 in this embodiment, the external touch panel unit 4 and the external output unit 3 , an external touch panel 44 A of the external touch panel unit 4 is divided into the external touch panel input area 44 A 2 and an external touch panel handwriting area 44 A 3 , and keys, such as characters, numbers, and symbols, are displayed on the external touch panel input area 44 A 2 . This operation method is fundamentally as same as that in the case when a smart phone in the first embodiment is used solely, but it can also set screen resolution of the external touch panel 44 A to XGA as mentioned above since a size of the external touch panel unit 4 can be larger than the smart phone 1 . Therefor, it is not necessary to change frequently input screens of the external touch panel input area 44 A 2 and nor to repeat scrolling of a screen repeatedly for checking the whole text of an e-mail, unlike the sole use case of a smart phone.
[0119] Moreover, a figure and a character can be inputted by hand writing using a finger or a touch pen (stylus) in the external touch panel handwriting area 44 A 3 , in parallel to the character input by the touch operation in the external touch panel input area 44 A 2 , since the external touch panel handwriting area 44 A 3 is formed in the external touch panel 44 A. And a character with many stroke counts and a complicated figure can be inputted by hand writing more certainly than the case of the information processing system constituted by connecting a smart phone of the first embodiment and external output unit, since the area is larger than that of the whole touch panel part of the smart phone 1 .
[0120] An external manual operation signal, which is generated as a result of the manual operation to the external touch panel 44 A, is sent to the smart phone 1 via said interface part B 2 _ 46 B 2 and said interface part A 2 _ 16 B 2 , and the central processing circuit 11 B of the smart phone 1 works in the following control mode: It commands the graphic controller 14 B not only to generate bit-mapped data describing an image with a resolution corresponding to the screen resolution of the external touch panel 44 A and send it to a TMDS transmitter 1 _ 16 A 1 , but also to generate bit-mapped data describing an image with a resolution corresponding to the screen resolution of the external LCD panel 24 A of the external output unit 2 and send it to a TMDS transmitter 2 _ 16 A 2 .
[0121] The bit-mapped data sent to the TMDS transmitter 1 _ 16 A 1 is converted to the external display signal, which is sent in a TMDS format, and the signal is received by the interface part B 1 _ 46 B 1 of the external touch panel unit 4 via an interface part A 11 _ 16 B 11 of the smart phone 1 . The external display signal is subjected to necessary process in a TMDS receiver 46 A and is sent the external LCD driver 44 D. And then the external LCD driver 44 A drives each pixel which constitutes the screen of the external touch panel 44 A. Eventually a screen image is displayed on the external touch panel 44 A.
[0122] On the other hand, the bit-mapped data sent to the TMDS transmitter 2 _ 16 A 2 is converted to the external display signal, which is sent in a TMDS format, and the signal is received by the interface part B_ 26 B of the external output unit 2 via an interface part A 12 _ 16 B 12 of the smart phone 1 . The external display signal is subjected to necessary process in the TMDS receiver 26 A and is sent the external LCD driver 24 D. And then the external LCD driver 24 A drives each pixel which constitutes the screen of the external touch panel 24 A. Eventually a screen image is displayed on the external touch panel 24 A.
[0123] Note that sending of the external display signal from said interface part A 11 _ 16 B 11 to said interface part B 1 _ 46 B 1 can be conducted in the non-compressed digital transmission format including at least WirelessHD (High Definition), WHDI (Wireless Home Digital Inter-face) and WiGig (Wireless Gigabit).
[0124] And sending of the external display signal from said interface part A 12 _ 16 B 12 to said interface part B_ 26 B can be conducted in the non-compressed digital transmission format including at least TMDS, digital RGB, LVDS (or LDI), GVIF, USB, DisplayPort.
[0125] And, moreover, sending of the manual operation signal from said interface part B 2 _ 46 B 2 to said interface part A 2 _ 16 B 2 can be conducted in Bluetooth format.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0126] The present invention is applicable to a variety of industries to manufacture and/or to utilize mobile information processing apparatuses including smart phones and mobile game machines. Also, it is applicable to industries to manufacture and/or to utilize non-mobile information processing apparatuses including at least PC's and computer game machine.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0127] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a constitution and a function of the first embodiment of the present invention of a mobile information processing apparatus and an information processing system which is composed by connecting the mobile information processing apparatus and an external unit equipped with a display device.
[0128] FIG. 2 is an image showing a screen image which is displayed on a touch panel belonging to the first embodiment of the present invention of a mobile processing communication apparatus, when text of an e-mail is inputted by using the mobile processing communication apparatus solely.
[0129] FIG. 3 is another image showing a screen image which is displayed on a touch panel belonging to the first embodiment of the present invention of a mobile processing communication apparatus, when text of an e-mail is inputted by using the mobile processing communication apparatus solely.
[0130] FIG. 4 is yet another image showing a screen image which is displayed on a touch panel belonging to the first embodiment of the present invention of a mobile processing communication apparatus, when text of an e-mail is inputted by using the mobile processing communication apparatus solely.
[0131] FIG. 5 is an image showing a keyboard simulated image which is displayed on a touch panel belonging to the first embodiment of the present invention of a mobile processing communication apparatus, when text of an e-mail is inputted by using the mobile processing communication apparatus in connection with an external unit equipped with a display device.
[0132] FIG. 6 is an outline diagram showing a constitution of an information processing system which is composed by connecting the first embodiment of the present invention of a mobile information processing apparatus and an external unit equipped with a display device, and an screen image which is displayed on the screen of the display device.
[0133] FIG. 7 is an image showing a drawing image which is displayed in a handwriting input area of a touch panel belonging to the first embodiment of the present invention of a mobile processing communication apparatus, when a drawing is inputted by using the mobile processing communication apparatus in connection with an external unit equipped with a display device.
[0134] FIG. 8 is an image showing a game controller simulated image which is displayed on a touch panel belonging to the first embodiment of the present invention of a mobile processing communication apparatus, when a game is enjoyed by using the mobile processing communication apparatus in connection with an external unit equipped with a display device.
[0135] FIG. 9 is another outline diagram showing a constitution of an information processing system which is composed by connecting the first embodiment of the present invention of a mobile information processing apparatus and an external unit equipped with a display device, and showing a screen image which is displayed on the screen of the display device.
[0136] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a constitution and a function of the second embodiment of the present invention of a mobile information processing apparatus and an information processing system which is composed by connecting the mobile information processing apparatus and an external unit equipped with a display device and an input device.
[0137] FIG. 11 is an outline diagram showing a constitution of an information processing system which is composed by connecting the second embodiment of the present invention of a mobile information processing apparatus and an external unit equipped with a display device and an input device.
[0138] FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing a constitution and a function of the third embodiment of the present invention of a mobile information processing apparatus and an information processing system which is composed by connecting the mobile information processing apparatus and an external unit equipped with a touch panel device.
[0139] FIG. 13 is an outline diagram showing a constitution of an information processing system which is composed by connecting the third embodiment of the present invention of a mobile information processing apparatus and an external unit equipped with a touch panel device, and showing a screen image which is displayed on the screen of the touch panel device.
[0140] FIG. 14 is an explanation diagram showing an exchange of information between an information processing system, which is composed by connecting the third embodiment of the present invention of a mobile information processing apparatus and an external unit equipped with a touch panel, and a web server connected to the Internet.
[0141] FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing a constitution and a function of an information processing system which is composed by connecting the forth embodiment of the present invention of a mobile information processing apparatus, an external unit equipped with a touch panel device and an external unit equipped with a display device.
[0142] FIG. 16 is an outline diagram showing a constitution of an information processing system which is composed by connecting the forth embodiment of the present invention of a mobile information processing apparatus, an external unit equipped with a touch panel device and an external unit equipped with a display device, and showing a screen image which is displayed on the screen of the display device and on the screen of the touch panel device.
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST
[0000]
1 . . . smart phone
11 A . . . baseband processor
11 B . . . central processing circuit
12 A . . . communication antenna
12 B . . . RF sending/receiving part
13 A . . . microphone
13 B . . . speaker
13 C . . . CODEC
14 A . . . touch panel
14 A 1 . . . touch panel display area
14 A 2 . . . input area of touch panel
14 A 21 . . . change key for symbol input
14 A 22 . . . change key for number input
14 A 23 . . . change key for alphabet input
14 A 24 . . . change key for “kana” input
14 B . . . graphics controller
14 C . . . VRAM
14 D . . . LCD driver
14 E . . . manual input controller
15 A . . . flash memory
15 B . . . RAM
16 A . . . TMDS transmitter
16 A 1 . . . TMDS transmitter 1
16 A 2 . . . TMDS transmitter 2
16 B . . . interface part A
16 B 1 . . . interface part A 1
16 E 11 . . . interface part A 11
16 E 12 . . . interface part A 12
16 B 2 . . . interface part A 2
17 bus
2 . . . external output unit
24 A . . . external LCD panel
24 D . . . external LCD driver
26 A . . . TMDS receiver
26 B . . . interface part B
3 . . . external input/output unit
34 A . . . external LCD panel
34 D . . . external LCD driver
36 A . . . TMDS receiver
36 B 1 . . . interface part B 1
36 B 2 . . . interface part B 2
37 . . . insertion part
38 . . . external keyboard
4 . . . external touch panel unit
44 A . . . external touch panel
44 A 1 . . . external touch panel display area
44 A 2 . . . external touch panel input area
44 A 3 . . . external touch panel handwriting area
44 D . . . external LCD driver
46 A . . . TMDS receiver
46 B 1 . . . interface part B 1
46 B 2 . . . interface part B 2
5 . . . connection cable
6 . . . the Internet
61 . . . web server | [PROBLEMS] To improve user's convenience by cordoning off both of a screen for input and that for output, of which size and resolution is sufficiently large, in mobile information processing apparatus comprising a touch panel device. This is achieved only by additionally providing an interface device between the external unit and further additionally providing some functions to a signal processing and control device originally belonging to the mobile information processing apparatus.
[MEANS FOR SOLVING PROBLEMS] Mobile information processing apparatus comprising a touch panel device; wherein an interface device is provided which sends an external display signal to the external unit equipped with a display device; and wherein a signal processing and control device can select control mode 1 , in which it genertes one digital display signal, and sends it to a touch panel device, and control mode 2 , in which it generates two digital display signals and sends one to a touch panel device, and the other to an external output interface device. | 0 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention is concerned with milk sampling. The invention is more especially, although not exclusively, concerned with sampling milk in connection with the milking of animals, such as by an automated milking apparatus capable of milking animals without human supervision.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
There are known, for example, installations in which animals are free to visit a milking machine when they choose, and the milking machine is adapted to identify an animal visiting the machine and to decide if that animal is due to be milked. The automatic milking machine includes a robot arm for attaching teat cups to the teats of the animal if it is to be milked and a vacuum system to perform the actual milking. The milk extracted from the udder of the animal is conducted to a receiving vessel and, unless it is deemed of unacceptable quality for collection in which case it may be diverted and either discarded or collected for other use, the milk is subsequently delivered from the receiving vessel to a bulk storage tank in which the milk from an entire herd of animals may be accumulated and stored, the tank then being emptied once a day or every few days. For checking milk quality and for collecting data which can be helpful for herd management and for monitoring animal condition and state of health, it is usual for milk samples to be taken at the time of milking individual animals and subsequently analysed. Traditionally the samples from the respective animals are collected in small containers, such as sample tubes or the like, and the sample tubes with their contents are taken to a remote laboratory where an analysis of the milk samples is carried out. Sampling in this manner is generally performed regularly but only periodically such as once a month. In recent times analysers capable of analysing milk at or near to where the animals are milked have been developed and analysing equipment of this kind can have the advantage of the analysis results reaching the farm manager much quicker so that appropriate actions may be taken sooner to aid efficient milk production and the best possible animal welfare.
In EP 1381269B there is described milk sampling and analysis of the latter kind. The milk analysing apparatus is arranged to analyse separately respective portions of a milk sample in order to provide, on a real time basis, quantitative measurements on a combination of compounds and parameters present in the milk samples from individual herd members or a group of herd members so as to derive from the samples data relating to the health condition, the physiological condition, the nutritional and energy state, the state of the oestrus cycle and pregnancy. Thus, the analysis can aid optimal utilisation of feed rations by implementation of feeding schemes on an individual animal or group basis, tight control of subclinical and clinical disease conditions that affect milk production and composition, optimal reproduction control and reliable pregnancy detection. Not every analysis is performed on every milk sample and a means is included for directing the milk sample portions to the separate analysing means only as desired, such as at pre-selected points of time, or pre-selected time intervals in the reproduction and/or lactation cycles. For obtaining the milk samples for analysis EP 1381269131 proposes automatic on-line collection at the milking site from the milking system and automatic transfer to the analytical means. The milking site may be the milking site of an automatic milking system for freely moving animals, or one of several milking sites in a more conventional milking system such as a herringbone milking system, or a rotating carousel type of milking parlour, or a parallel milking parlour. More specifically, for collecting milk samples from individual animals there is suggested in EP 1381269B1 a collecting means for collecting a proportional milk sample which is representative of the average composition of the total milk produced during the milking of each animal, and comprising a container for storing the sample, which container may be pressurised above the pressure of the milking system for subsequent and/or parallel transport of subsamples to the analysing means. Additionally the sample collecting means can comprise means for apportioning a milk sample to the analysing means, whereby a total sample is divided into one or more subsamples which is/are transported to the analysing means while a remaining part of the sample may be led to the bulk milk tank or discharged. While the milk collecting means is generally described in these terms in EP 1381269, no specific sample collecting arrangement adapted for use with an automatic milking machine is disclosed.
In EP 1267609 B1 there is described a milk sampling arrangement for use with an automated milking system and adapted to deliver milk samples to storage tubes for subsequent transport to a remote laboratory for analysis. The sampling arrangement includes a milk collection vessel into which a representative amount of milk, e.g. about 2% of the total amount of milk from an animal milking, is delivered from a conduit or vessel of the automated milking system. The collection vessel has two different discharge outlets at different heights, the upper outlet being connection to a discharge line and the lower outlet being at the bottom of the vessel and connected to one end of a hose having a filling member at the other end. The filling member is positionable over a selected sample tube by an X-Y positioning system. After all the milk to be collected from an animal milking has flowed into the vessel, compressed air is supplied to the vessel to stir the milk. The major part of the milk in the vessel is then discharged through the upper discharge outlet and may be thrown away, returned to the automated milking system or transported to the milk tank. A certain quantity of milk then remains in the lower part of the vessel and this milk sample is delivered through the lower discharge outlet to pass to the filling member and to the selected collection tube. The arrangement is suitable for collection of single milk samples in respective collective tubes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide a simple and convenient apparatus and method for collection and delivery of a plurality of milk samples, such as collection of milk from an automotive milking machine, and delivery of one or more samples directly to a milk analysing means, for example of the kind described in EP 1381269 B1.
In accordance with a first aspect the present invention provides a milk sampling apparatus for receiving milk from a milking machine and forwarding discrete samples of the milk to respective discharge paths for analysis, comprising a chamber for receiving an amount of milk greater than the aggregate amount of the discrete samples, emptying means operable to empty milk from the chamber for reducing the milk quantity in the chamber to a predetermined level, two or more sample outlets from the chamber, the outlets being at different heights whereby samples of milk of predetermined quantity can be discharged from the chamber by selectively opening the outlets in turn from the uppermost to the lowermost outlet.
The apparatus of the invention enables the preparation and delivery of discrete milk samples of predetermined quantity in a simple and convenient way since sophisticated control arrangements are not needed. Thus, the need for sensors can be avoided and the apparatus can be operated by simple control to open and close valves in an appropriate sequence as will become apparent from the detailed description which follows.
The excess milk can be emptied and/or the milk samples can be discharged from the chamber by gas, e.g. air, pressure which can be supplied to the chamber through the milk inlet.
Although other arrangements are possible, in a preferred construction the lowermost sample outlet is located at the bottom of the chamber so that the chamber is completely emptied upon delivery of the respective sample through this outlet. The sample outlets and/or the emptying means can each be defined by an opening in the side wall of the chamber or by an element extending into the chamber through the bottom, side or top wall of the chamber. In a preferred construction at least one sample outlet and/or the emptying means comprises a dip tube with an opening at a preset height in the chamber.
At least one sample discharge path can include a check valve. The check valve can allow fluid, such as a washing fluid, to be introduced into the discharge path without that fluid flowing into the chamber. Thus, a washing fluid supply may be provided for supplying a washing fluid into the sample discharge path downstream of the position at which the check valve closes the discharge path. A second check valve may similarly be provided to close communication between the sample discharge path and the washing liquid fluid supply when a milk sample is discharged from the chamber into the sample discharge path. In this way an unwanted flow of milk into the washing fluid supply means is conveniently avoided. In an especially simple construction the two check valves are formed by an integrated 3-way valve, whereby the two check valves can share a common valve member which can move between and engage against either of two valve seats.
A preferred apparatus embodying the invention has at least one of the sample outlets connected to a discharge path, for example formed by a tube, arranged for temporary storage of a milk sample discharged from the chamber for delivery to a milk analysing means, and a washing fluid supply is provided for supplying washing fluid to flow through the discharge path, after the stored milk sample is admitted to the analysing means. The washing fluid will remove any remnants of the milk sample from the discharge path before the next milk sample is delivered into the discharge path from the chamber. A drying air supply may also be provided for supplying air to flow through the discharge path after the washing liquid for drying the discharge path. In this way milk sample is prevented from contaminating a following milk sample, and the milk samples will be not diluted by the washing fluid. The analysing means may include a sample intake device to which the discharge path is connected. The sample intake device controls the delivery of milk samples to the analysing arrangement. The sample intake device can sense the presence of a milk sample waiting in the discharge path, and allow the sample to be advanced to the analysing arrangement when it is ready to perform an analysis on the next milk sample. The intake device will detect the washing fluid following the sample through the discharge path and will respond so that washing fluid and the subsequent drying air are diverted and do not pass to the analysing arrangement. The sample intake device will recognise the next fluid sample when it arrives from the sampling apparatus and will hold the sample in its temporary storage in the discharge path until the analysing arrangement is ready to accept it for analysis.
The chamber can have at an upper region a connection to atmosphere, and a device, such as a valve, preferably a pinch valve, for selectively opening and closing the connection. Opening the connection to atmosphere can facilitate flow of milk into the chamber. The connection can also serve as an overflow outlet to allow milk to escape from the chamber if the amount of milk supplied to the chamber exceeds a maximum volume.
The chamber may include a connection for selectively admitting air into a lower region of the chamber. The air admitted through this connection will bubble through and mix the milk contained in the chamber so that the samples subsequently removed are representative of the whole amount of milk collected in the chamber. This air connection may also conveniently serve as a drain for discharging unwanted milk from the chamber. Alternatively a separate drain could be provided.
It is preferred that the sample outlets are opened and closed by pinch valves. Other valves controlling fluid flow into or out of the chamber can also comprise pinch valves. Pinch valves are preferred for ease of cleaning and reasons of hygiene. A pinch valve includes a flexible tube which can be collapsed by an element operated by an actuator to close off the flow of fluid through the tube.
The apparatus of the invention can be conveniently incorporated in a housing with two compartments, the chamber and the milk flow lines to and from the chamber being accommodated in one compartment, and actuating devices for operating valves which control the flow through the milk flow lines being accommodated in the other compartment.
Having regard to the foregoing in accordance with a second aspect the invention also provides an apparatus for preparing and delivering a plurality of milk samples for analysis, comprising a chamber to receive from a milking apparatus an amount of milk obtained from a milked animal, a discharging arrangement for separating a first milk sample of predetermined quantity from the milk in the chamber and delivering the first milk sample into a first discharge path, and for separating a second milk sample of predetermined quantity from the milk in the chamber and delivering the second milk sample to a second milk discharge path, and a washing fluid supply arrangement for supplying washing fluid to and through at least one discharge path, the washing fluid supply arrangement being connected to supply the washing fluid downstream of a device that can be closed so that washing liquid supplied to the discharge path does not flow into the chamber.
Preferred features referred to above and defined in the dependent claims may also be incorporated with advantage in a sampling apparatus according to the second aspect.
The present invention additionally provides a method of delivering discrete samples of milk to respective discharge paths for analysis, comprising the steps of:
a) receiving milk from a milking machine and collecting the milk in a chamber;
b) emptying excess milk from the chamber;
c) discharging a first milk sample from the chamber through a first milk outlet connected to a first discharge path; and
d) discharging a second milk sample from the chamber through a second milk outlet connected to a second discharge path.
In carrying out the method, the excess milk can first be emptied from the chamber to reduce the amount of milk in the chamber to a predetermined quantity. The first milk sample can then be discharged from the chamber through the first milk outlet which is at a first height, and the second milk sample can be subsequently discharged from the chamber through the second milk outlet which is at a height different to that of, in particular lower than, the first outlet. Each sample can have a respective predetermined quantity which can be determined by the outlet positions for the excess milk and the milk samples.
By discharging milk samples from the chamber through respective milk outlets opening in the chamber at different heights, samples of predetermined quantity are readily obtained and sensors for the milk height and/or for measuring the milk flow from the chamber are not necessary.
Washing fluid can be supplied into at least one of the discharge paths after the milk sample has been delivered through the discharge path, such as for delivery to an analysing arrangement.
In view of the above, the invention also provides a method of preparing and delivering a plurality of milk samples of predetermined quantity for analysis, comprising the steps of: supplying to a chamber an amount of milk obtained from milked animal; discharging from the chamber into a first discharge path a first milk sample of predetermined quantity; discharging from the chamber into a second discharge path a second milk sample of predetermined quantity; and when at least one of the first and second milk samples has been delivered through the discharge path, supplying a washing fluid to and through the discharge path while the connection between the chamber and the discharge path is closed.
Drying air can be supplied to the at least one discharge path after the flow of washing fluid therethrough so that the discharge path is cleaned and dried before the next milk sample is delivered into the discharge path.
The milk collected in the chamber is preferably agitated before the milk samples are discharged, and more particularly before any milk is emptied from the chamber.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent and better understood from the following detailed description which is given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a milk sampling apparatus in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a schematic representation showing a milk supply system for delivery of milk to the milk sampling apparatus of FIG. 1 from an automatic milking machine; and
FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of an automatic making arrangement with two automatic milking machines and associated milk sampling apparatus according to the invention for delivery of milk samples to a milk analyser via a sample intake device.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
A milk sampling apparatus 1 embodying the invention is illustrated in FIG. 1 and as shown it comprises a container or chamber 2 including a cylindrical sidewall having a lower end part with a slightly smaller diameter than an upper end part. The chamber is closed at the top by an upper end wall which can be conveniently made as a releasable top cover normally fixed in secure sealed engagement with the upper end of the side wall. The lower end wall of the container is conical so that the interior of the chamber converges at the lower end to a first sample outlet opening 3 . Provided at the top wall of the chamber are an inlet opening 4 which is connected to a flow line 5 which leads from the automatic milking machine as described below for supply of milk into the chamber 2 , and an air outlet 6 which is connected to atmosphere through a flow line 7 which includes a pinch valve 8 operable to open and close the flow line 7 . Extending through the top wall and down into the interior of the chamber are three dip tubes 10 , 11 , 12 each of which is open at its lower end located within the chamber. The upper end of a first dip tube 10 is connected to a first return milk line 14 which includes a pinch valve 15 and leads back to the automatic milking machine via a milk line 16 , and the upper end of a second dip tube 11 is connected to a second return milk line 17 which includes a pinch valve 18 and also leads back to the automatic milking machine via the milk line 16 . The third dip tube 12 is connected at its upper end to a milk line 19 defining a sample discharge path and including a pinch valve 20 . The opening at the lower end of the third dip tube 12 constitutes a second milk sample outlet from the chamber 2 .
The first milk sample outlet 3 opens into a discharge line which is forked downstream of a pinch valve 23 , a first branch being a combined drain and air admission line 24 including a pinch valve 25 , and the other branch being a milk sample line 26 forming a sample discharge path and including a pinch valve 27 and a three way check valve 28 . Also connected to the milk sample line 26 through the check valve 28 is a washing fluid and drying air supply line 30 , this supply line being connected to a washing liquid supply through a washing liquid supply line 31 including a pressure regulator 32 and a control valve 33 , and to a drying air supply via a drying air supply line 34 which includes a pressure regulator 35 and a control valve 36 .
As illustrated in FIG. 2 , the milk sampling apparatus 1 of FIG. 1 is connected to collect and sample milk from the vacuum milking system of an automatic milking machine. The milking machine includes a receiver 40 for receiving milk extracted from the udder of an animal during milking. An outlet of the receiver 40 is connected to the inlet of a milk pump 41 , the main outlet of which is arranged to be connected to a bulk storage tank 42 via a milk line 43 and valve 58 . Branched from the milk line 43 are a drain line 44 equipped with a drain valve 59 and through which milk can be discharged if it is unsuitable for collection in the bulk storage tank, and a mixing line 45 which leads back to the receiver 40 and includes a valve 46 to open and close the mixing line 45 . As shown, the pump 41 is equipped with a second outlet 47 through which an amount of milk proportional to the total amount of milk pass through the pump is discharged, the pump outlet 47 being connected to the inlet flow line 5 of the milk sampling apparatus through a sampling valve 48 . Also connected to the flow line 5 downstream of the valve 48 is an air pressure supply line 49 fitted with a valve 50 and a check valve 55 .
The milk return line 16 of the sampling apparatus is connected to the pump discharge line 43 via a check valve 51 . Also connected to the pump discharge line 43 is an air pressure supply line 52 with control valve 53 and check valve 54 for supply of purging air at the end of milking.
During milking of an animal the receiver 40 is subjected to the milking vacuum and receives the milk extracted from the udder of the animal by the teat cups and the vacuum applied thereto. A minor sampling portion of the milk can be directed to the milk sampling apparatus 1 , but different methods may be followed in this respect. In a first method the milk mixing line 45 is not used, and the milk is simply pumped from the receiver 40 to the milk tank 42 (unless it is to be discharged to drain) and a proportional amount of milk is discharged through the second pump outlet 47 and through the flow line 5 into the chamber 2 of the sampling apparatus. The sample valve 48 may be opened after a short delay to minimise carry over of milk from the previous milking of another animal. Alternatively, the milk may be collected in the receiver 40 and circulated by the pump 41 and the mixing line 45 by opening valve 46 while valves 58 and 59 remain closed. This circulation of milk ensures good mixing of the milk so that the entire volume of milk is of substantially uniform consistency whereas the consistency generally varies in the course of emptying an udder. When the mixing is completed the valve 46 is closed and the valve 58 is opened so that the milk will be transported by the pump 41 to the bulk milk tank 42 . During this phase of emptying the receiver either a substantially fixed quantity of the milk can be transferred through the flow line 5 into the chamber 2 of the sampling apparatus, or a proportional amount of the milk extracted from the udder during milking can be transferred to the chamber 2 of the milk sampling apparatus.
During the supply of milk to the chamber 2 the outlet valves 15 , 18 and 23 are closed but the pinch valve 8 is held open to allow air from inside the chamber to escape to atmosphere to avoid a pressure build up in the chamber as it fills with milk. If the amount of milk delivered into the chamber exceeds the maximum volume of the chamber the surplus milk may be allowed to overflow through the flow line 7 connected to atmosphere. When all of the milk to be collected for sampling has been delivered into the sampling chamber 2 the milk collected in the chamber can be agitated and mixed to ensure that the milk samples to be delivered will be representative of the composition of all of the milk collected in the chamber. For this purpose, with the inlet 4 of the chamber connected to the vacuum of the milking system through the flow line 5 , and the valve 8 of the line 7 which is connected to atmosphere closed, pinch valves 23 and 25 are opened so that air is drawn in through the line 24 and bubbles upwardly through the milk in the chamber to mix the milk. After an adequate mixing time pinch valves 23 and 25 are closed again. By closing valve 48 and opening the air valve 53 , air is under pressure is then delivered into the chamber 2 above the surface level of the milk, through the flow line 5 and inlet 4 . The pinch valve 15 (or the pinch valve 18 if only one milk sample is required as explained below) is opened so that the excess milk above the level of the inlet opening of the dip tube 10 (or dip tube 11 ) is discharged through the dip tube and the first return milk line 14 (or second return milk line 17 ) and the milk line 16 so that this excess milk is returned to the milking machine at the milk line 43 and can pass to the bulk milk storage tank 42 (or if required be discharged to drain). The dip tube 10 along with the milk lines 14 , 16 and the valve 15 constitute an emptying means for emptying excess milk from the chamber 2 to reduce the milk quantity in the chamber to a predetermined level, the predetermined level being at the height of the opening at the lower end of the dip tube 10 in the chamber. When the milk in the chamber has been reduced to the predetermined level the pinch valve 15 is closed again and the apparatus is ready for delivery of a first sample of predetermined quantity. For delivery of this sample the pinch valve 20 is opened and the milk in the chamber is delivered through the dip tube 12 and the flow line 19 of the first sample discharge path. The sample line 19 may be connected to an apparatus for delivery of samples into collection tubes for transportation to a remote laboratory for analysis. Alternatively the flow line 19 could be connected directly to analysing equipment. The sample is discharged and delivered through the discharge path under the positive air pressure still prevailing in the chamber because the connection to the air supply line 49 is still open. The predetermined quantity of this sample is the volume of the chamber 2 between the inlet opening of the first dip tube 10 and the inlet opening 21 of the third dip tube 12 .
If at the time of milk sampling the first sample is not required, the excess milk can be emptied from the chamber through the second dip tube 11 and the second return line 17 , the inlet opening of the second dip tube 11 being at the same height in the chamber 2 as the inlet opening 21 of the third dip tube 12 .
After discharge and delivery of the milk sample through the discharge path of the sample line 19 (or emptying of the excess milk through the second milk return line if the first sample is not required) the sampling apparatus is ready for discharge of a second sample. After the pinch valve 20 has been closed, the pinch valves 23 and 27 can be opened for the milk remaining in the chamber 2 to be discharged through the outlet 3 and into the milk sample line 26 which defines the second sample discharge path. During discharge of the sample, due to the positive air pressure in the chamber 2 , the valve member of the 3-way check valve 28 automatically seals against the seat to close the connection to the washing fluid and drying air supply line 30 so that the milk sample passes into the sample line 26 . This sample can be delivered into a line, such as a tube of predetermined length and diameter in which the sample can be held temporarily to await delivery to a milk analysing apparatus, for example a tube 30 meter long and 3 mm internal diameter for an 80 ml sample.
FIG. 3 shows two automatic milking machines 60 each equipped with a milk sampling apparatus 1 . Each milk sampling apparatus has its sample flow line 26 connected by a tube 61 , which provides a temporary storage for milk samples, to a sample intake device 62 which has an outlet connected to an analyser 63 . The analyser and the sample intake device are controlled by a control unit 64 which is also connected to exchange data with the computers which control the automatic milking machines. Each sampling apparatus 1 is controlled via its respective associated milking machine.
After the milk sample has been delivered into the tube 61 through the sample discharge line 26 it is held until it is determined that it, or at least a portion of it, can be delivered to the analyser 63 for analysis and the sample intake device 62 responds accordingly. When the sample is advanced by sample intake device, washing fluid, such as water, can be supplied to the upstream end of the flow line 26 by opening the valve 33 . The washing fluid enters the line 26 , under pressure set by the regulator 32 , and via the 3-way check valve 28 which automatically resets so that the valve member seals against the seat of the valve that prevents washing liquid passing through the valve towards the chamber 2 . The check valve avoids risk of jeopardising operation of the pinch valve 27 since pinch valves in general are not able to resist high fluid pressures. The washing liquid flushes the line 26 and the tube 61 leading to the sample intake device 62 for removing any remnants of the milk sample so that the next sample delivered will not be contaminated by milk from the previous sample. Following the supply of washing fluid drying air can be passed through the line 26 and the tube 61 leading to the sample intake device, by closing the valve 33 and opening the valve 36 , for eliminating washing fluid from inside the tube so that the next sample delivered into the tube will not be contaminated or diluted by the washing fluid.
It may be noted that as soon as a milk sample has been discharged from the chamber into the tube 61 to await delivery to the analyser, refilling of the chamber 2 for the next sampling can commence.
The control unit 64 and the computers controlling the milking machines 60 communicate and determine when samples should be taken and delivered by each sampling apparatus 1 . It may be noted that if the second sample discharged through the outlet 3 is not required, this milk can be discharged to drain by opening the pinch valves 23 and 25 so that the sample is discharged through the line 24 .
The quantity of the second milk sample discharged through the outlet 3 is the volume of the chamber 2 up to the level of the opening 21 at the lower end of the dip tube 12 . It will be understood that further dip tubes could be added if it was desired to delivery separately and successively more than the two samples that can be delivered by the embodiment of the sampling apparatus specifically described above.
With the described apparatus the samples of respective pre-determined quantity are determined and separately delivered by the positioning of the sample outlets and without need for level sensors in the chamber, strict timing control of the valves, or measurement of the milk flow from the chambers. As a consequence the apparatus is economic to manufacture and requires only simply control functions. In addition cleaning can be straightforward since, by connecting the flow line 5 and inlet 4 to receive cleaning liquid from the milking machine and by appropriate actuation of the valves of the sampling apparatus effective cleaning of all of the flow lines through which milk may flow can be assured. Another advantage is that milk loss or wastage is minimal. For example, the chamber 2 may receive up to 0.5 liter of milk and deliver two samples each in the range of 50 to 80 ml for analysis, with the excess milk being returned to the milking machine. Furthermore, the apparatus can be conveniently configured to be accommodated in a housing divided into two compartments with the chamber, flow lines and valves in one compartment and the actuators and electrics accommodated in the other compartment.
While a milk sampling apparatus of currently preferred construction and its operation have been described it will be appreciated that modifications and variations are possible and will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. As an example rather than the two dip tubes 11 and 12 a single dip tube could be used and be selectively connectable, e.g. through respective pinch valves, to either the sample discharge line 19 or the return milk line 16 . Another possibility is that connections could be provided for supplying washing fluid and drying air also to the sample flow line 19 after discharge of a milk sample therethrough. | A milk sampling apparatus and method receives milk from a milking machine and discharges discrete samples of the milk for analysis. In the method, milk is collected in a chamber, excess milk is emptied from the chamber by an emptying parts which reduces the milk in the chamber to a predetermined level, and milk samples of predetermined quantity are successively discharged through respective outlets located at different heights within the chamber and which are opened in turn from the uppermost outlet to the lowermost outlet. | 0 |
FIELD OF INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to novel substances analogous to MK8383 and agricultural and horticultural disease control agents comprising the analogous substances as an active ingredient.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] In the field of agriculture and horticulture, various fungicides are used for the control of plant diseases. The appearance of resistant strains and the like, however, has posed problems important to the control, for example, a problem of usage restrictions of existing agents.
[0003] MK8383 produced by microorganisms has a wide range of antimicrobial spectra against plant pathogenic filamentous fungi and is known as effective against a wide variety of plant diseases caused by filamentous fungi (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 126211/1995). On the other hand, MK8383 is known to be unstable against light. Accordingly, it has been desired that the development of agricultural and horticultural preparations having high disease control activity and high photostability.
[0004] Phomopsidin is known as a compound having a structure similar to the structure of MK8383 (J. Antibitics 1997, 50, 890-892), and the total synthesis of phomopsidin is also reported (Org. Letters 2004, 6, 553-556). However, it has not hitherto been reported any compound obtained by converting the double bond at the 1,2-positions of phomopsidin to a single bond.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The present inventor has found that novel compounds obtained by converting the double bound at the 1,2-positions of MK8383 to a single bond have a control effect, against plant pathogenic fungi, equivalent to MK8383 (Test Examples 1 and 3) and further have better photostability than MK8383 (Test Example 2). The present invention is based on the finding.
[0006] An objective of the present invention is to provide agricultural and horticultural disease control agents that have potent control effect against plant diseases and, at the same time, have high photostability.
[0007] According to the present invention, there are provided compounds represented by formula (I) or their agriculturally and horticulturally acceptable salts (hereinafter sometimes referred to as “compounds according to the present invention”):
[0000]
[0000] wherein
[0008] R 1 and R 2 represent a hydrogen atom, or R 1 and R 2 together combine with the carbon atom to which they are attached to form a cyclopropane ring,
[0009] R 3 and R 4 , which may be the same or different, represent a hydrogen atom or C 1-6 alkyl, and
a wavy line represents that R 1 , R 2 , and methyl at the 2-position are independently in an alpha configuration or a beta configuration.
[0011] According to another aspect of the present invention, there are provided agricultural and horticultural disease control agents, comprising a compound according to the present invention as an active ingredient.
[0012] According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for controlling plant pathogenic microorganisms, comprising applying an effective amount of a compound according to the present invention, to plant, seed, or soil.
[0013] According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided use of a compound according to the present invention, for the manufacture of an agricultural and horticultural disease control agent.
[0014] The compounds according to the present invention have a control effect, against plant pathogenic microorganisms, equivalent to MK8383 and further have better photostability than MK8383. Thus, they are useful as agricultural and horticultural disease control agents.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Compounds According to Present Invention
[0015] In the specification of the present application, the term “alkyl” refers to straight chain or branched chain alkyl, and “C 1-6 alkyl” includes, for example, methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, iso-propyl, n-butyl, iso-butyl, sec-butyl, tert-butyl, n-pentyl, and n-hexyl.
[0016] In the specification of the present application, when the ring is placed on paper, if the substituent bonded to the ring faces the back of the paper, this substituent is expressed as an “alpha configuration” while, if the substituent bonded to the ring faces inward, this substituent is expressed as a “beta configuration.”
[0017] In formula (I), preferably, R 1 and R 2 represent a hydrogen atom.
[0018] In formula (I), preferably, when one of R 3 and R 4 represents a hydrogen atom, the other represents C 1-6 alkyl.
[0019] Here C 1-6 alkyl preferably represents C 1-4 alkyl, more preferably C 1-2 alkyl, still more preferably methyl.
[0020] In formula (I), preferably, R 1 and R 2 are in an alpha configuration.
[0021] In formula (I), preferably, methyl at the 2-position is in a beta configuration.
[0022] In formula (I), more preferably, R 1 and R 2 are in an alpha configuration and methyl at the 2-position is in a beta configuration. Such compounds may be represented by the following chemical structural formula.
[0000]
[0023] Compounds represented by formula (I) wherein R 1 and R 2 represent a hydrogen atom; and R 3 and R 4 , which may be the same or different, represent a hydrogen atom or C 1-6 alkyl may be mentioned as a first group of compounds in the compounds according to the present invention.
[0024] Compounds represented by formula (I) wherein R 1 and R 2 represent a hydrogen atom; when one of R 3 and R 4 represents a hydrogen atom, the other represents C 1-4 alkyl; R 1 and R 2 are in an alpha configuration; and methyl at the 2-position is in a beta configuration may be mentioned as a preferred first group of compounds in the compounds according to the present invention. In a more preferred embodiment, compounds represented by formula (I) wherein R 1 and R 2 represent a hydrogen atom; when one of R 3 and R 4 represents a hydrogen atom, the other represents C 1-2 alkyl; R 1 and R 2 are in an alpha configuration; and methyl at the 2-position is in a beta configuration may be mentioned as the first group of compounds. In a further preferred embodiment, compounds represented by formula (I) wherein R 1 and R 2 represent a hydrogen atom; when one of R 3 and R 4 represents a hydrogen atom, the other represents methyl; R 1 and R 2 are in an alpha configuration; and methyl at the 2-position is in a beta configuration, ((2E,4E)-5-{(1S,4S,4aS,5S,6R,7S,8aR)-6-[(Z)-but-2-en-2-yl]-decahydro-1-hydroxy-4,7-dimethylnaphthalen-5-yl}penta-2,4-dienoic acid and (2E,4E)-5-{(1S,4S,4aS,5S,6R,7S,8aR)-6-[(E)-but-2-en-2-yl]-decahydro-1-hydroxy-4,7-dimethylnaphthalen-5-yl}penta-2,4-dienoic acid) may be mentioned as the first group of compounds.
[0025] In the present invention, the following compounds may be mentioned as examples of a suitable first group of compounds.
[0000]
TABLE 1
(Example 3)
(Example 2)
[0026] Compounds represented by formula (I) wherein R 1 and R 2 together combine with the carbon atom to which they are attached to form a cyclopropane ring; and R 3 and R 4 , which may be the same or different, represent a hydrogen atom or C 1-6 alkyl may be mentioned as a second group of compounds in the compounds according to the present invention.
[0027] Compounds represented by formula (I) wherein R 1 and R 2 together combine with the carbon atom to which they are attached to form a cyclopropane ring; when one of R 3 and R 4 represents a hydrogen atom, the other represents C 1-4 alkyl; R 1 and R 2 are in an alpha configuration; and methyl at the 2-position is in a beta configuration may be mentioned as a preferred second group of compounds in the compounds according to the present invention. In a more preferred embodiment, compounds represented by formula (I) wherein R 1 and R 2 together combine with the carbon atom to which they are attached to form a cyclopropane ring; when one of R 3 and R 4 represents a hydrogen atom, the other represents C 1-2 alkyl; R 1 and R 2 are in an alpha configuration; and methyl at the 2-position is in a beta configuration may be mentioned as the second group of compounds. In a further preferred embodiment, compounds represented by formula (I) wherein R 1 and R 2 together combine with the carbon atom to which they are attached to form a cyclopropane ring; when one of R 3 and R 4 represents a hydrogen atom, the other represents methyl; R 1 and R 2 are in an alpha configuration; and methyl at the 2-position is in a beta configuration ((2E,4E)-5-{(1aR,2R,3S,3aS,4S,7S,7aS,7bR)-2-[(E)-but-2-en-2-yl]-decahydro-7-hydroxy-1a,4-dimethyl-1H-cyclopropa[a]naphthalen-3-yl}penta-2,4-dienoic acid) may be mentioned as the second group of compounds.
[0028] In the present invention, the following compounds may be mentioned as examples of a suitable second group of compounds.
[0000]
TABLE 2
(Example 1)
[0029] Agriculturally and horticulturally acceptable salts of compounds represented by formula (I) include, for example, alkali metal salts such as lithium salts, sodium salts, and potassium salts; alkaline earth metal salts such as magnesium salts and calcium salts; ammonium salts such as ammonium salts, methyl ammonium salts, dimethyl ammonium salts, trimethyl ammonium salts, and dicyclohexyl ammonium salts; organic amine salts such as triethylamine, trimethylamine, diethylamine, pyridine, ethanolamine, triethanolamine, dicyclohexylamine, procaine, benzylamine, N-methylpiperidine, N-methylmorpholine, and diethylanilne; and basic amino acid salts such as lysine, arginine, and histidine. Preferred are alkali metal salts, alkaline earth metal salts, and ammonium salts.
[0030] The compounds represented by formula (I) can be produced according to the following steps A to E.
[0031] Step A: Step of Cyclopropanation at 1,2-Positions
[0000]
[0032] In step A, the double bond at the 1-position of a compound of formula (a) is cyclopropanated to produce a compound of formula (b). The compound of formula (a) which is a starting compound can be synthesized by the method described in Org. Letters 2004, 6, 553-556. In the formula, TIPS represents triisopropylsilyl, and TBDPS represents tert-butyldiphenylsilyl.
[0033] Solvents usable in step A include chloroform, dichloromethane, and 1,2-dichloroethane. 1,2-Dichloroethane is preferred. Reactants usable in the cyclopropanation include diethyl zinc and diiodomethane. The reaction temperature may be 0° C. to 50° C. The reaction time may be 1 to 24 hr.
[0034] Step B: Step of Reduction at 1,2-Positions
[0000]
[0035] In step B, the double bond at the 1-position of the compound of formula (a) is reduced in the presence of hydrogen and a catalytic hydrogen reduction catalyst to give a compound of formula (c) or formula (d).
[0036] Solvents usable in step B1 include chloroform, dichloromethane, and 1,2-dichloroethane. 1,2-Dichloroethane is preferred. [Ir(cod)pyr(PCy 3 )]PF 6 (Crabtree's catalyst, Journal of Organic Chemistry, 51, 2655 (1986)) may be used as a catalyst in the catalytic hydrogen reduction. The reaction temperature may be 20° C. to 80° C. The reaction time may be 1 to 8 hr.
[0037] Solvents usable in step B2 include methanol, acetic acid, and mixed solvents thereof. A mixed solvent composed of methanol and acetic acid is preferred. Rh—Al 2 O 3 may be used as a catalyst in the catalytic hydrogen reduction. The reaction temperature may be 0° C. to 40° C. The reaction time may be 1 to 8 hr.
[0038] Step C: Step of Construction of Side Chain of E-Isomer at 3-Position
[0000]
[0039] In step C, hydroxyl at the 3-position of the compound (b) obtained in step A or compound of formula (c) or (d) obtained in step B (these compounds being collectively represented by formula (e)) is oxidized to aldehyde, is then converted to a triple bond, and is further passed through two steps to give a compound of formula (j) of which the double bond is an E-isomer.
[0040] In step C1, hydroxyl at the 3-position is oxidized to aldehyde. Dichloromethane may be used as a solvent. 1,1,1-Triacetoxy-1,1-dihydro-1,2-benziodoxol-3(1H)-one may be used as an oxidizing agent. The reaction temperature may be 0° C. to 50° C. The reaction time may be 1 to 8 hr.
[0041] In step C2, the 3-position is dibromoethenylated. Solvents usable herein include dichloromethane and chloroform. Dichloromethane is preferred. Triphenylphosphine and carbon tetrabromide may be used as a reactant. The reaction temperature may be 0° C. to 50° C. The reaction time may be 1 to 8 hr.
[0042] In step C3, the 3-position is ethynylated. Tetrahydrofuran may be used as a solvent. n-Butyllithium may be used as a base. The reaction temperature may be −78° C. to −30° C. The reaction time may be 1 to 8 hr.
[0043] In step C4, the triple bond on the side chain at the 3-position is carbometalated and is then iodized. Dichloromethane may be used as a solvent. A combination of a zirconium catalyst Cp 2 ZrCl 2 with trimethylaluminum may be used as a reactant. The reaction temperature may be −30° C. to 30° C. The reaction time may be 1 to 4 hr. Iodine may be used as a reactant in the iodination. Tetrahydrofuran may be used as a solvent. The reaction temperature may be −50° C. to 30° C. The reaction time may be 1 to 4 hr.
[0044] In step C5, an alkylation step and a deprotection step are carried out. Tetrahydrofuran may be used as a solvent in the alkylation step. A combination of a palladium catalyst PdCl 2 (PPh 3 ) 2 with (R 4 ) 2 Zn may be used as a reactant for introducing alkyl. The reaction temperature may be −10° C. to 50° C. The reaction time may be 1 to 8 hr. Solvents usable in the deprotection step include tetrahydrofuran. Reagents usable in the deprotection include tetrabutylammonium fluoride. The reaction may be carried out under reflux. The reaction time may be 1 to 8 hr.
[0045] Step D: Step of Construction of Side Chain of Z-Isomer at 3-Position
[0000]
[0046] In step D, a compound of formula (r) of which the double bond is a Z-isomer is obtained by converting aldehyde at the 3-positon of the compound of formula (f) to ketoester to give an enol phosphate ester, introducing methyl, further reducing the ester, brominating the compound, and then introducing alkyl R 3 .
[0047] In step D1, an enolate anion of a methyl acetate ester is added to the aldehyde at the 3-position. Tetrahydrofuran may be used as a solvent. Reactants usable herein include enolate anions of a methyl acetate ester prepared from a methyl acetate ester and lithium diisopropylamide. The reaction temperature may be −78° C. to −50° C. The reaction time may be 1 to 8 hr.
[0048] In step D2, hydroxyl is oxidized. Dichloromethane may be used as a solvent. 1,1,1-Triacetoxy-1,1-dihydro-1,2-benziodoxol-3(1H)-one may be used as an oxidizing agent. The reaction temperature may be −10° C. to 30° C. The reaction time may be 1 to 8 hr.
[0049] In step D3, an enol phosphate ester is synthesized. Hexamethylphosphoric triamide may be used as a solvent. Triethylamine and dimethylaminopyridine may be used as a base. ClP(O)(OPh) 2 may be used as a phosphorylating reagent. The reaction temperature may be −10° C. to 40° C. The reaction time may be 1 to 8 hr.
[0050] In step D4, methylation is carried out. N-methylpyrrolidone may be used as a solvent. A combination of a Fe(acac) 3 catalyst with MeMgCl may be used as a methylating reagent. The reaction temperature may be −20° C. to 40° C. The reaction time may be 1 to 8 hr.
[0051] In step D5, the ester is reduced. Dichloromethane may be used as a solvent. Diisobutylaluminium hydride may be used as a reducing agent. The reaction temperature may be −78° C. to −50° C. The reaction time may be 1 to 8 hr.
[0052] In step D6, bromination is carried out. Diethyl ether may be used as a solvent. Pyridine may be used as a base. Phosphorus tribromide may be used as a brominating reagent. The reaction temperature may be −20° C. to 40° C. The reaction time may be 1 to 8 hr.
[0053] In step D7, alkylation is carried out. When R 3 represents methyl, diethyl ether may be used as a solvent and lithium aluminum hydride may be used as a reducing agent. In this case, the reaction temperature may be −20° C. to 40° C., and the reaction time may be 1 to 8 hr. When R 3 represents C 2 -C 4 alkyl, tetrahydrofuran and diethyl ether may be used as a solvent. Alkylating reagents usable herein include R 3 MgCl, R 3 MgBr, and R 3 MgI. In this case, the reaction temperature may be −78° C. to 30° C., and the reaction time may be 1 to 8 hr.
[0054] In step D8, deprotection is carried out. Tetrahydrofuran may be used as a solvent. Tetrabutylammonium fluoride may be used as a deprotection reagent. The reaction may be carried out under reflux. The reaction time may be 1 to 8 hr.
[0055] Step E: Step of Conversion of 4-Position
[0000]
[0056] In step E, a diene side chain is introduced at the 4-position of the compound of formula (j) obtained in step C or the compound of formula (r) obtained in step D (these compounds being collectively represented by formula (s)) to give a compound of formula (w).
[0057] In step E1, hydroxyl is protected. Hydroxyl at the 4-position is first protected by tert-butyldimethylsilyl (TBS group). Dichloromethane may be used as a solvent. Imidazole may be used as a base. Tert-butyldimethylsilyl chloride may be used as a silylation reagent. The reaction temperature may be −10° C. to 40° C. The reaction time may be 1 to 8 hr. Hydroxyl at the 9-position is then protected by benzoyl. Dichloromethane may be used as a solvent. Dimethylaminopyridine may be used as a base. Benzoic anhydride may be used as a benzoylating reagent. The reaction temperature may be −10° C. to 40° C. The reaction time may be 1 to 8 hr.
[0058] In step E2, the protective group at the 4-position is removed, and the resultant hydroxyl is oxidized. Tetrahydrofuran may be used as a solvent in the deprotection step, Tetrabutylammonium fluoride may be used as a deprotection reagent. The reaction temperature may be −10° C. to 40° C. The reaction time may be 1 to 8 hr. Dichloromethane may be used as a solvent in the step of oxidizing the resultant hydroxyl at the 4-position. 1,1,1-Triacetoxy-1,1-dihydro-1,2-benziodoxol-3(1H)-one may be used as an oxidizing agent. The reaction temperature may be −10° C. to 30° C. The reaction time may be 1 to 8 hr.
[0059] In step E3, a diene side chain is synthesized. Tetrahydrofuran may be used as a solvent. Lithium hexamethyldisilazide may be used as a base. Phosphonic acid ester may be used as a reactant. The reaction temperature may be −78° C. to 30° C. The reaction time may be 1 to 8 hr.
[0060] In step E4, deprotection is carried out. A mixed solvent composed of ethanol and water may be used as a solvent. Preferably, the ratio of ethanol to water is 4:1. Lithium hydroxide may be used as a base. The reaction temperature may be −10° C. to 30° C. The reaction time may be 1 to 8 hr.
[0061] The compounds of formula (I) (specifically, the first group of compounds) may also be produced according to the following step F using MK8383 substance as a starting compound.
[0062] In step F, the double bond at the 1-position of MK8383 substance is selectively reduced to give compounds of formula (I).
[0063] “MK8383 substance” can be obtained by culturing microorganisms belonging to Phoma spp. (for example, a strain deposited under an accession number of FERM BP-6461) (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 126211/1995 and WO99/11596).
[0064] Step F when the MK8383 substance is used as the starting compound will be described below.
[0065] Step F
[0000]
[0066] In step F1, the carboxylic acid in the MK8383 substance is esterified, and hydroxyl is protected by trilsopropylsilyl to give a compound of formula (x). In formula (x), R 5 represents C 1 -C 4 alkyl.
[0067] The esterification reaction may be carried out according to the method described in T. W. Greene et. al, Protective groups in organic synthesis, third edition, 369, (1999), wiley-interscience. For example, in the synthesis of a methyl ester, methanol or mixed solvents such as methanol/benzene and methanol/toluene may be used as a solvent. Trimethylsilyldiazomethane may be used as a reactant. The reaction temperature may be −10° C. to 40° C. The reaction time may be 10 min to 4 hr.
[0068] Dichloromethane may be used as a solvent in the protection of hydroxyl by triisopropylsilyl. 2,6-Lutidine may be used as a base. Triisopropylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate may be used as a silylation reagent. The reaction temperature may be −10° C. to 40° C. The reaction time may be 10 min to 8 hr.
[0069] In step F2, the ester of the compound of formula (x) obtained in step F1 is reduced to alcohol, and diene at the 4-position is oxidatively cleaved and converted to an unsaturated aldehyde to give a compound of formula (y). Dichloromethane may be used as a solvent in the reduction reaction of the ester. Diisobutylaluminium hydride may be used as a reducing agent. The reaction temperature may be −78° C. to 30° C. The reaction time may be 5 min to 4 hr. A mixed solvent composed of dioxane and water may be used as a solvent in the convention of the diene to the unsaturated aldehyde. A combination of a catalytic amount of osmium tetroxide and sodium periodate may be used as an oxidizing agent. 2,6-Lutidine may be used as a base. The reaction temperature may be 0° C. to 30° C. The reaction time may be 30 min to 4 hr.
[0070] In step F3, the aldehyde of the compound of formula (y) is converted to alcohol to give a compound of formula (z). Dichloromethane may be used as a solvent. Diisobutylaluminum hydride may be used as a reducing agent. The reaction temperature may be −78° C. to 30° C. The reaction time may be 5 min to 4 hr.
[0071] In step F4, the double bond at the 4-position of the compound of formula (z) is oxidatively cleaved to aldehyde to convert the compound to a compound of formula (aa). A mixed solvent composed of dioxane and water may be used as a solvent. A combination of a catalytic amount of osmium tetroxide and sodium periodate may be used as an oxidizing agent. Pyridine may be used as a base. The reaction temperature may be 0° C. to 30° C. The reaction time may be 10 to 36 hr.
[0072] In step F5, the aldehyde of the compound of formula (aa) is converted to alcohol to give a compound of formula (ab). A mixed solvent composed of methanol and tetrahydrofuran may be used as a solvent. Sodium borohydride may be used as a reducing agent. The reaction temperature may be 0° C. to 30° C. The reaction time may be 5 min to 4 hr.
[0073] In step F6, the double bond at the 3-position of the compound of formula (ab) is converted to diol to give a compound of formula (ac). Pyridine may be used as a solvent. Osmium tetroxide may be used as an oxidizing agent. The reaction temperature may be 0° C. to 30° C. The reaction time may be 10 min to 4 hr.
[0074] In step F7, the double bond at the 1-positon of the compound of formula (ac) is reduced in the presence of hydrogen and a catalytic hydrogen reduction catalyst to give a compound of formula (ad). Solvents usable herein include chloroform, dichloromethane, and 1,2-dichloroethane. Dichloromethane is preferred. [Ir(cod)pyr(PCy 3 )]PF 6 may be used as a catalyst in the catalytic hydrogen reduction. The reaction temperature may be 30° C. to 80° C. The reaction time may be generally 30 min to 6 hr.
[0075] In step F8, hydroxyl at the 4-position of the compound of formula (ad) is protected by benzoyl to give a compound of formula (ae). Acetonitrile may be used as a solvent. Benzoyl cyanide may be used as a benzoylation reagent. Triethylamine may be used as a base. The reaction temperature may be −60° C. to 0° C. The reaction time may be generally 5 min to 2 hr.
[0076] In step F9, the diol on the side chain at the 3-positon of the compound of formula (ae) is converted to a cyclic thiocarbonate to give a compound of formula (af). Toluene may be used as a solvent. Thiocarbonyldiimidazole may be used as a thiocarbonylation reagent. The reaction may be carried out under reflux. The reaction time may be 10 to 20 hr.
[0077] In step F10, the thiocarbonate at the 3-position of the compound of formula (af) is reduced, and the protective group of hydroxyl at the 4-position is removed by reduction to give a compound of formula (ag). Trimethyl phosphate may be used as a reducing agent in the reduction reaction of the thiocarbonate. When the reducing agent is used in an excessive amount, the reaction may be carried out in the absece of a solvent. The reaction may be carried out under reflux. The reaction time may be 30 to 80 hr. Dichloromethane may be used as a solvent in the deprotection reaction of benzoyl. Diisobutylaluminium hydride may be used as a reducing agent. The reaction temperature may be −78° C. to 0° C. The reaction time may be 5 min to 4 hr.
[0078] In step F11, in the same manner as in step E2 which is the oxidation step, hydroxyl at the 4-position of the compound of formula (ag) is oxidized to give a compound of formula (ah). Dichloromethane may be used as a solvent. A Dess-Martin Periodinate (Journal of Organic Chemistry 48, 4155 (1983)) may be used as an oxidizing agent. The reaction temperature may be 0° C. to 30° C. The reaction time may be generally 10 min to 2 hr.
[0079] In step F12, in the same reaction as in step E3, a diene side chain is introduced into the 4-position of the compound of formula (ah) to give a compound of formula (ai). In formula (ai), R 5 represents C 1 -C 4 alkyl. Tetrahydrofuran may be used as a solvent. Lithium hexamethyldisilazide may be used as a base. Phosphonic acid ester may be used as a reactant. The reaction temperature may be −78° C. to 30° C. The reaction time may be 30 min to 8 hr.
[0080] In step F13, in the same reaction as in step E4, the two protective groups in the compound of formula (ai) are removed to give a compound of formula (aj) (that is, the compound of Example 3). A mixed solvent composed of ethanol and water may be used as a solvent in the deprotection reaction of the ester. Preferably, the mixed solvent has a mixing ratio of ethanol to water of 4:1. Lithium hydroxide may be used as a base. The reaction temperature may be −10° C. to 30° C. The reaction time may be 10 to 60 hr. Tetrahydrofuran may be used as a solvent in the deprotection reaction of silyl. Tetrabutylammonium fluoride may be used as a deprotecting agent. The reaction temperature may be 0° C. to 40° C. The reaction time may be 30 to 90 hr.
[0081] Agricultural and Horticultural Disease Control Agent
[0082] According to working examples, the compounds of the present invention have a high control effect, against plant pathogenic fungi, equivalent to MK8383 (Test Example 1) and, at the same time, have high photostability not possessed by MK8383 (Test Example 2). Thus, according to the present invention, there is provided an agricultural and horticultural disease control agent comprising a compound of the present invention as an active ingredient.
[0083] In the specification of the present application, the “agricultural and horticultural disease control agent” refers to an agent that exhibits control effect against plant diseases and includes agents that kills plant pathogenic microorganisms, as well as agents that suppress the growth of plant pathogenic microorganisms and agents that protect plants from infection with plant pathogenic microorganisms.
[0084] Agricultural and horticultural fungicides are preferred as the agricultural and horticultural disease control agent.
[0085] The plant pathogenic microorganisms as an object of the control in the present invention (microorganisms against which the compounds of the present invention exhibit control effect) is not particularly limited. Examples of such plant pathogenic microorganisms include plant pathogenic fungi and plant pathogenic bacteria. Preferred are plant pathogenic fungi.
[0086] Plant pathogenic fungi include, for example, Alternaria alternata, Alternaria kikutiana, Botrytis cinerea, Cochliobolus miyabeanus, Colletotrichum atramentarium, Colletotrichum lagenarium, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici, Gibberella fujikuroi, Glomerella cingulata, Pyricularia oryzae, Rhizoctonia solani, Sclerotinia minor, Verticillium albo - atrum, Puccinia recondita, Erysiphe graminis, Phytophthora infestans, Pseudoperonospora cubensis, Sphaerotheca fuliginea, Alternaria solani, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Venturia inaequalis, Monilinia fructicola, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Cercospora kikuchii, Cercospora beticola , and Leptosphaeria nodorum . Preferred are Botrytis cinerea, Cercospora beticola, Rhizoctonia solani, Alternaria kikutiana, Colletotrichum lagenarium, Pyricularia oryzae , and Leptosphaeria nodorum . More preferred is Botrytis cinerea.
[0087] When the compounds of the present invention are used as an active ingredient of the agricultural and horticultural disease control agent, the compounds of the present invention as such may be used. Alternatively, according to an ordinary method regarding the agricultural and horticultural disease control agent, the compound according to the present invention may be used as a mixture with suitable solid carriers, liquid carriers, gaseous carriers, surfactants, dispersants, or other adjuvants for preparations and formulated into any suitable dosage forms, for example, emulsifiable concentrates, liquid formulations, suspensions, wettable powders, dust formulations, granules, tablets, oils, aerosols, or floables.
[0088] Solid carriers include, for example, talc, bentonite, clay, kaolin, diatomaceous earth, vermiculite, white carbon, and calcium carbonate.
[0089] Liquid carriers include, for example, alcohols such as methanol, n-hexanol, and ethylene glycol; ketones such as acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, and cyclohexanone; aliphatic hydrocarbons such as n-hexane, kerosine, and kerosene; aromatic hydrocarbons such as toluene, xylene, and methylnaphthalene; ethers such as diethyl ether, dioxane, and tetrahydrofuran; esters such as ethyl acetate; nitriles such as acetonitrile and isobutyronitrile; acid amides such as dimethylformamide and dimethylacetamide; vegetable oils such as soy bean oil and cotton seed oil; dimethylsulfoxide; and water.
[0090] Gaseous carriers include, for example, LPG, air, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and dimethyl ether.
[0091] Surfactants or dispersants include, for example, alkylsulfuric esters, alkyl(aryl)sulfonic acid salts, polyoxyalkylene alkyl(aryl)ethers, polyhydric alcohol esters, and lignin sulfonic acid salts.
[0092] Adjuvants for preparations include, for example, carboxymethylcellulose, gum arabic, polyethylene glycol, and calcium stearate.
[0093] The above carriers, surfactants, dispersants, and adjuvants may be used either solely or in combination according to need.
[0094] The content of the active ingredient in preparations is not particularly limited, but is generally 1 to 50% by weight for emulsifiable concentrate, 1 to 50% by weight for wettable powder, 0.1 to 30% by weight for dust formulation, 0.1 to 15% by weight for granules, 0.1 to 10% by weight for oils, and 0.1 to 10% by weight for aerosols.
[0095] The agricultural and horticultural disease control agent according to the present invention as such may be used or alternatively may, if necessary, be diluted before use.
[0096] The agricultural and horticultural disease control agent according to the present invention may also be used together with other harmful organism control agents. For example, the agricultural and horticultural disease control agent may be applied as a mixture or alternatively may be applied sequentially or simultaneously with other agents. Other harmful organism control agents mixable with the agricultural and horticultural disease control agent include, for example, fungicides, insecticides, miticides, herbicides, plant growth-regulating agents, and fertilizers, specifically those described, for example, in The Pesticide Manual, the 13th edition, published by The British Crop Protection Council and SHIBUYA INDEX, the 12th edition, 2007, published by SHIBUYA INDEX RESEARCH GROUP.
[0097] Insecticides usable as a mixture with the agricultural and horticultural disease control agent according to the present invention include, for example, acephate, dichlorvos, EPN, fenitrothion, fenamifos, prothiofos, profenofos, pyraclofos, chlorpyrifos-methyl, chlorfenvinphos, demeton, ethion, malathion, coumaphos, isoxathion, fenthion, diazinon, thiodicarb, aldicarb, oxamyl, propoxur, carbaryl, fenobucarb, ethiofencarb, fenothiocarb, pirimicarb, carbofuran, carbosulfan, furathiocarb, hyquincarb, alanycarb, methomyl, benfuracarb, cartap, thiocyclam, bensultap, dicofol, tetradifon, acrinathrin, bifenthrin, cycloprothrin, cyfluthrin, dimefluthrin, empenthrin, fenfluthrin, fenpropathrin, imiprothrin, metofluthrin, permethrin, phenothrin, resmethrin, tefluthrin, tetramethrin, tralomethrin, transfluthrin, cypermethrin, deltamethrin, cyhalothrin, fenvalerate, fluvalinate, ethofenprox, flufenprox, halfenprox, silafluofen, cyromazine, diflubenzuron, teflubenzuron, flucycloxuron, flufenoxuron, hexaflumuron, lufenuron, novaluron, penfluoron, triflumuron, chlorfluazuron, diafenthiuron, methoprene, fenoxycarb, pyriproxyfen, halofenozide, tebufenozide, methoxyfenozide, chromafenozide, dicyclanil, buprofezin, hexythiazox, amitraz, chiordimeform, pyridaben, fen pyroxymate, flufenerim, pyrimidifen, tebufenpyrad, tolfenpyrad, fluacrypyrim, acequinocyl, cyflumetofen, flubendiamide, ethiprole, fipronil, ethoxazole, imidacloprid, nitenpyram, clothianidin, acetamiprid, dinotefuran, thiacloprid, thiamethoxam, pymetrozine, bifenazate, spirodiclofen, spiromesifen, flonicamid, chlorfenapyr, pyriproxyfene, indoxacarb, pyridalyl, spinosad, avermectin, milbemycin, azadirachtin, nicotine, rotenone, BT formulations, insect pathological viral agents, emamectinbenzoate, spinetoram, pyrifluquinazon, chlorantraniliprole, cyantraniliprole, cyenopyrafen, spirotetramat, lepimectin, metaflumizone, pyrafluprole, pyriprole, dimefluthrin, fenazaflor, hydramethylnon, and triazamate.
[0098] Fungicides usable as a mixture with the agricultural and horticultural disease control agent according to the present invention include, for example, strobilrin compounds such as azoxystrobin, kresoxym-methyl, trifloxystrobin, orysastrobin, picoxystrobin, and fuoxastrobin; anilinopyrimidine compounds such as mepanipyrim, pyrimethanil, and cyprodinil; azole compounds such as triadimefon, bitertanol, triflumizole, etaconazole, propiconazole, penconazole, flusilazole, myclobutanil, cyproconazole, tebuconazole, hexaconazole, prochloraz, and simeconazole; quinoxaline compounds such as quinomethionate; dithiocarbamate compounds such as maneb, zineb, mancozeb, polycarbamate, and propineb; phenylcarbamate compounds such as diethofencarb; organochlorine compounds such as chlorothalonil and quintozene; benzimidazole compounds such as benomyl, thiophanate-methyl, and carbendazole; phenylamide compounds such as metalaxyl, oxadixyl, ofurase, benalaxyl, furalaxyl, and cyprofuram; sulfenic acid compounds such as dichlofluanid; copper compounds such as copper hydroxide and oxine-copper; isoxazole compounds such as hydroxyisoxazole; organophosphorus compounds such as fosetyl-aluminium and tolclofos-methyl; N-halogenothioalkyl compounds such as captan, captafol, and folpet; dicarboxylmide compounds such as procymidone, iprodione, and vinchlozolin; benzanilide compounds such as flutolanil and mepronil; morpholine compounds such as fenpropimorph and dimethomorph; organotin compounds such as fenthin hydroxide and fenthin acetate; and cyanopyrrole compounds such as fludioxonil and fenpiclonil. Other fungicides include fthalide, probenazole, acibenzolar-S-methyl, tiadinil, isotianil, carpropamid, diclocymet, fenoxanil, tricyclazole, pyroquilon, ferimzone, fluazinam, cymoxanil, triforine, pyrifenox, fenarimol, fenpropidin, pencycuron, cyazofamid, cyflufenamid, boscalid, penthiopyrad, proquinazid, quinoxyfen, famoxadone, fenamidone, iprovalicarb, benthiavalicarb-isopropyl, fluopicolide, pyribencarb, flutianil, isopyrazam, kasugamycin, or validamycin.
[0099] Miticides usable as a mixture with the agricultural and horticultural disease control agent according to the present invention include, for example, bromopropylate, tetradifon, propargite, amitraz, fenothiocarb, hexythiazox, fenbutatin oxide, dienochlor, fenpyroximate, tebufenpyrad, pyridaben, pyrimidifen, clofentezine, etoxazole, halfenprox, milbemectin, acequinocyl, bifenazate, fluacrypyrim, spirodichlofen, spiromesifen, chlorfenapyr, Avermectin, cyenopyrafen, and cyflumetofen.
[0100] Herbicides usable as a mixture with the agricultural and horticultural disease control agent according to the present invention include, for example, phenoxy acid compounds such as cyhalofop-butyl and 2,4-D; carbamate compounds such as esprocarb and desmedipham; acid amide compounds such as alachlor and metolachlor; urea compounds such as diuron and tebuthiuron; sulfonylurea compounds such as halosulfuron and flazasulfuron; pyrimidyloxybenzoic acid compounds such as pyriminobac-methyl; and amino acid compounds such as glyphosate, bilanafos, and glufosinate-ammonium.
[0101] Plant growth-regulating agents usable as a mixture with the agricultural and horticultural disease control agent according to the present invention include, for example, ethylene agents such as ethephon; auxin agents such as indolebutyric acid and ethychlozate; cytokinin agents; gibberellin agents; auxin antagonists; growth retardants; and antidesiccants.
[0102] Fertilizers usable as a mixture with the agricultural and horticultural disease control agent according to the present invention include, for example, nitrogenous fertilizers such as urea, ammonium nitrate, ammonium magnesia nitrate, and ammonium chloride; phosphate fertilizers such as calcium superphosphate, ammonium phosphate, magnesia superphosphate, and magnesia phosphate; potassic fertilizers such as potassium chloride, potassium bicarbonate, potassium magnesia nitrate, potassium nitrate, and potassium sodium nitrate; manganous fertilizers such as manganese sulfate and manganese magnesia nitrate; and boric fertilizers such as boric acid and borate salt.
[0103] Methods usable for applying the agricultural and horticultural disease control agent according to the present invention are not particularly limited as long as the method can generally be applied in agriculture and horticulture and include, for example, foliage application, water-surface application, soil treatment, seedling box application, and seed disinfection.
[0104] The amount of the agricultural and horticultural disease control agent according to the present invention applied may be determined depending upon the type and severity of pathogenesis of object diseases, the type and object sites of object crops, application methods generally adopted in agriculture and horticulture, and other application forms such as aerial spray and ultralow-volume spray. When the agricultural and horticultural disease control agent according to the present invention is applied to foliages of plants, for emulsifiable concentrates, wettable powders, and floables, a solution obtained by diluting 1 to 1000 g of the preparation with 50 to 1000 liters of water may be used per 10 ares; and, for dust formaulations, approximately 1 to 10 kg thereof per 10 ares may be used. For example, a method may be adopted in which 100 g of a preparation containing 20% by weight of compound 1 is diluted with 200 liters of water, and the whole quantity of the solution per 10 ares may be applied to a field. When the agricultural and horticultural disease control agent according to the present invention is applied to soil, approximately 1 to 10 kg per 10 ares of granules may be used.
[0105] According to the present invention, there is provided a process for producing a compound according to the present invention.
[0106] Further, according to the present invention, there is provided an intermediate of a compound according to the present invention.
EXAMPLES
[0107] The present invention is further illustrated by the following Examples that are not intended as a limitation of the invention.
[0108] In Examples 1 to 3, 1 H-NMR and 13 C-NMR spectra were measured with spectrometers BRUKER AVANCE 600, JEOL Lambda 500, and JEOL AL 400. Tetramethylsilane was used as an internal standard.
[0109] JEOL JMS-SX102A was used for mass spectrum measurement.
[0110] For thin-layer chromatography, TLC 60E-254 (manufactured by Merck Ltd.) was used, and a UV lamp and phosphomolybdic acid were used for detection.
[0111] Silica Gel 60N (spherical, neutral) 63-210 (manufactured by KANTO CHEMICAL CO., INC.) and Silica Gel 60N (spherical, neutral) 40-50 μm (manufactured by KANTO CHEMICAL CO., INC.) were used for chromatography on silica gel.
[0112] Starting compound 1 was a compound synthesized according to the description of Org. Letters, 2004, 6, 553-556, and starting compound 2 was purchased from Aldrich.
[0000]
[0113] In structural formulae in the specification of the present application, TIPS represents triisopropylsilyl, TBDPS represents tert-butyldiphenylsilyl, TBS represents tert-butyldimethylsilyl, Bz represents benzoyl, Et represents ethyl, Ph represents phenyl, acac represents acetylacetonato, Hex represents n-hexane, and AcOEt represents ethyl acetate. Further, in the specification of the present application, TIPSOTf represents triisopropylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate, DIBAL represents diisobutylaluminium hydride, TCDI represents thiocarbonyldiimidazole, DMAP represents N,N-dimethyl-4-aminopyridine, TBAF represents tetrabutylammonium fluoride, and LiHMDS represents Lithium hexamethyldisilazide.
Example 1
Synthesis of (2E,4E)-5-{(1aR,2R,3S,3aS,4S,7S,7aS,7bR)-2-[(E)-but-2-en-2-yl]-decahydro-7-hydroxy-1a,4-dimethyl-1H-cyclopropa[a]naphthalen-3-yl}penta-2,4-dienoic acid
[0114] Production Step 1-(1)
[0115] Et 2 Zn (0.428 ml, 0.423 mmol) and CH 2 I 2 (0.0398 ml, 0.479 mmol) were added in that order to a solution (1.5 ml) of a starting compound 1 (0.0443 g, 0.0698 mmol) in (CH 2 Cl) 2 at 0° C. under an argon atmosphere. The mixture was then heated to 35° C. and was stirred. The above procedure was further repeated every five hours four times. After the disappearance of the starting compound was confirmed by TLC, a saturated aqueous NH 4 Cl solution and a saturated aqueous NaHCO 3 solution were added in that order, followed by separation. The aqueous layer was extracted with CH 2 Cl 2 , and the collected oil layer was dried over Na 2 SO 4 . The dried oil layer was filtered, and the solvent was then removed under the reduced pressure. The residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel (Hex:AcOEt=15:1) to give the following compound (0.0426 g, 94%).
[0116] R f 0.38 (Benzen:AcOEt=100:1, 2 times eluent); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.70-7.59 (4H, m), 7.49-7.35 (6H, m), 4.00-3.85 (1H, m), 3.81-3.65 (2H, m), 3.65-3.57 (1H, m), 3.54-3.40 (1H, m), 3.23 (1H, dd, J=10.7, 2.7 Hz), 2.36-2.25 (1H, m), 2.11-2.00 (1H, m), 1.72-1.58 (5H, m), 1.45-1.28 (2H, m), 1.10-0.89 (33H, m), 0.85 (3H, d, J=6.3 Hz), 0.69-0.61 (1H, m), 0.38-0.31 (1H, m), −0.05-−0.11 (1H, m).
[0000]
[0117] Production Step 1-(2)
[0118] A Dess-Martin reagent (0.0859 g, 0.203 mmol) was added to a solution (1.5 ml) of the compound (0.0426 g, 0.0656 mmol) obtained in production step 1-(1) in CH 2 Cl 2 under an argon atmosphere, and the mixture was stirred at room temperature. After the completion of the reaction, the reaction solution was diluted with Et 2 O, and a saturated aqueous Na 2 S 2 O 3 solution and a saturated aqueous NaHCO 3 solution were added to the diluted solution, followed by separation. The aqueous layer was extracted with Et 2 O, and the collected oil layer was dried over MgSO 4 . The dried oil layer was filtered, and the solvent was then removed under the reduced pressure. The residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel (Hex:AcOEt=50:1) to give the following compound (0.0391 g, 92%).
[0119] R f 0.56 (Hex:AcOEt=4:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 9.75 (1H, d, J=2.4 Hz), 7.66-7.56 (4H, m), 7.57-7.33 (6H, m), 3.78-3.69 (1H, m), 3.68-3.58 (1H, m), 3.44-3.37 (1H, m), 2.57-2.47 (1H, m), 1.84-1.76 (1H, m), 1.74-1.57 (2H, m), 1.34-1.24 (1H, m), 1.11-0.93 (37H, m), 0.85 (3H, d, J=6.6 Hz), 0.82-0.74 (1H, m), 0.68-0.61 (1H, m), 0.31-0.25 (1H, m).
[0000]
[0120] Production Step 1-(3)
[0121] PPh 3 (0.0540 g, 0.206 mmol) was added to a solution (0.5 ml) of CBr 4 (0.0288 g, 0.0868 mmol) in CH 2 Cl 2 under an argon atmosphere, and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 10 min. A solution (1 ml) of the compound (0.0316 g, 0.0488 mmol) obtained in production step 1-(2) in CH 2 Cl 2 was added thereto, and the mixture was stirred at room temperature. After one hr from the start of the mixture, a solution prepared by adding PPh 3 (0.0543 g, 0.207 mmol) to a solution (0.5 ml) of CBr 4 (0.0291 g, 0.0877 mmol) in CH 2 Cl 2 and stirring the mixture at room temperature for 10 min was added to the reaction solution, and the mixture was stirred at room temperature. After the completion of the reaction, a saturated aqueous NaHCO 3 solution was added to the reaction solution, followed by separation. The aqueous layer was extracted with CH 2 Cl 2 , and the collected oil layer was dried over Na 2 SO 4 . The dried oil layer was filtered, and the solvent was then removed under the reduced pressure to precipitate a solid. The residue was diluted with hexane, and the solid was removed by filtration. Hexane was removed under the reduced pressure. The residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel (Hex:AcOEt=100:1) to give the following compound (0.0307 g, 78%).
[0122] R f 0.38 (Hex:AcOEt=30:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.69-7.58 (4H, m), 7.48-7.33 (6H, m), 6.18 (1H, d, J=9.3 Hz), 3.89-3.79 (1H, m), 3.56-3.44 (2H, m), 2.79-2.73 (1H, m), 2.37-2.26 (1H, m), 2.10-2.00 (1H, m), 1.80-1.64 (2H, m), 1.47-1.34 (2H, m), 1.02-0.95 (35H, m), 0.95-0.80 (4H, m), 0.43-0.33 (1H, m), 0.45-−0.04 (1H, m).
[0000]
[0123] Production Step 1-(4)
[0124] A hexane solution (0.0750 ml, 1.58 M) of n-BuLi was added to a solution (1 ml) of the compound (0.0307 g, 0.0382 mmol) obtained in production step 1-(3) in THF at −78° C. under an argon atmosphere, and the mixture was stirred for 15 min. After the completion of the reaction, a saturated aqueous NH 4 Cl solution was added to the reaction solution, followed by separation. The aqueous layer was extracted with Et 2 O, and the collected oil layer was dried over Na 2 SO 4 . The dried oil layer was filtered, and the solvent was then removed under the reduced pressure. The residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel (Hex:AcOEt=100:1) to give the following compound (0.0246 g, 96%).
[0125] R f 0.49 (Hex:AcOEt=20:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, C DCl 3 ) δ 7.72-7.61 (4H, m), 7.45-7.33 (6H, m), 3.94-3.86 (1H, m), 3.83-3.74 (1H, m), 3.65-3.57 (1H, m), 2.98-2.92 (1H, m), 2.12-2.05 (1H, m), 2.05-1.98 (2H, m), 1.73-1.57 (3H, m), 1.16 (3H, s), 1.10-0.98 (33H, m), 0.86-0.79 (1H, m) 0.77 (3H, d, J=6.6 Hz), 0.48-0.42 (1H, m), 0.40-0.32 (1H, m).
[0000]
[0126] Production Step 1-(5)
[0127] A hexane solution (1.06 ml, 1.03 M) of Me 3 Al was added to a solution (0.4 ml) of Cp 2 ZrCl 2 (0.107 g, 0.365 mmol) in CH 2 Cl 2 at 0° C. under an argon atmosphere, and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 30 min. The mixture was then cooled to −30° C., and H 2 O (0.0066 ml, 0.367 mmol) was added to the cooled solution. The mixture was heated to −10° C. and was stirred for 10 min. The reaction solution was again cooled to −30° C. A solution (1 ml) of the compound (0.0235 g, 0.0365 mmol) obtained in production step 1-(4) in CH 2 Cl 2 was added to the cooled solution, and the mixture was stirred for one hr. After the disappearance of the starting compound was confirmed by TLC, a solution (1 ml) of I 2 (0.139 g, 0.546 mmol) in THF was added thereto, and the mixture was stirred for half a day. After the completion of the reaction, a saturated aqueous NH 4 Cl solution was added to the reaction solution, followed by separation. The aqueous layer was extracted with Et 2 O, and the collected oil layer was dried over Na 2 SO 4 . The dried oil layer was filtered, and the solvent was then removed under the reduced pressure. The residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel (Hex:AcOEt=100:1) to give the following compound (0.0266 g, 93%).
[0128] R f 0.42 (Hex:AcOEt=20:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.65-7.54 (4H, m), 7.46-7.33 (6H, m), 6.12 (1H, s), 3.89-3.78 (1H, m), 3.39 (1H, dd, J=10.2, 10.2 Hz), 3.18 (1H, dd, J=10.2, 3.7 Hz), 2.45 (1H, d, J=6.1 Hz), 2.26-2.13 (1H, m), 2.08-1.95 (1H, m), 1.80-1.45 (9H, m), 1.14-0.99 (30H, m), 0.98 (3H, s), 0.88 (3H, d, J=6.3 Hz), 0.81-0.72 (1H, m), 0.65-0.55 (1H, m), 0.16-0.09 (1H, m).
[0000]
[0129] Production Step 1-(6)
[0130] A THF solution (0.0508 ml, 1.0 M) of Me 2 Zn was gradually added dropwise to a solution (1 ml) of PdCl 2 (PPh 3 ) 2 (0.0266 g, 0.00256 mmol) and the compound (0.0266 g, 0.0339 mmol) obtained in production step 1-(5) in THF under an argon atmosphere, and the mixture was stirred at room temperature. After the completion of the reaction, a saturated aqueous NH 4 Cl solution was added to the reaction solution, followed by separation. The aqueous layer was extracted with Et 2 O, and the collected oil layer was dried over Na 2 SO 4 . The dried oil layer was filtered, and the solvent was then removed under the reduced pressure. The residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel (Hex:AcOEt=150:1) to give the following compound (0.0220 g, 96%).
[0131] R f 0.59 (Hex:AcOEt=30:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.64-7.56 (4H, m), 7.45-7.31 (6H, m), 5.43 (1H, d, J=5.9 Hz), 3.90-3.80 (1H, m), 3.40 (1H, dd, J=10.2, 10.2 Hz), 3.24 (1H, dd, J=10.2, 4.6 Hz), 2.26-2.20 (1H, m), 2.20-2.12 (1H, m), 2.08-2.01 (1H, m), 1.76-1.64 (3H, m), 1.44 (3H, d, J=5.9 Hz), 1.34 (3H, s), 1.13-0.96 (33H, m), 0.95 (3H, s), 0.89 (3H, d, J=6.1 Hz), 0.72-0.64 (1H, m), 0.59-0.51 (1H, m), 0.12-0.08 (1H, m).
[0000]
[0132] Production Step 1-(7)
[0133] A THF solution (0.490 ml, 1.0 M) of TBAF was added to a solution (1 ml) of the compound (0.0220 g, 0.0327 mmol) obtained in production step 1-(6) in THF under an argon atmosphere, and the mixture was stirred with heating under reflux. After the completion of the reaction, a saturated aqueous NH 4 Cl solution was added to the reaction solution, followed by separation. The aqueous layer was extracted with Et 2 O, and the collected oil layer was dried over Na 2 SO 4 . The dried oil layer was filtered, and the solvent was then removed under the reduced pressure. The residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel (Hex:AcOEt=1:2) to give the following compound (0.0085 g, 93%).
[0134] R f 0.11 (Hex:AcOEt=1:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 5.72-5.63 (1H, m), 3.84-3.74 (1H, m), 3.53-3.43 (1H, m), 3.36-3.26 (1H, m), 2.35 (1H, d, J=6.8 Hz), 2.24-2.14 (1H, m), 1.98-1.90 (1H, m), 1.81-1.71 (4H, m), 1.69 (3H, s), 1.66 (3H, d, J=6.3 Hz), 1.48-1.36 (1H, m), 1.14-1.03 (1H, m), 1.01 (3H, s), 0.91 (3H, d, J=6.3 Hz), 0.72 (1H, dd, J=8.8, 5.1 Hz), 0.60-0.52 (1H, m), 0.38-0.33 (1H, m).
[0000]
[0135] Production Step 1-(8)
[0136] Imidazole (0.0077 g, 0.113 mmol) and TBSCl (0.0528 g, 0.350 mmol) were added in that order to a solution (1 ml) of the compound (0.0085 g, 0.0319 mmol) obtained in production step 1-(7) in CH 2 Cl 2 under an argon atmosphere, and the mixture was stirred at room temperature. After the completion of the reaction, a saturated aqueous NH 4 Cl solution was added to the reaction solution, followed by separation. The aqueous layer was extracted with CH 2 Cl 2 , and the collected oil layer was dried over Na 2 SO 4 . The dried oil layer was filtered, and the solvent was then removed under the reduced pressure. The residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel (Hex:AcOEt=10:1) to give the following compound (0.0079 g, 65%).
[0137] R f 0.76 (Hex:AcOEt=1:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 5.61-5.50 (1H, m), 3.82-3.70 (1H, m), 3.31-3.20 (2H, m), 2.36-2.26 (1H, m), 2.19-2.06 (1H, m), 2.02-1.93 (1H, m), 1.80-1.58 (7H, m), 1.45-1.36 (2H, m), 1.00 (3H, s), 0.93-0.79 (15H, m), 0.72-0.62 (1H, m), 0.58-0.49 (1H, m), 0.28-0.21 (1H, m), 0.03-−0.08 (6H, m).
[0000]
[0138] Production Step 1-(9)
[0139] DMAP (0.0251 g, 0.205 mmol) and Bz 2 O (0.0293 g, 0.130 mmol) were added in that order to a solution (1 ml) of the compound (0.0079 g, 0.0201 mmol) obtained in production step 1-(8) in CH 2 Cl 2 under an argon atmosphere, and the mixture was stirred at room temperature. After the completion of the reaction, a saturated aqueous NH 4 Cl solution was added to the reaction solution, followed by separation. The aqueous layer was extracted with CH 2 Cl 2 , and the collected oil layer was dried over Na 2 SO 4 . The dried oil layer was filtered, and the solvent was then removed under the reduced pressure. The residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel (Hex:AcOEt=50:1) to give the following compound (0.0102 g, quant.).
[0140] R f 0.57 (Hex:AcOEt=10:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, C DCl 3 ) δ 8.13-8.01 (2H, m), 7.60-7.50 (1H, m), 7.49-7.39 (2H, m), 5.60-5.51 (1H, m), 5.16-5.06 (1H, m), 3.29-3.21 (2H, m), 2.35 (1H, d, J=6.3 Hz), 2.23-2.06 (2H, m), 2.01-1.90 (1H, m), 1.87-1.72 (2H, m), 1.69-1.58 (6H, m), 1.56-1.44 (2H, m), 1.30-1.15 (1H, m), 1.04 (3H, s), 0.92 (3H, d, J=5.1 Hz), 0.88-0.82 (9H, m), 0.79-0.71 (1H, m), 0.69-0.62 (1H, m), 0.27-0.19 (1H, m), 0.02-−0.07 (6H, m).
[0000]
[0141] Production Step 1-(10)
[0142] A THF solution (0.185 ml, 1.0 M) of TBAF was added to a solution (0.5 ml) of the compound (0.0102 g, 0.0205 mmol) obtained in production step 1-(9) in THF under an argon atmosphere, and the mixture was stirred with heating under reflux for half a day. After the completion of the reaction, a saturated aqueous NH 4 Cl solution was added to the reaction solution, followed by separation. The aqueous layer was extracted with Et 2 O, and the collected oil layer was dried over Na 2 SO 4 . The dried oil layer was filtered, and the solvent was then removed under the reduced pressure. The residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel (Hex:AcOEt=4:1) to give the following compound (0.0063, 80%).
[0143] R f 0.18 (Hex:AcOEt=4:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 8.12-8.03 (2H, m), 7.60-7.52 (1H, m), 7.49-7.40 (2H, m), 5.71-5.62 (1H, m), 5.17-5.08 (1H, m), 3.54-3.42 (1H, m), 3.36-3.25 (1H, m), 2.37 (1H, d, J=6.8 Hz), 2.37-2.12 (2H, m), 1.98-1.91 (1H, m), 1.89-1.76 (2H, m), 1.69 (3H, s), 1.65 (3H, d, J=6.8 Hz), 1.42-1.35 (1H, m), 1.31-1.18 (2H, m), 1.04 (3H, s), 0.95 (3H, d, J=6.3 Hz), 0.79-0.72 (1H, m), 0.70-0.64 (1H, m), 0.34-0.28 (1H, m).
[0000]
[0144] Production Step 1-(11)
[0145] A Dess-Martin reagent (0.0211 g, 0.0497 mmol) was added to a solution (0.8 ml) of the compound (0.0063 g, 0.0165 mmol) obtained in production step. 1-(10) in CH 2 Cl 2 under an argon atmosphere, and the mixture was stirred at room temperature. After the completion of the reaction, the reaction solution was diluted with Et 2 O, and a saturated aqueous Na 2 S 2 O 3 solution and a saturated aqueous NaHCO 3 solution were added to the diluted solution, followed by separation. The aqueous layer was extracted with Et 2 O, and the collected oil layer was dried over Na 2 SO 4 . The dried oil layer was filtered, and the solvent was then removed under the reduced pressure. The residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel (Hex:AcOEt=20:1) to give the following compound (0.0063 g, 100%).
[0146] R f 0.60 (Hex:AcOEt=4:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 9.65 (1H, d, J=1.7 Hz), 8.10-8.01 (2H, m), 7.59-7.51 (1H, m), 7.50-7.40 (2H, m), 5.74 (1H, q, J=6.6 Hz), 5.12 (1H, ddd, J=11.2, 4.9, 4.9 Hz), 2.67-2.57 (2H, m), 2.16-2.08 (1H, m), 2.04-1.94 (1H, m), 1.88-1.72 (3H, m), 1.71 (3H, s), 1.68 (3H, d, J=6.6 Hz), 1.32-1.15 (2H, m), 1.14 (3H, s), 0.91 (3H, d, J=6.3 Hz), 0.87-0.76 (2H, m), 0.10 (1H, dd, J=4.4, 4.4 Hz).
[0000]
[0147] Production Step 1-(12)
[0148] A THF solution (0.0387 ml, 1.07 M) of LiHMDS was gradually added dropwise to a solution (0.3 ml) of a starting compound 2 (0.0169 g, 0.0675 mmol) in THF at −78° C. under an argon atmosphere, and the mixture was stirred for 30 min. A solution (1 ml) of the compound (0.0063 g, 0.0166 mmol) obtained in production step 1-(11) in THF was added to thereto, and the mixture was stirred for 2 hr. The mixture was then heated to 0° C. After the completion of the reaction, a saturated aqueous NH 4 Cl solution was added to the reaction solution, followed by separation. The aqueous layer was extracted with Et 2 O, and the collected oil layer was dried over Na 2 SO 4 . The dried oil layer was filtered, and the solvent was then removed under the reduced pressure. The residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel (Hex:AcOEt=20:1). After 1 H-NMR measurement, the compound, remaining unreacted, obtained in production step 1-(11) was confirmed. Therefore, the above procedure was repeated to give the following compound (0.0080 g, 93%).
[0149] R f 0.60 (Hex:AcOEt=4:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 8.12-8.02 (2H, m), 7.60-7.51 (1H, m), 7.49-7.40 (2H, m), 7.15 (1H, J=15.4, 9.8 Hz), 6.12-5.97 (2H, m), 5.74 (1H, d, J=15.4 Hz), 5.64 (1H, q, J=6.3 Hz), 5.14-5.02 (1H, m), 4.17 (2H, q, J=7.1 Hz), 2.85-2.76 (1H, m), 2.42-2.34 (1H, m), 2.28-2.18 (1H, m), 2.01-1.90 (1H, m), 1.88-1.75 (2H, m), 1.71-1.56 (6H, m), 1.55 (3H, s), 1.27 (3H, t, J=7.1 Hz), 1.07 (3H, s), 0.97 (3H, d, J=6.8 Hz), 0.84-0.76 (1H, m), 0.74-0.67 (1H, m), 0.41-0.33 (1H, m).
[0000]
[0150] Production Step 1-(13)
[0151] LiOH.H 2 O (0.0104 g, 0.248 mmol) was added to a solution (0.5 ml) of the compound (0.0080 g, 0.0168 mmol) obtained in production step 1-(12) in EtOH/H 2 O (4/1) under an argon atmosphere, and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for one day. After the completion of the reaction, a saturated aqueous NH 4 Cl solution was added to the reaction solution, followed by separation. The aqueous layer was extracted with AcOEt, and the collected oil layer was dried over Na 2 SO 4 . The dried oil layer was filtered, and the solvent was then removed under the reduced pressure. The residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel (Hex:AcOEt=1:3) to give the title compound: (2E,4E)-5-{(1aR,2R,3S,3aS,4S,7S,7aS,7bR)-2-[(E)-but-2-en-2-yl]-decahydro-7-hydroxy-1a,4-dimethyl-1H-cyclopropa[a]naphthalen-3-yl}penta-2,4-dienoic acid (0.0058 g, 100%).
[0152] R f 0.44 (Hex:AcOEt=1:10); 1 H NMR (600 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.26 (1H, dd, J=15.4, 7.7 Hz), 6.12-6.08 (2H, m), 5.74 (1H, d, J=15.4 Hz), 5.66 (1H, qt, J=6.7, 1.3 Hz), 3.74 (1H, ddd, J=12.0, 4.6, 4.6 Hz), 2.81-2.76 (1H, m), 2.35 (1H, d, J=6.1 Hz), 2.03-1.97 (1H, m), 1.80-1.69 (2H, m), 1.69-1.57 (4H, m), 1.55 (3H, s), 1.52-1.43 (1H, m), 1.19 (1H, ddd, J=10.8, 3.6, 3.6 Hz), 1.12-1.01 (4H, m), 0.93 (3H, d, J=6.7 Hz), 0.74 (1H, dd, J=9.0, 4.6 Hz), 0.63-0.57 (1H, m), 0.35 (1H, dd, J=4.6, 4.6 Hz); 13 C NMR (150 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 171.6, 147.6, 147.5, 134.2, 128.3, 120.3, 118.0, 73.3, 47.0, 44.9, 39.8, 38.9, 33.4, 30.3, 28.8, 27.4, 20.5, 18.7, 16.2, 15.8, 15.6, 13.4; FAB-MS: [M+Na] + calculated for C 22 H 32 O 3 Na: 367.2249, found: 367.2240.
[0000]
Example 2
Synthesis of (2E,4E)-5-{(1S,4S,4aS,5S,6R,7S,8aR)-6-[(E)-but-2-en-2-yl]-decahydro-1-hydroxy-4,7-dimethylnaphthalen-5-yl}penta-2,4-dienoic acid
[0153] Production Step 2-(1)
[0154] [Ir(cod)pyr(PCy 3 )]PF 6 (Crabtree's catalyst) (0.0084 g, 0.0104 mmol) was dissolved in degassed (CH 2 Cl) 2 (0.4 ml) under an argon atmosphere. A solution of starting compound 1 (0.0330 g, 0.0520 mmol) dissolved in degassed (CH 2 Cl) 2 (2.5 ml) was added to the solution. An H 2 gas (1 atm) was sealed. The temperature was then raised to 60° C., followed by stirring for 2 hr. After the completion of the reaction, a saturated aqueous NH 4 Cl solution was added to the reaction solution, followed by separation. The aqueous layer was extracted with CH 2 Cl 2 , and the collected oil layer was dried over Na 2 SO 4 . The dried oil layer was filtered, and the solvent was then removed under the reduced pressure. The residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel (Hex:AcOEt=20:1) to give the following compound (0.0279 g, 84%).
[0155] R f 0.35 (Benzen:AcOEt=100:1, 2 times eluent); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.75-7.66 (4H, m), 7.49-7.33 (6H, m), 4.09 (1H, dd, J=10.2, 9.0 Hz), 3.84-3.76 (1H, m), 3.74-3.66 (1H, m), 3.58-3.49 (2H, m), 3.41 (1H, dd, J=10.5, 2.7 Hz), 2.25-2.18 (1H, br), 1.76-1.42 (8H, m), 1.17-0.86 (36H, m), 0.77 (3H, d, J=6.1 Hz).
[0000]
[0156] Production Step 2-(2)
[0157] The following compound (0.0611 g, 95%) was obtained from the compound (0.0613 g, 0.0962 mmol) obtained in production step 2-(1) by carrying out a reaction under the same conditions as in production step 1-(2).
[0158] R f 0.67 (Hex:AcOEt=4:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 9.70 (1H, d, J=2.7 Hz), 7.68-7.59 (4H, m), 7.46-7.34 (6H, m), 3.86 (1H, dd, J=10.2, 8.3 Hz), 3.68-3.60 (1H, m), 3.54 (1H, dd, J=10.2, 6.3 Hz), 2.51-2.41 (1H, m), 2.09 (1H, ddd, J=11.7, 3.4, 3.4 Hz), 1.99-1.84 (2H, m), 1.78 (1H, ddd, J=17.3, 3.7, 3.7 Hz), 1.74-1.49 (4H, m), 1.15-0.98 (33H, m), 0.96 (3H, d, J=6.1 Hz), 0.84 (3H, d, J=6.1 Hz).
[0000]
[0159] Production Step 2-(3)
[0160] The following compound (0.0572 g, 79%) was obtained from the compound (0.0578 g, 0.0910 mmol) obtained in production step 2-(2) by carrying out a reaction under the same conditions as in production step 1-(3).
[0161] R f 0.64 (Hex:AcOEt=10:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.69-7.62 (4H, m), 7.47-7.36 (6H, m), 6.18 (1H, d, J=8.8 Hz), 3.77-3.66 (3H, m), 2.28-2.19 (2H, m), 2.10-2.00 (1H, m), 1.79-1.66 (3H, m), 1.64-1.48 (1H, m), 1.09-0.98 (35H, m), 0.91 (3H, d, J=6.1 Hz), 0.81 (3H, d, J=6.3 Hz).
[0000]
[0162] Production Step 2-(4)
[0163] The following compound (0.0439 g, 96%) was obtained from the compound (0.0572 g, 0.0723 mmol) obtained in production step 2-(3) by carrying out a reaction under the same conditions as in production step 1-(4).
[0164] R f 0.41 (Hex:AcOEt=20:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.70-7.63 (4H, m), 7.44-7.32 (6H, m), 4.12 (1H, dd, J=9.8, 3.4 Hz), 3.85-3.70 (2H, m), 2.31-2.18 (2H, m), 2.14-2.05 (1H, m), 1.90 (1H, d, J=2.4 Hz), 1.78-1.68 (3H, m), 1.66-1.47 (1H, m), 1.09-1.00 (35H, m), 0.99 (3H, d, J=6.3 Hz), 0.90 (3H, d, J=6.3 Hz).
[0000]
[0165] Production Step 2-(5)
[0166] The following compound (0.0393 g, 99%) was obtained from the compound (0.0323 g, 0.0512 mmol) obtained in production step 2-(4) by carrying out a reaction under the same conditions as in production step 1-(5).
[0167] R f 0.62 (Hex:AcOEt=20:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.67-7.56 (4H, m), 7.46-7.33 (6H, m), 5.66 (1H, s), 3.76 (1H, ddd, J=10.7, 5.4, 5.4 Hz), 3.63 (1H, dd, J=9.8, 9.8 Hz), 3.53 (1H, dd, J=9.8, 3.9 Hz), 2.13-1.97 (3H, m), 1.83-1.67 (3H, m), 1.60 (3H, s), 1.13-0.95 (36H, m), 0.87 (3H, d, J=5.6 Hz), 0.79 (3H, d, J=6.1 Hz).
[0000]
[0168] Production Step 2-(6)
[0169] The following compound (0.0307 g, 91%) was obtained from the compound (0.0393 g, 0.0508 mmol) obtained in production step 2-(5) by carrying out a reaction under the same conditions as in production step 1-(6).
[0170] R f 0.44 (Hex:AcOEt=30:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.68-7.57 (4H, m), 7.45-7.30 (6H, m), 4.92 (1H, q, J=6.6 Hz), 3.82-3.73 (1H, m), 3.65 (1H, dd, J=10.0, 10.0 Hz), 3.57 (1H, dd, J=10.0, 4.4 Hz), 2.18-2.07 (1H, m), 2.06-1.96 (1H, m), 1.82-1.66 (6H, m), 1.66-1.55 (2H, m), 1.40 (3H, d, J=6.6 Hz), 1.37 (3H, s), 1.16-0.95 (32H, m), 0.88 (3H, d, J=4.9 Hz), 0.76 (3H, d, J=6.1 Hz).
[0000]
[0171] Production Step 2-(7)
[0172] The following compound (0.0154 g, 99%) was obtained from the compound (0.0387 g, 0.0585 mmol) obtained in production step 2-(6) by carrying out a reaction under the same conditions as in production step 1-(7).
[0173] R f 0.14 (Hex:AcOEt=1:1)
[0000]
[0174] Production Step 2-(8)
[0175] The following compound (0.0166 g, 75%) was obtained from the compound (0.0154 g, 0.0578 mmol) obtained in production step 2-(7) by carrying out a reaction under the same conditions as in production step 1-(8).
[0176] R f 0.79 (Hex:AcOEt=1:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 5.10 (1H, q, J=6.8 Hz), 3.75-3.66 (1H, m), 3.62-3.53 (2H, m), 2.20-2.07 (1H, m), 1.97-1.88 (1H, m), 1.86-1.56 (14H, m), 1.18-1.00 (2H, m), 0.99-0.85 (12H, m), 0.83 (3H, d, J=6.3 Hz), 0.08-0.00 (6H, m).
[0000]
[0177] Production Step 2-(9)
[0178] The following compound (0.0216 g, quant.) was obtained from the compound (0.0166 g, 0.0436 mmol) obtained in production step 2-(8) by carrying out a reaction under the same conditions as in production step 1-(9).
[0179] R f 0.77 (Hex:AcOEt=4:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 8.11-8.00 (2H, m), 7.60-7.50 (1H, m), 7.49-7.40 (2H, m), 5.13-5.01 (2H, m), 3.60-3.51 (2H, m), 2.41-2.30 (1H, m), 1.98-1.90 (1H, m), 1.89-1.47 (14H, m), 1.34-1.16 (2H, m), 0.93-0.85 (12H, m), 0.83 (3H, d, J=6.1 Hz), 0.04-−0.04 (6H, m).
[0000]
[0180] Production Step 2-(10)
[0181] The following compound (0.0167 g, quant.) was obtained from the compound (0.0216 g, 0.0435 mmol) obtained in production step 2-(9) by carrying out a reaction under the same conditions as in production step 1-(10).
[0182] R f 0.24 (Hex:AcOEt=4:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 8.07-8.00 (2H, m), 7.60-7.51 (1H, m), 7.48-7.40 (2H, m), 5.22 (1H, q, J=6.1 Hz), 5.10-5.02 (1H, m), 3.86-3.78 (1H, m), 3.52-3.42 (1H, m), 2.26-2.16 (1H, m), 2.13-2.06 (1H, m), 1.90-1.68 (8H, m), 1.67-1.61 (6H, m), 1.41-1.16 (2H, m), 0.93 (3H, d, J=6.3 Hz), 0.88 (3H, d, J=5.9 Hz).
[0000]
[0183] Production Step 2-(11)
[0184] The following compound (0.0151 g, 91%) was obtained from the compound (0.0167 g, 0.0451 mmol) obtained in production step 2-(10) by carrying out a reaction under the same conditions as in production step 1-(11).
[0185] R f 0.56 (Hex:AcOEt=4:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 9.94 (1H, d, J=2.2 Hz), 8.06-8.00 (2H, m), 7.58-7.50 (1H, m), 7.47-7.40 (2H, m), 5.34 (1H, q, J=5.1 Hz), 5.06 (1H, ddd, J=12.0, 4.9, 4.9 Hz), 2.59-2.55 (1H, m), 2.35-2.26 (1H, m), 2.05-1.71 (8H, m), 1.67-1.58 (6H, m), 1.46-1.16 (2H, m), 0.94 (3H, d, J=5.9 Hz), 0.91 (3H, d, J=5.6 Hz).
[0000]
[0186] Production Step 2-(12)
[0187] The following compound (0.0186 g, 98%) was obtained from the compound (0.0151 g, 0.0410 mmol) obtained in production step 2-(11) by carrying out a reaction under the same conditions as in production step 1-(12). When the compound obtained in production step 2-(11) was used, unlike the case where the compound obtained in production step 1-(11), the compound obtained in production step 2-(11) was entirely consumed in a single reaction without repeating the reaction procedure.
[0188] R f 0.56 (Hex:AcOEt=4:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 8.06-8.00 (2H, m), 7.60-7.51 (1H, m), 7.48-7.41 (2H, m), 7.31-7.19 (1H, m), 6.43 (1H, dd, J=14.9, 9.1 Hz), 6.07 (1H, dd, J=14.9, 9.1 Hz), 5.77 (1H, d, J=15.1 Hz), 5.15 (1H, q, J=6.3 Hz), 5.00 (1H, ddd, J=10.7, 5.4, 5.4 Hz), 4.24-4.15 (2H, m), 2.64-2.58 (1H, m), 2.44-2.38 (1H, m), 1.95-1.75 (6H, m), 1.63-1.48 (5H, m), 1.45 (3H, s), 1.29 (3H, t, J=7.1 Hz), 1.25-1.03 (2H, m), 0.95 (3H, d, J=6.3 Hz), 0.85 (3H, d, J=6.1 Hz).
[0000]
[0189] Production step 2-(13)
[0190] The title compound: (2E,4E)-5-{(1S,4S,4aS,5S,6R,7S,8aR)-6-[(E)-but-2-en-2-yl]-decahydro-1-hydroxy-4,7-dimethylnaphthalen-5-yl}penta-2,4-dienoic acid (0.0125 g, 94%) was obtained from the compound (0.0186 g, 0.0400 mmol) obtained in production step 2-(12) by carrying out a reaction under the same conditions as in production step 1-(13). In this case, purification was carried out by column chromatography on silica gel (Hex:AcOEt=1:1).
[0191] R f 0.14 (Hex:AcOEt=1:1); 1 H NMR (600 MHz, CD 3 OD) δ 7.23 (1H, dd, J=15.1, 11.0 Hz), 6.54 (1H, dd, J=14.8, 9.5 Hz), 6.09 (1H, dd, J=14.8, 11.0 Hz), 5.76 (1H, d, J=15.1 Hz), 5.18 (1H, q, J=6.7 Hz), 3.58 (1H, ddd, J=10.2, 5.1, 5.1 Hz), 2.68-2.58 (1H, m), 2.19-2.12 (1H, m), 1.96-1.69 (6H, m), 1.67-1.53 (5H, m), 1.49 (3H, s), 1.30-1.04 (2H, m), 0.91 (3H, d, J=6.4 Hz), 0.84 (3H, d, J=6.1 Hz); 13 C NMR (150 MHz, CD 3 OD) δ 170.9, 148.5, 147.0, 137.8, 129.8, 121.5, 120.5, 73.8, 53.1, 51.5, 46.5, 39.3, 35.1, 30.4, 30.2, 30.0, 28.8, 21.3, 19.7, 15.9, 13.3; FAB-MS: [M+H] + calculated for C 21 H 33 O 3 : 333.2430, found: 333.2435.
[0000]
Example 3
Synthesis of (2E,4E)-5-{(1S,4S,4aS,5S,6R,7S,8aR)-6-[(Z)-but-2-en-2-yl]-decahydro-1-hydroxy-4.7-dimethylnaphthalen-5-yl}penta-2,4-dienoic acid (first synthesis method)
[0192] Production Step 3-(1)
[0193] A hexane solution (0.1439 ml, 1.63 M) of n-BuLi was added to a solution (0.5 ml) of iPr 2 NH (0.0365 ml, 0.260 mmol) in THF at 0° C. under an argon atmosphere, and the mixture was stirred for 10 min. The mixture was cooled to 78° C. AcOMe (0.0207 ml, 0.261 mmol) was then added to the cooled solution, and the mixture was stirred for 10 min. A solution (1.2 ml) of the compound (0.0331 g, 0.0521 mmol) obtained in production step 2-(2) in THF was added to thereto, and the mixture was stirred. After the completion of the reaction, a saturated aqueous NH 4 Cl solution was added to the reaction solution, followed by separation. The aqueous layer was extracted with Et 2 O, and the collected oil layer was dried over Na 2 SO 4 . The dried oil layer was filtered, and the solvent was then removed under the reduced pressure. The residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel (Hex:AcOEt=10:1) to give the following compound (0.0365 g, 99%).
[0194] R f 0.40 (Hex:AcOEt=4:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.72-7.60 (4H, m), 7.48-7.31 (6H, m), 4.22-4.10 (1H, m), 4.03-3.94 (1H, m), 3.73-3.66 (3H, m), 3.62-3.54 (1H, m), 3.48-3.40 (1H, m), 2.78-2.62 (1H, m), 2.55-2.39 (1H, m), 2.07-1.94 (1H, m), 1.84-1.34 (9H, m), 1.17-0.85 (35H, m), 0.72 (3H, d, J=6.1 Hz).
[0000]
[0195] Production Step 3-(2)
[0196] A Dess-Martin reagent (0.0436 g, 0.103 mmol) was added to a solution (2 ml) of the compound (0.0365 g, 0.0515 mmol) obtained in production step 3-(1) in CH 2 Cl 2 under an argon atmosphere, and the mixture was stirred at room temperature. After the completion of the reaction, the reaction solution was diluted with Et 2 O, and a saturated aqueous Na 2 S 2 O 3 solution and a saturated aqueous NaHCO 3 solution were added to the diluted solution, followed by separation. The aqueous layer was extracted with Et 2 O, and the collected oil layer was dried over MgSO 4 . The dried oil layer was filtered, and the solvent was then removed under the reduced pressure. The residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel (Hex:AcOEt=30:1) to give the following compound (0.0310 g, 85%).
[0197] R f 0.27 (Hex:AcOEt=10:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.66-7.57 (4H, m), 7.46-7.31 (6H, m), 3.73-3.67 (1H, m), 3.66 (3H, s), 3.60 (1H, dd, J=10.5, 8.3 Hz), 3.48 (1H, dd, J=10.5, 5.6 Hz), 3.36 (1H, d, J=14.9 Hz), 3.17 (1H, d, J=14.9 Hz), 2.51 (1H, dd, J=11.5, 4.1 Hz), 2.35-2.24 (1H, m), 1.96-1.49 (8H, m), 1.12-0.95 (32H, m), 0.92 (3H, d, J=5.9 Hz), 0.83 (3H, d, J=6.1 Hz).
[0000]
[0198] Production Step 3-(3)
[0199] Et 3 N (0.0611 ml, 0.438 mmol) was added to a solution (1.5 ml) of the compound (0.0310 g, 0.0438 mmol) obtained in production step 3-(2) in HMPA at 0° C. under an argon atmosphere, and the mixture was stirred for 2 hr. CIP(O)(OPh) 2 (0.0907 ml, 0.260 mmol) and DMAP (0.0005 g, 0.00409 mmol) were added to the reaction solution, and the mixture was stirred at room temperature. After the completion of the reaction, a saturated aqueous NH 4 Cl solution was added to the reaction solution, followed by separation. The aqueous layer was extracted with Et 2 O, and the collected oil layer was dried over Na 2 SO 4 . The dried oil layer was filtered, and the solvent was then removed under the reduced pressure. The residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel (Hex:AcOEt=10:1) to give the following compound (0.0403 g, 98%).
[0200] R f 0.51 (Hex:AcOEt=4:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.65-7.54 (4H, m), 7.44-7.26 (6H, m), 7.23-7.16 (2H, m), 7.16-7.05 (4H, m), 7.01-6.94 (2H, m), 6.91-6.84 (2H, m), 5.90 (1H, s), 3.77-3.55 (6H, m), 2.26-2.17 (1H, m), 1.97-1.88 (1H, m), 1.86-1.69 (3H, m), 1.64-1.51 (3H, m), 1.15-0.97 (34H, m), 0.94 (3H, d, J=5.4 Hz), 0.65 (3H, d, J=5.9 Hz).
[0000]
[0201] Production Step 3-(4)
[0202] The compound (0.111 g, 0.118 mmol) obtained in production step 3-(3) and Fe(acac) 3 (0.208 g, 0.591 mmol) were mixed together, and the mixture was subjected to azeotropic distillation with toluene under an argon atmosphere. NMP (4 ml) was then added to prepare a solution. An empty eggplant flask was subjected to azeotropic distillation with toluene under an argon atmosphere. NMP (1 ml) was added thereto, and the mixture was cooled to 0° C. A THF solution (2.37 ml, 3.0 M) of MeMgCl was added to the cooled mixture. The solution prepared above was gradually added dropwise to the mixture, and the mixture was stirred. After the completion of the reaction, a saturated aqueous NH 4 Cl solution was added to the reaction solution, followed by separation. The aqueous layer was extracted with Et 2 O, and the collected oil layer was dried over Na 2 SO 4 . The dried oil layer was filtered, and the solvent was then removed under the reduced pressure. The residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel (Hex:AcOEt=50:1) to give the following compound (0.0763 g, 91%).
[0203] R f 0.58 (Hex:AcOEt=10:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.68-7.57 (4H, m), 7.45-7.30 (6H, m), 5.60 (1H, s), 3.78-3.59 (6H, m), 2.21-2.14 (1H, m), 2.06-1.97 (1H, m), 1.89-1.71 (2H, m), 1.65 (3H, s), 1.63-1.53 (4H, m), 1.19-1.10 (34H, m), 0.96 (3H, d, J=6.1 Hz), 0.76 (3H, d, J=6.1 Hz).
[0000]
[0204] Production Step 3-(5)
[0205] A hexane solution (0.414 ml, 0.98 M) of DIBAL was added to a solution (3 ml) of the compound (0.0763 g, 0.108 mmol) obtained in production step 2-(4) in CH 2 Cl 2 at −78° C. under an argon atmosphere, and the mixture was stirred. After the completion of the reaction, MeOH was added thereto until foams were no longer produced. The temperature of the solution was then raised to room temperature before a saturated aqueous potassium sodium tartarate solution was added thereto. The mixture was stirred for 30 min, followed by separation. The aqueous layer was extracted with CH 2 Cl 2 , and the collected oil layer was dried over Na 2 SO 4 . The dried oil layer was filtered, and the solvent was then removed under the reduced pressure. The residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel (Hex:AcOEt=10:1) to give the following compound (0.0720 g, 98%).
[0206] R f 0.17 (Hex:AcOEt=10:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.67-7.56 (4H, m), 7.46-7.30 (6H, m), 5.36-5.28 (1H, m), 4.22-4.12 (1H, m), 4.04-3.95 (1H, m), 3.80-3.68 (2H, m), 3.64 (1H, dd, J=9.5, 5.1 Hz), 2.39-2.30 (1H, m), 2.11-2.02 (1H, m), 1.92-1.66 (4H, m), 1.66-1.50 (4H, m), 1.47 (3H, s), 1.16-0.96 (32H, m), 0.87 (3H, d, J=5.1 Hz), 0.76 (3H, d, J=6.1 Hz).
[0000]
[0207] Production Step 3-(6)
[0208] Pyridine (0.0258 ml, 0.319 mmol) and PBr 3 (0.111 ml, 1.063 mmol) were added to a solution (3 ml) of the compound (0.0720 g, 0.106 mmol) obtained in production step 3-(5) in Et 2 O at 0° C. under an argon atmosphere, and the mixture was stirred. After the completion of the reaction, the reaction solution as such was crudely produced by column chromatography on silica gel (Et 2 O) to obtain the following crude compound. The crude product as such was used in the next reaction.
[0209] R f 0.64 (Hex:AcOEt=10:1).
[0000]
[0210] Production Step 3-(7)
[0211] LiAlH 4 (0.0274 g, 0.578 mmol) was added to a solution (3 ml) of the crude compound obtained in production step 3-(6) in Et 2 O under an argon atmosphere in an ice bath, and the mixture was stirred. After the completion of the reaction, a saturated aqueous Na 2 SO 4 solution was added to the reaction solution under foams were no longer produced, and the precipitated solid was collected through Celite. The solvent was removed under the reduced pressure, and the residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel (Hex:AcOEt=100:1) to give the following compound (0.0513 g, 73%) (two steps).
[0212] R f 0.22 (Hex:AcOEt=30:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.68-7.59 (4H, m), 7.44-7.30 (6H, m), 5.19-5.11 (1H, m), 3.82-3.70 (2H, m), 3.66 (1H, dd, J=9.8, 5.1 Hz), 2.40-2.33 (1H, m), 2.14-1.99 (2H, m), 1.84-1.70 (5H, m), 1.66-1.57 (2H, m), 1.55 (3H, d, J=6.1 Hz), 1.39 (3H, s), 1.14-0.98 (32H, m), 0.89 (3H, d, J=5.6 Hz), 0.75 (3H, d, J=6.1 Hz).
[0000]
[0213] Production Step 3-(8)
[0214] The following compound (0.0190 g, 92%) was obtained from the compound (0.0513 g, 0.0776 mmol) obtained in production step 3-(7) by carrying out a reaction under the same conditions as in production step 1-(7). In this case, purification was carried out by column chromatography on silica gel (Hex:AcOEt=1:1).
[0215] R f 0.21 (Hex:AcOEt=1:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CD 3 OD) δ 4.84 (1H, q, J=6.8 Hz), 3.20-3.05 (3H, m), 2.01-1.90 (1H, m), 1.65-1.54 (1H, m), 1.54-1.42 (1H, m), 1.38-1.18 (7H, m), 1.15 (3H, s), 1.11 (3H, dd, J=6.8, 1.0 Hz), 0.70-0.50 (2H, m), 0.41 (3H, d, J=6.1 Hz), 0.31 (3H, d, J=5.9 Hz).
[0000]
[0216] Production Step 3-(9)
[0217] The following compound (0.0262 g, 97%) was obtained from the compound (0.0190 g, 0.0713 mmol) obtained in production step 3-(8) by carrying out a reaction under the same conditions as in production step 1-(8).
[0218] R f 0.80 (Hex:AcOEt=1:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) 5.31 (1H, q, J=6.8 Hz), 3.73-3.53 (3H, m), 2.45-2.36 (1H, m), 2.15-2.05 (1H, m), 1.98-1.88 (1H, m), 1.84-1.71 (2H, m), 1.71-1.48 (9H, m), 1.15-1.01 (2H, m), 0.90-0.84 (12H, m), 0.80 (3H, d, J=6.1 Hz), 0.03-0.00 (6H, m).
[0000]
[0219] Production Step 3-(10)
[0220] The following compound (0.0066 g, quant.) was obtained from the compound (0.0052 g, 0.0137 mmol) obtained in production step 3-(9) by carrying out a reaction under the same conditions as in production step 1-(9).
[0221] R f 0.70 (Hex:AcOEt=4:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 8.10-8.01 (2H, m), 7.61-7.50 (1H, m), 7.50-7.40 (2H, m), 5.32 (1H, q, J=5.9 Hz), 5.12-5.00 (1H, m), 3.70-3.49 (2H, m), 2.52-2.28 (2H, m), 2.02-1.54 (12H, m), 1.40-1.13 (4H, m), 1.01-0.83 (12H, m), 0.82 (3H, d, J=6.1 Hz), 0.09-0.00 (6H, m).
[0000]
[0222] Production Step 3-(11)
[0223] The following compound (0.0055 g, quant.) was obtained from the compound (0.0066 g, 0.0133 mmol) obtained in production step 3-(10) by carrying out a reaction under the same conditions as in production step 1-(10). In this case, purification was carried out by column chromatography on silica gel (Hex:AcOEt=8:1).
[0224] R f 0.30 (Hex:AcOEt=4:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 8.12-8.02 (2H, m), 7.63-7.51 (1H, m), 7.51-7.40 (2H, m), 5.36 (1H, q, J=6.9 Hz), 5.07 (1H, ddd, J=10.7, 5.4, 5.4 Hz), 3.77 (1H, dd, J=10.2, 4.9 Hz), 3.65 (1H, dd, J=10.2, 10.2 Hz), 2.54-2.41 (1H, m), 2.39-2.26 (1H, m), 2.14-1.46 (12H, m), 1.42-1.14 (4H, m), 0.96 (3H, d, J=6.1 Hz), 0.84 (3H, d, J=5.9 Hz).
[0000]
[0225] Production Step 3-(12)
[0226] The following compound (0.0045 g, 82%) was obtained from the compound (0.0055 g, 0.0148 mmol) obtained in production step 3-(11) by carrying out a reaction under the same conditions as in production step 1-(11).
[0227] R f 0.52 (Hex:AcOEt=4:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 10.0 (1H, d, J=2.2 Hz), 8.09-8.00 (2H, m), 7.60-7.51 (1H, m), 7.49-7.40 (2H, m), 5.42 (1H, q, J=5.9 Hz), 5.08 (1H, ddd, J=11.5, 4.9, 4.9 Hz), 2.68-2.55 (2H, m), 2.47-2.38 (1H, m), 1.98-1.50 (13H, m), 1.47-1.16 (2H, m), 0.94 (3H, d, J=6.3 Hz), 0.89 (3H, d, J=6.1 Hz).
[0000]
[0228] Production Step 3-(13)
[0229] The following compound (0.0051 g, 89%) was obtained from the compound (0.0045 g, 0.0122 mmol) obtained in production step 3-(12) by carrying out a reaction under the same conditions as in production step 1-(12).
[0230] R f 0.52 (Hex:AcOEt=4:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 8.11-8.00 (2H, m), 7.63-7.51 (1H, m), 7.50-7.40 (2H, m), 7.34-7.18 (1H, m), 6.54 (1H, dd, J=14.6, 10.0 Hz), 6.10 (1H, dd, J=14.6, 11.0 Hz), 5.78 (1H, d, J=15.4 Hz), 5.27 (1H, q, J=6.1 Hz), 5.07-4.95 (1H, m), 4.27-4.11 (2H, m), 2.66-2.35 (3H, m), 2.02-1.66 (7H, m), 1.60 (3H, d, J=6.1 Hz), 1.50 (3H, s), 1.29 (3H, t, J=7.1 Hz), 1.23-1.09 (2H, m), 0.98 (3H, d, J=6.3 Hz), 0.83 (3H, d, J=5.6 Hz).
[0000]
[0231] Production Step 3-(14)
[0232] The title compound: (2E,4E)-5-{(1S,4S,4aS,5S,6R,7S,8aR)-6-[(Z)-but-2-en-2-yl]-decahydro-1-hydroxy-4,7-dimethylnaphthalen-5-yl}penta-2,4-dienoic acid (0.0032 g, 89%) was obtained from the compound (0.0051 g, 0.0110 mmol) obtained in production step 3-(13) by carrying out a reaction under the same conditions as in production step 1-(13). In this case, purification was carried out by column chromatography on silica gel (Hex:AcOEt=2:1).
[0233] R f 0.29 (Hex:AcOEt=1:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.35 (1H, dd, J=15.4, 11.0 Hz), 6.63 (1H, dd, J=14.9, 9.8 Hz), 6.13 (1H, dd, J=14.9, 11.0 Hz), 5.79 (1H, d, J=15.4 Hz), 5.27 (1H, qd, J=6.8, 1.0 Hz), 3.67 (1H, ddd, J=11.5, 4.9, 4.9 Hz), 2.58-2.46 (2H, m), 2.24-2.14 (1H, m), 1.93-1.62 (7H, m), 1.59 (3H, dd, J=6.8, 0.7 Hz), 1.51 (3H, s), 1.24-1.00 (2H, m), 0.94 (3H, d, J=6.3 Hz), 0.83 (3H, d, J=6.1 Hz); FAB-MS: [M+Na] + calculated for C 21 H 32 O 3 Na: 355.2249, found: 355.2249.
[0000]
[0234] In Example 4, 1 H-NMR was measured with spectrometer JEOL AL 400. Tetramethylsilane was used as an internal standard.
[0235] For thin-layer chromatography, TLC 60E-254 (manufactured by Merck Ltd.) was used, and UV lamp and phosphomolybdic acid were used for detection.
[0236] Silica Gel 60N (spherical, neutral) 63-210 μm (manufactured by KANTO CHEMICAL CO., INC.) and Silica Gel 60N (spherical, neutral) 40-50 μm (manufactured by KANTO CHEMICAL CO., INC.) were used for chromatography on silica gel.
[0237] MK8383 obtained by culturing MK8383 producing microorganism Phoma sp. according to the method described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 126211/1995 and WO 99/11596 and purifying the culture solution was used.
Example 4
Synthesis of (2E,4E)-5-{(1S,4S,4aS,5S,6R,7S,8aR)-6-[(Z)-but-2-en-2-yl]-decahydro-1-hydroxy-4,7-dimethylnaphthalen-5-yl}penta-2,4-dienoic acid (second synthesis method)
[0238] Production Step 4-(1)
[0239] An Et 2 O solution (0.0832 ml, 2.0 M) of TMSCHN 2 was added to a solution (1.8 ml) of MK8383 (0.0423 g, 0.128 mmol) in benzene/MeOH (5/1) under an argon atmosphere, and the mixture was stirred at room temperature. After the completion of the reaction, a small amount of glacial acetic acid was added to the reaction solution. When the light yellow of the reaction solution disappeared, the solvent was removed under the reduced pressure. The residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel (Hex:AcOEt=7:1) to give the following compound (0.0440 g, quant.).
[0240] R f 0.65 (Hex:AcOEt=1:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.26-7.19 (1H, m), 6.21-6.09 (2H, m), 5.78 (1H, d, J=15.4 Hz), 5.62 (1H, s), 5.37 (1H, q, J=5.6 Hz), 3.76-3.69 (4H, m), 3.38-3.22 (1H, m), 2.99-2.78 (1H, m), 2.68-2.51 (1H, m), 1.76-1.57 (15H, m), 0.96 (3H, d, J=6.8 Hz).
[0000]
[0241] Production Step 4-(2)
[0242] 2,6-Lutidine (0.0298 ml, 0.256 mmol) and TIPSOTf (0.0549 ml, 0.204 mmol) were added in that order to a solution (1.3 ml) of the compound (0.0440 g, 0.128 mmol) obtained in production step 4-(1) in CH 2 Cl 2 under an argon atmosphere, and the mixture was stirred at room temperature. After the completion of the reaction, a saturated aqueous NH 4 Cl solution (3 ml) was added to the reaction solution, followed by separation. The aqueous layer was extracted with CH 2 Cl 2 (5 ml×3), and the collected oil layer was dried over Na 2 SO 4 . The dried oil layer was filtered, and the solvent was then removed under the reduced pressure. The residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel (Hex:AcOEt=100:1) to give the following compound (0.0576 g, 90%).
[0243] R f 0.69 (Hex:AcOEt=4:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.29-7.20 (1H, m), 6.31 (1H, dd, J=15.4, 10.2 Hz), 6.11 (1H, dd, J=15.4, 11.0 Hz), 5.83-5.69 (2H, m), 5.34 (1H, q, J=6.3 Hz), 3.82-3.61 (5H, m), 2.78-2.62 (2H, m), 1.69-1.38 (15H, m), 1.39-1.00 (21H, m), 0.93 (3H, d, J=6.6 Hz).
[0000]
[0244] Production Step 4-(3)
[0245] A hexane solution (0.247 ml, 1.02 M) of DIBAL was added to a solution (2 ml) of the compound (0.0504 g, 0.101 mmol) obtained in production step 4-(2) in CH 2 Cl 2 at −78° C. under an argon atmosphere, and the mixture was stirred. After the completion of the reaction, MeOH was added thereto until foams were no longer produced. The temperature of the solution was then raised to room temperature before a saturated aqueous potassium sodium tartarate solution (5 ml) was added thereto. The mixture was stirred for 30 min, followed by separation. The aqueous layer was extracted with CH 2 Cl 2 (5 ml×3), and the collected oil layer was dried over Na 2 SO 4 . The dried oil layer was filtered, and the solvent was then removed under the reduced pressure. The residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel (Hex:AcOEt=15:1) to give the following compound (0.0461 g, 99%).
[0246] R f 0.38 (Hex:AcOEt=4:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 6.21 (1H, dd, J=15.1, 10.0 Hz), 5.99 (1H, dd, J=14.9, 10.0 Hz), 5.89 (1H, dd, J=14.9, 9.5 Hz), 5.77-5.68 (2H, m), 5.34 (1H, q, J=6.1 Hz), 4.17 (2H, dd, J=5.9, 5.9 Hz), 3.69 (1H, dt, J=11.0, 4.6 Hz), 2.71-2.57 (2H, m), 1.66-1.24 (16H, m), 1.11-1.01 (21H, m), 0.92 (3H, d, J=6.6 Hz).
[0000]
[0247] Production Step 4-(4)
[0248] 2,6-Lutidine (0.134 ml, 1.15 mmol), a t-BuOH/30% H 2 O 2 aq. (100/1) solution (0.294 ml, 0.039 M) of osmium tetroxide (OsO 4 ), and NaIO 4 (0.510 g, 2.38 mmol) were added in that order to a solution (4.8 ml) of the compound (0.136 g, 0.287 mmol) obtained in production step 4-(3) in dioxane/H 2 O (3/1) under an argon atmosphere, and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 2 hr. After the completion of the reaction, pure water (10 ml) was added to the reaction solution, followed by separation. The aqueous layer was extracted with Et 2 O (10 ml×3), and the collected oil layer was dried over Na 2 SO 4 . The dried oil layer was filtered, and the solvent was then removed under the reduced pressure. The residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel (Hex:AcOEt=80:1) to give the following compound (0.123 g, 96%).
[0249] R f 0.65 (Hex:AcOEt=4:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 9.48 (1H, d, J=7.8 Hz), 7.02 (1H, dd, J=15.4, 10.7 Hz), 6.07 (1H, dd, J=15.4, 7.8 Hz), 5.79 (1H, s), 5.38 (1H, q, J=6.1 Hz), 3.78-3.69 (1H, m), 3.05-2.89 (1H, m), 2.69-2.60 (1H, m), 1.72-1.40 (16H, m), 1.10-1.01 (21H, m), 0.95 (3H, d, J=6.6 Hz).
[0000]
[0250] Production Step 4-(5)
[0251] A hexane solution (0.123 ml, 1.02 M) of DIBAL was added to a solution (2 ml) of the compound (0.0280 g, 0.0630 mmol) obtained in production step 4-(4) in CH 2 Cl 2 at −78° C. under an argon atmosphere, and the mixture was stirred. After the completion of the reaction, MeOH was added thereto until foams were no longer produced. The temperature of the solution was then raised to room temperature before a saturated aqueous potassium sodium tartarate solution (5 ml) was added thereto. The mixture was stirred for 30 min, followed by separation. The aqueous layer was extracted with CH 2 Cl 2 (5 ml×3), and the collected oil layer was dried over Na 2 SO 4 . The dried oil layer was filtered, and the solvent was then removed under the reduced pressure. The residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel (Hex:AcOEt=15:1) to give the following compound (0.0280 g, quant.).
[0252] R f 0.44 (Hex:AcOEt=4:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 5.87 (1H, dd, J=14.9, 9.8 Hz), 5.73 (1H, s), 5.58 (1H, dt, J=15.1, 6.1 Hz), 5.35 (1H, q, J=6.6 Hz), 4.07 (2H, dd, J=6.1, 6.1 Hz), 3.70 (1H, dt, J=11.0, 5.1 Hz), 2.72-2.56 (2H, m), 1.68-1.36 (16H, m), 1.13-1.01 (21H, m), 0.92 (3H, d, J=6.6 Hz).
[0000]
[0253] Production Step 4-(6)
[0254] Pyridine (0.0880 ml, 1.09 mmol), a t-BuOH/30% H 2 O 2 aq. (100/1) solution (0.279 ml, 0.039 M) of OsO 4 , and NaIO 4 (0.4657 g, 2.18 mmol) were added in that order to a solution (8.4 ml) of the compound (0.122 g, 0.272 mmol) obtained in production step 4-(5) in dioxane/H 2 O (6/1) under an argon atmosphere, and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 36 hr. After the completion of the reaction, the reaction solution as such was filtered by column chromatography on silica gel (Et 2 O) to remove a white solid. After the filtration, the solvent was removed under the reduced pressure, and the residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel (Hex:AcOEt=80:1) to give the following compound (0.0450 g, 39%).
[0255] R f 0.73 (Hex:AcOEt=4:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 9.81 (1H, d, J=3.4 Hz), 5.81 (1H, s), 5.50 (1H, q, J=6.8 Hz), 3.78 (1H, dt, J=11.2, 4.4 Hz), 3.39-3.31 (1H, m), 2.76-2.66 (2H, m), 1.73-1.42 (15H, m), 1.10-1.01 (21H, m), 0.89 (3H, d, J=6.6 Hz).
[0000]
[0256] Production Step 4-(7)
[0257] NaBH 4 (0.0520 g, 1.37 mmol) was added to a solution (1.5 ml) of the compound (0.0381 g, 0.0910 mmol) obtained in production step 4-(6) in THF/MeOH (1/2) at 0° C. under an argon atmosphere, and the mixture was heated to room temperature and was stirred. After the completion of the reaction, a saturated aqueous NH 4 Cl solution (3 ml) was added to the reaction solution, followed by separation. The aqueous layer was extracted with Et 2 O (5 ml×3), and the collected oil layer was dried over Na 2 SO 4 . The dried oil layer was filtered, and the solvent was then removed under the reduced pressure. The residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel (Hex:AcOEt=50:1) to give the following compound (0.0364 g, 95%).
[0258] R f 0.51 (Hex:AcOEt=4:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 5.72 (1H, s), 5.48 (1H, q, J=5.9 Hz), 3.83-3.66 (2H, m), 3.58-3.42 (1H, m), 3.34-3.24 (1H, m), 2.64-2.46 (1H, m), 2.36-2.16 (1H, m), 1.77-1.34 (16H, m), 1.12-1.00 (21H, m), 0.91 (3H, d, J=3.9 Hz).
[0000]
[0259] Production Step 4-(8)
[0260] OsO 4 (0.0300 g, 0.118 mmol) was added to a solution (0.5 ml) of the compound (0.0116 g, 0.0276 mmol) obtained in production step 4-(7) in pyridine under an argon atmosphere, and mixture was stirred for 30 min. After the completion of the reaction, a 20% aqueous NaHSO 3 solution (3 ml) was added to the reaction solution, and the mixture was stirred for about one hr, followed by separation. The aqueous layer was extracted with Et 2 O (5 ml×3), and the collected oil layer was dried over Na 2 SO 4 . The dried oil layer was filtered, and the solvent was then removed under the reduced pressure. The residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel (Hex:AcOEt=3:1) to give the following compound (0.0098 g, 78%).
[0261] R f 0.42 (Hex:AcOEt=1:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 5.72 (1H, s), 4.03 (2H, dd, J=10.0, 7.8 Hz), 3.68-3.60 (1H, m), 3.52-3.46 (1H, m), 2.55-2.49 (1H, m), 2.48-2.42 (1H, m), 2.39-2.26 (2H, m), 1.78 (3H, s), 1.45 (3H, s), 1.33-1.17 (10H, m), 1.10-1.02 (21H, m), 0.88 (3H, d, J=6.1 Hz).
[0000]
[0262] Production Step 4-(9)
[0263] [Ir(cod)pyr(PCy 3 )]PF 6 (Crabtree's catalyst) (0.0018 g, 0.00224 mmol) was dissolved in degassed (CH 2 Cl) 2 (0.4 ml) under an argon atmosphere. A solution of the compound (0.0045 g, 0.00990 mmol) obtained in production step 4-(8) dissolved in degassed (CH 2 C1) 2 (0.8 ml) was added to the solution. An H 2 gas (1 atm) was sealed. The temperature was then raised to 60° C., followed by stirring for 2 hr. After the completion of the reaction, a saturated aqueous NH 4 Cl solution was added to the reaction solution, followed by separation. The aqueous layer was extracted with CH 2 Cl 2 , and the collected oil layer was dried over Na 2 SO 4 . The dried oil layer was filtered, and the solvent was then removed under the reduced pressure. The residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel (Hex:AcOEt=3:1) to give the following compound (0.0039 g, 87%).
[0264] R f 0.39 (Hex:AcOEt=1:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 4.15 (1H, dd, J=10.2, 8.0 Hz), 3.94-3.83 (1H, m), 3.69 (1H, dt, J=10.7, 5.4 Hz), 3.51-3.38 (1H, m), 2.51-2.40 (1H, m), 2.14-1.99 (1H, m), 1.78-1.60 (7H, m), 1.40 (3H, s), 1.29-1.15 (8H, m), 1.09-1.01 (21H, m), 0.99 (3H, d, J=5.1 Hz), 0.85 (3H, d, J=6.1 Hz).
[0000]
[0265] Production Step 4-(10)
[0266] Et 3 N (0.0204 ml, 0.146 mmol) and BzCN (0.0153 g, 0.117 mmol) were added in that order to a solution (1 ml) of the compound (0.0084 g, 0.0184 mmol) obtained in production step 4-(9) in CH 3 CN at −30° C. under an argon atmosphere, and the mixture was stirred for 10 min. After the completion of the reaction, a small amount of MeOH was added to the reaction solution. The temperature of the mixture was raised to room temperature, and the mixture was stirred for a while. The solvent was removed under the reduced pressure. The residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel (Hex:AcOEt=5:1) to give the following compound (0.0083 g, 81%).
[0267] R f 0.31 (Hex:AcOEt=3:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 8.09-8.00 (2H, m), 7.65-7.52 (1H, m), 7.51-7.41 (2H, m), 4.81 (1H, dd, J=11.0, 4.6 Hz), 4.38 (1H, dd, J=11.0, 8.6 Hz), 3.91-3.82 (1H, m), 3.74 (1H, dt, J=10.8, 5.1 Hz), 2.78-2.69 (1H, m), 2.18-2.09 (1H, m), 2.06-1.98 (1H, m), 1.82-1.58 (9H, m), 1.41 (3H, s), 1.24 (3H, d, J=6.0 Hz), 1.09-1.02 (21H, m), 1.00 (3H, d, J=6.0 Hz), 0.83 (3H, d, J=6.2 Hz).
[0000]
[0268] Production Step 4-(11)
[0269] TCDI (0.0198 g, 0.110 mmol) and DMAP (0.0026 g, 0.0213 mmol) were added in that order to a solution (1 ml) of the compound (0.0118 g, 0.0210 mmol) obtained in production step 4-(10) in toluene under an argon atmosphere, and the mixture was stirred with heating under reflux for 17 hr. After the completion of the reaction, a saturated aqueous NH 4 Cl solution (3 ml) was added to the reaction solution, followed by separation. The aqueous layer was extracted with Et 2 O (5 ml×3), and the collected oil layer was dried over Na 2 SO 4 . The dried oil layer was filtered, and the solvent was then removed under the reduced pressure. The residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel (Hex:AcOEt=15:1) to give the following compound (0.0087 g, 69%).
[0270] R f 0.60 (Hex:AcOEt=3:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 8.13-8.07 (2H, m), 7.61-7.54 (1H, m), 7.50-7.42 (2H, m), 4.67 (1H, q, J=6.3 Hz), 4.59 (1H, dd, J=11.2, 7.3 Hz), 4.52 (1H, dd, J=11.2, 6.1 Hz), 3.71 (1H, dt, J=11.2, 4.6 Hz), 2.84-2.76 (1H, m), 2.17 (1H, dd, J=11.7, 3.9 Hz), 2.14-2.05 (1H, m), 1.89 (1H, dt, J=13.7, 3.9 Hz), 1.85-1.76 (1H, m), 1.76-1.59 (5H, m), 1.57 (3H, s), 1.54-1.50 (2H, m), 1.41 (3H, d, J=6.6 Hz), 1.04-0.97 (21H, m), 0.92 (3H, d, J=6.1 Hz), 0.91 (3H, d, J=5.9 Hz).
[0000]
[0271] Production step 4-(12)
[0272] A solution (0.5 ml) of the compound (0.0043 g, 0.00713 mmol) obtained in production step 4-(11) in P(OMe) 3 was stirred with heating under reflux under an argon atmosphere for 67 hr. After the completion of the reaction, the solvent was removed under the reduced pressure. The residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel (Hex:AcOEt=80:1) to give the following compound (0.0037 g, 97%).
[0273] R f 0.78 (Hex:AcOEt=3:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 8.03-7.97 (2H, m), 7.60-7.50 (1H, m), 7.48-7.39 (2H, m), 5.34 (1H, q, J=6.8 Hz), 4.46-4.30 (2H, m), 3.76-3.66 (1H, m), 2.58-2.46 (1H, m), 2.35-2.23 (2H, m), 2.15-1.97 (1H, m), 1.92-1.77 (3H, m), 1.71 (3H, s), 1.68-1.58 (8H, m), 1.10-0.96 (21H, m), 0.92 (3H, d, J=6.3 Hz), 0.86 (3H, d, J=6.1 Hz).
[0000]
[0274] Production Step 4-(13)
[0275] A hexane solution (0.0284 ml, 1.02 M) of DIBAL was added to a solution (1 ml) of the compound (0.0061 g, 0.0116 mmol) obtained in production step 4-(12) in CH 2 Cl 2 at −78° C. under an argon atmosphere, and the mixture was stirred. After the completion of the reaction, MeOH was added thereto until foams were no longer produced. The temperature of the solution was then raised to room temperature before a saturated aqueous potassium sodium tartarate solution (5 ml) was added thereto. The mixture was stirred for 30 min, followed by separation. The aqueous layer was extracted with CH 2 Cl 2 (5 ml×3), and the collected oil layer was dried over Na 2 SO 4 . The dried oil layer was filtered, and the solvent was then removed under the reduced pressure. The residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel (Hex:AcOEt=20:1) to give the following compound (0.0041 g, 84%).
[0276] R f 0.71 (Hex:AcOEt=3:1).
[0000]
[0277] Production Step 4-(14)
[0278] A Dess-Martin reagent (0.0160 g, 0.0377 mmol) was added to a solution (1 ml) of the compound (0.0041 g, 0.00970 mmol) obtained in production step 4-(13) in CH 2 Cl 2 under an argon atmosphere, and the mixture was stirred at room temperature. After the completion of the reaction, the reaction solution was diluted with Et 2 O (1 ml), and a saturated aqueous NaHCO 3 solution (2 ml) and a saturated aqueous Na 2 S 2 O 3 solution (2 ml) were added in that order to the diluted solution, followed by separation. The aqueous layer was extracted with Et 2 O (5 ml×3), and the collected oil layer was dried over Na 2 SO 4 . The dried oil layer was filtered, and the solvent was then removed under the reduced pressure. The residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel (Hex:AcOEt=100:1) to give the following compound (0.0034 g, 83%).
[0279] R f 0.49 (Hex:AcOEt=20:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 10.0 (1H, d, J=2.7 Hz), 5.40 (1H, q, J=6.8 Hz), 3.76 (1H, dt, J=10.7, 4.9 Hz), 2.63-2.52 (2H, m), 2.18-2.08 (1H, m), 1.98-1.59 (15H, m), 1.10-0.99 (21H, m), 0.87 (3H, d, J=6.3 Hz), 0.87 (3H, d, J=6.1 Hz).
[0000]
[0280] Production Step 4-(15)
[0281] A THF solution (0.0191 ml, 1.06 M) of LiHMDS was gradually added dropwise to a solution (0.3 ml) of phosphonate A (0.0127 g, 0.0508 mmol) in THF at −78° C. under an argon atmosphere, and the mixture was stirred for 30 min. A solution (0.9 ml) of the compound (0.0034 g, 0.00808 mmol) obtained in production step 4-(14) in THF was added to thereto, and the mixture was stirred for 2 hr. The mixture was then heated to 0° C. and stirred for one hr. After the completion of the reaction, a saturated aqueous NH 4 Cl solution (3 ml) was added to the reaction solution, followed by separation. The aqueous layer was extracted with Et 2 O (5 ml×3), and the collected oil layer was dried over Na 2 SO 4 . The dried oil layer was filtered, and the solvent was then removed under the reduced pressure. The residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel (Hex:AcOEt=100:1) and was further purified by PTLC (Hex:benzene=1:1) to give the following compound (0.0024 g, 57%).
[0282] R f 0.44 (Hex:AcOEt=20:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.32-7.21 (1H, m), 6.53 (1H, dd, J=14.6, 9.5 Hz), 6.08 (1H, dd, J=14.6, 11.0 Hz), 5.78 (1H, d, J=15.1 Hz), 5.26 (1H, q, J=6.3 Hz), 4.20 (2H, q, J=7.1 Hz), 3.72-3.64 (1H, m), 2.53-2.43 (2H, m), 2.17-2.07 (1H, m), 1.94-1.78 (2H, m), 1.76-1.46 (13H, m), 1.29 (3H, t, J=7.1 Hz), 1.08-1.00 (21H, m), 0.91 (3H, d, J=6.3 Hz), 0.81 (3H, d, J=6.3 Hz).
[0000]
[0283] Production Step 4-(16)
[0284] LiOH.H 2 O (0.0252 g, 0.600 mmol) was added to a solution (0.75 ml) of the compound (0.0031 g, 0.00600 mmol) obtained in production step 4-(15) in EtOH/H 2 O (4/1) under an argon atmosphere, and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 43 hr. After the completion of the reaction, a saturated aqueous NH 4 Cl solution (3 ml) was added to the reaction solution, followed by separation. The aqueous layer was extracted with Et 2 O (5 ml×3), and the collected oil layer was dried over Na 2 SO 4 . The dried oil layer was filtered, and the solvent was then removed under the reduced pressure. The residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel (Hex:AcOEt=4:1) to give the following compound (0.0029 g, quant.).
[0285] R f 0.73 (Hex:AcOEt=1:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.35 (1H, dd, J=15.4, 11.2 Hz), 6.59 (1H, dd, J=15.4, 10.0 Hz), 6.12 (1H, dd, J=15.4, 11.2 Hz), 5.79 (1H, d, J=15.4 Hz), 5.26 (1H, q, J=7.1 Hz), 3.73-3.65 (1H, m), 2.55-2.43 (2H, m), 2.16-2.07 (1H, m), 1.93-1.78 (2H, m), 1.75-1.46 (13H, m), 1.12-0.97 (21H, m), 0.91 (3H, d, J=6.3 Hz), 0.82 (3H, d, J=6.3 Hz).
[0000]
[0286] Production Step 4-(17)
[0287] A THF solution (0.0634 ml, 1.0 M) of TBAF was added to a solution (0.5 ml) of the compound (0.0031 g, 0.00634 mmol) obtained in production step 4-(16) in THF under an argon atmosphere, and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 76 hr. After the completion of the reaction, an aqueous 1N-HCl solution (3 ml) was added to the reaction solution, followed by separation. The aqueous layer was extracted with Et 2 O (5 ml×3), and the collected oil layer was dried over Na 2 SO 4 . The dried oil layer was filtered, and the solvent was then removed under the reduced pressure. The residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel (Hex:AcOEt=3:2) to give the title compound (0.0015 g, 71%).
[0288] R f 0.29 (Hex:AcOEt=1:1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) 7.35 (1H, dd, J=15.4, 11.0 Hz), 6.63 (1H, dd, J=14.9, 9.8 Hz), 6.13 (1H, dd, J=14.9, 11.0 Hz), 5.79 (1H, d, J=15.4 Hz), 5.27 (1H, qd, J=6.8, 1.0 Hz), 3.67 (1H, ddd, J=11.5, 4.9, 4.9 Hz), 2.58-2.46 (2H, m), 2.24-2.14 (1H, m), 1.93-1.62 (7H, m), 1.59 (3H, dd, J=6.8, 0.7 Hz), 1.51 (3H, s), 1.24-1.00 (2H, m), 0.94 (3H, d, J=6.3 Hz), 0.83 (3H, d, J=6.1 Hz); FAB-MS: [M+Na] + calculated for C 21 H 32 O 3 Na: 355.2249, found: 355.2249.
[0000]
Test Example 1
Evaluation of Control Effect
[0289] (1) Preparation of Test Solutions
[0290] The compounds obtained in Examples 1 to 3 were dissolved in acetone to bring the concentration of the compounds to 1 mg/mL. Ten-fold diluted Neoesterin (manufactured by KUMIAI CHEMICAL INDUSTRY CO., LTD.) (1 μL) was added to 20 μL of the solutions. Further, 180 μL of deionized water was added thereto to regulate the concentration to 100 ppm to prepare test solutions.
[0291] (2) Measurement of Control Effect
[0292] The control effect was measured by measuring the preventive value of each of the test solutions. The preventive value was calculated by the following method.
[0293] At the outset, leaves cut by a leaf punch off from the leaves at the third and fourth stages of cabbage were allowed to stand still on a multi-well plate. An appropriate amount of the test solution was sprayed followed by air drying.
[0294] Next, a spore suspension (2.0×10 5 cells/mL) of Botrytis cinerea was prepared as an inoculating microorganism liquor and was inoculated by spraying in an amount of 20 mL per 7 to 10 multi-well plate. Infection with Botrytis cinerea was carried out in a light shielding chamber (temperature 21° C., humidity about 100%), and the preventive value was calculated three days after the infection.
[0295] The intensity of pathogenesis was determined in four grades of 0 (zero) to three according to the following criteria, and the preventive value was calculated using the following equations.
[0296] 0; No pathogenesis was found.
[0297] 1; Slight pathogenesis was found.
[0298] 2; Control effect was found as compared with untreated plot, although diseases were developed.
[0299] 3; Phathogenesis equivalent to that in untreated plot was found.
[0000]
Severity
=
Average
intensity
of
pathogenesis
(
n
=
4
)
×
100
3
[
Numeral
formula
1
]
Preventive
value
=
(
Severity
in
untreated
plot
-
severity
in
treated
plot
)
×
100
Severity
in
untreated
plot
[
Numeral
formula
2
]
[0300] As a result, it was confirmed that all the test compounds had a preventive value equivalent to that of MK8383, indicating that the test compounds had a control effect equivalent to that of MK8383.
[0000]
TABLE 3
Compound name
Preventive value
Compound of Example 1
92
Compound of Example 2
100
Compound of Example 3
100
MK8383
100
Test Example 2
Evaluation of Photostability
[0301] (1) Preparation of Test Solutions
[0302] The compounds obtained in Examples 1 to 3 were dissolved in acetone, and the concentration of the compounds was adjusted to 200 μg/mL (100 μg/mL for the compound of Example 3) to give test solutions.
[0303] (2) Measurement of Photostability
[0304] The photostability was determined by measuring the residual ratio of compound after exposure to light. The residual ratio was calculated by the following method.
[0305] The test solution (500 μL) was dispensed in a glass Petri dish having a diameter of 5 cm, and the solvent was removed by evaporation under light shielding conditions to form a dry film. The dry film was exposed to a sunlight lamp within a chamber (temperature 25° C., humidity 60%) and was recovered 24 hr after the start of the exposure. The exposed film was washed with 500 μL of methanol and was analyzed by HPLC (manufactured by Nihon Waters K.K.). The residual ratio (concentration ratio after the elapse of each hour when the residual ratio at 0 hr was presumed to be 100%) was calculated by regarding the peak area as the concentration of the compound. The light used in the exposure had an illuminance of 30,000 lux and an ultraviolet intensity of 300 to 400 μW/cm 2 .
[0306] As a result, it was confirmed that all the test compounds had a higher residual ratio than MK8383, indicating that the test compounds had high photostability.
[0000]
TABLE 4
Residual ratio
Compound name
after 24 hr
Compound of Example 1
100
Compound of Example 2
108
Compound of Example 3
95
MK8383
14
Test Example 3
Antimicrobial Activity Test
[0307] (1) Preparation of Test Solution
[0308] The compound of Example 3 was dissolved in DMSO, and the solution was adjusted to a concentration of 1.25 mg/mL to give a test solution.
[0309] (2) Measurement of Antimicrobial Activity
[0310] The antimicrobial activity was measured by using the extension of hypha as an index.
[0311] Individual plant pathogenic fungi were cultured with shaking using a potato sucrose broth (PSB) at 21 to 25° C. under fully darkened conditions for 5 days. The cultured suspension was ground with Hiscotoron and was 100-fold diluted with fresh PSB to give a test suspension.
[0312] The test suspension (100 μL) and the test solution (1 μL) were mixed together in a 96-hole plate (final concentration: 12.5 ppm), and the mixture was cultured at 21 to 25° C. for 3 days.
[0313] The extension of hypha was determined according to the following criteria.
[0314] +++; Extension of hypha was not found.
[0315] ++; Extension of hypha was slightly found.
[0316] +; Inhibition of extension of hypha was found as compared with the extension of hypha of the control, although the extension of hypha was found.
[0317] −; Inhibition of extension of hypha was not found.
[0318] As a result, it was demonstrated that the compound of Example 3 had antimicrobial activity against various fungi.
[0000]
TABLE 5
Inhibition of
Test fungi
extension
Botrytis cinerea
+++
Alternaria kikutiana
++
Cercospora beticola
+++
Colletotrichum
++
lagenarium
Pyricularia oryzae
++
Rhizoctonia solani
+++
Leptosphaeria nodorum
++ | An objective of the present invention is to provide agricultural and horticultural disease control agents that have potent control effect against plant diseases and, at the same time, have high photostability. The agricultural and horticultural disease control agents comprise a novel substance analogous to MK8383 as an active ingredient. | 0 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the priority of Taiwanese patent application No. 103126088, filed on Jul. 30, 2014, which is incorporated herewith by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention generally relates to the multimedia field, and more specifically to an image processing system and method with respect to the technologies of monitoring a rearview mirror image for a vehicle and a multimedia system interface.
[0004] 2. The Prior Arts
[0005] In the traditional way of driving, the driver can check the situation behind the vehicle or pedestrian through the electronic rearview mirror. However, driver cannot know the status of the near vehicle around therein simultaneously due to the vision of the dead corner. Recently, the photographic equipment technology for supporting the vehicle driving has been developing vigorously. However, most of photographic equipments only provide passive image around the vehicle to assist the driver to avoid accidents. The existing wide-area electronic rearview mirror in the market is a fish-eye camera installed onto the rear of the vehicle, and displayed the image on the electronic rearview mirror after the image deformation. Although the driver can see the rear view of the vehicle (behind the bumper) more clearly by installing the fish-eye camera, the driver still needs to notice the left and right sides of the electronic rearview mirror to confirm the left and right rear sides of the vehicle in order to fully control the rear situation of the vehicle without dead corner.
[0006] Nowadays, there are some disadvantages in cameras for driving assistant technology. In the conventional comprehensive vehicle monitoring system, such as Around View Monitor of Nissan and Eagle View System of Luxgen, the driver only can obtain the limited information around the vehicle through a top view, but cannot obtain the information of the real three-dimensional (3D) view around the vehicle, while the driver has to switch the visual angle between the multiple electronic rearview mirrors to see all information of the vehicle and pedestrian behind the vehicle. In the dead corner of the driver vision, although the driver can see the view around the vehicle through cameras installed around the vehicle, the driver still cannot fully know the information near the vehicle, hence, the visual angle of driver is still limited to a top view and the visual range is restricted.
[0007] Further, the Fujitsu Company has a driving photography assistant system which uses a fixed 3D projective model technology, wherein there is no change even in view of the depth of front sights of objects around the vehicle and, hence, it is unable to provide the information of the instant 3D image of front sights around the vehicle to the driver. Therefore, in order to assist the driver so as to protect the road safety, it is necessary to provide a wide-area electronic rearview mirror monitoring frame with the image generated from a multi cameras, which enable the driver to fast do the reaction for danger event, thereby to reach the purpose of driving safety.
[0008] It is therefore desirable to provide an image processing system for an electronic rearview mirror. The said electronic rearview mirror can evaluate the depth of front sights of objects around the vehicle, and then change a 3D projective model with depth information. After that, the image with depth information will be displayed on the electronic rearview mirror to provide the driver a rear view image more correctly in order to achieve the purpose of driving safety.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] In light of the foregoing drawbacks, an objective of the present invention is to provide a small-size low-power transceiver that is suitable for a portable device.
[0010] For achieving the foregoing objective, the present invention provides an image processing system and method thereof for an electronic rearview mirror. The image processing system of the present invention may include real images, photographed by at least two cameras; a depth value estimation module, having at least a depth value estimation unit; a 3D geometric model generating module; a image processing module; a virtual camera; a visual angle detecting module and a display module.
[0011] The image processing system of the present invention uses at least two cameras, and the location of the cameras can be changed due to the easiness of installation onto a vehicle or number of the cameras. At least two cameras may receive an image behind the vehicle and images on a rear side of the vehicle. The depth value estimation unit in the depth value estimation module may use the image behind the vehicle and the image on the rear side of the vehicle taken by the at least two cameras to evaluate the depth value of visual sights around the vehicle, and further transfer the information of depth value to the 3D geometric model generating module to avoid the image synthesized by the image processing module having the ghosting and high distortion. The 3D geometric model generating module may use the information of depth value to generate a 3D geometric model having the information of depth value of objects around the vehicle.
[0012] The image processing module may synthesize the 3D geometric model having the information of depth value of objects around the vehicle with the image behind the vehicle and the image on the rear side of the vehicle, thereby reduce the distortion of the image and provide the image of rear view more correctly.
[0013] The virtual camera connected to the image processing module may decide the display mode of the image synthesized by the image processing module.
[0014] The display module may display an image synthesized by the image processing module and the display mode decided by the virtual camera.
[0015] Moreover, the virtual camera may generate the different electronic rearview mirror image by placing position of the virtual camera, for example, the driver may see the relative relationship between its vehicle and the near vehicle behind thereof or the relative relationship between its vehicle and the pedestrian information in the wide-area electronic rearview mirror so as to place the virtual camera onto a top position before the vehicle. On the other side, the driver may see the image through an visual angle same as the conventional rearview minor without being blocked by the vehicle's self-image by placing the virtual camera behind the conventional rearview mirror of the vehicle.
[0016] The visual angle detecting module connected to the display module may get the sight direction of driver from detecting an angle between the electronic rearview minor and eyes position of the driver and further change display contents displayed by the display module according to the sight direction.
[0017] Moreover, the depth value estimation module further comprises at least a depth value estimation unit to evaluate the depth value around the vehicle by using the image behind the vehicle and the image on the rear side of the vehicle.
[0018] Preferably, the 3D geometric model generating module may decrease the distortion of the image to provide the rearview image more properly.
[0019] Preferably, when the virtual camera is placed on the conventional place of the rearview mirror, the driver may see the rearview image without being blocked by the vehicle itself; when the virtual camera is placed on a top of front of the vehicle, the driver may see the vehicle itself and other objects behind the vehicle, such as near vehicle behind the vehicle or the information of the pedestrian.
[0020] Preferably, the image processing system may be installed in the electronic rearview mirror or in the vehicle
[0021] Preferably, the visual angle detecting module may use the information about the sight direction of the driver to display an appropriate image on the display module to simulate a real 3D scene and a real optical effect to improve the reality and third dominion of the display module.
[0022] The embodiment of the present invention also provides an image processing method for evaluating a depth value of objects around a vehicle and changing a 3D geometric model to generate a rearview image according to the 3D geometric model having the depth value, comprising: an image receiving step, which corrects the extrinsic parameters of cameras around the vehicle to let images obtained from the cameras be executed in other steps; a depth value estimation step, wherein a depth value estimation module evaluates the depth value around the vehicle from images photographed by the cameras and then transfers the depth value information to a 3D geometric model generating module to avoid the image synthesized by a image processing module having the ghosting and high distortion; a 3D geometric model generating step, wherein the 3D geometric model generating module generates the 3D geometric model having the depth information; an image synthesizing step, wherein a image processing module synthesizes the images photographed by the cameras around the vehicle and the 3D geometric model having the depth information; a displaying step, a display module may display an image synthesized by the image processing module and a display mode decided by a virtual camera; and a visual angle detecting step, wherein a visual angle detecting module gets a sight direction of a driver from a detecting an angle between an electronic rearview mirror and eyes position of the driver, and further changes display contents displayed by the display module according to the sight direction.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] The present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art by reading the following detailed description of preferred exemplary embodiments thereof, with reference to the attached drawings, in which:
[0024] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an image processing system of the present invention;
[0025] FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an image processing method of the present invention;
[0026] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the location of cameras of the present invention;
[0027] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating the real image around the vehicle in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;
[0028] FIG. 5 a is a schematic diagram illustrating the response relationship of Homography;
[0029] FIG. 5 b is a schematic diagram illustrating the matrix of Homography;
[0030] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating on how to find the depth of objects in the environment (the distance from the camera) through algorithm of Stereo;
[0031] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating the normal 3D geometric model and the 3D geometric model with the depth information;
[0032] FIG. 8 a is a schematic diagram illustrating the relationship of the position between the virtual camera and the vehicle in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;
[0033] FIG. 8 b is a schematic diagram illustrating the relationship of the position between the virtual camera and the vehicle in accordance with the other exemplary embodiment of the present invention;
[0034] FIG. 9 a is a schematic diagram illustrating the real 3D image around the vehicle seen by the electronic rearview mirror in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;
[0035] FIG. 9 b is a schematic diagram illustrating the real 3D image around the vehicle seen by the electronic rearview mirror in accordance with the other exemplary embodiment of the present invention;
[0036] FIG. 10 a is a schematic diagram illustrating the electronic rearview mirror display image obtained from the angle between the first position of eyes of the driver and the electronic rearview mirror; and
[0037] FIG. 10 b is a schematic diagram illustrating the electronic rearview mirror display image obtained from the angle between the second position of eyes of the driver and the electronic rearview mirror.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0038] 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 exemplary embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
[0039] With regard to FIGS. 1-10 b, the drawings showing exemplary embodiments are semi-diagrammatic and not to scale and, particularly, some of the dimensions are for clarity of presentation and are shown exaggerated in the drawings. Similarly, although the views in the drawings for ease of description generally show similar orientations, this depiction in the drawings is arbitrary for the most part. Generally, the present invention can be operated in any orientation.
[0040] In light of the foregoing drawings, an objective of the present invention is to provide an image processing system. Referring to FIG. 1 , FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an image processing system of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1 , the image processing system 1 of the present invention may include real images 41 , 42 and 43 photographed by cameras installed around the vehicle; a depth value estimation module 11 , having at least a depth value estimation unit 111 ; a 3D geometric model generating module 12 ; an image processing module 13 ; a virtual camera 14 ; an visual angle detecting module 15 , and a display module 16 .
[0041] Referring to FIG. 2 , FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an image processing method of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 , the image processing step includes an image receiving step 21 , a depth value estimation step 22 , a 3D geometric model generating step 23 , an image synthesizing step 24 , a displaying step 25 , and a visual angle detecting step 26 .
[0042] In the image receiving step 21 , the image processing system 1 may correct the extrinsic parameters of cameras around the vehicle and transfer the real images 41 , 42 and 43 to the depth value estimation module 11 to evaluate the depth value by the depth value estimation unit 111 when the image processing system 1 receives the real images 41 , 42 and 43 photographed by the cameras around the vehicle. On the other hand, the image processing system 1 may transfer the real images 41 , 42 and 43 to the image processing module 13 at the same time.
[0043] In the depth value estimation step 22 , the depth value estimation unit 111 of the depth value estimation module 11 may transfer a depth value estimation information to the 3D geometric model generating module 12 after the depth value estimation unit 111 of the depth value estimation module 11 evaluating the depth value of the rear and side of rear of the vehicle.
[0044] In the 3D geometric model generating step 23 , the 3D geometric model generating module 12 may generate a 3D geometric model (not shown in figure) having the depth value around the vehicle according to the depth value estimation information after the 3D geometric model generating module 12 receiving the depth value estimation information around the vehicle. After that, the 3D geometric model generating module 12 transfers the 3D geometric model having the depth value around the vehicle to the image processing module 13 .
[0045] In the image synthesizing step 24 , the image processing module 13 may synthesize the 3D geometric model having the depth value around the vehicle and the real images 41 , 42 and 43 to generate the real 3D image having the depth value around the vehicle. At the same time, the image processing system 1 can generate the virtual camera 14 connected to the image processing module 13 to decide the display mode of the real 3D image having the depth value around the vehicle.
[0046] In the displaying step 25 , the display module 16 may display an image synthesized by the image processing module 13 and display the synthesized image on the electronic rearview mirror according to the display mode decided by the position of the virtual camera 14 .
[0047] In the vision angle detecting step 26 , the visual angle detecting module 15 on the display module 16 can change the display content of the display module 16 by detecting the angle formed by driver's vision and the visual angle detecting module 15 .
[0048] Each step of the present invention will now be described in detail. Referring to FIG. 3 , FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the position of cameras of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 3 , the image processing system 1 is installed in the electronic rearview mirror 300 . The cameras 31 , 32 , and 33 are set up in the right side, rear side and left side of the vehicle 30 . The areas 34 , 35 , and 36 are the areas photographed by a single camera. The areas 37 and 38 are the areas photographed by the two cameras close to each other. Referring to FIG. 4 , FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating the real image around the vehicle in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 4 , the real images 41 , 42 and 43 around the vehicle 30 are photographed by the cameras 31 , 32 , and 33 . There is another vehicle 421 in the real image 42 . In this embodiment of the present invention, the image processing system 1 may use the three cameras 41 , 42 , and 43 to photograph the real images 41 , 42 and 43 . In other embodiment of the present invention, the image processing system 1 may use the two cameras which are in the left rear and right rear of the vehicle 30 to photograph the real images.
[0049] In the image receiving step 21 , to synthesize the real images 41 , 42 , and 43 photographed by the cameras 31 , 32 , and 33 to one rearview image, the image processing system 1 have to know the relative position and angles between the cameras 31 , 32 , and 33 and the vehicle 30 . Therefore, the extrinsic parameters of the cameras 31 , 32 , and 33 have to be corrected. Referring to FIG. 5 a , FIG. 5 a is a schematic diagram illustrating the response relationship of Homography. The vehicle 30 is driven in the environment wherein there are a lot of feature points (not shown in figure) to capture the images photographed by the cameras 31 , 32 and 33 . Referring to FIG. 5 a , wherein the m y =Hm l , the w y is the feature coordinate point of the ground plane and m l is the feature coordinate point of the photographed images. Referring to FIG. 5 b , FIG. 5 b is a schematic diagram illustrating the matrix of Homography. Referring to FIG. 5 b , the present invention may not only use the corresponding spatial coordinates of the feature points and the photographed images but also the minimize formula m y −Hm l to get the optimal solution of the matrix H (Homography). After getting the optimal solution of the matrix H to correct the cameras 31 , 32 , and 33 , the image processing system 1 may obtain not only the positions of cameras 31 , 32 , and 33 in the vehicle 30 but also the extrinsic parameters of the cameras 31 , 32 , and 33 .
[0050] After finishing the image receiving step 21 , the image processing system 1 will enter into the depth value estimation step 22 . The depth value estimation unit 111 of the depth value estimation module 11 may evaluate the depth value around the vehicle 30 through the real images (real images 41 and 42 or real images 42 and 43 ) of the near cameras (the camera 31 and 32 or the camera 32 and 33 ) after the cameras 31 , 32 , and 33 photographing the real images 41 , 42 , and 43 . The image synthesized by the image processing module 13 will have a situation of ghosting and high distortion if the image processing system 1 does not know the depth value of objects around the vehicle 30 . Therefore, the image processing system 1 needs the depth value estimation module 11 to evaluate the depth value. Referring to FIG. 6 , FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating how to find the depth of objects in the environment (the distance from the camera) through algorithm of Stereo. Referring to FIG. 6 , the image processing system 1 may use the depth value estimation unit 111 of the depth value estimation module 11 to evaluate the depth value. The depth value estimation unit 111 may use the images photographed by the near cameras to do the Stereo algorithm. Stereo is to find the same feature points (x, x′) in the two images (p, p′) photographed by the two cameras (C, C′) and using not only the relative position (extrinsic parameters of cameras) of the two cameras (C, C′) but also the respective positions of two feature points in an image to evaluate the position of x (the x can be another vehicle 421 in this embodiment) in the real world. That way, the image processing system 1 can know the distance between x and two near cameras. Referring back to FIG. 1 , wherein the cameras (C, C′) can be the cameras ( 31 , 32 ) or the cameras ( 32 , 33 ), and wherein the two images (p, p′) can be the real images ( 41 , 42 ) or the real images ( 42 , 43 ). After confirming the position and the angle of the cameras ( 31 , 32 ) and the cameras ( 32 , 33 ), the distance between object x and the cameras 31 , 32 , and 33 and the position of object x in the real images 41 , 42 and 43 have the regular relationship. Therefore, the image processing system 1 may locate the position of another vehicle 421 in real images through image analysis in this embodiment of the present invention. Furthermore, the image processing system 1 may obtain the distance between another vehicle 421 and the cameras 31 , 32 , and 33 using the aforementioned relationship.
[0051] After finishing the depth value estimation step 22 , the image processing system 1 will enter into the 3D geometric model generating step 23 . Referring to FIG. 7 , FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating the normal 3D geometric model and the 3D geometric model with the depth information. Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 7 , the depth value estimation module 11 may transfer the depth value estimation information to the 3D geometric model generating module 12 after evaluating the depth value through the depth value estimation unit 111 . After that, the 3D geometric model generating module 12 may generate a 3D geometric model 72 having the depth information. The 3D geometric model 71 is a conventional 3D geometric model. The 3D geometric model 72 is the 3D geometric model changed from the generation based on the difference of the depth information around the vehicle 30 when another vehicle has been detected by the image processing system 1 in the left rear side of the vehicle 30 (the left-up corner is the front of the vehicle 30 ).
[0052] After finishing the three-dimensional geometric model generating step 23 , the image processing system 1 will enter into the image synthesizing step 24 . The real images 41 , 42 , and 43 and the 3D geometric model 72 may be transferred to the image processing module 13 to do the image synthesizing. The method of image synthesizing can be the 2D image lookup table method in this embodiment. The 2D image lookup table method can obtain the correspondence table (not shown in figure) between the real images 41 , 42 , 43 and the electronic rearview mirror 300 through the relative relationship between the real images 41 , 42 , 43 and the 3D geometric model 72 and the relative relationship between the 3D geometric model 72 and the rearview minor 300 . The synthesizing method can be three-dimensional texture method in other embodiment so as to synthesize the real images 41 , 42 and 43 . In other embodiment, The image processing module 13 may synthesize the real images 41 , 42 and 43 through a 3D texture image method, the method is to project the real images 41 , 42 and 43 into the 3D geometric model 72 , respectively, so as to obtain one 3D geometric model 72 combined with the depth information of the real images 41 , 42 , and 43 .
[0053] After finishing the image synthesizing step 24 , the image processing system 1 will enter into the displaying step 25 . Referring to FIGS. 8 a and 8 b , FIG. 8 a is a schematic diagram illustrating the relationship of the position between the virtual camera and the vehicle in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 b is a schematic diagram illustrating the relationship of the position between the virtual camera and the vehicle in accordance with the other exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIGS. 9 a and 9 b , FIG. 9 a is a schematic diagram illustrating the real three-dimensional image around the vehicle seen by the electronic rearview mirror in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 b is a schematic diagram illustrating the real three-dimensional image around the vehicle seen by the electronic rearview mirror in accordance with the other exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1 , FIG. 8 a , FIG. 8 b , FIG. 9 a , and FIG. 9 b at the same time, the image processing system 1 can generate the virtual camera 14 connected to the image processing module 13 . The virtual camera 14 can decide a display mode of the image synthesized in the image synthesizing step 24 . In other words, the rearview image displayed on the display module 16 can be generated due to the difference of the position of the virtual camera 14 . The image processing system 1 may place the virtual camera 14 on the conventional place of the rearview mirror in this embodiment of the present invention as shown in FIG. 8 a . The driver may see the real 3D image from the display module 16 of the electronic rearview mirror 300 as shown in FIG. 9 a without being blocked by the vehicle 30 itself. Referring to FIG. 9 a , apparently, there is another vehicle 421 on the left rear side of vehicle 30 on the display module 16 of the electronic rearview mirror 300 . The image processing system 1 may place the virtual camera 14 on the top of front of the vehicle 30 in other embodiment of the present invention as shown in FIG. 8 b . The driver may see the real 3D image from the display module 16 of the electronic rearview mirror 300 as shown in FIG. 9 b . Referring to FIG. 9 b , the driver may see the vehicle 30 and other objects behind the vehicle 30 (like other vehicle behind the vehicle 30 or the information of the pedestrian) on the display module 16 of the electronic rearview mirror 300 .
[0054] At last, the image processing system 1 will enter into the visual angle detecting step 26 . Referring to FIGS. 10 a and 10 b , FIG. 10 a is a schematic diagram illustrating the electronic rearview mirror display image obtained from the angle between the first position of eyes of the driver and the electronic rearview mirror. FIG. 10 b is a schematic diagram illustrating the electronic rearview mirror display image obtained from the angle between the second position of eyes of the driver and the electronic rearview mirror. Referring to FIG. 1 , FIG. 10 a and FIG. 10 b at the same time, the visual detecting module 15 installed in the image processing system 1 of the electronic rearview mirror 300 may get the sight direction 102 of the driver 101 from detecting the angle between the electronic rearview mirror 300 and the eyes position of the driver. The image processing system 1 of present invention may use the information about the sight direction 102 of the driver 101 to display an appropriate image on the display module 16 to simulate a real 3D scene and an optical effect to improve the reality and third dimension of the display module 16 inside the electronic rearview mirror 300 .
[0055] As for the location of the electronic rearview mirror 300 , it may be placed in the position of the traditional rearview mirror in this embodiment. The image processing system 1 is installed in the electronic rearview mirror 300 if the electronic rearview mirror 300 is placed in the position of the traditional rearview mirror. The electronic rearview mirror 300 can locate on the dashboard (not shown in figure) in other embodiment. The electronic rearview mirror 300 can use the technology of floating projection to project the rearview image on the windshield (not shown in figure) of the vehicle 30 in other embodiment. The image processing system 1 is installed on the vehicle 30 if the electronic rearview mirror 300 is placed on the dashboard or on the windshield.
[0056] The above exemplary embodiments describe the principle and effect of the present invention, but are not limited to the present invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the disclosed embodiments. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope of the disclosure being indicated by the following claims and their equivalents.
[0057] Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred exemplary embodiments thereof, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that a variety of modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention which is intended to be defined by the appended claims. | The present invention provides an image processing system and method, the image processing system uses at least two cameras, and the location of the cameras can be changed due to the easiness of installation onto a vehicle and number of the cameras around the vehicle. The present invention uses the image analysis method to evaluate the depth of objects around the vehicle, and then generate a 3D model with depth information to reduce the distortion of the image. After that, the image will be displayed on the wide-area electronic rearview mirror to provide the driver a rearview image more correctly. | 6 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2014-0011406, filed on Jan. 29, 2014 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office and claims the benefit of U.S. Patent Application No. 61/978,395, filed on Apr. 11, 2014 in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] 1. Field
[0003] Apparatuses and methods consistent with exemplary embodiments relate to a sample inspection apparatus and a control method thereof, and more particularly, to a sample inspection apparatus which has an improved structure to reduce a size thereof, and a control method thereof.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] An apparatus and method of analyzing a fluid sample is needed in various fields such as environment monitoring, food inspection, and medical diagnosis. Conventionally, in order to perform an inspection by a predetermined protocol, a skilled experimenter manually carries out various processes such as reagent injecting, mixing, separating and moving, reacting and centrifugal separating over several times, and these processes often cause errors in inspection results.
[0006] In order to address this problem, there has been developed a small and automatic apparatus for rapidly analyzing an inspection material.
[0007] In order to detect the inspection material contained in the sample, a characteristic reaction between the inspection material and a specific material may be used. And optical data of the fluid sample is measured using an optical sensor, and the concentration of the inspection material is obtained from a size or a changed amount of the measured optical data.
[0008] In the sample inspection, a cartridge configured to receive the sample is pressed by a pressing member, the sample is moved, and the inspection is performed. To this end, a device for moving the pressing member toward the cartridge is needed, and due to such a device, it is difficult to reduce a size of the sample inspection apparatus.
SUMMARY
[0009] Therefore, according to one or more exemplary embodiments, a sample inspection apparatus is provided which may move a pressing member to apply a pressure to a cartridge and which has an improved structure to reduce a size thereof, and a control method thereof.
[0010] Additional exemplary aspects and advantages of exemplary embodiments will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice.
[0011] In accordance with an aspect of an exemplary embodiment, a sample inspection apparatus includes a housing, a cartridge insertable into one side of the housing and configured to receive a sample, a pressing member disposed in the housing and configured to press the cartridge to inspect the sample, a fluid storage part configured to transfer a fluid to the pressing member so that the pressing member presses the cartridge, and a fluid supply part configured to supply the fluid into the fluid storage part.
[0012] A valve may be disposed in communication with passages connected to the pressing member, the fluid storage part, and the fluid supply part, to open and close each passage.
[0013] The valve may be a 3-way valve which is rotatable to open and close each port thereof.
[0014] The sample inspection apparatus may further include a control part configured to determine whether the pressing member is normally located at the cartridge and to control an operation of the fluid supply part and an opening and closing of the valve.
[0015] The control part may stop the operation of the fluid supply part when the pressing member is normally located at the cartridge, and control the fluid to be moved from the fluid storage part to the pressing member.
[0016] The fluid supply part may be an air pump configured to inject air.
[0017] The fluid storage part may be a metering chamber configured to receive a fixed amount of fluid.
[0018] The fluid supply part may be a manual pump which is grasped and manually operated.
[0019] In accordance with an aspect of another exemplary embodiment, a sample inspection apparatus includes a housing, a cartridge insertable into one side of the housing and configured to receive a sample, a pressing member disposed in the housing and configured to press the cartridge to inspect the sample, a valve configured to open and close a communication port communicating with the pressing member, and a control part configured to control an opening and closing of the valve so that a fixed amount of fluid is introduced into the pressing member, wherein the pressing member applies a pressure to the cartridge due to the fluid introduced to the pressing member.
[0020] The sample inspection apparatus may further include a fluid storage part configured to transfer the fluid to the pressing member so that the pressing member presses the cartridge.
[0021] The sample inspection apparatus may further include a fluid supply part configured to supply the fluid to the fluid storage part.
[0022] The valve may be a 3-way valve including communication ports which are respectively in communication with the pressing member, the fluid storage part, and the fluid supply part.
[0023] When the fluid is moved from the fluid supply part to the fluid storage part, the valve may be located at a first position, and when the fluid is moved from the fluid storage part to the pressing member, the valve may be rotated and located at a second position.
[0024] The fluid storage part may be a metering chamber configured to receive a fixed amount of fluid.
[0025] The fluid supply part may be an air pump configured to inject air.
[0026] The fluid supply part may be a manual pump which is grasped and manually operated.
[0027] In accordance with an aspect of another exemplary embodiment, a control method of a sample inspection apparatus includes moving a fluid from a fluid supply part to a fluid storage part, moving the fluid stored in the fluid storage part to a pressing member, and pressing a cartridge by the pressing member using the fluid moved from the fluid storage part, and performing an inspection of a sample in the cartridge.
[0028] When the fluid stored in the fluid storage part is moved to the pressing member, the fluid supply part may be stopped.
[0029] The moving of the fluid from the fluid supply part to the fluid storage part, and the moving of the fluid from the fluid storage part to the pressing member may include converting a flow direction of the fluid by rotation of a valve.
[0030] When fluid is moved from the fluid storage part to the pressing member, a control part may determine whether the pressing member is normally located on the cartridge.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0031] These and/or other exemplary aspects and advantages will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of exemplary embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
[0032] FIG. 1 is a view illustrating an exterior of a sample inspection apparatus in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;
[0033] FIG. 2 is a view illustrating an opened state of a door of the sample inspection apparatus in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;
[0034] FIG. 3 is a view schematically illustrating a principle of driving a pressing member of the sample inspection apparatus in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;
[0035] FIGS. 4 and 5 are views illustrating a fluid flow in the sample inspection apparatus in accordance with n exemplary embodiment;
[0036] FIG. 6 is a view schematically illustrating a principle of driving a pressing member of a sample inspection apparatus in accordance with an exemplary embodiment; and
[0037] FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a control method of the sample inspection apparatus in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0038] Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.
[0039] FIG. 1 is a view illustrating an exterior of a sample inspection apparatus in accordance with an exemplary embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a view illustrating an opened state of a door of the sample inspection apparatus in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.
[0040] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 , a sample inspection apparatus 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a housing 10 , defining an interior space, and a door module 20 provided at a front side of the housing 10 .
[0041] The door module 20 may include a display part 21 , a door 22 , and a door frame 23 . The display part 21 and the door 22 may be disposed at a front side of the door frame 23 . The display part 21 may be disposed above the door 22 . The door 22 is slidable, such that the door 22 may be located at a rear side of the display part 21 when the door 22 has been slid into an open position.
[0042] The display part 21 may display information of analysis contents of a sample, states of sample analysis operation, or the like. The door frame 23 may have an installation member 32 into which a cartridge 60 configured to receive a fluid sample may be installed. A user may open the door 22 by sliding it upward, may install the cartridge 60 at the installation member 32 , slide the door 22 downward and close the door 22 , and then perform the analysis operation.
[0043] A fluid sample is injected into the cartridge 60 and reacts with a reagent at an inspection part (not shown). The cartridge 60 is then inserted into the installation member 32 , and a pressing member 50 presses the cartridge 60 so that the fluid sample in the cartridge 60 is introduced into the inspection part (not shown).
[0044] Further, an output part 11 , configured to output inspection results as a printed document, may be further provided separately from the display part 21 .
[0045] FIG. 3 is a view schematically illustrating a principle of driving the pressing member of the sample inspection apparatus in accordance with an exemplary embodiment, and FIGS. 4 and 5 are views illustrating a fluid flow in the sample inspection apparatus in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.
[0046] As illustrated in FIGS. 3 to 5 , in order to drive the pressing member 50 toward the cartridge 60 , a fluid storage part 80 and a fluid supply part 70 may be used. An air pump illustrated in the drawing is an example of the fluid supply part 70 . A membrane pump may be used for the air pump used as the fluid supply part 70 . In the membrane pump, a check valve is opened and closed by an internal pressure difference generated by movement of a membrane when the membrane is vibrated up and down, and thus the fluid is moved. However, this example is not limiting, and any of various types of pumps may be used.
[0047] The fluid storage part 80 may be a metering chamber which may receive the fluid. Therefore, a predetermined amount of the fluid may be received in the fluid storage part 80 . That is, the fluid is moved toward the pressing member 50 , and the pressing member 50 presses the cartridge 60 . According to an exemplary embodiment air is used, but this is not limiting.
[0048] A valve 90 may be disposed among the fluid storage part 80 , the fluid supply part 70 , and the pressing member 50 . The valve 90 may be a 3 -way valve including a first communication port 91 , a second communication port 92 , and a third communication port 93 . Each communication part 91 , 92 , and 93 may be in communication with the fluid storage part 80 , the fluid supply part 70 , and the pressing member 50 . The pressing member 50 may be provided to be connected with a first pipe 65 in communication with one communication port of the 3-way valve 90 . A pipe connecting the fluid storage part 80 and the valve 90 is defined as a second pipe 66 , and a pipe connecting the air pump 70 and the valve 90 is defined as a third pipe 67 .
[0049] A control part (not shown) may control opening and closing of the valve 90 . Therefore, the control part (not shown) determines whether the pressing member 50 is normally located at the cartridge 60 , and stops an operation of the fluid supply part 70 or controls the opening and closing of the valve 90 . When the pressing member 50 is normally located at the cartridge 60 , the control part (not shown) stops the operation of the fluid supply part 70 and controls the fluid to be moved from the fluid storage part 80 to the pressing member 50 . To this end, rotation of the valve 90 may be used, and this will be described later.
[0050] The pressing member 50 may include a body portion configured to press the cartridge 60 , and the first pipe 65 which is in communication with one communication port of the valve 90 . The body portion and the first pipe 65 may integrally formed, but the device is not limited thereto. The body portion and the first pipe 65 may be separately provided, and the first pipe may be inserted into the pressing member. The first pipe 65 may be coupled to a holder 44 of the housing 10 . The pressing member 50 may be formed of a flexible material. As an example, the pressing member 50 may be formed of silicone, urethane, or rubber, but is not limited thereto. And the pressing member 50 may be formed of a deformable material.
[0051] FIG. 4 illustrates a process in which the fluid is moved from the fluid supply part to the fluid storage part, and FIG. 5 illustrates a process in which the fluid is moved from the fluid storage part to the pressing member.
[0052] The fluid is firstly moved from the fluid supply part 70 to the fluid storage part 80 . At this time, the valve 90 is positioned so that the first communication port 91 is in communication with the fluid storage part 80 , and the second communication port 92 is in communication with the fluid supply part 70 . The third communication port 93 is positioned toward the pressing member 50 , but not in communication with the pressing member 50 so that the fluid is not moved to the pressing member 50 .
[0053] Then, the fluid stored in the fluid storage part 80 is moved to the pressing member 50 . At this time, the valve 90 is rotated so that the first communication port 91 is in communication with the pressing member 50 , and the second communication port 92 is in communication with the fluid storage part 80 . The third communication port 93 is positioned toward the fluid supply part 70 , but not in communication with the fluid supply part 70 to prevent the fluid from flowing backward.
[0054] That is, when the fluid is moved from the fluid supply part 70 to the fluid storage part 80 , the valve 90 is positioned in a first position, as illustrated in FIG. 4 . Further, when the fluid is moved from the fluid storage part 80 to the pressing member 50 , the valve 90 is rotated and positioned in a second position, as illustrated in FIG. 5 .
[0055] Since the fluid is firstly received in the fluid storage part 80 and then moved to the pressing member 50 , a fixed amount of fluid may be moved to the pressing member 50 , and thus the pressing member 50 may apply a constant pressure to the cartridge 60 . Further, when the fluid is directly moved from the fluid supply part 70 to the pressing member 50 , vibration may occur due to the operation of the fluid supply part 70 , and this may be prevented.
[0056] Since the fluid storage part 80 is the metering chamber, an amount of fluid transferred to the pressing member 50 may be adjusted, and thus a pressing level may be also controlled. Further, a pressing time may be controlled according to a pressure supply level of the fluid supply part 70 .
[0057] FIG. 6 is a view schematically illustrating a principle of driving a pressing member of a sample inspection apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment.
[0058] As illustrated in FIG. 6 , a fluid supply part 170 may be a manual pump which may be grasped and manually operated. If the user manually presses the manual pump and supplies air to the fluid storage part 80 , air in the fluid storage part 80 is moved to the pressing member 50 .
[0059] At this time, the valve 90 may be the 3-way valve. The valve 90 may rotate to close a communication port connected to the fluid supply part 170 or close a communication port connected to the pressing member 50 .
[0060] Further, a check valve (not shown) may be additionally provided between the fluid supply part 170 and the valve 90 . This is to prevent the fluid from flowing backward, i.e., to enable an air flow generated by a grasping motion of the user to move in a direction away from the fluid supply part 170 , thereby preventing the air flow from flowing backward into the fluid supply part 170 .
[0061] FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a control method of the sample inspection apparatus in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.
[0062] As illustrated in FIG. 7 , a control method of the sample inspection apparatus 1 according to an exemplary embodiment includes (S 100 ) moving the fluid from the fluid supply part to the fluid storage part, (S 500 ) moving the fluid stored in the fluid storage part to the pressing member, and the pressing member pressing the cartridge by the fluid moved from the fluid storage part. Thereby, an inspection of the sample in the cartridge is performed. Here, the fluid supply part may be the air pump.
[0063] When the fluid stored in the fluid storage part is moved to the pressing member (S 500 ), the fluid supply part is stopped (S 200 ). Further, the valve is rotated to close the communication port connected with the fluid supply part (S 300 ). Therefore, the fluid of the fluid storage part is prevented from being moved to the fluid supply part, and also the fluid is prevented from being moved from the fluid supply part to the fluid storage part or the pressing member. Thus, only the predetermined amount of fluid metered in the fluid storage part is moved to the pressing member.
[0064] Further, when the fluid is moved from the fluid storage part to the pressing member (S 500 ), it is possible to additionally determine whether the pressing member is normally located on the cartridge (S 400 ). That is, when the pressing member is normally located on the cartridge, the fluid is moved from the fluid storage part to the pressing member, and when pressing member is not normally located on the cartridge, the fluid is moved from the fluid supply part to the fluid storage part.
[0065] According to an exemplary sample inspection apparatus, the sample inspection apparatus can have a small size by improving the structure of moving the pressing member.
[0066] Although a few embodiments have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the inventive concept, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents. | Disclosed are a sample inspection apparatus and a control method thereof. The sample inspection apparatus includes a housing, a cartridge insertable into one side of the housing and configured to receive a sample, a pressing member disposed within the housing and configured to press the cartridge to inspect the sample, a fluid storage part configured to transfer a fluid to the pressing member so that the pressing member presses the cartridge, and a fluid supply part configured to supply the fluid into the fluid storage part. | 1 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention is based on a fuel injection valve as defined hereinafter. In a known fuel injection valve of this type, the valve body protrudes beyond the encompassing holder body, from which ground electrode pins extend, approaching increasingly closer to the end of the valve body. The spark gap is formed in the radial direction in a plane shortly before the end of the valve body toward the combustion chamber. The injection opening is located not there but spaced apart from it, toward the combustion chamber, in the form of an annular gap controlled by a spherical valve closing element. This embodiment has the disadvantage that the injected fuel cannot immediately come into direct contract with the ignition spark. Moreover, the spark discharge occurs in the immediate vicinity of the valve seat, subjecting it to high thermal stress and imperiling the function of the valve.
OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The fuel injection valve according to the invention has the advantage of enabling a uniquely has the advantage of enabling a uniquely defined, optimal association of the spark gap and the injected fuel. The best conditions for ignition, even of poorly ignitable fuels, are attained if the spark gap is located directly in the fuel injection stream, or the spark discharges via the surface of the fuel injection stream. The spark gap is located quite close to the injection opening. In this way, the fuel can be ignited reliably even if the combustion chamber is filled with a very lean mixture, especially when the engine uses a stratified charge. Moreover, the electrodes are sprayed with fuel and cooled, which lengthens their service life, prevents incandescent conditions and reduces the dissipation of heat at the valve body.
With this kind of stratified charge operation, for engines having externally supplied ignition (known as Otto engines), the goal is fuel consumption comparable to that typical of self-igniting engines operated with high air excess (that is, Diesel engines). Load regulation should be controlled via the injection quantity, similarly to how it is done in a Diesel engine, so that gas exchange losses do not occur as the throttling of the aspirated air decreases; combined with the morefavorable conversion of the stratified charge (lower heat losses at the walls), this means high efficiency, low hydrocarbon emissions and less tendency to knocking. For the sake of low fuel consumption, the fuel is injected directly into the combustion chamber with the fuel injection valve according to the invention. The inevitable moistening of the intake tube walls with fuel that occurs when injection is into the intake tube is thereby avoided, as are the attendant disadvantages in terms of fuel consumption in non-steady-state operation of the engine and during warmup. The combination fuel injection valve and ignition device overcomes the problem of having to devise an additional fuel injection location at the combustion chamber, where there is very little space available, because of the large gas exchange guide cross sections nowadays required, and because of the severely thermally and mechanically stressed webs of combustion chamber wall between the gas exchange guide cross sections, which must therefore be cooled. Moreover, the invention assures that even with small injection quantities, the fuel will be reliably engaged by the ignition spark. The aforementioned optimal ignition conditions are also attained. Such conditions prove advantageous in cold starting and engine warmup as well.
It is particularly advantageous for the electrodes located on the side of the valve body to be replaceable, because they are subjected to the greatest danger of burnoff. Thus the high-grade, expensive fuel injection valve need not itself be replaced, nor is this valve threatened with wear, as are conventional fuel injection valves of this generic type.
The invention is particularly advantageous in terms of the replaceability of the electrodes, as well as providing an embodiment that is particularly easy to manufacture and is particularly dependable in operation.
In another advantageous feature of the invention, the insulating body on the side of the combustion chamber is capable of heating up optimally, which prevents soot shunt bridges from forming; on the other hand, the fuel injection valve is far enough away from the insulating body, which is a source of heat, that it can maintain an optimal low temperature. Providing the fuel injection valve with a small diameter in the region located outside the potting in the insulating body also makes for less absorption of heat. The reduction in diameter is advantageously attained by providing the valve closing element with a wire-like shaft. Thermal dissipation and hence cooling are also attained by means of the flow of fuel through the fuel injection valve. In another feature of the invention, the insulating body heats up enough to prevent a coating of soot from forming on it. Finally, in another feature of the invention, the shielding stream is sufficiently well vented that the insulating body and cylinder head are not moistened.
The invention will be better understood and further objects and advantages thereof will become more apparent from the ensuing detailed description of preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows a first exemplary embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 2 shows one version of the fastening of the valve body in the fuel injection valve;
FIG. 3 shows the disposition of the electrodes with respect to the injection location;
FIG. 4 shows the site where the fuel injection valve according to the invention is mounted in the cylinder head of an internal combustion engine;
FIG. 5 shows a second exemplary embodiment of the invention, in which the electrode associated with the valve body of the fuel injection valve is seated on a sheath that is replaceably interlocked with the valve body;
FIG. 6 shows a third exemplary embodiment with a modified fastening of the sheath of FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is a section taken through the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 6;
FIG. 8 shows a fourth exemplary embodiment of the invention having a third embodiment of a replaceable electrode on the valve body;
FIG. 9 shows a fifth exemplary embodiment of the invention having another version of a replaceable electrode, which this time is retained on the insulating body; and
FIG. 10 is a detailed view of the electrode shown in FIG. 9.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The fuel injection valve of FIG. 1 has a holder body 1, which is provided with stepped bores and has an external size M14 thread 2 on its injection end, by way of which it can be screwed into the combustion chamber wall in an internal combustion engine. The injection valve is very greatly elongated, and so only a portion of it is shown in FIG. 1. The uppermost portion of the fuel injection valve is shown in FIG. 2. An insulating body 4 is inserted into the interior of the holder body and there is axially fixed by means of tensioning nuts 5, which are pressed onto a collar. Between the collar 6 and its injection-side end, the insulating body is cylindrical, leaving a narrow annular gap 7 on the order of magnitude of 0.2 to 0.35 mm in width between it and the inner bore of the holder body 1. The end of the insulating body 4 protrudes beyond the combustion-chamber side of the holder body 1. A valve body 10 is passed through an axial bore 9 in the insulating body and supported therein. The insulating body is made of materials typically used for spark plug insulators. Toward the combustion chamber, approximately over the length of the annular gap 7, the axial bore 9 merges with a recess 11 that becomes larger nearer the combustion chamber. The valve body 10 protrudes coaxially into this recess 11. The spacing between the valve body 10 and the insulating body 4 increases continuously in this region, toward the combustion chamber. The valve body again protrudes past the end of the insulating body in the direction toward the combustion chamber and on this end has the injection opening for the injection of fuel. In the example shown, this opening is an annular gap 12, which is produced when a head 14 of a valve closing element 15 lifts from its seat face 16 in the direction toward the combustion chamber. The seat 16 is conical, narrowing toward the inside. A conical sealing face 17 is correspondingly provided on the head 14. Inside the longitudinal bore 18 of the valve body 10 adjoining the seat face 16, the head 14 located on the outside merges with an elongated, wire-like shaft 20, which between it and the wall of the longitudinal bore leaves an annular chamber and has intermittent guide faces 21. The end of the shaft 20 remote from the head 14 also has a head 22, by way of which a spring plate 23 is coupled with the shaft. A valve closing spring 26 is fastened in place between the spring plate 23 and an intermediate portion 24 adjoining the insulating body 4. The valve closing spring keeps the head 14 in the closing position as long as the fuel pressure is incapable of engaging the valve closing element 15 sufficiently to move it into the opening position. The intermediate portion 24 comprises electrically conductive material and is joined to the end of the valve body 10, for instance by soldering. Adjacent to the intermediate element in the interior of the fuel injection valve, a spring chamber 27 is formed, into which the end of the shaft 20 protrudes and in which the valve closing spring is also disposed. This spring chamber is disposed in an optionally multi-part cylindrical body 29 of electrically nonconductive material. The body 29 has a stepped bore, and both the cylindrical end of the insulating body and the intermediate portion 24 are inserted tightly into the portion 31 of the stepped bore that has the larger diameter. An electrically conductive insert 33, having a cup-shaped portion which protrudes into the stepped bore portion 31 having the larger diameter, is guided through the smaller portion 32 of the stepped bore adjoining the larger portion 31. The insert 33, forming the spring chamber 27, encompasses the end of the shaft 20 along with the spring plate 23 and the valve closing spring 26 and rests positively on the face end of the intermediate portion 24, holding it on the insulating body 4. In the portion 32 of the stepped bore having the smaller diameter, the insert is tubular, having a fuel conduit 36 by way of which fuel reaches the spring chamber 27 and is carried from there into the annular chamber between the shaft 20 and the valve body. On its end, the insert rests on the face end of the stepped bore portion having the smaller diameter, and from there the fuel line 36 leads away to the outside, via a connection nipple 37. This connection nipple 37 also serves as a pressure pad, which is screwed to the holder body 1 by means of a union nut 38 and, with the cylindrical body 29 interposed, braces the insert 33 and the intermediate portion along with the collar 6 against the insulating body 4 in the holder body 1.
As FIG. 2 shows, a union piece 40 of insulating material is disposed on the side of the holder body 1. An electrical contact-making screw 41 is screwed in through the union piece 40, and arranged to rest with its end on the electrically conductive insert 33. The electrical contact-making screw 41 serves to deliver a high voltage.
As noted above, the combustion-chamber end of the valve body protrudes past the end of the insulating body 4. The fuel injection location 42 is located on the outermost end, and as described, this location comprises the controllable annular gap 12. A sheath 45 is also disposed on this combustion-chamber end 43 of the valve body, adjoining the fuel injection location 42 toward the insulating body 4. This sheath may be joined either detachably or non-detachably to the valve body. Detachable connections will be described in further detail below. Secured to the sheath is a wire-like electrode 46, which after a bend extends axially parallel to the axis of the valve body 10, protruding past it toward the combustion chamber. The axially parallel end portion 47 is located on a circle that is concentric with the axis of the valve body 10 and the diameter of which corresponds to that of the face end of the holder body 1. A wire-like electrode 48 extends away from this point likewise parallel to the axis of the valve body, and terminates in the circumferential direction of the aforementioned circle next to the axially parallel end 47 of the wire-like electrode 46. As the sectional view of FIG. 3 shows, three pairs of wire-like electrodes 47, 48 are distributed spaced apart from one another on the circumference of this circle. One spark gap 49 is located between each of these electrodes in the circumferential direction of this circle. The wire-like electrode 46 is disposed with its axially parallel end portion 47 such that this end portion is located in the vicinity of the fuel stream emerging at the injection location. Because of the configuration of the head 14, the fuel stream is in the form of a so-called shield stream or fan stream, which widens or diverges as it moves into the combustion chamber. The wire-like electrodes 46 and 48 are parts of a spark ignition device with the aid of which a spark is generated upon fuel injection, which discharges via the surface of the fuel stream. This leads to the advantages described at the outset above. The radial spacing of the electrodes from the injection location 42 should also be optimized. The voltage supply to the spark ignition device is effected via the ground contact, by means of the holding body screwed into the cylinder head of the engine, on the one hand, and via the contactmaking screw 41, on the other. From this screw, the electrical voltage is carried via the insert 33, the intermediate portion 24, the valve body 10 soldered into the intermediate portion, and via the sheath 45 to the electrode 46, from where the spark discharge to the ground electrode can take place. To make the electrodes last longer, they are either coated with platinum, or else parts of the electrodes are manufactured directly from platinum or from some other burnoff-proof, electrically conductive material.
With such a combination fuel injection valve and ignition device, the above-mentioned advantages are attainable. The valve body 10 is embodied as very slender, and it correspondingly has a small heat-absorbing surface area. This is attainable because the valve closing element is provided with a very thin shaft 20, which may itself also have resilient properties, as is known from various injection valves. In addition, however, the closing spring 26 is provided, which advantageously prevents excessive stretching or failure of the shaft 20 when load changes are overly frequent. A relatively long distance is provided between the site where the valve body emerges from the axial bore 10 in the insulating body, and the end of the insulating body, so that here a greater surface area of the insulating body is exposed to the hot combustion gases, enabling it to heat up markedly, in order to prevent deposits from forming shunting routes. At the same time, however, a sufficient distance from the valve body 10 is maintained, so that only a limited amount of heat, in the form of radiant heat, is absorbed from the insulating body by the valve body. The valve body is also cooled by the supplied fuel, which emerges at the injection location 42. With the wire-like electrodes, the heat source represented by the spark discharge is also shifted away from the valve body, advantageously into a vicinity that is regularly supplied with fuel for injection. This guarantees reliable ignition of the injected fuel, even if unfavorable fuel-air mixtures or unfavorable ignition conditions otherwise prevail in the combustion chamber.
The fuel injection valve described is embodied as highly elongated and very slender, so that even with unfavorable conditions for its installation, such as may be the case in 4-valve engines, it can be secured in the engine at the optimum site on the combustion chamber wall. FIG. 4 shows a plan view on a 2-valve cylinder head, with a gas exchange inlet valve 50 and a gas exchange outlet valve 51. These valves are located inside the projection 52 of the engine cylinder diameter on the cylinder head 52. Optimally, fuel should be delivered and ignited as nearly as possible in the center of the combustion chamber. In this region, however, there is typically only a very narrow web 54 of the cylinder head wall between the gas exchange inlet valve and the gas exchange outlet valve. This web is subject to severe thermal and mechanical stresses and moreover, at least for thermal reasons, it must be optimally cooled. This does not allow any passage through it for devices such as a spark plug or injection valve. The only site where these devices can be accommodated is accordingly the circle sector 55 (which may also be disposed laterally reversed from the arrangement shown for the sector of in FIG. 4). The circle drawn in dashed lines indicates a piston recess 59, which should be associated with the circle sector 55 or with the injection location and the ignition location. Until now, the injection valve and the spark plug were disposed separately, mirror-inverted from one another, above and below the line 61 connecting the gas exchange cross sections. This lead to unfavorable ignition conditions, which had a particularly adverse effect during idling at low load. With the fuel injection valve according to the invention, a compact accommodation of the injection valve and ignition device in the vicinity of the circle sector 55 is possible, and thus optimal operating conditions, in particular for an engine driven with a lean fuel mixture, can be attained. The aforementioned poor cold-starting conditions associated with the separate disposition of the ignition device and spark plug are now improved, as are the idling properties. Moreover, excessive uncombusted hydrocarbons are avoided, and the tendency to knocking is lessened. In particular, however, qualitative regulation in all operating ranges without disruption is possible; with this condition having been achieved means that the aspirated air quantity need not be throttled for load control.
FIG. 5 shows part of a fuel injection valve, which is basically similar to that of FIGS. 1-3. Elements shared with that valve are therefore not described again here. Deviating from the first embodiment, the sheath 45' is now embodied as a part that can be slipped onto the end of the valve body 10'; the wire-like electrodes 46, here totalling four in number, are secured to the sheath in the same manner as above. For positionally fixing the sheath 45', in the present case a recess 66 is provided in the valve body 10' and this recess is engaged by a resilient ring 57, which at the same time engages a recess 58 on the sheath. The recess on the valve body 10' is advantageously an annular groove. A modified fastening may instead be provided by dividing the end of the sheath into resilient tongues having inwardly oriented protuberances that lock in detent fashion in corresponding recesses of the valve body. That has the advantage of assuring not only an axial but also a rotational fastening. A rotational fastening is also attainable by providing the end of the insulating body 4 with slits 60, through which the bend of the electrode 46 is guided. In such embodiments, the electrode 46 can be replaced, if too much of it burns off, without having to perform major repair of the fuel injection valve, or even having to throw it away.
Another embodiment of a replaceable electrode is shown in FIG. 6. In this concept, the sheath known from FIG. 1, here in the form of a sheath 45", is slipped onto the end of the valve body 10". The sheath itself is embodied identically, with respect to the electrode 46, to the sheath of FIG. 1; the only difference is that the sheath here has a stamped-out spring tongue 62, which is bent inward and can lock in detent fashion into a corresponding recess 63, adapted to the position of repose of the spring tongue, on the jacket face of the valve body 10". With this spring tongue and the adapted recess, it is possible both to secure the sheath 45" positionally correctly in the axial direction and to maintain a desired rotational position.
FIG. 7 is a section taken along the line AA of FIG. 6 showing partial plan views, from which the location of the wire-like electrodes 46 and 48 can be seen. From this figure, the location of the spark gap 64 between the wire-like electrodes is clearly apparent. One wire-like electrode 46 is inserted into a recess on the sheath, where it is fixed by welding, and the other wire-like electrode 48 is bent and welded onto the face end 65 of the holder body 1.
In an alternative embodiment, shown in FIG. 8, a sheath 67 is slipped onto the end of the valve body 10 and is in secure contact with the valve body 10 by means of contact clamps 68. Extending away from the sheath, once again, is a wire-like electrode 69, which after being bent extends parallel to the axis of the valve body 10 and is connected, via a radially attached insulating element 70, to a wire-like electrode 71. This electrode 71 again extends parallel to the axis of the valve body 10 and terminates at the face end 72 of the holder body 1 oriented toward the combustion chamber. The wire-like electrode 71 contacts ground at that point. In this embodiment, a surface-discharge spark gap forms between the electrodes 71 and 69, located in the direction of the shield-shaped fuel stream represented by dot-dashed lines 73. Instead of a shield-shaped stream, individual streams or jets can naturally be produced, using an orifice nozzle. The fastening of the sheath can be done analogously to what is shown in FIGS. 1-7, or else by welding the wire-like electrode 71 to the face end 72. In that case, the sheath 67 can be located radially spaced apart about the valve body 10, and the electrical contact can be made merely with the contact clamp 68. In this version, the thermal load on the valve body 10 is still further reduced as compared with the foregoing embodiments.
A final embodiment of the fastening of the wire-like electrodes is shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. This exemplary embodiment once again has one or more electrodes 46 that can be replaced together. These electrodes, as in the foregoing embodiments, are bent and are fastened to a ring element 75. This element has a circumferentially resilient ring 76 on its outer circumference, with which the ring element 76 can be snapped into an annular groove 77 on the inside of the insulating body 4. Resilient contact elements 78 protrude from the inside of the ring element and, in the installed position of the ring element, come into electrically conductive contact with the valve body 10. Otherwise, the electrodes 46 and wire-like electrodes 48 are arranged in the same way as those shown in FIGS. 1-7. To improve the fastening conditions, the annular groove 77 can be provided not on the end of the insulating body 4 but on a separate insulating body 104 connected to the end face of the holder body 1. Toward the combustion chamber, this insulating body 104 protrudes past the end of the insulating body 4, which is embodied like that of FIGS. 1-8. The annular groove 77 may also be formed by providing the insulating body 104 with a stepped wall or zone, between the combustion-chamber end of the insulating body 4 and a shoulder of the insulating body 104.
This embodiment again enables the attainment of the aforementioned advantages of a fuel injection valve combined with an injection device. Similarly to FIG. 8, the valve body is thermally stressed to an even lesser extent, because the flow of heat from the electrode 46 is reduced by the special fastening and electrical connection provided.
The foregoing relates to preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention, it being understood that other variants and embodiments thereof are possible within the spirit and scope of the invention, the latter being defined by the appended claims. | In lean operation of internal combustion engines having externally supplied ignition, improvement in terms of fuel consumption and emissions are obtained if the fuel is injected directly into the combustion chamber. Because the gas exchange guide cross sections are large, the space available for installing the injection valve and spark plug is very limited, and disruptions in the course of combustion occur when the injection valve and ignition device are too far apart. By developing a fuel injection valve that has wire electrodes on the injection end to serve as an ignition device, the spark gap arcing over in the vicinity of the fuel introduced by the injection valve, optimal ignition conditions are attained even for poorly ignited fuels or when the proportion of fuel in the combustion chamber charge is extremely low (stratified charge operation). | 5 |
FIELD
This disclosure relates to and in particular to energy-efficiency in a multi-processor core system and in particular to energy-efficient network packet processing.
BACKGROUND
Typically, a computer system having a plurality of processor cores handles a high workload by distributing the workload amongst all of the processor cores. However, as the workload decreases, each of the plurality of processor cores may be underutilized.
In order to reduce power consumption by the plurality of processor cores when workload is low, an operating system may adjust the number of processor cores used based on the system utilization level. The unused processor cores are placed in a low-power idle state (“parked”) and can remain at the low-power idle state for long consecutive intervals. The operating system continues to distribute the workload amongst the processor cores that are not in the low-power idle state.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Features of embodiments of the claimed subject matter will become apparent as the following detailed description proceeds, and upon reference to the drawings, in which like numerals depict like parts, and in which:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system that includes an embodiment of a Network Interface Controller that supports Receive-Side Scaling;
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of the network interface controller and memory shown in FIG. 1 ;
FIG. 3 is a flowgraph of an embodiment of a method to dynamically adjust core affinity settings according to the principles of the present invention; and
FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating another embodiment of the network interface controller and memory shown in FIG. 1 .
Although the following Detailed Description will proceed with reference being made to illustrative embodiments of the claimed subject matter, many alternatives, modifications, and variations thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended that the claimed subject matter be viewed broadly, and be defined only as set forth in the accompanying claims.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
A computer system may include a network interface controller (adapter, card) that receives a network packet from the network and forwards the received network packet for processing to one of a plurality of processor cores. The workload that is distributed amongst the processor cores may include the processing of network packets received by the network interface controller.
For example, in the computer system, the processing of network packets may be distributed amongst the processor cores such that the processing of the same traffic flow (for example, network packets having the same source address and destination address) is performed by the same processor core. When workloads are low, the operating system may use only a subset of the plurality of the processor cores and put the other processor cores in low-power idle state. However, if a received network packet to be processed for a particular traffic flow is assigned to a processor core (core affinity setting for the traffic flow) that is in a low-power idle state, the processor core is woken up from the low-power idle state. As a result, processor cores that are in a low-power idle state do not have the opportunity to stay in the low-power idle state for a long time.
An embodiment of the present invention dynamically adjusts the core affinity settings for network packet processing based on whether the operating system has put any of the processor cores into a low-power idle state.
An embodiment of the present invention will be described for a computer system having a network interface controller that supports Receive-Side Scaling (RSS) used by Microsoft's® Windows® Operating System (OS). However, the invention is not limited to RSS. In other embodiments, the network adapter may support Scalable Input/Output (I/O) used by the Linux operating system that includes a scheduler which has a power-saving mode feature or any other operating system that includes a power-saving mode.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system 100 that includes an embodiment of a Network Interface Controller 108 that supports Receive-Side Scaling. The system 100 includes a processor 101 , a Memory Controller Hub (MCH) 102 and an Input/Output (I/O) Controller Hub (ICH) 104 . The MCH 102 includes a memory controller 106 that controls communication between the processor 101 and memory 110 . The processor 101 and MCH 102 communicate over a system bus 116 .
The processor 101 may be a multi-core processor such as Intel® Pentium D, Intel® Xeon® processor, or Intel® Core® Duo processor, Intel) Core™ i7 Processor or any other type of processor. In the embodiment shown, the system includes two multi-core processors 101 each having at least two processor cores (“cores”) 122 . In one embodiment, each multi-core processor includes four cores 122 .
The memory 110 may be Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM), Static Random Access Memory (SRAM), Synchronized Dynamic Random Access Memory (SDRAM), Double Data Rate 2 (DDR2) RAM or Rambus Dynamic Random Access Memory (RDRAM) or any other type of memory.
The ICH 104 may be coupled to the MCH 102 using a high speed chip-to-chip interconnect 114 such as Direct Media Interface (DMI). DMI supports 2 Gigabit/second concurrent transfer rates via two unidirectional lanes.
The ICH 104 may include a storage Input/Output (I/O) controller for controlling communication with at least one storage device 112 coupled to the ICH 104 . The storage device may be, for example, a disk drive, Digital Video Disk (DVD) drive, Compact Disk (CD) drive, Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID), tape drive or other storage device. The ICH 104 may communicate with the storage device 112 over a storage protocol interconnect 118 using a serial storage protocol such as, Serial Attached Small Computer System Interface (SAS) or Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA).
In another embodiment, the network interface controller 108 may be included in an ICH 104 that does not include a storage I/O controller 120 or may be included on a separate network interface card that is inserted in a system card slot in the system 100 .
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of the network interface controller 108 and memory 110 shown in FIG. 1 . The network interface controller 108 includes a hash function unit 220 , an indirection table 230 and a plurality of hardware receive queues 202 . The memory 110 includes an operating system kernel 280 , a filter driver 210 and a network device driver (miniport driver) 270 . In an embodiment, hash function unit 220 and indirection table 230 are included in the network interface controller (“NIC”) 108 . In another embodiment, some of these components or some elements of these components may be located outside the network interface controller 108 .
In the embodiment shown, the miniport driver 270 and filter driver 210 are components of a Microsoft® Windows® operating system model (WDM). The WDM includes device function drivers which may be class drivers or miniport drivers. A miniport driver supports a particular type of device, for example, a specific network interface controller 108 . A filter driver 210 is an optional driver that adds value to or modifies the behavior of the function driver (miniport driver) 270 .
The Network Driver Interface Specification (NDIS) is a library of functions accessed via an application programming interface (API) for network interface controllers 110 . The NDIS acts as an interface between layer 2 (link layer) and layer 3 (network layer) of the 7 layer Open Systems Interconnect (OSI). The library functions include Object Identifiers (OIDs).
The network interface controller 108 may use a hashing function in the hash function unit 220 to compute a hash value over a hash type (for example, one or more fields in the headers ) within the received network packet. A number of least significant bits of the hash value may be used to index an entry in an indirection table 230 that identifies a processor core 122 ( FIG. 1 ) to handle processing of the received data packet and one of a plurality of receive queues 202 to store the received data packet. The network interface controller 108 can interrupt the identified processor core 122 .
In an embodiment, as each network packet is received by the network interface controller 108 , the “flow” associated with the network packet is determined. The “flow” of a Transport Control Protocol (TCP) packet may be determined based on the value of fields in the TCP header and the Internet Protocol (IP) header included in the packet. For example, a flow identifier for the “flow” can be dependent on a combination of the IP source address and IP destination address included in the IP header and the source port address and destination port address included in the TCP header in the received network packet.
The plurality of hardware receive queues 202 are provided to store received network packets. In order to ensure in-order packet delivery for a particular flow, each of he hardware receive queues 202 may be assigned to a different flow and also to one of the plurality of processor cores 122 . Thus, each of the plurality of hardware receive queues 202 is associated with one of the plurality of a core processors 122 via the indirection table 230 .
In the embodiment shown, the network interface controller 108 has eight receive queues 202 . However, the number of receive queues 202 is not limited to eight. In other embodiments there may be more or less receive queues 202 . Received network packets are stored in one of the plurality of receives queues 202 . Packet processing of each of the receive queues may be affinitized to a specific processor core 122 . In an embodiment of the present invention, the core affinity settings for packet processing is dynamically adjusted based on the number of processor cores 122 that are in a power-saving idle state (‘parked’).
Table 1 below illustrates an example of an indirection table 230 with an initial assignment of receive queues 202 to processor cores 122 in a system having eight cores and eight receive queues in order to distribute receive packet processing amongst all of the processor cores 122 .
TABLE 1
RECEIVE QUEUE
CORE
0
0
1
1
2
2
3
3
4
4
5
6
6
7
7
8
FIG. 3 is a flowgraph of an embodiment to dynamically adjust the core affinity settings according to the principles of the present invention.
The distribution of receive queues 202 to core processors 122 is dynamically modified based on operating system (OS) core parking status which is handled by the OS kernel. For example, when workload is low, the OS kernel may “park” a portion of the core processors 122 by putting them into a low-power idle state. For example, in an embodiment with eight core processors, 6 of 8 core processors may be “parked” and the other portion (for example, 2 of 8) of the core processors may be used. Thus, interrupts from the network interface controllers are only sent to the un-parked cores and the parked cores remain at low-power idle states resulting in a reduction in energy consumption.
For example, in an embodiment, if Windows® 7 server core parking feature selects to use three cores and parks the remaining cores when the workloads are low, the network interface controller is modified to run network interrupt and packet processing also on the selected three cores. This results in an increase in the lower-power idle state residency for the parked cores.
In an embodiment, a 10 Gigabit network interface controller has multiple Receive Side Scaling Receive (RSS Rx) queues, each affinitized to a specific core. The network interface controller gets the configuration of OS core parking settings via the filter driver 210 and modifies the RSS indirection table 230 based on the OS core parking configuration.
At block 300 , the filter driver 210 periodically requests OS parking status from the OS kernel 280 . For example, in an embodiment, the filter driver 210 requests the OS core parking status using an Application Program Interface (API) command provided by the OS kernel 280 to query parking status of each of the processor cores 122 . In an embodiment, the filter driver 210 periodically requests OS parking status based on the number of network packets that have been received, for example, after every about 1000 network packets have been received
In an alternative embodiment, the filter driver 210 accesses the CPU 101 directly to obtain the current power state of each processor core 202 . For example, the Intel® Core™ i7 supports low power states at the core level for optimal power management. The core power states include C0, C1, C3 and C6. C0 is the normal operating state and C1, C3 and C6 are low power states, with different levels of reduced power consumption. For example, in the C3 low power state, all the clocks are stopped and the processor core maintains all of its architectural state except for the caches.
The current power state of each processor core 202 is stored in one or more registers in the CPU 101 that are accessible by the filter driver 210 . In order to determine whether a particular core is “parked”, the filter driver 210 periodically reads the registers storing the power state for the cores and infers whether the core is “parked” based on the distribution of the power state type read for the core over a time period. For example, if within a time period, the registers are read n times and a core is in low power state each time, the core is “parked”. If during the time period, the core is in a high power state n times, the core is not “parked”. If during the time period, the power state of the core differs, with the number of times that the power state is low power state being greater than the number of times that power state is high power state, the core is inferred to be “parked”.
Processing continues with block 302 .
At block 302 , having received the parking status of each of the processor cores 122 , the filter driver 210 determines if the parking status of any of processor cores 122 has changed. If not, processing continues with block 300 to continue to periodically request parking status of processor cores 122 .
If so, the filter driver 210 generates new data to be stored in the indirection table 230 in the NIC 108 based on the parking status. The filter driver 210 uses an OID_GEN_RECEIVE_SCALE_PARAMETERS Object Identifier (OID) to modify the RSS parameters of the NIC based on the parking status of the processor cores. The OID_GEN_RECEIVE_SCALE_PARAMETERS OID includes an NDIS_RECEIVE_SCALE_PARAMETERS structure that specifies the RSS parameters.
In an embodiment, the structure includes a header with a type that specifies that the object includes RSS Parameters, a flag indicating whether the indirection table and associated members have changed, and the size of the indirection table. The new data to be stored in the indirection table 230 based on the core parking status are appended after the other structure members. Processing continues with block 304 .
At block 304 , upon detecting receipt of an OID_GEN_RECEIVE_SCALE_PARAMETERS OID, the miniport driver 270 stores the received new data for the indirection table 230 in the indirection table 230 . For example, if the retrieved core parking status indicates that only processor core 0 and processor core 4 are un-parked, in an embodiment in which there are eight receive (RSS Rx) queues 202 , a round-robin core assignment can be performed resulting in the new data (contents of the indirection table) as shown in Table 2 below stored in indirection table 230 . Processor core 0 is assigned to receive queues 0, 2, 4, and 6, and processor core 4 is assigned to receive queues 1, 3, 5, and 7.
TABLE 2
RECEIVE QUEUE
CORE
0
0
1
4
2
0
3
4
4
0
5
4
6
0
7
4
For example, the data to be stored in Table 2 can be represented as a data structure IndTable as shown below:
IndTable[0]=0
IndTable[1]=4
IndTable[2]=0
IndTable[3]=4
IndTable[4]=0
IndTable[5]=4
IndTable[6]=0
IndTable[7]=4
The IndTable structure is appended to the OID which is received by the miniport driver 270 allowing the miniport driver 270 to update the data stored in the indirection table 230 .
An embodiment has been described for a system that includes a filter driver 210 . However, the monitoring of the core parking status and request for modification of the indirection table 230 is not limited to the filter driver 210 . In another embodiment these functions may be included in another part of the network driver stack.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating another embodiment of the network interface controller 108 and memory 110 shown in FIG. 1 .
As shown in FIG. 4 , instead of adding a filter driver 210 ( FIG. 2 ) to the network driver stack, the monitoring of core parking status is performed by the OS kernel 280 . The request to update the indirection table 230 is sent directly from the OS kernel 280 to the miniport driver 270 . Similar to the embodiment discussed for the filter driver 210 in conjunction with FIG. 2 , the OS kernel 280 generates an OID_GEN_RECEIVE_SCALE_PARAMETERS OID with the modified contents for the indirection table 230 as an input parameter as discussed in conjunction with the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 . This OID is sent directly to the device driver 270 which modifies the indirection table 230 accordingly based the received modified contents.
In an embodiment, an RSS alignment function is added to the OS core to adjust the RSS indirection table 230 .
An embodiment has been described for the Windows® Operating System. The monitoring of core parking status and modification of the contents of the indirection table 230 based on the monitored core parking status is not limited to the Windows® Operating System, the method may also be applied to other operating systems, for example, the Linux Operating System.
Alternative embodiments of the invention also include machine-accessible media containing instructions for performing the operations of the invention. Such embodiments may also be referred to as program products. Such machine-accessible media may include, without limitation, computer readable storage media having instructions (computer readable program code) stored thereon such as floppy disks, hard disks, Compact Disk-Read Only Memories (CD-ROM)s, Read Only Memory (ROM), and Random Access Memory (RAM), and other tangible arrangements of particles manufactured or formed by a machine or device. Instructions may also be used in a distributed environment, and may be stored locally and/or remotely for access by single or multi-processor machines.
While embodiments of the invention have been particularly shown and described with references to embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the scope of embodiments of the invention encompassed by the appended claims. | A method and apparatus for managing core affinity for network packet processing is provided. Low-power idle state of a plurality of processing units in a system including the plurality of processing units is monitored. Network packet processing is dynamically reassigned to processing units that are in a non-low power idle state to increase the low-power idle state residency for processing units that are in a low-power idle state resulting in reduced energy consumption. | 8 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to substrates comprising malodor reduction compositions and methods of making and using such substrates.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Unscented or scented products are desired by consumers as they may be considered more natural and discreet than scented products. Manufacturers of unscented or scented products for controlling malodors rely on malodor reduction ingredients or other technologies (e.g. filters) to reduce malodors. However, effectively controlling malodors, for example, amine-based malodors (e.g. fish and urine), thiol and sulfide-based malodors (e.g. garlic and onion), C 2 -C 12 carboxylic acid based malodors (e.g. body and pet odor), indole based malodors (e.g. fecal and bad breath), short chain fatty aldehyde based malodors (e.g. grease) and geosmin based malodors (e.g. mold/mildew) may be difficult, and the time required for a product to noticeably reduce malodors may create consumer doubt as to the product's efficacy on malodors. Often times, manufacturers incorporate scented perfumes to help mask these difficult malodors.
[0003] Unfortunately, malodor control technologies typically cover up the malodor with a stronger scent and thus interfere with the scent of the perfumed or unperfumed situs that is treated with the malodor control technology. Thus, limited nature of the current malodor control technologies is extremely constraining. Thus what is needed is a broader palette of malodor control technologies so the perfume community can deliver the desired level of character in a greater number of situations/applications. Surprisingly, Applicants recognized that in addition to blocking a malodor's access to a sensory cell, in order to achieve the desired goal, a malodor control technology must leave such sensor cell open to other molecules, for example scent molecules. As a result, such malodor reduction compositions do not unduely interfere with the scent of the perfumed or unperfumed substrates comprising such malodor reduction compositions and the perfumed or unperfumed situs that is treated with such substrates.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The present invention relates to substrates comprising malodor reduction compositions and methods of making and using such substrates. Such malodor reduction compositions do not unduely interfere with the scent of the perfumed or unperfumed substrates comprising such malodor reduction compositions and the perfumed or unperfumed situs that is treated with such substrates.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0005] As used herein “MORV” is the calculated malodor reduction value for a subject material. A material's MORV indicates such material's ability to decrease or even eliminate the perception of one or more malodors. For purposes of the present application, a material's MORV is calculated in accordance with method found in the test methods section of the present application.
[0006] As used herein, the term “perfume” does not include malodor reduction materials. Thus, the perfume portion of a composition does not include, when determining the perfume's composition, any malodor reduction materials found in the composition as such malodor reduction materials are described herein. In short, if a material has a malodor reduction value “MORV” that is within the range of the MORV recited in the subject claim, such material is a malodor reduction material for purposes of such claim.
[0007] As used herein, “malodor” refers to compounds generally offensive or unpleasant to most people, such as the complex odors associated with bowel movements.
[0008] As used herein, “odor blocking” refers to the ability of a compound to dull the human sense of smell.
[0009] As used herein, “odor masking” refers to the ability of a compound with a non-offensive or pleasant smell that is dosed such that it limits the ability to sense a malodorous compound. Odor-masking may involve the selection of compounds which coordinate with an anticipated malodor to change the perception of the overall scent provided by the combination of odorous compounds.
[0010] As used herein, the terms “a” and “an” mean “at least one”.
[0011] As used herein, the terms “include”, “includes” and “including” are meant to be non-limiting.
[0012] Unless otherwise noted, all component or composition levels are in reference to the active portion of that component or composition, and are exclusive of impurities, for example, residual solvents or by-products, which may be present in commercially available sources of such components or compositions.
[0013] All percentages and ratios are calculated by weight unless otherwise indicated. All percentages and ratios are calculated based on the total composition unless otherwise indicated.
[0014] It should be understood that every maximum numerical limitation given throughout this specification includes every lower numerical limitation, as if such lower numerical limitations were expressly written herein. Every minimum numerical limitation given throughout this specification will include every higher numerical limitation, as if such higher numerical limitations were expressly written herein. Every numerical range given throughout this specification will include every narrower numerical range that falls within such broader numerical range, as if such narrower numerical ranges were all expressly written herein.
Malodor Reduction Materials
[0015] A non-limiting set of suitable malodor reduction materials are provided in the tables below. For ease of use, each material in Tables 1-3 is assigned a numerical identifier which is found in the column for each table that is designated Number. Table 4 is a subset of Table 1, Table 5 is a subset of Table 2 and Table 6 is a subset of Table 3 and there for Tables 4, 5 and 6 each use the same numerical identifier as found, respectively, in Tables 1-3.
Codes
[0000]
A=Vapor Pressure>0.1 torr
B=Vapor Pressure is between 0.01 torr and 0.1 torr
C=Log P<3
D=Log P>3
E=Probability of Ingredient Color Instability=0%
F=Probability of Ingredient Color Instability<71%
G=Odor Detection Threshold less than p.ol=8
H=Odor Detection Threshold greater than p.ol=8
I=Melamine formaldehyde PMC Headspace Response Ratio greater than or equal to 10
J=Melamine formaldehyde PMC leakage less than or equal to 5%
K=Log of liquid dish neat product liquid-air partition coefficient greater than or equal to −7
L=Log of liquid dish neat product liquid-air partition coefficient greater than or equal to −5
[0000]
TABLE 1
List of materials with at least one MORV from 1 to 5
Num-
CAS
Comment
ber
Material Name
Number
Code
1
2-ethylhexyl (Z)-3-(4-
5466-77-3
DEFHJ
methoxyphenyl)acrylate
2
2,4-dimethyl-2-(5,5,8,8-tetramethyl-
131812-67-4
DFHJ
5,6,7,8-tetrahydronaphthalen-2-yl)-
1,3-dioxolane
3
1,1-dimethoxynon-2-yne
13257-44-8
ACEFHJK
4
para-Cymen-8-ol
1197-01-9
BCGIJK
7
3-methoxy-7,7-dimethyl-10-
216970-21-7
BDEFHJK
methylenebicyclo[4.3.1]decane
9
Methoxycyclododecane
2986-54-1
DEFHJK
10
1,1-dimethoxycyclododecane
950-33-4
DEFHJK
11
(Z)-tridec-2-enenitrile
22629-49-8
DEFHJK
13
Oxybenzone
131-57-7
DEFGJ
14
Oxyoctaline formate
65405-72-3
DFHJK
16
4-methyl-1-oxaspiro[5.5]undecan-4-
57094-40-3
CFGIJK
ol
17
7-methyl-2H-benzo[b][1,4]dioxepin-
28940-11-6
CGIK
3(4H)-one
18
1,8-dioxacycloheptadecan-9-one
1725-01-5
DGJ
21
4-(tert-pentyl)cyclohexan-1-one
16587-71-6
ADFGIJKL
22
o-Phenyl anisol
86-26-0
DEFHJK
23
3a,5,6,7,8,8b-hexahydro-
823178-41-2
DEFHJK
2,2,6,6,7,8,8-heptamethyl-4H-
indeno(4,5-d)-1,3-dioxole
25
7-isopropyl-8,8-dimethyl-6,10-
62406-73-9
BDEFHIJK
dioxaspiro[4.5]decane
28
Octyl 2-furoate
39251-88-2
DEFHJK
29
Octyl acetate
112-14-1
BDEFHJKL
30
octanal propylene glycol acetal
74094-61-4
BDEFHJKL
31
Octanal
124-13-0
ACHIKL
32
Octanal dimethyl acetal
10022-28-3
ACEFGJKL
33
Myrcene
123-35-3
ADEFGIKL
34
Myrcenol
543-39-5
BCEFGIJK
35
Myrcenyl acetate
1118-39-4
ADEFGJK
36
Myristaldehyde
124-25-4
DFHJK
37
Myristicine
607-91-0
CGJK
38
Myristyl nitrile
629-63-0
DEFHJK
39
2,2,6,8-tetramethyl-1,2,3,4,4a,5,8,8a-
103614-86-4
DEFHIJK
octahydronaphthalen-1-ol
42
Ocimenol
5986-38-9
BCHIJK
43
Ocimenol
28977-58-4
BCHIJK
47
Nopyl acetate
128-51-8
DEFHJK
48
Nootkatone
4674-50-4
DHJK
49
Nonyl alcohol
143-08-8
BDEFGIJKL
50
Nonaldehyde
124-19-6
ADHIKL
52
12-methyl-14-tetradec-9-enolide
223104-61-8
DFHJK
57
N-ethyl-p-menthane-3-carboxamide
39711-79-0
DEFGIJK
61
1-(3-methylbenzofuran-2-yl)ethan-1-
23911-56-0
CEFHIK
one
62
2-methoxynaphthalene
93-04-9
BDEFHK
63
Nerolidol
7212-44-4
DEFHJK
64
Nerol
106-25-2
BCHIK
65
1-ethyl-3-
31996-78-8
ACEFHIJKL
methoxytricyclo[2.2.1.02,6]heptane
67
Methyl (E)-non-2-enoate
111-79-5
ADEFHJKL
68
10-isopropyl-2,7-dimethyl-1-
89079-92-5
BDEFHIJK
oxaspiro[4.5]deca-3,6-diene
69
2-(2-(4-methylcyclohex-3-en-1-
95962-14-4
DHJK
yl)propyl)cyclopentan-1-one
70
Myrtenal
564-94-3
ACFHIJKL
71
(E)-4-(2,2,3,6-
54992-90-4
BDEFHIJK
tetramethylcyclohexyl)but-3-en-2-
one
74
Myraldyl acetate
53889-39-7
DHJK
75
Musk tibetine
145-39-1
DHIJ
76
1,7-dioxacycloheptadecan-8-one
3391-83-1
DGJ
77
Musk ketone
81-14-1
DHJ
78
Musk ambrette
83-66-9
DHIJ
79
3-methylcyclopentadecan-1-one
541-91-3
DEFHJK
80
(E)-3-methylcyclopentadec-4-en-1-
82356-51-2
DHJK
one
82
3-methyl-4-phenylbutan-2-ol
56836-93-2
BCEFHIK
83
1-(4-isopropylcyclohexyl)ethan-1-ol
63767-86-2
BDEFHIJK
85
Milk Lactone
72881-27-7
DEFHJK
91
Methyl octine carbonate
111-80-8
BDEFHKL
92
Methyl octyl acetaldehyde
19009-56-4
ADFHJKL
93
6,6-dimethoxy-2,5,5-trimethylhex-2-
67674-46-8
ACHIJKL
ene
98
Methyl phenylethyl carbinol
2344-70-9
BCEFHIK
100
Methyl stearate
112-61-8
DEFHJ
101
Methyl nonyl acetaldehyde dimethyl
68141-17-3
BDEFHJK
acetal
102
Methyl nonyl ketone
112-12-9
BDFHJKL
103
Methyl nonyl acetaldehyde
110-41-8
BDFHJK
104
Methyl myristate
124-10-7
DEFHJK
105
Methyl linoleate
112-63-0
DEFHJ
106
Methyl lavender ketone
67633-95-8
CFHJK
108
Methyl isoeugenol
93-16-3
ACEFHK
109
Methyl hexadecanoate
112-39-0
DEFHJK
110
Methyl eugenol
93-15-2
ACEFHK
112
Methyl epijasmonate
1211-29-6
CHJK
113
Methyl dihydrojasmonate
24851-98-7
DFHJK
114
Methyl diphenyl ether
3586-14-9
DEFHJK
117
Methyl cinnamate
103-26-4
BCEFHK
119
Methyl chavicol
140-67-0
ADEFHK
120
Methyl beta-naphthyl ketone
93-08-3
CEFHK
122
Methyl 2-octynoate
111-12-6
ACEFHKL
123
Methyl alpha-cyclogeranate
28043-10-9
ACHIJKL
126
Methoxycitronellal
3613-30-7
ACFGIJK
128
Menthone 1,2-glycerol ketal
67785-70-0
CEFHJ
(racemic)
130
Octahydro-1H-4,7-methanoindene-1-
30772-79-3
BCFHIJKL
carbaldehyde
134
3-(3-(tert-butyl)phenyl)-2-
62518-65-4
BDHJK
methylpropanal
135
(E)-4-(4,8-dimethylnona-3,7-dien-1-
38462-23-6
DEFHJK
yl)pyridine
137
(E)-trideca-3,12-dienenitrile
134769-33-8
DEFHJK
140
2,2-dimethyl-3-(m-tolyl)propan-1-ol
103694-68-4
CEFHIJK
141
2,4-dimethyl-4,4a,5,9b-
27606-09-3
CEFHJK
tetrahydroindeno[1,2-d][1,3]dioxine
142
Maceal
67845-30-1
BDFHJK
143
4-(4-hydroxy-4-
31906-04-4
CHJ
methylpentyl)cyclohex-3-ene-1-
carbaldehyde
145
l-Limonene
5989-54-8
ADEFGIJKL
146
(Z)-3-hexen-1-yl-2-cyclopenten-1-
53253-09-1
BDHK
one
148
Linalyl octanoate
10024-64-3
DEFHJ
149
Linalyl isobutyrate
78-35-3
BDHJK
152
Linalyl benzoate
126-64-7
DFHJ
153
Linalyl anthranilate
7149-26-0
DFHJ
155
Linalool oxide (furanoid)
60047-17-8
BCHIJK
156
linalool oxide
1365-19-1
CGIJK
158
(2Z,6E)-3,7-dimethylnona-2,6-
61792-11-8
BDEFHJK
dienenitrile
159
3-(4-methylcyclohex-3-en-1-
6784-13-0
ACFHIJK
yl)butanal
161
(2,5-dimethyl-1,3-dihydroinden-2-
285977-85-7
CEFHJK
yl)methanol
162
3-(4-(tert-butyl)phenyl)-2-
80-54-6
BDHJK
methylpropanal
167
(E)-1-(1-methoxypropoxy)hex-3-ene
97358-54-8
ACEFGJKL
168
Leaf acetal
88683-94-7
ACEFGJKL
170
l-Carveol
2102-58-1
BCHIJK
174
Lauryl alcohol
112-53-8
DEFGJK
175
Lauryl acetate
112-66-3
DEFHJK
176
Lauric acid
143-07-7
DEFHJ
177
Lactojasmone
7011-83-8
BDEFHIJKL
178
Lauraldehyde
112-54-9
BDFHJK
179
3,6-dimethylhexahydrobenzofuran-
92015-65-1
BCEFHIJKL
2(3H)-one
182
4-(1-ethoxyvinyl)-3,3,5,5-
36306-87-3
BDFHIJK
tetramethylcyclohexan-1-one
183
Khusimol
16223-63-5
CEFHJK
184
5-(sec-butyl)-2-(2,4-
117933-89-8
DEFHJ
dimethylcyclohex-3-en-1-yl)-5-
methyl-1,3-dioxane
185
(1-methyl-2-((1,2,2-
198404-98-7
DEFHJK
trimethylbicyclo[3.1.0]hexan-3-
yl)methyl)cyclopropyl)methanol
186
2-propylheptanenitrile
208041-98-9
ADEFHIJKL
187
(E)-6-(pent-3-en-1-yl)tetrahydro-2H-
32764-98-0
BCFHIKL
pyran-2-one
189
2-hexylcyclopentan-1-one
13074-65-2
BDFHJKL
190
2-methyl-4-phenyl-1,3-dioxolane
33941-99-0
BCEFGIK
192
2,6,9,10-tetramethyl-1-
71078-31-4
BDEFHIJK
oxaspiro(4.5)deca-3,6-diene
193
Isopulegol
89-79-2
BCEFHIJKL
195
Isopropyl palmitate
142-91-6
DEFHJ
196
Isopropyl myristate
110-27-0
DEFHJK
197
Isopropyl dodecanoate
10233-13-3
DEFHJK
199
Isopimpinellin
482-27-9
CFGJ
206
Iso3-methylcyclopentadecan-1-one
3100-36-5
DEFGJK
208
Isomenthone
491-07-6
ADEFGIJKL
209
Isojasmone
95-41-0
BDFHJKL
210
Isomenthone
36977-92-1
ADEFGIJKL
211
Isohexenyl cyclohexenyl
37677-14-8
DFHJK
carboxaldehyde
212
Isoeugenyl benzyl ether
120-11-6
DFHJ
215
1-((2S,3S)-2,3,8,8-tetramethyl-
54464-57-2
DHJK
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-octahydronaphthalen-
2-yl)ethan-1-one
218
Isocyclocitral
1335-66-6
ACFHIJKL
221
Isobutyl quinoline
65442-31-1
DEFHJK
227
Isobornylcyclohexanol
68877-29-2
DEFHJK
228
Isobornyl propionate
2756-56-1
BDEFHIJK
229
Isobornyl isobutyrate
85586-67-0
BDEFHIJK
230
Isobornyl cyclohexanol
66072-32-0
DEFHJK
231
Isobornyl acetate
125-12-2
ADEFHIJKL
233
Isobergamate
68683-20-5
DEFHJK
234
Isoamyl undecylenate
12262-03-2
DEFHJK
238
Isoamyl laurate
6309-51-9
DEFHJK
242
Isoambrettolide
28645-51-4
DGJ
243
Irisnitrile
29127-83-1
ADEFHKL
244
Indolene
68527-79-7
DEFHJ
246
Indol/Hydroxycitronellal Schiff base
67801-36-9
DEFHJ
247
4,4a,5,9b-tetrahydroindeno[1,2-
18096-62-3
BCEFGJK
d][1,3]dioxine
249
Hydroxy-citronellol
107-74-4
CEFGIJK
252
2-cyclododecylpropan-1-ol
118562-73-5
DEFHJK
253
Hydrocitronitrile
54089-83-7
CEFHJK
254
Hydrocinnamyl alcohol
122-97-4
BCEFHIK
256
Hydratropaldehyde dimethyl acetal
90-87-9
ACEFHJK
259
5-ethyl-4-hydroxy-2-methylfuran-
27538-09-6
CFGIK
3(2H)-one
260
2,3-dihydro-3,3-dimethyl-1H-indene-
173445-44-8
DHJK
5-propanal
261
3-(3,3-dimethyl-2,3-dihydro-1H-
173445-65-3
DHJK
inden-5-yl)propanal
263
Hexyl octanoate
1117-55-1
DEFHJK
267
Hexyl hexanoate
6378-65-0
DEFHJKL
269
Hexyl cinnamic aldehyde
101-86-0
DHJ
271
Hexyl benzoate
6789-88-4
DEFHJK
274
Hexenyl tiglate
84060-80-0
BDEFHJK
276
(E)-3,7-dimethylocta-2,6-dien-1-yl
3681-73-0
DEFHJ
palmitate
277
Hexadecanolide
109-29-5
DEFGJK
278
2-butyl-4,4,6-trimethyl-1,3-dioxane
54546-26-8
ADEFHIJKL
280
Ethyl (1R,2R,3R,4R)-3-
116126-82-0
BDEFHIJK
isopropylbicyclo[2.2.1]hept-5-ene-2-
carboxylate
281
3a,4,5,6,7,7a-hexahydro-1H-4,7-
5413-60-5
CEFGJK
methanoinden-6-yl acetate
285
2-(1-(3,3-
141773-73-1
DEFHJ
dimethylcyclohexyl)ethoxy)-2-
methylpropyl propionate
286
Heliotropine diethyl acetal
40527-42-2
CEFGJ
288
Helional
1205-17-0
CHJK
289
(E)-oxacyclohexadec-13-en-2-one
111879-80-2
DGJK
290
Gyrane
24237-00-1
ADEFHIJKL
292
Guaiol
489-86-1
DEFHJK
293
1-(2,6,6-trimethylcyclohex-2-en-1-
68611-23-4
DHJK
yl)pentan-3-one
294
Ethyl 2-ethyl-6,6-dimethylcyclohex-
57934-97-1
BDEFHIJK
2-ene-1-carboxylate
295
Germacrene B
15423-57-1
DEFHJK
296
Germacrene D
23986-74-5
DEFHJK
300
Geranyl phenylacetate
102-22-7
DFHJ
301
Geranyl phenyl acetate
71648-43-6
DFHJ
303
Geranyl linalool
1113-21-9
DFHJ
307
Geranyl cyclopentanone
68133-79-9
DHJK
316
gamma-Undecalactone (racemic)
104-67-6
DEFHJKL
317
gamma-Terpinyl acetate
10235-63-9
BDHJK
318
gamma-Terpineol
586-81-2
BCGIJK
321
gamma-Nonalactone
104-61-0
BCEFHIKL
322
gamma-Muurolene
30021-74-0
DEFHJKL
323
gamma-(E)-6-(pent-3-en-1-
63095-33-0
BCEFHKL
yl)tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-one
324
gamma-Ionone
79-76-5
BDEFHIJK
325
gamma-Himachalene
53111-25-4
BDEFHJKL
328
gamma-Gurjunene
22567-17-5
DEFHJKL
329
gamma-Eudesmol
1209-71-8
DFHJK
330
gamma-Dodecalactone
2305-05-7
DEFHJK
331
gamma-Damascone
35087-49-1
BDEFHIJK
332
gamma-Decalactone
706-14-9
BDEFHIJKL
333
gamma-Cadinene
39029-41-9
DEFHJKL
334
1-(3,3-dimethylcyclohexyl)pent-4-
56973-87-6
BDEFHJK
en-1-one
335
4,6,6,7,8,8-hexamethyl-1,3,4,6,7,8-
1222-05-5
DEFHJK
hexahydrocyclopenta[g]isochromene
336
Furfuryl octanoate
39252-03-4
DEFHJK
338
Furfuryl hexanoate
39252-02-3
CEFHJK
339
Furfuryl heptanoate
39481-28-2
CEFHJK
342
2-methyldecanenitrile
69300-15-8
BDEFHJKL
343
8,8-dimethyl-3a,4,5,6,7,7a-
76842-49-4
DEFHJK
hexahydro-1H-4,7-methanoinden-6-
yl propionate
344
Ethyl (3aR,4S,7R,7aR)-octahydro-
80657-64-3
DEFHIJK
3aH-4,7-methanoindene-3a-
carboxylate
347
Diethyl cyclohexane-1,4-
72903-27-6
CEFHJK
dicarboxylate
349
(6-isopropyl-9-methyl-1,4-
63187-91-7
CEFHJ
dioxaspiro[4.5]decan-2-yl)methanol
350
2-isobutyl-4-methyltetrahydro-2H-
63500-71-0
BCEFHIJK
pyran-4-ol
352
Undec-10-enenitrile
53179-04-7
BDEFHJK
353
(Z)-6-ethylideneoctahydro-2H-5,8-
69486-14-2
CEFGJK
methanochromen-2-one
356
3-(2-ethylphenyl)-2,2-
67634-15-5
BDHJK
dimethylpropanal
358
(E)-4,8-dimethyldeca-4,9-dienal
71077-31-1
BDFHJK
359
(E)-4-((3aR,4R,7R,7aR)-
501929-47-1
DEFHJK
1,3a,4,6,7,7a-hexahydro-5H-4,7-
methanoinden-5-ylidene)-3-
methylbutan-2-ol
360
8,8-dimethyl-3a,4,5,6,7,7a-
171102-41-3
DEFHJK
hexahydro-1H-4,7-methanoinden-6-
yl acetate
361
3-(4-ethylphenyl)-2,2-
134123-93-6
DEFHJK
dimethylpropanenitrile
362
2-heptylcyclopentan-1-one
137-03-1
DFHJKL
363
1-ethoxyethoxy Cyclododecane
389083-83-4
DEFHJK
364
3-cyclohexene-1-carboxylic acid,
815580-59-7
ACHIJKL
2,6,6-trimethyl-, methyl ester
368
Farnesyl acetate
29548-30-9
DEFHJK
369
Farnesol
4602-84-0
DEFHJK
370
Oxacyclohexadecan-2-one
106-02-5
DEFGJK
371
1-cyclopentadec-4-en-1-one
14595-54-1
DEFGJK
372
1-cyclopentadec-4-en-1-one
35720-57-1
DEFGJK
373
2-methoxy-4-(4-
128489-04-3
CGJ
methylenetetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-
yl)phenol
374
Eugenyl acetate
93-28-7
CFHJK
375
Eugenol
97-53-0
CHIK
377
Ethylmethylphenylglycidate
77-83-8
CFHJK
378
Ethylene brassylate
105-95-3
DFGJ
381
Ethyl undecylenate
692-86-4
DEFHJK
385
Ethyl palmitate
628-97-7
DEFHJ
386
Ethyl nonanoate
123-29-5
BDEFHJKL
388
Ethyl myristate
124-06-1
DEFHJK
390
Ethyl linalool
10339-55-6
BCEFHJK
391
Ethyl laurate
106-33-2
DEFHJK
394
Ethyl hexyl ketone
925-78-0
ADFHIKL
397
Ethyl decanoate
110-38-3
BDEFHJK
398
Ethyl gamma-Safranate
35044-57-6
ADHIJK
407
Ethyl 3-phenylglycidate
121-39-1
CGJK
413
6-ethyl-2,10,10-trimethyl-1-
79893-63-3
BDEFHIJK
oxaspiro[4.5]deca-3,6-diene
414
Elemol
639-99-6
DEFHJK
415
(2-(1-ethoxyethoxy)ethyl)benzene
2556-10-7
BCEFHJK
416
(E)-3-methyl-5-(2,2,3-
67801-20-1
DHJK
trimethylcyclopent-3-en-1-yl)pent-4-
en-2-ol
417
d-xylose
58-86-6
CGIJ
418
(E)-4-((3aS,7aS)-octahydro-5H-4,7-
30168-23-1
DFHJK
methanoinden-5-ylidene)butanal
421
Dodecanal dimethyl acetal
14620-52-1
DEFHJK
424
d-Limonene
5989-27-5
ADEFGIJKL
425
Dipropylene Glycol
25265-71-8
CEFGIK
426
Dispirone
83863-64-3
BDEFHJK
428
Diphenyloxide
101-84-8
BDEFHK
429
Diphenylmethane
101-81-5
DEFGK
432
Dimethyl benzyl carbinyl butyrate
10094-34-5
DEFHJK
436
2,6-dimethyloct-7-en-4-one
1879-00-1
ADEFHIJKL
441
Octahydro-1H-4,7-methanoinden-5-
64001-15-6
DEFHJKL
yl acetate
444
Dihydrocarveol acetate
20777-49-5
BDEFHIJK
445
Dihydrocarveol
619-01-2
BCEFHIJKL
449
Dihydro Linalool
18479-51-1
BCEFGIJKL
450
Dihydro Isojasmonate
37172-53-5
DHJK
453
Dibutyl sulfide
544-40-1
ADEFHIKL
457
Dibenzyl
103-29-7
DEFGJK
459
delta-Undecalactone
710-04-3
DEFHJKL
461
delta-Elemene
20307-84-0
BDEFHJK
462
delta-Guaiene
3691-11-0
DEFHJKL
463
delta-Dodecalactone
713-95-1
DEFHJK
464
delta-Decalactone
705-86-2
BDEFHIJKL
465
delta-Cadinene
483-76-1
DEFHJKL
466
delta-damascone
57378-68-4
ADHIJK
467
delta-Amorphene
189165-79-5
DEFHJKL
468
delta-3-Carene
13466-78-9
ADEFGIJKL
470
Decylenic alcohol
13019-22-2
BDEFHJK
471
Decyl propionate
5454-19-3
DEFHJK
473
Decanal diethyl acetal
34764-02-8
DEFHJK
474
Decahydro-beta-naphthol
825-51-4
BCEFGIK
475
1-cyclohexylethyl (E)-but-2-enoate
68039-69-0
BDFHJK
478
3-(4-isopropylphenyl)-2-
103-95-7
BDFHJK
methylpropanal
479
Cyclotetradecane
295-17-0
DEFGJKL
480
Cyclopentadecanone
502-72-7
DEFGJK
482
Cyclohexyl salicylate
25485-88-5
DFGJ
484
3a,4,5,6,7,7a-hexahydro-1H-4,7-
113889-23-9
DEFHJK
methanoinden-6-yl butyrate
485
Cyclic ethylene dodecanedioate
54982-83-1
DFGJ
486
8,8-dimethyl-1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-
68991-97-9
DHJK
octahydronaphthalene-2-
carbaldehyde
487
3a,4,5,6,7,7a-hexahydro-1H-4,7-
67634-20-2
DEFHJK
methanoinden-5-yl isobutyrate
488
Curzerene
17910-09-7
DHJK
491
Cumic alcohol
536-60-7
CHIJK
493
Coumarone
1646-26-0
BCEFHIK
497
2-(3-phenylpropyl)pyridine
2110-18-1
CEFHJK
498
Dodecanenitrile
2437-25-4
DEFHJK
501
(E)-cycloheptadec-9-en-1-one
542-46-1
DEFGJ
502
Citryl acetate
6819-19-8
DFHJK
503
Citrus Propanol
15760-18-6
CEFHIJK
505
Citronitrile
93893-89-1
CEFHJK
519
Citral propylene glycol acetal
10444-50-5
CEFHJK
520
Citral dimethyl acetal
7549-37-3
BCEFHJK
521
Citral diethyl acetal
7492-66-2
BDEFHJK
524
cis-Ocimene
3338-55-4
ADGIKL
527
cis-Limonene oxide
13837-75-7
ADEFGIJKL
529
Cis-iso-ambrettolide
36508-31-3
DGJ
530
cis-6-nonenol
35854-86-5
BCEFHIKL
531
cis-carveol
1197-06-4
BCHIJK
532
cis-4-Decen-1-al
21662-09-9
ADHKL
534
cis-3-hexenyl-cis-3-hexenoate
61444-38-0
BDEFHJK
537
cis-3-Hexenyl salicylate
65405-77-8
DEFGJ
541
Cis-3-hexenyl Benzoate
25152-85-6
DEFHJK
544
cis-3-Hexenyl 2-methylbutyrate
53398-85-9
ADEFHJKL
546
cis-3, cis-6-nonadienol
53046-97-2
ACEFHK
548
Cinnamyl propionate
103-56-0
DEFHJK
550
Cinnamyl isobutyrate
103-59-3
DEFHJK
551
Cinnamyl formate
104-65-4
BCEFHK
552
Cinnamyl cinnamate
122-69-0
DHJ
553
Cinnamyl acetate
103-54-8
BCEFHK
555
Cinnamic alcohol
104-54-1
BCEFHIK
558
Cetyl alcohol
36653-82-4
DEFHJ
559
(E)-1-(2,6,6-trimethylcyclohex-2-en-
79-78-7
DHJK
1-yl)hepta-1,6-dien-3-one
560
2-methyl-4-(2,6,6-trimethylcyclohex-
65405-84-7
DFHJK
1-en-1-yl)butanal
561
(3aR,5aR,9aR,9bR)-3a,6,6,9a-
3738-00-9
DEFHJK
tetramethyldodecahydronaphtho[2,1-
b]furan
562
1,6-dioxacycloheptadecan-7-one
6707-60-4
DGJ
563
1-(6-(tert-butyl)-1,1-dimethyl-2,3-
13171-00-1
DEFHJK
dihydro-1H-inden-4-yl)ethan-1-one
565
Cedryl methyl ether
19870-74-7
ADEFHJK
566
Cedryl formate
39900-38-4
BDEFHJK
567
Cedryl acetate
77-54-3
DEFHJK
568
(4Z,8Z)-1,5,9-trimethyl-13-
71735-79-0
DFHJK
oxabicyclo[10.1.0]trideca-4,8-diene
569
Cedrol
77-53-2
DEFHJK
570
5-methyl-1-(2,2,3-
139539-66-5
DEFHJK
trimethylcyclopent-3-en-1-yl)-6-
oxabicyclo[3.2.1]octane
571
5-methyl-1-(2,2,3-
426218-78-2
DFHJ
trimethylcyclopent-3-en-1-yl)-6-
oxabicyclo[3.2.1]octane
572
1,1,2,3,3-pentamethyl-1,2,3,5,6,7-
33704-61-9
BDEFHIJK
hexahydro-4H-inden-4-one
573
Caryophyllene alcohol acetate
32214-91-8
DEFHJK
574
Caryolan-1-ol
472-97-9
DEFHJK
577
Carvyl acetate
97-42-7
BDHIJK
578
Caprylnitrile
124-12-9
ACEFGIKL
580
Caprylic alcohol
111-87-5
ACEFGIKL
581
Caprylic acid
124-07-2
BCEFHIK
582
Capric acid
334-48-5
DEFHJK
584
Capraldehyde
112-31-2
ADHKL
586
3-(4-methoxyphenyl)-2-
5462-06-6
BCHJK
methylpropanal
587
Camphorquinone
10373-78-1
ACEFGIJK
589
Camphene
79-92-5
ADEFGIJKL
591
Ethyl 2-methyl-4-oxo-6-
59151-19-8
DHJ
pentylcyclohex-2-ene-1-carboxylate
592
Butylated hydroxytoluene
128-37-0
DEFGIJK
594
Butyl stearate
123-95-5
DEFHJ
595
Butyl butyryl lactate
7492-70-8
CEFGJK
599
Butyl 10-undecenoate
109-42-2
DEFHJK
600
2-methyl-4-(2,2,3-
72089-08-8
DEFHJK
trimethylcyclopent-3-en-1-yl)butan-
1-ol
601
3-(4-(tert-butyl)phenyl)propanal
18127-01-0
BDHJK
603
Bornyl isobutyrate
24717-86-0
BDEFHIJK
604
Bornyl acetate
76-49-3
ADEFHIJKL
606
2-ethoxy-2,6,6-trimethyl-9-
68845-00-1
BDEFHJK
methylenebicyclo[3.3.1]nonane
607
(ethoxymethoxy)cyclododecane
58567-11-6
DEFHJK
608
Bisabolene
495-62-5
DEFHJK
609
Bigarade oxide
72429-08-4
ADEFHJKL
610
beta-Vetivone
18444-79-6
DHJK
611
beta-Terpinyl acetate
10198-23-9
BDHJK
612
beta-Terpineol
138-87-4
BCGIJK
613
beta-Sinensal
60066-88-8
DHJK
614
beta-Sesquiphellandrene
20307-83-9
DEFHJK
615
beta-Selinene
17066-67-0
BDEFGJK
616
beta-Santalol
77-42-9
DEFHJK
618
beta-Pinene
127-91-3
ADEFGIJKL
620
beta-Naphthyl ethyl ether
93-18-5
BDEFHJK
621
beta-Patchoulline
514-51-2
BDEFGJKL
624
beta-Himachalene Oxide
57819-73-5
BDFHJK
625
beta-Himachalene
1461-03-6
DEFHJKL
626
beta-Guaiene
88-84-6
DEFHJKL
627
(2,2-dimethoxyethyl)benzene
101-48-4
DHJK
628
beta-Farnesene
18794-84-8
DEFHJK
631
beta-Copaene
18252-44-3
BDEFHJKL
632
beta-Cedrene
546-28-1
BDEFGJKL
633
beta-Caryophyllene
87-44-5
DEFHJKL
635
beta-Bisabolol
15352-77-9
DFHJK
636
Beta ionone epoxide
23267-57-4
BDEFHIJK
638
Bergaptene
484-20-8
CGJ
639
Benzyl-tert-butanol
103-05-9
CEFGJK
644
Benzyl laurate
140-25-0
DEFHJ
649
Benzyl dimethyl carbinol
100-86-7
BCEFGIK
650
Benzyl cinnamate
103-41-3
DHJ
653
Benzyl benzoate
120-51-4
DHJ
655
Benzophenone
119-61-9
DEFHK
658
7-isopentyl-2H-
362467-67-2
DHJ
benzo[b][1,4]dioxepin-3(4H)-one
659
2′-isopropyl-1,7,7-
188199-50-0
DEFHJK
trimethylspiro[bicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-
2,4′-[1,3]dioxane]
660
4-(4-methylpent-3-en-1-yl)cyclohex-
21690-43-7
DEFHJK
3-ene-1-carbonitrile
661
Aurantiol
89-43-0
DEFHJ
663
Anisyl phenylacetate
102-17-0
DFHJ
668
Methyl (E)-octa-4,7-dienoate
189440-77-5
ACEFHKL
671
Amyl Cinnamate
3487-99-8
DEFHJK
673
(3aR,5aS,9aS,9bR)-3a,6,6,9a-
6790-58-5
DEFHJK
tetramethyldodecahydronaphtho[2,1-
b]furan
674
(4aR,5R,7aS,9R)-2,2,5,8,8,9a-
211299-54-6
DEFHJK
hexamethyloctahydro-4H-4a,9-
methanoazuleno[5,6-d][1,3]dioxole
675
2,5,5-trimethyl-1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-
71832-76-3
DEFHJK
octahydronaphthalen-2-ol
676
2,5,5-trimethyl-1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-
41199-19-3
DEFHJK
octahydronaphthalen-2-ol
677
1-((2-(tert-
139504-68-0
DEFHJK
butyl)cyclohexyl)oxy)butan-2-ol
678
(3S,5aR,7aS,11aS,11bR)-3,8,8,11a-
57345-19-4
DEFHJ
tetramethyldodecahydro-5H-3,5a-
epoxynaphtho[2,1-c]oxepine
679
2,2,6,6,7,8,8-heptamethyldecahydro-
476332-65-7
ADEFHJK
2H-indeno[4,5-b]furan
680
2,2,6,6,7,8,8-heptamethyldecahydro-
647828-16-8
ADEFHJK
2H-indeno[4,5-b]furan
681
Amber acetate
37172-02-4
BDEFHJK
682
Alpinofix ®
811436-82-5
DEFHJ
683
alpha-Thujone
546-80-5
ADEFGIJKL
684
alpha-Vetivone
15764-04-2
DHJK
686
alpha-Terpinyl propionate
80-27-3
BDEFHJK
691
alpha-Sinensal
17909-77-2
DHJK
692
alpha-Selinene
473-13-2
BDEFHJK
693
alpha-Santalene
512-61-8
ADEFHJKL
694
alpha-Santalol
115-71-9
DEFHJK
696
alpha-Patchoulene
560-32-7
ADEFHJKL
697
alpha-neobutenone
56973-85-4
BDHJK
698
alpha-Muurolene
10208-80-7
DEFHJKL
700
alpha-methyl ionone
127-42-4
BDHJK
702
alpha-Limonene
138-86-3
ADEFGIJKL
704
alpha-Irone
79-69-6
BDHJK
706
alpha-Humulene
6753-98-6
DEFHJK
707
alpha-Himachalene
186538-22-7
BDEFHJK
708
alpha-Gurjunene
489-40-7
BDEFHJKL
709
alpha-Guaiene
3691-12-1
DEFHJKL
710
alpha-Farnesene
502-61-4
DEFHJK
711
alpha-Fenchene
471-84-1
ADEFGIJKL
712
alpha-Eudesmol
473-16-5
DEFHJK
713
alpha-Curcumene
4176-17-4
DEFHJK
714
alpha-Cubebene
17699-14-8
ADEFHJKL
715
alpha-Cedrene epoxide
13567-39-0
ADEFHJK
716
alpha-Cadinol
481-34-5
DEFHJK
717
alpha-Cadinene
24406-05-1
DEFHJKL
718
alpha-Bisabolol
515-69-5
DFHJK
719
alpha-bisabolene
17627-44-0
DEFHJK
720
alpha-Bergamotene
17699-05-7
BDEFHJKL
721
alpha-Amylcinnamyl alcohol
101-85-9
DEFHJ
722
alpha-Amylcinnamyl acetate
7493-78-9
DEFHJ
723
alpha-Amylcinnamaldehyde diethyl
60763-41-9
DEFHJ
acetal
724
alpha-Amylcinnamaldehyde
122-40-7
DHJK
725
alpha-Amorphene
23515-88-0
DEFHJKL
726
alpha-Agarofuran
5956-12-7
BDEFHJK
727
1-methyl-4-(4-methyl-3-penten-1-
52475-86-2
DFHJK
yl)-3-Cyclohexene-1-carboxaldehyde
730
1-Phenyl-2-pentanol
705-73-7
CEFHK
731
1-Phenyl-3-methyl-3-pentanol
10415-87-9
CEFHJK
733
2,3,4-trimethoxy-benzaldehyde
2103-57-3
BCGI
735
2,4,5-trimethoxy-benzaldehyde
4460-86-0
BCG
736
2,4,6-trimethoxybenzaldehyde
830-79-5
BCGI
738
2,4-Nonadienal
6750-03-4
ACHKL
741
2,6,10-Trimethylundecanal
105-88-4
BDFGJK
742
alpha,4-Dimethyl benzenepropanal
41496-43-9
ACHJK
746
Allyl cyclohexyl propionate
2705-87-5
BDEFHJK
748
Allyl amyl glycolate
67634-00-8
BCEFGJK
750
Allo-aromadendrene
25246-27-9
BDEFHJKL
752
Aldehyde C-11
143-14-6
ADHJK
754
Methyl (E)-2-(((3,5-
94022-83-0
DEFHJ
dimethylcyclohex-3-en-1-
yl)methylene)amino)benzoate
757
2,6,10-trimethylundec-9-enal
141-13-9
BDFHJK
758
Acetoxymethyl-isolongifolene
59056-62-1
BDEFHJK
(isomers)
763
Acetate C9
143-13-5
BDEFHJKL
764
Acetarolle ®
744266-61-3
DFHJK
766
Acetaldehyde phenylethyl propyl
7493-57-4
CEFHJK
acetal
767
Acetaldehyde dipropyl acetal
105-82-8
ACEFGIKL
768
Acetaldehyde benzyl 2-methoxyethyl
7492-39-9
BCEFHJK
acetal
769
(Z)-2-(4-methylbenzylidene)heptanal
84697-09-6
DHJ
770
9-decenal
39770-05-3
ADHKL
771
8-Hexadecenolide
123-69-3
DGJ
772
7-Methoxycoumarin
531-59-9
CHK
774
7-epi-alpha-Selinene
123123-37-5
BDEFHJK
775
7-eip-alpha-Eudesmol
123123-38-6
DEFHJK
776
7-Acetyl-1,1,3,4,4,6-
1506-02-1
DEFHJ
hexamethyltetralin
778
6-Isopropylquinoline
135-79-5
CEFHJK
781
6,6-dimethyl-2-norpinene-2-
33885-51-7
BCFHJK
propionaldehyde
782
6,10,14-trimethyl-2-Pentadecanone
502-69-2
DEFHJK
786
5-Isopropenyl-2-methyl-2-
13679-86-2
ACGIJKL
vinyltetrahydrofuran
788
5-Cyclohexadecenone
37609-25-9
DEFGJK
791
4-Terpinenol
562-74-3
BCHIJK
792
4-Pentenophenone
3240-29-7
BCEFHIK
800
4-Carvomenthenol
28219-82-1
BCHIJK
802
4,5,6,7-Tetrahydro-3,6-
494-90-6
BCEFHIJKL
dimethylbenzofuran
803
4-(p-Methoxyphenyl)-2-butanone
104-20-1
BCEFHJK
804
3-Thujopsanone
25966-79-4
BDEFHJK
805
3-Propylidenephthalide
17369-59-4
CEFHK
806
3-Nonylacrolein
20407-84-5
BDFHJK
807
3-Methyl-5-phenyl-1-pentanal
55066-49-4
BDFHJK
814
3-Hexenyl isovalerate
10032-11-8
ADEFHJKL
821
3,6-Dimethyl-3-octanyl acetate
60763-42-0
ADEFHIJKL
824
3,4,5-trimethoxybenzaldehyde
86-81-7
BCGIK
826
3-(p-
7775-00-0
BDFHJK
Isopropylphenyl)propionaldehyde
827
2-Undecenenitrile
22629-48-7
BDEFHJK
828
2-Undecenal
2463-77-6
ADHJK
829
2-trans-6-trans-Nonadienal
17587-33-6
ACHKL
831
2-Phenylethyl butyrate
103-52-6
DEFHJK
833
2-Phenyl-3-(2-furyl)prop-2-enal
57568-60-2
CHJ
834
2-Phenoxyethanol
122-99-6
BCEFGIK
837
2-Nonen-1-al
2463-53-8
ADHKL
839
2-Nonanol
628-99-9
BDEFGIKL
840
2-Nonanone
821-55-6
ADFHIKL
849
2-Isobutyl quinoline
93-19-6
CEFHJK
850
2-Hexylidene cyclopentanone
17373-89-6
DFHJKL
852
2-Heptyl tetrahydrofuran
2435-16-7
BDEFHJKL
856
2-Decenal
3913-71-1
ADHKL
864
2,6-Nonadienal
26370-28-5
ACHKL
865
2,6-Nonadien-1-ol
7786-44-9
ACEFHK
866
2,6-dimethyl-octanal
7779-07-9
ADFGIJKL
868
1-Decanol
112-30-1
BDEFGJK
869
1-Hepten-1-ol, 1-acetate
35468-97-4
ACEFHKL
870
10-Undecen-1-ol
112-43-6
DEFHJK
871
10-Undecenal
112-45-8
ADHJK
872
10-epi-gamma-Eudesmol
15051-81-7
DFHJK
873
1,8-Thiocineol
68391-28-6
ADEFHIJKL
876
1,3,5-undecatriene
16356-11-9
ADEFHJKL
877
1,2-Dihydrolinalool
2270-57-7
BCEFGIJKL
878
1,3,3-trimethyl-2-norbornanyl
13851-11-1
ADEFHIJKL
acetate
879
1,1,2,3,3-Pentamethylindan
1203-17-4
ADHIJKL
881
(Z)-6,10-dimethylundeca-5,9-dien-2-
3239-37-0
DEFHJK
yl acetate
884
(Z)-3-Dodecenal
68141-15-1
BCFHJK
885
(S)-gamma-Undecalactone
74568-05-1
DEFHJKL
886
(R)-gamma-Undecalactone
74568-06-2
DEFHJKL
890
(E)-6,10-dimethylundeca-5,9-dien-2-
3239-35-8
DEFHJK
yl acetate
892
(2Z)-3-methyl-5-phenyl-2-
53243-59-7
DEFHJK
Pentenenitrile
893
(2S,5S,6S)-2,6,10,10-tetramethyl-1-
65620-50-0
DFHIJK
oxaspiro[4_5]decan-6-ol
894
(2E)-3-methyl-5-phenyl-2-
53243-60-0
CEFHJK
pentenenitrile
897
(+)-Dihydrocarveol
22567-21-1
BCEFHIJKL
905
Menthone
89-80-5
ADEFGIJKL
908
(R,E)-2-methyl-4-(2,2,3-
185068-69-3
CHJK
trimethylcyclopent-3-en-1-yl)but-2-
en-1-ol
912
2-(8-isopropyl-6-
68901-32-6
DEFHJK
methylbicyclo[2.2.2]oct-5-en-2-yl)-
1,3-dioxolane
913
gamma-methyl ionone
7388-22-9
BDHIJK
914
3-(3-isopropylphenyl)butanal
125109-85-5
BDHJK
916
3-(1-ethoxyethoxy)-3,7-
40910-49-4
BDEFHJK
dimethylocta-1,6-diene
919
3a,4,5,6,7,7a-hexahydro-1H-4,7-
17511-60-3
CEFHJK
methanoinden-6-yl propionate
920
Bulnesol
22451-73-6
DEFHJK
922
Benzyl phenylacetate
102-16-9
DHJ
923
Benzoin
119-53-9
CEFHJ
924
(E)-1,2,4-trimethoxy-5-(prop-1-en-1-
2883-98-9
BCFGJK
yl)benzene
925
alpha,alpha,6,6-tetramethyl
33885-52-8
BDFHJK
bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-2-ene-propanal
926
7-epi-sesquithujene
159407-35-9
DEFHJKL
927
5-Acetyl-1,1,2,3,3,6-
15323-35-0
DEFHJK
hexamethylindan
928
3-Methylphenethyl alcohol
1875-89-4
BCEFHIK
929
3,6-Nonadien-1-ol
76649-25-7
ACEFHK
930
2-Tridecenal
7774-82-5
BDFHJK
933
Patchouli alcohol
5986-55-0
DEFHIJK
937
p-Cresyl isobutyrate
103-93-5
BDHJK
939
p-Cresyl n-hexanoate
68141-11-7
DEFHJK
941
5-hexyl-4-methyldihydrofuran-
67663-01-8
BDEFHIJKL
2(3H)-one
942
Ethyl (2Z,4E)-deca-2,4-dienoate
3025-30-7
BDEFHJK
943
Pelargene
68039-40-7
DEFHJK
945
2-cyclohexylidene-2-
10461-98-0
DFHJK
phenylacetonitrile
946
Perillaldehyde
2111-75-3
ACHIJK
947
Perillyl acetate
15111-96-3
DFHJK
948
Perillyl alcohol
536-59-4
CHIJK
950
(2-isopropoxyethyl)benzene
68039-47-4
ACEFHJKL
951
Ethyl (2Z,4E)-deca-2,4-dienoate
313973-37-4
BDEFHJK
953
(2-(cyclohexyloxy)ethyl)benzene
80858-47-5
DEFHJK
954
Phenethyl 2-methylbutyrate
24817-51-4
DEFHJK
955
Phenethyl alcohol
60-12-8
BCEFGIK
959
Phenethyl phenylacetate
102-20-5
DHJ
962
Phenoxanol
55066-48-3
DEFHJK
965
Phenyl benzoate
93-99-2
DFHJK
967
Phenyl ethyl benzoate
94-47-3
DHJ
969
Phenylacetaldehyde ethyleneglycol
101-49-5
BCEFGIK
acetal
973
2-(6,6-dimethylbicyclo[3.1.1]hept-2-
30897-75-7
ACFHIJKL
en-2-yl)acetaldehyde
974
Pinocarveol
5947-36-4
BCEFGIJKL
976
Piperonyl acetone
55418-52-5
CEFGJ
978
3a,4,5,6,7,7a-hexahydro-1H-4,7-
68039-44-1
DEFHJK
methanoinden-6-yl pivalate
980
(4aR,8aS)-7-methyloctahydro-1,4-
41724-19-0
CEFGJKL
methanonaphthalen-6(2H)-one
982
p-Menth-3-en-1-ol
586-82-3
BCGIJK
985
(E)-3,3-dimethyl-5-(2,2,3-
107898-54-4
DHJK
trimethylcyclopent-3-en-1-yl)pent-4-
en-2-ol
988
1-methyl-4-(4-methylpent-3-en-1-
52474-60-9
DFHJK
yl)cyclohex-3-ene-1-carbaldehyde
993
Propylene glycol
57-55-6
ACEFGIKL
998
p-Tolyl phenylacetate
101-94-0
DFHJ
1000
Ethyl 2,4,7-decatrienoate
78417-28-4
BDEFHJK
1003
2-benzyl-4,4,6-trimethyl-1,3-dioxane
67633-94-7
DEFHJK
1006
2,4-dimethyl-4-
82461-14-1
BDEFHJK
phenyltetrahydrofuran
1007
(2R,4a′R,8a′R)-3,7′-dimethyl-
41816-03-9
DEFHJK
3′,4′,4a′,5′,8′,8a′-hexahydro-1′H-
spiro[oxirane-2,2′-
[1,4]methanonaphthalene]
1008
(Z)-6-ethylideneoctahydro-2H-5,8-
93939-86-7
BCEFHJKL
methanochromene
1009
2-((S)-1-((S)-3,3-
236391-76-7
DFHJ
dimethylcyclohexyl)ethoxy)-2-
oxoethyl propionate
1010
Methyl 2,2-dimethyl-6-
81752-87-6
ADHIJKL
methylenecyclohexane-1-carboxylate
1012
2-methyl-5-phenylpentan-1-ol
25634-93-9
DEFHJK
1016
4-methyl-2-phenyl-3,6-dihydro-2H-
60335-71-9
BCEFGJK
pyran
1020
Sabinol
471-16-9
BCEFHIJKL
1021
Safrole
94-59-7
BCEFHK
1022
2,2,7,9-tetramethylspiro(5.5)undec-
502847-01-0
DHIJK
8-en-1-one
1023
3-methyl-5-(2,2,3-
65113-99-7
DEFHJK
trimethylcyclopent-3-en-1-yl)pentan-
2-ol
1024
(Z)-2-ethyl-4-(2,2,3-
28219-61-6
DEFHJK
trimethylcyclopent-3-en-1-yl)but-2-
en-1-ol
1025
(E)-2-methyl-4-(2,2,3-
28219-60-5
CHJK
trimethylcyclopent-3-en-1-yl)but-2-
en-1-ol
1026
5-methoxyoctahydro-1H-4,7-
86803-90-9
CHJK
methanoindene-2-carbaldehyde
1027
5-methoxyoctahydro-1H-4,7-
193425-86-4
CHJK
methanoindene-2-carbaldehyde
1028
Sclareol
515-03-7
DEFHJ
1029
Sclareol oxide
5153-92-4
DEFHJK
1031
Selina-3,7(11)-diene
6813-21-4
DEFHJKL
1032
2-(1-(3,3-
477218-42-1
DEFHJ
dimethylcyclohexyl)ethoxy)-2-
methylpropyl
cyclopropanecarboxylate
1033
3-(4-isobutylphenyl)-2-
6658-48-6
DHJK
methylpropanal
1035
Spathulenol
6750-60-3
DEFHJK
1036
Spirambrene
533925-08-5
BCEFHJK
1037
Spirodecane
6413-26-9
BCEFGIJKL
1038
1-(spiro[4.5]dec-7-en-7-yl)pent-4-en-
224031-70-3
DGJK
1-one
1042
2-(4-methylthiazol-5-yl)ethan-1-ol
137-00-8
CGIKL
1043
2-(heptan-3-yl)-1,3-dioxolane
4359-47-1
ACEFHIJKL
1045
(Z)-dodec-4-enal
21944-98-9
BDFHJK
1046
tau-Cadinol
5937-11-1
DEFHJK
1047
tau-Muurolol
19912-62-0
DEFHJK
1053
Tetrahydrojasmone
13074-63-0
BDFHIJKL
1057
2,6,10,10-tetramethyl-1-
36431-72-8
BDFHIJKL
oxaspiro[4.5]dec-6-ene
1059
Thiomenthone
38462-22-5
BDEFHIJKL
1060
Thujopsene
470-40-6
BDEFGJKL
1062
Thymol methyl ether
1076-56-8
ADHIJKL
1063
1-(2,2,6-trimethylcyclohexyl)hexan-
70788-30-6
DEFHJK
3-ol
1064
trans, trans-2,4-Nonadienal
5910-87-2
ACHKL
1065
trans, trans-Farnesol
106-28-5
DEFHJK
1066
trans-2, cis-6-Nonadienal
557-48-2
ACHKL
1067
trans-2-Decenal
3913-81-3
ADHKL
1070
trans-2-Nonen-1-al
18829-56-6
ADHKL
1072
trans-3, cis-6-nonadienol
56805-23-3
ACEFHK
1073
trans-4-Decen-1-al
65405-70-1
ADHKL
1075
trans-ambrettolide
51155-12-5
DGJ
1077
trans-beta-ocimene
13877-91-3
ADGIKL
1078
trans-beta-Ocimene
3779-61-1
ADGIKL
1082
trans-Geraniol
106-24-1
BCHIK
1083
trans-Hedione
2570-03-8
DFHJK
1085
7-(1,1-Dimethylethyl)-2H-1,5-
195251-91-3
CEFHJ
benzodioxepin-3(4H)-one
1089
Tricyclone
68433-81-8
DEFHJK
1090
Tridecyl alcohol
112-70-9
DEFGJK
1091
Triethyl citrate
77-93-0
CEFGJ
1093
Methyl 2-((1-hydroxy-3-
144761-91-1
DFHJ
phenylbutyl)amino)benzoate
1095
1-((2E,5Z,9Z)-2,6,10-
28371-99-5
DHJK
trimethylcyclododeca-2,5,9-trien-1-
yl)ethan-1-one
1097
Decahydro-2,6,6,7,8,8-hexamethyl-
338735-71-0
BDEFHJK
2h-indeno(4,5-b)furan
1099
13-methyl oxacyclopentadec-10-en-
365411-50-3
DEFHJK
2-one
1102
Undecanal
112-44-7
BDHJK
1104
(E)-4-methyldec-3-en-5-ol
81782-77-6
BDEFHIJK
1105
Valencene
4630-07-3
BDEFHJK
1107
Valerianol
20489-45-6
DEFHJK
1111
Vanillin isobutyrate
20665-85-4
CHJ
1113
Vaniwhite
5533-03-9
CGIK
1116
(Z)-2-methyl-4-(2,6,6-
68555-62-4
BDFHJK
trimethylcyclohex-2-en-1-yl)but-2-
enal
1117
Methyl 2,4-dihydroxy-3,6-
4707-47-5
CGIJ
dimethylbenzoate
1120
1-methoxy-3a,4,5,6,7,7a-hexahydro-
27135-90-6
ACEFHJKL
1H-4,7-methanoindene
1121
Methyl (Z)-2-((3-(4-(tert-
91-51-0
DFHJ
butyl)phenyl)-2-
methylpropylidene)amino)benzoate
1125
(Z)-hex-3-en-1-yl isobutyrate
41519-23-7
ADEFHJKL
1126
Vertacetal
5182-36-5
BCFHJK
1129
1-((3R,3aR,7R,8aS)-3,6,8,8-
32388-55-9
DHJK
tetramethyl-2,3,4,7,8,8a-hexahydro-
1H-3a,7-methanoazulen-5-yl)ethan-
1-one
1131
Methyl (Z)-2-(((2,4-
68738-99-8
DEFHJ
dimethylcyclohex-3-en-1-
yl)methylene)amino)benzoate
1135
Vetiverol
89-88-3
CEFHIJK
1136
Vetivert Acetate
117-98-6
DEFHJK
1137
Decahydro-3H-spiro[furan-2,5′-
68480-11-5
DEFGJKL
[4,7]methanoindene]
1138
(2Z,6E)-nona-2,6-dienenitrile
67019-89-0
ACEFHKL
1139
(Z)-cyclooct-4-en-1-yl methyl
87731-18-8
BCHJKL
carbonate
1140
(1aR,4S,4aS,7R,7aS,7bS)-1,1,4,7-
552-02-3
DEFHJK
tetramethyldecahydro-1H-
cyclopropa[e]azulen-4-ol
1142
3,5,5,6,7,8,8-heptamethyl-5,6,7,8-
127459-79-4
DHJ
tetrahydronaphthalene-2-carbonitrile
1143
(1S,2S,3S,5R)-2,6,6-
133636-82-5
DEFHJK
trimethylspiro[bicyclo[3.1.1]heptane-
3,1′-cyclohexan]-2′-en-4′-one
1144
1′,1′,5′,5′-tetramethylhexahydro-
154171-76-3
DEFHJK
2′H,5′H-spiro[[1,3]dioxolane-2,8′-
[2,4a]methanonaphthalene]
1145
1′,1′,5′,5′-tetramethylhexahydro-
154171-77-4
DEFHJK
2′H,5′H-spiro[[1,3]dioxolane-2,8′-
[2,4a]methanonaphthalene] K
1146
4-(4-hydroxy-3-
122-48-5
CEFGJ
methoxyphenyl)butan-2-one
1147
(1R,8aR)-4-isopropyl-1,6-dimethyl-
41929-05-9
DEFHJKL
1,2,3,7,8,8a-hexahydronaphthalene
1148
4,5-epoxy-4,11,11-trimethyl-8-
1139-30-6
DEFHJK
methylenebicyclo(7.2.0)undecane
1149
1,3,4,6,7,8alpha-hexahydro-1,1,5,5-
23787-90-8
DEFHIJK
tetramethyl-2H-2,4alpha-
methanophthalen-8(5H)-one
[0000]
TABLE 2
List of materials with at least one MORV greater than 5 to 10
Number
Material Name
CAS Number
Comment Code
2
2,4-dimethyl-2-(5,5,8,8-tetramethyl-
131812-67-4
DFHJ
5,6,7,8-tetrahydronaphthalen-2-yl)-
1,3-dioxolane
23
3a,5,6,7,8,8b-hexahydro-
823178-41-2
DEFHJK
2,2,6,6,7,8,8-heptamethyl-4H-
indeno(4,5-d)-1,3-dioxole
141
2,4-dimethyl-4,4a,5,9b-
27606-09-3
CEFHJK
tetrahydroindeno[1,2-d][1,3]dioxine
185
(1-methyl-2-((1,2,2-
198404-98-7
DEFHJK
trimethylbicyclo[3.1.0]hexan-3-
yl)methyl)cyclopropyl)methanol
227
Isobornylcyclohexanol
68877-29-2
DEFHJK
230
Isobornyl cyclohexanol
66072-32-0
DEFHJK
246
Indol/Hydroxycitronellal Schiff base
67801-36-9
DEFHJ
248
Hydroxymethyl isolongifolene
59056-64-3
DEFHJK
343
8,8-dimethyl-3a,4,5,6,7,7a-
76842-49-4
DEFHJK
hexahydro-1H-4,7-methanoinden-6-
yl propionate
359
(E)-4-((3aR,4R,7R,7aR)-
501929-47-1
DEFHJK
1,3a,4,6,7,7a-hexahydro-5H-4,7-
methanoinden-5-ylidene)-3-
methylbutan-2-ol
565
Cedryl methyl ether
19870-74-7
BDEFHJK
631
beta-Copaene
18252-44-3
BDEFHJKL
659
2′-isopropyl-1,7,7-
869292-93-3
BDEFHJK
trimethylspiro[bicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-
2,4′-[1,3]dioxane]
674
(4aR,5R,7aS,9R)-2,2,5,8,8,9a-
211299-54-6
DEFHJK
hexamethyloctahydro-4H-4a,9-
methanoazuleno[5,6-d][1,3]dioxole
678
(3S,5aR,7aS,11aS,11bR)-3,8,8,11a-
57345-19-4
DEFHJ
tetramethyldodecahydro-5H-3,5a-
epoxynaphtho[2,1-c]oxepine
679
2,2,6,6,7,8,8-heptamethyldecahydro-
476332-65-7
DEFHJK
2H-indeno[4,5-b]furan
715
alpha-Cedrene epoxide
13567-39-0
BDEFHJK
758
Acetoxymethyl-isolongifolene
59056-62-1
DEFHJK
(isomers)
1028
Sclareol
515-03-7
DEFHJ
1097
Decahydro-2,6,6,7,8,8-hexamethyl-
338735-71-0
DEFHJK
2h-indeno(4,5-b)furan
[0000]
TABLE 3
List of materials with at least one MORV from 0.5 to less than 1
Number
Material Name
CAS Number
Comment Code
12
1-ethoxy-4-(tert-
181258-89-9
ADEFHJK
pentyl)cyclohexane
19
(3Z)-1-(2-buten-1-yloxy)-3-
888744-18-1
ADEFHJKL
hexene
20
4-(2-methoxypropan-2-yl)-1-
14576-08-0
ADHIJKL
methylcyclohex-1-ene
24
O-Methyl linalool
60763-44-2
ADHIJKL
26
o-Methoxycinnamaldehyde
1504-74-1
ACHK
27
Octanal, 3,7-dimethyl-
25795-46-4
ADGIJKL
53
3,3-Dimethyl-5(2,2,3-
329925-33-9
CEFHJ
Trimethyl-3-Cyclopenten-1yl)-
4-Penten-2-ol
54
n-Hexyl salicylate
6259-76-3
DEFHJ
55
n-Hexyl 2-butenoate
19089-92-0
ADEFHJKL
59
Neryl Formate
2142-94-1
BCEFHJK
72
Methyl-beta-ionone
127-43-5
DHJK
73
Myroxide
28977-57-3
ADGIJKL
81
(E)-3,7-dimethylocta-4,6-
18479-54-4
BCEFGLIK
dien-3-ol
84
(Z)-hex-3-en-1-yl
188570-78-7
BCEFHIKL
cyclopropanecarboxylate
96
Methyl phenyl carbinyl
120-45-6
BCHJK
propionate
97
Methyl phenylacetate
101-41-7
ACEFHIKL
107
2-methyl-6-
91069-37-3
BCEFGIKL
oxaspiro[4.5]decan-7-one
111
Methyl geraniate
2349-14-6
BCHJKL
115
2-ethoxy-4-
5595-79-9
CFGK
(methoxymethyl)phenol
116
Methyl
40203-73-4
ACEFHIKL
cyclopentylideneacetate
125
Methoxymelonal
62439-41-2
ACGIJK
133
((1s,4s)-4-
13828-37-0
BDEFHIJK
isopropylcyclohexyl)methanol
147
Linalyl propionate
144-39-8
BDFHJK
150
Linalyl formate
115-99-1
ACFHJK
151
Linalyl butyrate
78-36-4
BDEFHJK
154
Linalyl acetate
115-95-7
BDHJK
157
Linalool
78-70-6
BCEFGIJK
163
(Z)-hex-3-en-1-yl methyl
67633-96-9
ACEFGKL
carbonate
166
Lepidine
491-35-0
BCEFHIKL
169
L-Carvone
6485-40-1
ACGIJKL
181
Khusinil
75490-39-0
DHJK
191
Isoraldeine
1335-46-2
BDHIJK
194
Isopropylvinylcarbinol
4798-45-2
ACGIKL
198
Isopropyl 2-methylbutyrate
66576-71-4
ACEFGIJKL
201
Isopentyrate
80118-06-5
ADEFGIJKL
204
Isononyl acetate
40379-24-6
BDEFHJKL
205
Isononanol
27458-94-2
BDEFGIKL
213
Isoeugenyl acetate
93-29-8
CFHJK
214
Isoeugenol
97-54-1
CEFHIK
232
Isoborneol
124-76-5
ACEFHIJKL
237
Isoamyl octanoate
2035-99-6
DEFHJK
239
Isoamyl isobutyrate
2050-01-3
ACEFGIJKL
255
Hydrocinnamic acid
501-52-0
CEFHIK
258
Hydratopic alcohol
1123-85-9
BCEFHIK
264
Hexyl propanoate
2445-76-3
ADEFHIKL
270
Hexyl butyrate
2639-63-6
BDEFHJKL
273
Hexyl 2-methylbutanoate
10032-15-2
BDEFHJKL
275
Hexyl 2-furoate
39251-86-0
DEFHJK
282
Heptyl alcohol
111-70-6
ACEFGIKL
283
Heptyl acetate
112-06-1
ADEFHKL
284
Heptaldehyde
111-71-7
ACHIKL
287
Heliotropin
120-57-0
BCGIK
302
Geranyl nitrile
5146-66-7
BCEFHKL
306
Geranyl formate
105-86-2
BCEFHJK
308
Geranyl caprylate
51532-26-4
DEFHJ
310
Geranyl benzoate
94-48-4
DFHJ
312
Geranial
141-27-5
ACHIKL
314
N,2-dimethyl-N-
84434-18-4
BCEFHJK
phenylbutanamide
319
gamma-Terpinene
99-85-4
ADEFGIJKL
346
2-(sec-butyl)cyclohexan-1-
14765-30-1
ADFHIKL
one
354
3-(2-ethylphenyl)-2,2-
67634-14-4
BDHJK
dimethylpropanal
355
2-(tert-butyl)cyclohexyl ethyl
67801-64-3
BDFHJK
carbonate
365
2-(tert-butyl)cyclohexyl ethyl
81925-81-7
ACFHIKL
carbonate
366
Fenchyl alcohol
1632-73-1
ACGIJKL
376
Eucalyptol
470-82-6
ADEFGIJKL
379
Ethyl vanillin acetate
72207-94-4
CHJ
387
Ethyl octanoate
106-32-1
BDEFHJKL
400
Ethyl cinnamate
103-36-6
BCEFHK
412
Ethyl 2-
2511-00-4
BDFHIJKL
(cyclohexyl)propionate
419
d-p-8(9)-Menthen-2-one
5524-05-0
ACGIJKL
420
4-methyl-2-phenyltetrahydro-
94201-73-7
BDEFHJK
2H-pyran
437
Dihydromyrcenol
18479-58-8
ADEFGIJK
438
Dihydrojasmone
1128-08-1
BCFHIJKL
439
Dihydroisophorone
873-94-9
ACEFGIJKL
440
Dihydroeugenol
2785-87-7
CEFHIJK
442
Dihydrocoumarin
119-84-6
BCGIKL
443
Dihydrocarvone
7764-50-3
ACGIJKL
447
Dihydro-alpha-terpinyl
80-25-1
BDEFHIJKL
acetate
448
Dihydro-alpha-ionone
31499-72-6
BDHIJK
454
Dibenzyl ether
103-50-4
DEFHJK
455
Dibutyl o-phthalate
84-74-2
DEFHJ
469
2-pentylcyclopentan-1-one
4819-67-4
BDFHIKL
472
Decyl anthranilate
18189-07-6
DEFHJ
477
Methyl (1s,4s)-1,4-
23059-38-3
ADEFHIJKL
dimethylcyclohexane-1-
carboxylate
481
Cyclohexylethyl acetate
21722-83-8
BDEFHJKL
492
Creosol
93-51-6
BCHIK
495
Cosmene
460-01-5
ADEFGIKL
496
4-cyclohexyl-2-methylbutan-
83926-73-2
BDEFGIJK
2-ol
504
2-benzyl-2-methylbut-3-
97384-48-0
BDHJK
enenitrile
509
Citronellyl nitrile
51566-62-2
BCEFGIKL
510
Citronellyl phenylacetate
139-70-8
DFHJ
512
Citronellyl formate
105-85-1
BCEFGJKL
515
Citronellyl benzoate
10482-77-6
DFHJ
517
Citronellol
106-22-9
BCHIJKL
518
Citronellal
106-23-0
ACHIJKL
522
Citral
5392-40-5
ACHIKL
525
cis-Pinane
6876-13-7
ADEFGIJKL
526
(Z)-3-methyl-2-(pent-2-en-1-
488-10-8
BCHIJKL
yl)cyclopent-2-en-1-one
528
cis-iso-Eugenol
5912-86-7
CEFHIK
535
cis-3-Hexenyl valerate
35852-46-1
BDEFHJKL
536
cis-3-Hexenyl tiglate
67883-79-8
BDEFHJK
538
cis-3-Hexenyl propionate
33467-74-2
ACEFHIKL
540
cis-3-Hexenyl butyrate
16491-36-4
ADEFHJKL
542
cis-3-Hexen-1-ol
928-96-1
ACEFHIKL
547
cis-2-Hexenol
928-94-9
ACEFHIKL
549
Cinnamyl nitrile
4360-47-8
ACEFGIK
554
Cinnamic aldehyde
104-55-2
ACHIK
556
Cinnamyl nitrile
1885-38-7
ACEFGIK
557
Chloroxylenol
88-04-0
BCHIJK
575
Carvacrol
499-75-2
DHIJK
576
Carvone
99-49-0
ACGIJKL
579
Carbitol
111-90-0
BCEFGIK
583
Caproyl alcohol
111-27-3
ACEFGIKL
585
2-(2,2,3-trimethylcyclopent-3-
15373-31-6
ACGIJKL
en-1-yl)acetonitrile
588
Camphor
76-22-2
ACEFGIJKL
602
(E)-2-methyl-4-(2,6,6-
3155-71-3
DHJK
trimethylcyclohex-1-en-1-
yl)but-2-enal
605
Borneol
507-70-0
ACEFHIJKL
617
beta-Pinene epoxide
6931-54-0
ACEFGIJKL
619
beta-Phellandrene
555-10-2
ADEFGIJKL
640
Benzylacetone
2550-26-7
ACEFGIK
641
Benzyl salicylate
118-58-1
DFGJ
645
Benzyl isovalerate
103-38-8
BDEFHJK
647
Benzyl isobutyrate
103-28-6
BCHJK
651
Benzyl butyrate
103-37-7
BCEFHJK
652
Benzyl alcohol
100-51-6
ACEFGIKL
662
1-(3,3-
25225-08-5
ADEFHIJKL
dimethylcyclohexyl)ethyl
formate
664
Anisyl acetate
104-21-2
BCEFGK
665
Anisyl formate
122-91-8
BCEFGK
667
Anethole
104-46-1
ACEFHK
672
Amyl benzoate
2049-96-9
DEFHJK
687
alpha-Terpinyl acetate
80-26-2
BDHJK
699
alpha-methyl-
10528-67-3
BDEFHIK
cyclohexanepropanol
701
alpha-methyl cinnamaldehyde
101-39-3
ACHIK
703
alpha-Isomethylionone
127-51-5
BDHIJK
740
2,5-Dimethyl-4-methoxy-
4077-47-8
ACEFGIJKL
3(2H)-furanone
743
Allyl phenoxyacetate
7493-74-5
BCGK
744
Allyl Phenethyl ether
14289-65-7
ACEFHK
745
Allyl heptanoate
142-19-8
ADEFHJKL
755
N-ethyl-N-(m-
179911-08-1
CEFHJK
tolyl)propionamide
760
3-hydroxybutan-2-one
513-86-0
ACEFGIKL
761
Acetoanisole
100-06-1
BCEFHIK
777
6-Methylquinoline
91-62-3
BCEFHIKL
779
6,8-Diethyl-2-nonanol
70214-77-6
BDEFGIJKL
784
5-Methyl-3-heptanone
541-85-5
ACFGIKL
789
4-Vinylphenol
2628-17-3
BCHIK
796
4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-
458-36-6
CH
cinnamaldehyde
797
4-Ethylguaiacol
2785-89-9
CEFHIK
799
4-Damascol
4927-36-0
BDFHJK
808
3-methyl-4-phenylpyrazole
13788-84-6
CEFHK
810
3-Methyl-1,2-
765-70-8
ACEFGIKL
cyclopentanedione
811
3-Methoxy-5-methylphenol
3209-13-0
BCHIK
812
3-Methoxy-3-Methyl Butanol
56539-66-3
ACGIKL
817
3-Hexenol
544-12-7
ACEFHIKL
819
3,7-dimethyl-2-methylene-6-
22418-66-2
ADFHIJK
octenal
820
3,7-dimethyl-1-octanol
106-21-8
BDEFGIJKL
832
2-Phenylethyl acetate
103-45-7
BCEFHK
835
2-Phenethyl propionate
122-70-3
BCEFHJK
836
2-Pentylcyclopentan-1-ol
84560-00-9
DEFHIKL
838
2-nonanone propylene glycol
165191-91-3
BDEFHJK
acetal
845
2-Methoxy-3-(1-
24168-70-5
BCEFGIK
methylpropyl)pyrazine
846
2-isopropyl-N,2,3-
51115-67-4
ACEFGIJK
trimethylbutyramide
847
2-Isopropyl-5-methyl-2-
35158-25-9
ADFGIJKL
hexenal
848
2-Isopropyl-4-methylthiazole
15679-13-7
ACHIJKL
851
2-Hexen-1-ol
2305-21-7
ACEFHIKL
858
2-Butoxyethanol
111-76-2
ACEFGIKL
875
1,4-Cineole
470-67-7
ADGIJKL
880
1-(2,6,6-Trimethyl-2-
43052-87-5
BDHIJK
cyclohexen-1-yl)-2-buten-1-
one
882
(Z)-3-hepten-1-yl acetate
1576-78-9
ACEFHKL
883
(S)-(1R,5R)-4,6,6-
1196-01-6
ACEFGIJKL
trimethylbicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-
en-2-one
888
(R)-(−)-Linalool
126-91-0
BCEFGIJK
889
(l)-Citronellal
5949-05-3
ACHIJKL
891
(d)-Citronellal
2385-77-5
ACHIJKL
899
(+)-Citronellol
1117-61-9
BCHIJKL
900
(−)-Citronellol
7540-51-4
BCHIJKL
901
(+)-alpha-Pinene
7785-70-8
ADEFGIJKL
902
(+)-Carvone
2244-16-8
ACGIJKL
903
(−)-alpha-Pinene
7785-26-4
ADEFGIJKL
904
Methyl 2-methylbutyrate
868-57-5
ACEFGIKL
909
Hexyl tiglate
16930-96-4
BDEFHJKL
918
Allyl 2-
68901-15-5
CHJK
(cyclohexyloxy)acetate
921
1,5-
75147-23-8
CFHIJK
dimethylbicyclo[3.2.1]octan-
8-one oxime
931
alpha-acetoxystyrene
2206-94-2
ACEFHIK
940
p-Cymene
99-87-6
ADGIJKL
956
Phenethyl formate
104-62-1
ACEFHK
958
Phenethyl isobutyrate
103-48-0
DHJK
960
Phenethyl tiglate
55719-85-2
DHJK
971
Phenylethyl methacrylate
3683-12-3
DHJK
977
p-
4395-92-0
BDFHK
Isopropylphenylacetaldehyde
981
1,2-dimethyl-3-(prop-1-en-2-
72402-00-7
BCEFGIJKL
yl)cyclopentan-1-ol
983
p-Methoxyphenylacetone
122-84-9
BCEFHK
986
(2Z,5Z)-5,6,7-trimethylocta-
358331-95-0
ADHIJKL
2,5-dien-4-one
987
p-Propyl anisole
104-45-0
ADEFHKL
994
p-t-butyl phenyl acetaldehyde
109347-45-7
BDHJK
995
p-tert-Amyl cyclohexanol
5349-51-9
BDEFHIJK
1001
Racemic alpha-Pinene
80-56-8
ADEFGIJKL
1002
4-(4-hydroxyphenyl)butan-2-
5471-51-2
CEFGIK
one
1004
Rhodinol
141-25-3
BCHIJKL
1005
Ethyl (2,3,6-
93981-50-1
BDEFHJKL
trimethylcyclohexyl)
carbonate
1011
1-(3,3-
25225-10-9
ADHIJKL
dimethylcyclohexyl)ethyl
acetate
1017
S)-(+)-Linalool
126-90-9
BCEFGIJK
1018
Sabinene
3387-41-5
ADEFGIJKL
1019
Sabinene hydrate
546-79-2
ADEFGIJKL
1030
Propyl (S)-2-(tert-
319002-92-1
BDEFHJK
pentyloxy)propanoate
1039
Spirolide
699-61-6
BCGIKL
1040
(Z)-5-methylheptan-3-one
22457-23-4
BCEFGIJKL
oxime
1041
1-phenylethyl acetate
93-92-5
ACEFHIK
1051
Tetrahydrogeranial
5988-91-0
ADGIJKL
1052
Tetrahydroionol
4361-23-3
BDEFHIJK
1054
Tetrahydrolinalool
78-69-3
BDEFGIJKL
1055
Tetrahydrolinalyl acetate
20780-48-7
ADEFHJKL
1058
Ethyl (1R,6S)-2,2,6-
22471-55-2
ADEFHIJKL
trimethylcyclohexane-1-
carboxylate
1061
Thymol
89-83-8
BDHIJK
1069
trans-2-Hexenol
928-95-0
ACEFHIKL
1071
trans-2-tert-
5448-22-6
ACGIJKL
Butylcyclohexanol
1074
trans-alpha-Damascone
24720-09-0
BDHIJK
1076
trans-Anethole
4180-23-8
ACEFHK
1079
trans-Cinnamic acid
140-10-3
CEFHK
1081
trans-Dihydrocarvone
5948-04-9
ACGIJKL
1084
trans-Isoeugenol
5932-68-3
CEFHIK
1088
Trichloromethyl phenyl
90-17-5
BDEFGJ
carbinyl acetate
1098
2-mercapto-2-methylpentan-
258823-39-1
ACEFHIJKL
1-ol
1110
Vanillin acetate
881-68-5
CH
1112
Vanitrope
94-86-0
CEFHK
1115
2,2,5-trimethyl-5-
65443-14-3
BDFGIJKL
pentylcyclopentan-1-one
1118
Veratraldehyde
120-14-9
BCGIK
1119
(1R,5R)-4,6,6-
18309-32-5
ACEFGIJKL
trimethylbicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-
en-2-one
1122
Verdol
13491-79-7
ACGIJKL
1127
4-(tert-butyl)cyclohexyl
10411-92-4
BDEFHJK
acetate
1128
4-(tert-butyl)cyclohexyl
32210-23-4
BDEFHJK
acetate
1133
Vethymine
7193-87-5
CEFGK
1134
4-methyl-4-phenylpentan-2-yl
68083-58-9
BDFHJK
acetate
1141
(Z)-1-((2-
292605-05-1
ADEFHKL
methylallyl)oxy)hex-3-ene
[0000]
TABLE 4
List of materials with ALL MORVs from 1 to 5
Number
Material Name
CAS Number
Comment Code
7
3-methoxy-7,7-dimethyl-10-
216970-21-7
BDEFHJK
methylenebicyclo[4.3.1]decane
14
Oxyoctaline formate
65405-72-3
DFHJK
39
2,2,6,8-tetramethyl-1,2,3,4,4a,5,8,8a-
103614-86-4
DEFHIJK
octahydronaphthalen-1-ol
48
Nootkatone
4674-50-4
DHJK
183
Khusimol
16223-63-5
CEFHJK
199
Isopimpinellin
482-27-9
CFGJ
206
Iso3-methylcyclopentadecan-1-one
3100-36-5
DEFGJK
212
Isoeugenyl benzyl ether
120-11-6
DFHJ
215
1-((2S,3S)-2,3,8,8-tetramethyl-
54464-57-2
DHJK
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-octahydronaphthalen-
2-yl)ethan-1-one
229
Isobornyl isobutyrate
85586-67-0
BDEFHIJK
260
2,3-dihydro-3,3-dimethyl-1H-indene-
173445-44-8
DHJK
5-propanal
261
3-(3,3-dimethyl-2,3-dihydro-1H-
173445-65-3
DHJK
inden-5-yl)propanal
281
3a,4,5,6,7,7a-hexahydro-1H-4,7-
5413-60-5
CEFGJK
methanoinden-6-yl acetate
329
gamma-Eudesmol
1209-71-8
DFHJK
335
4,6,6,7,8,8-hexamethyl-1,3,4,6,7,8-
1222-05-5
DEFHJK
hexahydrocyclopenta[g]isochromene
353
(Z)-6-ethylideneoctahydro-2H-5,8-
69486-14-2
CEFGJK
methanochromen-2-one
360
8,8-dimethyl-3a,4,5,6,7,7a-
171102-41-3
DEFHJK
hexahydro-1H-4,7-methanoinden-6-
yl acetate
441
Octahydro-1H-4,7-methanoinden-5-
64001-15-6
DEFHJKL
yl acetate
484
3a,4,5,6,7,7a-hexahydro-1H-4,7-
113889-23-9
DEFHJK
methanoinden-6-yl butyrate
487
3a,4,5,6,7,7a-hexahydro-1H-4,7-
67634-20-2
DEFHJK
methanoinden-5-yl isobutyrate
488
Curzerene
17910-09-7
DHJK
501
(E)-cycloheptadec-9-en-1-one
542-46-1
DEFGJ
566
Cedryl formate
39900-38-4
BDEFHJK
567
Cedryl acetate
77-54-3
DEFHJK
569
Cedrol
77-53-2
DEFHJK
570
5-methyl-1-(2,2,3-
139539-66-5
DEFHJK
trimethylcyclopent-3-en-1-yl)-6-
oxabicyclo[3.2.1]octane
573
Caryophyllene alcohol acetate
32214-91-8
DEFHJK
574
Caryolan-1-ol
472-97-9
DEFHJK
603
Bornyl isobutyrate
24717-86-0
BDEFHIJK
616
beta-Santalol
77-42-9
DEFHJK
621
beta-Patchoulline
514-51-2
BDEFGJKL
624
beta-Himachalene Oxide
57819-73-5
BDFHJK
627
(2,2-dimethoxyethyl)benzene
101-48-4
DHJK
632
beta-Cedrene
546-28-1
BDEFGJKL
663
Anisyl phenylacetate
102-17-0
DFHJ
680
2,2,6,6,7,8,8-heptamethyldecahydro-
647828-16-8
ADEFHJK
2H-indeno[4,5-b]furan
684
alpha-Vetivone
15764-04-2
DHJK
694
alpha-Santalol
115-71-9
DEFHJK
696
alpha-Patchoulene
560-32-7
ADEFHJKL
708
alpha-Gurjunene
489-40-7
BDEFHJKL
712
alpha-Eudesmol
473-16-5
DEFHJK
714
alpha-Cubebene
17699-14-8
ADEFHJKL
726
alpha-Agarofuran
5956-12-7
BDEFHJK
750
Allo-aromadendrene
25246-27-9
BDEFHJKL
764
Acetarolle
744266-61-3
DFHJK
775
7-eip-alpha-Eudesmol
123123-38-6
DEFHJK
776
7-Acetyl-1,1,3,4,4,6-
1506-02-1
DEFHJ
hexamethyltetralin
788
5-Cyclohexadecenone
37609-25-9
DEFGJK
804
3-Thujopsanone
25966-79-4
BDEFHJK
872
10-epi-gamma-Eudesmol
15051-81-7
DFHJK
919
3a,4,5,6,7,7a-hexahydro-1H-4,7-
17511-60-3
CEFHJK
methanoinden-6-yl propionate
927
5-Acetyl-1,1,2,3,3,6-
15323-35-0
DEFHJK
hexamethylindan
933
Patchouli alcohol
5986-55-0
DEFHIJK
978
3a,4,5,6,7,7a-hexahydro-1H-4,7-
methanoinden-6-yl pivalate
68039-44-1
DEFHJK
1007
(2R,4a′R,8a′R)-3,7′-dimethyl-
41816-03-9
DEFHJK
3′,4′,4a′,5′,8′,8a′-hexahydro-1′H-
spiro[oxirane-2,2′-
[1,4]methanonaphthalene]
1022
2,2,7,9-tetramethylspiro(5.5)undec-
502847-01-0
DHIJK
8-en-1-one
1024
(Z)-2-ethyl-4-(2,2,3-
28219-61-6
DEFHJK
trimethylcyclopent-3-en-1-yl)but-2-
en-1-ol
1027
5-methoxyoctahydro-1H-4,7-
193425-86-4
CHJK
methanoindene-2-carbaldehyde
1029
Sclareol oxide
5153-92-4
DEFHJK
1035
Spathulenol
6750-60-3
DEFHJK
1038
1-(spiro[4.5]dec-7-en-7-yl)pent-4-en-
224031-70-3
DGJK
1-one
1060
Thujopsene
470-40-6
BDEFGJKL
1089
Tricyclone
68433-81-8
DEFHJK
1107
Valerianol
20489-45-6
DEFHJK
1129
1-((3R,3aR,7R,8aS)-3,6,8,8-
32388-55-9
DHJK
tetramethyl-2,3,4,7,8,8a-hexahydro-
1H-3a,7-methanoazulen-5-yl)ethan-
1-one
1131
Methyl (Z)-2-(((2,4-
68738-99-8
DEFHJ
dimethylcyclohex-3-en-1-
yl)methylene)amino)benzoate
1136
Vetivert Acetate
117-98-6
DEFHJK
1137
Decahydro-3H-spiro[furan-2,5′-
68480-11-5
DEFGJKL
[4,7]methanoindene]
1140
(1aR,4S,4aS,7R,7aS,7bS)-1,1,4,7-
552-02-3
DEFHJK
tetramethyldecahydro-1H-
cyclopropa[e]azulen-4-ol
1142
3,5,5,6,7,8,8-heptamethyl-5,6,7,8-
127459-79-4
DHJ
tetrahydronaphthalene-2-carbonitrile
1143
(1S,2S,3S,5R)-2,6,6-
133636-82-5
DEFHJK
trimethylspiro[bicyclo[3.1.1]heptane-
3,1′-cyclohexan]-2′-en-4′-one
1144
1′,1′,5′,5′-tetramethylhexahydro-
154171-76-3
DEFHJK
2′H,5′H-spiro[[1,3]dioxolane-2,8′-
[2,4a]methanonaphthalene]
1145
1′,1′,5′,5′-tetramethylhexahydro-
154171-77-4
DEFHJK
2′H,5′H-spiro[[1,3]dioxolane-2,8′-
[2,4a]methanonaphthalene] K
1148
4,5-epoxy-4,11,11-trimethyl-8-
1139-30-6
DEFHJK
methylenebicyclo(7.2.0)undecane
1149
1,3,4,6,7,8alpha-hexahydro-1,1,5,5-
23787-90-8
DEFHIJK
tetramethyl-2H-2,4alpha-
methanophthalen-8(5H)-one
[0000]
TABLE 5
List of materials with ALL MORVs greater than 5 to 10
Number
Material Name
CAS Number
Comment Code
248
Hydroxymethyl
59056-64-3
BDEFHJK
isolongifolene
[0000] TABLE 6 List of materials with ALL MORVs from 0.5 to less than 1 Number Material Name CAS Number Comment Code 472 Decyl anthranilate 18189-07-6 DEFHJ 526 (Z)-3-methyl-2-(pent- 488-10-8 BCHIJKL 2-en-1-yl)cyclopent- 2-en-1-one
The materials in Tables 1-6 can be supplied by one or more of the following:
Firmenich Inc. of Plainsboro N.J. USA; International Flavor and Fragrance Inc. New York, N.Y. USA; Takasago Corp. Teterboro, N.J. USA; Symrise Inc. Teterboro, N.J. USA; Sigma-Aldrich/SAFC Inc. Carlsbad, Calif. USA; and Bedoukian Research Inc. Danbury, Conn. USA.
Actual MORV values for each material listed in Tables 1-6 above are as follows:
[0000]
Material
MORV value for
MORV Value for
MORV Value for
MORV value for
No.
Equation a.)
Equation b.)
Equation c.)
Equation d.)
1
0.548223914
0.876283261
1.22018588
−0.41901144
2
1.520311929
3.493450446
2.70657265
5.11342862
3
2.267801995
−0.81712657
0.43218875
1.595983683
4
−0.591063369
−0.48283571
0.16199804
1.210497701
7
1.437444636
2.131822996
3.81633465
1.318339345
9
2.151445882
−0.46189495
0.56090469
1.206360803
10
2.5733592
−0.58780849
1.39751471
1.258361951
11
3.052627325
1.008519135
−0.30475953
0.076323462
12
0.683776599
−0.01157903
0.82853231
0.326169402
13
1.549643217
1.809183231
0.70864531
2.22799611
14
2.82111224
2.339505033
1.240818
2.502429355
16
−0.31551128
−0.06816599
−0.04371934
2.76742389
17
−1.334904153
−0.5773313
1.75644798
1.898455724
18
−1.34154226
−2.63596666
0.06885109
1.001431671
19
0.15532384
0.09866097
0.64214585
−0.33330779
20
0.640261783
0.693213268
0.54637273
−0.97556029
21
0.936895364
−0.01521118
1.1697513
−0.63510809
22
1.158981042
1.115900089
−0.25859776
1.318200884
23
3.702361074
1.399942641
5.23954766
7.089933671
24
0.773874141
0.146848137
−1.05705847
−0.36193173
25
−1.016103969
−1.18967936
0.78064625
2.944710012
25
−1.016103969
−1.18967936
0.78064625
2.944710012
26
0.615085491
−0.00096877
−0.35697252
−0.18121401
27
0.70261974
−0.22197386
0.19710806
−2.37196477
28
1.366472597
−0.42546942
−0.59394241
−0.01417395
29
1.096043453
−1.02972898
−1.42167356
−0.63817943
30
1.143415203
−0.85945441
−0.41416913
2.499807942
31
1.138642907
−0.19595476
−0.54547769
−0.98828898
32
1.914414495
−0.64487788
0.63212987
1.166699371
33
0.314847366
1.848003955
−1.3905032
−0.62848261
34
−0.113542761
0.981530917
0.32824239
1.126524277
35
0.472382903
1.494882467
−0.07201236
−0.64589543
36
3.158513795
1.084094934
−0.00328981
−0.17786385
37
−1.055631982
2.240172964
0.92596118
2.105391988
38
3.158513795
0.592820874
−0.49326241
0.212867212
39
1.083800659
2.069727985
2.48170879
3.205630609
42
−0.103134861
0.267726008
−0.65350189
1.125952363
43
0.323961628
1.469295081
−0.52991193
0.797908251
47
1.703678841
1.348737095
2.00634162
−0.16505407
48
2.370955056
2.783472865
2.68240273
1.221864405
49
1.670680003
−0.41866107
−0.9173849
1.181929544
50
1.670680003
0.076369374
−0.49915943
−0.85392575
52
0.464485039
0.057512869
1.31230219
−0.11170276
53
0.626671823
−0.46954947
−0.33383736
0.277079201
54
0.666149043
0.009549925
−0.36226343
0.197224432
55
0.723473579
−1.50916383
−0.3848989
−0.71458778
57
0.381273227
1.192994109
1.65593321
−1.65739236
59
0.561360663
−0.17793966
−1.63250554
−0.7564969
61
0.146473611
−0.01535544
−0.16339658
1.738656146
62
1.20162032
−0.3576095
−0.10695443
1.322155191
63
1.084291915
2.258720158
−1.01245416
1.688283974
64
0.744770665
0.155243763
−1.8029919
1.023503542
65
0.972835178
2.797151284
1.53453579
0.857051645
67
2.069410561
0.021831924
0.37855159
−0.67235457
68
0.527636614
0.590831983
1.02843762
2.208655795
69
2.133965691
2.088998449
2.05751412
−0.9433713
70
0.327378959
0.996844599
1.23648533
−1.25138371
71
1.40093669
0.778222691
0.70401172
−0.24075444
72
0.617697349
−0.29503359
0.52404847
0.816184656
73
0.617792473
0.888976061
−0.45289639
0.615659244
74
1.437359024
1.548292147
0.10314807
−0.48982286
75
−1.970885622
3.398008325
4.08025266
−0.89948156
76
−1.32746934
−2.65365233
0.10272816
1.001614125
77
−2.541686116
3.295534192
3.75284227
0.404837808
78
−2.110794
2.109874746
3.13350902
−0.3880285
79
1.641162056
−0.28533994
1.53676145
0.652696023
80
1.594400214
0.283682865
2.23140233
1.111682021
81
0.176566806
−2.0786518
−2.13986952
0.981126964
82
0.980373758
−0.28813159
0.19404501
1.252564677
83
0.941833098
0.317310013
1.17606727
0.72992237
84
0.774237336
−0.27140727
0.72461427
−1.56415746
85
2.092976965
0.810644229
0.82999192
−0.62861806
91
2.061595915
−0.79930338
−0.18285395
−0.66898499
92
2.068748434
−0.24299896
0.07214682
−1.11758276
93
−0.08984279
−1.06025959
−0.05068694
1.560050105
96
0.927758203
−0.44129515
0.89190422
0.744284978
97
0.658667572
−0.68771072
0.46051026
−0.53120883
98
0.853222693
−0.2037738
−0.21414441
1.119784962
100
1.654535066
0.995056228
2.35139085
0.543654824
101
2.173663649
−0.11491477
1.48285148
1.698527571
102
2.066679492
−0.16785146
−0.84780149
0.12159477
103
2.335152618
−0.02866585
0.16993375
−0.98254522
104
2.760588276
0.459513599
1.35310241
0.000336976
105
1.654535066
3.654489674
3.13033965
0.544225478
106
1.750588169
−0.55853348
0.50257773
1.630011313
107
0.896789863
0.73615897
0.53011623
−0.54697747
108
0.532375207
0.826537134
1.21040312
0.690230716
109
2.407655187
0.742651426
1.80322099
0.271832856
110
0.54830833
2.916795026
1.40126098
0.690230716
111
0.939597126
−0.3750368
−1.23479972
−0.89366351
112
1.398518854
1.265740274
4.19618377
−0.12762692
113
1.415726941
0.086297006
3.43559555
−0.12964168
115
−1.557729423
−0.44113526
0.86330536
0.590708892
116
0.193562268
−1.58091165
0.83247813
−0.70978039
117
1.353510875
−0.59062398
−0.31776345
−0.3050158
119
0.830052725
2.28725579
0.38409695
0.219336109
120
1.261997955
−0.22622961
−1.04772194
2.028504137
122
1.505653628
−1.14748206
−0.19760084
−0.81373045
123
−0.658721962
−0.21299878
1.01439841
−0.76731016
125
0.749676998
−1.0761601
0.99563924
−1.15409002
126
0.931054384
−0.35067079
1.06050832
−1.62171794
128
−1.344832644
−0.09451199
1.19145467
1.621274257
130
1.153249538
1.605070708
2.38047907
−0.93842293
133
0.840066046
0.2323025
0.19054023
−0.26588341
134
0.522267541
0.824106618
1.83479545
0.364403434
135
2.142817887
2.142411243
−0.93830995
0.696522652
137
3.052627325
3.606270166
0.50445208
0.076323462
140
−0.153437637
0.246303216
0.76565758
1.800968868
141
2.067620311
1.424830396
2.33536931
7.644025075
142
0.98353103
1.950251373
2.50851828
−0.24499521
143
1.736969725
0.991537809
2.5691601
1.227191656
145
−0.211768579
1.46336231
−0.93580247
−1.48749449
146
1.912710035
0.926306508
1.81253333
0.494121361
147
0.675736703
0.99202385
−0.66034472
−0.66302669
148
0.757176542
1.83006252
0.16210659
0.243674851
149
0.438772371
1.091438092
−0.1560319
−0.61711642
150
0.84399938
0.675302022
−1.69771411
−0.73841711
151
0.633570539
0.988413715
−0.54991825
−0.43550324
152
0.911582356
1.974700218
−0.92267786
0.628660087
153
0.319053885
2.531735341
−0.39139184
0.734629224
154
0.714814512
0.690769753
−2.06588692
−0.73356628
155
−0.161798388
0.032135767
−0.13802086
1.734928461
156
−0.571799976
−1.32834264
−1.65346017
1.856689553
157
0.131224024
0.21510779
−1.70996346
0.964902175
158
1.201616145
−0.21158932
−0.8501176
−0.33330779
159
0.811289908
1.606645397
0.25352447
−1.83775117
159
0.811289908
1.606645397
0.25352447
−1.83775117
161
0.475184006
1.99305646
1.90910177
3.288337059
162
0.833030517
0.487189028
1.76798642
0.104378164
163
0.58993703
−0.46431772
0.74883588
−0.81090824
166
−0.121286831
−0.84664528
−0.32625341
0.778055656
167
0.846400186
−0.25922232
0.69248774
1.183696217
168
−0.310930833
−0.81048493
0.08527131
1.61831109
169
−0.2346025
0.890438419
−0.13206526
−0.83961838
170
−0.169223695
1.172917966
−0.11306441
0.099121666
174
2.863652137
0.236674094
−0.69038707
1.610215283
175
1.789769228
−0.31740428
−0.89529921
−0.09686469
176
2.625947334
0.083548191
0.30634559
−0.35925728
177
1.674319352
−0.22179044
0.42093738
−0.23683577
178
2.863652137
0.727069168
−0.26724686
−0.44888613
179
0.070511885
0.365852864
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1.544324176
0.13703728
−0.38172701
1117
−0.682983903
1.798204302
2.42110319
−0.39173951
1118
0.069769623
0.496895599
0.67857133
−0.14954441
1119
−0.671908804
−0.65984824
0.5238174
−0.85314111
1120
0.953790113
1.106552668
3.00006904
1.585038764
1121
−1.184630973
2.476138312
4.80971952
2.450646806
1122
−1.02687397
−0.36244273
0.13010074
0.535909448
1125
0.387315524
−0.36101406
1.14153708
−0.75303953
1126
1.021783831
−0.0070257
−0.14327539
3.954381426
1127
0.990592079
0.305612583
0.14155512
−0.29526854
1128
0.990592079
0.305612583
0.14155512
−0.29526854
1129
3.18966648
3.284362987
4.49398568
3.950809104
1131
1.650621055
1.545704806
2.37535081
1.259373143
1133
−1.519747805
−0.60804324
0.02746106
0.590708892
1134
0.815942067
−0.16126019
−0.54117238
0.613093526
1135
0.626973385
1.998305877
2.61706075
1.570404253
1136
2.812199484
1.353198146
2.05618426
1.869204406
1137
2.208307057
1.387136198
3.21521374
2.069795393
1138
1.670680003
1.316442078
0.14822999
−0.46985154
1139
1.408517438
0.890457374
1.24524408
0.685687797
1140
2.765860952
2.525539595
4.12464228
3.833744077
1141
−0.484394663
0.677713073
−0.22783646
−0.37267608
1142
2.54335679
4.298105601
3.36234238
2.684404542
1143
4.204367611
3.062126931
3.4234313
2.072899554
1144
2.479165229
3.226545885
4.65897152
4.952127235
1145
2.479158921
3.226545885
4.65897152
4.952127235
1146
0.774334025
1.075800774
1.06893156
1.011113116
1147
0.844648531
1.21935371
2.59138595
0.805938034
1148
2.906236436
1.550674121
3.56959167
2.832126896
1149
2.837627443
3.707154326
4.53384262
2.625871865
Articles and Methods
[0028] An article comprising
a) a substrate, preferably a flexible substrate, more preferably a flexible substrate that is a sheet; preferably said substrate comprises a fabric softening active, preferably said fabric softening active coats all or a portion of said substrate; b) a sum total from about 0.00025% to about 1%, preferably from about 0.0025% to about 0.1%, more preferably from about 0.005% to about 0.075%, most preferably from about 0.01% to about 0.05% of 1 or more malodor reduction materials, preferably 1 to about 20 malodor reduction materials, more preferably 1 to about 15 malodor reduction materials, most preferably 1 to about 10 malodor reduction materials, each of said malodor reduction materials having a MORV of at least 0.5, preferably from 0.5 to 10, more preferably from 1 to 10, most preferably from 1 to 5, and preferably each of said malodor reduction materials having a Universal MORV, said sum total of malodor reduction materials having a Blocker Index of less than 3, more preferable less than about 2.5 even more preferably less than about 2 and still more preferably less than about 1 and most preferably 0 and/or a Blocker Index average of 3 to about 0.001
is disclosed.
[0031] In one aspect of said article, said malodor reduction materials have a Fragrance Fidelity Index of from about less than 3, more preferable less than about 2.5 even more preferably less than about 2 and still more preferably less than about 1 and most preferably 0 or a Fragrance Fidelity Index average of 3 to about 0.001.
[0032] In one aspect of said article, said article comprises a perfume, said article having a weight ratio of parts of malodor reduction composition to parts of perfume of from about 1:20,000 to about 3000:1, preferably from about 1:10,000 to about 1,000:1, more preferably 5,000:1 to about 500:1 and most preferably from about 1:15 to about 1:1.
[0033] In one aspect of said article, said article comprises one or more malodor reduction materials having a log P greater than 3, preferably greater than 3 but less than 8, preferably said one or more malodor reduction materials are selected from the group consisting of Table 1 materials 1; 2; 3; 7; 9; 10; 11; 13; 14; 18; 21; 22; 23; 25; 28; 29; 30; 31; 32; 33; 35; 36; 38; 39; 47; 48; 49; 50; 52; 57; 62; 63; 64; 67; 68; 69; 71; 74; 75; 76; 77; 78; 79; 80; 83; 85; 91; 92; 93; 100; 101; 102; 103; 104; 105; 109; 114; 119; 120; 122; 123; 128; 134; 135; 137; 140; 142; 145; 148; 149; 152; 153; 158; 159; 161; 162; 174; 175; 176; 177; 178; 182; 183; 184; 185; 186; 189; 192; 195; 196; 197; 206; 208; 209; 210; 211; 212; 215; 221; 227; 228; 229; 230; 231; 233; 234; 238; 242; 243; 244; 246; 252; 253; 260; 261; 263; 267; 269; 271; 274; 276; 277; 280; 285; 289; 290; 292; 293; 294; 295; 296; 300; 301; 303; 307; 316; 317; 318; 322; 324; 325; 328; 329; 330; 331; 333; 334; 335; 336; 338; 339; 342; 343; 344; 349; 352; 356; 358; 359; 360; 361; 362; 363; 364; 368; 369; 370; 371; 372; 378; 381; 385; 386; 388; 390; 391; 397; 398; 413; 414; 416; 418; 421; 424; 426; 428; 429; 432; 441; 444; 449; 453; 457; 459; 461; 462; 463; 465; 466; 467; 468; 470; 471; 473; 475; 478; 479; 480; 482; 484; 486; 487; 488; 497; 498; 501; 502; 503; 505; 519; 520; 521; 524; 529; 532; 534; 537; 541; 544; 548; 550; 552; 558; 559; 560; 561; 562; 563; 565; 566; 567; 568; 569; 570; 571; 572; 573; 574; 577; 578; 582; 584; 589; 591; 592; 594; 599; 600; 601; 603; 604; 606; 607; 608; 609; 610; 611; 613; 614; 615; 616; 618; 620; 621; 624; 625; 626; 628; 631; 632; 633; 635; 644; 650; 653; 659; 660; 661; 663; 671; 673; 674; 675; 676; 677; 678; 679; 680; 681; 684; 686; 691; 692; 693; 694; 696; 697; 698; 700; 702; 704; 706; 707; 708; 709; 710; 711; 712; 713; 714; 715; 716; 717; 718; 719; 720; 721; 722; 723; 724; 725; 726; 727; 731; 741; 746; 750; 752; 754; 757; 758; 763; 766; 769; 770; 771; 774; 775; 776; 778; 781; 782; 788; 791; 800; 802; 804; 806; 814; 821; 826; 827; 828; 831; 837; 839; 840; 849; 850; 852; 856; 866; 868; 869; 870; 871; 872; 873; 876; 877; 878; 879; 881; 884; 885; 886; 890; 892; 893; 894; 905; 908; 912; 913; 914; 916; 919; 920; 922; 925; 926; 927; 930; 933; 939; 941; 942; 943; 945; 947; 948; 950; 951; 953; 954; 959; 965; 967; 973; 978; 985; 988; 998; 1000; 1003; 1006; 1007; 1008; 1009; 1010; 1016; 1022; 1023; 1024; 1025; 1028; 1029; 1031; 1032; 1033; 1035; 1038; 1045; 1046; 1047; 1053; 1057; 1060; 1062; 1063; 1065; 1067; 1070; 1073; 1075; 1077; 1078; 1082; 1089; 1090; 1093; 1095; 1097; 1099; 1102; 1104; 1105; 1107; 1116; 1120; 1121; 1126; 1129; 1131; 1135; 1136; 1137; 1138; 1140; 1142; 1143; 1144; 1145; 1147; 1148; 1149; Table 2 materials 2; 23; 185; 227; 230; 246; 248; 343; 359; 565; 631; 659; 674; 678; 679; 715; 758; 1028; 1097; Table 3 materials 1; 9; 12; 13; 19; 20; 21; 24; 25; 27; 32; 38; 54; 55; 59; 64; 68; 71; 72; 79; 81; 83; 85; 100; 105; 109; 111; 114; 119; 133; 134; 135; 137; 140; 142; 147; 148; 150; 151; 152; 153; 154; 157; 159; 162; 178; 181; 189; 191; 192; 195; 197; 204; 211; 228; 231; 233; 234; 237; 238; 242; 246; 252; 264; 270; 273; 275; 277; 283; 285; 289; 290; 292; 293; 295; 300; 301; 302; 306; 308; 310; 312; 319; 322; 325; 331; 333; 334; 336; 338; 339; 344; 346; 354; 355; 356; 358; 361; 362; 363; 370; 371; 372; 378; 381; 385; 387; 388; 390; 412; 413; 418; 420; 428; 429; 432; 437; 438; 444; 447; 448; 454; 455; 457; 461; 465; 467; 472; 477; 478; 479; 480; 481; 482; 495; 496; 497; 502; 503; 504; 509; 510; 512; 515; 517; 518; 522; 525; 529; 535; 536; 537; 540; 541; 544; 550; 557; 558; 559; 560; 561; 568; 571; 572; 575; 589; 592; 594; 599; 600; 602; 604; 609; 619; 620; 625; 626; 633; 641; 644; 645; 650; 653; 662; 667; 672; 673; 675; 676; 681; 686; 687; 693; 697; 698; 700; 703; 704; 706; 707; 716; 717; 718; 722; 725; 744; 745; 746; 757; 769; 771; 779; 782; 799; 806; 819; 820; 827; 828; 836; 838; 839; 847; 850; 875; 878; 879; 880; 881; 888; 889; 890; 891; 893; 899; 900; 901; 903; 909; 912; 914; 920; 922; 930; 939; 940; 941; 945; 947; 948; 953; 954; 958; 959; 960; 965; 967; 971; 986; 987; 994; 995; 998; 1000; 1001; 1003; 1005; 1008; 1009; 1010; 1011; 1017; 1018; 1023; 1031; 1032; 1046; 1047; 1051; 1052; 1053; 1054; 1055; 1057; 1058; 1061; 1062; 1063; 1074; 1075; 1076; 1082; 1088; 1093; 1095; 1099; 1102; 1104; 1105; 1115; 1116; 1120; 1127; 1128; 1134; 1135; 1141; 1147; 1148, 1149, and mixtures thereof; preferably said malodor reduction materials are selected from the group consisting of Table 1 materials 1; 2; 3; 7; 9; 10; 11; 13; 14; 18; 21; 22; 23; 25; 28; 29; 30; 31; 32; 33; 35; 36; 38; 39; 47; 48; 49; 50; 52; 57; 62; 63; 64; 67; 68; 69; 71; 74; 75; 76; 77; 78; 79; 80; 83; 85; 91; 92; 93; 100; 101; 102; 103; 104; 105; 109; 114; 119; 120; 122; 123; 128; 134; 135; 137; 140; 142; 145; 148; 149; 152; 153; 158; 159; 161; 162; 174; 175; 176; 177; 178; 182; 183; 184; 185; 186; 189; 192; 195; 196; 197; 206; 208; 209; 210; 211; 212; 215; 221; 227; 228; 229; 230; 231; 233; 234; 238; 242; 243; 244; 246; 252; 253; 260; 261; 263; 267; 269; 271; 274; 276; 277; 280; 285; 289; 290; 292; 293; 294; 295; 296; 300; 301; 303; 307; 316; 317; 318; 322; 324; 325; 328; 329; 330; 331; 333; 334; 335; 336; 338; 339; 342; 343; 344; 349; 352; 356; 358; 359; 360; 361; 362; 363; 364; 368; 369; 370; 371; 372; 378; 381; 385; 386; 388; 390; 391; 397; 398; 413; 414; 416; 418; 421; 424; 426; 428; 429; 432; 441; 444; 449; 453; 457; 459; 461; 462; 463; 465; 466; 467; 468; 470; 471; 473; 475; 478; 479; 480; 482; 484; 486; 487; 488; 497; 498; 501; 502; 503; 505; 519; 520; 521; 524; 529; 532; 534; 537; 541; 544; 548; 550; 552; 558; 559; 560; 561; 562; 563; 565; 566; 567; 568; 569; 570; 571; 572; 573; 574; 577; 578; 582; 584; 589; 591; 592; 594; 599; 600; 601; 603; 604; 606; 607; 608; 609; 610; 611; 613; 614; 615; 616; 618; 620; 621; 624; 625; 626; 628; 631; 632; 633; 635; 644; 650; 653; 659; 660; 661; 663; 671; 673; 674; 675; 676; 677; 678; 679; 680; 681; 684; 686; 691; 692; 693; 694; 696; 697; 698; 700; 702; 704; 706; 707; 708; 709; 710; 711; 712; 713; 714; 715; 716; 717; 718; 719; 720; 721; 722; 723; 724; 725; 726; 727; 731; 741; 746; 750; 752; 754; 757; 758; 763; 766; 769; 770; 771; 774; 775; 776; 778; 781; 782; 788; 791; 800; 802; 804; 806; 814; 821; 826; 827; 828; 831; 837; 839; 840; 849; 850; 852; 856; 866; 868; 869; 870; 871; 872; 873; 876; 877; 878; 879; 881; 884; 885; 886; 890; 892; 893; 894; 905; 908; 912; 913; 914; 916; 919; 920; 922; 925; 926; 927; 930; 933; 939; 941; 942; 943; 945; 947; 948; 950; 951; 953; 954; 959; 965; 967; 973; 978; 985; 988; 998; 1000; 1003; 1006; 1007; 1008; 1009; 1010; 1016; 1022; 1023; 1024; 1025; 1028; 1029; 1031; 1032; 1033; 1035; 1038; 1045; 1046; 1047; 1053; 1057; 1060; 1062; 1063; 1065; 1067; 1070; 1073; 1075; 1077; 1078; 1082; 1089; 1090; 1093; 1095; 1097; 1099; 1102; 1104; 1105; 1107; 1116; 1120; 1121; 1126; 1129; 1131; 1135; 1136; 1137; 1138; 1140; 1142; 1143; 1144; 1145; 1147; 1148; 1149; Table 2 materials 2; 23; 185; 227; 230; 246; 248; 343; 359; 565; 631; 659; 674; 678; 679; 715; 758; 1028; 1097 and mixtures thereof; more preferably said malodor reduction materials are selected from the group consisting of Table 4 materials 7; 14; 39; 48; 183; 206; 212; 215; 229; 260; 261; 329; 335; 360; 441; 484; 487; 488; 501; 566; 567; 569; 570; 573; 574; 603; 616; 621; 624; 632; 663; 680; 684; 694; 696; 708; 712; 714; 726; 750; 775; 776; 788; 804; 872; 919; 927; 933; 978; 1007; 1022; 1024; 1029; 1035; 1038; 1060; 1089; 1107; 1129; 1131; 1136; 1137; 1140; 1142; 1143; 1144; 1145; 1148, 1149 Table 5 material 248 and mixtures thereof, most preferably said material is selected from the group consisting of Table 4 materials 261; 680; 788; 1129, 1148, 1149 and mixtures thereof. All of the aforementioned materials have a log P that is equal to or greater than 3, thus they deposit through the wash especially well. The more preferred and most preferred of the aforementioned material are particularly preferred as they are effective at counteracting all of the key malodors.
[0034] In one aspect of said article, said malodor reduction materials are not selected from the group consisting of Table 1-3 malodor reduction materials 302; 288; 50; 157; 1017; 888; 64; 1054; 832; 375; 390; 745; 504; 505; 140; 1012; 498; 362; 103; 356; 1074; 908; 1127; 475; 918; 687; 611; 317; 9; 141; 550; 602; 913; 1005; 521; 10; 215; 370; 335; 378; 1121; 360; 565; 1136; 1129; 655; 369; 1065; 914; 757; 601; 478; 889; 891; 358; 973; 162; 554; 522; 312; 125; 26; 418; 92; 586; 1026; 218; 31; 828; 871; 829; 1066; 287; 269; 769; 701; 1118; 70; 946; 142; 109; 108 or mixtures thereof.
[0035] In one aspect of said article, said article having a weight ratio of fabric softener active to dry substrate ranging from about 10:1 to about 0.5:1, preferably from about 5:1 to about 1:1, preferably said fabric softener active is selected from the group consisting of a quaternary ammonium compound, a silicone polymer, a polysaccharide, a clay, an amine, a fatty ester, a dispersible polyolefin, a polymer latex and mixtures thereof.
[0036] In one aspect of said article, said article comprises a quaternary ammonium compound selected from the group consisting of bis-(2-hydroxypropyl)-dimethylammonium methylsulphate fatty acid ester, 1,2-di(acyloxy)-3-trimethylammoniopropane chloride, N, N-bis(stearoyl-oxy-ethyl) N,N-dimethyl ammonium chloride, N,N-bis(tallowoyl-oxy-ethyl) N,N-dimethyl ammonium chloride, N,N-bis(stearoyl-oxy-ethyl)N-(2 hydroxyethyl)N-methyl ammonium methylsulfate, 1,2 di (stearoyl-oxy) 3 trimethyl ammoniumpropane chloride, dicanoladimethylammonium chloride, di(hard)tallowdimethylammonium chloride dicanoladimethyl ammonium methylsulfate, 1-methyl-1-stearoylamidoethyl-2-stearoylimidazolinium methylsulfate, 1-tallowylamidoethyl-2-tallowylimidazoline, Dipalmethyl Hydroxyethylammoinum Methosulfate and mixtures thereof.
[0037] In one aspect of said article, said article comprises a fabric softening active having an Iodine Value of between 0-140, preferably 5-100, more preferably 10-80, even more preferably, 15-70, most preferably 18-25.
[0038] In one aspect of said article, said article comprises an adjunct ingredient selected from the group consisting of surfactants, builders, chelating agents, dye transfer inhibiting agents, dispersants, enzymes, and enzyme stabilizers, catalytic materials, bleach activators, hydrogen peroxide, sources of hydrogen peroxide, preformed peracids, polymeric dispersing agents, clay soil removal/anti-redeposition agents, brighteners, suds suppressors, dyes, hueing dyes, perfumes, perfume delivery systems, structure elasticizing agents, carriers, structurants, hydrotropes, processing aids, solvents, pigments and mixtures thereof.
[0039] A method of controlling malodors comprising: contacting a situs comprising a malodor or that will develop a malodor with an one or more of the articles Applicants' disclose herein, is disclosed.
[0040] In one aspect of said method, said situs comprises a fabric and said contacting step comprises contacting said fabric with a sufficient amount of Applicants' article containing Malodor reducing composition to provide said fabric with a level of malodor reduction material at least 0.0025 mg of malodor reduction material/kg of fabric, preferably from about 0.00025 mg of malodor reduction material/kg of fabric to about 25 mg of malodor reduction material/kg of fabric, more preferably from about 0.025 mg of malodor reduction material/kg of fabric to about 20 mg of malodor reduction material/kg of fabric, most preferably from about 0.25 of malodor reduction material/kg of fabric to about 10 mg of malodor reduction material/kg of fabric of said sum of malodor reduction materials.
Softener Actives
[0041] The article of the present invention can comprise at least one fabric conditioning compound. Typical levels of said fabric conditioning compounds within the conditioning compositions are from 1% to 99% by weight of the compositions. However, compositions of the present invention can also contain from about 1% to about 80%, preferably from about 20% to about 70%, more preferably from about 25% to about 60% of fabric conditioning component.
[0042] The fabric conditioning compound, or compounds, can be selected from cationic, nonionic, amphoteric and/or anionic fabric conditioning compounds. Cationic and/or nonionic conditioning compounds are preferred as they provide effective fabric softening and/or anti-static benefits and/or care benefits when applied to fabrics in the dryer. These compounds also aid in the delivery of odor/freshening ingredients and benefits when transferred to fabrics in the dryer.
Cationic Fabric Conditioning Compounds
[0043] The typical cationic fabric conditioning compounds include the quaternary-ammonium fabric conditioning actives, the most commonly used having been di(long alkyl chain)dimethylammonium (C1-C4 alkyl) sulfate or chloride, preferably the methyl sulfate. Quaternary ammonium fabric conditioning compounds include the following:
DTDMAMS
[0044] dipalmityldimethylammonium methyl sulfate
distearyldimethylammonium methyl sulfate;
dioleyldimethylammonium methyl sulfate;
di(tallowoyl)dimethylammonium methyl sulfate (DTDMAMS);
di(hydrogenated tallowoyl)dimethylammonium methyl sulfate;
di(C 12-16 alkyl)dimethylammonium methyl sulfate;
MTDMAMS
[0045] palmoyltrimethylammonium methyl sulfate
stearoyltrimethylammonium methyl sulfate
oleoyltrimethylammonium methyl sulfate
tallowoyltrimethylammonium methyl sulfate
(hydrogenated tallowoyl)trimethylammonium methyl sulfate;
(C 12-16 alkyl)trimethylammonium methyl sulfate
Others NonBiodegradable
[0046] di(hydrogenated tallowoyl)dimethyiammonium chloride (DTDMAC);
stearylbenzyldimethylammonium methyl sulfate;
ditallowalkylimidazolinium methyl sulfate;
[0047] The currently preferred compounds are more environmentally-friendly materials, being rapidly biodegradable quaternary ammonium compounds that are alternatives to the traditionally used di(iong alkyl chain)dimethylarnmoni urn methyl sulfate. Such quaternary ammonium compounds can contain long chain alk(en)yl groups interrupted by functional groups such as carboxy groups.
[0048] A preferred fabric conditioning compound is an ester quaternary ammonium compound (EQA), their ester amine precursors, and mixtures thereof. By “amine precursors thereof” is meant the secondary or tertiary amines corresponding to the above quaternary ammonium compounds.
[0049] The preferred compounds can be considered to be diester quaternary ammonium salts (DEQA). At least about 25% of the DEQA is in the diester form, and from 0% to about 40%, preferably less than about 30%, more preferably less than about 20%, can be EQA monoester (As used herein, when the diester is specified, it will include the monoester that is normally present. For the optimal antistatic benefit the percentage of monoester should be as low as possible, preferably less than about 2.5%. The level of monoester present can be controlled in the manufacturing of the EQA.
[0050] EQA compounds prepared with fully saturated acyl groups are excellent softeners. However, it has now been discovered that compounds prepared with at least partially unsaturated acyl groups have advantages (i.e., antistatic benefits) and are highly acceptable for consumer products when certain conditions are met. Variables that must be adjusted to obtain the benefits of using unsaturated acyl groups include the Iodine Value of the fatty acids, the odor of fatty acid starting material, and/or the EQA. Any reference to Iodine Value values hereinafter refers to Iodine Value of fatty acyl groups and not to the resulting EQA compound.
[0051] Some highly desirable, readily available sources of fatty acids such as tallow, possess odors that remain with the compound EQA despite the chemical and mechanical processing steps which convert the raw tallow to finished EQA. Such sources must be deodorized, e.g., by absorption, distillation (including stripping such as steam stripping), etc., as is well known in the art. In addition, care must be taken to minimize contact of the resulting fatty acyl groups to oxygen and/or bacteria by adding antioxidants, antibacterial agents, etc.
[0052] Generally, hydrogenation of fatty acids to reduce polyunsaturation and to lower Iodine Value to insure good color and odor stability leads to a high degree of trans configuration in the molecule. Therefore, diester compounds derived from fatty acyl groups having low Iodine Value values can be made by mixing fully hydrogenated fatty acid with touch hydrogenated fatty acid at a ratio which provides an Iodine Value of from about 3 to about 60. The polyunsaturation content of the touch hardened fatty acid should be less than about 5%, preferably less than about 1%. During touch hardening the cis/trans isomer weight ratios are controlled by methods known in the art such as by optimal mixing, using specific catalysts, providing high availability, etc. It has also been found that for good chemical stability of the diester quaternary compound in molten storage, water levels in the raw material must be minimized to preferably less than about 8% and more preferably less than about 5%. Storage temperatures should be kept as low as possible and still maintain a fluid material, ideally in the range of from about 45.degree. C. to about 70.degree. C. The optimum storage temperature for stability and fluidity depends on the specific Iodine Value of the fatty acid used to make the diester quaternary and the level/type of solvent selected. Also, exposure to oxygen should be minimized to keep the unsaturated groups from oxidizing. It can therefore be important to store the material under a reduced oxygen atmosphere such as a nitrogen blanket. It is important to provide good molten storage stability to provide a commercially feasible raw material that will not degrade noticeably in the normal transportation/storage/handling of the material in manufacturing operations. A specific example of a EQA compound suitable for use in the fabric softening compositions herein is: 1,2-bis(tallowyl oxy)-3-trimethyl ammoniopropane methylsulfate (DTTMAPMS).
[0053] Other examples of suitable EQA compounds are obtained by, e.g., replacing “tallowyl” in the above compounds with, for example, cocoyl, lauryl, oleyl, stearyl, palmityl, or the like; replacing “methyl” in the above compounds with ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl, isobutyl, t-butyl, or the hydroxy substituted analogs of these radicals; and/or replacing “methylsulfate” in the above compounds with chloride, ethylsulfate, bromide, formate, sulfate, lactate, nitrate, and the like, but methylsulfate is preferred. Another example of a suitable EQA compound is: N-2-hydroxyethyl ammonium methylsulfate. A preferred compound is N-methyl, N,N-di-(2-oleyloxyethyl)N-2-hydroxyethyl ammonium methylsulfate.
[0054] Another example of a suitable compound is methyl bis (oleyl amidoethyl) 2-hydroxyethyl ammonium methyl sulfate.
[0055] The compounds herein can be prepared by standard esterification and quaternization reactions, using readily available starting materials. General methods for preparation are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,137,180, which is incorporated herein by reference.
[0000] Specific examples of EQA compounds include:
di(tallowoyloxyethyl)dimethylammonium methyl sulfate;
(tallowoyl)hydroxyethyldimethylammonium methyl sulfate;
di(tallowoylhydroxyethyl)methylammonium methyl sulfate;
tallowoyl(dihydroxyethyl)methylammonium methyl sulfate;
tri(tallowoylhydroxyethyl)ammonium methyl sulfate
(2-tallowylamidoethyl)-2-tallowylimidazolinium methyl sulfate; and
N-(tallowoyloxyethyl)-N-(tallowyl)-N,N-dimethyl-ammonium methyl sulfate;
methyl bis (oleyl amidoethyl) 2-hydroxyethyl ammonium methyl sulfate;
1,2-bis(tallowoyloxyethyl)-3,3,3-trimethyl ammoniopropane methylsulfate (DTTMAPMS); and
mixtures of any of the above materials.
Particularly preferred is N,N-di(tallowoyloxyethyl)-N,N-dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate, where the tallow chains are fully hydrogenated or partially unsaturated.
[0056] Other examples of suitable compounds can be obtained by, replacing “tallowoyl” in the above compounds with, for example, cocoyl, lauroyl, oleoyl, stearoyl, palmitoyl, or the like, the fatty acyl chains being either fully saturated, or preferably at least partly unsaturated; The fatty acyl chains maybe mixed from natural or purified sources or blended from one or more sources; replacing “methyl” in the above compounds with ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl, isobutyl, t-butyl, or the hydroxy substituted analogs of these radicals; and/or replacing “methylsulfate” in the above compounds with chloride, ethylsulfate, bromide, formate, sulfate, lactate, nitrate, and the like, but methylsulfate is preferred.
[0000] The level of unsaturation of the acyl chain mixture can be measured by the Iodine Value (IV) of the corresponding fatty acid, which in the present case should preferably be in the range of from 5 to 100.
Tertiary Amines and Salts Thereof
[0057] Another fabric conditioning active useful in the articles of the present invention is a carboxylic acid salt of a tertiary amine and/or ester amine said materials have a thermal softening point of from about 35.degree. C. to about 100.degree. C.
[0058] This component can provide superior odor and/or improved fabric softening performance, compared to similar articles which utilize primary amine or ammonium compounds as the sole fabric conditioning agent. Particularly preferred tertiary amines for static control performance are those containing unsaturation; e.g., oleyldimethylamine and/or soft tallowdimethylamine Examples of preferred tertiary amines as starting material for the reaction between the amine and carboxylic acid to form the tertiary amine salts are: lauryldimethylamine, myristyldimethylamine, stearyldimethylamine, tallowdimethylamine, coconutdimethylamine, dilaurylmethyl amine, distearylmethylamine, ditallowmethylamine, oleyldimethylamine, dioleylmethylamine, lauryldi(3-hydroxypropyl)amine, stearyldi(2-hydroxyethyl)amine, trilaurylamine, laurylethylmethylamine, and
[0059] Examples of specific carboxylic acids as a starting material are: formic acid, acetic acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, oxalic acid, adipic acid, 12-hydroxy stearic acid, benzoic acid, 4-hydroxy benzoic acid, 3-chloro benzoic acid, 4-nitro benzoic acid, 4-ethyl benzoic acid, 4-(2-chloroethyl)benzoic acid, phenylacetic acid, (4-chlorophenyl)acetic acid, (4-hydroxyphenyl)acetic acid, and phthalic acid. Preferred carboxylic acids are stearic, oleic, lauric, myristic, palmitic, and mixtures thereof. The amine salt can be formed by a simple addition reaction, well known in the art and disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,237,155, Kardouche, issued Dec. 2, 1980, which is incorporated herein by reference. Excessive levels of free amines may result in odor problems, and generally free amines provide poorer softening performance than the amine salts. The amine and the acid, respectively, used to form the amine salt will often be of mixed chain lengths rather than single chain lengths, since these materials are normally derived from natural fats and oils, or synthetic processed which produce a mixture of chain lengths. Also, it is often desirable to utilize mixtures of different chain lengths in order to modify the physical or performance characteristics of the softening composition. Specific preferred amine salts for use in the present invention are oleyldimethylamine stearate, stearyldimethylamine stearate, stearyldimethylamine myristate, stearyldimethylamine oleate, stearyldimethylamine palmitate, distearylmethylamine palmitate, distearylmethylamine laurate, and mixtures thereof. A particularly preferred mixture is oleyldimethylamine stearate and distearylmethylamine myristate, in a ratio of 1:10 to 10:1, preferably about 1:1.
Nonionic Softening Actives
[0060] A softening active that can also be employed in the present invention is a nonionic fabric softener material. Typically, such nonionic fabric softener materials have an HLB of from about 2 to about 9, and more typically from about 3 to about 7. In general, the materials selected should be relatively crystalline and higher melting, (e.g., >25.degree. C.). The level of optional nonionic softener in the solid composition is typically from about 0.1% to about 50%, preferably from about 5% to about 30%. Preferred nonionic softeners are fatty acid partial esters of polyhydric alcohols, or anhydrides thereof, wherein the alcohol or anhydride contains from about 2 to about 18 and preferably from about 2 to about 8 carbon atoms, and each fatty acid moiety contains from about 8 to about 30 and preferably from about 12 to about 20 carbon atoms. Typically, such softeners contain from about one to about 3 and preferably about 2 fatty acid groups per molecule. The polyhydric alcohol portion of the ester can be ethylene glycol, glycerol, poly (e.g., di-, tri-, tetra, penta-, and/or hexa-) glycerol, xylitol, sucrose, erythritol, pentaerythritol, sorbitol or sorbitan. The fatty acid portion of the ester is normally derived from fatty acids having from about 8 to about 30 and preferably from about 12 to about 22 carbon atoms. Typical examples of said fatty acids being lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, and behenic acid. Highly preferred optional nonionic softening agents for use in the present invention are C 10 -C 26 acyl sorbitan esters and polyglycerol monostearate. Sorbitan esters are esterified dehydration products of sorbitol. The preferred sorbitan ester comprises a member selected from the group consisting of C 10 -C 26 acyl sorbitan monoesters and C 10 -C 26 acyl sorbitan diesters and ethoxylates of said esters wherein one or more of the unesterified hydroxyl groups in said esters contain from about 1 to about 6 oxyethylene units, and mixtures thereof. For the purpose of the present invention, sorbitan esters containing unsaturation (e.g., sorbitan monooleate) can be utilized. Sorbitol, which is typically prepared by the catalytic hydrogenation of glucose, can be dehydrated in well known fashion to form mixtures of 1,4- and 1,5-sorbitol anhydrides and small amounts of isosorbides.
[0061] The preferred sorbitan softening agents of the type employed herein can be prepared by esterifying the “sorbitan” mixture with a fatty acyl group in standard fashion, e.g., by reaction with a fatty acid halide, fatty acid ester, and/or fatty acid. The esterification reaction can occur at any of the available hydroxyl groups, and various mono-, di-, etc., esters can be prepared. In fact, mixtures of mono-, di-, tri-, etc., esters almost always result from such reactions, and the stoichiometric ratios of the reactants can be simply adjusted to favor the desired reaction product. Certain derivatives of the preferred sorbitan esters herein, especially the “lower” ethoxylates thereof (i.e., mono-, di-, and tri-esters wherein one or more of the unesterified —OH groups contain one to about twenty oxyethylene moieties (Tweens®) are also useful in the composition of the present invention. Therefore, the term “sorbitan ester” is intended to include such derivatives. For the purposes of the present invention, it is preferred that a significant amount of di- and tri-sorbitan esters are present in the ester mixture. Ester mixtures having from about 20-50% mono-ester, about 25-50% di-ester and about 10-35% of tri- and tetra-esters are preferred. Material which is sold commercially as sorbitan mono-ester (e.g., monostearate) typically contains significant amounts of di- and tri-esters. A typical analysis of commercial sorbitan monostearate indicates that it comprises about 27% mono-, about 32% di- and about 30% tri- and tetra-esters and is therefore a preferred material. Mixtures of sorbitan stearate and sorbitan palmitate having stearate/palmitate weight ratios varying between 10:1 and 1:10, and 1,5-sorbitan esters are also useful. In addition, both the 1,4- and 1,5-sorbitan esters are useful herein.
[0062] Other useful alkyl sorbitan esters for use in the softening compositions herein include sorbitan monolaurate, sorbitan monomyristate, sorbitan monopalmitate, sorbitan monobehenate, sorbitan monooleate, sorbitan dilaurate, sorbitan dimyristate, sorbitan dipalmitate, sorbitan distearate, sorbitan dibehenate, sorbitan dioleate, and mixtures thereof, and mixed tallowalkyl sorbitan mono- and di-esters. Such mixtures are readily prepared by reacting the foregoing hydroxy-substituted sorbitans, particularly the 1,4- and 1,5-sorbitans, with the corresponding acid, ester, or acid chloride in a simple esterification reaction. It is to be recognized, of course, that commercial materials prepared in this manner will comprise mixtures usually containing minor proportions of uncyclized sorbitol, fatty acids, polymers, isosorbide structures, and the like. In the present invention, it is preferred that such impurities are present at as low a level as practical. The preferred sorbitan esters employed herein can contain up to about 15% by weight of esters of the C 20 -C 26 , and higher, fatty acids, as well as minor amounts of C 8 , and lower, fatty esters. Glycerol and polyglycerol esters, especially glycerol, diglycerol, triglycerol, and polyglycerol mono- and/or di-esters, preferably mono-, are also preferred herein (e.g., polyglycerol monostearate with a trade name of Radiasurf 7248). Glycerol esters can be prepared from naturally occurring triglycerides by normal extraction, purification and/or interesterification processes or by esterification processes of the type set forth hereinbefore for sorbitan esters. Partial esters of glycerin can also be ethoxylated to form usable derivatives that are included within the term “glycerol esters.” Useful glycerol and polyglycerol esters include mono-esters with stearic, oleic, palmitic, lauric, isostearic, myristic, and/or behenic acids and the diesters of stearic, oleic, palmitic, lauric, isostearic, behenic, and/or myristic acids. It is understood that the typical mono-ester contains some di- and tri-ester, etc. The “glycerol esters” also include the polyglycerol, e.g., diglycerol through octaglycerol esters. The polyglycerol polyols are formed by condensing glycerin or epichlorohydrin together to link the glycerol moieties via ether linkages. The mono- and/or diesters of the polyglycerol polyols are preferred, the fatty acyl groups typically being those described hereinbefore for the sorbitan and glycerol esters.
Alkanolamides
Alkanolamide are Also Suitable.
Fatty Acids
[0063] The fabric conditioning active in the articles of the present invention may further comprise one or more fatty acids. Typically, the fatty acid is present to improve the processability of the composition, and is admixed with any material, or materials, that are difficult to process, especially as a result of having a high viscosity. The fatty acid provides improved viscosity and/or processability, without harming softening or antistatic performance of the fabric conditioning composition. Preferred fatty acids are those containing a long chain, unsubstituted alkenyl group of from about 8 to about 30 carbon atoms, more preferably from about 11 to about 18 carbon atoms. Examples of specific carboxylic acids are: oleic acid, linoleic acid, and mixtures thereof. Although unsaturated fatty acids are preferred, the unsaturated fatty acids can be used in combination with saturated fatty acids like stearic, palmitic, and/or lauric acids. Preferred carboxylic acids are oleic, linoleic, tallow fatty acids, and mixtures thereof. Another type of preferred softener is high molecular weight fatty acid containing at least 20 carbon atoms. These fatty acids can be used in combination with the quaternary softener actives or as part of the fatty acid tertiary amine salts, or mixtures of free fatty acids and fatty acid tertiary amine salts. These fatty acids normally have higher melting ranges, thus can be used to elevate the melting range of the total softener composition if necessary. Non-limiting examples of high molecular weight fatty acids useful in the present invention are arachidic acid (C 20 , eicosanoic acid), docosanoic acid (C 22 , behenic acid), tetracosanoic acid (C 24 , lignoceric acid), triacontanoic acid (C 30 , melissic acid), and mixtures thereof. Behenic acid, arachidic acid, and mixtures thereof are preferred. Behenic acid is most preferred.
[0064] Preferably, the fatty acid is added to the quaternization reaction mixture used to form the biodegradable quaternary ammonium compounds of Formulas II, III, and/or IV as described hereinbefore to lower the viscosity of the reaction mixture to less than about 1500 cps, preferably less than about 1000 cps, more preferably less than about 800 cps. The solvent level of added fatty acid is from about 5% to about 30%, preferably from about 10% to about 25%, more preferably from about 10% to about 20%. The unsaturated fatty acid can be added before the start of the quaternization reaction or, preferably, during the quaternization reaction when it is needed to reduce the viscosity which increases with increased level of quaternization. Preferably the addition occurs when at least about 60% of the product is quaternized. This allows for a low viscosity for processing while minimizing side reactions that can occur when the quaternizing agent reacts with the fatty acid. The resulting quaternized biodegradable fabric softening actives can be used without removal of the unsaturated fatty acid, and, in fact, are more useful since the mixture is more fluid and more easily handled.
Coating Mix
[0065] In one embodiment, the coat mix comprises a low level of water. Adding too much water to a coat mix may cause the coat mix to solidify or gel. This will cause problems in the manufacturing process as the phase changed coat mix may clog pipes or no longer have desirable flow characteristics for processing. In one embodiment, the coat mix comprises less than about 10%, alternatively less than about 9%, or 8%, or 7%, or 6%, or 5%, or 4%, or 3%, or 2%, or 1%, or 0.5%, or about 0.1% of water by weight of the coat mix. Alternatively the coat mix may comprise at least about 0.001% water, by weight of the coat mix. Alternatively the coat mix is free or substantially free of water.
Additional Suitable Fabric Softening Actives
[0066] The fluid fabric enhancer compositions disclosed herein comprise a fabric softening active (“FSA”). Suitable fabric softening actives, include, but are not limited to, materials selected from the group consisting of quaternary ammonium compounds, amines, fatty esters, sucrose esters, silicones, dispersible polyolefins, clays, polysaccharides, fatty acids, softening oils, polymer latexes and mixtures thereof.
[0067] Non-limiting examples of water insoluble fabric care benefit agents include dispersible polyethylene and polymer latexes. These agents can be in the form of emulsions, latexes, dispersions, suspensions, and the like. In one aspect, they are in the form of an emulsion or a latex. Dispersible polyethylenes and polymer latexes can have a wide range of particle size diameters (χ 50 ) including but not limited to from about 1 nm to about 100 μm; alternatively from about 10 nm to about 10 μm. As such, the particle sizes of dispersible polyethylenes and polymer latexes are generally, but without limitation, smaller than silicones or other fatty oils.
[0068] Generally, any surfactant suitable for making polymer emulsions or emulsion polymerizations of polymer latexes can be used to make the water insoluble fabric care benefit agents of the present invention. Suitable surfactants consist of emulsifiers for polymer emulsions and latexes, dispersing agents for polymer dispersions and suspension agents for polymer suspensions. Suitable surfactants include anionic, cationic, and nonionic surfactants, or combinations thereof. In one aspect, such surfactants are nonionic and/or anionic surfactants. In one aspect, the ratio of surfactant to polymer in the water insoluble fabric care benefit agent is about 1:100 to about 1:2; alternatively from about 1:50 to about 1:5, respectively. Suitable water insoluble fabric care benefit agents include but are not limited to the examples described below.
[0069] Quats—Suitable quats include but are not limited to, materials selected from the group consisting of ester quats, amide quats, imidazoline quats, alkyl quats, amidoester quats and mixtures thereof. Suitable ester quats include but are not limited to, materials selected from the group consisting of monoester quats, diester quats, triester quats and mixtures thereof. In one aspect, a suitable ester quat is bis-(2-hydroxypropyl)-dimethylammonium methylsulfate fatty acid ester having a molar ratio of fatty acid moieties to amine moieties of from 1.85 to 1.99, an average chain length of the fatty acid moieties of from 16 to 18 carbon atoms and an iodine value of the fatty acid moieties, calculated for the free fatty acid, which has an Iodine Value of between 0-140, preferably 5-100, more preferably 10-80, even more preferably 15-70, even more preferably 18-55, most preferably 18-25. When a soft tallow quaternary ammonium compound softener is used, most preferably range is 25-60. In one aspect, the cis-trans-ratio of double bonds of unsaturated fatty acid moieties of the bis (2 hydroxypropyl)-dimethylammonium methylsulfate fatty acid ester is from 55:45 to 75:25, respectively. Suitable amide quats include but are not limited to, materials selected from the group consisting of monoamide quats, diamide quats and mixtures thereof. Suitable alkyl quats include but are not limited to, materials selected from the group consisting of mono alkyl quats, dialkyl quats, trialkyl quats, tetraalkyl quats and mixtures thereof.
[0070] Amines—Suitable amines include but are not limited to, materials selected from the group consisting of amidoesteramines, amidoamines, imidazoline amines, alkyl amines, amidoester amines and mixtures thereof. Suitable ester amines include but are not limited to, materials selected from the group consisting of monoester amines, diester amines, triester amines and mixtures thereof. Suitable amido quats include but are not limited to, materials selected from the group consisting of monoamido amines, diamido amines and mixtures thereof. Suitable alkyl amines include but are not limited to, materials selected from the group consisting of mono alkylamines, dialkyl amines quats, trialkyl amines, and mixtures thereof.
[0071] In one embodiment, the fabric softening active is a quaternary ammonium compound suitable for softening fabric in a rinse step. In one embodiment, the fabric softening active is formed from a reaction product of a fatty acid and an aminoalcohol obtaining mixtures of mono-, di-, and in one embodiment, tri-ester compounds. In another embodiment, the fabric softening active comprises one or more softener quaternary ammonium compounds such, but not limited to, as a monoalkyquaternary ammonium compound, dialkylquaternary ammonium compound, a diamido quaternary compound, a diester quaternary ammonium compound, or a combination thereof.
[0072] In one aspect, the fabric softening active comprises a diester quaternary ammonium or protonated diester ammonium (hereinafter “DQA”) compound composition. In certain embodiments of the present invention, the DQA compound compositions also encompass diamido fabric softening actives and fabric softening actives with mixed amido and ester linkages as well as the aforementioned diester linkages, all herein referred to as DQA.
[0073] In one aspect, said fabric softening active may comprise, as the principal active, compounds of the following formula:
[0000] {R 4-m —N + —[X—Y—R 1 ] m }X − (1)
[0000] wherein each R comprises either hydrogen, a short chain C 1 -C 6 , in one aspect a C 1 -C 3 alkyl or hydroxyalkyl group, for example methyl, ethyl, propyl, hydroxyethyl, and the like, poly(C 2-3 alkoxy), polyethoxy, benzyl, or mixtures thereof; each X is independently (CH 2 )n, CH 2 —CH(CH 3 )— or CH—(CH 3 )—CH 2 —; each Y may comprise —O—(O)C—, —C(O)—O—, —NR—C(O)—, or —C(O)—NR—; each m is 2 or 3; each n is from 1 to about 4, in one aspect 2; the sum of carbons in each R 1 , plus one when Y is —O—(O)C— or —NR—C(O)—, may be C 12 -C 22 , or C 14 -C 20 , with each R 1 being a hydrocarbyl, or substituted hydrocarbyl group; and X − may comprise any softener-compatible anion. In one aspect, the softener-compatible anion may comprise chloride, bromide, methylsulfate, ethylsulfate, sulfate, and nitrate. In another aspect, the softener-compatible anion may comprise chloride or methyl sulfate.
[0074] In another aspect, the fabric softening active may comprise the general formula:
[0000] [R 3 N + CH 2 CH(YR 1 )(CH 2 YR 1 )]X −
[0000] wherein each Y, R, R 1 , and X − have the same meanings as before. Such compounds include those having the formula:
[0000] [CH 3 ] 3 N (+) [CH 2 CH(CH 2 O(O)CR 1 )O(O)CR 1 ]Cl (−) (2)
[0000] wherein each R may comprise a methyl or ethyl group. In one aspect, each R 1 may comprise a C 15 to C 19 group. As used herein, when the diester is specified, it can include the monoester that is present.
[0075] These types of agents and general methods of making them are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,137,180. An example of a suitable DEQA (2) is the “propyl” ester quaternary ammonium fabric softener active comprising the formula 1,2-di(acyloxy)-3-trimethylammoniopropane chloride.
[0076] A third type of useful fabric softening active has the formula:
[0000] [R 4-m —N + —R 1 m ]X − (3)
[0000] wherein each R, R 1 , m and X − have the same meanings as before.
[0077] In a further aspect, the fabric softening active may comprise the formula:
[0000]
[0000] wherein each R, R 1 , and A − have the definitions given above; R 2 may comprise a C 1-6 alkylene group, in one aspect an ethylene group; and G may comprise an oxygen atom or an —NR— group;
[0078] In a yet further aspect, the fabric softening active may comprise the formula:
[0000]
[0000] wherein R 1 , R 2 and G are defined as above.
[0079] In a further aspect, the fabric softening active may comprise condensation reaction products of fatty acids with dialkylenetriamines in, e.g., a molecular ratio of about 2:1, said reaction products containing compounds of the formula:
[0000] R 1 —C(O)—NH—R 2 —NH—R 3 —NHC(O)—R 1 (6)
[0000] wherein R 1 , R 2 are defined as above, and R 3 may comprise a C 1-6 alkylene group, in one aspect, an ethylene group and wherein the reaction products may optionally be quaternized by the additional of an alkylating agent such as dimethyl sulfate. Such quaternized reaction products are described in additional detail in U.S. Pat. No. 5,296,622.
[0080] In a yet further aspect, the fabric softening active may comprise the formula:
[0000] [R 1 —C(O)—NR—R 2 —N(R) 2 —R 3 —NR—C(O)R 1 ] + A − (7)
[0000] wherein R, R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and A − are defined as above;
[0081] In a yet further aspect, the fabric softening active may comprise reaction products of fatty acid with hydroxyalkylalkylenediamines in a molecular ratio of about 2:1, said reaction products containing compounds of the formula:
[0000] R 1 —C(O)—NH—R 2 —N(R 3 OH)—C(O)—R 1 (8)
[0000] wherein R 1 , R 2 and R 3 are defined as above;
[0082] In a yet further aspect, the fabric softening active may comprise the formula:
[0000]
[0000] wherein R, R 1 , R 2 , and A − are defined as above.
[0083] In yet a further aspect, the fabric softening active may comprise the formula:
[0000]
[0000] wherein;
X 1 is a C 2-3 alkyl group, in one aspect, an ethyl group; X 2 and X 3 are independently C 1-6 linear or branched alkyl or alkenyl groups, in one aspect, methyl, ethyl or isopropyl groups; R 1 and R 2 are independently C 8-22 linear or branched alkyl or alkenyl groups; characterized in that; A and B are independently selected from the group comprising —O—(C═O)—, —(C═O)—O—, or mixtures thereof, in one aspect, —O—(C═O)—
[0088] Non-limiting examples of fabric softening actives comprising formula (1) are N,N-bis(stearoyl-oxy-ethyl)-N,N-dimethylammonium chloride, N,N-bis(tallowoyl-oxy-ethyl)-N,N-dimethylammonium chloride, N,N-bis(stearoyl-oxy-ethyl)-N-(2 hydroxyethyl)-N-methylammonium methylsulfate.
[0089] Non-limiting examples of fabric softening actives comprising formula (2) is 1,2-di-(stearoyl-oxy)-3-trimethyl ammoniumpropane chloride.
[0090] Non-limiting examples of fabric softening actives comprising formula (3) include dialkylenedimethylammonium salts such as dicanoladimethylammonium chloride, di(hard)tallowdimethylammonium chloride, dicanoladimethylammonium methylsulfate, and mixtures thereof. An example of commercially available dialkylenedimethylammonium salts usable in the present invention is dioleyldimethylammonium chloride available from Witco Corporation under the trade name Adogen® 472 and dihardtallow dimethylammonium chloride available from Akzo Nobel Arquad 2HT75.
[0091] A non-limiting example of fabric softening actives comprising formula (4) is 1-methyl-1-stearoylamidoethyl-2-stearoylimidazolinium methylsulfate wherein R 1 is an acyclic aliphatic C 15 -C 17 hydrocarbon group, R 2 is an ethylene group, G is a NH group, R 5 is a methyl group and A − is a methyl sulfate anion, available commercially from the Witco Corporation under the trade name Varisoft®.
[0092] A non-limiting example of fabric softening actives comprising formula (5) is 1-tallowylamidoethyl-2-tallowylimidazoline wherein R 1 is an acyclic aliphatic C 15 -C 17 hydrocarbon group, R 2 is an ethylene group, and G is a NH group.
[0093] A non-limiting example of a fabric softening active comprising formula (6) is the reaction products of fatty acids with diethylenetriamine in a molecular ratio of about 2:1, said reaction product mixture containing N,N″-dialkyldiethylenetriamine with the formula:
[0000] R 1 —C(O)—NH—CH 2 CH 2 —NH—CH 2 CH 2 —NH—C(O)—R 1
[0000] wherein R 1 is an alkyl group of a commercially available fatty acid derived from a vegetable or animal source, such as Emersol® 223LL or Emersol® 7021, available from Henkel Corporation, and R 2 and R 3 are divalent ethylene groups.
[0094] In one aspect, said fatty acid may be obtained, in whole or in part, from a renewable source, via extraction from plant material, fermentation from plant material, and/or obtained via genetically modified organisms such as algae or yeast.
[0095] A non-limiting example of Compound (7) is a di-fatty amidoamine based softener having the formula:
[0000] [R 1 —C(O)—NH—CH 2 CH 2 —N(CH 3 )(CH 2 CH 2 OH)—CH 2 CH 2 —NH—C(O)—R 1 ] + CH 3 SO 4 −
[0000] wherein R 1 is an alkyl group. An example of such compound is that commercially available from the Witco Corporation e.g. under the trade name Varisoft® 222LT.
[0096] An example of a fabric softening active comprising formula (8) is the reaction products of fatty acids with N-2-hydroxyethylethylenediamine in a molecular ratio of about 2:1, said reaction product mixture containing a compound of the formula:
[0000] R 1 —C(O)—NH—CH 2 CH 2 —N(CH 2 CH 2 OH)—C(O)—R 1
[0000] wherein R 1 —C(O) is an alkyl group of a commercially available fatty acid derived from a vegetable or animal source, such as Emersol® 223LL or Emersol® 7021, available from Henkel Corporation.
An example of a fabric softening active comprising formula (9) is the diquaternary compound having the formula:
[0000]
[0000] wherein R 1 is derived from fatty acid. Such compound is available from Witco Company.
[0097] A non-limiting example of a fabric softening active comprising formula (10) is a dialkyl imidazoline diester compound, where the compound is the reaction product of N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1,2-ethylenediamine or N-(2-hydroxyisopropyl)-1,2-ethylenediamine with glycolic acid, esterified with fatty acid, where the fatty acid is (hydrogenated) tallow fatty acid, palm fatty acid, hydrogenated palm fatty acid, oleic acid, rapeseed fatty acid, hydrogenated rapeseed fatty acid or a mixture of the above.
[0098] It will be understood that combinations of softener actives disclosed above are suitable for use in this invention.
Anion A
[0099] In the cationic nitrogenous salts herein, the anion A − , which comprises any softener compatible anion, provides electrical neutrality. Most often, the anion used to provide electrical neutrality in these salts is from a strong acid, especially a halide, such as chloride, bromide, or iodide. However, other anions can be used, such as methylsulfate, ethylsulfate, acetate, formate, sulfate, carbonate, fatty acid anions and the like. In one aspect, the anion A may comprise chloride or methylsulfate. The anion, in some aspects, may carry a double charge. In this aspect, A − represents half a group.
[0100] In one embodiment, the fabric softening agent is chosen from at least one of the following: ditallowoyloxyethyl dimethyl ammonium chloride, dihydrogenated-tallowoyloxyethyl dimethyl ammonium chloride, ditallow dimethyl ammonium chloride, dihydrogenatedtallow dimethyl ammonium chloride, ditallowoyloxyethyl methylhydroxyethylammonium methyl sulfate, dihydrogenated-tallowoyloxyethyl methyl hydroxyethylammonium chloride, or combinations thereof.
Polysaccharides
[0101] One aspect of the invention provides a fabric enhancer composition comprising a cationic starch as a fabric softening active. In one embodiment, the fabric care compositions of the present invention generally comprise cationic starch at a level of from about 0.1% to about 7%, alternatively from about 0.1% to about 5%, alternatively from about 0.3% to about 3%, and alternatively from about 0.5% to about 2.0%, by weight of the composition. Suitable cationic starches for use in the present compositions are commercially-available from Cerestar under the trade name C*BOND® and from National Starch and Chemical Company under the trade name CATO® 2A,
Sucrose Esters
[0102] Nonionic fabric care benefit agents can comprise sucrose esters, and are typically derived from sucrose and fatty acids. Sucrose ester is composed of a sucrose moiety having one or more of its hydroxyl groups esterified.
[0103] Sucrose is a disaccharide having the following formula:
[0000]
[0104] Alternatively, the sucrose molecule can be represented by the formula: M(OH) 8 , wherein M is the disaccharide backbone and there are total of 8 hydroxyl groups in the molecule.
[0105] Thus, sucrose esters can be represented by the following formula:
[0000] M(OH) 8-x (OC(O)R 1 ) x
[0106] wherein x is the number of hydroxyl groups that are esterified, whereas (8-x) is the hydroxyl groups that remain unchanged; x is an integer selected from 1 to 8, alternatively from 2 to 8, alternatively from 3 to 8, or from 4 to 8; and R 1 moieties are independently selected from C 1 -C 22 alkyl or C 1 -C 30 alkoxy, linear or branched, cyclic or acyclic, saturated or unsaturated, substituted or unsubstituted.
[0107] In one embodiment, the R 1 moieties comprise linear alkyl or alkoxy moieties having independently selected and varying chain length. For example, R 1 may comprise a mixture of linear alkyl or alkoxy moieties wherein greater than about 20% of the linear chains are C 18 , alternatively greater than about 50% of the linear chains are C 18 , alternatively greater than about 80% of the linear chains are C 18 .
[0108] In another embodiment, the R 1 moieties comprise a mixture of saturate and unsaturated alkyl or alkoxy moieties; the degree of unsaturation can be measured by “Iodine Value” (hereinafter referred as “IV”, as measured by the standard AOCS method). The IV of the sucrose esters suitable for use herein ranges from about 1 to about 150, or from about 2 to about 100, or from about 5 to about 85. The R 1 moieties may be hydrogenated to reduce the degree of unsaturation. In the case where a higher IV is preferred, such as from about 40 to about 95, then oleic acid and fatty acids derived from soybean oil and canola oil are the starting materials.
[0109] In a further embodiment, the unsaturated R 1 moieties may comprise a mixture of “cis” and “trans” forms about the unsaturated sites. The “cis”/“trans” ratios may range from about 1:1 to about 50:1, or from about 2:1 to about 40:1, or from about 3:1 to about 30:1, or from about 4:1 to about 20:1.
Dispersible Polyolefins
[0110] Generally, all dispersible polyolefins that provide fabric care benefits can be used as water insoluble fabric care benefit agents in the present invention. The polyolefins can be in the format of waxes, emulsions, dispersions or suspensions. Non-limiting examples are discussed below.
[0111] In one embodiment, the polyolefin is chosen from a polyethylene, polypropylene, or a combination thereof. The polyolefin may be at least partially modified to contain various functional groups, such as carboxyl, alkylamide, sulfonic acid or amide groups. In another embodiment, the polyolefin is at least partially carboxyl modified or, in other words, oxidized.
[0112] For ease of formulation, the dispersible polyolefin may be introduced as a suspension or an emulsion of polyolefin dispersed by use of an emulsifying agent. The polyolefin suspension or emulsion may comprise from about 1% to about 60%, alternatively from about 10% to about 55%, alternatively from about 20% to about 50% by weight of polyolefin. The polyolefin may have a wax dropping point (see ASTM D3954-94, volume 15.04—“Standard Test Method for Dropping Point of Waxes”) from about 20° to about 170° C., alternatively from about 50° to about 140° C. Suitable polyethylene waxes are available commercially from suppliers including but not limited to Honeywell (A-C polyethylene), Clariant (Velustrol® emulsion), and BASF (LUWAX®).
[0113] When an emulsion is employed with the dispersible polyolefin, the emulsifier may be any suitable emulsification agent. Non-limiting examples include an anionic, cationic, nonionic surfactant, or a combination thereof. However, almost any suitable surfactant or suspending agent may be employed as the emulsification agent. The dispersible polyolefin is dispersed by use of an emulsification agent in a ratio to polyolefin wax of about 1:100 to about 1:2, alternatively from about 1:50 to about 1:5, respectively.
[0114] Polymer Latexes
[0115] Polymer latex is made by an emulsion polymerization which includes one or more monomers, one or more emulsifiers, an initiator, and other components familiar to those of ordinary skill in the art. Generally, all polymer latexes that provide fabric care benefits can be used as water insoluble fabric care benefit agents of the present invention. Additional non-limiting examples include the monomers used in producing polymer latexes such as: (1) 100% or pure butylacrylate; (2) butylacrylate and butadiene mixtures with at least 20% (weight monomer ratio) of butylacrylate; (3) butylacrylate and less than 20% (weight monomer ratio) of other monomers excluding butadiene; (4) alkylacrylate with an alkyl carbon chain at or greater than C 6 ; (5) alkylacrylate with an alkyl carbon chain at or greater than C 6 and less than 50% (weight monomer ratio) of other monomers; (6) a third monomer (less than 20% weight monomer ratio) added into an aforementioned monomer systems; and (7) combinations thereof.
[0116] Polymer latexes that are suitable fabric care benefit agents in the present invention may include those having a glass transition temperature of from about −120° C. to about 120° C., alternatively from about −80° C. to about 60° C. Suitable emulsifiers include anionic, cationic, nonionic and amphoteric surfactants. Suitable initiators include initiators that are suitable for emulsion polymerization of polymer latexes. The particle size diameter (χ 50 ) of the polymer latexes can be from about 1 nm to about 10 μm, alternatively from about 10 nm to about 1 μm, or even from about 10 nm to about 20 nm.
[0117] Fatty Acid
[0118] One aspect of the invention provides a fabric softening composition comprising a fatty acid, such as a free fatty acid. The term “fatty acid” is used herein in the broadest sense to include unprotonated or protonated forms of a fatty acid; and includes fatty acid that is bound or unbound to another chemical moiety as well as the various combinations of these species of fatty acid. One skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the pH of an aqueous composition will dictate, in part, whether a fatty acid is protonated or unprotonated. In another embodiment, the fatty acid is in its unprotonated, or salt form, together with a counter ion, such as, but not limited to, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium and the like. The term “free fatty acid” means a fatty acid that is not bound to another chemical moiety (covalently or otherwise) to another chemical moiety.
[0119] In one embodiment, the fatty acid may include those containing from about 12 to about 25, from about 13 to about 22, or even from about 16 to about 20, total carbon atoms, with the fatty moiety containing from about 10 to about 22, from about 12 to about 18, or even from about 14 (mid-cut) to about 18 carbon atoms.
[0120] The fatty acids of the present invention may be derived from (1) an animal fat, and/or a partially hydrogenated animal fat, such as beef tallow, lard, etc.; (2) a vegetable oil, and/or a partially hydrogenated vegetable oil such as canola oil, safflower oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil, sesame seed oil, rapeseed oil, cottonseed oil, corn oil, soybean oil, tall oil, rice bran oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, other tropical palm oils, linseed oil, tung oil, etc.; (3) processed and/or bodied oils, such as linseed oil or tung oil via thermal, pressure, alkali-isomerization and catalytic treatments; (4) a mixture thereof, to yield saturated (e.g. stearic acid), unsaturated (e.g. oleic acid), polyunsaturated (linoleic acid), branched (e.g. isostearic acid) or cyclic (e.g. saturated or unsaturated α-disubstituted cyclopentyl or cyclohexyl derivatives of polyunsaturated acids) fatty acids.
[0121] Mixtures of fatty acids from different fat sources can be used.
[0122] In one aspect, at least a majority of the fatty acid that is present in the fabric softening composition of the present invention is unsaturated, e.g., from about 40% to 100%, from about 55% to about 99%, or even from about 60% to about 98%, by weight of the total weight of the fatty acid present in the composition, although fully saturated and partially saturated fatty acids can be used. As such, the total level of polyunsaturated fatty acids (TPU) of the total fatty acid of the inventive composition may be from about 0% to about 75% by weight of the total weight of the fatty acid present in the composition.
[0123] The cis/trans ratio for the unsaturated fatty acids may be important, with the cis/trans ratio (of the C18:1 material) being from at least about 1:1, at least about 3:1, from about 4:1 or even from about 9:1 or higher.
[0124] Branched fatty acids such as isostearic acid are also suitable since they may be more stable with respect to oxidation and the resulting degradation of color and odor quality.
[0125] The Iodine Value or “IV” measures the degree of unsaturation in the fatty acid. In one embodiment of the invention, the fatty acid has an IV from about 10 to about 140, from about 15 to about 100 or even from about 15 to about 60.
[0126] Another class of fatty ester fabric care actives is softening oils, which include but are not limited to, vegetable oils (such as soybean, sunflower, and canola), hydrocarbon based oils (natural and synthetic petroleum lubricants, in one aspect polyolefins, isoparaffins, and cyclic paraffins), triolein, fatty esters, fatty alcohols, fatty amines, fatty amides, and fatty ester amines Oils can be combined with fatty acid softening agents, clays, and silicones.
[0127] Clays
[0128] In one embodiment of the invention, the fabric care composition may comprise a clay as a fabric care active. In one embodiment clay can be a softener or co-softeners with another softening active, for example, silicone. Suitable clays include those materials classified geologically smectites.
[0129] Silicone
[0130] In one embodiment, the fabric softening composition comprises a silicone. Suitable levels of silicone may comprise from about 0.1% to about 70%, alternatively from about 0.3% to about 40%, alternatively from about 0.5% to about 30%, alternatively from about 1% to about 20% by weight of the composition. Useful silicones can be any silicone comprising compound. In one embodiment, the silicone polymer is selected from the group consisting of cyclic silicones, polydimethylsiloxanes, aminosilicones, cationic silicones, silicone polyethers, silicone resins, silicone urethanes, and mixtures thereof. In one embodiment, the silicone is a polydialkylsilicone, alternatively a polydimethyl silicone (polydimethyl siloxane or “PDMS”), or a derivative thereof. In another embodiment, the silicone is chosen from an aminofunctional silicone, amino-polyether silicone, alkyloxylated silicone, cationic silicone, ethoxylated silicone, propoxylated silicone, ethoxylated/propoxylated silicone, quaternary silicone, or combinations thereof.
[0131] In another embodiment, the silicone may be chosen from a random or blocky organosilicone polymer having the following formula:
[0000] [R 1 R 2 R 3 SiO 1/2 ] (j+2) [(R 4 Si(X—Z)O 2/2 ] k [R 4 R 4 SiO 2/2 ] m [R 4 SiO 3/2 ] j
[0132] wherein:
j is an integer from 0 to about 98; in one aspect j is an integer from 0 to about 48; in one aspect, j is 0; k is an integer from 0 to about 200, in one aspect k is an integer from 0 to about 50; when k=0, at least one of R 1 , R 2 or R 3 is —X—Z; m is an integer from 4 to about 5,000; in one aspect m is an integer from about 10 to about 4,000; in another aspect m is an integer from about 50 to about 2,000;
R 1 , R 2 and R 3 are each independently selected from the group consisting of H, OH, C 1 -C 32 alkyl, C 1 -C 32 substituted alkyl, C 5 -C 32 or C 6 -C 32 aryl, C 5 -C 32 or C 6 -C 32 substituted aryl, C 6 -C 32 alkylaryl, C 6 -C 32 substituted alkylaryl, C 1 -C 32 alkoxy, C 1 -C 32 substituted alkoxy and X—Z; each R 4 is independently selected from the group consisting of H, OH, C 1 -C 32 alkyl, C 1 -C 32 substituted alkyl, C 5 -C 32 or C 6 -C 32 aryl, C 5 -C 32 or C 6 -C 32 substituted aryl, C 6 -C 32 alkylaryl, C 6 -C 32 substituted alkylaryl, C 1 -C 32 alkoxy and C 1 -C 32 substituted alkoxy; each X in said alkyl siloxane polymer comprises a substituted or unsubstituted divalent alkylene radical comprising 2-12 carbon atoms, in one aspect each divalent alkylene radical is independently selected from the group consisting of —(CH 2 ) s — wherein s is an integer from about 2 to about 8, from about 2 to about 4; in one aspect, each X in said alkyl siloxane polymer comprises a substituted divalent alkylene radical selected from the group consisting of: —CH 2 —CH(OH)—CH 2 —; —CH 2 —CH 2 —CH(OH)—; and
[0000]
each Z is selected independently from the group consisting of
[0000]
with the proviso that when Z is a quat, Q cannot be an amide, imine, or urea moiety and if Q is an amide, imine, or urea moiety, then any additional Q bonded to the same nitrogen as said amide, imine, or urea moiety must be H or a C 1 -C 6 alkyl, in one aspect, said additional Q is H; for Z A n− is a suitable charge balancing anion. In one aspect A n− is selected from the group consisting of Cl − , Br − , I − , methylsulfate, toluene sulfonate, carboxylate and phosphate; and at least one Q in said organosilicone is independently selected from —CH 2 —CH(OH)—CH 2 —R 5 ;
[0000]
each additional Q in said organosilicone is independently selected from the group comprising of H, C 1 -C 32 alkyl, C 1 -C 32 substituted alkyl, C 5 -C 32 or C 6 —C 32 aryl, C 5 -C 32 or C 6 -C 32 substituted aryl, C 6 -C 32 alkylaryl, C 6 -C 32 substituted alkylaryl, —CH 2 —CH(OH)—CH 2 —R 5 ;
[0000]
wherein each R 5 is independently selected from the group consisting of H, C 1 -C 32 alkyl, C 1 -C 32 substituted alkyl, C 5 -C 32 or C 6 -C 32 aryl, C 5 -C 32 or C 6 -C 32 substituted aryl, C 6 -C 32 alkylaryl, C 6 -C 32 substituted alkylaryl, —(CHR 6 —CHR 6 —O—) w -L and a siloxyl residue;
each R 6 is independently selected from H, C 1 -C 18 alkyl
each L is independently selected from —C(O)—R 7 or
R 7 ;
w is an integer from 0 to about 500, in one aspect w is an integer from about 1 to about 200; in one aspect w is an integer from about 1 to about 50;
each R 7 is selected independently from the group consisting of H; C 1 -C 32 alkyl; C 1 -C 32 substituted alkyl, C 5 -C 32 or C 6 -C 32 aryl, C 5 -C 32 or C 6 -C 32 substituted aryl, C 6 -C 32 alkylaryl; C 6 -C 32 substituted alkylaryl and a siloxyl residue;
each T is independently selected from H, and
[0000]
[0000] and wherein each v in said organosilicone is an integer from 1 to about 10, in one aspect, v is an integer from 1 to about 5 and the sum of all v indices in each Q in the said organosilicone is an integer from 1 to about 30 or from 1 to about 20 or even from 1 to about 10.
[0147] In another embodiment, the silicone may be chosen from a random or blocky organosilicone polymer having the following formula:
[0000] [R 1 R 2 R 3 SiO 1/2 ] (j+2) [(R 4 Si(X—Z)O 2/2 ] k [R 4 R 4 SiO 2/2 ] m [R 4 SiO 3/2 ] j
[0148] wherein
j is an integer from 0 to about 98; in one aspect j is an integer from 0 to about 48; in one aspect, j is 0; k is an integer from 0 to about 200; when k=0, at least one of R 1 , R 2 or R 3 ═—X—Z, in one aspect, k is an integer from 0 to about 50 m is an integer from 4 to about 5,000; in one aspect m is an integer from about 10 to about 4,000; in another aspect m is an integer from about 50 to about 2,000;
R 1 , R 2 and R 3 are each independently selected from the group consisting of H, OH, C 1 -C 32 alkyl, C 1 -C 32 substituted alkyl, C 5 -C 32 or C 6 -C 32 aryl, C 5 -C 32 or C 6 -C 32 substituted aryl, C 6 -C 32 alkylaryl, C 6 -C 32 substituted alkylaryl, C 1 -C 32 alkoxy, C 1 -C 32 substituted alkoxy and X—Z; each R 4 is independently selected from the group consisting of H, OH, C 1 -C 32 alkyl, C 1 -C 32 substituted alkyl, C 5 -C 32 or C 6 -C 32 aryl, C 5 -C 32 or C 6 -C 32 substituted aryl, C 6 -C 32 alkylaryl, C 6 -C 32 substituted alkylaryl, C 1 -C 32 alkoxy and C 1 -C 32 substituted alkoxy; each X comprises of a substituted or unsubstituted divalent alkylene radical comprising 2-12 carbon atoms; in one aspect each X is independently selected from the group consisting of —(CH 2 ) s —O—; —CH 2 —CH(OH)—CH 2 —O—;
[0000]
wherein each s independently is an integer from about 2 to about 8, in one aspect s is an integer from about 2 to about 4;
At least one Z in the said organosiloxane is selected from the group consisting of R 5 ;
[0000]
provided that when X is
[0000]
then Z═—OR 5 or
[0000]
wherein A − is a suitable charge balancing anion. In one aspect A − is selected from the group consisting of Cl − , Br − ,
I − , methylsulfate, toluene sulfonate, carboxylate and phosphate and
each additional Z in said organosilicone is independently selected from the group comprising of H, C 1 -C 32 alkyl, C 1 -C 32 substituted alkyl, C 5 -C 32 or C 6 -C 32 aryl, C 5 -C 32 or C 6 -C 32 substituted aryl, C 6 -C 32 alkylaryl, C 6 -C 32 substituted alkylaryl, R 5 ,
[0000]
—C(R 5 ) 2 R 5 ; —C(R 5 ) 2 S—R 5 and
[0000]
provided that when X is
[0000]
then Z═—OR s or
[0000]
each R 5 is independently selected from the group consisting of H; C 1 -C 32 alkyl; C 1 -C 32 substituted alkyl, C 5 -C 32 or C 6 -C 32 aryl, C 5 -C 32 or C 6 -C 32 substituted aryl or C 6 -C 32 alkylaryl, or C 6 -C 32 substituted alkylaryl,
—(CHR 6 —CHR 6 —O—) w —CHR 6 —CHR 6 -L and siloxyl residue wherein each L is independently selected from —O—C(O)—R 7 or —O—R 7 ;
[0000]
w is an integer from 0 to about 500, in one aspect w is an integer from 0 to about 200, one aspect w is an integer from 0 to about 50;
each R 6 is independently selected from H or C 1 -C 18 alkyl;
each R 7 is independently selected from the group consisting of H; C 1 -C 32 alkyl; C 1 -C 32 substituted alkyl, C 5 -C 32 or C 6 -C 32 aryl, C 5 -C 32 or C 6 -C 32 substituted aryl, C 6 -C 32 alkylaryl, and C 6 -C 32 substituted aryl, and a siloxyl residue;
each T is independently selected from H;
[0000]
wherein each v in said organosilicone is an integer from 1 to about 10, in one aspect, v is an integer from 1 to about 5 and the sum of all v indices in each Z in the said organosilicone is an integer from 1 to about 30 or from 1 to about 20 or even from 1 to about 10.
[0168] In one embodiment, the silicone is one comprising a relatively high molecular weight. A suitable way to describe the molecular weight of a silicone includes describing its viscosity. A high molecular weight silicone is one having a viscosity of from about 10 cSt to about 3,000,000 cSt, or from about 100 cSt to about 1,000,000 cSt, or from about 1,000 cSt to about 600,000 cSt, or even from about 6,000 cSt to about 300,000 cSt.
[0169] In one embodiment, the silicone comprises a blocky cationic organopolysiloxane having the formula:
[0000] M w D x T y Q z
[0000] wherein:
M=[SiR 1 R 2 R 3 O 1/2 ], [SiR 1 R 2 G 1 O 1/2 ], [SiR 1 G 1 G 2 O 1/2 ], [SiG 1 G 2 G 3 O 1/2 ], or combinations thereof;
D=[SiR 1 R 2 O 2/2 ], [SiR 1 G 1 O 2/2 ], [SiG 1 G 2 O 2/2 ] or combinations thereof;
T=[SiR 1 O 3/2 ], [SiG 1 O 3/2 ] or combinations thereof;
Q=[SiO 4/2];
[0170] w=is an integer from 1 to (2+y+2z);
x=is an integer from 5 to 15,000;
y=is an integer from 0 to 98;
z=is an integer from 0 to 98;
R 1 , R 2 and R 3 are each independently selected from the group consisting of H, OH, C 1 -C 32 alkyl, C 1 -C 32 substituted alkyl, C 5 -C 32 or C 6 -C 32 aryl, C 5 -C 32 or C 6 -C 32 substituted aryl, C 6 -C 32 alkylaryl, C 6 -C 32 substituted alkylaryl, C 1 -C 32 alkoxy, C 1 -C 32 substituted alkoxy, C 1 -C 32 alkylamino, and C 1 -C 32 substituted alkylamino;
at least one of M, D, or T incorporates at least one moiety G 1 , G 2 or G 3 ; and G 1 , G 2 , and G 3 are each independently selected from the formula:
[0000]
[0000] wherein:
X comprises a divalent radical selected from the group consisting of C 1 -C 32 alkylene, C 1 -C 32 substituted alkylene, C 5 -C 32 or C 6 -C 32 arylene, C 5 -C 32 or C 6 -C 32 substituted arylene, C 6 -C 32 arylalkylene, C 6 -C 32 substituted arylalkylene, C 1 -C 32 alkoxy, C 1 -C 32 substituted alkoxy, C 1 -C 32 alkyleneamino, C 1 -C 32 substituted alkyleneamino, ring-opened epoxide, and ring-opened glycidyl, with the proviso that if X does not comprise a repeating alkylene oxide moiety then X can further comprise a heteroatom selected from the group consisting of P, N and O;
each R 4 comprises identical or different monovalent radicals selected from the group consisting of H, C 1 -C 32 alkyl, C 1 -C 32 substituted alkyl, C 5 -C 32 or C 6 -C 32 aryl, C 5 -C 32 or C 6 -C 32 substituted aryl, C 6 -C 32 alkylaryl, and C 6 -C 32 substituted alkylaryl;
E comprises a divalent radical selected from the group consisting of C 1 -C 32 alkylene, C 1 -C 32 substituted alkylene, C 5 -C 32 or C 6 -C 32 arylene, C 5 -C 32 or C 6 -C 32 substituted arylene, C 6 -C 32 arylalkylene, C 6 -C 32 substituted arylalkylene, C 1 -C 32 alkoxy, C 1 -C 32 substituted alkoxy, C 1 -C 32 alkyleneamino, C 1 -C 32 substituted alkyleneamino, ring-opened epoxide and ring-opened glycidyl, with the proviso that if E does not comprise a repeating alkylene oxide moiety then E can further comprise a heteroatom selected from the group consisting of P, N, and O;
E′ comprises a divalent radical selected from the group consisting of C 1 -C 32 alkylene, C 1 -C 32 substituted alkylene, C 5 -C 32 or C 6 -C 32 arylene, C 5 -C 32 or C 6 -C 32 substituted arylene, C 6 -C 32 arylalkylene, C 6 -C 32 substituted arylalkylene, C 1 -C 32 alkoxy, C 1 -C 32 substituted alkoxy, C 1 -C 32 alkyleneamino, C 1 -C 32 substituted alkyleneamino, ring-opened epoxide and ring-opened glycidyl, with the proviso that if E′ does not comprise a repeating alkylene oxide moiety then E′ can further comprise a heteroatom selected from the group consisting of P, N, and O;
p is an integer independently selected from 1 to 50;
n is an integer independently selected from 1 or 2;
when at least one of G 1 , G 2 , or G 3 is positively charged, A −t is a suitable charge balancing anion or anions such that the total charge, k, of the charge-balancing anion or anions is equal to and opposite from the net charge on the moiety G 1 , G 2 or G 3 ; wherein t is an integer independently selected from 1, 2, or 3; and k≦(p*2/t)+1; such that the total number of cationic charges balances the total number of anionic charges in the organopolysiloxane molecule; and wherein at least one E does not comprise an ethylene moiety.
Additional Components
[0171] The present invention can include other optional components (minor components) conventionally used in textile treatment compositions, for example, anti-oxidants, colorants, preservatives, optical brighteners, opacifiers, stabilizers such as guar gum and polyethylene glycol, anti-shrinkage agents, anti-wrinkle agents, soil release agents, fabric crisping agents, reductive agents, spotting agents, germicides, fungicides, anti-corrosion agents, antifoam agents, Color Care Agents including Chlorine Scavengers, Dye Transfer Inhibitors, Dye Fixatives Chelants and Anti-Abrasion Agents Perfume, PMC's, Cyclodextrin Perfume Complexes, Free Cyclodextrin, Pro-Perfumes; Antioxidants and the like.
Substrate
[0172] One aspect of the present invention relates to fabric conditioning compositions which are delivered to fabric via dryer-added substrate that effectively releases the composition in an automatic laundry (clothes) dryer. Such dispensing means can be designed for single usage or for multiple uses. The dispensing means can also be a “carrier material” that releases the fabric conditioning composition and then is dispersed and/or exhausted from the dryer. When the dispensing means is a flexible substrate, e.g., in sheet configuration, the fabric conditioning composition is releasably affixed on the substrate to provide a weight ratio of conditioning composition to dry substrate ranging from about 10:1 to about 0.5:1, preferably from about 5:1 to about 1:1. To insure release, preferred flexible sheets withstand the dryer environment without decomposing or changing shape, e.g. combusting, creating off odors, or shrinking with heat or moisture. Substrates especially useful herein are rayon and/or polyester non-woven fabrics. Non-limiting examples of the substrates useful herein are cellulosic rayon and/or polyester non-woven fabrics having basis weights of from about 0.4 oz./yd2 to about 1 oz./yd2, preferably from about 0.5 oz./yd2 to about 0.8 oz./yd2, more preferably from about 0.5 oz./yd2 to about 0.6 oz./yd2. These substrates are typically prepared using, e.g., rayon and/or polyester fibers having deniers of from about 1 to about 8, preferably from about 3 to about 6, and more preferably about 4 to 6 or mixtures of different deniers. Typically, the fiber is a continuous filament or a 3/16 inch to 2 inch fiber segment that is laid down, in a pattern that results in a multiplicity of layers and intersections between overlayed portions of the filament or fiber, on a belt, preferably foraminous, and then the fiber intersections are glued and/or fused into fiber-to-fiber bonds by a combination of an adhesive binder, and/or heat and/or pressure. As non-limiting examples, the substrate may be spun-bonded, melt-bonded, or point bonded or combinations of bonding processes may be chosen. The substrate breaking strength and elasticity in the machine and cross direction is sufficient to enable the substrate to be conveyed through a coating process. The porosity of the substrate article is sufficient to enable air flow through the substrate to promote conditioning active release and prevent dryer vent blinding. The substrate may also have a plurality of rectilinear slits extended along one dimension of the substrate.
The dispensing means will normally carry an effective amount of fabric conditioning composition. Such effective amount typically provides sufficient softness, antistatic effect and/or perfume deposition for at least one treatment of a minimum load in an automatic laundry dryer. Amounts of the fabric conditioning composition irrespective of load size for a single article can vary from about 0.1 g to about 100 g, preferably from about 0.1 g to about 20 g, most preferably from about 0.1 g to about 10 g. Amounts of fabric treatment composition for multiple uses, e.g., up to about 30, can be used.
Test Methods
[0173] Malodor reduction materials may be separated from mixtures, including but not limited to finished products such as consumer products and identified, by analytical methods that include GC-MS and/or NMR.
Test Method for Determining Saturation Vapour Pressure (VP)
[0174] The saturation Vapour Pressure (VP) values are computed for each PRM in the perfume mixture being tested. The VP of an individual PRM is calculated using the VP Computational Model, version 14.02 (Linux) available from Advanced Chemistry Development Inc. (ACD/Labs) (Toronto, Canada) to provide the VP value at 25° C. expressed in units of torr. The ACD/Labs' Vapor Pressure model is part of the ACD/Labs model suite.
Test Method for Determining the Logarithm of the Octanol/Water Partition Coefficient (log P)
[0175] The value of the log of the Octanol/Water Partition Coefficient (log P) is computed for each PRM in the perfume mixture being tested. The log P of an individual PRM is calculated using the Consensus log P Computational Model, version 14.02 (Linux) available from Advanced Chemistry Development Inc. (ACD/Labs) (Toronto, Canada) to provide the unitless log P value. The ACD/Labs' Consensus log P Computational Model is part of the ACD/Labs model suite.
Test Method for the Generation of Molecular Descriptors
[0176] In order to conduct the calculations involved in the computed-value test methods described herein, the starting information required includes the identity, weight percent, and molar percent of each PRM in the perfume being tested, as a proportion of that perfume, wherein all PRMs in the perfume composition are included in the calculations. Additionally for each of those PRMs, the molecular structure, and the values of various computationally-derived molecular descriptors are also required, as determined in accordance with the Test Method for the Generation of Molecular Descriptors described herein.
[0177] For each PRM in a perfume mixture or composition, its molecular structure is used to compute various molecular descriptors. The molecular structure is determined by the graphic molecular structure representations provided by the Chemical Abstract Service (“CAS”), a division of the American Chemical Society, Columbus, Ohio, U.S.A. These molecular structures may be obtained from the CAS Chemical Registry System database by looking up the index name or CAS number of each PRM. For PRMs, which at the time of their testing are not yet listed in the CAS Chemical Registry System database, other databases or information sources may be used to determine their structures. For a PRM which has potentially more than one isomer present, the molecular descriptor computations are conducted using the molecular structure of only one of the isomers, which is selected to represent that PRM. The selection of isomer is determined by the relative amount of extension in the molecular structures of the isomers. Of all the isomers of a given PRM, it is the isomer whose molecular structure that is the most prevalent which is the one that is selected to represent that PRM. The structures for other potential isomers of that PRM are excluded from the computations. The molecular structure of the isomer that is the most prevalent is paired with the concentration of that PRM, where the concentration reflects the presence of all the isomers of that PRM that are present.
[0178] A molecule editor or molecular sketching software program, such as ChemDraw (CambridgeSoft/PerkinElmer Inc., Waltham, Mass., U.S.A.), is used to duplicate the 2-dimensional molecular structure representing each PRM. Molecular structures should be represented as neutral species (quaternary nitrogen atoms are allowed) with no disconnected fragments (e.g., single structures with no counter ions). The winMolconn program described below can convert any deprotonated functional groups to the neutral form by adding the appropriate number of hydrogen atoms and will discard the counter ion.
[0179] For each PRM, the molecular sketching software is used to generate a file which describes the molecular structure of the PRM. The file(s) describing the molecular structures of the PRMs is subsequently submitted to the computer software program winMolconn, version 1.0.1.3 (Hall Associates Consulting, Quincy, Mass., U.S.A., www.molconn.com), in order to derive various molecular descriptors for each PRM. As such, it is the winMolconn software program which dictates the structure notations and file formats that are acceptable options. These options include either a MACCS SDF formatted file (i.e., a Structure-Data File); or a Simplified Molecular Input Line Entry Specification (i.e., a SMILES string structure line notation) which is commonly used within a simple text file, often with a “.smi” or “.txt” file name extension. The SDF file represents each molecular structure in the format of a multi-line record, while the syntax for a SMILES structure is a single line of text with no white space. A structure name or identifier can be added to the SMILES string by including it on the same line following the SMILES string and separated by a space, e.g.: C1=CC═CC=C1 benzene.
[0180] The winMolconn software program is used to generate numerous molecular descriptors for each PRM, which are then output in a table format. Specific molecular descriptors derived by winMolconn are subsequently used as inputs (i.e., as variable terms in mathematical equations) for a variety of computer model test methods in order to calculate values such as: saturation Vapour Pressure (VP); Boiling Point (BP); logarithm of the Octanol/Water Partition Coefficient (log P); Odour Detection Threshold (ODT); Malodour Reduction Value (MORV); and/or Universal Malodour Reduction Value (Universal MORV) for each PRM. The molecular descriptor labels used in the models' test method computations are the same labels reported by the winMolconn program, and their descriptions and definitions can be found listed in the winMolconn documentation. The following is a generic description of how to execute the winMolconn software program and generate the required molecular structure descriptors for each PRM in a composition.
Computing Molecular Structure Descriptors using winMolconn: 1) Assemble the molecular structure for one or more perfume ingredients in the form of a MACCS Structure-Data File, also called an SDF file, or as a SMILES file. 2) Using version 1.0.1.3 of the winMolconn program, running on an appropriate computer, compute the full complement of molecular descriptors that are available from the program, using the SDF or SMILES file described above as input.
a. The output of winMolconn is in the form of an ASCII text file, typically space delimited, containing the structure identifiers in the first column and respective molecular descriptors in the remaining columns for each structure in the input file.
3) Parse the text file into columns using a spreadsheet software program or some other appropriate technique. The molecular descriptor labels are found on the first row of the resulting table. 4) Find and extract the descriptor columns, identified by the molecular descriptor label, corresponding to the inputs required for each model.
a. Note that the winMolconn molecular descriptor labels are case-sensitive.
MORV and Universal MORV Calculation
[0000]
1.) Input Molecular Descriptor values as determined via the method above into the following four equations:
a) MORV=−8.5096+2.8597×(dxp9)+1.1253×(knotpv)−0.34484×(e1C2O2)−0.00046231×(idw)+3.3509×(idcbar)+0.11158×(n2pag22) b) MORV=−5.2917+2.1741×(dxvp5)−2.6595×(dxvp8)+0.45297×(e1C2C2d)−0.6202×(c1C2O2)+1.3542×(CdCH2)+0.68105×(CaasC)+1.7129×(idcbar) c) MORV=−0.0035+0.8028×(SHCsatu)+2.1673×(xvp7)−1.3507×(c1C1C3d)+0.61496×(c1C1O2)+0.00403×(idc)−0.23286×(nd2). d) MORV=−0.9926−0.03882×(SdO)+0.1869×(Ssp3OH)+2.1847×(xp7)+0.34344×(e1C302)−0.45767×(c1C2C3)+0.7684×(CKetone)
Equation a) relates a material's effectiveness in reducing the malodor trans-3-methyl-2-hexenoic acid (carboxylic acid based malodors)
Equation b) relates a material's effectiveness in reducing the malodor trimethylamine (amine based malodors)
Equation c) relates a material's effectiveness in reducing the malodor 3-mercapto-3-methylhexan-1-ol (thiol based malodors)
Equation d) relates a material's effectiveness in reducing the malodor skatole (indole based malodors)
2.) For purpose of the present application, a material's MORV is the highest MORV value from equations 1.)a) through 1.)d).
3.) If all MORV values from equations 1.)a) through 1.)d) above are greater than 0.5, the subject material has a Universal MORV.
Method for Assigning Fragrance Fidelity Index (FFI) and the Blocker Index (BI) for a Malodor Reduction Compound
[0195] Blocker materials suitable for use in consumer products of the present invention are chosen for their ability to decrease malodor, while not interfering with perception of a fragrance. Material selection is done by assigning two indices to a test sample material from two reference scales in order to rank odor strengths. The two reference scales are the Fragrance Fidelity Index (FFI) scale and the Blocker Index (BI) scale. The FFI ranks the ability of the test sample material to impart a perceivable odor which could cause interference when combined with another fragrance and the BI ranks the ability of the test sample material to reduce malodor perception. The two methods for assigning the indices to a test sample on the FFI and the BI reference scales are given below.
Method for Assigning the FFI to Test Samples
[0196] The first step in the method for assigning an FFI to the test samples on the FFI reference scale is to create the FFI reference swatches. The swatches for the scale are created by treating clean fabrics swatches with a known amount of a known concentration of an ethyl vanillin solution. Fabric swatches for this test are white knit polycotton (4 inch×4 inch) swatches from EMC ordered as PC 50/50. The supplier is instructed to strip the swatches first, stripping involves washing twice with a fragrance-free detergent and rinsing three times.
Making the FFI Reference Swatches
[0197] Make three solutions of ethyl vanillin using a 50%/50% EtOH/water as the diluent at the following concentrations: 25 ppm, 120 ppm and 1000 ppm. Pipette 13 μL of each of the three solutions into the middle of a clean swatch resulting in about a 1 cm diameter of the solution in the middle of the swatch. This will create a sensory scale of three swatches with three different odor levels based on the concentration of the solution pipetted onto the swatch. After drying for 30 minutes in a vented hood, the swatches are wrapped in aluminum foil to prevent odor contamination to the treated swatch. A clean untreated swatch is also included as the lowest anchor point of reference for odor strength on the FFI scale. The FFI reference scale swatches should be used within 0.5 to 12 hours and discarded after 12 hours. The swatches are used as scale anchor points when graders evaluate a test sample(s) and are assigned a Fragrance Fidelity Index (FFI) as show in Table 7.
[0198] At least four perfumers/expert graders are used to rank the ethyl vanillin swatches in the FFI scale. The perfumer/expert grader needs to demonstrate adequate discrimination on the scale. The perfumer/expert panel is asked to rank order swatches according to a scale between 0 and 3. The panel must demonstrate statistical differences between the swatches as seen in Table 7.
[0000] TABLE 7 Results FFI of reference swatches from six perfumers/expert graders. Expert Grader FFI Swatch 1 2 3 4 5 6 Ave Std Dev. 0 Control: stripped 0 0 0.5 0 0 0 0.08 0.2 swatch NIL ethyl vanillin 1 Stripped swatch 0.5 0.5 0.5 1.5 0.5 1.0 0.75 0.4 with 13 μL 25 ppm ethyl vanillin 2 Stripped swatch 2.0 1.5 1.5 2.0 2.0 2.0 1.8 0.2 with 13 μL 120 ppm ethyl vanillin 3 Stripped swatch 3.0 2.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 2.8 0.4 with 13 μL 1000 ppm ethyl vanillin
The expert graders must demonstrate a full range of 2.5 over the 4 swatches to be acceptably discriminating. Grader 2 in table 1 has a range of only 2 and is eliminated from the panel. The panel of expert graders must also demonstrated the ability to statistically discriminate between swatches in the scale.
[0000]
TABLE 8
This table demonstrates acceptable expert graders with an acceptable
range and the panel meets the requirement for discriminating statistics.
Expert Grader
Std
FFI
Swatch
1
3
4
5
6
Ave
Dev.
0
Control: stripped swatch
0
0.5
0
0
0
0.08
0.2
NIL ethyl vanillin
1
Stripped swatch with 13 μL
0.5
0.5
1.5
0.5
1.0
0.80
0.4
25 ppm ethyl vanillin
2
Stripped swatch with 13 μL
2.0
1.5
2.0
2.0
2.0
1.9
0.2
120 ppm ethyl vanillin
3
Stripped swatch with 13 μL
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
0.0
1000 ppm ethyl vanillin
[0199] The reference swatches represent the 0, 1, 2, and 3 FFIs on the FFI reference scale, Table 9. The expert grader should familiarize them self with the strength of the odor on the FFI reference swatches by sniffing each one starting at 0 (the lowest odor strength) and ending at 3 (the highest odor strength). This should be done prior to evaluating the test sample material treated swatch.
[0000] TABLE 9 Swatch treatments comprising the Fragrance Fidelity Index (FFI) reference scale Swatch treatment Conc. of ethyl vanillin FFI Clean fabric swatch w/13 μL ethyl vanillin 1000 ppm ethyl vanillin 3 Clean fabric swatch w/13 μL ethyl vanillin 120 ppm ethyl vanillin 2 Clean fabric swatch w/13 μL ethyl vanillin 25 ppm ethyl vanillin 1 Clean fabric swatch NIL ethyl vanillin NIL ethyl vanillin 0
Making Swatches Treated with the Test Material
A clean swatch is treated with 13 μL of a known concentration of a test sample material resulting in an about 1 cm of the solution on the clean swatch. Just like the reference swatches, the test sample material swatch is dried in a vented hood for 30 minutes and then wrapped in aluminum foil to prevent contamination. The test material swatches and the FFI reference swatches should be made within 2 hours of each other. The test material swatch must be used within 0.5 to 12 hours and discarded after 12 hours.
Assigning the FFI to the Test Material
[0200] At least two perfumers/expert graders are used to assign an FFI grade to a test sample. The perfumer/expert grader smells the test sample swatch by holding that swatch 1 inch from their nose with their nose centered over the area where the test sample was pipetted on to the fabric and then assigns the test sample an FFI grade using the FFI reference scale anchor swatches as references. The test sample swatch is assigned an FFI grade at or between numbers on the FFI scale shown in Table 9. In cases where the test sample material is graded greater than 3, the test material is not a blocker material or the concentration of the material needs to be lowered and reevaluated to determine if a lower level has a malodor blocker functionality.
Method for Assigning the BI to Test Sample
[0201] The first step in the method for assigning a BI to a test sample material on the BI reference scale is to create the BI reference swatches. The swatches for the scale are created by treating clean fabrics swatches with a known amount of a known volume of isovaleric acid solution at a known concentration. Fabric swatches for this test are white knit polycotton (4 inch×4 inch) swatches from EMC ordered as PC 50/50. The supplier is instructed to strip the swatches first, stripping involves washing twice with a fragrance-free detergent and rinsing three times.
Making the BI Reference Swatches
[0202] Make one solution of 0.08% isovaleric acid using 50%/50% EtOH/water as the diluent. The BI scale contains one clean swatch with no malodor applied. Three other swatches each have a different volume of the 0.08% isovaleric acid applied. Pipette 2 μL of the 0.08% isovaleric acid solution to one clean swatch, 5 μL of the 0.08% isovaleric acid solution to the next swatch and 20 μL of isovaleric acid to the final clean swatch. These solutions are pipetted to the middle of the swatches. This will create a sensory scale of three swatches with three different odor levels based on the volume of the 0.08% isovaleric acid solution pipetted onto the swatch. After drying for 30 minutes in a vented hood, the swatches are wrapped in aluminum foil to prevent odor contamination to the treated swatch. A clean untreated swatch is also included as the lowest anchor point of reference for malodor strength on the BI scale. The BI reference scale swatches should be used within 0.5 to 12 hours and discarded after 12 hours. The swatches are used as scale anchor points when graders evaluate a test sample(s) and are assigned a Blocker Index (BI) as show in Table 12.
At least four perfumers/expert graders are used to rank the isovaleric acid swatches in the BI scale. The perfumer/expert grader needs to demonstrate adequate discrimination on the scale. The perfumer/expert grader is asked to rank order swatches according to a scale between 0 and 3. The panel of graders must demonstrate statistical differences between the swatches as seen in Table 10.
[0000] TABLE 10 Results from six perfumers/expert graders to create the BI scale. Expert Grader Std BI Swatch 1 2 3 4 5 Ave Dev. 0 Control: stripped swatch NIL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 isovaleric acid 1 Stripped swatch with 2 μL 0.5 2.0 1.0 1.0 0.5 1.0 0.5 0.08% isovaleric acid 2 Stripped swatch with 5 μL 2.0 2.5 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.1 0.2 0.08% isovaleric acid 3 Stripped swatch with 20 μL 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 2.5 2.8 0.2 0.08% isovaleric acid
The expert graders must demonstrate a full range of 2.5 over the 4 swatches to be acceptably discriminating. The panel of expert graders must also demonstrated the ability to statistically discriminate between swatches in the scale. Expert grader #2 did not demonstrate the ability to discriminate between the swatches and is eliminated from the panel, see Table 11.
[0000] TABLE 11 This table demonstrates acceptable expert graders with an acceptable range and the panel meets the requirement for discriminating statistics. Expert Grader Std BI Swatch 1 3 4 5 Ave Dev. 0 Control: stripped swatch NIL 0 0 0 0 0 0 isovaleric acid 1 Stripped swatch with 2 μL 0.08% 0.5 1.0 1.0 0.5 0.8 0.3 isovaleric acid 2 Stripped swatch with 5 μL 0.08% 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 0 isovaleric acid 3 Stripped swatch with 20 μL 0.08% 3.0 3.0 3.0 2.5 2.9 0.2 isovaleric acid
The reference swatches represent the 0, 1, 2, and 3 BIs on the BI reference scale, Table 12. The expert grader should familiarizes him/herself with the strength of the odor on the BI reference swatches by sniffing each one starting at 0 (the lowest odor strength) and ending at 3 (the highest odor strength). This should be done prior to evaluating the swatch treated with the test material.
[0000] TABLE 12 Swatch treatments comprising the Blocker Index (BI) reference scale. Swatch/ treatment Wt of isovaleric acid BI Clean fabric swatch w/ 20 μL 0.08% 16 mg isovaleric acid 3 isovaleric acid Clean fabric swatch w/ 5 μL 0.08% 4 mg isovaleric acid 2 isovaleric acid Clean fabric swatch w/ 2 μL 0.08% 1.6 mg isovaleric acid 1 isovaleric acid Clean fabric swatch NIL isovaleric acid NIL isovaleric acid 0
Making the Malodorous Swatch and Treating it with a Test Material
To evaluate the BI, the test material is applied to a malodorous swatch to determine how well the test material blocks the malodor. The malodorous swatch is made by treating a clean swatch with 20 μL of a 0.08% solution of isovaleric acid. Dry the malodorous swatch treated with isovaleric acid in a vented hood for 30 minutes. After drying the malodorous swatch a known concentration of test material solution, between 1 ppm and 100 ppm is pipetted onto the malodorous swatch. Apply the test material solution right on top of the spot where the isovaleric acid solution was applied making an about 1 cm diameter spot. Just like the BI reference swatches, the isovaleric acid+test material swatch is dried in a vented hood for 30 minutes and then wrapped in aluminum foil to prevent contamination. The isovaleric acid+test material swatches and the BI reference swatches should be made within 2 hours of each other. The isovaleric acid+test material swatch must be used between 1-12 hours just like the reference swatches. It is sometimes necessary to evaluate several levels of the test material between about 1 and about 100 ppm to determine the BI.
Assigning the BI to the Test Material
[0203] At least two perfumers/expert graders are used to assign the BI to the test sample. The expert grader smells the isovaleric acid+test material swatch by holding that swatch one inch from their nose with their nose centered over the area where the test sample was pipetted on to the fabric and then assigns the isovaleric acid+test material swatch a BI based on ranking its odor strength against the odor strength of the swatches in the BI reference scale. The test sample swatch is assigned a BI at or between numbers on the BI in table. In cases where the isovaleric acid+test material swatch odor is greater than 3 on the BI reference scale, this indicates the material is not a blocker or the concentration of the test material needs to be lowered to achieve its blocker functionality.
Malodor Reduction Compounds with FFI and BI Grades Based on the Aforementioned
[0000] Table Ref # CAS# log P Name Conc FFI BI 281 5413-60-5 3.11 3a,4,5,6,7,7a-hexahydro-4,7- 10 ppm 0 2.0 methano-1H-inden-6-yl acetate 50 ppm 0.5 2.0 677 139504-68-0 3.75 1-((2-(tert- 10 ppm 0 2.3 butyl)cyclohexyl)oxy)butan-2-ol 50 ppm 1.8 2.0 962 55066-48-3 3.17 3-methyl-5-phenylpentan-1-ol 10 ppm 0 2.3 50 ppm 0.5 1.7 261 173445-65-3 3.29 3-(3,3-dimethyl-2,3-dihydro-1H- 10 ppm 0 1.8 inden-5-yl)propanal 50 ppm 1.3 1.3 1139 87731-18-8 2.11 (Z)-cyclooct-4-en-1-yl methyl 10 ppm 0 2.0 carbonate 50 ppm 1.0 2.7 4430-31-3 1.43 3,4,4a,5,6,7,8,8a-octahydrochromen- 10 ppm 0 2.0 2-one 50 ppm 0 2.0 204 40379-24-6 3.89 7-methyloctyl acetate 10 ppm 0 2.0 50 ppm 0 2.7 1005 93981-50-1 5.59 ethyl (2,3,6-trimethylcyclohexyl)carbonate 50 ppm 0.5 2.6 391 106-33-2 5.73 Ethyl laurate 50 ppm 0.3 2.2 1148 1139-30-6 4.06 Caryophyllene Oxide 50 ppm 0.5 2.3 524 13877-91-3 4.31 3,7-Dimethyl-1,3,6-Octatriene(cis-β 50 ppm 0 2.8 3338-55-4 ocimene 70%) 1149 23787-90-8 4 1,3,4,6,7,8alpha-hexahydro- 10 ppm 0 1.5 1,1,5,5-tetramethyl-2H-2,4alpha- 50 ppm 0.8 2.3 methanophthalen-8(5H)-one 112-42-5 4.62 Undecanol 50 ppm 0.8 2.3 174 112-53-8 5.17 1-dodecanol 50 ppm 0.5 2.3 98-52-2 2.78 4-tert-butyl cyclohexane 10 ppm 0 2.0 50 ppm 0.3 2.0 109 112-39-0 6.41 Methyl palmitate 10 ppm 2.0
Malodor Control Compounds with Improved Performance at Lower Levels.
Below are some non-limiting examples of preferred behavior by which the malodor control compound gives improved malodor control at lower concentration. These nonlimiting data provide additional compelling data that malodor is being blocked, not masked.
[0000]
Table
Ref #
CAS#
Name
Conc
FFI
BI
N/A
68912-13-0
3a,4,5,6,7,7a-hexahydro-
10 ppm
0
1.5
1H-4,7-methanoinden-1-
50 ppm
0
2.2
yl propionate
N/A
4,8-dimethy1-1-
10 ppm
2.0
(methylethyl)-
7-oxybiciclo [4.3.0]nonane
50 ppm
0.3
2.2
Retesting Malodor Reduction Compounds at Lower Levels.
[0204] The example below demonstrates that while a malodor control compound could fail to demonstrate odor blocking (BI>2.5) at a higher concentration it should be retested at a lower concentration to determine if it passes.
[0000]
Table
Ref #
CAS #
Name
Cone
FFI
BI
N/A
173445-65-3
1H-Indene-5-propanal,
10 ppm
0
1.5
2,3-dihydro-3,3-dimethyl-
50 ppm
0.5
2.7
Example 1 Compositions Comprising Malodor Reduction Compounds
[0205] In the present invention blends enable more potent malodor reduction because blends are useful at a higher % of the product composition before becoming olfactively noticeable. Below are non-limiting examples of malodor reduction compounds.
[0000]
% wt Active
Component
CAS#
A
B
C
D
E
2,2,8,8-tetramethyl-octahydro-1H-
29461-14-1
35-45
15-25
5-20
10-30
15-25
2,4a-methanonapthalene-10-one
1H-Indene-ar-propanal,2,3-
300371-33-9
10-20
1-30
NIL
5-10
1-5
dihydro-1,1-dimethyl-
Hexadecanoic acid, (2E)-3,7-
3681-73-0
35-45
10-25
NIL
30-40
35-50
dimethyl-2,6-octadien-1-yl ester
1-Pentanol-3-methyl-5-phenyl
55066-48-3
10-20
10-25
2-10
5-17
10
4,7-Methano-1H-inden-5-ol,
171102-41-3
0-5
10-25
NIL
1-6
1-5
3a,4,5,6,7,7a-hexahydro-, 5-acetate
4,8-dimethyl-1-(methylethyl)-7-
N/A
0-5
NIL
NIL
NIL
1-5
oxybiciclo [4.3.0]nonane
(3Z)-3,7-dimethylocta-1,3,6-triene
3338-55-4
NIL
NIL
10-20
2-5
NIL
1H-Indene-5-propanal, 2,3-
173445-65-3
NIL
NIL
NIL
7.5-16
1-15
dihydro-3,3-dimethyl-
3,4,4a,5,6,7,8,8a-
4430-31-3
NIL
NIL
NIL
3-7
1-15
octahydrochromen-2-one
1-(2-tert-
139504-68-0
NIL
NIL
NIL
0.25-1.5
NIL
butylcyclohexyl)oxybutan-2-ol
ethyl (2,3,6-trimethylcyclohexyl)carbonate
93981-50-1
NIL
NIL
15-30
NIL
2
benzyl 2-hydroxypropanoate
2051-96-9
NIL
NIL
2-5
NIL
NIL
(3,5-dimethylcyclohex-3-en-1-
67634-16-6
NIL
NIL
5-30
NIL
NIL
yl)methanol
2-Dodecanol
10203-28-8
NIL
0.25-1
NIL
0.5-3
NIL
Example 2 Compositions Comprising Malodor Reduction Compounds
[0206]
[0000]
% wt Active
Ingredient
CAS #
A
B
C
B
D
E
(E)-1-(2,6,6-trimethyl-1-
127-42-4
4
8
2
8
3
2
cyclohex-2-enyl)pent-1-en-3-
one
ethyl dodecanoate
106-33-2
NIL
1
NIL
3
NIL
NIL
3a,4,5,6,7,7a-hexahydro-1H-
68912-13-0
8
30
1
4
1
3.5
4,7-methanoinden-1-yl
propanoate
[1R-(1R*,4R*,6R*,10S*)]-
1139-30-6
NIL
0.3
2
0.5
NIL
0.5
4,12,12-trimethyl-9-
methylene-5-
oxatricyclo[8.2.0.04,6]dodecane
(8E)-cyclohexadec-8-en-1-one
3100-36-5
NIL
5
NIL
7
NIL
NIL
3,5,5-trimethylhexyl acetate
58430-94-7
25
15
50
35
60
56
ethyl (2,3,6-
93981-50-1
NIL
1
NIL
5
NIL
NIL
trimethylcyclohexyl)carbonate
2,4-dimethyl-4,4a,5,9b-
27606-09-3
25
10
15
15
16
15
tetrahydroindeno[1,2-
d][1,3]dioxine
2,2,7,7-
23787-90-8
8
9
5
7
5
5
tetramethyltricyclo[6.2.1.01,6]undecan-
5-one/aka
1,3,4,6,7,8alpha-hexahydro-
1,1,5,5-tetramethyl-2H-
2,4alpha-methanophthalen-
8(5H)-one
(3,5-dimethylcyclohex-3-en-
67634-16-6
NIL
0.7
NIL
0.5
NIL
NIL
1-yl)methanol
3-(7,7-dimethyl-4-
33885-52-8
30
20
25
15
15
18
bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-enyl)-
2,2-dimethylpropanal
Total
100
100
100
100
100
100
Example 3 Malodor Reduction Composition
[0207]
[0000]
% wt Active
Ingredient
CAS #
A
B
C
5-Cyclohexadecen-1-One
37609-25-9
15.0
2.00
2.00
decahydro-2,2,7,7,8,9,9-
476332-65-7
0.005
0.01
0.01
heptamethylindeno(4,3a-b)furan
1,1,2,3,3-pentamethyl-
33704-61-9
0.3
0.5
0.5
1,2,3,5,6,7-
hexahydro-4H-inden-4-one
Cedryl Methyl Ether
19870-74-7
6.0
10.0
4.0
Trans-4-Decenal
65405-70-1
0.005
0.002
0.002
Decyl Aldehyde
112-31-2
3.74
2.0
2.0
3-methyl cyclopentadecenone
63314-79-4
0.4
1.0
1.0
Diphenyl Oxide
101-84-8
0.5
1.0
1.0
3a,4,5,6,7,7a-
54830-99-8
5.0
8.0
8.0
hexahydro-4,7-
methano-1H-indenyl acetate
3a,4,5,6,7,7a-
68912-13-0
6.0
8.0
8.0
hexahydro-1H-4,7-
methanoinden-1-ylpropanoate
2-(5-methy1-2-propan-2-yl-8-
68901-32-6
10.0
15.0
15.0
bicyclo[2.2.2]oct-5-enyl)-
1,3-dioxolane
(E)-3,7-dimethyl-2,6-
3681-73-0
10.0
10.0
16.0
octadienylhexadecanoate
Iso Nonyl Acetate
58430-94-7
6.65
8.0
3.0
2,2,7,7-
23787-90-8
10.0
8.0
8.0
tetramethyltricyclo
[6.2.1.01,6] undecan-5-
one/aka 1,3,4,6,7,8alpha-
hexahydro-
1,1,5,5-tetramethy1-2H-
2,4alpha-
methanophthalen-8(5H)-one
(1-Methy1-2-(1,2,2-
198404-98-7
0.1
0.3
0.3
trimethylbicyclo[3.1.0]-hex-3-
ylmethyl)cyclopropyl)methanol
Lauric Aldehyde
112-54-9
0.625
1.0
0.7
Methyl Iso Eugenol
93-16-3
18.000
10.0
13.0
Methyl hexadecanoate
112-39-0
3.000
10.0
12.0
2,3-dihydro-
300371-33-9
0.400
0.0
0.3
1,1-1H-dimethyl-indene-
ar-propanal
4-tert-butylcyclohexanol
98-52-2
0.400
0.1
0.1
2-isobutyl-4-hydroxy-4-
63500-71-0
1.600
2.0
2.0
methyltetrahydropyran
Undecyl Aldehyde
112-44-7
1.725
2.888
1.888
Undecylenic Aldehyde
112-45-8
0.550
0.2
1.2
Total
100
100.0
100.0
Examples 4 Dryer Added Fabric Softener Sheet Composition
[0208] An example of a dryer added fabric softener sheet composition prepared with malodor reduction composition, according to the compositions shown in Example 1.
[0000] Example Example Example Example 10.1 Wt 10.2 Wt 10.3 Wt 10.4 Wt Ingredient % Active % Active % Active % Active DEQA 1 0-50 50 — — DEQA 2 0-50 — — 30 DTDMAMS 3 0-50 — 50 — 7018FA 4 0-50 — 50 — TS-20 5 0-15 — — 15 SMS 6 0-15 — — 15 SDASA 7 0-19 25 — 19 TPED 8 — 3 — — Complex 9 0-16.5 16.5 — 8.0 Clay 10 Balance Balance Balance Balance Free (Neat) Perfume 0-4 0-1.5 0-3 0-1.5 Free (Neat) malodor 0 to 0.5 0 to 0.5 0-0.5 0-0.5 reducing composition Encapsulated Perfume/ 0-2 0-2 0-2 0-2 malodor reducing composition 11 Encapsulated Perfume 11 0-4 0-4 0-2 0-2 Encap. malodor reducing 0-4 0-2 0-2 0-2 composition 11 Active Weight 2.4 2.4 1.9 2.4 (g/sheet) 1 DEQA 1 : Di(soft tallowoyloxyethyl)dimethylammonium methyl sulfate with 25% > 7018 FA, as described below, as solvent 2 DEQA 2 : Di(soft tallowoyloxyethyl)hydroxyethylmethylammonium methyl sulfate with 18% partially hydrogenated tallow fatty acid solvent 2 DTDMAMS: Di(hydrogenated tallowalkyl)dimethylammoniun methyl sulfate 4 7018FA: 70:30 Stearic Acid:Palmitic Acid (IV = 0) Industrene 7018 sold by Witco 5 TS-20: Polyoxyethylene-20 Sorbitan Tristearate (Glycosperse TS-20, sold by Lonza 6 SMS: Sorbitan Mono Sterate 7 SDASA: 1:2 ratio of stearyl dimethyl amine:triple passed stearic acid 8 TPED: N,N,N′, N′-Tetrakis(2-hydroxypropyl)ethylenediamine (Quadrol, sold by BASF) 9 Complex: Beta-Cyclodextrin/Perfume Complex 10 Clay: Calcium Bentonite Clay (Bentonite L sold by Southern Clay Products Free (Neat) Perfume 11 PMC: is a friable shell. About 50% water by weight of the PMC (including encapsulated perfume and/ or blocker) is assumed. The micro capsule encapsulates perfume, malodor reduction composition, or combinations thereof with the total internal phase at about 32% active.
The compositions of Example 6 are mixed homogeneously and impregnated onto a non-woven polyester sheet having dimensions of about 6% in×12″ (about 17.1 cm×30.5 cm) and weighing about 1 gram.
The resulting dryer added fabric softener sheet product when added to an automatic dryer is effective at reducing malodor on the clothing.
[0209] The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values recited. Instead, unless otherwise specified, each such dimension is intended to mean both the recited value and a functionally equivalent range surrounding that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as “40 mm” is intended to mean “about 40 mm.”
[0210] Every document cited herein, including any cross referenced or related patent or application, is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety unless expressly excluded or otherwise limited. The citation of any document is not an admission that it is prior art with respect to any invention disclosed or claimed herein or that it alone, or in any combination with any other reference or references, teaches, suggests, or discloses any such invention. Further, to the extent that any meaning or definition of a term in this document conflicts with any meaning or definition of the same term in a document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition assigned to that term in this document shall govern.
[0211] While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is, therefore, intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of this invention. | The present invention relates to substrates comprising malodor reduction compositions and methods of making and using such substrates. Such malodor reduction compositions do not unduely interfere with the scent of the perfumed or unperfumed substrates comprising such malodor reduction compositions and the perfumed or unperfumed situs that is treated with such substrates. | 0 |
REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATION
This application claims the priority of provisional application 61/135,842, filed Jul. 22, 2008 entitled HAIR BRUSH WITH SLIDEABLE BRUSH HEAD by Mary Asta and is a Divisional application of application Ser. No. 12/460,388, filed Jul. 16, 2009, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,353,076.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates, generally, to the field of hairbrushes, and specifically toward a hairbrush having elongated handles that can be used in different ways. Hairbrushes are extremely conventional for use in grooming hair as well in styling the hair. Typically, a hairbrush is constructed of a handle and a brush head having bristles thereon of varying thicknesses and stiffness for use with a variety of hair types to achieve various styles.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,951,023 discloses a brush including a handle having a mass of sponge rubber secured thereto. The handle is disclosed to be collapsible and is composed of two or more telescoping members one of which is embedded within the mass of the sponge rubber with an inner member being slideable into and out of an embedded member to form other convenient extending handles.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,641,012 illustrates a brush that has telescoping handle parts that form extendable sections of a hairbrush One part of the handle section has a larger diameter while other sections are progressively smaller whereby the various sections can telescope within each other to form a longer or shorter handle.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,690,331 discloses a combined brush and comb including a body having tufts on an exterior surface of the body and a comb that may be adjusted for various angles with respect to the body of the brush and included are retractable handles. In one embodiment the handles are extendible from either end of the brush body to facilitate its use by either a right-handed or a left-handed person.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The inventive concept of the instant invention hereby disclosed is a specific hairbrush that includes a handle upon which a grooming roller can be moved from one end of the handle to the other depending on the needs of the beautician due to styling requirements or mere left- or right-handedness. The concept also allows for the grooming roller to be moved from end to the other, or removed altogether, during styling in order to provide a space for another hairbrush having a different circumferential size or different brushing elements as long as the inner diameter remains the same so as to conform to the outer diameter of the handle.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1A is a side view of the brush head of the instant invention.
FIG. 1B is a top view of the brush head of the instant invention.
FIG. 1C is a side view of the handle of the instant invention.
FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the brush head of the preferred embodiment of the instant invention.
FIG. 1D is the view show in FIG. 1 , but intact and not exploded.
FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional side view of an alternate embodiment of the instant invention.
FIG. 2A is similar to FIG. 2B , but with the mechanism activated.
FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a second alternate embodiment of the instant invention.
FIG. 3A is a side view of the handle of the second alternate embodiment of the instant invention.
FIG. 3B is a top view of the handle of the second alternate embodiment of the instant invention.
FIG. 3C is a cross sectional view of the handle of the second alternate embodiment of the instant invention.
FIG. 3D is a perspective view of the brush head of the second alternate embodiment of the instant, invention.
FIG. 4 is a side view of the third alternate embodiment of the instant invention.
FIG. 4A is a cross sectional side of the third alternate embodiment of the instant invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIGS. 1A-1D illustrate a first embodiment that discloses a hair brush having hair brush head 1 with bristles 2 thereon. The hair brush head 1 consists of two halves 1 a , 1 b that form an internal chamber that can snugly house an elongated slideable handle 9 that can move the brush head 1 from one end of the handle 9 to the other and can be locked thereat. The two halves of the brush 1 have contained therein in a groove 4 at either end a flexible ring 3 . The flexible ring 3 has push buttons 5 which, when the two halves 1 a , 1 b are assembled, fit in a hole 7 formed by the two halves 1 a , 1 b . The flexible ring 3 further has two inwardly directed arrest buttons 6 . The operation of this embodiment is such that if the brush head 1 is located on one end of the handle and locked into place by the arrest buttons 6 after having penetrated into the openings 8 in the handle, the operator merely has to push the two push buttons 5 inwardly thereby flexing the ring 3 , which will then release the two arrest buttons 6 from the holes or opening 8 in the handle 9 , and the brush head 1 can be moved to the other end of the handle 9 . When the pressure on the push buttons 5 is released, the two arrest buttons on the other end of the brush head 1 will settle back again into the holes 8 on the handle 9 and the brush head 1 will be relocated to the other end of the handle.
FIGS. 2A and 2B show a second embodiment of how a brush head 1 can be locked in place at either end of a handle 20 . In this embodiment there are shown two end push buttons 21 a and 21 b at either end of the handle 20 . Each one of the push buttons 21 a , 21 b is connected to activating rods 21 , 22 . Each inner end of the activating rods 21 and 22 are now connected to a rotating lever 23 , which can rotate around a pin 23 a in the inner confines of the handle 20 . The outer ends of the rotating lever 23 keep balls 25 , 26 at an opening in the hair brush head 1 in an arrested position. The rotating lever 23 is kept in this position and in contact with the balls 25 , 26 by a coil spring 24 . When it is desired to move the brush head 1 from one end of the handle 20 to the other, it is merely up to the operator to push one of the end push buttons 21 a , 21 b inwardly, thereby activating the respective rod 21 , 22 causes the rotating lever 23 to rotate to some extent and, whereby, the pressure on the balls 25 , 26 will be released and the brush head 1 can be moved. Upon release of the pressure from either push button 21 a , 21 b , the balls 25 , 26 will again lock into an opening at the end of the brush head 1 and lock the same into place because of the resetting of the lever 23 .
FIGS. 3-3D illustrate a similar embodiment as was explained with regard to FIGS. 2A-2B . At either end of the hollow handle halves 2 a and 2 b there are again two push buttons 36 , 37 which again, like in FIG. 2 , each operate on an activating rod 34 , 35 . The ends of each of the activating rods 34 , 35 are connected to a rotating disc which has dimples at its outer periphery to accept two arresting balls 31 , 32 . In an activated position the two balls will enter two openings at the ends of the brush head 1 to lock it in place. Again, as explained in FIG. 2 , there is a coil spring (not shown) that keeps the disc in an activated position and thereby the balls 31 , 32 in a locked position. Upon pushing either one of the push buttons 36 , 37 , the respective activating rod 34 , 35 will rotate the disc 30 and take the balls 31 , 32 out of engagement with one of the holes 33 , (seen in FIG. 3D , at the end of the brush head 1 ) and the brush head 1 can now be moved to the other end of the handle 20 .
FIG. 4 illustrates still another embodiment of how a brush head 1 can be moved to the other end of the handle 20 . At both ends of the handle 20 there are two respective push buttons 40 , 41 . Each one of the push buttons 40 , 41 is connected to a respective sliding sleeve 42 , 43 . Each of the sliding sleeves 42 , 43 have a sleeve-like end at their inner ends. In the middle of the interior of the hollow handle there is located a flexible activating element 45 that has camming surfaces 44 , 46 at its outer ends. The camming surfaces 44 , 46 can be overridden or overlapped by each of the sleeve-like inner ends of the sliding sleeves 42 , 43 . A centering spring 51 is located inside the flexible activating element 45 and also extends to the insides of each of the sliding sleeves 42 , 43 . The flexible activating element 45 has two outwardly extending protrusions 47 , 48 which normally are engaged with arresting holes 49 , 50 at each of the ends of the brush head 1 . When it is desired to move the brush head 1 from one end of the elongated handle 20 to the other end, the operator can push either push button 40 or 41 whereby either sliding sleeve 42 , 43 with its sleeve-like inner end will ride over either the camming surfaces 44 , 46 of the flexible activating element 45 to thereby distort the flexible activating element 45 and take the protrusions 47 , 48 out of engagement with the arresting holes 49 , 50 at either end of the brush head 1 and release the same to be moved to the other end of the handle 20 .
The rollers can also contain a head-conducting material, such as copper, to allow the rollers on the brush to act like hot rollers when used with a heat source, such as a blow dryer.
The discussion included in this patent is intended to serve as a basic description. The reader should be aware that the specific discussion may not explicitly describe all embodiments possible and alternatives that are implicit. Also, this discussion may not fully explain the generic nature of the invention and may not explicitly show how each feature or element can actually be representative or equivalent elements. Again, these are implicitly included in this disclosure. Where the invention is described in device-oriented terminology, each element of the device implicitly performs a function. It should also be understood that a variety of changes may be made without departing from the essence of the invention. Such changes are also implicitly included in the description. These changes still fall within the scope of this invention.
Further, each of the various elements of the invention and claims may also be achieved in a variety of manners. This disclosure should be understood to encompass each such variation, be it a variation of any apparatus embodiment, a method embodiment, or even merely a variation of any element of these. Particularly, it should be understood that as the disclosure relates to elements of the invention, the words for each element may be expressed by equivalent apparatus terms even if only the function or result is the same. Such equivalent, broader, or even more generic terms should be considered to be encompassed in the description of each element or action. Such terms can be substituted where desired to make explicit the implicitly broad coverage to which this invention is entitled. It should be understood that all actions may be expressed as a means for taking that action or as an element which causes that action. Similarly, each physical element disclosed should be understood to encompass a disclosure of the action which that physical element facilitates. Such changes and alternative terms are to be understood to be explicitly included in the description. | A hair brush with a slideable brush head that allows the brush head to be positioned on either end of the elongated handle to thereby providing ease of use by both right handed or left handed users. The elongated handle has different ways thereon to arrest the brush head in any desired position. The brush head may also be removed from the handle, if so desired, so that a brush head of a different circumference but the same inner diameter may be used. | 0 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a guide assembly for an apparatus for the fluid treatment of fabrics in rope form, especially suited for an apparatus so-called a wince or winch machine.
The treatment of fabrics in rope form by partial passage through a bath containing a bleaching or dyeing medium is well-known and many kinds of apparatus for performing such treatments have been described in, e.g., Ziegler et al U.S. Pat. No., 3,308,639 and British Patent No. 1,076,680.
Wince machines as described in the above patents were generally designed for treatment of fabric in rope form within a liquid bath by a continuous feed of fabric in a form of a plurality of convolutions through partial passage in said liquid.
The convolution must be shifted regularly in the longitudinal direction, in other words, in a direction parallel to an axis of the wince roller to assure a uniform treatment of the fabric with the liquid. This shift was performed by a rotating helical guide or a movable peg rack which is rotated transversely through the rotated fabric convolutions by a sprocket-belt conveyer means.
These type of guide members have the following disadvantages:
1. Irregular treatment of fabric due to the continuous engagement with the helical flights or extending fingers of the guide members.
2. Entangelement of adjacent convolutions of fabric so-called "jumping" due to open pockets defined by said adjacent helical flights or fingers.
3. Necessity of exchange of helical guide member having various pitches to alter the shift distance.
The disadvantage of the above (1) may result in an insufficient treatment of fabric, e.g., dyeing specks, and the above (2) will cause a destruction of the machine unless some safety measure is provided. The exchange of the helical guide members of the above (3) is a troublesome and time consuming operation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The principal object of the present invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned disadvantages, and the guide assembly constructed in accordance with the invention includes a pair of guide members in a form of comb-like configuration and driving means operable in a timed relationship with the rotation of wince roller. Said guide members are to be horizontally reciprocated with timed relationships to each other in longitudinal and transversal directions so as to shift the convolution of fabric periodically and at a given distance, without causing the continuous engagement of the comb teeth or fingers and entanglement of the adjacent convolutions of fabric due to the formation of closed pockets with opposing pairs of fingers.
One of the embodiments of the present invention is shown in the attached drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a wince machine provided with a guide assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a side section of the machine shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the assembly of the invention shown together with a part of the guide roll and a few convolutions of fabric;
FIG. 4 is a side view of the opposing fingers of the guide members;
FIG. 5 shows an engagement of a finger with a supporting bar; and
FIG. 6 is a diagramatic view showing a cycle of relative movements of the opposing guide members.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawings, a guide assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention is generally shown by the reference numeral 2 in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. The assembly consists of a pair of guide members, specifically a front guide member 3 and a rear guide member 3' disposed beneath a guide roll 1 and above the liquid surface in a tank 10. Each guide member comprises a supporting bar 5 (or 7) extending through the side wall 11 (or 11') of the machine and a plurality of pins or fingers 6 (or 8) perpendicularly extending from said bar at an appropriate interval. Each guide member has equally spaced fingers and since the both members may be reciprocated transversely to the axis of the guide roll 1 by a suitable driving means, both members defining a plurality of closed pockets between the adjacent fingers.
The front member 3 has an additional end finger as 8, and timely reciprocated in a longitudinal direction to the axis of the guide roll. The ends of these opposing pair of fingers preferably are overlapped as shown in FIG. 4 to form a definite pocket area between the both members.
Now consider a situation wherein a plurality of convolutions of fabric running transversely over the wince roll 15 and the guide roll 1 are to be shifted periodically a predetermined distance in the right direction. The guide assembly 2 is disposed below and along the guide roll 1 as shown in FIG. 2, and supported by a pair of frames 4 and 4'. Each supporting bar 5 and 7 has the fingers 6 1 , 6 2 . . . and 8, 8 1 , 8 2 . . . of a length h 2 at an equal interval h 1 . In one embodiment of the present invention the pins 6 are affixed to the bar as shown in FIG. 5. At the rear end of the finger there is provided a pair of lugs 13 integral therewith and extending downwardly forming a groove 12, and the bar 5 inserted into the groove 12 is fixed by a set screw 14. Therefore, the interval h 1 may be adjusted as desired.
Now the shifting of convolution of fabric will be described with reference to FIG. 3 and FIG. 6 schematically illustrating one cycle of operation.
At first, it is assumed that the convolution of fabric 50 in rope form is driven upwardly through a position C 1 between the fingers 8 and 8 1 . A pair of pressure cylinders 21, 21' (FIG. 1) provided on the both sides of the machine are operated in a timed relationship with the travelling of the convolution, causing a retraction of transverse movement of the assembly 2 consisting of both members 3 and 3' endwisely connected by a pair of connecting plates 4 and 4' by a distance h 3 as shown in FIG. 6(b). Then a pressure cylinder 22 provided in alignment with the supporting bar 7 of the front member 3 is operated after a predetermined time, causing a longitudinal movement of only the guide member 3 in the right direction by one interval of the adjacent fingers by a slidable connection of the supporting bar 7 through holes formed in the frames 4 and 4', as shown in FIG. 6(c).
Then these cylinders 21, 21' are operated in the reverse direction causing the forward and transverse movement of the whole assembly leaving the convolution at the same position of C 3 as shown in FIG. 6(d). The last sequence is performed by the reverse operation of the cylinder 22 causing the leftward movement of the front guide member 3 to the original position. Thus one cycle of operation is completed.
Successive sequence of the above-mentioned cycles will cause cycle shiftings of the convolutions of fabric in the right direction. It should be recognized that the longitudinal movement may be imparted to the rear guide member 3' instead of the front guide member 3.
A driving system for the timed movements of the guide assembly and the front guide member will be described later.
A wince machine incorporating the guide assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention in place of a helical guide member is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, wherein the reference numeral 10 denotes a liquid bath, 11, 11' side walls of the tank, 15 a wince roll, 1 a guide roll, 2 a guide assembly in accordance with the present invention, and 18 is a driving chain. The wince roll is driven for rotation by means of an electric motor 23. The guide roll 1 is suitably supported for free rotation below the roll 15 and above the liquid surface in parallel to said roll 15. The guide assembly 2 is disposed forwardly below said guide roll.
The chain 18 driven from another electric motor 24 along a predetermined vertical path 20 around sprockets 19 shown in FIG. 2 has a hook 27 to which a leading end of the fabric is connected with a length of a connection cloth. This path determines the length of convolution of fabric which forms a plurality of pleats 51 in the bottom of the bath. The treating liquid is circulated by a pump means 26 through a deflector means 27.
In operation, with actuation of motors 23 and 24, the roll 15 is rotated in the direction of an arrow and the chain is driven in the same direction along the path 20. Gearing ratio of gears 31 and 32 is selected that one round of the chain 18 driven by the sprocket 19 along the path 20 corresponds to one revolution of the gear 32. Therefore, when a relay switch 33 attached to the gear 32 is closed which actuates the pair of pressure cylinders 21 and 21' through a delay switch 34, the control switch 35, and three-way electromagnetic valve 37, causing the retraction or backward movement of the guide assembly 2. A predetermined period of time, e.g., 2 seconds, after the completion of the above-mentioned backward movement of the guide assembly the delay switch 34 actuates the pressure cylinder 22 through the control valve 36 and the electro-magnetic valve 38, moving the front guide member 3 in the right direction thus shifts the convolution of fabric by one interval. Then the cylinders 21, and 21' are again actuated in the reverse direction after a predetermined period of, e.g., 6 seconds, and after an additional period of time, e.g., 6 seconds, the cylinder 22 is again actuated in the reverse direction restoring the whole guide assembly in the original position.
With the above-mentioned arrangement it will be appreciated that the successive passage of the chain 18 along the path 20 forms a series of convolutions of fabric, which convolution may be surely shifted at a predetermined interval, without causing the above-mentioned continuous engagement of the convolution with the helical guide and any entanglement of the adjacent convolutions.
From the above description, it should be understood also that the adjustment of the interval between the fingers of the guide member enables an increased field of application of the guide members for various kinds of the fabric to be treated and assures a regular shifting of the convolutions of fabric by the enclosed pockets always formed by the adjacent fingers in the guide assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention.
While the preferred form of the present invention has been set forth in the above description, such is to be considered as merely exemplary of the concept of the invention, many changes in construction and arrangement may be possible in accordance with the scope and spirit of the present invention. | An improved guide assembly for an apparatus for the fluid treatment of fabrics in rope form is provided which comprises a pair of cooperating comb-shaped guide members and driving means of said guide members in timed relationship in longitudinal and transverse reciprocations. | 3 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a process for the treatment of fermentation broth containing vitamin B 12 and other corrinoids and for the preparation of vitamin B 12 concentrates. More particularly, the invention concerns a process of high yield by which vitamin B 12 and other biologically active corrinoids or concentrates thereof can be isolated from a fermentation broth.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
During the microbiological preparation of vitamin B 12 and other corrinoids, vitamin B 12 produced by microorganisms is accumulated substantially intracellularly, and therefore is generally isolated from the fermentation broth by isolating the cell mass, e.g. by filtration, sedimentation and/or centrifugation, and disrupting the cells in the so called cell-cream (bio-mass) obtained (which can be utilized, after drying, also directly, as a vitamin B 12 -containing fodder additive). Vitamin B 12 and the accompanying corrinoids are contained in a liquid phase from which they can be isolated by extraction or adsorption methods, after eliminating the cell debris and other solid impurities by filtration and/or centrifugation and optionally further purification or enrichment.
The known processes for the microbiological production of vitamin B 12 and for its isolation from the fermentation broth are for example disclosed in "Vitamin B 12 and verwandte Corrinoide" (R. Ammon: Fermente-Hormone-Vitamine, III/2, G. Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart, 1975, 10-13).
According to the known processes the separation of the microorganisms containing the corrinoids from the fermentation broth has technical difficulties and often cannot be carried out with a satisfactory yield. A further problem is that the fermentation broth contains vitamin B 12 in a relatively low concentration, accompanied with a large amount of partly suspended, partly dissolved impurities; hence it is very difficult to find a technically suitable and economic method for the isolation of the active ingredient from its low level solution obtained after the disruption of the cells. These difficulties are particularly serious when the fermentation medium is inoculated with sludge (e.g. methane-forming septic fermentations), since in these cases the corrinoids produced must be separated from considerably more accompanying impurities, which are more difficult to eliminate than in case of sterile fermentation, for example with Propionibacteria.
There have been numerous attempts to eliminate the above difficulties, using various additional purification or enrichment steps to facilitate the isolation of vitamin B 12 in high purity.
According to the Hungarian Patent Specification No. 158,809 the cells are separated from the fermentation broth of Propionibacterium shermanii; they are disrupted and the pH of the medium is gradually adjusted to 5.5-6.5. Under such conditions a part of the impurities, especially the proteins are bound to the biomass, while vitamin B 12 remains in the solution. The biomass and the accompanying impurities are then separated by centrifugation or sedimentation and vitamin B 12 and other corrinoids are isolated from the purified solution by ion exchange. This process is difficult to carry out on an industrial scale since the separation of the cell debris and the precipitated impurities is cumbersome, and the use of filtration-sedimentation aids may lead to a substantial loss in active ingredient.
According to the Soviet Patent Specification No. 161,709 the complete fermentation broth or the separated biomass is treated by heat in an acidic medium, the solid particles are separated by centrifuging, and the active ingredient is adsorbed from the supernatant by alumina or an ion exchange resin. The micron-size cells and other fine, suspended impurities can, however, not be isolated completely by centrifugation, and in the presence of the residual impurities the effectivity of the adsorption isolation of active ingredient is not satisfactory, and the practical performance of the process is often hindered by serious technical difficulties.
The isolation of certain active ingredients from their fermentation broths containing cells or cell debris and other solid impurities has considerably been facilitated by the application of so called macroreticular adsorption resins. These hard, insoluble, porous, apolar or to a certain degree polar bead polymers having a large specific surface area due to their favorable pore size, grain size and mechanical stability allow even the adsorption of materials dissolved in mixtures containing solid particles, for example by fluidized bed or batchwise operation. Thus the cumbersome filtration or centrifugation of the fermentation broth can be avoided and the whole amount of the fermentation broth can be introduced into the adsorption system. A disadvantage of this method is that in addition to the active ingredient a considerable amount of impurities is adsorbed on the resin. Processes based on the principle described above can be employed also when the corrinoids are the active ingredients in the fermentation medium, since it is known (U.S. Pat. No. 3,531,463) that some macroreticular adsorption resins adsorb corrinoids from their aqueous solutions, and the corrinoids can be eluted from these resins with suitable solvents. However, until now there has been no process known in the art for the adsorption of corrinoids from fermentation broths, which, in addition to the elimination of the disadvantages of other known processes, could have been carried out easily and could have provided the active ingredient in satisfactory purity and with a good yield.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
We have found that the corrinoids produced by microorganisms, which are present in the fermentation broth intracellularly, can be recovered with a good yield and in a high purity by a two-step method, in which the adsorbent does not suffer any damage.
In the first step of the process the native fermentation broth obtained at the end of the fermentation, is treated with a macroporous, so called macroreticular adsorption resin of high specific surface area, at room temperature, without any pre-treatment. Under such conditions the macroreticular resin adsorbs some additives of the fermentation broth and some unspecific metabolites of fermentation, whereas the intact cells together with the corrinoids contained therein remain in the fermentation fluid.
In the purified fermentation fluid the cells are then disrupted in a known manner, e.g. by heat treatment in the presence of cyanide ions. As a result, the corrinoids are released into solution, while the debris of the disrupted cells remain suspended in the liquid, which is treated in a second adsorption step again with a macroreticular adsorption resin, directly, without elimination of the cell debris and other solid impurities. In this step the active ingredient is adsorbed on the resin. Since during the disruption of the cells unavoidably also soluble impurities are dissolved in the fermentation medium, these are also adsorbed on the resin in the second adsorption step to certain extent. The majority of these impurities can, however, be separated from the adsorbed corrinoids selectively, with an alkaline-aqueous treatment of the resin, and therefore do not contaminate the desired end product. The corrinoids remain on the surface of the resin during this operation. When the fermentation media are less contaminated, and for example are obtained in an aseptic fermentation, such impurities soluble in an alkaline-aqueous medium are not necessarily adsorbed on the resin in the second adsorption step. If this is the case, the alkaline-aqueous treatment of the resin carrying the adsorbed corrinoids can be omitted, since the solid impurities can be washed off with pure water, and the corrinoids can then be eluted from the resin in a good purity.
The desired corrinoids are then eluted from the absorbent treated as described above, in a known manner, with an organic solvent, e.g. a lower alcohol or ketone, optionally containing water. The eluate can be used for a vitamin B 12 fodder additive in a known manner or alternatively, for the isolation of crystalline vitamin B 12 or other corrinoids according to known processes.
In the two adsorption steps of the process according to the invention any known macroreticular (pore size: 10 -8 to 10 -7 m., grain size: at least 10 -4 m., specific surface area: at least 200 m. 2 /g.), non-ionic adsorption resin, e.g. Amberlite XAD-2, XAD-4, XAD-7, XAD-8 or XAD-9 (products of Rohm and Haas, U.S.A.), or DIAION HP-20, HP-21, HP-2 mG (Mitsubishi, Japan) can be employed with good results. The adsorption resins used in the two subsequent adsorption steps can be identical or different; if different resins are employed, the difference may reside for example in the pore size or the polarity of the surface. The optimum resin should be selected depending on the type of the fermentation medium and the character of the impurities present, experimentally. It may prove to be advantageous to treat the native fermentation broth with two different resins, e.g. having a smaller and a larger pore size, or non-ionic apolar and non-ionic but more or less polar character, respectively, in the first adsorption step. The further conditions of the adsorption steps which are generally performed at room temperature, e.g. the optimum pH-value and the optimum contact time with the resin, may also vary depending on the quality of the given fermentation medium and on its actual composition, therefore, the most preferred conditions should be determined experimentally.
When treating the fermentation broth containing intact cells with an adsorption resin, the operation conditions must not be damaging to the cells, e.g. strongly acidic (pH<5) or alkaline (pH>8) conditions and high temperatures should be avoided. In the first adsorption step, if carried out under optimally selected conditions, a purified fermentation broth should be obtained, which is essentially devoid of any colored impurity or impurities of unpleasant odor, and contains only a minimum amount of lipoids. In the tentative experiments the presence of colored impurities or components of unpleasant odor can be controlled by organoleptic examinations, while the lipoid content can be determined by extraction with a fat-extraction solvent and determination of the fat concentration of the extract.
The technical realization of adsorption may vary depending on the equipment chosen. Thus, in a batchwise operation the resin can be admixed with the fermentation broth, and can be separated carrying the adsorbed materials, with conventional techniques, e.g. sedimentation, filtration. According to another preferred embodiment, the adsorption can be performed with a fluidized bed technique.
In the second adsorption step, which takes place after the disruption of the cells, the impurities adsorbed on the resin-together with the active ingredient-can be eliminated selectively, using an akaline washing liquor for example a dilute aqueous ammonium hydroxide solution of pH 8-12, preferably pH 9-10. Other aqueous alkaline solutions, e.g. aqueous potassium or sodium hydroxide solution are equally suitable.
The active ingredient can be eluted from the resin in a known manner, for example with methanol or aqueous methanol.
The crude product obtained according to the invention by elution of the active material from the adsorption resin-which has first been subjected to an alkaline-aqueous washing-, and by subsequent evaporation of the eluate to dryness, is a water-soluble concentrate, which contains vitamin B 12 and other corrinoids in a high purity. Its biologically active corrinoid content (active ingredient content) is between 10 and 25% related to the dry substance content. This crude product in a dry state can directly be used as a vitamin B 12 fodder additive, on the other hand, due to its high purity and high corrinoid concentration, it is an excellent starting substance for the isolation of crystalline vitamin B 12 and of the so called factor III (5-hydroxybenzimidazolcobalamine).
Since the properties of the orginal fermentation broth which would be disadvantageous as to the application of the product obtained therefrom directly for feeding animals, such as unpleasant odor and taste are eliminated during the first adsorption treatment of the native fermentation broth, the purified fermentation broth obtained after the first adsorption step can be concentrated or evaporated to dryness to yield a vitamin B 12 fodder additive. As a result of pre-treatment, the specific weight of the fermentation broth is decreased, accordingly the separation of the microorganisms becomes easier. By this technology a light colored product is obtained, which is devoid of umpleasant odor.
The advantages of the process according to the invention can be summarized as follows:
(1) The performance of the two adsorption steps of the process and the disruption of the cells throughout in the original fermentation medium is very advantageous, since the solid parts of the fluid need not be separated during the procedures.
(2) In the first adsorption step carried out with the native broth with intact cells, the overwhelming part of the extracellular impurities will be adsorbed on the first adsorbent separately from the active ingredient, therefore the active ingredient can be adsorbed on an essentially smaller amount of adsorbent in the second step.
(3) As a result of the above-described technological changes the elution of the active ingredient can be carried out with a considerably lower amount of eluent, accordingly, the active ingredient concentration of the solution obtained will be much higher.
(4) The pre-treatment in the first adsorption step and the selective elution of the impurities by alkaline-aqueous treatment in the second adsorption steps substantially improve the purity of the eluted active ingredient. As a result, by the process according to the invention products containing 10% or more of active ingredient can be prepared without any additional purification or concentration.
(5) The process is easy to carry out even on an industrial scale. Most advantageously it can be carried out with the so called fluidized bed technology, which makes continuous operation possible.
(6) The use of the first adsorption step to diminish the extracellular impurities results in a purified broth having a better quality for subsequent operations, e.g. direct drying to feed additive or conventional extraction for crystalline vitamin B 12 .
SPECIFIC EXAMPLES
Further details of the invention will now be illustrated by the following non-limiting Examples.
Example 1
2 m 3 . of a fermentation broth obtained by anaerobic fermentation with a mixed bacterium population derived from sludge, having a dry substance content of 1.5% and a pH of 6.3, which contains 26 mg. of vitamin B 12 and 4.2 mg. of factor III (5-hydroxy-benzimidazol-cobalamine) per liter are purified in a two-member, fluidized bed adsorption system connected in series. The unfiltered fermentation medium is continuously passed upflow through two 50 liter units filled with 10 liter of DIAION HP 20 macroreticular adsorption resin (Mitsubishi, Japan) each, at a rate of 200 liter/hour. During this step a substantial amount of the extracellular impurities present in the fermentation medium is adsorbed on the resin. When the fermentation medium has been passed through, the equipment is washed with 100 liter of water.
To the partially purified fermentation medium 250 ml. of a 1% aqueous KCN solution are added, and the pH is then adjusted to 4 by continuous addition of a 50% aqueous sulfuric acid solution. Thereafter, the fermentation medium is heated up to 110° C. in a continuous system, with a contacting time of 10 minutes. In this step the cells are disrupted and the corrinoids set free from the cells are dissolved in the fermentation medium.
The fermentation medium is cooled to a temperature below 30° C. in a heat exchange system, and is then introduced into a second two-member adsorption system, in which the members each have a useful volume of 50 liter and are filled with 20 liter of a DIAION HP 20 macroreticular adsorption resin. The members of the fluidized bed adsorption system are connected in series, and the flow rate of the fermentation medium is 200 liter/hour. In this step corrinoids are adsorbed on the resin, the liquor passed through the equipment, without notable corrinoid content is discharged. Thereafter, 250 liters of water are passed upflow through the adsorption equipment at a rate of 1 m. 3 /hour, in an opposite direction, to eliminate the digested cell residues remaining in the equipment. 200 liters of water the pH of which has been adjusted to 9 to 10 with ammonium hydroxide are then passed through the equipment. This aqueous alkaline solution eliminates the lipoids and not identified yellow and brown impurities from the adsorbent on which the corrinoids are adsorbed. The resin treated with the alkaline solution is washed to neutral, and the corrinoids are then eluted with 200 liters of methanol, introduced at a rate of 100 liters/hour. Methanol is eliminated from the eluate by vacuum evaporation at a temperature not exceeding 50° C. to yield 10 liters of an aqueous solution, which contains 45.2 g. of vitamin B 12 and 7.3 g. of factor III, and has a total dry substance content of 331 g. Accordingly, the specific active ingredient concentration related to the dry substance is 15.9%. It can be seen that the obtained concentrate contains the active ingredient in a 200-times higher concentration than the starting fermentation medium, the purification related to the dry substance is 92-fold, the yield of active ingredient related to the active ingredient concentration of the starting fermentation medium amounts to 87%.
The dry product obtained by spray-drying of the aqueous concentrate prepared as described above, can directly be used as a fodder additive having a higher vitamin B 12 concentration; and by extraction and further purification by ion exchange, can be converted into crystalline vitamin B 12 in a known manner.
Example 2
Into 100 liters of a fermentation broth obtained by an aseptic fermentation carried out with Propioni-bacterium shermanii, which contains 45 mg./liter of vitamin B 12 and 1.35% of dry substance, and has a pH of 5.9, 2 liters of Amberlite XAD 2 macroreticular resin are admixed. After stirring slowly for one hour the resin is eliminated by filtration through a filter which allows the microorganisms present in the fermentation broth to pass through. The purified fermentation medium obtained as a filtrate is then digested in a known manner, in the presence of cyanide ions, after adjusting the pH to 5.
The pH of the fermentation broth, after cooling to 30° C., is adjusted to 5-5.5, and 5 liters of Amberlite XAD 2 are added. During a three-hour stirring the total amount of vitamin B 12 present in the solution is adsorbed on the resin. The resin is eliminated by filtration, washed with water and vitamin B 12 is eluted from the resin by admixing with 10 liters of a 60% aqueous acetone solution. Elution is repeated with an additional 5 liter portion of a 60% aqueous acetone solution, and acetone is distilled off from the combined eluate in vacuum. 3 liters of an aqueous solution are obtained, containing 3.96 g. of vitamin B 12 and having a dry substance content of 27.0 g. Accordingly, the specific active ingredient concentration is 14.66%, and the yield of active ingredient related to the active ingredient concentration of the starting fermentation medium amounts to 88%.
Further treatment of the aqueous concentrate is performed as described in Example 1.
Example 3
10 liters of the fermentation broth according to Example 1 are passed through a floating bed adsorption column containing 200 ml. of Amberlite XAD 7 resin. The pH of the fluid leaving the column is adjusted to 3 to 3.5 with hydrochloric acid, 2 ml. of a 1% KCN solution are added, and the temperature is kept at 80° C. for 10 minutes. The fermentation broth is then cooled to 20° to 30° C. and passed through a column filled with 200 ml. of Amberlite ER 180 adsorption resin. The liquor leaving the column is discharged, and the resin is washed with water, then with a dilute potassium hydroxide solution (pH 10), and finally again with water till neutral. The active ingredient is eluted from the resin with 2 liters of a 70% aqueous methanol solution. Methanol is eliminated from the eluate by evaporation in vacuum. 500 ml. of an aqueous solution is obtained as a residue, which contains 216 mg. of vitamin B 12 and 1.2 g. of dry substance. The active ingredient concentration related to dry substance is 18%, and the yield related to the active ingredient concentration of the starting fermentation medium amounts to 83%. The concentrate obtained can be used as a fodder additive or can be used for the preparation of crystalline vitamin B 12 as described in Example 1.
Example 4
10 liter of a fermentation broth obtained by septic aerobic fermentation carried out by inoculation with a sludge are passed through two subsequent adsorption columns, filled with 100 ml. of Amberlite XAD 7 and 100 ml. of Amberlite ER 180, respectively. The disruption of cells and further treatment of the obtained pre-purified fermentation medium are carried out essentially following the procedure described in Example 3. The aqueous solution obtained by evaporation of the eluate contains 202 mg. of vitamin B 12 and 900 mg. of dry substance. The specific active ingredient concentration is 22.4%, and the yield related to the vitamin B 12 content of the starting fermentation medium amounts to 77.7%.
Example 5
1 m. 3 of a fermentation broth obtained by anaerobic fermentation with a mixed microorganism population derived from sludge, which contain 25 mg./liter of vitamin B 12 and has a relative viscosity with respect to water of 1.5, are passed through three subsequent columns, each filled with 10 liters of DIAION HP 21 adsorption resin, at a rate of 200 liters/hour. The liquor discharged from the third column has a light color, has no unpleasant odor and its relative viscosity is 1.1. From the pre-purified fermentation broth the biomass is separated, and the concentrate is spray dried, 9.5 kg. of a dry product are obtained, containing 22.5 g. of vitamin B 12 and having a specific activity of 2370 mg./kg.
Example 6
The aqueous concentrate prepared in Example 1 is used for the preparation of therapeutically applicable crystalline vitamin B 12 as follows:
To 10 liters of an aqueous concentrate containing 45.2 g. of vitamin B 12 and 7.3 g. of factor III and having a dry substance content of 331 g. 200 ml. of liquid phenol are added, and the mixture is extracted with 2 liters of a 1:6 mixture of phenol and chloroform. The organic phase is separated and the aqueous phase is repeatedly extracted with 1 liter of a 1:6 mixture of phenol and chloroform. The separated organic phases are combined and washed with 1.5 liter of water, containing 2% of phenol. The aqueous washing liquor is combined with the aqueous phase obtained after the extraction with the 1:6 phenol/chloroform mixture.
To the phenol/chloroform solution containing vitamin B 12 equal volume, i.e. 3 liter of acetone and 1500 ml. of water are added to bring vitamin B 12 into the aqueous phase. The aqueous phase is separated and the organic phase is extracted with two 200-ml. portions of water. From the combined aqueous solution the phenol traces are extracted with 1 liter of chloroform. 2100 ml. of an aqueous solution containing 21.7 g. (48% of theoretical yield) of vitamin B 12 are obtained. According to paper chromatography the product contains only traces (below 1%) of other cobalamine factors. The aqueous solution is concentrated in vacuum to about 500 ml. and is then crystallized from 3000 ml. of acetone in a known manner. 18.1 g. of crystalline vitamin B 12 are obtained, containing 90.0% of cyanocobalamine.
Acetone is evaporated from the mother liquor of crystallization, the aqueous residue is combined with the aqueous phase obtained after the extraction with a 1:6 mixture of phenol and chloroform and with the aqueous washing liquor of the phenol/chloroform mixture are combined. The 12-liters mixture obtained is washed phenol-free with two 20% by vol. portions of chloroform, whereupon it is evaporated and spray dried. The secondary product obtained contains 24.4 g. of vitamin B 12 and 6.5 g. of factor III. This product is a "feed grade" vitamin B 12 . | A process is disclosed for the treatment of fermentation broths containing vitamin B 12 and other corrinoids, and for the preparation of vitamin B 12 concentrates or crystalline vitamin B 12 wherein the fermentation broth is contacted with a nonionic, macroreticular, adsorption resin having a pore size of 10 -8 to 10 -7 meters, a grain diameter of at least 10 -4 m, and a specific surface area of at least 200 m 2 /g so that the macromolecular adsorption resin adsorbs fermentation broth additives and metabolites of fermentation, whereas the intact microorganism cells containing the vitamin B 12 remain in solution. The solution of intact vitamin B 12 -containing cells is then treated further to obtain vitamin B 12 in still purer form. | 8 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a warper and, more precisely, to a device for measuring the running distance of a yarn, and a stop control device for a warper which ascertains an abnormal portion in a yarn and facilitates the repair of the abnormal portion in the yarn.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A warper referred to herein is a machine used for evenly arranging a desired number of yarns at prescribed intervals (a "warp") and taking them up around a drum or a warp beam while applying a prescribed tension on each yarn. The number of yarns, the dimension of intervals, the degree of tension and such other conditions are appropriately set to weave fabric.
When an abnormality, such as fluff or breakage, occurs in a yarn, it is necessary that a warper be halted automatically and the yarn immediately repaired, since an abnormality may cause problems such as hindering the weaving process or deteriorating the quality of a fabric.
Repairing abnormal yarns in a warper is not an easy operation. A yarn continues to run a considerable distance due to inertia from the time of detection of an abnormality until the warper stops. The running distance from the time of detection of an abnormality varies and depends on parameters such as the wind-up diameter of the warp beam and the running speed of the warper. Therefore, it is not easy to find the location of the abnormality in a yarn (hereinafter simply referred to as "abnormality"), after the warper stops.
With regard to the above problem, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 46576/1983 discloses a method for simplifying the repair operation by controlling the running distance of a yarn from the time of detection of an abnormality until the warper stops so that the location of the abnormality is always the same after the warper has halted. The invention disclosed in the above mentioned Patent Publication calls for detecting the wind-up diameter of the warp beam and the running speed of the warper and controlling the brake of the warper. Based on the data detected, one can control the braking force of the warper as to make the running distance of the yarn constant. The desired braking force is calculated based on the moment of inertia of the warp beam and the running speed of the warper.
As a rule, the braking force of a brake cannot be drastically changed. Therefore, the conventional art described above presents a problem because it is extremely difficult to stop the warper in such a manner so that the site of the abnormality is always at the same position. This is because a brake used in a warper is usually a mechanical brake consisting of a brake shoe and a brake drum, and it is extremely difficult to precisely produce an intermediate braking force of desired magnitude even though the force applied to the brake shoe can be controlled. This problem may be overcome by using an eddy-current brake or a similar device which is capable of producing any desired braking force. On the other hand, using an eddy current brake or similar device makes the entire machine very expensive to fabricate.
OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device which is incorporated in a warper for measuring the running distance of yarns and making the process of locating an abnormality considerably easier, while using a mechanical brake of a standard type. The measuring device has means for measuring the distance travelled by an abnormality after detection and means for displaying the measured yarn running distance.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a brake control device of a warper which uses the measuring means.
Briefly stated, a yarn running distance measuring device of a warper according to a feature of the present invention comprises an abnormality detection means which detects abnormalities in yarns set on a warper and produces stop signals, a measuring means for measuring the distance travelled by the yarn from the actuation of the abnormality detection means until the warper stops and an indicator for displaying the yarn running distance calculated by the measuring means.
According to another feature of the present invention, there is provided a brake control device of a warper which principally comprises an abnormality detection means and a measuring means, which both have the same structure as those of the aforementioned first feature of the present invention, and a control circuit for controlling a drive motor and a brake of the warper so that the yarn running distance calculated by the measuring means is always of a desired value.
According to the above first feature of the present invention, when a warper is in operation, the abnormality detection means detects an abnormality in a yarn and produces a stop signal so that, in response to the stop signal, the warper cuts the power supply to the drive motor and actuates the brake, thereby halting its operation immediately. Meanwhile, the measuring means measures the distance which the yarn has travelled from the actuation of the abnormality detection means until the warper stops, and the indicator displays the measured running distance which corresponds to the location of the abnormal portion of the yarn in the warp. Thus, an apparatus of the present invention permits an operator of the warper to easily locate the site of the abnormality and start its repair procedure.
The indicator mentioned above is not limited to a type which indicates the running distance via a digital display. For example, it may be of a type wherein a plurality of indicator lamps are arranged on the warper in the running direction of the warp, wherein the one corresponding to the location of the abnormality is lit among the plurality of indicator lamps.
According to the above second feature of the present invention, the control circuit controls the drive motor and the brake of the warper so that the running distance is constant (in other words the location of the abnormality at the time the warper stops is always the same), thereby making searching operation of the abnormality even easier.
The above, and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals designate the same elements.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an explanatory drawing illustrating the general structure of an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 illustrates another embodiment of the present invention and corresponds to FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a wiring diagram illustrating the control circuit of a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a time chart illustrating an operation of the second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory drawing illustrating operation of the second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 corresponds to FIG. 5 and illustrates another operation of the control circuit.
FIG. 7 corresponds to FIG. 5 and illustrates a further operation of the control circuit.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to FIG. 1, a running distance measuring device of a warper comprises an abnormality detection means 10, a measuring means 21 and indicators P i (i=1, 2, . . . , m).
A warper comprises guide rollers GR 1 /GR 2 at the upstream side, a measuring roller GR 3 at the downstream side and a warp beam BM. On guide roller GR 1 , numerous yarns SHa/SHa/ . . . pulled out of a creel (not shown) are arranged in parallel and formed into a warp SH. Warp SH passes through guide rollers GR 1 /GR 2 and measuring roller GR 3 and is then taken up by warp beam BM. Warp beam BM is connected to a brake B and a drive motor M. Respectively connected to measuring roller GR 3 and warp beam BM are rotary encoders EN 1 /EN 2 for measuring numbers N 1 , N 2 of revolutions of measuring roller GR 3 and warp beam BM respectively.
Abnormality detection means 10 is, for example, a fluff detector which detects fluff in a yarn SHa contained in warp SH by means of projecting laser beams across warp SH and receiving the reflected beams. Abnormality detection means 10 is configured to produce a stop signal S 1 when it detects an abnormal yarn in warp SH. Auxiliary guide rollers GR 4 /GR 5 for regulating the moving range of warp SH, thereby stabilizing the operation of abnormality detection means 10, are respectively provided at the upstream side and the downstream side of abnormality detection means 10.
Stop signal S 1 from abnormality detection means 10 is output to a drive control device (not shown) of the warper and also sent to measuring means 21.
Measuring means 21 is provided with a wind-up diameter detector 22 to which output ends of rotary encoders EN 1 /EN 2 are respectively connected. In addition to the output of rotary encoder EN 2 , which is branched and separately connected to measuring means 21 and wind-up diameter detector 22, the output of wind-up diameter detector 22 is connected to measuring means 21. The output of measuring means 21 is connected through a decoder 23 to indicators P i . In the case of the present embodiment, however, indicators P i comprise m number of indicator lamps arranged in the direction of movement of warp SH.
When the diameter of measuring roller GR 3 is represented by d 3 and the wind-up diameter of warp beam BM is represented by d,
πd.sub.3 N.sub.1 =πdN.sub.2.
Therefore, wind-up diameter detector 22 is able to calculate the wind-up diameter d of warp beam BM based on the equation:
d=d.sub.3 (N.sub.1 /N.sub.2)
and output the result to measuring means 21.
As stop signal S 1 and number of revolutions N 2 of warp beam BM are respectively input from abnormality detection means 10 and rotary encoder EN 2 , measuring means 21 calculates yarn running distance L after the actuation of abnormality detection means 10 by reading the number of revolutions N 2 of warp beam BM from the time stop signal S 1 is output until the warper actually stops. L is given by:
L=πdN.sub.2.
In this case, however, when stop signal S 1 is output to drive control device 26, drive control device 26 halts the entire machine immediately by cutting off the power supply to drive motor M and actuating brake B. It is also a condition that yarn running distance L is measured in the moving direction of warp SH, starting from the position of abnormality detection means 10. Therefore, yarn running distance L represents the distance which an abnormal portion detected by abnormality detection means 10 travels on the warper during the braking period, i.e., until the warper stops.
Measuring means 21 outputs the obtained yarn running distance L to decoder 23. Since decoder 23 is capable of lighting a one of the plurality of indicators P i , i.e., the one corresponding to yarn running distance L, the operator can find the abnormal yarn easily by searching the vicinity of the lit indicator P i and then repair the abnormal yarn.
Wind-up diameter d of warp beam BM gradually increases while the warper is operated and wind-up diameter detector 22 correctly calculates wind-up diameter d at any time according to the increase, by using, for example, the mean value of the results of calculations done at present. Consequently, measuring means 21 can also correctly calculate yarn running distance L by using the value of wind-up diameter d calculated as above and the number of revolutions N 2 of warp beam BM.
Where L can be defined as
L=πdN.sub.2 =πd.sub.3 (N.sub.1 /N.sub.2)N.sub.2 =πd.sub.3 N.sub.1,
measuring means 21 is able to calculate yarn running distance L by merely using the number of revolutions N 1 of measuring roller GR 3 . However, the number of revolutions N 1 is not always accurately detected, especially in cases where warp SH slips on measuring roller GR 3 . As a rule, it is desirable for measuring means 21 to have a configuration such as is shown in FIG. 1, but when slippage of warp SH on measuring roller GR 3 can be ignored, wind-up diameter detector 22 may be omitted so that yarn running distance L is calculated based solely on the number of revolutions N 1 of measuring roller GR 3 .
Indicators P i shown in FIG. 1 may be replaced by a dot matrix or segment type digital display which numerically displays yarn running distance L. For example, a scale provided on the warper for indicating yarn running distance L permits an operator to easily ascertain the location of the abnormality by measuring yarn running distance L, which is then displayed on the digital display.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, a device for controlling stoppage of a warper can be formed by combining a measuring means 21 and a control circuit RC for controlling drive motor M and brake B of the warper so as to make yarn running distance L a prescribed value L 0 . In this case, the warper has an accumulator AQ which consists of guide rollers Rq 1 /Rq 1 and a dancer-roller Rq 2 . Accumulator AQ is positioned between abnormality detection means 10 and measuring roller GR 3 .
Stop signal S 1 from abnormality detection means 10 is input to a set terminal ST of a flip-flop 24. An output terminal Q of flip-flop 24 is connected to a set terminal ST of measuring means 21. The number of revolutions N 1 of measuring roller GR 3 is input from rotary encoder EN 1 to input terminal A 1 of measuring means 21. The prescribed value L 0 is input from a setting device 21a to input terminal A 2 of measuring means 21. Prescribed value L 0 referred to herein is a target value set in setting device 21a in relation to running distance L=πd 3 N 1 calculated by measuring means 21 based on the number of revolutions N 1 .
Re-stop signal S 2 is output from an output terminal B 1 of measuring means 21 and conveyed through a normally open contact of a relay R 4 to the exterior of the system. Re-stop signal S 2 is also input to each reset terminal RT of flip-flop 24 and measuring means 21. Connected to output terminal B 2 of measuring means 21 is a discriminator 25, to which relays R 6 /R 7 are connected through normally open contacts of respective relays R 3 .
Control circuit RC has a relay R 1 for high-speed operation of the warper, a relay R 8 for braking, and control relays R 2 /R 3 /R 4 /R 5 . Relay contact X s represents a normally open contact of a relay (not shown) which operates in response to an operation switch of the warper. Relay contacts X 1 /X 2 represent normally open contacts of relays (not shown) which respectively operate in response to stop signal S 1 and re-stop signal S 2 . Relay contact X 3 is a contact of a speed detection relay of the warper, which is automatically switched "on" when the running speed of the warper approaches zero.
When an operation switch (not shown) of the warper is operated, relay contact X s is closed and therefore relay R 1 holds itself. As a result, when power is supplied to drive motor M, the warper accelerates in accordance with a prescribed acceleration line and enters the high speed operation state at a desired speed. At that time, relay R 8 becomes non-excited due to the actuation of relay R 1 , thereby releasing brake B. In other words, the contacts of relays R 1 and R 8 are connected to a drive control circuit (not shown) of the warper and used to control drive motor M and brake B.
Referring also to FIGS. 4 and 5, when abnormality detection means 10 generates stop signal S 1 while the warper is in its high speed operation stage at the running speed of n=n 0 , relay contact X 1 is closed at time t=t 1 , thereby actuating relay R 2 . As relay R 1 is reset and relay R 8 is closed as a result of the actuation of relay R 2 , power to drive motor M is cut off and brake B is actuated. Therefore, the warper immediately slows down according to a speed reduction curve determined by the braking force of brake B.
Since flip-flop 24 is set by stop signal S 1 , measuring means 21 is able to initiate the measurement of yarn running distance L=πd 3 N 1 from the time of output of stop signal S 1 , compare it with specified value L 0 , and output the result of the comparison through output terminals B 1 /B 2 . At that time measuring means 21 serves as a kind of pre-set counter and initiates a measuring operation when set terminal ST turns high level. Output terminal B 1 is switched to the high level when L is equal to L 0 , and output terminal B 2 sends comparison signal S 3 indicating whether L is greater or smaller than L 0 (L>L 0 or L<L 0 ).
When the running speed n of the warper approaches 0 at time t=t 2 , relay contact X 3 is closed. As relay R 3 becomes active as a result of closing relay contact X 3 , relay R 4 becomes active and relay R 8 is returned, thereby releasing brake B. If the normally open contact of relay R 4 serves as a command signal to the drive control circuit in order to restart the warper at a low speed, with running speed n=n 1 <<n 0 as the target speed, it is possible to restart the warper afterwards by means of relay R 4 and permit it to continue running at a low speed, provided that discriminator 25 confirms that L is less than L 0 , based on comparison signal S 3 from measuring means 21, and then actuates relay 6 which controls low-speed operation in the forward direction. Therefore, in response to the actuation of relays R 4 /R 6 , the drive control device restarts drive motor M in the forward direction.
When measuring means 21 detects that L is equal to L 0 during the low-speed operation described above, its output terminal B 1 turns high level, and re-stop signal S 2 is generated. Re-stop signal S 2 actuates relay R 5 through relay contact X 2 , and the normally closed contact of relay R 5 returns relay R 4 . Therefore, as a result of the restart of brake B, the warper is stopped to make running distance L correspond to the prescribed value L 0 at time t=t 3 . In this case, however, relay R 2 must be reset by the on-delay type normally closed contact of relay R 5 somewhat later than the actuation of relay R 5 .
Since re-stop signal S 2 also resets flip-flop 24 and measuring means 21 at the same time, re-stop signal S 2 itself immediately disappears thereafter, causing relay R 5 to be also returned. Thus, the entire machine returns to the initial state at time t=t 4 , permitting the operator to conduct desired repair operations and to restart the warper at high speed at time t=t 0 .
In cases where measuring means 21 detects the condition L>L 0 when t=t 2 , discriminator 25 actuates relay R 7 based on comparison signal S 3 output from measuring means 21. Relay R 7 commands low speed operation in the reverse direction instead of relay R 6 . As a result of the actuation of relays R 4 and R 7 , the drive control device restarts the warper in the reverse direction. At that time, although warp SH naturally sags between guide roller GR 2 and measuring roller GR 3 , accumulator AQ is able to prevent yarns SHa/SHa/. . . that constitute warp SH from becoming tangled together by absorbing the sagging. Although measuring means 21 detects the condition L=L 0 during the period from t=t 1 to t=t 2 , there is no danger of re-stop signal S 2 being erroneously output since relay R 4 has not yet been actuated.
Generally speaking, it is preferable to set prescribed value L 0 of running distance L in measuring means 21 so that L 0 >L a in order to prevent the abnormal portion detected by abnormality detection means 10 from being taken up by warp beam BM before the warper finally stops. "L a " referred to above represents the length of the portion of warp SH from abnormality detection means 10 to warp beam BM. It is also preferable to set the braking force of brake B to permit the warper which is under high speed operation to stop while maintaining the condition L<L 0 . In cases where the braking force of brake B is set as above, there is no need to restart the warper in the reverse direction. Restarting it slowly in the forward direction is sufficient. Therefore, accumulator AQ may be omitted. Furthermore, in the same manner as in the first embodiment described above, measuring means 21 according to this embodiment may be provided with indicator P i for displaying measured running distance L and may calculate yarn running distance L based on wind-up diameter d and the number of revolutions N 2 of warp beam BM.
Referring to FIG. 6, drive motor M may be restarted at time t=t 2 so as to accelerate the warper according to the acceleration line to put it at normal high speed operation instead of low speed operation. Generally speaking, the grade of the aforementioned acceleration line is gentle, and the degree of compensation movement ΔL=|L-L 0 | during the period from t=t 2 to t=t 3 is not significant. Therefore, even if the usual acceleration line is used, the operation speed n when the value of L becomes L 0 at the time t=t 3 is not high, and consequently, brake B is able to stop the warper soon again.
Referring to FIG. 7, when operation speed n is reduced to n=n 1 at the time t=t 2 , brake B may be released to permit the warper to continue to run due to inertia and may be re-actuated upon detection by measuring means 21 of L=L 0 at time t=t 3 , thereby stopping the warper. As re-starting operation at a low speed is not necessary, control circuit RC can be simplified. In that case, however, brake B must stop the warper in its high-speed operation phase while maintaining the condition L<L 0 .
During the coasting phase from t=t 2 to t=t 3 in FIG. 7, the warper may alternatively be switched to low-speed mode. In other words, the warper may be operated in any desired mode as long as control circuit RC is capable of appropriately controlling the timing of the actuation of drive motor M and brake B so that the yarn running distance L measured by measuring means 21 equals L 0 .
Instead of rotary encoders EN 1 /EN 2 , measuring means 21 may use a laser doppler sensor or some other sensor which is capable of directly detecting the running speed of warp SH in order to measure running distance L. Furthermore, in cases where detection lag ΔT from the time of detection of the abnormality by abnormality detection means 10 until the time of output of stop signal S 1 cannot be ignored, measuring means 21 may calculate the yarn running distance L based on the equation L=L+L b , with the travelled distance L b travelled by warp SH in the period being taken into consideration. Travelled distance L b can be found from such an equation as, for example, L b =πΔN 2 , wherein ΔN 2 represents the number of revolutions N 2 of warp beam BM during detection lag ΔT.
The present invention also applies to repairing broken yarn by using a broken yarn sensor which is capable of detecting a broken yarn in yarns SHa/SHa/. . . constituting warp SH and serves as abnormality detection means 10. For example, abnormality detection means 10 may be positioned at the upstream side of guide rollers GR 1 /GR 2 in a creel from which yarns SHa/SHa/. . . are drawn. In that case, running distance L is also measured from the position of abnormality detection means 10.
Furthermore, abnormality detection means 10 may consist of a pair of units respectively positioned along the continuous passage of yarns SHa/SHa/. . . and warp SH in such a manner that when the first abnormality detection means 10 at the upstream side detects an abnormality, the warper is slowed down according to any of the procedures shown in FIGS. 5 through 7. When the second abnormality detection means 10 at the downstream side detects the abnormality the warper is stopped. Since the abnormal portion is at the immediate downstream side of the second abnormality detection means 10 when the warper stops, it is easy for an operator to search for and repair the abnormal portion.
Having described preferred embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various changes and modifications may be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from either the scope or spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims. | A device for measuring running distance of a yarn, which detects an abnormality in yarn moving along a path of travel past a means for detecting the abnormality. The measuring device is capable of generating a stop signal in response to detecting the abnormality and measures the distance travelled following the generation of the stop signal. The location of the abnormality is indicated by various means including a plurality of lamps and numerics display. Further, the device can stop the abnormality at a predetermined distance. | 3 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-036361, filed Feb. 15, 2000, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to a needle load measuring method, a needle load setting method and a needle load detecting mechanism, particularly, to a method and a mechanism for measuring on the real time basis the needle load applied to a wafer chuck by a probe in the inspecting step and a needle load setting method for setting an appropriate needle load.
[0003] A probe apparatus is widely used for inspecting the electrical characteristics of electric circuits formed on a to-be-inspected object, e.g., a wafer. As shown in FIG. 4, the conventional probe apparatus comprises a wafer chuck 1 on which a wafer W is placed, an X-stage 2 for supporting the wafer chuck 1 , a Y-stage 3 for supporting the X-stage 2 , and a base table 4 for supporting these X-stage 2 and Y-stage 3 . When the electrical characteristics of the wafer W are inspected, the wafer chuck 1 is moved in the X- and Y-directions via the X-stage 2 and the Y-stage 3 and is also moved in a vertical direction by a vertical driving mechanism, e.g., member 31 shown in FIG. 1. The X-stage 2 performs a reciprocating movement on the Y-stage 3 along a rail 6 extending in an X-direction via a driving mechanism 5 in the X-direction. On the other hand, the Y-stage 3 performs a reciprocating movement on the base table 4 along a rail 8 extending in a Y-direction via a driving mechanism 7 in the Y-direction. The driving mechanism 5 in the X-direction comprises a motor 5 A (not shown), and a ball screw 5 B. Likewise, the driving mechanism 7 in the Y-direction comprises a motor 7 A and a ball screw 7 B. These ball screws 5 B and 7 B are engaged with the X-stage 2 and the Y-stage 3 , respectively, so as to move these X- and Y-stages 2 and 3 . The wafer chuck 1 is moved in the Z-direction via the vertical driving mechanism so as to bring the wafer W placed on the wafer chuck 1 into an electrical contact with a plurality of probes 9 A of a probe card 9 arranged above the wafer chuck 1 . The electrical characteristics of IC chips formed on the wafer W are inspected by the plural probes 9 A. During the inspection, the overdriving amount of the wafer chuck 1 is controlled at a predetermined value so as to permit the wafer W to be brought into an electrical contact with the probes 9 A.
[0004] It is desirable for the overdriving amount to be defined for each probe card 9 in conformity with, for example, the characteristics of the probes 9 A. By setting the overdriving amount on the basis of the defined value, the needle load in the inspecting step can be set at a predetermined value. Reference numerals 10 A and 10 B shown in FIG. 4 denote aligning mechanisms for aligning the position of the wafer W with the position of the probe card 9 .
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] In the conventional inspecting apparatus, the overdriving amount once set is maintained constant until the inspection is finished. A head plate 19 B and an adapter ring 19 C, to which the probe card is mounted, are considered to be thermally deformed under the influence of, for example, the heat generated from the wafer chuck during the inspection. By the thermal deformation, the magnitude of the needle load is changed over the entire region or a part of the wafer chuck. At the place where the needle load has been diminished, the contact between the wafer and the probes is rendered poor. On the other hand, at the place where the needle load has been increased, the probe card is likely to be damaged.
[0006] An object of the present invention is to overcome the above-noted problems inherent in the prior art.
[0007] Another object of the present invention is to monitor on the real time basis the contact state (needle load) between a to-be-inspected object, i.e., a wafer, and the probe.
[0008] Another object of the present invention is to prevent a damage done to, for example, a probe card.
[0009] Further, still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved needle load measuring method, an improved needle load setting method and an improved needle load inspecting mechanism.
[0010] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of measuring the needle load applied by a plurality of probes to a wafer chuck in inspecting the electrical characteristics of a to-be-inspected object by using a probe apparatus, comprising the steps of:
[0011] overdriving a wafer chuck having a to-be-inspected object mounted thereon by using a wafer chuck lift mechanism so as to bring the to-be-inspected object into contact with a plurality of probes of the probe apparatus; and
[0012] measuring the sinking amount of the wafer chuck caused by the needle load applied by the plural probes to the wafer chuck via the to-be-inspected object when the to-be-inspected object is brought into contact with the plural probes;
[0013] wherein the needle load corresponding to the measured sinking amount is obtained on the basis of the data showing the relationship between the needle load applied to the wafer chuck and the sinking amount of the wafer chuck caused by the needle load.
[0014] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of setting a needle load applied by a plurality of probes to a to-be-inspected object at a predetermined value in inspecting the electrical characteristics of the to-be-inspected object by overdriving a wafer chuck having the to-be-inspected object mounted thereon in a probe apparatus so as to bring the to-be-inspected object into an electrical contact with the plural probes, comprising the step of:
[0015] detecting the sinking amount of the wafer chuck caused by the needle load applied by the plural probes in the process of overdriving the wafer chuck;
[0016] wherein the needle load applied to the to-be-inspected object mounted on the wafer chuck is set at a predetermined value by setting the sinking amount detected in the step at a sinking amount corresponding to a predetermined needle load on the basis of the data showing the relationship between the needle load applied to the wafer chuck and the sinking amount of the wafer chuck caused by the needle load.
[0017] In the method according to each of the first and second aspects of the present invention described above, it is desirable for the sinking amount of the wafer chuck to be measured at a plurality of points of the wafer chuck.
[0018] In the method according to each of the first and second aspects of the present invention described above, it is desirable for the wafer chuck having the to-be-inspected object mounted thereon to be overdriven by a lift mechanism comprising a ball screw, a driving mechanism for rotating the ball screw and a nut member.
[0019] In the method according to each of the first and second aspects of the present invention described above, it is desirable for the step of measuring the sinking amount to comprise the sub-steps of:
[0020] detecting a pseudo overdriving amount of the wafer chuck performed by the lift mechanism, the pseudo overdriving amount being the overdriving amount of the wafer chuck performed by the lift mechanism when the needle load is not applied to the wafer chuck;
[0021] detecting the actual overdriving amount of the wafer chuck performed by the lift mechanism, the actual overdriving amount being the actual overdriving amount of the wafer chuck performed by the lift mechanism when the needle load is applied to the wafer chuck; and
[0022] obtaining the sinking amount of the wafer chuck from the difference between the pseudo overdriving amount and the actual overdriving amount.
[0023] In the method described above, it is desirable for the step of detecting the pseudo overdriving amount to comprise the process of detecting the pseudo overdriving amount on the basis of the amount of rotation of the driving mechanism for rotating the ball screw measured by a rotary encoder.
[0024] In the method described above, it is desirable for the step of detecting the actual overdriving amount to comprise the process of detecting the actual overdriving amount of the wafer chuck by a linear encoder.
[0025] According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a probe apparatus for inspecting the electrical characteristics of a to-be-inspected object, comprising:
[0026] a wafer chuck for mounting a to-be-inspected object thereon;
[0027] a lift mechanism for vertically moving the wafer chuck;
[0028] a plurality of probes brought into an electrical contact with a plurality of electrodes of the to-be-inspected object mounted on the wafer chuck overdriven by the lift mechanism;
[0029] a measuring mechanism for measuring the sinking amount of the wafer chuck caused by the needle load applied by the plural probes to the to-be-inspected object when the wafer chuck is overdriven to bring the to-be-inspected object mounted on the wafer chuck into contact with the plural probes; and
[0030] a needle load detecting mechanism for obtaining the needle load corresponding to the measured sinking amount on the basis of the data showing the relationship between the needle load applied to the wafer chuck and the sinking amount of the wafer chuck.
[0031] In the measuring mechanism of the probe apparatus described above, it is desirable for the sinking amount of the wafer chuck to be measured at a plurality of points of the wafer chuck.
[0032] It is desirable for the lift mechanism of the probe apparatus described above to comprise a ball screw, a driving mechanism for rotating the ball screw and a nut member.
[0033] It is desirable for the measuring mechanism of the probe apparatus for measuring the sinking amount to comprise:
[0034] a first lift amount detecting mechanism for detecting a pseudo lift amount of the wafer chuck performed by the lift mechanism, the first lift amount detecting mechanism detecting a pseudo overdriving amount that the lift mechanism may overdrive the wafer chuck when the needle load is not applied to the wafer chuck;
[0035] a second lift amount detecting mechanism for detecting the actual overdriving amount of the wafer chuck performed by the lift mechanism, the second lift amount detecting mechanism detecting the actual overdriving amount of the wafer chuck performed by the lift mechanism when the needle load is applied to the wafer chuck;
[0036] a calculating mechanism for obtaining the sinking amount of the wafer chuck from the difference between the pseudo overdriving amount detected by the first lift amount detecting mechanism and the actual overdriving amount detected by the second lift amount detecting mechanism;
[0037] a storing device for storing the data showing the relationship between the needle load applied to the wafer chuck and the sinking amount of the wafer chuck caused by the needle load; and
[0038] a needle load detecting mechanism for obtaining the needle load corresponding to the sinking amount of the wafer chuck obtained by the calculating mechanism on the basis of the data showing the relationship between the needle load applied to the wafer chuck and the sinking amount of the wafer chuck caused by the needle load.
[0039] In the probe apparatus of the present invention, it is desirable for the measuring mechanism of the sinking amount to comprise:
[0040] a first lift amount detecting mechanism for detecting a pseudo lift amount of the wafer chuck performed by the lift mechanism, the first lift amount detecting mechanism detecting a pseudo overdriving amount that the lift mechanism may overdrive the wafer chuck when the needle load is not applied to the wafer chuck;
[0041] a second lift amount detecting mechanism for detecting the actual overdriving amount of the wafer chuck performed by the lift mechanism, the second lift amount detecting mechanism detecting the actual overdriving amount of the wafer chuck performed by the lift mechanism when the needle load is applied to the wafer chuck;
[0042] a calculating mechanism for obtaining the sinking amount of the wafer chuck from the difference between the pseudo overdriving amount detected by the first lift amount detecting mechanism and the actual overdriving amount detected by the second lift amount detecting mechanism;
[0043] a storing device for storing the data showing the relationship between the needle load applied to the wafer chuck and the sinking amount of the wafer chuck caused by the needle load; and
[0044] a needle load detecting mechanism for obtaining the needle load corresponding to the sinking amount of the wafer chuck obtained by the calculating mechanism on the basis of the data showing the relationship between the needle load applied to the wafer chuck and the sinking amount of the wafer chuck caused by the needle load.
[0045] Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
[0046] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate presently preferred embodiments of the invention, and together with the general description given above and the detailed description of the preferred embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
[0047] [0047]FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view showing a main portion of an inspecting apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention;
[0048] [0048]FIG. 2 is for describing the operation of the inspecting apparatus shown in FIG. 1;
[0049] [0049]FIG. 3 is a graph showing the relationship between the needle load and the sinking amount of a ball screw in the inspecting apparatus shown in FIG. 1;
[0050] [0050]FIG. 4 is an oblique view showing a main portion of a conventional inspecting apparatus; and
[0051] [0051]FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view showing a main portion of the inspecting apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0052] The present invention will now be described with reference to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 . As shown in FIG. 1, the inspecting apparatus in this embodiment comprises a wafer chuck 11 on which a wafer W is placed, a lift mechanism 31 of the wafer chuck 11 including a ball screw 12 , a nut section 13 and a motor 14 , an X-stage 15 supporting these members, and a control device 16 for controlling a driving mechanism such as the motor 14 . A hole 15 A is formed in substantially the center of the X-stage 15 . The motor 14 can be arranged within the hole 15 A. It is also possible for the motor 14 to be arranged on the X-stage 15 .
[0053] The ball screw 12 is joined to the motor 14 and extends upward through the hole 15 A so as to be engaged with the nut member 13 . The nut member 13 is moved upward or downward in accordance with rotation of the ball screw 12 in the clockwise direction and the counterclockwise direction. The nut member 13 is mounted to the lower end of a hollow Z-shaft 17 extending downward from the center in the lower surface of the wafer chuck 11 . The ball screw 12 engaged with the nut member 13 is arranged within the Z-shaft 17 . The wafer chuck 11 moves upward or downward via the ball screw 12 , the nut member 13 and the Z-shaft 17 in accordance with rotation of the motor 14 in the clockwise direction and the counterclockwise direction. The Z-shaft 17 extending downward from the wafer chuck 11 is movable upward and downward in the vertical direction within a Z-shaft 18 mounted to the X-stage 15 .
[0054] As shown in FIG. 1, a probe card 19 having a plurality of probes 19 A is arranged above the wafer chuck 11 . The wafer W is brought into an electrical contact with the probe 19 A if the wafer chuck 11 is overdriven above the X-stage 15 by a lift mechanism 31 . The electrical characteristics of an IC chip formed in the wafer W are inspected by a tester connected to the probe 19 A.
[0055] As shown in FIG. 1, a rotary sensor 20 is mounted to the motor 14 . The rotary sensor 20 , e.g., a rotary encoder, detects the lift amount, i.e., a pseudo overdriving amount, that must have been overdriven by the wafer chuck 11 . It is possible to employ a rotary encoder or a resolver as the rotary sensor. The rotary sensor is hereinafter referred to as the “rotary encoder”. A linear scale 21 is arranged on the X-stage 15 . Also, a linear sensor 22 is mounted to the wafer chuck 11 . The graduation 21 A of the linear scale 21 is read by the linear sensor 22 and the linear scale 21 so as to detect the actual overdriving amount of the wafer chuck 11 . The linear scale 21 and the linear sensor 22 are collectively referred to herein later as “a linear encoder 24 ”.
[0056] When the wafer chuck 11 is brought into an electrical contact with a plurality of probes 19 A by the overdriving, the wafer chuck 11 is caused to sink slightly by the needle load from the plural probes 19 A. To be more specific, as shown in FIG. 1, the wafer chuck 11 is moved upward in the Z-direction by the lift mechanism including the motor 14 , the ball screw 12 and the nut 13 so as to be brought into contact with the plural probes 19 A. Further, if the wafer chuck 11 is overdriven, a needle load is applied from the plural probes 19 A to the wafer W. Since the nut member 13 fixed to the lower end of the Z-shaft 17 is engaged with the ball screw 12 , the ball screw 12 receives the needle load through the nut member 13 . In this step, a compression force is generated between the ball screw 12 and the nut member 13 so as to elastically deform the nut member 13 . As a result, the wafer chuck 11 is displaced vertically downward, as schematically shown in FIG. 2. To be more specific, the wafer chuck 11 is overdriven from the position denoted by a thick line to a position denoted by a dot-and-dash line (pseudo overdriving amount of L′), as shown in FIG. 2. However, since the nut member 13 is elastically deformed by the needle load, the wafer chuck 11 is caused to sink from the position denoted by the dot-and-dash line to a position denoted by a thin line. As a result, the actual overdriving amount L detected by the linear encoder 24 is made smaller by a sinking amount δ than the pseudo overdriving amount L′ detected by the rotary encoder 20 . In other words, the difference δ is generated between the pseudo overdriving amount L′ and the actual overdriving amount L. For preventing the linear encoder 24 from receiving the influence given by the change in temperature, it is effective to allow a fluid for maintaining the temperature such as the air to flow through the linear encoder. In the present invention, the apparatus for measuring the actual overdriving amount is not limited to the apparatus shown in FIG. 2. It is possible to employ any apparatus that permits accurately measuring the actual overdriving amount of the wafer chuck 11 .
[0057] The relationship between the needle load and the sinking amount δ has been analyzed. Specifically, the sinking amount δ has been detected by using the rotary encoder 20 and the linear encoder 24 every time the load applied to the wafer chuck 11 has been changed. It has been clarified that there is a relationship as shown in, for example, FIG. 3 between the needle load and the sinking amount δ. It is possible to store the particular relationship in a memory section 16 A of the control device 16 in the form of a numerical formula or a table. A difference (sinking amount δ) between the pseudo overdriving amount detected by the rotary encoder 20 and the actual overdriving amount detected by the linear encoder 24 is obtained in an arithmetic processing section 16 B of the control device 16 . The needle load corresponding to the sinking amount δ is obtained on the basis of the relationship shown in FIG. 3 between the needle load and the sinking amount δ and the needle amount thus obtained is displayed in a display apparatus 23 . As a result, it is possible to grasp the needle load applied to the wafer chuck 11 on the real time basis. By contraries, it is possible to set a desired needle load from the sinking amount δ on the basis of the relationship shown in FIG. 3. For example, when a needle load of 25 kg·f is set, it is necessary to set the sinking amount δ at 10 μm. The needle load can be set at a predetermined value by controlling the lift mechanism 31 to achieve the sinking amount δ. The relationship between the needle load and the sinking amount δ is caused to change by the diameter of the screw, lead, the number of windings of the screw groove of the nut member, the ball diameter, etc. It is desirable for the relationship between the needle load and the sinking amount δ to be obtained for each inspecting apparatus when the inspecting apparatus is assembled. It is also desirable to set in advance the upper limit and the lower limit of an allowable range of the needle load in, for example, the display device 23 . In this case, when the needle load has exceeded or is likely to exceed the allowable range, a comparator section 16 C judges the particular situation so as to rotate the motor 14 in the opposite direction or stop the rotation of the motor 14 so as to prevent the needle load from exceeding the allowable range. As a result, it is possible to prevent in advance the probe card 19 from being damaged by an overload.
[0058] The detecting accuracy of the sinking amount δ is dependent on the resolution of the driving section of the motor 14 and on the resolution of the linear encoder 24 . For example, if the resolution of each of the driving section of the motor 14 and the linear encoder 24 is assumed to be 0.1 μm, the resolution of the needle load is 0.25 kg·f. Recently, the resolution of the linear encoder 24 has been improved to about 8×10 −5 μm. Therefore, the resolution of the needle load can be increased to 0.2 g·f by using a servo motor provided with a rotary encoder of a high resolution as the motor 14 .
[0059] The method of measuring the needle load in this embodiment will now be described. In the first step, the wafer W is placed on the wafer chuck 11 and the position of the wafer W is aligned with the position of the probe card 19 by an aligning mechanism. The wafer W is moved in the X- and Y-directions so as to be brought back to the original position. In this position, the wafer chuck 11 is moved upward by the lift mechanism 31 . After the wafer chuck 11 is moved upward so as to bring the wafer W into contact with the probes 19 A, the wafer chuck 11 is further overdriven. The rotary encoder 20 detects the pseudo overdriving amount L′ caused by the motor driving and, then, the detected value is supplied to the arithmetic calculating section 16 B of the control device 16 . The linear encoder 24 permits the linear sensor 22 to detect the actual overdriving amount L. The detected value is supplied to the arithmetic calculating section 16 B of the control device 16 . The sinking amount δ is obtained in the arithmetic calculating section 16 B on the basis of the detected values L, L′ and the needle load corresponding to the sinking amount δ is obtained on the basis of the relationship shown in FIG. 3. In this fashion, the needle load can be grasped on the real time basis. Also, it is possible to know the distribution state of the needle load in the inspecting step by sequentially recording the needle load in the memory section 16 A. When the probe card 19 is thermally deformed during the inspection so as to cause the needle load to exceed the allowable range, the motor 14 is rotated in the opposite direction via the comparator section 16 C, making it possible to perform the subsequent inspection under the state that the needle load is corrected to fall within the allowable range. It follows that the probe card is prevented in advance from being damaged.
[0060] Another embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIG. 5. The embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 5 differs from the mechanism shown in FIG. 1 in that, in FIG. 5, a plurality of lift mechanisms are employed for vertically moving the wafer chuck 11 . To be more specific, the wafer chuck 11 on which the wafer W is placed is moved in the vertical direction by a plurality of, e.g., two or three, lift mechanisms 31 each comprising the ball screw 12 , the nut member 13 and the motor 14 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 5. The control device for controlling the driving mechanism such as the motor 14 is substantially equal in construction to the control device shown in FIG. 1 and, thus, is not shown in FIG. 5. In this embodiment, the motor 14 is arranged in the lateral position of the ball screw 12 , and the driving force of the motor 14 is transmitted to the ball screw 12 by a driving force transmitting mechanism 35 . The motor 14 may be arranged within the hole 15 A formed in substantially the center of the X-stage 15 , as shown in FIG. 1. The ball screw 12 rotated by the motor 14 is engaged with the nut member 13 . The nut member 13 is moved upward or downward along the ball screw 12 by the rotation of the ball screw 12 in the forward and backward directions. The nut member 13 is mounted to the lower end of a hollow cylinder 17 ′ extending downward from the center in the lower surface of the wafer chuck 11 . The ball screw 12 engaged with the nut member 13 is arranged within the cylinder 17 ′. The wafer chuck 11 is moved upward or downward via the ball screw 12 , the nut member 13 and the cylinder 17 ′ in accordance with rotation of the motor 14 in the forward and backward directions. The Z-shaft 17 extending downward from the wafer chuck 11 is movable in the vertical direction along a Z-shaft guide 33 mounted to the X-stage 15 . A reference numeral 34 shown in FIG. 5 denotes a substrate to which the Z-shaft guide 33 is fixed, and a reference numeral 32 denotes a roller bearing (steel balls) of the Z-shaft guide.
[0061] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of lift mechanisms are employed. Each lift mechanism includes a mechanism for measuring the pseudo overdriving amount and a mechanism for measuring the actual overdriving amount. It is possible to determine appropriately the number of such lift mechanisms, as required.
[0062] In the apparatus of the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the sinking amount δ can be detected at a plurality of points of the wafer chuck. It is possible to obtain the needle load applied to each point of the wafer chuck on the basis of the detected sinking amount δ. Further, the needle load applied to the wafer chuck can be obtained by summing up the needle loads at these plural points.
[0063] As described above, according to the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 5, it is possible to obtain in advance the relationship between the needle load applied to the wafer chuck 11 and the sinking amount δ of the wafer chuck 11 caused by the needle load. Since the method in this embodiment comprises the step of bringing the to-be-inspected object into contact with a plurality of probes so as to obtain the sinking amount of the wafer chuck and the step of obtaining the needle load corresponding to the sinking amount, it is possible to monitor the needle load during the probe inspection on the real time basis. As a result, even if the probe card 19 is deformed by, for example, heat, it is possible to prevent the probe card 19 from being damaged.
[0064] It was customary in the past to set the overdriving amount for each probe card for inspecting the wafer W. In this embodiment, however, the relationship between the needle load and the sinking amount δ is obtained in advance and is displayed on the display device 23 , making it possible to confirm the needle load on the display screen. It follows that the probe inspection can be performed while observing the present needle load. For example, when the inspection is performed with a needle load of 25 kg·f, the needle load is supplied through, for example, a key board to permit the control device 16 to perform control such that the difference (sinking amount δ) between the pseudo overdriving amount of the rotary encoder 20 and the actual control amount of the linear encoder becomes 10 μm. Therefore, it is possible to set simply and accurately the needle load of 25 kg·f regardless of the kind of the probe card 19 used. It follows that it is possible to set the needle load of the probe card 19 at an accurate value prior to the inspection of the wafer W. Where the needle load deviates or is likely to deviate from the allowable range, the needle load is corrected to fall within the allowable range so as to carry out a predetermined inspection without fail.
[0065] The present invention is not limited at all to the embodiments described above. The basic idea of the present invention is to utilize the sinking phenomenon of the wafer chuck 11 caused by the needle load. The present invention covers the needle load measuring method, the needle load setting method, and the needle load detecting mechanism based on the basic idea given above. For example, where a stepping motor is used as the motor 14 , the sinking amount δ (needle load) can be obtained by using the driving pulse of the stepping motor and the linear encoder 24 without using the rotary encoder 20 .
[0066] According to the present invention, it is possible to monitor the contact state (needle load) between the to-be-inspected object and the probes on the real time basis so as to prevent the probe card, etc. from being damaged and to prevent a poor contact state between the to-be-inspected object and the probes.
[0067] According to the present invention, provided are a needle load setting method in which an appropriate needle load can be set prior to the inspection of the to-be-inspected object and a needle load detecting mechanism.
[0068] Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shown and described herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. | With a probe-test method and a prober for examining certain electric characteristics of an object of examination, a main chuck is adapted to be driven to move in the X-, Y-, Z- and 0-directions in order to bring the object into contact with the probes of the prober and then the shaft of the support of the main chuck is warped under the contact pressure applied by the probes to tilt the main chuck. The position where each of the probes contacts the corresponding one of the electrodes on the object is displaced (moved) in the X-, Y- and Z-directions by the tilt. The displacement is predicted by an operation unit and the main chuck is moved in the X-, Y- and Z-directions to correct the displacement. | 8 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to antigens associated with cancer, the nucleic acid molecules encoding them, as well as the uses of these.
BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART
[0002] It is fairly well established that many pathological conditions, such as infections, cancer, autoimmune disorders, etc., are characterized by the inappropriate expression of certain molecules. These molecules thus serve as “markers” for a particular pathological or abnormal condition. Apart from their use as diagnostic “targets”, i.e., materials to be identified to diagnose these abnormal conditions, the molecules serve as reagents which can be used to generate diagnostic and/or therapeutic agents. A by no means limiting example of this is the use of cancer markers to produce antibodies specific to a particular marker. Yet another non-limiting example is the use of a peptide which complexes with an MHC molecule, to generate cytolytic T cells against abnormal cells.
[0003] Preparation of such materials, of course, presupposes a source of the reagents used to generate these. Purification from cells is one laborious, far from sure method of doing so. Another preferred method is the isolation of nucleic acid molecules which encode a particular marker, followed by the use of the isolated encoding molecule to express the desired molecule.
[0004] Two basic strategies have been employed for the detection of such antigens, in e.g., human tumors. These will be referred to as the genetic approach and the biochemical approach. The genetic approach is exemplified by, e.g., dePlaen, et al., Proc. Natl. Sci. USA, 85:2275 (1988), incorporated by reference. In this approach, several hundred pools of plasmids of a cDNA library obtained from a tumor are transfected into recipient cells, such as COS cells, or into antigen-negative variants of tumor cell lines which are tested for the expression of the specific antigen. The biochemical approach, exemplified by, e.g., O. Mandelboim, et al., Nature, 369:69 (1994) incorporated by reference, is based on acidic elution of peptides which have bound to MHC-class I molecules of tumor cells, followed by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromography (HPLC). Antigenic peptides are identified after they bind to empty MHC-class I molecules of mutant cell lines, defective in antigen processing, and induce specific reactions with cytotoxic T-lymphocytes. These reactions include induction of CTL proliferation, TNF release, and lysis of target cells, measurable in an MTT assay, or a 51 Cr release assay.
[0005] These two approaches to the molecular definition of antigens have the following disadvantages: first, they are enormously cumbersome, time-consuming and expensive; and second, they depend on the establishment of cytotoxic T cell lines (CTLs) with predefined specificity.
[0006] The problems inherent to the two known approaches for the identification and molecular definition of antigens is best demonstrated by the fact that both methods have, so far, succeeded in defining only very few new antigens in human tumors. See, e.g., van der Bruggen, et al., Science, 254:1643-1647 (1991); Brichard, et al., J. Exp. Med., 178:489-495 (1993); Coulie, et al., J. Exp. Med., 180:35-42 (1994); Kawakami, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 91:3515-3519 (1994).
[0007] Further, the methodologies described rely on the availability of established, permanent cell lines of the cancer type under consideration. It is very difficult to establish cell lines from certain cancer types, as is shown by, e.g., Oettgen, et al., Immunol. Allerg. Clin. North. Am., 10:607-637 (1990). It is also known that some epithelial cell type cancers are poorly susceptible to CTLs in vitro, precluding routine analysis. These problems have stimulated the art to develop additional methodologies for identifying cancer associated antigens.
[0008] One key methodology is described by Sahin, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 92:11810-11913 (1995), incorporated by reference. Also, see U.S. Pat. No. 5,698,396. These references are incorporated by reference. To summarize, the method involves the expression of cDNA libraries in a prokaryotic host. (The libraries are secured from a tumor sample). The expressed libraries are then immunoscreened with absorbed and diluted sera, in order to detect those antigens which elicit high titer humoral responses. This methodology is known as the SEREX method (“ Ser ological identification of antigens by R ecombinant Ex pression Cloning”). The methodology has been employed to confirm expression of previously identified tumor associated antigens, as well as to detect new ones. See the above referenced patent and Sahin, et al., supra, as well as Crew, et al., EMBO J, 144:2333-2340 (1995), also incorporated by reference.
[0009] This methodology has been applied to a range of tumor types, including those described by Sahin, et al., supra, and Pfreundschuh, supra, as well as to esophageal cancer (Chen, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 94:1914-1918 (1997)); lung cancer (Gúre, et al., Cancer Res., 58:1034-1041 (1998)); colon cancer (Ser. No. 08/948, 705 filed Oct. 10, 1997) incorporated by reference, and so forth. Among the antigens identified via SEREX are the SSX2 molecule (Sahin, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 92:11810-11813 (1995); Tureci, et al., Cancer Res., 56:4766-4772 (1996); NY-ESO-1 Chen, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 94:1914-1918 (1997); and SCP1 (U.S. Pat. No. 6,043,084) incorporated by reference. Analysis of SEREX identified antigens has shown overlap between SEREX defined and CTL defined antigens. MAGE-1, tyrosinase, and NY-ESO-1 have all been shown to be recognized by patient antibodies as well as CTLs, showing that humoral and cell mediated responses do act in concert.
[0010] It is clear from this summary that identification of relevant antigens via SEREX is a desirable aim. The inventors have applied this methodology and have identified several new antigens associated with cancer, as detailed in the description which follows.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0011] FIGS. 1-3 , inclusive, show that NY-BR-1 is processed to peptides that are recognized by naturally occurring, CD8 + cells.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Example 1
[0012] The SEREX methodology, as described by, e.g. Sahin, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 92:11810-11813 (1995); Chen, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 94:1914-1918 (1997), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,698,396, all of which are incorporated by reference. In brief, total RNA was extracted from a sample of a cutaneous metastasis of a breast cancer patient (referred to as “BR11” hereafter), using standard CsCl guanidine thiocyanate gradient methodologies. A cDNA library was then prepared, using commercially available kits designed for this purpose. Following the SEREX methodology referred to supra, this cDNA expression library was amplified, and screened with either autologous BR11 serum which had been diluted to 1:200, or with allogeneic, pooled serum, obtained from 7 different breast cancer patients, which had been diluted to 1:1000. To carry out the screen, serum samples were first diluted to 1:10, and then preabsorbed with lysates of E. coli that had been transfected with naked vector, and the serum samples were then diluted to the levels described supra. The final dilutions were incubated overnight at room temperature with nitrocellulose membranes containing phage plaques, at a density of 4-5000 plaque forming units (“pfus”) per 130 mm plate.
[0013] Nitrocellulose filters were washed, and incubated with alkaline phosphatase conjugated, goat anti-human Fcγ secondary antibodies, and reactive phage plaques were visualized via incubation with 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl phosphate and nitroblue tetrazolium.
[0014] This procedure was also carried out on a normal testicular cDNA library, using a 1:200 serum dilution.
[0015] A total of 1.12×106 pfus were screened in the breast cancer cDNA library, and 38 positive clones were identified. With respect to the testicular library, 4×105 pfus were screened, and 28 positive clones were identified.
[0016] Additionally, 8×105 pfus from the BR11 cDNA library were screened using the pooled serum described. Of these, 23 were positive.
[0017] The positive clones were subcloned, purified, and excised to forms suitable for insertion in plasmids. Following amplification of the plasmids, DNA inserts were evaluated via restriction mapping (EcoRI-XbaI), and clones which represented different cDNA inserts were sequenced using standard methodologies.
[0018] If sequences were identical to sequences found in GenBank, they were classified as known genes, while sequences which shared identity only with ESTs, or were identical to nothing in these data bases, were designated as unknown genes. Of the clones from the breast cancer library which were positive with autologous serum, 3 were unknown genes. Of the remaining 35, 15 were identical to either NY-ESO-1, or SSX2, two known members of the CT antigen family described supra, while the remaining clones corresponded to 14 known genes. Of the testicular library, 12 of the clones were SSX2.
[0019] The NY-ESO-1 antigen was not found, probably because the commercial library that was used had been size fractionated to have an average length of 1.5 kilobases, which is larger than full length NY-ESO-1 cDNA which is about 750 base pairs long.
[0020] With respect to the screening carried out with pooled, allogeneic sera, four of the clones were NY-ESO-1. No other CT antigens were identified. With the exception of NY-ESO-1, all of the genes identified were expressed universally in normal tissue.
[0021] A full listing of the isolated genes, and their frequency of occurrence follows, in tables 1, 2 and 3. Two genes were found in both the BR 11 and testicular libraries, i.e., poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase, and tumor suppression gene ING1. The poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase gene has also been found in colon cancer libraries screened via SEREX, as is disclosed by Scanlan, et al., Int. J. Cancer, 76:652-58 (1998) when the genes identified in the screening of the BR11 cDNA library by autologous and allogeneic sera were compared, NY-ESO-1 and human keratin.
TABLE 1 SEREX-defined genes identified by autologous screening of BR11 cDNA library Gene No. of group clones Comments Expression CT genes 10 NY-ESO-1 tumor, testis 5 SSX2 tumor, testis Non-CT 5 Nuclear Receptor Co-Repressor ubiquitous genes 4 Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase ubiquitous 2 Adenylosuccinatelyase ubiquitous 2 cosmid 313 (human) ESTs: muscle, brain, breast 1 CD 151 (transmembrane protein) ubiquitous 1 Human HRY Gen RT-PCR: multiple normal tissues 1 Alanyl-t-RNA-Synthetase ubiquitous 1 NAD( + ) ADP-Ribosyltransferase ubiquitous 1 Human keratin 10 ESTs: multiple normal tissues 1 Human EGFR kinase substrate ubiquitous 1 ING 1 Tumor suppressor gene RT-PCR: multiple normal tissues 1 Unknown gene, ESTs: pancreas, NCI_CGAP_Pr12 cDNA clone liver, spleen, uterus 1 Unknown gene ESTs: multiple normal tissues 1 Unknown gene RT-PCR: multiple normal tissues
[0022]
TABLE 2
SEREX-defined genes identified by allogeneic
screening of BR11 cDNA library
Gene
No. of
group
clones
Comments
Expression
CT genes
4
NY-ESO-1
tumor, testis
Non-CT
6
zinc-finger helicase
ESTs: brain,
genes
fetal heart,
total fetus
4
Acetoacetyl-CoA-thiolase
ubiquitous
3
KIAA0330 gene
ESTs: multiple
normal tissues
2
U1snRNP
ubiquitous
1
Human aldolase A
ubiquitous
1
Retinoblastoma binding protein 6
ESTs: tonsils,
fetal brain,
endothelial
cells, brain
1
α2-Macroglobulin receptor
ubiquitous
associated protein
1
Human Keratin 10
ESTs: multiple
normal tissues
[0023]
TABLE 3
SEREX-defined genes identified by screening
of a testicular cDNA library with BR11 serum
Gene
No. of
group
clones
Comments
Expression
CT genes:
12
SSX2
tumor, testis
Non-CT
3
Rho-associated coiled-coil
ubiquitous
genes:
forming protein
3
Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase
ubiquitous
3
Gene from HeLa cell, similar to
ubiquitous
TITIN
2
Gene from parathyroid tumor
RT-PCR: multiple
normal tissues
1
Transcription termination factor
ubiquitous
I-interacting peptide 21
1
Gene from fetal heart
ESTs: multiple
normal tissues
1
ING 1 tumor suppressor gene
RT-PCR: multiple
normal tissues
1
KIAA0647 CdnA
ESTs: multiple
normal tissues
1
KIAA0667 cDNA
ESTs: multiple
normal tissues
Example 2
[0024] The mRNA expression pattern of the cDNAs identified in example 1, in both normal and malignant tissues, was studied. To do this, gene specific oligonucleotide primers were designed which would amplify cDNA segments 300-600 base pairs in length, using a primer melting temperature of 65-70° C. The primers used for amplifying MAGE-1, 2, 3 and 4, BAGE, NY-ESO-1, SCP1, and SSX1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 were known primers, or were based on published sequences. See Chen, et al. supra; Tureci, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 95:5211-16 (1998). Gure, et al., Int. J. Cancer, 72:965-71 (1997); Chen, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 91:1004-1008 (1994); Gaugler, et al., J Exp. Med., 179:921-930 (1994), dePlaen, et al., Immunogenetics, 40:360-369 (1994), all of which are incorporated by reference. RT-PCR was carried out for 35 amplification cycles, at an annealing temperature of 60° C. Using this RT-PCR assay, the breast cancer tumor specimen was positive for a broad range of CT antigens, including MAGE-1, 3 AND 4, BAGE, SSX2, NY-ESO-1 and CT7. The known CT antigens SCP-1, SSX1, 4 and 5 were not found to be expressed.
[0025] An additional set of experiments were carried out, in which the seroreactivity of patient sera against tumor antigens was tested. Specially, ELISAs were carried out, in accordance with Stockert, et al., J. Exp. Med., 187:1349-1354 (1998), incorporated by reference, to determine if antibodies were present in the patient sera. Assays were run for MAGE-1, MAGE-3, NY-ESO-1, and SSX2. The ELISAs were positive for NY-ESO-1 and SSX2, but not the two MAGE antigens.
Example 3
[0026] Two clones (one from the breast cancer cDNA library and one from the testicular library), were identified as a gene referred to as ING1, which is a tumor suppressor gene candidate. See Garkavtsev, et al., Nature, 391:295-8 (1998), incorporated by reference. The sequence found in the breast cancer library, differed from the known sequence of ING1 at six residues, i.e., positions 818, 836, 855, 861, 866 and 874. The sequence with the six variants is set forth at SEQ ID NO: 1. The sequence of wild type ING1 is set out at SEQ ID NO: 2.
[0027] To determine if any of these differences represented a mutation in tumors, a short, PCR fragment which contained the six positions referred to supra was amplified from a panel of allogeneic normal tissue, subcloned, amplified, and sequenced following standard methods.
[0028] The results indicated that the sequences in the allogeneic tissues were identical to what was found in tumors, ruling out the hypothesis that the sequence differences were a tumor associated mutation. This conclusion was confirmed, using the testicular library clone, and using restriction analysis of ING1 cDNA taken from normal tissues. One must conclude, therefore, that the sequence information provided by Garkavtsev, et al., supra, is correct.
Example 4
[0029] Additional experiments were carried out to determine whether genetic variations might exist in the 5′ portion of the ING1 gene, which might differ from the 5′ portion of the clone discussed supra (SEQ ID NO: 1). In a first group of experiments, attempts were made to obtain full length ING1 cDNA from both the breast tumor library, and the testicular library. SEQ ID NO: 1 was used as a probe of the library, using standard methods.
[0030] Four clones were isolated from the testicular library and none were isolated from the breast cancer library. The four clones, following sequencing, were found to derive from three transcript variants. The three variants were identical from position 586 down to their 3′ end, but differed in their 5′ regions, suggesting alternatively spliced variants, involving the same exon-intron junction. All three differed from the sequence of ING1 described by Garkavtsev, et al., in Nat. Genet., 14:415-420 (1996). These three variants are set out as SEQ ID NOS: 1, 3 and 4.
[0031] All of the sequences were then analyzed. The ORFs of SEQ ID NOS: 2, 1 and 4 (SEQ ID NO: 2 is the originally disclosed, ING1 sequence), encode polypeptides of 294, 279 and 235 amino acids, of which 233 are encoded by the 3′ region common to the three sequences. These putative sequences are set out as SEQ ID NOS: 19, 5, and 7. With respect to SEQ ID NO: 3, however, no translational initiation site could be identified in its 5′ region.
Example 5
[0032] The data regarding SEQ ID NO: 3, described supra, suggested further experiments to find additional ORFs in the 5-end of variant transcripts of the molecule. In order to determine this, 5′-RACE -PCR was carried out using gene specific and adapted specific primers, together with commercially available products, and standard methodologies.
[0033] The primers used for these experiments were:
(SEQ ID NOS: 9 and 10), for SEQ ID NO: 1 CACACAGGATCCATGTTGAGTCCTGCCAACGGCGTGGTCGTGGTTGCTGG ACGCG; (SEQ ID NOS: 11 and 12), for SEQ ID NO: 3 CCCAGCGGCCCTGACGCTGTCCGTGGTCGTGGTTGCTGGACGCG; and (SEQ ID NOS: 13 and 14), for SEQ ID NO: 4 GGAAGAGATAAGGCCTAGGGAAGCGTGGTCGTGGTTGCTGGACGCG.
[0034] Cloning and sequencing of the products of RACE PCR showed that the variant sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4 was 5′ to SEQ ID NO: 3, and that full length cDNA for the variant SEQ ID NO: 3 contained an additional exon 609 nucleotides long, positioned between SEQ ID NO: 3 and the shared, 3′ sequence referred to supra. This exon did not include an ORF. The first available initiation site would be an initial methionine at amino acid 70 of SEQ ID NO: 1. Thus, if expressed, SEQ ID NO: 3 would correspond to a molecule with a 681 base pair, untranslated 5′ end and a region encoding 210 amino acids (SEQ ID NO: 6).
Example 6
[0035] The presence of transcript variants with at least 3 different transcriptional initiation sites, and possibly different promoters, suggested that mRNA expression might be under different, tissue specific regulation.
[0036] To determine this, variant-specific primers were synthesized, and RT-PCR was carried out on a panel of tissues, using standard methods.
[0037] SEQ ID NO: 1 was found to be expressed universally in all of the normal breast, brain and testis tissues examined, in six breast cancer lines, and 8 melanoma cell lines, and in cultured melanocytes. SEQ ID NO: 3 was found to be expressed in four of the six breast cancer lines, normal testis, liver, kidney, colon and brain. SEQ ID NO: 4 was only found to be expressed by normal testis cells and weakly in brain cells.
Example 7
[0038] A further set of experiments were carried out to determine if antibodies against ING1 were present in sera of normal and cancer patients. A phase plaque immunoassay of the type described supra was carried out, using clones of SEQ ID NO: 1 as target. Of 14 allogeneic sera taken from breast cancer patients, two were positive at 1:200 dilutions. All normal sera were negative.
Example 8
[0039] The BR11 cDNA library described supra was then screened, using SEQ ID NO: 1 and standard methodologies. A 772 base pair cDNA was identified, which was different from any sequences in the data banks consulted. The sequence of this cDNA molecule is set out at SEQ ID NO: 8.
[0040] The cDNA molecule set forth as SEQ ID NO: 1 was then used in Southern blotting experiments. In brief, genomic DNA was isolated from normal human tissue, digested with BamHI or Hind III, and then separated onto 0.7% agarose gel, blotted onto nitrocellulose filters, and hybridized using 32P labelled SEQ ID NO: 1, at high stringency conditions (aqueous buffer, 65° C.). The probes were permitted to hybridize overnight, and then exposed for autoradiography. Two hybridizing DNA species were identified, i.e., SEQ ID NOS: 1 and 8.
Example 9
[0041] The cDNA molecule set forth in SEQ ID NO: 8 was then analyzed. 5′-RACE PCR was carried out using normal fetus cDNA. Full length cDNA for the molecule is 772 base pairs long, without the poly A tail. It shows strong homology to SEQ ID NO: 1, with the strongest homology in the 5′ two-thirds (76% identity over nucleotide 1-480); however, the longest ORF is only 129 base pairs, and would encode a polypeptide 42 amino acids long which was homologous to, but much shorter than, the expected expression product of SEQ ID NO: 1.
[0042] In addition to the coding region, SEQ ID NO: 8 contains 203 base pairs of 5′-untranslated region, and 439 base pairs of 3′-untranslated region.
[0043] RT-PCR assays were carried out, as described supra. All of the normal tissues tested, including brain, colon, testis, tissue and breast, were positive for expression of this gene. Eight melanoma cell lines were tested, of which seven showed varying levels of expression, and one showed no expression. Six breast cancer cell lines were tested, of which four showed various levels of expression, and two showed no expression.
Example 10
[0044] An additional breast cancer cDNA library, referred to as “BR17-128”, was screened, using autologous sera. A cDNA molecule was identified.
[0045] Analysis of the sequence suggested that it was incomplete at the 5′ end. To extend the sequence, a testicular cDNA library was screened with a nucleotide probe based upon the partial sequence identified in the breast cancer library. An additional 1200 base pairs were identified following these screenings. The 2030 base pairs of information are set forth in SEQ ID NO: 15.
[0046] The longest open reading frame is 1539 base pairs, corresponding to a protein of about 59.15 kilodaltons, and 512 amino acids. The deduced amino acid sequence is set forth at SEQ ID NO: 16.
[0047] RT-PCR was then carried out using the following primers:
(SEQ ID NOS: 17 and 18) CACACAGGATCCATGCAGGCCCCGCACAAGGAGCACACAAAGCTTCTAGG ATTTGGCACAGCCAGAG
[0048] Strong signals were observed in normal testis and breast tissue, and weak expression was observed in placenta.
[0049] No expression was found in normal brain, kidney, liver, colon, adrenal, fetal brain, lung, pancreas, prostate, thymus, uterus, and ovary tissue of tumor cell lines tested, 2 of the breast cancer lines were strongly positive and two were weakly positive. Of melanoma two of 8 were strongly positive, and 3 were weakly positive. Of lung cancer cell lines, 4 of 15 were strongly positive, and 3 were weakly positive.
[0050] When cancer tissue specimens were tested, 16 of 25 breast cancer samples were strongly positive, and 3 additional samples were weakly positive. Two of 36 melanoma samples were positive (one strong, one weak). All other cancer tissue samples were negative.
[0051] When Northern blotting was carried out, a high molecular weight smear was observed in testis, but in no other tissues tested.
Example 11
[0052] Further experiments were carried out using the tumor sample referred to in example 10, supra. This sample was derived from a subcutaneous metastasis of a 60 year old female breast cancer patient. Total RNA was extracted, as described supra. Following the extraction, a cDNA library was constructed in λ-ZAP expression vectors, also as described supra. Screening was carried out, using the protocol set forth in example 1. A total of 7×105 pfus were screened. Fourteen reactive clones were identified, purified, and sequenced. The sequences were then compared to published sequences in GenBank and EST databases. These analyses indicated that the clones were derived from seven distinct genes, two of which were known, and five unknown. The two known genes were “PBK-1” (three clones), and TI-227 (one clone). These are universally expressed genes, with the libraries referred to supra showing ESTs for these genes from many different tissues.
[0053] With respect to the remaining 10 clones, six were derived from the same gene, referred to hereafter as “NY-BR-1.” Three cDNA sequences were found in the EST database which shared identity with the gene. Two of these (AI 951118 and AW 373574) were identified as being derived from a breast cancer library, while the third (AW 170035), was from a pooled tissue source.
Example 12
[0054] The distribution of the new gene NY-BR-1 referred to supra was determined via RT-PCR. In brief, NY-BR-1 gene specific oligonucleotide primers were designed to amplify cDNA segments 300-600 base pairs in length, with primer melting temperatures estimated at 65-70° C.
[0055] The RT-PCR was then carried out over 30 amplification cycles, using a thermal cycler, and an annealing temperature of 60° C. Products were analyzed via 1.5% gel electrophoresis, and ethidium bromide visualization. Fifteen normal tissues (adrenal gland, fetal brain, lung, mammary gland, pancreas, placenta, prostate, thymus, uterus, ovary, brain, kidney, liver, colon and testis) were assayed. The NY-BR-1 clone gave a strong signal in mammary gland and testis tissue, and a very faint signal in placenta. All other tissues were negative. The other clones were expressed universally, based upon comparison to information in the EST database library, and were not pursued further.
[0056] The expression pattern of NY-BR-1 in cancer samples was then tested, by carrying out RT-PCR, as described supra, on tumor samples.
[0057] In order to determine the expression pattern, primers:
caaagcagag cctcccgaga ag (SEQ ID NO: 20) and cctatgctgc tcttcgattc ttcc (SEQ ID NO: 21)
were used.
[0058] Of twenty-five breast cancer samples tested, twenty two were positive for NY-BR-1. Of these, seventeen gave strong signals, and five gave weak to modest signals.
[0059] An additional 82 non-mammary tumor samples were also analyzed, divided into 36 melanoma, 26 non small cell lung cancer, 6 colon cancer, 6 squamous cell carcinoma, 6 transitional cell carcinoma, and two leiyomyosarcomas. Only two melanoma samples were positive for NY-BR-1 expression.
[0060] The study was then extended to expression of NY-BR-1 in tissue culture. Cell lines derived from breast tumor, melanoma, and small cell lung cancer were studied. Four of six breast cancer cells were positive (two were very weak), four of eight melanoma (two very weak), and seven of fourteen small cell lung cancer lines (two very weak) were positive.
Example 13
[0061] Studies were continued in order to determine the complete cDNA sequence for NY-BR-1. First, the sequences of the six clones referred to supra were compiled using standard methods, to produce a nucleotide sequence 1464 base pairs long. Analysis of the open reading frame showed a continuous ORF throughout, indicating that the compiled sequence is not complete.
[0062] Comparison of the compiled sequence with the three EST library sequences referred to supra allowed for further extension of the sequence. The EST entry AW170035 (446 base pairs long) overlapped the compiled sequence by 89 base pairs at its 5′ end, permitting extension of the sequence by another 357 base pairs. A translational terminal codon was identified in this way, leading to a molecule with a 3′-untranslated region 333 base pairs long. The 5′ end of the molecule was lacking, however, which led to the experiments described infra.
Example 14
[0063] In order to determine the missing, 5′ end of the clone described supra, a commercially available testis cDNA expression library was screened, using a PCR expression product of the type described supra, as a probe. In brief, 5×104 pfus per 150 mm plate were transferred to nitrocellulose membranes, which were then submerged in denaturation solution (1.5M NaCl and 0.5 M NaOH), transferred to neutralization solution (1.5 M NaCl and 0.5M Tris-HCl), and then rinsed with 0.2M Tris-HCl, and 2×SSC. Probes were labelled with 32P and hybridization was carried out at high stringency conditions (i.e., 68° C., aqueous buffer). Any positive clones were subcloned, purified, and in vivo excised to plasmid PBK-CMV, as described supra.
[0064] One of the clones identified in this way included an additional 1346 base pairs at the 5′ end; however, it was not a full length molecule. A 5′-RACE-PCR was carried out, using commercially available products. The PCR product was cloned into plasmid vector pGEMT and sequenced. The results indicated that cDNA sequence extended 1292 base pairs further, but no translation initiation site could be determined, because no stop codons could be detected. It could be concluded, however, that the cDNA of the NY-BR17 clone comprises at least 4115 nucleotides, which are presented as SEQ ID NO: 22. The molecule, as depicted, encodes a protein at least about 152.8 kDA in molecular weight. Structurally, there are 99 base pairs 5′ to the presumed translation initiation site, and an untranslated segment 333 base pairs long at the 3′ end. The predicted amino acid sequence of the coding region for SEQ ID NO: 22 is set out at SEQ. ID NO: 23.
[0065] SEQ ID NO: 23 was analyzed for motifs, using the known search programs PROSITE and Pfam. A bipartite nuclear localization signal motif was identified at amino acids 17-34, suggesting that the protein is a nuclear protein. Five tandem ankyrin repeats were identified, at amino acids 49-81, 82-114, 115-147, 148-180 and 181-213. A bZIP site (i.e., a DNA binding site followed by a leucine zipper motif) was found at amino acid positions 1077-1104, suggesting a transcription factor function. It was also observed that three repetitive elements were identified in between the ankyrin repeats and the bZIP DNA binding site. To elaborate, a repetitive element 117 nucleotides long is trandemly repeated 3 times, between amino acids 459-815. The second repetitive sequence, consisting of 11 amino acids, repeats 7 times between amino acids 224 and 300. The third repetitive element, 34 amino acids long, is repeated twice, between amino acids 301-368.
Example 15
[0066] The six clones described supra were compared, and analysis revealed that they were derived from two different splice variants. Specifically, two clones, referred to as “BR17-8” and “BR 17-44a”, contain one more exon, of 111 base pairs (nucleotides 3015-3125 of SEQ ID NO: 22), which encodes amino acids 973-1009 of SEQ ID NO: 23, than do clones BR 17-1a, BR17-35b and BR17-44b. The shortest of the six clones, BR17-128, starts 3′ to the additional exons. The key structural elements referred to supra were present in both splice variants, suggesting that there was no difference in biological function.
[0067] The expression pattern of the two splice variants was assessed via PT-PCR, using primers which spanned the 111 base pair exon referred to supra.
[0068] The primers used were:
aatgggaaca agagctctgc ag (SEQ ID NO: 24) and gggtcatctg aagttcagca ttc (SEQ ID NO: 25)
[0069] Both variants were expressed strongly in normal testis and breast. The longer variant was dominant in testis, and the shorter variant in breast cells. When breast cancer cells were tested, co-typing of the variant was observed, (7 strongly, 2 weakly positive, and 1 negative), with the shorter variant being the predominant form consistently.
Example 16
[0070] The frequency of antibody response against NY-BR-1 in breast cancer patients was tested. To do this, a recombinant protein consisting of amino acids 993-1188 of SEQ ID NO: 23 was prepared. (This is the protein encoded by clone BR 17-128, referred to supra). A total of 140 serum samples were taken from breast cancer patients, as were 60 normal serum samples. These were analyzed via Western blotting, using standard methods.
[0071] Four of the cancer sera samples were positive, including a sample from patient BR17. All normal sera were negative.
[0072] An additional set of experiments was then carried out to determine if sera recognized the portion of NY-BR-1 protein with repetitive elements. To do this, a different recombinant protein, consisting of amino acids 405-1000 was made, and tested in Western blot assays. None of the four antibody positive sera reacted with this protein indicating that an antibody epitope is located in the non-repetitive, carboxy terminal end of the molecule.
Example 17
[0073] The screening of the testicular cDNA library referred to supra resulted, inter alia, in the identification of a cDNA molecule that was homologous to NY-BR-1. The molecule is 3673 base pairs in length, excluding the poly A tail. This corresponded to nucleotides 1-3481 of SEQ ID NO: 22, and showed 62% homology thereto. No sequence identity to sequences in libraries was noted. ORF analysis identified an ORF from nucleotide 641 through the end of the sequence, with 54% homology to the protein sequence of SEQ. ID NO: 23. The ATG initiation codon of this sequence is 292 base pairs further 3′ to the presumed initiation codon of NY-BR-1, and is preceded by 640 untranslated base pairs at its 5′ end. This 640 base pair sequence includes scattered stop codons. The nucleotide sequence and deduced amino acid sequence are presented as SEQ ID NOS: 26 and 27, respectively.
[0074] RT-PCR analysis was carried out in the same way as is described supra, using primers:
tctcatagat gctggtgctg atc (SEQ ID NO: 28) and cccagacatt gaattttggc agac. (SEQ ID NO: 29)
[0075] Tissue restricted mRNA expression was found. The expression pattern differed from that of SEQ ID NO: 22. In brief, of six normal tissues examined, strong signals were found in brain and testis only. There was no or weak expression in normal breast tissues, and kidney, liver and colon tissues were negative. Eight of ten 10 breast cancer specimens tested supra were positive for SEQ. ID NO: 26. Six samples were positive for both SEQ. ID NO: 22 and 26, one for SEQ. ID NO: 22 only, two for the SEQ. ID NO: 26 only, and one was negative for both.
Example 18
[0076] Recently, a working draft of the human genome sequence was released. This database was searched, using standard methods, and NY-BR-1 was found to have sequence identity with at least three chromosome 10 clones, identified by Genbank accession numbers AL157387, AL37148, and AC067744. These localize NY-BR-1 to chromosome 10 p11.21-12.1.
[0077] The comparison of NY-BR-1 and the human genomic sequence led to definition of the exon-intron organization of NY-BR-1. In brief, the coding region of the gene contains essentially 19 structurally distinct exons with at least 2 exons encoding 3′ untranslated regions. Detailed exon-intron junction information is described at Genbank AF 269081.
[0078] The six ankyrin repeats, referred to supra, are all found within exon 7. The 357 nucleotide repeating unit is composed of exons 10-15. The available genomic sequences are not complete, however, and only one of the three copies was identified, suggesting that DNA sequences between exons 5 and 10 may be duplicated and inserted in tandem, during genetic evolution. In brief, when the isolated NY-BR-1 cDNA clone was analyzed, three complete and one incomplete copy of the repeating units were found. The exon sequences can be expressed as exons 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-(10-11-12-13-14-15)- (10 A-11A-12A-13A-14A-15A)-(10B-11B-12B-13B-14B-15B)-(10C-11C-12C-13C-14C)-16-17-18-19-20-21, wherein A, B & C are inexact copies of exon 10-15 sequences. Cloned, NY-BR-1 cDNA has 38 exons in toto.
[0079] It was noted, supra, that the sequence of NY-BR-1 cDNA was not complete at the 5′ end. A genomic sequence (Genbank AC067744), permitted extension of the 5′ end. This extended sequence is set forth in SEQ ID NO: 31. It consists of 4194 base pairs of coding sequence, plus a 2088 base pair segment 3′ to the coding segment, which is untranslated. (This excludes the poly A tail). As remarked upon previously, this sequence contains a bipartite nuclear localization signal, 5 ankyrin repeats, and a b zip site. Translation of the 5′ genomic sequence led to the identification of a new translation initiation site, 168 base pairs upstream of the previously predicted ATG initiation codon. This resulted in an NY-BR-1 polypeptide including 1397 amino acids which is 56 amino acid residues longer, at the N-terminus, as compared to SEQ ID NO: 23. The additional amino acids are: MEEISAAAVKVVPGPERPSPFSQLVYTSNDSYIVHSGDLRKIHKAASRGQVRKLE K (SEQ ID NO: 30). These amino acids are positioned N-terminal to SEQ ID NO: 23, in SEQ ID NO: 32.
Example 19
[0080] Reference was made, supra, to the two difference splice variants of NY-BR-1. Comparison of the splice variants with the genomic sequence confirmed that an alternate splicing event, with the longer variant incorporating part of intron 33 into exon 34 (i.e., exon 17 of the basic exon/intron framework described supra), had occurred.
[0081] Key structural elements that were predicted in NY-BR-1, described supra, are present in both variants, suggesting that there is no difference in biological function, or subcellular location.
Example 20
[0082] As with NY BR-1, the variant NY-BR-1.1, described supra, was screened against the working draft of the human genomic sequence. One clone was found with sequence identity, i.e., GenBank AL359312, derive from chromosome 9. Thus, NY-BR-1 and NY-BR-1.1 both appear to be functioning genes, on two different chromosomes. The Genbank sequences referred to herein does not contain all of NY-BR-1.1, which precludes defining exon-intron structure. Nonetheless, at least 3 exons can be defined, which correspond to exons 16-18 of the NY-BR-1 basic framework. Exon-intron junctions are conserved.
Example 21
[0083] A series of peptides were synthesized, based upon the amino acid sequence of NY-BR-1, as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 23 and the concatenation of SEQ ID NOS: 30 & 23, as described supra and set forth at SEQ ID NO: 32. These were then tested for their ability to bind to HLA-A2 molecules and to stimulate CTL proliferation, using an ELISPOT assay. This assay involved coating 96-well, flat bottom nitrocellulose plates with 5 ug/ml of anti-interferon gamma antibodies in 100 ul of PBS per well, followed by overnight incubation. Purified CD8 + cells, which had been separated from PBL samples via magnetic beads coated with anti-CD8 antibodies were then added, at 1×105 cells/well, in RPMI 1640 medium, that had been supplemented with 10% human serum, L-asparagine (50 mg/l), L-arginine (242 mg/l), L-glutamine (300 mg/l), together with IL-2 (2.5 ng/ml), in a final volume of 100 ul. CD8 + effector cells were prepared by presensitizing with peptide, and were then added at from 5×103 to 2×104 cells/well. Peptides were pulsed onto irradiated T2 cells at a concentration of 10 ug/ml for 1 hour, washed and added to effector cells, at 5×104 cells/well. The plates were incubated for 16 hours at 37° C., washed six times with 0.05% Tween 20/PBS, and were then supplemented with biotinylated, anti-interferon gamma specific antibody at 0.5 ug/ml. After incubation for 2 hours at 37° C., plates were washed, and developed with commercially available reagents, for 1 hour, followed by 10 minutes of incubation with dye substrate. Plates were then prepped for counting, positives being indicated by blue spots. The number of blue spots/well was determined as the frequency of NY-ESO-1 specific CTLs/well.
[0084] Experiments were run, in triplicate, and total number of CTLs was calculated. As controls, one of reagents alone, effector cells alone, or antigen presenting cells alone were used. The difference between the number of positives in stimulated versus non-stimulated cells, was calculated as the effective number of peptide specific CTLs above background. Three peptides were found to be reactive, i.e.:
[0085] LLSHGAVIEV (amino acids 102-111 of SEQ ID NO: 23, 158-167 of SEQ ID NO: 32)
[0086] SLSKILDTV (amino acids 904-912 of SEQ ID NO: 23, 960-968 of SEQ ID NO: 32)
[0087] SLDQKLFQL (amino acids 1262-1270 of SEQ ID NO: 23, 1318-1326 of SEQ ID NO: 32).
[0088] The complete list of peptides tested, with reference to their position in SEQ ID NO: 23, follows:
Peptide Position FLVDRKVCQL 35-43 ILIDSGADI 68-76 AVYSEILSV 90-98 ILSVVAKLL 95-103 LLSHGAVIEV 102-111 KLLSHGAVI 101-109 FLLIKNANA 134-142 MLLQQNVDV 167-175 GMLLQQNVDV 166-175 LLQQNVDVFA 168-177 IAWEKKETPV 361-370 SLFESSAKI 430-438 CIPENSIYQKV 441-450 KVMEINREV 449-457 ELMDMQTFKA 687-696 ELMDMQTFKA 806-815 SLSKILDTV 904-912 KILDTVHSC 907-915 ILNEKIREEL 987-996 RIQDIELKSV 1018-1027 YLLHENCML 1043-1051 CMLKKEIAML 1049-1058 AMLKLELATL 1056-1065 KILKEKNAEL 1081-1090 VLIAENTML 1114-1122 CLQRKMNVDV 1174-1183 KMNVDVSST 1178-1186 SLDQKLFQL 1262-1270 KLFQLQSKNM 1266-1275 FQLQSKNMWL 1268-1277 QLQSKNMWL 1269-1277 NMWLQQQLV 1274-1282 WLQQQLVHA 1276-1284 KITIDIHFL 1293-1301
Example 22
[0089] Expression of the full length NY-BR-1 molecule was analyzed, by determining the presence of mRNA, in various normal and tumor tissue samples.
[0090] RT-PCR assays were carried out, as described in examples 5 & 9, on a variety of tissue samples.
[0091] Expression on the mRNA level was found in normal breast and testis tissue, but in none of normal adrenal gland, fetal brain, lung, pancreatic, placental, prostate, thymus, uterine, ovarian, adult brain, kidney, liver or colon tissue.
[0092] With respect to cancer tissue samples, 19/34 breast cancer samples were positive, as were 9/34 prostate cancer biopsies.
Example 23
[0093] These experiments describe work which identified and verified two, naturally processed T cell epitopes that consist of amino acid sequences found in NY-BR-1.
[0094] Sequences encoding NY-BR-1 were excised from plasmid pQE9, via standard restriction enzyme digestion, and were cloned into BamHI-Hind III sites of commercially available plasmid pcDNA31 (−).
[0095] The resulting vectors were then transfected into COS-7 cells. To accomplish this, 2×10 4 COS-7 cells were admixed with 150 ng of the construct described supra, and 150 ng of plasmid pcDNA-AmpI, which contained cDNA encoding HLA-A2. The standard DE AE-dextran chloroquine method was used. Transfectants were then incubated at 37° C. for 48 hours, and then tested in a T cell stimulation assay, after 24 hours, as described infra.
[0096] The transfectants were tested to determine if they could stimulate production of TNF-α by CTLs specific for complexes of HLA-A2 molecules and one of the peptides described supra. The CTLs used were CD8 + T cell clones. “NW 1100-CTL-7,” “NW1100-CTL39,” and “NW1100-CTL43.” These three CD8 + T cell clones had been generated via repeated in vitro stimulation with either LLSHGAVIEV or SLSKILDTV, using standard methods.
[0097] To test if the transfectants stimulated the CD8 + cells, 5000 of these CD8 + cells, in 100 μl RPMI supplemented with 10% human serum, and 25 U/ml of recombinant human IL-2 were added to micowells containing the transfectants. After 24 hours, 50 μl samples of supernatant were collected, and TNFα content was determined by testing cytotoxicity against WEHI 164 clone 13 cells, in an MTT colorimetric assay, which is a standard method for showing TNFα production.
[0098] The results are shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 . Briefly, both peptide/HLA-A2 complexes were recognized by CD8 + T cells obtained from breast cancer patient identified as NW-1100. These results indicate that the two peptides are, in fact, naturally processed.
Example 24
[0099] This example describes studies carried out in NY-BR-1 positive cancer patients, to determine sequences which contained epitopes which were in vivo targets of CD4 + and CD8 + cells.
[0100] Tumor biopsies/resection specimens of patients with breast- and prostate-cancer, which were snap frozen in liquid nitrogen, were tested for the expression of NY-BR-1 by RT-PCR using the following primers: 5′-CAAAGCAGAGCCTCCCGAGAAG-3(SEQ ID NO:33)′ and 5′-CCTATGCTGCTCTTCGATTCTTCC-3 (SEQ ID NO:34)′.
[0101] CD4 + and CD8 + T lymphocytes were separated from PBMC of NY-BR-1 positive patients by magnetic beads (MiniMACS) and seeded into 48-well plates at a concentration of 2.5-5×10 5 cells per well in RPMI medium 1640 supplemented with 10% human serum, L-asparagine (50 mg/l), L-arginine (242 mg/l), and L-glutamine (300 mg/l). PBMC depleted of T cells were used as antigen presenting cells. After irradiation, these cells were incubated with 39 single peptides (10 μg/ml) spanning amino acids 1004-1397 of NY-BR-1(SEQ ID NO: 32) each of 18 amino acids in length and overlapping in 8 positions on each terminus, for 1 hour at room temperature and added to plates at a concentration of 1×10 6 cells per well. IL-2 and IL-4 (2.5 ng/ml and 50 U/ml, respectively) were added to CD4 + T cell cultures, and IL-2 and IL-7 (2.5 ng/ml and 10 ng/ml, respectively) to CD8 + T cells. Peptide specific T cell responses against the stimulating epitope were determined by IFN-gamma ELISPOT assays 6 to 12 days after presensitization.
[0102] Flat-bottomed, 96 well nitrocellulose plates were coated with IFN-γ mAb and incubated overnight at 4° C. After washing with PBS, the plates were blocked with 10% human AB serum for 1 hour at 37° C. Presensitized CD4 + or CD8 + T cells from (1×10 3 to 5×10 4 ) and 5×10 4 peptide-pulsed APC (autologous Dendritic Cells or Epstein Barr Virus transfected B cells) were added to each well and incubated for 20 hours in RPMI medium 1640 lacking both IL-2 and human serum. Plates were then washed thoroughly with PBS to remove cells, and biotinylated IFN-γ mAbs were added to each well. After incubation for 2 hours at 37° C., the plates were washed and developed with streptavidin-alkaline phosphase for 1 hour at room temperature. After washing, substrate (5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl phosphate/nitroblue tetrazolium) was added and incubated for 5 minutes. After final washes, plate membranes displayed dark-violet spots that were counted under the microscope.
[0103] Both CD4 + and CD8 + T cells were collected from twenty patients, who had been diagnosed with cancer and expressed NY-BR-1, as determined via the methods set forth supra. These CD4 + and CD8 + T cells were then analyzed for spontaneous NY-BR-1 specific, CD4 + and CD8 + responses.
[0104] Lymphocytes, which had been purified in accordance with the standard methods set forth supra, were presensitized with synthetic 18 mers which overlapped each other, and spanned amino acids 1104-1397 of SEQ ID NO: 32.
[0105] Following the presensitization, effector cell populations were tested for recognition of ELISPOT assays, with autologous, EBV transfected B cells, and T2 cell lines being used as the antigen presenting cells in the ELISPOT assays. ELISPOT assays were carried out as described supra.
[0106] A total of 39 peptides were tested. The sequences recognized by patient T-cells are shown in Table 5. Peptides which were recognized by CD8 + cells included peptides consisting of amino acids 1214-1231, 1224-1241, 1264-1281, 1274-1291, and 1334-1351 of SEQ ID NO: 32, as set forth in Table 7. Further, analysis of the peptide defined by amino acids 1214-1231 showed that it was restricted to HLA-A2, because it was recognized when pulsed onto T2 cells. HLA-A2 is the only shared allele between T2 cells and patient 1.
[0107] CD4 + cells reacted with peptides defined by amino acids 1011-1021, 1094-1111, 1124-1141, 1134-1151, 1164-1181, 1264-1281, 1364-1381, and 1374-1391, as set forth in Table 6.
[0108] This example shows that the sequences presented in Tables 5-7 contains the naturally occurring T-cell epitopes which, after being processed/degraded in the cell bind to the appropriate MHC molecule and the MHC-peptide complex being transported to the cells surface, are recognized by patient T-cells. The degradation pathways for MHC class I and II molecules for eventual presentation to either CD4 or CD8 T-cells are well known within the art (see for example Chapter 5 of Janeway et al. Immunobiology. The Immune System in Health and Disease. 5 th Edition. Garland Publishing, New York. 2001).
TABLE 5 IDENTIFIED SEQUENCES CONTAINING CD4 AND CD8 T-CELL EPITOPES RECOGNIZED BY PATIENT T-CELLS. (ALL AMINO ACID SEQUENCE NUMBERING IS BY REFERENCE TO SEQ ID NO:32) Patient CD4 epitope Sequence of CD4 epitope CD8 epitope Sequence of CD8 epitope 1 1164-1181 YSGOLKVLIAENTMLTSK 1214-1231 TSRKSQEPAFHIAGDACL 1224-1241 HIAGDACLQRKMNVDVSS 1274-1291 LRENTLVSEHAQRDQRET 1334-1351 QQQLVHAHKKADNKSKIT 2 1124-1141 QYQEKENKYFEDIKILKE 1164-1181 YSGOLKVLIAENTMLTSK 3 1344-1361 ADNKSKITIDIHFLERKM 4 1014-1031 ENQKVKWEQELCSVRLTL 1264-1281 KINLNYAGDALRENTLVS 1344-1361 ADNKSKITIDIHFLERKM 1364-1381 HLLKEKNEEIFNYNNHLK 5 1254-1271 SEAQRKSKSLKINLNLYAG 6 1254-1271 SEAQRKSKSLKILNLYAG 7 1374-1391 FNYNNHLKNRIYQYEKEK 8 1264-1281 KINLNYAGDALRENTLVS 9 1094-1111 HENENYLLHENCMLKKEI (healthy 1134-1151 EDIKILKEKNAELQMTLK donor)
[0109]
TABLE 6
NY-BR-1 PEPTIDES RECOGNIZED BY CD4+ T CELLS
(ALL AMINO ACID INFORMATION IS BY
REFERENCE TO SEQ ID NO:32):
CD4 epitope
Sequence
p1014-1031
ENQKVKWEQELCSVRLTL
p1094-1111
HENENYLLHENCMLKKEI
p1124-1141
QYQEKENKYFEDIKILKE
p1134-1151
EDIKILKEKNAELQMTLK
p1164-1181
YSGQLKVLIAENTMLTSK
p1254-1271
SEAQRKSKSLKINLNLYAG
p1264-1281
KINLNYAGDALRENTLVS
p1344-1361
ADNKSKITIDIHFLERKM
p1364-1381
HLLKEKNEEIFNYNNHLK
p1374-1391
FNYNNHLKNRIYQYEKEK
[0110]
TABLE 7
NY-BR-1 PEPTIDES RECOGNIZED BY CD8+ T CELLS:
CD8 epitope
Sequence
p1214-1231
TSRKSQEPAFHIAGDACL
p1224-1241
HIAGDACLQRKMNVDVSS
p1264-1281
KINLNYAGDALRENTLVS
p1274-1291
LRENTLVSEHAQRDQRET
p1334-1351
QQQLVHAHKKADNKSKIT
[0111] All amino acid positions are by reference to SEQ ID NO: 32.
[0112] The foregoing examples describe the isolation of a nucleic acid molecule which encodes a cancer associated antigen. “Associated” is used herein because while it is clear that the relevant molecule was expressed by several types of cancer, other cancers, not screened herein, may also express the antigen.
[0113] The invention relates to nucleic acid molecules which encode the antigens encoded by, e.g., SEQ ID NOS: 1, 3, 8, 15, 22, 26 and 31 as well as the antigens encoded thereby, such as the proteins with the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NOS: 5, 6, 7, 16, 23, 27, 30 and 32. It is to be understood that all sequences which encode the recited antigen are a part of the invention. Also a part of the invention are those nucleic acid molecules which have complementary nucleotide sequences which hybridize to the referred sequences, under stringent conditions. “Stringent conditions” as used herein refers, e.g., to prehybridization in 6×SSC/0.05 BLOTTO for 2 hours, followed by adding a probe mixed with salmon sperm DNA and overnight incubation at 68° C., followed by two one minute washes with 2×SSC/0.2% room temperature, and then three twenty minute washes with 2×SSC/0.2% SDS (68° C.). An optional additional one or two high stringency washes with 0.2×SSC/0.2% SDS, for 20 minutes, at 68° C., may be included.
[0114] Also a part of the invention are proteins, polypeptides, and peptides, which comprise, e.g., at least nine consecutive amino acids found in SEQ ID NO: 23 or 32, or at least nine consecutive amino acids of the amino acids of SEQ ID NO: 30 or 32. Proteins, polypeptides and peptides comprising nine or more amino acids of SEQ ID NO: 5, 6, 7, 16 or 27 are also a part of the invention. Especially preferred are peptides comprising or consisting of amino acids 102-111, 904-912, or 1262-1270 of SEQ ID NO: 23, which are paralleled in SEQ ID NO: 32. Such peptides may, but do not necessarily provoke CTL responses when complexed with an HLA molecule, such as an HLA-A2 molecule. They may also bind to different MHC or HLA molecules, including, but not being limited to, HLA-A1, A2, A3, B7, B8, Cw3, Cw6, or serve, e.g., as immunogens, as part of immunogenic cocktail compositions, where they are combined with other proteins or polypeptides, and so forth. Also a part of the invention are the nucleic acid molecules which encode these molecules, such as “minigenes,” expression vectors that include the coding regions, recombinant cells containing these, and so forth. All are a part of the invention.
[0115] Also a part of the invention are expression vectors which incorporate the nucleic acid molecules of the invention, in operable linkage (i.e., “operably linked”) to a promoter. Construction of such vectors, such as viral (e.g., adenovirus or Vaccinia virus) or attenuated viral vectors is well within the skill of the art, as is the transformation or transfection of cells, to produce eukaryotic cell lines, or prokaryotic cell strains which encode the molecule of interest. Exemplary of the host cells which can be employed in this fashion are COS cells, CHO cells, yeast cells, insect cells (e.g., Spodoptera frugiperda ), NIH 3T3 cells, and so forth. Prokaryotic cells, such as E. coli and other bacteria may also be used. Any of these cells can also be transformed or transfected with further nucleic acid molecules, such as those encoding cytokines, e.g., interleukins such as IL-2, 4, 6, or 12 or HLA or MHC molecules.
[0116] Also a part of the invention are the antigens described herein, both in original form and in any different post translational modified forms. The molecules are large enough to be antigenic without any posttranslational modification, and hence are useful as immunogens, when combined with an adjuvant (or without it), in both precursor and post-translationally modified forms. Antibodies produced using these antigens, both poly and monoclonal, are also a part of the invention as well as hybridomas which make monoclonal antibodies to the antigens. The whole protein can be used therapeutically, or in portions, as discussed infra. Also a part of the invention are antibodies against this antigen, be these polyclonal, monoclonal, reactive fragments, such as Fab, (F(ab) 2 , and other fragments, as well as chimeras, humanized antibodies, recombinantly produced antibodies, and so forth.
[0117] As is clear from the disclosure, one may use the proteins and nucleic acid molecules of the invention diagnostically. The SEREX methodology discussed herein is premised on an immune response to a pathology associated antigen. Hence, one may assay for the relevant pathology via, e.g., testing a body fluid sample of a subject, such as serum, for reactivity with the antigen per se. Reactivity would be deemed indicative of possible presence of the pathology. So, too, could one assay for the expression of any of the antigens via any of the standard nucleic acid hybridization assays which are well known to the art, and need not be elaborated upon herein. One could assay for antibodies against the subject molecules, using standard immunoassays as well.
[0118] As was shown in, e.g., examples 22 & 23, the invention relates in particular to methods for determining if cancer is present, such as breast cancer or pancreatic cancer, by assaying for expression of NY-BR-1, as defined supra, via a nucleotide based assay, such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or some other form of nucleotide hybridization assay, a protein based assay, such as an immunoassay, or a peptide based assay where one either looks for, or utilizes, CD8 + cells which react specifically with complexes of peptides and their partner HLA molecule, such as LLSHGAVIEV or SLSKILDTV, and HLA-A2. As with the nucleotide and protein based assays, these peptide based assays are especially useful in determining breast and/or pancreatic cancer. The assays of the invention, in all forms, can be used to determine presence, progression, and/or regression of cancer, such as breast and/or pancreatic cancer, and can then be used to determine the efficacy of therapeutic regimes, especially when the regime is directed against breast and/or pancreatic cancer.
[0119] Analysis of SEQ ID NO: 1, 3, 4, 8, 15, 22, 26 and 31 will show that there are 5′ and 3′ non-coding regions presented therein. The invention relates to those isolated nucleic acid molecules which contain at least the coding segment, and which may contain any or all of the non-coding 5′ and 3′ portions.
[0120] Also a part of the invention are portions of the relevant nucleic acid molecules which can be used, for example, as oligonucleotide primers and/or probes, such as one or more of SEQ ID NOS: 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 20, 21, 24, 25, 28, and 29 as well as amplification products like nucleic acid molecules comprising at least nucleotides 305-748 of SEQ ID NO: 1, or amplification products described in the examples, including those in examples 12, 14, etc.
[0121] As was discussed supra, study of other members of the “CT” family reveals that these are also processed to peptides which provoke lysis by cytolytic T cells. There has been a great deal of work on motifs for various MHC or HLA molecules, which is applicable here. Hence, a further aspect of the invention is a therapeutic method, wherein one or more peptides derived from the antigens of the invention which bind to an HLA molecule on the surface of a patient's tumor cells are administered to the patient, in an amount sufficient for the peptides to bind to the MHC/HLA molecules, and provoke lysis by T cells. Any combination of peptides may be used. These peptides, which may be used alone or in combination, as well as the entire protein or immunoreactive portions thereof, may be administered to a subject in need thereof, using any of the standard types of administration, such as intravenous, intradermal, subcutaneous, oral, rectal, and transdermal administration. Standard pharmaceutical carriers, adjuvants, such as saponins, GM-CSF, and interleukins and so forth may also be used. Further, these peptides and proteins may be formulated into vaccines with the listed material, as may dendritic cells, or other cells which present relevant MHC/peptide complexes.
[0122] Of particular interest, are peptides shown to be natural epitopes of the NY-BR-1 molecule, such as LLSHGAVIEV and SLSKILDTV. By “natural epitopes” is meant that CD8 + cells taken from patients with cancer recognize and lyse cells which present these peptides on their surface. It is more desirable to use peptides which have been shown to be naturally occurring epitopes in an in vivo context, because these peptides can lead to expansion of pre-existing populations of relevant CD8 + cells. In parallel, CD8 + cells which are specific to the complexes can be used therapeutically. Hence, in any of the therapeutic approaches discussed herein relating to peptides or minigenes, it is especially preferred to use one or both of these peptide sequences, or minigenes which encode them.
[0123] Similarly, the invention contemplates therapies wherein nucleic acid molecules which encode the proteins of the invention, one or more or peptides which are derived from these proteins are incorporated into a vector, such as a Vaccinia or adenovirus based vector, to render it transfectable into eukaryotic cells, such as human cells. Nucleic acid molecules which encode one or more of the peptides may be incorporated into these vectors, which are then the major constituent of nucleic acid bases therapies.
[0124] Any of these assays can also be used in progression/regression studies. One can monitor the course of abnormality involving expression of these antigens simply by monitoring levels of the protein, its expression, antibodies against it and so forth using any or all of the methods set forth supra.
[0125] It should be clear that these methodologies may also be used to track the efficacy of a therapeutic regime. Essentially, one can take a baseline value for a protein of interest using any of the assays discussed supra, administer a given therapeutic agent, and then monitor levels of the protein thereafter, observing changes in antigen levels as indicia of the efficacy of the regime.
[0126] As was indicated supra, the invention involves, inter alia, the recognition of an “integrated” immune response to the molecules of the invention. One ramification of this is the ability to monitor the course of cancer therapy. In this method, which is a part of the invention, a subject in need of the therapy receives a vaccination of a type described herein. Such a vaccination results, e.g., in a T cell response against cells presenting HLA/peptide complexes on their cells. The response also includes an antibody response, possibly a result of the release of antibody provoking proteins via the lysis of cells by the T cells. Hence, one can monitor the effect of a vaccine, by monitoring an antibody response. As is indicated, supra, an increase in antibody titer may be taken as an indicia of progress with a vaccine, and vice versa. Hence, a further aspect of the invention is a method for monitoring efficacy of a vaccine, following administration thereof, by determining levels of antibodies in the subject which are specific for the vaccine itself, or a large molecule of which the vaccine is a part.
[0127] The identification of the subject proteins as being implicated in pathological conditions such as cancer also suggests a number of therapeutic approaches in addition to those discussed supra. The experiments set forth supra establish that antibodies are produced in response to expression of the protein. Hence, a further embodiment of the invention is the treatment of conditions which are characterized by aberrant or abnormal levels of one or more of the proteins, via administration of antibodies, such as humanized antibodies, antibody fragments, and so forth. These may be tagged or labelled with appropriate cystostatic or cytotoxic reagents.
[0128] T cells may also be administered. It is to be noted that the T cells may be elicited in vitro using immune responsive cells such as dendritic cells, lymphocytes, or any other immune responsive cells, and then reperfused into the subject being treated.
[0129] Note that the generation of T cells and/or antibodies can also be accomplished by administering cells, preferably treated to be rendered non-proliferative, which present relevant T cell or B cell epitopes for response, such as the epitopes discussed supra.
[0130] The therapeutic approaches may also include antisense therapies, wherein an antisense molecule, preferably from 10 to 100 nucleotides in length, is administered to the subject either “neat” or in a carrier, such as a liposome, to facilitate incorporation into a cell, followed by inhibition of expression of the protein. Such antisense sequences may also be incorporated into appropriate vaccines, such as in viral vectors (e.g., Vaccinia), bacterial constructs, such as variants of the known BCG vaccine, and so forth.
[0131] Also a part of this invention are antibodies, e.g., polyclonal and monoclonal, and antibody fragments e.g., single chain Fv, Fab, diabodies etc., that specifically bind the peptides or HLA/peptide complexes disclosed herein. Preferably the antibodies, the antibody fragments and T cell receptors bind the HLA/peptide complexes in a peptide-specific manner. Such antibodies are useful, for example, in identifying cells presenting the HLA/peptide complexes, particularly complexes comprising an HLA-A1, A2, A3, A26, HLA-B7, B8, B15, B27, B35, B44, B51, B57, Cw3, or Cw6 molecule, preferably HLA-A2 or B57, and a peptide consisting essentially of the sequences described supra, such as amino acids 102-111, 904-912, or 1262-1270 of SEQ ID NO: 23.
[0132] Such antibodies are also useful in promoting the regression or inhibiting the progression of a tumor which expresses complexes of the HLA and peptide. Polyclonal antisera and monoclonal antibodies specific to the peptides or HLA/peptide complexes of this invention may be generated according to standard procedures. See e.g., Catty, D., Antibodies, A Practical Approach , Vol. 1, IRL Press, Washington D.C. (1988); Klein, J. Immunology: The Science of Cell - Non - Cell Discrimination , John Wiley and Sons, New York (1982); Kennett, R., et al., Monoclonal Antibodies, Hybridoma, A New Dimension In Biological Analyses , Plenum Press, New York (1980); Campbell, A., Monoclonal Antibody Technology, in Laboratory Techniques and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology , Vol. 13 (Burdon, R., et al. EDS.), Elsevier Amsterdam (1984); Eisen, H. N., Microbiology , third edition, Davis, B. D., et al. EDS. (Harper & Rowe, Philadelphia (1980); Kohler and Milstein, Nature, 256:495 (1975) all incorporated herein by reference.) Methods for identifying Fab molecules endowed with the antigen-specific, HLA-restricted specificity of T cells has been described by Denkberg, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 99:9421-9426 (2002) and Cohen, et al., Cancer Research, 62:5835-5844 (2002) (both incorporated herein by reference). Methods for generating and identifying other antibody molecules, e.g., scFv and diabodies are well known in the art, see e.g., Bird, et al., Science, 242:423-426 (1988); Huston, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 85:5879-5883 (1988); Mallender and Voss, J. Biol. Chem., 269:199-206 (1994); Ito and Kurosawa, J. Biol. Chem., 27:20668-20675 (1993), and; Gandecha, et al., Prot. Express Purif, 5:385-390 (1994)(all incorporated herein by reference).
[0133] The antibodies of this invention can be used for experimental purposes (e.g. localization of the HLA/peptide complexes, immunoprecipitations, Western blots, flow cytometry, ELISA etc.) as well as diagnostic or therapeutic purposes, e.g., assaying extracts of tissue biopsies for the presence of HLA/peptide complexes, targeting delivery of cytotoxic or cytostatic substances to cells expressing the appropriate HLA/peptide complex. The antibodies of this invention are useful for the study and analysis of antigen presentation on tumor cells and can be used to assay for changes in the HLA/peptide complex expression before, during or after a treatment protocol, e.g., vaccination with peptides, antigen presenting cells, HLA/peptide tetramers, adoptive transfer or chemotherapy. The antibodies and antibody fragments of this invention may be coupled to diagnostic labeling agents for imaging of cells and tissues that express the HLA/peptide complexes or may be coupled to therapeutically useful agents by using standard methods well-known in the art. The antibodies also may be coupled to labeling agents for imaging e.g., radiolabels or fluorescent labels, or may be coupled to, e.g., biotin or antitumor agents, e.g., radioiodinated compounds, toxins such as ricin, methotrexate, cytostatic or cytolytic drugs, etc. Examples of diagnostic agents suitable for conjugating to the antibodies of this invention include e.g., barium sulfate, diatrizoate sodium, diatrizoate meglumine, iocetamic acid, iopanoic acid, ipodate calcium, metrizamide, tyropanoate sodium and radiodiagnostics including positron emitters such as fluorine-18 and carbon-11, gamma emitters such as iodine-123, technitium-99m, iodine-131 and indium-111, nuclides for nuclear magnetic resonance such as fluorine and gadolinium. As used herein, “therapeutically useful agents” include any therapeutic molecule which are preferably targeted selectively to a cell expressing the HLA/peptide complexes, including antineoplastic agents, radioiodinated compounds, toxins, other cytostatic or cytolytic drugs. Antineoplastic therapeutics are well known and include: aminoglutethimide, azathioprine, bleomycin sulfate, busulfan, carmustine, chlorambucil, cisplatin, cyclophosphamide, cyclosporine, cytarabidine, dacarbazine, dactinomycin, daunorubicin, doxorubicin, taxol, etoposide, fluorouracil, interferon-.alpha., lomustine, mercaptopurine, methotrexate, mitotane, procarbazine HCl, thioguanine, vinblastine sulfate and vincristine sulfate. Additional antineoplastic agents include those disclosed in Chapter 52, Antineoplastic Agents (Paul Calabresi and Bruce A. Chabner), and the introduction thereto, 1202-1263, of Goodman and Gilman's “The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics”, Eighth Edition, 1990, McGraw-Hill, Inc. (Health Professions Division). Toxins can be proteins such as, for example, pokeweed anti-viral protein, cholera toxin, pertussis toxin, ricin, gelonin, abrin, diphtheria exotoxin, or Pseudomonas exotoxin. Toxin moieties can also be high energy-emitting radionuclides such as 131 I, 90 Y or any other alpha, beta and auger emitting that are known within the art. The antibodies may be administered to a subject having a pathological condition characterized by the presentation of the HLA/peptide complexes of this invention, e.g., melanoma or other cancers, in an amount sufficient to alleviate the symptoms associated with the pathological condition.
[0134] Soluble T cell receptors (TcR) which specifically bind to the HLA/peptide complexes described herein are also an aspect of this invention. In their soluble form T cell receptors are analogous to a monoclonal antibody in that they bind to HLA/peptide complex in a peptide-specific manner. Immobilized TcRs or antibodies may be used to identify and purify unknown peptide/HLA complexes which may be involved in cellular abnormalities. Methods for identifying and isolating soluble TcRs are known in the art, see for example WO 99/60119, WO 99/60120 (both incorporated herein by reference) which describe synthetic multivalent T cell receptor complex for binding to peptide-MHC complexes. Recombinant, refolded soluble T cell receptors are specifically described. Such receptors may be used for delivering therapeutic agents or detecting specific peptide-MHC complexes expressed by tumor cells. WO 02/088740 (incorporated by reference) describes a method for identifying a substance that binds to a peptide-MHC complex. A peptide-MHC complex is formed between a predetermined MHC and peptide known to bind to such predetermined MHC. The complex is then use to screen or select an entity that binds to the peptide-MHC complex such as a T cell receptor. The method could also be applied to the selection of monoclonal antibodies that bind to the predetermined peptide-MHC complex.
[0135] Also a part of this invention are nucleic acid molecules encoding the antibodies and T cell receptors of this invention and host cells, e.g., human T cells, transformed with a nucleic acid molecule encoding a recombinant antibody or antibody fragment, e.g., scFv or Fab, or a TcR specific for a predesignated HLA/peptide complex as described herein, particularly a complex wherein the HLA molecule is an HLA-A1, A2, A3, A26, HLA-B7, B8, B15, B27, B35, B44, B51, B57, Cw3 or Cw6 molecule, preferably HLA-A2 or B57, and the peptide is encoded by nucleotide sequence corresponding to a nucleotide sequence found in SEQ ID NO: 31.
[0136] Recombinant Fab or TcR specific for a predesignated HLA/peptide complex in T cells have been described in, e.g., Willemsen, et al., “A phage display selected Fab fragment with MHC class I-restricted specificity for MAGE-A1 allows for retargeting of primary human T lymphocytes” Gene Ther., 2001 Nov.; 8(21):1601-8. and Willemsen, et al., “Grafting primary human T lymphocytes with cancer-specific chimeric single chain and two chain TCR”. Gene Ther., 2000 Aug.; 7(16):1369-77. (both incorporated herein by reference) and have applications in an autologous T cell transfer setting. The autologous T cells, transduced to express recombinant antibody or TcR, may be infused into a patient having an pathological condition associated with cells expressing the HLA/peptide complex. The transduced T cells are administered in an amount sufficient to inhibit the progression or alleviate at least some of the symptoms associated with the pathological condition.
[0137] This invention also relates to a method for promoting regression or inhibiting progression of a tumor in a subject in need thereof wherein the tumor expresses a complex of HLA and peptide. The method comprises administering an antibody, antibody fragment or soluble T cell receptor, which specifically binds to the HLA/peptide complex, or by administering cells transduced so that they express those antibodies or TcR in amounts that are sufficient to promote the regression or inhibit progression of the tumor expressing the HLA/peptide complex, e.g., a melanoma or other cancer. Preferably the HLA is an HLA-A2, or B57 and the peptide is an NY-BR-1 derived peptide preferably a peptide consisting of the sequences set forth supra, such as amino acids 102-111, 904-912, or 1262-1270 of SEQ ID NO: 23.
[0138] The antibodies, antibody fragments and soluble T cell receptors may be conjugated with, or administered in conjunction with, an antineoplastic agent, e.g., radioiodinated compounds, toxins such as ricin, methotrexate, or a cytostatic or cytolytic agent as discussed supra. See e.g., Pastan, et al., Biochem. Biophys. Acta., 133:C1-C6(1997), Lode, et al., Immunol. Res., 21:279-288 (2000) and Wihoff, et al., Curr. Opin. Mo. Ther., 3:53-62 (2001) (all incorporated herein by reference) for a discussion of the construction of recombinant immunotoxins, antibody fusions with cytokine molecules and bispecific antibody therapy or immunogene therapy.
[0139] Other features and applications of the invention will be clear to the skilled artisan, and need not be set forth herein. The terms and expression which have been employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expression of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, it being recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention. | The invention relates to newly identified cancer associated antigens. It has been discovered that each of these molecules provokes antibodies when expressed by a subject. The ramifications of this observation are also a part of this invention. | 0 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a thin film magnetic recording head used for recording and reproducing in a magnetic disk drive or the like and a magnetic disk drive mounted therewith.
In a magnetic disk drive, data on a recording medium is read and written by a thin film magnetic head. In order to increase a recording capacity per unit area of a magnetic disk, it is necessary to form an area recording density in a high density. However, according to a current longitudinal recording system, when a length of a bit to be recorded is reduced, there poses a problem that the plane recording density cannot be increased owing to thermal fluctuation of magnetization of a medium.
In order to solve the problem, there is provided a perpendicular recording system for recording a magnetization signal in a direction perpendicular to a medium. Also in the perpendicular recording system, in reproduction, there can be used a magnetoresistance effect type head (MR head) and a giant magnetoresistance effect type head (GMR head) having a large reproduced output. Meanwhile, in recording, it is necessary to use a single pole type magnetic head. Also in perpendicular recording, it is necessary to increase a tracking density and a line recording density in order to increase the recording density. In either of them, in order to increase the tracking density, it is necessary to form a track width of the magnetic head very finely and highly accurately.
Further, in perpendicular recording, there poses a problem that noise is generated by an external magnetic field or the like. For example, there is a description with regard to a spike noise from an external magnetic field in ‘Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H07-225901’. After the noise is detected, the noise is canceled. Further, the problem of noise after recording is also considered to be derived from that a magnetic domain of a main pole is unstable and the magnetic domain is moved. There is a description with regard to a single pole type head having a shield for resistance against external magnetic field in ‘Digest of 24th Conference of Japan Society of Applied Magnetics (P161)’.
According to a proposal of ‘Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H07-225901, there is disclosed means for detecting a spike noise and avoiding error and there is no description with regard to a reduction in the noise at the magnetic head. Further, there poses a problem that a main pole is magnetized by an external magnetic field, a magnetic field thereof is leaked to a medium and the magnetization signal on the medium is erased.
As a countermeasure thereagainst, in ‘Digest of 24th Conference of Japan Society of Applied Magnetics (P161)’, there is disclosed a structure of providing a shield against the external magnetic field in the single pole head. According to the structure, the shield against the external magnetic field is constructed by a structure of being exposed to a surface against the media. Therefore, although there is achieved a significant effect for preventing the external magnetic field from entering the main pole, there also poses a problem that the shield against the external magnetic field collects the external magnetic field, the external magnetic field leaks from the surface against the media to the media, the magnetization signal of the media is erased or a signal is written. Further, there also poses a problem that a magnetic field in recording is leaked from the main pole and leaked to the media via the shield against the external magnetic field.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Hence, it is an object of the invention to provide a thin film magnetic recording head having a perpendicular recording head in which noise by external field is eliminated and a shield for preventing the noise does not leak magnetic field to a medium and a method of fabricating the same as well as a magnetic disk drive having high stability mounted with the perpendicular recording head.
In order to achieve the above-described object, according to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a thin film magnetic recording head comprising a single pole type perpendicular recording head including an auxiliary pole, a main pole and a shield against an external magnetic field, wherein an edge of the shield against the external magnetic field is provided at a position recessed at least from an edge of the main pole relative to a surface against a medium.
Further, according another aspect of the invention, there is provided a thin film magnetic recording head including a reproducing head using a magnetoresistance effect and a single pole type perpendicular recording head, wherein the perpendicular recording head includes an auxiliary pole, a main pole, a shield against an external magnetic field, a first gap layer formed between the auxiliary pole and the main pole and a second gap layer formed between the main pole and the shield against the external magnetic field, and wherein a width of the auxiliary pole opposed to the first gap layer is larger than a width of the main pole opposed to the first gap layer and an edge of the shield against the external magnetic field is provided at a position recessed at least from an edge of the main pole relative to a surface against a medium.
Further, according to another aspect of the invention, in the above-described constitution, an amount of recession from the surface against the medium of an edge of the shield against the external magnetic field falls in a range of 0.5 through 3 μm at a portion thereof opposed to the main pole, further, an interval of a gap formed between the main pole and the shield against the external magnetic field falls in a range of 0.5 through 3 μm, further, a position of the edge of the shield against the external magnetic field in a direction remote from the surface against the medium, is disposed to be remote from a position of the edge of the main pole in the direction remote from the surface against the medium by 1 through 10 μm.
Further, according to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of fabricating a thin film magnetic recording head including a perpendicular recording head having an auxiliary pole, a main pole and a shield against an external magnetic field, the method including a step in which the shield against the external magnetic field is formed by using an electroplating method with photoresist frame and formed such that an edge of the shield against the external magnetic field is disposed at a position recessed at least from an edge of the main pole relative to a surface against a medium.
Furthermore, according to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a magnetic disk drive constituted to execute recording and reproducing by a thin film magnetic recording head, wherein the thin film magnetic recording head includes a single pole type perpendicular recording head which includes an auxiliary pole, a main pole and a shield against an external magnetic field and in which an edge of the shield against the external magnetic field is provided at a position recessed at least from an edge of the main pole relative to a surface against a medium.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an outline view showing a conventional perpendicular recording magnetic recording head having a shield against the external magnetic field;
FIG. 2 is a conceptual view showing a basic constitution of a thin film magnetic recording head according to the invention;
FIG. 3 is an outline view showing a conception of a magnetic disk drive in the case of mounting the thin film magnetic recording head according to the invention;
FIG. 4 is an outline view showing a conventional longitudinal recording magnetic recording head;
FIG. 5 is an outline view showing a conventional perpendicular recording magnetic recording head;
FIG. 6 is an outline view showing the principle of a perpendicular recording method;
FIG. 7 is an outline view showing a perpendicular recording head having a shield against the external magnetic field according to an embodiment of the invention; and
FIGS. 8A through 8E are outline views of a method of fabricating the perpendicular recording head according to the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
An explanation will be given of embodiments of the invention in reference to the drawings as follows.
First, FIG. 1 shows an outline view in the case of a conventional structure of a magnetic head. According to the conventional structure, a shield 13 is exposed up to a plane of surface 14 representing an air bearing surface of the magnetic head with respect to a surface of the media 1 and therefore, a magnetic field is leaked from an edge thereof. Therefore, there poses a problem of erasing a magnetization signal 4 on the media (magnetic disk) 1 . As shown, an edge of the main pole 12 which faces the media and an edge of the shield 13 which faces the media are arranged in the same plane of the air bearing surface 14 of the magnetic head. In this way, according to a single pole type recording head used in the perpendicular recording method, there poses a problem that noise is generated by an external magnetic field 16 or the like, or a main pole 12 is magnetized by the external magnetic field 16 and its magnetic field is leaked to the medium 1 and erases the signal. As a method of resolving the problem, a shield against the external magnetic field may be provided, however, according to the conventional technology, there poses a problem that the shield 13 against the external magnetic field collects the external magnetic field 16 and the magnetization signal 4 of the media is erased or a problem that a recording magnetic field enters the shield and is leaked to the medium.
Hence, in order to solve these problems, it has been found that there may be constructed a structure for preventing the shield against the external magnetic field from being exposed to an air bearing surface.
FIG. 2 is a conceptual view showing a basic constitution of a thin film magnetic recording head according to the invention.
In the case of the invention, an edge of a shield 15 against the external magnetic field is recessed or spaced from a plane of the air bearing surface 14 of the magnetic head with respect to the surface of the media 1 and therefore, the magnetic field is not leaked to the media 1 . In that case, it has been found that it is important for an effect of shielding in the external magnetic field and a reduction in the magnetic field leaked to the medium to optimize a gap interval (L) between the main pole 12 and the shield 15 against the external magnetic field and an amount (T) of recession or spacing of an edge of the shield 15 against the external magnetic field from the plane of the air bearing surface 14 with respect to a surface of the media. As shown, an edge of the main pole 12 which faces the media 1 is arranged at the plane of the air bearing surface 14 and the edge of the shield 15 which faces the media 1 is spaced from the plane of the air bearing surface 14 .
It has been found that it is preferable that the gap interval (L) between the main pole 12 and the shield 15 against the external magnetic field, falls in a range of 0.5 through 3 μm and it is preferable that the amount (T) of recession or spacing of the shield 15 against the external magnetic field from the plane of the air bearing surface 14 with respect to the media, falls in a range of 0.5 through 3 μm.
Further, it is preferable that a size of the shield 15 against the external magnetic field is larger than that of the main pole 12 , particularly with regard to a position of an edge thereof in a direction remote from the plane of the air bearing surface 14 with respect to the media, it is preferable that the position of the edge of the shield 15 is higher than a position of an edge of the main pole 12 remote from the plane of the surface 14 with respect to the media by 1 through 10 μm (=t). Because when the position is excessively high, there is brought about an effect of collecting the external magnetic field.
As a material of the shield 15 against the external magnetic field, there can be used, for example, a soft magnetic material such as NiFe, FeNi, CoNiFe or the like. As a method of fabricating the shield 15 against the external magnetic field, as mentioned later, for example, an electroplating method with photoresist frame is applicable. Naturally, after depositing a magnetic layer by a sputtering method, a pattern may be formed by etching. The accuracy is promoted in the case of the electroplating method with photoresist frame since the shield 15 against the external magnetic field can be formed by using a conventional magnetic core forming technology.
FIG. 3 is an outline view showing a conception of a magnetic disk drive in the case of mounting a thin film magnetic recording head according to the invention (however, magnification of the drawing is not uniform). The magnetic disk drive records and reproduces the magnetization signal 4 onto and from the magnetic disk 1 by a magnetic head 3 fixed to a front end of a supporting member 2 .
FIG. 4 shows an outline view of a conventional recording/reproducing separated type thin film recording head for longitudinal recording (however, magnification of the drawing is not uniform). There is constructed a structure in which a recording head is laminated on a reproducing head utilizing a magnetoresistance effect films 5 .
FIG. 5 shows an outline view of a conventional recording/reproducing separated type thin film magnetic recording head for perpendicular recording (however, magnification of the drawing is not uniform). There is constructed a structure in which a single pole type perpendicular recording head is laminated on a reproducing head by utilizing the magnetoresistance effect film 5 . A significant difference from the above-described magnetic recording head for longitudinal recording, resides in that whereas there is provided a thin (for example, 0.2 μm) gap layer 19 in the surface against the media between an upper magnetic core 7 of the conventional head and an upper shield 11 of the reproducing head serving also as a lower magnetic core, according to the magnetic recording head for perpendicular recording, a gap interval 20 between a main pole 12 and the upper shield (auxiliary pole) 11 , is significantly opened (for example, 5 through 10 μm).
FIG. 6 shows an outline view of the principle of a perpendicular recording method (however, magnification of the drawing is not uniform). A magnetic field coming out from the main pole 12 forms a magnetic circuit passing through a recording layer and a soft magnetic underlayer and entering the upper shield 11 constituting the auxiliary pole and records the magnetization pattern 4 to the recording layer.
FIG. 7 shows an outline view showing a perpendicular recording head provided with a shield against the external magnetic field according to an embodiment of the invention (however, magnification of the drawing is not uniform). The basic constitution of the perpendicular recording head according to the invention, is as shown by FIG. 2 and the shield 15 against the external magnetic field recessed from the face against the media, is arranged on the main pole 12 via the gap layer (not illustrated in the drawing).
FIGS. 8A through 8E show sectional views of a method of fabricating the perpendicular recording magnetic recording head according to the invention (however, magnification of the drawing is not uniform and the reproducing head is omitted).
FIG. 8A shows that there have been formed the upper shield 11 constituting the auxiliary pole, coils 9 and the main pole 12 . As a material of the main pole 12 , CoNiFe is used.
FIG. 8B shows that a gap layer 17 has been formed on the main pole 12 . As a material of the gap layer, alumina is used and the gap layer is formed by the sputtering method. A film thickness thereof is made 1 μm.
FIG. 8C shows that a resist frame 18 has been formed after forming a seed layer for plating (not illustrated in the drawing) on the gap layer 17 . A positive photoresist or a negative photoresist on sale can sufficiently be used for the photoresist frame.
FIG. 8D shows that a shield against the external magnetic field has been plated. As a material therefor, NiFe is used and a film thickness thereof is made 3 μm. A amount (T) of recession from the surface against the media is made 1 μm. A position of an edge of the shield in the direction remote from the surface against media is made a position remote from a position of an edge of the main pole by 5 μm. Naturally, as a material therefor, other soft magnetic film such as FeNi, CoNiFe or the like may be used.
FIG. 8E shows that the resist frame has been removed, the shield 15 against the external magnetic field has been formed and the perpendicular recording head has been finished. Although in this case, there is used the electroplating method with photoresist frame, there may be used a method of forming a pattern by ion milling after depositing the magnetic film by sputtering.
By mounting the perpendicular recording magnetic recording head, there can be fabricated a magnetic disk drive of a perpendicular recording type without erasure of noise by the external magnetic field and magnetization signal and having high stability.
There are pointed out representative constitution examples as follows.
(1) A magnetic disk drive constituted to execute recording and reproducing by a thin film magnetic recording head onto and from a magnetic disk, wherein the thin film magnetic recording head includes a single pole type perpendicular type recording head which includes an auxiliary magnetic pole, a main pole and a shield against the external magnetic field and in which an edge of the shield against the external magnetic field is provided at a position recessed at least from an edge of the main pole relative to a surface against a medium.
(2) The magnetic disk drive in the constitution of (1) further including a reproducing head using a magnetoresistance effect for reproduction.
(3) The magnetic disk drive in the constitution of (1), wherein an amount of recession of the shield against the external magnetic field from the surface against the medium falls in a range of 0.5 through 3 μm at a portion thereof opposed to the main pole.
According to the invention, there are realized the thin film magnetic head having the perpendicular recording head in which by providing the shield against the external magnetic field recessed from the surface against the medium, noise by the external magnetic field is eliminated and the shield for preventing the noise does not leak the magnetic field to the medium and the method of fabricating the thin film magnetic recording head, further, there is provided the magnetic disk drive mounted therewith having high stability. | The invention fabricates a perpendicular recording head eliminating influence of external magnetic field and provides a magnetic disk drive having high stability by using the magnetic recording head and constructs a structure in which shield against external magnetic field is formed from a main pole via a gap layer and an edge portion thereof is recessed from a surface against a medium. By providing the shield against the external magnetic field, the influence of the external magnetic field is restrained and by recessing the edge from the surface against the medium, leakage of magnetic field from the shield against the external magnetic field to the medium is prevented to thereby prevent a magnetization signal from being erased. | 8 |
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/549,868 which was filed on Oct. 21, 2011.
BACKGROUND
[0002] This disclosure generally relates to an LASER configuration for an additive manufacturing machine and process. More particularly, this disclosure relates to a configuration for relieving stress within a part during creation within the additive manufacturing assembly.
[0003] Typical manufacturing methods include various methods of removing material from a starting blank of material to form a desired completed part shape. Such methods utilize cutting tools to remove material to form holes, surfaces, overall shapes and more by subtracting material from the starting material. Such subtractive manufacturing methods impart physical limits on the final shape of a completed part. Additive manufacturing methods form desired part shapes by adding one layer at a time and therefore provide for the formation of part shapes and geometries that would not be feasible in part constructed utilizing traditional subtractive manufacturing methods.
[0004] Additive manufacturing utilizes a heat source such as a laser beam to melt layers of powdered metal to form the desired part configuration layer upon layer. The laser forms a melt pool in the powdered metal that solidifies. Another layer of powdered material is then spread over the formerly solidified part and melted to the previous melted layer to build a desired part geometry layer upon layer. Powdered material that is applied but not melted to become a portion of the part accumulates around and within the part. For smaller parts the excess powdered material is not significant. However, as capabilities improve and larger parts are fabricated, the excess powdered metal may become significant consideration in both part fabrication capabilities and economic feasibility.
SUMMARY
[0005] An additive manufacturing process according to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure include the steps of defining a boundary surrounding a periphery of a desired part geometry, depositing material onto a base plate and directing energy to portions of the deposited material for forming a retaining wall along the defined boundary and the desired part geometry.
[0006] In a further embodiment of the foregoing additive manufacturing process the deposited material is retained between the retaining wall and the periphery of the part.
[0007] In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing additive manufacturing processes deposited material outside the retaining wall is removed from the workspace.
[0008] In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing additive manufacturing processes, including reclaiming the removed deposited material and depositing the reclaimed material onto at least one of the part and the retaining wall
[0009] In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing additive manufacturing processes, including building the retaining wall in concert with the part such that a top layer of the retaining wall and a top layer of the part are substantially within a common plane.
[0010] A further embodiment of any of the foregoing additive manufacturing processes, including heating at least one of the part and the retaining wall to a desired temperature greater than ambient temperature and less than a temperature required to melt the deposited material.
[0011] A further embodiment of any of the foregoing additive manufacturing processes, including heating the retaining wall with a defocused laser.
[0012] A further embodiment of any of the foregoing additive manufacturing processes, including heating the part with the defocused laser.
[0013] A further embodiment of any of the foregoing additive manufacturing processes, including heating at least one of the part and the retaining wall with heating elements supported proximate the retaining wall.
[0014] A further embodiment of any of the foregoing additive manufacturing processes, including heating at least one of the part and the retaining wall with heat transmitted through the base plate.
[0015] A further embodiment of any of the foregoing additive manufacturing processes, including cutting the base plate to include a support portion for supporting the retaining wall and the part and a grid portion for evacuating excess deposited material.
[0016] An additive manufacturing machine according to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, among other possible things includes a base plate for supporting fabrication of a desired part geometry, wherein the base plate includes a support portion defined based on the desired part geometry and an open region surrounding the support portion, the open regions including a plurality of openings, a material applicator for depositing material onto the base plate, and an energy directing device for forming a portion of the deposited material.
[0017] In a further embodiment of the foregoing additive manufacturing machine, the open region comprises a grid open to a space below the base plate.
[0018] In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing additive manufacturing machine, the support portion is shaped to correspond to an outer periphery of the desired part geometry and a retaining wall spaced apart from the outer periphery of the desired part geometry.
[0019] In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing additive manufacturing machine, including at least one secondary energy-directing device emitting a defocused laser beam for heating portions of at least one of the part and the retaining wall.
[0020] In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing additive manufacturing machine, including a workspace defined by walls including heating elements for regulating a temperature within the workspace.
[0021] In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing additive manufacturing machine, including plate includes a heating element for heating a part during fabrication.
[0022] In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing additive manufacturing machine, including a recirculating system for gathering excess material flowing through the open regions of the base plate.
[0023] Although the different examples have the specific components shown in the illustrations, embodiments of this invention are not limited to those particular combinations. It is possible to use some of the components or features from one of the examples in combination with features or components from another one of the examples.
[0024] These and other features disclosed herein can be best understood from the following specification and drawings, the following of which is a brief description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025] FIG. 1 is schematic view of an example additive manufacturing machine.
[0026] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a base plate for the example additive manufacturing machine.
[0027] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the example additive manufacturing machine including a material reclaiming system.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0028] Referring to FIG. 1 , an additive manufacturing machine 10 includes a work space 12 that supports an energy transmitting device 18 and a base plate 14 on which a part 40 is supported during fabrication. In this example, the energy-transmitting device 18 emits a laser beam 20 that melts material 30 deposited by a material applicator 28 . The example material 30 is a metal powder that is applied in a layer over the base plate 14 and subsequent layers are applied to produce a desired configuration of the part 40 . The laser beam 20 directs energy that melts the powder material in a configuration that forms the desired part dimensions.
[0029] The additive manufacturing process utilizes material 30 that is applied in layers on top of the base plate 14 . Selective portions of the layers are subsequently melted by the energy emitted from the laser beam 20 . The energy focused on the top layer of the part 40 generates the desired heat to melt portions of the powdered metal. Conduction of heat through the solidified portions of the part and convection cooling to the ambient environment solidifies the melded portions to build and grow the part 40 . The melting and solidification process is repeated layer by layer to build the part 40 .
[0030] The powder 30 that is not utilized or melted to form the part 40 accumulates along the base plate 14 and around the part 40 . In previous additive manufacturing systems the quantity of excess material was insignificant. Fabrication of parts 40 of a larger size accumulate a significant amount of excess non-utilized material the workspace 12 and therefore becomes a significant consideration both economically and to the part configuration.
[0031] In the disclosed example additive manufacturing machine 10 , the base plate 14 includes a support portion 34 that supports the part 40 and a retaining wall 42 . Surrounding the support portion 34 is an open area 36 through which material 30 may fall into a space below the base plate 14 .
[0032] The example open areas 36 include a plurality of through holes 56 . In this example the through holes 56 maybe drilled, cut by a water jet cutter or formed by any other known process. The number and size of the holes 56 is such as to provide sufficient structure to hole the support portion 34 with a sufficient rigidity, while also providing for powdered material to pass through the base plate 14 . Moreover, the open areas 36 of the base plate 14 could also be fabricated using any method or configuration that provides sufficient porosity to allow the metal powder to pass there through.
[0033] During fabrication of the part 40 , the retaining wall 42 is fabricated in conjunction with an outer perimeter and geometry of the part 40 . The retaining wall 42 is formed of the same powder material as the part 40 and is melted by the laser beam 20 . The beam 20 sweeps across both the part 40 and the retaining walls 42 as is indicated by the arrows 32 . The retaining walls 42 are provided to maintain a gap 54 between the part 40 and the inner periphery of each of the retaining walls 42 that is filled with powder material 30 . The walls 42 are of a thickness 52 that is determined to provide the strength required for retaining loose material between the part 40 and the retaining wall 42 . In this example, the retaining wall is approximately 0.25 inch (6.35 mm) thick and the gap 54 between the part 40 and the retaining wall 42 is approximately 0.5 inch (12.7 mm) away from the outermost perimeter of the part 40 . As should be understood, retaining walls of different thickness and spaced apart from the perimeter of the part 40 are also within the contemplation of this disclosure.
[0034] The base plate 14 includes the support portion 34 that is cut away in a shape that corresponds with an outer perimeter of the part 40 . The open portions 36 include a plurality of openings 56 to allow for the material 30 to fall there through.
[0035] Referring to FIG. 2 with continued reference to FIG. 1 , the example support plate 14 is includes the open portions 36 that surround the support portion 34 . The support portion 34 is disposed in a shape that corresponds with the desired part configuration. The retaining walls 42 are spaced apart from the outer perimeter of the part 40 . The width 54 defines the space between the retaining wall 42 and the part 40 within which powdered material accumulates.
[0036] The width of the wall 52 is provided to maintain the strength required to support the wall along with the material accumulating between the part and the wall itself. In this example the wall 42 is of a uniform width 52 . However, the wall may be tapered such that the width 52 would vary. Such a tapered retaining wall 42 would include a wider base that thinned as both retaining wall 42 and part 40 grew in height.
[0037] Fabrication of the part 40 proceeds with the application of material 30 over successive layers. Both the part 40 and the retaining wall 42 are held at a temperature less than the melting temperature of the material but higher than room temperature to facilitate melting and solidification of portions of the part 40 . Moreover, maintaining an elevated temperature of the part 40 can aid in reducing the build-up of stresses during the fabrication process. Accordingly the disclosed additive manufacturing machine 10 includes features for heating both the part 40 and the retaining walls 42 to a desired temperature during fabrication.
[0038] Referring again to FIG. 1 , the chamber 12 includes heating elements 46 that are disposed within walls 16 surrounding the workspace 12 . The heating elements 46 generate a radiant heat 58 that maintains the entire workspace 12 at a desired temperature.
[0039] Also included within the disclosed additive manufacturing machine 10 is secondary energy emitting devices 22 and 26 . Each of the secondary energy emitting devices 22 comprises a laser beam generating device that generates a defocused laser that emits energy to the outer surfaces of the retaining wall 42 as is indicated by the beam regions 24 a . The secondary energy directing devices 22 may also direct energy over the top surface of both the part 40 and the retaining wall 42 as is indicated by beam region 24 b . The defocused laser provides for heating and maintenance of a temperature of the part 40 in the retaining wall 42 without melting material or interfering with the fabrication of the part 40 that is conducted by the primary energy emitting device 18 . Each of these features are controlled by a controller 38 that governs operation of the heating elements 46 and the energy emitting devices 18 , 22 and 26 .
[0040] The example additive manufacturing machine 10 also includes a heater 48 that provides a heating flow 50 within the support portion 34 . The heating flow 50 maintains the support portion 34 at a desired temperature to aid in maintaining a temperature of the part 40 during fabrication. The heating flow 50 conducts heat from the bottom up through the part 40 to maintain a temperature desired for fabrication.
[0041] The process of fabrication utilizing the disclosed example additive manufacturing machine 10 includes the step of defining the support portion 34 by generating a profile to correspond with an outer periphery of the desired part geometry. The corresponding size of the support portion 34 is also configured to accommodate a buffer area to support the retaining wall 42 that will be fabricated in concert with the part 40 .
[0042] Once the example support portion 34 is defined, it is assembled into the additive manufacturing machine 10 and fabrication may begin. Fabrication begins by dispersing material 30 onto the support portion 34 with the applicator 28 . The energy emitting device 18 emits the laser beam 20 over the support portion 34 to selectively melt material 30 and/or the part 40 and/or the support portion 34 . Upon cooling, the melted material, part and/or support portion fuse and/or solidify integrally. The retaining wall 42 and the part 40 are fabricated at the same time and in concert with each other. Material 30 that falls between the retaining wall 42 and the part 40 remains loose within this region. The retaining wall 42 and part 40 are heated to a temperature desired to provide specific desired fabrication parameters. This temperature maintains the material at a heated condition to lessen the effects of the heating and cooling process conducted by the laser beam 20 . The laser beam 20 sweeps in a direction indicated by arrows 32 as commanded by the controller 38 to provide the desired part geometry. Moreover, the controller 38 also includes instructions to define the retaining wall 42 about the part 40 .
[0043] Referring to FIG. 3 , the example additive manufacturing machine 10 is shown with the part 40 and the retaining walls 42 during a later fabrication stage where both the retaining wall 42 and the part 40 are of a greater height. As the retaining wall 42 and part 40 increases in size the devices that provide for the warming and maintenance of the temperature of the part 40 become more important. In the disclosed embodiment, heating of the outer retaining walls 42 provides for a conduction of heat through the loose material 44 disposed within the gap 54 such that the part 40 is maintained at a desired temperature.
[0044] In the disclosed embodiment, the process continues with simultaneous fabrication of the retaining wall 42 surrounding the part 40 and the part 40 . Excess material 30 falls between and is maintained between a retaining wall 42 and the part 40 . Material that falls outside of the retaining wall 42 falls through the open area 36 and is gathered by a catch device 60 . The catch device 60 also includes a return line 62 such that the material that is recovered through the open areas 36 can be utilized and routed back to the applicator 28 for further use and fabrication of the part 40 and the retaining wall 42 . Once the part 40 is completed it is removed from the support portion 34 along with the retaining walls 42 according to known methods.
[0045] The example additive manufacturing machine disclosed includes features for maintaining part integrity during fabrication while managing the large amounts of material 30 that are utilized and that flow through the workspace 12 during the fabrication process. Moreover, the example additive manufacturing system includes features for reclaiming the unused powder material that falls through the open areas 36 into the catch 60 . The catch 60 is part of a reclaiming system that reclaims the unused powdered material for use in subsequent operations or in the disclosed embodiment in the current operation and fabrication of a part. Alternatively, the catch 60 may be utilized in concert to a return line 62 that immediately reuses the material by the applicator 28 .
[0046] Although an example embodiment has been disclosed, a worker of ordinary skill in this art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this disclosure. For that reason, the following claims should be studied to determine the scope and content of this invention. | An additive manufacturing machine includes a base plate for supporting fabrication of a desired part geometry. The base plate includes a support portion defined based on the desired part geometry and an open region that includes a plurality of openings surrounding the support portion. A material applicator deposits material onto the base plate and an energy directing device directs energy to form the deposited material into a desired part geometry. The additive manufacturing machine manages large amounts of material required for fabricating the part by defining a boundary surrounding a periphery of a desired part geometry and forming a retaining wall along the defined boundary and the desired part geometry to retain excess material between the formed wall and the part. Excess material outside of the retaining wall falls through the open area below the base plate and is reclaimed for reuse. | 1 |
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/050,882, filed Mar. 30, 1998 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,972,593 which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/342,366 filed Nov. 18, 1994, now abandoned which is a divisional application of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/083,459, filed Jun. 28, 1993, now issued U.S. Pat. No. 5,399,719.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention also provides methods of using new and known compounds to inactivate pathogens in health related products to be used in vivo and in vitro, and in particular, blood products.
BACKGROUND
Although improved testing methods for hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have markedly reduced the incidence of transfusion associated diseases, other viral, bacterial, and protozoal agents are not routinely tested for, and remain a potential threat to transfusion safety. Schmunis, G. A., Transfusion 31:547-557 (1992). In addition, testing will not insure the safety of the blood supply against future unknown pathogens that may enter the donor population resulting in transfusion associated transmission before sensitive tests can be implemented. The recent introduction of a blood test for HCV will reduce transmission of this virus; however, it has a sensitivity of only 67% for detection of probable infectious blood units. HCV is responsible for 90% of transfusion associated hepatitis. It is estimated that, with the test in place, the risk of infection is 1 out of 3300 units transfused. Further, while more sensitive seriological assays are in place for HIV-1 and HBV, these agents can nonetheless be transmitted by seronegative blood donors. International Forum: Vox Sang 32:346 (1977). Ward, J. W., et al., N. Engl. J. Med., 318:473 (1988). Up to 10% of total transfusion-related hepatitis and 25% of severe icteric cases are due to the HBV transmitted by hepatitis B surface antigen (HBasAg) negative donors. Vox Sang 32:346 (1977). To date, fifteen cases of transfusion-associated HIV infections have been reported by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) among recipients of blood pretested negative for antibody to HIV-1.
Even if seroconversion tests were a sufficient screen, they may not be practical in application. For example, CMV (a herpes virus) and parvo B19 virus in humans are common. When they occur in healthy, immunocompetent adults, they nearly always result in asymptomatic seroconversion. Because such a large part of the population is seropositive, exclusion of positive units would result in substantial limitation of the blood supply.
An alternative approach to eliminate transmission of viral diseases through blood products is to develop a means to inactivate pathogens in transfusion products. Development of an effective technology to inactivate infectious pathogens in blood products offers the potential to improve the safety of the blood supply, and perhaps to slow the introduction of new tests, such as the HIV-2 test, for low frequency pathogens. Ultimately, decontamination technology could significantly reduce the cost of blood products and increase the availability of scarce blood products. Furthermore, decontamination may extend the storage life of platelet concentrates which, according to Goldman M. and M. A Blajchman, Transfusion Medicine Reviews. V: 73-83 (1991), are currently limited by potential bacterial contamination.
Several methods have been reported for the inactivation or elimination of viral agents in erythrocyte-free blood products. Some of these techniques, such as heat (Hilfenhous, J., et al., J. Biol. Std. 70:589 (1987)), solvent/detergent treatment (Horowitz, B., et al., Transfusion 25:516 (1985)), gamma-irradiation (Moroff, G., et al., Transfusion 26:453 (1986)), UV radiation combined with beta propriolactone, (Prince A. M., et al., Reviews of Infect Diseases 5:92-107 (1983) Prince A. M., et al., Reviews of Infect Diseases 5:92-107 (1983)), visible laser light in combination with hematoporphyrins (Matthews J. L., et al., Transfusion 28:81-83 (1988); North J., et al., Transfusion 32:121-128 (1992)), use of the photoactive dyes aluminum phthalocyananine and merocyanine 540 (Sieber F., et al., Blood 73:345-350 (1989); Rywkin S., et al., Blood 78 (Suppl 1):352a (Abstract) (1991)) or UV alone (Proudouz, K. N., et al., Blood 70:589 (1987)) are completely incompatable with maintainance of platelet function.
Other methods inactivate viral agents by using known furocoumarins, such as psoralens, in the presence of ultra-violet light. Psoralens are tricyclic compounds formed by the linear fusion of a furan ring with a coumarin. Psoralens can intercalate between the base pairs of double-stranded nucleic acids, forming covalent adducts to pyrimidine bases upon absorption of long wave ultraviolet light (UVA). G. D. Cimino et al., Ann. Rev. Biochem. 54:1151 (1985); Hearst et al., Quart. Rev. Biophys. 17:1 (1984). If there is a second pyrimidine adjacent to a psoralen-pyrimidine monoadduct and on the opposite strand, absorption of a second photon can lead to formation of a diadduct which functions as an interstrand crosslink. S. T. Isaacs et al., Biochemistry 16:1058 (1977); S. T. Isaacs et al., Trends in Photobiology (Plenum) pp. 279-294 (1982); J. Tessman et al., Biochem. 24:1669 (1985); Hearst et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,124,598, 4,169,204, and 4,196,281, hereby incorporated by reference.
The covalently bonded psoralens act as inhibitors of DNA replication and thus have the potential to stop the replication process. Due to this DNA binding capability, psoralens are of particular interest in relation to solving the problems of creating and maintaining a safe blood supply. Some known psoralens have been shown to inactivate viruses in some blood products. H. J. Alter et al., The Lancet (ii: 1446) (1988); L. Lin et al., Blood 74:517 (1989) (decontaminating platelet concentrates); G. P. Wiesehahn et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,727,027 and 4,748,120, hereby incorporated by reference, describe the use of a combination of 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) and irradiation. P. Morel et al., Blood Cells 18:27 (1992) show that 300 ug/mL of 8-MOP together with ten hours of irradiation with ultraviolet light can effectively inactivate viruses in human serum. Similar studies using 8-MOP and aminomethyltrimethyl psoralen (AMT) have been reported by other investigators. Dodd R Y, et al., Transfusion 31:483-490 (1991): Margolis-Nunno, H., et al., Thromb Haemostas 65:1162 (Abstract) (1991). Indeed, the photoinactivation of a broad spectrum of microorganisms has been established, including HBV, HCV, and HIV. [Hanson C. V., Blood Cells: 18:7-24 (1992); Alter, H. J., et al., The Lancet ii:1446 (1988); Margolis-Nunno H. et al., Thromb Haemostas 65:1162 (Abstract) (1991).]
Psoralen photoinactivation is only feasible if the ability of the psoralen to inactivate viruses is sufficient to ensure a safety margin in which complete inactivation will occur. On the other hand, the psoralen must not be such that it will cause damage to blood cells. Previous compounds and protocols have necessitated the removal of molecular oxygen from the reaction before exposure to light, to prevent damage to blood products from oxygen radicals produced during irradiation. See L. Lin et al., Blood 74:517 (1989); U.S. Pat. No. 4,727,027, to Wiesehahn. This is a costly and time consuming procedure.
Finally, some commonly known compounds used in PCD cause undesirable mutagenic effects which appears to increase with increased ability to kill virus. In other words, the more effective the known compounds are at inactivating viruses, the more mutagenic the compounds are, and thus, the less useful they at any point in an inactivation system of products for in vivo use. A new psoralen compound is needed which displays improved ability to inactivate pathogens and low mutagenicity, thereby ensuring safe and complete inactivation of pathogens in blood decontamination methods.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides new psoralens and methods of synthesis of new psoralens having enhanced ability to inactivate pathogens in the presence of ultraviolet light which is not linked to mutagenicity. The present invention also provides methods of using new and known compounds to inactivate pathogens in health related products to be used in vivo and in vitro, and particularly, in blood products and blood products in synthetic media.
With respect to new compounds, the present invention contemplates psoralen compounds, comprising: a) a substituent R 1 on the 4′ carbon atom, selected from the group comprising: —(CH 2 ) u —NH 2 , —(CH 2 ) w —R 2 —(CH 2 ) z —NH 2 , —(CH 2 ) w —R 2 —(CH 2 ) x —R 3 —(CH 2 ) z —NH 2 , and —(CH 2 ) w —R 2 —(CH 2 ) x —R 3 —(CH 2 ) y —R 4 —(CH 2 ) z —NH 2 ; wherein R 2 , R 3 , and R 4 are independently selected from the group comprising O and NH, in which u is a whole number from 1 to 10, w is a whole number from 1 and 5, x is a whole number from 2 and 5, y is a whole number from 2 and 5, and z is a whole number from 2 and 6; and b) substituents R 5 , R 6 , and R 7 on the 4, 5′, and 8 carbon atoms respectively, independently selected from the group comprising H and (CH 2 ) v CH 3 , where v is a whole number from 0 to 5; or a salt thereof. Where an element is “independently selected” from a group, it means that the element need not be the same as other elements chosen from the same group.
The invention contemplates specific compounds of the above structure, wherein R 1 is —CH 2 —O—(CH 2 ) 2 —NH 2 , and wherein R 5 , R 6 , and R 7 are all CH 3 , wherein R 1 is —CH 2 —O—(CH 2 ) 2 —O—(CH 2 ) 2 —NH 2 , and R 5 , R 6 , and R 7 are all CH 3 , wherein R 1 is —CH 2 —O—(CH 2 ) 2 —O—(CH 2 ) 2 —NH—(CH 2 ) 4 —NH 2 , and R 5 , R 6 , and R 7 are all CH 3 , wherein R 1 is CH 2 —NH—(CH 2 ) 4 —NH 2 , and R 5 , R 6 , and R 7 are all CH 3 , and wherein R 1 is CH 2 —NH—(CH 2 ) 3 —NH—(CH 2 ) 4 —NH—(CH 2 ) 3 —NH 2 , and R 5 , R 6 , and R 7 are all CH 3 .
The present invention also contemplates psoralen compounds, comprising: a) a substituent R 1 on the 5′ carbon atom, selected from the group comprising: —(CH 2 ) u —NH 2 —(CH 2 ) w —R 2 —(CH 2 ) z —NH 2 , —(CH 2 ) w —R 2 —(CH 2 ) x —R 3 —(CH 2 ) z —NH 2 , and —(CH 2 ) w —R 2 —(CH 2 ) x —R 3 —(CH 2 ) y —R 4 —(CH 2 ) z —NH 2 ; wherein R 2 , R 3 , and R 4 are independently selected from the group comprising O and NH, and in which u is a whole number from 1 to 10, w is a whole number from 1 to 5, x is a whole number from 2 to 5, y is a whole number from 2 to 5, and z is a whole number from 2 to 6; and, b) substituents R 5 , R 6 , and R 7 on the 4, 4′, and 8 carbon atoms respectively, independently selected from the group comprising H and (CH 2 ) v CH 3 , where v is a whole number from 0 to 5, and where when R 1 is —(CH 2 ) u —NH 2 , R 6 is H; or a salt thereof. The present invention contemplate a specific compound having the above structure, wherein R 1 is —CH 2 —NH—(CH 2 ) 4 —NH 2 , and R 5 , R 6 , and R 7 are all CH 3 .
The present invention also contemplates psoralen compounds, comprising: a) a substituent R 1 on the 5′ carbon atom, selected from the group comprising: —(CH 2 ) u —NH 2 , —(CH 2 ) w —R 2 —(CH 2 ) z —NH 2 , —(CH 2 ) w —R 2 —(CH 2 ) x —R 3 —(CH 2 ) z —NH 2 , and —(CH 2 ) w —R 2 —(CH 2 ) x —R 3 —(CH 2 ) y —R 4 —(CH 2 ) z —NH 2 ; wherein R 2 , R 3 , and R 4 are independently selected from the group comprising O and NH, and in which u is a whole number from 3 to 10, w is a whole number from 1 to 5, x is a whole number from 2 to 5, y is a whole number from 2 to 5, and z is a whole number from 2 to 6; and, b) substituents R 5 , R 6 , and R 7 on the 4, 4′, and 8 carbon atoms respectively, independently selected from the group comprising H and (CH 2 ) v CH 3 , where v is a whole number from 0 to 5; or a salt thereof. The present invention contemplates a specific compound having the above structure, wherein R 1 is —CH 2 —NH—(CH 2 ) 4 —NH 2 , and R 5 , R 6 , and R 7 are all CH 3 .
With respect to methods for synthesizing new compounds substituted at the 4′ position of the psoralen, the present invention contemplates a method of synthesizing 4′-(w-amino-2-oxa)alkyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen, comprising the steps: a) providing 4′-(w-hydroxy-2-oxa)alkyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen; b) treating 4′-(w-hydroxy-2-oxa)alkyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen with a base and methanesulfonyl chloride so that 4′-(w-methanesulfonyloxy-2-oxa)alkyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen is produced; c) treating 4′-(w-methanesulfonyloxy-2-oxa)alkyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen with sodium azide, so that 4′-(w-azido-2-oxa)alkyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen is produced, and d) reducing 4′-[(w-azido-2-oxa)alkyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen so that 4′-[(w-amino-2-oxa)alkyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen is produced.
The present invention further contemplates a method of synthesizing a compound of the structure which has a substituent R 1 on the 4′ position of the psoralen, described above, where R 1 comprises —(CH 2 )—O—(CH 2 ) x —O—(CH 2 ) z —NH 2 , where x=z, comprising the steps: a) providing a 4′-halomethyl-4,5′,8-trimethyl psoralen selected from the group comprising 4′-chloromethyl-4,5′,8-trimethyl psoralen, 4′-bromomethyl-4,5′,8-trimethyl psoralen, and 4′-iodomethyl-4,5′,8-trimethyl psoralen; b) treating said 4′-halomethyl-4,5′,8-trimethyl psoralen with HO(CH 2 ) x O(CH 2 ) z OH so that 4′-(w-hydroxy-2,n-dioxa)alkyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen is produced, where n=x+3; c) treating said 4′-(w-hydroxy-2,n-dioxa)alkyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen with a base and methanesulfonyl chloride so that 4′-(w-methanesulfonyloxy-2,n-dioxa)alkyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen is produced; d) treating 4′-(w-methanesulfonyloxy-2,n-dioxa)alkyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen with sodium azide so that 4′-(w-azido-2,n-dioxa)alkyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen is produced; and e) reducing 4′-(w-azido-2,n-dioxa)alkyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen so that 4′-(w-amino-2,n-dioxa)alkyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen is produced.
The present invention also contemplates a method of synthesizing 4′-(12-amino-8-aza-2,5-dioxa)dodecyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen, comprising the steps: a) providing a 4′-halomethyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen, selected from the group comprising 4′-chloromethyl-4,5′,8-trimethyl psoralen, 4′-bromomethyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen, and 4′-iodomethyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen; b) treating said 4′-halomethyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen with diethylene glycol so that 4′-(7-hydroxy-2,5-dioxa)heptyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen is produced; c) treating 4′-(7-hydroxy-2,5-dioxa)heptyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen with a base and methanesulfonyl chloride so that 4′-(7-methanesulfonyloxy-2,5-dioxa)heptyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen is produced; d) treating 4′-(7-methanesulfonyloxy-2,5-dioxa)heptyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen with 1, 4-diaminobutane so that 4′-(12-amino-8-aza-2,5-dioxa)dodecyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen is produced.
The present invention contemplates a method of synthesizing 4′-(w-amino-2-aza)alkyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen, comprising: a)providing 4′-halomethyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen, selected from the group comprising 4′-chloromethyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen, 4′-bromomethyl-4,5′,8-trimethyl psoralen, and 4′-iodomethyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen; b) treating said 4′-halomethyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen with 1,w-aminoalkane to produce 4′-(w-diamino-2-aza)alkyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen.
The present invention additionally contemplates a method of synthesizing 4′-(14-amino-2,6,11-triaza)tetradecyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen, comprising: a) providing 4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen-4′-carboxaldehyde; b) treating 4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen-4′-carboxaldehyde with spermine and a reducing agent to produce 4′-(14-amino-2,6,11-triaza)tetradecane-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen.
Finally, the present invention contemplates the following method of synthesizing 5′-(w-amino-2-aza)alkyl-4,4′,8-trimethylpsoralen, comprising: a) providing a 5′-halomethyl-4,4′,8-trimethylpsoralen, selected Iron the group comprising 5′-chloromethyl-4,4′,8-trimethylpsoralen, 5′-bromomethyl-4,4′,8-trimethylpsoralen, and 5′-iodomethyl-4,4′,8-trimethylpsoralen; b) treating said 5′-halomethyl-4,4′,8-trimethylpsoralen with a 1,w-diaminoalkane to produce 5′-(w-amino-2-aza)alkyl-4,4′,8-trimethylpsoralen.
The present invention contemplates methods of inactivating microorganisms in blood preparations, comprising, in the following order: a) providing, in any order, i) a compound from the group comprising 4′-primaryamino-substituted psoralens and 5′-primaryamino-substituted psoralens; ii) photoactivating means for photoactivating said compounds; and iii) a blood preparation suspected of being contaminated with a pathogen having nucleic acid; b) adding said compound to said blood preparation; and c) photoactivating said compound, so as to inactivate said pathogen.
The pathogen can be single cell or multicellular organisms, such as bacteria, fungi, mycoplasma and protozoa, or viruses. The pathogen can comprise either DNA or RNA, and this nucleic acid can be single stranded or double stranded. In one embodiment, the blood preparation is either platelets or plasma.
The present invention contemplates that the photoactivating means comprises a photoactivation device capable of emitting a given intensity of a spectrum of electromagnetic radiation comprising wavelengths between 180 nm and 400 nm, and in particular, between 320 nm and 380 nm. It is preferred that the intensity is between 1 and 30 mW/cm 2 (e.g., between 10 and 20 mW/cm 2 ) and that the mixture is exposed to this intensity for between one second and thirty minutes (e.g., ten minutes).
The present invention contemplates embodiments wherein said blood preparation is in a synthetic media. In one embodiment, the concentration of compound is between 0.1 and 250 μM. In a preferred embodiment, the compound is added to said blood preparation at a concentration of between 10 and 150 μM.
The present invention contemplates embodiments of the methods where inactivation is performed without limiting the concentration of molecular oxygen. Furthermore, there is no need for the use of cosolvents (e.g., dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO)) to increase compound solubility.
In one embodiment, the present invention contemplates methods of inactivating microorganisms in blood preparations, wherein the compound is a 4′-primaryamino-substituted psoralen, comprising: a) a substituent R 1 on the 4′ carbon atom, selected from the group comprising: —(CH 2 ) u —NH 2 , —(CH 2 ) w —R 2 —(CH 2 ) z —NH 2 , —(CH 2 ) w —R 2 —(CH 2 ) x —R 3 —(CH 2 ) z —NH 2 , and —(CH 2 ) w —R 2 —(CH 2 ) x —R 3 —(CH 2 ) y —R 4 —(CH 2 ) z —NH 2 ; wherein R 2 , R 3 , and R 4 are independently selected from the group comprising O and NH, and in which u is a whole number from 1 to 10, w is a whole number from 1 to 5, x is a whole number from 2 to 5, y is a whole number from 2 to 5, and z is a whole number from 2 to 6; and b) substituents R 5 , R 6 , and R 7 on the 4, 5′, and 8 carbon atoms respectively, independently selected from the group comprising H and (CH 2 ) v CH 3 , where v is a whole number from 0 to 5, or a salt thereof.
Alternatively, the present invention contemplates embodiments of the method of inactivation, wherein the compound is a 5′-primaryamino-substituted psoralen comprising: a) a substituent R 1 on the 5′ carbon atom, selected from the group comprising: —(CH 2 ) u —NH 2 , —(CH 2 ) w —R 2 —(CH 2 ) z —NH 2 , —(CH 2 ) w —R 2 —(CH 2 ) x —R 3 —(CH 2 ) z —NH 2 , and —(CH 2 ) w —R 2 —(CH 2 ) x —R 3 —(CH 2 ) y —R 4 —(CH 2 ) z —NH 2 ; wherein R 2 , R 3 , and R 4 are independently selected from the group comprising O and NH, and in which u is a whole number from 1 to 10, w is a whole number from 1 to 5, x is a whole number from 2 to 5, y is a whole number from 2 to 5, and z is a whole number from 2 to 6; and, b) substituents R 5 , R 6 , and R 7 on the 4, 4′, and 8 carbon atoms respectively, independently selected from the group comprising H and (CH 2 ) v CH 3 , where v is a whole number from 0 to 5, and where when R 1 is selected from the group comprising —(CH 2 ) u —NH 2 , R 6 is H; or a salt thereof.
Alternatively, the present invention contemplates embodiments of the method of inactivation, wherein the compound is a 5′-primaryamino-substituted psoralen comprising: a) a substituent R 1 on the 5′ carbon atom, selected from the group comprising: —(CH 2 ) u —NH 2 , —(CH 2 ) w —R 2 —(CH 2 ) z —NH 2 , —(CH 2 ) w —R 2 —(CH 2 ) x —R 3 —(CH 2 ) z —NH 2 , and —(CH 2 ) w —R 2 —(CH 2 ) x —R 3 —(CH 2 ) y —R 4 —(CH 2 ) z —NH 2 ; wherein R 2 , R 3 , and R 4 are independently selected from the group comprising O and NH, and in which u is a whole number from 3 to 10, w is a whole number from 1 to 5, x is a whole number from 2 to 5, y is a whole number from 2 to 5, and z is a whole number from 2 to 6; and, b) substituents R 5 , R 6 , and R 7 on the 4, 4′, and 8 carbon atoms respectively, independently selected from the group comprising H and (CH 2 ) v CH 3 , where v is a whole number from 0 to 5; or a salt thereof.
In one embodiment of the method of inactivation, at least two of the compounds are present. The present invention contemplates embodiments where the compound is introduced either in solution, such as water, saline, or a synthetic media, or in a dry formulation. The present invention also contemplates that the nucleic acid may be DNA or RNA, single stranded or double stranded.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the device of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the device shown in FIG. 1 along the lines of 2—2.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the device shown in FIG. 1 along the lines of 3—3.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the device shown in FIG. 1 along the lines of 4—4.
FIG. 5A is a diagram of the synthesis pathways and chemical structures of compounds 8, 13, and 14 of the present invention.
FIG. 5B is a diagram of the synthesis pathways and chemical structures of compounds 2, 4, and 7 of the present invention.
FIG. 5C is a diagram of the synthesis pathways and chemical structures of compounds 1, 5, 6, 9, and 10 of the present invention.
FIG. 5D is a diagram of the synthesis pathways and chemical structures of compounds 12 and 15 of the present invention.
FIG. 5E is a diagram of a synthesis pathways and the chemical structure of compound 3 of the present invention.
FIG. 5F is a diagram of a synthesis pathways and the chemical structure of compounds 16 and 17 of the present invention.
FIG. 6 shows the impact of concentration on the log kill of R17 when Compounds 1-3 of the present invention are photoactivated.
FIG. 7 shows the impact of concentration on the log kill of R17 when Compounds 3-6 of the present invention are photoactivated.
FIG. 8 shows the impact of concentration on the log kill of R17 when Compounds 2 and 6 of the present invention are photoactivated.
FIG. 9 shows the impact of concentration on the log kill of R17 when Compounds 6 and 18 of the present invention are photoactivated.
FIG. 10 shows the impact of concentration on the log kill of R17 when Compound 16 of the present invention is photoactivated.
FIG. 11 shows the impact of varying Joules of irradiation on the log titer of R17 for Compound 6 of the present invention.
FIG. 12 shows the impact of varying Joules of irradiation on the log titer of R17 for Compounds 7, 9 and 10 of the present invention.
FIG. 13 shows the impact of varying Joules of irradiation on the log titer of R17 for Compounds 7 and 12 of the present invention.
FIG. 14 shows the impact of varying Joules of irradiation on the log titer of R17 for Compound 15 of the present invention.
FIG. 15 shows the impact of varying Joules of irradiation on the log titer of R17 for Compound 17 of the present invention.
FIG. 16 shows the impact of varying Joules of irradiation on the log titer of R17 for Compounds 6 and 17 of the present invention.
FIG. 17 shows the impact of varying Joules of irradiation on the log titer of R17 for Compounds 6 and 15 of the present invention.
FIG. 18 shows the effect of varying the concentration of Compounds 2 and 6 of the present invention, in plasma.
FIG. 19 shows the effect of varying the concentration of Compounds 2 and 6 of the present invention in synthetic medium.
FIG. 20A schematically shows the standard blood product separation approach used presently in blood banks.
FIG. 20B schematically shows an embodiment of the present invention whereby synthetic media is introduced to platelet concentrate prepared as in FIG. 20 A.
FIG. 20C schematically shows one embodiment of the decontamination approach of the present invention applied specifically to platelet concentrate diluted with synthetic media as in FIG. 20 B.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides new psoralens and methods of synthesis of new psoralens having enhanced ability to inactivate pathogens in the presence of ultraviolet light, which is not linked to mutagenicity. The new psoralens are effective against a wide variety of pathogens. The present invention also provides methods of using new and known compounds to inactivate pathogens in health related products to be used in vivo and in vitro, and in particular, blood products.
The inactivation methods of the present invention provide methods of inactivating pathogens, and in particular, viruses, in blood products prior to use in vitro or in vivo. In contrast with previous approaches, the method requires only short irradiation times and there is no need to limit the concentration of molecular oxygen.
The description of the invention is divided into the following sections: I) Photoactivation Devices, II) Compound Synthesis, III) Binding of Compounds to Nucleic Acid, IV) Inactivation of Contaminants, and V) Preservation of Biochemical Properties of Material Treated.
I. Photoactivation Devices
The present invention contemplates devices and methods for photoactivation and specifically for photoactivation of photoreactive nucleic acid binding compounds. The present invention contemplates devices having an inexpensive source of electromagnetic radiation that is integrated into a unit. In general, the present invention contemplates a photoactivation device for treating photoreactive compounds, comprising: a) means for providing appropriate wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation to cause photoactivation of at least one photoreactive compound; b) means for supporting a plurality of samples in a fixed relationship with the radiation providing means during photoactivation; and c) means for maintaining the temperature of the samples within a desired temperature range during photoactivation. The present invention also contemplates methods, comprising: a) supporting a plurality of sample containers, containing one or more photoreactive compounds, in a fixed relationship with a fluorescent source of electromagnetic radiation; b) irradiating the plurality of sample containers simultaneously with electromagnetic radiation to cause photoactivation of at least one photoreactive compound; and c) maintaining the temperature of the sample within a desired temperature range during photoactivation.
The major features of one embodiment of the device of the present invention involve: A) an inexpensive source of ultraviolet radiation in a fixed relationship with the means for supporting the sample containers, B) rapid photoactivation, C) large sample processing, D) temperature control of the irradiated samples, and E) inherent safety.
A. Electromagnetic Radiation Source
Many sources of ultraviolet radiation can be successfully used in decontamination protocols with psoralens. For example, some groups have irradiated sample from above and below by General Electric type F20T12-BLB fluorescent UVA bulbs with an electric fan blowing gently across the lights to cool the area. Alter, H. J., et al., The Lancet, 24:1446 (1988). Another group used Type A405-TLGW/05 long wavelength ultraviolet lamp manufactured by P. W. Allen Co., London placed above the virus samples in direct contact with the covers of petri dishes containing the samples, and was run at room temperature. The total intensity delivered to the samples under these conditions was 1.3×10 15 photons/sec cm 2 or 0.7 mW/cm 2 in the petri dish. Hearst. J. E., and Thiry, L., Nucleic Acids Research, 4:1339 (1977). However, without intending to be limited to any type of photoactivation device, the present invention contemplates several preferred arrangements for the photoactivation device, as follows.
A preferred photoactivation device of the present invention has an inexpensive source of ultraviolet radiation in a fixed relationship with the means for supporting the sample vessels. Ultraviolet radiation is a form of energy that occupies a portion of the electromagnetic radiation spectrum (the electromagnetic radiation spectrum ranges from cosmic rays to radio waves). Ultraviolet radiation can come from many natural and artificial sources. Depending on the source of ultraviolet radiation, it may be accompanied by other (non-ultraviolet) types of electromagnetic radiation (e.g., visible light).
Particular types of ultraviolet radiation are herein described in terms of wavelength. Wavelength is herein described in terms of nanometers (“nm”; 10 −9 meters). For purposes herein, ultraviolet radiation extends from approximately 180 nm to 400 nm. When a radiation source, by virtue of filters or other means, does not allow radiation below a particular wavelength (e.g., 320 nm), it is said to have a low end “cutoff” at that wavelength (e.g., “a wavelength cutoff at 300 nanometers”). Similarly, when a radiation source allows only radiation below a particular wavelength (e.g., 360 nm), it is said to have a high end “cutoff” at that wavelength (e.g., “a wavelength cutoff at 360 nanometers”).
For any photochemical reaction it is desired to eliminate or least minimize any deleterious side reactions. Some of these side reactions can be caused by the excitation of endogenous chromophores that may be present during the photoactivation procedure. In a system where only nucleic acid and psoralen are present, the endogenous chromophores are the nucleic acid bases themselves. Restricting the photoactivation process to wavelengths greater than 320 nm minimizes direct nucleic acid damage since there is very little absorption by nucleic acids above 313 nm.
In human serum or plasma, for example, the nucleic acid is typically present together with additional biological constituents. If the biological fluid is just protein, the 320 nm cutoff will be adequate for minimizing side reactions (aromatic amino acids do not absorb above 320 nm). If the biological fluid includes other analytes, there may be constituents that are sensitive to particular wavelengths of light. In view of the presence of these endogenous constituents, it is intended that the device of the present invention be designed to allow for irradiation within a small range of specific and desirable wavelengths, and thus avoid damage blood components. The preferred range of desirable wavelengths is between 320 and 350 nm.
Some selectivity can be achieved by choice of commercial irradiation sources. For example, while typical fluorescent tubes emit wavelengths ranging from 300 nm to above 400 nm (with a broad peak centered around 360 nm), BLB type fluorescent lamps are designed to remove wavelengths above 400 nm. This, however, only provides an upper end cutoff.
In a preferred embodiment, the device of the present invention comprises an additional filtering means. In one embodiment, the filtering means comprises a glass cut-off filter, such as a piece of Cobalt glass. In another embodiment, the filtering means comprises a liquid filter solution that transmits only a specific region of the electromagnetic spectrum, such as an aqueous solution of Co(No3)2. This salt solution yields a transmission window of 320-400 nm. In a preferred embodiment, the aqueous solution of Co(No3)2 is used in combination with NiSO4 to remove the 365 nm component of the emission spectrum of the fluorescent or arc source employed. The Co—Ni solution preserves its initial transmission remarkably well even after tens of hours of exposure to the direct light of high energy sources.
It is not intended that the present invention be limited by the particular filter employed. Several inorganic salts and glasses satisfy the necessary requirements. For example cupric sulfate is a most useful general filter for removing the infra-red, when only the ultraviolet is to be isolated. Its stability in intense sources is quite good. Other salts are known to one skilled in the art. Aperture or reflector lamps may also be used to achieve specific wavelengths and intensities.
When ultraviolet radiation is herein described in terms of irradiation, it is expressed in terms of intensity flux (milliwatts per square centimeter or “mW cm-2”). “Output” is herein defined to encompass both the emission of radiation (yes or no; on or off) as well as the level of irradiation. In a preferred embodiment, intensity is monitored at 4 locations: 2 for each side of the plane of irradiation.
A preferred source of ultraviolet radiation is a fluorescent source. Fluorescence is a special case of luminescence. Luminescence involves the absorption of electromagnetic radiation by a substance and the conversion of the energy into radiation of a different wavelength. With fluorescence, the substance that is excited by the electromagnetic radiation returns to its ground state by emitting a quantum of electromagnetic radiation. While fluorescent sources have heretofore been thought to be of too low intensity to be useful for photoactivation, in one embodiment the present invention employs fluorescent sources to achieve results thus far achievable on only expensive equipment.
As used here, fixed relationship is defined as comprising a fixed distance and geometry between the sample and the light source during the sample irradiation. Distance relates to the distance between the source and the sample as it is supported. It is known that light intensity from a point source is inversely related to the square of the distance from the point source. Thus, small changes in the distance from the source can have a drastic impact on intensity. Since changes in intensity can impact photoactivation results, changes in distance are avoided in the devices of the present invention. This provides reproducibility and repeatability.
Geometry relates to the positioning of the light source. For example, it can be imagined that light sources could be placed around the sample holder in many ways (on the sides, on the bottom, in a circle, etc.). The geometry used in a preferred embodiment of the present invention allows for uniform light exposure of appropriate intensity for rapid photoactivation. The geometry of a preferred device of the present invention involves multiple sources of linear lamps as opposed to single point sources. In addition, there are several reflective surfaces and several absorptive surfaces. Because of this complicated geometry, changes in the location or number of the lamps relative to the position of the samples to be irradiated are to be avoided in that such changes will result in intensity changes.
B. Rapid Photoactivation
The light source of the preferred embodiment of the present invention allows for rapid photoactivation. The intensity characteristics of the irradiation device have been selected to be convenient with the anticipation that many sets of multiple samples may need to be processed. With this anticipation, a fifteen minute exposure time or less is a practical goal.
In designing the devices of the present invention, relative position of the elements of the preferred device have been optimized to allow for fifteen minutes of irradiation time, so that, when measured for the wavelengths between 320 and 350 nanometers, an intensity flux greater than approximately 1 mW cm-2 is provided to the sample vessels.
C. Processing of Large Numbers of Samples
As noted, another important feature of the photoactivation devices of the present invention is that they provide for the processing of large numbers of samples. In this regard, one element of the devices of the present invention is a means for supporting a plurality of sample containers. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention the supporting means comprises a tube rack placed between two banks of lights. By accepting commonly used commercially available tubes, the device of the present invention allows for convenient processing of large numbers of samples.
D. Temperature Control
As noted, one of the important features of the photoactivation devices of the present invention is temperature control. Temperature control is important because the temperature of the sample in the sample at the time of exposure to light can dramatically impact the results. For example, conditions that promote secondary structure in nucleic acids also enhance the affinity constants of many psoralen derivatives for nucleic acids. Hyde and Hearst, Biochemistry, 17, 1251 (1978). These conditions are a mix of both solvent composition and temperature. With single stranded 5S ribosomal RNA, irradiation at low temperatures enhances the covalent addition of HMT to 5S rRNA by two told at 4° C. compared to 20° C. Thompson et al., J. Mol. Biol. 147:417 (1981). Even further temperature induced enhancements of psoralen binding have been reported with synthetic polynucleotides. Thompson et al., Biochemistry 21:1363 (1982).
E. Inherent Safety
Ultraviolet radiation can cause severe burns. Depending on the nature of the exposure, it may also be carcinogenic. The light source of a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shielded from the user. This is in contrast to the commercial hand-held ultraviolet sources as well as the large, high intensity sources. In a preferred embodiment, the irradiation source is contained within a housing made of material that obstructs the transmission of radiant energy (i.e., an opaque housing). No irradiation is allowed to pass to the user. This allows for inherent safety for the user.
II. Compound Synthesis
A. Photoactivation Compounds In General
“Photoactivation compounds” (or “photoreactive compounds”) defines a family of compounds that undergo chemical change in response to electromagnetic radiation. Table 1 is a partial list of photoactivation compounds.
TABLE 1
Photoactivation Compounds
Actinomycins
Anthracyclinones
Antliramycin
Benzodipyrones
Fluorenes And Fluorenones
Furocoumarins
Mitonycin
Monostral Fast Blue
Norphillin A
Many Organic Dyes Not Specifically Listed
Phenanthridines
Phenazathionium Salts
Phenazines
Phenothiazines
Phenylazides
Quinolines
Thiaxanthenones
The species of photoreactive compounds described herein is commonly referred to as the furocoumarins. In particular, the present invention contemplates those compounds described as psoralens: [7H-furo(3,2-g)-(1)-benzopyran-7-one, or b-lactone of 6-hydroxy-5-benzofuranacrylic acid], which are linear:
and in which the two oxygen residues appended to the central aromatic moiety have a 1, 3 orientation, and further in which the furan ring moiety is linked to the 6 position of the two ring coumarin system. Psoralen derivatives are derived from substitution of the linear furocoumarin at the 3, 4, 5, 8, 4′, or 5′ positions.
8-Methoxypsoralen (known in the literature under various named, e.g., xanthotoxin, methoxsalen, 8-MOP) is a naturally occuring psoralen with relatively low photoactivated binding to nucleic acids and low mutagenicity in the Ames assay, described in the following experimental section. 4′-Aminomethyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen (AMT) is one of most reactive nucleic acid binding psoralen derivatives, providing up to 1 AMT adduct per 3.5 DNA base pairs. S. T. Isaacs, G. Wiesehahn and L. M. Hallick, NCI Monograph 66:21 (1984). However, AMT also exhibits significant levels of mutagenicity. A new group of psoralens was desired which would have the best characteristics of both 8-MOP and AMT: low mutagenicity and high nucleic acid binding affinity, to ensure safe and thorough inactivation of pathogens. The compounds of the present invention were designed to be such compounds.
“4′-primaryamino-substituted psoralens” are defined as psoralen compounds which have an NH 2 group linked to the 4′-position of the psoralen by a hydrocarbon chain having a total length of 2 to 20 carbons, where 0 to 6 of those carbons are independently replaced by NH or O, and each point of replacement is separated from each other point of replacement by at least two carbons, and is separated from the psoralen by at least one carbon.
“5′-primaryamino-substituted psoralens” are defined as psoralen compounds which have an NH 2 group linked to the 5′-position of the psoralen by a hydrocarbon chain having a total length of 1 to 20 carbons, where 0 to 6 of those carbons are independently replaced by NH or O, and each point of replacement is separated from each other point of replacement by at least two carbons, and is separated from the psoralen by at least one carbon.
B. Synthesis of the Psoralens
The present invention contemplates synthesis methods for the novel compounds of the present invention. Several specific examples of the schemes discussed in this section are shown in FIGS. 5A-5F. For ease of reference, the compounds in these figures have been numbered from Compound 1 to Compound 17. For the subclass of the linear psoralens, 4,5′,8-trialkylpsoralens can be made as follows. The 4,8-dialkylcoumarins are prepared from 2-alkylresorcinols and a 3-oxoalkanoate ester by the Pechmann reaction (Organic Reactions Vol VII, Chap 1, ed. Adams et al., Wiley, N.Y., 1953)). The hydroxy group is treated with an allylating reagent, CH 2 ═CHX—CH(R 8 )—Y, where X is a halide or hydrogen, Y is a halide or sulfonate, and R 8 is H or (CH 2 ) v CH 3 , where v is a whole number from 0 to 4. Claisen rearrangement of the resultant allyl ether gives 4,8-dialkyl-6-allyl-7-hydroxycoumarin. The coumarins are converted to the 4,5′,8-trialkylpsoralens using one of the procedures previously described (i.e., see, Bender et al., J. Org. Chem. 44:2176 (1979); Kaufman, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,235,781 and 4,216,154, hereby incorporated by reference). 4,5′,8-Trimethylpsoralen is a natural product and is commercially available (Aldrich Chemical Co., Milwaukee, Wis.).
Halomethylation of the 4,5′,8-trialkylpsoralens with chloromethyl methyl ether or bromomethyl methyl ether is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,124,598, to Hearst. Longer chain 4′-(w-haloalkyl)psoralens (herein referred to as 4′-HATP) where alkyl is (CH 2 ) 2 to (CH 2 ) 10 can be prepared under Freidel-Crafts conditions as discussed elsewhere (Olah and Kuhn, J. Org. Chem., 1964, 29, 2317; Friedel-Crafts and Related Reactions, Vol. II, Part 2, Olah, ed., Interscience, NY, 1964, p 749). While reactions of these halomethyl-intermediates with amines (Hearst et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,124,598, and alcohols (Kaufman, U.S. Pat. No. 4,269,852) have been described, there are no literature reports on the formation of extended chain primary amines, especially those in which the terminal amine is linked to the psoralen by a bridge containing one or more oxygen or nitrogen atoms. Further, the properties of the latter materials, such as decreased mutagenicity are unexpected based on what is known about previously prepared compounds, such as AMT.
Starting from the 4′-HATP, reaction with an excess of a bis-hydroxy compound, HO—(B)—OH, where B is either an alkyl chain (e.g., HO—(B)—OH is 1,3-propanediol) or a monoether (e.g., diethylene glycol) or a polyether (e.g., tetraethylene glycol), either neat or with a solvent such as acetone at 20-80° C., and a base for the carbon chains longer than halomethyl, gives compound I.
The terminal hydroxy group of compound I can be transformed to an amino group under a variety of conditions (for example see Larock, “Comprehensive Organic Transformations”, VCH Publishers, NY, 1989). Particularly, the hydroxy group can be converted to the ester of methanesulfonic acid (Structure II). This can subsequently be converted to the azide in refluxing ethanol and the azide reduced to the final amine, structure III. The method described herein utilizes triphenylphosphine and water in THF for the reduction but other methods are contemplated.
Conversely, compound II can be reacted with diamines, H2N—(B′)—NH2 (IV) where B′ is an alkyl chain (e.g., 1,4,-butanediamine), a monoether (e.g., 3-oxo-1,5-pentanediamine) or a polyether (e.g., 3,6-dioxa-1,8-octanediamine) to give the final product, compound V. This reaction is carried out with an excess of diamine in acetonitrile at reflux, but other solvents and temperatures are equally possible.
It is recognized that alternate preparations for structures III and V are possible, for example where a linear primary alcohol is prepared which already contains the (e.g., 3-oxo-1,5-pentanediamine) or a polyether (e.g., 3,6-dioxa-1,8-octanediamine) to give the final a suitable base.
Some final compounds are desired which contain an NH group in the carbon chain between the primary amino group and the psoralen ring. When the linkage between this nitrogen and the terminating nitrogen contains only CH 2 subunits and oxygen but no other nitrogens (structure VI), the product can conveniently be prepared from the (haloalkyl)psoralen and the appropriate diamine of structure IV. This method is also applicable to final products that contain more than two nitrogens in the chain (structure IX) starting from polyamines of structure VIII (e.g., norspermidine or spermine [commercially available from Aldrich, Milwaukee, Wis.]), however, in this case isomeric structures are also formed in considerable amounts. The more preferred method for the preparation of structure IX is reductive amination of the psoralen-4′-alkanal (VII) with a polyamine of structure VIII and a reducing agent such as sodium cyanoborohydride. This reductive amination is applicable to the synthesis of compounds VI as well. The carboxaldehydes (structure VII, n=0) are known (Isaacs et al., J. Labelled Cmpds. Radiopharm., 1982, 19, 345) and other members of this group can be prepared from the 4′-HATP compounds by conversion of the terminal halo group to an aldehyde functionality (for example, Durst, Adv. Org. Chem. 6:285 (1969)).
Other final products have a terminal amine linked to the psoralen by an alkyl chain. These are prepared either by reaction of the 4′-HATP with potassium phthalimide and subsequent liberation of the desired amine with hydrazine, or conversion of the 4′-HATP to the cyanide compound, followed by reduction, for example with NaBH 4 —CF 3 CO 2 H.
The discussion of the conversion of 4,5′,8-trialkylpsoralens to 4′-aminofunctionalized-4,5′,8-trialkylpsoralens applies equally well when the 4- and/or 8-position is substituted with only a hydrogen, thus providing 4′-primaryamino-substituted-5′, (4 or 8)-dialkylpsoralens and 4′-primaryamino-substituted-5′-alkylpsoralens.
The 4,4′,8-trialkylpsoralens can be prepared in two steps starting from the 4,8-dialkyl-7-hydroxycoumarins discussed above. The coumarin is treated with an a-chloro ketone under basic conditions to give the 4,8-dialkyl-7—(2-oxoalkoxy)coumarin. Cyclization of this intermediate to the 4,4′,8-trialkylcoumarin occurs by heating in aqueous base. Under identical conditions to those described above for introducing a primaryamino-substituted side chain, the 4,4′,8-trialkylpsoralens can be converted to the 5′-(w-haloalkyl)-4,4′,8′trialkylpsoralens, (herein called 5′-HATP), (Kaufman, U.S. Pat. No. 4,294,822 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,298,614). Again, this formation of extended-chain primary amines in which the terminal amine is linked to the psoralen by a bridge containing one or more oxygen or nitrogen atoms is a novel approach.
The discussion of the conversion of 4,4′,8-trialkylpsoralens to 5′-primaryamino-substituted-4,4′,8-trialkylpsoralens applies equally well when the 4- and/or 8-position is just substituted with a hydrogen, thus providing 5′-primaryamino-substituted-4′, (4 or 8)-dialkylpsoralens and 5′-primaryamino-substituted-4′-alkylpsoralens.
Referring back to the synthesis of 4′ (or 5′)-halomethyl-4, 5′ (or 4′), 8-trialkyl psoralens, the preparation of these critical intermediates in the synthesis of several compounds presents difficult challenges. The known method of preparation involves treatment of the starting psoralen with 50-200 equivalents of highly toxic, and volatile chloromethyl methyl ether or bromomethyl methyl ether. Yields of only 30-60% of the desired intermediate are obtained. Described herein, is a much improved procedure which allows for the synthesis of either isomer of the bromomethyl-trialkylpsoralens by careful control of reaction conditions.
Reaction of the 4,8-dialkyl-7-hydroxycoumarin with 2-chloro-3-butanone under typical basic conditions, provides 4,8-dialkyl-7—(1-methyl-2-oxopropyloxy)coumarin (XV). This material is heated in aqueous NaOH to provide 4,8-dialkyl-4′,5′-dimethylpsoralen (XVI). The tetrasubstitued psoralen and N-bromosuccinimide are then refluxed in a solvent, preferably with a catalyst such as belzoyl peroxide. If the typical basic conditions, provides 4,8-dialkyl-7-(1-methyl-2-oxopropyloxy)coumarin (XVIII) is obtained in greater than 66% yield. If methylene chloride is used, only 4,8-dialkyl-4′-bromomethyl-5′-methylpsoralen (XVII) is obtained in ≧80% yield. Benzylic bromination in other solvents can also be done, generating one of the isomeric products alone or in a mixture. These solvents include, but are not limited to, chloroform, bromotrichloromethane and benzene.
The discussion above of the syntheses of 4′-primaryamino- and 5′-primaryamino-psoralens can be extended to the non-linear coumarins, specifically the isopsoralens or angelicins. Thus, the 4′-chloromethylangelicins (IXX) and the 5′-chloromethylangelicins (XX) can be prepared in a similar manner to their linear counterparts. By analogy with the synthetic pathways presented above one can envision the synthesis of 4′-(w-amino)alkylangelicins and 5′-(w-amino)alkylan gelicins where the alkyl linkage can contain one or more oxygen or nitrogen atoms.
III. Binding of Compounds to Nucleic Acid
The present invention contemplates binding new and known compounds to nucleic acid, including (but not limited to) viral nucleic acid and bacterial nucleic acid. One approach of the present invention to binding photoactivation compounds to nucleic acid is photobinding. Photobinding is defined as the binding of photobinding compounds in the presence of photoactivating wavelengths of light. Photobinding compounds are compounds that bind to nucleic acid in the presence of photoactivating wavelengths of light. The present invention contemplates methods of photobinding with photobinding compounds of the present invention.
One embodiment of the method of the present invention for photobinding involves the steps: a) providing a photobinding compound of the present invention; and b) mixing the photobinding compound with nucleic acid in the presence of photoactivation wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation.
The invention further contemplates a method for modifying nucleic acid, comprising the steps: a) providing photobinding compound of the present invention and nucleic acid; and b) photobinding the photobinding compound to the nucleic acid, so that a compound:nucleic acid complex is formed.
IV. Inactivation of Pathogens
The present invention contemplates treating a blood product with a photoactivation compound and irradiating to inactivate contaminating pathogen nucleic acid sequences before using the blood product.
A. Inactivation in General
The term “inactivation” is here defined as the altering of the nucleic acid of a unit of pathogen so as to render the unit of pathogen incapable of replication. This is distinct from “total inactivation”, where all pathogen units present in a given sample are rendered incapable of replication, or “substantial inactivation,” where most of the pathogen units present are rendered incapable of replication. “Inactivation efficiency” of a compound is defined as the level of inactivation the compound can achieve at a given concentration of compound or dose of irradiation. For example, if 100 μM of a hypothetical compound X inactivated 5 logs of HIV virus whereas under the same experimental conditions, the same concentration of compound Y inactivated only 1 log of virus, then compound X would have a better “inactivation efficiency” than compound Y.
To appreciate that an “inactivation” method may or may not achieve “total inactivation,” it is useful to consider a specific example. A bacterial culture is said to be inactivated if an aliquot of the culture, when transferred to a fresh culture plate and permitted to grow, is undetectable after a certain time period. A minimal number of viable bacteria must be applied to the plate for a signal to be detectable. With the optimum detection method, this minimal number is 1 bacterial cell. With a suboptimal detection method, the minimal number of bacterial cells applied so that a signal is observed may be much greater than 1. The detection method determines a “threshold” below which the “inactivation method” appears to be completely effective (and above which “inactivation” is, in fact, only partially effective).
B. Inactivation of Potential Pathogens
The same considerations of detection method and threshold are present when determining the sensitivity limit of an inactivation method for nucleic acid. Again, by “inactivation” it is meant that a unit of pathogen is rendered incapable of replication.
In the case of inactivation methods for material to be used by humans, whether in vivo or in vitro, the detection method can theoretically be taken to be the measurement of the level of infection with a disease as a result of exposure to the material. The threshold below which the inactivation method is complete is then taken to be the level of inactivation which is sufficient to prevent disease from occuring due to contact with the material. It is recognized that in this practical scenario, it is not essential that the methods of the present invention result in “total inactivation”. That is to say, “substantial inactivation” will be adequate as long as the viable portion is insufficient to cause disease. The inactivation method of the present invention renders nucleic acid in pathogens substantially inactivated. In one embodiment, the inactivation method renders pathogen nucleic acid in blood preparations substantially inactivated.
Without intending to be limited to any method by which the compounds of the present invention inactivate pathogens, it is believed that inactivation results from light induced binding of psoralens to pathogen nucleic acid. Further, while it is not intended that the inactivation method of the present invention be limited by the nature of the nucleic acid; it is contemplated that the inactivation method render all forms of nucleic acid (whether DNA, mRNA, etc.) substantially inactivated.
In the case of photoactivation compounds modifying nucleic acid, it is preferred that interaction of the pathogen nucleic acid (whether DNA, mRNA, etc.) with the photoactivation compound causes the pathogen to be unable to replicate, such that, should a human be exposed to the treated pathogen, infection will not result.
“Synthetic media” is herein defined as an aqueous synthetic blood or blood product storage media. In one embodiment, the present invention contemplates inactivating blood products in synthetic media. This method reduces harm to blood products and permits the use of much lower concentrations of photoactivation compounds.
The psoralen photoinactivation method inactivates nucleic acid based pathogens present in blood through a single procedure. Thus, it has the potential to eliminate bacteria, protozoa, and viruses as well. Had an effective decontamination method been available prior to the advent of the AIDS pandemic, no transfusion associated HIV transmission would have occurred. Psoralen-based decontamination has the potential to eliminate all infectious agents from the blood supply, regardless of the pathogen involved. Additionally, psoralen-based decontamination has the ability to sterilize blood products after collection and processing, which in the case of platelet concentrates could solve the problem of low level bacterial contamination and result in extended storage life. Morrow J. F., et al., JAMA 266:555-558 (1991); Bertolini F., et al., Transfusion 32:152-156 (1992).
TABLE 2
Viruses Photochemically Inactivated by Psoralens
Family
Virus
Adeno
Adenovirus 2
Canine Hepatitis
Arena
Pichinde
Lassa
Bunya
Turlock
California Encephalitis
Herpes
Herpes Simplex 1
Herpes Simplex 2
Cytomegalovirus
Pseudorabies
Orothomyxo
Influenza
Papova
SV-40
Paramyxo
Measles
Mumps
Parainfluenza 2 and 3
Picorna 1
Poliovirus 1 and 2
Coxsackie A-9
Echo 11
Pox
Vaccinia
Fowl Pox
Reo
Reovirus 3
Blue Tongue
Colorado Tick Fever
Retro
HIV
Avian Sarcoma
Murine Sarcome
Murine Leukemia
Rhabdo
Vesticular Stomatitis Virus
Toga
Western Equine Encephalitis
Dengue 2
Dengue 4
St. Louis Encephalitis
Hepadna
Hepatitis B
Bacteriophage
Lambda
T2
(Rickettsia)
R. Akari (Rickettsialpox)
1 In the article, it was pointed out that Piconaviruses were photoinactived only if psoralens were present during virus growth.
In the article, it was pointed out that Piconaviruses were photoinactivated only if psoralens were present during virus growth.
A list of viruses which have been photochemically inactivated by one or more psoralen derivatives appears in Table 2. (From Table 1 of Hanson, C. V., Blood Cells 18:7 (1992)). This list is not exhaustive, and is merely representative of the great variety of pathogens psoralens can inactivate. The present invention contemplates the inactivation of these and other viruses by the compounds described herein. The compounds of the present invention are particularly well suited for inactivating envelope viruses, such as the HIV virus.
C. Selecting Photoactivation Compounds for Inactivation of Pathogens
In order to evaluate a compound to decide if it would be useful in the methods of the present invention, two important properties should be considered: the compound's ability to inactivate pathogens and its mutagenicity. The ability of a compound to inactivate pathogens may be determined by several methods. One technique is to perform a bacteriophage screen; an assay which determines nucleic acid binding of test compounds. A screen of this type, an R17 screen, is described in detail in EXAMPLE 9, below. Another technique is to perform a viral screen, as shown in detail in EXAMPLE 10 for HIV, and EXAMPLE 11 for Duck Hepatitis B Virus.
The R17 bacteriophage screen is believed to be predictive of HIV inactivation efficiency, as well as the efficiency of compounds against many other viruses. R17 was chosen because it was expected to be a very difficult pathogen to inactivate. It is a small, single stranded RNA phage. Without intending to be limited to any means by which the present invention operates, it is expected that shorter pieces of nucleic acid are harder to inactivate because they require a higher frequency of formation of psoralen adducts than do longer pieces of nucleic acid. Further, single stranded RNA pathogens are more difficult to inactivate because psoralens can neither intercalate between base pairs, as with double-stranded nucleic acids, nor form diadducts which function as interstrand crosslinks. Thus it is expected that when inactivation of R17 is achieved, these same conditions will cause the inactivation of many viruses and bacteria.
The second property that is important in testing a compound for use in methods of the present invention is mutagenicity. The most widely used mutagen/carcinogen screening assay is the Ames test. This assay is described by D. M. Maron and B. N. Ames in Mutation Research 113:173 (1983). The Ames test utilizes several unique strains of Salmonella typhimurium that are histidine-dependent for growth and that lack the usual DNA repair enzymes. The frequency of normal mutations that render the bacteria independent of histidine (i.e., the frequency of spontaneous revertants) is low. Thus, the test can evaluate the impact of a compound on this revertant frequency.
Because some substances are not mutagenic by themselves, but are converted to a mutagen by metabolic action, the compound to be tested is mixed with the bacteria on agar plates along with the liver extract. The liver extract serves to mimic metabolic action in an animal. Control plates have only the bacteria and the extract.
The mixtures are allowed to incubate. Growth of bacteria (if any) is checked by counting colonies. A positive Ames test is one where the number of colonies on the plates with mixtures containing the compound significantly exceeds (he number on the corresponding control plates.
When known carcinogens are screened in this manner with the Ames test, approximately ninety percent are positive. When known noncarcinogens are similarly tested, approximately ninety percent are negative. By performing these screens, a person skilled in the art can quickly determine which compounds would be appropriate for use in methods of the present invention.
D. Delivery Of Compounds For Photoinactivation
The present invention contemplates several different formulations and routes by which the compounds described herein can be delivered in an inactivation method. This section is merely illustrative, and not intended to limit the invention to any form or method of introducing the compound.
The compounds of the present invention may be introduced in an inactivation method in several forms. The compounds may be introduced as an aqueous solution in water, saline, a synthetic media such as “Sterilyte™”, or a variety of other solvents. The compounds can further be provided as dry formulations, with or without adjuvants.
The new compounds may also be provided by many different routes. For example, the compound may be introduced to the reaction vessel, such as a blood bag, at the point of manufacture. Alternatively, the compound may be added to the material to be sterilized after the material has been placed in the reaction vessel. Further, the compounds may be introduced alone, or in a “cocktail” or mixture of several different compounds.
V. Preservation of Biochemical Properties of Material Treated
Psoralens are useful in inactivation procedures, because the reaction can be carried out at temperatures compatible with retaining biochemical properties of blood and blood products. Hanson, C. V., Blood Cells 18:7 (1992). The inactivation compounds and methods of the present invention are especially useful because they display the unlinking of pathogen inactivation efficiency from mutagenicity. The compounds exhibit powerful pathogenic inactivation without a concomitant rise in mutagenicity. The commonly known compounds tested in photoinactivation protocols, such as AMT, appear to exhibit a link between pathogen inactivation efficiency and mutagenetic action that until now seemed indivisible.
While it is not intended that the present invention be limited to any theory by which pathogen inactivation efficiency is unlinked from mutagenicity, it is postulated that unlinking occurs as a result of the length of the groups substituted on the psoralen, and the location of charges on the compounds. It is postulated that positive charges on one or both ends of mutagenic compounds have non-covalent interactions with the phosphate backbone of DNA. These interactions are presumed to occur independent of the presence of light (called “dark binding”). In theory, the psoralen thereby sterically blocks polymerase from opening up the DNA, causing mutagenicity. In contrast, compounds of the present invention carry a positive or neutral charge on a long substitute group. These substituted groups form a steric barrier during dark binding that is much easier to free from the DNA, permitting polymerase to pass. Thus no mutagenicity results.
Experimental
The following examples serve to illustrate certain preferred embodiments and aspects of the present invention and are not to be construed as limiting the scope thereof.
In the experimental disclosure which follows, the following abbreviations apply: eq (equivalents); M (Molar); μM (micromolar); N (Normal); mol (moles); mmol (millimoles); μmol (micromoles); nmol (nanomoles); g (grams); mg (milligrams); μg (micrograms); Kg (kilograms); L (liters); mL (milliliters); μL (microliters); cm (centimeters); mm (millimeters); μm (micrometers); nm (nanometers); J (Joules, note that in FIGS. 6, 8 - 17 , Joules or j refers to Joules/cm 2 ); ° C. (degrees Centigrade); TLC (Thin Layer Chromatography); EAA (ethyl-acetoacetate); EtOH (ethanol); HOAc (acetic acid); W (watts); mW (milliwatts); NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance; spectra obtained at room temperature on a Varian Gemini 200 MHz Fourier Transform Spectrometer); m.p. (melting point); UV (ultraviolet light); THF (tetrahydrofuran); DMEM (Dulbecco's Modified Eagles Medium); FBS (fetal bovine serum); LB (Luria Broth); EDTA (ethelene diamine tetracidic acid).
For ease of reference, some compounds of the present invention have been assigned a number from 1-17. The reference numbers are assigned in FIGS. 5A-5F and appear below the structure of each compound. These reference numbers are used throughout the experimental section.
When isolating compounds of the present invention in the form of an acid addition salt, the acid is preferably selected so as to contain an anion which is non-toxic and pharmacologically acceptable, at least in usual therapeutic doses. Representative salts which are included in this preferred group are the hydrochlorides, hydrobromides, sulphates, acetates, phosphates, nitrates, methanesulphonates, ethanesulphonates, lactates, citrates, tartrates or bitartrates, and maleates. Other acids are likewise suitable and may be employed as desired. For example, fumaric, benzoic, ascorbic, succinic, salicylic, bismethylenesalicylic, propionic, gluconic, malic, malonic, mandelic, cinnamic, citraconic, stearic, palmitic, itaconic, glycolic, benzenesulphonic, and sulphamic acids may also be employed as acid addition salt-forming acids.
In one of the examples below, phosphate buffered synthetic media is formulated for platelet treatment. This can be formulated in one step, resulting in a pH balanced solution (e.g., pH 7.2), by combining the following reagents in 2 liters of distilled water:
Preparation of Sterilyte ™ 3.0
Formula W.
mMolarity
Grams/2 Liters
NaAcetate*3H 2 O
136.08
20
5.443
Glucose
180.16
2
0.721
D-mannitol
182.17
20
7.287
KCl
74.56
4
0.596
NaCl
58.44
100
11.688
Na 3 Citrate
294.10
10
5.882
Na 2 HPO 4 *7H 2 O
268.07
14.46
7.752
NaH 2 PO 4 *H 2 O
137.99
5.54
1.529
MgCl 2 *6H 2 O
203.3
2
0.813
The solution is then mixed, sterile filtered (0.2 micron filter) and refrigerated.
The Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) is used in one of the examples to measure whether viral inactivation by some compounds was complete. PCR is a method for increasing the concentration of a segment of a target sequence in a mixture of genomic DNA without cloning or purification. See K. B. Mullis et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,683,195 and 4,683,202, hereby incorporated by reference. This process for amplifying the target sequence consists of introducing a large excess of two oligonucleotide primers to the DNA mixture containing the desired target sequence, followed by a precise sequence of thermal cycling in the presence of a DNA polymerase. The two primers are complementary to their respective strands of the double stranded target sequence. To effect amplification, the mixture is denatured and the primers then to annealed to their complementary sequences within the target molecule. Following annealing, the primers are extended with a polymerase so as to form a new pair of complementary strands. The steps of denaturation, primer annealing, and polymerase extension can be repeated many times (i.e., denaturation, annealing and extension constitute one “cycle”; there can be numerous “cycles”) to obtain a high concentration of an amplified segment of the desired target sequence. The length of the amplified segment of the desired target sequence is determined by the relative positions of the primers with respect to each other, and therefore, this length is a controllable parameter. By virtue of the repeating aspect of the process, the method is referred to b the inventors as the “Polymerase Chain Reaction”. Because the desired amplified segments of the target sequence become the predominant sequences (in terms of concentration) in the mixture, they are said to be “PCR amplified”.
With PCR, it is possible to amplify a single copy of a specific target sequence in genomic DNA to a level detectable by several different methodologies (e.g., hybridization with a labelled probe; incorporation of biotinylated primers followed by avidin-enzyme conjugate detection; incorporation of 32 P labelled deoxynucleotide triphosphates, e.g., dCTP or dATP, into the amplified segment). In addition to genomic DNA, any oligonucleotide sequence can be amplified with the appropriate set of primer molecules.
The PCR amplification process is known to reach a plateau concentration of specific target sequences of approximately 10 −8 M. A typical reaction volume is 100 μl, which corresponds to a yield of 6×10 11 double stranded product molecules.
PCR is a polynucleotide amplification protocol. The amplification factor that is observed is related to the number (n) of cycles of PCR that have occurred and the efficiency of replication at each cycle (E), which in turn is a function of the priming and extension efficiencies during each cycle. Amplification has been observed to follow the form E n , until high concentrations of PCR product are made. At these high concentrations (approximately 10 −8 M/l) the efficiency of replication falls off drastically. This is probably due to the displacement of the short oligonucleotide primers by the longer complementary strands of PCR product. At concentrations in excess of 10 −8 M, the rate of the two complementary PCR amplified product strands finding each other during the priming reactions become sufficiently fast that this occurs before or concomitant with the extension step of the PCR procedure. This ultimately leads to a reduced priming efficiency, and therefore, a reduced cycle efficiency. Continued cycles of PCR lead to declining increases of PCR product molecules. PCR product eventually reaches a plateau concentration.
The sequences of the polynucleotide primers used in this experimental section are as follows:
DCD03: 5′ ACT AGA AAA CCT CGT GGA CT 3′
DCD05: 5′ GGG AGA GGG GAG CCC GCA CG 3′
DCD06: 5′ CAA TTT CGG GAA GGG CAC TC 3′
DCD07: 5′ GCT AGT ATT CCC CCG AAG GT 3′
With DCD03 as a common forward primer, the pairs generate amplicons of length 127, 327, and 1072 bp. These oligos were selected from regions that are absolutely conserved between 5 different dHBV isolates (DHBV1, DHBV3, DHBV16, DHBV22, and DHBV26) as well as from heron HBV (HHBV4).
The following examples serve to illustrate certain preferred embodiments and aspects of the present invention and are not to be construed as limiting the scope thereof.
EXAMPLE 1
As noted above, the present invention contemplates devices and methods for the photoactivation of photoreactive nucleic acid binding compounds. In this example, a photoactivation device is described for decontaminating blood products according to the method of the present invention. This device comprises: a) means for providing appropriate wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation to cause photoactivation of at least one photoreactive compound; b) means for supporting a plurality of blood products in a fixed relationship with the radiation providing means during photoactivation; and c) means for maintaining the temperature of the blood products within a desired temperature range during photoactivation.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the device integrating the above-named features. The figure shows an opaque housing ( 100 ) with a portion of it removed, containing an array of bulbs ( 101 ) above and below a plurality of representative blood product containing means ( 102 ) placed between plate assemblies ( 103 , 104 ). The plate assemblies ( 103 , 104 ) are described more fully, subsequently.
The bulbs ( 101 ), which are connectable to a power source (not shown), serve as a source of electromagnetic radiation. While not limited to the particular bulb type, the embodiment is configured to accept an industry standard, dual bipin lamp.
The housing ( 100 ) can be opened via a latch ( 105 ) so that the blood product can be placed appropriately. As shown in FIG. 1, the housing ( 100 ), when closed, completely contains the irradiation from the bulbs ( 101 ). During irradiation, the user can confirm that the device is operating by looking through a safety viewport ( 106 ) which does not allow transmission of ultraviolet light to the user.
The housing ( 100 ) also serves as a mount for several electronic components on a control board ( 107 ), including, by way of example, a main power switch, a count down timer, and an hour meter. For convenience, the power switch can be wired to the count down timer which in turn is wired in parallel to an hour meter and to the source of the electromagnetic radiation. The count down timer permits a user to preset the irradiation time to a desired level of exposure. The hour meter maintains a record of the total number of radiation hours that are provided by the source of electromagnetic radiation. This feature permits the bulbs ( 101 ) to be monitored and changed before their output diminishes below a minimum level necessary for rapid photoactivation.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the device shown in FIG. 1 along the lines of 2—2. FIG. 2 shows the arrangement of the bulbs ( 101 ) with the housing ( 100 ) opened. A reflector ( 108 A, 108 B) completely surrounds each array of bulbs ( 101 ). Blood product containing means ( 102 ) are placed between upper ( 103 ) and lower ( 104 ) plate assemblies. Each plate assembly is comprised of an upper ( 103 A, 104 A) and lower ( 103 B, 104 B) plates. The plate assemblies ( 103 , 104 ) are connected via a hinge ( 109 ) which is designed to accommodate the space credited by the blood product containing means ( 102 ). The upper plate assembly ( 103 ) is brought to rest gently on top of the blood product containing means ( 102 ) supported by the lower plate ( 104 B) of the lower plate assembly ( 104 ).
Detectors ( 110 A, 110 B, 110 C, 110 D) may be conveniently placed between the plates ( 103 A, 103 B, 104 A, 104 B) of the plate assemblies ( 103 , 104 ). They can be wired to a printed circuit board ( 111 ) which in turn is wired to the control board ( 107 ).
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the device shown in FIG. 1 along the lines of 3—3. Six blood product containing means ( 102 ) (e.g., Teflon™ platelet unit bags) are placed in a fixed relationship above an array of bulbs ( 101 ). The temperature of the blood product can be controlled via a fan ( 112 ) alone or, more preferably, by employing a heat exchanger ( 113 ) having cooling inlet ( 114 ) and outlet ( 115 ) ports connected to a cooling source (not shown).
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the device shown in FIG. 1 along the lines of 4—4. FIG. 4 more clearly shows the temperature control approach of a preferred embodiment of the device. Upper plate assembly plates ( 103 A, 103 B) and lower plate assembly plates ( 104 A, 104 B) each create a temperature control chamber ( 103 C, 104 C), respectively. The fan ( 112 ) can circulate air within and between the chambers ( 103 C, 104 C). When the heat exchanger ( 113 ) is employed, the circulating air is cooled and passed between the plates ( 103 A, 103 B, 104 A, 104 B).
EXAMPLE 2
Synthesis of 4′-(4-Amino-2-Oxa)Butyl-4,5′,8-Trimethylpsoralen Hydrochloride (Compound 2) And Related Compounds (Compound 4)
The preparation of 4′-chloromethyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen from commercially available 4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen has been previously described (U.S. Pat. No. 4,124,598; Isaacs et al., Biochem. 16:1058 (1977)). Reaction of the chloromethyl compound with alcohols (U.S. Pat. No. 4,124,598), pyridine (U.S. Pat. No. 4,169,204), glycol and aminoethanol (U.S. Pat. No. 4,269,852) have all been previously reported. However, compounds in which the 4′-position is substituted with a group, CH 2 —X—NH 2 , where X=alkyl or (poly)aza- or oxaalkyl have not been described. The synthesis of 4′-(4-amino-2-oxa)butyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen hydrochloride is achieved in four (4) steps:
STEP 1: 4′-Chloromethyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen (550 mg, 1.99 mmol) and ethylene glycol (6.8 ml, 121.9 mmol) were heated in acetone (6 mL) to 50-60° C. for 3.5 hrs. After 2 hrs heating, the white suspension had turned to a clear light yellow solution. The acetone and ethylene glycol were removed on the rotoevaporator and water (50 mL) was added to the residue. The resultant suspension was filtered, washed with cold water then dried in the vacuum oven to give 574 mg (96%) of 4′-(4-hydroxy-2-oxa)butyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen; NMR (CDCl 3 ) d: 2.51 (s, 6H); 2.58 (s, 3H); 3.62 (t, J=4.5 Hz, 2H); 3.78 (t, J=4.9 Hz, 2H); 4.70 (s, 2H); 6.26 (d, J=1.1 Hz, 1H); 7.61 (s, 1H).
STEP 2: 4′-(4-hydroxy-2-oxa)butyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen (574 mg, 1.9 mmol) was dissolved in CH 2 Cl 2 (6 mL) under N 2 at ≦10° C. Triethylamne (359 mg, 3.55 mmol) was added. Methanesulfonyl chloride (305 mg. 266 mmol) was dropped in slowly keeping the temperature below 10° C. After addition was completed the mixture was stirred for 15 more minutes and then it was stirred at room temperature for 10 hours. To the reacted suspension CH 2 Cl 2 (45 mL) was added and the mixture was washed with water (20×3 mL), then dried over anhydrous Na 2 SO 4 . Concentration at ≦30° C. followed by vacuum drying gave 4′-[(4-methanesulfonyloxy-2-oxa)butyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen as a yellow solid (706 mg, 98%), mp 138-140° C. NMR d 2.51 (s, 3H); 2.52 (d, 3H); 2.58 (s, 3H); 2.99 (s, 3H); 3.77 (m, 2H); 4.39 (m, 2H); 4.71 (s, 2H); 6.26(s, 1H); 7.62 (s, 1H).
STEP 3: 4′-[(4-Methanesulfonyloxy-2-oxa)butyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen (706 mg, 1.86 mmol) and sodium azide (241 mg, 3.71 mmol) were refluxed in 95 % ethyl alcohol (5 mL) for 8 hours. The reaction solution was cooled and cold water (55 mL) was added. The off-white solid was filtered and washed with cold water. Upon vacuum drying, the azide was obtained as a light yellowish solid (575 mg, 95%), mp 105-106° C. NMR: d 2.51 (s, 6H); 2.58 (s, 3H); 3.41 (t, J=4.9 Hz, 2H); 3.67 (apparent t, J=4.9 Hz, 2H); 4.70 (s, 2H); 6.26 (s, 1H); 7.66 (s, 1H).
STEP 4: 4′-(4-Azido-2-oxa)butyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen (1.65 g, 5.03 mmol) was dissolved in tetrahydrofuran (10 mL). Triphenylphospine (1.59 g, 6.08 mmol) and six drops of water were added to the foregoing solution. After stirring at room temperature overnight, the light yellow solution was concentrated. The residue was dissolved in CHCl 3 (90 mL) and extracted with 0.3N aqueous HCl (30 mL, then 2×5 mL). Combined HCl layers was carefully treated with K 2 CO 3 until saturated. The base solution was extracted with CHCl 3 (3×60 mL). Combined CHCl 3 layers were washed with 60 mL of water, 60 mL of brine and dried over anhydrous Na 2 SO 4 . Upon concentration and vacuum drying the amine was obtained as a yellow solid (1.25 g, 82%), mp 139-141° C.; NMR d 2.48 (s, 6H); 2.55 (s, 3H); 2.89 (t, J=6 Hz, 2H); 3.52 (t, J=6 Hz, 2H); 4.64 (s, 2H); 6.22 (s, 1H); 7.59 (s, 1H).
The amine was dissolved in absolute ethanol (40 mL) and 20 mL of 1N HCl in ethyl ether was added. After sitting at 5° C. overnight, the precipitate was filtered and rinsed with ether to give 1.25 g of Compound 2, mp 236° C. (decomp). Anal. Calculated for C 17 H 20 ClNO 4 : C, 60.45: H,5.97; N, 4.15. Found: C, 60.27; H, 5.88; N, 4.10.
Similarly prepared was 4′-(5-amino-2-oxa)pentyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen, (Compound 4), m.p. 212-214° C. (decomposed). NMR of the free base: d 1.73 (pent, J=6.4 Hz, 2H), 2.45(s, 6H), 2.51 (s, 3H), 2.78 (t, J=6.8 Hz, 2H), 3.54 (t, J=6.2 Hz 2H), 4.59 (s, 2H), 6.18 (s, 1H), 7.54 (s, 1H).
EXAMPLE 3
Synthesis of 4′-(7-Amino-2,5-Oxa)Heptyl-4,5′,8-Trimethylpsoralen Hydrochloride (Compound 7)
The synthesis of 4′-(7-amino-2,5-oxa)heptyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen hydrochloride proceeds in four (4) steps:
STEP 1: 4′-Chloromethyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen (589 mg, 2.13 mmol), diethylene glycol (15.4 g, 145 mmol) and acetone (13 mL) were refluxed for 11.5 hours. The reaction solution was concentrated to remove acetone and part of the diethylene glycol. To the resulting light brown solution was added CHCl 3 (40 mL), then washed with water several times. The CHCl 3 layer was dried over anhydrous Na 2 SO 4 and concentrated to give 781 mg of product (˜100%). NMR d 2.46 (d, 3H), 2.47 (s, 3H ), 2.51 (s, 3H), 3.58-3.67 (m, 8H), 4.67 (s, 2H), 6.18 (s, 1H), 7.57 (s, 1H).
STEP 2: 4′-(7-Hydroxy-2,5-oxa)heptyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen (781 mg, 2.25 mmol) was dissolved in CH 2 Cl 2 (2.5 mL) under a N 2 stream at <10° C. Triethylamine (363 mg, 3.59 mmol) was added. Methanesulfonyl chloride (362 mg, 3.16 mmol) was slowly dropped in to keep the temperature below 10° C. After addition was completed, the mixture was kept below 10° C. for 15 more minutes. The mixture was stirred at room temperature overnight then CH 2 Cl 2 (50 mL) was added. The solution was washed with water (3×60 mL), dried over anhydrous Na 2 SO 4 and concentrated at ≦30° C. Upon vacuum drying, a light brown syrup was obtained; 437 mg (76%). NMR d 2.50 (s, 3H), 2.51 (s, 3H), 2.58 (s, 3H), 3.01 (s, 3H), 3.66 (m, 4H), 3.77 (t, J=4.6 Hz, 2H), 4.37 (t, J=6 Hz, 2H), 4.69 (s, 2H), 6.25 (s, 1H), 7.61 (s, 1H).
STEP 3: 4′-(7-Methanesulfonyloxy-2,5-oxa)heptyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen (288 mg, 0.678 mmol) and sodium azide (88.2 mg, 1.36 mmol) were refluxed in 3 mL of 95% ethyl alcohol for 8 hours. The reaction solution was let cool and cold water (50 mL) was added. The water layer was poured away. The crude material was purified by chromatography on (Silica gel with chloroform eluent) a Chromatotron (Harrison Research, Inc., Palo Alto, Calif.) and vacuum dried to give a light yellow syrup, (123 mg, 49%). NMR d 2.50 (s, 6H), 2.57 (s, 3H), 3.39 (t, J=5.2 Hz, 2H), 3.68 (m, 6H), 4.70 (s, 2H), 6.24 (s, 1H), 7.62 (s, 1H).
STEP 4: 4′-(7-Azido-2,5-oxa)heptyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen (122 mg, 0.33 mmol), triphenylphosphine (129 mg, 0.49 mmol) and several drops of water were dissolved in tetrahydrofuran (2 mL). The light yellow clear solution was stirred at room temperature over a weekend; no starting material was detected by TLC. The reaction solution was concentrated and the residue was dissolved in CHCl 3 (20 mL). The solution was extracted with 0.15 N aqueous HCl solution (10 mL then 2×5 mL) and the HCl layers was taken to pH 13 by addition of 20% aqueous NaOH solution. The basic solution was extracted with CHCl 3 (3×15 mL). The combined CHCl 3 layers were washed with water, dried over anhydrous Na 2 SO 4 , concentrated, and vacuum dried to give 63.9 mg of product (56%). TLC showed only one spot. NMR d 2.50 (s, 3H); 2.50 (s, 3H); 2.57 (s, 3H); 2.86 (t, J=5.3 Hz, 2H); 3.50 (t, J=5.3 Hz, 2H); 3.63 (s, 4H); 4.70 (s, 2H); 6.24 (s, 1H); 7.62 (s, 1H); m.p. 170-173° C.
The solid was dissolved in absolute ethanol, then 1M HCl in ethyl ether was added, the suspension was filtered and the product rinsed with ether and dried.
EXAMPLE 4
Synthesis of 4′-(12-Amino-8-Aza-2,5-Dioxa)dodecyl-4,5′,8-Trimethylpsoralen Dihydrochloride (Compound 8)
The synthesis of 4′-(12-amino-8-aza-2,5-dioxa)dodecyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen dihydrochloride proceeds in one (1) step from the product of Example 3, step 2: A solution of 4′-(7-methanesulfonyloxy-2,5-oxa)heptyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen (108 mg, 0.253 mmol) in 8 mL of acetonitrile was slowly added to a solution of 1, 4-diaminobutane (132 mg, 1.49 mmol) in 2.8 mL of acetonitrile. After refluxing for 8 hours, no starting material remained by TLC. The reaction mixture was cooled to room temperature and CHCl 3 (25 mL) and 1 N aqueous NaOH (25 mL) solution were added. The layers were separated and CHCl 3 (2×10 mL) was used to wash the aqueous layer. Aqueous HCl (0.3 N, 3×10 mL) was used to extract the product from the combined organics layers. The HCl layers was treated with 20% aqueous NaOH solution until pH 13. The combined basic layers were then extracted with CHCl 3 (3×20 mL). The CHCl 3 layer was washed with saturated NaCl aqueous solution (10 mL) then dried over anhydrous Na 2 SO 4 . After concentration and vacuum drying, 63 mg of product was obtained (60%). NMR d 1.45 (m, 2H), 2.49 (s, 6H), 2.55 (s, 3H), 2.58 (t, 2H), 2.66 (t, j=5.6 Hz, 2H), 2.76 (m, 4H), 3.55-3.61 (m, 6H), 4.68 (s, 2H), 6.22 (s, 1H), 7.61 (s, 1H).
EXAMPLE 5
Synthesis of 4′-(2-Aminoethyl)-4,5′,8-Trimethylpsoralen Hydrochloride (Compound 3)
The synthesis of 4′-(2-aminoethyl)-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen proceeds in one (1) step: sodium trifluoroacetoxyborohydride was made by adding trifluoroacetic acid (296 mg, 2.60 mmol) in 2 mL of THF to a stirred suspension of sodium borohydride (175 mg, 4.63 mmol) in 2 mL of THF over a period of 10 minutes at room temperature. The resultant suspension was added to a suspension of 4′-cyanomethyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen (Kaufman et al., J. Heterocyclic Chem. 19:1051 (1982)) (188 mg, 0.703 mmol) in 2 mL of THF. The mixture was stirred overnight at room temperature. Several drops of water were added to the reacted light yellow clear solution to decompose the excess reagent under 10° C. The resulting mixture was concentrated and 1 N aqueous NaOH solution (30 mL) was added. Chloroform (30 mL then 10 mL, 5 mL)) was used to extract the resultant amine. Combined CHCl 3 layers were washed with saturated NaCl solution. The amine was then extracted into aqueous 0.3 N HCl (10, 5, 5 mL) and the acid layers were taken to pH 13 with 20% aqueous NaOH. CHCl 3 (3×10 mL) was used to extract the amine from the combined base layers then washed with water (2 mL) and dried over anhydrous Na 2 SO 4 . Upon concentration and vacuum drying the amine was obtained as a solid, >95% pure by NMR. NMR d 2.45 (s, 3H); 2.47 (s, 3H); 2.53 (s, 3H); 2.78 (t, J=6.6 Hz, 2H); 3.00 (t, J=6.5 Hz, 2H); 7.44 (s, 1H). The solid was dissolved in absolute ethanol. A solution of hydrogen chloride in diethyl ether (1 N, 1 mL) was added. The suspension was tiltered to obtain compound 3, a light purple solid (32.7 mg, yield 15%), m.p. >237 ° C. (decomp.)
EXAMPLE 6
4′-(6-Aminohexyl-2-Aza)-4,5′,8-Trimethylpsoralen Dihydrochloride (Compound 6)
The synthesis of 4′-(6-aminohexyl-2-aza)-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen dihydrochloride proceeds in one (1) step, as follows: a solution of 4′-chloromethyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen (188 mg, 0.68 mmol) in 30 mL of acetonitrile was added to a solution of 1,4-diaminobutane (120 mg, 1.4 mmol) in 7 mL of acetonitrile. After stirring overnight the solvent was removed under reduced pressure. Chloroform (10 mL) and 1N NaOH (10 mL) were added to the residue and the mixture was shaken and separated. The aqueous solution was extracted with a further 2×10 mL of CHCl 3 and the combined extracts were rinsed with water. The product was then extracted from the CHCl 3 solution with 0.3 N aqueous HCl and the acidic layer was then taken to pH 12 with concentrated NaOH solution. The base suspension was extracted with CHCl 3 which was then rinsed with water, dried over Na 2 SO 4 and concentrated under reduced pressure to give the amine as the free base; NMR (CDCl3); d 1.33 (m, 3H), 1.52 (m, 4H), 2.47 (s, 3H), 2.49 (d, J=1.1 Hz, 3H), 2.54 (s, 3H), 2.68 (q, J=6.5 Hz, 4H), 3.86 (s, 2H), 6.21 (apparent d, J=1.1 Hz, 1H), 7.60 (s, 1H).
The free base, dissolved in about 6 mL of absolute EtOH was treated with a solution of HCl in ether (1.0M, 3 mL). The resultant HCl salt was filtered, rinsed with absolute EtOH and dried under vacuum to yield 150 mg of compound 6, (55%), m.p. 290° C. (decomposed). Analysis calculated for C 19 H 26 C 12 N 2 O 3 .H 2 O: C,54.42; H, 6.73; N, 6.68. Found: C, 54.08; H, 6.45; N, 6.65.
Similarly prepared were:
a) 4′-(4-amino-2-aza)butyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen dihydrochloride (Compound 1), mp 320-322° C. (decomp).
b) 4′-(5-amino-2-aza)pentyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen dihydrochloride (Compound 5), mp 288° C. (decomp). NMR of free base: d 1.33 (br s, 3H), 1.66 (pent, J=6.8 Hz, 2H), 2.47 (s, 3H), 2.50 (d, J=1 Hz, 3H), 2.55 (s, 3H), 2.6-2.85 (m, 4H), 3.89 (s, 2H), 6.22 (apparent d, J=1 Hz, 1H), 7.62 (s, 1H).
c) 4′-(7-amino-2-aza)heptyl-4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen dihydrochloride (Compound 10), mp 300° C. (decomp). NMR of free base: d 1.22 (br s,), 1.3-1.6 (m) total 9H, 2.44 (s), 2.50 (s), total 9H, 2.63 (m, 4H), 6.17 (s, 1H), 7.56 (s, 1H).
EXAMPLE 7
5′-(6-Amino-2-Aza)Hexyl-4,4′,8-Trimethylpsoralen Dihydrochloride (Compound 17)
The synthesis of 5′-(6-amino-2-aza)hexyl-4,4′,8-trimethylpsoralen dihydrochloride proceeds in one (1) step, as follows: a suspension of 5′-chloromethyl-4,4′,8-trimethylpsoralen (190 mg, 0.68 mmol) in 30 mL of acetonitrile was added to a solution of 1,4-diaminobutane (120 mg, 1.4 mmol) in 7 mL of acetonitrile. After stirring at room temperature overnight, the solvent was removed under reduced pressure. Chloroform (10 mL) and 1N NaOH (10 mL) were added to the residue and the mixture was shaken and separated. The aqueous layer was extracted with a further 2×10 mL of CHCl 3 and the combined extracts were rinsed with water. The product was then extracted from the CHCl 3 solution with 0.3 N aqueous HCl and the acidic layer was then taken to approximately pH 12 with concentrated NaOH solution. The base suspension was extracted with CHCl 3 which was then rinsed with water, dried over Na 2 SO 4 and concentrated under reduced pressure.
The residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel with CHCl 3 :EtOH:Et 3 N (9:1:0.25). The fractions containing the product were combined and stripped of the solvent to give the free amine. NMR (CDCl 3 ): d 1.35 (m, 3H); 1.49 (m, 4H); 2.22 (s, 3H); 2.46 (d, J=1.1 Hz, 3H); 2.51 (S, 3H); 2.65 (m, 4H); 3.88 (s, 2H); 6.17 (apparent d, 1 Hz); 7.40 (s, 1H).
The free base, dissolved in absolute EtOH (˜6 mL) was treated with a solution of HCl in ether (1.0 M,˜3 mL). The resultant HCl salt was filtered, rinsed with absolute EtOH and dried under vacuum to yield 100 mg (36.3%) of product, m.p. 288° C. (decomposed).
Similarly prepared was 5′-(4-amino-2-aza)butyl-4,4′,8-trimethylpsoralen dihydrochloride (Compound 16). NMR of free base: d 1.83 (br s, 3H), 2.27 (s, 3H), 2.51 (s, 3H), 2.58 (s, 3H), 2.74 (m, 2H), 2.87 (m, 2H), 3.95 (s, 2H), 6.24 (s, 1H), 7.46 (s, 1H).
EXAMPLE 8
4′-(14-amino-2,6,11-Triaza)Tetradecyl-4,5′,8-Trimethylpsoralen Tetrahydrochloride (Compound 15)
The synthesis of 4′-(14-amino-2,6,11-triaza)tetradecyl-4,5′,8- trimethylpsoralen tetrahydrochloride proceeds in one (1) step, as follows. To a solution of 0.5 g (2.5 mmol) of spermine (Aldrich, Milwaukee, Wis.) in 10 ml of methanol was added a 5N methanolic solution of HCl (concentrated HCl diluted with MeOH to 5N) to adjust to pH 5-6, followed by 0.128 g (0.5 mmol) of 4,5′,8-trimethylpsoralen-4′ carboxaldehyde, 20 mg (0.3 mmol) of NaBH 3 CN and 3 mL of MeOH. The reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature overnight. A solution of 5N methanolic HCl was added until pH<2 and methanol was removed under reduced pressure. The residue was taken up in about 100 mL of water and rinsed with three 25 mL portions of CHCl 3 . The aqueous solution was brought to pH>10 with concentrated NaOH and extracted with three 25 mL portions of CHCl 3 . These final extracts were combined and washed with water, dried (Na 2 SO 4 ) and evaporated to give the free base of the amine, ≧95% pure by NMR. NMR (CDCl 3 ): d 1.31 (m, 5H), 1.45 (pent, J=3.41 Hz, 4H), 1.65 (m, 4 H), 2.46 (s, 3H), 2.49 (d, J=1.14 Hz, 3H), 2.66 (m, 15H), 3.85 (s, 2H), 6.21 (s, 1H)m 7.60 (s, 1H).
The free amine was dissolved in absolute ethanol and HCl (anhydrous, 1N in ethyl ether) was added. The hydrochloride salt was filtered and washed with absolute ethanol and dried under vacuum at room temperature giving 80.2 mg of product as a light yellow solid.
EXAMPLE 9
The assay used to predict pathogen inactivation efficiency and to determine nucleic acid binding of the photoreactive binding compounds of the present invention was that in which a bacteriophage, R17, in solution with the desired substrate was irradiated. The ability of the phage to subsequently infect bacteria and inhibit their growth was measured. The bacteriophage was selected for its relatively accessible nucleic acid such that the culture growth inhibition would accurately reflect nucleic acid damage by the test compounds. The bacteriophage assay for nucleic acid binding to test compounds offers a safe and inexpensive procedure to identify compounds likely to display efficient pathogen inactivation. The phages have also been shown to accurately reflect HIV-1 sensitivity to similar compounds.
The R17 was grown up in Hfr 3000 bacteria, approximate titer 5×10 11 . (R17 and Hfr 3000 were obtained from American Tissue Culture Collection (ATCC), Washington, D.C.) The R17 phage stock was added to a solution of 15% fetal bovine serum in DMEM to a final phage concentration of 10 9 /mL. An aliquot (0.5 mL) was transferred to a 1.5 mL snap-top polyethylene tube. An aliquot (0.004-0.040 mL) of the test compound stock solution prepared in water, ethanol or dimethylsulfoxide at 0.80-8.0 mM was added to the tube. Compounds were tested at concentrations between 4 μM and 320 μM. (AMT is commercially available from HRI, Inc., Concord, Calif.; 8-MOP is commercially available from Sigma, St. Louis, Mo.). The tubes were placed in a light device as described in EXAMPLE 1 and irradiated for between 1 and 10 minutes. Sterile 13 mL dilution tubes were prepared; each test compound required one tube with 0.4 mL of LB broth and five tubes containing 0.5 mL of LB broth. To make the dilutions, a 0.100 mL aliquot of the irradiated solution of phage and test compound was added to the first dilution tube of 0.4 mL of media then 0.020 mL of this solution was added to the second tube of 0.5 mL medium (1:25). The second solution was then diluted serially (1:25) into the remaining tubes. To each diluted sample was added 0.050 mL of Hfr 3000 bacteria cultured overnight and 3 mL of molten LB top agar and the mixed materials were poured onto LB broth plates. After the top agar hardened, the plates were incubated at 37° C. overnight. The plaque forming units were then counted the following morning and the titer of the phage remaining after phototreatment was calculated based on the dilution factors.
The following controls were run: the “phage only” in which phage was not treated with test compound and not irradiated (listed as “starting titer” in the tables below); the “UV only” in which the phage was irradiated in the absence of test compound; and the “dark” control in which the phage/test compound solution was not irradiated before it was diluted and plated.
TABLE 3, below, shows three different experiments which tested Compound 1 according to the R17 protocol just described. A comparison of values for the control samples in runs 1-3 (values in bold) shows that neither the “UV only” nor the “dark” controls result in significant bacterial kill (at most, 0.3 logs killed in the “UV only” control and 0.1 logs killed in the “dark” control).
The “UV only” control was repeated in many similar experiments with other compounds of the present invention and consistently showed no significant kill. (Data not shown). Thus, the “UV only” control is not shown in the tables and figures that follow, although it was performed in every experiment in this example. As for the “dark” control, after many trials with various compounds of the present invention, it became apparent that regardless of the type of substitution on the 4′ position of the psoralen, no experimentally significant bacterial inactivation was observed in the dark. (Data not shown). For example, in Table 3, experiment 1 shows 1 logs kill with compound 1 in the dark. In contrast, when Compound 1 is irradiated for just 1 minute, the resulting drop in titer is >6.7 logs. Therefor, “dark” controls were not run for the later tested compounds and where run, are not shown in the tables and figures that follow.
Tables 4-7, below, and FIGS. 6-8 show the results of the R17 assay for several of the 4′-primaryamino-substituted psoralen compounds of the present invention. The data in Tables 5 and 6 appears in FIGS. 6 and 7, respectively, 5′-Primaryamino-substituted psoralen compounds of the present invention, which have substitutions on the 5′ position similar to the 4′ -primaryamino-substituted psoralen compounds, were also tested at varying concentration, as described above in this example, and are shown to exhibit comparable inactivation efficiency. The results for these compounds are shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, below.
TABLE 3
EXPERIMENT #
TREATMENT
LOG TITER
LOGS KILLED
1
phage only
7.7
—
uva only (10′)
7.4
0.3
compound only
7.6
0.1
(32 μM)
32 μM cmpd
<1
>6.7
1′ uva
32 μM cmpd
<1
>6.7
10′ uva
2
phage only
7.8
—
uva only (10′)
7.6
0.2
compound only
7.7
0.1
(3.2 μM)
3.2 μM cmpd
6.9
0.9
1′ uva
3.2 μM cmpd
6.1
1.7
10′ uva
3
phage only
7.3
—
uva only (1′)
7.3
0
compound only
7.3
0
(16 μM)
4 μM cmpd 1′ uva
6.3
1.0
8 μM cmpd 1′ uva
5.6
1.7
16 μM cmpd
3.9
3.4
1′ uva
TABLE 4
Starting Titer of R17: Approx. 7.5 Logs
1 Minute Irradiation
Cmpd.
Structure
R17 log kill (32 μM)
AMT
>6.7
8-MOP
0
1
>6.6
TABLE 5
Starting Titer Approx.: 7.2 logs R17
1 Minute Irradiation
Com-
R17
Log
Kill
pound
Structure
8 uM
16 uM
32 uM
AMT
2.7
4.6
>6.2
1
1.7
2.8
5.3
2
3.8
>6.2
>6.2
3
>6.2
>6.2
>6.2
TABLE 6
Starting Titer Approx.: 7.1 Logs
1 Minute Irradiation = 1.2 J/cm 2
log
kill
Cmpd
Structure
R17 8 uM
16 uM
32 uM
64 uM
AMT
—
4.5
4.8
—
3
5.6
>6.1
—
—
4
—
2.3
4.3
>6.1
5
—
5.6
>6.1
>6.1
6
—
>6.1
>6.1
>6.1
TABLE 7
Starting Titer Approx.: 7.1 logs R17
1 Minute Irradiation
R17
log
kill
16
32
64
Cmpd.
Structure
8 uM
uM
uM
uM
AMT
—
>6
>6
—
6
>6
>6
—
—
7
—
>6
>6
>6
The compounds of the present invention having substitutions on the 4′ position of the psoralen ring proved to be active in killing R17, as shown in the tables above. In Table 4, it is apparent that compound 1 of the present invention exhibits much higher R17 inactivation efficiency than does 8-MOP. As shown in Table 5 and FIG. 6 . Compound 1 is one of the less active compound of the present invention. Both Compounds 2 and 3 show higher log inactivation than Compound 1 at each concentration point. These results support that the compounds of the present invention are generally much more active than 8-MOP.
The compounds of the present invention also have similar or better R17 inactivation efficiency than AMT. In Tables 5 and 6, and FIGS. 6-10, all compounds of the present invention achieve R17 log inactivation at levels comparable to AMT. Compounds 2 and 3 (Table 5, FIG. 6 ), Compounds 5 and 6 (Table 6, FIG. 7 ), and Compound 16 (FIG. 10) exhibit significantly higher inactivation efficiency than does AMT.
Compounds of the present invention were also tested at a constant concentration for varying doses of UV light. Three sets of 1.5 mL tubes were prepared containing 0.6 mL aliquots of R17 in DMEM (prepared as described above). The compound tested was added at the desired concentration and the samples were vortexed. The samples were then irradiated at intervals of 1.0 J/cm 2 , until 3.0 J/cm 2 was reached. Between each 1.0 J/cm 2 interval, 100 μL was removed from each sample and placed in the first corresponding dilution tube, then five sequential dilutions were performed for each compound tested, at all 3 irradiation doses, as described above in this example.
Then 50 μL of Hfr 3000 bacteria was added to each tube, 3 mL of top agar was added and the tube contents were vortexed. The contents of each tube was poured into its own LB plate and the plates were incubated overnight at 37° C. Plaques were counted by visual inspection the following morning.
The results of the assay for several 4′ and 5′-primaryamino-substituted psoralen compounds are shown in FIGS. 11-17. This data further supports that the compounds of the present invention are comparable to AMT in their ability to inactivate R17. Further, Compounds 6 (FIG. 11 ), 10 (FIG. 12 ), 12 (FIG. 13 ), 15 (FIG. 14 and 17 ), and Compound 17 (FIG. 15 ), all were more efficient at inactivating R17 than was AMT.
EXAMPLE 10
Pathogen inactivation efficiency of several compounds of the present invention was evaluated by examining the ability of the compounds to inactivate cell-free virus (HIV). Inactivation of cell-free HIV was performed as follows.
As in the R17 assay, small aliquots of the compounds listed in TABLES 8 and 9, below, at the concentrations listed in the table, were added to stock HIV-1 to a total of 0.5 mL. The stock HIV (10 5 -10 7 plaque forming units/mL) was in DMEM/15% FBS. The 0.5 mL test aliquots were placed in 24 well polystyrene tissue culture plates and irradiated with 320-400 nm (20 mW/cm 2 ) for 1 min on a device similar to the device of Example 1. The photoactivation device used here was previously tested and found to result in light exposure comparable to the Device of Example 1. (Data not shown). Controls included HIV-1 stock only, HIV-1 plus UVA only, and HIV-1 plus the highest concentration of each psoralen tested, with no UVA. Post irradiation, all samples were stores frozen at −70° C. until assayed for infectivity by a microtiter plaque assay. Aliquots for measurement of residual HIV infectivity in the samples treated with a compound of the present invention were withdrawn and cultured.
Residual HIV infectivity was assayed using an MT-2 infectivity assay. (Previously described in Hanson, C. V., Crawford-Miksza, L. and Sheppard, H. W., J. Clin. Micro 28:2030 (1990)). The assay medium was 85% DMEM (with a high glucose concentration) containing 100 μg of streptomycin, 100 U of penicillin, 50 μg of gentamicin, and 1 μg of amphotericin B per mL, 15% FBS and 2 μg of Polybrene (Sigma Chemical Co., St. Louis, Mo.) per mL. Test and control samples from the inactivation procedure were diluted in 50% assay medium and 50% normal human pooled plasma. The samples were serially diluted directly in 96-well plates (Corning Glass Works, Corning, N.Y.). The plates were mixed on an oscillatory shaker for 30 seconds and incubated at 37° C. in a 5% CO 2 atmosphere for 1 to 18 hours. MT-2 cells (0.025 mL) [clone alpha-4, available (catalog number 237) from the National Institutes of Health AIDS Research and Reference Reagent Program, Rockville, Md.] were added to each well to give a concentration of 80,000 cells per well. After an additional 1 hour of incubation at 37° C. in 5% CO 2 , 0.075 mL of assay medium containing 1.6% SeaPlaque agarose (FMC Bioproducts, Rockland, Me.) and prewarmed to 38.5° C. was added to each well. The plates were kept at 37° C. for a few minutes until several plates had accumulated and then centrifuged in plate carriers at 600×g for 20 minutes in a centrifuge precooled to 10° C. In the centrifuge, cell monolayers formed prior to gelling of the agarose layer. The plates were incubated for 5 days at 37° C. in 5% CO 2 and stained by the addition of 0.05 mL of 50 μg/mL propidium iodide (Sigma Chemical Co.) in phosphate-buffered saline (pH 7.4) to each well. After 24 to 48 hours, the red fluorescence-stained microplaques were visualized by placing the plates on an 8,000 μW/cm 2 304 nm UV light box (Fotodyne, Inc., New Berlin, Wis.). The plaques were counted at a magnification of ×20 to ×25 through a stereomicroscope. The results are shown in TABLES 8 and 9, below. “n” represents the number of runs for which the data point is an average.
The results support that the compounds of the present invention are effective in inactivating HIV. In fact, the data for concentrations of 64 μM of compound or higher suggests that compounds 2 and 3 are significantly more active than AMT, which was previously thought to be one of the most active anti-viral psoralens. At lower concentrations, Compound 6 is able to kill a higher log of HIV (3.1 logs at 32 μM) than is AMT (2.5 logs at 32 μM). The other compounds listed in TABLE 8 display inactivation efficiency in the same range as AMT.
TABLE 8
1 Minute Irradiation
HIV Starting Titer: Approximately 5 Logs
HIV Log Kill
COMPOUND
16 μM
32 μM
64 μM
128 μM
AMT
1.4
1.9->3.6
3.9->3.6
>4.1
1
—
—
2.1
>2.8
2
1.4
3.8
>45
>4.5
3
—
2.7
>3.8
>3.8
4
—
2.2
>3.6
>3.6
5
0.9
1.3
>2.6
—
6
2.0
3.1
>3.8
—
7
0.8
2.1
3.5
—
8
1.1
1.9
3.7
>3.7
TABLE 9
HIV Starting Titer: Approximately 5.4 Logs
1 Minute Irradiation
HIV Log Kill
COMPOUND
16 μM
32 μM
64 μM
6
2.1
3.2
>2.8
9
0.8
1.4
2.7
10
2.0
>3.5
>3.5
12
0.4
0.8
1.3
17
1.2
2.9
3.4
18
1.0
1.0
3.1
EXAMPLE 11
This example describes the protocol for inactivation of another virus, Duck Hepatitis B Virus (DHBV), using compounds of the present invention.
DHBV in duck yolk was added to platelet concentrate (PC) to a final concentration of 2×10 7 particles per mL and mixed by gentle rocking for ≧15 min. Psoralens S-70, S-59 and AMT were added to 3 mL aliquots of PC in a Teflon™ mini-bag at concentrations of 35, 70, and 100 mM. Samples, including controls without added psoralen, were irradiated with 5J/CM 2 UVA, with mixing at 1 J/cm 2 increments. After irradiation, leukocytes and platelets were separated from virus by centrifugation. The supernatant containing DHBV was digested overnight with 50 μg/mL proteinase K in a buffer containing 0.5% sodium dodecyl sulphate, 20 mM Tris buffer, pH 8.0, and 5 mM EDTA at 55° C. Samples were extracted with phenol-chloroform and chloroform, followed by ethanol precipitation. Purified DNA was then used in PCR amplification reactions with a starting input of 10 6 DHBV genomes from each sample. PCR amplicons were generated using primers pairs DCD03/DCD05 (127 bp), DCD03/DCD06 (327 bp) and DCD03/DCD07 (1072 bp). PCR was performed in a standard PCR buffer containing 0.2 mM each deoxyribonucleoside 5′-triphosphates (dATP, dGTP, dCTP, and dTTP), 0.5 mM each primer, and 0.5 units Taq polymerase per 100 ml reaction. 30 cycles of amplification were performed with the following thermal profile: 95° C. 30 sec, 60° C. 30 sec, 72° C. 1 min. The amplification was followed by a 7 min incubation at 72° C. to yield full length products. [lambda- 32 P] dCTP was added at an amount of 10 mCi per 100 ml in order to detect and quantify the resulting products. Products were separated by electrophoresis on denaturing polyacrylamide slab gels and counted. The absence of signal in a given reaction was taken to indicate effective inactivation of DHBV.
The results showed that the smaller amplicons displayed increasing inactivation as a function of psoralen concentration for all psoralens tested. At the same concentrations, S-59 and S-70 inhibited PCR of the smaller amplicons better than did AMT. For the 1072 bp amplicon, complete inhibition of PCR was observed at all concentrations of S-59 and S-70, whereas the sample without psoralen gave a strong signal. AMT inhibited PCR amplification of the 1072 bp amplicon at the 70 and 100 mM levels, but a signal could be detected when AMT was used at 35 mM final concentration.
EXAMPLE 12
In Example 10, the compounds of the present invention were tested for their ability to inactivate virus in DMEM/15% FBS. In this example, the compounds are tested in both 100% plasma and predominantly synthetic media, to show that the methods of the present invention are not restricted to any particular type of medium.
For the samples in synthetic media: standard human platelet concentrates were centrifuged to separate plasma. Eighty-five percent of the plasma was then expressed off and replaced with a synthetic medium (referred to as “Sterilyte™ 3.0”) containing 20 mM Na acetate, 2 mM glucose, 4 mM KCl, 100 mM NaCl, 10 mM Na 3 Citrate, 20 mM NaH 2 PO 4 /Na 2 HPO 4 , and 2 mM MgCl 2 . H9 cells infected with HIV were added to either the 85% Sterilyte™ 3.0 platelet concentrates or standard human platelet concentrates (2.5×10 7 cells per concentrate), final concentration 5×10 5 cells/mL. The platelet concentrates were placed in Teflon™ modified FL20 or Teflon™ Minibags (American Fluoroseal Co., Silver Springs, Md.), treated with one of the compounds shown in FIGS. 18 and 19, at the concentrations shown, and then irradiated with 320-400 nm (20 mW/cm2) for 5 J/cm 2 (for plasma samples) or 2 J/cm 2 (for 85% Sterilyte™ 3.0 samples) on a device similar to the Device of Example 1. The photoactivation device used here was previously tested and found to result in light exposure comparable to the Device of Example 1. (Data not shown). Aliquots for measurement of residual HIV infectivity in the samples treated with a compound of the present invention were withdrawn and cultured.
For samples run in plasma: H9 cells infected with HIV were added to standard human platelet concentrates (2.5×10 7 cells per concentrate), final concentration 5×10 1 cells/mL. Aliquots of HIV contaminated platelet concentrate (5 mL) were placed in water jacketed Pyrex chambers. The chambers had previously been coated on the inside with silicon. The platelet concentrates were treated with one of the compounds listed in TABLES 8 and 9, below, at the concentrations listed in the table, and then irradiated with 320-400 nm (20 mW/cm2) for 1 minute on a device similar to the Device of Example 1. The photoactivation device used here was previously tested and found to result in light exposure comparable to the Device of Example 1. (Data not shown). Aliquots for measurement of residual HIV infectivity in the samples treated with a compound of the present invention were withdrawn and cultured. Residual HIV infectivity was assayed for both the plasma and the 85% Sterilyte™ samples using an MT-2 infectivity assay. (Detailed in Example 10, above, and previously described in Hanson, C. V., et al., J. Clin. Micro 28:2030 (1990)). The results are shown in FIGS. 18 and 19.
The results support that the compounds of the present invention are effective in inactivating HIV in both plasma and synthetic medium. Comparing FIGS. 18 and 19, the inactivation curves appear to be the same, both achieving approximately 5 logs of inactivation at 64 μM concentrations of compound. However, the inactivation in synthetic media was performed with only 2 J/cm 2 irradiation, 3 J/cm 2 less than that required to achieve the same inactivation in plasma. Thus, it appears from the data that synthetic media facilitates the inactivation methods of the present invention.
EXAMPLE 13
In this example bacterial inactivation by the photoreactive nucleic acid binding compounds of the present invention was measured as a function of the ability of the bacteria to subsequently replicate. A gram negative bacteria was chosen as representative of the more difficult bacterial strains to inactivate.
The bacteria, a strain of Pseudomonus, was innoculated into LB with a sterile loop and grown overnight in a shaker at 37° C. Based on the approximation that one OD at 610 nm is equivalent to 5×10 8 colony forming units (cfu)/mL, a 1:10 dilution of the culture was measured on a spectrophotometer, (manufactured by Shimatsu). The bacterial culture was added to a solution of 15% fetal bovine serum in DMEM to a final bacteria concentration of approximately 10 6 /mL. An aliquot (0.8 mL) was transferred to a 1.5 mL snap-top polyethylene tube. An aliquot (0.004-0.040 mL) of the test compound stock solution prepared in water, ethanol or dimethylsulfoxide at 0.80-8.0 mM was added to the tube. Compounds were tested at a concentration of 16 μM. The tubes were placed in a light device as described in EXAMPLE 1 and irradiated with 1.3 J/cm 2 , 1.2 J/cm 2 , and finally 2.5 J/cm 2 , for a total of 5 J/cm 2 . 150 μL were removed for testing after each pulse period. Sterile 13 mL dilution tubes were prepared; each test compound required one tube with 0.4 mL of LB broth and four tubes containing 0.5 mL of LB broth. To make the dilutions, a 0.050 mL aliquot of the irradiated solution of phage and test compound was added to the first dilution tube of 0.5 mL of media then 0.050 mL of this solution was added to the second tube of 0.5 mL, medium (1:10). The second solution was then diluted serially (1:10) into the remaining tubes. 100 μL of the original sample and each dilution are plated separately onto LB agar plates and incubated at 37° C. overnight. The colony forming units were then counted the following morning and the titer of the phage remaining after phototreatment was calculated based on the dilution factors.
The following controls were run: the “bacteria only” in which bacteria was not treated with test compound and not irradiated (listed as “starting titer” in the tables below); the “UV only” in which the bacteria was irradiated in the absence of test compound. Dark controls were not performed here for reasons set forth in Example 9 above.
The results were as follows. The starting titer of bacteria was 6.5 logs. After 5 J/cm 2 irradiation, the log kill for the various compounds tested were as follows: 8-MOP—1.9 logs, AMT—5.2 logs, Compound 2—>5.5, Compound 6—>5.5. From these results, it is clear that the compounds of the present invention are more efficient than both AMT and 8-MOP at inactivating a gram negative bacteria.
EXAMPLE 14
In the above examples, psoralens of the present invention have been demonstrated to be effective for inactivating pathogens, such as bacteria (pseudomonus), bacteriophage (R17) and viruses (HIV and DHBV). Without intending to be limited to any method by which the compounds of the present invention inactivate pathogens, it is believed that inactivation results from light induced binding of the psoralens to the nucleic acid of the pathogens. As discussed above, AMT is known both for its pathogen inactivation efficiency and its accompanying mutagenic action in the dark at low concentrations. In contrast, the less active psoralens, such as 8-MOP, that have been examined previously, show significantly less mutagenicity. This example establishes that photobinding and mutagenicity are not linked phenomenon in the compounds of the present invention. The psoralens of the present invention have exceptional pathogen inactivation efficiency while displaying only minimal mutagenicity.
In this example the compounds of the present invention are tested for their dark mutagenicity using an Ames assay. The procedures used for the Salmonella mutagenicity test as described in detail by Maron and Ames were followed exactly. Maron, D. M. and B. N. Ames, Mutation Research 113:173 (1983). A brief description for each procedure is given here. The tester strains TA97a, TA98, TA100, TA102, TA1537 and TA1538 were obtained from Dr. Ames. TA97a, TA98, TA1537 and TA1538 are frameshift tester strains. TA100 and TA102 are base-substitution tester strains. Upon receipt each strain was cultured under a variety of conditions to confirm the genotypes specific to the strains.
The standard Salmonella tester strains used in this study require histidine for growth since each tester strain contains a different type of mutation in the histidine operon. In addition to the histidine mutation, these tester strains contain other mutations, described below, that greatly increase their ability to detect mutagen.
Histidine Dependence: The requirement for histidine was tested by streaking each strain first on a minimal glucose plate supplemented only with biotin and then on a minimal glucose plate supplemented with biotin and histidine. All strains grew the lack of growth of the strains in the absence of histidine.
rfa Mutation: A mutation which causes partial loss of the lipopolysaccharide barrier that coats the surface of the bacteria thus increasing permeability to large molecules was confirmed by exposing a streaked nutrient agar plate coated with the tester strain to crystal violet. First 100 μL of each culture was added to 2 mL of molten minimal top agar and poured onto a nutrient agar plate. Then a sterile filter paper disc saturated with crystal violet was placed at the center of each plate. After 16 hours of incubation at 37° C. the plates were scored and a clear zone of no bacterial growth was found around the disc, confirming the rfa mutation.
uvrB Mutation: Three strains used in this study contain a deficient UV repair system (TA97a, TA98, TA100, TA1537 and TA1538). This trait was tested for by streaking the strains on a nutrient agar plate, covering half of the plate, and irradiating the exposed side of the plate with germicidal lamps. After incubation growth was only seen on the side of the plate shielded from UV irradiation.
R-factor: The tester strains (TA97a, TA98, TA100, and TA102) contain the pKM101 plasmid that increases their sensitivity to mutagens. The plasmid also confers resistance to ampicillin to the bacteria. This was confirmed by growing the strains in the presence of ampicillin.
pAQ1: Strain TA102 also contains the pAQ1 plasmid that further enhances its sensitivity to mutagens. This plasmid also codes for tetracycline resistance. To test for the presence of this plasmid TA102 was streaked on a minimal glucose plate containing histidine, biotin, and tetracycline. The plate was incubated for 16 hours at 37° C. The strain showed normal growth indicating the presence of the pAQ1 plasmid.
The same cultures used for the genotype testing were again cultured and aliquots were frozen under controlled conditions. The cultures were again tested for genotype to confirm the fidelity of the genotype upon manipulation in preparing the frozen permanents.
The first tests done with the strains were to determine the range of spontaneous reversion for each of the strains. With each mutagenicity experiment the spontaneous reversion of the tester strains to histidine independence was measured and expressed as the number of spontaneous revertants per plate. This served as the background controls. A positive mutagenesis control was included for each tester strain by using a diagnostic mutagen suitable for that strain (2-aminofluorene at 5mg/plate for TA98 and sodium azide at 1.5 mg/plate for TA100).
For all experiments, the pre-incubation procedure was used. In this procedure one vial of each tester strain was thawed and 20 μL of this culture was added to 6 mL of Oxoid Nutrient Broth #2. This solution was allowed to shake for 10 hours at 37° C. In the pre-incubation procedure, 0.1 mL of this overnight culture was added to each of the required number of sterile test tubes. To half of the tubes 0.5 mL of a 10% S-9 solution containing Aroclor 1254 induced rat liver extract (Molecular Toxicology Inc., Annapolis. Md.), and MgCl 2 , KCl, glucose-6-phosphate, NADP, and sodium phosphate buffer (Sigma, St. Louis, Mo.) were added. To the other half of the tubes 0.5 mL of 0.2M sodium phospate buffer, pH 7.4, was used in place of the S-9 mixture (the —S9 samples). Finally 0.1 mL of the test solution containing either 0, 0.1, 0,5, 1.5, 10, 50, 100, 250, or 500 μg/mL of the test compound was added. The 0.7 mL mixture was vortexed and then pre-incubated while shaking for 20 minutes at 37° C. After shaking, 2 mL of molten top agar supplemented with histidine and biotin were added to the 0.7 mL mixture and immediately poured onto a minimal glucose agar plate (volume of base agar was 20 mL). The top agar was allowed 30 minutes to solidify and then the plates were inverted and incubated for 44 hours at 37° C. After incubation the number of revertant colonies on each plate were counted. The results appear in TABLES 10(A)-16(B), below, (“n” represents the number of replicates performed for each data point.)
TABLE 10(A)
AMT
STRAIN
Dose
TA97a
TA97a
TA98
TA98
TA100
TA100
μg/plate
−S9
+S9
−S9
+S9
−S9
+S9
0
109
158
20
25
126
123
n = 23
n = 39
n = 38
n = 53
n = 41
n = 56
0.1
14
−23
3
1
−10
−16
n = 3
n = 6
n = 3
n = 6
n = 3
n = 6
0.5
9
32
5
3
13
−12
n = 3
n = 6
n = 3
n = 6
n = 3
n = 6
1
54
32
5
21
17
−19
n = 3
n = 6
n = 3
n = 6
n = 3
n = 6
5
73
149
16
232
59
−6
n = 3
n = 6
n = 6
n = 9
n = 9
n = 12
10
20
403
105
17
n = 9
n = 9
n = 15
n = 15
50
69
620
73
52
n = 9
n = 9
n = 9
n = 9
100
114
745
75
85
n = 9
n = 9
n = 9
n = 9
250
112
933
24
89
n = 6
n = 6
n = 6
n = 6
5 μg/plate
5 μg/plate
1.5 μg/plt
Positive
2-Amino
2-Amino-
sodium
Control
fluorene
fluorene
azide
808
1154
965
n = 21
n = 35
n = 38
TABLE 10(B)
AMT
STRAIN
Dose
TA102
′TA102
TA1537
TA1537
TA1538
TA1538
μg/plate
−S9
+S9
−S9
+S9
−S9
+S9
0
346
404
9
9
15
19
n = 26
n = 41
n = 30
n = 45
n = 30
n = 42
0.1
27
−20
0
2
3
3
n = 3
n = 6
n = 3
n = 6
n = 3
n = 6
0.5
47
5
3
2
4
13
n = 3
n = 6
n = 9
n = 12
n = 9
n = 12
1
88
−17
5
3
4
37
n = 3
n = 6
n = 9
n = 12
n = 9
n = 12
5
266
51
44
22
13
177
n = 3
n = 6
n = 9
n = 12
n = 18
n = 21
10
52
30
14
255
n = 9
n = 9
n = 9
n = 9
50
2688
94
n = 9
n = 9
100
2058
686
n = 9
n = 9
250
434
3738
n = 9
n = 12
100 μg/pl
10 μg/plt
10 μug/plt
5 μg/plate
Positive
hydrogen
9-Amino
2-Amino-
2-Amino-
Control
peroxide
acridine
fluorene
fluorene
660
284
73
1064
n = 23
n = 6
n = 24
n = 30
TABLE 11(A)
8-MOP
STRAIN
Dose
TA102
TA102
TA1537
TA1537
μg/plate
−S9
+S9
−S9
−S9
0
346
404
9
9
n = 26
n = 41
n = 30
n = 45
1
−55
−46
n = 14
n = 17
10
−57
−27
n = 14
n = 17
30
5
1
n = 3
n = 6
60
3
1
n = 3
n = 6
90
−1
−4
n = 3
n = 6
100
217
290
n = 14
n = 17
500
781
1179
n = 11
n = 11
100 μg/plt
10 μg/plt
10 μg/plt
Positive
hydrogen
9-Amino-
2-Amino-
Control
peroxide
Acridine
fluorene
660
284
73
n = 23
n = 6
n = 24
TABLE 11(B)
8-MOP
STRAIN
Dose
TA102
TA102
TA1537
TA1537
μg/plate
−S9
+S9
−S9
+S9
0
346
404
9
9
n = 26
n = 41
n = 30
n = 45
1
−55
−46
n = 14
n = 17
10
−57
−27
n = 14
n = 17
30
5
1
n = 3
n = 6
60
3
1
n = 3
n = 6
90
−1
−4
n = 3
n = 6
100
217
290
n = 14
n = 17
500
781
1179
n = 11
n = 11
100 μg/plt
10 μg/plt
10 μg/plt
Positive
hydrogen
9-Amino-
2-Amino-
Control
peroxide
Acridine
fluorene
660
284
73
n = 23
n = 6
n = 24
TABLE 12
Compound 1
STRAIN
Dose
TA100
TA100
TA1538
TA1538
μg/plate
−S9
+S9
−S9
+S9
0
126
123
15
19
n = 41
n = 56
n = 30
n = 42
5
292
−24
10
21
n = 3
n = 3
n = 3
n = 3
10
337
−22
12
22
n = 3
n = 3
n = 3
n = 3
Positive
1.5 μg/plate
5 μg/plate
Control
Sodium
2-Amino-
Azide
fluorene
965
1064
n = 38
n = 30
TABLE 13(A)
Compound 2
STRAIN
Dose
TA1537
TA1537
TA1538
TA1538
μg/plate
−S9
+S9
−S9
+S9
0
9
9
15
19
n = 30
n = 45
n = 30
n = 42
5
−8
2
n = 3
n = 3
10
36
5
−13
4
n = 3
n = 3
n = 3
n = 3
50
282
40
n = 3
n = 3
100
258
88
n = 3
n = 3
250
176
744
n = 3
n = 3
500
114
395
n = 3
n = 3
10 μg/plt
10 μg/plt
5 μg/plate
Positive
9-Amino-
2-Amino-
2-Amino-
Control
acridine
fluorene
fluorene
284
73
1064
n = 6
n = 24
n = 30
TABLE 13
Compound 2
TA1537
TA1537
TA1538
TA1538
STRAIN
−S9
+S9
−S9
+S9
Dose
μg/plate
0
9
9
15
19
n = 30
n + 45
n = 30
n = 42
5
−8
2
n = 3
n = 3
10
36
5
−13
4
n = 3
n = 3
n = 3
n = 3
50
282
40
n = 3
n = 3
100
258
88
n = 3
n = 3
250
176
744
n = 3
n = 3
500
114
395
n = 3
n = 3
10 μg/plt
10 μg/plt
5 μg/plate
Positive
9-Amino-
2-Amino-
2-Amino-
Control
acridine
fluorene
fluorene
284
73
1064
n = 6
n = 24
n = 30
TABLE 14
Compound 3
TA100
TA100
TA1538
TA1538
STRAIN
−S9
+S9
−S9
+S9
Dose
μg/plate
0
126
123
15
19
n = 41
n = 56
n = 30
n = 42
5
47
−19
0
1
n = 3
n = 3
n = 3
n = 3
10
47
8
−6
9
n = 3
n = 3
n = 3
n = 3
1.5 μg/plt
5 μg/plt
Positive
Sodium
2-Amino-
Control
Azide
fluorene
965
1064
n = 38
n = 30
TABLE 15
Compound 4
TA100
TA100
TA1538
TA1538
STRAIN
−S9
+S9
−S9
+S9
Dose
μg/plate
0
126
123
15
19
n = 41
n = 56
n = 30
n = 42
5
−41
−10
−2
7
n = 3
n = 3
n = 3
n = 3
10
3
−3
−2
−2
n = 3
n = 3
n = 3
n = 3
1.5 μg/plate
5 μg/plate
Positive
Sodium
2-Amino-
Control
Azide
fluorene
965
1064
n = 38
n = 30
TABLE 16(A)
Compound 6
TA98
TA98
TA100
TA100
STRAIN
−S9
+S9
−S9
+S9
Dose
μg/plate
0
20
25
126
123
n = 38
n = 53
n = 41
n = 56
5
−32
12
n = 3
n = 3
10
12
−5
3
−5
n = 3
n = 3
n = 9
n = 9
50
12
2
2
24
n = 3
n = 3
n = 6
n = 6
100
22
20
−18
−2
n = 6
n = 6
n = 6
n = 6
250
12
40
−38
n = 3
n = 3
n = 3
500
9
52
n = 3
n = 3
5 μg/plate
1.5 μg/plate
Positive
2-Amino-
Sodium
Control
fluorene
Azide
1154
965
n = 35
n = 38
TABLE 16(B)
Compound 6
TA1537
TA1537
TA1538
TA1538
STRAIN
−S9
+S9
−S9
+S9
Dose
μg/plate
0
9
9
15
19
n = 30
n = 45
n = 30
n = 42
5
−5
0
n = 3
n = 3
10
141
−1
−2
8
n = 6
n = 6
n = 3
n = 3
50
2010
17
n = 6
n = 6
100
795
35
n = 6
n = 6
250
228
99
n = 6
n = 6
500
43
369
n = 3
n = 3
10 μg/plate
10 μg/plate
5 μg/plate
Positive
9-Amino-
2-Amino-
2-Amino-
Control
acridine
fluorene
fluorene
284
73
1064
n = 6
n = 24
n = 30
Maron and Ames (1983) describe the conflicting views with regard to the statistical treatment of data generated from the test. In light of this, this example adopts the simple model of mutagenicity being characterized by a two-fold or greater increase in the number of revertants above background (in bold in the tables), as well as dose dependent mutagenic response to drug.
With regard to 8-MOP, the only mutagenic response detected was a weak base-substitution mutagen in TA102 at 500 μg/plate (TABLE 14(B)).
In sharp contrast, AMT (TABLE 13(A) and 13(B)) showed frameshift mutagenicity at between 5 and 10 μg/plate in TA97a and TA98, at 5 μg/plate in TA1537 and at 1 μg/plate in TA1538. AMT showed no significant base-substitution mutations.
Looking at Compound 1, the only mutagenic response detected was a weak frameshift mutagen in TA1538 at 5 μg/plate in the presence of S9. Compound 1 also displayed mutation in the TA100 strain, but only in the absence of S9. Compound 2 also showed weak frameshift mutagenicity in the presence of S9 in TA98 and TA1537. Compounds 3 and 4 showed no mutagenicity. Compound 6 had no base substitution mutagenicity, but showed a frameshift response in TA98 in the presence of S9 at concentrations of 250 μg/plate and above. It also showed a response at 50 μg/plate in TA1537 in the presence of S9. Both responses are significantly below that of AMT, which displayed mutagenicity at much lower concentrations (5 μg/plate).
From this data it is clear that the compounds of the present invention are less mutagenic than AMT, as defined by the Ames test. At the same time, these compounds show much higher inactivation efficiency than 8-MOP, as shown in Examples 9 and 13. These two factors support that the compounds of the present invention combine the best features of both AMT and 8-MOP, high inactivation efficiency and low mutagenicity.
EXAMPLE 15
In Example 12, the compounds of the present invention exhibited the ability to inactivate pathogens in synthetic media. This example describes methods by which synthetic media and compounds of the present invention may be introduced and used for inactivating pathogens in blood. FIG. 20A schematically shows the standard blood product separation approach used presently in blood banks. Three bags are integrated by flexible tubing to create a blood transfer set ( 200 ) (e.g., commercially available from Baxter, Deerfield, Ill.). After blood is drawn into the first bag ( 201 ), the entire set is processed by centrifugation (e.g., Sorvall™ swing bucket centrifuge. Dupont), resulting in packed red cells and platelet rich plasma in the first bag ( 201 ). The plasma is expressed off of the first bag ( 201 ) (e.g., using a Fenwall™ device for plasma expression), through the tubing and into the second bag ( 202 ). The first bag ( 201 ) is then detached and the two bag set is centrifuged to create platelet concentrate and platelet-poor plasma; the latter is expressed off of the second bag ( 202 ) into the third bag ( 203 ).
FIG. 20B schematically shows an embodiment of the present invention by which synthetic media and photoactivation compound are introduced to platelet concentrate prepared as in FIG. 20A. A two bag set ( 300 ) is sterile docked with the platelet concentrate bag ( 202 ) (indicated as “P.C.”). Sterile docking is well-known to the art. See e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,412,835 to D. W. C. Spencer, hereby incorporated by reference. See also U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,157,723 and 4,265,280, hereby incorporated by reference. Sterile docking devices are commercially available (e.g., Terumo, Japan).
One of the bags ( 301 ) of the two bag set ( 300 ) contains a synthetic media formulation of the present invention (indicated as “STERILYTE”). In the second step shown in FIG. 20B, the platelet concentrate is mixed with the synthetic media by transferring the platelet concentrate to the synthetic media bag ( 301 ). The photoactivation compound can be in the bag containing synthetic media ( 301 ), added at the point of manufacture. Alternatively, the compound can be mixed with the blood at the point of collection, if the compound is added to the blood collection bag (FIG. 20A, 201 ) at the point of manufacture. The compound may be either in dry form or in a solution compatable with the maintainance of blood.
FIG. 20C schematically shows one embodiment of the decontamination approach of the present invention applied specifically to platelet concentrate diluted with synthetic media as in FIG. 20 B. In this embodiment, platelets have been transferred to a synthetic media bag ( 301 ). The photoactivation compound either has already been introduced in the blood collection bag ( 201 ) or is present in the synthetic media bag ( 301 ) to which the platelets are now transferred. This bag ( 301 ), which has UV light transmission properties and other characteristics suited for the present invention, is then placed in a device (such as that described in Example 1, above) and illuminated.
Following phototreatment, the decontaminated platelets are transferred from the synthetic media bag ( 301 ) into the storage bag ( 302 ) of the two bag set ( 300 ). The storage bag can be a commercially available storage bag (e.g., CLX bag from Cutter).
It is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the exact details of operation or exact compounds, composition, methods, or procedures shown and described, as modifications and equivalents will be apparent to one skilled in the art. | Psoralen compound compositions are synthesized which have substitutions on the 4, 4′, 5′, and 8 positions of the psoralen, which yet permit their binding to nucleic acid of pathogens. Reaction conditions that photoactivate these bound psoralens result in covalent crosslinking to nucleic acid, thereby inactivating the pathogen. Higher psoralen binding levels and lower mutagenicity results in safer, more efficient, and reliable inactivation of pathogens. In addition to the psoralen compositions, the invention contemplates inactivating methods using the new psoralens. | 0 |
PRIORITY APPLICATION
This patent application claims benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of the U.S. Provisional application No. 60/345,100 filed on Jan. 4, 2002, entitled: “SYSTEM FOR REDUCED POWER CONSUMPTION.
CO-PENDING APPLICATIONS
This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/083,875 entitled “SYSTEM FOR REDUCED POWER CONSUMPTION BY PHASE LOCKED LOOP AND METHOD THEREOF”, filed on Feb. 27, 2002, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/083,917 entitled “SYSTEM FOR REDUCED POWER CONSUMPTION BY MONITORING VIDEO CONTENT AND METHOD THEREOF” filed on Feb. 27, 2002.
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE
The present invention relates generally to reducing system power consumption and more specifically to bypassing system components to reduce power consumption.
BACKGROUND
Handheld devices, such as personal digital assistants (PDA) and mobile phones, are now being equipped with hardware and software to handle several different computing tasks. Handheld devices are being equipped with communications adapters to allow the handheld devices to access the Internet, other handheld devices, and other information handling systems. Handheld devices are also being used to process multimedia data, such as audio and video data. Many handheld devices are capable of playing video on an integrated screen. Handheld devices are being integrated with more components to handle the increased functionality. However, as more components are integrated with the handheld devices and as processing increases, the handheld devices draw more power.
Power is limited on most handheld devices. Most desktop computers take power from a power supply connected to an alternating current (AC) power outlet and generally don't need to worry about conserving power. Handheld devices generally take their power from standard power cells. Handheld devices are designed to be small and light to make them portable for consumers. The power cells are generally selected to be small and light to not hinder the handheld device. However, the increased processing performed to handle new functionality, such as communications or multimedia playback, takes more power from the handheld devices than general processing tasks the handheld devices were originally used for.
Current methods of reducing power consumption are not adequate. To conserve power, a handheld device may reduce the speed at which its central processing unit (CPU) is run. However, inhibiting the CPU reduces the performance of the handheld device in most or all of the functions of the handheld device. Alternatively, specific functions or hardware components within the handheld device may be completely disabled to conserve power. However, completely disabling functions within the handheld device reduces a stability expected by a user. Power-saving modes can be enabled through software by having a software application decide processing can be reduced. However, such applications are not generally aware of the effect of running in a reduced power mode on other components within the device. The application may not be aware of all the processes running within the device. From the above discussion, it is apparent that an improved method of conserving power within a system would be useful.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Specific embodiments of the present disclosure are shown and described in the drawings presented herein. Various objects, advantages, features and characteristics of the present disclosure, as well as methods, operations and functions of related elements of structure, and the combination of parts and economies of manufacture, will become apparent upon consideration of the following description and claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, all of which form apart of this specification, and wherein:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a system with provisions for conserving power, according to one embodiment of a present invention;
FIG. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of identifying and initiating power conservation modes within a system, according to one embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a module for initiating power conservation modes within the system of FIG. 1 , according to one embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a module for monitoring a number of instructions to be processed, according to one embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a module for identifying changes in display content, according to one embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
FIGS. 1–5 illustrate methods of conserving power within a system. System properties are analyzed to initiate a power saving mode. A method of the present disclosure includes determining a power mode for a device. Modules within a system may be used to uniquely identify portions of the system that are capable of running in a reduced power mode. For example, a number of instructions in an instruction buffer can be analyzed to determine a level of power required to reliably process the instructions. A change in display content may be analyzed to determine the level of power required. When a lower than normal level of power is determined, the method includes disabling a phase locked loop used for generating a locked clock signal based on a raw clock signal from an external oscillator. The raw clock signal is used to drive a clock line for the system in place of the clock signal generated by the phase locked loop. When a normal level of power is determined, the method includes enabling the phase locked loop and providing the raw oscillator signal to an input of the phase locked loop. The locked clock signal is then provided from an output of the phase locked loop to the clock line. The present disclosure has the advantage of conserving power in a specific system component in response to operations associated with the component.
Referring now to FIG. 1 , a block diagram illustrating a system with provisions for conserving power is shown, according to one embodiment of the present invention. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, system 100 handles video processing functions within a personal digital assistant (PDA) handheld device. A power module 300 initiates power conservation modes within system 100 . In one embodiment of the present disclosure, power module 300 monitors properties of system 100 , such as a fullness of instruction buffer 162 or changes in video content to be displayed. These system properties are used to determine a level of processing which is needed. When the properties of system 100 indicate a low or reduced level of processing is needed, power module 300 initiates power conservation modes. While system 100 is described in reference to a display data processing portion of a PDA, it should be appreciated that other forms of information handling systems or devices may be used. Furthermore, the methods and systems described herein would be useful to any such devices where power consumption is a concern.
An oscillator 110 is coupled to clock driver 115 to generate a raw clock signal for specific operations within system 100 . Oscillator 110 produces the raw clock signal at a fixed frequency. Higher frequencies operations may be desired than can be generated through oscillator 110 . Accordingly, a phase locked loop (PLL) 130 is used to generate a stable, locked clock signal from the raw clock signal generated by oscillator 110 . PLL 130 is generally used to generate multiplied clock signals based on the raw clock signal generated by oscillator 110 . It should be appreciated that oscillator 110 may include various oscillators. For example, various resistor/capacitor (RC) circuits or crystal oscillators may be used in place of oscillator 110 without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
Several components of PLL 130 are used to generate a signal locked to the phase of the raw clock signal. The PLL 130 works as a control loop, attempting to correct for erratic changes in phase or frequency between the raw clock signal generated through oscillator 110 and a signal generated internal to the PLL 130 . In one embodiment, PLL 130 includes a phase comparator (not shown) to identify a difference in phase or frequency between the raw clock signal and the internal signal generated by PLL 130 . The comparator can include components or flops to generate a difference signal between the internal signal and the raw clock signal. The difference signal is provided to a filter (not shown), which generates a voltage signal associated with the difference signal. The voltage signal is provided to a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO, not shown) that generates an oscillating signal associated with the voltage signal. The oscillating signal is used as the internal signal mixed with the input raw clock signal. Accordingly, the oscillating signal may be output from the PLL 130 as a locked clock signal.
In one embodiment, the locked clock signal is coupled to a set of dividers 140 and 145 . In a normal operating mode, the set of dividers 140 and 145 generate clock signals based on the locked clock signal from PLL 130 . In one embodiment, the first divider 140 provides a first divided clock signal to the first clock bus 150 . The second divider 145 provides a second divided clock signal, with a lower frequency than the first divided clock signal, to the second clock bus 155 . The clock busses 150 and 155 may then be used to provide clock signals for various processing performed by system 100 . It should be appreciated that more or less clock busses can be used without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
In one embodiment, a power module 300 initiates several power modes within system 100 . The power module 300 first identifies a processing status of system 300 . The status provides an indication of a level of activity, process or power consumption expected by system 100 . For example, power module 300 may monitor a number of instructions being stored in random access memory (RAM) 160 . Instructions to be processed are stored in an instruction buffer 162 of RAM 160 . RAM 160 can include various forms of memory, such as static dynamic random access memory (SDRAM) or dynamic random access memory (DRAM), without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
Instruction buffer 162 includes a set of memory addresses of RAM 160 in a linked configuration. Instruction buffer 162 includes a write buffer 164 to identify a memory address within instruction buffer 162 where a new instruction is to be stored. A read pointer 165 identifies a memory address within instruction buffer 162 where the next instruction to be processed is read. As more instructions are pending, the number of linked memory addresses between write buffer 164 and read buffer 165 increases. In one embodiment, a threshold 166 is used to identify when the number of instructions pending in instruction buffer 162 has increased or decreased past a limit. It should be noted that the number of linked addresses within instruction buffer 162 can be fixed or dynamic. If the number of linked addresses within the instruction buffer 162 is fixed, the instruction buffer includes a set maximum number of pending instructions that can be supported. Accordingly, pending instructions may need to be dropped if a current number of pending instructions reached the maximum number of pending instructions. If the number of linked addresses within the instruction buffer is dynamic, memory addresses are dynamically allocated to instruction buffer 162 to meet a particular demand. While the size of the instruction buffer can increase as more instructions are received, there may not be enough time to adequately process all the instructions if the number of pending instructions is too high.
Furthermore, the types of instructions stored in instruction buffer 162 may be altered without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In one embodiment, the types of instructions stored in instruction buffer 162 include display instructions for presenting video or graphics through display 195 . It should be appreciated that the instructions may include other instructions, such as multimedia processing instructions, such as video and/or audio processing commands. While instruction buffer 162 is shown as a part of RAM 160 and system 100 , it should be noted that instruction buffer 162 can be stored external to system 100 .
By monitoring the number of instructions in instruction buffer 162 , power module 300 may determine that an increased level of processing will be needed to process the number of pending instructions within a particular amount of time. For example, if a number of pending instructions is greater than a threshold 166 , or an increasing rate of the number of pending instructions is greater than a particular value, power module 300 initiates a normal, or high reliability, power mode, in which all or most power is available to system 100 . The normal power mode insures the instructions are processed using all available resources of system 100 . Alternatively, if read pointer 165 falls below threshold 166 , power module 300 may initiate a power conservation mode. Since the number of instructions to be processed is lower than normal, power module 300 can conserve excess power without overflowing the instruction buffer 162 .
In one embodiment, power module 300 monitors a rate of change of the number of instructions in instruction buffer 162 . If the number of instructions is increasing at a specific rate, power module 300 may switch from a power conservation mode to a normal power mode to anticipate an upcoming high demand for processing. Furthermore, power module 300 can be used to monitor the types of instructions stored in instruction buffer 162 . For example, instruction buffer 162 may store a number of instructions lower than threshold 166 ; however, the number of instructions can include process intensive instructions. Alternatively, the number of instructions may include simple instructions that can be processed quickly. Accordingly, power module 300 can initiate power conservation modes based on an amount of processing needed by the type of instructions stored in instruction buffer 162 .
Power module 300 can activate measures to respond to an identified power mode. When a normal power mode is initiated, power module 300 can provide power to all components of system 100 . For example, power module 300 can provide the raw clock signal generated by oscillator 110 to the input of PLL 130 . When a power conservation mode is initiated, power module 300 bypasses the locked clock signal output by PLL 130 . For example, in one embodiment, the locked clock signal output from the PLL 130 and the raw clock signal from the oscillator 110 are provided to a set of multiplexors 121 and 122 . In a normal mode of operation, multiplexers 121 and 122 provide the locked clock signal to clock busses 150 and 155 , respectively. When the power conservation mode is initiated, the power module 300 sets multiplexors 121 and 122 to only use the raw clock signal output by the oscillator 110 . Accordingly, during power conservation modes, the raw clock signal can be used as a clock source for dividers 140 and 145 .
The clock signal output by dividers 140 and 145 are provided to clock busses 150 and 155 , respectively, and used for processes within system 100 . While the raw clock signal generated by oscillator 110 may not be as fast or as stable as the locked clock signal generated through PLL 130 , the raw clock signal may be an adequate source for the second divider 145 , running at a slower speed than the first divider 140 .
To conserve power, power module 300 can also set the PLL 130 into a power down mode during the power conservation mode. In one embodiment PLL 130 is powered down by disabling clock signals input into the PLL 130 . A switch (not shown) can be provided to disable input of the raw clock signal generated through oscillator 110 to the PLL 130 . Alternatively, PLL 130 can be shut off by cutting power to the PLL 130 . However, it should be noted that as the PLL 130 may be a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) device, it may be preferable to disable a clock signal provided to PLL 130 in place of disabling power provided to PLL 130 .
In one embodiment, power module 300 is capable of setting multiplexors 121 and 122 independently of each other. Accordingly, multiplexor 121 can be set to use the locked clock signal while multiplexor 122 is set to use the raw clock signal. Alternatively, a single multiplexor can be used in place of multiplexors 121 and 122 to provide either the locked clock signal or the raw clock signal to first divider 140 and/or second divider 145 .
In one embodiment, power module 300 monitors display content. For example, power module 300 monitors received display data, or compares a new set of display data to an old set of display data, to determine if the display content has changed. If the display content has not changed recently, power module 300 initiates a power conservation mode. If the display content has changed, the power module 300 may switch to, or remain in, the normal mode.
In one embodiment, when in a power conservation mode, power module 300 sends signals to enable power saving features through a display module 170 . In one embodiment, display module 170 controls a number of bits used to represent display data sent through display port 180 . To conserve power, display module 170 may be directed to use fewer bits to represent some or all bits of the display data. In on embodiment, a number of bits used to represent color is reduced. For example, the color depth of the display data can be reduced from 32-bit color to 16- or 8-bit color The display data is provided to a display device 195 , through display interface 190 . Display port 180 and display interface 190 use a set number of interface lines to transfer display data to display device 195 . In one embodiment, when fewer bits are used to represent the display data, less communications lines may need to be powered. Accordingly, less power is needed to transfer the display data from display port 180 to display device 195 , through display interface 190 .
The display interface 190 includes various interface adapters for transporting the display data to the display device 195 , such as a digital to analog converter (DAC), a transition minimized differential signaling (TMDS) transceiver, or a low voltage differential signaling (LVDS) transceiver, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. While interface input lines can be disabled to reduce power, it should be appreciated that simply transmitting less data can conserve a substantial amount of power. Accordingly, a frame rate or a refresh rate associated with the display data being sent to display device 195 can be reduced to conserve power. As display content may not be changing, display module 170 can reduce the number of frames per second being displayed on display device 195 without drastically affecting the appearance of content displayed on the display device 195 . A bit depth used to represent other forms of multimedia data may also be reduced to lower power consumption. For example, a number of bits used to represent audio data may also be reduced to simplify multimedia processing and conserve power. Accordingly, power consumption can be reduced by having less data being transferred from display port 180 per unit time. In one embodiment, slower clock signals can be used to process multimedia data represented with a lower bit depth than multimedia data with a higher or normal bit-depth. In one embodiment, display device 195 includes a display device associated with a PDA, such as a liquid crystal display screen.
Power module 300 can initiate other forms of power conservation modes. In one embodiment, power module 300 initiates a suspend mode. Power module 300 can determine when system 100 has not been used for an extended period of time. If a lack of video data has been sent to system 100 or an information handling system interfaced with system 100 has not been active for a particular period of time, power module 300 initiates a suspend mode. Furthermore, if no instructions are provided to system 100 , power module 300 can initiate the suspend mode. In one embodiment, power module disables oscillator 110 as part of the suspend mode. Power module 300 may provide a signal to switch 125 to disable a signal provided from clock driver 115 to oscillator 110 . Alternatively, power module 300 may disable power to the clock driver 115 to disable oscillator 110 and the raw clock signal. Furthermore, power module 300 may provide a signal to display module 170 to disable display data output through display port 180 .
In one embodiment, power module 300 controls an amount of power provided to system 100 . Power module 300 may reduce a total amount of power provided to system 100 to match less power needed in power conservation modes, in comparison to a normal or nominal power mode. It should be appreciated that other forms of power conservation may also be incorporated without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
Referring now to FIG. 2 , a flow diagram illustrating a method of identifying and initiating power conservation modes within a subsystem of an information handling system is shown, according to one embodiment of the present invention. The subsystem, such as system 100 ( FIG. 1 ), may represent a portion of processing performed within the information handling system. For example, the subsystem may be used to handle video display for a portable information handling system, such as a PDA. A power module, such as power module 300 ( FIG. 1 ), monitors activity within the subsystem. When activity within the subsystem is reduced, the power module initiates a power conservation mode.
In step 205 , the power module sets the subsystem to a normal operating mode. In step 210 , in accordance with the normal operating mode, the power module enables an external oscillator, such as oscillator 100 ( FIG. 1 ), and a PLL, such as PLL 130 ( FIG. 1 ), associated with the subsystem. The power module may enable the external oscillator by providing power to a clock driver coupled to the external oscillator. The PLL may be enabled through a switch used to provide a clock signal generated by the external oscillator to the PLL. Alternatively, enabling the PLL can include enabling the output of the PLL to be provided to the subsystem. The power module may also allocate a normal or nominal amount of power to the subsystem and components within the subsystem. In one embodiment, the power module also enables the clock output from the PLL to be used by several components of the subsystem.
In step 220 , the power module monitors the status of components of the subsystem to identify a level of activity and an appropriate power mode. In one embodiment, the power module monitors a number of pending instructions to determine the power mode. For example, if the number of pending instructions has increased greater than a threshold, the power module may determine a normal, or high-reliability, power mode is necessary to ensure all the instructions are processed in time. Alternatively, if the number of pending instructions is less than the threshold, the power module may determine the subsystem may operate in a reduced operation mode, wherein power can be conserved. Furthermore, if no instructions are pending, the power module may determine that processing within the subsystem may be suspended by hardware components of the subsystem.
The power module may also monitor display content to determine a mode of operation or a power mode to employ. The power module may monitor the display content to determine if new content is to be displayed. If new display content is identified, the power module may determine a normal power mode is needed. If new display content is not different from old display content, the power module may determine the subsystem should be in a reduced operation mode to conserve power.
If a normal mode is to be used, the power module initiates a normal power mode in the device, such as previously discussed in reference to step 210 . Alternatively, if a reduced operation mode is to be used, the power module initiates a power conservation mode. Accordingly, in step 230 , the power module ensures the external oscillator is enabled. In step 240 , the PLL is bypassed. In one embodiment, the power module sets a switch or multiplexor to route a clock signal associated with the external oscillator to a clock divider coupled to the output of the PLL in the normal mode. The PLL can also be placed in a power down mode to conserve power while the PLL is bypassed and not being used. In one embodiment, the power module sets a PLL indicator to notify other portions of the subsystem that the PLL is disabled. A delay may need to be provided to allow particular portions of the subsystem time to switch to using the external oscillator for a clock source. Clock signals in the reduced operation mode may be divided to run processes slower than in the normal mode to account for a lack of stability associated with the clock signal generated by the external oscillator in comparison to a PLL output signal. Other forms of power conservation may also be employed in the reduced operation mode. For example, the power module may set the subsystem to represent display data with a reduced number of bits. Accordingly, a number of active interface input lines used to transmit display data to a display device, such as a PDA screen, may be reduced. A frame rate used to update video on a display device can also be reduced to conserve power.
If a suspend mode is to be used, the power module initiates a suspend mode in which several operations within the subsystem are disabled. Accordingly, in step 250 , the external oscillator is disabled. In one embodiment, a connection between the external oscillator and a clock driver is broken to disable the external oscillator. Furthermore, a driver signal generally provided to the external oscillator may be replaced with a ground signal. In one embodiment, steps are taken to place the subsystem into the reduced operation mode before initiating the suspend mode. The power module may provide a signal or set an indicator to notify other portions of the subsystem that a suspend mode will be initiated. It should be noted that hardware components may be necessary to transition out of a suspend mode. In one embodiment, the power module uses hardware components to monitor system properties to re-enabling subsystem functions when returning from the suspend mode. The hardware components may monitor user interface buttons. When a user has pressed a user interface button, the hardware components return from the suspend mode to a normal power mode. It should be appreciated that other modes of operation and other forms of conserving power can be employed without departing from the scope of the present invention.
Referring now to FIG. 3 , a block diagram illustrating a module for initiating power conservation modes within the system of FIG. 1 is shown, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. A power module 300 monitors activity within a subsystem, such as system 100 ( FIG. 1 ). Dependent on operating characteristics associated with processes in the subsystem, such as a number of pending instructions or changes in display content, the power module 300 may initiate a power conservation mode.
Several components of power module 300 may be used to identify levels of activity within the subsystem. For example, an instruction-monitoring module 400 monitors a number of pending instructions. In one embodiment, instruction-monitoring module 400 compares the number of pending instructions to a threshold value. If the number of pending instructions is less than the threshold, power module 300 initiates a reduced operation, or reduced power, mode. Instruction-monitoring module 400 can also be used to monitor a rate of change in the number of pending instructions, as will be subsequently discussed in reference to FIG. 4 .
A display-monitoring module 500 may be used to monitor operating characteristics associated with content to be displayed. Display-monitoring module 500 may notify power module 300 when display content has or has not changed. If the display content has not changed, the power module 300 may initiate a power conservation mode to make use of the lack of new display content.
Several controls within power module 300 can be used to initiate power conservation modes. For example, a clock control 340 can be used to apply controls to clocks used within the subsystem. For example, clock control 340 may be used to disable a PLL in a reduced operation mode. Clock registers of registers 310 may be set to indicate to other components of the subsystems that the PLL has been disabled. Clock control 340 may control a switch or multiplexor to route a clock signal generated by an external oscillator to dividers coupled with the disabled PLL. Clock control 340 may also notify other components to switch to the clock signal generated by the external oscillator in place of the clock signal output by the PLL in a normal mode. Furthermore, clock control 340 may be used to disable the external oscillator in a suspend mode in which most or all clocked operations in the subsystem are disabled.
A display control 350 can be used to reduce power associated with display elements in a reduced operation mode. In one embodiment, display control 350 is used to reduce a number of bits used to represent display data. For example, a color depth used to represent pixel elements may be changed. By reducing the number of bits used to represent display data, a number of communications or control lines activated to transfer video data from the subsystem to an interfaced display device or display screen can be reduced. By reducing the number of active interface lines, an amount of power needed to transfer the display data to the display device may be reduced. It should be appreciated that simply providing less data to the display device or display screen can substantially reduce power consumption. For example, a refresh rate associated with the display device or display screen can be reduced to conserve power. Furthermore, display data may be processed within the subsystem more quickly. A lower clock speed may be used to process the display data with the reduced number of bits. Accordingly, the display data may be reliably processed in a reduced operation/power mode.
A power control 320 can be used to control an amount of power provided to the subsystem. As a power conservation mode may be initiated, less power is needed by the subsystem. Power conservation techniques employed by the power module 300 , such as disabling the PLL or reducing the number of bits used to represent display data, reduce the total amount of power consumed by the subsystem. Accordingly, power control 320 may be used to reduce the total power provided to the subsystem. Power module 320 may reduce or disable power provided to particular components, such as the clock driver, in response to particular power conservation modes in place.
Registers 310 may be used to enable or disable particular power conservation modes or techniques. Registers 310 can also be used to indicate to other system components that a particular power mode is being implemented. Registers 310 also allow for several properties concerning transitions between power modes to be controlled. Table 1 provides a list of possible registers of registers 310 which may be used, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.
TABLE 1
REGISTER
DESCRIPTION
POWER MANAGEMENT
ENABLES POWER MANAGEMENT
ENABLE
WITHIN THE POWER MODULE
CURRENT POWER MODE
STORED AN IDENTIFIER FOR THE
CURRENT POWER CONSERVATION
MODE
POWER MODE REQUEST
SOFTWARE TRANSITION BETWEEN
POWER CONSERVATION MODES
IF DIFFERENT FROM
CURRENT
NORMAL/SLOW
ENABLES HARDWARE CONTROL
HARDWARE ENABLE
FOR TRANSITIONING FROM A
NORMAL MODE AND A POWER
CONSERVATION MODE
NORMAL-SLOW
DEFINES CONDITIONS
CONDITIONS
FOR HARDWARE TO TRANSITION
FROM A NORMAL MODE TO
A REDUCED
SLOW-NORMAL
ENABLES HARDWARE CONTROL
HARDWARE ENABLE
FOR TRANSITIONING FROM A
REDUCED OPERATIONS MODE
TO A NORMAL
SLOW-NORMAL
DEFINES CONDITIONS FOR
CONDITIONS
TRANSITIONING FROM A
REDUCED OPERATIONS MODE
TO A NORMAL MODE
WAKEUP CONDITIONS
DEFINES CONDITIONS HARDWARE
USES FOR WAKING FROM
A SUSPEND MODE
Registers of register 310 can be used by components external to power module 300 to enable particular power conservation modes. A power management enable register can be used to enable or disable operation of the power module 300 . If power module 300 is disabled, the system may be set to run in only the normal power mode. Accordingly, user preferences may be linked to disable power conservation modes through the power management enable register. Registers 310 can also include a current power mode register that defines the current or active mode. A power mode request register can be used to force the power module 300 into a new power mode. Conditions for transitioning between power modes may also be set through registers 310 . For example, a wakeup condition register may be used to indicate different triggers to monitor for returning from a suspended operation mode. For example, the wakeup condition register may indicate the power module 300 should only leave a suspend mode when a power button or switch is activated by the user.
Referring now to FIG. 4 , a block diagram illustrating a module for monitoring a number of instructions to be processed is shown, according to one embodiment of the present invention. Instruction-monitoring module 400 monitors a number of instructions pending. Instruction monitor module 400 provides analysis on pending instructions to a module capable of transitioning among power conservation modes, such as power module 300 ( FIG. 3 ).
A fullness monitor 410 tracks a fullness of an instruction buffer, such as instruction buffer 162 ( FIG. 1 ). New instructions to be processed are stored in memory, such as in instruction buffer 162 . Once a system, such as system 100 ( FIG. 1 ), is ready to process a new instruction, the instruction is read and removed, or de-allocated, from the instruction buffer. Dependent on a current level of activity in the system, the instruction buffer may fill with new pending instructions faster than old instructions are read. A threshold 415 may be used to compare a current number of pending instructions to a level of activity. In one embodiment, as the number of pending instructions increases greater than the threshold, the level of activity is considered high and may be reported as high through output registers 430 . Accordingly, the power module may use the reported level of activity to determine the system should be in a normal power mode, wherein all clocks and system components are allowed to operate.
Alternatively, the number of pending instructions may be equal to or less than the threshold 415 . The fullness monitor 410 provides an indicator through output registers 430 that the level of activity is low. The power module can use the reported level of activity to initiate a reduced operation mode in which power to some components is disabled. Furthermore, slower clocks signals can be used to conserve power.
A rate of change monitor 420 is used to monitor a rate of change in the number of pending instructions in the instruction buffer. The rate of change monitor 420 may calculate the rate of change in the number of pending instructions tracked through fullness monitor 410 . If the number of pending instructions increases at a high rate, the rate of change monitor 420 may provide a warning of increased activity to the power module, through output registers 430 . The power module may use the warning to switch from a reduced operations mode to a normal mode. Accordingly, the rate of change monitor 420 allows the power module to anticipate and react to the changes in the level of activity. In one embodiment, the fullness monitor 410 and rate of change monitor 420 include discrete components for monitoring the instruction buffer. For example, fullness monitor may include logic circuitry to toggle a flag on output registers 430 to indicate a particular power mode when a memory address being written to matches threshold 415 . In one embodiment, instruction-monitoring module 400 forms a part of a hardware subsystem to process display instructions associated with a PDA.
Instruction-monitoring module 400 can also include a content monitor 425 . Content monitor 425 monitors the types of instructions stored in the instruction buffer to anticipate an amount of processing that may be needed to process the instructions. Content monitor 425 can provide set an indicator through output registers 430 based on a level of processing intensity associated with the instructions stored in the instruction buffer. A first indicator can be used to indicate at least a majority of the instructions in the instruction buffer require minor processing and a second indicator can be used to indicate intensive processing is needed to process the instructions in the instruction bugger. Furthermore, the content monitor 425 can provide a number of instructions of a first type, requiring minor processing, and a number of instructions of a second type, requiring intensive processing. Accordingly, the power module can determine whether or not to enter a power conservation mode based on the types of instructions to be processed.
Referring now to FIG. 5 , a block diagram illustrating a module for identifying changes in display content is shown, according to one embodiment of the present invention. A display-monitoring module 500 is used to analyze display activity. Display-monitoring module 500 analyzes display activity to provide a power module, such as power module 300 ( FIG. 3 ), to ascertain a level of activity associated with a system, such as system 100 ( FIG. 1 ).
In one embodiment, to determine when changes in display content have occurred, display-monitoring module 500 analyzes different sets of display content. A first set of display content 510 may include a set of display data currently being displayed. A second set of display content 520 may include a set of display data that will be displayed. A content analyzer 530 compares the display data of the two sets of display content 510 and 520 . If the sets of display content 510 and 520 are substantially different, content analyzer can set a flag of output registers 530 indicating the display content is changing. Alternatively, if the two sets of display content 510 and 520 are substantially the same, the content analyzer 530 may apply a value to a register of output registers 530 indicating the display content is not changing. The sets of display content 510 and 520 may include portions of the total display content, allowing content analyzer 530 to determine how much of the display content is actually changing. If only a few portions of the total display content change, the content analyzer may not consider the sets of display content 510 and 520 substantially different. In one embodiment, the sets of display content 510 and 520 are stored in memory, such as in video memory or a frame buffer.
In one embodiment, the power module monitors output registers 530 to determine display activity. If the display content appears to be changing, the power module may initiate a normal power mode to ensure the new display data is processed in time. Alternatively, if the display content is not substantially changing, the power module may initiate power conservation modes. In one embodiment, the power module reduces the number of bits used to represent display data. Using the reduced number of bits, the display data may be processed at slower speeds and less active communications lines are needed to provide the display data to a display device or screen. Furthermore, a frame rate used to output display data can also be reduced. Accordingly, by reducing an amount of data output through a display port, power consumption associated with display data processing and display can be reduced. In one embodiment, the display-monitoring module 500 is part of a set of hardware components used to process display content for output through a display device. While display content is discussed in reference to display-monitoring module 500 , it should be appreciated that other forms of content may also be monitored without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, audio content to be output may be monitored to determine a power mode to be initiated.
The systems described herein may be part of an information handling system. The term “information handling system” refers to any system that is capable of processing information or transferring information from one source to another. An information handling system may be a single device, such as a computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a hand held computing device, a cable set-top box, an Internet capable device, such as a cellular phone, and the like. Alternatively, an information handling system may refer to a collection of such devices. It should be appreciated that the system described herein has the advantage of dynamically reducing power consumption in response to system activity.
In the preceding detailed description of the embodiments, reference has been made to the accompanying drawings which form a part thereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the disclosure may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the disclosure, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that logical, mechanical and electrical changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure. To avoid detail not necessary to enable those skilled in the art to practice the disclosure, the description may omit certain information known to those skilled in the art. Furthermore, many other varied embodiments that incorporate the teachings of the disclosure may be easily constructed by those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the present disclosure is not intended to be limited to the specific form set forth herein, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents, as can be reasonably included within the spirit and scope of the disclosure. The preceding detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present disclosure is defined only by the appended claims. | A system and method are provided for reducing power consumption within a video processing portion of a system. Activity associated within a video-processing portion of a personal digital assistant is analyzed. As reduced activity is identified, power conservation modes are implemented. In a normal mode of operation, a clock signal generated through an external oscillator is provided to a phase locked loop (PLL). An output clock signal from the PLL is then provided to several dividers to generate system clock signals. In a reduced mode of operation, the output clock from the external oscillator is provided to a divider, bypassing the PLL. Video processing components then use clock signals based on the external oscillator. In a suspend mode, both the PLL and the external oscillator are disabled. | 8 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates to digital rights management and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for managing a transaction right.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Nowadays, customers have been used to purchase and use e-books, music files, movie files and software files (generally referred to as digital content items hereinafter) in additional to the traditional counterparts such as paper books, CDs carrying music files, DVDs carrying movie files and Disks carrying software files. Furthermore, more and more customers have a need for reselling the digital content items purchased from content providers, just like they have been long permitted to resell the traditional counterparts.
[0003] The publication US 2011/0231273 A1 discloses a secondary market for previously sold digital media content. Each of the previously sold digital media content items can include a utilization right and a transfer right. The transfer right of a media content item grants a right to transfer ownership of the utilization right of the media content item to another. The transfer right can include multi lower level rights, such as different permission levels for this right, durations, restrictions, encoding, a right to reformat, a right to modify fidelity, a right to embody within specific tangible medium types (DVD, BluRay, flash memory, etc.), and the like.
[0004] In the publication US 2011/0231273 A1, a transfer right is introduced to define a right to resell a media content item, but there is no disclosure about the management of the transfer right.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The inventor of the present invention has recognized the following difficulties for resale of digital content items.
[0006] The resale of a digital content item is not realizable without a concrete solution for managing the right to resell the digital content item. The content provider may desire to place different restrictions on the resale for different digital content items or even for different utilization rights of the same digital content item granted to different users. Accordingly, the right to resell may be different for different digital content items or even for different utilization rights of the same digital content item. However, the number of the digital content items as well as the number of the utilization rights of each digital item is expected to be huge and increase continuously, and thus, individually setting and recording the right for each digital content item or even for each utilization right of the digital content item could require tremendous work and mass database.
[0007] Based on the understanding of the technical problems and prior art described above, it would be desirable to provide a solution for managing a right to resell a digital content item, such as creating and/or updating the rights. It would be also desirable to provide a mechanism for placing different right to resell for different digital item or even for different sold-out utilization rights of each digital content item with affordable complexity and cost.
[0008] To better address one or more of the above concerns, according to an embodiment of an aspect of the present invention, a method for managing a transaction right in a digital rights management server is provided. The transaction right is the right to a transaction of a utilization right of a digital content item. The method comprises steps of:
[0009] obtaining an attribute associated with the digital content item from metadata of the digital content item; and
[0010] generating the transaction right on the basis of a pre-stored rule and the attribute of the digital content item.
[0011] Since the transaction right is generated on the basis of the attribute of the digital content item, or in other words, the transaction right is dependent on the attribute of the digital content item, the generated transaction right of digital content items can be different if the corresponding attribute associated with the digital content items are different. Furthermore, in additional to the metadata, the generation of the transaction right only requires the pre-stored rule, resulting in affordable complexity and cost. Since the transaction right is also dependent on the pre-stored rule, the content providers need not to individually set the transaction right for each digital content item, but are still able to set the transaction right by setting the pre-stored rule. Additionally, the metadata of the digital content item is widely used in digital rights management, and thus, the provided method can be integrated into almost all kinds of digital rights management system without difficulties.
[0012] The digital content item can refer to any digitalized content item suitable for electronic transaction, including e-books, photograph files, music files, movie files, software files etc. or a combination thereof. The digital content item is unnecessary to be carried by any tangible object, but can be downloaded via internet, for example.
[0013] A transaction of a utilization right of a digital content item includes both a first-hand transaction in which the seller is a content provider and the seller grants the purchaser the utilization right of the digital content item and a second-hand transaction in which the ownership of the utilization right is transferred from the seller to the purchaser.
[0014] In another embodiment, the attribute is associated with at least one of type, length, author, publishing date, publishing price, transaction times, utilization times, and ranking of the digital content item. Since the attribute can be various, the transaction right can be set in a very flexible way.
[0015] Accordingly, the attribute can either be static (e.g. author, publishing date) or time-varying (e.g. transaction times, utilization times).
[0016] In another embodiment, the method further comprises updating the attribute on the basis of transactions and/or utilizations of the digital content item.
[0017] In this way, the attribute of the digital content item can be dynamic in accordance with the transactions and/or utilizations of the digital content item, and thus, the transaction right generated based thereon can also be dynamic.
[0018] In another embodiment, the transaction right comprises one or more right entries, and each right entry indicates one of the following restrictions for the transaction of the utility right of the digital content item: restriction on transaction times, restriction on transaction frequency, restriction on transaction time, restriction on a geographic area of the transaction, and restriction on price of the transaction.
[0019] In this way, the transaction right can contain various restrictions to meet various demands of the content providers.
[0020] In another embodiment, the method further comprises a step of obtaining transaction information of at least one transaction of the utilization right of the digital content item; and the step of generating comprises generating the transaction right on the basis of the pre-stored rule, the attribute of the digital content item and the transaction information of the at least one transaction.
[0021] Since the generated transaction right is not only dependent on the attribute of the digital content item but also dependent on at least one transaction of the utilization right of the digital content item, the transaction right of a digital content item can be set differently for different utilization rights of the digital content item.
[0022] In another embodiment, the transaction information of the at least one transaction is recorded in a license for the utilization right.
[0023] Since the license for the utilization right can only be modified by the digital management server, the transaction information can be prevented from any malicious modification.
[0024] In another embodiment, the method further comprises:
[0025] obtaining the transaction right;
[0026] obtaining transaction information of at least one transaction of the utilization right of the digital content item; and
[0027] updating the transaction right on the basis of the transaction information of the at least one transaction and at least one of the attribute, the obtained transaction right, and the pre-stored rule.
[0028] In another embodiment, the transaction right of the utilization right is recorded in a license for the utilization right.
[0029] In another embodiment, the method further comprises steps of:
[0030] receiving a request for the transaction right before the step of obtaining the attribute, the request including the metadata of the digital content item; and
[0031] sending the transaction right after the step of generating the transaction right.
[0032] According to an embodiment of another aspect of the present invention, a first method for supporting a transaction of a utilization right of a digital content item is provided. A transaction right is the right to a transaction of the utilization right of the digital content item. The method comprising a step of:
[0033] sending a request for the transaction right to a digital rights management server, the request including the metadata of the digital content item, the metadata of the digital content item comprising an attribute associated with the digital content item;
[0034] wherein the transaction right is generated by the digital rights management server on the basis of a pre-stored rule and the attribute of the digital content item.
[0035] According to an embodiment of another aspect of the present invention, a second method for supporting a transaction of a utilization right of a digital content item is provided. A transaction right is the right to a transaction of the utilization right of the digital content item. The method comprises a step of:
[0036] receiving the transaction right from a digital rights management server, the transaction right being generated by a digital rights management server on the basis of a pre-stored rule and an attribute of the digital content item in metadata of the digital content item.
[0037] According to an embodiment of another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus in a digital rights management server for managing a transaction right is provided. The transaction right is the right to a transaction of a utilization right of a digital content item. The apparatus comprises:
[0038] an obtaining unit for obtaining an attribute associated with the digital content item from metadata of the digital content item; and
[0039] a generating unit for generating the transaction right on the basis of a pre-stored rule and the attribute of the digital content item.
[0040] According to an embodiment of another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for supporting a transaction of a utilization right of a digital content item is provided. A transaction right is the right to a transaction of the utilization right of the digital content item. The apparatus comprises:
[0041] a sending unit for sending a request for the transaction right to a digital rights management server, the request including the metadata of the digital content item, the metadata of the digital content item comprising an attribute associated with the digital content item;
[0042] wherein the transaction right is generated by a digital rights management server on the basis of a pre-stored rule and the attribute of the digital content item.
[0043] According to an embodiment of another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for supporting a transaction of a utilization right of a digital content item is provided. A transaction right is the right to a transaction of the utilization right of the digital content item. The apparatus comprises:
[0044] a receiving unit for receiving the transaction right, the transaction right being generated by a digital rights management server on the basis of a pre-stored rule and an attribute of the digital content item in metadata of the digital content item.
[0045] According to an embodiment of another aspect of the present invention, computer-executable instructions for managing a transaction right is provided. The transaction right is the right to a transaction of a utilization right of a digital content item. The computer-executable instructions are configured to perform the above-mentioned method for managing a transaction right in a digital rights management server.
[0046] According to an embodiment of another aspect of the present invention, computer-executable instructions for supporting a transaction of a utilization right of a digital content item is provided. A transaction right is a right to a transaction of the utilization right of the digital content item. The computer-executable instructions are configured to perform the above-mentioned first method for supporting a transaction of a utilization right of a digital content item.
[0000] According to an embodiment of another aspect of the present invention, computer-executable instructions for supporting a transaction of a utilization right of a digital content item is provided. A transaction right is a right to a transaction of the utilization right of the digital content item. The computer-executable instructions are configured to perform the above-mentioned second method for supporting a transaction of a utilization right of a digital content item.
[0047] These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiments described hereinafter.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0048] The above and other objects and features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0049] FIG. 1 depicts a flowchart of a method for managing a transaction right in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
[0050] FIG. 2 depicts a schematic diagram of managing a transaction right in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
[0051] FIG. 3 depicts a schematic diagram of a first apparatus for managing a transaction right, a second and third apparatuses for supporting a transaction as well as the interconnection among them in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and
[0052] FIG. 4 depicts a schematic diagram of an exemplary application scenario in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0053] Detailed description of the present invention is given below in connection with the accompanying drawings.
[0054] FIG. 1 depicts a flowchart of a method 100 for managing a transaction right in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0055] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a method for managing a transaction right in a digital rights management server is provided.
[0056] The transaction right is the right to a transaction of a utilization right of a digital content item. The digital content item can refer to any digitalized content item suitable for electronic transaction, including e-books, photograph files, music files, movie files, software files etc. or a combination thereof. The digital content item is unnecessary to be carried by any tangible object, but can be downloaded via internet, for example. A transaction of a utilization right of a digital content item includes both a first-hand transaction in which the seller is a content provider and the seller grants the purchaser the utilization right of the digital content item and a second-hand transaction in which the ownership of the utilization right is transferred from the seller to the purchaser.
[0057] Referring to FIG. 1 , the method 100 comprises a step S 120 of obtaining an attribute associated with the digital content item from metadata of the digital content item.
[0058] The attribute associated with the digital content item may also be referred to as intrinsic attribute of the digital content item, considering that the attribute is associated with the digital content item and is the same for any utilization right of the digital content item.
[0059] In an embodiment, the attribute is associated with at least one of type, length, author, publishing date, publishing price, transaction times, utilization times, and ranking of the digital content item.
[0060] The type of the digital content item can be the classified in accordance with the content of the digital content item. For example, in case that the digital content item is e-book, the types of the digital content item can include textbook, academic paper, classic novel, popular novel, newspaper, etc.
[0061] The transaction times can be the number of first-hand transactions or the number of first-hand and second-hand transactions, and the transaction times can be the total transaction times so far or can be counted over a pre-determined time period.
[0062] The ranking of the digital content item can be any ranking, for example, ranking in terms of popularity.
[0063] As it can be seen, the attribute can either be static (e.g. author, publishing date) or time-varying (e.g. transaction times, utilization times). In an embodiment, the method 100 can further comprise updating the attribute on the basis of transactions and/or utilizations of the digital content item. For example, the attribute associated with transaction times and/or utilization times shall be updated on the basis of transactions and/or utilizations of the digital content item. For another example, since the ranking of the digital content item can also be dependent on the transactions and/or utilization of the digital content item (e.g. more transactions, higher ranking), the attribute associated with ranking shall also be updated accordingly.
[0064] In an embodiment, a plurality of categories are defined for the digital content item according to at least one of type, length, author, publishing date, publishing price, transaction times, utilization times, and ranking of the digital content item, and the attribute of the digital content item includes the information indicating the category of the digital content item.
[0065] In general, the metadata of the digital content item comprises a plurality of fields. Accordingly, the intrinsic attribute of the digital content item can be one field of the metadata or a combination of two or more fields of the metadata.
[0066] The field of the metadata can be an existing field defined in the current standards, such as the author of the digital content item or the publishing date of the digital content item.
[0067] Alternatively, the field of the metadata can be a field newly defined for the purpose of transaction right management. For example, a field of transaction times can be defined and inserted in the metadata of the digital content item. For another example, a field of category can be defined and inserted in the metadata of the digital content item.
[0068] Further referring to FIG. 1 , the method 100 further comprises a step S 130 of generating the transaction right on the basis of a pre-stored rule and the attribute of the digital content item.
[0069] The step S 130 can be performed for different purposes. When there is no transaction right bonding with a digital content item, the step S 130 can be performed to create a transaction right for the digital content item. When there is a transaction right bonding with a digital content item, the step S 130 can be performed to update the transaction right. For example, the transaction right can be updated when the pre-stored rule is changed and/or when the attribute of the digital content item is changed.
[0070] Each transaction right comprises one or more right entries, and each right entry indicates one of the following restrictions for the transaction of the utility right of the digital content item: restriction on transaction times, restriction on transaction frequency, restriction on transaction time, restriction on a geographic area of the transaction, and restriction on price of the transaction.
[0071] In an embodiment, each right entry can comprise two parts, the type and the value. The type of right entries can include but not limited to the maximum number of transactions in a life time, the maximum transaction frequency, no permission of transaction in a time period after publishing, no permission of transaction for a time period after last transaction, geographic restriction, the lowest price of transaction, and pages range for preview. For example, if the type of a right entry is the maximum number of transaction time in a life time and the value of the right entry is 3, the right entry indicates that the digital content item cannot be transacted more than 3 times; if the type of a right entry is no permission of transaction in a time period after publishing and the value is 1, the right entry indicates that no second transaction is permitted within 1 year after publishing; if the type of a right entry is geographic restriction and the value is China, the right entry indicates that the digital content item can only be transacted within China.
[0072] The pre-stored rule can be set by publishers. In an embodiment, a plurality of rules are pre-stored, each of which are set by a different publisher. Alternatively, the pre-stored rule can be determined by the publisher and the retailer together.
[0073] According to the pre-stored rule, different transaction rights can be defined according to the intrinsic attribute of the digital content item.
[0074] Taking e-book as an example, if an e-book belongs to popular periodicals, popular web novels etc. and thus its value reduce quickly with the time, the transaction right of the book may be defined as not permitted in a time period or transaction for a limited times for a period. If an e-book belongs to classical novel and thus its value is stable, the transaction right of the book may be defined as limited number of transaction times. If an e-book belongs to newspaper and thus its value of the book is perishable soon, the transaction right of the book may be defined as not permitted to be transacted in a short time period. If an e-book belongs to academic paper and thus its value may be stable, the transaction right may be defined as not permitted to be transacted. If an e-book belongs to textbook and thus its value may be stable but reduce quickly for a particular user, the transaction right may be defined as limited number of transaction times for a long period as well as not permitted to be transacted again in a certain period.
[0075] According to an embodiment, in the case that the intrinsic attribute of the digital content item includes the information indicating the category of the digital content item, the pre-stored rule can comprise a plurality of transaction rights with each corresponding to one of the plurality of categories.
[0076] Further referring to FIG. 1 , the method 100 can further comprise a step S 110 before the step S 120 , and a step S 140 after the step S 130 . In the step S 110 , a request for the transaction right is received, and the request includes the metadata of the digital content item. The received meta data is then used in step S 120 to obtain the intrinsic attribute of the digital content item. In the step S 140 , the transaction right generated in the step S 130 is sent.
[0077] FIG. 2 depicts a schematic diagram of managing a transaction right in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Managing transaction right includes creating and/or updating transaction right.
[0078] As shown in FIG. 1 , the method for managing the transaction right comprises a step S 130 of generating the transaction right on the basis of the pre-stored rule and the attribute of the digital content item. Referring to FIG. 2 , managing 200 transaction right of the utilization right of the digital content item can be further on the basis of transaction information 230 and/or previous transaction right 240 in addition to the intrinsic attribute 210 and the pre-stored rule 220 .
[0079] The transaction information 230 refers to transaction information of at least one transaction of the utilization right of the digital content item.
[0080] The transaction information 230 can include the transaction information of the most recent transaction only. Alternatively, the transaction information 230 can include the transaction information of all transactions, including the first-hand transaction as well as any existing second-hand transactions.
[0081] The transaction information 230 can include statistical information such as the total amount of transaction times. Additionally or alternatively, the transaction information 230 can include transaction information for each of the at least one of the transactions. The transaction information of each transaction can include date of the transaction and/or price of the transaction. The transaction information of a transaction can include information about the seller and/or the purchaser such as geographic area where the seller and/or the seller is located and/or customer class of the seller and/or the purchaser. For example, the customer class may indicate whether the customer is a VIP customer not.
[0082] In an embodiment, when updating a transaction right, the previous transaction right 240 can be used with/without the pre-stored rule to generate the new transaction right 250 . For example, this is beneficial in the case in which the pre-stored rule is changed after the generation of the previous transaction right 240 , and at least some of the previous transaction right 240 shall not be impacted by the new pre-stored rule.
[0083] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the transaction information 230 as well as the transaction right 240 / 250 is recorded in the license for the utilization right. Since the license for the utilization right can only be modified by the digital management server, the transaction information can be prevented from any malicious modification.
[0084] The transaction right is to be managed in many different scenarios, some of which are illustratively described below.
[0085] In a first scenario, during a first-hand transaction of a utilization right of a digital content item occurs, a transaction right is created for the utilization right of the digital content item.
[0086] In a second scenario, during a second-hand transaction of a utilization right of a digital content item occurs, a transaction right is created if no transaction right is defined for the utilization right, or the transaction right of the utilization right is updated according to the second-hand transaction. For example, if the transaction right comprises a value for the number of allowed transaction times, the transaction right can be updated by decreasing the value by 1.
[0087] In a third scenario, no transaction right has been created for the utilization of a digital content item during any previous transaction of the digital content item, but a transaction right is created upon the request of the owner of the utilization right of a digital content item. For example, this can be applied for those digital content items sold out before the transaction right has ever been introduced to digital rights management.
[0088] In a fourth scenario, in response to a change in the pre-stored rule, all transaction right based on the pre-stored rule can be updated.
[0089] In a fifth scenario, in response to a change in the intrinsic attribute of a digital content item, the transaction right of each utilization right of the digital content item can be updated.
[0090] FIG. 3 depicts a schematic diagram of a first apparatus for managing a transaction right, a second and third apparatuses for supporting a transaction as well as the interconnection among them in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0091] Referring FIG. 3 , the first apparatus 310 for managing a transaction right comprises an obtaining unit 312 for obtaining an attribute associated with the digital content item from metadata of the digital content item and a generating unit 313 for generating the transaction right on the basis of a pre-stored rule and the attribute of the digital content item. Additionally, the first apparatus 310 can further comprise a receiving unit 311 and a sending unit 314 . The receiving unit 311 receives a request for the transaction right, which includes the metadata of the digital content item. The metadata of the digital content item is then forwarded to the obtaining unit 312 to obtain the attribute associated with the digital content item. The sending unit 314 receives the generated transaction right from the generating unit 313 and then sends the transaction right.
[0092] Further referring FIG. 3 , a second apparatus 320 for supporting a transaction comprises a sending unit 321 for sending a request for the transaction right, which includes the metadata of the digital content item. A third apparatus 330 for supporting a transaction comprises a receiving unit 331 for receiving a transaction right.
[0093] In an embodiment, the first apparatus 310 can reside within a digital management server. Alternatively, the first apparatus 310 can be separate from the digital management server but is communicatively coupled to the digital management server.
[0094] In an embodiment, the second apparatus 320 can reside in a transaction platform. The transaction platform can be operated by the publisher, the retailer or a third party. Typically, the platform should be authorized by the publisher and/or the retailer or else could be authorized by a same higher level organization, if the platform is operated by a third party. For example, when a deal is made for a transaction of a utilization right of a digital content item between two customers (i.e. a seller and a purchaser) on the transaction platform, the platform can send a request for transaction right to the first apparatus 310 . Additionally or alternatively, the second apparatus 320 can reside in a digital right management client of a customer. For example, when a customer sells a utilization right of a digital content item to another customer, he can directly sends a request for transaction right to the first apparatus 310 .
[0095] In an embodiment, the third apparatus 330 can reside in the transaction platform. For example, when the transaction platform receives a transaction right of a utilization right of a digital content item from the first apparatus, it then forwards the received transaction right to the owner of the utilization right, namely the purchaser in the dealt transaction. Additionally or alternatively, the third apparatus 330 can reside in a digital right management client of a customer. For example, when a customer purchases a utilization right of a digital content item from another customer, he can directly receives the transaction right of the utilization right from the first apparatus 310 .
[0096] FIG. 4 depicts a schematic diagram of an exemplary application scenario in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
[0097] In this embodiment, a license for a utilization right of an e-book comprises transaction right. Optionally, the license may further comprise a history record which contains transaction information of the past transactions of the utilization right.
[0098] In this embodiment, the metadata of an e-book includes an intrinsic attribute field carrying the attribute associated with the e-book. The attribute indicates the category of the e-book. For illustrative purpose, an example for the metadata of the e-book 400 is shown as follows:
Metadata: {e-book ID: 12345678; Title: XXXXX; Publisher ID: 87654321 Attribute: popular novel}
[0104] In this embodiment, a plurality of categories are defined according to e-book type, including newspaper, news periodicals, healthcare periodicals, popular science periodicals, popular novels, classic novels, academic paper, market report, textbook for primary and secondary schools, textbook for university. A number of rules are pre-stored in a rule database. Each rule corresponds to a different publisher. Each rule contains a plurality of transaction rights, each of which corresponds to one of the plurality of categories. For illustrative purpose, an example a pre-stored rule corresponding to a publisher with ID 87654321 is shown as follows. (Please note that only the transaction right for the category of popular novels are shown whilst the others are omitted for conciseness.)
[0000]
Pre-stored rule:
{Publisher ID: 87654321
Category 0: News paper
Category 1: News periodicals
Category 2: Healthcare periodicals
Category 3: Popular science periodicals
Category 4: Popular novels
{Transaction rule:
The amount of transaction times
{Restriction 1: <2 times in the first year
}
Geographic restriction: China;
Price range of transaction;
{Restriction 1: >75% in the first year
}
Pages range for preview
{Restriction 1: preface;
Restriction 2: <20 pages}
}
Category 5: Classic novels
Category 6: academic paper
Category 7: Market report
Category 8: Textbook for primary and secondary schools
Category 9: Textbook for university
Category ...}
[0105] In this embodiment, when the customer 451 purchases the utilization right of the e-book 400 from the publisher or the retailer, the transaction right of the utilization right is also generated and included in the license for the utilization right, and then the license is granted to the customer 451 . According to the exemplary metadata of the e-book 400 and the exemplary pre-stored rule shown in the above, the transaction right is generated as follows:
[0000]
Transaction rights:
{
The amount of transaction times
{Restriction 1: <2 times in the first year}
Geographic restriction: China;
Price range of transaction;
{Restriction 1: >75% in the first year}
}
[0106] With reference to FIG. 4 , the procedure for a transaction of a utilization right of an e-book 400 from a customer 451 to a customer 452 via a transaction platform 420 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention will be described below.
[0107] In step S 410 , the customer 451 who tries to resell the utilization right of e-book 400 to the customer 452 firstly sends a transaction request to the transaction platform 420 , for example via the digital rights management (DRM) client. The transaction request includes the e-book ID of the e-book 400 , the license for the utilization right of the e-book 400 which contains the transaction right, and the transaction information of the requested transaction including the user ID of the customer 451 , the user ID of the customer 452 who the customer 451 tries to resell the e-book to, the price, the date when the customer 451 purchased the e-book 400 . Alternative to the license for the utilization right of the e-book 400 , the transaction request can include the license ID of the license. As well-known, the DMR server 430 typically has a license database from which a license can be retrieved using the corresponding license ID.
[0108] After receiving the transaction request from the customer 451 , the transaction platform 420 check whether the requested transaction is permitted according to the transaction right and the transaction information of the requested transaction included in the transaction request. If the requested transaction is not permitted, the procedure is terminated. In this embodiment, assume that the date when the customer 451 purchases the e-book 400 is Jun. 19, 2012, the current date is Jul. 19, 2012, the customer 452 is located in China, and the price is 85% of the original price, and accordingly the transaction platform 420 determines that the requested transaction is permitted. Alternative to the transaction platform 420 , the DRM server 430 may check whether the requested transaction is permitted or not and inform the transaction platform 420 of the checking results.
[0109] Once determining that the requested transaction is permitted, the transaction platform 420 triggers the license acquisition process by sending a trigger to the DRM server 430 , wherein the license is to be granted to the purchaser of the permitted transaction, namely the customer 452 . The trigger comprises the metadata of the e-book 400 including the intrinsic attribute and the transaction information of the permitted transaction. The transaction platform 420 can obtain the metadata of the e-book 400 from the corresponding publisher 410 or from the customer 451 . Optionally, the trigger comprises all information in the transaction request.
[0110] When receiving the trigger from the transaction platform 420 , the DRM server 430 generates an updated transaction rights for the purchaser of the permitted transaction, namely the customer 452 as follows:
[0000]
Transaction right;
{
The amount of transaction times
{Restriction 1: <1 times in future 11 months}
Geographic restriction: China;
Price range of transaction;
{Restriction 1: >75% in future 11 month}
}
[0111] Next, the DRM server 430 generates a license for the utilization right of the e-book 400 which includes the updated transaction right.
[0112] In step S 430 , the DRM server 430 grants the generated license with the updated transaction right to the customer 452 .
[0113] As shown in FIG. 4 , the customer 452 downloads the e-book 400 from the transaction platform. Alternatively, the customer 452 may receive the e-book 400 directly from the customer 451 . Upon obtaining both the e-book 400 and the license for the utilization right of the e-book 400 , the customer 452 can read the e-book.
[0114] In step S 440 , the DRM server 430 instructs the DRM client of the customer 451 to destroy the license of the utilization right of the e-book 400 such that the customer 451 no long has the right to use the e-book 400 . In case that license for the utilization right of the e-book 400 contains license for utilization right of other e-books, the DRM server 430 may modify the license such that it no longer contains the license for the utilization right of the e-book 400 and then send the modified license to customer 451 .
[0115] A set of computer-executable instructions is further proposed to perform the methods described above. The instructions can resides in the sending unit, the obtaining unit, the generating unit and/or the receiving unit of the first apparatus, in the sending unit of the second apparatus and/or in the receiving unit of the third apparatus to perform any step of the above disclosed methods.
[0116] Although the present invention will be described with reference to the embodiment shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the present invention may be embodied in many alternate forms including any combination of hardware and software. In addition, any suitable size, shape or type of materials, elements, computer program elements, computer program code, or computer program modules could be used.
[0117] While discussed in the context of computer program code, it should be understood that the modules may be implemented in hardware circuitry, computer program code, or any combination of hardware circuitry and computer program code.
[0118] It should be noted that the above-mentioned embodiments illustrated rather than limit the invention and that those skilled in the art would be able to design alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. The embodiments are illustrative rather than restrictive. It is intended that the invention include all modifications and variations to the illustrated and described embodiments within the scope and spirit of the invention. In the claims, any reference signs placed between parentheses shall not be construed as limiting the claim. The word “comprising” does not exclude the presence of elements or steps not listed in a claim or in the description. The word “a” or “an” preceding an element does not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements. In the device claims enumerating several units, several of these units can be embodied by one and the same item of hardware or software. The usage of the words first, second and third, et cetera, does not indicate any ordering. These words are to be interpreted as names. | This invention provides a method for managing a transaction right in a digital rights management server. The transaction right is the right to a transaction of a utilization right of a digital content item. The method comprises steps of obtaining an attribute associated with the digital content item from metadata of the digital content item; and generating the transaction right on the basis of a pre-stored rule and the attribute of the digital content item. Since the transaction right is generated on the basis of the attribute of the digital content item, or in other words, the transaction right is dependent on the attribute of the digital content item, the generated transaction right of digital content items can be different if the corresponding attribute associated with the digital content items are different. Furthermore, in additional to the metadata, the generation of the transaction right only requires the pre-stored rule, resulting in affordable complexity and cost. Since the transaction right is also dependent on the pre-stored rule, the content providers need not to individually set the transaction right for each digital content item, but are still able to set the transaction right by setting the pre-stored rule. | 6 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to the electrochemical generation of power and, more specifically, to electrochemical fuel cells where diluting gases migrate from the cathode side of the cell's membrane electrode assembly to the anode side of the cell's membrane electrode assembly. For example, by way of illustration and not limitation, where oxygen from air is used as a cathode-side reactant in a fuel cell and hydrogen is used as the anode-side reactant in the fuel cell, the partial pressure of nitrogen in the air drives nitrogen through the membrane electrode assembly from the cathode side to the anode side, diluting the hydrogen fuel on the anode side of the fuel cell and leading to poor fuel cell performance.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0002] According to the present invention, fuel cell parameters and limited electrochemical fuel cell sensors are used to calculate the concentration of diluting gas on the anode side of the fuel cell. The calculated concentration is then used to optimize fuel cell efficiency and/or stability by controlling the evacuation of diluted fuel from the anode side of the cell.
[0003] In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention a device comprising an electrochemical fuel cell is provided. The fuel cell comprises a membrane electrode assembly interposed between an anode flow field and a cathode flow field of the fuel cell. A first reactant supply and a cathode flow field exhaust are placed in communication with the cathode flow field. Similarly, a second reactant supply and an anode flow field vent valve are placed in communication with the anode flow field. At least one condition monitor is configured to generate a signal indicative of a condition of a component of the fuel cell. A vent valve controller is programmed to control an operating state of the vent valve as a function of the condition signal and a calculated dilution gas crossover rate of the membrane electrode assembly.
[0004] In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, the concentration of dilution gas in the anode flow field is determined as a function of a calculated dilution gas crossover rate of the membrane electrode assembly. The vent valve is opened when the dilution gas concentration in the anode flow field is above a high threshold value and is closed when the dilution gas concentration in the anode flow field is below a low threshold value. To facilitate venting, the diluted anode gas is displaced with non-diluted reactant.
[0005] In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention, the dilution gas concentration is determined as a function of a signal indicative of a condition of a component of the fuel cell, a calculated dilution gas crossover rate of the membrane electrode assembly, or combinations thereof.
[0006] In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention, a method of operating a device comprising an electrochemical fuel cell is provided. According to the method, the dilution gas crossover rate of the membrane electrode assembly is calculated and the dilution gas concentration in the anode flow field is determined as a function of the calculated dilution gas crossover rate of the membrane electrode assembly. The vent valve is opened when the dilution gas concentration in the anode flow field is above a high threshold value and is closed when the dilution gas concentration in the anode flow field is below a low threshold value.
[0007] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved scheme for venting dilution gases from fuel cell anode flow fields. Other objects of the present invention will be apparent in light of the description of the invention embodied herein.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] The following detailed description of specific embodiments of the present invention can be best understood when read in conjunction with the following drawings, where like structure is indicated with like reference numerals.
[0009] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an electrochemical fuel cell according to the present invention; and
[0010] FIG. 2 is an illustration of a vehicle incorporating a fuel cell system according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0011] Referring to FIG. 1 , an electrochemical fuel cell 10 is illustrated schematically and comprises a membrane electrode assembly 20 interposed between a cathode flow field 30 and an anode flow field 40 of the fuel cell 10 . A first reactant supply R 1 and a cathode flow field exhaust 35 communicate with the cathode flow field 30 . A second reactant supply R 2 and an anode flow field vent valve 50 communicate with the anode flow field 40 .
[0012] A variety of condition monitors are configured to generate signals indicative of respective conditions of components of the fuel cell 10 . Condition signals generated according to the present invention may be utilized in a variety of ways. For example, one or more condition signals may be utilized to calculate the dilution gas crossover rate or to calculate a quantity of dilution gas entering or exiting the anode flow field 40 .
[0013] As is illustrated in FIG. 1 , condition monitors according to the present invention may comprise a cathode flow field pressure sensor 32 configured to monitor gas pressure within the cathode flow field 30 and an anode flow field pressure sensor 42 configured to monitor gas pressure within the anode flow field 40 . The cathode flow field pressure sensor 32 can be used to generate a signal indicative of the partial pressure of the dilution gas within the cathode flow field 30 and the anode flow field pressure sensor 42 can be used to generate a signal indicative of the partial pressure of the dilution gas within the anode flow field 40 . As is described in further detail below, these partial pressure values, a relative humidity value generated by a relative humidity sensor 44 , and a value generated by temperature sensor 22 configured to monitor a temperature of a component (e.g., the coolant) of the fuel cell 10 , can be used in the dilution gas crossover rate calculation of the present invention. Pressure and temperature signals utilized according to the present invention may be generated in a variety of suitable ways. For example, pressure signals can be derived from pressure transducers, cathode or anode mass flow monitors, algorithms, models, etc.
[0014] A vent valve controller 60 is programmed to control the operating state of the vent valve 50 as a function of the dilution gas concentration in the anode flow field, as calculated from the condition signal(s) and a calculated dilution gas crossover rate of the membrane electrode assembly 20 . In this manner, the vent valve controller 60 according to the present invention can control the operating state of the vent valve 50 independent of the operating output voltage of the fuel cell 10 .
[0015] The anode flow field vent valve 50 is preferably an electrically actuated solenoid or other suitable valve that enables the controller 60 to monitor and control the operating state of the vent valve 50 . More specifically, the vent valve 50 and controller 60 can be configured to cooperate to enable monitoring and control of the amount of gas passing there through. In this manner, further operating condition data may be provided to enable more precise control of fuel cell operations according to the present invention. For example, according to one aspect of the present invention, the flow rate Q across the vent valve 50 is determined by utilizing one of the following two relations:
Q = 16.05 * C v P 1 2 - P 2 2 T ( ∘ R ) * S g ( where P 1 P 2 < 1.89 ) and Q = 13.63 * C v * P 1 1 T ( ∘ R ) * S g ( where P 1 P 2 > 1.89 ) and
where P 1 and P 2 represent respective absolute pressures at the inlet and outlet of the valve, T represents temperature, S g represents the specific gravity of the gas flowing through the valve, and C v represents the valve flow coefficient (defined as gallons of water per minute at 1 psid and 60° F.). The specific gravity S g of the gas can be determined according to the following equation:
S g = M W gas M W air
where MW gas and MW air denote the respective molecular weights of gas and air. In the context of H 2 , H 2 O, N 2 and O 2 moving through the valve, the specific gravity of the gas can be determined according to the following equation utilizing the respective molar fractions mf of the various components moving through the valve:
S g = mf H 2 * 2.016 + mf H 2 O * 18.015 + mf N 2 * 28.013 + mf O 2 * 31.999 ( 0.0126 * 18.015 ) + ( 0.7815 * 28.013 ) + ( 0.2059 * 31.999 )
[0016] The flow rate Q across the vent valve 50 can also be determined by utilizing the following relation derived from Darcy's equation for the flow of compressible fluids:
Q = 1360 * F p * C v * P 1 * Y * x S g * T 1 * Z
where Q is in standard cubic feet per hour, C v is the valve flow coefficient defined as gallons of water per minute at 1 psid at 60° F., P 1 is upstream pressure in pounds per square inch absolute, P 2 is downstream pressure in pounds per square inch absolute, Y is the expansion factor, x is the pressure drop ratio, Sg is the specific gravity of the gas through the valve, T 1 is the temperature of the gas, Z is the compressibility factor. When the valve inlet and outlet piping is sized properly, the piping factor F p can be taken as ˜1. In the context of O 2 , N 2 , H 2 , and H 2 O, the compressibility factor Z can be taken as ˜1.
[0017] The expansion factor Y can be taken as:
Y = 1 - x 3 * F k * x t
where
F k = k 1.4 ,
x is the pressure drop ratio, x, is the terminal pressure drop ratio, F k is the ratio of specific heat factor (about 1 in the context of O 2 , N 2 , H 2 , and H 2 O), and K is the ratio of specific heats (about 1.39 in the context of O 2 , N 2 , H 2 , and H 2 O). The pressure drop ratio x is
x = P 1 - P 2 P 1 .
The terminal pressure drop ratio x, is specific to a valve's geometry and may be determined experimentally. When x>F k *x t the flow is critical and F k *x t can be used in place of x in the flow rate equation:
Q = 1360 * C v * P 1 * Y * F k * x T S g * T 1
[0018] The dilution gas crossover rate of the fuel cell 10 may be calculated from model fuel cell parameters, physical measurements of the fuel cell, operational parameters of the fuel cell, sensed operating conditions of the fuel cell, or combinations thereof. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the dilution gas crossover rate of the fuel cell is calculated as a function of fuel cell temperature and an estimate of nitrogen partial pressure across the membrane electrode assembly. More specifically, the dilution gas crossover rate Vi can be calculated from data representing P i , a temperature dependent permeation coefficient of the membrane; A, membrane surface area; Δp i , partial pressure differential of the dilution gas across the membrane; and t membrane thickness. The following equation is representative of such a calculation:
V N 2 = 10 - 10 P N 2 A Δ p N 2 t .
[0019] As is noted above, the permeation coefficient Pi of the membrane electrode assembly can be determined as a function of fuel cell temperature. For example, where the dilution gas comprises nitrogen and the membrane electrode assembly comprises NAFION, the permeation coefficient P i of the membrane can be determined according to the following equation:
P N 2 =3.07*10 4 e −2160/T
where T represents fuel cell temperature. It is contemplated that the permeation coefficients of similar materials can be represented with similar or analogous equations while different types of materials can be represented by different permeation coefficient equations.
[0020] It is noted that many dilution gas crossover rate calculations according to the present invention will necessitate an estimation of nitrogen partial pressure across the membrane electrode assembly. An estimation or determination of nitrogen partial pressure across the membrane electrode assembly may be made in any one of a variety of suitable ways, e.g., by integrating ΔP i across the membrane, utilizing partial pressure determinations on opposite sides of the membrane, etc. Specifically, an estimate can be determined from N C and N A , where N C represents nitrogen partial pressure in the cathode flow field and N A represents nitrogen partial pressure in the anode flow field. The nitrogen partial pressure in the cathode flow field N C can be determined from the molar fraction of nitrogen in the first reactant supply and cathode flow field temperature, pressure, and H 2 O vaporization pressure. The cathode flow field temperature and pressure can be taken as an average of a measurement at an inlet of the cathode flow field and an outlet of the cathode flow field.
[0021] The nitrogen partial pressure in the anode flow field N A can be determined from the molar fraction of nitrogen in the anode flow field mf N 2 and anode flow field pressure P tot :
mf N 2 = n N 2 n anode where , n H 2 O + n H 2 + n N 2 = n anode then , N A = P tot * n N 2 n anode
where n H 2 O , n H 2 , n N 2 represent respective amounts of water vapor, hydrogen, and nitrogen in the anode flow field. The amount of water vapor in the anode flow field is determined according to the following equation:
n H 2 O = RH * P vap * n anode P tot
where RH represents the relative humidity in the anode, P vap represents the vapor pressure of water in the anode, and P tot represents the anode operating pressure. The relative humidity RH in the anode may be determined through direct measurements or calculations based upon measured variables, estimated variables, predetermined values, and combinations thereof.
[0024] The vent valve controller 60 may be programmed to integrate the crossover rate to yield a molar fraction calculation of the dilution gas in the anode flow field 40 and calculate an aggregate dilution gas concentration in the anode flow field 40 . A signal representing the amount of gas vented through the anode flow field vent valve 50 can be used to calculate the aggregate dilution gas concentration.
[0025] According to one aspect of the present invention, when the concentration of the dilution gas in the anode flow field 40 is determined as a function of the calculated dilution gas crossover rate, the vent valve 50 is opened when the dilution gas concentration in the anode flow field 40 is above a high threshold value. The valve 50 is closed when the dilution gas concentration in the anode flow field 40 is below a low threshold value. Suitable high and low threshold values will vary depending upon the requirements of the specific fuel cell system at issue. By way of example, and not limitation, in the context of a fuel cell utilizing oxygen from air as the first reactant R 1 , and Hydrogen as the second reactant R 2 , a suitable high threshold value corresponding to the mol fraction of the dilution gas (N 2 ) may be in the area of about 25%. A suitable low threshold value in such a context would be significantly below 25%, depending on the fuel cell requirements. The difference in the respective values of the upper and lower threshold determines how often the vent valve 50 cycles to and from an open state and how long the valve 50 remains in the open and closed states.
[0026] Although the present invention is not limited to any specific reactant compositions, it will be appreciated by those practicing the present invention and generally familiar with fuel cell technology that the first reactant supply R 1 typically comprises oxygen and nitrogen while the second reactant supply R 2 comprises hydrogen. In which case, the calculated dilution gas crossover rate corresponds to a rate at which the nitrogen from the first reactant supply R 1 crosses the membrane electrode assembly 20 from the cathode flow field 30 to the anode flow field 40 .
[0027] The fuel cell 10 further comprises a data store 70 in communication with the vent valve controller 60 . The data store preferably provides data for use in the valve control operations of the controller 60 . For example, the data store 70 may be configured to provide respective dilution gas crossover rates that correspond to different sensed fuel cell component operating conditions. The data store 70 may also incorporate a plurality of fuel cell condition signal data sets and may be configured to provide respective dilution gas crossover rates that correspond to various combinations of the fuel cell condition signal data sets. For example, the fuel cell condition signal data sets may comprise a cathode flow field pressure data set and an anode flow field pressure data set and the controller may cooperate with the data store to calculate a specific dilution gas crossover rate corresponding to particular values within the cathode and anode flow field data sets. Other data sets that may be held within the data store 70 include, but are not limited to, a fuel cell temperature data set, an anode flow field vent valve data set, and combinations thereof.
[0028] Referring now to FIG. 2 , a fuel cell system according to the present invention may be configured to operate as a source of power for a vehicle 100 . Specifically, fuel from a fuel storage unit 120 may be directed to the fuel cell stack or other fuel cell assembly 110 configured to convert fuel, e.g., H2, into electricity. The electricity generated is subsequently used as a motive power supply for the vehicle 100 where the electricity is converted to torque and vehicular translational motion. It is also contemplated that a fuel cell system according to the present invention may be configured to operate as part of a stationary generator for a distributed power network.
[0029] It is noted that terms like “preferably,” “commonly,” and “typically” are not utilized herein to limit the scope of the claimed invention or to imply that certain features are critical, essential, or even important to the structure or function of the claimed invention. Rather, these terms are merely intended to highlight alternative or additional features that may or may not be utilized in a particular embodiment of the present invention.
[0030] For the purposes of describing and defining the present invention it is noted that the term “device” is utilized herein to represent a combination of components and individual components, regardless of whether the components are combined with other components. For example, a “device” according to the present invention may comprise a fuel cell, a fuel cell stack, a vehicle incorporating a fuel cell or fuel cell stack, etc.
[0031] For the purposes of describing and defining the present invention it is noted that the term “substantially” is utilized herein to represent the inherent degree of uncertainty that may be attributed to any quantitative comparison, value, measurement, or other representation. The term “substantially” is also utilized herein to represent the degree by which a quantitative representation may vary from a stated reference without resulting in a change in the basic function of the subject matter at issue.
[0032] Having described the invention in detail and by reference to specific embodiments thereof, it will be apparent that modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention defined in the appended claims. More specifically, although some aspects of the present invention are identified herein as preferred or particularly advantageous, it is contemplated that the present invention is not necessarily limited to these preferred aspects of the invention. | Fuel cell parameters and limited electrochemical fuel cell sensors are used to calculate the concentration of diluting gas on the anode side of the fuel cell. The calculated concentration is then used to optimize fuel cell efficiency and/or stability by controlling the evacuation of diluted fuel from the anode side of the cell. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention the dilution gas crossover rate of the membrane electrode assembly is calculated and the dilution gas concentration in the anode flow field is determined as a function of the crossover rate. The vent valve is opened when the dilution gas concentration in the anode flow field is above a high threshold value and is closed when the dilution gas concentration in the anode flow field is below a low threshold value. | 8 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a container or cassette for storing items within and having a mechanism for indicating when unauthorized opening of the container has taken place. Such a container may, for example, be a cassette for storing currency therein, designed for use in an automated teller machine (ATM) which is capable of automatic dispensing of currency in response to the direction of a customer who provides proper identification and directions for a withdrawal from the customer's account.
Currency cassettes used with automated teller machines are frequently provided with two openings and complementary doors. Currency is loaded into the cassette through a first opening which may be in the top of the cassette, and is dispensed through a second opening, which may be at one end of the cassette. With the cassette operatively positioned within the ATM, the door of the second opening is held open, and a picker mechanism of the ATM picks one bill at a time from the cassette for dispensing by the ATM. Such a cassette is, for example, shown in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 522,449, filed Aug. 12, 1983, inventors Robert H. Granzow et al., assigned to the assignee of the present application, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,529,119, issued July 16, 1985. A similar cassette is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,275,667, issued June 30, 1981, inventor Graham H. Hilton.
Other cassettes of various types having tamper indicating and/or prevention mechanisms are disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No. 509,488, filed June 30, 1983, inventors Keir et al., now U.S. Pat. No. 4,508,260, issued Apr. 2, 1985, and in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 522,448, filed Aug. 12, 1983, inventors Granzow et al., now U.S. Pat. No. 4,529,118, issued July 16, 1985, both assigned to the assignee of the present application.
Loading of cassettes with currency is normally done at a central location, such as a central bank. The upper door or lid is then closed and may be secured, as by a seal, for example, which would reveal any unauthorized attempt to open the cassette. The cassettes may then be transported to ATMs at remote locations by appropriate conveyance, such as an armored truck. After the currency in a cassette has been exhausted, or substantially exhausted, it is transported back to the central location for reloading.
In order to minimize the likelihood of unauthorized opening of the second door of a cassette to extract currency through the associated opening, it is desirable to provide some type of security feature which will either prevent the unauthorized opening of said second door, or will provide some indication that such an unauthorized opening has taken place. On the other hand, it is necessary to permit at least one opening of said second door to permit said door to open at the time the cassette is first inserted into its ATM for currency dispensing.
To meet this need, various types of "secure" cassettes have been developed. These "secure" cassettes generally have mechanical or electrical systems which prevent unauthorized access into the cassette by such persons as the persons delivering the cassettes to the ATMs and the persons installing the cassettes in the ATMs.
In one prior-art cassette, for example, as shown in the previously-mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,275,667, the door associated with the opening through which currency passes for dispensing by the ATM is locked in a closed position after the cassette is loaded with currency, and during transit to the ATM in which it is to be used. As the cassette is moved into engagement with the ATM, the door is opened by engagement with protruding elements of the ATM, in order to permit the ATM to extract currency from the cassette. When the number of bills remaining in the cassette decreases to a predetermined minimum, an authorized person removes the cassette from the ATM, and it is sent back to the central location for reloading.
As the cassette is removed from the ATM, the door closes and is latched in the closed position before the cassette is completely removed from the ATM. The cassette is constructed so that the door associated with the bill dispensing opening may be opened once, as when it is inserted into the ATM. When it is removed from the ATM, it is latched, as previously mentioned, and must then be returned to the central location for opening and refilling.
The above arrangement prevents unauthorized access to the cassette, but is somewhat lacking in flexibility. For example, it may sometimes be necessary to remove the cassette from the ATM in order to clear currency jams. A cassette having the above construction would then have to be sent back to the central location for service, even though the currency therein was not exhausted, since the door to the currency exit opening would be latched and could not be opened again without service.
In a second type of cassette, such as is disclosed in the previously cited U.S. patent application Ser. No. 522,449, the door in question can be opened a predetermined number of times before it becomes latched shut. The number of times that the door has been opened is shown on an indicator in the cassette. A requirement can be made, by the bank or other institutions using the cassette, that a written explanation be provided each time the door is opened, thus maintaining a degree of security in connection with use of the cassette.
It will be noted that both of the above arrangements involve a latching of the currency exit door after one or more openings of said door. In some instances, it may be desirable to provide some degree of cassette security without any latching of the cassette door. One advantage of such an arrangement is lower cost and decreased complexity for such a cassette. A second advantage is the elimination of possible damage to an ATM or a cassette which might otherwise take place during an attempt to force a latched cassette into an ATM.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In the container of the present invention, security is provided by maintaining a count of the number of times that a container door is opened, while preventing such count from exceeding a predetermined maximum or from cycling past said maximum number back to an initial or zero number.
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a tamper indicating container comprises a casing having first and second apertures therein; first door means operatively associated with said first aperture and movable between open and closed positions; second door means operatively associated with said second aperture and movable between open and closed positions; means to secure said second door means in closed position and to provide an indication when said second door means has been opened; means for moving said first door means to open position to enable items to be removed from said container and movable to said closed position after a desired number of items have been removed therefrom; indicator means movable incrementally from an initial position to a maximum count number position to provide an indication of the number of times up to the maximum that the first door means has been opened; advancing means for advancing said indicator means incrementally each time up to the maximum that said first door means is opened; interrupt means for preventing the advancing means from advancing the indicator means from the maximum count number position to the initial position by further opening of the first door means; and reset means operable when said second door means is opened to disable said interrupt means to permit said indicator means to be reset to said initial position.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an effective inexpensive tamper indicating container.
A further object is to provide a tamper indicating cassette in which opening of a door thereof advances a counter to provide a visible indication of the number of times such door has been opened up to a predetermined maximum.
A further object is to provide a tamper indicating cassette in which a numerical indication of the number of times a first door has been opened, up to a predetermined maximum count, is provided, and in which said indication may be reset to an initial position when a second door is opened.
With these and other objects, which will become apparent from the following description, in view, the invention includes certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, one form or embodiment of which is hereinafter described with reference to the drawings which accompany and form a part of this specification.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a currency cassette in which the present invention is embodied, also showing a portion of an ATM which the cassette is engaging.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view, partially broken away, of a currency cassette in which the present invention is embodied, and the interior thereof, also showing a portion of an ATM with which the cassette is engaged.
FIG. 3 is a plan view of the cassette of FIGS. 1 and 2, partially broken away, showing a first door-controlled mechanism for advancing the indicator and a second mechanism for operating a reset mechanism to enable the indicator to be reset to an initial position.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the cassette showing the indicator, the advancing mechanism therefor, and the interrupt mechanism for preventing further movement of the indicator past a predetermined maximum count.
FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the cassette, similar to FIG. 4, and also showing the reset mechanism for disabling the interrupt mechanism.
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of the cassette taken along line 6--6 of FIG. 4 and showing the indicator and the arrangement by which it can be viewed from outside the cassette.
FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 7--7 of FIG. 6.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the indicator and the ratchet wheel to which it is fixed.
FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view, showing the indicator and attached ratchet wheel, the pawl mechanism for advancing the ratchet wheel, the interrupt mechanism for halting further movement of the indicator and ratchet wheel, and the reset mechanism for disabling the interrupt mechanism.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, a perspective view is shown of a currency cassette 20, in a position in which it is to be inserted into an ATM 22. In the illustrated embodiment, side rails 24 on each side of the casing 21 of the cassette 20 ride on a frame 25 in the ATM, and projections 26 of the ATM pass through slots 28 in the cassette 20 to engage mechanism within the cassette 20 to cause a shuttered door 30 , shown closed in FIG. 1, to open, as shown in FIG. 2, thereby enabling currency 32 (FIG. 2) to be picked from the cassette 20 by a picker 35 in the ATM 22. The ATM 22 may, for example, be a Class 5080 ATM marketed by NCR Corporation, Dayton, Ohio. The mechanism by which the projections 26 cause the opening of the door 30 forms no part of the present invention, and is disclosed in detail in the previously cited U.S. application Ser. No. 522,449. The cassette 20 also includes a second closure or lid 34 which is connected to the casing 21 by a hinge 36 and is movable between the closed position shown in FIG. 1 and the open position shown in dashed outline 34' in FIG. 2. When the cassette 20 is in operative relationship within the ATM 22, the lid 34 is closed as shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is essentially a diagrammatic showing to facilitate a description of the cassette 20.
The cassette 20 (FIG. 1) also includes a seal 38 which is mounted in a well 40 to provide a device for locking the lid 34 in closed position, and providing a readily-ascertainable indication if the lid 34 has been opened by an unauthorized person. Locating the seal 38 in the well 40 presents a flush appearance of the cassette 20 to the ATM 22. The seal 38 includes a steel ring 42 which is used to rotate a finger lever (not shown) located under the lid to coast with a flange 44 to lock the lid 34 in the position shown in FIG. 1. After the cassette 20 is loaded with currency and prepared for use in an ATM, the ring 42 is pivoted to a vertical plane (as viewed in FIG. 1) and rotated in a clockwise direction to lock the lid 34 in closed position. Thereafter, the ring 42 is moved to the horizontal or flat position shown in FIG. 1 in which a portion of the ring lies between two spaced upright extensions 46 and 48 which are secured to the lid 34. A plastic "wire" (not shown) is then inserted through the openings 50 in the extensions 46 and 48 and "sealed." The lid 34 cannot be opened until the seal 38 is broken to permit the ring 42 to be raised to the vertically oriented operating plane mentioned. Breaking the seal 38 provides an indication that the lid 34 has been opened.
The cassette 20 is loaded with a stack 52 of currency 32 which is supported on a conventional currency support structure 54 which is detachably secured to the casing 21 by flanges 56 and 58, for example, which are secured to anchor areas (not shown) inside the cassette 20 so as to enable tne support structure 54 to be removed only when the lid 34 is in the open position, as shown at 34 in FIG. 2. The support structure 54 includes a back-up plate 60 which is biased by a spring (not shown) to urge the stack 52 of currency toward the picker mechanism 35. For a picking operation to take place, the door 30 must be open. The construction and operation of said door are shown and described in detail in the previously cited U.S. application Ser. No. 522,449. The stack 52 of bills in restrained at the open end of the cassette 20 by conventional means (not shown) so as to enable the picker mechanism 35 to pick successively the first bill 32 in the currency stack 52 to perform the cash dispensing function mentioned earlier herein. After a bill is picked, it is transferred by transport mechanisms (not shown) within the ATM to a receptacle, for example, where additional bills may be collected in response to the monetary amount requested by a customer, prior to making the bills accessible to the customer as a result of a routine cash dispensing operation.
As explained in the previously-cited U.S. application Ser. No. 522,449, movement of the door 30 from closed to open position causes a camming lever 62 to be moved to the right as viewed in FIG. 3, while movement of said door from open to closed position causes movement of said lever to the left to the position in which it is shown in FIG. 3. A bell crank lever 64 is pivotally mounted on a pin 66 which is upstanding from and fixed to the bottom 68 of the casing 21. A stud 70 is fixed to the underside of bell crank lever 64 to coact with a cam surface 72 on the camming lever 62. When the camming lever 62 moves to the right, as viewed in FIG. 3, as the door 30 is being opened, the cam surface 72 and the stud 70 coact to rotate the bell crank lever 64 in a counterclockwise direction, which performs two functions. First, it acts through a link 74 to operate a pawl 76 which is rotatably mounted on a pivot 78 fixed to the floor or bottom 68 of the casing 21. The pawl 76 coacts with a ratchet wheel 80 fixed to an indicator 82. The combined ratchet wheel 80 and indicator 82 are rotatably mounted on a shaft 84 fixed to the bottom of the casing 21, and held on the shaft 84 by a fastener 85. Secondly, the crank lever 64 moves a slide member 86 out of the side wall 88 of the casing 21 to coact with an abutment member (not shown) of the ATM 22 to prevent the cassette 20 from being withdrawn from the ATM until the door 30 is closed.
When the crank lever 64 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 3, the pawl 76 rotates in a clockwise direction, causing a tooth 90 on the pawl 76 to engage one of the teeth 92 on the ratchet wheel 80, as best shown in FIG. 5. As the tooth 90 on the pawl 76 moves toward a tooth 92, a centering tooth 94, also on the pawl 76, moves out of engagement with the ratchet wheel 78, permitting the pawl 76 to index the ratchet wheel 78 one tooth or one position in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 5. When the cassette 20 is removed from the ATM 22, the door 30 will be closed and the bell crank 64 will be rocked in a clockwise direction, shifting the link 74 to the left as viewed in FIG. 5 and causing the pawl 76 to rock about its pivot 78 in a counterclockwise direction to move the centering tooth 94 into engagement with the ratchet wheel 78, thereby retaining said wheel and the indicator 80 against movement, while the tooth 90 on the pawl 76 is rocked out of engagement with the ratchet wheel 78.
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6 to inclusive, the indicator is provided around the periphery of its top surface with consecutive numbers 96 for indicating the number of times that the door 30 has been opened. In addition, similar consecutive numbers 98 are provided along the vertical circumferential surface 100 of the indicator 82. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the numbers 98 are offset by one position from the numbers 96, as best shown in FIG. 8. Openings 102 and 104, in the support structure 54 and the rear wall 106, with a protective window 108 of glass or appropriate transparent material in the rear wall 106, are provided to enable the numbers 96 and 98 to be viewed from the interior and exterior of the cassette 20.
When the cassette 20 is filled with currency at a central location, the indicator is reset to a zero position, in a manner which will be subsequently described. Thereafter, each time the door 30 is opened, the pawl 76 coacts with the ratchet wheel 80 to advance the indicator by one position.
In the absence of other mechanism, the ratchet wheel 80 would continue to be advanced one position by the pawl 76 each time that the door 30 is opened, and would thus advance through the highest number of the indicator 82 and back to the zero position and beyond. It would thus be simple for a person wishing to obtain unauthorized access to the cassette 20 simply to continue to move the cassette 20 into and out of the ATM 22, thereby in effect erasing the indication on the indicator 82 of an unauthorized entry.
As indicated previously, some prior-art cassettes have means to cause a lock-up of the cassette door when more than a permitted number of openings of the cassette take place. However the locking of the cassette could result in damage to the cassette or ATM if an effort is made to force the cassette into the ATM. Also the locking of the cassette would prevent its use for any purpose until it has been reset at a central location. It may therefore be seen that a means of providing an indication of unauthorized opening of the cassette without causing locking of said cassette would be a useful feature. In such an arrangement, a sufficiently high number of allowable positions (13 in the illustrated embodiment) is provided that it would be unlikely that this capacity would ever be exceeded in legitimate use of the cassette.
This indication of unauthorized opening of the cassette is achieved in the present invention by the provision of a projection 110 on the ratchet wheel 80 which rotates with said ratchet wheel. A surface 112 on an arm 114 (FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 9) is located in the circular path of movement of the projection 110 when the arm 114 is in a blocking position. The arm 114 is mounted for linear sliding movement on a second arm 116 by means of a slot 118 in the arm 114, in which ride a first stud 120 on the arm 116 and a second stud 122 which also serves as a pivot for rotatably mounting the arm 116 on the cassette floor 68. A spring 124 extending between projections 127 and 128 of the arms 114 and 116, respectively, urges the arm 114 upward to the right, as viewed in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, toward a position of engagement with the projection 110.
It will be seen that when the surface 112 is positioned in the path of movement of the projection 110, and when the indicator is attempted to be operated from position 13 to position zero by interaction of the pawl 76 and the ratchet wheel 80, the projection 110 engages the surface 112 and shifts the arm 114 downward with respect to the arm 116 against the force of the spring 124, to a position partially shown in dashed outline 114'. Then, when the pawl is rocked counterclockwise as the cassette 20 is withdrawn from the ATM 22, the surface 112 moves the projection 110 backward in a clockwise direction under the force of the spring 124, to return the indicator to its former position 13. Ths continues to take place for each additional movement of the cassette 20 into and out of the ATM 22. A person inspecting the cassette can therefore note that the indicator is set to position 13, a higher-numbered position than it would be likely to have been set to in legitimate operations, and can question those who were responsible for custody of the cassette.
When the cassette 20 is returned to the central location for reloading, the seal 38 is broken and the lid 34 is opened to add currency to the cassette. Opening of the lid 34 exposes a manually operable handle 126 which extends through an opening 128 in the currency support structure 54. and which is fixed to a lever 130 pivotably mounted on a stud 132 secured to the cassette floor 68. The lever 130 is urged in a clockwise direction by a spring 134 extending between said levers and a stud 136 secured to the cassette floor 68. A link 138 couples the lever 130 to the arm 116.
When it is desired to reset the indicator 82 to its zero position, the handle 126 is grasped and is moved in a direction upward and to the right, as viewed in FIG. 3. This rocks the lever 130 in a counterclockwise direction about its pivot 132 against the force of the spring 134. This movement is transmitted by the link 138 to the arm 116, and rocks it in a counterclockwise direction about the pivot 122. The arm 114, which is carried by the arm 116, and the surface 112 on the arm 114, accordingly also are rocked in a counterclockwise direction. This shifts the surface 112 out of the path of movement of the projection 110 on the ratchet wheel 80, and permits the indicator 82 to be set manually to the zero position.
The cassette 20, after being reloaded with currency and having its indicator 82 reset to zero position, is once again ready to be transported from the central location to an ATM 22, in which it can be placed for the dispensing of currency.
While the form of the invention shown and described herein is admirably adapted to fulfill the objects aforesaid, it is to be understood that other and further modifications of the disclosed apparatus within the scope of the following claims may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. | A currency cassette for an automated teller machine is provided with a counter for maintaining a count of the number of times that a currency access door of said cassette has been opened, and is further provided with an interrupt mechanism for prohibiting said count from exceeding a predetermined amount and returning to a zero count. Reset mechanism is provided for disabling the interrupt mechanism to permit the counter to be reset to zero when the cassette is returned from the automated teller machine to a central location for reloading with currency when the currency contained in the currency cassette has been depleted by dispensing through the automated teller machine. | 8 |
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention resides in a new truss geometry. The “channel truss” employs parallel longitudinal members or chords (typically four) to define the truss cross-section (typically rectangular). The “channel truss” also employs at least one additional (typically fifth) longitudinal member, also parallel to the other members, that additional member recessed within the cross-section defined by the other members, away from the planes passing through adjacent chords. The additional member is structurally interconnected with the other members, but the design of the “channel truss” is such that no structural elements impinge in the volume defined by the additional member and two adjacent main chords. The result is a truss having an open channel defined within its profile, which channel and fifth member have advantages that will be described below.
[0002] Applications of the “channel truss” and additional adapters and accessories therefore will be described.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0003] [0003]FIG. 1 is a section through a prior art truss having a rectangular truss having a rectangular cross-section.
[0004] [0004]FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the prior art truss of FIG. 1.
[0005] [0005]FIG. 3 is a section through a “channel truss” of the present invention.
[0006] [0006]FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the “channel truss” of FIG. 3.
[0007] [0007]FIG. 5 is a top/plan view of the “channel truss” of FIGS. 3 and 4.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0008] The application relates to trusses.
[0009] Long employed in various permanent applications, such as bridges and roofs, over the last thirty years an industry has arisen around the design, manufacture, and provision of trusses fabricated of aluminum, and intended for use in creating structures, often temporary, for the support of lighting equipment and scenic elements for live performances, special events, and displays.
[0010] Beginning in the early 1970s, companies supplying lighting and other-equipment to such applications began designing and building trusses for their own use. Because of the competitive advantages to be gained with a truss of improved design and the relative ease with which new designs could be fabricated, a large number and wide variety of different designs produced over the years.
[0011] By the 1980s, increasing demand for such trusses lead to the rise of specialist companies designing and manufacturing them for sale (some spin-offs from companies that had built them for their own use). Examples of firms designing and producing such trusses include: James Thomas Engineering of - - - , Tomcat Systems of - - - , Total Fabrication of - - - , and Slick Systems of - - - .
[0012] Thirty years of intense competition has produced a wide variety of truss designs.
[0013] This application relates to a novel improvement.
[0014] Refer now to FIG. 1, a cross-section illustrating the minimum set of structural elements required by a rectangular truss. Four longitudinally-extending and parallel members “chords” 401 , 402 , 403 , and 404 are provided, comprising extruded aluminum tubing, typically having an outer diameter in the 1.9″ to 2″ range. Typically, they are disposed to form a rectangular cross-section. (However, trusses using three such members to form a triangular cross-section are known.)
[0015] Cross-bracing 411 , 412 , 413 , and 414 , of aluminum extrusion, having the same or a smaller diameter than the chords, is used to connect the parallel members 401 , 402 , 403 , and 404 . Such crossbracing can be on the diagonal (as seen in the side elevation of FIG. 2) and/or at right angles to the members, forming “rungs”.
[0016] Refer now to FIG. 3, where a “channel truss” is illustrated cross-section.
[0017] Like prior art trusses, such as illustrated in FIGS. 1-2, the “channel truss” employs-parallel longitudinal members or chords 401 , 402 , 403 , and 404 (for those trusses having a rectangular cross-section). However, the “channel truss” also employs at least one additional longitudinal member 501 , also parallel to the other chords 401 , 402 , 403 , and 404 , that additional member 501 recessed within the cross-section defined by chords 401 , 402 , 403 , and 404 , and away from planes passing through adjacent such chords.
[0018] The additional member 501 is structurally interconnected with the chords 401 , 402 , 403 , and 404 , but the design of the “channel truss” is such that no structural elements impinge in the volume defined between the additional member 501 and two adjacent main chords, in the illustrated example, chords 401 and 402 .
[0019] The result is a truss having an open channel, of generally triangular profile, defined within its cross-section or profile, which channel and additional member have a number of advantages:
[0020] In application, most trusses must accommodate quantities of multi-conductor cable running parallel to their longitudinal axis, typically laid along the top face of their rectangular cross-section. Considerable quantities of such cable may be involved, particularly on trusses used to support lighting fixtures. During the set-up period, such cables may need to be tied or taped down to prevent their falling off, and can present a sloppy appearance when seen in profile on the truss in use. When a technician “walks” the truss at its flown position, cable underfoot can interfere with his or her footing, presenting a safety hazard.
[0021] By orienting the “channel truss” with its channel upwards, cable laid atop the truss during setup falls into the recess formed by the channe. It is prevented from falling off the truss; can be readily and neatly tied down to additional member 501 ; and is recessed below the truss profile in use, presenting a cleaner appearance and reducing the impact of the cable on footing.
[0022] Another aspect of truss application is the need to balance certain loads under the truss itself. If, for example, a load (such as a piece of scenery) is hung from a truss, it is most conveniently hung from one chord or the other on the “bottom” side. The result, however, is that the load is asymmetrically applied to the truss causing (among other effects) the truss to rotate about its longitudinal axis, dropping one lower chord relative to the other, and causing the truss to seek its displaced center of gravity, shifting away from the heavier side. Techniques to compensate (notably changing the relative lengths of the two legs of the “spansets” used to hang the truss to a supporting chain motor, complicate the setup and are not exact. Where the truss is ground-supporterd by a lift or tower, such compensation is difficult or impossible, and the offset load will result in undesirable stresses on the system, including side loads and increased friction in the lifting process.
[0023] Whether oriented up or down, the “channel truss” affords the additional member 501 , which is centered. By hanging a load from the additional member 501 (rather than, in this example, the traditional alternatives, chord 401 or 404 ) the load is centered under the truss; and no undesirable offset in load on the truss, with its undesirable associated effects, is produced
[0024] Another advantage of the “channel truss” is the “masking” that it affords to the adjacent edge of scenic and other elements attached to it. With the use of “channel truss”, scenic elements or material can be attached to the additional member 501 , not only centering it under the truss, but recessing the edge of the element behind the visible face of the truss, for a better appearance.
[0025] Another application is the use of “channel truss” to support “soft goods”—curtains and the like (more specifically, drops, legs, borders, and teasers). Such “soft goods” are typically provided with a reinforced top edge (using jute or synthetic webbing) in which grommets are installed on regular centers, to which lengths of tie line (“ties”) are attached. The tie line “ties” are ties around a pipe or truss chord in order to hang the soft goods to which they are attached. Again, the grommets and ties are not attractive, and fabric panels (for example, velour) can be of substantial weight. When hung from a “channel truss”, such grommets and ties are recessed in the channel 506 A and a substantially cleaner appearance presented (as well as a balanced load).
[0026] While only a fifth additional member is illustrated, it will be understood that additional such members could be employed.
[0027] While the illustrated truss cross-section is rectangular, it will be understood that other designs are possible.
[0028] The “channel truss” of the present invention can be complemented by accessories and may be employed to novel benefit in other ways.
[0029] In some applications, it is desirable for a piece of scenery or soft goods to maintain a sliding connection with a linear track or cable to keep the attached edge in substantially the same plane. An example might be a curtain, which would otherwise billow out of the plane of the guide wire or track, potentially striking or fouling on other objects.
[0030] A Guide wire adapter, provided with pass holes that permit it to be sandwiched between the adjacent ends of any two truss sections or a truss section and another element. The adaptor provides pass holes, through which the same bolts used to attach the truss sections pass. The adaptor also mounts a means for attaching a guide wire, such means as a shoulder eye bolt with one such guide wire adapter attached at each end of the desired travel, a guide wire may be stretched between the opposing eyebolts on the two guide wire adapters. The result is a guide wire recessed in the channel of the “channel truss”. The result is a more attractive appearance and a substantially decreased likelihood that the guide wire itself will present a fouling hazard when not in use. | A truss section comprising at least three parallel elongated structural members, said members defining a first cross-section, said members having two ends, said truss sections including means for end-wise coupling a plurality of said truss sections to assemble a longer load-bearing span, the improvement comprising an additional elongated structural member parallel to and structurally interconnected with at least two of said elongated structural members, said additional elongated structural member located substantially within said first cross-section, so as to define between said at least two and said additional elongated structural members, an elongated volume having a generally triangular cross-section. | 4 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to torque transmission couplings such as are used to transmit rotary power from a motor to a machine using the rotary power and to compensate for misalignment between the motor and the machine.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The torque transmission couplings claimed herein employ one or more pilot rings each of which has at least one precision-finished radially symmetric surface to align one or more laminar flexing elements in or on one or more complementary precision-finished cylindrical surfaces on one or more hubs integral with or adapted to be connected to shafts for the transmission of rotary power.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a view along lines 1--1 in FIG. 2, showing a prior-art double-flexing coupling employing a torque transmission member.
FIG. 2 is an end view of the double-flexing coupling shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a view corresponding to FIG. 1 of a prior art single-flexing coupling.
FIG. 4 is a part-sectional, part side view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4a is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of FIG. 4.
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view corresponding to FIG. 4a of a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view corresponding to FIG. 4a of a third embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view corresponding to FIG. 4a of a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view corresponding to FIG. 4a of a fifth embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a pilot ring such as is employed in all five of the foregoing embodiments.
FIG. 10 is a partially exploded perspective view of a laminar flexing element such as is employed in all five of the foregoing embodiments and of fastening means such as are employed in the first two embodiments.
FIG. 11 is a view corresponding to the right-hand side of FIG. 4 of a sixth embodiment of the present invention, which embodiment uses only a single pilot ring.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
The prior art torque transmission coupling shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises two coupling flexing elements 10 (better seen in FIG. 10) mounted at either end of a relatively inflexible torque transmission member 12. Each flexing element 10 is made up of a plurality of identical flexible laminar elements 14 held together in facing relationship by means 16 which, in the embodiments now manufactured by the assignee of this application, comprise two oppositely beveled stand-off washers 18 and 20 loose fit on a fastening member 34, described hereinafter. The flexing elements need not be cylindrical, as shown in FIG. 10, though they usually are for couplings designed for use at high rotational speeds. In any event, the flexing elements define a coupling axis 26 and two axial faces 28 and 30, the coupling axis 26 being at least approximately coincident with the torque transmission axis of the torque transmission member 12 when the coupling is assembled.
The torque transmission coupling shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 further comprises two hubs 32 adapted to be connected to a shaft for the transmission of rotary power. The hubs 32 are keyed at 37 or otherwise fitted for connection to a rotary shaft; alternatively (though the alternative is rare in practice), the hubs 32 could be integral with the shafts--that is, they could be part of the coupled apparatus rather than part of the coupling apparatus. Instead of the flanged hubs shown, plate- or spool-type adapters may be used, and the word "hub" is used throughout this application to include such adapters as well as equivalents thereof.
The torque transmission coupling shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 further comprises means 34 for mounting the flexing elements 10 on the hubs 32. The means 34 comprise bolts 36 which pass through the hubs 32, the stand-off washers 18 and 20, and the flexing element 10 and nuts 38 which are threaded or press fit on the bolts 36 in abutting relationship with the stand-off washers 18 and 20. Symmetrically mounted between each adjacent pair of the means 34 are identical means 34' which serve to mount the flexing elements 10 on hubs 40 located at either end of the torque transmission member 12. In order to give access to the means 34 and 34' during assembly, the hubs 32 are made in the star shape best seen in FIG. 2, or clearance holes 42 are provided in the hubs 40.
The prior art torque transmission coupling shown in FIG. 3 comprises a single coupling flexing element 10 mounted directly between hubs 32 corresponding to the two spaced hubs 32 in FIGS. 1 and 2 by means 34 corresponding to the means 34 of those figures. Stand-off washers 18 are used to separate the hubs 32 and flexing element 10, as well as the nuts 38 and flexing elements 10. Access to the means 34 during assembly can be provided either by designing both hubs in the star shape shown in FIG. 2 or by providing clearance holes such as clearance holes 42, but the former technique is preferred in order to minimize the weight of the assembly.
The prior art torque transmission couplings shown in FIGS. 1-3 have three significant disadvantages which are overcome by the present invention.
First, the fastening members 34 and 34' must be placed with extreme accuracy, and the clearance between the fastening members 34, 34' and the holes in the hubs 32, 40 and the flexing element 10 through which they pass must be extremely small--on the order of 0.0005 inch for couplings designed for high-speed use. To obtain the necessary fit, extremely accurately manufactured bolts and nuts, called "body fitted bolts" or "aircraft quality bolts", are used--at a cost of approximately $100 apiece for 1-inch diameter 6-inch long bolts and about $35 for the mating nuts. Moreover, the closeness of the fit between the bolts and the holes through which they pass adds immensely to assembly and disassembly time, since the hubs have to be positioned so accurately with respect to each other that the bolts can be eased through by finger pressure in order to avoid gouging the holes and destroying the accuracy of the fit.
As typical for all flexible couplings, if the bolts are not returned to the same holes during reassembly after maintenance and if the reassembled coupling is not thereafter dynamically balanced (which is typically the case in the field), the minute differences between the various bolts can result in dynamic unbalance which can distress or even cause failure of the connected equipment.
Third, the star shape of the hubs 32 causes them to act as inefficient fans during rotation of the coupling, creating air vortices and generating so much noise that sound absorbers may be required around the coupling if workers are to be stationed in its vicinity.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The presently preferred embodiment of the subject invention, which is shown in FIGS. 4 and 4a, employs many of the same parts as the prior-art coupling shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Accordingly, the same numbers have been used on FIGS. 4 and 4a where appropriate, and the description of those parts will not be repeated.
While they are not a part of this invention per se, the flexible laminar elements 14 are advantageously held together in facing relationship by means 17 of the type disclosed in commonly assigned, now abandoned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 328,842, filed Feb. 1, 1973 now abandoned. These means (more clearly seen in FIG. 10) comprise an axially hollow fastening member 19 having an integrally mounted nut 21 at one end and a press fit flange 23 at the other. As disclosed in the above-mentioned patent application, the laminar elements 14 are preferably pre-stressed together by means of the force exerted on the opposite faces 28 and 30 of the flexing element 10 by the flanges 21 and 23.
In addition to the parts previously described herein and in the above mentioned application, the coupling shown in FIGS. 4 and 4a comprises two pilot rings 44 and 46 located at each flexing point. One such pilot ring is illustrated in perspective in FIG. 9. These pilot rings have radially outward precision-finished radially symmetric surfaces which serve as part of the alignment means for the coupling. The radially symmetric surfaces may be cylindrical or conical, the latter shape facilitating assembly and disassembly but being more expensive to produce. During manufacturing, the pilot rings are press fit in an unfinished state onto the fastening members 17, and then the radially outward surface of the rings are precision machined about the coupling axis.
The balance of the alignment means for the couplings are radially inward precision-finished radially symmetric surfaces on the flanges 48 of the torque transmission member 12 and on the hubs 50. The precision-finished surfaces on the hubs are dimensioned to complement the corresponding precision-finished surfaces on the adjacent pilot ring, and they are machined into the flanges so that their axes are coincident with the coupling axis.
Cylindrical shrouds 52 and 54 are mounted on or integral with the flanges 48 and 50, respectively, on the sides thereof remote from the coupling flexing element 10. The axis of the cylindrical shrouds 52 and 54 are coincident with the coupling axis 26, and the inner faces of the shrouds are radially outward from the fastening means 34, 34'. The shrouds constitute a smooth circumferential surface which prevents the kind of fan-effect which has been a drawback in the prior art.
The means 34, 34' are, as with the prior art, alternately mounted on adjacent hubs, and holes are provided in each hub to provide access to the fastening members not mounted on that hub.
ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION
The coupling shown in FIGS. 4 and 4a, as well as the alternative embodiments discussed hereinafter, have a number of important advantages in comparison to the prior art.
First, precision finishing of radially symmetric surfaces is relatively simple and inexpensive, and the mating surfaces of the pilot rings and the hubs can be readily machined to a nominal clearance of 0.001 inch for a 4-inch diameter coupling. That nominal clearance in fact provides a certain amount of interference fit due to microscopic eccentricities in the two supposedly radially symmetric surfaces, and it provides excellent alignment for the coupling. Not only is the undersirable clearance (i.e., the tolerances which permit radial movement of the parts) in the prior-art couplings eliminated with this invention, but the fact that a much larger circumferential surface is in contact between the flanges and the flexing elements minimizes gouging of the mating surfaces during assembly and disassembly and minimize the effect of the gouging when it does happen because the portion of the surface gouged during any single assembly or disassembly is a small fraction of the total mating surface.
Second, the fact that relatively large circumferential precision-finished surfaces are in contact also minimizes the problems of dynamic unbalance due to reassembly--that is, a reassembled coupling is substantially less likely to be significantly out of balance than is the case with the prior-art couplings.
Third, the design of the coupling inherently shifts the half coupling's center of gravity back towards the axially outer ends of the coupling--from 0.625 inches back from the front face of the hub on a typical 6.719 inch diameter coupling of the type shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 to 0.737 inches back from the front face of the hub on a coupling of the same size of the type shown in FIGS. 4 and 4a. Since the radial load on the bearings of each of the two pieces of machinery to which the coupling is connected is approximately equal to half the weight of the coupling times the distance from the outer bearing to the half coupling's center of gravity, moving the half coupling's center of gravity in that direction even a fraction of an inch can be more important in reducing the radial load on the bearings than reducing the weight of the coupling by many pounds for a typical installation. It should be noted that the larger the coupling is the more the center of gravity shifts back relative to the equivalently sized prior-art couplings.
Fourth, the round flanged hubs can be significantly lighter than the star-shaped hubs used in the prior art because the lugs, or rays of the stars, on those hubs have to be thicker to prevent flexing of the lugs than the radially symmetric hubs used with the present invention.
Fifth, since the fastening means 34, 34' no longer perform an aligning function, they can be ordinary commercial-grade nuts and bolts costing on the order of $2-$3 apiece, or approximately one-fiftieth to one-hundredth of the cost of the nuts and bolts used in the prior art couplings.
Sixth, the holes through which the bolts are mounted need not be positioned or sized with extreme accuracy since, if the bolts are somewhat loose or if an excessively high shock load occurs, any slippage will be circumferential and will not affect the radial relationship of the coupling components.
DESCRIPTIONS OF ALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENTS
While the alternative embodiments shown in FIGS. 5, 6, 7, 8, and 11 are not currently preferred to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 4a, they are all believed to be commercially feasible designs, and brief descriptions of them are included here to illustrate the scope of the subject invention.
The FIG. 5 embodiment corresponds to the FIG. 4a embodiment except that the radially symmetric surfaces are provided on the inside of the pilot rings 44', 46' and the corresponding surfaces on the hubs 48, 50 are convex rather than concave, as in the FIG. 4a embodiment.
The FIG. 6 embodiment is the same as the FIG. 4a embodiment except that the fastening members 36' are threaded into the fastening members 17', thereby avoiding the need for corresponding access holes in the hubs 48', 50'.
The FIG. 7 embodiment corresponds to the FIG. 6 embodiment except that the fastening members 36' are threaded into the hubs 48', 50', thereby eliminating the need for a mating nut.
The FIG. 8 embodiment differs a little more from the FIG. 4a embodiment than do the FIGS. 5-7 embodiments. In this embodiment, the fastening members 17" are solid rivets onto which the washers 21' and 23 and the pilot rings 44', 46' are press fit. A shallow blind bore 56 is provided in the hub 50" to accommodate the head 58 of the illustrated rivet and a clearance hole 60 is provided in the pilot ring 44' to accommodate the flange of the rivet. Then, since the rivets are not hollow, separate means 34" comprising a bolt 62 and a nut 64 are provided for attaching the pilot rings 44', 46' to the hubs 48", 50".
The FIG. 11 embodiment differs still more from the FIG. 4a embodiment, for in this embodiment only a single pilot ring 66 is used. The flexing element 10 is mounted directly on the hub 48 via fastening means 68 onto which the flexing element 10 and the flanges 21' are 23' are press fit. Although not strictly necessary, a flange 70 is preferably provided at the tail of the fastening means 68 to aid in the retention of the flexing element 10 and the flange 21' and 23'. If the flange 70 is provided, then a clearance hole 60' is provided in the pilot ring 66 to accommodate it. Finally, the pilot ring 66 is connected to the flexing element 10 and the hub 50 by another fastening member 68 which passes through the hub 50 and the flexing element 10. The advantages of this construction are that it reduces the number of interfaces between parts and thus the accumulation of tolerances and that it reduces the weight of the coupling by the weight of the omitted pilot ring. The disadvantages are that it provides relatively less flexibility than the two pilot ring versions and it requires more accuracy in the size and positioning of the bolts.
CAVEAT
While the present invention has been illustrated by detailed descriptions of several preferred embodiments thereof, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail can be made therein without departing from the true scope of the invention. For that reason, the invention must be measured by the claims appended hereto and not by the foregoing preferred embodiments. | The specification discloses six embodiments of a torque transmission coupling employing one or more pilot rings each of which has at least one precision-finished radially symmetric surface to align one or more laminar flexing elements in or on one or more complementary precision-finished radially symmetric surfaces on one or more hubs integral with or adapted to be connected to shafts for the transmission of rotary power. The preferred embodiment comprises a relatively inflexible torque transmission member, a laminar flexing element aligned with the torque transmission member at either end thereof via a pilot ring, and a hub aligned with each of the laminar flexing elements via a further pilot ring on the opposite side of the flexing elements from the first pilot ring, but embodiments are disclosed dispensing with the torque transmission member and with one of the pilot rings on each laminar flexing element. | 5 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to the use of a recessed mask structure to prevent localized high electrical fields at intersections with resulting lower electrical breakdown, in very small dimension semiconductor devices such as would be encountered in high speed and high density integrated circuit applications and chip interconnect structures with fine metal features and low dielectric constant insulators.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] In the miniaturizing of semiconductor devices, as the spacing and dimensions approach the below 150 nanometer range, dimensional tolerances become very small and abrupt physical discontinuities such as interfaces between different materials produce high electrical fields that in turn result in enhanced leakage and breakdown. Further, at such small dimensions, different materials than commonly used heretofore, with different properties such as lower dielectric constant (k), are being found attractive for use in lowering such device paramaters as line to line capacitance, reducing cross talk noise and power dissipation. Still further, the different materials in turn behave differently in processing.
[0003] An illustration of many of the considerations involved in developing integrated circuit interconnect structures and processes where the dimensions are in the sub 250 nanometer range appears in the 7 page technical article titled “Pursuing The Perfect Low-k Dielectric”, by Laura Peters, and appearing in Semiconductor International Magazine in the Sep. 1, 1998 issue.
[0004] There is a clear need in the art for a capability that will operate to provide relaxation of limitations and to reduce complexity of the situations that are being encountered in providing interconnect structures and in the fabrication thereof in the sub 250 nanometer dimension range.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] A metal plus low dielectric constant (low-k) interconnect structure is provided for a semiconductor device wherein adjacent regions in a surface separated by a dielectric have dimensions in width and spacing in the sub 250 nanometer range, and in which reduced lateral leakage current between adjacent metal lines, and a lower effective dielectric constant than a conventional structure, is achieved by the positioning of a differentiating or mask member that is applied for the protection of the dielectric in subsequent processing operations, at a position below a surface to be planarized, where there will be a lower electric field. The mask position, is in the range of about 0.5 to 20 nanometers, with 5 nanometers being preferred, below the surface to be planarized, at a location where the surfaces of the regions separated by the dielectric are undisturbed and have complete integrity. The invention is particularly useful in the damascene type device structure in the art wherein adjacent conductors lined with an electrically conductive and diffusion barrier film are disposed in thin trenches in an intralevel dielectric material (ILD), connections are made to levels above and belowthrough metal filled vias is the ILD, masking is employed both to protect the dielectric material between conductors during processing operations, and to assist in patterning those trenches within the interlevel dielectric material. A dielectric cap is also usually applied over the surfaces of the metal lines and the masking layer, to further separate successive levels of metal wiring.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] [0006]FIGS. 1A and 1B are dimensionally correlated schematic depictions of a structure of sub 250 nanometer conductive regions at a planarized surface correlated with a graph indicating the locations of high electric field concentrations and illustrating uneven features of the conductive region walls and the present location in the art of masking of the dilectric between conductive regions.
[0007] [0007]FIG. 2 is a schematic depiction of a prior art intersection of conductive members with a planarized surface such as in present in a standard dual damascene type coplaner mask layer and metal such as copper surface.
[0008] [0008]FIGS. 3 and 4 are depictions of structures in the invention wherein the intralevel dielectric is positioned below and away from the high electric field locations
[0009] [0009]FIG. 5 is a graph of capacitance vs thickness of mask positioned in accordance with the invention illustrating an overall lower capacitance of the inventive structure.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0010] Referring to FIG. 1A in the interlevel dielectric member 1 there are illustrated, as an example two essentially parallel conductive regions 2 and 3 . In the sub 250 nanometer dimension range for the width of and separation between elements, a problem is encountered when there is a facetted region 4 where the elements 2 and 3 intersect with the surface 5 which produces pointed locations 6 - 9 , at which field lines are concentrated thereby producing a high electric field which in turn can cause an electrical breakdown at the pointed region and possibly through any diffusion barrier, which may be a conductive diffusion barrier liner 10 . In applications involving metals such as copper, aluminum, silver, gold, and tungsten and alloys thereof, the liner 10 which is usually of tantalum, titanium, tin, or nitrides thereof, routinely serves as a diffusion barrier to any migration. Commonly, the liner 10 may be damaged, thinned or removed in the pointed locations 6 - 9 during processing. The metal conductor, such as copper, may then migrate onto the surface 5 because the liner 10 has been disturbed. As would be known in the art, the facetted region 4 may have a curved radius or a complex shape. The exact shape shown in FIG. 1A being only an example.
[0011] In FIG. 1B a graph is provided of electric field intensity vs distance across the surface 5 correlated with high electric field concentrations in FIG. 1A. As illustrated in FIG. 1B the higher electric field is not only corresponding to the pointed regions but also extends across the conductive members 2 , 3 .
[0012] Referring to both FIGS. 1A and 1B; the problem produced by the pointed regions 6 - 9 appears, at this state of the art, to be inherent in dry etching processes such as reactive ion etching, which would be employed in patterning operations at the surface 5 . A mask layer 11 , shown dotted, is positioned everywhere over the dielectric 1 , to protect the dielectric 1 during any operations at the surface 5 . One such operation for example would be a deposition followed by a chemical-mechanical planarization of a conductor material 2 , 3 . A second example is a deposition of further structure or a dielectric cap 13 , shown dotted.
[0013] The materials of which masks are made vary in both reactive on etch resistance and in dielectric constant and thus present further considerations in fabrication process selection. Acceptable mask materials are amorphous silicon, carbon, hydrogen (∝-Si:C:H); silicon, carbon, oxygen, hydrogen alloys (organosiloxane or Si:C:O:H); silicon, nitrogen, carbon alloys (Si:N:C); silicon nitride(Si 3 N 4 ); silicon dioxide (Si O 2 ); and, silicon oxynitride (SiON).
[0014] The facetted region 4 problem has a detrimental effect on flexibility in the use of materials with different properties and in meeting processing specifications. Of particular concern is the interface between mask layer 11 and the cap layer 13 , with the pointed locations 6 - 9 as shown in FIG. 1A. There are also other aspects of the problem of facetted regions. The pointed regions 6 - 9 result in smaller line spacing which in the presence of the higher than desirable electric field may result in leakage and breakdown. In general, the presence of the pointed regions 6 - 9 and the resulting high electric fields is a source of breakdown failures in devices. The mask 11 to cap 13 interface is the location of many of that type of breakdowns of the interface particularly at locations 6 - 9 and across the conductors 2 , 3 where the electric field is magnified as shown in FIG. 1B. A greater propensity for electrical shorting between adjacent lines may also be encountered.
[0015] In accordance with the invention a structure and process are provided in which the interface between the mask 11 and cap 13 in FIG. 1A is arranged to be placed at a location that is away from the high electric field points, 1-20 nanometers for example with 2-5 nanometers being preferred; and where the very thin conductive liner diffusion barrier 10 surrounding the conductive members 2 and 3 will have integrity that has not been disturbed by processing up to that point.
[0016] Referring to FIG. 2, a schematic depiction is provided of a prior art type standard dual damascene structure with a mask layer 16 and a coplanar mask surface 16 ′ with a metal such as Cu conductor element 2 , 3 surface. The facetted problem at points 6 - 9 is present. In all the Figures the same reference numerals are used for identical elements where appropriate.
[0017] A schematic depiction of is provided of the structure of the invention in the structures shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, wherein a portion 14 of the mask layer 16 , has been removed providing a mask to cap interface area 5 ′ that is not coplanar with the pointed locations 6 - 9 , as a result, in the invention, the mask member 16 itself is then positioned so that the high field points 7 and 8 are separated from the interface 5 ′ and the interfaces 17 and 18 of the mask 16 are at portions of the conductive members 2 and 3 where the liner 10 is undisturbed. Such disturbance frequently occurs during chemical-mechanical processing, and is frequently mainfested as damage to the liner 10 near the locations 6 - 9 . The portion of the low k dielectric material 1 , being covered and protected by the mask 16 , is labelled element 19 . A conformal cap layer is labelled element 20 .
[0018] The mask 16 is usually of a harder low k dielectric, such as amorphous silicon, carbon, hydrogen (∝-Si:C:H); silicon, carbon, oxygen, hydrogen alloys (organosiloxane or Si:C:O:H); silicon, nitrogen, carbon alloys (Si:N:C); silicon nitride(Si 3 N 4 ); silicon dioxide (Si O 2 ); and, silicon oxynitride (SiON). The liner 10 may be a conductive diffusion barrier film such as Ta, Ti, TaN, TiN, W or WN or combinations thereof. Examples of low k ILD materials are listed in the above referenced Semiconductor International Magazine article.
[0019] Referring to FIG. 4, the cap element 20 is typically conformally deposited over the surfaces 5 ′. Many standard deposition processes of the plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition type produce a conformal cap layer 20 as shown. Alternatively, the top surface 23 of the cap 20 can be made approximately planar using a deposition process consisting of a conformal step followed by planarizing step to level discontinuities.
[0020] The recessed mask structure is achieved through a unique process that permits both:the benefit of having a recessed surface of the mask with respect to a device surface where there may be aspects to avoid, such as high electric field concentration points; and the benefit of having a final mask thickness that is selectable and no thicker than necessary. Mask material generally has a k value that is higher than the ILD material k value thus increasing the overall capacitance value so that using quantities for as thin a mask as possible is desirable. The process in general involves removing mask material between points 7 and 8 after chemical-mechanical polishing, down to a level that is away from the surface 5 where the high fields, points 7 and 8 are located and continuing until a selected mask thickness, dimension 21 , is reached.
[0021] Another embodiment of the invention involves using the material silicon nitride as the mask 16 . The etch process to decrease the layer 16 to dimension 21 is performed through the use of an etch tool such as is available in the art from the Applied Materials corporation identified as IPS and using with the tool a mixture of gasses chosen from the group of O 2 ;CH 3 F;CH 2 F 2 ;Ar;NH 3 ;NF 3 ;He; and H 2 . The gas flow rate is in the range of 1-100 sccm; at a power of 100-300 watts, at a pressure in the range of 1 to 100 milliTorr with a bias power of the range of 50-500 watts.
[0022] Still another alternative involves no mask layer and employs an inorganic material for the intralevel dielectric selected from the group of silicon dioxide, fluorosilicate glass, and carbon doped oxide. In this alternative the intralevel dielectric is recessed by etching below the surface of the conductors 2 , 3 .
[0023] There are several beneficial features achieved with the invention. The high field at points 7 and 8 are now away from the cap 20 -mask 16 interface at 5 ′. The material of the mask 16 which usually has a higher k and which can effect overall dielectric properties of the device can be minimized with dimension 21 being selected independently of consideration for the planarization process of surface 5 since it is positioned through the invention after the planarization operation. Any damage from planarization operations to the conductive liner 10 at the points 6 - 9 is minimized, so the metal Cu of 2 and 3 does not breach the barrier and contaminate the interface 5 ′.
[0024] The recessed mask structure of the invention in addition to providing the above described benefits also provides, when integrated into a component, a lower and predictable overall capacitance which parameter in turn is very valuable because it results in faster signal propagation in the interconnect wiring.
[0025] Referring to FIG. 5 which is a graph of capacitance vs thickness 21 of mask positioned in accordance with the invention. From the graph of FIG. 5 it is clear, that the inventive structure has a lower capacitance.
[0026] Returning to FIG. 4, The material used in masking is generally referred to as hard with respect to chemical mechanical processes and such materials have a higher k value. In the structure of the invention the high k mask 16 is positioned in an opening between conductors 2 and 3 so that the overall capacitance decreases as more of the hard mask is recessed.
[0027] In general with the invention there will be a smaller thickness of the high k material and what high k material there is will be recessed below the locations 6 - 9 of highest electric field. Both of these aspects lead to the lower capacitance of the invention structure.
[0028] The structure of the invention, following generally FIGS. 3 and 4, is made using a standard substrate in the art of a material such as silicon on which is deposited a bulk layer of intralevel dielectric material 1 such as an organic thermoset polymer or an inorganic alloy comprised of Si, O, H or Si, C, O, H such as carbon doped oxide, in which via and trench openings as used in damascene type structures have been etched using a mask layer 16 .
[0029] The etched openings 2 and 3 are provided with conductive diffusion barrier liners 10 of Ta, Ti, TaN, TiN, W or WN, by chemical or physical vapor deposition. The liner 10 in this process which serves as an adhesion layer between the intralevel dielectric and a thin copper layer, not shown, is used in this process as an electroplating conductor for electroplating more copper into and filling the openings 2 and 3 . The surface 5 is then chemically-mechanically polished until the copper conductors are nearly coplanar with the mask surface 16 ′. A different, chemical-mechanical slurry is then used to remove any remaining liner 10 material which step may disturb the liner 10 .
[0030] The partially processed substrate is gently etched with a downstream plasma or reactive ion etch tool to more the interface 5 ′ away from the surface 5 to establish the dimension 21 . In a preferred method this is done with a plasma tool wherein the sample being bombarded is placed at a temperature of 250 degrees C. downstream from a 950 watts inductive RF field in a forming gas atmosphere for about 10 to 200 seconds with 100 being preferred. The downstream location may be viewed as being out of the line of sight between the substrate and the plasma. Using an etch tool, such as for example the one available in the art known as the Mattson ICP; and in a forming gas in a flow of about 0.5 standard liters per minute(sccm) and at a pressure of about 1.1 Torr; a satisfactory etch rate of about 2 nanometers per minute of ∝-Si:C:H is achieved. Flow rates from 0.1 to 1.0 standard liters per minute of forming gas produces the same etch rate.
[0031] In an alternative structure of the invention a mask layer of a separate material can be avoided by establishing the surface of the intralevel dielectric material at a location that is in the range of between 1-20 nanometers with 2-5 nanometers being preferred, below the surface of the metal conductors.
[0032] What has been described is a technology that permits the formation at small dimension interconnections between difficult to use materials in semiconductor devices by moving interfaces away from high fields and controlling capacitance through use of only as much of a high capacitance contributing ingredient as essential. | A metal plus low dielectric constant (low-k) interconnect structure is provided for a semiconductor device wherein adjacent regions in a surface separated by a dielectric have dimensions in width and spacing in the sub 250 nanometer range, and in which reduced lateral leakage current between adjacent metal lines, and a lower effective dielectric constant than a conventional structure, is achieved by the positioning of a differentiating or mask member that is applied for the protection of the dielectric in subsequent processing operations, at a position about 2-5 nanometers below a, to be planarized, surface where there will be a lower electric field. The invention is particularly useful in the damascene type device structure in the art wherein adjacent conductors extend from a substrate through an interlevel dielectric material, connections are made in a trench, a diffusion barrier liner is provided in the interlevel dilectric material and masking is employed to protect the dilectric material between conductors during processing operations. | 7 |
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims the benefit of (1) U.S. Provisional Patent Application 61/851,968 filed Mar. 13, 2013, (2) U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/854,402 filed Apr. 22, 2013, and (3) U.S. Non-Provisional application Ser. No. 14/072,528 filed Nov. 5, 2013, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.
TECHNICAL FIELD AND INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus for selective fiber optical channel monitoring and channel replication of wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) signals in modern fiber optical communication systems.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
Reference (1) includes a discussion of the broad reach of fiber optical communications systems into the modern world and the specific need to monitor individual fiber optic links in these systems for fiber breakage so that failed links may be quickly be identified and automatically corrected by quickly switching a spare optical fiber into service. The inventive contribution made in Reverence (1) was a cost effective optical switching apparatus that could sequentially direct tapped optical signals from fiber optic transmission links to monitoring equipment that could detect fiber breaks in several seconds or less. This same switching apparatus could also be used to replicate optical signals for broadcast and multimedia applications.
In many cases, there is a need not only to monitor optical fibers used in modern communication systems for continuity (lack of breaks) but also to monitor the performance of each of a multiplicity of optical channels carried by each individual fiber in a wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) format. For example, it is important to detect and identify when a laser diode that serves as the optical source for one of many WDM channels on a fiber has failed or is approaching failure due to a declining power output.
WDM is a well established method for increasing the information carrying capacity of individual fibers. Depending on the system application, the number of optical channels that are wavelength division multiplexed range from several channels, referred to as Coarse WDM (or CWDM), to 160 channels or more, referred to as Dense WDM (or DWDM). In either case, WDM leads to a beneficial reduction in the total number of optical fibers required to convey some specified amount of information or data. However, in order for WDM to be a cost effective strategy, the cost for monitoring the individual channels multiplexed onto a fiber must be reasonably modest. While the state-of-the-art for monitoring has reached this threshold using MEMS technology previously discussed in Reference (1), further improvements to reduce the complexity and expense of the monitoring function would be welcomed.
The state-of-the-art for channel monitoring is to direct the output of a WDM optical fiber into a dispersive Planar Lightwave Circuit (PLC) such as an Arrayed Waveguide Grating (AWG), that is well known in the art, to split up a multiplicity of WDM channels (say, N channels) carried on a single input fiber into a group of single channels carried on a multiplicity N of individual output fibers with one channel on each fiber. Then, an optical switch, similar to the MEMS switch described in Reference (1), is used to sequentially direct the channel outputs to an optical monitoring device (test set).
Clearly, it would be desirable to make this switching function more cost effective. It would also be desirable if this cost effective alternative switching apparatus could also be used for other applications such as optical signal replication.
Also see U.S. Pat. No. 7,330,620 B2 and, U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2009/0232447 A1. 2012/0087668 A1, and 2012/0230690 A1.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an improved method for monitoring WDM optical channels or replicating individual optical channels that are multiplexed on a single fiber. Broadly speaking, the concept is to replace a rather expensive MEMS switch that is presently used for this function (see WHITE PAPER from JDS Uniphase Corporation “A Performance Comparison of WSS [Wavelenght Selective Switching] Switch Engine Technology”, Document 30162724, May 2009 on www.jdsu.com.) with a group of 1×1 optical switches in conjunction with an optical combiner device such as a splitter/combiner or AWG in a cost effective manner.
The present approach employs a dispersive component such as an Arrayed Waveguide Grating (AWG) to split up a multiplicity of WDM channels on a single input fiber into a group of single channels on a multiplicity of individual output waveguides with one channel on each waveguide. In this case, a waveguide may be either an optical fiber or a guided pathway in Planar Lightwave Circuit (PLC) (See “Planar lightwave circuit devices for optical communications present and future” by Hiroshi Takahashi et al, Proceedings of the SPIE, Vol. 5246 (2003) pp 520-530.). At present, the use of an optical fiber is usually the most economic choice for the waveguide. However, PLC technology is expected to become preferred for this waveguide in the future because these circuits are expected to become less expensive and to fit into smaller package sizes.
Rather than using an expensive MEMS optical switch to sequentially direct the split channel outputs to an optical monitoring test set, the present invention employs a series of inexpensive 1×1 switches (that is, simple on/off switches) to turn off all but one selected channel. Then the single remaining active optical channel is passed through either an optical splitter/combiner, operating in the combiner mode, or through another AWG operating in the multiplexer mode to a single output fiber that is directed to the monitoring device.
Alternatively, the single optical channel on the output fiber may be replicated using a second optical splitter/combiner, operating in the splitter mode, and be broadcast (multicast) over a multiplicity of output fibers.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows an optical circuit diagram for an optical demultiplexer employing an AWG, an array of 1×1 optical switches and an optical splitter/combiner that can be used to select a single optical channel from a WDM group of channels for purposes of monitoring.
FIG. 2 is similar to FIG. 1 except that the splitter/combiner has been replaced by a second AWG.
FIG. 3 shows an optical circuit diagram for an optical demultiplexer employing an AWG, an array of 1×1 optical switches and an optical splitter/combiner that can be used to select a single optical channel from a WDM group of channels for purposes of replicating or multicasting.
FIG. 4 is similar to FIG. 3 except that the splitter combiner has been replaced by a second AWG.
FIG. 5 is an optical circuit diagram that shows how two or more (say, p) optical demultiplexers can be connected through a p×m optical switch to produced m groups of replicated outputs using multiple splitter/combiners.
FIG. 6 is similar to FIG. 5 but the splitter/combiners associated with optical demultiplexing are replaced by AWGs.
FIG. 7 shows how the optical circuits shown in FIG. 1 or 2 can be connected to an N×1 optical fiber switching circuit and housed in a common enclosure so that any single optical channel on any of a multiplicity of N input fibers carrying assorted WDM channels can be directed to an external monitoring test set. The selected channel can be changed in time so all channels on all fibers may be monitored in any sequence that is desired.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
With reference to the attached drawings, embodiments of the present invention will be described below.
Two useful functions that are included in many modern-day fiber optical communication systems are (1) monitoring individual optical channels that are multiplexed by WDM on a single optical fiber, and (2) replication of an optical signal on a single optical fiber onto a multiplicity of optical fibers. Both of these functions can be accomplished using the optical circuits and equipment disclosed in this invention. With reference to the attached drawings, embodiments of the present invention will be described below.
FIG. 1 shows an optical circuit diagram for a specialized optical demultiplexer employing an AWG, an array of 1×1 optical switches, and an optical splitter/combiner that can be used to select a single optical channel from a WDM group of channels for purposes of monitoring. A single input fiber 1 on the left carrying n wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) optical channels is directed to an AWG 2 which causes the WDM channels to split apart so that only a single channel is carried on each of n output optical waveguides, 3 a to 3 n , that are either optical fibers or planar optical waveguides. Each of these n output optical waveguides are connected using an optical connectors 4 a to 4 n that connect to a group of dedicated 1×1 optical switches 5 a to 5 n . These switches have dedicated optical waveguide entry ports 6 a to 6 n and exit ports 7 a to 7 n . The exit ports are connected to dedicated optical waveguides 9 a to 9 n associated with the splitter/combiner 11 using optical connectors 8 a to 8 n . Optical waveguides 9 a to 9 n may be optical fibers or planar optical waveguides. All of these optical waveguides, 9 a to 9 n , are introduced into optical splitter/combiner 11 and the output of this splitter/combiner is an optical fiber 12 that carries only a single optical channel. This fiber is directed to an optical channel monitor device (test set).
In operation, the AWG 2 spatially disperses the n WDM optical channels carried by optical fiber 1 in close analogy to the way a prism disperses a white light beam into a rainbow of discrete colors. Carrying the analogy further, an incident white light beam may be properly thought of as a wavelength division multiplex of all of the colors that are demultiplexed by the prism into spatially separated color channels that form the rainbow. In the case of fiber optical communication systems, the multiplexed light beam is usually comprised in a multiplicity of closely spaced infrared wavelengths, lambda-a through lambda-n that each carries information in a modulated format. All but one of the n 1×1 switches 5 a through 5 n are turned off. The only switch that remains turned on is 5 i which passes lambda-i, and is indicated by 10 in FIG. 1 . This is only this optical channel that reaches the splitter/combiner 11 . This channel passes through the splitter/combiner 11 , (operating in a combiner mode) and is subsequently directed by the output optical fiber 12 to a monitoring device.
In practice, there are two principal types of splitter/combiners fabricated as Planar Lightwave Circuits (PLCs) that are most economical to employ on modern systems. The first type has cachinnated stages of “Y” shaped optical waveguides. The first stage splits the incident beam into 2 equal parts while the second stage splits these two optical beams into four beams and the j-th stage splits the optical beam into 2′ output beams (see “Silica-on-silicon base 1×N optical splitter: Design, fabrication, and characterization”, Indian Journal of Engineering and Materials Sciences, Vol. 12, February 2005, pp. 12-16). This type of optical splitter has the desirable characteristic that it tends to exhibit low optical insertion loss when operated in the combiner mode. However, it is not as commercially available as a more common “funnel” optical splitter/combiner (see U.S. Pat. No. 7,330,620) that has substantially higher optical insertion loss when operated in a combiner mode that is required for the present application.
In applications where only the funnel optical splitters are available to operate with all n wavelengths required by a system, it may be necessary to add an optical amplifier to increase the power level of the optical channel carried by fiber 12 in order to compensate for the attenuation introduced by a free-space splitter/combiner. Alternatively, the free-space splitter/combiner may be replaced by an AWG as shown in FIG. 2 and discussed next.
FIG. 2 has only one component that is different from the optical circuit shown in FIG. 1 . The optical splitter/combiner 11 shown in FIG. 1 is replaced by a second AWG 13 operating in a multiplexing mode. This is done to take advantage of the well known fact that the optical insertion loss for an AWG is low when operated in either the demultiplexing or multiplexing modes. In order to ensure low insertion loss, the second AWG 13 used in the multiplexer mode must be matched in characteristics to the first AWG 2 that is operated in the demultiplexer mode. In addition, it is essential that all output wavelength ports remain precisely aligned so that each output wavelength, lambda-i from the first AWG 2 goes into the corresponding input port for AWG 13 . Otherwise, the optical insertion loss could become excessive.
It may appear strange that only a single optical channel 14 of wavelength, lambda-i, passes through AWG 13 in its multiplexing mode, since this is not what one would usually consider to be multiplexing. (Multiplexing usually relates to simultaneously combining more than one channel.) However, in operation of the optical circuit shown in FIG. 2 , many different wavelengths pass through AWG 13 , but only one at a time. In order for all of these wavelengths to experience a similar low optical insertion loss, it is necessary that they converge onto the same output fiber 12 . This can happen in the multiplexing mode for any number of optical channels from 1 up to n. However, this patent application is directed to the special case where only one optical channel at a time is directed to the monitoring device.
FIG. 3 shows a different application for the optical circuit shown in FIG. 1 . Rather than directing the output of optical fiber 12 to a monitoring device, this output may be split by and optical splitter/combiner 15 , into a multiplicity, k, of output channels on output fibers 16 a to 16 k . The optical circuit shown in FIG. 3 is useful for applications that require replicating and rebroadcasting single optical channels.
FIG. 4 shows a different application for the optical circuit shown in FIG. 2 . Rather than directing the output of optical fiber 12 to a monitoring device, this output may be split by and optical splitter/combiner 15 , into a multiplicity, k, of output channels on output fibers 16 a to 16 k . The optical circuit shown in FIG. 4 is applicable to applications that require replicating and rebroadcasting single optical channels.
FIG. 5 shows how two or more optical circuits shown in FIG. 1 can be used in a switched mode to rebroadcast groups of single output channels that are derived from multiple input WDM optical fibers 1 a to 1 p . Rather than directing the outputs of optical fibers 12 a to 12 p to monitoring devices, these outputs may be redirected to an optical p×m switch 21 that has m output fibers each carrying a single optical channel that can be split for rebroadcasting by splitter/combiners 22 a to 22 m . The optical circuit shown in FIG. 5 is suitable for applications that require replicating and rebroadcasting a multiplicity q of single optical channels on output fibers 23 a 1 to 23 aq and 23 m 1 to 23 mq . Optional optical amplifiers 20 may be used to increase the optical signal level if needed.
FIG. 6 shows how two or more optical circuits shown in FIG. 2 can be used in a switched mode to rebroadcast groups of singe output channels that are derived from multiple input WDM optical fiber 1 a to 1 p . Rather than directing the outputs of optical fibers 12 a to 12 p to a monitoring device, these outputs may be redirected to a p×m optical switch 21 that has m output fibers each carrying a single optical channel that can be split for rebroadcasting by splitter/combiners 22 a to 22 m . The optical circuit shown in FIG. 6 is applicable to applications that require replicating or rebroadcasting a multiplicity of single optical channels. Optional optical amplifiers 20 may be used to increase the optical signal level if needed.
FIG. 7 Shows how an N×1 fiber switching device 30 described in Reference (1) can be connected to the optical circuit 40 , as shown in either FIG. 1 or FIG. 2 , so that any single optical channel on any one of the N WDM input fibers 29 a to 29 N can be directed to a monitoring device. All of these components may be contained in a single apparatus enclosure 50 that may be rack mounted and electrically driven by a common electronic controller similar to the one described in References (1) and (2). Alternatively the components may be in separate enclosures depending on the number of optical fibers required for various applications. In either case, the electric controller would normally be interconnected to an graphical interface unit (GUI) located outside of the apparatus enclosure through electrical cables using any of a number of convenient interface protocols such as HTML 5 for fast response. However, if a multiplicity of apparatuses are each similar to the one in FIG. 7 , it is possible, for reasons of economy, to make only one of the enclosures contain the primary control electronics and all of the electronics need to interface with the external GUI.
While the above discussion of the preferred embodiments of this invention are representative, other combinations of similar optical circuit elements and enclosure designs to accomplish selective fiber optical channel monitoring and channel replication of WDM signals should be considered to be within the scope of this invention. | An apparatus for selective fiber optical channel monitoring and channel replication of wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) signals is constructed by combining a dispersive element, such as an arrayed waveguide grating (AWG), with a multiplicity of simple 1×1 optical switches and either an optical splitter/combiner or a second AWG. In operation, each optical channel in a WDM group may be sequentially monitored or replicated. When this apparatus is preceded by an N×1 optical switch, any optical channel on any one of N input optical fibers to the switch may be selected for monitoring or replication. | 7 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a time-division multiple access (TDMA) radio communication device that automatically can generate acknowledgement data and send the data for response. The present invention relates also to a time-division multiple access radio communication system using the device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years, various portable communication devices using time-division multiple access radio communication system have been developed. For the portability and durability, the devices are required to be smaller and to minimize power consumption.
An acknowledgement method for a conventional time-division multiple access radio communication system includes the following steps of:
storing received data in a receive-data buffer, based on a synchronization information at a unique word detecting portion;
carrying out CRC calculation by processing with software using a microprocessor; and
writing the results in a send-data buffer for sending.
An acknowledgement method in such a conventional time-division multiple access radio communication system is described below by referring to FIG. 4 . In FIG. 4, numeral 401 denotes an antenna for receiving data, and 402 denotes a unique word detecting portion. Numeral 403 denotes a receive-data buffer portion, 404 denotes a microprocessor portion, and 405 denotes a send-data buffer portion. Numeral 406 denotes an antenna for sending data, 411 denotes a receive-data processing path, 412 denotes a unique word detection signal, and 413 denotes a send-data processing path.
In FIG. 4, received data inputted from the antenna 401 is passed over the receive-data processing path 411 into the unique word detecting portion 402 and also the receive-data buffer portion 403 . When the unique word detecting portion 402 detects a unique word in the received data, it gives out the unique word detection signal 412 and notifies the microprocessor portion 404 .
In the microprocessor portion 404 , the unique word detection signal 412 is inputted and waits for a certain period until the received data are completely stored in the receive-data buffer portion 403 , so that the timing to start the cyclic redundancy check (CRC) calculation is adjusted. A remainder term as a result of division for checking transmission errors is added to the received data.
When the received data are completely stored in the receive-data buffer portion 403 , CRC calculation is carried out for obtaining the remainder term by the above-mentioned division based on the received data. If the remainder term obtained by the CRC calculation coincides with a remainder term (CRC) sent together with the received data, the received data are regarded as error-free, and acknowledgement send data are prepared in the send-data buffer portion 405 for acknowledgement. And the microprocessor portion 404 directs sending in accordance with timing of sending data at the certain station. Consequently, acknowledgement data are sent to the antenna 406 through the send-data processing path 413 , and the data are outputted as a radio wave.
However, in some time-division multiple access radio communication systems, acknowledgement should be sent immediately in accordance with the timing of the desired station. In such a case, a CPU is kept busy with the acknowledgement process or the CPU is unduly loaded if acknowledgment is carried out by the conventional software processing. And thus, it prevents other processes from being carried out on the CPU. To solve such a problem, acknowledgement is often processed with a high-speed microprocessor specialized for an acknowledgement process. However, it will cause some problems, e.g., the communication device consumes much power, or the component cost rises.
Such a conventional system uses a send-data buffer designed for normal communication. Therefore, the normal send-data should be moved to and kept in another memory during acknowledgement. This also causes problems, for example, the component cost rises and communication response deteriorates due to replacement of data.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to solve these problems by using memories or the like exclusive to acknowledgement, so that power consumption is lowered, component cost is reduced and speed of response is improved.
In order to achieve the object, a time-division multiple access radio communication device according to this invention comprises:
a receive-data buffer portion to receive data from plural sources by sing a carrier wave and store the received data;
a unique word detecting portion to detect a unique word from the received data to determine a synchronous point as a starting point for timing adjustment;
a timer portion for the timing adjustment by counting time from the point that the unique word is detected at the unique word detecting portion;
a CRC calculating portion to check errors in the received data; and
a send-data buffer portion to store the data to be sent. The time-division multiple access radio communication device is further provided with an acknowledgement data generating portion. This acknowledgement data generating portion checks errors in the received data based on a calculation result at the CRC calculating portion in accordance with the timing counted at the timer portion. When the received data are assumed to be error-free, the acknowledgement data generating portion generates acknowledgement data and stores the data in a storage region distinguished from the send-data buffer portion.
As a result, acknowledgement data can be sent without providing a high-speed microprocessor exclusive to acknowledgement. In addition, since the acknowledgement data are stored in a storage region distinguished from the send-data buffer portion, the acknowledgement data are not replaced by normal send-data at a send-data buffer. Thus, deterioration of the communication response can be prevented.
The time-division multiple access radio communication device preferably includes plural receive-data buffers at a receive-data buffer portion, and includes plural send-data buffers at a send-data buffer portion. If the device includes plural data buffers for receiving and sending data respectively, send-/receive-data are not replaced at the send-/receive-data buffers even when plural data are sent/received simultaneously, and consequently, deterioration of the communication response can be prevented.
A time-division multiple access radio communication method according to the present invention includes the following steps of:
receiving data from plural sources by using a carrier wave and storing the data;
detecting a unique word from the received data in order to determine a synchronous point as a starting point for timing adjustment;
counting time from the point that the unique word is detected;
carrying out CRC calculation for checking errors in the received data; and
storing the data to be sent. The method further includes the steps of:
checking errors in the received data based on the CRC calculation result;
generating acknowledgement data when the received data are assumed to be error-free; and
storing the acknowledgement data in a storage region distinguished from the send-data buffer portion.
As a result, acknowledgement data can be sent without providing a high-speed microprocessor exclusive to acknowledgment. In addition, since the acknowledgement data are stored in a storage region distinguished from the send-data buffer portion, the acknowledgement data are not replaced by normal send-data at a send-data buffer. And thus, deterioration of the communication response can be prevented.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a time-division multiple access radio communication device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a time-division multiple access radio communication device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a conceptual view illustrating mobile unit communication according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a time-division multiple access radio communication device according to the prior art.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
First Embodiment
A time-division multiple access radio communication device according to a first embodiment of the present invention is described below with a reference to FIG. 1 . FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a time-division multiple access radio communication device according to this embodiment. In FIG. 1, numeral 101 denotes an antenna for receiving data, 102 denotes a unique word detecting portion, 103 denotes a receive-data buffer portion, 104 denotes a CRC calculating portion, 105 denotes a timer portion, 106 denotes an acknowledgement data generating portion, 107 denotes a send-data buffer portion, 108 denotes an antenna for sending data, 111 denotes a receive-data processing path, 112 denotes a unique word detection timing signal, 113 denotes a CRC calculation timing signal, 114 denotes a CRC matching signal, 115 denotes an acknowledgement send timing signal, and 116 denotes a send-data processing path. The unique word detecting portion 102 can be composed of, for example, a serial register storing a unique word and a comparator. For the antennas 101 and 108 , an integrated antenna with a switch for send/receive can be used. However, there is no particular limitation to their configurations, and other configurations are possible as long as they provide equivalent functions.
A signal received at the antenna 101 is passed over the receive-data processing path 111 into the unique word detecting portion 102 , the receive-data buffer portion 103 , the CRC calculating portion 104 and the timer portion 105 respectively.
When the unique word detecting portion 102 detects a unique word from the received data, it gives out a unique word detection timing signal 112 , and notifies the timer portion 105 of the signal as a synchronous point. The timer portion 105 generates an accurate clock based on the received synchronous point in order to notify of a CRC calculation timing, send-data path switching timing, and acknowledgement send timing. All basic timings are counted at a clock synchronized with the received unique word detection timing signal 112 .
In a measurement of the CRC calculation timing, the timer portion 105 outputs the CRC calculation timing signal 113 in the CRC calculating portion 104 when data subjected to CRC calculation are completely received, according to a clock based on a point of time that the unique word detection timing signal 112 is inputted.
In a switching of the send-data path and measurement of the acknowledgement send timing, the acknowledgement send timing signal 115 is outputted at the time when the acknowledgement data are completely generated, according to a clock based on a point of time that the unique word detection timing signal 112 is inputted.
At the CRC calculating portion 104 , the received data are subjected to CRC calculation. A remainder term as a result of division for checking transmission errors is provided to the received data. When storage of the received data in the receive-data buffer portion 103 is completed, i.e., at the time when the CRC calculation timing signal 113 is notified, CRC calculation is carried out by conducting a similar division based on the received data for obtaining a remainder term. If the remainder term as a result of the CRC calculation and a remainder term (CRC) sent with the received data are coincided with each other, the CRC calculating portion 104 regards the received data as being free of burst errors, and outputs CRC matching signal 114 so as to notify the acknowledgement data generating portion 106 that no errors have been found in the received data.
When the CRC matching signal 114 is inputted in the acknowledgement data generating portion 106 , data for acknowledgement are generated inside the acknowledgement data processing portion 106 . When the acknowledgement send timing signal 115 generated at the timer portion 105 is inputted, the acknowledgement data generated at the acknowledgement data generating portion 106 is outputted to the send-data processing path 116 and sent from the antenna 108 . Data switching with normal send-data is carried out by the acknowledgement send timing signal 115 generated at the timer portion 105 . The connection from a normal send-data buffer portion 107 in the send-data processing path 116 is switched to the acknowledgement data generating portion 106 .
As described above, this embodiment automatically carries out generation of the timing signal from the time of detection of the unique word to acknowledgement, and also generation of acknowledgement data based on the CRC calculation results. Therefore, a calculation process by a high-speed microprocessor exclusive to acknowledgement is not needed, unlike conventional acknowledgement processes using software. As a result, plural microprocessors are not necessary, and the microprocessor is not required to have high performance. Therefore, the components can be reduced and the power consumption can be lowered.
Moreover, normal send-data can be stored in the send-data buffer portion, as the acknowledgement signal is generated at the acknowledgement data generating portion. And thus, replacement of the acknowledgement data with normal data is not necessary. As a result, periods for data replacement is reduced and response for send/receive can be improved. In addition to that, since memories or the like for replacement are not needed, components for the device can be reduced and power consumption is also lowered.
Second Embodiment
A time-division multiple access radio communication device according to a second embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to FIG. 2 . FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a time-division multiple access radio communication device according to this embodiment. In FIG. 2, numeral 201 denotes an antenna for receiving data, 202 denotes a unique word detecting portion, 203 denotes a receive-data buffer portion composed of plural receive-data buffers for respective time-division multiple access radio communications, 204 denotes a CRC calculating portion, 205 denotes a timer portion, 206 denotes an acknowledgement data generating portion, 207 denotes a send-data buffer portion composed of plural send-data buffers for respective time-division multiple access radio communications, 208 denotes an antenna for sending data, 211 denotes a receive-data processing path, 212 denotes a unique word detection timing signal, 213 denotes a CRC calculation timing signal, 214 denotes a CRC matching signal, 215 denotes an acknowledgement send timing signal, and 216 denotes a send-data processing path. The unique word detecting portion 202 can be composed of, for example, a serial register storing a unique word and a comparator. For the antennas 201 and 208 , an integrated antenna with a switch for send/receive can be used. However, there is no particular limitation to their configurations, and other configurations are possible as long as they provide equivalent functions.
A signal received at the antenna 201 is passed over the receive-data processing path 211 into the unique word detecting portion 202 , the receive-data buffer portions 203 , the CRC calculating portion 204 and the timer portion 205 respectively.
When the unique word detecting portion 202 detects a unique word from the received data, it gives out the unique word detection timing signal 212 , and notifies the timer portion 205 of the signal as a synchronous point. The timer portion 205 generates an accurate clock based on the received synchronous point in order to notify a CRC calculation timing, send-data path switching timing, and acknowledgement send timing. All basic timings are counted at a clock synchronized with the received unique word detection timing signal 212 .
In a measurement of the CRC calculation timing, the CRC calculation timing signal 213 is outputted at the time when data subjected to CRC calculation are completely received, according to a clock based on a point of time that the unique word detection timing signal 212 is inputted in the CRC calculating portion 204 .
In a switching of the send-data path and measurement of the acknowledgement send timing, the acknowledgement send timing signal 215 is outputted at the time when the acknowledgement data are completely generated, according to a clock based on a point of time that the unique word detection timing signal 212 is inputted.
At the CRC calculating portion 204 , the received data are subjected to CRC calculation. A remainder term as a result of division for checking transmission errors is provided to the received data. When storage of the received data in the receive-data buffer portions 203 is completed, i.e., at the time when the CRC calculation timing signal 213 is notified, CRC calculation is carried out by conducting a similar division based on the received data for obtaining a remainder term. If the remainder term as a result of the CRC calculation and a remainder term (CRC) sent with the received data are coincided with each other, the CRC calculating portion 204 regards the received data as being free of burst errors, and outputs CRC matching signal 214 so as to notify the acknowledgement data generating portion 206 that no errors have been found in the received data.
When the CRC matching signal 214 is inputted in the acknowledgement data generating portion 206 , data for acknowledgement are generated inside the acknowledgement data processing portion 206 . When the acknowledgement send timing signal 215 generated at the timer portion 205 is inputted, the acknowledgement data generated at the acknowledgement data generating portion 206 is outputted to the send-data processing path 216 and sent from the antenna 208 . Data switching with normal send-data is carried out by the acknowledgement send timing signal 215 generated at the timer portion 205 . The connection from a normal send-data buffer portions 207 in the send-data processing path 216 is switched to the acknowledgement data generating portion 206 .
In this embodiment, plural receive-data buffer portion 203 and send-data buffer portion 207 are provided with plural buffers respectively for plural time-division multiple access radio communications. Therefore, data concerning respective opponent communicators are stored in the respective receive-data buffers 203 and the respective send-data buffers 207 . Even when plural time-division multiple access radio communications are carried out simultaneously, received data are stored in each buffer for each communicator, and the data are not replaced among the buffers. As a result, the communication response can be kept.
In this embodiment, effects equivalent to the first embodiment are expected. In addition, even when plural time-division multiple access radio communications are carried out simultaneously, the received data are stored in the respective buffers and the data are not replaced among the buffers. So the response for send/receive can be kept.
A time-division multiple access radio communication device in one embodiment of the present invention is described below. FIG. 3 is a conceptual view illustrating application of a time-division multiple access radio communication device of this embodiment to a mobile unit communication system. In FIG. 3, numeral 301 denotes a mobile unit communication terminal (e.g., an automobile station), 302 denotes a mobile unit communication base station. Numeral 303 denotes an area covered by a base station, and 304 denotes a service area.
In a general mobile unit communication system, the communication is subject to considerable interfering waves, depending on the locations of the mobile unit communication terminal 301 and the mobile unit communication base station 302 . In order to reserve stable communication in such a case, the whole service area 304 should be enlarged either by enlarging the area 303 that a mobile unit communication base station 302 covers, or by increasing the number of the mobile unit communication base stations 302 .
However, in order to enlarge the area 303 that a base station 302 covers, the transmission output of the mobile unit communication base station 302 and of the mobile unit communication terminal 301 should be increased. This requires a comparatively large-scaled remodel for the mobile unit communication base station 302 , and service will be suspended for a certain period. In addition, output of the mobile unit communication terminal 301 cannot be increased easily since the capacity and weight are restricted to keep its portability. Therefore, increase of output is not a proper method.
When a time-division multiple access radio communication device of the present invention is used for the mobile unit communication base station 302 , the relay device of a base station can be small and light-weight as the components will be decreased. As a result, the numbers of the mobile unit communication base stations 302 can be increased readily, and the service area 304 can be enlarged.
Similarly, the weight of the mobile unit communication terminal 301 can be reduced by using a time-division multiple access radio communication device of the present invention, since the components will be reduced. Moreover, since such a device consumes less power, the capacity of the battery can be made smaller to reduce the weight of the mobile unit communication terminal 301 . Since less power is consumed, the operating time can be extended, and portability of the mobile unit communication terminal 301 is improved.
The above effects will not be limited to this embodiment but similar effects can be expected for small area communication represented by PHS. The present invention is effective also for improvement of the communication response.
According to the time-division multiple access radio communication device of the present invention and the method using the same, generation of the timing signal from detection of the unique word to acknowledgement, and also generation of acknowledgement data based on the CRC calculation results, are carried out automatically. Therefore, a calculation process by a high-speed microprocessor exclusive to acknowledgement is not needed unlike conventional acknowledgement processes using software. As a result, plural microprocessors are not necessary, and the microprocessor is not required to have high quality. Therefore, the components for a device can be reduced and the power consumption can be lowered.
Moreover, normal send-data can be stored in the send-data buffer portion, as the acknowledgement signal is generated at the acknowledgement data generating portion. And thus, replacement of the acknowledgement data with normal data is not necessary. As a result, the time for data replacement is reduced and response of send/receive can be improved. In addition to that, as memories or the like for replacement are not needed, the components for the device can be reduced and power consumption is also lowered.
The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The embodiments disclosed in this application are 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 that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are intended to be embraced therein. | The present invention reduces power consumption and costs for components, and improves acknowledgement speed by using a memory or the like used only for acknowledgement. A time-division multiple access radio communication device of the present invention includes a receive-data buffer portion for storing received data; a unique word detecting portion for detecting a unique word from the received data; a timer portion for counting time from the point at which the unique word is detected at the unique word detecting portion; a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) calculating portion for checking errors in the received data; and a send-data buffer portion for storing data to be sent. The time-division multiple access radio communication device is further provided with an acknowledgement data generating portion. The acknowledgement data generating portion checks errors in the received data based on the calculation effects at the CRC calculating portion in accordance with the timing counted at the timer portion, and when the received data are assumed to be error-free, the acknowledgement data generating portion automatically generates acknowledgement data, and stores the data in a storage region distinguished from the send-data buffer portion. | 8 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to pulverulent cementitious composition which can be used to form cements having high early strength as well as being cements of low permeability and high durability. The invention is particularly suitable for use in cementing operations involving wells in the oil and gas industry.
In using a cement, and often in certain types of cementing operations in the oil and gas industry, it is desired to have a cement which will rapidly give early high strength and/or which will have low fluid loss characteristics. In an effort to obtain ever better results, various materials such as chromium, chlorides, and the like have been included with the clinker normally used to form cements to increase the early high strength, and these additives are costly and often toxic or corrosive. Other materials, such as accelerators and plasticizers have also been added to the cement, but these have drawbacks of their own, not only in terms of cost but in terms of also being corrosive, toxic or polluting materials. For example, chloride-type accelerators, if used in cements which come into contact with metallic objects, such as the use of high early strength cements in sealing the annulus between the metal well casing and the bore hole of an oil and gas well, can act to corrode the casing.
Also, often such cements do not have a sufficiently small particle size to be utilized effectively in forming non-permeable building blocks or for squeeze cementing in oil, gas and other wells or which, regardless of particle size, do not perform satisfactorily without additives or additional processing steps. Squeeze or remedial cementing is the process of forcing a cement slurry into perforations, holes in the well casing, or cavities behind the well casing or liner. Such cementing is usually performed during the drilling and completion of a well, or in repairing or altering an already drilled well. Illustrative is the inability often to obtain the required primary cementing in squeeze cementing without first cleaning the area of the well to be cemented with water, a non-acid wash, or with an acid flush, regardless of the particle size of the cement. Also, in squeeze cementing, the cementitious material presently used does not have the low fluid loss characteristics desired.
Not only have the additive materials not given the desired results of the high early strength, but in compositions which do not utilize additives, but rely only on small particle size, satisfactory results cannot be obtained, and there is often noted irregular setting time for the cement. Such small particle size for the high early strength are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,239,472 and 4,160,674. As noted, small particle size alone does not give the desired results and often gives irregular setting times.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The instant invention overcomes the problems faced in trying to form high early strength cementitious compositions and provides cementitious compositions that are inexpensive and that will rapidly set to give high early strength and/or low fluid loss characteristics.
Briefly, the present invention comprises a cementitious composition capable of forming a high early strength cement when mixed with a liquid comprising a pulverulent cementitious material having a particle size distribution such that substantially all of its particles are of the size of about 10 microns or smaller and at least about 70% by weight of its particles are 5 microns or smaller and having a surface area of at least about 8,000 sq.cm/gm.(Blaine), and whose chemical composition comprises, for each 100 by weight thereof, at least about 60 % by weight tricalcium silicate, at least about 9% by weight tricalcium aluminate, at least about 4% by weight of tetracalcium aluminoferrate, no more than about 4% by weight dicalcium silicate and at least about 6% by weight of a calcium sulfate calculated as SO 3 .
The invention also comprises the method of making such compositions and cements containing effective amounts of such compositions as hereafter described.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The instant invention requires as essentials a specified particle size distribution and surface area of the cementitious material and also a specific chemical composition.
The material itself comprises a clinker suitable for forming a hydraulic cement having the chemistries noted below with the addition of a calcium sulfate, preferably a gypsum.
With respect to the clinker, it can be any clinker which is utilized to form hydraulic cements whether they be Type I or III portland cements, or the like. What is important is the chemical composition of the clinker, the particle size distribution and surface area thereof and of the calcium sulfate.
The clinker must contain, for each 100% by weight thereof, at least about 65% by weight of tricalcium silicate (C 3 S), at least about 10% by weight of tricalcium aluminate (C 3 A), at least 7% by weight tetracalcium aluminoferrate (C 4 AF), and no more than about 7% by weight of dicalcium silicate (C 2 S). It is important to to ensure that the dicalcium silicate is kept below the level indicated to ensure the final composition does not contain more than 4% by weight thereof, and it is preferred that the C 3 S+C 3 A concentration be at least about 75% by weight.
The other component of the composition is a calcium sulfate, and it is used preferably in an amount of about 3 to 7% by weight, calculated as SO 3 , for each 100 parts by weight of the composition. Such calcium sulfate can be either hydrated or unhydrated, such as CaSO 4 , CaSO 4 .2H 2 O, or mixtures thereof, and the like and for this purpose, gypsum and gypsum anhydrite can be used.
With respect to the ranges of the components of the composition, set forth below in Table I is the most desired operative range of the components thereof. This can be formed for example, by admixing 95 parts by weight of the clinker and 5 parts by weight of a gypsum or gypsum anhydrite.
TABLE I______________________________________ % by Weight______________________________________C.sub.3 S 60-75C.sub.3 A 9-11C.sub.2 S 0-4C.sub.4 AF 4-7C.sub.3 S + C.sub.3 A 70-80Calcium Sulfate 3-8(calculated as SO.sub.3)______________________________________
It will be recognized that the degree of high early strength depends in some measure also on the amount of liquid, most usually water, that is utilized in forming the cement. With the instant invention, the normal range of water addition; i.e., about 40 48.5% by weight of the cementitious material, can be utilized to obtain optimum results.
As to particle size and surface area, all of the particles of the composition are preferably 10 microns or smaller with 70% by weight, and preferably 80%, of the particles being 5 microns or smaller, and most preferably, 35% by weight of the particles being 2 microns or smaller. In conjunction with the particle size distribution, the surface area of the composition must be at least about 8,000 sq.cm/gm.(Blaine) and, preferably, at least 10,000 sq.cm/gm.(Blaine). It is important that there be a distribution of particle sizes ranging from 10 microns to 1 micron and below and not particles of just a few micron sizes.
The composition is made by mixing various clinkers and gypsums to obtain the proper chemistry, then controlling the grinding to obtain the required particle size distribution and surface area and separating the properly sized composition. It will be evident that in such separation oversized particles can be recycled to be reground to the proper size and distribution.
The method comprises preferably selecting a Type I or Type III portland cement clinker with the proper chemistry or forming a clinker with the proper chemistry as discussed above and admixing it with the proper proportion of a gypsum or a gypsum anhydrite to give the proper SO 3 concentration.
This mixture, or feed, is fed into a mill and ground. For this purpose, any finish mill presently used in milling cement clinker is utilized. However, to ensure that the maximum percentage of composition of the desired particle size distribution and surface area will be obtained in a single pass through the mill (thus minimizing the amount of coarser particles that need to be recycled and unsuitable particle size distribution) it is preferred to use a ball mill divided into sections, as is conventional, but to utilize in the final section of the mill prior to discharge, balls of various diameters to ensure that the desired particle size distribution and surface area desired.
The mill discharge is then conveyed to a separator where the properly sized particles are recovered and the coarser particles are recycled to the mill together with fresh feed. It will be evident that the size of the separator and/or number of separators used is calculated to satisfactorily process the amount of mill discharge feed. While any conventional separating means can be utilized, it is preferred to use high efficiency air separators adjusted so as to recover particles of the desired size.
Also, while the method can be carried out in batch, it is preferred to carry out the method continuously with fresh feed being continuously added to the mill, the mill discharge being continuously fed to the separator(s), and the desired product continuously recovered therefrom with the coarser particles being continuously recycled to the mill.
The resultant dry composition is admixed with water or other suitable liquid to form a suitable cement. It can also be admixed with sand and/or aggregates as is conventional with cements used for certain purposes. Also, although the composition does not require the same, if desired, accelerators or retarders can be added in their usual amounts for their usual purposes.
The instant cementitious composition can be utilized in any environment where early high strength is desired and/or where cements with low fluid loss characteristics are desired and provides a cementing composition that has low permeability, high durability and corrosion resistance, and that is non-polluting.
The invention will be further described in connection with the following examples which are set forth for purposes of illustration only.
EXAMPLE 1
A dry cementitious composition was prepared from a mix of 95 parts by weight of a Type I portland cement clinker and 5 parts by weight of a gypsum and had particle size distribution (measured by the SEDIGRAPH 5,000 D) such that 100% by weight of the particles were 10 microns or smaller, 88% by weight of the particles were 5 microns or smaller, and 37% by weight of the particles were 2 microns or smaller. The Blaine fineness of the composition was 10,686 sq.cm/gm.
The composition had the following chemistry:
______________________________________ % by Weight______________________________________C.sub.3 S 61.8C.sub.2 S 3.3C.sub.3 A 9.8C.sub.4 AF 5.4C.sub.3 S + C.sub.3 A 71.6CaO 61.95SiO.sub.2 17.70Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 4.82Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 1.79MgO 1.35K.sub.2 O 1.28Na.sub.2 O 0.22SO.sub.3 7.39Trace Materials 0.40L.O.I. 3.10______________________________________
More particularly, the composition was formed by admixing the noted proportions of clinker and gypsum, feeding such mixture into a mill, and then feeding the mill discharge into a high efficienty air separator operated so as to separate 10 microns and smaller particles from coarser particles. The coarser particles are then fed into the mill with fresh feed for regrinding.
The resultant composition was tested for compressive strength in accordance with ASTM Test C109. More particularly, water and sand were admixed with the dry cementitious composition, in values relative to the weight of the cementitious composition, of, respectively, 48.5% by weight 2.75 times the weight. The mixture was allowed to harden at 72° F., and 100% humidity and the compressive strength measured at 8,16, and 24 hours. The results were as follows:
______________________________________Time (hrs.) Compressive Strenqth (psi)______________________________________ 8 500516 780024 8475______________________________________
EXAMPLE 2
A cementitious composition was formed as in Example 1, except that the composition had a Blaine fineness of 10,231 sq.cm/gm. and following particle size distribution and chemistry:
______________________________________A. Particle size distributionMicron Size % Passing______________________________________10 100 5 80 2 35______________________________________B. Chemistry % by Wt.______________________________________C.sub.3 S 66.1C.sub.2 S 0.0C.sub.3 A 10.1C.sub.4 AF 8.9C.sub.3 S + C.sub.3 A 76.2CaO 62.08SiO.sub.2 16.30Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 5.66Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 2.92MgO 0.61K.sub.2 O 1.82Na.sub.2 O.sub.3 0.09SO.sub.3 7.19Trace Materials 0.42L.O.I. 2.91______________________________________
The compressive strength of the composition was tested as in Example 1 and the results were as follows:
______________________________________Time(hrs.) Compressive Strength (psi)______________________________________ 8 617016 753524 8170______________________________________
EXAMPLES 3 and 4
These examples show that the proper composition chemistry, particle size and fineness are required to obtain the necessary high early strength.
Two compositions, (3 and 4) were formed as in Example 1 and their respective surface area (Blaine fineness) were 9,604 and 9,215 sq.cm/gm. Their respective particle size distribution and chemistry were as follows:
______________________________________ EXAMPLE 3 EXAMPLE 4______________________________________A. Particle size distribution% Passing 10 microns 100 100% Passing 5 microns 80 80% Passing 2 microns 30 28B. ChemistryC.sub.3 S 59.2 63.9C.sub.2 S 3.9 2.1C.sub.3 A 8.7 8.8C.sub.4 AF 7.4 7.5C.sub.3 S + C.sub.3 A 67.9 72.7CaO 60.94 62.01SiO.sub.2 16.94 17.54Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 4.85 4.91Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 2.43 2.48MgO 1.27 0.87K.sub.2 O 1.48 1.66Na.sub.2 O.sub.3 0.18 0.19SO.sub.3 8.44 6.56Trace Materials 0.36 0.47L.O.I. 3.11 3.31______________________________________
Each composition was tested as to compressive strength (in psi) as in Example 1 and the results were as follows:
______________________________________Time (hrs.) EXAMPLE 3 EXAMPLE 4______________________________________ 8 4250 532516 7405 687024 7545 7280______________________________________
The foregoing results show that composition chemistry alone and particle size and surface area alone do not give the highest compressive strength. Rather, the unexpected increase in strength results from the combination of chemical composition, particle size distribution and surface area relationships.
The above results show that the higher the percentage of C 3 S+C 3 A alone the higher the compressive strength at 8 hours, but this does not hold true for strengths at 16 and 24 hours.
The comparison of the results of Examples 3 and 4 shows that though the composition of Example 3 had the lowest C 3 S+C 3 A composition, its strength results at 16 and 24 hours were better than that of the composition of Example 4 because of the composition of Example 3 has a higher surface area and a larger percentage of particles 2 microns and finer.
It will also be seen that the composition of Example 1 had the best results at 16 and 24 hours even though it did not have the highest C 3 S+C 3 A concentration, but did have the highest surface area and largest number of particles below 5 and 2 microns.
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 included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. | A cementitious composition capable of forming an early high strength cement when admixed with a liquid comprising a cementitious material of a specific chemical composition, surface area, and particle size distribution, the method of making such cementitious composition, and cements comprising said composition. | 2 |
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation in part of U.S. Ser. No. 984,643 filed Dec. 2, 1992, now abandoned.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates broadly to hydrocarbon conversion processes and apparatus. More specifically, the invention relates to an arrangement for baffles in an FCC stripper.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Fluidized bed catalytic cracking (commonly referred to as FCC) processes were developed during the 1940's to increase the quantity of naphtha boiling range hydrocarbons which could be obtained from crude oil. Fluidized catalytic cracking processes are now in widespread commercial use in petroleum refineries to produce lighter boiling point hydrocarbons from heavier feedstocks such as atmospheric reduced crudes or vacuum gas oils. Such processes are utilized to reduce the average molecular weight of various petroleum-derived feed streams and thereby produce lighter products, which have a higher monetary value than heavy fractions. Though the feed to an FCC process is usually a petroleum-derived material, liquids derived from tar sands, oil shale or coal liquefaction may be charged to an FCC process. Today, FCC processes are also used for the cracking of heavy oil and reduced crudes. Although these processes are often used as reduced crude conversion, use of the term FCC in this description applies to heavy oil cracking processes as well.
The operation of the FCC process is well known to those acquainted with process for upgrading hydrocarbon feedstocks. Differing designs of FCC units may be seen in the articles at page 102 of the May 15, 1972 edition and at page 65 of the Oct. 8, 1973 edition of "The Oil & Gas Journal". Other examples of FCC processes can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,364,905 (Fahrig et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 4,051,013 (Strother); U.S. Pat. No. 3,894,932 (Owen); and U.S. Pat. No. 4,419,221 (Castagnos, Jr. et al) and the other FCC patent references discussed herein.
A majority of the hydrocarbon vapors that contact the catalyst in the reaction zone are separated from the solid particles by ballistic and/or centrifugal separation methods. However, the catalyst particles employed in an FCC process have a large surface area, which is due to a great multitude of pores located in the particles. As a result, the catalytic materials retain hydrocarbons within their pores and upon the external surface of the catalyst. Although the quantity of hydrocarbon retained on each individual catalyst particle is very small, the large amount of catalyst and the high catalyst circulation rate which is typically used in a modern FCC process results in a significant quantity of hydrocarbons being withdrawn from the reaction zone with the catalyst.
Therefore, it is common practice to remove, or strip, hydrocarbons from spent catalyst prior to passing it into the regeneration zone. It is important to remove retained spent hydrocarbons from the spent catalyst for process and economic reasons. First, hydrocarbons that entered the regenerator increase its carbon-burning load and can result in excessive regenerator temperatures. Stripping hydrocarbons from the catalyst also allows recovery of the hydrocarbons as products. The most common method of stripping the catalyst passes a stripping gas, usually steam, through a flowing stream of catalyst, countercurrent to its direction of flow. Such steam stripping operations, with varying degrees of efficiency, remove the hydrocarbon vapors which are entrained with the catalyst and hydrocarbons which are adsorbed on the catalyst.
The efficiency of catalyst stripping has been increased by using a series of baffles in a stripping apparatus to cascade the catalyst from side to side as it moves down the stripping apparatus. Moving the catalyst horizontally increases contact between it and the stripping medium. Increasing the contact between the stripping medium and catalyst removes more hydrocarbons from the catalyst. As shown by U.S. Pat. No. 2,440,625, the use of angled guides for increasing contact between the stripping medium and catalyst has been known since 1944. In these arrangements, the catalyst is given a labyrinthine path through a series of baffles located at different levels. Catalyst and gas contact is increased by this arrangement that leaves no open vertical path of significant cross-section through the stripping apparatus. Further examples of similar stripping devices for FCC units are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,440,620; 2,612,438; 3,894,932; 4,414,100; and 4,364,905. These references show the typical stripper arrangement having a stripper vessel, a series of baffles in the form of frusto-conical sections that direct the catalyst inward onto a baffle in a series of centrally located conical or frusto conical baffles that divert the catalyst outwardly onto the outer baffles. The stripping medium enters from below the lower baffle in the series and continues rising upward from the bottom of one baffle to the bottom of the next succeeding baffle. Variations in the baffles include the addition of skirts about the trailing edge of the baffle as depicted in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,994,659 and 2,460,151; the use of multiple linear baffle sections at different baffle levels as demonstrated by FIG. 3 of U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,500,423 and 5,019,354; and the use of orifice openings in stopper skirts as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,015,363. A variation in introducing the stripping medium is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,541,801 where a quantity of fluidizing gas is admitted at a number of discrete locations.
Although the frusto-conically shaped stripped grids operate well in most FCC applications, they present a disadvantage when the stripper vessel becomes large. In order for these frusto-conical baffles to operate correctly, the baffle must have a downward sloping angle of approximately 45°. As the capacity of the FCC unit increases, so does the catalyst throughput passing downwardly in the stripper. The higher catalyst throughput dictates a relatively large cross-sectional area for the stripper vessel. The required cross-sectional area of the stripper vessel in combination with the 45° angle on the stripper grids greatly extends the length of the stripper as the capacity becomes larger. Since the area under the stripper grids is devoid of the catalyst particles, this large area goes essentially unused. As designers of FCC units strive to achieve more efficient stripping, the number of stages, i.e., grids in the stripper vessel have continued to increase. Therefore, the combination of an increasing number of grids to provide additional stages of stripping and larger diameters for the stripping vessel, greatly increase the length and cost of traditional FCC strippers that use the traditional frusto-conical baffle design.
It is an object of this invention to provide a stripping process that uses a compact grid design to reduce the stripper height requirements while maintaining the same or better stripping efficiency through the stripper vessel.
It is a further object of this invention to provide stripper grids that require a relatively small length for a highly efficient stage of stripping while also permitting access through the stripper for inspection and maintenance.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
These objects are achieved by the use of a radial baffle design in a spoke-like arrangement to provide multiple stages for stripping adsorbed hydrocarbons from fine catalyst particles. The spoke-like arrangement provides a wide access space between adjacent grids at each level of stripping. The grids have a concave shape that faces downwardly to trap upwardly flowing stripping fluid and redistribute the stripping fluid circumferentially at each stripping grid level. A series of orifice openings in the grids provide this redistribution at each grid elevation. Circumferentially extending baffles located between stripping grid elevations further enhance contacting of the catalyst particles with the stripping fluid by radially displacing catalyst particles back and forth as it passes downwardly through stages of stripping. Grids at different levels are incrementally staggered to provide a small off-set relative to the grids located above or below a particular level. This off-setting of grids at different levels promotes effective stripping while also providing a path through the grids for inspection and maintenance.
The unique combination of radially and circumferentially extending grids provides unique flow path through the stripper that moves catalyst both radially and circumferentially. Thus catalyst moves in a zig-zag motion both in the radial and cirucumferential directions. This unique bidirectional movement of the catalyst as it passes downwardly through the stripper gives highly effective stripping of the catalyst in a more compact space than has been previously achieved in FCC strippers.
Accordingly in one embodiment, this invention is a process for stripping hydrocarbons from a particulate catalyst. The process comprises contacting the particles with hydrocarbons and disengaging hydrocarbon vapors from the catalyst particles to yield catalyst particles having adsorbed hydrocarbons thereon. The catalyst particles pass downwardly through an elongated stripping zone, past at least two levels of radially extending stripping grids while countercurrently contacting the catalyst with an upwardly flowing stripping fluid in the stripping zone. The grids are offset between levels to between grid levels to obstruct the direct downward flow of catalyst through the stripper and cascade the catalyst back and forth circumferentially. A circumferentially extended baffle radially redirects the catalyst between grid levels. Stripped catalyst particles are withdrawn from the bottom of the stripping zone. The radially extending stripping grids collect stripping fluid under each grid and circumferentially redirect the stripping fluid at each grid level. After passing through the stripping grids, the stripping fluid is withdrawn from the top of the stripping zone.
In another embodiment, this invention is an apparatus in an FCC unit for stripping hydrocarbons from catalyst particles. The apparatus comprises a stripping vessel having an upper inlet for receiving catalyst particles and a lower outlet for discharging catalyst particles. At least two levels of stripping grids extend radially across the stripping vessel from its center to its outer wall. Means are provided for adding stripping fluid below the top of the stripping grids. Downwardly extending skiffs on the side of the grids collect stripping fluid and define orifice openings for circumferentially redirecting the stripping fluid. Means are also provided for radially redistributing the catalyst as it passes between different levels of stripping grids.
Further details, embodiments and advantages of this invention are discussed in the following detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a cross-section of an FCC reactor vessel showing the stripping zone and apparatus of this invention.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-section of the stripping zone of this invention.
FIG. 3 is a horizontal section of the stripper shown in FIG. 2 taken at section 3--3.
FIG. 4 is a view of the stripping grid shown in FIG. 2 taken at section 4--4.
FIG. 5 is a view of a typical stripper baffle shown in FIG. 4 at section 5--5.
FIG. 6 is another horizontal section stripper of the shown in FIG. 2 taken at section 6--6.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Looking first at a more complete description of the FCC process, the typical feed to an FCC unit is a gas oil such as a light or vacuum gas oil. Other petroleum-derived feed streams to an FCC unit may comprise a diesel boiling range mixture of hydrocarbons or heavier hydrocarbons such as reduced crude oils. It is preferred that the feed stream consist of a mixture of hydrocarbons having boiling points, as determined by the appropriate ASTM test method, above about 232° C. and more preferably above about 288° C. It is becoming customary to refer to FCC type units which are processing heavier feedstocks, such as atmospheric reduced crudes, as residual crude cracking units, or resid cracking units.
An FCC process unit comprises a reaction zone and a catalyst regeneration zone. In the reaction zone, a feed stream is contacted with a finely divided fluidized catalyst maintained at an elevated temperature, at least above 850° F., and at a moderate positive pressure of less than 100 psig. Contacting of feed and catalyst may take place in a relatively large fluidized bed of catalyst. However, the reaction zones employed in modem FCC units are usually comprised of a vertical conduit, or riser, as the main reaction site, with the effluent of the conduit emptying into a large volume process vessel, which may be referred to as a separation vessel. The residence time of catalyst and hydrocarbons in the riser needed for substantial completion of the cracking reactions is only a few seconds. The flowing vapor/catalyst stream leaving the riser may pass from the riser to a solids-vapor separation device located within the separation vessel or may enter the separation vessel directly without passing through an intermediate separation apparatus. When no intermediate separation apparatus is provided, much of the catalyst drops out of the flowing vapor/catalyst stream as the stream leaves the riser and enters the separation vessel. One or more additional solids-vapor separation devices, almost invariably a cyclone separator, is normally located within and at the top of the large separation vessel. The products of the reaction are separated from a portion of catalyst which is still carried by the vapor stream by means of the cyclone or cyclones and the vapor is vented from the cyclone and separation zone. The spent catalyst falls downward to a lower location within the separation vessel. The stripper may comprise a lower part of the reaction zone (or separation vessel) or spent catalyst may be passed to a stripper separate from the reaction riser and separation vessel. Catalyst is transferred to a separate regeneration zone after it passes through the stripping apparatus.
In an FCC process, catalyst is continuously circulated from the reaction zone to the regeneration zone and then again to the reaction zone. The catalyst therefore acts as a vehicle for the transfer of heat from zone to zone as well as providing the necessary catalytic activity. Catalyst withdrawn from the regeneration zone is referred to as "regenerated" catalyst. As previously described, the catalyst charged to the regeneration zone is brought into contact with an oxygen-containing gas such as air or oxygen-enriched air under conditions which result .in combustion of the coke. This results in an increase in the temperature of the catalyst and the generation of a large amount of hot gas which is removed from the regeneration zone as a gas stream referred to as a flue gas stream. The regeneration zone is normally operated at a temperature of from about 593° to about 788° C. Additional information on the operation of FCC reaction and regeneration zones may be obtained from U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,431,749; 4,419,221 (cited above); and 4,220,623.
The further description of this invention is presented with reference to the drawings. These depict particular embodiments of the invention and are not intended to limit the generally broad scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.
FIG. 1 depicts an FCC reactor. The FCC reactor consists of an external riser conduit 10 through which a mixture of catalyst and feed enters the reactor from a lower section of the riser (not shown). The catalyst and feed mixture continues upward into an internal portion 12 of the riser from which it exits into a reactor vessel 14. A cyclone separator 16 receives product vapors and catalyst from reactor vessel 14 and removes entrained catalyst particles from the product vapors. A vapor conduit 18 withdraws product from the top of cyclone 16 and the reactor vessel 14. Catalyst separated from the feed in the vessel 14 passes downwardly through the vessel and is joined with catalyst exiting cyclone 16 through a catalyst conduit 20. As the catalyst falls from the cyclone and the reactor vessel, it enters a frusto-conical section 22 which opens at its bottom into a stripper or stripping vessel 24.
Stripping vessel 24 removes additional product vapors from the catalyst entering through an opening 26. Steam entering via the stripper via conduits 28 passes upwardly, countercurrent to the catalyst flowing downwardly through the stripper. As the catalyst enters the stripper, it contacts a series of grids 30 and baffles 32 that cascade the catalyst radially and circumferentially as it passes down the stripping vessel. An outlet nozzle 34 removes catalyst after passes through the stripping vessel while stripped hydrocarbon gases and stripping fluid leave the reactor vessel 14 through cyclone 16.
FIG. 2 illustrates the stripper of FIG. 1 in more detail. Grids 30 extend between riser 12 and the exterior wall of stripper vessel 24. Preferably, a welded attachment at the riser 12 and the outer wall 24 secures each grid. The grids do not communicate with the interior of riser 12. In FCC arrangements that do not include a riser 12 in the center portion of the stripping vessel, the grids may be jointed about a central support conduit or innermost portion of grids 30 may be joined together for central support.
After catalyst flows around and past grid 30, it contacts one or more of the circumferentially arranged baffles 32. The baffles 32 are preferably frusto-conical rings that provide a means for radially redirecting the catalyst. As catalyst contacts a baffle 32, the slope of the baffle directs the catalyst radially inward while the slope of the baffle 32' redirects the catalyst radially outward. In large strippers it may be possible to use more than one radially redirecting baffle between each level of stripping grids. Moreover, in small strippers where access may be a problem, it is not necessary to provide a baffle 32 between each level of stripping grids. Baffle 32 may be secured to the top of the grid below the baffle, the bottom of the grid above the baffle, or both. Baffle 32 may occupy a relatively small proportion of the transverse area of the stripper and yet remain effective. The proportion of transverse flowing cross-sectional area of the stripper occupied by the circumferential baffle will usually be in a range of from 25 to 50%.
Stripping gas preferably enters the stripper vessel 24 at a location below the top of the lowermost grids 31. Stripping gas may enter below all of the stripper grids using the typical steam distribution ring of the prior art. Preferably, stripping fluid, in most cases steam, enters the lowermost stripping grids directly through the sidewall of the stripping vessel via conduit 28. FIG. 3 shows steam added directly to the underside of the stripping grids 31 via nozzles 28. If desired, additional stripping steam may also be added at other levels in the stripping zone 24 either through a distribution ring or directly into the stripper grids.
FIG. 3 further depicts a single level of stripping grids with six grids extending radially from the central riser 12 at an equal angular spacing of 60°. The number of grids at each grid level will vary with the size of the stripping zone. Preferably, the chordal distance between stripping grids will be in a range of between 24 to 48 inches with an appropriate equal angular spacing of grids provided. The maximum distance between adjacent grids at a given grid level is determined to allow enough room between grids for access through the stripper while keeping the grids close enough together to provide effective stripping.
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the grids are perforated with orifice openings 34 and have a principally U-shape. A curved or concave portion 36 covers the top of the grid and a pair of skirts 38 extend downwardly from curved section 38 to define a downwardly opened channel. The downwardly opened channel configuration captures upwardly flowing stripping fluid that ascends through the stripper. Stripping fluid typically consisting of steam and desorbed hydrocarbons collects inside the grid such that orifice openings 34 redirect the stripping fluid horizontally into the catalyst that flows downwardly between stripping grids. In addition to the U-shaped channel, a variety of stripping grid configurations can be used to effect the purposes of this invention. The essential requirements for the stripping grids are that they provide a downwardly opening channel that will collect stripping fluid and orifice openings that redirect the stripping fluid in a substantially horizontal direction.
Referring again to FIG. 5, the open area of the orifice openings or holes in the grids 34 increases towards the outer portion of the grids. This arrangement redistributes more of the stripping fluid to the outer circumference of the transverse stripping zone area where the distance between grids is the greatest. The number as well as the size of the orifice openings, can increase with the radial distance of the openings from the center of the stripper to redirect more stripping fluid into the outer diameter areas of the stripping vessel. Preferably, the size of the orifice openings will increase with the radial distance from the center of the stripping zone and will be proportional to the distance between stripping grids. The size of the orifice openings will usually range from about 0.25 to 2 inches. It is also possible to vary the size of the openings with the elevation of the openings on the skin to improve circumferential redistribution. When the stripping fluid contains scale building impurities, a larger minimum diameter is necessary in order to prevent an accumulation of debris and scale that over time can plug the orifice openings.
FIG. 6 depicts a regular configuration of grids at a number of different levels. The angular displacement or stagger of grids at different levels relative to the next upwardly adjacent grid level interposes grid openings above the upwardly moving flow of stripping fluid. Thus, the staggered arrangement enables the grids to capture increased amounts of stripping fluid and prevents stripping fluid from channeling upward through the stripping zone. (Channeling is a phenomena wherein the stripping fluid passes upwardly through the catalyst with minimum contacting of the catalyst.) FIG. 6 in conjunction with FIG. 2 illustrates that the level of grids containing grids 30' are offset by 30° from grids 30 located immediately above. Similarly, grids 30" are angularly offset 15° counter-clockwise from super adjacent grids 30'. Grids 30"' forming the next lower grid level have a 30° offset from superadjacent grids 30". It is not required that the grids have an equal angular displacement between adjacent grids at all grid levels. As FIG. 6 demonstrates, the angular displacement between adjacent grid levels can vary down the length of the stripper. The preferred arrangement of the grids at different levels does maintain an angular offset of at least 1/3 to 1/2 of the angle between grids. The need for access through the stripping zone may also influence the angular offset of the grids at adjacent levels. Where the clearance between grids at each level is relatively small, the offset of grids progressively down the stripper may be minimized to provide access down the stripper in an arrangement resembling a spiral staircase. This type of offset arrangement permits the relatively shallow grid design of this invention to be used while still permitting access through the stripping zone.
This invention is most useful for strippers having a diameter of at least 9 feet. This arrangement will give a typical grid a total height of between 6 to 18 inches. The grids will typically have a width of between 6 to 18 inches. When using the preferred U-shaped channels in a stripping vessel of this size, the skirts will extend downward by at least 3 inches and more preferably by at least 6 inches. Spacing between adjacent levels of grids will typically vary from about 18 to 48 inches. A stripper of this size typically operates in an FCC process having a capacity of between 30,000 to 120,000 barrels per day of feed It has been found that grids designed in accordance with the arrangement of this invention will provide 30 to 50% more levels of stripping, i.e., arrangements of grids at each level than provided by the frusto-conical baffles of the prior art. | An FCC stripper uses a grid arrangement that provides increased contacting of stripping fluid and catalyst through multiple levels of stripping grids while using a configuration that permits access through the stripper vessel for maintenance and inspection. The invention is particularly suited for large diameter stripping vessels where the typical frusto-conical configuration of baffles greatly increases the length of the stripper. The stripper grids also have orifice openings to redistribute stripping fluid at each level of stripping grid and increase contact between catalyst and stripping fluid. | 1 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/736,062, filed Dec. 12, 2012, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
This invention relates to an auxiliary oil gauge for a motorcycle. More particularly, this invention relates to an auxiliary oil gauge which is configured to mount to the engine block. Specifically, this invention relates to an assembly having a body connected to a mechanical oil gauge, whereby the body allows engine oil to flow to the mechanical gauge as well as to the stock oil sending unit to facilitate providing both mechanical and electrical oil pressure feedback to the observer.
2. Background Information
Heretofore, there have existed motorcycles which include a standard off the shelf oil pressure monitoring system. These may include an electrical oil gauge which electronically connects to an oil pressure monitor proximate the engine. In the event of a failure within the standard oil pressure monitoring system, the gauge may cease operation unbeknownst to the user. This may occur by way of a light bulb burning out or a wire disconnecting from the various components of the oil pressure monitoring system. Typically, these standard factory oil pressure monitoring systems incorporate a light bulb, which discussed previously, may burn out. In the event of a light bulb burn out, the user has no way of knowing that the oil monitoring system is not providing accurate results. The user simply sees the oil gauge and the absence of a lighted warning and believes the oil pressure system and the oil pressure in general within the engine is at the proper range. In the event of such an indicator failure, improper oil pressure within the engine may cause catastrophic damage to the overall engine itself. This results in a very high cost to the motorcycle owner to replace or repair the engine.
Several manufacturers have attempted to design an auxiliary oil gauge for a motorcycle but these devices have been met with very limited commercial success. All of these prior designs suffer from design issues making them commercially undesirable. Some of these devices use an integrated monolithic adapter unit that includes a threaded recess for receiving the gauge as well as a threaded male portion for screwing into the engine. One will readily realize that when the adapter is turned to properly secure it to the engine, the gauge will necessarily rotate as well. This prevents the operator from obtaining both a proper fit between the engine and the adapter and a proper orientation of the gauge. One of the two requirements cannot be met in prior art devices. However, both requirements are of great importance. A proper fit and seal with the engine must be made to ensure proper oil readings and adequate pressure throughout the system. Similarly, the gauge must be positioned to present the information to the user while simultaneously be positioned to not disrupting the user's foot or leg and to maintain safety. Inasmuch as the prior art devices cannot be tightened without also turning the gauge, these devices are generally not commercially viable.
Other prior art devices provide an adapter unit to connect with the engine and provide an aperture for connecting a hose or remote line for receiving oil pressure therein. The hose extends to a bracket or other mounting hardware that is intended to be mounted to the rocker box of the motorcycle and receive the gauge thereon. However, this hose is exposed proximate the user's feet and legs and may be blown about while riding on the motorcycle, which represents a safety issue for the rider.
Thus, a need exists in the art to provide an auxiliary oil gauge assembly which may provide a secondary source of oil pressure readings to the user. This auxiliary oil gauge assembly must be free from additional hoses and mount in such a way that the operator's leg will not abut the auxiliary oil gauge. Additionally, the gauge itself must pivot or rotate independently from the fastening assembly for securing the gauge or body to the engine. This will allow the user to secure the device to the engine while independently rotating and positioning the gauge at the proper orientation. Further, this auxiliary oil gauge assembly may incorporate the factory oil pressure monitoring system so as to be an add-on aftermarket component and may easily and conveniently install without the need to remove the standard factory oil pressure monitoring system from the motorcycle.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an auxiliary oil gauge assembly to a motorcycle, whereby the user may observe the auxiliary oil gauge to determine oil pressure in the motorcycle engine. This is in addition to the standard off-the-shelf oil pressure monitor system provided on common motorcycles. In the event of a system failure regarding the standard oil pressure monitor system, the auxiliary oil gauge assembly will maintain an oil pressure reading for the user.
The present invention also allows the gauge itself to pivot or rotate independently from the fastening assembly used for securing the gauge or body to the engine. This allows the user to secure the device to the engine while independently rotating and positioning the gauge at the proper orientation.
The present invention relates to an assembly generally comprising a pipe body adapted to connect to a motorcycle engine and to receive engine oil therethrough; an oil gauge connected to the pipe body and adapted to display the oil pressure of the motorcycle engine; and an exit aperture defined by the pipe body, whereby engine oil flows into the pipe body from the motorcycle engine and out of the exit aperture.
The present invention also relates to an assembly generally comprising a pipe body defining a fastener channel; an oil gauge connected to the pipe body; a pipe plug defining a longitudinal channel therethrough; a banjo bolt extending into the fastener channel and longitudinal channel; whereby the pipe plug is adapted to rotatably secure the pipe body to a motorcycle engine to receive engine oil into the longitudinal channel; and whereby the pipe plug rotates independently of the pipe body.
The present invention also relates to a method of monitoring oil pressure generally comprising the steps of disconnecting an oil pressure sending unit from a motorcycle engine; securing a pipe body to the motorcycle engine via a fastener assembly; connecting the oil pressure sending unit to the pipe body; securing an oil gauge to the pipe body; adjusting the orientation of the oil gauge position by rotating the pipe body independently of the fastener assembly; and rotating the fastener assembly independently of the pipe body.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
Preferred embodiments of the invention, illustrated of the best mode in which Applicant contemplates applying the principles, are set forth in the following description and are shown in the drawings and are particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of an assembled auxiliary oil gauge assembly of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the first embodiment of the oil gauge assembly, including the pipe body, the banjo bolt, and the oil gauge;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the oil gauge assembly mounted on a motorcycle engine block;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the oil gauge assembly mounted on a motorcycle;
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the pipe body of the present invention; and
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a third embodiment of the pipe body of the present invention.
Similar numbers refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The auxiliary oil gauge of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1-4 and indicated generally at 1 . As shown in FIG. 1 , auxiliary oil gauge assembly 1 includes a generally cylindrical elongated aluminum shaped pipe body 3 which includes a first end 5 and a spaced apart second end 7 . In its fully assembled state, auxiliary oil gauge assembly 1 further includes an oil gauge 9 disposed generally proximate first end 5 and a fastener assembly 11 disposed proximate second end 7 . Fastener assembly 11 of the present invention may be comprised of a pipe plug 13 connected to a banjo bolt 15 through a fastener channel 14 ( FIG. 2 ) defined by pipe body 3 . Fastener assembly 11 may optionally include at least a washer 17 for mating with one or both of pipe plug 14 and banjo bolt 15 to more securely hold fastener assembly 11 to pipe body 3 . As shown in FIG. 4 , fastener assembly 11 is configured to connect pipe body with an engine 4 of a motorcycle 2 . Fastener assembly 11 aligns banjo bolt 15 through fastener channel 14 ( FIG. 2 ), with or without washers 17 , and connects to pipe plug 13 to secure banjo bolt 15 , optional washers 17 , and pipe plug 13 together about pipe body 3 . One will readily recognize that fastener assembly 11 allows a user to secure pipe body 3 to engine 4 independently of the orientation of gauge 9 . This allows a user to ensure a tight fit between auxiliary oil gauge assembly 1 and engine 4 , while simultaneously allowing the user to rotate gauge 9 independently from fastener assembly 11 .
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , banjo bolt 15 includes a nut end 19 with an integrated washer 21 and a shaft 23 extending therefrom. Disposed on at least a portion of shaft 23 is a threaded portion 25 for threadably engaging with pipe plug 13 . Banjo bolt 15 further includes a longitudinal channel 27 defined by shaft 23 and extending along the longitudinal plane of banjo bolt 15 to approximately washer 21 . Further, banjo bolt 15 includes a latitudinal channel 29 disposed intermediate threaded portion 25 and washer 21 and aligned generally latitudinally or perpendicularly with the longitudinal plane of banjo bolt 15 . Longitudinal channel 27 and latitudinal channel 29 form a union proximate washer 21 whereby latitudinal channel 29 is oriented generally perpendicularly to longitudinal channel 27 . Longitudinal channel 27 includes an aperture 31 spaced proximate threaded portion 25 while latitudinal channel 29 includes an aperture 33 and an aperture 35 .
As shown in FIG. 2 , pipe plug 13 includes a washer 37 and a threaded portion 39 and further includes a longitudinal channel 41 extending the entire length of pipe plug 13 . A threaded surface 43 is disposed within a portion of longitudinal channel 41 and configured to threadably mate with threaded portion 25 of shaft 23 of banjo bolt 15 therein. Washer 37 of pipe plug 13 is sized to be received within a first recess 45 along the length of pipe body 3 . Similarly, washer 21 of banjo bolt 15 is sized to be received in a second recess 47 disposed on pipe body 3 . In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, washers 17 are similarly sized to be received between pipe body and the respective washer 37 and washer 21 to form a secure and tight abutment between banjo bolt 15 , pipe plug 13 , and pipe body 3 .
As shown in FIG. 2 , banjo bolt 15 , and in particular shaft 23 , is sized to extend through fastener channel 14 whereby threaded portion 25 of shaft 23 extends outwardly away from pipe body 3 and fastener channel 14 . Thereafter, pipe plug 13 is threadably engaged with threaded portion 25 of shaft 23 by way of rotating pipe plug 13 to threadably engage threaded portion 25 with threaded surface 43 .
Pipe body 3 includes an interior channel 49 extending entirely along the length of pipe body 3 . First threaded portion 51 is disposed proximate first end and includes a generally greater cross-sectional width with respect to interior channel 49 . Similarly, an enlarged second threaded portion 53 is disposed proximate second end 7 and also represents a greater cross-sectional width with respect to interior channel 49 . An exit aperture 54 is defined by second end 7 and threaded portion 53 .
When banjo bolt 15 is secured within fastener channel 14 , longitudinal channel 27 is generally coplanar with interior channel 49 , though longitudinal channel 27 and interior channel 49 are not necessarily coaxial. One with knowledge of banjo bolts in general would readily recognize that when banjo bolt 15 is disposed in fastener channel 14 , longitudinal channel 27 , latitudinal channel 29 , and interior channel 49 are in fluid communication with one another. This represents the general method for splitting fluid flow which is received within latitudinal channel 29 from the exterior of auxiliary oil gauge assembly 1 . As shown in FIG. 2 , oil flow may enter pipe plug 13 and banjo bolt 15 by way of longitudinal channel 27 in the direction of Arrow F. As such, oil is directed through interior channel 49 and in two separate directions, namely, toward first end 5 in the direction of Arrow F′ and also toward second end 7 in the direction of Arrow F″.
Pipe plug 13 in general, and threaded portion 39 in particular, is configured to mount directly to engine 4 of motorcycle 2 . As shown in FIG. 3 , second end 7 of pipe body 3 abuts engine 4 by way of pipe plug 13 and threaded portion 39 thereof. Threaded portion 39 is received within a threaded interior chamber (not shown) which is configured to receive one end of a stock oil sending unit for a factory oil gauge having an electric bulb indicator on the distal end. After second end 7 is mounted to engine 4 , auxiliary oil gauge assembly 1 is in fluid communication with the overall oil within engine 4 . Thereafter, oil enters pipe plug 13 and aperture 31 of banjo bolt 15 and is dispersed through pipe body 3 by way of interior channel 49 .
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 , when pipe body 3 is oriented in such a way to have second end 7 mounted to engine 4 , oil gauge 9 extends outwardly away from engine 4 to orient oil gauge 9 upwardly toward a rider of motorcycle 2 . Oil gauge 9 provides a visual indicator of the oil pressure within engine 4 and may be of any type of indicator. However, oil gauge 9 is preferably a mechanical style gauge, which operates without the need for an electrical component such as a light bulb. Inasmuch as a threaded end 57 of a stock sending unit 59 must be removed from engine 4 before auxiliary oil gauge assembly 1 can be mounted thereto, threaded end 57 is thereafter threadably engaged with second end 7 of pipe body 3 . As shown in FIG. 3 , second threaded portion 53 of pipe body 3 receives threaded end 57 of stock sending unit 59 therein. As such, oil flowing through pipe body 3 enters stock sending unit 59 through threaded end 57 . This allows stock sending unit 59 to remain functional by supplying oil therethrough. Thus, stock sending unit 59 and the indicator on motorcycle 2 remain fully functional after installing auxiliary oil gauge assembly 1 on motorcycle 2 .
As shown in FIG. 4 , one skilled in the art would readily recognize that when an auxiliary oil gauge assembly 1 is installed on motorcycle 2 , motorcycle 2 enjoys two separate oil pressure indicators, auxiliary oil gauge assembly 1 and an original gauge 63 connected to stock sending unit 59 via a wire 61 . Thus, if a bulb or an electric wire or some other electrical component within stock sending unit 59 breaks or burns out, the user will still be able to monitor oil pressure within engine 4 by way of oil gauge 9 . Further, auxiliary oil gauge assembly 1 , and in particular pipe body 3 , is configured to mount directly on engine block 2 in a position where the operator's leg cannot disturb auxiliary oil gauge assembly 1 . Thus, auxiliary oil gauge assembly 1 is configured to maintain overall safety of motorcycle 2 by displaying oil gauge 9 in a safe manner and out of the way of the operator's legs.
As shown in FIG. 2 , an imaginary longitudinal central axis 26 is provided for reference extending through the longitudinal center of banjo bolt 15 . Similarly, an imaginary longitudinal central axis 24 is provided for reference extending through the longitudinal center of pipe body 3 . One will readily recognize the benefits of having axis 24 not coplaner with axis 26 . It follows that pipe body 3 is independently manually rotatable about axis 26 of banjo bolt 15 . Further, banjo bolt 15 is independently manually rotatable about axis 26 as well. Thus, banjo bolt 15 and pipe plug 13 may be rotated independently from pipe body 3 to secure auxiliary oil gauge assembly 1 to engine 4 , leaving pipe body 3 in the proper orientation to display oil pressure readings to the user. Enabling both pipe body 3 and banjo bolt 15 to independently rotate about the same axis 26 represents an improvement over the prior art, where rotating the fastener mechanism of the integrated prior art devices also rotates the gauge away from proper orientation. Auxiliary oil gauge assembly 1 allows the user to secure pipe body 3 to engine 4 while maintaining the orientation of pipe body 3 with respect to engine 4 . Conversely, the user can manually adjust and rotate gauge 9 about axis 26 to a different orientation without disrupting the secure connection of banjo bolt 15 and pipe plug 13 with engine 4 . Thus, it is a primary feature of the present invention that banjo bolt 15 and pipe plug 13 may be rotated independent from pipe body 3 .
As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 , one of the primary features of the invention, in addition to the above discussed features, includes the orientation of the recessed area of pipe body 3 . As shown in FIG. 5 , a second embodiment of auxiliary oil gauge assembly 1 is shown having a pipe body 103 . Pipe body 103 includes a recessed area 104 comprising a first recess 145 and a second recess 147 . While first recess 145 and second recess 147 is generally similar to first recess 45 and second recess 47 respectively, one will readily observe in FIG. 5 that first recess 145 and second recess 147 is non-orthogonal with respect to interior channel 149 . An imaginary central axis 124 is shown extending along the longitudinal center of pipe body 103 and an imaginary central axis 126 is shown extending along the longitudinal center of internal channel 178 where banjo bolt 15 is disposed in the assembled state. Similar to the first embodiment, the second embodiment of auxiliary oil gauge assembly 1 shown in FIG. 5 includes axis 126 whereby both pipe body 103 and banjo bolt 15 are independently rotatable about therewith. As discussed previously, this allows a user to independently tighten pipe body 103 to engine 4 while also independently adjusting gauge 9 for proper orientation.
The offset nature of first recess 145 and second recess 147 with respect to interior channel 149 allows auxiliary oil gauge assembly 1 to fit tightly against engine 4 and remain out of the way of the user's leg. As shown in FIG. 5 , first recess 145 includes a wall 171 having a length A and a wall 173 having a length B. In the embodiment of auxiliary oil gauge assembly 1 shown in FIG. 2 , the overall lengths of first recess area 45 and second recess area 47 are generally identical, while the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 portrays length A and length B as being not identical. Similarly, with respect to second recess 147 , a wall 175 is disposed having length B and opposed to a wall 177 having length A. The overall orthogonal nature of first recess 45 and second recess 47 of FIG. 2 , has been angled into a non-orthogonal manner for firm abutment with engine 4 . An internal channel 178 of pipe body 103 is similarly angled to properly mate banjo bolt 15 with engine 4 . The offset angles of first recess area 145 and second recess area 147 orient the overall auxiliary oil gauge assembly 1 shown in FIG. 5 upwardly towards the user of motorcycle 2 and for easy access and observation.
As shown in FIG. 6 , a recessed area 204 of a pipe body 203 is shown and includes a first recess 245 and second recess 247 . First recess 245 includes a wall 271 extending to meet a wall 273 . Similar to recess 145 , recess 245 includes an overall length, shown as length C. However, the embodiment of FIG. 6 includes wall 271 extending directly to wall 273 to form recess 245 , whereas an intermediate surface is disposed between wall 171 and wall 173 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 . Thus, first recess 245 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 is tailored to orient pipe body 203 to abut firmly against an engine having a different configuration with respect to the engine envisioned for the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 . Similar to first recess 245 , second recess 247 includes a wall 275 extending to a wall 277 . First recess 245 and second recess 247 are aligned to form a linear fastener channel 278 , similar to fastener channel 14 shown in FIG. 2 . Fastener channel 278 is configured to receive banjo bolt 15 in a similar manner as described with respect to the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 .
An imaginary central axis 224 is shown extending along the longitudinal center of pipe body 203 and an imaginary central axis 226 is shown extending along the longitudinal center of internal channel 278 where banjo bolt 15 is disposed in the assembled state. Similar to the first embodiment, the third embodiment of auxiliary oil gauge assembly 1 shown in FIG. 6 includes axis 226 whereby both pipe body 203 and banjo bolt 15 are independently rotatable about therewith. As discussed previously, this allows a user to independently tighten pipe body 203 to engine 4 while also independently adjusting gauge 9 for proper orientation.
As shown in FIG. 6 , a surface 279 is shown which is generally tapered along the length of pipe body 203 . This is in contrast with the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 , where the overall outer surface and length of pipe body 3 is generally flat and non-tapered. Thus, it is a primary feature of the present invention that the overall outer body shape and profile may be configured for maximum benefit with respect to the overall fit against engine 4 and placement about motorcycle 2 .
In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed.
Moreover, the description and illustration of the invention is an example and the invention is not limited to the exact details shown or described. | The invention relates to an auxiliary oil gauge assembly having a body connected to a mechanical oil gauge and to the stock sending unit. The body is configured to allow oil to flow to the mechanical gauge as well as the stock sending unit to facilitate providing both mechanical and electrical oil pressure feedback to the observer. Further, the auxiliary oil gauge assembly is configured to safely mount to the engine block without penetrating the user's leg space. The fastener assembly for mounting the body to the engine is independently rotatable with respect to the body, thus allowing the user to orient the gauge independently of securing the body to the engine. | 5 |
RELATED APPLICATIONS
This patent application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/070,411 filed on Mar. 1, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,223,049 and entitled Apparatus, System, and Method for Directional Degradation of a Paved Surface, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to road reconstruction equipment, more particularly, to apparatus, systems, and methods for degrading and removing a paved surface.
2. Background
Since their debut in the late 1960s and early 1970s, asphalt milling machines have been considered one of the major innovations in road reconstruction. Asphalt milling machines were originally designed to remove a top layer of deteriorated asphalt so a new layer of asphalt could be overlaid on the exposed underlayer. The resulting pavement was superior to simply overlaying a new layer of asphalt directly onto the old and deteriorated asphalt.
One significant benefit of asphalt milling machines that has emerged modernly is the ability to break up asphalt into recyclable-sized fragments. As recycling of all types has become more popular, asphalt milling machines have similarly increased in popularity. In fact, combination milling and paving machines have been developed to mill or break up the old road surface, mix it with new binder, and lay it down to create a new or recycled road surface in one continuous process.
The core component of most modern asphalt milling machines is the cutting drum. Most cutting drums incorporate numerous cutting teeth, coupled to the rounded surface of the drum, to cut or tear into the road surface. The rotational axis of the drum is positioned parallel to the road surface and the drum is rotated while being driven along the road surface in a direction transverse to its axis of rotation. Conventional cutting drums mill the asphalt in an upward direction, or an “up-cut” direction. However, some cutting drums may permit “down-cutting” to control “slabbing,” facilitate pulverizing and mixing, and effectively mill pavement over a wet base. Most cutting drums range in width from 12 to 150 inches and generally have a maximum cutting depth of 4 to 16 inches.
Due to the abrasive nature of pavement, the cutting teeth have traditionally been prone to wear out quickly and require frequent replacement. The replacement process may create significant downtime and hinder the overall efficiency of the milling process. For example, early cutting drums had cutting teeth that were welded to the drum. Tooth replacement required cutting the old teeth from the drum and welding new teeth in their place. Consequently, considerable effort has been expended to accelerate the replacement process and to increase the durability of the cutting teeth. Many newer cutting teeth, for example, are coupled to the cutting drum using various bolt-on housings to enable faster replacement.
One shortcoming of current asphalt milling machines is their failure to capitalize on cutting-edge technology used in other industries, such as the downhole drilling industry. For example, numerous technological improvements in polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) bits, which were introduced in the oil and gas industry in the mid 1970s, have enabled PCD bits to capture a growing share of the downhole drill bit market. Some estimates show that between 2000 and 2003, the total footage drilled with PDC bits increased from 26% in 2000 to 50% in 2003. The total revenue generated by PDC bit sales was approximately $600 million in 2003.
Various recent improvements in PDC bit hydraulics, PDC cutter toughness and abrasion-resistance, and PDC bit dynamic stability have resulted in continuous and significant increases in the average rate of penetration (ROP) and bit life of PDC bits, thereby extending the application of PDC bits into harder and more abrasive formations. In some cases, a single PDC bit may drill 20,000 feet or more without replacement. As a result, a PCD bit may save as much as $1 million per well in time-critical drilling applications. It would be a significant advance if drill bit improvements in the downhole drilling industry could be applied to the road reconstruction industry, where downtime and replacement costs incur significant expense.
Accordingly, what are needed are apparatus and methods for incorporating drill bit and other advances of the downhole drilling industry into road reconstruction equipment. More particularly, apparatus and methods are needed to incorporate PCD and other drill bit advances into asphalt milling, grinding, and cutting equipment. Further needed are novel supplemental and auxiliary systems, such as vacuum devices, to work in conjunction such apparatus and methods, to facilitate the removal, processing, and deposit of asphalt and other pavement materials.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Consistent with the foregoing, and in accordance with the invention as embodied and broadly described herein, an apparatus for degrading and removing a paved surface is disclosed in one aspect of the present invention as including a vehicle to travel across a paved surface, a pavement degradation tool coupled to the vehicle and adapted to degrade the paved surface while rotating about an axis substantially normal to the paved surface, and a vacuum device coupled to the vehicle and adapted to remove pavement fragments produced by the pavement degradation tool. The vacuum device may include several intake channels to draw in the degraded pavement fragments. In selected embodiments, these intake channels may be connected to two or more independently moveable banks.
In certain embodiments, a shroud may be connected to one or more of the intake channels to improve the seal between the pavement fragments and the intake channels, thereby increasing the suction exerted on the pavement fragments. In other embodiments, the shroud may cover the pavement degradation tool to enable the pavement fragments to be drawn into the intake channels immediately upon breaking away from the pavement. In yet other embodiments, an input channel may be connected to the shroud to provide positive pressure inside the shroud, thereby urging the pavement fragments into the intake channels.
To improve the collection of pavement fragments, the vacuum device may optionally include a scoop element to scoop the pavement fragments into one or more of the intake channels, a roller comprising a series of vanes to rotate over the pavement fragments and direct the pavement fragments into the intake channels, or a bristled roller adapted to brush the pavement fragments into the intake channels.
In another aspect of the invention, a multi-vehicle system for degrading and removing a paved surface includes a first vehicle to travel across a paved surface. A pavement degradation tool is coupled to the first vehicle and is adapted to degrade the paved surface while rotating about an axis substantially normal to the paved surface. A second vehicle is provided to follow the first motorized vehicle and includes a vacuum device adapted to remove pavement fragments produced by the pavement degradation tool.
In yet another aspect of the invention, a method for degrading and removing a paved surface includes directing a pavement degradation tool across a paved surface, wherein the pavement degradation tool is adapted to degrade the paved surface while rotating about an axis substantially normal to the paved surface, and removing pavement fragments produced by the pavement degradation tool using a vacuum device.
The present invention provides novel apparatus, systems, and methods for degrading and removing a paved surface. The features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In order to describe the manner in which the above-recited features and advantages of the present invention are obtained, a more particular description of apparatus and methods in accordance with the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof, which are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the present invention and are not, therefore, to be considered as limiting the scope of the invention, apparatus and methods in accordance with the present invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is perspective view illustrating one embodiment of a pavement degradation and removal apparatus incorporating a vacuum device in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of various internal components that may be included in a pavement degradation and removal apparatus in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a bank of pavement degradation tools;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a scoop element that may be used in combination with a vacuum device to remove pavement fragments from a road surface;
FIG. 5 is close-up perspective view of the scoop element of FIG. 4 ;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of one embodiment of shrouds used to surround the pavement degradation tools;
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a roller comprising a series of vanes used to direct the pavement fragments into vacuum intake channels;
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a bristled roller adapted to brush the pavement fragments into the vacuum intake channels;
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of one embodiment of various input channels to provide positive pressure inside a shroud;
FIG. 10 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a shroud used to cover a bristled roller and the pavement degradation tools; and
FIG. 11 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a multi-vehicle system for degrading and removing a paved surface.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment in accordance with the present invention. Thus, use of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” and similar language throughout this specification may, but does not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment.
Furthermore, the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.
In the following description, numerous specific details are disclosed to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention may be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, and so forth. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention.
In this application, “pavement” or a “paved surface” refers to any artificial, wear-resistant surface that facilitates vehicular, pedestrian, or other form of traffic. Pavement may include composites containing oil, tar, tarmac, macadam, tarmacadam, asphalt, asphaltum, pitch, bitumen, minerals, rocks, pebbles, gravel, sand, polyester fibers, Portland cement, petrochemical binders, or the like. Reference in this application to one of “polycrystalline diamond” and “cubic boron nitride” is reference to the other. Likewise, the term “degrade” is used in this application to mean milling, grinding, cutting, ripping apart, tearing apart, or otherwise taking or pulling apart a pavement material into smaller constituent pieces.
Referring to FIG. 1 , one contemplated embodiment of an apparatus 100 for degrading and removing a paved surface is illustrated. As shown, an apparatus 100 may include a frame 102 , a shroud 104 or cover 104 enclosing various internal component of the apparatus 100 , and a translation mechanism 106 , such as tracks, wheels, or the like, to translate the apparatus 100 along a surface 107 . The translation mechanism 106 may include several sets of tracks, for example, which may be vertically adjusted with respect to the frame 102 to adjust the slant or elevation of the apparatus 100 , and to adjust for varying elevations, slopes, and contours of the underlying road surface 107 .
The apparatus 100 may include one or more banks 108 of degradation tools 1110 , as will be discussed in more detail in the description associated with FIG. 3 , and one or more banks 111 of vacuum intake channels 112 to draw in by suction the pavement fragments 114 generated by the pavement degradation tools 110 . In certain embodiments, the banks 108 , 111 may be actuated independently and may be extended or retracted in a transverse direction with respect to the frame 102 to adjust for variations in the road width, to avoid obstacles, or to traverse a greater or smaller width of the road surface 107 , as desired. In selected embodiments, the banks 108 , 111 may be as wide as the vehicle itself. Thus, when fully extended from each side of the apparatus 100 , the banks 108 , 111 may sweep over a road width that is approximately twice the width of the apparatus 100 . In other embodiments, each of the vacuum intake channels 112 of each bank 111 may be independently actuated, such as in an up or down direction, to avoid obstacles such as manholes, curbs, or the like, as will be described in additional detail in the description associated with FIG. 5 . In certain embodiments, the banks 111 may be oscillated from side-to-side with respect to the apparatus 100 to more effectively pick up pavement fragments 114 located on the road surface 107 .
The apparatus 100 may include an outlet 116 to expel pavement fragments 114 gathered by the apparatus 100 . The outlet 116 may be positioned such that the pavement fragments 114 are deposited in a transport vehicle 118 , such as a dump truck. In selected embodiments, the position of the outlet 116 may be adjusted up or down, front-to-back, or side-to-side by a positioning mechanism 120 , as needed, to adjust for differences in height or location of a transport vehicle 118 . The apparatus 100 may also take advantage of various control systems used in modern asphalt mills, grinders, and cutters, to provide manual or automated control of the apparatus 100 , including but not limited to elevation, speed, steering, cut depth, and leveling controls. These controls may employ various feedback systems and sensors located at a variety of locations around the apparatus 100 .
Referring to FIG. 2 , under the shroud 104 , the apparatus 100 may include a variety of components to perform various features and functions. For example, in certain embodiments, the apparatus 100 may include an engine 200 , such as a diesel or gasoline engine, to power the apparatus 100 . The engine 200 may receive fuel from a fuel tank 202 . In certain embodiments, the engine 200 may be used to drive one or more hydraulic pumps 204 which may drive hydraulic motors (not shown) for powering the translation mechanism 106 . The hydraulic pumps 204 may also be used to drive one or more hydraulic cylinders 203 , connected to the translation mechanism 106 , for adjusting the level, slant, or elevation of the apparatus 100 . The hydraulic pumps 204 may also be used to extend and retract the banks 108 , 111 of degradation tools 110 using hydraulic cylinders or other hydraulic actuating mechanisms, and drive hydraulic motors used to rotate the individual pavement degradation tools 110 .
Another engine 206 (here shown in an enclosed housing 206 ), and corresponding fuel tank 207 , may be used to power a vacuum system to draw in the pavement fragments 114 generated by the pavement degradation tools 110 . In selected embodiments, the vacuum system may include a filter 208 , a silencer 210 or muffler 210 , and a separator 212 such as a cyclone separator. In operation, the vacuum device may create a powerful air flow through the vacuum intake channels 112 to suck pavement fragments 114 into a cyclone separator 212 through one or more channels 211 . When the incoming air stream and pavement fragments enter the cyclone separator 212 , they spiral around the cylinder 212 . The centrifugal force generated by this spiral propels the pavement fragments 114 outward and out of the air stream, thereby causing the pavement fragments 114 to fall downward through the separator 212 and the outlet 116 . The airflow, and any remaining dust or particles mixed with the airflow, may be sucked through a channel 214 and into a filter 208 to filter out the remaining dust or particles. A silencer 210 or muffler 210 may be included to reduce the noise generated by the vacuum system.
In selected embodiments, the apparatus 100 may include an air compressor 218 to provide various function, including but not limited to providing positive air pressure to selected embodiments of a vacuum device (as will be described with additional specificity in the description associated with FIG. 9 ), powering pneumatic devices, providing pressurized air to clear debris from the area proximate the pavement degradation tools 110 , or the like. Similarly, the apparatus 100 may include one or more tanks 220 to store hydraulic fluid and additional hydraulic pumps 222 to extend or retract the banks 108 , 111 , power the pavement degradation tools 110 , or the like. In other embodiments, the apparatus 100 may include a computer or other electronic equipment 224 to control the apparatus 100 , and to communicate with various remote sources, including but not limited to radio, satellite, cellular, Internet, web pages, caches, or other sources. In selected embodiments, the computer and electronic equipment 224 may communicate wirelessly with these remote sources by way of one or more antennas 226 . Such a system may permit the apparatus 100 to be controlled or monitored remotely, or allow data to be uploaded or downloaded to the apparatus 100 as needed. Further updates for the software or executable code used in the computer or other electronic equipment 224 may also be remotely downloaded.
Referring to FIG. 3 , a bank 108 may include one or more degradation tools 110 . The pavement degradation tools 110 may be grouped together in banks 108 to allow the tools 110 to degrade a wider area than would be possible using any tool 110 individually, and to allow the tools 110 to share a common power source. The pavement degradation tools 110 may be mechanically linked together with gears (not shown) such that rotation of one causes the rotation of the other. These gears, if uniform in size, may allow the tools 110 to rotate at a uniform speed. In selected embodiments, the banks 108 may employ various hydraulic cylinders 300 to extend and retract the banks 108 with respect to the apparatus 100 .
For a detailed description of the pavement degradation tools 110 , the reader is referred to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/070,411 and entitled “Apparatus, System, and Method for Directional Degradation of a Paved Surface,” having common inventors with the present invention. In general, each of the pavement degradation tools 110 may include a helically grooved tool body which may be constructed of various materials such as high-strength steel, hardened alloys, metal carbides, cemented metal carbide, or other suitable material known to those in the art. In certain embodiments, the tool body may also include a surface coating such as ceramic, steel, ceramic-steel composite, steel alloy, bronze alloy, tungsten carbide, polycrystalline diamond, cubic boron nitride, or other heat-tolerant, wear-resistant surface coating known to those in the art. The tool body may also, in certain embodiments, receive an anti-balling treatment for degrading sticky or tacky pavement materials.
Degradation inserts may be coupled to the tool body to make contact with and degrade pavement. In certain embodiments, various degradation inserts near the bottom of the tool 110 may be tilted downward to allow the tool 110 to vertically plunge into the pavement. The tool 110 may then be in position to degrade the pavement in a direction normal to the tool's axis of rotation using degradation inserts along the outer circumference of the tool 110 .
The degradation inserts may include a cutting material, to directly contact the pavement, bonded to an underlying substrate. The substrate and cutting material may be arranged in two or more layers. The substrate may be manufactured from a material such as tungsten carbide, high-strength steel, or other suitable material known to those skilled in the art. The cutting material may include natural diamond, synthetic diamond, polycrystalline diamond, cubic boron nitride, a composite material, or other suitable material known to those in the art. The cutting material may be composed of smaller crystals or pieces that may vary in size to promote wear resistance, impact resistance, or both. In certain embodiments, to manage heat that may be present while degrading pavement, the cutting material may comprise thermally stable polycrystalline diamond or partially thermally stable polycrystalline diamond.
Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5 , in selected embodiments, the apparatus 100 may include one or more scoop elements 400 to assist the vacuum device in removing pavement fragments 114 from the road surface. As the apparatus 100 moves forward, the scoop elements 400 may follow the pavement degradation tools 110 and scoop pavement fragments 114 into one or more vacuum intake channels 112 . In selected embodiments, each of the scoop elements 400 may be independently raised or lowered by hydraulic or other means to avoid obstacles in the road, such as manholes, curbs, or the like. To accommodate the vertical movement of the scoop elements 400 , the intake channels 112 may be constructed of a compliant material to flex in response to movement of the scoop elements 400 .
In selected embodiments, the vertical movement of the scoop elements 400 may be controlled manually or automatically in response to feedback from sensors located on the apparatus 100 . For example, various sensors located around the apparatus 100 may be configured to sense the presence of manholes, culverts, grates, or other obstacles. In response, selected scoop elements 400 could be raised to avoid these obstacles. The scoop elements 400 may be connected to one or more banks 111 , actuated by hydraulic cylinders 402 or other means, to extend the scoop elements 400 in a transverse direction with respect to the apparatus 100 .
Referring to FIG. 6 , in another embodiment, one or more shrouds 600 may be used to encompass the pavement degradation tools 110 . The shrouds 600 may be constructed of a flexible sheet-like material to conform to the surface of the road. One or more vacuum intake channels 112 may be connected to the shrouds 600 . The shrouds 600 may be used to improve the vacuum seal between the pavement fragments 114 and the intake channels 112 , thereby increasing the amount of suction exerted on the pavement fragments 114 .
The use of shrouds 600 may provide several other advantages as well. For example, by placing the shrouds 600 around the pavement degradation tools 110 , pavement fragments 114 may be removed from the road surface almost immediately upon creation. This may reduce the amount of dust and particles generated by the pavement degradation tools 110 and may actually aid in the degradation process by allowing the pavement degradation tools 110 to cut into virgin pavement, rather than into previously dislodged pavement fragments 114 . Furthermore, the air flow generated by the vacuum may aid in cooling the pavement degradation tools 110 . Finally, combining the vacuum intake channels 112 and the pavement degradation tools 110 into a single bank eliminates the need for separate banks 108 , 111 of vacuum intake channels 112 and pavement degradation tools 110 , as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 .
Referring to FIG. 7 , in another embodiment, a vacuum device may employ one or more banks 111 of rollers 700 . Vanes, paddles, or the like may be incorporated into the rollers 700 and may be used to scoop or direct pavement fragments 114 from the road surface into the vacuum intake channels 112 . The rollers 700 may be encased in a shroud 702 or cover 702 having an opening to exert suction on the pavement fragments 114 and to aid in directing the pavement fragments 114 into the intake channels 112 . The shroud 702 may also provide a structural framework to support the ends of the rollers 700 , thereby providing an axis of rotation. In selected embodiments, the rollers 700 may be powered by hydraulic or other motors.
Referring to FIG. 8 , in another embodiment, a vacuum device may employ one or more banks 111 of bristled rollers 700 . As the apparatus 100 moves forward, the bristled rollers 700 may be configured to rotate over the pavement fragments 114 and direct them into the vacuum intake channels 112 . A bristled roller 700 may also be effective at avoiding or simply rolling over and conforming to obstacles in the roadway. Like the previous example, the bristled rollers 700 may be encased in a shroud 702 to channel the air flow over the pavement fragments 114 and to aid in directing the pavement fragments 114 into the intake channels 112 . Similarly, the bristled rollers 700 may be powered by hydraulic or other suitable types of motors.
Referring to FIG. 9 , in selected embodiments, one or more input channels 900 may be used provide positive pressure inside the shrouds 702 . An air compressor, a fan, an output of the vacuum device, or other source may be used to direct air flow through the input channels 900 where it may enter ports in the shrouds 702 . The positive air flow may be used to clear the pavement fragments from the rollers 700 and direct them into the vacuum intake channels 112 . The strength of the air flow traveling between these channels 900 , 112 may be sufficient to carry the pavement fragments 114 through the vacuum system.
Referring to FIG. 10 , in yet another embodiment, a single shroud 1000 may be used to cover both a roller 700 and pavement degradation tools 110 . In selected embodiments, the shroud 1000 may include a flexible sheet-like material 1002 (shown cutaway) that extends over the pavement degradation tools 110 and conforms to the surface of the road. As previously explained, the shroud 1000 may improve the vacuum seal between the pavement fragments 114 and the intake channel 112 , thereby increasing the section exerted on the pavement fragments 114 . Furthermore, the shroud 1000 may reduce the amount of dust generated by the degradation tools 110 and aid in cooling the pavement degradation tools 110 . This embodiment may also eliminate the need for separate banks 108 , 111 of rollers 700 and pavement degradation tools 110 , as illustrated in FIG. 9 . In selected embodiments, positive air flow may be introduced inside the shroud 1000 through one or more input channels 900 . This positive air flow may aid in clearing pavement fragments 114 from the roller 700 and directing them into the vacuum intake channel 112 .
Referring to FIG. 11 , in selected embodiments, the pavement degradation tools 110 and the vacuum devices illustrated with respect to FIG. 1 through 10 may be located on separate vehicles. For example, one or more banks 108 of degradation tools 110 may be placed on a first vehicle 100 a . Similarly, one or more banks 111 of vacuum intake channels 112 may be placed on a second vehicle 100 b , following the first vehicle 100 a . The use of separate vehicles may provide additional versatility. For example, the vehicle 100 a may be more useful in applications where the pavement fragments 114 are not removed from the road surface, such as in applications where the pavements fragments 114 are recycled in situ. Similarly, the vehicle 100 b may be used in a wide variety of vacuuming applications, rather than solely for removing pavement fragments 114 generated by the pavement degradation tools 110 .
The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its essence or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative, and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims, rather than by the foregoing description. All changes within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope. | An apparatus for degrading and removing a paved surface is disclosed in one aspect of the invention as including a vehicle to travel across a paved surface, a pavement degradation tool coupled to the vehicle and adapted to degrade the paved surface while rotating about an axis substantially normal to the paved surface, and a vacuum device coupled to the vehicle and adapted to remove pavement fragments produced by the pavement degradation tool. The vacuum device may include several intake channels to draw in the degraded pavement fragments. In selected embodiments, these intake channels may be connected to two or more independently moveable banks. | 4 |
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the foreign priority benefit under Title 35, United States Code, §119(a)-(d) of Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-257926, filed on Nov. 25, 2011 in the Japan Patent Office, the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a planar illumination device for emitting light from a light source to illuminate a planar object and a method of producing the same.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Planar illumination devices are known which can be used as a backlight for an LCD (liquid crystal display) device of a cellular phone, etc., for lighting over a surface of the LCD device. In the planar illumination device, a white plastic frame is used at a background region of the light source because white has a high reflectivity.
[0006] JP 2004-71425 A, JP 2005-302485 A, JP 11-52140 A, and JP 2004-118125 A are prior art of the present invention.
[0007] In the prior art, when the white plastic frame is used, a small amount of light transmitting through the white plastic frame may leak at an outer circumference of the frame to outside of the frame. Recent cellular phones have a lot of functions such as a camera function and thus, the small amount of light leak through the white frame may adversely influence on sensors for such a function.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] An aspect of the present invention provides a planar illumination device having a preferable optical characteristic in which light leak is suppressed and a method of producing the same.
[0009] An aspect of the present invention provides a planar illumination device comprising:
[0010] a light source unit, including a substantially planar emitting surface, configured to emit light;
[0011] a frame, formed in a frame shape enclosing the light source unit, disposed on an outer circumferential side of the light source unit, configured to hold the light source unit, the frame comprising;
[0012] a reflecting part configured to reflect the light; and
[0013] an absorbing part, formed integral with at least a part of an outer circumferential surface of the reflecting part, configured to absorb the light, wherein the reflecting part and the absorbing part include a joint interface therebetween that is inclined to a direction vertical to the emitting surface on a circumferential side of the frame.
[0014] An aspect of the present invention provides a planar illumination device comprising:
[0015] a light source unit, including a substantially planar emitting surface, configured to emit light to illuminate a substantially planar object;
[0016] a frame, formed in a frame shape enclosing the light source unit, disposed on an outer circumferential side of the light source unit, configured to hold the light source unit, the frame comprising;
[0017] a reflecting part configured to reflect the light; and
[0018] an absorbing part, formed integral with at least a part of an outer circumferential surface of the reflecting part, configured to absorb the light, wherein the light source unit comprises a reflection sheet, disposed on side opposite to the emitting surface, configured to reflect the light, wherein
[0019] the frame comprises a step part on which a part of the reflection sheet is disposed on a side opposite to the emitting surface, wherein
[0020] the step part extends from the reflecting part to the absorbing part.
[0021] An aspect of the present invention provides a method of producing a planar illumination device comprising:
[0022] a light source unit, including a substantially planar emitting surface, configured to emit light to illuminate a substantially planar object;
[0023] a frame, formed in a frame shape enclosing the light source unit, disposed on an outer circumferential side of the light source unit, configured to hold the light source unit, the frame comprising;
[0024] a reflecting part configured to reflect the light; and
[0025] an absorbing part, formed integral with at least a part of an outer circumferential surface of the reflecting part, configured to absorb the light, the method comprising molding the frame by a two-color molding process, wherein the light absorbing part is molded after the reflecting part is molded.
[0026] According to the present invention, the planar illumination device may have a preferable optical characteristic in which light leak is suppressed and a method of producing the same.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0027] The object and features of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
[0028] FIG. 1A is a front view of a planar illumination device according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
[0029] FIG. 1B is a cross section view taken along line A-A in FIG. 1A ;
[0030] FIG. 2A is a cross section view, taken along line A-A in FIG. 1A , of a frame forming an outer circumferential part of the planar illumination device according to the first embodiment of the present invention;
[0031] FIG. 2B is a perspective view of the frame shown in FIG. 2A ;
[0032] FIGS. 3A to 3E are cross section views for illustrating a process of molding the frame according to the first embodiment of the present invention;
[0033] FIG. 4A is a front view of a planar illumination device according to a second embodiment of the present invention;
[0034] FIG. 4B is a cross section taken along line B-B in FIG. 4A ;
[0035] FIG. 4C is a cross section taken along line C-C in FIG. 4A ; and
[0036] FIG. 5 is a cross section view of a set of molds for the frame according to a modification of the first embodiment.
[0037] The same or corresponding elements or parts are designated with like references throughout the drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0038] With reference to drawings will be described embodiments of the present invention.
First Embodiment
[0039] FIG. 1A is a front view of a planar illumination device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a cross section view taken along line A-A in FIG. 1A .
[0040] The planar illumination device S according to the first embodiment is used to light, for example, an LCD panel from a back side of the LCD panel as a display in a cellular phone, etc. i.e., used as a backlight, etc.
[0041] Configuration of the planar illumination device S will be described in detail.
[0042] The planar illumination device S has a rectangular shape in the front view as shown in FIG. 1A and a configuration of a side-light type backlight, in which a plurality of LEDs (Light Emitting Diode) 1 as a light source are disposed so as to face a side face 2 a of the light guide plate 2 . The LEDs 1 are disposed on a side (flank) of the light guide plate 2 .
[0043] A light guide plate 2 which is a thin (substantially flat) plate having a rectangular shape is disposed so as to face the LEDs 1 at one end thereof. The light guide plate 2 spreads the light emitted by the LEDs 1 along an extending plane thereof and guides toward a front thereof (face side of FIG. 1A , a side of the LCD panel 6 arranged on an upper side of FIG. 1B ) over an emitting surface s 3 of the light guide plate 2 . The light guide plate 2 is, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B , surrounded by a frame 7 having a rectangular frame shape.
[0044] Disposed behind the light guide plate 2 is a reflection sheet 3 having a larger size than the light guide plate 2 , i.e., having such a size that ends of the reflection sheet 3 [h1] are housed (disposed) within an inner surface of the frame 7 (see FIG. 1B ). The reflection sheet 3 reflects diffusely light leaked from a reverse side of the light guide plate 2 because the incident angle of light inside the light guide plate 2 to the back face of the light guide plate 2 becomes outside the total reflection condition to guide the light from the light guide plate 2 toward the front of the light guide plate 2 (a side of the LCD panel 6 in FIG. 1B ).
[0045] In front of the light guide plate 2 (the top face of FIG. 1A , the side of the LCD panel 6 in FIG. 1B ) there are disposed a diffusion sheet 4 having a rectangular shape for diffusing light from the light guide plate 2 is disposed on the light guide plate 2 to homogenize luminance over a surface thereof, and a pair of prism sheets 5 having a rectangular shape to increase luminance by collecting in a front direction is disposed on the diffusion sheet 4 on a side of an emitting surface s 1 (a top surface of the upper prism sheet 5 ) of the planar illumination device S. The emitting surface s 1 is substantially planar [h2] , but may be a planar rough surface.
[0046] In front of the prism sheet 5 , the LCD panel 6 is disposed which generates a color light image from the light guided by the light guide plate 2 such that the light transmitting through a liquid crystal layer is controlled in accordance with voltages, corresponding to an image, applied to electrodes of the LCD panel 6 .
[0047] The frame 7 made of plastics is installed so as to enclose (surrounds) an outer circumference of the LEDs 1 , the light guide plate 2 , the reflection sheet 3 , the diffusion sheet 4 , a pair of prism sheets 5 , and the LCD panel 6 to form an outer circumferential part of the planar illumination device S. The frame 7 serves as an optical member and a supporting member (rigid member) in the planar illumination device S.
[0048] Between the frame 7 and the LCD panel 6 , a light shielding sheet 8 for preventing light emitted by the LEDs 1 from leaking to the outside.
[0049] FIG. 2A is a cross section view, taken along line A-A in FIG. 1A , for illustrating the frame forming an outer circumferential part of the planar illumination device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2B is a perspective view of the frame shown in FIG. 2B .
[0050] The frame 7 is produced by two-color injection molding in which an inner circumferential side of the frame 7 is a white plastic part 7 a made of a white plastic and an outer circumferential side of the frame 7 is a black plastic part 7 b made of a black plastic.
[0051] More specifically, the frame 7 is formed with the white plastic part 7 a as a reflecting part for reflecting the light from the LEDs 1 on the inner circumferential side (facing an outer circumferential side surface of the light guide plate 2 ) and the black plastic part 7 b on the outer circumferential side as a light absorbing part for absorbing the light from the LEDs 1 .
[0052] The white plastic part 7 a as the reflecting part which is white in the frame 7 reflects out-going light from the LEDs 1 in an inward direction. On the other hand, the black plastic part 7 b as the light absorbing part which is black in the frame 7 absorbs the light leaked from the white plastic part 7 a to decrease (suppress) leakage from the frame 7 to the outside.
[0053] There are two noticeable points in molding the frame 7 .
[0054] First, to mold the two-color plastic frame 7 , either one of two color plastic parts (for example, a white plastic part) is molded with a first mold, and then the molded piece is inserted into a second mold. Next, the other plastic material (for example, a black plastic material) is injected into a cavity of the second mold. Accordingly, the frame 7 having two colors is molded such that two different color pieces (black and white pieces in the first embodiment) are combined.
[0055] However, when the first molded piece of the frame 7 is inserted into the second mold, if a position of the inserted first molded piece is not stable in the second mold, it is not possible to inject the other plastic.
[0056] Second, if a ratio of widths which both white plastic material and the black plastic material occupy in the plastic frame 7 is not adjusted, the molded plastic frame 7 may be curved due to a stress generated during solidification because of cooling under a glass transition temperature or a melting point.
[0057] In the planar illumination device S, to avoid decrease in an optical characteristic, the black plastic is disposed at a maximum area to prevent the light leakage as possible as a surface area and a volume (thickness) of the white plastic for reflection can be ensured. In addition, it is necessary to reinforce a joint between both plastic materials by increasing a welding area of the white and black plastic materials.
[0058] In order to cope with the first and second noticeable points, the frame 7 for the planar illumination device S is configured as follows:
[0059] As shown in FIG. 2A , in the frame 7 , joint surfaces 7 a 1 and 7 b 1 which are welding surfaces (flat in this embodiment) forming a border between the white plastic part 7 a and the black plastic part 7 b are, i.e., a joint interface 7 p is, inclined to a direction vertical to the emitting surface s 1 such that as a point on the joint surfaces 7 a 1 and 7 b 1 (the joint interface 7 p ) approaching a plane including the emitting surface s 1 , the point shifts toward an outer circumference of the frame 7 .
[0060] In other words, the joint surface 7 a 1 of the white plastic part 7 a and the joint surface 7 b 1 of the black plastic part 7 b are inclined to the direction vertical (up-down direction in FIG. 1B ) to the emitting surface s 1 such that locations of the joint surfaces 7 a 1 and 7 b 1 at a top surface of the frame 7 on a side of the emitting surface s 1 is more outer than locations of the joint surfaces 7 a 1 and 7 b 1 at the bottom of the frame 7 (on a side of reflecting surface s 2 ).
[0061] As shown in FIG. 1B , a first step 7 b 2 is formed in a such shape as to house or dispose an end of the reflection sheet 3 having a rectangular shape, and extends from a lower surface 7 a 0 of the white plastic part 7 a to a lower surface 7 b 0 of the black plastic part 7 b to provide a bottom of a hollow together with a lower surface of the light guide 2 to house the reflection sheet 3 in the hollow.
[0062] On the other hand, in the white plastic part 7 a, a lower inner side wall 7 a 2 (see FIG. 2B ) faces the light guide plate 2 and has a second step 7 a 3 to house ends of a pair of the prism sheets 5 .
[0063] In addition, on the white plastic part 7 a, the light shielding sheet 8 (see FIG. 1B ) is disposed and a third step 7 b 4 is formed in the black plastic part 7 b to house (dispose) an end of the light shielding sheet 8 on the black plastic part 7 b. An outer upper part of the black plastic part 7 b is chamfered to have a chamfered surface 7 b 5 .
[0064] As described above, the joint surface 7 a 1 of the white plastic part 7 a and the joint surface 7 b 1 of the black plastic part 7 b are inclined to the direction vertical to the emitting surface s 1 on an outer circumferential side. The inclination of the joint surfaces 7 a 1 and 7 b 1 provides an advantageous effect as follows:
[0065] The joint surfaces 7 a 1 and 7 b 1 are formed with inclination toward the outer circumferential side, which makes a joint area between the white plastic part 7 a and the black plastic part 7 b larger than that in the case there is no inclination. Accordingly, a joining strength between the white plastic part 7 a and the black plastic part 7 b can be ensured because the joining area are expanded though a thickness of the frame 7 is made thinner than a thickness of the frame 7 (in an up and down direction size of in FIG. 2A ) in accordance with a demand for thickness reduction in the planar illumination device S.
[0066] In addition, easiness in drafting the mold (cavity) (easiness in opening molds) just after molding either pieces of the frame 7 (the first molding piece out of the white plastic part 7 a and the black plastic part 7 b ) becomes good. This is because the joint surfaces 7 a 1 and 7 b 1 are inclined so as to approach vertical to a stripping direction, with the result that a force for separating the joint surfaces 7 a 1 and 7 b 1 from the mold is more effectively applied between the molded piece and the mold (cavity).
[0067] In addition, drafting the mold can be effectively made. This suppresses a deformation of the frame which may occur while the mold is drafted. Accordingly, the frame 7 having accurate dimensions can be obtained.
[0068] In addition, as shown in FIG. 1B , the joint surface 7 a 1 of the white plastic part 7 a and the joint surface 7 b 1 of the black plastic part 7 b are inclined in such a direction that locations of the joint surfaces 7 a 1 and 7 b 1 at a top surface of the frame 7 on a side of the emitting surface s 1 is more outer than locations of the joint surfaces 7 a 1 and 7 b 1 at the bottom of the frame 7 (on a side of reflecting surface s 2 ).
[0069] The inclination of the joint surfaces 7 a, 7 b in the above-described direction provides further three advantageous effects as follows:
[0070] First, as shown in FIG. 1B , an area to which the reflection sheet 3 disposed on a back face of the light guide plate 2 faces the black plastic part 7 b can be made larger. This configuration causes the black plastic part 7 b facing the reflection sheet 3 to absorb the light incident into an interface between the black plastic part 7 b and the reflection sheet 3 (generally a double-sided adhesive tape is intervened [h4] ) and propagating through the interface at a part thereof facing the reflection sheet 3 .
[0071] As the result, an amount of light propagating through the interface between the black plastic part 7 b and the light guide plate 2 and finally leaking outside can be decreased. Regarding this, use of the double-sided adhesive tape (fixing part) having light absorbing characteristic to fix the reflection sheet 3 can decrease the amount of the leaked light by absorbing the light propagating through the interface with the double-sided adhesive tape.
[0072] Second, on the back face of the frame 7 , an inner side of the first step 7 b 2 for housing an end of the reflection sheet 3 is formed extending from the lower face 7 a 0 of the white plastic part 7 a to the lower surface 7 b 0 of the black plastic part 7 b. This provides a sufficient width of an area of the lower surfaces 7 a 0 and 7 b 0 for placing the reflection sheet 3 where the end of the reflection sheet 3 faces the lower surfaces 7 a 0 and 7 b 0 .
[0073] In addition, a vertical wall 7 b 3 of the first step part 7 b 2 (see FIG. 2A ) is formed as a part of the black plastic part 7 b, so that the light which has not been absorbed at the interface between the reflection sheet 3 and the frame 7 can be absorbed by the black vertical wall 7 b 3 of the first step 7 b 2 . This absorption further decreases the externally leaked light.
[0074] If a width of the part of the black plastic part 7 b facing the reflection sheet 3 can be sufficiently secured, the joint surfaces 7 a 1 , 7 b 1 can be provided without inclination because an area of the black plastic 7 b is large. In other words, in a case where the part of the black plastic part 7 b facing the reflection sheet 3 can be surely provided, it is allowed not to incline the joint surfaces 7 a 1 , 7 b 1 .
[0075] Third, it is possible to keep an area for forming the second step 7 a 3 on the white plastic part 7 a for placing the optical sheets such as the diffusion sheet 4 and a pair of the prism sheet 5 on a side of the emitting surface s 1 of the white plastic part 7 a in a narrow frame shape. This returns the light leaked from an end of the optical sheets such as the diffusion sheet 4 or the pair of prism sheets 5 to an effective region side of the backlight (a side of the emitting surface s 1 facing the light guide plate 2 ) such that the leaked light is reflected by the vertical wall 7 a 4 of the white plastic part 7 a.
<Method of Molding Frame 7 >
[0076] FIGS. 3A to 3E illustrate processes in a method of molding the frame 7 according to the first embodiment.
[0077] The method of molding (producing) the frame 7 having two colors is as follows:
[0078] The molding the frame 7 having two colors includes five processes A to E as follows:
Process A
[0079] A movable primary cavity 1 C which is a mold having a hollow is moved in a front direction (as shown by an arrow a 1 in FIG. 3A ) to be set on a fixed core Co which is a mold protrusive. Next a melting white plastic is injected from an injection nozzle (not shown) through a gate 1 Ca for the cavity 1 C into a cavity space k 1 between the core Co and the primary cavity 1 C to injection-mold the white plastic part 7 a.
Process B
[0080] The primary cavity 1 C is moved rearward (as shown by an arrow a 2 in FIG. 3B ) to open a set of the fixed core Co and the primary cavity 1 C. In this case, the white plastic part 7 a is stuck on the fixed core Co and molded. The white plastic in the gate 1 Ca is solidified and attached to at a place corresponding to the gate 1 Ca of the primary cavity 1 C as a protrusion of the white plastic so-called a gate [h5] ridge g 1 on the white plastic part 7 a.
Process C
[0081] A plate supporting the core Co is rotated by 180 degrees about an axis C (in a rotation direction a 3 ), to move the white plastic part 7 a stuck on the fixed core Co to a location which a second cavity 2 C, being movable and serving as a second hollow mold, faces. More specifically, the white plastic part 7 a which will be disposed [h6] on the side of the light guide plate 2 is molded in advance. In such a state that the white plastic molded part sticks on the inner mold (core Co: a shared mold between the white plastic and the black plastic), the white plastic molded part is moved to the secondary cavity 2 C for molding the black plastic part 7 . It is note that the white plastic part 7 a is stably located in the mold (core Co) because the white plastic part 7 a sticks on the shared mold (core Co).
Process D
[0082] The movable second cavity 2 C is moved in a front direction (as shown by an arrow a 4 in FIG. 3D to be set on the fixed protruded mold, i.e., the fixed core Co. The black plastic is injected by an injection nozzle (not shown) through a gate 2 Ca for the secondary cavity 2 C to fill a cavity space k 2 between the core Co (white plastic part 7 a ) and the secondary cavity 2 C with the melted black plastic to inject-mold the black plastic part 7 b.
Process E
[0083] The movable second cavity 2 C is moved rearward (as shown by an arrow a 5 in FIG. 3E ) to open the set of molds. After that, an ejector pin (not shown) is moved to remove the molded part (molded frame 7 ) from the core Co to take out the molded frame 7 from the core Co. The black plastic in the gate 2 Ca is solidified and sticks on a place corresponding to the gate 2 Ca of the secondary cavity 2 C as a protrusion of the black plastic so-called a gate [h9 ridge g 2 on the black plastic part 7 a.
[0084] Accordingly, the gate ridge g 2 on the black plastic part 7 b is removed at need.
[0085] As described above, molding the frame 7 is completed.
[0086] In the processes described above, the gate 1 Ca is formed in the primary cavity 1 C (a side of the reflection surface s 2 ) and the gate 2 Ca is formed in the secondary cavity 2 C (a side of reflection surface s 2 ) as an example. However, the gates 1 Ca and 2 Ca may be formed in the core Co. FIG. 5 shows such a modification in a cross section view of a set of molds for the frame. In other words, the gates 1 Ca, 2 Ca may be formed in the primary cavity 1 C and the secondary cavity 2 C, respectively, or in the fixed core Co as shown in FIGS. 3A and 5 .
[0087] Next, two features in the method of producing the frame 7 will be described.
[0088] First, the white plastic part 7 a on an inner circumferential side is molded in advance. After that, the black plastic part 7 b on an outer circumferential side is molded.
[0089] This prevents a position of the white plastic part 7 a from shifting from a center position of the core Co though the core is rotated by 180 degrees (as shown by the arrow a 3 ) in the process C by sticking of the white plastic part 7 a on the core Co accompanying contraction just after molding. As a result, molding the frame 7 can be provided at a high dimension accuracy.
[0090] Second, the gate ridge g 1 necessarily formed on the white plastic part 7 a can be eliminated (crushed) by that the second cavity 2 C is pressed on the core Co while the second cavity 2 C is closed toward the core Co in the following process D molding the black plastic part 7 b.
[0091] As shown in FIG. 1B , because the white plastic part 7 a is disposed to directly face a side surface of the light guide plate 2 to reflect light incident to a surface thereof, the gate ridge g 1 (in the process B in FIG. 3B ) has a greater influence on a illumination characteristic than black plastic part 7 b. Accordingly, the gate ridge g 1 on the white plastic part 7 a firstly formed can be eliminated (crushed) in the following process, which provides an extremely effective process for increasing a quality of the planar illumination device S.
[0092] The gate 1 Ca for molding the white plastic part 7 a (see the process A in FIG. 3A ) is disposed at a location corresponding to a flat surface of the white plastic (a flat surface on a back face side on the reflection surface s 2 in the example shown in FIG. 1B ).
[0093] Accordingly, an inner surface of the second cavity 2 C which is a heated mold is pressed onto the gate ridge g 1 on the white plastic part 7 a in the process D in FIG. 3D , the gate ridge g 1 being crushed. In other words, the gate ridge g 1 necessarily formed on the white plastic part 7 a can be eliminated in the process D without any additional process.
[0094] In summary, the inclined joint surfaces 7 a 1 , 7 b 1 between the white plastic part 7 a and the black plastic part 7 b provides the following advantageous effects.
[0095] A volume ratio between the white plastic part 7 a and the black plastic part 7 b can be determined in consideration of flowability of melted plastic material, so that a degree of freedom in the volume ratio between the white plastic part 7 a and the black plastic part 7 b can be enhanced.
[0096] The inclined joint surfaces 7 a 1 , 7 b 1 provide increase in a joining area between the white plastic part 7 a and the black plastic part 7 b.
[0097] To reduce (suppress) an amount of leaked light, regions of the black plastic part 7 b on a side where the light shielding sheet 8 is adhered and a side where the reflection sheet 3 is adhered can be changed in accordance with a situation of other components.
[0098] This configuration makes drafting the white plastic part 7 a from the primary cavity 1 C in the process B shown in FIG. 3B more preferable.
[0099] As described above, the plastic frame 7 is formed with two color materials (white plastic and black plastic) and disposed on a side facing the light guide plate 2 is the white plastic and on a side facing the outside is the black plastic. The white plastic part 7 a is disposed on a side of the frame 7 facing the light guide plate 2 . This configuration does not influence on an optical characteristic of the backlight. In addition, the black plastic part 7 b is disposed on the side facing the outside, exposed to the external, which reduces the light leakage around the backlight.
[0100] Accordingly, it is possible to reduce (suppress) light leakage around the frame 7 without deterioration in luminance characteristic of the backlight.
[0101] Accordingly, the planar illumination device S provides a preferable optical characteristic in which light leakage is suppressed.
Second Embodiment
[0102] FIG. 4A is a front view of a planar illumination device according to a second embodiment. FIG. 4B is a cross section view taken along line B-B shown in FIG. 4A . FIG. 4C is a cross section view taken line C-C shown in FIG. 4A .
[0103] The planar illumination device according to the second embodiment has substantially the same configuration as the planar illumination device according to the first embodiment. The difference is in that a frame 27 in the planar illumination device 2 S has a black plastic part 27 b disposed only at a part thereof instead of the whole of the light source unit (the LEDs 1 , the light guide plate 2 , the reflection sheet 3 , the diffusion sheet 4 and the prism sheets 5 ).
[0104] Because the other configurations are substantially the same as those in the first embodiment, the same elements or parts are designated with the same references or like reference, and thus a duplicated description will be omitted.
[0105] For example, in a case where a sensor, etc. (not shown) is disposed near a side of the planar illumination device 2 S opposite to the side of the LEDs 1 , as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B , the black plastic part 27 b is formed only at the side corresponding side and the other part is formed with the white plastic part 27 a.
[0106] In the case described above, the black plastic part 27 b is formed only at the corresponding side. However, the black plastic part 27 b may be formed at other sides of the frame 27 . Similarly, it also possible to dispose the black plastic part 27 b at least a part surrounding the light source part (the LEDs 1 , the light guide plate 2 , the reflection sheet 3 , the diffusion sheet 4 and the prism sheet 5 ) at any given location in accordance with locations of the LEDs 1 and various sensors.
[0107] According to the configuration describe above, the region of the black plastic part 27 b can be changed in accordance with necessity, so that the black plastic part 27 b is formed at a specific part where light leakage from the backlight should be prevented to reduce (suppress) light leakage.
Modifications
[0108] The joint surfaces 7 a 1 , 7 b 1 ( 27 a 1 , 27 b 1 ) are, i.e., the joint interface 7 p is, not necessarily flat (see FIG. 1B , 4 B) but may be curved. This configuration increases a joint force depending on the joint area because the joint area between the white plastic part 7 a ( 27 a ) and the black plastic part 7 b ( 27 b ) becomes large.
[0109] An inclination angle β of the joint surfaces 7 a 1 , 7 b 1 ( 27 a 1 , 27 b 1 ) between the white plastic part 7 a ( 27 a ) and the black plastic part 7 b ( 27 b ) to the vertical to the plane including the emitting surface s 1 wherein the joint surfaces 7 a 1 , 7 b 1 are inclined outward of the frame 7 , 27 is not limited, but is preferably set in a range from 5 to 20 degrees in consideration of flow of the melted plastic during molding and the operations and advantageous effects described above.
[0110] In the first and second embodiments, the joint surfaces 7 a 1 , 7 b 1 of the white plastic part 7 a and the black plastic part 7 b, respectively, are inclined as an example. However, the planar illumination device can be provided without inclination (vertical) in the joint surfaces 7 a 1 , 7 b 1 . However, because inclined joint surfaces 7 a 1 , 7 b 1 of the white plastic part 7 a and the black plastic part 7 b can provide various advantageous effects as described above, this configuration is preferable.
[0111] In the first and second embodiments, the two color molding process using the white plastic and the black plastic for the frame 7 ( 27 ) are exemplified. However, the frame 7 ( 27 ) may be formed with any other plastics having a brightness near the white and a dark color plastic near the black as long as a reflecting part for reflecting the light and an absorbing part for absorbing the light emitted by the LEDs 1 can be provided.
[0112] In the first and second embodiments, there are examples in which the joint surfaces 7 a 1 , 7 b 1 , 27 a 1 , 27 b 1 of the white plastic part 7 a, 27 a as a reflecting part and the black plastic part 7 b, 27 b as an absorbing part are inclined to the direction vertical to the emitting surface s 1 on the outer circumferential side, i.e., the joint surfaces at a top surface of the frame on a side of the emitting surface s 1 is more outer than the joint surfaces at the bottom of the frame on a side of reflecting surface. However, the joint surfaces may be inclined such that the joint surfaces at the bottom of the frame on a side of reflecting surface is more outer than the joint surfaces at a top surface of the frame on a side of the emitting surface s 1 .
[0113] The first and second embodiments and modifications according to the present invention have been described. However, these descriptions are not restrictive, but are typical. Accordingly, various modifications can be made within a scope of the present invention.
[0114] The gate ridge g 2 on the black plastic part 7 b may be left (not eliminated or removed), and removed on a later process.
[0115] In the first and second embodiments, the LEDs 1 , the guide plate 2 , the reflection sheet 3 , the diffusion sheet 4 , and the prism sheet 5 form a light source unit. The diffusion sheet 4 and the prism sheet 5 serve as the optical sheet. The white plastic part 7 a or 27 a corresponds to a reflection part. The black plastic part 7 b or 27 b corresponds to a light absorbing part. | A planar illumination device includes a light source unit, including a substantially planar emitting surface, configured to emit light to illuminate a substantially planar object, and a frame, formed in a frame shape enclosing the light source unit, disposed on an outer circumferential side of the light source unit, configured to hold the light source unit. The frame includes a reflecting part configured to reflect the light, and an absorbing part, formed integral with at least a part of an outer circumferential surface of the reflecting part, configured to absorb the light. The reflecting part and the absorbing part include joint interface therebetween that is inclined to a direction vertical to the emitting surface. | 6 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
The present application is a continuation application of, and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §120 to, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/182,211, filed Jul. 30, 2008 and issued on Aug. 21, 2012 as U.S. Pat. No. 8,249,848, which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to European Patent Application No. 07115720.0, filed Sep. 5, 2007, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to verification tools for processor designs and particularly to a method and a system for verifying a processor design using a processor simulation model in a simulation environment, wherein the processor simulation model comprises at least one execution unit for executing at least one instruction of a test file. More particularly, the present invention relates to a data processing program and a computer program product for verifying a processor design.
BACKGROUND
During the design stage of processors, verification is necessary to ensure that all possible combinations of instructions and execution lengths are implemented properly and are tested by the simulation environments. The verification of the processor design relies on logic design to provide a list of all existing combinations and adds coverage events for these combinations to simulation environments and also ensures that all events are covered. However, this method requires substantial manual and error-prone work, the provided list may be incomplete or incorrect, and logic changes require the addition and/or removal of coverage events.
State-of-the-art hardware implementations of execution units, such as fixed point units (FXUs) and floating point units (FPUs), support a high number of instructions/operations. For example, a modern floating point unit (FPU) implements several hundred instructions. Each instruction can have different execution lengths, measured in cycles. For the most part, the number of cycles necessary to execute an instruction depends upon the specific input operands. Implementations may detect so-called early-out cases that do not require the execution of the complete computational algorithm. For example, multiply-by-zero and divide-by-one operations both result in well-defined values. Furthermore, hardware settings such as the setting of switches that enable or disable certain functionality and the specific circumstances of executing an instruction, such as forwarding results from previous instructions, can influence the execution length of an instruction as well. Furthermore, performance improvements of existing instruction implementations require an efficient method to track changes and their effects.
The increasingly high number of instructions supported by current execution unit implementations and their various execution lengths makes it very difficult to ensure that all possible combinations of instructions and execution lengths are implemented properly, function as intended, and are fully covered in the simulation environments.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The technical problem underlying the invention involves providing a method and a system for verifying a processor design using a processor simulation model in a simulation environment and to provide a data processing program and a computer program product to perform said method. Moreover, the technical problem involves providing an automated way to monitor execution cycles of instructions that are simulated in a simulation model and to collect information about the existing execution lengths.
The invention solves this problem by providing a method of verifying a processor design having the features of claim 1 , a system of verifying a processor design having the features of claim 9 , a non-transitory computer-usable medium having the features of claim 16 . Advantageous embodiments of the invention are mentioned in the corresponding dependent claims.
Accordingly, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a method for verifying a processor design using a processor simulation model in a simulation environment tracks each execution of each of at least one instruction of a test file, monitors relevant signals in each execution cycle, and maintains information about the execution of the at least one instruction, wherein the maintained information comprises a determination of an execution length of a completely executed instruction. The processor simulation model comprises at least one execution unit for executing the at least one instruction. The method for verifying matches the maintained information about the completely executed instruction against a set of trap elements provided by the user through a trap file and collects the maintained information about the completely executed instruction in a monitor file in response to a match found between said maintained information and at least one of said trap elements.
The trap functionality of the monitor permits a user to obtain a collection of interesting test cases for coverage purposes. For instance, the trap functionality permits a user to easily cover specific cases in a static regression and to use these test cases when verifying existing implementations and when implementing and testing changes, such as performance enhancements.
In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the method for verifying a processor design collects the maintained information about the completely executed instruction in a statistic file. That is to say, information of each complete execution of an instruction is added to this statistic file.
The monitor file and statistics file enable the user to maintain a table of the collected execution cases of instructions, which can be used by driver and checker code in the simulation environments to ensure that all known cases are actually being covered by the simulation environments, i.e., are generated by the test generators and supported by the drivers; to compare and verify design data and statistics, and to investigate discrepancies; to investigate and track the effects of performance enhancements of instructions; to implement and track further performance enhancements; and to better predict the performance of the execution unit and the overall processor design.
In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, tracking each execution of each of the at least one instruction comprises creating a monitor queue with a queue element for each instruction currently being executed, wherein each queue element contains an instruction identifier, which identifies the type of the corresponding instruction, and also contains an execution cycle counter, which holds a counter value indicating the number of execution cycles that the corresponding instruction has executed up to the current point in time. In each simulation cycle, the queue elements and the monitor queue are modified in response to the states of the relevant signals that are monitored and that comprise at least one of an instruction issue valid signal, an instruction stall signal, an instruction kill/flush signal, and an end of instruction signal.
In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the counter values of the execution cycle counters of the queue elements are increased in response to each execution cycle during the execution of the corresponding instructions.
In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the method for verifying a processor design further comprises creating a new queue element in response to the instruction issue valid signal being active and representing information about a starting point of the execution of the at least one instruction; holding current counter values of the execution cycle counters of the queue elements in response to the instruction stall signal being active; removing corresponding queue elements from the monitor queue in response to the instruction kill/flush signal being active; and removing the oldest queue element from the monitor queue, whereas this queue element comprises an instruction identifier and a number of execution cycles representing the execution length of the corresponding completed instruction, and matches the maintained information of the oldest queue element against the set of trap elements in response to the end of instruction signal being active and representing information about an ending point of the execution of the at least one instruction.
In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the step of collecting the information about a completely executed instruction in the monitor file comprises creating a monitor case that includes the oldest queue element and the current test case of the test file (the current test case consisting of the instruction identifier of the completely executed instruction and corresponding input data), and sending the monitor case to the monitor file.
In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the step of collecting the information about a completely executed instruction in the statistic file comprises creating a statistic case that includes the oldest queue element and sending the statistic case to the statistic file, wherein the occurrence of the received statistic case type is counted and the number of occurrences is added to the statistic case.
In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, each trap element comprises at least one of an instruction identifier and a placeholder, and also a regular expression which is either empty or comprises at least one of a relational operator, a number of execution cycles, and a logical operator.
In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a system for verifying a processor design using a processor simulation model in a simulation environment comprises a monitor unit including a control unit and using an interface to communicate with the processor simulation model. The processor simulation model comprises at least one execution unit for executing at least one instruction of a test file. The monitor unit is configured to track each execution of each of the at least one instruction; to monitor relevant signals in each simulation cycle; to maintain information about the execution of the at least one instruction, wherein said maintained information comprises a determination of an execution length of a completely executed instruction; to match the maintained information about the completely executed instruction against a set of trap elements provided by the user through a trap file; and to collect the maintained information about the completely executed instruction in a monitor file in response to a match found between the maintained information and at least one of the trap elements.
In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the monitor unit is further configured to collect the maintained information about a completely executed instruction in a statistic file. Additionally, the monitor unit is further configured to create a monitor queue with a queue element for each instruction currently being executed by the at least one execution unit.
In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, each queue element of the monitor queue is configured to comprise an instruction identifier, which identifies the type of instruction, and an execution cycle counter, which holds a counter value indicating the number of execution cycles that the corresponding instruction has executed up to the current point in time. The monitor unit is further configured to modify the queue elements and the monitor queue in each simulation cycle in response to the relevant signals that comprise at least one of an instruction issue valid signal, an instruction stall signal, an instruction kill/flush signal, and an end of instruction signal.
In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the execution cycle counters are configured to increase their counter values in response to each execution cycle during the execution of the corresponding instructions.
In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the monitor unit is further configured to create a new queue element in response to the instruction issue valid signal being active; to hold current counter values of said execution cycle counters in response to said instruction stall signal being active; to remove corresponding queue elements from the monitor queue in response to the instruction kill/flush signal being active; to remove the oldest queue element from the monitor queue, whereas the queue element comprises an instruction identifier and a number of execution cycles representing the execution length of the corresponding instruction; and to match the information of the oldest queue element against the set of trap elements using a comparator in response to the end of instruction signal being active.
In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the monitor unit is further configured to create a monitor case comprising the oldest queue element and the current test case of the test file and to send the monitor case to the monitor file. Additionally, the monitor unit is further configured to create a statistic case comprising the oldest queue element and to send the statistic case to a statistic file.
In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a data processing program for execution in a data processing system comprises software code portions for performing the method for verifying a processor design when said program is run on said data processing system.
In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a computer program product stored on a computer-usable medium causes a computer to perform the method for verifying a processor design when said program is run on said computer.
The disclosed embodiments of the invention provide an automated way to monitor execution cycles of instructions that are executed in a processor simulation model, to collect test cases that contain certain instructions with certain execution lengths, and to collect statistical data about all existing execution lengths of instructions executed during the simulation.
In sum, embodiments of the invention disclosed herein provide a manageable, automated way to efficiently handle the complexity caused by the increasingly large number of instructions implemented in execution units and their various execution lengths.
The above, as well as additional purposes, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed written description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
An exemplary embodiment of the invention, as described in detail below, is shown in the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a simulation environment with a processor simulation model and a monitor unit, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a simulation environment and a monitor unit, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a test file, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a monitor queue, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a trap file, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a regular expression, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a monitor file, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a statistic file, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIGS. 9 to 11 each contain a portion of a flow chart of a method for verifying a processor design, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 12 is a timing diagram of signals produced during a simulation run of a simulation environment, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIG. 1 shows a schematic block diagram of a simulation environment 60 with a processor simulation model 10 and a monitor unit 20 , in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
Referring to FIG. 1 , the shown embodiment of the invention employs a monitor to track instructions executed in a simulation model of a processor or in a simulation model of a part of a processor containing at least one execution unit. FIG. 1 illustrates a scenario where a monitor unit 20 tracks instructions which are given from a test file 50 , interpreted by an instruction unit 12 using a load store unit 14 , and executed in a fixed point unit 16 or in a floating point unit 18 contained in the larger processor simulation model 10 . To track instructions, the monitor unit comprises a control unit 25 and uses an interface 62 provided by the simulation environment 60 as shown in FIG. 2 to monitor relevant signals of the processor simulation model 10 .
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the simulation environment 60 and a more detailed block diagram of the monitor unit 20 , in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
The monitor unit 20 is designed and implemented according to the interface specifications of the relevant execution units 16 , 18 . It hooks into the simulation environment 60 , attaches itself to specific signals in the processor simulation model 10 , and monitors these signals in order to track instructions in the relevant execution units 16 , 18 . The signals that are monitored are chosen in a way that each possible execution of an instruction can be tracked. The relevant signals comprise at least one of an instruction issue valid signal, an instruction stall signal, an instruction kill/flush signal, and an end of instruction signal. The instruction issue valid signal signals the corresponding execution unit 16 , 18 to start executing the given instruction and comes either from another unit in the processor simulation model 10 or from a driver in the simulation environment 60 . The instruction issue valid signal usually contains information about the instruction, such as a unique operation code (“op code”). The instruction stall signal usually signals the corresponding execution unit 16 , 18 that data from memory referenced by the instruction is not readily available and stalls the execution for a certain number of cycles. The instruction kill/flush signal signals the corresponding execution unit 16 , 18 that the instruction or a group of instructions must not complete and aborts the execution of the instruction(s). The end of instruction signal signals that the corresponding execution unit 16 , 18 has finished executing the instruction.
In a pipelined execution unit, multiple instructions may be executed at the same point in time. The monitor unit 20 has to correlate the interface signals with the proper instruction in order to interpret them correctly.
During a simulation run, the monitor unit 20 tracks each instruction execution and maintains information about the execution length of each instruction, measured in execution cycles. Each completely executed instruction is matched against a set of filters, “trap elements,” provided by the user through a “trap file” 40 . The trap elements represent certain user-defined test cases. If the information of a completely executed instruction matches at least one of these trap elements, the current test case is collected, i.e., “trapped”. For example, the monitor unit 20 can cause the simulation environment 60 to read out information about the currently executing test case of the test file 50 . The test file 50 is shown in detail in FIG. 3 and contains at least one test case 52 , 52 ′. Each test case 52 , 52 ′ comprises an instruction identifier 54 , 54 ′, which identifies the type of instruction, and input data 56 , 56 ′. The test file 50 can use either the operation code of the corresponding instruction or the mnemonic, which can be converted from the operation code using a lookup table.
The monitor unit 20 collects the corresponding test case information together with the information about the completely executed instruction into a monitor file 30 and/or sends this information to a monitor database 92 , thus allowing further processing and exploitation of the collected information.
Furthermore, the monitor unit 20 stores statistical data about the completely executed instructions, i.e., how often which instruction took a certain number of cycles to execute, into a statistic file 80 and/or sends this information to a statistic database 90 . This allows the user to further process this data and to select cases for trapping. The collected monitor cases and statistics enable the user to maintain a table of the collected execution cases of instructions, which can be used by driver and checker code in the simulation environments 60 to ensure that all known test cases are actually being covered by the simulation environments 60 (i.e., to ensure that all known test cases are generated by the test generators and supported by the drivers); to compare and verify design data and statistics, to investigate discrepancies, and to investigate and track the effects of performance enhancements of instructions; to implement and track further performance enhancements; and to better predict performance of the execution units 16 , 18 and the overall processor design.
The monitor unit 20 is further configured to create a monitor queue 70 with a queue element 72 , 72 ′ for each instruction currently being executed by the corresponding execution unit 16 , 18 . The monitor queue 70 is shown in detail in FIG. 4 and contains at least one queue element 72 , 72 ′. Each queue element 72 , 72 ′ comprises an instruction identifier 54 , 54 ′, which identifies the type of instruction, and an execution cycle counter 74 , 74 ′, which holds a counter value indicating the number of execution cycles that the corresponding instruction has executed up to the current point in time. The execution cycle counters 74 , 74 ′ are configured to increase their counter values in response to each execution cycle during the execution of the corresponding instructions. The monitor queue 70 can use either the operation code of the corresponding instruction or the mnemonic, which can be converted from the operation code using a lookup table.
The monitor unit 20 is further configured to modify the queue elements 72 , 72 ′ and said monitor queue 70 in each simulation cycle in response to the relevant signals, which comprise at least one of the instruction issue valid signal, the instruction stall signal, the instruction kill/flush signal, and the end of instruction signal. The monitor unit 20 is configured to create a new queue element in response to the instruction issue valid signal being active; to hold current counter values of the execution cycle counters 74 , 74 ′ in response to the instruction stall signal being active; to remove corresponding queue elements 72 , 72 ′ from the monitor queue 70 in response to the instruction kill/flush signal being active; and to remove the oldest queue element 72 (which comprises an instruction identifier 54 and a number of execution cycles representing the execution length of the corresponding instruction) from the monitor queue 70 and to match the information of the oldest queue element 72 against the set of trap elements 41 , 41 ′ using a comparator 26 in response to the end of instruction signal being active.
The trap file 40 is shown in detail in FIGS. 5 and 6 . It contains at least one trap element 41 , 41 ′, whereas each trap element 41 , 41 ′ comprises either an instruction identifier 42 or a placeholder 42 ′, and also a regular expression 43 , 43 ′.
The cases in which the monitor unit should trap the current test case 52 , 52 ′ are specified as a list of trap elements 41 , 41 ′. When an instruction is completely executed in the processor simulation model 10 , the monitor unit 20 compares its information about the instruction and the determined execution length of the instruction with all trap elements 41 , 41 ′ using the comparator 26 . If at least one trap element 41 , 41 ′ matches, the current test case 52 , 52 ′ is trapped. As referred to above, each trap element 41 , 41 ′ consists either of an information about the instruction identifier 42 (which is a numerical operation code or an alphanumeric mnemonic) or a placeholder 42 ′, and also a regular expression 43 , 43 ′. The regular expression 43 , 43 ′ is either empty (don't care) or contains at least one relational operator 44 , 44 ′ (e.g., equal, not equal, less than, greater than, equal or less than, equal or greater than, etc.) and a corresponding number of execution cycles 47 , 47 ′. Logical operators 45 , 45 ′ combine the relational operators 44 , 44 ′ and the corresponding numbers of execution cycles 47 , 47 ′. That is to say, the first logical operator 45 combines the first relational operator 44 and the first number of execution cycles 47 with the second relational operator 44 ′ and the second number of execution cycles 47 ′, and so forth.
The trap file 40 is not necessarily an actual file in a file system; it can also be represented in other kinds of data structures (e.g., a database). There can be multiple trap elements 41 , 41 ′ for any instruction identifier 42 and for any placeholder 42 ′.
Table 1 shows some exemplary trap elements 41 , 41 ′. The first trap element matches for every execution of an instruction ADD with an execution length of 10 cycles. Likewise, the second trap element matches for every execution of an instruction SUB with less than 20 cycles. The third trap element matches for every execution of the instruction DIV. The fourth trap element matches for any instruction with an execution length of at least 35 cycles. The fifth trap element matches for an instruction MADD with an execution length between 45 and 55 cycles. The sixth trap element matches for an instruction SQRT with more than 60 or less than 10 cycles.
TABLE 1
Instruction
Regular
identifier
expression
ADD
=10
SUB
<20
DIV
*
>=35
MADD
>=45 AND <=55
SQRT
>60 OR <10
Below is a set of rules that defines the structure of the regular expressions used in the examples above. The left side of the set contains placeholders which are used for the items on the right side of the set. The symbol | designates alternatives. Space+ signifies one or more occurrences of symbol Space. Number+ signifies one or more occurrences of symbol Number.
RegularExpression:=FilterCondition
FilterCondition:=RelationalOperator NumberCycles | FilterCondition Space+ LogicalOperator Space+ FilterCondition
RelationalOperator:==|< >|<|>|<=|>=
NumberCycles:=Number+
Number:=0 |1 |2 |3 |4 |5 |6 |7 |8 |9
LogicalOperator:=AND|OR
Space:=′ ′
The monitor file 30 is shown in detail in FIG. 7 and contains monitor cases 32 , 32 ′ created by the monitor unit 20 . Each monitor case 32 , 32 ′ consists of the oldest queue element 76 , 76 ′ that was removed from the monitor queue 70 in response to the end of instruction signal and the corresponding current test case 52 , 52 ′ of the test file 50 . Each oldest queue element 76 , 76 ′ comprises an instruction identifier 54 , 54 ′ and a corresponding number of execution cycles 78 , 78 ′.
The statistic file 80 is shown in detail in FIG. 8 and contains statistic cases 82 , 82 ′ created by the monitor unit 20 . Each statistic case 82 , 82 ′ consists of the oldest queue element 76 , 76 ′ that was removed from the monitor queue 70 in response to the end of instruction signal and a number of occurrences 84 , 84 ′ of the corresponding oldest queue element 76 , 76 ′. Each oldest queue element 76 , 76 ′ comprises an instruction identifier 54 , 54 ′ and a corresponding number of execution cycles 78 , 78 ′. The statistic cases 82 , 82 ′ contained in the statistic file 80 can be sent to the statistic database 90 .
With reference to FIGS. 9 to 11 , which show a high-level flowchart, and to FIG. 12 , which shows a timing diagram of signals produced during a simulation run of a simulation environment 60 , an exemplary method for verifying a processor design according to embodiments of the present invention is explained.
For the following example, it is assumed that the monitor unit 20 monitors the instruction issue valid signal, which signals the corresponding execution unit 18 that it must begin executing the instruction identified by an operation code (op-code); the instruction stall signal, which signals the corresponding execution unit 18 to stop executing the instruction that is in a certain pipeline stage of the execution unit 18 ; the instruction kill/flush signal, which signals the corresponding execution unit 18 to kill all instructions that are currently being executed; and the end of instruction signal, which signals the instruction unit 12 that the corresponding execution unit 18 has finished executing an instruction.
It is further assumed that the monitor unit 20 is given the trap file 40 shown in Table 2.
TABLE 2
Instruction
Regular
mnemonic
expression
ADD
=4
SUB
<3
*
>=10
The first trap element matches for an instruction ADD with four execution cycles. The second trap element matches for an instruction SUB with less than three execution cycles. The third trap element matches for any instruction with at least ten execution cycles. Specifically, the first trap element represents a certain test case with an instruction ADD with four execution cycles that the monitor unit 20 must collect in the monitor file 30 . The second trap element represents a first test case with an instruction SUB with one execution cycle and a second test case with an instruction SUB with two execution cycles that the monitor unit 20 must collect in the monitor file 30 . The third trap element represents an infinite number of test cases that consist of instructions with at least ten execution cycles.
As indicated in FIG. 12 , in a first simulation cycle 1 , the monitor unit 20 initializes and reads the trap file 40 . There are no instructions in the corresponding execution unit 18 and no queue elements in the monitor queue 70 . Specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 9 , the next cycle, which in this case is the first simulation cycle 1 , is identified in step S 100 . In the context of the method steps illustrated in FIGS. 9 to 11 , there is no relevant interface activity in the first simulation cycle 1 , since all relevant signals are on a low logic level. Thus, in the first simulation cycle 1 , the condition of step S 110 is true, and the conditions of steps S 120 , S 130 , S 140 , and S 200 are all false.
In a second simulation cycle 2 , a first instruction ADD with a first operation code 0xA is issued to the execution unit 18 . The monitor unit 20 adds a first queue element to the monitor queue 70 during steps S 120 to S 126 , since the condition of step S 120 is true because the instruction issue valid signal is on a high logic level. More specifically, the monitor unit 20 gets an op-code 123 in step S 122 and creates the first queue element comprising the op-code and a first execution cycle counter with an initial counter value of zero in step S 124 . After the second simulation cycle 2 , the first instruction ADD is in the execution unit 18 and the first queue element with the first op-code 0xA and a first counter value of 0 is held in the monitor queue 70 .
In a third simulation cycle 3 , there is no relevant interface activity since all relevant signals are on a low logic level. The monitor unit 20 increments the first execution cycle counter of the first queue element according to the steps S 110 to S 118 , since the condition of step S 110 is not true. More specifically, since the condition of step S 110 is not true, the monitor unit 20 gets the first queue element in step S 112 and increments the execution cycle counter of the first queue element in step S 116 . After the third simulation cycle, the first instruction ADD is still in the execution unit 18 and the first queue element in the monitor queue 70 is modified, and thus the first queue element comprises the first op-code 0xA and a new first counter value of 1.
In a fourth simulation cycle 4 , all instructions in the execution unit 18 are flushed and the monitor unit 20 removes all queue elements according to the steps S 140 to S 146 , since the condition of step S 140 is true because the instruction kill/flush signal is on a high logic level. Specifically, the monitor unit 20 identifies the queue elements of the monitor queue 70 in step S 142 and removes these queue elements from the monitor queue 70 in step S 146 . Thus, in the fourth simulation cycle 4 , the first instruction ADD in the execution unit 18 is flushed, the monitor queue 70 is modified, and the first queue element is removed from the monitor queue 70 .
In a fifth simulation cycle 5 , a new first instruction ADD with a first op-code 0xA is issued to the execution unit 18 . The monitor unit 20 adds a new first queue element to the monitor queue 70 during steps S 120 to S 126 , since the condition of step S 120 is true because the instruction issue valid signal is on a high logic level. After the fifth simulation cycle 5 , the new first instruction ADD is in the execution unit 18 , and a new first queue element with a new first op-code 0xA and a new first counter value of 0 is in the monitor queue 70 .
In a sixth simulation cycle 6 , there is no relevant interface activity since all relevant signals are on a low logic level. The monitor unit 20 increments the first execution cycle counter of the first queue element according to the steps S 110 to S 118 , since the condition of step S 110 is not true. After the sixth simulation cycle 6 , the first instruction ADD is still in the execution unit 18 and the first queue element in the monitor queue 70 is modified, and thus the first queue element comprises the first op-code 0xA and the new first counter value of 1.
In a seventh simulation cycle 7 , the first instruction ADD in the execution unit 18 is stalled, since the condition of step S 130 is true because the instruction stall signal is on a high logic level. The monitor unit 20 increments the first execution cycle counter of the first queue element according to the steps S 110 to S 118 , since the condition of step S 110 is not true. Subsequently, the monitor unit 20 decrements the first execution cycle counter of the first queue element according to the steps S 130 to S 136 , so that the first queue element in the monitor queue 70 is not modified. Specifically, upon determining an instruction stall in step S 130 , the monitor unit 20 identifies the first queue element having the first op-code 0xA in step S 132 . Subsequently, the monitor unit 20 decrements by one the first execution cycle counter of the first queue element in step S 136 . The first queue element still comprises the first op-code 0xA and the former first counter value of 1.
In an eighth simulation cycle 8 , the instruction ADD in the execution unit 18 is stalled for one more execution cycle, since the condition of step S 130 is true because the instruction stall signal is still on a high logic level. Thus, the monitor unit 20 increments the first execution cycle counter of the first queue element according to the steps S 110 to S 118 and decrements the first execution cycle counter of the first queue element according to the steps S 130 to S 136 , so that the first queue element in the monitor queue 70 is still not modified. The first queue element still comprises the first op-code 0xA and the former first counter value of 1.
In a ninth simulation cycle 9 , there is no relevant interface activity since all relevant signals are on a low logic level. The monitor unit 20 increments the execution cycle counter of the first queue element according to the steps S 110 to S 118 , since the condition of step S 110 is not true. After the ninth simulation cycle 9 , the first instruction ADD is still in the execution unit 18 and the first queue element in the monitor queue 70 is modified, and thus the first queue element comprises the first op-code 0xA and the new first counter value of 2.
In a tenth simulation cycle 10 , a second instruction SUB with a second op-code 0xF is issued to the execution unit 18 . The monitor unit 20 increments the first execution cycle counter of the first queue element according to the steps S 110 to S 118 , since the condition of step S 110 is not true. Moreover, the monitor unit 20 adds a second queue element to the monitor queue 70 during step S 120 to S 126 , since the condition of step S 120 is true because the instruction issue valid signal is on a high logic level. After the tenth simulation cycle 10 , the first instruction ADD and the second instruction SUB are in the execution unit 18 . The first queue element in the monitor queue 70 is modified so that the first queue element comprises the first op-code 0xA and the new first counter value of 3. In addition, the second queue element with the second op-code 0xF and a second counter value of 0 is added to the monitor queue 70 .
In an eleventh simulation cycle 11 , the execution unit 18 completes the first instruction ADD. The monitor unit 20 increments the execution cycle counters of the first queue element and the second queue element according to the steps S 110 to S 118 , since the condition of step S 110 is not true. Thus, the first execution cycle counter holds the new first counter value of 4 and the second execution cycle counter holds the new second counter value of 1. Since the condition of step S 200 is true because the end of instruction signal is on a high logic level, the monitor unit 20 removes the oldest queue element, i.e., the first queue element, from the monitor queue 70 in step S 210 and compares the first queue element with the trap elements of the trap file 50 in step S 212 . In step S 220 , the monitor unit 20 determines whether the first queue element matches with any trap element based on the comparison in step S 212 . Since the first queue element matches with the first trap element of Table 2, in step S 220 the monitor unit 20 determines that the matching result of step S 212 is true. As a result, the monitor unit 20 gets the current test case from the test file 50 in step S 222 , creates a first monitor case in step S 224 , and sends the first monitor case to the monitor file 30 in step S 226 . In step S 230 , the monitor unit 20 creates a first statistic case and sends the first statistic case to the statistic file 80 in step S 232 . Thus, after the eleventh simulation cycle 11 , the first instruction ADD is removed from the execution unit 18 and the second instruction SUB is still in the execution unit 18 . The second queue element in the monitor queue 70 is modified so that the second queue element comprises the second op-code 0xF and the new second counter value of 1. In sum, in the eleventh simulation cycle 11 , the first queue element with the first op-code 0xA and the new first counter value of 4 is removed from the monitor queue 70 and combined with the current test case from the test file 50 to create the first monitor case.
In a twelfth simulation cycle 12 , there is no relevant interface activity since all relevant signals are on a low logic level. The monitor unit 20 increments the second execution cycle counter of the second queue element according to the steps S 110 to S 118 , since the condition of step S 110 is not true. After the twelfth simulation cycle 12 , the second instruction SUB is still in the execution unit 18 . The second queue element in the monitor queue 70 is modified so that the second queue element comprises the second op-code 0xF and the new second counter value of 2.
In a thirteenth simulation cycle 13 , the execution unit 18 completes the second instruction SUB. The monitor unit 20 increments the execution cycle counter of the second queue element according to the steps S 110 to S 118 , since the condition of step S 110 is not true. Accordingly, the second execution cycle counter holds the new second counter value of 3. Since the condition of step S 200 is true because the end of instruction signal is on a high logic level, the monitor unit 20 removes the oldest queue element, i.e., the second queue element, from the monitor queue 70 in step S 210 and compares the second queue element with the trap elements of the trap file 50 in step S 212 . Since the second queue element does not match with the trap elements of Table 2, the matching result of step S 212 is not true. As a result, the monitor unit 20 creates only a second statistic case in step S 230 and no second monitor case and sends the second statistic case to the statistic file 80 in step S 232 . After the thirteenth cycle 13 , the second instruction SUB also is removed from the execution unit 18 . In sum, in the thirteenth simulation cycle 13 , the second queue element with the second op-code 0xF and the new second counter value 3 is removed from the monitor queue 70 .
In a fourteenth simulation cycle 14 , there is no relevant interface activity, and the test file 50 is stopped. The monitor unit sends the monitor file 80 , which contains the first monitor case, to the monitor database 92 and also sends the statistic file 80 , which contains the first and second statistic cases, to the statistic database.
In sum, the first monitor case was collected due to the first trap element matching for the execution of the first instruction ADD. Moreover, the simulation run produced the statistic cases shown in Table 3, which were sent to the statistic database 90 at the end of the simulation run.
TABLE 3
Instruction
Number of
Number of
identifier
execution cycles
occurrences
ADD
4
1
SUB
3
1
In the described exemplary embodiment of the invention, the monitor unit is active during every cycle of the simulation run. In the shown implementation, each encountered case is collected in the monitor file and/or in the statistic file and sent to a monitor database and/or a statistic database at the end of the simulation run. Other implementations not shown can send the encountered monitor cases and statistic cases directly to the corresponding database for updating and storage.
The invention can take the form of an embodiment with only hardware elements, an embodiment with only software elements, or an embodiment containing both hardware and software elements. In an exemplary embodiment, the invention is implemented in software, which includes but is not limited to firmware, resident software, microcode, etc.
Furthermore, the invention can 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 other instruction execution system. For the purposes of this description, a computer-usable or computer-readable medium can 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 can be an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system (or apparatus or device) or a propagation medium. Current examples of computer-readable media 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 disc-read only memory (CD-ROM), compact disc-read/write (CD-R/W), and DVD.
A data processing system suitable for storing and/or executing program code will include at least one processor coupled directly or indirectly to memory elements through a system bus. The memory elements can include local memory employed during actual execution of the program code, bulk storage, and cache memories that provide temporary storage of at least some program code in order to reduce the number of times code must be retrieved from bulk storage during execution.
Input/output (I/O) devices (including but not limited to keyboards, displays, pointing devices, etc.) can be coupled to the system either directly or through intervening I/O controllers.
Network adapters may also be coupled to the system to enable the data processing system to become coupled to other data processing systems or remote printers or storage devices through intervening private or public networks. Modems, cable modems, and Ethernet cards are examples of the currently available types of network adapters. | An improved method of verifying a processor design using a processor simulation model in a simulation environment is disclosed, wherein the processor simulation model includes at least one execution unit for executing at least one instruction of a test file. The method includes tracking each execution of each of the at least one instruction, monitoring relevant signals in each simulation cycle, maintaining information about the execution of the at least one instruction, wherein the maintained information includes a determination of an execution length of a completely executed instruction, matching the maintained information about the completely executed instruction against a set of trap elements provided by the user through a trap file, and collecting the maintained information about the completely executed instruction in a monitor file in response to a match found between the maintained information and at least one of the trap elements. | 6 |
FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates in general to sewing machines and in particular to a new and useful sewing machine housing construction.
Prior art designs for sewing machine housings generally have curved surfaces on the arm and standard. Often in such cases every surface has a curve with a different radius. The mounts for supplemental and expanding attachments, such as sets of take-off rolls, pneumatic cylinders, belt separators and the like must also have curved mounting surfaces in order to be subsequently mounted on the housing. Because every part of the housing has a curve with a different radius, the mounts for the attachment units cannnot be attached at just any point on the housing that might be desirable. With the conventional rounded shape of the housing, it is in most cases not possible to position a mount on several different models of sewing machine housings according to the modular principle and hence to manufacture the mounts economically.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a sewing machine housing that allows for problem-free expansion of sewing machines of various designs.
A sewing machine housing that embodies the features having a housing with flat outer surfaces serving for the installation of attachment units offers substantial advantages:
Mounts for attachment units can be placed wherever desired on the outside of the housing as long as the mounting surface of the mount is designed to be flat. A mount can thus if necessary, be mounted on a variety of models of sewing machine housings as long as all the different housing models are equipped with flat horizontal and vertical outer surfaces that are essentially at right angles to one another. This provides for an economic production through the manufacture of large quantities, since only one design of a given attachment mount is requried.
The flat mounting surfaces of the mount, furthermore, can be machined more readily in terms of milling or grinding processes, so that mounts with flat mounting surfaces are less costly to produce than those with curved surfaces.
The indentations running in the longitudinal direction of the housing that are provided on the various sections of the housing, on the two sides and the top of the arm of the housing, for instance, facilitate the taking and adhesion of the varnish on the sewing machine housing, since they result in an increase in the housing surface. In addition, the indentations, which alternate in several places with the flat portions of the surface, which take on the appearance of bands, improve the visual effect of the housing.
The indicator and control panel installed to extend the display unit comprises in supplement to the display unit indicator instruments, control keys and electronic components and thereby increases the number of available machine functions. When the machine is not in use, the diplay unit is covered against dust by the indicator and control member, which is mounted by means of hinges to the top of the arm of the housing, so that the two outer surfaces of the indicator and control member, positioned at right angles to each other, fit flush with the flat surfaces of the arm of the housing. Thus, the two outer surfaces of the control and indicator portion fit without transition into the overall shape of the sewing machine housing.
Accordingly an object of the invention is to provide an improved sewing machine housing in which the portions overlying the sewing machine base, the upright portion and the arm portion are made with substantially rectanglular walls which are flat and which advantageously include vertically spaced cutouts or recesses for accommodating attachment parts.
A further object of the invention is to provide a sewing machine housing which is simple in design, rugged in construction and economical to manufacture.
The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific object attained by its uses, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a front top perspective view of a sewing machine housing pursuant to the invention but without an indicator and control member;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 of the back of the sewing machine housing;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 of the sewing machine housing with the display unit covered by the indicator and control member and;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 3 of the sewing machine housing with the display unit extended by the indicator and control member.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to the drawings in particular, the invention embodied therein comprises a housing for a sewing machine which has a base portion 1 with an outwardly extending material support arm portion 2 of the the base which underlies an arm of portion 6 which is supported at the upper end of an upright portion or brace 8.
The sewing machine housing shown is an embodiment with a lower support arm. The housing comprises a base 1, a material support arm 2, a standard 5, an arm 6 and a head 7. A base plate 3 covers the base 1 and also covers part of the material support arm 2. The rest of the material support arm 2 is covered by a needle plate 4. A brace 8 is a part of the arm 6, and, being connected with the base plate 3, is intended to stabilize the arm 6. The stabilization of the standard 5 is accomplished by brace 9, which is part of the standard 5 and is also connected with the base plate 3.
At the head 7 of the housing a slit 10 is provided to allow a thread take-up lever 11 to project. The thread take-up lever 11 is covered by a protective shield 12. In the head 7 of the housing is a needle bar 13, seated so that it can move up and down, bearing on the lower end a needle 14 that guides the thread. The head 7 of the housing is enclosed by a cover 15. The open end of the standard 5 opposite the head 7 is covered by a cover 16. For the sake of visual clarity the drawing was executed without depicting a presser foot.
The horizontal arm 6 has a flat surface 17, 18, 19 on each of its sides, front, back and top, which surfaces constitute outer walls essentially at right angles to one another. Each of the flat surfaces is broken by elongated horizontal indentations 20, 21, 22 running parallel to one another in the longitudinal direction of the arm. The lower material support arm also has flat surfaces 23, 24 on its front and back which are broken by several indentations 25, 26 that run in the longitudinal direction of the material support arm.
The part of the standard 5 towards the head 7 is equipped with rectangular recesses 27, 28 on the front and back that extend into part of the horizontal arm 6. In the recesses 27, 28 are placed semi-circular reinforcing ribs 29, 30 to hold driving motors M. The driving motors as well as the braces 8, 9 are covered by side covers 31, 32.
The surfaces 17 and 18 of the horizontal arm 6 are interrupted by a surface 33 that is inclined at an angle to the other surfaces of the housing and is designed as a display unit 34. Above the surface 33 is installed a wedge-shaped indicator and control member 35 which also functions as a cover means and holds the electronic components required for indication and control. The panel 36 of the indicator and control member 35 is placed at the same angle to the flat surfaces 17, 18 as the display unit 34 of surface 33.
The indicator and control member 35 is mounted on the surface 18 by means of hinges 37 so that it can pivot, and it covers the display unit 34 when the display unit 34 and panel 36 are not being used that is, if their non-used position.
The two surfaces 38, 39 of the indicator and control member 35 that meet at a right angle and form the outside of the panel 36 are shaped like the flat surfaces 17, 18. Surface 39, which is adjacent to surface 18, is broken by parallel indentations 40. When the display unit 34 is in covered position, the surfaces 38, 39 fit in with surfaces 17, 18 without a transition, and the indentations 40 on surface 39 continue the indentions 21 on surface 18.
In the case of industrial machines, where the display unit 34 need not be coverable, the indicator and control member 35 is permanently installed on surface 18 to extend the display unit 34 by panel 36 even when the sewing machine is not in use.
While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles. | A housing for a sewing machine which has a base portion, an upright portion extending upwardly from the base portion and an arm portion extending outwardly from the upright portion and overlying the base portion comprises a housing construction extending over said portions having flat outer surfaces, and means defined on said surfaces for affixing attachment units. | 3 |
BACKGROUND
[0001] Photobiomodulation (“BPM”), also referred to as low level light therapy, is a common technique in which the cells of a human body undergo a chemical reaction upon exposure to light. Low level laser therapy (“LLLT”) in particular, can be used to create therapeutic effects. For example, LLLT can be used to repair damaged tissue, to accelerate recovery from an injury, to help manage pain, and to treat diseases. However, successful and desirable outcomes require proper selection of parameters. For example, altering the strength of light delivered to the body or the amount of time that the light is delivered to the body can significantly influence whether or not desired therapeutic effects are achieved. In some cases, improper selection of parameters can lead to harmful outcomes.
[0002] Further, although such therapeutic effects are primarily based on photochemical reactions between the light and the human body cells and not based on thermal changes, existing light therapy devices commonly produce a substantial amount of heat as a byproduct. Light energy will only penetrate to subcuntaneous tissue if it is not completely absorbed by the skin. Photonic energy absorbed by the skin is converted and stored as heat, and the amount of heating is inversely related to the penetration ability of the light. A favorable depth of penetration is related to the selected wavelength and to some degree the mean output power. Excessive amounts of heat, however, may be harmful to the body. Therefore, successful phototherapeutic outcomes require that the light penetrate through the skin, while retaining some absorption properties while limiting the thermal impact on the skin surface.
[0003] Moreover, existing light therapy devices commonly utilize a single continuous wavelength light or laser. A continuous wave laser, however, rather than transforming photons into biochemical energy, will convert it to thermal heat, rapidly increasing the skin surface temperature due to a poor penetration profile. This creates a compromise of power versus heat. Since the photochemical and photophysical effects are reduced in response to thermal build up, lower profiles result in greater therapeutic value of the device. But even if aware of this effect, existing devices may be limited in the ability to optimize the balance between the two.
[0004] In addition, single wavelength probes may be limited by the specific absorption spectrum of that specific wavelength. This not only determines the depth of penetration, as this is wavelength dependent, but also the biological effect due to the available chromophores for that wavelength, since a photon must be absorbed before any biological process can occur.
[0005] Also, LLLT has been limited to creating therapeutic effects in injured or damaged body cells. Various techniques and procedures exist for treating the uninjured to enhance performance. For example, a performance enhancing drug administered prior to an athlete performing may improve the athlete's ability to perform. In another example, consuming a certain diet may enhance an athlete's athletic performance. Various preventative techniques and procedures exist as well. For example, certain diets, medications, or surgeries may be used to improve muscle performance of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (“COPD”). However, such techniques and procedures may be invasive, inconvenient, illegal, or ineffective.
SUMMARY
[0006] In one example, a method for preventing muscle fatigue induced by exercise in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is described. The method includes the step of providing a therapeutic laser device, wherein the therapeutic laser device generates a constant magnetic field in combination with a plurality of pulsed lights having a plurality of wavelengths. The method further includes the step of administering phototherapy to a muscle prior to exercising the muscle by placing the therapeutic laser device in direct contact with skin proximate to the muscle at a plurality of skin sites and pulsing the plurality of lights based on predefined parameters.
[0007] In one example, a method for reducing muscle fatigue induced by exercise in a patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is described. The method includes the step of generating a constant magnetic field of 35 mT at a skin site proximate to a muscle of a patient, prior to the patient exercising the muscle. The method further includes the step of pulsing a clustered plurality of light sources, including a 905 nm super-pulsed lasers, a 875 nm broadband infrared emitting diode, a 640 nm red light emitting diode, and a 470 nm blue LED, at the skin site concurrent to generating the constant magnetic field.
[0008] In one example, a method for reducing muscle fatigue induced by exercise in a patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is described. The method includes the step of generating a constant magnetic field a skin site proximate to a muscle of a patient, prior to the patient exercising the muscle. The method further includes the step of pulsing a clustered plurality of light sources at the skin site for 228 seconds to deliver a 30 J dose of phototherapy treatment concurrent to generating the constant magnetic field.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] In the accompanying drawings, structures are illustrated that, together with the detailed description provided below, describe exemplary embodiments of the claimed invention. Like elements are identified with the same reference numerals. It should be understood that elements shown as a single component may be replaced with multiple components, and elements shown as multiple components may be replaced with a single component. The drawings are not to scale and the proportion of certain elements may be exaggerated for the purpose of illustration.
[0010] FIG. 1 illustrates example locations on a quadriceps femoris for receiving phototherapy.
[0011] FIG. 2A illustrates a comparison of values of isokinetic protocol for PT.
[0012] FIG. 2B illustrates a comparison of values of isokinetic protocol for MVIC.
[0013] FIG. 3 illustrates the total work with combination of super-pulsed laser and light emitting diodes phototherapy compared to placebo.
[0014] FIG. 4 illustrates a comparison of the Borg scale after either phototherapy or placebo.
[0015] FIG. 5 illustrates an example thermographic image of an analyzed area and two neighboring areas used as control areas.
[0016] FIG. 6 illustrates example doses plotted against temperature in three skin color groups.
[0017] FIG. 7 illustrates example doses plotted against temperature in three age groups.
[0018] FIG. 8 illustrates example doses plotted against temperatures in male and female groups.
[0019] FIG. 9 illustrates an example comparison of 3 different devices.
[0020] FIG. 10 illustrates an example comparison of 3 different devices.
[0021] FIG. 11 illustrates an example comparison of 3 different devices.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The Therapeutic Laser Device
[0022] Described herein is a therapeutic laser device for providing magnetic laser therapy. The device is designed to maximize the peak outputs of light while also reducing thermal profile. In order to achieve such performance, the device combines multiple wavelengths, light sources, and electromagnetic energy and provides pulsed treatment using irradiation with laser light of low power intensity so that the effects are not due to heat.
[0023] The device produces a constant magnetic field and includes a pulsed laser emitter, infrared LEDs, and semiconductor emitters of visible light. Emitters are arranged in groups containing a semiconductor emitter of visible light, infrared light guide and/or pulsed emitter. The device is equipped with elements of radiation summation for each group of emitters made from optical material in the form of a light guide.
[0024] In one example, the therapeutic laser device includes between one and four 905 nm super-pulsed lasers, four 875 nm broadband infrared emitting diodes, between two and four 640 nm red light emitting diodes, between zero and two 470 nm blue LEDs, and a static magnetic field of 35 mT. This combination of wavelengths and light sources clustered together into a single probe, optimizes the biological effects of the phototherapeutic window, provides a greater depth of penetration, and eliminates the thermal barrier. The device operates with two or more wavelengths and light sources operating concurrently in pulsed and super pulsed modes.
[0025] The pulsing operating modes results in minimized heat. In particular, even though the therapeutic laser device creates a desired higher peak power, there is little resulting heat accumulation within a target tissue due to the ultrashort pulses. The combination of wavelengths in the device helps to improve the percentage of available light at greater tissue depths. This resolves any issues with the inefficient use of higher-powered outputs in continuous wave devices and a poor penetration profile.
[0026] The combination of and concurrent use of different wavelengths also allows for more efficient triggering of the phototherapeutic response. In particular, concurrent use of different wavelengths provides an overlapping effect of peak activation that accelerates cytochrome c oxidase (“CCO”) activity. Rather than attempting to increase the activity of CCO with a single wavelength with a higher MOP and just one set peak time profile, the use of additional wavelengths with lower dose and different time profiles increases the total time of peak activation. This allows for less power to be used across all wavelengths, rather than using a single higher output one.
[0027] Each wavelength and light source must create a synergistic effect, that when combined with others, summates greater than the individual effects. The combination of a super-pulsed laser, infrared LEDs, and red LEDs optimizes the entire CCO peak activation profile for enhancing ATP production, stimulating NO release and activating ROS. The concurrent multiple wavelengths span the entire therapeutic light spectrum to reach varying depths of penetration while creating non-thermal synergy that improves overall penetration. This, in turn, creates a favorable mix of the available parameters to maximize therapeutic outcomes in the clinic for consistent and reliable results.
[0028] To maximize the therapeutic outcomes, the parameters may be adjusted as appropriate. For example, the number of times a laser fires per seconds is the “frequency” of the pulses and affects the mean output of power that the laser delivers. This, in turn, impacts the amount of light that the tissue receives. By changing the frequency, the rate of energy delivered is also changed. Based upon tissue response or need, the dose can be delivered in a shorter amount of time by increasing the frequency output of the therapeutic laser device or spread out over a longer time period by lowering the rate of the laser firing. In essence, it works like a thermostat. This allows for the therapeutic laser device to deliver energy in a more customizable manner.
[0029] In addition to the super-pulsed lasers, a therapeutic laser device contains several infrared emitting diodes (IREDs) and light emitting diodes (LEDs). The addition of visible and infrared wavelengths and light sources provided by both spectrums allows broader coverage of the therapeutic spectrum. Both IREDs and LEDs will, if left on continuously, exhibit the same thermal profile as a continuous wave laser. That is, the increase in power output would also increase the beating effect, due to the inefficiency of the semiconductor processes that generate light. To work in concert with the super pulsing laser, both IREDs and LEDs are also pulsed to reduce photothermal effects on tissue.
[0030] In one example, the device may be controlled by a desktop unit via AC power. In one example, the device may be portable and cordless and include an onboard rechargeable battery. In one example, the device may be a wearable device. For example, the therapeutic laser device may be incorporated into a watch, a wristband, or some sort of strap around the leg or other body part that needs therapy. The device may be programmed to automatically deliver light treatment to the desired area at defined times and intervals, for example.
[0031] Preventing Muscle Fatigue
[0032] Using appropriate parameters, the therapeutic laser device can be used to treat non-injured persons to prevent disease or injury from occurring. For example, the therapeutic laser device can provide a non-pharmacological and non-invasive means for preventing muscle fatigue and therefore improving performance and also reduce risk of injury. This can be applicable to athletes who seek to increase performance and post exercise recovery time but also for COPD patients seeking to prevent muscular fatigue induced by exercise.
[0033] To establish the effects of the therapeutic laser device on preventing muscle fatigue in patients with COPD and to establish the optimal parameters for such an application, the following study was performed.
[0034] Methods
[0035] Thirteen patients were consecutively recruited from the outpatient chronic pulmonary diseases clinic at the Nove de Julho University. All patients had a diagnosis of COPD according to the global initiative for chronic obstructive lung disease. The patients were at a stable phase of the disease indicated by no change in the medical therapy (including oral steroids) or exacerbation of symptoms in the preceding 4 weeks. Patients with other known severe chronic diseases, including cardiac, neuromuscular, or orthopedic disorders, were excluded. The study was approved by the institutional ethics committee, and written informed consent was obtained from all patients.
[0036] Randomization was performed by simple drawing of lots, which was used to determine whether the active combination of super-pulsed laser and LEDs phototherapy or placebo would be given at the first session. Participants were crossed over to receive whichever treatment was not given at the first session. Randomization labels were created by using a randomization table at a central office where a series of sealed, opaque, and numbered envelopes were used to ensure confidentiality. A participating researcher who had the function of programming the phototherapy device based on the randomization results conducted randomization. This researcher was instructed not to inform the participants or other researchers regarding the phototherapy dose. Thus, the researcher in charge of the administration of the phototherapy was blinded to the dose applied to the volunteers. Blinding was further maintained by the use of opaque goggles by the participants.
[0037] Procedures
[0038] A crossover, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, and randomized clinical trial was carried out. The study was conducted in the Laboratory of Phototherapy in Sport and Exercise at the Nove de Julho University, São Paulo, Brazil. Patients were administered either phototherapy or placebo treatments on two visits, 1 week apart. Immediately after the application, the maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) was determined and the endurance test—total work (TW).
[0039] Spirometry was performed as per the American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society criteria; FVC, FEV1, and FEV1/FVC are expressed as absolute values and percent of predicted.
[0040] An isokinetic dynamometer was used for the evaluation of muscle function and the execution of the exercise protocol. For the MVIC test, the volunteers sat at an angle of 100° between the trunk and hips with the non-dominant leg positioned with the knee at 60° of flexion (0° corresponds to complete knee extension) and were strapped to the dynamometer seat. The dominant leg was positioned at 100° of hip flexion and was strapped to the seat. The volunteers were fastened to the seat of the dynamometer by using two additional straps crossing the trunk. The volunteers were instructed to cross their arms over their trunk, and the axis of the dynamometer was positioned parallel to the center of the knee.
[0041] The MVIC test consisted of three 5-s isometric contractions of the knee extensors of the non-dominant leg. The highest torque value of the three contractions (peak torque [PT]) was used for the statistical analysis. This parameter was chosen because it reflects the maximum generation of force by the muscle. Instructions on how to execute the test were given prior to testing, and the volunteers received verbal encouragement during the execution of the test.
[0042] A resting period of 60 s was allowed, following the MVIC test after which volunteers performed a familiarization isokinetic protocol. The familiarization consisted of five submaximal voluntary repetitions of knee flexion-extension in an eccentric contraction protocol, followed by a resting period of 60 s. The eccentric contraction protocol consisted of 20 eccentric, isokinetic contractions of the knee extensor musculature in the non-dominant leg (two sets of ten repetitions, 30 s rest intervals between sets) at a velocity of 60° seg-1 in both the eccentric and concentric movements with a 60° range of motion (between 90° and 30° of knee flexion). At each contraction, the dynamometer automatically (passively) positioned the knee at 30°; the dynamometer then flexed the knee until reaching 90°. The volunteers were instructed to resist against knee flexion movement imposed by the dynamometer with maximum force. The researcher in charge of the eccentric contractions protocol was blinded to randomization and allocation of volunteers to experimental groups.
[0043] Before and after the endurance test, the perceived effort (dyspnea and leg fatigue) was assessed by using the modified Borg scale.
[0044] Patients received a single application of either combined super-pulsed laser and LED phototherapy or placebo 1 week apart. The phototherapy combining super-pulsed laser and LEDs or placebo was administered using the above described therapeutic laser device immediately before the testing of lower limb isokinetic dynamometry. In view of the extensive area of radiation employed in this project, the use of clusters is fundamental to the application of the therapy. The application of phototherapy was held with the cluster in direct contact with the skin, at six sites of the quadriceps femoris, as illustrated in FIG. 1 . In particular, the therapeutic laser device was held in direct contact at two central sites at the vastus intermedius muscle 102 and 104 , at two lateral sites at the vastus lateralis muscle 106 and 108 , and at two medial sites at the vastus medialis muscle 110 and 112 . For placebo, the same procedures were performed, but without irradiation. During the application of combined super-pulsed laser and LEDs phototherapy or placebo, the patient wore protective goggles to prevent them from seeing whether or not there was light being radiated.
[0045] Since the cluster has 12 diodes that were used to irradiate six different locations of the extensor muscles of the knee 100 as illustrated in FIG. 1 , a total of 72 points in the musculature were irradiated. Phototherapy parameters were chosen based on research performed to identify, optimal parameters for such an application of laser treatment that would achieve desired results. In particular, research was performed by employing three different doses of 10 J, 30 J and 50 J before it was determined that a 30 J dose was the optimal dose to achieve the desired results. Table 1 provides a full description of the phototherapy parameters.
[0000]
TABLE 1
Parameters
Number of lasers
4 super-pulsed infrared
Wavelength (nm)
905
Frequency (Hz)
250
Peak power (W)-each
12.5
Average optical output (mW)-each
0.03125
Power density (mW/cm 2 )-each
0.07
Dose (J)-each
0.07125
Spot size of laser (cm 2 )-each
0.44
Number of red LEDs
4 red
Wavelength of red LEDs (nm)
640
Frequency (Hz)
2
Average optical output (mW)-each
15
Power density (mW/cm 2 )-each
16.66
Dose (J)-each
3.42
Spot size of red LED (cm 2 )-each
0.9
Number of infrared LEDs
4 infrared
Wavelength of infrared LEDs (nm)
875
Frequency (Hz)
16
Average optical output (mW)-each
17.5
Power density (mW/cm 2 )-each
19.44
Dose (J)-each
3.99
Spot size of LED (cm 2 )-each
0.9
Magnetic field (mT)
35
Irradiation time per site (sec)
228
Total dose per site (J)
30
Total dose applied in muscular group (J)
180
Aperture of device (cm 2 )
20
[0046] Using the identified parameters, phototherapy was performed by delivering 30 J per site for 228 seconds, or 180 J of total irradiated energy on muscle for a total irradiation time of 1,368 seconds.
[0047] The intention-to-treat analysis was followed. The Kolmogorov-Smimov test was used to verify the normal distribution of data. Parametric data were expressed as mean and standard deviation. Non-parametric data were expressed as median and interquartile intervals. Differences in the variables of muscle function between combined phototherapy and placebo treatments were compared by using paired, two-sided Student's t-tests, and the differences of Borg scale were compared by using the Wilcoxon test. The level of statistical significance was set at p<0.05.
[0048] Results
[0049] The volunteer population was formed mostly by patients with moderate COPD according to the GOLD criteria (GOLD 2, n=7), with the remaining patients classified as having mild (GOLD 1, n=1), severe (GOLD 3, n=4), and very severe (GOLD 4, n=) COPD. Table 2 summarizes the characteristics of the patients.
[0000]
TABLE 2
Characteristics
Variables
Mean ± SD
Age, years
61 ± 6
BMI, kg/m 2
24.3 ± 4.1
FVC, L (% predicted)
2.5 ± 0.7 (74 ± 15)
FEV 1 , L (% predicted)
1.2 ± 0.4 (53 ± 16)
FEV 1 /FVC ratio, %
60.3 ± 12.2
[0050] A statistically significant difference was found for the increase of PT after the application of combined superpulsed laser and LED phototherapy when compared with the placebo (174.7±35.7 N·m vs. 155.8±23.3 N·m, respectively; p=0.003), as illustrated in FIG. 2A . A similar finding was found for MVIC, with values of 104.8±26.0 N·m vs. 87.2±24.0 N·m for the phototherapy treatment and placebo, respectively (p=0.000), as illustrated in FIG. 2B .
[0051] As illustrated in FIG. 3 , a greater value in the TW was observed during endurance testing with the combination of super-pulsed laser and LED phototherapy when compared to the placebo (778.0±221.1 J vs. 696.3±146.8 J, respectively; p=0.005).
[0052] As illustrated in FIG. 4 , the dyspnea score after the combination of super-pulsed laser and LED phototherapy was lower in comparison with the placebo (1 [0-4] vs. 3 [0-6], p=0.003). A similar result was seen in the fatigue score for the lower limbs (2 [0-5] vs. 5 [0.5-9], respectively; p=0.002).
[0053] In summary, it was demonstrated through the study described that a combination of super-pulsed laser and LED phototherapy on the femoral quadriceps muscle in patients with COPD was able to increase PT by 20.2% and TW by 12%. Furthermore, combined phototherapy prior to exercise led to a decreased sensation of dyspnea and lower limb fatigue in patients with COPD.
[0054] It should be appreciated that, although the study describes the treatment of extensor muscles of the knee, similar techniques can be used to treat other suitable muscle groups in different parts of the body.
[0055] It should be further appreciated that the identified parameters may be suitable for treating bodies having various ages and skin pigmentations without concern of damaging the skin as a result of thermal effects.
[0056] Thermal Impact of Phototherapy
[0057] The following study was performed to evaluate the thermal influence during phototherapy of concurrent multiple wavelengths and light sources on human skin and to confirm that the identified parameters are safe and effective for humans of varying age and skin pigmentation.
[0058] Subjects
[0059] A sample of 42 healthy adult volunteers, male and female, greater than 18 years of age, was recruited. Subjects were separated by gender and age and stratified according to skin color using Von Luschan's chromatic scale, which ranks color from 1 (lightest skin) to 36 (darkest skin). Three categories were created to rank skin pigmentation: 1 to 15 corresponding to light skin, 16 to 28 corresponding to medium skin, and 29 to 36 corresponding to dark skin. Participants were additionally stratified according to age (under 40 years of age, between 40 and 60 years of age, and over 60 years of age) due to changes in skin optical properties during aging. Any individual with a history of skin disease was excluded from the study.
[0060] Instruments
[0061] All skin temperature readings were measured by a thermographic camera (Flir System, ThermaCAM T400). The ancillary software (ThermaCAM Researcher Pro 2.8 SR-1) included tools to quantify the recorded temperatures. The temperatures were measured with a precision of 50 mK at 30° C. with an accuracy of ±2% (product information). The example therapeutic laser device and the above described doses parameters was used to deliver the light treatment to the subjects.
[0062] Experimental Procedure
[0063] To acclimate skin temperatures to the surroundings, patients were instructed to remain in the laboratory for 15 min prior to the start of the experiment and remain seated during the entire experiment. All participants were instructed to report to the investigator any sensation of heat felt during the test on the irradiated area and report if the heat became painful or uncomfortable and the intervention needed to cease.
[0064] The anterior 502 , central aspect of the non-dominant thigh was selected as the target for the irradiation. Two adjacent areas 504 and 506 of the same anterior thigh (proximal and distal to the treatment area) were used as controls, as illustrated in FIG. 5 . Two investigators performed the study, one operated the thermographic camera and the second administered the therapy. Each trial lasted approximately 30 min and five skin temperature measurements were recorded for each volunteer. A baseline measurement was taken prior to the first irradiation followed by four additional measurements during the treatment that corresponded to the predetermined doses based upon time (placebo, 60 s; 10 J, 76 s; 30 J, 228 s; and 50 J, 381 s) with a 3-min pause observed between doses. The sequence of the doses (and times) was the same for all volunteers. The placebo comparator was delivered using the same laser device as the active interventions but was powered off and the participants were unaware. The laser emitter was held stationary approximately 10° degrees from vertical and in direct contact with the skin of the anterior central aspect of the non-dominant thigh.
[0065] All study participants, as well as the operator of the thermographic camera, were blinded to the assignment of the active and placebo comparators. Thermography readings were recorded during the final 5 s of each irradiation dose and continued for 1 min following the conclusion of the irradiation (a total of 1 min and 5 s). The maximum temperatures from the irradiated area and two control areas (proximal and distal) were simultaneously registered by ThermaCAM.
[0066] Results
[0067] Forty two volunteers with mean age of 50.60 years old (±19.82), mean weight of 76.45 kg (±18.92), and mean height of 169.00 cm (±10.00) were recruited to participate in the study with sub-categorization of 14 volunteers with dark skin, 14 with medium skin, and 14 with light skin. Fourteen volunteers were under 40 years old, 14 were between 41 to 60 years old, and 14 were over 60 years old. Furthermore, 21 volunteers were male and 21 were female. Distribution of volunteers among groups is summarized in Table 3.
[0000]
TABLE 3
Volunteers
Light
Medium
Dark
<40
years
7 male + 7 female = 14
2 (1 m + 1f)
6 (3 m + 3f)
6 (3 m + 3f)
Total: 14
41-60
years
7 male + 7 female = 14
6 (3 m + 3f)
4 (2 m + 2f)
4 (2 m + 2f)
Total: 14
>61
years
7 male + 7 female = 14
6 (3 m + 3f)
4 (2 m + 2f)
4 (2 m + 2f)
Total: 14
Total: 21 male and 21 female
Total: 14
Total: 14
Total: 14
[0068] As illustrated in FIG. 6 , other than a slight, non-significant increase (p<0.05), no differences from baselines were observed between light, medium, or dark skin pigmentation.
[0069] As illustrated in FIG. 7 , no significant difference between the three age groups can be observed from baseline either. The concurrent use of super-pulsed laser, and red and infrared LEDs did produce a small, non-significant (p<0.05) increase in skin temperature when the larger doses were applied.
[0070] Finally, as illustrated in FIG. 8 , other than a slight, non-significant increase (p<0.05), no differences from baselines were observed between age groups in regard to gender.
[0071] Thus, the concurrent use and combination of super-pulsed lasers, and red and infrared LEDs is safe and can be regardless of degree of skin pigmentation without concern of damaging thermal effects to the skin.
[0072] It should further be appreciated that, although alternative devices for delivering light therapy, other than the therapeutic laser device described herein, may be commercially available, the alternative devices may not produce desirable outcomes achieved by the class 1 laser therapeutic device, including the super-pulsed lasers and LEDs, described herein. The following study was performed to evaluate the observed effects on skeletal muscle performance and post-exercise recovery by three different, readily available phototherapy devices to establish a clear understanding of the parameters necessary for optimal use of phototherapy in muscle performance and recovery.
[0073] Comparison Between Three Devices
[0074] Materials and Methods
[0075] Forty healthy untrained male subjects were recruited and participated in a study to evaluate the effects of phototherapy on skeletal muscle performance and post-exercise recovery with three devices to determine how the ergogenic and protective effects on skeletal muscle tissue are affected by different device parameters. The devices included a Class 4 device (manufactured by LiteCure—USA), a Class 3B device (manufactured by Thor—UK) and a Class 1M therapeutic laser device described herein.
[0076] The inclusion criteria included male subjects, between 18 and 35 years old that perform less than two sessions of exercise weekly with either light or intermediate skin color. Any volunteer who presented with a preexisting musculoskeletal injury to hips or knees in the previous two months, utilizes any pharmacological agents or nutritional supplements regularly, or was injured during the study was to be excluded from the participation. The volunteers were randomly allocated to four experimental groups (n=10 per group) according to the phototherapy dose. Randomization was carried out by a simple drawing of lots.
[0077] For placebo treatments, all three devices were employed. Four volunteers were treated with placebo mode of device A, three with device B, and three with device C. Randomization labels were created using a randomization table at a central office where a series of sealed, opaque, and numbered envelopes were used to ensure confidentiality. A participating researcher who had the function of programming each phototherapy device based on the randomization results was instructed to not inform the participants or other researchers regarding the settings. Thus, the researcher in charge of the administration of the phototherapy was blinded to the dose applied to the volunteers.
[0078] Experimental Protocol
[0079] Blood samples (10 ml) were taken from the antecubital vein of each volunteer before and one minute after the eccentric contraction protocol by a qualified nurse blinded to the allocation of the volunteers in the four experimental groups. One hour following collection each sample was centrifuged at 3000 rpm for 20 minutes. Pipettes were used to transfer the serum to Eppendorf® tubes, which were stored at −80° C. until analysis. Additional blood samples were collected 1, 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours after the exercise protocol.
[0080] CK activity was determined using spectrophotometry and specific reagent kits (Labtest®, São Paulo—SP, Brazil). The CK activity was performed by a blinded researcher.
[0081] A visual analogue scale (VAS) of 100 mm evaluated DOMS used as a self-rating of volunteers DOMS intensity, with assistance of a blinded researcher.
[0082] Prior to the isokinetic protocol, each volunteer actively stretched the non-dominant knee extensors three times for sixty seconds each. Stationary bike pedaling set at 100 RPM and without load for five minutes each was used as a general warm up activity.
[0083] Following warm-up, MVC tests were performed with the isokinetic dynamometer (System 4, Biodex®, USA) to assess muscle function. Each volunteer was fixated to the dynamometer at an angle of 100° between the trunk and hip and instructed to cross their arms. The non-dominant leg was positioned at 60° of knee flexion (0° corresponds to complete knee extension) and the dominant at 100° of hip flexion.
[0084] The MVC test consisted of three five-second isometric contractions of the knee extensors of the non-dominant leg. The highest peak torque was used for the statistical analysis. The MVC was performed also immediately (1 minute) after the eccentric contraction protocol as well as 1, 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours after. The researcher performing the assessment of MVC was blinded to randomization and allocation.
[0085] Phototherapy
[0086] The devices used to perform phototherapy included a high powered continuous wave Class 4 device (manufactured by LiteCure—USA), a continuous wave low-level Class 3B device (manufactured by Thor—UK) and a Class 1M therapeutic laser device described herein containing a combination of super-pulsed lasers and red and infrared LEDs.
[0087] An 180 J dose and parameters for Class 1M and 3B lasers were selected as previously described. Both LLLT devices were applied in direct contact with the skin at six sites of the quadriceps femoris, also as previously described. While the same dose was applied also to the Class 4 group, the application was done with contact in a scanning method. This was per manufacturer's specific instructions, in order to avoid any potential damaging thermal effects.
[0088] To ensure blinding, all devices emitted the same sounds regardless of the programmed mode/dose and opaque goggles worn by volunteers to provide safety and to keep the double blind condition. Optical power was calibrated before irradiation in each volunteer using a Thorlabs thermal power meter. The researcher that performed phototherapy was blinded to randomization and allocation of volunteers.
[0089] Following treatment, volunteers performed the eccentric contraction protocol of 75 eccentric isokinetic contractions of the knee extensor of the non-dominant leg (5 sets of 15 repetitions, 30-second rest interval between sets) at a velocity of 60°.seg −1 in both the eccentric and concentric movements with a 600 range of motion (between 90° and 30° of knee flexion). At each contraction, the dynamometer automatically positioned the knee at 30°. The dynamometer then flexed the knee until reaching 90°. The volunteers were instructed to resist against knee flexion movement imposed by the dynamometer with maximum force. The researcher performing the protocol was blinded to randomization and allocation of volunteers.
[0090] Results
[0091] As illustrated in FIG. 9 , only the Class 1M group was able to maintain the MVC compared to placebo (p<0.05) and performed significantly better than the Class 4 group (p<0.05) immediately after the active treatment up to 96 hours later. Also, there was a noted increase in MVC at 48, 72 and 96 hour time points. The Class 3B group was also significantly better than placebo (p<0.05) but only in the time frame between 24 to 72 hours after eccentric exercise and statistically better than the Class 4 group (p<0.05) at all time points. It suggests that the two low level devices out performed (p<0.05) both the high powered laser device and the placebo.
[0092] Regarding DOMS measured by VAS, only the Class 1M device was able to effectively reduce pain compared to the placebo, Class 3B and 4 devices (p<0.05) beginning at the 24 hour time point until the end of the data collection at 96 hours, as illustrated in FIG. 10 .
[0093] As illustrated in FIG. 11 , CK analysis reveals that the Class 1M group was able to prevent the exercise induce increase in CK activity starting at 24 hours until the 96 hours after exercise (p<0.05) compared to placebo and to the Class 4 device in all experimental times (p<0.05). The Class 3B device was significantly able to decrease CK activity compared to the placebo (p<0.05), at a single time point of 48 hours post exercise and also when compared to the Class 4 group (p<0.05) at 24 and 48 hours.
[0094] Also, the Class 4 group did not demonstrate a positive effect (p>0.05) on CK activity compared to any of the experimental groups. In fact, the Class 4 group had a statistically significant increase in CK activity (p<0.05) when compared to that of the placebo group at 1 and 24 hours.
[0095] Thus, the Class 1M device demonstrated superior and more consistent results than either the Class 3B or 4 devices in all outcome measures when compared to placebo.
[0096] It should be appreciated that, although the examples described herein refer to preventing muscle fatigue, the example therapeutic laser device using the example parameters described may similarly be used for other preventative purposes. For example, the therapeutic laser device using the example parameters described may be used to prevent onset of diseases such as Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.
[0097] To the extent that the term “includes” or “including” is used in the specification or the claims, it is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as that term is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “or” is employed (e.g., A or B) it is intended to mean “A or B or both.” When the applicants intend to indicate “only A or B but not both” then the term “only A or B but not both” will be employed. Thus, use of the term “or” herein is the inclusive, and not the exclusive use. See, Bryan A. Garner, A Dictionary of Modern Legal Usage 624 (2d. Ed. 1995). Also, to the extent that the terms “in” or “into” are used in the specification or the claims, it is intended to additionally mean “on” or “onto.” Furthermore, to the extent the term “connect” is used in the specification or claims, it is intended to mean not only “directly connected to,” but also “indirectly connected to” such as connected through another component or components.
[0098] While the present application has been illustrated by the description of embodiments thereof, and while the embodiments have been described in considerable detail, it is not the intention of the applicants to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the application, in its broader aspects, is not limited to the specific details, the representative apparatus and method, and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of the applicant's general inventive concept. | A method for preventing muscle fatigue induced by exercise in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is described herein. The method comprises the step of providing a therapeutic laser device, wherein the therapeutic laser device generates a constant magnetic field in combination with a plurality of pulsed lights having a plurality of wavelengths. The method further comprises administering phototherapy to a muscle prior to exercising the muscle by placing the therapeutic laser device in direct contact with skin proximate to the muscle at a plurality of skin sites and pulsing the plurality of lights based on predefined parameters. | 0 |
RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 116,291 filed Nov. 3, 1987, now abandoned.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to brakes and, more particularly, to brakes for bicycles of the disc/rotor or rim type which are self-energizing.
2. Description of the Related Art
In drum brakes for bicycles incorporated in the hub of the wheel, the drag in the shoe from the rotation of the wheel can be used to supplement the brake applying force, and drum brakes based on this principle work effectively. There are in existence some so-called "self-applying" brakes in which the drag from the rotation of the wheel causes an increase in braking force by the intermediary of a wedge, but these brakes today have not proved to be very effective since the wedges tend to jam.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a self-energizing braking mechanism in which the braking force is enhanced by a transfer of the rotational energy of the moving surface to the pressure exerted by the brake pads.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a self-energizing brake for bicycles which requires a minimum number of parts, eliminates any tendency to wedge closed, and permits quick-release of the tire and rim for operational efficiency.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a self-energizing brake kit which may be retrofit on existing bicycle brakes.
It is still a further object of the invention to improve the braking action for rider control and safety.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
To achieve the foregoing objects, and in accordance with the purposes of the invention as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided, in a bicycle having a frame and at least one tire mounted on a rim, a self-energizing brake comprising a pair of rocker arms each having a friction pad extending therefrom, and means for rotatably mounting each of the pair of rocker arms adjacent opposite sides of the tire rim such that the friction pads are movable into and out of contact with respective the sides of the rim as the rocker arms are rotated in a first direction. A pair of tubular members, each having an outer surface, are provided which are disposed on the mounting means to extend transversely on opposite sides of the tire rim. The brake further includes a housing, integral with and extending transversely from each of the rocker arms and surrounding a respective one of the tubular members. Each housing includes an inner surface. Either the outer surfaces of the tubular members or the inner surfaces of the housings being provided with a plurality of helical ridges formed thereon, and the other of the tubular members and housings being configured with means for cooperating and mating with the helical ridges to move the housings axially relative to their respective tubular members as the rocker arms are rotated, while simultaneously further rotating the rocker arms to increase the pressure of the friction pads against the rim of the tire.
In a preferred embodiment, the cooperating means comprises a plurality of bearings spaced circumferentially about the inner surface of the housing.
The present invention further comprises a self-energizing brake kit for retrofit installation on a bicycle having a frame, at least one tire mounted on a rim, and a pair of tubular mounting posts extending from the frame on opposite sides of the tire rim. The kit includes a pair of rocker arms each having a friction pad extending therefrom, and means for rotatably mounting each of the pair of rocker arms on a respective one of the mounting posts. The kit still further includes a pair of tubular members, each of the tubular members having an outer surface, and housings integral with and extending transversely from each of the rocker arms, for surrounding a respective one of the tubular members. The housings include an inner surface. Either the outer surfaces of the tubular members or the inner surfaces of the housing are provided with a plurality of helical ridges formed thereon, and the other one being configured with means for cooperating and mating with the helical ridges to move the housings axially and circumferentially relative to a respective tubular member as the housing and respective tubular member are rotated relative to one another.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate a presently preferred embodiment of the invention and, together with the general description given above and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of the braking system of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an exploded view of one of the self-energizing components used in the present invention;
FIG. 2a is a side elevational view of the post used in FIG. 2;
FIG. 3 is a partial side elevational view of the mechanism of FIG. 2 when the brakes are applied;
FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view of the mechanism of FIG. 3 illustrating the position of the mechanism when the brakes are at rest; and
FIG. 5 is a front view of the brake of the present invention taken along line 5--5 of FIG. 2.
FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a housing having the grooves formed on the inner surface thereof.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several drawings.
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view showing the use of the mechanism of the present invention relative to the front wheel of a bicycle. While a bicycle system is disclosed for purposes of describing the invention, it is to be understood that the present invention is also applicable to braking systems for other types of mechanical devices.
With reference to FIG. 1, stays 11 and 13 comprise forks for supporting a front tire 45 and rim 47 of a bicycle. The selfenergizing brake of the present invention includes rocker arms 15 and 17, and a pair of friction pads 33 and 35, disposed on the distal ends of arms 37 and 39 which extend from respective rocker arms 15 and 17. Arms 37 and 39 are mounted on respective rocker arms 15 and 17 by means of bolts 41 and 43, respectively. Bolts 41 and 43 may be loosened to adjust the spacing and orientation of friction pads 37 and 39 relative rim 47.
In accordance with the present invention the brake includes means for pivotably mounting each of the pair of rocker arms adjacent opposite sides of the tire rim such that the friction pads are movable into and out of contact with respective sides of the tire rim as the rocker arms are rotated in a first direction. As embodied herein, and with reference to FIGS. 2 and 2a, the mounting means includes tubular mounting post 55 having a threaded interior surface 57. Tubular mounting posts 55 are fixed to and extend from respective ones of stays 11 and 13. By way of example and not limitation, mounting posts 55 may be welded to each of stays 11 and 13 to extend therefrom. The mounting means further includes a threaded bolt 19 and spacer 49. Threaded bolt 19 is received in threaded interior surface 57 of tubular mounting post 55 to mount rocker arms 15 and 17 on opposite sides of the tire rim as will be described in more detail below.
The brake of the present invention further includes a pair of tubular members 59 which are disposed on the mounting means to extend transversely on opposite sides of the tire rim as illustrated in FIG. 2. Each of the tubular members extending transversely on opposite sides of the tire rim are substantially the same and only one is illustrated. Each tubular member 59 has an outer surface 61 configured with a plurality of helical ridges 65 thereon. Helical ridges 65 extend from proximate end 63 of tubular member 59 toward distal end 60 of tubular member 59 and define a plurality of channels 70 therebetween. Each channel 70 includes a notch portion 72 at the proximate end thereof. The notch portions 72 extend circumferentially about outer surface 61 of tubular member in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the rocker arms when applying the brake. In other words, notch portions 72 form an abrupt angle with the helical progression of channels 70 at the proximate ends thereof. The function of notch portions 72 will be described hereinafter.
The brake of the present invention further includes a housing 20 integral with and extending transversely from each of the rocker arms 15 and 17 for surrounding a respective one of tubular members 59 when assembled. Housings 20 include an inner surface 22 configured with means for cooperating and mating with helical ridges 65 of respective ones of the tubular members to move the housings axially relative to the respective tubular member as the rocker arms are rotated, while simultaneously further rotating the rocker arms to increase the pressure of the friction pads against the rim. As embodied herein, and with reference to FIGS. 2 and 5, the cooperating means comprises a plurality of bearings 100 spaced circumferentially about inner surface 22 of housing 20 as illustrated in FIG. 2. The relative motion of housing 20 and tubular member 59 which provides the self-energizing action of the present invention during the brake applying procedure will be described in detail below.
In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, inner surface 22 of housings 20 may be configured with helical ridges, and outer surface 61 of tubular member 59 may be configured with bearings 100. The following description of the operation of the present invention as it relates to the self-energizing feature is applicable to either embodiment.
Rocker arms 15 and 17 also include terminal cantilever portions 23 and 25. These cantilever portions are connected to a brake cable 27 by means of connecting cables 29 and 31 as shown in FIG. 1. Pressure exerted through cable 27 causes each of rocker arms 15 and 17 to rotate about a pivot point coincident with bolts 19. Pressure is applied through cable 27 by a mechanism 28. By way of example and not limitation, mechanism 28 may comprise a hand lever of the type commonly used on bicycles. Rotation of rocker arms 15 and 17 may be accomplished in numerous other fashions, for instance pneumatically, hydraulically or electrically while remaining within the scope of the present invention.
When the pressure is applied to cable 27 a force Fl, transferred through cables 29 and 31, causes rocker arms 15 and 17 to rotate clockwise and counterclockwise, respectively, in a first direction as viewed in FIG. 1.
Pads 33 and 35 are brought into contact with rotating rim 47 as rocker arms 15 and 17 are rotated. Pads and posts 37 and 39 are drawn forwardly due to the momentum associated with the rotating rim 47 and the frictional contact between the pads 33 and 35 and rim 47. This forward motion is transferred to rocker arms 15 and 17 acting in course to urge integral housings 20 axially relative to tubular member 59 which is fixed on its respective mounting means. This axial motion of housing 20 and rocker arms 15 and 17 relative to mounting posts 59 slides bearings 100 along helical ridges 65 and channels 70 to thereby simultaneously rotate housings 20 and rocker arms 15 and 17 in the first direction to increase the pressure of pads 33 and 35 against rim 47. It is precisely this transfer of axial movement of the rocker arms and housings into rotational movement of the rocker arms and housings via the cooperating relationship of helical ridges 65 and bearings 100 which provides the self-energizing braking effect of the present invention.
As bearings 100 travel along channels 70 toward proximate end 63 of tubular member 59, they will eventually align with notch portions 72 which extend circumferentially about outer surface 61 of tubular member 59. Since notch portions 72 extend circumferentially in a direction opposite the direction in which rocker arms 15 and 17 are rotated to bring friction pads 33 and 35 into contact with tire rim 47, bearings 100 may be moved into notch portions 72 by rotating rocker arms 15 and 17 in the second direction to move friction pads 33 and 35 away from tire rim 47 to increase the clearance therebetween in the brake-released state. This additional clearance may be required to remove the tire and rim from between friction pads 33 and 35 and stays 11 and 13. In this manner, the tire and rim may be removed from the bicycle without the need to loosen bolts 19 of the mounting means thereby facilitating quick-release features which may be incorporated in the means for mounting of the bicycle. The length of extension of notch portions 72 may be selected in accordance with the amount of clearance required to remove tire 45 from between friction pads 33 and 35.
With continued reference to the exploded view of the brake of the present invention illustrated in FIG. 2, the brake of the present invention may include spring means, disposed in each of the housings, for biasing the housing axially along the tubular member to rotate the rocker arms in a second direction, opposite the first direction, and to move the friction pads out of contact with the tire rim. As embodied herein, the spring means includes a compression spring 53 which fits within housing 20 and seats on one side thereof on a ledge 24 configured on inner surface 22 of housing 20. Compression spring 53 contacts spacer 51 on the opposite side thereof.
When assembled, bolt 19 fits through circular openings in spacer 51 and compression spring 53 and through the interior of housing 20 and tubular member 59 where it is received in the threaded interior surface 57 of mounting post 55. Similarly, distal end 60 of tubular member 59 extends through the interior of housing 20 and through compression spring 53 to abut spacer 49. In this manner, rocker arms 15 and 17 and their respective housings 20 are rotatably received on tubular members 59, and compression spring 53 acts to bias housing 20 and the rocker arms towards proximate end 63 of tubular member 59. This biasing action of compression spring 53 further acts to move bearings 100 within the channels 70 defined by helical ridges 65 to thereby rotate housing 20 and its respective arm 15 or 17 in a second direction, opposite the first direction, to move friction pads 33 and 35 away from tire rim 47 to a released state.
The brake of the present invention further includes means for sealing the helical ridges of the tubular member and the cooperating means of the housing. As embodied herein, the sealing means comprises an 0-ring 67 which seats in a depression formed at the proximate end of tubular member 59, and a second 0-ring 51 which seats in a depression of spacer 49. With the brake in the assembled state, the 0-ring 67 seals the connection between inner surface 22 of housing 20 and outer surface 61 of tubular member 59, and 0-ring 51 seals the opposite end of housing 20 to thereby seal the mating engagements of bearings 70 and helical ridges 65.
When the apparatus of FIG. 2 is assembled, male member 59 is secured in a fixed stationary position to frame 11 when bolt 19 is mated with threaded bore 57 and tightened. Housing 20 is axially and rotatably movable relative to male member 59, as indicated by arrow Y.
FIG. 4 is an illustration of the preferred embodiment of the present invention at rest, i.e., without the brakes applied. Flange 22 is of a dimension so as to limit the movement of housing 20 relative to male member 59. It is to be understood that the illustration of FIG. 5 is exaggerated since the relative movement between the helical ridges is quite small and large axial movement of the housing is not required to cause the selfenergization feature of the brake of the present invention.
As will be apparent, the pitch angle of the helical ridges will have a direct bearing on the amplitude of the exerted force of friction pads 33 and 35 on rim 47 since that pitch angle is proportional to the amount of rotational movement of housing 20 and rocker arms 15 and 17 for each unit of axial movement of housing 20 along tubular member 59. The pitch angle for use with the present invention is preferably between 20° and 70° , with a pitch angle between 40° and 45° being preferred.
Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. For instance, the configuration of bearings 100 may be changed so long as the bearings move freely in channels 70. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details, representative devices, and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. | A self-energizing brake which includes opposed rocker arms attached to a frame by a bolt or the like. The rocker arms also include a housing extending transversely therefrom which is rotatable about the bolt. The housing encloses a tubular member having a plurality of helical ridges which mate with a plurality of bearings disposed about the inner surface of the housing. The housing is axially movable relative to the bolt. The housing is sealed about the bolt by O-rings and contains a lubricant such as grease. Friction pads extend from each rocker arm adjacent the rim of a tire to contact the rotating rim as the rocker arms are related. Such rotation results in movement of the housing in an axial direction as the rim drags the friction pads forward. This axial motion of the housings caused by the drag of the friction pads on the tire rim is transferred into rotational motion of the rocker arms by the cooperating relationship of helical ridges and bearings to thereby increase the pressure of the friction pads against the tire rim. | 5 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates to silica surfaces useful for binding nucleic acids, and formulations to improve the binding of nucleic acids to surfaces. In particular, high purity silica (silicon dioxide) surfaces are disclosed. Additionally, nucleic acid formulations containing materials which mask the electrostatic interactions between nucleic acids and surfaces are disclosed.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The binding of nucleic acids, especially DNA, to surfaces has been reported many times in the scientific literature. Binding may be accomplished either through nonspecific electrostatic or hydrophobic means, or through formation of covalent bonds to the terminus of the nucleic acid.
[0003] Covalent bonding of nucleic acids to surfaces is generally preferred, as it specifically orients the nucleic acids in a given manner. The bonded nucleic acids may be used for hybridization experiments when contacted with other nucleic acids in solution.
[0004] Traditionally, glass has been used as the substrate for binding nucleic acids. The glass is heated in order to produce slides or beads. During heating, impurities tend to migrate towards the surface of the material, reducing the surface area available for binding nucleic acids.
[0005] Electrostatic interactions between the nucleic acids and the surface result in a fraction of the nucleic acids becoming nonspecifically bound to the surface. This may result in nucleic acids “laying down” or orienting themselves parallel to the surface, rather than being perpendicular to the surface. This orientation reduces or eliminates the ability of the bound nucleic acid to interact with other nucleic acids in solution, and additionally may result in the blockage of other covalent bonding sites on the surface.
[0006] There exists a need for improved materials for the preparation of nucleic acids bound to surfaces, and methods to improve the specific covalent bonding of nucleic acids to surfaces.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] Surfaces containing high purity silica (silicon dioxide) exhibit high loading potential for nucleic acids.
[0008] Formulations containing nucleic acids and materials which mask the electrostatic interactions between the nucleic acids and surfaces are disclosed. By masking the phosphate charges of the nucleic acids, undesired interactions may be minimized or eliminated, thereby allowing the covalent bonding of the nucleic acids to the surface to proceed. The use of such formulations additionally minimizes nonspecific binding of the nucleic acids to the surface. Examples of materials to be included in such formulations include cations, xanthines, hexoses, purines, arginine, lysine, polyarginine, polylysine, and quaternary ammonium salts. Other materials such as amines may be used if the pH of the formulation is such that the material is positively charged.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The prior art materials and formulations have been plagued with two general problems; a) low loading potential of the surfaces; and b) nonspecific binding of nucleic acids to the surface.
[0010] A first embodiment of the invention relates to the use of substantially pure silica (silicon dioxide) in surfaces. As there are essentially no impurities in the material, essentially the entire surface of the material is available for binding nucleic acids. Preferably the material is at least about 70% pure, about 80% pure, about 90% pure, about 95% pure, about 96% pure, about 97% pure, about 98% pure, about 99% pure, about 99.5% pure, about 99.9% pure, and ideally about 100% pure by weight. The resulting surface will exhibit higher loading potential for nucleic acids than does conventional glass surfaces. At a microscopic level, the silica surface preferably has a three dimensional structure, and is not planar. An example of a three dimensional structure is an array of silica fibers.
[0011] The surface may be generally be any shape, and preferably is macroscopically planar (e.g. a chip or disk) or three dimensional (e.g. a sphere or bead).
[0012] The surface properties of the materials may be modified by chemical reactions. Examples include modifying the hydrophobicity or hydrophilicity of the materials.
[0013] The surface may be constructed entirely of the substantially pure silica, or may comprise a layer of substantially pure silica mounted on top of a flat surface such as glass or metal. The substantially pure silica may be adhered to the flat surface by an adhesive, applied using a solvent, or cast directly onto the flat surface.
[0014] Substantially pure silica may be purchased from a commercial supplier, may be prepared de novo, or may be prepared by purifying silica containing impurities. Methods for treating and purifying silica fibers are taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,951,295. These methods may be used to purify commercial or prepared silica materials so as to render them substantially pure. The purified silica materials may then be used to prepare the surfaces described herein.
[0015] The surface may be used to bind generally any nucleic acids, preferably DNA or RNA, and more preferably DNA. The nucleic acids may be bound to the surface using any acceptable chemical method. Chemical reactions for the covalent bonding of nucleic acids to surfaces containing silica are known in the art.
[0016] An additional embodiment of the invention relates to formulations suitable for the binding of nucleic acids to surfaces. Formulations are prepared comprising nucleic acids and a charged material. The charged material preferably is partially or fully cationic. The charged material may generally be any partially or fully positively charged material suitable for interaction with the phosphate groups of nucleic acids. Examples of suitable charged materials include xanthines, hexoses, purines, arginine, lysine, polyarginine, polylysine, and quaternary ammonium salts. The xanthine may generally be any xanthine, and preferably is xanthine, 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine (caffeine), 1,3,9-trimethylxanthine, 1,3-diethyl-7-methylxanthine, 1,3-diethyl-8-phenylxanthine, 1,3-dimethyl-7-(2-hydroxyethyl)xanthine, 1,3-dimethylxanthine-7-acetic acid, 1,3-dipropyl7-methylxanthine, 1,3-dipropyl-8-p-sulfophenylxanthine, 1,7-dimethylxanthine, 1,7-dimethylxanthine (paraxanthine), 1,9-dimethylxanthine, 1-allyl-3,7-dimethyl-8-phenylxanthine, 1-allyl-3,7-dimethyl-8-p-sulfophenylxanthine, 1-butyl-4,5-dihydro-3-ethyl-8-hydroxyxanthine, 1-ethyl-3-isobutylxanthine, 1-methylxanthine, 2,6-dithiopurine, 2′-deoxyinosine, 3,7-dimethyl-1-propargylxanthine, 3,7-dimethylxanthine, 3,8-dimethyl-2-thioxanthine, 3,9-dimethylxanthine, 3-allyl-1-ethyl-8-hydroxyxanthine, 3-cyclopropyl-1-ethyl-8-hydroxyxanthine, 3-ethyl-1-propylxanthine, 3-ethyl-8-hydroxy-1-methylxanthine, 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine, 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine, 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine, 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine, 3-methyl-1-(5-oxohexyl)-7-propylxanthine, 3-methyl-8-phenyl-2-thiohypoxanthine, 3-methylxanthine, 3-propylxanthine, 6-thiohypoxanthine, 6-thioxanthine, 7-methylxanthine, 8-(3-carboxypropyl)-1,3-dimethylxanthine, 8-azaxanthine monohydrate, 8-bromo-1,3-diethylxanthine, 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dimethylxanthine, 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine, 8-methoxymethyl-3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine, 8-methylxanthine, 9-methylxanthine, azaserine-hypoxanthine, hypoxanthine, hypoxanthine 9-beta-d-arabinofuranoside, hypoxanthine 9-d-ribofuranoside (inosine), nicotinamide hypoxanthine dinucleotide phosphate, nicotinamide hypoxanthine dinucleotide phosphate disodium salt, nicotinamide hypoxanthine dinucleotide sodium salt, selenohypoxanthine, or xanthosine. The hexose may generally be any hexose, and preferably is alose, altrose, fructose, galactose, glucose, mannose, sorbose, tagatose, or talose, and more preferably is glucose. The hexose may be the D- or L- isomer. The purine may generally be any purine, and preferably is purine, 6-purinecarbonitrile, 6-purinethiol, or 6-purinethiol riboside. The quaternary ammonium salt may generally be any quaternary ammonium salt, and preferably is benzyltriethyl ammonium chloride (BTEAC), benzyltrimethyl ammonium chloride (BTMAC), benzyltributyl ammonium chloride (BTBAC), tetrabutyl ammonium bromide (TBAB), tetramethyl ammonium chloride (TMAC), tetrabutyl ammonium hydrogensulfate (TBAHS), trioctylmethyl ammonium chloride (TOMAC), N-lauryl pyridinium chloride (PYLC), or N-alkyl- (pyridinium/picolinium) chloride.
[0017] The charged material may serve multiple roles in the formulation, e.g. a surfactant may also interact with the phosphate groups of nucleic acids. The charged material may be affected by the pH of the formulation, e.g. amines may be protonated at low pH and deprotonated at high pH. The formulation is preferably a homogeneous mixture, and more preferably is a homogeneous aqueous mixture.
[0018] The charged material “masks” the charged phosphate groups of the nucleic acids, reducing or eliminating the potential for nonspecific binding of the nucleic acids to the silica surface by electrostatic attraction. As a result, the amount of nucleic acids nonspecifically binding to the surface is reduced or eliminated.
[0019] An additional embodiment of the invention is a method for the binding of nucleic acids to a surface. The method generally involves contacting the above described formulation with a surface containing silica. A particularly preferred embodiment involves contacting the above described formulation with a surface consisting essentially of silica. Any acceptable chemical methodology may be used to covalently bond the nucleic acids to the surface in the presence of the formulation.
[0020] The charged material in the formulation reduces nonspecific binding of the nucleic acids to the surface relative to nonspecific binding of nucleic acids to the surface in the absence of the charged material. Preferably, the method substantially eliminates nonspecific binding of the nucleic acids to the surface, and more preferably eliminates nonspecific binding of the nucleic acids to the surface. After the contacting step, the charged material may be removed, e.g. by a washing step.
[0021] All of the compositions and/or methods disclosed and claimed herein can be made and executed without undue experimentation in light of the present disclosure. While the compositions and methods of this invention have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, it will be apparent to those of skill in the art that variations may be applied to the compositions and/or methods and in the steps or in the sequence of steps of the methods described herein without departing from the concept, spirit and scope of the invention. More specifically, it will be apparent that certain agents which are both chemically and physiologically related may be substituted for the agents described herein while the same or similar results would be achieved. All such similar substitutes and modifications apparent to those skilled in the art are deemed to be within the spirit, scope and concept of the invention. | Surfaces containing high purity silica (silicon dioxide) exhibit high loading potential for nucleic acids.
Formulations containing nucleic acids and materials which mask the electrostatic interactions between the nucleic acids and surfaces are disclosed. By masking the phosphate charges of the nucleic acids, undesired interactions may be minimized or eliminated, thereby allowing the covalent bonding of the nucleic acids to the surface to proceed. The use of such formulations additionally minimizes nonspecific binding of the nucleic acids to the surface. Examples of materials to be included in such formulations include cations, xanthines, hexoses, purines, arginine, lysine, polyarginine, polylysine, and quaternary ammonium salts. | 2 |
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present disclosure relates generally to food and beverages, and more particularly to a system and method for brewing beverages.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Although coffee beans have been cultivated for use in making beverages for a millennium or more, and tea leaves for much longer, there are surprisingly few methods available for producing beverages from such crops. For tea, the conventional brewing methodology involves steeping the leaves in hot water, with or without a separation element, such as a screen or paper filter. For coffee, more techniques are known, but nearly all include a similar mechanical separation means. The only methods of brewing coffee or tea that omit a filter or screen produce a beverage containing gross particulate matter; “Turkish” coffee is an example. Especially for coffee beverages, where avoidance of such gross particulate matter during consumption is nearly impossible, and where such particulate matter is undesirable, one is forced to employ a mechanical separation means, such as discussed above, along with disadvantages attendant thereto. This explains the prevalence of brewing methods utilizing a mechanical separation element of one form or another.
Nevertheless, use of such mechanical separation elements is likewise problematic. Perhaps the most important detriment associated with mechanical separation of particulate matter is the undesirable affect on taste caused by interaction of the separation element with the beverage. This effect is most pronounced with use of paper filters, and is caused both by chemicals in the paper, as well as by absorption by the porous paper of oils and other flavor or aroma-providing compounds and dissolved particles. The alternative, metallic filters, may similarly and adversely affect the taste of the finished beverage, especially when not properly or adequately cleaned. A metallic taste or a stale flavor may be imparted to the beverage by such a filter, and metallic filters may also remove flavorful and/or aromatic compounds from the finished beverage.
Additionally, many forms of mechanical separation, whether paper, metal or another material, involve passage of the brewed beverage through particulate matter collected at the separation element, wherein oils and/or other organic compounds or materials may be absorbed or re-absorbed by the collected particulate matter. An illustrative example is drip brewing, wherein the brewed coffee is filtered by gravity not only through a metal or paper liner of the brewing chamber, but also through the settled coffee grounds. As the oils and other flavorful and/or aromatic compounds or dissolved particles pass through the coffee grounds, re-absorption by the grounds may occur. Moreover, remaining portions that successfully pass through the grounds may then further be altered, absorbed, or trapped, at least in part, by the liner.
As such, it is clear that there is an unmet need for a system and method for brewing beverages that separates unwanted gross particulate matter from the finished beverage, and that, without use of mechanical filtration or separation means, avoids adverse impact on the taste of the beverage and allows oils and other flavor-providing compounds and dissolved particles to remain in the finished beverage.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly described, in a preferred embodiment, the device and method of the present disclosure overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages and meets the recognized need for such a system and method by providing a beverage brewing system and method utilizing inertial separation of gross particulate matter.
More specifically, a brewing system according to the present disclosure includes a rotatable brewing chamber and a drain or outlet operable therewith. A beverage may be prepared by combination in the rotatable brewing chamber of a substance along with a liquid to be infused by the substance, separation of the beverage from undesired particulate matter by selective rotation of the brewing chamber, and evacuation of the beverage via the drain or outlet.
The rotatable chamber is preferably formed as a cylinder or drum, and may be driven by an appropriate prime mover, such as an electric motor, a hydraulic or pneumatic motor, a hand crank, or the like. The rate of rotation of the chamber is preferably controllable to selectively separate particles and compounds at or above a selected density or particle size. A movable lid or cover is preferably further included to prevent liquid and/or particulate matter from escaping the brewing chamber during rotation. Depression of the lid or cover into the brewing chamber preferably reduces a volume thereof, whereby evacuation of the beverage may be facilitated. A selectively-sealable drain aperture is preferably provided through the wall of the brewing chamber proximate an axis of rotation thereof, and is preferably in communication with a spout or other fluid conducting or storage means to allow the beverage to be dispensed.
Rotation of the brewing chamber preferably causes separation of particulate matter from the liquids, including oils, due to the differing respective densities thereof, wherein coffee grounds, tea leaves, or the like, may accumulate proximate one or more side wall(s) of the chamber during rotation due to inertia and/or a centripetal force provided by the side wall(s). The liquid beverage, including any oils, dissolved particulates, and suspended particulates below a selected density may remain proximate the drain aperture, wherein they may escape therethrough under the force of gravity and/or due to a pressure created by a reduction in the volume of the chamber. During such evacuation of the beverage, the liquids are preferably maintained separate from the gross particulate matter accumulated proximate the walls, whereby oils and other flavorful or aromatic compounds of the like are not removed from the beverage by filtration, absorption, or the like, and are not altered via interaction with such gross particulate matter.
Particles equal to or greater than a selected size or density may preferably be selectively separated by selective control of the rotation rate of the chamber, as well as by selection of the duration of the rotation. Thus, by such selective control, very small particles may be separated from the beverage, including particles smaller than may practically be separated due to pore-size limitations of conventional mechanical separation means. As a result, a finer grind of coffee beans, tea leaves, or the like, may be used in making a beverage with the disclosed device, whereby less coffee, tea, or the like, is necessary to obtain a beverage having the same degree of infusion, or strength of flavor, and whereby a necessary brewing time to make the beverage may be reduced, all without producing a beverage having undesired particulate matter remaining therein.
Particularly, pressurization of the solution resulting from the rotation of the confined beverage aids in the infusion of solution and extraction of flavorful and/or aromatic compounds from the particulate matter. This further enables a decrease in brewing time and/or a decrease in the amount of particulate matter necessary to achieve a similar level of infusion compared to conventional processes.
Accordingly, one feature and advantage of the present system and method is the ability to separate particulate matter from a beverage without a filter or screen, whereby adverse affect on the flavor and/or aroma of the beverage may be avoided.
Another feature and advantage of the present system and method is the ability to increase the yield of oils, other flavorful or aromatic compounds, and/or the like, by maintenance of the separation of particulate matter and such oils, other flavorful or aromatic compounds, and/or the like throughout the dispensing process, whereby separation, retention, absorption, and/or re-absorption of the oils, other flavorful or aromatic compounds, and/or the like may be avoided.
Yet another feature and advantage of the present system and method is the ability to allow use of smaller particulate material in brewing a beverage, thereby reducing a necessary amount of the material and/or reducing brewing times.
A further feature and advantage of the present system and method is the ability to brew a batch of a beverage simultaneously, whereby the entire batch exhibits a consistent flavor throughout.
These and other features and advantages of the system and method of the present disclosure will become more apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art after reading the following Detailed Description of the Invention and Claims in light of the accompanying drawing Figures.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Accordingly, the present disclosure will be understood best through consideration of, and with reference to, the following drawing Figures, viewed in conjunction with the Detailed Description of the Invention referring thereto, in which like reference numbers throughout the various Figures designate like structure, and in which:
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional perspective view of an exemplary system for brewing beverages;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an alternate system for brewing beverages according to the present disclosure;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the system of FIG. 2 ;
FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view of another alternate system for brewing beverages according to the present disclosure in a first configuration;
FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view of the system of FIG. 4A in a second configuration; and
FIG. 4C is a cross-sectional view of the system of FIG. 4A in a third configuration.
It is to be noted that the drawings presented are intended solely for the purpose of illustration and that they are, therefore, neither desired nor intended to limit the claimed invention to any or all of the exact details of construction shown, except insofar as they may be deemed essential to the claimed invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In describing embodiments of the present system illustrated in the Figures, specific terminology is employed for the sake of clarity. The claimed invention, however, is not intended to be limited to the specific terminology so selected, and it is to be understood that each specific element includes all technical equivalents that operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose.
In the embodiment chosen for purposes of illustration in FIG. 1 , system 100 includes brewing chamber 110 , valve 120 , spout 130 , motor 140 , and housing 150 . As shown, brewing chamber 110 preferably includes circular side wall 111 and bottom wall 113 sealingly attached to a lower portion of side wall 111 . Bottom wall 113 preferably includes central opening 115 operable with valve 120 to selectively seal opening 115 . Plunger 117 is preferably further included and is sealingly engageable with an interior surface 111 a of side wall 111 to enclose an upper portion of brewing chamber 110 .
As will be understood by those ordinarily skilled in the art, brewing chamber 110 may be formed of any suitable material, such as a food-grade plastic, a composite, a metal, or the like. The material should be selected to exhibit beneficial properties, such as high durability, ability to safely contain hot liquids, i.e. boiling or near-boiling water, or the like, corrosion resistance, non-stick surface(s), and the like. Particularly, weight and strength are important considerations because, as discussed in greater detail below, brewing chamber 110 will be rotated during operation, thus a low angular momentum is preferred, and because large forces are exerted on brewing chamber 110 when rotated at high rates; accordingly, metal is a preferred material. Furthermore, brewing chamber 110 is preferably removable from system 100 in order to facilitate cleaning thereof. For example, brewing chamber 110 preferably includes a mechanical fastening means for secure attachment to system 100 during operation, with a biased release means.
Plunger 117 may include one or more sealing element 117 a adapted to engage side wall 111 , such as a gasket, o-ring, or the like, which preferably provides low-friction engagement of plunger 117 and side wall 111 , whereby depression of plunger 117 within side wall 111 is enabled. Such depression of plunger 117 preferably reduces an interior volume of brewing chamber 110 , and may be accomplished manually or with a prime mover, such as a screw drive, a piston, or the like. Operable air valve 118 is preferably provided in plunger 117 to allow air to move into and out of brewing chamber 110 during changes in the interior volume thereof, and is preferably closed to prevent escape of the beverage during rotation of brewing chamber 110 . Plunger 117 preferably further includes bearing member 119 adapted to receive a depression force. Bearing member 119 is preferably rotatably engaged with plunger 117 , whereby rotation between plunger 117 and bearing member 119 is enabled. Thus, a non-rotating element may engage bearing member 119 to apply the depression force while plunger 117 rotates with side wall 111 and bottom wall 113 .
Bottom wall 113 may include raised plateau 113 a proximate and preferably encircling central opening 115 . Thus, as plunger 117 is depressed relative to side wall 111 until abuttingly engaging raised plateau 113 a , particulate matter, or the like, may accumulate in well 113 b , whereby such particulate matter may not be allowed to exit through central opening 115 . As will be understood by those skilled in the art, raised plateau 113 a may optionally be omitted, or a raised plateau may be provided on a bottom surface of plunger 117 as an addition to, or as an alternative to, plateau 113 a formed on bottom wall 113 . Furthermore, plateau 113 a and/or a plateau provided on plunger 117 may be formed by removable and stackable shims 190 , whereby a volume of well 113 b may be adjusted to accommodate greater or lesser quantities of grounds, such as may be required in brewing batches of a beverage of different quantities. For example, each shim 190 may define a well 113 b of adequate volume to retain an amount of coffee grounds necessary to brew one cup of coffee. Thus, attachment of additional shims will increase the volume of well 113 b to accommodate an amount of coffee grounds necessary to brew a corresponding number of cups of coffee.
Valve 120 is preferably operable to selectively seal central opening 115 of bottom wall 113 , whereby liquid may be selectively contained within brewing chamber 110 for use in brewing a beverage. Valve 120 is preferably operable between an open state and a closed state, wherein central opening 115 is sealed when valve 120 is in the closed state. Manipulation of valve 120 to place it in the open state preferably allows a liquid contained in brewing chamber 110 to be evacuated through central opening 115 and dispensed via spout 130 . Accordingly, valve 120 preferably includes means for opening and closing, such as a mechanical actuator, an electric actuator, a hydraulic or pneumatic actuator, a magnetic actuator, a pressure actuator, or the like. Preferably, valve 120 includes an inertial switch, or the like, whereby rotation of brewing chamber 110 at or above a predetermined rate causes valve 120 to open and to allow a beverage to be dispensed.
Motor 140 is preferably operable to rotate brewing chamber 110 at a selected rate, such as via sheaves 141 , 143 and a belt (not shown), or directly, such as via a frameless motor (discussed in greater detail below with respect to FIGS. 2-3 ). Thus, motor 140 is preferably an electric motor, but may alternatively be a hydraulic or pneumatic motor, a hand crank, or the like, and is operable to output a driving force sufficient to rotate brewing chamber 110 at the selected rate. As shown in FIG. 1 , motor 140 is formed as electric motor 145 having sheave 141 attached to an output shaft thereof. Sheave 143 is preferably fixedly mounted on spout 130 , which acts as an axle for rotation of brewing chamber 110 . Motor 145 may be securely carried by housing 150 , and sheaves 141 , 143 are preferably disposed within housing 150 , whereby sheaves 141 , 143 are protected from damage, and whereby access thereto is restricted. Spout 130 is preferably likewise securely carried by housing 150 , such as via bearings 151 , 153 , whereby spout 130 may rotate relative to housing 150 . Bottom wall 113 is preferably fixedly attached to spout 130 , whereby rotation of spout 130 by motor 140 preferably causes rotation of brewing chamber 110 .
Alternatively, a frameless motor may be provided, whereby sheaves 141 , 143 and bearing, 153 may be eliminated. The frameless motor may be carried directly by housing 150 and spout 130 or bottom wall 113 may be attached to a rotor of the frameless motor. In such an embodiment, bearing 151 allows for rotation of brewing chamber 110 relative to housing 150 . The compact design of an embodiment including a frameless motor may be preferable for consumer product applications, whereby exterior dimensions of system 100 may be reduced to suit counter-top use.
As will be understood by those ordinarily skilled in the art, controller 160 may be included to control one or more of motor 140 , plunger 117 , valve 120 , and/or other accessory or component, such as a timer, alarm, or the like. Controller 160 is mounted within housing 150 and may be manipulated by a user via one or more buttons 161 accessible from an exterior of housing 150 , via a remote control, or the like. Controller 160 is preferably formed as a microprocessor operable to generate control signals to each of motor 140 , a prime mover operable to control motion of plunger 117 , and valve 120 according to a computer program product stored on a storage medium, an input from a user, such as via a button, or the like.
In use, one or more shim 190 may be attached to plunger 117 and/or to bottom wall 113 to form raised plateau 113 a and associated well 113 b adapted to collect and retain a predetermined amount of coffee grounds and/or other substance. The predetermined amount of coffee grounds and/or other substance and hot water may be combined in brewing chamber 110 when valve 120 is in the closed state, whereupon the coffee grounds and the water may mix, and the water may be infused by the coffee grounds; i.e. coffee may be brewed within brewing chamber 110 . Plunger 117 may then be engaged with interior surface 111 a of side wall 111 with air valve 118 in an open position. After a first predetermined amount of time has elapsed, motor 140 may be activated, thereby causing brewing chamber 110 to rotate at a selected rate of rotation. Valve 118 is preferably in a closed position during such rotation.
Rotation of brewing chamber 110 preferably causes a mixture of the water and coffee grounds to rotate at a desired rate, thereby causing separation of particulate matter and/or dissolved or suspended particles or compounds due to inertial force. Particularly, oils that separate from the coffee grounds during brewing preferably float on the surface of the water, while coffee bean particles above a predetermined size preferably accumulate proximate side wall 111 , particularly proximate a lower portion thereof, such as in well 113 b . After a second predetermined amount of time has elapsed, valve 120 may be manipulated to place valve 120 into the open state, whereafter the brewed coffee and oils, i.e. the liquid and dissolved or suspended particles or compounds smaller than the predetermined size, may pass through central opening 115 . Air valve 118 may be closed and plunger 117 may be depressed relative to side wall 111 until a desired amount of the brewed coffee and oils have been evacuated and dispensed via spout 130 . Separated coffee bean particles that accumulate proximate side wall 111 during rotation are preferably trapped in well 113 b during depression of plunger 117 , whereby the particles may not escape brewing chamber 110 . Plunger 117 may then be raised and disengaged with side wall 111 , whereafter each of plunger 117 and brewing chamber 110 may be removed for cleaning. After cleaning, brewing chamber 110 and plunger 117 may be reattached for subsequent use.
In a preferred embodiment, controller 160 is operable to automate the brewing process described above. For example, a user may specify the desired brewing time, volume, and particle size, and combine appropriate amounts of hot water and coffee grounds within brewing chamber 110 and press “brew” button 161 . Controller 160 may then preferably cause plunger 117 to engage side wall 111 proximate an upper edge thereof to substantially seal brewing chamber 110 . Then controller 160 may determine when the first predetermined amount of time has elapsed. Controller 160 may then cause motor 140 to rotate brewing chamber 110 at a predetermined rate. Then controller 160 may determine when the second predetermined amount of time has elapsed, whereafter controller 160 may cause valve 120 to open. Controller may then cause plunger 117 to move a predetermined distance toward bottom wall 113 relative to side wall 111 , such as until plunger 117 abuts raised plateau 113 a . Controller 160 may then cause motor 140 to stop rotating brewing chamber 110 , and may disengage plunger 117 from sidewall 111 , such as by raising plunger 117 a distance greater than a height of sidewall 111 .
Now referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 , system 200 includes housing 210 , rotatable brewing chamber 220 , plunger 230 , plunger drive 240 , and chamber drive 250 adapted to brew beverages in a manner similar to that described above.
Specifically, housing 210 preferably includes a base, such as legs 211 , and cavity 215 adapted to receive chamber drive 250 therein. Legs 211 may, optionally, include elastic gasket 212 and/or non-slip grips 214 in order to reduce vibration and/or to provide a secure support. Housing 210 preferably further includes arms 217 and 218 adapted to engage and support hinged beam 219 . One or both of arms 217 and 218 may optionally include safety device 265 adapted to selectively prevent removal of brewing chamber 220 and/or plunger 230 , as described in greater detail below. As will be understood by those ordinarily skilled in the art, legs 211 may be replaced by an enclosed base, or the like, if desired. Similarly, arms 217 and 218 and/or beam 219 may be replaced by or additionally include enclosing walls, baffles, or the like to prevent undesired contact of foreign bodies with chamber 220 , unwanted ejection of debris or liquid, or the like.
Chamber drive 250 preferably comprises a frameless motor and may be mounted within cavity 215 according to conventional methods, whereby outer ring 251 and inner ring 253 may cause rotation of seat 255 operable with bearing 257 . Specifically, seat 255 is supported by bearing 257 and carries inner ring 253 on a periphery thereof. Seat 255 preferably comprises a sloped inner aperture adapted to abuttingly receive tapered spout 225 . Thus, chamber 220 , including sidewall 221 and bottom 223 are preferably rotated via frictional engagement of spout 225 and seat 255 . Spout 225 is preferably retained in frictional engagement with seat 255 via threaded nut 227 , or other similar retaining member engaged with spout 225 , or the like. Spout 225 preferably further includes a fluid conduit disposed generally centrally therethrough to selectively allow a beverage or the like to be dispensed from brewing chamber 220 . Specifically, spout 225 preferably includes pressure-activated valve 229 . As will be understood by those ordinarily skilled in the art, one or more of sidewall 221 , bottom 223 , and spout 225 may be separately formed and joined according to conventional techniques, or may be integrally formed by molding, casting, machining, or the like. Regardless of construction, however, sidewall 221 , bottom 223 , spout 225 and/or valve 229 preferably prevent unwanted leakage or escape of liquid from brewing chamber 220 .
In order to further seal brewing chamber 220 , especially during use, plunger 230 is preferably selectively engageable with sidewall 221 via one or more seal 231 , such as one or more gasket or o-ring. Furthermore, plunger 230 preferably defines well 233 adapted to collect and trap particulate matter or the like, as discussed in greater detail below.
Well 233 is preferably configured to receive and retain an amount of particulate matter equal to or greater than an amount of particulate matter necessary to produce a quantity of beverage equal to the maximum capacity of brewing chamber 220 . One or more shim or filler member 235 may be engaged with plunger 230 in order to reduce a volume of well 233 , such as when a lesser quantity of beverage is desired, and a corresponding lesser amount of particulate matter is used. Additionally, plunger 230 may include one or more air valve 237 or the like, adapted to selectively allow and prevent air or other gas to escape brewing chamber 220 during depression and retraction of plunger 230 within brewing chamber 220 , such as may occur during initial plunger engagement with brewing chamber 220 and during plunger retraction after beverage dispensing.
Plunger 230 is preferably movable within brewing chamber 220 via drive 240 , including motor 241 , transmission linkage 243 , and bearing 245 . More specifically, motor 241 preferably comprises an electric motor operable to rotate output shaft 242 . Output shaft 242 is preferably operable with threaded shaft 243 a via sheaves 243 b and 243 c and a cable, belt, chain, or the like (not shown). As will be understood by those ordinarily skilled in the art, gears or other force transmission means may be employed to convert a force generated by motor 241 to a force applied to threaded shaft 243 a , and motor 241 may take the form of a hand crank, a hydraulic or pneumatic drive, or the like. Threaded shaft 243 a preferably includes oppositely threaded portions 244 and 246 operable with arms 247 . Thus, when motor 241 rotates output shaft 242 , threaded shaft 243 a rotates causing opposing motion of arms 247 , i.e. motion of arms 247 towards one another or away from one another, thereby lowering or raising plunger 230 , respectively.
Such raising of plunger 230 is preferably sufficient to completely disengage plunger 230 from brewing chamber 220 , as shown in FIG. 2 . In order for a user to open brewing chamber 220 , such as for removal, cleaning, addition of water, addition of coffee, addition of tea, or the like, hinged beam 219 may be rotated upwardly about hinge 261 , thereby exposing brewing chamber 220 . Hinged beam 219 preferably further includes one or more releasable fastener 263 , such as a clip, threaded fastener, or the like, adapted to selectively prevent rotation of hinged beam 219 . Such releasable fastener 263 preferably locks hinged beam 219 in a use position, wherein lowering plunger 230 may create a pressure within brewing chamber 220 , and wherein such lowering will not result in raising hinged beam 219 .
In use, a beverage may be brewed by a user in brewing chamber 220 by first raising plunger 230 to a raised position, preferably disengaged with brewing chamber 220 . Thereafter, the user may release releasable fastener(s) 263 and raise beam 219 to expose brewing chamber 220 . The user may then combine a selected amount of liquid, such as water, corresponding to a desired amount of beverage along with a corresponding amount of substance to produce the beverage. Once combined, the user may close brewing chamber 220 by lowering beam 219 , engaging releasable fastener(s) 263 and engaging plunger 230 . As will be understood by those ordinarily skilled in the art, the brewing chamber may include volume indications for facilitating addition of the desired amount of water, or, more preferably, may include an integrated hot water dispenser adapted to dispense a selected amount of water at a selected temperature automatically. Additionally, the brewing chamber may include a heater to raise a temperature of the chamber to prevent or reduce cooling of the water upon introduction to the brewing chamber. After allowing a desired amount of time to pass, whereby the substance may steep in, or infuse the liquid, the user may engage safety 265 and begin rotating brewing chamber 220 at a desired rate. After rotation of brewing chamber 220 at the desired rate for a desired amount of time, whereafter particulate matter and compounds having a size, weight, or density above a predetermined threshold have substantially been separated and disposed proximate sidewall 221 , the user may lower plunger 230 to force liquid out of brewing chamber 220 via valve 229 and spout 225 . Preferably, valve 237 allows trapped air to escape therethrough during such lowering, but prevents liquid from escaping therethrough. Furthermore, during such lowering, substantially all separated particulate matter and/or compounds are trapped in well 233 .
In order to clean system 200 , or in order to brew more beverage, the user may raise plunger 230 , wherein valve 237 and/or valve 229 preferably allows air to enter to reduce negative pressure caused by increasing the volume contained by brewing chamber 220 and plunger 230 . After releasing safety 265 , the user may disengage plunger 230 from sidewall 221 . The user may then expose brewing chamber 220 via releasing fastener(s) 263 and raising beam 219 . Nut 227 may then be disengaged from spout 225 , whereafter chamber 220 , including spout 225 , may be disengaged from seat 255 for cleaning and reuse. As will be understood by those ordinarily skilled in the art, one or more of the foregoing steps may be accomplished via suitable control means, such as an electronic control device, a wireless control device, an automatic control device, or the like. Additionally, and particularly when a hot water dispenser is included, the brewing chamber may be rinsed without removal for cleaning.
Now referring to FIGS. 4A-4C , system 200 may include an automatic cleaning feature, whereby coffee grounds or other particulate matter, or the like, collected in well 233 may be removed automatically. Additionally, if a water dispenser is included, the coffee grounds or other particulate matter may be rinsed out of well 233 , thereby facilitating cleaning of system 200 . Specifically, sidewall 221 of brewing chamber 220 may optionally include a plurality of apertures 221 a disposed generally proximate bottom 223 for allowing such coffee grounds or the like to exit brewing chamber 220 . Additionally, plunger 270 , having seals 271 disposed about a circumference thereof, and depending stem 272 may be included within brewing chamber 220 and extending into and operable with stem 225 a depending from bottom 223 . Plunger 270 may further include spout 275 , extending generally centrally from plunger 270 and within stem 272 , for conducting fluid, such as a beverage, out from brewing chamber 220 . Valve 279 operable with spout 275 may be included to control release of fluid from brewing chamber 220 , such as described above with respect to valve 229 .
In operation, brewing chamber 220 may be used to brew a beverage in the manner described above. That is to say, plunger 230 may be depressed to dispense a beverage from brewing chamber via valve 279 and spout 275 while trapping particulate matter within well 233 between plunger 230 , plunger 270 , and sidewall 221 . As plunger 230 reaches and engages plunger 270 , plunger 230 preferably releases lock 280 , operable to selectively permit or prevent depression of plunger 270 . Specifically, plunger 230 may depress pins 281 which in turn may depress ring 282 to align one or more depression(s) 283 with apertures 273 of stem 272 , whereby beads 285 may move into depression(s) 283 to allow stem 272 to slide within stem 225 a . Thus, when plunger 230 depresses pins 281 , plunger 270 may be depressed under a force applied by plunger 230 (such as a force applied by motor 241 ) such that well 233 is disposed proximate openings 221 a to allow particulate matter to exit well 233 via openings 221 a and collect within trough 291 of collecting chamber 290 .
When pins 281 are not depressed, however, sliding movement of stem 272 within stem 225 a is substantially prevented by lock 280 by beads 285 disposed partially within one or more depression 225 b . Biasing devices 287 and 288 may be provided to bias plunger 270 and pins 281 and ring 282 upwardly, whereby plunger 270 is sealingly engaged with sidewall 221 at a location above apertures 221 a and with spout 275 locked within stem 225 a . For example, biasing device 287 may be formed as a compression spring disposed against shoulder 223 a of bottom 223 of chamber 220 , or the like, and biasing device 288 may be formed as a compression spring disposed against retainer 289 engaged with stem 272 and having aperture 289 a formed therethough to allow liquid to flow therethrough from spout 275 . As will be understood by those ordinarily skilled in the art, collecting chamber 290 may be quickly and easily removed for cleaning and disposal of collected particulate matter. Additionally, trough 291 may be configured having a volume substantially greater than a volume of well 233 .
Spout 276 may be included proximate aperture 289 a to reduce any tangential velocity of the fluid exiting through aperture 289 a to reduce spray and/or splashing of the fluid. Additionally, spout 276 may include two nozzles 276 a , whereby fluid may be simultaneously dispensed into separate containers, or into a single container, as desired.
Having thus described exemplary embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted by those skilled in the art that the within disclosures are exemplary only and that various other alternatives, adaptations, and modifications may be made within the scope and spirit of the present invention. For example, the inertial separation techniques described above may be employed in conjunction with conventional mechanical separation techniques, if desired, and other methods of dispensing the beverage may be employed, such as extracting the beverage via a conduit penetrating the plunger under suction or solely due to pressure within the brewing chamber. Furthermore, axial rotation of the brewing chamber to accelerate the liquid is not necessary and may be replaced with other acceleration, such as rotation of an arm about a first end where the brewing chamber is connected to a second end of the arm. Similarly, other materials may be selected, such as forming the brewing chamber from a suitable ceramic material. Additionally, while the system has been described in the context of brewing beverages, non-brewed beverages may be prepared by separation of particulate matter from solution, such as with decanting wine, separating pulp from juice, or the like. Likewise, while the system has been described as a single brewing chamber unit, an industrial version may include a plurality of brewing chambers, each including associated motors, spouts, and controls, arranged within a common housing to enable brewing of greater quantities of beverage and/or different beverages simultaneously. A vending machine version is also contemplated wherein associated systems, such as a hot water dispensing system, automated brewing controls for water dispensing, rotation rate, and brewing duration, a coffee grinder and/or dispenser, and the like. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments as illustrated herein. | A system and method for brewing beverages utilizing inertial separation and an adjustable-volume brewing chamber to selectively retain or release particulate matter, oils, and/or other components of the brewed beverage, whereby mechanical filtration may be avoided and smaller particulates may be separated from the beverage. Thus, less material is needed to achieve similar levels of infusion and brewing time may be reduced. | 0 |
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
In the manufacture of permanent magnet motors, magnet segments are conventionally secured in circumaxially spaced relationship on the interior surfaces of cylindrical back rings in a manual operation employing a two-part epoxy. The assembled magnet segments and rings are then conventionally encapsulated in an injection molding operation.
While generally satisfactory, the procedure is a slow and tedious step in the manufacturing process and the epoxy is both expensive and difficult to apply.
Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide an efficient and more expeditious method and apparatus for assembling magnet segments on a back ring.
A further object of the invention is to provide an assembly method and apparatus which requires minimal manual intervention and which exhibits a high degree of consistency and repeatability in the results achieved.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In fulfillment of the aforementioned objects and in accordance with the present invention, a rotatable expandable and contractible fixture is provided and the magnet segments are releasably secured on and about the fixture in circumaxially spaced relationship with their exterior surfaces outwardly exposed and provided with an arcuate configuration substantially conforming to that of the interior surface of the back ring. Preferably, a liner backed pressure sensitive adhesive tape known as an “adhesive transfer tape” is then employed with a means for applying the adhesive sequentially to the magnet segments during fixture rotation. The liner is separated during application of the adhesive to the segments. Relative axial movement is then effected between the fixture carrying the segments and the back ring to enter the former within the latter. Expansion of the fixture follows urging the magnet segments firmly into engagement with the interior surface of the back ring and bonding them in position thereon. The fixture is thereafter contracted and relative axial movement is again effected between the fixture and the back ring to remove the former from the interior of the ring assembly.
Apparatus employed in the practice of the foregoing method in addition to the fixture and adhesive applying means which preferably comprises an application roller includes a vacuum source for releasably securing the magnet segments on the fixture, a rotary drive means preferably in the form of a step motor for the fixture, locating surfaces on the fixture and an opposing device resiliently urging the segments against the surfaces to precisely locate the same, a liner take-up roll, and other auxiliary devices.
DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a top view of an assembled back ring and six (6) magnet segments.
FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken generally as indicated at 2 — 2 in FIG. 1
FIG. 3 is a somewhat schematic exploded perspective showing a rotatable fixture, a drive motor and vacuum pump therefore, and a collet-like expander associated therewith.
FIG. 4 is a side view showing the fixture of FIG. 3 with a single magnet segment mounted thereon.
FIG. 5 is a somewhat schematic perspective view showing the fixture with a single magnet segment thereon and a device which operates to precisely locate the segments axially on the fixture.
FIG. 6 is a somewhat schematic perspective view showing the majority of the major components of the apparatus of the invention.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a rotatable turret carrying a “bumper” for axially locating the segments and a gripper for placing back rings about fixtures carrying adhesive bearing segments.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2 , it will be observed that six (6) permanent magnet segments 10 , 10 are provided in the preferred embodiment of the invention shown. The magnet segments 10 , 10 are equally spaced circumaxially as shown and are mounted on the interior surface of a cylindrical back ring 12 . The segments may be metallic or ceramic and the back ring is conventionally of iron. Exterior surfaces 14 , 14 of the magnet segments are arcuate to conform substantially with the interior surface of the back ring 12 . The interior surfaces of the segments are flat as shown and presently preferred for engagement with similar flat surfaces 16 , 16 on a fixture 18 best illustrated in FIG. 3 .
The fixture 18 has six (6) flat surfaces 16 , 16 respectively for receiving the six (6) magnet segments 10 , 10 . Each of the flat surfaces has a pair of vacuum ports 20 , 20 connected by suitable conduits (not shown) to a vacuum source which may comprise a conventional vacuum pump at 22 . An appropriate computer controlled valve system (not shown) provides for the establishment and removal of a vacuum at the ports 20 , 20 suitably timed respectively to secure and release magnet segments from the surfaces 16 , 16 . A step motor 24 rotates the fixture also in timed relationship with other elements of the apparatus under computer control.
Disposed within and forming a part of the fixture 18 is an axially movable collet-like member indicated generally at 26 and which has six (6) flexible fingers 28 , 28 . The fingers co-operate with radially inwardly biased pins 30 , 30 which project through openings 32 , 32 in the fixture 18 to engage magnet segments and urge the same outwardly for engagement with and bonding to an associated back ring. A pneumatic cylinder 34 operates the collet axially under computer control, to expand and contract the pins as required.
A locating device best illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 7 includes radially extending locating surfaces 36 , 36 on six (6) small projections 38 , 38 on the fixture 18 , one for each magnet segment 10 , 10 . At an opposite end of the fixture six (6) resiliently mounted “bumpers” 40 , 40 are moveable axially toward and away from the segments to urge them into engagement with the locating surfaces 36 , 36 and precisely position the same axially. The bumpers may also be pneumatically operated under computer control.
FIG. 4 shows a single magnet segment 10 mounted on a fixture 18 and engaged by a pair of “grippers” 42 , 42 which have long narrow fingers 43 , 43 operable to locate and hold the segment. The “grippers” may also be pneumatically operated under computer control.
In FIGS. 6 , and 7 components of the apparatus of the invention are illustrated. A fixture 18 with six (6) magnet segments mounted thereon is positioned adjacent an adhesive applying means indicated generally at 44 and comprising an application roller 46 about which an adhesive liner tape 48 is directed from an adhesive storage reel 50 . An intermediate roller 52 directs the tape from the storage reel 50 to the application roller 46 where it is resiliently urged against the magnet segments by pneumatic means indicated generally at 53 . Friction created at the interface between the adhesive bearing tape and the rotating magnet segments serves to drive the apparatus with the tape being thus drawn from its storage reel 50 and about the rolls 46 and 52 . A take-up reel 54 receives the liner 48 a which separates from the adhesive at the interface between the magnet segments and tape at the application roll 46 and is over driven by a timing belt 56 extending from the friction driven application roller. A small friction clutch 58 accommodates the variation in speed as the tape reel 50 becomes smaller and the liner take-up reel 54 becomes larger.
In operation, the fixture is rotated through 345° and then stopped. A pneumatically operated brake 60 stops the tape dispensing reel 50 and the fixture 18 is then rotated an additional fifteen degrees (15°) to break the adhesive. The application roller 46 then backs off. At this point, it should be noted that a blank area is thus created on the liner 48 a . This of course results in a loss of the necessary friction to rotate the application roller 46 , supply reel 50 etc. Accordingly, an index arm over with a needle-roller clutch is provided to advance the tape as the application roller moves forward for a succeeding adhesive applying sequence.
Once the adhesive has been applied, the back ring and the fixture carrying the segments are moved relatively in an axial direction to assemble the elements as best illustrated in FIG. 7 . Turret 54 is rotatable and movable vertically to alternately present the “bumpers” 40 , 40 and a back ring gripper 56 to the fixture 18 . As shown, the “bumpers” 40 , 40 are elevated prior to a segment loading operation. They are subsequently lowered to precisely locate the segments and then raised prior to turret rotation. When the turret has been rotated, the back ring 12 is placed about the adhesive carrying segments and the collet 26 urges the pins 32 , 32 outwardly and the segments against the back ring to bond the same in the desired positions thereon.
As indicated above, the assembly may then be over molded in an injection molding operation.
In practicing the method of the invention with the afore described apparatus, the segments are mounted on the fixture, adhesive is applied to the segments, the fixture carrying the segments is assembled with the back ring, and the segments are urged into firm bonding engagement with the ring. | A method and apparatus for assembling permanent magnet segments and a back ring wherein a fixture holds segments in circumaxially spaced relationship, adhesive is applied to the segments, externally from pressure sensitive adhesive tape and the fixture then expands to urge the segments into firm bonding engagement with the back ring. | 8 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Peroxidases and peroxidase conjugates, that is, peroxidases coupled to an immunological component, are relatively unstable, particularly at low concentrations. As a result, compositions containing peroxidases and/or peroxidase conjugates without a suitable stabilizer to inhibit the enzyme inactivation process, exhibit poor shelflife properties, thereby decreasing their commercial applicability.
Peroxidases are enzymes which catalyze the oxidation of certain compounds such as for example, o-phenylene diamine, during which oxidation, a peroxide, in particular hydrogen peroxide, functions as an "acceptor" for a proton donor molecule. Peroxidases may be obtained from plants, for example, horseradish peroxidase (HPO); from vertebrate animals, for example, lactoperoxidase; and from microorganisms such as cytochrome peroxidase from Pseudomonas.
Peroxidases are used for a variety of purposes, in particular, as detectable markers in immunological assay techniques for the detection and determination of immunocomponents, such as haptens, antigens or antibodies. The use of peroxidase labeled immunoreactants is of particular value because the activity or presence of the peroxidase enzyme may be detected visually and the level of activity may be discerned by colorimetric means.
Immunoassay kits useful in performing enzyme immunoassays usually contain as an essential constituent a certain amount of an immunocomponent coupled to a peroxidase. Since such kits will be subject of shipping and storing for variable lengths of time before use, it is essential that the activity of the peroxidase conjugate be maintained as long as possible.
Enzyme conjugates and in particular peroxidase conjugates, are generally stored in an immunological reaction medium containing serum protein, such as for example, fetal calf serum. It has been noted that serum protein contributes to the stability of the conjugate as compared to the stability of the conjugate alone. It is theorized that the serum matrix contributes to maintaining the special structure of the enzyme. However, it has also been observed that the serum protein contributes to the inactivation of the enzyme by extracting detachable hemin moieties from the enzyme structure. This denaturation of peroxidase appears to be due to hemin interactions between the peroxidase and hemin binding proteins from the calf serum. In order to deminish the attraction and thereby the interaction between hemin and serum proteins, various compounds have been proposed as stabilizers for peroxidase compositions. Dawson, et al, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,169,012, describes the use of polyvalent metal ions as stabilizers for peroxidase compositions. Shaffar, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,252,896, discloses the use of 8-anilino-1-naphthalene sulfonic acid (ANS) as a stabilizer for peroxidase compositions.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel stable peroxidase composition wherein the peroxidase activity of the composition is maintained for a substantial period of time.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It has been found that the addition of an effective amount of a stabilizer selected from the group consisting of gentamicin, amikacin and tobramycin, to a composition containing a peroxidase and/or peroxidase conjugate, substantially increases the stability of the composition.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The stabilizers useful in the compositions of the present invention are selected from the group consisting of gentamicin, amikacin and tobramycin. It has been found that such compounds stabilize peroxidase and/or peroxidase conjugates by substantially inhibiting the peroxidase inactivation process and thereby maintain the structural integrity of the enzyme or enzyme conjugate. It is preferred to employ gentamicin as the stabilizer in the compositions of the present invention.
The term "peroxidase conjugate" refers to an immunocomponent, such as a hapten, antigen, antibody, or a protein binding substance such as avidin or biotin, coupled to peroxidase. Such conjugates are either commercially available or readily prepared by one of ordinary skill in the art employing conventional techniques. The specific hapten, antigen, antibody or protein binding substance employed is readily ascertained by one of ordinary skill in the art depending on the specific immunoassay being conducted.
An "effective amount of a stabilizer" refers to the concentration of stabilizer required to provide a substantial inhibition of peroxidase inactivation in a peroxidase or peroxidase conjugate composition when compared to compositions not containing a stabilizer. Such concentrations are readily ascertained by one of ordinary skill in the art. It has been found that minimum concentration of stabilizers in the compositions of the present invention necessary for obtaining a stabilizing effect is about 0.005% (weight/volume). Although there is no critical maximum concentration of stabilizer in the compositions of the present invention, amounts greater than 1.0% (weight/volume) concentration are acceptable but unnecessary and costly. It is preferred to employ a stabilizer in the composition of the present invention of approximately 0.1% (weight/volume).
The stabilizers of the present invention are generally present in the compositions of the present invention in an ionic form. It is preferred to add salts of gentamicin, amikacin or tobramycin, such as sulfates, phosphates, halides or nitrates, to the peroxidase or peroxidase conjugates.
In addition to peroxidase and/or peroxidase conjugates and stabilizers, other constituents may be added to the compositions of the present invention. In particular, the compositions of the present invention may include, but not limited to, serum proteins, such as fetal calf serum, rabbit serum, pig serum and the like and buffers, such as tris·HCl buffer, phosphate buffered saline and the like.
Although the stable peroxidase compositions are preferable aqueous compositions, the peroxidase compositions may be marketed as a lyophilized product.
The following example serves to further illustrate the present invention.
EXAMPLE 1
A 1:1 mixture of commercially available normal rabbit serum and normal pig serum was pooled. The serum was filtered to remove any precipitates and the filtrate was diluted with an equal volume of 0.1 M tris buffer (pH 8.6) to provide a final concentration of 50% serum. 20 ml aliquots of the serum composition was poured into three individual vials. To one vial (Sample A) was added 20 mg of gentamicin sulfate and to a second vial (Sample B) was added 20 mg of sodium azide. The third vial (Sample C) was maintained as a control. Then, 0.08 ml of an avidin-horseradish peroxidase conjugate stock solution was added to each vial resulting in a final enzyme conjugate concentration of between 5 to 10 μg/ml in each vial. The resulting mixtures were stirred for one hour at room temperature. A 5 ml aliquot of each solution was placed in a plastic vial and stored at 45° C. for 24 hours. In addition, a control sample (Sample D) was maintained at 4 ° C.
The peroxidase activity of Samples A-D was determined in accordance with the following procedure:
(1) A 50 μl aliquot of a standard containing 2500 μIU/ml prolactin and a 50 μl aliquot of a blank were added to appropriate wells of a reaction tray.
(2) To each well containing the standard or blank was added 200 μl of biotin labeled anti-human prolactin antibody.
(3) A polystyrene bead coated with antibody specific to prolactin was added to each well and the reaction trays were covered and shaken at room temperature for 2 hours.
(4) A 50 μl aliquot of Sample A was added to each well and the reaction trays were covered and shaken for thirty minutes.
(5) The beads were washed and excess liquid was completely removed.
(6) The beads from the wells originally containing the samples and controls were transferred to assay tubes to which was then added 300 μl of a freshly prepared substrate solution containing approximately 27 mg of σ-phenylene diamine·2HCl in 5 ml of citrate-phosphate buffer containing 0.02% hydrogen peroxide at a pH of 5.5. The tubes were then incubated for 30 minutes at room temperature.
(7) Following the incubation, 1 ml of 1N sulfuric acid was added to each tube and the absorbance of the resulting sample and control solutions were read on a spectrophotometer at 492 nm.
The peroxidase activity of Sample A was calculated as the difference between the absorbance of the 2500 μIU/ml standard and the blank. The peroxidase activity of Samples B-D were also determined utilizing the above procedure.
Table I illustrates the peroxidase activities of Samples A-D obtained utilizing the above procedure.
ΔA refers to the absorbance difference between the 2500 μIU/ml standard and the blank and % Activity is the peroxidase activity of the Sample with respect to Sample A (100%).
TABLE I______________________________________ ΔA % Activity______________________________________Sample A 1.400 100Sample B 0.495 35Sample C 1.120 80Sample D 1.298 93______________________________________
Although this invention has been described with respect to specific modification, the details thereof are not to be construed as limitations, for it will be apparent that various equivalents, changes and modification may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and it is understood that such equivalent embodiments are intended to be included therein. | Novel stable peroxidase compositions are disclosed which are useful as reagents in enzyme immunoassay procedures. In particular the novel peroxidase compositions contain a stabilizer selected from the group consisting of gentamicin, amikacin and tobramycin. | 2 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to protective helmet suitable for use by an occupant or operator of a racing car, motorcycle or the like or for use in sporting activities such as football, bicycling, lacrosse, hockey and the like, and more particularly to a pad assembly for use in this protective helmet and comprising a fastener system which attaches the inner resilient pad to an outer rigid helmet shell.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The use of protective headgear in various types of sports or hazardous activities is well known. Conventional protective helmets have one or more inner pads secured by fasteners to the inner surfaces of a rigid helmet shell and are generally adapted to conform to the shape of a wearer's bead. One of the problems associated with the use of such helmet arises when the inner pads of the helmet are not properly fitted to the head of the user. Another disadvantage of known helmets is that the inner pads of the helmet are attached by metal rivets which do not permit removal of the inner pads and which may protrude into the helmet resulting in injury to the wearer upon impact.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a protective helmet which comprises an outer rigid helmet shell and one or more releasably attached inner pad assemblies.
It is another object of this invention to provide an improved fastener system for use in protective helmet which releasably attaches an inner pad to an outer rigid helmet shell.
It is another object of this invention to provide a novel protective helmet including a helmet shell having one or more pad assemblies releasably secured to an inner surface of the helmet shell, each pad assembly having an integrally formed fastener, and wherein the fastener secures the pad assembly to the helmet shell in a fixed orientation thereby eliminating rotation between the helmet shell and the pad assembly.
In accordance with the present invention, there has been provided a novel pad assembly for use in a protective helmet shell, said pad assembly formed from a resilient material and comprising a back surface defining a helmet shell contacting surface, a front surface defining a wearer contacting surface, and side surfaces connecting said back and front surfaces, said pad assembly further comprising a fastener embedded into said pad assembly and extending outward from the back surface of said pad assembly, said fastener having base means for retaining said fastener to said pad assembly, post means adapted to conform to a mounting hole in said helmet shell, said post means and said mounting hole being of substantially corresponding shape whereby said post means is capable of being inserted into said mounting hole, so that said post means are non-rotatably mounted in said mounting hole.
Also provided in accordance with the present invention is a protective helmet comprising an outer rigid helmet shell shaped to protect the top, rear, front and sides of a wearer's head, and an inner pad assembly formed from a resilient material and comprising a back surface defining a helmet shell contacting surface, a front surface defining a wearer contacting surface, and side surfaces connecting said back and front surfaces, said pad assembly further comprising a fastener imbedded into said pad assembly and extending outward from the back surface of said pad assembly, said fastener having base means for retaining said fastener to said pad assembly, post means adapted to conform to a counting hole in said helmet shell, said post means and said mounting hole being of substantially corresponding shape whereby said post means is capable of being inserted into said mounting hole, so that said post means are non-rotatably mounted in said mounting hole, said protective helmet further comprising securement means for attaching said helmet shell to said pad assembly.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the protective helmet of the present invention illustrating the helmet shell, pad assembly and fastener components.
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the pad assembly and associated fastener and the manner of securing the pad assembly to the helmet shell.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the fastener of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a side view of the fastener illustrating the base portion of the fastener.
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of the main body taken substantially as indicated along the line 5 — 5 of FIG. 4 .
FIGS. 6 a and 6 b , respectively, show the fastener of the present invention in a fastened position and an unfastened position.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a protective helmet comprising an outer helmet shell 10 which is preferably made of a relatively rigid material, such as a polycarbonate alloy, a rigid thermoplastic, or a thermosetting resin. The helmet shell 10 is provided with a plurality of mounting holes 50 a , 50 b and 50 c , each one having a shape which substantially conforms to a post part of a fastener, as hereinafter described, which in inserted into the mounting hole and releasably secured therein by securement means 40 .
The protective helmet further comprises a pad assembly 20 positioned within the helmet shell 10 to dissipate forces applied against the helmet shell 10 thereby protecting a wearer's head from the applied forces. The pad assembly 20 is releasably secured to the inner surface of the helmet shell 10 by means of fastener 30 which interconnects the pad assembly 20 to the helmet shell 10 with securement means 40 shown, for illustrative purposes, as a threaded screw. The securement means 40 establishes a stable but releasable connection between the helmet shell 10 and the pad assembly 20 .
FIG. 1 illustrates a preferred embodiment of the present invention wherein the protective headgear comprises an outer helmet shell and three separate pad assemblies, wherein a first pad assembly is secured to a front portion of the helmet shell, a third pad assembly is secured to a rear portion of the helmet shell and a second pad assembly is slidably attached to the first and third pad assemblies, the first, second and third pad assemblies covering substantially the entire inner surface of the helmet shell. In this embodiment, the pad assembly 20 generally includes three slidably connected pads 20 a , 20 b and 20 c respectively, wherein pad 20 a is secured to a front portion of the helmet shell by inserting fasteners 30 b and 30 c through mounting holes 50 b and 50 c respectively, and utilizing securement means 40 b and 40 c to provide a releasable connection between the helmet shell 10 and the pad assembly 20 a . Similarly, pad 20 c is secured to a rear portion of the helmet shell by inserting fastener 30 a through mounting hole 50 a and securement means 40 a . Pad 20 c is similarly attached or affixed to an opposite side of helmet shell 10 which is not shown in the figures. In accordance with this embodiment of the invention, central pad 20 b is slidably connected to pads 20 a and 20 c by means of interlocking tongue means and is not secured to the helmet shell.
The pad assembly 20 of the present invention may be formed from any resilient, moldable, shock absorbing materials such as a foamed styrene polymer, a foamed urethane polymer or other rigid foam-like material being light in weight and having shock absorbing properties. The pad assembly 20 has a back surface 21 defining a helmet shell contacting surface, a front surface 22 defining a wearer contacting surface, and side surfaces 23 connecting said back and front surfaces and defining a thickness 24 of the pad assembly 20 . The pad assembly 20 may have its outer surfaces treated to provide washable surfaces of the pads, for example, by dipping the pads in a suitable material such as liquid vinyl, urethane or latex. In addition, the pad assembly may have a densified outer layer defining either the front surface 22 , the back surface 21 or both the front and back surfaces. The process of densifying a pad assembly is more fully disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,282,610, which is incorporated herein in its entirety.
Referring to FIGS. 2-5, the pad assembly further comprises a fastener 30 having a base portion 35 defining a first end which is embedded into the pad assembly, a post part 37 defining a second end which extends outward and protrudes from the back surface of the pad assembly. The base portion 35 functions to prevent the fastener 30 from being pulled from the pad assembly 20 and the non-circular post part functions to prevent rotary and lateral deflection of the pad assembly 20 with respect to the helmet shell 10 . The fastener 30 has an outer surface 31 and an inner surface 32 , said inner surface defining a threaded aperture 38 extending longitudinally from the post part 37 to the base portion 35 through a central portion of the fastener. The threaded aperture 38 preferably has a diameter and helical threads which are adapted to accept a securement means 40 in the form of a threaded screw. The outer surface 31 of the fastener 30 has top and bottom side walls and left and right side walls, and includes the base portion 35 defining the first end of the fastener, the non-circular post part 37 defining the second opposite end of said fastener 30 , and a support flange 36 intermediate the base portion 35 and the post part 37 . As shown in FIGS. 6 a and 6 b , the base portion 35 and the support flange 36 of fastener 30 are embedded within the thickness of the pad assembly 20 such that base portion 35 is intermediate the front surface 22 and the back surface 21 of the pad assembly 20 . More specifically, it is important that the base portion 35 be spaced from the front surface 22 of the pad assembly 20 by an amount in excess of the expected deformation of the pad upon impact with an applied force. The base portion 35 extends laterally outward from at least two opposite side walls of the fastener and has a major surface which is generally parallel to the front and back surfaces of the pad assembly 20 . The base portion should extend in a lateral direction extending outward from the longitudinal threaded aperture 38 to an extent which is sufficient to anchor the fastener 30 into the pad assembly 20 and prevent its removal from the pad. The shape of the base portion 35 of fastener 30 is not, per se, critical to the invention, provided of course that it extends laterally outward from the side walls of fastener 30 in an amount sufficient to prevent the fastener 30 from being removed from the pad assembly 20 . Accordingly, base portion ( 35 ) may be in the form of a circular or elliptical disk or may be in the form of one or more laterally extending rigid, substantially planar surfaces, such as for example two, three, four or more laterally extending legs in a manner similar to spokes emanating from a central hub. It is preferred that the base portion 35 be non-circular so as to prevent rotation of the fastener 30 within the pad assembly 20 and thereby provide correct alignment between the pad assembly 20 and the helmet shell 10 . Base portion 35 is preferably in the form of an elongated rectangle formed by two legs extending from opposite side walls of fastener 30 or in the form of a cross formed by four legs extending laterally outward from the side walls and having an angle of 90 degrees between adjacent legs.
Referring to FIG. 3, the support flange 36 has an upper surface 39 which is preferably co-planar with the back surface 21 of the pad assembly 20 . The support flange 36 extends laterally outward from opposite side walls of the fastener in a length which is greater than the width of the post part 37 but which is less than the lateral length of the base portion 35 . The shape of support flange 36 is not, per se, critical to the invention provided that it is larger than the post part 37 , and is capable of supporting helmet shell 10 when pad assembly 20 is releasably secured to helmet shell 10 as shown in FIG. 6 b . In a preferred embodiment, the base portion 35 comprises a pair of laterally extending legs which extend from opposite left and right side walls, and the support flange 36 comprises a pair of semi-circular surfaces 39 which extend laterally outward from the side walls of fastener 30 in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinally extending threaded fastener 38 .
Securement means 40 may comprise any conventional releasable fastener such as threaded screws, bolts, rib fasteners, spring clips, and the like. It is preferred that the securement means comprises a threaded screw. While the fastener and securement means can be constructed from suitable materials such metals, nylon-type materials, plastics, and the like, it is preferred that the fastener and securement means be constructed of plastics or nylon-type materials to provide added protection to a wearer of the helmet.
As shown in FIGS. 6 a and 6 b , in use, the post part 37 is inserted into a mating mounting hole 50 formed in the helmet shell ( 10 ). The length of post part 37 is chosen in such a way that, after the post part 37 is inserted into mounting hole 50 , and secured with securement means 40 , an inner surface of helmet shell 10 contacts surfaces 39 of support flange 36 on fastener 30 as shown in FIG. 6 b . Thus, the length of the post part 37 generally corresponds to the thickness of the outer shell of the helmet shell such that when the non-circular post part is engaged in the mating mounting hole in the helmet shell, the inner surface of the helmet shell contacts the support flange 36 and the outer surface of the helmet shell in co-planar with post part 37 or optionally extends beyond post part 37 . In this manner, when the threaded screw is engaged in the fastener, the helmet shell is securely attached to the pad assembly.
The pad assembly of the present invention may be made by conventional injection molding techniques wherein fastener 30 is placed in a suitably shaped pad mold and a foamed polymer is injected therein, the polymer is permitted to cure into a rigid structure, and the pad assembly is then removed from the pad mold.
In assembling the protective helmet of the present invention, a pad assembly 20 is placed in position in a helmet shell 10 , wherein the fastener 30 is aligned with mounting hole 50 in the helmet shell 10 , the non-circular post part 37 is inserted into the correspondingly shaped mounting hole 50 and is releasably secured in place by means of securement means 40 . As illustrated in FIGS. 6 a and 6 b , the securement means 40 is in the form of a threaded screw, having threaded screw post 42 which extends through mounting hole 50 in helmet shell 10 and is engagingly housed in the threaded aperture 38 of the fastener 30 .
With respect to the above description, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specifications are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. | A protective helmet having a rigid outer helmet shell, an inner pad assembly formed from a resilient material and threaded fasteners partially embedded in the inner pad assembly and adapted to secure the inner pad assembly into the outer helmet shell. The embedded fastener has a threaded aperture to receive a securement means such as a threaded screw, and a non-circular portion, which protrudes from the inner pad assembly and is inserted in a corresponding mounting hole on the outer helmet shell. The non-circular portion of the fastener prevents rotation of the fastener when the threaded securement means is fastened into the threaded aperture during installation or removal of the inner padding assembly. | 0 |
This application claims priority under 35 USC § 119(e)(1) of provisional application No. 60/173,751, filed Dec. 30, 1999.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of Internet technologies for computer systems; specifically, it relates to a distributed web CGI architecture.
2. Description of the Related Art
User Interface through web browsers, such as Netscape® and Internet Explorer®, is becoming a standard for Client/Server applications. A Client/Server application typically performs three types of operations, including Application Logic, Presentation Logic, and Data Management Logic.
Application Logic represents the behavior of the system, Presentation Logic represents the User Interface of the system, and Data Management Logic represents the managing the data in a Database Management System, such as Relational DBMS or Object Oriented DBMS. A Web Browser can be used to perform the Presentation Logic of a Client/Server application. This can be done using HTML documents that are dynamically generated. These documents may contain HTML tags and JavaScript code that is read by the Browser to render Graphical User Interface. This type of interface may be referred to as a Web User Interface (“WUI”). A WUI consists of HTML tags, HTML form elements, and JavaScript code. All of these may reside in a HTML document.
A Common Gateway Interface (“CGI”) is a technique used to construct a WUI to an application. When a user invokes any operation in the WUI, the Web Browser sends the request to the Web Server, which in turn invokes CGI programs. The CGI programs perform the requested task, and send the result back the Web Server. The result is expressed in terms of HTML documents. The Web Server sends the dynamically-generated HTML documents to the Web Browser which, in turn, renders the WUI. In this process, the CGI program might need to access the DBMS to have the Data Management Logic performed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, a need has arisen for distributed web CGI architecture.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a distributed web common gateway interface architecture is disclosed. The distributed web common gateway interface architecture includes a primary network having a primary server. A database communicates with the primary server. A plurality of secondary networks are provided, with at least one secondary server in the secondary network.
In another embodiment, a method for the distribution of data files in a distributed organization is provided. The distributed organization has a multiple networks that communicate with the primary server. The method involves the steps of (1) validating a data file at a secondary server in one of the networks; (2) correcting defects in the data file if the validation fails; (3) releasing a validated data file to the primary server; (4) and transferring the validated data file to the primary server.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, a method for the distribution of data files in a distributed organization is provided. The distributed organization has a plurality of networks that communicate with a primary server, and each network has a web browser running on it. The method involves the steps of (1) entering a URL of a data management system for a primary server in a web browser; (2) entering user information; (3) entering metadata for a data file to be transferred to the primary server; (4) validating the data file at the secondary server; (5) correcting errors responsive to a failed validation; (6) releasing the validated data file; (7) transferring the validated data file to the primary server; and (8) storing the data files in the primary server.
A technical advantage of the present invention is that a distributed web CGI architecture is disclosed. Another technical advantage of the present invention is that a secondary server is used to validate data files before they are transferred to a primary server. Another technical advantage of the present invention is that errors are detected before the file is transferred, saving time and bandwidth.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 illustrates a portion of a computer, including a CPU and conventional memory in which the presentation may be embodied.
FIG. 2 illustrates a Data Management System for a Distributed Organization.
FIG. 3 illustrates a Data Management System for a Distributed Organization according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating the process of one embodiment of the present invention.
FIGS. 5 a - 5 d are exemplary screen shots that are provided to the user according to one embodiment of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Embodiments of the present invention and their technical advantages may be better understood by referring to FIGS. 1 though 5 , like numerals referring to like and corresponding parts of the various drawings.
The environment in which the present invention is used encompasses general distributed computing system, wherein general purpose computers, workstations, or personal computers are connected via communication links of various types, in a client-server arrangement. Programs and data, many in the form of objects, are made available by various members of the system for execution and access by other members of the system. Some of the elements of a general purpose workstation computer are shown in FIG. 1 , wherein processor 101 is shown, having input/output (“I/O”) section 102 , central processing unit (“CPU”) 103 , and memory section 104 . I/O section 102 may be connected to keyboard 105 , display unit 106 , disk storage unit 109 , and CD-ROM drive unit 107 . CD-ROM unit 107 can read a CD-ROM medium 108 , which typically contains programs and data 110 .
Referring to FIG. 2 , distributed organization 200 with many development centers 202 located geographically is depicted. Development centers 202 may be located in different countries and continents. Development centers 202 produce deliverable files 204 as part of their work. Examples of deliverable files 204 include files created by CAD tools in a design organization. Deliverable files 204 may be files with sizes ranging from a few kilobytes to over several hundred megabytes, or larger. Deliverable files 204 may be sent via network 208 to database management system (DBMS) 210 , which may be located at a central location, where they are stored and managed for long term needs.
The process of managing the deliverable files of an organization or a company can be done using Web Browsers within an Intranet. An Intranet is a network of computers based on TCP/IP protocol belonging to an organization accessible only by the organization's members or employees. This is advantageous because of availability of Web Browsers in most of the computer platforms and the wide acceptance of Web Browsers among the user community. Development centers 202 use the WUI of a Client/Server application to send deliverable files 204 and associated information to central location 210 . The associated information to a deliverable file includes information, such as the employee identification information, a list of new features that were added, etc. This associated data for a deliverable file can be called “metadata.” Both deliverable file 204 , and its metadata, are stored in DBMS 210 . Users 212 may send deliverable file 204 and its metadata to the DBMS 210 by completing a HTML form of the WUI.
Users 212 may enter the metadata and specify the path for deliverable file 204 in the HTML form. The Web Browser reads the file specified, and transmits the complete HTML form (including deliverable file 204 ) to Web Server 206 . Web Server 206 , in turn, hands over the incoming data to CGI program 214 , which receives deliverable file 204 and its corresponding metadata and stores in DBMS 210 . These systems are commonly referred as “Data Management” systems.
The required time for this release operation primarily depends on the time taken to transmit deliverable files 204 to DBMS 210 , assuming the time required to store deliverable files 204 in DBMS 210 and to transfer and store the metadata is relatively very small. The transmission time depends on several factors, including, inter alia, network bandwidth between the development center 202 and DBMS 210 , size of deliverable file 204 , and number of other operations which are sharing the bandwidth. It is possible that it might take up to a few hours for the complete operation.
Considering the required amount of time to perform the operation, it is important that only the correct deliverable files are transmitted over the network. This means the deliverable files need to be checked against the expected specification before they are transmitted. This process is called the “validation” of deliverable files. It is not possible to do this validation in a WUI because Web Browsers generally cannot read/write files, and cannot create and run new processes on the machines where they are running. It is not possible to run any validation logic on the file before starting transfer of that file to the Web Server. This forces the validation to be shifted to the CGI program residing at the Server side, which performs validation before storing the deliverable files in the DBMS. If the validation fails, the deliverable file needs to be corrected and released again from its respective development center. This is done by generating a HTML page which contains the validation errors for the given deliverable files. Users can then correct deliverable files and resubmit the deliverable files and its metadata through the WUI.
The Data Management System depicted in FIG. 2 has several disadvantages. First, it has a slow response time. Users who release deliverable files come to know about the validation failure and the cause for it only after the transfer through the network is complete and validation logic is performed at the Web Server side. This may take several hours when the size of the deliverable files are in megabytes.
Next, network bandwidth is wasted. When the validation fails, the deliverable file has to corrected and released again from its respective development center. Thus, network bandwidth that was consumed to transfer the faulty deliverable files is wasted.
Referring to FIG. 3 , a system for data management for a distributed organization according to one embodiment of the present invention is provided. The above-identified problems may be solved if it the validation process is performed before the transfer of deliverable files is started. This will ensure that no faulty files are sent through the network. Moreover, users will come to know about validation errors much quickly. In a typical Client/Server application where the client program is implemented using X Window system, client code can be modified to perform the validation. The X Window system provides a network transparent graphical user interface primarily for the UNIX® operating system. X provides for the display and management of graphical information, much in the same manner as Microsoft Windows® and IBM's Presentation Manager.®
According to one embodiment of the present invention, secondary server 302 , that performs the validation, is provided. Secondary server 302 may be placed in the same network in which the web browser is running. Secondary server 302 includes web server 206 and CGI programs 214 , which implement the validation logic. Secondary server 302 may be installed in each of network 202 from where deliverable files 204 may be released.
When user 212 releases deliverable file 204 , user 212 may complete a HTML form and specify a path for deliverable file 204 , as well as entering metadata for deliverable file 204 . Once the HTML form is complete, user 212 can submit for validation of the deliverable file 204 . The form is submitted to the corresponding secondary server 302 , located in the same network 202 . Secondary server 302 performs the validation process, and communicates the results to user 212 .
In one embodiment, users 212 may be required to login into the “Data Management” systems before then can start sending deliverable file 204 . User 212 may be identified by an identification, such as his or her employee number, and a password. During login, user 212 can identify the network from which he/she is logging in. Examples for the network can be “india.company.com” (Company India), “japan.company.com” (Company Japan), “dal.company.com” (Company, Dallas, US), etc. This information can be used in forming the “action” URL (Uniform Resource Locator) for validation. This URL will contain address of the nearest secondary server 302 which can perform the validation logic. This URL will be generated by primary server 304 as part of the response to the Login request. In other words, users 212 initially contact primary server 304 for login operation, and specify the network from which they are logged in. The network in which primary server is running may be referred to as the primary network, and the primary network may or may not include its own secondary server 302 .
Primary server 304 may respond with the URL of the secondary server 302 that is closest, geographically, to user 212 . At best, secondary server 302 will be in the same network 202 from which users 212 are logged in. Primary server 304 maintains the list of secondary servers 302 to implement this.
If the validation is successful, user 212 may submit the same form for “Release,” in which case the HTML form is submitted to primary server 304 . When submitting the form for both “Validate” and “Release” operations, the selection of the server will be transparent to user 212 .
Based on the operation selected, forms may be submitted to different servers. In this example, secondary server 302 will receive deliverable file 204 in the minimum time because it will be a file that may be accessed within that network 202 .
Web Server 206 and the associated CGI programs 214 along with DBMS 210 is known as primary server 304 . Primary server 304 implements all the capabilities of the system. Secondary servers 302 generally are scaled down version of primary server 304 performing only the validation logic. In one embodiment, there is one primary server 304 , and there can be a plurality of secondary servers 302 for each of the network 202 from where deliverable files 204 are released.
This architecture results in a set of distributed Web CGI servers and solves the problems associated with the typical CGI architecture for data management applications.
The advantages of the present invention are as follows. First, network traffic is optimized. The transfer of faulty deliverable files between geographically separated Web Browser and Web Server is eliminated. This reduces amount of network transfer, which is a critical factor for Client/Server applications. Second, response time for users is increased. Users who send deliverable files though the WUI get much faster response on the validation phase because it is done by the secondary server with minimum/no network transfer. Third, because validation is done by secondary servers and no faulty deliverable files will reach the primary server, load on primary server is reduced.
Referring to FIG. 4 , a method of transferring data using a distributed Web CGI Architecture according to one embodiment of the present invention is provided. The data may be in the form of deliverable files.
In step 402 , the URL of the data management system in the web browser is loaded. Users may enter the URL in the URL location field of Web Browser, or they can select the URL from a collection of “bookmarks” that may be stored in the Web Browser.
In step 404 , the user provides information to the system, including, inter alia, user identification, password, and network identification, and submits the HTML form to the Primary Sever.
Referring to FIG. 5 a , an exemplary screen shot for steps 402 and 404 is provided. URL 502 is loaded into the web browser. Employee identification and password are entered in user id space 504 and password space 506 , respectively. The user selects the network 508 from which the user is logging in from. The user logs in to the network by selecting login button 510 .
Referring again to FIG. 4 , in step 405 , the primary server in turn returns a menu of operations that users may invoke. These operations may include validate a file, release a file, download an existing deliverable file, search for a deliverable file, generate various reports on the available deliverable files such as list of deliverable files released during given time period, list of deliverable files released from a particular geographical development center, etc. For the validate operation, the action URL (the Web Server and the CGI program that will process the request) points to the Secondary Server.
In step 406 , the user selects the operation to perform. Generally, the user will validate the file before the user releases the file. In one embodiment of the present invention, the user is not permitted to release the file until the file is validated.
If the user chooses to validate the file, in step 412 , the HTML form is submitted to the secondary server, which reads the files and performs validation. Referring to FIG. 5 b , an exemplary screen shot of step 412 is provided. Primary server 512 is identified for the user. The user inputs metadata 514 into text boxes, such as the Design Data Name, Design Data Version, and Notes. The text boxes in which metadata 514 is entered may be pre-formatted for uniformity. Other metadata may be entered.
Path 516 may be provided for the user to enter the location of the design file. A “browse” option may be provided, as is known in the art.
The user may select the operation 518 to perform. In the figure, the user may select between “validate” and “release.” Once the user selects the operation, the user may click on “submit” to execute the operation.
Referring again to FIG. 4 , in step 414 , if the validation is successful (pass), the system returns to step 406 , where the user can choose to release the file. If the validation failed, in step 418 , any identified errors are corrected, if possible. The system then returns to step 406 , where the user may select to release the file.
The results of the validation may be provided for the user. Referring to FIG. 5 c , an exemplary screen shot of a Validation Design Data screen is provided. The address of the secondary server 520 is provided for the user. Validation output 522 is displayed. In the figure, the file had multiple errors, all of which are identified for the user. The user may be requested to correct the design and revalidate the data before releasing the file. “Go back” button 524 may be provided to allow the user to return to the previous screen.
Referring again to FIG. 4 , in one embodiment of the present invention, if the errors could not be corrected in step 418 , the system may prevent the user from releasing the file.
If, in step 406 , the user chooses to release data, the network, in step 408 , transfers deliverable files to the primary server. Next, in step 410 , the network stores the deliverable files in the primary server.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, the user may be provided with release design data. Referring to FIG. 5 d , an exemplary screen shot of step 410 is provided. In this figure, the user is provided with message 526 , which informs the of the status of the release of the file.
While the invention has been described in connection with preferred embodiments and examples, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that other variations and modifications of the preferred embodiments described above may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the specification or practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification is considered as exemplary only, with the true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims, without departing from the scope claimed below. | A distributed web CGI architecture is disclosed. According to one embodiment of the present invention, distributed web common gateway interface architecture includes a primary network having a primary server ( 304 ). A database ( 210 ) communicates with the primary server ( 304 ). A plurality of secondary networks ( 202 ) are provided, with at least one secondary server ( 302 ) in the secondary network ( 202 ). In another embodiment, a method for the distribution of data files in a distributed organization is provided. The distributed organization has a multiple networks that communicate with the primary server. The method involves the steps of (1) validating a data file at a secondary server in one of the networks; (2) correcting defects in the data file if the validation fails; (3) releasing a validated data file to the primary server; (4) and transferring the validated data file to the primary server. | 7 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to methods for the hydroxylation of aromatic substrates. In particular, this invention relates to a method for producing hydroxyaromatic compounds by the oxidation of aromatic substrates in the presence of oxygen, a catalyst, a proton source, and a non-gaseous reductant. The invention also relates to compositions for effecting said hydroxylation.
Phenol is among the most important industrial organic chemical intermediates, being used for the manufacture of thermoplastics and other resins, dyestuffs, explosives, agrochemicals, and pharmaceuticals. It is particularly important in the manufacture of phenol-formaldehyde resins used in the construction, appliance, and automotive industries, and in the manufacture of bisphenol A for epoxy and polycarbonate resins.
Despite its industrial importance, prior art methods for the production of phenol are non-selective, multi-step, and/or expensive. For example, benzene may be alkylated to obtain cumene, which in turn is oxidized to form cumene hydroperoxide. The hydroperoxide is cleaved using an acid catalyst to form phenol and acetone. Another industrial process using oxidation of toluene requires expensive starting materials. Older industrial processes such as the Raschig Hooker process require high energy input, and result in corrosive or difficult to dispose of wastes.
More recent processes for the production of phenols include the hydroxylation of aromatic substrates using hydrogen peroxide in the presence of a titanoaluminate molecular sieve, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,233,097 to Nemeth et al., or in the presence of a hydrogen fluoride-carbon dioxide complex as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,453,332 to Vesely et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,110,995 further discloses hydroxylation of phenol or phenol derivatives in the presence of nitrous oxide and zeolite catalyst. A multi-step process requiring partial hydrogenation of benzene, separation of the reaction products, oxidation of some of the reaction products, dehydrogenation, and other steps is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,180,871 to Matsunaga et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,001,280 to Gubelmann et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,110,995 to Kharitonov et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,756,861 to Panov et al. disclose oxidation of benzene to phenol by nitrous oxide in the presence of a zeolitic catalyst, with yields of up to about 16%.
While certain of these methods provide good yields, they still suffer from various drawbacks and disadvantages. In particular, nitrous oxide is expensive, and it is also a greenhouse gas that presents significant environmental concerns. Thus, despite the number of methods available to synthesize hydroxyaromatic compounds, there still remains a need for a process that is simple, high-yield, environmentally friendly, economical, and amenable to commercial scale-up.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above-described drawbacks and disadvantages are alleviated by the method described herein, which is a method of hydroxylating an aromatic substrate, which comprises reacting an aromatic substrate having at least one active aromatic hydrogen in the presence of oxygen, a catalyst, a proton source, and a non-gaseous reductant. The method is environmentally friendly, economical, safe, and amenable to commercial scale-up.
In another embodiment the invention comprises a composition for hydroxylating an aromatic substrate having at least one active aromatic hydrogen, comprising oxygen; a vanadium, niobium, or tantalum precursor or mixture thereof; at least one anionic ligand precursor; at least one neutral, electron-donating ligand precursor; a proton source; and a non-gaseous reductant.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The methods described herein comprise oxidation of an aromatic substrate in the presence of oxygen, a catalyst, a proton source, and a non-gaseous reductant. One preferred embodiment comprises oxidation of benzene in the presence of oxygen, a vanadyl catalyst, trifluoroacetic acid as a proton source, and ferrocene as a reductant.
One or more of a range of aromatic substrates may be hydroxylated in the practice of this method. Preferably the aromatic substrate is benzene, naphthalene, anthracene, phenanthrene, or the like, or substituted derivatives thereof. The substituents may be the same or different. The number of substituents may vary, as long as at least one active aromatic hydrogen is available for substitution, where an active aromatic hydrogen is one capable of being replaced by hydroxyl to produce a hydroxyaromatic compound. Benzene, for example, may have from one to five substituents, which may the same or different.
Suitable substituents include one or more aryl groups, for example phenyl, naphthyl, anthracyl, and phenanthryl. The aryl substituents may themselves be substituted by various functional groups, providing that such functional groups do not interfere with the hydroxylation. Suitable functional groups include, but are not limited to, alkyl groups as described below, carboxylic acids, carboxylic acid alkyl and aryl esters, aldehydes, hydroxyls, olefins, and alkyl and aryl ethers. Mixtures of different aryl groups and/or substituted aryl groups as substituents are also within the scope of the invention.
Other suitable substituents include one or more alkyl groups, wherein the alkyl groups are straight- or branched-chain, or cyclic, and typically have from one to twenty six carbons. Some illustrative non-limiting examples of these alkyl groups include methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl, tertiary-butyl, pentyl, neopentyl, hexyl, cyclobutyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, methylcyclohexyl, cycloheptyl. Exemplary alkyl-substituted benzenes include, but are not limited to, toluene, xylene, and cumene. The alkyl groups may themselves be substituted by various functional groups, providing that such functional groups do not interfere with the hydroxylation. Suitable functional groups include, but are not limited to, aryl groups as described above, carboxylic acids, carboxylic acid alkyl and aryl esters, aldehydes, hydroxyls, olefins, and alkyl and aryl ethers. Mixtures of different alkyl groups and/or substituted alkyl groups as substituents are also within the scope of the invention.
Other suitable substituents include, but are not limited to, one or more functional groups, providing that such functional groups do not interfere with the hydroxylation. Suitable functional groups include, but are not limited to, carboxylic acids, carboxylic acid alkyl and aryl esters, aldehydes, hydroxyls, olefins, and alkyl and aryl ethers. Mixtures of different functional groups as substituents are also within the scope of the invention. Mixtures of substituents comprising combinations of functional groups, aryl groups, alkyl groups and/or their functionalized derivatives are also within the scope of the invention.
Preferred aromatic substrates are benzene, and benzene substituted by alkyl groups, aryl groups, alkyl ethers, aryl ethers, or combinations thereof. Especially preferred are biphenyl, phenyl phenol, toluene, cumene, phenol, and para-cumyl phenol.
Molecular oxygen may serve as both oxidant and source of hydroxyl oxygen in the present hydroxylation method. The hydroxylation advantageously proceeds in the presence of a mixture of oxygen and up to about 90% by volume of at least one inert gas, e.g., nitrogen, argon, helium and the like. A preferred mixture is nitrogen with from about 5% to about 30% by volume oxygen. A preferred oxygen source is air or mixtures comprising the components of air. The partial pressure of oxygen is preferably in the range from about 0.02 megaPascals (MPa) to about 7.1 MPa. The absolute total pressure of the reaction is within the range of about 0.1 MPa to about 36 MPa, and preferably within the range of about 1 MPa to about 8 MPa.
Preferred catalysts are based on precursors which under the reaction conditions produce a catalyst effective in the hydroxylation of an aromatic compound having at least one active aromatic hydrogen, oxygen, a proton source, and a non-gaseous reductant. Such precursors include precursors giving rise to a metal complex such as a vanadium, niobium, or tantalum complex, or mixtures thereof; precursors giving rise to an anionic mono- or bi-dentate ligand, precursors giving rise to a neutral, electron-donating ligand, and precursors comprising a combination of vanadium, niobium or tantalum with either an anionic ligand or a neutral, electron-donating ligand, or both.
Suitable metal precursors include, but are not limited to, the oxides of vanadium, niobium, or tantalum, for example sodium metavanadate; substituted oxides of vanadium, niobium and tantalum, for example VO(acetylacetonate) 2 and VO(picolinate) 2 ; and alcoholates such as tantalum trisethoxide and niobium trisethoxide. Mixtures of metal precursors are also within the scope of the invention. In particular, mixtures of precursors containing either the same or different metals are suitable.
Suitable anionic ligand precursors include, but are not limited to, halides, carboxylic acids and/or their alkali metal or other salts, for example, sodium acetate, trifluoroacetate, beta-diketonates, acetylacetonate, propionate, butyrate, benzoate, or their corresponding acids; carboxylic acids and/or their alkali metal or other salts in a position alpha to a heteroaromatic nitrogen atom, such as, but not limited to, picolinic acid and substituted picolinic acids, picolinate and substituted picolinates, and their corresponding Noxides. Suitable substituents for picolinic acid and picolinate or their corresponding N-oxides include, but are not limited to, carboxylic acid, carboxylate, halogen, alkyl, heteroaryl, and aryl. Suitable beta-diketonates include those known in the art as ligands for the metal precursors of the present invention. Examples of beta-diketones (from which beta-diketonates are derived) include, but are not limited to, acetylacetone, benzoylacetone, dibenzoylmethane, diisobutyrylmethane, 2,2-dimethylheptane-3,5-dione, 2,2,6-trimethylheptane-3,5-dione, dipivaloylmethane, trifluoroacetylacetone, hexafluoroacetylacetone, benzoyltrifluoroacetone, pivaloyltrifluoroacetone, heptafluorodimethyloctanedione, octafluorohexanedione, decafluoroheptanedione, 4,4,4-trifluoro-1-phenyl-1,3-butanedione, 2-furoyltrifluoroacetone, 2-theonyltrifluoroacetone, 3-chloro-2,4-pentanedione, 3-ethyl-2,4-pentanedione, 3-methyl-2,4-pentanedione, methyl 4-acetyl-5-oxohexanoate. Mixtures of anionic ligand precursors are also within the scope of the invention. Metal complexes of the anionic ligands are also usable, e.g., VO(acetylacetonate) 2 and VO(picolinate) 2 .
Suitable neutral, electron-donating ligand precursors include, but are not limited to, water; acetonitrile; nitrogen in a heteroaromatic ring, such as, but not limited to, pyridine, substituted pyridines, picolinic acid or substituted picolinic acids; alcohols; hydroxyaromatic compounds; phenol; substituted phenols; ethers; furan; tetrahydrofuran; phosphines; amines; amides; ketones; esters; Schiff bases; or imides. Mixtures of neutral, electron-donating ligand precursors are also within the scope of the invention.
The above precursors may be supplied to the solution separately or as metal complexes with at least one ligand. For example, one preferred formulation comprises the combination at low pH (e.g., less than about 3, and preferably less than about 2) of sodium metavanadate, a carboxylic acid, and a compound containing heteroaromatic nitrogen, e.g., picolinic acid, substituted picolinic acids, pyridine, substituted pyridines or their corresponding N-oxides. Another preferred formulation comprises the combination of VO(acetylacetonate) 2 with a compound containing heteroaromatic nitrogen. Still another combination comprises the combination of VO(picolinate) 2 with a carboxylate and/or a compound containing heteroaromatic nitrogen, e.g., a pyridyl compound. In each of the above formulations, the catalyst is formed in solution from a vanadium, niobium, or tantalum precursor; a carboxylic acid precursor (which may be in the form of a carboxylic acid or acid salt, or which may also function as the metal precursor); and a precursor compound containing heteroaromatic nitrogen, e.g., a pyridyl precursor (which may be in the form of the pyridyl compound itself, or which may also function as the metal precursor).
The stoichiometric ratio of the anionic ligand precursor to metal (i.e. vanadium, niobium, or tantalum, or mixture thereof) in the composition and stoichiometric ratio of the neutral, electron-donating ligand precursor to metal in the composition are not particularly limited so long as there is a sufficient molar quantity of anionic ligand and of neutral, electron-donating ligand to satisfy the vacant valency sites on the metal in the active catalyst species effective in the hydroxylation of an aromatic compound having at least one active aromatic hydrogen. In addition, the quantities of anionic ligand and neutral, electron-donating ligand are preferably not such that they interfere either with the hydroxylation reaction itself or with the isolation or purification of the product mixture, or with the recovery and reuse of catalyst components (such as metal).
When a ligand precursor is also an acid species (added as a proton source) or a hydroxyaromatic compound produced by the reaction, then the stoichiometric ratio of either or both ligand precursors to metal precursor may be directly related to the turnover number of the reaction, which is the yield of moles of product per moles of metal (or mixture of metals). The turnover number of the reaction determines the moles of hydroxyaromatic compounds produced. In addition, the turnover number is directly proportional to the quantity of proton source which is added to the reaction mixture and consumed during the course of the reaction. For optimum efficiency the turnover number is desired to be as high as possible. Preferred turnover numbers for the present invention are greater than 1, more preferably greater than about 10, and most preferably greater than about 50. Typically turnover numbers may be between about 5 and about 50.
In preferred embodiments of the present invention the stoichiometric ratio of both the anionic ligand precursor to metal and the neutral, electron-donating ligand precursor to metal in the composition are about 500-2:1, more preferably about 100-2:1, and still more preferably about 50-2:1. When the catalyst composition comprises metal precursor (or mixture of metal precursors) in which the metal is supplied in the form of, for example, a complex with either the anionic ligand precursor, or the neutral, electron-donating ligand precursor, or both, then the stoichiometric ratio of ligand precursor to metal may be essentially 2:1, as for example in VO(acetylacetonate) 2 and in VO(picolinate) 2 . It is also contemplated that additional, uncomplexed anionic ligand precursor, or uncomplexed neutral, electron-donating ligand precursor, or both, may be added to the reaction mixture when the metal is supplied in the form of a complex with either the anionic ligand precursor, or the neutral, electron-donating ligand precursor, or both.
Without being bound by theory, it is hypothesized that suitable catalyst precursor combinations may give rise in the presence of molecular oxygen or a molecular oxygen precursor to catalysts having the general structure
MO(O 2 )(L 1 ) n (L 2 ) m
wherein M is a metal such as vanadium, niobium or tantalum; n is an integer from 0 to 1; m is an integer from 1 to 3; L 1 is an anionic, mono- or bi-dentate ligand; and L 2 is a neutral, electron-donating ligand. Suitable anionic ligands include, but are not limited to, halides or the conjugate bases of carboxylic acids, for example, acetate, trifluoroacetate, beta-diketonates, acetylacetonate, propionate, butyrate, benzoate, and conjugate bases of carboxylic acids in a position alpha to a heteroaromatic nitrogen atom, such as, but not limited to, picolinate, substituted picolinates, and their corresponding N-oxides. Suitable neutral, electron-donating ligands include, but are not limited to, water; acetonitrile; nitrogen in a heteroaromatic ring, such as, but not limited to, pyridine, pyridyl, picolinic acid or substituted picolinic acids; alcohols; hydroxyaromatic compounds; phenol; substituted phenols; ethers; furan; tetrahydrofuran; phosphines; amines; amides; ketones; esters; Schiff bases; or imides.
The catalyst is present in an effective amount, which is readily determined empirically by one of ordinary skill in the art, depending on the starting aromatic substrate, the desired reaction rate, the cost of the catalyst, and like considerations. Generally, the catalyst will be present in amounts of up to about 10 mole percent of the aromatic substrate.
The proton source is at least one mineral acid (such as hydrochloric acid) or organic acid (such as trifluoroacetic acid). The proton source is preferably at least partially soluble, and more preferably wholly soluble in the reaction mixture, and its corresponding ion does not significantly interfere with or inhibit the reaction. The proton source is present in the reaction mixture as a co-reactant which is consumed in the course of the reaction. The stoichiometric ratio of the proton source to non-gaseous reductant in the reaction mixture is no greater than about 10:1, preferably no greater than about 2:1, and most preferably no greater than about 1.2:1. In especially preferred embodiments of the present invention the stoichiometric ratio of the proton source to non-gaseous reductant is about 1.10-1.01:1. Depending upon the catalyst composition, the proton source may serve both as co-reactant and as an anionic ligand precursor. For example, trifluoroacetic acid and other organic acids may serve as both co-reactant and as anionic ligand precursor.
Any method known in the art may be used to add the proton source or mixture of proton sources. Most frequently the proton source or mixture is added in the form of a solid or a liquid, or a solution or slurry, alone or in combination with another reaction component or inert solvent. It is within the scope of the invention to add the proton source or mixture either in a single reaction charge or incrementally during the course of the reaction.
The reductant in the method is at least one non-gaseous reductant, and includes those compatible with the catalyst and known in the art. A suitable non-gaseous reductant within the context of the present invention is one which is serves as a reductant only in the presence of a proton source, and which may be added to the reaction mixture in a physical form other than a gas. Any method known in the art may be used to add the non-gaseous reductant or mixture of nongaseous reductants. Most frequently the non-gaseous reductant or mixture is added in the form of a solid or a liquid, or a solution or slurry, alone or in combination with another reaction component or inert solvent. It is within the scope of the invention to add the nongaseous reductant or mixture either in a single reaction charge or incrementally during the course of the reaction. Suitable reductants include, but are not limited to, dicyclopentadiene-metal complexes such as ferrocene; zinc, iron, tin, copper, and the like. Preferred reductants are ferrocene and zinc. Effective quantities of proton source and reductant are readily determined empirically by one of ordinary skill in the art, depending on the starting aromatic substrate, the desired reaction rate, and like considerations.
The reaction temperature is generally within the range of about 25° C. to about 200° C., preferably in the range of about 40° to about 150° C. Although the reaction time depends upon reaction conditions, the reaction time is generally several seconds to several hours.
Although the reaction may be run neat in benzene, toluene, or other aromatic substrate, at least one inert solvent may also be used where desirable to provide at least some degree of miscibility or microhomogeneity with respect to the catalyst, the aromatic substrate, the proton source, oxygen and/or the non-gaseous reductant. Solvents which enhance solubility and/or reactivity of the reactants are especially desirable, but the solvent will optimally solubilize, at least in part, the aromatic substrate, the non-gaseous reductant, the catalyst, the proton source, and oxygen without significantly decreasing the utilization efficiency of the catalyst. Exemplary solvents include, but are not limited to acetonitrile, fluorinated hydrocarbons, freons, chloroform, dichloromethane, carbon tetrachloride, or combinations thereof.
Hydroxylation may be practiced either in a batch, semi-continuous, or continuous process. In a batch reaction catalyst and ligands are dissolved in the aromatic substrate or substrate/solvent mixture, preferably under an inert atmosphere, and a gaseous mixture comprising oxygen and at least one inert gas is introduced into the reaction vessel. Although not necessary, it is preferred that the gas mixture be sparged or vigorously mixed with the reaction liquor in order to enhance transport into the liquor and thus increase reaction rate. Hydroxylation may also be effected in a continuous mode by passing a mixture of the reactants over a fixed bed of the catalyst. In this instance, the use of a homogenous feedstock is advantageous in ensuring adequate contact between the catalyst and the aromatic substrate. The hydroxyaromatic compound or other products produced by the method of this invention may be separated and isolated by conventional techniques.
The following Example is provided by way of example only, and should not be read to limit the scope of the invention.
0.0099 grams (g) (0.0373 mmol) of VO(acetylacetonate) 2 , 0.0201 g (0.1632 mmol) of picolinic acid, 2.0 g (17.54 mmol) of trifluoroacetic acid, and 50 milliliters (mL) of benzene were added to a stainless steel bomb fitted with a gas liner. The bomb was sealed with a cap containing a gas-sparging stir shaft and reactor cooling coils. The reactor was then brought to 100° C. with stirring, and 3.45 MPa of a gas mixture containing 28% oxygen gas in nitrogen was introduced into the bomb. A mixture of 1.2 g (10.75 mmol) of ferrocene in 20 mL benzene was then slowly introduced into the bomb by means of a high pressure pump while stirring was continued. Upon completion of the ferrocene addition, the bomb was cooled to room temperature and the reaction mixture was analyzed by gas chromatography. Yield of phenol was 0.015 g (0.1593 mmol) for a turnover number (yield of moles of product per moles of vanadium) of about 40.
While preferred embodiments have been shown and described, various modifications and substitutions may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the present invention has been described by way of illustration and not limitation. | A method and composition are disclosed for the oxidation of aromatic substrates in the presence of oxygen, a catalyst, a proton source, and a non-gaseous reductant. In a preferred embodiment, benzene is oxidized to phenol in the presence of oxygen, a vanadyl catalyst, trifluoroacetic acid as a proton source, and ferrocene as a reductant. The method is economical, safe, and amenable to commercial scale-up. | 8 |
This is a Division of application Ser. No. 537,005, filed Dec. 27,1974.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a tricyclic hydrocarbon, 1,2,6-trimethyltricyclo[ 5,3,2,0 2 ,7 ]dodeca-5-one, and to a process for producing this tricyclic hydrocarbon compound.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Amber-like fragrant substances are important starting materials for a blended perfume, and of these substances, ambergris obtainable from sperm whales is the most expensive. The fragrance component of ambergris was clarified by E. Laderer and L. Ruzicka in 1946 to be a substance formed from ambrein which is a triterpene compound. Ever since, many attempts to synthesize amber-like fragrant substances equal to the natural material, or similar substances have been made. Some of them can be utilized as a substitute for expensive ambergris. For example, manool derivatives, which are diterepene compounds and can be obtained from a special needle-leaf tree, are widely used as such a substitute. However, in general, amber-like fragrant substances are difficult to synthesize and moreover, special natural products are requried as a starting material to synthesize amber-like fragrant substances. Therefore, synthetic amber-like fragrant substances are inevitably expensive.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention provides 1,2,6-trimethyltricyclo-[5,3,2,0 2 ,7 ]dodeca-5-one having the formula ##SPC2##
And a process for producing 1,2,6-trimethyltricyclo[5,3,2,0 2 ,7 ]-dodeca-5-one (hereinafter "Compound (I)") comprising isomerizing 5,6-epoxy-1,2,6-trimethyltricyclo[5,3,2,0 2 ,7 ]dodecane (hereinafter referred to as "Compound (II)") with a Lewis acid.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an infrared spectrum of Compound (I) obtained according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a mass spectrum of Compound (I) obtained according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is an NMR spectrum of Compound (I) obtained according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 shows the stereostructural form of a ketone compound obtained by isomerization of Compound (I).
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Compound (I) produced according to the present invention is a sesquiterpene compound having the molecular formula, C.sub. 15 H.sub. 24 O, and a structure represented by the formula (I) ##SPC3##
According to this invention, Compound (I) can be obtained much more cheaply than conventional amber-like fragrant substances, and is also of industrial value because of its excellent amber-like fragrance.
According to the present invention, Compound (I) can be prepared by adding Compound (II) dropwise to a mixed solution of a Lewis acid such as AlX.sub. 3, ZnX 2 and MgX 2 (wherein X is Cl, Br. or I) or a boron trifluoride-diethyl ether complex salt, etc. and a solvent inert to the Lewis acid, e.g., ethers such as diethyl ether, dipropyl ether, etc., hydrocrbons such as n-hexane, n-octane, benzene, toluene, etc., halogenated hydro-carbons such as dicholormethane, chloroform, etc., esters such as ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, etc., and the like, at a temperature of about -10° to 30°C, and isomerizing Compound (II) with the Lewis acid. Alternatively the reaction can be conducted in the absence of an inert solvent but the reaction proceeds more smoothly when an inert solvent is employed.
When the boron trifluoride-diethyl ether complex salt is used as a Lewis acid, a suitable amount thereof is about 1/20 to 1/30 mole per mole of Compound (II). Further, when other Lewis acids are used, a suitable amount thereof is about 0.1 to 1.2 moles per mole of Compound (II), with 1 mole being preferred to achieve an isomerization which proceeds most smoothly and in which better results are obtained. A preferred isomerization temperture is 5° to 10°C. When the isomerization temperature exceeds about 30°C, a large amount of polymeric materials are formed. The isomerization is sensitive to moisture and, thus anhydrous conditions are employed and the isomerization is preferably carried out in a dry air or a dry nitrogen atmosphere. A sufficient isomerization time in the preferred isomerization temperture range as described above is about 4 to 5 hours. After completion of the isomerization, the resulting solution is acidified, i.e., with cold dilute hydrochloric acid, dilute sulfuric acid, etc., and then extracted with a solvent such as diethyl ether, benzene, etc. Subsequently, the extract is distilled in vacuo, whereby crystalline Compound (I) can be obtained in a yield of 75% or more.
Compound (II) used as a starting material in the process of this invention can be produced by subjecting 1,5,9-trimethylcyclododecatrine-1,5,9 (hereinafter 1,5,9-TMCDT), which is a cyclic trimer of isoprene to an intramolecular ring closure reaction with an acid catalyst to form 1,2,6-trimethyltricyclo-[5,3,2,0 2 ,7] dodeca-5-ene (hereinafter "Compound (III)"), and treating this compound with a peracid. The intramolecular ring closure reaction and the reaction with the peracid are, respectively, disclosed in copending US patent applications Ser. No. 537,004, filed Dec. 27, 1974, (corresponding to Japanese Patent Application Nos. 4207/1974 and 102646/74) and Ser. No. 537,039, filed Dec. 27, 1974, (corresponding to Japanese Patent Application No. 6388/1974) both filed simultaneously herewith.
Compound (I) is a fragrant substance having a rich natural ambergris-like fragrance, a peculiar wood-like odor, a camphor-like diffusibility and a so called "natural odor" reminiscent of moist earth or a sunshiney forest. When Compound (I) is absorbed on filter paper, and allowed to stand in a room at room temperture, (e.g., about 20°≧30°C) the residual fragrance is very strong and lasts for over 1 week. The fragrant odor of Compound (I) also is strong and even when Compound (I) is diluted with ethyl alcohol, the average person even can perceive Compound (I) even at a one-tenthousandth dilution.
The utility value and application range of Compound (I) of this invention are wide as a perfumery material. That is, Compound (I) can be widely used as a perfume, for example, as a component for a rich perfume to a perfume for a relatively inexpensive soap, by utilizing its residual fragrance and economy. It is possible to use Compound (I) together with rich natural amber, or musk civet, or as a substitute therefor by utilizing its ambergris-like fragrance, or together with natural sandalwood oil, vetiver oil, patchouli oil, cedar oil, etc., or as a substitute therefor by utilizing its wood-like fragrance, thereby providing a dry and rough scent necessary for a man's perfume.
Now, the present invention will be described in detail, by reference to the following Reference Example, Examples and drawings. The examples are merely illustrative and are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. Unless otherwise indicated, all parts, percents, ratios and the like are by weight.
REFERENCE EXAMPLE
i. Process for Preparing 1,2,6-trimethyltricyclo[5,3,2,0 2 ,7 ]-dodeca-5-ene, Compound (III), from 1,5,9-trimethylcyclododecatriene-1,5,9, 1,5,9-TMCDT:
Into a 1l three-necked flask were charged 150 g of 1,5,9-trimethylcyclododecatriene-1,5,9 (melting point: 91° -92° C), 260 ml of formic acid and 150 ml of dichloromethane, and the materials were mixed. The mixture was kept at a temperature of 5° to 10°C. Then, a mixture of 7.5 ml of sulfuric acid and 40 ml of formic acid was added dropwise thereto over a period of 30 minutes, while keeping the temperature at 5° to 10°C. Subsequently, the materials were reacted with stirring at that temperature for 3 hours, and further reacted with stirring at room temperature (i.e., about 20°-30°C) for 3 additional hours. After completion of the reaction, dichloromethane was recovered by distillation, and formic acid was then distilled off under reduced pressure. The residue was neutralized and washed with a 3% aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution, washed with water, and dried with anhydrous sodium sulfate. Then, the residue was distilled in vacuum, whereby 135 g of the frction of 1,2,6-trimethyltricyclo-[5,3,2,0 2 ,7 ]dodeca-5-ene (75°-80°C/0.05 mmHg) was obtained.
ii. Process for Preparing Compound (II) from 1,2,6-trimethyltricyclo]5,3,2,0 2 ,7 ]dodeca-5-ene, Compound (III):
A mixture of 20.4 g (0.1 mole) of 1,2,6-trimethyltricyclo[5,3,2,0 2 ,7 ]dodeca-5-ene and 17 g of sodium carbonate was added to 100 ml of dichloromethane, and the materils were mixed and stirred while keeping the temperature at 0° to 5°C. Then, 20.8 g (0.11 mole) of an acetic acid solution containing 40% peracetic acid was added dropwise thereto over a period of 2 hours at that temperature. The materials were stirred at that temperature for 2 hours, and further stirred at room temperature for 3 additional hours. Subsequently, 200 ml of water was added thereto, and the resulting solution was extracted twice with dichloromethane. The extract was washed with an aqueous saturated sodium chloride solution until the solution became neutral, and then dried with anhydrous sodium sulfate. Dichloromethane was then recovered by distillation, and the residue was distilled in vacuum, whereby 21 g of the fraction of Compound (II) (85°-90°C/0.03 mmHg) was obtained.
EXAMPLE 1
13.4 g (0.1 mole) of AlCl 3 and 100 ml of n-hexane were mixed under a dry nitrogen atmosphere, and the mixture was kept at 0° to 10°C. 22 g (0.1 mole) of Compound (II) was added dropwise thereto over a period of 1 hour. The materials were stirred at that temperature for 1 hour, and further stirred at room temperature for 2 additional hours. Then, the reaction solution was poured into 100 ml of cold dilute hydrochloric acid (6N), and the solution was extracted with n-hexane. The extract was dried with anhydrous sodium sulfate, and n-hexane was then distilled off. Subsequently, the residue was distilled in vacuum, whereby 20 g of the fraction (105°-110°C/0.05 mmHg) corresonding to Compound (I) was obtained. By recrystallizing this compound from methanol, 17.6 g of prism-like crystalline Compound (I) having a melting point of 99.5° to 100.5°C was obtained in a yield of 80%.
______________________________________Elemental Analysis: C HCalculated (%): 81.76 10.98Found (%): 81.75 10.98IR Spectrum: 1710 cm.sup..sup.-1 (ν C=0)MAS Spectrum: M.sup.+ 220 (molecular ion) M.sup.+--CH.sub.3 205 M.sup.+--CO 192NMR Spectrum: ##STR1## (a)0.95ppm(3H,s) (b)1.20ppm(3H,s) (c)0.89ppm(3H,d,J=7c ps) (d)2.77ppm(1H,q,J=7cps) (e)2.37ppm(2H,m)X-ray Crystal Structural Analysis (direct method):Lattice constant: a=7.975A, b=13.225A, c=7.147A α=95.7°, β=60.0°, γ=104.2°Space group: P1, Z=2Values (A) of X, Y and Z as solid coordinates:Atom RX RY RZ______________________________________C1 0.9791 5.7703 1.7584C2 2.3424 5.6967 2.4672C3 3.1955 4.4961 2.0121C4 2.3586 3.2151 1.9691C5 3.0098 1.9672 1.2955C6 3.6074 2.3334 -0.0927C7 2.4712 2.8519 -1.0345C8 1.5720 3.8637 -0.3559C9 1.1293 3.4170 1.0436 C10 0.2013 4.4893 1.6283 C11 0.5477 1.9829 0.9738 C12 1.7833 1.0214 1.1082 C13 -1.1340 4.7008 0.8295 C14 1.9438 2.8689 3.4240 C15 4.1078 1.2928 2.165701 0.5492 6.8548 1.4110______________________________________
Bonding angle among atoms from the solid coordinates:
______________________________________Three Atoms Bonding Angle______________________________________ (degree)C2-C1-C10 117.21C1-C2-C3 113.06C3-C4-C9 109.94C5-C4-C14 109.74C4-C5-C12 102.04C6-C5-C15 109.29C6-C7-C8 112.52C4-C9-C10 110.05C8-C9-C11 109.68C1-C10-C13 111.65C5-C12-C11 104.92C2-C1-O1 119.15C2-C3-C4 110.94C3-C4-C14 107.85C9-C4-C14 112.11C4-C5-C15 113.57C12-C5-C15 111.06C7-C8-C9 112.68C4-C9-C11 101.76C10-C9-C11 115.93C9-C10-C13 114.50C10-C1-O1 123.46C3-C4-C5 116.95C5-C4-C9 100.20C4-C5-C6 110.94C6-C5-C12 109.74C5-C6-C7 109.65C4-C9-C8 110.69C8-C9-C10 108.58C1-C10-C9 108.39C9-C11-C12 105.50______________________________________
The stereostructural formula shown in FIG. 4 can be derived from the foregoing values.
Molecular Formula: C 15 H 24 O
From the foregoing results, Compound (I) was determined to have the following stereostructural formula (III) ##SPC4##
EXAMPLE 2
The reaction was carried out under the same conditions as described in Example 1, except that 0.57 g (0.004 moles) of boron trifluoride-diethyl ether complex salt was used in place of 13.4 g (0.1 mole) of AlCl 3 , whereby 17.2 g of Compound (I) was obtained in a yield of 78%.
EXAMPLE 3
The following formulation is suitable as a base for a perfume or an eau-de-cologne.
______________________________________ g______________________________________Civet Absolute 10Musk Absolute 5Oak Moth Absolute 30Vanilla Absolute 10Musk Ambrette 80Sandalwood Oil 50Patchouli Oil 80Methyl Ionone 30Vetiver Oil 100Eugenol 20Phenylethyl Alcohol 30Geraniol 30Benzyl Acetate 30Jasmine Absolute 20Hexylcinnamic Aldehyde 50Linalool 50Linalyl Acetate 50Bergamot Oil 125Compound (I) 50 850g______________________________________
EXAMPLE 4
The following formulation is suitable for a soap perfumery.
______________________________________ g______________________________________Ethylene Brassylate 90Sandalwood Oil 50Oakmoth Resinoid 10Patchouli Oil 50Coumarin 30Bornyl Acetate 15Citronellol 60Tetrahydrogeraniol 5Petigrain Oil 30Lavandine Oil 80Stearyl Acetate 15Pineneedle Oil 10Linalool 185Linalyl Acetate 120Compound (I) 50 800g______________________________________
While the invention has been described in detail and with reference to specific embodiments thereof, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. | 1,2,6-Trimethyltricyclo[5,3,2,0 2 ,7 ]dodeca-5-one having the formula (I) ##SPC1##
and a process for producing this compound. This compound is useful as a perfume. | 2 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a U.S. National Phase Patent Application based on International Application No. PCT/EP2013/065103 filed Jul. 17, 2013, which claims priority to French Patent Application No. 1257124 filed Jul. 23, 2012, the entire disclosures of which are hereby explicitly incorporated by reference herein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to the field of fittings for fluid conveyance, and more specifically a fluid communication device comprising a tubular body permitting circulation of a fluid and having a tubular end piece extending in a given axial direction, said tubular end piece being intended to be connected by axial insertion to a plug-in pipe having an outer annular locking neck, said device further comprising an assembly head in which the tubular end piece is mounted, said assembly head comprising a receiving chamber that is coaxial with the tubular end piece and is adapted to receive said plug-in pipe so as to connect it to the tubular end piece, said assembly head also comprising a U-shaped locking element with two arms that insert into said receiving chamber in an insertion direction that is perpendicular to said axial direction, said two arms being adapted to spread apart elastically in said receiving chamber in a direction transverse to said axial direction when the pipe is displaced axially in the chamber to a position of abutment in which it is fully connected to the tubular end piece, said arms further being adapted to engage in said annular neck of the plug-in pipe by moving closer together when said plug-in pipe has reached its position of abutment with respect to the tubular end piece, so as to lock the plug-in pipe in position in the assembly head.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] This type of fluid communication device is widely used to quickly connect all types of fluid pipes to a flange, particularly in the automotive industry for the connection of fuel injectors, filters, and radiators. In some cases, the production of these flanges by machining may necessitate several rework operations, owing to the complexity of the flanges. To reduce the cost of their production, however, manufacturers of these flanges no longer do finishing work on the radii and chamfers of the pipes to be connected, and the latter consequently may damage the seals provided in the communication devices such as that defined above. There may also be damage to the locking element of the communication device if the insertion forces required to insert the pipe in the communication device are too high, due to binding or catching of the elements that are to be inserted one inside the other.
[0006] Published patent U.S. Pat. No. 7,445,249 describes a plug-in pipe with an annular rib that serves to pre-open a U-shaped locking element in a fluid communication device. As noted above, however, manufacturers of flanges with plug-in pipes are in fact trying to reduce the complexity of such pipes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The present invention provides a fluid communication device designed with a mechanism for pre-opening a locking element.
[0008] To this end, the subject matter of the invention is a fluid communication device comprising a tubular body permitting circulation of a fluid and having a tubular end piece extending in a given axial direction, said tubular end piece being intended to be connected by axial insertion into a plug-in pipe having an outer annular locking neck, said device further comprising an assembly head in which the tubular end piece is mounted, said assembly head comprising a receiving chamber that is coaxial with the tubular end piece and is adapted to receive said plug-in pipe so as to connect it to the tubular end piece, said assembly head also comprising a U-shaped locking element with two arms that insert into said receiving chamber in an insertion direction that is perpendicular to said axial direction, said two arms being adapted to spread apart elastically in said receiving chamber in a direction transverse to said axial direction when the pipe is displaced axially in the chamber to a position of abutment in which it is fully connected to the tubular end piece, said arms further being adapted to engage in said annular neck of the plug-in pipe by moving closer together when said plug-in pipe has reached its position of abutment with respect to the tubular end piece, so as to lock the plug-in pipe in position in the assembly head, characterized in that further provided is an intermediate ring, which is mounted in said receiving chamber so as to able to slide in said axial direction in order to effect a pre-opening of the locking element, said intermediate ring being adapted to be pushed axially by said plug-in pipe when the latter is displaced in said receiving chamber toward the tubular end piece, said intermediate ring having chamfers that act to elastically spread apart the two arms of the locking element just before said plug-in pipe reaches its position of abutment.
[0009] The idea on which the invention is based is, therefore, to provide a sliding intermediate ring that accompanies the insertion of the pipe in the communication device all the way to its position of abutment on the tubular end piece, thereby reducing the stresses of mounting the pipe on the tubular end piece.
[0010] The fluid communication device according to the invention can advantageously have the following features:
[0011] it comprises an elastic biasing element mounted in said receiving chamber in such a way as to act in opposition to said axial displacement of the intermediate ring in order to return the latter to an initial position when the latter is not being pushed by a pipe
[0012] said intermediate ring comprises reference tongues that are visually apparent from the outside of the assembly head when said pipe is locked on the tubular end piece.
[0013] In one form thereof, the present invention provides a fluid communication device including a tubular body permitting circulation of a fluid and having a tubular end piece extending in a given axial direction, the tubular end piece being intended to be connected by axial insertion into a plug-in pipe having an outer annular locking neck, the device further including an assembly head in which the tubular end piece is mounted, the assembly head including a receiving chamber that is coaxial with the tubular end piece and is adapted to receive the plug-in pipe so as to connect it to the tubular end piece, the assembly head also including a U-shaped locking element with two arms that insert into the receiving chamber in an insertion direction that is perpendicular to the axial direction, the two arms being adapted to spread apart elastically in the receiving chamber in a direction transverse to the axial direction when the pipe is displaced axially in the chamber to a position of abutment in which it is fully connected to the tubular end piece, the arms further being adapted to engage in the annular neck of the plug-in pipe by moving closer together when the plug-in pipe has reached its position of abutment with respect to the tubular end piece, so as to lock the plug-in pipe in position in the assembly head, characterized in that further provided is an intermediate ring, which is mounted in the receiving chamber so as to be able to slide in the axial direction in order to effect a pre-opening of the locking element, the intermediate ring being adapted to be pushed axially by the plug-in pipe when the latter is displaced in the receiving chamber toward the tubular end piece, the intermediate ring having chamfers that act to elastically spread apart the two arms of the locking element just before the plug-in pipe reaches its position of abutment.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] The above mentioned and other features and objects of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention itself will be better understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0015] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the fluid communication device according to the invention;
[0016] FIGS. 2 and 3 , 4 and 5 , 6 and 7 , and 8 and 9 are axial sectional views along two axial planes, successively illustrating various steps in the assembly of the fluid communication device of FIG. 1 ; and
[0017] FIGS. 10 and 11 are radial sections of the fluid communication device of FIG. 1 in which the sectional plane passes through the locking element, particularly through plane AA of FIG. 9 , and which illustrate the respectively unlocked and locked positions of the locking element.
[0018] Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. Although the exemplifications set out herein illustrate embodiments of the invention, the embodiments disclosed below are not intended to be exhaustive or to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention to the precise forms disclosed.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0019] Turning now to the figures, particularly FIG. 1 , the fluid communication device 1 according to the invention comprises a tubular body 2 , seals 3 , an intermediate ring 4 , an elastic biasing element 5 , locking means 6 and a hollow head forming a sleeve 7 . The fluid communication device 1 is intended to receive a plug-in fluid pipe 8 (visible in FIGS. 4 to 11 ).
[0020] The body 2 has a tubular end piece 20 that extends in an axial direction A and, here, two stepped end pieces 21 with which the tubular end piece 20 forms a T. Passing axially through the tubular end piece 20 and the stepped end pieces 21 are pipes 22 that communicate with one another and that also form a T. The body 2 can, of course, have any other suitable shape. Thus, a fluid can circulate in the pipes 22 of the tubular end pieces 20 toward one or both of the stepped end pieces 22 and vice versa. The tubular end piece 20 is cylindrical overall and has an outer circular slot 23 provided toward its free end and intended to receive an annular gasket 3 that constitutes the sealing means after the fluid pipe 8 has been fitted onto the tubular end piece 20 . The tubular end piece 20 additionally comprises longitudinal ribs 24 , four of them in the example, which are distributed over the periphery of the tubular end piece 20 and whose function will be explained hereinbelow. These longitudinal ribs 24 extend over only a portion of the tubular end piece 20 , opposite the free end of the tubular end piece 20 . The ends of the longitudinal ribs 24 merge with the cylindrical portion of the tubular end piece 20 via inclined ramps 25 (visible in FIG. 1 ) whose function will be explained hereinbelow.
[0021] The intermediate ring 4 is shown blackened in the figures. It comprises a guide ring 40 (visible in FIG. 1 ) having an inner diameter that is slightly larger than the outer dimensions of the longitudinal ribs 24 of the tubular end piece 20 on which it is mounted so as to be able to slide. On its outer face, the guide ring 40 has a cylindrical portion 41 , followed by a chamfer 42 that flares with increasing distance from the cylindrical portion 41 . The chamfer 42 is disposed such that when the intermediate ring 4 is fitted onto the tubular end piece 20 , the chamfer 42 extends away from the free end of the tubular end piece 20 . The chamfer 42 is at least partially annular. In the example shown, the chamfer 42 has two separate concentric portions. The intermediate ring 4 further comprises two separate diametrically disposed tongues 43 , which are integral to the guide ring 40 . These tongues 43 are provided between the portions of the chamfer 42 and are inscribed in a cylinder of larger diameter than that of the chamfer 42 . The tongues 43 are also elastically deformable. The free end of each tongue 43 is provided with a radial lug 44 whose function will be explained hereinbelow. Once the intermediate ring 4 has been fitted onto the tubular end piece 20 , the tongues 43 create an annular seat 45 between the intermediate ring 4 and the tubular end piece 20 . The intermediate ring 4 can slide on the tubular end piece 20 in direction A, between a frontal position in which it is close to the free end of the tubular end piece 20 and a dorsal position in which it is far from the free end of the tubular end piece 20 and close to the stepped end pieces 21 .
[0022] In the example shown, the elastic biasing element 5 is a compression spring having coils whose inner diameter is slightly larger than the outer dimensions of the longitudinal ribs 24 and whose outer diameter is slightly smaller than the diameter of the annular seat 45 of the intermediate ring 4 . Thus, the elastic biasing element 5 can be fitted onto the tubular end piece 20 and partially seated in the annular seat 45 of the intermediate ring 4 . One end of the elastic biasing element 5 bears against the edge of the guide ring 40 of the intermediate ring 4 , and the other against a radial shoulder 26 of the body 2 . The elastic biasing element 5 tends to urge the intermediate ring 4 toward an initial resting position that corresponds to the frontal position.
[0023] The locking means include an elastically deformable, U-shaped locking element 6 , for example formed of spring wire. The locking element 6 is shown blackened in the figures. The two arms or branches 60 of the U of the locking element 6 can thus be forced away from each other in a direction transverse to direction A toward an unlocked position, before being released and coming elastically back together into a locked position.
[0024] In its frontal mouth, the sleeve 7 has an inner orifice 70 whose shape and dimensions are substantially complementary to those of the intermediate ring 4 . Thus, the sleeve 7 includes longitudinal slots 71 that are designed to allow the tongues 43 of the intermediate ring 4 to pass. These longitudinal slots 71 serve to guarantee the angular position of the intermediate ring 4 relative to the sleeve 7 during assembly. The distance between these longitudinal slots 71 is smaller than the distance separating the radial lugs 44 . Thus, the tongues 43 must be bent toward one another in order to get past the longitudinal slots 71 . In alignment with these longitudinal slots 71 and passing through the medial portion of the sleeve 7 are two radial windows 72 , through which the tongues 43 are visible when the intermediate ring 4 is in its dorsal position. When the sleeve 7 has been fitted onto the tubular end piece 20 , the sleeve 7 and the tubular end piece 20 define between them an annular chamber 73 in which the intermediate ring 4 seated so as to be able to slide. This annular chamber 73 is coaxial with the tubular end piece 20 and is intended to receive the end of a plug-in fluid pipe 8 that fits onto the free end of the tubular end piece 20 by axial insertion accompanied by axial pushing of the intermediate ring 4 . The inner orifice 70 of the sleeve 7 further comprises inner radial recesses 74 , which frontally delimit radial windows 72 and against which the radial lugs 44 of the tongues 43 of the intermediate ring 4 are to bear. The sleeve 7 further comprises two radial openings 75 , which are located diametrically opposite each other and open into the inner orifice 70 . The radial openings 75 are disposed angularly between the longitudinal slots 71 . These radial openings 75 are intended to receive the branches 60 of the locking element 6 and are edged by radial ribs 76 (visible in FIG. 1 ) that guide the branches 60 of the locking element 6 between its locked and unlocked positions. Remote from the longitudinal slots 71 , the sleeve 7 comprises two mutually separate, incurvate, longitudinal wings 77 (visible in FIG. 1 ) that prolong the inner orifice 70 . These longitudinal wings 77 are in alignment with the longitudinal slots 71 and are intended to straddle the intersection between the stepped end pieces 21 of the body 2 in order to orient the sleeve 7 angularly relative to the body 2 during assembly.
[0025] The means of communication used is a fluid pipe 8 with a main orifice 80 passing through it and an outer diameter substantially equal to that of the maximum diameter of the intermediate ring 4 where the chamfer 42 is greatest. The fluid pipe 8 used is also provided with an annular neck 81 —here, a circular one—which is intended to receive the branches 60 of the locking element 6 . The end of the fluid pipe need not have any particular shape.
[0026] Turning now to FIGS. 2 and 3 , prior to the use of the fluid communication device 1 , the annular gasket 3 , the elastic biasing element 5 , the intermediate ring 4 , the sleeve 7 and the locking element 6 are assembled on the body 2 . During assembly, the elastic biasing element 5 is guided over the tubular end piece 20 by the longitudinal ribs 24 and the inclined ramps 25 , facilitating insertion. To insert the intermediate ring 4 into the sleeve 7 , the tongues 43 are elastically deformed toward one another to enable the radial lugs 44 to get past the longitudinal slots 71 . When the radial lugs 44 are opposite the radial windows 72 , the tongues 43 relax. The intermediate ring 4 is then locked in the sleeve 7 by its radial lugs 44 and the inner radial recesses 74 of the sleeve 7 . In this pre-assembled state of the fluid communication device 1 , the branches 60 of the locking element 6 are in locked position, projecting into the annular chamber 73 and bearing against the guide ring 40 of the intermediate ring 4 . The intermediate ring 4 is held in its frontal position by the elastic biasing element 5 . The angular position of the intermediate ring 4 relative to the sleeve 7 is guaranteed by the tongues 43 and the radial windows 72 . In addition, the angular position of the sleeve 7 relative to the body 2 is guaranteed by the longitudinal wings 77 and the stepped end pieces 21 .
[0027] Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5 , when a fluid pipe 8 is to be fitted on, it is first positioned within the axis of the tubular end piece 20 and is then inserted axially over the tubular end piece 20 and into the inner orifice 70 of the sleeve 7 . In the process, the free end of the fluid pipe 8 comes into contact with the side of the intermediate ring 4 . Leaktightness between the fluid pipe 8 and the tubular end piece 20 is ensured by the annular gasket 3 . Turning to FIGS. 6 and 7 , the free end of the fluid pipe 8 continues to be inserted axially, which causes the intermediate ring 4 to be displaced in the annular chamber 73 , the elastic biasing element 5 to be gradually compressed, and the branches 60 of the locking element 6 to slide over the guide ring 40 . The locking element 6 is still in locked position at this point. The insertion of the free end of the fluid pipe 8 continues. The branches 60 of the locking element 6 that are in contact with the chamfer 42 are elastically spread apart transversely to direction A until the chamfer 42 has been cleared. As illustrated by FIG. 10 , the branches 60 of the locking element 6 are then in unlocked position, in which they are separated by a distance that allows the free end of the fluid pipe 8 to pass without stress. During this step, the compression of the elastic biasing element 5 is increased. The insertion of the free end of the fluid pipe 8 proceeds further. With reference to FIGS. 8 , 9 and 11 , when the branches 60 of the locking element 6 are opposite the circular neck 81 of the fluid pipe 8 , they relax into their locked position, in which they are seated in the circular neck 81 and prevent the fluid pipe 8 from being withdrawn from the sleeve 7 and the tubular end piece 20 . The fluid pipe is then in abutment with the tubular end piece. Leaktightness between the fluid pipe 8 and the tubular end piece 20 continues to be ensured by the annular gasket 3 . In this locked position, the tongues 43 of the intermediate ring 4 are visible through the radial windows 72 of the sleeve 7 . Visual inspection of the positions of the tongues 43 in the radial windows 72 makes it possible to ascertain that the fluid pipe 8 is properly connected and effectively locked. The fluid pipe 8 is solidly fitted to the fluid communication device 1 .
[0028] If necessary, the fluid pipe 8 can easily be removed from the fluid communication device 1 by pressing the tongues 43 toward one another so as to free the radial lugs 44 from the inner radial recesses 74 . The elastic biasing element 5 can then be freed by forcibly pulling on the fluid pipe 8 to get the branches 60 of the locking element 6 to come out of the circular slot in the circular neck 81 of the fluid pipe 8 . The elastic biasing element 5 acts in opposition to the axial displacement of the intermediate ring toward the tubular end piece and tends to maintain the intermediate ring 4 in its frontal initial position when the latter is not being pushed by the plug-in fluid pipe. Thus, after being removed, the fluid pipe 8 can again be connected to the fluid communication device 1 as described above.
[0029] As is clearly apparent from the foregoing description, the fluid communication device 1 according to the invention makes it possible to limit the force that must be exerted in fitting on the fluid pipe 8 . This is because the intermediate ring 4 , particularly with the chamfer 42 , makes it easier to get the fluid pipe 8 past the locking element 6 without requiring any particular shape for the end of the fluid pipe 8 . It goes without saying that the present invention is in no way limited to the foregoing description of the embodiment, which is susceptible of some modifications without thereby departing from the scope of the invention.
[0030] While this invention has been described as having a preferred design, the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims. | A fluid communication device including a tubular body which enables the circulation of a fluid and which has an end piece that is connectable to a plug-in pipe having an outer annular locking groove. An assembly head includes a receiving chamber in which an end piece of the tubular body is mounted. The assembly head includes a U-shaped locking element having two arms that are inserted into the receiving chamber. An intermediate ring is slidably mounted in the receiving chamber to achieve a pre-opening of the locking element just before the plug-in pipe reaches a position in which it engages with the end piece. | 5 |
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims the benefit of the U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/204,618 filed May 16, 2000.
BACKGROUND
Image sensors often suffer a trade-off between the size of the image sensor and the number of items that can be placed on the image sensor. For example, larger sensor parts may be used to acquire more light, or to allow more control structure to be placed on the sensor substrate. It is often desirable to maximize the amount of circuitry that can be placed on a sensor.
Microlenses may often be placed on image sensor pixels. A conventional sensor may have the structure shown in FIG. 1. A planarization layer 100 covers the pixels 105 , which may be image sensor pixels. Each microlens 110 is separated from an adjacent microlens 120 by a gap 112 . The gap needs to have a specified size, e.g. one “design rule” wide. The presence of the gap may reduce the effective fill factor of the image sensor. These gaps between the lenses may be necessary to shape the lenses into their lens-like shape during the lens fabrication process. However, these gaps may lose certain real estate on the image sensor, and hence may affect the “fill factor”.
SUMMARY
The present application teaches a way of forming spacing elements between gaps between lenses in an image sensor device. By doing this, the spacing between elements may be reduced.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other aspects of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 shows conventional micro lenses, with a gap therebetween;
FIG. 2 shows a specific view of the microlenses of the present specification;
FIG. 3 shows an effective view of the micro lenses of the present specification;
FIG. 4 shows a view with troughs between microlenses, relative to the pixels;
FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment with alleys between square microlenses;
FIG. 6 shows a top view of the re-forming of the microlens; and
FIG. 7 shows the changing of the lens height based on width.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIG. 2 shows an embodiment. The FIG. 2 view shows a cross-section across the image sensor with microlenses formed thereon. The surface on which the microlenses are formed is referred to herein as a planarization layer 200 .
The planarization layer is first etched to form a gap area 202 which will end up being between two adjacent microlenses. The gap area is shaped in a way that provides it with a lensing effect.
The planarization layer is formed over the circuitry of the image sensor to even out the height of the top surface. The top surface of the planarization layer is usually flat. Here, instead, the top surface 204 is partially flat, but only in the area where the mircrolenses will be formed. The top surface forms a dip area 202 between those microlenses. The flat areas 204 are formed with microlenses 206 covering the flat area. As conventional, the bottom surfaces 208 of the microlenses abut against the flat surface 204 .
In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the flat area 204 is substantially the same size as the bottom surface of the micro lens 206 . The flat bottom surface of the microlens 206 forms a continuous surface with the portion of the substrate 212 to the center line 214 of the gap. Accordingly, the system effectively forms larger sized microlenses, at least part of which is formed from substrate material, as shown in FIG. 3 . Each microlens, such as 300 , has a continuous portion which includes the microlens portion, and the substrate portion 212 on both sides of the microlens portions. This avoids the necessity for gaps between the microlenses, thereby forming a higher fill factor.
The areas between the microlenses are “troughs”, i.e., indentations in the substrate. The troughs may be of any desired shape that can cause a lensing effect for incoming light. That desired shape is preferably slightly curved, but can be of any shape that causes a lensing effect for light.
The troughs between the microlens may be flat and substantially triangular shaped, or may be in substantially the shape of the intersection of two spheres. The first sphere part would be 212 , with the second sphere part being a continuation of the spherical shape from the other adjacent microlens.
The troughs are shown in more detail in FIG. 4 . Trough 400 has a lowest portion which is preferably aligned with edges between the image sensor pixels 402 , which are also covered by color filters 404 . Accordingly, the troughs between the microlenses may act to deflect light from regions between the pixels, into one of the pixel areas.
Another embodiment shown in FIG. 5 is intended for use with a square outer shaped microlens. These square microlenses often have the same problems noted above of lower fill factors and relatively poor optical qualities. In a conventional square-footprint microlens, the surface profile after formation is somewhat pyramid shaped. The inventor believes that this pyramid shape is due to the way that the microlenses are formed. The microlens is formed by starting with a square microlens, then melting and reflowing. As the microlens melt re-flow cools, the free energy in the surface tension is reduced. This may tend to form non-regular structures. Such a structure profile does not necessarily make a good lens.
The present embodiment changes the surface profile by making the microlens more close to spherical. The system described herein uses indentations in the surface on which the microlenses are formed. These indentations are referred to as “alleys”. The alleys are formed between the square footprint microlenses.
FIG. 5 shows an embodiment. The FIG. 5 system shows the top before melting. A square footprint microlens 500 is surrounded at four edges by alleys 502 , 504 , 506 , 500 . The alleys are indentations in the substrate on which the lenses are formed. The microlenses are heated to form liquid microlenses. The alleys alter the free energy state of these liquid lenses microlenses, and cause the resulting surface profile to become closer to spherical. In fact, for a system formed by four alleys around a square microlens, the resulting microlens, after melting and cooling, becomes a biaxial octagon.
The alleys are formed along an axis as shown in FIG. 6 . The alleys 504 , 508 are formed along axis 1 . The alleys 506 , 502 are formed along axis 2 . The alleys adjust the surface height of the microlenses as shown in the graph of FIG. 7 . During the melt, the areas of the lens such as 600 , which are nearest the alleys, are drawn at least slightly towards the alleys. Accordingly, the area 600 is drawn towards the alleys 506 , thereby making that area more close to spherical.
While the above has been described using four alleys, one surrounding each microlens, it should be understood that more alleys could be used, and that the alleys need not be symmetrical. An asymmetrical system may be used, for example, where the optical effect of part of the microlens is more important than the effect of some other part of the microlens.
In addition, the same ideas can be used for other shaped microlenses including round microlenses in order to alter the shape of the microlenses.
All such modifications are intended to be encompassed within the following claims, into which: | A system of changing lensing effect of microlenses on a substrate, by forming indentations in the substrate, which effect the microlenses, by either carrying out a lensing effect, or by changing the shape of the eventual microlens. | 6 |
CROSSREFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority from German patent application Serial No. 10 2011 016 662.9, filed on Apr. 5, 2011, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention relates to a tool for a hand-held power tool appliance, in particular for sawing, grinding, cutting, scraping or rasping, in particular for an electric power tool oscillatingly driven.
[0003] A great variety of tool types that can be used in combination with oscillatory drives are known from the prior art. Such tools are used, in particular, for sawing, grinding, cutting, scraping or rasping. Known from EP 0 881 023 A2, for example, is a series of cutting or grinding tools that can be used in combination with an oscillatory drive, in particular to enable cuts to be made under conditions of restricted space, for example to enable rectangular recesses to be made, e.g. on frames, in particular by plunge cuts. A rectilinear cutting edge, for example, can be provided for this purpose, the cutting edge having a toothing that is adjoined on both sides, at an angle of less than 90°, by non-toothed lateral edges. The two lateral edges can also be disposed parallel to one another.
[0004] Various further variants of tools that can be used in combination with oscillatory drives are known.
[0005] The shape of these tools is in each case is directed to a particular application. Thus, for example, there are broad saw blades for longer cuts, and narrow saw blades for smaller cuts or small recesses. Or there are long tools and short tools for sawing workpieces of greater or lesser thickness.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] In view of this, the invention is a first object of the invention to disclose a tool for a hand-held power tool appliance, that allows to achieve a wide range of applications with only one tool.
[0007] It is a second object of the invention to disclose a tool, that is particularly suited to be oscillatingly driven, in particular for sawing, grinding, cutting, scraping or rasping, and that can be used to achieve a wide range of applications with only one tool.
[0008] It is a third object of the invention to disclose a tool that can still be used if it has become blunt.
[0009] It is a forth object of the invention to disclose a tool that can be adapted to different geometries in a very simple way.
[0010] According to one aspect, these and other objects are achieved by a tool for a hand-held power tool appliance that is oscillatingly driven, wherein the tool comprises:
[0011] at least one fastening region configured for fastening to a hand-held power tool appliance, and
[0012] at least one working region supported by the fastening region,
[0013] wherein the working region comprises at least one predetermined break location, configured for allowing breaking off part of the working region along the predetermined break location.
[0014] The object of the invention is thereby fully achieved.
[0015] This is because, according to the invention, the tool itself can be altered by breaking off a part along the predetermined break location or break line. The tool can thus be used in at least two different embodiments, namely, in the delivery state, in which the predetermined break location is still intact, and in an altered state, in which at least a part of the tool has been broken off along the predetermined break location. The tool is thereby altered such that the result during working is an altered mode of operation. If a plurality of predetermined break locations are provided, this makes it possible to provide a range of differing embodiments of a tool.
[0016] According to a further design of the invention, the tool has a working region, on which the at least one predetermined break location is realized.
[0017] In this case, the at least one predetermined break location can be used to alter the working region by breaking off a part of the tool.
[0018] The alteration in this case can be a reduction in the size of the working region by breaking off a part of the tool.
[0019] Furthermore, the tool can have a cutting edge that can be altered by breaking off the at least one part.
[0020] For example, the cutting edge can be shortened by breaking off the at least one part.
[0021] Differing widths of application, or differing cut widths, can be realized in this manner.
[0022] According to a further design of the invention, at least one predetermined break location extends along a cutting edge, in order to expose a new cutting edge when a part is broken off.
[0023] In this way, the tool can continue to be used, even if the cutting edge or a part of the cutting edge is already worn.
[0024] Furthermore, it is conceivable for the predetermined break location to extend along a cutting edge having a toothing that differs from that of a first cutting edge.
[0025] This makes it possible to use the tool with differing toothings, it being possible, by breaking off a part, to change from a cutting edge having a first toothing to a cutting edge having a second toothing. For example, it is possible to change from a cutting edge having a Japan toothing, which provides for a considerably more aggressive cut, to a standard toothing that is suitable for wood or metal.
[0026] According to a further design of the invention, at least one cutting edge is realized as a straight cutting edge.
[0027] Alternatively, at least one cutting edge can also be realized as a curved cutting edge.
[0028] According to a further design of the invention, a fastening region is provided, which has a fastening aperture for preferably positive connection to a power tool appliance driven in an oscillating manner.
[0029] This provides for a secure and permanent connection to the power tool appliance driven in an oscillating manner, for a variety of applications.
[0030] Furthermore, the tool can have a circular or arcuate working region, the at least one predetermined break location preferably defining a portion of a circle or a segment of a circle.
[0031] Thus, for instance, a round saw blade can be used in such a way that, in its delivery state, it can be used for sawing less closely to edge regions. If a part is then broken off along a predetermined break location, one or more straight edges can thus be produced, thereby making it possible to work more closely to edge regions. Or it is possible to expose another cutting edge, which is located on a lesser diameter and thus has a greater curvature.
[0032] The predetermined break location is preferably constituted by a material weakening or by at least one through-hole with at least one web remaining.
[0033] The predetermined break location in this case can be formed, for instance, by a laser treatment, an erosive treatment, a stamping process or a grinding treatment.
[0034] This enables the predetermined break location to be produced in a simple manner. Clearly, in this case, this predetermined break location is to be made such that there is no risk of the tool breaking off at the predetermined break location during normal use. If there are through-holes, the remaining webs must provide adequate robustness.
[0035] It is understood that the above-mentioned features of the invention and those yet to be explained in the following can be applied, not only in the respectively specified combination, but also in other combinations or on its own, without departing from the scope of the present invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0036] Further features and advantages of the invention are disclosed by the following description, preferred exemplary embodiments being disclosed with reference to the drawing, wherein:
[0037] FIG. 1 shows a top view of a first embodiment of a tool according to the invention;
[0038] FIG. 2 shows a top view of a second embodiment of a tool according to the invention, in a representation enlarged in comparison with the representation according to FIG. 1 , and
[0039] FIG. 3 shows a top view of a third embodiment of a tool according to the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0040] In FIG. 1 , a first embodiment of a tool according to the invention is represented in a top view and denoted as a whole by the reference numeral 10 . The tool 10 is configured as a sawing tool, which is used in combination with an electric power tool oscillatingly driven by means of an oscillatory drive.
[0041] Such oscillatory drives are known, for example, from the aforementioned EP 0 881 023 A1. The output shaft of the oscillatory drive in this case is made to oscillate about its longitudinal axis, this being at an oscillation frequency that is, for instance, between 5,000 and 25,000 oscillations per minute, and at a pivoting angle that is, for instance, between 0.5° and 5°. In order to ensure that the tool 10 is securely fastened to the output shaft of the associated oscillatory drive, the tool 10 is provided with a fastening region 12 , on which a fastening aperture 14 is provided. The shape of the fastening aperture 14 matches an associated shape of the output shaft of the oscillatory drive, in order thereby to ensure a positive connection. The fastening apertures 14 can be of any shape, for instance having a plurality of outward-facing recesses or rounded tips, adjacent recesses or rounded tips being connected to one another via curved portions that extend towards the central axis, as known, for instance, from EP 1 213 107 A1, which hereby is fully included by reference.
[0042] Alternatively, any other shape can be provided, for example a polygon, a star shape, etc. Finally, it is also possible for the fastening aperture to be designed merely in the form of a circle, provided that no positive connection to the output shaft of the oscillatory drive is desired.
[0043] The tool 10 additionally has a working region 16 , which can be configured integrally with the fastening region 12 or, as indicated in the present case in FIG. 1 , connected to the same via a sequence of spot welds 18 . If a two-part embodiment is selected, different materials and production methods can be used for the fastening region 12 , on the one hand, and for the working region 16 , on the other hand, which may allow more cost-effective production or greater efficiency. In addition, an offset (not represented) can be provided between the fastening region 12 and the working region 16 .
[0044] In its outer shape, the tool 10 represented in FIG. 1 corresponds to the shape known from FIG. 2 of EP 0 881 023 A2. The tool 10 thus has a working region 16 having a straight cutting edge 20 , which comprises a toothing. Adjoining the straight cutting edge 20 at both ends are non-toothed lateral edges, each of which, with the cutting edge 20 , encloses an angle that is less than 90°, for example approximately 70° to 85°. These two angles are equal, such that the tool 10 as a whole is symmetrical in its structure.
[0045] According to the invention, a plurality of predetermined break locations are provided on both sides of a central, rectangular region 34 on the working region. For example, on one side, a predetermined break location extending out from the cutting edge 20 , parallel to the outer edge, is denoted by 22 , which predetermined break location terminates in a point 25 and from which a further predetermined break location 23 extends as far as the lateral edge. The predetermined break location 22 and the associated predetermined break location 23 can be used to break off the part 32 of the tool 10 delimited thereby, for example with the aid of combination pliers. This then results in a tool 10 that has been reduced in size and on which the cutting edge 20 has been shortened by a corresponding amount. When used as a saw, this means correspondingly shorter saw cuts, for instance when a plunge cut is made in solid material.
[0046] In addition, further, subsequent predetermined break locations on the same side and/or on the opposite side can be used to reduce the size of the working region 16 of the tool 10 accordingly, as can be seen from FIG. 1 .
[0047] In this way, it is possible to effect differing cut widths on the cutting edge 20 on the working region 16 . A minimum cut width remains when all regions bordered by predetermined break locations have been parted off on both sides of the central region 34 . There then remains a central, rectangular region 34 having, on both sides, straight lateral edges that are parallel to one another.
[0048] Besides reducing the working region 16 , the parting-off of parts 32 can also be used to renew the cutting edge, or a part thereof, when the cutting edge has become blunt.
[0049] Particularly in the case of the embodiment according to FIG. 1 , it must be taken into account that the peripheral regions of the cutting edge 20 become abraded more rapidly than the central part of the cutting edge. Thus, the cutting edge 20 can be reduced in size by parting off outer regions that have become blunt, such that work can then be better performed with the still remaining part of the working region 16 .
[0050] In addition or as an alternative to this, a cutting edge 24 , or a plurality of cutting edges 24 , 28 , can be provided, which is/are preferably parallel to the first cutting edge 20 and which is/are likewise realized with a toothing. A predetermined break location 24 , 28 provided along the cutting edge 26 and 30 , respectively, thus enables an outer part of the cutting edge 20 to be broken off along the respectively new cutting edge 26 and 30 , respectively. A new cutting edge 26 or 30 is thus produced.
[0051] The new cutting edges 26 and 30 can be realized so as to be identical to the first cutting edge 20 , having an identical toothing, or they can have a toothing that differs from the latter, as shown in FIG. 1 .
[0052] During use, the entire predetermined break location 24 can be parted off in its entirety along the cutting edge 26 , such that a continuous cutting edge 26 , extending in relation to the first cutting edge 20 , is obtained. In the present case, the second cutting edge 26 has a toothing that differs from the first cutting edge 20 , e.g. a Japan toothing. However, it can also be realized so as to have an identical toothing.
[0053] Extending parallel thereto there is a further predetermined break location 28 , which defines a second cutting edge 30 , again having a corresponding toothing.
[0054] Instead of parting off the entire predetermined break location 24 over its entire length, it is also possible to part off individual parts or a plurality of parts thereof.
[0055] A modification of the embodiment previously described with reference to FIG. 1 is represented in FIG. 2 , and denoted as a whole by the reference numeral 10 a . The tool 10 a again has a fastening region 12 a , which comprises a fastening aperture 14 a and which is adjoined by a working region 16 a . In the case of the embodiment according to FIG. 2 , the fastening region 12 a and the working region 16 a are designed so as to constitute a single piece and to lie in one plane. In the initial form, according to FIG. 2 a tool 10 a is obtained that has a rectangular working region 16 a , on which there is realized a straight cutting edge 20 a provided with a toothing. Extending out from the cutting edge 20 a there are non-toothed lateral edges, which are parallel to one another and which graduate into the fastening region 12 a.
[0056] Extending parallel to the cutting edge 20 a , at a short distance therefrom, there are three further cutting edges 26 a , 30 a , 36 a , realized on which there are predetermined break locations 24 a , 28 a , 38 a.
[0057] As described previously with reference to FIG. 1 , after the cutting edge 20 a has become worn, for instance, the second cutting edge 24 a , parallel to the latter, can thus be exposed in that the predetermined break location 24 a is broken off over its full length, such that the cutting edge 26 a , which extends parallel to the cutting edge 20 a , is exposed in its entirety. The cutting edge 26 a can be realized so as to differ from the cutting edge 20 a , as represented in FIG. 2 , but it can also be of the same shape and size.
[0058] Provided in the center of the working region 16 a is a central region 34 a , which, starting from the cutting edge 20 a , has two lateral edges that are parallel to one another, and which widen outwards on both sides via curved lines and finally graduate into the outer edges on the fastening region 12 a . This central region 34 a is delimited on both sides by a correspondingly shaped predetermined break location 23 a . Thus, starting from the fastening region 12 a having parallel outer edges and progressing along the predetermined break location 23 a on both sides, a tapered central region 34 a is obtained, again having parallel outer edges, which is connected on both sides to the outer edge of the fastening region 12 a via the curved predetermined break location 23 a . A total of three predetermined break locations, which are parallel to the outer edges and terminate at the cutting edge 20 a , are provided on each side of the central region 34 a . For these, one predetermined break location 22 a is denoted on the right outer side. At a point 25 a , this predetermined break location graduates into the curved predetermined break location 23 a . An outer part 32 a can thus be parted off by breaking off along the predetermined break location 22 a and the predetermined break location 23 a , starting from the point 25 a . As a result, the working region 16 a is made correspondingly narrower on this side, such that the new outer edge extends along the predetermined break location 22 a and 23 a . The other predetermined break locations that are parallel thereto can be broken off in a corresponding manner on one side or on both sides, such that a correspondingly narrower working region 16 a is obtained.
[0059] As already explained above, as an alternative or in addition to this, one of the predetermined break locations 28 a , 38 a or 36 a can be used to expose all or part of one of the cutting edges 26 a , 30 a or 36 a.
[0060] A further exemplary embodiment of the invention is represented in FIG. 3 and denoted as a whole by the reference numeral 10 b . The tool 10 b is basically circular in form and has a central fastening region 12 b , again having a fastening aperture 14 b , according to the shape explained previously with reference to FIG. 1 .
[0061] The fastening region 12 b is adjoined by an outer working region 16 b . Realized on the periphery there is a circular cutting edge 20 b , which has a toothing, and which extends, for instance, over 230° and which is delimited by a predetermined break location 22 b that extends in the form of a chord and thus defines a segment of a circle. The periphery between the two points at which the predetermined break location 22 b intersects the cutting edge 20 b is closed by an arcuate cutting edge 26 b , on which a toothing is realized. The cutting edge 26 b , however, has a greater radius than the cutting edge 20 b.
[0062] In the initial state, therefore, work can be performed with the tool 10 b by using the cutting edge 26 b if relatively long, but not very deep cuts are to be produced. If deeper cuts are to be produced, on the other hand, the remaining region of the cutting edge 20 b is used. Breaking off the region 32 b between the predetermined break location 22 b and the cutting edge 26 b produces a portion of a circle having a straight break edge. Further predetermined break locations that extend in a straight manner are denoted by 23 b and 24 b . The predetermined break location 23 b starts from one end of the predetermined break location 22 b and extends towards the cutting edge 20 b . This predetermined break location 23 b is of approximately the same length as the predetermined break location 22 b , or is somewhat shorter. A further predetermined break location 24 b starts from a region of the cutting edge 20 b , between the point at which the predetermined break location 23 b intersects the cutting edge 20 b and the point at which the predetermined break location 23 b meets the predetermined break location 22 b at the cutting edge 20 b , and ends on the predetermined break location 22 b . If all predetermined break locations 22 b , 23 b , 24 b are broken off, a tool 10 b remains, which has an arcuate cutting edge 20 b and which is delimited by a plurality of straight break-off edges along the lines 22 b , 23 b , 24 b.
[0063] Also shown in FIG. 3 are regions in the form of a sector of a circle, which, starting from the cutting edge 20 b , extend as far as an arc, concentric with the latter, at the transition to the fastening region 12 b , and which are delimited by predetermined break locations 40 b extending in the radial direction. These predetermined break locations each graduate, via points 41 b , into a predetermined break location 42 b extending in the form of a sector of a circle.
[0064] In addition, in this region, there is a cutting edge 30 b that extends concentrically in relation to the outer cutting edge 20 b . The latter can again be broken off, by breaking off the outer part along a predetermined break location extending along the cutting edge 30 b , such that the cutting edge 30 b in this region is reduced in size concentrically in relation to the outer cutting edge 20 b and extends concentrically in relation to the outer cutting edge 20 b.
[0065] It is understood that any embodiments of predetermined break locations, differing from the exemplary embodiments represented, are possible in order to create working regions of reduced size, either having cutting edges that are shortened in comparison with the original cutting edge, or, alternatively, having cutting edges that are altered in comparison with the original cutting edge, and that might extend parallel to or deviate from the original cutting edge. | Disclosed is a tool for sawing, grinding, cutting or rasping, for a hand-held power tool appliance driven in an oscillating manner, in particular for an electric power tool driven in an oscillating manner, wherein the tool comprises at least one predetermined break line, which allows a part of the tool to be broken off. | 8 |
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 2,502 filed Jan. 10, 1979, now abandoned.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to gas turbine engines and more particularly to the support of stator vanes in such an engine.
A gas turbine engine has a compression section, a combustion section and a turbine section. A rotor extends axially through the turbine section and the compression section. Rows of rotor blades extend outwardly from the rotor. A stator circumscribes the rotor. The stator includes an engine case assembly and rows of stator vanes supported from the case assembly.
Patents showing such constructions are U.S. Pat. No. 3,867,066 to Canova et al. entitled "Gas Compressor" and U.S. Pat. No. 2,997,275 to Bean et al. entitled "Stator Structure For Axial Flow Fluid Machine".
Differences in thermal growth between the vane and the case assembly cause thermal stresses. Vibrations in the vanes cause vibratory stresses. Accordingly, scientists and engineers seek support structures having an ability to dampen vane vibration and to accommodate differences in thermal growth between the case assembly and the stator vanes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A primary object of the present invention is to support an array of stator vanes from a case assembly. Another object is to dampen vibrations in the array of stator vanes. A further object is to provide effective sealing between the vane and the support for the vane. In one detailed embodiment, an object is to improve the fatigue life of the airfoil by both damping vibrations in the airfoil and accommodating differences in thermal growth between the airfoil and the case assembly.
According to the present invention, a case assembly of a gas turbine engine has a plurality of circumferentially adjacent blocks which are slidably trapped within the case assembly and which engage the ends of corresponding stator vanes to support the vanes and to provide vane damping.
A primary feature of the present invention is a plurality of blocks which are slidably trapped between a wall element and a band. In one detailed embodiment, the block is slidable with respect to the vane. The block slides on the vane in the spanwise direction. Another feature is an aperture in the case. In one detailed embodiment the aperture is adapted to receive a correspondingly shaped projecting edge of the block.
A principal advantage of the present invention is the effective damping of vibrations. Vibratory damping results from sliding contact between each block and the wall element, the band and adjacent blocks. Another advantage is an effective seal against leakage of gas path air from a region of higher pressure to a region of lower pressure which results from the positive contact between the block and the vane, the wall element and the band. One detailed embodiment enables both the effective damping of vibrations and the accommodation of thermal growth between the vane and the case assembly. Differences in thermal growth between the vane and the case assembly are accommodated by the block which freely slides on the vane. Additional damping results from sliding contact between the block and each vane.
The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent in the light of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments thereof as discussed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a simplified cross section view of a portion of a gas turbine engine showing a stator vane mounted in the engine case assembly with a portion of the vane removed.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a block of the type which engages a corresponding stator vane.
FIG. 3 is a directional view taken along the line 3--3 as shown in FIG. 1 including portions broken away to reveal the mounting of the vanes in the case assembly.
FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the vane and case assembly taken along the line 4--4 as shown in FIG. 1.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
A gas turbine engine embodiment of the invention is described. The invention is equally suited for use in both compressors and turbines.
FIG. 1 illustrates a portion of a compression section 10 of a gas turbine engine. A portion of a rotor assembly 12 and of a stator assembly 14 are shown. The stator assembly includes an engine case assembly 16 which circumscribes the compression section and a plurality of stator vanes, as represented by the single stator vane 18, which extends inwardly from the case assembly. The rotor assembly includes one or more rotor disks 20 which are separated by spacer elements 22. A first row of rotor blades, as represented by the single blade 24, extends outwardly from the rotor disk into proximity with the case assembly. A second row of rotor blades, as represented by the single rotor blade 26, extends outwardly into proximity with the case assembly. An annular flow path 28 for working medium gases extends axially through the compression section between the alternating rows of blades and vanes. The case assembly has a wall element 30 having an outwardly facing slot 32 which extends circumferentially about the exterior of the wall element. The slot has an upstream face 34 and a downstream face 36. A plurality of apertures, as represented by the single aperture 38, extend inwardly through the wall element. Each aperture has a face 40. A band element such as band 42 having an inwardly facing surface 44 circumscribes the wall element. The band is affixed to the wall element by attaching means such as the plurality of rivets 46. A plurality of blocks, as represented by the single block 48, are trapped between the wall element and the band. The wall element has a surface 50 facing the block. In the embodiment shown the surface 50 faces outwardly.
As shown in the FIG. 2 perspective view, each block has a hole 52 which is airfoil-shaped to conform closely to the vane 18 and which is adapted to slidably engage the vane. The block has an outwardly facing surface 54, a side 56 and a surface 58 facing the wall element. In the embodiment shown, the surface faces inwardly. The block has a shoulder 60 having a curved side 62.
As shown in FIG. 3, the side 56 of each block 50 slidably engages the sides 56 of the adjacent blocks. In the installed condition, each block is spaced axially from the upstream face 34 of the slot and the downstream face of the slot 36 leaving a gap A therebetween. The curved side 62 of the shoulder 60 is spaced circumferentially from the face 40 of the aperture leaving a gap B therebetween.
As shown in FIG. 4, each vane 18 has an airfoil 64 and an integral flange 66 having a T-shape. The flanges 66 of adjacent vanes are joined together by two curved rings, as represented by the upstream curved ring 68 and the downstream curved ring 70. A rivet 72 passes through each ring and a corresponding flange.
During operation of the gas turbine engine, gases entering the compression section 10 flow along the annular flow path 28. The rotor assembly does work on the gases and causes the pressure and temperature of the gases to rise. As the hot gases lose heat to components in the compression section, the temperature of each component rises and the components expand thermally. Components, such as the stator vanes 18 and the case assembly 16, expand at different rates. These differences in thermal growth are accommodated by the block 48 sliding with respect to the airfoil 64 of the vane. The hole 52 in the block is adapted to receive the airfoil. The block closely conforms to the shape of the vane 18. In embodiments wherein the vane has an integrally formed flange or platform, the block engages the flange or platform in a manner similar to the embodiment of the airfoil described. In one detailed embodiment, a vane engaging such a block was designed to have an airfoil made of an iron and nickel-base alloy sheet stock. A block was designed to be cast around the airfoil to ensure close conformance to the airfoil contour. A thin refractory coating, which resists molten metal cast thereabout, may be applied to ensure a slidable engagement between the block and the airfoil. Such a coating may be a metal oxide, such as yttrium oxide, or boride, or the like which resists the molten metal.
The close conformance of the airfoil 64 to the block 48 provides an effective seal against leakage of gases from the working medium flow path. Leakage of the working medium gases is blocked by the positive contact between the surface 50 of the wall element 30 which faces the blocks and the surface 58 facing the wall element on the block 50. Leakage is blocked by the positive contact between the outwardly facing surface 54 of the block and the inwardly facing surface 44 of the band.
In the vibrational mode, the block slides within the gaps A and B to dissipate vibrational energy from the vane through friction. The friction results from the sliding contact between adjacent blocks and between each block and the adjacent components. The block slides with respect to the airfoil 64, with respect to the surface 50 of the wall element 30, and with respect to the inwardly facing surface 44 of the band 42. The friction turns vibrational energy into energy in the form of heat. The heat is conducted away from the block to the wall element 30.
Although this invention has been shown and described with respect to a preferred embodiment thereof, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and omissions in the form and detail thereof may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the airfoil may have a flange which is engaged by the block. | A case assembly for supporting stator vanes of a gas turbine engine is disclosed. Various construction details and techniques which enable support of the vanes across the flow path of the engine are discussed. The construction details and techniques which provide damping to the vanes and accommodate differential thermal expansion between the vanes and the case assembly are developed. The vane mounting system disclosed is built around the concept of enabling sliding friction between components of the case assembly to dampen vane vibrations. | 5 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the application of coded information to objects, which coded information is subsequently electronically read. The invention relates to coding systems not visible to the human eye, which are particularly useful in reprographic machines, printers and other document handling equipment.
2. Related Developments
Bar code reading systems in which bar codes on an object are invisible to the human eye but can be read electronically have a wide area of application. Such systems may be used in office document duplicators to code documents for security purposes to prevent unauthorized copies from being made. These coding systems may also be used to code documents for the control of various operations within the duplicator, such as sorting and paper path selection, as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,716,438 and 4,757,348, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. Information necessary to provide color correction, enhancement and translation, document identification, image preservation, and document control and security can also be provided in taggants that are incorporated into marking materials used to create images or codes, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,225,900 (the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference), assigned to the assignee of the present invention.
Invisible bar codes systems also find use on commercial product labeling. For this use, the invisible bar code system has several principal advantages over visible bar code systems. The product can have a bar code placed on all sides of the package, thereby increasing the convenience of entering the bar code into a bar code reader without reorienting the package. Invisible bar codes do not detract from the appearance of consumer products, such as perfumes or magazines. Additional bar code information can be placed on the product, such as expiration dating and additional manufacturers' identification number, which are not evident to the purchaser or user without special decoding equipment. Invisible bar codes can be used to mark mail without obliterating markings that are already present.
Invisible bar codes systems utilizing ultraviolet (UV) stimulated visible fluorescent dyes in the bar code have been proposed. However, these systems have two principal difficulties. UV light used to stimulate the fluorescent dyes of the bar codes also stimulates fluorescence of paper whiteners commonly used in paper stock, thereby making readout difficult. If the bar code is placed over underlaying print, the signal is deteriorated because printing inks tend to absorb the incident and fluorescent radiation, thereby rendering detection even more difficult. Further, inexpensive, compact and concentrated UV light sources are not readily commercially available.
Systems for overcoming the disadvantages of UV stimulated invisible bar codes have involved the use of infrared (IR) fluorescent bar codes that are stimulated in the visible or near IR spectrum and fluoresce at longer wavelengths in the IR spectrum. Such systems are described in the paper, A Novel Bar Coding System for Non Letter Mail by T. Dolash, P. Andrus and L. Stockum, presented at the 3rd Advanced Technology Conference, Washington, D.C., May 3-5, 1988, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,983,817 and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,093,147. In these systems, a bar code containing an IR fluorescent dye is scanned with stimulating radiation from a red helium-neon laser or a gallium-aluminum-arsenide laser to activate the IR fluorescence of the dye. This signal is then detected with an IR photodiode. These systems have advantages over those utilizing UV activation because there are no known paper whiteners or inks that fluorescence in the infrared spectrum. Thus, when IR fluorescent dyes are used, the detected signal only comes from inks intentionally put down and not from any inks or paper whiteners that are present in the paper. However, a disadvantage of these systems is that the amount of fluorescent IR light received from the dye is strongly influenced by the absorption of radiation by ink or other coloring material under the dye, which modifies the reflectivity of the surface and thus the amount of IR light detected by the photodiode.
In order to overcome this problem, a relatively complicated detection system has been proposed in which both stimulating laser radiation and IR fluorescent radiation are detected by two photodiodes, with appropriate optical filters over each diode to detect either the laser radiation or the fluorescent radiation. The outputs of the photodiode are processed in a ratio circuit to give a reliable signal that this corrected for variations in reflectivity caused by printing. The system in essence cancels any variation in reflectivity. However, the relationship between the incident laser light intensity and the intensity of the IR fluorescent light is not linear. Thus, when a ratio is taken, the measured ratio varies with the amount of light absorption by any ink under the dye. As a consequence, a complex electronic circuit must be used to give an artificial non-linear relationship between the input from the incident light photo cell and the input to the ratio determining circuit, to make the incident light response as non-linear as the IR fluorescent response. This is necessary to make the output respond linearly to the IR dye, despite variations in absorption resulting from underlying ink. However, this method is excessively complex and difficult to adjust. Moreover, the foregoing system is subject to interference from background illumination.
Systems for coding transparent receiver sheets for subsequent machine decoding have also been proposed. In commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,146,087, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, an imaging process utilizing invisible IR absorbing marking materials to form bar codes is disclosed. Because a transparent receiver sheet is used, the problem of a low contrast ratio resulting from the use of fluorescent compounds in the sheet does not arise.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide improved bar code systems.
It is another object of the invention to provide invisible bar code reading systems that are reliable and low cost.
It is a further object of the invention to provide invisible bar code systems that are highly immune to the influences of underlying printing.
It is a further object of the invention to provide invisible bar code reading systems that are immune to the effects of fluorescent compounds in common paper stocks.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a code reading system that is compact and can be easily incorporated into reprographic equipment.
In one aspect of the invention, these objects are achieved by the use of methods and apparatus that employ a radiation source modulated at two frequencies that are not harmonically related, directing the modulated radiation at a code marking that has a non-linear response, resulting in the intermodulation of the radiation to produce sum and difference frequencies, and detecting the sum or difference frequencies to provide an output signal indicative of the coded information.
In another aspect of the invention, a marking code is laid down with a substance which absorbs incident radiant energy that causes fluorescence of unmarked portions of the surface on which the radiant energy is incident. Coded information is read by detecting fluorescence from portions of the code where the light absorbing material is absent.
In another aspect of the invention a compact reading assembly employs an element, such as a half-silvered prism, for directing radiation onto a coded surface along a first path. The same element directs radiation received from the coded information along a second path for detection by a radiation detector.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of one embodiment of a bar code reading system in which incident radiation is sinusoidally modulated;
FIG. 2 illustrates a system as in FIG. 1 wherein a synchronous detector is used;
FIG. 3 schematically illustrates another embodiment of bar code reading system wherein incident radiation is square wave modulated;
FIG. 4 schematically illustrates a second embodiment of the system illustrated in FIG. 3, employing a single radiation emitting element;
FIG. 5 graphically illustrates resultant current and radiation intensity output of the systems illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4;
FIG. 6 shows the spectral absorption characteristics of three ultraviolet light absorbing compounds; and
FIG. 7 is a schematic representation of another embodiment of a bar code reading apparatus.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In FIG. 1, a bar code reading system is shown that embodies aspects of the invention. In this system, a radiation source 10 projects a beam of light onto a rotating polygonal scanning mirror 12, which causes the beam to scan along bar code 14. A holographic scanner or scanning by movement of adocument on which the bar code is disposed can also be used. The radiation source 10 produces a beam of radiation at a wavelength capable of excitingfluorescence of either the materials, such as a dye, laid down to form the bar code 14 or fluorescent materials contained in the surface of the object on which the bar code 14 is applied. In this embodiment, the light source 10 can comprise a helium-neon laser capable of providing light at visible and near infrared wavelengths or a gallium-aluminum-arsenide laserdiode that emits radiation centered about near infrared wavelengths of 780 to 800 nanometers.
The bar code 14 can be formed by a marking material jetted onto an appropriate receiving surface. The marking material preferably includes a dye that absorbs infrared radiation at infrared wavelengths (for example, 800 nm to about 1500 nm), that exhibit little or no reflection of visible light and that have a non-linear fluorescent response to stimulating radiation. The following dyes are useful for this purpose:
______________________________________Chemical Names and Structural Formulas of the DyesCASRegistry No______________________________________301-70-3 DTTCI (3,3'-Diethylthiatricarbocyanine Iodide) DNTTCI (3,3'-Diethyl-9,11- neopentylenethiatricarbocyanine Iodide)3599-32-4 IR-125 IH-Benz[e]indolium,2-[7-[1,3-dihydro- 1,1-dimethyl-3-(4-sulfobutyl)-2H- benz[e]indol-2-ylidene]-1,3,5- hepatrienyl]-1,1-dimethyl-3-(4- sulfobutyl-,sodium salt DDTTCI (3,3'-Diethyl-4,4',5,5'- dibezothiatricarbocyanine Iodide) (Hexadibenzocyane 45)22268-66-2 DTTC Benzothiazolium,3-ethyl-2-[7- Perchlorate (3- = ethyl-2(3H)-benzothiazolylidene)- 1,3,5- = heptatrienyl]-,perchlorate23178-67-8 HDITCI (1,1',3,3,3',3'-Hexamethyl-4,4',5,5'- dibenzo-2,2'-indotricarbocyanine Iodide)53655-17-7 IR-140 Benzothiazolium,5-chloro-2[2-[3- [5-chloro--3-ethyl-2(3H)- benzoethiazolylidene-ethylidene]-2- (diphenylamino)-1-cyclopenten-1- yl]ethyl-3-ethyl-,perchlorate. DDCI-4 (1,1'-Diethyl-4,4' dicarbocyanine Iodide)54849-69-3 IR-144 1H-Benz[e]indolium,2-[2-[3-1,3-dihydro- 1,1-dimethyl-3-(3- = sulfopropyl)- 2H-benz[e]indol-2-ylidene] = ethylidene]-2-[4-(ethoxycarbonyl)-1- piperaziny = 1]-1-cyclopenten-1- yl]ethenyl]-1,1-dimethyl-3- = (3- sulfopropyl)-,hydroxide,inner salt, compound with N,N- diethylethanamine62669-62-9 IR-132 Naphtho[2,3-d]thiazolium,2-[2-[2- (diphenylamino)-3-[ [3(4-methoxy-4- oxobutyl)naptho[d]thiazol-2(3H)- ylidene-ethylidene]-1-cyclopenten-1- yl]ethenyl]3-(4-methoxy-oxobutyl)-, perchlorate______________________________________
As illustrated by the dotted lines in FIG. 1, fluorescent radiation emittedfrom the printed bars 15 of the bar code 14 in response to incident radiation from source 10 is received onto the surface of mirror 12 and reflected to a mirror with hole 16 (with an opening for passage of the laser beam), that deflects the fluorescent radiation onto an IR photodetector 18.
An important aspect of this design is that the beam of radiation from source 10 is modulated, prior to impingement of bar code 14, by a first modulator 17 and a second modulator 19 that modulate the beam at frequencies f 1 and f 2 , respectively, that are not harmonics one of the other. For this purpose, electro-acoustic modulators which sinusoidally modulate the beam can be utilized. Such modulators are disclosed in Piezo-Optic Resonances in Crystals of Dihydrogen Phosphate-Type, J.F. Stephany, J. Opt. Soc. Am., Vol. 55, pp. 136-142 (February, 1965) and How An Electric Field Can Modulate Light By Changing The Refractivity Of A Crystal, J.F. Stephany and H. Jaffe, Scientific American Vol. 206 page 166 (July, 1962), the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. Such modulators employ the mechanical resonance of a crystal, for example a dihydrogen phosphate crystal, to enable high degrees of sinusoidal modulation without expensive drivers. The cited articles discuss the technical basis of such modulators and provide details for the construction of them. Therefore, no further detailed explanation is necessary.
When the modulated beam impinges on the bar code 14, the dye incorporated into the ink forming bars 15 has a non-linear fluorescent response and this non-linearity causes the two frequencies f 1 and f 2 to mix or heterodyne (intermodulate), yielding a sum and a difference frequency component, (f 1 +f 2 ) and (f 1 -f 2 ), respectively. This phenomenon is well known at radio frequencies and is illustrated by the following derivation. If the incident beam of radiation is modulated at two frequencies, ω 1 and ω 2 , then the light intensityl i after passing through the two modulators 17, 19 is:
l.sub.i =1+(1/2) sin (ω.sub.1 t)+(1/2) sin (ω.sub.2 t). (1)
If it is assumed that the relationship between the intensity of the reflected beam resulting from fluorescence, l r is non-linear, the relationship can be defined as follows:
l.sub.r =al.sub.i +bl.sub.i 2. (2)
then, substituting Eq. (1) and Eq. (2), the reflected light intensity can be described by the following:
l.sub.r =a+5b/4+(a+b)sin(ω.sub.1 t)+(a+b) sin(ω.sub.2 t)-(b/8)cos2(ω.sub.1 t)-(b/8)cos(ω.sub.2 t)+(b/4)cos(ω.sub.1 -ω.sub.2)t-(b/4)cos(ω.sub.1 +ω.sub.2)t. (3)
This shows the creation of the sum (ω 1 +ω 2 ) and the difference ((ω 1 -ω 2 ) frequencies in the last two terms of Eq. (3). A preferred range for modulation frequencies f 1 andf 2 is between about 1 KHz to about 50 KHz.
The modulated incident laser beam is therefore modulated at frequencies f 1 and f 2 , while the IR fluorescent light returning to the photoreceptor 18 is modulated by frequencies f 1 and f 2 , as well as frequencies (f 1 +f 2 ) and (f 1 -f 2 ). The output of the photoreceptor 18 is supplied to a tuned amplifier 20 that is responsive to either of frequencies (f 1 +f 2 ) or (f 1 -f 2 ). The output of the amplifier 20 is a signal that reproduces the bar code 14. This signal is supplied to an automatic gain control amplifier with limiter 22 that puts the signal at a constant level for digitization so that it can supplied to a digital computer, even though the signal will fluctuate an amplitude according to the IR absorption of the ink and/or paper bar code 14. Because the system offers a high degree of rejection of signals from background light, the gain of amplifier 20 can be high so that the IR fluorescent signal will always be above some minimal level which, in turn, can be greater than any noise present. Therefore, there will always be a reliable output signal representative ofthe bar code, no matter how much radiation is absorbed by the ink or paper underlying the dye in the bar code.
Referring to FIG. 2, additional noise rejection in the output from photorecptor 18 can be achieved by using a synchronous detector 26 interposed between amplifier 20 and AGC amplifier 22 to receive the outputsignal from amplifier 20. The synchronous detector provides an output only in response to a received signal that is in phase with a reference signal.As shown in FIG. 2, the reference signal can be provided by a mixer 24 thatsums (or substracts) the frequencies f 1 and f 2 to form a reference signal. An advantage of this system is that the mixing can occurat low signal levels so that leakage of the sum (or difference) frequency into the tuned amplifier 22 is avoided. Such synchronous detection techniques are well known in radio signal processing and no further detailed explanation is necessary.
One variation of the systems described with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2 is to employ a sinusoidal modulator at a representative frequency f 1 . The non-linearity of the dye forming the bar code 14 generates a second harmonic, 2f 1 in the detected fluorescent beam. While such a system avoids the need for a second modulator, it has the disadvantage that therehas to be extensive isolation of the driver electronics for the modulator so that the harmonics of the electronic driver do not interfere with the signal. Also, such a system would not exhibit as high a level of sensitivity as the systems illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.
Referring to FIG. 3, another embodiment of bar code reading system in accordance with the invention is shown. In this system, two radiation sources 30 and 32, are utilized. For an invisible bar code system, the sources emit radiation at wavelengths primarily outside the visible spectrum. Thus, the radiation sources 30 and 32 can comprise IR laser diodes or IR light emitting diodes (LEDs). For example, laser diodes are commercially available that emit radiation at wavelengths of 750, 780, 810and 830 nanometers, namely in the near IR portion of the spectrum. Each of the sources 30, 32 is driven by a separate driver element 34, 36 respectively. Driver 34 drives radiation source 30 at a first frequency f 1 and driver 36 drives radiation source 32 at a second frequency f 2 , which is not harmonically related to frequency f 1 . In this embodiment, the drivers 34 and 36 drive the sources 30, 32 with square wave energization signals. The square wave modulated beams from radiation sources 30, 32 are directed in a first direction toward an optical element, such as a half-silvered prism 38, which deflects the beam along asecond direction transverse to the first direction, through a converging lens 40 to be focused on a sheet 5 moving in the direction of the solid arrow. The sheet 5 can comprise a sheet of paper to be imaged or otherwiseprocessed and is movable along a feed path in the direction of the arrow D.The beams are incident on successive elements 15 of a bar code that are deposited on a surface of the sheet S. The elements or bars 15 comprise anink that includes a dye which fluoresces in the IR range. Dyes which can beused are the same type as those previously described in connection with FIG. 1 and have a non-linear fluorescent response to incident radiation.
From Fourier analysis, it is known that the square wave modulated combined beam contains, as components, sinusoidal waves at frequencies f 1 and f 2 . The beam modulated with these components is incident on the fluorescent ink forming the bars 15 and stimulates fluorescence. As described above, because of the non-linear response of the fluorescent light to the stimulated light, the fluorescent light includes sum and difference components (f 1 +f 2 ) and (f 1 -f 2 ). The fluorescent beam is reflected upwardly through lens 40 and through half-silvered prism 38 in a direction parallel to the second direction of the incident beams to a filter 42, which filters out radiation outside therange of that emitted by radiation sources 30, 32. The filtered beam is focused by a slit in slit plate 44 onto an infrared photoreceptor 46. The light reaching photoreceptor 46 includes components modulated at frequencies f 1 and f 2 and harmonics of f 1 and f 2 and also harmonics of (f 1 +f 2 ) and (f 1 -f 2 ). However, as in the FIG. 1 embodiment, these components are eliminated by the tuned amplifier 20 that amplifies only that portion of the signal modulated at one of the sum or difference frequencies of f 1 and f 2 . This technique is similar to that used in amplitude modulated broadcast transmitters that use pulse width modulation, and thus is a known signal processing technique.
The reader arrangement comprising the half-silvered prism 38, lens 40, filter 42, slit plate 44 and photoreceptor 46 can also be used in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. By use of the prism 38, the assembly can be made compact to fit within imaging terminals of reprographic equipment.
In the foregoing description, it can be seen that two laser diodes or LEDs 30, 32 can produce unmixed modulated IR radiation which is mixed by the non-linear fluorescent (or phosphorescent) response of the bar diode dye and that this results in a signal proprotional to incident light intensityand bar code dye density. The system shown in FIG. 3 provides advantages over the FIG. 1 system. The system shown in FIG. 3 is more compact becauseit does not require the acousto-optical resonance modulators. System cost is reduced by replacing the sign wave modulators with square wave drivers.In addition, stability of the system is enhanced because the radiation emitting laser diodes 30, 32 are only required to be stable at two operating points corresponding to the current levels produced by the square wave drivers. As a consequence, variations in the response of the diodes are significantly minimized.
FIG. 4 illustrates a bar code reading system similar to that shown in FIG. 3 but having only a single IR laser diode or IR LED as a radiation source 48. In this arrangement, the source 48 is driven by a three level driver 50 to drive the source 48 with the square wave signals at a first frequency f 1 and a second frequency f 2 . Preferably, the driver 50 is a constant current type driver so that radiation intensity produced by the laser diode is proportional to the applied current.
Square wave outputs of the driver 50 at frequencies f 1 and f 2 arerepresented by curves A and B of FIG. 5. The resultant current is represented in curve C of FIG. 5, which also represents the resultant radiation intensity emitted from source 48. The output response of laser diodes to applied current is non-linear. Accordingly, mixing of the applied currents at frequencies f 1 and f 2 can occur. It is important that the applied signals are carefully summed and then applied to the source 48. In order to assure that the driving current supplied by driver 50 maintains an appropriate form, for example, as depicted in curveC of FIG. 5, in this embodiment a correction signal must be generated. A correction signal is generated by a feedback loop that comprises a small mirror 52 positioned to receive radiation emitted by source 48 and reflected onto photocell 54. The output of photocell 54 is returned by a line 56 to the driver 50 to provide a correction or control signal. Continuous monitoring of the output of source 48 is desirable, because temperature variations can change the output response of a laser diode to applied signals. The feedback ensures that the light intensities are linearly summed.
The signal detection portion of the FIG. 4 embodiment is substantially the same as that described with respect to a FIG. 3 embodiment and like numbered elements are similarly numbered in FIG. 4.
FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate aspects of another embodiment of the invention. Asmentioned above, the detection of bar code information, particularly when invisibly coded, can become extremely difficult when the surface in which the bar code is printed contains compounds that fluoresce in the presence of radiation utilized for reading the bar code and where the bar code is printed on a portion of the surface that includes compounds, such as printing inks, that absorb fluorescent radiation from the elements of the bar code. Under such circumstances, the contrast ratio between the printedand unprinted portions of the bar code becomes extremely small resulting ina condition that the information signal is rendered indistinguishable by the noise of the system. In the arrangement shown in FIG. 7, the bars 15' of the bar code are formed of an ink that includes a dye that absorbs radiation provided by an irradiation source. Fluorescent compounds presentin the surface on which the bar code is printed fluoresce as a result of incident radiation and that fluorescence is detected by an appropriate detector. With specific reference to FIG. 7, a radiation source 64, such as an ultraviolet lamp, directs with the aid of a reflector 66, ultraviolet radiation onto the half-silvered prism 38. The radiation from source 64 is directed by half-silvered prism 38, through convergent lens 40 onto the surface of a sheet S moving in the direction of the solid arrow D. The incident beam causes reflected radiation to issue from the surface of sheet 5, when the beam is, as shown in FIG. 7, incident on a portion of the surface at which the bars 15' are not present. The fluorescent radiation passes upwardly through the prism 38, through an appropriate filter 58 for filtering out ambient radiation, through a slit in slit plate 50, onto an ultraviolet sensitive photocell 62, the output of which is provided to a suitable signal processing circuit.
As previously mentioned, the ink forming the bars 15', includes a componentor dye that absorbs radiation at ultraviolet wavelengths, for example, in the near ultraviolet range of 280 to 400 nanometers. Suitable UV absorbingdyes are known and are identified in the publication Sunscreens by Lowe, N.and Shaath, N. (Marcel Dekker, 1990). The reflectance response of three such dyes is illustrated in FIG. 6. The curve label R shows a response of an ultraviolet absorbing compound comprising an ester of 4-(dimethylamino)benzoic acid. Curve S represents the absorption characteristics of benzophenone-3, another UV absorbing compound useful on the present purpose. Curve T represents the absorption characteristics of another useful ultraviolet absorbent compound, butyl methoxydibenzomethane, sold under the tradename Parsol 1789 by the Givaudan Corporation. Other UV absorbent compounds useful for this purpose are benzophenone-4, benzophenone-8, ethyl dihydroxypropyl paba, glyceryl paba, menthyl anthrantilate, octocrylene, octyl salicylate, paba, 2-phenyl benzimidazole-5-sulphonic acid and etocrylene. These UV absorbing compounds are incorporated into inks used to form the bar code 14, for example, a thermojet ink. The compositions of suitable basic inks are known and no further description thereof is necessary. These compounds canbe present in the ink in proportions ranging from about 0.1 to about 1% by weight.
The coding system illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 is for use primarily in reprographic machines, such as common office copiers, which use paper stocks employing UV fluorescent materials. Contrary to previous systems, instead of attempting to avoid the unwanted effects of fluorescence from whiteners and similar agents in paper, the system utilizes the presence ofsuch whiteners to provide a significant contrast ratio. Inks utilizing UV absorbing compounds identified above typically will absorb from 1 to 10% of the incident radiation.
While the invention has been described with reference to the structures disclosed, it is not confined to the details set forth, but is intended tocover such modifications or changes as they come within the scope of the following claims. | Bar code reading systems having enhanced detection capabilities are disclosed. The systems are particularly useful for invisible bar codes. The bar code is irradiated with radiation that is sine wave or square wave modulated at one or more frequencies. A detector is sensitive to a frequency related to the modulation frequencies, preferable to a sum or a difference of at least two modulating frequencies, produced by intermodulation of the modulating frequencies. Such intermodulation can result from the non-linear fluorescing characteristics of dyes incorporated into the bar code markings. The modulation can also be sinusoid or square wave at a single frequency. Detection of coded information on sheets containing whiteners or other dyes capable of fluorescing in response to the radiation utilized by the code reader is improved by employing radiation absorbing components in the code markings. | 6 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a submission under 35 U.S.C. §371 for U.S. National Stage patent application of, and claims priority to, International Application Number PCT/CA2014/000072, entitled COMPLIANT SLIT FILM SEAMING ELEMENT, filed Jan. 30, 2014, which International application is related to and claims priority to Canadian Application Serial No. 2,805,366, entitled COMPLIANT SLIT FILM SEAMING ELEMENT, filed Feb. 7, 2013, the entirety of all of which is incorporated herein by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present specification relates to seaming elements used to form a seam in woven or nonwoven industrial fabrics. In particular, it relates to seaming elements that are compliant or flexible in the plane of the fabric to provide secure attachment between the seaming element and the fabric.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Industrial textiles for use in filtration, separation and conveying applications such as papermaking have been in use for many years. The vast majority of these fabrics are typically woven from polymeric yarns such as mono filaments using large industrial looms. Following weaving, the textiles are further processed for use in particular applications. At this point, a seam is usually installed so that the fabrics may be joined on the machine for which they are intended. Many seam constructions are known and have been used; however, most require a significant amount of highly specialized personnel and/or machinery. For such woven textiles, the fabric ends must first be prepared so as to free a portion of the component yarns from the woven structure; these yarns are then either rewoven with yarns from the opposite end to form a woven seam, or they are interlaced in one of various ways with seam devices which accept a joining pin or pintle, such as coils and the like. These seam constructions are costly and time consuming to prepare. Similar disadvantages of time and cost apply to nonwoven industrial textiles, such as those constructed from one or more layers of film.
[0004] WO 2010/121360 (Manninen) discloses a seaming element that can be attached to each of the two opposed fabric ends, thereby forming a seam in an industrial textile. The textile is typically cut straight across its width perpendicular to the intended running direction of the finished fabric. The seaming element is then bonded either over, or between, layers of the component yarns or film. The bonding method may include through transmission laser welding (TTLW). After the seaming element is bonded in position, the finished fabric is ready for installation on the machine for later use. The seaming element varies from 0.5 m to 6 m in length, and is made from a polymeric material. In one embodiment, the seaming element has a U-shape, which is slipped over each end of the prepared fabric and welded in place.
[0005] Other types of seaming element have been disclosed. For example, WO 2011/069258 (Manninen et al.) discloses a hinge type seaming element; PCT/CA2012/000701 (Manninen) discloses a fold-over type seaming element; PCT/CA2012/001138 (Manninen) discloses a multi-pin seaming element; and WO/2014/075170 (Manninen) discloses a roll formed seaming element including ridges.
[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 5,182,933 (Schick) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,942,645 (Musil) each disclose a fastener for securing the ends of belts, comprising upper and lower members that are connected at one edge by multiple arcuate loops that are separated by apertures. On the opposite edge, the fastener contains a series of webs that are riveted to the belt.
[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 4,719,788 (Musil) and Flexco®SR™ Rivet Hinged R9 Belt Fastener each disclose belt fasteners comprising an upper plate, a lower plate and loop shaped strap means for joining these plates. The upper or lower plate of these fasteners can be connected to the same plate of an adjacent fastener at rupturable bridges to form a fastener strip.
[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 6,216,851 (Mitas et al.) discloses a belt fastener element having upper and lower plates connected by arcuate hinge loops. Further, the lower plates are connected in a continuous manner while the upper plates are spaced apart.
[0009] It will be appreciated that during the bonding process, particularly when a TTLW bonding process is used, a reliable and high strength bond should be formed between the seaming element and the fabric component. TTLW requires intimate contact between the joining components in order to form a high strength bond. This can be difficult to achieve when a relatively large, solid object (such as the seaming element) is being bonded to relatively smaller and discrete units, such as the polymeric monofilament yarns of a woven fabric. Such yarns are often crimped and do not necessarily present a uniform, planar surface for welding. Similarly, nonwoven fabrics often have discontinuities and nonplanar irregularities, thereby reducing the necessary intimate contact between the seaming element and the nonwoven fabric.
[0010] It would be advantageous to render the bonding region of seaming elements flexible or compliant so that, during a bonding process, intimate contact can be made between the fabric components and the seaming element.
[0011] In addition, where a nonwoven textile is used, it would be advantageous to modify the attachment of the seaming element to the fabric so that the strength of the bond between the seaming element and the nonwoven textile is enhanced.
SUMMARY
[0012] Disclosed herein is a seaming element for attachment to an industrial textile. The seaming element will be first described in its general form, and then its implementation in terms of specific embodiments will be detailed thereafter. These embodiments are intended to demonstrate both the principle and optional features of the seaming element, and the manner of its implementation. The seaming element in its broadest and more specific forms will then be further described, and defined, in each of the individual claims that conclude this specification.
[0013] In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a seaming element for an industrial textile, the industrial textile having opposed first and second seamable edge regions, the seaming element having: i) a first lateral edge; ii) a second lateral edge; iii) a trailing edge; iv) a forward portion comprising a plurality of protruding seaming loops with successive loops spaced apart by an aperture, and v) a rearward portion continuous with the forward portion, the rearward portion comprising an upper member and a lower member, the upper and lower members being substantially planar and having mutually opposed inner surfaces, with a portion of each inner surface bonded to the industrial textile at a selected one of the first and second seamable edge regions, wherein at least one of the upper and lower member comprises one or more slits between the first lateral edge and the second lateral edge, the one or more slits extending from the respective trailing edge in a direction towards the forward portion of the seaming element.
[0014] The seaming element and the industrial textile may each independently comprise a polymer; the polymer may be a thermoplastic. In addition, the seaming element may comprise a bi-axially oriented polyester.
[0015] Each of the upper and lower members of the seaming element may be bonded to the seamable edge region by a bonding method selected from the group consisting of: chemically reactive systems, adhesives, laser beam welding and ultrasonic welding. Furthermore, the seaming element may be bonded to the seamable edge region by through transmission laser welding (TTLW).
[0016] Each of the one or more slits may have a substantially linear configuration and may extend substantially normal to the respective trailing edge. In addition, the one or more slits may be evenly spaced between the first lateral edge and second lateral edge. Alternatively, the one or more slits may be randomly spaced between the first lateral edge and second lateral edge. At least one slit may be centrally aligned with one aperture.
[0017] In addition, at least one slit may extend partially through a thickness of the respective member, or may extend completely through a thickness of the member.
[0018] Where each of the upper and lower members comprises one or more slits, each of the one or more slits may be centrally aligned with a selected one of the apertures. In addition, each slit of the upper member may be aligned with a selected one of the slits of the lower member, and each slit of the lower member may be aligned with a selected one of the slits of the upper member. Alternatively, each slit of the upper member may be symmetrically laterally offset from an adjacent pair of slits of the lower member.
[0019] In another aspect of the present invention, there is provide a seaming element for an industrial textile, the industrial textile comprising a first polymer and having opposed first and second seamable edge regions, the seaming element comprising a second polymer and having: i) a first lateral edge; ii) a second lateral edge; iii) a trailing edge; iv) a forward portion comprising a plurality of protruding seaming loops with successive loops spaced apart by an aperture, and v) a rearward portion continuous with the forward portion, the rearward portion comprising an upper member and a lower member, the upper and lower members being substantially planar and having mutually opposed inner surfaces, with a portion of each inner surface bonded to the industrial textile at a selected one of the first and second seamable edge regions, wherein the upper and lower member each comprise a plurality of slits regularly spaced between the first lateral edge and the second lateral edge of the member, each slit extends from the respective trailing edge in a direction towards the forward portion of the seaming element; and each slit is centrally aligned with one of the apertures.
[0020] In the aforementioned seaming element, each slit of the upper member may be symmetrically laterally offset from an adjacent pair of slits of the lower member.
[0021] In addition, the industrial textile may comprise a thermoplastic; the seaming element may comprise a bi-axially oriented polyester; and the seaming element may be bonded to the seamable edge by a welding method selected from the group consisting of through transmission laser welding and ultrasonic welding.
[0022] In yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an industrial textile having opposed first and second seamable edge regions, each seamable edge region bonded to any one of the seaming elements described above.
[0023] In yet a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of providing a seam to at least one seamable edge region of an industrial textile comprising: a) placing the industrial textile within any of the seaming elements described above; and b) bonding each of the upper and lower members of the seaming element to the seamable edge.
[0024] In the aforementioned method, the seaming element and the industrial textile may each independently comprise a polymer material; and the upper and lower members of the seaming element may each be bonded to the seamable edge by a bonding method selected from the group consisting of: chemically reactive systems, adhesives, laser beam welding and ultrasonic welding. The the polymer material may be a thermoplastic and the bonding method may be through transmission laser welding.
[0025] The seaming element may comprise a polymeric material; the polymeric material may be a thermoplastic or thermoset material. Where the seaming element comprises a thermoplastic, the thermoplastic may be a bi-axially oriented thermoplastic, or a bi-axially oriented co-extruded material that can be welded by a laser. Herein, “bi-axially” implies orientation in both the machine direction (MD) and transverse direction (TD) of the thermoplastic material, such as a film.
[0026] The industrial textile may comprise a polymeric material; the polymeric material may be a thermoplastic or thermoset material.
[0027] Herein, the term “bonding” refers to the use of any one of: i) a chemically reactive system; ii) an adhesive; or iii) a welding process to attach two surfaces together. The welding process can include ultrasonic welding or laser beam welding, in particular through transmission laser welding (TTLW).
[0028] Where TTLW is used, both the seaming element and the industrial textile comprise a thermoplastic; the thermoplastic may comprise a polyester (for example, but not limited to, polyethylene terephthalate, or PET). In addition, where TTLW is used, the seaming element and/or the seamable end of the industrial textile include a radiant energy absorbent in order to allow for TTLW to bond the sealing element to the fabric.
[0029] Appropriate polymeric materials which are amenable to welding and would be appropriate for use as either yarns or films in both seaming elements and industrial textiles include, but are not limited to, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), hydrolysis stabilized PET, polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyethylene, polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polypropylene (PP), polyphenylene sulphide (PPS), polyether ether ketone (PEEK) and other polymers such as would be appropriate for use in forming monofilament or film intended for use in industrial textiles such as paper machine clothing, including papermakers' dryer fabrics and the like. Various nylon polymers, such as polyamide 6, polyamide 6/6, polyamide 6/10 and the like, as well as their copolymers and blends thereof, may also be appropriate materials. These materials are all suitable for laser welding.
[0030] Both the seaming element and the industrial textile may also comprise thermoset plastics such as either linear or aromatic heterocyclic polyimides made from Apical™, Kapton™, UPILEX™, VTEC™ PI, Norton™ TH and Kaptrex™ for example. These materials are available as films and are not suitable for laser welding; textiles comprising these materials must therefore be joined to the seaming element by means of an adhesive, chemically reactive system or other suitable bonding methods.
[0031] Where the seaming element is joined to the industrial textile by through transmission laser welding (TTLW), an energy absorbent material must be located at the interface between the parts to be welded. This material can be applied as a liquid to one or both parts, or may be located as a solid in film or filament form between the parts. Suitable energy absorbents include carbon black, or dyeable products such as Clearweld® (available from Gentex Corporation of Carbondale, Pa.) or Lumogen® (available from Basf Corporation). The seaming element may be made from a bi-axially oriented, co-extruded material film including: i) a first thermoplastic polymer that is effectively transparent to laser energy; and ii) a second thermoplastic polymer that includes a suitable laser energy absorbent material additive.
[0032] In such a construction, the transparent film layer is made sufficiently thin such that there is no undue attenuation of the radiation so that sufficient radiation is transmitted through to the second layer so as to melt it through its thickness to provide the necessary weld. For example, if the overall thickness of the co-extruded film ranges from 100 μm to about 500 μm, and the thickness of the energy absorbent layer is 5%-15% of this total, then the thickness of the transparent layer must be between from 85-95 μm (for total film thickness of 100 μm) and 475-425 μm (for thickness 500 μm).
[0033] One second layer, which is co-extruded with and joined with the first to form a single structure, comprises a second film or filament forming thermoplastic polymer which is capable of forming a sufficiently strong bond with the first polymer in the first layer so as to minimize depolymerization at the locus of subsequent welds. The second polymer may, but need not, be the same as the first, but should be at least partially miscible and compatible, with the first polymer forming the first layer, and may have a similar melt viscosity and melt temperature to that of the first polymer. The first and second polymers may be the same; in addition, the first and second polymers may both be polyesters such as, but not limited to, PET. Where polyesters are used, they are preferably hydrolytically stabilized so as to resist depolymerization, and are provided at an intrinsic viscosity of at least 0.5 or more.
[0034] The second polymer contains a suitable laser energy absorbent material additive which may be uniformly incorporated into and dispersed within the polymer during a melt blending process and is present in an amount sufficient to render the second film layer weld-enabling during a subsequent TTLW process. A particularly suitable additive may be carbon black; however, other additives such as clear or dyeable products e.g. Clearweld® (available from Gentex Corporation of Carbondale, Pa.) or Lumogen® (available from Basf Corporation) may also be suitable, depending on the intended end use. Appropriate amounts of the additive will depend on the additive selected, but where the additive is carbon black, it may be present in amounts ranging from about 0.1% pbw to about 1.0% pbw (parts by weight) based on the total weight of the second polymer
[0035] The foregoing summarizes the principal features of the seaming element and some of its optional aspects. The insert may be further understood by the detailed description of the embodiments which follow.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0036] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a seaming element.
[0037] FIG. 2 is a top view of the seaming element shown in FIG. 1 .
[0038] FIG. 3 is a rear view of the seaming element of FIG. 1 .
[0039] FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial rear view of the seaming element of FIG. 3 .
[0040] FIG. 5 is a side view of the seaming element shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 .
[0041] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a seaming element.
[0042] FIG. 7 is a top view of the seaming element shown in FIG. 6 .
[0043] FIG. 8 is a rear view of a third embodiment of a seaming element.
[0044] FIG. 9 is a rear view of a fourth embodiment of a seaming element.
[0045] FIG. 10 is a rear view of a fifth embodiment of a seaming element.
[0046] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a sixth embodiment of a seaming element.
[0047] FIG. 12 is a top view of the seaming element shown in FIG. 11 .
[0048] FIG. 13 is a rear view of the seaming element of FIG. 11 .
[0049] FIG. 14 is a side view of the seaming element shown in FIGS. 11 to 13 .
[0050] FIG. 15 illustrates a schematic for various slit arrangements in a seaming element
[0051] FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the seaming element of FIG. 1 during a roller type laser operation.
[0052] FIGS. 17 a and 17 b illustrate sequential steps for the placement of slits onto a seaming element attached to a fabric.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0053] Wherever ranges of values are referenced within this specification, sub ranges therein are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure unless otherwise indicated. Where characteristics are attributed to one or another variant, unless otherwise indicated, such characteristics are intended to apply to all other variants where such characteristics are appropriate or compatible with such other variants.
[0054] The following is given by way of illustration only and is not to be considered limitative. Many apparent variations are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
[0055] FIGS. 1 to 5 illustrate a first embodiment of a seaming element. Referring first to the perspective view in FIG. 1 , seaming element 100 has top member 120 , bottom member 121 , first lateral edge 122 , second lateral edge 124 , leading edge 126 and trailing edge 128 . Seaming element 100 further includes along its leading edge 126 a plurality of protrusions 150 between which are located apertures 152 . Apertures 152 and protrusions 150 are dimensioned such that protrusions 150 on a first seaming element 100 will fit into and interdigitate with corresponding apertures 152 and protrusions 150 on a second seaming element 100 . In this manner, the two interdigitated seaming elements provide an interior channel to accommodate a conventional seaming member, such as a joining wire or pintle (not shown), to close the seam. Apertures 152 extend into the body of seaming element 100 to allow corresponding protrusions 150 from the second seaming element to be located in the desired position within these apertures 152 .
[0056] Seaming element 100 includes a plurality of regularly spaced longitudinal slits 110 , each of which is arranged perpendicularly to trailing edge 128 along both top member 120 and bottom member 121 . While the slits ( 110 ) are illustrated as being perpendicular to the trailing edge ( 128 ), it is understood that other orientations are possible. Furthermore, the slits may be randomly spaced. In addition, it is possible to have slits on one or both members ( 120 , 121 ). These variations are discussed below. Slits 110 extend from trailing edge 128 inwards a selected distance towards leading edge 126 . Slits 110 extend through the thickness of the respective one of top member 120 and bottom member 121 . In other embodiments (discussed below) the slits may extend partially through the thickness of the member.
[0057] As seen in FIGS. 1 through 5 , the slits in top member 120 are located in alternating, offset relation to those in bottom member 121 . Top and bottom members 120 , 121 of seaming element 100 are thus evenly divided into a plurality of compliant tabs 111 located between and separated and defined by the slits 110 . In this embodiment, slits 110 are aligned with the centre of every second aperture 152 in each of top and bottom members 120 , 121 , as shown more clearly in FIG. 4 . It should be noted that the slits may be aligned away from the centre of the aperture in other embodiments. Thus, every tab 111 has a width equal to the distance between two apertures 152 and two protrusions 150 , as is shown more clearly in FIG. 2 .
[0058] FIG. 2 is a top view of top member 120 of seaming element 100 , showing slits 110 a and compliant tabs 111 a ( FIG. 3 ). In FIGS. 2-5 , the tabs and slits of the upper member are denoted by ‘a’, while those of the lower member are denoted by ‘b’. Slits 110 a are regularly spaced apart from each other, are each of the same length, and each is located to be aligned with every second aperture 152 in element 100 .
[0059] FIG. 3 is a rear view of seaming element 100 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , taken towards trailing edge 128 and showing slits 110 a in top member 120 arranged in staggered relation to corresponding slits 110 b in bottom member 121 . Slits 110 a and 110 b provide compliant tabs 111 a and 111 b in each of top and bottom members 120 , 121 . An enlarged area of part of seaming element 100 is shown in greater detail in FIG. 4 .
[0060] FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial rear view of seaming element 100 as shown in FIG. 3 , showing tabs 111 a in top member 120 and 111 b in bottom member 121 . Between top member 120 and bottom member 121 , are protrusions 150 , located between respective ones of slits 110 a and 110 b . These slits are aligned with the centre of the respective apertures 152 .
[0061] FIG. 5 is a side view of seaming element 100 shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 , showing first lateral edge 122 , which is identical to second lateral edge 124 (see FIG. 1 ). In FIG. 5 , leading edge 126 including representative protrusion 150 , trailing edge 128 , top member 120 and bottom member 121 of seaming element 100 are shown. Seaming element 100 has a generally “U” shaped configuration when viewed from either first or second lateral edge 122 or 124 .
[0062] Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7 , FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a seaming element 200 constructed and arranged according to a second embodiment, in which like parts have the same numbering as in the first embodiment, shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 . FIG. 7 is a top view of seaming element 200 . Seaming element 200 includes top member 120 , bottom member 121 , first lateral edge 122 , second lateral edge 124 , leading edge 126 and trailing edge 128 .
[0063] In this embodiment, each of the regularly spaced slits 210 in each of top and bottom members 120 , 121 is aligned with the centre of every aperture 152 . Here, slits 210 in top member 120 are each aligned with slits 210 in bottom member 121 , thereby providing a plurality of compliant tabs 211 , in each of top and bottom members 120 , 121 . Tabs 211 each have a width equal to the total width of one aperture and one protrusion.
[0064] It is not necessary that each of the top member 120 and bottom member 121 be provided with the same pattern of slits and tabs. The slitting pattern shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 for example, may be provided to bottom member 121 while top member 120 is configured as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 . Other combinations of slitting patterns for each of top and bottom members 120 , 121 are possible, and can be selected according to various factors, such as the intended end use of the textile in which the seaming element will be used, and the materials of construction.
[0065] The slits may be provided to seaming elements having any desired configuration for the forward portion adjacent to the leading edge, and to various configurations for the top and bottom members in the region adjacent the trailing edge. Such configurations would include, but not be limited to, those of the seaming elements of the prior art discussed above.
[0066] FIG. 8 illustrates an embodiment of a seaming element ( 300 ) in which the slits ( 310 a , 310 b ) are randomly spaced along the width of the respective member ( 120 , 121 ). In FIG. 8 , like parts have the same numbering as shown in FIGS. 1 through 5 .
[0067] Therefore, compliant tabs 311 a have unequal widths; the same applies for compliant tabs 311 b . Furthermore, while slits 310 a and 310 b are aligned with the centre of selected apertures 152 , the distance between successive slits 310 a differs from that between successive slits 310 b.
[0068] FIG. 9 illustrates an embodiment of a seaming element 400 that includes partial slits ( 410 a , 410 b ) in each of the upper and lower members ( 120 , 121 ).). In FIG. 9 , like parts have the same numbering as shown in FIGS. 1 through 5 . Slits 310 a and 310 b extend part way through the thickness of the respective members 120 and 121 . Such partial slits allow for any of the compliant tabs 411 a , 411 b to become detached from those adjacent so as to follow the surface contours of the textile to which the seaming element is attached. As in the other embodiments, the compliant tabs ensure intimate contact between the textile surface and the seaming element during a TTLW process.
[0069] While partial slits 410 a are in an alternating offset relation to partial slits 410 b , and are aligned with the center of every second aperture 152 , it is understood that the placement of the partial slits can take on any regular pattern or randomized placement as previously described.
[0070] FIG. 10 shows an embodiment of a seaming element ( 500 ) in which the slits 510 a are provided on only one member ( 120 ) of the element. Seaming element 500 includes a plurality of regularly spaced longitudinal slits 510 a arranged perpendicularly to the trailing edge of the seaming element and along top member 120 . As with the previous embodiments, slits 510 a can have a regular pattern across the width of the element, or can be placed randomly. In addition, slits 510 a may be partial (as shown in FIG. 9 ). Bottom member 121 does not contain any slits.
[0071] FIGS. 11 to 14 illustrate another embodiment of a seaming element 800 which has an edge region 25 a in top member 820 , and corresponding edge region 25 b (shown in FIG. 14 ) in bottom member 821 . Edge regions 25 a , 25 b are located in opposed parallel relation so that ridge regions 30 a , 30 b formed between shoulders 35 a , 36 a , and 35 b , 36 b respectively are located directly above one another in seaming element 800 .
[0072] Seaming element 800 includes top member 820 , bottom member 821 , first lateral edge 822 , second lateral edge 824 (see FIG. 12 ), leading edge 826 and trailing edge 828 . Seaming element 800 further includes along leading edge 826 a plurality of protrusions 150 between which are located apertures 152 , to provide for the joining of opposing pairs of seaming elements in the manner described above in relation to the previous embodiments.
[0073] In this embodiment, seaming element 800 includes a plurality of regularly spaced longitudinal slits 810 arranged perpendicularly to trailing edge 828 and provided to top member 820 and bottom member 821 . Slits 810 extend from trailing edge 828 inwards through edge region 25 a (and corresponding edge region 25 b on bottom member 821 , shown in FIG. 14 ) a selected distance towards leading edge 826 , which distance extends through shoulders 36 a , 36 b . Slits 810 in top member 820 extend through the thickness of the respective one of top member 820 and bottom member 821 , and slits 810 in top member 120 are located in alternating, offset relation to those in bottom member 821 . Top and bottom members 820 , 821 of seaming element 800 are thus evenly divided into a plurality of compliant tabs 811 located between each slit 810 , which are aligned with the centre of every second aperture 152 on each of top and bottom members 820 , 821 , as is shown most clearly in FIG. 12 . Tabs 811 thus have a width equal to the distance between two apertures 152 and two protrusions 150 .
[0074] FIG. 12 is a top view of top member 820 of seaming element 800 , showing slits 810 and compliant tabs 811 . Top member 820 includes shoulders 35 a , 36 a located on either side of ridge region 30 a , and is shaped so as to be essentially identical to bottom member 821 except that slits 810 are located in offset relation to corresponding slits 810 in bottom member 821 . Slits 810 are regularly spaced from each other, are each of the same length, and each is aligned with every second aperture 152 in seaming element 800 .
[0075] FIG. 13 is a rear view of seaming element 800 shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 , taken towards trailing edge 828 and showing slits 810 in each of top member 820 and bottom member 821 , slits 810 in top member 820 being offset in relation to corresponding slits 810 in bottom member 821 , to provide compliant tabs 811 in each of top and bottom members 820 , 821 .
[0076] FIG. 14 is an end view of seaming element 800 , showing first lateral edge 822 , and second lateral edge 124 (see FIG. 11 ). In FIG. 14 , leading edge 826 including representative protrusion 150 , trailing edge 828 , and top and bottom members 820 and 821 including regions 25 a and 25 b are shown. Seaming element 800 has a generally “U” shaped configuration when viewed from either first or second edge 822 or 824 and includes shoulders 35 a , 35 b , 36 a and 36 b and ridge regions 30 a and 30 b.
[0077] Independent variations of the positioning, depth and orientation of the slits is shown schematically in FIG. 15 , in which a seaming element ( 860 ) having protrusions ( 150 ) and apertures ( 152 ) may have various combinations of slit orientations and arrangements in the upper and/or lower member ( 120 , 121 ). The slit arrangements, as depicted by S 1 and/or S 2 may have the following independent features: the slit arrangements may be perpendicular to the leading edge, slanted, or have other orientations; may extend partially through the respective member, or extend fully through; may have regular or randomized spacing along the breadth of the member; and may be aligned centrally with selected apertures, or aligned in a position away from the central portion of selected apertures. Where slits are placed on both upper and lower members, the slit arrangement as depicted by S 1 may be independent of that depicted by S 2 . Alternatively S 1 and S 2 may be coordinated in any manner. For example, the arrangements S 1 and S 2 may be identical, or the slit arrangements may be offset relative to each other.
[0078] FIG. 16 is a schematic perspective representation of a seaming element 100 , during a roller type TTLW operation, during which a roller head R of a laser welding tool ( 875 ) is passed over tabs 111 in sequence under pressure. FIG. 16 shows the compliancy of the tabs 111 due to the slits 110 in the element. This compliancy assures, to the greatest extent possible, an intimate contact between the surfaces of the tabs and the fabric to which the seaming element is to be welded in, for example a through transmission laser welding process. The roller type laser operation shown in FIG. 16 applies to other variations of the seaming element, as shown, for example, in FIGS. 6 through 14 .
[0079] FIG. 17 a shows a seaming element 910 without any compliant tabs or slits, which has been attached in an earlier bonding or TTLW process to a first seamable end of an industrial textile 900 . Following attachment to the textile 900 , slits 110 are placed onto the seaming element 910 . Laser tool 920 (which is different from that used in a TTLW process) can be used to cut slits 110 in one or both members of the seaming element. The laser tool 920 can be, for example a CO 2 laser. The process is carried out as follows: the textile 900 and attached seaming element 910 are laid flat; the laser tool 920 is brought into position and adjusted to cut one or more slits 110 of desired thickness through the surface of one or both members of the seaming element. The laser tool 920 can be adjusted such that the slit 910 extends either partway, or completely through the surface of the seaming element. The position of the slits 110 can be made regular or randomized in the manner previously described. After the desired number of slits have been cut into one surface of the element, if desired, both the seaming element and the textile to which it is attached are turned over and the cutting process is repeated on the second surface. In this manner, the seaming element can be provided with a plurality of compliant tabs on one or both members.
[0080] Where the textile 900 is nonwoven (for example, a film), the slits 110 can extend completely through both the seaming element 910 and textile 900 . In this case, there is no need to turn over the assembled seaming element and film in order to make slits on the second member. As with the nonwoven textile, the position of the slits 110 can be made regular or randomized in the manner previously described.
[0081] Slitting the seaming element 910 following its attachment to the seamable edge of a textile 900 will not affect its compliancy. However, it will change the fracture mechanics and stress distribution of the bonded/welded area, particularly when attached to a nonwoven film type textile. This is because the slits imparted to both the element 910 and the nonwoven textile 900 will cause applied stresses to be distributed in a manner somewhat similar to that found in a comparable weld or bond onto a woven structure. By slitting both the seaming element 910 and a nonwoven textile material 900 following bonding, the resulting join is now able to distribute stress over a plurality of discrete fabric components, rather than a continuous sheet or film, and may thus evidence a higher strength and improved durability.
CONCLUSION
[0082] The foregoing has constituted a description of specific embodiments showing how the device may be applied and put into use. These embodiments are only exemplary. The device in its broadest, and more specific aspects, is further described and defined in the claims which now follow. | Disclosed herein is a seaming element for attachment to an industrial textile. The industrial textile has opposed first and second seamable edge regions, while the seaming element has: i) a first lateral edge; ii) a second lateral edge; iii) a trailing edge; iv) a forward portion comprising a plurality of protruding seaming with successive loops spaced apart by an aperture, and v) a rearward portion continuous with the forward portion, with the rearward portion comprising an upper member and a lower member. The upper and lower members are substantially planar and have mutually opposed inner surfaces, with a portion of each inner surface bonded to the industrial textile at a selected one of the first and second seamable edge regions. At least one of the upper and lower member comprises one or more slits between the first lateral edge and the second lateral edge, with the one or more slits extending from the respective trailing edge in a direction towards the forward portion of the seaming element. | 5 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for sensing the completion of removal of an oxide layer from a semiconductor substrate in real time, by thermal etching, in which the time of removal of the oxide layer from the semiconductor substrate can be accurately sensed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally, in manufacturing a semiconductor substrate, the greatest concern of researchers is the quality of the grown heterostructures, and there are many factors considered when determining the quality of the heterostructures.
The factors considered are the growing method, the materials used, the purity of the gas, the quality of the substrate, the thickness of the grown layer, and the capability of adjusting the composition. If any one of the above cited factors is faulty, the quality of the epitaxial layer is aggravated, and this in turn becomes a fatal cause in the deterioration of the performance of the device.
As to the quality of the substrate, the most significant factor is any defect existing on the surface of the substrate. Particularly, in assessing the quality of the tiny epitaxial layer utilizing an nm scale, the existence of defects on the surface of the substrate can lead to a serious adverse result.
Owing to the efforts of many substrate makers, considerably high quality substrates are being produced. Some of the high quality substrates are directly proceeded to a growth procedure without carrying out any pre-treatment. However, in such a process, the cost is high, mass production thereof has not been realized, and it is only in an experimental stage. Further, there is room for the growth of a surface oxide layer at any time.
In most cases, the substrates which are used for the growth process are subjected to pre-treatments, and the treating method includes an etching using chemicals. Recently, in accordance with the improvement of the substrate quality, the chemical treatment is skipped, and instead, a high temperature thermal etching is used prior to carrying out the growth.
Such test piece pre-treating procedure is aimed at removing the oxide layer which exists on the surface of the substrate. If the growth is carried out in a state in which the oxide layer remains, then the oxide layer, the substrate and the epitaxial layer are composed of physically and chemically different materials. Therefore, during the formation of devices, the desired controls cannot be carried out. Further, due to the difference in the lattice structure, three-dimensional defects are produced, with the result being that the quality of the epitaxial layer itself can be aggravated.
The oxide layer of the substrate necessarily exists by being formed at the normal temperature in the atmosphere based on the thermodynamic principle. No matter how superior quality substrate is produced, it is almost impossible for the device maker to store the substrate without causing the formation of an oxide layer until the substrate is subjected to an epitaxial layer growth. Therefore, the substrate should be subjected to removal of the oxide layer by any means.
In the conventional technique, prior to growing the epitaxial layer, foreign materials and the oxide layer are removed from the surface of the substrate by applying a wet etching process using chemicals.
The well-known chemicals which are used for etching the foreign materials and the oxide layer includes a sulfuric acid solution and a chloric acid solution. However, they have to be properly selected in accordance with the substrate kind or type. Further, due to the low level of the purity of the etching solution, the substrate was often contaminated.
However, recently, the quality of the substrates has been markedly improved, and therefore, the etching process processed using chemicals is now almost never used. Instead, the oxide layer is removed immediately before the growth of the epitaxial layer by applying a thermal etching process.
At the present level of the technical development, the apparatuses which attract the most attention as devices for growing an epitaxial layer on semiconductors, super conductors and the like, are the molecular beam epitaxy (to be called "MBE" below) and MOCVD. The MBE method was known to be used as an oxide layer removal method using a thermal etching from its initial development stage.
In the MBE method, the interior of the growing chamber forms a high vacuum of below 10 -9 torr, and therefore, a real time analysis using electron beams is possible. Characteristic of this method, there is the reflection high energy diffraction method (to be called "RHEED" below).
According to this analyzing method, a semiconductor substrate is placed within a growing chamber and is heated to a high temperature. Then electron beams are increasingly irradiated to the substrate, and then, the shape of the reflected beams appears on a detector which is installed at the opposite side. The shape of the electron beams is as follows. That is, at the initial thermal etching stage, the shape of the reflected electron beams is a dispersed reflection. At an intermediate stage, it is an amorphous ring pattern, and at the final stage when the oxide layer almost has been removed, it is a spot pattern.
When the RHEED method is used, the completion of the oxide layer is detected within several scores of seconds. The reason the oxide layer is removed so fast is as follows. That is, the interior of the growing chamber has a high vacuum, and therefore, the removal of the oxide layer occurs so fast owing to the pressure equilibrium.
Meanwhile, as to the MOCVD method, the pressure within the growing chamber is as high as 20 torr. Therefore, it is known that a real time analysis on the phenomenon within the growing chamber is impossible. A thermal etching method is applied, but this is mostly based on experience. Further, the etching conditions are diverse depending on the storing state of the substrate, and therefore, much time loss is caused.
Further, both the MBE method and the MOCVD method have advantages and disadvantages depending on the growing stock and structure. The MOCVD method requires that the etching completion time for the oxide layer be detected with real time, but the real time analysis is impossible in the MOCVD method as described above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is intended to overcome the above described disadvantages of the conventional techniques.
Therefore it is the object of the present invention to provide a method for sensing the completion of removal of an oxide layer from a semiconductor substrate in real time, in which the completion of the removal of a natural oxide layer and an oxide layer grown during the process is accurately detected in real time.
In achieving the above object, the present invention is characterized as follows. By using a real time reflectance measuring device utilizing a laser attached to an MOCVD growing equipment, the completion of the removal of the oxide layer is detected in real time. The real time reflectance measuring device is originally intended to detect the growth rate of an epitaxial layer on the substrate, but the present invention utilizes this device for detecting the etching rate of the oxide layer which is being removed from the substrate. Thus according to the present invention, even in the MOCVD (metal-organic chemical vapor deposition) method, the thermal etching process is sensed prior to the step of growing the epitaxial layer, so that optimum thermal etching conditions can be read.
In the present invention, a semiconductor substrate with an oxide layer formed thereon is placed within a growing chamber. Then an oxide layer etching gas is injected in a state with heat applied to the substrate. At the same time, laser beams are irradiated on the substrate, and the period of the reflectance of the reflected laser beams reflected from the substrate is analyzed, thereby detecting the completion of the etching of oxide layer.
In the present invention, there is used a real time laser reflecting apparatus. At a high temperature, the periodical variation amounts of the signals due to the interferences of the reflected laser signals related to the etching rate of the oxide layer are measured. Thus the relative etching rate is elicited, and the time of the completion of removal of the oxide layer is immediately determined.
In the present invention, when the oxide layer which is different from the substrate in its reflectance is thermally etched, and when the thickness of the oxide layer is reduced, the reflected signals of the laser beams form periodic signals. By utilizing these periods of the signals, the relative etching rate and the time of the completion of the etching are elicited
According to the present invention, regardless of the kinds and storing state of the substrate, the time of the completion of the removal of the oxide layer can be measured immediately, and therefore, time can be saved during the growing of an epitaxial layer on a semiconductor substrate.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above object and other advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail the preferred embodiment of the present invention with reference to the attached drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the present invention using a real time reflectance measuring device;
FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a GaAs oxide layer formed on a GaAs substrate; and
FIG. 3 is a graphical illustration showing the variation of the reflectance of laser beams versus the etching proceeding time for a GaAs oxide layer.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The present invention will be described in detail referring to the attached drawings.
The method for detecting the time of completion of removal of the oxide layer from a substrate by a thermal etching with real time according to the present invention will be described referring to FIGS. 1 to 3.
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the usual real time reflectance measuring device installed at the outside of an MOCVD device for showing a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
The reflectance measuring device includes: a laser device 10; a detector 20 for detecting laser beams reflected from the surface of a semiconductor substrate 130, the semiconductor substrate 130 being placed within a growing chamber of an MOCVD device; and a computer 30 for analyzing the reflectance of the laser beams input to the detector 20.
The MOCVD device is provided with glass windows 110 and 120 on opposite side walls, so that laser beams irradiated from a source external of the device would reach the surface of the semiconductor substrate 130 placed within the growing chamber 100.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a GaAs substrate 130 on which a natural oxide layer 140 is formed by being exposed to the air. The total thickness is about 0.45 mm, and on the surface of the substrate, the oxide layer 140 is formed by the atmospheric oxygen upon exposing the surface of the substrate to the air. Depending on the storage conditions, the thickness of the oxide layer 140 is usually several scores Å to several hundreds Å(lÅ=10 -7 mm).
Generally, an epitaxial layer is formed on the semiconductor substrate by applying the MOCVD method (metal organic chemical vapor deposition method). The real time reflectance measuring device is attached to the MOCVD equipment, so that the thickness and composition of the growing hetero film can be immediately known.
In the embodiment of the present invention, first the semiconductor substrate 130 of FIG. 2 on which the oxide layer 140 has been formed is placed within an epitaxy equipment. For example, the semiconductor substrate is placed within the growing chamber 100 of the MOCVD equipment of FIG. 1. Then a gas for etching the oxide layer is injected into the growing chamber 100, and at the same time, the temperature is raised. Then the laser device 10 of the real time reflectance measuring device irradiates helium-neon laser beams onto the surface of the semiconductor substrate 130. The laser beams which are reflected from the surface of the semiconductor substrate 130 are detected by the optical detector 20. Then the time rate of reflectance which is detected by the optical detector 20 is analyzed by the computer 30, thereby determining the reflectance.
Under this condition, the growing chamber 100 is a space in which a semiconductor hetero film grows. A vacuum of about 20 torr is maintained in the growing chamber 100 in which a heat source is installed for raising the temperature of the atmosphere up to 1000° C.
Not all of the laser beams are reflected from the surface of the oxide layer 140 of the semiconductor substrate 130, but a part of the laser beams is refracted or passed through to reach the semiconductor substrate 130 so as to be reflected from the surface of the semiconductor substrate 130. If there is no phase difference between the reflected wave of the oxide layer 140 and that of the semiconductor substrate, then there occurs a reinforcing interference, and the intensity of the laser beams reflected from the surface of the semiconductor substrate 130. is maximized. When the two reflected laser beams have a phase difference of 90°, an offset interference occurs, with the result that the intensity of the reflected beams is minimized.
However, when the refractive indices of the semiconductor substrate 130 and the oxide layer 140 are different from each other, the above described phenomenon occurs. Actually the substrate and the oxide layer have mutually different optical characteristics in most cases, and therefore, the refraction indices are also different.
Further, when the thickness of the oxide layer 140 is constant, the phase difference is also constant, and therefore the variations of signals cannot be detected. However, in the present invention, the oxide layer is etched by the thermal etching along the time axis, and therefore, the thickness of the oxide layer is varied with the elapsing of time. Therefore, the reflected signals of the laser beams will form a curve along the time axis.
FIG. 3 is a graphical illustration showing the variation of the reflected signals versus time, this graph having been obtained through an experiment. In FIG.3, the lateral axis represents time in which the etching is carried out within the growing chamber. The longitudinal axis represents the relative intensity of the reflectance of the reflected signals as recorded in the detector 20.
The thermal etching was carried out at 850° C. An interval I (from a point A) of FIG. 3 shows signals which have appeared in the procedure of raising the temperature to 850° C. In an interval II (from a point B), the temperature is constantly maintained after reaching 850° C. In interval I, the signals of the thermal etching which appear in accordance with the rise of the temperature are overlapped with the gradually increasing radiant heat, and therefore, an analysis is difficult. However, from interval II, only the reduction of the thickness due to the etching of the oxide layer 140 influences the interference signals, and therefore, it can be analyzed in a simple manner.
That is, the period of the reflected signals is related to the etching rate G as shown in the following formula. ##EQU1## where Tp is the time corresponding to one period of the reflected signals, L is the wave length of the laser beams, and n is the effective refractive index of the oxide layer 140.
If the above formula is utilized, the etching rate of the oxide layer 140 can be calculated. Seeing that the period corresponding to CD of FIG. 3 is larger than the period of BC, it can be determined that the etching rate is decreased with the elapsing of time.
Meanwhile, the periodicity almost has disappeared at E, and this means that the oxide layer 140 almost completely has been removed. Before the whole oxide layer has been removed, there elapses a considerable time period. In the MBE method, the elapsing time is several scores of seconds, whereas much more time elapses in the MOCVD method. This is determined to be due to the high pressure of the MOCVD growing chamber.
Meanwhile, the same experiment is repeated after lowering the temperature to 700° C. In this experiment, the signal period is increased by 25%, and this means that the etching rate decreases so much.
According to the present invention as described above, there is solved the conventional problem that time loss is very much due to the empirical search of the optimum conditions during the removal of the oxide layer by the thermal etching. In the present invention, the oxide layer removal completion time can be known at once, and therefore, savings of time and money can be realized.
Further, Conventionally, the oxide layer was treated with different chemicals depending on the substrate type or kind during the thermal etching. However, in the present invention, regardless of the kinds of the substrate, the oxide layer is removed by inserting the substrate into a growing chamber.
Many different embodiments of the present invention may be constructed without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described in this specification. To the contrary, the present invention is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the claims. | A method for sensing the completion of removal of an oxide layer from a semiconductor substrate or a super conductor by a thermal etching in real time. In the method, the time of removal of the oxide layer on the semiconductor substrate or the super conductor can ben accurately sensed. According to the method, when an oxide layer which is different from the semiconductor substrate in the refractive index is being thermally etched at a high temperature, the reflected signals of the laser beams forms a periodicity, and this periodicity is utilized so as to determine the etching rate and the time of the completion of the etching. | 6 |
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a national stage application under 35 USC 371 of PCT Application No. PCT/EP2014/068161 having an international filing date of Aug. 27, 2014, which is designated in the United States and which claimed the benefit of GB Patent Application No. 1316439.7 filed on Sep. 16, 2013, the entire disclosures each are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates to a hybrid fuel injection equipment enabling energy recuperation when in foot-off mode.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Diesel fuel injection equipment, such as common rail system, equip all modern diesel engines. In these systems, an electric pump sucks the fuel from the fuel tank and sends it to a high pressure pump then, to the common rail that feeds all injectors. The high pressure pump is typically driven by the engine crankshaft and its inlet and outlet are controlled by valves. When the engine is requested to accelerate, in a so-called “foot-on” mode, the pressure inside the common rail is at its highest level and, to the opposite, when the engine decelerates, in “foot-off” mode the fuel is injected at a much lower pressure. Consequently the pressure in the rail raises and decreases quickly and often. The decrease of the pressure is normally done by opening a high pressure valve letting the fuel at high pressure return to the fuel tank. The energy spent to pressurise this fuel is then lost.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a fuel injection equipment for an internal combustion engine. The equipment is piloted by a central electronic unit and it comprises a piloted low pressure pump drawing the fuel from a low pressure tank and sending the fuel toward a piloted inlet valve. Said piloted inlet valve pilots the inlet of a high pressure pump which pressurises the fuel and sends it pressurised toward a manifold, to which is connected at least one injector. The equipment further comprises a high pressure accumulator means, distinct from the manifold, and a piloted high pressure valve arranged in fluid communication between the outlet of the high pressure pump and the manifold, so that the high pressure accumulator means stores and delivers pressurised fuel to the manifold.
[0005] The low pressure pump is an electric pump only driven when the pressure inside the accumulator falls below a predetermined threshold.
[0006] Alternatively the low pressure pump can be a mechanical pump permanently driven, a bypass channel controlled by a piloted valve being arranged to enable or prevent the fuel to enter said mechanical pump.
[0007] In a further alternative, the mechanical pump may be provided with a switchable means, such as a piloted clutch, enabling to disengage the pump from its driving means.
[0008] According to an embodiment, the manifold is a common rail feeding in parallel a plurality of injectors. The equipment further comprises a second high pressure valve arranged on the rail and provided with a return low pressure line leading to the tank.
[0009] Also, the equipment further comprises a one-way valve arranged between the high pressure pump and the accumulator, said one-way valve forbidding the fuel pressurised in the accumulator to flow back to the high pressure pump when the high pressure pump is stopped.
[0010] The equipment further comprises a bypass channel connecting directly the high pressure pump to the manifold. A control valve normally closed arranged in said bypass channel, said control valve solely opening when the pressure of the fuel needed in the manifold, is superior to the pressure of the fuel in the accumulator means, for instance at cold start.
[0011] The invention is also related to an engine management control process for controlling fuel injection equipment as described in the prior paragraphs. The process comprises the step of entering an energy saving mode by stopping the low pressure pump when the accumulator pressure is superior to a pressure threshold. Then, the accumulator means delivers the necessary fuel at the necessary pressure to the injectors. The threshold can either be constant or fixed and predetermined or, can be variable and constantly adapted as being the pressure at which the fuel must be injected.
[0012] Furthermore, the energy saving mode comprises the step of:
determining the operation mode of the engine and, if the engine operates on “foot-off” mode and comparing the accumulator pressure to the threshold.
[0014] Also, the process exits the energy saving mode by actuating the low pressure pump if the accumulator pressure falls below the threshold. In the particular case of a variable threshold, the low pressure pump could be actuated when the decreasing accumulator pressure approached too closely the pressure at which the fuel must be injected.
[0015] The process further comprises the step of running the low pressure pump so the accumulator means builds-up in pressure if at the determining step the operation mode of the engine is identified as “foot-on” and if the accumulator pressure is inferior to the pressure demanded for the injection.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] The present invention is now described by way of example with reference to the accompanying figures.
[0017] FIG. 1 is a first embodiment of the fuel injection equipment as per the invention.
[0018] FIG. 2 is a second embodiment of a fuel injection equipment as per the invention.
[0019] FIG. 3 is a process of operation of the fuel injection equipment.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0020] In the following description, similar elements will be designated with the same numeral reference.
[0021] FIG. 1 is a representation of a first embodiment of a fuel injection equipment (FIE) 10 wherein fuel circulates from a tank 12 to the combustion chambers 14 of an internal combustion engine. Described in following the fuel flow, the FIE 10 comprises the low pressure tank 12 where fuel is sucked by a low pressure electric pump 16 and sent at a low pressure, approximately three to five bars, through a filter 18 then toward a piloted inlet valve 20 that controls the inlet of a high pressure pump unit 22 . In the high pressure pump 22 the fuel is highly pressurised, at several hundred bars, and is then sent to a high pressure accumulator means 24 . Said accumulator means 24 may for instance be a reservoir internally divided by a soft membrane. The pressurized fuel fills one side while a pressurised gas fills the other side of the membrane. Multiple alternatives can be imagined for such accumulator 24 . The pressure of the fuel inside the accumulator means 24 is monitored by a pressure sensor 26 . The outlet of the accumulator means 24 is controlled by a piloted high pressure valve 28 that opens into a manifold 30 distributing the fuel to the injectors 32 . In FIG. 1 four injectors are sketched but another quantity can of course be arranged. Another pressure sensor 34 monitors the pressure inside the manifold 30 .
[0022] A low pressure return line 36 is arranged between all the injectors 32 and the tank 12 . In said line 36 , the fuel which has not been injected in the combustion chambers 14 returns to the low pressure tank 12 . The low pressure return line 36 comprises also a back leak pressure regulator 38 where arrives a line from the high pressure pump 22 . A fuel line 40 is arranged between the filter 18 and said return line 36 so, for instance at cold start, to quickly heat the fuel at the high pressure pump inlet 22 .
[0023] An electronic control unit 42 receives information signals from all sensors involved in the operation of the engine and, sends command signals to all piloted component for the FIE 10 of the engine.
[0024] FIG. 2 is a representation of a second embodiment of the FIE 10 . The main difference between the second embodiment and the first embodiment is that the manifold 30 is replaced by a well-known common rail 44 . Said another pressure sensor 34 now monitors the pressure inside the rail 44 and, a second high pressure valve 46 arranged on the rail 44 can be open to enable the fuel in overpressure in the rail 44 to flow back to the low pressure tank 12 via another return line.
[0025] A process 100 of operation of the FIE 10 is now described with reference to FIG. 3 . The process 100 applies to both embodiments here above described.
[0026] After starting the engine in the initial step 100 , the process comprises a first alternative step 110 where the engine condition is determined. In said alternative step 110 is especially determined whether the fuel to be injected is demanded a high pressure, the engine being on “foot-on” mode, or if no injection is required when the engine is in deceleration in “foot-off” mode. Is this description “foot-off” and “foot-on” designate the action of the driver on the throttle pedal and, the engine operation mode implied by this action. When the driver wants to accelerate, he is on “foot-on” and the fuel injected is at high pressure. To the contrary when for instance going downhill on engine brake the driver is “foot-off” and the fuel injected is at a low pressure just to maintain the engine running at idle speed.
[0027] During the first alternative step 110 if the engine condition corresponds to a “foot-off” mode then the process 100 proceeds to a second alternative step 120 . In FIG. 3 this is symbolised by the numeral “1” written close to the link between alternative steps 110 and 120 . When the engine is on foot-off mode the engine speed decreases to reach the idle speed. To maintain the idle speed and to prevent the engine from stopping and also to be ready for acceleration, fuel at low pressure is injected.
[0028] In the second alternative step 120 the actual engine speed is compared to the idle speed. If the engine speed exceeds the idle speed, link “1” then, no injection is required and the engine continues on foot-off mode and the process continues in a third alternative step 130 .
[0029] In the third alternative step 130 the accumulator pressure Pacc, measured by the pressure sensor 26 , is compared to a predetermined pressure threshold P1 memorised in the control unit 42 . The threshold P1 is chosen to be close, but slightly lower, than the maximum operational pressure Pmax of the FIE 10 . In an alternative, the threshold pressure P1 could be the maximum operational pressure Pmax of the FIE 10 . Distinguishing both pressures P1 and Pmax enables a range within which the accumulator pressure can evolve. If the accumulator pressure Pacc is smaller than the threshold P1 than the process 100 interprets that the accumulator pressure Pacc is insufficient than it proceeds to step 140 , link “1”. In step 140 the control unit 42 sends running command signals to the low pressure pump 16 and to the inlet piloted valve 20 which consequently enable fuel to be sucked from the tank 12 and directed to the high pressure pump 22 , then to the accumulator means 24 and, consequently the accumulator pressure Pacc raises. This running command signal is sent as long as the accumulator pressure Pacc is inferior the threshold P1. In FIG. 3 this is symbolized by the loop between the steps 130 and 140 .
[0030] As this happens in “foot-off” mode, there is no injection and the first and second high pressure valves 28 , 46 , and the injectors 32 are closed.
[0031] To the contrary, while still being in “foot-off” mode, if during the third alternative step 130 , the accumulator pressure Pacc is measured equal or superior to the threshold P1, the control unit 42 sends turn off signals to the low pressure pump 16 and to the piloted valve 20 saving the energy normally utilized by the pump 16 . From the third alternative step 130 , the process proceeds, link “0”, back to the first alternative step 110 .
[0032] The mode here above described is an energy saving mode ESM wherein the low pressure pump 26 is stopped when the accumulator pressure Pacc is sufficient. In this case, the process 100 follows a loop between steps 110 , 120 , 130 .
[0033] To the contrary, if the accumulator pressure Pacc is insufficient, the low pressure pump 26 is actuated, process 100 adding a loop between the steps 130 - 140 , until the accumulator pressure Pacc reaches the threshold P1 and, at that point process 100 returns to step 110 .
[0034] In the above paragraphs, the threshold P is described fixed, constant and predetermined. It is memorized in the control unit 42 .
[0035] Alternatively, the threshold P can be variable and equal to the pressure demanded Pdem by the injectors. As long as the accumulator pressure Pacc is sufficient to deliver said demanded pressure Pdem, the process remains in the energy saving mode ESM.
[0036] During the first alternative step 110 if the engine condition corresponds to a “foot-on” mode, to the contrary of the preceding paragraphs, then process 100 , step 110 —link “0”, proceeds to a fourth alternative step 150 where the pressure demanded Pdem for injection is compared to the accumulator pressure Pacc.
[0037] In the fourth alternative step 150 , if the pressure demanded Pdem is inferior to the accumulator pressure Pacc then,—link “1”, the process 100 proceeds to a step 170 where an opening signal is send to the high pressure valve 28 that controls the outlet of the accumulator means 24 therefore flowing high pressure fuel toward the injectors 32 and proceeding to an injection event in step 200 .
[0038] If, to the contrary the pressure demanded Pdem is superior to the accumulator pressure Pacc then, link “0”, the process 100 proceeds to a step 160 where the control unit 42 sends running command signals to the low pressure electric pump 16 and to the inlet piloted valve 20 and, consequently, fuel is sucked from the tank 12 and is directed to the high pressure pump 22 then to the injectors 32 via the accumulator means 24 .
[0039] Summarizing the “foot-on” mode, in reference to FIG. 3 , the process 100 follows the steps 110 , 150 and, if the accumulator pressure Pacc is sufficient the process stops actuating the low pressure pump 26 entering the energy saving mode ESM. The fuel inside the accumulator means 24 is then released— 170 —toward the injector to proceed to an injection event— 200 .
[0040] To the contrary, if the accumulator pressure Pacc is too low than— 160 —the low pressure pump 26 is actuated and fuel is sucked from the tank and pressurized prior to be sent to the injectors to proceed to an injection— 200 .
[0041] In an alternative embodiment not represented the low pressure pump 16 , which was previously described as an electric pump, can be replaced by a mechanical pump. Furthermore, it can be mechanically integrated with the high pressure pump and directly driven by the engine.
[0042] In this mechanical alternative, the low pressure pump cannot be stopped in foot-off mode, as previously described, but its energy consumption is important only when fuel is sucked. To provide the energy saving mode ESM and similar advantageous results, a fluid bypass controlled by a piloted valve can be arranged around the mechanical low pressure pump. Therefore, when the bypass is closed and the fuel is normally sucked from the tank and sent to the high pressure pump and, in ESM mode, the bypass is open and no fuel is sucked, the mechanical pump rotates in consuming a minimum energy. Instead of a bypass channel, the mechanical pump can be provided with a piloted clutch that would couple or de-couple the pump from its driven means. | A fuel injection equipment for an internal combustion engine is piloted by a central electronic unit, the equipment includes a piloted low pressure pump drawing the fuel from a low pressure tank and sending the fuel toward a piloted inlet valve controlling the inlet of a high pressure pump which pressurises the fuel and sends it pressurised toward a manifold to which is connected at least one injector. The equipment also includes a high pressure accumulator, distinct from the manifold, and a piloted high pressure valve in fluid communication between the outlet of the high pressure pump and the manifold so that the high pressure accumulator stores and delivers pressurised fuel to the manifold. | 5 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention concerns a concrete forming panel used as a temporary forming material for the application of fluid cementations material thereagainst to provide for its form after hardening. More particularly, it is concerned with a concrete forming panel which includes a reinforcement for the face sheet which reduces the overall weight of the panel by the configuration and placement of the reinforcement.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] Concrete is typically poured into forms which permit the concrete to set in a desired shape or configuration. The forms are then removed, leaving the solidified concrete to form a structural member, such as a wall or the like. In small construction jobs, plywood may be used as the form and supported by wood studs until the concrete hardens into the desired shape. Such forming practices are well known but not particularly economical when a builder must repeatedly form similar walls during a series of construction projects.
[0005] For this reason, reusable concrete forming panels of metal have been developed which may be positioned and held together to provide a concrete forming wall with a central cavity. Such known forming panels include those shown in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,708,315, 4,958,800, 5,058,855, 5,184,439, and 5,965,053, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. Aluminum forming panel systems provide faster construction set up than standard steel and plywood systems, are lighter in weight, and typically leave a smooth wall surface which is better looking than other construction form systems.
[0006] Such aluminum forming panels must be relatively rigid and of sufficient strength to resist deformation due to the weight of the concrete bearing against the face sheet. Existing aluminum forming panels employ a frame and a face sheet which utilize a number of channels in the form of generally unshaped “hats” and stiffeners to minimize the bending or other deformation of the face sheet. However, such channels and stiffners have heretofore added significant weight to the forms, and moreover have provided reinforcement along only substantially linear stretches across and along the back of the face sheet. While effective, the necessary material adds expense and weight to the forming panel, making handling more difficult.
[0007] There has thus developed a need for a forming panel useful in many environments which includes is lighter in weight but remains relatively stiff while more efficiently using material in the face sheet stiffening members than past forming panels.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] These objects have largely been achieved by the lightweight concrete forming panels with face sheet reinforcement in accordance with the present invention. That is to say, the present invention permits the use of reusable metal forming panels with a more efficient use of the face sheet stiffening members than those of the prior art, and which more effectively distributes the loads placed on the face sheet. By providing reinforcing members which distribute the load transversely to the longitudinal axis of the reinforcement members, more efficient use of material and more effective face sheet reinforcement may be achieved.
[0009] In greater detail, the forming panels of the present invention include a frame and a face sheet, both preferably primarily of aluminum. As used herein, “aluminum” is intended to refer to both elemental aluminum and alloys wherein the primary constituent is aluminum. The face sheet is a relatively thin sheet of aluminum, and the frame includes at least one rail and at least one reinforcing member extending across the back side of the face sheet. The reinforcing member is elongated having a longitudinal axis and is advantageously provided with braces extending transversely therefrom. The braces are either formed from the reinforcing member by cutting and bending the reinforcing member, or alternatively by separate braces of metal, preferably aluminum, extending transversely from the longitudinal axis. Such separate braces include both linear members such as bars, or alternatively arcuate or polygonal shaped braces which are positioned to bear against the reinforcing members. The reinforcing members have openings to permit such separate braces to pass therethrough, the reinforcing members acting as a fulcrum to permit limited pivoting movement of the braces. Such movement is helpful to allow limited flexing of the face sheet as poured concrete rises against the opposite side of the face sheet
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] [0010]FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, rear perspective view of a forming panel of the present invention showing the face sheet and the frame with reinforcing members having a plurality of openings therealong and alternating flanges formed from the material bent to provide the openings;
[0011] [0011]FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view taken along line 2 - 2 of FIG. 1 showing a T-shaped reinforcing member with alternating flanges welded to the back side of the face sheet;
[0012] [0012]FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary horizontal cross-sectional view taken along line 3 - 3 of FIG. 2 showing the configuration of the openings formed by bending the flanges;
[0013] [0013]FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, rear perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the forming panel of the present invention, showing reinforcing members having bracing elements with flanges extending both vertically and horizontally across the back side of the face sheet;
[0014] [0014]FIG. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view taken along line 5 - 5 of FIG. 4 showing the arrangement of the bracing elements on the intersecting reinforcing members;
[0015] [0015]FIG. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary horizontal cross-sectional view taken along line 6 - 6 of FIG. 4 showing the arrangement of the bracing elements on the intersecting reinforcing member;
[0016] [0016]FIG. 7 is an fragmentary, rear perspective view of a second alternate embodiment of a forming panel in accordance with the present invention, wherein the bracing elements are provided as loops passing through openings of the reinforcing members;
[0017] [0017]FIG. 8 is an enlarged, fragmentary horizontal cross-sectional view taken along line 8 - 8 of FIG. 7 showing the attachment of the bracing elements to the reinforcing members extending across the back side of the face sheet;
[0018] [0018]FIG. 9 is an enlarged, fragmentary rear elevational view showing the bracing elements of FIG. 7 attached by welding beads to the back side of the face sheet and the reinforcing members;
[0019] [0019]FIG. 10 is a rear perspective view of a third embodiment of the forming panel of the present invention including bracing elements provided as elongated bars extending transversely to and passing through openings of the reinforcing members, the bars being held by the end rails.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0020] Referring now to the drawing, a lightweight concrete forming panel 10 in accordance with the present invention broadly includes a face sheet 12 and a frame 14 . The face sheet is relatively thin, usually between about 0.090 and 0.125 inches in thickness, and includes a front side 16 against which concrete is poured for forming and hardening and a back side 18 . The frame 14 includes at least one rail, as where the frame is circular, oval or otherwise of a continuous arcuate shape, but more typically includes a pair of elongated, parallel, spaced-apart side rails 20 and 22 , and a pair of elongated, parallel, spaced-apart end rails 24 and 26 (as best seen in FIG. 10) which are joined together at their respective ends by welding or mechanical fasteners to form the shape of a polygonal, typically rectangular, frame 14 as shown in the drawings. The face sheet 12 is of a shape complemental to and attached with the back side 18 of the face sheet 12 welded or otherwise secured to the front edges of the rails. The frame 14 , and both the face sheet and the frame are preferably provided of metal. One example of the primary material used in the metal forming panel 10 hereof is aluminum and its alloys, such as ASTM 6061 T-6 aluminum. The frame 14 further includes reinforcing members 28 which extend across the back side 18 of the face sheet to provide a degree of rigidity and prevent deformation of the face sheet 12 .
[0021] In greater detail, the side rails 20 and 22 and the end rails 24 and 26 are cast or extruded into elongated members which have relatively little material included therein, such as extruded members with hollow channels or solid members of about the same thickness as the face sheet, they may be provided with a front edge 30 and a bend 32 proximate the rear edge 34 . The bend 32 helps to resist deformation due to impact and loads placed on the face sheet and the rails. The bend 32 , or similarly openings in a hollow rail, also enable the rails to help retain the reinforcing members 28 in position.
[0022] The reinforcing members 28 are preferably elongated to span the distance between spaced-apart rails and have a first leg 34 which extends generally perpendicular to the face sheet 12 and a second leg 36 angularly oriented relative to the first leg. A plurality of reinforcing members 28 may be provided, preferably in spaced relationship as shown in FIGS. 1, 4, 7 and 10 . The reinforcing members may be generally positioned to extend between the side rails 20 and 22 , but may also be oriented in intersecting relationship as shown in FIG. 4 so that they may extend alternatively, or only, in a generally perpendicular orientation to the end rails 24 and 26 . The second leg 36 is preferably substantially parallel to the face sheet 12 whereby the reinforcing member 28 is generally T-shaped or L-shaped in cross-section. The first leg 34 has a front edge 38 which engages or lies immediately proximate the back side 18 of the face sheet 12 , and may be welded thereto or alternatively not fastened to the back side 18 . The first leg 26 includes a plurality of openings 40 spaced across its length, as shown in FIGS. 1, 3, 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 and 10 . The openings 40 are positioned at the front edge 38 of the first leg 36 .
[0023] A plurality of braces 42 extend transversely to the longitudinal axis of the first leg 34 of the reinforcing members 28 and are positioned adjacent the openings 40 . The braces 42 may include flanges 44 and 46 which are formed by cutting the first leg 34 to provide the openings 40 . The flanges 44 are oriented to extend opposite the flanges 46 and alternate therewith, so that good load distribution is provided against the reinforcing members 28 on both sides of the first leg 34 . Thus, the flanges provide for improved load distribution relative to the substantially linear force concentrations along the front edge 38 of the first leg 34 . The flanges 44 and 46 extend only a portion of the distance between adjacent spaced-apart reinforcing members to provide force distribution without weakening the reinforcing members along the front edge 38 and maintaining the desired goal of lightness in weight.
[0024] As shown in FIGS. 4 through 6, transverse reinforcing members 48 may be provided especially adjacent the end rails 24 and 26 to provide additional reinforcement and strengthening. The transverse reinforcing members are configured similarly to the reinforcing members 28 and include a first leg 34 a and a second leg 36 a and present openings 40 a therealong. This configuration is especially beneficial with forms having longer end rails as the load—essentially the hydraulic head caused by the weight of the fluid concrete—may be greater at the lower end of an upright forming panel 12 or when two or more forming panels 10 are stacked. In this configuration, the flanges 44 and 46 of the reinforcing members 28 extend toward the end rails, and the flanges 44 a and 46 a of the transverse reinforcing members 48 extend toward the side rails.
[0025] [0025]FIGS. 7 through 9 illustrate an additional embodiment of the forming panel 10 wherein the braces 42 include loops 50 passing through the openings 40 and positioned by the flanges 44 and 46 of the reinforcing members 28 . The loops may be welded to the back side 18 of the face sheet 12 by beads 52 or welded to the flanges 44 and 46 , or both. The loops 50 further extend the area of force distribution transferred from the face sheet 12 to the reinforcing member 28 . Beneficially, the passage of the loops 50 through the openings 40 cause the first leg 34 to act as a fulcrum about which the loops 50 may have limited pivoting. This pivoting action may help to allow the face sheet 12 to flex as concrete is poured against the front side of the face sheet 12 and thereby avoid stress concentrations as the concrete rises.
[0026] [0026]FIG. 10 illustrates a further embodiment of the forming panel 10 of the present invention, wherein the braces 42 include elongated bars 54 which are substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis ofthe reinforcing members and pass through the openings 40 in the reinforcing members. The bars 54 may be welded to the reinforcing members 28 , the face sheet 12 , or both. Alternatively, the bars 54 may simply be received by the openings 40 , lie adjacent the back side 18 of the face sheet 12 , and held in place by the end rails 24 and 26 . The bends 32 of the rails are beneficial in that they cover the ends of the bars.
[0027] In use, the forming panels 10 are coupled together in side by side relationship or at angles to one another to form corners, stacked atop on another to increase the possible height of the wall to be formed, and joined by tie bars to opposing forms so that concrete, to include all types of flowable cementatious material, may be poured therebetween. As the concrete rises during pouring, its weight increasingly bears against the front side 16 of the face sheet 18 . This weight might otherwise substantially bend and deform the relatively thin face sheet 12 , except for the reinforcing members which span the back side 18 . The reinforcing members 28 avoid stress concentrations along the front edge thereof which would create lines across the face sheet 12 and in the hardened concrete by the use of the braces 42 . The braces, which occupy only a limited area on the back side 18 of the face sheet 12 , help to maintain a more even force distribution and avoid deformation of the face sheet 12 without adding substantial weight to the forming panel 10 . Lightness in weight of the forming panel 10 arising from limiting the amount of material included therein not only makes it more economical to produce, but makes the forming panels 10 easier to handle and less expensive to ship. Thus, much of the strength of existing forming panels is achieved in forming panel that is lighter, less expensive and easier to handle.
[0028] Although preferred forms of the invention have been described above, it is to be recognized that such disclosure is by way of illustration only, and should not be utilized in a limiting sense in interpreting the scope of the present invention. Obvious modifications to the exemplary embodiments, as hereinabove set forth, could be readily made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
[0029] The inventors hereby state their intent to rely on the Doctrine of Equivalents to determine and assess the reasonably fair scope of their invention as pertains to any apparatus not materially departing from but outside the literal scope of the invention as set out in the following claims. | A lightweight concrete reinforcing panel with face sheet reinforcement is provided having a face sheet and a frame with reinforcing members. The reinforcing members preferably extend between opposed rails of the frame and have openings therethrough with braces extending transversely to the axis ofthe reinforcing members. The braces may be provided by cutting and bending the reinforcing member to form flanges and the openings, and may alternate on either side of the reinforcing member, or alternatively may be separate, discrete bracing elements which pass through the openings. Thus positioned, the bracing elements may pivot on the reinforcing member to flex with the face sheet. The bracing elements may be linear, such as bars, loops, or other shapes to spread the load applied to the front side of the face sheet. | 4 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a heat treatment method for providing different mechanical characteristics for a single treated piece.
When different parts of a single piece must have different mechanical or metallurgical characteristics, in accordance with the most widely used prior art technique, after a plurality of materials each having different chemical characteristics are independently heat-treated, the treated materials are rigidly coupled to each other by welding or the like. Exceptionally, there have been some conventional methods using only heat treatments to satisfy the above described requirement. For example, in one of these methods, local quenching is employed with which one side of a piece requiring hardness and strength is heated up to a preferred quenching temperature and thereafter water-quenched. Such a quenching method is the same as the more generally used quenching methods except that here only one side of the piece is quenched. However, the parts to which the heat treatment is not applied may have undesirable mechanical characteristics in comparison with the quenched parts, and the heat treated parts only be needed to be used in the site. Therefore, overall products produced using this method often cannot be used under severe circumstances.
A method has also been heretofore used with which tempering rather than quenching has been used to somewhat change mechanical strength locally. Temperatures are changed locally for the tempering procedure. However, since metallugical characteristics of steel mainly depend on the heating temperature used in quenching and the cooling speed employed and as tempering generally involves the use of smaller temperature changes, the mechanical strength of parts so treated are only slightly changed, that is, the metallurgical characteristics of each part cannot be greatly changed.
There have been some requirements that high strength at a raised temperature be imparted to one part of a product while at the same time low temperature toughness be provided to the other part of the same product, the two characteristics being metallugically quite contrary to each other. It has heretofore not been possible to satisfy such requirements as there has been no method available to solve the problem by using heat treatment alone.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a heat treatment procedure for imparting locally different characteristics to a single piece.
This and other objects of the present invention are achieved by providing a method including the steps of dividing the piece to be heat treated into plural sections by at least one groove whose surface is processed, heating each section to different quenching temperatures and thereafter cooling each section at different or the same cooling speeds to thereby impart different mechanical characteristics to the respective sections.
BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS
In the accompanying drawings:
FIG. 1 is a side view of a rod-shaped work piece showing positional relationships among grooves formed in the piece and partitioning walls according to the present invention;
FIG. 2A is a front view partially in cross-section of a high and low pressure integral type turbine shaft produced in accordance with the present invention; and
FIG. 2B is a graph, corresponding to FIG. 2A, showing temperature and cooling speed distributions of the turbine shaft shown in FIG. 2A.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present invention will be hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
At least one groove 2 which is filled with a heat insulating material 3 is formed in a rod-shaped piece to be quenched. In the specific embodiment shown in FIG. 1, two grooves 2 are formed in the rod-shaped piece which is heated so that the section between the two grooves 2 and the part between the groove 2 and an end surface 4 are heated to different temperatures and so that, by the provision of two partitioning walls 5, each section may be separately or independently cooled during the quenching operation. For example, when cooling the section between the grooves 2 by water spraying and the section between the grooves 2 and the end surface 4 by air blast, it is possible to prevent the application of sprayed water to the adjacent non-intended section.
The heat treatment according to the present invention will be described with reference to a preferred example. Since high pressure turbine shafts used in electric generators require high-temperature strength, the shafts have hitherto been produced with a combination of materials having suitable metallurgical and chemical characteristics and processed with a quenching technique using relatively high quenching temperatures and low cooling speeds. On the other hand, low pressure turbine shafts require high low-temperature toughness and so have been produced using combinations of materials different from those of the high-pressure turbine shafts. For low pressure turbine shafts relatively low quenching temperatures and high cooling speeds are utilized. Recently, there has been a requirement for combined high and low pressure integral turbine shafts one half of which is produced for use in a high pressure turbine and the other half produced for use in a low pressure turbine for the purpose of decreasing the cost of a power station installation in which it is used and for reducing the size thereof. With a view of satisfying this requirement, a shaft using appropriate materials was assembled, processed according to the teachings of the present invention and tested.
FIG. 2A shows the dimensions (in millimeters) and configuration of an integrally formed high and low pressure turbine shaft 10 constructed in accordance with the present invention. The turbine shaft thereof was composed of 1% Cr, 1% Mo and 0.25% V containing steel used for conventional high pressure turbine shaft. An annular groove 11 having dimensions and configurations as shown in FIG. 2A was, in the same manner as described with respect to FIG. 1, machined and formed in the shaft material. A partitioning wall 12 was inserted in the annular groove 11 and thereafter a heat insulating material 13 was filled therein. The shaft thus assembled was disposed in an electric furnace and the section L on the low pressure side and the section H on the high pressure side were heated to temperatures of 915° C. and 960° C., respectively. After heating, the low pressure section L was treated by water spray quenching whereas the high pressure section H was cooled by air blast. During the cooling stages, the temperatures of peripheral portion and central portions of the shaft were measured. The measured temperatures are shown in FIG. 2B where S and K denote the temperatures of the peripheral and the central portions being disposed in an electric furnance, respectively, and C denotes the cooling speed. As is apparent from the graphs of FIG. 2B, it may be seen that although there was some transition region in the temperature distribution during heating in the electric furnace, a generally desirable temperature profile was obtained at a position about 500 mm from the center of annular groove 11 in either direction due to the effects of the groove 11 and the heat insulative material 13.
Also, though there was a transition region with respect to the cooling speed C of the central portion, in comparison with the high pressure section H a sufficiently high cooling speed was obtained in the low pressure section L.
Quenching and tempering according to the invention were carried out and thereafter test segments of material were taken from the high pressure section H and low pressure section L and mechanical tests were conducted. From the test results, the tensile strength of both the central portion of the high pressure section as well as the low pressure section were σ B =80 to 82 Kg/mm 2 which is substantially the same as that for the prior art high pressure turbine shaft material while the 2 mmV Charpy notch toughness of the central portion of the low pressure section was approximately FATT=+40° C. and that of the central portion of the high pressure section was approximately FATT=+100° C. which is the same as for the prior art high pressure turbine material. Creep rupture tests were conducted on the peripheral and central portions of the high pressure section H. The results show that the creep rupture strength obtained with the present invention is in the middle of the practical band of creep rupture strengths obtained in the prior art high pressure turbine shaft materials.
As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible, for example, to provide an integral high and low pressure turbine shaft material the low pressure section of which has a sufficiently high low-temperature toughness and the high pressure section of which has a satisfactory high-temperature strength. Thus, the present invention provides that treatment having marked advantages over prior art techniques. | A method for producing a single solid metal work piece having different mechanical characteristics in different sections. A groove is cut in the piece between each section. A partitioning wall is inserted in the groove with the remainder of the groove filled with insulating material. Different sections are heated to different quenching temperatures then cooled at the same or different rates. For example, one section may be cooled by water spraying while another is cooled by air blast. | 8 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to the breaking of concrete piles in order to remove the surplus concrete cap or head.
[0002] Reinforced concrete piles are widely used in civil engineering for retaining walls and foundations for structures. In accordance with the Institution of Civil Engineers “Specification for Piling and Embedding Retaining Walls” published on 17 Apr. 1996 under ISBN 0-7277-2566-1, it is taught to cast a pile to a level above a specified cut-off so that there remains a pile head or cap that must be removed. This is to ensure that:
(a) there is a sound concrete connection with the pile when it is incorporated into the remainder of the structure; and (b) the concrete comprising the top portion of the pile is of good quality and is not, as would otherwise be the case, contaminated with soil or poorly compacted.
[0005] It is standard practice to cast the concrete of the pile so that it covers the entirety of the pile cage or pile reinforcement.
[0006] Traditionally, the breaking of concrete piles is carried out by manual labour and is a slow, arduous and expensive process, which produces a considerable amount of loose debris for disposal. Even if mechanical means are used, close supervision is necessary as the cut-off level is approached, in order to prevent damage to the pile below the cut-off level.
[0007] The use of hand-held pneumatic tools, as employed in manual breaking processes, is associated with industrial injuries including hand-arm vibration syndrome (“HAVS”) commonly known as vibration white finger.
[0008] Other health and safety issues arising from manual methods include noise and the risk of injury from displaced concrete fragments.
[0009] One method of breaking a reinforced concrete pile, which is in current use, is described in WO9736058 Merritt & Elliott). In this method the reinforcement in the pile head to be removed is treated so that it is debonded from the concrete of the pile, a hole is formed in the pile at the desired cut-off level, and a hydraulic tool is applied in the hole to split the pile in a substantially transverse plane. Use of this method reduces the risk of industrial injury but does not eliminate it. The concept of debonding is also described in JP58-11218 (Yahagi Kensetsu KKK) and WO8102757 (Asakura).
[0010] Chemical methods of splitting the pile head at cut-off level are also used. Such methods include the RECEPIEUX® technique, which uses expanding grout in conjunction with debonding of the reinforcement to break the piles down. It is also possible to leach out the cementious material, above the cut-off level from the wet concrete of a cast-in-situ pile as part of the construction process. While these chemical techniques avoid the necessity for the use of vibrating hand tools, there are safety and environmental implications in keeping and using chemicals (which may be volatile) on site. There is also an explosion risk if the process is not operated correctly.
[0011] Asakura also attempts to eliminate the need to use mechanical tools by the use of a hydraulic method. A substantially flat metal pipe is placed into the pile cage at the cut-off level. After casting is complete and the concrete has hardened, fluid is supplied with increasing pressure to this pipe to break off the pile cap. The pile cap may then be lifted and removed. As illustrated in FIG. 2 of Asakura, the metal pipe is annular in plan view and is shown as tied to the pile cage. The coupling for supply of pressurised fluid is shown positioned within the side wall of the pile and excavation would be necessary in order to locate these connectors once the pile had been cast. Crack propagation, especially around the perimeter of the pile, using the Asakura method is unpredictable.
[0012] Since the priority date of this application GB 23898333 (Skanska) has been published. Skanska teaches a hydraulic method similar to Asakura in which an expandable, ring-shaped element or annular tube is located preferably inside the reinforcement. In one embodiment the element is a tube is made of PVC, rubber, polyurethane, neoprene, butyl or other flexible material and is pressurised with water or hydraulic fluid. In another the element is formed of or loaded with HYDROTITE®—a material that swells when it comes into contact with water. These embodiments work in the same way as Asakura and, although effective for splitting the cap, crack propagation is unpredictable.
[0013] Skanska also states that: “It may also be beneficial to employ the use of a metal loop which is positioned around the outside of the ring-shaped expandable element. This would serve to direct the principal forces generated by the element expansion in a direction which is generally parallel to the axis of the pile.” This loop is not further illustrated or claimed.
[0014] Skanska suggests the use of a frame to mount its expandable element.
TECHNICAL PROBLEM
[0015] The present invention therefore addresses the technical problem of controlling crack propagation in pile cap removal using hydraulic power.
[0016] As a subsidiary technical problem it is desired to achieve hydraulic pile cap removal without the use of excessive pressures that might result in accidents or damage to the piles.
SOLUTION OF THE INVENTION
[0017] The present invention provides a pile cage comprising a reinforcement structure having a first part adapted to remain in a pile, the first part terminating at a predefined cut-off level, and a second part that is protected in order to debond it from concrete cast around it; a crack-inducing ring aligned at the cut-off level; and means for supplying pressurised fluid to the crack-inducing ring; characterised in that the cage further comprises a crack-directing feature on or adjacent the crack-inducing ring and a crack-attracting feature located at the cut-off level outside the crack-inducing ring.
[0018] The preamble of the above claim is based on Skanska or Asakura, but differs from both pieces of prior art in that the crack propagation is controlled and restricted to the cut-off level. This is more effective in achieving a crack in the correct plane than the prior art approach of aiming to ensure that the forces created by the expandable element resolve only parallel to the axis of the pile—usually vertical. The application of pressure to a tubular expandable element will produce a radial outward force in all directions. It is difficult to ensure that the pressure at all points around the ring is the same with a single connection point. In Asakura one end of the metal pipe is closed and the other end is connected to a hose capable of supplying a pressurizing fluid. Without a crack-attracting feature the crack may travel from the ring at any angle up to 45° above or below the cut-off level. If the crack were to travel substantially downwards from the cut-off level in any part of the pile it would result in the crack being formed below the debonded section of the pile head thus precluding the easy removal of the pile head. Inappropriate management of this event in the field could result in a structurally weakened pile. If the crack were to travel substantially upwards from the cut-off level in any part of the pile it would leave a projection that would require further remedial work with percussion tools, thereby negating the main advantage of the invention.
[0019] Preferably the crack-inducing ring has a slit or frangible region in a portion of its wall facing towards a centre of the pile. Such a slit is adapted to permit fluid to flow substantially inwardly towards a centre of the pile. In this embodiment the crack is propagated and the fluid escapes rather than relying solely on the force created by an expanding metal pipe as described in Asakura. If the Asakura pipe were to burst then its connection with the pile cage would result in the debonding material creating a preferential path for the escape of the fluid.
[0020] The pressurised fluid entering the crack-inducing ring initiates a crack whether by means of the expansion of the ring or directed high pressure water flow or a combination of both effects. The crack-attracting feature situated outside the crack-inducing ring ensures that the crack remains substantially planar as it reaches the edge of the pile. By allowing the fluid to flow out towards the centre of the pile, the crack that is initiated is also driven in a substantially planar direction towards the centre of the pile. The resultant surface of the concrete is within design tolerances and only minimal trimming is necessary. This greatly reduces the health and safety risks associated with the use of hand operated tools and provides a safer working environment.
[0021] In order to enable pile cages to be fabricated easily, the present invention teaches the use of an assembly comprising a planar support frame having an inner annular member supporting the crack-inducing ring, a concentric outer annular member that is or supports the crack-attracting feature, and a plurality of spaced spokes holding the members together.
[0022] Therefore, all the essential parts of the invention that enable the pile cap to be removed hydraulically can be assembled together off-site as a single rigid unit. This saves time on-site as the assembly simply has to be lowered over the reinforcement bars and secured in place at the cut-off level. Furthermore, as the outer member of the assembly that fits outside of the reinforcement bars and preferably serves as the crack-attracting feature is in the same horizontal plane as the crack-inducing ring, there is no need for manual alignment. By a suitable asymmetric spacing of the spokes, the assembly can be made to fit over various numbers and configurations of reinforcing bars typical of the pile size for which it is made.
[0023] The present invention also provides a method of breaking a reinforced concrete pile comprising the steps of placing a fluid-receiving means into a pile cage at a cut-off level, protecting an upper part of the pile cage with debonding material, casting the pile, and supplying pressurised fluid to the fluid-receiving means, characterised in that the fluid-receiving means is adapted to permit fluid to flow substantially inwardly towards a centre of the pile at the cut-off level.
[0024] Ideally the means for supplying pressurised fluid to the fluid-receiving means comprises a pump that enables the application of pressure to be controlled. Use of excess pressure in this type of device can result in the creation of a shock wave within the concrete that effectively explodes the pile apart and may have an undesirable impact on the remainder of the pile structure. A controllable pressure source allows the method to be used with a variety of pile sizes.
[0025] After the crack has been created by the application of the pressurised fluid, there is no concrete connection between the structural pile and pile head. When such a pile head is grasped by a hydraulic grab or crane, it can simply be lifted off and removed leaving the second part of the reinforcement intact. The fluid-receiving means can be reused several times. As a connection point for the fluid supply is preferably located at or near the top of the pile it is easy to access without the need for any excavation. With a connection point at the top of the pile, the crack can be formed prior to excavation. This enables the piles to be cracked as soon as they are set, when the concrete is relatively weak and easy to crack. It also reduces the risk of construction plant damaging the main pile body prior to or during excavation and significantly reduces the time spent on the whole piling operation.
[0026] Other features of the invention are defined in the appended claims.
ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION
[0027] The method of the invention avoids the need for mechanical tools with their associated HAVS risks. It is fast and economical. In addition the method is safer than Asakura as the pressures required are lower because the fluid is able to act over the entire cracked area of the pile.
[0028] The method of the invention considerably improves the accuracy of the cut.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0029] In order that the invention may be well understood, some embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which:
[0030] FIG. 1 shows a vertical section through a pile cast around a first embodiment of a pile cage of the present invention;
[0031] FIG. 2 shows a horizontal section through the pile cage of FIG. 1 at a cut-off level;
[0032] FIG. 3 shows a cross section of an annular tube that acts as the fluid-receiving means and crack-inducing ring in FIGS. 1 and 2 ;
[0033] FIG. 4 shows a sectional detail of a connection of the pressurised fluid supply to the tube of FIG. 3 ;
[0034] FIG. 5 shows a plan view of the connection of FIG. 4 ;
[0035] FIG. 6 shows a plan view of a first embodiment of a support frame for use in creating a pile cage;
[0036] FIG. 7 shows a vertical section on line B-B of FIG. 6 of the support frame after it has been used to create a pile cage;
[0037] FIG. 8 shows a plan view of a second embodiment of a support frame for use in creating a pile cage;
[0038] FIG. 9 shows a vertical section on line B-B of FIG. 8 of the support frame after it has been used to create a pile cage;
[0039] FIG. 10 shows a cross section of an alternative embodiment of the annular tube;
[0040] FIG. 11 shows a vertical section through a pile cast around a third embodiment of a pile cage incorporating crack-inducing plates; and
[0041] FIG. 12 shows a horizontal section through the pile cage of FIG. 11 at a cut-off level;
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0042] A pile cage 2 comprises a reinforcement for a pile. The reinforcement is typically fabricated from an assembly of rebars 4 held together in the desired configuration by means of a coil or links (not shown). Steel mesh may also be used to create the reinforcement. The pile cage 2 has a first part 8 that remains in situ in a cast pile and a second part 10 , which will be in a pile head that will be incorporated into reinforced concrete slabs or caps. The first and second parts 8 and 10 are separated by the plane of a cut-off level indicated at 20 .
[0043] The rebar 4 of the second part 10 of the reinforcement 2 is protected by means of debonding foam tubing 22 . The type of foam tubing that is slit axially like pipe insulation is preferred as this can be easily assembled to the rebar 4 in order to form a protective layer. Other debonding products or techniques may be employed. The debonding terminates at the cut-off level 20 .
[0044] A crack-inducing ring 30 is positioned at the cut-off level 20 . A crack-inducing ring 30 ′ is shown in profile in FIG. 3 . The ring may have various detailed profiles and these are distinguished in the drawings by different prime superscripts. Where reference is made to any design the reference numeral 30 is used. The ring is formed from a tube 30 comprising a length of extruded rubber or plastics tubing with a flattened portion 24 and an axial slit 32 along its length. The tube 30 is installed inwardly of the reinforcement structure of the pile cage leaving a sufficiently large central opening to allow passage of a tremmie tube when the concrete is poured. Note that this is not necessary where the pile is constructed using the CFA (continuous flight-auger) piling technique where the concrete column is formed first and the re-inforcement is pushed into it from above. This is a common method for smaller piles.
[0045] The slit 32 is positioned at the level of the cut-off plane 20 so that it faces the centre of the pile cage. The tube 30 can be supported by an inwardly projecting limb 26 of a profile support L bars 28 secured to the sleeved rebars 4 at the correct level. A series of, say, six spaced profile support bars 28 are needed for a large pile cage. The flattened part 24 of the crack-inducing ring 30 is seated against a face of the limb 26 to ensure the slit 32 is correctly positioned. For large pile cages 2 these components are assembled on-site and held together by, for example cable ties and tape.
[0046] The silt 32 is formed between two wedge-shaped fins 34 moulded as part of the tube 30 . The fins create a beak-like structure 38 that serves as a crack-directing feature. In the ex-factory condition the slit 32 is closed by a thin frangible film 36 of rubber material, which is an artefact of the moulding process.
[0047] The crack-inducing ring can be assembled from a length of tubing of an appropriate length, which has been extruded to the required profile. The tubing has two free ends 40 . A pressure supply line hose 50 may be coupled to a free end 40 by inserting it into the open end 40 . The ends 40 may be taped closed.
[0048] To complete the assembly a pressure supply line hose 50 is inserted into one of the two free ends 40 of the length of tubing 30 and secured in place with a plastic cable tie.
[0049] In an alternative embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5 the two free ends 40 of the length of tubing 30 ′ are joined together by a connection piece 42 that also provides a coupling 44 to the pressure supply line hose 50 . The fins 34 are removed at the ends 40 of the tube to enable the ends 40 to be close-coupled to the connection piece 42 by means of jubilee clips 52 as shown in FIG. 5 . The connection piece 42 has a hole 54 to which the hose 50 is coupled. A first end 56 of the hose 50 passes through hole 54 into the piece 42 as shown in FIG. 4 . A flared connection moulding 58 is attached to the exterior of the hose end 56 and is shaped to fit around the exterior of the connection piece 42 in order to ensure a fluid-tight but removable coupling for the hose 50 .
[0050] In either embodiment the hose 50 is protected with debonding foam tubing 22 and is attached to a rebar 4 and passes out of the top of the pile cage or is directed out of the cage at a suitable position. A remote end 60 of the hose 50 is fitted with a standard connector 64 , to enable it to be connected by a pressure line 66 to a pump (not shown). A suitable pump for this application for use with very large piles is a MADAN® Mark 7 air-driven pump capable of producing an output pressure of 240 bar with an air supply of 7 bar. A pump that enables the application of pressure to be controlled is preferred so that a pressure appropriate to the size of the pile can be applied. Pressures far less than 240 bar will achieve an acceptable result and the appropriate pressure level can be ascertained by simply ascertained experimentally for any pile size.
[0051] The annular split tube 30 acts as a fluid-receiving means to receive pressurised fluid via the pressure line 64 and hose 50 from the pump. The tube 30 , because it is embedded in concrete, will initially fill with the fluid. As the pressure builds up a crack will be initiated around the tube in the same way as in Asakura, but now the fluid will be forced out between the fins 34 breaking the thin film 36 of rubber material closing the slit thereby permitting the fluid to escape into the pile, providing a jacking mechanism separating the pile head from the remaining pile at the cut-off level.
[0052] The material of the tubing 30 must be sufficiently rigid to avoid being displaced during the concrete pour. This may be achieved by reinforcing that part of the tube wall opposite the slit 32 or inserting a rigid reinforcement link 66 into the tube 30 .
[0053] A crack-attracting feature 70 is needed in the cut-off plane 20 outside of the rebars 4 . A ring of plastics material such as 32 millimetre spiral ducting, hosing or debonding sleeving will serve as a crack-attracting feature 70 and can readily be assembled to the rebar at the appropriate level by means of cable ties as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 . Alternative crack-attracting features 70 can be formed of plastics sections of almost any shape, for example circular, triangular, square or rectangular. The dimension of the crack-attracting feature 70 in the cut-off plane 20 should be at least a quarter of the thickness of the nominal cover for the rebar 4 and may be as much as a half of the cover. This size of crack-attracting feature 70 considerably improves the effectiveness of the object in preventing the crack generated by the expanding tube 30 and/or escaping pressurised fluid from the slit 32 being directed out of the cut-off plane 20 . The crack-attracting feature 70 should be semi-rigid or rigid in order to maintain its position during the concreting operations.
[0000] Support Frame for Smaller Piles
[0054] For piles of diameters 600 to 750 mm, it is less convenient to assemble the crack-inducing ring and crack-attracting feature 70 to each pile cage on site. This becomes a fiddly operation due to the reduced rigidity of the rebar cage and alignment errors may arise.
[0055] The reinforcement for such piles may only comprise vertical rebars 4 spaced around the periphery of the pile with nominal helical ties. Depending on the specification there may be four, five, six or more rebars.
[0056] In this case the solution is to provide an assembly 110 on a support frame 112 that can be dropped over the ends of the rebars 4 as a completed assembly of frame, crack-inducing ring 30 ? and crack-attracting feature 70 . Two such designs are illustrated in FIGS. 6 to 9 .
[0057] As shown in FIG. 6 a wire assembly 110 comprises a frame 112 made of an inner member 114 and an outer concentric member 116 . The inner and outer members 114 and 116 are joined together by spokes 118 .
[0058] The inner member 114 shown in FIG. 6 consists of two annular wires 122 and 124 also connected by the spokes 118 . This support frame is adapted to be used with a crack-inducing ring made of a tube 30 with a flattened base 24 and grooves 120 along its length either side of the flattened base 24 as shown in FIG. 7 . The wires 122 and 124 fit into the grooves 120 to locate and secure the tube 30 in position. In this embodiment the bare outer member 116 cannot function as the crack-attracting feature as it is too small. However it provides a support for a crack control ring 70 made of clear plastics reinforced hose. Alternatively the outer member 116 may be sleeved in debonding material with a large diameter to act as the crack control ring 70 .
[0059] The wire frame must be assembled by welding the wires and this adds to the cost. Therefore an alternative solution is provided by the plastics member illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9 . In this support frame the inner and outer members 114 and 116 are moulded together with the spokes 118 . The inner member 114 serves as a support for a flattened base of the tube 30 and the outer member 116 can have sufficient width to be the crack-attracting feature 70 . The flat plastics support frame 112 is cheaper to mass produce than the wire frame and has greater rigidity and eliminates all manual alignment issues except the positioning of the assembly 110 as a unit at the cut-off level 20 . The profile of the tube 30 ′? used with the flat plastics frame has a beak 38 that places the slit 32 in the same plane as the outer member 116 so that the crack directed by the beak 38 will be in the cut-off level 20 .
[0060] For both support frame embodiments it is preferable to have frames 110 that can be used with a variety of rebar designs possible with the pile diameter for which the frame 112 has been manufactured. This can be achieved by positioning the spokes 118 asymmetrically as shown in FIGS. 6 and 8 rather than giving them a uniform spacing. In these Figures the rebar positions for a variety of designs have been shown with different chain lines and it is clear that the same spoke positions will allow one design to fit over all the illustrated designs. In FIG. 6 the spokes are at 59°, 59°, 84°, 84° and 74° spacings clockwise from the line B-B. In FIG. 8 an alternative design is shown where the spokes 118 are at 84°, 59°, 75°, 71° and 71° spacings clockwise from the line B-B.
[0061] As before the tube 30 is secured to the inner member 114 with plastics cable ties (not shown).
[0062] The assembly 110 is fitted to the pile cage 2 by lowering it over the rebars 4 and securing it in position at the cut-off level 20 . The outer ring 116 fits outside reinforcement structure 4 and the inner ring 114 fits inside the reinforcement structure 4 .
[0000] Alternative Tube Design
[0063] FIG. 10 illustrates a cross section through an alternative design of split tube 30 that does not require a special extrusion as shown in FIGS. 1 to 9 . In this embodiment the tube has a simple slit 32 cut into it and a 10 millimetre wire reinforcement link 80 located within the tube 30 . In order to maintain the slit 32 open, a folded piece of ribbed plastic sheeting 82 is inserted along its length. The sheeting 82 has a W shaped cross section as shown in FIG. 10 with the free ends 84 , 86 held against the inner wall of the tube 30 at either side of the slit 32 , and a longer central fold 88 protruding through the slit 32 in order to keep it open. A number of these spacers 82 can be positioned around the periphery of the ring all facing inwardly. The projecting fold 88 will act as a crack-directing feature to promote cracking in the plane of the cut-off plane 20 .
Third Embodiment
[0064] Instead of a single annular tube 30 serving as the fluid-receiving means, it is possible to locate discreet fluid-receiving means each connected by means of a pressure line 64 to a pump in the cut-off plane 20 as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 . Each hose 50 has a free end 56 which terminates within a compressible cavity 90 that has a peripheral projecting feature 92 . Each of these devices is a crack initiating plate. As shown in FIG. 11 three plates 90 can be positioned around the periphery of the pile inwardly of the rebars 4 . The plates 90 need to be spaced away from the debonding foam 22 in order to prevent that foam becoming a preferential path for escaping fluid.
[0065] A U shaped annular flow control moulding, 96 for example a moulding similar in form and construction to a bicycle tyre is fitted in the cut-off plane 20 in order to receive any fluid escaping from the plates 90 and to restrict its flow. A moulding in the form of a tyre makes a suitable flow control shield to prevent fluid reaching the debonding foam. In this embodiment, the combination of the plates 90 and the flow controller 96 acts as the fluid-receiving means.
[0000] Method of Use
[0066] The method of use of such a pile cage 2 will now be described.
[0067] The reinforcement 2 is prefabricated and the second part 10 of the reinforcement has debonding tubing foam 22 carefully fitted to the rebar 4 above the cut off level 20 .
[0068] The fluid-receiving means, either tube 30 or assembly of plates 90 and flow controller 96 is fitted inwardly of the reinforcement and secured to the debonded rebar 4 . The slit 32 of the tube 30 is positioned facing towards the centre of the pile at the required cut-off level 20 . A crack-attracting feature is also fitted outwardly of the reinforcement. Where a prefabricated assembly 110 is used this is fitted over the reinforcement and secured to the debonded rebar 4 at the required cut-off level 20 .
[0069] The hose 50 is then connected to the fluid-receiving means as previously described. The hose 50 is protected by debonding foam 22 and passed out of the top or side of the pile cage 2 . The hose 50 and the debonding foam 22 are kept in place by attaching them to a rebar 4 .
[0070] The pile is bored to the desired depth and fully assembled cage 2 installed.
[0071] The pile is then concreted resulting in a pile as illustrated in FIG. 1 or 11 . The pile is cast as a single reinforced column 100 comprising a structural element 102 that will remain in place and a pile head or cap 104 that will be removed.
[0072] The pile is allowed to set for typically two to five days.
[0073] The connector 64 is connected to a pump (not shown). In the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 10 the pump pumps pressurised water down the hose 50 into the fluid-receiving means 30 . In the embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5 the pressure exerted by the fluid entering the connection piece 42 ensures a tight connection between the connection piece 42 and the flared connection moulding 58 reducing the amount of fluid escaping out of the hole 54 . The pressure also ensures a tight connection between the flared connection moulding 58 and the surrounding concrete preventing the exterior of the hose 50 and the surrounding foam 22 becoming a preferential path for escaping fluid. The pressure of the fluid expands the tube 30 initiating a crack on either side. The fins 34 create a feature from which the crack will naturally propagate in the cut-off plane 20 . As the pressure increases fluid is forced out of the slit 32 between the fins 34 directly into the crack, forcing the crack to extend in a plane towards the center of the pile. The crack on the side of the tube 30 opposite to the fins 34 propagates in the absence of fluid. The crack-attracting feature 70 ensures that this crack also propagates in a substantially planar fashion out of the edges of the concrete pile. Completion of the cracking operation is verifiable by the use of ultrasonic testing such as crosshole ultrasonic logging or pulse-echo testing. If the pile head is exposed the completion of the crack is signalled by escaping fluid around the entire periphery of the pile at the cut-off level.
[0074] In the third embodiment of FIGS. 11 and 12 a more complex system is required to regulate the pressure to each of the crack-inducing plates 90 . If a pressure drop is noted in the supply to one assembly, that line can be isolated as a crack will have been induced. When all the assemblies have lost pressure relative to the maximum pressure that has been registered, pumping is stopped.
[0075] Once a crack has been achieved the hydraulic lines 64 are disconnected and removed. The severed pile head 104 can then be lifted vertically by means of a mechanical grab. As the pile head is pulled upwardly the hose 50 will pull out of the connection piece 42 , open end 40 of tube 30 or plates 90 as appropriate leaving these in situ on the surface of the cut-off plane. It is then straightforward to separate the fluid-receiving means and crack-attracting features 70 from the pile cage 2 and remove these items for re-use with another pile cage. If an assembly 110 on a support frame 112 has been used removal is even simpler. The debonding 22 is removed and the pile is finished off. In the embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5 , provided the outer diameter of the flared connection moulding 58 is greater than the diameter of the connector 62 , the flared connection moulding 58 , the hose 50 and the connector 62 can be pulled downwardly out of the pile head 104 from the cut face.
[0076] All the components can then be re-used with another pile cage.
[0000] Variations
[0077] In place of the continuous slit in the annular tube 30 , a series of apertures or perforations may be provided at the cut-off level 20 . A projecting fin or other formation adapted to lie in the cut-off plane 20 may be provided between the apertures in order to ensure that the crack propagates in the correct plane.
[0078] Where crack-inducing plates 90 are used, these may comprise a compressible void-former of the required shape. When fluid is supplied to such compressible plates, a void is formed at the interface between the concrete and the void-former and this opens up a path for the fluid received by the plate 90 to flow into. As the pressure increases a crack will be initiated by the feature 92 .
[0079] The fluid will then pass along this void and crack creating a jacking mechanism and induces the crack in the cut-off plane.
[0080] It will be appreciated that the pile cage and pile cap removal system described above allows the programme of pile cap removal to be shortened considerably relative to existing methods. The hydraulic pump, if air powered, can readily be moved from pile to pile with its compressed air supply. The time taken to split a pile using this method can be reduced to minutes. The removed pile heads can then be lifted away separately as the programme permits. Note that the positioning of the connectors 64 in an upper surface means that the piles do not need to be excavated before being split. | A pile cage ( 2 ) has a reinforcement structure ( 4 ) having a first part ( 8 ) adapted to remain in a pile, the first part terminating at a predefined cut-off level ( 20 ), and a second part ( 10 ) that is protected in order to debond it from concrete cast around it. A split-wailed annular tube ( 30 ) is located at the cut-off level ( 20 ) and is connected to a supply of pressurised fluid after the concrete has been poured and set. The tube ( 30 ) expands under pressure initiating a crack that is propagated by the escape of fluid from the slit ( 32 ) towards a centre of the pile at the cut-off level ( 20 ). The entire cracked central surface of the cast pile acts as a hydraulic jack separating the pile cap ( 104 ) from the remainder of the pile ( 102 ). | 4 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to apparatus for data transmission over media having a non-data function, in particular bidirectional data transmission over power mains having a data blocking element, e.g. a UPS device therein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Devices exist which provide bidirectional data over power mains (e.g. building infrastructure AC power wall outlets and wiring providing the power to them) such as described in copending application Ser. No. 10/871,361, incorporated by reference. The apparatus describe therein, as well as other devices, are operable only so long as the path of the power mains has sufficient fidelity in the range of signals that the apparatus or devices apply and receive their data signals, such as within the range of 1-50 MHz. various data-over power line standards and protocol, i.e. HomePlug, Universal Powerline Association (UPA). However, in many building applications, the path between power mains and data equipment passes through an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) which intentionally, such as with internal filtering, or accidentally degrades the data signal path to make power mains devices which are intended to pass data over the power main, e.g. power mains data transceivers, inoperable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The power mains data transfer system according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a data transceiver, a first data path to the power mains over which a data path is maintained, and a second, power path connected to the UPS output and provides a connection from which data transceiver operating power is derived. Various further embodiments provide multiple data equipment data and/or power connections, and optional internal switching and filtering features.
[0004] Thus, according to the present invention, an apparatus is provided for reliable data transfer over power mains even when there is a data interruption, e.g. a UPS device or another form of data blocking element, there along.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0005] These and further features of the present invention will be better understood by reading the following Detailed Description together with the Drawing, wherein
[0006] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of one embodiment of the present invention;
[0007] FIG. 2 is a more detailed block diagram of an alternate embodiment of the present invention; and
[0008] FIG. 3 is a more detailed block diagram of a further alternate embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
[0009] The embodiment 50 of FIG. 1 broadly shows a source of data, e.g. an internet protocol camera 52 having a digitized output (and optionally also receiving digital control signals) connected to a Power Line Communication (PLC) engine or transceiver 56 via CAT5 (or equivalent) cable 54 , the camera 52 may also be adapted to receive operating power over the CAT5 connection from the transceiver. The transceiver 56 communicates the source data to another device (not shown) over the AC Power Mains 60 (or other media not originally intended to pass data thereover, via a signal path connected to the mains 60 , such as an AC power cord 58 plugged into a wall outlet. The transceiver comprises a data engine configured to provide the source equipment data in a format compatible and accessible to the other device, e.g. the protocol described in the HomePlug™ Power Alliance, Inc. “White Paper”, document number HPAVWP-050818, or equivalent or analogous protocol or format, and may provide “Ethernet Over Power line” (EOP) structure and/or functionality as defined by various IEEE or other standards. Additionally, the Transceiver 56 may optionally provide power to the data source 52 connected thereto, and may provide “power over Ethernet” (POE) structure and/or functionality.
[0010] Often the data environment has insufficient power line or mains reliability or quality, and incorporates an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) 62 having an input connected to the mains socket 60 by a power cord, 64 . The UPS 62 typically has several outlets to which powered equipment (e.g. a computer 70 and the transceiver 56 ) are connected by appropriate power cables, 66 and 68 . In the embodiment 50 of FIG. 1 , the transceiver 56 has a further equipment data connection to which the computer 70 is connected via data path 72 , typically, but not necessarily comprising a bidirectional data path.
[0011] The embodiment 100 of FIG. 2 provides additional features and details of an exemplary embodiment. The power line or mains 60 is shown with outlets 80 A and 80 B disposed there along, and may include separate branch circuits having a common junction with sufficient data signal coupling to maintain acceptable fidelity of data transmission there over in the signal range of interest for the protocol or format of the transceiver ( 106 & 108 , or 56 of FIG. 1 ).
[0012] A connection is made between a bidirectional high pass filter (HPF) 104 and the mains outlet 80 A via connector 102 , wherein the HPF 104 removes much if not all of the AC power (and other low frequency) signals leaving the path intact for signals corresponding to the data signals applied there over. The other side of the HPF 104 is connected to an analog front end (AFE) 106 which applies the digital signal generated by the transmitter portion of the PLC transceiver 108 to the mains 60 as a suitably conditioned signal, and provides a suitably conditioned (e.g. amplified/attenuated, shaped, etc.) return path from the mains 60 to the receiver portion of the PLC transceiver 108 . The PLC transceiver 108 can communicate directly with connected data equipment (not shown) connected to jack 112 A or other suitable connector, or may be connected to multiple other data equipment (also not shown) by jacks 112 B- 112 D via a data switch 110 or equivalent.
[0013] In the embodiment 100 of FIG. 2 , a further feature provides the injection of power onto the connected data equipment from a power supply 120 , which also powers the HPF 104 (if necessary), the AFE 106 , the PLC transceiver 108 and the Switch 110 . One exemplary embodiment includes a power source injector circuit 114 to provide the appropriate power, and an isolation circuit 116 typically including an isolation transformer or equivalent, to pass the data between the connected data equipment and the switch 110 and the power flowing to the data equipment, while preventing the supplied power from improperly flowing to the switch 110 . The power supply 120 is itself powered from the mains outlet 80 B via a UPS 62 and power cord 122 directly, or via an optional low pass filter 126 , or optionally via a switch 124 which is operator selectable to receive power from mains outlet 80 A or UPS 62 . In the event of a mains failure, the UPS assumes the function of the mains by providing a mains-like AC output to which the data equipment (not shown) and the power supply 120 is typically connected. However, in the event that the UPS start-up and transition is sufficiently erratic as to cause the power supply output to excessively fluctuate or diminish, a further feature according to the present invention provides a battery (or other source of power) to be sent to the circuits otherwise powered by the power supply, as illustrated in an form by diodes 132 and 134 which exemplify a switching or steering of the powering of the circuits from power supply 120 to the battery (or equivalent) 130 and back again as the power supply once again resumes its nominal power output. Other switching or steering circuits are also applicable herein by one skilled in the art and according to the teaching of the present invention.
[0014] A further feature of the present invention provides one or more mains AC outlets ( 140 A- 140 D) from the UPS 62 via cord 122 , or optionally selectably from either the mains outlet 80 A (before the UPS 62 ) or after the UPS 62 according to operator selection by switch 124 . In an alternate embodiment, the switch 124 is automatically controlled with according to a power sense circuit 128 which connects the outlets ( 140 A- 140 D) to the mains 60 before the UPS according to a power sense signal provided when the mains before the UPS does in fact have mains power thereon. Moreover, the mains power to each outlet ( 140 A- 140 D) is filtered by a corresponding low pass filter (LPF) 142 A- 142 D. In addition, a transient or other power mains conditioning filter 136 and/or a circuit breaker 138 (or fuse) may be serially connected between the mains (or UPS output) and the outlets ( 140 A- 140 D) or optional corresponding LPF 142 A- 142 D, and may optionally feed the LPF 126 or directly the power supply 120 .
[0015] A further alternate embodiment 150 of the present invention is shown in FIG. 3 , wherein local transceiver power is derived from the connected equipment (which provide power over the connections to the present embodiment and remain powered via the UPS 62 , battery backup or other source, not shown) via the connectors 112 A- 112 D and power isolators 116 A- 116 D which provide a data path between the ethernet switch 110 and the respective connector without the power appearing at the switch 110 , while connecting a power path to a Power Over Ethernet (POE) power device receptor 152 which abstracts some ‘raw’ power from the connections 112 A- 112 D to be sent through power supply 120 , or optionally directly to the local transceiver loads (e.g. HPF 104 , AFE 106 , PLC Engine 108 , Quad Ethernet Switch 110 ) via a suitable power switching or steering device, shown by an exemplary diode 154 . Thus, the embodiment 150 of provides power to the local transceiver loads when mains 60 power fails and the power supply 120 and/or the optional battery 130 provide no or insufficient power. If the internal transceiver loads are different from or require conditioning or regulation, the power received from the connectors 112 A- 112 D via the isolators 116 A- 116 D are accordingly converted or processed by the POE receptor 152 and/or power supply 120 . The AC power receptacles 140 A- 140 D are shown connected via optional LPFs 142 A- 142 D to the mains power outlet 80 A via connector 102 . Although shown without some of the feature, e.g. the connection to the UPS 62 directly or via the controlled switch 124 , of the embodiment 100 of FIG. 2 , such features may be added entirely or in part according to the teaching of the present invention by one of ordinary skill in the art.
[0016] Alternate embodiments foresee the application of the features of the present invention to systems including a power line conditioner (not shown) and/or other devices in place of or in addition to (serially inserted) the connection between the cord 122 and the outlet 80 B. Moreover, the outlets 140 A- 140 D may be co-located with the connectors 112 A- 112 D or separated. Alternate data signal splitting/combining/multiplexing apparatus may be substituted for the switch 112 , as may the number of connections and data paths to data equipment be changed in number and type according to one of ordinary skill and the teaching of the present invention. Also, the present invention includes embodiments having 1-way data transfers, i.e. the transceiver is a data transfer device comprising one of a data receiver and a data transmitter. Furthermore, components, terms and standards provided in the exemplary embodiments herein, e.g. RJ45, CAT5, Ethernet, etc. are not limiting, and may be read to also include future standards, terms and components. Further modifications and substitutions made by one of ordinary skill in the art are within the scope of the present invention, which is not to be limited except by the claims that follow. | A power mains data transfer system according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a data transceiver, a first data path to the power mains over which a data path is maintained, and a second, power path connected to the UPS output and provides a connection from which data transceiver operating power is derived. Various further embodiments provide multiple data equipment data input/output and/or power connections, and optional internal switching and filtering features. Thus, according to the present invention, an apparatus is provided for reliable data transfer over power mains even when there is an interruption in the mains' data integrity, e.g. via a UPS device, there along. | 8 |
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/307,688, filed on Feb. 17, 2006 and entitled “Isolated Fiber Optic Union Adapters”.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to optical systems using fiber optic cables to transmit illumination and/or signals, and more particularly, to devices enabling low insertion loss and low back reflection connections between fiber optic cables while also preventing the propagation of connector end face damage between cables.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Fiber optic cables are terminated with polished connectors that interchangeably interconnect with low optical insertion loss to other patchcords or fiber optic devices having compatible connectors. These connectors include an optical fiber, one end of which is stripped to expose the bare glass and bonded within a precision, close tolerance hole of a ferrule. The fiber and ferrule end faces are made co-planar and optically smooth by cleaving or subsequent polishing of the end face. In the common male-type fiber optic termination, a length of polished ferrule containing the optical fiber extends outside of the connector housing.
Male-type connectorized fibers may be interconnected to one another with low optical loss (<0.25 dB) in transmission by inserting the connectors into opposite ends of a fiber optic union adapter. Union adapters typically consist of a housing with opposing receptacles that surround a hollow, precision split sleeve whose nominal inner diameter is slightly less than the outer diameter of connectors' ferrules. The mating of the ferrules within the union adapter elastically deforms the semi-tubular wall of the split sleeve to slightly enlarge the inner diameter of the sleeve. The sleeve produces an opposing compressive force on the ferrules which aligns the ferrules concentrically. Precision manufacturing ensures that the optical fiber core is concentric with the optical fiber outer diameter, and the hole within the ferrule is concentric with the ferrule outer diameter at one end of the ferrule. Consequently, the two fiber cores are repeatedly aligned concentrically to micron or sub-micron tolerances. A slight axial force on the ferrules is produced once the spring-loaded bodies of the connector assemblies are attached to the housing of the union adapter, ensuring that the domed, polished end faces of the fiber/ferrule assemblies of the two different cables are mechanically and optically contacted within the split sleeve.
The polished ferrule contact areas are highly susceptible to scratching caused by repeated mating and demating cycles in the presence of contaminants trapped on or in the vicinity of the contact area. Surface damage to the fiber endface in the vicinity of the optical fiber's core degrades optical performance. In particular, the increased excess loss and reduced return loss can seriously compromise the network's performance. With broadcast-type access networks, in which the optical signal is power split between as many as thirty-two users, the optical power budget of the network has low margin and the impact of such damage is particularly significant. This problem is exacerbated by the fact that a single contaminated or damaged fiber/ferrule, if connected to other clean and undamaged fiber terminations, can degrade these other fiber terminations and propagate connector damage throughout the network.
In the past, the primary users of fiber optic telecommunications equipment have been service providers such as telephony and cable operators delivering data, video and telephone transmission. Their optical networking equipment has historically been centrally located within specialized facilities maintained and operated by highly experienced engineers. A growth in applications of fiber optic technology is occurring as fiber is increasingly being deployed in local area networks (LANs) located in the end users' facilities. In this decentralized architecture, the cost to diagnose and repair damaged terminations increases considerably depending on the physical location of the termination within the network. For instance, damage to an inaccessible connectorized drop cable originating from within a customer's wall or damage at the connector interface of a populated, high-density fiber patch panel requires a costly service call and repair by an experienced technician. These are two examples of “back-side” fiber optic terminations which are difficult to repair by virtue of their inaccessibility.
Fiber optic access networks may incorporate large numbers of reconfigurable connection interfaces as the fibers branch out from a central closet to each access location. For instance, fiber optic patch cables attach at one end to connectors at wall or desk mount interface plate and at the other end to fiber optic modems or gigabit Ethernet transceivers. Typically, the ends of the fiber optic drop cable within the customer's premises are terminated using highly specialized and costly fiber optic termination equipment. Once the fiber build-out is complete, proper handling of the fiber cable and connectors must be diligently maintained to preserve the performance of the network. Fiber optic cable is particularly susceptible to cracking due to excessive bends and polished fiber optic terminations are susceptible to scratching if contacted with dirty and contaminated connectors. Repair and debugging requires skilled fiber optic technicians, adding significant cost and overhead to maintain the network. As a consequence, present day fiber optic systems lack the robustness commonly found in electronic networking systems.
Recent advances in the design of union adapters for various standard connector styles (FC, SC, ST, LC, MTRJ) have focused on approaches to prevent contamination from entering the critical split sleeve area. This includes the development of various shields and covers to help prevent contamination from entering the front side union adaptor body. U.S. Pat. No. 5,887,098 by Ernst et al. discloses an FC-type fiber optic union adapter with a two-part shield assembly to cover the end of the receptacle when a cable is not attached. U.S. Pat. No. 6,863,445 by Ngo describes an alternate cap design for SC type fiber optic union adapters. However, these approaches do not prevent a damaged or contaminated connector ferrule from damaging the mating connector.
In addition, an alternate type of fiber optic adapter is designed to produce substantial signal attenuation by introducing an air gap or misalignment between opposing connector ferrules or by inserting a lossy optical element between the mating ferrules are available. For example, U.S. Patent Application 2003/031423 by Zimmel describes an SC-type fiber optic adapter that includes a sheet of attenuator glass embedded at the longitudinal center of the alignment split sleeve and U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,342 by Takahashi et al. introduces an air gap between connector ferrules to cause light to escape from the central waveguide. This adapter produces significant insertion loss (>=5 dB) since it is designed to produce attenuation. These attenuators interrupt the longitudinal continuity of the central waveguide cores attached to either side of the attenuator housing and thereby introduce a significant amount of loss and optical backreflection. These devices rely on a non-adiabatic or abrupt discontinuity in the waveguide core as is passes through the attenuating adapter.
A low loss, low backreflection, low cost and compact device to prevent polished surface damage (PSD) from propagating to other fiber optic connectors and fiber optic devices is therefore of particular importance, much like its analog, the electrical fuse, which is also a sacrificial element protecting costly electronic systems from damage and which can be inexpensively and easily replaced.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
FIG. 1 illustrates a front view (A) and a side cutaway view (B) of an isolated fiber optic union adapter attached to a wall mounted interface plate;
FIG. 2 illustrates a cross sectional view of an SC-UPC type isolated fiber optic union for joining two male connector ends, including the adiabatic waveguide core transition;
FIG. 3 illustrates an exploded view of an SC-UPC type isolated fiber optic union for joining two male connector ends;
FIG. 4 illustrates a cross sectional view (A) and front view (B) of an FC-APC type isolated fiber optic union for joining two male connector ends;
FIG. 5 illustrates a cross sectional view (A) of an FC-APC type union attached to a pair of fiber optic cables and a magnified view (B) of the adiabatic transition of waveguide cores through the device;
FIG. 6 illustrates a cross sectional view of a fiber optic male-to-female adapter for joining male to female fiber optic connectors;
FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrate a fiber optic transmission module including integrated isolated adapters;
FIG. 8 illustrates a cross sectional view of a fiber stub with an adiabatic waveguide core transition between connectorized bend insensitive fiber and standard single mode fiber;
FIG. 9 illustrates the process of producing the adiabatic taper by electrical arcing;
FIG. 10 depicts a flow diagram outlining the steps of producing a fiber stub including an adiabatic tapered core transition;
FIGS. 11A and B illustrate a protective union adapter for mating angle polished connector to non-angle polished connector through an adiabatic waveguide transition;
FIG. 12 details a fiber stub for angle polished connectors and alignment features to properly orient the angled stub within union adapter, and
FIGS. 13 A and B illustrate a protective union adapter which switches between adiabatic and non-adiabatic transmission when one cable is removed from the adapter.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention discloses compact, protective, and sacrificial fiber optic union adapters incorporating an internal adiabatic waveguide core transition section to reconfigurably interconnect two fiber optic cables with low insertion loss and low back reflection. The deployment of these union adapters within fiber optic networking systems reduces the potential for damage to “back-side”, or partially inaccessible fiber optic cable spans, thereby minimizing networking downtime and reducing maintenance costs. These adapters include a miniature internal fiber stub element within a precision alignment sleeve to prevent direct physical contact between the polished end faces of connectorized fibers, while providing highly efficient optical coupling between the two mating fiber optic cables through an adiabatic waveguide core transition. The term “adiabatic” refers to the slow variation of waveguide core optical propagation characteristics across the mating fiber interface. The slow variation ensures that the optical signal is not coupled into other forward, backward, or scattering optical modes, all of which contribute to optical loss downstream of the union adapter and backreflections upstream of the union adapter. The internal fiber stub element comprises length(s) of single mode or multi-mode fiber(s) bonded within a precision ferrule and precisely polished on opposite end faces. The optical fiber and polished end face characteristics are selected to be nominally identical to the connectorized fibers attached thereto.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the invention, FIG. 1A illustrates a front view and FIG. 1B a side cutaway view of a low loss, low backreflection, compact and protective fiber optic union adapter 20 mounted behind a wall cover plate 16 attached to an interior wall 26 of an office or home, for example. The connectorized end 17 - 2 of a front-side fiber optic patchcord 10 - 2 is inserted into the front receptacle 21 of union adapter 20 to optically interconnect this patchcord 10 - 2 to a back-side fiber optic drop cable 10 - 1 originating from an inaccessible or difficult to access area 62 behind wall 26 . The front-side cable lies within an accessible field 60 and can be easily replaced and removed. The back-side terminated and connectorized end 17 - 1 of fiber 10 - 1 is inserted into the back receptacle 21 ′ of union adapter 20 . During installation of the fiber optic cabling, the end of the back side drop cable 10 - 1 is terminated with the polished connector 17 - 1 . This polished connector is produced either by an on-site cleaving and/or polishing process or by fusion splicing a polished, pre-manufactured connector pigtail to the drop cable 10 - 1 . The cleaving, polishing and fusion splicing processes each require considerable skill and costly equipment to perform. Therefore, the subsequent protection of back-side connector 17 - 1 from polished surface damage (PSD) during routine plugging and unplugging of fiber optic connectors into receptacle 21 over the service life of the network is of significant value.
Such PSD protection is provided by the union adapter of the present invention by preventing direct physical contact between the front side and back side cables. FIG. 2 details in cross section an SC simplex bulkhead type isolated union adapter with fiber stub 9 including a length of single mode (e.g., SMF-28e fiber from Corning Inc.) or multimode (e.g., 50/125 micron Infinicor from Corning Inc.) fiber 10 - 4 along the longitudinal axis with ultra-physical polish (UPC) endfaces 4 ′. The endfaces have a slight radius of curvature (dome) to provide physical contact. The “V number” (see Snyder and Love, Optical Waveguide Theory, 1995 Chapman and Hall, Sections 18-5 and 19-2) at either end of fiber 10 - 4 are selected to be nominally identical to the V numbers of mating fiber optic cables 10 - 1 and 10 - 2 to provide a low loss, low backreflection adiabatic waveguide interface.
The angles and curvatures of the polished surfaces 4 ′ are provided in accordance with the standards developed for PC (physical contact), UPC (ultra-physical contact) or APC (angled physical contact) type fiber optic connectors. The surfaces 4 ′ typically have a large radius of curvature (˜20 mm) to produce a slight “dome” on the end face. On the scale of FIG. 2 , this radius is sufficiently large that the dome is not apparent. The end faces typically have a slight circumferential bevel that extends in about 100 to 300 microns radially from the outer diameter of the stub to guide the connector ferrule into the union adapter split sleeve during cable mating. Within housing 11 - 1 , 11 - 2 lies the precision split sleeve 8 loosely constrained longitudinally and radially by a transversely divided outer sleeve 7 - 1 and 7 - 2 with inner diameter 101 . The fiber stub 9 , with outer diameter 100 , including embedded fiber 10 - 4 , is epoxied or compression fit within split sleeve 8 . While FIG. 2 depicts a union adapter for simplex SC type connectors, this approach is scaleable to duplex or multi-fiber type connectors.
FIG. 2 illustrates the protective union adapter wherein an internal, adiabatic waveguide core transition achieves low optical loss and back reflection when interconnecting cables. If a patchcord 10 - 2 with connector 17 - 2 containing a damaged or dirty ferrule tipped terminal 5 - 2 is inserted into the front receptacle 21 of union adapter 20 , the replaceable, isolated union adapter 20 , the non-absorbing, adiabatic fiber stub 9 would prevent the transfer of damage to the polished ferrule tip of back-side termination connector 17 - 1 . Damage to the union adapter 20 is a less costly problem than damage to the back-side termination. Drawing an analogy to electrical systems, it is preferable to replace an electrical fuse rather than the piece of equipment it was designed to protect. Therefore, the protective union adapter disclosed here is a sacrificial element designed to be sufficiently low cost, so that it can be replaced by a simple, inexpensive procedure. Removal and replacement of isolated union adapter 20 is also facilitated by use of a clip mechanism 17 or screws to attach to interface plate 15 , for example. The restoration of network functionality simply requires that front-side cable 10 - 2 and fiber stub 9 of isolated union adapter 20 be replaced in a simple exchange of relatively inexpensive components. This avoids a costly on-site visit by a repair technician.
The unique advantages of the union adapter disclosed herein are achieved by transmitting the optical signal between cables through an intermediately positioned, low loss fiber stub that provides longitudinally uninterrupted, optically continuous, adiabatic optical signal exchange between the waveguide cores of the front-side and back-side cables. The fiber stub includes a central optical waveguide core, substantially matched in geometry and optically contacted to opposite ends to the waveguide cores of the mating cables. Light propagates adiabatically from one cable to the other cable through a fiber waveguide intermediary, while longitudinal perturbations to the effective modal indices of refraction are kept small such that little or no energy is coupled into lossy modes. Furthermore, the optical waveguide effective modal indices of refraction at either end of the stub are matched to those indices of the mating cables.
The split sleeve is typically fabricated of ceramic, plastic or phosphor bronze and the housing 11 is typically fabricated of injection molded plastic. An exploded view of this protective union adapter is illustrated in FIG. 3 , comprising the stub 9 which is press fit into sleeve 8 , this assembly floating within the cavity formed by outer sleeves 7 - 1 and 7 - 2 , which are retained within housing shells 11 - 1 and 11 - 2 which are adhesively or ultrasonically bonded.
FIG. 3 also depicts an external, spring loaded shutter feature 11 - 3 . In general, an external or internal beam shutter may be added to the union adapter and consists of a spring-loaded plastic or metallic element which physically blocks the light escaping when a cable transmitting an optical signal is inserted into the backside union adapter receptacle 21 ′. That element 11 - 3 is, for example, a miniature rectangular door with a pivot or hinge on one edge and attached to the union adapter receptable housing 11 - 2 . The shutter enhances eye safety by preventing stray light from disconnected fiber optic cables and equipment from being focused to high intensity within the eye. This shuttered union adapter can additionally include an integrated electronic micro-switch whose electrical state changes should the shutter be open or closed while the fiber optic connection is un-terminated. For example, the laser source input into the fiber at some local or downstream location can be turned off if the union adapter is un-terminated and the shutter is open. This can be particularly relevant for photonic power delivery systems, in which optical fiber is used to transmit relatively high optical powers for conversion into electricity by a photoconductive conversion method at some remote location.
The union adapter of the present invention may further include an integrated photodetector (e.g., silicon, GaAs or InGaAs) that generates sufficient power to turn on a visible wavelength light emitting diode incorporated into the housing of the union adapter. While typical optical power levels in communications applications are 1 mW, they can exceed 1000 W for high power fiber optic beam delivery systems.
Optically polished fiber end faces must interface with low loss and backreflection even after substantial numbers of mating and de-mating cycles. Since the optical fibers are typically fabricated of silica or Germanium doped silica glass, the hardnesses of these mating surfaces are substantially identical. A drawback of this construction is that excessive surface roughness on one fiber end face can transfer damage on the mating surface and such connections have a tendency to degrade. The wear-out problem is mitigated by interfacing the two cables through a longitudinally intermediate fiber stub element, whereby at least the surface of the fiber stub 9 waveguide end faces 4 , 4 ′ contacting the front-side cable 10 - 2 is of a material or coated with a material which is of substantially higher material hardness than that of the mating surface material of the front-side cable. This feature further increases the service lifetime of the protective union adapter 20 .
In particular, the fiber stub material may be silica while the front side and back side optical fibers are constructed of a highly transmissive plastic such as methyl-methacrylate. Since silica exhibits substantially higher material hardness than plastic, the protective stub will be immune to damage from the surface imperfections of the plastic optical fiber end face. Additionally, to interconnect glass optical fibers, a silica glass fiber stub is utilized, wherein additional polished surface protection is provided by coating one or both stub 9 end faces 4 or 4 ′ with a ¼ wave thick layer of hard thin film (e.g., diamond). The ¼ wave thickness is adequate for protection while also serving as an antireflection coating to minimize back reflections and excess optical loss. Hard, durable coatings may be applied after polishing to the end of the fiber stub 9 by evaporation or sputtering, for example, and typically utilize a relatively low temperature process (<120 C) to prevent degradation of the epoxy used to bond the optical fiber core within the fiber stub ferrule. This use of dissimilar hardnesses is similar to mechanical techniques to prevent galling between metal contact points.
In an additional example, reflective thin film coatings on the fiber stub 9 endfaces produce optical reflections from the back and/or front side fiber stub surfaces. The coatings may exhibit either a narrow-band or broad-band wavelength response and are typically multilayer dielectric coatings produced by evaporation or sputtering. Alternately, the fiber stub may include a fiber Bragg grating element recorded within the optical fiber segment, providing a narrow band reflection spectrum. Such a protective union adapter introduces wavelength dependent optical filitering into the fiber optic transmission path and finds application to wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) communication and sensor systems.
In a further embodiment, the union adapter features angle polished surfaces to reduce back reflection. As illustrated in the cross section of FIG. 4A , the flange of connector housing 11 allows the union adapter to be mounted to a wall plate or panel mount. Inside housing 11 is the precision split sleeve 8 within two-piece split sleeve retaining elements 7 - 1 and 7 - 2 . Element 7 - 2 is fixed within body 11 by a friction fit, for example. The fiber stub is retained within split sleeve 8 . The ends of fiber stub 9 are prepared with parallel, angle polished faces 4 . The use of angled surfaces reduced back reflections to <-65 dB. As illustrated in FIG. 4B , the key 6 - 3 in frontside connector receptacle 21 ensures that the angled ferrules are inserted with the proper azimuthal orientation so that all angled fiber surfaces are parallel to one another. This performance is necessary for transmitting analog video signals or for access networks in which a signal is split and distributed to several users.
FIG. 5A illustrates a cross sectional view of this FC-APC fiber optic union adapter 20 including connectorized fiber 10 - 1 inserted into receptacle 21 ′ and connectorized fiber 10 - 2 inserted into receptacle 21 . Fiber 10 - 1 is terminated at ferrule 5 - 1 within connector body 17 - 1 with a screw on cap 19 - 1 that maintains the connector attached to union housing 11 - 1 . Fiber 10 - 2 is terminated at ferrule 5 - 2 within connector body 17 - 2 with a screw-on cap 19 - 2 that attaches the connector to union housing 11 - 2 . The ferrules 5 - 1 and 5 - 2 achieve continuous, uninterrupted optical contact with fiber stub 9 at the central waveguide core region of the ferrules.
The magnified view of FIG. 5B details the geometry of the waveguide cores across the adiabatic transition region of the fiber stub. The waveguide cores 12 - 1 , 12 - 3 at the endfaces of cables 10 - 1 and 10 - 2 , respectively, and the core 12 - 2 within stub 9 , are characterized by a mode field diameter (MFD), which is a measure of the diameter of the optical beam propagating through the fiber, and V number, which is a measure of the number of modes which can be supported by the waveguide core. Furthermore, the relative positional offset errors of the optical fiber cores at transition interface 1 and interface 2 are denoted by 612 and 623 , respectively. Low loss and back reflection follows if the following adiabaticity requirements are meet:
δ 12 /( MFD 1 +MFD 21 )<0.1, Eq. 1
δ 23 /( MFD 22 +MFD 3 )<0.1, Eq. 2
0.9 <V 1 /V 21 <1.1, Eq. 3
0.9 <V 22 /V 3 <1.1. Eq. 4
Equations 1 and 2 ensure that there is minimal non-adiabatic positional offset of the two optical modes at the interconnection interfaces and equations 3, 4 ensure that the waveguide structural characteristics undergo a negligibly small change at the interfaces. By maintaining sub-micron concentricity of the core of fiber 10 - 4 with the outer diameter of fiber 10 - 4 , and sub-micron concentricity of the ferrule 9 inner diameter and outer diameter, adiabaticity is maintained so that the excess insertion loss due to this isolated union adapter is typically less than 0.25 dB. For highly concentric fiber stubs (<1 micron for single mode stubs and <3 micron for multimode stubs), the insertion loss may actually be lower than standard union adapters. Insertion loss increases approximately quadratically with waveguide core concentricity error because the abrupt misalignment is non-adiabatic. Therefore, a stub with concentricity error less than that of the mating ferrules of the cable connectors can actually produce lower loss than directly mating the two ferrules. For example, if one ferrule has a δ 12 =+1 micron error in x direction and the other has a δ 23 =−1 micron error in x, while the fiber stub has an error of 0 microns, the excess loss of a standard union adapter would be two times larger than the excess loss of this adiabatic, protective union adapter. Therefore, the protective union adapter has the potential to reduce the net loss by a factor of 2 if its concentricity error tolerances are superior to that of the mating ferrules. For example, fiber stubs using ferrules with single mode tolerances (<1 micron) can be used to give superior insertion loss for multimode union adapters.
The fiber stub ferrule is typically fabricated of zirconia, ceramic or fused silica, with an embedded fused silica optical fiber of 125 microns or 80 microns outer diameter. The length of the fiber stub is typically 2.5 mm to 4.5 mm long for the 2.5 mm diameter stub. The core of optical fiber 10 - 4 is typically 10 microns in diameter and propagates single spatial mode radiation at wavelengths of 1550 or 1310 nm with extremely low optical loss, or core diameter is typically 50, 62.5 microns for propagation of multi-mode radiation in the range of 800 nm to 1600 nm. The split sleeve 8 is typically fabricated of zirconia, ceramic, plastic or phosphor bronze that conforms to the 2.5 mm or 1.25 mm outer diameter of the fiber stub.
In an alternate example, the waveguide core of the fiber stub 9 may produce a non-adiabatic, but low absorption waveguide core transition to provide wavelength dependent transmission and reflection responses. The waveguide core within the fiber stub may have a larger diameter than the waveguide cores of the mating back-side and front-side optical fibers. By virtue of its larger diameter, the fiber stub core has a V number greater than 2.4 and therefore supports the low loss propagation of multiple optical models. Each mode is characterized by a different modal index of refraction and different group velocity. A single mode core of the front-side cable will excite higher order modes within the multimode core due to the non-adiabatic interface. These modes will interfere or beat with one another within the multimode core as the relative phases between each of the modes vary with longitudinal distance through the stub. Only a fraction of optical power in each of these modes will couple back into the single mode core of the back-side fiber. The resulting non-uniform mode coupling translates into a non-uniform wavelength-dependent transmission response. The length of fiber stub and its effective modal indices of refraction are selected to give a predefined wavelength dependent transmission and reflection. This wavelength dependent transmission can be utilized for filtering and/or sensing applications. For example, if the temperature of the fiber stub changes, the phase difference between the various modes supported by the stub and its transmission at any particular wavelength will cycle between constructive and destructive interference as a function of this phase difference. Such an element may provides fiber optic sensing or filtering functionality. In a particular example, the front-side and back-side cables have a 9 micron diameter core, while the fiber stub includes a 50 micron diameter core with 4.0 mm length.
Male-to-Female Protective Union Adapters
In an alternate embodiment, a union adapter can be provided to interconnect a male-to-female fiber optic termination. FIG. 6 illustrates a cross sectional view of the fiber stub-ferrule subassembly for a fiber optic male-to-female union adapter. The housing is not shown in this view. This configuration enables the union adapter to be inserted between the male end of a fiber optic cable and a female termination incorporated in the housing of an optical transceiver, for example. The union adapter introduces low excess loss by utilizing low optical attenuation single mode or multi-mode fiber within the isolating fiber stub and an adiabatic transition of the waveguide core. In this particular example, the union adapter includes a split sleeve 8 within retaining sleeve 7 - 2 . The retaining element 7 - 3 is attached to fiber stub 9 . Fiber stub 9 has polished end faces 4 and embedded optical fiber 10 - 4 , one end of which is internal to split sleeve 8 . End faces 4 may optionally be antireflection coated to minimize any transmission ripple. Optical fiber 10 - 4 may exhibit single mode or multi-mode propagation characteristics. The housing body (not shown in FIG. 6 ) may be of the FC, ST, SC, LC, MTRJ or other industry standard connector styles, in a simplex or duplex configuration. The polished end faces 4 can be the APC, PC, UPC or other industry standard types.
EXAMPLE
Optical Signal Processor with Replaceable Receptacles
In a particular example, the male-to-female isolating union adapters are used to isolate the fiber optic ports of an optical signal processor. More specifically, the optical signal processor may be in the form of a duplex fiber optic transceiver module, an example of which is illustrated in FIGS. 7A and 7B . This module may be transmit optical Ethernet-formated data at rates up to 10 Gbit/sec and include electrical signal conversion or communication. The transceiver module 33 is packaged within a housing 32 and includes integrated duplex, female-type fiber optic receptacles 31 . In FIG. 7 these receptacles 31 are of the SC-UPC type with either multi-mode or single mode fiber interfaces, for example, and with alignment channels 35 . Alternate receptacle types include LC, ST and MTRJ. Damage to the internal fiber interfaces within receptacle 31 is difficult or impractical to repair. To protect this interface from damage, this transceiver unit includes an integrated isolating union adapter 20 which inserts into a mating cavity within transceiver housing 32 . The internal structure of union adapter 20 includes a fiber stub 9 and alignment sleeve 8 . The union adapter 20 prevents the ferrules 5 of external terminated fiber optic cables with connector 17 - 2 from contacting the receptacles 31 in the transceiver unit 33 . In this way, should a cable 10 - 2 with damaged or contaminated ferrule 5 be inserted into 20 , damage is restricted to the inexpensive, replaceable union adapter 20 rather than the transceiver 33 . The union adapter is attached to the housing by semi-permanent means, such as screws 34 which hold union adapter 20 to enclosure 32 . This attachment prevents the user from exposing the receptacles 31 during routine use. Repair of transceiver 33 requires a simple replacement of union adapter 20 . This approach protects the fiber optic interface ports of other high value optical signal processors from damage, such as optical switches and multiplexers/demultiplexers.
Adapter for Dissimilar Fiber Types
Bend insensitive fiber may be preferable within the customer's premises because fiber optic patchcords incorporating this fiber are more robust under bending and routine handling. However, in many cases the fiber drop cable 10 - 1 entering the customer's premises is standard single mode optical fiber. Directly interfacing connectorized single mode fiber and connectorized, bend insensitive fiber can result in relatively high insertion loss (>0.5 dB) and signal degradation. Therefore, in accordance with this invention, low loss interconnection between dissimilar fiber types is provided by utilizing a fiber stub element within a union adapter including an adiabatic waveguide core transition. A low optical loss transition between fibers with dissimilar core diameters, as is the case for standard and bend insensitive fiber, or multimode 50/125 micron and 62.5/125 micron multimode fibers, can be achieved by utilizing an adiabatic taper of the core diameter and MFD to smoothly and continuously transition from one fiber diameter to the other within a longitudinal distance greater than the beat note length, determined from the difference in propagation constants between the two fibers. This distance is typically between 10 and 1000 microns, depending on the fiber core diameters and wavelength of operation. This range of lengths enables the adiabatic core transition to be packaged within the stub in a compact fashion. The stub length is typically 4 mm.
The adiabatic taper within the isolating fiber stub may be fabricated by partially diffusing out the core at one end of a bend insensitive fiber to match the mode field diameter of a particular single mode fiber and fusion splicing this end to the particular single mode fiber. The adiabatic taper is formed longitudinally adjacent to the fusion splice and is part of a continuous length of fiber which can be epoxied into a ferrule to produce a fiber stub with different core diameters at the opposite end faces. This fiber stub is fixed at the center of the union adapter. In this case, a standard single mode fiber cable termination can be attached to a bend insensitive, single mode fiber cable with low insertion loss (<0.10 dB).
In a particular example, FIG. 8 details the fiber stub and illustrates the internal fusion-spliced optical fibers joined by an adiabatic taper. Bend insensitive fiber 10 - 5 has a core 112 - 1 of generally smaller diameter than standard single mode fiber 10 - 6 with core 112 - 2 . The diameter of core 112 - 1 is typically 6 to 8 microns and the diameter of core 112 - 2 is typically 9-10 microns. In the taper region, the core diameter monotonically varies while maintaining a minimal slope of the waveguide walls.
In a particular example of the adiabatic taper manufacturing process ( FIG. 9 ), the adiabatic waveguide taper within the bend insensitive fiber is formed by using a fusion splicer's electrical arc 15 , for example, to heat the end of the bend insensitive fiber 10 - 5 and diffuse out the core 112 - 1 to enlarge the mode field diameter locally and match the core 112 - 2 of second fiber 10 - 6 . Pre- or post-arcing functionality is available on standard fusion splicers such as the Alcoa-Fujikura Model 50FS. Typical fabrication steps are disclosed in the flow chart of FIG. 10 . Alternate approaches to diffusing the core include localized heating with a CO 2 laser emitting at a wavelength of 10.6 microns or with mini-torches such as the hydrogen gas -type used to fabricate fused couplers. Fiber cleaving can be provided by use of standard precision cleavers manufactured by Alcoa-Fujikura or Sumitomo. The two fibers are contacted and heated to form a fusion splice with interface 13 and adiabatic taper 112 - 3 . The fibers 10 - 5 and 10 - 6 are subsequently inserted and bonded into a ferrule to form a fiber stub 9 assembly. The end faces 4 of the fiber stub 9 are polished to mate with standard angle polished or flat polished connectors.
Union Adapter for Dissimilar Fiber Types
In an alternate example, the union adapter may serve as an adaptive interface between dissimilar terminations, such as UPC and APC. As illustrated in FIGS. 11A and 11B , the fiber stub is provided with UPC polish at one end 4 and APC polish at the other end 4 ′. While the UPC polished surface 4 is normal to the beam propagation direction, the incidence angle to the APC polished surface 4 ′ is typically eight degrees. This union adapter enables a UPC terminated cable connector 17 - 1 to be interfaced thru the intermediate stub to an APC terminated cable connector 17 - 2 while retaining the protective aspects disclosed herein. In this configuration, the angled surface of the fiber stub must be aligned relative to the connector alignment key of the mating cable. As detailed in FIG. 12 , this is achieved by azimuthally aligning the radial extension 40 of fiber stub 9 relative to the gap 8 - 1 in the outer split sleeve 8 , and aligning the split sleeve gap relative to the union adapter housing 6 - 1 . For example, the cavity in the union adapter housing 11 - 1 may include a key 36 to engage the split sleeve gap 8 - 1 and maintain proper azimuthal orientation of the split sleeve-fiber stub assembly. The ferrule may include a longitudinal slot 92 into which a ceramic, metal or plastic extension is bonded. The thickness of this extension is less than the split sleeve gap 8 - 1 so the stub can slide within the split sleeve without rotating.
APC terminations serve to reduce the impact of back reflections on optical network performance. For example, the back reflection of optical signals from un-terminated connectors degrade overall optical network performance in broadcast type networks in which an optical signal is split and distributed to several different users via unique fiber paths or in analog video links. For single mode fiber transmission, the level of attenuation of back reflections, or return loss, should typically exceed 50 dB to prevent undesirable crosstalk. Un-terminated PC and UPC cables, whether disconnected or attached to union adapters, provide a return loss of only 14 dB. Therefore, in accordance with this invention, this union adapter example has the further advantage of providing low back reflection termination from a UPC terminated cable inserted into the back side cable receptacle, even when no mating connector is inserted into the front side cable receptacle.
Union Adapter Providing Low Back Reflection/Low Transmission While Unterminated
In a further example, the protective union adapter may include two in-line fiber stubs, a front-side stub and a back-side stub, in series and concentrically aligned within a single outer split sleeve ( FIGS. 13A and 13B ). The surfaces of the two stubs 9 - 1 and 9 - 2 , which contact each other at the center of the split sleeve 8 , are angle polished and azimuthally aligned to provide low loss physical contact. The edges of the stub end faces may be fabricated with a circumferential step rather than angled bevel as illustrated here. A compression spring or elastomer element 50 lies inside or outside the spit sleeve to engage the raised stub extensions 40 ′ and 40 ″. This spring element longitudinally separates the two angle polished surfaces 4 ′ when one of the mating cables 17 - 2 is removed. In the absence of the longitudinal compressive force provided by the spring-loaded ferrules of the mating cable 17 - 2 , the fiber stubs separate within the precision split sleeve to produce an air gap 52 there between. Reinsertion of the mating cable 17 - 2 recompresses the spring element 50 so the gap between the two stub elements 9 - 1 , 9 - 2 vanishes. This design has the advantage that when only one cable 17 - 1 is attached to the union adapter, an angled air gap 52 is present. This geometry provides low back reflection, because the inner surfaces of the fiber stub are angled, and also substantially prevents light from escaping from the fiber stub facing the front-side receptacle. The width of air gap 52 is large enough that light emanating from the back-side stub 9 - 2 is blocked by the opaque ferrule used in the front-side stub 9 - 1 . An additional feature of the protective union adapter described above is therefore an automatic shuttering functionality with low unterminated back reflection.
When the front side cable connector 17 - 2 is installed into the union adapter, the longitudinal, extension spring force on the connector ferrule produced when inserting the cable connector body into the union adapter receptacle is adequate to compress the spring or elastomer element 50 between the front-side 9 - 1 and back-side 9 - 2 stubs and eliminate the central air gap. The high concentricity of the stub pair and split sleeve enables one or both stubs to longitudinally piston within the split sleeve while maintaining precise radial or transverse alignment even during repeated cycling of connection and disconnection. The central air gap region is also shielded from environmental contamination by the surrounding split sleeve 8 and union adapter housing. As a result, low loss and repeatable light transmission between the front-side and back-side cables is achieved.
The force required to separate the two stubs 9 - 1 , 9 - 2 within the split sleeve 8 under the compressive/frictional force of the split sleeve is determined by the diameter increase of the split sleeve when the stubs are installed, as well as the material used to construct the sleeve. For zirconia sleeves, the typical force to longitudinally displace the stub is 200 gram-force (gf) to 600 gf for SC, FC and ST type terminations and 100 gf to 300 gf for MU and LC type terminations. Therefore, the spring or elastomer element should produce adequate outward longitudinal force to separate the stubs when one or both fiber optic cables are removed from the union adapter. The spring element may be constructed of metal, plastic or rubber, in the form of a compression spring, Bellville washer, or tube, for example.
In summary, fiber optic networking equipment and optical signal processors such as transceivers, switches, amplifiers, multiplexers/demultiplexers, modems and patch panels typically include large numbers of fiber optic union adapters to mate connectorized fiber optic cables. These unions join fibers in locations where permanent fusion splices are inappropriate because of the need to periodically reconfigure or replace fiber optic cables. A great limitation in prior art approaches is the fact that if one cable's ferrule is dirty or damaged, it will likely transfer damage to the mating ferrule because the union physically contacts the polished enfaces of both ferrules to one another. In many cases, the damaged mating ferrule is part of a back-side cable deeply embedded within the fiber optic plant. Replacing such a cable is a costly process. To eliminate this damage, we have disclosed an inexpensive component providing a low loss and potentially low back reflection by introducing an adiabatic waveguide transition between the cores of two mating optical fibers through a fiber stub element within the union adapter.
Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims. | Devices to enhance the reliability of optical networks and to reduce the cost of repair are disclosed in this invention. In particular, compact and inexpensive fiber optic union adapters with built-in protective isolation prevent the transfer of damage from one connectorized fiber optic cable to another. The fiber optic union includes a split sleeve with an interior channel and a fiber stub centrally located within the interior channel. The fiber stub makes direct optical contact with the cable endfaces to enable efficient optical transmission between interconnected cables while providing a low loss, low back reflection adiabatic transition between the waveguide cores of the two cables. | 6 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a U.S. National Phase Application under 35 U.S.C. §371 of International Patent Application No. PCT/DE2011/002065, filed Dec. 1, 2011, and claims the benefit of German Patent Application No. 20 2010 016 188.6, filed Dec. 6, 2010, all of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entity. The International Application was published in German on Jun. 14, 2012 as International Publication No. WO/2012/075997 under PCT Article 21(2).
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention relates to a panel railing, by means of which panels are held in a clamped manner in their base region, with the result that railing posts can be dispensed with.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Corresponding glass-pane railings are known, for example, from DE 20 2007 009 239 U1 or WO 2009/003452 A1. In railings of this type, it is provided to insert the glass panel, which can also consist, for example, of two individual panes which are connected to one another, such as, in particular, adhesively bonded to one another, into a U-shaped profile which holds the glass pane in a clamped manner. The inner walls of said U-shaped profile are of planar configuration. The base region of the glass pane is enclosed by way of a U-shaped profile body made from plastic which is inserted into the U-shaped profile before the mounting of the glass pane. An exact and tilt-resistant alignment of the glass pane takes place subsequently by means of wedge-like inserts. Here, the U-shaped profile body which encloses the base region of the glass pane reaches on both sides of the glass pane as far as into the opening region of the U-shaped profile. Before the glass pane is inserted into the U-shaped profile, said U-shaped profile has already been screwed or welded to a fastening profile which is arranged fixedly on a building. To this end, one of the two limbs of the U-shaped profile can have a bent-over portion, by means of which the U-shaped profile can be hooked onto the fastening profile.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] Proceeding from this previously known prior art, the invention is based on the object of specifying an improved panel railing which can be produced in an economically favorable manner and makes mounting possible which is as simple and rapid as possible.
[0005] The panel railing according to the invention is produced by the features of the main claim. Appropriate developments of the invention are the subject matter of further claims which follow the main claim.
[0006] It is provided according to the invention to use a rod body as spacer body in the upper, free edge region of at least one of the two limbs of the U-shaped profile. Said rod body bears in a pressing manner with its one outer face against the limb of the U-shaped profile, whereas it bears in a pressing manner with its other outer face which lies opposite the former against the panel. A projection which is directed away from the limb and protrudes in the direction of the panel is situated on the inner side of the limb, against which inner side the rod body is placed in a pressing manner. Said projection is present below the maximum width extent of the rod body, with the result that the rod body can be inserted to a certain extent into the U-shaped profile. At the same time, said projection prevents the rod body from sliding down too far, since the rod body rests on the projection of the limb in its state in which it is seated to the maximum extent in the U-shaped profile.
[0007] The inner side of the limb, against which inner side the rod body can be placed in a pressing manner, can have a plurality of projections which are arranged at a mutual spacing from one another. In particular, said inner side can be of wedge-like configuration, with the result that a lower projection protrudes further than an upper projection into the interior of the U-shaped profile in the direction transversely with respect to the panel plane. In this way, a rod body can be placed with different depths in the interior of the U-shaped profile, as a result of which an orientation of the panel in the U-shaped profile becomes possible. It would also be possible to place in each case rod bodies with a different maximum width extent on the different projections; the rod body with the smallest maximum width extent should be arranged at the very bottom.
[0008] In order to make mounting of the panel possible which is as uniform as possible, each rod body can have identical maximum width cross sections along its rod axis. A rod body of this type should be inserted into the U-shaped profile with its longitudinal axis approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis of said U-shaped profile. In particular, each rod body can have identical cross sections along its rod axis. In one particularly preferred embodiment, the rod body can be configured as a round rod or oval rod. It would also be possible to provide the rod body in a droplet shape or with a polygonal cross section, for example a hexagonal cross section.
[0009] A rod body of this type can be present on both sides of the panel. In one preferred embodiment, the panel can be held on its one side by a rod body and on its other side by a spacer body such that it is pressed in between the two limbs of the U-shaped profile. In this way, the mounting can take place in a particularly simple manner by virtue of the fact that first of all the spacer body is positioned between the one limb of the U-shaped profile and the panel. Subsequently, the rod body can be placed in the opening region between the other limb and the panel. If the panel is now pressed somewhat against the spacer body, the rod body can automatically slide or fall downward into the U-shaped profile until the panel is held in a clamped manner. As a result of the projections which are present on the inner side of the limb of the U-shaped profile, the rod body can slide into the U-shaped profile only as far as a predetermined point, with the result that excessively deep seating or falling down of the rod body can be prevented.
[0010] The spacer body can be clipped into a groove on the inner side of the limb of the U-shaped profile. In this case, the spacer body could have a corresponding tongue which can be inserted or pushed into the groove of the U-shaped profile, in order to fasten the spacer body to the limb of the U-shaped profile in a positionally secure manner. Here, the groove of the U-shaped profile does not have to be filled completely by the tongue of the spacer body, but rather it can be sufficient to configure the tongue to be somewhat shorter than the groove. As an alternative or in addition to this, the tongue could be of somewhat wider configuration than the groove at least in some regions, with the result that the tongue would have to be compressed, in order for it to be possible to insert it into the groove. In order to facilitate compression of this type of the tongue, the tongue could have an approximately horizontal slot, as a result of which the tongue would spread open slightly within the groove.
[0011] As an alternative or in addition to this, the spacer body can be supported in terms of load on a profile body which is present in the base region of the U-shaped profile. This can be realized, for example, by virtue of the fact that the profile body is present in an integral form with the spacer body. The spacer body could also be present in a separate form from the profile body and could reach into the U-shaped profile to such a depth that it rests on one of the walls of the profile body.
[0012] The upper opening region of the U-shaped profile can be covered laterally of the panel on both sides in each case by a covering profile. Said covering profile can prevent the ingress of moisture, for example as a result of rain, and can ensure a visually pleasing termination of the U-shaped profile. In one particularly preferred embodiment, the covering profile can be connected integrally to the spacer body. The covering profile and spacer body can therefore be mounted in a single work step; subsequent post-treatment of the upper opening region of the U-shaped profile is therefore not required.
[0013] The covering profile can have a longitudinal groove which can be clamped into a rib-like projection of the limb of the U-shaped profile. An embodiment of this type can also be used in an integrated configuration of covering profile and spacer body.
[0014] Both rod bodies and spacer bodies do not have to be present over the entire length of the U-shaped profile. Rather, it can be sufficient to provide spacer bodies and rod bodies merely in sections. It would also be possible, for example, to configure the spacer body as a continuous spacer element, whereas the rod body is present only at certain intervals.
[0015] Further advantages and features of the invention can be gathered from the features which are specified further in the claims and from the following exemplary embodiment.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0016] In the following text, the invention will be described and explained in greater detail using the exemplary embodiment which is shown in the drawing, in which:
[0017] FIG. 1 shows a cross section through the base region of a glass-pane railing according to the invention,
[0018] FIG. 2 shows a cross section through the base region of the glass-pane railing according to FIG. 1 during mounting, and
[0019] FIG. 3 shows a cross section of the opening region of the U-shaped profile with inserted panels (indicated by dash-dotted lines) of different thickness.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0020] FIG. 1 shows details of a glass-pane railing 10 with its base region in cross section. The glass pane 18 which consists in the present exemplary case of two panels 14 , 16 which are adhesively bonded fixedly to one another via an adhesive layer 12 is seated with its base region 20 in a U-shaped profile 22 such that it is held in a clamped manner.
[0021] The right-hand and the left-hand limbs 24 , 26 of the U-shaped profile 22 protrude upward at right angles from a web which forms the base 28 of the U-shaped profile 22 , with the formation of a respective rounded portion. In the present exemplary case, said base 28 of the U-shaped profile 22 protrudes in the form of a fastening web 30 beyond the right-hand, inner limb 24 . By means of the fastening web 30 , the U-shaped profile 22 can be fastened to a building or to a structural connecting element. In contrast to the exemplary embodiment which is shown here, other fastening possibilities of the U-shaped profile are also possible.
[0022] The two limbs 24 , 26 of the U-shaped profile 22 can be of different lengths. For instance, the inner, right-hand limb 24 can be of lower configuration than the outer, left-hand limb 26 , in particular for visual reasons, in a glass-pane railing which is mounted on the end side of a floor or ceiling panel.
[0023] In the present exemplary case, the two limbs 24 , 26 in each case have a kink 32 , 34 . Between said kinks 32 , 34 and the base of the U-shaped profile 22 , the wall thickness of the two limbs 24 , 26 tapers in each case upward, away from the base 28 and toward the two kinks 32 , 34 . The wall thickness of the two limbs 24 , 26 no longer tapers to such an extent above the kinks 32 , 34 as below them. In contrast to the exemplary embodiment which is shown here, the wall thickness of the two limbs 24 , 26 above the two kinks 32 , 34 could also be of approximately constant configuration. It would also be possible to dispense with the kinks 32 , 34 and to configure the two limbs 24 , 26 completely with a wall thickness which tapers upward constantly or completely.
[0024] The glass pane 18 is held with its base region 20 in the U-shaped profile 22 in a clamped manner. To this end, the glass pane 18 is enclosed in its lower edge region in a tightly bearing manner by a U-shaped profile body 40 which is of one piece in the present exemplary case. Said U-shaped profile body 40 has a base 42 with two upwardly protruding walls 44 , 46 . As long as no glass pane 18 has been inserted into the U-shaped profile 22 and the U-shaped profile body 40 , the base 42 has the shape of a gable roof (see FIG. 2 ). When the base 42 with the shape of a gable roof is pressed down by an inserted glass pane 18 , the lower wall regions of the two walls 44 , 46 are pressed outward against the two limbs 24 , 26 of the U-shaped profile 22 . In this way, play-free bearing of the base region 20 of the glass pane 18 is possible in the base region of the U-shaped profile 22 .
[0025] The walls 44 , 46 of the U-shaped profile body 40 can be of comparatively short configuration in comparison with the two limbs 24 , 26 of the U-shaped profile 22 . In contrast to the exemplary embodiment which is shown here, the walls 44 , 46 of the U-shaped profile body 40 could also, however, protrude as far as almost into the opening region of the U-shaped profile 22 .
[0026] The U-shaped profile body 40 is composed of a lightweight plastic material which has sufficient compressive strength. The weight of the glass pane 18 becomes greater only to an insubstantial extent as a result of the U-shaped profile body 40 which is pushed onto it.
[0027] A groove 50 is provided on the inner side of the outer limb 26 in the opening region of the U-shaped profile 22 . The tongue 52 of a spacer body 54 can be pushed into said groove 50 , with the result that said spacer body 54 can be positioned on the outer limb 26 in a positionally secure manner at a predefined spacing from the base 28 of the U-shaped profile 22 . A covering profile 56 is formed integrally on the spacer body 54 . The covering profile 56 ensures a visually pleasant termination of the upper opening region of the U-shaped profile 22 and can prevent the ingress of moisture, for example as a result of rain, into the U-shaped profile 22 . The covering profile 56 has a groove 58 , by way of which the covering profile 56 can be fastened to a rib-like projection 60 of the outer limb 26 . In contrast to the exemplary embodiment which is shown here, the spacer body 54 and covering profile 56 could also be two separate components.
[0028] In the present exemplary case, the fastening of the spacer body 54 to the outer limb 26 takes place by means of a tongue and groove connection. In contrast to this, other types of fastening would also be possible; for example, the spacer body could have a hook formation which could be hooked into a corresponding undercut in the outer limb.
[0029] In contrast to the exemplary embodiment which is shown here, the U-shaped profile body 40 and the spacer body 54 could also be connected integrally to one another. This could take place, for example, by way of a spacer projection 62 which is indicated by dash-dotted lines in FIG. 1 and connects the outer, left-hand wall 46 of the U-shaped profile body 40 to the spacer body 54 . In this case, the spacer body 54 could be supported in terms of load at least partially on the U-shaped profile body 40 .
[0030] A wedge-shaped shoulder projection 70 is formed integrally on the inner side of the inner limb 24 in the upper region. The wedge-shaped shoulder projection 70 has a plurality of projections 72 . The individual projections 72 are arranged in each case in such a way that a lower projection protrudes further than an upper projection into the interior of the U-shaped profile 22 . The surface of the wedge-shaped shoulder projection 70 is in each case of concave configuration between adjacent projections 72 , with the result that a rod body 74 which, in the present exemplary case, has a circular cross section with a constant diameter can be positioned reliably between two projections 72 , in order to hold the glass pane 18 in a clamped manner.
[0031] In contrast to the exemplary embodiment which is shown here, the surface of the wedge-shaped shoulder projection 70 could also be of corrugated or serrated configuration. As an alternative or in addition to this, the rod body 74 could also have a corrugated or serrated surface.
[0032] A groove 80 is present on the inner side of the inner limb above the wedge-shaped shoulder projection 70 . A separate covering profile 84 can be fastened to said groove 80 and the rib-like projection 82 which is situated above it. To this end, the covering profile 84 has a tongue 86 which can be pushed into the groove 80 . Moreover, the covering profile 84 has a groove 88 , into which the rib-like projection 82 of the limb 24 can be pushed. In contrast to the exemplary embodiment which is shown here, other fastening possibilities of the covering profile could also be suitable. For example, the covering profile could have a hook formation which could be hooked into a corresponding undercut on the limb of the U-shaped profile.
[0033] During the mounting of the glass-pane railing 10 , first of all the U-shaped profile body 40 is inserted from above into the U-shaped profile 22 and the spacer body 54 is fastened to the outer limb 26 . The glass pane 18 is possibly inserted from above slightly obliquely into the U-shaped profile body 40 . The rod body 74 is subsequently inserted into the opening region of the U-shaped profile 22 between the inner limb 24 and the glass pane 18 . The glass pane 18 can now be pressed somewhat against the spacer body 54 . Here, the rod body 74 slides or falls at least to a certain extent between the glass pane 18 and the wedge-shaped shoulder projection 70 of the inner limb 24 . Should a further alignment of the glass pane 18 be desired, the rod body 74 can be pushed by means of a suitable tool more deeply into the gap which is present between the glass pane 18 and the wedge-shaped shoulder projection 70 . This could also be achieved by way of increased pressure on the panel 18 . In the final step, the covering profile 84 is attached in the opening region of the inner limb 24 of the U-shaped profile 22 , in order to ensure a visually pleasant termination.
[0034] As can be gathered, in particular, from FIG. 3 , the installation of various glass panes 18 with different thicknesses can take place in identical U-shaped profiles 22 by way of the use of rod bodies 74 with a uniform diameter. Irrespectively of the desired glass thickness of the glass pane to be installed, no different U-shaped profiles therefore have to be kept in store. Merely U-shaped profile bodies of different thickness and possibly spacer bodies 54 of different thickness, if the glass pane is to be present in the center of the U-shaped profile, have to be kept in store. As a result, the required warehouse costs are reduced considerably.
[0035] In contrast to the exemplary embodiments which are shown in the drawing, the rod body could be shrunk in its longitudinal axis to produce a body, in which the longitudinal extent is not greater than the transverse extent. As a result, for example, a round rod could also assume the shape of a ball. | A panel railing has a dimensionally stable U-shaped profile. Between the two limbs of the U-shaped profile, the base region of a glass pane is held in a clamped manner. A spacer body and a rod body are arranged in the opening region of the U-shaped profile between the glass pane and one limb. The rod body is provided in an upper, free edge region of at least one of the two limbs. The rod body is placed in a pressing manner with its one outer face against the limb and with its other outer face, which lies opposite the former, against the glass pane. On the inner side of the limb, there is at least one projection which protrudes from said limb in the direction of the glass pane and is present below the maximum width extent of the rod body. | 4 |
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The invention provides rotary steerable devices and methods for use of rotary steerable devices.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Controlled steering or directional drilling techniques are commonly used in the oil, water, and gas industry to reach resources that are not located directly below a wellhead. The advantages of directional drilling are well known and include the ability to reach reservoirs where vertical access is difficult or not possible (e.g. where an oilfield is located under a city, a body of water, or a difficult to drill formation) and the ability to group multiple wellheads on a single platform (e.g. for offshore drilling).
[0003] With the need for oil, water, and natural gas increasing, improved and more efficient apparatus and methodology for extracting natural resources from the earth are necessary.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The invention provides rotary steerable devices and methods for use of rotary steerable devices.
[0005] One aspect of the invention provides a rotary steerable device including: a cylinder configured for rotation in a wellbore, the cylinder having a slot and a gauge; and at least one cam received in the slot. The cam is configured for selective actuation between a first position, wherein the cam lies within the gauge of the cylinder, and a second position, wherein the cam is displaced out of the gauge of the cylinder.
[0006] This aspect can have several embodiments. The cam can be utilized in displacing the cylinder for steering the rotary steerable device. The rotary steerable device can include an actuator configured to actuate the cam. The actuator can be a low power actuator. The actuator can be an electric motor. The actuator can be a hydraulic actuator. The rotary steerable device can include a controller configured to control actuation of the cam by the actuator.
[0007] The rotary steerable device can include a drill bit. The drill bit can be substantially adjacent to the cam. The cam can rotate in a first direction about a rotational axis. The cam can be configured to rotate in a second direction about the rotational axis after contact with the wellbore. The cylinder can rotate in a direction opposite to the first direction of rotation of the cam. The cam can be configured for actuation to an angle at which a non-slip condition occurs when the cylinder is rotated.
[0008] The rotary steerable device can include a cam shaft extending from the cam along the rotational axis of the cam. The rotary steerable device can include a plurality of bearings for supporting the cam shaft. The rotary steerable device can include a wear ring external to the cylinder. The wear ring can be configured for displacement when contacted by the cam. The cylinder can include a plurality of slots. A cam can be received in each slot.
[0009] Another aspect of the invention provides a rotary steerable device including: a cylinder configured for rotation in a wellbore, the cylinder having a slot; and a plurality of cams received in the slot. Each cam is configured for selective actuation between a first position wherein at least one of the cams lies within a gauge of the cylinder, and a second position, wherein at least one of the cams is displaced out of a gauge of the cylinder.
[0010] Another aspect of the invention provides a method of steering a bottom hole assembly. The method includes: providing a bottom hole assembly including a cylinder configured for rotation in a wellbore, the cylinder having a slot, and at least one cam received in the slot, the cam configured for selective actuation from a first position, wherein the cam lies within a gauge of the cylinder, and a second position, wherein the cam is displaced out of a gauge of the cylinder; rotating the cylinder; and selectively actuating the cam to steer the bottom hole assembly.
[0011] This aspect can have several embodiments. The bottom hole assembly can include a wear ring external to the cylinder. The wear ring can be configured for displacement when contacted by the cam.
[0012] Another aspect of the invention provides a wellsite system including: a drill string; a kelly coupled to the drill string; a rotary steerable device coupled to the drill string; and a drill bit coupled to the drill string. The rotary steerable device includes: a cylinder configured for rotation in a wellbore, the cylinder having a slot and a gauge; and at least one cam received in the slot, the cam configured for selective actuation between a first position, wherein the cam lies within the gauge of the cylinder, and a second position, wherein the cam is displaced out of the gauge of the cylinder.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] For a fuller understanding of the nature and desired objects of the present invention, reference is made to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views and wherein:
[0014] FIG. 1 illustrates a wellsite system in which the present invention can be employed.
[0015] FIG. 2A illustrates a rotary steerable device in a side and cross-sectional view according to one embodiment of the invention.
[0016] FIG. 2B illustrates another embodiment of the invention that includes a continuous slot.
[0017] FIGS. 3A-3F illustrates the operation of a rotary steerable device within a borehole to steer a drill bit coupled to the rotary steerable device according to one embodiment of the invention.
[0018] FIG. 4 illustrates a model of the interaction between a cam and a borehole according to one embodiment of the invention.
[0019] FIG. 5 illustrates a profile of an exemplary cam for incorporation within a rotary steerable device according to one embodiment of the invention.
[0020] FIG. 6 illustrates a rotary steerable device including a wear ring surrounding a plurality of cams according to one embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0021] The invention provides rotary steerable devices and methods for use of rotary steerable devices. Some embodiments of the invention can be used in a wellsite system.
Wellsite System
[0022] FIG. 1 illustrates a wellsite system in which the present invention can be employed. The wellsite can be onshore or offshore. In this exemplary system, a borehole 11 is formed in subsurface formations by rotary drilling in a manner that is well known. Embodiments of the invention can also use directional drilling, as will be described hereinafter.
[0023] A drill string 12 is suspended within the borehole 11 and has a bottom hole assembly (BHA) 100 which includes a drill bit 105 at its lower end. The surface system includes platform and derrick assembly 10 positioned over the borehole 11 , the assembly 10 including a rotary table 16 , kelly 17 , hook 18 and rotary swivel 19 . The drill string 12 is rotated by the rotary table 16 , energized by means not shown, which engages the kelly 17 at the upper end of the drill string. The drill string 12 is suspended from a hook 18 , attached to a traveling block (also not shown), through the kelly 17 and a rotary swivel 19 which permits rotation of the drill string relative to the hook. As is well known, a top drive system could alternatively be used.
[0024] In the example of this embodiment, the surface system further includes drilling fluid or mud 26 stored in a pit 27 formed at the well site. A pump 29 delivers the drilling fluid 26 to the interior of the drill string 12 via a port in the swivel 19 , causing the drilling fluid to flow downwardly through the drill string 12 as indicated by the directional arrow 8 . The drilling fluid exits the drill string 12 via ports in the drill bit 105 , and then circulates upwardly through the annulus region between the outside of the drill string and the wall of the borehole, as indicated by the directional arrows 9 . In this well known manner, the drilling fluid lubricates the drill bit 105 and carries formation cuttings up to the surface as it is returned to the pit 27 for recirculation.
[0025] The bottom hole assembly 100 of the illustrated embodiment includes a logging-while-drilling (LWD) module 120 , a measuring-while-drilling (MWD) module 130 , a roto-steerable system and motor, and drill bit 105 .
[0026] The LWD module 120 is housed in a special type of drill collar, as is known in the art, and can contain one or a plurality of known types of logging tools. It will also be understood that more than one LWD and/or MWD module can be employed, e.g. as represented at 120 A. (References, throughout, to a module at the position of 120 can alternatively mean a module at the position of 120 A as well.) The LWD module includes capabilities for measuring, processing, and storing information, as well as for communicating with the surface equipment. In the present embodiment, the LWD module includes a pressure measuring device.
[0027] The MWD module 130 is also housed in a special type of drill collar, as is known in the art, and can contain one or more devices for measuring characteristics of the drill string and drill bit. The MWD tool further includes an apparatus (not shown) for generating electrical power to the downhole system. This may typically include a mud turbine generator (also known as a “mud motor”) powered by the flow of the drilling fluid, it being understood that other power and/or battery systems may be employed. In the present embodiment, the MWD module includes one or more of the following types of measuring devices: a weight-on-bit measuring device, a torque measuring device, a vibration measuring device, a shock measuring device, a stick slip measuring device, a direction measuring device, and an inclination measuring device.
[0028] A particularly advantageous use of the system hereof is in conjunction with controlled steering or “directional drilling.” In this embodiment, a roto-steerable subsystem 150 ( FIG. 1 ) is provided. Directional drilling is the intentional deviation of the wellbore from the path it would naturally take. In other words, directional drilling is the steering of the drill string so that it travels in a desired direction.
[0029] Directional drilling is, for example, advantageous in offshore drilling because it enables many wells to be drilled from a single platform. Directional drilling also enables horizontal drilling through a reservoir. Horizontal drilling enables a longer length of the wellbore to traverse the reservoir, which increases the production rate from the well.
[0030] A directional drilling system may also be used in vertical drilling operation as well. Often the drill bit will veer off of a planned drilling trajectory because of the unpredictable nature of the formations being penetrated or the varying forces that the drill bit experiences. When such a deviation occurs, a directional drilling system may be used to put the drill bit back on course.
[0031] A known method of directional drilling includes the use of a rotary steerable system (“RSS”). In an RSS, the drill string is rotated from the surface, and downhole devices cause the drill bit to drill in the desired direction. Rotating the drill string greatly reduces the occurrences of the drill string getting hung up or stuck during drilling. Rotary steerable drilling systems for drilling deviated boreholes into the earth may be generally classified as either “point-the-bit” systems or “push-the-bit” systems.
[0032] In the point-the-bit system, the axis of rotation of the drill bit is deviated from the local axis of the bottom hole assembly in the general direction of the new hole. The hole is propagated in accordance with the customary three-point geometry defined by upper and lower stabilizer touch points and the drill bit. The angle of deviation of the drill bit axis coupled with a finite distance between the drill bit and lower stabilizer results in the non-collinear condition required for a curve to be generated. There are many ways in which this may be achieved including a fixed bend at a point in the bottom hole assembly close to the lower stabilizer or a flexure of the drill bit drive shaft distributed between the upper and lower stabilizer. In its idealized form, the drill bit is not required to cut sideways because the bit axis is continually rotated in the direction of the curved hole. Examples of point-the-bit type rotary steerable systems, and how they operate are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2002/0011359; 2001/0052428 and U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,394,193; 6,364,034; 6,244,361; 6,158,529; 6,092,610; and 5,113,953.
[0033] In the push-the-bit rotary steerable system there is usually no specially identified mechanism to deviate the bit axis from the local bottom hole assembly axis; instead, the requisite non-collinear condition is achieved by causing either or both of the upper or lower stabilizers to apply an eccentric force or displacement in a direction that is preferentially orientated with respect to the direction of hole propagation. Again, there are many ways in which this may be achieved, including non-rotating (with respect to the hole) eccentric stabilizers (displacement based approaches) and eccentric actuators that apply force to the drill bit in the desired steering direction. Again, steering is achieved by creating non co-linearity between the drill bit and at least two other touch points. In its idealized form, the drill bit is required to cut side ways in order to generate a curved hole. Examples of push-the-bit type rotary steerable systems and how they operate are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,265,682; 5,553,678; 5,803,185; 6,089,332; 5,695,015; 5,685,379; 5,706,905; 5,553,679; 5,673,763; 5,520,255; 5,603,385; 5,582,259; 5,778,992; and 5,971,085.
Rotary Steerable Devices
[0034] FIG. 2A depicts a rotary steerable device 200 a in a side and cross-sectional view according to one embodiment of the invention. The invention includes a cylinder 202 a having a gauge 204 a and a slot 206 a. A cam 208 a is received within the slot 206 a. The cam 208 a can rotate about a pin 210 a, as depicted by the dashed lines.
[0035] FIG. 2B depicts another embodiment of the invention that includes a continuous slot 206 b. Four cams 208 a, 208 b, 208 c, 208 d are received within slot 206 b.
[0036] In some embodiments, steering device 200 includes between three and five cams 208 . Although cams 208 a, 208 b, 208 c, and 208 d are arranged in a single plane in FIG. 2B , the invention is not limited to such an embodiment. Rather, multiple cams 208 can be arranged in adjacent planes.
[0037] FIGS. 3A-3F depict the operation of the rotary steerable device 200 a within a borehole 11 to steer a drill bit coupled to the rotary steerable device 200 a in a negative x direction. In FIG. 3A , cylinder 202 a is rotated in a clockwise direction, while cam 208 a rotates in a counterclockwise direction. In FIG. 3B , as the cylinder 202 a and the cam 208 a continue to rotate in their respective directions cam, 208 a is brought into contact with the borehole 11 . Although the cam 208 a may initially slide against the borehole 11 , at a certain point, the angle of cam 208 a with respect to the borehole 11 increases so that a “non-slip” condition is created and the cam “grips” the borehole 11 . In FIG. 3C , cam 208 a is rotated to a fully extended position while the cam still grips the borehole 11 . The rotational inertia of the steering device 200 and the BHA causes the cam 208 a to rotate around its center of rotation (i.e. the point of contact with the borehole 11 ), which pushes the rotary steerable device 200 a and a drill bit coupled to the rotary steerable device 200 a in a negative x direction. In FIGS. 3D-3F , the cylinder 202 a and the cam 208 a continue to rotate in their respective directions before returning to position depicted in FIG. 3A .
[0038] FIG. 4 depicts a model of the interaction between the cam 208 and borehole 11 . W represents the weight applied through the center of rotation of the cam 208 . T A represents the friction force. N A represents the normal force. F B represents the force on the on the center of rotation of the cam 208 . θ represents the angle between the force vector Wand the line formed between the point of contact A (between the cam 208 and the borehole 11 ) and the rotational axis of cam 208 . L represents the distance between the point of contact A (between the cam 208 and the borehole 11 ) and the rotational axis of cam 208 (i.e. the distance between points A and B).
[0039] Forces W and N A , and forces T A and F B balance each other. The moment of equilibrium about point B can be expresses as follows:
[0000] T A L cos θ− N A L sin θ=0.
[0000] Rearranging for T A and substituting W for N A yields:
[0000] T A =W tan θ.
[0040] According to Coulombs's Friction Law, a non-slip condition will occur when T A <μN A and a slip condition will occur when T A =μN A , wherein μ is the coefficient of friction between the borehole 11 and the cam 208 . Accordingly, an angle that will produce a non-spip condition, i.e., an angle at which the cam 208 grips the borehole 11 , can be calculated as follows:
[0000] W tan θ≦μN A
[0000] tan θ≦μ
[0000] θ grip ≦tan −1 μ.
[0041] This model predicts that the grip angle is dependent on the coefficient of friction between the cam 208 and borehole 11 . The greater the coefficient of friction, the greater the angle through which the cam will grip the formation. The grip angle could be improved by adding teeth or other aggressive structures or surfaces (e.g. roughened, milled, knurled surfaces) to the cam 208 to better grip the borehole 11 . Additionally or alternatively, a layer of non-slip and/or compressive materials (e.g. rubber) can be applied to the contacting surface of the cam.
[0042] The profile of the cam and the distance of the cam's rotational axis from the rotational axis of the steering device 200 (and the BHA) will determine the distance that the steering device 200 (and the BHA) is displaced due to the cam deployment. The profile of the cam will also determine the time that the BHA is displaced. Ideally, the displacement time is maximized while the displacement acceleration (and therefore shock loading) is minimized.
[0043] FIG. 5 depicts a profile of an exemplary cam 502 for incorporation within the rotary steerable device 200 . The cam 502 has a long top dwell section 504 to maximize the displacement time and smooth rise and fall sections 506 , 508 to reduce the acceleration imparted on the BHA. While smaller cams will allow a greater cross sectional area however, larger cams will allow greater BHA displacement time windows which will ultimately provide greater steering performance.
[0044] Each cam 208 is coupled with a pin 210 . The cam 208 and pin 210 can be machined from a single piece of material. Alternatively, the cam 208 and pin 210 can be joined by a key, a Woodruff key, a spline, welding, brazing, adhesive, mechanical fasteners, bolts, screws, nails, press fitting, friction fitting, and the like. As will be appreciated, the pin 210 will be loaded in shear, and therefore should of a sufficient material and dimension to withstand such forces. Suitable materials for the cam 208 and/or pin 210 include steel, “high speed steel”, carbon steel, brass, copper, iron, polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC), hardface, ceramics, carbides, ceramic carbides, cermets, and the like.
[0045] In some embodiments, slot 206 is dimensioned to minimize the clearance between the edges of the slot and cam 208 . A minimal clearance will reduce the accumulation of drilling cuttings in the slot and reduce the occurrence of jamming.
[0046] In a neutral mode, the cam(s) 208 remains within the gauge 204 of the rotary steerable device 200 . The cam 208 can be held by some mechanism so that it will not be deployed by mud flow as the rotary steerable device 200 rotates with the rest of the BHA. The cam 208 can be actuated by electrical, mechanical, electromechanical, hydraulic, and/or pneumatic devices, and the like. For example, a mud motor can generate electricity and/or mechanical force to rotate the pin(s) 210 and cam(s) 208 .
[0047] Rotary steerable device 200 can further include a control unit (not depicted) for selectively actuating steering devices cam(s) 208 . Control unit maintains the proper angular position of the cam(s) 208 relative to the cylinder 202 and/or subsurface formation of the borehole 11 . In some embodiments, control unit is mounted on a bearing that allow control unit to rotate freely about the axis of the cylinder 202 . The control unit, according to some embodiments, contains sensory equipment such as a three-axis accelerometer and/or magnetometer sensors to detect the inclination and azimuth of the bottom hole assembly. The control unit can further communicate with sensors disposed within elements of the bottom hole assembly such that said sensors can provide formation characteristics or drilling dynamics data to control unit. Formation characteristics can include information about adjacent geologic formation gathered from ultrasound or nuclear imaging devices such as those discussed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2007/0154341, the contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. Drilling dynamics data can include measurements of the vibration, acceleration, velocity, and temperature of the bottom hole assembly.
[0048] In some embodiments, control unit is programmed above ground to following an desired inclination and direction. The progress of the bottom hole assembly can be measured using MWD systems and transmitted above-ground via a sequences of pulses in the drilling fluid, via an acoustic or wireless transmission method, or via a wired connection. If the desired path is changed, new instructions can be transmitted as required. Mud communication systems are described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2006/0131030, herein incorporated by reference. Suitable systems are available under the POWERPULSE™ trademark from Schlumberger Technology Corporation of Sugar Land, Tex.
[0049] The rotary steerable device 200 is ideally positioned in close proximity to drill bit 105 . For example, the rotary steerable device 200 can be integrated with either drill bit 105 or roto-steerable subsystem 150 as depicted in FIG. 1 . Positioning the rotary steerable device 200 close to the drill bit 105 maximizes the steering force on drill bit 105 to more effectively “push the bit”.
[0050] Referring to FIG. 6 , another embodiment of the invention provides a rotary steerable device 600 including a wear ring 612 surrounding cams 608 a, 608 b, 608 c, 608 d. Wear ring 612 allows for continuous and/or increased contact with borehole 11 . Suitable materials for the wear ring include steel, “high speed steel”, carbon steel, brass, copper, iron, polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC), hardface, ceramics, carbides, ceramic carbides, cermets, and the like.
[0051] Wear ring 612 can be rigid or flexible. A rigid ring can, for example, be fabricated by molding, casting, machining, and the like. A flexible ring can be flexible due to the nature of the material (e.g. rubber, para-arimid fabrics) or can be flexible due to the design of the wear ring (e.g. a wear ring having a plurality of hinged links).
[0052] Wear ring 612 can minimize wear of cams 608 a, 608 b, 608 c, 608 d and can minimize the infiltration of drilling cuttings into slot 606 . To further inhibit the infiltration of drilling cuttings, the volume defined by wear ring 612 can be packed with a grease. Additionally or alternatively, a gasket (e.g. a rubber gasket) can be attached to the exterior of cylinder 602 and wear ring 612 to prevent infiltration of drilling cuttings and/or maintain proper lubrication of cams 608 a, 608 b, 608 c, 608 d.
[0053] The invention provided herein represents a significant improvement over conventional steering devices. The rotary steerable devices provided herein utilize relatively low amounts of power, which can easily be generated in the bottom hole assembly. Moreover, most of the force utilized to steer the bottom hole assembly is generated by the rotational forces of the bottom hole assembly.
[0054] Finally, modeling of invention suggests that small deflections provide very effective steering when the rotary steerable device is located near the drill bit. According to one model, a displacement of a cam out of gauge by 0.2 mm will produce a dogleg of 10.8 degrees over 30 meters.
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
[0055] All patents, published patent applications, and other references disclosed herein are hereby expressly incorporated by reference in their entireties by reference.
EQUIVALENTS
[0056] Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents of the specific embodiments of the invention described herein. Such equivalents are intended to be encompassed by the following claims. | The invention provides rotary steerable devices and methods for use of rotary steerable devices. One aspect of the invention provides a rotary steerable device including: a cylinder configured for rotation in a wellbore, the cylinder having a slot and a gauge; and at least one cam received in the slot. The cam is configured for selective actuation between a first position, wherein the cam lies within the gauge of the cylinder, and a second position, wherein the cam is displaced out of the gauge of the cylinder. | 4 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a solder bump of inhomogeneous material composition, in particular for producing connections between connector surfaces of electrical components or substrates in flip-chip technology, as well as to a method of fabricating such a solder bump.
Its field of application is wherever two or more material components (e.g.: chips, different substrate materials, IC components, electronic structural elements) are to be connected to each other mechanically and/or electrically by solder material. For this purpose, several processes have been established in the past, such as, for instance, wire bonding in which two terminal or metallization pads are connected to each other. In the more recent flip-chip technology solder bumps are applied by conventional methods to the terminal or contact surfaces of the material components to be connected. A plurality of permanent connections are thereafter fabricated in a single fabrication step by soldering, thermo-compression or bonding to yield a high connection or terminal density. This is used, for instance, for connecting two or more chips or for mounting and/or contacting chips on substrates, especially for forming multi-chip-modules (MCM). To this end, the solder bumps are applied either to a terminal pad of the substrate only, or to the terminal pad of the chip, or to both. The term used in the art for applying solder bumps to terminal pads is "bumping". In the context of flip-chip technology, the invention may generally be practiced in all those fields in which ever smaller components or increasingly higher frequencies (or very low capacitances and inductances) or high integration densities are required or beneficial, as, for instance, in the fields of application of integrated optics and/or micro wave technology.
2. The State of the Art
A plurality of functional layers are required for the fabrication of a solder bump. The lowest layer system is called the under bump metallization (abbr.: UBM). It serves as a priming layer for the bond pad metallization of a chip and, at the same time, as a wettable layer for the solder system subsequently to be applied, viz.: a solder bump. To satisfy these two functions, a plurality of layers are conventionally applied as UBM, such as, for instance, of chromium (Cr) and copper (Cu), titanium (Ti) and copper (Cu), titanium-tungsten (Ti:W) and copper (Cu). Since conventional bumps melt completely in the reflow and soldering processes of the flip-chip assembly and come into contact with the UBM, this metallurgy must be specially optimized in respect of mechanical stresses and intermetallic phase formations. In conventional solder bumps, the quality of the UBM is exceptionally critical as regards the reliability of the complete assembly.
The soldering metal is deposited on the UBM layer either as a layer system or as an alloy. The processes employed to this end usually are vapor deposition or galvanic processes, as well as autocatalytic deposition processes. Thereafter, the entire layer structure is homogenized by a reflow process, with the temperature being selected such that the entire solder structure is fused. The galvanic processes and vapor deposition processes require a process artwork, such as a mask, by means of which the position of the connector surfaces and their dimensions and distances from one another are determined. The photo lithographic structuring methods require clean room conditions and involve high investment costs. This, in respect of galvanic processes and vapor deposition processes, entails serious disadvantages, viz.; they can be economically employed only in large production runs and with complete wafers. Autocatalytic processes suffer from the disadvantage that in most applications they are severely limited in respect of the materials which may be used.
Normally, solder bumps made of a homogeneous material are at present used in flip-chip fabrication. Among them are, for instance, the following alloys of tin (Sn) and lead (Pb): Sn/Pb 60/40 (containing 60% by weight of tin and 40% by weight of lead), Pb/Sn 90/10, Pb/Sn 95/5 or other concentrations. Such solder bumps are characterized by having a homogeneous composition and a defined melting temperature.
For flip-chip fabrication on cost-efficient polymeric substrate materials, such as circuit boards for instance, a soldering temperature below about 250° C. is required to prevent destruction of the substrate materials. Also, there must be compatibility with conventionally assembled and enclosed SMD components. In order to ensure this, low-melting (melting temperature 183° C.) eutectic Sn/Pb solder (Sn/Pb 63/37) is at present known to be applied to the substrate, whereas a high melting Sn/Pb alloy, such as e.g. Pb/Sn 90/10 and/or Pb/Sn 95/5 having melting temperatures in excess of 300° C. is applied to the chip. In this context, the high melting Sn/Pb alloys are reliable bump metallurgies which are particularly resistant against material fatigue. A process of fabricating such solder connections is known from the assay "Practical Chip Integration into Standard FR-4 Surface-Mount processes: Assembly, Repair and Manufacturing Issues" by Terry F. Hayden and Julian P. Partridge published in ITAP & Flip Chip Proceedings, San Jose, Calif., Feb. 15, 1994-Feb. 18, 1994. In this process, homogeneous Sn/Pb solder bumps (Pb/Sn 97/3 or Pb/Sn 95/5 or Pb/Sn 90/10) applied to a chip are soldered at low temperatures to solder deposits of Sn/Pb 63/37 on a substrate.
The fabrication of solder deposits on the substrate (e.g. circuit board, ceramic, etc.) constitutes a high cost and technically complex technology. Moreover, there is only very limited compatibility with SMD (surface mount device) technology for insertion on standard chips, since, when, for instance, affixing (in particular soldering) the SMD components on the substrate during the SMT (surface mount technology) process, the solder deposits for the subsequent flip-chip assembly will also melt, for which reason these unevenly formed solder deposits must be planarized in an additional process step prior to the flip-chip assembly.
A process of fabricating electrical and/or mechanical connections or contacts between adjacent contact pads associated with different components or substrates in flip-chip technology is known from published WO 89/02653. In this process, electrically conductive indium is used as the basic material for the solder bumps which are always applied to both contact pads to be connected. A thin coating of bismuth is applied thereon with the ratio of the thickness of the layer of indium relative to bismuth being about 100. On the one hand, the thin bismuth layer prevents the formation of indium oxide which would detrimentally affect the mechanical stability and electrical conductivity of the subsequent solder connection. On the other hand, the material system of indium and bismuth constitutes a eutectic composition, with the eutectic temperature of 72° C. being significantly below the melting temperatures of indium (157.4° C.) and bismuth (271.3° C.) and ensuring that the photo detectors to be soldered together are not damaged or destroyed. The eutectic alloy of indium and bismuth is only formed during the first soldering process and extends only partially into the indium layer. In another soldering process, the solder bumps are not applied in identical shape on both substrate surfaces as heretofore practiced, but, instead, during the soldering process, each solder bump on one of the substrate surfaces is pressed between two solder bumps on the surface of the other substrate.
A method of contacting a chip with a substrate is known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,986,255 whereby the contact or solder bumps are formed of an exterior gold alloy and of a magnetic material in its interior. More particularly, the magnetic solder bump core consists of a comparatively hard material, such as, e.g., iron, nickel and/or cobalt. By comparison with the solder bump core the gold alloy deposited on the solder bump core is soft and is used as solder material; materials used for this purpose are gold, silver, lead, tin or indium, whereby the preferred embodiment consists of a sequence of layers of gold-tin-gold. The volume of the solder bump core typically amounts to about 25%-50% of the entire volume of the solder bump. The temperature when contacting the chip with the substrate is selected such that while the solder bump core of a solder bump does not melt the solder material does indeed melt. In the contacting method described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,986,255 the previously described solder bumps are either all of them unilaterally deposited on the chip or on the substrate. The different layers for forming the solder bump, i.e. their core and solder material, are deposited either by vapor deposition or by current-free precipitation. The solder bumps are preferably deposited on the chip so that because of the magnetic core of the solder chips, the chip which is usually very small and thus very difficult to handle may be transported, held and aligned in a simple manner and safely by means of (electro)-magnetic devices. The methods for forming such solder bumps are, however, very complex.
Furthermore, European Patent specification EP 0,073,383 discloses a method of connecting a semiconductor element with a substrate, whereby the contact metallizations or contact bumps used for the connection between the contact pads of the substrate and the semiconductor element are either deposited on the contact pads or the semiconductor element or an the substrate and consist of at least two layers, whereby materials are selected for the uppermost layer and for the next adjacent layer below the uppermost layer for which there exists a eutectic composition. The layer structure selected and the materials are to ensure an improved mechanical stability of the connection vis-a-vis thermal (alternate) stress. During the contacting step the solder bumps deposited on the contact pads of the semiconductor element are aligned relative to the contact pads of the substrate, and they are then soldered to the substrate contact pads under pressure and temperature. The selected soldering temperature is selected to be near the eutectic temperature of the materials of the uppermost layers of the contact bump, so that a eutectic substance is formed of these materials. Such materials as tin, indium or bismuth are used as materials for the uppermost layer, lead is the preferred material for the layer below. The layers are fabricated by vapor deposition or galvanic precipitation. The processes of fabricating the contact bump layers are technically very complex.
A contact bump and a method of its fabrication are known from German Patent specification 4,025,622, in which a gold layer is initially deposited on a contact surface and thereafter a tin layer of substantially smaller volume is deposited (according to FIG. 1 galvanically precipitated or vapor deposited) on the gold layer. The layer structure is subjected to a reflow process at a temperature of about 400° C. The resultant contact bump consists of an unalloyed gold layer in contact with the contact pad and a gold-enriched eutectic gold-tin alloy layer of 80% gold and 20% tin which does not contact the contact pad, as well as of a gold-tin phase intermediate layer between the previously mentioned layers.
Furthermore, a method of connecting an electronic component and a substrate is known from European patent specification EP 0,177,042 whereby the contact metallizations each form a connection between a contact pad of the substrate and of the electronic component and are constructed such that a contact bump of low melting solder material is deposited on each contact pad of the substrate and of the electronic component and, furthermore, a connection is formed by a higher melting columnar solder material element between such a substrate contact pad on which solder material is deposited and a contact pad of the electronic component also provided with solder material. One end of the columnar solder material element is connected to the low melting solder material on the substrate, and the other end of the columnar solder material element is connected to the low melting solder material bump of the component. The fabrication of such a connection is accomplished by initially soldering a columnar higher melting solder material element to a lower melting solder bump deposited on a contact pad of the substrate. Thereafter, substrate and electronic component are aligned such that the free end of a columnar solder material element is brought into contact with the lower melting solder material of the associated contact pad of the component. Thereafter, the solder material on the component is heated to the point of melting thus soldering it to the free end of each respective columnar solder material element. The low melting solder bumps preferably consist of a eutectic material alloy, and they are made by depositing solder paste followed by reflow or by dip processes. The columnar solder material of cut off wire is to make possible a large distance between the substrate and the component, on the one hand, and on the other hand it is to make possible a high contact metallization density. The solder connection of the columnar solder material element which is difficult and cumbersome as well as difficult to reproduce, is disadvantageous, as is the fact that there are two low melting areas in each contact metallization.
German patent specification 4,131,413 discloses a bonding method for semiconductor chips. In it, a first ball bump of gold is initially deposited on a contact pad of a chip. A second gold ball bump is deposited on the first ball bump. Thereafter, a lead ball bump is deposited thereon. The chip is aligned "face down" with such layered contact bumps relative to the substrate, and the connections to the substrate contact pads are formed by melting of the lead balls only. The purpose of the first gold ball bump is to make a solderable end metallization, since lead would not wet the aluminum contact pad and thus would prevent a lasting connection. The second ball bump increases the height of the connection.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Proceeding from the state of the art described supra, it is a task of the invention to provide a method of fabricating a solder bump and a structure of a solder bump which ensures a minimum height of the subsequent soldered connection, makes possible a stable electrical and/or mechanical connection of the connected contact pads, is suitable for comparatively low soldering temperatures, and may be fabricated quickly and economically with low equipment outlay.
A solution in accordance with the invention comprises solder bumps having the elements set forth infra as well as methods of fabricating a solder bump in accordance with the invention comprising the steps to be defined in detail hereinafter. Advantageous embodiments and improvements are defined in the ensuring specification.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
A solder pump in accordance with the invention is provided with an inhomogeneous material composition whereby a proportion of the solder material of the solder bump to be melted has a melting temperature which is lower than the soldering temperature and a core section of the solder bump contributing to defining a minimum height of the solder bump has a melting temperature which is higher than the soldering temperature, and the portion of the solder material to be melted contains a large proportion of the solder material required for a solder connection.
By appropriately forming the core layer, for instance as a solder bump base, the final height of the solder connection or the distance between chip and substrate may predetermined. In this connection, the minimum distance is determined by the height the preferably layered core section. The remaining height is dependent upon the geometric surface of the core layer covered by the applied solder material and, additionally, upon type, quantity and surface tension of the solder material itself, as well as upon the pressure applied on the solder connection during its fabrication.
In one embodiment of the invention, a priming layer or under bump metallization (UBM) is applied to the core layer or core section. Depending on the base substrate, a layer composition of chromium(Cr)-copper(Cu), titanium (Ti)-tungsten(W)-gold(Au), nickel(Ni)-chromium(Cr)-nickel (Ni), titanium(Ti)-copper(Cu) or a layer sequence of titanium-tungsten(Ti:W)-copper(Cu) is used. Since the core layer of a solder bump in accordance with the invention does not melt during the soldering process and since, moreover, it is composed such that the liquid solder does not metallurgically react with the priming layer or UBM, the wettability of the UBM layer by the liquid solder required by the known processes is no longer a basic requirement with the solder bump of the invention. In a later process step, that portion of the UBM which protrudes beyond the core layer of a solder bump is selectively etched by dry or wet chemical techniques without, however, attacking the UBM below the core layer. This may also be accomplished by lift-off processes.
Preferably, a solder bump in accordance with the invention is built up as a sequence of layers, with a further layer of solder material being applied to the core section or core layer. The layers may be deposited galvanically, current-free, by vapor deposition or mechanically by impressing a preformed solder ball, or by solder wire of appropriate composition using wire bonders (ball bonders or wedge bonders). To this end, identical or different processes may be used to apply the core layer and the solder material. The following variants are possible: the core layer and the solder material layer are galvanically precipitated, the core layer and the solder material layer are vapor deposited, the core layer is galvanically precipitated or vapor deposited and the solder material layer is mechanically applied, the core layer and the solder material layer are applied by the same or by different mechanical processes. Among the mechanical processes are impressing a preformed solder ball, ball bumping and wedge bumping. Ball bumping or stud bumping is a bumping process derived from the ball bonding process, in which a solder bump is fabricated as a ball bump by a ball bonding device; the same applies mutatis mutandis to wedge bumping. Ball bumping and wedge bumping may be used for applying the solder bump core as well as for applying the solder material. If the solder bump core is applied as a ball bump, a process step of planarizing the ball solder bump is required prior to applying the solder material.
Different types of resist (dry as well as wet) and heights of resist may be employed in fabricating solder bumps in accordance with the invention, yielding the socalled straight wall formations or mushroom formations. One or more spatially separated solder bumps in accordance with the invention may thus be fabricated by an appropriate process control and process steps.
After the application of the material for the solder bump core and, if required, a planarizing step, as well as the subsequent application of solder material, a reflow process is performed in one embodiment of the invention in which at least the solder material of the layered solder bump is melted, and homogenization as well as a cuspated configuration of the surface of the solder material are attained as a result of surface tension. Core metal solder bumps reflowed in this manner will hereinafter sometimes be referred to as hard core solder bumps.
Materials of electrical and mechanical long term stability, in particular pure metals such as gold, nickel, copper, palladium or alloys of palladium and silver, are used for the core section of a solder bump in accordance with the invention. The solder material applied to the solder bumps consists of a lead-tin-alloy or a gold-tin-alloy or a tin-silver-alloy or an indium alloy, a eutectic composition being preferably selected to result in a comparatively low eutectic temperature In this manner, a low soldering temperature slightly above the eutectic temperature may also be selected.
In a further embodiment of the invention, a eutectic composition of the solder material is obtained by depositing one of the materials of a two component eutectic material system as the core layer, by using the other material component as the solder material applied thereon, and by thereafter melting at least a portion of the solder material in a reflow process to form a eutectic solder material alloy in a metallurgic reaction. In the simplest case, the reflow process and the soldering step will take place together. A reflow process in advance of the soldering step, as, for instance, for driving out gas and for homogenizing, is of even advantageous if the applied or deposited solder material itself comprises a eutectic composition.
The following advantages in particular are obtained by the invention.
In mechanical bumping methods the process of bumping may be controlled by software, so that is may be quickly defined and modified. In particular, they may, for instance, be adjusted in accordance with subsequent changes in chips and substrates. The high flexibility and high development speed are particularly advantageous in small production runs and in prototype fabrication in which electronic components, because of their sometimes high prices or because of their limited availability, are available as single samples rather than as complete wafers, and in small lots. In such circumstances, galvanic processes and vapor deposition processes with their expensive mask processes and clean room conditions are uneconomical. Moreover, in contrast to software controlled mechanical bumping processes, mask oriented processes are inflexible since geometries can no longer be altered once the masks have been made.
Thus, the invention makes possible quick and costefficient fabrication, particularly of prototypes and small production runs. By fabricating solder bumps in accordance with the invention, mask process steps are avoided entirely or partially, depending upon whether the solder bump as well as the solder material are applied by mechanical bumping processes, or whether the solder material alone is mechanically applied. In this manner, production time and costs are significantly lowered, all the more so in view of the fact that the bonding equipment used in the mechanical bumping process, i.e. the wire bonder, as compared to a clean room infrastructure, is inexpensive and that most large development institutions own such equipment. With the wire bonder used, only the control software need be modified for fabricating solder bumps in accordance with the invention. The previously mentioned advantages are especially apparent in an embodiment in which both the solder bump core and the solder material to be applied thereon are deposited by either the same or by different mechanical bumping processes.
A further advantage of a core metal solder bump in accordance with the invention is that because of a low melting cap of solder material on the core of the solder, bump bonding, and more particularly flip-chip bonding, are made possible at reduced bonding forces compared to pure metal solder bumps. This results in the further advantage of lower mechanical stress on the electronic components and/or substrates, thus leading to reduced waste and, consequently, increased yields.
The renewed reflow of the solder cap of a core metal solder bump during flip-chip contacting allows for self-alignment, for instance of an electronic component on a substrate, while the solder material is in its molten liquid state. This results in a reduced stress from mechanical tension on the fabricated flip-chip contacts and, hence, in an improved reliability of the contacts.
Comparatively low soldering temperatures, preferably below 250° C., are attainable by the selection of materials for a core metal solder bump in accordance with the invention. Accordingly, materials of lower heat resistance, such as ceramics or semi-conductor materials, may also be used as substrate materials, and their cost advantages may be drawn upon, as in MCM production. The invention is, therefore, not restricted to ceramic and semiconductor substrates, but it may be practiced on any desired substrates, such as different plastics or glasses.
Because of its non-melting core layer, a solder bump in accordance with the invention will ensure a minimum height, every solder bump containing at least a large portion of the solder material necessary for its solder connection; and by the selection of its solder material, it also defines the minimum soldering temperature. In a special embodiment of the invention, the entire solder material required for a solder connection is provided by a solder bump in accordance with the invention. The conditions or characteristics required for soldering, such a solder deposit, height of the bump and soldering temperature, are thus all combined in a single solder bump.
An otherwise expensive and technologically complex deposit of solder on a substrate direct is no longer required with an inventive solder bump which provides all of the solder material for its solder connection. Compatibility with SMD assembly, consisting of a simplification of the overall process of SMD flip-chip mixed mounting, for planarizing of the solder bumps or solder deposits after SMD mounting is avoided, thereby also avoiding a process step which would otherwise be necessary.
Without limitation of its general concepts, the invention will hereinafter be described in greater detail on the basis of embodiments and with reference to the drawings, in which:
FIG. 1A depicts a layered structure of a core metal solder bump consisting of a high melting Pb/Sn layer and a Pb/Sn layer in a eutectic composition;
FIG. 1B depicts the structure of the core metal solder bump of FIG. 1A after a controlled reflow process;
FIG. 1C depicts the flip-chip assembly of the core metal solder bump of FIG. 1B;
FIG. 1D depicts the flip-chip soldering of the core metal solder bump of FIG. 1C;
FIG. 2A depicts the layered structure of a core metal solder bump consisting of a layer of pure lead and a layer of pure tin applied thereon;
FIG. 2B depicts the structure of a core metal solder bump of FIG. 2A after a controlled reflow process forming a eutectic Pb/Sn layer instead of a layer of pure tin;
FIG. 2C depicts the flip-chip assembly of the core metal solder bump of FIG. 2B;
FIG. 2D depicts flip-chip soldering of the core metal solder bump of FIG. 2C;
FIG. 3 depicts the structure of a core metal solder bump consisting of a high melting Pb/Sn core layer and a solder ball of eutectic Pb/Sn pressed thereon;
FIG. 4 depicts the structure of a core metal solder bump consisting of a high melting Pb/Sn layer and a stud bump made by a soldering wire;
FIG. 5A depicts the structure of a core metal solder bump consisting of a mechanically deposited and planarized ball bump forming the core of the solder bump, and of a solder ball bump;
FIG. 5B depicts the structure of a core metal solder bump consisting of a mechanically deposited and planarized ball bump forming the core of the solder bump, and of a solder wedge bump;
FIG. 6A depicts the structure of a core metal solder bump consisting of a galvanically or autocatalytically deposited core layer and of a solder ball bump;
FIG. 6B depicts the structure of a core metal solder bump consisting of a galvanically or autocatalytically deposited core layer and of a solder wedge bump;
FIG. 7A depicts the structure of a core metal solder bump consisting of a mechanically deposited wedge bump forming the core of the solder bump and of a solder ball bump;
FIG. 7B depicts the structure of a core metal solder bump consisting of a mechanically deposited wedge bump forming the core of the solder bump and of a solder wedge bump;
FIG. 8A depicts the structure of a core metal solder bump consisting of a solder bump core and of a solder bump; and
FIG. 8B depicts the structure of a core metal solder bump of FIG. 8.1 after a successfully executed reflow process.
A first embodiment of a solder bump in accordance with the invention is shown in FIG. 1A. Silicon is used as a chip substrate 1, with an aluminum contact metallization deposited on the silicon surface as, for instance, by sputtering or by vapor position. The aluminum pad 2 and the adjacent silicon substrate are covered by a passivation layer 3 of silicon dioxide or silicon nitride, e.g., with the larger area of the aluminum pad having subsequently been exposed again in a contact window. A UBM (under bump metallization) is deposited on the exposed area of the aluminum pad which normally is part of a printed circuit structure. A high melting Pb/Sn layer 5, of, e.g., 90% by weight of lead and 10% by weight of tin (or of Pb/Sn 95/5) is, in turn, deposited on the UBM 4. A Pb/Sn layer 6 in a eutectic composition (Sn/Pb 63/37) is deposited on the core layer by a galvanic process, as the second layer of the solder bump in accordance with the invention.
The solder bump depicted in FIG. 1A may be subjected to a reflow process during which gases entrapped in the second layer 6 are driven out, for instance. FIG. 1B shows the solder bump of FIG. 1A after such a reflow process in which only the second layer 6 has reflowed by appropriate temperature control; and because of its surface tension, it has taken on a cuspated configuration.
FIG. 1C depicts the solder bump of FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B fabricated on the chip substrate, together with the substrate with which the solder bump is to form a mechanical and electrical connection. Preferably, the substrate is an MCM-L-, MCM-C-, MCM-D-substrate or a printed circuit board with printed circuits 8, for instance, of copper formed thereon. At the contact pads, the printed circuits are in turn provided with a pad metallization 9 consisting, for instance, of nickel/gold. Following alignment of the solder bump relative to the pad metallization, the process step of flip-chip soldering may be carried out. To this end, the pad metallization and the second layer of the solder bump are placed in close proximity, and the soldering temperature is selected such that the second layer of the solder bump in accordance with the invention is melted to wet the pad metallization and to form the connection. FIG. 1D depicts the completed solder connection.
In a second embodiment a layer 10 of pure lead is deposited as a core layer on the UBM. As a second layer of the solder bump, a layer 11 of pure tin is deposited thereon (FIG. 2A). Following a reflow process, shown in FIG. 2B, a tin-lead layer of eutectic composition Sn/Pb 63/37 has been formed instead of the layer of pure tin. Flip-chip assembly and flip-chip soldering, shown in FIG. 2C and FIG. 2D, are carried out as previously described in connection with the first embodiment.
In a third embodiment (FIG. 3A) depositing of the uppermost "layer" of a solder bump is carried out by mechanically depositing and pressing a prefabricated solder ball 12 on the previously applied core layer 5. A solder bump structured in this manner is subjected to a subsequent reflow process and will then assume the shape shown in FIG. 1B. Subsequent flip-chip assembly and flip-chip soldering are carried out in accordance with the images of FIG. 1C and FIG. 1D.
In a further embodiment (FIG. 4A), the second, uppermost layer of a core metal solder bump is mechanically fabricated from a solder wire by forming a so-called ball bump or stud bump 13. A solder bump formed in this manner is thereafter subjected to a reflow process and will then assume the shape in accordance with FIG. 1B. Subsequent flip-chip assembly and flip-chip soldering are carried out as shown in FIG. 1C and FIG. 1D.
In a further embodiment of the invention in accordance with FIG. 5A., ball bumps 16 of gold-palladium alloy with an about 1% share of palladium are bonded to gold contact pads 14 on a ceramic substrate 15 by means of a ball bonding apparatus. The initial diameters of the ball bumps before bond deformation are about 80 μm. The applied stud bumps are subsequently planarized by means of a planar die. In the next process step, a ball bump 17 (initial diameter 40 μm) of a lead-tin alloy, preferably consisting of a eutectic composition, or of a composition of about 2.5% tin and a remainder of lead, is deposited on every one of these hard gold-palladium solder pump cores by means of a ball bonding apparatus. By reflowing of the layered solder bump of FIG. 5A at a temperature of about 310° C. a solder cap of a eutectic gold-tin alloy composition will be formed. The sequence of the reflow process with a layered solder bump (solder bump core 18, solder bump 19) prior to the reflow process and with the newly formed solder bump (solder bump core 18, reflowed solder bump or solder cap 20) after the reflow process is shown in FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B.
In an embodiment of the invention according to FIG. 5B, a lead-tin wedge bump 21 (solder wire diameter 33 μm) is deposited on the gold-palladium solder bump cores applied and planarized in accordance with FIG. 5B. Thereafter, the layered solder bump of FIG. 5B is subjected to a reflow process according to FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B. | The invention relates to a solder bump of an inhomogeneous material compoion for connecting contact pad metallizations of different electronic components or substrates in flip-chip technology, as well as to a method of making such a solder bump. A solder bump consists of a space defining high-melting solder bump core and a layer of a preferably low-melting solder material deposited thereon. The preconditions required for soldering, such as solder deposition, bump height and soldering temperature are thus all combined in the solder bump. | 7 |
This invention relates to drills in general, and specifically to an improved method of producing a drill with wear resistant cutting edge inserts.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The cutting edges of one type of standard drill are produced by the intersection of two or more axially extending flutes with the conical head of the cylindrical body of the drill. The straight cutting edges so created run from the apex of the conical head to the cylindrical side wall of the drill body, creating an obtuse angled corner. In some cutting applications, it is desired to give the cutting edges more wear resistance than the material of the drill body alone could provide. Since it is the outboard portion of the cutting edges that moves at the highest cutting speed, and therefore sees the most potential wear, it is often enough to enhance just that outboard portion, creating what may be referred to as an inserted drill. This is typically done by machining a pocket with an arcuate back edge into the face of the flute, across the corner. An insert of more wear resistant material is cut to basically the same size as the pocket, with an arcuate back edge of substantially the same radius and curvature. When attached into the pocket, an edge of the insert will be aligned with what remains of the original cutting edge, becoming part of it, in effect.
The insert is typically attached to the drill body by a brazing process. In the brazing process, a piece of brazing material cut from a thin sheet to approximately the same shape as the pocket is placed in the pocket and liquefied by melting it with a torch. Then, the insert is delicately laid into the pocket on top of the melted layer of brazing material by an operator working with a tweezer like tool. The insert in effect floats on the melted layer as it is carefully manipulated until its outer straight edge is aligned with the cutting edge of the drill body. As a practical matter, it is not possible to machine the pocket and insert arcuate edges closely enough that they can be pushed hard against one another with no gap therebetween. As a result, the operator is obliged to hold a semi annular gap between the two arcuate edges as the insert is maneuvered. it is difficult to minimize that gap, since there is no positive stop to work against, and because the operator has to worry about aligning of the rest on the insert, as well. consequently, brazing material inevitably is squeezed into and hardens in the gap between the arcuate edges, creating a semi annular seam, one end of which intersects the cutting edge. The brazing material is much softer than either the drill material or the insert, and is therefore subject to wear and erosion from the workpiece as the drill cuts.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a method of attaching wear resistant inserts to a drill body in which the gap between the arcuate edges of the insert and pocket may be easily maintained, and yet creates very little area subject to erosion.
In the method disclosed, the pocket and insert are basically size matched, but the radius of the arcuate back edge of the insert is deliberately made larger than that of the pocket, so that it has a shallower curvature, and is non concentric therewith. As a consequence, when the insert is aligned and pushed in the pocket as far as it will go, the two arcuate edges converge at the cutting edge and at the side wall of the drill body, but are spaced apart at all other points. The two arcuate edges in effect create a crescent shaped gap of variant thickness that is thickest in the center, but with essentially a zero thickness at its ends, where it intersects the cutting edge and side wall of the drill body. The dimensions of the gap may be easily held by holding the insert tightly in the pocket. The seam of brazing material that is created in the gap presents very little area to the cutting edge, and so has minimal wear exposure.
It is, therefore, a general object of the invention to provide an improved method of attaching wear inserts to a drill's cutting edges.
It is another object of the invention to provide such a method in which desired shape and thickness of the brazing seam is simple to maintain during the brazing process.
It is another object of the invention to provide brazing seams that present very little area to the cutting edges.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
These and other objects and features of the invention will appear from the following written description, and from the drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a view of the end of a prior art drill with conventional cutting edge inserts;
FIG. 2 is a view of the end of a drill body;
FIG. 3 is a view of the end of the drill body with one pocket ground in;
FIG. 4 is a view of the drill body and pocket also showing a matching insert as yet unattached;
FIG. 5 is a view of the end of the drill body showing one insert brazed in place;
FIG. 6 is a view of the end of the drill body with two inserts brazed in place;
Referring first to FIG. 1, the prior art type of drill discussed above is illustrated. A conventional drill body, indicated generally at 10, has a conical head 12 and a cylindrical side wall 14 that is interrupted by a pair of straight, axially running flat faced flutes 16. Where the flutes 16 intersect the conical head 12, a pair of straight cutting edges 18 are created, each of which runs radially out and axially down from the apex of head 12. It should also be understood that similar drill bodies may be helical, with flutes that are axially extending, but not straight. These flutes will still create cutting edges where the faces thereof intersect the conical head of the drill body. The side wall 14 and each cutting edge 18 together form a corner on the face of each flute 16, with an obtuse angle of about 120 degrees. The outboard part of each cutting edge 18 is hardened by machining an arcuate, semicircular pocket 20 across the corner of flute 16, and filling it with a size matched insert 22 of cubic boron nitride or similar material. In the conventional construction shown, the curvature of pocket 20 and insert 22 are substantially the same. That is, the radii of their circular back edges are substantially equal. As insert 22 is brazed in place, the circular edges end up with a semi annular gap, not touching or intersecting at any point, as described above. Therefore, a semi annular seam of brazing material 24 is created with a significant thickness at each end. While the edge of insert 22 forms part of a more or less continuous cutting edge 18, it is interrupted by the end of seam 24. The end of seam 24 is inherently subject to wear and erosion, since the brazing material is softer than either the insert 22 or the drill body 10.
Referring next to FIGS. 2 and 3, the method of the invention is illustrated. As shown in FIG. 2, an identical drill body 10' is used. Equivalent parts are given the same number as above with a prime. As seen in FIG. 3, the first step is to machine a pocket, indicated generally at 26, across the corner of flute 16' with a predetermined radius "r". Pocket 26 is basically pie shaped, with a semicircular, arcuate back edge 28. Fundamentally, the important factor is that pocket 26 have a back edge 28 with a predetermined curvature, even if not laying on a perfect circle. A circular back edge 28 is easier to machine than one that is simply curved. The absolute value of r is not so important to the method of the invention as its relative value, described below. However, r would be chosen, as a practical matter, so as to leave as much of the original cutting edge 18 as possible. This remainder is indicated by the distance X 1 from the center line of drill body 10', and would vary with every particular cutting application, depending on the material to be cut and cutting speed used. In addition, as disclosed, pocket 26 is not cut exactly symmetrically across the corner of flute 16', although it could be, and so radius r does not pass directly through the corner.
Referring next to FIGS. 4 and 5, the next step is to cut out an insert, indicated generally at 30, of the same material as conventional insert 22 described above. Basically, insert 30 is size matched to pocket 26, that is, it is designed to fill in where pocket 26 was cut out. However, there is a very important difference from the way conventional insert 22 is shaped. Insert 30 is given a back edge 32 which, although semicircular, has a radius R that is deliberately made larger than the radius r of pocket 26. It is also easier to make the insert back edge 32 somewhat larger than pocket back edge 32 than it is to try to absolutely match them, as is done conventionally, especially since the amount of the radius differential is not critical. As seen in FIG. 5, when insert 30 is pushed into pocket 26 as far as it will go and aligned therewith, its larger radius back edge 32 touches pocket back edge 28 only at two points, at the cutting edge 18' and the side wall 14', which act like a positive stop. A crescent shaped gap is created with minimal thickness at its ends, and maximum thickness t in the center. The gap between the two back edges 28 and 32 is self maintaining, in effect, and can be held simply by keeping insert 30 pushed into pocket 26 as far as it will go as the melted brazing material flows into the gap. This may be contrasted to conventional insert 22, which must be carefully held to create an even, minimal thickness gap. The attachment seam 34 of brazing material that hardens in the crescent shaped gap is also of zero or minimal thickness at the ends, that is, at its intersection with cutting edge 18' and side wall 14', and thicker in the center where there is no contact with the workpiece during drilling.
Referring next to FIG. 6, the final step is to machine another pocket 36 in the other flute 16', and attach a similarly sized insert 38 in it. The same design and sizing considerations apply as for pocket 26 and insert 30. An important difference is that the second pocket 36 is deliberately sized differently from first pocket 26, the purpose of which is to leave a cutting edge 18' remnant X 2 that is different than X 1 , smaller in this case. This is so that the point of intersection of the other attachment seam 40 with its cutting edge 18' will be different from seam 34, and will not radially overlap therewith during the drilling process. Since both seams 34 and 40 present minimal area to the cutting edges 18', there will be minimal exposure to wear and erosion.
Variations in the disclosed method could be made, some of which were touched on above. In terms of structure, what is most important is that the back edge of the insert have a curvature that is shallower than, rather than equal to or sharper than, the pocket back edge. This is the geometric relationship that creates a gap and resultant attachment seam that is convergent toward its ends. This, in turn, is what gives the reduced erosion exposure of the ends of the seams, as well as making the gap easier to hold during the brazing process. It is practically easier to provide that basic geometric relationship of greater-shallower curvature and its attendant two point convergence by an insert radius greater than the pocket. However, non circular curvatures could be used. Even a V-shaped pocket back edge, and a shallower V-shaped insert back edge, could be used. In terms of processing, it would not be necessary for the operator doing the brazing to push the insert back edge 32 all the way into the pocket back edge 28. Fundamentally, merely aligning insert 30 closely within pocket 30 will create a gap and seam 34 that has minimal thickness at the ends, thinner than the conventional case. However, the convergent relationship does create a positive stop for the operator to work with, if desired. Theoretically, other liquid materials, such as advanced adhesives, may be found that would be strong enough to attach an insert. They, too, would enter and harden in the gap to create a seam. Since it is unlikely that such materials would be as wear resistant as the insert, it would still be beneficial to minimize their exposure. Therefore, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to just the embodiment disclosed. | The inserts and pockets in an inserted drill are provided with differing curvatures on their arcuate back edges. Consequently, when the insert is aligned in the pocket, a crescent shaped, instead of annular, gap is created, with minimal or no thickness at the outboard ends. Very little braze seam is thus exposed to erosion at the cutting edge, but the braze seam is as strong or stronger than conventionally. It is also easier to maintain the desired thickness of the braze seam during manufacture. | 8 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to invasive medical probes and methods, and specifically to intravascular catheterization and catheterization techniques.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Catheters are used for many medical procedures, including inserting a guide wire, delivering a stent, and delivering and inflating a balloon.
[0003] Catheterization procedures are very commonly performed for diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the heart and vascular system. The catheterization procedure is generally initiated by inserting a guide wire into a blood vessel in the patient's body. The guide wire is then guided to the desired location, most commonly in one of the heart vessels or elsewhere in the vascular system. At this point the catheter is slid over the guide wire into the blood vessel and/or heart. Once the catheter is in the desired position, the guide wire can then be removed, leaving the catheter in location. Alternatively, in some procedures, the catheter is inserted without using a guide wire. The catheter may be used to pass ancillary devices into the body, such as an angioplasty balloon, or to perform other diagnostic or therapeutic procedures.
[0004] In order to facilitate the guide wire insertion and the subsequent catheter application, the physician generally performs the procedure with the assistance of a fluoroscope, as is well known in the art. The fluoroscope produces a real-time image showing the continued progress of the guide wire, or the catheter, through the patient's body.
[0005] The fluoroscope generates a high level of X-ray radiation, which poses a significant danger to medical personnel exposed thereto, as is well known in the art. In order to provide protection from radiation exposure, the attending medical personnel generally wear a heavy, cumbersome protective lead garment which covers the entire body and neck, or use various lead shields including transparent glass face and eye shields.
[0006] It is desirable to know the precise linear and rotational state of the catheter. Japanese patent no. 2000-010467 (2000) by Tokai Rika Co Ltd. et al, “CATHETER OPERATION SIMULATOR AND SIMULATION METHOD USING THE SAME” mentions a catheter operation simulator characterized by having an insertion/rotation detection sensor which outputs detected insertion/rotation data, providing the amount of insertion and rotation of a catheter tube. However the Tokai Rika patent is focused on simulation and provides only position feedback—not active means for controlling position.
[0007] One way to improve control of the catheter is to provide a control system that moves the catheter via motors. One such system is described in PCT publication no. WO/99/45994 (1999), by Dalia Beyar “REMOTE CONTROL CATHETERIZATION”, which describes a remote control catheterization system including a propelling device, which controllably inserts a flexible, elongate probe into the body of a patient. A control console, in communication with the propelling device, includes user controls which are operated by a user of the system remote from the patient to control insertion of the probe into the body by the propelling device.
[0008] It is an object of some aspects of the WO/99145994 invention to provide apparatus and methods of catheterization that allow medical personnel to be distanced from the vicinity of the fluoroscope and its resultant radiation, thereby reducing radiation exposure of the personnel. It is a further object of some aspects of the WO/99145994 invention to provide a mechanism for remote control performance of catheterization procedures.
[0009] The present invention is intended to provide an intuitive user interface to a remote control catheterization system, such as WO99/45994. The present invention is based on a handle element that provides the user with an experience that closely resembles actual insertion and rotation of a catheter or guide wire. More specifically, the present invention enables the user to move the handle along a longitudinal axis and around that axis, thereby emulating the primary types of motion associated with insertion of a catheter or guide wire (herein “catheter” applies equally for a catheter or a guide wire).
[0010] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the user's movement of the handle is translated by the system to movement of the catheter.
[0011] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, feedback from the catheter is converted by the invention to tactile forces acting on the handle.
[0012] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the translation (handle to catheter) ratio and the tactile feedback (catheter to handle) ratio are user-controlled.
[0013] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, indicators and controls, are included on the base of the handle or in proximity.
[0014] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a safety mechanism is provided to ensure that the handle does not move the catheter accidentally.
[0015] In summary, it is a main object of the present invention to provide a user interface for remote control catheterization with the following several objects and advantages:
easy to grasp provides operator with safe, intuitive, precise control of linear and rotational movement of the catheter provides the operator with tactile feedback regarding forces acting on the catheter provides operator with means for varying the scaling of the control signals sent and feedback received provides operator with easy access to controls for catheter operations, such as injecting a contrasting agent or inflating a balloon.
[0021] Still further objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the ensuing description and drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0022] There is thus provided, in accordance with some preferred embodiments of the present invention, a remote control catheterization system comprising: a propelling device, which controllably inserts a flexible, elongate probe into the body of a patient; and a control unit, in communication with the propelling device, and comprising user controls which are operated by a user of the system remote from the patient to control insertion of the probe into the body by the propelling device, wherein
the user controls include an intuitive user interface comprising a handle that can be moved longitudinally, forward and back along a longitudinal axis, and also can be moved rotationally, in rotation around the longitudinal axis; the intuitive user interface comprising motion sensors that detect longitudinal motion and rotational motion of the handle and convert them to signals; and signal communication circuitry that communicates the signals to the control unit for commanding the propelling device to move the probe in respective direction and distance as the handle.
[0025] Furthermore, in accordance with some preferred embodiments of the present invention, the intuitive user interface is further provided with positioners that move the handle longitudinally, forward and back along its longitudinal axis, and move it rotationally, in rotation around its longitudinal axis, and wherein:
the remote control catheterization system includes at least one sensor that detects forces acting longitudinally or rotationally upon the probe and communicates this feedback information to the control console; the control console is adapted to convert the feedback to commands for the positioners and send the commands to the signal communication circuits; and the signal communication circuits are adapted to receive the commands from the processing device and send them to the positioners, which apply longitudinal or rotational forces upon the handle that replicate the longitudinal or rotational forces experienced by the probe.
[0029] Furthermore, in accordance with some preferred embodiments of the present invention, the intuitive user interface is further provided with a fail-safe mechanism that, when activated, allows communication between the intuitive user interface and the control console and that, when deactivated, prevents the communication.
[0030] Furthermore, in accordance with some preferred embodiments of the present invention, the fail-safe mechanism is implemented as a switch that is activated when the handle is lifted up.
[0031] Furthermore, in accordance with some preferred embodiments of the present invention, the fail-safe mechanism is implemented as two contacts in the handle that are activated when brought into contact.
[0032] Furthermore, in accordance with some preferred embodiments of the present invention, the system is further equipped with a return mechanism that, upon operator release of the handle, returns the handle to an initial longitudinal and rotational position.
[0033] Furthermore, in accordance with some preferred embodiments of the present invention, the return mechanism is engaged by operator-controlled switching.
[0034] Furthermore, in accordance with some preferred embodiments of the present invention, the intuitive user interface is further equipped with a support base.
[0035] Furthermore, in accordance with some preferred embodiments of the present invention, the intuitive user interface is further equipped with operator-controlled amplification circuitry that can adjust the ratio of handle movement command sent to the probe and the force feedback from the probe to the handle.
[0036] Furthermore, in accordance with some preferred embodiments of the present invention, the intuitive user interface is further equipped with operator-controlled switches that move the handle in precise, operator-defined steps.
[0037] Furthermore, in accordance with some preferred embodiments of the present invention, the intuitive user interface is further equipped with operator-controlled switches for controlling the handle's stiffness.
[0038] Furthermore, in accordance with some preferred embodiments of the present invention, the intuitive user interface is further equipped with operator-controlled switches for controlling the ratio of handle speed to catheter speed.
[0039] Furthermore, in accordance with some preferred embodiments of the present invention, the intuitive user interface is further equipped with operator-controlled switches that send control signals via the signal communication circuits to command probe operations, including:
inflating a balloon; injecting contrast agent. deploying a stent
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0043] The invention is described herein, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying Figures, in which like components are designated by like reference numerals.
[0044] FIG. 1 is a view of the intuitive user interface of a remote control catheterization system, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0045] FIG. 2 is an external view of the intuitive user interface of a remote control catheterization system, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0046] FIG. 3 is a view of the primary components of the intuitive user interface of a remote control catheterization system, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0047] FIG. 4 is a block diagram for a method of intuitive user operation of a remote control catheterization system, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0048] The present invention discloses a remote control catheterization system and method employing an intuitive user interface. Such a system controllably inserts an elongate probe, typically a catheter, into a patient's body. For the purpose of the present invention “catheter” and “probe” are used to refer to any type of device that is inserted in a patient's body in a catheterization process.
[0049] The present invention provides a remote control catheterization system or method, such as that of PCT publication no. WO/99/45994 (1999), by Dalia Beyar “REMOTE CONTROL CATHETERIZATION”, which is included herein by reference. The innovation of the present invention is the user interface that it provides. While the user interface of the present invention is particularly suited for integration with WO/99/45994, it can generally be used with any remote control catheterization system or method.
[0050] Reference is now made to FIG. 1 , which is a simplified, pictorial illustration of a remote control catheterization system 20 , in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The invention of WO/99/45994 is summarized as follows:
[0051] System 20 comprises a guiding catheter 26 , which is fed via a cannula 42 into a blood vessel 44 leading to a target location in a vessel or a heart 24 of a patient 22 .
[0052] Preferably, the catheter is fed over a guide wire, which is omitted in FIG. 1 for simplicity.
[0053] Catheter 26 is fed through a catheter propelling device 28 , and then coupled proximally with a catheter interface 30 .
[0054] Interface 30 may be used to perform various therapeutic and/or diagnostic catheter procedures, such as balloon inflation or injection of contrast media, or any other such catheter-based treatments known in the art. A fluoroscope 32 is used to capture images showing the position of catheter 26 in the patient's body. (For simplicity, the X-ray tube associated with the fluoroscope is not shown in the figure.) Propelling device 28 , interface 30 and fluoroscope 32 all communicate with a control console 34 . The various elements of system 20 relay operative information to console 34 , and receive operative instructions from the console. Preferably, device 28 relays to console 34 force measurements associated with insertion of the catheter and an indication of the distance that the catheter has traveled; interface 30 relays applicable data from the catheter regarding the therapeutic and/or diagnostic procedures being performed; and fluoroscope 32 conveys X-ray images.
[0055] The data are preferably displayed on console 34 via a pair of displays, monitors 36 . Preferably, one of monitors 36 displays fluoroscopic images, and the other monitor displays data [RECEIVED] from propelling device 28 and interface 30 .
[0056] Alternatively, the data may be presented using dials, meters, or any means known and used in the art.
[0057] Console 34 also includes a user-interface peripheral device 38 and a speed-direction interface device (which replaces all or part of tactile control unit 40 of WO/99145994). Medical personnel operating system 20 use device 38 , preferably a keyboard, to send directional commands, for example to control table and fluoroscope motions, and to operate interface 30 and fluoroscope 32 . intuitive user interface device 50 , preferably a handle with tactile and speed feedback, sends directional and speed instructions to propelling device 28 . Optionally, it can include all or some of the controls that are otherwise implemented in peripheral device 38 .
[0058] In order to prevent exposure by medical staff to the fluoroscope's high levels of radiation, console 34 is preferably located outside of the catheterization room or in an area of the room that is shielded from radiation generated by the fluoroscope X-ray tube. The present invention, via this usage of remote control communication with console 34 , thus furnishes the medical staff with all the relevant information, and all the relevant remote control means, to perform the catheterization operation without danger of radiation exposure.
[0059] Alternatively or additionally, console 34 , or certain elements thereof, may be in a remote location, even in a different city from the patient, and communicate with the other elements of system 20 over telecommunication channels. As noted above with reference to FIG. 1 , cannula 42 is inserted into blood vessel 44 . Preferably a guide wire (not shown) is threaded through cannula 42 into vessel 44 . Once the guide wire is in a desired position, catheter 26 is slipped over guide wire 46 and guided to a desired position, for example, in one of the chambers of heart 24 or in one of the coronary arteries.
[0060] Once catheter 26 is in place, guide wire 46 may be withdrawn if desired. An ancillary instrument (not shown), such as an angioplasty balloon, may be passed through the catheter, into the heart or arteries. The guide wire, catheter and ancillary instrument are themselves substantially similar to devices of these types known in the art.
[0061] The intuitive user interface device 50 of the present invention electronically communicates with the control console 34 . A primary use of device 50 is to convert an operator's movements into signals to the control console 34 from whence they are translated into control signals to catheter propelling device 28 , thereby controlling movement of the catheter 26 inside patient 22 .
[0062] If the catheter is equipped with sensors that detect forces on the catheter, these can be relayed by the control console 34 to the device of the present invention 50 , which can be further equipped to translate those signals into calibrated forces on the device, thereby transmitting to the device operator a tactile sense of what is happening to the catheter.
[0063] The device can be further equipped with controls enabling the operator to activate various catheter functions, such as balloon inflation, guide wire delivery, or stent insertion.
[0064] The components of intuitive user interface device 50 are now described with reference to FIG. 2 (external view) and FIG. 3 (internal view).
[0065] The primary component of device 50 is an element that is capable of translating to the catheter an operator's linear movement along its longitudinal axis as well an operator's rotational movement around about that axis. In a preferred embodiment, this element is a handle 7 , and the operator is a human operator 25 , such as a skilled physician. However, operation of the device could equally be incorporated into an automated system.
[0066] Handle 7 is grasped by operator 25 at one end, herein the proximal end. The distal end of handle 7 engages other device components that translate handle 7 motion effected by the operator 25 to predetermined movement of catheter 26 (which comprises catheter and system that moves catheter). In a preferred embodiment of this invention, this translation is implemented as follows:
linear movement towards the handle's distal end causes the catheter to be proportionally inserted further into the patient; linear movement away from the handle's distal end causes the catheter to be proportionally retracted from the patient; rotational movement in either direction causes the catheter to be proportionally moved in the same rotational direction.
[0070] The two types of movement can be effected simultaneously. For example, the operator can turn the handle while at the same time inserting it, and both these motions will translated simultaneously to the catheter.
[0071] The proportion of handle distance moved to catheter distance moved is operator-controlled.
[0072] Intuitive user interface 50 sends data to control console 34 concerning movement of handle 7 . Control console 34 generates drive signals to catheter interface 30 and receives tactile feedback back from interface 30 . Interface circuits between control console 34 and Intuitive user interface 50 device's several sensors and motors are represented in FIG. 3 as circuit board 3 .
[0073] Handle 7 can include a fail-safe release that provides a measure of safety by disengaging the system from the handle when not in use. In other words, when the safety is engaged, movement of the handle is not translated to the catheter. This prevents inadvertent or unintended movement of the catheter. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the fail-safe release is implemented as a metal fail-safe contact 1 physically connected to handle 7 . When handle 7 is not in use, contact 1 lies in contact with fail-safe sensor 2 , thereby closing the fail-safe circuit, which disengages the handle from the system. When operator 25 operates the handle, he (he refers herein to he or she) lifts up the handle, thereby breaking the fail-safe circuit and reengaging the system. A secondary aspect of reengaging the system is for control console 34 to start measuring handle movement (via feedback from transducers 4 and 5 as described later).
[0074] In an alternative preferred embodiment of the present invention, the fail-safe activation circuit can be implemented as one of controls 15 .
[0075] In another alternative embodiment of the present invention, handle 7 can be implemented as two strips that also perform the fail-safe function. When operator 25 squeezes the handle, bringing the strips into contact, it activates a circuit that engages the system.
[0076] Rotational movement of handle 7 is detected by rotation transducer 4 (which can be a potentiometer, encoder, or other device measuring movement and translating the movement into an electrical signal), which sends a corresponding signal via circuits 3 to control console 34 .
[0077] Linear movement of handle 7 turns linear movement detector wheel 9 , which in turn moves linear transducer 5 (which can be a potentiometer, encoder, or other device measuring movement and translating the value into an electrical signal), which sends a corresponding signal via circuits 3 to control console 34 .
[0078] In a preferred embodiment of the present device, catheter propelling device 28 is equipped to detect forces acting on the distal end of the catheter 26 (inside the patient) during the catheterization procedure. Feedback motors (or other positioner device) 21 and 22 , on the handle's 7 linear and rotational axes of movement, provide feedback to the operator 25 , transferring forces detected on the catheter to the handle. The feedback motor mechanism can be activated/deactivated by operator 25 , through controls 15 or similar means.
[0079] Feedback motors 21 and 22 enable the operator 25 to feel what is happening to the catheter as he or she navigates it. The feedback force translation can be a ratio of 1:1 or scaled. For example, if the operator 25 wants to more easily detect small forces acting on the catheter, the motors can multiply the force translated to the handle.
[0080] In addition to providing feedback about the catheter, motors 21 and 22 can be calibrated by the operator 25 to determine the handle's 7 level of stiffness along each axis of movement (linear and rotational). For example, the stiffness can be calibrated to increase proportionally to the amount of opposing force experienced by the catheter.
[0081] Handle 7 is optionally further equipped with return components which return the handle to its original position when the operator 25 releases the handle. The return can be effected with dedicated components, such as motors or springs, or integrated into the feedback motors and their control circuit. In a preferred embodiment, return component is implemented as springs 13 and 14 . Return of the handle to its original position does not have to be coupled to the catheter, in other words, the catheter is not moved when the handle returns to its zero. However, this type of linkage can be left to operator discretion, as expressed via controls 15 or similar means.
[0082] Handle 7 is further equipped with handle controls 15 for operator 25 interaction with control console 34 and catheter 26 . Controls can include:
Engaging handle—acting as a safety switch that must be activated for the handle to affect the catheter Controlling linkage of handle and catheter, for example, determining that catheter is not affected when return mechanism returns handle to zero. Determining the amount of force feedback for each type of movement (linear and rotational) Determining the amount of stiffness Determining the ratio of catheter movement to handle movement. For example, the operator 25 could choose a 1:10 ratio in which case a 1 cm handle movement would move the catheter 1 mm. Determining the ratio of catheter speed to handle speed. For example, the operator 25 could choose a 10:1 ratio, in which case 1 cm/s of handle speed is translated into 1 mm of catheter speed. Moving in incremental steps of operator-determined size, for example, moving the handle (and catheter) 1 cm on each activation of the control. Activating catheter operations, for example, injecting contrast agent. Activating a device in the catheter, for example, inserting a stent or inflating a balloon. Inserting a guide wire. Changing the target of the device activation function from one device to another, for example, from a guide wire to a stent.
[0094] Device operation is now described with reference to FIG. 4 .
[0095] Operator 25 moves handle 7 in desired linear and/or rotational direction. Linear transducer 4 and rotational transducer 5 each transmit a signal via integration circuit 3 to control console 34 , which translates the movement to motorized catheterization system 26 . The translated movement can be scaled, according to how operator 25 sets controls 15 . As catheter 26 moves, it encounters forces from obstacles and other characteristics of its path. Catheterization system 26 relays this information to control console 34 , which translates the signals into control signals for linear feedback motor 21 and rotary feedback motor 22 , which apply feedback force in same direction as that experienced by catheter to handle 7 . Again, the feedback force can be direct or scaled, according to operator 25 preference.
[0096] It should be clear that the description of the embodiments and attached Figures set forth in this specification serves only for a better understanding of the invention, without limiting its scope as covered by the following Claims.
[0097] It should also be clear that a person skilled in the art, after reading the present specification could make adjustments or amendments to the attached Figures and above described embodiments that would still be covered by the following Claims. | A remote control catheterization system comprising: a propelling device, which controllably inserts a flexible, elongate probe into the body of a patient; and a control unit, in communication with the propelling device, and comprising user controls which are operated by a user of the system remote from the patient to control insertion of the probe into the body by the propelling device, wherein the user controls include an intuitive user interface comprising a handle that can be moved longitudinally, forward and back along a longitudinal axis, and also can be moved rotationally, in rotation around the longitudinal axis; the intuitive user interface comprising motion sensors that detect longitudinal motion and rotational motion of the handle and convert them to signals; and signal communication circuitry that communicates the signals to the control unit for commanding the propelling device to move the probe in respective direction and distance as the handle. | 0 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims the benefit of prior filed co-pending U.S. application No. 60/695,337, filed on Jun. 30, 2005, the content of which is incorporated fully herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to methods and systems for sensing the presence or absence of liquid or gas around a sensor and, more particularly, for sensing and tracking the location of the wall of the cavity formed about a supercavitating vehicle and, even more particularly, to the sensing and identifying the location of the cavity wall relative to an underwater supercavitating vehicle without measuring the time-of-flight of an optical or RF signal.
2. Description of the Related Art
The U.S. Navy has funded long-running research programs for controlling supercavitating projectiles and vessels, referred to herein generically as supercavitating vehicles. Some of this work extends back to the 1940's and 1950's. The non-linear and high-speed nature of supercavitation makes control of supercavitating projectiles and vessels difficult.
Operating and controlling a supercavitating vehicle in an optimal manner involves limiting friction exerting drag on the vehicle. As is well known, a supercavitating vehicle operates within a cavity formed around the vehicle and contact between the supercavitational vehicle and the wall of the cavity increases the friction and thus the drag exerted on the vehicle. Thus, it is important to be able to extract and measure where the wall of the cavity is located, so that the vehicle can be operated in a manner that minimizes contact between the vehicle and the cavity wall. Stable guidance of the vehicle is critically dependent upon maintenance of the cavity so as to limit the friction exerted on the vehicle, and this guidance is dependent upon having quick and accurate information about the location of the cavity wall relative to the vehicle at all times. Thus, it is desirable to have a method for sensing and tracking the location of the cavity wall quickly and accurately.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention pertains to sensing elements that quickly and accurately determine if a first changing media of a first index of refraction or a second changing media of a second index of refraction is present around the sensing elements. These sensing elements find particular application in identifying the location of the cavity wall in which a supercavitating vehicle is operating, relative to the vehicle, particularly where the first media is a liquid and the second media is a gas. In certain embodiments signal emitting elements carried on the vehicle emit signals towards the presumed position of the cavity wall, and sensing elements carried on the vehicle receive the emitted signals after they are reflected off of the cavity wall. The sensing elements identify the location where the reflected signal is received, and based on this identified location, the location of the cavity wall is determined. In alternative embodiments, sensing elements are positioned along fins extending outward with respect to the hull of the vehicle, and the sensors sense the presence of liquid or gas. Sensors sensing gas identify portions of the fin that are located within the cavity, and sensors sensing liquid identify portions that are located beyond the cavity wall. This enables quick and accurate location of the location of the cavity wall.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 illustrates the known concept of creating a cavity around a supercavitational vehicle;
FIG. 2 illustrates a first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 illustrates a configuration of the embodiment discussed in FIG. 2 in which more detail is provided regarding the sensing element;
FIG. 4 illustrates an alternative embodiment, whereby a fiber optic bundle conveys the light received after reflection off of the cavity wall to the bank of photo-resistive diodes;
FIG. 5 illustrates an alternative embodiment for sensing the location of a cavity wall relative to the vehicle;
FIG. 6 illustrates an alternative embodiment for sensing the presence or absence of water along the fin; and
FIG. 7 illustrates an example of a typical processing circuit that can receive the outputs from the light-sensitive receivers and utilize this information to determine the cavity wall location and, if desired, control guidance of the vehicle.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The present invention is a method and system for sensing the presence of changing media having differing indices of refraction, e.g., gas or liquid, around a sensor, and in a preferred embodiment, this information is used for monitoring the location of the cavity wall surrounding a supercavitational vehicle, relative to that vehicle. The examples illustrated herein all pertain to underwater vessels where the vessel is operating in water and the cavity is formed by the absence of water created by a cavitation. However, it is understood that the sensors of the present invention can be used in any environment where the sensor is in contact with media having differing indices of refraction; air and water are used for the purpose of example. It is contemplated that a shock boundary between two gaseous media (as would be found in a supercavitating missile operating in the earth's atmosphere) could be detected using the principles of the present invention.
FIG. 1 illustrates the known concept of creating a cavity around a supercavitational vehicle. Referring to FIG. 1 , a vehicle 100 (e.g., a torpedo traveling through water) has a cavitator 102 attached at the front of the vehicle 100 . In a well known manner, cavitator 102 creates an air cavity 106 surrounding the vehicle 100 . A cavity wall 108 defines the border between the air cavity 106 and the fluid in which the vehicle 100 is traveling. Fins 104 extend away from vehicle 100 in a well known manner and are utilized for stabilizing and controlling the vehicle 100 . It is understood that the vehicle illustrated in FIG. 1 is schematic in nature and is not to scale, but is instead utilized to identify the various parts of the structure and their relationship to the air cavity 106 .
FIG. 2 illustrates a first embodiment of the present invention. A light source 210 (e.g., a laser, LED, or the like) is configured into the hull of vehicle 100 and directs a light beam at a predetermined angle away from the vehicle 100 . In a preferred embodiment the light source 210 comprises a laser, because this embodiment makes use of the Snell's law of reflection, i.e., that the angle of incidence of a light beam is equal to the angle of reflection of the light beam. As such, since a laser can be more specifically directed to a point of reflection, a laser will result in a more accurate result. An LED, while functional for this purpose, has a more multi-directional emission.
A series of light-sensitive receivers illustrated collectively as sensing element 212 of FIG. 2 are positioned along the hull of vehicle 100 such that light reflecting off of cavity wall 108 will be received by one or more of the light sensors in sensing element 212 . The exact positioning of sensing element 212 can be determined in a known manner based upon the angle at which the light source 210 emits its light and the estimated maximum and minimum distances between the vehicle 100 and the cavity wall 108 . These maximum and minimum distances can be determined based upon the operational specifications of vehicle 100 . Further, the distance along the hull between the light source 210 and each of the light-sensitive receivers comprising sensing element 212 are known and these values are stored in a processor (not shown) on board vehicle 100 , which processor is configured to receive and process data signals from the light-sensitive receivers.
As shown in FIG. 2 , three different cavity wall positions, cavity wall position 208 a , cavity wall position 208 b , and cavity wall position 208 c , are illustrated by dotted lines. At any given moment there will only be a single cavity wall; however, since vehicle 100 is traveling in fluid, the position of the cavity wall relative to the vehicle 100 will fluctuate, and this fluctuation is illustrated by the three cavity wall positions 208 a , 208 b , and 208 c.
The basic operation of the configuration shown in FIG. 2 is now described. The light source 210 emits a light beam 214 . In a well known manner, upon the light beam 214 striking the cavity wall, a significant portion of the light beam 214 is reflected back towards the vehicle 100 . For example, as shown in FIG. 2 , if the cavity wall is located at position 208 a , light source 214 will travel up to the cavity wall at position 208 a and then reflect back towards sensing element 212 as reflected beam 216 a . If the cavity wall is closer to the vehicle at position 208 b , the light beam 214 will be reflected back towards sensing element 212 as reflected beam 216 b . Finally, if the cavity wall is at location 208 c , the light beam 214 is reflected back towards sensing element 212 as reflected beam 216 c.
As can be seen from FIG. 2 , the location of the cavity wall will determine where on sensing element 212 the light beam is reflected. By determining where along sensing element 212 the light beam is received (i.e., identifying which of the light-sensitive receivers receives the reflected light beam), the processor can be used to calculate the approximate perpendicular distance between the vehicle 100 and the cavity wall, referred to herein as the “standoff distance”. Specifically, the standoff distance SD can be calculated using the formula SD=(X/2)*tan(theta), where X is the distance along the hull from the light source 210 to the light-sensitive receiver receiving the reflected beam, and theta is the angle between the light beam 214 and the hull. Since each light-sensitive receiver will have a unique value of X (distance along the hull from light source 210 to the light-sensitive receiver), the value of SD can be calculated easily and quickly.
FIG. 3 illustrates a configuration of the embodiment discussed in FIG. 2 in which more detail is provided regarding the sensing element 212 . Referring to FIG. 3 , a laser 320 is utilized as the light source and projects light beam 214 out away from the vehicle as described previously. Sensing element 212 comprises a plurality of photo-resistive diodes 322 a - 322 i . Each of the photo-resistive diodes 322 a - 322 i is coupled to a processing element 323 (connections omitted for simplicity), the function of which is described in more detail below. Thus, whichever of the photo-resistive diodes 322 a - 322 i receives the reflected light beam from the cavity wall will sense a threshold level of received light that is significantly higher than those received by the remaining photo-resistive diodes. Accordingly, with knowledge of the angle at which light beam 214 leaves vehicle 100 , relative to the vehicle, and knowledge of which of the photo-resistive diodes is currently receiving the reflected beam, a simple calculation can be made to determine the standoff distance between the cavity wall and vehicle 100 . It is understood that although photo-resistive diodes are illustrated herein, numerous alternatives for the light-sensitive receiver will be apparent to a designer of ordinary skill in the art and such alternatives are covered by the appended claims.
FIG. 4 illustrates an alternative embodiment, whereby a fiber optic bundle comprising, in this example, optical fibers 424 a - 424 i , convey the light received after reflection off of the cavity wall to the bank of photo-resistive diodes 322 a - 322 i . The operation is otherwise identical to that of FIG. 3 . With respect to FIGS. 3 and 4 , it will be understood that nine photo-resistive diodes and/or photo-resistive diode/optical fiber pairs are shown for the purpose of example and that these numbers may be increased or decreased depending upon the needs of a particular designer.
FIG. 5 illustrates an alternative embodiment for sensing the location of a cavity wall relative to the vehicle 100 . In this embodiment, sensors referred to herein as “dome sensors” are situated along at least one of the fins 104 projecting outward from vehicle 100 . In the illustration of FIG. 5 a , four such dome sensors 530 - 536 are illustrated, with details of the dome sensors 530 - 536 being illustrated in FIG. 5 b . It is noted that, although not shown, electrical connections are utilized to connect the dome sensors to the processing circuitry 523 to enable transmission of the output of each dome sensor to the processing circuitry so that the presence or lack thereof of a liquid or a gas in contact with the dome sensors can be ascertained. Further, although there are four dome sensors shown, it is understood that in most instances there would likely be many more dome sensors to increase the resolution of the sensing of the location of the cavity wall.
Referring to FIG. 5 b , each dome sensor includes a light source 540 (e.g., an LED, laser, etc.) and a light sensitive receiver 542 (e.g., photo diode, photo transistor, etc.). A dome 538 , made of glass, plastic, ceramic, or any other material that will allow light to pass therethrough, extends outward from the fin 104 , such that the dome 538 contacts any gas or liquid in contact with the portion of the fin 104 on which the dome sensor is situated. If desired, optical fibers can be situated between the light source 540 and the light receiving element 542 to direct the light to and from the dome 538 . The dome 538 is a fixed media that forms a reflective/refractive interface with a changeable media (e.g., a first changeable media such as water, a second changeable media such as gas, etc.).
The operation of the dome sensor is as follows. Light source 540 emits a light beam 544 . When the dome 538 is in contact with water or other liquid a large portion of the light beam 544 refracts out into the liquid (illustrated by dotted line 546 ) and thus is not reflected back to the light sensing element 542 . However, in situations where there is no liquid in contact with the dome 538 , the light beam 544 reflects off the inside of the dome 538 and is received at light-sensitive receiver 542 (illustrated by line 548 ). Since there will be significantly more light received at light-sensitive receiver 542 when there is no liquid present outside of the dome 538 , the processing circuitry is able to identify when a liquid is present (sensing of a level of light below a predetermined threshold), and when a liquid is not present (sensing of a level of light at or above a predetermined threshold). Accordingly, an indication of a liquid being present indicates that the particular dome sensor indicating the presence of the liquid is beyond the cavity wall (i.e., it is in the liquid). However, dome sensors that are within the cavity will sense the presence of air (or the lack of water), indicating they are within the cavity. Therefore, it is possible to identify approximately where along the fin 104 the border between the cavity and the water exists, thereby identifying the approximate location of the cavity wall.
FIG. 6 illustrates an alternative embodiment for sensing the presence or absence of water along the fin 104 . Referring to FIG. 6 , a series of optical fibers 650 , 652 , 654 , and 656 are shown. Each optical fiber comprises a loop of fiber which originates within the vehicle 100 , travels along fin 104 to a particular location along the edge of fin 104 , has a bent portion extending beyond, or flush with, fin 104 and then returns back to vehicle 100 (in FIG. 6 the bent portion is shown as extending beyond the fin; the bent portion can instead be flush with the fin so as not to protrude out from the fin). This configuration defines multiple paths from the vehicle to an outer edge of fin 104 and back to the vehicle. In the example of FIG. 6 there are four such optical fiber elements shown; however, it is understood that in most configurations there will be many more such elements and the more elements there are, the better the resolution of the sensing of the location of the cavity wall.
Shown within the dotted line circles in FIG. 6 are exploded views of the exposed bent element 651 of fiber 650 and the ends 658 and 660 of fiber 650 . A light source 662 is situated at the outbound end 658 of fiber 650 and inputs light thereto in a well known manner. The light travels along outbound portion 658 until it reaches the bent element 651 , which is exposed outside of, or flush with, the fin 104 such that it is in contact with any liquid or gas that is in contact with fin 104 at that point. The bent element 651 forms a reflective/refractive interface with changeable media (e.g., water, air, etc.) coming in contact therewith. If a liquid is in contact with the bent element 651 , light traveling along outbound path 658 will refract out into the water and thus minimize the amount of light that continues along fiber 650 down the inbound path 660 . However, in the absence of water, light traveling along outbound path 658 will continue around the bent element 651 and be returned along inbound path 660 to a light-sensitive receiver element 664 . The sensor of FIG. 6 utilizes the known property of optical fibers that light can leak from bends in the fiber. The boundary between two transparent media having different indices of refraction (in this example, there will be either a fiber/air interface or a fiber/liquid interface) will refract and reflect light differently, depending on the particular types of media. The measurable quantity of light returning on fiber is modulated by the change in the external medium in an identifiable way, allowing the type of media to be discerned as described above with respect to the dome sensor.
FIG. 7 illustrates an example of a typical processing circuit that can receive the outputs from the photodiodes and utilize this information to determine the cavity wall location and, if desired, control the guidance of the supercavitational vehicle. It is understood that this circuit is presented for the purpose of example only and that there are multiple other configurations that can be utilized to perform this function.
The output of each light-sensitive element ( 702 in FIG. 7 is representative of each photodiode or other light-sensing element) is input to a wideband photodiode amplifier 704 which converts the photodiode current into an amplified voltage. Threshold device 706 (e.g., a comparator) compares the voltage output from the wideband photodiode amplifiers to predetermined voltage references set for each sensor. A logic 1 is output from the threshold device 706 only if its threshold is exceeded. Accordingly, until the light received at a particular light-sensing element 702 is of a level which will output a current that, when amplified by the wideband photodiode amplifier 704 exceeds the threshold level, there will be a logic 0 output from threshold device 706 . Therefore, if water is present, a logic 0 will be output, and if air water is present, a logic 1 level will be output.
The output of each threshold device 706 is input to processor 708 . Processor 708 is configured to identify which light-sensitive receivers are sensing the presence of water and which are sensing the presence of gas. Data regarding the location of each sensor is stored in processor 708 , and thus a determination can be made as to the location of the cavity wall. As the cavity wall moves, different light-sensitive receivers receive the reflected light, and hence the correspondence between the photo detection and cavity wall location changes accordingly.
The time to complete processing and make steering adjustments in a supercavitating vehicle varies from 100 μsec for speeds of 20 m/s to less than 2 μsec for speeds of 1000 m/s. These calculations assume a maximum displacement of 2 mm before correction occurs. The sensors described herein can have response times as low as 1 μsec or less. Each of the sensors give a robust indication of the proximity of the cavity wall, in a very short period of time.
A control system utilizing the sensors of the present invention can be a guidance control processor 710 which receives the data from processor 708 that discriminates between the various media around each sensor and thus can determine the location of the cavity wall relative to the vehicle, and guidance control processor 710 can then actuate the control fins on the supercavitating projectile or vessel. This configuration can use a classical approach to control system design, for example, the system described in Dzielski and Kurdila (“A Benchmark Control, Problem for Supercavitating Vehicles and an Initial Investigation of Solutions,” Pennsylvania State University and University of Florida). Alternatively, the control system could take a much more neural network approach, so that the guidance control processor is really only a collection of “neural synapses” such as an animal nervous system ganglian or simple insect brain, as described in Zbikowski (“Sensor-Rich Feedback Control,” IEEE Instrumentation and Measurement Magazine , Vol. 7, No. 3, pp. 19-26). This neural network type of control system has been described by Zbikowski as a “sensor-rich system” and not “actuator-rich”, since as many sensors as desired can be utilized to monitor the proximity of the supercavitating cavity wall without increasing the number of actuators or control fins. The advantage of this type of control system is that it is conceptually simple and relatively easy to implement in hardware and software.
While there has been described herein the principles of the invention, it is to be understood by those skilled in the art that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation to the scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is intended by the appended claims, to cover all modifications of the invention which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. | Sensing elements that quickly and accurately determine if a liquid or gas is present around the sensing elements are disclosed. These sensing elements find particular application in identifying the location of the cavity wall in which a supercavitating vehicle is operating, relative to the vehicle. In certain embodiments signal emitting elements carried on the vehicle emit signals towards the presumed position of the cavity wall, and sensing elements carried on the vehicle receive the emitted signals after they are reflected off of the cavity wall. The sensing elements identify the location where the reflected signal is received, and based on this identified location, the location of the cavity wall is determined. In alternative embodiments, sensing elements are positioned along fins extending outward with respect to the hull of the vehicle, and the sensors sense the presence of liquid or gas. | 1 |
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a National Stage of PCT/FR2006/001386, filed Jun. 19, 2006, which claims priority to French Application No. 0551673, filed Jun. 20, 2005, both of which are incorporated by reference herein.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY
[0002] The present invention relates to the field of methods of measuring the properties of structures. The present invention relates more particularly to a method of characterizing a structure by means of an acoustic wave generated and detected by light pulse. The method uses measurement of the various reflections and propagations of the wave in the structure.
[0003] In the prior art, known U.S. Pat. No. 5,748,318 describes a system for the characterization of thin films and interfaces between thin films through measurements of their mechanical and thermal properties. In the system described, light is absorbed in a thin film or in a structure made up of several thin films, and the change in optical transmission or reflection is measured and analyzed. The change in transmission or reflection is used to supply information on the ultrasonic waves generated in the structure. In that way, it is possible to determine the thicknesses of the layers and various optical properties of the structure.
[0004] The above-mentioned patent is an example of implementation of a pump-probe system that is known to the person skilled in the art and that is described generally with reference to FIG. 1 , which shows an example of a known device. In this figure, the light source is a short-pulse (e.g. femtosecond) laser emitting a wave of fixed wavelength generating a first beam that is split by a beam splitter into a “pump” beam and a “probe” beam. The optical path length of the “probe” beam is then caused to vary by means of a mirror that is position servo-controlled. It is then known that the properties of the structure under the effect of the emitted beams cause a change in the reflection (or transmission) properties of the probe wave. In particular, as shown in FIG. 2 , also in a manner known per se, on a graph giving change in reflection as a function of time, it is possible to observe echoes characteristic of the interfaces of a structure. Analysis of the echo signal then makes it possible to deduce, for example, the thickness of the material, if the speed of propagation of the sound wave in the medium is known. However, using that method, it is not possible to determine both the speed of propagation and the thickness of the structure.
[0005] In order to increase the number of extracted characteristics, and in particular both the speed and the thickness, the publication entitled “Evidence of Laser-Wavelength Effect in Picosecond Ultrasonics: Possible Connection with Interband Transition” (Physics Review Letters, Mar. 12, 2001, Volume 86, Issue 12) describes the use of a pump-probe device as described above, but associated with a wavelength-tunable laser, thereby making it possible to cause the wavelength of the emitted signals to vary. By means of such wavelength effects, it is then possible to determine both thickness characteristics and speed characteristics for certain types of structure. As described in the publication entitled “A Novel Approach Using Picosecond Ultrasonics at Variable Laser-Wavelength for the Characterization of Aluminium Nitride Films Used for Microsystem Applications” (A. Devos, G. Caruyer, C. Zinck, and P. Ancey), World Congress on Ultrasonics (Paris Sep. 7-10, 2003), pp. 793-796 ISBN 2-9521105-0-6), for a structure that is transparent to the probe beam, an acousto-optical interaction appears in the material that causes oscillations to appear instead of mere pulses observed by echo. Such oscillations, referred to as “Brillouin” oscillations have a period dependent on the wavelength of the probe and on the speed of sound in the material. They are shown in FIG. 3 for two samples of SiN/Al/Si and SiO 2 /Al/Si. In that example, it can be understood that the materials and the thicknesses distinguish the two samples from each other so that the Brillouin oscillations do not have the same period at the same wavelength for the probe signal (430 nm). The person skilled in the art can understood that measuring the period of the Brillouin oscillations gives information on the speed of sound in the material, independently of the thickness of the layer. When the acoustic wave reaches the free surface, it reflects off it by changing the sign of the deformation. This results in a jump in reflectivity appearing. The acoustic wave generated in depth by the “pump” beam carries a minute change in the thickness of the layer whose sign changes on reflection. This change is detected optically because the transparent layer then acts as a Fabry-Perot interferometer, as shown in the publication entitled “Ultrafast Vibration and Laser Acoustics in Thin Transparent Films”, O. B. Wright and T. L Hyoguchi, Optics Letters, Vol. 16, page 1529 (1991).
[0006] Such jumps in reflectivity are shown in FIG. 3 . It should be noted that the Brillouin oscillations can extend on either side of the jump in reflectivity. The person skilled in the art can then understand that measuring the appearance time of a jump gives information on the thickness of the material, while measuring the period of said oscillations gives information on the speed of propagation. For a material like AlN, thickness error rates of about 6% have been shown, by using the period of the oscillations and the position of an acoustic echo.
[0007] An object of the present invention is to reduce further the error rate on the measured data, while keeping the possibility of determining both thickness and speed values. The present invention thus intends to solve those prior art drawbacks by using, in particular, wavelength effects, e.g. by means of a tunable laser. To this end, the present invention is of the type described above and it is remarkable, in its broadest acceptation, in that it provides a device for characterizing a structure, said device comprising radiation generator means for generating a pump first radiation and a probe second radiation, said radiation generator means for generating said first and second radiations being suitable for delivering radiations at different wavelengths, time-shift generator means for generating a time shift between said probe second radiation and said pump first radiation at said structure, detector means for detecting said second beam after reflection off or transmission through said structure so as to generate a signal to be analyzed, and processor means for processing said signal, said device being characterized in that said processor means are suitable for identifying a zone corresponding to a jump in said signal, for determining the amplitude of said jump as a function of said different wavelengths, for comparing said amplitude with a theoretical model for variation of the amplitude as a function of wavelength, and for determining, for a wavelength that is characteristic of said theoretical model, a characterization value associated with the thickness of said structure and with the speed of propagation of radiation in said structure.
[0008] In an embodiment, in order to obtain a source whose wavelength can vary, at least one tunable laser source is used. In particular, it is possible to use two tunable laser sources, or indeed one fixed source and one tunable source. In another embodiment, the variation in wavelength is obtained by emitter means for emitting a continuum of light.
[0009] In order to make it possible to observe reflectivity jumps in accordance with the invention, said probe second radiation is chose to be suitable for interacting with at least two interfaces of layers of said structure. In order to ensure that the light signals are transmitted over a plurality of wavelengths, the device of the invention preferably further comprises a set of optical means adapted to transmit said radiations over a wavelength range corresponding to said different wavelengths.
[0010] The invention also provides a method of characterizing a structure, said method comprising the steps consisting in:
[0011] applying a pump first radiation to said structure;
[0012] applying a probe second radiation to said structure, said probe second radiation being time-shifted relative to the pump first radiation;
[0013] detecting said second radiation after reflection or transmission at said structure and generating a signal representative of said second radiation after reflection or transmission;
[0014] identifying an amplitude jump in said signal;
[0015] causing the wavelength of said second radiation to vary in a manner such as to obtain a first jump profile as a function of wavelength;
[0016] comparing said first profile with a theoretical second profile depending on wavelength, and on a function of the thickness and of the optical index of said structure; and
[0017] deducing therefrom a value associated with the thickness and with the optical index of said structure.
[0018] For the purposes of the present Application, the term “jump” corresponds to an analysis zone presenting high variation in the mean value of reflectivity. The amplitude of a jump is then the difference in said mean values on either side of said zone. In the presence of Brillouin oscillations, the mean value is calculated over a length of time corresponding substantially to a Brillouin oscillation period.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] The invention can be better understood from the following description of an embodiment of the invention given merely by way of explanation and with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:
[0020] FIG. 1 is an overall view of a pump-probe device as known from the prior art;
[0021] FIG. 2 shows an example of a result obtained using the pump-probe device of FIG. 1 ;
[0022] FIG. 3 shows an example of characterization by Brillouin oscillation and jump in reflectivity as known from the prior art;
[0023] FIGS. 4 a and 4 b show an example of measuring jumps in reflectivity in the Brillouin oscillation zone for various wavelengths;
[0024] FIG. 5 shows an example of a theoretical model of how jump amplitude varies as a function of wavelength; and
[0025] FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0026] As shown in FIG. 6 , the device of the invention includes a short-pulse laser source 1 . The short pulses of the source must be adapted to match the desired time resolution. Pulses of about 1 ps or of about 0.1 ps are imaginable.
[0027] In a first embodiment, the source is wavelength-tunable via a tunable oscillator of the titanium-sapphire type that can generate pulses of 120 fs at a repetition rate of 76 MHz centered on a wavelength that is tunable in the range 700 nm to 990 nm. This source generates a signal that is split by a splitter 2 into a pump signal P and a probe signal S, both of which are designed to interact with the structure 5 to be analyzed. The probe signal S is subjected to a variation in optical path length relative to the pump signal P, e.g. via a moving mirror 3 that is position servo-controlled. Said probe signal is then focused on the structure 5 by an optical system 4 , and is reflected towards detection means 6 , e.g. of the photodetector type that are designed to generate a signal that can be analyzed by computation and processing means 7 . Naturally, the probe signal can also be detected in transmission through the structure 5 .
[0028] In order to enable the signals to go along the proper path from the source to the structure, the optical system is adapted to the variation in wavelength coming from the source. The person skilled in the art is capable of adapting said optical system depending on the chosen sources and wavelength ranges, and merely a few examples of usable optical systems are given herein.
[0029] The optical systems should preferably be broadband as regards both mirrors and treated lenses. In order to achieve a signal-to-noise ratio that is sufficient, pump-probe experiments use modulation of the pump beam and demodulation of the probe. The modulation should be performed outside the noise range of the laser, typically a few 100 kHz. It is performed by an acousto-optical modulator that acts as an electrically controlled grating. The diffraction of the pump beam by the grating varies with varying wavelength. Thus, by changing wavelength, the pump beam sees its direction change so that it is possible that the device might lose its setting. It is thus possible to use an acousto-optical modulator that can be controlled with an electrical signal of variable frequency. The deviation of the beam is thus compensated by changing the pitch of the grating that is generated electrically.
[0030] When a half-wavelength is used that is obtained by optical doubling in a non-linear crystal, e.g. of the Beta Barium Borate (BBO) type, the doubling is based on a phase tuning condition being satisfied in the crystal, which condition is related to its angular position relative to the beam. The change of wavelength must be made up on that angle. This is performed manually or automatically. At the outlet of the detector, the processor means 7 receiving the signal are constituted by a computer of known type that enables the processing of the invention to be implemented.
[0031] The person skilled in the art can easily understand that the pump and probe beams can also be generated by two distinct sources. In which case, the sources can themselves be moving sources in order to generate the variation in the optical path length of the probe signal relative to the pump signal. It is also possible to use a fixed-wavelength laser source, and a tunable source.
[0032] In a second embodiment, the source 1 makes it possible to generate a continuum of light extending over a wide wavelength range. In which case, the detector means 6 can comprise a spectrometer (not shown) serving to analyze the intensity of the light received before transmitting the signal to be analyzed to the processor means 7 . Any system of filters in front of a usual photodetector can also be used. The plurality of wavelengths is then achieved continuously, e.g. by a fixed-wavelength femtosecond laser associated with an optical fiber.
[0033] In general, it is understood that the type of source used is not limiting to the present invention and that any type of source 1 making it possible to generate short laser pulses corresponding to a discrete or continuous set of wavelengths can be used. Similarly, in all of the embodiments, it is possible to use any means suitable for generating a time shift between the pump first beam and the probe second beam. This shift can thus be generated by varying optical path length as described above, or indeed by means making it possible to adjust the time of arrival of one pulse relative to another.
[0034] At the processor means 7 , a theoretical model is stored for variation of the jump amplitude as a function of wavelength. This theoretical model is obtained from a simple physical model making it possible to understand the origin of the jumps observed in the signal as a function of wavelength.
[0035] A transparent layer of the structure 5 acts as an optical resonator of the Fabry-Perot type for the probe light. In the presence of a deformation pulse, the layer behaves as if its thickness were slightly smaller or slightly larger depending on the sign of said deformation. If a jump appears on reflection of the acoustic pulse off the free surface, it is because it becomes extensive whereas it was compressive. Since the thickness changes slightly, the reflectivity of the interferometer system constituted by the transparent layer changes accordingly.
[0036] It is possible to establish an analytical expression for the change in reflectivity induced by such a mechanism. Firstly, the reflectivity of a transparent thin layer of finite thickness e is written:
[0000]
r
=
r
01
+
r
12
2
k
1
-
r
01
r
12
2
ke
,
[0000] where r 01 (or r 12 ) designates the electromagnetic reflection coefficient between the media 0 and 1 (or 1 and 2), the subscripts 0, 1, and 2 corresponding generally to a succession of layers 0, 1, and 2.
[0037] The deformation acoustic pulse carries a very small variation in thickness of the layer (referenced Δe), which allows us to write the effect on the reflectivity Δr in the following form:
[0000]
Δ
r
=
(
∂
r
∂
e
)
Δ
e
[0000] More precisely, the quantity obtained experimentally is the relative change of reflectivity in intensity:
[0000]
Δ
R
R
=
2
(
Δ
r
r
)
=
2
(
1
r
∂
r
∂
e
)
Δ
e
[0000] Thus, the physical effect that concerns us results from the derivative of the complex reflectivity of the transparent layer. On the basis of this result, we can trace the expected changes as a function of the probe wavelength as shown in FIG. 5 . In particular, it can be noted that, by exploring the signs of the jumps over well-chosen wavelength ranges, it is possible to determine at least one zeroing wavelength.
[0038] In accordance with the invention, the wavelength of the probe radiation is caused to vary and the zeros of the amplitude of the jumps in the signal are detected, as are the associated changes of signs, as shown in FIGS. 4 a and 4 b . It should be noted that, since the variation in the amplitude of the jumps as given in FIGS. 4 a and 4 b represents experimental results, said variation is very sensitive to wavelength, as confirmed by the theoretical slope at the time of zeroing in FIG. 5 . In accordance with the invention, the heavy wavelength dependency can also be used to identify the reflectivity jumps more clearly. Thus, a step of identifying an amplitude jump can itself include a sub-step of varying the wavelength. Such an identification step can easily by implemented by a test as a function of a threshold of amplitude variation over a given time, optionally with the wavelength being varied. Thus, by comparing the zeros of the jumps of the signal obtained after detection with the theoretical model, it is possible to determine a wavelength λ 0 characteristic of zeroing.
[0039] However, depending on the model adopted, the relative change of reflectivity in intensity
[0000]
Δ
R
R
[0000] is a function only of the wavelength, of thickness of the transparent layer, and of the speed of propagation of the wave (or of the optical index of the layer), and more precisely, of the product of the optical index multiplied by the thickness of the layer n.e. Determining the zeroing characteristic wavelength λ 0 thus makes it possible to obtain a value characteristic of the product of the index multiplied by the thickness (n.e) 0 . This additional information on the characteristics of the layer then makes it possible to increase considerably the precision of the results obtained.
[0040] For a Brillouin oscillation zone, the period of oscillation of the signal is measured. Using the known formula:
[0000]
T
(
λ
,
n
,
e
)
=
λ
2
nv
cos
θ
[0000] it is then possible to obtain a first item of information on the index and on the thickness as a function of the wavelength. By then placing ourselves at the zeroing characteristic wavelength, the product (n.e) 0 is set.
[0041] It is also possible to measure the oscillation time for the Brillouin oscillations
[0000]
t
(
e
,
v
)
=
2
·
e
v
[0000] corresponding to one go-and-return of the wave in the layer, which gives a third item of information on the index and on the thickness. The person skilled in the art can then easily understand that the data constituted by the product (n.e) 0 of the invention considerably increases the precision of the results on the index and thickness values.
[0042] In particular, the Applicant has shown that, for a structure of the AlN/AI/Ti/Si type, e.g. in a resonator of the Bulk Acoustic Wave (BAW) type, the method of the present invention makes it possible to cause the uncertainty in thickness to go from 6% in the absence of determination of the product (n.e) 0 to 0.17% with such determination. It can also be noted that it is possible to refine the physical model shown in FIG. 5 by involving new effects. In particular, it is also possible to affect the reflectivity of the layer via the optical index (photo-elastic effect). The reflectivity jump detected can then be written as the sum of two synchronous contributions in wavelength, i.e. the inversions and the zeroing take place simultaneously.
[0043] Furthermore, we have described an example in which the comparison with the theoretical model is made relative to a point of zeroing of the jump amplitude as a function of wavelength, but naturally any point or characteristic of the physical model can be used. It can thus be the maxima, the decreasing of the maxima, the spacing between two zeros, etc.
[0044] The present invention relates particularly but not exclusively to any transparent layer on a substrate or on an absorbent layer. More generally, the probe signal must be suitable for “seeing” the two end interfaces of any given layer. This is thus achievable on a layer that is relatively absorbent but that is fine enough for the probe signal to reach the end that is further away. Preferably, the pump signal should also be absorbed in depth into the structure.
[0045] An implementation is given for a layer of AlN in a BAW resonator, but naturally the device of the invention operates for any type of structure as defined above. The method can, for example, be used for the “loading” layer of SiO 2 which is deposited on the upper electrode of a component. The Applicant has also been able to characterize “high-K” thin layers of oxides of the SrTiO 3 and BaTiO 3 types by using the method and the device of the invention. The invention is described above by way of example. Naturally, the person skilled in the art is capable of implementing various variants of the invention without going beyond the ambit of the patent. | The invention relates to a structure characterising device comprising means which are used for generating a first pump radiation and a second probe radiation and for transmitting different wavelength radiation, means for producing a time offset between said first pump and second probe radiation on the structure by means of detecting means of said second beam after the reflection or transmission thereof to said structure in such a way that an analysis signal is generated, means for processing said signal and identifying an area corresponding to the signal jump, for determining the jump amplitude according to different wavelengths, for comparing said amplitude with a theoretical amplitude variation pattern according to the wavelengths and for determining, for the wavelength characteristic for said theoretical pattern, a characteristic value associated to the structure thickness and to the radiation propagation velocity in said structure. | 6 |
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present disclosure relates to machines, such as copiers or digital input scanners, which record hard-copy original images placed on a platen. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a system for positioning a platen cover used with such a machine.
BACKGROUND
Copiers, whether using digital or light-lens imaging technology, are well known. Input scanners, which record a hard-copy image as digital data, are becoming commonplace as well. A typical copier or scanner (hereinafter “machine”) includes a “platen,” which is a transparent window on which sheets bearing images (hereinafter “documents”) to be copied or otherwise recorded (hereinafter “scanned”) are manually placed. Associated with a platen is usually a “platen cover,” which is lowered on the platen and the document, to provide a background to the document during scanning. When the machine is not in use, the platen cover is lowered to protect the platen. It is also typical to have at least a portion of a document handler, which makes a succession of documents available for scanning, incorporated into the platen cover.
In situations where use of a document handler is not advisable, such as with a set of odd-shaped, fragile, and/or damaged documents, or successive pages of a bound book, a user will wish to place each document manually on the platen, lifting the platen cover before scanning each document, placing the document, closing the platen cover, and then, typically, pushing a copy or scan button. The process is repeated for each of a series of documents. This repetitive sequence can lead to mistakes, such as: pushing the button without having a document on the platen, accidentally scanning the same document twice, pushing the button without the platen being fully closed, etc.
PRIOR ART
U.S. Pat. No. 4,585,329 discloses a copier which locks the platen cover shut when the body of the copier is opened for maintenance.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,882,603 discloses a copier in which the platen cover includes a “pressing member” which flattens a document as the platen cover is closed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,510,301 discloses a copier in which a document handier is part of the platen cover. When the document cover is opened, such as for jam clearance, the platen cover is locked down.
The Xerox® “9200” product, released about 1980, had a system including a solenoid for locking down a platen cover during the scanning operation. In that case, the motivation for the locking was to protect a user's eyes from intense light associated with the scanning process.
SUMMARY
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a machine for scanning documents, comprising a platen, for bearing a document to be scanned, and a platen cover, pivotably mounted to a body of the machine. The platen cover is pivotable to a closed position wherein the platen cover substantially urges the document against the platen, and an open position. A control system causes the mechanism to release the platen cover from the closed position in response to completing a scanning operation.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a machine for scanning documents, comprising a platen, for bearing a document to be scanned, and a platen cover, pivotably mounted to a body of the machine. The platen cover is pivotable to a closed position wherein the platen cover substantially urges the document against the platen, and an open position. A control system initiates a scanning operation in response to the platen cover approaching the closed position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a machine for scanning a document.
FIG. 2 is a sectional elevational view showing elements of the machine of FIG. 1 .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a machine for scanning a document. The machine 10 can be either a copier, which would also outputs copies or other prints, or simply be a stand-alone scanner which outputs digital data based on images recorded from scanned documents. The machine 10 includes a light-transmissive platen 12 , suitable for bearing documents to be scanned, and a platen cover 14 , which is pivotably mounted relative to the platen 12 by one or more hinges 16 . The platen cover 14 can be in an open position, as shown in the Figure, or can be lowered into a “closed” position, in which the platen cover in effect urges a document against the platen 12 for clear, focused recording of the image thereon. In the Figure, the document D in question is an open book, but a document can be any object or artifact having or forming a recordable image, such as a single sheet of paper, a package, a small item, etc. In order for platen cover 14 to urge a relatively thick item such as a book onto platen 12 , the hinges 16 may have to be specially adapted with slide mounts or extra joints, but basic designs for such hinges are generally known in the art.
In situations where it is desired to record images from a series of odd-shaped documents which must be manually placed on platen 12 , the position of platen cover 14 at any time can be automatically monitored, by a control system within scanner 10 , and used to activate a scanning operation by machine 10 . In the illustrated embodiment, extending from platen cover 14 is what can be called a ratchet member 18 , which, as platen cover 14 approaches a closed position, is inserted into an opening 19 . The ratchet member 18 defines teeth, which can be engaged by a pawl member near opening 19 , as will be described below.
FIG. 2 is a sectional elevational view showing elements of the machine of FIG. 1 . Near hinges 16 , and engaging platen cover 14 , is a solenoid 20 or other mechanism. The solenoid 20 (and there may be, in possible embodiments, multiple solenoids) is capable of moving platen cover 14 upward from a closed to at least a somewhat open position; alternately, or addition, the solenoid 20 (or another solenoid forming part of the mechanism) is capable of drawing the platen cover 14 downward to a closed position, such as to urge a document D such as a book against platen 12 . Near ratchet member 18 , where ratchet 18 enters opening 19 , there is provided a pawl 22 or other device which contacts teeth of ratchet 18 , and, as needed, in effect locks the platen cover 14 into a closed position by locking into the teeth. As such, pawl 22 is associated with a small position sensor 24 which can emit a signal when the pawl 22 is contacted by ratchet member 18 (thus detecting the approach of platen cover 14 to a closed position) and also respond to an external signal to lock the ratchet member 18 in place. The solenoid 20 and position sensor 24 are both associated with a control system 30 .
In one embodiment of the operation of a machine 10 in a predetermined mode, when platen cover 14 is lowered over a document D sufficiently that a portion of ratchet member 18 is inserted into opening 19 and contacts pawl 22 , a lowered position of platen cover 14 is sensed and used by the control system 30 to initiate a scanning operation (such as through a photosensitive device, not shown in the Figure but inherent in all scanning machines). When the scanning operation is completed, control system 30 causes solenoid 20 to push platen cover 14 upward and out of a closed position, thus freeing the document for removal and giving a user a visual cue that the scanning is completed. In this way, the position of platen cover 14 is used to cause the machine to begin a scanning operation, and to indicate to a user that the scanning operation is completed. With this embodiment, a user does not have to push a “copy button” to directly initiate a scanning operation, but rather need only lower the platen cover to perform the scanning; also, because the user gets a visual cue of the platen cover being raised (if only slightly) when the scanning is complete, the user will not accidentally remove the document from the platen before it is scanned.
In alternate embodiments, the pawl 22 can be used to lock the platen cover 14 in the closed position during the scanning operation, especially to ensure that the platen cover 14 is not raised, or the document removed from platen 12 , before scanning is complete. Similarly, the solenoid 20 (or another solenoid or equivalent device) can be used to effectively perform the locking instead of having the ratchet member 18 and pawl 22 . The position of the platen cover 14 at any time can be detected using any kind of optical or mechanical sensor, associated with the platen cover 14 itself or with the solenoids 20 or other mechanism. The solenoid 20 can be used in combination with a spring (not shown) which is compressed when the platen cover is pushed downward, and which then is used to push the platen cover 14 slightly upward when the platen cover 14 is unlocked.
Other devices or steps may be used in conjunction with the above embodiment in addition to the visual cue of the platen cover 14 raising after the scanning operation, there may provided a light (such as shown in FIG. 1 as 32 ) or an auditory cue such as a tone. After the platen cover 14 is locked in a closed position, the system may nonetheless request the user to push the “copy button” (such as shown in FIG. 1 as 34 ) to start the scanning operation, such a request perhaps being the form of a light or an auditory cue from control system 30 .
In alternate embodiments, the ratchet member 18 might be mounted in the base unit of the machine, and the pawl 22 in the platen cover 14 (or within a document handler associated therewith). This would prevent the ratchet member 18 accidentally damaging or piercing the document when the platen cover 14 was lowered, since the document would necessarily have to be positioned beside the ratchet member. The ratchet member 18 might be capable of being retracted, for safety when not in use, with perhaps a simple spring release button.
Of course, the above-described embodiment would be used mainly in situations where one or more documents were being scanned by manual placement on the platen, and as such would probably be manifest in one of many selectable operational modes of the machine. Also, when using a machine in a mode wherein the platen cover is temporarily locked in a closed position during the scanning operation, it is desirable to have a manual override of the locking mechanism. | In a copier or input scanner wherein original documents are manually placed on a platen for scanning, when a platen cover is lowered over the document and approaches a closed position, a control system initiates a scanning operation while locking the platen cover in the closed position. After the scanning operation is completed, the platen cover is automatically pushed into an open position as a visual cue to the user that a new document may be scanned. The system facilitates manual scanning of odd-shaped documents, such as successive pages of bound books. | 6 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/396,327, now allowed now U.S. Pat. No. 8,001,620, which application claims the benefit of priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/068,078, filed Mar. 4, 2008, having the same title, and having the same inventors, and which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE
The present disclosure relates generally to temperature sensing devices, and more particularly to a temperature sensing glove which is particularly useful for reading tire temperatures in automotive applications.
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE
While success in high-speed motor sports is commonly attributed to driver skill, the proper set-up of a race vehicle is also an important factor. Consequently, both prior to and during a race, many aspects of a vehicle are subject to scrutiny and adjustment based on track conditions, driver perception, weather conditions, or even the skill level of competitors. Particular attention is paid to the elements of the suspension system of a vehicle, since these elements directly affect the driver's control over the vehicle.
Numerous types of suspension configurations are currently in use in modern vehicles. One common configuration includes upper and lower control arms which support a knuckle between them. The control arms are typically rigid members which may be stamped from steel or cast from another metal. A spring and shock absorber are typically connected to a portion of the lower control arm and to the vehicle's frame so as to provide a particular spring rate (a ratio which describes how resistant a spring is to being compressed or expanded during the spring's deflection) and to control the movement of the wheel supported on the knuckle.
The geometry of the upper and lower control arms has a direct effect on such important parameters as wheel camber (the angle of the wheel relative to a vertical axis, as viewed from the front or the rear of the vehicle), wheel caster (the angle to which the steering pivot axis is tilted forward or rearward from vertical, as viewed from the side of the vehicle) and toe (the angle to which the wheels are out of parallel), all of which have a significant impact on vehicle performance. For example, toe settings affect tire wear, straight-line stability, and the corner entry handling characteristics of the vehicle.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
In one aspect, a temperature sensing glove is provided which comprises a temperature sensor, a plurality of memory locations, and assigning means for assigning a temperature reading made by the temperature sensor to one or more of the plurality of memory locations.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The devices and methodologies disclosed herein may be further understood with reference to the following figures, in which like numbers represent like elements.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first particular, non-limiting embodiment of a temperature sensing glove made in accordance with the teachings herein;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the temperature sensing glove of FIG. 1 showing the bottom side of the glove;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the temperature sensing glove of FIG. 1 showing the top side of the glove;
FIG. 4 is an illustration of the electronic circuitry of the temperature sensing glove of FIG. 1 ;
FIG. 5 is an illustration of an Display module useful in some embodiments of a temperature sensing glove made in accordance with the teachings herein; and
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a second particular, non-limiting embodiment of a temperature sensing glove made in accordance with the teachings herein.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a third particular, non-limiting embodiment of a temperature sensing glove made in accordance with the teachings herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Tire temperature is one important metric utilized by pit crews to evaluate the performance of a suspension system. In particular, pit crews frequently measure the distribution of temperatures across the surface of a tire to glean information about the affect of wheel camber, wheel caster and toe settings on vehicle performance. In some cases, tire temperatures may also suggest a need to modify these parameters or to replace or repair shocks, struts, control arms, tie rods, or other components of a vehicle or its handling or suspension systems. Moreover, tire pressure, which may be derived from tire temperatures, also has a significant impact on vehicle handling and performance, and hence is another metric closely monitored by pit crews.
In light of the foregoing, several tire temperature gauges and probes have been developed in the art, some of which are currently in use in performance motor sports applications. Unfortunately, many of the devices currently known to the art are not conducive to the demands of motor sports racing.
In particular, during a typical race, tire temperatures must be read quickly and accurately, without interfering with the many operations which must be performed on a vehicle within the very limited window of opportunity afforded by a pit stop. Ideally, these measurements should be taken at multiple points across the surface of each tire (and preferably at the inside edge, middle, and outside edge of the tire), since a tire may heat up unevenly during use, and since the tire temperatures prevailing at each of these points may provide useful diagnostic information about the performance of particular vehicle components. Unfortunately, many existing temperature gauges and probes require too much time for set-up or for taking temperature readings, or interfere with other operations which must be conducted during a pit stop. Moreover, the distance between the points on the surface of the tire at which temperatures are measured can vary from one set of measurements to the next due to variability in the placement of the temperature probe, thus increasing error in the resulting data.
There is thus a need in the art for devices and methodologies which overcome these shortcomings. In particular, there is a need in the art for devices and methodologies which allow for fast and accurate tire temperature readings at points of interest across the surface of a tire, and which do not interfere with other vehicle maintenance operations. These and other needs are met by the devices and methodologies disclosed herein and hereinafter described.
It has now been found that the aforementioned needs in the art may be met through the provision of a thermally insulated glove which is equipped with one or more temperature sensors. The temperature sensors are adapted to read the surface temperature of a tire in one or more locations (and possibly at multiple points in time) when the temperature sensors are activated and the glove is placed against the surface of the tire. The glove is preferably equipped with a data storage device for storing data generated by the temperature sensors, and is also preferably equipped with a toggling means for toggling between memory locations so that the temperature data recorded on a particular tire of a vehicle can be stored in a file or location associated with that tire. The temperature data is also preferably chronologically stamped so that multiple readings can be made (by the same or different temperature sensor) on a given tire during the course of a race, and can be differentiated and stored for later retrieval and manipulation.
FIGS. 1-4 illustrate a first particular, non-limiting embodiment of a temperature sensing glove in accordance with the teachings herein. The particular glove 101 shown therein has an aesthetic design which is based on the design disclosed in U.S. D515,782 (Mattesky), though it will be appreciated that various other designs may be employed in gloves made in accordance with the teachings herein.
With reference to FIGS. 1-2 , the glove 101 comprises a palm portion 103 , a thumb portion 105 , and finger portions 107 , 109 , 111 and 113 . The palm portion 103 in this particular embodiment is equipped with first 131 and second 133 temperature sensors, with the first temperature sensor 131 being located near the heel of the palm portion 103 and the second temperature sensor 133 being located near the center of the palm portion 103 . A third temperature sensor 135 is located approximately in the center of finger portion 109 . This configuration of sensors is advantageous in that it allows the user to determine the temperature distribution across the face of the tire (and in particular, the temperature at each of the inside edge, middle, and outside edge of the tire) simply by placing the glove on the surface thereof. Moreover, since the distance between the temperature sensors is fixed, error arising from the relative placement of the sensors from one reading to the next is minimized.
As seen in FIG. 3 , the back hand portion 104 of the glove is equipped with a display module 141 containing a display window 149 . The display window 149 preferably provides real time feedback of the temperatures being registered by temperature sensors 131 , 133 and 135 . The placement of the display window 149 on the back of the glove allows it to be easily read by the user during use, while minimizing incidental contact between the display module 141 and any objects the user handles.
The display window 149 allows the user to check whether the temperature sensors 131 , 133 and 135 have been activated, and to verify which tire on a vehicle has been selected for a reading. The display window 149 may also provide real time feedback of the temperatures being registered at each of the temperature sensors 131 , 133 and 135 . This allows the user to determine when the sensor readings have stabilized, and to act on the resulting data, if necessary.
In some embodiments, the glove 101 may be equipped with a suitable speaker or indicator light so that an audible beep is emitted, or a visual indicator illuminates, when the readings at one or more of the temperature sensors 101 , 103 and 105 have stabilized, or when sufficient data has been obtained to accurately determine the actual tire temperature at one or more of the temperature sensors 101 , 103 and 105 . In some embodiments, the nature of the audio or visual signal may take a first form when the glove is in a first state (e.g., while the temperature sensors have not yet stabilized, or while an accurate determination of temperature is not yet possible), and a second form when the glove is in a second state (e.g., after the temperature sensors have stabilized, or when an accurate determination of temperature becomes possible). For example, the frequency of the audio signal may change when the glove transitions from the first to the second state, or the indicator light may blink in the first state and remain steady in the second state, or may change colors or indicia in transitioning from the first state to the second state.
In some embodiments, the glove may be equipped with a suitable processor that determines temperatures based on the initial temperature response of the temperature sensors 101 , 103 and 105 , rather than through direct measurement of the temperature. In some embodiments, the glove 101 may also be equipped with a suitable processor which generates instructional messages based on the temperature readings, such as, for example, “Maximum Recommended Tire Temperature Exceeded”, or “Excessive Temperature Variation Detected”.
FIG. 4 depicts one particular, non-limiting embodiment of the electronic circuitry of the glove of FIGS. 1-3 . As seen therein, the thumb portion 105 of the glove 101 is equipped with a switch receptor 121 , and finger portions 107 , 109 , 111 and 113 are equipped with switch activators 123 , 125 , 127 and 129 , respectively. Together, the switch activators 123 , 125 , 127 and 129 and the switch receptor 121 , which are in electronic communication with display module 141 and the control circuitry 143 thereof, form a complete switch. Similarly, temperature sensors 131 , 133 and 135 (note that temperature sensor 131 in FIG. 4 has been moved from its normal position for ease of illustration) are in electronic communication with display module 141 and the control circuitry 145 thereof, the latter of which is in communication with memory module 147 .
In some embodiments, the memory module 147 may be removable from the glove. Thus, for example, the memory module may be a flash memory device of the type commonly used in digital cameras. This permits the glove to be used with multiple vehicles over the same time period, and also provides a convenient means of data transfer and storage.
During use of the glove 101 , the user activates the temperature sensors 131 , 133 and 135 by bringing one of the fingers 107 , 109 , 111 and 113 into contact with thumb portion 105 so that one of the switch activators 123 , 125 , 127 and 129 is brought into close proximity with the switch receptor 121 . The particular finger used for activation in this embodiment associates the subsequent readings with a particular tire on the vehicle. Thus, for example, in one possible embodiment, the finger portion 107 (corresponding to the index finger) may be associated with the left rear tire, the finger portion 109 (corresponding to the middle finger) may be associated with the right rear tire, finger portion 111 (corresponding to the ring finger) may be associated with the front right tire, and finger portion 113 (corresponding to the pinky finger) may be associated with the front left tire. Preferably, the association between finger portions and tires follows a sequential progression in either a clockwise or counterclockwise progression around the vehicle. Suitable indicia reflecting these associations may be placed on appropriate surfaces or fingers of the glove, or may be displayed in display window 149 . Of course, it will be appreciated that the glove may be suitably adapted to account for the possibility that only a subset of the tires on the vehicle may be probed at any one time (for example, it may be desirable to check the front tires more frequently than the rear tires, given the greater impact of the front tires on vehicle handling and performance).
The memory module 147 in the display assembly 141 places the temperature data from the reading in a data file associated with the respective tire. In some embodiments, the glove 101 may be equipped with a suitable transmitter so that data registered or recorded by the device may be transmitted wirelessly to a computer, network or other such device or system. This may occur simultaneously with the reading, or may occur at a time subsequent to the reading.
Preferably, a unique chronological stamp (which may include time and/or date identifiers, or the amount of time elapsed from some reference point) is associated with each data set, and the temperature data within each set is associated with the temperature sensor which generated the data. Each data set is also preferably associated with a particular tire on the vehicle. The data may then be retrieved for suitable analysis or manipulation, either during or after a race, so that, for example, the response of a particular tire to race conditions can be analyzed.
Various modifications are possible to the foregoing embodiment. For example, in some embodiments, switch receptor 121 and switch activators 123 , 125 , 127 and 129 may be eliminated. In such embodiments, the correspondence between a temperature data set (and the tire the readings correspond to) may be established through a suitable selection made on the display module 149 , which is preferably touch sensitive. In some such embodiments, a stylus or one or more keys may be provided adjacent to the display as data entry devices, or to permit the user to make a menu selection. In other possible embodiments, an opposing glove may be provided which has a stylus or other such device built into one of the fingers thereof to facilitate the selection process.
Moreover, it is to be understood that the glove may be used (or may be adapted) to make more than one set of readings on a given tire. This may be the case, for example, if the tire is too wide to permit the glove to extend across its width, in which case temperature readings across the complete width of the tire may be made by positioning the glove multiple times on the surface of the tire as needed to make the desired readings. One or more additional switches, sensors, algorithms or commands may be provided in, or implemented by, the glove to facilitate such subsequent readings. Thus, for example, in some embodiments, the user may make a data input selection (as, for example, through a given sequence of finger clicks) which activates the glove for additional readings on the same tire.
One suitable display module 141 for this type of embodiment is depicted in FIG. 5 . The Display module 141 in this embodiment contains a display window 149 which is touch-sensitive and which is divided into four quadrants, each corresponding to one of the tires on a vehicle. The denotations LF, RF, LR and RR stand for “Left Front”, “Right Front”, “Left Rear” and “Right Rear”, respectively. By repetitively touching one of the quadrants, the user can toggle the glove among an inactive state and an active state. When the glove is in an active state, it is set to record temperatures at one or more temperature sensors disposed in the glove, and to associate those readings with the tire associated with the quadrant selected. The display module 141 may be configured, either additionally or in the alternative, to permit a quadrant to be activated or deactivated through the use of switch receptor 121 and switch activators 123 , 125 , 127 and 129 as described above.
In the particular embodiment depicted, the selected quadrant is highlighted by a border, and the remaining quadrants are rendered blank. The current temperature registered by the glove is displayed, and a graph of the temperature reading as a function of time is displayed so that the user can determine if the temperature has stabilized. In embodiments having more than one sensor, the temperature displayed and graphed (if these functions are implemented) may be an average of the temperatures registered at each of the temperature sensors. Alternatively, once a particular tire is selected for a reading, the temperature data for each sensor may be separately displayed in one of the quadrants. It will be appreciated, of course, that various other types of data may be registered on the display window 149 , and that the display module 141 may be adapted to allow the user to customize the type and format of data to be displayed.
In some variations of this embodiment, touching a quadrant a first time activates the glove for reading to the files associated with the tire corresponding to that quadrant, touching the quadrant a second time in succession enlarges the displayed data to full screen mode so it is easier to read (that is, the selected quadrant is displayed over the entire area of display window 149 ), and touching the quadrant a third time in succession deactivates the glove. A number of variations are possible to this approach, with each successive touch toggling to a different state of the display window 149 or glove 101 . It will be appreciated, of course, that the foregoing methodologies may be applied to create embodiments in which the display module 149 is divided into more than, or less than, four parts.
FIG. 6 depicts a second particular, non-limiting embodiment of a temperature sensing glove 201 in accordance with the teachings herein. The back hand side of the glove 201 of this embodiment is identical to FIG. 3 . In this embodiment, temperature sensors 231 , 233 , 235 and 237 are disposed near the tips of finger portions 207 , 209 , 211 and 213 , respectively. A temperature sensor activator 221 is disposed on the thumb portion 205 of the glove 201 . In use, any of the temperature sensors may be activated and deactivated by successively touching the temperature sensor activator 221 to one of temperature sensors 231 , 233 , 235 and 237 . In some embodiments, more than one of the temperature sensors may be activated at a time, while in other embodiments, activating one of the temperature sensors 231 , 233 , 235 and 237 will automatically deactivate any other activated temperature sensor.
In some possible variations of the embodiment of FIG. 6 , all of the temperature sensors 231 , 233 , 235 and 237 will read to a file which may be associated with a particular tire on a vehicle, thereby allowing temperatures to be read at multiple locations on a tire. The pit crew or tire manufacturer may mark the areas in which temperature readings are to be made for consistency in the readings as, for example, by placing a small circle in each of the desired areas (it being understood that superficial markings made on the surfaces of the tire which contact the track may be burned off). In other variations of the embodiment of FIG. 6 , each of the temperature sensors 231 , 233 , 235 and 237 may be associated with a particular tire, and any readings made at that sensor may be automatically associated with that particular tire. As with the previous embodiment, the readings are preferably chronologically stamped.
FIG. 7 illustrates the back hand portion of a third particular, non-limiting embodiment of a temperature sensing glove 301 in accordance with the teachings herein. The front hand portion is similar to the front hand portion of FIG. 6 , except that the temperature sensor activator 221 of FIG. 6 is replaced by a switch activator 321 which acts in a manner similar to switch activator 121 of FIG. 2 .
In the glove 301 depicted therein, the fingernail portions of each of finger portions 307 , 309 , 311 and 313 are equipped with switch activators 223 , 225 , 227 and 229 , respectively. The operation of this embodiment is similar to the operation of the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 1-3 . In particular, switch receptor 321 is touched to one of switch activators 323 , 325 , 327 and 329 to activate one or more temperature sensors and/or to assign readings made at those temperature sensors to a particular tire on a vehicle.
Various materials may be used in the construction of the gloves described herein. Preferably, the outer surface of the glove will comprise materials with adequate heat resistance for handling hot tires, while also providing suitable grip characteristics. The glove will preferably also comprise one or more materials which thermally insulate the interior of the glove from the outer surface of the glove. Such materials may provide thermal insulation by, for example, reducing conductive heat transfer or retarding the movement of hot air through the glove, or by reducing radiative heat transfer to the interior of the glove.
Some specific, non-limiting examples of materials which may be used in the construction of gloves made in accordance with the teachings herein include acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) polymers, polyacetates, polyacrylics, acetal resins, epoxies, fiberglass, glass fibers, polyimides, polycarbonates, neoprene rubbers, polyamides, nylon, polyesters, cotton, polystyrene (including expanded polystyrene), polyolefins, polyurethanes, polyisocyanurates, cellulose, mineral wool, rock wool, polyvinylchlorides (PVCs), silicone/fiberglass composites, epoxy/fiberglass composites, silicone rubbers, polytertrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polysulfones, polyetherimides, polyamide-inides, polyphenylenes, and asbestos. Foams based on neoprene, polystyrene, polyurethane, and silicone rubbers may be especially useful for portions of the glove.
It will be appreciated that, while the use of display modules and windows are preferred in the gloves described herein, various other displays may be utilized, including, for example, heads up displays. Thus, for example, in some embodiments, the glove may be in communication with a set of glasses or goggles worn by the user which displays data from the glove in the user's field of vision. In such embodiments, the glove may be equipped with a mouse or its equivalent which allows the user to browse through various files, menus or screens and to make selections or entries in the same.
Various modifications and substitutions may be made to the foregoing embodiments, as will be apparent to one skilled in the art. For example, while the temperature sensing gloves described herein have been frequently referred to or described as having a unitary construction, in some embodiments, these gloves may have a multi-component structure. For example, in one such embodiment, the glove may have a core and shell construction in which the core is a normal working glove of a type suitable for use by a member of a pit crew, and in which the shell fits over the core and contains the temperature sensing devices and associated electronics as described herein. In such embodiments, the shell may be constructed so that it can be quickly and easily placed over, or removed from, the core. Consequently, the shell may be readily removed from the glove when it is not needed for temperature sensing purposes, thus preventing it from hindering the user in carrying out other tasks or from being damaged in the performance of those tasks.
In a related embodiment, the temperature sensing elements, display and/or memory devices may be constructed so that they are readily removable from the glove when their use is not required. For example, these components may be releasably attachable to the glove (as, for example, through the use of repositional fasteners, snaps, or other releasably attaching means as are known to the art), and may be equipped with elements that releasably connect to circuitry embedded within the glove.
The above description of the present invention is illustrative, and is not intended to be limiting. It will thus be appreciated that various additions, substitutions and modifications may be made to the above described embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention should be construed in reference to the appended claims. | A temperature sensing glove ( 101 ) is provided. The glove includes a temperature sensor ( 131 ); a plurality of memory locations; and an assigning algorithm ( 121, 123 ) for assigning a temperature reading made by the temperature sensor to one of the plurality of memory locations. | 0 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a receiver for receiving FM multiplex broadcasting, and more particularly, to an FM multiplex broadcast signals receiver for receiving digital data multiplexed on FM multiplex broadcasting and transmitted from a broadcasting station.
2. Description of the Background Art
In FM multiplex broadcasting, digital information indicating characters, graphics or the like is multiplexed on FM broadcast signal. A receiver for FM multiplex broadcasting utilizes data and clock signal reproduced from multiplexed signals.
FIGS. 9, 10, and 11 respectively show a packet structure, a frame structure, and offset of synchronism.
With reference to FIG. 9, data has a packet structure for each block. The packet has a prescribed block identifying code (BIC) referred to as a block synchronization code, information bits, and a check code. The data packets respectively having block numbers 1-272 constitute one frame as shown in FIG. 10. Error correction is made packet by packet (horizontal correction) and frame by frame (vertical and horizontal correction). The receiver extracts a BIC pattern from a received data train and determines the division between blocks. Establishment of block synchronism is determined when the BIC pattern is detected a plurality of times, and a state in which synchronism is not achieved (out of synchronism) is determined if the BIC pattern is not detected a plurality of times. In the out of synchronism state, the establishment of synchronism of blocks is determined by detecting the BIC a prescribed number of times (number of backward protection of block synchronism) at an interval of one packet (at the timing of BIC detection generated by an internal BIC detection timing counter). This operation is referred to as block synchronism backward protection. When block synchronism is established, the out of synchronism state is determined by not detecting the BIC a prescribed number of times (number of forward protection of block synchronism) consecutively at an interval of one packet (BIC detection timing). This operation is referred to as block synchronism forward protection.
Referring to FIG. 10, 272 packets constituting a frame respectively have BICs corresponding to block numbers allotted. At four points in one frame, namely block numbers 1, 14, 137 and 150, points at which BIC changes (BIC change points) are provided. The block number can be specified by the BIC change point. Whether frame synchronism is established or not is determined by detecting or not detecting a plurality of BIC change points. In the out of synchronism state, establishment of frame synchronism is determined by detecting a prescribed number of BIC change points (number of backward protection of frame synchronism) consecutively at BIC change point detection timing (frame synchronism backward protection). When frame synchronism is established, if a prescribed number of BIC change points (number of forward protection of frame synchronism) are not consecutively detected at the BIC change point detection timing, the out of frame synchronism state is determined (frame synchronism forward protection).
There are two methods of determining packet type (i.e. data packet or parity packet). One method uses the BIC pattern extracted from received data and determines whether the BIC pattern is a data packet (BIC1-3) or a parity packet (BIC4). The other method uses a value of the receiver's block counter for frame and determines the packet type.
While frame synchronism is established, the block number of received data is synchronized with the block counter for frame of the receiver. However, the block number of received data may not be synchronized with the block counter for frame of the receiver due to the out of synchronism state of blocks caused by noise or the like, or false synchronism of blocks. For example, block synchronism may be lost if receiving conditions are deteriorated due to decreased intensity of the electric field or due to noise caused by multipath fading during frame synchronism state. When block synchronism is not established, the receiver carries out backward protection process of block synchronism, and extracts BIC patterns from a received data train. There may possibly be a data train which has the same bit pattern as BIC's. Further, a bit pattern that is the same as the BIC's may be generated more often than the number of backward protection of block synchronism at a packet period corresponding to the BIC detection timing. In such a case, false block synchronism may occur in which block synchronism is established at a timing other than the normal BIC detection timing.
Distinguished from regularly added normal BICs, a bit pattern which is the same as the BIC's that caused false block synchronism is unintentionally produced. Such false block synchronism is prevented by the aforementioned forward protection of block synchronism mechanism. In other words, a BIC pattern detection fails, out a block of synchronism state occurs, and eventually normal block synchronism would be established.
The receiver's "block counter for frame" counts received data packet by packet for each frame. The counter increments the count following a packet timing signal (dummy timing signal) produced by the receiver when the block synchronism is not established. The block counting operation switches to counting received packets once block synchronism is established. At the time of the switching, a "synchronization process" for the block counting operation is carried out. The synchronization process refers to an operation in which a difference between the packet timing generated by the receiver (receiver CPU) and the packet timing based on received data is corrected. For example, if block synchronism is established immediately after a counter increment operation from a packet timing signal generated by the receiver and counting should be performed based on received packets, the block counting is not based on received packets. On the other hand, if block synchronism is established immediately before a counter increment operation from a packet timing signal generated by the receiver and counting should be performed based on a received packet, then the block counting operation is carried out based on the received packets.
The above synchronization processing of the counting operation is effective when normal block synchronization is achieved. However, if the false block synchronization occurs, counting operation may be carried out at a timing which is not actually required, and the counting operation may not be carried out at the timing actually required. As a result, offset of synchronism occurs between the block number of received data and the block counter for frame of the receiver. When such offset of synchronism state occurs, BIC change points of received data cannot be detected at BIC change point detection timing generated by the block counter for frame. At this time, forward protection process of frame synchronism is performed, resulting in the out of frame synchronism state. As a result, the resynchronizing process mode of frame synchronism starts and synchronism is newly detected. During the period of forward protection, approximately two frames (about 10 seconds: about 380 data packets) are processed as data in frame synchronization, if the number of forward protection is 8.
Assume that the packet type is determined from the value of the block counter for frame of the receiver. If, at that time, offset of synchronization between the block number of received data and count value of the block counter for frame is 1 or 2 packets, about 164 parity packets would be determined erroneously as data packets and the same number of data packets would be determined erroneously as parity packets. The data in the data packets determined as parity packets are not used for creating a program. On the other hand, the parity packets are processed as normal data packets.
A problem caused in this situation is as follows. The parity packets regarded as data packets are combined with normal data packets and used for creating a program. When an error is detected by parity check for the program, the parity packets are discarded with data in the normal data packets. In this case, regular data is also discarded, so that data must be received again. On the other hand, if an error is not detected, the corresponding program could be improperly displayed.
Uncompleted data for a program is left in a program editing buffer or a receiving buffer as trash data. In this case, the available area in those buffers is decreased. As a result, efficiency in processing normal data, as well as efficiency in creating a program are impaired. In the worst case, the buffer fills with the trash data, a new program cannot be created, and reception becomes impossible. Such improper conditions would continue to have an affect even after normal frame synchronism is established by resynchronizing process of frame synchronism.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One aspect of the present invention is to provide a receiver for FM multiplex broadcasting which can reduce and avoid inappropriate conditions caused when a block number of received data is not synchronized with a block counter for frame of the receiver in packet communication.
Briefly stated, the present invention relates to a receiver for FM multiplex broadcasting in which a packet is prepared having predetermined data bits or parity bits, a frame is prepared having predetermined number of packets and data is transferred on the basis of the frame, block synchronism is determined by detecting a synchronization (BIC) attached to the head of the packet, and frame synchronization is determined by detecting a "change point" of the synchronization code, wherein the number of packets corresponding to one frame in frame synchronization is counted by a counter circuit, whether the packet is a data packet or a parity packet is determined based on the count, the determined packet type and a packet type determined based on the synchronization detecting signal are compared, and if these packet types differ from each other, an abnormality processing signal is output from a processing circuit.
According to the present invention, therefore, an error in determining packet type (data packet or parity packet) due to offset of received packets can be avoided. Further, an inappropriate operation of the receiver due to the determination error can be prevented. As a result, efficiency in frame resynchronizing process as well as receiving efficiency can be improved.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the number of packets corresponding to one frame when the frame is in synchronization is counted by a counter circuit, and a prescribed synchronizing signal is determined. The determined synchronizing signal is compared with a synchronizing signal detected from received data. When those synchronizing signals are different from each other, an abnormality processing signal is output from a processing circuit.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the result of the comparison of the packet type or the synchronizing signal determined by the counter circuit when the frame is in synchronization over a certain period is stored in a store circuit. Based on the stored result of the comparison over a certain period, if a frequency or a number of occurrences of the abnormality is achieved, frame synchronism is canceled and the process of resynchronizing the frame starts.
In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, a result of comparison between packet type or synchronizing signal determined by the counter circuit in frame synchronization, and packet type determined from a synchronizing signal detected from received data or the synchronizing signal over a certain period is stored in a store circuit. The stored result of comparison is compared with a prescribed bit pattern of abnormality occurrence. If there is more than a prescribed number of matching patterns bits, the frame synchronism (the state of "frame-in-synchronism" is canceled i.e., an "out-of-synchronism" state is indicated and a frame resynchronizing process starts.
The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing an entire structure of a receiver for FM multiplex broadcasting according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a synchronism determining circuit of a receiver according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 shows a table for determining abnormality according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 shows an example of a normal pattern according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 shows the first example of an abnormal pattern.
FIG. 6 shows the second example of an abnormal pattern.
FIG. 7 shows the third example of an abnormal pattern.
FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a synchronism determining circuit of a receiver according to the second embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 9 shows a packet structure utilized by a receiver for FM multiplex broadcasting.
FIG. 10 shows a frame structure for the FM multiplex broadcasting receiver.
FIG. 11 shows offset of synchronism between received data and a block counter for frame.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing an entire structure of a receiver for FM multiplex broadcasting according to one embodiment of the invention. An FM tuner 22 receives FM wave via an antenna 21 and an FM character multiplex signal is decoded. The decoded output is supplied to an FM multiplex decoder portion 23 as well as to a speech processing circuit, and a speech signal is reproduced.
FM multiplex decoder portion 23, which includes an FM multiplex decoding portion, a synchronism detecting portion, and an error correcting portion, reproduces FM multiplex data and a block synchronizing signal from the decoded output from FM tuner 22 and provides them to a CPU 24. A keyboard 25, a ROM 26, a RAM 27, and an indicator 28 are connected to CPU 24. Keyboard 25 is used for switching the received frequency and for setting sound volume. ROM 26 stores a program necessary for operation of CPU. RAM 27 stores decoded character data or the like and the character data is indicated on indicator 28.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a synchronism determining circuit included in FM multiplex decoding portion 23 of the FM multiplex broadcasting receiver shown in FIG. 1. The synchronism determining circuit includes an S/P converter 1, a BIC detecting circuit 2, a BIC detection timing counter 3, a block synchronism determining circuit 4, a frame synchronism determining circuit 5, a block counter for frame 6, and a dummy timing counter 7. The synchronism determining circuit further includes a D/P abnormality determining circuit 8, a D/P abnormal history memory circuit 9, and a packet offset determining circuit 10 that characterize the present invention.
S/P converter 1 is constituted by, for example, a shift register, and converts received serial data into parallel data. BIC detecting circuit 2 compares the parallel data from S/P converter 1 with a an internally stored BIC pattern. The BIC comparison is carried out at the timing generated by BIC detection timing counter 3. BIC detecting circuit 2 outputs a BICEX signal indicating whether BIC is detected or not, and outputs the BIC number (BIC1-4) of the detected BIC, and a D/P1 signal indicating the result of the determination of data packet/parity packet based on detected the BIC pattern. It is noted that the BIC1-3 patterns are for data packets, and the BIC4 pattern is for parity packets. The BICEX signal and D/P1 signal are indicated together as S1 in FIG. 2.
BIC detection timing counter 3 generates a timing signal for detecting the BIC. The timing signal is also utilized as an initialization signal by a dummy timing counter 7 for use during a block in-synchronism state. Dummy timing counter 7 is synchronized with the timing of received data packets by this initialization signal. Block synchronism determining circuit 4 determines the existence of a block synchronism state based on the BICEX signal indicating whether a BIC is detected or not, which in turn is based on the timing signal generated by BIC detection timing counter 3. In the block in synchronism state, forward protection process of block synchronism is carried out, and backward protection process is carried out in the out-of-synchronism state.
Frame synchronism determining circuit 5, which includes a memory circuit for internally storing BIC information for two packets, determines the frame in-synchronism state by determining a BIC change point based on a timing signal generated by block counter-for-frame circuit 6. Block counter-for-frame circuit 6 generates a timing signal for determining frame synchronism, which is also the timing for a BIC change point, decodes its count value, and outputs a signal D/P (S2) for determining data packet/parity packet which is effective during the frame in-synchronism state.
Dummy timing counter 7 is used for generating a counter timing signal for block counter 6. Dummy timing counter 7 is initialized with BIC detection timing signal at the time of block synchronization(i.e., when blocks are synchronized within the frame), and generates a timing signal in synchronization with received data which acts a a BIC timing signal. The BIC detection timing signal may be supplied to block counter 6, and blocks for a frame may be counted using the signal at the timing of block synchronization. Dummy timing counter 7 generates a timing signal at a dummy packet timing during an out-of-synchronism state.
Next, D/P abnormality determining circuit 8, D/P abnormal history memory circuit 9, and packet offset determining circuit 10 that characterize the present invention will be described. D/P abnormality determining circuit 8 determines if the determination of data packet/parity packet is effective at the time of frame synchronization. The result of the determination is supplied to D/P abnormal history memory circuit 9. D/P abnormal history memory circuit 9 stores the result of a D/P abnormality determination for a prescribed period (e.g. for 8 packets). D/P abnormal history memory circuit 9 comprises, for example, a shift register, and its output is supplied to packet offset determining circuit 10. Packet offset determining circuit 10 compares the contents stored in D/P abnormal history memory circuit 9 with a prescribed bit offset determination pattern.
FIG. 4 shows a normal pattern, and FIGS. 5-7 show examples of abnormal patterns.
Next with reference to FIGS. 2-7, an operation according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be specifically described. S/P converter 1 converts received serial data into parallel data. BIC detecting circuit 2 compares the parallel data supplied from S/P converter 1 with an internally stored BIC pattern, and outputs a signal showing whether a BIC is detected or not, BIC number of the detected BIC (assuming a BIC was detected), and a result of the determination of whether the packet is a data packet/parity packet based on particular BIC pattern detected. Block synchronism determining circuit 4 determines the block synchronism state (i.e., blocks in-sync or out-of-sync) the signal, S1, showing whether a BIC is detected or not.
Frame synchronism determining circuit 5 determines the frame synchronism state (i.e., frame in-sync or out-of-sync) by determining BIC change points, based on a change point timing signal generated by frame block counter 6. Block counter 6 generates a timing signal for determining frame synchronism, decodes its count value and outputs a data packet/parity packet determination signal which is effective whenever the frame is in a synchronized state. Respective outputs from BIC detection circuit 2, block synchronism determining circuit 4, frame synchronism determining circuit 5, and frame block counter 6 are output to a CPU (not shown) as error information.
The operations of D/P abnormality determining circuit 8, D/P abnormal history memory circuit 9, and packet offset determining circuit 10 are now described. D/P abnormality determining circuit 8 detects any inappropriate condition caused by an error in determining data packet/parity packet. The error is due to packet offset caused by the offset between the output from block counter 6 and of counting of received data. In order to prevent an improper condition in which CPU 24 (used program/data decoding) erroneously mistakes a parity packet as a data packet in program decoding, the result of the determination made by D/P abnormality determining circuit 8 is supplied to the CPU as error information, and is supplied to D/P abnormal history memory circuit 9 for detecting packet offset. This determination is effective when frame synchronism and block synchronism are established.
As shown in FIG. 10, according to a format of transmission in FM multiplex broadcasting, a parity packet is interleaved with data packets for transmission in the portion corresponding to block numbers 14-136 and 151-272. Data is received in a cycle of three packets including two data packets and one parity packet. When there is any packet offset, an inappropriate condition occurs in which parity packets sent out in the portion corresponding to the block numbers 14-136 and 151-272 are processed as data packets, or data packets are processed as parity packets. When a count offset between block counter 6 and the received data occurs, and if the amount of the offset is a multiple of 3 as shown in FIG. 7, most of the parity packets are still output at parity packet, the appropriate time for a synchronized reducing the affect the improper condition. In this case, some occurences of an improper condition are found around the BIC change point and, the effect is limited to an amount equal to the amount of offset divided by three. On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, if the amount of offset is other than multiples of three (multiple of 3±1, ±2), the number of occurences of the improper conditions is the number of parity packets (82 packets/frame). The generated pattern is a repetition of "110" ("1:abnormality detection, 1:abnormality detection, 0:normal) except for a region adjacent to the BIC change point.
Received data supplied to the CPU for processing is intended to be only the birary data from packets data packets. A data packet determined as a parity packet because of a count offset is discarded after error correction, consequently the binary data from that data packet is not output to the CPU for processing (programdecode). Therefore, the abnormality pattern described above supplied to the CPU would be a repetition of "1010". An abnormal signal supplied to the CPU would be equivalent in the following condition D/P1 and the result of the abnormality determination. As shown in FIG. 3, final determination of D/P at the time of frame synchronization (ON) is made based on internal determination of D/P (D/P2), and D2 data is supplied to the CPU at the final D/P determination. As for data packet, if the result of abnormality determination (represented by a "1") or received D/P determination (D/P1) represents parity packet (P1), the same logic can be applied.
The amount of packet offset which is other than a multiple of three (multiple of 3±1, ±2) is subjected to determination. When the amount is a multiple of three, the influence of an improper condition is not so significant, so that a conventional frame synchronism process (forward protection/backward protection) is carried out. If the amount of packet offset is other than a multiple of three, a result of abnormality determination is found as a repetition of "110" pattern around a BIC change point. A result of abnormality determination stored in D/P abnormal history memory circuit 9 is compared with a pattern of "11011011" (8 packets), and the result of the comparison is output from packet offset determining circuit 10 as signal S3 shown in FIG. 2. If the results of the comparison coincide with each other, signal S3 becomes active. The CPU recognizes from the S3 signal that packet offset is detected, and the frame in-synchronism state is canceled (i.e., a frame out of synchronism state is declared).
In the above description, the result of the abnormality determination is compared with a prescribed pattern. However, packet offset may also be determined when the number of abnormality determinations in a prescribed period (8 packets, for example) is more than a prescribed value (4 packets, for example). Alternatively, a counter which increments at the time of an abnormality detection and decrements at a time of normality detection may also be used and a packet offset condition will be declared if the value of the counter reaches a prescribed value or more. In either case, the prescribed abnormality pattern is used, and a determination of packet offset is made when amount of detected abnormalities is other than a multiple of three.
In the embodiment described above, a frame in-synchronism state is directly canceled by packet offset determination circuit 10. However, the CPU may also cancel a frame in synchronism state by, for example, a hardware reset.
FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of the invention. In the foregoing embodiment, abnormality and packet offset are determined by determining data packet and parity packet. In this embodiment, abnormality and packet offset are determined based on BIC determination. Accordingly, a D/P determining circuit 11, a BIC abnormality determining circuit 12, and a BIC abnormal history memory circuit 13 are provided instead of D/P abnormality determining circuit 8, D/P abnormal history memory circuit 9 shown in FIG. 2.
According to this embodiment, one frame is divided into the following three sections based on BIC patterns.
Section 1 (b1): block numbers 1-13
Section 2 (b2): block numbers 137-149
Section 3 (b3): block numbers 14-136 and 150-272
BIC detecting circuit 2 provides BIC type (BIC1-4) determined from received data. Block counter-for-frame circuit 6 decodes its count value and generates section signals b1 through b3 1-3 as well as an internal BIC (IBIC1-4). D/P determining portion 11 determines data packet/parity packet from the BIC and the internal BIC. In the out-of-frame synchronism state, this determination is made based on the BIC signal output from BIC detection circuit 2. In the frame in-synchronism state, this determination is made based on the internal BIC generated by block counter for frame 6.
A logic expression for this D/P packet type determination is as follows:
DATA PACKET=not (FRMLOCK)·(BIC1+BIC2+BIC3)+FRMLOCK·(IBIC1+IBIC2+IBIC3)
where FRMLOCK: FRAME SYNCHRONISM=`1`, OUT OF FRAME
SYNCHRONISM=`0`;
`·`: AND, `+`: OR
BIC abnormality determining circuit 12 determines BIC abnormality in the frame in-synchronism state. The BIC abnormality refers to a condition in which BIC detected from received data does not correspond to internal BIC generated by block counter-for-frame circuit 6. A logic expression for this determination is as follows:
BIC ABNORMALITY DETERMINATION=FRMLOCK·(b1·(BIC2+BIC3+BIC4)+b2·(BIC1+BIC3+BIC4)+b3·BIC3·(BIC1+BIC2+BIC4)+b3·BIC4·(BIC1+BIC2+BIC3)
BIC abnormal history memory circuit 13 stores a history of abnormality determined by BIC abnormality determining circuit 12. Packet offset determining circuit 10 compares, in the manner similar to the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the content stored in BIC abnormal history memory circuit 13 with a prescribed bit offset pattern. When results of the comparison coincide with each other, signal S3 is made active, the program decode CPU recognizes that packet offset is detected, and frame synchronism is canceled.
As described above, according to the present embodiment of the present invention, packet type (data packet or parity packet) is determined by counting the number of packets occurring in one frame during a frame in-synchronization state, or a predetermined synchronization code indicating signal is detected, the determined type of the packet or the determined synchronization code is compared with the packet type determined based on block synchronization code the synchronizing determined based on the received data, and if the types of the packets or the signals do not coincide with each other, an abnormal state is determined. As a result, an error in determining whether a received packet is a data packet or a parity packet caused by received packet offset can be avoided. Further, an improper condition of the receiver due to an error in packet type determination can be prevented, and efficiency in the resynchronizing process of a frame as well as the overall efficiency of receiving and processing data can be improved.
Although the present invention has been described and illustrated in detail, it is clearly understood that the same is by way of illustration and example only and is not to be taken by way of limitation, the spirit and scope of the present invention being limited only by the terms of the appended claims. | A receiver for FM Multiplex broadcast packet communications is provided that includes a block identifying code (BIC) detection circuit which determines whether a received packet is a data packet type or a parity packet type based on predetermined BIC patterns. The receiver further includes block counter circuitry that counts blocks in a synchronized frame and determines whether a received packet is a data type or a parity type (D/P) based on the count value. An abnormality detection circuit detects discrepancies between these two D/P determinations and indicates a synchronization abnormality. In another embodiment, the BIC detection circuit provides an indication of a received BIC type (BIC1-BIC4) based on predetermined BIC patterns while the block counter circuitry determines the BIC type based on the counted number of the block in a synchronized frame. In this case, the abnormality detection circuit detects discrepancies between the two BIC type determinations and indicates a synchronization abnormality. A history of detected abnormalities is stored in an abnormal history memory circuit. If the number of abnormalities detected exceeds a predetermined threshold within a predetermined period, a packet offset determining circuit then generates a signal for canceling the frame-in-synchronism state and initiates a resynchronization process. | 7 |
[0001] This is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/855,136, filed on May 14, 2001, invented by Robert L. Riley, and entitled “Near Net Tooth Shaped Ceramic Crown.”
BACKGROUND
[0002] This disclosure relates to prefabricated ceramic crowns supported on dental implants.
[0003] One shortcoming of conventional dental implant restorations is that metal abutments can disrupt the translucence of the porcelain used to fabricate the crown. Dental abutments are typically made from titanium or other biocompatible metals. These metals are most often metallic gray in color and hence can have aesthetic disadvantages in dental restorations. In some instances, the abutment can be visible through the gingival tissue and present a grayish color in the transgingival region of the patient. Visibility of the abutment is greatly undesired, especially in the anterior region of the mouth where aesthetics have a crucial importance. In other instances, the tissue and bone surrounding the coronal end of the implant can recede. A portion of the abutment can be exposed and reveal a grayish color in the mouth of the patient.
[0004] Conventional dental implant restorations have other shortcomings as well. For example, much time and effort are needed to shape ceramic crowns to have a natural tooth-like configuration. Ceramic crowns currently on the market require the dental laboratory either to add or remove a substantial amount of material to the crowns to bring them to the approximate shape of a tooth. Material is added by baking porcelain to the ceramic surface. Many times, multiple layers of porcelain need to be added to achieve a natural shape and color. Each layer must be baked onto the crown before the next layer can be added. Multiple baking cycles can adversely affect the underlying ceramic substrate.
[0005] As another disadvantage, it is difficult to remove material from a hardened ceramic crown; and ceramics typically are very difficult to cut due to their hardness. Special water cooled diamond tools need to be used for such cuts. The stress associated with cutting the crown can also create microscopic fractures in the ceramic that weaken the material and make it susceptible to fatigue and ultimately failure.
[0006] Ceramic crowns are sold with various geometric shapes. One dental company sells crowns with a cone-shaped ceramic cylinder having an internal metal core. The ceramic cylinder tapers outwardly from the coronal end of the implant. The metal core is designed with a hexagon or other anti-rotational shape that is selected to match a mating feature on the implant body. Typically, the ceramic cylinder is large enough so excess material can be cut away to shape the crown. If the crown is not large enough, multiple layers of porcelain are baked to the outer surface to form the desired shape.
[0007] Other dental companies sell ceramic crowns with a generally cylindrical shape. The cylinder is sized slightly larger than the implant to facilitate cutting the crown to the geometry of a natural tooth. At the apical end of the crown, the ceramic tapers inwardly to the implant diameter. The cylinders include an anti-rotational feature to engage a coronal end of the implant.
[0008] Still, other companies manufacture ceramic caps that are cement-retained to a metal abutment. The ceramic cap has a cylindrical shape and must be cut to the shape and size of a natural tooth.
[0009] In light of prior ceramic prosthetic teeth and abutments, a ceramic crown that is initially shaped like a tooth would have many advantages over the prior art. The present invention provides such an advantage and other advantages taught herein.
SUMMARY
[0010] The present invention is directed toward a prosthetic tooth that is manufactured to have a shape and size of a natural human tooth. The prosthetic tooth has an internal metallic core and an external ceramic crown. The core generally has a cylindrical configuration, an internal bore, and one end adapted to connect to a dental implant. The crown is formed from a ceramic that surrounds the outer surface of the core. Most importantly, the crown is manufactured to have an anatomical shape and size of a natural human tooth, such as incisors, molars, premolars, or canines. During a dental restoration, the clinician or laboratory chooses a correctly shaped and sized crown according to the tooth or teeth being restored.
[0011] A principal advantage of the present invention is the crown has a shape that closely resembles the shape of a natural tooth. This near net tooth shape of the crown will reduce the amount of work, time, and expense required to create a final dental prosthetic restoration. Further, the ceramic used to fabricate this crown is compatible with commercially available porcelains so that the gradients of shade and translucence of the natural tooth can be replicated. Also, the crown may be manufactured to have a size that is slightly smaller than the average natural tooth. This difference in size enables the crown to receive an additional layer of porcelain and then match the exact size of the natural tooth.
[0012] As another advantage, the prosthetic teeth of the present invention may be manufactured and sold as a kit. Each kit would include a plurality of prosthetic teeth having different sizes and shapes emulating different sizes and shapes of natural human teeth. A clinician could chose a prosthetic tooth to best match particular needs of a patient.
[0013] The present invention could also be manufactured and sold as a dental implant prosthetic system. This system would include both a dental implant and prosthetic tooth of the present invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] [0014]FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional side view illustrating an embodiment of a dental prosthetic assembly according to one embodiment of the invention.
[0015] [0015]FIG. 2 is a front view of a natural human tooth.
[0016] [0016]FIG. 3 is an exploded cross-sectional side view illustrating an embodiment of a dental prosthetic assembly.
[0017] [0017]FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a core member.
[0018] [0018]FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating another embodiment of a core member.
[0019] [0019]FIG. 6 is a side-view illustrating an embodiment of a near net tooth shaped crown.
[0020] [0020]FIGS. 7 a - 7 e are views illustrating a plurality of tooth shapes for the near net tooth shaped crown.
[0021] [0021]FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional side view illustrating an embodiment of a threaded attachment of a near net tooth shaped crown and a core member.
[0022] [0022]FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional side view illustrating another embodiment of a dental prosthetic assembly.
[0023] [0023]FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a core with a tapered outside diameter.
[0024] [0024]FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional side view showing an angled crown of the dental prosthetic assembly.
[0025] [0025]FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional side view showing another embodiment of an angled crown of the dental prosthetic assembly.
[0026] [0026]FIG. 13 is a three dimensional view illustrating an embodiment of a dental bridge with multiple near net crowns and cores.
[0027] [0027]FIG. 14 is a flow diagram showing a method for utilizing the dental prosthetic system of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0028] A dental prosthetic assembly is generally designated 10 in FIG. 1 and includes a tooth-like prosthesis having a near net tooth shaped crown 12 and a metallic core 16 . The crown 12 has an internal bore 14 to receive the core and is manufactured to have a size and shape of a natural human tooth.
[0029] The core 16 is connected to a jawbone anchor or dental implant 18 . This anchor 18 may be any one of various dental implants known to those skilled in the art, such as an externally threaded Spline implant, Spline cylinder implant, or an externally threaded implant or cylinder implant with an internal hexagonal connection; these implants are manufactured by Sulzer Dental Inc. of California.
[0030] [0030]FIG. 2 shows a natural human tooth with a root portion 2 and a natural crown portion 4 . The crown 12 of FIG. 1 emulates the natural crown 4 of FIG. 2 and not the root portion 2 of the natural tooth.
[0031] Looking to FIGS. 1 and 3, a threaded fastener or screw 20 may be used to connect the core 16 to the anchor 18 . The fastener includes a first end 20 a having threads 22 and a second end 20 b having a polygonal socket 24 . A tool (not shown) can be inserted into socket 24 to turn fastener 20 into threaded engagement with a threaded bore 19 in anchor 18 . Core 16 includes a screw bore 26 and a screw seat 28 .
[0032] Screw bore 26 includes an axis C that extends substantially co-axially with an axis A of anchor 18 . Fastener 20 is inserted through core 16 and threaded into anchor 18 . When fully seated, a shoulder 17 of second end 20 b of threaded fastener 20 is seated on screw seat 28 within core 16 . Further, an axis B passes through the near net crown 12 from an incisal edge 12 i to a cervix 12 k . In FIG. 3, all axes (A, B, and C) are longitudinal and co-axial.
[0033] The core 16 is preferably formed of a material selected for fatigue strength suitability such as a metal, like titanium or titanium alloy. The metal core can be fabricated with various shapes, such as a cylindrical geometry (shown in FIG. 4) or a frusto-conical geometry (shown in FIG. 5). Further, the core may be formed from one piece (as shown in FIG. 4, for example) or formed from two or more pieces. FIG. 1 shows a core formed from two pieces: a core body 16 a and a core cuff 16 b.
[0034] Preferably, the core anti-rotationally engages the implant. The anti-rotational engagement between the core and implant may occur with numerous techniques known to those skilled in the art. Some examples of these techniques include male and female polygonal projections or locking tapers. FIGS. 1 and 3 show a spline connection between the core and implant. In this connection, a plurality of splines 16 c on the core engage a plurality of mating splines 18 a on anchor 18 .
[0035] The outer surface of the core may have various textures, coatings, and configurations. FIG. 4, for example, shows core 16 with a textured coating 16 e on the outer surface. FIG. 5 shows core 16 having a plurality of grooves 16 d . The various textures and coatings can enhance the strength of connection between the core and crown.
[0036] While ceramics can be strong, they are often brittle. The addition of a metallic core adds strength to the overall assembly. This added strength is especially important at the implant interface where forces are transferred from the restoration to the anchoring implant.
[0037] Crown 12 , FIG. 6, is formed of an aesthetic suitable material, such as a ceramic material, an unfired ceramic material, a polymer material, or a combination of ceramic and polymer materials. Preferably, the crown is made from a ceramic, such as aluminum oxide, zirconium oxide, or a composite thereof. These materials can be made to have mechanical strength sufficient to support occlusal forces and are relatively inert when exposed to body fluid and tissues. These materials also allow for the addition of porcelain to their surface to provide shading to the unique color of the adjacent natural dentition. A clinician, laboratory, or the like may add a layer of porcelain to the outer surface of the crown to match the aesthetics of adjacent natural teeth. The crown can also be manufactured and sold with a thin layer of porcelain 12 b already applied to its surface. This latter application facilitates minor modifications to the final prosthetic restoration.
[0038] In one embodiment, the crown may be manufactured to have a size that is slightly smaller than the average natural tooth. For example, the crown can be manufactured to have an outside surface or outside diameter that is 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm smaller than the natural tooth to be replaced. This difference in size enables the crown to receive an additional layer of porcelain and then match the exact size of the natural tooth.
[0039] One important advantage of the present invention is that the crown is manufactured to have shapes approximately equal to the natural shapes of human dentition. The crowns, manufactured in these shapes are thus prefabricated and sold to clinicians, laboratories, and the like in the shape of human teeth. Since ceramic materials are typically difficult to shape using machining techniques, the present invention significantly reduces or completely eliminates the amount of machining required to create the shape and size of the final prosthetic restoration.
[0040] Crown 12 may be provided in a kit to have a plurality of different sizes and shapes that mimic the sizes and shapes of natural human teeth. These shapes, for example, could include tooth shapes such as an incisor 12 c , FIGS. 7 a , 7 b , a canine 12 d , FIG. 7 c , a premolar 12 e , FIG. 7 d and a molar 12 f , FIG. 7 e.
[0041] Crown 12 may be attached to core 16 by various means known to those skilled in the art. In FIG. 1, the bore 14 in the ceramic crown 12 is made slightly larger that the outside diameter of the core 16 . This difference in size creates a cement gap 17 . The cement gap is a space for dental cement that holds the crown to the core. In FIG. 7, an alternative connecting method is shown, a threaded fastener 30 , such as a set screw, is used to attach crown 12 to core 16 .
[0042] [0042]FIGS. 9 and 10 show another embodiment of the present invention and in particular illustrate an alternative way to attach crown 12 to core 16 . A layer of material 29 is provided between the crown and the core. This material is suitable for bonding the two components when the components are heated. This layer of material may be a heat activated adhesive or may be formed from precious metals, such as gold, silver, platinum, palladium, or alloys formed from these metals.
[0043] In the preferred embodiment, the core is fabricated from gold (or a gold alloy) and then gold (or a gold alloy) is used to bond the core and the crown. Gold is advantageous since it is both strong and biocompatible. Further, dental gold alloys are capable of withstanding higher temperatures than titanium.
[0044] Preferably, the gold is applied to the inner bore in the crown. The gold core and crown are then connected together, and heat is applied to bond them permanently together. The bonding may occur after an outer layer of porcelain is applied to the crown and subsequently heated or baked to bond the porcelain to the ceramic crown. This latter step often occurs since dental laboratories bake shades of porcelain onto the ceramic crown to match color of natural teeth. The heat during this operation melts or activates the layer of material 29 . After the prosthesis is heated, the porcelain baked, and the crown and core bonded, the prosthesis is ready to be implanted into the jawbone of the patient. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, a hole 21 may be left in the crown to provide access to the screw 20 .
[0045] Gold soldering or a brazing process can be used to join the core to the crown. A dental laboratory, for example, can add the soldering or brazing gold, or the gold can be supplied as a preform coating installed during the manufacturing stage. The preform coating can also be added using an electroplating process that metallizes the surface of the internal bore and bonds the crown and core.
[0046] In another embodiment of the invention, the crown may be angled to provide proper alignment or angular correction of the prosthesis in the jawbone of the patient. FIGS. 11 and 12 show two different embodiments for angling the crown 12 . In FIG. 11, a central axis C extends downwardly through the core 16 and anchor 18 . An incisal axis B extends through the crown 12 and at an angle to axis C. As shown, crown 12 has two portions: a top coronal portion 50 and a bottom apical portion 52 . The coronal portion 50 is canted with respect to central axis C to provide the noted angulation.
[0047] Looking now to FIG. 12, the core 16 has two portions: a top or upper portion 54 and a bottom or base portion 56 . The upper portion 54 is angled or tilted relative to the base portion 56 . Further, axis C and axis B show the relative angulation of the core.
[0048] If it is desired to restore multiple adjacent teeth, an interconnecting bar member 40 , FIG. 13, may be used. For example, a pair of spaced apart anchors 18 , 18 ′ may be implanted in the jawbone. Each anchor 18 , 18 ′ includes a respective core 16 , 16 ′ attached thereto as discussed above. The bar 40 includes opposite terminal ends 42 , 43 that are each attached to one of the anchors 18 , 18 ′, respectively. Bar 40 carries another, or mid-position core 16 ″ which is positioned between the cores 16 , 16 ′ attached to the anchors 18 , 18 ′. Thus, when the bar 40 is attached to the anchors 18 , 18 ′, the mid-position core 16 ″ is aligned with the cores 16 , 16 ′ attached to the anchors 18 , 18 ′. Crowns 12 , 12 ′, 12 ″ can then be attached, via their core receiving bores, to a respective one of the cores 16 , 16 ′, 16 ″ so that a multiple unit bridge is formed of near net tooth shaped crowns. The bar 40 can be formed using a variety of methods including a metal casting, or a ceramic pontic. Several methods including the application of an acrylic or porcelain to form a “ridge lap” can be used to hide the bar and create an aesthetic result.
[0049] [0049]FIG. 14 illustrates a method for utilizing a dental prosthesis of the present invention. The present invention will work with single and multiple restorations and extraction and edentulous sites. For illustration purposes, the method for a single-tooth restoration is discussed.
[0050] As shown in block 70 , in the first step, the implanting doctor (i.e., dental implantologist) examines the patient and determines the tooth or teeth that need to be replaced. Per block 72 , the next step is to create a surgical template. The template helps to determine the form and position of the tooth replacement. Based on the information from the template, the implanting doctor can then select the proper near net shaped ceramic crown, as shown in block 74 . These near net crowns are manufactured to have a shape of a human natural tooth and then offered for sale to the clinician, laboratory, implanting doctor, or the like.
[0051] Next, per block 76 , the doctor implants the anchor into the jawbone of the patient using the surgical template as a guide. The present invention will support various implants known to those skilled in the art. Next, per block 78 , the doctor records the position of the dental anchor and surrounding dentition. An impression can be taken or the surgical template can be used to record these positions. Once the information is recorded, it is transferred to a dental laboratory.
[0052] As shown in block 80 , the dental laboratory uses the recorded information to create a stone model of the anchor and surrounding dentition. At this point, as shown in block 82 , minor corrections (such as a reduction) may be made to the shape of the near net crown. These corrections may be made, for example, to account for differences in position and form between the near net crown and an ideal prosthetic restoration. In the next step, block 84 , the dental laboratory adds porcelain to the surface of the near net crown. The addition of the porcelain helps to achieve the exact dimensions required and helps to achieve the correct color and shading to match adjacent dentition.
[0053] In block 86 , the laboratory creates a restorative template on the stone model to record the position and orientation of the finished ceramic crown in relation to natural dentition or other anatomical features. In block 88 , the laboratory transfers the finished crowns, cores, and templates to the restorative doctor.
[0054] In block 90 , the restorative doctor assembles the cores to the coronal end of the implants. A retaining screw may be used to connect a core to an implant. Lastly, in block 92 , a finished ceramic crown is cemented on the end of the core. The restorative template is used to place the crown in the correct position and orientation.
[0055] Although illustrative embodiments have been shown and described, a wide range of modification, change, and substitution is contemplated in the foregoing disclosure without departing from the scope of the invention. | A near net tooth shaped ceramic prosthesis is provided in a tooth shape to minimize the amount of cutting and baking required to finish the outer crown portion of the dental prosthesis. A metallic core is provided for attachment to an implant in a patient's mouth. A ceramic crown is then attached to the core. | 0 |
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119 of U.S. Patent Application No. 61/597,682, filed Feb. 10, 2012, titled “MULTI MODAL OPTICAL MICROSCOPE”. This application is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] After filing U.S. Patent Application No. 61/597,682 on Feb. 10, 2012 funding was received from the C-Idea grant program at Stanford, which is based on an NIH Grant (Grant1 RC4 TW08781-01.)
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
[0003] All publications and patent applications mentioned in this specification are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication or patent application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.
FIELD
[0004] The present invention relates generally to diagnostic optical devices, such as microscopes.
BACKGROUND
[0005] An optical instrument is an instrument used to move light along a specified path or paths. Microscopes are common, general-purpose optical instruments. Other optical instruments include interferometers and spectrophotometers.
[0006] Microscopes are generally used to view objects that are too small to be seen by the unaided eye. Optical microscopes use visible light and a system of lenses to magnify images of small objects. Optical microscopes are used in observing small structures, determining pathology and diagnosing disease.
[0007] There are two basic configurations of the conventional optical microscope, the simple (one lens) and compound (many lenses). There are also several different types of microscopy including brightfield, darkfield, fluorescence, and other forms. Each of these forms of microscopy are performed individually and one at a time. High magnification optical microscopes are often heavy and take up much volume.
[0008] There is a need for improved optical instruments to better diagnose pathologies and disease.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0009] In some embodiments an optical device is provided. The optical devices can include a first stage for supporting a sample and a second stage engaged with the first stage and movable relative to the first stage, the second stage including an optic, the optic having a distance of less than about 3 mm from the sample to the opposite side of the optic. In some embodiments the optical device is an optical microscope. In some embodiments the optical device is an interferometer or spectrophotometers. In some embodiments the second stage can be movable laterally relative to the first stage such that the optic can be positioned over a desired location on the sample.
[0010] In some embodiments the first stage is configured to receive a substrate containing the sample. In some embodiments the first stage includes a slot shaped to receive the substrate. In some embodiments the substrate is a glass slide. In some embodiments the glass slide includes a portion treated with a reagent to interact with the sample. In some embodiments the sample is supported directly on the first stage. In some embodiments the first stage includes a sample area comprising a reagent to react with the sample.
[0011] In some embodiments the optical device includes an illumination stage comprising a light source. The illumination stage can be engaged with the first stage and second stage with the illumination stage movable with the second stage. The light source can be positioned adjacent to the first stage to facilitate viewing the sample using the optic.
[0012] In some embodiments the light source is on one side of the first stage and the optic is spaced apart from the opposite side of the first stage a distance between the light source and the side of the optic farthest from the first stage is less than about 5 mm. In some embodiments the light source is on one side of the first stage and the optic is spaced apart from the opposite side of the first stage a distance between the light source and the side of the optic farthest from the first stage is from about 1 mm to about 20 mm.
[0013] In some embodiments the light source includes one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs). In some embodiments the LED is white to provide a full-spectrum color image of the sample in bright-field. In some embodiments the LED is blue to provide light of an appropriate wavelength for fluorescence imaging. In some embodiments the LED has an output power suitable to project an image of the sample. In some embodiments the LED has a power suitable to illuminate the sample so that a user's eye may perceive the image of the sample. In some embodiments the LEDs have power suitable so that a user may perceive multiple simultaneous images of the sample.
[0014] In some embodiments the optical device includes an illumination stage with an aperture. In some embodiments the illumination stage includes an aperture having a diameter of about ¼ to about ⅔ of the diameter of the substantially spherical lens. In some embodiments the optical microscope includes an illumination stage with an element for modifying the profile of the light from the LED, such as a condenser, diffuser, light shaping diffuser, polycarbonate light shaping filter, etc. In some embodiments, optical microscope has an illumination stage that provides Kohler illumination.
[0015] In some embodiments the optical device is manufactured from a flat material that includes the first stage and second stage. In some embodiments a single material piece provides the first stage and second stage. In some embodiments the flat material comprises one or more of paper, polymer, and metal.
[0016] In some embodiments a power source is provided with the optical microscope. The power source can engage with the illumination stage and is configured to provide power to the light source.
[0017] In some embodiments the microscope optic comprises a substantially spherical ball lens. In some embodiments the substantially spherical ball lens has a diameter of less than about 2,500 μm. In some embodiments the spherical ball lens has a diameter of about 1,000 μm to about 2,500 μm. In some embodiments the spherical ball lens has a diameter of about 300 μm to about 1,000 μm. In some embodiments the spherical ball lens has a diameter of about 100 μm to about 300 μm. In some embodiments the spherical lens has a diameter of about 200 μm to about 1,000 μm.
[0018] In some embodiments the spherical lens has an effective aperture of less than the diameter of the spherical lens. In some embodiments the aperture is about ¼ to about ⅔ of the diameter of the spherical lens. In some embodiments the spherical ball lens has an aperture diameter of about ¼ to ⅓ the lens diameter. In some embodiments the spherical lens has an aperture diameter of about ⅓ to ½ the lens diameter. In some embodiments the spherical lens has an aperture diameter of about ½ to ⅔ the lens diameter. In some embodiments half-ball spherical lenses can be used. In some embodiments a Wallston doublet lens is utilized. The Wallston doublet lens can be composed of multiple half ball lenses. In some embodiments a Gradient Index lens is used.
[0019] In some embodiments the optical microscope is manufactured from a flat material that includes the first stage, second stage, and illumination stage. In some embodiments, the optical microscope is manufactured in a single instance. In some embodiments, a series of folds produce the final configuration of the microscope. The optical microscope can have an optical alignment of the illumination stage, first stage, and second stage achieved passively by separating and folding the flat material. The optical alignment can have an accuracy of about 10 microns or less.
[0020] In some embodiments, the folding accuracy is accomplished by geometrical features cut in flat material that act as kinematic couplings thus providing a self-alignment. In some embodiments, self-alignment is further improved by providing structural closed loops in folding steps.
[0021] In some embodiments, the optical microscope can have an integrated microfluidic channel for bringing samples directly to the microscope lens.
[0022] In some embodiments, the optical microscope can be incinerated after one use safely and thus can be used with infected samples.
[0023] In some embodiments, the entire microscope is disposable after single or multiple uses.
[0024] In some embodiment, a waveguide is utilized to channel light from the light source to other optical components.
[0025] In some embodiments the second stage of the optical microscope includes an opening with the lens in the opening.
[0026] In some embodiments the microscope has a magnification of about 100× to 200×. In some embodiments the microscope has a magnification of about 200× to 500×. In some embodiments the microscope has a magnification of about 500× to 1,500×. In some embodiments the microscope has a magnification of about 1,500× to 2,500×. In some embodiments the microscope has a magnification of greater than about 300×. In some embodiments the microscope has a magnification of greater than about 140×. In some embodiments the microscope has a magnification of greater than about 1000×.
[0027] In some embodiments the microscope has a resolution of about 2.0 to 3.0 microns. In some embodiments the microscope has a resolution of about 1.5 to 2.0 microns. In some embodiments the microscope has a resolution of about 1.0 to 1.5 microns. In some embodiments the microscope has a resolution of less than about 1.0 microns. In some embodiments the microscope has a resolution of about 0.88 to 1.0 microns. In some embodiments the microscope has a resolution of about 0.6 to 0.88 microns. In some embodiments the microscope has a resolution of 0.2 to 0.5 microns.
[0028] In some embodiments the first stage for supporting the sample comprises a diagnostic coating for providing a visual indication to a user through the optical microscope of a presence of a diagnostic target. In some embodiments the visual indication is viewed using the optic. In some embodiments the diagnostic target is a disease, parasite, bacteria, or disorder detectable in a bodily fluid.
[0029] In some embodiments the optic includes an array of lenses. In some embodiments the array of lenses simultaneously shows one or more bright field images and one or more fluorescence images. In some embodiments the array of lenses includes four or more lenses.
[0030] In some embodiments the optical microscope is a bright field microscope. In some embodiments a colored LED and/or light filter is used and the optical microscope is a fluorescence microscope, polarization microscope, phase contrast microscope, etc.
[0031] In some embodiments the optical microscope has bright field and filter field viewing capabilities wherein a user shifts from bright field to filter field by lateral movement of the second stage and the light source that cooperate to provide either the bright field or the filter field.
[0032] In some embodiments the optical microscope includes a marking aperture on the second stage configured to allow a user to identify and indicate a target location on the sample by marking the first stage through the marking aperture on the second stage such that a second user can align the optical microscope to view the target location. In some embodiments, an optimal aperture is utilized for the series of lenses used in the microscope in order to minimize the imaging artifacts.
[0033] In some embodiments, the optical microscope includes a tool for cleaning debris from the lens. The cleaning tool can be comprised of a glass slide with a piece of lens paper attached to the surface.
[0034] Methods for using optical microscopes are disclosed herein. The methods can include engaging a first portion of an optical microscope configured to support a sample with a second portion of an optical microscope having a lens; placing a sample on the first portion of the optical microscope; adjusting the lens by moving the second portion of the optical microscope having the lens relative to the first portion of the optical microscope to focus on the sample; and viewing the sample. In some embodiments during the adjusting step the optical microscope has an optical path distance of less than about 3 mm from the sample to the opposite side of the optic.
[0035] In some embodiments before the adjusting step or the viewing step is a step of placing a portion of the microscope against a user's eyebrow. In some embodiments viewing the sample comprises projecting an image of a portion of the sample. In some embodiments adjusting the lens includes moving the second portion relative to the first portion in an out-of-plane direction from a distance of about 5 μm to about 625 μm. In some embodiments viewing the sample comprises buckling the second portion to adjust the distance between the lens on the second portion and the sample.
[0036] In some embodiments before viewing the sample is reacted with a reagent. In some embodiments viewing the sample comprises testing the sample for a disease.
[0037] In some embodiments the methods include, before engaging, removing the first portion and the second portion form a single piece of a flat material. In some embodiments engaging includes assembling the optical microscope from a flat material. In some embodiments assembly of the optical microscope involves origami or folding of a flat sheet of material
[0038] In some embodiments, the sample is reacted to a reagent already deposited in the sample holding stage via a microfluidic network embedded in the sample holding stage. In some embodiments, the reagent is dried for preservation. In some embodiments, the reagent is wet.
[0039] In some embodiments an optical microscope is provided including a stage; a lens; and a light source. The optical microscope having bright field and filter field viewing capabilities wherein a user shifts from bright field to filter field by lateral movement of the stage containing a lens and a light source that cooperate to provide either the bright field or the filter field. In some embodiments the lateral movement of the stage to move between bright field and filter field is less than 10 mm. In some embodiments the lens can be engaged a strip having tabs with the strip configured to allow a user to slide the tabs to buckle the strip or adjust the focal length. In some embodiments sliding the tabs attached to the lens focuses the image or moves the lens closer to the user's eye.
[0040] In some embodiments an optical microscope is provided, including a stage; a lens; a light source; and an enclosure having an enclosed volume of 70 cubic centimeters or less which contains the stage, lens and light source. In some embodiments the enclosed volume is 175 millimeters×70 millimeters×5.7 millimeters. In some embodiments the optical microscope further comprises a container configured to store more than twenty optical microscopes within a volume of 1,400 cubic centimeters or less. In some embodiments the container configured to store a range of 20-50 optical microscopes.
[0041] In some embodiments, the lens can be cleaned by inserting a slide with lens paper attached to the surface and panning the second stage in circles over the lens paper so that the lens paper brushes off contaminants from the surface of the lens.
[0042] In some embodiments, optical instruments including interferometers and spectrophotometers are constructed using the principles disclosed herein to achieve a desired beam path.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0043] The novel features of the invention are set forth with particularity in the claims that follow. A better understanding of the features and advantages of the present invention will be obtained by reference to the following detailed description that sets forth illustrative embodiments, in which the principles of the invention are utilized, and the accompanying drawings of which:
[0044] FIG. 1 illustrates the components for assembly into an exemplary optical microscope.
[0045] FIG. 2A illustrates a top view of an exemplary optical microscope.
[0046] FIG. 2B illustrates a cross-sectional view of the optical microscope of FIG. 2A .
[0047] FIG. 3 illustrates different embodiments of optical microscopes.
[0048] FIG. 4 illustrates an optical microscope in accordance with an embodiment.
[0049] FIGS. 5A-E illustrate schematic examples of optical microscopes at various assembly stages.
[0050] FIGS. 5F-G are various images produced by a conventional microscope compared to images taken with an optical microscope in accordance with embodiments.
[0051] FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate examples of optical microscopes prior to folding in accordance with various embodiments.
[0052] FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrate data for the accuracy and repeatability, respectively, for folding and unfolding an optical microscope in accordance with embodiments.
[0053] FIG. 8A illustrates an exemplary optical path of an optical microscope in accordance with an embodiment.
[0054] FIG. 8B is a schematic illustration of an optical path for an optical microscope in accordance with an embodiment.
[0055] FIG. 9A illustrates the magnification obtained versus various lens radii for different refractive index values.
[0056] FIG. 9B illustrates the third order spherical aberration versus ball lens radius.
[0057] FIG. 10 illustrates focusing metric versus the distance between the lens and image for RMS spot size (RSS), inverse Strehl ratio (1/SR), and ratio of spot size to Strehl ratio (RSS/SR).
[0058] FIG. 11A illustrates the normalized optical aperture radius versus magnification for various radii and refractive index values. FIG. 11B illustrates the resolution versus magnification for various radii and refractive index values.
[0059] FIGS. 12A-12B illustrate calculations for the optimal aperture radius and resolution, respectively, as a function of lens radius, refractive index, and incident light wavelength.
[0060] FIG. 13 is a graph of resolution versus aperture radius for various metrics.
[0061] FIG. 14 is a graph of the filter transmission versus wavelength for various filter types.
[0062] FIGS. 15A and 15B are images of malaria samples observed with and without a diffuser.
[0063] FIG. 16A illustrate three different LED light sources with and without a condenser.
[0064] FIG. 16B illustrates the intensity of a LED light source.
[0065] FIG. 17A is a model of the ray tracing for a 0.3 mm spherical ball lens.
[0066] FIG. 17B a model of the RMS spot size for off-axis rays.
[0067] FIG. 17C is a model of an RMS spot radius field map.
[0068] FIG. 17D is a model of a Strehl Ratio field map.
[0069] FIG. 18 illustrates an image of 1 μm polystyrene beads using a 300 μm ball lens and an aperture size of about 150 μm.
[0070] FIG. 19A illustrates a bright field image of 1 μM polystyrene beads. FIG. 19B illustrates a fluorescent image of 2 μm polystyrene beads. FIG. 19C illustrates a plot of intensity versus distance. FIG. 19D illustrates an image of polystyrene beads along with a 2D-Fourier transform showing the power spectrum of the threshold image and spatial frequency detail.
[0071] FIG. 20A illustrates a schematic for utilizing a refraction ball lens for projection microscopy with ray-tracing for half of a lens. FIG. 20B illustrates a projection illuminated through water containing Fluorescene.
[0072] FIG. 21A is a projected image of a mosquito proboscis at an effective magnification of 1500×. FIG. 21B is a projected image of red blood cells at an effective magnification of 3000×.
[0073] FIG. 22A is a picture of a single ball lens optical microscope submerged under water in accordance with an embodiment.
[0074] FIG. 22B is a picture of a single ball lens optical microscope projecting an image on the retina of a user in accordance with an embodiment.
[0075] FIG. 22C is a picture of a single ball lens optical microscope projecting an image on a flat surface in accordance with an embodiment.
[0076] FIG. 23A is an image produced by a single ball lens optical microscope in accordance with an embodiment of a ring stage malaria parasite Plasmodium Falciparum in a thin blood smear stained with Giemsa blue.
[0077] FIG. 23B is an image produced by a single ball lens optical microscope in accordance with an embodiment of Trypanosom Cruzi in thin blood smear stained with Giemsa.
[0078] FIG. 23C is an image produced by a single ball lens optical microscope in accordance with an embodiment of Giardia stained with Giemsa.
[0079] FIG. 23D is an image produced by a single ball lens optical microscope in accordance with an embodiment of sickle-shaped red blood cells.
[0080] FIG. 23E is an image produced by a single ball lens optical microscope in accordance with an embodiment of gram positive and gram negative bacteria.
[0081] FIG. 23F is an image produced by a single ball lens optical microscope in accordance with an embodiment of Leishmania donovani stained with Giemsa.
[0082] FIG. 23G is an image produced by a single ball lens optical microscope in accordance with an embodiment of Burgia XX stained with Giemsa in a thin blood smear.
[0083] FIG. 23H is a schematic illustration of a 3×3 lens array with different modalities embedded in an optical microscope in accordance with an embodiment.
[0084] FIG. 23I illustrates a portion of microscopes with nine (3×3), four (2×2), and 2 parallel optical paths in accordance with various embodiments.
[0085] FIG. 23J are bright field images of human blood cells produced by an optical microscope in accordance with an embodiment produced by a 3×3 array of lenses
[0086] FIG. 23K are images produced by a single ball lens optical microscope in accordance with an embodiment of a pine seed using bright field and polarization microscopy, respectively.
[0087] FIG. 23L are images produced by a single ball lens optical microscope in accordance with an embodiment of multi-fluorescence images of 2 μm polychromatic beads.
[0088] FIG. 24A is an image produced by a single ball lens optical microscope in accordance with an embodiment of human chromosomes.
[0089] FIG. 24B is an image produced by a single ball lens optical microscope in accordance with an embodiment of a DNA/RNA stain.
[0090] FIG. 24C is an image produced by a single ball lens optical microscope in accordance with an embodiment of a spinal cord.
[0091] FIG. 24D is an image produced by a single ball lens optical microscope in accordance with an embodiment of skeletal muscle.
[0092] FIG. 25A is a schematic illustration of a person stepping on a single ball lens optical microscope. FIG. 25B shows the undamaged optical microscope after being stepped on.
[0093] FIG. 26 illustrates optical microscopes cut using a laser in accordance with embodiments.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0094] Optical devices and methods for using optical devices, such as microscopes are disclosed herein. The optical devices disclosed herein can be assembled from a flat material. The flat material can include one or more lenses, a sample support, illumination sources, and control electronics. The optical devices can be an optical microscope, interferometer, and spectrophotometers. The optical devices can be designed and assembled based on Origami principles and optical design principles. For example, the individual components of the optical devices can be designed based on Origami principles. The components can be designed to facilitate assembly and alignment of the optical device.
[0095] A microscope can be a critical tool for disease diagnostics, especially in resource poor settings around the world. Conventional microscopes were designed as general-purpose research tools. Conventional microscopes are costly and not designed with portability in mind. Traditional microscopes are also prone to failure in harsh field conditions since they are complex three-dimensional objects that are costly, bulky and require regular maintenance for optimal performance. In addition, traditional optical instruments require significant alignment post assembly.
[0096] The optical devices disclosed herein can be assembled in the field from a flat material and assembled to achieve the optical alignment. The achievement of the optical alignment through folding and engagement of the components can be referred to as passive alignment. Passive alignment can be achieved through kinematic constraints and structural loops. The optical devices and individual components of the optical can be shaped to facilitate passive alignment. Passive alignment great reduces the costs associated with the optical devices and allows for the optical devices to be assembled in environments without the resources for assembling and aligning a conventional optical device, such as an optical microscope.
[0097] The components of the optical microscope can be formed, printed, or applied on the flat flexible substrate. Examples of flat materials include paper, thin metal, polymers, paper coated with polymers, polyamide, Flex PCBs, etc. The flat material can be flexible and is not limited to a planar configuration.
[0098] In some embodiments other optical instruments can be constructed using the folding principles disclosed herein to achieve a desired optical or beam path in 3 dimensions. Examples of optical instruments include interferometers, spectrophotometers, and other optical instruments.
[0099] The optical devices can be assembled from the flat material using a series of cutting and folding steps. The optical microscopes disclosed herein can be designed to self-align due to kinematic constraints present in how the optical microscope is assembled from the flat materials. The optical microscope can be designed with folds and mating stages that self align the one or more lenses with the sample support and any illumination sources when assembled. Mechanical components such as a panning and focus stage can be implemented as flexure mechanisms manufactured by folding paper. The panning stage can allow for movement in the X-Y direction to position the optic over any portion of a sample. For a 2 cm by 2 cm sample the panning stage can include a travel distance of 2 cm by 2 cm.
[0100] The optical device can be a multi-modal microscope implementing one or more of bright field, multi-fluorescence, polarization, phase contrast, and projection microscopy. The optical microscope can include a filter for fluorescence and polarization modalities. For projection microscopy the optical microscope includes a light source with a power suitable to project an image. For example, the light source may consume 800 mA of electrical current at 3.7V.
[0101] The sample can be viewed through the optic. In some embodiments the user can position the optical microscope close to their face, such that the optic is located about 5 cm or less from the user's retina. In some embodiments the optical microscope can project an image. For example, the image can be projected on a flat surface such as a screen. Alternatively, the optical microscope can use a screen designed to conform to the shape of the Petzval surface of the lens to eliminate field curvature in the projected image.
[0102] The optical microscope can include an array of lenses. The lenses can have different sizes and magnifications. The lenses in the array can also be used to provide images of different modalities simultaneously, e.g. two different fluorescence images or a bright field image and a fluorescence image. The array of lenses can be provided in a side by side arrangement. The multiple lenses can be paired with one or more light sources. The array of lenses can be arranged in a grid, e.g. in a 3×3 grid arrangement.
[0103] The optical microscopes can have an optical path that is much shorter than conventional microscopes. For example, the optical path can include the distance between the light source and the opposing side of the lens. In some embodiments the distance between the light source and the opposing side of the optic or lens is from about 1 mm to about 20 mm. In some embodiments the optical path is less than about 5 mm. In some embodiments the optical path is less than about 3 mm. The short optical path allows for the microscope to be a much smaller vertical height, assuming a vertical optical path, in comparison to traditional optical microscopes. The shorter vertical height requires less structural support and less material, thereby decreasing manufacturing costs. In some embodiments the optical path between the sample and the opposing side of the optic is less than about 3 mm. In some embodiments the optical path between the sample and the opposing side of the optic is less than about 2 mm or less than about 1 mm. These short optical paths can allow for illuminating the sample with a much lower power light source or lower amount of light versus conventional microscopes.
[0104] Unlike a traditional microscope, the entire optics and illumination stage can be panned across the surface of the sample slide, which can be fixed in a single location. The optical microscopes disclosed herein can have a lens and light source that are movable relative to the sample or sample stage. An optic stage can include a support for the lens. The light source can be integrated with a separate stage, such as an illumination stage. The optic stage and illumination stage can be engaged such that they move together. The lens can move along above the sample along an x-axis and y-axis to observe different areas of the sample. In addition the vertical distance, e.g. along a z-axis, between the lens and sample can be adjusted.
[0105] The optical microscopes disclosed herein can be used for a variety of applications. The optical microscopes can be used for diagnostic applications such as testing for a disease, parasite, bacteria, or disorder that is detectable in a bodily fluid. Examples include diagnostic applications such as diagnosing diseases such as Malaria, Chagas, Giardiasis, Microfilariasis, Sickle-cell disease, and other diseases. Stains for common parasites and diseases can be used with the samples. The sample and stain can be observed with the optical microscope to determine the presence or absence of the diagnostic target. The optical microscopes can also be used for general purposes, including science education.
[0106] In some embodiments the lens is a substantially spherical lens, for example a ball lens. A ball lens advantageous for manufacturing because it can minimize part count and be assembled without concern for rotational alignment as shown in FIG. 8A . Ball lenses can be formed from molten glass or UV-curable epoxies. Suspension polymerization can also be used to produce spherical GRIN lenses with reduced spherical aberration. Other examples of ball lens materials include borosilicate, sapphire, BK-7, polymeric materials such as acrylic, etc.
[0107] The ball lens can be sized based on the desired magnification of the optical microscope. As shown in FIG. 9A the magnification varies inversely with the ball lens radius. For a high magnification, e.g. above 500×, the ball lens can have a small radius, such as below 0.5 mm. The small lens size allows for a thinner optical microscope thickness and smaller form factor. In some embodiments the ball lens has a diameter of less than about 2,500 microns. In some embodiments the spherical ball lens has a diameter of about 1,000 μm to about 2,500 μm. In some embodiments the ball lens has a diameter of less than about 1,000 microns. In some embodiments the spherical ball lens has a diameter of about 300 μm to about 1,000 μm. In some embodiments the ball lens has a diameter of about 100 microns to about 1,000 microns. In some embodiments the ball lens has a diameter of about 100 microns to about 3,000 microns. In some embodiments the spherical ball lens has a diameter of about 100 μm to about 300 μm.
[0108] In some embodiments half-ball spherical lenses can be used. In some embodiments a Wallston doublet lens is utilized. The Wallston doublet lens can be composed of multiple half ball lenses. In some embodiments a Gradient Index lens is used.
[0109] In some embodiments the effective aperture of the substantially spherical lens in the optical microscope can be less than the full diameter of the spherical lens. For example, a portion of the spherical lens can be covered or removed to reduce the effective aperture of the spherical lens as discussed in detail below. In some embodiments the aperture is about ¼ to about ⅔ of the diameter of the spherical lens. In some embodiments the spherical ball lens has an aperture diameter of about ¼ to about ⅓ of the spherical lens diameter. In some embodiments the spherical lens has an aperture diameter of about ⅓ to about ½ of the spherical lens diameter. In some embodiments the spherical lens has an aperture diameter of about ½ to about ⅔ of the spherical lens diameter.
[0110] The components of the optical microscopes can be selected to achieve a desired magnification and resolution as discussed in detail below. In some embodiments the optical microscope has a magnification of about 100× to about 200×. In some embodiments the optical microscope has a magnification of greater than about 140×. In some embodiments the optical microscope has a magnification of about 200× to about 500×. In some embodiments the optical microscope has a magnification of greater than about 300×. In some embodiments the optical microscope has a magnification of greater than about 500×. In some embodiments the optical microscope has a magnification of about 500× to 1,500×. In some embodiments the optical microscope has a magnification of greater than about 1000×. In some embodiments the optical microscope has a magnification of greater than about 1500×. In some embodiments the optical microscope has a magnification of about 1,500× to 2,500×. In some embodiments the optical microscope has a magnification of greater than about 2000×. In some embodiments the optical microscope has a magnification of greater than about 2500×.
[0111] In some embodiments the microscope has a resolution of about 2.0 to about 3.0 microns. In some embodiments the microscope has a resolution of about 1.5 to about 2.0 microns. In some embodiments the microscope has a resolution of about 1.0 to about 1.5 microns. In some embodiments the microscope has a resolution of about 0.88 to about 1.0 microns. In some embodiments the microscope has a resolution of about 0.6 to about 0.88 microns. In some embodiments the microscope has a resolution of less than about 1.0 microns. In some embodiments the microscope has a resolution of 0.2 to 0.5 microns.
[0112] Examples of light sources include sun light, LED lights, a lamp, indoor lighting, incandescent lighting, fluorescent lighting, a flame, chemiluminescence source such as a glow stick, and other light sources.
[0113] In some embodiments the light source is an LED light. In some embodiments the LED is white. A white LED can provide a full-spectrum color image of the sample in bright-field. In some embodiments the LED is blue. A blue LED can provide light of an appropriate wavelength for fluorescence imaging. In some embodiments the LEDs have power suitable so that a user may perceive multiple simultaneous images of the sample. In some embodiments the LED has a luminous emittance of about 1-100 kLux or more, which is suitable to project an image of the sample. In some embodiments the LED has a power of about 10-1,000 Lux, which is suitable to illuminate the sample so that a user's eye may perceive the image of the sample.
[0114] In some embodiments the light source can be coupled to an illumination stage. In some embodiments the optical device or microscope includes an illumination stage with an element for modifying the profile of the light from the light source (e.g. LED), such as a condenser, diffuser, light shaping diffuser, polycarbonate light shaping filter, etc. The illumination stage can also include a condenser to focus the light from the light source. Filters can also be used with the illumination stage. Examples of filters include polarization filters, polymer color filters, diffusive filters, and fluorescence filters. In some embodiments, optical microscope has an illumination stage that provides Kohler illumination.
[0115] In some embodiments the illumination stage includes an aperture or hole for allowing light to pass through the illumination stage towards the sample. The illumination stage aperture can be sized based on the size and diameter of the lens. In some embodiments the aperture has a diameter of about ¼ to about ⅔ of the diameter of the lens
[0116] A power source, such as a battery, can be used to provide power to the light source. The power source can be coupled to the illumination stage.
[0117] The sample can be provided to the optical microscope on a substrate. The substrate can include a coating or reagent. In some embodiments the substrate can be provided on the flat material having the optic stage, sample stage, and illumination stage. In some embodiments the sample is provided on a glass slide.
[0118] FIG. 1 illustrates the components for assembly into an exemplary optical microscope. The optical microscope 100 includes sample or specimen stage 110 , an illumination stage 112 , a spacer insert 114 , a locking spacer insert 116 , and an optics stage 118 . In various embodiments, the optical microscope 100 may not include an illumination stage 112 . In the embodiment without an illumination stage 112 , the illumination source may be an external source, such as the sun, a lamp, a candle or some other source. Components 110 - 118 may be part of a single flat sheet of paper that may be used to implement the optical microscope. The specimen stage 110 may include microscope identifiers 120 , grid 122 , horizontal position indicators 124 , vertical position indicators 125 , specimen illumination window 126 , vertical fine position indicator 128 , horizontal fine position indicator 130 , slide sleeve 132 and slide viewing window 134 . In the illustrated embodiment, horizontal position indicators 124 are denoted by the letters A-L and vertical position indicators 125 are denoted by the letters U-Z. Each letter A-L and U-Z of the horizontal position indicators 124 and vertical position indicators 125 , respectively, may advance in increments of 2 mm. Any increment may be implemented. The microscope identifiers 120 may give the specification information that may include the microscope modality and magnification.
[0119] Grid 122 may be used along with horizontal position indicators 124 , vertical position indicators 125 , vertical fine position indicator 128 , and horizontal fine position indicator 130 . Specimen illumination window 126 may be an aperture or hole that allows a user to view a sample. Slide sleeve 132 may be folded over specimen illumination window 126 of specimen stage 110 . Slide sleeve 132 may include slide slot 136 and slide tab 131 . Slide tab 131 may be inserted into tab slot 121 during assembly. The size of each of the slide sleeve 132 , slide slot 136 , slide tab 131 , slide slot 136 , slide guides 139 and tab slot 121 may control the force that holds the slide in place. In various embodiments, the size of each of the slide sleeve 132 , slide slot 136 , slide tab 131 , slide slot 136 , slide guides 139 and tab slot 121 is configured to allow the slide to be easily inserted and positioned. In various embodiments, the size of each of the slide sleeve 132 , slide slot 136 , slide tab 131 , slide slot 136 , slide guides 139 and tab slot 121 is configured to maintain an original position and resist movement after the sample slide is inserted. A slide containing a sample may be inserted through slide slot 136 into slide sleeve 132 . Slide guides 139 along the edges of slide sleeve 132 may be folded over to help guide insertion of the slide. The sample slide (not shown) may be positioned over specimen illumination window 126 . The edge of the sample slide is lined up so that it is adjacent to a longitudinal edge 138 .
[0120] Specimen stage 110 includes a mechanism for reproducing microscope settings. The mechanism is implemented by grid 122 , vertical fine position indicator 128 , horizontal fine position indicator 130 , horizontal position indicator 124 , vertical position indicator 125 and slide sleeve 132 .
[0121] The illumination stage 112 may include circuitry 140 , light source 142 , and contact pads 144 A-B. Circuitry 140 may include copper tape, conductive paper, conductive ink, or any other flat conductive material. The circuitry 140 can control the power supply to light source 142 . In various embodiments, the power supply includes a battery. Light source 142 may include one or more LED lights, a lamp, a chemiluminescence source such as a glow stick, or other source. Illumination can be enhanced via a condenser lens 157 (located between 156 and 158 ). Contact pads 144 A-B may establish contact with contacts on the optics stage 118 . Illumination stage 112 may be mounted to specimen stage 110 . In various embodiments, the optics stage 118 and the illumination stage 112 remain aligned within 0.5 mm or better during panning and focusing. This may be accomplished by connecting tabs 145 A-B in the illumination stage 112 into the slots 147 A-B in the optics stage 118 .
[0122] A light source using chemiluminescence uses a chemical reaction as the illumination or light source. Liquid light sources may flow into a tube or flat chamber and allow for a wide array of optical designs. The liquid light source may move translationally so that the user sees the entire sample. Usually, one only has 2 degrees of freedom; the present disclosure allows vision of everything on the slide. Additionally, the present disclosure may allow for a configuration of a tube within a tube. A liquid light source within inner tube may illuminate a sample located between the inner tube and the outer tube. This design requires “zero power” to remove the need for a power source such as a battery or button cells.
[0123] Spacer insert 114 and locking spacer insert 116 may be used to position the lens (not shown) and adjust the optics of the optical microscope 100 . One or more spacer inserts 114 , 116 may be attached to illumination stage 112 . One or more spacer inserts 114 may be positioned first. The locking spacer insert 116 is positioned over the one or more spacer inserts 114 to lock or hold them in position.
[0124] Optics stage 118 may include contacts 146 A-B, vertical slits 148 , horizontal slits 150 , and lens apertures 152 . Optics stage 118 is mounted to illumination stage 112 and specimen stage 110 . Contacts 146 A-B are designed to align with contact pads 144 A-B. By depressing contacts 146 A or 146 B, a circuit is closed with light source 142 and a power source causing light source 142 to illuminate.
[0125] Vertical slits 148 and horizontal slits 150 align with vertical fine position indicator 128 and horizontal fine position indicator 130 , respectively. As the sample slide is moved to the left horizontally, the horizontal fine position indicators 130 advance in that direction as it goes from one line to the next. In various embodiments, each horizontal line of horizontal fine position indicator 130 may represent a specific increment such as 0.5 mm. If a user sees two solid lines at the same time, the position is in between increments such as 0.25 mm. Any increment may be implemented. A location may be determined by the horizontal position indicators 124 and the vertical position indicators 125 . For example, as a user looks at the left side of the optical microscope 100 , a mark (not shown) indicates the horizontal position is at A or B. The vertical position may be determined similarly using vertical position indicators 125 , X, Y, and Z, and may have similar increments. Vertical fine position indicator 128 and horizontal fine position indicator 130 may compliment vertical position indicators 125 and horizontal position indicator 124 by providing more detailed alignment information.
[0126] The optical microscope 100 may be created using a flat manufacturing process. Components may be together on a flat sheet that can be cut out and folded into an optical device. A design of pre-cut sheets can be created, downloaded, printed and used. Several integrated microscopes can be contained in one such optical microscope, creating different optical microscopes based on how the paper/material is folded. The present microscope may be a single-use microscope and is suitable for the present technology because the overall manufacturing process is inexpensive enough to discard or incinerate after use.
[0127] FIG. 2A illustrates a top view of an exemplary optical microscope. FIG. 2B illustrates a cross-sectional view of the optical microscope of FIG. 2A . The optical microscope 100 of FIGS. 2A-B include specimen stage 110 , illumination stage 112 , optics stage 118 , and sample 154 . Sample 154 may be viewed through slide viewing window 134 (See FIG. 1 ). Light source 156 may direct light through filter 158 , condenser 157 , sample 154 , specimen illumination window 126 and is received by lens 160 . Lens 160 may be positioned between spacer inserts 114 and locking spacer insert 116 . In some embodiments, a second lens may be implemented between sample 154 and light source 156 . In some embodiments an array of lenses are used. In some embodiments a condenser is used to shape the light and improve resolution.
[0128] Focusing the optical microscope 100 can be shown with reference to FIG. 2B . Focusing the lens 160 can be implemented by a flexure mechanism that uses a cantilever beam of paper being pinched at two points for a symmetric upward and downward motion of the embedded optics as shown in FIG. 2B . Tension or compression of the optics stage 118 causes a Z-axis scan via a flexure mechanism. The flexure mechanism can have a maximum travel distance of about 1 mm. The flexure mechanism can converts purely translational pinching movement along the X-axis to upward or downward motion along the Z-axis. The distance between the lens 160 and the sample 154 can be adjusted by pushing or pulling on the ends of the optics stage 118 . Pushing the ends of the optics stage towards each other causes the lens 160 to raise thereby increasing the distance between the lens 160 and the sample 154 . Pulling the ends of the optics stage 118 away from each other lowers the lens 160 thereby decreasing the distance between the lens 160 and the sample 154 . The movement of the lens 160 towards and away from the sample 154 can be referred to as movement along the z-axis. In the case when there are two lenses (as shown in FIG. 5C ), the lenses may be a certain distance apart. In various embodiments, the lenses may be about 6 mm apart. In other embodiments, the lenses may be about 5.5 mm apart. If a user finds something in left lens and wants to look at the same article/item with the right lens, the user may put a mark on grid 122 . A marking instrument such as a pen or pencil may be inserted through marking apertures 133 in the optics stage 118 and marking apertures 135 in the illumination stage 112 to mark a position on grid 122 . The user then moves the optics stage 118 so that it is lined up with the mark on grid 122 . This may also allow a second user to find and view the same article/item using markings created by the first user. For example, a lab technician may be able to easily locate a particular pathology that has been indicated by markings on grid 122 . The marking apertures can be used in any of the lens arrangements described herein. The marking apertures can have a precision of 0.5 mm or less.
[0129] The optical design may include focusing features, zoom features, panning features, and/or other features. Lens 160 may have a magnification of 140×, 340×, 680×, and 1140× corresponding to a borosilicate ball lenses with diameters of 2.4 mm, 1.0 mm, 0.5 mm, and 0.3 mm, respectively, as well as other magnifications. A variety of materials may be used for the lens. The lens may have a short path length due to the flat optical design that reduces signal-to-noise ratio for fluorescence. The path length may be symmetric or asymmetric. An asymmetric path length is created with a filter, a specimen, another filter, a ball lens on the top side, a light source and a light receiver. If a ball lens is placed on the bottom, the microscope becomes symmetric. The second lens may correct for the LED's divergence, making the light rays parallel rather than diverging, optimizing the LED. The LED may also act as a point source depending on the design.
[0130] FIG. 3 illustrates different embodiments of optical microscopes with various magnifications and modalities. Bright field optical microscopes are shown with a magnification of 435× (1), 1450× (2), and 2175× (3). A fluorescence microscope with Acridine Orange and Auramine stains is depicted in 5. A polarization microscope is shown in 6. An optical microscope with a multi-array of lenses is shown in 7. A projection microscope is shown in 8. FIG. 4 illustrates an optical microscope in accordance with an embodiment assembled from a flat material.
[0131] FIG. 5A shows a schematic arrangement of the parts of an optical microscope on a flat material that can be cut, folded, assembled, and used to diagnose a blood sample. FIG. 5B illustrates various parts of an optical microscope prior to assembly in accordance with an embodiment. FIGS. 5C , 5 D, and 5 E illustrate assembling and adjusting portions of an optical microscope. FIG. 5C illustrates the x-y scanning feature. FIG. 5D illustrates two lenses 160 with magnifications of 140× and 330×, respectively. The 140× magnification lens 160 produces a bright field image. The 330× magnification lens 160 produces a fluorescence image. The glass slide 170 is shown engaged with the optical microscope 100 . FIG. 5E illustrates the z-axis focus by pushing inward on the edges of the optical stage.
[0132] FIGS. 5F-G are various images produced by a conventional microscope ( FIG. 5F ) compared to images taken with an optical microscope in accordance with embodiments ( FIG. 5G ). The images in FIG. 5F were taken using a Nikon Eclipse fluorescence microscope with a Hg lamp, LED, and glow stick under a magnification of 400×, respectively. FIG. 5G illustrates fluorescence images produced by an optical microscope in accordance with embodiments disclosed herein for AO stained beads and AO stained white blood cells at a magnification of 330× and 140×, respectively. The images illustrated in FIG. 5F are comparable to the images achieved using a conventional microscope shown in FIG. 5G .
[0133] The optical devices disclosed herein can be assembled without written language instructions. This is advantageous because the optical microscopes can be used in a variety of countries without requiring translations of the instructions for different countries. The language free folding instructions can include colors and pictures to facilitate the assembly of the optical microscope. The language free instructions can be directly printed on the instrument itself, for example a color matching scheme that guides a user to correct folding sequence. The surfaces of the optical microscope can also provide staining instructions for the sample. The surfaces of the optical microscope can include an identification guide for the diagnostics provided on the optical microscope. FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate examples of optical microscopes prior to folding in accordance with various embodiments. FIGS. 6A and 6B are illustrated in black and white but can include bright colors to facilitate the folding and assembling instructions.
[0134] The optical microscopes can be folded and assembled with a high degree of precision and accuracy. Traditional optical instruments require significant alignment post assembly. An advantageous feature of a folding optical assembly design is that self-alignment can be exploited with kinematic constraints present in how the folds are executed, even for manual folding. Folding a sheet of paper introduces an alignment error proportional to the thickness of the paper in a valley or mountain fold. This error arises from uncertain position of a hinge in a fold due to buckling of paper in the inner edge of the fold. The alignment errors can be corrected by introducing folding features that provide kinematic constraints, for example mating the two stages and implementing closed structural loops during folding. For a mechanical process, repeatability is inversely proportional to the square root of contact points for elastically averaged coupling alignment schemes. The optical microscopes disclosed herein, for example, can utilize four contact points and two alignment surfaces to couple the optics and illumination stage. To characterize the alignment accuracy and repeatability of the optical microscopes, twenty independent microscopes were cut out of A4 sheets of paper with a laser cutting tool having a cutting error of ±6 microns. Each microscope was hand folded and unfolded repeatedly, while measuring X-Y alignment errors between the optical and illumination stage. FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrate data for the accuracy and repeatability, respectively, for folding and unfolding the optical microscopes. Assembly accuracy and precision for the optical alignment as small as 10 microns was demonstrated for the microscope components in a manual assembly process using paper with a thickness of about 150 μm. The optical alignment can include the alignment of the light source, optic/lens, sample stage, and any other items within this path, such as filters, diffusers, apertures, etc. The alignment precision was acceptable for the lens sizes disclosed herein, for example a lens having a diameter of 300 μm.
[0135] The optical microscopes disclosed herein can be durable and resistant to outdoor elements. For example, the optical microscopes can be stepped on and still work as shown in FIGS. 25A-B . The microscopes can work submerged in water and survive a fall from a three story building.
[0136] The optical device can be optimized based on the desired application or for general use. A number of parameters can be adjusted to optimize the optical device. For example, the lens size and shape, lens refractive index, lens material, the optical path length, optical path shape/direction, the lens aperture size and shape, the light source type and location, the aperture associated with the light source, the light source intensity and profile, the alignment of the light source with the lens, the wavelength of the light source, the polarization and coherence of the light source, the magnification of the sample, the resolution of the image, the inclusion of additional features such as automated staining or sample separation, the inclusion of a cell counter feature for keeping track of the level of parasitimia, optical filters placed in front of the light source or in front of the lens, etc.
[0137] In some embodiments, the folding accuracy is accomplished by geometrical features cut in flat material that act as kinematic couplings thus providing a self-alignment. In some embodiments, self-alignment is further improved by providing structural closed loops in folding steps.
[0138] In some embodiments, the optical microscope can have an integrated microfluidic channel for bringing samples directly to the microscope lens.
[0139] In some embodiments, the optical microscope can be incinerated after one use safely and thus can be used with infected samples. In some embodiments, the entire microscope is disposable after single or multiple uses.
[0140] In some embodiment, a waveguide is utilized to channel light from the light source to other optical components.
[0141] In some embodiments, the sample is reacted to a reagent already deposited in the sample holding stage via a microfluidic network embedded in the sample holding stage. In some embodiments, the reagent is dried for preservation. In some embodiments, the reagent is wet.
[0142] The devices disclosed herein can be modified to modify the optical path to a desired configuration. The flexibility in designing the optical path allows the device to be used as a general purpose optical design tool. Optical devices such as microscopes, interferometers, and spectrophotometers can be assembled using the methods, devices, and concepts disclosed herein.
[0143] In some embodiments, the lens can be cleaned by inserting a slide with lens paper attached to the surface followed by panning the second stage with the lens/optic in circles over the lens paper so that the lens paper brushes off contaminants from the surface of the lens.
[0144] FIG. 8A illustrates an exemplary optical path of an optical microscope in accordance with an embodiment. FIG. 8A illustrates the distance between the light source (e.g. LED) and sample object as D led-obj , the distance between the sample object and lens as D obj-lens , the distance between the lens and image plane as D lens-img . The optical chain of the optical microscope includes illumination sources (distance D led-obj ), condenser lens, illumination aperture (A 1 ), sample glass slide, spherical micro-lens (radius r, refractive index n at a distance D obj-lens from the slide) and entrance (A 2 ) and exit (A 3 ) aperture. For a real image in projection mode, the image plane is a distance D lens-img apart. The total optical path length from the light source to the last lens surface can be about 2.5 mm, which is only about 1% of the optical path length for a conventional microscope. The decreased optical path length allows for the microscope to be constructed with a short vertical height assuming a vertical optical path. The reduced optical path length can also minimize the extent to which stray light can enter the system and degrade optical performance.
[0145] FIG. 9A illustrates the magnification obtained versus various lens radii for different refractive index values. FIG. 9A depicts overall magnification obtained as a function of ball radius (r) for refractive index (n) values ranging from 1.33 to 2. The parameters shown in FIG. 9A can be optimized to improve the resolution of the optical microscope. Utilizing ray-tracing methods, a collimated beam of light entering an aperture diameter A 2 and a spherical ball lens with a diameter (D=2r) and refractive index n, is focused to a point given by the effective focal length
[0000]
E
F
L
=
nr
2
(
n
-
1
)
[0000] and numerical aperture (NA) is given by
[0000]
NA
=
A
3
(
n
-
1
)
nr
[0000] with magnification inversely proportional to ball lens radius as shown in FIG. 9A . A magnification of ˜2175× can be obtained with a sapphire glass lens of about 200 μm in diameter as shown in FIG. 9A . FIG. 9B illustrates the third order spherical aberration versus ball lens radii. The transverse third order spherical aberration can be expressed as
[0000]
T
S
C
=
[
n
(
n
-
3
)
+
1
]
A
2
s
2
n
2
r
2
[0000] which reduces as a function of ball lens radius as shown in FIG. 9B .
[0146] The aperture radius (A 2 ) can be optimized to maximize contrast and resolution, for example by balancing spherical aberration in the image and transmitted illumination intensity for a fixed wavelength of light. Considering collimated incident light, resolution as a function of lens-image distance (D lens-img ) and aperture radius (A 2 ) can be calculated both numerically and analytically. Since the optimization depends on two independent parameters numerical optimization is achieved in two stages. The first stage optimizes the focus by varying D lens-img , while the second stage optimizes the resolution by varying A 2 with D lens-img equal to its optimum value for each aperture radius. For the first optimization stage, the focusing metric is chosen to be the reciprocal of the Strehl Ratio (1/SR). Minimizing this focusing metric effectively selects a value for D lens-img corresponding to diffraction focus, or best focus. FIG. 10 illustrates focusing metric versus the distance between the lens and image for RMS spot size (RSS), inverse Strehl ratio (1/SR), and ratio of spot size to Strehl ratio (RSS/SR).
[0147] The second optimization stage calculates optimal aperture diameter (A 2 ) by minimizing a resolution metric, evaluated as the ratio of Airy Disk Radius and Strehl Ratio (ADR/SR). Graphically, this metric gives a curve that subtends the Airy Disk Radius (ADR) for small aperture radii and parallels RMS Spot Size for large aperture radii. Also, it provides good numerical convergence. Numerical modeling results in design curves as a function of lens radius r, refractive index n, and incident light wavelength λ. FIG. 11A illustrates the normalized optimal aperture radius versus magnification for various radii and refractive index values. FIG. 11B illustrates resolution versus magnification for various radii and refractive index values. FIGS. 12A-12B illustrate calculations for the optimal aperture radius and resolution, respectively, as a function of ball lens radius, refractive index, and incident light wavelength.
[0148] For the analytical model, the optimization proceeds by evaluating the diffraction limited resolution at best focus, where the normalized longitudinal aberration (Λ) is equal to 1. Two different analytical models can be used to derive identical results, within a multiplicative constant. In the first analytical model, Airy Disk Radius is equated to RMS Spot Size (ADR=RSS). The Airy Disk Radius is evaluated as ADR=1.22·Λ·F, where F=EFL/2A 2 is the focal ratio or F/#. The RMS Spot Size is approximated as the RMS blur radius (r RMS ), at best focus, RSS≈4F·|S|/√{square root over (6)}, where F is the focal ratio, S=s·A 2 4 is the peak aberration coefficient and is the aberration coefficient. For a ball lens, the following expression was derived for the aberration coefficient: s=−(n−1)·[n+(2−n)·(2n−1)]/8r 3 n 3 . Setting the expression for ADR equal to the expression for RSS and solving for A 2 /r, the following expression is obtained for the normalized optimal aperture radius:
[0000]
nOAR
=
k
1
′
·
(
λ
·
n
3
r
·
(
n
-
1
)
·
[
n
+
(
2
-
n
)
·
(
2
n
-
1
)
]
)
1
/
4
,
[0000] where k 1 ′=(1.22·2·√{square root over (6)}) 1/4 ≈1.5636. This can be substituted into the expression for ADR (or that for RSS) to obtain the following expression for image resolution:
[0000]
RES
=
k
2
′
·
(
λ
3
·
r
·
n
·
[
n
+
(
2
-
n
)
·
(
2
n
-
1
)
]
(
n
-
1
)
3
)
1
/
4
,
[0000] where k 2 ′=(1.22 3 /2√{square root over (6)}) 1/4 /4≈0.1951. The above expression for optimal aperture and corresponding resolution show good agreement with the numerical calculations illustrated in FIGS. 12A-B . The second analytical model determines the diffraction-limited resolution by minimizing the ratio of Airy Disk Radius (ADR) to Strehl Ratio (SR), i.e. by solving ∂/∂a(ADR/SR)=0. For this model, the Strehl ratio can be expressed using the empirical approximation, SR=exp└−(2πω s /λ) 2 ┘, where ω s is the RMS wavefront error at best focus. As mentioned earlier, this model produces the same results as the first model, except with the constants now being, k 1 ′=(6√{square root over (10)}/π) 1/4 ≈1.5677 and k 2 ′=(1.22/4)·(π/6) 1/4 ·(e/10) 1/8 ≈0.2205. For example, the numerical and analytical models predict an optimized image resolution of about 0.88 um for a 300 um diameter sapphire lens, which agrees well with experimental data (see FIG. 12B and FIG. 18 ). In some embodiments a resolution can be as high as 500 nm at magnifications greater than about 2000×.
[0149] The resolution of the optical microscope can be quantified by observing an object having a known size. For example, fluorescence resolution was determined between two adjacent microspheres using Imagers linear intensity profile tool. Microspheres were considered to be resolvable when the minimum intensity value between the two spheres was 84.4% of the maximum intensity of the normalized dataset as is in accordance to the Rayleigh Criterion. To make peaks of intensity distinguishable, a local polynomial regression model weighted across every 10 pixels was used to smooth the data. Using this analysis, the 1 μm beads were barely resolvable. FIG. 18 illustrates an image of 1 μm polystyrene beads using a 300 ball lens and an aperture size of about 150 μm. FIG. 19A illustrates a bright field image of 1 micron polystyrene beads. FIG. 19B illustrates a fluorescent image of 2 micron polystyrene beads. FIG. 19C illustrates a plot of intensity versus distance.
[0150] For brightfield resolution, the beads could clearly be resolved between one another as shown in FIG. 18 . As there are several methods for measuring resolution in brightfield, we borrowed a technique used by Lorusso and Joy (2003) for quantifying resolution using the Fourier Transform of the bead-matrix image. FIG. 19D is an image of the polystyrene beads shown in FIG. 18 along with a 2D-Fourier transform showing the power spectrum of the threshold image and spatial frequency detail. A threshold was set for the original image such that noise was removed and the 2-dimensional fast-Fourier transform was then performed on the image. Upon taking the power spectrum of the Fourier transform, the extent of the spatial frequencies was found. The mean radius of this ellipsoidal extent was then used to calculate the smallest feature size, which is equal to the resolution, in the image using the following equation: Resolution=ROIW*PixelSize/RFFT*Image Scaling where ROIW is the average width of the sensor and RFFT is the average radius of the power spectrum in the Fourier domain. The pixel size is the size of the pixels on the CCD. The image scaling is a factor used in determining the scale of the image plane compared to the CCD plane. For this image, the ROIW was 4680 pixels, the RFFT was 318.25, the Pixel Size was 6.4 micrometers and the Scaling factor was 95 CCD pixels per object pixel. This resulted in a calculated resolution of 0.99 micrometers. In general, this is a conservative method of measuring resolution as the smallest features can be filtered out with the noise during the threshold step.
[0151] FIG. 13 is a graph of resolution versus aperture radius for various metrics. The optimal resolution metric was obtained using the ratio of Airy Disk to Strehl ratio. FIG. 14 is a graph of the filter transmission versus wavelength for various filter types. FIG. 14 compares an excitation filter, emission filter, and diffusive filter. Associated fluorescence image data using the above filter set as barrier (blue) and emission (red) filter is shown in FIG. 18 and FIG. 23L . In some embodiments the filters can be provided with separate light sources. In some embodiments the filters can be integral with the sample stage. In some embodiments the filter can be included with the optic stage.
[0152] Malaria samples are often observed under an oil immersion lens due to ring artifacts that arise because of curved shape of a red blood cell. FIGS. 15A and 15B are images of malaria samples observed with a diffuser. FIG. 15A is an image obtained using an embodiment of the optical microscopes described herein and FIG. 15B is an image obtained using a conventional microscope. FIGS. 15A and 15B illustrate that good quality images can be obtained without the use of an oil immersion lens. Using a simple thin plastic film diffuser that cuts out directional illumination can remove artifacts due to cell inhomogeneity and enhance the image component due to light absorption. An example of the transmission spectra of the diffusive filter is shown in FIG. 14 .
[0153] FIG. 16A illustrate three different LED light sources with and without a condenser. The three LED based light sources, labeled #516, #350 and #425, were imaged using fluorescein dissolved in water. As shown in FIG. 16A , the condenser further focuses the light. FIG. 16B illustrates the illumination intensity in a polar plot of LED light source #516.
[0154] Additional modeling is shown in FIGS. 17A-D . A 0.3 mm sapphire lens is modeled in FIGS. 17A-D . FIG. 17A is model of the ray tracing for a 0.3 mm spherical ball lens. FIG. 17B a model of the RMS spot size for off-axis rays of 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 degrees. FIG. 17C is a model of an RMS spot radius field map. FIG. 17D is a model of a Strehl Ratio field map.
[0155] The microscope may also allow a user to view the same object at two different magnifications at the same time. This embodiment can provide two concentric magnification regions, where the inner region is at a higher magnification than the outer region. This may be achieved by placing a half ball lens above a smaller diameter ball lens in a doublet configuration, for example. The microscope may be utilized as a single purpose microscope, having optics that depend on the type of stain used, the light source and the filters used. The optics design allows for illumination to track with the optics. A reflective mylar sheet may be implemented for providing a mirror surface, and may allow for simultaneous frontside/backside imaging as shown in FIG. 8B .
[0156] The present microscope may have a simultaneous multi-modal imaging feature. Multi-modal may involve two or more images on the retina simultaneously by taking advantage of the psychophysics of the eye. The present microscope may have one or more lenses. Each of the one or more lenses may correspond to a different microscope modality. The microscope modalities may include brightfield, darkfield, fluorescence in many sets depending on the type of filter implemented (GFP, YFP, AO, Auramine-O, DAPI, or other filter) or any other filter, and polarization using polarization filters and any other optical microscopy. Each of the microscope modalities may be implemented at high and low magnifications. One or more of the microscope modalities may be implemented at the same time on optical microscope 100 in any arrangement. For example, the microscope may include darkfield imaging at a specific magnification and brightfield imaging at a second magnification. Hence, in the same field of view, the user may be looking at the same object 1000× magnified, and simultaneously looking at it 10× magnified. In various embodiments, the microscope modalities form an array.
[0157] In various embodiments, the ball lenses may be arranged in an 3×3, 4×4 or 5×5 matrix, where each lens provides identical images but with a slightly different experience—a continuous field may be presented. For example, if looking at red blood cells, even though each ball is only contributing one portion of that field, it appears to be like a continuous field. The images provided by the matrix merge as one and appear as a landscape rather than individual images. In various embodiments, if a user changes an illumination angle, and turns it bright or dark, the microscope may provide the user with 3D information about the sample by producing contrast over the sample based on variations in the sample's 3D profile. Because the illumination stage can move, a user can take the same object and achieve a 3D imaging effect.
[0158] Another feature of the optical microscope 100 is a projection mechanism. FIG. 20A illustrates a schematic for utilizing a refraction ball lens for projection microscopy with ray-tracing for half of a lens. FIG. 20B illustrates a projection illuminated through water containing fluorescein. The projection mechanism can project images onto a wall, screen, or other surface. The mechanism is a brighter LED such as a high-intensity LED to make the projection more visible. Rather than looking directly into the optical microscope, a user may flip it over and point to a wall in the dark. Two or more people may be looking at the same image at the same time. For example, in a dark room, a high-intensity LED may allow a projection of an image from across the room, making a 1 mm mosquito proboscis appear over 2 meters tall on the wall. The projection may be onto a camera, a wall, a retina, or other location, and the microscope can be a digital image of the projection—the projection optics are the same. In various embodiments, there is also a CCD version that may be provided with one or more cameras integrated in the present system.
[0159] The projected mode allows for a number of people to simultaneously view the images. The effective magnification in projection mode is dependent on the distance between the lens and the projected image with the intensity inversely proportional to the distance between the lens and projected image. FIG. 21A is a projected image of a mosquito proboscis at an effective magnification of 1500×. FIG. 21B is a projected image of red blood cells at an effective magnification of 3000×.
[0160] FIG. 22B is a picture of a single ball lens optical microscope projecting an image on the retina of a user in accordance with an embodiment.
[0161] Optical components of the manufacturing process may include microfluidics, doublets, and other features. Microfluidics may be used to manufacture components. Doublets may be created from liquid and cured lenses and used in combination with a microscope. This may allow for lower costs and timing while increasing magnification. A unique slide position readout may provide a location grid of the sample and allow a user to know where they are on the slide. An integrated cell count mechanism may also be used with the present optical microscope.
[0162] Fluidic integration into microscope design may minimize sample handling. An auto-staining process within the microscope involves filters designed from plastic films. The auto-staining process may have the staining dye already integrated.
[0163] Several optical microscopes may be contained in a single package. The optical microscopes can be packaged individually similar to a band aid and revealed just before use. This packaging minimizes the risk of having fungus grow on microscope components in humid environments.
[0164] The optical microscopes disclosed herein can also be used under water. The microscope can include a water resistant coating such as a polymer coating. Operating under water allows for live imaging of microscopic swimming organisms under water. The under-water image can be projected on the side wall of the aquarium. The thermal gradients generated allow for water to flow past by the sample stage, thus bringing live swimming organisms to be imaged in projection mode through the microscope. FIG. 22A is a picture of a single ball lens optical microscope submerged under water in accordance with an embodiment.
[0165] The optical microscopes disclosed herein can be used for disease diagnostics. For example, temperature stable stains are widely available for labeling infectious disease samples including Giemsa and Acridine Orange that are usually used on a standard thin blood smear. Various imaging parameters of optical microscopes disclosed herein, such as field of view, magnification, etc. can be optimized to match the imaging requirements for a disease of interest. The optical microscopes disclosed herein can be configured and built to match a specific disease of interest. In some embodiments disease specific optical microscopes are used instead of general-purpose optical microscopes. For example, various optical microscope configurations were setup and utilized to image freshly prepared diagnostics samples of various parasitic diseases, including Plasmodium falciparum ( FIG. 23A ), Trypanosom cruzi ( FIG. 23B ), Giradia lamblia ( FIG. 23C ), sickle cell disease ( FIG. 23D ), gram positive and gram negative bacteria ( FIG. 23E ), Leishmania donovani ( FIG. 23F ) and Dirofilaria immitis ( FIG. 23G ) imaged via various magnification settings. It is noted that the above data (maximum magnification 2500×) was obtained without the use of oil immersion technique or coverslips, which further complicates sample preparation and microscope maintenance in conventional diagnostics assays. This broad dataset reveals the versatility of utility of the optical microscopes disclosed herein in disease diagnostics.
[0166] FIG. 24A is an image produced by a single ball lens optical microscope in accordance with an embodiment of human chromosomes. FIG. 24B is an image produced by a single ball lens optical microscope in accordance with an embodiment of a DNA/RNA stain. FIG. 24C is an image produced by a single ball lens optical microscope in accordance with an embodiment of a spinal cord. FIG. 24D is an image produced by a single ball lens optical microscope in accordance with an embodiment of skeletal muscle.
[0167] Microscopy based diagnostics can be further improved via integrated multiple imaging modalities (such as bright field and fluorescence imaging) to improve sensitivity or increase the total field of view via implementation of parallel array microscopes. The optical microscopes disclosed herein can be packed in a close form to implement Simultaneous Multi-modal Microscopy (SMM) using the miniature optical components and independent optical paths disclosed herein. FIG. 23H is a schematic illustration of a 3×3 lens array with different modalities embedded in an optical microscope in accordance with an embodiment. The use of SMM is largely possible due to the large surface area of the retina ( FIG. 23H ) that allows for many fields of view to be packed in a closed packed configuration, such as 1+1, 2×2 or 3×3 array microscopes ( FIG. 23I ) with nine fields of view visible simultaneously ( FIG. 23J ). Since the optical path for each field of view is independent, different modes of microscopy can be combined to build simultaneous bright and polarization setup ( FIG. 23K ) or fluorescence from two different wavelengths ( FIG. 23L ). Simultaneous Multi-modal Microscopy (SMM) enables imaging of samples in multiple modalities simultaneously, which is not possible in conventional optical setups.
[0168] FIG. 8B is a schematic illustration of an optical path for an optical microscope in accordance with an embodiment. FIG. 8B illustrates two ball lenses 160 . One ball lens 160 directly observes the sample 154 using the light source 142 . The eye can directly observe the sample 154 through the optical path 201 and ball lens 160 . Simultaneously, the eye can observe the sample through an alternate optical path 203 involving the second ball lens 160 and a mirror 205 that can be tilted to focus on the back of the sample. The mirror can be adjusted to observe a desired area of the sample 154 . In some embodiments multiple lenses can be aligned with one or more mirrors to alternately view the sample.
[0169] The foregoing detailed description of the technology herein has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the technology to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The described embodiments were chosen in order to best explain the principles of the technology and its practical application to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the technology in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. The present invention descriptions are intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims and otherwise appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art. | An optical device, such as a microscope, is disclosed that can be assembled from flat materials. The optical device can be assembled via a series of folds of a flat material. The optical microscope can include a stage for supporting a sample, an optic stage, and a light source. The optic stage can include one or more lenses. The optical microscope can be capable of obtaining simultaneous images from different forms of microscopy. The optical microscope may have bright field and filter field viewing capabilities wherein a user shifts from bright field to filter field by lateral movement of the stage containing a lens and a light source that cooperate to provide either the bright field or the filter field. | 6 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to the field of network security and more particularly to security enforcement point processing of encrypted data in a communications path.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Internet security has increasingly become the focus of information technologists who participate in globally accessible computer networks. In particular, with the availability and affordability of broadband Internet access, even within the small enterprise, many computers and small computer networks enjoy continuous access to the Internet. Notwithstanding, continuous, high-speed access is not without its price. Specifically, those computers and computer networks which heretofore had remained disconnected from the security risks of the Internet now have become the primary target of malicious Internet malfeasors.
[0005] To address the vulnerability of computing devices exposed to the global Internet, information technologists intend to provide true, end-to-end security for data in the Internet through secure communications. Transport Layer Security (TLS) and its predecessor, Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), are cryptographic protocols which provide secure communications on the Internet for such things as web browsing, e-mail, Internet faxing, instant messaging and other data transfers. There are slight differences between SSL 3.0 and TLS 1.0, but the protocol remains substantially the same. In operation, TLS involves two processing phases. First, there is a key exchange or “handshake” phase, in which the server and client attempt to agree upon an encryption suite to be used for data transmission. Subsequently, a bulk encryption or data transmission phase is carried out in which the desired content is transmitted using the agreed-upon encryption suite.
[0006] The secured communications path defined between two TLS endpoints often incorporate one or more security enforcement points such as a virtual private network (VPN)/firewall. Security enforcement points generally are no different than any other computing device excepting that the computing device supporting a security enforcement point hosts logic including program code enabled to support security services such as IP packet filtering, intrusion detection, load balancing and quality of service (QoS) setting management. Yet, where a security enforcement point has been positioned in the midst of a TLS secure communications path, the enforcement point will have no access to cleartext data in traversing data. Consequently, the security function of a security enforcement point in a secure TLS communications path will have become inoperable as most security functions require access to unencrypted, cleartext data.
[0007] In response, customers often choose between not running encryption (or at least not for the entire communications path), or running encryption on a hop-by-hop basis so that cleartext is available at the enforcement points. In the latter circumstance, even if the entire communications path has been protected end-to-end in a hop-by-hop configuration, the authentication as a whole is not end-to-end. Rather, a given node authenticates only to the next hop node. Additionally, in the hop-by-hop configuration, the TLS server key and certificate along with the private key and certificate must be stored at each enforcement point—an undesirable outcome.
[0008] Other TLS proxy methods have been proposed to provide security gateways and SSL aware enforcement points. These proposals usually involve sharing the private key and certificate of the TLS server endpoint, where the private key is used to monitor the session, or terminating the client to server session in the enforcement point (hop-by-hop encryption). Additionally, yet other key recovery schemes have been proposed to save the keys from TLS session in central key recovery server so that the clear text of the recorded TLS session could be recovered at a later time.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to security enforcement point operability in a TLS secured communications path and provide a novel and non-obvious method, system and computer program product for the secure sharing of TLS session keys with trusted enforcement points. In one embodiment of the invention, a method for securely sharing TLS session keys with trusted enforcement points can be provided. The method can include conducting a TLS handshake with a TLS client to extract and decrypt a session key for a TLS session with the TLS client traversing at least one security enforcement point. The method further can include providing the TLS session information including the session encryption key to a communicatively coupled key server for distribution to the at least one security enforcement point. Finally, the method can include engaging in secure communications with the TLS client over the TLS session.
[0010] In one aspect of the embodiment, the method can include withholding completion of the TLS handshake with the TLS client until receiving confirmation from the coupled key server that the at least one security enforcement point has installed the TLS session information including session key for use in decrypting enciphered data for TLS secured payloads traversing the security enforcement point from the TLS client. Thereafter, the TLS handshake can be completed only once having received the confirmation. In another aspect of the embodiment, providing the TLS session information including session key to a communicatively coupled key server for distribution to the at least one security enforcement point, can include providing the TLS session information including session key to a communicatively coupled key server for distribution to subscribing ones of the at least one security enforcement point, or to requesting ones of the at least one security enforcement point.
[0011] In another embodiment of the invention, a secure communications data processing system for securely sharing TLS session keys with trusted enforcement points can be provided. The system can include a TLS endpoint configured for coupling to TLS clients, a key server communicatively coupled to the TLS endpoint, and at least one security enforcement point disposed between the TLS clients and the TLS endpoint. The security enforcement point can include a secure and trusted communicative link with the key server over which TLS session information including session keys for corresponding secure communications paths between the TLS clients and the TLS endpoint are installed in the security enforcement point.
[0012] Additional aspects of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The aspects of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. The embodiments illustrated herein are presently preferred, it being understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown, wherein:
[0014] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a network data processing system configured for secure sharing of TLS session information including session keys with trusted enforcement points; and,
[0015] FIG. 2 is an event diagram illustrating a process for secure sharing of TLS session information including session keys with trusted enforcement points.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0016] Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for secure sharing of TLS session information including session keys with trusted enforcement points. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a security enforcement point disposed within a secure communications path such as that defined between TLS endpoints, can establish a secure encrypted session with a key server. Once the secure encrypted session has been established, a TLS session can be established that provides for a secure communications path traversing the security enforcement point. The TLS endpoint for the TLS session can provide its TLS session information with session keys to the key server. Thereafter, the key server can provide on demand to the security enforcement point the TLS session information for the TLS session in order to allow the security enforcement point to decrypt traversing data in the secure communications path.
[0017] In this way, unlike the hop-by-hop configuration where the enforcement point maintains a copy of the TLS endpoint session information with session keys, in the instant configuration, neither the private key nor the certificate are stored at the security enforcement point. Rather, the security enforcement points cannot satisfy a request for a TLS session from TLS client, but the security enforcement point only enjoys access to specific TLS sessions as controlled by the central server. In addition, when client certificate authentication is required by the server, the identity of the client can be preserved and protected by the TLS session from the client to the intended TLS server endpoint. Finally, unlike the key recovery method of centrally storing keys and session data, in the instant configuration security enforcement points can enjoy real time access to the cleartext of a TLS session.
[0018] In illustration, FIG. 1 depicts a network data processing system configured for security enforcement point inspection of encrypted data in a secure, end-to-end communications path. The system can include one or more client computing devices 110 communicatively coupled to a server computing device 130 over a computer communications network 120 . Each of the client computing devices 110 can include a content browser such as a Web browser and can be configured to establish a TLS session for end-to-end secure communications with the server computing device 130 , for example a Web server.
[0019] One or more security enforcement points 140 can be positioned intermediately between the client computing devices 110 and the server computing device 130 in the midst of the secure communications path. The security enforcement points 140 can be configured to perform any of several security functions, ranging from packet filtering, content inspection and intrusion detection to load balancing and QoS management. Notably, as shown in FIG. 1 , each of the security enforcement points 140 can be coupled to a key server 150 in secure, trusted relationship in which each of the security enforcement points 140 authenticates with the key server 150 and enjoys a secured communications path with the key server 150 over which encrypted data can be securely passed between the security enforcement points 140 and the key server 150 .
[0020] The key server 150 in turn can be coupled to the server computing device 130 and, in consequence, can maintain an awareness of the TLS session information 170 for the TLS secure communications path established between an individual one of the client computing devices 110 and the server computing device 130 . In operation, different end-to-end secure communications paths can be established between individual ones of the client computing devices 110 and the server computing device 130 . In the course of establishing each of the end-to-end secure communications paths, individual TLS session keys 170 can be established and provided separately to the key server 150 . The key server 150 , in turn, can provide the TLS session information including session keys 170 to all or selected ones of the security enforcement points 140 . In this regard, the security enforcement points 140 either selectively can subscribe to different ones of the TLS sessions including session keys 170 , or the security enforcement points 140 can dynamically request the TLS session information including session keys 170 of the key server 150 , or the security enforcement points 140 can receive all of the TLS session information including session keys 170 .
[0021] Thereafter, one or more cleartext payloads 160 A. 1 , 160 A. 2 , 160 A.N for respective TLS secured communications paths can be transformed into corresponding encrypted payloads 160 B. 1 , 160 B. 2 , 160 B.N and transmitted over the respective TLS secured communications paths to the server computing device 130 where the encrypted payloads 160 B. 1 , 160 B. 2 , 160 B.N can be decrypted into cleartext payloads 160 A. 1 , 160 A. 2 , 160 A.N. At each of the security enforcement points 140 there between, however, the encrypted payloads 160 B. 1 , 160 B. 2 , 160 B.N can be decrypted for use in performing associated security functions through the TLS session information including session keys 170 for each of the TLS secured communications paths. As a result, the intermediately disposed security enforcement points 140 can perform security functions on decrypted cleartext without requiring knowledge of the client computing devices 110 and without requiring the client computing devices 110 to have knowledge of the security enforcement points 140 .
[0022] FIG. 2 is an event diagram illustrating a process for secure sharing of TLS session keys with trusted enforcement points. Beginning in path 210 , an initial handshake message can be transmitted from a TLS client to a TLS endpoint. In path 220 , the TLS endpoint can return a certificate which provides the public key for the TLS endpoint. Subsequently, in path 230 the TLS client can use the public key for the TLS endpoint to encrypt a pre-master secret for a proposed TLS secured communication path between the TLS client and the TLS endpoint. Finally, the TLS endpoint in path 240 can decrypt the pre-master secret using the private key for the TLS endpoint. Both the TLS client and TLS endpoint can independently create the same symmetric session keys based on the pre-master secret that is now known to both the TLS client and TLS endpoint.
[0023] In order to delay the transmission of encrypted data across the newly established TLS secured communications path before the enforcement point possesses knowledge of the session, the handshake finished message can be withheld. In particular, either the TLS endpoint can withhold the handshake finished message, or the security enforcement point can withhold the handshake finished message. In either case, in path 250 , the session key can be provided to the key server along with other session attributes such as the starting initialization vector, one or more selected cipher algorithms, and a session identifier. The key server, in turn, in path 260 can provide a copy of the session information including session key to each subscribing enforcement point coupled to the key server. In this regard, individual enforcement points can subscribe to receive TLS session information including session keys for one or more corresponding TLS clients. Alternatively, the TLS session information including session keys can be provided to all coupled enforcement points, or the TLS session information including session keys can be provided on demand to requesting enforcement points.
[0024] In any event, in path 270 , a confirmation can be returned to the key server confirming the installation of the TLS session information including session key in a corresponding enforcement point. Likewise, in path 280 the key server can provide to the TLS endpoint a confirmation of installation of the TLS session information including session key in one or more enforcement points. Once the TLS endpoint receives confirmation from the key server, in path 290 a handshake finished message can be returned to the TLS client. Finally, in block 300 TLS secured data can flow through the enforcement point en route to the TLS endpoint and the enforcement point can decrypt all or only a portion of a traversing data in order to perform one or more functions for the enforcement point before forwarding the TLS secured data flow to the TLS endpoint in path 310 .
[0025] Embodiments of the invention can take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment or an embodiment containing both hardware and software elements. In a preferred embodiment, the invention is implemented in software, which includes but is not limited to firmware, resident by software, microcode, and the like. Furthermore, the invention can 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.
[0026] For the purposes of this description, a computer-usable or computer readable medium can 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 can 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-R/W) and DVD.
[0027] A data processing system suitable for storing and/or executing program code will include at least one processor coupled directly or indirectly to memory elements through a system bus. The memory elements can include local memory employed during actual execution of the program code, bulk storage, and cache memories which provide temporary storage of at least some program code in order to reduce the number of times code must be retrieved from bulk storage during execution. Input/output or I/O devices (including but not limited to keyboards, displays, pointing devices, etc.) can be coupled to the system either directly or through intervening I/O controllers. Network adapters may also be coupled to the system to enable the data processing system to become coupled to other data processing systems or remote printers or storage devices through intervening private or public networks. Modems, cable modem and Ethernet cards are just a few of the currently available types of network adapters. | Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to security enforcement point operability in a TLS secured communications path and provide a novel and non-obvious method, system and computer program product for the secure sharing of TLS session keys with trusted enforcement points. In one embodiment of the invention, a method for securely sharing TLS session keys with trusted enforcement points can be provided. The method can include conducting a TLS handshake with a TLS client to extract and decrypt a session key for a TLS session with the TLS client traversing at least one security enforcement point. The method further can include providing the session key to a communicatively coupled key server for distribution to the at least one security enforcement point. Finally, the method can include engaging in secure communications with the TLS client over the TLS session. | 7 |
BACKGROUND AND DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Traffic signs in current use which provide advance warning of danger spots have a weighted foot or pedestal made of either U-sections arranged at 90° or a flat-topped concrete cone. This foot is connected to a tube to which a flat sheet-metal sign is secured by means of poppet bushes. A hazard warning light is attached to the top of the tube. The lights in a row of warning signs are generally connected in series. The feet or pedestals of traffic signs are normally designed so that the sign is attached to one end of the tube or rod and the other end is inserted into a hole located centrally in the foot.
There are also less frequent designs where the foot and tube are permanently connected together. These types normally have concrete bases. In addition, traffic signs are also known where the tube is fixed to the foot in such a way that the sign will tilt on collision. Practice has shown that traffic signs in current use have considerable safety defects due to the rigid connection between the relatively solid metal sign and the weighted foot.
When road conditions are poor, such as in fog, frequent serious traffic accidents occur caused by vehicles colliding with the traffic signs. In collisions involving two-wheelers, the accident is often fatal. However, even with designs where the connection between the tube carrying the sign and the foot is articulated to allow the sign to tilt on collision, there is the danger that adverse conditions prevailing along the road can reduce the capability of the sign to tilt due to, for example, stones or concrete or similar small objects getting into the articulation joint, which thus does not reduce the risk of accident. The danger is, in particular, increased when, for example, signs of this type are unintentionally turned so that they are parallel to the direction of travel.
Another disadvantage of known traffic signs is that the hazard warning lights are fragile and easily breakable which results in frequent failure. Thus, there is difficulty in recognizing the signs in darkness, fog or rain. A frequent occurrence is that damage to only one light results in failure of the entire row of traffic signs, the lights of which are connected in series on one circuit.
The object of the invention is to provide a traffic sign of the type discussed above which does not incorporate the disadvantages listed, but rather which is designed so as to reduce the risk of injury in the event of collision by providing a light-weight, pliable construction which will render handling easier for road workers and which will give increased protection to hazard warning lights attached. In addition, it should be made possible to use the basic parts of the current rigid traffic signs by rendering them pliable, in accordance with the invention. This object, in accordance with the invention, is embodied in the characteristics presented in claim 1.
The flexible design of the traffic sign will considerably reduce the danger of collisions near roadworks. Polyurethane foam is a particularly suitable material of low specific gravity for manufacturing the signs, since it possesses adequate pliability, but is, at the same time, of high strength so that the sign has sufficient stability to withstand arduous conditions. In addition to adequate pliability after it has passed its bending force, the molecular structure of polyurethane foam allows the formed part to return to its original shape without undesired deformations after cessation of the bending forces.
The formed parts are easy to manufacture and are characterized by their very light weight. Excessive bending, such as in strong winds, which could cause the sign to sway undesirably, is avoided by reinforcing ribs and a molded plastic tube for electricity lines running along the length of the sign. The modified design of the traffic sign has several advantages, in that two tube parts connected by an elastic adapter attach the sign to the base. This provides above all, greater pliability of the entire traffic sign and, therefore, means a further minimization of accident risk. In addition, it is possible to adapt current traffic signs to use the feet or pedestals. The foot with a tube inserted is sawed off, and the tube end remaining inserted into the blind bore provided in the adapter of the invention. Finally, the adapters can be used with various cross sections to connect tubes of different diameters and cross sectional shapes.
Since the hazard warning light is embedded on all sides in the material of the sign, with the exception of the protecting glass recessed into the contour of the sign, the risk of damage to the light is practically eliminated. This also will increase traffic safety.
The sign plate of the invention, flat and even on both sides, has an edge reinforcement projecting along the lateral edges. This facilitates the manufacture of the sign to a great extent; the sign is less cumbersome and, therefore, easier to handle. The strips retaining the foil bearing the warning symbols are molded onto the inside of the edge reinforcement, parallel to the longitudinal axis of the traffic sign, such that there is a narrow groove between the face of the sign and each strip.
According to another characteristic of the invention, there are bore holes along the center of the length of the edge reinforcement to receive reinforcing tubes or rods parallel to the longitudinal axis of the traffic sign. It has proved to be an advantage if the reinforcing tubes or rods project below the bottom end of the sign, and thus serve simultaneously as connecting tubes between the sign and the foot. These reinforcing tubes or rods are also made of a pliable plastic material. If metal tubes are used as reinforcing tubes or rods, in accordance with a further characteristic of the invention, there would be breaking points provided along the uncovered parts of the reinforcing tubes or rods projecting below the sign, between the sign and the foot.
In order to replace or, if required, remove the hazard warning light as a unit, it may be designed so that it can be inserted into the sign. To this purpose, the bottom ends of the light have short projecting tubes or rods which can be inserted into corresponding bore holes provided in the upper edge of the sign. The inner diameter of the bore holes are such that they correspond to the outer diameter of the tubes or rods to be inserted. In accordance with a further characteristic of the invention, the hazard warning light may either be connected to an electric line or to a battery by means of bore holes provided in the embedded part of the light to receive tubes carrying the electricity supply cables.
It has also proved to be an advantage that the foot or base, provided in its upper part with bore holes to receive the connecting tubes or rods, is made of a mixture of ground guartz and polyurethane. This reduces the weight of the foot and makes the sign easier to handle. Another significant advantage is that the mixture can be colored with a specific dye, such as a signal color. The quartz-polyurethane mixture ratio is about 1.00:00.15, which is a further advantage. In accordance with a further characteristic of the invention., the foot is provided with handles. The invention will be explained in more detail by means of the enclosed drawings, in which the various designs of the invention are presented.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a traffic sign illustrating the invention with a sign, a hazard warning light, an adapter and a foot;
FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of a further embodiment of the traffic sign of the invention, with an adapter;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal view of a portion of the sign of either FIGS. 1 or 2;
FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the sign of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a sectional view along lines V--V of FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is a sectional view along lines VI--VI of FIG. 4;
FIG. 7 is a sectional view along line VII--VII of FIG. 4;
FIG. 8 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of a modification of the head section of the traffic sign with hazard warning light visible from front and rear;
FIG. 9 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the adapter portion of FIG. 2;
FIG. 10 is a front elevational view of a traffic sign according to the invention with a sign, a hazard warning light, two connecting tubes and a foot;
FIG. 11 is a front elevational view of further embodiment of the traffic sign according to the invention with a removable hazard warning light;
FIG. 12 is a longitudinal sectional view of traffic sign according to FIG. 10;
FIG. 13 is a sectional view taken along line C--C of FIG. 10; and
FIG. 14 is a sectional view taken along line D--D of FIG. 10.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
As FIG. 1 shows, the traffic sign basically features a weighted foot 1 made of U-sections welded together and a flat, essentially rectangular lightweight sign 2. In the example depicted, the sign 2 is a formed part made of polyurethane foam. The sign 2 and foot 1 are connected by a tube 3, secured in the center of foot 1. On top, a head section containing the hazard warning light is integrally molded on.
A modified traffic sign is depicted in FIG. 2 of analogous design to the traffic sign in FIG. 1, with the difference that the sign 2 and foot 1 are connected by two coaxial tubes 3a and 3b, which are themselves connected by means of an elastic adapter 5. Apapter 5 will be described in more detail below. The sign 2, made of polyurethane foam, has a basically rectangular sign plate 7 (FIGS. 3 and 4) onto which the head section 4 is molded. The latter has the shape of a flat cylinder, the axis of which runs perpendicular to the plane of the sign plate 7. As shown in FIG. 3, the head section 4 projects slightly forward in relation to sign plate 7. The head section 4 is hollow to accommodate exactly the shape of the hazard warning light. The hazard warning light 11, comprising reflector, deflector, incandescent lamp and fittings, is embedded on all sides in head section 4, with the exception of protective glass 11b, which is itself recessed into the contours of the head section 4. In addition, the head section 4 is provided with a recess 12 to receive the lamp fittings and the cable connections of the lamp 11. This recess 12 has a connection to a bore hole running along the longitudinal axis of the sign 2 for receiving flexible tube 13 into which the electric cables for the lamp 11 are inserted. The protective glass 11b is retained by a retaining edge (17) provided in the head section 4.
The plastic tube 13 also has a strengthening function in addition to the reinforcing rib which will be described below. The reinforcement is to prevent the sign 2 from being overly pliable, which would cause undesirable swaying in, for example, high winds.
The rear side of head section 4 (FIG. 3) lies along the same plane as the rear of sign plate 7, to which a reinforcement rib 15 is integrally attached along the longitudinal axis of the sign. Also, at the rear side of the sign plate 7 there is an integral cross rib 14a connected to the reinforcement rib 15, and extending across the entire width of the sign. Similarly, a second cross rib 14 is integrally attached to the bottom part of sign plate 7. The arrangement of the ribs can be seen in particular in FIGS. 5 and 6. The ribs 14 and 14a are pierced by bore hole 16 to receive tube 3, or tube part 3b.
For additional stabilization, the sign plate 7 is provided with edge reinforcement 9 (FIG. 3) along the front edge. The retaining edge 17, into which the protective glass 11b of the light 11 is inserted, is molded to the front face of head section 4.
At the bottom edge of sign plate 7, connected to the cross rib 14, a hollow cylindrical neck 20 is molded on with an external necking 19 to receive a hose clip 21 (FIG. 1).
FIGS. 4 and 7 show strips 18 molded onto the sides of the edge reinforcement 9 on both the upper and lower sections of the sign 2. Between the sign plate 7 and the strip 18 there is a narrow groove 19a. The pliable sheet, displaying the warning symbol with, in this case, red and white stripes, is inserted into the groove 19a. The width of the strips 18 are proportioned so that the sheet of aluminum or PVC foil cannot slip out of the groove if the sign 2 is distorted.
FIG. 8 shows a similar design for the sign as in FIGS. 3 and 4. However, the design has a modified head section 4' for receiving a light visible from both sides. This design is intended for road work being carried out. Inside the head section 4', a cylindrical cavity 12' extends through and transversely to the surface of the sign. The two lamps 11 are inserted in this cavity. The protective glass 11b is retained by the retaining edges 17 provided in the head section 4'. In the space 12 between lamps 11 are the cable connections for the lamps 11. The flexible plastic tube 13 contains the electricity cables. The reinforcing rib 15'is attached to the lower part of the head section 4', as distinguished from the design as per FIG. 3.
The coaxial tube parts depicted in FIG. 2 and intended to connect the sign 2 to the foot 1 are connected together by a flexible adapter 5 (FIG. 9). This adapter consists of a molded polyurethane foam piece. Polyurethane is particularly suitable to accomplish the basic function of the adapters due to its structure becuase, if the adapter bends, it returns to its normal shape after cessation of the bending forces without undesirable deformations. Also, polyurethane has the advantage of possessing light weight.
The lower part of adapter 5 (FIG. 9) is prism-shaped. At about the middle of the adapter, there is a collar 27 at the widest part of the adapter's circumference. Above collar 27,the cross section of the adapter gradually diminishes. At both ends of the adapter 5 there are coaxial blind bores 29, 30 extending to about the middle of the adapter for receiving tube parts 3a and 3b; blind bore 29 has a square cross section. Between the bottoms of blind bores 29 and 30 there is a solid section 31. Toward the end of the upper part on the outside there is an annular groove 31 for receiving a pipe clip 21 (FIG. 1).
A square cross section metal tube piece 23, to the exact shape of the bore, is inserted along the entire length of the lower blind bore 29, so that in the event of collision, only the upper part 28 of the adapter will bend. This is to prevent the entire traffic sign from being too pliable, which could cause undersirable swaying in, for example, strong winds. The integral reinforcing ribs 25, running in the direction of the generated surfaces of the upper part, have the same function. The square shape of the tube part 3a inserted into blind bore 29 prevents the sign from turning on condition that the upper tube part 3b is also fastened as securely as possible into adapter 5 by means of clip 21, so that it cannot turn. The upper tube part 3b (FIG. 2) may be a 1" hollow tube, for example.
As FIG. 10 shows, the traffic sign 40 basically consists of a foot 60 molded from a mixture of ground quartz and polyurethane and a flat, essentially rectangular lightweight sign 42. In the figure presented, the sign 42 is made of a shaped part consisting of polyurethane foam. Sign 42 and foot 60 are connected by means of two tubes 43 which are molded into the edge reinforcement 44. On top, there is an integral molded head section with a hazard warning light 45.
the sign plate 46 is flat and even on both sides (see FIG. 14). The reinforcement 44 along the edges of the sign projects on both sides in both directions. A variation to the traffic sign 41 presented in FIG. 11 is of analogous design to the traffic sign according to FIG. 10, with the difference that the hazard warning light 45' is designed so that it can be removed.
The sign 42 features a molded on head section 47 (FIG. 12). Viewed from either side of the sign the head section 47 or 47' extends slightly outward or laterally. Inside the head section 45, there is a chamber which corresponds exactly to the shape of the hazard warning light. The hazard warning light 45 is completely embedded into the head section 47 and/or 47' with the exception of the protective glass, which is itself recessed relative to the contour of the head section 47 or 47'.
In the case of the removable head section 47' according to FIG. 11, there are lateral bore holes 48 provided to accommodate the tubes 51 carrying the electric cables. To fulfill all possibilities of application, electric line and battery supply connections are provided. In the lower section of the removable head section 47', there are two bolts 49 for insertion into bore holes 50 which are provided in the upper section of the sign 42'. These bore holes are reinforced with relevant tubes 65.
The hzard warning light 45 is visible from both directions. As FIGS. 10, 11, 12 and 13 show, at the sides of the edge reinforcement 44 both in the upper and lower sections of the sign 42, there are integral strips 52 molded on in such a way as to form a narrow groove 53 between the sign plate 46 and each strip 52. These grooves 53 are meant to accommodate a flexible sheet displaying the warning symbol, which can be, for example, red and white stripes. The width of the stripes are so proportioned that the sheet of aluminum of PVC foil cannot slip out of the grooves 53, if the sign 42 is distorted.
As FIGS. 12 and 14 show, in about the center of the perpendicular sides of the edge reinforcement 44 there are bore holes 55 to receive the reinforcing tubes 43. These bore holes run parallel to the longitudinal axis of the traffic sign 40 or 41. In the example depicted, the reinforcing tubes 43 consist of a pliant, plastic material.
At the end of the tube there is a cone 56 made of rubber which increases the flexibility of the seat in the foot 60 and permits the tubes 43 to slip out of the foot 60 by deformation in the event of a collision. In the traffic sign depicted in FIGS. 10 and 11, the reinforcing tubes 43 extend below the bottom edge of the sign and have the simultaneous function of connecting tubes between the sign, and the foot 60 which is provided on its upper part with corresponding blind bores 58.
If metal tubes are used instead of pliable plastic tubes. the former will be provided with breaking points 65 along the un-covered parts of the tubes extending below the sign. In the example depicted in FIGS. 10 and 11, the foot 60 fitted on each side with handles 57, is made of a mixture of ground quartz and polyurethane. The quartz to polurethane ratio is 1.00:0.15. The components of the mixture are mass colored with a signal dye. | Roadway traffic and/or warning signs are provided with the construction thereof being such so as to provide flexible and/or pliable structures which are simultaneously lightweight for easy handling, but are of substantial strength. The signs of the invention are, preferably, comprised of molded polyurethane foam of integral structure which will give upon impact without damage, and will revert to their previous position once the forces causing the impact are removed. | 4 |
STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a mixing machine employing a novel drive train which provides for more power and longer drive train belt life than a conventional mixing machine. This invention also relates to a mixing machine employing a novel mechanism for preventing the shifting mechanism for the drive train of the mixing machine from moving out of position due to forces and vibrations caused by the operation of the mixing machine.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Currently in the art, two methods are employed in a mixing machine which employs variable speed pulleys to drive the mixer's mixing attachment. In a first method, the fixed center distance method, the distance between the centers of the pulleys is fixed. The fixed center distance method employs two variable speed pulleys linked by one drive belt which are used to transmit power and change the speed of the mixer. In a second method, the adjustable center distance method, the distance between the centers of one or two sets of pulleys can be adjusted. To provide a wide speed range, two sets of pulleys are required. This method employs two variable speed pulleys, two fixed diameter pulleys and two drive belts which are arranged so that they transmit power and change the speed of the mixer.
The drive train of a conventional adjustable center distance drive mixing machine with a wide range speed change is known in the art as an "extended" drive train. This type of drive train is driven by a motor which is typically positioned at or near the base of the mixing machine. This extended drive train comprises a first fixed diameter pulley which is driven by the motor. The fixed diameter pulley is linked by a drive belt to a first variable speed pulley. This first variable speed pulley is mounted on a moveable axle on which a second variable speed pulley is also mounted. The second variable speed pulley is linked via a second drive belt to a second fixed diameter pulley which is linked to the mixing head drive mechanism.
This conventional drive train has several drawbacks. To provide these mixers with a manageable size, the length of this type of drive train is limited by the height of the mixer. In these mixers, the motor which drives the drive train is mounted in the base of the mixer and the attachment drive is located in the mixer head. Typically, the distance between the centers of the first fixed diameter pulley and the first variable speed pulley and the distance between the centers of the second variable speed pulley and the second fixed diameter pulley equal approximately half of the center distance between the first fixed diameter pulley and the second fixed diameter pulley. As one can imagine, to design a mixing machine of manageable size, the distance between the first fixed diameter pulley and the second fixed diameter pulley is limited by the acceptable height of the mixing machine. The arrangement of the extended drive train requires the mixer to have a base foot print equal in length at least to the length of the motor plus the length of the motor drive shaft on which the first fixed diameter pulley is mounted.
It is known in the art that as the size of a pulley's pitch diameter decreases, the drive belt operating on that pulley will have a shorter fatigue life than if the same belt were placed on a pulley having a larger pitch diameter. The reduced fatigue life of the belt caused by the smaller diameter pulley results from the sharp degree of the bend such a pulley places in the belt. In other words, the sharper the bend placed in the belt by the pulley, the shorter the belt life will be. In conventional extended drive train mixers, the pulley on the motor drive shaft has a small pitch diameter because the size of that pulley is limited by the speed reduction ratio of the desired drive train of the mixer.
An additional problem that has plagued large volume mixing machines is known as "shifter creep". In these large volume mixing machines, a shift lever mounted on the outside of the machine is used to adjust the speed of the mixer's attachment drive. The shift lever is linked to the drive train of the attachment drive by a linkage. Movement of the shift lever in a first direction causes the speed of the attachment drive to increase while movement in a second direction causes the speed of the attachment drive to decrease. Under the forces generated by the rotation of the beaters and the vibration of the mixer, the shift lever has a tendency to vibrate out of position and change the speed of the attachment drive. As the mixing machine vibrates, the vibrations cause the shift lever to move in a direction which causes the speed of the attachment drive to increase or decrease. The undesired movement of the shift lever often results in the mixing ingredients being thrown out of the mixing bowl, overload of the mixer, increased mixing times and incomplete mixing of the ingredients in the mixing bowl.
The present invention provides two improvements over the prior art. First, the mixer provides a novel drive train for the attachment drive which provides greater power output to the mixing head and longer belt life for the belts used in the drive train than in conventional mixers. Second, the mixer provides a novel mechanism to maintain the shift lever of the mixing machine at the selected speed position and, subsequently, to provide for constant mixing at that speed until the mixer is either shut off or the speed is changed by the operator.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The mixing machine of this invention includes a housing having an upper portion and a lower portion. A mixing attachment drive head extends downwardly from the upper portion of the housing. An attachment drive is mounted in the housing and extends into the mixing attachment drive head. A motor for driving the attachment drive is mounted in the upper portion of the housing. A folded drive train, which extends downwardly from the motor in the upper portion of the housing into the lower portion of the housing and then back up into the upper portion of the housing, links the motor with the attachment drive which extends from the attachment drive head. The motor drives a drive train which is linked to a shift lever assembly, at one end, and the attachment drive, at its other end. A shift lever mounted in the shift lever assembly, which is rotatably mounted on the housing, is employed to change the speeds of the attachment drive by changing the distances between the centers of the pulleys of the drive train. The mixing machine also includes such conventional elements as a removable mixing bowl for holding ingredients to be mixed and a bowl support for supporting the mixing bowl beneath the attachment drive head.
To provide for longer belt life and more horsepower, the mixing machine of this invention includes a "folded" drive train. In a folded drive train, the motor which drives the drive train is mounted in the upper portion of the mixer housing as opposed to being mounted on or near the base of the apparatus as it is in a conventional mixer. In this invention, a first variable speed pulley is mounted on the motor drive shaft. The first variable speed pulley is linked by a first drive belt to a first fixed diameter pulley which is rotatably mounted in an adjustable pulley yoke which is mounted in the lower portion of the housing. A second variable speed pulley is mounted on an axle of the pulley yoke opposite the first fixed diameter pulley. The second variable speed pulley is linked via a second drive belt to a second fixed diameter pulley which is mounted at the end of a drive shaft which drives the attachment drive. This arrangement of the drive train provides the drive train with a folded configuration or "U"-shape which contrasts with conventional drive trains which are essentially linear in their arrangement.
The drive train of this invention provides for longer life of the belts employed in the drive train. The folded arrangement of the drive train of this invention allows for the use of longer belts which have a longer useful life than the shorter belts typically used in conventional mixers. Longer belts can be used in this invention because the distance between the motor, to which the first variable speed pulley is attached, and the pulley yoke, in which the first fixed diameter pulley and the second variable speed pulley are mounted, is greater than in conventional mixers. This folded drive train allows the pulley yoke to be mounted lower in the housing which, in turn, allows for longer belts to be used in the drive train as compared to conventional mixers in which the positioning of the moveable axle is typically located halfway between the motor and the attachment drive shaft. In conventional mixers, the moveable axle is generally placed halfway between the motor and the attachment drive shaft as a compromise to maximize the length of each belt based upon the arrangement of the drive train.
This invention also provides for longer belt life by allowing pulleys having a larger pitch diameter than pulleys used in conventional mixers to be used in the drive train. These larger pitch diameter pulleys can be used because of the positioning of the various pulleys of the drive train in the housing of the mixer. For example, the pitch diameter of the variable speed pulley used on the motor drive shaft is always larger than the fixed diameter pulley on the drive shaft of conventional mixers. This is because conventional mixers typically employ a fixed diameter pulley having a small diameter on the motor drive shaft. Conventional mixers employ small diameter pulleys on the motor drive shaft provide an initial speed reduction. On the other hand, this invention employs, on the motor drive shaft, a variable speed pulley which at its smallest diameter (for the lowest speed) measures larger than that for conventional mixers. Because it is a variable speed pulley, at higher speeds, it has a much larger diameter than the pulley used on the motor drive shaft of conventional mixers. These pulleys with a larger pitch diameter place less stress on the drive belts contributing to longer life of the belts.
To maintain the shift lever at the proper speed position during a mixing operation, the mixing machine includes a shift lever assembly which prevents the shift lever from vibrating out of position during a mixing operation, i.e., to prevent "shifter creep". The shift lever assembly includes a plate mounted on the mixer housing. At least four depressions are formed in the surface of the plate. A shift lever assembly is rotatably mounted on the plate. The shifter lever assembly hub contains at least two bearings which engage the depressions in the plate to maintain the shifter in the proper position. The bearings are biased toward the plate and into contact with the depressions by a spring. The shift lever is mounted in the hub of the shift lever assembly. The shift lever assembly is linked to a crank shaft which adjusts a linkage which, in turn, moves the drive train of the attachment drive to change the speed of the primary attachment drive and the auxiliary attachment drive.
These features and other features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood by reference to the following detailed description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 presents a front view of a mixing machine;
FIG. 2 presents a side view of the mixing machine of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 presents a lateral cross sectional view of the mixing machine;
FIG. 4 presents a cross-sectional view of the rear of the mixing machine and the shift lever assembly;
FIG. 5 presents a detailed view of the shift lever assembly; and
FIG. 6 presents a perspective view of the shifter plate of the shift lever assembly.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 presents a front view of a mixing machine 10 and FIG. 2 presents a side view of mixing machine 10. As can be seen in both FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, mixing machine 10 includes a housing 20, a mixing attachment drive head 30, a mixing bowl support 40, an auxiliary attachment port 50, and a shift lever assembly 200. Housing 20 is mounted on base 22. Housing 20 can be divided into two portions, an upper portion 24 and a lower portion 26 which is mounted on base 22. Mixing attachment drive head 30 extends from upper portion 24 of housing 20 and is linked to a drive train 100, shown in FIG. 3, which drives attachment drive head 30. Attachment drive head 30 extends downwardly from upper portion 24 of housing 20 and contains a drive train which drives a conventional, detachable primary attachment (not shown), such as, for example, a beater or dough hook, which is detachably mounted on mixing machine 10. An auxiliary attachment drive port 50, which can be used to drive an auxiliary attachment such as, for example, a meat grinder, extends horizontally from upper portion 24 of housing 20. Port 50 includes an attachment means 52 which secures the auxiliary attachment (not shown) to mixing machine 10.
Bowl support 40 supports a mixing bowl (not shown) beneath mixing attachment drive head 30. Bowl support 40 is adjustably mounted on lower portion 26 of housing 20. Crank 42 is rotatably mounted on housing 20 and is used to raise and lower bowl 40 into position beneath mixing attachment drive head 30. Handle 44 extends outwardly from crank 42 and can be used to rotate crank 42. Crank 42 is linked to an adjustment mechanism (not shown) which is used to move bowl support 40 vertically in relation to the mixing head attachment drive head 30.
FIG. 3 presents a cross sectional view of the mixer 10 which shows main drive train 100. As shown in FIG. 3, drive train 100 is "folded" and comprises a motor 102, a first variable speed pulley 104, a first fixed diameter pulley 106, a first drive belt 108, a pulley yoke 110, a second variable speed pulley 114, a second fixed diameter pulley 116, and a second drive belt 118. A "folded" drive train is one in which, instead of being linear and extending from the base of the mixing machine to its head, motor 102 is mounted in the upper portion 24 of housing 20 and pulley yoke 110 is mounted in the lower portion 26 of housing 20 so that drive train 100 has a "folded" or "U"-shape configuration.
As shown in FIG. 3, motor 102 is mounted in upper portion 24 of housing 20 in mixing machine 10. Preferably, motor 102 is mounted behind mixing attachment drive head 30. First variable speed pulley 104 is mounted on the drive shaft (not shown) of motor 102 and is driven by motor 102. First variable speed pulley 104 drives first fixed diameter pulley 106 by means of first drive belt 108. First fixed diameter pulley 106 is rotatably mounted in pulley yoke 110 on an axle 112 which extends through yoke 110. Second variable speed pulley 114 is also rotatably mounted on axle 112. Second variable speed pulley 114 drives second fixed diameter pulley 116 by means of second drive belt 118. Second fixed diameter pulley 116 is mounted on drive shaft 120, which drives the primary attachment and the auxiliary attachment of mixer 10, by means of key 122.
First bracket 124 and second bracket 126 are mounted in upper portion 24 of housing 20. Drive shaft 120 is rotatably mounted in both first bracket 124 and second bracket 126. At one end, drive shaft 120 extends into attachment drive port 50 by means of attachment shaft 130. Near bracket 126, first bevel gear 140 is mounted on drive shaft 120. First bevel gear 140 meshes with a second bevel gear 142 which is mounted on drive shaft 144. Gear 146 is mounted on drive shaft 144 and gear 146 meshes with a gear 148 which is mounted on primary attachment drive shaft 150. Drive shaft 150 extends from head 30 and drives the primary attachment (not shown).
FIG. 4 presents a cross sectional view of the rear of mixing machine 10. As can be seen in FIG. 4, pulley yoke 110 is mounted on rod 166 and comprises a body 160, a first end 162 and a second end 164. Rod 166 is mounted between the side walls of housing 20. First end 162 of yoke 110 is pivotally mounted on rod 166 in lower portion 26 of housing 20. Axle 112 extends through yoke 110 to retain pulleys 106 and 114 in yoke 110. Second end 164 of yoke 110 terminates in a first arm 168 and a second arm (not shown). A pair of springs 170 (one shown) engage arm 168 and the second arm. These springs, 170 and the one not shown, are provided to balance the tension on belts 108 and 118 and reduce the load on the linkage which links the shift lever assembly 200 with drive train 100, as discussed below.
As can also be seen in FIG. 4, shift lever assembly 200 includes a housing 220, a plate 230, a shift lever 240, a crank assembly 250, a shaft 270 and a linkage 280. Shift lever assembly 200 is rotatably mounted on the side of housing 20 of mixer 10. Plate 230, which has a center aperture 234, is mounted on housing 20. Housing 220 is mounted on shaft 270 which extends through aperture 234 in plate 230 and has crank assembly 250 journalled to its second end. Shift lever 240 is mounted in housing 220 as described below. Crank assembly 250 is also linked to linkage 280. Linkage 280 links shift lever assembly 200 to pulley yoke 110. Linkage 280 engages pulley yoke 110 between arm 168 and the second arm. Shift lever 240 is used to adjust the speed of attachment drive head 30 by changing the center distance between pulley 104 and pulley 106 and the center distance between pulley 114 and pulley 122, which is discussed in detail below in combination with the discussion of FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 presents a detail view of shift lever assembly 200. As can be seen in FIG. 5, housing 220 of shift lever assembly 200 is rotatably mounted on plate 230 by means of shaft 270. Shaft 270 extends through aperture 234 in plate 230 and connects housing 220 with crank assembly 250. At least four cavities, a first cavity 222, a second cavity 224, and two cavities 226 are formed in housing 220. Shift lever 240 is mounted in and extends from first cavity 222. Shaft 270 is mounted in second cavity 224. Cavities 226 contain ball detentes 290 which engage plate 230. Springs 292 are also contained in cavities 226 and engage detentes 290 to urge detentes 290 into engagement with plate 230. Preferably, springs 292 are compression springs.
Crank assembly 250 of shift lever assembly 200 can also be seen in FIG. 5. Crank assembly 250 includes crank arm 252 and crank shaft 254. At one end, crank arm 252 defines a first aperture 256 into which crank shaft 254 is rotatably mounted. At a second end, crank arm 252 defines a second aperture 258 into which shaft 270 is journalled. Crank shaft 254 is rotatably mounted in crank arm 252 and engages linkage 280.
As stated above, shift lever assembly 200 is linked to drive train 100 by means of linkage 280. Linkage 280 has a first end 282 and a second end 284. The first end 282 of linkage 280 has crank shaft 254 rotatably mounted therein. The second end 284 of linkage 280 engages pulley yoke 110. The second end 284 of linkage 280 is journalled to the pulley yoke 110 so that movement of shift lever 240 causes pulley yoke 110 to pivot about rod 166.
Bearing sleeve 294 extends through center aperture 234 in plate 230. Bearing sleeve 294 is hollow and has a base portion 296 and a cylindrical portion 298. Base portion 296 engages aperture 234 and cylindrical portion 298 engages the inner periphery of aperture 234. Shaft 270 extends through the center of bearing sleeve 294. Bearing sleeve 294 facilitates the rotation of shaft 270 in aperture 234, which results in the movement of crank assembly 250.
FIG. 6 presents a plan view of plate 230. Plate 230 comprises a collar 232 which extends outwardly from the center of plate 230 and a neck 236 which extends upwardly from collar 232. Center aperture 234 extends through collar 232 and neck 236. Collar 232 has depressions 238 formed in its surface. Typically, plate 230 has eight depressions 238. Plate 230 also includes, on the periphery of collar 232, apertures 260 by which plate 230 is mounted on housing 20 of mixing machine 10. Apertures 260 are engaged by fasteners 264 for securing plate 230 to housing 20 of mixing machine 10. As can be seen in FIG. 4, plate 230 is typically mounted on the inside of housing 20 of mixing machine 10 so that collar 232 and neck 236 extend through an aperture 266 in housing 20.
The primary and auxiliary attachment drives of mixing machine 10 are driven by motor 102 through drive train 100. Motor 102 drives variable speed pulley 104 by means of its drive shaft (not shown). Pulley 104 then drives fixed diameter pulley 106 by means of drive belt 108. Variable speed pulley 114 is then driven by pulley 106 because pulley 106 and pulley 114 are mounted on the same axle 112 in pulley yoke 110. Pulley 114 then drives fixed diameter pulley 116 by means of belt 118.
Pulley 116 drives drive shaft 120 by being mounted on drive shaft 120. Drive shaft 120 rotates in brackets 124 and 126. Drive shaft 120, in turn, rotates first bevel gear 140 which meshes with and rotates second bevel gear 142. Bevel gear 142 drives drive shaft 144. Drive shaft 144 rotates primary attachment drive shaft 150 by means of gear 146 which is mounted on drive shaft 144 and which engages gear 148 mounted on drive shaft 150. Drive shaft 120 may also be used to drive an auxiliary attachment which is attached to mixer 10 at the auxiliary attachment port 50 by screw 52. Drive shaft 120 directly drives the auxiliary attachment which is coupled directly to drive shaft 120 via attachment shaft 130 through auxiliary attachment port 50.
Because first variable speed pulley 104 is mounted on the drive shaft of motor 102 rather than a fixed diameter pulley being mounted on the drive shaft of motor 102, mixing machine 10 can produce more horsepower than conventional mixers through the first belt. Because variable speed pulleys produce nearly constant output torque, a variable speed pulley mounted on the drive shaft of motor 102 will transmit higher horsepower at higher motor speeds than would a variable speed pulley mounted on axle 112 of pulley yoke 110. This occurs because, in conventional mixers, the speed of axle 112, on which the variable speed pulley is mounted, has already been reduced through the use of a fixed pitch diameter pulley on the motor drive shaft. Typically, the fixed pitch diameter pulley used in conventional mixers has a fixed, small pitch diameter to provide an initial speed reduction for the drive train. On the other hand, the variable speed pulley used in conjunction with this invention provides, at its smallest diameter (i.e. lowest speed), a diameter larger than that of conventional mixers. Because a variable speed pulley is used, at higher speeds the radius of the pulley is much larger than that used in conventional mixers. This invention produces more horsepower on the first belt because a variable speed pulley mounted on the motor drive shaft does reduce the speed as much as the fixed pitch diameter pulley which is employed in conventional mixers.
To avoid the "creep" caused by the vibration of the mixing machine 10 during its operation and to maintain the shift lever assembly 200 at the preselected speed position on housing 20, shift lever assembly 200 contains detentes 290 which engage depressions 238 in plate 230. Springs 292 bias detentes 290 into engagement with depressions 238 in plate 230. The engagement of detentes 290 and depressions 238 in plate 230 inhibits shift lever assembly 200 from vibrating out of the selected speed position. Although the biasing force provided by springs 292 can be overcome by movement of the shift lever 240, the biasing force of springs 292 is sufficient to maintain detentes 290 in position in depressions 238 while the mixing operation is in process. Once shift lever 240 has been moved to the preselected position indicating the speed of the attachment drive, detentes 290 are biased by springs 292 into position in depressions 238 to prevent movement of housing 220 and, subsequently, shift lever 240 out of position.
To change the speed of drive train 100 of mixing machine 10, shift lever 240 is moved. To increase the speed of drive train 100, shift lever 240 is moved in a first direction. To decrease the speed of the attachment drive, shift lever 240 is moved in a second direction. The operator must apply sufficient force to shift lever 240 to overcome the biasing force of springs 292 on detentes 290 and to cause housing 220 to rotate. This force causes detentes 290 to dislodge from depressions 238. Once detentes 290 have been dislodged from depressions 238, housing 220 can be moved to rotate shaft 270. Once shift lever 240 has been moved to the desired speed position, springs 292 urge detentes 290 into engagement with depressions 238 to maintain shift lever assembly 220 in the desired position.
The rotation of shaft 270 moves crank assembly 250. Particularly, rotation of shaft 270 causes crank arm 252 to rotate. As crank arm 252 is rotated, crank shaft 254 is rotated in the same radial direction as shaft 270. As crank shaft 254 is moved, first end 282 of linkage 280 is also moved. As first end 282 of linkage 280 is moved, second end 284, which links shift lever assembly 200 with drive train 100 of mixing machine 10, is also moved.
The movement of the second end of linkage 280 causes pulley yoke 110 to pivot about rod 166 toward or away from motor 200. The movement of yoke 110 away from motor 102 reduces the pitch diameters of variable speed pulleys 106 and 114 and causes the speed of drive shaft 120 to decrease. A decrease in the speed of drive shaft 120 results in a corresponding decrease in speed of the primary attachment drive and/or the auxiliary attachment drive. A reduced speed is used to mix heavy loads. Conversely, movement of pulley yoke 110 toward motor 102 increases the pitch diameters of pulleys 106 and 114 which causes an increase in the speed of drive shaft 120. An increase in the speed of shaft 120 is used for light loads. Spring 170 and the spring, which is not shown, are attached to pulley yoke 110 at arm 168 and the other arm, which is not shown, to maintain balance between the tension on belts 108 and 118 and to reduce the load on linkage 280.
Although shift lever assembly 200 has been described herein as having two detentes 290, one skilled in the art will appreciate that shift lever assembly 200 can have as few as one bearing and up to as many bearings as there are depressions 238 in plate 230. However, shift lever assembly will preferably contain two detentes 290. One skilled in the art will also appreciate that for each bearing 290 there will be a corresponding spring 292. Although plate 230 has been described herein as having eight depressions 238, one skilled in the art will appreciate that plate 230 will have as many depressions 238 as are necessary to function with this invention. The number of depressions 238 in plate 230 is limited by the size of detentes 290, the diameter of plate 230 and the diameter of neck 236, among other considerations.
Having described the invention in detail, it will be apparent that numerous variations and modifications are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims. | A mixing machine comprising a housing having an upper portion and a lower portion, an attachment drive head extending downwardly from the upper portion of the housing, an attachment drive including an attachment drive shaft, the shaft being capable of driving a detachable mixing attachment, an adjustable drive train linked to the attachment drive for driving the attachment drive shaft, a motor mounted in the housing for driving the drive train, a shift lever assembly including a shift lever wherein movement of the shift lever adjusts the length of the adjustable drive train and thereby changes the speed of the attachment drive, and a mechanism mounted on the housing to prevent the shift lever from vibrating out of position during a mixing operation and to prevent a change in speed of the mixing machine. | 0 |
TECHNICAL FIELD
The subject matter described herein relates to provisioning of soft cards on devices with wireless communications capabilities. More particularly, the subject matter described herein relates to methods, systems, and computer program products for over the air provisioning of soft cards on devices with wireless communications capabilities.
BACKGROUND ART
Conventional physical payment cards, member cards, and loyalty cards are typically provisioned in a physical secure environment controlled by the card issuer. For example, the card issuer may have a secure facility where cards are provisioned before being sent to users. When a user receives a card, the user typically contacts the card issuer by telephone to activate the card.
In order to eliminate the need for users to carry physical cards, card issuers have begun issuing soft cards. As used herein, the term “soft card” refers to a software-implemented entity for facilitating transactions, such as payment transactions. Examples of soft cards include payment cards, such as credit cards, loyalty cards, member cards, identification cards, and other payment and no-payment cards.
A soft card may be provisioned on a device with wireless communications capabilities. Devices with wireless communication capabilities may interact with local card readers to enable transactions involving the soft card. Examples of devices with wireless communications capabilities include mobile phones, smart phones, key fobs, physical cards, and personal digital assistants with interfaces to local card readers. Interactions between a device and a reader may occur via an electric and/or magnetic field between the device and the reader. One type of communications channel that may be used between a device capable of supporting a soft card and a card reader for payment transactions is near field communications (NFC). Near field communications typically occur at a distance of within about one wavelength of the communications frequency being used between the device and the contactless card reader. Example of a contactless communications protocol that may be used in communications between a device capable of supporting a soft card and a contactless card reader is an ISO 14443 interface.
Devices with wireless communications capabilities may also be capable of data communications with remote entities. For example, devices with wireless communications capabilities may implement HTTP over TCP/IP over an air interface for communicating with remote entities. The air interface protocol used by a device with wireless communications capabilities may vary with the device. Examples of air interface protocols that may be used include GSM, GPRS, CDMA, Bluetooth, etc.
In order to utilize a soft card on a device with wireless communications capabilities, the soft card must be provisioned or loaded onto the device. One possible solution for provisioning soft cards on mobile devices is to provision the devices at a secure facility controlled by the card issuer. However, it is impractical to require users to bring their mobile phones or PDAs to a card issuer location for secure provisioning. Accordingly, one conventional provisioning method involves the user calling the card issuer and requesting a soft card. A human operator or a call center at the card issuer obtains user information. The card issuer validates the user and enqueues soft card provisioning requests for multiple users. When a batch of soft card provisioning requests has been obtained by the card issuer, the card issuer provisions the cards as a batch. The time from a soft card request until batch provisioning can range from 3 to 20 days. Such a delay is undesirable for users who desire to use their soft cards immediately.
Another problem with conventional card provisioning systems is that the systems are not scalable. For example, card-issuer-specific provisioning systems communicate with back end network devices using proprietary protocols. There is believed to be no system that is capable of provisioning cards issued by different card issuers using a single point of contact for mobile devices.
Accordingly, in light of these problems with conventional soft card provisioning methods, there exists a need for improved methods, systems, and computer program products for over the air provisioning of soft cards on devices with wireless communications capabilities.
SUMMARY
Methods, systems, and computer program products for over the air provisioning of soft cards on devices with wireless communications capabilities are disclosed. According to one method, a soft card provisioning application is instantiated on a device with wireless communications capabilities. A card number for a soft card desired to be provisioned on the device is obtained form the user of the device. The card number is communicated to a provisioning configuration server over an air interface.
Card-issuer-specific challenges corresponding to the card number and a provisioning issuer server network address are obtained from the provisioning configuration server. The challenges are presented to the user, and the user's responses to the challenges are received. A connection is made to the provisioning issuer server corresponding to the network address. The challenge responses are communicated to the provisioning issuer server. Soft card personalization data for provisioning the soft card is received from the provisioning issuer server. The soft card is provisioned for use on the device based on the personalization data.
The provisioning of a soft card over the air interface may occur over wireless connection, for example, using HTTP and TCP protocols. A TCP socket may be created for the provisioning connection. The physical layer of the connection may utilize, CDMA, Bluetooth, GPRS, or GSM air interface protocols. Provisioning may occur over the Internet or over a corporate or other intranet. Provisioning may be direct, in that provisioning does not require a voice call. That is, the device user may not be required to call a card issuer or a third party to initiate card provisioning. Provisioning may occur automatically by providing a provisioning application on a mobile device that establishes a connection with a provisioning configuration server in response to being started. Eliminating the need for the user to initiate a voice call to provision a soft card reduces the time required for the provisioning process.
The methods and systems described herein for over the air provisioning of soft cards on devices with wireless communications capabilities can be implemented using a computer program product comprising computer executable instructions embodied in a computer readable medium. Exemplary computer readable media suitable for implementing the subject matter described herein include chip memory devices, disk memory devices, programmable logic devices, application specific integrated circuits, and downloadable electrical signals. In addition, a computer program product that implements the subject matter described herein may be located on a single device or computing platform or may be distributed across multiple devices or computing platforms.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Preferred embodiments of the subject matter described herein will now be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings of which:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system for over the air provisioning of a soft card on a device with wireless communications capabilities according to an embodiment of the subject matter described herein;
FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating exemplary overall steps for manually provisioning a soft card from the perspective of a soft card provisioning application according to an embodiment of the subject matter described herein;
FIGS. 3A and 3B are a flow chart illustrating exemplary detailed steps for provisioning a soft card over an air interface from the perspective of a soft card provisioning application according to an embodiment of the subject matter described herein;
FIGS. 4A and 4B are a flow chart illustrating exemplary detailed steps for preloading provisioning information for a soft card using a web interface according to an embodiment of the subject matter described herein;
FIGS. 5A and 5B are a flow chart illustrating exemplary detailed steps performed by a soft card provisioning application for automatically provisioning a soft card according to an embodiment of the subject matter described herein;
FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating exemplary overall steps for provisioning a soft card from the perspective of a provisioning configuration server according to an embodiment of the subject matter described herein;
FIGS. 7A and 7B are a flow chart illustrating exemplary detailed steps for the overall provisioning process according to an embodiment of the subject matter described herein; and
FIGS. 8A and 8B are a flow chart illustrating exemplary steps for provisioning a soft card using WAP push methods according to the embodiment of the subject matter described herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a provisioning system for provisioning soft cards on devices with wireless communications capabilities according to an embodiment of the subject matter described herein. Referring to FIG. 1 , system 100 includes a provisioning and payment application 102 , a web provisioning application 104 , an administrative site 106 , a provisioning configuration server 108 , and one or more provisioning issuer servers 110 hosted in card issuer locations. Provisioning and payment application 102 may reside on a device with wireless communication capabilities, such as a mobile telephone, a smart phone, or a personal digital assistant. A wireless network operator 112 may provide the pathway for provisioning communications with provisioning and payment application 102 . This pathway may be an IP connection that is separate from a voice call, eliminating the need for users to initiate provisioning using voice calls.
Provisioning and payment application 102 may provide a user interface for the end user to initiate the provisioning of one or more soft cards that reside on the wireless communications device. Provisioning and payment application 102 may communicate with the user to obtain authentication information and may contact provisioning issuer server 110 to obtain soft card personalization data. Exemplary steps performed by provisioning and payment application 102 will be described in further detail below. Provisioning and payment application 102 is also referred to herein as “provisioning application,” since payment functionality is not essential to explaining the subject matter described herein.
Web provisioning application 104 may allow a user to perform one or more steps required for provisioning the soft card via a web interface. Web provisioning application 104 may reside on a web server associated with an entity that is separate from the card issuer. Web provisioning application 104 may allow a user to provision multiple cards in one provisioning transaction. Exemplary detailed steps performed by web provisioning application 104 will be described below.
Administration site 106 may provide customer support for provisioning soft cards on handheld devices. The functionality of administration site 106 is not essential to the subject matter described herein. Hence, additional detail will not be provided.
Provisioning configuration server 108 may store configuration and business process information for a plurality of different card issuers. For example, provisioning configuration server 108 may receive soft card provisioning requests from provisioning and payment application 102 . Provisioning configuration server 108 may identify the card issuer associated with the request based on a card number or an identifier provided in the request. Provisioning configuration server 108 may obtain challenge data from the card issuer and may communicate that challenge data to provisioning and payment application 102 . Provisioning configuration server 108 may provide a single point of contact for mobile device users to provision soft cards. In addition, provisioning configuration server 108 may be configured to communicate with multiple card issuers. As a result, provisioning configuration server 108 provides an easy-to-use, scalable solution to soft card provisioning.
Provisioning issuer servers 110 may reside at each different card issuer and may be integrated with each card issuer back office system to provide card provisioning data, card image and card financial information, such as account balance, rewards, pre-printed information on the card and personalized embossed information (expiration date, CVV, name on the card, PAN). For a soft card, the pre-printed and personalized embossed information may be displayed to the user via a graphical user interface associated with the device. Provisioning issuer servers 110 may communicate with provisioning and payment application 102 to authenticate a user and to deliver card personalization data and card image information to application 102 . Provisioning issuer server 110 may also communicate with back office systems 114 and card issuer customer support sites 116 . Back office systems 114 may store user's personal information and personalization data for soft cards. Customer support sites 116 may provide customer support for card issuer customers.
In the example illustrated in FIG. 1 , the dotted arrows represent automatic provisioning, which is provisioning that involves web application 104 and then using provisioning and payment application 102 to provision multiple cards with single request using web application user name and password. The solid arrows represent manual provisioning, which is provisioning of individual cards one at a time using provisioning and payment application 102 . The remaining arrows represent WAP push provisioning, which will be described in detail below.
FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating exemplary overall steps for provisioning the soft card on a device with wireless communication capabilities according to an embodiment of the subject matter described herein. The steps in FIG. 2 may be preformed by provisioning and payment application 102 and/or web provisioning application 104 . The steps illustrated in FIG. 2 are intended to be generic with regard to automatic or manual provisioning. Referring to FIG. 2 , in step 200 A, if device is used for first time, provisioning and payment application 102 will configure a secure memory embedded in the device along with a near field communication component. This process may not be repeated for returning user of provisioning and payment application 102 . in step 200 , a request for soft card provisioning is received from the user. For manual provisioning, this step may be performed by provisioning and payment application 102 . For automatic provisioning, the step may be performed by web provisioning application 104 .
In step 202 , the card identifier is obtained from the user. The card identifier may be the personal account number (PAN) associated with the soft card request. For manual provisioning, step 202 may be performed by provisioning and payment application 102 . For automatic provisioning, step 202 may be performed by web provisioning application 104 .
In step 204 , a card identifier is communicated to provisioning configuration server 108 . In one exemplary implementation, provisioning configuration server 108 may have a 1 to n relationship with provisioning issuer servers 110 . Accordingly, provisioning and payment application 102 and/or web provisioning application 104 may be configured with contact information for a single provisioning configuration server 108 . Eliminating the need for provisioning and payment application 102 and/or web provisioning application 104 to be preconfigured with multiple card issuer identifications allows different cards issued by different issuers to be provisioned in a more efficient manner. In addition, using a provisioning configuration server 108 to control communications with provisioning and payment application 102 , web provisioning application 104 , and card issuer servers 110 , makes system more scalable than card-issuer-specific provisioning systems. In a manual provisioning process, step 204 may be implemented by provisioning and payment application 102 . In an automatic provisioning process, step 204 may be performed by a web provisioning application 104 .
In step 206 , provisioning and payment application 102 receives provisioning issuer server information, card type information, such as Paypass, Visa, Discover, and challenge information for the provisioning issuer server identified by provisioning configuration server 108 . In step 207 , provisioning and payment application 102 may create an instance of card type in secure memory for personalization, if no new instance is present for card type. In step 208 A, provisioning and payment application 102 may send all challenge questions received by provisioning configuration server 108 for a specific card issuer to the user. In step 208 , provisioning and payment application 102 obtains challenge response information from the user. In step 210 , provisioning and payment application 102 communicates the challenge response to the provisioning issuer server. In step 212 , provisioning and payment application 102 obtains card personalization data, card image and pre-printed card information and card embossed information from provisioning issuer server 110 .
If provisioning and payment application 102 successfully receives the card personalization data over the air interface, then provisioning and payment application 102 provisions the soft card for use on the device by storing the personalization data in memory. If provisioning and payment application 102 fails to successfully receive the soft card personalization data, provisioning and payment application 102 may read card track information from a secure chip associated with the device to obtain and display the last four digits of a card number and display a default card image, either at provisioning time or at payment time.
FIGS. 3A and 3B are a flow chart illustrating exemplary detailed steps performed by provisioning and payment application 102 in a manual provisioning process according to an embodiment of the subject matter described herein. Referring to FIG. 3A , in step 300 , the device with wireless communication capabilities is powered on. In step 302 , the user waits for the device to start. In step 304 , the user selects provisioning and payment application 102 . In step 306 , the user waits for provisioning and payment application 102 to open.
In step 308 , the user selects the manual provisioning option assuming that the near field communication component embedded with secure memory is already configured. As described above, manual provisioning includes provisioning the device with wireless communication capabilities, e.g., using the Internet (HTTP over TCP/IP), without preloading information in a web application. In step 310 , application 102 determines whether the number of cards to be downloaded is less than a predetermined maximum number. The maximum number may be configurable by the developer of soft card provisioning and payment application 102 . In step 312 , if the number of cards to be downloaded is not less than the maximum number, control proceeds to step 314 where the manual provisioning process ends.
In step 310 , if the number of cards to be downloaded is less than the maximum number, control proceeds to step 316 where application 102 asks the user to enter the PAN number for the card to be downloaded. Once the user enters the PAN number, control proceeds to step 318 in FIG. 3B where the application starts the authentication process. Detailed steps for authenticating the device will be described below. In step 320 , it is determined whether the device is authenticated. If the device is not authenticated, control proceeds to step 322 where application 102 indicates that the phone is not a valid phone with a secure memory and near field communication component. Application 102 may display to the user a message to contact customer support. Control then proceeds to step 314 where the provisioning process ends.
In step 320 , if the device is successfully authenticated, control proceeds to step 324 where application 102 obtains card issuer information, card type information and challenge question from provisioning configuration server 108 . In step 325 A, provisioning and payment application 102 may create a new instance of card type if not present. In step 325 B, provisioning and payment application 102 may present the challenge questions to user. In step 326 , the user provides response for the challenge questions. In step 328 , application 102 issues a soft card card download request to the identified provisioning issuer server. The identified provisioning issuer server 110 may communicate with the card issuer back end network to validate the user using the challenge response information provided in the soft card download request. Once the user is validated, provisioning issuer server 110 may provide the soft card personalization data to provisioning and payment application 102 . Application 102 receives the soft card personalization data from the provisioning issuer server. In step 330 , application 102 displays the card image to the user with card nickname and last 4 digits of card PAN number and may store embossed information and pre-printed information in secure memory and record management store (RMS) respectively. In step 332 , application 102 determines whether the user wants to download another card. If the user answers affirmatively, control returns to step 308 where the provisioning process restarts for the next card. If the user does not desire to download another card, control proceeds to step 334 where the provisioning process ends.
As stated above, in one implementation, a user may preload some of the information required for the provisioning process using web application 104 for a single card or for multiple cards. The process of pre-validating and preloading information in web application 104 to facilitate soft card provisioning is referred as to a soft card request. FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrates exemplary steps that may be performed using web application 104 in initiating a soft card request. Referring to FIG. 4A , in step 400 , a user provides a PAN number, an expiration date, and other card verification values for a soft card desired to be provisioned. In step 402 , web application 104 communicates the card information to provisioning configuration server 108 and obtains challenge questions and card issuer identification information from provisioning configuration server 108 . In step 404 , web provisioning application 104 determines whether responses to the challenge questions have been provided by the user during enrollment. If all responses to the challenge questions have not been provided, control proceeds to step 406 where web application 104 asks the user for missing responses to the challenge questions.
In step 408 , web provisioning application 104 communicates the PAN and responses to the challenge questions to the card issuer. The card issuer validates the card information and responses to the challenge questions with user information stored in card issuer back office database provided during physical card issuance In step 410 , web provisioning application 104 determines whether the validation was successful. If the validation was not successful, control proceeds to step 412 where application 104 asks the user whether the user wants to retry. If the user selects yes, control proceeds to step 414 where the user re-enters the validation information. Validation is then reattempted by the card issuer.
If validation is successful, control proceeds to step 418 where application 104 receives confirmation of the validation, the card image, and the account user identifier and/or PAN. Referring to FIG. 4B , in step 420 , application 104 stores the card image and general account information, such as nickname, expiration date, and account balance information. In step 422 , application 104 displays a confirmation page indicating that the soft card request was successfully completed. In step 424 , application 104 determines whether the user wants to repeat the process for another card. If the user desires to repeat the process for another card, control returns to step 400 and the steps for a soft card request are repeated. If the user does not desire to process another card, control proceeds to step 426 where the soft card request process is terminated and the user is redirected to the home page of the provisioning entity.
As stated above, once a user has prestored one or more soft cards using application 104 and the process illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 4B , the user may automatically provision the soft cards on his or her device with wireless communication capabilities using the auto provisioning process. FIGS. 5A and 5B are a flow chart illustrating exemplary steps that may be performed by provisioning and payment application 102 in implementing the auto provisioning process according to an embodiment of the subject matter described herein. Referring to FIG. 5A , in step 500 , the user powers on the device with wireless communication capabilities. In step 502 , the user waits for the device to start. In step 504 , the user selects provisioning and payment application 102 . In step 506 , the user waits for provisioning and payment application 102 to open.
Once provisioning and payment application 102 opens, in step 508 , the user selects the auto provisioning option. Control then proceeds to step 510 where it is determined whether the user's name and password associated with web application 104 are prestored on the device. If the user's name and password are not prestored on the device, control proceeds to step 512 where provisioning and payment application 102 asks the user for the user name and password. In step 514 , the user enters the user name and password created during a web enrollment process. Control then proceeds to step 516 where the device authentication process starts. As described above, device authentication may include communicating with provisioning configuration server 108 to determine whether the device is authorized to receive provisioning information.
Referring to FIG. 5B , in step 518 , it is determined whether the authentication was successful. If the authentication was not successful, control proceeds to step 520 where provisioning and payment application 102 indicates that the device is not a valid near field communications (or other wireless communications) handheld mobile trusted device and instructs the user to contact customer support. In step 522 , the auto provisioning process ends.
Returning to step 518 , if the device is successfully authenticated, control proceeds to step 524 where the user name and password are validated with web application 104 through provisioning configuration server 108 . In step 526 , it is determined whether the user name and password have been validated. If the user name and password have not been validated, control proceeds to step 528 where it is determined whether the retries exceed a maximum number of retries. If the retries have not exceeded the maximum number, control proceeds to step 530 where the user is prompted to enter the user name and password again.
In step 526 , if the user name and password are validated, control proceeds to step 532 where the soft card request data previously stored with web application 104 for the user is downloaded to provisioning and payment application 102 .
In step 534 , it is determined whether the number of cards present in provisioning and payment application 102 is less than a maximum number of cards. The number is not less than the maximum number, control proceeds to step 536 where a message is displayed to the user indicating that the application cannot support more than the maximum number of cards. In step 538 , the provisioning process ends.
Returning to step 534 , if the number of cards present in the application is less than the maximum number, control proceeds to step 540 where the card personalization information is downloaded to the device with wireless communication capabilities. The personalization process will process one card personalization at a time, if configured number of card configured in web application 104 is greater than 1. In step 542 , the device displays the card to the user. In step 544 , the automatic provisioning process ends.
As stated above, provisioning configuration server 108 acts as a point of contact for provisioning and payment application 102 and multiple different card issuers. FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating the exemplary overall steps that may be performed by provisioning configuration server 108 in provisioning a soft card on a device with wireless communication capabilities according to an embodiment of the subject matter described herein. Referring to FIG. 6 , in step 600 , provisioning configuration server 108 receives card identifier information from a device with wireless communication capabilities. In step 602 , server 108 identifies the card issuer by performing a look up in a database that matches the issuer identification number (IIN) (retrieved from the PAN) numbers to card issuers. Table 1 shown below illustrates exemplary entries that may be included in such a database.
TABLE 1
IIN Number to Card Issuer Mappings
Provisioning Issuer Server IP
IIN Number
Address
XXXXXX-XXXXYY
128.128.0.1
AAAAAA-AAAABB
128.256.0.1
EEEEEE-EEEEFF
192.128.0.1
JJJJJJ-JJJJKK
192.256.0.1
In Table 1, the first column includes the IIN number range. The entries illustrated in Table 1 containing alphabetic characters are intended to represent the numeric characters that correspond to an IIN number. As stated above, an IIN number is an issuer identification number of the card issuer issued by ISO. The issuer identification number may be associated with a credit, debit, or charge card. The IIN number is usually the first 3-6 digits of the PAN printed on the face of a physical card or on a graphical image of a soft card. The second column in Table 1 indicates provisioning issuer server IP addresses for different provisioning issuer servers. Provisioning configuration server 108 may provide this information to provisioning and payment application 102 to allow provisioning and payment application 102 to establish secure communication and obtain the soft card personalization data.
In step 604 , provisioning configuration server 108 retrieve card-issuer-specific challenge questions from the database configured for specific card issuer. In step 606 , provisioning configuration server 108 communicates the card-issuer-specific challenge questions and card issuer identification information to the provisioning and payment application 102 that resides on the handheld mobile trusted device requesting provisioning of the soft card.
FIGS. 7A and 7B are a flow chart illustrating exemplary detailed steps for both manual and automatic soft card provisioning according to an embodiment of the subject matter described herein. Referring to FIG. 7A , in step 700 , provisioning and payment application 102 performs a pre-personalization process. During the pre-personalization process, provisioning and payment application 102 may change or manage an encryption key to be used for establishing secure communications. A pre-personalization process may configure base payments and non-payments applets in the secure chip of the near field communication component through provisioning and payment application 102 . Since the functionality of the payment portion is not essential to explaining the subject matter described herein, further description of its operation will not be described.
In step 702 , it is determined whether automatic or manual provisioning is being performed. If manual provisioning is being performed, control proceeds to step 704 where the user enters the PAN and response to the challenge questions on the wireless-communications-enabled device. In step 706 , provisioning and payment application 102 creates a secure channel to provisioning issuer server 110 through provisioning configuration server 108 for direct data transfer to and from provisioning issuer server 108 .
In step 708 , provisioning and payment application 102 encrypts and sends the PAN identification information and the response to the challenge questions to provisioning information server 708 . In step 710 , provisioning information server 110 communicates the PAN and the response to the challenge questions to the card issuer back end network.
In step 712 , provisioning issuer server 110 determines whether the data has been validated. If the data has not been validated, control proceeds to step 714 where provisioning and payment application 102 indicates that the challenge information entered by the user could not be validated. The user may be prompted to try again. In step 716 , the process terminates.
Returning to step 712 , if the data is validated, control proceeds to step 718 in FIG. 7B where the card issuer back end network provides card personalization data, an encryption key, and a card image to provisioning an issuer server 110 . In step 720 , provisioning issuer server 110 encrypts a packet with the session key and sends it to provisioning and payment application 102 . In step 722 , provisioning and payment application 102 sends the card personalization data to a secure chip present on the mobile trusted handheld device for personalization of the soft card and also stores an image of the soft card in the operating system file system. In step 724 , the manual provisioning process ends.
Returning to step 702 in FIG. 7A , if automatic provisioning is selected, control proceeds to step 725 in FIG. 7B where provisioning and payment application 102 creates a secure channel to provisioning issuer server 110 through provisioning configuration server 108 for direct data transfer to and from provisioning issuer server 108 . In step 726 , provisioning and payment application 102 encrypts and sends the PAN and challenge questions and its response received by web application 104 to provisioning issuer server 110 one at a time. In step 728 , provisioning issuer server 110 communicates to the card issuer back end network the responses to the challenge questions for the PAN requested for download. In step 730 , it is determined whether the data is validated. If the data is not validated, step 714 and 716 are performed, as described above. If the data is validated, steps 718 through 724 are performed to load the card image and personalization data on the device.
Returning to FIG. 1 , another method for provisioning a soft card on a device with wireless communications capabilities is WAP push provisioning. WAP or wireless application protocol is a protocol for delivering information to mobile devices. FIGS. 8A and 8B are a flow chart illustrating exemplary steps for provisioning a soft card using WAP push provisioning according to an embodiment of the subject matter described herein. Referring to FIG. 8A , in step 800 , a user contacts card issuer customer support via telephone. The user may provide the mobile phone number, PAN number, CVV and expiration date embossed on the plastic card for the soft card that the user desires to provision on a mobile device.
In step 802 , customer support asks challenge questions to the user. The challenge question may be any card-issuer-specific challenge as described above. In step 804 , the card issuer back office application validates the user credentials based on the information provided by the user to customer support.
In step 806 , the card issuer back office application posts a WAP push request containing provisioning information for the card to provisioning configuration server 108 through provisioning issuer server 110 . In step 808 , customer support may ask for a cell phone number from user. In step 810 , provisioning configuration server 108 sends a WAP message to soft card provisioning and payment application 102 along with a PAN and flag, indicating user credentials are validated, and card issuer information. In step 812 , the wireless-communications-enabled device receives the WAP message and automatically starts provisioning and payment application 102 .
In step 814 , soft card provisioning and payment application 102 reads the parameters passed in the WAP message and starts the provisioning process. In step 816 , soft card provisioning and payment application 102 establishes secure communications with provisioning issuer server 110 through provisioning configuration server 108 . In step 818 , soft card provisioning and payment application 102 sends the provisioning request to provisioning issuer server 110 .
In step 820 , based on a static or dynamic card verification value, the card issuer back end network provides card personalization data, an encryption key, and a card image to provisioning issuer server 110 . In step 824 , provisioning issuer server 110 encrypts the packet with a session key and sends it to provisioning and payment application 102 . In step 826 , soft card provisioning and payment application 102 passes the information to secure chip on the device for personalization and stores the card image in the operating system file system.
It will be understood that various details of the invention may be changed without departing from the scope of the invention. Furthermore, the foregoing description is for the purpose of illustration only, and not for the purpose of limitation. | Methods, systems, and computer program products for over the air provisioning of soft cards on devices with wireless communications capabilities are disclosed. According to one method, a soft card provisioning application is instantiated on a device with wireless communications capabilities. A card number for a soft card desired to be provisioned on the device is obtained from a user of the device. The card number is communicated to a provisioning configuration server over an air interface. Card-issuer-specific challenges corresponding to the card number and a provisioning issuer server network address are obtained from the provisioning configuration server. The challenges are presented to the user, and the user's responses to the challenges are received. A connection is made to the provisioning issuer server corresponding to the network address. The challenge responses are communicated to the provisioning issuer server. Soft card personalization data for activating the soft card is received from the provisioning issuer server. The soft card is provisioned for use on the device based on the personalization data. | 7 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates in general to a technique for diagnosing Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and more particularly to a technique for measuring an individual's peripheral temperature to determine values indicative of ADHD.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
ADHD is the most common neurobehavioral disorder of childhood as well as among the most prevalent health conditions affecting school-aged children. Between 4% and 12% of school age children (several millions) are affected. $3 billion is spent annually on behalf of students with ADHD. Moreover, in the general population, 9.2% of males and 2.9% of females are found to have behavior consistent with ADHD. Upwards of 10 million adults may be affected.
ADHD is a difficult disorder to diagnose. The core symptoms of ADHD in children include inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. ADHD children may experience significant functional problems, such as school difficulties, academic underachievement, poor relationships with family and peers, and low self-esteem. Adults with ADHD often have a history of losing jobs, impulsive actions, substance abuse, and broken marriages. ADHD often goes undiagnosed if not caught at an early age and affects many adults who may not be aware of the condition. ADHD has many look-alike causes (family situations, motivations) and co-morbid conditions (depression, anxiety, and learning disabilities) are common.
Diagnosis of ADHD involves a process of elimination using written and verbal assessment instruments. However, there is no one objective, independently validated test for ADHD. Various objective techniques have been proposed but have not yet attained widespread acceptance. These include:
1. The eye problem called convergence insufficiency was found to be three times more common in children with ADHD than in other children by University of California, San Diego researchers.
2. Infrared tracking to measure difficult-to-detect movements of children during attention tests combined with functional MRI imaging of the brain were used by psychiatrists at McLean Hospital in Belmont, Mass. to diagnose ADHD in a small group of children ( Nature Medicine , Vol. 6, No. 4, April 2000, Pages 470-473).
3. Techniques based on EEG biofeedback for the diagnoses and treatment of ADHD are described by Lubar ( Biofeedback and Self-Regulation , Vol. 16, No. 3, 1991, Pages 201-225).
4. U.S. Pat. No. 6,097,980, issued Aug. 1, 2000, inventor Monastra et al, discloses a quantitative electroencephalographic process assessing ADHD.
5. U.S. Pat. No. 5,913,310, issued Jun. 22, 1999, inventor Brown, discloses a video game for the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD.
6. U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,603, issued Jul. 6, 1999, inventor Brown, discloses a video game for the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD.
7. U.S. Pat. No. 5,940,801, issued Aug. 17, 1999, inventor Brown, discloses a microprocessor such as a video game for the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD.
8. U.S. Pat. No. 5,377,100, issued Dec. 27, 1994, inventors Pope et al., discloses a method of using a video game coupled with brain wave detection to treat patients with ADHD.
9. Dr. Albert Rizzo of the Integrated Media Systems Center of the University of Southern California has used Virtual Reality techniques for the detection and treatment of ADHD.
10. U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,739, inventors Stewart et al., discloses a method of using a visual display, colored visual word targets and colored visual response targets to administer an attention performance test.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,377,100, issued Dec. 27, 1994, inventors Patton et al., discloses a system and of managing the psychological state of an individual using images.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,117,075 Barnea discloses a method of measuring the depth of anesthesia by detecting the suppression of peripheral temperature variability.
There are several clinical biofeedback and physiologic monitoring systems (e.g. Multi Trace, Bio Integrator). These systems are used by professional clinicians. Although skin temperature spectral characteristics have been shown to indicate stress-related changes of peripheral vasomotor activity in normal subjects, there has been no disclosure of use of variations in skin-temperature response to assist in diagnosing ADHD. (See: Biofeedback and Self-Regulation, Vol. 20, No. 4, 1995).
As discussed above, the primary method for diagnosing ADHD is the use of a bank of written and verbal assessment instruments designed to assess criteria established by American Medical Association (AMA) as described in the Diagnostic and Statistics manual (DSM-IV) and administered by the school psychologist or other licensed practitioner. In some cases those individuals who meet DSM-IV criteria for ADHD diagnosis are prescribed a drug such as Ritalin. Behavioral observations of the patient while on Ritalin are conducted to assess the impact of prescribed medication.
There is thus a need for a simple, inexpensive, and reliable technique for assisting in the diagnosis of ADHD.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, there is provided a solution to the problems and fulfillment of the needs discussed above.
According to a feature of the present invention, there is provided a method of determining whether an individual has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) comprising:
sampling the peripheral skin temperature of a human subject during a predetermined time interval when the subject is in an inactive state to provide a sampled peripheral skin temperature data and analyzing the peripheral skin temperature data for a pre-selected parameter, to determine whether said pre-selected parameter has a value indicative of ADHD.
ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECT OF THE INVENTION
The invention has the following advantages.
1. A technique for diagnosing ADHD is provided which is simple, inexpensive and reliable.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a system incorporating the present invention.
FIGS. 3, 4 a and 4 b are graphical views useful in explaining the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a diagram of an example of finding the proper threshold θ to separate ADHD subjects from non-ADHD subjects.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention, it has been found that a signature of ADHD is hidden in fluctuation of the temperature of the skin as measured at the extremities such as at a fingertip. It is well known in the art that as a person's stress level increases the blood vessels in the body constrict (as is evidenced by the fact that a person's blood pressure increases as their level of stress increases). As the blood vessels in the body constrict, blood flow is restricted. This is most evident in the extremities such as the fingers, because the blood vessels in the extremities are small and furthest from the heart. A direct result of decreased blood flow to the blood vessels in the extremities is a decrease in the peripheral temperature of the extremities. Conversely, as a person's stress level decreases and one relaxes the blood vessels also relax and dilate causing blood flow to increase. As the blood flow to the vessels in the extremities increases, the peripheral temperature of the extremities increases. When a subject with ADHD is subjected to sensory deprivation such as being made to look at a blank screen or an obscured image, the lack of stimulation increases and their level of anxiety and their stress level increases. As their stress level increases their blood constrict and the peripheral temperature of their extremities decreases. Biofeedback practitioners have long used measurement of hand temperature to help subjects manage their physiology by controlling blood flow to the extremities. The literature reports that reduced blood flow to the brain is frequently found in patients with ADHD.
In addition to peripheral skin temperature and peripheral skin temperature variability there are other physiologic measures which are known (or potential) indicators of stress such as; bilateral temperature variability, heart rate, heart rate variability, muscle tension (excessive and chronic measured via surface electromyography—sEMG), bilateral muscle tension imbalance, galvanic skin response (i.e., electro dermal response—EDR), eye saccades, blood oxygen (SpO 2 ), salivary IGA, electroencephalography (EEG), peripheral blood flow (measured via photoplethismography—PPG), and peripheral blood flow variability (PPG).
As shown in FIG. 1, a subject 10 is sitting on a chair 12 watching a screen 14 . The subject is at rest in an inactive state. The subject 10 is shown wearing a set of earphones 13 connected via a wire 40 to a sound generating device 15 . The earphones 13 may be used to reduce or eliminate the audio stimulus from the environment during the test. The method described in this embodiment of the present invention places the subject in sensory deprived surroundings. Other examples of providing sensory deprivation are to have the subject wear a pair of translucent glasses, goggles or eye mask (not shown). The glasses or goggles block any visual stimulus from the subject 10 . A sensor 18 measures the temperature of a fingertip 16 of subject 10 . The temperature readings are supplied to module 20 via a wire 19 . The temperature can be taken from one hand or both hands and from one or more fingers on each hand. The temperature sensor for the other hand is not shown but is connected via wire 21 to module 20 .
As shown in FIG. 2, module 20 includes temperature sampling circuit 22 , data storage 24 , window blocking 26 , Fourier transform 28 , Magnitude calculation 30 , M range calculation 32 , aggregation step 34 and Thresholding step 36 .
In FIG. 1, the fingertip temperature is first recorded during an interval when the subject 10 has been asked to sit quietly for a period of about ten minutes. The temperature data is sampled 22 at a time interval Δt creating a list of n temperature samples, which are stored in storage 24 .
Now referring to FIG. 2, in block 26 , the n samples are divided into groups of m samples, each group corresponding to a given time window of width Δt(˜32-64 sec) equally spaced in time (˜50 sec) across the entire data collection time interval Δt. The data from each window is then passed through a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) algorithm producing 2 m−1 data points spaced equally in frequency space. The values are complex numbers having form
FFT ( f m )= A ( f m )+ B ( f m ) i
where i is the {square root over (−1)}. The Phase Φ(f m ) is then found from the equation Φ l ( f m ) = Tan - 1 ( B ( f m ) A ( f m ) ) ( 1.0 )
and the Magnitude M(f m ) from
M 1 ( f m )={square root over ( B ( f m ) 2 +A ( f m ) 2 )} (1.1)
In the equations 1.0 and 1.1 the subscript l refers to the fact that a separate signal is extracted for each hand so the subscript is l for data extracted from the left-hand data and r for data from the right hand. FIG. 3 graphically illustrates the temperature signal during one window for a normal subject and a person diagnosed with ADHD.
FIGS. 4 a and 4 b graphically illustrate the magnitude transform for the data corresponding with a subject with ADHD and a normal subject. The magnitude spectrum undergoes dramatic changes essentially changing from a hyperbolic curve to a flat response.
Referring again to FIG. 2 .
Raw Data
The raw data T k,l (t) is the temperature taken from hand l at a fingertip 16 as shown in FIG. 1, during the 10-minute session. The sessions were taken over a period of weeks. Some subjects had as few as 2 sessions and some as many as 5 sessions. k is used to represent the session.
Windows
The data for each session were divided into a series of windows (step 26 ) prior to performing the Fourier Transform operation 28 . Call the window width w. In this analysis, the window width was 64 seconds and there were 10 windows spaced at 50-second intervals (the windows overlap) across the 600 sec baseline spanning the range of 100-500 sec, other values of w can be used. The window number in a session is referred to with the letter j. For each window a FFT algorithm calculates the Fourier Transform F(f). The Magnitude and Phase of this transform are defined as given above.
In step 32 the range of magnitude variation during a window is calculated using equation (1.2) below where f max and f min are the frequencies where the Magnitude is the greatest and the least respectively (note the dc component at frequency zero is excluded).
M range =[M ( f max )− M ( f min )] (1.2)
In a further embodiment of this method, other statistics from a Fourier Transform, calculated from the quantities denoted above as A(f m ), B(f m ), Φ(f m ), and M(f m ) can be used. In addition to using Fourier Transforms, this further embodiment can use statistics derived from a Wavelet transform of the data or other filtering of the data (as in Strang, G. and Nguyen, T. (1996), Wavelets and Filter Banks , Wellesley-Cambridge Press, Wellesley, Me.).
Aggregation of Samples
Samples are aggregated in step 34 . There are 10 samples from each hand from each session. The first step is to choose an aggregation statistic, which can be the mean, median, variance, or other statistic, which is an aggregate of the computed M range values in each window for each session and each hand. Other statistics that can be used for aggregation include the standard deviation, range, interquartile distance, skewness, kurtosis, Winsorized mean and variance, and robust estimates of mean and variance. Equations below are given for aggregating the mean and the variance. The mean magnitude range for the left hand of session k is found from equation 2.0 where z is the number of windows in the session. 〈 M k , l 〉 = ∑ j = 1 z [ M ( f max ) j - M ( f min ) j ] z
And the corresponding variance is : ( 2.0 ) 〈 Var k , l 〉 = ∑ j = 1 z { [ M ( f max ) j , l - M ( f min ) j , l ] - 〈 M k , l 〉 } 2 z ( 2.1 )
Combining these session means and variances over both hands and all the sessions s that a subject attended gives an aggregated mean μ and aggregated variance var i . μ = ∑ k = 1 s ∑ l = 1 2 〈 M k , l 〉 2 s ( 2.2 ) 〈 var 〉 = ∑ k = 1 s ∑ l = 1 2 〈 var k , l 〉 2 s ( 2.3 )
Other embodiments of this aggregation step include using the data from only one hand—either the left hand, the right hand, or the dominant hand and if the subject is ambidextrous, the dominant hand would be defined as the average of both hands. In addition, these embodiments may not require averaging of several sessions, but selecting only one session for use or using a weighted combination of each session's results.
Thus, the totality of these embodiments include methods that involve any and all combinations of: statistics derived from Fourier or Wavelet transformations or other filtering, plus any one of many possible aggregation statistics, plus using data from only one hand or the dominant hand or the average of both hands, plus using either all sessions or a subset of the sessions or a weighted combination of each session's results.
Diagnostic Indicator
A Diagnostic indicator is determined by setting a threshold level θ for the aggregation statistic in step 36 . When the subject's measured aggregate statistic is less than the threshold θ, the test indicates the subject has ADHD. When the subject's measured aggregate statistic is greater than the threshold θ the test indicates the subject does not have ADHD. A single threshold may be used for all subjects or the threshold may be set differently for different groups such gender or age.
The method of obtaining the threshold θ is now described. It is similar to a method in the statistical literature called “discriminant analysis”. In fact, one could use discriminant analysis c for this data; however this method was devised because it can be enhanced and used for purposes discriminant analysis cannot handle. This enhancement will be described later.
To find the value of θ that gives the highest percentage of correct diagnoses, a simple example must first be illustrated. In this example, there are 32 aggregation statistics, one for each subject in the study. Next thresholds θ=11.5 and θ=5 were considered. The 32 aggregation statistics are shown in FIG. 5, along with threshold θ=11.5 as the solid line and θ=5 as the dashed line. A different percent of correct diagnoses results when θ=11.5 is used compared to θ=5. Naturally, there are an infinite number of potential values for θ, and a procedure to pick the one that gives the highest percent of correct diagnoses is needed.
Thus, the following procedure was used: Twenty-five equally spaced values, spanning the range of the 32 aggregation statistics, were found. At each of these 25 values, the percent p of correctly diagnosed subjects was computed. A spline is fitted through this data, so that p is now estimated as a smooth function of θ. Then, the maximum value of this smooth function is found, and θ is set to be where the percent of correct diagnoses is maximized. Since this is often an interpolation, the value of the spine function at θ is not used, but instead is recomputed to percent of correct diagnoses at θ.
An enhanced method that works in situations where discriminant analysis does not work calls for replacing the percent of correct diagnoses in the above procedure with a weighted percent of false positive and false negative diagnosis, an then to minimize this weighted percent. This method allows the flexibility to choose the relative importance of false positive and false negatives, and to have this used in determining θ. One way to set the relative importance is to use the cost of a false negative diagnosis.
Virtually every analysis method tried produced correct diagnoses at a rate that is statistically above chance results at the α=0.05 level, and many methods produced statistically significant results at the α=0.01 level (see Table 1 through Table 8). This indicates that the diagnosis method proposed, using windowed Fourier transforms of hand temperatures, has found a real effect. The diagnosis obtained are significantly better than one would obtain using random chance.
For example, comparing the case where the variance was used on all data with one threshold for everyone, we see the method produces 68.8% correct diagnoses. If the variance is used with gender thresholds, the percent correct increases to 84.4%. Using different thresholds by gender improves the diagnoses, see Table 1. This is consistent with statements by Raymond, K. B. (1997). Dissertation Abstracts International : Section A: Humanities and Social Sciences, 57 (12-A) 5052, and also Katz, L., Goldstein, G., Geckle, M. (1998). Journal of Attention Disorders. 2(4), 239-47, who state that females with ADHD are under-diagnosed. This suggests that a different standard of diagnosis is necessary for females. Age based thresholds improve the percent correct by 3% (see Table 1). Any of the methods of separating thresholds by gender or age or neither, produce diagnoses that are statistically better than chance.
Another result shown in tables, reveals that removing noises (as described below) produce the highest percent correct diagnosis. This is consistent with the fact, that the data removed was contaminated and less likely to demonstrate the effect of interest. Further, note that without using gender or age thresholds, the variance produces correct diagnoses 84.6% of the time. Using gender or age thresholds, or using the mean or median, did not improve the results.
Listed below are the types of noise:
Self Diversion
Children divert themselves by moving, using mental exercises or external tools such as gum or suckers
External Stimulation
Noises, Room Temperature, Parents in Room etc.
Technical Problems
Loose sensors, missing sensors, pauses, computer failures
Sleep problems
Child falls asleep during the session.
Medication Problems
Child's medication is still active during session or child is on long acting drug
Other analysis methods were tried and found to be less successful, though these methods were significantly better than chance. For example, applying a Butterworth filter to the temperature data as suggested by Shusterman, V. and Barnea, O. (1995). Biofeedback and Self-Regulation , 20(4), 357-365 did not produce improved results. Nor did separating the data by session (Table 7) or by hand (Table 8). The highest accuracy is obtained by averaging sessions and averaging two hands for tests. The benefit of using both sessions and both hands is that reduction of variability occurs, enabling more reliable diagnoses. A well-known statistical principle is that the variability of the average of multiple sessions or two hands is less than the variability of one session or one hand. Nor did removing the first two time periods (Tables 3, 4 and 6) improve the percent of correct diagnoses.
The percent of false positive and false negative diagnoses was examined. Using the mean statistic and one threshold for all subjects, a result of 25% false positive diagnoses and 0% false negative diagnoses was achieved. Using separate thresholds by gender and the variance statistic produced a result of 9.4% false positive diagnoses, and 6.3% false negative diagnoses.
The test method was applied to 50% ADHD subjects and 50% non-ADHD subjects; however, if it was applied only to symptomatics (a subset of the population in which most have ADHD), it is shown below that the method test actually will produce higher accuracy. The actual rate of false diagnoses depends on the assumed percent of true ADHD subjects in the population of symptomatics to be tested.
Let p be the proportion of subjects in the study who actually have ADHD. Let f + be the proportion of false positive diagnoses of those subjects who do not have ADHD. Let f + be the proportion of false negative diagnoses of those subjects who do have ADHD. Then the proportion c of correct diagnoses is:
c= 1−( f − p−f + (1 −p ))
The derivative of c is: ∂ c ∂ p = f + - f -
The derivative is positive whenever f + is greater than f − . Thus, increasing the value of p will increase the proportion c of correct diagnoses.
The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention.
APPENDIX
The following is a list of tables in the Appendix that show the percent of subjects correctly diagnosed by different analysis methods, or by using different portions of the data, or by a combination of analysis methods and different portions of the data:
Table 1: All data used Table 2: Windows with technical problems (sensor falling off or pause button pushed) eliminated Table 3: First two time windows removed Table 4: Same as Table 2, but first two time windows are removed Table 5: Sessions where there were serious self-diversion problems were removed.
Table 6: Same as 5, but first two time periods were also removed.
Table 7: Same as 1, one threshold for all subjects, but data from only session 1, or only session 2 or both sessions were used.
Table 8: Same as 1, one threshold for all subjects, but data from left hand; or right hand; or dominant hand used.
TABLE 1
Percent of Correct Diagnoses
Subjects with medication problems removed (2822 & 2813 Session 1)
Both Hands/Both Sessions, N = 32
95% Significance is >65.6% correct, 99% Significance is >71.9% correct
Data used: All Data
Statistic Used:
Mean
Median
Variance
% Correct
% Correct
% Correct
Diagnoses
Diagnoses
Diagnoses
Thresholds used
75.00
68.75
68.75
One Threshold for Everyone
Age Thresholds
78.13
71.88
71.88
Gender Thresholds
81.25
68.75
84.38
TABLE 2
Percent of Correct Diagnoses
Subjects with medication problems removed (2822 & 2813 Session 1)
Both Hands/Both Sessions, N = 32
95% Significance is >65.6% correct, 99% Significance is >71.9% correct
Data used: Remove technical problems
Statistic Used:
Mean
Median
Variance
% Correct
% Correct
% Correct
Diagnoses
Diagnoses
Diagnoses
Thresholds used
68.75
68.75
68.75
One Threshold for Everyone
Age Thresholds
75.00
75.00
75.00
Gender Thresholds
78.13
68.75
81.25
TABLE 3
Percent of Correct Diagnoses
Subjects with medication problems removed
Both Hands/Both Sessions, N = 32
95% Significance is >65.6% correct, 99% Significance is >71.9% correct
Data used: Remove 1st 2 time periods
Statistic Used:
Mean
Median
Variance
% Correct
% Correct
% Correct
Diagnoses
Diagnoses
Diagnoses
Thresholds used
68.73
65.63
65.63
One Threshold for Everyone
Age Thresholds
71.88
68.75
65.63
Gender Thresholds
71.88
65.63
68.75
TABLE 4
Percent of Correct Diagnoses
Subjects with medication problems removed
Both Hands/Both Sessions, N = 32
95% Significance is >65.6% correct, 99% Significance is >71.9% correct
Data used: Remove technical problems and 1st 2 time periods
Statistic Used:
Mean
Median
Variance
% Correct
% Correct
% Correct
Diagnoses
Diagnoses
Diagnoses
Thresholds used
65.63
65.63
68.75
One Threshold for Everyone
Age Thresholds
71.88
68.75
68.75
Gender Thresholds
68.75
65.63
71.88
TABLE 5
Percent of Correct Diagnoses
Subjects with medication problems removed (2822 & 2813 Session 1)
Both Hands/Both Sessions, N = 26
95% Significance is >65.4% correct, 99% Significance is >73.1% correct
Data used: Remove tech/external/self-diverted problems
Statistic Used:
Mean
Median
Variance
% Correct
% Correct
% Correct
Diagnoses
Diagnoses
Diagnoses
Thresholds used
76.92
73.08
84.62
One Threshold for Everyone
Age Thresholds
84.62
76.92
84.62
Gender Thresholds
76.92
76.92
84.62
TABLE 6
Percent of Correct Diagnoses
Subjects with medication problems removed (2822 & 2813 Session 1)
Both Hands/Both Sessions, N = 32
95% Significance is >65.4% correct, 99% Significance is >73.1% correct
Data used: Remove tech/external/self-diverted problems and
1st 2 time pds
Statistic Used:
Mean
Median
Variance
% Correct
% Correct
% Correct
Diagnoses
Diagnoses
Diagnoses
Thresholds used
73.08
65.38
73.08
One Threshold for Everyone
Age Thresholds
80.77
76.92
76.92
Gender Thresholds
69.23
73.08
76.92
TABLE 7
Percent of Correct Diagnoses by Session
Subjects with medication problems removed (2822 & 2813 Session 1)
Data used: All Data
Statistic Used:
Mean
Median
Variance
% Correct
% Correct
% Correct
Diagnoses
Diagnoses
Diagnoses
Session Used
68.75
68.75
71.88
Session 1
Session 2
71.88
65.63
68.75
Both Sessions
75.00
68.75
68.75
TABLE 8
Percent of Correct Diagnoses by Session
Subjects with medication problems removed (2822 & 2813 Session 1)
Data used: All Data
Statistic Used:
Mean
Median
Variance
% Correct
% Correct
% Correct
Diagnoses
Diagnoses
Diagnoses
Hand Used
75.00
68.75
68.75
Both Hands
Dominant Hand
75.00
65.63
65.63
Left Hand
65.63
62.50
71.88
Right Hand
65.63
68.75
68.75 | A method for determining a threshold value of a parameter used to determine whether an individual has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The method includes: providing a group of individuals a segment of which is known to have ADHD and a segment of which is known to be normal and not have ADHD; testing each individual in the group by sampling the peripheral skin temperature of the individual during a pre-determined time interval when the individual is in an inactive state to provide sampled peripheral skin temperature data, and analyzing the sampled peripheral skin data to produce a parameter value for that individual. The method further includes: processing the individual parameter values for all of the members of the group to determine a threshold parameter value which is acceptable for determining whether or not an individual has ADHD when tested by the testing procedure. | 0 |
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] This disclosure relates generally to pipe, and more particularly to pipe with an outer wrap, including systems and methods for making the same.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Corrugated pipe is commonly used for drainage of soil and transportation of surface water. The corrugations typically create a pipe profile with steep sides and deep valleys. Given that these pipes are typically constructed using plastic, the corrugations may provide necessary structural integrity for the pipe by providing needed radial stiffness.
[0003] However, the valleys of the corrugated pipe may also require inconvenient construction accommodations. For example, corrugated pipe may require additional work to backfill. Filling material may not readily conform to the corrugated exterior, requiring additional work to fill the valleys of the exterior wall. Triple wall corrugated pipe may include an outer layer of plastic, which may produce a less capricious outer surface. However, triple wall pipe suffers from increased cost, weight, and thickness. For example, the outer layer of a triple wall pipe may require additional material, adding significant production material costs and resulting in a heavier pipe.
[0004] It is thus apparent that the need exists for a corrugated pipe having an outer wall or layer that may be lighter in weight, stronger, cheaper to produce, more efficient to construct, and exhibit a narrower width and a lower profile.
SUMMARY
[0005] In one embodiment, a pipe includes an axially extended bore defined by a corrugated outer wall having axially adjacent, outwardly-extending corrugation crests, separated by corrugation valleys. The pipe also includes an outer wrap applied to the outer wall. The outer wrap may include fibers and plastic. The outer wrap may span the corrugation crests producing a smooth outer surface.
[0006] In one embodiment, a method of applying an outer wrap to a corrugated pipe is disclosed. The method may include receiving a corrugated pipe that is cut to length. The method may also include determining a wrap type to be applied to the corrugated pipe. The method may further include determining a flow rate for applying a wrap of the wrap type based on a type of plastic used in the wrap, a type of fiber used in the wrap, and the wrap type. Additionally, the method may include applying a wrap made of the type of fiber and the type of plastic to the corrugated pipe using the determined flow rate producing a smooth outer surface.
[0007] In one embodiment, a pipe may include an axially extended bore defined by an outer wall. The bore may include plastic. The pipe may also include an outer wrap applied to the outer wall. The outer wrap may include plastic. Also, the outer wrap may be applied in an overlapping helical pattern completely covering the outer wall.
[0008] In one embodiment, a method of applying an outer wrap to a corrugated pipe id disclosed. The method may include receiving an uncut corrugated pipe from a pipe extrusion device. The method may also include determining a wrap type to apply to the uncut corrugated pipe. Additionally, the method may include determining a flow rate for applying a wrap of the wrap type based on a type of plastic used in the wrap, a type of fiber used in the wrap, and the wrap type. The method may further include applying a wrap made of the type of fiber and the type of plastic to the corrugated pipe using the determined flow rate producing a smooth outer surface.
[0009] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this disclosure, illustrate exemplary embodiments and, together with the description, serve to explain the disclosed principles.
[0011] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary corrugated pipe according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0012] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary corrugated pipe having an outer wrap according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0013] FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view of an exemplary corrugated pipe having an outer wrap according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0014] Exemplary embodiments are described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the figure in which the reference number first appears. Wherever convenient, the same reference numbers are used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. While examples and features of disclosed principles are described herein, modifications, adaptations, and other implementations are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosed embodiments. It is intended that the following detailed description be considered as exemplary only, with the true scope and spirit being indicated by the following claims.
[0015] While standard corrugated pipe often suffers from increased jobsite backfill work, the pipe could be covered by a material to produce a smooth, but strong, exterior wall. For example, wrapping standard corrugated pipe in a material may result in an exterior wall without valleys which may eliminate gaps in the soil when placed in the ground at a jobsite, solving backfill problems. The outer wrap of the present invention may solve the backfill problems associated with dual wall corrugated pipe while not adding significant thickness to the pipe wall. The outer wrap material may also increase the strength of the pipe.
[0016] An outer wrap may also allow additional pipe configurations because the wrap may consist of different materials than the pipe. For example, selected wrap material may allow manufacturers to reduce costs, while increasing strength, even though the particular wrap material may result in a heavier pipe. Other wrap materials may increase the strength to weight ratio of the pipe. Additional properties of alternative wrap materials may allow manufacturers to more effectively design wrapped pipe solutions to meet design constraints.
[0017] Illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure are listed below. In one embodiment, an exemplary corrugated pipe with an outer wrap is disclosed. In another embodiment, an exemplary process for making corrugated pipe with an outer wrap is disclosed. The products and processes disclosed may be used in combination or separately. For example, the disclosed process may be used to make additional products. Further, disclosed products may be manufactured using additional processes.
[0018] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary corrugated pipe according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Corrugated pipe 100 may be conventional single wall pipe or dual wall pipe that is well known in the art. Additional types of pipe may serve as corrugated pipe 100 consistent with this disclosure.
[0019] Corrugated pipe 100 may include a corrugated outer wall. For example, corrugated pipe 100 may include a series of corrugations 120 . Corrugations 120 may run the length of corrugated pipe 100 . In an embodiment, corrugations 120 may form spiral corrugations or annular corrugations. For example, corrugations 120 could spiral in the longitudinal around the circumference of the pipe. Corrugated pipe 100 may connect to other pipes. In an embodiment, corrugated pipe 100 may include bell 110 to facilitate connections to other pipes. For example, bell 110 may surround and contain a spigot end of another pipe. The spigot may have a smaller outer diameter than the bell, so that the spigot may fit into bell 110 . Other connection types may be used with corrugated pipe 100 . For example, a coupler may be used to connect to other pipes.
[0020] In an embodiment, corrugated pipe 100 may have an inner wall. For example, corrugated pipe may be a dual wall pipe. A smooth inner wall surface may be necessary or desirable for certain applications. Accordingly, a dual wall pipe, which includes a smooth inner wall may be used to satisfy design constraints. For example, a smooth inner wall may be necessary to meet pipe strength requirements or to satisfy flow path specifications. When specifications require a consistent pipe inner diameter, plans may rely on dual wall pipe having an inner wall. In other embodiments, corrugated pipe may be a single wall pipe.
[0021] Corrugated pipe 100 may be made of plastic. In an embodiment, the material of corrugated pipe 100 may include plastic or thermoplastic polymers. For example, corrugated pipe may be made of high density polyethylene (HDPE) or polypropylene (PP). Corrugated pipe 100 may alternatively comprise a variety of other materials including, for example, other plastics, metals, or composite materials.
[0022] While FIG. 1 describes corrugated pipe 100 , other pipe types may be used consistent with this disclosure. In an embodiment, ribbed pipe may be wrapped. In other embodiments, pipes having any profile may be wrapped.
[0023] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary corrugated pipe having an outer wrap according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Wrapped pipe 200 may include integrated bell 210 , similar to corrugated pipe 100 . While not depicted, various bell designs may be used, such as a proud bell, for example. A proud bell may have an outer diameter that is larger than the outer diameter of the corrugated pipe body. Proud bells have an advantage over integrated bells in that they may be joined to a pipe end having a cross section matching that of the corrugated pipe body, rather than a specific spigot end. Therefore, the proud bell may connect to pipe cut to any length. However, integrated bells may be preferable to proud bells in underground applications, because integrated bells lie on grade in a trench. Conversely, proud bells may require the digging of “bell holes” to excavate additional space in the trench to accommodate the larger outer diameter of the proud bell. As illustrated, wrapped pipe 200 may include spigot 220 to connect to bells of other pipes.
[0024] Wrapped pipe may use, for example, corrugated pipe 100 with outer wrap 230 applied. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, outer wrap 230 may form a spiral pattern. For example, outer wrap 230 may be applied as a helix (e.g., helical wrap 232 ) around corrugated pipe 100 .
[0025] Outer wrap 230 may be formed using fibers and plastic. In an embodiment, fibers (e.g., fiberglass or carbon fibers) may be embedded in plastic. Polymers such as high density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP), or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) may be used as the plastic. Other fibers or plastics may be used consistent with this disclosure.
[0026] In an embodiment, wrapped pipe may have a pipe and wrap of different materials. For example, a pipe may be made of HDPE and a wrap may be made of fiber reinforced HDPE. This combination of materials may result in an increased strength to weight ratio because the product may be manufactured such that higher quality materials may be located more efficiently within the product.
[0027] In another example wrapped pipe, the corrugations may be made of a cheaper material. Higher quality materials may be used for the outer wrap and/or the liner. Higher quality materials may have a higher elastic and flexural modulus, better resistance to stress cracking, impact performance, and abrasion resistance, for example. When corrugations are made from a different material than the liner and/or the outer wrap, the corrugations may be manufactured using a material with additives that reduce cost at the relative expense of structural integrity.
[0028] In another embodiment, outer wrap 230 may use continuous strand fiber. The fibers may run from a reel, embedding unbroken strands in a helix that wraps the pipe. For example, spools of fiberglass thread may provide uninterrupted strands of fiberglass for embedding in plastic around a pipe. Continuous strand fiber may result in wrapped pipe with greater resilience than other wrap types.
[0029] In an embodiment, outer wrap 230 may use non-continuous fiber. Pelletized or short segments of fiber may be embedded in plastic. For example, short fiber strands of 0.25 to 1 inch in length may be used. By configuring the feed of the molten plastic as the fiber strands are embedded in plastic, the fiber strands may align semi-oriented to the flow path as they are embedded in plastic. For example, the fibers may be oriented linear to the flow path (e.g., circumferentially to the pipe) with minor deviations in the fiber orientation. In an embodiment, semi-oriented may mean that more fibers would align parallel to the flow path than perpendicular to the flow path. For example, semi-oriented fiber may lay, on average, at an angle less than 45 degrees from the direction of the flow path.
[0030] In an embodiment, the molten plastic may be pulled at a rate higher than the extruder flow rate to further orient the fiber stands in the direction of the flow. The fiber orientation may vary based on the type of fiber used, the length of the fibers, the diameter of the pipe to be wrapped, the type of plastic that the fibers are to be embedded in, and the thickness of the outer wrap.
[0031] In an embodiment, outer wrap 230 may use fiberglass impregnation. Pelletized or short segments of fiber may be embedded in plastic with no deliberate orientation, which may result in an isotropic material, which may have uniform structural integrity in all directions. By reducing the flow rate of the material through the die and/or reducing pulling (e.g., stretching) of the material as it exits the die, manufacturers may reduce the orientation of fiber strands in the outer wrap.
[0032] In another embodiment, outer wrap 230 may not use fibers. Plastic may be applied to corrugated pipe 100 by itself. For example, HDPE may be wrapped onto a pipe in a helix to create a smooth outer layer. The temperature and flow rate of the plastic may be dependent upon the thickness of the wrap, the diameter of the pipe, and the type of material used in the plastic wrap without fiber. Example flow rates may range from 10 to 30 feet per minute.
[0033] Outer wrap 230 may run the length of the pipe. When coupling mechanisms at the ends of the pipe require specific materials, outer wrap 230 may span the length of the corrugations, ending just before coupling mechanisms, such as bell 210 or spigot 220 , for example. Further, pipes may be wrapped in portions or segments as a particular application may require.
[0034] In an embodiment, wrap 230 may wrap bell 210 completely and end at spigot 220 . For example, bell 210 may be completely covered. In another embodiment, both bell 210 and spigot 220 may not be wrapped. When a continuous wrap process is used, a mechanism may be used to remove the wrap from spigot 220 and/or bell 210 as desired, regardless of the bell type.
[0035] FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view of an exemplary corrugated pipe having an outer wrap according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Pipe profile 300 may include liner 340 and corrugation layer 320 . These two layers may form a dual wall pipe. In some embodiments, liner 340 may not be used, and corrugation layer 320 may form a single wall pipe that is wrapped. The outer wrap may form third wall 330 . For example, third wall 330 may be a layer of fibers embedded in plastic.
[0036] In an embodiment, the wrap may be applied in a helix, producing third wall edge 332 that may be generated from the overlap of the helix. For example, the corrugated pipe may be rotated as the wrap is applied down the length of the pipe. This process may apply the outer wrap as a spiral. To ensure adequate coverage by the wrap, each spiral may slightly overlap, producing third wall edge 332 .
[0037] In an embodiment, the wrap material may bond with the pipe material. For example, the outer wrap and corrugation materials may be welded together by heating the materials to their thermoplastic state and pressing them together. Some materials used for the outer wrap and the corrugations may allow the use of solvent cements or epoxies to bond the wrap to the corrugations.
[0038] In an embodiment, the wrap material may be secured to the pipe by the tension of the wrap. Certain wrap and corrugation materials may not bond well together. For example, when dissimilar materials are used, such as an outer wrap made of PP and a corrugated pipe made of HDPE, a friction fit may secure the wrap to the corrugated pipe. The frictional forces may be strong enough such that the materials may appear to be attached. However, the wrap may separate from the pipe with less force than when the wrap is welded to the pipe.
[0039] In some embodiments, an outer wrap may be applied using a manufacturing process in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. The steps discussed below and their order are merely exemplary. Steps may be performed in other orders. Further, certain steps may be omitted or duplicated consistent with this disclosure.
[0040] In an embodiment, a pipe may be formed in a corrugator. For example, a dual wall pipe may be formed. An exemplary pipe having an inner liner layer with a second corrugated layer is produced using known processes. In an embodiment, a single wall pipe with only a corrugated layer may be produced. In an embodiment, pipe may be formed using a mandrel, such as ribbed pipe. Other embodiments may utilize pipe having any profile.
[0041] After the pipe is formed, the pipe may be cut to length. For example, the corrugated pipe may be cut to its final length or a usable length so that the pipe may be transferred to the outer wrap die.
[0042] In an embodiment, instead of the pipe being cut to length, the outer wrap may be applied in-line. For example, the uncut corrugated pipe may continue directly to the outer wrap die assembly. The die assembly may apply the outer wrap in the pipe production line. The die may rotate around the stationary pipe after it exits the corrugator to apply the outer wrap.
[0043] Control equipment may determine a wrap type. In an embodiment, a computer controller may control the flow and application of the outer wrap extrusion die. For example, the die may apply oriented continuous strand fiber, semi-oriented non-continuous fiber, fiberglass impregnation, or no fiber with the plastic. The die may allow the wrap type to be changed.
[0044] The die assembly may wrap the pipe. In an embodiment, a corrugated pipe may be placed adjacent to a filament die. The pipe may be rotated as it moves past the openings of the filament die. The rotation and traversal of the pipe in relation to the die assembly may be controlled so that the ribbon extruded from the die assembly forms a continuous outer layer.
[0045] In an embodiment, the pressure, temperature, and type of materials used in the extrusion process may be altered based on the wrap type. For example, the temperature or flow rate may alter the wrap. For example, for HDPE temperatures ranging from 350 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit may be used to heat the wrap material for extrusion. The die may extrude plastic at a width ranging from 4 to 20 inches. When the wrap is applied as a helix, the pitch of the helix may be determined based on the outer circumference of the pipe and the width of the extruded plastic. The die may also switch from continuous to non-continuous fiber. The switching process may be substantially automated by use of mechanical automation tools to change the sources of materials or die settings.
[0046] Control equipment may also determine the thickness of the wrap layer. The control equipment may facilitate a particular flow rate of wrap material (e.g., the flow rate(s) plastic and/or fiber). Control equipment may also provide a particular wrap thickness by controlling the feed rate pulling the extruded material. For example, manufacturing equipment may pull extruded outer wrap (e.g., plastic or plastic with fibers) twice as fast as the material is extruded. When the ratio of the pull rate to the extrusion flow rate is greater than 1:1, the outer wrap material may stretch as it is applied to the pipe. Various pull to feed ratios may be used to control the thickness of the outer wrap. Moreover, a higher pull to feed ratio (e.g., increased pulling of the outer wrap) may result in increased alignment of the fiber strands, when they are embedded in the plastic of the wrap. When using continuous strand fiber, pulling the outer wrap material may have greater limitations. For example, lower pull to feed ratios may need to be used. In an example wrapped pipe, a corrugated HDPE pipe may be wrapped by heating fiber reinforced HDPE to a temperature of 350 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit for extruding at a rate of 20 feet per minute (e.g., plus or minus 5 feet per minute). The wrap material may be pulled at a ratio of 5:4, for example, relative to the extrusion rate. When the pipe may have an inconsistent outer diameter, such as pipes with proud bells, for example, the rotational velocity of the pipe may vary to provide a consistent linear velocity at the outer diameter.
[0047] After wrapping is complete, the wrapped pipe may be held for cooling. Additional post-wrap processes may include removal of any wrap material over the spigot and/or the bell. For example, the exterior surface of the spigot may need to remain unwrapped to properly connect with other pipes. In order to remove the wrapping, should the wrapping process cover the spigot, a mechanism may cut the wrap covering the spigot and remove the wrap, exposing the exterior surface of the spigot. In some embodiments, the wrap process may not wrap the spigot, which may eliminate the need for a removal step.
[0048] The specification has described pipe with an outer wrap. The illustrated steps are set out to explain the exemplary embodiments shown, and it should be anticipated that ongoing technological development will change the manner in which particular functions are performed. These examples are presented herein for purposes of illustration, and not limitation. Further, the boundaries of the functional building blocks have been arbitrarily defined herein for the convenience of the description. Alternative boundaries can be defined so long as the specified functions and relationships thereof are appropriately performed. Alternatives (including equivalents, extensions, variations, deviations, etc., of those described herein) will be apparent to persons skilled in the relevant art(s) based on the teachings contained herein. Such alternatives fall within the scope and spirit of the disclosed embodiments. Also, the words “comprising,” “having,” “containing,” and “including,” and other similar forms are intended to be equivalent in meaning and be open ended in that an item or items following any one of these words is not meant to be an exhaustive listing of such item or items, or meant to be limited to only the listed item or items. It must also be noted that as used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
[0049] It is intended that the disclosure and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of disclosed embodiments being indicated by the following claims. | This disclosure relates generally to corrugated pipe, and more particularly to corrugated pipe with an outer wrap. In one embodiment, a pipe includes an axially extended bore defined by a corrugated outer wall having axially adjacent, outwardly-extending corrugation crests, separated by corrugation valleys. The pipe also includes an outer wrap applied to the outer wall. The outer wrap may include fibers and plastic. The outer wrap may span the corrugation crests producing a smooth outer surface. | 5 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a bin cap for a culture of mushrooms that is suitably used in culture bins for cultivating mushrooms such as shiitake (Lentinus edodes (Berk.) Sing.), Lyophyllum shimeji (Kawam.) Hongo, and the like.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELEVANT ART
Vegetation of mushrooms in a bin culture (mushroom bed cultivation) generally comprises nutritive vegetation and reproductive vegetation. At the cultivation step of the nutritive vegetation growth, holes for inoculation are provided on mushrooms culture medium filled in culture bins; mushroom spawn is inoculated in these holes and, in a culture room, hyphae are allowed to spread in the bins that are capped for preventing miscellaneous fungi from entering. On the other hand, at the reproductive vegetation, the culture bins that have been removed of the caps or the mushroom culture medium only is transferred into cultivating containers to be grown in a cultivating room. Since carbon dioxide is generated in a large volume in the cultivation process of the hyphae, poor ventilation in the culture bins may obstruct breathing of the hyphae and further obstruct their efficient reproduction, resulting in a longer cultivation period and deterioration of the mushroom quality.
In view of this, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 27402/'91 (Hei-3) has proposed a cap for culture bins that has a zigzag air flow path in the cap body whereby the internal part of the culture bins communicates with the outside when the cap is fitted to the bins; Japanese Utility Model Provisional Publication No. 91945/'87 (Sho-62) disclosed a cap for culture bins that has an open part and ventilating part in the cap body, both parts being covered with permeable material under which material absorbents for carbon dioxide are accommodated.
However, these conventional caps have merely improved general caps that fit to the mouth part of culture bins and are disadvantageous in the following respects.
At first, the opening area provided in the cap is nearly the same as that of the bin mouth or less and insufficient for securing enough ventilation and ultimately, problems associated with poor ventilation are not overcome. Also, because of insufficient evaporation of water from the culture bins, the water content of the culture medium of mushroom cannot be maintained at a proper level.
Secondly, carbon dioxide is heavier than air; therefore, securing ventilation in the upper surface of the cap does not provide efficient and effective ventilation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a cap for mushroom culture bins that makes it possible to afford enough ventilation by securing an adequate quantity of airflow to promote the breathing of hyphae, making the cultivation period shorter, improving the mushroom quality, increasing the harvest, accelerating vaporization and dissipation of water, and maintaining the mushroom culture medium in the culture bins with proper water content.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a cap for mushroom culture bins, that secures a downward air passing route; whereby carbon dioxide, heavier than air, is exhausted efficiently and effectively.
For attaining these objects, cap 1 according to the present invention comprises: housing part 2 that has space S for ventilation and window 2w for ventilation having broader open area than the open area of bin mouth Bo; breathable filter part 3 that blocks window 2w; and fitting part 4, installed at the under surface 2d of housing part 2, which is attachable to or detachable from bin mouth Bo. Housing part 2, flat and formed broader than bin mouth Bo, has windows 2w for ventilation at a lower surface 2d and upper surface 2u. The outside diameter of housing part 2 is preferably selected to be 1.2 or more times larger than that of bin mouth Bo. Filter part 3 may be formed with paper.
In this arrangement, cap 1 is attached to or detached from mouth Bo of a culture bin by means of fitting part 4; the opening of bin mouth Bo communicates with space S for ventilation when cap 1 is attached. Therefore, in case carbon dioxide content increases in the culture bin when hyphae are cultivated, the carbon dioxide goes into ventilation space S of housing part 2 through bin mouth Bo. Since housing part 2 has ventilation window 2w which has an open area larger than bin mouth Bo, the carbon dioxide in ventilation space S is exhausted outside through breathable filter part 3 that blocks ventilation windows 2w while simultaneously oxygen is supplied into the culture bin. Thereby enough ventilation is kept in the culture bin.
Air flow in the vertical direction through upper surface 2u and lower surface 2d is secured in particular by the arrangement according to the present invention that comprises housing part 2, being flat and broader than bin mouth Bo, and ventilation windows 2w at lower surface 2d and upper surface 2u, whereby exhaust of carbon dioxide, heavier than air, is promoted by being discharged downward through lower surface 2d.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:
FIG. 1 is a vertical cross sectional view of a bin cap according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a bottom view of an upper housing member which is a component of a bin cap according to the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a plan view of a lower housing member which is a component of a bin cap according to the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a plan view of a supporting member for the lower filter which member is a component of a cap according to the present invention; and
FIG. 5 is a schematic view explaining how a bin cap according to the present invention works.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Now, the present invention is explained in detail by reference to the preferred embodiments in the drawings.
At first, arrangement of bin cap 1 of the present invention for mushroom culture bins is explained referring to FIGS. 1 through 4.
A bin cap 1 For mushroom culture bins comprises, roughly speaking, housing part 2, filter part 3, and fitting part 4 as shown in FIG. 1. Housing part 2 comprises three separate members: upper housing member 2x shown in FIG. 2, lower housing member 2y shown in FIG. 3, and supporting member 2z, as shown in FIG. 4, for the lower filter and the respective members are formed in one body. While various synthetic resins may be used as the molding material of respective members, it is desirable to use polypropylene containing silicone in an amount of 0.1 through 2 percent by weight that improves the elasticity, heat-resistance, of molded members with uniformly dispersed fine silicone particles throughout the synthetic resin. In addition, the construction of this type of container is difficult to be soiled.
Upper housing member 2x comprises disclike upper surface part 2u having a plurality of frame parts 11 and a ring shape (cylindrical) convex part 2p that is molded in integration near the outer periphery of the inner surface 2ui of upper surface part 2u; the convex part 2p, is formed with a rising plate portion of a predetermined height, which rises at a right angle from the inner surface 2ui. In this way, the space divided by frame parts 11 inside the surface of upper housing member 2x forms ventilation window 2w.
Lower housing member 2y has disclike lower surface part 2d comprising a plurality of frame parts 12; lower surface part 2d has a ring shape(cylindrical) concave part 2q formed in integration near the outer periphery of the inner surface 2di of lower surface part 2d. The concave part 2q is formed with a pair of rising plates 2qe and 2qe of a predetermined height facing each other and rising at right angle from inner surface 2di. Rising plate 2qe forms the outer surface of housing part 2. A first supporting part 2r along the concave part 2q, is formed in one body protruding at the same height as concave part 2q at a position separated by a predetermined distance further inside than concave part 2q of the inner surface 2di. A second circular supporting part 2t is provided coaxially to the central side of inner surface 2di. Second supporting part 2t is formed inflated in the same direction as the first supporting part 2r so as to be of the same height as the first supporting part 2r. The space divided by frame parts 12 in the surface of lower housing member 2y forms ventilation window 2w.
Cylindrical fitting part 4 is formed in integration projected perpendicularly from outer surface 2do of lower housing member 2y. The inside diameter of fitting part 4 is selected so as to be able to be attached to the periphery of bin mouth Bo of culture bin Bas shown in FIG. 1. Protrusion part 4c is provided in integration with fitting part 4 on its internal surface to be engaged in the thick wall part near the upper edge of bin mouth Bo to prevent coming-off.
Lower filter supporting member 2z has doughnut-like support surface part 2m having a plurality of frame parts 13 and ring shape (cylindrical) side surface parts 2so and 2si are formed in integration near outer and inner peripheries respectively of one surface 2ms of supporting surface part 2m. Respective side surface parts 2so and 2si are formed with rising plates of a predetermined height standing at right angle from one surface 2ms of the supporting surface part 2m.
Filter part 3 is prepared from a sheet of paper. In the present embodiment, round upper filter 3u is used for upper housing member 2x together with doughnut-like lower filter 3d for lower filter sheet 3d. As for filter sheets 3u and 3d, a single kind of paper or synthetic paper may be used while a synthetic resin sheet or other materials may be employed.
Next by referring to FIG. 1, how to assemble bin cap 1 is explained together with positional relationship for respective parts and their sizes.
First, lower filter sheet 3d is accommodated between first supporting part 2r and second supporting part 2t and supported by inserting supporting member 2z. In this manner, entire ventilation windows 2w formed at lower side surface 2d are blocked by under filter sheet 3d. The tip ends of side surface parts 2so and 2si of lower supporting member 2z, when fitted, are nearly as high as the tip ends of first supporting part 2r and second supporting part 2t.
Next, upper filter sheet 3u is inserted between lower housing member 2y and upper housing member 2x; the latter two are then pushed against each other, In this way, convex part 2p is inserted into concave part 2q and both are fitted together, whereby a part of the outer periphery of upper filter sheet 3u is pushed into the internal part of concave part 2q and fixed by convex part 2p and concave part 2q. Also upper filter sheet 3u is supported by first supporting part 2r and second supporting part 2t of lower housing member 2y. Thus, all the ventilation windows 2w formed in upper surface part 2u of upper housing member 2x are blocked by filter sheet 3u while being fixed to upper housing member 2x.
As explained hereinabove, assembly of bin cap 1 for mushroom culture bins of the present invention is completed. Now, bin cap 1 has space S internally for ventilation and is shut tight except the opening at fitting part 4. The outside diameter of housing part 2 is selected to be 1.2 or more times larger than that of bin mouth Bo. Accordingly, the total open area of ventilation windows 2w is broader than the open area of bin mouth Bo.
Next, the function of the cap 1 for mushroom culture bins according to the present invention is explained by referring to FIG. 5.
A bin cap 1 is attached to or detached from mouth Bo of a culture bin by means of fitting part 4. When cap 1 is attached, the opening of bin mouth Do communicates with the inside of housing part 2 provided at the upper end of fitting part 4, that is, ventilation space S.
Therefore, in case carbon dioxide content increases in the culture bin when hyphae are cultivated, the carbon dioxide goes into ventilation space S of housing part 2 through bin mouth Bo and breathable filter part 3 blocking ventilation windows 2w, thereby enough ventilation is maintained. Since housing part 2 has ventilation window 2w that has open area larger than 2 bin mouth Bo, carbon dioxide is effectively exhausted from bin mouth Bo and oxygen is effectively supplied into the Culture bin. Especially, as arrow A1 indicates in FIG. 5, ventilation paths in vertical direction through upper surface part 2u and lower surface part 2d respectively secure the passage route for ventilation, carbon dioxide heavier than air is exhausted downward via the route indicated by arrow A2, which promotes effective ventilation.
Shiitake was cultured using bin cap 1 according to the present invention and using conventional cap for comparison; as a result, contrasting data as shown hereunder have been obtained. The conventional cap employed in this case was an ordinary bin cap with an open part on upper surface and the open part being blocked by a breathable paper.
At first, the capped culture bin in which the cultivation was under way was left in a desiccator of a certain volume and the amount Of the discharged carbon dioxide per one hour was determined. The result was:
72.4 ml for the case of the conventional cap, and
91.9 ml (1.25 times the former) for bin cap 1 according to the present invention.
The carbon dioxide concentration in the culture bin was measured at the 40th day of the cultivation; it was 9.6 percent for the conventional cap and 3.2 percent, about 1/3 of the former, for bin cap 1 according to the present invention, showing satisfactory improvement.
At the 90th day of the cultivation, the following four items were compared: (1) Water content in the culture medium for the mushroom culture, (2) Spawn run time until the spreading of hyphae reached to the full bin, (3) Elapsed days until the color turned brown, and (4) Amount of harvest. The results were:
______________________________________ (1) (2) (3) (4)______________________________________Conventional cap 78.8% 25 days 60 days 180.4 gCap 1 according to the 73.3% 23 days 50 days 216.7 gpresent invention______________________________________
showing that bin cap 1 according to the present invention gave better results for all items: namely, shorter spawn run time, better quality and more harvest were brought about.
While a preferred embodiment has been particularly described in details, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment. For example, the ventilation window may be provided in only one surface, either in upper or lower surface of the housing part. In place of a paper sheet which was used as the filter, block materials such as polyurethane may be filled in ventilation space S as necessary and the housing may be formed like a drum can or cone by extending upward. In addition, various modifications are applicable within the spirit and scope of the present invention including detailed arrangement, shape, size, and materials. | A bin cap for mushroom culture bins for cultivating mushrooms such as shiitake (Lentinus edodes (Berk.) Sing.), Lyophyllum shimeji (Kawam.) Hongo, and the like which includes a housing part 2 including a space S internally for ventilation and having windows 2w for ventilation with a broader open area than the open area of bin mouth Bo, breathable filter part 3 blocking window 2w, and fitting part 4 being installed at the under surface 2d of housing part 2 and being attached to or detached from bin mouth Bo. Thereby, the ventilation is secured and the exhaust of carbon dioxide is promoted. | 0 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for joining two skis together so as to avoid more particularly the crossing of the ski tips, while conferring thereon certain degrees of mutual freedom and which can be rapidly and readily positioned on or removed from the ski tips, even with the skis on the feet.
2. Description of the Related Technology
A certain number of devices are already known, which are used either solely at the front of the skis, or at the front and at the rear.
These devices however have drawbacks, from the safety point of view and, from the point of view of facilitating positioning on or removing from the skis.
The document No. FR 79 14681 describes a joining device including a connection rod each end of which is articulated, through a ball joint, in a retention cage previously fixed to the ski.
However, the devices of this kind have a certain number of drawbacks.
The first of them resides in the fact that the spacing given to the two ski tips is unalterable, since it is determined by the length of the connection rod. Consequently, it is not possible to vary this spacing as a function of the snow conditions (packed snow or deep snow), or of the possibilities of the user (beginner or experienced skier) or else of the mode of skiing which this latter desires to practice (cross country or competition skiing). Furthermore, even if the possibility of removing the connecting rod is provided, such removal is not very practical and requires considerable time, and cannot be carried out with the skis on the feet all the more so since said retention cages are necessarly fitted on the curved tips of the skis for they cannot be placed elsewhere.
The document No. DE 1 945 977 relates to a device including connection rods mounted for sliding side by side, so as to form a connection of adjustable length, the junction between the skis taking place by means of a ball joint and cage system fixed to the end of the skis.
This device has the advantage of adjusting the spacing between the ski tips but, although it is removable, it cannot be removed or put back in place by the skier during the skiing session and, in any case, can absolutely not be removed with the skis on the feet.
The document U.S. Pat. No. 3,171,667 describes a device, mounted at the front and at the rear of the skis, comprising a bar which may be of variable length and whose ends are provided with ball joints forcibly fitted in a retention cage made from a resilient material fixed to the upper face of the skis.
This system has the drawbacks of not being able in practice to be removed with the skis on the feet.
In fact, if it is desired to have an efficient connection, the ball joints must be firmly retained, which increases correspondingly the force to be exerted so as to remove them from their housing, this only being possible with great difficulty with the skis on the feet. Furthermore, this device is unaesthetic for the bar remains on one of the two skis. Even if it were completely removed, there would permanently remain on the skis the reception cage of the ball joint which projects, for of appreciable dimensions, which may further modify the mechanical characteristics of the skis.
From the document U.S. Pat. No. 3,357,714 a device is also known for joining two skis together comprising a rigid connection rod, although adaptable in length, articulated at both ends to a connecting piece itself removably fixed to the ski tip by a retractable ball connection during unlocking when it is desired to remove the rod from the skis.
Such a system is fragile and does not withstand shocks. Furthermore, it is not very practical, even difficult or even impossible, to operate because of the risks of seizing or jamming of the sliding sleeve controlling retraction of the balls.
Finally, this system requires the fitting of the device on the internal edge of the skis (column 3, lines 24-25) so as to allow (FIG. 7) an angular position of 90° between the skis and their connecting rod, which results in a disymmetry of the skis causing wear which is twice as fast.
The different embodiments of the connection system between the rod and the skis has however, from different points of view, drawbacks from the safety point of view, from the point of view of the amplitude of the degrees of freedom allowed, of operation and are all fragile and do not withstand shocks because of the rigid connections between the different members.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The purpose of the invention is precisely to overcome these different drawbacks by providing a device for connecting two skis together with a junction bar of variable length and joined to the ski tips by means adapted for combining, on the one hand, efficiency and safety of the connection and, on the other, the ease and rapidity of fitting a device and removing it from the ski tips, in particular with the skis on the feet, while maintaining as much as possible the aesthetic appearance of the skis as well as the safety of the skier.
For this, the invention provides a device for joining two skis together, readily removable with the skis on the feet, including a connection system comprising a bar of variable length, having at both its ends means for articulating through several degrees of freedom, themselves connected to the ski tips of the skis, by fastening-unfastening means formed by a male part and a female part secured, one to said articulation means and the other to said ski tips, said parts being lockable-unlockable by fitting together then rotation, of a determined amplitude, about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the ski times, of the part secured to said articulation means, characterized in that said articulation means are formed by a piece in the form of a diabolo which is defined as a type of bobbin or spool formed by two opposing cones in an hourglass type configuration or similar structure, made from a resilient material, one at least of the ends of which is mounted for swivelling, and in that the connecting bar is formed of a rod with ends of enlarged diameter sliding freely in cylindrical sleeves connected to one of the ends of said diabolo shaped piece.
Such a device, because of the resilient diabolo shape of the articulation means and instantaneous and automatic adaptation of the length of the connection bar, allows degrees of freedom in all directions, with quite remarkable amplitude, flexibility and comfort.
The flexibility of the connection also allows the device to withstand forces and shocks, without damage, which applied to known devices would inevitably cause breakage thereof.
Other features and advantages will be clear from the following description of embodiments of the invention, which description is given by way of example solely with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a schematical view in vertical cross section of a ski fitted with a connection device in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 2 is a sectional view through line II--II of the connecting bar (shown as a whole) of the device of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view through line III--III of the device shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a top view of a first embodiment of a part of a device permanently fixed to each ski;
FIG. 5 is a sectional view through line V--V of the device shown in FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is a partial left hand view in the direction of arrow VI of the device of FIG. 1;
FIG. 7 is a top view of the device of FIG. 6;
FIG. 8 is a sectional view through the line VIII--VIII of the device of FIG. 6;
FIG. 9 is a sectional view through the line IX--IX of the device of FIG. 8;
FIG. 10 is an elevational view of an appropriate tool for controlling rotation of the device of FIG. 6;
FIG. 11 is a top view of the tool of FIG. 10;
FIG. 12 shows in perspective another embodiment of the fixing-unfixing means, and
FIG. 13 shows a part of the device of FIG. 12 permanently fixed to the ski.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The device shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 includes a connecting bar 1 whose ends 2 of enlarged diameter (FIG. 2), in the form of pistons, may freely slide in two cylindrical sleeves 3 each extended laterally and at their lower part by a portion 4 in which a collar 5 freely swivels whose axis 6 is perpendicular both to the axis of bar 1 and to the plane of the ski tip 7, in the center of which the device is mounted.
Collar 5 is integral with a piece 8 in the form of a diabolo, made from a resilient material, of the type forming the feet for the mast of a surfboard, itself secured to a substantially cubic block 9 (FIGS. 6 to 9) itself locked to plate 10 fixed permanently to the upper face of said ski tip 7.
The device is of course symmetrical with respect to the vertical median plane parallel to the two skis 7.
The diabolo shaped piece 8 is fixed to collar 5 and to block 9 by any appropriate means such as threaded rods 11 anchored in piece 8.
Such an assembly makes possible rotation of bar 1 through 360° about axis 6 as well as a rotation of wide amplitude, not only upwards but downwards, in every vertical plane including axis 6, because of the resilience of piece 8 whose axis emerges with said axis 6.
The assembly formed by bar 1, the end sleeves 3 and the articulation means 5, 8 may be very readily and very rapidly fixed to or removed from the ski tip 7, by providing between the ski tip 7 and said articulation means fastening unfastening means formed by the portion 9 integral with said articulation means 5, 8 and by the portion 10 integral with the ski tip 7, these two portions having mutual fitting means of the male and female type with locking by rotation of given amplitude of the mobile portion 9 about axis 6.
In the embodiment shown, the fixed portion 10 permanently fixed to the ski tip is formed (FIGS. 4, 5) of a square, for example a metal plate screwed to the upper face of the ski tip and having on its upper face a projection 12 of small height, of a rectangular shape, whose longitudinal axis is parallel to that of the ski. The projection 12 has, in a side view (FIGS. 5, 6), a general dove tail shape defining two slanted internal sides 13 whose purpose will be described further on.
Projection 12 is intended to be received in a housing 14 provided for this purpose in block 9 and opening through an opening 15 of a generally rectangular shape formed in the lower face of said block 9.
Housing 14 is shaped so as to receive said projection 12 and to make possible a rotation thereof in its housing through an angle for example of 45°, as shown in FIG. 7, where at 16 is shown the axis of the rectangular opening for insertion of projection 12 and, at 17, the axis of the final locked position of the projection in housing 14, this axis 17 being parallel to the longitudinal axis of the ski tip 7.
The housing 14 has two slanting internal opposite faces 18, in correspondance with the slanting faces 13 of projection 12.
For fixing block 9 on plate 10, it is sufficient to present the opening 15 with its axis 16 aligned with a longitudinal axis of the projection 12, to insert the projection in the housing 14 while driving in block 9, then to pivot this latter through 45°, in the desired direction, so as to bring axis 17 parallel to the ski 7.
The rotation of block 9 is very easy and does not require rotation of the assembly 1 to 4 because of the collar 5.
The cooperating slanting faces or ramps 13 and 18, through elastic friction, provide efficient holding in the final position, which may be locked for example by an end of travel snap fit system of known type.
Block 9 may be operated simply by hand, with the skier squatting, who has no need to remove his skis to position the device of the invention or remove it.
For further facilitating operation of the device with the skis on the feet, a special tool may be used in the shape of a fork shown in FIGS. 10 and 11.
This tool has an elongate body 20 with two parallel fingers 21 at one end having on their facing faces two projections 22 adapted for cooperating with two hollows 23 formed in two opposite faces of block 9. These opposite faces, preferably parallel to the axis of the skis, besides the hollows 23 have recesses 24 for receiving and locking the fingers 21 of the fork, facilitating correct positioning and operation of the fork 20, 21. In addition the bottom of said recesses 24 includes depressions 25 (FIG. 9) at the insertion ends of fingers 21 for facilitating their insertion.
The fork tool 20, 21 has a reduced dimension, is light (for example made from a plastic material) and may be readily carried, for example by means of a pin 26 for clipping it in a pocket in the manner of a pen.
The fork tool may have a greater length and comprise for example a telescopic or foldable handle for facilitating storage thereof.
The operation for rotating blocks 9 may also be performed using the tip of one of the skis sticks, which tip may for example be engaged in a hole formed for this purpose at an appropriate position in said blocks 9 or in an extension thereof, this hole having a truncated cone shape and having an axis slanted and turned towards the skier so a to facilitate insertion of the end of the ski tip.
Blocks 9 may also have one or more projections or recesses making possible direct, practical and efficient manual handling operation.
FIGS. 12 and 13 illustrate an embodiment in which the piece 9', similar to piece 9 of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 10, has a small height and is provided with a horizontal lateral extension 27 giving a ready hand hold for pivoting the assembly 8-9' through 45° with respect to plate 10', similar to plate 10 (permanently fixed to the ski tip not shown).
Plate 10' has on its upper face (FIG. 13) a cross shaped projection 12' similar to projection 12 and cooperating with a housing of the same type as housing 14 (FIG. 7) but adapted for receiving the cross shaped projection 12', formed on the lower face of piece 9'.
As in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 to 7, pieces 9', 10' pass from their locked position to their unlocked position by a rotation of 45°.
When the assembly 1 to 9 is removed, there only remains on the skis plates 10, 10' with their projection 12, 12', the assembly (10, 10'; 12, 12') having very modest dimensions and projecting little, so that it is not detrimental to the aesthetic appearance of the skis, nor to their performances or their qualities, nor to the safety of the skier who does not run the risk, for example, of hurting himself in contact with said elements should he fall or when removing his skis.
The elements 12, 12', on the one hand, and 14, on the other, could of course be reversed, by securing projection 12, 12' to piece 9, 9' and by forming the housing 14 in plate 10, 10', which would further have the merit of making the plates 10, 10' smooth and without projections.
Plates 10, 10' may also be in the form of inserts integrated in the mass of the ski tips 7, the upper face of the plates being flush with that of the ski tips.
The spacing between the two skis 7 is of couse adjustable automatically by sliding portions 2 of the bar in sleeves 3, this spacing being variable for example between 60 and 210 mm.
The device of the invention is mounted at the front of the skis between the tip and the shoe binding. A second similar device may be fitted at the rear of the binding. In the embodiment shown, pieces 8 are secured to pieces 9, 9' and the collars 5 swivel in sleeves 3, but the arrangement may just as well be reversed and pieces 8 be secured at their upper end to sleeves 3 and at their lower end to a collar similar to collar 5 and mounted for swivelling in pieces 9, 9'.
The coupling between portions 9, 9' and 10, 10' is of the bayonet type, but other embodiments of this type of connection are of course possible as well as, in a general way, any type of mutual fitting then locking by relative rotation of the members thus assembled.
Of course, the different pieces of the device of the invention may be made from different appropriate materials (plastic material, aluminium, rubber, composition materials, etc. . . . ).
The connecting bar 1, (solid or hollow) may be made from a relatively flexible plastic material allowing the bar to absorb the shocks and vibrations and to give greater flexibility to the device.
Pieces 3, 4 are preferably formed from two molded half shells, assembled together for example by bonding or screwing in a joint plane merging with the vertical plane of symmetry of the assembly 1, 2, 3. Before assembly, the elements internal to the half shells, namely pistons 2 and collar 5, are of course positioned.
It should also be noted that the device of the invention may be readily placed in a waiting position on a single ski, so that in particular mechanical ski lifts can be used without difficulty. For this, one of the ends of the device is removed from one of the skis and fixed to the other ski, which is provided at the appropriate position with a second plate 10, 10' on the projection 12, 12' of which the device is positioned and locked parallel to the ski.
Finally, the invention is obviously not limited to the embodiments shown and described above but covers on the contrary all variants thereof insofar as concerns the nature, shapes and arrangements of the two parts of said means for fixing the articulation means carrying the connecton bar to the ski of removing it therefrom, as well as the nature, shapes and arrangements of the diabolo shaped pieces 8, these latter in particular having a shape removed from that of a diabolo but offering the same possibilities.
It should be noted that the diabolo shaped piece 8 may have fins, made from the same material, as shown in broken lines at 28 in FIG. 3. Piece 8 thus has for example an external cylindrical appearance and withstands better the agressions of the edge of the opposite ski when the device is out of service. | The invention provides a device for joining two skis together, which is readily removable with the skis on the feet, including a connection means formed by a bar of variable length, with fittings at both its ends for articulating through several degrees of freedom, themselves connected to the ski tips by fastening-unfastening fittings formed by a male part and a female part secured to the articulation fitting and the other to the ski tips. The parts are lockable-unlockable by fitting together, then rotation by a particular amplitude, about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the ski tips, of the part secure to the articulation fitting characterized in that the articulation fitting are formed by a piece in the form of a diabolo or similar shape, made from a resilient material, at least one of the ends is mounted for swiveling and in that the connection bar is formed of a rod with ends of enlarged diameter sliding freely in cylindrical sleeves connected to one of the ends of the diabolo shaped piece. | 0 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] None.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] None.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The present invention relates broadly to motion upholstery furniture designed to support a user's body in an essentially seated disposition. Motion upholstery furniture includes recliners, incliners, sofas, love seats, sectionals, theater seating, traditional chairs, and chairs with a moveable seat portion, such furniture pieces being referred to herein generally as “seating units.” More particularly, the disclosure relates to an improved linkage mechanism for use on motorized chairs and driven primarily from the seat mounting plate. The improved linkage mechanism accomplishes a zero-wall configuration with fewer parts and a more simplified assembly than existing mechanisms.
[0004] Reclining seating units exist that allow a user to extend a footrest forward and to recline a backrest rearward relative to a seat. These existing seating units typically provide three basic positions (e.g., a standard, non-reclined closed position; an extended position (TV position); and a reclined position). In the closed position, the seat resides in a generally horizontal orientation and the backrest is disposed substantially upright. The seating unit includes one or more ottomans that are collapsed or retracted in the closed position, such that the ottomans are not extended. In the extended position, often referred to as a television (“TV”) position, the ottomans are extended forward of the seat, and the backrest remains sufficiently upright to permit comfortable television viewing by an occupant of the seating unit. In the reclined position, the backrest is pivoted rearward from the extended position into an obtuse relationship with the seat for lounging or sleeping, while the ottoman remains extended.
[0005] Several modern seating units in the industry are adapted to provide the adjustment capability described above. However, these seating units require relatively complex linkage mechanisms to afford this capability. The complex linkage assemblies limit certain design aspects when incorporating automation, as well as adding weight and cost to the mechanism. As such, a more refined linkage mechanism that achieves full movement when being automatically adjusted between the closed, extended, and reclined positions would fill a void in the current field of motion-upholstery technology.
[0006] Accordingly, embodiments of the mechanism pertain to a novel, simplified linkage mechanism that efficiently moves a seating unit among the various positions, driven primarily using the seat mounting plate. The linkage mechanism is constructed in a simple and refined arrangement in order to provide suitable function while overcoming the above-described, undesirable features inherent within the conventional complex linkage mechanisms.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] Embodiments seek to provide a simplified linkage mechanism that can be assembled to a motor and that can be adapted to essentially any type of seating unit. In an exemplary embodiment, the compact motor in concert with the linkage mechanism can achieve full movement of the seating unit between the closed, extended, and reclined positions. The motor may be employed in an efficient and cost-effective manner to adjust the linkage mechanism and is coupled primarily to the seat mounting plate.
[0008] Generally, the seating unit includes the following components: at least a first foot-support ottoman; a pair of floor rails in substantially parallel-spaced relation; a pair of seat mounting plates in substantially parallel-spaced relation, a seating support surface extending between the seat mounting plates; and a pair of generally mirror-image linkage mechanisms that interconnect the floor rails to the seat mounting plates. In operation, the linkage mechanisms are adapted to move the seating unit between a closed position, an extended position, and a reclined position. The linkage mechanisms are coupled to a motor or linear actuator assembly primarily through a coupling directly to the seat mounting plate. This connection to the seat mounting plate is much more direct than in previous seating units and allows elimination of parts and connections in comparison to previous seating units.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] In the accompanying drawings which form a part of the specification and which are to be read in conjunction therewith, and in which like reference numerals are used to indicate like parts in the various views:
[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mechanism for a seating unit in a closed position, with one side removed for clarity;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a side view of the mechanism of FIG. 1 ;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a side view similar to FIG. 2 , from the opposite side;
[0013] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a mechanism, similar to FIG. 1 , but in the TV position;
[0014] FIG. 5 is a side view of the mechanism of FIG. 4 ;
[0015] FIG. 6 is a side view similar to FIG. 5 , from the opposite side;
[0016] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a mechanism, similar to FIG. 1 , but in the fully reclined position;
[0017] FIG. 8 is a side view of the mechanism of FIG. 7 ;
[0018] FIG. 9 is a side view similar to FIG. 8 , from the opposite side;
[0019] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a mechanism for a seating unit in a closed position, with one side removed for clarity, similar to FIG. 1 , but with a different drive tube assembly;
[0020] FIG. 11 is a side view of the mechanism of FIG. 10 ;
[0021] FIG. 12 is a side view similar to FIG. 11 , from the opposite side;
[0022] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a mechanism, similar to FIG. 10 , but in the TV position;
[0023] FIG. 14 is a side view of the mechanism of FIG. 13 ;
[0024] FIG. 15 is a side view similar to FIG. 14 , from the opposite side;
[0025] FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a mechanism, similar to FIG. 10 , but in the fully reclined position;
[0026] FIG. 17 is a side view of the mechanism of FIG. 16 ;
[0027] FIG. 18 is a side view similar to FIG. 17 , from the opposite side; and
[0028] FIG. 19 is a diagrammatic view of a seating unit using the mechanism of FIGS. 1-18 .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0029] FIGS. 1-9 illustrate a first embodiment of a mechanism 10 for use on a motion seating unit 12 , as shown in FIG. 19 . Seating unit 12 has a seat 14 , a backrest 16 , legs 18 , an ottoman 20 , and a pair of opposed arms 22 . The mechanism 10 couples the seat 14 , the backrest 16 , and the ottoman 20 together to move the seating unit 12 between closed, TV, and fully reclined positions, as is more fully described below.
[0030] As shown in FIGS. 1 , 4 , and 7 , mechanism 10 is adjustable to three basic positions: a closed position ( FIG. 1 ), an extended position (i.e., TV position) ( FIG. 4 ), and a reclined position ( FIG. 7 ). Additionally, only one side of mechanism 10 is shown, with the other side being a mirror-image of the side shown and described. FIG. 1 depicts the mechanism 10 adjusted to the closed position, which is a normal, non-reclined sitting position with the seat 14 in a generally horizontal position and the backrest 16 generally upright and in a substantially perpendicular position relative to the seat 14 . Note that FIGS. 1-18 show the mechanism 10 with the outer parts of the seating unit 12 removed for clarity. In particular, the seat 14 is disposed in a slightly inclined orientation relative to the floor. When adjusted to the closed position, the ottoman 20 is retracted and is positioned below the seat 14 . FIG. 4 depicts the extended, or TV, position. When the mechanism 10 is adjusted to the extended position, the ottoman 20 is extended forward so it is generally horizontal. However, the backrest 16 remains substantially perpendicular to the seat. Also, the seat 14 is maintained in generally the same orientation relative to the floor. Typically, the seat 14 is translated slightly forward and upward. FIG. 7 depicts the fully reclined position. The backrest 16 is rotated rearward by the linkage mechanism 10 . However, the rearward movement of the backrest 16 is offset by a forward and upward translation of the seat 14 as controlled by the linkage mechanism 10 . The forward and upward translation of the seat 14 in embodiments of the present invention allows for “zero-wall” clearance. Generally, the “zero-wall” clearance is used herein to refer to space-saving utility that permits positioning the seating unit 12 in close proximity to an adjacent rear wall and other fixed objects.
[0031] As described below, the linkage mechanism 10 comprises a plurality of other linkages that are arranged to actuate and control movement of the seating unit 12 during movement between the closed, extended, and reclined positions. These linkages may be pivotally interconnected. The pivotal couplings (illustrated as pivot points in the figures) between these linkages can take a variety of configurations, such as pivot pins, bearings, traditional mounting hardware, rivets, bolt and nut combinations, or any other suitable fasteners, which are well known in the furniture-manufacturing industry. Further, the shapes of the linkages and the brackets may vary, as may the locations of certain pivot points. It will be understood that when a linkage is referred to as being pivotally “coupled” to, “interconnected” with, “attached” on, etc., another element (e.g., linkage, bracket, frame, and the like), it is contemplated that the linkage and elements may be in direct contact with each other or other elements, such as intervening elements, which may also be present. Not all reference numerals are listed on all figures, for clarity, but the same parts numbered in one figure correspond to similar parts numbered in other figures.
[0032] Generally, the linkage mechanism 10 guides the coordinated movement of the backrest, the seat, and the ottoman. In an exemplary configuration, these movements are controlled by a pair of essentially mirror-image linkage mechanisms (one of which is shown herein and indicated by reference numeral 10 ), which comprise an arrangement of pivotal interconnected linkages. The linkage mechanisms are disposed in opposing-facing relation about a longitudinally extending plane that bisects the recliner between the pair of opposed arms. As such, the ensuing discussion will focus on only one of the linkage mechanisms 10 , with the content being equally applied to the other complimentary linkage assembly.
[0033] FIGS. 1-9 illustrate the configuration of linkage mechanism 10 in a first aspect, for a motorized, zero-wall clearance, seating unit 12 . Mechanism 10 has a pair of parallel, spaced sides, one left and one right, although only one side is shown in the figures for clarity. Each side of mechanism 10 includes a side rail 26 that extends from the front of the seating unit 12 to the back. Rails 26 are used to mount the mechanism 10 to the base of the seating unit 12 and operate as the base of the mechanism 10 . A rear pivot link 28 extends upwardly from the rail 26 and is pivotally connected to the rail 26 at a lower end thereof. Unless otherwise described differently, each of the rails, links, and brackets described herein are typically made of formed or stamped steel, but other materials with similar characteristics could be used. Rear pivot link 28 has an outward extension formed generally between its ends that functions to couple a rear cross tube 30 between the left and right mechanisms 10 . Rear cross tube 30 provides stability to the mechanism 10 . The upper end of rear pivot link 28 is pivotally coupled to a rear bell crank 32 at pivot 34 . Rear bell crank 32 is also pivotally coupled to a rear control link 36 at pivot 38 . Finally, rear bell crank 32 is pivotally coupled to a bridge link 40 at pivot 42 . As can be seen, rear bell crank 32 is somewhat triangularly shaped and connects the rear pivot link 28 , the rear control link 36 , and the bridge link 40 . As best seen in FIG. 3 , a stop pin 33 is rigidly secured to rear bell crank 32 that operates to keep a seat mounting plate 48 (described below) in position as stop pin 33 moves along a notch 35 formed in seat mounting plate 48 . As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 5 , rear bell crank 32 has another stop pin 37 that contacts rear pivot link 28 when the mechanism is in a closed position.
[0034] The rear control link 36 is coupled on one end to the rear bell crank 32 at pivot 38 . It extends upwardly and rearwardly, and is pivotally connected to a back mounting link 44 at its other end, at pivot 46 . Rear control link 36 is thus pivotally connected between rear bell crank 32 and back mounting link 44 . Back mounting link 44 has a forward end that is pivotally coupled to a seat mounting plate 48 at pivot 50 . As best seen in FIG. 2 , near pivot 50 , back mounting link 44 has a lower cam surface 52 that contacts a stop, or cam, 54 that is rigidly coupled to seat mounting plate 48 . The upper end of back mounting link 44 is used to couple the backrest 16 of seating unit 12 to the mechanism 10 . As back mounting link 44 pivots rearwardly, the backrest 16 is reclined.
[0035] Returning to bridge link 40 , it can be seen that one end of bridge link 40 is pivotally coupled to rear bell crank 32 at pivot 42 . The opposite, forward end of bridge link 40 is pivotally coupled to an L-shaped, front lift link 58 at pivot 60 . As best seen in FIG. 4 , bridge link 40 has an outward bend section 62 to provide clearance for other links of mechanism 10 to move properly and freely. The outer end of one leg of front lift link 58 is pivotally coupled to seat mounting plate 48 at pivot 64 . The outer end of the other leg of front lift link 58 is pivotally coupled to a front pivot link 66 at pivot 68 . Front lift link 58 is thus pivotally connected to bridge link 40 , seat mounting plate 48 , and front pivot link 66 . As best seen in FIGS. 3 , 6 , and 9 , front lift link 58 has a stop pin 59 rigidly secured thereto and extending therefrom, the importance of which is detailed below.
[0036] Front pivot link 66 is thus coupled on one end to the front lift link 58 and is pivotally coupled on the opposite, lower end to side rail 26 at pivot 70 . A front cross tube 72 extends between the pair of front pivot links 66 and couples them together, generally adjacent the upper end of each front pivot link 66 . Like rear cross tube 30 , front cross tube 72 provides stability to the mechanism 10 , connecting the two sides together. A carrier link 74 is pivotally coupled to front pivot link 66 at pivot 76 generally midway between pivots 68 and 70 . Carrier link 74 extends rearwardly from pivot 76 and is coupled on its other end to a front bell crank 78 at pivot 80 . As with bridge link 40 , carrier link 74 has a bend section 82 to provide clearance for the other links of mechanism 10 .
[0037] Front bell crank 78 has a somewhat boomerang shape, as shown. One end of front bell crank 78 is pivotally coupled to carrier link 74 . Generally, at the midpoint, front bell crank 78 is pivotally coupled to seat mounting plate 48 at pivot 84 . The opposite end of front bell crank 78 is pivotally coupled to ottoman drive link 86 at pivot 88 . As best seen in FIG. 3 , the end of ottoman drive link 86 opposite pivot 88 is pivotally coupled to rear ottoman link 90 at pivot 92 . Rear ottoman link 90 is pivotally coupled at its top end to seat mounting plate 48 at pivot 94 . The lower end of rear ottoman link 90 is pivotally coupled to a top ottoman link 96 at pivot 98 . Rear ottoman link 90 has a notch 93 to accommodate stop pin 59 when the linkage is in a closed position. The top ottoman link 96 is part of the ottoman linkage and is pivotally coupled at its opposite end to an ottoman bracket 100 at pivot 102 . Ottoman bracket 100 is connected to and supports ottoman 20 . Near pivot 98 , top ottoman link 96 is pivotally coupled to a front ottoman link 104 at pivot 106 . One end of front ottoman link 104 is pivotally coupled to seat mounting plate 48 at pivot 108 . The other end of front ottoman link 104 is pivotally coupled to a lower ottoman link 110 at pivot 112 . Opposite pivot 112 , lower ottoman link 110 is pivotally coupled to ottoman bracket 100 at pivot 114 . As best seen in FIG. 6 , front ottoman link 104 has a stop pin 116 rigidly secured near pivot 106 . Stop pin 116 stops the extension of the ottoman linkage at the desired location.
[0038] Returning to seat mounting plate 48 , a drive tube mounting bracket 118 is rigidly secured generally about the midpoint of seat mounting plate 48 . As best seen in FIG. 1 , drive tube mounting bracket 118 is used to secure a drive tube 120 between both seat mounting plates 48 . As seen in FIG. 1 , drive tube 120 has a slight forward bend 122 . A connector link 124 is rigidly secured to drive tube 120 at its midpoint. The connector link 124 is used to pivotally couple the drive tube 120 to a motor 126 . Motor 126 extends between the drive tube 120 and a rear cross rail 128 that extends between the two side rails 26 . To facilitate that connection, a clevis 130 is formed or secured to rear cross rail 128 . A front cross rail 134 similarly extends between the two side rails 26 to connect the two sides of mechanism 10 together. The motor can be operated to extend a motor shaft 136 . Extension of the shaft 136 operates to move the linkage between the closed, TV, and fully reclined positions.
[0039] More specifically, in operation, the motor 126 can be activated to extend shaft 136 when the mechanism 10 is in the closed position of FIG. 1 . Extension of the shaft 136 operates to move the drive tube 120 in a forward direction. Due to the connection to seat mounting plate 48 , the movement of drive tube 120 moves seat mounting plate 48 in a forward direction as well. As can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 6 , movement of seat mounting plate 48 causes a rotation of front bell crank 78 about pivot 84 , which in turn causes the pivotal connection between front bell crank 78 and ottoman drive link 86 to move forwardly. This movement drives ottoman drive link 86 , which in turn drives (as viewed from the perspective of FIGS. 3 and 6 ) a counterclockwise rotation of rear ottoman link 90 about pivot 94 . As rear ottoman link 90 rotates, the ottoman bracket 100 is moved to the extended position shown in FIG. 6 by the interconnection of links 90 , 96 , 104 , and 110 . The stop pin 116 prevents over extension of the ottoman linkage.
[0040] As the seat mounting plate 48 moves forward, the seat translates forwardly, and downward, as rear pivot link 28 and front pivot link 66 rotate about their respective connections to side rail 26 . In this TV position, the back mounting link 44 remains in substantially the same orientation so that the back 16 remains substantially upright.
[0041] Further activation of motor 126 causes additional forward force on seat mounting plate 48 , acting through drive tube 120 . The stop pin 116 prevents further extension of the ottoman linkage. As the seat mounting plate 48 is urged forwardly, front lift link 58 rotates and acts to lift seat mounting plate 48 . This further movement also causes a rotation of rear bell crank 32 , which pulls rear control link 36 forward and downward. As rear control link 36 rotates and moves, it causes back mounting link 44 to rotate about pivot 50 , thus acting to recline the back 16 . Because the seat mounting plate 48 moves forwardly as the mechanism 10 moves to the fully reclined position, the mechanism 10 affords a zero-wall clearance for the seating unit 12 . The direct connection of motor 126 to seat mounting plate 48 through mounting bracket 118 and drive tube 120 allows a more simplified motorized mechanism as compared to previous offerings. This simplification reduces the weight of the mechanism through removal of now unneeded parts, as well as reducing cost.
[0042] FIGS. 10-18 illustrate an alternative mechanism 10 that is largely the same as that described above with respect to FIGS. 1-9 . Mechanism 10 of FIGS. 10-18 utilizes a different drive tube 142 and drive tube bracket 144 . As shown, drive tube 142 is a straight tube, as opposed to the bent drive tube 120 of FIGS. 1-9 . Drive tube bracket 144 is fixedly coupled to seat mounting plate 48 , and includes a forward offset section 146 to properly position drive tube 142 and to allow connection of drive tube 142 to seat mounting plate 48 . The remainder of the links and connections remain the same, as does the movement of the mechanism 10 , and so the description is not repeated here. The links and connections are consistently numbered, with the exception of the drive tube 142 and drive tube bracket 144 (with offset section 146 as well). The alternative mechanism of FIGS. 10-18 thus similarly drives the seating unit through a direct, fixed connection between the drive tube 142 and the seat mounting plate 48 .
[0043] The present invention has been described in relation to particular embodiments, which are intended in all respects to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Alternative embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains without departing from its scope.
[0044] It will be seen from the foregoing that this invention is one well adapted to attain the ends and objects set forth above, and to attain other advantages, which are obvious and inherent in the device. It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and within the scope of the claims. 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 hereinabove. Rather, all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not limiting. | A seating unit that includes a linkage mechanism adapted to adjust between closed, extended, and reclined positions is provided. The linkage mechanism includes a linear actuator primarily coupled to a seat mounting plate for carrying out automated adjustment of the linkage assembly. | 0 |
This application claims priority from U.S. Application No. 61/129,183 filed Jun. 10, 2008, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to generating power from thermal energy stored in a fluid.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Heavy oil is a hydrocarbon material having a much higher viscosity than conventional petroleum crude. For this reason it is generally more difficult to recover heavy oil from a deposit. Consequently, methods and systems have been developed that are particularly suited to the difficulties encountered in such recovery. A technique common in the art is to heat the heavy oil in situ to reduce its viscosity. For example, high pressure and temperature steam may be injected into the reservoir through an injection well to pre-heat the heavy oil. The steam condenses to water and mixes with the heavy oil and forms a hot oil-water emulsion that has a reduced viscosity. This allows the oil or oil-water emulsion to rise to the surface naturally due to accumulated reservoir pressure, or to be economically pumped from the reservoir. Once on the surface of the earth, the recovered fluid is passed through a separator that separates out the heavy oil. Three methods of steam-assisted heavy oil recovery commonly used in the industry today are Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD), Cyclic Steam Stimulation (“Huff and Puff” process), and Steam Flooding. In all three methods, large quantities of steam need to be pumped into the ground to deliver a sufficient amount of heat to reduce the viscosity of the heavy oil.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,344,485 to Butler proposes one method of steam-assisted heavy oil recovery in which there are drilled two wells to provide separate oil and water flow paths. In this design heat from the steam may be transferred to the heavy oil without substantial mixing to form an emulsion. The heat absorbed by the heavy oil reduces its viscosity sufficiently to enable the heavy oil to be economically extracted either as an emulsion or as oil at an elevated temperature.
Also, steam injection may not necessarily be employed to heat the heavy oil in situ. For example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0193744 to Bridges proposes heating the heavy oil using a wind powered electro-thermal in situ energy storage system.
In any case, the fluid extracted from the well during the recovery of heavy oil may consist of hot heavy oil, a hot oil-water emulsion, hot water, or hot gas. Although the thermal energy in this fluid provides a stable by-product of heat, the extracted fluid only has a moderately high temperature and is therefore generally not considered a high-grade heat source. However, the volume of the flow coming out of the well can be very high, for example up to a few thousand cubic meters per day.
Typically, recovered oil-water emulsion will have a temperature range between 150 and 330 degrees Celsius, a water/oil ratio of 1.5/1, and a mass flow of 165.6 kg/sec of hot fluid resulting in 36,000 barrels of neat oil per day. Therefore, even though the temperature of the extracted fluid is moderate, the high volume of flow results in a large quantity of heat exiting the ground. Currently, the extracted fluid is simply passed through a production cooler, and this heat is rejected to the atmosphere.
In U.S. Patent Application No. 2007/0261844 to Cogliandro et al., a system is proposed for the capture and sequestration of carbon dioxide. In Cogliandro's patent application, it is additionally suggested that thermal energy may be extracted from fluids recovered from the well in lieu of simply rejecting the heat to the atmosphere. Specifically, Cogliandro shows a system for applying thermal energy extracted from a fluid to convert water into steam and drive a steam turbine. Coliandro does not apply this system to recovering heavy oil, and in fact the system disclosed by Cogliandro could not function in a system for recovering heavy oil due to the moderate temperature of the extracted fluid. Cogliandro teaches the hot fluid entering the heat exchanger and converting water into steam to drive a steam turbine. This is a simple cycle process, and such a system requires the hot fluid extracted from the well to be a much higher temperature than available from a typical heavy oil-water emulsion. For example, the fluid would need to have a temperature of approximately 500 degrees Celsius or above to supply the high quality steam necessary to drive the turbine. Therefore, the system suggested by Cogliandro could only be used in applications where the fluid extracted from the well was a high temperature fluid flow. It could not be applied to a system for recovering heavy oil because it could not effectively recover the thermal energy present in the fluid extracted during heavy oil production.
It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate at least some of the above disadvantages.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for generating power from thermal energy stored in a fluid extracted during the recovery of heavy oil comprising the steps of: (a) vaporizing a working fluid in a closed binary cycle using thermal energy stored in the extracted fluid; (b) converting the vaporized working fluid total energy into mechanical power using a positive displacement expander; and (c) condensing the vaporized working fluid back to a liquid phase.
In another aspect of the invention, there is provided a system for generating power from thermal energy stored in a fluid extracted during the recovery of heavy oil, the system comprising (a) a closed binary cycle having a working fluid; (b) a heat exchanger for receiving the extracted fluid and transferring a portion of the thermal energy to the working fluid, such that the working fluid is vaporized; (c) a positive displacement expander for receiving the vaporized working fluid and converting the working fluid total energy into mechanical power; (d) a condenser for converting vaporized working fluid exiting the positive displacement expander back to a liquid phase; and (e) a heat rejection unit for rejecting heat absorbed by the condenser.
In general terms, an embodiment of the present invention provides a system and method for generating power using the thermal energy stored in a fluid produced during heavy oil extraction. It has been recognized that the thermal energy stored in such a fluid can be economically harnessed to generate electricity by using a binary cycle with a suitable working fluid, and by using a positive displacement expander to receive the working fluid and drive an electric generator. The use of a binary cycle over a simple cycle process employing water, as well as the use of a positive displacement expander, allows electricity to be economically and efficiently generated from the extracted fluid, which only has a moderately high temperature (e.g., 150 to 330 degrees Celsius) and has traditionally been rejected to the atmosphere. This electricity production comes at little expense since the infrastructure for recovering heavy oil is already in place, which includes infrastructure that can easily be adapted for selling the electrical power back to the grid or for utilizing it in on-site technological processes. Therefore, the only investment in additional infrastructure needed is the binary cycle system used to produce the electric power from the extracted fluid.
In one embodiment, water separated from an extracted oil-water emulsion is treated and used as pre-heated boiler feedwater in a steam-assisted heavy oil recovery system. Such an embodiment results in a closed loop system for both the working fluid and for the water used in the heavy oil recovery. Additional boiler feedwater can be added, if necessary, by diverting a fraction of cooling water after use in a condenser in the binary cycle. Since this cooling water will have absorbed heat from the working fluid in the binary cycle, it will also be pre-heated.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
An exemplary embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system for producing power from the thermal energy stored in a fluid produced during heavy oil extraction.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the invention applied to a system for extracting heavy oil using steam injection to reduce the viscosity of the oil. Typically, in such a system the extracted fluid will comprise an oil-water emulsion, but it may also comprise oil at an elevated temperature. In the embodiment described below, the fluid extracted from the well will be assumed to be an oil-water emulsion.
A boiler 2 heats water to form steam, which is injected into steam injection well 4 . Oil-water emulsion pumped from extraction well 6 passes through a first path or loop of heat exchanger 8 . Heat is extracted from the oil-water emulsion by the use of a binary cycle 10 with a suitable working fluid. The working fluid moves through a second path or loop of the heat exchanger 10 and heat is transferred from the emulsion in the first path to the working fluid in the second path. The working fluid is chosen to have a low boiling point such that it will be substantially or completely vaporized by the heat transferred from the extracted fluid in the first path. The working fluid will be vaporized, but it still may contain traces of liquid phase in the form of small droplets due to the relatively moderate temperature of the extracted fluid. A preferable working fluid is Isobutane; however, other working fluids that provide equivalent functionality may be used, for example, mixtures of Isobutane and Methane, Ammonia, and others.
The vaporized working fluid is fed to a positive displacement expander 12 . The expander 12 may be, for example, of the screw or sliding vane type. For example, the expander may consist of a cylindrical rotor (not shown), which may have a number of sliding vanes (typically 6 to 8) eccentrically located in another cylindrical housing (not shown). Admission of vapour takes place when the volume between adjacent vanes is smallest, right after the intake port is closed. As the vapour expands, it spins a rotor and the volume between adjacent vanes increases. The expansion ratio for such an expander is defined as the ratio of the maximum volume between adjacent vanes (i.e., when the exhaust port opens) to the minimum volume between adjacent vanes (i.e., right after the intake port closes). A positive displacement expander 12 has a number of advantages over a turbine. For example, it provides much higher efficiency than a turbine over a broad range of operating conditions.
The expander 12 is connected to an electric generator 14 for the production of electricity. A condenser 16 uses a cooling fluid, such as water, to condense working fluid exiting expander 12 back to a liquid state. The cooling fluid of the condenser 16 passes through a heat rejection unit 24 , such as a water cooling tower, to absorb heat from the cooling fluid. The working fluid in the binary cycle 10 after being condensed back to a liquid state is stored in tank 18 for re-use.
Oil-water emulsion exiting heat exchanger 8 enters separator 20 , which separates the oil from the water. The water is passed through a treatment plant 22 , which includes adding additional feedwater if necessary, and is returned to the boiler 2 to be converted into steam for injection into steam injection well 4 . Conveniently, the water separated from the emulsion and returned to boiler 2 is still at an elevated temperature. This provides further energy savings because the boiler water is effectively pre-heated, which means less external energy is required to convert the boiler water into steam. In an alternative embodiment, additional feedwater can be added, if necessary, by diverting a fraction of cooling water after use in condenser 16 (as indicated in the chain-dotted line of FIG. 1 ). Since this cooling water will have absorbed heat from the working fluid in binary cycle 10 , it will also be of an elevated temperature.
In operation, high-quality steam (e.g., up to 80% steam at a pressure of 12 Megapascals and temperature 327 degrees Celsius) is generated in boiler 2 and is injected into steam injection well 4 , typically for approximately 60-90 days. During this time the heavy oil slowly heats and becomes less viscous. As heat from the steam is transferred to the heavy oil, the steam penetrates through fractures in the reservoir, it condenses, and the heavy oil and condensed steam mix to form an oil-water emulsion. Water may also be naturally trapped in the oil-saturated sands and may become free and form part of the emulsion as the heavy oil softens. As steam injection continues, and the emulsion continues to raise in temperature, it will become less and less viscous until its viscosity is sufficiently reduced to be economically pumped from extraction well 6 at the desired rate. As mentioned above, the oil-water emulsion typically has a temperature of between 150 to 330 degrees Celsius. The oil-water emulsion passes through heat exchanger 8 where the heat from the emulsion is transferred to the binary working fluid operating in the closed loop binary cycle 10 .
After vaporization in heat exchanger 8 , the working fluid flows into the high pressure chamber of the positive displacement expander 12 and expands to produce mechanical energy. The mechanical energy drives a shaft, which is connected to an electric generator 14 to produce electricity.
Depending on the properties of the working fluid, the vapour produced may not be of particularly high quality. Therefore, in some instances, the fluid entering the expander 12 may consist of fluid partially in liquid phase in the form of small liquid droplets. However, it will be appreciated that the working fluid chosen will be such that the fluid is completely or substantially vaporized by the heat from the extracted fluid, and that the use of the positive displacement expander 12 allows useful work to be extracted without jeopardizing the operation of the expander, even when complete vaporization is not achieved.
Additionally, if desired, the amount of heat transferred to the working fluid may be regulated so that the state of the working fluid is at or near the thermodynamic critical point. For example, this may be achieved by supplying additional heat to the working fluid using an external heat source (not shown) or by adjusting the flow rate of the working fluid. The advantage of such an arrangement is that heat energy from the emulsion is more efficiently transferred to working fluid vapour energy. This is because as the working fluid approaches its critical point, the heat of vaporization approaches zero. Therefore, heat energy transferred from the emulsion directly converts the working fluid to vapour. Expansion of the vapour will occur along the critical isotherm.
The use of the positive displacement expander 12 is advantageous because a positive displacement expander is well suited to relatively low quality vapour, which may sometimes be produced in binary cycle 10 . A positive displacement expander 12 works efficiently with two-phase fluid (vapour and droplets of liquid), and in fact the liquid phase works as a lubricant and seal. A positive displacement expander 12 may also provide only single stage expansion for a very high expansion ratio number (e.g. up to 10), and its relatively low RPM allows it to be coupled directly to electric generator 14 without reduction gearing. Also, for these reasons and others, a positive displacement expander 12 requires relatively little maintenance.
After exiting expander 12 , the working fluid, which is likely in both vapour and liquid phases, is condensed back to liquid phase using condenser 16 , and is stored in tank 18 for re-use in the binary cycle 10 . The condenser 16 uses a cooling fluid, such as water, which passes through a heat rejection unit 24 , such as a water cooling tower, to absorb heat from the cooling fluid after use in condenser 16 .
Meanwhile, the oil-water emulsion, after passing through heat exchanger 8 , is fed to separator 20 , which separates the heavy oil from the water. The water is treated 22 , which includes adding makeup feedwater if necessary.
In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 , the separated water from separator 20 is returned to the boiler 2 for re-use. This provides further energy savings because the separated water is still at an elevated temperature, and therefore the boiler feedwater is effectively pre-heated. This means less external energy is required to convert the boiler water into steam. As shown in the chain-dotted line of FIG. 1 , if additional boiler feedwater needs to be added, this can be supplied by diverting a fraction of cooling water after use in condenser 16 . Whilst additional feedwater may be supplied using any external source of water, using cooling water exiting condenser 16 results in further energy savings since this cooling water will have absorbed heat from the working fluid in binary cycle 10 and will therefore also be of an elevated temperature.
EXAMPLE
As an example, an operational analysis of the embodiment of the invention as shown in FIG. 1 has been prepared for oil production of 36,000 barrels per day (or 66.2 kg/s) with a water-oil ratio of 1.5/1. Therefore, the water rate is 54,000 barrels per day (or 99.4 kg/s). To remain conservative the temperature of the oil-water emulsion is assumed only to be 150 degrees Celsius. Such parameters result in the total volume of oil-water emulsion to be 90.000 barrels per day, which is equivalent to a mass flow of 165.6 kg/s. The oil-water emulsion is cooled to 48.8 degrees Celsius in heat exchanger 8 . At this temperature, the emulsion still has a viscosity that allows it to be pumped and delivered through a pipeline to a central processing facility. The total amount of power available will be 50 Megawatts. To absorb this power, the working fluid in binary cycle 10 will need to enter the heat exchanger at a flow rate of 119 kg/s and at an incoming temperature of 38.3 degrees Celsius (liquid phase). The temperature of the working fluid exiting heat exchanger 8 will be 115.5 degrees Celsius (vapour phase). The vaporized working fluid flows into expander 12 , which has an expansion ration of 7.29. As a result of the expansion and conversion of heat energy to mechanical energy, the temperature of the working fluid exiting expander 12 will be 53 degrees Celsius. The working fluid enters condenser 16 , and is further cooled back down to 38.3 degrees Celsius. With the cooling water at a temperature of 23 degrees Celsius entering condenser 16 at 988 kg/s from heat rejection unit 24 , 43 Megawatts of power is absorbed, raising the temperature of the cooling water to 35 degrees Celsius. The water from condenser 16 at 35 degrees Celsius is then returned to heat rejection unit 24 for further cooling to a temperature of 23 degrees Celsius. If makeup feedwater needs to be added to the boiler, this can be supplied by diverting a fraction of the water at 35 degrees Celsius exiting condenser 16 .
In the above scenario, the amount of net electric power produced is 7 Megawatts, and the total power extracted from the fluid is 50 Megawatts. The estimated power to produce the steam for injection is 414 Megawatts, which can be achieved by burning 33229 kg/hour of natural gas with 53 Megajouls/kg of calorific value. Therefore, the incremental in efficiency of energy recovery is approximately equal to 12% (i.e., 50/414). This is equivalent to saving approximately 4149 kg/hr of natural gas. Taking into consideration the high efficiency of the expander 12 , the heat exchanger 8 , and the condenser 16 , as well as the full use of the heated water, minus the parasitic power consumption for pumps and valves, the total efficiency of the preferred embodiment as applied to the scenario described above is approximately 90%.
Although the invention has been described with reference to certain specific embodiments, various modifications thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as outlined in the claims appended hereto.
For example, the invention need not be limited to systems that recover heavy oil using steam assisted recovery methods (e.g. gravity drainage, cyclic steam stimulation, or steam flooding). The invention can be applied to any system in which heavy oil is preheated in situ prior to extraction. This includes, for example, systems that use electromagnetic or electro-thermal methods or fire flooding for heating the heavy oil in situ. In systems that do not employ steam injection, the separator 20 may or may not be necessary, depending on whether the oil forms an emulsion with water naturally trapped in the deposit. Additionally, depending on the technological process employed in the oil extraction, in an alternative embodiment the oil-water emulsion may not be separated in separator 20 . Instead a diluent may be added to the cooled oil-water emulsion, and the diluted emulsion may then be transported to a processing facility.
It will be appreciated that the fluid extracted from the well will not necessarily be an oil-water emulsion. For example, it may be heated heavy oil, hot water, or hot gas. The invention is applicable to any fluid extracted during the recovery of heavy oil. Finally, the positive displacement expander 12 need not necessarily drive an electric generator 14 . The mechanical energy created by the positive displacement expander 12 may be used in any manner envisioned by the operator. | A system and method is disclosed for generating power from thermal energy stored in a fluid extracted during the recovery of heavy oil. The method includes the steps of vaporizing a working fluid in a binary cycle using thermal energy stored in the extracted fluid, converting the vaporized working fluid total energy into mechanical power using a positive displacement expander, and condensing the vaporized working fluid back to a liquid phase. | 5 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/031,647, filed Mar. 15, 1993, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 5,451,859 which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 07/950,091, filed Sep. 23, 1992 (Ryat, "A Precise Current Generator", BT-0004/B1858US) now U.S. Pat. No. 5,498,952, and claims priority therethrough from French App'n 91/12278 filed 30 Sep. 1991, filed 30 Sep. 1991, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to analog integrated circuits which include linear transconductor elements.
Background: Transconductors
Transconductors (voltage-current conversion devices) are now commonly used in many circuits such as variable-gain amplifiers and analog multipliers. They form the heart of these devices, their properties contributing significantly to the performance of these circuits and determining the distortion, gain, consumption and bandwidth.
Many transconductor construction methods have already been defined, the majority of which are MOS circuits (metal-oxide structure semiconductors). Reference can be made, for example, to the article by Zhenhua Wang and Walter Guggenbuehl "A voltage-controllable linear MOS transconductor using bias offset technique" published in February 1990 in the IEEE JOURNAL OF SOLID-STATE CIRCUITS, Vol. 25, pages 315-317, which is hereby incorporated by reference. However, these MOS implementations have a number of drawbacks specific to this technology, notably low tramconductance. Accordingly, while the linearity of the response provided by such devices is good, the gains obtained are always low and input voltage offsets large. This is the reason why bipolar transconductors have also been continued to be of interest.
In one such device, described by Rudy J. Van de Plassche in the article "A wide-band monolithic instrumentation amplifier," 10 IEEE JOURNAL OF SOLID-STATE CIRCUITS 424-431 (December 1975), which is hereby incorporated by reference, two symmetrical amplifiers comprising bipolar transistors are connected by a resistance R. This device provides good linearity and high gain, but the output current depends on the dynamic gain α of the transistors used. The common base gain α of a transistor is equal to i c /i e , i.e. the ratio of its collector current to its emitter current, and is therefore in the neighborhood of 1. Gain is also commonly expressed using an equivalent gain figure β=α/(1-α). This gain itself is substantially dependent on temperature, and therefore constitutes an error source.
Another previously-proposed circuit, described in Pookaiyaudom and Surakampontorn, "An integratable precision voltage-to-current converter with bilateral capability," 13 IEEE JOURNAL OF SOLID-STATE CIRCUITS (June 1978), which is hereby incorporated by reference, is a transconductor for use at a relatively low frequency. The device comprises no compensation for the Early effect, the output signal also depending on the factor α and the input dynamic range being limited.
Another previously-proposed circuit, suggested by Robert A. Blauschild in the article "An open loop programmable amplifier with extended frequency range," 16 IEEE JOURNAL OF SOLID-STATE CIRCUITS 626-633 (December 1981), which is hereby incorporated by reference, calls for relatively high resistances, and therefore provides only a low gain. The conventional teachings therefore require acceptance of a trade-off between linearity and gain.
Background: Current Generators
The parent application described a current generator, and more particularly a generator providing, from a reference voltage Vref defined with respect to ground, a current equal to Vref/R with only a slight error, where R is a resistor value.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional circuit for such a generator. The generator comprises an operational amplifier OA controlling the base of an NPN transistor T1, the emitter of which is connected to an inverting input of the amplifier OA and to ground through a resistor R. The non-inverting input of amplifier OA is provided with a reference voltage Vref with respect to ground. This reference voltage may be provided, for example, by a conventional temperature- and supply-independent reference voltage generator of the "Band-Gap" type. The collector of transistor T1 is connected to a current output terminal S which provides the reference current to a node of the circuit.
With this configuration, the voltage across resistor R is held to Vref, and the emitter current of transistor T1 is therefore Vref/R. The collector current Ic of transistor T1 (output current) is therefore approximately:
Ic≈(1-1/β) Vref/R,
where β designates the current gain of transistor T1. In the presently preferred embodiment, this is typically about 90; but of course this specific value is supplied merely to illustrate the best mode, and is not at all necessary for practising the invention. The generator provides a current proportional to Vref which exhibits a temperature accuracy of approximately 2% over the range from -55° to +125° C. The inaccuracy essentially originates from the term 1/β. By using a MOS transistor instead of the bipolar transistor T1, this term can be made essentially zero, which improves accuracy.
However, the implementation of such a current source requires the use of an operational amplifier. Such an operational amplifier typically includes a large number of components (about 12 transistors), and (for stability) must also be connected to a compensating capacitor (not shown), since the operational amplifier operates in a closed loop mode with a unity gain. In an integrated circuit, such a current source therefore occupies a large area of silicon.
Moreover, the voltage between terminal S and ground has to remain higher than a minimum value equal to Vref+Vcesat, where Vcesat designates the emitter-collector voltage of a bipolar transistor in the saturation state. This minimum value is generally higher when a MOS transistor is used instead of transistor T1. Thus, it is not possible to properly provide current to a node having a variable voltage which may become lower than Vref+Vcesat.
Current Generator of Parent Application
By contrast, the parent application provided an innovative precise current generator (as shown in FIGS. 2-4) which can be integrated onto a small silicon surface, and can provide a precise current to a node of unknown voltage (within a large range).
This current generator includes a first bipolar transistor, the base of which is connected to a reference voltage and the emitter to ground through a first resistor. A first current mirror is connected to mirror the emitter current of this first transistor. The mirrored current is augmented by the base current of a second transistor (matched to the first transistor), and by current Vbe/R passed by a second resistor (matched to the first transistor), which is connected between the base and emitter of the second transistor. The current thus augmented drives a second current mirror. The output of the second mirror provides a precise reference current, determined by the reference voltage and the resistor magnitude.
Disclosed Innovative Transconductor Embodiments
The disclosed innovations provide a number of transconductor embodiments in which the output current not only includes a current component corresponding to that passed by the input transistor(s) which is connected to a respective reference resistor, but also includes a current contribution from a compensation transistor which is matched to the input transistor and from a compensating resistor which is matched to the reference resistor. In differential embodiments the compensating resistor may be split between the two branches, and/or the compensating transistor may be bridged between the input transistors. An additional transistor for base current compensation is preferably (but not necessarily) also added.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show important sample embodiments of the invention and which are incorporated in the specification hereof by reference, wherein:
FIG. 1, as described above, shows a conventional precise current generator. FIGS. 2-4 show three embodiments of precise current generators as disclosed in the parent application.
FIGS. 5 and 6A-6G show single-ended (in and out) transconductors according to various embodiments of the inventions:
FIG. 5 shows a basic sample circuit configuration which achieves a linear transconductance relation.
FIG. 6A shows a modification of the circuit of FIG. 5, which does not require a Darlington.
FIG. 6B shows another variation where the emitters of the output transistors are degenerated for improved current matching.
FIG. 6C shows a simplified circuit for the case where only one output is desired and Vin is larger than 2Vbe+Vcesat.
FIG. 6D is similar to FIG. 6C, except with a multiple current sink output.
FIG. 6E shows a simple alternative embodiment for a single current source output.
FIG. 6F shows a further alternative embodiment with multiple double-ended (source+sink) complementary current outputs.
FIG. 6G shows a further alternative embodiment with multiple double-ended (source+sink) complementary current outputs.
FIGS. 7 to 21 show differential transconductors:
FIG. 7 shows a simple differential transconductor embodiment. FIG. 8 shows an alternative embodiment which is somewhat similar to that of FIG. 7. FIG. 9 shows another alternative embodiment which is somewhat similar to that of FIG. 7.
FIG. 10 shows a further alternative embodiment.
FIG. 11 shows another embodiment. FIG. 12 shows an embodiment similar to that of FIG. 11, with biasing like that of FIGS. 6A and 8. FIG. 13 shows an embodiment similar to that of FIG. 11, with biasing like that of FIGS. 6B and 9.
FIG. 14 shows yet another embodiment of the differential transconductor. FIGS. 15A and 15B are similar to FIG. 14, but with emitter degeneration resistors added to minimize offset.
FIG. 16 shows an alternative embodiment in which the compensating resistor is split, and the compensating resistor and transistor are integrated into the output current mirror. FIG. 17 shows an embodiment similar to that of FIG. 16, but with emitter resistors to improve matching. FIG. 18 shows an embodiment which is fairly similar to that of FIG. 16, except that the compensating resistor is bridged.
FIG. 19 shows a simple circuit with no mirrors, in which the compensating resistor is doubled. FIG. 20 is generally similar to the embodiment of FIG. 19, except that the compensating resistor is bridged and a pair of current mirrors is added. FIG. 21 is generally similar to the embodiment of FIG. 20, except that a pair of PNP cascode transistors is added. FIG. 22 is a further modification of the embodiment of FIG. 19.
FIGS. 23 and 24 show two examples of larger-scale integrated circuit subsystems in which the disclosed transconductor circuits are advantageously used. FIG. 23 shows a 4-quadrant analog multiplier, and FIG. 24 shows a voltage-controlled variable-gain amplifier.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The numerous innovative teachings of the present application will be described with particular reference to the presently preferred embodiment. However, it should be understood that this class of embodiments provides only a few examples of the many advantageous uses of the innovative teachings herein. In general, statements made in the specification of the present application do not necessarily delimit any of the various claimed inventions. Moreover, some statements may apply to some inventive features but not to others.
The innovative current generator of the parent application will first be described, to provide a better understanding of the further innovations described herein.
Current Generator of Parent Application
FIG. 1, as described above, shows a conventional circuit for current generator. FIGS. 2-4, showing precise current generators as disclosed in the parent application, will now be described.
In FIG. 2, a reference voltage Vref is applied to the base of a transistor Q0. The emitter of transistor Q0 is connected to ground G through a resistor R0 having a value R. A current mirror CM1, assumed to be ideal, copies current Ic0. The copied current Ic1 is shared into a base current/b8 of an NPN transistor Q8 and a collector current Ic1-Ib8 of an NPN transistor Q1. Mirror CM1 is connected to a high supply voltage Vcc, and the direction of copy is indicated by an arrow. The collector of transistor Q8 is connected to voltage Vcc, and its emitter is connected to the base of transistor Q1 and to a terminal of a resistor R1 having the same value as resistor R0 (25KΩ, in the presently preferred embodiment). The other terminal of resistor R1 is connected to a node A to which the emitter of transistor Q1 is connected. Current Is in node A is copied to an output terminal S by a current mirror CM2, assumed to be ideal, connected to ground.
In the following, it is assumed that all the transistors have practically identical characteristics, especially an equal gain B>>1, and the same base-emitter voltage drop Vbe, which is easy to implement in an integrated circuit. Moreover, for convenience in the following calculations, the Vbe of PNPs will often be stated with sign reversed, as will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art.
With the configuration of FIG. 2, current Ic0 is exactly:
Ic0=(Vref-Vbe0)/R0-Ib0,
where/b0 designates the base current of transistor Q0. This base current is:
Ib0=Ic0/β≈(Vref-Vbe0)/βR0.
Since resistor R1 is positioned between base and emitter of transistor Q1, the current in resistor R1 is Vbe1/R1. This current is provided by transistor Q8, the base current of which, Ib8, is approximately
Ib8=Vbe1/βR1
Since the current flowing through transistor Q1 is close to the current flowing through transistor Q0, the base current of transistor Q1 has substantially the same value Ib1. Also, Vbe1=Vbe0. The emitter current of transistor Q1 is defined by:
Ie1=Ic1-Ib8+Ib1.
That is, by combining the above equations:
Ie1=Vref/R0-Vbe0/R0-Vbe1/βR1.
Thus, one obtains in node A and at the output of mirror CM2, a current: ##EQU1## where k=Vbe1/Vref.
Thus, the generator according to the invention, shown in FIG. 2, provides a current with substantially the same precision as the current of the conventional generator of FIG. 1, but has the following advantages:
the generator according to the invention occupies a substantially smaller silicon surface because it is much less complex than an operational amplifier (as seen later on, each current mirror comprises two to four transistors), and because it does not need any compensation capacitor, and
by selecting an adequate mirror M2, exemplified hereunder, terminal S can be subject to a lower voltage than the minimum value Vcesat+Vref of the generator shown in FIG. 1.
If it is desired to still further increase the precision of the output current Is, the perturbing term k/β introduced by current Ib2 has to be decreased or cancelled. This can be achieved, as described in relation with FIG. 3, by replacing the bipolar transistor Q8 with a Darlington transistor or with a MOS transistor (FIG. 4) if available in the manufacturing technology.
FIG. 3 shows in more detail an embodiment of the current generator according to the invention. Elements which are the same as in FIG. 2 are designated with the same references. In addition to the current output terminal S, this embodiment comprises two additional terminals S2 and S3.
Mirror CM1, in the presently preferred embodiment, is a conventional bipolar transistor mirror of the Wilson-type (which provides nearly ideal characteristics). The mirror comprises two PNP transistors Q3, Q5 in series between the collector of transistor Q0 and supply voltage Vcc, and two additional PNP transistors Q4, Q6 in series between the collector of transistor Q1 and supply voltage Vcc. The input of mirror CM1 corresponds to the shorted base-collector of transistor QS. The mirror output corresponds to the collector of transistor Q6, the base of which is connected to the base of transistor Q5. The collector and base of transistor Q4 are shorted and connected to the base of transistor Q3.
Mirror CM2 comprises two NPN transistors Q7 and Q7', having emitters connected to ground and bases interconnected. The collector of transistor Q7' forms the mirror input and is connected to the node A. The collector of transistor Q7' forms the mirror output and is connected to terminal S. Additional transistors may be connected in parallel to Q7', as shown, to provide additional current output terminals S2, S3, etc. The base current of transistors Q7' is provided by the emitter of an NPN transistor Q2, the collector of which is connected to the supply voltage Vcc, and the base of which is connected to the emitter of transistor Q8'. The base current consumed by transistor Q2 is supplied by Q8, which renders this mirror close to ideal. Of course, other current mirror circuits can be used; see generally section 2.12 of Feucht, HANDBOOK OF ANALOG CIRCUIT DESIGN (1990), which is hereby incorporated by reference.
With this configuration (and with all transistors having the same gain β), collector currents Is2 and Is3 will be equal to current Is, that is, Vref/R if Q8 is a Darlington transistor. By designing the area of transistors Q7" and Q7"' to be different from that of Q7', it is possible to obtain output currents Is2 and Is3 which are predetermined fractions or multiples of current Is. Of course, additional transistors can be connected in parallel to increase the number of current outputs.
With current mirror CM2, the minimum voltage at terminals S, S2 and S3 is equal to voltage Vcesat of transistors Q7'-Q7"', that is, approximately 0.3 volt (instead of Vcesat+Vref in the prior art generator).
FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment in BiCMOS technology of a generator according to the invention. Elements which are the same as in FIG. 2 are designated with the same references. Transistor Q8 is replaced by an N-channel MOS transistor Q8', with a resulting null current Ib8 and a current Is strictly equal to Vref/R.
In a sample preferred embodiment, the specific parameters used are: Vref=1.2 V; β=90; R0=R1=25KΩ; and Q0 has the minimum emitter area for the process used. However, as will be readily recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art, these specific parameters are not necessary for use of the claimed innovations, and can be readily varied. For example, most of the disclosed circuits will still work for betas of 30 or less.
Innovative Single-Ended Transconductor Embodiments
For clarity, the innovative single-ended transconductors will be described first, followed by the differential transconductor embodiments which would be more likely to be used in a sample embodiment.
FIGS. 5 and 6A-6G show single-ended (in and out) transconductors according to various embodiments of the inventions. Note that, even where reference numbers may be the same as those of FIGS. 1-4, these reference numbers do not necessarily indicate identical or corresponding elements.
FIG. 5 shows a basic sample circuit configuration. Note that this configuration includes a few possible substitutions: the compensation-current block CC, which is primarily implemented by transistor Q8, may be replaced by block CC' (with NMOS transistor M8) or block CC" (a folded-Darlington configuration), to achieve a base-current-independent output.
In another illustrated alternative, mirror CM1 (using PNPs Q3-Q6) may be replaced by a low-drop-in mirror CMI' with a one-stage amplifier and bootstrapped input resistance, for low-supply implementations. These particular modifications can also be introduced into most of the other embodiments shown.
Along the lines of the foregoing analysis of FIGS. 2 and 3, it may be seen that (Neglecting the base current of Q8):
Iout=Vin/R0,
which is a linear transconductance relation.
FIG. 6A shows a modification of the circuit of FIG. 5, which does not require a Darlington. Instead, transistor Q8' is connected base-to-base with Q1. Transistors Q8' and Q9, with current source Ibias, thus provide the Vbe1/R1 current to the output. This configuration works under lower supply voltages than the configuration of FIG. 5, since the collector of Q6 is now only at 2Vbe above Vss.
FIG. 6B shows another variation where the emitters of the output transistors are degenerated for improved current matching. The base of Q1 is now biased by the emitter of PNP Q8". This embodiment provides similar advantages, over the embodiment of FIG. 5, as does the embodiment of FIG. 6A.
FIG. 6C shows a simplified circuit for the case where only one output is desired and VIN is larger than 2Vbe+Vcesat. The current through Q0 is:
I0=(VIN-Vbe.sub.0)/R0+I1-Ib.sub.0.
With
I1=Vbe.sub.7 /R1+2Ib.sub.7 =Vbe0/R0+2Ib.sub.0,
it may be seen that
I0=VIN/R0+Ib.sub.0.
I0 is then directly equal to the desired value of Iout, with only one base current error (if Ib 1 is not neglected, this error is attenuated).
FIG. 6D is the same as FIG. 6C, except with a multiple current sink output. In this embodiment
I0=(VIN-Vbe0)/R0+I1-Ib.sub.0,
I1=Vbe0/R0+Ib.sub.0
(with Ib I neglected) and hence
I0≈Iout=VIN/R0.
Note that the circuit embodiments of FIGS. 6C and 6D provide compensation in a rather different way than most of the other embodiments do. In these embodiments, distortion cancellation is performed at the emitter of the input transistor, i.e. "before" the distortion actually occurs, so that the current through the input transistor is not distorted at all. (By contrast, in most of the other disclosed embodiments, the distortion is cancelled "after" it occurs.) However, the embodiments of FIGS. 6C and 6D are slightly less accurate, because of residual base current effects.
FIG. 6E shows an alternative embodiment for a single current source output. The condition VIN>2Vbe+Vcesat is removed, but the voltage on the output node must still be higher than Vbe+Vcesat. The key advantage of this embodiment is its simplicity.
FIG. 6F shows a further alternative embodiment with multiple double-ended (source+sink) complementary current outputs. In this Figure, Q13 is the base current compensating device for the NPN mirror (input Q8, output Q11), like Q2 for the PNP mirror (input Q3, output Q6).
FIG. 6G shows a simplified circuit which is useful in understanding the operation of FIG. 6F (and of other circuits): in this circuit, input transistor Q 0 and resistor R 0 are connected as above. The collector current of Q0 is combined with a branch, formed by Q1 and R1, which adds current components Ib 1 and Vbe/R1. Thus the current mirrored through PNP mirror CM1 is
I.sub.0 +Ib.sub.1 +Vbe.sub.1 /R1.
This current is mirrored back through NPN mirror CM2 to provide the proper bias current for Q1. Now, since the collector currents I0 and I1 of matched transistors Q0 and Q1 are equal, their Vbe's and Ib's are also equal as desired.
Innovative Differential Transconductor Embodiments
FIGS. 7 to 20 show differential transconductors. In these figures, VIN and Iout are implemented as differentials:
VIN=V+-V-.
Iout=I.sub.+ -I.sub.--.
The following embodiments all show PNP input transistors, but of course these could be configured with NPN input pairs instead. FIG. 7 shows a simple differential transconductor embodiment, in which the differential inputs + and - are applied to PNP input transistors Q0A and Q0B, whose emitters are bridged by reference resistor R0. The currents passed by the input transistors are mirrored through current mirrors CM1A and CM1B, over to two output branches. Each branch includes a compensation transistor Q1A or Q1B, and a compensating resistor R1A or RIB, and also (in this embodiment) a base current compensation transistor Q8A or Q8B. Note that this embodiment does not include any analog to the second current mirror CM2 of FIG. 2, but of course such could be added if desired.
In this embodiment, it may be seen that ##EQU2## Neglecting Ib 8A and Ib 8B , we have: ##EQU3## since I 1A =I 0A . Hence,
I+=I0+(Vbe.sub.0B +Vbe.sub.0A -VIN)/R0.
I.sub.-- =I.sub.0B +Ib.sub.0B +2 Vbe.sub.0B /R0.
Hence,
I.sub.-- =I0+(Vbe.sub.0A +Vbe.sub.0B +VIN)/R0.
Hence Iout=-2Vin/R0,
giving a linear relationship as desired. However, it should be noted that
I.sub.+ +I.sub.-- =2I0+2(Vbe.sub.0A +Vbe.sub.0B)/R0,
so that only the differential output is linear with VIN.
FIG. 8 shows an alternative embodiment which is similar to that of FIG. 7, with biasing of the bases of Q1A and Q1B similar to FIG. 6A. Note that this embodiment also includes the second mirror CM2.
FIG. 9 shows an alternative embodiment which is similar to that of FIG. 7 again, with biasing similar to FIG. 6B.
FIG. 10 shows a further alternative embodiment, in which R1 is bridged, and a second current mirror CM2 is used, and transistors Q19 and Q20 provide base current compensation. In this embodiment, ##EQU4## Thus, in this embodiment both differential and single-ended outputs are linearized.
FIG. 11 shows another embodiment, in which R1 is split into two resistors RIa and RIb, and which includes NO current mirrors: instead, the innovative current compensation is introduced into the same leg as each input transistor. In this embodiment it may be seen that
I.sub.0A =I0+(Vbe.sub.0B -Vbe.sub.0A -VIN)/R0-Ib.sub.0A.
I.sub.0B =I0+(Vbe.sub.0A -Vbe.sub.0B +VIN)/R0-Ib.sub.0B.
Neglecting Ib 8A and Ib 8B : ##EQU5## Hence
Iout=(Ib.sub.IA -Ib.sub.0A)+(Ib.sub.0B -Ib.sub.1B)+2(Vbe.sub.0B -Vbe.sub.0A +Vbe.sub.1A -Vbe.sub.1B -VIN)/R0.
However,
I.sub.0A =IS.sub.p ·exp(Vbe.sub.0A /Vt),
and
I1A=IS.sub.N ·exp(Vbe.sub.1A /Vt),
so that
Vbe.sub.1A -Vbe.sub.0A =Vt.log(IsP/IsN)=constant.
(IS N and IS P are the base-emitter diode saturation currents for the NPN and PNP transistors, all constant on the same die). Therefore:
Vbe.sub.1A -Vbe.sub.0A =Vbe.sub.1B -Vbe.sub.0B =constant,
or equivalently
Vbe.sub.0B -Vbe.sub.0A +Vbe.sub.1A =Vbe.sub.1B =0.
It may be seen that
Iout=-2VIN/R0
(with the approximation Ib 0A =Ib 1A and Ib 0B =Ib 1B ). But
I.sub.+ +I.sub.-- =2I0+2(Vbe.sub.1A +Vbe.sub.1B)/R0.
Thus, in this embodiment only the differential output is linear with VIN.
FIG. 12 shows an embodiment similar to that of FIG. 11, with biasing like that of FIGS. 6A and 8. FIG. 13 shows an embodiment similar to that of FIG. 11, with biasing like that of FIGS. 6B and 9.
FIG. 14 shows yet another embodiment of the differential transconductor. Q11 provides biasing to the bases of Q1A and Q1B. Note that both R1 and R0 are connected as bridge resistors. In this Figure, it may be seen that ##EQU6## Thus in this embodiment both differential and single-ended outputs are linearized.
FIGS. 15A & B are similar to FIG. 14, but with emitter degeneration resistors added to minimize offset. In FIG. 15A, the bases of Q1Aa/b and Q1Ba/b are biased by the emitters of Q11 and Q12. Q1Aa/b and Q1Ba/b are equivalent to two transistors of equal size, which varies with the input but remains in a constant ratio to that of Q1 and Q2. The quantity Vbe 1A -Vbe 0A is no longer Vt·log(IsP/IsN), but remains always equal to Vbe 1B -Vbe 0B so that the equations of FIG. 14 are still valid. In FIG. 15B, saturation of transistors Q7 and Q8 is avoided by the use of additional current sources Ia and 2Ia.
FIG. 16 shows an alternative embodiment in which the compensating resistor R1 is split, and the compensating resistor and transistor are integrated into the output current mirror (so that a corresponding current component is fed directly into the output current). In this embodiment ##EQU7## Hence in this embodiment only the differential output is linear with VIN.
FIG. 17 shows an embodiment similar to that of FIG. 16, but with emitter resistors to improve matching.
FIG. 18 shows an embodiment which is fairly similar to that of FIG. 16, except that resistor R1 is bridged. In this embodiment ##EQU8## Hence:
Iout=-2VIN/R0+Ib.sub.IA -IB.sub.1B ;
I.sub.+ +I.sub.-- =2I0+2Ia+Ib.sub.1A +Ib.sub.1B.
Thus in this embodiment both differential and single-ended outputs are linearized.
FIG. 19 shows a simple circuit with no mirrors, in which R1 is doubled. In this embodiment (neglecting Ib 8A and Ib 8B ): ##EQU9## Hence:
Iout-2VIN/R0+Ib.sub.1A -Ib.sub.1B ;
I.sub.+ +I.sub.-- =2I0-Ib.sub.1A -Ib.sub.1B.
Thus in this embodiment both differential and single-ended outputs are linearized.
FIG. 20 is generally similar to the embodiment of FIG. 19, except that R1 is bridged and a pair of current mirrors is added. Neglecting Ib 8A and Ib 8B : ##EQU10## Thus in this embodiment both differential and single-ended outputs are linearized.
FIG. 21 is generally similar to the embodiment of FIG. 20, except that a pair of PNP cascode transistors (QCA and QCB) is added. In this embodiment, like that of FIG. 20, both differential and single-ended outputs are linearized.
FIG. 22 is another differential scheme, similar to FIG. 19.
Circuit Advantages
Some of the notable advantages which result from the structures described above include the following. However, it must be understood that this is NOT an exhaustive list.
Note that these configurations provide quasi-open-loop structures, and hence are faster than comparable closed-loop circuits. For the same reason the innovative circuits are smaller, since no compensation capacitor is required for stability. Compactness and simplicity are beneficial to component matching since components can be laid out close to each other on the die.
Most PNPs are used in common-base configuration (and only rarely in current mirrors), which improves speed.
The disclosed innovations provide high-linearity voltage to current conversion (nonlinearity is typically less than 0.5%).
Using the disclosed innovations, gain error is typically from 0.1 to a few percent, depending on the circuit. (This is essentially due to finite beta effects that can be compensated by proper setting of the reference currents I0.)
Some circuits are even exempt of beta-dependent output errors, thus providing high temperature stability at low cost.
Some of the transconductors provide linear and fast voltage to current conversion even for low values of the resistors R0, hence achieving high gain (FIGS. 10, 14, 15, 18, 20). This is unique for open-loop voltage to current converters: classical circuits achieve precision and speed at the cost of a low transconductance I/R0, always detrimental to gain and offset.
Note that the disclosed circuits use very few cascaded mirrors, which usually degrade offset.
Note that the disclosed circuits can tolerate high input/output voltage swings, and can readily provide multiple outputs.
Applications to Integrated Systems
It is well known that transconductors are a highly versatile analog building block. The disclosed inventions not only provide improved transconductor circuit characteristics, but enable improvements to be made in larger-scale analog circuits. For example, the present invention provides improved:
Biasing circuits;
Precision multipliers/dividers (FIG. 23);
AGC circuits (FIG. 24); and
Instrumentation amplifiers.
FIGS. 23 and 24 show two examples of such larger-scale integrated circuit subsystems in which the transconductor circuits described above provide advantages. FIG. 23 shows a 4-quadrant analog multiplier, and FIG. 24 shows a voltage-controlled variable-gain amplifier. Of course, the innovative transconductor circuits can be used in numerous other specific implementations, but these two Figures will provide some indication.
Further Modifications and Variations
It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that the innovative concepts disclosed in the present application can be applied in a wide variety of contexts. Moreover, the preferred implementation can be modified in a tremendous variety of ways. Accordingly, it should be understood that the modifications and variations suggested below and above are merely illustrative. These examples may help to show some of the scope of the inventive concepts, but these examples do not nearly exhaust the full scope of variations in the disclosed novel concepts.
For example, any of the specific circuits shown can be inverted to produce a current source of opposite polarity, by appropriate selection of complementary transistors, with connections of ground and voltage Vcc being then inverted.
Similarly, some of the disclosed structures are readily translatable to CMOS or BICMOS circuits.
In addition, it will in many cases be possible to replace specific blocks, within one of the overall circuit configurations shown, with other blocks of the same functionality. For .example, as will be readily recognized by those skilled in the art of analog design, there are many types of current sources, current mirrors, loads, etc.
As will be recognized by those skilled in the art, the innovative concepts described in the present application can be modified and varied over a tremendous range of applications, and accordingly the scope of patented subject matter is not limited by any of the specific exemplary teachings given. | An integrated transconductor circuit in which the input transistor(s) passes a current across a reference resistor. This conventional arrangement produces current error terms of Vbe/R and Ib. According to the present invention, these terms are compensated by providing a compensation resistor which is matched to the first resistor, and a compensation transistor which is matched to the input transistor, interconnected to feed the appropriate current components to the output. For even better compensation, an additional transistor is optionally added to remove the effect of base current of the compensation transistor. In differential embodiments, the compensation resistor may be bridged or split. Zero, one, or more stages of current mirroring can optionally be used to provide the desired output. | 7 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a DRAM structure (Dynamic Random Access Memory) with a transistor formed in a floating body or well and a method of reading, writing and holding information in such a DRAM structure.
[0003] 2. Discussion of the Related Art
[0004] FIG. 1 schematically shows a conventional example of a DRAM 5 comprising memory cells distributed in rows and in columns. Only four memory cells T 1,1 , T 1,2 , T 2,1 , T 2,2 distributed in two rows and two columns are shown. Each memory cell corresponds to a MOS-type field effect transistor. The drains of the memory cells of a same column are connected to a drain line DL i , i being equal to 1 or 2 in the present example, also called bit lines. The gates of memory cells of a same row are connected to a gate line GL i , i being equal to 1 or 2 in the present example, also called a word line. The sources of the memory cells of a same row are connected to a source line SL i , with i ranging between 1 and 2 in the present example.
[0005] FIG. 2 is a simplified cross-section view of an example of a memory cell of DRAM 5 , for example, memory cell T 1,1 . Memory cell T 1,1 comprises an N-channel MOS transistor 10 formed in a floating body region 11 laterally delimited by an insulating ring 12 and, depthwise, by an N-type layer 13 formed in a P-type substrate 14 . MOS transistor 10 comprises, on either side of gate region 16 surrounded with spacers 17 and resting on a gate insulator 18 , N-type source and drain regions 19 and 20 . Each of the source and drain regions comprises a deeper, more heavily doped region outside of the region defined by spacers 17 and a shallower, less heavily-doped region under the spacers. Drain line DL 1 is connected to drain region 20 , source line SL 1 is connected to source region 19 , and gate line GL 1 is connected to gate 16 .
[0006] In the absence of a specific action on the memory cell, floating body 11 is at a given potential corresponding to the thermal balance. It has been shown that positive or negative charges could be injected into this body, setting the selected memory cell(s) to one or the other of two determined states which will be called 1 and 0. According to this substrate biasing, the threshold voltage of the transistor modifies and states 1 and 0 can thus be distinguished.
[0007] Further, FIG. 2 shows an N-type conductive well 21 connecting with buried layer 13 to enable biasing hereof. In FIG. 2 , the biasing terminal is called NISO, and buried layer 13 can be called the insulation layer. Biasing terminal NISO is maintained at a constant value, preferably at a slightly positive value.
[0008] In the following description, the given example corresponds to a technology in which the minimum possible dimension of a pattern is on the order of 0.12 μm and in which a gate length on the order of 0.30 μm and a depth of insulating regions 12 on the order of 0.35 μm have been selected, as well as a gate oxide thickness on the order of 6 nm.
[0009] FIG. 3 shows the voltages to which the control lines of memory 5 of FIG. 1 are brought in the case of a hold operation, also called operation of retention of the data stored in the transistors. Such an operation is the operation by default of memory 5 , that is, in the absence of a data read or write operation in the memory cells. Conventionally, all the control lines are set to the reference voltage of memory 5 , generally ground potential, defined as equal to 0 V in the exemplary descriptions hereafter. Thereby, all transistors are blocked and the data stored in the transistors is not modified.
[0010] FIG. 4 shows the voltages to which the control lines of memory 5 of FIG. 1 are brought for an operation of writing a “1” into memory cell T 1,1 . As compared with the hold operation, drain line DL 1 is set to a high voltage, for example, +2.5 V. It may be the voltage provided by the positive power supply source (Here please insert a reference numeral corresponding to a block representing a power supply source to be added to the drawing) of memory 5 . Gate line GL 1 is set to a voltage intermediary between the reference voltage and the high voltage, in the present example, 1.2 V. Transistor T 1,1 is then on, the other memory transistors being off. The drain-source voltage of transistor T 1,1 being high, transistor T 1,1 is set to a relatively strong conduction state. At the end of this state, when all the voltages of the control lines are brought back to zero, positive charges (holes) have accumulated in the floating body. Once memory cell T 1,1 is at equilibrium, these charges tend to narrow the space charge areas at the level of the junctions delimiting body 11 . Transistor T 1,1 then has a low threshold voltage, that is, in a read state in which the transistor is slightly biased to the on state, a first current will be observed for a given gate voltage.
[0011] FIG. 5 shows the voltages to which the control lines of memory 5 of FIG. 1 are brought in an operation of writing of a “0” into memory cells T 1,1 and T 1,2 of memory 5 . Such an operation is also called an erasing operation. As compared with the hold operation, gate line GL 1 and source line SL 1 are set to a low voltage, for example, −1.2 V. Each of transistors T 1,1 and T 1,2 is off, its gate and its source being set to a negative voltage, whereby the positive voltages possibly present in body 11 are eliminated and negative charges are injected after the setting to the on state of the body-source diode. At the end of this state, the space charge areas of the junctions delimiting body 11 tend to widen and this results in an increase in the transistor threshold voltage. Transistors T 1,1 and T 1,2 then have a high threshold voltage.
[0012] FIG. 6 shows the voltages to which the control lines of memory 5 of FIG. 1 are brought in the case an operation of reading the data stored in memory cell T 1,1 . As compared with the hold operation, drain line DL 1 and gate line GL 1 are set to 1.2 V. Transistor T 1,1 is thus slightly biased to the on state. The threshold voltage of transistor T 1,1 depends on the data memorized in transistor T 1,1 . Thus, in read conditions in which the transistor is slightly biased to the on state, a lower current is obtained for a same 1.2-V gate voltage when datum “0” is stored in transistor T 1,1 and a higher current is obtained when datum “1” is stored in transistor T 1,1 . By “datum” is meant information in the form of a binary data bit, e.g. bit “0” or bit“1”. The current flowing through the MOS transistor is measured or, preferably, compared with a reference value ranging between the current values corresponding to states 1 and 0. Thus, the memory effect of a memory cell according to an embodiment of the present invention characterizes by a difference between a current at state 1 and a current at state 0 for a given drain-source biasing and for a given gate voltage.
[0013] A disadvantage of such a memory 5 is that an operation of writing of a datum “1” into a memory cell can modify the data stored in the memory cells of the same column. Indeed, as shown in FIG. 4 , in an operation of writing into memory cell T 1,1 , the drain and the source of memory cell T 2,1 are set to voltages, respectively of 2.5 V and 0 V.
[0014] In this case, the capacitive coupling exerted by the drain on body 11 of memory cell T 2,1 causes an increase in the voltage of body 11 of memory cell T 2,1 . This voltage increase tends to forward bias the source junction of memory cell T 2,1 . The positive charges possibly stored in body 11 can thus leak through the source junction, causing a decrease in the number of positive charges stored in body 11 . It may then no longer be possible to detect that datum “1” is stored in such a memory cell.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0015] The invention described herein is a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) formed of memory cells having a MOS transistor with an isolated body, distributed in rows and columns, and a method for controlling such a memory enabling avoiding an unwanted modification of data stored in memory cells adjacent to a memory cell at the level of which a write operation is performed.
[0016] For this purpose, the invention provides a DRAM comprising memory cells distributed in rows and in columns, each memory cell comprising a MOS transistor with a floating body, the memory comprising means for writing a datum (information in the form of data bits) into a determined (i.e. selected) memory cell belonging to a determined (i.e. selected) row and to a determined (i.e. selected) column. The write means comprise means capable of bringing the drains of the memory cells of the determined column to a voltage V 1 ; means capable of bringing the sources of the memory cells of the determined row to a voltage V 2 ; and means capable of bringing the drains of the memory cells of the columns other than the determined column and the sources of the memory cells of the rows other than the determined row to a voltage V 3 , voltages V 1 , V 2 , and V 3 being such that |V 1 −V 2 |>|V 3 −V 2 | and (V 1 −V 2 )×(V 3 −V 2 )>0. Such means are typically power (voltage or current) sources, decoders and/or logic circuits for providing the desired voltages/currents, as well as read, write and hold voltage levels to the memory cells and are generically defined herein as circuitry. Those skilled in the art can readily find such circuitry for generating the specific voltage levels desired to be applied, once apprised of the voltage levels to be applied to the memory cells in accordance with the invention.
[0017] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the memory comprises means (i.e. circuitry) for holding the data stored in the memory cells of the memory, the hold means being capable of bringing the drains and the sources of all the memory cells in the memory to voltage V 3 .
[0018] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the memory comprises means for reading the datum stored in the determined memory cell, the read means comprising means capable of bringing the sources of the memory cells of the determined row to voltage V 2 ; and means capable of bringing the drains of all the memory cells in the memory and the sources of the memory cells of the rows other than the determined row to voltage V 3 .
[0019] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the memory comprises means for erasing the data stored in the memory cells of the determined row, the erasing means comprising means capable of bringing the sources and the gates of the memory cells of the determined row to a voltage V 4 , voltage V 4 being such that (V 1 −V 2 )×(V 4 −V 2 )<0; and means capable of bringing the drains of all the memory cells in the memory and the sources of the memory cells of the rows other than the determined row to voltage V 3 .
[0020] According to an embodiment of the present invention, at least one means from among the group comprising the write means, the hold means, and the read means is capable of bringing the gates of all the memory cells in the memory to voltage V 3 .
[0021] An embodiment of the present invention also provides a method for controlling a DRAM comprising memory cells distributed in rows and in columns, each memory cell comprising a MOS transistor with a floating body, in which an operation of writing of a datum into a determined memory cell belonging to a determined row and to a determined column comprises the steps of bringing the drains of the memory cells of the determined column to a voltage V 1 ; of bringing the sources of the memory cells of the determined row to a voltage V 2 ; and of bringing the drains of the memory cells of the columns other than the determined column and the sources of the memory cells of the rows other than the determined row to a voltage V 3 , voltages V 1 , V 2 , and V 3 being such that |V 1 −V 2 |>|V 3 −V 2 | and (V 1 −V 2 )×(V 3 −V 2 )>0.
[0022] According to an embodiment of the present invention, voltage V 2 is the ground voltage of the memory.
[0023] According to an embodiment of the present invention, an operation of holding of the data stored in the memory cells in the memory comprises the step of bringing the drains and the sources of all the memory cells in the memory to voltage V 3 .
[0024] According to an embodiment of the present invention, an operation of reading the datum stored in the determined memory cell comprises the steps of bringing the sources of the memory cells of the determined row to voltage V 2 ; and of bringing the drains of all the memory cells in the memory and the sources of the memory cells of the rows other than the determined row to voltage V 3 .
[0025] According to an embodiment of the present invention, an operation of erasing the data stored in the memory cells of the determined row comprises the steps of bringing the sources and the gates of the memory cells of the determined row to a voltage V 4 , voltage V 4 being such that (V 1 −V 2 )×(V 4 −V 2 )<0; and bringing the drains of all the memory cells in the memory and the sources of the memory cells of the rows other than the determined row to voltage V 3 .
[0026] According to an embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the operations from the group comprising the write operation, the hold operation, and the read operation comprises bringing the gates of all the memory cells in the memory to voltage V 3 .
[0027] The foregoing object, features, and advantages, of the present invention, as well as others, will be discussed in detail in the following non-limiting description of specific embodiments in connection with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0028] FIG. 1 , previously described, schematically shows a DRAM with four memory cells;
[0029] FIG. 2 , previously described, schematically shows a memory cell having a transistor with a floating body;
[0030] FIGS. 3 to 6 , previously described, show the voltages to which are brought the control lines of the memory of FIG. 1 , respectively for hold, write, erasing, and read operations; and
[0031] FIGS. 7 to 10 show an example of voltages to which are brought the control lines of a memory according to an embodiment of the present invention, respectively for hold, write, erasing, and read operations.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0032] For clarity, same elements have been designated with same reference numerals and, further, as usual in the representation of integrated circuits, the various drawings are not to scale.
[0033] In the following description, a DRAM 5 of matrix type will be considered, for which the memory cells have, as an example, the structure shown in FIG. 2 . The voltage applied to terminal NISO remains substantially constant along the operation of memory 5 and is, for example, on the order of 1.2 V.
[0034] An embodiment of the present invention provides, in a write operation, decreasing the drain-source voltages of the memory cells adjacent to the addressed memory cell with respect to the drain-source voltage of the addressed memory cell, to limit risks of disturbance of the data stored in the memory cells adjacent to the addressed memory cell. This is obtained by bringing the source lines other than the source line associated with the memory cell to be addressed to an intermediate voltage greater than the reference voltage of the memory. To limit switching operations on the control lines, it is then provided, in a hold operation, to maintain the drain lines, the source lines, and the gate lines at such an intermediary voltage called the hold voltage.
[0035] FIG. 7 shows an example according to an embodiment of the present invention of voltages to which are brought the control lines of memory 5 in a hold operation. Drain lines DL 1 and DL 2 , gate lines GL 1 and GL 2 , and source lines SL 1 and SL 2 are set to an identical hold voltage, greater than the reference voltage of memory 5 . In the present example, the hold voltage is lower than half the voltage to which the drain line associated with a memory cell at the level of which a write operation is performed is brought. For a write operation which requires bringing the voltage of the drain line associated with a memory cell to be addressed to 2.5 V, the hold voltage is 1.2 V.
[0036] FIG. 8 shows an example according to an embodiment of the present invention of voltages to which the control lines of memory 5 are brought in an operation of writing of a “1” into memory cell T 1,1 . As compared with the hold operation, the drain line DL 1 associated with memory cell T 1,1 to be addressed is set to the 2.5-V voltage and source lines SL 1 associated with memory cell T 1,1 to be addressed is set to the reference voltage, where the voltages of the other control lines are not modified. For the addressed memory cell T 1,1 , a 2.5-V drain-source voltage and a 1.2-V gate voltage are thus obtained, as for the conventional write operation illustrated in FIG. 4 . However, unlike a conventional write operation, the drain-source voltage of memory cell T 2,1 is 1.3 V, that is, much lower than the voltage obtained for a conventional write method.
[0037] Risks of leakage of positive charges stored in body 11 of memory cell T 2,1 are thus limited. An embodiment of the present invention thus advantageously enables limiting the risk of unwanted modification of the data stored in the memory cells of the same column as the addressed memory cell.
[0038] FIG. 9 shows an example according to an embodiment of the present invention of voltages to which are brought the control lines of memory 5 in an operation of erasing of the data stored in memory cells T 1,1 and T 1,2 . As compared with the hold operation, gate lines GL 1 and source line SL 1 are set to the low voltage, in the present example, −1.2 V, where the voltages of the other control lines are not modified.
[0039] For each of transistors T 1,1 and T 1,2 , the 1.2-V voltage applied to drain 20 tends to increase the voltage of body 11 by a coupling phenomenon and to make the junction between body. 11 and source 19 conductive. In an erasing operation according to an embodiment of the present invention, drain 20 is brought to a voltage (1.2 V) greater than the voltage (0 V) to which it is brought in a conventional erasing operation. A better increase in the voltage of body 11 by coupling with drain 20 , and thus an improvement in the erasing, are thus obtained.
[0040] When a write operation is performed after a hold operation, an embodiment of the present invention provides having the voltage of drain line DL 1 associated with the memory cell to be addressed increase from 1.2 V to 2.5 V. For the conventional write operation illustrated in FIG. 4 , this same line increases from 0 V to 2.5 V. An embodiment of the present invention thus enables a decrease in the memory consumption in a write operation. When an erasing operation is performed after a hold operation, an embodiment of the present invention provides having the voltage of source and gate lines SL 1 and GL 1 decrease from 1.2 V to −1.2 V. For the conventional erasing operation illustrated in FIG. 5 , these same lines only decrease from 0 V to −1.2 V. The consumption in an erasing operation is thus higher for an embodiment of the present invention. However, an erasing operation is performed simultaneously for all the memory cells in a memory row by only performing a single switching of the source line associated with the memory cells to be deleted. Conversely, a write operation is performed memory cell per memory cell and requires a switching of the drain line associated with each addressed memory cell. An embodiment of the present invention thus enables a general power saving since in average, much more drain lines than source lines are switched.
[0041] FIG. 10 shows an example according to an embodiment of the present invention of voltages to which are brought the control lines of memory 5 in an operation of reading the datum written in memory cell T 1,1 . As compared with a hold operation, source line SL 1 associated with the addressed memory cell is set to the reference voltage, while the voltages of the other control lines are not modified. The terminals of memory cell T 1,1 are thus at the same voltages as those provided in the conventional read operation illustrated in FIG. 6 . As compared with a conventional read operation, the addressing of a memory cell is obtained by modifying the voltage of source line SL 1 and not of the gate and drain lines associated with the considered memory cell.
[0042] A conventional read operation is generally performed after a hold operation and comprises a first step of raising of the voltage of drain line DL 1 associated with the memory cell to be addressed from 0 V to 1.2 V, which generally requires at least 30% of the total duration of a read operation. As an example, for a 10-ns read operation, the raising of the voltage of drain line DL 1 may last 3.5 ns. In the present example of embodiment, the voltage of drain line DL 1 does not vary and only the voltage of source line SL 1 varies in a write operation. However, the modification of the source line voltage can be performed much faster than the modification of the drain line voltage. Indeed, a read operation generally comprises the comparing of the current flowing through the addressed memory cell with the current flowing through a reference memory cell of the same row in the memory. It is thus necessary for the drain-source voltage applied to the addressed memory cell to be strictly identical to the drain-source voltage of the reference memory cell. The reference memory cell being associated with the same row as the addressed memory cell, they share the same source line while they are associated with different drain lines. For the drain-source voltages applied to the addressed memory cell and to the reference memory cell to be identical, the voltages to which are brought the drain lines associated with the addressed memory cell and with the reference memory cell must be defined with a high accuracy, while the accuracy to be provided for the voltage to which the source line is brought is less important since this voltage is directly applied to the two memory cells. A longer time is thus necessary to modify the voltage of the drain line associated with the memory cell to be addressed in a conventional read operation as compared with the time to be provided to modify the voltage of the source line associated with the memory cell to be addressed in a read operation according to an embodiment of the present invention. An embodiment of the present invention thus enables decreasing the general duration of a read operation by approximately 30%.
[0043] In the previously-described example of embodiment, the hold voltage to which the drain, source, and gate lines are brought in a hold operation is 1.2 V. Such a voltage can generally be obtained from a supply source which may further be used on the circuit comprising RAM 5 according to an embodiment of the present invention for the supply of low-voltage transistors.
[0044] The fact of holding the gate lines at the hold voltage (1.2 V) for all the operations of memory 5 except for the erasing operation for which the gate line of the memory cell row to be deleted is brought to a negative voltage advantageously enables limiting the switchings to be performed at the level of the gate lines. However, according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention, in a hold operation, the voltage to which the gate lines are brought may be lower than the voltage to which the source and drain lines are brought. As an example, the gate hold voltage may be equal to 0 V. This is made possible by the fact that for a MOS transistor conventionally formed at the level of a single-crystal silicon wafer, as is the case, for example, for MOS transistor 10 shown in FIG. 2 , the coupling between gate 22 and body 11 is low.
[0045] Of course, the present invention is likely to have various alterations, modifications, and improvements which will occur to those skilled in the art. In particular, although embodiments of the present invention have been described for N-channel transistor memory cells, it also applies to P-channel transistors, the signs of the voltages to which the control lines of memory 5 are brought being accordingly modified. It should further be noted that the present invention may also advantageously apply to a DRAM cell with a transistor formed in a floating body or well delimited depthwise by an insulating layer (SOI).
[0046] Such alterations, modifications, and improvements are intended to be part of this disclosure, and are intended to be within the spirit and the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the foregoing description is by way of example only and is not intended to be limiting. The present invention is limited only as defined in the following claims and the equivalents thereto. | A dynamic random access memory (DRAM) comprising memory cells distributed in rows and in columns, each memory cell comprising a MOS transistor with a floating body, the memory comprising circuitry for writing a datum into a determined (i.e. selected) memory cell belonging to a determined (i.e. selected) row and to a determined (i.e. selected) column, wherein the write circuitry comprises circuitry capable of bringing the drains of the memory cells of the determined column to a voltage V 1 ; circuitry capable of bringing the sources of the memory cells of the determined row to a voltage V 2 ; and circuitry capable of bringing the drains of the memory cells of the columns other than the determined column and the sources of the memory cells of the rows other than the determined row to a voltage V 3 , voltages V 1 , V 2 , and V 3 being such that |V 1 −V 2 |>|V 3 −V 2 | and (V 1 −V 2 )×(V 3 −V 2 )>0. | 6 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
As presently is known, sod handling has been largely manual, and the laying of sod involves a great deal of labor. It has been previously well known to handle sod in rolls, loading the rolls onto pallets and then putting the pallets onto a truck. Fork lift trucks of conventional design have been used for this, but have limitations because the sod will tend to fall off the pallets as it is being loaded and unloaded by the truck. If a conventional fork lift truck is used to carry the pallets, the sod generally does fall off.
Thus, conventional fork lift trucks have been unable to achieve the results of handling sod easily.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to sod handling apparatus of the lift truck type which includes mechanism for specifically handling sod. The sod can be placed on pallets, loaded onto a truck and unloaded with the device of the present invention without fear of losing pieces of sod. The unit also can be used for holding the sod supply while laying the sod manually if desired. The sod can be removed directly from the pallet while being supported on the forks of the machine disclosed. The machine can be driven along as the sod is removed to minimize carrying the sod. Then because of the floatation tires and the arrangement of these tires the machine of the present invention can be used for packing or rolling the sod after it has been laid into place.
The present device comprises a mobile machine which operates in a manner similar to a lift truck, and which includes lift fork members at the front that will tilt a substantial number of degrees up and rearwardly. A pair of side holding plates are provided adjacent the sides of the forks and as the forks are tilted up and rearwardly the sod on a pallet on the forks will be squeezed by the plates. The plates are pivotally mounted to automatically tighten the sides of a pallet full of sod to hold the sod in place as the fork is tilted back.
When the device is used for unloading from a truck, the rearward tilting, and consequent actuation of plates, insures that the sod will be held securely, and will not fall off. A "basket" is formed with the forks, the standard or mast assembly on which the forks are mounted, and the operable side plates, to securely hold the sod in place.
With the forks tilted backwardly and the sod securely held on the pallets, the machine can be used for transporting a pallet full of sod from the truck to the place where it is to be laid, and then the fork can be lowered, tilted forward to release the plates, and the sod can be pulled off the pallet and laid directly in place. Once the sod has been laid, the machine is provided with floatation tires which cover a substantial width and can be used for packing or rolling the sod. By making two passes, the spaces previously left are rolled and the entire width of the machine is completely packed or rolled.
The showing of the present invention is schematic as to the frame and operating mechanisms, because they can be of any desired form. However, the features of using the wide floatation tires for packing the sod and the substantial tilt back of the forks in combination with side plates which hold the sod in place on the forks greatly increase the usability of the device, specifically in laying sod.
It should be noted that the tilting cylinders of the present invention are positioned above the operator, and out of the way of the frame and other mechanisms so that the substantial tilt can be achieved through the use of the single hydraulic cylinder operated in a normal manner.
The forks can be standard forks mounted on upright sliders for raising and lowering, and are hydraulically operated for such raising and lowering. Because great height of lift is not needed, (forks are used for loading and unloading trucks and are used adjacent to the ground) the mast for the forks does not have to be in a plurality of sections.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side elevational view showing a machine made according to the present invention in position to lift a pallet of sod from a truck shown fragmentarily;
FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the machine of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, vertical sectional of the device taken as on line 3--3 in FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a top schematic plan view of the device of the present invention with the fork and controls removed and other parts broken away;
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary rear view taken generally along the lines 5--5 of FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is an enlarged schematic representation of the lower portion of the mounting of the fork in the main frame in the device of the present invention;
FIG. 7 is a view taken generally along 7--7 in FIG. 6 showing schematically the operation plates which can be operated to clamp sod;
FIG. 8 is a fragmentary front view of the lower portion of a side plate and support therefore, with the guide plate shown directly as an edge view; and
FIG. 9 is an enlarged representation of a pallet of sod held on a fork made according to the present invention and with the fork tilted rearwardly to form a "basket" for holding the sod.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIG. 1, a lift truck device made according to the present invention is shown at 10, and includes a main frame 11 that is only shown schematically. The frame as will be more fully seen is made relatively lightweight, so that the weight of the machine is kept down. The frame includes fore and aft extending side members 12, which extend along the sides of the machine and also mount an axle and differential 13 at the front of the machine. The rearward portions of the side members 12 are joined together with an overhead bridge construction 14 which has counterweights thereon. The overhead bridge construction 14 overlies a wheel 15 that mounts a wide flotation tire. The wheel 15 is mounted on a pivot support assembly 16. The support 16 includes an arm 16A that is braced and fixed to the frame 12 and extends into the wheel and carries a yoke 16B. A pin 16C is pivoted in the yoke and carries a hub 16E for the wheel 15. The axis of pin 16C is centered on the wide tire and wheel 15 for ease of steering. A lever 16D is connected to pin 16C and is controlled by a drag link 17 actuated from a steering wheel 18 through conventional steering mechanism. The wheel 15 pivots underneath the bridge 14 as it is steered.
The forward axle 13 is used for mounting a pair of hubs that in turn drive wheels 20 which have wide flotation tires thereon. The tires themselves are substantially fifteen inches wide, and have a level tread much like a racing car tire. The wide tires permit the machine to be used to pack sod after it has been laid.
The side frame members 12 each have a pair of spaced ears 12A that extend forwardly of the axle 13 as perhaps is best seen in FIG. 3, and the ears 12A of each pair are spaced apart and are used for pivotally mounting a mast assembly 25 that is used for mounting a fork 26 comprising two prongs that are spaced apart in a usual manner. The mast assembly 25 as shown is relatively simple in this form of the invention, because high lift is not required, and comprises a pair of guide rails or bars 27, 27 which are connected by a lower cross frame member 28. The guide bars 27 are each fitted between a pair of ears 12A and are pivotally mounted to the respective ears with a pin 30 to permit pivoting of the mast assembly about a transverse horizontal axis from a position wherein the forks 26 are substantially parallel to the ground, or with the outer ends tilted downward slightly, to a position wherein the upper ends of the upright rails 27 are tilted a substantial distance rearwardly and the outer end of the fork extends upwardly. The mast assembly 25 can be of any desired configuration, but as shown the fork members 26 are mounted onto a pair of sliding members 32 each of which is slidably mounted on a different one of the upright rails 27. The members 32 may be suitably connected together with one or more cross members, for example 28A adjacent forks 26, and are controlled by a pair of parallel connected hydraulic cylinders 33 that have base ends mounted to the cross member 28 and have extendable and retractable rods with rod ends 33A extending upwardly. The upper ends thereof bear against the rear of the rails 27 and hold the fork in position on the rails.
The rod ends of the cylinders 33 carry rotatably pulleys 33B over which cables 34 are mounted. One end of each of the cables 34 are connected to the respective sliding member 32 as at 34A. The cables are passed over the pulleys on the aligning cylinder and the second ends of the cables are anchored back at the hydraulic cylinder. Thus, for each foot of travel of the cylinders 33 the fork will move two feet.
The machine is powered with an engine shown schematically at 35, which is mounted onto the frame 11, and has an output drive shaft for driving through a conventional clutch to a pair of series connected transmissions shown schematically at 36, which drive the differential assembly of the axle 13 in conventional manner. The engine and transmission are shown only schematically. With two transmissions in series a wide selection of gear ratios can be achieved for driving the front drive wheels 20. The engine is situated just to the rear of an operator's seat 37, that can be of any desired configuration, and which is adjacent steering wheel 18. Suitable hydraulic valves 38 can be mounted adjacent the operator so that he can control the various cylinders. The valves are of usual design, and will control flow from a hydraulic pump that in turn is powered by the engine 35.
The frame 11 includes a pair of rear upright members 40 which are braced rearwardly with braces 41 attached to the bridge 14, and at the upper end of the upright members 40, a cross member 42 is mounted (FIG. 4). A hydraulic cylinder 43 is attached to the cross member 42 on an ear and with a pin so that it can pivot about a generally horizontal axis. The cylinder 43 extends forwardly and is a double acting cylinder having an extendable, retractable rod 44 that in turn has a rod end 45 attached to a cross member 46. The cross member 46 in turn is pivotally attached about a horizontal pivot axis between a pair of brackets 47, which in turn are fixed to the upper ends of the upright members 27, 27, respectively. Actuation of the cylinder 43 causes the rod 44 to travel in and out, and will cause the upright rails 27 to tilt fore and aft about pivot pins 30. Because there are no interfering frame members directly behind the rails 27, as shown, the mast assembly 25 can be tilted back a substantial distance as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 3, for example, and also as shown in FIG. 9, and may be tilted as much as thirty to thirty five degrees rearwardly. The cylinder 43 can be used for supporting a sun shade, if desired, and of course the upright members 40 can be reinforced as much as necessary for carrying the loads required for tilting the mast assembly.
In the handling of sod on pallets, for example when removing sod from a truck shown at 50 in FIG. 1, using pallets of conventional design indicated at 51 into which the forks 26 will slide, normally a good bit of the sod has been lost when the lift truck is moved, because the sod is not held properly. In the present device, the sod is laid in strips indicated at 52 in FIG. 1 on top of the pallet 51. In order to satisfactorily utilize such sod strips, they are generally cut in lengths one and one half feet wide by four feet long and laid side by side on the pallets, with the one and one half foot widths oriented to extend laterally across the pallet to give a three foot by four foot pallet. The three foot distance is the width, and the four foot length extends in the same direction as the forks 26. The fork lift truck 10 can be moved to position the forks 26 under the pallet 51, and then the forks can be lifted by operation of suitable valve operating cylinders 33 and moving the forks upwardly slightly along the rails or supports 27 of the mast assembly 25. In the present device, when this is done, the fork can be tilted rearwardly and a pair of side guide and retainer plates indicated at 55, 55 on opposite sides of the pallet will be used to hold the sod to prevent the strips of sod 52 from falling off the sides of the stack. The mast assembly is situated so that the rear of the forks are slightly to the rear of the forward edge of the side plates 55, and the pallet will fit between the guide and retainer plates 55 so that the pallet and the sod will rest against the sliding members 32.
The side plates 55 as shown are mounted onto upright pivot tubes 56 on opposite sides of the machine. The tubes 56 are pivotally mounted on the machine about upright axes. As shown the tubes 56 are held at their lower ends by short tubular sleeves 57 into which they rotatably mount. The tubes 56 extend through the sleeves 57 a short distance and control arms 72 are welded to the lower ends of the tubes 56. These sleeves 57 (FIGS. 1, 8 and 9) are attached to a cross frame member 58 which is fixed on suitable upright members 59 back down to the frame assembly 11. The cross frame member 58 is positioned to be just slightly above the drive wheels 20. The frame member 58 extends laterally over the top of the wheels 20 and extends almost to the full width of the machine, as shown in FIG. 2. A reinforcing bar 58A may be welded to the top of member 58.
Diagonal braces 60 are mounted at the opposite ends of the cross frame 58 and extend upwardly (FIG. 2), and support upper pivot sleeves 63 which receive the upper portions of the tubes 56. The upper ends of tubes 56 extend above the sleeves 63 and can have collars 63A attached to the tubes 56 to support the tubes 56 as they pivot.
Additional diagonal braces 64 extend from and support sleeves 63 back at the side members 12. The braces 63 are positioned so that they do not interfere with the rearward tilting of the mast assembly 25.
The sleeves 57 and 63 pivotally mount the upright tubes 56 and thus they also pivotally mount the side plates 55 which are fixed to tubes 56. The rotational position of the tubes 56 about their axes is controlled by the tilting of the fork. In other words, the side plates 55 can be moved and actuated to squeeze against the sides of layers of sod on a pallet held by the fork.
As shown perhaps best in FIGS. 2, 4, 6 and 7, the cross member 28 of the mast assembly has an upright actuator arm or tube 65 mounted thereon at the center line of the fork. The upright arm 65, therefore, moves with the mast assembly when it is pivoted and has relative motion with respect to cross member 58 when the mast assembly is pivoted as previously explained by operation of the cylinder 43.
At the upper end of the arm 65, which extends up for approximately two feet above the bottom of the mast assembly, a pair of links 66 are mounted to the arm 65 through swivel connections 70, 70, such as ordinary tie rod ends used in automotive steering links. These tie rod ends have studs that mount onto the arm 65 and have threaded shank portions that threadedly mount into sleeves forming part of the links 66 for length adjustment. The opposite ends of the links 66 also mount threadably adjustable tie rod ends 71 which are connected to actuator arms 72 that are fixed to the lower ends of tubes 56.
The arms 72 can be reinforced with suitable gussets and positioned to clear the frame member 58 as they are moved. The arms 72 control the pivotal movement of the tubes 56 about their upright axes and in turn are controlled by arms 65 and links 66. This means that when the upper end of arm 65 moves back and forth as the mast for the fork is tilted, the ends of the arms 72 will move back and forth as well under control of links 66. This will cause the arms 72 to pivot the tubes 56 about the axes of the tubes. This pivoting of the tubes 56 causes the side plates 55 to also pivot about the tube axes. When the arm 65 moves rearwardly the outer (forward) edges of the side plates 55 will tend to move toward each other. The links 66 are adjustable in length much like a turn buckle. The links 66 are adjusted to insure that the side plates 55 taper outwardly at their outer edges as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 when the mast assembly is in position with the forks 26 horizontal. The plates 55 therefore will not interfere with the loading of a pallet 51 when the fork is used to remove such a pallet from the truck.
When the mast assembly 25 is tilted rearwardly by the operation (retraction) of the cylinder 43, so that the pallet of sod strip 52 moves rearwardly between the plates 55, the arm 65 moves relative to the frame 58 and will push on links 66 causing the outer ends of arms 72 to move rearwardly. Tubes 56 will be pivoted and the plates 55 will start to pivot so that the outer edges move inwardly or toward each other, and the plates will therefore engage and hold the sod strips along the sides of the pallet stack under a variable force determined by the amount of rearward tilting of the fork.
As shown in FIG. 9, the side plates 55 have moved against the sod strips 52 shown on pallet 51, and with the mast assembly 25 tilted rearwardly a "basket" is formed. Sides are formed and the sliding members of fork form the rear.
In this manner the sod is held very securely for transport from the truck to the place where the sod is being laid. The sod will not fall off the sides of the stack during such movement.
Once at the location where the sod is to be laid, the fork can be tilted forwardly somewhat releasing the side plates 55 by reverse action of the arm 65, links 66 and actuator arms 72, and then the fork can be lowered downwardly to position the stack of sod strips adjacent the ground at a level where the stack can be reached easily by a person laying the sod. If desired the fork can be lowered while the side plates 55 retain some holding force on the sod strips. The amount of tilting of the mast assembly controls the force with which the side plates 55 grip the sod. The sod strips can be pulled off the pallet stack much like feeding sheets of paper from a stack. If the sod is to be released fully, the fork merely has to be tilted to a level position and the plates 55 will not be directed inwardly.
The plates 55 thus are positioned approximately a little over three feet apart to permit the side by side strips of sod each one and one half feet wide to fit between the plates.
Once the sod is laid, and even as it is laid, the lift truck can drive over the sod with the flotation tires without excessive compaction. The tire pattern can be visualized in FIGS. 4 and 2. There are gaps between the inner edges of the forward or front tires and the outer side edges of the rear tire but these gaps are less or at least not substantially greater than the width of the tires. Such gaps are indicated at 20A in FIG. 2. Then the lift truck can be moved sideways for the next pass to pack or roll strips missed. The sod is packed quickly and conveniently by the flotation tires.
The method of laying sod is also improved where pallets of sod strips positioned side by side are used. The sod is loaded on pallets in the field, transported by truck to the work location and removed with the lift truck. The sod is held along its sides by the plates under pressure and can be held by the fork while it is removed and laid. The side plates permit moving the lift truck as the sod is laid to eliminate carrying the sod strips by hand.
The fork lift truck acts much like a sod dispenser that moves along and holds the strips securely in a stack until they are pulled off and dropped in place. The strip can be dropped almost straight down for placement because the lift truck can be driven along the newly laid sod with the flotation tires without damaging the sod. Efficiency is improved and labor costs are greatly reduced. The flotation tires permit one pass, a slight side shift, and another pass to cover a substantial width.
The placement of the steering pin for the wheel inside the wheel makes mounting the wide tire much simplier and eliminates side steering loads. The arrangement can be used in any three wheel vehicle.
The flotation tires and front weight and drive permit climbing very steep grades, up to about 35 or 40 degrees. Thus the machine is very versatile. | A sod handling machine similar to fork lift truck which permits the handling of pallets of sod without loss of sod from the pallet, and further includes flotation tires arranged to permit the machine to be used for packing the sod after it has been laid. Thus the machine serves as a transport and as a packer. | 1 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a unitary polymeric lattice structure.
BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
[0002] A lattice, according to Webster's dictionary, is defined as a framework or structure of wood or metal made by crossing lathes or other thin strips so as to form a network. Such wooden lattices are known to have a 100% offset between a first strip and a second strip that cross and overlay each other. Anyone who has a wooden lattice realizes that they are difficult to repair and maintain. Accordingly, the plastic industry has attempted to re-create these fence designs in a durable form.
[0003] Applicant admits there are numerous embodiments of unitary polymeric lattice structures. Many of these embodiments are illustrated in the following list of references:
296935 Erceg 1896957 Hutcheson 2335181 Heath 2384303 Heath 2672658 Pedersen 2712199 Latimer 3307316 Gray 3745735 Casano 3748814 Cribben 3807116 Flynn 3813841 Tsurumi 3849013 Bibb 3927950 Herrmann et al 3981249 Herrmann et al 4016694 Mauell 4060950 Rackard et al 4067162 Dovman 4260124 Heilman 4261940 Bussey, Jr. 4282695 Lew 4323533 Bramhall 4333287 Lewis 4385564 Heggenstaller 4408741 Mimura et al 4409770 Kawaguchi 4448621 Marsh et al 4540308 Colby 4555886 Wiechowski 4723388 Zieg 4760680 Myers 4821481 Woodman 4907289 Pettit 4925512 Briand 5018332 Ying-Kit 5172535 Jongh et al 5174090 Teli et al 5251420 Johnson 5285612 Johnson
[0004] None of these cited references, however, disclose, suggest, or teach a unitary polymeric lattice structure having an offset greater than fifty percent and less than one hundred percent. Instead, the cited references disclose polymeric lattice designs that have a unitary non-offset design, a unitary one-strip offset design, a unitary two-strip offset design, or a non-unitary off-set design. For the unitary designs, each unitary design has an offset of less than twenty percent (hereinafter “Low Offsets”).
[0005] Therefore, these Low Offsets have not satisfied a serious long-felt need to have a unitary polymeric lattice structure that has a significant (greater than 50%) offset. Applicant is unaware of any entity presently making such a significant offset lattice structure. Accordingly, applicant has found a mold design that allows applicant to solve this long-felt need.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] [0006]FIG. 1 illustrates a top view of the present invention.
[0007] [0007]FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 taken along the lines 2 - 2 .
[0008] [0008]FIG. 3 is a top view of FIG. 2.
[0009] [0009]FIG. 4 is an alternative embodiment of the present invention.
[0010] [0010]FIG. 5 is an alternative embodiment of the present invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] A unitary polymeric lattice fence is the present invention. The lattice fence is a framework of at least one first extension and at least one second extension that appear to cross over each other at different angles so as to form a network of apertures between the extensions. The first and second extensions each have a length, a width, and a depth that are the same or distinct. At the juncture where the first and second extensions appear to cross over each other, at least 50% to 95% of the depth of each extension is exposed and the remaining portion of the depth of each extension is merged with the other extension.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0012] The present invention relates to a polymeric lattice fence illustrated in FIG. 1. The polymeric lattice fence 10 is a unitary polymeric structure having a framework of at least one first extension 12 and at least one second extension 14 . The first extension 12 and the second extension 14 appear to cross over each other, at a juncture area 16 , so as to form a network of apertures 18 .
[0013] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the first extension 12 has a top surface 20 , a bottom surface 22 and a width W 1 at outer edges 23 of the extension 12 ; and the second extension 14 has a top surface 24 , a bottom surface 26 , and a width W 2 at outer edges 27 of the extension 14 . In relation to the first extension 12 , the bottom surface 22 does not extend beyond the halfway point of W 2 toward the bottom surface 26 . Likewise, the top surface 24 does not extend beyond the halfway point of W 1 toward the top surface 20 . That way, the first extension and the second extension has at least a 50% offset.
[0014] The fifty percent offset is merely the minimum offset of the present invention while the maximum offset of the present invention is limited to include 95% and below. Otherwise, the present invention would not be an unitary polymeric lattice structure.
[0015] Under normal circumstances, it would be assumed that the maximum offset could be anything under 100%. Such a conclusion, however, ignores the fact that the polymeric lattice structure must remain unitary. Accordingly, applicant has discovered that there must be a merger at area 16 wherein at least 5%, preferably 10%, of W 1 at the first extension 12 and at least 5%, preferably 10%, of W 2 at the second extension 14 must merge together. Otherwise, the plastic lattice structure will not remain unitary, under normal use.
[0016] The design illustrated in FIG. 1 is not limited to the angle (A) illustrated of the first extension 12 and the second extension 14 . The angle A illustrated in FIG. 1 is a right angle. Obviously, the angle A can be other angles, such as obtuse or acute, depending on the desired design.
[0017] In some instances, the offset should be greater than 80% and in others greater than 90%. In any case, the greater than 50% offset and less than 95% makes the present invention more realistic and simultaneously durable for conventional uses of lattice fencing.
[0018] For sake of clarity, the present invention 10 has a plurality of extensions that either parallel the first extension 12 (marked as extension 12 A) or the second extension 14 (marked as extension 14 A), and multiple cross areas (marked as areas 16 B-I) similar to the area marked 16 . Such markings clearly illustrate the various structures of the lattice design 10 .
[0019] Alternatively, the width W 1 can be the same or different as the width W 2 . Also, area 16 is not mated, glued or joined together by any conventional matter other than when formed.
[0020] The lattice unit 10 is formed by injecting melted polymeric resin, i.e., polyethylene, into a mold having the predetermined design of the present invention.
[0021] The polymeric resin used in the present invention must be able to withstand the summer heat and the winter cold, without extensive cracking or melting. In other words, the present invention must be able to withstand the conventional climate found at least within the continental United States.
[0022] In FIG. 1 the aperture 18 is illustrated as a square. That aperture design is not the only design. It can be any other design, such as a polygon like a rectangle, a diamond, or a pentagon, or shape having a continuous single curvilinear line like a circle as shown in FIG. 4, or an ellipse. When a shape having a continuous single curvilinear line is used, there is fill 80 . Fill 80 can be the width of the merger W 4 of the two extensions 14 , 16 , the width W 1 of the first extension 12 , the width W 2 of the second extension 14 , the width W 3 of the first and second extensions 14 , 16 , greater than the width W 5 of both first and second extensions 14 , 16 , or any size between W 4 and W 5 . It can be any type of design so long as there are the two extensions 14 , 16 .
[0023] The extensions 14 , 16 can also be of any design. The design can have an concave surface, planar as shown in FIG. 2, or convex as shown in FIG. 5.
[0024] Although variations in the embodiment of the present invention may not each realize all the advantages of the invention, certain features may become more important than others in various applications of the device. The invention, accordingly, should be understood to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims. | A unitary polymeric structure that is a lattice fence material. The lattice fence has a first extension at a first angle. At least fifty percent of the first extension overlies and the remaining percentage of the first extension merges with a predetermined portion of a second extension. The second extension is at a second angle distinct from the first angle. | 4 |
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of Invention
[0002] The invention relates to a bone chisel, and a method for working a tibia head.
[0003] 2. Brief Description of Related Art
[0004] The tibia head is the upper thickened end of the human shin bone. It forms the lower part of the knee joint, the upper part of which joint is comprised of the lower end of the femur, which lower end bears two condyles which rest on the tibia head (and on the menisci disposed between the tibia head and the lower end of the femur).
[0005] When the knee joint suffers severe injury, a knee endoprosthesis is employed which in its customary form has a tibia plate on its side facing the tibia, which tibia plate is fixed to the tibia head, for which purpose part of the tibia head is excised, e.g. by means of a bone saw, leaving a smooth flat surface.
[0006] When this relatively simple surgery is performed, care must be taken to avoid tearing the cruciate ligaments which extend from the middle of the upper side of the tibia head. This would result in their undesirable removal. In the absence of the cruciate ligaments, the patient would subsequently experience disadvantageous weakness of the knee, and disadvantageous sensory deficiencies due to absence of important proprioceptors in the cruciate ligaments.
[0007] A knee endoprosthesis which preserves the cruciate ligaments is described in US 2011/0190898 A1. To prepare for application of the tibia plate, the region around the tibia head surface bearing the cruciate ligament connections is excised, leaving this region in the form of a projection (protrusion) on the upper side of the tibia head, the remainder of which tibia head is now removed. A tibia plate is employed which has a U-shaped recess to accommodate the described projection.
[0008] The working of the upper part of the tibia head to produce this projection is attended by appreciable risks. Parts of the tibia head immediately adjoining the projection which one desires to leave undisturbed are removed, e.g. by operations of milling, chiseling, sawing, or the like. A small error may suffice to injure the projection which bears the cruciate ligaments, and to injure the cruciate ligaments themselves.
[0009] The underlying problem of the present invention was to provide the surgeon with means of reducing these risks.
[0010] This problem is solved with the bone chisel and method for working a tibia head as disclosed herein.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] According to the invention, a bone chisel is provided which is used in the excision to prepare the projection. The chisel has a thin U-shaped blade member which is applied so as to generally surround the projection, whereby it (its cutting edge) can be driven into the tibia head, in the longitudinal direction of the tibia. This results in stamping-out of a projection which exactly matches the tibia plate which will later be applied. It further facilitates excision of the material around the projection, with minimal risk, and in particular without injury to the projection or to the cruciate ligaments, which are protected by the blade member. Because the U-shaped blade member is open on one side, it may be applied with this opening directed posteriorly. Thus it can be applied between the tibia head and the femur, in a manner such that it generally surrounds the cruciate ligaments, whereby the cruciate ligaments are undamaged during the entire operation. The manner in which the bone chisel is guided during the driving process ensures the exact proper configuration of the result, with a simple manner of functioning, and in particular provides optimal protection of the cruciate ligaments.
[0012] The U-shaped blade member may be in the form of a rounded U shape, but advantageously it may have right angles. With such a configuration of the blade member, the tibia plate may also have a right-angled recess.
[0013] The inventive bone chisel may be struck with a hammer on its rear thin edge. However, advantageously the blade member may be formed on a solid shaft body which may have appreciable mass and which provides a suitable impact surface. The shaft body may also serve to facilitate guiding of the blade member with the user's other hand.
[0014] Advantageously, the shaft body may be attached to a flange which is formed on the edge of the blade member which is opposite to the cutting edge.
[0015] Advantageously, the shaft body has a bent configuration. This allows the positioning of the impact surface of the bone chisel in a region which is readily accessible to a hammer.
[0016] Advantageously, the flange may have a sloped configuration, to facilitate its insertion into the narrow (indeed narrowed) region between the femur and the tibia.
[0017] A method for working a tibia head using an inventive bone chisel is set forth below.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0018] The invention is illustrated schematically in the drawings, by way of example.
[0019] FIG. 1 is an anterior view of an un-worked tibia head;
[0020] FIG. 2 is a cross section through line 2 - 2 of FIG. 1 ;
[0021] FIG. 3 is a view corresponding to FIG. 1 , of a tibia head which has been worked in the area of the cruciate ligaments;
[0022] FIG. 4 is a cross section through line 4 - 4 of FIG. 3 ;
[0023] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a tibia plate;
[0024] FIG. 6 is a view corresponding to FIG. 3 , with a tibia plate applied;
[0025] FIG. 7 is a cross section through line 7 - 7 of FIG. 6 ;
[0026] FIG. 8 is a cross section through line 8 - 8 of FIG. 7 ;
[0027] FIG. 9 is a view corresponding to FIG. 3 , with the bone chisel inserted;
[0028] FIG. 10 is a cross section through line 10 - 10 of FIG. 9 ;
[0029] FIG. 11 is a cross section through line 11 - 11 of FIG. 10 , showing a cross section of the bone chisel;
[0030] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the bone chisel illustrated in FIG. 11 ;
[0031] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a different embodiment of a bone chisel;
[0032] FIG. 14 is a lateral view of a bone chisel provided with longitudinal guide means; and
[0033] FIG. 15 is a lateral view of a variant embodiment from that illustrated in FIG. 14 .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0034] FIG. 1 is an anterior view of the upper region of the tibia 1 , thus the shin bone of a man, with the tibia head 2 adjoining the tibia 1 at the top end of the latter. The anterior cruciate ligament 4 and the posterior cruciate ligament 5 are disposed on the upper side 3 of the tibia head 2 (also illustrated in FIG. 2 which is a top view of the upper side 3 ).
[0035] For the sake of clarity, in FIG. 2 the generally used position designations “anterior” and “posterior” are indicated, surrounded by borders.
[0036] In the surgical method described in the patent cited earlier in the Specification, for installing a knee endoprosthesis, the tibia head 2 must be worked in the manner shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 . The region of the tibia head 2 lying above the dashed line 6 in FIG. 1 is excised, e.g. with a saw. In the process, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 , a projection (protrusion) 7 , bearing the cruciate ligaments 4 and 5 , is not excised. The cut surface 8 disposed around the projection 7 should be as flat as possible. To achieve this, it is necessary to employ sharp tools around the projection 7 , e.g. milling cutters, saws, chisels, or the like.
[0037] FIG. 5 illustrates a tibia plate 9 suitable for this surgical method, having a U-shaped recess 10 . The periphery of the tibia plate 9 corresponds to the periphery of the cut surface 8 as appears from FIG. 2 . The recess 10 corresponds to the periphery of the projection 7 . Accordingly, the tibia plate 9 fits on the tibia head 2 which has been excised according to FIG. 3 , and can be attached to the cut surface 8 as illustrated in FIG. 6 . The attachment may be achieved, e.g., by cementing. The bottom side of the tibia plate 9 may also bear projections (not shown) which may be driven into the tibia head 2 for purposes of attachment. Screws or the like may also be employed in achieving the attachment.
[0038] FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate the arrangement shown in FIG. 6 , in a lateral view and a top view. FIG. 8 shows how the recess 10 of the tibia plate 9 fits around the projection 7 .
[0039] In the process of producing the projection 7 and providing a cut surface 8 which is as flat as possible, sharp tools are employed in the immediate vicinity of the projection 7 and the cruciate ligaments 4 and 5 . With such tools, there is a possibility that damage can be caused to the projection 7 and even to the cruciate ligaments 4 and 5 . Therefore, according to the present invention, a bone chisel as illustrated in a first embodiment in FIGS. 9 to 12 (bone chisel 11 ) is employed.
[0040] The bone chisel 11 has a peripheral U-shaped blade member 12 which in this embodiment of the bone chisel 11 has a right-angle configuration, as may be seen in particular from FIGS. 11 and 12 . FIG. 12 shows that the blade member is thin and comprises a sharp cutting edge 13 which extends around the U shape. A U-shaped peripheral thickened flange 14 is disposed at the upper edge above the cutting edge 13 , which flange provides better load-bearing characteristics when the upper edge of the blade member 12 is struck by a hammer. This flange 14 serves also for stabilizing the U shape, but it is possible to omit it.
[0041] FIG. 11 , which is a cross sectional view through line 11 - 11 in FIG. 10 , shows that the bone chisel 11 illustrated in FIGS. 9-15 generally surrounds a U-shaped region, wherewith its blade member 12 is comprised of a transverse wall 22 and two parallel side walls 23 and 24 , and has an opening 21 .
[0042] In the use of the bone chisel 11 , the chisel is applied from above with its U-shaped cutting edge 13 being applied against the upper side 3 of the tibia head 2 , wherewith it is positioned and oriented such that it is aligned in correspondence with the edge of the cut surface 10 illustrated in FIG. 8 . In FIG. 8 the reference lines 21 and 22 are shown as dashed lines for purposes of illustration.
[0043] The bone chisel is now driven in with a hammer, until, as illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10 , its cutting edge 13 is at a height corresponding to the (future) cut surface 8 . The blade member 12 now surrounds the projection 7 , whereby the walls 22 , 23 , and 24 of the blade member 12 protect the sides of projection 7 which are at substantial hazard ( FIGS. 9 and 10 ). Now means such as the tool 15 ( FIG. 9 ) may now be used to remove all of the material located around the bone chisel 11 which has been driven into the tibia head 2 , and above the intended cut surface 8 , wherewith the tool 15 may also be employed, e.g., to smooth off the cut surface 8 . If by accident during this process the sharp cutting edge of the tool 15 approaches the projection 7 , it cannot proceed into the projection 7 , because the latter is protected by the blade member 12 .
[0044] FIG. 13 illustrates a second embodiment of a bone chisel 11 ′. In the region of the cutting edge 13 , the blade member 12 , and the flange 14 ′, the bone chisel 11 ′ completely corresponds with the above-described bone chisel 11 . However, a massive shaft body 16 is disposed on the flange 14 ′, having an impact surface 17 which can be struck by a hammer, e.g. the hammer 21 illustrated in FIG. 14 .
[0045] FIG. 14 illustrates a third embodiment of a bone chisel 11 ″. Here again the cutting edge 13 and blade member 12 are identical to the corresponding elements of bone chisels 11 and 11 ′. However here the flange 14 ″ is elongated in the anterior direction, thus beyond the transverse wall 22 , and on its elongation it bears a guide rod 18 which is guided in a guiding head 19 in the direction of the double arrow, namely the longitudinal direction of the tibia 1 , so as to be movable longitudinally in said direction. The guiding head is fixed to the tibia head 2 by means of the illustrated screws 20 . If a hammer 21 is caused to strike the flange 14 ″, it will drive the bone chisel 11 ″ from above into the tibia head 2 . In the process, the direction and exact positioning of the application of the bone chisel will be ensured by the guiding of the guide rod 18 in the guiding head 19 . The guiding head 19 has been fixed to the tibia head 2 in advance, so as to be precisely oriented.
[0046] In the Figures the embodiments of the bone chisel 11 have a blade member 12 and a cutting edge 13 with a U-shaped configuration with right angle corners. However, the U-shape may be a rounded U-shape (not shown).
[0047] FIG. 15 illustrates the knee shown in FIG. 14 , including the associated femur 25 to which the cruciate ligaments 4 and 5 are fixed. In a manner typical of surgeries of this type, the upper leg with the femur 25 is raised as far as possible and is oriented at an angle, so that the blade member 12 of a bone chisel 11 ′″ can be inserted between the femur 25 and the tibia head 2 , as illustrated in FIG. 15 .
[0048] With this configuration, the blade member 12 surrounds the cruciate ligaments 4 and 5 in a correct protective disposition. However, the normal impact path of the hammer 21 is blocked by the femur 25 , which cannot be shifted laterally any farther without tearing the cruciate ligaments 4 and 5 .
[0049] Therefore, the impact surface 17 of the bone chisel 11 ′″ in this embodiment is connected to the blade member 12 via a bent piece 26 the bent region of which extends anteriorly around the relevant region of the femur 25 , and transmits impact forces from the impact surface 17 to the blade member 12 .
[0050] The flange 14 ′″ of the bent piece 26 , corresponding to the flange piece 14 ″ of FIG. 14 , is configured so as to be progressively thicker with progression from the opening 21 to the transverse wall 22 of the blade member 12 . This improves the stability, while reducing the thickness in the region of the opening 21 , while at that location still providing sufficient play (free space) above the flange 14 ′″ with respect to the femur 25 . The femur 25 has two condyles on its knee-side end region which allow passage of the parts 12 and 14 ′″ of the chisel 11 ″ without causing damage.
[0051] At this point, a method for working a tibia head 2 with the bone chisel 11 ″ according to FIG. 15 will be described.
[0052] First, the knee is exposed without disturbance of the cruciate ligaments 4 and 5 , and the femur 25 is inclined maximally with respect to the tibia 1 , until the position illustrated in FIG. 15 is achieved.
[0053] Then the bone chisel 11 ″ with its U-shaped blade member 12 and at least the end region of the flange 14 ″ which adjoins the opening 21 is inserted, from the anterior side, between the tibia head 2 and the femur 25 . The blade member 12 is now brought into a position in which it can protect the cruciate ligaments 4 and 5 on all sides, as it surrounds the cruciate ligaments 4 and 5 , wherewith the transverse wall 22 of the blade member is directed anteriorly.
[0054] Then the bone chisel 11 ″ with its U-shaped blade member 12 is pounded into the tibia head 2 and is thereby fixed to the tibia head. At this point, the distal end region of the tibia head 2 can be excised outside the walls 22 , 23 , and 24 of the blade member 12 , using a cutting tool 15 as per FIG. 9 . | A bone chisel for creating a protrusion bearing cruciate ligament attachments from an upper side of a tibia head, which has a blade that encloses an area of a projection in a U-shape to a front with a transverse wall and to a side with side walls, and which has a cutter. A guide rod extended parallel to a driving direction of the bone chisel is mounted on a side of the bone chisel formed by the transverse wall, which guide rod is displaceably mounted in a direction of the guide rod in a guide head, which can be affixed on a front side of the tibia head. | 0 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part application of Patent Cooperation Treaty Patent Application No. PCT JP 2010/062057 (filed on Sep. 30, 2010), which claims priority from Japanese patent application JP 2009-229750 (filed on Oct. 1, 2009). All of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to the electric device capable of user's operation by contactiess sensing.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] In recent years, the electric device having a touch panel has appeared. In such device, a motion of a user's finger is detected based on the variation of electric capacity. Conventionally, those touch panels were contacting type inputting device, however, recently a contactless type inputting device is appearing.
[0006] In the contacting type device, user can easily recognize that he or she has actually made operation to the device, because the operation is made when the user actually touch the button or touch panel. On the other hand, in the contactless type device, it is sometimes difficult for user to recognize whether or not he (or she) actually made operation to the device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] An electronic device according to the present invention has a displaying unit which displays information; an operating unit which accepts a contactless oTgeration by a user; a detecting unit which detects whether or not an Object exists inside the area where the cohtactiess operation is capable, and a lighting unit which lights when the detecting unit detected the existence of the object.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective diagram of the television receiver 1 .
[0009] FIG. 2 is a side view of the television receiver 1 .
[0010] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the television receiver
[0011] FIG. 4 is a figure showing the configuration of the contactless operating unit 20 .
[0012] FIG. 5 is a figure showing the detection area 31 of the contactless operating unit 20 .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0013] A television receiver 1 according Lo an embodiment of the present invention is described below.
[0014] FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show the exterior views of the television receiver 1 . FIG. 1 is its perspective view and FIG. 2 is its side view.
[0015] As shown in these figures, the television, receiver 1 has a display 13 , a casing 2 , a stand 3 , a touch panel 21 , and LED 24 .
[0016] The display 13 typically has LCD (Liquid Crystal. Display) panels or PDP (Plasma Display Panel), for example, and displays an image. The casing 2 stores the display 13 . The stand 3 functions as a supporting member for the display 13 and the housing 2 . The stand 3 comprises a supporting portion 3 a and a base portion 3 d. The touch panel 21 is arranged under the housing 2 , and above the base portion 3 b . The LED 24 is arranged under the casing 2 .
[0017] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the television receiver 1 . As shown in FIG. 3 , the receiver 1 has a receiving unit 11 , a processing unit 12 , the display 13 , a speaker 14 , a control unit 15 , and inputting unit 16 .
[0018] The receiving unit 11 has a tuner which tunes the signal inputted from an antenna for selecting the channel of television broadcasting. The tuning in the tuner is achieved by an instruction from the control unit 15 , based on an input from the inputting unit 16 .
[0019] The processing unit 12 demodulates the signal tuned by the unit 11 , and divides the demodulated signal into an image signal and an audio signal. Then, each of the divided signals is decoded. The decoded image signal is transmitted to the display 13 , and the decoded audio signal is transmitted to the speaker 14 .
[0020] The control unit 15 is constituted by CPU (Central Processing Unit) or DSP (Digital Signal Processor).
[0021] The inputting unit 16 comprises a button switch equipped on the casing 2 or a remote controller.
[0022] Further, the inputting unit 16 includes a contactiess inputting unit 20 .
[0023] As shown in FIG. 4 , the contactiess inputting unit 20 comprises a touch panel 21 , a sensor controlling unit 22 , CPU 23 , and the LED 24 .
[0024] A touch panel 21 has a structure that the touch pad 21 a is covered by a cover 21 b. When a user's finger approaches the touch panel 21 , the electric capacity varies. The amount the variation becomes large as the finger approaches the touch pad 21 a.
[0025] The sensor controlling unit 22 detects the variation amount of the electric capacity in a touch panel 21 , and transmits the variation amount !information to CPU 23 .
[0026] When the variation detected by the sensor controlling unit 22 is larger than a predetermined value, the CPU 23 determines that an object (finger) exists near the touch panel 21 (in other words, inside of the detecting area 31 shown in FIG. 5 ), and transmits this information to the control unit 15 .
[0027] Further, when the variation detected in the unit 22 is larer than the predetermined value, the CPU 21 outputs a predetermined signal to LED 24 .
[0028] In detail, the CPU 23 generates the PUN (Pulse Width Modulated) signal according to the variation of the electric capacity, and transmits the generated signal to the LED 24 .
[0000] Then, LED 24 irradiates the object inside the area 31 . Thereby, the user can recognize whether or not he (or she) can melee contactless operation to the touch panel 21 .
[0029] On the other hand, it the object leaves away from the touch panel 21 , the variation of the electric capacity decreases. As a result, it is determined that the object has moved outside the detecting area 31 , and the CPU 23 controls LED 24 to turn it off. Thereby, the user can recognize that contactiess input to the touch panel 21 is unavailable.
[0030] According to the present embodiment, the user can recognize whether his (or her) operation to the contactless inputting device is available or not
[0031] The embodiment of the present invention is described as above. However, the scope of the present invention is not limited, thereto, and the present invention may be implemented by being subjected to various modifications without departing from the gist of the present invention. | The electronic device has a displaying unit which displays information; an operating unit which accepts a contactless oberation by a user; a detecting unit which detects whether or not on object exists inside the area where the contact less operation is capable, and a lighting unit which lights when the detecting unit detected the existence of the object. | 7 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a pump driven by a motor to suck and discharge a liquid, and a liquid supply apparatus having same.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Generally, a pump includes a motor part having a stator generating a magnetic field and a controller controlling the stator; a pump part having an impeller driven by the magnetic field generated by the stator to suck and discharge a liquid such as water; and a partition member isolating the motor part from the pump part.
[0003] The pump part increases the pressure of the sucked liquid to discharge same by the impeller. In case of a centrifugal pump, the impeller has a plurality of blades fixed thereto, the whole body of each blade being curved backward with respect to a rotational direction to reduce loads applied thereto.
[0004] Since, however, the pressure in the centrifugal pump is increased by a centrifugal force, the rotational speed needs to be increased in order to discharge the liquid with a higher pressure by using a small pump. For this reason, when a gas-laden liquid is sucked, there occurs a problem that the liquid and the gas are separated by the strong centrifugal force applied thereto, and the gas having a smaller specific gravity than the liquid stagnates around a central part of the impeller, thereby decreasing the performance of the pump.
[0005] To solve the problem, a pump having a guide member projecting from a pump case towards the impeller has been proposed (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-open Application No. 2001-234894).
[0006] By employing such a pump case, the gas bubbles ladened in the liquid are disaggregated by the portion of the guide member disposed at a central part of the impeller and discharged through a discharge port, thereby preventing the gas from stagnating in the impeller.
[0007] However, if a pumping rate is small and the gas is admixed into the liquid, the flow of the liquid becomes less. In such a case, it is difficult to guide the disaggregated gas bubbles to the discharge port disposed at an outer periphery of the impeller, even with the scheme disclosed in the Patent Application supra.
[0008] If a central part of a portion of the liquid discharged by the impeller is fed back into the impeller through a reflux passage for example, it may be possible to discharge the gas stagnant at the central part of the impeller. However, in an exterior rotor structure in which a stator is installed inside the rotor as in the Patent Application supra, it is not possible to feed a sufficient amount of liquid back into the central part of the impeller, so that it is difficult to discharge the gas continuously introduced by being laden in the liquid.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a pump and a liquid supply apparatus capable of preventing a gas from stagnating in an impeller to thereby effectively discharge the gas and provide a high lift(high pressure pump output) and low flow rate pump output.
[0010] In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a pump including a pump part provided with an impeller having a plurality of blades for sucking and discharging a liquid; a pump case accommodating the pump part; a rotor installed to the impeller to rotate the impeller; a motor part accommodating a stator disposed around an outer periphery of the rotor to drive the rotor and a driving circuit for controlling the stator; a partition member for isolating the motor part from the pump part to protect the motor part therefrom. The pump further comprises a reservoir space disposed in the impeller; an extra passage provided between the rotor and the partition member and connected to the reservoir space to introduce the liquid thereto from the blades; and one or more reflux passages, formed at the impeller, for flowing the liquid in the reservoir space back to the blades.
[0011] With the pump structure described above, even when the flow rate is small, the liquid fed through the extra passage and stored in the reservoir space can be introduced into the central part of the impeller in a pump chamber with a sufficient flow rate via the reflux passage. As a result, it is possible to efficiently discharge the gas stagnating in the central part of the impeller.
[0012] Therefore, in accordance with the present invention, it is possible to provide a pump capable of effectively discharging the gas stagnating in an impeller and providing a high lift and low flow rate pump output.
[0013] In addition, it is possible that the reflux passages are disposed adjacent to a bearing provided at the central part of the impeller.
[0014] With such a structure, a pressure difference between the reservoir space and the central part of the impeller can be maximized and the liquid stored in the reservoir space can be discharged via the reflux passage into the central part of the impeller where the gas stagnates to disaggregate the gas bubbles.
[0015] It is also preferable that the reflux passages are formed at the central part of the impeller at identical angular intervals.
[0016] With such a structure, balance of the impeller may be maintained to suppress vibrations of the pump.
[0017] In addition, a passage may be preferably formed outside the extra passage at an inner sidewall of the pump case on a substantially same plane as a liquid flow direction of the impeller.
[0018] With such a structure, the gas laden in the liquid accelerated together with the liquid by the impeller can be in a laminar flow. Therefore, the flow direction of the gas can remain unchanged up to the inner sidewall of the pump case, so that the gas can be prevented from getting into the extra passage.
[0019] It is also preferable that the extra passage is disposed at an angle of 90° or greater with respect to the liquid flow direction of the impeller.
[0020] With such a structure, the laminar flow direction of the gas accelerated with the liquid in the impeller is not changed much, even when the flow rate in the extra passage is increased. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the gas getting into the extra passage.
[0021] Further, a front shroud may be preferably disposed at an upper surface of the blades facing the pump case to cover the blades.
[0022] With such a structure, it is possible to prevent leakage of the gas-ladened liquid guided into the impeller and can be effectively discharged.
[0023] Further more, the impeller may have a slide bearing rotating by using the liquid sucked into the pump part as a lubricant.
[0024] As a result, the liquid serving as the lubricant between the shaft and the bearing decreases a friction therebetween. Thus, it is possible to suppress wearing of the bearing, thereby increasing a life span of the bearing.
[0025] In addition, when the pump is installed in a liquid supply apparatus such as a cooling or the like apparatus, it is possible to improve the performance of the liquid supply apparatus.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0026] The above and other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0027] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a cooling apparatus for an electronic part in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
[0028] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a pump in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention; and
[0029] FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view of an inlet opening of an extra passage of the pump in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0030] Hereinafter, a specific embodiment in accordance with the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0031] As shown in FIG. 1 , a heat generating component 1 is mounted on a substrate 2 , and a heat sink 3 is disposed thereon to perform heat exchange with the heat generating component 1 by using a coolant to cool same.
[0032] In addition, a heat radiator 4 for removing heat from the coolant, a reservoir tank 5 for storing the coolant, and a small pump 6 for circulating the coolant are disposed. Further, a pipe 7 is provided to connect the heat sink 3 , the heat radiator 4 , the reservoir tank 5 , and the pump 6 . The components 3 to 7 constitute a cooling apparatus.
[0033] The coolant in the reservoir tank 5 is pumped by the pump 6 to be sent to the heat sink 3 through the pipe 7 . Heat of the heat generating component 1 is transferred to the coolant so that the temperature of the coolant increases. The coolant then is sent to the heat radiator 4 . As a result, the coolant is cooled in the heat radiator 4 and then returned to the reservoir tank 5 . As described above, such a cooling system cools the heat generating component 1 by circulating the coolant using the pump 6 .
[0034] As shown in FIG. 2 , the pump 6 includes a pump case 11 , a partition member 16 , a pump part 20 , and a motor part 21 , which is isolated from the pump case 11 and the pump part 20 by the partition member 16 . The pump part 20 is disposed in a space sealed by the partition member 16 and the pump case 11 having a suction port 12 and a discharge port 13 . The pump part 20 includes an closed type impeller 14 having a rear shroud 14 b, on which a plurality of blades 14 a for pressurizing the fluid are disposed from the center of rotation to the outer periphery thereof in a radial direction and a front shroud 14 c connected to the blades 14 a. The pump part 20 further includes a rotor magnet (rotor) 15 integrally formed with the impeller 14 ; a shaft 17 fixed to the pump case 11 and the partition member 16 at its both ends; a bearing 18 fixed to the impeller 14 to rotatably support the shaft 17 and formed of a resin having abrasion resistance and low friction such as PPS(polyphenylene sulfide) resin containing carbon; and a thrust bearing 19 fixed to the pump case 11 .
[0035] A stator 21 a constituting the motor part 21 is fixed to an annular recess part 25 of the partition member 16 . A driving circuit 21 b for driving the stator 21 a is fixed to the stator 21 a.
[0036] In addition, the blades 14 a of the impeller 14 are fixed to the rear shroud 14 b to be curved backward with respect to a rotational direction in order to reduce loads of the blades, and a plurality of reflux passages 22 in communication with a rear surface of the impeller 14 are opened around the bearing 18 disposed at equal angular intervals at the central part of the impeller 14 . The reflux passages 22 preferably have a diameter of about 0.5 mm to 1.0 mm. If the diameter is too small, the liquid is not supplied into the central part of the impeller 14 . If the diameter is too large, the liquid supply into the central part of the impeller 14 is increased, but pressure drop also increases to lower the entire lift of the pump.
[0037] At the back side of the impeller 14 , there is provided a reservoir space 23 formed of a substantially entire cavity enclosed by an inner periphery of the rotor magnet 15 . The liquid is sucked into the reservoir space 23 via an extra passage 24 formed between the rotor magnet 15 disposed at the outer periphery of the impeller 14 and the partition member 16 , and the extra passage 24 is connected to the reservoir space 23 through a lower part of the rotor magnet 15 . The extra passage 24 has a structure that an inlet opening thereof is narrowest.
[0038] Hereinafter, operation of the pump and the cooling apparatus having same in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 .
[0039] When an electric power is applied from an external power supply (not shown), currents flow through coils of the stator 21 a controlled by the driving circuit 21 b provided in the pump 6 to thereby generate a rotational magnetic field. When the rotational magnetic field is applied to the rotor magnet 15 , physical force is applied to the rotor magnet 15 . Since the rotor magnet 15 is integrally formed with the impeller 14 , a rotational torque is applied to the impeller 14 , thereby causing the impeller 14 to rotate to drive the pump 6 .
[0040] When the pump 6 is driven, rotation of the impeller 14 makes the central part of the impeller 14 brought into a negative pressure, and the coolant in a reservoir tank 5 is sucked into the central part of the impeller 14 together with gas bubbles via the suction port 12 .
[0041] The sucked coolant is guided along the blades 14 a toward the outer periphery thereof by a centrifugal force of the impeller 14 while being pressurized. In addition, the gas bubbles having a specific gravity smaller than the coolant are collected at the central part of rotation by the centrifugal force, and the amount of liquid thereat reduces, which causes the gas bubbles to aggregate to become a larger gas mass. In accordance with the embodiment of the present invention, however, the coolant pressurized in the reservoir space 23 is discharged via the reflux passages 22 to the central part of the impeller 14 having the negative pressure. Therefore, the gas bubbles 27 at the central part of the impeller 14 are disaggregated and the coolant flow rate thereat is also increased, thereby allowing the gas bubbles 27 to be guided to the outer periphery of the impeller 14 with the coolant.
[0042] A volute passage 26 is formed at an inner sidewall of the pump case 11 on a substantially same plane as a coolant flow direction of the rear shroud 14 b of the impeller 14 . The volute passage 26 is formed to have a gently curved plane around the outer periphery of the impeller 14 and the width thereof (i.e. a distance between the outer periphery of the impeller 14 and that of the volute passage 26 ) gradually increases towards the discharge port 13 . The coolant flows at the outer periphery of the impeller 14 in a laminar fashion along a substantially normal direction to the rotation direction thereof, and the opening of the extra passage 24 is formed to have an angle of 90° or more with respect to the coolant flow direction. Therefore, the coolant containing the gas bubbles 27 can be guided to the volute passage 26 while preventing the gas bubbles 27 from getting into the extra passage 24 . Further, since the volute passage 26 is formed outside the extra passage 24 at the inner sidewall of the pump case 11 on the same plane as the fluid flow direction, the gas bubbles 27 are guided to the outside of the extra passage 24 and prevented from being introduced into the extra passage 24 .
[0043] The extra passage 24 preferably has an opening width of about 0.2 mm to 0.7 mm. If the inlet opening width is too small, it would be difficult to supply the coolant into the reservoir space 23 , and if the opening width is too large, the gas bubbles 27 may be readily introduced thereinto. In addition, in order to reduce pressure loss, the other portion than the opening (e.g., a portion between a lower part of the rotor magnet 15 and the partition member 16 ) of the extra passage 24 has a larger width. The coolant guided to the volute passage 26 is guided to the discharge port 13 in the pressurized state and discharges the gas bubbles 27 .
[0044] When the pump 6 is driven to discharge the high pressure coolant from the discharge port 13 , the coolant in the reservoir tank 5 is sent to the heat sink 3 through the pipe 7 and heated after being heat-exchanged with the heat generating component 1 . The heated coolant is then sent to the heat radiator 4 and cooled after passing therethrough. The cooled coolant is returned to the reservoir tank 5 .
[0045] As described above, the cooling system of the embodiment is capable of cooling the heat generating component 1 by circulating the coolant using the pump 6 . The passage in the heat sink 3 has a high flow resistance in order to increase heat absorption performance.
[0046] In accordance with the embodiment, even when the flow rate is low, the liquid stored in the reservoir space 23 through the extra passage 24 is introduced into the impeller 14 through the reflux passages 22 . Therefore, it is possible to obtain a sufficient inner flow rate in the pump chamber to thereby efficiently discharge the gas 27 to be otherwise stagnant in the central part of the impeller 14 .
[0047] In addition, since the coolant is sucked through the central part of the impeller, it is possible to decrease a friction between the bearing 18 and the shaft 17 by the lubrication of the liquid therebetween, thereby lengthening the life span of the pump and providing a high lift pump output.
[0048] The pump structure in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention can be applied to various pumps used in a fuel cell apparatus or a cooling apparatus.
[0049] While the invention has been shown and described with respect to the preferred embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims. | A pump includes a pump part provided with an impeller having a plurality of blades for sucking and discharging a liquid; a pump case accommodating the pump part; a rotor installed to the impeller to rotate the impeller; a motor part accommodating a stator disposed around an outer periphery of the rotor to drive the rotor and a driving circuit for controlling the stator; a partition member for isolating the motor part from the pump part to protect the motor part therefrom. The pump further includes a reservoir space disposed in the impeller; an extra passage provided between the rotor and the partition member and connected to the reservoir space to introduce the liquid thereto from the blades; and one or more reflux passages, formed at the impeller, for flowing the liquid in the reservoir space back to the blades. | 5 |
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is based on copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/679,220, filed on Oct. 3, 2000, which in turn is based on Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/157,625, which was filed on Oct. 4, 1999, and priority is claimed thereto.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] This invention relates to the manufacture of window systems. More specifically, this invention relates to the manufacture of window systems using polymer based or metallurgy based component parts.
[0004] 2. Description of Related Art
[0005] A variety of methods and process for the construction of window system assemblies have been proposed. Typically, these prior methods and processes require costly, complex, inconsistent, error and waste prone, susceptible to defects manufacturing steps. Generally, these prior methods and processes require a large number of pieces of equipment and skilled craftsmen. For general background, the reader is directed to the following United States patent Nos., each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for the material contained therein: U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,037,611, 2,047,835, 2;21 9,594, 2,781,111, 2,952,342, 3,074,772, 3,087,207, 3,287,041, 3,305,998, 3,315,431, 3,327,766, 3,348,353, 3,376,670, 3,484,126, 3,802,105, 3,854,248, 4,269,255, 4,327,142, 4,407,100, 4,460,737, 4,597,232, 4,941,288, 5,155,956, 5,1 89,841, 5,491,940, 5,540,019, 5,555,684, 5,585,1 55, 5,603,585, 5,620,648, 5,622,01 7, 5,799,453, 5,901,509, 6,047,514 and 6,073,412. The reference to this related U.S. patent documents is not an admission of prior art, as the inventor's date of invention may predate the date of filing and/or publication of these references.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0006] It is desirable to provide a method and process of the manufacture window systems, which makes use of singular advanced components of a polymer based or metallurgy based window system, that minimizes complexity, cost, product inconsistencies, defects, while producing a universal window system using largely automated procedures and advanced materials.
[0007] Therefore, it is a general object of this invention to provide a method and process for the construction of universal window systems, using advanced components of a polymer based or a metallurgy based product.
[0008] It is a further object of this invention to provide a method and process for the construction of universal window systems that reduces labor costs.
[0009] It is a still further object of this invention to provide a method and process for the construction of universal window systems that reduces the defects of the window system products.
[0010] Another object of this invention is to provide a method and process for the construction of universal window systems that makes use of automation techniques to improve product quality.
[0011] A further object of this invention is to provide a method and process for the construction of universal window systems that produces window components in a singular form.
[0012] A still further object of this invention is to provide a method and process for the construction of universal window systems that works with extruded, injected, or other composite derived materials.
[0013] These and other objects of this invention will be readily apparent to those or ordinary skill in the art upon review of the following drawings, detailed description and claims. In the preferred embodiment of this invention, the method and process of this invention are described as follows.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0014] In order to show the manner that the above recited and other advantages and objects of the invention are obtained, a more particular description of the preferred embodiment of this invention, which is illustrated in the appended drawings, is described as follows. The reader should understand that the drawings depict only a present preferred and best mode embodiment of this invention, and are not to be considered as limiting in scope. A brief description of the drawings is as follows: FIG. 1 a is a window component profile, manufactured using the process of this invention.
[0015] [0015]FIG. 1 b is an alternative window component profile, manufactured using the process of this invention.
[0016] [0016]FIG. 2 a is a window component profile in the rotational stage of the process of this invention.
[0017] [0017]FIG. 2 b is an alternative window component profile in the rotational stage of the process of this invention.
[0018] [0018]FIG. 3 a is a completed window component in the final stage ready for installation.
[0019] [0019]FIG. 3 b is an alternative completed window component in the final stage ready for installation.
[0020] [0020]FIG. 4 is a process flow diagram of the preferred method of this invention.
[0021] [0021]FIG. 5 is a detailed flow chart of the present, typically although not necessarily automated, process of this invention.
[0022] Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiment of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0023] [0023]FIG. 1 a shows a window component profile, manufactured using the process of this invention. This preferred embodiment of the window component has three generally elongate sections 101 a, 101 b, 101 c and two half sections 102 a, 102 b, each connected 113 a, 113 b, 113 c, 113 d to an adjacent section. In alternative embodiments, when it is desired to have windows with non-rectangular shapes, the number of sections can be increased or reduced. For example, a triangular shaped window may have only two long sections and two half sections. In another example, an octagonal shaped window may have seven long sections and two half sections. The connections 113 a, 113 b, 113 c, 113 d are flexible permitting a bend at the connection 113 a, 113 b, 113 c, 113 d. The preferred elongate sections 101 a, 101 b, 101 c and half sections 102 a, 102 b are preferably made of a composite material, molded, cut, milled, routed or otherwise shaped in to the desired generally decorative shape. While the sections 101 a, 101 b, 101 c are shown, in this embodiment, as being of generally the same length, in alternative embodiments, the sections 101 a, 101 b, 101 c may have different lengths as appropriate to the desired window shape. Each section 101 a, 101 b, 101 c is provided with two diagonal cut sloped portions (respectively 105 , 106 ; 107 , 108 ; and 109 , 110 ). These diagonal cut sloped portions 105 , 106 , 107 , 108 , 109 , 110 are shown having an angle of 45 degrees, however, in alternative embodiments this angle may be either increased or decreased as necessary in order to facilitate the joining of two adjacent diagonal sloped portions, to thereby produce a window component having the desired shape. The ends 103 and 112 are, in this embodiment, at approximately 90 degrees from the base 100 of the window portions, thereby facilitating the joining of the ends 103 , 112 , as shown in FIG. 3 a.
[0024] [0024]FIG. 1 b shows an alternative window component profile, manufactured using the process of this invention. This second preferred embodiment of the window component has four generally elongate sections 114 a, 114 b, 114 c, 114 d each connected 116 a, 116 b, 116 c to an adjacent section. In alternative embodiments, when it is desired to have windows with non-rectangular shapes, the number of sections can be increased or reduced. For example, a triangular shaped window may have only three long sections. In another example, an octagonal shaped window may have eight long sections. The connections 116 a, 116 b, 116 c are flexible permitting a bend at the connection 116 a, 116 b, 116 c. The preferred elongate sections 114 a, 114 b, 114 c, 114 d are preferably made of a composite material, molded, cut, milled, routed or otherwise shaped in to the desired generally decorative shape. While the sections 114 a, 114 b, 114 c, 114 d are shown, in this embodiment, as being of generally the same length, in alternative embodiments the sections 114 a, 114 b, 114 c, 114 d may have different lengths, as appropriate for the desired window shape. Each section 114 a, 114 b, 114 c, 114 d is provided with two diagonal cut sloped portions (respectively 115 a, 115 b; 115 c, 115 d; 115 e, 115 f; 115 g, 115 h ). These diagonal cut sloped portions 115 a, 115 b, 115 c, 115 d, 115 e, 115 f, 115 g, 115 h are shown having an angle of 45 degrees, however, in alternative embodiments this angle may be either increased or decreased as necessary in order to facilitate the joining of two adjacent diagonal sloped portions, to thereby produce a window component having the desired shape. The joining of the ends 117 , 118 are as shown in FIG. 3 b to form the complete window component.
[0025] [0025]FIG. 2 a shows a window component profile in the rotational stage of the process of this invention. This view shows the window component of FIG. 1 a, with the diagonal sloped portions 106 , 107 and 108 , 109 brought into contact and joined to form corners 201 , 202 and thereby the bottom 205 of the window component.
[0026] [0026]FIG. 2 b shows an alternative window component profile in the rotational stage of the process of this invention. This view shows the window component of FIG. 1 b, with the diagonal sloped portions 115 b, 115 c and 115 d, 115 e brought into contact and joined to form corners 203 , 204 and thereby the bottom 206 of the window component.
[0027] [0027]FIG. 3 a shows a completed window component in the final stage ready for installation of the window component of FIG. 1 a. Ends 103 and 112 are connected forming a joint 301 at the top 309 of the window component. Diagonal sloped portions 104 , 105 and 110 , 111 are brought into contact and joined to form corners 302 and 303 and to define an interior 307 suitable for holding and retaining glass or other similar transparent or semi-transparent material. The joints 301 , 311 , 312 , 313 , 314 are typically and preferably made using adhesive, although alternatives such as bolts, screws, pins, clips and the like can be substituted without departing from the concept of this invention.
[0028] [0028]FIG. 3 b shows a completed window component in the final stage ready for installation of the window component of FIG. 1 b. Ends 117 and 118 are connected forming a joint 315 of the diagonal sloped portions 115 a, 115 h, thereby forming a corner 304 . Diagonal sloped portions 115 f, 115 g are brought into contact and joined to form corner 305 and to define an interior 308 suitable for holding and retaining glass or other similar transparent or semi-transparent material. The joints 315 , 316 , 317 , 318 are typically and preferably made using adhesive, although alternatives such as bolts, screws, pins, clips and the like can be substituted without departing from the concept of this invention.
[0029] [0029]FIG. 4 shows a process flow diagram of the preferred method of this invention. Initially, the material is fed 400 into the assembly process. Next, the material is straight cut 401 preferably by a saw or mill machine. The cut material is set 402 for Lifter or Balance Holding punch, preferably on a drill or router machine. The material is then punched 403 for the lifter clip, also preferably on a drill or router machine. Weep punching 404 is next performed on the material, again typically using a punch, drill or router machine. These punching steps are used to provide ventilation and drainage points in the window component. Miscellaneous processing 405 is performed to remove loose material and/or rough edges. A first three-way cut, or notch, 405 is made, to produce diagonal portions, preferably using a cutter, grinder, or corner set. A second three-way cut 406 is made, to produce additional diagonal portions, also preferably using a cutter, grinder or corner set. A second weep punch 408 is made to further provide additional drainage and ventilation, preferably using a drill or router machine. A polymer compound is applied 409 to the joint regions thereby providing durable, flexible corners. Identification markings are applied 410 to permit control and tracking of window components. The assembly or window component is rotated with the corner and/or end portions joined together using adhesive, screws, bolts, clips, pins or the like forming the complete window component ready for the insertion of the transparent medium and for installation in the building structure.
[0030] [0030]FIG. 5 shows a detailed flow chart of the present, typically although not necessarily automated, process of this invention. This present embodiment of the invention may employ automation techniques and technology to improve the quality and consistency of the manufacturing process while simultaneously reducing labor and material costs. Although the steps of the process shown in this FIG. 5 accommodate automation technology, the reader should understand that in alternative envisioned embodiments, the steps can be performed in a manual fashion. Data profiles are received 501 by a control processor. A typical control processor is a programmable computer, although alternative processors, such as single purpose electronic devices could be substituted without departing from the concept of this invention. The data profiles include information related to the desired window shape, size, texture, color, frame material (also referred to herein as construction material), glass or other medium type and/or other features typically specified in the construction of window frames. Frame window materials are typically selected from but are not necessarily limited to composites, plastic, metal, and wood reinforced with a foldable back portion. Textures include patterns, roughness and the like in the surface of the construction material. Window shapes supported by this invention include square, rectangular, triangular, octagonal, and other polygonal shapes, circular, oval and other curved shapes. Moreover, the window shapes may be either an irregular or normal polygon, and includes trapeziums, half rounds, and ellipses. The data profile also typically includes dimensional information, such as height, width and thickness of desired frame(s). This dimensional information may be input, or received by the processor in various units, including either English units (inches, feet, yards) and/or metric units (centimeters, meters). The data profile also includes information concerning the type and size of desired transparent, or semi-transparent, material. Typically, this material is glass, although plastic, acrylic, composite or other generally transparent, window compatible material can be substituted without departing from the concept of this invention. Also, typically described in the data profile is the frame material, color and texture used and desired, as well as such other window-type features, such as single pane windows, double pane windows, horizontal sliders, single or double hung sliders, patio doors, shaped windows, picture windows, and other types of windows known in the art.
[0031] The control processor, which may be a distributed processor in communication with a processor receiving the data, a separate processor computing, and a still other processor controlling the manufacturing equipment and perhaps a further processor tracking the process of the window components through the process of this invention, computes 502 the cutting and notching of the received material. This computation step 502 preferably includes calculating the length of window frame components (which will be produced from the received material), calculates and/or selects the positioning of the notches within each window frame component, as well as the angle of the sloped or “notch” portion as well as the distance between notches. In general, for a regularly shaped square or rectangular window, the notch angles would be 45 degrees and the number of elongated sections would be four, while for an octagon the notch angles would be 22.5 degrees and the number of elongated sections would be eight. In order to provide certain curved window shapes the notch angles may also be non-linear. The notch angles are selectable generally from 0 degrees to 180 degrees to provide for a selection of a generally continuous set of window shapes. The number of notch angles is also selectable, with four angles in each notch being typical. The data treatment calculation may include tolerance ranges from 0.000 inches to 0.500 inches to account for potential stretching of various construction materials. Construction materials are received 503 . Typically, these construction materials are received in a single piece form and often have a nail fin provided on the outer surface area. A cutter is provided to perform the cutting operation for cutting the received construction materials to the required length of the window frame component and to create the notches defining the sections (also referred to as elongated sections) of the window component. Typically, this cutter is a mill, router, saw, compression metal cutter, high-pressure water jet cutter, heat or torch cutter, and the like. A wide variety of construction materials may be used with this invention, including, but not necessarily limited to vinyl, plastic, polymers, wood, metal, fiberglass and/or other composite materials. Once the construction materials are received 503 , the processor activates 504 the cutter using the notching sequences previously calculated to perform the cutting and notching sequences on the construction material to produce a linear physical profile. In the present embodiment this activation 504 is a batch computation process. In the present embodiment, a mill cuts 505 the construction material to length and cuts the angled notches in the construction material to define the sections. In one present embodiment the angled notches are made sequentially, in other embodiments multiple angled notches are made simultaneously or at least with several cutters operating independent from each other. In one embodiment of the process movement of the construction material is done automatically, while in other embodiments, a person may be required or prompted to move the material as required to position for angled notching. In some embodiments, the angled notches define sections of equal length, in other embodiments; the angled notches define sections of unequal length. Typically, a three-way notch or cut is provided to produce the diagonal partial cut-through notches of the present embodiment. Drilling or punching 506 operations may then be performed to introduce openings in the construction material for drainage, air filtration, placement of hardware, routing of conduit and/or dimpling. A composite material may then be applied 507 to the surface of the construction material to improve flexibility, durability and weather proofing of the resulting frame. The selected composite material applied is selected to be appropriate to the construction material, and is typically a polymer compound with high temperature tolerance and moisture resistance. An adhesive material, typically a chemical or polymer adhesive, is applied 508 to the angled notch portions to assist in the adhesion of the after folded corners. After the typically batch system has completed cutting operations 505 , the construction material is folded 509 to form one or more corners from the ends of the individual sections. During and/or after the folding step 509 additional adhesive may be injected to provide a seal in the folded corners. After folding 509 , the construction material takes on the shape of the desired window shape, such as a square, rectangle or other selected shape identified in the received 501 data, and an interior adapted to hold in place the selected transparent medium. The selected transparent medium is typically glass, although alternatives including plastic, acrylic and other similar transparent or semi-transparent materials can be substituted without departing from the concept of this invention. In an alternative embodiment, the construction material is folded 509 after each angled notch cutting operation 505 , so that with each fold, the appearance of the material increasingly resembles the desired shape and selected data profile. A second typically polymer composite, typically adhesive, material is injected 510 in each corner thereby affixing the construction material in the desired shape. This second polymer composite also enhances the seal in the corners and may be used to retain the transparent medium in place in the interior of the frame component. After folding the section ends, including the ends (see 103 arid 112 of FIG. 1 a ) of the component and the angled notches (cumulatively now corners) are fixed 511 in place, typically through the injection of the second polymer, through the use of the adhesive of step 508 or alternatively by the use of metal joining or metallurgical process (such as welding and the like) or mechanical fastener devices (such as screws, brackets, bolts and the like). Composite material is typically applied 512 to the exterior portions of the construction material to provide a desired finish to the frame component. Throughout the process of this invention, the components are presently tracked 513 for inventory and quality control purposes. In some embodiments, the tracking 513 may be facilitated by identification marking of the window components, construction materials and/or sections for automatic or manual detection.
[0032] The described embodiments of this invention are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not as restrictive. Although specific steps and window system components are illustrated and described, the invention is not to be limited thereto. The scope of this invention is, therefore, indicated by the claims. All changes, which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of, the claims are to be embraced as being within their scope. | A method for producing window components using polymer based, metallurgy based, extruded, injection molded, or wood material is provided. This invention provides a low cost, highly reliable, low defect method of producing window components by machining from a singular piece of material, providing bendable portions, with angled portions adapted to fit together to define a wide range of window shapes and sizes. | 8 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a pedometer.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
[0002] Pedometers of this kind, hereinafter also called “step counters,” are commonly known. The document DE 10 2007 043 490, for example, discloses a pedometer in which a number of steps, and by way of a predefined step length a route traveled, can be deduced by evaluating the signals of an acceleration sensor. Because the distance thereby ascertained corresponds only to a “bee-line,” projected onto the plane, between the starting point and destination, provision is further made to use a pressure sensor to take into account the elevation profile over the route segment. A disadvantage of the conventional pedometer is that provision is made only for general consideration of how the elevation that has been negotiated influences the length of the route traveled. The existing art does not disclose variable adaptation to a change in elevation of the step length taken into account in route measurement, and this form of route calculation is therefore relatively inaccurate.
SUMMARY
[0003] The pedometer according to example embodiments of the present invention, and the method according to example embodiments of the present invention for counting steps, have the advantage, as compared with the existing art, that an adaptation of the predefined step length to the measured average elevation change is performed for each step, i.e. in variable fashion, if the measured average elevation change per step, in particular with reference to a specific sub-route, changes significantly. This enables a more accurate determination of routes traveled on foot on the basis of pedometers.
[0004] In general, a person varies the length of his or her steps when walking. The step length depends in particular on the elevation being negotiated with each step while walking. For example, a person usually automatically shortens the length of his or her steps when walking outdoors uphill or downhill. The step length becomes considerably shorter especially when climbing or descending stairs. This results in an erroneous calculation of routes traveled on foot if the calculation is based on the number of steps and assumes an unadapted step length. It is advantageous that a relatively flexible adaptation of the step length is possible as a function of the profile of the route traveled. For example, even in the case of a sequence of positive and negative elevation changes that add up to a total elevation change of zero, an adaptation of step lengths to the respective positive or negative slope can be performed.
[0005] Especially when ascertaining the length of routes traveled in buildings, in which stairs need to be repeatedly climbed and described, a higher accuracy as compared with conventional systems can thereby be achieved. If the calculated routes traveled are to be used, for example, for dead reckoning, it is advantageous, in particular inside buildings, tunnels, and subway stations, to be able to make an accurate determination of routes traveled on the basis of step length, since a position correction based on GPS signals, which is usually performed in the context of dead reckoning, is not possible in locations with poor or insufficient GPS reception. Dead reckoning of this kind may be necessary, for example, for location-based services.
[0006] According to example embodiments, provision is made that for a measured average elevation change per step of zero, the variable step length has a value corresponding to the predefined step length, which value is referred to hereinafter as a “maximum value”; and that the variable step length becomes increasingly shorter as the absolute value of the measured average elevation change per step becomes greater. This means that on a level route (i.e. no measured average elevation change, or the measured average elevation change per step is equal to zero), the variable step length is allocated to a maximum value. The allocated value of the variable step length decreases as the absolute value of the measured average elevation change per step increases. A particularly accurate route calculation thereby becomes possible.
[0007] According to example embodiments, provision is made that the predefined step length is in a range from 50 cm to 100 cm, particularly preferably in a range from 60 cm to 80 cm, and very particularly preferably is 70 cm.
[0008] According to example embodiments, provision is made that the variable step length is zero when the absolute value of the measured average elevation change per step is greater than a predefined upper elevation change per step, the predefined upper elevation change per step being in a range from 25 cm to 35 cm, particularly preferably in a range from 27 cm to 30 cm, and very particularly preferably being 28 cm. This likewise makes it possible to improve the calculation of routes. Because the average height of a stair riser in buildings is approximately 14 cm, a step in which, for example, two stair risers are climbed or descended at once can still be classified as walking on a upward or downward slope. For greater elevation changes per step, on the other hand, a special instance must be assumed, for example climbing or descending a ladder.
[0009] According to example embodiments, provision is made that the evaluation unit is configured for averaging of the pressure signals over a time interval, the length of the time interval being equal to 1 to 10 seconds, preferably 2 to 6 seconds, and particularly preferably 3 to 4 seconds. This averaging is effected in order to reduce errors when measuring the average elevation change per step, which errors can occur as a result of movements of a user of the pedometer or because of interference with the pressure sensor signal.
[0010] According to example embodiments, provision is made that in a first region of the measured average elevation per step starting from zero up to a predefined threshold value, the variable step length is the predefined step length, i.e. corresponds to the maximum value; and that in a second region starting from a first threshold step length, the variable step length decreases as the absolute value of the measured average elevation change per step increases, the threshold value being in a range from 4 cm to 12 cm per step, preferably in a range from 6 cm to 10 cm per step, and particularly preferably being 8 cm per step, and the first threshold step length being preferably in a range from 35 cm to 60 cm and particularly preferably in a range from 40 cm to 58 cm. This threshold value is provided in addition to the time averaging of the pressure signal in order to compensate for interference with the signal of the pressure sensor.
[0011] A further aspect hereof is a method for determining the length of a route traveled on foot, a number of steps being ascertained on the basis of the acceleration signals of an acceleration sensor, and a change in geographic elevation being ascertained on the basis of the pressure signals of a pressure sensor. An adaptation of the step length to the measured average elevation change per step enables a more accurate determination of the length of the route traveled than in conventional arrangements.
[0012] A further aspect hereof is use of the above-described pedometer for dead reckoning in buildings and for the provision of location-based services.
[0013] Exemplifying embodiments of the present invention are depicted in the drawings and explained further in the description that follows.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 schematically depicts the pedometer according to an exemplifying embodiment of the present invention,
[0015] FIG. 2 schematically depicts an example of an elevation profile along a route segment,
[0016] FIG. 3 schematically depicts the change in variable step length as a function of the elevation change per step, according to a first embodiment of the present invention,
[0017] FIG. 4 schematically depicts the change in variable step length as a function of the elevation change per step, according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and
[0018] FIG. 5 schematically depicts the change in variable step length as a function of the elevation change per step, according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0019] FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a pedometer 10 according to an exemplifying embodiment of the present invention, pedometer 10 having an acceleration sensor 20 , a pressure sensor 30 , an evaluation unit 40 , and an output unit 50 .
[0020] The signals of acceleration sensor 20 and of pressure sensor 30 are delivered to evaluation unit 40 , which in turn delivers the results of an evaluation of those signals to output unit 50 .
[0021] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an example of an elevation profile along a route segment of a route traveled 13 . Route 13 has a first sub-route 11 and a second sub-route 12 that exhibit different slopes. The geographic elevation 14 is additionally indicated. In addition, a variable step length 9 , which is used as the basis for calculating the length of route traveled 13 , is depicted schematically in various regions of route 13 . It is evident that variable step length 9 differs in different regions of route 13 . On first sub-route 11 having a first slope, a comparatively shorter variable step length 9 is assumed. On second sub-route 12 having a greater slope, an even shorter variable step length 9 is assumed. A greater slope (positive or negative) corresponds to a greater measured average elevation change per step 2 .
[0022] In FIG. 3 , the values assumed by variable step length 9 in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention are plotted against the measured average elevation change per step 2 . For a measured average elevation change per step 2 of zero, variable step length 9 is assigned a value of 70 cm, which corresponds to an assumed value for a person's step length on level ground. This value is decreased, according to the present invention, for measured upward or downward slopes, and this value is therefore referred to hereinafter as a “maximum value.” For a measured average elevation change per step 2 having a greater absolute value, variable step length 9 continuously decreases until, starting from an upper elevation change per step 3 , a variable step length 9 of zero is set. Beyond this upper elevation change per step 3 , it is assumed that special instances exist; these can be, for example climbing or descending a ladder, or changes in environmental influences. Instead of the linear profiles depicted, however, other (for example, step-shaped) profiles are also conceivable, such as those that can result from digitization of the pressure and acceleration signals.
[0023] In FIG. 4 , the values assumed by variable step length 9 in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention are plotted against a measured average elevation change per step 2 . For a measured average elevation change per step 2 of zero, variable step length 9 is assigned a value of 70 cm, which corresponds to an assumed value for a person's step length on level ground. Starting from a threshold value 5 of the measured average elevation change per step 2 , a change in slope is assumed. Variable step length 9 correspondingly decreases to a first threshold step length 7 that corresponds to the measured average elevation change per step 2 . In a second region 6 , variable step length 9 decreases, as described in FIG. 3 , to the upper elevation change per step 3 , beyond which a variable step length 9 of zero is set.
[0024] In FIG. 5 , the values assumed by variable step length 9 in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention are plotted against a measured average elevation change per step 2 . For a measured average elevation change per step 2 of zero, in a first region 4 the variable step length 9 is assigned a value of 70 cm, which corresponds to an assumed value for a person's step length on level ground. Starting from a threshold value 5 of the measured average elevation change per step 2 , variable step length 9 decreases to a second threshold step length 8 . This second threshold step length 8 has a constant value, corresponding to a constant step length when climbing or descending stairs, over an entire second region 6 . Region 6 ends at an upper elevation change per step 3 , at which variable step length 9 decreases again to zero. | A pedometer for determining the length of a route traveled on foot includes an acceleration sensor for ascertaining a number of steps as well as a pressure sensor for ascertaining a change in geographic elevation, and an evaluation unit being configured to adapt the step length to the measured average elevation change per step. | 6 |
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to methods and apparatus for determining the cut resistance of materials, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for determining the cut resistance of a film or sheet.
BACKGROUND ART
The use of disposable cutting boards or surfaces for preparation of food or other articles is well known. Depending on the use of the cutting boards or surfaces, a specific cut resistance may be necessary. In such cases, testing must be performed in order to produce a product with the necessary cut resistance. Several testing methods have been developed for measuring the cut resistance of materials.
ASTM Test Method F 1790-97 entitled “Standard Test Method for Measuring Cut Resistance of Materials Used in Protective Clothing” discloses a method and apparatus for measuring the cut resistance of various protective materials. The test instrumentation includes a cutting blade mounted on a motor-driven balanced arm. A known load is applied to the arm and brought into contact with a specimen mounted on a mandrel. The arm is moved relative to the specimen and the distance that the arm moves relative to the specimen until the point at which cut-through of the specimen occurs is measured. This process is repeated for several different loads and the resulting force-distance data is used to determine various tensile properties of the material. Because the cutting blade only stays in contact with a highly localized point of a specimen during the test, the method and apparatus are only suitable for measuring the cut resistance of homogeneous products.
ASTM Test Method D 3822-01 entitled “Standard Test Method for Tensile Properties of Single Textile Fibers” discloses a test method for measuring the tensile properties of man-made single textile fibers. A single-fiber specimen of sufficient length to permit mounting in a tensile machine is placed under increasing tensile forces until breakage of the fiber occurs. Various tensile properties are calculated from the test results.
Boone U.S. Pat. No. 4,864,852 discloses a method and apparatus for measuring the cut-resistance of flexible materials such as films, fabrics, felts, and papers. The apparatus includes a material wrapped around a mandrel that is rotating at a predetermined speed and a cutting edge that repeatedly falls on the material covering the mandrel. The cutting edge falls in the same spot and with the same force until it cuts through the material and makes electrical contact with the mandrel. The number of times that the cutting edge contacts the material until the edge contacts the mandrel is noted and used as a measure of the relative cut resistance of the material.
Nishiyama et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,934,185 discloses a device for measuring the adhesive strength and shear strength of coated films. The device includes a cutting blade placed under a certain load and at a certain rake angle, wherein the load causes the blade to move in a vertical direction to penetrate the surface of the coated film and the load and rake angle cause the blade to slice the coating on the film. A cutting force of the blade is measured by a pressure detector and a vertical displacement of the blade is measured by a differential transducer, and the resulting data are used by a personal computer to calculate the adhesive strength and shear strength of the coated film.
Otten et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,274,232 discloses an absorbent sheet material and an apparatus for testing the slice resistance thereof. The apparatus includes a knife blade disposed in a knife holder and a sample mounted on a platform and disposed below the knife holder. A known load is applied to the knife blade in the vertical direction and the platform is moved under the weight of the knife blade. A series of slices under increasing load are made until the knife cuts through the sample and slice resistance is calculated as the slice force per sample thickness.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of the present invention, a device for determining the cut resistance of a sample includes a blade wherein the blade and the sample are relatively movable and a first apparatus that transfers energy to at least one of the sample and the blade to cause relative movement thereof in a direction parallel to a surface of the sample such that the blade contacts and cuts the sample until the imparted energy is expended and relative movement is terminated. A second apparatus measures a parameter of the relative movement to obtain an indication of the cut resistance of the sample.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, a device for determining cut resistance of a material includes a sample holder having a known mass wherein the sample holder is adapted to receive a sample of the material and a blade. Guide apparatus is provided for effecting relative movement of the sample holder and the blade holder under the influence of gravity along a path from a particular initial position wherein the material sample is out of contact with the blade and a final position wherein the material sample is in stationary contact with the blade thereby forming a cut having a cut length in the sample. Measurement apparatus is also provided for indicating a length of the path, the path length and the cut length being used to obtain an indication of cut resistance.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a method of determining a cut resistance of a material comprises the steps of providing a sample of the material and a blade wherein the sample and the blade are relatively movable and imparting energy to at least one of the sample and the blade to cause relative movement thereof in a direction parallel to a surface of the sample such that the blade contacts and cuts the sample until the imparted energy is expended and relative movement is terminated. A parameter of the relative movement is measured to obtain an indication of the cut resistance of the sample.
According to a still further aspect of the present invention, a method of determining a cut resistance of a material includes the steps of providing a movable sample holder having a known mass wherein the sample holder is adapted to receive a sample of the material and providing a stationary blade holder and a blade mounted to the blade holder. The movable sample holder is positioned at a predetermined height above the blade. The movable sample holder is released to cause the sample holder to move under the influence of gravity until the sample contacts the blade and is cut thereby for a cut distance until movement of the sample holder is terminated. The cut distance and the predetermined height are used to obtain an indication of the cut resistance of the sample.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a method of determining cut resistance inhomogeneity of a material includes the steps of providing a sample of the material and a blade wherein the sample and the blade are relatively movable and imparting energy to at least one of the sample and the blade to cause relative movement thereof in a direction parallel to a surface of the sample such that the blade contacts and cuts the sample until the imparted energy is expended and relative movement is terminated. The position of at least one of the sample and the blade is measured to obtain an indication of the local inhomogeneity of cut resistance of the sample.
Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a device for determining cut resistance according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an isometric front view of a device in accordance with the block diagram of FIG. 1 with a sample holder shown in a latched, upper position;
FIG. 3 is an isometric rear view of a device in accordance with the block diagram of FIG. 1 with the sample holder shown in an unlatched position;
FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the device of FIG. 3;
FIG. 4 a is an enlarged fragmentary, front elevational view of a portion of the device of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the device of FIG. 3;
FIG. 6 is a rear elevational view of the device of FIG. 3;
FIGS. 7-9 are enlarged, fragmentary, isometric views of the sample holder of FIG. 2 illustrating the process of mounting a sample thereon; and
FIGS. 10-12 are fragmentary isometric views of the apparatus of FIG. 2 during a testing procedure wherein FIGS. 10 and 11 show the sample holder at the beginning of creation of a cut or slice and FIG. 12 shows the sample holder at the end of a cut or slice operation.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring first to FIG. 1, a device 20 according to the present invention is diagrammatically shown and includes a stationary blade holder 22 and a movable sample holder 24 . Although not shown in FIG. 1, guide apparatus is provided (described in greater detail hereinafter) that guides the sample holder 24 and constrains same to move in a substantially vertical linear path with respect to the stationary blade holder 22 . Preferably, the sample holder 24 has a known mass and is guided for movement between a first or upper travel limit and a second or lower travel limit. As noted in greater detail below, the first or upper travel limit may be selectable. When the sample holder 24 is disposed at the first or upper travel limit the sample holder 24 is positioned at a known or selectable predetermined height above and out of contact with a cutting portion of a blade 26 mounted on the blade holder 22 . Preferably, at initiation of a testing procedure, a sample 28 of a material is mounted on a side surface 30 of the sample holder 24 and the sample holder 24 is moved to the upper travel limit. The sample holder 24 is then released and moves downwardly along the substantially vertical linear path under the force of gravity. In accordance with the preferred embodiment, and as noted in greater detail hereinafter, the sample 28 has a thickness T and a horizontal distance between the side surface 30 and an outermost portion 32 of an edge 34 of the blade 26 is less than the thickness T. Therefore, downward movement of the sample holder 24 during a testing procedure results in contact of the sample 28 with the edge 34 and creation of a cut or slice in the sample 28 . The first or upper travel limit is selected such that the change in potential energy of the sample holder 24 and the sample 28 throughout a test is a substantial fraction of the energy required to cut the full length of the sample 28 , but less than 100% of this energy. Assuming that the first or upper travel limit is properly selected, the potential energy that is converted into kinetic energy of the sample holder 24 and the sample 28 is eventually used up by the drag imparted by the cut or slice resistance of the sample 28 and the sample holder 24 and the sample 28 stop moving relative to the blade 26 . At this point the sample holder 24 is disposed at the second or lower travel limit with the sample 28 in stationary contact with the blade 26 . The length L (expressed in centimeters) of the cut or slice in the sample 28 and the height H (expressed in meters) that the sample block traveled between the first and second travel limits are used in the following equation to calculate the energy per unit length E/L (in joules per centimeter) expended by the resisting force of the blade 26 with the sample 28 :
E/L=mgH/L
where m is the combined mass of the sample holder 24 and the sample 28 in kilograms (which may be approximated by the mass of the sample holder 24 alone if the mass of the sample 28 is negligible) and g is the gravitational constant (equal to 9.8 meters per second squared) and where frictional losses between the sample holder 24 and the guide apparatus are small and are consistent between test cycles. The value E/L is used as an indication of the cut or slice resistance or the sample 28 .
If desired, the local cut resistance inhomogeneity of a sample may be indicated by recording the position of the sample holder 24 versus the time elapsed during a test provided the time intervals between measurements are suitably small (e.g. 1 millisecond). The component of cutting force F, in the direction of movement (in Newtons) versus time may be calculated using the temporal position data collected during the cutting portion of the test and the equation:
F c =F net −F g =ma−mg=m ( dv/dt−g )= m ( d 2 x/dt 2 −g )
where m and g are defined as before, F net is the net force of the sample on the knife in the direction of sample holder 24 movement (in Newtons) or the net force of the knife on the sample in the direction opposed to sample holder 24 movement per Newton's Third Law of Motion, F g is the gravitational force on the sample holder 24 and sample 28 (in Newtons), a is the acceleration (deceleration if negative) of the sample holder 24 and sample 28 (in meters per second squared), dv/dt is the time derivative of the velocity of same (in meters per second squared), and d 2 x/dt 2 is the second time derivative of position of same (in meters per second squared). For computational purposes, one of the finite difference forms of this equation would be employed. For example, the 3-point central difference form of the equation is one useful version:
F c [i]=m (( x[i +1]−2 x[i]+x[i −1])/Δ t 2 −g )
Where m and g are defined as before, At is the time interval between measurements for the convenient case of uniform time intervals (in seconds), i is a non-negative integer, F c [i] is the cutting force (in Newtons) at an elapsed test time of i*Δt, x[i] is the position of sample holder 24 and sample 28 measured at the same elapsed time (in meters), x[i+1] is the position of the same at the next time increment (in meters), and x[i−1] is the position of the same at the previous time increment (in meters). A plot of F c [i] versus time or some measure of the dispersion of the cutting force values (e.g. standard deviation, minimum, maximum, range) provides an indication of the local inhomogeneity in cut resistance of the sample. The temporal position data can also provide verification that the frictional forces in the guide apparatus are negligible via a comparison of the actual measured acceleration through the free-falling section with the gravitational acceleration constant. This is useful as a test quality assurance measure. Furthermore, integration of (F c /L)dx over the cutting distance provides the energy dissipated by the sample (or work performed by the knife) per unit length of sample in the direction of sample holder 24 movement. Subtracting this work from the total energy per unit length E/L calculated previously reveals the energy dissipated by the sample in the other two orthogonal directions which may provide additional useful information about the sample.
If desired, the configuration of the device described above may be modified in any suitable way. For example, the sample holder 24 may traverse a path that is not substantially vertical and/or linear. In addition, the sample holder 24 and the sample 28 may be stationary and the blade holder 22 and the blade 26 may be movable or the components may all be movable to obtain the desired relative movement of the sample 28 and the blade 26 . Still further, the device may not depend upon gravity to impart kinetic energy so as to obtain the desired relative movement; instead, the kinetic energy may be supplied by one or a combination of two or more external influences or forces, such as a gravitational field, a magnetic field, an electrical or electromagnetic field, a pneumatic element, a mechanical element or apparatus, (such as one or more spring(s) acting on one or more component(s)), etc . . . .
Referring next to FIGS. 2-6, the sample holder 24 is mounted on a rail 40 and a rod 42 that guide the sample holder 24 along the path. The rail 40 and the rod 42 are secured to a support apparatus 43 including a support column 44 mounted on a support base 46 by angle members 48 and first and second support structures 50 a , 50 b extending between the support column 44 and the rail 40 . Each support structure 50 a , 50 b includes a stand-off block 52 a , 52 b , respectively, secured to a rail block 54 a , 54 b , respectively, and the support column 44 by fasteners (not shown). The rail 40 is dumbbell-shaped in cross-section and is retained within elongate slots in the rail blocks 54 a , 54 b by bolts 56 a , 56 b disposed in bores 58 a , 58 b and extending though further bores (not shown) in a center or web portion 60 of the rail 40 . The maximum thickness of the rail 40 is just slightly less than the width of the elongate slots in the rail blocks 54 a , 54 b so that the rail 40 is firmly and immovably retained therein.
Preferably, the rail 40 is a 36 inch Thomson Twin Rail System, model 2CA-08OKE L36, available from Applied Industrial Technologies of Saginaw, Mich.
A positioning station 70 is mounted on the support column 44 by a latch bracket 72 and fasteners 74 wherein the positioning station 70 includes a spring-loaded movable latch 76 (FIG. 5) actuable by a handle 78 to move into and out of interfering contact with a latch catch member 80 mounted to and carried by the sample holder 24 . The position of the positioning station 70 may be adjusted by loosening the fasteners 74 , thereby permitting the station 70 to be moved as a unit upwardly or downwardly on the support column 44 . Once the station 70 is properly positioned, the fasteners 74 may be tightened to secure the station 70 in place.
The sample holder 24 includes a sample plate 90 secured to a bearing block 92 by fasteners. The bearing block 92 includes an elongate slot 94 extending therethrough wherein the rail 40 is snugly yet slidably received in the slot 94 . Preferably, the rail 40 and the slot 94 are sized and shaped relative to one another and the materials and interfacing surfaces are designed so that that bearings and/or lubricating agents are not required to permit free relative movement of the bearing block 92 and the rail 40 . Alternatively, bearings and/or lubricating agents may be used, if desired, provided that such elements do not adversely affect the operation of the device.
The latch catch member 80 is secured to a bracket 96 , and the latter is secured to the bearing block 92 by fasteners (not shown). The bracket 96 may mount optional structure as noted on greater detail hereinafter. The bracket 96 includes a recess 98 through which the rod 42 extends, thereby permitting free motion of the bearing block 92 relative to the rail 40 without interference of the bracket 96 with the rod 42 .
The sample plate 90 includes upper and lower mounting assemblies 100 , 102 that mount a sample to the sample plate 90 . The upper mounting assembly 100 includes a clamping plate 104 mounted to an upper surface 106 of the sample plate 90 by thumb screws 108 . The lower mounting assembly 102 includes first and second side brackets 110 , 112 mounted to the plate 90 by fasteners. Each of the side brackets 110 , 112 further includes an inclined elongate slot 114 , 116 , respectively (FIG. 4A shows the side bracket 12 and associated apparatus in detail). A cylindrical locking bar 118 includes end portions 120 a , 120 b disposed in the inclined slots 114 , 116 . First and second springs 122 , 124 are disposed in the inclined slots 114 , 116 , respectively, and bear against the end portions 120 a , 120 b to cause the locking bar 118 to be biased against ends 126 , 128 of the slots 114 , 116 . When the locking bar 118 is in such position, a knurled center portion 130 of the locking bar 118 is in resilient contact with a rear surface 132 of the sample plate 90 .
Preferably, although not necessarily, the blade holder 22 is mounted on a movable and adjustable support apparatus 140 . The support apparatus 140 includes a first support table 142 mounted on the support base 46 and a second support table 144 mounted on the first support table. The first support table 142 includes a rotary adjustment knob 146 that may be turned by an operator to permit movement of the blade 26 along a first direction indicated by arrows 148 (FIG. 2 ). The second support table 144 includes a base table portion 150 mounted on the first support table 142 and an upper table portion 152 mounted by linear slides 154 , 156 to the base table portion 150 . The blade holder 22 is mounted by brackets 157 a , 157 b and fasteners to the upper table portion 152 . The linear slides 154 , 156 include bearings (not shown) that permit movement of the upper table portion 152 , and thus the blade 26 , relative to the base table portion 150 along a second direction indicated by arrows 158 (FIG. 2 ). Preferably, the second direction is transverse to, and, more preferably, perpendicular to, the first direction. A spring (not shown) is connected between the upper table portion 152 and the base table portion 150 in a space therebetween to bias the upper table portion 152 toward an aligned position (seen in FIG. 2) relative to the base table portion 150 .
Preferably the base table portion 150 is adjusted prior to use of the device to properly space the edge of the blade 26 from the sample holder 24 . The base table portion is available from Milwaukee Slide and Spindle of Milwaukee, Wis., under part number R346L and the upper table portion 152 is available from McMaster Carr Supply Company of Aurora, Ohio under part number 60935K18.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
The device of the present invention is prepared for use by moving the sample holder to the latched position as seen in FIG. 2 . The operator pulls the handle 78 to retract the latch 76 and the operator raises the sample holder 24 to a position such that the latch catch member 80 is spaced above the latch 76 . The handle 78 is then released to extend the latch 76 and the sample holder 24 is lowered until the latch catch member 80 rests on the latch 76 . The operator then mounts the blade 26 in a blade recess 160 (FIG. 2) formed in the blade holder 22 . Preferably, as seen in FIG. 6, a series of magnets 162 are disposed in recesses 164 in the blade holder 22 and firmly hold the blade 26 in position. Spaced dowel pins 161 a , 161 b (FIG. 2) are mounted in the blade holder 22 and extend into the blade recess 160 and further extend through a center aperture or slot 26 a (FIG. 4) of the blade 26 . The dowel pins 161 a , 161 b accurately position the blade 26 . The blade may comprise a blade sold by Personna, Poultry Blades Code #88-0337. The blade holder can be modified to accept any type of cutting blade that has a curved or sloped lead in edge portion that permits the sample to be guided under the blade. Also, the blade should be fabricated with sufficient tolerances from blade to blade so that the test set-up does not need adjustment after each blade change.
Once the blade 26 is mounted, (or before the blade is mounted, if desired) the device is further prepared for testing by mounting a sample 170 of a material on the sample holder 24 in accordance with the steps shown in FIGS. 7-9. Specifically, the cylindrical locking bar 118 is displaced by the operator such that the knurled center portion 130 is spaced from the rear surface 132 of the sample plate 90 . The operator then inserts one end 172 of the sample 170 into the space between the center portion 130 and the rear surface 132 and releases the locking bar 118 , whereupon the end 172 of the sample 170 is captured by the knurled center portion 130 against the rear surface 132 . The sample 170 is then positioned as shown in FIG. 7 . Thereafter, the operator may insert an opposite end 174 of the sample 170 into a space between the clamping plate 14 and the upper surface 106 of the sample plate 90 (FIG. 8 ), pull the sample tight over the side surface 30 and tighten the thumb screws 108 to fix the sample 170 in position (FIG. 9 ).
Testing is initiated in the case of a new and previously unused blade 26 by positioning the upper table portion 152 at the aligned position seen in FIG. 2 relative to the base table portion 150 . This positioning is accomplished by pulling a knob 180 secured to a pawl member 182 upwardly, thereby spacing the pawl member 182 from a toothed rack member 184 and permitting relative movement of the upper table portion 152 and the base table portion along the second direction. The pawl member 182 and the toothed rack member 184 are positionable in one of four stable latched positions, thereby resulting in positioning of the blade 26 via the upper table portion 152 in one of four paths relative to the sample 170 . Once the upper table portion 152 is properly positioned, the knob 180 is released, thereby causing the pawl member 182 to move into locking engagement with the toothed rack member 184 . This, in turn, locks the upper table portion 152 in the aligned position, thereby causing the blade to be locked in a first one of the four paths. The operator then pulls the handle 78 outwardly to move the latch 76 out of interfering relationship with the latch catch member 80 . The sample holder 24 immediately moves under the influence of gravity downwardly until the sample 170 contacts the blade 26 . Movement continues until the kinetic energy of the sample holder 24 is exhausted, as noted above, and as shown in FIG. 12 . As seen in FIG. 7, four parallel longitudinal grooves 190 a - 190 d are formed in the side surface 30 and coincide with the four paths of the blade 26 relative to the sample holder 24 when the upper table portion 152 is disposed in the four latched positions. Preferably, the depths of the grooves are substantially equal and sufficient to permit the blade 26 to cut the sample 170 without contacting the sample holder 24 .
As noted above, the height of the positioning station 70 is adjusted so that the kinetic energy of the sample holder 24 is used up while the blade 26 is in contact with the sample and while the blade 26 is positioned in one of the grooves 190 . This insures that accurate readings are obtained. A spring 191 is provided that prevents direct contact of the sample holder 24 with the support member 50 in the event that the sample holder 24 is released from a height that would result in continued motion of the sample holder 24 even after cutting of the full length of the sample 170 .
The first cut or slice operation described above is undertaken to remove any burrs that may be on the edge of the blade 26 . Thereafter, three successive further cut or slice operations are effected with the blade sequentially disposed in the remaining three paths and with the slice operations otherwise being conducted in identical fashion to the procedure described above and with the positioning station 70 located at the same height as in the first slice or cut operation. Specifically, during a second cut or slice operation, the pawl member 182 and the toothed rack member 184 are positioned in a second one of the four stable latched positions as seen in FIG. 10, thereby resulting in positioning of the blade 26 via the upper table portion 152 in a second of the four paths relative to the sample 170 . The cut or slice operation is then undertaken as noted above. Thereafter, the pawl member 182 and the toothed rack member 184 are positioned in a third of the four stable latched positions (FIG. 11 ), thereby resulting in positioning of the blade 26 in a third of the four paths relative to the sample 170 and the slice or cut operation is repeated. Lastly, the pawl member 182 and the toothed rack member 184 are positioned in a fourth of the four latched positions (shown in FIG. 12 ), thereby causing positioning of the blade 26 in the fourth path relative to the sample 170 . The slice or cut operation is then repeated again.
Following each slice or cut operation, the length of travel H of the sample holder 24 and the length L of the slice or cut are measured. L is measured directly in any desired manner. Measurement of the length H may be facilitated by a ruler 200 (a portion of which is shown in FIG. 4 ), which is mounted on the web portion 60 of the rail as seen in FIG. 4 . Each value of H is obtained by noting on the ruler 200 the position D 1 of a particular point of the sample holder 24 , such as a lower edge 202 thereof (FIG. 4 ), before the slice or cut operation, and further noting the position D 2 of the same point 202 of the sample holder on the ruler 200 at the end of the slice or cut operation. Each value H is then obtained as the difference D2−D1. The resulting values for H and L are used to calculate slice resistance values as noted above. The slice resistance values are averaged to obtain a single value for the sample representing the slice resistance thereof.
If desired, the values of H can be automatically obtained by providing an optional distance sensor 210 (FIGS. 2-6) that senses H by detecting the starting and ending positions of the moving element. One suitable sensor, employing the principle of magnetostriction, has a disk-shaped toroidal magnet 211 (FIG. 6) surrounding the rod 42 and secured by fasteners 212 (FIG. 2) to an underside of the bracket 96 . It should be noted that, if this type of distance sensor 210 is used, an electrically insulative insert 214 must be provided to mount the rod 42 to the support base 46 . The distance sensor 210 and the rod 42 may comprise a Temposonics R-series sensor sold by MTS Systems Corporation of Cary, N.C. under part number RHT0330URG01V011000 and the magnet is sold by the same company under part number 201542.
The present invention, as described above, is effective to develop a measure of cut or slice resistance for samples of substantially equal thicknesses. If it is desired to develop indications of slice or cut resistance of samples of different thicknesses, one could do so using the apparatus of the present invention in accordance with the equation:
E /( LT )= mgH /( LT )
where T is the thickness of the particular sample and the remaining values are as described above.
The present invention obtains cut resistance values by cutting into a sample in a first direction as a result of relative movement of a blade and a sample resulting from application of force in a second, different direction. The present invention can measure any suitable parameter of the relative movement to obtain the cut resistance values. In addition, the present invention can be used to determine slice or cut resistance of non-homogeneous materials in a simple and effective manner.
Numerous modifications to the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the foregoing description. Accordingly, this description is to be construed as illustrative only and is presented for the purpose of enabling those skilled in the art to make and use the invention and to teach the best mode of carrying out same. The exclusive rights to all modifications which come within the scope of the appended claims are reserved. | A device implements a method of determining a cut resistance of a sample. The device includes a blade wherein the blade and the sample are relatively movable and a first apparatus that transfers energy to at least one of the sample and the blade to cause relative movement thereof in a direction parallel to a surface of the sample such that the blade contacts and cuts the sample until the imparted energy is expended and relative movement is terminated. A second apparatus measures a parameter of the relative movement to obtain an indication of the cut resistance of the sample. | 6 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 10/317,417, filed Dec. 11, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,737,882, issued May 18, 2004, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/568,707, filed May 11, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,535,012, issued Mar. 18, 2003, which is a divisional of application Ser. No. 09/211,064, filed Dec. 14, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,091,254, issued Jul. 18, 2000, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/643,518, filed May 6, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,905,382, issued May 18, 1999, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/981,956, filed Nov. 24, 1992, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,539,324, issued Jul. 23, 1996, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 07/575,470, filed Aug. 29, 1990, abandoned, and shares common subject matter with co-pending application Ser. No. 07/709,858 and application Ser. No. 07/788,065, filed Nov. 05, 1991, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,440,240, issued Aug. 8, 1995.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to electrical testing equipment for semiconductor devices. More specifically, the invention relates to an apparatus and method to perform dynamic burn-in and full electrical/performance/speed testing on an array of semiconductor dice on a wafer.
2. State of the Art
Semiconductor devices are subjected to a series of test procedures in order to confirm functionality and yield, and to assure quality and reliability. This testing procedure conventionally includes “probe testing,” in which each individual die, while still on a wafer, is initially tested to determine functionality and speed. Probe cards are used to electrically test dice at that level. The electrical connection interfaces with only a single die at a time in a wafer before the die is singulated from the wafer.
If the wafer has a yield of functional dice which indicates that quality of the functional dice is likely to be good, each individual die is traditionally assembled in a package to form a semiconductor device. Conventionally, the packaging includes a lead frame and a plastic or ceramic housing.
The packaged devices are then subjected to another series of tests, which include burn-in and discrete testing. Discrete testing permits the devices to be tested for speed and for errors which may occur after assembly and after burn-in. Bum-in accelerates failure mechanisms by electrically exercising the devices (devices under test or DUT) at elevated temperatures and elevated dynamic biasing schemes. This induces infant mortality failure mechanisms and elicits potential failures which would not otherwise be apparent at nominal test conditions.
Variations on these procedures permit devices assembled onto circuit arrangements, such as memory boards, to be burned-in, along with the memory board in order to assure reliability of the circuit board and the circuit board assembly and manufacturing process, as populated with devices. This closed assembly testing assumes that the devices are discretely packaged in order that it can then be performed more readily.
Semiconductor packaging has been referred to in terms of “levels” of packaging. The chip capsule generally constitutes a first level of packaging. A second level would then be a “card” or a printed circuit board. A third level may include second level packaging combined with a motherboard. A fourth level may follow the third level. In each case, the packaging to any level involves cost.
It is proposed that devices be packaged without conventional lead frames. This creates two problems for conventional test methods. Firstly, discrete testing is more difficult because the conventional lead frame package is not used. Furthermore, multiple devices may be assembled into a single package, thereby reducing the performance of the package to that of the die with the lowest performance. This is because the ability to presort the individual dice is limited to that obtained through probe testing. Secondly, the packaging may have other limitations of package assembly defect mechanisms which are aggravated by burn-in stress conditions so that the packaging becomes a limitation for burn-in testing.
According to the invention represented by U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,107, to Alan Wood and Tim Corbett, a reusable burn-in/test fixture for discrete dice is provided. The fixture consists of two halves, one of which is a die cavity plate for receiving semiconductor dice as the devices under test (DUT), and the other half establishes electrical contact with the dice and with a burn-in oven.
The first half of the test fixture contains cavities in which dice are inserted circuit side up. The die will rest on a floating platform. A support mechanism under the die platform will provide a constant uniform pressure or force to maintain adequate electrical contact from the die contacts on the DUT to probe tips on the second half. The support mechanism will compensate for variations of overall die thickness.
The second half has a rigid, high temperature rated substrate, on which are mounted probes for each corresponding die pad. Each probe is connected to an electrical trace on the substrate (similar to a P.C. board) so that each die pad of each die is electrically isolated from one another for high speed functional testing purposes. The probe tips are planar so that contact to each die pad occurs simultaneously. The probe tips are arranged in an array to accommodate eight or more dice. The traces from the probes terminate in edge fingers to accept a conventional card edge connector. The geometry of the probes and edge fingers is optimized to avoid electrical testing artifacts.
The two halves of the test fixture are joined so that each pad on each die aligns with a corresponding electrical contact. The test fixture is configured to house groups of 8 or 16 dice for maximum through-put efficiency of the functional testers. The test fixture need not be opened until the burn-in and electrical testing are completed. After burn-in stress and electrical testing, the dice are removed from the test fixture and repositioned accordingly. The fully burned-in and tested dice are available for any type of subsequent assembly applications.
This technique allows all elements of the burn-in/test fixture to be 100% reusable, while permitting testing of each individual die in a manner similar to that accomplished with discrete packaged semiconductor devices.
An ability to extend accelerated burn-in and functional/parametric/speed testing of dice to include accelerated burn-in and functional, parametric and speed testing while the dice are still on the wafer would have several advantages. Since each step in the assembly and package process represents commitment of resources, early determination of defective parts or ability to predict a failure at a conventional burn-in stage is advantageous. It would be further advantageous to be able to predict a failure at a burn-in stage prior to assembly. Clearly, if a part can be made to fail prior to assembly, assembly resources can be directed to a higher percentage of good parts.
There exists a significant market for uncut fabricated wafers. These wafers are referred to as “probe wafers” because they are delivered after probe testing, which follows fabrication. The purchase of probe wafers is primarily by “ASIC assembly houses” which custom package parts, including parts traditionally considered to be “commodity” chips. The purchase of uncut wafers is usually based on the recent yield rate of the semiconductor manufacturer, but recent yields are not a strong indicator of the yield of any given wafer lot. Furthermore, the assembly process techniques used by the assembly house have a significant effect on yield.
Characterization, such as speed grading, is even more variable than yield. While a packaged DRAM is purchased by the consumer based on the parts' speed grade, speed grading of probe wafers is almost a matter of conjecture. This means that it is happenchance as to whether the assembly house purchases a wafer of mostly “−10” parts (100 ns) or mostly “−6” parts (60 ns).
Recent developments in fabrication technology have resulted in such speed characterizations being more uniform on any given wafer. This has made it possible to provide wafers in which a majority of good dice have speed grades which do not greatly exceed an average for the wafer. Such uniformity, along with an ability to achieve fuse repairs and patches, has made wafer scale integration of arrays and cluster packaging practical.
Other developments include an ability to track individual dice on wafers, starting at probe. Traditionally, probe identifies bad dice (for example, an ink spot). The assembly process is continued only for dice which do not have the ink spots. By computer tracking, the ink spot becomes superfluous, as a map of good and bad dice are stored and transferred to subsequent assembly steps.
Although the dice are singulated, there are cases in which the discrete parts are reassembled into an array after assembly. An example is in computer memory, in which one or more banks of memory are composed of arrays of memory chips. It would be advantageous to be able to select good dice on a wafer and assemble the dice into an array without singulating the dice. This would allow a much denser array of good clustered dice on a single piece of silicon.
It is an object of the invention to increase handling efficiency, while at the same time reducing the required size of the test fixture.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, burn-in and testing are accomplished on an uncut wafer by mounting the wafer to a reusable burn-in/test fixture. The test fixture has contact tips thereon in order that electrical contact may be established for each individual die on the wafer. The fixture consists of two halves, one of which is a wafer cavity plate for receiving the wafer as the devices under test (DUT), and the other half establishes electrical contact with the wafer and with a burn-in oven.
The first half of the test fixture contains a cavity in which the wafer is inserted. The wafer will rest in the cavity, and a platform on the second half applies pressure to the fixture half which establishes electrical contact. In the preferred embodiment, a support mechanism under the platform will provide a constant uniform pressure or force to maintain adequate electrical contact to the die contacts on the DUT to contact tips on the second half. The support mechanism can include pneumatic-mechanical, elastomeric, or any other appropriate biasing mechanism.
The contact tips are electrical contact locations at which the electrical contact is established by the fixture. These may be flat contact areas which mate with bumps on the wafer, raised electrical bumps or resilient fingers. The wafer itself may use either flat bond pads or raised bump contacts.
According to one embodiment, a TAB interconnect circuit is used for the electrical contact locations. After burn-in, it is possible to either retain the TAB interconnect circuit on the completed circuit, or remove the TAB interconnect circuit after testing. If the TAB interconnect circuit is retained, the final interconnect pattern of the wafer would be modified, as necessary, after testing.
The second half has a rigid, high temperature rated substrate, on which are mounted conductive electrical contact tips or pads for each corresponding die on the wafer. Each contact tip (for example, probe) is connected to an electrical trace on the substrate (similar to a P.C. board) so that each die pad of each die is electrically isolated from one another for high speed functional testing purposes. The contact tips are planar so that contact to each die pad occurs simultaneously. The traces from the contact tips terminate in edge fingers to accept a conventional card edge connector. The geometry of the contact tips and edge fingers is optimized to avoid electrical testing artifacts.
The two halves of the test fixture are joined so that each pad on each die on the wafer aligns with a corresponding electrical contact tip. The test fixture need not be opened until the burn-in and electrical testing are completed. After burn-in stress and electrical testing, the wafer is removed from the test fixture and may be singulated or interconnected as desired. The fully burned-in and tested die wafer is then available for a variety of end use applications which require high yielding and high reliability semiconductors. The resulting dice are available for any type of subsequent assembly/packaging applications.
In configurations in which wafer scale integration is used, circuits connect the dice according to circuit array protocols, and these circuits are selectively severed in order to provide a functional array. Once the functional cluster or arrays (good dice) have been tested for functionality and speed, and have been burned in, they are then diced accordingly. Diced clusters or arrays of dice can then be densely packaged utilizing various interconnect technologies, for example, wirebond, ribbon, TAB, tape, or conductive elastomer.
This technique allows most or all elements of the burn-in/test fixture to be 100% reusable, while permitting testing of each individual die while on the wafer in a manner similar to that accomplished with discrete packaged semiconductor devices.
The invention is able to increase handling efficiency by performing test and burn-in functions at the wafer level, while at the same time reducing the required size of the test fixture.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
FIGS. 1A–1C show the inventive wafer cavity plate;
FIGS. 2A and 2B show a support plate used in association with the wafer cavity plate of FIG. 1 ;
FIG. 3 shows the alignment of the plates of FIGS. 1 and 2 ; and
FIG. 4 shows an alternative embodiment of the invention, in which probe contacts are located on the support plate.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to FIGS. 1A–1C and 2 A and 2 B, the inventive burn-in fixture includes a wafer cavity plate 11 , shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B , and a support plate 12 shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B . The wafer cavity plate 11 includes a wafer receiving cavity 17 , which is dimensioned to receive a semiconductor wafer.
The wafer cavity plate 11 includes a main plate portion 21 , from which extends a plurality of edge provisions for electrical communication connectors 23 . It is possible to use other provisions for electrical communication instead of the edge connectors 23 . The wafer cavity plate 11 aligns with the support plate 12 so that a bottom surface 25 of the main plate portion 21 aligns with the wafer receiving cavity 17 on the wafer cavity plate 11 . Alignment devices, such as dowels 27 and dowel-receiving cavities 28 , are used to establish an alignment of the support plate 12 with the wafer cavity plate 11 . The alignment of the plates 11 , 12 is shown in FIG. 3 , in which a wafer 30 is shown between the plates 11 , 12 .
In the preferred embodiment, a probe plate is fabricated on a substrate 63 ( FIG. 4 ) and has conductive patterns therein. The conductive patterns terminate in conductive bumps (for example) or pads. It is also possible to form the substrate 63 so that it is thin enough to be at least flexible. By way of example, such a partially flexible substrate 63 may be formed from silicon or ceramic, which has been made thin enough that it is able to be flexed substantially more than the wafer 30 . Circuit traces on the substrate 63 communicate with individual contacts on the edge connectors 23 ′. This permits the edge connectors 23 ′ to be used to connect the contact pads on the dice with external electrical equipment (not shown). While the edge connectors 23 ′ are shown as being generally aligned with the individual dice on the wafer, it is possible to have the circuit traces extend to any convenient location on the substrate 63 .
Alternatively, by making the substrate thin enough or by using a flexible material, it is possible to use a flexible substrate which is, by its nature, more likely to conform to the wafer 30 . This flexible substrate can be combined with a rigid support (not shown) to make the substrate semi-rigid.
A form of TAB technique may be used in order to connect the wafer to external circuitry. (External circuitry can be any circuit to which the wafer 30 is connected, usually test equipment or burn-in equipment.) The particular TAB technique used is a temporary bonding of wafer contact pads to a TAB circuit. The TAB circuit is temporarily bonded in order to provide burn-in and test capability, but to allow the TAB circuit to be removed subsequent to the burn-in and test procedure.
The TAB circuit is connected to the edge connectors 23 in order to permit the dice on the wafer 30 to be connected to the external circuitry. The TAB circuit may then be modified in order to accommodate the test results or removed from the wafer 30 .
Since the wafer 30 is tested prior to being divided into individual dice, it is possible to provide interconnects between the dice on the wafer 30 . This would make it somewhat easier to connect to each die, without having to establish a contact pin location for each individual die. In the case of memory chips, address circuitry can be easily provided on the wafer 30 , since the process for manufacturing the chips includes the provision of address circuitry. A similar type of circuit could be easily produced simultaneously, except that this particular circuit addresses the dice, rather than portions of a die. The “on-board” driver circuitries would help simplify the need for the redundant I/O lines and could be discarded, if not applicable, in the end-use application.
The support plate 12 includes a floating platform 41 which is supported by a biasing mechanism 43 . The wafer 30 is held in place in the wafer receiving cavity 17 by the floating platform 41 . In the embodiment shown, the biasing mechanism 43 is an elastomeric polymer, although coil springs or the like can be used. The purpose of the biasing mechanism 43 is to bias the floating platform 41 upwards so that when the wafer 30 is inserted into the wafer receiving cavity 17 and the fixture is assembled, the wafer will be in contact with the contact tips 31 . The biasing force of the biasing mechanism 43 and the travel of the floating platform 41 must be uniform enough and provide enough travel that when the wafer receiving cavity 17 receives a wafer, and the support plate 12 is mounted to the wafer cavity plate 11 , the contact tips 31 will each contact the die pads. As a result of the uniformity of travel and biasing, the mating of the wafer cavity plate 11 and the support plate 12 need only accommodate the need to provide an even biasing of the wafer 30 against the contact tips 31 to a degree sufficient for each contact tip 31 to contact its respective die pad. This means that lateral alignment, as established by the dowels 27 and dowel-receiving cavities 28 , is more critical than the precise closeness of the support plate 12 to the wafer cavity plate 11 .
In the example shown, a number of edge connectors 23 are shown, wherein the edge connectors 23 are in optimum proximity to ends 51 of the wafer receiving cavity 17 . Since the die pads are normally located at the ends 51 , the edge connectors 23 are in close proximity to the die pads, thereby resulting in a very short circuit length between the die pads and the edge connectors 23 . Of course, it is possible to provide either fewer or more edge connectors 23 as is convenient for a design consideration. It is likely that a large number of edge connectors 23 will be provided because of the large number of contacts on each semiconductor die.
It is possible to use address circuitry in order to reduce the number of external connectors which would be otherwise necessary in order to perform complete testing of the circuits on the wafer 30 . In this manner, an entire wafer can be tested with a small number of connections. An example of an appropriate address circuit would be an address and self test circuit arrangement used on a computer memory board.
The assembled fixture is adapted into conventional test equipment, such as a burn-in oven. In case of a burn-in oven, it may be desirable to connect the edge connectors to a burn-in circuit, in which common connectors are used for the multiple devices. In any case, it is possible to use the edge connectors 23 to connect the die in a test fixture to existing discrete apparatus (not shown).
In an alternative embodiment, shown in FIG. 4 , a bottom surface of the support plate 12 ′ has a number of contact tips 31 ′ extending therefrom. The contact tips 31 ′ are sufficiently flexible to compensate for variations in die pad height. The contact tips 31 ′ align with the wafer receiving cavity 17 ′ in a manner which, when a wafer is located in the wafer receiving cavity 17 ′, the contact tips 31 ′ electrically communicate with individual contact pads on the dice. The substrate 63 can be formed as an elastomeric mat interposed between the wafer 30 and the support plate 12 ′. This configuration would appear as shown in FIG. 4 , with substrate 63 being the elastomeric mat. The elastomeric mat would conduct in patterns corresponding to the conductive bumps or pads on the contact areas of the wafer 30 in order to provide positive electrical contact between the support plate 12 ′ and the wafer 30 .
In the alternative embodiment, the main plate portion 21 ′ of the support plate 12 ′ includes a series of circuit traces (not shown). The circuit traces communicate with individual contacts on the edge connectors 23 ′. This permits the edge connectors 23 ′ to be used to connect the contact pads on the dice with external electrical equipment (not shown).
What has been described is a very specific configuration of a test fixture. Clearly, modification to the existing apparatus can be made within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention should be read only as limited by the claims. | A reusable burn-in/test fixture for testing unsingulated dice on a semiconductor wafer consisting of two halves. The first half of the test fixture is a wafer cavity plate for receiving the wafer, and the second half establishes electrical communication between the wafer and electrical testing equipment. A rigid substrate has conductors thereon which establish electrical contact with the wafer. The test fixture need not be opened until the burn-in and electrical testing are completed. After burn-in stress and electrical testing, it is possible to establish interconnection between the single die or separate and package dice into discrete parts, arrays or clusters, either as singulated parts or as arrays. | 6 |
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to treating biomass in order to enhance its value or rank. More particularly, the invention provides a process for the treatment of coal or other biomass to efficiently convert the selected raw feed stock from low rank into a high-grade fuel capable of increased heat release per unit of fuel. This invention is particularly targeted to serve the utility, commercial and industrial markets. It is also very capable of supplying a low smoke fuel for domestic use, such as home heating and cooking use.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Biomass is one of the largest and most readily available energy sources known to man. Biomass is found in immature forms, such as wood, shells, husks and peat. Vast amounts of biomass are also available in the form of lignite, sub-bituminous, bituminous and anthracite coal. Man has been releasing the energy trapped in the aforementioned materials ever since he discovered and was able to master fire. The inefficient release of these vast energy reserves, however, has resulted in a degradation of the quality of the atmosphere and the environment. The increasing demand for energy, created by man's insatiable appetite for the products made available by an industrialized society, have created a need to release this energy in a safe. clean and environmentally responsible manner.
[0003] Prior processes have recognized that heating coal removes the moisture and, as a result, enhances the rank and BTU production of the coal. It is also known that this pyrolysis activity alters the complex hydrocarbons present in coal to a simpler set of hydrocarbons. This molecular transformation results in a more readily combustible coal. Processes have been developed using high temperature (in excess of the coal's auto-ignition point). This high temperature art requires the control of the atmosphere in which this heated coal is treated in order to eliminate the auto-ignition of the coal. However, these high temperature, atmosphere-controlling devices produce an unstable product. The “shocked or face powdered” coal produced in these furnaces created a need to reassemble this treated material into a manufactured form (briquette). Processes were then developed which include grinding of the coal into a material less than {fraction (3/16)}″ (fines). These fines are pyrolized to reduce the moisture and volatile matter, usually at temperatures ranging from 400 F. to 700 F. These fines are then mixed with a binder, which is either inherent or foreign to the process. The resulting mixture is formed into predetermined sized briquettes. The resulting briquettes are low or void of moisture, modestly stable and devolatilized to some degree.
[0004] These prior processes require from 2 to 6 hours to complete. They are slow and costly, both in capitalization costs and production costs. A need exists for an improved process for treating coal to increase its rank while reducing the time and cost of completing the process. The present invention seeks to fulfill that need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] It has now been discovered, according to the present invention, that it is possible to treat coal or other biomass under conditions and over a relatively short time period to enhance its rank to produce a fuel of 12,500 to 13,000 BTU/lb content or higher. In accordance with one aspect, the invention provides a process for treating biomass, typically coal, to increase its rank, wherein a biomass feedstock is heated to remove moisture and volatiles from the feedstock, and the treated biomass is thereafter collected. The term “remove moisture” as used herein, means that the contents of moisture (water) is reduced to less than 2% by weight. The reduction of volatile material and organic hydrocarbons is a controlled part of the process whereby the time of exposure, the temperature, and the atmospheric conditions are all predicated upon the volatile makeup of the initial feed stock and the desired volatile makeup of the finished product. This finished product can be 25% by weight or greater volatile matter, for example 25-35%, or 3% or less by weight volatile matter, more usually 5-15% by weight. The present invention provides for detailed control over the end result of the raw feed stock with regard to the volatile matter and other characteristics of the final product.
[0006] In a further aspect, a portion of the steam and volatiles removed during the heat treatment of the feedstock in a heating means are recycled back into the heating means, along with a predetermined mixture of liquid hydrocarbons, to provide a non-oxidizing atmosphere which will prevent ignition of the feedstock during the heating step. The term “non-oxidizing atmosphere”, as used herein with respect to the entire treatment process, means an atmosphere wherein the oxygen content is typically less than 2% oxygen, usually 0.001-1% oxygen, more usually 0.25 to 0.75% oxygen, by volume.
[0007] In yet a further aspect there is provided coal of increased rank produced according to the process of the invention.
[0008] In yet another aspect, the invention provides briquettes formed from coal treated according to the process of the invention. The briquettes may be provided with a waterproof coating to improve stability, ignition properties and to extend shelf life.
[0009] The process of the invention allows for the controlled volatilization and removal of moisture and organic volatiles, while maintaining the majority of the biomass' natural structural integrity, with reduced disintegration to powder form, thereby converting low grade fuel of, for example, 7500 BTU/lb. or less, into high-grade fuel of 12,500 BTU/lb. or higher. The process greatly reduces capitalization and production costs required to arrive at the desired result, thus substantially increasing the cost effectiveness and production rate over prior processes. This invention also greatly reduces the time necessary to complete the process from the existing processes of hours to 15 minutes or less, more usually 5-10 minutes.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0010] Embodiments of the invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0011] [0011]FIG. 1 is a typical retort used for carrying out the process of the invention; and
[0012] [0012]FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a multi-chamber retort useful in carrying out the invention.
[0013] It will be noted that this invention is not limited to the use of a rotary retort. as there are other types of equipment that are also capable of supporting this invention. However, for purposes of description, the rotary retort is referred to in the description which follows.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0014] It is understood that the present invention can be used on all types of biomass substrate. Biomass for purposes of the present invention means any form of wood, shells, husks, peat and other combustible material of organic origin. Examples of biomass particularly suitable for use in the present invention are lignite, sub-bituminous coal, bituminous coal and anthracite coal. For ease of discussion, the following description will be with reference to coal, which is understood to include all forms of coal, especially lignite, sub-bituminous, bituminous and anthracite coal.
[0015] Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a conventional retort 2 for carrying out an embodiment of the invention. The process may be carried out using a cylindrical rotating retort or a rotary hearth continual moving grate-type furnace. For ease of description, the following discussion is with respect to the cylindrical rotating retort type. The retort is typically inclined at a small angle to the horizontal, usually 5-15 degrees to the horizontal to facilitate gravitational movement of the coal being treated through the apparatus, although horizontal retorts may also be used, if desired. The retort 2 is provided with a chamber 4 , which may be a single chamber or may be multiple chambers. The chamber(s) is heated by way of a furnace 6 encircling the exterior of the chamber(s) 4 . The furnace is provided with external heating means, such as gas burners, electric coils or coal burners 8 . The chamber(s) 4 is in communication with a feedstock inlet 10 through which raw coal 12 is admitted to the chamber(s) 4 . and an outlet 14 through which treated coal 16 passes for further downstream processing. As coal enters the chamber(s) 4 through inlet 10 , it is heated by way of radiation from the hot walls of the chamber(s) 4 as the coal progresses through the chamber(s).
[0016] In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, the process utilizes five separate chambers. FIG. 2 shows a retort 20 having five chambers 22 , 24 , 26 , 28 , 30 . Each chamber is provided with an aperture at each end to permit entry of the feedstock and exit of treated feedstock to the next downstream chamber. The chambers are each separated from each other by closure means 32 . typically a shutter arrangement which can be opened and closed across the diameter of the chamber, to retain feedstock in a particular chamber under specific processing conditions which may be different and often are different from conditions present in adjacent chambers.
[0017] By removing direct contact between hot gases and the coal, it is possible to avoid combustion of the coal. while also controlling the temperature and atmospheric conditions to achieve optimum processing parameters, such as inert atmospheres created at least in part by volatilization of materials from the coal, and non-oxidizing atmospheres created by addition of vapors, such as steam or dried nitrogen, along with selected liquid hydrocarbons. The captured volatiles, which are expelled during the invention process, contain hydrocarbons. The hydrocarbons for example have formulae ranging from CH 4 to C 8 H 18 . There are times that the carbon fraction can be as high as C 25 . The hydrocarbons being expelled and the quantities of expelled hydrocarbons that are available for reissue into the heated chamber during the invention process will determine the hydrocarbon formulae and the hydrocarbon quantity needed to adequately supplement the heating chamber's atmosphere. The correct atmosphere formulation required to produce the desired volatile expulsion rate and volatile expulsion amount is predicated upon the characteristics of the raw feedstock and the targeted condition of the product as it exits each chamber of the invention.
[0018] The chamber(s) 4 is provided with entry and exit port means 18 , 20 for admission of gases and liquid hydrocarbons for controlling the atmosphere, as well as cooling gases. Similar entry and exit ports 34 , 36 are present in the retort illustrated in FIG. 2. The chamber(s) may be modified to remove internal augers and stirring devices to afford simple reliable operation. The retort is provided with conventional devices for controlling the flow rate and temperature of the gases passing through the system. The retort is also provided with means 22 for rotating the chamber(s) 4 to permit more even distribution of heat and passage of gases throughout the coal substrate during the treatment process.
[0019] It is desirable to subject the coal feedstock to a preliminary drying stage prior to crushing. Typically, most of the surface moisture of the coal, that is at least 85% by weight of the moisture, is reduced in the preliminary drying stage. The preliminary drying step is typically carried out using a conventional air-drying apparatus with air at a temperature of 200-250 F. or a centrifugal type of surface moisture drying equipment. A typical drying apparatus for coarse coal may be a CMI 48 and for fine coal may be a CMI 35 or any other standard coal drying apparatus that is typically used in the coal industry. This invention is not dependent upon pre-drying the coal feed stock. However, this pre-drying step can add to the efficiency of the overall process.
[0020] Following preliminary drying, the coal is crushed using conventional crushing apparatus e.g. a Gunstock double roll crusher or a McClanahan type crusher. This crushing will reduce the feedstock to an average size of about 1-2 inches, with the top size (the largest size permitted) more usually being in the region of about 2″. This is accomplished by using a 2″ screen. Any coal that is too large to pass through the screen into the feed stockpile may be recycled through the crusher.
[0021] The dried crushed coal is then introduced into the first stage(s) of treatment within the chamber(s) 8 of the retort 2 . The invention described herein refers to a five chamber heating facility. However, the invention process may be performed in as few as one chamber or as many as seven. The efficiency of the invention process, however, is most affective in the five chambers as described herein.
[0022] The five stages of this process can be, but are not limited to being, contained in a cylindrical rotating retort or a rotary hearth continual moving grate type furnace. Each of these heating facilities is capable of continually moving the product from one chamber to the next. These chambers are capable of controlling the inert atmospheres during the time in which the coal is present.
[0023] In the first chamber 22 (see FIG. 2), the temperature of the coal feedstock is raised to 400-750° F., more usually about 550° F., for about 2-4 minutes, more usually about 3 minutes. During this first stage of the process, any surface moisture that has survived the pre-drying step will be completely driven off of the raw feed stock. The inert moisture that is present in the feedstock will be reduced to 2-5% by weight. The resultant percentage of moisture that is present after completion of this step will be predicated upon the amount of inert moisture that was present in the raw feed stock. Some raw feedstock will begin to lose a portion of its volatile matter at the temperatures present in this first stage. However, any loss of volatiles during the first stage of the invention is insignificant. It is in the second and subsequent stages of the invention where control is exercised in the removal of volatiles from the raw feedstock.
[0024] Biomass, such as coal, contains many volatile materials, which are expelled when the coal is exposed to high temperatures. These volatile materials posses individual characteristics which differentiate them from one another. and the temperature at which these volatile materials are normally expelled from the biomass is one such differentiating characteristic. The time in which these volatile materials are normally expelled from the biomass is another such differentiating characteristic. The present invention is concerned in one aspect with the time and temperature characteristics of the volatile materials contained in the selected biomass (raw feedstock). The present invention influences certain volatiles contained within the feedstock in a manner as to allow for a uniform expulsion of a majority of these and other volatiles. For example, volatile “A”, when exposed to 900° F. may be expelled from the feedstock in 10 seconds, whereas volatile “B”, when exposed to 900° F. might be expelled from the feedstock in 20 seconds. The present invention introduces a hydrocarbon or mixture of hydrocarbons into the heated atmosphere surrounding the feedstock, which acts to curtail the speed with which volatile “A” is expelled. In this way, the invention controls the expulsion rate of most volatiles present in the feedstock such that the majority of the volatiles are expelled at an equal or similar rate. This “control” over the expulsion rate of volatiles allows for treatment of the feedstock while avoiding fracturing and fissuring that would routinely occur without employing this “control”. The “control” is achieved by utilizing conventional testing and monitoring equipment.
[0025] The retention time of the coal in the first stage will vary depending upon the initial moisture content of the coal feedstock. The inert atmosphere inside the chamber(s) is controlled by adjusting the retention time and temperature and by the reintroduction of volatiles and liquid hydrocarbons into the chamber(s), as necessary.
[0026] In order to maintain an essentially non-oxidizing atmosphere during the treatment process, the oxygen content of the atmosphere in the first chamber, and throughout the entire treatment process, is typically less than 2% oxygen, usually 0.001-1% oxygen, more usually 0.25 to 0.75%, by volume. The temperature for the evolution of volatile gases and atmospheric agents and the reduction in product mass takes place between 400° F. and 2200° F.
[0027] According to one aspect, control of the atmosphere is partially achieved by the introduction of liquid hydrocarbons into the chamber(s). These hydrocarbons range from hydrocarbons with formulas such as CH 4 to C 8 H 18 . There are times that the carbon fraction can be as high as C 25 . When these liquid hydrocarbons are introduced, the coal interacts with these hydrocarbons in a manner that promotes the molecular behavior necessary to arrive at the desired result of this invention. When the coal is heated to the aforementioned temperatures, some of the volatile matter in the coal is converted from a solid, into a liquid and eventually into a gas. The amount of volatile matter and moisture that is driven off in gaseous form is predicated on the characteristics and make-up of the raw feedstock. The gases that are released from the solid material are either recycled or liquified and captured.
[0028] The remaining solid material expands due to its elevated temperature. The expansion of the material and the release of some if its mass result in a lump that now has fissures and voids. The natural tendency of a shocked mass at this point is to fall apart and be reduced into a face powder. To prevent this. the present invention provides for the careful and timely introduction of liquid hydrocarbons and processed (dried) nitrogen to substantially reduce disintegration of the lumps as a result of this shockingaffect. This introduction of liquid hydrocarbons has a bridging affect on the fissures in the lumps and provides an adhesive on the surface and incorporated within the body of the lumps that counters the tendency of the shocked feedstock to deteriorate into the consistency of a face powder. The timing, type, and amounts of liquid hydrocarbon(s) and processed nitrogen that are introduced are carefully predetermined by a preliminary examination of the raw feedstock. This preliminary examination of the raw feedstock is done by conventional methods. The information gathered from this preliminary examination provides the necessary data that is used to determine and to produce the mixture of hydrocarbons and processed nitrogen to be employed in the process.
[0029] This hydrocarbon formula will be timely and appropriately introduced into the heating chamber(s) during the multiple stage(s) of this invention. The actual formula used to produce the proper atmosphere will include liquid hydrocarbons that range from hydrocarbons with formulas such as CH 4 to C 8 H 18 . There are times that the carbon fraction can be as high as C25. The formula which is introduced into the heat chamber(s) and the feedstock's time of exposure are predicated on, but not limited to, the volatile makeup, characteristics, and chemical makeup of the feedstock.
[0030] The treated coal from the first stage is transferred into the second chamber of the retort. In this second chamber, the temperature of the material is elevated to about 900-1100° F. for example about 1000° F. In this second stage, the feedstock relinquishes the majority of its volatile matter, i.e. greater than 80% by weight of the volatiles that are removed, are removed in the second stage. This second stage is important in that it requires a carefully controlled atmosphere mixture of liquid hydrocarbons and processed nitrogen. The second stage of the process is where the feedstock is most likely to be “shocked” into a “face powder”. The coal after exposure in this second chamber(s), has survived the negative characteristics normally associated with this heat induced “shock”. For some end uses, the material that completes this second stage of the process would satisfy the specifications of some end users. When this situation occur s, the second stage treated material is collected and cooled by exposing the coal to a dry cooling gas, which is typically substantially free of oxygen. The cooling gas usually has moisture content of less than 1% by weight.
[0031] The atmosphere in the second chamber is very carefully monitored, measurably supplemented, and managed with conventional gauges that are installed in the heat chamber(s). It is found that the coal typically undergoes at least some agglomeration at temperatures between 900° F. and 1100° F. and particularly at temperatures above 1100° F. For this reason, it is preferred to keep the temperature in this stage of the process generally less than 1100° F.
[0032] The coal is retained in the second chamber(s) for a period up to about 5 minutes, typically 1-4 minutes, more usually about 3.5 minutes. This phase of the process results in the expulsion of the majority of volatiles from the coal. During this phase, the coal undergoes shrinkage as the coal loses a portion of its mass. Typically, weight loss is in the range of 5-50% of the coal's initial mass, more usually a weight loss in the range of 5-25% by weight, depending upon the makeup and characteristics of the raw feed stock. One type of feed stock may not give up its volatile matter as readily as another type. A feed stock may have as much as 60% volatile matter while another may only have an initial volatile content of 15%. This invention allows for a conventional pre-process evaluation of the feed stock. The data collected from this evaluation is then used to calculate the mixture of liquid hydrocarbons and processed nitrogen that are carefully maintained within the heating chamber(s). This “custom design” processing feature allows this invention to successfully treat a variety of biomass with a variety of initial characteristics.
[0033] The atmosphere in the chamber(s) is controlled so that the coal maintains a majority of its natural structural integrity. The term “natural structural integrity”, as used herein, means the tendency of the post-crushed natural lump coal (coal averaging in size from 1-2 inches) not to significantly disintegrate to form a powder. The expression “majority of its natural structural integrity”, as used herein, means that more than 50% by weight, more usually 75% or more, typically 85 to 95%, of the coal does not undergo disintegration during the multiple chamber(s) process. The structural integrity possessed by the coal as a result of the invention is such that during normal handling, even though the coal is more fragile due to some loss of mass, the coal sustains its average particle size range of 1-2 inches. By carefully controlling the atmosphere in the chamber(s), the coal can be heated to as high as 2200° F. for extended periods of time to remove volatiles, without inducing substantial agglomeration, i.e. less than 10% by weight agglomeration is observed, more usually less than 8% by weight, and without significantly degrading the structural integrity of the coal. The material is now ready to be transferred into the third chamber(s) of the process.
[0034] The coal and the controlled atmosphere are transferred from the second chamber(s) into the third chamber(s), where the third phase of the process is executed. The coal in this phase is raised lo a temperature of 1300-1550° F. for example about 1450° F., and retained at that temperature for about 2-4 minutes. typically about 3 minutes to produce coal having a moisture content of less than 2%. By the third stage, the moisture content has been reduced to the lowest economically feasible level possible utilizing this invention. The volatile content of the feedstock by the completion of stage 3 is typically within 10% of the targeted volatile content of the finished product. The atmosphere in the third chamber(s) is carefully monitored with conventional gauges that are installed in the heat chamber(s) and appropriately supplemented with liquid hydrocarbons and processed nitrogen in order to maintain the structural integrity of the material. For some end uses, the material that completes this third stage of the process would satisfy the specifications of some end users. When this situation occurs, the third stage treated material would be collected and processed cooled by exposing the coal to a dry substantially oxygen free cooling gas having a moisture content of less than 1% by weight. The coal and the controlled atmosphere are then transferred into the fourth chamber(s).
[0035] In the fourth phase of the present process, the temperature of the material is raised in the chamber(s) to 2000-2400° F., typically about 2200° F. for 3-5 minutes to produce coal having a moisture content of less than 2% and a volatile content of between 5-15%. The atmosphere of the fourth phase is again very critically controlled and managed with conventional gauges that are installed in the heat chamber in order for this invention to provide for the favored results. The retention time of the coal in the chamber in this stage of the process and the actual temperature required in this fourth phase are dependent upon the percentage of volatile matter to mass that is optimally desired in the finished material. This fourth stage is the final opportunity for this process to attain the desired volatile qualities requested of the finished product. In order for a feedstock that is resistant to volatile expulsion, to be brought into targeted volatile standards, the high temperatures of the fourth phase will either be elevated to produce the desired results or the exposure time of the unfinished products will be increased in order to achieve the desired results. It is possible for both temperature and exposure time to be adjusted in order to allow for a less cooperative feed stock to expel the excess volatile matter.
[0036] An objective of the present process is to reduce the percentage of volatile matter t o the desired percentage as requested by the end user, which for this discussion is less than 15% by weight. At this stage in the process, the remaining volatile matter is generally composed of high boiling organic hydrocarbon materials occluded within the interstices of the coal pieces. The amount of moisture remaining after this stage is less than 2% by weight.
[0037] The coal and the controlled atmosphere are moved into the fifth chamber(s) of the apparatus where the processed coal is cooled by exposing the coal to a dry cooling gas. The cooling gas is typically a non-oxidizing gas, and may be an inert gas such as argon or may be nitrogen or other suitable non-oxidizing gas. The cooling gas is substantially free of oxygen. As used herein, the expression “substantially free of oxygen” means typically less than 2% oxygen, usually about 0.001-1% oxygen, more usually about 0.25 to 0.75% oxygen, by volume. The atmosphere in the previous chamber(s)s is also substantially free of oxygen as that term is defined herein. The cooling gas is essentially dry upon admission to the chamber(s), and may be countercurrent or cocurrent to the direction of flow of the coal undergoing treatment. The cooling gas is essentially dry, having a moisture content of less than 1% by weight, typically 0.5% by weight or less. The cooling gas is typically passed over the coal at a volume flow rate of about 0.2-0.5 pounds per minute. The coal in this chamber(s) at this stage of the process is cooled at a rate which does not affecting the structural integrity of the coal.
[0038] When the material has cooled to 250° F., it may be optionally separated into fines (particles less than ¼″) and coal having a size in the range of ¼″ to 2″. This material separation is accomplished by conventional means, using by way of a sieve or screen of appropriate mesh size.
[0039] The fines may be optionally delivered to a pelletizing or briquetting process where these 250° F. fines may be conventionally mixed with a biodegradable coating (binder and igniter) that is in a liquid state at 250° F. This mixed material is then formed into the desired sized pellet using conventional methods. If the treated coal were destined to go directly into a furnace, i.e. a utility use, this coating process would not be necessary. When the product is scheduled for conventional handling and the end user requires a material that is resistant to breakage, this coating process is employed. This coating also adds a low-level ignition point, which provides a valuable quality, especially when the end user is a domestic user.
[0040] As the newly formed pellets or briquettes cool below 150° F., they become structurally stable. This structurally stabilizing coating material adds significantly to the coal's ability to withstand disintegration due to conventional handling methods. The coating also adds a low heat ignition quality to the material, which allow s the material to be easily ignited. The coating does not significantly add to the off-gases produced when the material is ignited. A further advantage, which the biodegradable coating adds to the finished product, is that the finished product is extremely moisture resistant which provides for a multi-year shelf life.
[0041] Typically the non-fines obtained via the screening process are immediately coated with the aforementioned conventional binder/igniter. This coating provides an enhanced structural integrity to the natural lump material that has been weakened in the aforementioned process, together with enhanced moisture resistance. The coated coal's reduced tendency to undergo disintegration upon handling provides for a much more marketable product as it does in the aforementioned processed pellets/briquettes. As this coated, natural lump coal cools below 150° F. it acquires the same favorable qualities as does the manufactured pellet or briquette as mentioned above.
[0042] While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiment, and is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. | Process for treating coal to enhance its rank, wherein the temperature of the material is gradually increased in a controlled set of atmospheres, to allow for the reduction of surface and inherent moisture and the controlled reduction of volatile matter while maintaining the coal's natural structural integrity. The process reduces the time, capitalization, and production costs required to produce coal of enhanced rank, thus substantially increasing the cost effectiveness and production rate over prior processes. | 2 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to instruments for detecting acceleration on moving objects, and more particularly to a capacitive accelerometer.
It is already well known in the prior art that a capacitive accelerometer consists of a pair of magnetic units and a flapper or pendulum of nonconductive material such as, for example, fused quartz coated with metal, the flapper being interposed between the magnetic units having permanent magnets so as to be displaceable relative thereto. In this capacitive accelerometer, each metal coated surface of the flapper is provided with a coil surrounding one of the permanent magnets. In the operation of the heretofore accelerometers, when acceleration is applied to the accelerator, the flapper will deflect and cause a change in capacitance with respect to each of the magnetic units. This change is modulated and amplified by an external circuit and is fed back to the coils as a direct current. This current gives rise to a force or torque on the flapper for restoring it to a null position. The current required to restore the flapper to the null position is a measure of the acceleration applied to the accelerometer.
Japanese Utility Model Publications No. 52-38218 and No. 52-38219 respectively disclose a capacitive accelerometer of the above type in which the flapper or pendulum is made of conductive material such as, for example, beryllium copper and one end of the flapper is clamped by a pair of ring-like holders.
When the flapper is made of nonconductive material such as fused quartz as mentioned above, it is necessary to coat the surface of the nonconductive flapper with conductive material. Accordingly, the flapper of each of the accelerometers shown in the above publications is made of beryllium copper for avoiding troublesome coating process. The accelerometer must be assembled precisely with great care, which makes it extremely expensive to manufacture. When the flapper is made of metal, the supporting portion of the flapper in contact with metallic holder different in material from the flapper is subjected to thermal stress due to the difference of thermal expansion between the flapper and the holder.
Further, a coil wound on a bobbin made of different material from one of the flapper must be mounted on both sides of the flapper, and the portion of the flapper attached to the bobbin will be subjected to thermal stress as mentioned above and also the flapper will be loaded by conductors for connecting the coils to the external circuit.
In addition to the above, the flapper must be hinged flexibly relative to the holder, and the hinged portion will be subjected to inner mechanical stress on working. This stress is often of disadvantage to performance of the accelerometer.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing, it is the main object of the invention to provide an accelerometer whose accuracy and performance can be superior to the known ones in said respects, and yet may be manufactured at relatively low cost.
It is another object of the invention to provide an accelerometer in which a flapper or pendulum is made of nonmagnetic metal for removing thermal stress due to the difference of thermal expansion between the flapper and supporting means of the flapper.
It is also an object of the invention to provide an accelerometer in which the flapper does not change in form.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide an accelerometer in which hinge portions of the flapper will not be loaded by conductors connecting coils mounted on the flapper to an external circuit.
It is an object of the invention to provide an accelerometer which is capable of compensating errors which will be unavoidable in assembling the accelerometer.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other objects of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a is a vertical sectional view of an accelerometer of this invention;
FIG. 2 is an exploded view in perspective of the accelerometer of the invention;
FIG. 3 is a plan view illustrating a flapper and a support ring;
FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken in the direction of the arrows substantially along line IV--IV in FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a plan view of an intermediate magnetic assembly;
FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on line VI--VI in FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is a schematic circuit diagram of the accelerometer of this invention;
FIG. 8 is a schematic view illustrating the compensation of the accelerometer of this invention;
FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating creep error of the flapper of the accelerometer of the present invention in comparison with one of the other flapper when using different materials for the flapper; and
FIG. 10a is a schematic diagram illustrating the the flapper according to the invention in which the holding ring of the flapper is supported at two portions, and FIG. 10b is a schematic diagram of the holding ring of the flapper supported at three portions.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to the drawings, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an accelerometer 10 basically includes a pair of magnetic assemblies 30 and 31 and an intermediate assembly 100 interposed between two magnetic assemblies.
It should be noted at this time that each of the above assemblies is a cylindrical body and a center line X--X passing through these assemblies is parallel to the direction of acceleration to be measured.
The magnetic assemblies 30 and 31 are identical and each of the assemblies 30 and 31 is composed of a stator 34 having an annular collar 32 protruded inwardly from an open end thereof and a permanent magnet 36 mounted therein. The stator 34 is made of highly magnetically permeable iron-base alloys containing nickel. The pair of the permanent magnets 36 are arranged with poles of the same polarity directed towards one another as shown to produce differentially directed electric fields as shown by arrows "A" in FIG. 1. Each magnet 36 is provided with pole piece 38 and preferably surrounded by a shunt member 40 of ferric alloy for compensating for any change of magnetic flux due to a change of temperature. A narrow air gap 42 is formed between the annular collar 32 and the magnet 36 so as to pass magnetic flux through the air gap as shown in FIG. 1.
The intermediate assembly 100 is made of nonmagnetic metal such as cobalt nickel alloy having a high elasticity by nature so as to form a supporting ring 102 and a flapper or pendulum 106 flexibly hinged by two hinge portions 104 to the supporting ring 102. The flapper 106 and the supporting ring 102 are constructed in one piece.
The thickness of the flapper 106 is the same as that of the supporting ring 102 and the shape of the flapper 106 is substantially circular except for the portions adjacent to the pair of hinge portions 104. The flapper 106 is separated from the supporting ring 102 by a small space 108.
A disc of high elastic nonmagnetic metal is shaped to form the flapper 106 as shown in FIG. 3 and it is preferable that each of the hinge portions 104 is formed at the intersection of an inner periphery 109 of the supporting ring 102 in a line making an angle of 23 degrees with respect to a center line intermediate hinge portions and passing through a center "O" of the disc. The hinge portions 104 may be grooved from the disc. It is preferable to form a cut-out portion 110 between the pair of hinge portions 104 so as to facilitate the arrangement of electric connections.
Mounted on each of surfaces of the flapper 106 is a bobbin 114 on which torque coil 112 is wound. In the prior art, the bobbin is made of aluminium because it is nonmagnetic nature and may easily be coated with insulator. When a bobbin of aluminium is directly attached to the flapper 106 of a high elastic nonmagnetic metal, the accelerometer could cause error in measurements due to the difference expansion between the flapper and the bobbin in thermal expansion.
Consequently, according to the present invention, the bobbin 114 is mounted on a support member 116 which is made of the same material or a material having the same thermal expansion coefficient as the flapper 116, and the support member 116 may be fixed to the flapper by suitable means such as, for example, adhesive.
The terminal end 118 of each coil 112 is connected to a conductor 122 at a short rod member 120 of insulator located in a center of the cut-out portion 110 for connecting the coil 112 with the external electric circuit.
As shown in FIG. 5, the connecting portions of the end 118 of each coil with a conductor 122 is positioned in a center line C--C passing through two hinge portions 104 so that when the flapper 106 vibrates about the center line C--C of the hinge portion 104, the flapper 106 will not be loaded by the conductor 122.
The intermediate assembly 100 is interposed between two holding rings 50 made of the metal which is the same as one of the flapper 106 or as the thermal expansion as the flapper 106. The intermediate assembly 100 sandwiched in the pair of holding rings 50 is positioned between the pair of the magnetic assemblies 30 and 31 for avoiding errors due to the difference between the intermediate assembly and the magnetic assemblies in thermal expansion.
For the purpose of avoiding direct contact between the annular collar 32 of each stator 34 of the magnetic assemblies 30 a and 30 b and the adjacent holding ring 50, a pair of raised lands or arcuate supports 44 are formed on the collar 32 of each stator 34 on a line Y--Y perpendicularly intersecting the line passing through the center "O" of the flapper 106 and the center line passing through the post 120 and the center "O" of the flapper. The ends of each raised land 44 are defined at a desired angle "P" with respect to the line X--X and the angle "P" is preferably about 42°.
Mounted on the annular collar 32 of each stator 34 within the pair of the raised lands 44 is a U-shaped pickoff member 60 which is made of an insulating material such as ceramics and is coated with a layer of metal of, for example, nickel. The metal layer on the pick-off member 60 is connected by appropriate conductors to an outer electric circuit so as to form capacitance with respect to the metal flapper 106 connected to earth. The movement of the flapper 106 may be taken out electrically as the change of capacitance. As stated above, the flapper 106 is made of metal, and it is easily connected to earth by connecting a lead to the supporting ring 102. Accordingly, the flapper 106 will not be loaded mechanically or physically in connecting the earth to the flapper 106.
The electrical circuit of the accelerometer 10 is shown in FIG. 7. As stated above, the flapper 106 is connected to earth through the supporting ring 102 and a pair of pickoff members 60 are connected to a position detector and amplifier 150. The position detector and amplifier 150 is connected to a detector driving circuit 160 and a compensator 170. The compensator 170 is connected through an amplifier 180 to a torque coil 112.
A pair of permanent magnets 36 may create magnetic flux and put the flapper 106 in its neutral position.
When the pair of hinge portions 104 connecting the flapper 106 to the supporting ring 102 are formed as by means of electric discharge machining, the flapper 106 will deflect from its neutral position due to the stress in machining. It is impossible to remove such stress in assembling of the accelerometer, and it will lead to noticeable errors in measurement of acceleration. That is, an erroneous output caused by the above deflection of the flapper 106 will be sensed as "bias".
The above deflection of the flapper 106 of the can be corrected. The flapper 106 is made of nonmagnetic metal. Nevertheless it will have a very week magnetic property because of impurities contained therein.
When the flapper 106 is deflected downwardly from the hinged portion 104 for example, the accelerometer 10 is immersed in a magnetic field shown by an arrow N-S in FIG. 8. Then the lower permanent magnet 36b will be demagnetized, and the magnetic flux of the upper magnet 36a will increase over that of the lower magnet 36b. Consequently, the flapper 106 receives torque for moving it upwardly from the hinge portions 104, and the deflection of the flapper may be corrected. The strength of the magnetic field to be applied for correction of the deflection of the flapper 106 may be selected by the amount of the deflection.
As will be understood from the foregoing, the construction elements of the accelerometer 10 of the present invention will not be deformed by mechanical stress resulting from the difference in material. Further, it is possible to minimize the creeps resulting from the stress of each of the hinge portions 104 because the flapper 106 and the supporting ring 102 are formed in one body and made of nonmagnetic metal, especially cobalt-nickel alloy.
In tests, flappers were made of cobalt-nickel alloy, titanium alloy and beryllium alloy under the same conditions, and each of these flappers was assembled to form the accelerometer. Each of the accelerometer was tested at a temperature of 65° C. FIG. 9 shows the relation between error and time of these accelerometers and the accelerometer with the flapper of nickel-cobalt alloy is superior to the accelerometers with the flappers of titanium alloy or beryllium alloy in creep characteristics.
According to the present invention, the holding ring 50 is supported by two raised land portions 44 on the collar 32 of each of the stators 34, and any thermal stress occuring between the stator 34 and the supporting ring 50 will easily be released.
When the flapper 106 is supported by two raised land portions 44 and each of the hinge portions 104 of the flapper 106 is positioned on the line at an angle of 28° with respect to the center line Y--Y passing through the raised land portions 44, an angle of inclination of a tangent line "1" which touches at the hinge portions 104 changes more slightly, as shown in FIG. 10a, than when the flapper is supported by three points, as shown in FIG. 10b.
According to the present invention, the accelerometer 10 has very excellent effects on the accuracy of the results by reason of the fact that the parts constituting the intermediate assembly 100 and the support member 116 of the bobbin 114 are made of a metal which is the same as or has the same thermal expansion coefficient as the material of the flapper 106 and the connecting pint of the conductors 122 the ends 112 are positioned in a center line C--C of the hinge portions 104.
While the invention has been described in its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that modifications will occur those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. The scope of the invention is therefore to be determined solely by the appended claims. | An accelerometer comprises a pair of stators, a permanent magnet arranged within each of the stators, arcuate support portions diametrically opposed to each other on the surface of each stator, a pair of ring members each of which is positioned on the arcuate support portions of a stator, and a support ring with a flapper interposed between the support ring members. The flapper is connected to the supporting ring by two hinge portions. On each side of the flapper is a bobbin on which a coil is wound, the coils being connected to an external circuit. All of the component elements of the accelerometer are constructed and designed so as to avoid stress depending upon a change in ambient temperature. | 6 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to the injection of oxygen or oxygen-enriched air into an oil reservoir causing in-situ combustion to occur and the oil to crack into lighter fractions.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] In conventional in-situ combustion (ISC) processes, also called fire flooding or heavy oil air injection (HOAI), vertical wells are used for injection of air and typically water for the production of oil. The distance between the wells is often substantial and oil and water vaporized by the combustion and upgrading process condense in the cooler parts of the reservoir, travel through the heavy oil and are produced via well techniques. Due to the highly viscous oils through which these lighter fluids must travel, it may be difficult to maintain production and pressure may build on the injection side. This may be one reason for failure of field applications of such technology in the past. A short distance process may be utilized in which a vertical or horizontal injection well and a horizontal producer well are used so that displacement of oil can be achieved along the horizontal producer well. A combustion front propagates through the reservoir above the horizontal well allowing good communication of the upgraded oil and the production well. One example of such a process is the Toe to Heel Air Injection (THAI) process. A catalyst may be placed in the producer well to obtain further upgrading of the oil, as in the CAPRI process.
[0003] The Combustion Override Split-production Horizontal well (COSH) process also uses air injected into the reservoir to generate steam and heat in-situ. A well arrangement is used to segregate and control fluid flows and thereby reduce early oxygen breakthrough as well as sanding and gas locking of downhole pumps. The well arrangement makes use of an air injection well, gas producer well which removes excess nitrogen and other gases from near the top of the pay zone, and horizontal well to recover oil from a lower portion of the pay zone. The COSH process has an advantage over the THAI and CAPRI processes in that problems which arise from the handling of nitrogen and other gases are reduced.
[0004] Other examples of short distance displacement processes include Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) and Vapor Extraction (VAPEX). In the SAGD process, steam enters through a horizontal injection well and travels a relatively short distance to a horizontal production well. The heating of heavy viscous oils between these wells allows the oils to flow to the production well. The VAPEX process is similar to SAGD but hydrocarbon vapor is used instead of steam. Asphaltene precipitation is caused by the mixing of solvent and oil and provides for an in-situ upgrading of the oil.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The present invention provides for a method for cracking oil in an underground oil reservoir comprising injecting oxygen into the oil reservoir and igniting the oil therein. The combustion associated with the high influx of oxygen will generate high temperatures which will cause the oil to crack into lighter fractions to form coke or carbonaceous solids from the heaviest compounds in the oil such as asphaltenes.
[0006] The present invention also provides for injecting oxygen into the oil reservoir such that in-situ combustion can take place for recovering the oil through one or more production wells.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The present invention provides for an in-situ combustion process for recovering oil from an underground oil containing reservoir. The process comprises injecting oxygen into the oil reservoir. This oxygen will react to combust the oil which causes heat generation. The resulting high temperatures will cause the oil to crack into lighter fractions. The invention is most applicable for heavy oil or tar sands. By injecting oxygen and igniting the oil in the presence of the oxygen, high temperatures greater than 400° C. and preferably greater than 500° C. cause the oil to crack to form lighter more valuable products, as well as coke or carbonaceous solids. In addition, higher temperatures are desirable to facilitate the formation of CO 2 . Less desirable oxygen containing hydrocarbons may be formed at lower temperatures.
[0008] For purposes of the present invention, oxygen can mean pure 100% oxygen gas, but it can also include oxygen-enriched air which contains oxygen in an amount greater than 25%. Purification of the oxygen allows for a significantly higher flux of oxygen to be placed into the well due to the reduction of associated nitrogen which would be present in air. This aids in increasing the temperature which increases the cracking severity but also provides for reducing the need to handle nitrogen in the gases at the production well.
[0009] In one embodiment of the present invention, a horizontal producer well and vertical injection well is employed. The horizontal producer well will result in a short distance displacement process whereby oil and water vaporized by the intense heat of the oil combustion front can travel freely to the horizontal producer well. This will allow the large flux of oxygen into the reservoir to continue unhampered by upstream blockages. Injectivity of oxygen-containing gas is increased by the combustion of carbonaceous materials near the injection well. In a second embodiment, two sets of horizontal wells may be employed whereby oxygen is injected in one set of horizontal wells and oil is produced from a lower perpendicular set of horizontal wells. The oxygen, when injected into the reservoir, may be ignited by an electronic device or other form of heat, such as steam, which will increase local temperature in the reservoir
[0010] Water may also be injected with the oxygen once the combustion zone has been established. The steam generated in this manner is an efficient means to transfer heat to the oil. The cracked oils will be of higher quality in that they are relatively light, virtually free of metals and have a lower sulfur content than the untreated oils. The temperatures greater than 400° C. by which the oils are cracked will also improve carbon dioxide production. The carbon dioxide is known to reduce viscosity and interfacial tension in the oil as well as to cause swelling of the oil in order to enhance production. The use of oxygen necessarily means that less nitrogen or no nitrogen is present in the reservoir such that a much higher flux of oxygen is provided and consequently higher temperatures and higher concentrations of carbon dioxide are present.
[0011] One means of obtaining the oxygen employed in the present invention is from an air separation plant which can be on-site or very close to the actual production wells. In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the well arrangement having a first vertical gas injection well located near the top of the oil bearing portion of the reservoir and a horizontal oil production well located near the bottom of the reservoir. The oxygen would be injected into the first well, combusted and drive the cracked oils into the horizontal oil production well where the oil can be recovered by conventional means. In another preferred embodiment, several horizontal gas injection wells running substantially parallel to each other are located near the top of the oil bearing portion of the reservoir and several oil producing wells also horizontal and substantially parallel to each other are situated perpendicular to the gas injection wells. This provides additional advantages in that the gas injection wells could be used one at a time to upgrade the reservoir oils in the vicinity of that particular gas injection well. The injection and production wells may be formed of any material that is commonly employed in the oil production industry. One example would be a perforated stainless steel tubing of dimensions sufficient to deliver oil from the reservoir.
[0012] While this invention has been described with respect to particular embodiments thereof, it is apparent that numerous other forms and modifications of the invention will be obvious to those skilled in the art. The appended claims of this invention generally should be construed to cover all such obvious forms and modifications which are within the true spirit and scope of the present invention. | Oils present in oil reservoirs can be upgraded by high temperature cracking through the injection of oxygen into the reservoir and combusting the oils to generate heat. By employing injection wells and production wells, the oxygen may be placed into the reservoir increasing the flux of oxygen present as well as the temperature and cracking severity needed to produce upgraded oil. | 4 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The invention relates to concrete finishing trowels and, more particularly, relates to a walk-behind rotary concrete finishing trowel which is dynamically balanced to reduce operator effort. The invention additionally relates to a method of operating such a trowel.
[0003] 2. Discussion of the Related Art
[0004] Walk behind trowels are generally known for the finishing of concrete surfaces. A walk behind trowel generally includes a rotor formed from a plurality of trowel blades that rest on the ground. The rotor is driven by a motor mounted on a frame or “cage” that overlies the rotor. The trowel is controlled by an operator via a handle extending several feet from the cage. The rotating trowel blades provide a very effective machine for finishing mid-size and large concrete slabs. However, walk behind trowels have some drawbacks.
[0005] For instance, the rotating blades impose substantial forces/torque on the cage that must be counteracted by the operator through the handle. Specifically, blade rotation imposes a torque on the cage and handle that tends to drive the handle to rotate counterclockwise or to the operator's right. In addition, blade rotation tends to push the entire machine linearly, principally backwards, requiring the operator to push forward on the handle to counteract those forces. The combined torque/forces endured by the operator are substantial and tend to increase with the dynamic coefficient of friction encountered by the rotating blades which, in turn, varies with the “wetness” of curing concrete. Counteracting these forces can be extremely fatiguing, particularly considering the fact that the machine is typically operated for several hours at a time.
[0006] The inventors investigated techniques for reducing the reaction forces/torque that must be endured by the operator. They theorized that these forces would be reduced if the trowel were better statically balanced than is now typically the case with walk behind trowels, in which the center of gravity is located slightly behind and to the left of the rotor's axis of rotation. The inventors therefore theorized that shifting the trowel's center of gravity forwardly would reduce reaction forces. However, they found that this shifting actually led to an increase in reaction forces generated during trowel operation.
[0007] The need therefore has arisen to provide a walk behind rotary trowel that requires substantially less operator effort to steer and control than conventional walk behind trowels.
[0008] The need additionally has arisen to reduce the operator effort required to steer and control a walk behind rotary trowel.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] Pursuant to the invention, a walk behind rotary trowel is configured to be better “dynamically balanced” so as to minimize the forces/torque that the operator must endure to control and guide the trowel. The design takes into account both static and dynamic operation and attributes of the trowel, and “balances” these attributes with the operational characteristics of concrete finishing. Characteristics that are accounted for by this design include, but are not limited to, friction, engine torque, machine center of gravity, and guide handle position. As a result, dynamic balancing and consequent force/torque reduction were found to result when the machine's center of gravity was shifted substantially relative to a typical machine's center of gravity. This effect can be achieved most practically by reversing the orientation of the engine relative to the guide handle assembly when compared to traditional walk behind rotary trowels and shifting the engine as far as practical to the right. This shifting has been found to reduce the operational forces and torque the operator must endure by at least 50% when compared to traditional machines. Operator fatigue therefore is substantially reduced.
[0010] These and other advantages and features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and accompanying drawings, while indicating preferred embodiments of the present invention, are given by way of illustration and not of limitation. Many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the present invention without departing from the spirit thereof, and the invention includes all such modifications.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] A preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals represent like parts throughout, and in which:
[0012] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a walk-behind rotary trowel constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
[0013] FIG. 2 is a side elevation view the trowel of FIG. 1 ;
[0014] FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of the trowel of FIGS. 1 and 2 ;
[0015] FIG. 4 is a series of graphs charting force v. RPM for a variety of operating conditions; and
[0016] FIGS. 5A-5C are a series of force diagrams that schematically illustrate the forces generated upon operation of a walk behind trowel.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0017] 1. Construction of Trowel
[0018] A walk behind trowel 10 constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 . In general, the walk behind trowel 10 includes a rotor 12 , a frame or “cage” 14 that overlies and is supported on the rotor 12 , an engine 16 that is supported on the cage 14 , a drive train 18 operatively coupling the engine 16 to the rotor 12 , and a handle 20 for controlling and steering the trowel 10 . Referring to FIG. 2 , the rotor 12 includes a plurality of trowel blades 22 extending radially from a hub 24 which, in turn, is driven by a vertical shaft 26 .
[0019] The motor 16 comprises an internal combustion engine mounted on the cage 14 above the rotor 12 . Referring again to FIGS. 1-13 , the engine 16 is of the type commonly used on walk behind trowels. It therefore includes a crankcase 30 , a fuel tank 32 , an air supply system 34 , a muffler 36 , a pull-chord type starter 38 , an output shaft (not shown), etc. The drive train 18 may be any structure configured to transfer drive torque from the engine output shaft to the rotor input shaft 26 . In the illustrated embodiment, it comprises a centrifugal clutch (not shown) coupled to the motor output shaft and a gearbox 40 that transfers torque from the clutch to the rotor input shaft 26 . The gearbox is coupled to the clutch by a belt drive assembly 42 , shown schematically in FIG. 1 . The preferred gearbox 40 is a worm gearbox of the type commonly used on walk behind trowels.
[0020] The handle assembly 12 includes a post 44 and a guide handle 46 . The post 44 has a lower end 48 attached to the gearbox 40 and an upper end 50 disposed several feet above and behind the lower end 48 . The guide handle 46 is mounted on the upper end 50 of the post 44 . A blade pitch adjustment knob 52 is mounted on the upper end 50 of the post 44 . Other controls, such as throttle control, a kill switch, etc., may be mounted on the post 44 and/or the guide handle 46 .
[0021] The cage 14 is formed from a plurality of vertically spaced concentric rings 54 located beneath a deck 56 and interconnected by a number of angled arms 58 , each of which extends downwardly from the bottom of the deck 56 to the bottommost rings 54 . The rings 54 may be made from tubes, barstock, or any other structure that is suitably rigid and strong to support the trowel 10 and protect the rotor 12 . In order to distribute weight in a desired manner, one or more of the rings 54 may be segmented, with one or more arcuate segment(s) being made of relatively light tubestock, other segment(s) being made of heavier barstock, and/or other segment(s) being eliminated entirely. One or more of the arm(s) 58 could be similarly segmented. Weights could also be mounted on the cage 14 at strategic locations to achieve additional strategic weight distribution.
[0022] 2. Center of Gravity Offset
[0023] Still referring to FIGS. 1-3 , and in accordance with the invention, the trowel's center of gravity “C/G” is offset laterally and longitudinally relative to the rotor's rotation axis “A.” Specifically, the center of gravity is spaced rearwardly and to the right of the rotational axis A. The considerations behind this positioning and the optimal positions are discussed in more detail in Section 3 below. In the illustrated embodiment, practical dynamical balancing is best achieved through two effects. First, the engine 16 is rotated 180° relative to the guide handle 20 when compared to a conventional machine. Hence, the fuel tank 32 faces rearwardly, or towards the operator, and the air supply system 34 and muffler 36 face forwardly, away from the operator. In addition, the torque transfer system 18 is positioned to the operator's right as opposed to his or her left, and the pull chord 38 is positioned on the operator's left as opposed to his or her right. The engine 16 therefore can be considered “forward facing” as opposed to “rearward facing.” As a result, the engine's center of gravity C/G is disposed to the right of trowel's geometric center. The gearbox 40 is also rotated 180° to accommodate the engine's reorientation. The combined effect of these reorientations is a significant shift of the machine's center of gravity C/G to the right when compared to prior machines. It also moves the center of gravity C/G to a location further behind the rotor's rotational axis A.
[0024] In the illustrated embodiment of a 48″ trowel, i.e., one whose blade circumference is a 48″ diameter circle, optimal results given the practical limitations of the machine design, such as guide handle length, engine mass, limitations on engine to gearbox spacing, etc., resulted when the engine 16 was shifted so as to shift or relocate the center of gravity C/G to a location 3.75 inches behind and 0.375 inches to the right of the trowel axis A. The resultant longitudinal and lateral offsets, “d” and “c”, are illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 , respectively. Of course, some of the beneficial balancing effects would result with smaller offsets, particularly smaller lateral (X) offsets, such as 0.125. Optimum offset calculations and offset interdependence are discussed in section 3 below.
[0025] This relocation has been found to nearly eliminate the linear forces acting on the guide handle 46 , requiring that the operator only need to counteract the rotational torque imposed on the handle and the linear forces resulting from that torque. This effect is illustrated in the series of graphs of FIG. 5 , which compare the forces and endured by an operator of a prior art 48″ trowel to those imposed by a trowel constructed as described above. The forces were measured with standard blades operating on a steel sheet. A comparison of curves 60 to 64 confirm that, depending on engine RPM, total forces endured are reduced from about 65-75 lbs, to 20-30 lbs. A comparison of curves 62 and 66 reveals that linear forces, i.e., those resulting from factors other than blade torque and compensated for by offsetting the machine's center of gravity as described above, are reduced from about 40-45 lbs to less than 10 lbs.
[0026] An ancillary benefit of this engine reorientation is that it increases operator comfort because the heat and fumes from the exhaust are now directed away from the operator rather than towards the operator.
[0027] 3. Center of Gravity Offset Determination
[0028] The optimal lateral and longitudinal center of gravity offsets “c” and “d” relative to the rotor's rotational axis A, i.e., the optimal center of gravity position for a given trowel design, could be determined purely empirically by trial and error. They could also be determined mathematically by taking practical considerations into account, such as machine geometry and changes in coefficient of dynamic friction experienced by the trowel during the curing concrete process, etc. These calculations will now be explained with reference to FIGS. 5A-5C , which schematically illustrate the forces generated during operation of the walk behind trowel.
[0029] Dynamically balancing the trowel requires that as many forces acting on the handle as possible be eliminated. Referring first to FIG. 5A , which is a force diagram in the horizontal (XY) plane, the lines 70 designate the blades, it being assumed that each blade has the same effective length “a,” as measured from the rotor rotational axis A to the centroid of the forces acting on the trowel blade. The line 72 designates the handle in the lateral (X) plane and has effective lengths “e” on either side of the center post 44 ( FIGS. 1-3 ), i.e., the guide handle and has a lateral length of 2 e. The handle 12 has an effective longitudinal length “b,” as measured from the rotational axis A of the rotor to the grips on the guide handle as schematically represented by the line 74 . In operation, the four blades are subjected to friction-generated horizontal forces F Af , F Bf , F Cf , and F Df , respectively, which result in corresponding moment arms aF Af , aF Bf , aF Cf , and aF Df about the rotor axis A. The handle 12 is subjected to longitudinal (Y) horizontal forces F H2 and F H3 and a lateral (X) force F H1 .
[0000] The forces acting on the handle in the X direction can balanced or set to zero using the equation:
F H1 +F Af =F Bf Equation 1
The forces acting on the handle in the Y direction can balanced or set to zero using the equation:
F Cf =F Df +F H2 +F H3 Equation 2
The moment in the XY plane can be balanced or set to zero using the equation:
a ( F Af +F Bf +F Cf +F Df )= bF H1 +eF H2 −eF H3 Equation 3
[0030] The same procedure can be used to represent the balancing of forces in the remaining planes. Hence, referring to FIG. 5B , which represents the trowel in the XZ plane, the vertical (Z) forces acting on the handle can balanced or set to zero using the equation:
F w =F AZ +F BZ +F CZ +F DZ +F H4 +F H5 Equation 4
[0031] Where, in addition to the forces defined above:
F AZ , F BZ , F CZ , and F DZ =the vertical forces acting on the blades; F H4 and F H5 =the vertical forces acting on the ends of the guide handle; F w =the gravitational force acting through the machine's center of gravity; and c=the lateral (X) offset between the machine's center of gravity C/G and the center of the machine, which coincides with the rotor axis of rotation A.
[0036] The moment in the XZ plane can be balanced or set to zero using the equation:
aF Dz +hF H1 +eF H5 −eF H4 −aF Cz −cF w =0 Equation 5
[0037] Where: h=height of the guide handle (see line 76 in FIG. 5B ).
[0038] Referring to FIG. 5C , which represents the trowel in the YZ plane, the moment in the YZ plane can be balanced or set to zero using the equation:
aF AZ +dF w =aF Bz +bF A4 +bF A5 +hF H2 +hF H3 Equation 6
[0039] Where: d=the longitudinal (Y) offset between the machine's center of gravity C/G and the center of the machine, which coincides with the rotor axis of rotation A.
[0040] Using the above parameters, the side-to-side center of gravity, c, as a function of forces on the handle, the trowel dimensions, and the coefficient of friction, μ, of the surface to be finished, can be expressed as:
hF H1 + e ( F H5 - F H4 ) - [ bF H1 + e ( F H2 - F H3 ) μ 2 ( F w - F H4 - F H5 ) ] ( F H2 + F H3 ) F w = c Equation 7
[0041] The force F H1 results for torque imposed by blade rotation and cannot be eliminated by adjusting the trowel's center of gravity. However, by simplifying equation 7 to set the remaining forces F H2 , F H3 , F H4 , and F H5 to zero, the lateral offset, c, required to eliminate those forces can be determined by the equation:
c = h a μ b Equation 8
[0042] Similarly, the front-to-rear center of gravity, d, as a function of forces imposed on the handle, the trowel dimensions, and the finished surface coefficient of friction, μ, can be expressed as:
d = bF H1 2 + eF H1 ( F H2 - F H3 ) μ 2 ( F w - F H4 - F H5 ) + b ( F H4 + F H5 ) + h ( F H2 + F H3 ) F w Equation 9
[0043] By simplifying equation 9 to set the forces F H2 , F H3 , F H4 , and F H5 to zero, Equation 9 can be solved for d using the equation:
d = a 2 b Equation 10
[0044] Hence, a machine configured to have a center of gravity C/G that is laterally and longitudinally offset from the center of the machine (as determined by the rotor's axis of rotation A) by values c and d as determined using equations 8 and 10 would theoretically impose no non-torque induced forces on the handle during trowel operation.
[0045] The theoretical values of c and d are not practical for most existing walk-behind trowel configurations and might not even be possible for some trowels. For instance, the theoretical best lateral offset c might be spaced so far from the rotor rotational axis A that the engine would have to be cantilevered off the side of the machine.
[0046] As such, it is necessary as a practical matter to determine the effects that c and d have on each other over a range of offsets and to select practical values of c and d that best achieve the desired goal of dynamic balancing. This can be done using the followings steps:
[0047] First, to simplify the calculations by discounting the least problematic forces to the extent that they are minimal and/or relatively unlikely to occur, it can be assumed that no twisting forces are imposed on the guide handle 46 (i.e., F H4 =F H5 ) and that F H3 =0 due to the fact that the operator typically pushes on the handle with only the left hand to be counteract the torque imposed by the clockwise rotating blades. The combined force F 23 (resulting from the combination of the longitudinal forces F H2 and F H3 ) can be determined for each of a number of practical longitudinal offsets d using the following equation:
F 23 = dF w - a 2 b ( F w - F 45 ) - b F 45 ( h - ea b μ ) Equation 11
[0048] Second, the combined force F 45 (resulting from the combination of the vertical forces F H4 and F H5 ) can be determined for each of a number of practical longitudinal offsets d and practical lateral offsets c using the following equation:
F 45 = F w ( μ b 2 hc - ceab - h 2 a μ 2 b + hea 2 μ + ehb μ d - eh μ a 2 + ab 2 d - a 3 b ) ( - h 2 a μ 2 + hea 2 μ - eh μ a 2 + ehb 2 μ - a 3 b + ab 3 ) Equation 12
[0049] A table can then be generated that permits the designer to select the offsets c and d that strike the best balance between F 23 and F 45 . Of course, the designer may choose to place priority on one of these values, for instance by selecting an offset that reduces F 45 as much as practical while sacrificing some reduction in F 23 .
[0050] The effects of this analysis and its practical implementation can be appreciated from Table 1, which relays traditional typical (prior art) offsets, theoretical offsets, and practical offsets as selected using the procedure described immediately above for both a 36″ trowel and a 48″ trowel, where positive values indicate locations behind or to the right of the rotor axis A and negative values indicate locations ahead or to left of the rotor axis A. Note that the terms “36 inch trowel” and “48 inch trowel” are accepted terms of art designating standard trowel sizes rather than designating any particular precise trowel dimension. Note also that a few manufacturers refer to what is more commonly known as a “48 inch trowel” as a “46 inch trowel.”
TABLE 1 Typical Offsets 36″ Trowel 48″ Trowel Standard x offset −0.375″ −0.125 Standard y offset 3.25″ 2.50″ Theoretical x offset 3.46″ 3.88″ Theoretical y offset 1.59″ 2.38″ Typical practical x offset 0.75″ 0.375″ Typical practical y offset 3.875″ 3.75″
[0051] 4. Operation of Trowel
[0052] During normal operation of the trowel 10 , torque is transferred from the engine's output shaft, to the clutch, the drive train, the gearbox 40 , and the rotor.
[0053] The blades 22 are thereupon driven to rotate and contact with the surface to be finished, smoothing the concrete. The frictional resistance imposed by the concrete varies, e.g., with the rotor rotation or velocity, the types of blades or pans used to finish the surface and the orientation of the blades or pan relative to the surface, and the coefficient of friction of the surface. The operator guides the machine 10 along the surface during this operation using the guide handle. In prior walk behind trowels, this operation would be resisted by substantial forces totaling 60-75 lbs. However, because the trowel 10 is dynamically balanced as described above, the total forces endured by the operator to 20-30 lbs., a reduction of well over 50%.As indicated above, many changes and modifications may be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit thereof. The scope of some of these changes is discussed above. The scope of others will become apparent from the appended claims. | A walk behind rotary trowel is configured to be “dynamically balanced” so as to minimize the forces/torque that the operator must endure to control and guide the trowel. Characteristics that are accounted for by this design include, but are not limited to, friction, engine torque, machine center of gravity, and guide handle position. As a result, dynamic balancing and consequent force/torque reduction were found to result when the machine's center of gravity was shifted substantially relative to a typical machine's center of gravity. Dynamic balancing can be achieved most practically by reversing the orientation of the engine relative to the guide handle assembly when compared to traditional walk behind rotary trowels and shifting the engine as far as practical to the right. This shifting has been found to reduce the operational forces and torque the operator must endure by at least 50% when compared to traditional machines. | 4 |
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Not applicable.
STATEMENT AS TO RIGHTS TO INVENTIONS MADE UNDER FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Not applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to doctor blades used with a tissuemaking, papermaking, or boardmaking machine, and to systems for minimizing doctor blade inventory associated with a tissuemaking, papermaking or boardmaking machine.
Doctor blades are used throughout a papermaking machine. Sometimes doctor blades are used to clean the surface of a roll used within a papermaking machine, for example press rolls, drying cylinders, and idler rolls. Doctor blades also function to prevent the paper web from becoming wrapped around a roll surface over which the paper web makes direct contact. Doctor blades function during a web break to remove broke from the surface of a roll and direct the broke into a broke pit for recycling. Doctor blades are also used to crepe a paper web and remove it from a Yankee dryer roll. In the past doctor blades of different materials have been used in different locations within a papermaking machine. The environment and conditions to which a doctor blade is subject depends dramatically on where the doctor blade is used in the papermaking machine. In the wet end, doctor blades may be subjected to corrosive effects due to chemicals dissolved or suspended in the white water. In the dry end a doctor blade may be subject to high temperatures associated with the drying process. In other locations wear may be a concern.
Doctor blades used in different parts of a papermaking machine are typically also of different lengths in the cross machine direction. The doctor blades differ in the length because as the paper web travels through the papermaking machine the paper shrinks in the cross machine direction and the edges are trimmed away such that the width of the paper web in the cross machine direction decreases as the paper web approaches the reel-up at the end of the papermaking machine. In addition, within a single papermaking plant there may be a number of different papermaking machines which have different widths. Moreover, the one plant may also include paper converting machinery such as slitters which create and handle paper which is substantially narrower than the width at which the paper web is manufactured.
Doctor blade material can be suppled to the paper mill as a blade cut to a particular length or as a coil of blade material which may be used as one continuous blade or as a series of identical blades which can be broken apart at labels positioned along the coil, the labels on the reel of blade material typically indicating the blade type and number of blades remaining in the coil. If a blade coil is used it may be packaged as shown is U.S. Pat. No. 6,068,272.
The combination of doctor blades of different material and different widths means that a papermaking machine requires a substantial inventory of different blade types and lengths. Depending on the application, a doctor blade may need to be changed as often as every day or as infrequently as once a year. If a proper doctor blade is not available the papermaking machine is not operated. To be sure the papermaking machine is not out of production for want of the necessary doctor blades, a relatively large inventory of doctor blades must be maintained. Because of the very high cost associated with keeping a papermaking machine out of production, the blade inventory system must err on the side of having too many, rather than too few, blades in the inventory. If the number of different doctor blades which are needed for a particular papermaking machine could be reduced, a substantial cost savings could be effected.
New doctor blade materials such as fiber reinforcement vinylesterurethanes or polyether amides may allow doctor blades constructed of the same material to be used in multiple locations throughout a papermaking machine, however this will not substantially reduce doctor blade inventory unless a way can be found to use identical doctor blades throughout a papermaking machine.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The doctor blade system of this invention employs a single doctor blade of a standard length or a reel of doctor blade material. The standard length doctor blade or the reel of doctor blade material is cut to length based on markings on the standard doctor blade or on the reel of doctor blade material which indicates the necessary blade length for a particular location.
If a standard length doctor blade is used, the length of the blade is chosen to be at least as long as the longest doctor blade required for a particular papermaking machine or within a particular paper mill. The blade is marked so it may readily be cut to length without measurement for use in locations where a shorter doctor blade is required. The marks may be simple spaced apart lines with sufficient indicia, so that proper blade length can be chosen with the help of a written manual or written instructions, which from a type of data base. Alternatively, the instructions may be printed as indicia on the blade itself. Such indicia may indicate blade length, or the correspondence of particular marks to particular doctor blade stations within the papermaking machine.
If a reel of doctor blade material is used, the indicia may be as simple as markings like a tape measure which in combination with instructions will allow the determination of the proper length of the doctor blade for a particular location. Alternatively, if a pattern of rivets forms part of the blade, and the rivets must have a given relationship with a blade holder, blade length may be marked out in such a way that some blade material is discarded in order to position the rivets when shorter blades are cut from the blade reel.
It is a feature of the present invention to provide a doctor blade which can replace many doctor blades used in the papermaking machine.
It is a further feature of the present invention to provide a doctor blade which is marked so as to facilitate cutting the doctor blade to an appropriate size for a particular location within the papermaking machine.
It is another feature of the present invention to provide a doctor blade and doctor blade inventory system which minimizes the number of doctor blades which must be maintained in a papermaking mill inventory.
It is yet another feature of the present invention to provide a doctor blade reel which incorporates a means for cutting the doctor blade to a selected length in cooperation with information recorded on the doctor blade.
Further 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 fragmentary top plan view of the doctor blade of this invention.
FIG. 2 is an exploded isometric view of a reel of doctor blade material in a doctor blade case.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the doctor blade of FIG. 1 taken along section line 3 - 3 .
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment fiber reinforced plastic doctor blade.
FIG. 5 is cross-sectional view of the doctor blade of FIG. 3 held in a doctoring position against a roll by a blade holder.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring more particularly to FIGS. 1-4 wherein like numbers refer to similar parts, a doctor blade 20 is shown in FIG. 1 . The doctor blade 20 is preferably constructed of fiber reinforced plastic, for example vinylesterurethanes or polyether amides reinforced with graphite fibers. Such recently developed doctor blades are capable of functioning in many or all locations within a papermaking machine. As shown in FIG. 5 , the doctor blade 20 has an edge 26 which is beveled and which is mounted to a doctor blade support 24 so that the edge 26 is held against the surface 28 of a roll 30 .
As shown in FIG. 1 , the doctor blade 20 has a plurality of rivets 32 arranged along an edge 34 opposite the beveled edge 26 . The rivets may be spaced as shown, or for example, in groups of three every eighteen inches. As shown in FIG. 5 , the rivets 32 provide a protrusion which is positioned within a channel or groove 36 formed in a doctor blade holder 37 . The doctor blade 20 is retained by the doctor blade holder 37 which is clamped by a bolts 39 to a doctor blade support 24 . As shown in FIG. 1 , the rivets 32 can be widely spaced in a middle portion 38 of the blade 20 . The rivets 32 however should be more closely spaced at the ends 40 , 42 of the doctor blade 20 . In particular, in order that the doctor blade ends 40 , 42 are adequately supported, it is important for a rivet 32 to be positioned closely spaced, for example less than six inches, from either of the ends 40 , 42 . The doctor blade 20 shown in FIG. 1 is sized such that the overall length of the blade from one end 40 to the other end 42 is sufficient for the widest portion of the papermaking machine. Indicia 44 is printed or formed on the blade 20 directly or on a label which is placed on the blade 20 . The Indicia 44 shows a cut line 46 which is indicated by a label 48 . Spaced apart cut lines 46 with similar or identical labels 48 indicate how the blade should be cut to produce doctor blades 20 of varying widths. The cut lines 46 define cut locations, i.e., positions where the blade can be cut. The blade 20 illustrated in FIG. 1 can be used without being cut; can be cut to the cut lines indicated on each end by labels A, A; cut to the cut lines B, B; or cut to the cut lines C, C. Thus the same basic doctor blade can be used to form a doctor blade for four different locations. The rivets 32 are arranged so that one or more rivets is closely spaced from either of the ends 40 , 42 or from a pair of cut lines 46 .
By providing additional cutlines and suitable indicia, a doctor blade can be formed according to any preselected desired length from the standard or maximal length doctor blade. The doctor blade 20 could also have indicia simply indicating a number line, such as found on a tape measure, and instructions could be provided as to the difference between numbers indicating cut lines which correspond to a particular blade width. If an array of tape-measure-type indicia cut lines is printed, it will be desirable that the cut line pattern be regular. More particularly, in such a case, the rivets should have a fixed relation to particular indicia numbers, so that a doctor blade of a selected length can be cut in reference to particular indicia and rivets will be properly positioned with respect to the ends of the doctor of the selected length. This may be arranged for example by having the rivets spaced evenly along the number line e.g. at every mark or number or ever fourth mark, and cutting doctor blades of even lengths so the rivets are properly spaced. Alternatively, some indicia may be provided which indicates which numbers are properly positioned with respect to a rivet so that cutting at a selected number will produce an end properly positioned with respect to a rivet. This arrangement in which a tape-measure-like indicia of cut lines is printed upon the doctor blade will be described in more detail with respect to the reel of doctor blade material 50 illustrated in FIG. 2 .
To avoid the necessity of taking into account the location of the rivets 32 when producing a doctor blade from the standard sized doctor blade 20 , a doctor blade 52 with a cross-section as shown in FIG. 3 may be employed. The doctor blade 52 has a thicker portion or land 54 which is positioned to run along the blade 52 in place of the rivets 32 . The land 54 serves the same function as the rivets 32 when positioned in the blade holder so that the land is held within the channel or groove 36 .
A coil of doctor blade material 50 is shown in FIG. 2 . The coil 50 is positioned within a transit case 56 mounted to an unreeling device 58 similar to the reel up device such as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 6,682,012 to Parviainen et al. which is incorporated herein by reference. The coil of the doctor blade 50 may have rivets 32 , such as on the blade shown in FIG. 4 , or may be formed with the land 54 , as shown in FIG. 3 . Where nonuniformly spaced rivets 32 are used cutlines 60 and indicia 62 similar to that shown in FIG. 1 may be marked upon the doctor blade 50 . Each doctor blade cut from the coil of doctor blade material 50 which is smaller than the doctor blade indicated by A, A will necessarily have a certain amount of scrap. So a cut is always made at the cut line A, and, if the doctor blade is not to extend between A, A then additional cuts are made at each cutline B, or C.
The indicia described in the previous paragraph are related to each other to indicate cut locations spaced apart from one another for cutting the doctor blade body to predetermined lengths. An array of indicia 64 similar to that used on a tape measure could advantageously be used on the coil of doctor blade material 50 , particularly where rivets are evenly spaced along one edge 34 of the blade, or where a land 54 is continuously in juxtaposition to a blade edge 66 as shown in FIG. 3 . By using a number-line type of indicia 64 , as shown in FIG. 2 , doctor blades of varying lengths can be cut from the coil of doctor blade material 50 with little or no waste. The number line is used together with a table which indicates the length for each of a plurality of blades having different lengths. To cut a doctor of a set length the current end 68 of the coil of doctor blade material 50 is determined. For convenience the end may be trimmed to an exact indicated numeral. Then the number corresponding to the end 68 is added to the total desired doctor blade length and a cut is made at an indicia indicating the position along the doctor blade coil 50 corresponding to the sum of the current end indicia number and the desired doctor blade length. In this way, little or no doctor blade will go to waste.
It should be understood that a plurality of doctor blades lengths could be marked on a coil of doctor blade material or on a single doctor blade of fixed length. Where to cut the doctor blade material or doctor blade of fixed length to form a particular doctor blade of said plurality of doctor blades could be determined by indicia on the doctor blade alone or by reference to the indicia on the doctor blade and a database such as a printed instruction sheet. The database provides a correlation between a desired length of doctor blade and the particular markings on the doctor blade material to provide instructions to cut the doctor blade from the material. For example, the database might indicate that to obtain a doctor blade of a desired length it is necessary to cut at the third marking in from the left side of the doctor blade material, and the second marking in from the right side. The database may also be maintained in electronic form. In the preferred embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 , the database is incorporated in the indicia marked on the doctor blade by providing the designators “A” “B” “C” on corresponding markings to show which cut lines go together to define a doctor blade of a certain length. Additional data can be provided in the indicia, such as identifying words, numbers or part names in relationship to particular cut lines.
It should be understood that the doctor blade material could be cut automatically or by hand using a shear or a saw blade, such as a hacksaw. The shear or saw may be mounted to the reeling device 58 , to the transit case 56 , to a papermaking machine (not shown), or to some other equipment. Where a cut is to be made could be determined visually by an operator or automatically by an optical, magnetic or other type of sensor.
It should be noted that the indicia may operate together with an initial end of the blade body to define multiple lengths of blade body for forming different length doctor blades. In such a situation, the initial end, or cut end 40 , 68 of the blade body, defines one end of the doctor blade to be cut, and indicia marked on the blade body define multiple cut lines spaced a defined distance from the initial end.
It should be understood that where a papermaking machine is referred to, a boardmaking, or tissuemaking machine, or a paper or board calendar is also intended. It should be understood that “indicia” as used in the claims is meant to include printing, a label with or without printing, scribing or other markings on the blade material, machine readable codes such as bar codes, magnetic codes, or radio-frequency identification devices (RFID).
It should be understood that a doctor blade or a coil of doctor blade material, as used herein has a thickness of at least 0.030 inches, a width of at least 1.5 inches and a length of at least 96 inches.
It should be understood that the term rivets is defined to include any similar structures including any protrusion extending from a doctor blade as may be formed by bonding to the doctor blade, punching, or folding a part of the doctor blade.
It is understood that the invention is not limited to the particular construction and arrangement of parts herein illustrated and described, but embraces all such modified forms thereof as come within the scope of the following claims. | Doctor blades are provided for multiple positions within a paper or board making machine. A single doctor blade of a standard length or a reel of doctor blade material has markings which permit a variety of doctor blade sizes to be readily cut. If a standard length doctor blade is used, the length of the blade is chosen to be at least as long as the longest doctor blade required for a particular papermaking machine. If the material is in a reel, the markings may be at regular numbered intervals. If a pattern of rivets is connected to the blade, and the rivets must have a given relationship with a blade holder, blade length may be marked out in such a way that some blade material is discarded in order to position the rivets when shorter blades are cut from the blade reel. | 3 |
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/181,547 filed Oct. 29, 1998.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a data sending/receiving method and apparatus, a data receiving apparatus and a data sending apparatus. More particularly, it relates to a data sending/receiving method and apparatus configured for sending and receiving data, a data receiving apparatus and a data sending apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
With improvement in the technique of compressing video signals or speech signals or in the digital signal processing technique in the field of broadcasting or communication, it has become possible to realize services of distributing digital data, such as video on demand (VOD) or music on demand (MOD).
Up to now, as an example of service configurations of furnishing digital data, a so-called push type service is being offered, in which the receiving side specifies a particular genre to the host side over the Internet and in which the host side retrieves data falling under the genre from a data base to sequentially transfer the retrieved data in succession to the receiving side.
However, in the conventional data transmission/reception system, there lacks up to now a system of automatically downloading data of the new information, put on sale or publicized only of late, on the reception side. For example, in the conventional MOD system, there lacks a system of downloading data on new musical numbers on the reception side. In the conventional MOD system, there lacks a system for permitting the reception side to switch between the low quality reproduction and the high quality reproduction of data on new musical numbers. In addition, the conventional MOD system is no other than a system in which a user pays fee unexceptionally for data acquisition. On the contrary, there has not been known to data a system in which a portion of a new musical number is heard on trial and a user pays only the fee for the number which has suited to his or her liking in order to acquire the data for the new musical number in its entirety.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a data sending/receiving apparatus which resolves the above-described problems.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a data sending/receiving method which resolves the above-described problems.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a data reception apparatus which resolves the above-described problems.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a data sending apparatus which resolves the above-described problems.
According to the present invention there is provided a data sending receiving apparatus including a first storage unit holding plural data on memory, a retrieval unit for retrieving the data stored in the first storage unit, a first sending receiving unit for sending data retrieved by the retrieval unit, and a second sending receiving unit for receiving the data sent from the first sending receiving unit and for sending the request information from the user. The first sending receiving unit receives the request information sent from a user to supply the received request information to the retrieval unit. The second sending receiving unit has a decision unit for checking whether or not data sent from the first sending receiving unit is data newly stored in the first storage unit and a second storage unit for storing data sent from the first sending receiving unit if the results of check by the check unit indicates that the data is data stored in the first storage unit.
According to the present invention there is also provided a data receiving apparatus including a sending receiving unit for receiving data sent from a host side device and for sending the request information from the user to the host side device, a storage unit for storing received data sent by the sending receiving unit and a controller for checking whether or not the sent data is data newly stored in the host side device, the controller causing the sent data to be stored in the storage unit if the results of check indicate that the sent data is data newly stored in the host side device.
According to the present invention there is also provided a data sending receiving method including the steps of retrieving plural data stored in a first storage unit based on the request information from a user sent to a host side device, sending the retrieved data to a terminal side device, checking whether or not the sent data is data newly stored in the first storage unit and storing the sent data in a second storage unit of the terminal side device if the results of discrimination indicate that the sent data is data newly stored in the first storage unit.
According to the present invention there is additionally provided a data sending apparatus including a storage unit having plural data stored therein, a retrieval unit for retrieving data stored in the storage unit based on the request information from the user containing data specifying the user's intention to make payments sent from a terminal side device and a sending receiving unit for sending the data retrieved by the retrieval unit. The sending receiving unit also receives the request information sent from the user to send the received information to the retrieval unit. The sending receiving unit switches the sending mode to the terminal side device of data retrieved by the retrieval unit based on data specifying the user's intention to make payments for the request information from the user.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows an entire structure of a data sending/receiving system embodying the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view for illustrating the loading of a portable terminal device on a data relaying device.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an illustrative circuit structure of a data sending/receiving system.
FIG. 4 shows an example of a format of data sent from a data sending apparatus to a data receiving apparatus.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart for illustrating the processing by a data sending apparatus, a data relaying device and a portable terminal device in case the designation of new musical number data is contained in the data designation information of the request information sent from the portable terminal device to the data sending apparatus and for illustrating an example of switching the sound quality of the new musical number data transferred by the data sending apparatus to the data receiving apparatus.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart for illustrating the processing contents of the data sending apparatus, data relaying apparatus and the portable terminal device in case the data sending apparatus executes a push type service.
FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic view showing an example of setting an accounting flag for the musical data stored in a hard disc of a hard disc drive.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view for illustrating the case of reproducing new musical number data recorded on the hard disc in the portable terminal device.
FIG. 9 is a flowchart for illustrating the playback processing for new musical number data by the portable terminal device.
FIG. 10 is a perspective view for illustrating the portable terminal device accessing the data sending apparatus without employing the data relaying device.
FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing an alternative structure of the data relaying apparatus.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to the drawings, preferred embodiments of a data sending receiving apparatus according to the present invention will be explained in detail.
In the data sending/receiving apparatus, explained in the following embodiment, it is assumed that music data is sent from a data sending apparatus as a host side device to a data receiving apparatus as a terminal side device.
A data sending receiving system 1 of the present invention, shown in FIG. 1 , is a system for so-called music-on-demand and a data sending device 2 as a terminal device on the server side is connected over a communication network 3 to a data receiving device 4 . The data receiving device 4 is made up of a data relaying device 5 and a portable terminal device 6 , as a user side terminal device, detachably connected to the data relaying device 5 .
Specifically, each lateral surface of a casing of the portable terminal device 6 is loaded on a mounting portion 7 formed as a recess in a casing of the data relaying device 5 for electrically and mechanically interconnecting the data relaying device 5 and the portable terminal device 6 . That is, with the data sending receiving system 1 , the data sending device 2 is connected over the communication network 3 to the data relaying device 5 , and the data relaying device 5 is connected to the portable terminal device 6 for interconnecting the data sending device 2 and the portable terminal device 6 .
The data sending device 2 is mounted at, for example, a data management center on the side of the server and exchanges data concerning the accounting for performing preset accounting for the user. The data relaying device 5 relays the request information from the portable terminal device 6 , as later explained, to send the relayed information to the data sending device 2 , while relaying the data sent from the data sending device 2 to send the relayed data to the portable terminal device 6 . The data relaying device 5 is mounted on kiosk shop at a railway station, a convenience store, a public telephone box or at a home. The portable terminal device 6 is owned by each user and is a portable device convenient for transportation.
Although only one data relaying device 5 and one portable terminal device 6 are shown in FIG. 6 for convenience in illustration, a plurality of data relaying devices 5 and a plurality of portable terminal devices 6 are connected over the communication network 3 to the server side data sending device 2 .
For the communication network 3 and an accounting communication network 10 , ISDN or a telephone network is used. Although the present embodiment illustrates an embodiment in which the communication network 3 and the data sending device 2 are connected by wired connection, such as with a communication cable or an optical fiber, the wired connection may be replaced by radio or wireless connection. In addition, although the communication network 3 and the data relaying device 5 are similarly connected by wired connection, such as with a communication cable or an optical fiber, wireless connection, such as over a radio route, may also be used. Also, in the data sending receiving system 1 , data transmission from the data sending device 2 to the data receiving device 4 may be via a communication medium, employing a broadcasting satellite, without employing the communication network 3 by a wired connection. If the broadcasting satellite is used, the communication network 3 is used for sending the request information, as later explained, from the data receiving device 4 to the data sending device 2 .
The server side data sending device 2 receives the request information, as later explained, sent from the data relaying device 5 over the communication network 3 , to retrieve the relevant data based on the received request information. In addition, the data sending device 2 transfers the retrieved data in a preset system over the communication network 3 to the data relaying device 5 and/or to the portable terminal device 6 .
Referring to FIG. 3 , this data sending device 2 includes an interfacing unit 11 connected over the communication network 3 to the data relaying device 5 for data sending and reception, a large-capacity hard disc array 12 , having plural data items, such as music numbers, stored therein, and a data retrieving processing unit 13 for retrieving relevant data from this hard disc array 12 . The data sending device 2 also includes an accounting processing unit 14 for accessing the accounting communication network 10 to perform preset accounting for the chargeable user and a controller 15 for controlling the data sending device 2 in its entirety.
The interfacing unit 11 is connected over the communication network 3 to the data relaying device 5 to receive the request information sent from the portable terminal device 6 , such as the data designation information or the user ID information. The interfacing unit 11 sends data, such as music data, outputted by the data retrieving processing unit 13 , as later explained, via the communication network 3 to the data relaying device 5 . The above-mentioned operations of the interfacing unit 11 are executed on the bases of the control signals sent from the controller 15 .
In the hard disc array 12 , there are stored data, such as musical data of various genres, guide for music, or other audio data as compressed data. In the hard disc array 12 , there are stored musical data concerning the new musical numbers, referred to herein as new musical number data, along with an appended identifier, referred to herein as a new musical data identifier. The new musical number data means musical data within a preset time period as from the date on which it is put on sale only of late, such as within one month. The specified definition of the new musical number data is appropriately determined or modified on the host side.
The data retrieving processing unit 13 receives the request information from the portable terminal device 6 , received by the interfacing unit 11 , over the controller 15 , and retrieves relevant data from the numerous data items, such as musical numbers, stored in the hard disc array 12 , based on this request information. The data retrieving processing unit 13 has a memory for transient data storage and reads out the retrieved data from the hard disc array 12 for transient storage therein. The data retrieving processing unit 13 also sends the data stored in the memory to the interfacing unit 11 .
The data retrieving processing unit 13 also can read out only new musical number data from the hard disc array 12 by retrieving the new musical number identifier. The above-described operation of the data retrieving processing unit 13 is performed on the basis of control signals from the controller 15 .
The accounting processing unit 14 receives the request information from the portable terminal device 6 , received by the interfacing unit 11 , via the controller 15 , and specifies the chargeable users based on the received request information, while executing preset accounting for the chargeable user.
The controller 15 has a sending control program for sending musical data relevant to the received request information to the data relaying device 5 on the basis of the request information sent from the portable terminal device 6 via the data relaying device 5 and the communication network 3 . The controller 15 controls the interfacing unit 11 , hard disc array 12 , data retrieving processing unit 13 and the accounting processing unit 14 based on this sending control program.
Specifically, the controller 15 controls the interfacing unit 11 so that the request information sent from the portable terminal device 6 via the data relaying device 5 and the communication network 3 is received and sent to the controller 15 . The controller 15 transiently stores the request information supplied form the interfacing unit 11 to send this request information to the data retrieving processing unit 13 and to the accounting processing unit 14 .
The controller 15 executes the above-described retrieval based on the data designation information of the received request information to read out the retrieved data from the hard disc array 12 to store the data transiently in the memory of the data retrieving processing unit 13 .
The controller 15 refers to the user ID information of the received request information to control the data retrieving processing unit 13 and the interfacing unit 11 so that the data transiently stored in the memory of the data retrieving processing unit 13 is sent to the interfacing unit 11 and data read out from the memory is sent to the data relaying device 5 to which is connected the portable terminal device 6 . In this manner, musical data is sent from the data sending device 2 to the portable terminal device 6 in the present data sending receiving system 1 .
In the sending control program of the controller 15 is assembled a program for offering a so-called push type service as its subroutine. The program for offering this push type service includes a genre-based sending program for sequentially sending musical data in the relevant genre to the portable terminal device 6 based on the genre designating information used for designating the specified genre sent from the portable terminal device 6 .
In the program for offering the push type services, there is assembled the new musical number data sending program for sequentially sending only the new musical number data to the portable terminal device 6 based on the new musical number request information from the portable terminal device 6 commanding transfer only of new musical number data. The control operations performed by the controller 15 in offering these push type services will be explained in detail subsequently.
The data sending receiving system 1 of the present embodiment uses the packet exchanging system and sends data on the data packet basis. The format of each data packet sent from the data sending device 2 to the data receiving device 4 is such a format in which music data as main data portion is compressed with modified DCT as disclosed for example in Japanese Laying-Open Patent H-3-139923 or Japanese Laying-Open Patent H-3-139922 and in which a new music number flag or number ID is appended to the compressed data, as shown in FIG. 4 .
The new musical number flag is a flag specifying whether or not the music data as compressed data is the new musical number, and is appended as a header for each data packet. The number ID data includes, for example, music genre, name of the performing artist or the title of the musical number. By using the data format as shown in FIG. 4 , there is caused no inconvenience in the data sending receiving system 1 even in case the data is sent from the data sending device 2 to the data receiving device 4 over the broadcasting satellite or data is sent in accordance with the push system.
Referring to FIG. 3 , the data relaying device 5 includes an interfacing unit 21 , a hard disc array (HDD) 22 , a read-only memory (ROM) 23 , a random-access memory (RAIM) 24 , an operating input unit 25 , a display unit 26 , an interfacing (I/F) unit 27 , a charging unit 28 and a controller 29 comprised of a micro-computer. These elements are interconnected over a bus 30 .
The interfacing unit 21 is connected via communication network 3 to the data sending device 2 to receive data sent from the data sending device 2 . The received data is stored transiently in the RAM 24 . In the data relaying device 5 , a terminal 21 a provided on the top of a casing serves as input/output terminals of the interfacing unit 21 serves as an input/output terminal of the interfacing unit 21 .
The hard disc drive 22 includes a hard disc not shown, on which received data transiently stored in the RAM 24 is recorded under control by the controller 29 .
In the ROM 23 is stored the relay control program for controlling the operation of the data relaying device 5 . In the data relaying device 5 , the controller 29 reads out the relay control program stored in the ROM 23 to control the constituent elements of the data relaying device 5 .
The RAM 24 transiently stores the data sent from the data sending device 2 over the communication network 3 . The RAM 24 transiently stores the request information sent from the portable terminal device 6 over the I/F 27 .
An actuating input unit 25 sends an actuation input signal to the controller 29 and has a plurality of actuating buttons 25 a , as shown in FIG. 2 .
A display unit 26 has a liquid crystal display device and is provided on the top of the casing, as shown in FIG. 2 . This display unit 26 displays the actuating input signal from the actuating buttons 25 a , data reception states from the data sending device 2 or the request information from the portable terminal device 6 .
The I/F 27 is an input output interface for the portable terminal device 6 and is connected to the I/F 31 of the portable terminal device 6 to receive the request information from the portable terminal device 6 via this I/F 27 . The I/F 27 sends musical data sent from the data sending device 2 via I/F 31 to the portable terminal device 6 . The I/F 27 of the data relaying device 5 and the I/F 31 of the portable terminal device 6 provide for electrical connection between the data relaying device 5 and the portable terminal device 6 via terminal 27 a on the side of the data relaying device 5 and via terminal 31 a of the portable terminal device 6 connected to the I/F 27 and I/F 31 , respectively, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 .
The charging unit 28 is used for charging a battery 39 of the portable terminal device 6 . Specifically, with the data relaying device 5 being electrically connected to the portable terminal device 6 , that is with the portable terminal device 6 being loaded in position on the data relaying device 5 , an output terminal 28 a of the charging unit 28 is contacted with an input terminal 39 a of the battery 39 , as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , to supply the current from the charging unit 28 to the battery 39 under control by the controller 29 .
The controller 29 reads out and executes the relay control program stored in the RAM 23 to control the respective blocks as described above.
Referring to FIG. 3 , the portable terminal device 6 includes an interface (I/F) 31 , a hard disc drive (HDD) 32 , a read-only memory (ROM) 33 , a random access memory (RAM) 34 , an actuating input unit 35 , a display unit 36 , an interface (I/F) 37 , a data expanding unit 38 , a battery 39 , a D/A controller 41 and a controller 42 made up of a micro-computer. These component parts are interconnected over a bus 40 .
The I/F 31 is an input/output interface for the data relaying device 5 and is connected to the I/F 27 of the data relaying device 5 in order to output the request information to the data relaying device 5 . The I/F 31 receives data, such as music, from the data sending device 2 , sent from the data relaying device 5 over the I/F 27 . The received music data is transiently stored in the RAM 34 .
The hard disc drive 32 includes a hard disc, not shown. The music data from the data sending device 2 transiently stored in the RAM 34 , is recorded in this hard disc.
In the ROM 33 is stored the control program for controlling the operation of the portable terminal device 6 . The controller 42 of the portable terminal device 6 reads out the control program stored in the ROM 33 to control the constituent elements of the portable terminal device 6 .
The RAM 34 transiently stores data sent from the data relaying device 5 or the various data sent from the controller 42 .
The actuating input unit 35 sends actuating input signals to the controller 42 and, as shown in FIGS. 1 an 2 , is provided with various actuating buttons 35 a to 35 d . Specifically, the actuating buttons 35 a and 35 b are selection keys for moving a cursor displayed on the display unit 36 or selecting various functions, while the actuating key 35 c is a decision key for making decisions as to various functions. The actuating button 35 d , made up of plural actuating keys, are made up of various actuating keys for executing basic operations, such as playback, stop, pause, cue or review, for reproducing data recorded on the hard disc of the hard disc array 32 . In the portable terminal device 6 , these actuating buttons are pushed to permit actuating input signals corresponding to the thrusting to be sent over the bus 40 to the controller 42 .
The display unit 36 has a liquid crystal display device and is provided on the upper part of the major surface of the casing, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 . This display unit 36 is responsive to an actuating input signal from the actuating input unit 25 derived from the pushing actuation of the actuating buttons 35 a to 35 d to display the request information generated by the controller 42 , reception states from the data sending device 2 or the connection states with the data relaying device 5 .
The I/F 37 is an input/output interface for an external input/output device, such as a keyboard, modem or display. The lower part on the lateral surface of the casing of the portable terminal device 6 is provided with a connection terminal 37 a for interconnecting the I/F 37 with the external input/output device, as shown in FIG. 2 .
The data expanding unit 38 expands musical data, that is compressed data, read out from the RAM 34 or the hard disc drive 32 .
The battery 39 furnishes the source voltage to the respective constituent elements of the portable terminal device 6 and may be a repeatedly rechargeable secondary cell, for example, a nickel cadmium cell, nickel hydrogen cell or lithium ion cell. In the present embodiment, the battery 39 is automatically charged by the voltage supplied from the charging unit 28 of the data relaying device 5 when the portable terminal device 6 is connected to the data relaying device 5 .
The D/A controller 41 converts digital signals outputted by the data expanding unit 38 into analog playback signals. The playback signals generated after conversion by the D/A controller 41 are sent to the terminal 41 a so as to be outputted as speech or as music via an external speaker 43 connected to the terminal 41 a.
The controller 42 reads out the control program stored in the ROM 33 to execute the read-out program to output a control signal to respective blocks of the portable terminal device 6 to execute pre-set processing. Specifically, the controller 42 generates the request information based on the actuation input signals from the actuating input unit 35 to send the request information to the data relaying device 5 by way of a control operation. The controller 42 also outputs the data stored in the RAM 34 via data expanding unit 38 and D/A controller 41 to an external speaker 43 by way of a playback operation. The controller 42 furnishes the data stored in the RAM 34 to the hard disc drive 32 for storage in the hard discs held therein.
The request information sent by the portable terminal device 6 to the data sending device 2 may be exemplified by the user ID information, data designation information for specifying data desired to be acquired, and the accounting information specifying whether or not the user is intending to make corresponding payments. The user ID information is previously stored in the memory in the controller 42 in order to generate the user ID information automatically.
In order for the data sending device 2 to execute the above-mentioned genre-based sending program, it suffices if the genre designation information for specifying the genre of musical data desired to be acquired is sent to the data sending device 2 in place of the data designation information of the request information. In order for the data sending device 2 to execute the above-mentioned new musical number data sending program, it suffices if the new musical number information for requesting only the new musical number data to be transferred is sent to the data sending device 2 in place of the data designating information. At this time, the above-mentioned genre designation information may be sent simultaneously with the new musical number request information in order to acquire only new musical number data in the specified genre.
The basic operation in the respective devices when the user acquires music data in accordance with the so-called MOD system in the present data sending receiving system 1 is hereinafter explained. The user acts on the actuating buttons 35 a to 35 d of the actuating input unit 35 a of the portable terminal device 6 to designate one or more desired data. If new musical number data is contained in the specified data, the above-mentioned accounting information is entered to decide whether or not to make payments. The portable terminal device 6 then generates the request information including the accounting information by the controller 42 . This request information is stored in the RAM 34 .
For designating the data, it suffices if the schematics and a list of data registered in the hard disc array 12 of the data sending device 2 are stored as a data base menu in the ROM 33 or in the RAM 34 and desired data is selected from this data base menu by actuation of the actuating buttons 35 a to 35 d . At this time point, the portable terminal device 6 need not be connected to the data relaying device 5 .
If the portable terminal device 6 , in which the request information has been generated as described above, is loaded on the mounting portion 7 of the data relaying device 5 , and the controller 29 of the data relaying device 5 detects that the portable terminal device 6 has been loaded in position, the controller 29 of the data relaying device 5 reads out the relay control program from the ROM 23 to execute the read-out program. This connects the portable terminal device 6 via data relaying device 5 and the communication network 3 to the data sending device 2 . In the data sending receiving system 1 , the request information stored in the RAM 34 is sent from the I/F 31 to the data relaying device 5 under control by the controller 42 . The data relaying device 5 which has received the request information from the portable terminal device 6 sends this request information via communication network 3 to the data sending device 2 under control by the controller 29 .
In the data sending device 2 , the request information sent from the device 5 is entered to the interfacing unit 11 , the request information entering the interfacing unit 11 being then sent to the controller 15 and to the data retrieving processing unit 13 . The data retrieving processing unit 13 refers to the data designation information of the request information to retrieve and read out the corresponding data from the hard disc array 12 . The controller 15 controls the interfacing unit 11 to send the data read out from the hard disc array 12 via communication network 3 to the data relaying device 5 based on the request information. The music data read out from the hard disc array 12 , that is the music data designated by the user, is received by the data relaying device 5 . The controller 15 discriminates, based on the user ID information in the request information, whether or not the user of the portable terminal device 6 is the user who can use the data sending receiving system 1 , and permits only the user capable of using the data sending receiving system 1 to perform the operations indicated in the flowcharts of FIGS. 5 ff.
The controller 29 of the data relaying device 5 which has received the data controls the respective blocks so that the received data will be sent to the portable terminal device 6 . Specifically, the controller 29 sends data entering the modem 21 via I/F 27 to the portable terminal device 6 , while causing the data to be stored on the hard disc of the hard disc drive 22 . This permits the data to be backed-up by the hard disc drive 22 even if the data relaying device 5 is disconnected from the portable terminal device 6 during data sending.
The basic operation in the respective devices when the user acquires new musical number data in the data sending receiving system 1 is explained with reference to the flowcharts.
FIG. 5 shows that plural data is designated in the data designating information of the request information sent by the portable terminal device 6 to the data sending device 2 . Specifically, FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing processing contents of t the data sending device 2 , data relaying device 5 and the portable terminal device 6 in case the designation of new musical number data is contained in this data designation information. That is, this flowchart shows a typical processing of switching the sending mode when the data sending device 2 sends data to the data receiving device 4 depending on the possible presence of accounting for the new musical number data.
The controller 15 of the data sending device 2 having received the request information refers to the data designation information of the request information at step s 1 to control the data retrieving processing unit 13 to retrieve and read out data designated by the user from the hard disc array 12 .
At the next step S 2 , the controller 15 verifies whether or not data read out from the hard disc array 12 is the new musical number flag explained with reference to FIG. 4 , based on the new musical number data. If the result of check at step S 2 is YES, that is if the data is the new musical number data, the flow moves to step S 3 . If the result is NO, that is if the data is found not to be the new musical number data, the flow moves to step S 5 .
At step S 3 , the controller 15 refers to the payment information of the request information to check whether or not the user is willing to make payments for the new musical number data. If the result of check at step S 3 is YES, that is if it is found that the user is willing to make payments for the new musical number data, the flow moves to step S 4 . If the result of check at step S 3 is NO, that is if it is found that the user is not willing to make payments for the new musical number data, the flow moves to step S 6 .
At step S 4 , the controller 15 controls the accounting processing unit 14 to execute preset accounting for the new musical number data before the flow move to step S 5 .
At step S 5 , the controller 15 switches to the sending mode of sending the new musical number data or other musical data, for which accounting has been made, to the data receiving device 4 with the same sound quality, that is with high sound quality, and executes data processing matched to the mode, before proceeding to step S 7 . On the other hand, the controller 15 at step S 5 switches to the sending mode of sending the new musical number data for which the user is not willing to make payments with a sound quality lower than that of other musical data, executes data processing matched to the mode, before proceeding to step S 7 . If new musical number data is sent at step S 5 or S 7 , a new musical number flag is set in a header of each data packet before sending the data packet.
As for the processing at steps S 5 and S 6 , the new musical number data or other data, read out from the hard disc array 12 is directly sent at step S 5 , while new musical number data is converted at the processing at step S 6 to audio data which is sent directly or after limiting the S/N ratio or the frequency range of the new musical number data. It is also possible to send only new musical number data for one chorus without degrading the sound quality of the new musical number data.
By executing the processing at step S 6 , it is possible for the data sending device 2 to send new musical number data as sample data to the user failing or not willing to make payments.
The data sent in this manner from the data sending device 2 is received by the data relaying device 5 at step S 7 and sent to the portable terminal device 6 under control by the controller 29 of the data relaying device 5 .
The portable terminal device 6 on reception of data from the data relaying device 5 at step S 8 detects the new musical number flag of the header of each data packet shown in FIG. 4 by the controller 42 to check at step S 9 whether or not the data is the new musical number data. If the result of check at S 9 is YES, that is if the data is found to be the new musical number data, the flow moves to step S 10 and, if otherwise, the flow moves to step S 11 .
The controller 42 allows the new musical number data to be supplied to the hard disc drive 32 at step S 10 to control the data to be stored in the hard disc in the hard disc drive 32 .
The controller 42 performs control at the next step S 11 to send the new musical number data or other data to the data expanding unit 38 to expand the data to sequentially reproduce the data. This permits the portable terminal device 6 to sequentially reproduce the data requested by the user and to record only the new musical number data automatically on the hard disc. On the portable terminal device 6 , the new musical number data for which payment has been made can be heard with the same sound quality as that of other musical data, while the new musical number data for which payment has not been made can be heard as data processed at step S 6 , that is as so-called sample data.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the processing contents of the data sending device 2 , data relaying device 5 and the portable terminal device 6 in case the data sending device 2 performs so-called push type services similar to broadcasting. In this flowchart, the portable terminal device 6 designates a specified music genre to permit the data sending device 2 to start the above-mentioned genre-based sending program to sequentially send the music data of the specified genre to the data receiving device 4 .
The controller 15 of the data sending device 2 on reception of the genre designation information refers at step S 2 to the genre designation information of the request information to control the data retrieving processing unit 13 to sequentially retrieve and read out the music data in the specified genre from the hard disc array 12 . In this case, the read-out musical data contains not only the new musical number data but also other music data.
At the next step S 22 , the controller 15 performs control to send the read-out musical data sequentially to the data receiving device 4 . It should be noted that, when sending the new musical number data, a new musical number flag is set in the header of each data packet before sending the data.
The musical data sent from the data sending device 2 is received at step S 23 by the data relaying device 5 and thence sent to the portable terminal device 6 under control by the controller 29 of the data relaying device 5 .
The portable terminal device 6 on reception of the musical data from the data relaying device 5 at step S 24 detects the new musical number flag of the header of the packet of each data packet shown in FIG. 4 to check whether or not the data is the new musical number data (step S 25 ). If the result of check at step S 25 is YES, that is if the data is found to be the new musical number data, the flow moves to step S 26 and, if otherwise, the flow moves to step S 27 .
The controller 42 at step S 26 sends the new musical number data to the hard disc drive 32 to control the hard disc drive 32 to record the data on the hard disc in the hard disc drive 32 .
The controller 42 performs control at step S 27 to send the new musical number data or other musical data to the data expanding unit 38 to expand the data to sequentially reproduce the data. Thus, in the portable terminal device 6 , the musical data of the genre specified by the user is sequentially reproduced, while only the new musical number data is automatically recorded on the hard disc.
At the next step S 28 , the controller 42 is in a state of waiting for an input indicating whether the payment should be made for each new musical number data recorded on the hard disc of the hard disc drive 32 . If the result of check at step S 28 is YES, that is if an input indicates that payment should be made, the reproducing state is switched to permit the new musical number data to be reproduced with the same high quality as that of the other music data to execute the processing of step S 29 . If the result of check at step S 28 is NO, that is if an input indicates that payment is not made, the reproducing state is terminated, on the assumption that the user is not willing to reproduce data with high sound quality.
The controller 15 of the data sending device 2 ,which has received this request information, controls the accounting processing unit 14 at step S 30 to make preset payment for the specified new musical number data.
After completion of the sending of the request information, the controller 42 of the portable terminal device 6 performs control at step S 31 to set an accounting flag indicating the end of accounting for the musical data stored in the hard disc of the hard disc drive 32 . This processing is performed by appending a flag to the leading end of the data, rewriting file allocation table (FAT) data or directory data of the hard disc or by providing the controller 42 with a table for data names of the music data stored in the hard disc and by setting a pointer in this table, as shown in FIG. 7 .
It is also possible to provide a new step between the step S 30 and the step S 31 , to send data indicating the end of the accounting from the data sending device 2 to the portable terminal device 6 when the accounting at step S 30 comes to a close and to execute the processing of step S 31 by the portable terminal device 6 detecting this data.
By the above processing, an accounting flag is set on only those of the new musical number data recorded in the hard disc of the hard disc drive 32 for which the payment has been made.
In the above description, it is assumed that the data sending device 2 has started the genre-based sending program by the portable terminal device 6 sending the genre-based designation information. However, similar processing may be used when the data sending device 2 starts the new musical number data sending program by the portable terminal device 6 sending the above-mentioned new musical number request information. It this case, it suffices if the controller 15 of the data sending device 2 having received the new musical number request information retrieves the new musical number identifier to sequentially retrieve and read out new musical number data from the hard disc array 12 .
If the controller 15 also receives the genre designation information along with the new musical number request information, it suffices if the data retrieving processing unit 13 is controlled at step S 21 to sequentially retrieve and read out new musical number data of the genre specified by the user. If the data sending device 2 executes this new musical number data sending program, the processing of step S 25 for checking on the side of the portable terminal device 6 if the data is the new musical number data based on the new musical number flag is unnecessary.
The playback processing for reproducing the acquired new musical number data for the case of reproducing new musical number data recorded on the hard disc of the hard disc drive 32 on the present portable terminal device 6 is explained with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 6 . In this case, the portable terminal device 6 is taken out of the data relaying device 5 and a headphone 44 is connected to the terminal 41 a . This allows the user to hear the music of the new musical number data corresponding to the acquired new musical number data as the user carries the portable terminal device 6 . The playback processing for new musical number data by the portable terminal device 6 is explained with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 9 .
At step S 41 at the time of transfer to the new musical number data reproducing mode, the controller 42 of the portable terminal device 6 is in a state of waiting for a playback request for new musical number data. An actuation input signal, specifying the playback request, is kept at this step S 41 until the actuation input signal specifying the playback request is supplied from the actuating input unit 35 , with the actuation input signal transferring to step S 42 when a playback request is issued. Specifically, at step S 41 , all data names of the new musical number data stored on the hard disc are displayed on the display unit 36 and the user then selects and decides one or more of the new musical number data desired to be reproduced by the user acting on one of the actuating buttons 35 a to 35 d of the actuating input unit 35 .
At step S 42 , the controller 42 checks whether or not the accounting flag shown in FIG. 7 has been set on new musical number data requested to be reproduced. At step S 43 , the new musical number data found at step S 42 to be that for which the accounting flag is set (YES) is processed before the flow moves to step S 45 . The new musical number data found at step S 42 to be that for which no accounting flag has been set (NO) is processed at step S 44 before the flow moves to step S 45 .
At step S 43 , the controller 42 switches the playback state of the portable terminal device 6 to a high quality playback mode. Conversely, at step S 44 , the controller 42 switches the playback state of the portable terminal device 6 to a low quality playback mode. Examples of the reproducing processing of the low quality reproducing mode include executing data expansion at a lower data expansion rate than that used for expansion processing for the high quality reproducing mode, executing monaural reproduction if the new musical number data is stereo musical data or limiting the reproducing time such as reproducing only one chorus of the new musical number data.
At step S 45 , the controller 42 controls the data expanding unit 38 so that the new musical number data will be reproduced in accordance with the playback mode as set or with the reproducing state. The data sending receiving system 1 then reproduces the new musical number data recorded on the hard disc of the hard disc drive 32 in such a manner that high quality reproduction is made as other musical data if the musical data as new musical number data with the accounting flag set is reproduced, while reproduction at a lower sound quality than in reproducing other musical data as at step S 44 is made by way of a sample-wise reproduction if the musical data as new musical number data devoid of the accounting flag set is reproduced.
At the next step, the end waiting state is set in order to wait for termination of the reproducing operation. Thus, control dwells at this step S 46 until the reproducing processing on all designated new musical number data comes to a close and, if the data reproducing operation comes to a close, control reverts to step s 41 to repeat the processing from step S 41 to step S 46 .
That is, if the new musical number data stored on the hard disc of the hard disc drive 32 is to be reproduced with the present data sending receiving system 1 , and the new musical number data to be reproduced is the new musical number data with the accounting flag set, high quality reproduction is executed as in the case of other musical data. If the new musical number data reproduced is that devoid of the accounting flag as set, sample-wise reproduction with a lower sound quality than in reproducing other musical data is executed. Thus, new musical number data for which payment has not been made can be heard repeatedly for trial sake. If there is any musical number data that has suited to the liking of the user as a result of tentative hearing, the corresponding new musical number data that can be reproduced with high sound quality similarly to other musical data can be acquired by the processing explained with reference to FIG. 5 .
In the above-described embodiment, the portable terminal device 6 and the data sending device 2 are interconnected via data relaying device 5 . It is however possible to interconnect a modem 46 accessible to the communication network 3 to the I/F 37 shown in FIG. 3 via connection terminal 37 a of the portable terminal device 6 to interconnect the portable terminal device 6 and the data sending device 2 without interposition of the data relaying device 5 , as shown in FIG. 10 . In this case, it is also possible to interconnect a keyboard 45 or a display 47 to the connection terminal 37 a for convenience in the inputting or display operations.
In the above-described embodiment, there is shown a data relaying device interconnecting a sole portable terminal device 6 with the data sending device 2 . The present invention is, however, not limited to this specified constitution. For example, a data relaying device 50 capable of interconnecting plural portable terminal devices 6 , as shown in FIG. 11 . Specifically, the data relaying device 50 includes plural mounting portions 7 for connecting to the portable terminal devices 6 on a base block of the device 50 and a corresponding plural number of actuating buttons 25 a and display units 26 . That is, with the present data relaying devices 50 , the blocks 22 to 30 making up the data relaying device 50 are provided internally so that a number of users can acquire new musical number data or musical data at a time.
In the above-described embodiment, musical data for a new musical number that is on the market only for a pre-set period since it was first put on the market, such as for one month. The present invention is, however, not limited to this and any musical data not received by the user as yet, that is musical data that is new musical number data for the user, may be defined as new musical number data.
In this case, it suffices if the index information of data stored in the hard disc drive 32 of the current portable terminal device 6 is sent along with the above-mentioned request data to the data sending device 2 in order for the data sending device 2 to check if the information is the new information to permit only musical data not stored in the hard disc drive 32 of the portable terminal device 6 to be sent to the portable terminal device 6 . It is also possible for the portable terminal device 6 to compare the data stored in the hard disc drive 32 to the data sent from the data sending device 2 in order to record only musical data not stored in the hard disc drive 32 . | A sending receiving method for data, such as musical data, in which plural data stored in a first storage unit are retrieved based on the request information sent from a host side device. The retrieved data is sent to a terminal side device. The sent data is checked to see as to whether or not the sent data is data newly stored in the first storage unit. If the results of check indicate that the sent data is data newly stored in the first storage unit, the sent data is stored in a second storage unit of the terminal side device. | 6 |
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The subject matter relates to the removal of particulate matter from gases and more particularly, to a device for the removal of particulate matter contained in the exhaust of internal combustion engines without increasing the resistance to the flow of exhaust gases.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The exhaust gases coming out of the internal combustion engines contain particulate matter. This particulate matter in the environment is a well recognized health hazard of serious proportion. The finer the size of the particulate matter, the greater the chance it will remain suspended in air and, therefore, the more harmful are its impacts on both health and environment. The fine particulate matter generated by combustion of fuel carries with it substances that are known allergens, carcinogens and mutagenic agents. This fine particulate matter, because of its small size, travels deep into the respiratory tree, very often reaching the alveolar level, where it begins to cause serious diseases. Bronchitis, asthma, lung abbess and cancer have all, in a major part, been attributed to high levels of inhalable particulate matter in the atmosphere.
[0003] The consequences of fine particulate matter becomes much more severe because of its nature of not settling down and remaining in circulation in the air; it is often carried to high altitudes by convection currents. At cloud formation heights, this fine particulate matter acts as nuclei for water vapor condensation, forming clouds. The clouds so formed are heavier than the naturally formed clouds and are not sufficiently carried by the prevailing winds. Such clouds result in skewed distribution of rainfall such that some areas are subjected to very heavy and damaging downpour whereas others suffer drought like conditions.
[0004] Various methods have been attempted in the past to overcome the problem of particulate matter prevalent in the flowing gases, i.e. either in the exhaust stream of internal combustion engines or in the effluent gases in various industrial processes or furnaces.
[0005] One of the methods employed in the past enables internal combustion engines to use an array of sensors along with a microprocessor to ensure that the correct air-fuel mixture is maintained at all times and through all load conditions so as to get better combustion and thus, produce less particulate matter. The pre-treatment of fuel through temperature and chemical additives is another method that has been employed to achieve efficient combustion and hence, reduced particulate matter production.
[0006] The abovementioned methods pertain to the pre-ignition stage in the internal combustion engine. Once ignition occurs, all the exhaust matter needs to be pushed out of the cylinder so that the cylinder is ready and empty to accept the next air-fuel charge. The exhaust material is expelled out of the cylinder with a lot of noise and to reduce the noise, sound reducers or mufflers are put in line of flow of exhaust matter.
[0007] The catalytic converter, which is intended to convert harmful gases to less harmful ones, is also placed in line of flow of the exhaust matter.
[0008] It is further studied that any attempt to place a filter in line with the flow of exhaust increases the resistance to the flow of exhaust or causes backpressure in the flow. This prevents the engine cylinder from fully voiding itself of the exhaust gases generated by the ignition of previous air-fuel charge and is unable to perform an efficient combustion by not being able to accept the next pocket of air-fuel charge. Also, the increased resistance to flow of exhaust gases results in the loading of the engine i.e., the engine has to do more work in order to vent the exhaust material and this has a negative impact on fuel consumption. Further, the in-line filters get clogged with the particulate matter which need to be unclogged using some regenerative technology. During the process of regeneration, the particulate matter is expelled out and this particulate matter, being very fine in nature, is much more harmful.
[0009] Settling and momentum separators are also being used for removal of particulate matter from flowing gases wherein particles are collected by gravity and by their inertia, due to a sudden change in the direction of exhaust gases. Momentum separators are not effective because of the low mass of the particles involved.
[0010] There is another method known in the art for removing particulate matter from the flowing gases; namely cyclone or vortex separators which operate by incorporating centrifugal, gravitational, and inertial forces to remove particles suspended in air or gas. These types of separators use cyclonic action to separate particulates from a gas stream.
[0011] The most common type of cyclone separator used in industry is reverse flow type, wherein the gas enters through a tangential inlet at the top of the cyclone body, shaped to create a confined vortex gas flow and the clean gas exits through a central pipe.
[0012] Some of the major disadvantages with cyclone separators are that they have low efficiencies (particularly for small particles) and are unable to process “sticky” materials.
[0013] Some of the other methods used in the past include “Electrostatic Separators” and “Wet Collectors or Scrubbers”.
[0014] In view of foregoing, it is quite evident that all the above mentioned methods presently employed for removing particulate matter from flowing stream of gas are unable to separate the particulate laden gases in an effective and desired manner. Thus, it is a subject of immediate requirement to efficiently remove the particulate matter from the stream of flowing gases, especially the ones accompanying the exhaust of internal combustion engines and thereby reduce the harmful effects of particulate matter emitted in the environment.
SUMMARY
[0015] It is an object of the present invention to remove particulate matter from the exhaust of internal combustion engines.
[0016] It is a further object of the present invention to trap the particulate matter present in the exhaust gases in an enclosed trap.
[0017] It is yet another object of the present invention to remove the particulate matter without increasing the resistance to the flow of exhaust gases, thereby reducing the work done by the engine in exhausting the gases.
[0018] It is yet another object of the present invention to minimize the capital cost and maintenance requirements by not using any moving part in the system.
[0019] The present subject matter comprises a device for removing particulate matter from the exhaust gases of internal combustion engines. The device includes a hollow chamber ( 3 ) having a proximal end ( 11 ), a distal end ( 10 ) and an intermediate portion, a means for tangentially introducing the exhaust gas at the proximal end ( 11 ) of the hollow chamber ( 3 ), a trap ( 6 ) for trapping the particulate matter in the exhaust gas and a means for drawing the portion of the exhaust gas containing the particulate matter from the trap ( 6 ) to a low pressure area in the hollow chamber ( 3 ). The intermediate portion of the hollow chamber ( 3 ) draws the particulate matter and a portion of the exhaust gas containing the particulate matter into the trap ( 6 ).
[0020] In a preferred embodiment of the present subject matter, the means for introducing the exhaust gas into the hollow chamber ( 3 ) in a tangential direction comprises at least one duct ( 1 , 2 ) provided at the proximal end ( 11 ) of the hollow chamber ( 3 ).
[0021] In a preferred embodiment of the present subject matter, a plurality of ducts ( 1 , 2 ) is provided at the proximal end ( 11 ) of the hollow chamber ( 3 ).
[0022] In a preferred embodiment of the present subject matter, the intermediate portion of the hollow chamber ( 3 ) comprises a plurality of ports ( 4 ) for drawing the particulate matter and a portion of the exhaust gas with the particulate matter into the trap ( 6 ).
[0023] In a preferred embodiment of the present subject matter, the intermediate portion of the hollow chamber ( 3 ) comprises a plurality of radial projections ( 5 ) for drawing off the particulate matter and a portion of the exhaust gas with the particulate matter into the trap ( 6 ).
[0024] In a preferred embodiment of the present subject matter, the radial projections ( 5 ) have an axial width and a plurality of ports. In a preferred embodiment of the present subject matter, the trap ( 6 ) is provided with a high temperature resistant porous material (not shown for the sake of simplification).
[0025] In a preferred embodiment of the present subject matter, the trap ( 6 ) is formed by a cover ( 7 ) enclosing the intermediate portion of the hollow chamber ( 3 ) such that there is space between the hollow chamber and the outer cover to contain charged or uncharged porous entrapping material.
[0026] In a preferred embodiment of the present subject matter, the distal end ( 10 ) of the hollow chamber ( 3 ) is open for emitting the exhaust gases.
[0027] In a preferred embodiment of the present subject matter, the means for drawing the portion of the exhaust gas with the particulate matter from the trap ( 6 ) to the low pressure area in the hollow chamber ( 3 ) comprises at least one duct ( 8 , 12 ).
[0028] In a preferred embodiment of the present subject matter, a plurality of ducts ( 8 , 12 ) coincide with each other for drawing the portion of the exhaust gas with the particulate matter from the trap ( 6 ) to the low pressure area in the hollow chamber ( 3 ).
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0029] A further understanding of the present invention can be obtained by reference to a preferred embodiment set forth in the illustrations of the accompanying drawings. The drawings are not intended to limit the scope of this invention, which is set forth with particularity in the claims as appended or as subsequently amended, but merely to clarify and exemplify the subject matter.
[0030] For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference is now made to the following drawings in which:
[0031] FIG. 1 is a three dimensional line diagram showing the assembly of a device for removal of particulate matter from the exhaust of internal combustion engines in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.
[0032] FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of the device depicting the operation of the device in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.
[0033] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the device in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present subject matter.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0034] The following presents a detailed description of a preferred embodiment (as well as some alternative embodiments) of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0035] The embodiments of the present subject matter are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present subject matter is not limited to these embodiments which are only provided to explain more clearly the present subject matter to the ordinarily skilled in the art of the present disclosure. In the accompanying drawings, like reference numerals are used to indicate like components.
[0036] According to an embodiment of the present subject matter, the assembly of a device ( 100 ) used for the removal of particulate matter from the exhaust of internal combustion engines is shown in FIG. 1 . The FIG. 1 is shown for example only and by no way limits the scope of the subject matter. The device ( 100 ) is manufactured from a plurality of components. The components of the device ( 100 ) include, but are not limited to, a plurality of ducts ( 1 , 2 , 8 , 12 ), a hollow chamber ( 3 ), a trap ( 6 ), a cover ( 7 ) etc. The hollow chamber ( 3 ) is provided with at least one duct ( 1 , 2 ) in such a manner that the exhaust gases coming from the internal combustion engine enter into the hollow chamber ( 3 ) in a tangential direction. In an embodiment of the present subject matter, the hollow chamber ( 3 ) is provided with a plurality of ducts i.e. a first duct ( 1 ) and a second duct ( 2 ). The hollow chamber ( 3 ) is open at the distal end ( 10 ) and is closed at the proximal end ( 11 ). The proximal end ( 11 ) of the hollow chamber ( 3 ) is provided with a port ( 9 ), through which a fourth duct ( 12 ) emerges and coincides with a third duct ( 8 ) provided on the cover ( 7 ).
[0037] The subject matter described above can be embodied in many ways as would be obvious and known to a person skilled in the art. For example, the ducts ( 1 , 2 , 8 & 12 ) described above are embodied as having a circular cross section. The shape and size of these ducts can be varied to any desired shape or size as is obvious to a person skilled in the art. Similarly, the number of ducts ( 1 , 2 , 8 & 12 ) is not limited to what has been described in the above embodiment. In different embodiments, the number of ducts can also be varied as desired.
[0038] FIGS. 2 and 3 depict a schematic representation and an exploded view of the device ( 100 ) of FIG. 1 . As shown in the figures, the intermediate portion of the hollow chamber ( 3 ) is provided with plurality of ports ( 4 ) located on the surface of the hollow chamber which has radial projections ( 5 ) indented at specific intervals along the length of the hollow chamber ( 3 ). The intermediate portion of the hollow chamber ( 3 ) is surrounded by the cover ( 7 ), enclosing the hollow chamber ( 3 ). The space between the cover ( 7 ) and hollow chamber ( 3 ) is filled with high temperature resistant porous material forming the trap ( 6 ) for the particulate matter.
[0039] The radial projections ( 5 ) are a plurality of protrusions running along the wall of the hollow chamber ( 3 ). These protrusions are in the radial direction of the hollow chamber ( 3 ) and have a radial depth and their width is in the axial direction of the hollow chamber ( 3 ). As in the case of the balance surface of the intermediate portion of the hollow chamber ( 3 ), these protrusions also have multiple ports ( 4 ) on their surface to facilitate the movement of the particulate matter into the trap ( 6 ); the space formed between the hollow chamber ( 3 ) and cover ( 7 ) and filled with high temperature resistant porous material.
[0040] When the exhaust gases are tangentially introduced into the hollow chamber ( 3 ), these gases, along with the particulate matter present in them, spin at very high speed, experiencing a centrifugal force in the radial direction. Under this force, the particulate matter travels radially outwards while travelling axially along the hollow chamber ( 3 ). In addition to some particulate matter flowing out of the ports provided in the plane surface of the hollow chamber ( 3 ), the radial projections ( 5 ) vastly enhance the exit of the particulate matter through the ports provided on them as the particulate matter which enters these radial projections ( 5 ) is unable to flow backwards into the hollow chamber ( 3 ) because of the direction of the centrifugal force. The radial projections ( 5 ) act as a centrifugal trap for the particulate matter before it flows into the main trap ( 6 ) where it gets collected.
[0041] The cover ( 7 ) is provided with the third duct ( 8 ) that, in combination with the fourth duct ( 12 ), connects the trap ( 6 ), having higher pressure, to the low pressure area at the center of the proximal end ( 11 ) of the hollow chamber ( 3 ). The exhaust gases entering the hollow chamber ( 3 ) through the first and second ducts ( 1 & 2 ) create a cyclonic flow with high rotational speed and pass through the length of the hollow chamber ( 3 ) towards the distal end ( 10 ) and get emitted. As the exhaust gases flow through the intermediate portion of the hollow chamber ( 3 ), the particulate matter present in them is forced out of the hollow chamber ( 3 ) through the multiple ports ( 4 ) into the outer cover ( 7 ) and gets entrapped in a high temperature resistant porous material forming the trap ( 6 ).
[0042] Referring FIG. 2 , the operation of the device to remove the particulate matter from the exhaust gases of the internal combustion engine is explained in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter. The exhaust gases coming from the engine are allowed to enter into the hollow chamber ( 3 ) through ducts ( 1 & 2 ) in a tangential direction. The hollow chamber ( 3 ) is closed at the proximal end, such that a high rotational motion of the exhaust gases is set up. The distal end ( 10 ) of hollow chamber ( 3 ) is open for releasing the exhaust gases, which are free of the particulate matter. This high rotational motion of the exhaust gases causes a centrifugal force to act on the particulate matter present in the exhaust gases and it is under the influence of this centrifugal force that the particulate matter is forced to move radially away into the trap ( 6 ) through the ports ( 4 ) in the intermediate portion of the hollow chamber ( 3 ).
[0043] The intermediate portion of the hollow chamber ( 3 ) is provided with a plurality of ports ( 4 ), which allow the particulate laden gas to enter into the trap ( 6 ) enclosed by the cover ( 7 ). The entry of particulate laden gas into the trap ( 6 ) raises the pressure in the enclosed trap ( 6 ). The hollow chamber ( 3 ) is also provided with radial projections ( 5 ) having axial width. The radial projections ( 5 ) also possess ports for the radial flow of particulate laden gases into the trap ( 6 ). The purpose of these radial projections ( 5 ) is to act as an additional centrifugal trap such that the particulate matter present in the rotating particulate laden gases that enter the radial projections ( 5 ) is unable to fall back towards the out-going particulate free exhaust gases, due to the opposing centrifugal force of the rotating mass of gases.
[0044] In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the radial projections ( 5 ) are provided with axial width in the form of a helix. However, any other configuration of the radial projections ( 5 ) can be embodied as is obvious and known to a person skilled in the art.
[0045] The axial surface of hollow chamber ( 3 ) having ports ( 4 ) and radial projections ( 5 ) with axial width that allows the particulate laden gas containing particulate matter to enter into an enclosed trap ( 6 ) further comprises of a fine mesh of high temperature resistant porous material on which the particulate matter gets deposited or the particulate matter sticks to the porous material. The high temperature resistant porous material described above can have as many embodiments as obvious and known to a person skilled in the art.
[0046] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present subject matter, the high temperature resistant porous material is a glass wool or glass wool mixed with metal wool.
[0047] In accordance with another embodiment(s) of the present subject matter, the high temperature resistant porous material is a porous ceramic or metal lattice structure, multi layered fine mesh net made of metal or ceramic, porous earthen ware lattice structure, electrically charged porous material and any other porous material used for similar function or a combination thereof. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present subject matter, the cover ( 7 ) encloses the trap ( 6 ) which is formed by placing the porous material over the ports ( 4 ) and the radial projections ( 5 ) present on the intermediate portion of the hollow chamber ( 3 ).
[0048] Further, to assist the flow of particulate matter into the trap ( 6 ), a pressure gradient is maintained in the trap ( 6 ), for which the cover ( 7 ) is provided with a duct ( 8 ) that connects the trap ( 6 ) having higher pressure to the low pressure area of the rotating gases in the hollow chamber ( 3 ) through the proximal end ( 11 ) of the hollow chamber ( 3 ) for which a suitable port ( 9 ) is provided at the proximal end of the hollow chamber ( 3 ).
[0049] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present subject matter, any particulate matter that is not trapped in the enclosed trap ( 6 ), i.e. does not get stuck to the porous material ( 6 ), is sent back to the centre of rotating exhaust gases at the proximal end ( 11 ) of the hollow chamber ( 3 ) through the duct ( 8 ) on the cover ( 7 ) of the trap ( 6 ) and a port ( 9 ) at the proximal end of the hollow chamber ( 3 ).
[0050] Although the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, this description is not meant to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, as well as alternate embodiments of the invention, will become apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to the description of the invention. It is therefore contemplated that such modifications can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention as defined. | A device to trap and remove particulate matter from exhaust of internal combustion engines, without increasing resistance to the flow of engine exhaust is disclosed herein. The system is provided with a single or a plurality of ducts ( 1 & 2 ) through which exhaust gases enter tangentially into a hollow chamber ( 3 ), causing the gases to spin at high speeds. The spinning gases generate centrifugal force resulting in separation of particulate matter from the exhaust gases. The hollow chamber ( 3 ) contains ports ( 4 ) and radial projections ( 5 ) on its axial surface to allow the separated particulate matter to enter into a trap ( 6 ). The particulate matter entering the trap ( 6 ) gets stuck to a fine mesh of high temperature resistant porous material that may or may not be electrically charged. The trap ( 6 ) is enclosed in a cover ( 7 ) that encases the fine mesh which surrounds the ports ( 4 ) and radial projections ( 5 ). The cover ( 7 ) has a single or plurality of ducts ( 8 ) connecting the trap ( 6 ) to the low pressure area of the rotating gases in the hollow chamber ( 3 ) through the port ( 9 ) provided at the proximal end of the hollow chamber ( 3 ). | 5 |
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to an X-ray imaging apparatus which images a specimen, and a wavefront measuring apparatus which measures a transmitted wavefront of the specimen.
BACKGROUND ART
An X-ray has high transparency in various materials, and can achieve imaging with high spatial resolution. For these reasons, the X-ray is used for a nondestructive inspection of an object or a body as industrial utilization, X-raying as medical utilization, and the like.
That is, by the X-ray in the above utilization, a contrast image is formed by using a difference of absorption in a case where the X-ray transmits through an object or a living body, due to constituent elements and density differences of the object or the living body. It should be noted that such a process is called an X-ray absorption contrast method.
However, since an X-ray absorption capability of a light element is very small, it is difficult by the X-ray absorption contrast method to perform imaging of living soft tissue which consists of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and the like being constituent elements of the living body, or a soft material.
On the other hand, in order to provide a method which can clearly perform imaging of even tissue consisting of light elements, a research for a phase contrast method using a phase difference of X-rays has been performed since 1990's.
Here, as one of various kinds of phase contrast methods, there is the method which is described in PTL 1.
The method described in PTL 1 is one kind of a method which is called a phase shift method. More specifically, in this method, an X-ray which was transmitted through a specimen is irradiated to a diffraction grating, and an intensity distribution (called as a self-image, hereinafter) which arises at a position away from the diffraction grating by a specific distance is imaged as a moiré fringe.
Then, phase information of an X-ray which transmitted through the specimen is obtained on the basis of three or more images which are obtained by scanning the moiré fringe as moving the diffraction grating. At this time, a differential wavefront in one direction is obtained. Therefore, in order to retrieve a wavefront shape, it is generally necessary to a differential wavefront in a direction perpendicular to the above direction.
Incidentally, a phase retrieval method which has been known as a Fourier transform method is disclosed in PTL 2. In this method, a Fourier transform is first performed to the self-image which consists of the fringe components in the mutually perpendicular directions arisen by using a two-dimensional diffraction grading, whereby a frequency map is obtained. Next, the peripheries of two peaks corresponding to the mutually perpendicular fringe components on the obtained frequency map are cut out, an inverse Fourier transform is performed to such respective cut-out regions, and the phases of the respective regions are calculated.
Incidentally, two phase distribution maps thus obtained respectively form differential wavefronts in the mutually perpendicular directions, and a wavefront retrieval process is performed based on these wavefronts, whereby two-dimensional wavefront retrieval is achieved from one interference image.
CITATION LISTS
Patent Literatures
PTL 1: U.S. Pat. No. 7,180,979
PTL 2: Japanese Pat. No. 4,323,955
Non Patent Literature
NPL 1: Mitsuo Takeda et al., J. Opt. Soc. Am., Vol. 72, Issue 1 (1982)
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
Technical Problem
In the method disclosed in PTL1, at least the three images are necessary to obtain the differential wavefront in one direction, and the differential wavefronts in the mutually perpendicular directions are necessary to retrieve the wavefront shape.
For these reasons, at least the six images are necessary in the imaging process, thereby increasing an X-ray radiation dose, and prolonging a measuring time. Thus, such matters become problems in case of applying the above-described method to a medical diagnostic apparatus.
On the other hand, a phase contrast image which is obtained in the method described in PTL 2 has a problem in a point that components which are caused by a transmissivity distribution of a specimen and uneven illumination of a light source are included in addition to a differential phase. For this reason, it is impossible to correctly measure a phase distribution which transmitted through the specimen.
In consideration of the above-described problems, the present invention aims to provide an X-ray imaging apparatus which measures an X-ray phase image of a specimen, in which the X-ray imaging apparatus enables to two-dimensionally retrieve a wavefront as suppressing an influence of a transmissivity distribution of the specimen and uneven illumination of a light source, by utilizing images the number of which is smaller than that in the method disclosed in PTL 1 and with spatial resolution which is higher than that in the method disclosed in PTL 2.
Solution to Problem
In one aspect of the present invention, an X-ray imaging apparatus, which images a specimen, comprises: an X-ray source; a diffraction grating configured to diffract an X-ray from the X-ray source; an X-ray detector configured to detect the X-ray diffracted by the diffraction grating; and a calculator configured to calculate phase information of the specimen on the basis of an intensity distribution of the X-ray detected by the X-ray detector, wherein the calculator obtains a spatial frequency spectrum from the plural intensity distributions, and calculates the phase information from the obtained spatial frequency spectrum.
Other aspects of the present invention will be clarified in the following exemplary embodiments of the present invention.
Advantageous Effects of Invention
According to the present invention, it is possible to achieve high-accurate X-ray phase image measurement which can eliminate a noise due to uneven illumination to a specimen and/or uneven transmission of the specimen and improve spatial resolution.
Further, it is possible to measure a transmitted wavefront on the conditions that the number of imaging operations is less than that in the phase shift method, spatial resolution is higher than that in the conventional Fourier transform method, and an error in the measured wavefront due to an uneven transmissivity of the specimen and uneven illumination of the light source is reduced.
Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a block diagram for describing a constructive example of an X-ray imaging apparatus according to a first embodiment and an example 1 of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram for describing a checked phase grating of the X-ray imaging apparatus according to the example 1 of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a flow chart indicating a wavefront measuring process to be performed by a calculator according to the example 1 of the present invention.
FIGS. 4A , 4 B, 4 C, 4 D, 4 E, 4 F, 4 G and 4 H are diagrams for describing intensity distributions and frequency spectra in a case where a phase modulation grating which has checks respectively having a phase difference π/2 is used, in the example 1 of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a diagram for describing a frequency spectrum cut-out region in a case where the present invention is not applied.
FIG. 6 is a diagram for describing a frequency spectrum cut-out region in the example 1 of the present invention.
FIGS. 7A , 7 B, 7 C, 7 D, 7 E, 7 F, 7 G and 7 H are diagrams for describing intensity distributions and frequency spectra in a case where a phase modulation grating which has checks respectively having a phase difference π is used, in the example 1 of the present invention.
FIGS. 8A , 8 B, 8 C, 8 D, 8 E, 8 F, 8 G and 8 H are diagrams for describing intensity distributions and frequency spectra in a case where an intensity modulation grating of a mesh pattern is used, in the example 1 of the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a block diagram for describing a constructive example of an X-ray imaging apparatus according to an example 2 of the present invention.
FIGS. 10A , 10 B, 10 C, 10 D, 10 E, 10 F, 10 G, 10 H, 10 I, 10 J, 10 K, 10 L, 10 M and 10 N are diagrams for describing intensity distributions and frequency spectra in a case where a phase modulation grating which has a manufacturing error and has checks respectively having a phase difference π is used, in an example 3 of the present invention.
FIGS. 11A , 11 B, 11 C, 11 D, 11 E, 11 F, 11 G and 11 H are diagrams for describing intensity distributions and frequency spectra in a case where a diffraction grating which has periodicity in one direction, in an example 4 of the present invention.
FIG. 12 is a diagram for describing a frequency spectrum cut-out region in the example 4 of the present invention.
FIG. 13 is a block diagram for describing a constructive example of a wavefront measuring apparatus according to an example 5 of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described.
First Embodiment
As a first embodiment, a constructive example of an X-ray imaging apparatus to which the present invention is applied will be described with reference to FIG. 1 .
FIG. 1 illustrates an X-ray source 1 which radiates an X-ray, an X-ray 2 which is radiated by the X-ray source 1 , a specimen 3 which is to be imaged and measured by the X-ray imaging apparatus, and a diffraction grating 4 which periodically modifies a phase or intensity of an incident X-ray in two directions which are perpendicular to each other.
Further, FIG. 1 illustrates an X-ray detector 5 which detects an intensity distribution which arises by a Talbot effect based on the X-ray which transmitted through (or was reflected on) the diffraction grating, a diffraction grating moving unit 6 which changes an in-plane position of the diffraction grating 4 , and a calculator 7 which calculates a differential wavefront and a transmitted wavefront from an image which has been imaged by the X-ray detector 5 .
Namely, the X-ray imaging apparatus according to the present embodiment includes the X-ray source 1 , the diffraction grating 4 , the diffraction grating moving unit 6 , the X-ray detector 5 , and the calculator 7 .
More specifically, the calculator 7 includes a spectrum calculation means which obtains a spatial frequency spectrum of a difference between two imaging intensity distributions obtained by using the diffraction grating moving unit 6 and the X-ray detector 5 , a spectrum separation means which cuts out, from the spatial frequency spectrum obtained by the spectrum calculation means, a frequency component in a period of the imaging intensity distribution, and a differential phase calculation means which calculates a differential phase distribution by performing an inverse Fourier transform to the frequency component obtained by the spectrum separation means.
Hereinafter, the present embodiment will further be described in detail. In the above constitution, the diffraction grating 4 is disposed immediately before or immediately after the specimen 3 to function so that the X-ray which transmitted through the diffraction grating 4 forms the periodic intensity distribution on the X-ray detector 5 .
More specifically, the diffraction grating 4 can be constituted by a phase modulation grating which consists of an X-ray transmission member of which the thickness periodically changes, an intensity modulation grating which has periodically arranged openings, or the like.
In order to obtain a clear intensity distribution, a distance Z 1 between the diffraction grating 4 and the X-ray detector 5 satisfies an expression (1) of Talbot condition as indicated below.
(1/ Z 0 )+(1/ Z 1 )=(1/ N )×(λ/ d 2 ) (1)
In the above expression (1), Z 0 indicates a distance between the X-ray source 1 and the diffraction grating 4 , λ is a wavelength of the X-ray, and d indicates a grating period of the diffraction grating 4 . Further, N is a real number which is expressed as n/2-¼ (n is a natural number) in a case where a phase modulation grating which has checks respectively having a phase difference π/2 is used, a real number which is expressed as n/4-⅛ in a case where a phase modulation grating which has checks respectively having a phase difference π is used, and a real number which is expressed as n in a case where an intensity modulation grating of a mesh pattern is used.
If an inclination of the wavefront changes according to the transmission of the X-ray through the specimen 3 , the radiation direction of the X-ray changes. Thus, the intensity distribution on the X-ray detector moves.
Generally, it is possible to obtain an inclination of the transmitted wavefront (called the differential wavefront, hereinafter) on the specimen 3 , by utilizing a Fourier transform method to an intensity distribution image obtained by the X-ray detector. Here, since the detail of the Fourier transform method is described in NPL 1, only an outline thereof will be described here.
That is, in a frequency spectrum which is obtained by performing a two-dimensional Fourier transform to an intensity distribution, there arise peaks which correspond to a frequency (called a carrier frequency, hereinafter) of a fundamental period component of the intensity distribution (called a carrier fringe, hereinafter) and numerous its harmonic components. Then, the periphery of one of the two peaks which respectively correspond to the perpendicular carrier frequencies is cut out, and such a cut-out component is moved to the center. Further, an inverse Fourier transform is performed to the moved component, and a phase component thereof is obtained, whereby it is possible to obtain a differential wavefront in one direction of a wavefront to be measured.
To retrieve the wavefront, it is necessary to integrate the obtained differential wavefront in a differential direction. However, in general, a change of a wavefront in the direction perpendicular to the differential direction cannot be calculated only by such a process. Namely, it is possible to solve such a problem by performing the same process as described above to the other of the two peaks and thus obtaining the differential wavefronts in the perpendicular two directions.
In the present embodiment, the diffraction grating 4 is moved within a plane by the diffraction grating moving unit 6 , whereby the frequency spectrum of a difference between the two images which are imaged as moving a carrier fringe of the intensity distribution by a half period.
Incidentally, how to obtain the frequency spectrum of the difference between the relevant two images will be briefly described hereinafter. Namely, a subtraction between the two images is first performed, and the Fourier transform may be performed to such an obtained difference image. Alternatively, the Fourier transform is first performed to the two images to calculate the frequency spectra of the respective images, and then a subtraction may be performed between the calculated frequency spectra.
Particularly, in the present embodiment, since the diffraction grating is moved within the plane, the intensity distribution is moved by half of its period. Here, the intensity distribution is imaged before and after the movement. Then, the difference between the two images thus obtained is calculated by the calculator, and the Fourier transform method is applied to the calculated difference image, whereby the inclination of the transmitted wavefront on the specimen is obtained.
Since uneven illumination to the specimen or uneven transmission of the specimen produces the same pattern respectively in the two images, it is possible to eliminate an influence of the uneven illumination and/or the uneven transmission by obtaining the difference between these images. Further, it is also possible to eliminate a peak of a second harmonic of a carrier which restricts spatial resolution in the wavefront measurement by the Fourier transform method, thereby improving the spatial resolution.
As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to achieve high-accurate X-ray phase image measurement which can eliminate a noise due to the uneven illumination to the specimen and/or the uneven transmission of the specimen and improve the spatial resolution.
Second Embodiment
Subsequently, as a second embodiment, a wavefront measuring apparatus to which the first embodiment is applied will be described.
In the present embodiment, the constitution of the first embodiment is applied to the wavefront measuring apparatus which inspects a shape and an internal property of an optical element on the basis of a measured result of a transmitted wavefront.
Namely, the wavefront measuring apparatus according to the present embodiment includes a light source, a diffraction grating which periodically modifies a phase or an intensity of the a light ray irradiated from the light source, and a moving unit which changes an in-plane position of the diffraction grating. Further, the wavefront measuring apparatus includes an imaging device which obtains an intensity distribution which arises by a Talbot effect due to the light ray transmitting through or reflected on the diffraction grating, or an intensity distribution of a moiré fringe which arises by further disposing a shielding member. Furthermore, the wavefront measuring apparatus is constituted to have a calculator which obtains a differential phase distribution of the light ray transmitting through the specimen disposed between the light source and the diffraction grating or between the diffraction grating and the imaging device, and thus measure the transmitted wavefront of the specimen. Here, it should be noted that the moving unit can be provided by the diffraction grating moving unit in the first embodiment and the calculator can be provided by the calculator in the first embodiment.
As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to measure the transmitted wavefront on the conditions that the number of imaging operations is less than that in the phase shift method, the spatial resolution is higher than that in the conventional Fourier transform method, and an error in the measured wavefront due to an uneven transmissivity of the specimen and uneven illumination of the light source is reduced.
EXAMPLES
Hereinafter, examples of the present invention will be described.
Example 1
As an example 1, a constructive example of the X-ray imaging apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. 1 .
In the X-ray imaging apparatus of this example, the X-ray 2 radiated by the X-ray source 1 reaches the X-ray detector 5 through the specimen 3 and the diffraction grating 4 .
Here, the diffraction grating 4 is the phase modulation grating which modulates the phase of the incident X-ray by π/2 or π or the intensity modulation grating which modulates the intensity of the incident X-ray.
If the phase modulation grating is used, the relevant phase modulation grating is made by silicon of which the X-ray transmissivity is large and which is well workable. On the other hand, if the intensity modulation grating is used, the relevant intensity modulation grating is made by gold of which the X-ray transmissivity is small.
Initially, a case where the phase modulation grating of the phase difference π/2 is used as the diffraction grating will be described.
Namely, the phase modulation grating of the phase difference π/2 in which the portions that the phases of the transmission X-ray are relatively different from others by π/2 are two-dimensionally and periodically arranged by periodically changing the thickness of the silicon is formed.
FIG. 2 is a diagram which is obtained by viewing one portion of the diffraction grating in this example from the side of the light source.
That is, the thickness of the diffraction grating is made to have differences so that a transmission phase of a portion 41 having hatched lines is different from a transmission phase of a portion 42 not having hatched lines by π/2. Further, these portions are two-dimensionally arranged with a period d.
FIG. 3 is a flow chart indicating a wavefront measuring process to be performed in this example.
In a step 110 , the X-ray detector is arranged so that the distance Z 1 between the diffraction grating and the X-ray detector satisfies the expression (1) in case of N=¼, whereby a clear intensity distribution image arises on the X-ray detector.
In a step 120 , the intensity distribution is obtained by the X-ray detector, and the obtained intensity distribution is set as an intensity distribution 1 .
FIGS. 4A , 4 B and 4 C respectively illustrate the position state of the diffraction grating 4 at this time, the intensity distribution on the X-ray detector, and the frequency spectrum obtained by performing the two-dimensional Fourier transform to the intensity distribution on the X-ray detector.
In a step 130 , the intensity distribution is moved by ½ of the period by moving, with the diffraction grating moving unit 6 , the diffraction grating 4 in the vertical or horizontal direction by a half period, i.e., ½ of the period d illustrated in FIG. 2 .
In a step 140 , the intensity distribution is again obtained by the X-ray detector, and the obtained intensity distribution is set as an intensity distribution 2 .
FIGS. 4D , 4 E and 4 F respectively illustrate the position state of the diffraction grating 4 at this time, the intensity distribution on the X-ray detector, and the frequency spectrum obtained by performing the two-dimensional Fourier transform to the intensity distribution on the X-ray detector.
Here, it should be noted that FIGS. 4C and 4F seem the same because light and shade are represented on the drawing sheet according to the magnitudes of the absolute values of the frequency spectra. Namely, a sign of the carrier peak being the peak corresponding to the carrier fringe in FIG. 4C is reversed in regard to that in FIG. 4F .
On the other hand, since the peak at the center of the frequency spectrum corresponds to the component which arises from uneven illumination to the specimen and uneven transmission of the specimen but does not arise from movement of the carrier, a sign of the peak is unchanged. For this reason, it is possible to eliminate the peak at the center by obtaining a difference between the intensity distribution 1 and the intensity distribution 2 . In a step 150 , the frequency spectrum of the difference between the intensity distributions before and after the movement of the diffraction grating is obtained.
FIG. 4G illustrates the difference between the intensity distributions before and after the movement of the diffraction grating.
FIG. 4H illustrates the frequency spectrum of the difference between these intensity distributions. Here, it can be understood that the peak at the center has disappeared.
Incidentally, it is needless to say that, in case of calculating the frequency spectrum of the difference between the intensity distributions before and after the movement of the diffraction grating, it is possible to first calculate the frequency spectra of the intensity distributions 1 and 2 and then calculate the difference between the calculated frequency spectra.
In a step 160 , a region near the carrier frequency is cut out. Here, if the region to be cut out (called the cut-out region) is made large, spatial resolution of the differential phase distribution to be calculated in a later step improves.
However, in order to reduce an influence of peak other than the carrier peak, the cut-out region is restricted to be within the intermediate line between the carrier peak and the peak other than the carrier peak.
FIG. 5 is a diagram for describing the cut-out region in a case where the present invention is not applied, that is, in a case where the difference between the intensity distributions is not obtained. As illustrated in the drawing, cut-out regions 340 and 341 are a maximum region as the cut-out regions in the two directions perpendicular to each other as centering on the carrier frequency.
If it is assumed that a pixel size of the X-ray detector is P, an absolute value of a spatial frequency capable of being expressed (called an expressible spatial frequency) is restricted to be equal to or lower than a Nyquist frequency, i.e., within a range of ±1/2P. Further, the expressible spatial frequencies are restricted inside the intermediate line between carrier peaks 310 and a peak 320 at the center and inside intermediate line between carrier peaks 311 and a peak 320 . For this reason, the maximum cut-out region is inside the two squares which have the peaks 310 and 311 as the respective centers, of which each side is ½√2P, and which incline by 45°.
On the other hand, FIG. 6 is a diagram for describing the cut-out region in a case where the present invention is applied. As illustrated in the drawing, cut-out regions 350 and 351 are a maximum region as the cut-out regions in the two directions perpendicular to each other as centering on the carrier frequency.
Since the peak at the center has disappeared, the cut-out region can be increased up to the intermediate line between the adjacent carrier peaks.
Therefore, the maximum cut-out region is inside the erected two squares which have the peaks 310 and 311 as the respective centers, and of which each side is ±1/2P.
Since the area of the cut-out regions 350 and 351 in FIG. 6 is twice the area of the cut-out regions 340 and 341 in FIG. 5 , the frequency components which can be retrieved in FIG. 6 are large accordingly, whereby it is possible to resultingly obtain an X-ray phase image of which the spatial resolution is high.
In a step 170 , the spatial frequency spectrum which has been cut out is moved to the original point, and an inverse Fourier transform is performed.
In a step 180 , a phase component of a complex distribution obtained in the step 170 is calculated. Since the calculated phase has been generally convoluted into 0 to 2π, the differential phase distribution is obtained by performing phase unwrapping. Further, if the differential phase is integrated so that the obtained differential phases in the two directions perpendicular to each other are simultaneously satisfied, the phase distribution of the X-ray which transmitted through the specimen, i.e., the transmitted wavefront, can be obtained as need arises.
Incidentally, as another method of obtaining the phase distribution, there may be a method of fitting the differential phase to a differential function sequence which is obtained by differentiating a function sequence such as a Zernike polynomial or the like to a periodicity direction of the carrier fringe. Further, if the sum of the intensity distributions 1 and 2 is obtained as need arises, information indicating X-ray transmission of the specimen can be obtained because the carrier peak disappears.
Subsequently, a case where the phase modulation grating of the phase difference π is used as the diffraction grating will be described. However, the process which is the same as that to be performed in the above-described case where the phase modulation grating of the phase difference π/2 is used will be omitted.
In the step 130 , the diffraction grating is moved so that the intensity distribution on the X-ray detector is deviated in both the vertical and horizontal directions by a half period. The distance by which the diffraction grating is moved is 1/√2 of the case where the phase modulation grating of the phase difference π/2 is used, and the direction in which the diffraction grating is moved is the direction which inclines by 45° from the case where the phase modulation grating of the phase difference π/2 is used.
FIGS. 7A , 7 B and 7 C respectively illustrate the position state of the diffraction grating, the intensity distribution on the X-ray detector, and the frequency spectrum obtained by performing the two-dimensional Fourier transform to the intensity distribution on the X-ray detector, in the case where the phase modulation grating of the phase difference π is used.
FIGS. 7D , 7 E and 7 F respectively illustrate the position state of the diffraction grating, the intensity distribution on the X-ray detector, and the frequency spectrum obtained by performing the two-dimensional Fourier transform to the intensity distribution on the X-ray detector, after the diffraction grating was moved.
FIG. 7G illustrates the difference between the intensity distributions before and after the movement of the diffraction grating, and FIG. 7H illustrates the difference between the frequency spectra before and after the movement of the diffraction grating.
As well as the case where the phase modulation grating of the phase difference π/2 is used, since unnecessary peaks other than the carrier peak disappear, a difference in the calculated differential phase distribution is recued.
Moreover, since the unnecessary peaks disappear, it is possible to make the cut-out region of the frequency spectrum in the step 160 large, whereby it is possible to resultingly obtain the X-ray phase image of which the spatial resolution is high.
Further, a case where an intensity modulation grating having a mesh pattern is used as the diffraction grating will be described. However, the process which is the same as that to be performed in the above-described case where the phase modulation grating of the phase difference π/2 is used will be omitted.
In the step 130 , the diffraction grating is moved so that the intensity distribution on the X-ray detector is deviated in both the vertical and horizontal directions by a half period. Namely, if it is assumed that the period of the diffraction grating is d as illustrated in FIG. 8A , the diffraction grating is moved in both the vertical and horizontal directions by d/2.
FIGS. 8A , 8 B and 8 C respectively illustrate the position state of the diffraction grating, the intensity distribution on the X-ray detector, and the frequency spectrum obtained by performing the two-dimensional Fourier transform to the intensity distribution on the X-ray detector, in a case where the intensity modulation grating which includes transmission portions and shielding (or light shielding) portions is used.
FIGS. 8D , 8 E and 8 F respectively illustrate the position state of the diffraction grating, the intensity distribution on the X-ray detector, and the frequency spectrum obtained by performing the two-dimensional Fourier transform to the intensity distribution on the X-ray detector, after the diffraction grating was moved. Incidentally, in FIGS. 8 A and 8 D, the black portions indicate the shielding portions respectively.
FIG. 8G illustrates the difference between the intensity distributions before and after the movement of the diffraction grating, and FIG. 8H illustrates the difference between the frequency spectra before and after the movement of the diffraction grating. As well as the case where the phase modulation grating of the phase difference π/2 is used, since unnecessary peaks other than the carrier peak disappear, a difference in the calculated differential phase distribution is recued.
Moreover, since the unnecessary peaks disappear, it is possible, as well as the case where the phase modulation grating of the phase difference π/2 is used, to make the cut-out region of the frequency spectrum in the step 160 large, whereby it is possible to resultingly obtain the X-ray phase image of which the spatial resolution is high.
Example 2
As an example 2, a constructive example of the X-ray imaging apparatus which is different from that in the example 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 9 .
In this example, only portions which are different from the example 1 will be described.
It should be noted that this example is effective to reduce a size of the X-ray imaging apparatus in which a Talbot interference is used.
Here, to reduce the size of the X-ray imaging apparatus, it is necessary to reduce the period d of the diffraction grating so that the distances Z 0 and Z 1 in the expression (1) become small. Therefore, since the period of the intensity distribution is approximately equal to or less than the existing pixel of the X-ray detector, it is impossible to retrieve the wavefront by the Fourier transform method. Consequently, a moiré fringe is formed by a shielding member which has a period slightly different from the period of the intensity distribution by the Talbot interference, and the wavefront is retrieved based on a distortion of the intensity distribution enlarged to the moiré fringe.
In this example, a shielding member 8 which has a period slightly different from the period of the intensity distribution is disposed immediately before the X-ray detector 5 , thereby forming the moiré fringe and thus obtaining the intensity distribution of the moiré fringe.
More specifically, since the distortion has arisen in the moiré fringe based on the phase distribution of the X-ray which transmitted through the specimen 3 , the differential phase distribution or the phase distribution of the X-ray which transmitted through the specimen 3 is obtained according to the procedure of FIG. 3 same as that in the example 1.
Unlike the example 1, second imaging corresponding to the step 130 is performed as moving the period of the moiré fringe by a half period.
Here, to move the distribution of the moiré fringe on the X-ray detector, it may move the diffraction grating 4 within the plane of the diffraction grating.
Otherwise, it may move the shielding member 8 within the plane of the making member.
According to the steps 140 to 180 , even if the size of the apparatus is small, it is possible to measure the wavefront on which an error in the measured wavefront due to an uneven transmissivity of the specimen and uneven illumination of the light source has been reduced. Further, if it is designed that the region to be cut out from the spatial frequency spectrum becomes maximum as illustrated in FIG. 6 , the spatial resolution of the calculated differential phase distribution or the calculated phase distribution is maximized.
Example 3
As an example 3, a constructive example of the X-ray imaging apparatus which is different from those in the examples 1 and 2 will be described with reference to FIGS. 10A to 10N .
In this example, only portions which are different from the examples 1 and 2 will be described.
In this example, with respect to the checked phase modulation grating which has the phase difference π and is used as the diffraction grating, even if the phase difference is deviated from π due to a defect in manufacturing or the checks are deformed, it enables to eliminate a noise due to uneven illumination to the specimen and/or uneven transmission of the specimen, and it enables to measure the transmitted wavefront of the specimen with a high degree of accuracy on the condition that the spatial resolution has been improved.
If the phase difference of the phase modulation grating having the phase difference π is deviated from π due to the defect in manufacturing and/or if the checks in the periodic structure are deviated from rectangles, zero-dimensional light which does not exist ideally is generated. Then, if the zero-dimensional light is generated, an interference between the zero-dimensional light and plus and minus one-dimensional light arises. Thus, an intensity distribution of a lower frequency is generated, whereby an error arises in the phase calculation by the Fourier transform method.
FIGS. 10A , 10 B and 10 C respectively illustrate the position state of the diffraction grating, the intensity distribution on the X-ray detector, and the frequency spectrum obtained by performing the two-dimensional Fourier transform to the intensity distribution on the X-ray detector, in a case where the phase modulation grating of the phase difference π in which the periodic structure thereof has been deviated from the checks due to the defect in manufacturing is used.
Here, it can be understood that, in the frequency spectrum of FIG. 10C , a frequency spectrum which does not exist in the frequency spectrum of FIG. 7C in the case where a defect in manufacturing does not arises exists.
The spectrum which arises due to the defect in manufacturing of the diffraction grating cannot be eliminated by the difference spectrum of which the obtaining procedure is indicated in FIG. 3 . Thus, in this example, a differential phase distribution is calculated based on four imaging intensity distributions obtained by moving the intensity distribution on the X-ray detector.
As well as FIGS. 7D , 7 E and 7 F, FIGS. 10D , 10 E and 10 F respectively illustrate the position state of the diffraction grating, the intensity distribution on the X-ray detector, and the frequency spectrum obtained by performing the two-dimensional Fourier transform to the intensity distribution on the X-ray detector, in a case where the diffraction grating is moved.
Incidentally, the diffraction grating is moved so that the intensity distribution on the X-ray detector is deviated in the periodic vertical and horizontal directions by a half period.
FIGS. 10G , 10 H and 10 I respectively illustrate the position state of the diffraction grating, the intensity distribution on the X-ray detector, and the frequency spectrum obtained by performing the two-dimensional Fourier transform to the intensity distribution on the X-ray detector, in a case where the diffraction grating is moved by the movement amount same as that in the movement of the diffraction grating indicated in FIG. 10D and in the direction perpendicularly changed by 90° from that in the movement of the diffraction grating indicated in FIG. 10D .
FIGS. 10J , 10 K and 10 L respectively illustrate the position state of the diffraction grating, the intensity distribution on the X-ray detector, and the frequency spectrum obtained by performing the two-dimensional Fourier transform to the intensity distribution on the X-ray detector, in a case where both the movement of the diffraction grating indicated in FIG. 10D and the movement of the diffraction grating indicated in FIG. 10G are performed.
Here, if it is assumed that the imaging intensity distribution corresponding to FIG. 10B is IA, the imaging intensity distribution corresponding to FIG. 10E is IB, the imaging intensity distribution corresponding to FIG. 10H is IC, and the imaging intensity distribution corresponding to FIG. 10K is ID, then the intensity distribution corresponding to IA−IB−IC+ID is indicated in FIG. 10M .
In this regard, the imaging intensity distributions respectively indicated by IA to ID are the imaging intensity distributions which are obtained as indicated below.
That is, a moving unit is constituted by a first moving unit which can change the in-plane position of the diffraction grating so as to move the period of the intensity distribution in both the perpendicular two periodicity directions by ½, and a second moving unit which changes the position of the diffraction grating or the shielding member in the same plane as that of the first moving unit, in the direction perpendicular to that of the first moving unit, and by the same distance as that of the first moving unit.
Then, the imaging intensity distribution IA is obtained without using the moving unit, and the imaging intensity distribution IB is obtained by using only the first moving unit. Further, the imaging intensity distribution IC is obtained by using only the second moving unit, and the imaging intensity distribution ID is obtained by using the first moving unit and the second moving unit.
FIG. 10N indicates the frequency spectrum which is obtained by performing the two-dimensional Fourier transform to the intensity distribution indicated in FIG. 10M . It can be understood from this drawing that the spectrum which arose due to the defect in manufacturing of the diffraction grating has been eliminated.
In this example, as described above, with respect to the intensity distribution which is obtained by the expression (IA−IB−IC+ID) in which the imaging intensity distributions respectively obtained at the four diffraction grating positions are added/subtracted, the differential phase distribution or the phase distribution is calculated on the basis of the frequency spectrum obtained by the two-dimensional Fourier transform.
Here, the calculation of the phase at this time is performed according to the steps 160 , 170 and 180 respectively described in the example 1.
According to this example, since the spectrum which arises due to the defect in manufacturing of the diffraction grating is eliminated, it is possible to increase accuracy of the phase calculation in the Fourier transform method.
In the above-described examples 1 to 3, the diffraction grating, the shielding member or the X-ray detector is disposed so that the period of the intensity distribution or the intensity distribution of the moiré fringe has the size being 2√2 times the pixel size of the X-ray detector and the periodicity direction of the relevant intensity distribution inclines from the pixel arrangement of the X-ray detector by 45°. Further, the spectrum separation means in the calculator is constructed to be able to cut out, from the spatial frequency spectrum obtained by the Fourier transform, the rectangular region which includes the frequencies from the zero frequency to the Nyquist frequency, respectively in the perpendicular two periodicity directions of the pixel arrangement of the X-ray detector. By doing so, since the maximum frequency region centering on the carrier peak is cut out, the spatial resolution of the calculated differential phase distribution is maximized.
Example 4
As an example 4, a constructive example of the X-ray imaging apparatus which is different from those in the above examples 1 to 3 will be described with reference to FIGS. 11A to 11H and FIG. 12 .
In this example, only portions which are different from the examples 1 to 3 will be described. Incidentally, although the diffraction grating which has periodicity in the two directions is used as the diffraction grating in the examples 1 to 3, the phase modulation grating or the intensity modulation grating which has periodicity in one direction is used in this example.
The diffraction grating having periodicity in one direction has an advantage that manufacturing is easier than the diffraction grating having periodicity in two directions.
FIGS. 11A , 11 B and 11 C respectively illustrate the position state of the diffraction grating, the intensity distribution on the X-ray detector, and the frequency spectrum obtained by performing the two-dimensional Fourier transform to the intensity distribution on the X-ray detector, in a case where the phase modulation grating which periodically modifies the phase in one direction by π/2 is used.
FIGS. 11D , 11 E and 11 F respectively illustrate the position state of the diffraction grating, the intensity distribution on the X-ray detector, and the frequency spectrum obtained by performing the two-dimensional Fourier transform to the intensity distribution on the X-ray detector, after the diffraction grating was moved so as to deviate the intensity distribution on the X-ray detector in the horizontal direction having periodicity by a half period.
FIG. 11G illustrates the difference between the intensity distributions before and after the movement of the diffraction grating, and FIG. 11H illustrates the difference between the frequency spectra before and after the movement of the diffraction grating.
As illustrated in FIG. 11H , since unnecessary peaks other than the carrier peak have been eliminated, a difference in the differential phase distribution is recued.
Here, the differential phase distribution is calculated from the difference spectrum illustrated in FIG. 11H according to the steps 160 , 170 and 180 .
When the period of the intensity distribution is four times the size of the pixel of the X-ray detector and the periodicity direction of the intensity distribution coincides with the arrangement direction of the pixels of the X-ray detector, the spatial resolution of the differential phase distribution to be calculated is maximized.
FIG. 12 illustrates the frequency spectrum at this time. As illustrated in the drawing, a peak 620 at the center and a peak 630 corresponding to a second harmonic of the carrier peak have been eliminated by the difference of the imaging intensity distribution obtained after the movement of the diffraction grating. Thus, a region 640 which is a hatched-line rectangular region and based on a carrier peak 610 can be cut out.
This region, that is, the frequency region which includes frequencies from a zero frequency to a Nyquist frequency in the periodicity direction of the intensity distribution and includes the overall frequency region between the Nyquist frequencies in the direction perpendicular to the periodicity direction of the intensity distribution is maximum as the region to be cut out as centering on the carrier peak. Thus, the spatial resolution of the calculated differential phase distribution is maximized.
Even in the case where the phase modulation grating of the phase difference π or the phase modulation grating is used, the differential phase distribution in which the error has been reduced can be calculated based on the two imaging intensity distributions obtained by moving the diffraction grating so as to deviate the intensity distribution by a half period, as well as the phase modulation grating of the phase difference π/2.
When the phase modulation grating of the phase difference π/2 is used, the movement amount of the diffraction grating is ½ of the grating period. When the phase modulation grating of the phase difference π is used, the movement amount of the diffraction grating is ¼ of the grating period. When the intensity modulation grating is used, the movement amount of the diffraction grating is ½ of the grating period.
In this example, the phase distribution can be obtained by integrating the obtained differential phase of the diffraction grating in the periodicity direction.
To more accurately calculate the phase distribution, for example, it is possible to calculate the differential phases in the two or more directions by changing the periodicity direction by rotating the diffraction grating within the plane, and obtain the phase distribution by which the calculated differential phases are simultaneously satisfied.
Example 5
As an example 5, a constructive example of the wavefront measuring apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. 13 .
In this example, only portions which are different from the examples 1 to 4 will be described.
A light source 11 , which is constituted by, e.g., a laser, radiates coherent light. A specimen 13 is, e.g., an optical element, and more concretely a lens or a lens group which is a target of wavefront measurement.
An illumination optical system 12 , which is disposed between the light source 11 and the specimen 13 , converts a light wave generated by the light source 11 into a wavefront of which the aberration has been known. The illumination optical system 12 is constituted by, e.g., a pinhole of which the aperture is sufficiently small, and generates the wavefront which is approximated by a spherical wave.
A diffraction grating 14 periodically modulates an intensity or a phase of the light radiated by the light source, in one direction or perpendicular two directions. The light which transmitted through the diffraction grating 14 generates a periodic intensity distribution by the Talbot effect, at a position which satisfies the above-described expression (1).
A light detector 15 is a two-dimensional imaging element which images the intensity distribution. A CCD or the like is used as the light detector 15 . A moving unit 16 , which moves the diffraction grating 14 in a plane, can move the intensity distribution in the periodicity direction by a half period. A calculator 17 calculates a differential phase distribution of incident light to the diffraction grating 14 , from the imaging intensity distribution obtained according to the procedure indicated in FIG. 3 . Namely, it is possible, from the differential phase distributions in the perpendicular two directions, to obtain the phase distribution which simultaneously satisfies these distributions, that is, the transmitted wavefront of the specimen 13 .
As just described, the embodiments and the examples of the present invention are explained. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments and examples. Namely, various modifications and equivalent arrangements can be attained within the spirit and scope of the invention.
The technical components described in the specification or the drawings exert technical utility by themselves or by various combinations thereof, but are not limited to the combination described in the appended claims. Further, the technique exemplified in the specification or the drawings accomplishes plural objects simultaneously. Furthermore, the technique has technical utility by accomplishing one of these objects.
Industrial Applicability
The present invention can be used to an X-ray imaging apparatus which measures an X-ray phase image of a specimen, and a wavefront measuring apparatus which measures a transmitted wavefront of the specimen.
While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.
This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-016606, filed Jan. 28, 2010, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST
1 X-ray source
2 X-ray
3 specimen
4 diffraction grating
5 X-ray detector
6 diffraction grating moving unit
7 calculator | There is provided an X-ray imaging apparatus which images a specimen. The X-ray imaging apparatus comprises: an X-ray source; a diffraction grating configured to diffract an X-ray from the X-ray source; an X-ray detector configured to detect the X-ray diffracted by the diffraction grating; and a calculator configured to calculate phase information of the specimen on the basis of an intensity distribution of the X-ray detected by the X-ray detector, wherein the calculator obtains a spatial frequency spectrum from the plural intensity distributions, and calculates the phase information from the obtained spatial frequency spectrum. | 6 |
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates to tools or tool parts for use in molding a product from slurry. The disclosure also relates to a method of producing such a tool, and to various uses of such tools or tool parts.
BACKGROUND
[0002] It is known to mold products from a pulp slurry by dipping a porous mold into a pulp slurry and subsequently drying and optionally pressing the thus molded product. Examples of such products are egg cartons, shock absorbing packaging inserts and paper trays, paper cups, drink carry out trays, mushroom and berry boxes and other forms of industrial, agricultural and consumer packaging.
[0003] Porous pulp molding dies have been made of a woven wire cloth material, which is stretched to conform to a die surface. Such dies have some disadvantages in terms of the amount of distortion or stretching of which the wire cloth is capable to enable it to conform to the die surface. Further disadvantages include the propensity of the wire cloth to rupture. The use of wire cloth is also associated with some limitations on the complexity of the products that can be molded. In particular, when forming a wire cloth into a mold, the pores of the wire cloth will be deformed, and so it is not possible to control the distribution of the openings.
[0004] Yet another disadvantage is the cost of making such molds: as the wire cloth is typically not self supporting, it will be necessary to provide also a metal backing which is specific for the product that is to be molded. The tools are moreover prone to clogging and difficult to repair.
[0005] It is also known, from e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 3,067,470, to provide a porous pulp molding die from small spherical bodies, which are sintered together so as to provide a porous body. The bodies may be made from polymer material as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,067,470. However, dies of this type suffer not only from disadvantages in terms of strength and limited temperature range in which they may be used. They also suffer from a trade-off between surface quality and pressure drop: the finer the particles used at the surface, the smaller the channels will be and thus the greater the pressure drop.
[0006] WO2011059391A1 discloses a method of making a pulp molding die by sintering together particles of a metallic material, such as bronze. While such a die may withstand higher temperatures as compared to the polymer based die, its manufacturing is associated with a more difficult sintering process, as higher temperatures are required. Moreover, the finished die suffers from the same advantages as that made of polymer material.
[0007] Hence, several challenges remain with respect to the molding of products from pulp: It would be desirable to provide smoother surface structures, to reduce energy consumption, to provide a less expensive process for making the mold and to provide a mold that is durable and can be subjected to elevated temperatures. There is also a desire to provide improved quality control of the forming process.
SUMMARY
[0008] It is an object of the present disclosure to provide an improved mold for molding a product from a pulp slurry.
[0009] The invention is defined by the appended independent claims with embodiments being set forth in the appended dependent claims, in the following description and in the drawings.
[0010] According to a first aspect, there is provided a tool or tool part for use in a process of molding a product from a pulp slurry. The tool or tool part comprises a self-supporting tool wall portion having a product face, for contacting the product, and a back face on the other side of the wall relative to the product face. The tool wall portion presents pores, which are provided by a plurality of channels extending through the tool wall portion, from the product face to the back face. The channels are straight or curved with no more than one point of inflection.
[0011] For the purpose of the present disclosure, the term “pulp” should be construed so as to include materials comprising fibers such as cellulose, minerals and starch and combinations of these materials. The pulp preferably has a liquid carrier, which may comprise water.
[0012] The term “self supporting” means that the tool wall portion is sufficiently rigid and has a melting point that is sufficiently high for the tool wall portion not to require any support structure for maintaining its shape during operation.
[0013] The product face may be a molding face in a slurry pickup tool, a contact face in a transfer tool or a molding face in a male or female pressing tool.
[0014] A curved channel may be curved in one or more planes.
[0015] A tool or tool part according to the inventive concept is capable of providing efficient pickup, transfer or evaporation of pulp used or molding the product, while requiring less energy for vacuum generation as compared to prior art.
[0016] The tool or tool part may have a product face that presents a planar surface portion and a convex surface portion.
[0017] A convex surface portion may be convex in one or two mutually perpendicular planes.
[0018] A tool wall may present a thickness that is smaller at the convex surface portion than at the planar surface portion, preferably 30-70% smaller or 40-60% smaller.
[0019] The convex surface portion may present greater porosity than the planar surface portion.
[0020] Hence, vacuum is provided where needed.
[0021] The product surface may present a planar surface portion and a concave surface portion.
[0022] The planar surface portion may present greater porosity than the concave surface portion.
[0023] A concave surface portion may be concave in one or two mutually perpendicular planes.
[0024] The product surface may have a pair of surface portions which are substantially planar and present an angle of 45°-135° to each other, wherein the surface portion presenting the greatest angle to a horizontal plane during a principal operation of the tool or tool part presents greater porosity than the other surface portion.
[0025] The “principal operation of the tool” is understood as that part of the tool's operation during which it performs its principal function in relation to the product that is to be molded. Hence, for a pickup tool, the principal function will be performed in the position when pulp is being picked up by means of an applied vacuum. For a transfer tool, the principal operation will be performed at the point when the pulp is being transferred from the pickup tool to the transfer tool. For a pressing tool, the principal operation will be the pressing operation.
[0026] At least some of the channels may present a channel opening area at the product face that is smaller than a corresponding channel opening area at the back face.
[0027] Hence, the risk of clogging is reduced.
[0028] At least some of the channels may present a cross section which tapers towards the product face.
[0029] At least some of the channels may present a central axis, which extends at an angle of 40-90 degrees relative to the product surface.
[0030] At least some of the channels may present a curved central axis.
[0031] The product surface may present first and second juxtaposed surface portions, and central axes of channels opening at the first surface portion may extend at a different angle relative to the product face of the surface portion at which they open than central axes of channels opening at the second surface portion.
[0032] A void volume inside the tool or tool part may be at least 20%, preferably at least 40%, at least 60% or at least 80% of a total volume spanned by the tool or tool part.
[0033] Void volume is volume made up of void, i.e. not of heaters, support bodies or the like.
[0034] Hence, enhanced distribution of vacuum to the product face is achieved, which, in turn, reduced the need for vacuum power.
[0035] At least some of the channels may present a length which exceeds a wall thickness near the channel.
[0036] Product face openings of at least some of the channels may have a cross section having a greatest width of 0.1-2 mm.
[0037] At least some of the channels may present at least one branch situated between the product face and the back face.
[0038] The tool walls have a thickness of 0.2-20 mm, preferably 0.3-15 mm or 0.5-10 mm.
[0039] The tool wall portion may be formed as a homogenous piece of material, with less than 95%, preferably less than 99% or less than 99.9%, voids between channels.
[0040] The tool or tool part may be formed of a material and with a wall thickness that are sufficient for the tool or tool part to be self supporting during operation.
[0041] The back face of the tool may be at least 50%, preferably at least 70% or at least 90%, exposed to a chamber that is adapted for providing an air pressure other than ambient pressure.
[0042] The tool or tool part may form part of a tool selected from a group consisting of:
[0043] a pickup tool for picking up pulp from a pulp slurry,
[0044] a transfer tool for receiving an amount of pulp from another tool, and
[0045] a pressing tool for pressing an amount of pulp to form a molded product.
[0046] The tool or tool part may comprise at least two tool wall portions which are interconnectable, preferably moveably interconnectable.
[0047] According to a second aspect, there is provided a system for molding a product from a pulp slurry, comprising at least one tool or tool part as described above, means for applying pulp to the product face, and means for drawing a vacuum and/or applying a pressure greater than ambient air pressure at the rear face.
[0048] The system may further comprise a heating element, which is arranged on a rear side of the tool wall portion and adapted to supply heat to the tool wall portion.
[0049] The heating element may be arranged in a heater portion, which is spaced from the tool wall portion.
[0050] The heater portion may be formed in one piece with the tool wall portion.
[0051] The heater portion may be formed by a separate part, contacting the tool wall portion via at least one spacer element.
[0052] The separate part may be formed from a different material than the tool wall portion. The spacer element may be integrally formed with the tool wall portion or with the heater portion. Preferably the spacer element(s) is positioned so as not to block any of the channels. This may be facilitated by forming the spacer elements on the rear face of the tool wall portion.
[0053] As an alternative, the heating element may be integrated with the tool wall portion.
[0054] For example, the heating element may be recessed in the rear face of the tool wall portion.
[0055] According to a third aspect, there is provided a method of producing a tool or tool part for molding a product from a pulp slurry, comprising providing particles of a material from which the tool or tool part is to be formed, successively dispensing a plurality of layers of said particles at a target surface, and directing an energy source at locations of each dispensed layer of particles at the target surface corresponding to cross-sections of the tool or tool part to be produced therein, such that the powder particles are fused together.
[0056] The method may further comprise forming a tool wall portion having pores provided by a plurality of channels extending through the tool wall portion, from a product face to a back face, wherein the channels are straight or curved with no more than one point of inflection.
[0057] According to a fourth aspect, there is provided a method of molding a product from a pulp slurry, the method comprising providing a mold as described above, applying a vacuum to the rear face of the mold, and applying pulp slurry to the product face of the mold.
[0058] The method may further comprise using the mold for picking up the pulp slurry from a slurry container.
[0059] The method may further comprise using the mold for pressing the pulp slurry to form the product, whereby at least some solvent is removed from the pulp slurry.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0060] FIGS. 1 a -1 d schematically illustrate a process for forming a product from a pulp slurry.
[0061] FIGS. 2 a -2 e schematically illustrate mold wall portions having different channel designs.
[0062] FIG. 3 schematically illustrates a part of a mold wall.
[0063] FIG. 4 schematically illustrates a part of a press mold according to a first embodiment.
[0064] FIG. 5 schematically illustrates a part of a press mold according to a second embodiment.
[0065] FIG. 6 schematically illustrates a part of a press mold according to a third embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0066] FIG. 1 a schematically illustrates a pickup tool 1 which is partially immersed in container 1 holding a pulp slurry 2 . The pickup tool is mounted to a tool holder 11 , which together with the pickup tool defines a vacuum chamber 12 that is connected to a pressure regulator P 1 . The pressure regulator may have the capability of selectively generating an at least partial vacuum (i.e. air pressure lower than ambient air pressure) and/or an air pressure greater than ambient air pressure.
[0067] While the pickup tool is immersed in the pulp slurry 2 , the pressure regulator P 1 may generate a vacuum, causing pulp fibers 3 to stick to a product face of the pickup tool 10 .
[0068] FIG. 1 b schematically illustrates the pickup tool 10 transferring the pulp fibers 3 to a transfer tool 20 . The transfer tool may be connected to a second pressure regulator P 2 , which is capable of generating a vacuum or an air pressure. The transfer tool may also be mounted on a transfer tool holder 21 so as to define a vacuum chamber 22 , which is connected to the second pressure regulator.
[0069] During the transfer of the pulp fibers 3 from the pickup tool to the transfer tool, an air pressure greater than ambient pressure may be generated by the first pressure regulator P 1 to cause the pulp fibers to release from the pickup tool.
[0070] Alternatively, or a as a supplement, a vacuum may be generated by the second pressure regulator P 2 , causing the pulp fibers to be received by the transfer tool 20 .
[0071] FIG. 1 c schematically illustrates a drying arrangement comprising a heat 5 generator and an energy supply E. The drying arrangement may be used to remove a sufficient amount of water from the pulp 3 to condition it for further treatment and/or to finish the forming of the product 3 ′.
[0072] FIG. 1 d schematically illustrates a pressing arrangement comprising a male pressing tool 30 and a female pressing tool 40 . One, or both, of the pressing tools may be mounted on a respective tool holder 31 , 41 and be connected to a respective vacuum chamber 32 , 42 . The vacuum chambers may be connected to a respective pressure regulator P 3 , P 4 .
[0073] One, or both, of the pressing tools may be provided with a heating element 33 , 43 , energized by an energy supply E 1 , E 2 and optionally controlled by a controller C. The heating may be achieved by electric heating elements, hot air or liquid or induction.
[0074] The pressing tools and their associated tool holders may be movable relative one another between an open position, wherein a partially molded pulp product may be inserted, and a pressing position, wherein the pressing tools are forced towards each other thus pressing the product 3 ″ between product faces of the respective tool 30 , 40 .
[0075] When in the pressing position, heat may be supplied by one, or both, of the heaters 33 , 43 .
[0076] During the pressing step, one or both pressure regulators P 3 , P 4 may provide a vacuum to assist in the evacuation of water vapor from the product 3 ″.
[0077] As an alternative, one of the pressure regulators may provide a vacuum while the other one provides a pressure greater than the ambient air pressure.
[0078] Optionally, hot air or steam may be introduced through the molds during the pressing process ( FIG. 1 d ).
[0079] It is noted that two or more successive pressing steps may be used, e.g. to gradually form all or parts of the product 3 ″ and/or to apply additional features to the product, such as coatings, décors and the like.
[0080] In one embodiment, steps are performed in accordance with what has been described with respect to FIGS. 1 a , 1 b and 1 d.
[0081] In one embodiment, the pickup tool 10 may transfer the pulp fibers directly to a drying arrangement. Such transfer may be assisted by the first pressure regulator P 1 generating an air pressure greater than the ambient air pressure. Hence, in this embodiment, steps are performed in accordance with what has been described with respect to FIGS. 1 a and 1 c only.
[0082] In another embodiment, the pickup tool 10 may be used also as a pressing tool. Hence, in this embodiment, steps are performed in accordance with what has been described with respect to FIGS. 1 a and 1 d only.
[0083] FIGS. 2 a -2 e schematically illustrate mold wall portions having different channel designs. The mold walls all have a product face Fp and a back face Fb. The product face is that face of the mold which will contact the product and the back face is the opposite face of the mold wall. The back face may typically define part of a vacuum chamber.
[0084] The mold walls may have a thickness of 0.25 to 10 mm, preferably 0.5 to 5 mm. The wall thickness may vary between different parts of the tool. Also, tools having different functions may have different thicknesses.
[0085] The channels connect the product face with the back face Fb. A channel's product face opening area may, but need not, be smaller than the channel's back face opening area. The channel may thus have a cross sectional area which diminishes from the back face towards the product face.
[0086] The channels present a central axis, which may be defined as a line or curve which runs through the center of gravity of each channel cross section taken in parallel with the product face Fp.
[0087] FIG. 2 a schematically illustrates a pulp mold wall portion having a pair of channels of the same size and configuration. The channels present a respective first channel portion having a constant channel cross section and a respective second channel portion having a tapering cross section.
[0088] FIG. 2 b schematically illustrates a pulp mold wall portion having a pair of channels which are continuously tapering from the back face towards the product face Fp.
[0089] The channels of FIGS. 2 a and 2 b and their respective central axes extend perpendicular to the product face Fp.
[0090] FIG. 2 c schematically illustrate a pulp mold wall portion having channels, the central axes of which extend at an angle other than a right angle relative to the product face Fp. This angle may be in the interval 20-90, preferably 30-90 or 60-90.
[0091] The channels of FIG. 2 c may have a constant cross sectional area, or a cross sectional area which diminishes towards the product face Fp.
[0092] A mold wall portion may present channels extending at different angles within said intervals.
[0093] FIG. 2 d schematically illustrates a pulp mold wall portion having curved channels. Specifically, such curved channels may be curved in one plane, as illustrated, or in two orthogonal planes.
[0094] The channels of FIG. 2 d may have a constant cross sectional area, or a cross sectional area which diminishes towards the product face Fp.
[0095] FIG. 2 e schematically illustrates a pulp mold wall portion having curved channels with one point of inflection. Such curved channels may be curved in one plane, as illustrated, or in two orthogonal planes.
[0096] The channels of FIG. 2 e may have a constant cross sectional area, or a cross sectional area which diminishes towards the product face Fp.
[0097] It is noted that one mold may present channels which are formed according to one or more of FIGS. 2 a -2 e . In particular, the mold may comprise at least one wall portion comprising channels formed according to any one of FIGS. 2 a -2 e and another wall portion comprising channels formed according to another one of FIGS. 2 a - 2 e.
[0098] Referring to FIGS. 2 d and 2 e , a bending radius of the channels may be greater than ½ of the wall thickness at the channel, preferably greater than ¾ of the wall thickness or greater than 1/1 of the wall thickness of the channel.
[0099] It is noted that the channels may present cross sections which vary over the length of the channel. A channel may present at least a portion which has a cross section that is circular, elliptic or polygonal, such as square, triangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, heptagonal, octagonal, nonagonal, decagonal, hendecagonal, dodecagonal or other multi sided shapes with interior angles from 60° up to 180°.
[0100] FIG. 3 schematically illustrates a part of a mold wall with the product face facing upwardly/to the right and with the back face facing downwardly/to the left.
[0101] The mold wall portion of FIG. 3 may present a horizontal mold wall portion Ph, i.e. mold wall portions that are horizontal +/−45°, preferably +/−30° or +/−15°, during a main operating phase of the mold. Such horizontal mold wall portions may be planar or substantially planar. For example, such substantially planar mold wall portions may be curved so as to deviate from a plane by less than 10%, preferably less than 5%, along any direction in the plane.
[0102] The mold wall portion may also present a convex mold wall portion Pcx, i.e. a mold wall portion having a convex product face Fp.
[0103] It is noted that the convex mold wall portion may be convex in one or two mutually orthogonal directions.
[0104] The mold wall portion may also present a vertical mold wall portion Pv, i.e. a mold wall portion that is vertical +/−45°, preferably +/−30° or +/−15°, during a main operating phase of the mold. Such vertical mold wall portions may be planar or substantially planar. For example, a substantially planar mold wall portion may be curved so as to deviate from a plane by less than 10%, preferably less than 5%, along any direction in the plane.
[0105] The mold wall portion may also present a concave mold wall portion Pcv, i.e. a mold wall portion having a concave product face Fp.
[0106] For the purpose of the present disclosure, the term “porosity” is defined as ratio of channel opening area to total wall area (including the channel openings) of a predetermined wall portion.
[0107] The pore openings at the product face may have a major diameter of 0.25 mm to 2 mm. The pore openings at the back face may have a major diameter of 0.3 to 4 mm.
[0108] Pore openings at the product face Fp may thus have an opening area of 0.045-3.2 mm 2 on the product face, preferably 0.045-2 mm 2 or 0.050-1 mm 2 .
[0109] Pore openings at the back face Fb may thus have an opening area of 0.45-13 mm 2 , preferably 0.1-5 mm 2 or 0.3-2 mm 2 .
[0110] Hence, a ratio of back face opening area to product face opening area may be on the order of 1.1 to 6, preferably 1.2 to 5 or 1.4 to 4.
[0111] The convex mold wall portion Pcx may present the greatest porosity of all mold wall portions, Preferably, the convex mold wall portion may have a porosity of 10% to 90%, preferably 20% to 60%.
[0112] The vertical mold wall portion Pv may present lower porosity than the convex mold wall portion Pcx. Preferably, the vertical mold wall portion may have a porosity of 15% to 80%, preferably 25% to 60%.
[0113] The horizontal mold wall portion Ph may present lower porosity than the vertical mold wall portion Pv. Preferably, the horizontal mold wall portion Ph may have a porosity of 20% to 75%, preferably 30% to 55%.
[0114] The concave mold wall portion Pcv may present lower porosity than the horizontal mold wall portion Ph. Preferably, the concave mold wall portion Pcv may have a porosity of 1% to 70%, preferably 35% to 50%.
[0115] A mold as described above may be produced in an additive manufacturing process, such as a 3 D printing process. Such an additive manufacturing process may comprise selective sintering of a powdery material having particles of an average size of 1-50 microns, preferably 5-30 microns. During the sintering process, the powdery material is completely melted through the addition of energy by means of a laser beam or an electron beam.
[0116] The material from which the mold is being made may be a metal or a metal alloy. Examples of such materials include, but are not limited do titanium and titanium alloys and aluminum, aluminum alloys, copper and copper alloys, bronze, brass, cobalt and chrome alloys and stainless steel.
[0117] In the alternative, the material may be a polymeric material, such as a plastic material.
[0118] Through such a forming process, it is possible to achieve a porous mold that presents well defined channels connecting the product face Fp with the back face Fb, with the material between the channels being homogenous and at least 95%, preferably 99% or 99.9% free from voids.
[0119] Referring to FIGS. 1 a -1 d above, it is noted that one or more of the tools 10 , 20 , 30 , 40 may be formed according to the disclosure herein.
[0120] It is moreover noted that for example the pickup tool 10 and/or the transfer tool 20 may be formed with thinner walls and/or of a material having a lower melting point, than the pressing tools 30 , 40 .
[0121] The tool may be produced as a complete tool or as at least two tool parts, which are connected by soldering, welding, glue or fusing.
[0122] Moreover, the tool may be formed as a pair of tool parts with a hinge mechanism connecting the tool parts. A tool thus formed may allow for the production of even more complex products.
[0123] FIG. 4 schematically illustrates a part of a press mold wall portion according to a first embodiment. FIG. 4 is directed to a male mold, but it is understood that the same design may be used for a female mold.
[0124] The press mold presents a mold wall 101 having recesses 1015 , in which heating elements 33 are arranged. The mold wall 101 presents channels 102 , which may be formed according to the disclosure of any of FIGS. 2 a - 3 .
[0125] The recesses and thus the heating elements may be formed by elongate leads for resistive heating or channels for conducting a heated liquid or gas. In the alternative, the recesses may receive magnetic bodies, which can be heated through induction. Such magnetic bodies may be formed as discrete islands or as one or more elongate rods.
[0126] The recesses and heating elements may span all or part of the back face. Sections of the recesses and thus the heating elements may be spaced from each other as deemed necessary.
[0127] The recesses 1015 may extend into the mold wall from the rear face thereof. Non limiting examples of a distance by which they may extend into the mold wall may be about ¾, ½ or ¼ of the mold wall thickness at the relevant wall portion.
[0128] With the recesses being open towards the rear face, the heating elements 33 may be inserted after the mold wall portion has been produced. It is also possible to replace the heating elements 33 if necessary.
[0129] In this embodiment, the rear face Fb is open towards the vacuum chamber 32 , in which a vacuum may be drawn as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 4 .
[0130] FIG. 5 schematically illustrates a part of a press mold according to a second embodiment. FIG. 5 is directed to a male mold, but it is understood that the same design may be used for a female mold.
[0131] The press mold comprises an outer portion 1011 and a heater portion 1013 , with a gap 1021 being provided there between. Spacers 1012 extend between the heater portion and the outer portion, spanning the gap 1021 .
[0132] The channels 102 of the outer portion 1011 connect the product face Fp with the back face Fb. These channels may be formed according to the disclosure of any of FIGS. 2 a - 3 .
[0133] A back face Fb 2 of the heater portion 1013 may present recesses 1015 , in which heating elements 33 may be arranged according to any of the alternatives mentioned with respect to FIG. 4 .
[0134] The back face of the heater portion 1013 may be open towards the vacuum chamber 32 .
[0135] Manifold channels 1022 also connect the gap 1021 with the back face Fb 2 of the heater portion 1013 . These manifold channels are of greater cross section than the channels 102 and of lower number. For example major widths of the manifold channels 1022 may be on the order of 10 to 1000 times those of the channels 102 .
[0136] Moreover, the number of manifold channels may be on the order of 1/10 to 1/10000 that of the channels 102 . A total flow cross section of the manifold channels 1022 may be equal to or greater than that of a total flow cross section of the channels 102 . For example, the total flow cross section of the manifold channels 1022 may be on the order of 100-300% of that of the channels 102 .
[0137] The outer portion 1011 , the heater portion, 1013 and the spacers 1012 may be formed in one piece.
[0138] FIG. 6 schematically illustrates a part of a press mold according to a third embodiment. This embodiment ressembles that of FIG. 5 in that the mold wall presents an outer portion 1011 , which is formed in one piece with the spacers 1012 . The channels 102 may be formed as those described with respect to FIGS. 2 a - 3 and 5 .
[0139] In the embodiment of FIG. 6 , the heater portion 1013 ′, and optionally the spacers 1012 , are formed in a separate piece of material and from a different material than the outer portion 1011 . Heating elements may be arranged in the heater portion in the same manner as was achieved in the heating portion 1013 of FIG. 5 .
[0140] In the alternative, the heating elements 33 may be enclosed in the heating portion 1013 .
[0141] In any event, manifold channels 1022 may run through the heater portion 1013 ′ in the manner described with respect to FIG. 5 .
[0142] The heater portion 1013 ′ may comprise a body formed of a metallic material.
[0143] At the rear side of the heater portion 1013 ′, an insulator 1014 may be provided. The insulator may bear against the heater portion 1013 ′, or it may be slightly spaced therefrom, e.g. so as to allow distribution of vacuum from the inlet channel 1024 , running through the insulator 1014 , to the manifold channels 1022 .
[0144] The insulator 1014 may be formed from a rigid, insulating material, such as a ceramic material.
[0145] The insulator may be enclosed by a casing, e.g. in order to protect it from damage.
[0146] Both pressing molds (e.g. male and female) may be provided with insulators. In such case, the insulators may, when the molds are brought together in a forming position, substantially enclose the molds, such that energy loss is reduced. A gap may be provided where the molds meet, for allowing steam to escape. As an alternative or additionally, through holes may be provided in one or both insulators for allowing steam to escape.
[0147] In embodiments where an additional body is arranged near the back face of the mold, such as where heaters 1013 , 1013 ′ are provided, spacers may transfer some of the pressure applied to the product face towards the additional body.
[0148] Typically less than 95% of pressure applied to the product face may be transferred to the additional body, preferably less than 90%, less than 80%, less than 70%, less than 50%, less than 30% or less than 10%. The non-transferred portion of the pressure may be absorbed by the mold due to its own rigidity.
[0149] The pressure applied to the mold surface may, depending on application during the pressing step, be on the order of at least 100 kPa, at least 25 kPa, at least 450 kPa, at least 800 kPa or at least 1 mPa.
[0150] The product face and/or the back face may be surface treated, e.g. ground or polished, anodized or provided with a surface coating. Such treatments may be provided, e.g. in order to reduce the risk of corrosion as compared with the material from which the mold is made from. A surface treatment or coating may alternatively, or additionally, provide anti-stick properties, e.g. it may be more hydrophobic than the material from which the mold is made. As yet another option, the surface treatment or coating may provide a surface having increased hardness as compared to the material from which the mold is made. | The present document discloses a tool or tool part for use in a process of molding a product from a pulp slurry. The tool or tool part comprises a self-supporting tool wall portion having a product face, for contacting the product, and a back face on the other side of the wall relative to the product face. The tool wall portion presenting pores, which are provided by a plurality of channels extending through the tool wall portion, from the product face to the back face. The channels are straight or curved with no more than one point of inflection. | 3 |
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