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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Insects and acarina destroy growing and harvested crops. In the United States alone, agronomic crops must compete with thousands of insect and acarid species. In particular, tobacco budworms, southern armyworms and two-spotted spider mites are especially devasting to crops.
Tobacco budworms cause tremendous economic losses in agronomic crops. In particular, budworms devastate cotton crops by feeding on green bolls. Control of budworms is complicated by their resistance to many common insecticides, including organophosphates, carbamates and pyrethroids. Also, budworm larvae are difficult to control with currently available insecticides once they reach the third instar.
Two-spotted spider mites attack many plant species, raspberry plants for example, by removing sap from leaves. When raspberry plants are heavily infested, canes and leaves become stunted. With a severe infestation, fruiting canes are damaged, resulting in reduced yield and fruit quality.
In spite of the commercial insecticides and acaricides available today, damage to crops, both growing and harvested, caused by insects and acarina still occurs. Accordingly, there is ongoing research to create new and more effective insecticides and acaricides.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method for controlling insects and acarina by contacting said insects and acarina, their breeding ground, food supply or habitat with an insecticidally or acaricidally effective amount of a diaryl(pyridinio or isoquinolinio)boron compound.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a method for protecting growing plants from attack by insects and acarina by applying to the foliage of said plants or to the soil or water in which they are growing an insecticidally or acaricidally effective amount of a diaryl(pyridinio or isoquinolinio)boron compound.
These and other objects of the present invention will become more apparent from the detailed description thereof set forth below.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention describes insecticidal and acaricidal diaryl(pyridinio and isoquinolinio)boron compounds.
The insecticidal and acaricidal diaryl(pyridinio and isoquinolinio)boron compounds useful in the methods of the present invention have the following structural formula I: ##STR2## wherein X and Y are each independently hydrogen, halogen, C 1 -C 8 alkyl, C 1 -C 8 haloalkyl, C 1 -C 8 alkoxy or C 1 -C 8 haloalkoxy;
m and n are each independently an integer of 0, 1, 2 or 3;
R is C 1 -C 8 alkyl, C 1 -C 8 alkoxy, halogen or hydroxy;
R 1 , R 2 and R 3 are each independently hydrogen, C 1 -C 8 alkyl, C 1 -C 8 haloalkyl, C 1 -C 8 alkoxy, C 1 -C 8 haloalkoxy, halogen, cyano, nitro, C(O)R 4 , NR 5 R 6 or phenyl optionally substituted with one to three halogen, C 1 -C 4 alkyl, C 1 -C 4 haloalkyl, C 1 -C 4 alkoxy, C 1 -C 4 haloalkoxy or NR 5 R 6 groups, and when taken together, R 2 and R 3 may form a ring in which R 2 R 3 is represented by the structure: --(CH 2 ) p -- or ##STR3## R 4 , R 5 and R 6 are each independently hydrogen or C 1 -C 4 alkyl;
p is an integer of 3 or 4; and
L, M, Q and W are each independently hydrogen, halogen, C 1 -C 4 alkyl, C 1 -C 4 haloalkyl, C 1 -C 4 alkoxy, C 1 -C 4 haloalkoxy or nitro.
This invention also relates to compositions containing those compounds and methods for using those compounds and compositions. Advantageously, it has been found that diaryl(pyridinio and isoquinolinio)boron compounds, and compositions containing them, are effective insecticidal and acaricidal agents for the control of insects and acarina and for the protection of plants from attack by insects and acarina.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a method for controlling insects and acarina by contacting said insects and acarina, their breeding ground, food supply or habitat with an insecticidally or acaricidally effective amount of a formula I, diaryl(pyridino or isoquinolinio)boron compound.
The present invention also provides a method for protecting growing plants from attack by insects and acarina by applying to the foliage of said plants or to the soil or water in which they are growing an insecticidally or acaricidally effective amount of a formula I, diaryl(pyridinio or isoquinolinio)boron compound.
The insecticidal and acaricidal diaryl(pyridinio and isoquinolinio)boron compounds of the present invention have the following structural formula I: ##STR4## wherein X and Y are each independently hydrogen, halogen, C 1 -C 8 alkyl, C 1 -C 8 haloalkyl, C 1 -C 8 alkoxy or C 1 -C 8 haloalkoxy;
m and n are each independently an integer of 0, 1, 2 or 3;
R is C 1 -C 8 alkyl, C 1 -C 8 alkoxy, halogen or hydroxy;
R 1 , R 2 and R 3 are each independently hydrogen, C 1 -C 8 alkyl, C 1 -C 8 haloalkyl, C 1 -C 8 alkoxy, C 1 -C 8 haloalkoxy, halogen, cyano, nitro, C(O)R 4 , NR 5 R 6 or phenyl optionally substituted with one to three halogen, C 1 -C 4 alkyl, C 1 -C 4 haloalkyl, C 1 -C 4 alkoxy, C 1 -C 4 haloalkoxy or NR 5 R 6 groups, and when taken together, R 2 and R 3 may form a ring in which R 2 R 3 is represented by the structure: --(CH 2 ) p -- or ##STR5## R 4 , R 5 and R 6 are each independently hydrogen or C 1 -C 4 alkyl;
p is an integer of 3 or 4; and
L, M, Q and W are each independently hydrogen, halogen, C 1 -C 4 alkyl, C 1 -C 4 haloalkyl, C 1 -C 4 alkoxy, C 1 -C 4 haloalkoxy or nitro.
Preferred formula I insecticidal and acaricidal agents of the present invention are those wherein
X and Y are each independently hydrogen, halogen, C 1 -C 8 alkyl or C 1 -C 8 haloalkyl;
m and n are each independently an integer of 0, 1 or 2;
R is C 1 -C 8 alkyl, C 1 -C 8 alkoxy, halogen or hydroxy;
R 1 , R 2 and R 3 are each independently hydrogen, C 1 -C 8 alkyl, C 1 -C 8 haloalkyl, halogen, cyano, C(O)R 4 or phenyl, and when taken together, R 2 and R 3 may form a ring in which R 2 R 3 is represented by the structure: --(CH 2 ) 4 -- or ##STR6## R 4 is C 1 -C 4 alkyl; and L, M, Q and W are each independently hydrogen, halogen, C 1 -C 4 alkyl, C 1 -C 4 haloalkyl or nitro.
More preferred formula I compounds of this invention which are especially effective insecticidal and acaricidal agents are those wherein
X and Y are each independently hydrogen, halogen or C 1 -C 8 alkyl;
m and n are each independently an integer of 0, 1 or 2;
R is C 1 -C 8 alkyl;
R 1 , R 2 and R 3 are each independently hydrogen, C 1 -C 8 alkyl, halogen, cyano, C(O)R 4 or phenyl, and when taken together, R 2 and R 3 may form a ring in which R 2 R 3 is represented by the structure : --(CH 2 ) 4 -- or --CL═CH--CH═CH--;
R 4 is C 1 -C 4 alkyl; and
L is hydrogen or nitro.
Still more preferred formula I compounds are those wherein
X and Y are each independently hydrogen, halogen or C 1 -C 4 alkyl;
m and n are each independently an integer of 0, 1 or 2;
R is C 1 -C 4 alkyl; and
R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 are each independently hydrogen, C 1 -C 4 alkyl, halogen, or phenyl, and when taken together R 2 and R 3 may form a ring in which R 2 R 3 is represented by the structure: --CH═CH--CH═CH--.
The term halogen used herein includes fluorine, chlorine, bromine and iodine.
Advantageously, it has been found that the formula I compounds of the present invention are especially useful for the control of tobacco budworms, southern armyworms and two-spotted spider mites.
Insecticidal and acaricidal diaryl(pyridinio and isoquinolinio)boron compounds of formula I wherein R is C 1 -C 8 alkyl may be prepared by reacting a diarylborinic acid ethanolamine ester of formula II with an alkyl magnesium halide of formula III to form an intermediate of formula IV and reacting said formula IV intermediate with a pyridine or isoquinoline of formula V as shown in Flow Diagram I. ##STR7## wherein X, Y, m, n, R 1 , R 2 and R 3 are as described hereinabove for formula I;
R is C 1 -C 8 alkyl; and
X 1 is chlorine, bromine or iodine.
Insecticidal and acaricidal diaryl(pyridinio and isoquinolinio)boron compounds of formula I wherein R is C 1 -C 8 alkoxy, halogen or hydroxy may be prepared by reacting a diarylboron compound of formula VI with a pyridine or isoquinoline of formula V as shown in Flow Diagram II. ##STR8## wherein X, Y, m, n, R 1 , R 2 and R 3 are as described hereinabove for formula I; and
R is C 1 -C 8 alkoxy, halogen or hydroxy.
The formula I diaryl(pyridinio and isoquinolinio)boron compounds are effective for controlling insects and acarina. Those compounds are also effective for protecting growing or harvested crops from attack by insects and acarina.
Advantageously, it has been found that the formula I compounds of the present invention are especially effective against tobacco budworms, southern armyworms and two-spotted spider mites.
In practice generally about 10 ppm to about 10,000 ppm and preferably about 100 ppm to about 5,000 ppm of a formula I diaryl(pyridinio or isoquinolinio)boron compound, dispersed in water or another liquid carrier, is effective when applied to the plants, the crops or the soil in which said crops are growing to protect said crops from attack by insects and acarina.
The formula I compounds of this invention are also effective for controlling insects and acarina, when applied to the foliage of plants and/or to the soil or water in which said plants are growing in sufficient amount to provide a rate of from about 0.1 kg/ha to 4.0 kg/ha of active ingredient.
While the formula I compounds of this invention are effective for controlling insects and acarina when employed alone, they may also be used in combination with other biological chemicals, including other insecticides and acaricides. For example, the compounds of this invention may be used effectively in conjunction or combination with arylpyrroles, pyrethroids, phosphates, carbamates, cyclodienes, endotoxin of bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), formamidines, phenol tin compounds, chlorinated hydrocarbons, benzoylphenyl ureas and the like.
The formula I compounds of this invention may be formulated as emulsifiable concentrates, flowable concentrates, or wettable powders which are diluted with water or other suitable polar solvent, generally in situ, and then applied as a dilute spray. Said compounds may also be formulated in dry compacted granules, granular formulations, dusts, dust concentrates, suspension concentrates, microemulsions and the like all of which lend themselves to seed, soil, water and/or foliage applications to provide the requisite plant protection. Such formulations include the compounds of the invention admixed with an inert solid or liquid carrier.
For example, wettable powders, dusts, and dust concentrate formulations can be prepared by grinding and blending together about 25% to about 85% by weight of formula I compounds and about 75% to about 15% by weight of a solid diluent such as bentonite, diatomaceous earth, kaolin, attapulgite, or the like, about 1% to 5% by weight of a dispersing agent such as sodium lignosulfonate, and about 1% to 5% by weight of a nonionic surfactant, such as octylphenoxy polyethoxy ethanol, nonylphenoxy polyethoxy ethanol or the like.
A typical emulsifiable concentrate can be prepared by dissolving about 15% to about 70% by weight of a diaryl(pyridinio or isoquinolinio)boron compound in about 85% to about 30% by weight of a solvent such as isophorone, toluene, butyl cellosolve, methyl acetate, propylene glycol monomethyl ether, or the like and dispersing therein about 1% to 5% by weight of a nonionic surfactant such as an alkylphenoxy polyethoxy alcohol.
In order to facilitate a further understanding of the invention, the following examples are presented to illustrate more specific details thereof. The invention is not to be limited thereby except as defined in the claims.
EXAMPLE 1
Preparation of (5,6,7,8-Tetrahydroisoquinolinio)methyldiphenylboron ##STR9##
A solution of methyl magnesium chloride in methylene chloride (5.11 mL of a 3 molar solution) is added dropwise to a solution of diphenylborinic acid ethanolamine ester (1.15 g, 5.11 mmol) in tetrahydrofuran. The reaction mixture is stirred for three hours at room temperature, treated with 5,6,7,8-tetrahydroisoquinoline (2.04 g, 15.33 mmol), stirred overnight at room temperature, treated with 5% hydrochloric acid and diluted with ether. The phases are separated and the organic phase is washed sequentially with 5% hydrochloric acid and water, dried over Na 2 SO 4 and concentrated in vacuo to obtain the title product as a white solid (1.41 g, mp 120°-121° C.).
Using essentially the same procedure, and employing methyl magnesium chloride or methyl magnesium bromide and the appropriately substituted pyridine or isoquinoline, the following compounds are obtained:
______________________________________ ##STR10##X Y R.sub.1 R.sub.2 R.sub.3 mp °C.______________________________________F F H CHCHCHCH 146-150F F Br CHCHCHCH oilF F H CCHCHCH oil w NO.sub.2H H H H (CH.sub.2).sub.3 CH.sub.3 oilH H H CH(CH.sub.3).sub.2 H 155-156H H H H CH.sub.3 85-86H H H CH.sub.3 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.3 oilH H H CHCHCHCH 130-132H H H CN H 85H H H C.sub.6 H.sub.5 H 145-146H H Br H H 132H H H C(O)CH.sub.3 H oilH H H C(CH.sub.3).sub.3 H 165-168______________________________________
EXAMPLE 2
Preparation of Chloro(isoquinolinio)di-p-tolylboron ##STR11##
Isoquinoline (0.25 mL, 2.13 mmol) is added to a solution of chloro-di-p-tolylborane (0.5 g, 2.19 mmol) in ether. The reaction mixture is stirred overnight at room temperature and concentrated in vacuo to give the title product as a pale orange oil, 0.7 g, which is identified by 1 HNMR spectral analysis.
EXAMPLE 3
Preparation of Hydroxy(3-butylpyridinio)diphenylboron ##STR12##
A mixture of diphenylborinic acid (0.5 g, 2.73 mmol) and 3-butylpyridine (0.37 g, 2.74 mmol) in ether is stirred at room temperature for two hours, dried over Na 2 SO 4 and concentrated in vacuo to give the title product as a pale yellow oil, 0.76 g, which is identified by 1 H and 13 CNMR spectral analyses.
Using essentially the same procedure, but substituting 4-isopropylpyridine for 3-butylpyridine, hydroxy(4-isopropylpyridinio)diphenylboron is obtained as a pale yellow oil.
EXAMPLE 4
Preparation of Butoxy(4-methylpyridinio)diphenylboron ##STR13##
A mixture of butyl diphenylborinate (0.5 g, 2.09 mmol) and 4-picoline (0.206 mL, 2.18 mmol) in ether is stirred for thirty minutes at 0° C. and concentrated in vacuo to obtain the title product as a pale yellow oil, 0.51 g, which is identified by 1 HNMR spectral analysis.
Using essentially the same procedure, and employing the appropriately substituted pyridine, the following compounds are obtained and characterized by 1 HNMR spectral analyses:
______________________________________ ##STR14##R.sub.2 R.sub.3______________________________________H CH.sub.3 yellow oilCH(CH.sub.3).sub.2 H yellow oil______________________________________
EXAMPLE 5
Insecticide and acaricide evaluations
The following tests show the efficacy of the compounds as insecticides and acaricides. The evaluations are conducted with solutions of test compounds dissolved or dispersed in 50/50 acetone/water mixtures. The test compound is technical material dissolved or dispersed in said acetone/water mixtures in sufficient amounts to provide the concentrations set forth in Table I below.
All concentrations reported herein are in terms of active ingredient. All tests are conducted in a laboratory maintained at about 27° C. The rating system employed is as follows:
______________________________________RATING SYSTEM______________________________________0 = no effect 5 = 56-65% kill1 = 10-25% kill 6 = 66-75% kill2 = 26-35% kill 7 = 76-85% kill3 = 36-45% kill 8 = 86-99% kill4 = 46-55% kill 9 = 100% kill= No evaluation______________________________________
The test species of insects and acarina used in the present evaluations along with specific test procedures are described below.
Spodoptera eridania 3rd instar larvae, southern armyworm
A sieva lima bean leaf expanded to 7 to 8 cm in length is dipped in the test suspension with agitation for 3 seconds and placed in a hood to dry. The leaf is then placed in a 100×10 mm petri dish containing a damp filter paper on the bottom and 10 3rd instar caterpillars. The dish is maintained for 5 days before observations are made of mortality, reduced feeding or any interference with normal moulting.
Tetranychus urticae (OP-resistant strain), 2-spotted spider mite
Sieva lima bean plants with primary leaves expaned to 7 to 8 cm are selected and cut back to one plant per pot. A small piece is cut from a leaf taken from the main colony and placed on each leaf of the test plants. This is done about 2 hours before treatment to allow the mites to move over to the test plant and to lay eggs. The size of the cut piece is varied to obtain about 100 mites per leaf. At the time of the treatment, the piece of leaf used to transfer the mites is removed and discarded. The mite-infested plants are dipped in the test formulation for 3 seconds with agitation and set in the hood to dry. Plants are kept for 2 days before estimates of adult kill are made.
Heliothis virenscens, 3rd instar tobacco budworm
Cotton cotyledons are dipped in the test formulation and allowed to dry in a hood. When dry, each is cut into quarters and ten sections placed individually in 30 mL plastic medicine cups containing a 5 to 7 mm long piece of damp dental wick. One 3rd instar caterpillar is added to each cup and a cardboard lid placed on the cup. Treatments are maintained for 3 days before mortality counts and estimates of reduction in feeding damage are made.
Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi, 3rd instar southern corn rootworm
One cc of fine talc is placed in a 30 mL wide-mouth screw-top glass jar. One mL of the appropriate acetone test solution is pipetted onto the talc so as to provide 1.25 mg of active ingredient per jar. The jars are set under a gentle air flow until the acetone is evaporated. The dried talc is loosened, 1 cc of millet seed is added to serve as food for the insects and 25 mL of moist soil is added to each jar. The jars are capped and the contents thoroughly mixed on a Vortex Mixer. Following this, ten 3rd instar rootworms are added to each jar and the jars are loosely capped to allow air exchange for the larvae. The treatments are held for 6 days before mortality counts are made. Missing larvae are presumed dead, since they decompose rapidly and can not be found. The concentration used in this test corresponds to approximately 50 kg/ha.
The data obtained for the above described evaluations are reported in Table I.
TABLE I______________________________________Insecticide And Acaricide Evaluations Tobacco Southern Southern OP. Bud- Corn Army- Res. worm Root- worm Mites Larvae worm (ppm) (ppm) (ppm) (kg/ha)Compound 300 1000 300 300 50______________________________________(4-Isopropylpyridi- 8 -- 8 8 0nio)methyldiphenyl-boron(Isoquinolinio)- 9 -- 8 8 9methyldiphenylboron(3-Ethyl-4-methyl- -- 9 8 -- 9pyridinio)methyldi-phenylboron(4-Bromoisoquino- -- 9 9 -- 5linio)bis(p-fluoro-phenyl)methylboron(3-Bromopyridinio)- -- 9 7 -- 0methyldiphenylboronMethyl(3-methylpyri- -- 9 9 -- 9dinio)diphenylboron______________________________________ | There are provided insecticidal and acaricidal diaryl(pyridinio and isoquinolinio)boron compounds having the structural formula ##STR1## Further provided are compositions and methods comprising those compounds for the protection of plants from attack by insects and acarina. | 2 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/565,981, filed Jan. 26, 2006, which is a National Stage Entry of PCT/JP04/10965, filed Jul. 30, 2004, which claims priority to JP Application 2003-282696, filed Jul. 30, 2003.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for preparation of 6,7-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)quinazolin-4-one.
(2) Description of Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,747,498 discloses 6,7-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)quinazolin-4-one as an intermediate in synthesis of 6,7-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)-4-(3-ethynylphenyl)aminoquinazoline hydrochloride, which can be used as an anti-cancer drug.
Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 2002-293773 discloses a process comprising a reaction of ethyl 2-amino-4,5-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)benzoate with ammonium formate to prepare 6,7-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)quinazolin-4-one. The publication reports that the yield of the reaction was 80.5%.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A primary object of the present invention is to provide a process for preparing 6,7-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)quinazolin-4-one in a high yield from ethyl 2-amino-4,5-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)benzoate.
Another object of the invention is to provide an industrially advantageous process for preparing 6,7-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)quinazolin-4-one in a high yield using ethyl 3,4-dihydroxy-benzoate as a starting compound.
First, the present invention provides a process for preparation of 6,7-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)quinazolin-4-one, which comprises causing a reaction of ethyl 2-amino-4,5-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)benzoate with a formic acid compound in the presence of an ammonium carboxylate.
Second, the invention provides a process for preparation of 6,7-bis(2-meth-oxyethoxy)quinazolin-4-one, which comprises the steps in order of: causing a reaction of ethyl 4,5-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)-2-nitrobenzoate with hydrogen in the presence of a metallic catalyst to prepare ethyl 2-amino-4,5-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)benzoate; and causing a reaction of the ethyl 2-amino-4,5-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)benzoate with a formic acid compound in the presence of an ammonium carboxylate to prepare 6,7-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)quinazolin-4-one.
Third, the invention provides a process for preparation of 6,7-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)-quinazolin-4-one, which comprises the steps in order of. causing a reaction of ethyl 3,4-bis-(2-methoxyethoxy)benzoate with nitric acid in the presence of sulfuric acid to prepare ethyl 4,5-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)-2nitrobenzoate; causing a reaction of the ethyl 4,5-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)-2-nitrobenzoate with hydrogen in the presence of a metallic catalyst to prepare ethyl 2-amino-4,5-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)benzoate; and causing a reaction of the ethyl 2-amino-4,5-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)benzoate with a formic acid compound in the presence of an ammonium carboxylate to prepare 6,7-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)quinazolin-4-one.
Fourth, the invention provides a process for preparation of 6,7-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)-quinazolin-4-one, which comprises the steps in order of. causing a reaction of ethyl 3,4-di-hydroxybenzoate with 2-chloroethyl methyl ether in an organic solvent in the presence of a base to prepare ethyl 3,4-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)benzoate; causing a reaction of the ethyl 3,4-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)benzoate with nitric acid in the presence of sulfuric acid to prepare ethyl 4,5-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)-2-nitrobenzoate causing a reaction of the ethyl 4,5-bis-(2-methoxyethoxy)-2-nitrobenzoate with hydrogen in the presence of a metallic catalyst to prepare ethyl 2-amino-4,5-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)benzoate; and causing a reaction of the ethyl 2-amino-4,5-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)benzoate with a formic acid compound in the presence of an ammonium carboxylate to prepare 6,7-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)quinazolin-4-one.
The formulas of the compounds involved in the process of starting from ethyl 3,4-dihydroxybenzoate and yielding 6,7-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)quinazolin-4-one are shown below.
Ethyl 3,4-dihydroxybenzoate is represented by the formula (1):
Ethyl 3,4-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)benzoate is represented by the formula (2):
Ethyl 4,5-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)-2-nitrobenzoate is represented by the formula (3):
Ethyl 2-amino-4,5-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)benzoate is represented by the formula (4):
6,7-His(2-methoxyethoxy)quinazolin-4-one is represented by the formula (5):
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The process for preparation of 6,7-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)quinazolin-4-one according to the present invention is described below by referring to the steps in order of:
causing a reaction of ethyl 3,4-dihydroxybenzoate with 2-chloroethyl methyl ether in an organic solvent in the presence of a base to prepare ethyl 3,4-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)benzoate (first step);
causing a reaction of the ethyl 3,4-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)benzoate with nitric acid in the presence of sulfuric acid to prepare ethyl 4,5-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)-2-nitrobenzoate (second step);
causing a reaction of the ethyl 4,5-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)-2-nitrobenzoate with hydrogen in the presence of a metallic catalyst to prepare ethyl 2-amino-4,5-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)benzoate (third step); and
causing a reaction of the ethyl 2-amino-4,5-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)benzoate with a formic acid compound in the presence of an ammonium carboxylate to prepare 6,7-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)quinazolin-4-one (fourth step).
(A) First Step
In the first step, ethyl 3,4-dihydroxybenzoate reacts with 2-chloroethyl methyl ether in an organic solvent in the presence of a base to prepare ethyl 3,4-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)benzoate.
In the first step, the 2-chloroethyl methyl ether is used preferably in an amount of 1.0 to 20 moles, more preferably in an amount of 1.1 to 10 moles, and most preferably in an amount of 1.1 to 5.0 mole based on one mole of ethyl 3,4-dihydroxybenzoate.
Examples of the bases used in the first step include: alkali metal hydroxides such as sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide; alkali metal carbonates such as sodium carbonate and potassium carbonate; alkali metal hydrogencarbonates such as sodium hydrogencarbonate and potassium hydrogencarbonate; and alkali metal alkoxides such as sodium methoxide and potassium methoxide. The alkali metal hydroxides and the alkali metal carbonates are preferred. The alkali metal carbonates are more preferred. Most preferred is potassium carbonate. The base can be used alone or in combination.
The base is used preferably in an amount of 1.0 to 20 moles, more preferably in an amount of 1.1 to 10 moles, and most preferably in an amount of 1.1 to 5.0 moles based on one mole of ethyl 3,4-dihydroxybenzoate.
There are no specific limitations with respect to the organic solvent used in the first step, unless the organic solvent participates in the reaction. Examples of the organic solvents include: alcohols such as methanol, ethanol, isopropanol and t-butanol; ketones such as acetone, methyl ethyl ketone and methyl isobutyl ketone; amides such as N,N-dimethylformamide and N-methylpyrrolidone; ureas such as N,N′-dimethylimidazolidinone; sulfoxides such as dimethyl sulfoxide; nitrites such as acetonitrile and propionitrile; ethers such as diethyl ether, diisopropyl ether, tetrahydrofuran and dioxane; and aromatic hydrocarbons such as toluene and xylene. The ketones, nitrites and amides are preferred. The organic solvent can be used alone or in combination.
The amount of the organic solvent is adjusted in consideration of homogeneity of the reaction solution and stirring conditions. The organic solvent is used preferably in an amount of 1 to 100 g, and more preferably in an amount of 2 to 20 g based on 1 g of ethyl 3,4-dihydroxybenzoate.
The first step can be carried out, for example, by mixing ethyl 3,4-dihydroxybenzoate, 2-chloroethyl methyl ether. a base and an organic solvent under stirring in an inert gas atmosphere. The reaction temperature is preferably in the range of 20 to 200° C., and more preferably in the range of 40 to 120° C. There are no specific limitations with respect to the reaction pressure.
In the first step, ethyl 3,4-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)benzoate is obtained. After the reaction is complete, ethyl 3,4-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)benzoate can be isolated or purified for the second step. The isolation or purification can be conducted according to the conventional method such as filtration, concentration, distillation, recrystallization, crystallization, or column chromatography. Ethyl 3,4-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)benzoate can also be used in the second step without conducting isolation or purification. In the case that isolation or purification is not conducted, the solvent can be replaced in the second step.
(B) Second Step
In the second step, ethyl 3,4-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)benzoate reacts with nitric acid in the presence of sulfuric acid to prepare ethyl 4,5-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)-2-nitrobenzoate.
In the second step, nitric acid is used preferably in an amount of 1.0 to 50 moles, more preferably in an amount of 2.0 to 10 moles based on one mole of ethyl 3,4-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)benzoate. The nitric acid has a concentration preferably in the range of 40 to 90 wt. %, and more preferably in the range of 50 to 70 wt. %.
The second step is preferably carried out in the presence of a solvent. There are no specific limitations with respect to the solvent, unless the solvent participates in the reaction. Examples of the solvents include carboxylic acids such as formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid and butyric acid. Acetic acid is preferred. The solvent can be used alone or in combination.
The amount of the solvent is adjusted in consideration of homogeneity of the reaction solution and stirring conditions. The solvent is used preferably in an amount of 1 to 50 g, and more preferably in an amount of 1.1 to 20 g based on 1 g of ethyl 3,4-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)benzoate.
The second step can be carried out, for example by mixing ethyl 3,4-bis-(2-methoxyethoxy)benzoate, nitric acid, sulfuric acid and a solvent under stirring in an atmosphere of an inert gas. The reaction temperature is preferably in the range of 20 to 90° C., more preferably in the range of 30 to 80° C., and most preferably in the range of 45 to 75° C. There are no specific limitations with respect to the reaction pressure.
In the second step, ethyl 4,5-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)-2-nitrobenzoate is obtained. After the reaction is complete, ethyl 4,5-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)-2-nitrobenzoate can be isolated or purified for the third step. The isolation or purification can be conducted according to the conventional method such as filtration, concentration, distillation, recrystallization, crystallization, or column chromatography. Ethyl 4,5-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)-2-nitrobenzoate can also be used in the third step without conducting isolation or purification. In the case that isolation or purification is not conducted, the solvent can be replaced in the third step.
(C) Third Step
In the third step, ethyl 4,5-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)-2-nitrobenzoate reacts with hydrogen in the presence of a metallic catalyst to prepare 2-amino-4,5-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)benzoate.
The metallic catalyst used in the third step can contain at least one metal atom selected from the group consisting of palladium, platinum and nickel. Examples of the metallic catalysts include palladium/carbon, palladium/barium sulfate, palladium hydroxide/carbon, platinum/carbon, platinum sulfide/carbon, palladium-platinum/carbon, platinum oxide and Raney nickel. Palladium/carbon, platinum/carbon, platinum sulfide/carbon and Raney nickel are preferred. The platinum/carbon catalyst is particularly preferred. The metallic catalyst can be used alone or in combination.
In the third step, the metallic catalyst is used preferably in an amount of 0.1 to 1,000 mg in terms of metal atom amount, and more preferably in an amount of 0.5 to 500 mg based on 1 g of ethyl 4,5-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)-2-nitrobenzoate. When the metallic catalyst comprises a metal carried on a carrier, the amount of the metal on the carrier preferably is in the range of 1 to 2.9 wt. % based on amount of the carrier.
In the third step, hydrogen is used preferably in an amount of 3 to 50 moles, and more preferably in an amount of 3 to 10 moles based on one mole of ethyl 4,5-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)-2-nitrobenzoate.
The reaction in the third step is preferably carried out in the presence of a solvent. There are no specific limitations with respect to the solvent, unless the solvent participates in the reaction, Examples of the solvents include, water; alcohols such as methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, n-butanol, and t-butanol; carboxylic esters such as methyl acetate, ethyl acetate, and methyl propionate; aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene, toluene, xylene, and mesitylene; and ethers such as diethyl ether, tetrahydrofuran, and dioxane. The alcohols and carboxylic esters are preferred, and methanol and ethanol are more preferred. The solvent can be used alone or in combination.
The amount of the solvent is adjusted in consideration of homogeneity of the reaction solution and stirring conditions. The solvent is used preferably in an amount of 1 to 100 g, and more preferably in an amount of 2 to 30 g based on 1 g of ethyl 4,5-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)-2-nitrobenzoate.
The reaction of the third step can be carried out, for example by mixing ethyl 4,5-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)-2-nitrobenzoate, a metallic catalyst and a solvent under stirring in the presence of hydrogen gas (which can be diluted with an inert gas). The reaction temperature is preferably in the range of 0 to 300° C., and more preferably in the range of 20 to 200° C. The reaction pressure is preferably in the range of 0.1 to 10 MPa, and more preferably in the range of 0.1 to 2 MPa.
After the reaction is complete, the final product, i.e., ethyl 2-amino-4,5-bis(methoxyethoxy)benzoate, can be isolated or purified for the fourth step. The isolation or purification can be conducted according to the conventional method such as filtration, concentration, distillation, recrystallization, crystallization, or column chromatography. Ethyl 2-amino-4,5-bis(methoxyethoxy)benzoate can also be used in the fourth step without conducting the isolation or purification In the case that the isolation or purification is not conducted, the solvent can be replaced in the fourth step.
(D) Fourth Step
In the fourth step, ethyl 2-amino-4,5-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)benzoate reacts with a formic acid compound in the presence of an ammonium carboxylate to prepare 6,7-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)quinazolin-4-one.
Examples of the formic acid compounds include: formic acid; formic esters such as an ester of formic acid with a lower alcohol having 1 to 6 carbon atoms (e.g., methyl formate and ethyl formate); and orthoformic esters such as an ester of orthoformic acid with a lower alcohol having 1 to 6 carbon atoms (e.g., methyl orthoformate and ethyl orthoformate). Formic esters and orthoformic esters are preferred. More preferred are orthoformic esters. Most preferred are methyl orthoformate and ethyl orthoformate.
In the fourth step, the formic acid compound is used preferably in an amount of 1.0 to 30 moles, and more preferably in an amount of 1.1 to 10 moles based on one mole of ethyl 2-amino-4,5-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)benzoate.
In the fourth step, an ammonium carboxylate is used. Examples of the ammonium carboxylates include: ammonium aliphatic carboxylates such as an ammonium aliphatic carboxylate having 1 to 6 carbon atoms (e.g., ammonium formate, ammonium acetate, and ammonium propionate); and ammonium aromatic carboxylates such as an ammonium aromatic carboxylate having 7 to 12 carbon atoms (e.g., ammonium benzoate and ammonium dichlorobenzoate). Ammonium aliphatic carboxylates are preferred. More preferred are ammonium formate and ammonium acetate. Most preferred is ammonium acetate. The ammonium carboxylate can be used alone or in combination.
In the fourth step, the ammonium carboxylate is used preferably in an amount of 1.0 to 30 moles, and more preferably in an amount of 1.1 to 10 moles based on one mole of 2-amino-4,5-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)benzoate.
The reaction in the fourth step can be carried out in the presence of a solvent. The reaction can also be carried out without a solvent. There are no specific limitations with respect to the solvent, unless the solvent participates in the reaction. Examples of the solvents include alcohols such as methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, n-butanol, and t-butanol; amides such as N,N-dimethylformamide and N-methylpyrrolidone; ureas such as N,N′-dimethylimidazolidinone; sulfoxides such as dimethyl sulfoxide; aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene, toluene, xylene, and mesitylene; halogenated hydrocarbons such as methylene chloride, chloroform, and dichloroethane; nitrites such as acetonitrile, and propionitrile; and ethers such as diethyl ether, tetrahydrofuran, and dioxane. The alcohols, amides and nitrites are preferred. More preferred are methanol, ethanol, N,N′-dimethylimidazolidinone and acetonitrile. The solvent can be used alone or in combination.
The amount of the solvent is adjusted in consideration of homogeneity of the reaction solution and stirring conditions. The solvent is used preferably in an amount of 0 to 50 g, more preferably in an amount of 0 to 20 g, and most preferably in an amount of 0 to 5 g based on 1 g of ethyl 2-amino-4,5-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)benzoate.
The reaction in the fourth step can be carried out, for example, by mixing an ammonium carboxylate, ethyl 2-amino-4,5-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)benzoate, a formic acid compound and a solvent under stirring in an inert gas atmosphere. The reaction temperature is preferably in the range of 40 to 200° C., and more preferably in the range of 50 to 150° C. There are no specific limitations with respect to the reaction pressure.
After the reaction is complete, the final product, i.e., 6,7-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)-quinazolin-4-one, can be isolated or purified. The isolation or purification can be conducted according to the conventional method such as filtration, concentration, distillation, recrystallization, crystallization, or column chromatography.
The present invention is further described by referring to the following examples.
EXAMPLES
Synthesis Example 1
(Synthesis of ethyl 3,4-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)benzoate)
In a 20 L-volume glass reaction vessel equipped with a stirrer, a thermometer and a reflux condenser, 1,300 g (7.14 moles) of ethyl 3,4-dihydroxybenzoate, 2,324 g (21.4 moles) of 2-chloroethyl methyl ether, 2,958 g (21.4 moles) of potassium carbonate and 6,500 mL of N,N-dimethylformamide were placed. The mixture was allowed to react with each other at 90 to 100° C. for 9 hours while stirring. After the reaction was complete, the reaction solution was cooled to room temperature. The reaction solution was then filtered, and washed with 6,500 mL of acetone. The filtrate was concentrated, 3,900 mL of ethyl acetate and 3,900 mL of a saturated aqueous sodium carbonate solution were added to the concentrate. The separated organic layer (ethyl acetate layer) was washed twice with 3,900 mL of a saturated aqueous sodium chloride solution to obtain a solution mixture containing ethyl 3,4-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)benzoate. The solution mixture was analyzed (according to an absolute quantitative method) by a high performance liquid chromatography. It was confirmed that 2,023 g of ethyl 3,4-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)-benzoate was produced (reaction yield: 95%). After 3,939 mL of acetic acid was added to the solution mixture, the mixture was concentrated under reduced pressure to distill ethyl acetate off. Thus, an acetic acid solution of ethyl 3,4-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)benzoate was obtained.
Synthesis Example 2
(Synthesis of ethyl 4,5-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)-2-nitrobenzoate)
In a 20 L-volume glass reaction vessel equipped with a stirrer, a thermometer and a reflux condenser, the acetic acid solution containing 2,023 g (6.78 moles) of ethyl 3,4-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)benzoate prepared in the Synthesis Example 1 was placed. To the solution, 318 g (3.18 moles) of concentrated sulfuric acid was gently added while stirring the solution at room temperature. The mixture was heated to 60 to 70° C. To the mixture, 1,857 g (20.34 moles) of 69 wt. % nitric acid was gently added while stirring the mixture. The resulting mixture was allowed to react for 2 hours while maintaining the temperature. After the reaction was complete, the reaction solution was cooled to room temperature. To the reaction solution, 5,200 mL of a 20 wt. % aqueous sodium chloride solution and 5,200 mL of toluene were added. The separated organic layer (toluene layer) was washed twice with 7,800 mL of a 1 mole per L aqueous sodium hydroxide solution, and further washed twice with 7,800 mL of a 20 wt. % aqueous sodium chloride solution. The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure to obtain 2,328 g of ethyl 4,5-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)-2-nitrobenzoate as an orange liquid (isolation yield: 100%).
Synthesis Example 3
(Synthesis of ethyl 2-amino-4,5-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)benzoate)
In a 20 L-volume glass reaction vessel equipped with a stirrer, a thermometer and a reflux condenser, 2,328 g (6.78 moles) of the ethyl 4,5-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)-2-nitrobenzoate prepared in the Synthesis Example 2, 2 wt. % platinum per 118 g of carbon (50 wt. % product, N.E. Chemcat Corporation, 6.0 mmoles in terms of platinum metallic atom) and 9,440 mL of methanol were placed. The mixture was allowed to react at 50 to 60° C. for 6 hours in an atmosphere of hydrogen while stirring. After the reaction was complete, the reaction solution was cooled to room temperature, and filtered. The filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure to obtain 1,960 g of ethyl 2-amino-4,5-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)benzoate as an orange liquid (isolation yield: 92%).
Synthesis Example 4
(Synthesis of 6,7-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)quinazolin-4-one)
In a 20 L-volume glass reaction vessel equipped with a stirrer, a thermometer and a reflux condenser, 1,600 g (5.11 moles) of the ethyl 2-amino-4,5-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)benzoate prepared in the Synthesis Example 3, 1,626 g (15.3 moles) of methyl orthoformate, 1,181 g (15.3 moles) of ammonium acetate and 4,800 mL of methanol were placed. The mixture was allowed to react under refluxing conditions (60 to 70° C.) for 7 hours while stirring. After the reaction was complete, the reaction solution was cooled to 60° C. To the reaction solution, 4,800 mL of methanol was added. The mixture was stirred for 30 minutes while maintaining the temperature, cooled to 0 to 5° C., and further stirred for 1 hour. The resulting mixture was filtered to obtain 1,373 g of 6,7-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)quinazolin-4-one as white crystals (isolation yield: 91%).
The total yield based on ethyl 3,4-dihydroxybenzoate was 80%. | 6,7-Bis(2-methoxyethoxy)quinazolin-4-one of formula (5) useful in synthesis of an anti-cancer drug can be prepared by a reaction of ethyl 2-amino-4,5-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)benzoate of formula (4) with an orthoformic acid in the presence of an ammonium acetate: | 2 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to aqueous fluorocarbon polymer coating compositions and articles coated therewith and more particularly to such compositions and metallic articles coated therewith having improved post oil adhesion.
2. Prior Art
In recent years, the use of fluorocarbon polymer coatings as non-stick finishes for metal substrates, particularly for cookware, has become widespread. The physical nature of fluorocarbon polymers makes it difficult to adhere them to metallic substrates sufficiently well to prevent coatings of the polymers from blistering and peeling during use. This is especially true for polytetrafluoroethylene.
Adhesion of the coatings has been improved by the addition of a water-soluble alkali metal silicate and colloidal silica to the fluorocarbon polymer coating composition as described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,825,664, issued Mar. 4, 1958 to James R. Huntsberger. In U.S. patent application Ser. No. 348,315 filed Apr. 5, 1973, in the name of Edward J. Welch and assigned to the assignee of this application, now abandoned in favor of a continuation-in-part application Ser. No. 405,798, filed Oct. 12, 1973, adhesion was improved by adding colloidal silica stabilized with sodium ions to the fluorocarbon polymer coating composition.
While the compositions described in the aforesaid references do improve adhesion to unprimed metal substrates, there are some end-use applications where improved post oil adhesion (i.e., resistance to hot oil) is desirable. In cookware, improved post oil adhesion is desirable in such articles as fry pans, meat grills, sauce pans or other articles where fats and oils are in contact with the fluorocarbon polymer coating.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention there is provided an aqueous coating composition comprising:
A. about 40-93%, by weight of the total of (a), (b) and (c) solids, of a fluorocarbon polymer,
B. about 5-35%, by weight of the total of (a), (b) and (c) solids, of colloidal silica stabilized with sodium ions, or a mixture of said silica with a water-soluble alkali metal silicate,
C. about 2-25%, by weight of the total of (a), (b) and (c) solids, of mica particles or mica particles coated with a pigment, and
D. water as a carrier.
There is also provided an article comprising a substrate coated with a fused coating of the abovedescribed coating composition. These fused coatings have improved post oil adhesion.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The fluorocarbon polymer used in the composition is of hydrocarbon monomers completely substituted with fluorine atoms or a combination of fluorine atoms and chlorine atoms. Illustrative of such polymers are polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), copolymers of tetrafluoroethylene and hexafluoropropylene in all monomer unit ratios, and fluorochlorocarbon polymers such as polymonochlorotrifluoroethylene. Mixtures of these can be used. PTFE is preferred.
The fluorocarbon polymer used is particulate. The particles should be small enough to pass through the nozzle of a spray gun without clogging it and small enough to give the resulting coalescence and film integrity. In ordinary situations, the particles are preferably no larger than about 0.35 micron (average) in the longest dimension.
Although one can use a dry flour or powder of fluorocarbon polymer and provide a liquid carrier separately, it is preferred to use the polymer in the form of an aqueous dispersion because it is most easily obtained on the market in that form. A dispersion of fluorocarbon polymer in an organic liquid miscible with water, such as ethanol, isopropanol, acetone or a Cellosolve, can also be used. In any case, the liquid also serves as a portion of the carrier for the composition.
The fluorocarbon polymer is present in the composition at a concentration of from about 40% through about 93%, by weight of the total of fluorocarbon polymer, mica and colloidal silica solids. A concentration of 50-90% is preferred; 70-90% is even more preferred.
The colloidal silica used in the composition is generally in the form of an aqueous sol. This silica is stabilized with sodium ions, has a particle size of 7-25 millimicrons, a specific surface area of 125-420 square meters per gram, a silica content (calculated at SiO 2 ) of 30-50% by weight, and a pH of 8.4-9.9 at 25°C. Typical of such a colloidal silica are those sold by E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company as "Ludox HS-40", "Ludox-HS", "Ludox LS", "Ludox SM-30", "Ludox TM", and "Ludox AM". Mixtures of silicas can be used. "Ludox AM" is preferred. This product is a sodium stabilized colloidal silica whose particles are surface-modified with aluminum, having a particle size of 13-14 millimicrons, a specific surface area of 210-230 square meters per gram, a silica content (calculated as SiO 2 ) of 30.0% and a pH at 25°C. of 9.0.
The colloidal silica is present in the composition at a concentration of from about 5 through 35%, by weight of the total solids. Instead of colloidal silica, a mixture of colloidal silica and a water-soluble alkali metal silicate can be used as described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,825,664, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
As described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,825,664, any aqueous solution of an alkali metal silicate or mixtures thereof may be used in this invention. Such silicate solutions are available commercially in a wide variety of molar ratios of SiO 2 to alkali metal oxide, e.g. from about 1:1 to 4:1. Certain water-soluble alkali metal silicates having an SiO 2 molar proportion above 4 can be prepared and may be employed in this invention. Examples of suitable water-soluble alkali metal silicates are potassium silicate, sodium silicate and lithium polysilicate. The ratio of alkali metal silicate to colloidal silica is usually in the range between 25:75 and 90:10 by weight, preferably between 50:50 and 80:20 by weight.
The composition itself is made by simply mixing proper amounts of a suitable colloidal silica sol, with or without an alkali metal silicate, and a suitable fluorocarbon polymer dispersion. This composition can be pigmented, if this is desired, by first preparing a suitable pigment dispersion according to any conventional technique and then adding this pigment dispersion to the silica solfluoropolymer mixture.
Adjuncts such as flow agents, coalescing aids, anti-cratering agents, anti-mudcracking agents and the like can also be added if this appears necessary.
The resulting composition can be applied by spraying, brushing, roller-coating, dipping or the like. If the substrate is metal, this is preferably pre-treated by gritblasting, by the flame spraying of a metal or a metal oxide, or by frit coating, although the composition can be applied successfully to phosphated and chromated non-grit blasted metals. If the substrate is glass, it is preferably first gritblasted or frit coated.
The composition is ordinarily applied at a thickness of 0.2-2.5 mils (dry). After application, the composition is air-dried and the article baked for a time and at a temperature sufficient to fuse the fluoropolymer used.
The composition is most useful for coating cookware, especially bakeware, frying pans, and for coating meat grills, but it can be used to coat any article capable of withstanding the baking temperature used. For example, the composition can be used to coat bearings, valves, wire, metal foil, boilers, pipes, ship bottoms, oven liners, iron soleplates, waffle irons, ice cube trays, snow shovels and plows, chutes, conveyors, dies, tools such as saws, files and drills, hoppers, and industrial containers and molds. It can also be used to coat plastic articles.
The mica particles or mica particles coated with a pigment are available commercially and are generally used at a concentration of about 2 to 25% by weight of the total solids, preferably about 5 to 15% by weight. It is preferred that greater than 80% of the particles have a particle size in the range of about 4 to 50 microns. A mixture of two or more types with different particle size distribution can be used.
Mica particles coated with a pigment, usually a metal oxide such as titanium dioxide, zirconium dioxide, iron oxide, chromium dioxide and vanadium oxide are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,087,827 issued Apr. 30, 1963 to Edward J. Klenke, Jr. et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,087,828 issued Apr. 30, 1963 to Howard R. Linton and U.S. Pat. No. 3,087,829 issued Apr. 30, 1963 to Howard R. Linton. The disclosures of these patents are hereby incorporated by reference. Titanium dioxide is the preferred metal oxide.
The invention can be further understood by the following examples in which parts and percentages are by weight unless otherwise indicated.
EXAMPLE 1
A coating composition was prepared by mixing the following ingredients:
Ingredients Parts by weight______________________________________Aqueous polytetrafluoroethylene 67.4 dispersion.sup.1Sodium lauryl alcohol sulfate 3.5 dispersing agent (30% in water)Mica coated with TiO.sub.2 with particle 5.1 size distribution between 5 and 40 micronsCarbon black/aluminum silicate 5.0 dispersion (30% in water, 20% carbon black and 10% aluminum silicate)Colloidal silica stabilized with 19.0 sodium.sup.2 100.0______________________________________ .sup.1 The dispersion contained 60% colloidal polytetrafluoroethylene and 3.5% octylphenyl polyglycol ether. .sup.2 The aqueous colloidal silica contained 30% silica stabilized with sodium, had a SiO.sub.2 /Na.sub.2 O ratio of 230, a particle size of 13-1 millimicrons and the silica particles surface-modified with aluminate ions. The PTFE to SiO.sub.2 ratio in this example is: 100/14.
One coat of this composition was sprayed on a plurality of aluminum panels which were pretreated by grit blasting to a profile of 10 to 15 microns in the normal manner and then baked at 400°C. for 10 minutes. Some dry coatings were about 15 microns in thickness and the remainder were about 30 microns in thickness. A portion of the coated panels were boiled in vegetable oil for 3 hours.
Adhesion of the coating to the substrate was determined as follows:
1. The coating was scratched with a knife down to the metal surface to give a grid of 10 × 10 squares with the lines 2 mm. apart.
2. An adhesive tape was applied over the grid and then pulled off.
3. The number of squares remaining was then determined on a percentage basis. The minimum acceptable level is 70%.
The adhesion of the coatings prepared above was as follows:
1. 100% for the coatings 15 and 30 microns in thickness before boiling in oil.
2. 100% for the coating 15 microns in thickness after boiling in oil.
3. 80% for the coating 30 microns in thickness after boiling in oil.
As a control, panels were coated (15 microns) as above with the same composition except the mica coated with TiO 2 was omitted. The adhesion was 60% after boiling in oil.
EXAMPLES 2-4
Example 1 was repeated except that varying amounts of mica coated with TiO 2 were used in the composition. The amounts of mica used and the adhesion results after boiling in oil are shown in Table I.
TABLE I______________________________________Example Parts CoatingNo. mica thickness Adhesion______________________________________Control 0.93 15 microns 65%2 2.5 " 70-75%3 7.7 " 85%4 7.0* " 85%______________________________________ *Example 4 used mica having a particle size distribution between 5 and 40 microns.
Similar results can be obtained when an equivalent amount of fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) is substituted for the polytetrafluoroethylene. | Aqueous fluorocarbon polymer coating compositions which contain mica particles or mica particles coated with a pigment such as titanium dioxide are provided. These compositions are useful for coating substrates, especially metallic cookware and bakeware to give a non-stick finish of improved post oil adhesion. | 2 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates to a sanitary napkin having a strip of material that extends rearwardly to reside in the intergluteal crevice. This arrangement permits the pad portion of the napkin to fit more snugly against the body thereby providing improved protection.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] External sanitary protection is known to greatly depend upon the proximity of the napkin to the perineal area. A close fit allows the napkin to collect fluid near the source of the exit from the body and minimizes fluid traveling along the body. However, despite the importance of fit to sanitary protection, prior art napkins adhesively secured to the crotch of the garment rely on the relatively loose fit of the user's undergarments. Panties worn while menstruating are often older, well-worn garments which fit poorly. New panties, unless specially designed to do so, rarely hold and maintain the napkin close enough to be effective. Even specially designed undergarments are deemed by many women to be binding and uncomfortable.
[0003] In addition, reliance on adhesive systems that secure sanitary napkins to the garment essentially demand that the securing means of the napkin tenaciously adhere to the garment at all times. Accordingly, they must resist moisture, sudden torques generated by movements of the body and frictional shearing forces exerted by the movements of the various layers of clothing worn by the user. Not surprisingly, the actual performance of the napkin fails to satisfactorily meet these conditions.
[0004] One prior art solution to the fitting problem has been to use sanitary belts to independently support the napkin. Napkins with long tab ends worn with sanitary belts achieve the necessary closeness to the body but are often uncomfortable, inconvenient to use, and cause an indiscreet appearance which women find objectionable. Moreover, belts suspend a napkin in such a way that it is allowed to shift and twist, greatly reducing its effectiveness.
[0005] Another solution, contemplated by the prior art, is to attach the product ends to the skin. Several patents have been directed to devices for collecting body fluids that employ adhesive attachments to the skin. Zamist, U.S. Pat. No. 3,906,952, is directed to an anatomically contoured sanitary napkin having adhesive patches which attach to the skin of the wearer. These patches have non-disposable, die-cut grippers to receive the ends of the napkin. Levine, U.S. Pat. No. 4,072,151 describes a catamenial napkin having a long, full-sized napkin with adhesive strips on its longitudinal ends for attaching to the body. Sohn, U.S. Pat. No. 4,484,919, teaches a rectal area dressing for anal incontinence. This rectoperineal device has pressure-sensitive adhesive on an elongated absorbent pad and on extending end members that adhere to the skin surfaces.
[0006] While these inventions generally provide a close fit to the wearer's body, many women are adverse to the use of body adhesive. Further these prior art uses of adhesives do not permit stretching in the longitudinal direction to adjust to the wearer's individual sizing needs. Such devices, moreover, are not flexible enough to allow the pad to move with the body and return to its original position during stooping, bending and twisting. This can lead to uncomfortable binding and twisting of the napkin. Furthermore, the attachment sites of these products, being susceptible to sudden torques and shearing forces, are not always reliable in securing product placement.
[0007] The present invention relates to a sanitary napkin whose securing means comprises an intergluteal strip. While use of intergluteal pads has been disclosed in the prior art, their use has been for increased absorbency of fluids present in this area. Examples include U.S. Pat. No. 5,520,675 in the name of Knox-Sigh, U.S. Pat. No. 4,900,319 in the name of Richwine, PCT publication WO 90/04956 in the name of Muller, and U.S. Pat. No. Re. 24,385 in the name of Flanders.
[0008] The present invention relates to a sanitary napkin whose securing means comprises an intergluteal strip which thereby makes use of the wearer's intergluteal crevice to help secure the napkin. By using the wearer's body in this manner, the present invention reduces many of the sudden torques and shearing forces associated with the prior art. Further, it does so in a manner that does not require adhesive on that intergluteal strip portion. In addition it permits flexibility of the intergluteal strip. Consequently, an improved fit of the sanitary napkin is obtained.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The invention provides a sanitary napkin which achieves a dynamic body fit. The pad of the napkin is closely fit to the user's body by means that comprises an intergluteal strip. When the user moves, the user's panty may move, but the pad stays snugly against the body because of this attachment means.
[0010] More specifically, in accord with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a feminine hygiene pad comprising:
[0011] a main pad body having an absorbent core system positioned between a pad cover material and a barrier layer, a rear end which in use is located in proximity to a wearer's buttocks and an opposed front end, a first face adapted to contact with the wearer's body and an opposing second face adapted to face toward an undergarment of a wearer, a main pad body thickness being defined as the dimension of the main pad body from the first face to the second face, said main pad body adapted to be worn in close proximity to the vagina of a wearer;
[0012] said pad further comprising a flexible front flap, extending forwardly from the front end of the main pad body and terminating at a distal end, said flap adapted to aid in retaining said main pad body adjacent to the wearer's vagina;
[0013] said distal end of said front flap containing an area of adhesive adapted for attaching said distal end to said undergarment of the wearer; and,
[0014] said pad further comprising a tail, said tail being relatively small in thickness compared to the main pad body thickness and said tail extending rearwardly from said rear end of the main pad body, terminating at a distal end, and being configured to be received between the buttocks of the wearer to facilitate retaining said main pad body adjacent to the wearer's vagina.
[0015] These and other features of the invention will be more fully understood by reference to the following drawings
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] [0016]FIG. 1 is a top view of the inventive pad.
[0017] [0017]FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the pad of FIG. 1.
[0018] [0018]FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the invention illustrating the barrier material forming the tail and flap.
[0019] [0019]FIG. 4 is a bottom view of another alternative embodiment in which a continuous piece of material which forms the tail and flap is attached to the barrier layer.
[0020] [0020]FIG. 5 is a front view of the inventive pad as worn by a wearer.
[0021] [0021]FIG. 6 is a top view of an alternative embodiment of the invention illustrating a garment-adhesive area on the distal end of the tail for attachment to the rear of the user's panties.
[0022] [0022]FIG. 7 is a top view of an alternative embodiment of the invention illustrating a body adhesive area on the distal end of the tail for securing the tail to the user's body.
[0023] [0023]FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrate alternative embodiments of the invention in which a stabilizer area of the tail is depicted.
[0024] [0024]FIGS. 9A, 9B and 9 C depict a rear view of a user's buttocks and the intergluteal crevice therein. FIG. 9B further depicts the placement of the intergluteal tail in an embodiment of the invention wherein the tail does not contain a stabilizer area, while FIG. 9C depicts the placement of the intergluteal tail in an embodiment in which a stabilizer area is present.
[0025] [0025]FIGS. 10 and 11 depict alternative embodiments of the invention wherein the stabilizer area has alternative shapes.
[0026] [0026]FIG. 12 depicts a cross-sectional view of an exemplary non-planar shaped tail.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0027] During the course of this description, like numbers will be used to identify like elements according to different figures which illustrate the invention.
[0028] [0028]FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention and FIG. 2 shows a corresponding cross-sectional view. The depicted sanitary napkin 1 has a central longitudinal axis 16 . As depicted in these FIGS., the main pad body 17 of this sanitary napkin 1 extends from point P 2 to point P 3 on the longitudinal axis 16 and comprises an absorbent core system 2 positioned between a pad cover material 4 and a barrier layer 6 . This main pad body has a front end 18 located adjacent to point P 3 and a rear end 19 located adjacent to point P 2 . In the embodiment shown the cover 4 and barrier 6 are slightly larger than the absorbent system, leaving room to heat seal along the perimeter of the pad.
[0029] In the depicted embodiment the intergluteal tail 8 is connected to the main pad body and is placed underneath the absorbent core system so as not to interfere with absorbency. Construction adhesives as well as heat are exemplary means to attach the tail 8 to the main pad body. In the preferred embodiment the tail is composed of a polyester knit fabric such as that manufactured by Tomen Corporation under the designation AQ 7500. The invention is not limited to this material as alternative materials, to include stretchable or absorbent materials, are contemplated by the inventors.
[0030] Moreover, the invention is not limited to positioning of the intergluteal tail between the cover material 4 and the barrier layer 6 . An alternative embodiment depicted in FIG. 3 has the barrier layer material itself extended to form both the tail and a front flap 10 . Alternative embodiments would be having the barrier layer extending to form only one of these appendages while the remaining appendage being an attached material. Accordingly, the materials used in the construction of the tail and or the front flap could be selected to best match the desired physical characteristics (e.g. elasticity, absorbency, etc.), to minimize cost, or to simplify construction.
[0031] Alternative embodiments (not shown) of the sanitary napkin would comprise the presence of channeling or embossing on the cover material. Such channeling is well known in the sanitary napkin industry.
[0032] [0032]FIG. 4 shows the garment facing side of an additional alternative embodiment of the invention in which the intergluteal tail 8 and the front flap are one continuous piece of material that has been attached to the barrier layer 6 . Construction adhesives as well as heat are exemplary attachment means. In this embodiment construction of the pad is simplified while not limiting the barrier layer to be of the same material as both appendages.
[0033] As depicted in FIG. 2 the front flap 10 , located at the front end 18 of the main pad body 17 , comprises positioning adhesive 12 and release paper 14 on the garment-facing side. In the preferred embodiment depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2, the front flap is sandwiched between the cover 4 and barrier 6 , and is attached using construction adhesive as well as heat. In this preferred embodiment it is envisioned that this front flap is constructed of a stretchable material to aid in both comfort and fit of the pad.
[0034] As illustrated in FIG. 5 the intergluteal tail extends rearwardly into the area of space between the buttocks of the wearer. The placement of the intergluteal tail in this position thus provides an additional anchoring means for the pad.
[0035] Consequently, in this embodiment, the sanitary pad of the present invention provides dynamic fit by anchoring the front end of the pad to the body through the use of just one attachment point to the panty. The pad is draped closely to the body through the use of the intergluteal tail. Once in place, the pad moves with the body, not with the panty. Hence, dynamic fit is achieved. Because of this optimal fit, the user can achieve the same protection in a smaller, more discreet pad.
[0036] In the preferred embodiment, the tail lacks any presence of adhesive on its distal end. As illustrated in FIG. 5 the intergluteal tail is placed by the wearer in her intergluteal crevice. This positioning of the tail into this area is sufficient to secure the tail end of the pad. Alternative embodiments are contemplated in which the intergluteal tail is of sufficient length to employ an adhesive on its distal end. As depicted in FIG. 6 this adhesive area 40 may be positioned on the garment facing side for attachment to the user's undergarment. Alternatively a body adhesive area 50 on the body facing side could be employed for securing the distal end of the tail as depicted in FIG. 7. A napkin containing such adhesive areas would preferably utilize an adhesive release paper to facilitate packaging and handling of the napkin prior to its use.
[0037] In the following discussion length measures correspond to distances along the central longitudinal axis 16 of the pad as depicted in FIG. 1. Width measures relate to distances along a corresponding horizontal axis perpendicular to this longitudinal axis. Accordingly, the length of the intergluteal tail 8 is the distance from point P 1 to point P 2 along longitudinal axis 16 . Similarly, the main body of the pad extends in length from point P 2 to point P 3 along this axis. And finally, the length of the front flap is the measure from point P 3 to point P 4 .
[0038] In the preferred embodiment the front flap has a rounded shape that flows from the contours of the main pad body as depicted in FIG. 1. Its width varies along the length of the flap. The widest portion is adjacent to the main pad body and the narrowest portion is at the distal end, ending in a rounded point. The widest portion has a width of 7 cm, but can vary with the width of the main pad body, from 7 to 10 cm. The length of the flap extends 4 cm beyond the end of the main pad body. The length of the flap can range from 3 to 7 cm.
[0039] The tail extends 15 cm from the rear end 19 of the main pad body. A range in length from 10 to 30 cm would be acceptable. Preferably, the tail's length ranges from 12 to 18 cm. The width of the tail can vary from 0.5 to 2.5 cm. Preferably, the tail has a width of 1.5 to 2 cm. The thickness of the tail is preferably less than 1 cm and most preferably less than 5 mm. This thickness range is an important feature of the present invention as it relates to the user's comfort. In the preferred embodiment, the tail is substantially free of wrinkles or rugosities prior to its use. The distal end of the intergluteal tail can have adhesive in a range of patterns, including full coverage of the tail contour, strips, dots, or other.
[0040] In the preferred embodiment the main body of the pad is adapted to be worn outside of and in close proximity to the vagina of a wearer. Accordingly, in this embodiment the main pad body is substantially planar on its body facing side. Additional embodiments, while also substantially planar, have some taper in a front to back direction, or in a side to side direction, or both. However, the invention is not limited to being worn outside of the vagina. Additional alternative embodiments are contemplated in which the main pad body comprises a raised area for insertion into the vagina. Such an interlabial feature yields several advantages to include aiding in proper positioning of the pad and/or permitting a concentration of absorbent materials at the fluid discharge location.
[0041] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the absorbent core system is of sufficient length to only cover the length of the user's labia, that is, it is in the range 8.0 to 13.1 cm in length. The length of the main pad body is preferably greater than the length of the absorbent core system 2 , so that a perimeter of barrier layer 6 and cover material 4 surrounds the absorbent core. The width of the perimeter can range from 0.5 to 2 cm. This means the length of the main pad body can range from 9.0 to 17.1 cm. Most preferably, the width of the perimeter is 1 cm. With a most preferred length of absorbent body of 11.5 cm, this means that the most preferable length of the main pad body is 13.5 cm.
[0042] The width of the main pad body most preferably varies along the length, becoming narrower at the rear end 19 of the main pad body. It could be relatively constant in width as well. In the preferred embodiment with a variable width, the maximum width occurs near the front end 18 . The width there is in the range 8 cm to 10 cm. In the preferred embodiment, the main pad body is most narrow at the rear end 19 near the tail to thereby provide a more comfortable fit. Accordingly, this width is preferably between 0.5 and 4 cm. Most preferably, this width is 2 cm. Further, in the preferred embodiment the narrowest part of the main pad body should approximately equal the width of the intergluteal tail 8 , which can vary from 0.5 to 2.5 cm.
[0043] In accordance with alternative embodiments the present invention relates to full size napkins wherein the main pad body has a length of 200 cm to 250 cm and overnight napkins whose main pad body has a length of 250 cm to 350 cm. In addition, alternative embodiments are contemplated in which the napkin has one or more wings extending from each lateral side of the main pad body, these wings to be used to further secure the napkin to the user's undergarments. Such wings are well known in the sanitary napkin industry.
[0044] Additional embodiments of invention relate to a widened distal end of the tail thereby forming a stabilizer area 60 of the tail. FIGS. 8A and 8B depict alternative embodiments of this invention in which the width (w and w′, respectively) of the stabilizer area 60 is greater than the width of the intergluteal tail 8 . This arrangement helps stabilize the tail by providing a larger attachment area that distributes the forces acting upon the tail by spreading them laterally. As illustrated in these figures, both the width of the stabilizer portion, and the angle of stabilization, β, combine to determine the surface area of the stabilizer area 60 .
[0045] This stabilizing area may contain an area of adhesive 64 . In the preferred embodiment this adhesive would be covered by a release paper (not shown) prior to use. In FIGS. 8A and 8B panty adhesive is depicted on the garment facing side of the tail. In the preferred embodiment body adhesive, for directly attaching the tail to the user's body, would be utilized. Moreover, while FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrate the adhesive area essentially taking the same shape as the stabilizing area, this is not required. Any number of adhesive pattern area shapes, including but not limited to, square, rectangular, circular, or even linear are contemplated by the invention.
[0046] [0046]FIGS. 9A, B and C each depict a rear view of a user's buttocks. FIG. 9A illustrates the user's intergluteal crevice 65 . FIG. 9B depicts an intergluteal tail 8 , which lacks a stabilizing area, positioned in the intergluteal crevice 65 . FIG. 9C illustrates a user wearing an intergluteal tail 8 having a stabilizing area 60 . Such a stabilizing area not only stabilizes the forces acting upon the tail, but also helps prevent the tail from residing too far in the intergluteal crevice, a situation which users may find uncomfortable.
[0047] [0047]FIG. 9C further illustrates how the width of the stabilizer area, W, and the angle of stabilization, β, combine to effect the surface area of the stabilizer area. The lower limits of these parameters are influenced by the stability of the material used. The upper limits of these parameters are influenced by discretion since, as illustrated in FIG. 9C, the stabilizer area resides outside of the intergluteal crevice when the tail is in position. In the preferred embodiment the angle of stabilization, β, can range from 5° to 80°. For a 20 mm wide tail, the preferred range of w is from 30 to 120 mm.
[0048] [0048]FIG. 10 depicts an alternative embodiment of the stabilizer area 60 . In this embodiment, the height, h, preferentially ranges from 6 mm to 40 mm and for a 20 mm wide tail the width, w, preferentially ranges from 30 to 120 mm. FIG. 11 depicts yet another alternative embodiment of the shape of the stabilizer area 60 . The invention is not limited to these illustrated shapes as any non-insignificant widening of the distal end of the intergluteal tail 8 will perform as a stabilization area and help prevent the tail from residing too far in the intergluteal crevice.
[0049] Further, in situations in which an adhesive is desired at the distal end of the intergluteal tail, this stabilizing area provides an increased surface area upon which such adhesive can be placed. Finally, the stabilization area provides a convenient tab to aid the wearer in the placement of the tail at time of use.
[0050] The above discussion of the stabilization area relates primarily to that area being a widening of the tail material at the distal end of the tail. The invention is not limited in this regard as it is contemplated that a separate stabilizing strip of material can be attached to the distal end of the intergluteal tail to thereby form the stabilization area. In the preferred embodiment this stabilizing strip would be readily stretchable. Non-limiting examples of suitable materials include: LYCRA XA Q-3, a laminate of two layers of low basis weight spunbond PP sandwiching lycra strands, which is manufactured by the DuPont Corporation; AQ 3005, a polyester/polyurethane knit laminate, and AQ 7500, a polyester knit fabric, both commercially available from the Tomen Corporation; FABRIFLEX 102, a laminate of PP nonwoven and a high stretch elastic film, manufactured by Tredagar Corporation; and a cotton/rayon bandage material, with the yarns mechanically twisted to provide stretch available from Conco under the trade designation ARTICLE 207.
[0051] The present invention is not limited to pads having substantially planar tails. A non-planar tail, having a cross-sectional profile that is anatomical in shape, aids in providing a comfortable, intimate fit to the wearer's body when inserted in the user's intergluteal crevice. By way of example, an alternative embodiment is depicted in FIG. 12 in which the cross-section of the tail is depicted essentially of a triangular shape, which triangle having essentially non-linear sides. Such a shaped tail can be formed, by example, as an extruded foam. Cross-sectional views of alternative tail shapes include, but are not limited to, essentially circular, oval, or U-shaped.
[0052] An alternative embodiment of the invention is that the tail comprise a gentle body adhesive along at least part of its length. Use of such an adhesive, especially in combination with a non-planar tail that is anatomical in shape, helps to form an impervious gasket thereby minimizing any potential leakage from occurring towards the posterior of the wearer. Examples of such adhesives include, but are not limited to, hydrogel adhesives, TPE/Oil gel adhesives, and polyethelyene glycol/polyacrylate adhesives.
[0053] A further embodiment contemplates a tail construction in which the garment facing side of the tail is laminated to a scrim or spunbond. Another embodiment of the tail construction is a multiple strata comprising an outer “U-shaped” channel that is composed of body attaching adhesive, and a non-tacky inner core that is composed of an absorbent material e.g., hydrogel
[0054] While the invention has been described with reference to the above alternative embodiments thereof, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that various modifications can be made to the structure and function of the individual parts of the system without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as a whole. | A sanitary napkin having a front flap that adhesively attaches to the user's undergarment and a tail strip that extends rearwardly to reside in the user's intergluteal crevice. The pad thus fits more snugly against the body of the user. Further, because the strip provides improved body contact, similar protection is achieved with a smaller pad, thus providing a discretion | 0 |
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims foreign priority to European Patent Application No. 08019499.6 filed Nov. 7, 2008 which is hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an entrance barrier comprising a barrier element movable between an open and a closed position, driving means, by which the barrier element can be driven from one position to the other respectively, a control unit, by which the driving means are controllable, and a sensor unit connected to the control unit. The invention also relates to a barrier element for the entrance barrier and to a method for operating the entrance barrier.
2. Discussion
Entrance barriers of the above-described type are used in the prior art for a variety of applications, for instance for controlling the entrance or access to areas which are protected and/or subject to a charge. Entrance barriers are frequently used for instance in public transport, airports, especially in security checks, and also in public buildings such as swimming pools or sports facilities. They serve among others to grant access only to authorized persons or to grant only single access of persons.
In a security check for instance, an entrance barrier is provided in the form of two mutually opposite door wings which are driven for swiveling and which are automatically swung to an open position when an authorized person desires access and wants to pass the entrance barrier. To this end, the person inserts an access authorization card in a checking station capable of verifying authorization, and if the authorization is valid, the control unit connected to the checking station controls the driving means to move the door wings of the swing doors to the open position, whereupon the individual is allowed to pass the open entrance barrier. After passing the entrance barrier, the door wings are automatically closed again. Passage of the entrance barrier is detected by the sensor unit, and a corresponding signal is transmitted to the control unit. After passage of the entrance barrier, the barrier element is moved to the closed position. A light barrier is used as a sensor unit, which substantially enables a selective detection of a current position of a person. But this detection is insufficient, because the substantially linear detection area of the light barrier is very small. It is not possible to detect a person outside of the detection area. An additional drawback is that the light barrier delivers false detection values caused by the influence of ambient light. This may cause faulty control by the control unit.
To avoid that a person is hurt by the movement of the door wings, the energy transmittable from the driving means to the door wings is limited. If a person is still present in the movement range of a door wing during the opening or closing movement of this door wing, because the person has changed his/her direction of movement or stopped moving, the door wing will hit the person and stop its movement due to the limited energy, so that the person is hurt as little as possible. Accordingly, the entrance barrier provides passive safety. On the other hand, the mere contact between the person and the door wing may cause painful collisions, if not even injuries, especially if the person carries pieces of luggage. Moreover, this concept of passive safety puts limitations to the design of the door wings, particularly with regard to the weight, size and speed of movements. It is precisely this area where a light barrier cannot be installed, because the light barrier would interfere with the intended function of the door wing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is therefore based on the object of providing a possibility to further improve the safety of individuals in the area of entrance barriers beyond the mere passive safety of the entrance barrier.
As a solution of this object the invention proposes that the sensor unit includes a capacitive sensor. With the capacitive sensor it is possible to detect the presence of individuals especially in the movement range of the barrier element. The barrier element may be provided for example in the form of a swing door or also a pair of swing doors or a sliding door, a turnstile, a barrier, combinations thereof or the like. The barrier element can have a one-piece or a multi-piece design and thus comprise for example a single-wing or multi-wing swing door. The capacitive sensor is preferably so designed that it produces an electric field which extends to an adjacent space and particularly to the space adjacent to the entrance barrier, and so that it detects changes.
Normally, the effects of this type of sensor are as follows:
1. Insulators in the plate capacitor
By introducing a dielectric (insulator) into a charged capacitor, the electric field is weakened due to the polarization. The plate voltage drops, because no charge can flow to the capacitor. The capacitance of the capacitor increases.
2. Electrically conducting ungrounded materials in the plate capacitor
By introducing an electrically conducting object into a charged capacitor, the field is weakened due to the influence effect. The field lines are shortened due to the inserted conductor. Graphically imagined, the result is a reduction of the plate spacing. The capacitance of the capacitor increases.
3. Electrically conducting grounded object in the plate capacitor (Shadowing mode)
If a grounded electrically conducting body (human/animal) is present in the plate capacitor, the measurable capacitance becomes smaller. A part of the influenced charge carriers is discharged through the “electrode of the body”. A precondition for this measuring principle is a ground reference of the supply voltage. In the specific embodiment herein described, method 3 is applied, though the remaining two methods can also be applied, provided that for example a galvanically floating measuring voltage is available.
It is known that the electric field is changed by a dielectrically permeable body, but also by a conducting body which includes among others also a human being, an animal or any other living thing. If the body is a dielectrically permeable body, the field is weakened and thus the capacitance of the sensor increases. Grounded electrically conducting bodies, for example a human being or an animal, cause the capacitance to decrease. The change of capacitance can be detected by an appropriate evaluation circuit and can be provided in the form of suitable signals for additional purposes. Preferably, the sensor covers a region of a space comprising at least the movement range of the barrier element. The sensor can be arranged in a stationary fashion for example on the entrance barrier. Its dimensions are preferably adapted to the barrier element and/or to the dielectrically permeable body to be detected, so that a reliable detection of the body can be guaranteed. The detection of the capacitance of the sensor can take place for example by means of charge or discharge pulses, frequency changes and/or the like. So it is possible for example to adjust a measuring frequency, rate of change of a measuring pulse or the like according to the needs. Preferably, the capacitive sensor is installed remotely from additional dielectrically permeable or electrically conducting components, so that any interference with such components can be avoided as far as possible. Additionally, compensation circuits and/or functions can be provided, to be able to neglect or compensate disturbing dielectrically permeable or electrically conducting components with regard to the evaluation of the sensor. The sensor can have a segmented structure for example, so that it is capable of sensing differently large bodies with different accuracy. Such additional information which is obtained can be used also for control purposes, by activating for example the barrier element only if particular individual sensors of the segmented sensor have been activated. Of course, the operation signal for the sensor can be adapted to dielectrically permeable or electrically conducting bodies to be detected, in order to improve the detection. The capacitive sensor is connected to the sensor unit that evaluates the signals from the sensor and transmits on its part a corresponding signal to the control unit. The control unit evaluates this signal and initiates if necessary appropriate control of the driving means for the barrier element.
Preferably, the sensor is arranged on the barrier element. In this way it can be achieved that the sensor preferably covers the range in which the barrier element is movable. It is thus possible to use a sensor having a directional effect, so that the detection of a body can be further improved. Moreover, separate means for the arrangement of the sensor can be saved.
The sensor may have its own evaluation circuit that applies a corresponding operation signal to the sensor and evaluates a corresponding measuring signal from the sensor as a response signal. The evaluation circuit can be connected to the control unit. The evaluation signal is capable of transmitting a signal which corresponds to the detected measuring value to the control unit and/or to a remote center.
Preferably, the sensor is at least partly formed by an electrically conducting part. The electrically conducting part can be formed by an electrically conducting material such as metal, an electrolyte or the like. But an electrically conducting plastic material, an electrically conducting ceramic material or the like can also be provided in order to form the electrically conducting part. Moreover, a design in the form of a composite material is also conceivable, in which an electrically conducting layer is applied to an insulating material. The electrically conducting part can be connected to the evaluation circuit via one more lines. If the sensor is arranged on the barrier element, the conducting part can comprise the entire barrier element or also only parts thereof. Moreover, auxiliary electrodes can be provided, by which the electric field of the sensor can be influenced in a desired manner, in order to still further improve the detection of the body. It can be provided for instance that the sensor includes adjacent partial sensors to which differently high electric voltages of preferably the same polarity are applied. In this way it is possible for example to achieve a directional effect.
To reduce the influence of external ambient conditions on the sensor and to simultaneously avoid the risk of individuals being injured by electricity, the sensor is preferably electrically insulated. To this end, the conductive part can be coated for example with an insulating varnish or provided with an insulating coating, preferably from an insulating plastic material or the like. Parasitic currents into the sensor can be reduced.
Further, the sensor may include an open conductor loop and/or a conductor surface. The conductor loop or the conductor surface is made from an electrically conducting material, preferably from a material exhibiting good electrical conductivity such as copper, aluminum, brass or the like. The conductor surface or conductor loop is electrically connected to the evaluation circuit. The conductor loop can be formed as a spiral, especially an Archimedean spiral, on the barrier element. In the same manner as the conductor surface, the conductor loop can be circular, ellipsoid or also angular, e.g. rectangular, polygonal or the like. Preferably, the conductor loop or conductor surface lies in a geometrically plane surface, for example a surface of the barrier element, such as for example a door wing of a swing door or the like. The conductor surface may have a texture, in order to achieve a more favorable field effect. The conductor surface may include different surface sections electrically connected to each other. The detection of the body can be further improved.
According to a further embodiment, the entrance barrier can comprise at least two barrier elements, especially two barrier elements that are jointly movable. The barrier elements can be arranged oppositely to each other in the passage way of the entrance barrier and can comprise common or also separate driving means. The driving means can be formed for example by electric drive units such as electric motors or the like. But they can also be hydraulic and/or pneumatic. The common drive unit can also be implemented by a transmission capable of jointly driving the barrier elements. In the case of sliding doors, it can be provided for instance that for opening the passageway two mutually opposite sliding doors are operated by the drive unit(s) in such way that the sliding doors are removed from the passageway. In the case of swing doors, it can be provided that the swing doors are simultaneously swung to the open position. Of course, the barrier element can also be designed in a multi-part fashion, for instance by a swing door being simultaneously constructed as a folding door, thus allowing to reduce the space which is engaged by the barrier element. Thus it is possible to adapt the entrance barrier in a variety of ways to the respective requirements.
A barrier element for the entrance barrier is also described herein. The sensor for example can be formed as one piece with the barrier element, thus not only reducing the number of components, but also increasing reliability, since the sensor can be protected by the barrier element. To this end, the barrier element itself can comprise electrically conducting parts, conductor loops and/or conductor surfaces which are incorporated in the barrier element. The barrier element can have recesses which receive the sensor and which are subsequently closed by a suitable material. It is also possible for the sensor being formed by a layer on the barrier element which is applied for example by vapor deposition or any other technique capable of forming layers on a surface of the barrier element. Additionally, protective layers can be applied to protect both the sensor and the barrier element against external influences.
According to a further development, the barrier element can be constructed in a two-part or multi-part fashion. This enables a compact construction of the barrier element, especially in its closed position, so that all in all a very compact entrance barrier can be achieved. For this purpose, the barrier element can be segmented in the fashion of a folding door or the like.
A method for operating an entrance barrier is also disclosed, wherein a barrier element is moved between an open and a closed position by driving means. The driving means are controlled by a control unit detecting the presence of a body, especially of a dielectrically permeable and/or electrically conducting body in a space within the range of the barrier element by means of a capacitive sensor, and transmitting the output from the sensor to the control unit. Preferably, the sensor is capable of detecting a movement of the body.
Accordingly, the capacitive sensor detects whether a dielectric body, especially an individual, is present in the space near the barrier element, particularly in an area into which the barrier element is moved. The result is preferably transmitted to the control unit and can serve as a basis for the control of the driving means. A dielectrically permeable body is a body having a relative dielectric permeability greater than 1, particularly greater than 10, preferably greater than 15. The bodies which can be detected here can be dielectrically permeable bodies (insulators) or electrically conducting bodies. Accordingly, these bodies can also be living things, particularly animals and people. But such a detectable body can also be an object having a relative dielectric permeability greater than 1, for example plastic materials, ceramic materials, ferrites, combinations thereof and combinations with other materials and/or the like, but also electrically conducting bodies such as metal suitcases for example.
The capacitive sensor can be fixed relative to the barrier element, but it can also be arranged on the barrier element itself. Preferably, the capacitive sensor has a directional effect, so that the sensitivity can be increased in a desired area. Preferably, the sensitivity is increased in an area where the barrier element is moved between the two positions. For this purpose, the sensor itself can be made up from several individual partial sensors allowing a corresponding directional effect to be achieved. Moreover, by suitably designing the sensor, interference immunity with regard to electromagnetic tolerance can be improved. To this end, the sensor can be textured for example in the form of branching patterns or the like.
The method of the invention further provides that the driving means are deactivated by the control unit. Deactivation preferably takes place if a body is detected in the area of the barrier element which impedes the movement of the barrier element. By deactivating the driving means, the energy of a collision between the barrier element and the body can be reduced. In the case of moving bodies, it is also possible to achieve that a collision with the barrier element is associated with a lower energy absorption, since the barrier element is preferably freely movable during the collision, which means that the drive unit does not deliver additional energy during the collision. It is merely the energy of a differential pulse that has to be absorbed correspondingly by the body element and the barrier element. Thus damage to bodies, especially injury to an individual or an animal, can be clearly reduced.
According to a further development it is proposed that an access authorization is verified. The body can be provided with an authorization in the form of a bar code, a readable transponder or the like, with an authorization code being read and verified. If the authorization is approved, the driving means for moving the barrier element to the open position can be operated. If the authorization is not valid, the driving means is kept deactivated and the barrier element remains in its closed position. In the closed position, the barrier element is preferably locked, thus preventing unauthorized opening by external manipulation.
A further embodiment provides that the passage of a body is traced and/or recorded. Thus it is possible to retrace the passage of the body through the passage way of the entrance barrier. Accordingly, it can be provided that after the body has passed through the passage way, the barrier element is automatically moved to the closed position. Preferably, this movement shall take place only after the body has left the range of movement of the barrier element, in order to avoid a collision. For this purpose, the sensor can be evaluated continuously and/or in a time-discrete manner at correspondingly short intervals, in order to determine the position of the body in the entrance barrier. The values that have been determined with regard to the position of the body can be recorded for establishing for example a movement profile and/or for making a classification of the body. It can be achieved that for example several individuals inside the entrance barrier can be identified. Additionally, it is possible to detect and if necessary report unauthorized passage of several individuals, if the entrance barrier is designed for single passage.
Further, the position of the barrier element can be monitored by means of the sensor. The sensor can be constructed for example in a two-part fashion, one part of the sensor being attached to the barrier element and a second part being fixed in a different position on the entrance barrier. In the multi-part design of the entrance barrier, for example in the case of double-wing doors, the sensor can also be arranged on the door wings or on the several parts of the barrier element. Thus the position of the barrier element can be monitored, and the driving means can be controlled in a suitable manner. This embodiment further enables the detection even of intermediate positions between the open and closed positions. Accordingly, it can be provided for the barrier element to assume intermediate positions in a controlled manner. Preferably, the barrier element is also lockable in these intermediate positions, so that it cannot be moved by exerting external forces.
According to a further development it is proposed that several sensors are used, particularly sensors of adjacent entrance barriers, which are evaluated in a time multiplex mode. This makes it possible to decouple the sensors with regard to their interaction. This embodiment also enables the reduction of the evaluation circuit, since preferably only one evaluation circuit is provided which is coupled to the individual sensors on a time multiplex basis by means of a multiplexer.
A further advantageous embodiment provides that the sensor is synchronized automatically. By the synchronization of the sensor, disturbing influences, parasitic capacitances and the like can be considered, so that the sensor is capable of delivering a reliably evaluable signal substantially independently of possible changes of boundary conditions such as air humidity, temperature and/or the like. Preferably, the synchronization takes place automatically, so that any manual operations can be saved. For this purpose, corresponding measuring means can be provided for detecting changes of the boundary conditions which can be considered in the evaluation. It can also be provided that a corresponding operation signal for the sensor is adapted in dependence of the boundary conditions, in order to effect a corresponding synchronization.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Further advantages and features will become apparent from the following description of an example. In the description similar parts are identified by the same reference numbers. Further, concerning features and functions which are similar, reference is made to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 . The drawings are schematic drawings and merely serve to explain the following embodiments in which:
FIG. 1 illustrates an entrance barrier according to the invention comprising a barrier element having two mutually oppositely arranged swinging door wings with capacitive sensors;
FIG. 2 is a basic circuit diagram of an evaluation circuit for the capacitive sensors according to FIG. 1 , and
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating changes of capacitance during the movement of the barrier elements over time (grounded body).
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a gate 10 as an entrance barrier typically used in security areas on airports. The gate 10 comprises two door wings 12 , 14 as barrier elements which are movable between an open and a closed position and which are arranged in a ground passage area (not further illustrated) of gate 10 . Grounding is generally not required for the invention. But the following embodiment is nevertheless based on the functional principle (shadowing mode) described at the beginning as the 3rd effect, for which reason grounding is provided in the present case.
FIG. 1 shows the closed position. The door wings 12 , 14 can be driven by two drive units in the form of electric motors 16 , 18 as driving means, wherein the door wings 12 , 14 are capable of being driven from one position to the other position respectively. The drive unit 16 is capable of moving door wing 12 , whereas the drive unit 18 is capable of moving door wing 14 . The drive units 16 , 18 can be controlled via a control unit 20 .
The door wings 12 , 14 include two capacitive sensors 22 , 24 , each of the sensors 22 , 24 being formed by a pair of open conductor loops 26 , 28 , 30 , 32 . The open conductor loops 26 , 28 , 30 , 32 are formed as one piece with the door wings 12 , 14 by being applied as a conductive layer to the surface of the door wings 12 , 14 using a suitable manufacturing technique. In the present case, the door wings 12 , 14 are made of safety glass to which the open conductor loops 26 , 28 , 30 , 32 are applied by evaporation. In the present case, the sensor 22 is formed by the open conductor loops 26 , 28 , and the sensor 24 is formed by the open conductor loops 30 , 32 . Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 1 , each of the two sensors 22 , 24 is arranged with one half on one of the door wings 12 , 14 . For contacting purposes, the open conductor loops 26 , 28 , 30 , 32 are extended to the hinge area of the door wings 12 , 14 , where they are contacted by means of corresponding electrical lines (not further identified), in order to connect the open conductor loops 26 , 28 , 30 , 32 to an evaluation circuit 36 as a sensor unit ( FIG. 2 ).
FIG. 2 is a basic circuit diagram of the evaluation circuit 36 to which the sensors 22 , 24 are connected by their open conductor loops 26 , 28 , 30 , 32 . For this purpose, the evaluation circuit 36 comprises connectors 38 , 40 , 42 , 44 to which the open conductor loops 26 , 28 , 30 , 32 are connected, as shown in FIG. 2 . Internally in the evaluation circuit 36 , the connectors 38 , 40 , 42 , 44 are guided to a multiplexer 50 which reciprocally and alternately connects the sensors 22 , 24 in a time division multiplex mode to the additional component groups necessary for the operation and evaluation of the sensors 22 , 24 .
Reference number 52 designates a generator which produces an alternating voltage signal having a predetermined slew rate. This signal is also fed to the multiplexer 50 , through which the alternating voltage signal is alternately applied to the connector 40 or 44 . The two connectors 38 , 40 are connected alternately and in the same rhythm to a signal evaluation unit 54 by means of the multiplexer 50 . The signal evaluation unit 54 evaluates and prepares the signals for further processing. The output signal from the signal evaluation unit 54 is applied to the positive input of two comparators 60 , 62 comparing this signal with reference signals from the reference signal generators I and II 56 , 58 . The outputs of the comparators 60 , 62 are applied to the connectors 46 , 48 of the evaluation unit 36 . To the connectors 46 , 48 the control unit 20 is connected via connection lines which are not further identified.
Together with the multiplexer 50 also the reference signal generators I and II 56 , 58 are clocked, so that only a respective one of the comparators I and II 60 , 62 , of which the associated sensor 22 , 24 is being evaluated, delivers an output signal.
From the view of the evaluation circuit 36 , the two open connector loops 26 , 28 of the sensor 22 and the two open connector loops 30 , 32 of the sensor 24 constitute variable capacitors, of which the capacitance shall be measured. Therefore, during operation, an electric field is generated between the two door wings 12 , 14 which is substantially invariable in the stationary case and simulates for the evaluation circuit 36 a pre-determinable quiescence capacitance of the sensor 22 , 24 . Now, if a dielectrically permeable body moves in a space 34 in the range of the door wings 12 , 14 , the stationary electric field changes, thus causing a change of capacitance which can be detected by the evaluation circuit 36 . As soon as a sufficient change of the capacitance is detected, the signal evaluation unit 54 produces a signal exceeding the respective reference signal from the reference signal generators I and II 56 , 58 , whereupon the corresponding active comparator I respectively II 60 , 62 outputs a respective output signal to its corresponding connector 46 , 48 . This signal is transmitted for additional control purposes to the control unit 20 connected to the connectors 46 , 48 .
Also the opening or closing of the door wings 12 , 14 is detected, because this also causes a change of the capacitance of the sensors 22 , 24 .
Accordingly, the invention allows the movement of a body, particularly the movement of an individual in the space 34 in the range of the door wings 12 , 14 to be detected and transmitted to the control unit 20 . The evaluation circuit 34 can be integrated in the control unit 20 .
If a movement of a body in the space 34 is detected, the drive units 16 , 18 are deactivated by the control unit 20 . This enables the door wings 12 , 14 being freely movable, so that an individual present in the swiveling area of the door wings 12 , 14 is able to push the door wings 12 , 14 away, without being hurt. An alternative provides that the drive units are abruptly braked and fixed.
In the present embodiment it is further provided that the drive units 16 , 18 before being deactivated are transferred to a rest position, so that the door wings 12 , 14 do not continue to move. The drive units 16 , 18 are decoupled only after the rest position has been assumed. This avoids that the continued swiveling movement of one of the door wings 12 , 14 may cause a collision with the body or with the individual. Accordingly, the doors remain in their current position of swiveling and can be moved manually. Moreover, it can be provided that the drive units remain in the braked (blocked) condition and are transferred to a defined end or central position, after the individual has left or the body has been removed from swiveling area.
It is not shown that the entrance barrier 10 includes a verification unit to which an authorization card is inserted by the individual which desires to pass. If the authorization is verified as valid, the door wings 12 , 14 are moved to the open position by the control unit 20 and the drive units 16 , 18 . In the open position of the door wings 12 , 14 , passage of the individual which desires to pass is detected by the sensors 22 , 24 . As soon as the individual has passed the entrance barrier 10 and has left the space 34 in the range of the door wings 12 , 14 , the entrance barrier 10 is automatically closed by the control unit 20 and the drive units 16 , 18 , by moving the door wings 12 , 14 to the closed position. Further, the passage of the individual is traced and recorded. This makes it possible to establish a personalized passage profile. Thus an authorization profile can be established, so that a personalized authorization can be verified using the passage profile. Any discrepancy can be informed to a central office or the like.
The sensors 22 , 24 simultaneously allow monitoring the position of the door wings 12 , 14 relative to each other. This makes it possible to monitor the opening or closing movements of the door wings 12 , 14 substantially continuously or in a time-discrete manner. This construction also allows the door wings 12 , 14 to be moved to pre-determinable intermediate positions.
To ensure that adjacent entrance barriers 10 influence each other as less as possible, it can be provided that the sensors 22 , 24 of the adjacent entrance barriers 10 are operated and evaluated in a time multiplex mode, so that mutual influencing can be avoided. For this purpose, a higher-level control unit can be provided which correspondingly controls the control unit 20 and the evaluation unit 36 . It can be provided for example that the activation changes in a 100 ms cycle. The evaluation circuit 36 is directly or indirectly connected electrically to earth.
The reference values of the reference signal generators I and II 56 , 58 can be adjustable or programmable. Moreover, it can be provided that the reference signals are correspondingly adjustable by means of the control unit 20 . The reference values can be adjusted for example in dependence of the respective position of the barrier elements 12 , 14 . But also the evaluation circuit 36 can itself include means for updating the reference signals, in order to be able to compensate boundary conditions like air humidity or the like. A particular advantage is that in the present embodiment the sensors 22 , 24 are automatically synchronized. This automatic synchronization can take place for example through additional evaluations of the detected signals, especially of the signal from the signal evaluation unit 54 . In this case, an additional differentiation can be made for example, which allows to detect fast changes compared to slow changes of temperature, air humidity or the like.
FIG. 3 shows a diagram for the time line of a change of capacitance as it occurs for example during the intended operation of gate 10 . The time is used as the abscissa and the capacitance is used as the ordinate. A solid curve 64 represents the measured capacitance during an opening and a subsequent closing operation of the door wings 12 , 14 . As can be seen from FIG. 3 , in the time range between t 1 and t 2 , the door wings 12 , 14 are moved to the open position. This results in a decrease of the capacitance, which can be detected by means of the evaluation circuit 36 . In the time range between t 2 and t 3 , the gate 10 is in the position for passage, in which the door wings 12 , 14 are maintained in the open position. In the time range t 3 to t 4 , the door wings 12 , 14 are returned to the closed position. This results in an increase of the capacitance of the sensors 22 , 24 , which can be detected by means of the evaluation circuit 36 . It can be clearly seen that the current position of the door wings 12 , 14 can be determined from the change of the capacitance.
A broken curve 66 in FIG. 3 represents the opening and closing of the door wings 12 , 14 as previously described by way of the solid curve, wherein in the present case an individual enters the space 34 . It can be clearly seen that in the time range of t 1 to t 2 , the capacitance clearly decreases more strongly and faster during the opening operation of the door wing 12 , 14 than this would be the case without the influence of the individual. In the open position in the time range t 2 to t 3 , the capacitance first is the same as that represented by the solid curve 64 . Only when the individual passes the door wings 12 , 14 , a change of the capacitance can again be recognized (reference number 68 ), which resumes the value represented by the solid curve 66 after the individual has passed and with the door wings 12 , 14 in the open position. In the range t 3 to t 4 , the door wings are moved to the closed position, the influence of an individual being recognizable in addition by a decrease of the capacitance. Only after the individual has left the space 34 , the capacitance resumes the value as that which is represented by the solid curve.
The illustrated measurement curve shows the behavior of a measurement setup which reacts to negative changes of the capacitance. (Grounded electrically conducting body, ground-related measuring voltage) For the time range t 3 to t 4 , the limit of recognizability is plotted by way of the upper broken curve 70 . The system reacts to negative changes of the capacitance. But during the time range of t 3 to t 4 , the capacitance increases continuously. If a body enters the measuring area during the time range of t 3 to t 4 , the value of the increase of the capacitance caused by the closing operation of the door wing must be exceeded by a higher negative value of a body present in the swiveling area, in order that the measuring circuit recognizes a body as such. The measuring sensibility is dulled by this effect in the time range of t 3 to t 4 . Changes of the capacitance in the region between the solid curve 64 and the broken curve 70 are not recognized by the system.
The embodiment illustrated in the figures merely serves to explain the present invention and is not in any way limiting to the invention. Of course, the invention can not only be used in entrance barriers, but of course also in other access or access controlling systems, for example in sports facilities, security areas in enterprises, but also in agriculture, for the sorting of cattle or the like. It should be noted that a stationary electric field can also be a stationary alternating electric field with a predetermined frequency and amplitude. | The present invention relates to an entrance barrier comprising a barrier element movable between an open and a closed position, driving means, by which the barrier element can driven from one position to the other position respectively, a control unit, by which the driving means are controllable, and a sensor unit connected to the control unit. The invention also relates to a barrier element for the entrance barrier and to method for operating the entrance barrier. To provide a possibility of further improving the safety of persons in the area of entrance barriers beyond the mere passive safety of the entrance barrier, the invention proposes for the sensor unit to include a capacitive sensor. | 4 |
The present invention generally relates to earthen wells, and, more particularly to the cleaning and refurbishing of water wells. This invention was made with government support under Contract No. W-7405-ENG-36 awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy. The Government has certain rights in the invention.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
All earthen wells, over time, whether oil or water wells, become degraded, usually in a manner that severely decreases a well's production rate. This degradation typically results from clogging of the well's perforated casing and gravel (filter) pack. This clogging is the result of naturally occurring chemical precipitates, such as calcium carbonate or silica, and gelatinous masses produced by iron-secreting bacteria, or other toxic and non-toxic anaerobic bacteria that are in the groundwater. These clogging deposits restrict the oil or water from entering the perforated casing, significantly reducing well performance, and increasing corrosion and encrustation of the casing and screens.
Previous attempts to solve these clogging problems have been difficult and expensive. In most cases, removal of the well's pump is required to allow complete access into the well. After the removal of the pump, the well can be treated using appropriate chemical and mechanical techniques. However, even these measures do not assure success, and often it is necessary to drill a completely new well. In any event, these measures are costly and difficult, and the use of chemicals and mechanical cleaning devices can easily result in damage to well casing and screen sections. The cost of pump removal alone can easily run into tens of thousands dollars.
Surprisingly little effort has been devoted to investigating the benefits of well maintenance programs. The use of appropriate well maintenance programs would improve well performance and extend well life. This neglect is probably due to additional program costs, and the fact that changes in this industry are not easily effected.
In the past, some water wells had small-diameter metal pipes welded to the outside of the casing. These small diameter pipes normally extended only to the top of the well screen and to below the location of the well pump. Pressure transducers or measuring tapes could be inserted into these pipes to monitor changes in water levels without interfering with the pump. However, these pipes provided no means for cleaning the well.
The present invention solves many repair problems associated with clogged water wells. The invention allows easy and complete access to the exterior of the well casing, screen, and gravel pack where clogging originates. Over time, regular scheduled use of the invention can significantly improve well performance and reduce pumping costs. Current repair efforts are inefficient because they require first that the well pump be removed, and second that the interior of the well screen be cleaned. Both of these functions are laborious and time consuming.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide apparatus and method for the clearing of clogs from water wells.
It is another object of the present invention to provide apparatus and method capable of cleaning and disinfecting wells.
It is another object of the present invention to provide apparatus allowing direct access to the exterior surfaces of the gravel pack, well screen, and casing of a water well so that they can be efficiently cleaned and disinfected.
It is a feature of the present invention that well pumps and other surface equipment do not need to be removed from the well in order for cleaning and disinfecting of the well to be accomplished.
Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To achieve the foregoing and other objects, and in accordance with the purposes of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the apparatus of this invention comprises least one perforated casing situated adjacent to an outside surface of a water well casing having a top and a bottom, the at least one perforated casing extending from a first position at the top of the water well casing to a second position at the bottom of the water well casing. 3 . In another aspect of the present invention, and in accordance with its purposes, a method of cleaning a water well comprises the steps of installing at least one perforated casing adjacent to an outer surface of a water well casing having a top and a bottom, the at least one perforated casing extending from the top of the water well casing to the bottom of the water well casing, and forcing appropriate chemicals and surfactants through the at least one perforated casing to clean the water well.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of the specification, illustrate the embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is cross-sectional view of a typical water well.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional and top view of a typical water well with the cleaning device according to the present invention in place.
FIG. 3 contains pictorial views of various configurations for perforated sections according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 contains an illustration of one arrangement of blank sections and perforated sections according to the present invention as well as some methods of connecting adjoining sections.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The present invention provides an apparatus and method for the cleaning and disinfecting, where appropriate, of water wells. The invention can be understood most easily through reference to the drawings.
Referring to FIG. 1, there can be seen a typical water well 11 in which casing 12 has been inserted, shown as both a side view and top view. Casing 12 includes blank section 12 a , perforated section 12 b along an appropriate length of the middle portion of its length, and blank casing 15 and bottom plug 12 c . Casing 12 is surrounded by gravel pack 13 , and is situated in borehole 14 . Cement seal 16 and concrete pad 17 surround the upper portion of casing 12 in the area of casing 12 where the well's pump and associated housing (not shown) are located. A protective conductor casing 18 is often located in the upper portions of the casing 12 to prevent hydraulic communication between shallow and deep geological units through the wellbore annulus.
In operation, ground water flows through gravel pack 13 , and through perforated section 12 b in casing 12 , and collects in casing 12 . A pump located in the upper portion of casing 12 (not shown) then pumps the collected water to the surface.
Over time, gravel pack 13 and outside portions of perforated section 12 b become clogged with naturally occurring chemical precipitates, such as calcium carbonate or silica, and residue from iron-secreting bacteria, or other toxic and nontoxic anaerobic bacteria that are introduced while drilling the well, or may be naturally occurring. These clogging deposits restrict ground water from entering casing 12 , significantly reducing well production and increasing corrosion on the inside portions of perforated sections 12 b.
As seen in FIG. 2, elements of the present invention can be seen in a typical water well installation, shown in both side and top views. The water well disinfecting and refurbishing apparatus of the present invention includes a small casing 21 , whose diameter can range between approximately 1.0 to 4.0 inches. The device can easily fit into borehole 14 at any desired location around the outside circumference of the well casing 12 . A normal configuration would include between one (1) and three (3) small casings 21 , although more could be employed based on a particular well diameter. As shown in FIG. 2, small casing 21 alternates between blank sections 21 a and perforated sections 21 b . Small casing 21 extends from the surface to lower end of perforated section 12 b.
FIG. 3 illustrates the construction of typical perforated sections 21 b , depicting various possible perforations. As seen, perforated section 21 b is cylindrical with a diameter of approximately 1.0 to 4.0 inches. It has openings, several configurations of which are illustrated, that allow liquids, but not gravel, to pass through. The openings in perforated section 21 b allow cleansing and disinfecting solutions to be pumped through the top blank section 21 a of small casing 21 (FIG. 2 ). The cleansing and disinfecting solutions include such substances as commercially available disinfectants, acids, surfactants, or any other appropriate chemicals.
It may become necessary in certain situations to concentrate the flow of cleansing agents or disinfectants through a particular arrangement of one or more perforated sections 21 b . To accomplish this with the present invention, it only is necessary to insert a length of blank casing, having an outside diameter just slightly smaller than the inside diameter of small casing 21 , into small casing 21 to cover the perforations desired. This will increase the flow through uncovered perforations of selected perforated sections 21 b.
In FIG. 4, a typical configuration of small casing 21 is illustrated with several means of connection between blank sections 21 a and perforated sections 21 b . As shown, the blank section 21 a at the surface could be threaded or have any other appropriate connection for connecting to cleaning solutions. As sections of small casing 21 are supplied in 10 to 40 foot lengths, an appropriate number of blank sections 21 a could be used before reaching perforated section 12 b of casing 12 (FIG. 2 ), depending on the depth of the water well.
Individual sections can be connected in various ways according to the material from which small casing 21 is made. If small casing 21 is metallic, sections could be connected using beveled ends and welding, collared ends and welding, or threaded ends. If made of plastic, sections could have threaded ends or be coupled with connectors and adhesive. Blanks sections 21 a and perforated sections 21 b can be arranged in any appropriate manner down the length of small casing 21 . Small casing 21 is sealed with end plug 21 c . Alternative materials that may be used for sections of small casing 21 include mild carbon and stainless steels, reinforced fiberglass epoxy, plastics, or other materials commonly used in oil and water wells.
Small casing 21 can be any appropriate casing having the characteristics delineated herein. One such casing that can be used with the present invention is manufactured by UOP® under the mark of JOHNSON® SCREENS. UOP® is located at P.O. Box 43118, St. Paul, Minn. 55164-3118.
Referring back to FIG. 2, appropriate cleansing and disinfecting solutions easily can be introduced directly into the gravel pack 13 of water well 11 by pumping the solutions into small casing 21 . These fluids flow down small casing 21 , and exit through perforated sections 21 b into gravel pack 13 . This route must be followed because of small casing 21 being sealed by end plug 21 c (FIG. 4 a ). Once in gravel pack 13 , the solutions will act to clean and disinfect water well 11 . There is no need to remove either surface or downhole equipment to clean the well. In large diameter wells, multiple small casings 21 are installed to insure that the water well 11 will be thoroughly cleaned. The introduction and circulation of chemical cleaners into the small casing 21 and then into the water well 11 can also be improved by using a standard well swab designed to fit the small diameter casing 21 .
Small casing 21 is most easily installed at the time of well drilling since it can be put into place during installation of the well casing. However, the present invention can also be used with existing wells. In this event, the pump assembly must be removed to allow placing small casings 21 inside the well casing 11 , and then reinstalling the well pump.
The present invention allows many functions to be performed on water well 11 that have previously been either impossible or very difficult and expensive. Some wells have had small-diameter metal pipes welded to the sides of casing that extend downward to the top of the well screen. These pipes provide transducer access to the top of the screen for water level monitoring. However, these pipes do not allow for well cleaning because they do not extend the full extent of the screen and gravel pack.
Well maintenance without the need to remove the well pump is allowed by the present invention. This means that time, labor, and money are saved. Hence, routine well cleaning and maintenance are more likely to be completed. Thus, higher production levels can be maintained for much longer periods of time compared to wells with no maintenance.
The fact that wells build up clogging layers of material is alleviated by the present invention, since all of the clogging substances are treatable by chemicals and surfactants. Should the need arise to restore lost production capacity to a water well, one need only attach appropriate tubing to small casing 21 , and pump chemicals and surfactants into well 11 . Well 11 is then surged by alternately turning the pump on and off until the chemicals and surfactants are thoroughly mixed in gravel pack 13 and well screen 12 b . This procedure is repeated until well's production capacity has been restored. Then the offending substances and chemicals are pumped from well 11 , and all wastes are properly disposed of prior to well 11 being returned to normal use.
The ability of the present invention to provide this access to the interior of a water well and gravel pack allows a well operator unprecedented abilities to maintain the well. This maintenance can be performed efficiently and inexpensively through use of the present invention.
Examples of appropriate chemicals and surfactants that are used to clean water wells equipped with the present invention include acids, detergents, chlorine, other antibacterial compounds, and fungicidal compounds. Of course the actual chemicals to be employed will depend on the situation at a particular water well. The benefits of the present invention can be appreciated most easily when one considers the benefits of accomplishing cleaning of a well without having to remove the well's pump.
As the present invention allows efficient access to the entire length of a well's screen and gravel pack, it permits the inexpensive and effective cleaning of water wells. This means that a well's initial performance can be maintained for a longer period of time. It also means that the well will have lower energy costs associated with pumping, and that the well's operational life can be extended.
The present invention will find application in water wells throughout the world. In the United States alone there are approximately 800,000 water wells drilled annually. With the present invention installed in a significant percentage of these new wells, the savings to municipalities and individuals could be great. The present invention can accomplish the effective cleaning of water wells through relatively simple components, assuring meaningful benefits to well operators and owners.
The foregoing description of the preferred embodiments of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto. | In order to simplify the cleaning and disinfection of water wells, perforated casings are installed outside and adjacent to a water well casing and screen. This installation provides cleaning and disinfection capability of the well without removing the well's pump. The number of adjacent perforated casings can range from one for a small diameter well to three or more for lager diameter wells. The perforated casings define alternating blank sections and perforated sections. | 4 |
This application is a 371 of PCT/IB97/0584 filed May 22, 1997 which claims the benefit of priority to Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/020,696 filed Jun. 27, 1996.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a series of novel derivatives of 2-(2-oxo-ethylidene)-imidazolidin-4-one that exhibit activity as inhibitors of the enzyme farnesyl protein transferase and are believed to be useful as anti-cancer and anti-tumor agents. This invention also relates to methods of using such compounds in the treatment or prevention of cancer in a mammal, in particular a human, and to pharmaceutical compositions containing such compounds.
Other compounds that inhibit farnesyl protein transferase and are believed to be useful as anti-cancer and anti-tumor agents are referred to in International Patent Application PCT/US92/11292, which designates the United States and was published on Jul. 22, 1993 as WO 93/14085, U.S. Pat. No. 4,876,259, which issued on Oct. 24, 1989, International Patent Application PCT/IB95/00189, which designates the United States and was filed on Mar. 20, 1995, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/236,743, which was filed on Apr. 29, 1994, and U.S. Provisional Application entitled "Adamantyl Substituted Oxindoles As Pharmaceutical Agents," which was filed on May 28, 1996, in the name of R. A. Volkmann and J. P. Lyssikatos. The foregoing patent and patent applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
Oncogenes frequently encode protein components of signal transduction pathways which lead to stimulation of cell growth and mitogenesis. Oncogene expression in cultured cells leads to cellular transformation, characterized by the ability of cells to grow in soft agar and the growth of cells as dense foci lacking the contact inhibition exhibited by non-transformed cells. Mutation and/or overexpression of certain oncogenes is frequently associated with human cancer.
To acquire transforming potential, the precursor of the Ras oncoprotein must undergo farnesylation of the cysteine residue located in a carboxyl-terminal tetrapeptide. Inhibitors of the enzyme that catalyzes this modification, farnesyl protein transferase, have therefore been suggested as anticancer agents for tumors in which Ras contributes to transformation. Mutated, oncogenic forms of Ras are frequently found in many human cancers, most notably in more than 50% of colon and pancreatic carcinomas (Kohl et al., Science, Vol. 260,1834 to 1837, 1993).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to compounds of the formula I ##STR2##
and to pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, wherein:
R 1 and R 2 are independently selected from the group consisting of --(CH 2 ) p (5-10 membered heterocyclyl), --(CH 2 ) p (C 6 -C 10 aryl), allyl, propargyl and C 1 -C 6 alkyl wherein p is 0 to 3, said alkyl and the alkyl moieties of said R 1 and R 2 groups are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 R 9 substituents, and the aryl and heterocyclyl moieties of said R 1 and R 2 groups are optionally substituted by 1 to 3 substituents independently selected from halo and R 9 ;
R 3 is --(CH 2 ) m (1- or 2-adamantyl), --(CH 2 ) m (C 3 -C 10 cycloalkyl), --(CH 2 ) m (C 6 -C 10 aryl), C 1 -C 10 alkyl, ##STR3##
wherein m is 0 to 6, and said cycloalkyl and alkyl optionally contain 1 or 2 double or triple bonds;
X 1 , X 2 , and X 3 are each independently C 1 -C 7 alkylene optionally containing 1 or 2 double or triple bonds, X 4 is a bond or C 1 -C 7 alkylene optionally containing 1 or 2 double or triple bonds, and, in formula (Ib), the X 4 moiety is attached to the X, moiety at any available carbon in the X, moiety;
R 4 is C 6 -C 10 aryl, 5-10 membered heterocyclyl or C 1 -C 6 alkyl wherein each of said R 4 groups is optionally substituted by 1 to 3 R 5 substituents;
each R 5 is independently selected from the group consisting of halo, nitro, cyano, phenyl, --C(O)OR 6 , --SO 2 NR 6 R 7 , --NR 6 R 8 , --C(O)R 6 , --OR 6 , --C(O)NR 6 R 8 , --OC(O)NR 6 R 8 , --NR 8 C(O)NR 8 R 6 , --NR 8 C(O)R 6 , --NR 8 C(O)O(C 1 -C 4 alkyl), --C(NR 8 )NR 8 R 6 , --C(NCN)NR 8 R 6 , --C(NCN)S(C 1 -C 4 alkyl), --NR 8 C(NCN)S(C 1 -C 4 alkyl), --NR 8 C(NCN)NR 8 R 6 , --NR 8 SO 2 (C 1 -C 4 alkyl), --S(O) n (C 1 -C 4 alkyl) wherein n is 0 to 2,--NR 8 C(O)C(O)NR 8 R 6 , --NR 8 C(O)C(O)R 8 , thiazolyl, imidazolyl, oxazolyl, pyrazolyl, triazolyl, tetrazolyl, and C 1 -C 4 alkyl optionally substituted by 1 to 3 fluoro substituents;
each R 6 and R 7 is independently hydrogen or C 1 -C 4 alkyl;
each R 8 is independently R 6 or --OR 6 ; and,
each R 9 is independently selected from cyano, R 6 , --OR 6 , --OC(O)R 6 , --C(O)OR 6 , --C(O)NR 6 R 7 , --NR 6 R 7 , --NR 6 R 8 , --SO 2 NR 6 R 7 , and C 1 -C 4 alkyl substituted by hydroxy.
Preferred compounds of formula I include those wherein R 1 and R 2 are both --(CH 2 ) p (5-10 membered heterocyclyl) wherein p is 1 or 2. More preferably, R 1 and R 2 are 2-, 3- or 4-pyridinylmethyl. Most preferred are those compounds of formula I wherein R 1 and R 2 are both 4-pyridinylmethyl.
Other preferred compounds of formula I include those wherein R 3 is --(CH 2 ) m (pinane) wherein m is 0, 1 or 2, and, more preferably, those wherein R 3 is pinanemethyl.
Other preferred compounds of formula I include those wherein R 3 is ##STR4##
wherein X 1 , X 2 , X 3 and X 4 are as defined above.
Other preferred compounds of formula I include those wherein R 4 is phenyl optionally substituted by 1 to 3 R 5 substituents.
Specific preferred compounds of formula I wherein R 1 and R 2 are both 4-pyridinylmethyl and R 3 is --(CH 2 ) m (pinane), wherein m is 0 to 2, include the following:
2-[2-(4-Bromo-phenyl)-2-oxo-ethylidene]-5,5-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-3-(2,6,6-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-imidazolidin-4-one;
4-{[5-Oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-1-(2,6,6-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-imidazolidin-2-ylidene]-acetyl}-benzonitrile;
2-[2-(4-Chloro-phenyl)-2-oxo-ethylidene]-5,5-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-3-(2,6,6-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-imidazolidin-4-one;
2-[2-(3,4-Dichloro-phenyl)-2-oxo-ethylidene]-5,5-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-3-(2,6,6-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-imidazolidin-4-one;
2-[2-(3-Nitro-phenyl)-2-oxo-ethylidene]-5,5-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-3-(2,6,6-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-imidazolidin-4-one;
2-[2-(4-Methoxy-phenyl)-2-oxo-ethylidene]-5,5-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-3-(2,6,6-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-imidazolidin-4-one;
2-[2-(3-Methoxy-phenyl)-2-oxo-ethylidene]-5,5-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-3-(2,6,6-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-imidazolidin-4-one;
2-[2-(2-Methoxy-phenyl)-2-oxo-ethylidene]-5,5-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-3-(2,6,6-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-imidazolidin-4-one;
2-(2-Biphenyl-4-yl-2-oxo-ethylidene)-5,5-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-3-(2,6,6-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-imidazolidin-4-one;
2-(2-Naphthalen-2-yl-2-oxo-ethylidene)-5,5-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-3-(2,6,6-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-imidazolidin-4-one;
2-[2-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-2-oxo-ethylidene]-5,5-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-3-(2,6,6-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-imidazolidin-4-one;
2-[2-(2,4-Difluoro-phenyl)-2-oxo-ethylidene]-5,5-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-3-(2,6,6-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-imidazolidin-4-one;
4-{[5-Oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-1-(2,6,6-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-yl)-imidazolidin-2-ylidene]-acetyl}-benzonitrile;
2-[2-(4-Nitro-phenyl)-2-oxo-ethylidene]-5,5-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-3-(2,6,6-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-imidazolidin-4-one;
2-[2-Oxo-2-phenyl-ethylidene]-5,5-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-3-(2,6,6-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-imidazolidin-4-one;
2-{2-Oxo-2-[4-(2H-tetrazol-5-yl)-phenyl]-ethylidene}-5,5-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-3-(2,6,6-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-imidazolidin-4-one;
3-{[5-Oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-1-(2,6,6-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-imidazolidin-2-ylidene]-acetyl}-benzonitrile;
4-{[5-Oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-1-(2,6,6-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-imidazolidin-2-ylidene]-acetyl}-benzoic acid ethyl ester;
2-[2-Oxo-2-(4-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-ethylidene]-5,5-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-3-(2,6,6-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-imidazolidin-4-one; and,
2-[2-(4-Methanesulphonyl-phenyl)-2-oxo-ethylidene]-5,5-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-3-(2,6,6-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-imidazolidin-4-one.
Other specific preferred compounds of formula I wherein R 1 and R 2 are both 4-pyridinylmethyl and R 3 is an aliphatic bicyclo moiety (other than pinane) of the formula (Ia) or (Ib), wherein (Ia) and (Ib) are as defined above, include the following:
4-{[1-(6,6-Dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-2-ylmethyl)-5-oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-2-ylidene]-acetyl}-benzonitrile;
4-[(1-Bicyclo[2.2.2]oct-1-ylmethyl-5-oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-2-ylidene)-acetyl]-benzonitrile;
4-{[1-(2-Ethyl-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-5-oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-2-ylidene]-acetyl}-benzonitrile;
4-{[1-(2-Benzyl-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-5-oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-2-ylidene]-acetyl}-benzonitrile;
4-{[1-(2-isopropenyl-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-5-oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-2-ylidene]-acetyl}-benzonitrile;
4-{[1-(2-isopropyl-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-5-oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-2-ylidene]-acetyl}-benzonitrile;
4-({1-[2-(1-Methoxyimino-ethyl)-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl]-5-oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-2-ylidene}-acetyl)-benzonitrile;
4-{[1-(6,6-Dimethyl-2-methylene-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-5-oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-2-ylidene]-acetyl}-benzonitrile;
4-{[1-(2-Hydroxy-2-hydroxymethyl-6,6-d imethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-5-oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-2-ylidene]-acetyl}-benzonitrile; and,
4-{[1-(6,6-Dimethyl-2-oxo-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-5-oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-2-ylidene]-acetyl}-benzonitrile.
Other specific preferred compounds of formula I include the following:
3-tert-Butyl-2-(2-oxo-2-phenyl-ethylidene)-5,5-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-4-one;
4-{[1-(2,2-Dimethyl-propyl)-5-oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-2-ylidene]-acetyl}-benzonitrile;
4-{[1-(2-Adamantan-1-yl-ethyl)-5-oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-2-ylidene]-acetyl}-benzonitrile;
3-Cyclohexyl-2-(2-oxo-2-phenyl-ethylidene)-5,5-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-4-one;
4-[(1-Adamant-1-ylmethyl-5-oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-2-ylidene)-acetyl]-benzonitrile;
4-[(1-Cyclohexylmethyl-5-oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-2-ylidene)-acetyl]-benzonitrile;
3-Hexyl-2-(2-oxo-2-phenyl-ethylidene)-5,5-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-4-one;
3-Napthalen-1-yl-2-(2-oxo-2-phenyl-ethylidene)-5,5-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-4-one;
3-Adamantan-1-yl-2-(2-oxo-2-phenyl-ethylidene)-5,5-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-4-one;
3-Adamantan-1-yl-2-[2-(4-nitro-phenyl)-2-oxo-ethylidene-5,5-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-4-one;
4-[(1-Benzyl-5-oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-2-ylidene)-acetyl]-benzonitrile;
4-[(1-Ally-5-oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-2-ylidene)-acetyl]-benzonitrile;
4-[(1-Methyl-5-oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-2-ylidene)-acetyl]-benzonitrile;
4-{[1-(2,2-Diethoxy-ethyl)-5-oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-2-ylidene]-acetyl}-benzonitrile;
4-[(1-Adamantan-2-ylmethyl-5-oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-2-ylidene)-acetyl]-benzonitrile;
4-[(1-Adamantan-2-yl-5-oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-2-ylidene)-acetyl]-benzonitrile;
4-[(5-Oxo-1-phenyl-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-2-ylidene)-acetyl]-benzonitrile; and,
4-{[4-tert-Butyl-phenyl-5-oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-2-ylidene)-acetyl]-benzonitrile.
This invention also relates to a method of inhibiting the abnormal growth of cells in a mammal, including a human, comprising administering to said mammal an amount of a compound of the formula 1, as defined above, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, that is effective in inhibiting farnesyl protein transferase.
This invention also relates to a method of inhibiting the abnormal growth of cells in a mammal, including a human, comprising administering to said mammal an amount of a compound of the formula I, as defined above, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, that is effective in inhibiting abnormal cell growth.
This invention also relates to a pharmaceutical composition for inhibiting the abnormal growth of cells in a mammal, including a human, comprising an amount of a compound of the formula I, as defined above, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, that is effective in inhibiting farnesyl protein transferase, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
This invention also relates to a pharmaceutical composition for inhibiting the abnormal growth of cells in a mammal, including a human, comprising an amount of a compound of the formula I, as defined above, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, that is effective in inhibiting abnormal cell growth, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
"Abnormal cell growth", as used herein, refers to cell growth that is independent of normal regulatory mechanisms (e.g., loss of contact inhibition). This includes the abnormal growth of: (1) tumor cells (tumors) expressing an activated Ras oncogene; (2) tumor cells in which the Ras protein is activated as a result of oncogenic mutation in another gene; and (3) benign and malignant cells of other proliferative diseases in which aberrant Ras activation occurs.
Examples of such benign proliferative diseases are psoriasis, benign prostatic hypertrophy and restinosis.
The term "halo", as used herein, unless otherwise indicated, means fluoro, chloro, bromo or iodo. Preferred halo groups are fluoro, chloro and bromo.
The term "alkyl", as used herein, unless otherwise indicated, includes saturated monovalent hydrocarbon radicals having straight, cyclic or branched moieties.
The term "alkoxy", as used herein, unless otherwise indicated, includes O-alkyl groups wherein "alkyl" is defined above.
The term "aryl", as used herein, unless otherwise indicated, includes an organic radical derived from an aromatic hydrocarbon by removal of one hydrogen, such as phenyl or naphthyl.
The term "pinane", as used herein, unless otherwise indicated, includes 2,6,6,-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1.]hept-3-yl.
The term "heterocyclyl", as used herein, unless otherwise indicated, includes aromatic and non-aromatic heterocyclic groups containing one or more heteroatoms each selected from O, S and N. Such heterocyclic groups include benzo-fused ring systems and ring systems substituted with an oxo moiety. An example of a 5 membered heterocyclic group is thiazolyl, and an example of a 10 membered heterocyclic group is quinolinyl. Examples of non-aromatic heterocyclic groups are pyrrolidinyl, piperidino, morpholino, thiomorpholino and piperazinyl. Examples of aromatic heterocyclic groups are pyridinyl, imidazolyl, pyrimidinyl, pyrazolyl, triazolyl, pyrazinyl, tetrazolyl, furyl, thienyl, isoxazolyl and thiazolyl. Heterocyclic groups having a fused benzene ring include benzimidazolyl.
The term "pharmaceutically acceptable salt(s)", as used herein, unless otherwise indicated, includes salts of acidic or basic groups that may be present in the compounds of formula I. For example, pharmaceutically acceptable salts include sodium, calcium and potassium salts of carboxylic acid groups and hydrochloride salts of amino groups. Other pharmaceutically acceptable salts of amino groups are hydrobromide, sulfate, hydrogen sulfate, phosphate, hydrogen phosphate, dihydrogen phosphate, acetate, succinate, citrate, tartrate, lactate, mandelate, methanesulfonate (mesylate) and p-toluenesulfonate (tosylate) salts. The preparation of such salts is described below.
Certain compounds of formula I may have asymmetric centers and therefore exist in different enantiomeric forms. All optical isomers and stereoisomers of the compounds of formula I, and mixtures thereof, are considered to be within the scope of the invention. With respect to the compounds of formula I, the invention includes the use of a racemate, one or more enantiomeric forms, one or more diastereomeric forms, or mixtures thereof. The compounds of formula I may also exist as tautomers. This invention relates to the use of all such tautomers and mixtures thereof.
Patients that can be treated with compounds of the formula I, as defined above, or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, according to the methods of this invention include, for example, patients that have been diagnosed as having lung cancer, bone cancer, pancreatic cancer, skin cancer, cancer of the head and neck, cutaneous or intraocular melanoma, uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, rectal cancer, cancer of the anal region, stomach cancer, colon cancer, breast cancer, gynecologic tumors (e.g., uterine sarcomas, carcinoma of the fallopian tubes, carcinoma of the endometrium, carcinoma of the cervix, carcinoma of the vagina or carcinoma of the vulva), Hodgkin's Disease, cancer of the esophagus, cancer of the small intestine, cancer of the endocrine system (e.g., cancer of the thyroid, parathyroid or adrenal glands), sarcomas of soft tissues, cancer of the urethra, cancer of the penis, prostate cancer, chronic or acute leukemia, solid tumors of childhood, lymphocytic lymphomas, cancer of the bladder, cancer of the kidney or ureter (e.g., renal cell carcinoma, carcinoma of the renal pelvis), or neoplasms of the central nervous system (e.g., primary CNS lymphoma, spinal axis tumors, brain stem gliomas or pituitary adenomas).
Patients that can be treated with compounds of the formula I according to the methods of this invention also include patients suffering from abnormal cell growth, as defined above.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The compounds of formula I are prepared as described below. In the reaction Scheme and discussion that follow, R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , and R 4 are as defined above. The symbol "Me" in the following Scheme represents a methyl group. ##STR5##
Scheme 1 illustrates the synthesis of the compounds of formula I. In step 1, the ester of formula II is reacted with potassium bis(trimethylsilyl)amide in tetrahydrofuran (THF) at a temperature of about -70° C. After stirring for about 30 minutes, a compound of the formula R 1 --X, wherein R 1 is as defined above and X is an appropriate leaving group, such as chloride or bromide, is added to the reaction mixture, which is then allowed to warm to ambient temperature (20-25° C.). This results in the compound of formula III, which can be isolated or reacted in situ to form the compound of formula IV. In step 2, the R 2 substituent, wherein R 2 is as defined above, is added to the compound of formula III to provide the compound of formula IV according to the procedure of step 1, except that R 2 --X is substituted for R 1 --X.
In step 3, the intermediate of formula V is formed by reacting the compound of formula IV with an acid, preferably a mineral acid such as hydrochloric, nitric or sulfuric acid, in an organic co-solvent such as ethyl ether, THF or acetonitrile, preferably THF, at a temperature ranging from about -5° C. to 35° C., preferably from about 0° C. to ambient temperature.
Steps 4 and 5 may be done as a single step or as separate steps. In general, the imidazolidine intermediate of formula VII is formed by reacting the intermediate of formula V with a compound of the formula R 3 --NCS, wherein R 3 is as defined above. In this process, the intermediate of formula V and R 3 --NCS are reacted in a protic solvent, such as methanol or ethanol, preferably ethanol, at a temperature ranging from about ambient temperature to 78° C., preferably at about the reflux of the solvent. The reaction is preferably carried out for about 12 to 24 hours but this period can be longer or shorter depending on the R 3 substituent to be added. When R 3 is 1- or 2-adamantyl, it is preferable to use a large excess of the reactant R 3 --NCS and to let the reaction proceed for a period of about two days to a week. For cases in which the intermediate of formula VI is isolated prior to the formation of the intermediate of formula VI, a catalytic amount of potassium cyanide is added to the reaction mixture to catalyze the formation of the intermediate of formula VII.
In step 6, the intermediate of formula VII is reacted with a compound of the formula R 4 --C(O)CH 2 --X, wherein R 4 is as defined above and X is a leaving group, such as chloride or bromide, to provide the intermediate of formula VIII. In this process, the intermediate of formula VII is reacted with a strong base, such as sodium hydride, potassium tert-butoxide or potassium bis(trimethylsilyl)amide, preferably potassium bis(trimethylsilyl)amide, in a polar aprotic solvent such as THF, ethyl ether, dimethoxyethane (DME) or dimethylformamide (DMF), preferably THF, at a temperature ranging from about -78° C. to 35° C., preferably about 0° C. After stirring for about 30 minutes, the compound of formula R 4 --C(O)CH 2 --X is added to the reaction mixture and the mixture is then allowed to warm to ambient temperature. Alternatively, the intermediate of formula VII is reacted with the compound of formula R 4 --C(O)CH 2 --X in a polar solvent, such as THF, DMF, acetonitrile or acetone, preferably acetone, in the presence of an acid scavenger, such as carbonate or an organic tertiary amine, preferably potassium carbonate. The reaction temperature is maintained between about -78° C. to 140° C., preferably between about 0° C. to ambient temperature, to provide the intermediate of formula VIII.
In step 7, the compound of formula I is formed by treating the intermediate of formula VIII with a thiophile, such as triphenyl phosphine, tributyl phosphine or trimethylphosphite, preferably triphenyl phosphine, in a solvent such as toluene or benzene, preferably toluene, at a temperature ranging from about 25° C. to 120° C., preferably about 100° C.
The starting materials used in the process of Scheme 1 are either known in the literature or commercially available.
The compounds of formula I that are basic in nature are capable of forming a wide variety of different salts with various inorganic and organic acids. Although such salts must be pharmaceutically acceptable for administration to animals, it is often desirable in practice to initially isolate the compound of formula I from the reaction mixture as a pharmaceutically unacceptable salt and then simply convert the latter back to the free base compound by treatment with an alkaline reagent and subsequently convert the latter free base to a pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salt. The acid addition salts of the base compounds of this invention are readily prepared by treating the base compound with a substantially equivalent amount of the chosen mineral or organic acid in an aqueous solvent medium or in a suitable organic solvent, such as methanol or ethanol. Upon evaporation of the solvent, the desired solid salt is readily obtained. The desired acid addition salt can also be precipitated from a solution of the free base in an organic solvent by adding to the solution an appropriate mineral or organic acid. Cationic salts of the compounds of formula I are similarly prepared except through reaction of a carboxy group, such as where R 5 is carboxy, with an appropriate cationic salt reagent such as sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, ammonium, N,N'-dibenzylethylenediamine, N-methylglucamine (meglumine), ethanolamine, tromethamine, or diethanolamine.
The compounds of formula I and their pharmaceutically acceptable salts (hereinafter referred to, collectively, as "the therapeutic compounds") can be administered orally, transdermally (e.g., through the use of a patch), parenterally or topically. Oral administration is preferred. In general, compounds of the formula I and their pharmaceutically acceptable salts are most desirably administered in dosages ranging from about 1.0 mg up to about 500 mg per day, preferably from about 1 to about 100 mg per day in single or divided (i.e., multiple) doses.
Compounds of the formula I and their pharmaceutically acceptable salts will ordinarily be administered in daily dosages ranging from about 0.01 to about 10 mg per kg body weight per day, in single or divided doses. Variations may occur depending on the weight and condition of the person being treated and the particular route of administration chosen. In some instances, dosage levels below the lower limit of the aforesaid range may be more than adequate, while in other cases still larger doses may be employed without causing any harmful side effect, provided that such larger doses are first divided into several small doses for administration throughout the day.
The therapeutic compounds may be administered alone or in combination with pharmaceutically acceptable carriers or diluents by either of the two routes previously indicated, and such administration may be carried out in single or multiple doses. More particularly, the novel therapeutic compounds of this invention can be administered in a wide variety of different dosage forms, i.e., they may be combined with various pharmaceutically acceptable inert carriers in the form of tablets, capsules, lozenges, troches, hard candies, powders, sprays, creams, salves, suppositories, jellies, gels, pastes, lotions, ointments, elixirs, syrups, and the like. Such carriers include solid diluents or fillers, sterile aqueous media and various non-toxic organic solvents, etc. Moreover, oral pharmaceutical compositions can be suitably sweetened and/or flavored.
For oral administration, tablets containing various excipients such as microcrystalline cellulose, sodium citrate, calcium carbonate, dicalcium phosphate and glycine may be employed along with various disintegrants such as starch (and preferably corn, potato or tapioca starch), alginic acid and certain complex silicates, together with granulation binders like polyvinylpyrrolidone, sucrose, gelatin and acacia. Additionally, lubricating agents such as magnesium stearate, sodium lauryl sulfate and talc are often very useful for tabletting purposes. Solid compositions of a similar type may also be employed as fillers in gelatin capsules; preferred materials in this connection also include lactose or milk sugar as well as high molecular weight polyethylene glycols. When aqueous suspensions and/or elixirs are desired for oral administration, the active ingredient may be combined with various sweetening or flavoring agents, coloring matter or dyes, and, if so desired, emulsifying and/or suspending agents as well, together with such diluents as water, ethanol, propylene glycol, glycerin and various like combinations thereof.
For parenteral administration, solutions of a therapeutic compound in either sesame or peanut oil or in aqueous propylene glycol may be employed. The aqueous solutions should be suitably buffered if necessary and the liquid diluent first rendered isotonic. These aqueous solutions are suitable for intravenous injection purposes. The oily solutions are suitable for intra-articular, intra-muscular and subcutaneous injection purposes. The preparation of all these solutions under sterile conditions is readily accomplished by standard pharmaceutical techniques well-known to those skilled in the art.
Additionally, it is also possible to administer the therapeutic compounds topically and this may preferably be done by way of creams, jellies, gels, pastes, ointments and the like, in accordance with standard pharmaceutical practice.
The therapeutic compounds may also be administered to a mammal other than a human. The dosage to be administered to a mammal will depend on the animal species and the disease or disorder being treated. The therapeutic compounds may be administered to animals in the form of a capsule, bolus, tablet or liquid drench. The therapeutic compounds may also be administered to animals by injection or as an implant. Such formulations are prepared in a conventional manner in accordance with standard veterinary practice. As an alternative the therapeutic compounds may be administered with the animal feedstuff and for this purpose a concentrated feed additive or premix may be prepared for mixing with the normal animal feed.
The compounds of formula I exhibit activity as Ras farnesylation inhibitors and are useful in the treatment of cancer and the inhibition of abnormal cell growth in mammals, including humans. The activity of the compounds of formula I as Ras farnesylation inhibitors may be determined by their ability, relative to a control, to inhibit Ras farnesyl transferase in vitro. This procedure is described below.
A crude preparation of human farnesyl transferase (FTase) comprising the cytosolic fraction of homogenized brain tissue is used for screening compounds in a 96-well assay format. The cytosolic fraction is prepared by homogenizing approx. 40 grams fresh tissue in 100 ml of sucrose/MgCl 2 /EDTA buffer (using a Dounce homogenizer; 10-15 strokes), centrifuging the homogenates at 1000 g for 10 minutes at 4° C., re-centrifuging the supernatant at 17,000 g for 15 minutes at 4° C., and then collecting the resulting supernatant. This supernatant is diluted to contain a final concentration of 50 mM Tris HCl (pH 7.5), 5 mM DTT, 0.2 M KCl, 20 μM ZnCl 2 , 1 mM PMSF and re-centrifuged at 178,000 g for 90 minutes at 4° C. The supernatant, termed "crude FTase" was assayed for protein concentration, aliquoted, and stored at -70° C.
The assay used to measure in vitro inhibition of human FTase is a modification of the method described by Amersham LifeScience for using their Farnesyl transferase (3H) Scintillation Proximity Assay (SPA) kit (TRKQ 7010). FTase enzyme activity is determined in a volume of 100 μl containing 50 mM N-(2-hydroxy ethyl) piperazine-N'-(2-ethane sulfonic acid) (HEPES), pH 7.5, 30 mM MgCl 2 , 20 μM KCl, 5 mM Na 2 HPO 4 , 5 mM dithiothreitol (DTT), 0.01% Triton X-100, 5% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), 20 μg of crude FTase, 0.12 μM [3H]-farnesyl pyrophosphate ([3H]-FPP; 36000 dpm/pmole, Amersham LifeScience), and 0.2 μM of biotinylated Ras peptide KTKCVIS (Bt-KTKCVIS) that is N-terminally biotinylated at its alpha amino group and was synthesized and purified by HPLC in house. The reaction is initiated by addition of the enzyme and terminated by addition of EDTA (supplied as the STOP reagent in kit TRKQ 7010) following a 45 minute incubation at 37° C. Prenylated and unprenylated Bt-KTKCVIS is captured by adding 10 μl of streptavidin-coated SPA beads (TRKQ 7010) per well and incubating the reaction mixture for 30 minutes at room temperature. The amount of radioactivity bound to the SPA beads is determined using a MicroBeta 1450 plate counter. Under these assay conditions, the enzyme activity is linear with respect to the concentrations of the prenyl group acceptor, Bt-KTKCVIS, and crude FTase, but saturating with respect to the prenyl donor, FPP. The assay reaction time is also in the linear range.
The test compounds are routinely dissolved in 100% DMSO. Inhibition of farnesyl transferase activity is determined by calculating percent incorporation of tritiated-farnesyl in the presence of the test compound vs. its incorporation in control wells (absence of inhibitor). IC 50 values, that is, the concentration required to produce half maximal farnesylation of Bt-KTKCVIS, is determined from the dose-responses obtained.
The following Examples further illustrate the invention. In the following examples, "DMF" means dimethylformamide and "THF" means tetrahydrofuran.
EXAMPLE 1
4-{[5-Oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-1-(2,6,6-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-imidazolidin-2-ylidene]-acetyl}-benzonitrile
A. 2-Benzhydrylideneamino-3-pyridin-4-yl-propionic acid methyl ester.
Potassium bis(trimethylsilyl)amide (34.9 g, 175 mmol) was added under an atmosphere of dry N 2 to anhydrous THF (300 ml) and the resultant solution was cooled to -40° C. After the solution becomes homogeneous, 40.3 g (159 mmol) of methylbenzhydrylideneamino acetate was added and the resulting yellowish red solution was stirred at -40° C. After stirring for one hour, a solution of 21.0 g (165 mmol) of 4-picolyl chloride dissolved in anhydrous THF (50 ml) was added to the mixture. After the addition was complete, the reaction was warmed to ambient temperature and stirring was continued for 12 hours. The reaction was subsequently partitioned between ethyl acetate and brine. The aqueous layer was washed two times with ethyl acetate. The ethyl acetate extracts were combined, dried over sodium sulfate (Na 2 SO4), filtered and concentrated under vacuum to give a red oil. The product crystallized upon the addition of hexanes (30 ml). The solution was placed in the freezer to promote further crystallization. The product was collected via suction filtration and washed with hexanes. The filtrate was concentrated in vacuo and a second crop of crystals was obtained upon the addition of hexanes. The crystals from both crops were combined and dry under vacuum to give 44.4 g (129 mmol) of the desired tan solid.
B. 2-Benzhydrylideneamino-3-pyridin-4-yl-2-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-propionic acid methyl ester.
Potassium bis(trimethylsilyl)amide (28.2 g, 141 mmol) was added under an atmosphere of dry N 2 to anhydrous THF (290 ml) and the resultant solution was cooled to -40° C. After the solution becomes homogeneous, a solution of 44.3 g (129 mmol) 2-benzhydrylideneamino-3-pyridin-4-yl-propionic acid methyl ester dissolved in anhydrous THF (100 ml) was added dropwise to the reaction. After the addition was complete, the reaction was stirred at -40° C. After stirring for one hour, a solution of 18.5 g (145 mmol) of 4-picolyl chloride dissolved in anhydrous THF (40 ml) was added to the reaction. After the addition was complete, the reaction was warmed to ambient temperature and stirring was continued for 12 hours. The reaction mixture was subsequently partitioned between ethyl acetate and brine. The aqueous layer was washed two times with ethyl acetate. The ethyl acetate extracts were combined, dried over Na 2 SO 4 , filtered and concentrated under vacuum to a volume of 50 ml. The product precipitated upon the addition of hexanes (100 ml) to the reaction mixture. The product was collected via suction filtration, washed with hexanes, dried under vacuum to give 49.7 g (114 mmol) of the titled compound as an orange solid.
C. 2-Amino-3-pyridin-4-yl-2-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-propionic acid methyl ester
2-Benzhydrylideneamino-3-pyridin-4-yl-2-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-propionic acid methyl ester (49.6 g, 113 mmol) was dissolved in anhydrous THF (640 ml). To the reaction was added 227 ml of a solution of 2.0 M aqueous hydrochloric acid (HCl). The mixture was stirred at ambient temperature for one hour. The reaction was subsequently concentrated under vacuum to remove the THF. The reaction was then partitioned between ethyl ether and water. The aqueous layer was washed two more times with ethyl ether. The pH of the aqueous layer was then adjusted to 9 with sodium carbonate (Na 2 CO 3 ) and the solution is extracted with methylene chloride until virtually no product is left in the methylene chloride (CH 2 Cl 2 ) layer. The CH 2 Cl 2 extracts were combined, dried over Na 2 SO 4 , filtered and concentrated under vacuum to give 25.6 g (94.4 mmol) of the titled compound as a yellow solid.
D. 5,5-Bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-2-thioxo-3-(2,6,6-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-imidazolidin-4-one
2-Amino-3-pyridin-4-yl-2-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-propionic acid methyl ester (2.50 g, 9.23 mmol) was dissolved in absolute ethanol (50 ml). To the reaction was added 5.01 g (23.9 mmol) of (+)-3-pinanemethyl isothiocyanate. The reaction was then heated to 75° C. under an atmosphere of dry N 2 . After stirring for 16 hours, the reaction was subsequently concentrated under vacuum. The resulting oil was chromatographed on silica gel using a gradient of neat ethyl acetate to 5% methanol in ethyl acetate to give 3.32 g (7.41 mmol) of the titled compound.
E. 4-{[5-Oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-1-(2,6,6-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-imidazolidin-2-ylidene]-acetyl}-benzonitrile
5,5-Bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-2-thioxo-3-(2,6,6-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-imidazolidin-4-one (101 mg, 0.225 mmol) was dissolved in anhydrous THF (3.0 ml) under an atmosphere of dry N 2 . The reaction was then cooled to 0° C. and potassium bis(trimethylsilyl)amide (46.8 mg, 0.235 mmol) was added. After stirring for 15 minutes, 4-cyanophenacyl bromide (51.5 mg, 0.230 mmol) was added to the reaction and the reaction was subsequently stirred for 20 minutes. The mixture was subsequently partitioned between CH 2 Cl 2 and saturated sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO 3 ) solution. The CH 2 Cl 2 layer was dried over Na 2 SO 4 , filtered, and concentrated under vacuum to give a yellow oil. The oil was chromatographed on silica gel using 50% ethyl acetate in hexanes to remove unreacted 4-cyanophenacyl bromide and then eluted with 2% methanol in ethyl acetate to give 112 mg (0.189 mmol) of the titled compound as a yellow foam.
F. 4-{[5-Oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-1-(2,6,6-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-imidazolidin-2-ylidene]-acetyl}-benzonitrile
4-{[5-Oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-1-(2,6,6-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-imidazolidin-2-ylidene]-acetyl}-benzonitrile (110 mg, 0.186 mmol) was dissolved in anhydrous toluene (10 ml) under an atmosphere of N 2 . To the reaction was added triphenylphosphine (200 mg, 0.763 mmol) followed by 10 μl of N-ethyldiisopropyl amine. The reaction was subsequently heated to 100° C. After stirring for 40 hours, the reaction was concentrated under vacuum and then partitioned between 0.001 N HCl and ethyl ether. The aqueous layer is washed two times with ethyl ether and subsequently basified to pH=8 with NaHCO 3 . The product was then extracted into CH 2 Cl 2 , dried over MgSO 4 , filtered and concentrated under vacuum to give 101 mg (0.181 mmol) of the titled compound as a tan foam: C.I. m/z 560 [M+1]; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 10.41 (br s, 1H), 8.47 (m, 4H), 7.83 (d, J=8.4 Hz, 2H), 7.71 (d, J=8.4 Hz, 2H), 7.15 (m, 4H), 5.24 (s, 1H), 3.27 (d, J=13.3 Hz, 2H), 3.05-3.22 (m, 3H), 2.92 (dd, J=4.9, 13.9 Hz, 1H), 2.28 (m, 1H), 1.73 (m, 4H), 1.50 (m, 1H), 1.13 (s, 3H), 1.04 (m, 1H), 0.92 (dd, J=7.1 Hz, 3H), 0.82 (s, 3H), 0.63 (d, J=9.8 Hz, 1H).
EXAMPLE 2
3-tert-Butyl-2-(2-oxo-2-phenyl-ethylidene)-5,5-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-4-one
The same procedure that was used in example 1 was followed except that tertbutylisothiocyanate was used in the place of (+)-3-pinanemethyl isothiocyanate in step D and bromoacetophenone was substituted for 4-cyanophenacyl bromide in step E to give the titled compound as a colorless oil: C.I. m/z 441 [M+1]; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 11.63 (br s, 1H), 8.47 (d, J=8.5 Hz, 4H), 7.72 (d, J=8.3 Hz, 2H), 7.41 (d, J=8.3 Hz, 2H), 5.52 (s, 1H), 3.21 (d, J=13.2 Hz, 2H), 3.00 (d, J=13.2 Hz, 2H), 1.19 (s, 9H).
EXAMPLE 3
2-[2-(4-Bromo-phenyl)-2-oxo-ethylidene]-5,5-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-3-(2,6,6-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-imidazolidin-4-one
The same procedure that was used in example 1 was followed except that 4-bromophenylacyl bromide was substituted for 4-cyanophenacyl bromide in step E to give the titled compound as a tan foam: C.I. m/z 613 M+1, 615 M+3; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 10.34 (br s, 1H), 8.46 (m, 4H), 7.62 (d, J=8.6 Hz, 2H), 7.55 (d, J=8.6 Hz, 2H), 7.12 (m, 4H), 5.21 (s, 1H), 3.24 (d, J=13.3 Hz, 2H), 3.01-3.15 (m, 3H), 2.92 (dd, J=4.6, 13.8 Hz, 1H), 2.28 (m, 1H), 1.40-1.85 (m, 5H), 1.12 (s, 3H), 1.04 (m, 2H), 0.91 (d, J=7.1 Hz, 3H), 0.85 (d, J=9.7 Hz, 1H), 0.81 (s, 3H), 0.61 (d, J=9.7 Hz, 1H).
EXAMPLE 4
2-[2-(4-Chloro-phenyl)-2-oxo-ethylidene]-5,5-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-3-(2,6,6-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-imidazolidin-4-one
The same procedure that was used in example 1 was followed except that 4-chlorophenylacyl bromide was substituted for 4-cyanophenacyl bromide in step E to give the titled compound as a tan foam: C.I. m/z M+1 569, M+3 571; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 ) 8 10.39 (br s, 1H), 8.46 (m, 4H), 7.70 (d, J=8.6 Hz, 2H), 7.39 (d, J=8.6 Hz, 2H), 7.12 (m, 4H), 5.22 (s, 1H), 3.24 (d, J=13.3 Hz, 2H), 3.01-3.16 (m, 3H), 2.91 (dd, J=4.6, 13.8 Hz, 1H), 2.28 (m, 1H), 1.50-1.80 (m, 5H), 1.12 (s, 3H), 1.05 (m, 2H), 0.91 (d, J=7.1 Hz, 3H), 0.84 (d, J=9.9 Hz, 1H), 0.81 (s, 3H), 0.61 (d, J=9.9 Hz, 1H).
EXAMPLE 5
2-[2-(3,4-Dichloro-phenyl)-2-oxo-ethylidene]-5,5-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-3-(2,6,6-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-imidazolidin-4-one
The same procedure that was used in example 1 was followed except that 3,4-dichlorophenylacyl bromide was substituted for 4-cyanophenacyl bromide in step E to give the titled compound as a tan foam: C.I. m/z M+1 603, M+3 605, M+5 607; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 10.36 (br s, 1H), 8.48 (m, 4H), 7.88 (s, 1H), 7.55 (d, J=8.5 Hz, 1H), 7.50 (d, J=8.5 Hz, 1H), 7.15 (m, 4H), 5.20 (s, 1H), 3.27 (d, J=13.3 Hz, 2H), 3.04-3.19 (m, 3H), 2.92 (dd, J=4.7, 13.7 Hz, 1H), 2.28 (m, 1H), 1.72 (m, 4H), 1.51 (m, 1H), 1.14 (s, 3H), 1.04 (m, 1H), 0.93 (d, J=7.1 Hz, 3H), 0.83 (s, 3H), 0.64 (d, J=9.9 Hz, 1H).
EXAMPLE 6
2-[2-(3-Nitro-phenyl)-2-oxo-ethylidene]-5,5-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-3-(2,6,6-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-imidazolidin-4-one
The same procedure that was used in example 1 was followed except that 3-nitrophenylacyl bromide was substituted for 4-cyanophenacyl bromide in step E to give the titled compound as a tan foam: C.I. m/z 580 M+1; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 10.40 (br s, 1H), 8.62 (m, 1H), 8.48 (m, 4H), 8.34 (dd, J=1.3, 7.6 Hz, 1H), 8.08 (dd, J=1.2, 7.6 Hz, 1H), 7.63 (t, J=8.0 , 1H) 7.15 (m, 4H), 5.30 (s, 1H), 3.29 (d, J=13.4 Hz, 2H), 3.07-3.23 (m, 3H), 2.94 (dd, J=4.7, 13.9 Hz, 1H), 2.32 (m, 1H), 1.75 (m, 4H), 1.53 (m, 1H), 1.14 (s, 3H), 1.05 (m, 2H), 0.98 (d, J=7.0 Hz, 3H), 0.84 (s, 3H), 0.65 (d, J=9.9 Hz, 1H).
EXAMPLE 7
2-[2-(4-Methoxy-phenyl)-2-oxo-ethylidene]-5,5-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-3-(2,6,6-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-imidazolidin-4-one
The same procedure that was used in example 1 was followed except that 4-methoxyphenylacyl bromide was substituted for 4-cyanophenacyl bromide in step E to give the titled compound as a tan foam: C.I. m/z 565 M+1; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 10.36 (br s, 1H), 8.47 (m, 4H), 7.77 (d, J=8.9 Hz, 2H), 7.15 (m, 4H), 6.95 (d, J=8.9 Hz, 2H), 5.26 (s, 1H), 3.87 (s, 3H), 3.24 (d, J=13.5 Hz, 2H), 3.01-3.18 (m, 3H), 2.91 (dd, J=4.8 Hz, 13.7 Hz, 1H), 2.26 (m, 1H), 1.72 (m, 4H), 1.51 (m, 1H), 1.14 (m, 3H), 1.05 (m, 2H), 0.93 (d, J=7.2 Hz, 3H), 0.83 (s, 3H), 0.64 (d, J=9.9 Hz, 1H).
EXAMPLE 8
2-[2-(3-Methoxy-phenyl)-2-oxo-ethylidene]-5,6-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-3-(2,6,6-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-imidazolidin-4-one
The same procedure that was used in example 1 was followed except that 3-methoxyphenylacyl bromide was substituted for 4-cyanophenacyl bromide in step E to give the titled compound as a tan foam: C.I. m/z 565 M+1; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 ) 8 10.46 (br s, 1H), 8.46 (m, 4H),7.30-7.37 (m, 3H), 7.15 (m, 4H), 7.02 (m, 1H), 5.29 (s, 1H), 3.86 (s, 3H), 3.24 (d, J=13.3 Hz, 2H), 3.02-3.17 (m, 3H), 2.91 (dd, J=4.9, 13.9 Hz, 1H), 2.26 (m, 1H), 1.72 (m, 4H), 1.50 (m, 1H), 1.13 (s, 3H), 1.04 (m, 2H), 0.93 (d, J=7.1 Hz, 3H), 0.82 (s, 3H), 0.63 (d, J=9.8 Hz, 1H).
EXAMPLE 9
2-[2-(2-Methoxy-phenyl)-2-oxo-ethylidene]-5,5-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-3-(2,6,6-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-imidazolidin-4-one
The same procedure that was used in example 1 was followed except that 2-methoxyphenylacyl bromide was substituted for 4-cyanophenacyl bromide in step E to give the titled compound as a tan foam: C.I. m/z 565 M+1; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 10.39 (br s, 1H), 8.48 (m, 4H), 7.76 (dd, J=1.7, 7.4 Hz, 1H), 7.40 (m, 1H), 7.16 (m, 4H), 7.04 (m, 1H), 6.92 (d, J=8.0 Hz, 1H), 5.52 (s, 1H), 3.80 (s, 3H), 3.24 (d, J=13.3 Hz, 2H), 3.00-3.07 (m, 3H), 2.90 (dd, J=5.2, 13.7 Hz, 1H), 2.27 (m, 1H), 1.70-1.77 (m, 4H), 1.50 (m, 1H), 1.14 (s, 3H), 1.08 (m, 2H), 0.88 (d, J=7.3 Hz, 3H), 0.85 (s, 3H), 0.64 (d, J=9.8 Hz, 1H).
EXAMPLE 10
2-(2-Biphenyl-4-yl-2-oxo-ethylidene)-5,5-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-3-(2,6,6-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-imidazolidin-4-one
The same procedure that was used in example 1 was followed except that 2-bromo-4'-phenylacetophenone was substituted for 4-cyanophenacyl bromide in step E to give the titled compound as a colorless oil: C.I. m/z 611 M+1; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 10.42 (br s, 1H), 8.46 (m, 4H), 7.85 (d, J=8.5 Hz, 2H), 7.61-7.67 (m, 4H), 7.37-7.48 (m, 3H), 7.16 (m, 4H), 5.33 (s, 1H), 3.24 (d, J=13.2 Hz, 2H), 2.91-3.13 (m, 4H), 2.26 (m, 1H), 1.60-1.75 (m, 4H), 1.51 (m, 1H), 1.12 (s, 3H), 1.06 (m, 2H), 0.93 (d, J=7.1 Hz, 3H), 0.82 (s, 3H), 0.63 (d, J=9.9 Hz, 1H).
EXAMPLE 11
2-(2-Naphthalen-2-yl-2-oxo-ethylidene)-5,5-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-3-(2,6,6-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-imidazolidin-4-one
The same procedure that was used in example 1 was followed except that 2-bromo-2'-acetonapthone was substituted for 4-cyanophenacyl bromide in step E to give the titled compound as a tan foam: C.I. m/z 585 M+1; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 10.42 (br s, 1H), 8.46 (m, 4H), 8.27 (s, 1H), 7.87 (m, 4H), 7.53 (m, 3H), 7.17 (m, 4H), 5.45 (s, 1H), 3.25 (d,J=13.3 Hz, 2H), 3.04-3.16 (m, 3H), 2.96 (dd, J=4.9, 14.0 Hz, 1H), 2.26 (m, 1H), 1.72 (m, 4H), 1.53 (m, 1H), 1.13 (s, 3H), 1.07 (m, 2H), 0.97 (d, J=7.1 Hz, 3H), 0.82 (s, 3H), 0.64 (d,J=9.8 Hz, 1H).
EXAMPLE 12
2-[2-(4-Fluoro-phenyl)-2-oxo-ethylidene]-5,5-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-3-(2,6,6-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-imidazolidin-4-one
The same procedure that was used in example 1 was followed except that 4-fluorophenacylbromide was substituted for 4-cyanophenacyl bromide in step E to give the titled compound as a tan foam: C.I. m/z 553 M+1; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 10.37 (br s, 1H), 8.46 (m, 4H), 7.79 (dd, J=5.5, 8.9 Hz, 2H), 7.07-7.17 (m, 6H), 5.23 (s, 1H), 3.26 (d, J=13.4 Hz, 2H), 3.03-3.18 (m, 3H), 2.92 (dd, J=5.0, 13.7 Hz, 1H), 2.25 (m, 1H), 1.74 (m, 4H), 1.51 (m, 1H), 1.14 (s, 3H) 1.05 (m, 2H), 0.93 (d, J=7.2 Hz, 3H), 0.83 (s, 3H), 0.64 (d, J=9.8 Hz, 1H).
EXAMPLE 13
2-[2-(2,4-Difluoro-phenyl)-2-oxo-ethylidene]-5,5-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-3-(2,6,6-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-imidazolidin-4-one
The same procedure that was used in example 1 was followed except that 2-chloro-2'-4-difluoroacetophenone was substituted for 4-cyanophenacyl bromide in step E to give the titled compound as a tan foam: C.I. m/z 571 M+1; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 10.40 (br s, 1H), 8.48 (m, 4H), 7.95 (m, 1H), 7.14 (m, 4H), 6.97 (m, 1H), 6.81 (m, 1H), 5.38 (s, 1H), 3.25 (d, J=13.3 Hz, 2H), 3.02-3.19 (m, 3H), 2.89 (dd, J=4.9, 13.8 Hz, 1H), 2.26 (m, 1H), 1.69 (m, 4H), 1.52 (m, 1H), 1.14 (s, 3H), 1.03 (m, 2H), 0.91 (d, J=7.1 Hz, 3H), 0.83 (s, 3H), 0.64 (d, J=9.8 Hz, 1H).
EXAMPLE 14
4-{[1-(2,2-Dimethyl-propyl)-5-oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-2-ylidene]-acetyl}-benzonitrile
The same procedure that was used in example 1 was followed except that neopentylisothiocyanate was used in the place of (+)-3-pinanemethyl isothiocyanate in step D to give the titled compound as a foam: C.I. m/z 480 [M+1]; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 10.73 (br s, 1H), 8.51 (m, 4H), 7.84 (d, J=8.4 Hz, 2H), 7.72 (d, J=8.4 Hz, 2H), 7.19 (m, 4H), 5.22 (s, 1H), 3.30 (d, J=13.3 Hz, 2H), 3.13 (d, J=13.3 Hz, 2H), 2.86 (s, 2H), 0.60(s, 9H).
EXAMPLE 15
4-{[1-(2-Adamantan-1-yl-ethyl)-5-oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-2-ylidene]-acetyl}-benzonitrile
A. 1-(2-isothiocyanato-ethyl)-adamantane
2-adamantan-1-yl-ethylamine (380 mg, 2.12 mmol) was dissolved in CH 2 Cl 2 (10 ml) under a dry atmosphere of N 2 . To this solution was added 1,1'-thiocarbonyl-diimidazole (420 mg, 2.12 mmol). After stirring at ambient temperature for 12 hours, the solution was partitioned between 0.1 N HCl and CH 2 Cl 2 . The CH 2 Cl 2 layer was washed with water, then saturated NaHCO 3 solution and finally brine. The CH 2 Cl 2 layer was dried over MgSO 4 , filtered and concentrated under vacuum to give 417 mg of a yellow solid. The product was chromatographed on silica gel using hexanes to give 125 mg of the titled compound as a white solid: 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 3.52 (m, 2H), 1.98 (br s, 3H), 1.49-1.76 (m, 17H).
B. 4-{[1-(2-Adamantan-1-yl-ethyl)-5-oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-2-ylidene]-acetyl}-benzonitrile
The same procedure that was used in example 1 was followed except that 1-(2-isothiocyanato-ethyl)-adamantane was used in the place of (+)-3-pinanemethyl isothiocyanate in step D to give the titled compound as a foam: C.I. m/z 572 [M+1]; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 10.38 (br s, 1H), 8.48 (m, 4H), 7.82 (d, J=8.3 Hz, 2H), 7.71 (d, J=8.3 Hz, 2H), 7.15 (m, 4H), 5.11 (s, 1H), 3.30 (d, J=13.3 Hz, 2H), 3.00-3.19 (m, 4H), 0.50-2.0 (m, 17H).
EXAMPLE 16
4-{[5-Oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-1-(2,6,6-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-yl)-imidazolidin-2-ylidene]-acetyl)-benzonitrile
The same procedure that was used in example 1 was followed except that (1R,2R,3R,5S)-(-)-isopinocamphenylisothiocyanate was used in place of (+)-3-pinanemethyl isothiocyanate in step D to give the titled compound as a foam. (1R,2R,3R,5S)-(-)-isopinocamphenylisothiocyanate was prepared using (1R,2R,3R,5S)-(-)-isopinocamphenylamine in the place of 2-adamantan-1-yl-ethylamine in step A of example 15: C.I. m/z 546 [M+1]; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 10.93 (br s, 1H), 8.46 (m, 4H), 7.84 (d, J=8.3 Hz, 2H), 7.73 (d, J=8.3 Hz, 2H), 7.18 (m, 4H), 3.06-3.36 (m, 5H), 1.6-2.5 (m, 7H), 1.22 (s, 3H), 0.97 (s, 3H), 0.41 (d, J=7.0 Hz, 3H).
EXAMPLE 17
3-Cyclohexyl-2-(2-oxo-2-phenyl-ethylidene)-5,5-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-4-one
The same procedure that was used in example 1 was followed except that cyclohexylisothiocyanate was used in the place of (+)-3-pinanemethyl isothiocyanate in step D and bromoacetophenone was substituted for 4-cyanophenacyl bromide in step E to give the titled compound as a foam: C.I. m/z 467 [M+1]; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 10.72 (br s, 1H), 8.45 (m, 4H), 7.76 (m, 2H), 7.33-7.49 (m, 3H), 7.13 (m, 4H), 5.26 (s, 1H), 3.24 (d, J=13.2 Hz, 2H), 3.17 (m, 1H), 3.02 (d, J=13.2 Hz, 2H), 0.70-1.70 (m, 10H).
EXAMPLE 18
2-[2-(4-Nitro-phenyl)-2-oxo-ethylidene]-6,5-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-3-(2,6,6-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-imidazolidin-4-one
The same procedure that was used in example 1 was followed except that α-bromo-p-nitroacetophenone was substituted for 4-cyanophenacyl bromide in step E to give the titled compound as a foam: C.I. m/z 580 [M+1]; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 10.83 (br s, 1H), 8.48 (m, 4H), 8.28 (d, J=8.7 Hz, 2H), 7.90 (d, J=8.7 Hz, 2H), 5.27 (s, 1H), 3.29 (d, J=13.3 Hz, 2H), 3.05-3.20 (m, 3H), 2.95 (dd, J=4.8, 13.9 Hz, 1H), 2.29 (m, 1H), 1.75 (m, 4H), 1.52 (m, 1H), 1.15 (s, 3H), 1.06 (m, 1H), 0.94 (d, J=7.1 Hz, 3H), 0.83 (s, 3H), 0.64 (d, J=9.9 Hz, 1H).
EXAMPLE 19
2-[2-Oxo-2-phenyl-ethylidene]-5,5-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-3-(2,6,6-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-imidazolidin-4-one
The same procedure that was used in example 1 was followed except that bromoacetophenone was substituted for 4-cyanophenacyl bromide in step E to give the titled compound as a foam: C.I. m/z 535 [M+1]; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 10.72 (br s, 1H), 8.47 (m, 4H), 7.78 (m, 2H), 7.40-7.53 (m, 3H), 7.15 (m, 4H), 5.31 (s, 1H), 3.24 (d, J=13.3 Hz, 2H), 3.03-3.18 (m, 3H), 2.93 (dd, J=5.0, 13.9 Hz, 1H), 2.27 (m, 1H), 1.74 (m, 4H), 1.51 (m, 1H), 1.14 (s, 3H), 1.04 (m, 1H), 0.96 (d, J=8.0 Hz, 3H), 0.83 (s, 3H), 0.64 (d,J=9.8 Hz, 1H).
EXAMPLE 20
2-[2-Oxo-2-phenyl-ethylidene]-5,5-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-3-(2,6,6-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-imidazolidin-4-one (Enantiomer of example 19)
The same procedure that was used in example 1 was followed except that bromoacetophenone was substituted for 4-cyanophenacyl bromide in step E and (-)-3-pinanemethyl isothiocyanate was used in the place of (+)-3-pinanemethyl isothiocyanate in step D to give the titled compound as a foam: C.I. m/z 535 [M+1]; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 10.72 (br s, 1H), 8.47 (m, 4H), 7.78 (m, 2H), 7.40-7.53 (m, 3H), 7.15 (m, 4H), 5.31 (s, 1H), 3.24 (d, J=13.3 Hz, 2H), 3.03-3.18 (m, 3H), 2.93 (dd, J=5.0, 13.9 Hz, 1H), 2.27 (m, 1H), 1.74 (m, 4H), 1.51 (m, 1H), 1.14 (s, 3H), 1.04 (m, 1H), 0.96 (d, J=8.0 Hz, 3H), 0.83 (s, 3H), 0.64 (d, J=9.8 Hz, 1H).
EXAMPLE 21
2-{2-Oxo-2-[4-(2H-tetrazol-5-yl)-phenyl]-ethylidene}-5,5-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-3-(2,6,6-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-imidazolidin-4-one
4-{[5-Oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-1-(2,6,6-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl) imidazolidin-2-ylidene]-acetyl}-benzonitrile (31.0 mg, 0.055 mmol), which was prepared via the procedure outlined in example 1, was dissolved in xylenes (1.0 ml) under an atmosphere of dry N 2 . To the reaction was added azidotrimethyltin (23.4 mg, 0.114 mmol) and the reaction was then heated to 130° C. After stirring for 12 hours, the reaction was concentrated under vacuum and to the resulting residue was added a 1:1 solution of 0.5 N HCl and CH 2 Cl 2 (1.0 ml). The reaction was then stirred for 2 hours at ambient temperature. The reaction was then partitioned between water and CH 2 Cl 2 . The aqueous layer was washed with CH 2 Cl 2 , basified to pH=6 with NaHCO 3 and extracted three times with CH 2 Cl 2 . The CH 2 Cl 2 layers were combined, dried over Na 2 SO 4 , filtered and concentrated under vacuum to give 30 mg of the titled compound as a white solid: C.I. m/z 603 [M+1]; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 10.55 (br s, 1H), 8.45 (m, 4H), 8.21 (d, J=8.0 Hz, 2H), 7.83 (d, J=8.0 Hz, 2H), 7.17 (m, 4H), 5.28 (s, 1H), 3.27 (d, J=13.2 Hz, 2H), 3.07-3.20 (m, 3H), 2.93 (dd, J=4.9, 13.9 Hz, 1H), 2.28 (m, 1H), 1.73 (m, 4H), 1.50 (m, 1H), 1.11 (s, 3H), 1.04 (m, 1H), 0.92 (d, J=6.6 Hz, 1H), 0.83 (s, 3H), 0.63 (d, J=9.8 Hz, 1H).
EXAMPLE 22
4-[(1-Adamant-1-ylmethyl-5-Oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-2-ylidene)-acetyl]-benzonitrile
The same procedure that was used in example 1 was followed except that 1-isothiocyanatomethyl-adamantane was used in place of (+)-3-pinanemethyl isothiocyanate in step D to give the titled compound as a foam. 1-Isothiocyanatomethyl-adamantane was prepared using 1-adamantanemethylamine in the place of 2-adamantan-1-yl-ethylamine in step A of example 15: C.I. m/z 558 [M+1]; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 10.40 (br s, 1H), 8.48 (m, 4H), 7.85 (d, J=8.4 Hz, 2H), 7.73 (d, J=8.4 Hz, 2H), 7.14 (m, 4H), 5.22 (s, 1H), 3.27 (d, J=13.3 Hz, 2H), 3.10 (d, J=13.3 Hz, 2H), 2.72 (s, 2H), 0.60-1.90 (m, 15H)
EXAMPLE 23
4-[(1-Cyclohexylmethyl-5-Oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazoldin-2-ylidene)-acetyl]-benzonitrile
The same procedure that was used in example 1 was followed except that 1-isothiocyanatomethyl-cyclohexane was used in place of (+)-3-pinanemethyl isothiocyanate in step D to give the titled compound as a foam. 1-isothiocyanatomethyl-cyclohexane was prepared using cyclohexylmethylamine in the place of 2-adamantan-1-yl-ethylamine in step A of example 15: C.I. m/z 506 [M+1]; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 10.32 (br s, 1H), 8.45 (m, 4H), 7.85 (d, J=8.4 Hz, 2H), 7.71 (d, J=8.4 Hz, 2H), 7.11 (m, 4H), 5.14 (s, 1H), 3.27 (d, J=13.3 Hz, 2H), 3.06 (d, J=13.3 Hz, 2H), 2.89 (d, J=7.3 Hz, 2H), 0.5-1.65 (m, 11H).
EXAMPLE 24
4-{[1-(6,6-Dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-2-ylmethyl)-5-Oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-2-ylidene]-acetyl}-benzonitrile
The same procedure that was used in example 1 was followed except that cis-myrtanylisothiocyanate was used in the place of (+)-3-pinanemethyl isothiocyanate in step D to give the titled compound as a foam. cis-Myrtanylisothiocyanate was prepared using (-)-cis-myrtanylamine in the place of 2-adamantan-1-yl-ethylamine in step A of example 15: C.I. m/z 546 [M+1]; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 10.41 (br s, 1H), 8.47 (m, 4H), 7.85 (d, J=8.5 Hz, 2H), 7.72 (d, J=8.5 Hz, 2H), 7.13 (m, 4H), 5.14 (s, 1H), 3.26 (d, J=13.3 Hz, 2H), 3.04-3.13 (m, 4H), 2.20 (m, 1H), 1.07-1.90 (m, 6H), 1.06 (s, 3H), 1.03 (s, 3H), 0.97 (m, 1H), 0.62 (d, J=9.9 Hz, 1H).
EXAMPLE 25
3-Hexyl-2-(2-oxo-2-phenyl-ethylidene)-5,5-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-4-one
The same procedure that was used in example 1 was followed except that bromoacetophenone was substituted for 4-cyanophenacyl bromide in step E and hexyl isothiocyanate was used in the place of (+)-3-pinanemethyl isothiocyanate in step D to give the titled compound as a foam: C.I. m/z 469 [M+1]; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 10.82 (br s, 1H), 8.45 (m, 4H), 7.76 (d, J=8.2 Hz, 2H), 7.43 (m, 3H), 7.12 (m, 4H), 5.18 (s, 1H), 3.22 (d, J=13.3 Hz, 2H), 3.04 (m, 4H), 0.82-1.30 (m, 11H).
EXAMPLE 26
3-Napthalen-1-yl-2-(2-oxo-2-phenyl-ethylidene)-5,5-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-4-one
The same procedure that was used in example 1 was followed except that bromoacetophenone was substituted for 4-cyanophenacyl bromide in step E and 1-naphthyl isothiocyanate was used in the place of (+)-3-pinanemethyl isothiocyanate in step D to give the titled compound as a foam: C.I. m/z 511 [M+1]; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 8.59 (m, 4H), 7.85 (d, J=8.3 Hz, 1H), 7.79 (d, J=8.3 Hz, 1H), 7.48 (d, J=7.3 Hz, 2H), 7.18-7.43 (m, 11H), 6.24 (d, J=7.3 Hz, 1H), 5.68 (d, J=8.3 Hz, 1H), 4.61 (s, 1H), 3.45 (d, J=13.3 Hz, 2H), 3.29 (d, J=13.3 Hz, 2H).
EXAMPLE 27
3-Adamantan-1-yl-2-(2-oxo-2-phenyl-ethylidene)-5,5-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-4-one
The same procedure that was used in example 1 was followed except that bromoacetophenone was substituted for 4-cyanophenacyl bromide in step E and 1-adamantyl isothiocyanate was used in the place of (+)-3-pinanemethyl isothiocyanate in step D to give the titled compound as a tan solid: 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 11.91 (br s, 1H), 8.48 (m, 4H), 7.72 (m, 2H), 7.39-7.50 (m, 3H), 7.14 (m, 4H), 5.68 (s, 1H), 3.22 (d, J=13.3 Hz, 2H), 2.99 (d, J=13.3 Hz, 2H), 2.01 (br s, 3H), 1.90 (br s, 6H), 1.50-1.63 (m, 6H).
EXAMPLE 28
3-Adamantan-1-yl-2-[2-(4-nitro-phenyl)-2-oxo-ethylidene]-5,5-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-4-one
The same procedure that was used in example 1 was followed except that α-bromo-p-nitroacetophenone was substituted for 4-cyanophenacyl bromide in step E and 1-adamantyl isothiocyanate was used in the place of (+)-3-pinanemethyl isothiocyanate in step D to give the titled compound as a tan solid: 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 10.44 (br s, 1H), 8.49 (m, 4H), 8.29 (d, J=8.7 Hz, 2H), 7.86 (d, J=8.7 Hz, 2H), 7.12 (m, 4H), 5.67 (s, 1H), 3.24 (d, J=13.3 Hz, 2H), 3.03 (d, J=13.3 Hz, 2H), 1.98 (br s, 3H), 1.83 (br s, 6H), 1.55 (br s, 6H).
EXAMPLE 29
4-[(1-Benzyl-5-Oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolid in-2-ylidene)-acetyl]-benzonitrile
The same procedure that was used in example 1 was followed except that benzyl isothiocyanate was used in the place of (+)-3-pinanemethyl isothiocyanate in step D to give the titled compound as a tan foam: C.I. m/z 500 [M+1]; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 10.73 (br s, 1H), 8.50 (m, 4H), 7.71 (d, J=8.4 Hz, 2H), 7.65 (d, J=8.4 Hz, 2H), 7.07-7.20 (m, 7H), 6.41 (d, J=7.6 Hz, 2H), 5.07 (s, 1H), 4.31 (s, 2H), 3.34 (d, J=13.3 Hz, 2H), 3.12 (d, J=13.3 Hz, 2H).
EXAMPLE 30
3-{[5-Oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-1-(2,6,6-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-imidazolidin-2-ylidene]-acetyl}-benzonitrile
The same procedure that was used in example 1 was followed except that 3-bromoacetyl-benzonitrile was substituted for 4-cyanophenacyl bromide in step E to give the titled compound as a tan solid: C.I. m/z 560 [M+1]; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 10.38 (br s, 1H), 8.48 (m, 4H), 8.10 (t, J=1.4 Hz, 1H), 7.95 (dt, J=1.4, 8.0 Hz, 1H), 7.76 (dt, J=1.3, 7.9 Hz, 1H), 7.53 (t, J=7.8 Hz, 1H), 7.12 (m, 4H), 5.22 (s, 1H), 3.29 (d, J=13.3 Hz, 2H), 3.05-3.29 (m, 3H), 2.96 (dd, J=4.9, 13.9 Hz, 1H), 2.31 (m, 1H), 1.72 (m, 4H), 1.50 (m, 1H), 1.13 (s, 3H), 1.02 (m, 1H), 0.92 (d, J=7.2 Hz, 3H), 0.86 (s, 3H), 0.61 (d, J=9.8 Hz, 1H).
EXAMPLE 31
4-{[5-Oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-1-(2,6,6-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1] hept-3-ylmethyl)-imidazolidin-2-ylidene]-acetyl}-benzoic acid ethyl ester
A. 4-Bromoacetyl-benzoic acid ethyl ester
Copper(II) bromide (2.47 g, 10.9 mmol) was suspended in ethyl acetate (7.5 ml) and the solution was subsequently heated to reflux. To the reaction was added a solution of 4-acetyl-benzoic acid ethyl ester (960.8 mg, 5.00 mmol) in chloroform (20 ml). After the mixture had stirred at reflux for 24 hours, the precipitate was removed via suction filtration and the resulting filtrate was partitioned between ethyl acetate and saturated NaHCO 3 solution. The ethyl acetate layer was dried over MgSO 4 , filtered and concentrated under vacuum to give the titled compound as a white solid: 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 8.13 (m, 2H), 8.01 (m, 2H), 4.45 (s, 2H), 4.39 (q, J=7.2 Hz, 2H), 1.40 (t, J=7.2 Hz, 3H).
B. 4-{[5-Oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-1-(2,6,6-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-imidazolidin-2-ylidene]-acetyl}-benzoic acid ethyl ester
The same procedure that was used in example 1 was followed except that 4-bromoacetyl-benzoic acid ethyl ester was substituted for 4-cyanophenacyl bromide in step E to give the titled compound as a tan solid: 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 10.47 (br s, 1H), 8.49 (m, 4H), 8.11 (d, J=8.4 Hz, 2H), 7.82 (d, J=8.4 Hz, 2H), 7.16 (m, 4H), 5.30 (s, 1H), 4.40 (q, J=7.2 Hz, 2H), 3.25 (d, J=13.3 Hz, 2H), 3.02-3.21 (m, 3H), 2.92 (dd, J=4.9, 13.9 Hz, 1H), 2.29 (m, 1H), 1.71 (m, 4H), 1.51 (m, 1H), 1.41 (t, J=7.2 Hz, 3H), 1.14 (s, 3H), 1.05 (m, 1H), 0.92 (dd, J=7.1 Hz, 3H), 0.83 (s, 3H), 0.64 (d, J=9.8 Hz, 1H).
EXAMPLE 32
2-[2-Oxo-2-(4-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-ethylidene]-5,5-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-3-(2,6,6-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-imidazolidin-4-one
The same procedure that was used in example 1 was followed except that 2-bromo-1-(4-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-ethanone was substituted for 4-cyanophenacyl bromide in step E to give the titled compound as a tan solid: 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 10.40 (br s, 1H), 8.46 (m, 4H), 7.86 (d, J=7.9 Hz, 2H), 7.70 (d, J=7.9 Hz, 2H), 7.14 (m, 4H), 5.27 (s, 1H), 3.26 (d, J=13.3 Hz, 2H), 3.04-3.19 (m, 3H), 2.93 (dd, J=4.9, 13.9 Hz, 1H), 2.27 (m, 1H), 1.73 (m, 4H), 1.51 (m, 1H), 1.13 (s, 3H), 1.05 (m, 1H), 0.93 (dd, J=7.2 Hz, 3H), 0.82 (s, 3H), 0.63 (d, J=9.9 Hz, 1H).
EXAMPLE 33
2-[2-(4-Methanesulphonyl-phenyl)-2-oxo-ethylidene]-5,5-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-3-(2,6,6-trimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-imidazolidin-4-one
The same procedure was used in example 1 was followed except that 2-bromo-1-(4-methanesulphonyl-phenyl)-ethanone was substituted for 4-cyanophenacyl bromide in step E to give the titled compound as tan solid: C.I. m/z 613 [M+1]; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 10.45 (br s, 1H), 8.46 (m, 4H), 8.01 (d, J=8.5 Hz, 2H), 7.95 (d, J=8.5 Hz, 2H), 7.13 (m, 4H), 5.25 (s, 1H), 3.27 (d, J=13.3 Hz, 2H), 2.88-3.18 (m, 7H), 2.27 (m, 1H), 1.72 (m, 4H), 1.50 (m, 1H), 1.13 (s, 3H), 1.04 (m, 1H), 0.91 (dd, J=7.1 Hz, 3H), 0.81 (s, 3H), 0.62 (d, J=9.8 Hz, I H).
EXAMPLE 34
4-[(1-Allyl-5-Oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolid in-2-ylidene)-acetyl]-benzonitrile
The same procedure that was used in example 1 was followed except that allylisothiocyanate was used in the place of (+)-3-pinanemethyl isothiocyanate in step D to give the titled compound as an oil: C.I. m/z 450 [M+1]; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 10.39 (br s, 1H), 8.45 (d,J=6.0 Hz, 4H), 7.80 (d, J=8.5 Hz, 2H), 7.68 (d, J=8.5 Hz, 2H), 7.11 (d,J=6.0 Hz, 4H), 5.28 (s, 1H), 5.10 (m, 1H), 4.90 (d, J=8.9 Hz, 1H), 4.40 (d, J=17.0 Hz, 1H), 3.73 (dd, J=1.6, 3.6 Hz, 2H), 3.31 (d, J=13.3 Hz, 2H), 3.10 (d, J=13.3 Hz, 2H).
EXAMPLE 35
4-[(1-Methyl-5-Oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolid in-2-ylidene)-acetyl]-benzonitrile
The same procedure that was used in example 1 was followed except that methyl isothiocyanate was used in the place of (+)-3-pinanemethyl isothiocyanate in step D to give the titled compound as a tan solid: C.I. m/z 424.2 [M+1]; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 10.36 (br s, 1H), 8.46 (d,J=6.1 Hz, 4H), 7.82 (d, J=8.5 Hz, 2H), 7.67 (d, J=8.5 Hz, 2H), 7.10 (d,J=6.1 Hz, 4H), 5.10 (s, 1H), 3.28 (d, J=13.3 Hz, 2H), 3.05 (d, J=13.3 Hz, 2H), 2.63 (s, 3H).
EXAMPLE 36
4-{[1-(2,2-Diethoxy-ethyl)-5-Oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-2-ylidene]-acetyl}-benzonitrile
The same procedure that was used in example 1 was followed except that 1,1-diethoxy-2-isothiocyanato-ethane was used in the place of (+)-3-pinanemethyl isothiocyanate in step D to give the titled compound as a tan solid: C.I. m/z 424.2 [M+1]; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 10.38 (br s, 1H), 8.49 (d,J=6.0 Hz, 4H), 7.78 (d, J=8.5 Hz, 2H), 7.70 (d, J=8.5 Hz, 2H), 7.12 (d, J=6.0 Hz, 4H), 5.51 (s, 1H), 3.90 (t, J=5.2 Hz, 1H), 3.49 (m, 2H), 3.02-3.32 (m, 8H), 1.05 (t, J=7.1 Hz, 3H).
EXAMPLE 37
4-[(1-Adamantan-2-ylmethyl-5-Oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-2-ylidene)-acetyl]-benzonitrile
The same procedure that was used in example 1 was followed except that 2-isthiocyanatomethyl-adamantane was used in the place of (+)-3-pinanemethyl isothiocyanate in step D to give the titled compound as a tan solid. 2-isothiocyanatomethyl-adamantane was prepared using C-adamantan-2-yl-methylamine in the place of 2-adamantan-1-yl-ethylamine in step A of example 15: C.I. m/z 558.3 [M+1]; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 10.49 (br s, 1H), 8.47 (d, J=5.8 Hz, 4H), 7.82 (d, J=8.2 Hz, 2H), 7.71 (d, J=8.2 Hz, 2H), 7.12 (d, J=5.8 Hz, 4H), 5.16 (s, 1H), 3.26 (d, J=13.4 Hz, 2H), 3.19 (d, J=7.3 Hz, 2H), 3.08 (d, J=13.4 Hz, 2H), 1.00-1.80 (m, 15H).
EXAMPLE 38
4-[(1-Adamantan-2-yl-5-Oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-2-ylidene)-acetyl]-benzonitrile
The same procedure that was used in example 1 was followed except that 2-isothiocyanato-adamantane was used in the place of (+)-3-pinanemethyl isothiocyanate in step D to give the titled compound as a tan solid: C.I. m/z 544.2 [M+1]; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 10.93 (br s, 1H), 8.44 (d, J=6.0 Hz, 4H), 7.78 (d, J=8.3 Hz, 2H), 7.70 (d, J=8.3 Hz, 2H), 7.14 (d, J=6.0 Hz, 4H), 5.03 (s, 1H), 3.26 (d, J=13.3 Hz, 2H), 3.17 (m, 1H), 3.04 (d, J=13.3 Hz, 2H), 1.42-2.00 (m, 15H).
EXAMPLE 39
4-[(1-Bicyclo[2.2.2]oct-1-ylmethyl-5-Oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolid in-2-ylidene)-acetyl]-benzonitrile
The same procedure that was used in example 1 was followed except that 1-isothiocyanatomethyl-bicyclo[2.2.2]octane was used in the place of (+)-3-pinanemethyl isothiocyanate in step D to give the titled compound as a tan solid. 1-isothiocyanatomethyl-bicyclo[2.2.2]octane was prepared by using C-bicyclo[2.2.2]oct-1-yl-methylamine in the place of 2-adamantan-1-yl-ethylamine in step A of example 15: C.I. m/z 532.2 [M+1]; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 10.71 (br s, 1H), 8.46 (d, J=5.9 Hz, 4H), 7.84 (d, J=8.1 Hz, 2H), 7.71 (d, J=8.1 Hz, 2H), 7.14 (d,J=5.9 Hz, 4H), 5.17 (s, 1H), 3.25 (d, J=13.3 Hz, 2H), 3.10 (d, J=13.3 Hz, 2H), 2.73 (s, 2H), 1.34 (m, 7H), 0.86 (m, 6H).
EXAMPLE 40
4-[(5-Oxo-1-phenyl-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-2-ylidene)-acetyl]-benzonitrile
The same procedure that was used in example 1 was followed except that phenyl isothiocyanate was used in the place of (+)-3-pinanemethyl isothiocyanate in step D to give the titled compound as a tan solid: 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 10.42 (br s, 1H), 8.56 (d, J=6.0 Hz, 4H), 7.70 (d, J=8.3 Hz, 2H), 7.62 (d, J=8.3 Hz, 2H), 7.23-7.44 (m, 3H), 7.22 (d, J=6.0 Hz, 4H), 6.40 (d, J=7.0 Hz, 2H), 4.82(s, 1H), 3.41 (d, J=13.3 Hz, 2H), 3.18 (d, J=13.3 Hz, 2H).
EXAMPLE 41
4-{[4-tert-Butyl-phenyl-5-oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolid in-2-ylidene)-acetyl]-benzonitrile
The same procedure that was used in example 1 was followed except that 4-tert-butylphenyl isothiocyanate was used in the place of (+)-3-pinanemethyl isothiocyanate in step D to give the titled compound as a tan solid: 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 ) 8 10.42 (br s, 1H), 8.52 (d, J=5.9 Hz, 4H), 7.70 (d, J=7.8 Hz, 2H), 7.61 (d, J=7.8 Hz, 2H), 7.36 (d, J=6.8 Hz, 2H), 7.21 (d,J=5.9 Hz, 4H), 6.30 (d, J=6.8 Hz, 2H), 4.86 (s, 1H), 3.41 (d, J=13.3 Hz, 2H), 3.18 (d, J=13.3 Hz, 2H), 1.30 (s, 9H).
EXAMPLE 42
4-{[1-(2-Ethyl-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-5-Oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin 4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-2-ylidene]-acetyl}-benzonitrile
A. 2-Acetyl-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]heptane-3-carbonitrile
3-(3-Ethyl-2,2-dimethyl-cyclobutyl)-but-3-en-2-one (568 mg, 3.46 mmol) was dissolved in benzene (20 ml) under an atmosphere of dry N 2 . To the solution was added a 1.0 M solution of diethylaluminum cyanide (5.0 ml) in toluene. After stirring at ambient temperature for 30 minutes, a 10% aqueous solution of potassium sodium tartrate (20 ml) was added to the reaction. After stirring at ambient temperature for 30 minutes, the reaction was partitioned between CH 2 Cl 2 and 0.1 N aqueous sodium hydroxide (NaOH). The CH 2 Cl 2 layer was washed with brine, dried over MgSO 4 , filtered and concentrated under vacuum to give 551 mg of the titled compound as an oil: 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 3.99 (dt, J=4.3, 11.0 Hz, 1H), 3.14 (dd, J=3.1, 4.6 Hz, 1H), 2.62 (m, 1H), 2.53 (m, 1H), 2.41 (m, 1H), 2.22 (m, 1H), 2.17 (s, 3H), 2.01 (m, 1H), 1.44 (d, J=10.6 Hz, 1H), 1.22 (s, 3H), 0.64 (s, 3H).
B. 2-Ethyl-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]heptane-3-carbonitrile
2-Acetyl-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]heptane-3-carbonitrile (551 mg, 2.88 mmol) was dissolved in methanol (20 ml) under an atmosphere of dry N 2 . The reaction was then cooled to 0° C. to which sodium borohydride (203 mg, 5.37 mmol) was added. After stirring at 0° C. for two hours, the reaction was concentrated under vacuum and partitioned between saturated NaHCO 3 and CH 2 Cl 2 . The CH 2 Cl 2 layer was dried over Na 2 SO 4 , filtered and concentrated under vacuum to give 2-(1-hydroxy-ethyl)-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]heptane-3-carbonitrile as a mixture of diastereomers. The mixture was then dissolved in anhydrous DMF (10 ml) under an atmosphere of dry N 2 . To this reaction was added 1,1'-thiocarbonyl-diimidazole (990 mg, 5.00 mmol). After stirring at ambient temperature for 16 hours, the reaction was then partitioned between 1.0% sodium bisulfate solution and ethyl ether. The ethyl ether layer was washed twice with water, once with brine, dried over MgSO 4 , filtered and concentrated under vacuum to give imidazole-1-carbothioic acid-O-[1-(3-cyano-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo(3.1.1]hept-2-yl)-ethyl] ester as a mixture of diastereomers. The mixture was then dissolved in anhydrous toluene (10 ml) under an atmosphere of dry N 2 . To this mixture was added α,α'-azo-isobutyronitrile (250 mg, 1.52 mmol) and tributyltin hydride (2.0 ml, 7.21 mmol). The reaction was then heated to 100° C. . After stirring at 100° C. for 3 hours, the reaction was concentrated under vacuum to give an oil. The oil was chromatographed on silica gel using hexanes to remove the bulk of the tin containing species and then eluting with 1% ethyl acetate in hexanes to give 288 mg of the titled compound: 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 2.72 (dt, J=6.8, 9.8 Hz, 1H), 2.37-2.47 (m, 2H), 2.13-22 (m, 2H) 2.00 (m, 2H), 1.60 (m, 1H), 1.21-1.38 (m, 2H), 1.20 (s, 3H), 0.98 (t, J=7.2 Hz, 3H), 0.91 (s, 3H).
C. C-(2-Ethyl-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-yl)-methylamine
2-Ethyl-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]heptane-3-carbonitrile (288 mg, 1.65 mmol) was dissolved in anhydrous THF (10 ml) under an atmosphere of dry N 2 . To the reaction was added a 1.0 M solution of lithium aluminum hydride (4.0 ml) in THF. The reaction was stirred at ambient temperature for 16 hr and was then quenched by the sequential slow addition of 152 μl of water, 152 μl of 15% NaOH and finally 460 μl of water. The reaction was stirred for an additional 2 hr after which time it was filtered and the filter cake was washed with CH 2 Cl 2 . The combined filtrate was concentrated under vacuum to give 267 mg of the titled compound: 1 H NMR (CD 3 OD) 6 2.73 (dd, J=4.6,12.2 Hz, 1H), 2.41 (dd, J=9.5, 12.2 Hz, 1H), 2.32 (m, 1H), 2.19 (m, 1H), 1.98 (m, 1H), 1.91 (m, 1H), 1.74 (m, 1H), 1.28-1.57 (m, 4H), 1.20 (s, 3H), 0.99 (s, 3H), 0.89 (t, J=7.2 Hz, 3H), 0.74 (d, J=9.6 Hz, 1H).
D. 4-{[1-(2-Ethyl-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-5-Oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-2-ylidene]-acetyl}-benzonitrile
The same procedure that was used in example 1 was followed except that 2-ethyl-3-isothiocyanatomethyl-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]heptane was used in the place of (+)-3-pinanemethyl isothiocyanate in step D to give the titled compound as a tan solid. 2-Ethyl-3-isothiocyanatomethyl-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]heptane was prepared by using C-(2-ethyl-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-yl)-methylamine in the place of 2-adamantan-1-yl-ethylamine in step A of example 15: C.I. m/z 574.3 [M+1]; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 10.46 (br s, 1H), 8.45 (m, 4H), 7.81 (d, J=8.4 Hz, 2H), 7.70 (d, J=8.4 Hz, 2H), 7.12 (m, 4H), 5.23 (s, 1H), 3.25 (d, J=13.3 Hz, 2H), 3.04-3.20 (m, 3H), 2.88 (dd, J=4.0, 13.7 Hz, 1H), 2.27 (m, 1H), 1.92 (m, 1H), 1.72 (m, 2H), 1.16-1.41 (m, 4H), 1.11 (s, 3H), 0.95 (m, 1H), 0.87 (m, 3H), 0.77 (s, 3H), 0.60 (d, J=10.0 Hz, 1H).
EXAMPLE 43
4-[1-(2-Benzyl-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-5-Oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-2-ylidene]-acetyl}-benzonitrile
The same procedure that was used in example 1 was followed except that 2-benzyl-3-isothiocyanatomethyl-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]heptane was used in the place of (+)-3-pinanemethyl isothiocyanate in step D to give the titled compound as a tan solid. 2-Benzyl-3-isothiocyanatomethyl-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]heptane was prepared by using (6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-2-en-2-yl)-phenyl-methanone in the place of 3-(3-ethyl-2,2-dimethyl-cyclobutyl)-but-3-en-2-one in example 42: C.I. m/z 636 [M+1]; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 10.46 (br s, 1H), 8.46 (m, 4H), 7.82 (d, J=8.5 Hz, 2H), 7.71 (d, J=8.5 Hz, 2H), 7.06-7.24 (m, 9H), 5.15 (s, 1H), 3.23 (dd, J=3.1, 13.3 Hz, 2H), 3.03-3.11 (m, 3H), 2.72 (dd, J=4.8, 13.9 Hz, 1H), 2.60 (m, 2H), 2.20 (m, 1H), 1.91 (m, 1H), 1.66-1.76 (m, 5H), 1.11 (s, 3H), 0.94 (s, 3H), 0.55 (d, J=10.0 Hz, 1H).
EXAMPLE 44
4-{[1-(2-Isopropenyl-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-5-Oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-2-ylidene]-acetyl}-benzonitrile
A. 2-Isopropenyl-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]heptane-3-carbonitrile
Methyltriphenylphosphonium iodide (3.17 g, 7.84 mmol) was suspended in anhydrous THF (20 ml) under an atmosphere of dry N 2 . To this solution was added a 1.0 M solution of potassium tert-butoxide (7.84 ml) in THF. After the reaction has stirred at ambient temperature for 30 min, a solution of 2-acetyl-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]heptane-3-carbonitrile (1.00 g, 5.23 mmol), prepared in step A of example 42, dissolved in anhydrous THF (10 ml) was added to the reaction. After stirring for two hours, the reaction was then partitioned between ethyl ether and water. The ethyl ether layer was washed with brine, dried over MgSO 4 , filtered and concentrated under vacuum to give an oil which was chromatographed on silica gel using a gradient of neat hexanes to 10% ethyl acetate in hexanes to give 490 mg of the titled compound as an oil: C.I. m/z 190 [M+1]; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 4.82 (m, 2H), 2.82 (m, 2H), 2.10-2.28 (m, 3H), 1.93 (m, 2H), 1.75 (s, 3H), 1.33 (d, J=9.9 Hz, 1H), 1.23 (s, 3H), 0.93 (s, 3H), 0.80-0.87 (m, 2H).
B. 4-{[1-(2-Isopropenyl-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-5-Oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-2-ylidene]-acetyl}-benzonitrile
The same procedure that was used in example 1 was followed except that 2-isopropenyl-3-isothiocyanatomethyl-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]heptane was used in the place of (+)-3-pinanemethyl isothiocyanate in step D to give the titled compound as a tan solid. 2-Isopropenyl-3-isothiocyanatomethyl-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]heptane was prepared by reducing 2-isopropenyl-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]heptane-3-carbonitrile to the requisite amine following the procedure in step C of example 42 and subsequently converted to the isothiocyanate using step A of example 15: C.I. m/z 586 [M+1]; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 10.47 (br s, 1H), 8.43-8.49 (m, 4H), 7.82 (d, J=8.7 Hz, 2H), 7.69 (d, J=8.7 Hz, 2H), 7.13 (m, 2H), 7.08 (m, 2H), 5.27 (s, 1H), 4.74 (m, 2H), 3.33 (dd, J=11.2, 13.9 Hz, 1H), 3.23 (d, J=13.5 Hz, 2H), 3.03-3.15 (m, 2H), 2.84 (dd, J=3.2, 13.9 Hz, 1H), 1.99-2.15 (m, 2H), 1.70 (m, 3H), 1.63 (s, 3H), 1.20 (m, 2H), 1.15 (s, 3H), 0.77(s, 3H), 0.66 (m, 1H).
EXAMPLE 45
4-{[1-(2-Isopropyl-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-5-Oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-2-ylidene]-acetyl}-benzonitrile
A. 2-isopropyl-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]heptane-3-carbonitrile.
2-Isopropenyl-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]heptane-3-carbonitrile (233 mg, 1.23 mmol), prepared in step A of example 44, was dissolved in absolute ethanol (10 ml). To the solution was added 10% palladium on activated carbon (40 mg) and the reaction was subsequently shaken on a Paar apparatus under an atmosphere of 45 psi of hydrogen (H2). After shaking for 16 hours, the reaction was filtered through celite. The celite was washed with copious amounts of absolute ethanol. The combined filtrate was concentrated under vacuum to give the titled compound as an oil: 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 2.62 (q, J=9.3 Hz, 1H), 2.24 (m, 1H), 2.06-2.15 (m, 2H), 2.00 (m, 1H), 1.83-1.94 (m, 2H), 1.67 (quin, J=6.7 Hz, 1H), 1.21 (s, 3H), 1.15 (d, J=10.8 Hz, 1H), 0.98 (d, J=6.8 Hz, 3H), 0.87 (m, 6H).
B. 4-{[1-(2-Isopropyl-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-5-Oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-2-ylidene]-acetyl}-benzonitrile
The same procedure that was used in example 1 was followed except that 2-isopropyl-3-isothiocyanatomethyl-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]heptane was used in the place of (+)-3-pinanemethyl isothiocyanate in step D to give the titled compound as a tan solid. 2-Isopropyl-3-isothiocyanatomethyl-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]heptane was prepared by reduction of 2-isopropyl-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]heptane-3-carbonitrile to the requisite amine following the procedure in step C of example 42 and subsequent conversion to the isothiocyanate using step A of example 15: C.I. m/z 588 [M+1]; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 10.45 (br s, 1H), 8.42-8.46 (m, 4H), 7.82 (d, J=8.1 Hz, 2H), 7.69 (d, J=8.1 Hz, 2H), 7.13 (m, 2H), 7.07 (m, 2H), 5.22 (s, 1H), 3.32 (dd, J=11.2, 13.9 Hz, 1H), 3.24 (d, J=13.1 Hz, 2H), 3.01-3.10 (m, 2H), 2.92 (dd, J=3.1, 13.9 Hz, 1H), 1.96 (m, 1H), 1.76 (m, 1H), 1.59-1.70 (m, 3H), 1.32 (m, 1H), 1.24 (m, 1H), 1.14 (s, 3H), 1.05 (d, 10.2 Hz, 1H), 0.86 (d, J=6.6 Hz, 3H), 0.78 (d, J=6.9 Hz, 3H), 0.70 (s, 3H), 0.50 (m, 1H).
EXAMPLE 46
4-((1-[2-(1-Methoxyimino-ethyl)-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl]-5-Oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-2-ylidene}-acetyl)-benzonitrile
A. (2-Acetyl-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-carbamic acid tert-butyl ester
2-Acetyl-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]heptane-3-carbonitrile (400 mg, 2.09 mmol), prepared in step A of example 42, was dissolved in anhydrous THF (20 ml) under an atmosphere of dry N 2 . The solution was cooled to -78° C. after which time a 1.0 M lithium aluminum hydride in THF (8.5 ml) was added to the reaction. The reaction was then warmed up to ambient temperature. After stirring at ambient temperature for 16 hours, the solution was cooled to 0° C. and the reaction was quenched with the successive slow addition of 310 μl of water, 310 μl of 15% NaOH and finally 1.0 ml of water. The solution was then stirred for two hours after which time it was filtered and the filter cake was washed with CH 2 Cl 2 . The combined filtrate was concentrated under vacuum and then dissolved in anhydrous CH 2 Cl 2 (20 ml) under an atmosphere of dry N 2 . To this solution was added di-tert-butyl dicarbonate (556 mg, 2.55 mmol). After stirring at ambient temperature for 16 hours, the reaction was then concentrated under vacuum and chromatographed on silica gel using 30% ethyl acetate in hexanes to give 420 mg of [2-(1-hydroxy-ethyl)-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl]-carbamic acid tert-butyl ester as a mixture of diastereomers. A portion of the mixture (370 mg, 1.25 mmol) was dissolved in anhydrous CH 2 Cl 2 (10 ml) under an atmosphere of dry N 2 to which was added 4-methylmorpholine N-oxide (262 mg, 2.24 mmol) and tetrapropylammonium perruthenate (39 mg, 0.12 mmol). The mixture was stirred at ambient temperature for 2.5 hours after which time it was passed through a silica gel plug eluting with CH 2 Cl 2 then switching to ethyl acetate. The filtrate was concentrated under vacuum to give 370 mg of the titled compound as an oil: C.I. m/z 196 [M+1-Boc].
B. 1-(3-Aminomethyl-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-2-yl)-ethanone-O-methyl-oxime
(2-Acetyl-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-carbamic acid tert-butyl ester (370 mg, 1.25 mmol) was dissolved in absolute ethanol (10 ml) under an atmosphere of dry N 2 . To this solution was added methoxylamine hydrochloride (236 mg, 2.82 mmol) and pyridine (400 μl, 4.64 mmol). After stirring at ambient temperature for 20 hours, the mixture was concentrated under vacuum and then partitioned between CH 2 Cl 2 and 1% NaHSO 4 . The CH 2 Cl 2 layer was then washed with saturated NaHCO3 and brine. The solution was then dried over MgSO 4 , filtered and concentrated under vacuum to give 349 mg of an oil. The oil was treated with trifluoroacetic acid (5.0 ml) for 20 minutes. The reaction was then concentrated under vacuum and partitioned between 0.1N NaOH and CH 2 Cl 2 . The CH 2 Cl 2 layer was dried over Na 2 SO 4 , filtered and concentrated under vacuum to give 221 mg of the titled compound as an oil: C.I. m/z 225 [M+1]; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 3.82 (s, 3H), 2.95 (m, 1H), 2.67 (m, 2H), 2.37 (m, 2H), 2.24 (m, 2H), 1.84-2.00 (m, 2H), 1.81 (s, 3H), 1.50 (m, 1H), 1.25 (m, 1H), 1.19 (s, 3H), 0.93 (s, 3H), 0.89 (d, J=9.8 Hz, 1H).
C. 4-({1-[2-(1-Methoxyimino-ethyl)-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl]-5-Oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-2-ylidene)-acetyl)-benzonitrile
The same procedure that was used in example 1 was followed except that 1-(3-isothiocyanatomethyl-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-2-yl)-ethanone O-methyl-oxime was used in the place of (+)-3-pinanemethyl isothiocyanate in step D to give the titled compound as a tan solid. 1-(3-isothiocyanatomethyl-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-2-yl)-ethanone O-methyl-oxime was prepared by using 1-(3-aminomethyl-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-2-yl)-ethanone O-methyl-oxime in the place of 2-adamantan-1-yl-ethylamine in step A of example 15: C.I. m/z 617 [M+1]; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 10.47 (br s, 1H), 8.48 (m, 4H), 7.89 (d, J=8.3 Hz, 2H), 7.70 (d, J=8.3 Hz, 2H), 7.12 (m, 4H), 5.51 (s, 1H),3.58 (s, 3H), 2.94-3.40 (m, 6H), 2.44 (m, 1H), 2.14-2.36 (m, 2H), 1.76 (m, 1H), 1.74 (s, 3H), 1.18-1.26 (m, 2H), 1.14 (s, 3H), 1.00 (m, 1H), 0.85 (m, 1H), 0.75 (s, 3H).
EXAMPLE 47
4-{[1-(6,6-Dimethyl-2-methylene-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-5-oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-2-ylidene]-acetyl}-benzonitrile
A. (6,6-Dimethyl-2-methylene-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-acetic acid
(6,6-Dimethyl-2-methylene-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-acetic acid ethyl ester (3.25 g, 14.6 mmol) was dissolved in absolute ethanol (50 ml). To this solution was added 1.0 N NaOH (20 ml). After stirring for 18 hours at ambient temperature, the reaction was then concentrated to 20 ml and partitioned between 0.1 N HCl and CH 2 Cl 2 . The CH 2 Cl 2 layer was dried over MgSO 4 , filtered and concentrated under vacuum to give 2.79 g of the titled compound: C.I. m/z 195.1 [M+1]; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 4.78 (s, 1H), 4.77 (s, 1H), 3.02 (s, 1H), 2.75 (dd, J=4.9, 15.3 Hz, 1H), 2.56 (d, J=10.9 Hz, 1H), 2.49 (t, J=6.1 Hz, 1H), 2.38 (m, 1H), 2.24 (dt, 2.1, 12.0 Hz, 1H), 2.02 (m, 1H), 1.57 (dt, J=3.2,14.0 Hz, 1H), 1.26 (s, 3H), 1.19 (d, J=10.1,1H), 0.77 (s, 3H).
B. (6,6-Dimethyl-2-methylene-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-carbamic acid benzyl ester
(6,6-Dimethyl-2-methylene-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-acetic acid (7.00 g, 36.1 mmol) was dissolved in anhydrous toluene (200 ml) under an atmosphere of dry N 2 . To this solution was added triethylamine (6.10 ml, 43.6 mmol) and diphenylphosphoryl azide (9.30 ml, 42.1 mmol). The reaction was stirred for two hours at ambient temperature after which time benzyl alcohol (4.50 ml, 43.5 mmol) was added. The reaction was subsequently heated to 100° C. and stirred at this temperature for 3.5 hours. The reaction temperature was then cooled to 70° C. and stirred at this temperature for 18 hours. The reaction was then partitioned between 0.1 N NaOH and ethyl ether. The ethyl ether layer was washed with brine, dried over MgSO 4 , filtered and concentrated under vacuum to give a brown oil. The oil was chromatographed on silica gel using a gradient starting from 8% ethyl acetate in hexanes to 12% ethyl acetate in hexanes to give 7.81 g of the titled compound as an oil: C.I. m/z 300.3 [M+1]; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 7.28-7.35 (m, 5H), 5.09 (s, 2H), 4.72 (s, 2H), 3.29 (m, 2H), 2.66 (m, 1H), 2.43 (m, 1H), 2.32 (m, 1H), 1.98-2.06 (m, 2H), 1.57 (m, 1H), 1.23 (s, 3H), 1.17 (d, J=10.1, 1H), 0.72 (s, 3H).
C. C-(6,6-Dimethyl-2-methylene-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-methylamine
(6,6-Dimethyl-2-methylene-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-carbamic acid benzyl ester (988 mg, 3.30 mmol) was dissolved in CH 2 Cl 2 (20 ml) under an atmosphere of dry N 2 . To this solution was added triethylsilane (2.10 ml, 13.2 mmol), triethylamine (330 μl, 2.37 mmol) and palladium(II) chloride (165 mg). The reaction was then heated to reflux and stirred at this temperature for one hour. The reaction was then quenched with the addition of saturated ammonium chloride solution (3.0 ml). The reaction is then partitioned between CH 2 Cl 2 and 0.1 N NaOH. The CH 2 Cl 2 layer was dried over MgSO 4 , filtered and concentrated under vacuum to give the titled compound along with unreacted triethylsilane: C.I. m/z 166 [M+1].
D. 4-{[1-(6,6-Dimethyl-2-methylene-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-5-oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-2-ylidene]-acetyl}-benzonitrile
The same procedure that was used in example 1 was followed except that 3-isothiocyanatomethyl-6,6-dimethyl-2-methylene-bicyclo[3.1.1]heptane was used in the place of (+)-3-pinanemethyl isothiocyanate in step D to give the titled compound as a tan solid. 3-Isothiocyanatomethyl-6,6-dimethyl-2-methylene-bicyclo[3.1.1]heptane was prepared by using C-(6,6-dimethyl-2-methylene-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-methylamine in the place of 2-adamantan-1-yl-ethylamine in step A of example 15: C.I. m/z 558 [M+1]; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 10.46 (br s, 1H), 8.49 (m, 4H), 7.84 (d, J=8.4 Hz, 2H), 7.70 (d, J=8.4 Hz, 2H), 7.11 (m, 4H), 5.27 (s, 1H), 4.68 (s, 1H), 4.50 (s, 1H), 3.00-3.38 (m, 6H), 2.28-2.57 (m, 3H), 1.86 (m, 1H), 0.80-1.30 (m, 6H), 0.60 (s, 3H).
EXAMPLE 48
4-{[1-(2-Hydroxy-2-hydroxymethyl-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-5-oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-2-yl idene]-acetyl}-benzonitrile
A. (2-Hydroxy-2-hydroxymethyl-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-carbamic acid benzyl ester
(6,6-Dimethyl-2-methylene-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-carbamic acid benzyl ester (2.19 g, 7.32 mmol), prepared in step B of example 47, was dissolved in CH 2 Cl 2 (50 ml). To this solution was added trimethylamine N-oxide dihydrate (894 mg, 8.79 mmol) and osmium tetroxide (136 mg, 0.535 mmol). The solution was stirred at ambient temperature for 16 hours after which time the reaction was concentrated under vacuum and chromatographed on silica gel using a gradient starting with 30% ethyl acetate in hexanes to 50% ethyl acetate in hexanes to give 1.51 g of the titled compound as a brown oil: C.I. m/z 316 [M+1-H 2 0]; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 7.31-7.39 (m, 5H), 5.59 (br s, 1H), 5.12 (s, 2H), 3.30-3.58 (m, 4H), 1.93-2.28 (m, 4H), 1.52 (m, 1H), 1.24-1.30 (m, 5H), 0.96 (s, 3H).
B. The acetonide of (2-hydroxy-2-hydroxymethyl-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-carbamic acid benzyl ester
(2-Hydroxy-2-hydroxymethyl-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-carbamic acid benzyl ester (1.46 g, 4.38 mmol) was dissolved in CH 2 Cl 2 (20 ml) under an atmosphere of dry N 2 . To the solution was added 2,2-dimethoxypropane (20 ml) and acetyl chloride (50 μl). The mixture was stirred for 16 hours at ambient temperature after which time it was partitioned between CH 2 Cl 2 and saturated NaHCO 3 . The CH 2 Cl 2 layer was washed with brine, dried over MgSO 4 , filtered and concentrated under vacuum to give 1.44 g of the titled compound as a brown oil: C.I. m/z 374 [M+1]; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 7.31-7.39 (m, 5H), 5.51 (br s, 1H), 5.07 (m, 2H), 3.91 (d, J=8.5 Hz, 1H), 3.63 (d, J=8.5 Hz, 1H), 3.53 (m, 1H), 3.19 (dt, J=4.7, 13.8 Hz, 1H), 2.23 (m, 2H), 2.08 (m, 1H), 1.93 (m, 2H), 1.71 (m, 1H), 1.36 (s, 6H), 1.24 (s, 3H), 0.91 (s, 3H).
C. The acetonide of C-(2-hydroxy-2-hydroxymethyl-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-methylamine
(8-Ethyl-2,2,9,9-tetramethyl-1,3-dioxa-spiro[4.5]dec-6-ylmethyl)-carbamic acid benzyl ester (1.41 g, 3.78 mmol) was dissolved in absolute ethanol (35 ml). To the solution was added acetic acid (430 μl) and 20% palladium hydroxide on carbon (150 mg). The reaction was then shaken on a Paar apparatus under an atmosphere of 50 psi of H 2 . After shaking for 45 min, the reaction was filtered through celite and the celite was washed with copious amounts of absolute ethanol. The pH of the filtrate was adjusted to 8 with saturated NaHCO 3 and then concentrated under vacuum. The resulting residue was partitioned between CH 2 Cl 2 and 0.1 N NaOH. The CH 2 Cl 2 layer was dried over Na 2 SO 4 , filtered and concentrated under vacuum to give 720 mg of the titled compound as a brown oil: C.I. m/z 240 [M+1]; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 3.91 (d, J=8.5 Hz, 1H), 3.68 (d, J=8.5 Hz, 1H), 2.82 (m, 2) 1.98-2.25 (m, 5H), 1.72 (m, 1H), 1.38 (s, 3H), 1.36 (s, 3H), 1.29 (d, J=10.0 Hz, 1H), 1.24 (s, 3H), 0.93 (s, 3H).
D. 4-{[1-(2-Hydroxy-2-hydroxymethyl-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-5-oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-2-ylidene]-acetyl}-benzonitrile
The same procedure that was used in example 1 was followed except that the acetonide of 3-isothiocyanatomethyl-2-hydroxy-2-hydroxymethyl-6,6-dimethyl-2-methylene-bicyclo[3.1.1]heptane was used in the place of (+)-3-pinanemethyl isothiocyanate in step D to give a tan solid which was then dissolved in 0.1 N HCl. After stirring for 16 hours at ambient temperature, the reaction was processed in the same manner as in step F in example 1 to give the titled compound as a tan solid. The acetonide of 3-isothiocyanatomethyl-2-hydroxy-2-hydroxymethyl-6,6-dimethyl-2-methylene-bicyclo[3.1.1]heptane was prepared by using the acetonide of C-(2-hydroxy-2-hydroxymethyl-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-methylamine in the place of 2-adamantan-1-yl-ethylamine in step A of example 15: C.I. m/z 592 [M+1]; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 8.47 (m, 4H), 7.98 (d, J=8.4 Hz, 2H), 7.72 (d, J=8.4 Hz, 2H), 7.16 (d, J=6.0 Hz, 2H), 7.11 (d, J=6.0 Hz, 2H), 5.71 (s, 1H), 3.03-3.49 (m, 8H), 2.41 (m, 1H), 2.18 (m, 1H), 2.05 (m, 1H), 1.83 (m, 2H), 1.26 (d, J=10.5 Hz, 1H), 1.18 (s, 3H), 1.08 (m, 1H), 0.74 (s, 3H).
EXAMPLE 49
4-{[1-(6,6-Dimethyl-2-oxo-bicyclo[3.1.1] hept-3-ylmethyl)-5-oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-2-ylidene]-acetyl}-benzonitrile
4-{[1-(2-Hydroxy-2-hydroxymethyl-6,6-dimethyl-bicyclo[3.1.1]hept-3-ylmethyl)-5-oxo-4,4-bis-pyridin-4-ylmethyl-imidazolidin-2-ylidene]-acetyl}-benzonitrile (540 mg, 0.914 mmol), as prepared in example 48, was dissolved in 0.1 N HCl (5 ml). To this solution was added sodium periodate (235 mg, 1.10 mmol). After stirring at ambient temperature for 16 hours, the pH of the reaction was adjusted to 8 using NaHCO 3 . The reaction was then partitioned between CH 2 Cl 2 and saturated NaHCO 3 . The CH 2 Cl 2 was dried over Na 2 SO 4 , filtered and concentrated under vacuum to give a golden foam which was then chromatographed on silica gel using 60% acetone in hexanes to give 331 mg of the titled compound as a brown foam: C.I. m/z 560 [M+1]; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 )δ 10.36 (br s, 1H), 8.48 (m, 4H), 7.94 (d, J=8.3 Hz, 2H), 7.74 (d, J=8.4 Hz, 2H), 7.14 (m, 4H), 5.49 (s, 1H), 3.46 (m, 2H), 3.29 (m, 2H), 3.09 (m, 2H), 2.52 (m, 2H), 2.24 (m, 1H), 2.18 (m, 1H), 1.49 (m, 1H), 1.29 (s, 3H), 1.19 (d, J=8.9 Hz, 1H), 0.89 (m, 1H), 0.76 (s, 3H). | The present invention relates to compounds of the formula ##STR1## wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 are as defined herein. The invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions containing the compounds of formula I and to methods of inhibiting abnormal cell growth, including cancer, in a mammal by administering the compounds of formula I to said mammal. | 2 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to mobile computing devices and in particular to a mobile computing device configured to support multiple operating systems with no hardware changes.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Mobile computing devices may have touch buttons (i.e., buttons) integrated in the touchscreen panel. These buttons are back-illuminated, screen-printed glyphs that perform specific operating system functions when pressed (e.g., go to home screen). Generally, it is preferable to design mobile computing devices to support different operating systems. Unfortunately, different operating systems have different button requirements.
[0003] One approach to this problem requires creating different touchscreen panels. The touchscreen panels for different operating systems would have different screen-printed buttons, and the operating system would prescribe which touchscreen panel to assemble into a touch-display assembly. Since assembling the touch-display assembly requires optically bonding the touchscreen panel to a graphical-user-interface (GUI) display (i.e., display), the assembly process is typically not reversible. As a result, supporting mobile computing devices with different operating systems would require creating, manufacturing, and stocking different touchscreen panels. This approach is costly, inefficient, and therefore undesirable.
[0004] Another approach would utilize “soft buttons” for these system functions. Soft buttons are icons rendered on the display. This approach requires dedicating display area to the buttons. As a result, the display area for other functions would be reduced. Usable display area is among the features highly valued by users, and reducing display area is generally considered undesirable. The display area loss may be mitigated, to some extent, by reducing the size of the soft buttons, but this may cause reduced usability and/or visibility of the buttons. In addition, the display is amongst the mobile computing device's most expensive parts. Using the display for buttons is cost inefficient. For these reasons, soft buttons are also undesirable.
[0005] Therefore, a need exists for integrating buttons into the touchscreen panel without using valuable GUI display area and without creating different touchscreen panels for each operating system.
SUMMARY
[0006] Accordingly, in one aspect, the present invention embraces a method for enabling a handheld mobile computer's hardware buttons. The method starts with the step of choosing a first operating system or a second operating system. The first operating system requires a first subset of hardware buttons and the second operating system requires a second subset of hardware buttons. If the chosen operating system is the first operating system, then the first subset of hardware buttons is enabled. If the chosen operating system is the second operating system, then the second subset of hardware buttons is enabled. The method also includes the step of launching the chosen operating system.
[0007] In another aspect, the present invention embraces a handheld mobile computing device. The device includes a computer-readable memory for storing an operating system and button-handling software. The device also includes a touch-display assembly with a touch-sensitive screen. The touch-sensitive screen has a display area and a button area. The device also includes a clear cover glass that covers the touch-display assembly. The cover glass has a plurality of buttons stenciled in an opaque layer contiguous to the button area. The plurality of buttons include buttons required by the operating system and buttons not required by the operating system. Light sources are positioned behind the touch-display assembly and the cover glass to illuminate enabled buttons. A central processing unit (CPU) is configured by the operating system and the button-handling software to (i) enable the buttons required by the operating system and (ii) disable the buttons not required by the operating system.
[0008] In still another aspect, the present invention embraces a handheld mobile computing device. The device includes a central processing unit (CPU) that is communicatively coupled to the computer-readable memory. The CPU is configured at startup by a boot loader program stored on the computer-readable memory. The boot loader program is configured to load either a first operating system or a second operating system based. The device also includes a display with a visual display area and a button area. The button area contains two sets of buttons. A first button set is made visible and operable by the CPU when the first operating system is loaded. A second button set is made visible and operable by the CPU when the second operating system is loaded.
[0009] The foregoing illustrative summary, as well as other exemplary objectives and/or advantages of the invention, and the manner in which the same are accomplished, are further explained within the following detailed description and its accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 graphically depicts an exemplary mobile computing device running different operating systems.
[0011] FIG. 2 graphically depicts an exploded view of an exemplary touch-display assembly.
[0012] FIG. 3 graphically depicts an exploded view of a mobile computing device with adaptable hardware buttons.
[0013] FIG. 4 graphically depicts an exemplary set of hardware buttons and the button subsets corresponding to each of two possible operating systems.
[0014] FIG. 5 schematically depicts a flowchart of an exemplary method to enable a set of buttons.
[0015] FIG. 6 graphically depicts a block diagram of an exemplary handheld mobile computing device.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] Mobile computing devices (i.e., mobile computer, handheld computer, handheld, etc.) are small, handheld computing devices that have a display with touch input. These devices may be used for a variety of purposes. Communication and application specific functions (e.g., barcode reading) may be among the uses for these devices. An operating system installed on the mobile computing device performs a variety of functions. The operating system manages the hardware and software resources and provides services for computer programs (e.g., applications). The choice of operating system varies, and examples of popular operating systems include ANDROID™ and WINDOWS PHONE™. A mobile computing device may be configured to run more than one operating system to increase its versatility. Each operating system, however, may have unique hardware requirements. One such hardware requirement relates to the buttons on the front of the mobile computing device.
[0017] A mobile computing device 10 (i.e., MCD), as shown in FIG. 1 , may utilize a display for various interactions. One interaction type is a multi-touch input that varies according to the contextual information displayed. Another interaction type is the touch input associated with touching statically located hardware buttons dedicated to specific functions. The display may be thought of as having two areas 12 , 14 . The first area is a display area 12 where a user may interact with the information displayed on the graphical user interface (GUI) display. The second area is a button area 14 that contains hardware buttons to launch specific system functions when touched by a user. The appearance and function of each display area may differ depending on the operating system running on the mobile computing device 10 . Two operating systems run on the same mobile computing device 10 is illustrated in FIG. 1 . The mobile computing device 10 hardware remains the same while the interface for a first operating system 16 differs from the interface for a second operating system 18 .
[0018] The display is enabled by a touch-display assembly 20 . As shown in FIG. 2 , the touch-display assembly typically includes a clear touch screen 21 (i.e., touch panel) that is electrically sensitive to a finger touch (e.g., capacitive or resistive touch sensing). The touch screen 21 is configured within the mobile computing device's housing so the touch sensitive side (i.e., front surface) faces a user. A graphical user interface (GUI) display (i.e., display) 22 is bonded to the touchscreen's back surface so the images presented on the GUI display 22 are transmitted through the touch screen 21 to a user. The GUI display 22 is typically a liquid crystal display (LCD), though other display types could be used. The area bounded by the edges of the GUI display 22 form the display area 12 . The touch screen 21 is typically made larger than the display 22 , and the touch sensitive area not covered by the display 23 is used for the hardware buttons.
[0019] The hardware buttons appear to a user as illuminated icons (i.e., glyphs). The shape, position, and function of the glyphs are specified by the operating system used by the mobile computing device 10 . An exploded view of the mobile computing device 10 is shown in FIG. 3 . A printed circuit board (PCB) 30 is configured with light sources (e.g., light emitting diodes, LEDs) 31 with physical locations that correspond to the buttons. Typically, one light source is used for each button, but the light from multiple light sources could also illuminate a button. In one embodiment, the illuminated buttons appear white, but the light sources may also be configured to radiate light of different wavelengths. If color light is used, then buttons could be illuminated with different colors to provide further distinction or convey other information. The light source's illumination is typically continuous but could vary in time (e.g., when pressed). An important feature of the present invention is that not all buttons may be illuminated simultaneously.
[0020] The light radiated by the light sources may be shaped and formed by optical elements (e.g., lenses, fibers, light pipes, baffles, apertures, etc.) positioned between the light sources 31 and touch-display assembly 20 . These optical elements are used to direct and confine the light for efficient illumination of the buttons. For the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 , a front housing is configured with apertures for each light source 31 . The apertures position and support diffusion films 33 . The diffusion films are used to provide a spatially homogenous illumination. These elements may also provide wavelength filtering and/or attenuation. The diffusion films 33 for each button may have the same, or different, optical properties. In addition, one film may be used for all the buttons or multiple diffusion films may be used (as shown in FIG. 3 ).
[0021] The diffused light next passes through the touch-screen assembly's clear button area 23 located just below the GUI display 22 . The light then encounters the cover glass 36 . The cover glass 36 is painted or otherwise coated opaquely (e.g., covered by an opaque film or layer). Clear apertures are stenciled or otherwise formed into the opaque coating in the lower part of the cover glass 36 overlapping the button area 38 of the touch-display assembly 40 . The aperture shape (i.e., the glyph) represent the button's function. The glyph and function of the buttons are specified by the operating system. The cover glass in the aperture area may also be coated to filter the light from the light source. The coating allows light form the sources to pass through the aperture, while other light (e.g., ambient light) is attenuated. In this way, non-illuminated buttons may be made inconspicuous in ambient light. This may be an important feature since enabled buttons are illuminated, while not-enabled buttons are not.
[0022] The cover glass 36 may be optically bonded to the touch-display assembly's front surface. The touch screen 21 remains sensitive to a user's touch on the outward facing surface of the cover glass. The bonded parts 20 , 36 may then be snap fit or glued to the front housing 32 , which can be attached to the housing holding the printed circuit board 30 .
[0023] The buttons stenciled on the cover glass for an exemplary mobile computing device are shown in FIG. 4 . Here a set of buttons 40 corresponding to all the functions required for two operating systems (e.g., ANDROID™ and WINDOWS PHONE™) is available to the mobile computing device. Each operating system uses a subset 41 , 42 of the set of buttons 40 . When an operating system is loaded onto the mobile computing device, the button subset corresponding to the operating system is enabled (i.e., activated). Enabling a button includes electrically connecting the button to the central processing unit so that pressing one of the active buttons triggers a function or process. Enabled buttons are also illuminated to make them conspicuous to a user.
[0024] For the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 4 , a first subset of buttons is activated (i.e., illuminated and made operable) when using a first operating system (e.g., ANDROID™). The buttons are arranged in a row, are equal size, and are evenly spaced. The buttons launch various functions when pressed. The functions available are “go back” 43 , “select previously run application” 44 , “go to home screen” 45 , and “search” 46 . Inactive buttons are not illuminated and made not operable.
[0025] A second subset of buttons are activated (i.e., illuminated and made operable) when using a second operating system (e.g., WINDOWS PHONE™). The buttons are arranged in a row, are equal size, and are evenly spaced. The buttons launch various functions when pressed. The functions available are “go back” 43 , “windows start” 47 , and “search” 46 . Here the first and second button subsets share the “go back” and “search” buttons but also have buttons unique to their own operating system. Inactive buttons are not illuminated and made not operable.
[0026] For the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 4 the inactive buttons are not illuminated to make them inconspicuous. In general, this may be achieved in different ways. For example, the first subset of buttons 41 could be printed on the cover glass in a first color, and the second subset of buttons 42 could be printed on the cover glass in a second color. Then by using illumination of a particular color, the buttons of the first subset 41 could be made conspicuous, while the buttons of the second subset 42 are made inconspicuous, and vice versa.
[0027] For the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 4 , the first subset of buttons 41 and the second subset of buttons 42 , occupy different spaces along a single row. The size of the glyphs in both subsets are equal. In other possible embodiments, the first subset of buttons 41 could be made larger than the second subset of buttons 42 (or vice versa), and the second subset of buttons could be arranged to occupy the same space along the lateral direction (i.e., the axis running through the buttons) by locating the icon of a second subset button within a first subset button.
[0028] The buttons described so far have been back illuminated apertures. Other embodiments include using small electronic paper display(s) beneath the touch screen 21 and positioned in the button area 23 . Here the adaptation of the buttons would include changing the information displayed on the electronic paper display. In this embodiment, the button glyphs would be visible even when the device was turned off.
[0029] An exemplary method for enabling a handheld mobile computer's hardware buttons is shown in FIG. 5 . Here a choice between two operating systems is provided, each of which have a different button subset that must be enabled for proper operation.
[0030] The method begins with the selection of an operating system 50 . This choice could be made by a user during the device startup in a boot loader program. For example, the boot loader program could offer a user the option of the choice between two operating systems each time the device was started. Alternatively, choice could be accessed via special keystrokes or instructions. In another way, this choice could be made during device fabrication. In any case, the user is directed to select a first operating system or a second operating system. If the first operating system is selected then the buttons corresponding to the second operating system (i.e., the second button subset) are disabled (i.e., made inconspicuous and inoperable). The first button subset is enabled 52 , and the first operating system is launched 53 . If the first operating system is not selected, then a second operating system is selected. The first button subset is disabled 54 , the second button subset is enabled 55 , and the second operating system is launched 56 .
[0031] An exemplary handheld mobile computing device 60 is shown in FIG. 6 . Here the touch-display assembly 20 is used to display information to a user and receive touch input from a user. A touch screen detects the touch via capacitive or resistance sensing. Touching certain areas on the touch screen is analogous to pressing a traditional button. The areas may be indicated to a user in a variety of ways as previously discussed.
[0032] The touch-display assembly 20 is electrically connected and communicatively coupled to a central processing unit (e.g., one or more controller, digital signal processor (DSP), application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), programmable gate array (PGA), and/or programmable logic controller (PLC)) 61 . The central processing unit 61 is configured by software (e.g., operating system) stored on a computer readable memory 62 (e.g., random access memory, read only memory, hard drive, solid-state drive, etc.) to monitor the touch input and launch certain processes when a button is pressed.
[0033] Using reconfigurable hardware buttons expands the usefulness and versatility of the mobile computing device without sacrificing performance and without having to produce software specific parts.
[0034] To supplement the present disclosure, this application incorporates entirely by reference the following commonly assigned patents, patent application publications, and patent applications:
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[0302] In the specification and/or figures, typical embodiments of the invention have been disclosed. The present invention is not limited to such exemplary embodiments. The use of the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. The figures are schematic representations and so are not necessarily drawn to scale. Unless otherwise noted, specific terms have been used in a generic and descriptive sense and not for purposes of limitation. | A mobile computing device may be configured to run more than one operating system. Each operating system may require one or more specialized buttons to perform or enable various functions. The layout, shape, and function corresponding the buttons for each operating system may be unique. Adapting the buttons for a particular operating system may be accomplished by using soft buttons displayed as part of the graphical user interface. Here, however, valuable display area must be dedicated to the buttons. Another adaptation approach requires reconfiguring the hardware. Both approaches have drawbacks. In the invention disclosed, two sets of hardware buttons are incorporated in the same touch panel. Enabling a button is based on the choice of operating system. Enabled buttons are visible and operable while not enabled buttons or not visible and not operable. In this way, the hardware buttons in the mobile computing device may be reconfigured without using display area and without requiring hardware disassembly. | 7 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention is based on a centrifugal adjuster as generally defined hereinafter. By means of the centrifugal adjuster, the speed governor of the fuel injection pump is supplied with the engine rpm as an actual value in the form of a regulating travel; on this basis, along with an evaluation of the load, which is also to be supplied to the governor, the injection quantity and thus the set-point rpm are regulated. In this kind of centrifugal adjuster, the flyweights, as they rotate are engaged by rpm-dependent centrifugal force, which is transmitted to an adjusting sleeve via bell cranks joined to the flyweights; the sleeve is engaged by a spring that acts counter to this force, so that the regulating travel of the sleeve corresponds to the centrifugal force. The prestresssing of the spring engaging the sleeve can be varied by the governor as a function of load, so that the regulating travel of the sleeve then corresponds to both load and rpm.
This speed governor connected to the centrifugal adjuster has a governor rod, on the lever of which various bearing positions are provided; there are also bearing positions of one lever on the shaft of another lever. The cooperation among the levers, some of which have variable operative lengths, becomes quite complicated, and the bearing positions are subject to a variably severe amount of friction. This friction transmitted to the governor causes hysteresis in governing, which has a disadvantageous effect on engine operation. A Coulomb friction of this kind produces low-frequency rpm fluctuations, on the order of approximately 2 Hz, during engine idling. This governor error, which causes engine "seesawing", has a particularly pronounced effect during idling, because in that state only small fuel quantities are metered, and so slight differences in quantity, whether in terms of fuel metering or fuel consumption, have a very marked effect, and further it is well known that deviations of 30% from the set-point quantity can arise in the quantity metered to or consumable by each engine cylinder. In dynamic terms, these differences have a correspondingly extremely brief influence on engine speed and hence, via the speed governor, on the injection quantity. Depending on which engine cylinder the variation in injection quantity may be applicable to, this can cause an undesired increase or slowing down of the mean rpm that is to be established by governing. The result may be that at desired idling speeds of 600 rpm, the deviation may be more than 200 rpm, which causes the above-mentioned unsteady engine operation known as "seesawing".
As is well known, a Diesel engine has a considerable degree of rotational irregularity or imbalance or non-concentricity, which is due to various factors, and it can be only partly compensated for by providing a flywheel. This non-concentricity of the engine produces vibrations in the range between 20 and 40 Hz, depending on the mean rpm and the number of cylinders. While it is still possible to control rpm fluctuations, resulting from the degree of non-concentricity, by providing specific means of damping them or by maintaining them in part and transmitting them to the governor accordingly, such control is no longer attainable for the seesawing vibrations, which are additionally superimposed on the others. The only product of the seesawing frequencies is noise, that is, interference, and so it becomes desirable to eliminate them to the greatest possible extent.
The drive shaft of the centrifugal adjuster, which in the case of an in-line injection pump for instance is the camshaft, is driven directly by the engine, so that the degree of non-concentricity is transmitted directly to the driving part of this centrifugal adjuster. In a centrifugal adjuster of the above generic type, a torsionally elastic coupling is therefore provided between the driving part and the flyweight holder, and depending on whether the acceleration of a given rpm is positive or negative this has the effect that the flyweight holder is in advance of or trails behind the rotational movement of the driving part, so that because of the torsionally elastic connection, a positive or negative rotational angle relative to a mean position is attained.
In a known centrifugal adjuster of this generic type (Swiss Pat. No. 21 42 49), rubber-elastic elements serve as the torsionally elastic coupling, each of them supported on one side on the driving part and on the other on the flyweight holder. By means of this kind of torsionally elastic coupling, the positive and negative rotational angle relative to the flyweight holder, superimposed on the rotational movement because of the degree of non-concentricity of the engine, is damped; the disadvantage of this is that because of hysteresis the rpm governor develops greater friction, particularly in idling, and thus becomes more sluggish and less accurate; the effect of this is an increase in the seesawing fluctuation during engine idling.
Another known centrifugal adjuster (German Pat. No. 21 13 571) has as its elastic coupling a friction coupling, which exhibits increasing friction as the angle of rotation increases and has a spiral spring for adjusting the initial rotational position of the two parts relative to one another; this spring engages the driving part on the one hand and the flyweight body on the other. With this elastic coupling, severe damping of the transmission of the degree of non-concentricity in the rotation is once again attained, which is intended to prevent torsional vibration on the part of the injection pump governor, which could interfere with the governor characteristic. The disadvantage, however, is that this also increases the hysteresis of the rpm governor during idling, which still has a large number of bearing locations and masses; the effect, in particular, is an increase in seesawing vibrations.
OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The centrifugal adjuster according to the invention for a fuel injection pump governor has the advantage over prior art that the degree of non-concentricity of the engine is utilized to obtain not only a certain damping but also a sufficient relative rotation between the driving part and the flyweight holder, which being converted into reciprocating movements act upon the rpm governor so as to lessen its hysteresis. (Thus the torsionally elastically coupled flyweight holder, like the driving part, executes torsional vibrations, which however extend relative to the camshaft movement or the movement of the driving part.) These angular deflections in the relative rotation, which are due to the degree of non-concentricity of the engine, are at a maximum at idling rpm and then decrease with increasing rpm. The angular deflections are somewhat less at low load as well. In that case, these torsional vibrations extending relative to the camshaft movement are converted into short axial movemtens of the reciprocating member of the rpm governor, which member is driven by the flyweights, and these stroke vibrations, or reciprocating vibrations, are transmitted to the governor rod. As soon as the rotational guidance step according to the invention is reached, that is, during the course of the relative rotation between the driving part and the flyweight holder, an additional, abrupt shift takes place in the axial direction of the flyweight holder; this shfit is superimposed on the above-mentioned stroke adjustment. This additional stroke movement has a jolting effect and causes jolting vibrations at the governor rod, so that to a large extent the mechanical friction can be "shaken out". Since the initial amplitude (angular deflection) becomes less with increasing rpm, the differential vibration angle also decreases; as a result, above a certain rpm the step in the rotational guidance is no longer reached, and thus from this rpm level on, the jolting effect automatically ceases. Advantageously, a jolter is thus put into play in the idling range by the invention, which in the overall regulating loop acts like a series-connected vibration damper, and beyond a certain rpm or beyond a cetain load increase as well is automatically switched off again because of the then-decreasing amplitude of torsional vibration. The inherent frequency of this torsion vibrator, embodied by the centrifugal adjuster, can be determined by the appropriate selection and embodiment of the elastic coupling between the driving part and the flyweight holder, as well as by the type of rotational guidance and step used. This inherent frequency can be adapted to the frequency of the governor, and interfering vibrations can largely be compensated for.
According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the step is embodied as a protrusion, which is disposed on the driving part or flyweight holder and cooperates with an indentation disposed on the other relatively rotating part and defined by two transition points. The protrusion may be disposed on the slide block, or the slide block may itself serve as the protrusion, which is guided in a slot one end face of which, facing the slide block in an axial direction, has the indentation. Either the end of the camshaft or a sleeve that can be fastened to this end may serve as the driving part. The adaptation of the torsionally elastic coupling member, such as a spring, and of the length of the possible rotational travel and the location at which the step is disposed is advantageously selected to be such that this rotational travel is not fully utilized during operation, yet on the other hand in the event of breakage of the spring, there are adequate emergency operation properties, which is accomplished by a rotational coupling of the flyweight holder with the driving part. With this design, it is advantageous that the higher, less harmful and more easily controlled vibrations in the degree of non-concentricity of the engine can be used in a very simple manner to reduce governor hysteresis; during idling, when the protrusion meets the limitations of the indentation in both vibration directions of the vibrator according to the invention, low-frequency rpm fluctuations can be reduced, and the Coulomb friction, for which this rpm range of the governor is critical, can be shaken out in this range.
According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the torsionally elastic coupling may be embodied either as a spring or as a rubber-elastic buffer, that is, an elastic force transmitter which engages the driving part on the one hand and the flyweight holder on the other. Advantageously, the elastic coupling need merely to be capable of torsional vibration and to give the flyweight holder the opportunity of executing a relative travel, with respect to the driving part, in the axial direction as well, corresponding to the height of the step.
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 longitudinal cross section taken through a centrifugal rpm governor having a centrifugal adjuster according to the invention, as a first exemplary embodiment;
FIG. 2 is a section taken along the line II--II of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of the step according to the invention;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a second exemplary embodiment;
FIG. 5 is a detailed longitudinal cross section taken through a third exemplary embodiment; and
FIG. 6 is a view of the third exemplary embodiment in the direction of the arrow VI in FIG. 5.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In the centrifugal governor shown in FIG. 1, belonging to a fuel injection pump which is not itself shown, a driving part 2 of a centrifugal adjuster 3, selected as the first exemplary embodiment, is secured on the camshaft 1 of the pump. For the sake of simplicity, the driving part 2 here is shown integral with the end of the camshaft 1, merely having a larger diameter than the camshaft 1. A flyweight holder 4 is supported in a radially guided manner on the driving part 2, such as to allow a certain relative rotation as well as a certain axial movement, or stroke, between the driving part 2 and the centrifugal adjuster 3. As shown by FIG. 2 taken together with FIG. 1, jaws 5 are disposed on the flyweight holder 4 and engage the driving part 2, which radially guides them. Ribs 6 are located on the driving part 2 parallel to the jaws 5 in an axial direction. Between the ribs 6 and the jaws 5, elastic force transmitting means 7 are provided, which are shown here in the form of helical springs but could equally well be made of rubber and embodied as rubber springs. By means of the jaws 5, the ribs 6 and the elastic means 7, an elastic torsion coupling is formed between the driving part 2 and the flyweight holder 4. A cage 8 which surrounds the elastic coupling 5, 6, 7 prevents radially outward deflection of the elastic force transmitting means 7. These elastic means 7 seek to keep the driving part 2 and the flyweight holder 4 in a middle rotational position relative to one another, but they yield whenever sufficiently great rotational acceleration forces in one or the other rotational direction originate in the driving part 2. As shown by way of example in the other two exemplary embodiments described below, other suitable devices can naturally also be used as the elastic coupling.
In the jacket face of the driving part 2, there is also a longitudinal recess 9, extending crosswise to the axis of rotation and serving as a slot; this slot is engaged by a slide block 10, which is disposed on one of the jaws 5 of the flyweight holder 4. The length of the longitudinal recess 9 is selected such that upon relative movements of the driving part 2 with respect to the flyweight holder 4, the slide block 10, because of the force of the elastic means 7, does not strike the radial end of the longitudinal recess 9 located on the long side. Thus in the rotational direction, the slide block 10 vibrates freely in the slot 9. In the axial direction, in contrast, the slide block 10 is guided in the longitudinal recess 9, so that rotational guidance between the driving part 2 and the flyweight holder 4 is provided. This rotational guidance has a step 11, by means of which, beyond a certain relative rotation between the driving part 2 and the flyweight holder 4, that is, beyond a certain vibration amplitude between the parts, the flyweight holder 4 is briefly shifted axially relative to the driving part 2, so that a sort of jolting effect is produced, which is then transmitted by the centrifugal adjuster 3 onto the speed governor. Naturally this step 11, or incline, can be embodied in various ways; the criterion is that beyond a predetermined amplitude of torsional vibration, this step 11 comes into action and that in addition to the torsional vibration, an axial vibration component having a jolting effect is produced. In this manner, the relatively high-frequency (up to 40 Hz) torsional vibration that exists because of the degree of non-concentricity of the engine is partially damped by the elastic force transmitting means, so that this torsional vibration is transmitted to the speed governor only to a reduced extent and hence is no longer disruptive, and furthermore, beyond a predetermined vibration amplitude is converted into stroke impacts, which turn the centrifugal adjuster 3 into a jolter.
In FIG. 3, for the sake of better comprehension, such a step 11 is shown schematically. On the end faces 38 of the driving part 2 and flyweight holder 4 that face each other and are pressed together by the governor spring that engages the flyweight holder 4, a protrusion 39 is provided on one end face and an indentation 40 is provided on the other end face. Oblique inclines 20 are provided in the direction of rotation on both the protrusion 39 and the indentation 40. The symbol I indicates the axis of vibration, which extends exactly in the middle between the inclines 20. Now if the driving part starts to rotate, being driven by the camshaft, then torsional vibrations both in and opposite the rotational direction, originating in the degree of non-concentricity of the engine, are superimposed on this rotational movement of the driving part. These torsional vibrations accordingly oscillate about the axis of vibration I. Because of the elasticity of the elastic coupling between the driving part 2 and the flyweight holder 4, the inclines 20 of the protrusion draw closer to and pull away from the inclines 20 of the indentation 40 with a frequency that corresponds to the frequency of the torsional vibrations. The elastic coupling acts as a vibration damper. The amplitude of these torsional vibrations is dependent on rpm, among other functions, and the amplitude becomes smaller with increasing rpm. In FIG. 3, the amplitude A is shown in the form of the deflection of the vibrations about the axis of vibration I. The distance between the inclines 20, and the spring characteristic of the elastic force transmitting means, are selected such that at idling rpm, at which the amplitude A is relatively large, opposing inclines 20 abut one another and cause the flyweight holder 4 to be moved away from the driving part 2 in the direction of the axis of vibration I. Then as soon as the rpm rises further, or the load increases, the amplitude of these torsional vibrations lessens, as is well known, so that the inclines 20 no longer come into contact with one another and the axial adjustment correspondingly does not take place. This axial adjustment causes what has here been called "jolting", so that the centrifugal adjuster according to the invention can also be called a jolter. This jolter is thus effective at low rpm, and in particular at idling rpm, and it automatically becomes ineffective whenever the rpm or the load increases. As shown in FIG. 1, flyweights 12 are pivotably supported on bearing bolts 13 on the flyweight holder 4. With arms 14 disposed at right angles to them, these flyweights 12 engage a governor sleeve 15 serving as a governor member, which transmits the sleeve stroke effected by the flyweights 12 to a sleeve bolt 17, via a thrust bearing 16. By means of bearing journals 18, the sleeve bolt 17 is the fulcrum for a speed governor guide lever 19, which is pivotable at one end on a bearing pin 22 secured in the governor housing 21 and thus guides the governor sleeve 15 in its reciprocating movements. A pin 23 secured on the guide lever 19 serves as a pivot bearing for a two-armed intermediate lever 23, one end of which is pivotably supported integral with the housing on a bearing pin 25 and the other end of which is the fulcrum, via a connection bar 26, for the governor rod 27 which acts as the injection quantity adjusting member of the injection pump; an arrow marked "STOP" is provided on the governor rod 27, indicating the direction in decreasing injection quantity.
The end of the intermediate lever 24 is engaged by a play-compensating spring 28, which is suspended in the governor housing 21 and also serves as a starting spring.
Besides the guide lever 19, a single-armed force lever 29 acting as a force transmitting member is also pivotably supported on the bearing pin 22. This force lever 29 is held in the position shown by the tensile force of a governor spring 32 which engages the vicinity of a hanger eye 31, and in this position the force lever is pressed with its outermost end 30 against a head 33 of a stop screw 34 that serves as a full-load stop.
At the level of the sleeve bolt 17, an adjustment device 35 is screwed into the force lever 29. Thus, with its stop bolt 37, urged by an adaptation spring, not shown, this device 35 cooperates with the sleeve bolt 17 and the governor sleeve 15 to provide control. The governor spring 32 is biased into the position shown, which is for the maximum rpm to be regulated, via a pivot lever 42 that is pivotably supported on a journal 41 in the governor housing 21. As shown, the biasing is effected by means of an operating lever 43 secured to the journal 41 and located outside the governor housing 21. The pivoted position of the governor spring 32 for regulating an idling rpm is shown in the drawing in dot-dash lines.
The mechanical speed governor shown functions as follows:
For starting, the operating lever 43 is pivoted into the position shown, which corresponds to a maximal injection quantity, with the governor spring 32 being biased accordingly. The governor spring pulls the force lever 29 with its end 30 against the head 33 of the full-load stop screw 34. The governor rod 27 is in the position of repose of the flyweighs 12, effected by the biasing force of the starting spring 28, in the position that controls the starting quantity. Once starting has taken place, and under the force of the flyweights 12 as they deflect outward, the governor sleeve 15 shifts to the right from the position shown, and displaces the sleeve bolt 17 counter to the force of the starting spring 28 until it contacts the stop bolt 37. In this process, the governor rod 27 is retracted in a known manner to its set full-load position for low rpm. The governor rod 27 remains in this position until the stop bolt 37 begins to deflect, in accordance with the biasing force of the adjustment spring, and thus initiates the proper control movement. Once the adjustment control stroke has ended, the governor rod 27 remains in the full-load position until such time as it is displaced in the STOP direction, as a consequence of the speed initiated by the centrifugal adjuster as a function of the breakaway speed defined by the governor spring 32.
A speed governor of this kind, because of its many bearing locations and lever transmissions, has relatively high internal friction, which is particularly disadvantageous at low rpm, such as at idling speed, because it causes pronounced hysteresis. By the jolting effect at low rpm of the centrifugal adjuster 3 according to the invention, this internal friction is shaken out to the extent required. The primary advantage attained thereby is that the low-frequency vibrations that cause seesawing of the engine are suppressed.
In FIG. 4, the secondary exemplary embodiment of a centrifugal adjuster in shown in a perspective view. Here again, for the sake of simplicity, the end of the camshaft 101 is shown as the driving part 102, supported rotatably on the flyweight holder 104. The flyweights 112 of the flyweight holder act with their arms 114 upon the governor sleeve 115, which in turn, with its ends remote from the centrifugal adjuster 3 act upon the guide lever 119. Between the driving part 102 and the flyweight holder 104, a helical spring 107 arranged coaxially with respect to the driving part 102 is provided; a tang 49 joined in a rotationally fixed manner with the camshaft 101 is joined to one end of this helical spring 107, while the other end of the spring 107 engages an end face 53 of the flyweight holder 104. A sliding block 110 is radially disposed on the driving part 102 and penetrates a longitudinal recess 109, serving as a slot, in the flyweight holder 104. The indentation 140, on the end face 138 of this longitudinal recess 109 facing the flyweights 112, and the protrusion 139, on the sliding block 110, are provided as the step 111 and thereby effect the jolting movement.
During operation, the flyweight holder 104 vibrates with am amplitude corresponding to the frequency about the driving part 102 or camshaft 101, and during these vibrations the helical spring 107, which acts as a torsion spring, is slightly opened and then compressed again during each vibration. Beyond a predetermined amplitude, the sliding block 110 then strikes the step 111, so that the entire flyweight holder 104, including the flyweights 112 and the governor sleeve 115, undergoes a slight displacement in the axial direction of the centrifugal governor; this happens upon each vibration, because the sliding block 110 slides down again from the step upon each vibration. Otherwise, this second exemplary embodiment functions like the first one.
In principle, the third exemplary embodiment, shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, also functions like the embodiments described above. Here the driving part 202 is sleeve-like and is fastened in a simple, conventional manner with its conical inner bore 45 positioned upon the correspondingly embodied end of the camshaft. Rubber-elastic buffers 207, such as those known as dampers for centrifugal adjusters, serve here as the elastic force transmitting means of this drive coupling between the driving part 202 and the flyweight holder 204. The flyweights 212 function in the same manner as described above, and their arms 214, bent inward at right angles, act upon the governor sleeve, not shown here. As also shown in FIG. 5, the flyweights 212 have a maximum mass in the least possible space, and flange-like ends 46 provided on the flyweight holder 204 serve as a maximal stop for the flyweights 212. Serving as the rotational guide between the driving part 202 and the flyweight holder 204 are protrusions 47 arranged centrally symmetrically on the jacket face of the driving part 202, which engage corresponding grooves 48, serving as a slot, in the inner bore of the flyweight holder 204. Here again, a step 211, not shown in detail here, is provided for producing the jolting effect; similar to what is shown schematically in FIG. 3, this step may again have two inclines facing one another.
The foregoing relates to preferred exemplary embodmients 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. | A centrifugal adjuster for a fuel injection pump governor having a driving part driven at an rpm in synchronism with the engine and having a torsionally elastically coupled flyweight holder guided in a rotational guide. Via a step, beyond a predetermined rotational deflection, the centrifugal adjuster displaces the flyweight holder axially with respect to the driving part, so that a jolt-like stroke effected by means of the step is superimposed on the regulating stroke effected via the flyweights of the centrifugal adjuster whenever the rpm is at a low level, for instance at idling rpm. As a result, a friction that leads to see-sawing of the engine and exhibits pronounced hysteresis is shaken out of the governor. | 5 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] Not applicable.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH
[0002] Not applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Pipetting devices or pipettes, respectively, are used for dosing liquids, together with pipette points. Pipette points are little pipes with an upper opening for joining them with a pipette, a lower opening for the passage of liquid and a passage channel between the upper opening and the lower opening. Pipettes have mostly a neck for putting on the upper opening, or an accommodation for putting in that end of the pipette point which has the upper opening. Further, they have a gas displacement equipment, which is realised in piston pipettes as a cylindrical displacement chamber with a piston movable therein. In manual pipettes, the piston is moved against the action of a pull-back spring by means of an actuation button. In electric pipettes, an electric driving motor is coupled to the piston via a gear, in order to move it to and from in the cylinder. The gas displacement equipment is connected to the upper opening of the pipette point, which is detachably held on the pipette, via a connection channel that runs through the neck or runs out in the accommodation.
[0004] By means of the gas displacement equipment, an air column or a column of another gas is moved in order to aspirate liquid into the pipette point and to eject it from the same. When the gas column is pushed away from the pipette point, a certain amount of liquid is aspirated into the passage channel of the pipette point via the lower opening when the pipette point is immersed into a liquid. By moving the gas column towards the pipette point, a certain amount of liquid is delivered from the passage channel through the lower opening. The dosing volume depends on the degree of movement of the gas column. The latter is set by the stroke of the piston in piston pipettes.
[0005] Pipette points are mostly replaced by fresh pipette points after dosing has taken place, in order to avoid contamination of subsequently pipetted liquids by remaining liquid. Pipette points for single use are mostly realised from plastic material.
[0006] In manual pipettes with adjustable dosing volume, a shiftable limit stop for delimiting the piston stroke is available. The shifting takes place by means of a little turning wheel, which acts on the limit stop via a gear, wherein the dosing volume that is set can be read by means of a metre.
[0007] In electronic pipettes it is known, e.g., to use step motors and to ensure the reaching of a dosing volume which is set by applying a corresponding number of control pulses. Furthermore known is counting the rotations and stopping the driving motor when a number of rotations corresponding to the dosing volume has been reached.
[0008] The known manual pipettes have the disadvantage to have only a slight stroke of the actuation button at small dosing volumina, which results in a poor precision or a poor control, respectively, in the delivery of the liquid. Manual and electronic pipettes have the disadvantage that the effort to overcome the frictions of the sealings between piston and cylinder requires an increased expenditure of energy. Further, the pistons, cylinders and sealings disposed there between have to be maintained or greased, respectively. Generally, the setting range of piston pipettes is small. In order to cover greater ranges, several piston pipettes with different piston cross sections have to be provided.
[0009] Departing from this, the present invention has the objective to provide a pipetting device which makes it possible to work with the same actuation stroke at all dosing volumes that are set. Further, the pipetting device should have an enlarged setting range of the dosing volumina. In addition, the gas displacement equipment should have less expenditure for maintenance.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] The pipetting equipment according to the invention has a displacement chamber, a flexible membrane, delimiting the displacement chamber an aperture equipment, covering the edge region of the membrane, with at least one adjustable aperture opening, straight through which the central region of the membrane is deformable, a driving equipment for deforming the membrane, a coupling equipment between the driving equipment and the membrane for coupling the driving equipment with the membrane, an equipment for detachably holding a pipette point, and a connection channel between the displacement chamber and the equipment for detachably holding the pipette point.
[0011] In the pipetting device, the gas displacement is achieved by deformation of the membrane, which changes the volume of the displacement chamber. The dosing volume depends on the degree of deformation of the membrane. The deformation of the membrane is delimited to the central region of the membrane, which is disposed above the aperture opening, by means of the aperture equipment. Through this, the deformability of the membrane and the dosing volume is defined by the setting of the aperture opening. In the case that a small aperture opening is set, the deformable central region of the membrane is small and only a small volume of liquid can be dosed. With a large aperture opening, the deformable central region of the membrane is large and a correspondingly great volume of liquid can be dosed. The excursion of the membrane can be kept constant, i.e. independent of the aperture opening that is set. Accordingly, an adjustable, manual pipetting device with constant actuation stroke can be provided. The expenditure of energy for the actuation is decreased because the friction between piston or cylinder, respectively, and sealing is not applicable. A large range of adjustable dosing volumina can be covered by a small number of models. The setting range is increased with respect to conventional piston pipettes. Further, greasing of the sealings between piston and cylinder can be omitted.
[0012] The membrane can be realised in different ways. For instance, it may have a polygonal surface area. According to one embodiment, it has a circular surface area. The circular surface area is favourable with respect to the construction of the aperture equipment and a uniform deformation of the central region of the membrane.
[0013] The displacement chamber has a circular surface shaped opening for the aforementioned reasons, which is closed by the membrane. According to a further embodiment, the circular surface shaped opening is present on a completely or partially cylindrical and/or conical displacement chamber.
[0014] The membrane is a plane-shaped membrane, e.g. Preferably, the membrane is completely or partly dome shaped, so that it has particularly great deformability and the pipetting device has a correspondingly large setting range of dosing volumina.
[0015] An aperture equipment which covers the edge region of the membrane on one side only is enclosed in the invention. For instance, an aperture equipment which covers the edge region of the membrane on that side which does not face the displacement chamber is suited to ensure aspiration of an accurately defined amount of liquid into the pipette point. The ejection of this amount of liquid may take place with an overstroke, so that an aperture equipment delimiting the membrane deformation into the interior of the displacement chamber may be non-essential. According to a preferred embodiment, the aperture equipment covers the edge region of the membrane on both sides, so that the deformation of the membrane upon aspiration and ejection is defined. In order to ensure blowing out the picked-up amount of liquid as completely as possible, the aperture equipment may have a somewhat greater aperture opening on the side facing the displacement chamber than on the side opposed to the displacement chamber.
[0016] According to one embodiment, the aperture equipment comprises at least one iris diaphragm. Iris diaphragms are known as aperture diaphragms of photographic lenses. They consist of single blades, delimiting the aperture opening, with one turning spigot and one guide spigot each. While the turning spigots lay in bearings which are fixedly disposed on an annular disc shaped support, the guide spigots, which are guided by guiding slits of a turnable, annular disc shaped controlling member, which is adjustable by means of a cam-like actuation organ that projects towards the outside, create the opening or closing movements, respectively, of the blades. Through the form of the guiding slits and the blades it can be achieved that an iris diaphragm has a linear or a non-linear setting characteristics. According to one embodiment, the aperture equipment has one iris diaphragm on each one of both sides of the edge region of the membrane.
[0017] According to one embodiment, the aperture equipment is coupled to a setting equipment. The setting equipment is the cam-like actuation organ of an iris diaphragm or a little turning wheel, for instance. An electromechanical setting equipment is possible with electric pipettes in particular.
[0018] The coupling equipment is a fluid, for instance, which acts upon the side of the membrane opposite to the displacement chamber and which is movable by means of a piston, which is shiftable by means of the driving equipment. According to one embodiment, the coupling equipment is a coupling rod, connected to the driving equipment and the membrane. The coupling rod is shiftable by means of the driving equipment. Accordingly, the membrane is deformed. According to one embodiment, the coupling rod is connected to the centre of the membrane. Through this, uniform deformation of the membrane is supported.
[0019] In principle it is possible to set the dosing volume by setting the aperture equipment and the excursion of the membrane. Thus, by setting the excursion of the membrane, different dosing ranges may be selectable, for instance. According to one embodiment, the membrane is movable by the driving equipment about a constant excursion at all settings of the aperture equipment. This facilitates the operation with manual pipetting devices.
[0020] According to a further embodiment, the driving equipment is a manually drivable, mechanical driving equipment. According to another embodiment, the driving equipment has an electric motor for driving the coupling equipment. With this it is dealt with an electric pipette.
[0021] According to one embodiment, the aperture equipment and/or the driving equipment is coupled to a display equipment for the dosing volume.
[0022] In the case that the setting of the dosing volume takes place by setting the aperture equipment only, the display equipment is only coupled to the aperture equipment. The coupling may be of a mechanical nature. It may also be of an electronic nature, when the respective setting of the aperture equipment is scanned electronically or is determined by means of switching pulses of an electromechanical setting equipment and used for controlling the display equipment, for instance.
[0023] According to one embodiment, there is an electric control equipment, which is coupled to the driving equipment and/or the display equipment. The electric control equipment controls the movement of the driving equipment, so that the membrane is deflected about a desired amount. Additionally or instead, it controls the display of the respective displayed dosing volume by the display equipment.
[0024] In the case that the change of the volume of the displacement chamber does not linearly depend on the setting of the aperture equipment and/or the excursion of the membrane, this may be compensated for by a non-linear scale of the display equipment and/or a suitable gear between aperture equipment and/or driving equipment and display equipment. It is also possible to construct an aperture equipment with at least one iris diaphragm such that a linear correlation between the setting of the aperture equipment and the change of the volume of the displacement chamber is generated by the guide slits which are integrated into the iris diaphragm. Finally, it is possible to compensate for the nonlinearity in an electronic way, when the display equipment is connected to an electric control equipment.
[0025] According to one embodiment, the pipetting device has a grip-like, handleable housing.
[0026] According to one embodiment, the equipment for detachably holding the pipette point has a neck for putting on a pin-up opening of the pipette point. The neck is preferably a cone tapered towards its end, onto which a pipette point can be put in a clamping manner.
[0027] The invention will be hereinafter explained in more detail by means of the attached drawing of one example of realisation.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERA VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0028] FIG. 1 a pipetting device with large aperture opening before ejecting fluid, in a coarse, schematic longitudinal section.
[0029] FIG. 2 the same pipetting device with large aperture opening after ejecting fluid, in a coarse, schematic longitudinal section.
[0030] FIG. 3 the same pipetting device with small aperture opening before ejecting fluid, in a coarse, schematic longitudinal section.
[0031] FIG. 4 the same pipetting device with small aperture opening after ejecting fluid, in a coarse, schematic longitudinal section.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0032] While this invention may be embodied in many different forms, there are described in detail herein a specific preferred embodiment of the invention. This description is an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the particular embodiment illustrated
[0033] In the following description, the indications “top” and “bottom” or “upper” and “lower” are related to the usual orientation of the pipetting device when pipetting, in which the pipette point is held towards the bottom side with its lower opening for picking up and delivering liquids.
[0034] The pipetting device 1 has a grip-like housing 2 . The housing 2 comprises substantially a hollow cylindrical portion 3 , which has a cover 4 on its upper end. A hollow conical portion 5 , tapered towards the bottom side, is adjacent to the hollow cylindrical portion 3 . The lower end of the hollow conical portion 5 is followed by a hollow conical neck 6 , which has only a small conicality. The neck 6 has a connection channel 7 , which connects the cavity of the portion 5 with an opening 8 on the lower end of the neck 6 .
[0035] A pipette point 9 , made of plastic material, can be put on the neck 6 with an upper opening 10 . On its bottom, the pipette point 9 has an opening 11 for the passage of liquids. The openings 10 , 11 are connected to each other by a connection channel 12 , which serves for picking up liquid.
[0036] A mechanical drive 13 is disposed in the upper region of the hollow cylindrical portion 3 . The drive 13 has an actuation button 14 , which projects from the cover 4 on the upside. On the bottom side, the actuation button 14 is connected to a coupling rod 15 . Further, it has a limit stop 16 , on which a spring 17 supports itself, which is supported on the other end by an abutment 18 in the housing 2 . The abutment 18 has a counter-limit stop 19 , with which the limit stop 16 co-operates.
[0037] The spring 17 pushes the limit stop 16 against the bottom side of the cover 4 , which forms a further counter-limit stop.
[0038] Below the drive 13 , a dome-shaped flexible membrane 20 with circular surface area is disposed in the hollow cylindrical portion 3 of the housing 2 . The membrane 20 is sealingly fixed on the inner wall of the housing 2 on its perimeter.
[0039] The membrane 20 is made of a flexible plastic material (from polyethylene, polypropylene e.g.), silicone, rubber, Teflon or another fluorocarbon.
[0040] The edge portion of the membrane 20 is covered by an aperture equipment 21 on both sides. The aperture equipment 21 comprises two iris diaphragms 22 , 23 , the support of which is fixed on the perimeter of the housing 2 . Two cam-like actuation organs 24 , 25 , which are connected to the adjustable setting equipment of the iris diaphragms 22 , 23 are guided out of the housing through a slit 26 on the perimeter. The cam-like actuation organs 24 , 25 are connected with each other. On the perimeter of the housing 2 , a display equipment 27 in the form of a scale is assigned to the actuation organs 24 , 25 .
[0041] The magnitudes of the aperture openings 28 , 29 of the two iris diaphragms 22 , 23 are adjustable by swivelling the actuation organs 24 , 25 .
[0042] A displacement chamber 30 is formed below the membrane 20 in the hollow cylindrical portion 3 , in the hollow conical portion 5 and in the neck 6 .
[0043] The pipetting device is operated in the following way:
[0044] At first, a pipette point 9 is put on the neck 6 . Further, a desired dosing volume is set by swivelling the actuation organs 24 , 25 until they point towards a desired dosing volume on the scale 27 . In FIG. 1 , this state is shown for a large dosing volume set.
[0045] Thereafter, the actuation button 14 is pressed until the limit stop 16 sits closely on the counter-limit stop 19 . In doing so, the dome-shaped membrane 20 is deformed towards the bottom side straight through the aperture openings 28 , 29 . Through this, the volume of the displacement chamber 30 is diminished.
[0046] Thereafter, the user releases the actuation button 14 , so that the same is pressed back into the starting position by the action of the spring 17 until the limit stop 16 sits closely on the bottom side of the cover 4 .
[0047] Through this, the volume of the displacement chamber 30 is increased by an amount which is defined by the setting of the aperture equipment 21 . Accordingly, a desired amount of liquid is aspirated into the pipette point 9 from a reservoir 31 .
[0048] In order to deliver the aspirated amount of liquid, the pipette 1 is directed towards a further reservoir with the appending pipette point 9 , and the actuation button 14 is pressed again. By doing so, the volume of the displacement chamber 30 is diminished again about the defined amount, so that the gas column contained therein pushes the liquid out of the pipette point 9 into the reservoir.
[0049] After releasing the actuation button 14 , the starting condition of FIG. 1 is reached. As the case may be, the pipette point 9 is replaced by a fresh pipette point 9 and the pipetting device is ready for a further dosing operation.
[0050] FIGS. 3 and 4 show the same pipetting device 1 with a different setting of the dosing volume. In this setting, the aperture openings 28 , 29 are strongly diminished, so that deformation of the membrane 20 results in an only relatively small change of the volume of the displacement chamber 30 . The dosing amount corresponding to the volume change can be read on the scale 27 .
[0051] In order to realize an overstroke for ejecting small remaining amounts of the liquid, the iris diaphragms 22 , 23 may be adjusted such that the magnitude of the aperture opening 29 exceeds somewhat the magnitude of the aperture opening 28 at each setting.
[0052] The excursion or the stroke, respectively, of the membrane 20 is the same at every dosing volume which is set. The energy required for actuation is also constant at each volume setting. This facilitates operation and serves to avoid dosing errors.
[0053] The above disclosure is intended to be illustrative and not exhaustive. This description will suggest many variations and alternatives to one of ordinary skill in this art. All these alternatives and variations are intended to be included within the scope of the claims where the term “comprising” means “including, but not limited to”. Those familiar with the art may recognize other equivalents to the specific embodiments described herein which equivalents are also intended to be encompassed by the claims.
[0054] Further, the particular features presented in the dependent claims can be combined with each other in other manners within the scope of the invention such that the invention should be recognized as also specifically directed to other embodiments having any other possible combination of the features of the dependent claims. For instance, for purposes of claim publication, any dependent claim which follows should be taken as alternatively written in a multiple dependent form from all prior claims which possess all antecedents referenced in such dependent claim if such multiple dependent format is an accepted format within the jurisdiction (e.g. each claim depending directly from claim 1 should be alternatively taken as depending from all previous claims). In jurisdictions where multiple dependent claim formats are restricted, the following dependent claims should each be also taken as alternatively written in each singly dependent claim format which creates a dependency from a prior antecedent-possessing claim other than the specific claim listed in such dependent claim below.
[0055] This completes the description of the preferred and alternate embodiments of the invention. Those skilled in the art may recognize other equivalents to the specific embodiment described herein which equivalents are intended to be encompassed by the claims attached hereto. | Pipetting device with a displacement chamber, a flexible membrane, delimiting the displacement chamber, an aperture equipment, covering the edge region of the membrane, with at least one adjustable aperture opening, straight through which the central region of the membrane is deformable, a driving equipment for deforming the membrane, a coupling equipment between the driving equipment and the membrane for coupling the driving equipment with the membrane, an equipment for detachably holding a pipette point, and a connection channel between the displacement chamber and the equipment for detachably holding the pipette point. | 8 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an air dryer assembly for a compressed air system, such as, for example, a compressed air braking system for commercial vehicles, and more specifically to a membrane air dryer and method and apparatus for mounting a membrane dryer.
Commercial vehicles such as trucks, buses, and large commercial vehicles are typically equipped with a compressed air braking system in which the brakes of the vehicle are actuated by compressed air. An air compressor is operated by the vehicle engine and storage reservoirs maintain a quantity of pressurized air for the brakes and other compressed air uses. Moisture and oil are two attendant problems associated with compressed air systems and are particularly problems that can adversely affect brake system operation.
As a result, an air dryer is incorporated into the compressed air system to effectively remove moisture from the system. Typically, an air dryer contains a desiccant material that adsorbs moisture from the compressed air from the compressor. However, desiccant dryers become saturated, and as a result, require a purge cycle. During the purge cycle, the compressor does not supply compressed air to the system and a backflow of air purges the desiccant material of its moisture content.
Membrane air dryers have been used to provide a continuous flow of compressed air to the system. Membrane air dryers allow for a continuous flow of compressed air through a packet of small, hollow tubes within a tubular membrane dryer housing. The hollow fibers are typically a porous plastic material that are coated with a special material that causes the tubes to be permeable to water vapor, but not air. Thus, as air is passed through the membrane dryer hollow fibers, water vapor permeates the fiber walls and collects on the outside of the hollow fibers. Meanwhile, dry air is permitted to pass through to the rest of the system. In order to avoid the accumulation of water vapor on the outside of the fibers, thereby saturating the system, a portion of the dried air is permitted to pass back through the membrane air dryer, this time on the outside of the fibers. The backflow of air is allowed to expand, pickup the water vapor on the outside of the tubes, and then exit the membrane air dryer, typically to atmosphere. Furthermore, since oil vapors, liquid water, carbonous materials, and other contaminants reduce the effectiveness of the membrane air dryer, a filter is typically provided upstream of the membrane air dryer.
While membrane air dryers have been established as competitive technology to desiccant dryers in plants and laboratories, membrane air dryers have not been notably implemented on vehicles for compressed air systems partially due to the difficulty in mounting the membrane air dryers to the vehicle. In the past, membrane air dryers have been incorporated into the main air reservoir of the air brake system. However, such mounting configurations do not provide easy access to the membrane air dryer for regular maintenance, inspection, repair or replacement.
Furthermore, typical mounting structures for membrane air dryers require a separate set of mounting brackets for securing the membrane air dryer to a vehicle.
Accordingly, a need exists for a membrane air dryer design that can be effectively and efficiently mounted to a vehicle in a location that provides relatively easy access for maintenance, inspection, repair or replacement.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A method and apparatus for mounting a membrane air dryer is provided. One aspect of the present invention is a method and apparatus for mounting a membrane air dryer to a vehicle. In one embodiment, the end caps of the membrane air dryer are attached to the air supply reservoir of a commercial vehicle. In order to mount the membrane air dryer, bosses can be welded to the external surface of the reservoir to provide a means for engaging the membrane air dryer end caps.
Another embodiment of the present invention incorporates a disengagement tank into the air dryer assembly. The disengagement tank can be incorporated into the air supply reservoir and provide an outlet that leads to the membrane air dryer core.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side view of a membrane air dryer and mounting end caps of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a close-up view of the supply end cap of a membrane air dryer.
FIG. 3 is a close-up view of the delivery end cap of a membrane air dryer.
FIG. 4 is a side view of an embodiment of a membrane air dryer incorporating a disengagement tank into the bulkhead of the primary air supply tank.
FIG. 5 is a close-up view of the supply end cap of the membrane air dryer of FIG. 4 .
FIG. 6 is a membrane air dryer and mounting end caps mounted to a three tank air reservoir system.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIG. 1 illustrates the air dryer system of the present invention, generally referenced as 10 , which includes a membrane air dryer core 20 , a supply end cap 30 , a delivery end cap 40 , and an air reservoir including a primary air supply tank 50 , and a wet tank 60 . The air dryer system 10 optionally includes a coalescing filter 70 , located upstream from the membrane air dryer core 20 to filter out oil vapor, liquid water, carbonous material, and other contaminants. It should be appreciated by one skilled in the art that the coalescing filter 70 may be a variety of types of filters and may have various configurations. For example, the coalescing filter 70 shown in FIG. 1 is a Bendix PuraGuard filter coupled with a Bendix DV-2 pressure swing drain valve 80 .
Compressed air from the compressor is typically saturated with oil vapor, and contains aerosol oil, oil, water vapor, liquid water, carbonous material, and other contaminants. The compressed air is delivered to the coalescing filter 70 , which separates out the heavier contaminants, such as the oil, oil vapor and liquid water. Such contaminants flow to the bottom of the coalescing filter 70 , typically by gravity, where the contaminants are collected until discharged through the drain valve 80 . The compressed air is then fed into the membrane air dryer core 20 , through air inlet 90 located in the supply end cap 30 . The compressed air is then fed through the membrane air dryer core 20 wherein water vapor is separated from the compressed air.
Since the membrane air dryer core 20 operates in a conventional manner and can take on a number of shapes and configurations, the details of the operation of the membrane air dryer have been omitted from this disclosure. However, since the preferred mounting position for the air dryer is adjacent to the air supply reservoirs, the membrane air dryer may be tubular with a 1-3 inch diameter and 18 to 36 inches long. These numbers are intended to be exemplary in nature and should not be construed in a limiting sense.
The compressed air, after traveling through the plurality of membrane air dryer hollow fibers, is now dry and collected in the delivery volume 94 located in the delivery end cap 40 . The dried compressed air in the delivery volume 94 is either fed through the membrane air dryer core 20 as backflow, or through a delivery check valve 96 to the air supply tanks 50 and 60 . The backflow travels along the outside of the membrane air dryer fibers, collects the water vapor and vents to the atmosphere through vent holes 99 . Air that passes through the delivery check valve 96 passes through the wet tank delivery port 100 and into the wet tank 60 , which is connected to the primary air supply tank by check valve 101 . Air can then be delivered to the rest of the system through air delivery ports 102 a and 102 b.
Now referring to FIG. 2 , the supply end cap 30 is made from any suitable material, including cast aluminum, and is dimensioned to receive the supply side 103 of the membrane air dryer core 20 in a firm fitting fashion along the inner side wall 104 and end wall 105 of the supply end cap 30 . Air from the filter enters the supply end cap 30 from the air supply line 106 through air inlet 90 . The compressed air then passes to supply volume 108 prior to entering the membrane air dryer fibers. The compressed air is retained within the supply volume 108 by seal 110 located in a recess 112 in the inner wall 104 of the supply end cap 30 . The supply end cap 30 further includes an extended skirt 116 that extends across the length of the membrane air dryer core 20 covering vent holes 99 , thereby protecting the vent holes from dirt and debris. However, in order to enable air and water to escape the vent holes 99 , the extended skirt 116 is raised from the surface of the membrane air dryer core 20 .
Supply end cap 30 is mounted to the surface of the primary air supply tank 50 . In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2 , the supply end cap 30 includes an extended brace portion 120 that rests along the contour of the primary air supply tank 50 . A cutout portion 122 of the brace portion 120 receives a boss 125 , which is welded to the primary air supply tank 50 . A bolt 127 can then be threaded through a hole in the brace portion 120 and received within a mating set of threads within the boss 125 . In other embodiments, additional bolts are used to further the supply end cap 30 to the primary air supply tank 50 . Furthermore, in another embodiment, one or more bolts secure the end cap in a forward region of the end cap. Moving the bolts forward helps to alleviate the torque produced by the compressed air entering the membrane air dryer core 20 . In another embodiment, a gusset 129 is added to the supply end cap 30 to provide additional support.
FIG. 3 illustrates the delivery end cap 40 . The delivery end cap 40 is made from any suitable material, including cast aluminum, and is dimensioned to receive the delivery side 130 of the membrane air dryer core 20 in a firm fitting fashion along the inner side wall 132 and end wall 133 of the delivery end cap 40 . Dried compressed air enters the delivery end cap 40 from the membrane air dryer core 20 into the delivery volume 94 . The compressed air is retained within the delivery volume 94 by seal 135 located in a recess 137 in the inner wall 132 of the delivery end cap 40 . In one embodiment, the delivery end cap 40 contains a short skirt 139 ; however, in other embodiments, the skirt 139 may be elongated (like the supply side) in order to assist in the retention of the membrane air dryer core 20 . The dried compressed air in the delivery volume 94 either reenters the membrane air dryer core 20 as backflow for collecting and venting the water vapor, or is delivered to the wet tank 60 through the delivery check valve 96 and wet tank delivery port 100 . Face seal 141 can be added to a recess 143 in the bottom of the delivery end cap 40 around the wet tank delivery port 100 to provide an air tight seal.
Delivery end cap 40 is mounted to the surface of the wet tank 60 . In one embodiment, the delivery end cap 40 is attached to the wet tank 60 in a similar manner that the supply end cap 30 is attached to the primary air supply tank 50 . In other embodiments, different fastening means are employed to secure the delivery end cap 40 to the wet tank 60 .
FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of the present invention wherein a disengagement tank 150 is employed to collect and vent water vapor. Compressed air from the compressor and air filter enters the membrane air dryer assembly 10 ′ through inlet 152 in the disengagement tank 150 . The disengagement tank 150 is created by extending the primary air supply tank 50 and adding a bulkhead 154 to separate the two tanks. As the compressed air enters the disengagement tank 150 , it slows and cools thereby allowing water to condense and fall to the bottom of the tank. A drain valve 80 can be added to the bottom of the disengagement tank 150 to vent the condensed water vapor. As shown in FIG. 5 , air from the disengagement tank 150 enters the supply volume 108 through disengagement outlet port 155 . Face seal 161 can be added to a recess 163 in the bottom of the supply end cap 30 around disengagement tank outlet poll 155 to provide an air tight seal. The remaining aspects of the membrane air dryer assembly 10 ′ are similar to membrane air dryer assembly 10 .
FIG. 6 illustrates a third embodiment of the membrane air dryer assembly 10 ″ of the present invention, wherein a three tank reservoir system is employed. As with the other embodiments, dry compressed air enters the wet tank 60 though delivery check valve 96 and wet tank inlet 100 . Once in the wet tank 60 , the air can pass to the primary air supply tank 50 through check valve 101 or to secondary air supply tank 170 through check valve 171 . Air can then be delivered to the remaining components of the compressed air system through air ports 102 a and 102 b.
Although the Figures show the air supply reservoirs as one unit separated by bulk heads, either as a two tank system or three tank system, one skilled in the art should appreciate that the tanks may be separate units. Furthermore, additional tanks may be used or the mounting to the tanks can be done is a different arrangement. One skilled in the art should appreciate that these modifications are within the scope of this application.
The present invention also encompasses a method of mounting a membrane air dryer to a vehicle. Since the membrane air dryer has a matching shape as the air supply reservoir, and since the membrane air dryer discharges to the air supply reservoir, it is advantageous to mount the membrane air dryer adjacent to the air supply reservoir. Bosses 125 are welded to the air supply reservoir tank, or tanks, at a predetermined distance depending on the length of the membrane air dryer. The membrane dryer end caps 30 and 40 , with the membrane air dryer core 20 therebetween, are then secured directly to the bosses 135 by one or more bolts 127 . The delivery end cap 40 is aligned such that the delivery check valve 96 connects to the wet tank inlet port 100 .
It will be appreciated that the membrane air dryer assembly can take the form of various configurations and mounting arrangements. It should be further understood that the membrane air dryer and corresponding end caps can be used either with new equipment, or retrofit to attach to existing components. Such existing components may cause minor alterations to the design of the membrane air dryer; however one skilled in the art should appreciate that these minor modifications fall within the scope of this application. This invention is intended to include such modifications and alterations in so far as they fall within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof. | A method and apparatus for mounting an air dryer to a commercial vehicle is provided. The end caps of the membrane air dryer are used to retain the membrane air dryer core and attach the membrane air dryer to the surface of the air supply reservoir. Bosses can be welded to the external surface of the air supply reservoir, which can then be used to mount the membrane air dryer by bolting the end caps to the bosses. The method and apparatus can be applied to two or three tank air supply reservoir systems. A disengagement tank may be included within the air dryer system, in place of a coalescing filter, to reduce the amount of moisture that reaches the membrane air dryer core. | 1 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application contains material similar to that disclosed in commonly-owned, co-pending applications under attorney docket numbers YOR920060721US1 and YOR920060722US1.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED-RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] None.
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC
[0003] None.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The invention disclosed broadly relates to the field of chip design and more particularly relates to the field of electronic substrates in chip design.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0005] Integrated circuits (chips) are generally made of silicon on which electronic circuits are fabricated. These chips are placed on substrates. A substrate is made of organic materials embedded with copper interconnects. The substrate helps to join the chip to external circuits on a motherboard. FIG. 1 a shows a cross-section of a chip 110 on a substrate 120 . These are the two key components of an electronic module.
[0006] FIG. 2 shows a cross-section of the substrate 120 . The density of connection points (controlled collapse chip connect, or C4s) 130 between the chip 110 and the substrate 120 is a critical parameter. An increased number of C4s 130 requires multiple buildup layers 150 to facilitate electrical connections to the external motherboard. Buildup layers 150 are fabricated in stages on the top and bottom of a fiber reinforced core 155 .
[0007] FIG. 2 shows stacked vias 140 as well as staggered vias 145 needed to complete the interconnection. Stacked vias 140 help achieve more than 20% connection density compared to a staggered via 145 . FIG. 3 shows a conventional stacked via 140 and a platted through hole (PTH) 160 . A PTH 160 allows electrical connectivity between the top and bottom buildup layers.
[0008] The coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of various materials used to construct a module is not matched and is known to drive thermomechanical stresses within a module. Repeated thermal cycling of an electronic module exhibits failure at via interface regions due to thermomechanically driven accumulated strain.
[0009] There is a need for a system to reduce thermomechanical stresses on electronic modules.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] Briefly, according to an embodiment of the invention a stacked via structure for reducing vertical stiffness includes: a plurality of stacked vias. Each via is disposed on a disc-like structure which includes a platted through-hole landing. The platted through-hole landing: a multi-part compliant center zone; and spring-like stiffness-reducing connectors for connecting parts of the multi-part compliant center zone of the platted through hole landing. The compliant center zone includes: an outer zone; an intermediate zone; and a center zone. The three zones are electrically conducting and mechanically facilitates the compliant center zone.
[0011] In another embodiment of the present invention, a substrate via structure includes: a plurality of stacked vias. Each via is disposed on a disc-like structure including: an etched platted-through landing. The disc-like structure may be etched with a spoke-like pattern. The etched pattern may be concentric circles. The concentric circles may form a gimbal pattern.
[0012] Further, the platted through-hole landing may have a thickness of substantially 3 μm. This thickness is achieved by controlled grinding of the copper top surface of the platted through-hole landing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] To describe the foregoing and other exemplary purposes, aspects, and advantages, we use the following detailed description of an exemplary embodiment of the invention with reference to the drawings, in which:
[0014] FIG. 1 shows a cross-section of the two key components of an electronic module, a chip and a substrate, according to the known art;
[0015] FIG. 2 shows a cross-section of the substrate, indicating the stacked and staggered vias, according to the known art;
[0016] FIG. 3 shows a close-up view of stacked vias and an exploded view of the stacked vias and the platted through hole;
[0017] FIG. 4 a shows a close-up view of stacked vias built on a platted through hole landing, according to the known art;
[0018] FIG. 4 b shows a close-up view of stacked vias built on a soft landing, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0019] FIG. 4 c shows another view of the stacked vias of FIG. 4 a , according to the known art;
[0020] FIG. 4 d shows another view of the stacked vias of FIG. 4 b , according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0021] FIG. 5 shows an example of a spoke-like construction etched into the substrate layer, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0022] FIG. 6 shows concentric circles connected to each other at overlapping points, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0023] FIG. 7 shows a PTH landing with substantially reduced thickness, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0024] FIG. 8 a shows a 30× magnification of deformation of a stacked via with a PTH cap; and
[0025] FIG. 8 b shows a 30× magnification of deformation of a stacked via with the PTH cap removed.
[0026] While the invention as claimed can be modified into alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and detailed description thereto are not intended to limit the invention to the particular form disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the scope of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0027] Embodiments of the present invention relate to a stacked via structure for electronic substrates such that the thermomechanical stresses on the vias are reduced. This stacked via structure reduces the vertical stiffness inherent in current via structures. Referring to FIG. 4 a there is shown an optimized configuration for chip modules, according to the known art. The vias of FIG. 4 a (Vial) 140 are built on the platted through hole (PTH) landing 162 and are conventionally supported by this disc-like structure, preferably made of copper (Cu). Although other materials could be used, copper is ideal because of its electrical and thermal properties.
[0028] Each via member of the three-stack via 140 is about 20 μm thick. Because of the difference in the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) between copper and the build-up layers 150 which occurs during a thermal cycle (125 degrees C. to −55 degrees C.), the build-up layers 150 as shown in FIG. 3 (with a CTE of approximately 20 ppm/degrees C.) shrink much faster than the Cu-via 140 (with a CTE of approximately 16 ppm/degrees C.). As this occurs, the stacked via 140 is compressed in the Z direction against the PTH landing 162 by the surrounding build-up layers 150 as they compress.
[0029] The key advantage of a preferred embodiment of the present invention is that reducing the stiffness of the PTH landing 162 in the Z direction reduces the compression stress on the copper vias 140 . This solution also allows a stacked via 140 to pitch with greater ease as its bending stiffness is reduced by the compliant PTH landing 162 .
[0030] FIG. 4 b illustrates this concept. Consider that the PTH landing 462 of FIG. 4 b has three distinct zones. The inner zone 462 is a disc that supports the via stack 460 , the outer zone 464 is a circular ring and the intermediate zone 470 provides the extra compliance represented by spring-like elements. These spring-like elements 470 provide compliance to the center landing 462 by allowing increased flexibility of movement when force is applied in the Z direction. The functional operation of this embodiment can be compared to that of a trampoline where the center zone is allowed to move compliantly along the Z-direction by means of springs holding the canopy along its periphery.
[0031] The compliant spring-like connectors 470 are preferably constructed from the same etching process that is employed to generate the circuit pattern on the first layer of Cu present on both sides of the core 155 . The conventional disc-like structure of the PTH 462 is innovatively etched with patterns (as discussed later) so that they are electrically conducting but also mechanically compliant along the Z axis.
[0032] A finite element (FE) analysis of a three-stack via configuration reveals that the cumulative strain of a conventional stacked via of 1.7% can be reduced to 1.3% (25% reduction) by providing a compliant PTH landing 462 for a stacked via 460 . FIGS. 4 c and 4 d show the configurations used in the FE estimates.
[0033] FIG. 4 c shows a schematic illustration of the stacked vias 140 of FIG. 4 a.
[0034] FIG. 4 d shows a schematic illustration of the stacked vias of FIG. 4 b . This is the optimal structure wherein the bottom stack is completely disconnected from the PTH structure. The stiffness of this structure in the Z direction is substantially zero.
[0035] FIGS. 5 , 6 and 7 show various embodiments which also minimize the Z-stiffness of the PTH landing 560 within the scope of the present invention. FIG. 5 shows a spoke-like construction that can be achieved using the subtractive etching process used to generate the first circuit layer. Compared to a solid disc-like PTH landing 162 , removal of copper material by etching (in order to form a spoke-like structure) introduces a reduction in the load carrying area of the modified PTH 560 . The Z-stiffness is accordingly reduced. The three distinct zones ( 462 , 464 and 470 ) discussed in FIG. 4 b are identified as 562 , 564 and 570 in FIG. 5 of the invention.
[0036] FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of the invention wherein concentric circles connected to each other at non-overlapping points are used to reduce Z-stiffness. Notice that a gimbal-like structure is a subset of this configuration in which the pitching stiffness can be reduced to very low levels. A gimbal has at least two rings mounted on axes which are at right angles to each other. In this embodiment, the concentric circles will be mounted at acute and/or obtuse angles in order to accommodate the via in the center. The three distinct zones ( 462 , 464 and 470 ) discussed in FIG. 4 b are identified as 662 , 664 and 670 in FIG. 6 of the invention.
[0037] A multitude of Z-stiffness reducing patterns on PTH landings can be envisaged without increasing the electrical resistance of an interconnect. FIG. 7 shows a PTH landing with substantially reduced thickness (reduced from 10 um to 3 um) within the PTH region. Such a configuration is achieved by means of controlled grinding of the copper top surface. In this configuration the intermediate and center zones merge into a single zone.
[0038] FIG. 8 a shows a 30× magnification of deformation of a stacked via with a PTH cap. FIG. 8 b shows a 30× magnification of deformation of a stacked via with the PTH cap removed. You will note that the deformation is lessened without the PTH cap.
[0039] Therefore, while there has been described what is presently considered to be the preferred embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that other modifications can be made within the spirit of the invention. | A stacked via structure for reducing vertical stiffness includes: a plurality of stacked vias, each via disposed on a disc-like structure. The disc-like structure includes a platted through hole landing supporting the plurality of stacked vias. The platted through hole landing includes a compliant center zone; and spring-like stiffness-reducing connectors for connecting the compliant center zone of the platted through hole landing. | 7 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates to a process for injecting air and water into a landfill to create anaerobic decomposition conditions and thereafter decreasing the volume of the landfill, i.e., the landfill air space by aerobic decomposition of decomposable municipal solid waste. Following municipal solid waste aerobic decomposition, the landfill may be mined in order to remove recoverable materials such as metals, plastics, glass and useful humus material. More specifically, this invention is a process and a landfill that includes a novel arrangement of wells for injecting moisture and air into a municipal solid waste undergoing aerobic decomposition in order to efficiently aerobically decompose waste.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] The concept of aerobically decomposing a landfill to prepare it for a landfill mining is well known in the prior art. For example, in the article by R. I. Stessel et al. “A Lysimeter Study of the Aerobic Landfill Concept”; Waste Management and Research 10:45-503 (1992) the authors describe a process whereby water and air are injected into municipal solid waste in order to aerobically decompose the waste. The article further discloses that following aerobic decomposition, the waste may be mined to remove recoverable materials. More specifically, the Stessel et al. article discloses the use of water including recycle leachate and air to aerobically decompose municipal solid waste at conditions including a moisture content of from about 50 to about 80%.
[0005] A similar article by R. J. Murphy et al. “Aerobic Degradation of Municipal Solid Waste” For Presentation at 85th Annual Meeting and Exhibition, Kansas City, Mo. (Jun. 21-25, 1992) discloses aerobic decomposition studies performed on municipal solid waste at conditions including a temperature of from 30 to 89.4° C. (85-192° F.) an average moisture weight range of from 20 to 50% which was increased by leachate and water addition to a range of from 50 to 70%. The Murphy et al. paper also discloses that the aerobically treated municipal solid waste can be mined in order to recover the useful solid portions thereby allowing reuse of the mined landfill area.
[0006] Many issued U.S. patents also disclose process that employ aerobic decomposition processes. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,324,138 discloses an in-situ process for increasing the capacity of a municipal solid waste landfill using addition of moisture, lime, and physical disturbance to increase aerobic activity.
[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 5,356,452 discloses a process for recovering reusable materials subsequent to waste decomposition in an enclosed cell.
[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 5,265,979 discloses a high-efficiency waste placement and disposal method for solid waste in a landfill by reducing the size of the solid waste, adjusting the moisture, forming a waste pile, covering the waste pile, and compacting the waste pile. The disclosed method relies on slow anaerobic waste decomposition.
[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 5,702,499 discloses a batch process for the conversion of organic solid waste material through thermophilic aerobic digestion via mixing and moisture control.
[0010] U.S. Pat. No. 5,049,486 discloses a temperature monitoring method and apparatus for monitoring the temperature within a mass of organic matter moved through a composting vessel.
[0011] U.S. Pat. No. 4,077,847 discloses a system for segregating solid waste into ferrous metal, inorganic and organic fractions.
[0012] U.S. Pat. No. 4,410,142 discloses a method and an apparatus for composting waste using mixing and aeration.
[0013] U.S. Pat. No. 4,551,243 discloses a method to reduce the accumulation of undesirable solid material within an anaerobic digester.
[0014] U.S. Pat. No. 5,632,798 discloses a method for aerobic composition of organic waste material using high-flow aeration.
[0015] U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,904 discloses a process for reducing solid waste via shredding, anaerobic decomposition, aerobic decomposition, separation of the inorganic and organic waste, reduction of the plastic with solvents, and reduction of the metals with acids.
[0016] The prior art describes many methods and apparatus for decomposing municipal solid waste under aerobic or anaerobic conditions and/or mining aerobically or anaerobically decomposed landfills. There, however, remains a need for methods and landfill structures that enhance the delivery of water and air throughout a municipal solid waste a landfill in order to accelerate and control the aerobic decomposition of municipal solid waste.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0017] The dwindling availability of space on which to site new municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills requires the consideration of reusing existing landfill space. Current bioreduction processes within MSW landfills are uncontrolled anaerobic processes that are inherently slow to occur and which produce high levels of methane gas along with malodorous trace gases. Controlled conversion of these anaerobic processes within MSW landfills to aerobic conditions is useful on a large scale basis as an alternative that will allow for a highly enhanced bioreduction of landfill mass over a much shorter period of time in comparison to conventional aerobic decomposition. The aerobic bioreduction of landfill mass may be followed by landfill mining of reclaimable/recyclable non-biodegraded materials, production of a high quality humus-like material, and reuse of a large volume, and possibly greater than 50 percent of the available landfill volume, thereby significantly extending the useful life of the MSW landfill.
[0018] This invention is a process for quickly and thoroughly aerobically decomposing municipal solid waste located in a landfill.
[0019] This invention is also a process that efficiently injects water and air into the interior of a municipal solid waste landfill in order to promote and control the aerobic decomposition thereof.
[0020] This invention is also a method for reducing landfill air space that uses a novel moisture and air injection system that safely controls the aerobic decomposition temperatures.
[0021] Furthermore, this invention is a landfill including a plurality of water and air injection wells located at defined lateral locations and depths with respect to one another in order to facilitate the efficient and controllable aerobic decomposition of landfill municipal solid waste.
[0022] In one embodiment, this invention is a method for reducing landfill airspace. The method includes injecting air and moisture into a landfill municipal solid waste layer that includes metal, plastic and biodegradable waste to produce aerobic conditions in at least a portion of the landfill. The moisture and air is injected into the landfill for a period of time sufficient to reduce the landfill airspace. The process improvement is characterized in that the air and moisture are injected into the landfill using a plurality of wells wherein at least one well comprises a bore hole containing a first air injection well located at a first depth below the landfill surface, and a second air injection well located at a second depth from the landfill surface where the first depth and the second depth is separated by a distance of from 10 to about 40 feet.
[0023] In another embodiment, this invention is a method for reducing landfill airspace. The method begins by injecting air and moisture into a municipal solid waste layer of a landfill wherein the municipal solid waste includes metal, plastic and biodegradable waste to produce aerobic conditions in at least a portion of the landfill. Air and water injection into the landfill are maintained for a period of time sufficient to aerobically decompose at least a portion of the aerobically decomposable landfill material to thereby reduce the landfill airspace. Following aerobic decomposition of the municipal solid waste, injection is halted and the landfill in mined to remove recoverable materials from the landfill. The process is an improvement over prior art processes in that the air and moisture are simultaneously injected into the landfill using a plurality of wells wherein each wells is separated from each other well by a lateral distance of from about 20 feet to about 100 feet, wherein each well includes a bore hole containing at least a first water/air injection well located at a first depth below the landfill surface, and wherein at least one well includes a borehole having first air and/or moisture injection point located at a first distance from the landfill surface, and a second air/moisture injection point located at a second depth from the landfill surface where the first depth and the second depth is separated by a distance of from 10 to about 40 feet.
[0024] In yet another embodiment, this invention is lined or unlined landfill including a plurality of air injection wells and a plurality of water injection wells wherein at least one injection well comprises a bore hole located in the municipal solid waste layer and containing a first air injection well located at a first depth below the landfill surface, and a second air injection well located at a second depth from the landfill surface where the first depth and the second depth is separated by a distance of from 10 to about 40 feet. The lined landfill embodiment of this invention will include one or more of the following elements: a clay seal layer, a liner, a permeable layer. The landfill will include a municipal solid waste layer having a depth of at least 20 feet wherein the liner, if one is used, is located between the clay seal layer and the permeable layer and wherein the permeable layer is located between the municipal solid waste layer and the liner. The unlined landfill embodiment of this invention will include municipal solid waste (MSW) in direct contact with natural materials or soils and mechanical and/or hydraulic barriers such as vertical or horizontal leachate wells.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025] [0025]FIG. 1 is cross section view of a landfill including various moisture and air injection well embodiments useful in the processes of this invention;
[0026] [0026]FIG. 2 is a piping manifold useful in a preferred moisture and air injection well of this invention;
[0027] [0027]FIG. 3 is side schematic view of an aerobic landfill decomposition process of this invention;
[0028] [0028]FIG. 4 is a top schematic view of an aerobic landfill decomposition process of this invention;
[0029] [0029]FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 5 C are embodiments of water and air injection wells that are useful in the process and in landfills of this invention; and
[0030] [0030]FIG. 6 is a plot of the internal temperature of a landfill undergoing decomposition as prepared according to Example No. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0031] The present invention is a process for the controlled conversion of a municipal waste landfill from anaerobic to aerobic decomposition conditions followed by maintaining the aerobic decomposition conditions for a period of time sufficient to at least partially reduce the volume (i.e. air space) of the municipal solid waste in the landfill. Once the volume of the landfilled municipal solid waste has been reduced, the aerobically decomposed landfill materials may be excavated or mined in order to remove recoverable and recyclable materials therefrom. The process of this invention is useful for quickly reducing the volume of landfilled municipal solid waste in order to allow additional municipal solid waste to be located in an existing landfill without the need for preparing new acreage for municipal solid waste disposal. This invention is also a landfill including a plurality of air and water injection wells for carrying out landfill aerobic decomposition.
[0032] An important aspect of this invention is the injection and/or application of air and water into a landfill in a controlled manner in order to achieve and maintain controllable and sustainable aerobic conditions within a very large volume of landfilled municipal solid waste. It is also important that the water and air injection method chosen be relatively inexpensive to install, maintain, and operate.
[0033] [0033]FIG. 1 is a cross section view of landfilled municipal solid waste including various embodiments of moisture and air injection wells which are usefull in processes and landfills of this invention. The landfilled depicted in FIG. 1 is a lined landfill including a foundation layer 10 that is typically a clay material. A plastic or rubber liner 12 is located on top of foundation layer 10 . A permeable layer 14 covers liner 12 and further includes leachate collection piping 16 which is located within permeable layer 14 . Permeable layer 14 will typically comprise gravel, sand or any material that promotes the flow of landfill leachate towards leachate collection piping 16 . The direction of landfill leachate flow is depicted by arrow 18 . A municipal solid waste (MSW) layer 20 is located on top of permeable layer 14 . The municipal solid waste layer can be quite deep and may exceed 100 to 200 feet in depth. The top of the MSW layer is covered by a soil cap 22 which will typically have a depth from about 1 feet to about 5 feet or more. A top polymer or rubber liner may be placed between the municipal solid waste layer 20 and soil cap 22 . However, for purposes of this invention it is preferred that there is no liner between the municipal solid waste layer and the soil cap layer which might impede the diffusion of air injected into the landfill upwardly through the municipal solid waste layer 20 , through soil cap 22 and into the atmosphere.
[0034] Alternatively, the landfill that is undergoing aerobic bioreduction may be an unlined landfill. An unlined landfill includes a municipal solid waste layer in direct contact with natural materials or soils that form the landfill. In addition, an unlined landfill will generally include mechanical or hydraulic barriers such as vertical or horizontal leachate wells.
[0035] The processes and landfills of this invention include a plurality of air injection wells and a plurality of water injection wells located at varying depths and at specific lateral distances from one another. The air and water injection wells provide for the efficient injection of water and air into the landfill. The word “air” as it is used herein refers to any oxygen containing gas including air, pure oxygen, or a mixture of gases that includes oxygen such as carbon dioxide and oxygen. A preferred oxygen containing gas is air. The term “moisture” as it used herein refers to water of any quality including landfill leachate from the landfill cell undergoing aerobic treatment and leachate from other landfills, fresh water, rain water, municipal waste water mixtures thereof and like water sources, such as commercial and industrial liquid waste.
[0036] The water and air may be injected into a landfill using water injection wells that are separate from air injection wells or by using a single injection well that is used to inject both air and water into the municipal solid waste layer 20 of a landfill either intermittently or simultaneously. Regardless of the number and types of injection wells used, each air injection point should be separated laterally from each of the air injection at an approximate radius of influence of from about 20 feet to about 100 feet and preferably from about 40 to about 70 feet from each other on a horizontal plane. The water injection wells, when they are separate from the air injection wells should be separated by identical distances.
[0037] The term “injection well” as it is used herein refers to pipes, tubes or wells that are drilled into the landfill to allow for the dispersion of water and/or air at specific depths and lateral locations throughout within the landfill. The term “injection well” does not refer to optional water drip points which will be discussed below.
[0038] Each air injection well and each water injection well 24 includes at least one vertically oriented injection pipe 27 having a plurality of perforations 25 . The perforations 25 may run along the entire length of an injection pipe or the perforations 25 may be located over a narrow length of injection pipe 27 to define an injection region 28 . It is preferred that each air injection well and each water injection well include perforations 25 in an injection region 28 wherein the injection region has a length of from about 1 foot to about 20 feet and preferably from about 2.5 feet to about 15 feet. The air injection wells and water injection wells useful in the process and landfill of this invention may include one or more injection regions 28 depending upon the overall depth of the landfill. It is preferred that injection regions 28 are separated by distance of from about 10 to about 40 feet with the top portion of the topmost injection region 28 being located at a depth of from about 5 to about 20 feet below landfill surface 21 .
[0039] [0039]FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5 C show embodiments of some useful injection wells 24 of this invention. The injection well 24 shown in FIG. 5A is a single injection well including a plurality of perforations 25 along the entire injection well length. The number area of perforations 25 preferably increases as the distance to the surface increases to insure that the pressure drop across injection well 24 remains essentially constant over the entire injection well length.
[0040] [0040]FIG. 5B is a single injection well 24 including a plurality of injection regions 28 . The injection regions are located at distances of from about 10 to about 30 feet from one another. Once again, the cross sectional area of the perforations 25 in each injection region 28 preferably increases as the distances of injection region 28 from the landfill surface 21 increases.
[0041] [0041]FIG. 5C depicts an injection well 24 that includes a plurality of injection pipes 27 . Each injection pipe 27 has a different length and includes an injection region 28 located at bottom end 31 of injection pipe 27 . Using a plurality of injection pipes allows for better control of water and air injection rates to various landfill depths which is critical for controlling the MSW aerobic decomposition conditions.
[0042] [0042]FIG. 1 depicts preferred injection wells 24 of this invention. Preferred injection wells 24 are located in a borehole 26 drilled into municipal solid waste layer 20 . Borehole 26 will have a diameter of from about 6 inches to about 3 feet or more and a depth essentially equivalent to the depth of the municipal solid waste layer 20 . After drilling, borehole 26 is filled with a sufficient amount of permeable material such as sand or gravel to reach a depth equivalent to the desired depth of the deepest injection pipe 27 . A first injection pipe 27 ′ is then placed in the borehole and additional permeable material is placed in the well to a depth equivalent to about the depth of second injection pipe 27 ″. Next, a second injection pipe 27 ″ is located in the borehole such that the second injection pipe bottom end 31 abuts the permeable material layer. Additional permeable material is located in borehole 26 to a depth equivalent to the depth of third injection pipe 27 ′″ and third injection pipe 27 ′″ is then located in the borehole. This procedure is followed until the desired number of injection pipes 27 are located in each borehole. It is preferred that the injection regions 28 of each injection pipe 27 are separated by the distances as defined above. For a single injection well including a multiple injection region 28 . Once all injection pipes 27 are in place, a clay seal 30 is placed in the borehole 26 . Clay seal 30 prevents gases and liquids from seeping around injection pipes or injection wells and out of the landfill.
[0043] For purposes of determining the lateral distances between injection wells, each bore hole 26 that includes a plurality of injection pipes 27 including injection zones 28 of different depths in considered to be a single injection well 24 . A preferred process and landfill of this invention will include a plurality of injection wells located in laterally spaced boreholes.
[0044] Water and air may be injected into the municipal solid waste layer 20 using the same injection well 24 or by using separate water injection wells and air injection wells. It is preferred that water and air are injected simultaneously into the municipal solid waste using the same injection well 24 and or the same injection pipes 27 . It is also preferred that the air that is injected into the municipal solid waste is at least partially saturated with water. Saturating the air with water prevents the air from scavenging moisture from the moist municipal solid waste that is undergoing aerobic decomposition. The air injected into the municipal solid waste may be saturated with water by any method known in the art. It is preferred however to use spray nozzles or drip points located in manifolds associated with the top of injections pipes 27 to saturate the air that is entering the injection wells.
[0045] Each injection pipe is designed to inject air and water into an area municipal solid waste having a volume of from about 10 to about 50 cubic feet. It is preferred that each injection pipe be capable of injecting from about 100 to about 700 gallons of water per day and preferably from 300 to 500 gallons per day. In addition, it is preferred that each injection pipe be sized to be capable of injecting from about 0.02 to about 0.1 pounds of oxygen per min per 1000 cubic yard of trash.
[0046] The landfill injection pipes and landfill injection wells should be made of materials that are inert to water, air and leachate, aerobic and anaerobic degradation products and that is has a melting point that is higher than the temperatures experienced during aerobic landfill decomposition. It is preferred that the landfill injection pipes and wells are manufactured out of PVC, CPVC, or HDPE.
[0047] It is very important that municipal solid waste treated by the process of this invention is initially well saturated with water prior to injecting air into the landfill to begin the aerobic decomposition process. Water should be injected into each injection for a period of time ranging from about 2 weeks to about 2 months or longer prior to beginning air injection into the municipal solid waste. Furthermore a plurality of water drip points 40 may be used to speed the saturation of the landfill municipal solid waste. Drip points are preferably short tubes manufactured by Rain Bid Co. or equivalents thereof that are sized to permit the flow of a constant volume amount of water through the tubes per hour. The outlet of drip tubes 40 may be located on landfill surface 21 or they may be located from about 6 inches to about 5 feet or more below the landfill surface. It is preferred that drip tubes 40 are located at about the interface 23 between soil cap 22 and municipal solid waste layer 20 . It is also preferred that drip tubes 40 are laterally spaced from one another by a distance of from about 1 foot to about 10 feet or more, and preferably from 1 foot to 3 feet apart. Finally, each drip tube 40 should have a flow rate of from 1 to about 24 gallons per hour. Once the landfill is saturated with water the drip points may continued to be used to apply water to the landfill.
[0048] Controlling the air injection rate and water injection rate into the landfill undergoing aerobic decomposition is important for controlling decomposition temperatures. We have discovered that aerobic conditions are reached within the landfill about a day or so after air injection is initiated. It is preferred that the temperature of the municipal solid waste undergoing aerobic decomposition be maintained at from about 110 to about 140° F. We have discovered that temperatures in excess of 140° F. within the landfill indicates that anaerobic decomposition is beginning to occur instead of aerobic decomposition. In order to convert the primary mode of decomposition back to aerobic and, in turn, decrease the temperature of municipal solid waste undergoing undesired anaerobic decomposition, additional air and water are injected into the area of the landfill experiencing high temperatures.
[0049] The processes and landfills of this invention do not use any type of vent piping. The gaseous reaction products of the aerobic decomposition, consisting primarily of inert gases and carbon dioxide, permeate upwards through the landfill municipal solid waste layer 20 , through soil cap 22 , and into the atmosphere. We have discovered that the soil cap acts as a filter layer and retains many of the malodorous components from the gases that are emitted from the landfill during the aerobic decomposition process. Furthermore we have also discovered that the gas evolved during the aerobic decomposition process are less malodorous than gases emitted from an landfill undergoing anaerobic decomposition.
[0050] [0050]FIG. 2 depicts an injection manifold 41 that is useful as a cap over each injection pipe 27 that is used in injection wells 24 of this invention. Manifold 41 is located at and above surface 23 of the landfill undergoing aerobic decomposition. The manifold top 42 is sealed and includes a valve 44 that may be used to sample gases entering or being emitted from injection pipe 27 . Each manifold has several inlet pipes. First inlet pipe 45 is used to direct air into injection pipe 27 . Valve 46 is an on/off valve that is used to either direct air into injection pipe 27 or to prevent air from being injected into injection pipe 27 . Second inlet pipe 47 supplies water to injection pipe 27 . Second injection pipe 47 includes a valve 48 which is used to allow or to prohibit water flow into injection pipe 27 in large quantities. Typically, the second inlet pipe will be used only to flood portions of the landfill to control temperature excursion during aerobic degradation. A smaller third inlet pipe 50 is used to inject water into each injection pipe 27 under normal operating conditions. Valve 49 is used to control the flow of water through third injection pipe 50 . Third injection pipe 50 is typically a drip tube that is sized to have a specific flow rate and preferably a flow rate from about 1 to about 24 gallons per hour. By sizing third injection pipe 50 to provide a known constant flow of water, less operator time is needed to control the water injection into each injection pipe 27 .
[0051] [0051]FIGS. 3 and 4 are side view and overhead schematic views of a landfill of this invention including a multiple air and water injection wells. The process and landfill include a landfill cell 60 throughout which a network of air piping 62 and water piping 64 are distributed on the landfill surface. Injection wells 24 are located uniformly over the entire landfill cell 60 . The water that is injected into the landfill during aerobic decomposition is held in water holding tank 66 which is associated with a pump 68 . Pump 68 pumps the water through water injection pipe 64 and into injection wells 24 and drip points 40 . The water in water holding tank 66 consists of leachate withdrawn from the landfill combined with ground water or water from any secondary water source. The leachate flows from the landfill into leachate collection line 70 . A leachate collection sump 72 pumps the leachate into water holding tank 66 . Air is supplied into air piping 62 via one or more blower units 74 . The blower units 74 compress atmospheric air to a desired pressure and discharge the compressed air into air piping 62 and thereafter into the injection wells.
[0052] Manual valves, control valves, automatic controllers, or manual controllers may be used to regulate the flow of air and water into landfill cell 60 via injection wells 24 . Alternatively or in addition to manual or automatic control systems, the valves associated with manifolds 41 may be used to regulate the air and water injection rates into landfills undergoing aerobic decomposition.
[0053] Monitoring of the aerobic process occurs through the use of in-situ wells specifically designed for monitoring purposes. Prior to initiation of water/leachate injection, a background leachate sample is collected and analyzed for parameters of interest. The leachate quality is then routinely monitored during the degradation process for indications of change and volume of leachate. Prior to beginning the injection of air, a background in-situ landfill gas sample is collected along with collecting flux-gas samples (gases that have percolated through the landfill cover) for comparison. Temperature is measured continuously at each of the monitoring wells. When temperatures exceed desirable levels, additional water and air is added to areas in and near the affected zone to assist in reducing the temperature impact to nominal levels. Monitoring wells for gas and temperature are placed in the landfill cell at an approximate ratio of 1 monitoring well for every eight to ten injection wells.
[0054] The process is sufficiently complete when substantial indication of settlement appear and the temperatures measured throughout the cell have been reduced to below 120 degrees F. for a continuous period of time. Once the landfill is considered reduced, the landfill excavation and separation of in-situ material can begin. The goal of the landfill excavation is to separate the compost material from other recyclable materials such as plastics, metals, and glass. Ideally, several streams of product will be available for use subsequent to the excavation and separation process. This invention should have the capability of reducing the volume of landfill mass by as much as 80 percent.
[0055] This invention includes the conversion of the in-situ landfill process from anaerobic to aerobic metabolism. The amount of moisture needed for the process to be successful results in the requirement for a supplemental water supply. Since landfills produce leachate which is collected into a retention system, the water injected into the landfill can incorporate the landfill-produced leachate as a water source. However, the volume of leachate typically produced by a properly designed landfill is insufficient to supply the process requirements. The moisture content of the in-situ waste, prior to and during injection of air into the landfill, should be around 60 percent. The moisture content of the in-situ waste provides a water source and growth medium for bacterial decomposition, while at the same time providing a heat transport mechanism to move heat away from areas of high aerobic activity. The maintenance of a high percentage of moisture allows for the temperature of the landfill to be maintained at a stable and desirable level. The target range of temperature for this invention is 120- to 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
[0056] Air is supplied via piping and valved wellheads using blowers and/or compressors dependent upon the backpressure of the injection wells.
EXAMPLE 1
[0057] Controlled aerobic landfill decomposition was demonstrated using a landfill test cell at the Live Oak Landfill in Georgia. Municipal solid waste was accepted for disposal in the demonstration cell following the standard operating procedure for the landfill. The waste was arranged in lifts and the individual lift covers were removed daily prior to adding trash (typical operation for this landfill), resulting in a compacted trash cell with no intervening layers of cover. Upon completion of the test cell, a soil cap, 1- to 1.5 feet deep, was installed.
[0058] The completed demonstration cell was surveyed, a topographic map was produced and grid points for injection wells were established. Initially, the wells were segregated and placed at grid points in relation to air or leachate injection. Eighteen individual air injection wells were installed at depths ranging from 15 feet to 20 feet. Twenty-seven leachate-injection wells, with depths ranging from 5 feet to 15 feet, were installed in four zones. Injection zones for the air-injection wells were 10 feet to 15 feet in length, while injection zones for the leachate-injection wells were 2 feet to 4 feet. Two wells were installed to allow in-situ monitoring of temperature at shallow, mid, and deep levels.
[0059] Injection well manifolds were completed with a ball valves on an influent hose attachment and a removable cap. A later field modification included the addition of a control valve to allow for injection of both air and leachate into each well, as well as a sample port to allow sampling of in-situ gas stream.
[0060] An air and leachate injection control system was designed to allow individual control of each air injection well and zonal control of the leachate injection. The air control system controlled pressure and volume of the air supplied through the compressor system (a 220-cubic feet air supply compressor). The landfill gas was monitored for methane, carbon dioxide, and oxygen.
[0061] The leachate recirculation system included flow measurement instrument and allowed the flow of the leachate into each leachate injection zone to be individually adjusted. It is also provided for the addition of necessary supplement water. Within each zone, the flow of water to an individual injection well was controlled by the ball valve. The leachate was collected, when available, from the cell leachate collection sump using a solenoid valve and pump. Collected leachate was transferred to a leachate holding tank, then pumped into the zones. Flowmeters on all key lines measured the volume of leachate and any supplemental water.
[0062] Because moisture is a significant requirement for microbial degradation, the injection of leachate occurred first, which lasted approximately four weeks, recycling approximately 100,000 gallons of leachate and supplemental water into the test cell. Once the leachate system was operating correctly and after leachate had been added into the test cell for about one more, air injection was begun the cell. Concentration levels of methane, carbon dioxide and oxygen were measured prior to the introduction of air and two days after. Levels of methane and carbon dioxide were 40 to 60 percent prior to air injection but were substantially reduced to single-digit percent levels subsequent to air injection. No measurable oxygen was detected prior to air injection, but several percent were measured subsequent to the air injection.
[0063] During the first few weeks of air injection, the leachate injection wells were uncapped to allow venting of produced methane and carbon dioxide gases. In-situ temperatures increased substantially above the ambient temperature at several well locations. Methane and carbon dioxide gases decreased significantly and remained at relatively low levels. The measured carbon dioxide levels at first decreased to low percentage levels, then began a slow rise into the 10 to 20 percent range, coinciding with the rise in temperature and lowering of molecular oxygen levels. This indicated the aerobic consumption of oxygen and the production of carbon dioxide and heat.
[0064] After about 3 months temperatures within the test cell were near 100 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit (F) at several locations. When landfill gases were sampled from vents in the leachate injection wells, the injection well gas sample points had varied rates of gas outflow from within the test cell, which appears to show that the aerobic activity was not uniformly distributed throughtout the cell. A few leachate injection well gas sample points had gas outflow rates approaching 200 liters per minute (L/m). Analytical data from the laboratory analyses of the leachate showed a substantial increase in the chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) when compared to data acquired prior to starting the system. Based on the rapid onset of the aerobic activity and the rise in temperature, batch-cultured microorganisms were not added.
[0065] After 4 months following initial air injection, effluent gas measurements showed that a portion of the test cell remained strongly aerobic, but the other side of the test cell was showing a rise in methane production. The temperature in the portion of the test cell was increasing to levels substantially higher than the planned range of 120 F. to 140 F.
[0066] When measurements of temperature and gas effluent showed higher than desired levels (168° F. and methane 30 percent, respectively), the air flow was reduced into the zone in an effort to lower the presumed aerobic-activity-produced heat load. The temperature again increased as shown in FIG. 6 indicating that the temperature and methane rise related to anaerobic-thermophilic activity. Then the affected zone was flooded with high volumes of air and water, resulting in an immediate reduction in temperature and methane gas levels.
[0067] Surface settlement was obvious, indicated by slight surficial depressions, cracks, and higher injection well stickups. The primary leachate flowmeter showed a significant decrease in recovered leachate, resulting in the decision to pump supplemental water into the system from the nearby rainfall retention pond.
[0068] About 5 months after beginning air injection, in-situ temperature measurements showed a spread of warmer temperatures throughout the test cell and the earlier high temperatures had stabilized as a result of air and water flooding. The resultant stabilization of temperature shows that coarse control of the in-situ processes is possible with an appropriately designed system. Survey measurements of in-place monuments showed a slight surface settlement of 0.3 feet at one monument.
[0069] Sampling of the in-situ trash at various depths occurred using a 6-inch outside diameter auger was used to drill into the active test cell. The actual process of augering was noticeably less difficult than the drilling activity when the injection wells were installed. Samples of in-situ waste were collected at 5 feet intervals. Field observations of the in-situ waste showed the material to be substantially degraded and relatively uniform in color and appearance (excepting pieces of metal, plastic, or other nondegraders), but much drier than anticipated. Noxious odors, typical of anaerobic landfill processes, were not observed during the drilling activity. Somewhat higher levels of methane were recorded by field instrumentation when the penetration was greater than 20 feet deep, apparently indicating some anaerobic processes remain active, but apparently only deep and near the liner.
[0070] Based on interpretation of the observations made during the drilling and sampling the team decided to deliver additional water into the test cell using horizontal trenches across the top of the landfill cell. Seven trenches were dug to the top-most layer of trash in the test cell and lined with fabric and pea gravel. A three inch perforated plastic pip was laid on top of the gravel and then the trench was backfilled with cover material. Each trench pipe was connected to a header system designed to maintain equal flow across the trench based on water column height. The header system was, in turn, connected to a pump delivering water from the sediment detention pond located west of the test cell.
[0071] During months 7 and 8, air and water were continued to the cell and some “hot” areas occurred in shallow areas along the trench lines. When hot areas were encountered the addition of more water and air resulted in cooling of the hot area. Monitoring of the system temperatures continued on a daily basis.
[0072] The trenches produced mixed results. While achieving the purposes of getting more water to the upper fill material, the water volume was difficult to control and regulate to the degree desired for this process. Subsequent to the addition of water through the trenches, the upper areas of the fill heated up, indicating increased biological activity in those zones. Isolated areas of the fill could not accept the flow being delivered by the trenches, resulting in significant seeps of water appearing at some areas of the fill. The results from experiments with the trenches have shown the need to deliver adequate water to the shallow zone of the fill. The results demonstrated that control of the water volume additions via trenches was difficult and would not be suitable for use on the sides and terraces of a larger cell.
[0073] Accurate values of the amounts of water pumped into the cell are not available because of the intermittent problems with flowmeters, particularly the meter on the leachate sump. The flow rates in the system were often low enough to allow flow through the meter without overcoming the inertia of the impeller, thus the meter failed to record all of the water pumped through it. During the 9½ month period of air injection, at least 1,766,200 gallons of water were pumped into the cell. This is an average of 47,735 gallons per week or 6,819 gallons per day. The measured flow from the leachate sump totaled 703,920 gallons over the same period or 19,024 gallons per week (2,717 gallons per day.) The difference between total water pumped and leachate pumped represents make-up water that was provided from a number of sources, primarily city water and water from a nearby sediment pond. Not all of the water shown as being recycled from the leachate sump was actually leachate from the test. The breakout of seeps along some sides of the cell necessitated installing surface water control and pumping the contained surface water into the leachate system for recycling back into the cell.
TABLE 1 Average moisture content of bulk-fill material as a function of depth from seven test holes. Depth Moisture Content (feet) (% wet weight basis) 0-5 25.3 5-10 26.5 10-15 29.3 15-20 39.5 20-25 54.5
[0074] Two conclusions to note related to water additions are 1) the aerobic bioreduction process requires tremendous quantities of water and 2) the quantity of leachate produced within a cell is entirely inadequate to supply the water requirements of the aerobic bioreduction process. Through the period of water additions discussed above, an average of approximately 25 gallons of water was added per cubic yard of fill with no noticeable increase in the quantity of leachate produced by the cell. Much of the water was lost due to vapor diffusion through the boundaries of the cell and some water merely raised the moisture content of the fill without exceeding its waste holding capacity. Additional water from other sources is required to meet the water capacity demand for aerobic biodegradation.
[0075] Prior to initiation of air injection, the average landfill gas composition was approximately 46% methane and 54% carbon dioxide with negligible oxygen present. Shortly after beginning air injection, the levels of methane and carbon dioxide were reduced to averages of less than 10 percent and 20 percent respectively. Simultaneously, the oxygen levels in the gas increased to approximately 10 percent. Because of the experimental nature of this system, operating conditions were seldom held constant for long as a s result of changes such as reconfiguring air and water delivery.
[0076] During the initial operation of the air injection system, the air delivery rate was approximately 200 cubic feet per minute (cfm). After about 8 months, an additional positive-displacement blower was added to the system to increase air capacity by 500 cfm. With a total of 700 cfm of air being delivered, the concentrations of methane and carbon dioxide were reduced to the single low digits.
[0077] These results demonstrate that although the initial air injection rate was only 200 cfm, it was sufficient to convert the majority of the landfill to an aerobic metabolism. Further addition of air injection capacity pushed more of the fill into aerobic metabolism, but did not eliminate all areas of anaerobic metabolism.
[0078] The temperature of the landfill mass indicated the extent of aerobic biological metabolism. Prior to air injection, the average temperatures of the fill was less than 80° F. Several weeks after air injection began, the average temperature of the test cell exceed 100° F. The test cells never responded as a homogenoeus mass with respect to temperatures. Much higher temperatures were measured in certain areas of the cell than in other. It was assumed that these variation in temperature were related to variations in water content throughout the cell. This was confined when water addition through the trenches was initiated. Areas that had previously shown little temperature increase heated upon in response to the additional water.
[0079] Occasionally a small area of the fill would get very hot in excess of 160° F. In these cases analysis of landfill gas composition shown that the area was again producing high concentrations of methane and carbon dioxide, indicating a return to predominately anaerobic metabolism. It was demonstrated in each case that injecting increased quantities of air and water to these locations could reconvert the system to aerobic metabolism and lower the temperatures to close to the average temperature in the fill. This demonstrated the need for individual control of air and water at each injection well, allowing the injection of increased volumes of air and water to specific areas as needed. | A process for converting municipal solid waste landfills to aerobic conditions that will allow for a highly accelerated and enhanced bioreduction of landfill mass, followed by the optional excavation of the landfill cell materials subsequent to the bioreduction process, separation of excavated materials using trommels, screens, and other means as necessary, production of useable compost materials, and reclamation of recyclable plastics, metal, and glass. | 1 |
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] Not Applicable
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] Not Applicable
REFERENCE TO A “MICROFICHE APPENDIX”
[0003] Not Applicable
BACKGROUND
[0004] 1. Field of the Invention
[0005] The present invention relates to the field of fuel emulsions and in particular a novel water-in-diesel oil emulsion.
[0006] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0007] With the global increase in the usage of engines and other devices that use carbonaceous fuels such as diesel fuel, especially in areas of new and developing economies of the world, there has been an increase in the amount of air borne pollution caused by exhaust emissions resulting from the consumption of petroleum fuels used by such engines including compression ignited (diesel) engines, combustion turbines furnaces and steam boilers.
[0008] In the past, nations have imposed obligations on manufacturers and users of engines that use carbonaceous fuels to include costly pollution control devices and other measures designed and engineered into or placed upon the engines to burn fuel more efficiently and cleaner. Sometimes, these mandated pollution control devices breakdown exhaust emission into less harmful sub-components or act as filters that prevent the escape of harmful exhaust emissions. In all of these cases, these mandated pollution control devices, while undeniably beneficial, have come at great cost both to consumers, engine manufacturers, manufacturers who incorporate such devices into their equipment, and the petroleum industry which manufactures cleaner fuel formulations for use in internal combustion engines. Massive sums have been spent for research and development, testing and certification to design and implement pollution control measures for internal combustion engines and the fuels that they use. The costs for much of this comes from extensive redesigning and engineering of newer internal combustion engines which burn fuel more efficiently to obtain similar power from the same amount of fuel than did older internal combustion engines. This results in the engines becoming more complex and sophisticated than their predecessors for example the replacement of mechanically controlled to computer controlled engines
[0009] This can more easily be achieved by established countries with mature economies, growing nations and their respective governments, than poorer or developing nations whose economies and manufacturing bases, often lack sufficient financial resources, to afford the extremely costly intensive long term testing, research, implementation and compliance controls needed to effect and improve pollution reduction measures for internal combustion engines. for the costs of controlling or limiting air pollution can severely curtail or damage a developing economy if prematurely imposed upon its industries whose well-being upon which the developing nation relies for continued economic well-being. The developing nation will either (1) have to rely upon and become dependent upon those devices and implements developed by established countries whose economies give them the financial wherewithal to indulge wide spread pollution control (2) prematurely impose upon that growing counties industrial base pollution control implementation, as required by many international treaties, that could crippling the country's economy, (3) seek and implement less costly and easily implemented pollution control technologies rather than those devices which are engineered for incorporation within the internal combustion engine and its subsystems.
[0010] One such alternative pollution reduction measure is operating internal combustion engines on an emulsified fuel. Emulsified fuels, which have been used since the 1960s, use a carbonaceous or petroleum derived fuel, such as diesel, gasoline, and the alike mixed in with a non-carbonaceous element such as water. Where the carbonaceous fuel is mixed with larger quantities of water, the emulsion formed is a water-based emulsion. When water is mixed into a larger quantity of carbonaceous fuel, the emulsion formed is a fuel-based emulsion. Water-based emulsions are a harder to implement as a pollution control measure because the internal combustion engine which runs on a water-base emulsion must be re-engineered to run on that type of emulsion. Water-based emulsions are corrosive to an engine's internal components, thus such emulsions require agents to enhance lubricity and to operate without significant power loss, the engine has to be modified to handle the large quantity of water present in the emulsion.
[0011] Oil-based emulsion fuels, on the other hand, generally do not require any substantial modification of the engine. Oil-based emulsion fuels are not considered to be anymore corrosive on engine parts or system than regular fuel. Further, due to the water being present during the combustion process, the resulting combustion emissions from emulsion fuels contain lesser amounts of harmful pollutants
[0012] Mixing an oil-type fuel with water is analogous to mixing water and oil in a salad dressing. A mixing agent or an emulsifier (i.e. vinegar) and some agitation is sufficient. These emulsifier(s) and their agents are also known as surfactants. Another example of an emulsifying agent is soap which allows a grease, dirt, oil or hydrocarbon-based containments to form an emulsion with the rinsing water and be carried away. Another such example of an emulsion would be mayonnaise.
[0013] In the present field of water-in-oil emulsion (emulsion fuel) it is believed that once the water has been mixed into the fuel and the emulsifying agent or surfactants then coat the surface of water droplets to help stabilize the water droplet within the fuel. It is believed that this stabilization occurs in at least two ways, first the coating and interaction of the emulsifier on the surface of the water droplet helps the water droplet maintain its integrality and size. Second, the molecular interaction of the emulsifier on droplet causes the droplet to be repelled by similarly coated droplets, so it is hard for droplets to come together and form a large drop within the emulsion.
[0014] When correctly manufactured with the proper emulsifying agents, the droplets, through the fuel-water mixing process along with the action of the emulsifier(s), are of similar size and are well dispersed throughout the fuel.
[0015] After the creation of the emulsion fuel, the next problem faced by this field is that many emulsion fuels that lack long term stability in that they separate back into their individual constituents over time. The long term stability of a fuel emulsion, particularly for storage and transportation purposes, is particularly desirable. If separation occurs, engine performance generally suffers and where such stability can not be implemented, substantial modification to the engine, its fuel delivery and control systems are required to overcome the presence of a large quantities of separated water found in the emulsion fuel.
[0016] If a particular fuel-based emulsion is prone to separate, it can be formulated so that it only a minor or very limited separation of water and/or fuel from the fuel-based emulsion that is easily reversed back to a full fuel-based emulsion by mixing or agitating the product thus reverting to its original attributes. Some separation of this type is acceptable for use in internal combustion engines if it does not interfere with the combustion of the fuel on start up and running.
[0017] The pollution reducing capabilities of the emulsion fuel is though to be of several means. First, when hydrocarbonaceous fuel, such as petroleum, is combusted, it emits nitrogen oxides (NOx), a class of gaseous chemical which is an undesired and harmful pollutant. Second, when air, which contains approximately 80% Nitrogen (N 2 ), is combusted with petroleum or other carbonaceous fuels, the atmospheric Nitrogen also combusts to form large quantities of the NOx. The higher the temperature of the carbonaceous fuel-air combustion, the larger the quantities of harmful pollutant NOx which are produced by the said combustion.
[0018] It is through the presence of the water in the emulsion fuel that temperature of the fuel emulsion combustion is lowered. It is believed that the combustion heat is absorbed by the water during its violent transformation into steam. When this occurs, the combustion of the emulsion fuel is kept at a lower temperate than the combustion of ordinary fuel. This lower combustion temperature of the emulsion fuel produces significantly lesser amounts of NOx emissions in the combustion exhaust gases. Additionally, the inherent stabilizing characteristics of the fuel emulsions are also believed to reduce the amount NOx emitted by the fuel-based emulsion itself (fuel emission). Further benefits are provided by the emulsifying agents in that they are essentially soaps (i.e. detergents) and in combination with the steam generated by the heat of emulsion fuel combustion, help clean the engine parts with which they come into contact.
[0019] It is further believed that the emulsion fuel obtains pollution emission reduction in the combustion exhaust by improving the efficiency of the actual combustion itself. It is thought that when droplets of ordinary fuel are sprayed into the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, it is only the surface of the droplets which is exposed to the air that burns during combustion. Therefore large droplets of ordinary fuel may not be fully burned during combustion and as a result leave the engine as smoke or fine particles called Particulate Matter (PM), a harmful exhaust emission. It is thought that when droplets of a emulsion fuel are sprayed into a combustion chamber, the violent transformation of the water content to steam, shatters the fuel oil drop in its direct vicinity into much smaller fuel oil droplets having a much greater surface area in relation to its volume. The combination of greater surface area and the greater exposure to combustion air provides a far more complete and thorough combustion of the fuel oil, which is believed to cause the significant reductions in PM in emulsion fuels combustion.
[0020] There is therefore a need for a stable pollution reducing emulsion fuel that can be implemented using significantly less resources, both financial and engineering, than engineered design improvements to internal combustion engines and their associated systems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0021] The invention is a novel water-in-oil emulsion fuel substitute for hydrocarbonaceous middle distillate fuels. The invention is comprised of a middle distillate fuel, water, mixture of fatty acids, polyanhydride, and ammonium hydroxide. Additionally, other fuel quality enhancing agents can also be added to the emulsion fuel as required.
[0022] It is an object of the present invention to provide a long term stabile water-in-oil fuel emulsion.
[0023] It is an object of the present invention to provide fuel emulsion that can be utilized in a wide variety of internal combustion engines without requiring any significant changes to the engine or any of its systems.
[0024] It is an object of the present invention to provide a water-in-oil emulsion fuel whose elemental make-up has the same or less detrimental health handling hazards as its base diesel oil.
[0025] It is an object of the present invention to provide a oil-in-water emulsion fuel whose additives can be economical and safely packaged in large quantities.
[0026] It is an object of the present invention to provide a water-in-oil emulsion fuel whose additives can be easily, economically, and safely combined with a wide variety of hydrocarbonaceous fuel to produce a stable fuel emulsion.
[0027] It is an object of the present invention to provide a water-in-oil emulsion fuel that can be made with a wide variety of hydrocarbonaceous middle distillate fuels to produce a stable fuel emulsion that has a reduced pollution emissions in the combustion exhaust as compared to the combustion of ordinary hydrocarbonaceous middle distillate fuels.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0028] The present invention is a water-in-oil emulsion fuel that can act as a substitute fuel for those devices which combust middle distillate fuels. The invention can effect a reduction in Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) pollutant levels in the exhaust emission resulting from such middle distillate fuel combustion.
[0029] The term “middle distillate fuel” refers to that class of the hydrocarbonaceous fuel that is comprised in general of those mixtures of hydrocarbons which fall within the distillation range of about 160.0 degrees. to 370.0 degrees. C. These “middle distillate fuels” are named for the fact since they comprise the fraction which still distills after gasoline has been removed and distills before residuum (asphalt) during petroleum refining process. The residuum is the remaining portion of the crude oil that is left after gasoline and other distillates have been removed from it during refining. Middle distillate fuels include diesel fuels, burner fuels, kerosene, gas oils, jet fuels, and gas turbine engine fuels and alike.
MIDDLE DISTILLATE FUELS PROFILE Distillate Degrees F. Degree C. IBP* 250-500 121-260 10% 310-550 154-288 50% 350-600 177-316 90% 400-700 204-371 EP** 450-750 232-399
[0030] The invention combines water with the middle distillate fuel to form an water-in-oil emulsion fuel that can be substituted for the middle distillate fuel combustion applications. Prior to combining the water with the middle distillate fuel, the water itself is filtered through reverse osmosis or other suitable filtration means to remove particulate and sediment contaminants that are naturally found in various degrees in water depending on its source. These containments need to be removed from the water to a satisfactory degree otherwise they will form deposits/build-ups on the internal workings of the devices that combust middle distillate fuels and well as present themselves as unacceptable pollutant emissions in the combustion exhaust.
[0031] The filtered water is added to the middle distillate fuel along with the additional additives of ammonia hydroxide, a fatty acid mixture and a polyanhydride. The preferred fatty acid mixture is technical grade oleic acid available from Ashland Chemical Company 2788 Glendale Milford Road, Cincinnati, Ohio USA under the name 213 OLEIC ACID TECHNICAL. The preferred polyanhydride is polyisobutylene succinic anhydride which can be procured from Chevron Oronite Company, under the Chevron Oronite LLC.'s label OLOA 371 or OLOA 213. OLOA 371 and OLOA 213 products are differentiated only on the basis that one label represents the paste form of the isobutylene succinic anhydride while the other label represents the liquid form of isobutylene succinic anhydride. Both forms of OLOA product can be used satisfactorily as components of the invention.
[0032] The water, polyisobutylene succinic anhydride, ammonia hydroxide, and technical grade oleic acid are mixed to the middle distillate fuel to form the water-in oil emulsion fuel. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is found that best results occur when the middle distillate fuel is first mixed with the water and then the water-middle distillate fuel composition is mixed with polyisobutylene succinic anhydride, ammonia hydroxide, and technical grade oleic acid produces the best results in emulsion formation and stability. The mixture is then subject to pressure for final completion of the water-in-oil emulsion fuel.
[0033] It is believed that the water-in-oil emulsion fuel reduces Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) emission levels in the combustion exhaust by lowering the temperature of the combustion air and the novel water-in-oil emulsion fuel below that needed to create significant quantities of Nitrogen Oxides that naturally occur with the combustion of middle distillate fuels. It is believed that the water present in the water-in-oil emulsion fuel under goes a phase change from water to steam during the combustion process. This resulting steam creates a “secondary atomization” of the fuel itself for greater efficiency in combusting the fuel.
[0034] The mixture ratio of the components of the invention is by weight percentage. The weight percentage of the middle distillate fuel to the invention is a range of 81% to 99.5%. The weight percentage of middle distillate fuel emulsification additive to the invention is 19.0% to 0.5%.
[0035] The mixture ratio of the components of the middle distillate fuel emulsification additive is by weight percentage. The weight percentage of water to the middle distillate fuel emulsification additive is a range of 0.0% to 25.0%. The weight percentage of ammonium hydroxide to middle distillate fuel emulsification additive is a range of 15.0%-20.0%. The weight percentage of a mixture of fatty acids to middle distillate fuel emulsification additive is a range of range 60%-70%. The weight percent of polyanhydride to middle distillate fuel emulsification additive is a range 3.0% to 10.0%.
[0036] Additionally, the fuel emulsion can contain additionally components selected from a group comprising of dispersants, corrosion inhibitors, antioxidants, anti-rust agents, detergents, and lubricity agent. These additional components are fuel enhancement agents and do not necessary effect the emulsion qualities of the emulsion fuel.
[0037] Although the present invention has been described with particular reference to certain preferred embodiments, variations, alterations, modification of the present invention maybe effected by one skilled in the art while remaining within the intent and scope of the following claims. | In re Application of:
RUDOLF W. GUNNERMAN
Filed:
Simultaneously Herewith
Serial No.:
For:
A WATER-IN-OIL EMULSION FUEL
Attorney Docket Number:
01-05
The invention is a novel water-in-oil emulsion fuel substitute for hydrocarbonaceous middle distillate fuels. The invention is comprised of a middle distillate fuel, water, mixture of fatty acids, polyanhydride, and ammonium hydroxide. Additionally, other fuel quality enhancing agents can also be added to the emulsion fuel as required. | 2 |
This is a divisional of prior application Ser. No. 313,948, filed Oct. 23, 1981, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,415,263.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The field of the invention is plain paper copier apparatus of a compact type.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There are many plain paper electrophotographic copiers commercially available at the present time and in addition the body of patented prior art which has evolved for the past decades since the original invention of Carlson is quite extensive. Basically all copiers of this type operate on the same principles.
The original document or graphic article is illuminated and the light image thereof projected onto a previously charged electrophotographic drum, belt or planar member to acquire a latent image of the subject matter carried by the document on the surface of the electrophotographic member. The electrophotographic member is developed by applying toner particles thereto, either in a liquid suspension or in dry powder form, these toner particles being electroscopic in nature and thereby being attracted to the incremental areas of the electrophotographic member which have not been discharged by the light of the projected image. The discharged areas of the electrophotographic member do not attract the particles.
The developed image is then transferred from the electrophotographic member to a plain paper sheet, the toner is fixed to the sheet by heat or pressure or both and the resulting copy of the original document is ejected from the apparatus.
The copier of the invention operates in the same manner as described, but the invention is concerned with structural features which render the copier of the invention highly compact, simple, economical, reliable, light weight and yet efficient.
The convenience copier, as it is known, has taken the form of large, heavy and expensive apparatus using considerable electrical energy for operation and utilizing for the most part an extremely complex operating system. It has been a long-desired goal of makers of convenience copiers to provide a plain paper copier that is compact and economical. The goal is not believed to have been achieved until the advent of this invention, at least to the extent that is accomplished by this invention.
One attempted scheme which has found its way into many commercial copiers has been to provide a carriage which moves the original document over the projection station requiring complex drive mechanisms along with additional motors besides those operating the other required mechanisms. Moving carriages require space to achieve the full stroke of the carriage that normally extends beyond the usual chassis of the apparatus. Different size paper requires different size cassettes which may even protrude from the chassis.
Considering the procedure which must be followed in a convenience plain paper copier, unless the paper follows a serpentine path to the electrophotographic drum or belt or other electrophotographic member, the mechanisms must be laid out end to end resulting in the minimum length being dictated by the mechanisms plus the length of the paper. The serpentine path type of copier is complex because the paper is required to be stripped off a magazine where sheets are stacked, brought to the transfer station by way of rollers, belts and guides while making turns, transferred, fixed and ejected. Jams are often and difficult to clear. Even servicing the usual copier is difficult because the desire to make the apparatus compact decreases the accessibility of the different parts of the interior of the apparatus.
Convenience copiers must be constructed with certain requirements to render them efficient and reliable. The basic ones of these requirements are concerned with the consumables of the apparatus. There is toner to be replaced, there is an electrophotographic member which becomes worn and/or fatigued which is to be replaced, there are belts or sprocket chains to be inspected and/or replaced, there is a supply of paper to be replenished, there is a projection system to be adjusted or focussed (usually in the finished apparatus before shipping), there may be illuminating means to be varied and there is always the requirement that a serviceman should be able to have ready and facile access to the mechanism and electrical system for servicing.
These requirements tend to make the copier complex. In addition copiers are made with mechanisms and electrical systems for making multiple copies, for enlarging or reducing the size of the copy relative to the original document, for making light or dark copies, for enabling books to be copied, etc.
The invention in its basic and preferred form contemplates a simple, compact copier which makes a single copy at a time from a sheet type original document that is manually fed to the device. For multiple copies, the original is re-fed into the apparatus, being available when the copy cycle is complete because it passes through the illuminating and projecting station immediately. No enlargement or reduction is provided for. All of the remainder of the requirements which are stated above are provided in a manner to render the copier compact and efficient. Although not limited thereto, the invention enables a convenience copier to be constructed which is about the size of a small typewriter and of comparable if not lesser weight.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A convenience copier is provided in which the paper is contained in a magazine which is arcuate in configuration, the paper being fed into engagement with a belt of electrophotographic material carrying a developed electrostatic image. The arc of the magazine is generally a quadrant of a cylinder and components of the copier including a toning device, the projecting and imaging means and a substantial portion of the master belt carrying frame are disposed in the quadrant subtended by the said arc as a result of which the copier is extremely compact because it is not limited by the size of the paper sheets. A novel magazine construction is provided, the magazine being removable whereby to give access to the interior of the apparatus.
A novel structure for mounting and removing the electrophotographic belt assembly from the copier is provided which is simple and effective.
Novel means for adjusting the light for illuminating the original document are provided, adjustable from exterior of the copier.
Other features of the copier include a highly effective and yet simple structure for feeding the original document to the projecting station.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a convenience copier constructed according to the invention;
FIG. 2 is a generally median sectional view of the copier, front to back, with portions shown in elevation, the view being diagrammatic in many respects;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the paper supply magazine separated from the convenience copier;
FIG. 4 is a fragmentary somewhat kinematic view of a mechanism for enabling the rear wall of a paper supply magazine similar to that of FIG. 3 to be pivoted away from the magazine in order to open the paper receiving chamber;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the convenience copier of the invention with the left side panel (considering that the right hand end in FIG. 5 is the front of the copier) pivoted to its opened condition;
FIG. 6 is a view similar to that of FIG. 5 but showing the manner in which the electrophotographic belt or sleeve on its frame is capable of being removed from the copier;
FIG. 7 is a fragmentary top view of the copier with the light-blocking cover member and the paper supply magazine removed to show the platen and various components normally hidden from view;
FIG. 8 is a fragmentary diagrammatic view looking at the front of the copier, somewhat in section, to show the illumination adjusting mechanism; and
FIG. 9 is a chart showing the timed relationship of the functions to one another.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Generally the invention comprises the construction of a convenience copier in which the arrangement of principal components results in an apparatus which occupies very small volume but without crowding the components and without making access to the replenishment of consumables and servicing the machine difficult.
The combination of the invention comprises a magazine for the paper supply which is arcuate to form practically a quadrant of a cylinder, important components in the quadrant subtended by the magazine, the placement of the electrophotographic belt and the means for bringing a sheet of paper to the belt at a transfer station, all of which are geometrically arranged to decrease the length and height of the apparatus from what it would be without the combination.
The system of the copier also includes in combination an effective scheme for feeding the original document to the machine, illuminating and projecting it to the exposure station, a special toning mechanism, and novel drive means for the apparatus, all receiving their power from a single motor.
Other aspects of the invention will become apparent as this description proceeds.
In FIG. 1 there is illustrated in perspective a design for the exterior of the copier of the invention which is capable of considerable variation in appearance but which has certain structural aspects which are related to the invention. The copier is designated by the reference numeral 10 and will normally have an interior framework and/or chassis of structural steel from which the components and mechanisms including the motor, shafts, electronic circuit components and the like are hung or to which they are attached. The exterior may be formed of sheet metal members suitably shaped and/or fastened together or of synthetic resins molded or otherwise formed.
Illustrated in FIG. 1 is a base 12, a front panel 14, a top panel 16, a hinged left side panel 18 which is capable of being pivoted to an open position as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a hinged right side panel 20 which pivots to an open position exactly like the panel 18 but which is not shown in the drawings, a light-blocking cover member 22 having a horizontal slot 24 to receive the original document shown at 26, an upstanding ledge or flange 28 for guiding one edge of the original document into the slot 24 and a deflector 30 for curling the original document upward and out of the copier after it has been illuminated and projected to enable the operator to remove it from the copier 10.
In a basic copier such as 10, the operator will see the original document 26' emerging and remove it before it drops onto the top of the housing. The invention does not exclude the provision of a simple basket or sheet metal platform supported on brackets from the top panel 16 to catch the emerging document 26'.
A starter button 32 is shown in the view, this being the only operating control needed to energize the copier for starting the cycle to perform its functions. A light adjusting thumb wheel 34 is shown protruding from the top panel 16 alongside of the cover member 22. The cover member 22 has a large U-shaped recess 36 at its back end to accommodate the deflector 30 and the paper supply magazine 38 (FIG. 3), only the paper supply 40 itself being visible in FIG. 1. There is a jewel 39 on the cover member which is illuminated by the lamps that illuminate the document and which tells the operator that a cycle is in progress.
Below the panel 14 in the base 12 there is a horizontal slot 42 from which the copy sheet 44, shown in broken outline, emerges. A basket or tray may be disposed at this location to catch the emerging copies.
Pausing for a moment to consider the geometric arrangement of the copier 10 thus far described, the functions occur in a manner which provides the minimum of movement for the operator notwithstanding that the operator must manually feed the original document 26 to the copier 10. The operator stands in front of the copier 10, facing the panel 14. He lays the original document face down upon the panel 16, moving it to the left to engage its left edge against the guide 28, his right hand being flat on the top of the original document 26. He slides the leading edge of the document 26 into slot 24 as far as it goes. This will be at the nip of a set of rollers to be described below. The operator can press the button 32 with either hand and the copier is energized and goes through its complete cycle.
An important feature of the invention is the manner in which the operation of the copier 10 is sychronized with the movement of the original document 26. This will be better appreciated when the details are set forth hereafter, but mention at this point is deemed advantageous for clarification. While the copier is quiescent, that is with no power applied, the leading edge of the original document is engaged into the nip of the rollers mentioned and detailed below. At this point the copier 10 is energized. The original document immediately moves forward to be illuminated and projected and the sequence of functions of a cycle is also started. This is a simple but highly effective method of synchronizing because it enables many of the functions to be started without the requirement for means to effect a delay and/or means to achieve synchronization by mechanisms or electrical circuitry.
Before the cycle is completed, the leading edge of the document 26 emerges, moving upwardly, from the recess 36 at the rear of the cover member 22, curling up as shown at 26'. The operator may grasp the emerging original document and support it as it emerges completely or permit it to emerge by itself. He may set it aside or once more lay it down upon the panel 16 to make another copy of the same document. In the meantime, the copy 44 is emerging from the slot 42 in the front of the copier 10.
The operator does not have to change his physical position but may maintain his stance in front of the copier 10. It turns itself off when it has made a single copy and the jewel becomes dark. If another copy is to be made the operator is required to press the button 32 once more and feed the original back into the slot 24.
Continuing now with the description of the copier 10 reference is made to FIG. 2 for the basic details of construction and functioning.
The major components which are illustrated in FIG. 2 comprise the following:
the paper supply magazine 38 which is removable and is at the back of the copier 10;
the toner supply and applying device 48;
the drive motor 50;
the illuminating station and projecting means 52;
the corona discharge means 54;
the illumination discharge means 56;
the charging means 58;
the electrophotographic belt assembly 60;
the transfer corona 62;
the original document transport means 64; and
the toner fixing device 66.
Various drive members, rollers, guides, clutches, gears and adjustment mechanisms for various purposes are also illustrated and will be explained.
Taking the above principal components seriatim, each can be detailed for explanatory purposes to show how it operates.
Perhaps the most important aspect of the invention resides in the concept of a paper supply magazine which is arranged in a substantial arc. In this apparatus the arc is such that the stack or supply of paper 40 is inserted into the arcuate chamber of the magazine in a vertical movement and pushed downward until it reaches the bottom stop partition 70 at which point the front of the stack is horizontal. Thus, the paper supply 40 is curved through 90° and forms with the shell or chassis of the copier generally a quadrant of a cylinder that is subtended by the inside curved wall 72 of the magazine 38, the rear end of the upper panel 16 as indicated at 16' in FIG. 2, and a vertical plane which is indicated at 74 in broken lines, this plane being defined by the stop partition 70 and extending transversely of the copier.
The magazine 38 has an arcuate back wall 76 which is generally parallel with the front wall 72 and generated on about the same axis of a cylinder of which the front wall 72 comprises a cylindrical quarter surface. The wall 76 conveniently may be fixed as shown in FIG. 2 by reason of a fillet-like brace 78 welded or otherwise secured to the wall 76 and mounting same on the vertical plate 80 that is footed at 82, the foot being welded to the slide plate 84 that carries the magazine 38. A piano hinge 86 extending across the entire magazine 38 will be seen at the upper end of the plate 80 having one of its leaves sandwiched between the fillet 78 and the plate 80. The other leaf of the hinge 86 is secured as by welding to the upper end of an arcuate extension plate 88 that is a curved continuation of the wall 76 but is capable of limited vertical movement indicated by the double-ended arrow 90, being biased to move upward by a leaf spring 92 bowed between the slide plate 84 and the free end of the extension plate 88. Obviously a group of axially aligned hinges could be used instead of a single elongate hinge 86.
The resilience of the spring 92 is such that it will yield when a stack of paper 40 is pushed downwardly in the arcuate paper receiving chamber 94 formed between the walls 72 and 76 but will nevertheless raise the bottom end of the stack, indicated at 40', against the stripping roller 96, the corners of the stack being caught by small triangular stops 98 formed at the opposite ends of the stop partition 70, these stops engaging over the top of the stack. The stripping roller 96 has an elastomeric surface to provide frictional engagement with the upper sheet of the stack 40' to move it to the right as viewed in FIG. 2, overcoming the resistance of the corner stops 98 by the simple expedient of slightly dog-earing the paper but in easy bends so that it springs back to its generally planar condition after having passed these stops in moving to the right as viewed in FIG. 2. The path taken by the paper is shown at 44 in broken lines.
One need not depend upon the stack of paper sheets to push itself between the arcuate extension plate 88 and the stripping roller 96 against the pressure of the spring 92. The plate 88 may be connected to a manual lever (not shown) that extends to the exterior of the magazine 38 enabling the plate 88 to be manually depressed when desired to enable the proper sheets to be moved easily into the position shown in FIG. 2. As will be explained in connection with FIG. 4, automatic means may be provided for the same purpose.
The stripping roller 96 is mounted on a shaft 100 and is driven by a gear 102 in a manner to be described. The roller 96, shaft 100 and gear 102 are mounted on the side walls of the magazine 38 which are not shown in FIG. 2.
The paper leaves the stack at 40' and passes by way of the planar guide member 104 connected to the partition 70 to the nip of a pair of rollers 106 and 108, the lower roller 106 being mounted on a shaft 110 driven by a gear 112 secured to the shaft 110 at one end thereof in a manner to be described. The roller 106 is elastomeric coated so as to drive the roller 108 and the paper 44 as the paper passes between the rollers on its way to the transfer station 114. A guide plate 116 mounted on the post 118 cooperates with another guide plate 120 mounted on the post 122 in feeding the paper member 44 to the transfer station.
An upper guide plate 124 cooperates with the guide member 104.
The guide member 104, shaft 110, roller 106, roller 108 and its shaft 126, post 118 and guide 116 are all mounted on structural parts of the magazine 38. The slide plate 84 preferably slides on suitable guides and/or antifriction means (not shown) on the base plate 128, the latter being part of the main chassis of the copier 10 and either comprising the base 12 or being connected therewith. The upper end of the wall 72 has a flange 130 which cooperates with the end of the upper panel 16' to close the same off but is readily capable of withdrawal therefrom when the entire magazine 38 is pulled out of the back of the copier 10. A simple stop member 132 secured to the base plate 128 limits the inward movement of the magazine 38, that is, to the right as viewed in FIG. 2.
The magazine is shown and explained herein as a drawer-like member capable of being slid into and out of the rear end of the copier 10. It is not expected that its weight alone will be depended upon to hold the magazine in place; hence latches, detents, pins or any other simple mechanical means may be used firmly to hold the same in place for readily being released when desired. In addition, for safety purposes electrical interlocks may be incorporated into the arrangement so that the power circuit is opened when the magazine 38 is removed.
The rear wall 76 of the magazine 38 has a trim or stiffening plate 134 secured thereto as by welding, the bottom of which may be formed into a gripping projection 136 to be grasped by the person desiring to pull the magazine 38 out of the rear of the copier 10.
If the fillet 78 was in the form of a leaf spring the rear wall 76 could be pivoted rearward, to the left as viewed in FIG. 2, to open the chamber 94 wide for inserting a supply paper or for removing paper sheets which may have inadvertently been wrinkled or stuffed into the chamber 94. This alternate construction is described in FIG. 4 but is not normally required. Thus the wall 76 may be permanently secured between end plates or gussets forming the magazine. The paper stack will normally slide down the chamber 94 without wrinkling. The distance between walls 72 and 76 is chosen to accommodate about a hundred sheets of ordinary plain paper without crowding.
Additionally, constructional details of the magazine 38 will be described in connection with FIGS. 3 and 4 but for the time being these will be delayed until the remainder of the details of FIG. 2 has been described.
The toner supply and applying device 48 is shown on the left side of FIG. 2 toward the rear of the copier 10 located wholly within the quadrant defined by the magazine 38 and the plane 74. There is a hopper 138 having an opening at the top which is preferably covered by the closure 140, the hopper also having a cyclindrical formation 142 at the bottom thereof. The cylindrical formation 142 is open from the bottom right hand edge 144 of the hopper 138 to the belt assembly 60 to enable the dispensing of the toner material 146 carried in the hopper. The edge 144 is slightly spaced above the surface of the magnetic roller 148 and it functions as a doctor or metering edge to provide a layer of the toner material 146 evenly upon the surface of the magnetic roller at 145. This is brought into engagement with the belt of the belt assembly 60.
It will be appreciated that the hopper is probably best made out of a non-magnetic material such as brass or plastic and it extends a substantial distance across the width of the copier to enable toner material 146 to be applied to the belt of the assembly 60 fully across the belt.
The magnetic cylinder or roller 148 rotates on the shaft 150 within the cylindrical formation 142 at a speed of several hundred revolutions per minute. This is many times the speed of the belt of the belt assembly such that the drive train would be different. Typical speeds of the other rotating members are twenty to thirty revolutions per minute. In the copier 10 which is illustrated and described, a pulley 152 is secured to the shaft 150 at one end thereof and a belt 151 establishes a coupling to a pulley 153 connected to the shaft of the motor by way of belt 155, sheave 157 and the pulley 159.
The rotary magnetic toning roller 148 of the toning device 48 is often referred to in the art as a magnetic brush and this designation will be used in the claims.
The toner material 146 which is preferred for the copier 10 is a magnetic type of electroscopic dry toner. Since the cylinder 148 is magnetic it picks up the toner from the supply in the hopper 138 and rolls it against the belt where the charged incremental areas of the photoconductive surface of the belt in turn pick up the toner electrostatically, the uncharged area of the belt remaining blank. Any toner which is not picked up by the charged areas of the belt is carried back by the roller 148 to the body 146 in the hopper 138.
It is contemplated according to the invention that the belt assembly 60 will be removable and therefore, some means are provided for moving the entire toner supply and applying device 48 a slight distance away from the belt assembly 60 when it is desired to remove the said belt assembly 60. This is to prevent toner spills and tearing of the belt. In FIG. 2 the shaft 150 is mounted on a yoke or link 154 that in turn is fixed to a shaft or rod 156. The rod 156 extends through parts of the framing structure or chassis of the copier 10 at the ends of the shaft 150 so that access may be had to said shaft 156. The entire device is biased to the right by means of suitable springs such as shown diagramatically at 158 whereby the magnetic wheel 148 is moved into pressing engagement with the belt or close enough to establish a toning gap that is determined to be suitable for most efficient transfer of the toner material 146 to the belt. Suitable stop means may be provided for this purpose but are not shown in FIG. 2.
By twisting the shaft 156 in a counter-clockwise direction, the device 48 can be tilted to the left against the bias of the spring 158, widening the gap between the magnetic rotor 148 and the belt of the belt assembly 60 and at the same time bringing the opening at the top of the hopper to the left of the position shown. It will be appreciated that if the magazine 38 is not in place, the entire rear end of the copier 110 is open and access may be had to the hopper 138. The upper opening of the hopper is canted so that when pivotally moved a substantial distance to the left by the twisting of the shaft 156, the hopper is erect, the closure member 140 may be removed and additional toner material 146 added to the hopper 138. A lock arrangement may be used to hold the toner supply and feeding device 48 in any position to which it may have been moved. In FIGS. 5 and 6 for example a knob 160 is shown protruding from the side wall 162, the knob being capable of manipulation by the operator to achieve the ends described. Any type of locking mechanism can be used to hold the toner supply and applying device in any rotated position as for example, a simple spring-pressed pin moving with the knob 160 as shown at 164 cooperating with several perforations 166 in the side wall 162. The operator merely pulls the pin out of one perforation and is then able to rotate the knob 160 to bring the pin to any of the other perforations where desired. In normal operating condition, the pin is not in a perforation.
The drive motor 50 is located towards the front end of the copier 10 below the panel 16 and geometrically is outside of the quadrant previously described. It is mounted to one or the other of the side plates, only one being shown at 162. The motor will have gear reduction means so that a counter shaft 168 rotates at a moderate speed in the direction indicated by the arrow thereby driving sprocket wheels 170 and 172. These sprocket wheels are required to be located such that there should be no interference with the removability of the belt assembly 60. A sprocket chain 174 drives the shaft 176 through the sprocket wheel 178 mounted on the shaft 176. This is the belt drive as will be explained. The sprocket wheel 174 drives the sprocket chain 180 that connects with a sprocket wheel 182 mounted on the shaft 184 to which is connected the bottom roller 188 of the toner fixing device 66. The directions of rotation of the various sprocket wheels and rollers are indicated by suitable arrows.
As previously mentioned, the magnetic roller 148 of the toning device 48 is driven at a much greater speed than any of the other mechanisms of the copier; hence it is coupled to the motor 50 without going through the substantial speed reduction gearing that rotates shaft 168. Preferably it is driven by a directly rotating shaft of the motor 50 through a pulley and belt system 151, 152, 153, 155, 157, 159.
The next component which is illustrated in FIG. 2 which it is desired to describe consists of the illuminating station and projecting means 52. It is not strictly proper to refer to the illuminating station and projecting means 52 as a component since the structure comprises several elements and performs several different functions. Accordingly no limitations are to be inferred by the nomenclature used.
The components or structural parts forming the illuminating and projecting means consist of a glass platen 190 that is provided across a substantial portion of the copier on the inside of the cover member 22 set into and held in place by a metal frame 192, the platen 190 being the only window in the top panel 16 giving visible access to the interior of the copier. The bottom surface of the platen 190 faces into a light baffle 194 formed of sheet metal and secured as indicated at 196 to the bottom of the panel 16. The lower walls of the baffle formed a sort of trough by means of the tapered portions 198 and 200, these portions terminating in downwardly extending parallel flanges 202. The flanges 202 terminate immediately above the belt of the belt assembly 60 at a location 204 which can be designated the exposure station because this is where the previously charged electrophotographic member will be selectively discharged in accordance with the patterned radiant energy coming from the illuminating and projection station 52.
A pair of lamps 206 and 208 are mounted within the baffle 194 at the bottom thereof, both lamps extending through the baffle and outside of the side walls thereof to be secured in conventional sockets and connected to the power supply therefor. These lamps are preferably tubular elongate gas filled lamps of the fluorescent type containing mercury and argon but could as well be quartz iodide lamps. Because of the geometric arrangement and the efficiency of the projecting system these lamps operate at lower illumination levels than those in the usual copier. The type of lamps 206 and 208 which are shown have substantially opaque fluorescent coatings either on their interior or exterior leaving window strips at 210 and 212, the lamps being oriented on their axes in such a manner that the windows are directed toward the approximate center of the platen 190 on the bottom and along the length thereof. As will be seen, illumination is adjustable by rotating the socket of the lamp 208 so that its window 212 changes position.
The flanges 202 are secured by screws 220 to a pair of opposing clamping strips 216 and 218 that extend fully across the light baffle 194 and engage between them a rectangular elongate member 214 which may be described as a lens. The lens 214 is adjusted and focussed by moving it up or down in its location between the clamping strips 216 and 218. Any adjusted position may be locked by set screws (not shown) carried by the framework and engaging the lens ends. When the magazine 38 has been removed access may be had to the heads of the screws 220 and other parts of the illuminating station and projecting means. The lens adjustment is normally made in the factory where the copier 10 is fabricated.
The lens 214 is a known element consisting of an elongate, rectangular cross-section molded plastic member having a plurality of optical fibers geometrically placed at locations staggered along the length and passing through from top to bottom edge. Light captured by the upper edge 222 will be faithfully transmitted in collimated fashion by the optical fibers to the bottom edge 224 from whence it will be projected onto the belt at the exposure station 204.
As the original document 26 moves over the platen 190 it is illuminated from the bottom thereof by the lamps 206, 208 and the reflected and illuminated image is transmitted by the lens 214 to the exposure station 204. The location of the lens 222 between the flanges 202 must be adjusted for the sharpest image after which it is clamped in place permanently. It can be understood that only progressive strips of the bottom surface of the document 26 will be projected so that it is essential that the belt of the belt assembly 60 and the original document move in sychronism, and as will be seen since all movement is effected from a single motor 50 there is no problem to achieve such sychronization.
In the process of passing through a cycle of operation, the copier 10 provides for cleaning the belt of any toner which it carries and which was not transferred at the transfer station 114. Cleaning can be preliminary assisted by discharging the belt and neutralizing any remaining toner particles by corona and illumination. The mechanical cleaning or removing of the remaining toner particles is effected directly by the toner applying device 48 as will be explained. Conveniently the corona discharge means 54, the illumination discharge means 56 and the charging means 58 may all be mounted in a single structural assembly because all of them have to be supplied with electric power by wiring. A holder 228 in the form of a bracket or a plate of non-insulating material has compartments 230, 232 and 234 formed by suitable dividers. In the first compartment 230, considering the direction in which the belt moves as indicated by the arrows, there is disposed a corona wire 236 which may consist of a single member or several. This tends to discharge any charge which remains on the belt by applying an even corona opposite in plurality to the charging corona across the belt and neutralizes any toner particles which may be on the belt.
In the next compartment 232 which comprises the illumination discharge means 56 are located a plurality of tungston lamps 238 extending across the belt. These discharge any charged areas that remain on the belt following the corona discharge means 54. In the last compartment 234 there is located the high voltage charging means consisting of a corona wire 240 that applies the charge to the belt evenly across the belt, this charge being of a polarity and sufficiently high intensity which will be acceptable by the photoconductive coating of the belt.
The next portion of the copier to be described comprises the belt assembly 60 which has been mentioned previously in connection with its relationship with other components.
The belt assembly 60 is a self-contained unit preferably and hence is readily removable from the copier 10. It comprises a pair of opposite oval side plates one of which can be seen at 242 in FIGS. 5 and 6. These side plates are spaced apart by suitable rods or braces which are not shown in the drawings. The opposite side plate would be seen at 244 through the belt in FIG. 2.
The principal components of the belt assembly are the two rollers 246 and 248 which are formed of aluminum cylinders extending fully across the belt assembly. The rear roller 246 is the larger of the two and it is located fully within the quadrant previously described, being to the left of the plane 74. Along its top edge, that is along a line parallel with the axis of the roller 246 the belt 250 which is carried by the rollers 248 and 246 passes through the exposure station 204 and to the right of that as viewed in FIG. 2 is the charging station at 252 immediately below the charging means 58 where the belt 250 can receive the charged ions raining down onto the belt from the corona wire 240. The belt passes over the smaller roller 248 in the lower portion of the copier 10 to the right as viewed in FIG. 2, below the motor 50.
The belt 250 in a practical device was formed of three laminated layers, the bottom being polyester sheeting, the middle layer being metal foil and the exterior being a zinc compound. A member of this construction is formed as a strip whose width is somewhat greater than 81/2 inches, connected end to end to form the loop of the endless belt. Thus the outer surface 254 presents the zinc oxide to the exterior of the belt for taking part in the electrostatic process while the interior surface 256 of the belt rides on the rollers 246 and 248. The intervening layer which is not identified by a reference numeral comprises the required ohmic layer. The zinc oxide type of photoconductive coating 254 requires a negative corona for charging such that the corona wire 240 is energizcd for negative charging whereas the corona wire 236 for discharging purposes would furnish positive ions. The voltage of wire 240 is about 6500 while the voltage of wire 236 is about 4000. It is feasible to use other types of photoconductive materials such as for example the crystalline cadium sulfide coating disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,025,339 that requires a negative corona for charging. Positive charging photoconductors could be used.
The chassis or framework of the copier 10 on the far side as viewed in FIG. 2, this being the right hand side of the copier, carries the shaft 176 with the sprocket wheel 178 driven by the sprocket chain 174 and the motor 50. A gear 270 is mounted on the shaft 176, the gear 270 meshing with the large spur gear 154 fixedly mounted on the shaft 274. The shaft 274 may either be a rod fixed to the side plate of the copier on its right side or may be journalled for rotation on said side plate. In the case that it is journalled in the side plate of the copier 10 for rotation, the gear 154 carries a plurality of pins 276 in its face plate, these pins adapted to engage openings 278 provided in a disc 280 that closes off the far end of the roller 246 as viewed in FIG. 2. On the shaft 274 axially spaced away from the gear 154 there is provided a sprocket wheel 282 that is driven by the shaft 274 for a purpose to be described. In the case that the shaft 274 is fixed rod, the sprocket wheel 282 would be journalled on the rod.
The roller 248 is much smaller than the roller or drum 246 so that paper which engages against the belt at the bottom of the belt assembly at the transfer station 114 will not have a tendency to wrap around the belt. This is opposed by the small radius of curvature of the lower end of the belt. The otherwise open ends of roller 248 are closed off by discs 284 or bearings in which shaft 286 is journalled. The roller rotates on shaft 286 which can float to a small extent when the assembly 60 has been removed from the copier 10. The shaft 286 of the roller 248 is mounted between the support plates 242 and 244 in such a manner as to enable the roller 248 to be moved slightly to the left. Such mounting could for example be slots as 243 in side plates 242 and 244. When it is necessary to replace the belt 250 the tension on the belt is relieved by moving the roller 248 slightly to the left as viewed in FIG. 2. Any suitable mechanisms can do this, the one shown being only by way of example.
There are links 288 which are connected across the interior of the belt assembly mounted for sliding on the interior of the side plates 242 and 244 along the axis of the oval defined by the belt 250. The sliding is confined by a pin and slot connection 290 of each link. The link 288 shown in FIG. 2 is duplicated on the opposite side. The right hand end of link 288 is engaged to shaft 286 (the slot 243 is not in the link but in the side plate 244). Springs 292 connected to the side plates of the belt assembly 60 tend to pull the link 258 to the right to tension the belt 250 while pushing the shaft 286 and hence the roller 248 to the right as far as permitted in the slots 243. A lever 294 mounted at each end of a shaft 296 protruding through the front side plate and connected to a knob 298 engages a pin 300 on each link 288. Rotating the shaft 296 counter clockwise by means of the knob 242 enables the operator to relieve the tension on the belt 250 so that it can be slipped off the belt assembly frame and replaced. When the knob is released the springs 292 move the roller 248 to the right tensioning the belt 250.
The connection described above as comprising the pins 276 in the gear 276 and openings in the disc 80 serves two purposes. The first is to provide a separable axial coupling between the gear 276 and the roller 264 so that the roller may be driven; the second is accurately to position and locate the left hand end of the belt assembly 60 when it is being installed in the copier. The connection can be anything equivalent as for example an infinite engagement clutch or frictional couplings which do not require radial alignment to achieve positive driving engagement.
The right hand end of the belt assembly must also be positioned accurately but because the roller 248 is idling the requirements are less stringent than the means for mounting and centering the left hand end. Thus the far wall of the framework may carry a stub shaft or pin 291 adapted to engage into a passageway 293 in the support plate 244 when the assembly 60 is installed in the copier 10. During removal, the passageway is readily pulled axially away from and off the pin 291.
The gear 154 also meshes with a magnetic clutch/gear device 302 which, when energized will drive the shaft 304 to rotate a connecting gear 306 that meshes with the gear 102. When the magazine 38 is fully installed in the copier 10 the gear 102 comes into meshed engagement with the gear 306 so that the large gear 154 is capable of driving the stripping roller 96 depending upon the condition of the magnetic clutch/gear device 302.
A gear 308 meshes with the gear 270 to drive the shaft 310. This gear 308 in turn drives a second gear 314 similar to the gear 308 and also mounted on the same shaft 310 but separated therefrom by a magnetic clutch indicated symbolically at 312. The second gear 314 on the shaft 310 is aligned with the gear 308 but the shaft 310 is two aligned sections so that unless the magnetic clutch 312 is energized the gear 314 will not rotate. The gear 112 is meshed with the gear 314 and will be so meshed when the magazine 38 is in position. Withdrawal of the magazine from the copier 10 pulls the gears 102 and 112 out of meshing engagement with the respective gears 306 and 314.
Drawing attention now to the drive for the original document transport means 64, there are two sets of rollers 316 and 318 mounted on the shafts 320 and 322 respectively with pulleys 324 and 326 also mounted on the respective shafts 320 and 322. The rollers 316 and 318 are rubber covered and extend in sections across the copier 10 within the baffle 200 as best viewed in FIG. 7 where the baffle has been removed. The rollers are arranged in axially spaced groups to provide for positive drive and to facilitate their mounting. The cover member 22 is removable by any suitable means such as detents, screws or the like and carries back-up rollers 328 and 330 which are mounted on shafts 332 and 334. The back-up rollers 328 and 330 are of metal while the drive rollers 324 and 326 are of rubber or other elastomeric material. The rollers 328 and 330 are spring-pressed to engage with the rollers 324 and 326.
The cover member includes a hold down plate 336 tilted up at the right and biased against the upper surface of the glass platen 190. When an original document 26 is driven to the left by the drive rollers 316 and the back-up roller 328 it is directed to lie flat against the upper surface of the glass platen 190 where it can be illuminated.
The sprocket wheel 282 drives a toothed rubber belt 338 that extends over the pulleys or small sprocket wheels 324 and 326 to drive the rollers 316 and 318.
The toner fixing device 66 is an apparatus that fixes the toner to the paper carrier by means of high pressure. The transfer corona device 62 has a transfer corona wire 340 which causes the developed image on the bottom reach of the belt 250 to be transferred to the passing sheet of paper 44 which follows the guide 342 to the nip between the drive roller 188 and the pressure roller 344. The construction of the device 66 is well known, the device being commercially available; hence there is no need to describe in detail its construction and operation. It will be appreciated that any form of toner fixing means may be used. For example, the toner may be fixed by heat in which case there would be a source of heat or infra red radiation at the location of the toner fixing device 66 toward the front of the copier 10.
Attention is now invited to FIG. 3 and to FIG. 4. In FIG. 3 there is illustrated in perspective view a practical magazine 38 some of the parts thereof having previously been identified in the description above. The framework or chassis for the magazine 38 is built upon the slide plate 84, there being a pair of opposite L-shaped structural members 348 and 350 secured to the top of the slide plate 84 along its side edges by means of suitable flanges such as shown at 352. The lateral tab 354 has an equivalent on the opposite side and it helps to center the magazine when it is inserted into the rear of the copier 10. Alternatively there may be guides, anti-friction rollers, etc. in the copier to receive and center the magazine 38 in its movement into and out of the copier.
The front or inside arcuate wall 72 is permanently secured between the side plates 348 and 350 with its vertical end 72' somewhat extended and not following precisely the quadrant curves. The forward edge at 356 is flanged for stiffness.
It can be seen that the stripping roller 96 is mounted on the shaft 100 and is journaled by means of suitable bearings at 358 and 360. Its gear 102 protrudes laterally from the side plate 350. This gear 350, it will be recalled from the above description, is adapted to engage with the gear 306 that, in turn, is connected to the shaft 304 which carries a magnetic clutch and gear 302 for engaging with the gear 154. In this manner, when the magnetic clutch is energized by the program of the copier (which is built into the electronics that operate the system and which are not shown) the stripping roller 96 will be driven to strip the upper sheet of paper from the stack at 40' and move it into the nip of the rollers 106 and 108. The paper sheet is shown in broken lines at 44 and it waits at this point until the timing of the system operates the drive roller 106.
The drive roller 106 is a rubber covered roller as seen in FIG. 3 mounted on the shaft 110 and journalled in suitable bearings 362 in the side plates 348 and 350. The gear 112 is fixed to the end of the shaft where it can mesh with the gear 314 that in turn can be rotated by the shaft 310 when the magnetic clutch 312 is energized. This couples the gear 308, driven by the gear 270, to the gear 112. The back up roller 108 is mounted on the shaft 126 journalled in the bearings 364 in the side plates 348 and 350.
It may be assumed that the rear wall 76 of the magazine 38 is fixed so that the chamber 94 cannot be opened, but as previously stated this wall can, in another embodiment, be hingedly mounted to enable it to swing back. One version has been explained in substituting a leaf spring for the fillet 78. Another version is shown diagrammatically in the magazine 38' in FIG. 4.
In FIG. 4 the slide plate 84, stop plate 70, corners 98, front arcuate wall 72, vertical plate 80 and foot 82, stripping roller 96 and leaf spring 92 are substantially the same as these elements in the copier 10 of FIG. 2. The fillet 78 may or may not be included in the structure as a leaf spring. The hinge 86 is substantially the same in both figures. The rear wall is designated 76' and for the most part its contours follow the contours of the wall 76 of FIG. 2 but its bottom end dips below the line of curvature defined by a continuation of the wall 76' to form a shallow ledge 366. A rocking plate 368 has a front part 370 and a rear part 372. The front part 370 is upwardly offset relative to the rear part to provide a continuation of the contours of the rear wall 76' of the magazine, there being a fixed bridging plate 374 that extends from the bend 376 adjacent the lower end of the rear wall 76' to the center 378 of the rocking plate 368 where the offset front part 370 begins.
The center 378 of the rocking plate 368 is pivotally mounted at 380 to an upstanding plate 382 welded or otherwise secured across the upper surface of the slide plate 84. The leaf springs 92 bias the front part 370 to move upward in a counterclockwise direction about the pivot 380 tending to cause the front part 370 to press any paper sheets lying thereon against the stripping roller 96 with the opposite paper corners caught beneath the triangular stops 98. These stops and the roller 96 limit upward movement of the front edge of the part 370 when no paper is present.
The rearmost edge 384 of the rear part 372 of the rocking plate 368 is shown in FIG. 4 lying on the ledge 366 of the rear wall 76', below the bend 376 with no paper in the magazine 38'. When there is a supply of paper in the magazine 38', the front part 370 of the rocking plate 368 occupies a position lower than shown because the springs 92 are compressed. The paper sheets are in condition to be consecutively stripped off the stack and fed toward the transfer station 114. When there is a supply of paper present the rearmost edge 384 will be slightly spaced above the ledge 366 but will gradually move downward as the paper sheets of the supply are depleted.
Assuming now that the supply of paper sheets is depleted, the rear wall 76' may be swung "open" in a counter clockwise direction about the hinge 86 against any suitable spring bias which may be provided as for example, the bias of the fillet 78 which is shown as a leaf spring in FIG. 4. That is to say that the upper edge is secured to the wall 76' and the lower edge is free to slide against the standard 80 and/or a fixed wing of hinge 86.
As the wall 76' is swung "open" it will provide access to the chamber 94 along a substantial portion of its arc enabling any paper jams to be removed but additionally enabling a stack of paper easily to be inserted. For example sheets substantially shorter than the normal eight and a half inches in length can be inserted.
Where the paper comprises a large stack or is relatively stiff there would normally be no difficulty in forcing the bottom, leading edge of the stack between the stripping roller 96 and the front part 370 of the rocking plate 370 against the pressure of the springs 92. Nonetheless, in order to simplify paper insertion the structure described operates to lower the part 370 automatically when the wall 76' is swung outward. This is effected by the rearmost end 384 of the part 372 of the rocking plate 368 being raised by the ledge 366. This movement rotates the rocking member 368 in a clockwise direction about the pivot 380, causing the part 370 to move downward away from the stripping roller 96 against the springs 92, the latter being compressed as a result.
In this condition and holding the wall 78' in its outward condition, the operator can load the magazine. The paper will readily ride over the bridging plate 374, onto the part 370 and into dispensable position engaged against the stop 70.
In FIG. 5 the panel 18 has been swung down about the hinges 390 that are connected between the panel 18 and the base plate 128 or the sheet metal base 12 of the copier 10. There is a conventional magnetic latch arrangement consisting of the small magnets 392 secured to the side plate 162 of the copier chassis and the small steel plate 394 adhered to the inside of the panel 18. Opening the side panel 18 requires only pulling the same outward against the attraction of the magnets 392 for the small plate 394.
With the side plate 18 on the left side of the copier 10 pulled down to the position shown the side plate 242 of the belt assembly 60 is exposed, being visible through an oval perforation 396 that is cut into the plate 242. As mentioned previously, all coupling means for driving the belt 250 are mounted on the right hand side of the copier to the chassis or side plate. This is not shown directly but can be understood from the explanation given above.
A centering and supporting bracket 398 formed of a robust gauge of metal is hingedly secured to the chassis either directly to the base plate 128 or sheet metal of the base 12 overlying the base plate 128. The bracket has a socket or perforation 402 which is accurately located to engage the protruding pilot end 404 of the shaft 274. In the case that the shaft 274 rotates, the perforation 272 may have an antifriction sleeve therein. The bracket has an ear 406 at its upper end which can be grasped to enable the bracket to be pulled down to the broken line position shown in FIG. 5. When this has been done the belt assembly 60 can be grasped by the handle and pulled out of the chassis as shown in FIG. 6. This cannot readily be done, however, unless the toning device 48 has been swung out of engagement with the belt 250 as previously explained.
In removing the belt assembly 60 the pins 276 are separated from the perforations 278 of the end disc 280 of the roller 246 and the discs slip off the shaft 274 while passageway 293 moves away from the pin 291. With the assembly 60 separated from the copier 10 the knob 298 can be manipulated to retract the roller 248 sufficiently to enable the sleeve comprising the belt 250 to be removed and replaced. Replacement of the assembly 60 is done by the reverse procedure.
In FIG. 7 there is illustrated the appearance of the copier from the top with the cover member 22 removed. The framing plate 192 can be seen with the glass platen 190 in its center. Front and rear of the plate one can see the series of rollers 316 and 318 which, as illustrated, are in sections spaced along the lengths of the respective shafts 320 and 322. Portions of the upper panel 16 extend between the roller lengths like fingers separating the roller sections. At the far end of the panel one can see the upper segments of the pulleys or sprocket wheels 324 and 326 protruding slightly from slots in the panel 16.
The lamps 206 and 208 are much closer to one another and to the platen 190 than appears from the diagrammatic view of FIG. 2. In FIG. 7 these lamps can be seen through the transparent glass platen 190 and their distance apart is more readily perceived as relatively close together, say by a fraction of an inch.
The thumb wheel 34 which is connected to the socket for the lamp 208 protrudes from a slot in the panel 16 to enable slight rotation of the lamp 208 for adjusting the amount of illumination. The wheel and/or the panel may be suitable marked to indicate the degree of illumination resulting from different dispositions of the wheel 34.
In the diagrammatic view of FIG. 8 the relationships between the lamp 208, platen 190, the cover member 22 and the portions of the copier in the view can be seen. The lamp 208, just like the lamp 206 (not shown in FIG. 8) extends substantially beyond both ends of the platen 190, with the terminal ends mounted in sockets, one of which is shown at 410 protruding beyond the inner side plate 162 of the chassis. The thumb wheel 34 is mounted to the socket 410 and protrudes through the slot 412 in the panel 16 alongside of the cover member 22. Rotating the wheel 34 will change the aspect of the window 212 of the lamp 208, as explained, thereby varying the total illumination of the strip of the original document which is at the time engaged against the platen 190.
The simplicity of the apparatus of the copier 10 enables the programming and timing to be effected with a minimum of circuitry, that circuitry which is used being readily evolved by an engineer skilled in the electronics arts after an understanding of the operation is achieved. Accordingly, no circuitry is illustrated but instead, the timing diagram and explanation should suffice.
Looking now at the timing diagram, FIG. 9, it can be seen that the horizontal bars 420, 422, 424, 426, 428 and 430 represent the times that the important functions of the copier 10 are occurring. All of them are related as well to the total distance that the belt 250 has travelled. The circumferential length of the belt in a practical example was chosen to be 16 inches (about 40.64 centimeters) and a cycle was accomplished with two revolutions of the belt or 32 inches of travel. In that example the time for a cycle was slightly more than 12 seconds and in FIG. 9 the same horizontal scale used to show the belt travel is also used to show the elapsed time.
The relationship of the belt position and the timing of the cycle is required to take into consideration the position of the belt with respect to the seam, if there is a seam. It is essential in such case that the belt stop at substantially the same attitude for each cycle so that the seam does not interfere with the latent image.
Assuming a belt with a seam, which at the present time is the construction contemplated for the practical example, there is a timing hole in the far belt edge indicated at 432 in FIG. 2. The belt 250 is formed with a foil or metallic strip at the far edge that is in electrical contact with the ohmic substrate of the belt 250 as well understood by those skilled in this art, the photoconductive material 254 being an outer layer of the belt. The metallic edge is engaged by a metal brush (not shown) mounted on the framework of the copier and grounded thereto so that the corona gaps for the charging and discharging corona are between the wires of the corona devices and the grounded, conductive substrate of the belt 250. Conveniently, the hole 432 is in the conductive strip so that the means for sensing the hole 42 may be mounted on the far side plate of the chassis of the copier 10 as viewed in FIG. 2. Such means are represented symbolically by a source of light 434 and a photodetector 436 responsive to the light (see FIG. 2).
Recall that the belt assembly 60 is removable from the copier so that the source 434 and photodetector 436 are required to be on the side of the chassis where lateral movement of the belt assembly 60 will not be interfered with.
Returning now to the timing diagram of FIG. 9 it will be noted that the bar 420 represents the movement of the belt 250 for operation of the discharge corona 54, energization of the motor 50, movement of the belt 250, energization of the lamps 206 and 208, operation of the rollers 316 and 318 operation of the toning device 48 and operation of the toner fixing or fuser device 66. Furthermore, this bar extends the full length of the diagram. The significance of this is that when the power is turned on by the operator through pressing the button 32 the motor 50 starts and continues for the complete cycle and the electrical circuitry turns on the lamps 206 and 208 as well as the discharge corona 54, all of which are energized for the complete cycle. The motor 50 has mechanical coupling with all of the driven rollers of the copier 10 but that coupling is direct only with the belt roller 246, the fuser drive sprocket wheel 188, the toner magnetic roller 148, the rollers 316 and 318 and the roller 148 of the toning device 48 through gearing. Accordingly the direct coupled rollers are rotating for the full cycle even though they may not be performing their functions for the full cycle.
The arrangement described makes for simplicity and reliability in the operation of the copier.
The electrical circuitry is such that the sensing of the hole 432 by the photoresponsive combination 434/436 will deenergize the power applied to the copier and will place the circuitry in such a state that the manual operation of a switch through the button 32 will restore the power. The circuitry is also arranged so that the photoresponsive combination will be ineffective the first time that it "sees" the hole 432 after the power has been restored but effective the second time thereby enabling the belt 250 to make two complete revolutions for each cycle.
When the power is applied to the electrical circuitry a clock is started which controls, through suitable switching means and logic, the timing of the functions which are not effected directly by the rotation of the motor 50 and electrical apparatus energized simultaneously with the motor for the full cycle. The first functions represented by the bars 422 and 424 become effective after the belt 250 has travelled a fraction of an inch. The charge corona 58 is turned on and the stripper magnetic clutch 302 is energized which starts the rotation of the stripper roller 96. The lamps 206 and 208 have been energized and the rollers 316 and 328 have gripped the original document 26 and moved the same forward to the platen 190 where it is illuminated, the progressive strips of the pattern carried by the document 26 being projected through the lens 214 to the exposure station 204. The charge corona 58 has been charging the photoconductive surface 254 of the belt 250 so that a latent image is being progressively formed at the exposure station 204 and carried counterclockwise around to the developer station represented by the engagement of the magnetic roller 148 with the belt 250. The latent image in this manner is progressively applied to the surface of the belt 250.
The movement of the stripper roller 96 carries the top sheet of paper from the stack at 40' along the path 44 to the nip between the so-called synchronizing roller 106 and its back-up roller 108 where it stops, being in a slight bow so as to provide a positive and immediate movement when the time comes for it to move forward (to the right as viewed in FIG. 2). The movement of the paper sheet to its poised position at the synchronizing roller 106 terminates when the belt has moved five inches according to the chart of FIG. 9. The clutch 302 is deenergized at this time. A fraction of a second later, the belt having moved an additional two inches, the magnetic clutch 312 is energized and the synchronizing roller 106 captures and drives the sheet of paper along the path 44 to the transfer station 114 where it meets the moving developed image on the bottom reach of the belt. The transfer corona 62 has been energized in meantime at the point of about nine inches of movement of the belt 250. Assuming that the photoconductor 254 of the belt is the type which is charged negatively by the corona 58, the transfer corona is negative in polarity behind the paper sheet to attract the positive toner to the paper surface from the belt. The voltage is typically about 6000 volts d.c. and a good portion, typically 50% to 75% of the toner from the belt 250 is transferred to the sheet of paper which moves along the guide 342 to the nip of the rollers 188 and 344 where it is fused to the paper and ejected from the copier through the slot 42.
The charge corona 58 is negative at about 6500 volts d.c. and it remains energized for a complete revolution of the belt, that is, a full sixteen inches of travel. Thus, if paper in the stack 40 is either 111/2 inches long or 13 to 14 inches long there is sufficient travel of the belt to accommodate the same as a reproduction of an original document of either size within a complete revolution of the belt 250. Obviously shorter paper is readily handled as well.
The charge corona 58 is deenergized after the single revolution of the belt, the alternate revolution being for the purpose of cleaning the belt.
The small diameter of the roller 248 as illustrated makes it difficult for the paper to adhere to the belt and make the turn so that the paper is stripped off the roller and passes to the fuser 66. Typically and for the practical copier which is described in this specification, the diameter of the larger driven roller 246 is two inches and the diameter of the smaller idler roller 248 is one inch. The assembly 60 may have any known means to keep the belt 250 accurately tracking without lateral wandering.
Inasmuch as the fuser 66 is being driven at all times during the cycle it is immaterial when the toned sheet to which the developed image has been transferred arrives. It will be fixed and pass out of the slot 42 of the copier.
After a single revolution of the copier belt 250 the leading edge of the surface 254 which constituted the developed image is just before the discharge corona 236. At this point the discharge lamps 238 of the discharge section 56 are energized. Any toner which remained on the belt and which was not transferred is neutralized by the discharge corona 54, this being maintained at a voltage of about 4000 volts positive d.c., its adherence to the belt being minimumized by the discharge corona. The actual removal is effected by the rotating magnetic roller 148. The discharge corona is energized at all times during the cycle.
The discharge illuminating device 56 is for discharging any charge which may have remained on the belt 250 by means of light, the means used to produce the latent image being, of course, also light. The discharge lamps come on after the first revolution of the belt and remain energized for the complete second revolution of the belt. This selective lighting of the lamps ensures that the light from the device 56 will not interfere with the charging of the photoconductive surface 254 by the corona device 58 in the very next compartment. Leakage of light is countereffective to the function of charging the photoconductor 254 fully and evenly.
The photoresponsive combination 434/436 is rendered inoperative when the hole 432 passes at the end of the first revolution, but is enabled by the circuitry so that it is ready to respond when the second revolution is completed.
The cleaning of the belt surface is completed by the magnetic toning device 48 which effectively brushes off all toner remaining after transfer. The toner is neutralized and the belt totally discharged by the corona device 54 and the light discharge device 56 during the second revolution of the belt. Note that the magnetic toning roller 148 is rotating rapidly at all times that the copier 10 is energized.
The transfer of the developed image does not commence until the leading edge of the developed image has passed along the lower reach of the belt 250 and reached the transfer station 114 at the bottom of the belt assembly 60 opposite the bottom of the idler roller 248. Thus the transfer is taking place even after a complete revolution of the belt has been effected and well into the second revolution. This is refelected in the chart of FIG. 9 by the length and position of the bar 430, starting at 9 inches of movement of the belt and continuing until 25 inches, this being a total of 16 inches of movement. The transfer corona 62 is deenergizcd after 25 inches of travel of the belt because it is no longer needed.
When the hole 432 reaches the photoresponsive combination 434/436 the power of the copier is automatically turned off. Note that the lamps 206 and 208 were illuminated for the complete time such that their illumination indicates that the power is on and their extinguishment indicates that the power is off. The light from these lamps is seen in the jewel 39 by the operator who thus knows exactly when the power has been turned off.
The belt 250 may be braked by any suitable means if desired but it has been found that the pressure exerted by the rollers 188 and 344 upon one another produce substantial friction such that there will be very little coasting when the power is removed and the motor 50 stops.
In order to convey some concept of the compactness of the copier 10 of the invention some of the dimensions of the practical device are set forth hereinafter and the remainder of the apparatus may be visualized proportionally from these dimensions.
The dimensions of the rollers constituting the belt assembly 60 have already been given above. Additionally the distance between the axes of the rollers is dictated by the length of the belt 250 and geometrically can be computed. It is about 55/8 inches.
The magnetic roller 148 is 9 inches in length transversely of the copier to provide coverage across the image on the belt which has been produced by paper 81/2 inches wide. The belt is about 91/2 inches wide exclusive of its contact strip.
The overall width of the practical copier including the side panels which swing down is 15 inches and the length of the device front to back is about 14 inches. It stands about 8 inches above any surface upon which it rests. The slot 24 is about 3/8 inch high.
Some of the features of the invention are capable of being used with advantage in other copiers but those which have been combined to achieve compactness herein act in a unique combination to result in a very small but efficient copier. For example, the particular manner of imaging together with the concept of effecting transfer at the bottom of the belt assembly 60 for a period of time while the belt has made more than a revolution result in the compression of the dimensions to achieve the compactness which is so important.
In the claims some language and expressions are used which are intended to designate different aspects of the invention in language which will cover many of the variations in structure and uses to which the copier may be put without unnecessarily limiting the said claims. The original document 26 could be any kind of graphic or text material and is referred to as a patterned original. Obviously this could be a previously made copy. The location where the toning magnetic roller 148 engages the belt is referred to as a toning station. It is also considered that the latent image is developed at this point. The location 204 is called the exposure station because at this point the charged belt surface is exposed to the continuously moving strip of light which has been projected from the original document. The sheets of plain paper which comprise the stack 40 are referred to as carrier medium sheets because they could be any form of paper or perhaps plastic sheets or printed matter, as for example, forms which are to be completed or sheets of copy material which have been reversed so that printing is achieved on both surfaces thereof. The magazine 38 is said to have an entrance at the top thereof and a discharge port, the latter being intended to comprise any structure which holds the paper in position until the top sheet is removed. Thus, in the structure of FIG. 2, the discharge port for the magazine comprises the stop wall 70 and the upper opening formed between the stop wall and the flange 356 from which the sheets will be withdrawn during the operation of the copier.
The fuser device 66 fixes the toner which is transferred from the belt 250 and is referred to as fixing means.
The belt 250 is said to be in oval configuration, this designation being intended to describe the general type of oval used in the specification and drawings with flat sides, called upper and lower reaches, and the unequal radius arcuate ends. For the maximum of benefit of the invention it is best for the configuration of the belt to be oval as described, especially because one end of the oval can be located within the subtended quadrant of the arcuate magazine 38. The advantages of the arcuate magazine 38 can to some extent be achieved in copiers which have the electrophotographic member moving other than in a horizontally or somewhat tilted horizontal configuration. For example, a cylindrical configuration as provided by the use of a drum will still provide a compact copier although its vertical height might have to be increased over that of the preferred form.
The location along the belt where the photoconductor 254 is charged is designated 252 in FIG. 2 and this is called a charging station in the claims. The imaging system is generally used to describe several aspects which include the charging station and the exposure station 204. The illuminating station and projecting means 52 are together composed of several components which function in concert to achieve the projection of the pattern of the original document 26 onto the belt. The claims to some extent differentiate between the functions but generally reference to means for projecting the pattern is considered that which is necessary to illuminate the document and project the collimated pattern to the exposure station.
Other expressions which are used in the claims should be apparent from the disclosure herein. Relative locations are intended by words such as front, rear, side, top, bottom, etc. The expressions downstream and upstream are used as a simple way to locate components with respect to the direction of movement of the belt. The spacing of the discharge port of the magazine 38 from the rear wall 134 is defined by its distance from a plane tangent to the arc at the top of the magazine because the rear wall 134 is not essential to the structure. The parallel plane 74 is a convenient way of defining the quadrant formed by the magazine curvature.
Variations are capable of being made in the details of the apparatus without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention; hence it is desired to be limited only by the coverage of the appended claims, considered within the maximum range of equivalents to which the inventor is entitled in the light of the prior art. | In an electrostatic copier, a patterned original is moved along the top wall thereof in synchronism with the movement of a flexible electrophotographic looped member. A single electric motor functions to move the electrophotographic member in a predetermined direction past the functional stations of the copier.
The patterned member is moved by a pair of rollers arranged to define a nip, one of the rollers being driven by the electric motor. Power is applied to the electric motor to start rotation of the rollers and movement of the electrophotographic member simultaneously, the rollers arranged to enable a patterned member to be pressed into said nip while the motor is not energized and neither the electrophotographic member nor the one of the said rollers is rotating, at which time the electric motor can be energized manually causing synchronized movement of the patterned member and the electrophotographic member. | 6 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the field of packaging sliced comestible products such as meat, luncheon meat, and cheese using high speed packaging and slicing equipment, it is highly desirable to transfer the sliced product quickly from the slicer to the packaging machine, in an effort to avoid contamination of the product. Generally speaking, modern packaging machines run continuously at high speed, whereas slicing machines, although swift, have inherently erratic outputs. This is due to the fact that the comestible product being sliced often comprises a loaf or large piece of meat, and there is an hiatus in the output between the end of one piece and the commencement of slicing of a subsequent piece. Also, the sliced product is generally placed in stacks each of uniform number of slices, each stack being weight checked. Those stacks which do not meet the weight tolerances are removed from the packaging line. Thus the slicer loading and the stack weight check cause the ultimate slicer output rate to vary considerably.
A serious shortcoming in the prior art is that there is no satisfactory means for matching the erratic slicer output to the constant demand of the packaging machine. The stacks of sliced comestible product are extremely fragile, and cannot undergo many handling operations without destroying the integrity of the stack, as well as the appearance of the product. The use of conveyor belts has been attempted, but detaining a stack on a moving conveyor belt causes the destruction of the bottom slice of comestible. Conveyors comprising rollers have been tried, but the rollers accumulate product fragments and fat which interfere with the rollers and cause unsanitary conditions.
In the actual packaging of the stacks of sliced product, vacuum formed plastic packages are often employed. The container is pre-formed, filled with the stack, and sealed. Since the packages are dimensioned to fit the stack very closely, there is no room for an individual to manually place the stack in the container. Furthermore, accidental contamination of the open end of the container with grease from the hands of the person loading may prevent the securance of a good vacuum seal on the container, allowing the comestible product to spoil. Thus the person loading must be not only quick, but also accurate and clean.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention comprises a device which receives stacks of a sliced comestible product, accumulates a backlog of the stacks to meet the demand of a packaging machine, and loads each stack in the packaging containers. The invention includes a transfer line which comprises three parallel driven belts in vertically adjacent relationship, and a plurality of transfer carriages supported on a track adjoining the belts. The transfer carriages each include a set of horizontally disposed parallel tines for supporting the stack of slices, and a pair of pressure pads for frictionally engaging the upper and lower pair of drive belts. Two rollers are provided to engage the middle belt.
The transfer line extends to a loader which is disposed above a moving web of preformed containers. The medial transfer drive belt is shorter than its counterparts, extending almost to the loader. The pressure pads and rollers are adapted to gradually tip the set of tines downward toward the containers as the medial belt breaks engagement with the roller. A stop latch on the loader is adapted to engage a stop dog extending from each transfer carriage, retaining the transfer carriage as the belts slide by. A plurality of carriages may be backlogged in this manner, and released by the latch at the rate demanded by the loader.
The loader includes opposed rails extending over the packaging web and which slidably support a loader carriage. A set of hooked tines are pivotally secured to the loader carriage, and are disposed to swing down and interdigitate with the tines of a transfer carriage when the latter has translated to the appropriate unloading position. The loader carriage translates along the rails away from the drive belts, removing the stack from the transfer carriage. As the loader rails are slanted downwardly toward the containers, the loader carriage also descends as it approaches the container to be filled.
At the end of the loader rails is disposed a pair of opposed side support guides which are situated just above the opening of the container to be filled, and which are pivotally secured to a drive link. As the drive link is actuated, the side support guides close on the stack situated on the loader carriage, retaining the stack as the carriage withdraws back up its rails. A plunger disposed above the side support guides then descends, pushing the stack into the cavity of the container. The plunger retracts, the side support guides open, the web of containers advances to present a new, unfilled container, and the loading process is repeated.
THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a general plan view of the loader and transfer line of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a vertical elevation of the loader of the present invention prior to engaging the transfer carriage.
FIG. 3 is a top view of elements as depicted in FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the transfer carriage as viewed in FIG. 2.
FIG. 5 is a side elevation of the loader engaging a transfer carriage of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a top view of the elements of the present invention as disposed in FIG. 5.
FIG. 7 is a side elevation of the transfer carriage of the present invention isolated in the disposition depicted in FIG. 5.
FIG. 8 is a side elevation of the loader just prior to loading a container.
FIG. 9 is a top view of the elements of the present invention as depicted in FIG. 8.
FIG. 10 is a side elevation of the loader filling a container and preparing to engage a following transfer carriage.
FIG. 11 is a top plan view of the loader of the present invention.
FIG. 12 is a rear elevation of the loader of the present invention.
FIG. 13 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line 13--13 of FIG. 12.
FIG. 14 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line 14--14 of FIG. 12.
FIG. 15 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line 15--15 of FIG. 12.
FIG. 16 is a composite view of the elements depicted in FIGS. 13-15.
FIG. 17 is a vertical cross sectional view of the loader of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The present invention comprises a device which receives stacks of slices of a comestible product, accumulates the stacks on a transfer line which moves the stacks to a loader, and loads the stacks into containers. As shown in FIG. 1, the invention generally includes a transfer line 21 which is of the endless belt construction. The line circulates about guide wheels beneath the output of a standard comestible product slicer 22 and to a loader 24 which loads the stacks into containers 26. The containers may preferably be of the prefabricated vacuum-formed variety, carried on a web 27 passing beneath the loader and transverse to the transfer line.
As shown particularly in FIG. 2, the transfer line includes an upper rail 28 supported by a plate 29. Depending subjacently from the plate 29 is a lower rail 31, disposed inside the plane of the upper rail. An endless drive belt 32 translates along the inner surface 33 of the upper rail, driven by drive means known in the art, held in place on the upper rail by appropriately placed idler wheels (not shown) and end wheels 34 and 36. A shorter, medial endless drive belt 37 circulates along the upper exterior surface of the lower rail between wheel 34 and wheel 38 (FIG. 1). A lower endless drive belt 39 circulates along the lower exterior surface of the lower rail between end wheels 34 and 36. All three endless drive belts are driven synchronously.
Supported on the transfer line are a plurality of transfer carriages 41. Each carriage 41 includes an upper plate 42 (FIG. 2) to which is pivotally secured a pair of spaced rollers 43. The rollers impinge on the upper surface of the upper rail, allowing the carriages to freely translate therealong. Depending subjacently from the upper plate 42 is a pressure pad 44 adapted to impinge on the drive belt 32, as will be explained. Adjacent to the pressure pad and also extending downward from the upper plate is a stop dog 46. A slot 47 in the edge 45 of the upper plate is provided with a hinge pin which pivotally secures the upper, hinge end 49 of a support bracket 48.
The support bracket 48 includes a web portion 51 extending generally obliquely downward. An arm 52 extending from the medial back surface of the web 51 supports a roller 53 on a vertical pivot pin. The roller 53 is adapted to impinge on the drive belt 37 to aid in driving the transfer carriage along the transfer line and to support the web 51 in the obliquely downwardly extending position shown in FIG. 2 (approximately 10° from vertical). A lateral bar 54 is secured to the lower end of the web 51, extending obliquely therefrom. Extending horizontally from the bar 54 are a plurality of rigid, parallel tines 56, the distal tines together form a platform which is adapted to receive and support one stack 57 of slices of a comestible product, such as meat, luncheon meat, cheese, or the like.
Extending downwardly from the edge 45 of the upper plate are a pair of vertical support webs 58. Each web 58 terminates in a pressure pad 59 which extends horizontally from the back surface thereof to impinge lightly on the lower drive belt 39. Generally speaking, the rollers 43 constitute a fulcrum at the top of the upper rail, and the combined weight of the support bracket 48, the webs 58, and the stack 57 urge the plate 42 in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 2. The clockwise force has an upward vector component and an inward vector component toward the rollers 43. The inward vector component will cause the pressure pad 44 to frictionally engage the drive belt 32 and urge the transfer carriage forward. The weight also causes the roller 53 to impinge on the drive belt 37 and further aid in translating the carriage along the transfer line in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 1. The roller 53 supports the bracket 48 in the oblique position with the tines extending horizontally and the stack disposed vertically.
As each transfer carriage passes the wheel 38 the drive belt 37 returns through the lower rail and passes around the wheel 38, leaving the roller 53 unsupported. The support bracket is then forced by its own weight to rotate about the hinge 49 until it impinges upon the vertical support webs 58. This impingement urges the pressure pads 59 into frictional drive engagement with the drive belt 39, so that the drive belts 39 and 32 continue to urge the transfer carriage forward. The rotation of the support bracket just described causes the tines extending therefrom to dip below horizontal (FIGS. 5, 6, and 7), a disposition which allows the loader to easily remove the stack from the tines without damage to the slices or to the integrity of the stack.
Thus the transfer carriages remove the stacks from the slicer and translate them in a vertical disposition to the loader. It should be noted that a weighing device might advantageously be interposed between the slicer and the transfer line, so that only stacks which fall within the accepted weight tolerances are sent to the loader.
The loader 24 includes a base 61 disposed at the end of the transfer line, near the drive wheel 36. Secured to the base are a pair of opposed tracks 62 extending over the transfer line and perpendicular thereto, and inclined downward from the base 61 (FIG. 2). The tracks are disposed above and straddling the packaging web 63, and are supported at the distal end by vertical members 64. Slidably secured in the tracks is a loader carriage 66, which includes a lateral panel 67 from which extend opposed parallel rails 68 slidably secured in the tracks 62. Each rail is provided with a toothed lower surface 69. A shaft 72 extends normally through both tracks, supporting a pair of gear 71 which each mesh with the teeth of each respective surface 69 to drive the loader carriage along the track. The shaft extends through the track nearest the meat slicer, and a pinion gear 73 is mounted on the protruding end of the shaft 72.
Extending subjacently from the lateral panel 67 are a pair of opposed arms 74. A pivot shaft 76 extends between the lower ends of the arms 74. Fixedly joined to the shaft 76 directly above the packaging web is a loader pusher 77, from which extends a set of parallel hooked tines 78. As shown in FIG. 17, a pneumatic cylinder 79 is secured in a generally upright disposition to the loader carriage. The piston rod 81 of the pneumatic cylinder is pivotally secured to an arm or lever 83 extending from the pivot shaft 76. It may be understood that actuation of the pneumatic cylinder causes the piston rod to descend, rotating the pivot shaft by means of the arm or lever and the link and causing thereby the loader pusher to descend to the disposition shown in FIGS. 5, 8, and 17. Retraction of the cylinder likewise causes the loader pusher to retract, as depicted in FIG. 2 and FIG. 10.
Joined to the base of the loader is a solenoid 84 which has an armature 86 pivotally joined to latch 87. The latch pivots on pin 88 into and out of engagement with the stop dog 46 depending from each transfer carriage, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 17. Extension of the armature causes the latch to engage the stop dog, thereby detaining any transfer carriage proceeding past. The frictional drive means of the transfer carriages is designed to accommodate such detention without adverse effect. Several carriages may be stopped consecutively or simultaneously by a similar latch 85.
It should be noted that the latch 87 is positioned so that a detained transfer carriage is disposed directly above the packaging web, and between and below the tracks of the loader. Further, the transfer carriage is disposed so that the tines of the loader pusher, which descends after the transfer carriage is stopped, will interdigitate with the tines of the transfer carriage to remove the stack therefrom.
Joined to one vertical member 64 is a downwardly oriented pneumatic cylinder 91. The piston rod 92 of the cylinder is pivotally joined to a linking member 93. Extending horizontally between the vertical members 64 is a pivot shaft 94, which is provided with a pair of double pitch worm gears 96 at opposed ends thereof. An arm 95 extending normally from one end of the shaft is joined pivotally to the linking member 93. Thus actuation of the pneumatic cylinder 91 acts through the linking member 93 and dog 95 to cause the shaft 94 to rotate.
A pair of shafts 98 are journalled, each in a respective vertical member 100, each shaft extending vertically downward from the lower end of the member. A pair of opposed side support guides 99 and 101 are disposed at the lower ends of the shafts 98, each guide secured to its respective shaft. Each guide comprises a laterally extending vertical web provided with a slight bend 102 toward its counterpart. The guides are directly superjacent to the packaging web, straddling the container cavity 26 of the web as it translates thereby. Each shaft is provided with a segment gear 104 secured thereon and disposed to mesh with a worm gear 96. Thus rotation of the shaft 94 by the pneumatic cylinder 91 drives the worm gears to rotate the shafts 98. As the gears 104 are counter-pitched, the shafts 98 rotate in opposite directions, so that the side support guides rotate each toward the other. Deactuation of the cylinder 91 allows them to open.
Disposed above and between the side support guides is a plunger 106, which includes a plurality of parallel tines 107 joined to a bar 108 which is secured to the lower end of a rod 109. At the upper end of the rod are pivotally secured a pair of spaced levers 111 and 113, the levers being disposed intermediate of the tracks. A pair of shafts 114 and 116 extend horizontally between the tracks, passing through the other ends of the levers 111 and 113 respectively. A pneumatic cylinder 117 is secured to a frame (not shown) in a obliquely downward orientation, with the piston rod 118 thereof pivotally joined to the lever 111.
With reference to FIG. 8, it may be appreciated that with the pneumatic cylinder 117 in the retracted position the tines 107 are parallel to the upper surface of the stack which is presented directly therebelow by the loader pusher. After the actuation of the side support guides and the retraction of the loader pusher, the pneumatic cylinder 117 is immediately actuated, causing the plunger to descend. As the plunger descends and pushes the stack of slices into the cavity of the packaging web, the double lever mounting of the rod 109 causes the tines 107 to move to horizontal. As the cylinder fully extends the stack is securely ensconced in the cavity, with the tines parallel to the top surface thereof, as shown in FIG. 10, insuring that the top of the stack is flat. The pneumatic cylinder then retracts, raising the plunger once again to the position shown in FIG. 8.
The actuation of the three pneumatic cylinders, as well as the translation of the loader pusher, is accomplished by a control system 121 which is disposed within a housing 122. The control system includes an electric motor 123 mounted on the base and connected to a gear reduction drive 124, commonly known in the art. The output of the gear reduction is a shaft 126, with a spur gear 127 secured on the distal end thereof. The housing includes a pair of opposed vertically disposed walls 128 and 129, with the reduction drive bolted to the wall 128.
Also secured to the wall 128 adjacent to the reduction drive is a single revolution clutch 131, operated by a solenoid 132. A cam shaft 133 extends from the single revolution clutch to a bearing in the wall 129. Joined to the end of the single revolution clutch is a drive gear 134 which meshes with the spur gear 127. The solenoid 132 actuates the single revolution clutch to transfer rotary power from the drive gear to the cam shaft for only one revolution of the cam shaft. The clutch then automatically disengages.
Secured on the cam shaft are cams 136, 137, and 138. Disposed above the cams and in engagement therewith are cam-actuated pneumatic valves 141, 142, and 143, respectively. All of the valves are supplied with compressed air or other gas through header 144. The output of valve 141 is connected through gas line 146 to the pneumatic cylinder 79, so that cam 136 controls actuation of the loader pusher. The output of valve 142 is connected through gas line 147 to pneumatic cylinder 117, so that cam 137 controls the operation of the plunger. Valve 143 is connected to pneumatic cylinder 91 through gas line 148, so that cam 138 controls the actuation of the side support guides 99 and 101.
The cam shaft rotates counter-clockwise, with reference to the views of FIGS. 13 - 16, so that the broad lobe 149 of cam 136 actuates the loader pusher first and maintains it in the descended position while the stack of slices is taken from the transfer carriage and loaded into the container. Almost simultaneously with the deactuation of the loader pusher by lobe 149, lobe 151 of the cam 138 rotates into valve engagement, causing the side support guides to close and grasp the stack of slices presented by the loader pusher. This actuation is maintained while lobe 152 of cam 137 rotates into valve engagement, causing the plunger to descend and push the stack into the container. The cams then cause the plunger to retract, and the side support guides to open.
Also secured on the cam shaft adjacent to the wall 129 is a cam wheel 153 which is provided with an irregular annular track 154 on the face thereof adjacent to the wall 129. A rack member 156 is pivotally supported on the wall 129 by a pivot pin 157. The rack includes a cam riding arm 158 which extends from the hub of the rack through a window 161 in wall 129, to engage the annular track 154 of the cam wheel. The toothed portion of the rack engages pinion gear 73 so that as the cam shaft describes a single revolution, the cam riding arm pivots the rack reciprocally, causing the loader pusher to be driven by the pinion down the track and to return.
OPERATION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In the normal operation of the preferred embodiment the meat slicer and the packaging machine are presumed to be operating, producing stacks of slices of a comestible material, and sealing the stacks in the containers carried on the packaging web. The drive belts are circulating synchronously and continually, carrying the transfer carriages thereon. A stop latch mechanism 85 may be provided on the transfer line to back up several carriages upstream of the slicer output point. As the slicer operates generally sporadically yet at a greater rate than the packaging machine, the transfer carriages are released past the slicer at the slicer rate, resulting in unequal spacing of the carriages along the transfer line between the slicer and the loader.
The stop latch 87 halts the burdened carriage at the loader directly over the packaging web, after the carriage has tilted as previously explained, and several carriages may be stopped upstream of the loader by the latch 85. A microswitch 163 is disposed in contact with the packaging web, and connected to the solenoid actuator 132 of the single revolution clutch. As the packaging web indexes forward to present the succeeding empty container to the loader, the microswitch is closed, causing the solenoid to actuate and activate the single revolution clutch.
The clutch acts to turn the cam shaft causing the cam 136 to actuate valve 141, causing the pneumatic cylinder 79 to extend and lower the loader pusher (FIG. 5 through 7). The loader pusher descends through the tines of the transfer carriage, and then rack and pinion begin to translate the loader carriage and it in turn translates the stack by the pusher to a disposition above the next empty container and between the side support guides. At the same time, the empty transfer carriage 41 is released by latch 87. The cam 138 actuates valve 143 to cause the pneumatic cylinder 91 to operate. The cylinder 91 drives the shaft 94 to close the side support guides together and grasp the stack as the loader carriage withdraws up the track.
The cam 137 then operates the valve 142, causing the pneumatic cylinder 117 to drive the plunger downward. The plunger pushes the stack into the empty container, (FIG. 10), and withdraws as the side support guides open. As the camshaft completes one revolution the single revolution clutch deactivates, and the loader is set to receive the next transfer carriage.
It should be noted that the present invention is particularly adaptable to loading a plurality of packaging webs simultaneously. In this adaptation, a plurality of loader carriage-plunger-side guide assemblies are provided in parallel, one assembly for each packaging web. In this manner, a plurality of webs may be loaded simultaneously at a rate approximating the single web loading process. | A device for transporting sliced comestible product from a slicer and loading the product in packages includes a belt drive system, with a plurality of transfer carriages supported thereon, extending between the slicer and the loader. Each transfer carriage includes a grid of horizontal, parallel tines to support the product. The loader includes a loader carriage slidably depending from a track, and a plurality of hooked tines pivotably secured to the loading carriage. The hooked tines are adapted to rotate down between the transfer tines to remove the product therefrom as the loader carriage translates along the track toward the package to be filled. The loader carriage stops above the package, where side guides grasp the sides of the product as the loader tines swing away. A loader plunger then descends to urge the product into the package. The transfer carriages are slidably supported on the belt drive system, so that one or more transfer carriages may be temporarily stopped on the belts. Thus, the transfer carriages may accumulate product to be packaged, and in this manner adapt the erratic slicer output to the constant packaging machine demand. | 1 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to fabric filter media having a knitted backing with a pile fiber face on one side and, more specifically, to such fabric media which are suitable for prolonged continuous high temperature use in combination with a rotating drum air filtration machine.
DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART
The accepted method for dry filtering large quantities of air or other gases which are at temperatures in excess of about 250° F. involves the use of woven or felted fabric bag filters mounted on a tubular wire mesh frame and enclosed inside of a large metal structure which is commonly referred to as a bag house. The bag house has a tapered hopper and screw conveyor beneath it to collect and discharge the filtered particles. Dirt-laden air contacts the outside of the bag and passes through the bag fabric while particles are collected on the outside surface of the bag. The clean air exits through the top of the bag and passes into a clean air plenum or manifold above the bag house from which the air is discharged or recirculated. Dirt particles which accumulate on the outside of the bag are knocked loose by intermittent or periodic blasts of high pressure air from the inside of the bag. The particles fall to the bottom of the bag house onto the screw conveyor which discharges the particles from the bag house. The air blasts are sequenced to clean only a few of the bags at one time in order to conserve on compressed air requirements. The average pressure drop across the bag filter is maintained at a level which is intended to strike a balance between minimizing air compressor and blower fan horsepower requirements, while minimizing the number of bag filters and the size of the bag house. Because of the low permeability of the woven or felted fabrics of bag house filters, the optimal pressure drop generally results in an air handling capacity of about 10 cubic feet per minute per square foot of bag capacity. This low permeability and low air handling capacity, relative to that of, for example, rotating drum filtering machines, results in higher initial installation and equipment costs, as well as higher operating and maintenance costs.
While the desirability of using rotating drum filtering machines for applications currently employing bag house filters is apparent, efficient economical designs for continuously filtering high temperature air using fabric drum filtering machines have not been developed. The fur-type filtering media previously used with drum filtering machines have been fabricated from acrylic and polyester materials having a maximum operating temperature of about 250° F. (120° C.), and are, consequently, not suitable for continuous use at high temperatures.
The fabric used in bag house filters, while capable of continuous operation at high temperatures, is not suitable for use with drum filtering machines. Drum filtering machines operate by passing the air through the filter, collecting the particles on the filter media, and then renewing the filter media by vacuuming substantially all of the particles from the filter media. While fur-like fabrics made from knitted acrylic or polyester are easily vacuumed, the woven and felted fabrics used to make bag house filters tend to trap dirt more tightly and would rapidly accumulate dirt which cannot be removed by vacuuming. This accumulated dirt would cause the already low permeability of the woven or felted fabrics to become even less permeable, requiring larger equipment and higher energy expenditures for operating the blower fan.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide filter media suitable for use with a drum filtering machine, and which is capable of prolonged continuous operation at temperatures up to about 500° F. (260° C.).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a filtering device having a fabric filtering medium suitable for prolonged continuous use at temperatures as high as about 500° F. (260° C.). The filtering medium can be easily vacuumed clean, yet provide an effective multilayered barrier to trap airborne particles. This novel fabric filtering medium is particularly well-suited for use with rotating drum filtering machines and provides an attractive, more economical alternative to the equipment which has previously been used for filtering high temperature air.
The filter medium is made from a flexible polymeric fiber rated for continuous use at temperatures up to about 500° F. (260° C.). The fiber has knittable qualities and is resistant to deterioration in an abrasive environment. The fiber is spun into a denier yarn, which is then knitted into a backing. Loose fibers are then mechanically interlocked into the knitted backing to form a tufted pile. The pile is typically trimmed to a length of about 2 centimeters. A high temperature stabilizing agent can be applied to the fabric to retard stretching and shrinking.
The resulting fur-like fabric is capable of efficiently filtering dirt particles from high temperature air at a rate of about 60 to 80 cubic feet per minute per square foot of filter media at a pressure drop of less than 1.5 inch water gauge, thereby providing a high filtration rate per unit of fabric area with low blower fan power requirements.
During use, contaminant-laden air is blown through the fabric from the pile side. The air blowing against the filter media causes the pile fibers to lie down, thereby providing a multilayered barrier which efficiently traps particles yet allows air to pass freely through. The filter media are easily fully regenerated by vacuuming, which causes the fibers to stand up substantially perpendicular to the backing, permitting particles to be cleaned from between the fibers and from the backing.
The invention facilitates the use of rotating drum filtering machines for removing dirt and particles from high temperature air, and is therefore of great benefit and value to industries which have been required to rely on less efficient, more expensive means.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing strands of yarn knitted into a weft knit jersey pattern to form a knitted backing in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional, schematic view showing strands of fiber which have been mechanically interlaced into the knitted backing;
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a fabric drum filtering machine; and
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the assembled machine shown in FIG. 3, and also including the discharge enclosure and the outlet duct.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
A fabric filter medium capable of prolonged continuous use at temperatures up to about 500° F. (260° C.) is made entirely from a fiber rated for such high-temperature use by spinning the fiber into a denier yarn, knitting the yarn into a backing, and mechanically interlocking loose fibers into the backing to form a tufted pile. In accordance with the preferred embodiment, a 360-denier yarn 11 is knitted into a weft knit jersey pattern as shown in FIG. 1. The knitted backing is preferably loose and relatively porous. Other knitted backings consistent with the scope and spirit of the invention are possible and will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Loose fibers 13 of the same material which are rated for high-temperature applications are mechanically interlaced to the backing to form a carpetlike tufted pile fabric as shown in FIG. 2. The pile is preferably of 3-denier crimped fibers. The pile is preferably trimmed to a length of about 2 centimeters. The total weight of the medium is about 1.6 ounces per square foot, with a ratio of about 80% pile weight and 20% backing weight. A high-temperature stabilizing agent may be applied to retard stretching and shrinking.
Fibers which are suitable for use in accordance with the invention should, in addition to being resistant to decomposition and deterioration at high temperatures, also have knittable qualities and be resistant to deterioration in an abrasive environment. The fibers should also be capable of being flexed without breaking. Aromatic polyimide fibers such as those obtainable from Lenzing AG, Lenzing, Austria, under their trademark LENZING P84, or "RYTON" polyphenylene sulfide fiber available from Phillips Fiber Corporation, have been found to be suitable for use with the invention. Aromatic aramid fibers are also suitable for producing a filter medium in accordance with the invention. Conventional techniques of knitting and manufacturing carpetlike fabrics can be used for producing high-temperature resistant filter media from aromatic polyimide fibers, aromatic aramid fibers, or from other fibers having the described desirable characteristics.
The present invention can be advantageously used in combination with fabric drum filtering machines for dry filtration of dirt from hot air or other gases. FIG. 3 shows a fabric drum filtering machine using the filter media described herein. The filtering machine has a horizontally oriented cylindrical drum 10 which has a shaft 12 rigidly connected to the drum, by means of a plurality of supporting spokes 14, so that the longitudinal axis of the shaft coincides with that of the drum. One end of the drum has a solid wall (not shown) with an opening at the center from which a journalled portion of the shaft extends into a bearing 16 mounted to a structural support frame 18. The drum 10 is made from expanded metal or is otherwise provided with an array of perforations or openings 20 which permit free flow of air through the wall. The other end of the drum is open and extends to a frame 22. The front end of the shaft is journalled to a thrust bearing 24 which is mounted to the frame 22. The two bearings 16 and 24 combine to horizontally support the shaft 12 and the drum 10 for rotational motion about the longitudinal axis of the shaft. The frame 22 which attaches to the front opening of the drum has a solid wall 23 with a circular opening 26 having a diameter equal in size to that of the drum. The opening of the drum is sealingly fitted to the opening 26 in the wall of frame 22 via drum sealing rings 28. A sprocket 30 is splined or otherwise fixedly connected to the front end of the shaft 12 from the side of frame 22 opposite that of the drum. The output shaft of a motor 32 is linked to a gear box 34 which translates power from the motor to a drive chain 36 which engages the sprocket 30 to drive the shaft 12, and hence the drum 10. A fabric filtering medium capable of enduring long-term exposure to high temperatures is fixed to the entire circumferential wall of the drum 10, with the pile side facing out from the drum. The medium is held in place by clamping bands 38 which circumferentially strap the filter media to the drum, and by zipper tracks 40 and cover plates 42 which hold the ends of the filter media to the drum 10 along its length. The cover plates 42 are fastened to the drum wall by screws 44.
A row of vacuum nozzles 46 is supported along the side of the drum with the nozzle openings abutting the filter medium. Each nozzle communicates with a suction manifold 48 via an elbow 50 and a flexible conduit 52. Each conduit is connected to the manifold at a 45-degree lateral entry tube 54. The suction manifold is in communication with a vacuum pump 66 or other vacuum source.
Referring to FIG. 4, a box-shaped discharge enclosure 60, with the front frame 22 and wall 24 constituting one side of the enclosure, completely surrounds the open end of the drum. A wall of the discharge enclosure is provided with a circular duct outlet 62 from which filtered air is discharged.
The outlet 62 is in communication with a blower fan 64 which pulls air from the surrounding environment through the filter media into the drum, then into the enclosure 60, and finally through the outlet 62. As air is drawn through the filter media, it causes the pile to lie down like stroked animal fur. When the pile fibers lie down, they provide a multilayered barrier to trap airborne particles on the surface while permitting air to freely pass through the media. The filter media of the invention have an air flow rating of about 50 to 80 cubic feet of air per minute per square foot of filter media with a pressure drop of less than 0.05 inch w.g. when clean to 1.5 inch w.g. when dirty, thus permitting efficient filtering of hot air, at temperatures up to about 500° F. (260° C.), using equipment having a lower initial and operating cost than was previously possible.
The blower fan is operated continuously when air filtration is required, while the vacuum pump connected to the suction manifold 48 and the motor 32 are only intermittently operated to maintain a predetermined range of pressure drop across the filter media. The pressures both inside and outside of the drum are transmitted from pressure sensors to a control which operates the motor to cause the drum to rotate, and turns on the vacuum pump when the pressure differential between the inside and outside of the drum exceeds a predetermined value. As the drum rotates, the vacuuming nozzles remove collected dirt particles from the filter media, which causes the differential pressure to drop. When the pressure differential reaches a second lower predetermined value, the controller turns off the motor 32 and the vacuum pump. During the vacuuming operation, the pile fibers which normally lie down during filtering are stood up perpendicular to the drum surface by the nozzle suction which allows substantially all of the collected dirt particles filtered from the air to be cleaned from the media surface, from between fibers, and from the knitted backing. This cleaning process and filter medium design allows the filter medium to be substantially restored to its initial condition.
It is to be understood that while the advantages of the disclosed filter media used in combination with a rotating drum air filtration machine wherein dirt-laden air is drawn through filer media retained on the outer cylindrical surface of the drum and clean air exits from an end of the drum, have been described in detail, the scope of the invention extends equally to rotating drum air filtration machines wherein dirt-laden air is drawn in through the end of the drum and exits through the cylindrical surface, to rotating drum air filtration machines wherein the filter media is retained on the inner cylindrical surface of the drum, and to other equivalent embodiments which would be obvious to those skilled in the pertinent art.
The high temperature filter media of the invention, when used in combination with a fabric drum filtering machine, provide many industries, such as the fiberglass, ceramic, electric utility, and waste incineration industries, with a less expensive alternative to bag house filtration for filtering great volumes of air which are at temperatures as high as about 500° F. (260° C.).
While what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment of the invention has been described, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiment but, to the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. | An efficient, highly porous fabric filter medium capable of filtering air at temperatures up to about 500° F. (260° C.) has been provided. The filter medium is made from a polyimide fiber and is especially well suited for use in combination with a rotating drum filtering machine, thereby providing high temperature air filtration at a lower initial equipment and installation cost, and with subsequent lower operating and maintenance costs than have been previously possible. | 8 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
The present application claims the benefit of priority of International Patent Application No. PCT/EP2009/008364, filed Nov. 24, 2009, which application claims priority of German Application No. 102008060446.1, filed Dec. 4, 2008. The entire text of the priority application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE
The disclosure relates to a method for determining the filterability of beer.
BACKGROUND
As beer does not only have to exhibit a perfect odor, taste and foam, but brightness is also demanded, the beer must be artificially clarified, i.e. filtered. This procedure involves the advantage that not only turbidity constituents, such as protein, tannin compounds and hop resins, are retained here, but also yeasts and possibly bacteria. The filter is usually arranged on the filling path between the fermenting/storage tank and the filler. For example due to different raw material properties or different process managements, different beers have varying filterabilities, meaning that a varying proportion of ingredients per time unit and filter surface can be filtered out of the beer or wort, and consequently the service life of the corresponding filters is varying. One problem in filtration is that for example in case of kieselguhr filtration, a fast pressure increase at the filter surface might occur, resulting in a shorter filter service life.
Up to present, one has assumed that beers having similar compositions, e.g. similar proportions of beta glucan, protein contents etc., and a similar viscosity have similar filterabilities. However, internal tests revealed the following:
FIG. 3 shows, as an example, the proportion of beta glucan, total nitrogen and magnesium-precipitable nitrogen, as well as the viscosity for a standard beer and a beer that was manufactured by means of a mash vessel in which a vibration unit (or several vibration units) is provided which oscillates the mash. Such a mash vessel is illustrated, for example, in DE 10026723 A1. Although the beers manufactured with and without vibration unit(s) have essentially the same compositions, as is shown in FIG. 3 , these nevertheless have different filterabilities, as can be clearly seen in FIG. 5 .
In FIG. 5 , one can see the increase in the pressure difference in a kieselguhr candle filter. The left half shows the pressure increase of the beer 1 (α1), the right half shows a classically brewed beer (α2). One can clearly see that the pressure increase in the left half has a flatter progress (α1<α2). Thus, in beer 1 , a higher amount of beer can be filtered until the maximum admissible pressure difference at the filter is reached. However, this means that with the former analysis techniques, i.e. for example the determination of the beta glucan proportion, the viscosity, etc., no reliable statement on filterability can be made.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
Therefore, it is one aspect of the present disclosure to provide a method for determining the filterability of beer.
So, according to the present disclosure, in a step a), a wort or beer sample is taken. To give a statement on the particle size distribution of individual substances or groups of substances, the sample is filtered in a step b) on a plurality of filters of varying pore sizes. By the sample being filtered successively on a plurality of filters, different fractions remain on the filter surfaces, so that in a step c) the size of the particles on the filter surface can be reliably and easily determined. Here, of course not the complete filter surface must be examined. It is sufficient to examine a representative section of the filter surface. Then, in a step d), by a qualitative analysis of the particles of varying sizes on the corresponding filter surfaces, the particles can then be assigned to certain substances or groups of substances present in the beer.
Advantageously, steps c) and d) are performed for all fractions. However, it is also possible to only perform these steps for some selected fractions. Step d) can also be performed before step c).
Thus, the size of the particles of different substances or groups of substances of individual fractions can be determined. This is a measure for the filterability of the beer. Thus, by means of the method according to the disclosure, a prediction on filterability can be made, i.e. on the dimension of the proportion of undesired beer ingredients that can be filtered out of the beer or wort per time unit and filter surface, and on the approximate expected service life of the filter surface. According to a preferred embodiment, the particle size distribution of a substance or a group of substances in the sample is determined. For this, the number of particles of a certain size of a certain substance or a group of substances can then also be determined.
It was not known up to now that the size of different substances or groups of substances or its particle size distribution has an essential influence on filterability.
Advantageously, a laboratory or sample filter, in particular a membrane filter, is used as a filter. Laboratory filter is defined as a filter which has clearly smaller filter surfaces than a filter for beer filtration. With the aid of such a membrane filter, the method can be particularly easily performed as the sample only has to be conducted through a certain membrane and this can then be easily removed.
It is a great advantage if the technologist can make a prediction on filterability as he can then adjust parameters of the beer manufacturing process and/or the filtering process depending on the size of the particles of different groups of substances of individual fractions.
It is particularly advantageous if in step c) the size of the particles is determined by means of a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The size of the particles can be easily measured in this way. Size of the particles is defined in particular as their maximum lengths, areas or diameters.
It is particularly advantageous if the qualitative analysis of the particles in step d) is performed by means of an EDX method (energy-dispersive X-ray analysis). For this, micro-range analytics in the micro and/or nanometer range can be performed, and the image generated by the scanning electron microscope can be used for identifying the particles. Thus, the composition of the residues on the filter surfaces, i.e. the particles, can be determined in a simple manner. As the major portion of the substances or groups of substances, respectively, in the beer is organic, i.e. is based on carbon, the distinction of the particles can be made with reference to certain indicators (e.g. nitrogen for proteins). With this method, the surface topography can be very well represented.
Advantageously, two to six filters, but in particular three to five filters, each with different pore widths, are successively used. The pore widths are here within a range of 0.1 to 20 μm, preferably 0.45 to 10 μm. Thus, the particles of varying sizes can remain on the filter surfaces and be easily measured.
The groups of substances comprise, for example, beta glucan, beta glucan gels, polyphenols (tanning agents), higher dextrins, proteinaceous substances. The present disclosure will be illustrated below in greater detail with reference to the following figures.
Advantageously, the filter layer is coated before the EDX analysis, in particular with a metal layer or a carbon layer. Thus, the particles can be fixed on the filter surface for the analysis. Thereby, the image quality can be improved.
It is advantageous to dilute the sample before filtration. Thus, the formation of a cover layer on the filter surfaces can be prevented, and the individual particles can be reliably examined.
The qualitative analysis in step d) can also be effected optically by comparing the appearance of the particles.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present disclosure will be illustrated below in greater detail with reference to the following figures.
FIG. 1 shows, in a schematic representation, the filterability in response to the particle size of varying groups of substances for two different beers.
FIG. 2 shows a flow chart of an embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 3 shows properties of two different beers.
FIG. 4A shows a scanning electron microscope image of a filter surface section.
FIG. 4B shows a qualitative analysis of the element composition of the image shown in FIG. 4A .
FIG. 5 shows the different pressure increase in the filtration of two different beers.
FIG. 6 shows an arrangement of a plurality of filters according to the present disclosure.
FIG. 7 shows the particle density on the filter surface in different dilutions.
FIG. 8 shows the surface of an enlarged plane filter surface which is particularly suited for the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Hereinafter, a possible embodiment of the present disclosure for determining the filterability of beer will be illustrated more in detail.
As can be taken in particular from the flow chart in FIG. 2 , first a wort or beer sample of the beer to be filtered is taken from the production (a). The beer sample here comprises, for example, a volume of 100 to 200 ml. In the laboratory, a suited dilution of e.g. 1:4 to 1:10, e.g. with water, is then preferably prepared. A dilution is advantageous because then a particle cover layer on the respective filter surfaces can be prevented, so that the individual particles on the filter surface can be examined.
FIG. 7 shows, by way of example, the particle density on a filter surface with a dilution of 1:2. Here, the particle density is so high that an examination of the individual particles is hardly possible. With a dilution of 1:6, the particle density is lower, so that a quantitative (counting the particles, determining the size) as well as a qualitative analysis is easily possible.
As a starting volume for the method, then for example a diluted sample with a volume of 100 ml is provided. This sample is then filtered successively over a plurality of laboratory filters, here membrane filters of varying pore sizes (b). Successively means, as can be seen in FIG. 6 , that the filtrate F of a first filter is supplied to the subsequent filter as nonfiltrate NF until the sample has passed all filters. The pore width of the different filters is within a range of 0.1 to 20 μm, preferably 0.45 to 10 μm. In this concrete embodiment, for example membrane filters with membranes of a pore size of 10 μm, 5 μm, 3 μm, 1.2 μm and 0.45 μm are employed, as can be in particular taken from FIG. 6 . The filters having a large pore width, in particular the first and the second filters, serve to separate the yeasts. Fractioning should be performed with at least two to six, preferably with at least three to five membrane filters.
By fractioning, the particles in the sample, in particular the diluted sample, can be divided into different size ranges.
The filter surface 1 , i.e. the membrane, is arranged in the filter such that it can be replaced. The nonfiltrate can, as is shown in FIG. 6 , filled into a nonfiltrate space 4 , here a hopper, and by means of a pump P (e.g. a water jet pump) drawn through the filter membrane. Thus, particles of varying sizes remain on the individual filter surfaces, i.e. on the individual membranes. The size of the filter surface 1 is, for example 10-30 cm 2 . As a filter, a filter with a plane surface is particularly suited, meaning that the surface is not shrubby or rugged. Such a filter surface is shown in FIG. 8 in an 8.19K X enlargement. This has the advantage that the filtered particles are all more or less lying on one plane. This is advantageous for the subsequent qualitative examination. A polycarbonate filter, in particular a nitrogen-free filter with a honeycomb structure, proved to be very suited.
In a next step (c), the size of the particles on the filter surface shall now be determined. Here, either the complete filter surface, or else a representative section of the filter surface can be examined. For this, the filter surface is removed from the filter. The filter surface under examination is preferably within a range of 0.5-4 cm 2 , e.g. a square with an edge length of 1 cm.
It is particularly advantageous if the size of the particles is measured by means of a scanning electron microscope. Size of the particles is defined as their maximum lengths, areas or diameters. FIG. 4A , for example, shows a section of a scanning electron microscope which shows two particles on the filter surface.
Finally, a qualitative analysis of the particles (c) on the filter surfaces is performed. Advantageously, this qualitative analysis is performed by means of an EDX method (energy-dispersive X-ray analysis). For the qualitative EDX analysis, it is advantageous for the filter surface to be thinly coated with the particles, i.e. e.g. a metal coating (e.g. gold, platinum), or a carbon coating is deposited on it, in particular by sputtering. This helps to fix the particles, as otherwise the electron beam could blast away the particles. By the coating over the filter surface, the image quality is moreover improved. If the coating is applied before the particle size is measured, the layer thickness can be taken into consideration in measuring and subtracted.
In the EDX method, an electron beam strikes the sample surface. By interaction between electrons and the sample, X-rays are released. The X-rays are detected, where element-specific bands for the element analysis are used. As the major portion of the beer is organic, i.e. is based on carbon, the distinction of the particles can be made with reference to indicators (e.g. nitrogen for proteins). For the other substances or groups of substances, the proportion of the elements must be evaluated. As can be taken from picture 4 B, the scanning electron microscope or the surface of the sample, respectively, is then represented in different ways of representation (e.g. colors) which correspond to the corresponding detected elements. Advantageously, a combined SEM/EDX apparatus is used.
It is equally possible to change the sequence of steps c and d, so that first the qualitative analysis of the particles is performed, and then the size of the corresponding particles is determined.
In any case, the measured particles can then be assigned to the substances or groups of substances present in the wort or beer (d). Such groups of substances comprise, for example, beta glucan, beta glucan gels, polyphenols, higher dextrins, proteinaceous substances. The relatively large yeasts mainly remain on the first, coarsest filter, so that for the yeasts, no further analysis with respect to size or composition is made. The first filter therefore must be normally not subjected to any further analysis and thus only serves as a pre-filter to be able to better detect the particles of the subsequent fractions. Thus, a difference in the particle sizes of the individual substances or groups of substances in the individual fractions can be determined. Moreover, not all particles on the filter surface must be measured, but a representative quantity is sufficient.
FIG. 1 shows the results of steps a to d for a beer 1 , as well as the results for a beer 2 . Beer 1 is a standard beer, while beer 2 was subjected to a vibration process during mashing, as was illustrated in the introduction of the description. Here, only the filter surface sections of the filters with a pore width of 1.2 μm and 0.45 μm are represented. In FIG. 1 , only two fractions are represented. It is also possible to include all fractions in the assessment.
As can be taken from FIG. 1 , with the pore size of 1.2 μm, the beer 1 includes large beta glucan particles. The beta glucan particles here for example have a size within a range of 5 to 10 μm. In the fraction of the filter surface with a pore size of 0.45 μm, beer 1 contains relatively small protein particles which have, for example, a size of 0.5-1.0 μm.
In contrast to this, beer 2 in the 1.2 μm fraction exhibits smaller beta glucan particles which comprise a size of 2-3 μm, for example. In contrast to this, on the filter surface of the 0.45 μm fraction, there are relatively large protein particles which have a size of 1-1.2 μm, for example.
It is also possible to form an average value of the size of particles of a certain group of substances of a certain fraction.
However, essentially all particles of a substance or a group of substances can be also counted on the filter surface or the certain section of the filter surface, so that then the particle size distribution of the substance or the group of substances in the complete sample can be determined.
The results are then compared to comparative results that have been determined in comparative tests. In the corresponding comparative tests, the filterability with different sizes of the particles of certain substances or groups of substances has been determined.
For example, beer 1 with very large beta glucan particles and small protein particles has a better filterability than beer 2 which has smaller beta glucan particles, but larger protein particles. This means that in beer 1 , a larger proportion of beer ingredients per time unit and filter surface can be filtered out of the beer or the wort, and a longer service life of the filter can be expected than in beer 2 . This is e.g. because the larger beta glucan particles keep the beer filter surface loose and the small protein particles can therefore better pass the filter.
This means that a prediction on the filterability can be made (e).
The technologist thus has the possibility of intervening purposefully in the beer manufacturing process and/or the filtering process depending on the determined size of the particles of different groups of substances. (f)
In precoat filtration, a correspondingly coarser or finer kieselguhr mixture in the dosage as well as an adapted cellulose proportion in precoating can then be planned. This means that for example in beer 2 , which has a worse filterability, a dosage with a coarser kieselguhr proportion and a higher cellulose proportion can be prepared in precoating.
In kieselguhr filtration, i.e. filtration without any filtering aids, at least the production planning can be calculated more precisely.
A prediction on filterability should be made from a sample of the starting wort or even earlier from a sample of the congress wort. Furthermore, the beer fermented to completion, for example from the starting wort or the congress wort, can be used as a sample. Moreover, for example the beer fermented to completion from the production process of the beer manufacture can be also used as a sample. Here, the differently produced beers 1 and 2 were stated as an example. For the sake of good order, however, it should be noted that different filterabilities also result due to different raw material properties in identical manufacturing processes.
The qualitative analysis or the assignment to various substances or groups of substances can be performed by the above-described instrumental analytics and/or optically; i.e. also on the basis of the special shape or the appearance of the particles (such as, for example, porous, compact, smooth, spherical, structured, gel-like), and by comparing the special shape or appearance of the particles represented in the microscope (SEM) with the shape of certain substances or groups of substances of individual fractions previously determined under the microscope (SEM).
The completely new approach of assessing the filterability depending on the size of different substances or groups of substances finally permits an improved filtration method in which the filters have longer service lives. | The Invention relates to a method for determining the filterability of beer, said method having the following steps: a) taking a wort or beer sample, b) filtering the sample on a plurality of filters of varying pore size, c) determining the size of the particles on the filter surfaces of the filters, d) qualitative analysis of the particles on the filter surfaces and assigning the measured particles to certain substances or groups of substances present in beer or the wort, wherein evidence on the filterability can be obtained from the size of the particles of different substances or groups of substances of individual fractions. | 2 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a vehicle roof with at least one cover element which optionally closes or at least partially opens up a roof opening.
2. Related Technology
A vehicle roof of this type is known, for example, from U.S. Pat. No. 6,695,398 B2 and comprises a cover element which, along both lateral edges thereof with respect to the vehicle longitudinal center plane, is provided with a carrier element which constitutes a pivoting or deployment arm. Guide rails, in each of which one of the carrier elements is displaceably guided, are arranged along the lateral edges of the roof opening. The carrier elements each interact with an adjustment device which comprises a carriage element which is provided with a claw which interacts with a guide track or control track of the particular carrier element. Movement of the carriage elements in the guide rails triggers a pivoting movement of the carrier elements and therefore of the cover element.
Furthermore, it is known from practice, in the case of carriage elements according to the type described above, to form a guide section on which the lower side of the particular carrier element rests and which consists of an elastically mounted steel roller which is formed from a rolling bearing steel tube in which a damper forming the elastic mounting is embedded. Such a guide section which is formed from a steel roller is also highly cost-intensive. Adequate compensation for tolerances in the vertical direction of the vehicle may possibly not be possible because of the small dimensions of the damper. Also, high surface pressure prevails because of the linear contact, which is predetermined by the steel roller, with the guide web formed on the particular carrier element. This may in turn lead, when the adjustment device is actuated, to undesirable noises occurring because of the “stick-slip effect”.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a vehicle roof of the generic type mentioned which above that is distinguished by favorable production costs with optimized compensation for tolerances of the carriage element.
Accordingly, the invention provides a vehicle roof with at least one cover element that optionally closes or at least partially opens up a roof opening which has a carrier element on both sides with respect to the vehicle longitudinal center plane, the carrier element being provided with a guide link and interacting with an adjustment device that is guided in a guide rail arranged in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and comprises a carriage element that interacts with the guide link of the particular carrier element, at least for pivoting the cover element, and comprises a guide section on which the carrier element rests, wherein the guide section is formed by a wall of a plastic structural member, which wall can yield in an elastically deformable manner into a cavity formed by the plastic structural member.
The core of the invention consequently consists in that the guide section is formed by a wall of a plastic structural member, which wall can yield in an elastically deformable manner into a cavity formed by the plastic structural member. The guide section is consequently formed by a structural member which can be produced cost-effectively and, with the wall thereof bearing against the carrier element, forms a sliding surface which can be designed in an optimized manner with regard to the respective kinematic requirements. The guide section formed by the wall of the plastic structural member can in particular form a contact surface, leading to optimized sliding properties between the particular carrier element and the carriage element. However, it is also conceivable for the guide section formed by the wall to bear against the relevant carrier element via a contact line.
In a particularly cost-effectively producible embodiment of the vehicle roof according to the invention, the carriage element is a plastic injection molded part. In contrast to carriage elements according to the prior art, which elements are produced from painted steel, an increased variability with regard to the shaping of the carriage element is thereby also possible.
In a preferred embodiment of the vehicle according to the invention, the plastic part which has the wall forming the guide section is formed integrally with the carriage element. The guide section and the carriage element are therefore produced in a shaping process without further assembly steps.
In order to be able to confer respectively optimized properties on the carriage element in the various functional regions thereof, it may be advantageous to design the carriage element as a two-component injection molded part, wherein a carriage element body is formed by a first plastic component, and the plastic structural member which has the wall forming the guide section is formed by a second plastic component. A claw section engaging over the guide link or the guide web can also be formed from the second plastic component which, in cooperation with the material of the insert molding of the guide web of the carrier element, forms an optimized sliding pairing.
In an alternative embodiment of the vehicle roof according to the invention, the plastic structural member is an insert of a body of the carriage element. The carriage element therefore then has a carriage element body which is provided with a recess for receiving the plastic structural member which has the wall forming the guide section.
In the two-part embodiment consisting of the carriage element body and plastic structural member, the plastic structural member is preferably latched to the carriage element body and is therefore connected captively to the latter.
However, it is also conceivable for the plastic structural member to be inserted loosely into the recess in the carriage element body and then to be supported, for example, with a base surface on the guide rail and to be guided at right angles to the base surface in the recess.
In order to prestress that wall of the plastic structural member which forms the guide section in the direction of the carrier element and also to damp the forces introduced into said wall by the carrier element, in a special embodiment of the vehicle roof according to the invention, an elastically deformable damping element, on which the wall forming the guide section is supported, is arranged in the cavity. The damping element is manufactured, for example, from a spring-elastic plastic, such as EPDM, TPE, NBR or the like.
In order to increase the prestressing of the wall forming the guide section in the vertical direction, i.e. in the direction of the relevant carrier element, that side of the damping element which bears against the wall forming the guide section can be of curved design transversely with respect to the extent of the guide rail.
To secure the damping element in the cavity, the carriage element can have a projection which engages in a cutout in the damping element and holds the latter in position.
An expedient embodiment of the carriage element has a lateral opening for the insertion of the damping element, said opening leading to the cavity which is bounded by the wall forming the guide surface.
The damping element can protrude out of the lateral opening in the carriage element in order to form a rest surface, which in particular is also a damping surface and therefore counteracts annoying noises, for an otherwise customary locking lever of the control mechanism.
In order to increase the prestressing of that wall of the plastic part which acts on the carrier element, said wall can be of curved design at least on one side transversely with respect to the extent of the carrier element. For example, that surface of the wall which faces the cavity or else the surface facing the carrier element is curved transversely with respect to the extent of the carrier element.
In a further alternative embodiment of the vehicle roof according to the invention, the guide web of the carrier has an operative surface which bears against the guide section and is curved in the transverse direction such that prestressing is also applied here as compensation for tolerances in the vertical direction of the vehicle, and the forces introduced are introduced into adjacent structural members with a reduction in stress.
For the optimized adaptation of the guide section to the various adjustment regions of the relevant carrier element, the guide section is preferably formed by two guide surfaces which are each assigned to a pivoting phase of the cover element, are tilted with respect to each other and are arranged consecutively in the longitudinal direction of the guide rail.
Furthermore, it may be expedient for the wall forming the guide section to be of double-walled design. The two individual walls of the double wall can be connected to each other via transverse webs.
By forming the carriage element as a plastic injection molded part, it is possible to form spring tabs integrally thereon, said spring tabs, in assigned guide tracks of the respective guide rails, bearing against a guide track wall.
The invention also has a vehicle roof with at least one cover element which optionally closes or at least partially opens up a roof opening which has a carrier element on both sides with respect to the vehicle longitudinal center plane, said carrier element being provided with a guide link and interacting with an adjustment device. The adjustment device is guided in a guide rail arranged in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and comprises a carriage element which interacts with the guide link of the particular carrier element, at least for pivoting the cover element, and comprises a guide section on which the carrier element rests. The carriage element is supported on the relevant guide rail via a centrally arranged spring on the underside. Upon occurrence of high forces in the vertical direction of the vehicle, said spring can introduce the forces directly into the guide rail. Said spring, which rests on the guide rail outside guide tracks for sliding elements of the carriage element, can replace springs which could otherwise be formed on the sliding elements and act in the vertical direction of the vehicle.
The spring is, for example, a leaf spring which bears against a sliding surface of the guide rail via a sliding section, said sliding surface lying between guide tracks of the guide rail, in which the lateral sliding elements of the carriage element are guided.
The spring is expediently designed as an insert of the carriage element which may be inserted during the production of the carriage element or else may be inserted retrospectively into a slot in the carriage element. However, it is also conceivable to design the spring from plastic and to form the spring integrally during the production of the carriage element which is designed in particular as an injection molded structural member.
Further advantages and advantageous refinements of the subject matter of the invention can be gathered from the description, the drawing and the patent claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Exemplary embodiments of a vehicle roof according to the invention are illustrated in a schematically simplified manner in the drawing and are explained in more detail in the description below. In the drawing:
FIG. 1 shows an overview illustration of a cover element, which is guided in guide rails, of a tilt and slide sun roof;
FIG. 2 shows an adjustment device, which is guided in a guide rail, for the cover element, in the closed position of the cover element;
FIG. 3 shows a view corresponding to FIG. 2 , but in the ventilation position of the cover element;
FIG. 4 shows a view of the adjustment device, likewise corresponding to FIG. 2 , but for a lowered displacement position of the cover element;
FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a carriage element of the adjustment device together with a carrier element of the cover element;
FIG. 6 shows a longitudinal section through the carriage element and the carrier element;
FIG. 7 shows a section in the transverse direction of the vehicle through the adjustment device for the cover element;
FIG. 8 shows alternative embodiments of the adjustment device;
FIG. 9 shows a longitudinal section through a further embodiment of a carriage element with a damping element for forces introduced by the carrier element;
FIG. 10 shows a longitudinal section through a carriage element with a supporting spring on the underside;
FIG. 11 shows a longitudinal section through a carriage element with an insert forming a guide section;
FIG. 12 shows an alternative embodiment of a carriage element with an insert;
FIG. 13 shows a further alternative embodiment of a carriage element with an insert which forms a guide section for the carrier element;
FIG. 14 shows a variant embodiment of the adjustment device for a closed position of the cover element;
FIG. 15 shows the variant embodiment, which is illustrated in FIG. 14 , for the lowered displacement position of the cover element; and
FIG. 16 shows a section of the adjustment mechanism inserted into a guide rail, according to FIGS. 14 and 15 .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIG. 1 illustrates a tilt and slide sun roof 10 which is designed for insertion into a motor vehicle roof (not illustrated specifically) and has a cover element 12 by means of which a roof opening can optionally be closed or at least partially opened up. The cover element 12 has a glass body 14 which is enclosed by a frame 16 which is formed from a polyurethane foam and in which fastening tabs 18 are attached along the lateral edges with respect to a vehicle longitudinal center plane. The fastening tabs 18 serve to connect the cover element 12 to an adjustment device 22 for the actuation of the cover element 12 , said adjustment device being guided in guide rails 20 arranged along the roof opening. For the sake of clarity, FIG. 1 illustrates only the adjustment device 22 which is arranged on the left in the forward direction of travel, together with the associated guide rail 20 .
The adjustment device 22 , which is illustrated in detail in FIGS. 2 to 9 , comprises a drive carriage 24 , which is movable in the guide rail 20 by means of a pressure-resistant drive cable (not illustrated specifically), a carrier element 26 to which the cover element 12 is screwed via the fastening tabs 18 , and a locking lever 28 , by means of which the position of the cover element 12 can be secured in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and, for these purposes, interacts via a projection with a “garage” of the guide rail.
By means of the adjustment device 22 illustrated in the present case, the cover element 12 can be pivoted between a closed position, which is illustrated with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 , a ventilation position which is illustrated with reference to FIG. 3 , and a lowered displacement position, which is illustrated with reference to FIG. 4 and in which the cover element 12 is movable in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. In the closed position illustrated in FIG. 2 , the cover element completely covers the roof opening. In the ventilation position illustrated in FIG. 3 , the rear edge of the cover element 12 is raised above the level of a rear, fixed roof region. In the lowered position illustrated with reference to FIG. 4 , the cover element 12 is lowered into a “displacement position” in which it can move under a rear, fixed roof region.
The adjustment device which is arranged on the right in the direction of travel and to which the cover element 12 is attached via its fastening tabs 18 , which are formed on the right-hand edge, is designed mirror-symmetrically to the adjustment device illustrated on the left in the direction of travel in the drawing and is therefore not explained in more detail.
The carrier element 26 is formed from a punched sheet and constitutes a pivoting or deployment arm for the cover element 12 . The lower edge of the carrier element 26 has a substantially T-shaped guide web 30 which serves as a guide link, has a substantially downwardly sloping profile, as viewed from the vehicle rear, and interacts with the drive carriage 24 . The guide web 30 is insert molded with an insert molding made from a plastic having favorable sliding properties.
The drive carriage 24 , which engages with a claw section 32 , which optionally forms an upper sliding surface for the guide web 30 , around the guide web 30 of the carrier element 26 is a plastic injection molded part which is provided on both sides with a sliding section 34 via which the drive carriage 24 is guided in guide tracks of the relevant guide rail 20 . That side of the sliding section 34 which is on the outside with respect to the longitudinal center plane of the drive carriage 24 has spring tabs 36 which are formed integrally, serve to compensate for tolerances in the transverse direction of the vehicle and are illustrated in FIG. 5 .
As can be gathered from FIG. 6 , the drive carriage 24 has a guide section 38 which is formed integrally therewith and forms a lower sliding surface for the guide web 30 and is formed by a wall which bounds the upper side of a cavity 40 . The wall forming the guide section 38 is elastically deformable, and therefore the running or active surface of the guide web 30 , which surface is arranged on the lower side, is spring-mounted, and therefore tolerances can be absorbed and forces in the vertical direction of the vehicle can be damped.
The drive carriage 24 can be designed as a two-component injection molded part, wherein a first component which forms the guide section 38 and the claw section 32 is designed in an optimized manner with respect to the sliding pairing with the plastic which surrounds the guide web 30 of the carrier element 26 .
The guide section 38 is divided into three subregions 42 , 44 and 46 which are arranged consecutively in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, are each inclined in relation to one another and of which the subregion 42 is assigned a section 48 assigned to the closed position of the cover element 12 , the subregion 44 is assigned to a section 50 assigned to the ventilation position, and the subregion 46 is assigned to a subregion 52 of the guide web 30 of the carrier element 26 , which subregion is assigned to the lowered displacement position. By means of the subregions 42 , 44 and 46 which are tilted with respect to one another, optimized contact behavior between the guide section 38 , which is formed on the drive carriage 24 , and the lower side or active surface of the guide web 30 of the carrier element 26 can be achieved in each pivoting phase of the cover element 12 .
FIG. 8 illustrates various embodiments for optimizing the prestressing which is exerted on the carrier element 26 by the guide section 38 of the drive carriage 24 . Firstly, it is possible to design the active surface 54 , which is arranged on the lower side of the carrier element 26 , with an arched cross section in the transverse direction of the carrier element 26 . Secondly, it is possible, as illustrated in FIG. 8 , to design surfaces 56 and 58 which bound the guide section 38 to be curved or arched in the transverse direction of the vehicle. Furthermore, it is possible to insert a damping element 60 into the cavity 40 , the upper side 62 of which damping element has a curved cross section in the transverse direction of the guide rail 20 , that cross section consequently additionally having an over-arched surface 62 providing prestressing. Depending on requirements, the technically most expedient and cost-effective solution with regard to the prestressing in the vertical direction of the vehicle can be found by appropriate configuration of the above-described curvatures in combination or else in each case on their own.
In order to fix the damping element 60 in the cavity 40 , a groove 64 is arranged on the lower side of the damping element 60 , said groove running in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and a web-like projection 66 of the drive carriage 44 engaging in said groove in the installed position.
The damping element 60 which consists, for example, of EPDM, TPE, NBR or the like, is illustrated in the installed position thereof, in which it is arranged in the cavity 40 , with reference to FIG. 9 . As can be gathered from FIG. 9 , the wall forming the guide section 38 rests directly on the damping element 60 such that drive forces admitted to the drive carriage 24 by the carrier element 26 can be directly damped.
The embodiment, which is illustrated in FIG. 10 , of a drive carriage 24 ′ corresponds substantially to that according to FIG. 6 but differs therefrom in that the lower side of the drive carriage 24 ′ has a slot 68 into which a leaf spring 70 is inserted via a foot section 72 , said leaf spring having a sliding section 74 which is supported on a sliding surface 76 of the guide rail 20 . The leaf spring 70 is arranged below the guide section 78 of the drive carriage 24 , on which guide section the guide web 30 of the carrier element 26 rests. The sliding surface 76 lies between the guide tracks, which are formed on the guide rail 20 , for the sliding sections 34 on both sides of the drive carriage 24 ′. Forces acting on the drive carriage 24 ′ in the vertical direction of the vehicle can therefore be introduced directly into the guide rail 20 .
FIG. 11 illustrates a further embodiment of a drive carriage 24 ″ which differs from the above-described drive carriage in that it is formed from a drive carriage body 78 which is designed as a plastic injection molded part and has a recess 80 into which an insert 82 , which is likewise designed as a plastic structural member, is latched via latching lugs 84 and 86 which engage in corresponding recesses 88 and 90 in the drive carriage body 78 . The upper boundary wall of the insert 82 forms a guide section 38 for the guide web 30 of the carrier element 26 and has a cavity 40 which is likewise filled by a damping element 60 . The function of the guide section 38 , which here has two subregions or guide surfaces 42 , 44 which are tilted with respect to each other, corresponds to that of the guide section of the above-described exemplary embodiments.
FIG. 12 illustrates a further embodiment of a drive carriage, which embodiment substantially corresponds to that according to FIG. 11 but differs therefrom in that the insert 82 ′, which is designed as a plastic structural member, is supported on a sliding surface of the guide rail via base surface regions 92 . The insert 82 ′ is guided movably in a recess 80 in the drive carriage body 78 at right angles to the sliding surface of the guide rail. The insert 82 ′ is not fixed in the drive carriage 24 ″.
FIG. 13 illustrates a further embodiment of a drive carriage 24 ″″, the function and manner of operation of which substantially corresponds to those of the above-described exemplary embodiments but differ from the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 12 in that a wall forming a guide section 38 ″ is of double-walled design in some regions, and the sub-walls of the double-walled guide section 38 ″ are connected to one another by webs 94 .
FIGS. 14 to 16 illustrate a variant embodiment of an adjustment device 22 ′, which substantially corresponds to that according to FIG. 9 but differs in that the damping element 60 serving as a buffer has a projection 96 which is arranged outside the drive carriage body and on which the locking lever 28 rests in the lowered displacement position of the cover element 12 . The locking lever 28 can therefore rest thereon without annoying noises.
List of reference numbers
10
Tilt and slide sun roof
12
Cover element
14
Glass body
16
Frame
18
Fastening tabs
20
Guide rail
22
Adjustment device
24
Drive carriage
26
Carrier element
28
Locking lever
30
Guide web
32
Claw section
34
Sliding section
36
Spring tabs
38
Guide section
40
Cavity
42
Subregion
44
Subregion
46
Subregion
48
Section
50
Section
52
Section
54
Active surfaces
56
Surface
58
Surface
60
Damping element
62
Upper side
64
Groove
66
Projection
68
Slot
70
Leaf spring
72
Foot section
74
Sliding section
76
Sliding surface
78
Drive carriage body
80
Recess
82
Insert
84
Latching lug
86
Latching lug
88
Recess
90
Recess
92
Base surface region
94
Webs
96
Projection | A vehicle roof comprising at least one cover element, which selectively closes or at least partially exposes a roof opening and which, with respect to the vehicle longitudinal center plane, comprises a carrier element on either side, said carrier element being provided with a gate and interacting with an adjusting device, which is guided in a guide rail arranged in the vehicle longitudinal direction and comprises a carriage element, which interacts with the gate of the respective carrier element at least in order to pivot the cover element and comprises a guide section on which the carrier element rests. The guide section is formed by a wall of a plastic component, which can be elastically deformed and give way in a hollow space formed by the plastic component. | 1 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to post covers, bollards, and the like, and more particularly, to spacers enabling protective covers to fit differently sized stanchions, posts, and the like.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Stanchions or posts are commonly found in industrial and commercial settings to protect a building structure or fixed equipment from vehicular traffic. Guard posts or protective stanchions are commonly found in public parking lots and the like to protect drive-up windows and equipment, telephone booths, store entrances, and so forth.
[0003] Existing guard posts and protective stanchions often comprise a steel post set in the ground or pavement with a portion of the post projecting a desired amount above the pavement surface, commonly on the order of about four feet or so. To enhance the durability of such a steel pipe stanchion, one may fill the steel pipe with concrete. This both closes the interior of the pipe to environmental deterioration and enhances the structural integrity and impact absorbing qualities of the stanchion.
[0004] Further, existing stanchions are typically painted to preserve the exterior of the stanchion and resist deterioration by rusting or the like. Protective stanchions are also painted to provide a high visibility color.
[0005] However, steps to enhance the durability of a protective stanchion such as painting are typically labor-intensive and require repetitive maintenance to repair chipped paint, worn surfaces, or discoloration over time.
[0006] To address this maintenance problem, U.S. Pat. No. 5,323,583 provides a protective sleeve for upright posts and stanchions. The sleeve comprises an elongated body extending between two opposing ends and an interior cavity extending along the sleeve and through at least one of the two opposing ends. Further, the interior cavity has a cross-sectional shape adapted for slip fit engagement with the post. The post is inserted into the interior cavity and the sleeve force fit over the post. According to a preferred embodiment, the sleeve includes a decorative feature in the form of a smooth hemispherical top on the closed opposing end, as shown and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. D464,585. A textured version is shown and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. D426,898.
[0007] Post sleeves have also been combined with other features. For example, U.S. Pat. No. D374,941 is directed to an ornamental design for a combined stanchion with sleeve and signage. In terms of installation, U.S. Pat. No. 6,209,276 describes the way in which trapped air is used to hold a sleeve onto an elongated member such as a vertical post or pillar. At least one spacer is provided circumferentially around the member, which is positioned proximate to the end over which the open end of the sleeve is placed for installation purposes. As the sleeve is subsequently urged over the member, air trapped between the end of the member including the spacer and the closed end of the sleeve is expelled past the spacer and out the open end of the sleeve between the outside wall of the member. With such a configuration, if one then attempts to pull the sleeve off the member, air movement past the spacer in the opposite direction is again very slow, preventing the sleeve from being pulled off the member without a substantial effort.
[0008] One issue that remains with post sleeves of the type just described is that dedicated sleeves are provided for each diameter post or stanchion. This not only requires a larger inventory of differently sized products, but it also limits flexibility in that on occasion one might like to place a larger sleeve on a smaller diameter post.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] This invention resides in post covers, bollards, and the like, and in particular, provides a protective cover for a stanchion or post with liner/spacer that allows a larger diameter sleeve to fit over a smaller diameter post or stanchion.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0010] FIG. 1 is a drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0011] This invention relates to sleeves used to cover posts, stanchions, and the like. These are often found out-of-doors, to protect vehicles, and to provide other applications, features of this type often being referred to as “bollards.” In distinction with previous designs, the sleeves according to this invention include a liner/spacer that allows a larger diameter sleeve to fit over a smaller diameter post or stanchion.
[0012] FIG. 1 is a drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention. A sleeve 102 , having a wall thickness t, defines an inner diameter D. A spacer, 104 , has an outer diameter D corresponding to the inner diameter of the sleeve, and an inner diameter d corresponding to the outer diameter d of a post of stanchion 106 to be covered. The preferred embodiment of the invention includes only the liner 104 , since the invention may be used with existing sleeves such as that depicted at 102 . However, in an alternative embodiment of the invention, particularly if the liner 104 is somehow bonded to the inside of the sleeve 102 , the invention includes the sleeve and liner in combination.
[0013] Although a smooth sleeve with a hemispherical top is shown, the invention is not limited in this regard, and may be used with any type of sleeve, regardless of ornamentation. Additionally, although the outer diameter D of the liner 104 is shown to be identical to the inner diameter D of the sleeve 102 , the diameters need not be precisely the same. For example, it may be advantageous to make the outer diameter D of the liner 104 slightly less than the inner diameter D of the sleeve, to permit the liner to be more easily installed. The same holds true of the inner diameter d of the sleeve 104 and the outer diameter d of the post or stanchion to be covered 106 . That is, the inner diameter of d of the liner 104 may advantageously be slightly larger than the outer diameter of the post or stanchion to better facilitate installation. Furthermore, although an elongated liner 104 is shown to be substantially coextensive with the inner diameter of the sleeve and outer diameter of the post or stanchion, a shorter liner may be used and, indeed, multiple, spaced-apart liners may alternatively be utilized.
[0014] The sleeve 102 may be constructed of any suitable material, such as a molded polymeric or otherwise, and the post 106 may be of any construction as well, including metal pipe, plastic pipe, and pipes with fillings such as concrete or other materials. The lengths L of the pipe 106 , as well as the lengths of the spacers and sleeves may be of any useful length, on the order of one foot to several feet, depending upon the application.
[0015] The material used for the liner 104 may also vary in accordance with application. In the preferred embodiment, Styrofoam or another open- or closed-cell foam is used. Alternatively, however, rubber materials, fiber materials and injectable foams may be used. With respect to the latter, one or more apertures may be provided through the sleeve 102 , enabling a foam to be introduced on-site.
[0016] The liner 104 is preferably provided in different sizes, such as in inch increments to suit different inside diameter sleeves and outside diameter posts. For example, the liner 104 may have an inside diameter of 2 to 10 inches, more or less, and an outside diameter of 3 to 12 inches, again, preferably in 1-inch increments. | A protective cover for a stanchion or post that includes an upper vessel that may be used as a planter, ashtray, or other purposes, thereby enhancing utility and/or decorative affect. | 4 |
RELATED APPLICATIONS
This is a national stage filing of PCT Application Number PCT/NO99/00201 filed Jun. 17, 1999.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a tube apparatus for discharge of liquid from a container, in particular a separation tank, adapted to receive at least to different fluids with one or more intermediate boundary layers, where liquid outlet openings are located above and/or under the boundary layer(s).
A common use for such a liquid outlet is for draining at the bottom of a container. The tube apparatus according to the invention has primarily been developed for draining the water phase in an oil-water separator. However the apparatus is also well suited for use in two-phase separators with low liquid levels. As already indicated above there can in this connection generally be the question of more than two different liquids or fluid phases, since it can also be contemplated to employ the tube apparatus between two boundary layers in such a case with three or (more) different liquids, or the more interesting case of two liquids and a gas phase.
Conventional designs of outlet arrangements for liquid from containers and tanks are as a rule based on a single outlet at one point. This involves drawbacks related to strong local draining effects in the vicinity of the outlet opening. Thus entraining of liquid from surrounding portions of the container will very easily occur, so that outflow and mixing of different liquids or phases in the boundary layer will result. The invention aims at substantial improvements in this respect.
In practical cases of mounting of a tube apparatus according to the invention in a container, the outlet openings will normally be well elevated above the bottom of the container. A result of this is that entraining of particles and bottom deposits such as sand, from the region at the bottom will be prevented, which apparently is an advantage compared to an outlet opening located close to or flush with the bottom of the container.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention comprises, in one embodiment, a tube apparatus for outlet of liquid from a container, adapted to receive at least two different fluids with intermediate interface(s), where liquid outlet openings are located above and/or under the interface(s). This tube apparatus comprises: (1) at least one tube member adapted to have a substantially horizontal position in the container and provided with at least two liquid outlet openings; and (2) a collecting tube that communicates with each tube member and serves to lead liquid out of the container, whereby immediately under and/or over each liquid outlet opening there is provided a substantially plate shaped flow control element which extends approximately horizontally in all directions in relation to the liquid outlet opening concerned.
The flow control elements of the tube apparatus have their largest extension out from the associated liquid outlet opening straight forward thereof. At least one of the flow control elements can be common to two or more of the liquid outlet openings. The collecting tube is adapted to stand approximately vertical in the mounted position in the container.
In one application, each tube member comprises: (1) a circular cross section; (2) liquid outlet openings formed as part of the circular cross section and delimited partially by an edge which is adapted to extend approximately horizontally; (3) and flow control elements generally flush with each limiting edge concerned.
In another application, each tube member comprises: (1) a rectangular cross section with corresponding full liquid outlet openings; and (2) flow control elements positioned flush with an upper and/or lower wall of each tube member.
The apparatus can be principally symmetrical about a vertical axis with all liquid outlet openings of equal dimensions. Further, the tube members residing in the horizontal plane are connected in an H-configuration by a transverse tube which connects a middle portion of two tube members to the collecting tube.
Alternatively, the apparatus can be asymmetrical about a vertical axis with all of the liquid outlet openings adjusted in size so that all of the liquid outlet openings will have approximately the same liquid flow volume.
Within the framework of the invention there may also be contemplated embodiments with two or more tube members each having only one liquid outlet opening, for example a configuration with three tube members extending each in its direction from a common collecting tube and having an associated liquid outlet opening at the outer free end of each tube member. By distributing a number of liquid outlet openings over a larger area, combined with associated flow control elements, adjacent boundary layers between different liquids or gases will be influenced to a negligible degree during operation. This invention seeks to implement this distribution of outlets with flow control elements to achieve the stated advantages.
The arrangement of one or more tube members and two or more liquid outlet openings can in central embodiments according to the invention, comprise tube members having each two liquid outlet openings. Within the framework of the invention, however, there may also be contemplated embodiments with two or more tube members each having only one liquid outlet opening, for example a configuration with three tube members extending each in its direction from a common collecting tube and having an associated liquid outlet opening at the outer free end of each tube member.
With a tube apparatus according to the invention mounted in a container or separator tank particularly good draining properties are obtained. By distributing a number of liquid outlet openings, for example 3, 4 or more openings, over larger area or portions of the container, combined with associated flow control elements, one (or two) adjacent boundary layers between two different liquids will be influenced to a negligible degree during operation. In the typical case of a boundary surface lying somewhat above the outlet openings, it is more specifically liquid flow directed downwards from the region at the boundary surface that is prevented. In actual practice this involves that for example in an oil-water separator the boundary surface or interface between oil and water can be positioned very close to the outlet openings without any risk of entraining of oil with the water during outflow. In a corresponding manner entraining of gas is prevented when a two-phase separator is concerned.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the following description, the invention will be explained with reference to the drawings where:
FIG. 1 shows a symmetrical configuration of the tube apparatus with an H-shape in top view,
FIG. 2 shows the apparatus of FIG. 1 in a cross-sectional view according to the line B—B in FIG. 1,
FIG. 3 shows the apparatus of FIG. 1 in a cross-sectional view according to the line A—A in FIG 1 ,
FIG. 4 in contrast to the symmetrical configuration in FIG. 1, shows an asymmetric tube apparatus in top view,
FIG. 5 in a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 2, shows an embodiment of the tube apparatus intended for positioning the liquid outlet openings above liquid interface,
FIG. 6 in a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 2, shows an embodiment of the tube apparatus intended for positioning the liquid outlet openings between two interfaces in a container, and
FIG. 7 shows a configuration of the tube apparatus with a specific embodiment of plate-shaped flow control elements.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In the embodiment of the tube apparatus as seen from FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 , there are incorporated two tube members 3 and 4 , each of which has two liquid outlet openings, namely 3 A and 3 B as well as 4 A and 4 B, respectively. This embodiment comprises a symmetrical arrangement where four liquid outlet openings are located at the same distance from a central, vertical axis 100 , and have the same orientation with respect thereto. An intermediate portion of each tube member 3 and 4 is connected to a transverse tube 1 , which in turn communicates with a collecting tube 2 adapted to carry liquid out of the container concerned. In this embodiment, the collecting tube 2 stands vertically and has a flange connection at its lower end for transfer or connection out through a bottom outlet (not shown) of the container. An interface between two different fluids is shown at 10 in FIGS. 2 and 3.
The tube member 3 has an outlet opening 3 A at one end and a second outlet opening 3 B at the other end. In a corresponding way, tube member 4 has two liquid outlet openings 4 A and 4 B. This is a case of circular tube cross section in tube members 3 and 4 , as will appear in particular from FIG. 3 . As illustrated in FIG. 3, outlet openings 3 A and 4 A constitute a lower part of the complete tube cross section, as corresponding upper parts 3 C and 4 C of the cross section are closed with a plate. The limiting edge is illustrated at 4 D for opening 4 A. Preferably flush with the lower limiting edge of plate parts 3 C and 4 D, there are shown flow control elements 6 and 8 , respectively. The shape and position of a total of four such flow control elements 6 , 7 , 8 and 9 is seen more fully from FIGS. 1 and 2. These flow control elements have a substantially rectangular plate shape, possibly with rounded corners.
At this point it is obvious that the rectangular shape can be modified very much, for example to or circular shape. As to the extension of plate elements 6 , 7 , 8 and 9 in relation to the associated liquid outlet openings 3 A, 3 B, 4 A and 4 B, there may also be quite large variations, but it is considered to be advantageous that the flow control elements have their largest dimensions horizontally or straight ahead of the opening concerned.
Based on an apparatus as explained above, it will be realized that this is to be located in the container concerned so that the liquid outlet openings 3 A, 3 B, 4 A and 4 B are positioned underneath the interface 10 . Accordingly, the plate elements 6 , 7 , 8 and 9 lie between interface 10 and the respective openings, so that these in terms of liquid flow will be screened in relation to the interface. The arrows towards openings 4 A and 4 B in FIG. 2 thus illustrate how outflow trough these openings will influence the liquid layers up towards interface 10 only to a small degree.
In the symmetrical H-configuration according to FIG. 1, the four outlet openings 3 A, 3 B, 4 A and 4 B are of equal dimensions, so that the liquid volume discharged through each of these openings will be the same. This is related to the flow path from the respective openings through tube members 3 and 4 as well as the transverse tube 1 to collecting tube 2 .
Unlike the symmetrical tube apparatus of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 as just explained, FIG. 4 shows an example of an asymmetrical embodiment. Also here there are provided two tube members 13 and 14 with associated liquid outlet openings 13 A, 13 B, 14 A, 14 B, respectively. There is also provided a transverse tube 11 connecting the two tube members to a collecting tube 12 . At each of the outlet openings there is shown a flow control element, as indicated at 16 , 17 , 18 and 19 . These elements here have a rectangular plate shape resembling the flow control elements in FIGS. 1-3.
It appears from FIG. 4 that tube members 13 and 14 with their associated outlet openings are somewhat skewed in relation to collection tube 12 . Collecting tube 12 penetrates the bottom of the container concerned, somewhat inclined with respect to the central line 110 along the bottom of the container which explains this asymmetrical arrangement. It is desirable however, that the four liquid outlet openings are positioned in pairs symmetrically in relation to the bottom of the container and thus to the central line 110 . The apparatus may be implemented in a horizontal cylindrical container, the axis of which extends in parallel to the central line 110 mentioned above. From the geometrical relationships described here, it is seen that tube members 13 and 14 are adapted to lie substantially horizontally in the mounted position of the tube apparatus. In this configuration of the apparatus-the flow paths from openings 13 B and 14 B will be shorter than the flow paths from openings 13 A and 14 A, and consequentially the size of the openings is adjusted in order to compensate for this. Thus liquid outlet openings 13 A and 14 A must be larger than openings 13 B and 14 B in order that the flow contribution from each of the outlet openings shall be of equal magnitude.
In the preceding figures, it has been a precondition that the interface ( 10 in FIGS. 2 and 3) lies higher than the outlet apparatus. FIG. 5 shows a case of the opposite arrangement, namely with an interface 20 at a lower level than a tube member 24 with associated liquid outlet openings 24 A and 24 B with their flow control elements 28 and 29 . Therefore, these elements here have a screening effect with respect to fluid flow from the region at interface 20 . Otherwise the embodiment of FIG. 5 can correspond to the one in FIGS. 1-3. Thus, there is shown a vertical collecting tube 22 corresponding to collecting tube 2 in FIGS. 1-3.
A further possible modification is illustrated in FIG. 6, where there is the case of two interfaces 30 A and 30 B, at whereby fluids above interface 30 B, as an alternative, can be a gas phase. A collecting tube 32 here penetrates interface 30 A and carries a tube member 34 so that this is localized between the interfaces 30 A and 30 B. Liquid outlet openings 34 A and 34 B in this embodiment have flow control elements both at the upper side and at the underside, as shown at 36 and 38 for opening 34 A and at 37 and 39 for opening 34 B. Thereby the openings will be screened with respect to both interfaces 30 A and 30 B, so that outflow of liquid will take place substantially from the liquid layers between interfaces 30 A and 30 B.
The cross-sectional shape of tube member 34 in FIG. 6 can be rectangular, so that plate elements 36 - 39 can be located and attached substantially flush with the upper and lower walls respectively of the rectangular tube member 34 . Based on a symmetrical H-configuration as in FIG. 1, the outlet openings according to FIG. 6 can comprise the full rectangular cross section of tube member 34 . In other words, all of the liquid outlet openings can be of the same shape and size.
Irrespective of the cross-sectional shape, it is also within the framework of the invention that the plane of the outlet openings can deviate from the vertical plane. A more or less downwards or upwards inclined orientation of the openings is also possible.
Finally FIG. 7 also shows an essentially symmetrical H-configuration with collecting tube 42 , transverse tube 41 and two tube members 43 and 44 . Associated outlet openings are indicated with arrows at 43 A, 43 B and 44 A, 44 B, respectively. What is specific in the embodiment of FIG. 7 is that there is provided a common flow control element 46 for the openings 43 A and 44 A at one side and at the other side a common plate element 47 for the openings 43 B and 44 B. In certain respects such an embodiment can be advantageous, among other things, for the purpose of an extended area of the flow control elements as a whole. A large extension in this respect will be obtained by having a common plate element extending between and out from all outlet openings in the tube apparatus. The foregoing description of a preferred embodiment of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from practice of the invention. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the invention and its practical application to enable one skilled in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined the claims appended hereto, and their equivalents. | A tube apparatus for outlet of liquid from a container, adapted to receive at least two different fluids with intermediate interface(s), where liquid outlet openings are located above and/or underneath the interface(s). At least one tube member is adapted to have a substantially horizontal position in the container and is provided with at least two liquid outlet openings. A collecting tube communicates with each tube member and serves to lead liquid out of the container. Immediately under and/or over each liquid outlet opening there is provided a plate-shaped flow control element which extends approximately horizontally in all directions with respect to the liquid outlet opening concerned. | 1 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a data transmission method and a data transmission system and particularly to those systems suitable for use in transmitting data at different transmission speeds on the same transmission line.
In the prior art, NRZ signals, bipolar signals and the like are used for serially transmitting data in the form of base band signals. However, in transmitting serial data in such form of signal wave over a long distance, a significant pulse width included in the signal waveform is dependent on the transmission speed of the data, and thus the following problems may occur.
First, since long-distance transmission of a signal on the transmission line causes the signal waveform to be distorted due to the characteristic of the line, interference between codes may occur in the binary state of the signal, preventing the binary states from being accurately discriminated.
Secondly, when data is transmitted at different transmission speeds on the same transmission line, the significant pulse width included in the transmitted signal waveform is changed depending on the transmission speeds, and thus to prevent mismatching (reflection or the like) between the transmission line characteristic and signal waveform, it is necessary to provide a circuit to terminate the line for matching to the line characteristic at each transmission speed, in the data receiving circuit, or to restrict the transmission speed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object to provide a data transmission method and system with the above drawbacks obviated, and in which the interference between codes is almost prevented from occuring in the binary states of the signal so that the binary states of the signal can be discriminated accurately, or substantially no data error occurs, even if a distortion occurs in the transmitted signal waveform, and it is unnecessary to terminate the line, considering the line characteristic at each transmission speed even if data is transmitted at different transmission speeds.
Thus, according to this invention, there is provided a data transmission system for transmitting data at a transmission speed given by F=1/{(N+1)} (bits/sec) where N>0, wherein on the transmitting side, a bipolar signal, for example, is sent on a transmission line during a constant period of time T (sec) forming part of the bit time of the data irrespective of the transmission speed of the data in response to one of the binary states of the data but no signal is sent on the line during the other portion N·T (sec) of the bit time, and in response to the other of the binary states, no signal is sent on the line; while on the receiving side, the binary states of the transmitted data are discriminated by the presence or absence of a bipolar signal on the line in accordance with the data transmission speed F, the data is converted to, for example, a NRZ signal and a receiving clock signal is generated for sampling this NRZ signal.
Thus, according to this invention, since no signal is sent during the N·T period after the bipolar data signal is sent, interference between codes is substantially eliminated even if a distortion is introduced in the signal waveform. Moreover, there is no need to consider the transmission line characteristic at each transmission speed. Particularly, if a bipolar signal is sent, the signal waveform distortion is reduced further.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows the whole of a data transmission system.
FIG. 2 is a detailed diagram of a data transmission system according to this invention.
FIG. 3 is a waveform diagram showing a waveform at each point in FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is a specific arrangement of the transmitting logic circuit in FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 is a specific arrangement of the receiving logic circuit in FIG. 3.
FIG. 6 shows the relation between the transmission speed and the speed control signal.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 shows the overall data transmission system according to this invention. Referring to FIG. 1, a data transmission system 1 includes a transmitting circuit 4, a transmission line 5, and a receiving circuit 6. The transmitting circuit 4 sends a transmission clock signal (TXCLK) 3, and a serial data signal (TXDATA) 2 in the form of an NRZ signal is supplied to the transmitting circuit 4 in synchronism with the trailing edge of the clock signal 3. The receiving circuit 6 converts a signal on the transmission line 5 into a NRZ signal and produces the NRZ signal as a received data signal (RCVDATA) 8. In addition, the receiving circuit 6 produces a received clock signal (RCVCLK) 7 in synchronism with the data signal 8. The received data signal 8 is sample at the trailing edge of the received clock signal 7.
FIG. 2 is a detailed block diagram of the data transmission system of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a waveform diagram showing each signal waveform in FIG. 2. It is assumed that 15 different data transmission speeds, F=1/{(N+1)·T} (bits/sec), where N=1, 2, 3, . . . 15 selected in accordance with the transmission speed and T is a constant independent of the transmission speed. FIG. 3 is an example for N=3.
A transmitting logic circuit 15 is supplied with a fundamental transmission clock signal of period T/4 (BASECLK) 17, so as to produce the transmission clock signal (TXCLK) 3 in response to the clock signal 17. The transmission data signal (TXDATA) 2 in the form of a NRZ signal is received by the logic circuit 15 in synchronism with this transmission clock signal 3. This transmitting logic circuit 15 produces first and second transmission outputs (TX1) 19 and (TX2) 20 during the period T of one bit time of the data (time necessary for 1 bit of data to be transmitted and received) which one bit time includes the two periods T and N·T as shown in FIG. 3 during the "0" state of the transmission data 2, the period T being independent of the transmission speed. These outputs 19 and 20 are supplied through voltage clamping circuits 101 and 102 to a pulse transformer 11, respectively. Then, the pulse transformer 11 sends the bipolar signal as a transmission data signal 22 to the transmission line 5. During the N·T period, which is dependent on the transmission speed, the transmission outputs 19 and 20 are generated from the logic circuit 15 and thus no significant signal is sent on the transmission line 5. When the transmission data signal 2 is "1", the logic circuit 15 produces no outputs 19 and 20 during one bit time, or (N+1)·T of data, and thus no signal is sent on the line 5. The transmission line 5 is terminated by a terminal resistance 12.
The transmission data signal 22 from the transmission circuit 4 is transmitted on the line 5 and supplied to the receiving circuit 6. In the receiving circuit 6, the transmission data 22 is received by the pulse transformer 11, attenuated by an attenuator 13 and then supplied to a sense amplifier 14. The sense amplifier 14 converts the bipolar signal sent as the transmission data signal 22 from the circuit 4 into two pulses of the same polarity, which are then supplied as a received input signal (RCVIN) 21 to a receiving logic circuit 16. To the logic circuit 16 is also supplied a received sampling clock signal (SMPLCLK) 18 of period T/16. The received input 21 is sampled at each pulse of the clock 18. When two consecutive pulses of the same polarity are detected in the received input 21, the received data signal (RCVDATA) 8 is turned to "0" and also the received clock signal 7 is controlled to be in synchronism with the received data signal 8 so that the received data signal 8 can be sampled at the trailing edge of the received clock signal (RCVCLK) 7. Subsequently, when the two consecutive pulses of the same polarity are not detected in the received input 21 after a lapse of 1 bit time, the received data turns to "1".
FIG. 4 shows a specific arrangement of the transmitting logic circuit 15.
Referring to FIG. 4, the fundamental transmission clock signal 17 of pulse width T/4 and duty ratio of 50% is applied to the T-input of a flip-flop 23 and a NOR circuit 28. This flip-flop 23 produces at its "1" output terminal the clock 17 divided in frequency by 2. The "1" output of the flip-flop 23 is connected to the T-inputs of a synchronous counter 25 and flip-flop 29. The "1" side output of the flip-flop 23 is inverted by an inverter 26 and then applied to the T-inputs of a flip-flop 27 and synchronous counter 30. The "0" side output of the flip-flop 23 is fed back to its own D-input.
The synchronous counter 25 is a programmable counter, the inputs of 2 3 to 2 0 of which are connected to a transmission speed control switch 24. This switch 24 specifies speed control signals 38 to 41 by using 4 bit digital values A to D. FIG. 6 shows the relation between the speed control signals A, B, C, D and transmission speed 1/{(N+1)·T} (N=1, 2, 3 . . . 15). H represents the high level, and L the low level. Also, the synchronous counter 30 is a programmable counter, the 2 3 to 2 0 inputs of which are fixed to "L" in advance.
The RC output of the synchronous counter 25 becomes "H" during T once at each (N+1)·T/2 in accordance with the speed control signals of the 2 3 to 2 0 inputs, and is applied to the D-input of the flip-flop 27. The "0" side output of the flip-flop 27 is fed back to the LD input of the synchronous counter 25. Also, the RC output of the synchronous counter 25 is applied to the ET input of the synchronous counter 30. As a result, the synchronous counter 30 produces at the 2 0 output the transmission clock (TXCLK) 3 of period (N+1)·T and duty ratio 50%.
On the other hand, the "1" side output of the flip-flop 27 is connected to the D-input of a flip-flop 29, and the "1" side output of the flip-flop 29 is connected to one input of a NAND circuit 33. To the other input of the NAND circuit 33 is applied a signal into which the 2 0 output of the synchronous counter 30 is inverted by an inverter 31. The flip-flop 29 shifts the RC output of the synchronous counter 25 by T/2 to produce "H" at the "1" side output during period T after a lapse of T/4 from the leading edge and trailing edge of the transmission clock 3. Thus, the output of the NAND circuit 33 becomes "L" during period T once at each period (N+1)·T of the clock 3 after a lapse of T/4 from the trailing edge of the clock 3. The output of the NAND circuit 33 and the transmission data 2 are applied to an OR circuit 35.
The transmission data 2 is changed in synchronism with the trailing edge of the clock 3. When the data 2 is "0" or "L", the output of the OR circuit 35 becomes "L" during the period "T" after a lapse of T/4 from the trailing edge of the clock 3. The output of the OR circuit 35 and fundamental clock 17 are applied to a NOR circuit 28. As a result, the output of the NOR circuit 28 becomes "H" during T/4 after the lapse of T/2 from the trailing edge of the clock 3. The output of the NOR circuit 28 is applied to the first inputs of NAND circuits 36 and 37, and also through an inverter 32 to the T-input of a flip-flop 34. The "0" side output of the flip-flip 34 is fed back to its own D-input, and at the same time is applied to the other input of the NAND circuit 36. The "1" side output of the flip-flop 34 is applied to the other input of the NAND circuit 37.
If now the "0" side output of the flip-flop 34 is "H", the first transmission output (TX1) 19 becomes "L", as shown in FIG. 3, only when the NOR circuit 28 produces an output of "H". When the output of the NOR circuit 28 falls, the "1" side output of the flip-flop 34 becomes "H" and the "0" side output thereof is "L". The output of the NOR circuit 28 becomes "H" during T/4 after a lapse of T from the trailing edge of the clock signal 3. At this time, since the "1" side output of the flip-flop 34 is "H", the second transmission output (TX2) 20 is "L". During the period in which the transmission outputs 19 and 20 are "L", the bipolar signal of transmission data 22 shown in FIG. 3 is sent from the circuit 4 to the line 5. During the remaining period in which the transmission data is "0", that is, during the period of (N-1/4)T after the lapse of 5T/4 from the trailing edge (the fall) of the clock signal 3, and during the period in which the tarnsmission data is "1" or "H", the output of the OR circuit 35 remains "H", and thus the output of the NOR circuit 28 stays "L", the transmission outputs 19 and 20 never becoming "L". Therefore, no significant signal is sent on the line 5.
FIG. 5 shows a specific arrangement of the receiving logic circuit 16. Referring to FIG. 5, the received input signal (RCVIN) 21 is applied to the DA end of a flip-flop 43. The receiving sampling clock signal 18 is applied to the T-inputs of an inverter 42, flip-flop 43, and flip-flop 51. This received input signal 21 is synchronized with the received sampling clock signal (SMPLCLK) 18 of period T/16 which is applied to the T-input of the flip-flop 43, and produced at the UA-1 output of the flip-flop 43. The output at UA-1 of the flip-flop 43 is applied to the DA input of a flip-flop 47 and at the same time the UA-1 output of the flip-flop 43 and UA-1 output of the flip-flop 47 are applied to an AND circuit 46. The output of the AND circuit 46 is applied to the DB input of the flip-flop 47. The UA-1 output of the flip-flop 43 is fed back to the DB input of the flip-flop 43, and applied to a NAND circuit 44. To the other input ends of the NAND circuit 44 are applied the UB-0 output of the flip-flop 43 and the UA-0 output of the flip-flop 47, respectively. The clock signal 18 is inverted by an inverter 42 and then applied to the T inputs of synchronous counters 45, 48, 52 and 56.
When the received input 21 is changed from "L" to "H", the UA-1 output of the flip-flop 43 is also "H", and the output of the NAND circuit 44 becomes "L" during the interval of a single clock pulse from the leading edge of the clock 18, or during T/16. The output of the NAND circuit 44 is connected to the LD input of the synchronous counter 45. The synchronous counter 45 operates in synchronism with the received input which is synchronized with the leading edge of the receiving sampling clock signal 18, or the leading edge of the UA-1 output of the flip-flop 43, to produce 2 2 -output which is used for sampling the UA-1 output of the flip-flop 47 at time points 3T/32, and 19T/32 from the leading edge of the output. When the sampled results at the two points are both "H" and the RC output of the synchronous counter 45 is "H", a NAND circuit 50 to which the RC output of the synchronous counter 45 and the UA-1 output of the flip-flop 47 are applied becomes "L". Thus, the "1" side output of a flip-flop 51 connected to the NAND circuit 50 becomes "L" during the interval of a single clock (T/16) from the leading edge of the clock signal 18. Here, during the period in which the UA-0 output of the flip-flop 47 is "L", the synchronous counter 45 is not synchronized with the received input signal 21 since the receiving logic circuit 16 is sampling two successive pulses.
The "1" side output of the flip-flop 51 is connected to the S-input of a flip-flop 53, the R-input of a flip-flop 47, and the LD input of a synchronous counter 56. When the "1" side output of the flip-flop 51 becomes "L", the flip-flop 53 stores the received data of "0". At the same time, since the received clock signal (RCVCLK) 7 is produced, the synchronous counters 48, 52 and 56 are synchronized with the received data. Thus, the "0" side output of the flip-flop 52 is applied through the NOR circuit 49 to the LD input of the synchronous counter 48, and the RC output of the synchronous counter 48 becomes "H" at each ·T/2. The RC-output of the synchronous counter 48 is connected to the NOR circuit 49 and the ET input of the synchronous counter 52. The "0" side output of the flip-flop 51 is connected through the NOR circuit 55 to the LD-input of the synchronous counter 52. The RC output of the synchronous counter 52 becomes "H" at each (N+1)·T/2 in response to the state of the speed control signals A, B, C and D as shown in FIG. 6. The RC output of the synchronous counter 52 is applied to the NOR circuit 55 and the ET input of the synchronous counter 56. The "1" side output of the flip-flop 51 is connected to the LD input of the synchronous counter 56, and the 2 3 to 2 0 inputs of the synchronous counter 56 are fixed to "L". Thus, the 2 0 output of the synchronous counter 56 is the receiving clock signal (RCVCLK) 7 of the period (N+1)·T synchronized with the received data and a duty ratio of 50%.
The received clock signal 7 is applied to the T-inputs of the flip-flops 53 and 54, and the "1" side output of the flip-flop 53 is connected to the D-input of the flip-flop 54. Thus, at the leading edge of the clock signal 7, the contents of the flip-flop 53 are transferred to the flip-flop 54, which then produces at the "1" side output the received data (RCVDATA) 8 of "0" or "L", and also the data stored in the flip-flop 53 is cleared. If the received input 21 remains "L" during 1 bit time, or (N+1)·T, the "1" said output of the flip-flop 51 stays also "1", or "H". The received data 8 thus generated can be sampled at the next trailing edge of the received clock signal 7.
While the illustrated embodiment is for N=1 to 15 the cases of larger values of N can be realized similarly.
Thus, according to this embodiment, since the bipolar signal is sent during the period T in accordance with one of the significant states of transmission data and data is not sent during the period N·T, it is not necessary to consider the transmission line characteristic for each transmission speed. In other words, as shown in FIG. 6, to increase the transmission speed, the transmission speed control switch 24 is set to correspond to a small value of N, for example, N=1. On the other hand, to decrease the transmission speed, the control switch 24 is set to correspond to a large value of N. In either case, since data is not sent during the N·T period, data transmission can be performed irrespective of the transmission speed of the data.
Other changes and modifications of the invention can be made. For example, when data is transmitted from a transmitter to a plurality of receivers, a plurality of the same receiving circuits as the receiving circuit 6 shown in FIG. 1 are connected to the transmission line 5. Also, the circuits as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 can be modified in various ways. For example, the control switch for changing the data transmission speed is not limited to a digital type. Moreover, the signal sent from the transmitter is desirably a bipolar signal, but considering waveform distortion and so on it is not always limited thereto. | For transmitting binary data at a data transmission speed of F=1/[(N+1)T] bits/second, where N represents a value selected in accordance with a given transmission speed and T represents a predetermined constant period, a transmitter station sends out a bipolar signal on a transmission line for the period T (seconds) corresponding to one of the states of the binary data independent of the data transmission speed, while no data is sent out on the transmission speed, while no data is sent out on the transmission line for the period NT (seconds) as well as for a period corresponding to the other state of the binary data. In a receiving station, the binary states of the data are discriminatively determined from the bipolar signal received through the transmission line in accordance with the data transmission speed F, the data being converted to a unipolar signal such as NRZ signal. | 7 |
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/901,570 filed on May 24, 2013.
SUMMARY
[0002] The Electromagnetic Regolith Excavator (ERE) is a proposed method of excavation (including drilling) that uses traveling waves of magnetism to draw magnetic materials into and through a tube and then to direct their movement into a collection bag. It takes advantage of the magnetic nature of most chondrite asteroids (whether in nickel-iron grains or in ferromagnetic minerals such as magnetite) to rapidly move large volumes of material. Non-magnetic materials are carried along with the magnetic portion, thanks to collisions, friction, inertia, and the careful timing of magnetic pulses.
[0003] The ERE behaves much like a vacuum cleaner: the open end attracts loose material, which then enters a duct and is moved along it by directional forces until it is deposited into a receptacle. A vacuum cleaner uses air pressure to draw in and move material, while the ERE uses magnetic attraction to draw in and direct the material. A vacuum cleaner depends upon friction between air and dirt, while the ERE depends upon friction between magnetic particles and non-magnetic ones in the existing regolith.
[0004] Near Earth asteroids (NEAs) are key resources for the cost-effective exploration and settlement of space. However, the microgravity environment results in several challenges for asteroid exploitation, including the difficulty of processes such as digging-that we take for granted on the Earth's surface. Most large asteroids are likely rubble piles, very loosely held due to their low self-gravity. Collisions and impacts of small bodies tend to fragment aggregates into smaller and smaller particles, often resulting in a fine-grained outer covering called regolith. To excavate a bucket of regolith, a down force must be applied to push the blade of a bucket into the regolith—and that down force generates a Normal Reaction force which thrusts the excavator upward, away from the asteroid. The same thing happens when drilling is attempted. In order to begin drilling, the drill head is pressed into the regolith, an action that immediately results in the drilling machine pushing away from the asteroid. Obvious solutions -attaching the spacecraft in some way to the asteroid are cumbersome if the spacecraft must be able to traverse the asteroid's surface gathering material.
[0005] The Electromagnetic Regolith Excavator (ERE) is a proposed method of excavation (including drilling) that circumvents these problems. The ERE uses traveling waves of magnetism to draw magnetic materials interspersed in the asteroid regolith and then to direct their movement. It takes advantage of the magnetic nature of most chondrite asteroids (whether in nickel-iron grains or in ferromagnetic minerals such as magnetite) to rapidly move large volumes of material. Non-magnetic materials are entrained or carried along with the magnetic portion, thanks to collisions, friction, inertia, and the careful timing of magnetic pulses.
[0006] The electromagnetic mouth and throat of the ERE accelerate ferrous grains in the surface material toward a collector in the spacecraft. Ferromagnetic soil particles are expected to be mingled with nonferrous particles in many asteroids' overall regolith matrix, similar to the mix found in ordinary chondrite meteorites. Because there is negligible gravity, the collision forces of ferrous grains hitting other constituents is sufficient to entrain a significant fraction of the nonferrous grains.
[0007] The ERE may be viewed as a very-low-velocity coilgun. However, the extremely low velocities required (less than 1.0 meter per second on an asteroid) should ameliorate the known issues with coilgun designs.
[0008] The ERE may also function as a regolith drill, or ‘mole’, since by leaving it in one place it would excavate the material at that spot and could then be continuously lowered to remove still deeper material.
[0009] The forces and pathways can be tuned to keep all particles together, or to sort them into distinct streams of ferrous and nonferrous material.
[0010] Note that a regolith-recovery spacecraft may be equipped with several EREs, and at any one time, all but one unit may be acting as anchors or feet and one as an excavator/drill. After a time the duty cycle may shift to a different unit.
BACKGROUND
[0011] The excavation of asteroidal regolith is totally untried technology, and there is no ‘current art’. It is, however, widely recognized that any mechanical excavation operation will develop a Normal Reaction Force which will tend to drive the excavation machine away from the surface being excavated, and that anchoring against this Normal Reaction Force is widely recognized to be presently unsolved.
[0012] The ERE uses and relies on the unusual fact that a significant fraction of the mass making up the regolith of both S class and C class asteroids is likely to be magnetic or magnetizable (ferromagnetic). It also uses the concept that this magnetic property will allow regolith particles to become mobilized by an appropriately pulsed magnetic traveling wave, and that furthermore this may entrain commingled non-magnetic regolith particles. The attraction of the magnetic fields to the regolith and the net reaction to the movement of that regolith results in a downward Normal Reaction Force which allows the invention to remain in place during operation, without requiring additional anchoring or thrusting.
[0013] A downstream add-on may use a principle similar to that of cross-belt magnetic separators, as used in the mineral sands industry, to separate magnetic and non-magnetic materials.
[0014] While the principle application of this invention is the excavation and movement of asteroid regolith, by suitable modifications of the invention it may also be used as a drill or as an anchor.
[0015] The ERE is, in fact, an electromagnetic anchor, excavator, drill, and separator, depending on ‘tunable’ details of its design and operation.
[0016] The Electromagnetic Regolith Excavator enables robotic and crewed spacecraft to safely collect surface material from asteroid targets that may be tumbling; because no hard connection is ever established (unless the ERE is intentionally used as a drill or anchor), no strong hazardous forces can be imparted to the collection apparatus aboard the spacecraft.
[0017] An Electromagnetic Regolith Excavator makes sample acquisition from asteroids and Phobos/Diemos more practical and less hazardous than with harpoon-style hard connection approaches. The absence of a hard connection also makes the extraction device easily mobile; alternative digging or drilling methods require the machine deploying the blade or drill to be anchored to provide resistive force to the digging or drilling motions. Releasing such anchors and then re-anchoring during a traverse will be cumbersome. By contrast, the ERE generates an attractive force toward the asteroid as it accelerates regolith the other direction into its collection chamber.
[0018] The stream of regolith gathered by the ERE can be split to deposit ferromagnetic particles into a collection chamber separate from the rest of the mass. This provides a rich feedstock for creating metallic parts, while the nonferromagnetic portion can be heated to release volatiles for propellants and life support, with the leftover rock used for radiation shielding.
[0019] State-of-the-Art for asteroid regolith excavation is theoretical, since no robotic or crewed missions have accomplished this feat. NASA's upcoming asteroid sampling mission, Osiris-REx, employs a momentary contact method: the spacecraft sampler rams the target at extremely low speed (0.1 m/s) and nitrogen squirts out to fluidize the regolith for capture. The repeated impacts pose a risk to the spacecraft.
[0020] By contrast, the Electromagnetic Regolith Excavator does not expose the host spacecraft to ramming shocks. The ERE also provides the safety of not establishing a hard connection with the asteroid, in contrast with methods that harpoon the target from a free-flying spacecraft. The ERE avoids the danger of entanglement if the harpoon cannot be withdrawn, or if the tumble of the target imparts large disturbances to the spacecraft during a nominal sampling activity.
[0021] Additionally, the reaction to the magnetic forces drawing material into the ERE serves to hold the ERE against the asteroid—no other anchoring method is required.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0022] FIG. 1 is a functional diagram of a simple implementation of the invention: a single, simple tube with a series of independently controlled electromagnets along its length. The callouts are:
[0023] 1 . A hollow tube which holds the electromagnets and guides the material being moved.
[0024] 2 . A series of electromagnet coils which attract the regolith when energized.
[0025] 3 . The wires used to energize the individual electromagnet coils
[0026] 4 . The wires supplying current to the coil controllers
[0027] 5 . The wires passing control signals enabling/disabling the coil controllers
[0028] 6 . The coil controllers which supply current to the attached coil when selected by the computer.
[0029] 7 . The power supply for the electromagnetic coils.
[0030] 8 . The computer which controls the sequencing and operation of the controllers, and thus the electromagnetic coils.
[0031] FIG. 2 shows a tube with multiple segments and a receiving container.
[0032] 15 . A fixed-angle segment connector
[0033] 16 . A flexible segment connector
[0034] 17 . Arrows depicting the directions of motion provided by the flexible connector 16 .
[0035] 18 . A container (a tank, canister, bag, or other device) to receive and hold the excavated regolith.
[0036] FIG. 3 shows a variant of the ERE with a flat entry plate 9 to prevent regolith from climbing the exterior of the tube 1 .
[0037] FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the ERE of FIG. 3 , showing a grating 6 to prevent entry of particles large enough to clog the tube interior 5 .
[0038] FIG. 5 shows a variant of the ERE with a constricted entrance 12 to prevent entry of particles large enough to clog the tube 1 interior.
[0039] FIG. 6 shows the bottom view of the ERE of FIG. 5 , revealing that no grating is required since the entrance 11 of the constricted tube 12 is significantly smaller than the diameter of the interior of the tube.
[0040] FIG. 7 shows a variant of the ERE with a flared tube entrance 14 and a larger gathering coil 13 .
[0041] FIG. 8 is a bottom view of the ERE of FIG. 7 , showing that the flared entrance 14 must have a grating 10 to prevent large particles from entering and clogging tube 11 .
[0042] FIG. 9 shows a computerized multi-color rendering offering a potential specific example of usage.
[0043] FIG. 10 shows a computerized multi-color rendering offering a potential specific example of usage.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0044] The Electromagnetic Regolith Excavator consists of a transport tube 1 constructed of non-magnetic material, and various configurations of electromagnetic coils 2 at or near the entrance and along the tube. The tube may or may not be flexible, may or may not be straight, and it ultimately dumps the moving material into a collection bag or other container 18 beyond the reach of the last magnet. The spacing of the coils, the strength of their magnetic fields, and the timing and shape of the magnetic waves that attract the regolith and move it along the tube are parameters to be determined by experimentation in a microgravity environment.
[0045] The controller is a software-controlled, possibly camera guided electric sequencer. The sequencer computer 8 individually activates the coil controllers 6 via control wires 5 which, when activated, apply current to the selected coil via wires 3 . The coil controllers 6 are powered via a current source power supply 7 using wires 4 .
[0046] In normal (excavating) operation, the coil nearest the asteroid will be energized to attract the magnetic content of the adjacent regolith, and just before the first particles reach it, power is switched to the next coil in the path, and so on until the material is allowed to deposit into the regolith collector (not shown). The momentum of the particles is expected to carry the bulk of the non-magnetic material as well. Note that exposed surface magnetic particles may be drawn quickly during initial operation, but subsequent waves will attract deeper particles, and these will necessarily impart momentum to the non-magnetic material that surrounds them.
[0047] To excavate regolith on an asteroid (or other similar body such as the Mars moons Phobos and Deimos), a spacecraft will maneuver one end of the invention adjacent to the regolith surface. The sequencer will energize the coils 2 in sequence to move the magnetic portions of the regolith, and via friction the non-magnetic portions as well, into and through tube 1 until the regolith is deposited into a container 18 at the opposite end.
[0048] Note that the ERE tube may consist of multiple segments (see FIG. 2 ), which may be curved (not shown) or angled via a fixed connector 15 , and which may be articulated via a flexible connector 16 and a mechanism (not shown) to control the movement such that the tube can be moved both vertically (not shown) and about and around (directions of movement 17 ) the surface of the asteroid to gather regolith from an extended area. In operation, the ERE will behave much like a vacuum cleaner to draw and move large quantities of material (by using magnetic fields instead of air pressure).
[0049] By moving the opening of the ERE vertically instead of horizontally, it will function as a drill through the loose regolith.
[0050] Once the ERE (in drill mode) has penetrated the surface sufficiently, the coils may be simultaneously energized, which will enable the ERE tube to function as an anchor.
[0051] The opening (entrance) to the ERE tube may be implemented as a straight tube as in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 , or
[0052] 1. To prevent the entrance of potentially clogging particles, it may have
a. A smaller-diameter opening ( FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 ) such that only particles small enough to freely move through the larger tube can be admitted, or b. Covered with a grating 10 that prevents the entrance of too-large particles as shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 8 .
[0055] 2. To prevent the movement (and subsequent loss of efficiency) of magnetic material up the outside of the tube, it may be implemented as a:
a. Large-diameter cone 14 (as shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 ) that extends beyond the normal reach of the first magnetic coil, or b. A flat plate 9 (as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 ) which extends beyond the effective attraction width of the first coil c. These larger cones or plates may have additional, larger magnetic coil(s) 13 (as shown in FIG. 7 ) as the first coil(s) to attract and thus motivate larger volumes of material at one time.
[0059] 3 . The magnetic movement of material up the outside of the tube may, however, be advantageous when the invention is used as a drill.
[0060] 4 . Reversing the sequence of coil activation and thus directing the particles down the outside of the tube is useful when extracting an ERE tube used as an anchor.
[0061] While the above process describes a single clump of material entering, moving through, and leaving the apparatus, by using suitable minimum spacing between successive energized coils, several clumps may be moved simultaneously, in synchronization or not. Once moving, the regolith may move at a constant average velocity, or may be accelerated to different velocities as needed.
[0062] Clump control (via shaping of magnetic fields) may be used to confine, as much as practical, the extent of the individual clumps and/or their relative position within the tube, which may allow for improved efficiency in mass moved per clump or per unit of time.
[0063] Optical, mechanical, electromagnetic, or radio-frequency (metal detector) methods may be used to sense the movement of a clump, potentially improving the efficiency of material movement, either by allowing higher velocities or more closely spaced successive clumps. | A system for excavation of magnetic regolith having a collection chamber, a transport tube, a power supply, a wiring system, a controller, and a plurality of electromagnetic coils. Embodiments according to the invention allow for the excavator to have an electromagnetic rod and a flexible tubing. Further embodiments of the invention allow for excavation along vertical and horizontal axes and for the electromagnetic coils to be energized simultaneously. | 4 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
The present application claims benefit under 35 U.S.C. Section 120 of commonly assigned U.S. provisional application No. 60/110,392 filed Dec. 1, 1998, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to window coverings and more specifically relates to window coverings having cells adapted for selectively controlling the amount of light passing through the window covering and to methods of making such window coverings.
For many years, window coverings have been used to at least partially cover a window opening and selectively close off the view therethrough. One well-known type of window covering is a venetian blind having a large number of elongated slats. In order to improve the energy efficiency of buildings and to decrease the amount of heat escaping through window openings, cellular shades were developed that replaced the slats of a venetian blind with a plurality of air trapping cells. The air trapping cells are typically formed by shaping or folding a fabric material, such as cloth, into a plurality of elongated loops. The elongated loops are then connected together and comprise the body of the window covering. Thus, a typical cellular shade includes a horizontally arranged head rail, a horizontally arranged bottom rail remote therefrom, and a plurality of cells there between being interconnected one atop of the other.
In a top pulling shade, the lowermost cell in the window covering is received in or attached to the bottom rail and the bottom rail is interconnected with the cells and the head rail by at least one lifting cord. When the lifting cord is pulled, the bottom rail assembly attached to the cord moves in an upward direction toward the head rail, thereby causing the individual cells to collapse into substantially flat sections. During upward movement of the bottom rail, the individual cells preferably collapse in series from the lowermost cell to the uppermost cell. When the window covering is fully opened, all of the cells are collapsed to provide a final structure having a bottom rail assembly, a stack of collapsed cells thereon and a head rail assembly disposed at the top of the window opening. In order to close the cellular shade, the lift cord is manipulated so that the bottom rail falls or moves away from the head rail, thereby carrying the stack of collapsed cells downward. During downward movement of the bottom rail, the uppermost cell of the window covering will open first and the remaining cells will open in series from the uppermost cell to the lowermost cell. If the bottom rail is stopped or secured in place between the fully opened position and the closed position, the window covering will have a series of cells (adjacent the top rail) that are open and a series of cells (adjacent the bottom rail) that are collapsed or folded.
The prior art discloses various methods and apparatus for forming an expandable cellular shade for window openings. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,963,549 and 4,603,072, disclose methods of making a cellular structure from a plurality of separate tubes or separate strips that are folded into a tubular configuration, and adhered together, one on top of the other, to form longitudinally extending cells. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,288,485 and 4,346,132 disclose methods of making a cellular structure from a plurality of sheets that are stacked and adhered together along spaced bands to form a plurality of cells between adjacent sheets. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,631,217 and 4,677,012 disclose a method of making a cellular structure from a plurality of separate sheets that are longitudinally folded and adhered together such that each sheet forms a part of two adjacent cells. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,201,356 and 4,625,786 disclose forming a cellular structure from two folded sheets disposed at opposite sides of a shade and connected together at spaced locations.
Commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,160,563, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein, discloses a method and apparatus for making a pleated expandable and collapsible multi-cell window covering. A web of material is accordion folded widthwise to form a series of web panels united in alternate succession along first and second creased folds disposed at respective first and second sides of the web. Successive panels are advanced in an unfolded condition lengthwise of the web through an adhesive applying zone to an inlet end of a refold stack and adhesive is applied to each web panel, in a band parallel to and spaced from the associated creased fold with a preceding panel. The web panels having adhesive applied thereto are refolded in succession along the associated creased fold with a preceding panel onto the inlet end of the refold stack. The band of adhesive is applied at the second side of the web to each panel that joined along a first creased fold to a preceding web panel and the band of adhesive is applied at the first side of the web to each panel that is joined along a second creased fold to a preceding panel.
In recent years, light control cellular shades have become increasingly common, particularly those which employ one or two continuous sheets of sheer material to form the front or rear of the shade structure. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,313,999, 5,394,922 and 5,454,414 disclose light control shades in which both the front and rear sheer portions are made from a single sheet of sheer material. U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,613 discloses a light control shade which includes one continuous sheet of sheer material and a series of strips attached to the sheet having opaque and sheer portions.
Commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,702,552 to Kutchmarek et al., the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein, discloses a method and apparatus for forming a pleated cellular shade product from a single web of material, whereby the shade has different physical characteristics on opposite sides thereof. In one embodiment, a web is provided having alternate first and second stripe areas extending across the web at predetermined intervals. The first stripes have a light transmissive character that differs from the light transmissive character of the second stripes. The web is folded in a first direction along a first fold line intermediate side edges of the first stripe area and in a second direction along a second fold line intermediate side edges of each second stripe area to form a plurality of sidewise adjacent panels, serially united in alternate succession along respective first and second fold lines. After the web has been folded, the first stripes provide the desired light transmissive characteristics on one side of the shade and the second stripes provide different light transmissive characteristics on the opposite side of the shade, without adversely affecting the appearance of the shade product. Thus, the shade product may be formed with different colors or textures at opposite sides or with a light reflection and/or absorbent surface on one side or the other for enhanced insulating characteristics.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present invention, a light controlling window covering includes a plurality of elongated cells attached one atop the other. Each cell of the window covering is generally rectangular when view in cross-section and preferably includes a substantially opaque top strip at the top of the cell and a substantially opaque bottom strip at the bottom of the cell. As used herein, the term substantially opaque or opaque means that the material allows no or very little light to pass therethrough. One of the opaque strips may be colored or darkened and the other opaque strip may be white or a light color close to white. Each cell also preferably includes a front sheer strip extending vertically at a front of the window covering and a rear sheer strip extending vertically at a rear of said window covering.
In order to assemble an individual cell, an upper end of the front sheer strip is preferably folded inwardly toward a front edge of the top opaque strip and a lower end of the front sheer strip is folded inwardly toward a front edge of the bottom strip. In a similar fashion, an upper end of the rear sheer strip may be folded inwardly toward a rear edge of the top opaque strip and a lower end of the rear strip may be folded inwardly toward a rear edge of the second opaque strip. The opposed ends of the opaque top and bottom strips and the sheer strips are preferably connected together using an adhesive swirl. The adhesive swirl is preferably an elongated strand of an adhesive material that reciprocates back and forth between the opposed edges of adjacent strips. The adhesive swirl extends the length of the opposed edges and when cured forms a flexible joint between adjacent strips. The adhesive swirl preferably spans a relatively small gap between the opposed edges of the two opaque strips and the two sheer strips. After the adhesive swirl cures, the adhesive swirl provides a flexible hinge that enables the strips to be formed into a continuous loop.
In other preferred embodiments, the ends of the sheer strips overlap the ends of the opaque strips and an adhesive is disposed between the overlapped ends of the strips. Thus, in this embodiment there is no gap between opposed edges of the strips when they are arranged side-by-side.
The two sheer strips generally form the side walls of a cell and the two opaque strips generally form the top and bottom walls of the cell. In certain embodiments, the two sheer side walls may have one or more creases formed therein for enabling the cells to expand and/or collapse when the window covering is lowered to cover the window and retracted to allow a view through the window.
The front and rear sheer members are preferably made from an at least partially transparent fabric that allows substantial amounts of light to pass between the front and rear walls of each cell. The opaque strips and the sheer strips are typically made of a flexible fabric material.
After a plurality of individual cells have been formed, the cells may be stacked atop one another and connected for making a complete window shade. The cells may be connected together by depositing relatively thick beads of an adhesive material at the end portions of the front and rear sheer members. The adhesive beads are preferably placed adjacent the ends of the top wall of each cell.
The window covering preferably includes an operating element in contact with the cells of the window covering for causing relative vertical movement of the front and rear walls (i.e., sheer strips). During actuation of the operating element, relative vertical movement between the front and rear sheer strips causes the substantially opaque top and bottom strips to rotate between a first substantially horizontal position and a second non-horizontal position. In the first substantially horizontal position, the substantially opaque top and bottom strips allow substantial amounts of light to flow through the window covering, i.e., between the front and rear sheer walls. In the second non-horizontal position, the substantially opaque top and bottom strips at least partially reduce the amount of light passing through the window covering, i.e., at least partially obstruct the light flowing through the front and rear sheer walls of each cell.
The window covering also preferably includes a head rail assembly attached to an uppermost cell of the plurality of cells and a bottom rail assembly attached to a lowermost cell of the plurality of cells. The operating element also preferably includes one or more lift cords connected to the head rail and the bottom rail for raising and lowering one of the head rail and bottom rail assemblies relative to the other of the head rail and bottom rail assemblies. The top and bottom walls of each cell preferably have at least one opening through which the one or more lift cords pass. In other preferred embodiments, the one or more lift cords may pass through the adhesive swirl connecting the ends of the sheer strips and the top and bottom opaque strips.
In still further embodiments, the window covering may include a separate layer of fabric sandwiched between adjacent cells and extending toward a rear side of the window covering. Each of the rearwardly extending layers of fabric desirably includes an aperture through which the one or more lift cords may pass.
In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, a light controlling window covering includes a plurality of cells attached one atop the other. In this particular embodiment, each cell includes a substantially opaque top strip at the top of the cell, a substantially opaque bottom strip at the bottom of the cell, a substantially transparent front sheer strip extending vertically at a front of the window covering and a substantially transparent rear sheer strip extending vertically at the rear of the window covering. The front sheer strip preferably has an upper end folded inwardly toward a front edge of the top strip and a lower end folded inwardly toward a front edge of the bottom strip. The rear sheer strip preferably has an upper end folded inwardly toward a rear edge of the top strip and a lower end folded inwardly toward a rear edge of the bottom strip. The front and rear sheer strips have end portions that are flexibly connected to adjacent ends of the top and bottom opaque strips to form a generally rectangular-shaped loop. The window covering also includes an operating element in contact with the cells for causing relative vertical movement of the front and rear sheer members, wherein relative vertical movement between the front and rear sheer members causes the top and bottom strips to rotate between a first substantially horizontal position which allows light to flow between the sheer strips and a second position in which the top and bottom opaque strips at least partially obstruct the flow of light through the sheer strips.
Further preferred embodiments of the present invention provide a method of making a light control window covering having a plurality of cells including providing first and second continuous webs of substantially opaque material, providing first and second continuous webs of sheer material adapted to permit light to pass therethrough, forming an individual cell by connecting a first end of the first sheer web to a first end of the first substantially opaque web, connecting the second end of the first substantially opaque web to a first end of the second sheer web, connecting the second end of the second sheer web to a first end of the second substantially opaque web and connecting the second end of the second substantially opaque web to the second end of the first sheer web to thereby form a continuous loop of material having alternating sheer and substantially opaque portions. The forming steps include applying an adhesive between the ends of the sheer strips and the substantially opaque strips to provide a flexible hinge between the sheer strips and the substantially opaque strips.
The loop is then formed into a generally rectangular configuration and the rectangularly configured loop of material is cut into sections having a predetermined length to provide a plurality of cells. The cells are then stacked and adhered, such as by applying adhesive beads adjacent the ends of the sheer strips, to form a continuous shade. After the cells have been adhered together, the substantially opaque strips of each cell form the top and bottom walls of the cell and are positioned adjacent to opaque strips of adjacent cells. The sheer strips are preferably positioned along the side walls of each cell, i.e., along the exterior of the window covering.
The cells described above may be formed using a tube folding machine having one or more unwind stands for supplying webs of the sheer and opaque strips. The tube folding machine preferably includes a stationery support surface for supporting the strips and a pulling mechanism for pulling the strips across the support surface. The machine may also includes a trimmer for cutting the strips of sheer and opaque material after the material has been configured in a side-by-side arrangement for being adhered together. The tube forming machine may includes one or more adhesive applicators for supplying the adhesive necessary for assembly the strips together.
The tube forming machine also preferably includes a folding horn which folds the sheer strips and opaque strips into a substantially rectangular shaped tube after the strips have been adhered together. After the strips have been folded into a tube, the folding horn preferably form creases in the side walls of the tube for collapsing the side walls. The tubes are then preferably forwarded to a stacking machine. The tube stacker is preferably located downstream of the folding horn and receives the recently formed tubes discharged from the folding horn. The tube stacker receives incoming tube from roll and adheres the incoming tube to the uppermost tube of a stack of tubes that have previously been adhered together. The tube stacker includes a registration guide that guides the incoming tube into engagement with the top tube of the stack. The stack preferably remains stationary and the registration guide reciprocates back and forth between a start position and an end position. As it moves to the start position, the registration guide captures the uppermost tube in the stack and brings it into engagement with the incoming tube. The stacking element includes an adhesive applicator for applying an adhesive to the top wall of the uppermost tube as the registration guide traverses the uppermost tube.
In another preferred embodiment, the window covering is not used to control light passing through a window opening. In this embodiment, the window covering is assembled substantially similar to the steps described above, however, the cells do not include any sheer strips. As a result, the cells are substantially opaque at all times so that little or no light may pass through the shade when the shade is covering the window opening.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of one stage of a method of making a light controlling cellular shade, in accordance with certain preferred embodiments of the present invention.
FIG. 2 shows an end view of the cellular shade subassembly shown in FIG. 1 .
FIG. 3 shows an end view of the cellular shade subassembly of FIGS. 1 and 2 during a further stage of the assembly process.
FIG. 4A shows an end view of the cellular shade subassembly of FIG. 3 during a further stage of the assembly process.
FIG. 4B shows a top view of the cellular shade subassembly of FIG. 4A taken along line IVB—IVB of FIG. 4 A.
FIG. 5A shows an end view of the cell of FIG. 4A having inwardly directed creases formed in front and rear side walls, in accordance with certain preferred embodiments of the present invention.
FIG. 5B shows an end view of the cell of FIG. 4A having outwardly directed creases, in accordance with certain preferred embodiments of the present invention.
FIG. 6 shows a method of connecting together a plurality of the individual cells shown in FIG. 4A in accordance with certain preferred embodiments of the present invention.
FIG. 7 shows an end view of a cellular shade manufactured in an expanded state, in accordance with certain preferred embodiments of the present invention.
FIG. 8 shows the cellular shade of FIG. 7 with the top and bottom opaque strips in a substantially horizontal orientation for allowing light to pass through the shade, in accordance with certain preferred embodiments of the present invention.
FIG. 9 shows the cellular shade of FIG. 8 with the top and bottom opaque strips of each cell in a non-horizontal orientation for at least partially blocking the amount of light passing through the shade, in accordance with certain preferred embodiments of the present invention.
FIG. 10A shows an end view of a light controlling cellular shade, in accordance with further preferred embodiments of the present invention.
FIG. 10B shows a top view of the cellular shade of FIG. 10A taken along line XB—XB of FIG. 10 A.
FIG. 11 shows a cross sectional view of a first stage of a method of making a light controlling cellular shade, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 12 shows a cross sectional view of the subassembly of FIG. 1 during a further stage of the assembly process.
FIG. 13 shows a cross sectional view of the subassembly of FIG. 12 folded into a substantially rectangular cell, in accordance with certain preferred embodiments of the present invention.
FIG. 14 shows a cross sectional view of a method of stacking two or more cells atop one another, in accordance with certain preferred embodiments of the present invention.
FIG. 15A shows a top view of a tube-forming machine, in accordance with certain preferred embodiments of the present invention.
FIG. 15B shows a side view of the tube-forming machine shown in FIG. 15A including a folding horn.
FIG. 16A shows a top view of the folding horn shown in FIG. 15, in accordance with certain preferred embodiments of the present invention.
FIG. 16B shows an end view of the folding horn shown in FIG. 16A taken along line XVIB—XVIB of FIG. 16 A.
FIG. 17 shows a side view of a tube stacker, in accordance with certain preferred embodiments of the present invention.
FIG. 18 shows a schematic view of a tube stacking element, in accordance with certain preferred embodiments of the present invention.
FIG. 19 shows an end view of the tube stacker shown in FIG. 18 .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIGS. 1-7 show a method of making a light controlling cellular shade having a plurality of cells in accordance with certain preferred embodiments of the present invention. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, each individual cell of the cellular shade includes four separate strips of material: a first strip 20 of sheer or substantially transparent material having a first lateral edge 22 and a second lateral edge 24 ; a first strip of a substantially opaque material 26 having a first lateral edge 28 and a second lateral edge 30 ; a second strip of sheer material 32 having a first lateral edge 34 and a second lateral edge 36 and a second strip of substantially opaque material 38 having a first lateral edge 40 and a second lateral edge 42 . The sheer strips 20 and 32 and opaque strips 26 and 38 are generally rectangular in shape and have respective longitudinal axes that extend in directions substantially parallel to the lateral edges thereof. In certain preferred embodiments, the first opaque strip 26 includes a colored material, such as a dark fabric, and the second opaque strip 38 includes a material that is substantially white or near white. The opaque strips 26 and 38 are preferably completely or substantially opaque so that little or no light may pass therethrough, however, in other preferred embodiments the opaque strips may be partially transparent so that a limited amount of light may pass therethrough. The opaque strips typically comprise a soft material that does not have sufficient structural integrity to support its own weight.
In order to assemble the two sheer strips and the two opaque strips into an individual cell, the strips are fed from a continuous web and arranged in the configuration shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. After the strips are properly configured, three separate areas of adhesive swirl are applied between the lateral edges of the four strips. In the particular embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a first adhesive swirl 44 is provided between the second lateral edge 24 of the first sheer strip 20 and the first lateral edge 28 of the first opaque strip 26 . Next, a second adhesive swirl 46 is provided between the second lateral edge 30 of the first opaque strip 26 and the first lateral edge 34 of the second sheer strip 32 . Finally, a third adhesive swirl 48 is provided between the second lateral edge 36 of the second sheer strip 32 and the first lateral edge 40 of the second opaque strip 38 . The three adhesive swirls 44 , 46 and 48 preferably include strands of liquid adhesive that traverses back and forth, in a reciprocating pattern, between the oppose lateral edges of the strips so as to adhere the opposed edges to one another. The liquid adhesive swirl is then preferably cured, such as by exposing the adhesive to air, to provide a compliant substance that secures the opposing edges of the strips together and that enables the strips to flex relative to one another.
After the three adhesive swirls have been applied between the strips 20 , 26 , 32 and 38 to flexibly connect the strips together, first and second relatively thick beads of adhesive 50 and 52 are applied adjacent the second edge 24 of the first sheer strip 20 and the first edge 34 of the second sheer strip 32 . Referring to FIG. 3, after the three adhesive swirls 44 , 46 and 48 and the adhesive beads 50 and 52 have been applied as set forth above, the first sheer strip 20 and the second opaque strip 38 are folded inwardly toward one another and a fourth adhesive swirl 54 is applied to the second lateral edge 42 of the second opaque strip 38 and the first lateral edge 22 of the first sheer strip 20 so as to flexibly join the second opaque strip 38 and the first sheer strip 20 . The individual cell shown in FIG. 3 comprises the two opaque strips 26 and 38 and the two sheer strips 20 and 32 connected together in a continuous loop. As will be set forth in further detail below (FIG. 4 A), the two opaque strips will form the respective top and bottom walls of an individual cell and the two sheer strips will generally form side walls of an individual cell. However, small portions of the two sheer strips may also form part of the top and bottom walls of the cell.
Referring to FIGS. 4A and 4B, the continuous loop comprising two opaque strips 26 and 38 and two sheer strips 20 and 32 is then configured into a rectangular arrangement whereby the second opaque strip 38 forms the top wall 56 of the cell and the first opaque strip 26 forms the bottom wall 58 of the cell. In addition, the first sheer strip 20 forms an interior or front wall 60 of the cell while the second sheer strip 32 forms an exterior or rear wall 62 of the cell. The cell preferably has a substantially rectangular shape when viewed in cross-section. A folding machine, such as that described in the aforementioned commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,702,552 may be used to make the folds in the walls of the cell.
Referring to FIG. 4A, the top wall 56 of the cell is formed by folding the first edge 22 of the first sheer strip 20 inwardly toward the second lateral edge 42 of the second opaque strip 38 and by folding the second edge 24 of the first sheer strip 20 inwardly toward the first edge 28 of the first opaque strip 26 . In a similar fashion, the first lateral edge 34 of the second sheer strip 32 is folded inwardly toward the second edge 30 of the first opaque strip 26 and the second lateral edge 36 of the second sheer strip 32 is folded inwardly toward the first edge 40 of the second opaque strip 38 . Thus, the two sheer strips 20 and 32 are folded such that central portions of the sheer strips extend in a substantially vertical direction to form the respective front and rear walls 60 and 62 of the cell, while relatively small portions of the sheer strips 20 and 32 (adjacent the lateral edges) are bent inwardly toward the first and second opaque strips 26 and 38 .
As a result, the top and bottom walls 56 and 58 of each cell are formed by a portion of the exterior sheer strip 32 , the first or second opaque strip 26 and 38 , and a portion of the interior sheer strip 20 . Specifically, the top wall 56 of the cell shown in FIG. 4A includes the second opaque strip 38 , a portion of the first sheer strip 20 adjacent the first edge 22 thereof and a portion of the second sheer strip 32 adjacent the second edge 36 thereof. The bottom wall 58 of the cell includes the first opaque strip 26 , a portion of the first sheer strip 20 adjacent the second edge 24 thereof and a portion of the second sheer strip 32 adjacent the first edge 34 thereof.
Referring to FIG. 4B, the cell subassembly preferably forms an elongated tube 64 that may be cut into shorter sections so that a plurality of stackable cells may be provided. The tube 64 is preferably cut along a cut line 66 that preferably extends in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A-A of the tube 64 . The tube is cut into smaller sections designated 68 A and 68 B to provide a plurality of individual cells that may be stacked atop one another and connected together, such as by using adhesive, to provide a cellular shade comprising a plurality of such cells. Although FIG. 4B shows only two cell sections 68 A and 68 B, it is contemplated that the tube 64 may be subdivided into a large number of smaller tube sections. In preferred embodiments, the lengths of the cut tube sections are greater than the widths of the cut tube sections.
Referring to FIG. 5A, the front and rear walls 60 and 62 of the cell are preferably folded to form inwardly directed creases 70 A and 70 B that enable each cell to expand when the window covering is lowered and to collapse, at least partially, when the window covering is raised. A conventional lift cord may be used to raise and lower the window covering. FIG. 5B shows another preferred embodiment whereby the front and rear walls 160 and 162 have outwardly directed creases 170 A and 170 B that enable the cells to expand and collapse. In certain preferred embodiments, lift cords 171 A, 171 B pass through the adhesive 144 , 146 , 148 and 154 connecting the ends of the sheer strips 170 A, 170 B and the top and bottom opaque strips 156 , 158 .
Referring to FIG. 6, after a plurality of individual cells have been formed using the steps described above, the individual cells 68 A, 68 B, and 68 C are stacked atop one another so that the bottom wall 58 of one cell abuts against the top wall 56 of another cell directly below. In FIG. 6, bottom wall 58 A of top cell 68 A abuts against top wall 56 B of middle cell 68 B and the bottom wall 58 B of the middle cell 68 B abuts against top wall 56 C of bottom cell 68 C. As a result, the beads of adhesive material 50 and 52 are sandwiched between opposing top and bottom walls of two adjacent cells for adhering the cells together. The process is continued until a cellular shade comprising a plurality of such cells is assembled. Each cellular shade preferably includes enough individual cells to completely cover a window opening when the shade is in an expanded state. Thus, the window covering assembled in accordance with the steps described above comprises a plurality of cells stacked and fused/adhered together so that the top wall of one four-sided or substantially rectangular cell is adhered to the bottom of an adjoining cell in a series making up the height of a window.
Referring to FIG. 7, the uppermost cell 68 A is preferably attached to a head rail 72 and the lowermost cell 68 Z is preferably attached to a bottom rail 74 . The plurality of cells generally extend in a direction that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axes of the head rail and the bottom rail. The head and bottom rails 72 and 74 are relatively rigid, may comprise a polymer material, a metal or wood, and have lengths that correlate with the length of the cells or the width of the window opening.
The entire window covering 76 may be lifted by means of lift cords 78 anchored to the bottom rail 74 at the lowermost end of the window covering. Each opaque strip preferably has at least one aperture 80 through which the lift cords may pass. The openings 80 in the opaque strips 38 and 26 are preferably in substantial alignment with one another. The lift cord 78 is preferably threaded through the openings and is tied into a knot 82 after passing through the bottom rail 74 . In operation, the lift cords 78 may be pulled for raising/retracting the window covering 76 or released for lowering/closing the window covering. The lift cords 78 may also be manipulated for positioning the window covering 76 at a position between the fully opened/retracted state and the fully closed/expanded state. In other preferred embodiments, the lift cords 78 may pass through one or more of the adhesive swirls used to flexibly connect the opaque strips and the sheer strips.
After the window covering 76 has been assembled, the plurality of cells may be selectively rotated from the position shown in FIG. 8 to the position shown in FIG. 9 for controlling the amount of light passing through the shade. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, a roller or rocking mechanism (not shown) is preferably connected to the head rail 72 and the cells 68 for controlling the amount of light transmitted through the window shade. The roller enables the front wall 60 of each cell 68 to be moved in a vertically direction relative to the rear wall 62 of the cell so that the opaque top and bottom walls 56 and 58 of each cell are rotated from the substantially horizontal position shown in FIG. 8 to the tilted or non-horizontal position shown in FIG. 9 . In the configuration shown in FIG. 9, the opaque top and bottom walls 56 and 58 of each cell at least partially block the light passing through the rear and front sheer walls 62 and 60 . As mentioned above, the top opaque wall may be “white” and will preferably face the rear of the window covering 84 (i.e., the street) to present a neutral look to passersby and the bottom wall will preferably face the front 86 of the window covering. While the rear/“white” side 84 and the front/“colored” side 86 are preferably substantially opaque, either or both may be of a material that admits some degree of light to pass from the rear side 84 of the window covering 76 to the front side 86 thereof.
FIGS. 10A and 10B show another preferred embodiment whereby a relatively small, separate layer of fabric 88 is positioned between adjacent cells 68 . The separate layers of fabric 88 preferably project toward the rear side 84 of the window covering 76 . Referring to FIG. 10B, each fabric layer 88 preferably has an aperture 90 passing therethrough so that one or more lift cords 80 (FIG. 10A) may be threaded therethrough for raising and lowering the window covering 76 .
In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the window covering is not a light controlling window shade but is merely a cellular shade. In these embodiments, all of the strips that make up an individual cell are substantially opaque and none of the cells include sheer strips of material that allow substantial amounts of light to pass therethrough. In other preferred embodiments, some of the cells of a window covering may be made entirely of opaque material while other cells in the same window covering may be made of both opaque and sheer material.
FIGS. 11-14 shown another preferred method of making a light controlling cellular shade in accordance with certain preferred embodiments of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 11, four separate rolls of material are paid out from four distinct unwinding stands. The four rolls include a first sheer strip 220 having a first edge 222 and a second edge 224 , a first opaque strip 226 having a first edge 228 and a second edge 230 , a second sheer strip 232 having a first edge 234 and a second edge 236 , and a second opaque strip 238 having a first edge 240 and a second edge 242 . The sheer strips and the opaque strips are paid out so that their edges overlap one another. Specifically, the second edge 224 of the first sheer strip 220 overlaps the first edge 228 of the first opaque strip 226 and the first edge 234 of the second sheer strip 232 overlaps the second edge 230 of the first opaque strip 226 . In addition, the second edge 236 of the second sheer strip 232 overlaps the first edge 240 of the second opaque strip 238 . The present embodiment differs from the method of making a light controlling cellular shade set forth above in that with the present embodiment there are no gaps between the edges of the side-by-side strips.
The strips shown in FIG. 11 are then adhered together by applying an adhesive between the overlapping edges. In one embodiment, two beads 292 of adhesive are provided between the second edge 224 of the first sheer strip 220 and the first edge 228 of the first opaque strip 226 . In addition, two beads 294 of adhesive are provided between the first edge 234 of the second sheer strip 232 and the second edge 230 of the first opaque strip 226 . Finally, two beads of adhesive 296 are provided between the second edge 236 of the second sheer strip 232 and the first edge 240 of the second opaque strip 238 . Although the embodiment in FIG. 11 shows two beads being applied between the overlapping edges, it is contemplated that a number of other methods for applying adhesive may be used for adhering the overlapping edges to one another. In addition, the FIG. 11 embodiment shows the edges of the sheer strips 220 and 232 overlying the edges of the opaque strips 226 and 238 . In other preferred embodiments, the edges of the opaque strips may overlie on top of the edges of the sheer strips.
Referring to FIG. 12, perforations are then formed that extend through the strips where the strips are joined together. In certain preferred embodiments, a perforating wheel (not shown) is used to form a first perforation 298 A extending between the adhesive 292 joining the second end 224 of the first sheer strip 220 and the first edge 228 of the first opaque strip 226 . A second perforation 298 B is formed between the two beads of adhesive 294 adhering the first edge 234 of the second sheer strip 232 and the second edge 230 of the first opaque strip 226 . A third perforation 298 C is formed between the two beads of adhesive 296 adhering the second edge 236 of the second sheer strip 232 and the first edge 240 of the second opaque strip 238 . A fourth perforation 298 D is formed at the second edge 242 of the second opaque strip 238 . The perforations enable the respective sheer and opaque strips to flex and/or fold relative to one another so that the opaque members may hingedly move relative to the sheer members when the shade is operated.
Referring to FIG. 13, the connected sheer strips and opaque strips are then passed through a folding horn (FIG. 16A) that folds the respective strips into the configuration shown in FIG. 13 . The strips are formed into a generally rectangular cell or tube whereby the second opaque strip 238 forms a top wall 256 of the cell, the first opaque strip 226 forms the bottom wall 258 of the cell, and the two sheer strips 232 and 220 form the respective side walls 260 and 262 of the cell, the side walls extending in substantially vertical directions between the top wall 256 and the bottom wall 258 . The folding horn (FIG. 16A) also includes a trimming element that trims the first edge 222 of the first sheer strip 220 so that the first edge does not overlie the perforation 298 D formed in the second edge 242 of the second opaque strip 238 . The trimmed first edge 222 of the first sheer strip 220 is thus adhered to the second edge 242 of the second opaque strip 238 using only one bead of adhesive 299 . The folded rectangular tube is then collapsed by forming creases or folds in the side walls 260 and 262 as shown above in FIG. 5 A. The creases may be formed by fingers that engage the side walls as the tube moves through the folding horn.
Referring to FIG. 14, the tubes 268 formed in the tube forming machine are then sent downstream to a stacking and bonding machine wherein a plurality of tubes formed are stacked atop one another, bonded and trimmed. As shown in FIG. 14, the tubes are stacked so that the bottom wall 258 of an upper tube is opposed by the top wall 256 of a lower tube. An adhesive material may be provided between the confronting bottom wall and top wall to adhere the adjacent tubes together. In one embodiment, the adhesive is applied completely across the opposing faces of the bottom wall and the top wall. However, in other embodiments the adhesive may only be provided in the corners or edges of the confronting tubes.
FIGS. 15A-16C show a tube folding machine 319 in accordance with certain preferred embodiments of the present invention. Referring to FIGS. 15A and 15B, the tube forming machine includes two unwind stands 321 A and 321 B. A first unwind stand 321 A carries two webs of sheer or opaque material and a second unwind stand 321 B, positioned below the first unwind stand, carries two additional webs of sheer or opaque material. The webs of material provide the sheer and opaque strips used to form the cells described above. The webs of strip material are pulled across a stationery support surface 323 by a pulling mechanism 325 . The machine also includes a trimmer 327 for cutting the strips of sheer and opaque material after the material has been configured in a side-by-side arrangement (FIG. 11) atop the stationery support surface 323 .
FIG. 15B is a side view of the tube forming machine 319 shown in FIG. 15 A. The tube forming machine 319 includes a folding horn 335 which folds the two sheer strips and the two opaque strips into the substantially rectangular shaped tube described above. After the strips have been folded into a tube, the folding horn 335 collapses the side walls of the tube and collects the tube on tube roller (not shown). The tubes are then forwarded to a stacking machine (FIGS. 17 - 19 ).
FIGS. 16A through 16C show the folding horn for folding the adhered strips of sheer and opaque material into a cell or tube. In the folding horn embodiment shown in FIG. 16A, the adhered strips 320 , 326 , 332 and 338 move from right to left. As the material moves from right to left, the folding horn folds the material to form the rectangular shaped tube described above. After the strips have been folded into a rectangular shaped tube, fingers 339 form creases in the side walls of the tube for enabling the tube to move between a collapsed position and an expanded position.
FIG. 16B shows an upstream end view of the folding horn 319 . The folding horn includes an inner guide 341 and an outer guide 343 for folding the strips of material into a substantially rectangular shape.
FIG. 17 shows a tube stacker 345 , in accordance with certain preferred embodiments of the present invention. The tube stacker 345 receives an incoming tube from roll 347 and adheres the incoming tube to the uppermost tube of a stack of tubes that have previously been adhered together.
FIG. 18 shows a schematic view of a tube stacker, in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present invention. The stacker 345 includes an input roll 347 that contains the incoming tube recently formed in the tube forming machine. The incoming tube 368 A (in a collapsed state) is guided over an idler roll and into a registration guide 351 that guides the incoming tube 368 A into engagement with the top tube 368 B of the stack. The guide remains stationary and the stack reciprocates back and forth between a start position and an end position. The registration guide captures an upper end of the uppermost tube 368 B when the stack is in the start position and brings it into engagement with the incoming tube 368 A. The stacking element 345 also includes an adhesive applicator 353 for applying an adhesive to the top wall of the uppermost tube. The nip roller 349 presses the incoming tube onto the top wall of the top tube of the stack. The stacking element also preferably includes a trimming device upstream of the nip roller 349 to cut the incoming tube to a predetermined length. The predetermined length preferably matches the length of the tubes in the stack.
FIG. 19 shows a right side view of the stacking element shown in FIG. 18 . As shown therein, the stack of tubes is in a collapsed position with the side walls 360 and 362 of the tubes folded inwardly. The registration guide 351 captures the uppermost tube 368 B of the stack and moves it into engagement with incoming tube 368 A. An adhesive between the incoming tube 368 A and the top wall of the uppermost tube 368 B adheres the tubes together.
Although the invention herein has been described with reference to particular embodiments, it is to be understood that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and applications of the present invention and that numerous modifications may be made to the illustrative embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. | A light control window covering includes a plurality of cells attached one atop the other. Each cell has a substantially opaque top strip at the top of the cell and a substantially opaque bottom strip at the bottom of the cell. Each cell also includes a substantially transparent front sheer member extending vertically at a front of the window covering having an upper end folded inwardly toward a front edge of the top strip and a lower end folded inwardly toward a front edge of the bottom strip, and a substantially transparent rear sheer member extending vertically at a rear of the window covering having an upper end folded inwardly toward a rear edge of the top strip and a lower end folded inwardly toward a rear edge of the second strip. An individual cell is formed by flexibly connecting the end portions of the front and rear sheer members to adjacent ends of the top and bottom strips to form a generally rectangular-shaped loop. The window covering includes an operating element in contact with the plurality of cells for causing relative vertical movement of the front and rear sheer members which, in turn, causes the top and bottom substantially opaque strips to rotate between a first substantially horizontal position which allows light to flow through the sheer members and a second position in which the opaque strips at least partially obstruct the flow of light through the sheer members. In certain embodiments, the ends of the front and rear sheer strips overlap the ends of the opaque strips and the adhesive is provided between the overlapped ends. Also disclosed are preferred methods of making light controlling window coverings. | 4 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/219,074, filed Jul. 18, 2000.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention generally relates to mattresses and mattress coverlets for preventing, reducing, and/or treating decubitus ulcers, also known as pressure sores or bedsores. More particularly, this invention concerns therapeutic mattresses or mattress coverlets capable of transferring or dissipating moisture vapor and heat from a patient's skin.
Often, patients that are bedridden or immobile can develop decubitus ulcers (pressure sores or bedsores). Such ulcers are often caused by pressure, friction, shear, moisture, and heat. Pressure results in a reduction of blood flow to the soft tissues of the body, particularly the skin. Continuous lack of blood flow, and the resultant lack of oxygen, can cause the skin to die and ulcers or sores to form. Friction and shear of the skin against the support surface can lead to skin tears and decubitus ulcers. Moisture and heat may lead to skin maceration. Other factors play a part in determining the speed with which such ulcers will form or heal including the overall health of the patient and such patient's nutritional status.
To insure normal (or, at least, relatively improved) blood flow to such areas of potentially problematic contact, patients are often turned or repositioned regularly by medical personnel. Turning or repositioning of patients, however, is not always possible, particularly where trained medical staff are not available. Additionally, repositioning can be painful and disruptive for the patient. In an effort to overcome such difficulties, numerous mattresses and mattress coverlets have been developed to more evenly distribute, across the patient's skin, the pressure generated by the weight of the body. At least two methods have been used to redistribute skin pressure. The first is the use of static supports such as foam, air or water mattresses. The second method involves the use of alternating pressure inflatable mattresses or mattress coverlets that dynamically shift the location of support under the patient. Two examples of alternating pressure inflatable surfaces are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,509,155 and 5,926,884, the disclosures of which are fully incorporated herein by reference.
In addition to such two methods of redistribution of skin pressure, an additional feature has been utilized to help address other of the aforementioned factors important to the healing process. In particular, a low air loss feature has been used to aid in the removal of both moisture vapor and heat thereby reducing both at the patient-bed boundary. This has been done in an effort to prevent skin maceration, keep wounds dry and to promote healing.
There have been essentially three approaches to achieving a low air loss support surface. First, relatively tiny holes can be provided in the top surface of inflatable air cells of an air mattress having a vapor-permeable top surface. Such holes allow extra air to circulate inside the mattress to assist in drying moisture vapor passing through the top surface from the patient.
Second, relatively tiny holes can be provided in the top surface of the mattress so that the air venting from the air cells can transfer through the top surface to the patient in order to remove both heat and moisture from the area immediately surrounding the patient.
Finally, a multi-layer mattress coverlet can be used wherein the top layer is perforated to allow air flowing between the top layer and a middle vapor-permeable layer to exhaust across the patient thus aiding in removing both moisture and heat from the area immediately surrounding the patient. The third layer of such a three-layer approach may be a three-dimensional fabric, which allows for additional moisture vapor to be carried away from the patient.
While each of these approaches is useful for its purpose, there are various disadvantages with these approaches and in particular, with using them individually. The first and second referenced approaches to obtaining a low air loss feature requires a large compressor pump to maintain sufficient air to inflate the air cells of the mattress. Such large compressor pumps tend to be very noisy, require high electrical consumption and generate significant heat in a relatively confined area. Such high electrical consumption, and the additional need for continuous blower operation, has, in the past, resulted in over-heating of the air used to circulate about the patient. Conversely, in the case of an elderly patient, airflow directly across their body could result in an uncomfortable reduction in body temperature or even a drying out of the skin beyond that which is helpful.
Additionally, having holes in air cells of an inflatable air system results in a support surface that will deflate if there is a loss of electrical power or if no such power supply is available. Further, having perforations in the patient-bed contact surface results in a mattress that is not fluid-proof. This allows for potential contamination of the interior of such mattress by bodily fluids, products used to treat the patient and/or products used to clean such mattress itself. All three referenced approaches fail to allow air to flow under load (i.e., underneath the patient or through the top surface to the patient's skin when supporting the weight of the patient).
Similarly, some prior art mattresses and mattress coverlets have had difficulty in controlling billowing. Billowing is the uncontrolled inflation of the upper surface of a mattress or mattress coverlet in the area immediately surrounding the outline of a patient's body when the patient lies on the mattress. In essence, the mattress or mattress coverlet fails to fully support a patient and instead seemingly envelops them when the patient's weight is applied thereto. Thus further illustrating the failure of some prior mattresses and/or mattress coverlets to fully support the patient and thus resulting in the air flow through the mattress, mattress top layer, or through the coverlet (i.e., the three aforementioned approaches) to flow around the patient, rather than flowing underneath the patient to aid in controlling moisture and heat.
With all of the above approaches, it is further unknown to have the capability to turn on or off the low air loss option while retaining through the use of powered air cells the redistribution of skin pressure feature of the mattresses or mattress coverlets. If a low air loss therapy is not desired, a different system must be utilized with an alternative controller and air cell array.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention recognizes and addresses various of the foregoing limitations and drawbacks, and others, concerning the prevention and/or treatment of decubitus ulcers. It is, therefore, a principle object of the subject invention to provide an improved mattress and/or mattress coverlet for use in the prevention and treatment of decubitus ulcers. More particularly, it is a principle object of the subject invention to provide a mattress and/or mattress coverlet incorporating an air circulation system that does not exhaust its air directly across the patient.
Another more particular object of the subject invention is to provide a new air flotation mattress and/or mattress coverlet including a low air loss feature. In such context, it is a further object to provide a mattress and/or mattress coverlet wherein the low air loss feature can be turned on or off as desired for the treatment of the patient, independently of how the basic patient support surface is operated.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a mattress and/or mattress coverlet including a three-dimensional non-crush fabric to allow for the airflow of such a low air loss feature to flow under load.
Another general object of the subject invention is to provide a mattress capable of selectively providing either an alternating pressure inflatable support or a floatation support for the redistribution of skin pressure.
It is still a further object of the subject invention to provide a self contained external control system (ECS) including at least two pumps which are required to respectively maintain both the inflation of the mattress support and, if desired, the low air loss feature of the mattress coverlet. In such context, it is a further object of the present invention to provide a mattress or mattress coverlet capable of maintaining inflation of the patient support surface during a loss or unavailability of electrical power.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an independently usable low air loss coverlet, which may be combined with various support scenarios, such as with preexisting mattress support systems, patient positioners, and/or wheelchair/seating cushions (as a retrofit or as original equipment combined with a prior design), regardless of whether such prior systems incorporate an air powered patient support surface.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention are set forth in, or will be apparent to those with ordinary skill in the art from the detailed description herein. Also, it should be further appreciated that modifications and variation to the specifically illustrated, referenced, and discussed features, materials, or devices hereof may be practiced in various uses and embodiments of this invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, by virtue of present reference thereto. Such variations may include, but are not limited to, substitution of equivalent materials, means, or features for those shown, referenced or discussed, and the functional, operational, or positional reversal of various features, parts or the like.
Still further, it is to be understood that different embodiments, as well as different presently preferred embodiments, of this invention may include various combinations or configurations of presently disclosed features, or elements, or their equivalents (including combinations of features or configurations thereof not expressly shown in the figures or stated in the detailed description).
One exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes an air flotation mattress with an ECS. The support surface of such air flotation mattress may include a foam shell with a surface treatment on its upper surface. An exemplary GEO-MATT® surface treatment is illustrated in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 4,862,538, which is fully incorporated herein by reference. Such surface treatment aids in redistributing skin pressure. Additionally, the air floatation mattress includes a plurality of air cells running side-to-side providing the ability to sub-divide the mattress support into pre-designated zones.
Included with such an exemplary air flotation mattress may be a low air loss coverlet in accordance with the subject invention. Such air flotation mattress serves as the primary support surface offering both a flotation and alternating pressure treatment option. Such low air loss coverlet provides an option to enhance the process of removing moist warm air from the area around the skin of the patient. It achieves such function by employing a patient-contact fabric top layer possessing a high moisture vapor transfer ratio enhanced by airflow through an inner layer of the coverlet.
Such a mattress coverlet preferably comprises three layers. The first layer (on the top, facing the patient interface) is a vapor permeable layer, which allows moisture vapor and heat to travel away from the patient's body. Such moisture vapor enters the second layer, which may comprise a non-crush three-dimensional fabric, such as a specialty knit. The ECS forces air through the second (i.e., middle) layer to aid in carrying away the warm moist air. The final layer of such mattress coverlet (furthest from the patient interface) is a waterproof, vapor impermeable layer that acts as a boundary to protect the underlying mattress.
The mattress coverlet's third layer may additionally comprise a coverlet-mattress topper such as a zippered sheath for encasing a mattress. Such construction advantageously enables the coverlet to effectively function with any mattress and not just the air flotation mattress as disclosed herein. Accordingly, various embodiments of the subject invention may comprise a mattress coverlet in accordance with the subject invention, combined with a variety of underlying patient support surfaces, including a mattress, patient positioner, and/or wheelchair/seating cushion (regardless of whether pre-existing, disclosed herewith, or later developed).
Yet another exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes an air flotation mattress with an ECS. The air floatation mattress includes a plurality of air cells running head-to-foot. A foam shell topper with foam bolsters and foam sides running the length of the mattress on either side forms the air flotation mattress. At each end of the air flotation mattress and capping the foam bolsters and sides is either a foam header or foam footer, which along with the bolsters form a cavity in the mattress. This cavity is for positioning of the air cells.
Included with such an exemplary air flotation mattress may be a low air loss coverlet in accordance with the subject invention. Such air flotation mattress serves as the primary patient support surface. Such low air loss coverlet provides an option to enhance the process of removing moist warm air from the area around the skin of the patient. It achieves such function by employing a patient-contact fabric top layer possessing a high moisture vapor transfer ratio enhanced by airflow through an inner layer of the coverlet.
Such a mattress coverlet preferably comprises two layers. The first layer (on the top, facing the patient interface) is a vapor permeable layer, which allows moisture vapor and heat to travel away from the patient's body. Such moisture vapor enters the second layer, which may comprise a non-crush three-dimensional fabric. The ECS forces air through the second layer of such mattress coverlet to aid in carrying away the warm moist air.
The air floatation mattress additionally comprises a multi-layer mattress topper comprising three layers. The first layer of such multi-layer mattress topper (adjacent such a mattress coverlet) is a waterproof, vapor impermeable layer that performs as a boundary to protect the underlying mattress. The second layer may comprise a non-crush three-dimensional fabric. The ECS forces air through the second (i.e., middle) layer in addition to providing airflow through the second layer of such a companion low air loss mattress coverlet.
The multi-layer mattress topper's third layer may comprise a waterproof, vapor impermeable layer that performs as a boundary to protect the underlying mattress. The topper's third layer serves as the basis for a zippered sheath for encasing such a foam-based portion of the mattress. The multi-layer mattress topper's first and third layers are welded around their perimeter so as to secure their construction.
Similarly, the two layers of such a coverlet are sewn together around their perimeter and may utilize an elasticized band there-around for securing the coverlet to the mattress. Such construction advantageously enables the coverlet to effectively function with any mattress and not just the air flotation mattress as disclosed herein. Accordingly, various embodiments of the subject invention may comprise a mattress coverlet in accordance with the subject invention, combined with a variety of underlying patient support surfaces, including a mattress, patient positioner, and/or wheelchair/seating cushion (regardless of whether pre-existing, disclosed herewith, or later developed).
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures, in which:
FIG. 1 is a bottom elevational view of an exemplary air flotation mattress in accordance with the subject invention with exemplary foam bolsters, sides, header, and footer, and individual air cell features of such exemplary mattress running side-to-side;
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the exemplary air flotation mattress shown in FIG. 1, taken along line A—A in FIG. 1, illustrating an exemplary foam shell topper ( 20 ) with a specific surface treatment, a foam header and footer, and including a foam block with a hole there-through for connection of air passageways to the exemplary air cells of the mattress;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the exemplary air flotation mattress shown in FIG. 1, taken along line B—B in FIG. 1, illustrating the construction of an exemplary foam shell of the mattress including an exemplary foam shell topper ( 20 ), bolsters and sides.
FIG. 4 is a top elevational view of the construction of an exemplary mattress coverlet showing numerous spot welds used in accordance with the subject invention to aid in the prevention of billowing, and showing exemplary air exhaust ports that provide an exit for the air flowing through the mattress coverlet during low air loss operation;
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the exemplary air flotation mattress shown in FIG. 1, taken along line A—A in FIG. 1, showing an exemplary three-layer mattress coverlet in accordance with the subject invention and otherwise illustrating exemplary foam shell topper ( 20 ), header and footer, and air cells of the mattress;
FIG. 6 is a schematic view of exemplary air flotation mattress air cell zones and the ECS which controls their inflation/deflation, and which in accordance with the subject invention separately provides for independent operation of the subject low air loss feature;
FIG. 7 is a schematic view of an exemplary arrangement of air flotation mattress air cells and their respective inflation tubing;
FIG. 8 is an exemplary internal schematic view of an ECS in accordance with the subject invention showing the two exemplary pumps used to respectively provide air for the air flotation mattress and the mattress coverlet, and showing an exemplary rotary valve which may be practiced in accordance with the subject invention;
FIG. 9 is an external view of an exemplary ECS showing exemplary hanging hooks and rubber feet for supporting the ECS respectively on either the bedframe or the floor, as well as exemplary connection points for air flow passageways;
FIG. 10 is a bottom elevational view of an exemplary air flotation mattress in accordance with the subject invention with exemplary foam bolsters, sides, header, and footer, and individual air cell features of such exemplary mattress running head-to-foot; and
FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the exemplary air flotation mattress shown in FIG. 10, taken along line C—C in FIG. 10, showing an exemplary multi-layer mattress coverlet and a multi-layer mattress topper in accordance with the subject invention and otherwise illustrating an exemplary foam topper ( 20 ), header and footer, and such head-to-foot air cells of the mattress.
Repeat use of reference characters throughout the present specification and appended drawings is intended to represent same or analogous features, aspects, or elements of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Reference will now be made in detail to a presently preferred embodiment of the invention, an example of which is discussed in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Such example is provided by way of an explanation of the invention, not limitation thereof. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention, without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used on or in another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Still further, variations in selection of materials and/or characteristics may be practiced, to satisfy particular desired user criteria. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the present features and their equivalents.
As referenced above, the present invention is particularly concerned with, in exemplary broad terms, an air flotation mattress 100 and mattress coverlet 200 for the prevention and treatment of decubitus ulcers (pressure sores and bedsores). The air flotation mattress 100 provides a user selectable flotation or alternating pressure support surface. The mattress coverlet 200 provides a low air loss feature that can be turned on or off as desired by the user (here, broadly referencing a patient or person resting on such coverlet and/or a caregiver therefore).
As shown in the bottom elevational view of FIG. 1, the air flotation mattress 100 is formed by a foam shell topper 20 (best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3) with foam bolsters 22 and foam sides 24 running the length of the mattress 100 on either side. At the respective ends of the air flotation mattress 100 and capping the foam bolsters and sides 22 and 24 , respectively, are a foam header 26 and foam footer 28 , which along with the bolsters 22 form a cavity in the mattress 100 . This cavity is for positioning of air cells, such as the exemplary grouped (i.e., zoned) air cells 30 , 32 , 34 and 36 .
The cavity formed by the foam bolsters 22 , header 26 , and footer 28 , contains the air cells 30 , 32 , 34 and 34 . The air cells 30 , 32 , 34 , and 36 are essentially inflatable air bladders connected directly to an external control system 300 via passageways 76 , 78 , and 80 (see FIGS. 6 and 7 and corresponding discussion) for their inflation/deflation. Such air cells 30 , 32 , 34 , and 36 may be operated to provide the primary support surface for the patient.
There are twelve exemplary air cells 30 , 32 , 34 and 36 . Other numbers thereof (or none at all) may be practiced in various embodiments of the subject invention. Such air cells 30 , 32 , 34 , and 36 are divided into four separate zones. The first exemplary zone (hereinafter the head zone) comprises three air cells 30 each of which may be maintained in an equal state of inflation/deflation relative to each other. The second exemplary zone (hereinafter the foot zone) comprises three air cells 36 each of which may be maintained in an equal state of inflation/deflation relative to each other.
Exemplary zones three and four together (all of the remaining cells) comprise the central or torso zone. Each of zones three and four comprise an alternating set of three air cells 32 and 34 , respectively, within the torso zone. The torso zone (i.e., all six air cells 32 and 34 ) may be maintained at an equal state of inflation/deflation. As part of the capability of air flotation mattress 100 to provide alternating pressure support, zones three and four can alternate between specific states of inflation/deflation, thus dynamically changing the location of the support for the patient's torso. As part of the ECS 300 , a firmness control may be provided which allows the user to specify the level of inflation of the air cells 30 , 32 , 34 , and 36 both during the flotation and alternating pressure support treatment cycles.
As represented to those of ordinary skill in the art by the cross-sectional view of FIG. 2, the foam shell topper 20 of such air flotation mattress 100 may have on its upper surface 38 a GEO-MATT® surface treatment to aid in redistributing skin pressure. The bottom surface 40 of such foam shell topper 20 may be cut to provide predetermined ridges 42 running side-to-side to act as retainers for such air flotation mattress' respective air cells 30 , 32 , 34 and 36 .
In order for the mechanical connections between the ECS 300 and both the mattress 100 and mattress coverlet 200 to be made an exemplary foam block 44 with a hole there-through may be located at the end of one foam bolster and side 22 and 24 , respectively.
As best seen in the cross-sectional views of FIGS. 2 and 3, the foam shell topper 20 extends across almost the entire width and substantially the entire length of such mattress 100 . The foam shell topper's 20 width extends from each foam side 24 . Similarly, the topper's 20 length is terminated only by the foam header 26 and the foam footer 28 . The bolsters 22 act as both supports for the connection between the topper 20 and the sides 24 and as retainers for the air cells 30 , 32 , 34 , and 36 .
The exemplary mattress coverlet 200 is comprised of three separate layers. As seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, the first layer 46 of such mattress coverlet 200 is a sheet of waterproof, vapor permeable material. It is designed to allow moisture-vapor and heat from the patient's body or relatively immediately adjacent thereto to pass through to the second (i e., middle) layer 48 . The second layer 48 of such mattress coverlet 200 is a non-crush three-dimensional fabric that is moisture resistant and vapor and air permeable. It is through this middle layer 48 of the mattress coverlet 200 that the low air loss feature of the present invention forces air, which aids in removing the warm moist air generated by the patient. An exemplary depiction of the direction of airflow through the mattress coverlet 200 is indicated by exemplary airflow 50 .
In accordance with the present preferred embodiment, the third layer 52 of the mattress coverlet 200 is a waterproof, vapor impermeable sheet. This final layer 52 acts as a retainer of the warm moist air generated by the patient and transmitted through the first layer 46 to the second layer 48 . It maintains the warm moist air within the second layer 48 so it can be removed by the low air loss airflow (as indicated in FIG. 5 by exemplary air flow 50 ). Similarly, it acts as a boundary to prevent heat transfer from the air within the air flotation mattress's air cells 30 , 32 , 34 , and 36 , to the patient. Such third layer 52 may additionally comprise a zippered coverlet-mattress topper for encasing a mattress.
In other embodiments, an exemplary coverlet 200 in accordance with the subject invention may be modularly applied to other supports including mattresses, wheelchair/seating cushions, and/or patient positioners (whether air powered, pre-existing, disclosed herewith, or later developed). Several exemplary such support surfaces can be found in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 5,568,660 to Raburn et al; U.S. Pat. No. 5,797,155 to Maier et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 355,488 to Hargest et al., the disclosures of which are full incorporated herein by reference.
Some former mattress coverlets have suffered from the problem of billowing. As further represented in the top elevational view of present FIG. 4, in accordance with the present invention the occurrence of billowing may be reduced through the use of spot welds 54 of the first layer 46 to the third layer 52 in locations throughout the surface of the mattress coverlet 200 . In making such spot-welds 54 , small sections of the material of the second layer 48 of the mattress coverlet 200 have been removed to allow for an unimpeded welding of the first and third layers ( 46 and 52 , respectively).
The mattress coverlet 200 is preferably constructed of a first layer 46 comprising a polyurethane coated polyester which is perimeter welded 58 to the third layer 52 . Along the head end of the coverlet 200 , where the first and third layer 46 and 52 , respectively, are connected the perimeter weld 58 is intermittent to provide for exhaust air ports 60 . It is through these exhaust air ports 60 that the warm moist air trapped within the second layer 48 is disposed.
The third layer 52 of the coverlet 200 preferably comprises a polyurethane coated nylon so as to be moisture and vapor impermeable. The second (i.e., middle) layer 48 is preferably a non-crush three-dimensional fabric. The third layer 52 additionally may have skirt welds 62 along substantially the entire perimeter of the material.
As best seen in FIG. 5, in the presently preferred exemplary embodiment the third layer 52 forms a coverlet-mattress mattress topper, which may encase a mattress. The coverlet-mattress topper comprises an upper (i.e., the third layer 52 of the mattress coverlet 200 ) and lower sheet connected to two side panels, a head panel, and a foot panel in a bag-like configuration. Around the perimeter of the coverlet-mattress topper, running along the middle of the side, head, and foot panels is a zipper 56 for encasing a mattress within the topper. It is this coverlet-mattress topper that may maintain the mattress coverlet 200 in place despite the movement of the patient while on the support surface.
As will be clear to those of ordinary skill in the art from FIGS. 6-9 and their associated discussion, the air flotation mattress 100 and the mattress coverlet 200 are regulated by the ECS 300 . The exemplary ECS 300 comprises two pumps 62 and 64 , a regulator 66 , a rotary valve 68 , a single quick-disconnect connector 70 for connection of air passageway 72 to the mattress coverlet 200 , and three quick-disconnect connectors 74 for connecting air passageways 76 , 78 , and 80 to the air flotation mattress air cells 30 , 32 , 34 , and 36 . Air is provided to the head and foot zones via air passageway 76 and is provided to zones three and four (i.e., the central or torso zone) via air passageways 78 and 80 , respectively. The ECS features are preferably all within a stand-alone housing 82 . The housing 82 is provided with rubber feet 84 for positioning the housing on the floor and with hooks 86 for hanging the ECS 300 from a bedframe.
The ECS 300 has two pumps 62 and 64 for separate operation of the air flotation mattress 100 and the mattress coverlet 200 . The first pump 62 operates the air flotation mattress 100 . It is preferably a pump which provides quiet operation and a quick response to an inflation request. The second pump 64 functions to provide air for the low air loss system in the mattress coverlet 200 . The low air loss system pump 64 is preferably a pump which provides a higher air flow rate for the mattress coverlet 200 than would be provided by the air flotation mattress pump 62 .
The first pump 62 operates in connection with a regulator 66 and a rotary valve system 68 to provide air for the air flotation mattress 100 . In operation of this exemplary embodiment, the air provided to the head and foot zones (i.e., exemplary air cells 30 and 36 , respectively) is delivered through a first passageway 76 . This first passageway 76 serves to interconnect the head and foot zones to insure consistent inflation/deflation. The air provided to the torso zone, exemplary air cells 32 and 34 , respectively, enters through separate passageways 78 and 80 , respectively. With each of the passageways 78 and 80 associated with the torso zone are control valves 88 to either allow inflation/deflation or to maintain the current state of inflation/deflation of the air cells 32 and/or 34 . Such valves 88 are separately operable which allows for the provision of an alternating pressure support surface within the air flotation mattress 100 . When the control valves 88 within passageways 78 and 80 are set to mimic the inflation/deflation of the head and foot zones, the air flotation mattress 100 is able to provide a static support surface. The construction of such valves 88 and pumps 62 and 64 are well known to those of ordinary skill in the art, and details thereof form no particular part of the subject invention.
The second pump 64 may be operated in accordance with the subject invention to provide a continuous flow of air to the low air loss mattress coverlet 200 . As shown in FIG. 4, the first layer 46 of the mattress coverlet 200 contains air exhaust ports 60 for the expulsion of the low air loss air flow through the mattress coverlet 200 . An air input port (not shown) is preferably generally located at the foot end of the mattress coverlet 200 and the air exhaust ports 60 are preferably located at the opposite end of the mattress coverlet 200 . However, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that alternative configurations of such features fall within the scope and spirit of the present invention.
In operation, the ECS 300 functions to provide the user the widest variety of treatment options. The user can select from either a static pressure support surface, in which the air flotation mattress 100 maintains a consistent inflated state across all zones, or an alternating pressure support surface, in which the head and foot zones maintain a consistent inflation state and zones three and four within the torso zone dynamically fluctuate between opposed states of inflation/deflation, respectively. In addition to the choice of support surface function to be provided by the air flotation mattress 100 , the ECS 300 allows the user to choose whether or not to allow the operation of the low air loss mattress coverlet 200 to aid in removing warm moist air away from the patient's skin. It is this wide range of user (and/or caregiver) choice in treatment methods and its modularity that allows the system, the air flotation mattress 100 , the low air loss mattress coverlet 200 and the ECS 300 , to be so flexible.
Additionally, in emergency operations, the system is designed to be as flexible as possible in order to aid in the treatment of the patient. Should the need arise to quickly provide a more sturdy surface for the patient, such as in the case where a patient suffers a heart attack and requires chest compression, the present invention provides the user three options: inflate the air flotation mattress 100 fully by utilizing the static support surface feature, terminate the operation of the pumps and allow the air flotation mattress to deflate, or to utilize the quick-disconnect connectors 200 between the ECS 300 and the air passageways 76 , 78 , and 80 to allow for complete deflation of the air flotation mattress 100 .
Similarly, when there is a loss of power to the ECS 300 , the system is designed to retain its functionality to aid in the treatment of the patient. The air flotation mattress is designed to maintain the inflation pressure within the air cells 30 , 32 , 34 , and 36 . It performs such function by allowing the pressure across all the cells 30 , 32 , 34 , and 36 to even out and become consistent (as when utilizing the static pressure support surface feature). The system is able to maintain the air within the cells through the use of several three-way control valves 88 which open to allow communication between the air cells 30 , 32 , 34 , and 36 and through the use of a two-way control valve 90 which closes to deny an exit path for the air already in the system.
An alternative presently preferred embodiment may comprise an air flotation mattress 100 with a multi-layer mattress topper 400 and/or mattress coverlet 200 for the prevention and treatment of decubitus ulcers (pressure sores and bedsores). The mattress coverlet 200 provides a low air loss feature that can be turned on or off as desired by the user (here, broadly referencing a patient or person resting on such coverlet and/or a caregiver therefore).
As best seen in FIG. 10, a foam shell topper 20 with foam bolsters 22 and foam sides 24 running the length of the mattress 100 on either side forms the air flotation mattress 100 . At the respective ends of the air flotation mattress 100 and capping the foam bolsters and sides 22 and 24 , respectively, are a foam header 26 and foam footer 28 , which along with the bolsters 22 form a cavity in the mattress 100 . This cavity is for positioning of air cells 35 . Unlike the above-preferred embodiment, the air cells 35 of the presently preferred embodiment run head-to-foot with such cavity.
As above, the cavity formed by the foam bolsters 22 , header 26 , and footer 28 , contains the air cells 35 . The air cells 35 are essentially inflatable air bladders connected directly to an external control system 300 as above described for their inflation/deflation. Such air cells 35 are operated to provide the primary support surface for the patient.
As represented to those of ordinary skill in the art by the cross-sectional view of FIG. 2, the foam shell topper 20 of such air flotation mattress 100 may have on its upper surface 38 a GEO-MATT® surface treatment to aid in redistributing skin pressure. The bottom surface 40 of such foam shell topper 20 may be alternatively cut to provide predetermined ridges 42 running head-to-foot to act as retainers for such air flotation mattress' respective air cells 35 .
In accordance with this alternative presently preferred embodiment, the mattress 200 may be additionally sheathed in a multi-layer mattress topper 400 . The first layer 51 of the multi-layer mattress topper 400 is a waterproof, vapor impermeable sheet. The second (i.e., middle) layer 53 may comprise a non-crush three-dimensional fabric, such as a knit, cloth, polymeric film, foam or extruded woven fibers. Finally, the third layer 56 may additionally comprise a waterproof, vapor impermeable sheet for protection of the underlying mattress 200 . Such third layer 56 may additionally comprise a zippered sheath for encasing the mattress 200 .
The exemplary mattress coverlet 200 is comprised of two separate layers. As seen in FIG. 11, the first layer 47 of such mattress coverlet 200 is a sheet of waterproof, vapor permeable material. It is designed to allow moisture-vapor and heat from the patient's body or relatively immediately adjacent thereto to pass through to the second layer 49 . The second layer 49 of such mattress coverlet 200 is a non-crush three-dimensional fabric that is moisture resistant and vapor and air permeable. It is through this layer 49 of the mattress coverlet 200 that the low air loss feature of the present invention forces air, which aids in removing the warm moist air generated by the patient. An exemplary depiction of the direction of airflow through the mattress coverlet 200 is indicated by exemplary airflow 50 .
The two layers 47 and 49 of the mattress coverlet 200 are sewn together around their perimeter. Various methods of attaching such a coverlet 200 may be utilized. For example, said coverlet 200 may be formed with an elastic band sewn around its outer perimeter so as to envelop such a mattress 100 as would a fitted sheet.
In the case of a “fitted-sheet” style coverlet 200 , the entirety of the outer perimeter of the first and second layers 47 and 49 , respectively, may be sewn together. In such an embodiment, the forced air from the ECS 300 along with the warmth and moisture from the air in the second layer 49 of the coverlet may escape around the entire perimeter through the loose friction fit of the elastic band of the coverlet 200 . As described above, this alternative presently preferred embodiment may be regulated by an ECS 300 . The two pumps 62 and 64 of the ECS 300 serve to provide the airflow for both the primary patient support (i.e., the mattress 100 and the airflow through the middle layer 53 of the multi-layer mattress topper 400 ) and for the mattress coverlet 200 . The method of connection of the ECS 300 , its operation and features is as discussed in detail above.
As in other embodiments, the exemplary coverlet 200 in accordance with the subject invention may be modularly applied to other supports including mattresses, wheelchair/seating cushions, and/or patient positioners (whether air powered, pre-existing, disclosed herewith, or later developed).
It is to be understood that the present invention may be practiced in conjunction with combinations of additional features, not necessarily shown or discussed in detail. In particular, the size, shape and support characteristics of the air flotation mattress 100 , the multi-layer mattress topper 400 and/or the mattress coverlet 200 may vary as desired or as needed. Additionally, both the mattress coverlet 200 and the multi-layer mattress topper 400 may be utilized with mattresses of various size and shape (regardless of whether air powered, pre-existing, disclosed herewith, or later developed), in addition to being useful with other support devices such as patient positioner and wheelchair/seating cushions. All such variations, as would be understood by one ordinarily skilled in the art are intended to fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention. Likewise, the foregoing presently preferred embodiments are exemplary only, and their attendant descriptions are similarly intended to be examples of the present invention rather than words of limitation. | An air inflatable mattress and mattress coverlet are provided for the prevention and treatment of decubitus ulcers (i.e., pressure sores or bedsores). The mattress incorporates a user selectable static or alternating air powered support surface for more uniformly redistributing pressure exerted on a patient's skin. The mattress coverlet encompasses a low air loss feature independent of the mattress's user selectable air powered support surface. Such low air loss feature provides a patient contact surface exhibiting a high moisture vapor transfer ratio in conjunction with a forced air flow to aid in reducing the moisture and heat near the patient's body. Both the mattress and mattress coverlet are driven by an external control system which houses the user controls, as well as the necessary pumps, regulators, and valving. | 0 |
RELATED APPLICATION
This Application claims priority and is entitled to the filing date of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/226,816 filed Aug. 22, 2000, and entitled “METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING THE USE AND NON-USE OF SOFTWARE PROGRAMS,” the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to software auditing systems and, more particularly, the invention concerns a method and system for monitoring the use and non-use of software programs.
Licensed software products, such as those from IBM, Computer Associates or Microsoft, are typically composed of a number of discrete executable components: exe-files, batch files, JCL, etc., herein collectively referred to as modules. A typical mainframe computer might have 500 products, composed of 500,000 modules on 3,000 libraries, often with many of the products duplicated on a number of libraries. While many software products are installed in default libraries specified by the vendor, some installations choose to link the more commonly used products into the system libraries.
Prior Isogon patents have described techniques for performing software auditing, including the steps of Surveying (scanning all hard-drives or disk storage for modules), Identification (deciding, for each module on each library, what software product it belongs to) and Monitoring (intercepting and recording all module executions). As described in those patents, and as practiced by Isogon's software auditing product, SoftAudit, the steps of Surveying, Identification, and Monitoring are both interrelated and separate processes.
The SoftAudit Monitor is also described in the present Assignee's issued U.S. Pat. No. 5,590,056, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein. The SoftAudit Monitor collects usage data for (virtually) every load module executed within the system (image, LPAR). This usage data is correlated to survey and identification data to ultimately determine and report which software products, and the libraries in which they are installed, have and have not been used.
For the MVS and OS/390 operating systems, it does this by intercepting the LOAD, LINK, ATTACH, and XCTL system functions. Whenever such a function is invoked, the Monitor creates an entry in a memory table which relates the module usage to the job/job step/started task/TSO session (hereinafter, process) for which the module was loaded. Eventually, the usage data is written to external media (either when the memory buffer needs to be reclaimed, or on an hourly basis) and subsequently correlated with other data as previously described.
Due to the high number of executing modules, both the volume of data recorded and the processing time used can become excessive. In other situations, such as with different operating systems, intercepting system calls may not be practical or would greatly impact system response times.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The term module is meant to include executable software programs, executable script files such as Unix shell scripts, and interpreted programming languages such as Java and Basic.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved method of software auditing whereby the execution of software modules can be determined in a manner that does not overly burden system resources, and that this execution information can be correlated with other information to determine which products have been executed.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method whereby the execution of software products can be determined according to their usage of the file system.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method whereby the non-use of software products can be detected.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method whereby the load library from which a module was loaded can be determined.
The foregoing and other objects of the invention are essentially realized by a method and system in which the approach to auditing is designed to obtain data for fewer than all of the load modules that execute on the system. Preferably, the system employs intelligence to monitor activities and/or select information which best approximates the total number of software products that are executed in the system over selected time periods.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the invention which refers to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows a prior art software monitoring and surveying system.
FIG. 2 is a sample output of the invention.
FIG. 2A is another sample output of the invention.
FIG. 3 is a sample output of the invention.
FIG. 4 is a first flow chart of the invention.
FIG. 5 is a second flow chart of the invention.
FIG. 6 displays an output of the invention.
FIG. 7 is a third flow chart of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Reduced Overhead Determination of Software Product Usage
In one embodiment, the Monitor is implemented as a background process that periodically samples system data to determine which processes are active. As is well known in the computer art, operating systems control and define segments of program executions into “processes,” job steps, etc. For some operating systems such as Unix, a background process can execute as a free running program (called a daemon) or be scheduled on a time basis using the “crontab” facility. In either case, the Monitor (described below) is able to sample the processing state of the system.
With reference to prior art FIG. 1 , a conventional computer system 10 is shown in block form. As is conventional, the computer system 10 includes an operating system 24 and may include an automatic job scheduler 32 . As is also conventional, the computer system 10 connects the peripheral devices, examples of which are shown in FIG. 1 and may include one or more storage devices, for example, 14 , 16 and 18 , interactive user terminals 26 , 28 and 30 , and a batch job reader 34 . Not all of these peripheral devices are required to be present, and varying computer systems will have differing peripherals. The operating system 24 may contain a centralized handler 44 for the processing of service requests. Where this is the case, services 46 a – 46 e are usually also provided.
Generally, the present invention provides a system for monitoring, tracking and controlling the use of software products and the modules that comprise them. Instrumental to the operation of the invention are a monitor 22 shown in the form of a monitoring program, a surveyor 12 in the form of a surveying program, having an associate directory 12 a and a module reader 12 b which are operable in conjunction with a system configuration log 66 and a knowledge base 20 . A further information log 62 communicates with the monitor 22 as well as with a reporting program 60 which uses an identifier component 60 A and a reporter component 60 B to generate reports 64 . Conventionally, the computer system 10 also has an on-line display 68 .
Thus, for example, when the Monitor 22 receives control under Unix, it can use system commands such as “ps” or the “kvm 13 getprocs” system call to take a snapshot of the current state of all active processes including the user name, the time they were started, how much CPU time has been used, and the directory (pathname) from which it is installed. FIG. 2 presents a sample of how the process state might appear in a snapshot 36 taken at 3:00 PM by the Monitor process (/etc/monitor), as indicated at 38 .
In processing this data, the Monitor produces a table of executing modules and their pathnames. In the example of FIG. 2 , the modules emacs, grep, less, man, monitor, netscape, ps, sh, telnet, tsch and vkbd are identified. If, for example, the Monitor takes a snapshot at 5 minute intervals, then the only new modules to be executed since 2:55 PM are the grep and ps system programs, and the Monitoring program—monitor. As the system command ps is used by monitor, the Monitor typically ignores itself and any modules it might use.
System programs, such as those that comprise the operating system itself, are typically not of interest. Thus, if filtering of known system programs is employed by the Monitor, it is likely that since 10:00 AM only programs such as netscape would be identified.
In this example, the method of extracting module information from each line of the process state encompasses the following steps:
1. Extract the time at which the process started.
2. Did the process start after the last snapshot was taken? If not, ignore this process and proceed to the next line.
3. Extract the pathname of the process and the module name, in particular. For example, the process “/usr/local/netscape” is located in the directory “/usr/local” and has a module name of “netscape.”
4. Add the module name and, optionally other process related information to the module usage table such as the directory, start time, process ID, etc.
5. Optionally, adapt the scheduling of snapshots by detecting periods of high and low activity.
This module usage data is equivalent to that produced by software asset management products (such as SoftAudit, which gathers usage data by intercepting system functions) and can instead be used by such products to provide usage statistics and identify the software products they belong to.
Optionally, the Monitor adapts the frequency with which it takes a snapshot of the system processing state. It is important that the Monitor detect as many executing modules as possible. However, during periods of high processing activity a large number of processes may begin and end between snapshots. While the Monitor cannot go back in time to capture what has already been lost, it may adapt its schedule in accordance to process activity.
In comparing process ID (pid) data in a snapshot from one taken immediately prior, the Monitor determines how many processes have begun and ended in the intervening period, in other words, have been missed. Process IDs under Unix, and many other operating systems, are incremented for each new process that is executed. Thus if the Monitor subtracts the highest pid found in a prior snapshot (H) from the current pid of the Monitor itself (M), the result is an indicator of how many processes have been executed in the intervening time period. The Monitor then proceeds to take a count of all processes that have begun since the prior snapshot and are still executing (E). Subtracting this number from the number of processes that have been executed is an indicator of how many have been missed. In other words:
Number of Missed Modules= M−H−E
If this number is high, the Monitor can increase the frequency of its snapshots and, if the number is low, decrease the frequency to an acceptable level. Furthermore, the Monitor may examine a history of system activity, either from system logs or data maintained by the Monitor itself, to ascertain if these levels are normal or otherwise prior to adjusting its sampling rate.
For example, referring to the snapshot at 3:00 PM ( FIG. 2 ) and a second snapshot 40 taken 5 minutes later ( FIG. 2A ), one will note that the highest pid, H, was 3692 in the earlier snapshot 36 and that M=3713 at 42 is the pid of the Monitor in the current snapshot. This means that 21 processes have run in the intervening 5 minutes. Comparing the two snapshots, only E=2 new processes (3586 and 3709) are detected, thus, 19 have been missed. Considering that nearly 90% of the intervening processes have been missed, the Monitor may adjust its sampling rate, or, after examining the system activity history determine that 21 processes in 5 minutes is considered low at this time of day and that no change in sampling rate is deemed necessary.
In another embodiment, the present invention deduces which software modules are used in a process by extracting load module information produced directly by the operating system while processing access requests such as LOAD, LINK, etc. for the process.
As a process executes, it makes access requests for modules. The operating system, in processing those requests, may create a table (or catalog) and/or library of these load modules. For each required module, the operating system makes an entry in the load module table (LMT) that may contain among other things, the name of the module, other process specific information such as process ID, etc., and perhaps, some attributes of the module such as its size, date of creation, and so on.
In this embodiment, the Monitor function is implemented to execute every time the end of a process is reached. This does not have to be the same time as when the process completes execution but rather at some time after which the operating system updates the LMT. MVS and OS/390 provide such facilities to initiate the Monitor in the form of an exit routine, hereinafter, a Monitor Exit. Alternatively, the Monitor Exit may be established to receive control when a function (such as FILE CLOSE), is invariably executed at or near the end of a process.
When the Monitor Exit is reached, the Monitor is activated and proceeds to read the LMT from which it determines the names of modules that have been cataloged and loaded for that process. For each module found in the LMT, the Monitor creates a record in a module usage table that contains the module name. Optionally, the Monitor also stores in the module usage table any other characteristics that the operating system might provide such as the module size, date of last change, other process information such as process ID, current time and date, etc.
Optionally, usage data is accumulated across processes. For example, when the next job step (or the job) completes, the Monitor Exit routine is once again activated. The LMT is again read and any new module entries are added to the module usage table. Names of modules already found in the table for the current job are ignored as they have already been identified as having been used for the current process. When the job is completed, the Monitor stores (appends) the module usage data in a file for further processing to identify the software products used, by such products as SoftAudit, in order to provide usage statistics, etc.
An additional facility of the present invention uses the module usage data to identify the software products used.
The method of determining product usage according to module usage data is performed in one of the following two ways:
1. Identify the names of all software products used by correlating module usage data using the Knowledge Base (KB) 20 that associates the names of modules to the software products they comprise.
2. Correlate the module usage data with an inventory of software products that itself has been correlated to the Knowledge Base 20 .
Identification of Product Usage According to File Name
Generally speaking, virtually every software product performs some type of input/output and, in most cases, to specific files or datasets. For example, every time a software product is executed, i.e., one or more of the component modules is executed, it will read from and/or write to files such as a configuration files, temporary data files, output data files, etc. having specific names.
In some circumstances, different software products from the same vendor will share certain files which, in turn, are still unique to that vendor.
For example, some of the files “required” by products A and B on MVS might include:
PRODUCTA.PRODDATA—product A database PRODUCTA.PREFS—product A preference file PRODUCTB.USERDATA—product B user data file PRODUCTB.INIT—product B initialization file
For operating systems such as Unix, these files might appear as:
/usr/local/productA/proddata—product A database /usr/local/productA/prefs—product A preference file /usr/local/productB/userdata—product B user data file /usr/local/productB/init—product B initialization file
The first two files are unique to the family of software for product A, hence, the detection of any one of these files by a monitoring program is sufficient to identify the A product irrespective of the individual program in the product A module suite that actually performed the I/O. Similarly for product B.
The method of determining product usage according to file usage data is performed in the following steps:
1. Monitoring—determine the names of all files used by a process;
2. Identify the names of all software products used by correlating file name usage data using a Knowledge Base that associates file names to software products;
3. Optionally, determine the modules comprising each software product used.
1. Monitoring File Usage
In one embodiment, the Monitor is implemented as a background process that periodically takes a snapshot of system data to determine which files are currently in use, optionally filtering out those known to be temporary files. For Unix, the monitoring process can execute as a daemon process or be scheduled on a time basis using the “crontab” facility. In either case, the Monitor is able to take a snapshot of the current state of the files in use, optionally adapting its schedule according to system activity.
For example, when the Monitor receives control under Unix, it can use commands such as “fstat” or the “kvm_files” system call to sample the state and certain characteristics of all active files. Such information includes the user name, name of the process and its process ID, and the pathname (name and directory) of the file. FIG. 3 is a sample 48 of how the file state might appear in one snapshot.
In processing and filtering this data, the Monitor produces a table of open files for the processes emacs, man, netscape, and telnet. The filter has removed temporary files such as those having pathnames beginning with “/usr/tmp/tempfile” and other “known” system parameter files such as /usr/local/info.
Note that the command name (e.g., emacs) of the process using that file can also be used by the Monitor to filter out file usage by system programs. For example, if a required configuration file for software product A is being edited by the user, one might conclude that simply on the basis of file usage that product A was executing when in fact it had not. Filtering out this occurrence eliminates this false conclusion.
An entry is created in a file usage table for each new file name found for the same process ID. Other process information such as process ID, and optionally, command name, the current time and date, etc. are also saved in the file usage data record.
Optionally, the Monitor adjusts its sampling rate in a manner similar to that described in an earlier embodiment.
In another embodiment, the Monitor function is implemented as an intercept placed in either or both of the file OPEN and CLOSE system functions.
Whenever activated, the Monitor determines the name of file that is being used by the current process. An entry is created in a file usage table for each new file name found for the current process. Other process information such as process ID, and optionally, the current time and date, etc. are also saved in the file usage data record.
If, in one instance, the Monitor determines that the name of a file is already in the table and has the same process ID, the instance is ignored and no entries are made in the file usage table.
Alternatively, the Monitor function, operating in a manner such as a Monitor Exit, reads the JCL data structures of the current job or the in-storage data created therefrom by the operating system, such as the Task Input Output Table (TIOT), to obtain the dataset names specified by various DD (Data Definition) statements in the job and stores those results in the file usage table.
In yet another alternative, the Monitor, perhaps operating as a batch process, reads the Unix system accounting logs or MVS and OS/390 System Management Facility (SMF) data file at some point in time, after the completion of the process itself, to determine the file names and load libraries used on a job-by-job and process-by-process basis and stores these results in the file usage table.
2. Identifying Software Product Usage
The File Knowledge Base (FKB) is a database of records which associates file names to the software products which use them. In addition to the files name, the FKB might contain other attributes such as:
Flags indicating if the file is used uniquely or shared among vendor products; Number of file matches (“hits”) required for correlation with a product; File type such as text, binary, database, etc.; Always used or used sporadically; File size, creation date, etc.; Embedded strings of text or data; Etc.
Using various heuristics and perhaps some of these attributes, an Identifier facility 60 A takes the file names determined by the Monitor and correlates these against those in the FKB to deduce a list of software products which have been executed and stores that information in a product usage table. For example, if the Identifier determines that a process uses 10 files of which 9 hits are found for product A and only 1 hit for product B, then product A is the most probable choice.
3. Determine the Modules Comprising Each Software Product Used
As another feature of the current embodiment, the Identifier determines the modules which comprise each software product that has executed and stores that information in a module usage table.
For each software product identified in the previous step as having been used, the present invention retrieves the list of modules that comprise the product from a knowledge base (KB) that correlates module names to software products and vice versa. This information is stored in a separate table, file or as part of the module usage table.
Such information may be used by another embodiment of the present invention to determine the load library from which each software product executes from.
Determination of Unused Software Products
In another embodiment, the present invention determines which software products have not been used on a computer system.
The general procedure is as follows:
1. Determine the software products used;
2. Determine the inventory of software products on the computer system;
3. Compare the list of products used to the inventory of such products to produce a list of unused products.
Typically, the method for determining software products that are used involves the steps of determining the modules that are used (as described above, or in Isogon's earlier patents) and correlating those modules against a module-to-product knowledge base (KB). Optionally, the library on which the product resided is also determined.
An inventory of software products is performed similarly, however, the module and library data is obtained by performing a survey of all storage devices. The modules found are correlated against the module KB to identify the software product name. The same product may be found to reside on multiple libraries for reasons such as keeping backup copies. Such techniques are used by software asset management products such as SoftAudit.
At some point in time, after sufficient product usage data has been accumulated or obtained from other sources, the present invention determines which software products have not been used ( FIG. 4 ).
The self-explanatory process steps shown in FIG. 4 listed below are as follows:
1. Start of process—step 70 ; 2. Construct table of software products according to name and library from software inventory;—step 72 ; 3. Read next software product name/library from usage data file—step 74 ; 4. Determine whether the list has been completed—step 76 ; 5. If list has been completed, report results—step 78 ; 6. Report results and end—steps 78 , 80 ; 7. If a list has not been completed, locate in the software inventory, the software products that have that name and library—step 82 ; 8. Determine whether any software products were found—step 84 ; 9. If none found, report products not in inventory (step 86 ) and return to step 74 ; 10. If yes, remove from table or flag as used—step 88 —and return to step 74 .
In one embodiment, a table (list) of all software products and the libraries they are installed on is made using inventory data. For each software product/library entry found in the usage file, the corresponding entry in the inventory list is either removed or flagged as having been used. (If a corresponding entry is not found in the inventory list for an entry in the usage table, it is probably due to survey data that is out of date and is optionally reported to the user.) After all usage data entries have been processed, the resulting table reflects all software product/library combinations which have not been used.
Optionally, the present invention flags or removes all entries in the inventory list that correspond to a used software product. The resulting table reflects all software products that have not been used irrespective of the library or libraries they reside upon.
Determination of the Library a Module was Loaded From
In another embodiment, the present invention determines the load library from which each module executed has been loaded and stores that information in a module usage table.
The general procedure involves the following steps:
1. Obtain a list of the modules that have been used by a particular process.
2. Determine the load libraries and their search order used by the process.
3. Using the search order determined in the previous step, search the load libraries for the first library containing the same modules that best matches the list of modules used.
Other embodiments of the present invention provide a Monitor function that determines a list of modules used. This list is kept in a module usage table that optionally contains additional process information. Alternatively, module usage data from other usage monitoring products such as SoftAudit can be imported into the present invention and incorporated into the module usage table in place of or in addition to any other usage data.
The next steps of determining the correct load libraries in their appropriate search order and further determining which libraries the modules executed from can be embodied in any or all of the following ways:
As a concurrent process wherein module usage data and load libraries selection data are both obtained by the Monitor and library usage is determined at the same time. As separate processes wherein module usage data, on the one hand, and load library data, on the other, are obtained from separate sources and processed to determine load library usage. For example, module usage data is obtained using the previously described method of determining software product usage according to file usage and library selection data is determined from the SMF data file. As separate processes wherein one of the module usage data or library selection data is obtained by the Monitor and the other obtained from a separate source and processed to determine load library usage. For example, module usage data is obtained from a monitoring product such as SoftAudit and library usage is determined from the Monitor function described below.
The following description of the present invention is specific to a concurrent process on a mainframe operating system such as MVS, however, the method is equally applicable to other operating systems and other embodiments previously described.
For mainframe operating systems such as MVS, as the JCL for the job is interpreted and subsequently executed (i.e., the job and its individual job steps are processed), the operating system, following a prescribed search order, determines which load libraries are to be searched for the modules subsequently accessed via system calls such as LOAD, LINK, etc.
The JCL interpreter is capable of defining “generic” load libraries to be used within a specific scope and searched in a specific order. If the user so desires, he can define a library of modules to be known generically throughout his entire job as JOBLIB. Similarly, the user has the option to define a library of modules that changes with each step in the job. This is known as STEPLIB. The operating system saves each of these JOBLIB and STEPLIB definitions in a list (load library list). Lastly, system libraries, such as SYS1.LINKLIB or SYS1.USERLIB, and the modules they contain are readily available to all job processes. For this reason, some computer installations choose to install commonly used software products in these libraries.
Referring to FIG. 5 , when a module is accessed via LOAD, etc., the operating system searches the load libraries for that module in a specific order of precedence—the current STEPLIB first, then JOBLIB, followed by the system libraries SYS1.LINKLIB, etc. If the module is not found in STEPLIB or it is not defined, JOBLIB is searched. If not found in JOBLIB, or a JOBLIB is not defined, the operating system proceeds to search in turn each of the system libraries.
For example, the fragment 150 of JCL in FIG. 6 demonstrates the use of software product libraries in JOBLIB and STEPLIB statements, as well as the search procedure for some product specific programs (RPORTA for product A and SORTB for product B) and a system program (FIND).
In this example, the JOBLIB DD statement specifies that the programs for software product A in library PRODUCTA.LOADLIB be known and available throughout the job. In STEP 1 , the system is directed to use the program “FIND”, which in this example is located in one of the system libraries. As there is no STEPLIB for this job step, the system searches the designated JOBLIB, PRODUCTA.LOADLIB, for a module with that name. Having not found it there, the system then searches the system libraries where it is finally found and loaded into the computer's memory for execution.
In STEP 2 , the user has designated that the programs for software product B located in the library PRODUCTB.LOADLIB be available for the current job step (i.e., STEPLIB). The system is instructed in the STEP 2 EXEC statement to use the program “SORTB”. It begins by searching PRODUCTB.LOADLIB where it finds the module SORTB and loads it into the computer's memory for execution.
Lastly, in STEP 3 , the user has not designated a STEPLIB and the definition from STEP 2 has, so to speak, expired. The system is instructed in the current EXEC statement to use the program “RPORTA”. The JOBLIB definition is still in effect, hence, it begins by searching PRODUCTA.LOADLIB where it finds that module and loaded into the computer's memory for execution.
Upon execution, should a program, such as SORTB, request that other modules be loaded and subsequently executed, the operating system conducts a search using the very same search order as that used to load SORTB (i.e., in STEP 2 ) to load the desired modules into the computer's memory for execution.
The present invention determines the identity and order of the load libraries used by a particular process by reading the JCL data structures of the current job to obtain the load library list for the process, or by referring to equivalent in-storage data created from the JCL by the operating system, such as in OS/390, the Task Input Output Table (TIOT). Optionally, the Monitor stores this data in a library selection table for processing by other programs.
FIG. 5 shows the foregoing and additional detail steps associated with determining module names, steps ( 90 – 102 ) and locating a module for a load link (steps 104 – 116 ).
Referring to FIG. 7 , the Monitor proceeds to locate the load library from which the module was accessed using the same search order of precedence as used by the operating system. Reading the appropriate list of selected load libraries, such as contained in the TIOT, the Monitor determines which physical load libraries have been associated with the current STEPLIB and JOBLIB, if any. For each module located in the LMT, the Monitor searches for a module with that name in the physical library defined as the STEPLIB. If that module has not been found or a STEPLIB is not defined, the Monitor performs the same process for the physical library named as the JOBLIB. Similarly, if the module is not in JOBLIB or a JOBLIB is not defined, the Monitor performs the repeats the process in turn, and in the same order as the operating system, for each of the system libraries until found.
The search ends with the first physical library found to contain that module. If the results are inconclusive, or as an added measure of confidence, the module characteristics, such as size and date, can also be matched against those of the module found in the physical library.
The entry in the module usage table is augmented to include the physical name of the library in which the module was found and those results are stored for processing and interpretation by another program.
The process is repeated until all modules have been processed, as shown in the detailed steps 120 – 144 in FIG. 7 .
Although the present invention has been described in relation to particular embodiments thereof, many other variations and modifications and other uses will become apparent to those skilled in the art. It is preferred, therefore, that the present invention be limited not by the specific disclosure herein, but only by the appended claims. | A method and system for auditing software systems by monitoring the use and non-use of software programs in a computer. An operating system of the computer controls execution of software products through the invocation of respective load modules thereof. A monitor is periodically triggered to collect load module execution information, which is filtered by a filtering module, and a correlator correlates load module execution information with data that associates load module names with corresponding software products and develops a list of products executed in the computer over the course of a given time period. | 6 |
BACKGROUND
1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to electronic devices and, more particularly, to an electronic device for protecting a connector accommodated therein.
2. Description of Related Art
An electronic device usually includes a main board, a battery module, and a bus connector electrically connected to the main board and the battery module. The main board and the battery module each include a female connector. The bus connector has two male connectors arranged at two ends thereof which are inserted into the female connectors of the main board and the battery module, respectively, electrically connecting the main board to the battery module. However, the female connector of the battery module is spaced from an inner surface of the casing, and so the connector is not supported on one side making it easy to deform and thus become loose when the male connector is inserted in it. Furthermore, dust can enter a space defined between the end of the female connector and the casing.
Therefore, what is needed is an electronic device, which can overcome the above described shortcomings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an exploded, isometric view of an electronic device in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 2 is an assembled, isometric view of the electronic device of FIG. 1 .
FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion III of FIG. 1 .
FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion IV of FIG. 2 .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3 , an electronic device, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment is shown. The electronic device includes a casing 10 , a battery module 20 , and a main board 30 received in the casing 10 , and a bus connector 40 and a holder 50 for electrically connecting the battery module 20 to the main board 30 .
The casing 10 includes a substrate 11 , a sidewall 13 perpendicularly extending up from a peripheral edge of the substrate 11 , and a cover (not shown) covering the sidewall 13 . The substrate 11 , the sidewall 13 , and the cover cooperatively define a chamber 15 for receiving the battery module 20 and the main board 30 .
The battery module 20 includes a battery 22 , a protected board 23 arranged at one side of the battery 22 , and a female connector 25 . The female connector 25 includes a hollow rectangular body 251 , two fixing plates 252 extending down from two opposite sides of a bottom surface 250 of the body 251 , and a plurality of terminals 253 extending out and horizontally from the bottom surface 250 of the body 251 . An upper portion of the body 251 defines an opening 256 . The protected board 23 defines a plurality of through holes 230 for respectively receiving the terminals 253 . Each fixing plate 252 includes a planar surface 254 parallel to the bottom surface 250 of the body 251 , and a slanted surface 255 connected between the bottom surface 250 of the body 251 and the planar surface 254 .
A power socket 31 is arranged on the main board 30 corresponding to the female connector 25 of the battery module 20 . The bus connector 40 includes a cable 41 having a plurality of electrical lines, and two male connectors 43 mounted on two opposite ends of the cable 41 . The male connectors 43 are respectively inserted into the female connector 25 and the power socket 31 , for electrically connecting the battery module 20 to the main board 30 .
The holder 50 is arranged on one side of the protected board 23 , which is away from the battery 22 . The holder 50 includes a first supporting wall 51 , a second supporting wall 53 opposite and parallel to the first supporting wall 51 , and two connecting arms 54 connected between the first supporting wall 51 and the second supporting wall 53 . A top of the second supporting wall 53 is higher than that of the first supporting wall 51 . Each connecting arm 54 includes a first connecting portion 55 adjacent to the first supporting wall 51 , a second connecting portion 56 adjacent to the second supporting wall 53 , and a slanted portion 57 slantingly connected between the first connecting portion 55 and the second connecting portion 56 . A top of the second connecting portion 56 is higher than that of the first connecting portion 55 . In the present embodiment, the holder 50 is integrally formed with the substrate 11 as a single piece.
Referring to FIG. 4 , in assembly of the electronic device, the female connector 25 is mounted on the protected board 23 with the terminals 253 extending through a notch 257 defined by a bottom portion of the female connector 25 and into the through holes 230 of the protected board 23 to connect to the battery 22 . The female connector 25 is seated in the holder 50 . The slanted surface 255 of the fixing plate 252 matches the slanted portion 57 of the connecting arm 54 ; the planar surface 254 of the fixing plate 252 contacts to the first connecting portion 55 of the connecting arm 54 ; the bottom surface 250 of the body 251 matches an upper portion of the second supporting wall 53 of the holder 50 ; therefore, a bottom portion of the female connector 25 tightly contacts with the substrate 11 by the holder 50 .
The two male connectors 43 of the bus connector 40 are inserted into the body 251 of the female connector 25 and the power socket 31 of the main board 30 , respectively. The direction of pressing force when the male connector 43 is inserted into the female connector 25 is perpendicular to the extending direction of the terminals 253 . The holder 50 supports the female connector 25 and is between the bottom of the female connector 25 and the substrate 11 ; therefore, it can prevent the terminals 253 of the female connector 25 from deforming. Furthermore, the bottom portion of the female connector 25 tightly contacts with the holder 50 and the opposite side of the holder 50 tightly contacts the substrate 11 , to thereby prevent dust from entering a space defined between the end of the female connector 25 and the substrate 11 of the casing 10 .
It is to be further understood that even though numerous characteristics and advantages have been set forth in the foregoing description of embodiments, together with details of the structures and functions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only; and that changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. | An electronic device includes a casing, a female connector received in the casing and a holder. The casing has a substrate. The female connector is spaced from an inner surface of the casing. The female connector defines an opening in one end thereof for a male connector inserting therein. The holder is between the substrate of the casing and the other end of the female connector which is away from the opening. | 7 |
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This is a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/835,864, filed 30 Apr. 2004.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates generally to hardware for securing bundled elongate articles, such as wires, cables, hoses, tubing, fiber optics, conduits, vines, etc., to a supporting structure. Also, the invention relates to a fastening element for securing electrical connectors or terminal plugs to mating electrical connectors or terminal plugs.
[0003] In many applications, it is sufficient merely to secure the items into a bundle. Such applications might include, for example, stationary electronic equipment that remains in one place and is subject to little or no vibration in use. In other applications, it is necessary or desirable not only to secure the items into a bundle, but to secure and route the resulting bundle to a supporting chassis or framework as well. Such applications are also common, for example, in cars, trucks, airplanes, ships, boats and other vehicles where the bundle is likely to be subjected to severe jostling and vibration. In other applications (e.g. buildings), where vibration might not be an important consideration, it is still desirable to secure and route cables, hoses, tubes, and various components, etc., to a fixed structure.
[0004] Further, automobiles and trucks manufactured today feature numerous electronic components provided for the safety, comfort, and convenience of passengers. Many of these features, controls and interface components are located in or near the seats of automobiles; for example, automatic seat position controls, seat heaters, and safety sensors such as seatbelt engagement sensors and weight sensors for engagement of an airbag system. Many other electronic components are located around the engine; for example, the alternator, O 2 sensor (exhaust gas), engine temperature gauge, tachometer, MAP sensor (mass air flow), etc. Other electric components extend around the perimeter of the vehicle such as the lighting. All the electrical/electronic components require electrical wiring and/or wiring harnesses beginning at the power supply (battery) and extending throughout the vehicle to all the electronic components. The electric and electronic components have terminals or electrical connectors which in many instances are on a short pigtail (electrical wires) permanently connected to the electronic component. These terminals or electrical connectors are plugged into the vehicles' wiring harness to the mating electrical connectors or terminal plugs. The electrical connectors or terminal plugs are generally secured to some structure on the vehicle, like the chassis to prevent loose or dangling wires which would otherwise produce undesirable noise or electronic interference/disturbance or become damaged from abrasion or fatigue (moving or vibrating against relatively stationary components or structures). Therefore, it would be desirable to secure the electrical connector or terminal plug in a fixed position.
[0005] Many plastic fir tree fasteners do not provide efficient, secure retention features that provide a robust grip when applied to a support surface. Previous fir tree fasteners, such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,396,329 issued to Wollar, contemplates staggered mounting branches, but leaves room for performance improvement. Such fasteners may not provide sufficient retention and tightness against the support surface for adequately supporting a bundled item. Likewise, such fasteners may utilize a longer than necessary mounting stud and may not be easily inserted into the support surface. Additionally, many fasteners do not provide for anti-rotation when applied to a support surface, or require more than one mounting shaft to prevent rotation (see FIGS. 21A and 21B ). The present invention provides for an improved performance, securing and routing fastener to address these problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention provides an improved securing and routing oval fir tree mount or fastener to retain and orient cables, hoses, tubes, and various components, etc., to a mounting surface or structure. The oval fir tree mount secures the aforementioned components in a specific direction/orientation because the oval trunk segment and fir tree branches closely fit and mate with an oval or slot shaped mounting hole thereby not allowing the oval fir tree mount to rotate in the oval or slot shaped mounting hole. Further, branches extend from all sides of the oval center trunk segment of the mounting section at staggered elevations. The staggered branch pattern provides alternate and more frequent engagements thereby gripping uniformly onto various thicknesses of selected mounting surfaces. The thin, steeply angled branches easily flex to pass through the oval, rectangular or slot shaped mounting hole in the supporting surface providing low insertion force; then the branches spring back to engage the backside of the supporting surface to retain the oval fir tree fastener in the oval, rectangular or slot shaped mounting hole.
[0007] The invention preferably also include a flexible diaphragm spring which conforms to the supporting surface and provides tension and resistance when the oval fir tree fastener or mount is inserted into the mounting hole in the supporting surface. The invention may also include a connector and latch to attach the oval fir tree fastener to a wire connector or wire terminal. The invention may also include a clip or clamp to connect at least one wire or other elongate object to the oval fir tree fastener. The invention may also include a saddle with an aperture to receive a cable tie, optionally secured around a bundle of objects, to the oval fir tree fastener. The invention may also include a tape clip or a cable tie formed integrally with the oval fir tree fastener. An oval fir tree fastener according to the present invention may include any combination of the above features.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the oval fir tree fastener or mount of the present invention.
[0009] FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the oval fir tree fastener of the present invention.
[0010] FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the oval fir tree fastener of the present invention. FIG. 3A is a cross sectional view of the oval fir tree fastener, taken along the line 3 A- 3 A in FIG. 2 .
[0011] FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the oval fir tree fastener, taken along the line 4 - 4 in FIG. 2 .
[0012] FIG. 4A is a cross sectional view of the oval fir tree fastener, taken along line 4 A- 4 A in FIG. 3 .
[0013] FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of the oval fir tree fastener of the present invention engaged within the channel of a wire connector.
[0014] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the oval fir tree fastener of the present invention aligned for engagement with the wire connector.
[0015] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the oval fir tree fastener of the present invention aligned and partially inserted, engaging with the wire connector.
[0016] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the oval fir tree fastener of the present invention fully inserted and snapped into engagement with the wire connector.
[0017] FIG. 9 is a side elevation view of the oval fir tree fastener of the present invention lined up to be inserted into an aperture in a panel.
[0018] FIG. 10 is a side elevation view of the oval fir tree fastener of the present invention inserted into an aperture in a panel.
[0019] FIGS. 11-20 depict different embodiments of an oval fir tree fastener of the present invention.
[0020] FIGS. 21A and 21B are exemplary prior art fir tree fasteners.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0021] Although the disclosure hereof is detailed and exact to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, the physical embodiments herein disclosed merely exemplify the invention which may be embodied in other specific structures. While the preferred embodiment has been described, the details may be changed without departing from the invention, which is defined by the claims.
[0022] FIGS. 1-4 show an oval fir tree fastener 10 according to the present invention. The oval fir tree fastener 10 of the preferred embodiment comprises a connector 12 , a latch 14 , a diaphragm spring 16 , and an oval fir tree 18 ending in a tapered, conical, oval leading tip 20 . The connector 12 has a generally I-beam shaped cross section. The horizontal I-beam shaped section is comprised of an upper flange which serves as a mounting plate 22 , a lower flange which is the mid base 24 , and a web section 26 .
[0023] A diaphragm spring 16 is comprised of a flexible umbrella 28 which emanates from the mid base 24 by an oval support 30 . The oval support 30 is parallel to the mid base 24 . The flexible umbrella 28 has a generally oval conic shape whereby the spring 28 is angled and extends downward toward the tapered leading tip 20 of the oval fir tree fastener 10 , best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4 . The flexible umbrella 28 is also tapered (thinner cross section) at the free end thereof, to increase the range of flexibility of the spring 28 .
[0024] Extending beneath the oval support 30 is the oval fir tree 18 which is best seen in FIGS. 1 , 2 , 3 , and 4 . The oval fir tree 18 consists of a first conic branch section 32 , a similar second conic branch section 34 , and a central branch section 36 —all forming an oval shaped section or trunk. FIG. 3A is a cross section view taken from line 3 A- 3 A in FIG. 2 . FIG. 3A depicts the oval shaped section of the first and second conic branch sections 32 and 34 , along with the central branch section 36 . The central branch section 36 spans between the first and second conic branch sections 32 and 34 such that the vertical plane of the central branch section 36 is generally perpendicular to the vertical plane of the first and second conic branch sections 32 and 34 .
[0025] The first and second conic branch sections 32 and 34 each have a plurality of conic branches 70 as shown in FIG. 4A . Conic branches 70 are disposed such that their free ends are angled toward the connector 12 . As best shown in FIG. 4A , each branch 70 is further tapered at its free end to form a leading tip 20 . The leading tip 20 is tapered (thinner cross section) to aid in insertion of the fastener 10 in a mounting aperture 44 in a supporting panel. The thinner cross section flexes easier and lowers insertion force.
[0026] The central branch section 36 is defined by a first rib 38 and a second rib 40 with a plurality of curved branches 42 attached to the central spine 37 , and formed between ribs 38 , 40 . As can be seen in FIG. 4 , the free ends of the branches 42 are curved toward the connector 12 , and each branch 42 is also tapered at its free end. Ribs 38 and 40 are substantially parallel to one another.
[0027] Referring again to FIGS. 1-4 , the latch 14 extends from the mounting plate 22 . The latch 14 comprises a snap beam 50 and a snap hook 52 . The snap beam 50 is a flexible generally rectangular arm which extends perpendicularly from the mounting plate 22 at generally the same location as the notches 48 . A snap hook 52 is formed at the free end of the snap beam 50 . The snap hook 52 extends from the top surface of the snap beam 50 . In the preferred embodiment, the top surface 54 is generally parallel to the snap beam 50 . As is best seen in FIG. 2 , the leading surface 58 of the snap hook 52 slopes from the tip of the snap beam 50 back towards the connector 12 . The trailing surface 60 is also sloped to provide increased retention, although the trailing surface 60 is closer to perpendicular to the snap beam 50 than the leading surface 58 .
[0028] The oval fir tree fastener 10 is designed to be easily attached to a wire connector 62 . To achieve this, the wire connector 62 is formed with a plurality of raised segments. As shown in FIG. 5 , the connector 62 has at least two angle segments and a raised segment. The first angle segment 64 and the second angle segment 66 are each formed as a right angle. The first angle segment 64 and the second angle segment 66 each have a portion which extends perpendicularly from the connector 62 and a portion which is horizontal to the connector 62 . The first angle segment 64 and the second angle segment 66 are oriented such that the two segments 64 , 66 form a slot 70 into which the oval fir tree fastener 10 connector 12 can slide.
[0029] The raised segment 68 is best shown in FIGS. 5 , 6 and 7 . The raised segment 68 is generally oval. The raised segment 68 has a leading end 71 and an abutment face 72 . The leading end 71 is formed as a first ramped portion that extends from the surface of the connector 62 to the surface of the raised segment 68 . At the trailing end the raised segment 68 has a second ramped surface 76 . The raised segment 68 ends in an abutment face 72 which is somewhat perpendicular to the connector 62 .
[0030] As is shown in FIGS. 6-8 , the oval fir tree fastener 10 can be attached to the wire connector 62 by aligning the oval fir tree fastener 10 with the slot 70 on the wire connector 62 . The oval fir tree fastener 10 is then slid into the slot 70 . The horizontal portion of the first angle segment 64 and the second angle segment 66 engage the groove formed on the connector 12 of the oval fir tree fastener 10 . The top surface 54 of the snap hook 52 slides along the surface of the raised segment 68 . When the snap hook 52 reaches the trailing end 73 of the raised segment 68 , the leading surface 58 of the snap hook 52 engages the second ramped surface 76 of the raised segment 68 . The second ramped surface 76 acts as a cam surface, so that as the oval fir tree fastener 10 is slid further into the slot 70 the snap hook 52 continues to slide along the second ramped surface 76 and the snap beam 50 is caused to flex as shown in FIG. 7 . As the snap hook 52 passes the end of the second ramped surface 76 , the snap beam 50 springs back to its original unflexed position. The oval fir tree fastener 10 cannot be slid out of the slot 70 in the wire connector 62 because of the engagement of the trailing surface 60 of the snap hook 52 with the abutment end 72 of the raised segment 68 . The wire connector 62 and the oval fir tree fastener 10 are thereby interlocked. However, to disengage the oval fir tree fastener 10 from the wire connector 62 , the snap hook 52 can be manually lifted out of engagement with the abutment end 72 and the oval fir tree fastener 10 can be slid from the slot 70 in the wire connector 62 .
[0031] FIGS. 9 and 10 show how the oval fir tree fastener 10 of the present invention is inserted into a mounting aperture 44 in a supporting panel 46 . The fastener 10 is shown without the wire connector 62 being attached to aid in the clarity of the figures. However, it should be understood that the oval fir tree fastener 10 can be inserted into a mounting aperture 44 with or without the wire connector 62 attached to the oval fir tree fastener 10 . The tapered leading tip 20 of the oval fir tree fastener 10 is lined up with the mounting aperture 44 in the panel 46 as seen in FIG. 9 . The leading tip 20 is inserted into the mounting aperture 44 . When the oval fir tree fastener 10 is pushed further into the aperture 44 , the branches 42 and 70 flex and are wedged into the inner surface of the oval aperture 44 . The branches 42 and 70 then spring back to their original configuration after they exit the mounting aperture 44 . The branches 42 and 70 substantially grip the entire circumference of the opening or aperture 44 .
[0032] When the oval fir tree fastener 10 is securely inserted into a mounting aperture 44 , the free ends of sets of branches 42 and 70 will engage the backside of the panel 46 . The ends of the flexible diaphragm umbrella spring 28 engage the supporting panel 46 when the oval fir tree fastener 10 is completely inserted into a mounting aperture 44 in the panel 46 . The flexible umbrella 28 of diaphragm spring 16 applies a preload pressure to the top of the supporting surface 46 which stabilizes the oval fir tree fastener 10 and the attached wire harness 62 . The oval fir tree fastener 10 is securely retained in the aperture 44 by the ends of the branches 42 and 70 engaging the backside of the panel 46 , and the flexible umbrella 28 of the diaphragm spring 16 engaging the opposite side of the panel 46 .
[0033] The flexibility of the spring 16 allows it to be utilized on a variety of panel 46 thicknesses. The force applied by the spring 16 prevents the oval fir tree fastener 10 and attached wire harness 62 from being unstable on varying panel thicknesses. The plurality of branches 42 and 70 on the oval fir tree fastener 10 also allows for variety of panel thicknesses to be accommodated. Further, the branches 70 of the first conic branch section 32 and the second conic branch section 34 form the composite oval shape and each makes contact with the oval mounting aperture to also provide anti-rotation.
[0034] The use of an oval fir tree fastener 10 has several advantages over other possible means of securing a connector. The oval fir tree fastener engages a large range of panel thicknesses from approximately 0.7 millimeters to 18 millimeters which can be increased or decreased by changing length of the fir tree 18 and changing the number of branches in branch sections 32 and 34 . The oval fir tree fastener 10 has a low insertion force which is below 10 lbs. The oval fir tree fastener 10 has a high retention force which is above 60 lbs. in some configurations and above 100 lbs. in other configurations. Only a single oval mounting hole 44 is required to achieve anti-rotation of the device 10 . Prior art circular fir tree fastener configurations would require at least two holes to achieve anti-rotation. For example, FIG. 21A depicts a prior art fir tree fastener having a traditional round fir tree fastener and a second post to achieve anti-rotation. Similarly, the prior art fir tree fastener shown in FIG. 21B employs two traditional fir tree fasteners to provide for anti-rotation. The single mounting hole 44 utilized by the present invention requires less space than a two hole configuration. The single oval fir tree fastener 10 is easier to align and push in to the oval mounting hole 44 than an alternate configuration which would require at least two mounting holes or mounting retainers or fasteners. It is also important to note that oval mounting holes 44 are a preferred stamping or punch out pattern versus the formation of two round holes or a rectangular hole.
[0035] It is clear that the present invention could be manufactured by various methods, and of various materials. Preferably the fastening device is injection molded from a strong, durable plastic, such as Nylon 6/6.
[0036] Although the preferred application is for use in an automobile or truck, it should be understood that the invention could also be utilized in many different devices including, but not limited to other vehicles such as airplanes and boats, or in computer equipment, consumer electronics devices, communication devices, and medical instruments and devices. The invention can generally be applied to any application where a bundle of elongate articles are desired to be secured without rotation to a rigid supporting structure. Additionally, although the preferred embodiment described a wire connector 62 , the oval fir tree fastener 10 could be attached to any type of device which could be formed on the bottom segment 24 .
[0037] An alternate embodiment of the oval fir tree fastener 110 is shown in FIG. 11 . The embodiment shown in FIG. 11 is similar to the preferred embodiment; however, the connector section 150 has a different configuration. The connector section 150 includes a larger mounting plate 152 which extends generally perpendicularly from the bottom segment 24 at generally the same location as the mounting plate 22 of the embodiment shown in the previous figures. The large mounting plate 152 has multiple latch structures 154 formed on its top surface.
[0038] An alternate embodiment of the oval fir tree fastener 210 is shown in FIG. 12 . The embodiment shown in FIG. 12 is similar to the preferred embodiment; however the connector 212 is a relatively straight beam 214 having openings 216 and a notch 218 . The beam 214 is formed at an angle relative to the mounting plate 22 .
[0039] FIGS. 13-20 are further examples of the features of the present invention used in different embodiments. The embodiments of FIGS. 13-20 employ the diaphragm spring 16 and oval fir tree 18 as described above. The embodiments of FIGS. 13-20 are not adapted to be attached to a wire connector; rather these embodiments are designed to attach to a bundle or at least one elongate item. Therefore, the embodiments of FIGS. 13-20 do not include the connectors and latches described above. Each of the embodiments of FIGS. 13-20 utilizes a different type of device to attach the at least one elongate item to the oval fir tree fastener. The additional embodiments of the oval fir tree fastener are attached to a panel 46 as described above with respect to the preferred embodiment.
[0040] The first conic branch section 332 and second conic branch section 334 of oval fir tree 18 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 13 has a slightly different configuration than that of the preferred embodiment 10 . The embodiment of FIG. 13 does not include the central branch section 36 , but all the branches attach to the central spine 37 . Therefore, the first conic branch section 332 and the second conic branch section 334 extend along the width of the oval fir tree 18 to meet at a single rib 338 . The first conic branch section 332 , second conic branch section 334 and rib 338 form a modified composite oval branch structure of the oval fir tree fastener.
[0041] FIG. 13 further shows an oval fir tree fastener 310 of the present invention employing the diaphragm spring 16 and oval fir tree 18 as described above. The connector and latch have been replaced by a clamp 312 . The clamp 312 extends from the bottom segment 24 . The clamp 312 may retain items of various diameters, including a single item of a larger diameter or a bundle of items with smaller diameters.
[0042] FIG. 14 shows an oval fir tree fastener 410 of the present invention employing the diaphragm spring 16 and oval fir tree 18 as described above. In the present embodiment the connector and latch have been replaced by a hinged clip 412 . The clip 412 extends from the bottom segment 24 , and is adapted to be clipped around multiple elongate items such as a wires, cables, hoses, tubing, harnesses, etc.
[0043] FIG. 15 shows an oval fir tree fastener 510 of the present invention employing the diaphragm spring 16 and oval fir tree 18 as described above. In the present embodiment the connector and latch have been replaced by a double clamp 512 .
[0044] FIG. 16 shows an oval fir tree fastener 610 of the present invention employing the diaphragm spring 16 and oval fir tree 18 as described above. In the present embodiment the connector and latch have been replaced by a clamp 612 . The clamp 612 extends from the bottom segment 24 . The clamp 612 may be tightened around items of various diameters, including a single item of a large diameter or a bundle of items with smaller diameters.
[0045] The first conic branch section 732 and second conic branch section 734 of oval fir tree 18 in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 17A-17D has a slightly different configuration than that of the preferred embodiment. The embodiment of FIGS. 17A-17D is similar to the fastener shown in FIG. 13 . However, first and second ribs 738 , 740 are generally orthogonal to each other and divide the first conic branch section 332 and the second conic branch section 334 as shown. Ribs 738 and 740 intersect one another at a generally right angle at the leading tip 720 .
[0046] FIGS. 17A-17D further show an alternate embodiment of the oval fir tree fastener 710 of the present invention employing the diaphragm spring 16 as described above. In the present embodiment the connector and latch have been replaced by a straight tape clip 712
[0047] FIG. 18 shows an oval fir tree fastener 810 of the present invention employing the diaphragm spring 16 and oval fir tree 18 as described above. In the present embodiment the connector and latch have been replaced by an offset tape clip 812
[0048] FIG. 19 shows an oval fir tree fastener 910 of the present invention employing the diaphragm spring 16 and oval fir tree 18 as described above. In the present embodiment the connector and latch have been replaced by a saddle mount 912 for a cable tie.
[0049] FIG. 20 shows an oval fir tree fastener 1010 of the present invention employing the diaphragm spring 16 and oval fir tree 18 as described above. In the present embodiment the connector and latch have been replaced by a cable tie 1012 having its neck portion bent at approximately ninety degrees. A straight cable tie could be integrally formed with the oval fir tree fastener as well.
[0050] The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Furthermore, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described. While the preferred embodiment has been described, the details may be changed without departing from the invention, which is defined by the claims. | Disclosed is an improved mounting and securing device. The device provides for attachment at least one elongate object to a surface and includes a diaphragm spring and an oval fir tree mount. The device is secured to and prevents rotation in an oval or slot shaped hole in a mounting surface. The oval fir tree mount has a tapered tip and a substantially oval shape. Fir tree branches are attached to an oval shaped trunk at various elevations or staggered heights. The diaphragm spring includes a flexible umbrella extending toward the fir tree branches. The diaphragm spring provides tension and resistance when the fir tree mount is inserted into a mount hole formed in a supporting surface such as a panel. The flexible spring combined with the staggered height branches allow the device to be securely retained in different mounting hole thicknesses. The substantially oval configuration prevents rotation. | 5 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates to methods for establishing animal model of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) bone metastasis. This invention further relates to HCC liver metastasis and new drug chemical-treatment for HCC bone metastasis which are useful in the treatment and/or prevention of bone metastatic HCC.
[0003] Description of the Related Art
[0004] Liver cancer is the third most common malignant tumor in the digestive system as well as the third leading cause of cancer mortality in developing countries.
[0005] Surgical resection has been widely accepted as the only potentially curative therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most predominant type of primary liver cancer worldwide. Despite this, the prognosis and 5-year disease-free survival rate remain poor.
[0006] The presence of metastases either prevents surgery or contributes to the high rate of recurrence in those patients who have been treated surgically. Due to the improvement of overall survival of HCC patients and the development of various imaging technologies in recent decades, the incidence of bone metastasis in HCC patients significantly increased to reach as high as 28%. Bone metastasis causes severe pain, fractures, and motor dysfunction, and it is largely responsible for much of the morbidity associated with this disease.
[0007] Clinical follow-up studies of metastatic patients revealed an extremely poor survival rate (with a median survival time of only 3-7 months) because most patients did not have opportunities to undergo surgical treatment when diagnosed and received only palliative therapy.
[0008] Most studies in this area that had been described in the literature are based on retrospective analysis of clinical cases. The lack of a suitable model system had severely impeded research on the biological process and molecular basis of HCC bone metastasis. Bone metastasis frequently occurs in breast cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer, melanoma, and HCC; corresponding animal models of the former four have been successfully established to promote fundamental research on bone metastasis. The increasingly high incidence and our poor understanding of HCC bone metastasis make the establishment of a suitable model system a priority.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] In view of the above-described problems, it is one objective of the invention to provide a method for establishing a mouse model for HCC bone metastasis. Any improvement in our understanding may offer hope and possible therapeutic agents for the prevention and treatment of this disease.
[0010] Intracardiac injection of luciferase-labelled tumor cells has been widely used to establish metastatic models of various types of malignant tumors, including breast cancer, prostate cancer, and renal cell carcinoma.
[0011] In our study, metastasis in maxillo-facial region was always detected early in LM3 and 97H inoculated mice. This may be due to the enriched blood supply of this area and its proximity to body surface. Tumor formation and progression in other bones, such as the spine and the hind limbs, could also be detected in the following week, which was further verified via ex vivo BLI and histological analyses. The expression of AFP and cytokeratin 8 indicated that bone metastatic tumor cells were functional and retained their epithelial traits. These results are consistent with the previous in situ tumourigenesis assay. We conclude that LM3 and 97H cells have definite but limited potential to form bone metastasis, whilst 7721 cells are incapable of bone metastasis. Other sites of metastatic lesion formed include the lung, the subcutis, the liver, and the abdomen. As we mentioned before, tumor cell line is a heterogeneous mixture consisting of cell subpopulations with varying metastatic potential and different organ specificity. So, after the introduction of tumor cells into systematic circulation, it is conceivable that metastases may happen anywhere as long as there is arterial blood supply.
[0012] To acquire cells with a unique propensity for bone metastasis, we isolated four BM1 cell populations from metastases in hind limbs and mandible of LM3-inoculated mice. A series of in vitro assays were then performed to determine either any changes in phenotype had occurred to these BM1 cells after one cycle of in vivo selection, or did they remain a common progeny and share the same characteristics as their parental LM3 cells. Although all cell lines exhibited the same rate of proliferation, BM1 cells significantly outperformed LM3 cells in the soft agarose assay, the cell migration assay, and the collagen/Matrigel invasion assay. These results suggest that BM1 cells appeared to be more aggressive than their parental cells after one cycle of in vivo selection. More importantly, BM1 cells manifested an enhanced ability to form bone metastases as we expected, as well as a lower rate of non-bone metastasis when compared to LM3 cells. Combining these findings, we speculate that this specifically enhanced bone meta-static potential of BM1 cells is unrelated to their proliferation ability, but rather caused by acquisition of specific metastasis-promoting functions, including those aggressive behaviour and the ability to recruit osteoclasts, which will be discussed later. These specific metastasis-promoting functions may remould bone tissue, transforming it into an ideal environment that favours HCC metastasis. We are convinced that this specific bone metastatic ability, as well as other aggressive phenotypes, would be further magnified after another one or two additional cycles of in vivo selection.
How To Make The Goal Come True
[0013] In this study, we produced HCC bone metastasis in nude mice via intracardiac injection of HCC cell lines and demonstrated its satisfactory modelling of HCC bone metastasis in patients. From metastatic tumors in mouse bones, we isolated several cell populations with altered phenotype and enhanced ability to form bone metastases. We also examined the expression pattern of several metastasis-related genes in this model system, including those previously identified as breast cancer bone metastasis genes.
[0014] 1. We established 97H and LM3 cell clones with stable expression of firefly luciferase (LUC).
[0015] 2. We proved that HCC cells could form bone metastasis in nude mice via intratibial injection.
[0016] 3. We reproduce HCC bone metastasis in nude mice via intracardiac injection of tumor cells.
[0017] 4. We isolated the sub-population of tumor cells that targets metastasis to bone.
[0018] In procedure above, 97H and LM3 were highly metastatic HCC cell lines, which were stably transfected with luciferase gene.
[0019] In procedure above, BALB/cA-nu mice, 4-5 weeks old, were purchased from Beijing HFK Bioscience Co. Ltd. All the mice were maintained in laminar flow cabinets under SPF conditions and received human care throughout the entire study.
[0020] In procedure above, the whole procedure of animal experiments was in accordance with ARRIVE guidelines for animal experiments and was approbated by Hubei Provincial Laboratory Animal Association.
[0021] In procedure above, cell number for intratibial injection is 0.5×10 6 . cell number for intracardiac injection is 1×10 6 .
[0022] In procedure above, 27G syringes were used for intratibial injection. 29G syringes were used for intra-cardiac injection.
[0023] The models established in this manner bypass several early stages of metastasis, including cell detachment, EMT, and intravasation, but still provide a useful approximation to investigate the natural process of cancer metastasis in patients, especially in circulatory tumor cell homing and tumor—host/tumor—stroma interaction.
[0024] It is also recognized that the average tumor cell line is a heterogeneous mixture consisting of cell sub-populations with varying metastatic potential and different organ specificity during metastasis. By means of repetitive “heart to target site” in vivo selection, several cell sub-lines with organ-specific metastatic potential have been isolated from the above metastatic animal models and were found to harbor a distinct set of genes whose expression pattern favors such organ-specific metastasis.
[0025] To the best of our knowledge, the presented animal model of HCC bone metastasis is the first to be described, and it shares many similarities with HCC bone metastasis patients.
[0026] Based on SPECT scanning, HCC patients with bone metastases manifest increased radiotracer uptake in bones, typically characterising tumour-induced osteolysis accompanied by osteoblasis as compensation for bone loss. The clinical spectrum of HCC bone metastasis involves the vertebrae, the pelvis, the ribs/sternum, the skull, and the lower limbs, in a descending order. Our animal model has osteolytic lesions and similar SPECT features as well, and covers the full clinical spectrum, in spite of different incidence for individual bones.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0027] FIG. 1A illustrates luminescence signals of tumor cells detectable 14 days after intratibial injection and increased conspicuously on day 28 and day 42; the tumor-involved region roughly coincided with the contour of the knee and the tibia according to the merged image of X-ray and BLI; and a combined lesion of both osteolysis and osteoblasis along the tibia shaft was evident in the X-ray image;
[0028] FIG. 1B illustrates histological sections revealed that tumor cells grew not only within the marrow cavity but also penetrated the bone cortex and invaded into the epiphysis and surrounding tissues;
[0029] FIG. 1C illustrates that in situ-formed tumor cells were immunopositive for anti-AFP and anti-cytokeratin 8, but immunonegative for anti-PTHrP. The lytic tumor deposits did not contain osteoclasts, which appeared dark red in TRAP staining;
[0030] FIG. 2A are luminescence images showing that the formation of metastatic tumors was first detected on day 21 post-inoculation in most LM3- and 97H-injected mice, and tumors grow exponentially;
[0031] FIG. 2B illustrates bone lesions characterized by aggregated radiotracer when scanned via SPECT;
[0032] FIG. 2C illustrates post-mortem ex vivo BLI of suspected bone substantiated the uptake of disseminated tumor cells in bone but not in other surrounding tissues;
[0033] FIG. 2D illustrates histological sections clearly showed metastatic tumor cells in the tibia and the mandible, with destruction of normal bone tissue; and
[0034] FIG. 2E illustrates immunostaining demonstrated that metastatic tumor cells expressed not only AFP and cytokeratin 8, but also PTHrP. TRAP staining revealed the presence of dark red-stained osteoclasts distributed within or around the tumor mass.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0035] To further illustrate the invention, experiments detailing a method for establishing an animal model of HCC bone metastasis are described below. It should be noted that the following examples are intended to describe and not to limit the invention.
[0036] Materials
[0037] Balb/c Nu/Nu athymic mice.
[0038] 4-5 weeks old, All the mice were maintained in laminar flow cabinets under SPF conditions and received human care throughout the entire study. The whole procedure of animal experiments was in accordance with ARRIVE guidelines for animal experiments and was approbated by Hubei Provincial Laboratory Animal Association.
[0039] MHCC97H (97H) and HCCLM3 (LM3) cells engineered to express luciferase (97H/Luc+, LM3/ Luc+).
[0040] 97H and LM3 were purchased from Liver Cancer Institute of Zhongshan Hospital (Shanghai, China). All the cell lines had passed DNA fingerprinting, mycoplasma detection, isozyme detection, and cell vitality detection. These cell lines were expanded and cryopreserved immediately after receipt. Cross-contamination between different cell lines would not happen because all the cells we used in the experiments were resuscitated from that initial batch, and no more than six passages expanded in vitro. Both cell lines were transfected with PGL4.51 plasmid (Promega, Wis., USA) using Lipofectamine LTX reagent (Invitrogen, Calif., USA). Cell clones with stable expression of firefly luciferase (LUC) were selected using 500 μg/ml G418 and subcultured in 10% FBS DMEM (Hyclone, Utah, USA) containing 200 μg/m1 G418 for in vitro analysis and animal experiments.
[0041] Tissue culture facilities.
[0042] Sterile phosphate-buffered saline (PBS).
[0043] Selection of syringes and needles (29G).
[0044] Sterile surgical instruments.
[0045] Sutures.
[0046] Isoflurane gas anaesthesia system.
[0047] Caliper Lumina XR (Xenogen, Mass., USA)
[0048] D-Luciferin, sodium salt (Gold-bio, USA).
[0049] Induction of Bone Metastases by Direct Intratibial Inocculation of Cancer Cells
[0050] Prepare a single cell suspension of 97H/Luc+ and LM3/Luc+ cells at a concentration of 0.5×10 7 cells/ml in ice-cold FBS-free DMEM medium.
[0051] Anaesthetize the mouse using isoflurane.
[0052] Fix the anaesthetized mouse in a supine position on a sterile surface.
[0053] Both hind limbs were prepared after sterilisation with 70% ethanol. The knee was held in a flexed position.
[0054] Aspirate the cell suspension into a 27G needle syringe, through a 100 μL pipette, avoiding air bubbles.
[0055] A 27G needle was used to penetrate the tibial plateau to reach the marrow cavity, where it was possible to inject fluid with little resistance.
[0056] Fifty microlitres of 1:1 tumour cell/Matrigel (BD, N.J., USA) mixture was injected slowly.
[0057] Sterilize the limbs with 70% ethanol again, then put the mice back to the cages.
[0058] Monitor the development and progression of metastases twice a week by BLI.
[0059] Induction of Bone Metastases by Intra-cardiac Injection of Cancer Cells
[0060] Harvest the 97H/Luc + and LM3/Luc + cells, pellet and wash several times in sterile PBS and suspended in ice-cold FBS-free DMEM medium at a density of 0.5×10 7 /ml.
[0061] Prepare a suspension of 97H/Luc + and LM3/Luc + cells, by aspirating the cells up and down through a pipette. Equal volume of suspension was added in 29G syringes by pipette. Use a microscope to make sure that there are no clumps in the single cell suspension after 200 mesh cell screen (Solarbio., USA).
[0062] Anaesthetize the mice using isoflurane gas anaesthesia.
[0063] Fix the anaesthetized mouse in a supine position on a sterile surface with the head of the animal in a nozzle which supplies isoflurane at a maintenance dose of 2%.
[0064] Aspirate the cell suspension into a 29-G needle syringe, making sure that no air bubbles are present.
[0065] Carefully insert the needle through the diaphragm approximately 3 mm to the left of the sternum and aim centrally towards the heart.
[0066] Advance the needle into the left ventricle making sure that it is correctly positioned.
[0067] Slowly inject 100 μL of the cell suspension into the left ventricle over a period of 30s.
[0068] Monitor the development and progression of metastases weekly by BLI.
[0069] Bioluminescence Imaging Using the IVIS Spectrum System
[0070] Throughout the entire procedure, mice should be observed for any signs of distress or changes in vitality.
[0071] 1. Initialize the IVIS Spectrum imaging system.
[0072] 2. Prepare a solution of sodium salt, D-luciferin at a concentration of 10 mg/ml in sterile PBS, and stock in −20° C.
[0073] 3. Inject the animal intraperitoneally with 150 ml of the luciferin solution.
[0074] 4. Allow the luciferin to distribute through the tissues in for over 5 mins
[0075] 5. Anaesthetize the mouse using isoflurane gas anaesthesia.
[0076] 6. Select the field of view depending in the number of animals that will be imaged.
[0077] 7. When fully anaesthetized, place the animal or animals in a supine position in the imaging chamber on the 37° C. movable imaging stage with constantly supplying isoflurane.
[0078] 8. Start the image recording sequence.
[0079] 9. Turn the mice from a ventral to a dorsal position and repeat the image recording.
[0080] 10. Return the mice to their cages where they should recover consciousness quickly.
[0081] SPECT Bone Imaging
[0082] The existence of bone metastasis was also examined via SPECT scanning 4 weeks after intracardiac injection. For each mouse, approximately 0.2 μCi of Tc-99 m-MDP was injected through the tail vein. Bone scanning images were acquired 5 h after radiotracer injection using a SPECT/CT dual-modality imaging instrument with a total collected radiation of 100kct.
[0083] Plane X-Ray Imaging
[0084] X-ray images were acquired concomitantly at final BLI scanning using the Caliper Lumina XR to detect the presence of visible osteolytic or osteoblastic lesions. Mice were anaesthetised, positioned supine, and exposed to 35 kV X-ray for 1.5 s.
[0085] Isolation and Subculturing of Bone Metastatic Cells
[0086] To isolate cells from bone metastatic tumours, mice were euthanised, and bones from BLI-suspected sites were resected from the body at the joints with the surrounding soft tissue removed. Excised bone was minced into tissue volumes of 1 mm 3 and incubated in RBC lysis buffer followed by collagenase/hyaluronidase (Sigma-Aldrich, Mo., USA) digesting solution on a rocking plate. Cells were collected via centrifugation and seeded onto a 12-well plate. Culturing medium was replaced after 24 h to eliminate non-adherent cells. Cells were maintained in 10% FBS DMEM with 200 μg/m1 G418.
EXAMPLE 1
LM3 Cells Form Tumors in situ After Intratibial Injection
[0087] The luminescence signal of tumor cells was detectable 14 days after intratibial injection and increased conspicuously on day 28 and day 42 ( FIG. 1A ). The tumor-involved region roughly coincided with the contour of the knee and the tibia according to the merged image of X-ray and BLI. A combined lesion of both osteolysis and osteoblasis along the tibia shaft was evident in the X-ray image ( FIG. 1A ). Histological sections revealed that tumor cells grew not only within the marrow cavity but also penetrated the bone cortex and invaded into the epiphysis and surrounding tissues ( FIG. 1B ). In situ-formed tumor cells were immunopositive for anti-AFP and anti-cytokeratin 8, but immunonegative for anti-PTHrP. Notably, the lytic tumor deposits did not contain osteoclasts, which appeared dark red in TRAP staining ( FIG. 1C ). Both LM3 and 97H cells formed tumors in situ after intratibial injection.
[0088] A Post intratibial injection,mice were monitored by BLI and X-ray imagine every week. Combined lesion of osteolysis and osteoblasis was indicated by black arrow in the X-ray image.
[0089] B Histological sections of in situ tumours. T, C, and M denote tumor cells, cortical bone and normal bone marrow, respectively.
[0090] C Immunohistological sections of in situ tumors stained by indicated three antibodies and TRAP staining kit, respectively
EXAMPLE 2
LM3 and BM1 Cells Metastasis to Bone After Iintracardiac Injection
[0091] BLI was first performed immediately after cell inoculation. A successful intracardiac injection was identified by the distribution of luminescence signal throughout the whole body of the animal. The presence of signal confined within lungs or chest cavity indicated an unsuccessful injection, and these mice were excluded from further steps of this study. In most LM3- and 97H-injected mice, the formation of metastatic tumors was first detected on day 21 post-inoculation. The tumors grew exponentially as showed in serial images ( FIG. 2A ), causing bone lesions characterized by aggregated radiotracer when scanned via SPECT ( FIG. 2B ). The post-mortem ex vivo BLI of suspected bone substantiated the uptake of disseminated tumor cells in bone but not in other surrounding tissues ( FIG. 2C ). Histological sections clearly showed metastatic tumor cells in the tibia and the mandible, with destruction of normal bone tissue ( FIG. 2D ). Immunostaining demonstrated that metastatic tumor cells expressed not only AFP and cytokeratin 8, but also PTHrP. TRAP staining revealed the presence of dark red-stained osteoclasts distributed within or around the tumor mass ( FIG. 2E ).
[0092] A Serial BLI images and merged BLI/X-ray images of LM3 and BM1 injected mice in a unified color scale.
[0093] B SPECT bone scanning on day 30 of two representative mice with metastases in femur and spine, respectively. The site of bone metastasis was indicated by increased uptake of radiotracer.
[0094] C Ex vivo tissue BLI images of mice with bone metastasis. For the mouse shown on the left, the sternum, the spine, the heart, and the lung were excised and imaged. For the mouse shown on the right, the mandible, the pelvis, and the right hind limb were excised and imaged. The corresponding in vivo BLI images are also shown in the upper left.
[0095] D Histological sections of bone metastases in mandible and tibia. T, M, and C denote tumor cells, normal bone marrow, and cortical bone, respectively.
[0096] E Immunohistological sections of bone metastases stained by indicated three antibodies and TRAP staining kit, respectively. Dark red-stained osteoclasts were indicated by black arrow in TRAP staining section.
[0000]
TABLE 1
Distribution of metastatic tumors in mice inoculated with different HCC cell lines
Fore
Knee/
Ribs/
Cell line
Mouse
Skull
Spine
limb
Femur
tibia
Pelvis
sternum
Other
LM3
1
Lung
2
+
+
+
Subcutis
3
4
+
+
+
5
6
+
Abdomen
7
8
+
+
10
Lung
97H
11
Abdomen
12
13
+
14
Lung
7721
16
17
18
19
BM1-L1
31
+
+
32
+
+
+
Lung
33
34
+
+
35
BM1-L2
21
+
+
22
+
+
23
+
+
24
Abdomen
25
+
[0097] While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects, and therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. | A method for establishing an animal model of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) bone metastasis, the method including: 1) establishing 97H and LM3 cell clones with stable expression of firefly luciferase (LUC); 2) allowing HCC cells to form bone metastasis in nude mice via intratibial injection; 3) reproducing HCC bone metastasis in nude mice via intracardiac injection of tumor cells; and 4) isolating a sub-population of tumor cells that targets metastasis to bone. The 97H and the LM3 are highly metastatic HCC cell lines transfected with luciferase gene. BALB/cA-nu mice are 4-5 weeks old and maintained in laminar flow cabinets under SPF conditions and received human care throughout an entire study. A cell number for intratibial injection is 0.5×10 6 , and a cell number for intracardiac injection is 1×10 6 . | 0 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention is directed to method and apparatus for moving molten metal ladles between a cover position, a ladle-load position and a pouring position at a casting station. More particularly, a method and an apparatus are taught which enhance a pressure casting process to expedite the movement from the pouring station of a molten-metal evacuated ladle and the positioning of a molten-metal filled ladle at the pouring station without the intermediate delays associated with ladle covering and uncovering.
[0002] Casting and casting practices generally involve the use of molten metals at elevated temperatures. This molten metal practice requires the use of heavy apparatus for the holding and transport of the metal. Specifically, molten metal for casting is frequently held in large steel or cast-iron ladles lined with refractory brick. In a pressure-casting or pouring operation, the ladle is placed in a pouring tank and a tank cover is placed atop the pouring tank. This tank cover is equipped with a pouring tube as well as ports to elevate the gas pressure above the molten metal. Avoidance of fracture of the pouring tube and refractory linings generally involves maintaining or preheating the pouring tank cover and pouring tube. A holding or heating furnace is frequently utilized for this purpose. However, the physical act of positioning the pouring tank cover atop the pouring tank and thereafter securing the pouring tank cover are time-consuming operations and an inhibition to a rapid production operation.
[0003] A presently known operation utilizes a single pouring or casting station in cooperation with twin ladle-loading stations. These ladle-loading stations use pressure-pouring tanks on transfer cars for holding the hot-metal ladles, and for transporting the ladles between the ladle-loading stations and the pouring station. In this operation, a ladle of molten metal is transported to a pressure-pouring tank at a ladle-loading station for subsequent transfer of the ladle containing pouring tank to the pouring station. At the pouring station, a pressure-pouring tank cover is positioned on and secured to the pressure pouring tank by the pouring crane. After pouring of the molten metal from the ladle, the pressure pouring tank cover is removed using the pouring crane. The pressure pouring tank is then transported to the first ladle-loading station for eventual filling with another ladle of molten metal. A second molten-metal-filled ladle in a pressure pouring tank is then transported to the pouring station from the second ladle-loading station and a pressure pouring tank cover is positioned and secured to the second pressure pouring tank at the pouring station, as described above.
[0004] The time delays in pressure pouring tank covering and the use of the pouring crane at the pouring station are significant when measured in terms of daily lost production of large castings. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a more efficient pressure pouring arrangement.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The present invention provides a method and apparatus to provide a more efficient arrangement for bottom-pressure casting. In this method, the pressure pouring tank cover is secured on a first pressure pouring tank at a ladle-load station prior to moving the covered pressure pouring tank with a full ladle into the pouring-station position. Further, subsequently but prior to the emptying of the first ladle, a second metal-filled ladle in a second pressure pouring tank is positioned in a second ladle-load station with its pressure pouring tank cover secured. The second covered pressure pouring tank is ready for immediate movement into the pouring station after emptying of the first ladle and the removal of the first pouring tank from the pouring station without removal of the first pressure pouring tank cover. The pressure pouring tank covers are moved onto the pouring tanks at the ladle-load stations by a jib crane or overhead crane. The pressure pouring tank covers with their pouring tubes are maintained at an elevated temperature at cover station ovens within the range of motion of the jib crane or overhead crane. The second pressure pouring tank is available for immediate placement into the pouring station to continue production as soon as the first pressure pouring tank with its empty ladle has been moved a distance adequate to provide the necessary clearance for the second pressure pouring tank transfer-car bearing a second metal-filled ladle.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0006] In the drawings,
[0007] [0007]FIG. 1 is a schematic outline of the locations of the pressure pouring tank positions of the prior art practice, and
[0008] [0008]FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the locations of the several positions for the pressure pouring tanks of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0009] Known bottom-pressure casting practice in the industry utilizes a two-ladle-load-station practice to transfer molten-metal filled ladles to a single pouring station, which practice was considered an improvement over the older practice of a single pouring station and a single ladle-load station. It is recognized that molten metal is provided from steel manufacturing furnaces, such as basic oxygen furnaces or electric arc furnaces, which furnaces and furnace practice are known but not shown.
[0010] This casting process is directed to the bottom-pressure pouring and casting of railroad wheels. The railroad wheels are steel castings weighing upwards of six hundred pounds and produced from molten steel poured at about 2900° F.
[0011] Referring now to FIG. 1, a prior art bottom pressure casting pouring station with two ladle-loading stations is shown.
[0012] The single pouring station is shown at 112 , with track 122 leading to ladle-loading station 114 and track 124 leading to ladle-loading station 116 . Pouring crane 127 is seen to move laterally along bridge 118 which itself moves transversely along support rails 126 , 128 .
[0013] In a known pouring operation utilizing the prior art arrangement of FIG. 1, ladle 134 of molten metal is placed in pouring tank 135 in tank transfer car 136 at ladle-loading station 114 . Tank transfer car 136 is rolled across track 122 into pouring station 112 .
[0014] Pouring tank cover 129 is then placed on pouring tank 135 utilizing pouring crane 127 . Pouring tank cover 129 is kept in a holding oven located transversely from pouring station 112 within support rails 126 , 128 .
[0015] When ladle 134 is empty, pouring crane 127 is utilized to remove pouring tank cover 129 . Pouring tank transfer car 136 is then rolled out of pouring station 112 back to ladle-loading station 114 .
[0016] Another pouring tank transfer car 146 with pouring tank 145 on it and with fill ladle 144 within pouring tank 145 has been prepared at ladle-loading station 116 . Tank transfer car 146 is rolled across track 124 into pouring station 112 . Another pouring tank cover identical to cover 129 is then placed on pouring tank 145 utilizing pouring crane 127 . Pouring tank cover 129 is left in a holding oven located transversely from pouring station 112 within support rails 126 , 128 .
[0017] Positioning pouring tank cover 129 over pouring tank 135 at pouring station 112 generates a delay in initiating actual casting of railroad wheels. It is estimated that this delay can be between eight and 10 minutes. In a casting practice manufacturing one casting per minute, this is considered a significant time loss when placed in the context of approximately forty-five ladles of molten steel being poured per day.
[0018] In FIG. 2, an arrangement in accordance with the present invention is shown. Pouring station 12 is operatively connected to ladle-load-stations 14 and 16 by tracks 60 and 62 . Jib crane 28 with center pivot 30 is located between, and offset from, ladle-loading stations 14 and 16 . In this configuration, jib crane 28 may be rotated about center 30 and extends over ladle-loading stations 14 and 16 . Alternatively, overhead crane 70 along tracks 72 , 74 can be utilized to transfer ladles from ladle-loading stations 14 , 16 to pouring station 12 and pouring tank covers to and from cover holding ovens 50 , 52 to ladle-loading stations 14 , 16 .
[0019] First pouring tank cover holding oven 50 and second pouring tank cover holding oven 52 are displaced from pouring station 12 , as well as ladle-load stations 14 and 16 . Pouring tank cover holding ovens 50 and 52 , and ladle-load stations 14 and 16 are symmetrically arranged, but this is merely illustrative and not a limitation. Pouring tank cover 20 and its pouring tube are preheated to avoid thermal shock at introduction of the pouring tube into a molten metal in ladle 21 . Jib crane 28 or overhead crane 70 is operable to grasp pouring tank cover 20 from either of pouring tank cover ovens 50 and 52 , and to move pouring tank cover 20 over either pouring tank 23 or 29 at ladle-load station 14 or 16 .
[0020] In an illustrative operation, a pressure-pouring tank transfer car 33 with a molten-metal filled ladle 21 in pouring tank 23 is positioned at ladle-load station 14 in preparation for transfer to pouring station 12 . Pouring tank 23 with ladle 21 therein will have pouring tank cover 20 positioned and secured thereon with a pouring tube extending into molten metal bath in ladle 21 by the use of jib crane 28 or overhead crane 70 . Thereafter, pouring tank 23 is transferred to pouring station 12 on transfer car 33 over rails 60 for continuation of the casting operation.
[0021] After casting the metal in ladle 21 at pouring station 12 , evacuated ladle 21 and transfer tank car 33 are returned to ladle-load station 14 for removal of pouring tank cover 20 . Simultaneously, a full ladle 27 in pouring tank 29 covered with pouring tank cover 39 , having been installed by jib crane 30 or overhead crane 70 , has been readied at second ladle-load station 16 . Covered pouring tank 29 at second ladle-load station 16 is then moved into position at pouring station 12 along tracks 62 on second transfer car 31 as soon as first transfer car 33 has moved a distance from station 12 adequate to provide clearance to pouring station 12 for second tank transfer car 31 .
[0022] It can be appreciated that the covering and uncovering of pouring tank 22 is now conducted at ladle-load stations 14 and 16 instead of pouring station 12 , which greatly lessens the interruption of pouring operations at pouring station 12 . For example, the total turnaround time for transfer of a ladle 134 with the transfer system of the prior art required eight to ten minutes with the above-described ladle handling procedure at pouring station 112 . With the present invention and use of ladle-load stations 14 and 16 and holding ovens 50 , 52 , the calculated time for removal of pouring tank 23 with ladle 21 from pouring station 12 and the placement of covered pouring tank 29 from ladle-load station 16 to pouring station 12 is three minutes, a saving of at least five minutes. | An arrangement of operating stations and equipment for the rapid preparation and transport of molten metal ladles and pouring tanks with covers to a pouring station of a pressure-pouring operation, and a method of providing the moving, placement and transport of the ladles and pouring tanks for the minimization of the loss of time between end of the first stage of pouring and initiation of the second stage of pouring. | 1 |
PRIORITY CLAIM
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/934,938 filed Feb. 3, 2014; the contents of which are incorporated by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates to scissors and shears, particularly for use in food preparation.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] When cooking with leafy herbs and similar plant matter, it is often desirable to separate the leaves from the stems, and likewise to trim thicker woody stalks away from thinner, more tender portions of the stalks. Standard kitchen shears work well for trimming, but there is no available tool to aid in removing leaves from the stems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The present invention comprises shears having blades that are sufficiently sturdy to trim herb stems, particularly including woody stems. The shears include a pair of opposing posts formed on the handles in which the posts join to form a channel as the handles are pivoted toward one another. The stem of an herb can be passed through the channel while applying a desired force against the stem, thereby stripping leaves away from the stem.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] Preferred and alternative examples of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings:
[0006] FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a preferred pair of herb shears.
[0007] FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of a preferred pair of herb shears, shown with the blades pivoted apart.
[0008] FIG. 3 is an end view of a preferred pair of herb shears, shown looking toward the handles and with a leaf stripper positioned to form a large enclosed channel.
[0009] FIG. 4 is an end view of the herb shears of FIG. 3 , shown with the leaf stripper forming a large intermediate channel.
[0010] FIG. 5 is an end view of the herb shears of FIG. 3 , shown with the leaf stripper forming a small intermediate channel.
[0011] FIG. 6 is an end view of the herb shears of FIG. 3 , shown with the leaf stripper forming a smallest sized channel.
[0012] FIG. 7 is an exploded view of a preferred pair of herb shears.
[0013] FIG. 8 is a top plan view of a preferred pair of herb shears, shown in the process of stripping a representative herb.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0014] A preferred pair of herb shears is illustrated in top plan view in FIG. 1 and in perspective view in FIG. 2 . In accordance with a preferred version of the invention, the shears 10 are formed by a pair of opposing blades 22 , 32 , each of which is integrally formed with a corresponding handle configured as a finger ring 20 , 30 . In the illustrated version the finger rings are elongated to accommodate more than one finger in each ring, though in alternate versions the finger rings may be smaller, and designed for a single finger. Likewise, in yet other versions the scissors blades may each terminate in a handle that is configured for grasping but which does not include a finger ring. The blades are attached to one another at a pivot point 60 to enable scissors cutting action by moving the blades apart and toward one another about the pivot point.
[0015] The handles 20 , 30 include a leaf-stripping feature, preferably formed at a proximal end of the handle, with the proximal end being defined as the end of the handles farthest away from the pivot point 60 (and thus the distal end of the handles will be relatively closer to the pivot point). The preferred leaf stripper is configured as a closed channel 45 (as best seen in FIGS. 3-6 ) that is formed by complementary shapes positioned on each of the two handles 20 , 30 . In the preferred version, the closed channel 45 is formed by a pair of opposing prongs forming open channels 43 , 44 which, when joined together, form a closed channel 45 .
[0016] As illustrated, the closed channel is formed by a pair of prongs, each of which is formed on a post 41 , 42 mounted to the handles 20 , 30 . Most preferably, each post is inwardly-directed such that the post 42 on the first handle 20 extends toward the second handle 30 , and the post 41 on the second handle 30 extends toward the first handle 20 when the two handles are positioned adjacent one another in the closed position such as illustrated in FIG. 1 (with the blades thereby also being pivoted to a closed position fully adjacent one another). In alternate versions the leaf-stripping channel may be formed with different mating shapes, such as an open channel formed on one handle that mates with a flat or slightly rounded surface carried on the other channel.
[0017] Preferably, the posts 41 , 42 carrying the open channels 43 , 44 are axially offset from one another such that one of the posts 41 is slightly closer to the proximal end of the scissors (and likewise closer to the pivot point 60 ) than is the other post 42 . The resulting overlying arrangement allows the posts to slide along one another, thereby allowing for controlled variability in the size of the closed channel 45 formed by the combination of the two closed channels 43 , 44 . As shown in the illustrations, the prongs on the posts are preferably long enough to form a large oval or oblong shaped channel 45 a (see FIG. 3 ), one or more intermediate sized channels 45 b , 45 c , (see FIGS. 4 and 5 ) and a very small channel 45 d (see FIG. 6 ). The variation in the channel size allows for the accommodation of stems of different sizes, and likewise allows the user to increase or decrease the pressure asserted against a single stem that varies in diameter along its length.
[0018] The preferred version of the scissors is formed with a spring positioned to assert a force urging the handles (and therefore the blades) apart from one another, as best seen in FIG. 7 . Preferably a coil spring 63 is formed with a pair of terminal ends 63 a , 63 b that are angled radially outward from the short cylinder formed by the coil. The spring is positioned within a recess 62 formed within the scissor halves, with the terminal ends 63 a , 63 b of the spring being positioned within grooves 62 a formed within the outer sidewalls of the recesses 62 . In the exploded view of FIG. 7 , one such recess 62 and groove 62 a is shown; the opposing scissor handle 30 preferably is formed with a similar shape (that is, a recess having a groove) to receive and retain the coil spring 63 and the second terminal end 63 b of the spring within the corresponding groove.
[0019] The scissor halves are joined together about the coil spring by an axle 67 having an integrated cap 61 , which may be in the form of a screw, bolt or rivet in various versions of the invention. A mating nut 65 or other retaining cap 65 is provided on the opposite side of the scissors to secure the axle in place.
[0020] The spring and terminal ends are positioned within the scissor halves under a pre-biased force configured to urge the handles into an open position (such as the position shown in FIG. 2 ), thereby requiring a user to impart a force to compress the spring and bring the handles close to one another and into a closed position (such as the position shown in FIG. 1 ). This allows the user to better control the size of the closed channel 45 and to provide a resistance against squeezing too hard and closing the channel to the point of doing damage to the herbs as leaves are being stripped.
[0021] Because of the spring biasing the scissors to the open position, in one version the scissors may include a lock, such as an optional hook 50 and ring 51 positioned on opposing handle portions to hold the scissors in a closed position for storage. In the illustrated version, the ring is formed on a post 52 mounted on one of the two handles at a location between the pivot point and the distal end of the handle while the hook 50 is positioned on the opposing handle between the pivot point and the distal end of the handle. In other versions, alternate clips, hooks, or other closing mechanisms may be used.
[0022] In use, such as shown in FIG. 8 , a leafy stem 70 having one or more leaves 71 is positioned between the open channels carried on the posts 41 , 42 attached to the handles. The handles are pivoted toward one another to form the closed channel 45 , in which the closed channel 45 is sized as appropriate to surround and abut the stem 70 . The user urges the channels toward one another to apply a desired amount of force on opposing sides of the stem in order to strip away the leaves as the stem is pulled through the channel. Once positioned within the channel, the stem is pulled through the channel (preferably in the direction of the arrow A in FIG. 8 ), thereby stripping away the leaves as the stem is pulled through. This action separates the leaves from the stems so that the leaves may be used separately in cooking.
[0023] While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the disclosure of the preferred embodiment. Instead, the invention should be determined entirely by reference to the claims that follow. | A pair of herb shears includes blades that are sufficiently sturdy to trim herb stems, particularly including woody stems. The shears include a pair of opposing posts formed on the handles in which the posts join to form a channel as the handles are pivoted toward one another. The stem of an herb can be passed through the channel while applying a desired force against the stem, thereby stripping leaves away from the stem | 0 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a guide for performing a linear machine movement, and more particularly to an improvement in a linear ball bearing unit in which a resistance against the movement is decreased by rolling friction, i.e., the usual holder cage is eliminated by forming clearances in a slide surface such as a table or the saddle of an industrial machine. A bearing main body capable of supporting a carriage device which can be reciprocated using track grooves of the track is used so that a bearing characteristic may be kept.
BRIEF REVIEW OF THE PRIOR ART
Since a conventional type of a linear bearing uses ball bearings, it may support a vertical load, but can support only a part of the momentum load or an upward load.
This applicant has developed a linear ball bearing in order to overcome the above mentioned disadvantages by arranging the ball rows at the right and left portions of the bearing main body, and by providing side caps having ball direction changing U-shaped grooves corresponding to the rows of balls at the end surfaces of said bearing main body.
To the contrary, in the case of a linear ball bearing, a holder cage should be made in proportion to a varied length of the bearing main body, which causes some difficulty in decreasing the manufacturing cost of this type of bearing due to the many different kinds and the small volumes of manufacturing.
In order to replace the holder cage, the track grooves in the bearing main body and the track table for the load balls should be made narrow.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Generally speaking the present invention contemplates a linear ball bearing arrangement consisting of an elongated track table over which is disposed a linear ball bearing main body which has side caps on the front and rear ends. Four concave axial track grooves are formed axially in the main body parallel to each other. Corresponding axial track grooves are defined in the track table. Non-loaded bearing ball paths are disposed adjecent to the four axial grooves. The combination of the four concave track grooves in the main body and the corresponding track grooves in the track table form the loaded ball paths while the end side caps connect the loaded ball paths to the non-loaded ball paths. The loaded ball paths and the non-loaded ball paths are symmetrically disposed around the center axis of the track table and the main body.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a linear bearing unit which does not show any poor bearing characteristics even if the holder cage is eliminated, i.e. a contact point groove is kept at a specified position by forming clearances in the bearing main body and the track grooves of the track table, resulting in showing the parallel contact angles of the two opposing load balls, no edge load applied to the track grooves, and further a pre-pressure may be applied to the load balls in the four rows of grooves.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a linear bearing unit in which the side caps to be fitted to both end surfaces of the bearing main body are formed with the annular concave grooves corresponding to annular projections formed at the end surfaces of the bearing main body, semi-circular guide grooves corresponding to four grooves of the bearing main body, and having tongue pieces.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a linear bearing unit in which the bearing main body may keep a desired contact angle and may easily apply a pre-load (predetermined pressure) by a circular cavity formed in the rectangular member, forming four parallel longitudinal track grooves in said cavity spaced apart at a desired angle on the same circumference and forming clearances at the desired positions of said ball track grooves even if some errors are found in the arrangement (indexing or centering) of the track grooves of the bearing main body and the track grooves. The invention as well as other objects and advantages thereof will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bearing main body of a linear bearing unit of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a linear bearing unit of the present invention with a certain portion being eliminated.
FIG. 3 is a front elevational view taken along a line B--B of FIG. 2 showing a condition in which a track member is inserted or fitted via balls.
FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of a linear bearing unit of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along a line O-X of FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is an enlarged illustration showing condition of contact between a bearing main body and some load supporting balls in the track channels of a track table.
FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the bearing main body.
FIG. 8 is a front elevational view of the bearing main body.
FIG. 9(a) is a front elevational view of a side cover and FIG. 9 (b) is a side elevational view of the side cover.
FIG. 10 is a front elevational view of a track table.
FIGS. 11(a) and (b) illustrate a relation of the anti-load of some load balls in the track channels in the track table.
FIG. 12 shows an enlarged view for illustrating a well-known condition of a contact between the bearing main body in a linear bearing unit having a holder and the track channels in a track table.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring now to the drawings, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described.
Reference numeral 10 shows a bearing main body.
The bearing main body 10 is formed by a rectangular shaped steel plate with a cut-out elongated central aperture having an inverted C-shape cross section formed by rough planar machining or made such that a cylindrical inner recess 11 is longitudinally formed at a substantial central part of the rectangular steel material, a flat surface 71 is formed at the top surface of the inner circumference of said inner recess 11, and further concave track grooves 12, 13, 14 and 15 having substantially the same radius of curvature as that of the balls in a radial direction from the inner circumference surface of said inner recess 11.
Track grooves 12 and 13 are formed at the upper left and right of flat surface 71. Track grooves 14 and 15 are formed below track grooves 12 and 13. These track grooves 12 to 15 are formed in such a manner that they are arranged at a position of 45° in respect to a horizontal line X--X through which the load balls pass a center O 1 of the bearing main body 10, and the lower left and right track grooves 14 and 15 are formed such that the load balls are arranged symmetrically at a position of 15° in respect to a horizontal line X--X.
The contact angle of the upper load balls with respect to the unit is 30° between a contact point with a track table 16 and a contact point of the bearing main body 10 with respect to a center of axis O 2 , and the side (lower) load balls are positioned at 30° lower with respect to the center of axis O 2 .
Reference numerals 17 and 18 show recesses which are made by longitudinally cutting in parallel with a vertical line Y--Y the outer side portions of the upper track grooves 12 and 13 of the bearing main body 10.
Reference numerals 19 and 20 also show recesses which are made by longitudinally cutting at an angle of 30° with respect to the vertical line Y--Y the upper side portions of the lower track grooves 14 and 15 of the bearing main body 10. Reference numerals 21 and 22 show annular projections for use in returning and guiding the balls which are formed at both end surfaces 23 and 24 of the bearing main body 10.
Reference numerals 25, 26, 27 and 28 show non-load ball holes defining a travel path formed longitudinally from the end surface 23 of the bearing main body 10, the upper right and left non-load ball holes are located on a line inclined at 45° with respect to a horizontal line X--X passing through a center O 1 of the bearing main body 10 and furtner positioned at a crossing point abutting against the outer circumference edges of said annular projections 21 and 22. The lower right and left non-load ball holes are located on a line inclined at 15° with respect to the horizontal line X--X passing through the center O 1 of the bearing main body 10 and positioned at a crossing point abutting against the outer circumferential edges of said annular projections 21 and 22.
Thereafter, open ends 29 and 30 are longitudinally formed at the portions held by the lower right and left ball track grooves 14 and 15 of the bearing main body 10 cut at 30° with respect to the vertical line Y--Y and a bottom horizontal line Z--Z of the bearing main body 10.
The top surface of the bearing main body 10 is formed with threaded recieving holes 31, 32, 33 and 34. Both end surfaces 23 and 24 are formed with the side cover connecting holes 37, 38, 39 and 40 for fixing the flat portions 35 and 36 of the side caps 41 and 42 by screws. Said side cap fixing holes are formed with inner threads by tapping.
Reference numerals 41 and 42 indicate side caps made of steel plate to be fixed at a front end surface 23 and a rear end surface 24 of the bearing main body 10. Inner surfaces of the side caps 41 and 42 are integrally formed with concave portions 43 corresponding to the annular projections 21 and 22 made in the front and rear end surfaces 23 and 24 of the bearing main body 10, with the U-shaped concave portions 44 to 47 for use in changing the direction of the balls which coincide with track grooves 12 to 15 of the bearing main body 10 and the non-load ball holes 26 to 28.
Reference numerals 48 to 51 indicate a semi-circular guide tongues formed in the side caps 41 and 42. These tongues are formed at the lower portions of the U-shaped concave portions 44 to 47 for use in changing the direction of the balls rolled in the track grooves 52 to 55 of the track table 16, i.e. a so-called linear direction, to a rotating direction in which the balls are guided into said direction changing U-shaped concave portions 44 to 47 for guiding them into the non-load ball holes of the bearing main body 10.
Reference numerals 35 and 36 indicate a flat portion of the side caps 41 and 42, respectively and some fixing holes 56 to 59 are formed at desired places on said flat portion.
Track table 16 (FIG. 3), which has track grooves 52 to 55 therein is formed of a member having a square section and the table is aligned with a center O of the bearing main body.
Thereafter, the upper and lower parallel surfaces 62, 62' and the right and left parallel surfaces 70, 70' are formed to show a machining reference plane. The upper right and left track grooves 52 and 53 are placed on a line inclined at 45° with respect to a horizontal line X--X passing through the center O 1 of the track table 16. The lower right and left track grooves 54 and 55 are placed on a line inclined at 15° with respect to the horizontal line X--X and are symmetrical. Further, concave track grooves 52 to 55 having substantially the same radius of curvature as that of the ball are formed or made with their centers being located at such a position as crossing with a pitch circle diameter (P.C.D.) α which is made to have a desired radius r with respect to said center O 1 .
Then, the clearances 60 and 61 of the lower (side) right and left track grooves 54 and 55 are made by a tangential line contacting the track grooves 54 and 55 and formed axially in parallel with a vertical line.
Reference numeral 62 indicates a flat part of the track table 16, reference numerals 63 and 64 show two projections and reference numeral 65 illustrates a fixing hole.
Reference numeral 66 indicates screws (with Phillips heads) for use in fixing the side caps 41 and 42 to the end surfaces 23 and 24 of the bearing main body 10.
Reference numeral 67 indicates balls. Reference numeral 68 shows a grinder wheel which is applied for grinding four track surfaces.
Each of the component elements of the linear bearing unit of the present invention is constructed as herein described, and the order of assembling the component elements will now be described.
At first, the side cap 41 is attached to one end surface 23 of the bearing main body 10 with screws 66, then the track table 16 of a desired length is inserted into the inner cavity of said bearing main body 10. Under this condition, the balls 67 are charged in sequence in the non-load ball holes 25 to 28 in the other end surfaces 24, the spaces between the track grooves 12 to 15 of the bearing main body and the track grooves 52 to 55 of the track table, then the side cap 42 is attached to the other end with screws 66.
The operation of the linear bearing unit of the present invention will now be described.
When the linear bearing unit of the present invention is assembled in a machining tool (not shown), some required implements are set in the assembled unit and then the bearing unit is moved forward along with these implements, the load balls 67, 67, . . . which are held by the concave track grooves 52 to 55 of the track table 16 and by the concave track grooves 12 to 15 of the bearing main body 10 are moved along with the bearing main body 10, scopped up by the ball guide tongues 48 to 51 formed in the side caps, pushed up into the direction changing U-shaped concave portions 44 to 47, and then transferred smoothly into the non-load ball holes 25 to 28.
A point of contact of track table 16 are positioned on a line inclined at 30° with respect to a center of axis O 2 , and also the lower load balls are positioned on the line inclined at 30° with respect to a center of axis O 2 and thereby both the upper and lower right and left load balls show the same unti-load characteristic.
That is, as apparent from FIGS. 11(a) and (b), when the anti-load characteristic in a direction toward a contact angle is C o ,
Anti-load in a downward direction:
1732 C.sub.o /2×2=1732 C.sub.o
Anti-load in a rightward or leftward direction:
C.sub.o
1732/2 C.sub.o ×2=1732 C.sub.o
Thus, the upward and downward loads become equal to each other.
Clearances are formed in the upper track grooves of the bearing main body and the outside portions of the lower track grooves of the track table parallel to the line Y--Y, and clearances are also formed in the upper portions of the lower track grooves of the bearing main body at an angle of 30° with respect to the line Y--Y, so that each of the contact points is kept at a specified position and the contact angles of the opposing two load balls become parallel to each other.
Thus, it is possible to apply a pre-load to the load balls in the four rows of grooves under a condition in which a contact angle is maintained and further it is possible to extend the life of the linear bearing and increase its rigidity.
Since the present invention has no holder cage and also the concave grooves for load ball track in the bearing body and the track table show a deep groove near the center of the pitch circle (P.C.D) of the balls, an edge load (edge polar load) is not applied and a rational load distribution in the track grooves is realized and a life of the bearing may be extended.
Since the linear bearing of the present invention has no supporting cage, the number of parts is decreased and a cost of the bearing is also decreased. Increase or decrease of a length of the track surface (similar to the track grooves) of the linear bearing may be performed by changing only the length of the bearing main body, therefore several types of linear bearing units having a high load capacity to a low load capacity may readily be manufactured.
The track table forms the upper lower, right and left parallel surfaces, resulting in providing four track grooves. | A linear ball bearing arrangement has an elongated track table over which is disposed a linear ball bearing main body, of which the front and rear end surfaces have side caps. Also, four concave axial track grooves are formed axially in the main body in parallel. Corresponding axial track grooves are defined in the track table. Non-loaded bearing ball paths are disposed adjacent to the four axial grooves. The combination of the four concave track grooves in the main body and the corresponding track grooves in the track table form the loaded ball paths while the end side caps connect the loaded ball paths to the non-loaded ball paths. The loaded ball paths and the non-loaded ball paths are symmetrically disposed around the center axis of the track table and the main body. | 5 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a file wrapper continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/355,397, filed Dec. 13, 1994, now abandoned.
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to data processing systems and, more particularly, to data transfer within the data processing system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The clipboard is a data transfer feature of the "MICROSOFT" WINDOWS, version 3.1, operating system sold by Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash. The clipboard is used to transfer data between applications or within a single application. The clipboard includes a set of functions and messages that enable applications to transfer data via the clipboard. The clipboard may be viewed as a common area for storing data handles (i.e., unique identifiers for data objects) to which applications can exchange formatted data. The "MICROSOFT" WINDOWS, version 3.1, operating system enumerates a fixed number of clipboard formats. For example, the CF -- BITMAP clipboard format is used for transferring bitmaps, and the CF -- TEXT clipboard format is used for transferring arrays of text characters. The clipboard may simultaneously hold the same data in different clipboard formats.
Users of applications use the clipboard by calling clipboard commands, such as "cut", "copy" or "paste". The copy clipboard command copies a selected portion of data in a clipboard format to the clipboard by copying a handle to the data object that holds the selected portion of data in a clipboard format to the clipboard. The selected portion of data is not removed from the source from which it originated. The cut clipboard command is similar to the copy command in that it copies a selected portion of data to the clipboard, but the cut clipboard command differs from the copy clipboard command in that it removes the selected portion of data from the source of the data. The paste clipboard command copies data from the clipboard to a destination.
The Microsoft OLE 2.01 protocol, established by Microsoft Corporation, provides a mechanism for facilitating drag and drop operations. This mechanism uses clipboard formats. The data, however, is not passed through the system store that is used for cut and copy operations; instead, the transfer is directed from source to destination.
Although the clipboard is useful, the formatting constraints are too limiting for many applications. In particular, the number of clipboard formats provided by the system is too few, and the available formats are too limited.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention overcomes the limitations of the conventional systems by providing expanded clipboard formats. These expanded clipboard formats may include a clipboard format for holding the contents of a file so that data, that is not a file, may be transferred and as part of the transfer, the data is encapsulated into a file. The expanded clipboard formats may also include a clipboard format for holding a file group descriptor. The file group descriptor holds a number of file descriptors and each file descriptor holds descriptive information about a file or about data that is to be incorporated into a file during a data transfer operation.
The expanded clipboard formats provided by an embodiment of the present invention may include a file list clipboard format for storing a value for accessing a file list structure. The file list structure describes a list of files. This file list clipboard format, like other clipboard formats, may be used during data transfer operations.
The expanded clipboard formats may also include an object positions clipboard format for storing relative positions of graphical objects when displayed on an output device. This clipboard format may be used for data transfers of objects to preserve the relative object positions of the graphical objects that are associated with the objects after the data transfer operation is completed.
The expanded clipboard formats may also include a filename map clipboard format for holding a list of alternative names for items that are being transferred during a data transfer operation. A list of alternative names held in the filename map clipboard format may be used to rename the files once the data transfer is completed.
Expanded clipboard formats provided by embodiments of the present invention may also include selected clipboard formats for holding data that enables access to non-file system objects. Certain computer systems may include file system objects and non-file system objects within a common namespace. This expanded clipboard format facilitates data transfers of the non-file system objects in the selected clipboard format. The non-file system objects may include network resources, printers, or other types of objects.
The expanded clipboard formats provided by embodiments of the present invention may include an ID list clipboard format for holding an ID list of objects. This clipboard format is useful in computer systems that have objects with associated ID's that may be aggregated into an ID list. The ID list clipboard format is useful when objects are transferred using a data transfer mechanism.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the following figures.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a computer system that is suitable for practicing the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating steps that are performed to exploit the expanded clipboard formats of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating the steps that may be performed to use a CF -- FILECONTENTS clipboard format in a data transfer operation per the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating the combined use of the CF -- FILECONTENTS and CF -- FILEGROUPDESCRIPTOR clipboard formats in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating the steps that are performed in an exemplary use of the CF -- FILENAMEMAP clipboard format in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the steps that are performed in exemplary use of the CF -- OBJECTPOSITIONS clipboard format in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The preferred embodiment of the present invention provides an expanded number of clipboard formats. These expanded clipboard formats include clipboard formats that provide improved functionality over those provided by conventional systems.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a computer system 10 that is suitable for practicing the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The computer system 10 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 12 that has access to several peripheral devices, including a video display 14, a mouse 16, and a keyboard 18. The CPU 12 also has access to a primary memory 20 and a secondary memory 22. The primary memory 20 holds an operating system 24 that includes clipboard 26. The clipboard 26 encompasses messages and functions for providing the clipboard capabilities to realize data transfer and the clipboard formats for practicing the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The primary memory 20 also holds code for at least one application program 28.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the computer system 10 of FIG. 1 is intended to be merely illustrative. The present invention may also be practiced in other computer system configurations, including those that employ multiple processors and those that employ peripheral devices that differ from the devices shown in FIG. 1.
The discussion below will focus on enumerating the expanded clipboard formats and their use as provided by the preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be appreciated that these expanded clipboard formats supplement rather than supersede those provided by the "MICROSOFT" WINDOWS, version 3.1, operating system.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the steps that are performed to utilize the expanded clipboard formats of the preferred embodiment. Initially, an application program 28 must convert a selected portion of data into one or more of the expanded clipboard formats (step 30). The application program provides the mechanism for selecting the data that is to be converted into the expanded clipboard format. The converted data is stored in a data object (step 32). The data object may be in different types of storage mediums (such as provided by "MICROSOFT" OLE 2.01), including global memory, a stream or a storage. Data objects for some of the expanded clipboard formats may appear in only a subset of the possible storage mediums, as will be described in more detail below. A handle to a data object that encapsulates the data structure is passed to the clipboard (step 34). The data is then considered to be on the clipboard in the expanded clipboard format and is pasted to a destination as desired by the user or application program (step 36).
One of the expanded clipboard formats provided by the preferred embodiment of the present invention is the CF -- HDROP clipboard format. For purposes of explaining the role of this clipboard format, it is helpful to first review how a drag-and-drop operation is performed in the "MICROSOFT" WINDOWS, version 3.1, operating system. In this conventional operating system, the drag-and-drop operation is performed in response to a user using a mouse. When the mouse button is released to perform a drop, the window in which the mouse cursor currently points receives a WM -- DROPFILES window message. This window message contains a single parameter, hDrop. The hDrop parameter is a handle to a data structure that describes the file or files that have been dropped. The handle is used as a parameter in calls to the predefined DragQueryPoint(), DragQueryFile(), and DragFinish() functions that retrieve information from the data structure identified by hDrop.
The CF -- HDROP clipboard format is used to hold the handle to a DROPFILES structure. The CF -- HDROP clipboard format requires that the data object (i.e., DROPFILES) be in global memory. The DROPFILES structure has the following format:
______________________________________typedef struct.sub.-- DROPFILES { DWORD pFiles; // offset of file list POINT pt; // drop point (client coords) WORD fNC; // is it on non client area// and pt is in screen coords BOOL fWide; // WIDE character switch} DROPFILES, *LPDROPFILES;______________________________________
The fWide field indicates that the strings referenced by pfiles are in UNICODE rather than ANSI.
The DragQueryPoint() function, the DragQueryFile() function, and the DragFinish() function all may act upon the DROPFILES structure to retrieve information about dropped files. The use of the CF -- HDROP clipboard format enables the above-described functions to operate for clipboard operations as well as OLE data transfer operations. In conventional systems, these functions operate only in drag-and-drop situations.
The expanded clipboard formats of the preferred embodiment of the present invention also include the CF -- FILECONTENTS clipboard format and the CF -- FILEGROUPDESCRIPTOR clipboard format. The CF -- FILECONTENTS clipboard format is used to hold data that is to be encapsulated into a file. For example, suppose that a user wishes to drag an embedding out of a mail message or other compound document and drop it on a location to create a file. In such an instance, the steps shown in the flowchart of FIG. 3 are performed. First, the data to be transferred is selected (step 37). The data is converted into the CF -- FILECONTENTS clipboard format and stored (step 38). The data transfer operation is then completed (step 39) so that the target object of the drag-and-drop has access to the data that is stored in the CF -- FILECONTENTS clipboard format. The data in the CF -- FILECONTENTS clipboard format is then encapsulated into a file (step 40). Although this example was drag and drop, it should be appreciated that CF -- FILECONTENTS may be used with other types of data transfer operations.
In order to appreciate the role that clipboard formats serve in data transfer operations with the Microsoft OLE 2.01 protocol, it is helpful to review some fundamental concepts of OLE 2.01. An "object," in OLE 2.01, is a logical structure that includes data structures for holding data and may include functions that operate on the data held in the data structure.
Another concept that is fundamental to OLE 2.01 is the notion of an "interface." An interface is a name set of logically related functions. An interface lists signatures (such as parameters) for a set of functions. An interface does not provide code for implementing the functions; rather, the code for implementing the functions is provided by objects. Objects that provide the code for implementing the functions of an interface are said to "support" the interface. The code provided by an object that supports the interface must comply with the signature provided with the interface. In the C++ program language, an interface constitutes a set of virtual functions. The Microsoft OLE 2.01 protocol defines an IDataObject interface that group several functions which are useful for an object to transfer data. Objects that support the IDataObject interface are known as data objects.
During a drag-and-drop operation in which data is dragged from a source object to a target object in a system that uses OLE 2.01 to effect the data transfer, a uniform data transfer mechanism as defined in co-pending application entitled "Uniform Data Transfer," which was filed on Feb. 22, 1994, Ser. No. 08/199,853, and assigned to a common assignee with the present application, is utilized. The connection between a data object at the data source and the target object is established by passing a pointer for an instance of the IDataObject interface provided by the data object to the destination object. The destination object then executes the EnumFormatEtc() function of the IDataObject interface to enumerate the available formats for the data in the object that has been dropped on the destination object. These formats are clipboard formats. Thus, during drag-and-drop operations, the data is transferred in a clipboard format.
The CF -- FILEGROUPDESCRIPTOR clipboard format is used to hold a file group descriptor structure. The file group descriptor structure holds one or more file descriptors. Each file descriptor is an array of structures that hold information about data to be encapsulated into a file that is held in the CF -- FILECONTENTS clipboard format. A file descriptor has the following format:
______________________________________typedef struct.sub.-- FILEDESCRIPTOR { // fod DWORD dwFlags; CLSID clsid; SIZEL sizel; POINTL pointl; DWORD dwFileAttributes; FILETIME ftCreationTime; FILETIME ftLastAccessTime; FILETIME ftLastWriteTime; DWORD nFileSizeHigh; DWORD nFileSizeLow; CHAR cFileName MAX.sub.-- PATH! ;} FILEDESCRIPTOR, *LPFILEDESCRIPTOR;______________________________________
The dwFlags field is a file that indicates which fields hold legal data; the clsid field holds a class ID of the data object that encapsulates the CF -- FILECONTENTS data; the sizel field holds a value specifying the size of the CF -- FILECONTENTS data; and the pointl field holds a pointer to the object that holds the CF -- FILECONTENTS data. The dwFileAttributes field holds a double word of attributes of the data. The ftCreationTime field holds a creation time, the ftLastAccessTime holds a last access time, and the ftLastWriteTime holds a last write time. The nFileSizeHigh field holds the high 32 bits of a 64 bit value that describes the length of the object in bytes, and the nFileSizeLow field holds the low 32 bits of this value. The cFileName field holds characters that specify a filename.
The CF -- FILEGROUPDESCRIPTOR clipboard format facilitates transferring multiple files in one batch. A file group descriptor in the batch for the batch to be transferred is stored in the CF -- FILEGROUPDESCRIPTOR clipboard format. The file group descriptor must be in global memory and not other source media. This file group descriptor enables a program to walk through the data that is to be transferred into multiple files and create the resulting files as needed. FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating the steps that are performed to use the CF -- FILECONTENTS clipboard format in conjunction with the CF -- FILEGROUPDESCRIPTOR clipboard formats to transfer a group of data and create a group of files. The data to be encapsulated into the files must first be converted and stored in the CF -- FILECONTENTS clipboard format (step 41). A file group descriptor for the group of data is then stored in the CF -- FILEGROUPDESCRIPTOR clipboard format (step 42). The data is transferred and encapsulated into a group of files (step 43).
It should be appreciated that the data objects for holding the data that is transferred in the CF -- FILECONTENTS clipboard format may be an object that is present in global memory or may be provided via OLE storage medium such as streams or storages.
The CF -- FILENAMEMAP clipboard format is another of the expanded clipboard formats provided by the preferred embodiment of the present invention. This clipboard format is used to provide storage for mappings to destination names. For example, suppose that a system wishes to change the name of a file when it is placed in a wastebasket facility. In such a case, the mappings to the destination names are stored in the CF -- FILENAMEMAP clipboard format. This clipboard format may be viewed as a companion to the CF -- HDROP clipboard format. FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating the steps that are performed to utilize this clipboard format to change filenames. First, the destination name mappings are put into the CF -- FILENAMEMAP clipboard format (step 44). The data transfer is then initiated via clipboard commands, drag-and-drop or other OLE data transfer mechanisms (step 46). As part of the completion of the data transfer operation, the new filenames specified within the data held in the CF -- FILENAMEMAP clipboard format are assigned to the files that are being transferred (step 48).
The expanded clipboard formats also include the CF -- OBJECTPOSITIONS clipboard format. This clipboard format is used to hold an array of coordinates that correspond to positions of other items in the clipboard. The first set of coordinates identifies a screen position of the group of objects and the remaining coordinates specify relative offsets of each item in pixels. This clipboard format is especially useful in transferring groups of objects that have associated icons. The clipboard format allows the preservation of the relative positioning of the group of item to remain the same after the data transfer is affected to a new destination.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the steps that are performed to utilize the CF -- OBJECTPOSITIONS clipboard format. Initially, the icons are encoded according to the CF -- OBJECTPOSITIONS clipboard format (step 50). The data transfer operation is then initiated via the clipboard, drag-and-drop or other OLE data transfer mechanisms (step 52). As part of the completion of the data transfer operation, the coordinates held in the clipboard format are used to realize the icons in appropriate relative positions at the destination (step 54).
The expanded clipboard formats further include a CF -- PRINTERFRIENDLYNAME clipboard format for holding a handle to a list of printer friendly names. The printer friendly names may then be used to gain access to data structures held for the corresponding printers. The CF -- NETRESOURCE clipboard format is similar but holds a handle to a list of network resources such as network servers. The list of network resources may be used to gain access to data structures for the resources. This clipboard format is especially used for situations in which a name space may include not only file system structures but other types of objects.
The CF -- IDLDATA clipboard format holds a handle to a list of ID lists. An ID list is a list of identifiers that uniquely identify things within the name space. The ID list may be considered roughly analogous to pathnames for files or directories. This clipboard format may be viewed as a CF -- HDROP clipboard format.
While the present invention has been described with references to a preferred embodiment thereof, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various changes in forms of the detail may be made without departing from the intended scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. | A computer system provides expanded clipboard formats that embellish the number of formats that may be used with a clipboard. These expanded clipboard formats enable users in applications to broaden their use of the clipboard and other data transfer mechanisms. The clipboard formats may be utilized by a conventional clipboard, by drag-and-drop mechanisms and by OLE data transfer mechanisms. Certain of the expanded clipboard formats are adapted for use in the data transfer of non-file system objects. | 8 |
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 498,777 filed Aug. 19, 1974, now abandoned.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to nonwoven fabric and to a method and apparatus for the production of same.
Nonwoven fabrics and various methods and apparatus for their production are well known in the art. For example, the original nonwoven fabric, wool felt, is as old as any textile. However, in the last ten to fifteen years, synthetic materials have become very important in the nonwoven industry. One of the more common methods used to produce nonwoven fabrics from a batt of synthetic materials such as polypropylene, involves simply needling the batt, which is well known in the art. The needled batt is frequently bonded on one or both sides subsequent to the needling operation, depending upon the properties desired in the final product. Various bonding techniques are also well known.
There are several ways of producing the batt prior to needling and bonding. The first and simplest method is to place several carding machines (or cards) in series, laying the web produced on each successive card on top of the web produced on the preceding card. This method produces a batt with fibers oriented primarily in the longitudinal (warp) direction and thus the nonwoven fabric has much less dimensional stability in the transverse (fill) direction than in the warp direction. As used herein the term "dimensional stability" means the ability of a nonwoven fabric to resist deformation in the warp and/or fill directions due to stresses experienced by the fabric. Improved dimensional stability is indicated by an increase in tear strength and a decrease in percent elongation.
The second method used to produce a batt is that of crosslapping whereby a batt of suitable weight is built by layering a web from a card back and forth on a moving conveyor, such as a floor apron. The fabric produced by such a card and a crosslapper primarily has fibers crosswise in the finished fabric, thus the nonwoven fabric has much less dimensional stability in the warp direction than in the fill direction. Frequently it is necessary to increase the strength of the batt in the warp direction before the batt will process through the needle loom. The lack of sufficient warp strength to process is particularly acute for nonwoven fabrics having a weight of less than about 5 ounces per square yard. As a result, additional strength is often provided by the use of warp threads which are threads of polyester staple or other suitable material spaced 1/4-inch or so apart along the bottom surface of the batt, and running parallel to the warp direction of the batt. Although the use of warp threads has proven to produce a useful product, warp threads, of course, increase the overall cost of the fabric. In addition there is room for improvement of the dimensional stability in the warp direction as compared to the dimensional stability in the fill direction.
A third method used to produce a batt is a combination of the first two methods, that is, laying one or more webs in the warp direction by use of one or more cards and laying one or more additional webs in the fill direction by use of a crosslapper. This method produces a product having a better distribution of dimensional stability between the warp and fill directions; however, the dimensional stability is relatively low and a substantially greater initial investment in equipment is required than with either of the two methods previously described.
Therefore, it is an object of the invention to produce a nonwoven fabric.
Another object of the invention is to produce a nonwoven fabric of synthetic fibers.
Still another object of the invention is to produce a nonwoven fabric of synthetic fibers.
Still another object of the invention is to produce a nonwoven fabric by crosslapping without the use of warp threads.
Still another object of the invention is to produce a nonwoven fabric without the use of warp threads but possessing a relatively high dimensional stability in the warp direction.
Still another object of the invention is to provide apparatus suitable for the production of nonwoven fabrics.
Other objects, aspects and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent to one skilled in the art after studying the specification, drawings and the appended claims.
SUMMARY
Thus, according to the invention a novel nonwoven fabric is produced by forming a batt comprising fibers oriented primarily transverse relative to the direction of movement of the batt, stretching the batt longitudinally relative to the direction of movement of the batt, and needling the stretched batt. Where the desired properties of the final product so dictate a portion of the fibers are bonded to each other at least on one side of the needled batt.
Further according to the invention apparatus is provided suitable for the production of the novel fabric comprising, in combination, a crosslapper for laying a web of fibers to produce a batt; a carrier means to receive the web of fibers and transport the batt; a batt stretching means operated to stretch the batt longitudinally relative to the direction of movement of the batt; and a needle loom positoned to needle punch the stretched batt. When it is desired to bond the final product, bonding means are provided for bonding the fiber of at least one surface of said needled batt.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
To further describe the invention the attached drawings are provided in which:
FIG. 1 is the top view of a schematic representation of an embodiment of the apparatus of the invention, including heated rolls for bonding at least one surface of the fabric;
FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the apparatus of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a photograph of a nonwoven fabric produced according to the prior art; and
FIG. 4 is a photograph of the inventive nonwoven fabric produced according to the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The apparatus of the invention is more fully understood by referring to the drawings and in particular FIGS. 1 and 2 wherein the embodiment of the apparatus shows a feed means 10, such as bale breakers, blender boxes, feed boxes, etc., which feed fibers in the form of staple to carding machines 12. The carding machines 12 produce carded webs of fibers 14 which are picked up by the take off aprons 16 of crosslappers 20. The crosslappers 20 also comprise lapper aprons 18 which traverse the carrier means, such as floor apron 22, in a reciprocating motion. The carded webs 14 are laid on the floor apron 22 to build up several thicknesses referred to herein as a batt 24. It is pointed out that only one crosslapper 20 and associated equipment need be used to practice the invention; however, two crosslappers are frequently used to increase the speed of the overall operation.
A stretching means comprising at least two sets of nip rolls or an inlet apron 23,25 and one set of nip rolls 26 is used to stretch the batt 24. As used herein the terms stretching, drawing and drafting are synonymous. In FIGS. 1 and 2 five sets of nip rolls are shown, 26, 28, 30, 32 and 34. Inlet apron 23,25 and outlet apron 35 also are shown. Each set of nip rolls is shown as a one-over-two configuration, which works very well, but almost any arrangement can be used, such as a one-over-one, two-over-one, etc., as well as mixtures of nip roll configurations. The stretched batt 36 then is passed to needle loom 38 wherein the batt is needled at a density in the range of 300 to 600 punches per square inch.
The needled batt 40 is passed to a "J" box 50 over rolls 42, 44, 46 and 48 and on to a suitable bonding means, such as heated rolls 60 and 64. Heated rolls 60 and 64 are included in the present description because it is frequently desirable to produce a bonded fabric, but it is emphasized that one can practice the present invention without employing a bonding step or bonding means. The needled batt 50 is passed over additional rolls 52, 54, 56 and 58 as it is passed to heated rolls 60 and 64. The batt is pressed against heated roll 60 by roll 62 to fuse the fibers on the bottom of the batt, and the batt is pressed against heated roll 64 by roll 66 to fuse the fibers on the top of the batt. Either or both heated rolls can be operated as desired or, of course, if rolls 60 and 64 are not heated and unbonded fabric is produced. The batt 70 then is passed over roll 72 and wound on a take-up roll 74.
In the method of the invention, synthetic thermoplastic fibers in the form of staple are passed to carding machines 12 to produce carded webs 14. Various synthetic thermoplastic staple can be used. For example, polyolefins, such as polypropylene, polyesters, such as polyethylene terephthalate, polyamides, such as polycaprolactam (nylon), and mixtures thereof are suitable. The carded webs are laid on the floor apron 18 to produce a batt 24 by crosslappers 20. The batt 24 then is stretched by a suitable means, such as the five sets of nip rolls 26, 28, 30, 32 and 34. When using nip rolls to practice the invention, only two sets of nip rolls actually are required to stretch the batt. The five sets of nip rolls provide for four separate stretching or drafting zones, 27, 29, 31, and 33. Also the batt can be stretched between a nip formed by feed aprons 23,25 and the first set of nip rolls; thus, if an inlet apron 23,25 is used, one can practice the invention by using only one set of nip rolls and the inlet apron to stretch the batt. Of course, the stretching or drafting occurs because each set of nip rolls is operated at a successively higher speed than the speed of the preceding inlet apron or set of nip rolls. Generally, it has been found that utilization of more drafting zones and smaller draft ratios produces a more uniform fabric than utilization of fewer drafting zones with higher draft ratios; however, at some point additional drafting zones will not improve the product. In addition, there is a maximum speed at which the batt at a given weight can be produced due to the limitations of the batt forming equipment. Thus, as in most any process, the most economical operation requires consideration of a number of variables. For example, some of the variables which affect the stretching process are staple material, staple length, staple finish, degree or crimp, weight of batt, etc. Generally from about 2 to 6 drafting zones are utilized with an overall draft ratio ranging from about 1.1 to 3 and a maximum draft ratio per drafting zone of 2.0. However, a very good product is produced utilizing from about 3 to 5 drafting zones with an overall draft ratio ranging from about 1.4 to 2.1 and a maximum draft ratio per drawing zone of 1.5. As used herein the terms "draft ratio" and drafting zone" apply only to the drafting which occurs due to the action of the inlet apron and nip rolls and not the drafting which generally occurs due to the needling operation.
After stretching, the batt is needled using needle loom 38. Generally the needle density is in the range of from about 300 to 600 punches per inch with a needle penetration ranging from about 1/4 to 3/4 of an inch. The needled batt 40 is passed over rolls 42, 44, 46 and 48 and into "J" box 50. From "J" box 50 the needled batt is passed over rolls 52, 54, 56 and 58 and then over heated rolls 60 and 64 and pressure rolls 62 and 66. If it is desired to fuse only the bottom side of the batt, then only roll 60 is heated. Likewise, if it is desired to fuse only the top side of the batt, then only roll 64 is heated. Obviously, both rolls 60 and 64 are heated to fuse both sides of the batt. The end use of the fabric generally determines which sides are to be fused. For example, fabric used as primary carpet backing usually has both the top and the bottom surfaces fused whereas a fabric used as a secondary backing usually has only the bottom surface fused. If an unbonded fabric is desired, heated rolls 60 and 64 can be eliminated along with the other associated rolls or heated rolls 60 and 64 can be operated at a temperature below the fusion temperature of the fibers in the batt.
After the fusing operation, the finished fabric 70 is wound on take-up roll 74 after passing over rolls 68 and 72. The fusion temperatures used for synthetic thermoplastic staple, of course, depend upon the particular material used. As an example, for polypropylene staple, fusion roll temperatures range from about 310° to 338° F. where only one surface is fused. If both surfaces are fused, then the temperature of the first fusion roll is the same as above but the temperature of the second fusion roll is somewhat lower and ranges from about 295° to 320° F. However, a good fabric is obtained using a roll temperature ranging from about 320° to 325° F. for a single roll or the first of a two-roll fusion process, and the temperature of the second fusion roll ranging from about 310° to 315° F.
It is believed that the reason the present invention produces a more desirable product than the prior art processes is because the fibers in the batt are partially reoriented toward the warp direction during the stretching step. As mentioned before, laying the batt by crosslapping webs produces a batt with fibers laying primarily in the fill direction. The batt thus formed into a nonwoven fabric without the stretching step has very poor dimensional stability in the warp direction but very good dimensional stability in the fill direction; the direction in which the fibers were primarily oriented when the batt was formed. By stretching the batt in the warp direction prior to needling, it is felt that a portion of the fibers oriented in the fill direction are partially twisted or reoriented in the warp direction so as to provide the increase in dimensional stability of the inventive fabric in the warp direction. This theory also accounts for the decrease in dimensional stability of the inventive fabric in the fill direction as fewer fibers are oriented in the fill direction after the stretching operation.
One of the more significant advantages of the present invention is that the traversal rate or speed of the lapper apron can be substantially reduced without a corresponding decrease in production. Also in the production of very light fabrics, web weighs can be maintained sufficiently high so as to preclude doffing problems encountered with some prior art processes.
As an example of the reduction in lapper apron speed, using the process shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 without the batt stretching or drafting step ad using polyester warp threads, a lapper apron speed of approximately 250 feet per minute was used to produce fabric at the rate of 27 feet per minute. Making the same weight product using the inventive process illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, a lapper apron speed of 100 feet a minute was used which resulted in a product rate of 34 feet per minute. Thus use of the present invention not only increases production but permits the slower operation of high maintenance equipment.
In general, the widths of the fabrics produced according to the invention vary widely; however the invention is particularly applicable for the production of wide nonwoven fabrics, that is, fabrics having a width ranging from about 108 to 230 inches. Usually the fabrics weight at least from about 1/2-ounce per square yard. Most any staple and combinations of staple are suitable for use in the present invention including natural staple such as wool and synthetic staple as previously described.
EXAMPLE I
Two runs were made using 3 denier per filament, 4-inch polypropylene staple. In both runs the needle loom was operated with 5/8-inch needle penetration and 600 punches per square inch. Both sides of the fabric were fused using a temperature of the first and second fusion rolls at 310° F. and 295° F. respectively. The fabric was 1500 mm wide.
Run 1 was a non-invention run in which the batt was formed by laying webs of polypropylene staple on a bet of warp threads spaced 1/4-inch apart and running parallel to the warp direction of the batt. The warp threads were polyester staple, 30 count.
Run 2 was an inventive run, including a bonding step, using the process shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Four stretching zones were used employing five sets of one-over-two nip rolls. A total draw ratio of 2 was used which was approximately equally divided across each of the four drafting zones. FIG. 4 is a photograph of the inventive fabric produced in Run 2.
The process used for Run 1 was identical to that of Run 2 except that no drafting zones were used to stretch the batt and, as noted earlier, warp threads were used. FIG. 3 is a photograph of the fabric produced in Run 1. The results of the runs are shown in Table I below:
TABLE I______________________________________ Run 1 Run 2______________________________________Wt. oz/yd.sup.2 3.19 3.49Tear Strength, lbs. (ASTM D 2261-64T Warp Direction (W) 16.7 54.2 Fill Direction (F) 23.0 57.0Breaking Strength, lbs. (ASTM D 1682-64) W 45 115 F 76 185Elongation at 5 lbs., % (ASTM D 1682-64) W 6.6 3.3 F 2.0 4.4Elongation at 20 lbs., % (ASTM D 1682-64) W 52.6 17.9 F 15.9 21.9Ultimate Elongation, % (ASTM D 1682-64) W 110.4 70.4 F 80.9 91.3Tear Strength at 3.5 oz/yd.sup.2 (calculatedW from tear 18.32 54.35F strength data 23.67 57.0 above)Breaking strength at 3.5 oz/yd.sup.1 (calculatedW from breaking 49.37 115.32F strength data 78.24 185.0 above)______________________________________
Although the weight of the fabric of Run 2 was slightly higher than the weight of the fabric or Run 1, the properties of the fabric of Run 2 are much better than a simple weight increase of the fabric in Run 1 would provide. The percent elongation values are particularly noteworthy as illustrating the better overall dimensional stability of the inventive product. It is noted that the fabric of Run 1 showed better (lower) elongation values in the fill direction than the fabric of Run 2; however, the elongation values in the warp direction were much worse (higher) than those of Run 2. Also the fabric of Run 2 showed much better breaking strength (higher) than the fabric of Run 1. In view of all the data, the fabric of Run 2 is considered to have the better dimensional stability in both the warp and fill directions, and thus is preferred.
EXAMPLE II
Twelve additional runs were made using the same polypropylene staple and process as was used for Run 2. However, needle penetration, needling density and fusion temperature were varied. Also the fabric was 150 inches wide and weighed 3.2 ounces per square yard. The results are shown in Table II below:
TABLE II__________________________________________________________________________Fused Fabric Properties - Not Tufted Needle Needling Fusion Tear.sup.(1) Grab.sup.(2) Ultimate.sup.(2) Pene- Density Temperature ° F. Strength Strength Elongation at.sup.(2) Elongation ElongationRun tration Punches Roll No. 1 at 3.5 oz/yd.sup.2 at 3.5 oz/yd.sup.2 5 lbs. load % 20 lbs. load %No. (inches) in.sup.2 Roll No. 2 Warp Fill Warp Fill Warp Fill Warp Fill Warp Fill__________________________________________________________________________ 3 3/8 300 Lo 310/295 26.5 38.1 75.0 12.1 1.4 2.2 14 16 96 954 3/8 300 Hi 338/310 13.2 20.0 92.8 190 1.1 1.4 6.0 4.8 36 705 3/8 450 Lo 310/295 39.3 45.7 100 123 1.2 1.9 6.8 15 56 796 3/8 450 Hi 338/310 12.3 19.7 130 106 1.0 3.2 3.8 10 40 627 3/8 600 Lo 310/295 30.4 43.8 101 115 1.7 2.6 7.0 19 61 848 3/8 600 Hi 338/310 13.1 21.5 108 106 1.0 2.0 3.6 7.4 35 609 5/8 300 Lo 310/295 33.2 47.9 102 106 2.2 3.8 13 32 61 11110 5/8 300 Hi 338/310 16.5 26.2 114 83.1 1.5 2.2 5.2 14 34 5711 5/8 450 Lo 310/295 32.8 47.9 107 126 1.9 2.3 8.1 13 76 8012 5/8 450 Hi 338/310 16.0 26.7 89.0 118 1.5 1.9 3.7 4.8 40 5313 5/8 600 Lo 310/295 38.5 31.6 107 131 1.2 1.9 7.6 13 68 8214 5/8 600 Hi 338/310 17.2 22.5 122 83.7 1.8 2.6 3.6 9.1 36 50__________________________________________________________________________ .sup.(1) ASTM D 2261-64T, values in table were calculated from values obtained by testing 3.2 oz/yd.sup.2 .sup.(2) ASTM D 1682-64, values in table were calculated from values obtained by testing 3.2 oz/yd.sup.2 fabric
It appears that the fabric produced in Run 5 had the best overall properties of dimensional stability and strength evidenced by percent elongation and tear strength respectively. However, all the runs produced a satisfactory product. | A nonwoven fabric is produced by forming a batt of fibers which are oriented primarily transverse relative to the direction of movement of the batt, stretching said batt longitudinally relative to the direction of movement of the batt, and needling the stretched batt. Also apparatus suitable for the production of the novel fabric is disclosed. | 3 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is a continuation-in-part of International Application No. PCT/SE02/00881, filed on May 8, 2002, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to a tubular screen intended for use in a screening device for the separation of fibrous suspensions, preferably pulp suspensions.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] A typical screening device for use in the separation of fibrous suspensions can comprise a pressurized screen housing with a chamber, in which the screening means is located. A rotary rotor is mounted on a rotor shaft inside of the screening means, and the rotor suitably comprises a pulse transducing element of some kind, such as wings or buckles.
[0004] The screening means divides the interior of the screen housing in a radial direction into an accept chamber located outside the screening means and a screen chamber located inside the screening means.
[0005] The screening device further comprises inlet means for the supply of a fibrous suspension to the screening device, at least one reject outlet means for reject from the screening device and at least one accept outlet means for accept from the screening device. The pulp suspension to be screened is introduced through the inlet means to the screen chamber, where the accepted fraction (the accept) flows through the screening means into the accept chamber.
[0006] During rotation of the rotor means the pulse transmitting elements create pulses, which assist in moving the accept through the screening means.
[0007] In screening devices of this kind problems arise with the thickening of the pulp at one end of the screening means; namely, the reject end. The pulp passing along the screening means is dewatered and thereby thickened as it passes along the screening means in a direction towards the reject outlet.
[0008] This thickening causes a deteriorated functioning of the screening means, owing, among other reasons, to an increase of the friction between the rotor and screening means. In the worst case the rotor can come to a complete standstill.
[0009] The thickening also causes wear. When abrasive components, for example sand, are included in the pulp suspension, the screening means and/or pulse transmitting means can be worn down very rapidly.
[0010] For solving these problems, one attempted solution has been to supply dilution water in order to dilute the pulp suspension in the area where the thickening reaches a troublesome magnitude.
[0011] It has also been attempted to develop different types of rotor wings intended to assist in decreasing the thickening process.
[0012] In screening means known in the art, the diameter of the screening means is generally about 1 to 1.5 times greater than its height.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] In accordance with the present invention, these and other objects have been realized by the invention of apparatus for use in screening devices for separating a fibrous suspension, the apparatus comprising a tubular screen having a predetermined diameter and an effective screening height, the predetermined diameter being at least 1.8 times greater than the effective screening height. In one embodiment, the predetermined diameter is at least 2 times greater than the effective screening height. In another embodiment, the predetermined diameter is from 2.5 to 5 times greater than the effective screening height. Preferably, the predetermined diameter is at least 3 times greater than the effective screening height, and more preferably, is at least 4 times greater than the effective screening height.
[0014] In accordance with one embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention, the tubular screen includes a surface and a predetermined height, and the tubular screen includes partial blinding means for covering a portion of the surface of the tubular screen whereby the predetermined height is greater than the effective screening height. Preferably, the partial blinding means comprises an integral solid portion of the tubular screen which does not include any screen apertures. In another embodiment, the partial blinding means is welded to the outside surface of the tubular screen. In yet another embodiment, the partial blinding means is welded to the inside surface of the tubular screen.
[0015] In accordance with the present invention, apparatus has also been devised for separating a fibrous suspension comprising a screen housing, a tubular screen disposed within the screen housing, a rotatable rotor disposed within the screen housing for rotation therein, the rotatable rotor including pulsing means for providing pulses of the fibrous suspension to the tubular screen, inlet means for providing the fibrous suspension to the rotatable rotor, and outlet means for an accept portion of the fibrous suspension passing through the tubular screen, the tubular screen having a predetermined diameter and an effective screening height, the predetermined diameter being at least 1.8 times greater than the effective screening height. Preferably, the predetermined diameter is at least 2 times greater than the effective screening height, preferably from 2.5 to 5 times greater than the effective screening height, more preferably at least 3 times greater than the effective screening height, and even more preferably at least 4 times greater than the effective screening height.
[0016] In accordance with one embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention, the tubular screen is stationarily mounted within the screen housing.
[0017] In accordance with another embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention, the tubular screen includes a surface and a predetermined height, the tubular screen including partial blinding means for covering a portion of the surface of the tubular screen whereby the predetermined height is greater than the effective screening height. Preferably, the partial blinding means comprises a solid, integral portion of the tubular screen which does not include any screen apertures. In another embodiment, the partial blinding means is welded to the outside surface of the tubular screen. In yet another embodiment, the partial blinding means is welded to the inside surface of the tubular screen.
[0018] In accordance with the present invention, a device has been developed in which the problem of thickening and wear is considerably reduced or entirely eliminated. It has thus been found by actual experimentation that the problems of thickening are substantially reduced when the dimensions of the screening member are changed so that the diameter of the screen member is made considerably greater than its height.
BRIED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] The present invention may be more fully appreciated with reference to the following detailed description, which, in turn, refers to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0020] [0020]FIG. 1 is a side, elevational, partially sectional view of a screening device including a screen member in accordance with the present invention;
[0021] [0021]FIG. 2 is a front, perspective view of a screening member in accordance with the present invention; and
[0022] [0022]FIG. 3 is a side, perspective view of another screening member in accordance with the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0023] The screening device shown in FIG. 1 comprises a pressurized screen housing 1 , in which a stationary screening means 4 is located. Inside of the screening means 4 a rotary rotor means 2 is mounted on a rotor shaft 3 . The rotor means 2 comprises wings 14 acting as pulse transmitting elements.
[0024] The screening means 4 divides the interior of the screen housing in the radial direction into an accept chamber 5 located outside the screen means 4 and a screen chamber 6 , located inside the screening means 4 .
[0025] The screening device further comprises inlet means 7 for the supply of a fibrous suspension to the screening device, at least one reject outlet means 8 for reject from the screening device, and at least one accept outlet means 9 for accept from the screening device.
[0026] The screening device also comprises a coarse reject outlet (a scrap trap) 10 for larger particles.
[0027] Through a dilution liquid inlet means 11 dilution liquid can be supplied to a dilution chamber 12 . The need thereof, however, is reduced or potentially entirely eliminated by the present invention.
[0028] The screening means can be any type of screening means, with screening apertures of a suitable size to allow passage of the desired portion of the pulp suspension therethrough.
[0029] The screening means, for example, can have slits with openings between about 0.1 mm and about 0.5 mm, or holes with hole diameters between about 0.1 and 12 mm.
[0030] The height A of the screening means 4 in FIG. 2 relates to the effective screening height; i.e. to that portion of the screening means 4 where there are screening apertures. Thus, this effective screening height comprises the total height of the screen means and “blinded” portions of the screen, i.e. portions of the screen without any such holes or apertures. In general, the screen can then be blinded so that the blinded area is, for example, from about 25 to 75% or from about 40 to 60%, of the overall screen height (or of the total potential effective screening area) . The screening means 4 suitably also comprises support rings 13 .
[0031] The diameter B relates to the inner diameter of the screening means, if the screening means 4 is intended for screening from the inside out, and its outer diameter, if the screening means 4 is intended for screening from the outside in.
[0032] The fibrous suspension to be separated is introduced through the inlet means 7 to the screen chamber 6 where the accepted fraction (the accept) flows through the screening means 4 into the accept chamber 5 . When the fibrous suspension flows along the screening means in the direction towards the reject outlet 8 , the concentration of fibers in the screen chamber becomes higher and higher the closer to the reject outlet the fibrous suspension flows. This is due to the fact that the liquid (water) in the fibrous suspension separates to a higher degree along this path, and at the beginning of the screening path flows through the screening means 4 into the accept chamber 5 . A certain thickening, thus, takes place.
[0033] In the embodiment shown, the diameter B is about 3 times greater than the height A. Due to the low height of the screening means 4 , a problem with a large degree of thickening in the screening means 4 does not arise. The fibrous suspension has no time to thicken to too great an extent along the relatively short path.
[0034] The problem with thickening will, in fact, already decrease when the diameter B of the screening means is 1.8 times greater than the height A. The diameter B, however, advantageously can be 2 or even 2.5 times greater than the height A, and still more suitably 3 times or 4 times greater than the height A.
[0035] The diameter B, however, shall not be more than 10 times greater than the height A, or preferably not more than 5 times greater than the height A, because the screening means 4 in this case becomes so low, that all of the fibers which should flow through the screening means 4 , do not have the time to do so. The screening device will then be given a low capacity.
[0036] It can thus be seen that the minimum flow limit for a particular screening basket is lowered in proportion to the degree to which the effective screening height is decreased. Conversely, the maximum flow limit is altered in the same manner. Thus, the overall interval in which a screening apparatus can work is altered in relationship to the extent to which the screening basket is blinded. For example, if a particular apparatus is designed for a flow of from 120 to 250 m 3 per hour, the flow in that same apparatus when the screen basket is 50% blinded will then range from 60 to 125 m 3 per hour. Similarly, when an apparatus is designed for a flow of from 200 to 800 m 3 per hour, when the screen basket is half blinded the flow can range from 100 to 400 m 3 per hour. Thus, the same apparatus can be used with an altered capacity from that for which it was originally designed in a very simple manner.
[0037] Typically, the diameter B of the screening means 4 is about 800 mm to about 1500 mm, and it has an effective screening height A of about 300 mm to about 600 mm. The diameter B, however, can also be from about 150 mm to about 3600 mm, and the height A can be from about 50 mm to about 2000 mm. The diameter B, for example, can be 800 mm, and the height A 300 mm; i.e., the diameter is about 2.7 times greater than the height A.
[0038] A screening means designed according to the present invention also has advantages from the point of view of strength as compared to screening means known in the art. The rods in a rod screening basket, for example, are no longer required to be so long, which from the point of view of strength, of course, is an advantage.
[0039] A screening means according to the present invention can also be obtained by modifying a screening means known in the art; i.e., by partially blinding the screening means so that a lower effective screening height is obtained. Thus, the relationship between the diameter of the screening means and the effective screening height increases; i.e., the effective screening height A is obtained in which a higher screening means is partially blinded. Also, when the screening means is partially blinded, the rotor required in the screening apparatus can now also be reduced in height. The use of a shorter rotor, in turn, permits one to reduce the overall energy consumption with such a device.
[0040] The screening means 4 is thereby partially blinded so that an effective screening height A is obtained which is less than the original height of the screening means 4 so that the diameter B becomes at least 1.8 times greater than the effective screening height A.
[0041] The diameter B, however, can advantageously be 2 or even 2.5 times greater than the height A, and still more suitably 3 times or 4 times greater than the height A. The diameter B, however, shall not be more than 10 times greater than the height A, or preferably not more than 5 times greater than the height A
[0042] By partially blinding an existing screening means in a screening device, it is possible, without rebuilding the screening device or investing in a new screening device, to obtain a screening device which works much better. For example, referring specifically to FIG. 3 herein, the screening means 4 is a conventional screen which includes a screening area with an effectual screening height A. This screening area can also include support rings 13 , as shown in FIG. 2. However, in this case the upper portion of the screening means 4 is blinded, in this case by having a solid portion devoid of any holes or slots effectively covering portions of the total potential effective screening area thereof. This portion does not, of course, necessarily need to comprise the upper portion of the screening means, but can comprise the lower portion, the central portion, or any combination thereof. A screening means in accordance with the present invention can thus be made by manufacturing the screening member as shown in FIG. 3 so that a portion of the overall screening surface is manufactured as a solid portion, without screening holes or slots of any kind. As an alternative, however, a conventional screening basket can be converted into the screening means in accordance with the present invention in a rather simple manner. The screening means shown in FIG. 3 can then include a plate welded to the outer surface thereof. This device would be used, for example, in situations where the fibrous solution is fed from the outside of the screen basket to the inside thereof. On the other hand, however, the plate can be welded to the inner surface of the screening means 4 , preferably in those situations where the fibrous solution is being fed from the inside of the screening means 4 to the outside thereof. In an alternative, the blinded portion, whether integral or welded to the surface of the screening means, is located in the middle portion thereof. This embodiment can thus be used where the fiber suspension is fed to the middle portion of the screening means. One portion of the fiber suspension is then fed upwardly and another is fed downwardly for screening through the upper and lower screening portions thereof.
[0043] It is also noted that in the type of screening device shown in FIG. 1, it is preferable to blind the upper portion of the vertically disposed screening basket as shown in the device of FIG. 3. That is, in this case, since the fibrous solution is fed from the top or inlet end of the screening means 4 as well as from the inside out through the screening means 4 , if the lower portion of the screening means or screening basket is blinded, there will then be a zone or chamber between the blinded portion of the screening basket and the rotor in which unscreened suspension can become lodged or stuck. One solution to this problem would be to close off this area to prevent any suspension from reaching it in the first instance. However, the preferable solution is to blind the upper portion of the screen basket as discussed above. The zone between the blinded portion of the screen basket and the rotor itself will then serve as a transport channel. In addition, another embodiment of the screening device of the present invention can be envisioned in which, instead of the embodiment as shown in FIG. 1, the screening basket is horizontally disposed as opposed to vertically disposed. In that embodiment, it would not be the “upper” portion of the screening basket which would preferably be blinded, but the inlet end thereof.
[0044] It should also be noted that by having available a number of different screening baskets for a single screening device, each of the baskets having a different effective screening height but the same overall height, such as by including different amounts of blinding on each basket, etc., the same screening device can then be used for different flows through the screening apparatus by merely substituting a different screening basket, with comparably good results.
[0045] A screening device can comprise more than one screening step.
[0046] The screening device can also be designed so that the screening means is intended to be rotary.
[0047] The screening device and the screening means can also be designed so that the fibrous suspension is intended to flow from the outside in through the screening means.
[0048] The accept outlet means, reject outlet means and inlet means can also be located in places other than those indicated in the embodiment shown herein. The number of accept outlet means and reject outlet means and their location is determined by the design of the screening device and by the number of screening steps it contains.
[0049] Although the invention herein has been described with reference to particular embodiments, it is to be understood that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and applications of the present invention. It is therefore to be understood that numerous modifications may be made to the illustrative embodiments and that other arrangements may be devised without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. | A screening basket is disclosed which is intended to be located in a screening device for separating a fibrous suspension. The screening basket is tubular with a diameter and an effective screening height. In order to reduce problems with thickening and wear, the diameter is at least 1.8 times greater than the effective screening height. | 3 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The field of this invention is tubular expansion downhole and more particularly two stage expansion to create a recess so one string can be expanded into another to create a monobore and even more particularly doing it in one trip in a downhole direction.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Monobore completions result in a common diameter of the well from the surface using expansion techniques. Usually a string has a recess at its lower end representing a zone of enlarged diameter at its lower end. When that string is secured in position another string is run through it and the top end of the second string is placed in alignment with the recess at the lower end of the first string. An expansion device is then applied to the second string to make its inside diameter approximately the same as the inside diameter of the upper string. The two strings are secured to each other in the recess of the upper string. Because of the recess, the expansion of the lower string results in no internal dimension reduction in the overall assembled strings.
One way to do this is to mount a recess on the lower end of the upper string and expand the upper string to the recess and then put the lower string into position adjacent the recess of the upper string and expand the lower string. Another way is to form the recess downhole. One such technique is described in the July 2005 edition of World Oil article by Fischer and Snyder a technique of forming a bell at the bottom and then continuing liner expansion to the surface was described. This bottom up technique puts the tubular being expanded into compression and risks buckling during the expansion. What is needed and not provided by this technique is a way to expand from top to bottom with the string in tension and a simple technique of transitioning between swages after the tubular is expanded so that the recess can then be produced. This is more technically challenging to do than a bottom up expansion because in a top down expansion there has to be a swage transition to a bigger size within an expanded tubular to form the even larger recess. A technique of disabling the larger swage until the recess needs forming is also incorporated into the invention. Features are also provided for emergency release in case the expansion assembly cannot fully advance and needs to be pulled out of the hole to the surface. These and other advantages of the present invention will be more apparent to those skilled in the art from a review of the description of the preferred embodiment and the associated drawings while recognizing that the claims define the full scope of the invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A one trip top to bottom expansion to form a lower end recess on a tubular is described using two swages of different dimensions. The smaller swage is run down hole with the larger swage behind it in a locked collapsed position. When the proper depth is reached the leading swage hits an integral or releasable no go shoulder. A pickup force with dogs engaged in a groove releases the lock on the larger swage at which point applied pressure sets an anchor, extends the larger swage to take over the expansion for the recess at the lower end of the tubular. An emergency release is provided to pull out of the hole if the swage cannot complete the task.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a section view showing the leading in the no-go position;
FIG. 2 is the view of FIG. 1 showing the dogs stopped against a shoulder recess;
FIG. 3 is the view of FIG. 2 with the shear screws sheared to allow relative movement between mandrels;
FIG. 4 is the view of FIG. 3 with the leading swage bottomed on the no go and the trailing swage released to get bigger on application of pressure in the string;
FIG. 5 is the view of FIG. 4 with the trailing swage actuated to form the recess;
FIG. 6 is the view of FIG. 5 in the emergency release position where the trailing swage is collapsed;
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the lock for the trailing swage in the run in position as expansion takes place with the leading swage;
FIG. 8 is the view of FIG. 7 with the lock released so that the trailing swage can go to its full dimension on pressure application which strokes it further downhole;
FIG. 9 is a sectional detailed view of a releasable no go locked in position and before it is engaged by the swage assembly;
FIG. 10 is the view of FIG. 9 with the releasable no go engaged by the swage assembly;
FIG. 11 is the view of FIG. 10 with the releasable no go engaged from below and just before its release;
FIG. 12 is the view of FIG. 11 with the releasable no go fully released;
FIG. 13 is a perspective view of some of the components of the releasable no go showing the c-ring positions when the no go is locked in; and
FIG. 14 is the view of FIG. 13 showing the c-rings collapsed for release of the releasable no go.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1 illustrates the component positions for the initial top down expansion of a tubular 10 . The tubular 10 preferably has a recess 12 below a restrictor 14 . The purpose of restrictor 14 is to give an early signal at the surface that the leading fixed cone 16 is approaching the restrictor 14 . FIG. 1 shows a mandrel 18 that supports a series of dogs 20 that are movable against the bias of spring 22 . When the dogs 20 on the way downhole engage the restrictor 14 , the mandrel keeps moving to compress spring 22 and present groove 24 opposite dogs 20 to allow them to radially retract and clear the restrictor 14 , at which time spring 22 pushes dogs 20 out of groove 24 so that they again radially extend outwardly and far enough to be captured in recess 12 , as shown in FIG. 2 , when the assembly A is picked up again.
The components of the assembly A will now be described. Referring to FIG. 2 , the leading cone 16 is preferably fixed. A variable diameter swage 26 has alternating segments only one 28 is seen in the section view because the segments are all in alignment. Segments 28 each have a lower retainer 30 that is engaged to the fixed cone 16 . The other nested segments that can't be seen in the section view each have upper retainers 32 that are collectively pushed down by ring 34 when an anchor and associated stroker (both not shown) advance the mandrel 18 downhole. This occurs by getting the anchor to grip as pressure extends the stroke to advance a swage assembly. As retainers 30 and 32 are brought together by a downhole force, the segments fall into alignment on variable diameter swage 26 and make a continuous expansion circumferential surface 36 to expand the tubular 10 .
Uphole of leading variable diameter swage 26 is a larger swage 38 of a similar design and shown in its extended or smaller diameter dimension. In the position shown in FIG. 2 , alternating segments 40 and 42 are shown with their peaks 44 and 46 offset. Segments 40 have retainers 48 secured to ring 50 . Segments 42 have retainers 52 secured to ring 34 . Segments 40 can be aligned with segments 42 unless that movement is locked, as will be explained below. For initial expansion of the tubular 10 , the fixed cone enters first and the force from the stroker supported by an anchor (both not shown) is enough to make the leading swage 26 get its segments 28 and their alternating segments that are not shown into alignment so that the maximum dimension of swage 26 represents the degree of the initial expansion of tubular 10 .
During this initial expansion of tubular 10 the segments 40 and 42 are locked in the FIG. 2 position. C-ring 58 is a circlip. During the initial expansion ring 34 is prevented from moving because the body lock ring 58 transfers the load from sleeve 56 (attached to 34 ) directly to sleeve 52 thus by-passing the larger swage.
Sleeve 56 carries c-ring 58 that is held radially spread out until it is moved into alignment with groove 60 on mandrel 18 at which point it locks the relative movement that created that alignment, as will later be discussed. A lock ring 62 in the FIG. 2 component position, locks sleeve 56 to sleeve 52 as the swage 26 is advanced to expand the tubular 10 initially. Mandrel 18 has a lost motion design that is better illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 . Lock ring 62 initially holds sleeve 56 to sleeve 52 . While FIGS. 7 and 8 are schematic, those skilled in the art will appreciate that dogs 20 shown in FIG. 2 can be designed to extend through windows 68 to engage shoulder 70 shown in FIG. 2 . This engagement keeps component 66 from moving uphole while component 64 is pulled up. Component 64 , which is the same part as sleeve 52 moves with sleeve 56 shown in FIG. 2 while component 66 is part of the mandrel 18 that is held by shoulder 70 . Component 64 has wickers 72 which engage lock ring 62 on its underside leaving a relatively small gap 74 in lock ring 62 . Wickers 72 are segmented and are disposed on fingers 76 , three of which are shown in FIG. 7 . Fingers 76 extend from segment 64 and move with it. Fingers 78 alternate with fingers 76 and extend from segment 66 which doesn't move due to dogs 20 engaged to surface 70 as shown in FIG. 2 . Fingers 78 have a recess 80 which is initial alignment with wickers 72 . Adjacent to recess 80 is a high section 82 that upon relative movement between segments 64 and 66 rides under ring 62 to lift it off wickers 72 as shown in FIG. 8 . Once this position is attained, reversing the movement is possible without impediment from ring 62 to allow the segments 40 and 42 to go into alignment so that continuing expansion of tubular 10 can add the recess 84 (see FIG. 5 ) to the already expanded tubular 10 .
The operational sequence can now be better understood with a sequential look at the FIGS. 1-5 . In FIG. 1 the dogs 20 have jumped past restrictor 14 to give a signal at the surface that the dogs are in recess 12 and that very soon the fixed cone 16 will bottom out on restrictor 14 . At that point further expansion with swage 26 is halted and the assembly is picked up to the FIG. 2 position with dogs 20 up against shoulder 70 . At that point an upward pull from the surface moves sleeve 56 uphole relative to the portion of mandrel 18 held by the dogs 20 . The result is that shear pin 54 breaks and c-ring 58 lines up with groove 60 and snaps into it preventing further relative movement that just occurred in either direction. This position is shown in FIG. 3 which also shows spring 22 has extended. That same relative movement no locked in by c-ring 58 has also resulted in bringing high sections 82 under lock ring 62 , as shown in FIG. 8 so that lock ring 62 no longer engages wickers 72 below it. This is also shown in FIG. 3 . FIG. 4 shows weight set down again until cone 16 lands on restrictor 14 . Form this point when the anchor and stroker (both not shown) are activated relative movement is now possible between rings 50 and 34 so as to put segments 40 and 42 into alignment to expand tubular 10 to a larger dimension than with swage 26 as shown in FIG. 5 . Because the high sections 82 separate lock ring 62 from wickers 72 , swage 38 can now be activated to a larger dimension whereupon further expansion with swage 38 can make the recess 84 . After coming out the bottom of the tubular 20 the pressure that set the anchor and operated the stroker is removed and a pickup force allows swage 38 and 26 to extend and radially collapse so that the assembly A can be withdrawn.
If an emergency release is needed when dogs 20 are still in a position to hang in recess 12 a pickup force is applied to shear shear ring 86 which in turn allows spring 22 to push down dogs 20 into groove 88 and once there they can clear the restrictor 14 to allow the assembly A to be pulled out of the hole.
While FIGS. 1-8 showed a fixed restrictor 14 a removable design is illustrated in FIGS. 9-14 . Restrictor 14 ′ has a groove 100 in which sits a locator split ring 102 shown having a pair of circumferential projections that can spring into a matching pattern of depressions 104 in tubular 10 ′. Ring 102 locates restrictor 14 ′ while the location is locked with split lock ring 106 having wickers 107 that engage wickers 108 on tubular 10 ′ when humps 110 engage humps 112 . FIG. 9 shows dogs 20 ′ approaching stop surface 114 . FIG. 10 shows dogs 20 ′ having jumped past surface 114 and taper 116 landed on that surface. Taper 116 in this embodiment is slightly in advance of the fixed cone 16 shown in FIGS. 1-8 . FIG. 11 shows tapered surface 120 of dogs 20 ′ engaging tapered surface 118 at the lower end of the removable restrictor 14 ′. Any further uphole movement of dogs 20 ′ from the FIG. 11 position will result in the FIG. 12 position where humps 110 and 112 get into misalignment as shown in FIG. 12 rather than the alignment shown in FIG. 11 . In essence hump 110 falls into groove 122 and the restrictor 14 ′ is captured on shoulder 120 for removal from the tubular 10 ′ as shown in FIG. 12 . FIGS. 13 and 14 show the relative movement within restrictor 14 ′ that locks it to tubular 10 ′ in FIG. 13 and releases it in FIG. 14 as well as the c-ring preferred shape of rings 104 and 106 .
The above description is illustrative of the preferred embodiment and many modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention whose scope is to be determined from the literal and equivalent scope of the claims below. | A one trip top to bottom expansion to form a lower end recess on a tubular is described using two swages of different dimensions. The smaller swage is run down hole with the larger swage behind it in a locked collapsed position. When the proper depth is reached the leading swage hits a no go. A pickup force with dogs engaged in a groove releases the lock on the larger swage at which point applied pressure sets an anchor, extends the larger swage to take over the expansion for the recess at the lower end of the tubular. An emergency release is provided to pull out of the hole if the swage cannot complete the task. | 4 |
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This is a division of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/749,182, entitled “DEVICE AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING A MATERIAL WEB”, filed on Jan. 24, 2013, which is incorporated herein by reference. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/749,182 is a division of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/163,266, entitled “DEVICE AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING A MATERIAL WEB”, filed on Jun. 17, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,382,956, which is incorporated herein by reference. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/163,266 is a continuation of PCT Application No. PCT/EP2009/065366, entitled “DEVICE AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING A MATERIAL WEB”, filed Nov. 18, 2009, which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a device for dewatering a fibrous web, especially a tissue web. The present invention further relates to a method for dewatering a fibrous web and a machine to produce a fibrous web.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Such devices for dewatering a fibrous web are known for the production of voluminous tissue products of high quality. This quality level is also referred to as “premium tissue”. In qualities of this type, a voluminous sheet structure with good absorptive capacity and high water retention capacity is especially important. In producing premium tissue, quality is at the foreground. The production methods are very expensive and energy intensive. The costs of these tissue products are therefore very high.
[0006] Document WO2005/075736 A2 describes a machine and a method for the production of premium tissue. After the forming section the fibrous web is dewatered in a dewatering device with a belt press. For this purpose the fibrous web is arranged between a structured fabric and a belt, for example a felt, and is directed over a suction roll. The suction roll is operated with a high vacuum in order to gently dewater the web by means of the hot air flowing through it, whereby dewatering is supported by the belt press. For additional careful dry content increase, an air press or boost dryer is optionally arranged downstream. These devices are very expensive.
[0007] An additional possibility of producing premium tissue is offered by the known “through air drying” method (TAD). In this method, large volume flows of hot air or superheated steam are pressed through the fibrous web which is arranged on a structured fabric and directed over a large through-flow cylinder. An expensive air- or steam system is necessary. In the forming section a multitude of vacuum pumps with high energy requirement are additionally required.
[0008] In addition to the premium tissue, there is tissue of standard quality. This quality is produced on so-called Crescent tissue machines. These proven tissue machines are of very simple construction, use little energy and are designed for production. However, the quality of the produced fibrous web is clearly below that of premium tissue. This is true respectively also for the prices.
[0009] Both qualities are established in regional world markets. With the changes which have occurred over the last few years with regard to raw material and the increased cost of energy, the requirements of the market in regard to quality and prices of tissue papers have also changed. The markets increasingly demand new tissue qualities which, on the one hand are lower than the premium quality, however are clearly higher than the standard quality. The market technology, at the same time should require substantially less energy at lower consumption of high-grade raw materials for the production of the tissue papers.
[0010] What is needed on the art is a solution for cost-effective production of tissue papers of intermediate quality. In addition, the tissue machine for the production of tissue papers of intermediate quality is to be sufficiently flexible so that it is possible through rapid modification of the machine to produce premium qualities as well as standard and intermediate qualities.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] The present invention provides a device for dewatering of a fibrous web, especially a tissue web, having a first press zone with a press zone length L 1 , through which the fibrous web, which is arranged lying between a revolving permeable belt and a revolving permeable support belt, is directed. The first press zone is arranged so that a fluid can flow through the permeable belt, the fibrous web and the support belt, at least over a section of the press zone length L 1 . The device further includes a second press zone having a press zone length L 2 following the first press zone. The fibrous web is carried through the second press zone between two belts having different compressibilities.
[0012] The device of the present invention provides the advantage that dewatering of the fibrous web in the second press nip is implemented gently and efficiently. Due to the different compressibility of the belts, it is ensured that in the second press nip, the fibrous web adapts to the surface structure of the belt with the lower compressibility while being pressed against it in the press nip by the belt with the higher compressibility. Because of this different compressibility or softness with the simultaneously present elastic behavior of the belt with higher compressibility, an intimate contact, uniform across the area is created between the fibrous web and the belts. This is ensured, for example, if a belt with a structured surface having pockets or indentations is utilized. This uniform contact favors dewatering, thereby achieving a higher dry content in the tissue web. The energy consumption of the entire production process can thereby be substantially reduced. A three-dimensional structure of the fibrous web and its surface is produced, or respectively maintained, with the device of the present invention while at the same time achieving a high dry content. This makes it possible to reduce the volume flow of the fluid flowing through the fibrous web in the first press nip and thereby reduce the energy consumption by approximately 25% compared to the premium quality.
[0013] Even though the quality compared to the premium quality is lower, it is still substantially better than the standard quality. Tests have shown that the thickness of the fibrous web is somewhat less than the premium quality, but is however still approximately 50% higher than standard tissue.
[0014] In a first embodiment of the device of the present invention, the belt with the higher compressibility which is directed through the second press zone is a felt. A suitable felt is, for example, a felt which is consistent with the so-called Vector technology of the applicant. A felt in accordance with this technology includes a woven base fabric onto which a nonwoven layer consisting of felt fibers—a so-called Vector layer—is applied onto the side facing the fibrous web. The fibers of this layer are aligned three-dimensionally and have a count of greater than 30 decitex (dtex), for example greater than 67 dtex, or greater than 100 dtex. Or even greater than 140 dtex. This has the advantage that the felt is very open and therefore easily dewatered. The air permeability is less than 80 cubic feet per minute (cfm), for example less than 40 cfm, or less than 25 cfm.
[0015] Moreover, the three-dimensional arrangement of the coarse fibers in the Vector layer provide the felt with good resilience when running through the press nip. The felt is hereby compressed and springs back after the press nip, almost to its original thickness. The Vector layer may have a base weight in a range of 100 grams per meter square (g/m 2 ) to 500 g/m 2 . The Vector layer may be covered by at least one structure of laid fibers consisting of finer fibers which comes into contact with the fibrous web. These finer fibers have a count of less than 30 dtex, less than 12 dtex, or less than 4 dtex.
[0016] In a second embodiment of the present invention an additional layer is provided between the at least one structure of laid fibers and the Vector layer whose fibers possess a count which is between the count of the fibers in the Vector layer and those in the laid fibrous structure which is in contact with the fibrous web. The count of the fibers in the additional layer is, for example, between 8 and 15 dtex, or 10 dtex.
[0017] In a third embodiment of the present invention, the belt with the lower compressibility which is directed through the second press zone is a belt having a structured surface and/or is a TAD-fabric. The belt with lower compressibility can include a woven structure and/or a nonwoven structure, for example a structured membrane.
[0018] The permeable belt of the first press nip may have a structured surface and/or be in the embodiment of a TAD-fabric. The permeable belt can include a woven structure and/or a non-woven structure, for example a structure membrane.
[0019] A structured belt in accordance with the present invention is configured so that the fibrous web itself receives a surface structure through the structure of the structured surface of the belt, thereby improving the quality of the tissue web.
[0020] According to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, the permeable belt of the first press nip provides the belt with the lower compressibility of the second press zone and is directed through same. This brings the advantage that the fibrous web can remain on the structured surface of the permeable belt and does not have to be transferred. This provides a high specific volume and the structure in the fibrous web.
[0021] The device for dewatering a fibrous web may be part of a tissue machine, whereby the permeable belt runs through the forming section of the tissue machine and the fibrous web is created and formed on this belt. The fibrous web remains advantageously on the permeable belt until the transfer to a drying cylinder to complete drying of the fibrous web. The transfer of the fibrous web occurs in a press zone which is formed by a press roll and a Yankee drying cylinder. For premium tissue the press roll is a smooth press roll without suction, and for an intermediate tissue quality it is a suction equipped suction press roll.
[0022] The device of the present invention can also be used in a twin wire former. In this type of former the fibrous web is transferred to a carrier belt after the forming section. The fibrous web is expediently transferred to the permeable belt.
[0023] The belt with the lower compressibility may have a coarser surface and/or a higher air permeability than the belt having the higher compressibility or greater softness.
[0024] In an additional embodiment of the present invention, the belt with the lower compressibility is a fine fabric with a thread density of the warp threads greater than 14.1 threads (Fd) per centimeter (cm) (36 threads/inch), equal or greater than 17.3 threads (Fd) per cm (44 threads/inch), or greater than 22 threads (Fd) per cm (56 threads/inch). This permits uniform close contact of the fibrous web with the fabric and the felt, thereby achieving a high dry content after the press.
[0025] The belt with the lower compressibility may have a finer fabric and the weft threads have a diameter of less than or equal to 0.45 millimeter (mm), less than or equal to 0.41 mm or less than or equal to 0.35 mm and the warp threads have a diameter of less than or equal to 0.40 mm, less than or equal to 0.35 mm, or less than or equal to 0.30 mm. The fabric thickness is in the range of 0.5 to 1 mm.
[0026] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the belt with the lower compressibility is a fine fabric having an air permeability greater than 14.16 cubic meters per minute (m 3 /min) (500 cfm), greater than 15.58 m 3 /min (550 cfm), or equal or greater than 17 m 3 /min (600 cfm). This may be advantageous if the fine fabric runs through the first and the second press nip.
[0027] The belt with the lower compressibility may be a fine fabric, whereby at least the side contacting the paper has a contact area of equal or greater than 20%, equal or greater than 25%, or greater than 27%. This may be advantageous if the fibrous web is transferred directly from the fabric to the Yankee drying cylinder. At the areas of these contact points the fibrous web is pressed onto the surface of the drying cylinder. The stability of these press zones is hereby increased and thereby also the stability of the fibrous web. This allows use of cost-effective raw materials at constant stabilities. This contact area can be obtained by sanding or crimping of the fabric. With tissue webs of intermediate quality the contact area may be in a range of 20 to 32%.
[0028] In an additional embodiment of the present invention, the belt with the lower compressibility is a fine fabric with a structured surface. This has raised and indented zones, whereby the indented zones form pockets. The raised and indented zones are arranged uniformly on the fabric surface. Ornament structures can be superimposed.
[0029] The belt with the lower compressibility may be a fine fabric, whereby the surface portion of the raised zones of the paper-contact side is equal or greater than 20%, equal or greater than 25%, or equal or greater than 27%.
[0030] According to an additional embodiment of the present invention, the belt with the lower compressibility is a fine fabric with a structured surface of fewer than 77.4 pockets per centimeter square (cm 2 ) (500 pockets per inch 2 ), less than 38.7 pockets per cm 2 (250 pockets per inch 2 ), with equal or fewer than 31 pockets per cm 2 (200 pockets per inch 2 ), fewer than 28 pockets per cm 2 (180 pockets per inch 2 ), or less than 23 pockets per cm 2 (150 pockets per inch 2 ).
[0031] Depending upon the requirement, a belt with lower compressibility in the form of a fine fabric having a structured surface of more than 23 pockets per cm 2 (150 pockets per inch 2 ) or more than 69.7 pockets per cm 2 (450 pockets per inch 2 ) can be used. Applications are also possible in which very finely structured fabrics, having up to 154.8 pockets per cm 2 (1000 pockets per inch 2 ), are used.
[0032] For the production of toilet paper for example a fine fabric is used as belt, having a structured surface including up to 69.7 pockets per cm 2 (450 pockets per inch), or 55.7 pockets per cm 2 (360 pockets per inch). Depending upon the quality requirements the lower value of the number of pockets can be between 46.4 pockets per cm 2 (300 pockets per inch 2 ) and 3.87 pockets per cm 2 (25 pockets per inch).
[0033] In the production of fibrous webs for kitchen rolls a fine fabric with a structured surface is appropriately used as the belt with the lower compressibility, which has fewer than 40.3 pockets per cm 2 (260 pockets per inch 2 ) and more than 3.87 pockets per cm 2 (25 pockets per inch). For a greater water absorption capacity the number of pockets may be between 31 pockets per cm 2 (200 pockets per inch 2 ) and 23.2 pockets per cm 2 (150 pockets per inch).
[0034] In an additional embodiment of the present invention, the belt with the higher compressibility has a dynamic modulus for compressibility “G” of equal or higher than 0.5 Newton per square millimeter (N/mm 2 ), higher than 2 N/mm 2 , or higher than 4 N/mm 2 . In a practical case, the dynamic modulus for compressibility can be equal or higher than 0.05 kN/mm 2 , higher than 1 kN/mm 2 , or higher than 4 kN/mm 2 . This dynamic modulus for compressibility “G” is a measure for the resilience or recovery properties of the belt.
[0035] The dynamic modulus for compressibility is consistent with the quotient from the pressure tension (N/mm 2 ) and the relative change in thickness (-) of the felt during compression. These values can be determined with the assistance of a measuring device. The measuring device, for example, has two plungers which are pressed against each other, each having a respective area A. The belt, or respectively felt sample is compressed between the plungers with a constant force F. The occurring change in thickness (delta D) is hereby measured by means of a position measuring system of a plunger. The dynamic modulus for compressibility is calculated from G=F/A/(delta D). With this measuring method the dynamic modulus for compressibility can be determined for the belt with the high, as well as for the belt with the low compressibility.
[0036] The belt may be new or run in when measurements are taken.
[0037] Moreover, the belt with the higher compressibility may have a dynamic stiffness K* of less than 100000 Newton per millimeter (N/mm), less than 90000 N/mm or equal or less than 70000 N/mm. The dynamic stiffness K* (N/mm) is a measurement for the compressibility, whereby the compressibility provides the change in thickness of a belt in mm per force (N). The dynamic stiffness (K*) is calculated from the reciprocal value of the compressibility. The compressibility is hereby the quotient from the change in thickness (delta D) and the force, measured with the aforementioned measuring device.
[0038] In an embodiment of the present invention, the permeable support belt of the first press zone provides the belt having the higher compressibility of the second press zone and is directed through same. This embodiment provides stable web travel, good runability and a cost-effective solution.
[0039] In a further embodiment the permeable support belt does not have a structured surface and/or is in the embodiment of a felt.
[0040] In an additional embodiment of the present invention, the fluid which flows through the belt, the fibrous suspension, and at least in sections of the press zone length L 1 through the support belt is in the form of air and/or hot air and/or steam.
[0041] In accordance with another embodiment, press zone length L 1 is larger than press zone length L 2 . Press zone length L 1 may be more than ten times as long as press zone length L 2 , for example twenty times as long as press zone length L 2 , or thirty as long as press zone length L 2 . In one embodiment, the first press zone has, for example, a press zone length L 1 of 1200 mm.
[0042] In the first press nip gentle dewatering occurs at a low pressing power. A higher pressing power is applied in contrast in the second press nip. In addition to the technological advantages, this combination has the effect that the belt with the higher compressibility is cleaned by the higher, momentary press impulse. This is especially advantageous for a felt.
[0043] According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the first press zone is provided by a permeable press element and a permeable opposite element. The permeable press element may be in the embodiment of a press belt and/or a press shoe. The press belt consists of a belt having a tensile strength, for example a woven fabric, a spiral screen, a metal screen, a perforated metal belt or a belt consisting of a composite material. In order to produce the press pressure the press belt is tensioned with 40 kiloNewton per meter (kN/m) to 60 kN/m and is directed over the suction roll or the curved surface.
[0044] To provide the fluid a pressure hood is allocated to the press element in one embodiment of the present invention. The fluid can have overpressure or can be provided with ambient pressure. According to an additional embodiment the opposite element consists of a roll or a chest with curved or flat contact surface.
[0045] The opposite element in the first press zone may be suction equipped. For producing tissue webs of intermediate quality the vacuum applied to the opposite element is 0.4 to 0.3 bar and is thereby lower than for the production of premium tissue where the applied vacuum is in the range of 0.6 to 0.5 bar. This reduces the operating costs substantially. Here, the fluid in the pressure hood may be provided with no, or very little, overpressure. This avoids leakages.
[0046] In an additional embodiment of the present invention, the second press zone consists of a press element and an opposite element. The opposite element of the second press zone is, for example, in the embodiment of a smooth and/or hard roll. The surface of this roll is provided by a roll cover, whereby the thickness of the cover is approximately 15 mm. The surface has a hardness of 0 to 5 Pusey & Jones (P&J), or 0 to 1 P&J. In an additional embodiment the surface has grooves which are arranged progressing spirally or parallel in a circumferential direction.
[0047] An additional embodiment provides that the press element of the second press zone is a shoe roll, including a press shell and a press shoe.
[0048] In an additional embodiment of the present invention, the press element of the second press zone is a soft roll. The surface of the roll can have a hardness of 30 to 33 P&J. This roll also consists of a roll core with a roll cover. The thickness of the roll cover is in the range of 18 to 25 mm or 19 to 21 mm. The roll cover is selected so that—due to water absorption—the hardness becomes softer during operation of the roll by 4 to 5 P&J points.
[0049] In order to ensure good dewatering the press element has a blind bored and grooved surface. The grooves can be arranged progressing spirally or parallel in the circumferential direction.
[0050] In one embodiment of the present invention, a bored suction roll can be the press element of the second press zone.
[0051] The line force of the second press zone may be in a range of 20 kN/m to 90 kN/m.
[0052] The second press zone has a nip length in the range of 20 mm to 250 mm, or a length equal or greater than 40 mm.
[0053] In one configuration of the present invention, the opposite element of the second press zone is allocated to the belt having the lower compressibility. In an additional configuration, the press element of the second press zone is allocated to the belt having the higher compressibility. In an additional possible embodiment the opposite element of the second press zone is allocated to the opposite element of the first press zone to form the second press zone. This represents an especially cost effective solution, since the opposite element of the first press zone simultaneously serves as press element of the second press zone. One press element can therefore be eliminated. For this scenario the opposite press element of the first press zone serving as the press element of the second press zone can be equipped with suction, at least in the area of the second press zone.
[0054] The present invention further provides a method to dewater a fibrous web, especially a tissue web, whereby the fibrous web is directed through a first press zone with a press zone length L 1 , arranged lying between a revolving permeable belt and a revolving permeable support belt, whereby a fluid flows through the belt, the fibrous web and the support belt, at least over a section of the press zone length L 1 and is subsequently dewatered in a second press zone having a press zone length L 2 . The fibrous web is led through the second press zone between two belts which have different compressibilities.
[0055] According to the present invention, the fluid may first flow through the belt, then through the fibrous web and then through the support belt. In a first embodiment of the method the water in the fibrous web is drained in the first press zone through mechanical pressing power and/or displacement dewatering and/or through thermal drying. In accordance with a second embodiment of the method of the present invention, the fibrous web is dewatered in the second press zone by means of a mechanical pressing power and through the supporting effect of the belt with the higher compressibility. Due to the intimate contact of the fibrous web with the belt with the higher compressibility, capillary effects can be utilized for a better dewatering result.
[0056] The present invention further provides a machine for the production of a fibrous web especially a tissue web, including a device with a first press zone with a press zone length L 1 through which the fibrous web, which is arranged between a revolving permeable belt and a revolving permeable support belt, is directed. The first press zone is designed so that a fluid can flow through the belt, the fibrous web and the support belt, at least over a section of the press zone length L 1 . In addition, the device includes a second press zone having a press zone length L 2 following the first press zone, as well as a third press zone consisting of a press element and a drying cylinder, for example a Yankee cylinder, through which the fibrous web is directed together with the clothing, whereby the machine includes additional devices which make it possible to realize various machinery concepts consisting of a selection and/or combination of the three press zones.
[0057] According to an additional embodiment of the present invention, the additional devices consist of a selection of at least one of the elements—guide rolls, adjustment rollers with web guides, tension rollers with tensioning devices, belt cleaning devices, and cantilever devices. The tissue machine is therefore equipped more comprehensively than would be required for the individual types and qualities. The machine frame for example, includes mounts for the additional devices, for example for the rolls, which are required only for the production of standard qualities, but not for the production of premium qualities.
[0058] The frame can also be cantilevered, which means, the frame includes a cantilever support extending transversely to the machine which, during a replacement of the clothing carries and supports the drive-side frame so that a new, seamless clothing can be installed in a short time period. This solution is advantageous especially when using a fabric with a structured surface as provided by the invention, since these fabrics are seamless because of detrimental markings. Without cantilevering, fabric replacement would be very time consuming. These additional devices therefore allow rapid modification of the machine according to the requirements for the production of tissue papers of standard quality ( FIG. 4 ), intermediate quality ( FIG. 1 ) and premium quality ( FIG. 3 ) possible. A machine equipped in this manner allows the producer of tissue paper to quickly react to market changes. Products with acceptable price-quality ratios can therefore be produced.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0059] The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0060] FIG. 1 illustrates a first embodiment of a tissue machine with device according to the present invention;
[0061] FIG. 2 is an enlarged illustration of a section of detail A of FIG. 1 ;
[0062] FIG. 3 illustrates a second embodiment of a tissue machine according to the present invention for the production of tissue paper of premium quality;
[0063] FIG. 4 illustrates a third embodiment of a tissue machine according to the present invention for the production of tissue paper of standard quality; and
[0064] FIG. 5 is an illustration of a section of a structured fabric according to the present invention.
[0065] Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplifications set out herein illustrate embodiments of the invention and such exemplifications are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0066] Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1 , there is shown a tissue machine for the production of tissue paper of intermediate quality and of premium quality. Machine 1 includes forming section 2 , inventive device 3 and drying section 4 . Tissue web 10 is formed in forming section 2 . For this purpose, a fibrous stock suspension is sprayed by headbox 5 into a gap which is formed by permeable belt 8 and outer forming wire 7 . Both clothings 7 , 8 are directed over forming roll 6 whereby the fibrous suspension is dewatered and tissue web 10 is formed. Forming roll 6 is a full jacket roll. Dewatering of fibrous web 10 occurs only through the outer wire. Permeable belt 8 is in the embodiment of a fabric with a structured surface. This has raised and indented zones, whereby the indented zones form pockets. The raised and indented zones are arranged uniformly on the fabric surface. Ornament structures can also be superimposed. During forming of fibrous web 10 in the area of forming roll 6 the pockets are filled with paper fibers of the fibrous stock suspension. This causes pillow-type voluminous zones in tissue web 10 in the areas of the pockets. Structured fabric 8 has equal or fewer than 55.7 pockets per cm 2 (360 pockets per inch 2 ). In this example, structured fabric 8 is a single ply, 4-strand fabric with a warp thread density of 20.9 threads per cm (53 threads/inch). The permeability is 700 cfm. The warp threads have a diameter of 0.30 mm and the weft threads have a diameter of 0.35 mm. Contact area 33 of fabric 8 with a flat surface, as for example the surface of Yankee drying cylinder 19 , is 25%. Fabric 8 is endless, in other words it has no seam.
[0067] Formed tissue web 10 , is transported through entire tissue machine 1 lying on fabric 8 up to the transfer to the surface of Yankee drying cylinder 19 .
[0068] After forming section 2 , the tissue web is directed to the first press zone of device 3 which consists of the first and a second press zone. In device 3 the tissue web is dewatered to a dry content of above 35%. First press zone 15 . 1 is formed by a suction roll 13 and by a permeable press element—press belt 11 . Tissue web 10 is carried through first press zone 15 . 1 between structured fabric 8 and felt 9 . The pressing pressure is generated by press belt 11 which is tensioned at 50 kN/m and amounts to approximately 71 kPa at a suction roll diameter of, for example, 1.4 m. First press zone 15 . 1 is designed so that a fluid, in this case heated air, can flow through tissue web 10 during the pressing procedure. Hood 12 is provided for the supply of heated air. Hood 12 includes steam shower 29 at the beginning of first press zone 15 . 1 for optional addition of steam. The flow direction (arrow) for the air and the steam is very important. The heated air flows first through press belt 11 , then through structured fabric 8 , then through tissue web 10 and after that through a permeable support belt, felt 9 . The heated air with the water from tissue web 10 is sucked off by suction roll 13 . The vacuum is in the range of 0.3 to 0.4 bar.
[0069] Support belt 9 is in the embodiment of a felt in accordance with Vector technology. A felt according to this technology includes a woven base fabric onto which a nonwoven so-called Vector layer consisting of coarse felt fibers is applied onto the side facing the fibrous web. The fibers of this layer are arranged three-dimensionally and have a count of more than 67 dtex. This means coarse fibers are used to produce this layer. This has the advantage that this felt layer is very open and can therefore be easily dewatered. The air permeability of this layer is in the range of 80 cfm. The air permeability of the felt is approximately 20 cfm. Moreover, the three-dimensional arrangement of the coarse fibers in the Vector layer give the felt good resilience when running through the press nip. The felt is hereby compressed and springs back after the press nip, almost to its original thickness. The Vector layer may have a base weight range of 100 g/m 2 to 500 g/m 2 . The Vector layer is covered, for example, by at least one structure of laid fibers consisting of finer fibers which comes into contact with the fibrous web. Felt 9 has high resiliency characteristics. The dynamic modulus for compressibility “G” is equal or higher than 0.5 N/mm 2 . The dynamic stiffness K* of felt 9 is less than 100000 N/mm.
[0070] Collecting tank 14 is provided at the uncovered section of suction roll 13 to remove the thrown off water.
[0071] After first press zone 15 . 1 , dewatered tissue web 10 , arranged between structured fabric 8 and felt 9 , is directed for additional dewatering through second press zone 15 . 2 . Press zone 15 . 2 is formed by two rolls 16 , 17 . Lower roll 16 which comes into contact with felt 9 is a soft, blind bored and grooved roll. The surface of the roll can have a hardness of 30 to 33 P&J. This roll consists, for example, of a roll core with a roll cover. The thickness of the roll cover is around 20 mm. The roll cover is selected so that—due to water absorption—the hardness becomes softer during operation of the roll by 4 to 5 P&J points. Lower roll 16 which comes into contact with felt 9 can also be in the embodiment of a suction press roll to increase the dewatering efficiency. In this case roll 16 is connected to a vacuum system which is not illustrated here.
[0072] Opposite element 17 of the second press zone may be in the embodiment of a smooth and/or hard roll. The surface of this roll is provided by a roll cover, whereby the thickness of the cover is approximately 15 mm. The surface has a hardness in the range of 0 to 1 P&J.
[0073] The line force of the second press zone 15 . 2 may be in a range of 20 kN/m to 90 kN/m. Depending on the configuration of press zone 15 . 2 the maximum pressing pressure is in the range between 2 to 3.5 MPa. Important influential parameters are softness of clothings 8 , 9 and rolls 16 , 17 , 17 ′, as well as their diameters.
[0074] The maximum pressing pressure of second press zone 15 . 2 is greater than the maximum pressing pressure of first press zone 15 . 1 . An additional embodiment provides that opposite element 17 ′ of second press zone 15 . 2 conspires with opposite element 13 of first press zone 15 . 1 , thereby forming the second press zone in cooperation with opposite element 13 of the first press zone.
[0075] Beside the first and second press nip 15 . 2 which is formed by opposite element 17 and press element 16 an additional third press nip is provided in an additional embodiment which is formed by roll 17 ′ and opposite element 13 of the first press zone.
[0076] After second press zone 15 . 2 , tissue web 10 is separated from felt 9 . Tissue web 10 runs together with structured fabric 8 to a third press nip which is formed by suction roll 18 and Yankee drying cylinder 19 . In this press nip the fibrous web is pressed against the surface of the Yankee cylinder only in the area of the contact area (20% to 32%) of structured fabric 8 . The tissue web is separated from fabric 8 and transferred to hot drying cylinder surface 19 . Further drying takes place there and in the area of hot air hood 20 . Finally, tissue web 10 is creped by means of scraper 21 and taken off drying cylinder surface 19 . Coating applicator nozzle 22 which is already known is provided at drying cylinder 19 to apply a medium.
[0077] Tissue machine 1 includes cantilevered device 37 which makes fast replacement of clothing possible and thereby renders machine 1 for the production of another tissue quality in another machine configuration convertible.
[0078] Moreover, machine 1 includes guide rolls 30 , 31 , 32 which are not required for the illustrated machine configuration, but are provided already for other configurations.
[0079] Referring now to FIG. 2 , there is shown press zone 15 . 2 in an enlarged illustration. Felt 9 is directed away from tissue web 10 which is lying on structured fabric 8 . Structured fabric 8 has a lower compressibility than felt 9 .
[0080] Since felt 9 is softer than fabric 8 , good contact is established—also in the area of the pockets of fabric 8 —between tissue web 10 and felt 9 . This favors dewatering thereby achieving a higher dry content of the tissue web.
[0081] Referring now to FIG. 3 , there is shown a machine configuration according to the present invention which is required to produce tissue webs of premium quality. The machine configuration illustrated in FIG. 1 was hereby modified through removal or opening of second press zone 15 . 2 . The remaining machine elements and clothing are consistent with those in FIG. 1 . This also applies to the component identifications.
[0082] Referring now to FIG. 4 , there is shown a machine configuration according to the present invention for the production of tissue webs of standard quality. For this, both press zones 15 . 1 , 15 . 2 were removed or bypassed. Structured fabric 8 from FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 was replaced by felt 8 . The only press nip is formed by suction press roll 18 and drying cylinder 19 . This configuration requires the least energy, however produces tissue webs with the lowest specific volume.
[0083] Referring now to FIG. 5 , there is shown a schematic illustration of a structured fabric according to the present invention in which the crimps were sanded in order to enlarge the contact area. In this example, the side contacted by the paper and the opposite side are sanded. It is however appropriate if only the paper contact side is sanded.
[0084] While this invention has been described with respect to at least one embodiment, 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 method to dewater a fibrous web includes directing the fibrous web through a first press zone defined between a revolving permeable belt and a revolving permeable support belt and having a first press zone length. The fibrous web is arranged lying between the revolving permeable belt and the revolving permeable support belt. A fluid is caused to flow through the permeable belt, the fibrous web and the support belt at least over a section of the first press zone length. The fibrous web is dewatered in a second press zone following the first press zone and defined between the revolving permeable belt and the revolving permeable support belt, the second press zone having a second press zone length. The fibrous web is led through the second press zone between the permeable belt and the support belt, the permeable belt and the support belt each having a different compressibility. | 3 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation, under 35 U.S.C. § 120, of copending international application No. PCT/EP02/13457, filed Nov. 28, 2002, which designated the United States; this application also claims the priority, under 35 U.S.C. § 119, of German patent application No. 101 63 193.6, filed Dec. 21, 2001; the prior applications are herewith incorporated by reference in their entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a switching apparatus for controlling devices having at least one mechanical momentary-contact switch for mechanically switching a functionality of a device. In particular, the present invention relates to a switching apparatus for controlling the intensive stages of an extractor hood.
[0004] U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,093 A1 discloses an extractor hood having an electronic control system. The control device contains a microprocessor that drives the fan motor accordingly. The desired functions are input by a keypad. In addition to a number of pushbutton momentary contacts for various intensive stages, a pushbutton momentary contact is also provided for causing the extractor hood to continuously run. However, the pushbutton momentary contacts only act as pulse generators for the microprocessor. Purely electronic momentary-contact control is therefore provided. The manufacturing costs of electronic momentary-contact control systems of this type are relatively high.
[0005] Published, Non-Prosecuted German Patent Application DE 198 02 332 A1 discloses an electrical rocker switch in which a moveable contact part bridges stationary contacts. The moveable contact part is loaded by a spring toward one switched position and, in the other switched position, by a magnet that is in the form of a permanent magnet. The magnetic field of the permanent magnet can be influenced by the magnetic field of an electromagnet such that the moveable contact part, which is held in a prestressed state, is moved into its other switched position when the magnetic field of the electromagnet is built up.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an electromechanical momentary-contact switch having timed supplementary functions that overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art devices of this general type, which has more favorable manufacturing costs and with which a device can be controlled.
[0007] With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a switching apparatus for controlling a device. The switching apparatus contains at least one mechanical pushbutton momentary-contact switch for mechanically switching a functionality of the device. The mechanical pushbutton momentary-contact switch can be operated manually and can be reset by an electrical pulse.
[0008] Furthermore, the above object is achieved by a switching apparatus for controlling devices having a plurality of mechanical momentary-contact switches, in particular rocker switches, for mechanically switching a plurality of functionalities of a device. At least one of the mechanical momentary-contact switches is capable of being operated manually and is reset by an electrical pulse.
[0009] The advantage of the switching apparatus according to the present invention is that a mechanical pushbutton momentary-contact switch or a momentary-contact switch combination with a timing function can be embodied, as a result of which significant cost advantages in comparison with purely electronic solutions from the prior art are obtained. Such a rocker switch or pushbutton momentary-contact switch with a timing function can be combined with further rocker switches or pushbutton momentary-contact switches and other switches to form a switch block for domestic appliances, air-conditioning units, ventilation units, miniature devices and the like.
[0010] Further advantages are that no standby-operating mode is necessary for the electromechanical momentary-contact switch according to the invention since the switch can always be actuated mechanically. As a result, the considerable consumption of energy for the standby mode can be dispensed with.
[0011] The electromechanical momentary-contact switch is also significantly less susceptible to faults than purely electronic pressure switches. In particular, the mechanical rocker switch or pushbutton momentary-contact switch can be confirmed to have a significantly higher electromagnetic compatibility with respect to electromagnetic interference.
[0012] In addition, the device that is to be actuated can be isolated clearly from the power supply system using the electromechanical momentary-contact switch. This is advantageous not only from a safety point of view but also for the configuration of further electronic components of the device.
[0013] Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
[0014] Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in an electromechanical momentary-contact switch having timed supplementary functions, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
[0015] The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] [0016]FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic, illustration of an embodiment of an electromechanical pushbutton momentary-contact switch according to the invention;
[0017] [0017]FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic, front view of a switching apparatus having a plurality of pushbutton momentary-contact switches;
[0018] [0018]FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic, front view of a variant of the switching apparatus according to FIG. 2;
[0019] [0019]FIGS. 4A to 4 D are diagrammatic, perspective views of switched states of a quadruple rocker switch according to the invention;
[0020] [0020]FIGS. 5A to 5 D are diagrammatic, perspective views of switched states of a quintuple rocker switch according to the invention; and
[0021] [0021]FIGS. 6A and 6B are diagrammatic, perspective views of the switch in FIGS. 5A to 5 D from below.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0022] Referring now to the figures of the drawing in detail and first, particularly, to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown a pushbutton momentary-contact switch which is held in the switched-on state after activation and can be switched off by an electrical pulse after a desired time interval. A momentary-contact element 1 is held in a sprung fashion against a housing 3 , which is illustrated only in its basic form, by a helical spring 2 . An electrical contact element 4 is attached to that end of the momentary-contact element 1 that lies opposite a contact surface. An electrical opposing contact 5 lies opposite the electrical contact element 4 in the direction of movement of the momentary-contact switch and is disposed on one side of a core of an electromagnet 6 . A permanent magnet 7 is located at the other end of the core of the electromagnet 6 .
[0023] If the momentary-contact switch is then activated manually, the electrical contact between the contact elements 4 and 5 closes so that the momentary-contact switch is in an electrical ON state. The pushbutton momentary-contact switch then stays in the ON state since the electrical contact element 4 is held by the permanent magnet 7 over the core of the electromagnet 6 counter to the spring force of the spring 2 .
[0024] In order to switch the pushbutton momentary-contact switch into the OFF state, a short pulse is applied to the electro-magnet 6 . The electrical pulse is in this case oriented such that its magnetic field induced in the coil of the electromagnet 6 counteracts the magnetic field of the permanent magnet 7 . As a result, the magnetic force exerted on the electrical contact element 4 is reduced, so that the spring 2 pushes the momentary-contact element 1 upward, opens the electrical contact and thus moves the pushbutton momentary-contact switch into the OFF state.
[0025] The electrical pulse for the electromagnet 6 may be a control pulse from a non-illustrated control device, in particular the pulse of a time-delay switching element.
[0026] [0026]FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of a front view of a control element of an extractor (exhaust) hood. All of the switches 8 to 13 are embodied as pushbutton momentary-contact switches. The switch 8 is used for switching the light on and off. The switch 9 is used for resetting the fan of the extractor hood or turning it off. The switches 10 , 0 . 11 and 12 correspond to respective intensive stages of the fan or speed stages of the fan motor. The momentary-contact switches 9 to 12 are connected mechanically in such a way that, when a momentary-contact switch is pressed, they trigger one another and simultaneous pressing of the momentary-contact switches is mechanically prevented.
[0027] The pushbutton momentary-contact switch 13 is used to activate an intensive stage. The intensive stage signifies briefly switching higher into the maximum rotational speed range. By the intensive stage, the conventional switch block 8 to 12 is expanded by one fully functional intensive stage, using a pushbutton momentary-contact switch 13 with a timing function.
[0028] The intensive stage can be switched on in any operating state, i.e. at any speed of fan motor. It remains switched on in the predefined time period unless it is disconnected from the pushbutton momentary-contact switch by switching off (e.g. actuating switch 9 ) the fan motor. After the predefined time period has expired, the intensive stage deactivates itself. The device then carries on running in the originally set stage.
[0029] For an additional intensive stage, the switch for the intensive stage must be mechanically decoupled from the other switches. The momentary-contact switch 13 for the intensive stage is also preferably equipped with its own time-delay switching element.
[0030] When the intensive stage is activated, the stage that has been active until then is first switched off and only then is the intensive stage activated. As already mentioned, the intensive stage can be switched off manually at any time before the predefined time period has expired.
[0031] When the intensive stage is switched off, irrespective of whether this is done automatically or manually, the previously set stage is automatically activated, as has also already been explained. The momentary-contact switch of this stage is still in the activated position so that the operator can recognize the stage used last.
[0032] According to a further embodiment, instead of being equipped with an intensive stage, the extractor hood is equipped with a run-on or after run stage. The momentary contact switches 8 to 12 are assigned as in the first embodiment. However, the switch block is expanded by a fully functional run-on stage. In contrast to the first embodiment, the momentary-contact switch 13 for the run-on stage is mechanically connected to the other momentary-contact switches 9 to 12 by slides, ensuring that the momentary-contact switches trigger one another and lock one another to prevent them from being pressed at the same time.
[0033] The run-on stage, like the intensive stage, can be switched on in any operating state. When the run-on stage is activated, any previously active stage is released. The run-on stage remains active for a predefined time period and then deactivates itself. In the process, the device switches off completely. The run-on stage can, like the other stages, be switched off by the switch-off or reset button 9 . However, it can also be switched off by switching on another stage.
[0034] [0034]FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of a front operator control panel of a pushbutton momentary-contact switch block that constitutes a combination of the embodiments illustrated in conjunction with FIG. 2. In other words, the embodiment according to FIG. 3 contains an intensive stage and a run-on stage. For this purpose, the switch block in FIG. 2 is expanded by a pushbutton 14 . Here, the momentary-contact switch for the run-on function is also mechanically connected to the momentary-contact switches of the other stages, as was also the case in the previous embodiment. The intensive stage does not have any mechanical connection to the fan stages corresponding to momentary-contact switches 10 to 12 , but rather a mechanical connection to the run-on stage. This is intended to ensure that either the intensive stage or the run-on stage can be switched, but both cannot be switched simultaneously.
[0035] [0035]FIGS. 4A to 4 D show perspective views of a rocker switch block according to the invention which contains four rockers 15 , 16 , 17 and 18 as operator control elements. In the case of an extractor hood, the rockers are assigned the following functions: the rocker switch 15 serves to switch the light of an extractor hood on and off. The blower of the extractor hood can be switched on to a stage “1” or can be switched off to a stage “0” using the rocker switch 16 . By the rocker switch 17 , the blower can be switched upward to a stage “2”. Finally, the rocker switch 18 is used to activate an intensive stage.
[0036] [0036]FIG. 4A then shows a home position of the rocker switch block. All the rockers are located in the same position here. When the stage 1 is switched on according to FIG. 4B, the rocker 16 is activated and held mechanically in position. The blower of the extractor hood then runs to stage 1 .
[0037] In FIG. 4C, the switching-on of the blower stage 2 is illustrated. For this purpose, the rocker 17 is activated and the rocker 16 for stage 1 remains in its switched-on position according to FIG. 4B if it was previously already switched on.
[0038] The rockers 15 to 18 can be mechanically connected to a driver in a way that is appropriate functionally with respect to one another. As a result, it is possible to bring about a situation in which, when the stage 2 is switched on directly, i.e. the stage 1 has not yet been switched on, the rocker 16 for the stage 1 is also moved into the switched-on position by the driver.
[0039] Finally, FIG. 4D shows the position of the rocker switches when the intensive stage is switched on. The rocker switch 18 for the intensive stage is, in contrast to the other switches 15 to 17 , controlled in a timed fashion. Therefore, after it has been activated, it is held magnetically in the contact position. After the end of the duration of the intensive stage, the rocker 18 is moved into its home position by a spring. The intensive stage thus switches off automatically. After the automatic switching-off of the intensive stage, the rocker switch position according to FIG. 4C comes about, and the device carries on running at fan stage 2 . As already explained in conjunction with stage 2 , the rocker 18 for the intensive stage can also be mechanically connected to the rockers 16 and 17 . As a result, the rockers 16 and 17 are moved automatically into the switched-on position according to FIG. 4D when the rocker 18 is activated.
[0040] The intensive stage can be switched off at any time by activating the rocker 18 . The device then switches back to the maximum normal stage, i.e. in the present case stage 2. However, the intensive stage can also be switched off by the stage 0, i.e. the device, being switched off with the rocker 16 . A housing 19 of the rocker switch block contains a cuboid receptacle 20 beneath the rocker switch 18 for mounting a time-delay switching element. In principle, the time-delay switching element is configured according to FIG. 1.
[0041] [0041]FIGS. 5A to 5 D show perspective views of a quintuple rocker switch block according to the invention. The rockers 15 to 18 have the same functions as those in the quadruple rocker switch block according to FIGS. 4A to 4 D. Moreover, a further timed rocker switch 21 for a run-on function is also present.
[0042] The quintuple rocker switch block correspondingly has, in addition to the time-delay switching element 23 for the intensive stage, a further time-delay switching element 24 in an additional receptacle 22 for the run-on function (see FIG. 6B).
[0043] In the home position according to FIG. 5A, the rocker 21 for the run-on function lifts off from the position of the other rockers 15 to 18 . This has proven advantageous for the operator control of an extractor hood. The rockers are mechanically connected to drivers with respect to one another in a way similar to the quadruple rocker switch block.
[0044] The switching of the stage 1, stage 2 and the intensive stage is carried out, as illustrated in FIGS. 5B and 5C, in accordance with the rocker switch block as described in FIGS. 4B, 4C and 4 D. When the run-on function is activated, the rocker 21 is held magnetically in the contact position, as is also the case with the rocker 18 for the intensive stage. All the other rockers are moved into their zero position by a mechanical driver. This also applies to the rocker switch 18 of the intensive stage.
[0045] After the end of the run-on function, the rocker 21 is moved into its home position by a spring. After the automatic switching-off, the switch position corresponds to that in FIG. 5A.
[0046] [0046]FIGS. 6A and 6B show perspective views of the quintuple rocker switch block according to FIGS. 5A to 5 D from below. The cuboid receptacle 20 for the control element 23 is provided underneath the rocker 18 for the timed intensive stage, in the base of the quintuple rocker switch block. Likewise, the cuboid receptacle 22 for the further control element 24 for the run-on function is provided underneath the rocker 21 .
[0047] As is shown by the exploded view in FIG. 6B, the control elements 23 and 24 are pushed into the receptacles 20 and 22 , and preferably clipped in there. The control element is pushed, by the magnet, forward through the base 19 . The rocker 21 is covered on the underside with an iron-containing material that adheres to the magnet.
[0048] In summary, it is to be noted that, in this way, an electromechanical switch is implemented which in its operator control characteristic is based on the electronic control systems that have been used previously, but is significantly more cost-effective. This is possible by virtue of the fact that robust parts that are manufactured by series production are combined with modified and newly-developed components to form a pushbutton momentary-contact switch or a switch block with a timer function. With this novel switch it is also possible to implement device block switches with a plurality of switches. The field of use of the switch or block switch is not restricted to the field of extractor hoods but rather can also be extended to any domestic appliances, air-conditioning units, ventilation units, miniature devices, etc. | In order to simplify and reduce the production costs of a push-button switch, especially a push switch or a rocker switch, the switch has a time function, which is manually operated and can be reset by an electric pulse. The electromechanical rocker or push-button switch can be combined to form a device block switch with other rocker or push-button switches as usually used in exhauster hoods. As a result, time-controlled intensive and follow-up steps can be carried out. | 7 |
The present application is a continuation-in-part of pending patent application Ser. No. 09/832,774, filed Apr. 10, 2001, entitled“Automatic Boat Flotation Device” and pending patent application Ser. No. 09/864,642, filed May 24, 2001, entitled “Float Switch Activation Assembly”.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to flotation devices for watercraft and, more particularly, it relates to an automatically inflating flotation device that would improve the stability of the watercraft and inhibit the watercraft from sinking if the hull was breached. The flotation device would automatically inflate when a predetermined amount of water entered the hull of the watercraft thereby increasing stability and inhibit sinking.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Boating is both a popular pastime and a vital commercial activity in much of the world today. A boat is often a substantial investment for the owner and/or operator. In the case of commercial boats, the boat is often the livelihood of the owner of the boat. As a general concept, boats sink when the hull of the boat takes on water and the boat loses its buoyancy. This can happen if the hull is breached due to a collision with some object or in heavy waves if the boat is swamped. If the boat sinks, a serious condition exists in that loss of life and loss of property often occurs.
A number of patents have been directed to inventions to prevent a boat from sinking, even if the hull was breached. Unfortunately, the previous devices for boat floatation have a number of problems such as being difficult to install and often require manual activation of the device. This is a major concern since many boats often sink unattended at the dock, not out on the open water.
The flotation device of the present invention solves these problems and others by being easy to install, either as a retrofit to an existing boat or during manufacture of the boat. In addition, the flotation device of the present invention is designed to automatically deploy when a pre-determined level of water is consistently in the hull of the vessel. The device will not deploy when water merely splashes to that level, preventing unneeded deployment in heavy seas. Once deployed the present invention will keep the boat afloat even if a complete flooding of the hull has occurred.
The primary aspect of the present invention is to provide an automatically deploying flotation device to keep the boat floating after water has partially filled the hull of the boat.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a flotation device that does not interfere with the looks or operation of the boat when not deployed.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide for a flotation device that can be easily removed and a new one re-installed after deployment.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a device that is easy to manufacture and install.
SUMMARY
An automatically inflating boat rail is disclosed. A cover-removing bladder is folded beneath an inflatable flotation bladder which is rolled into a tight spiral. The folded cover-removing bladder and the spirally rolled flotation bladder are mounted inside a one or more piece flexible housing. The base of the housing is mounted to the outside of the hull. The base of the cover-removing bladder and the base of the flotation bladder are attached to the base of the housing. The outer part of the housing is removably attached to the base of the housing, enclosing the folded cover-removing bladder and the spirally rolled flotation bladder. One or more flotation bladders can be mounted in the housing. The flotation bladder has valves that are attached to safety valves. The safety valve is triggered by water in the hull reaching a given height in the hull. Once the safety valve is triggered, tanks of compressed inert gas are released into the system inflating the cover-removing bladder. The outer part of the housing is pushed off and the flotation bladders then commence inflation and begin unrolling. The flotation bladders can have internal chambers so that one part can be punctured without deflating the whole system.
In particular, the present invention is a flotation device for maintaining a watercraft in a floating condition. The flotation device comprises a carrier mounted to the watercraft with the carrier having a first cover channel, a second cover channel, a first bladder retaining slot, and a second bladder retaining slot. An elongated cover is secured to the carrier with the cover having a first edge and a second edge. The first edge of the cover is receivable in the first cover channel and the second edge of the cover is receivable in the second cover channel. A space is defined between the carrier and the cover. A cover-removing bladder is receivable within the space with at least a portion of the cover-removing bladder receivable within the first bladder-retaining slot. A flotation bladder is receivable within the space with at least a portion of the flotation bladder receivable within the second bladder-retaining slot. Inflation means are connected to the cover-removing bladder and the flotation bladder for inflating the cover-removing bladder and for inflating the flotation bladder subsequent to inflation of the cover-removing bladder wherein upon inflation of the cover-removing bladder, the first edge of the cover is released from the first cover channel of the carrier and is moved in a direction generally away from the watercraft allowing the flotation bladder to substantially completely inflate.
The present invention additionally includes emergency buoyant support for a watercraft. The emergency buoyant support comprises a carrier mounted to the watercraft and a cover attached to the carrier. A storage channel is formed between the base plate and the cover with a cover-removing bladder and a flotation bladder positioned within the storage channel wherein upon inflation of the cover-removing bladder, the cover-removing bladder moves the cover and the flotation bladder in a general direction away from the watercraft prior to inflation of the flotation bladder thereby allowing the flotation bladder to inflate.
The present invention further includes a method for maintaining a watercraft in a stable floating condition. The method comprises mounting a housing to the watercraft, securing a carrier into the housing with the carrier having a first cover channel, a second cover channel, a first bladder retaining slot, and a second bladder retaining slot, covering at least a portion of the carrier with a cover with the cover having a first edge and a second edge, releasably securing the first edge of the cover within the first cover channel and the second edge within the second cover channel, defining a space between the carrier and the cover, positioning a cover-removing bladder within the space with the cover-removing bladder having a first bladder edge, positioning a flotation bladder within the space with the flotation bladder having a second bladder edge, mounting the first bladder edge of the cover-removing bladder within the first bladder retaining slot, mounting the second bladder edge of the flotation bladder within the second bladder retaining slot, inflating the cover-removing bladder, and inflating the flotation bladder.
Other aspects of this invention will appear from the following description and appended claims, reference being made to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a flotation device for inflation by a float switch activation assembly, constructed in accordance with the present invention, with the flotation device being mounted on a hull of a watercraft having a boat rail;
FIG. 2 is a rear view illustrating the flotation device, constructed in accordance with the present invention, with the flotation device mounted to the hull adjacent the waterline;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view illustrating the flotation device of FIG. 3 with the carrier slidably mounted in the mounting plate;
FIG. 4 is a sectional view illustrating the flotation device of FIG. 3 with the carrier slidably mounted in the mounting plate and a cover secured thereto;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a cover-removing bladder for the flotation device, constructed in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a main flotation bladder for the flotation device, constructed in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating the flotation device, constructed in accordance with the present invention, with the main flotation bladder secured therein;
FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating the flotation device secured to a watercraft with the cover removed, the cover-removing bladder inflated, and the main flotation bladder in the process of being inflated;
FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating the flotation device secured to a watercraft with the cover removed, the cover-removing bladder inflated, and the main flotation bladder inflated, the cover-removing bladder forcing the flotation bladder deeper into the water;
FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating the cover-removing bladder prior to welding;
FIG. 11 is an elevational side view illustrating the cover-removing bladder after welding in a deflated condition;
FIG. 12 is a perspective view illustrating the cover-removing bladder in an inflated condition,
FIG. 13 is a perspective view illustrating the inflation tube;
FIG. 14 is a perspective view illustrating the float switch activation assembly and the valve assembly, constructed in accordance with the present invention, with the float switch activation assembly and a compressed gas cylinder mounted to the hull of the watercraft and connected to the flotation device with tubing; and
FIG. 15 is a perspective view illustrating the valve assembly, constructed in accordance, with the present invention.
Before explaining the disclosed embodiment of the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the particular arrangement shown, since the invention is capable of other embodiments. Also, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
As discussed above, the present application is a continuation-in-part of pending patent application Ser. No. 09/832,774, filed Apr. 10, 2001, entitled“Automatic Boat Flotation Device” and pending patent application Ser. No. 09/864,642, filed May 24, 2001, entitled “Float Switch Activation Assembly”, assigned to the same assignee of the present invention. Both of these patent applications are hereby herein incorporated by reference.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, the present invention is a flotation device, indicated generally at 10 , mounted to a watercraft 12 and which automatically activates to maintain the watercraft 12 in a floating condition during the occurrence of a predetermined event such as water entering the watercraft 12 . The flotation device 10 includes a mounting plate 14 preferably mounted on the exterior of the hull 16 of the watercraft 12 . Preferably, the mounting plate 14 has a low profile and an unobtrusive visual presence, so that the mounting plate 14 does not significantly affect either the aerodynamic or visual lines of the watercraft 12 when not inflated, as described in further detail below.
As illustrated in FIG. 2, the mounting plate 14 is mounted at approximately the water line 18 on the hull 16 of the watercraft 12 . Furthermore, the hull 16 of the watercraft 12 can be formed with a longitudinal recess (not shown) or the like such that the flotation device 10 can be mounted within the recess thereby reducing the amount of outward extent of the flotation device 10 from the outside of the watercraft 12 .
The mounting plate 14 is preferably made from aluminum or similar material although constructing the mounting plate 14 from different types of material is within the scope of the present invention. Preferably, the mounting plate 14 is mounted to the exterior of the watercraft hull 16 using either an adhesive for fiberglass and for metal hulls or screws for wood hulls (not shown). The preferred type of adhesive is a two-part epoxy. The preferred brand of epoxy is DP 190, manufactured by Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing (3M), St. Paul, Minn. Screws (not shown) may be necessary on wooden hulled boats since some adhesive only sticks to the outermost layer of paint on the exterior of the hull 16 .
As illustrated in FIGS. 3-7, the flotation device 10 of the present invention further includes a carrier 20 , a cover 22 , a cover-removing bladder 21 , and a main flotation bladder 24 . The carrier 20 is slidably receivable and snaps into place within the mounting plate 14 . The carrier 20 has two channels 26 , 28 spaced apart from each other and extending longitudinally along the length of the carrier 20 . The cover 22 has an interior surface 30 , an exterior surface 32 , a first hooked edge 34 , and a second hooked edge 36 with the first hooked edge 34 and the second hooked edge 36 extending longitudinally along the length of the cover 22 . The first and second hooked edges 34 , 36 are shaped to fit in the channels 26 , 28 , respectively, on the carrier 20 . The cover 22 can be attached to the carrier 20 by sliding the first and second hooked edges 34 , 36 into the channels 26 , 28 .
In the alternative, the cover 22 can be snapped into the first and second hooked edges 34 , 36 . In this instance, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, grooves 38 are provided along each side of the carrier 20 to allow the carrier 20 to deform to receive the first and second hooked edges 34 , 36 . A dowel or rod 40 can then be inserted within the grooves 38 to inhibit further deformation of the carrier 20 and to maintain the first and second hooked edges 34 , 36 within the channels 26 , 28 .
The cover 22 is preferably constructed from a durable material, such as thermoplastic rubber, as it is continuously exposed to the elements. When the mounting plate 14 is mounted on the hull 16 of the watercraft 12 and the cover 22 is in place, the flotation device 10 of the present invention further serves and functions as a bumper to protect the watercraft 12 as it comes in close proximity to a dock or other watercraft.
As illustrated in FIG. 8, the first hooked edge 34 of the cover 22 will be maintained within the channel 26 before, during, and after activation of the flotation device 10 . The second hooked edge 36 is releasably, securely maintained within the channel 28 until activation of the flotation device 10 . Therefore, the second hooked edge 36 includes a rib 42 extending at least substantially along the length of the second hooked edge 36 and the channel 28 includes a corresponding longitudinal recess 44 corresponding to the rib 42 . When the second hooked edge 36 is inserted into the channel 28 , the rib 42 is received within the longitudinal recess 55 to assist in maintaining the second hooked edge 36 within the channel 28 until activation of the flotation device 10 .
A first bladder retaining slot 46 and a second bladder retaining slot 48 extend along the carrier 20 between the channels 26 and 28 . The first and second bladder retaining slots 46 , 48 have narrowed necks at the top of the first and second bladder retaining slots 46 , 48 . The first and second bladder retaining slots 46 , 48 can be any diameter for retaining any size bladders 21 , 24 required for maintaining the watercraft 12 in a floating condition.
As illustrated in FIGS. 5-6, the flotation bladder 24 is folded into a substantially spiral configuration to fit between the carrier 20 and the cover 22 . The cover-removing bladder 21 is folded into a substantially overlaying, serpentine manner to fit between the carrier 20 and the flotation bladder 24 . As the cover-removing bladder 21 is inflated, as illustrated in FIG. 8, the second hooked edge 36 is forced from the channel 28 thereby removing the cover 22 . As illustrated in FIG. 9, the flotation bladder 24 is then inflated. Actual operation of the flotation device 10 of the present invention will be described in further detail below.
As illustrated in FIGS. 10-13, preferably, the cover-removing bladder 21 and the flotation bladder 24 are made from urethane coated ballistic nylon having the edges lap welded to maintain the integrity of the bladders. It should be noted, however, that it is within the scope of the present invention to construct the cover-removing bladder 21 and the flotation bladder 24 from different types of materials and to seal the material with various types of welds, etc.
To maintain the cover-removing bladder 21 and the flotation bladder 24 within the first and second bladder retaining slots 46 , 48 , the cover-removing bladder 21 and the flotation bladder 24 are lap welded about a first gas supply line 50 and a second gas supply line 52 , respectively. The first supply line 50 and the second gas supply line 52 are connected to a first gas supply 54 and a second gas supply 56 , respectively, and receivable within the first and second bladder retaining slots 46 , 48 , to maintain the cover-removing bladder 21 and the flotation bladder 24 to the carrier 20 . The first and second gas supply lines 50 , 52 also serve as a source for filling the cover-removing bladder 21 and the flotation bladder 24 during activation of the flotation device 10 .
To remove the cover 22 so that the flotation bladder 24 can be inflated, inert, compressed gas such as CO 2 is released from the first gas supply 54 and flows through the first gas supply line 50 to inflate the cover-removing bladder 21 . As illustrated in FIG. 8, the cover-removing bladder 21 expands and removes one side of the cover 22 from the carrier 20 . The cover 22 remains connected to the carrier 20 in the other channel 28 and swings out of the way of expanding flotation bladder 24 .
FIG. 9 illustrates the watercraft 12 with the preferred embodiment of the flotation bladders 24 mounted to the exterior of the hull 16 . The flotation bladders 24 are fully inflated from the second gas supply 56 . The preferred embodiment of the cover-removing bladders 21 and the flotation bladders 24 are single bladders that are each a given length and are attached to carrier 20 individually. It should be noted that the cover-removing bladders 21 and the flotation bladders 24 can be constructed from a single bladder with each portion inflating individually. As will be noted, the cover-removing bladders 21 force the flotation bladders 24 deeper into the water thereby raising the watercraft 12 from the water and limiting the extent of sinking of the watercraft 12 .
Either type of the cover-removing bladder 21 and the flotation bladder 24 can be used with any of the embodiments of the flotation device 10 . The plurality of cover-removing bladders 21 and flotation bladders 24 are the preferred embodiment because they are easier to manufacture and makes the flotation device 10 easier to mount on a variety of watercrafts 12 . The cover-removing bladders 21 and the flotation bladders 24 are manufactured in a given length and the needed numbers of bladders 21 , 24 are positioned along the length of the hull 16 .
The carrier 20 of each embodiment is made from a semi-rigid material, such as UHMW plastic. The material must be flexible enough to allow the carrier 20 to bend to match the curve of the watercraft hull 16 and to allow compression and bending under pressure. However, the material must to be rigid enough so that the inflation of the flotation bladder 24 will not dislodge the flotation bladder 24 from the carrier 20 .
As illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 15, the flotation device 10 of the present invention is activated by a float switch activation assembly, indicated generally at 58 and a valve assembly, indicated generally at 60 . It should be noted that while the float switch activation assembly 58 of the present invention has been and will be described as capable of inflating the flotation device 10 on a watercraft 12 , a person skilled in the art will understand that the float switch activation assembly 58 of the present invention can be used in any situation to activate a gas or fluid supply or to activate an electrical switch or chemical process. The float switch activation assembly 58 is not limited to use only on a flotation device 10 on a watercraft 12 . The float switch activation assembly 58 is described in pending patent application Ser. No. 09/832,774, filed Apr. 10, 2001, entitled“Automatic Boat Flotation Device” and pending patent application Ser. No. 09/864,642, filed May 24, 2001, entitled “Float Switch Activation Assembly”, assigned to the same assignee of the present invention and which are hereby herein incorporated by reference.
The float switch activation assembly 58 is mounted on the inside of the hull 16 of the watercraft 12 and is fluidly connected to the first gas supply 54 . Extending from the float switch activation assembly 58 is the first gas supply line 50 connected to the cover-removing bladders 21 . Upon activation of the float switch activation assembly 58 , gas flows from the first gas supply 54 through the first gas supply line 50 to the cover-removing bladders 21 thereby inflating the cover-removing bladders 21 and removing the cover 22 .
At a T-joint connection 62 in the first gas supply line 50 , the valve assembly 60 is connected to the first gas supply line 50 . As the gas flows to the cover-removing bladders 21 , the gas also flows to the valve assembly 60 through the T-joint connection 62 . The valve assembly 60 is also connected to the second gas supply 56 through the second gas supply line 52 . The valve assembly 60 comprises a piston 64 which is forced by the gas pressure flowing through the first gas supply line 50 . As the piston 64 moves, a rod 66 rotates to open the gas supply from the second gas supply 56 . The gas within the second gas supply 56 can then flow from the second gas supply 56 through the second gas supply line 52 to the flotation bladders 24 .
The flotation device 10 of the present invention, when activated, increases the beam of the watercraft 12 thereby increasing the stability of the watercraft 12 to inhibit the watercraft 12 from tipping over during rough water conditions. The flotation device of the present invention can also provide an emergency notification signal or other type of signal based on the water level in the hull 16 of the watercraft 12 .
The foregoing exemplary descriptions and the illustrative preferred embodiments of the present invention have been explained in the drawings and described in detail, with varying modifications and alternative embodiments being taught. While the invention has been so shown, described and illustrated, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that equivalent changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention, and that the scope of the present invention is to be limited only to the claims except as precluded by the prior art. Moreover, the invention as disclosed herein, may be suitably practiced in the absence of the specific elements which are disclosed herein. | A flotation device is provided comprising a carrier mounted to the watercraft with the carrier having a first cover channel, a second cover channel, a first bladder retaining slot, and a second bladder retaining slot. A space is defined between the carrier and an elongated cover having a first edge and a second edge with the first edge releasably receivable in the first cover channel and the second edge releasably receivable in the second cover channel. A cover-removing bladder is receivable within the space and secured to the carrier. A flotation bladder is receivable within the space and secured to the carrier. An inflation mechanism connected to the cover-removing bladder and the flotation bladder inflates both bladders wherein the first edge of the cover is released from the first cover channel of the carrier allowing the flotation bladder to substantially completely inflate. | 5 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a device having a tool holder, which can be displaced in an x direction and a z direction which is perpendicular to the x direction, and a tool in the form of a metering head, which is secured to the tool holder. A further aspect of the invention relates to weighing out a desired quantity of substance using a device of this type.
Devices of this type are used, inter alia, for automatically metering substances into a plurality of reaction vessels or test tubes which are arranged, for example, next to one another.
In a device which is known as Caco-2 Assay produced by Mettler Toledo Bohdan, Greifensee, Switzerland, there are two tool holders with different tools. The tool holders can be displaced in a horizontal x direction, a horizontal y direction which is perpendicular to the x direction, and a vertical z direction which is perpendicular to the x and y directions, and in this way can serve reaction vessels arranged next to one another under the control of software. One of the tools is designed for metering liquid as a metering head in the form of a four-needle head with four parallel hollow needles which can be spread apart. The other tool is a gripper for handling substance plates which have a multiplicity of recesses for holding substance. To weigh matter which can be handled by the device, there is a balance, on which, by way of example, a corresponding substance plate or a test tube is placed.
Although the two fixedly installed tools do make it possible to handle liquids and solids, they do not, for example, allow a solid to be metered directly into a reaction vessel. Moreover, there are two tool holders which have to be able to move independently of one another, in which context it must be ensured that they do not collide with one another. Finally, accurate weighing out of a defined quantity of substance is relatively complex.
DE 40 02 255 A1 has disclosed a fixedly mounted device for metering liquids by dispensing them from at least one metering valve connected to a liquid reservoir, which device has a main balance on which a vessel for holding liquid can be positioned. This main balance has a wide weighing range of, for example, several tons and therefore a relatively low accuracy of, for example, ±100 g. Between the metering valve and the liquid reservoir there is a buffer vessel, the weight of which can be determined by means of a precision balance and which can be sealed off with respect to the liquid reservoir in order to dispense small quantities of liquid from the metering valve. The precision balance can be used to determine the weight of the buffer vessel and the liquid which is present therein, according to the disclosure with an accuracy of, for example, ±0.1 g, and from this determination to determine the quantity of liquid which has been dispensed. The accuracy of the weight of the quantity of liquid dispensed is limited firstly by the fact that the buffer vessel is connected to the storage reservoir and the metering valve via flexible lines, which has an adverse effect on the measurement, and secondly by the fact that the liquid is not dispensed directly from the buffer vessel, but rather firstly passes via a line to the metering valve and is only dispensed by the latter. Moreover, the complex structure with storage vessel, buffer vessel and metering valve, which are connected via lines, in practice prevents the metering device from being of mobile design or being fitted to a robot arm or a linear axis system.
In view of the drawbacks of the devices of the prior art which have been described above, the invention is based on the object of providing a device which is intended to allow simplified weighing out of a desired quantity of substance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The essence of the invention consists in the fact that, in a device having a tool holder, which can be displaced in an x direction and a z direction which is perpendicular to the x direction, and a tool in the form of a metering head, which is secured to the tool holder, a balance, by means of which substance or capsules which has/have been taken up or dispensed or is/are to be dispensed by the tool can be weighed, is arranged on the tool or on the tool holder.
The fact that a balance is arranged directly on the tool or on the tool holder allows a substance which has been taken up or dispensed or is to be dispensed, a substance capsule or another object to be weighed without the substance, the substance capsule or the other object or the tool for this purpose having to be placed onto a separate balance. This significantly simplifies the weighing operation and also means that the weighing is virtually location-independent within the range of action of the device and can even take place where, for technical reasons, it is difficult or impossible to position a balance, for example beneath a shaken reaction vessel.
The balance used may, for example, be a balance having at least a weighing range from 0 to 2 kg and an accuracy of 0.1 g. Balances of this type are available, for example, from Sartorius AG, 37070 Göttingen, Germany. However, it is preferable to use a more accurate balance with an accuracy of 0.1 mg.
Preferably, the substance or capsule(s) can be dispensed or taken up by a metering means which is also weighed by the balance. As a result, any substance which has remained attached to the metering means is always weighed as well and is not recorded as already having been metered in.
Advantageously, the metering head carries all the substance which is to be dispensed with it. Consequently, it does not have to be supplied, for example via flexible hoses, which would have an adverse effect on the weighing accuracy.
In an advantageous exemplary embodiment, the balance is arranged on the tool, and the tool can be detached from and refitted to the tool holder without screws having to be undone.
Preferably, the metering means is arranged on the balance in such a way that the metering means can be detached from and refitted to the balance without screws having to be undone, in particular by being lifted off and put back on. As a result, it is easy to use different types of metering means in order, for example, to meter liquids or solid substances in succession. The handling of the metering means may take place manually or automatically.
Advantageously, the metering means has a metering unit, which comprises a storage vessel, and a drive unit, it being possible for the metering unit to be removed from and refitted to the drive unit without screws having to be undone, in particular by being lifted off and put back on. As a result, it is possible to prepare different substances in a plurality of metering units and then to meter them successively using the same drive unit. The metering units can be handled manually or automatically.
In a variant embodiment which is advantageous for certain tools, the balance bears a vessel for temporarily holding substance which is to be dispensed, which vessel can be completely emptied, the vessel preferably being the concave part of a spoon which can be tilted in order to be completely emptied. This allows substance which is to be dispensed to be weighed accurately in a vessel, which then, depending on the results, is either emptied completely at the metering location, for example into a reaction vessel, i.e. the substance is definitively discharged, or is filled further or, in particular if an excessive quantity of substance has been measured, is emptied at a location other than the metering location and is then refilled.
Advantageously, in addition to the first balance arranged on the tool or on the tool holder, the device according to the invention also has a second balance, the second balance preferably bearing the vessel for temporarily holding substance which is to be dispensed and being used to measure the weight of substance to be dispensed which is being temporarily held, while the first balance can be used also to measure the weight of substance which has not yet been dispensed to the vessel for temporarily holding substance which is to be dispensed. This allows more accurate weight measurement, in particular of substance which is to be dispensed, with the aid of checking measurements carried out by the second balance.
In a preferred exemplary embodiment, the tool holder can rotate about the z direction. This in particular allows the tool to rotate through, for example, 90°, i.e. allows, by way of example, a multi-needle head having a plurality of hollow needles arranged next to one another to be used to meter substances, which may differ according to the hollow needle used, to vessels belonging to a matrix in rows, then allows the multi-needle head to be rotated through 90° and substances, which once again may differ according to the hollow needle used, to be metered to the vessels of the matrix in columns. It is thus possible for a different combination of substances to be metered to each vessel of the matrix in a simple way. Moreover, the rotation allows reaction vessels, starting-material bottles, etc. to be arranged over an area and not just on a straight line.
Preferably, the tool holder can additionally be displaced in a y direction, which is perpendicular to the x direction and the z direction. This enables reaction vessels, starting-material bottles, etc. to be arranged over a larger area.
In an advantageous variant embodiment, the tool is secured to the tool holder by means of magnets, in which case it is preferable, where there are two permanent magnets which attract one another, for one of the two permanent magnets to be arranged on the tool holder and the other of the two permanent magnets to be arranged on the tool, and for it to be possible for the action of the attraction between the two permanent magnets to be cancelled out by means of at least one electromagnet. Connecting tool and tool holder by means of magnets allows automatic securing of the tool to the tool holder, for example by the tool holder being guided over the tool and then lowered onto it or the tool holder being moved laterally onto the tool. Detaching the tool from the tool holder by activating the at least one electromagnet by means of current pulses also contributes to enabling the tool change to take place automatically.
In alternative advantageous variant embodiments, the tool is secured to the tool holder by screw connection, by means of a bayonet connection or by means of a clamping connection, etc. Although these methods of securing are normally more complex to implement, they are relatively simple to automate, in particular if the tool holder can be rotated about the z direction.
Preferably, the tool is a screw metering head, which comprises a screw which can rotate forward and backward about the z direction in a tube which is at least partially open at its lower end and which can be used to take up and dispense substance. A screw metering head of this type can be used for targeted removal of pulverulent or liquid substance from a storage vessel and also for targeted dispensing of this substance.
Advantageously, the lower open end of the tube can be closed off by a diaphragm provided with holes, and there is preferably a ram, which runs on the screw and presses substance through the diaphragm as the screw rotates when substance is being dispensed, arranged in the tube. The use of a diaphragm leads to more uniform dispensing of substance, since the substance is forced uniformly through the holes in the diaphragm. This in turn has the advantage that metering can be carried out more accurately.
Preferably, at the diaphragm there is a stripper which periodically strips off any substance adhering to the diaphragm. This allows more accurate metering.
Advantageously, the tool is a capsule-transporting head, by means of which a capsule can be picked up and released, preferably by suction. A tool of this type makes it possible to transport substances in capsules or similar containers.
Preferably, the tool is a matrix-capsule-transporting head, by means of which capsules which are arranged in the manner of a matrix can be picked up, preferably by suction, and the capsules can be released individually, together or in groups. The matrix-capsule-transporting head also makes it possible to transport substances in capsules, it being possible for a large number of capsules which are arranged in matrix form to be handled at the same time.
Advantageously, the tool is a capsule-handling head, by means of which at least one capsule can be picked up, which capsule can be opened in the tool, preferably by means of a hollow needle, and in which tool the contents of the capsule can preferably be mixed with another substance, in particular a solvent. The mixing can be effected, for example, by adding solvent to the capsule, sucking up substance and solvent from the capsule and returning the material which has been sucked up into the capsule. Alternatively, the hollow needle can also be used to suck substance out of the capsule and dispense it again at another location. The capsule-handling head according to the invention makes it possible to prepare even more successfully for chemical reactions outside a reaction vessel.
In a preferred variant embodiment, the tool is a matrix-capsule-handling head, by means of which a plurality of capsules which are arranged in the form of a matrix can be picked up, which capsules can be opened in the tool, preferably using hollow needles, and in which tool the contents of one capsule can preferably in each case be mixed with another substance, in particular a solvent. The mixing can be effected, for example, by adding solvent to the capsule, sucking up substance and solvent from the capsule and returning the material which has been sucked up into the capsule. Alternatively, the hollow needle can also be used to suck substance out of the capsule and dispense it again at another location. The matrix-capsule-handling head also makes it possible to handle substances in capsules and to prepare for chemical reactions, it being possible for a multiplicity of capsules which are arranged in the form of a matrix to be picked up and processed simultaneously.
In another preferred variant embodiment, the tool is a capsule-dispensing head, in which a multiplicity of capsules are stored and can be dispensed individually, together or in groups, it preferably being possible for the capsules to be opened in the capsule-dispensing head, and it even more preferably being possible for the contents of the capsules to be mixed with another substance, in particular a solvent, in the capsule-dispensing head. The capsule-dispensing head according to the invention makes it possible to prepare for chemical reactions largely outside a reaction vessel and means that the appropriate capsules or the contents thereof simply have to be added to the reaction vessel in order to carry out these chemical reactions.
Advantageously, the tool is a needle head with a hollow needle, a multi-needle head with a plurality of hollow needles, which can preferably be displaced individually in the z direction and/or the distance between which can preferably be adjusted, or a solids-metering head.
Advantageously, the tool is a combination head having at least two identical or different tool parts, one of the tool parts preferably being a needle head, multi-needle head, capsule-transporting head, matrix-capsule-transporting head, capsule-handling head, matrix-capsule-handling head, capsule-dispensing head, screw metering head or solids-metering head. This allows a plurality of method steps to be carried out in succession or simultaneously using a single tool.
Advantageously, the device according to the invention has a camera, which is preferably arranged on the tool holder and which can be used to film an area below the tool holder, as well as a control computer having an image-processing unit, which evaluates images which have been filmed by the camera, it being possible for the displacement of the tool holder and, if necessary, a change of tool to be controlled preferably on the basis of the evaluation result.
In an advantageous variant embodiment, the device according to the invention has an infrared analysis unit, which is preferably arranged on the tool holder and has an infrared transmitter, by means of which infrared waves can be radiated into an area below the tool holder, and an infrared sensor, which can be used to measure reflected infrared waves, as well as a control computer having a measured-value-processing unit, which evaluates the reflected infrared waves measured by the infrared sensor, it preferably being possible for the displacement of the tool holder and, if necessary, a change of tool and/or the quantity of substance to be metered to be controlled on the basis of the evaluation result. The precise way in which an infrared analysis unit of this type functions is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,031,233, which is hereby specifically incorporated by reference in the present description.
The camera or the infrared analysis unit, together with the control computer, allows the device to operate completely automatically without an operator having to evaluate the substance or capsule to be handled and then actively control the displacement of the tool holder and/or any change of tool which may be required.
In an advantageous variant embodiment, the device according to the invention comprises a further tool holder for attachment of a further tool which can be displaced in an x direction and in a z direction which is perpendicular to the x direction, it preferably additionally being able to rotate about the z direction and/or to be displaced in a y direction which is perpendicular to the x direction and to the z direction. The second tool holder may be designed and controlled in the same way as the first. With two or even more tool holders with tools attached to them, it is possible to multiply the speed of the device; at the control, it must be ensured that the various tool holders and tools do not impede one another.
A method according to the invention for weighing out a desired quantity of substance using a device having a tool holder, which can be displaced in an x direction and a z direction which is perpendicular to the x direction, and a tool in the form of a metering head, which is secured to the tool holder, and a balance arranged on the tool or on the tool holder, by means of which substance which has been taken up by the tool can be weighed, is characterized by the steps that
a) substance is taken up by the tool; b) the substance is weighed; c) the difference between the weighed value obtained and the desired set value is calculated; and d) if the difference lies outside the range of a desired level of accuracy, the tool is used to discharge substance or take up additional substance depending on this difference;
steps b) to d) being repeated until the difference is equal to zero within the range of a desired level of accuracy.
A similar method according to the invention for dispensing a desired quantity of substance using a device having a tool holder, which can be displaced in an x direction and a z direction which is perpendicular to the x direction, and a tool in the form of a metering head, which is secured to the tool holder, and a balance which is arranged on the tool or on the tool holder and can be used to weigh substance which is to be dispensed from the tool, the balance bearing a vessel for temporarily holding substance which is to be dispensed, which can be completely emptied, is characterized by the steps that
a) a quantity of substance is placed into the vessel for temporarily holding substance which is to be dispensed; b) the substance in the vessel is weighed; c) the difference between the weighed value obtained and the desired set value is calculated; and d) if the difference lies outside the range of a desired level of accuracy, additional substance is added to the vessel or the vessel is at least partially emptied at a location other than an intended metering location and then substance is added to it again, depending on this difference;
steps b) to d) being repeated until the difference is equal to zero within the range of a desired level of accuracy, after which the substance which is present in the vessel is dispensed by the vessel being completely emptied.
A further similar method according to the invention for selecting a capsule with a desired quantity of substance using a device having a tool holder, which can be displaced in an x direction and a z direction which is perpendicular to the x direction, and a tool in the form of a metering head, which is secured to the tool holder, and a balance which is arranged on the tool or on the tool holder and can be used to weigh capsules which have been picked up by the tool, is characterized by the steps that
a) the tool is used to pick up a capsule containing substance; b) the capsule with substance is weighed; c) the difference between the weighed value obtained and the desired set value is calculated; and d) if the difference lies outside the range of a desired level of accuracy, the capsule is released again from the tool and a new capsule containing substance is picked up;
steps b) to d) being repeated until the difference is equal to zero within the range of a desired level of accuracy.
These three weighing methods which operate in accordance with the test principle make it easy to weigh out a desired quantity of substance or a desired object with the desired level of accuracy at any desired location within the area of action of the device. Moreover, for example when substance is being dispensed into, for example, a reaction vessel, a test tube, a substance plate, etc., it is possible for the weight of the quantity of substance which has effectively been dispensed to be measured again. This has two important advantages: 1) Monitoring and more accurate determination of the effective value. 2) If, for example, small quantities of substance remain attached to the tool, this is determined and can be corrected, for example by vibration or topping up the metering.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The devices according to the invention are described in more detail below with reference to the appended drawings and on the basis of exemplary embodiments. In the drawings:
FIG. 1 shows a tool holder which can be displaced in all three spatial directions x, y and z on a linear axis system and can rotate about the z direction;
FIG. 2 shows the tool holder from FIG. 1 , but additionally with a balance arranged thereon, having a needle head with a hollow needle as tool;
FIG. 3 shows the tool holder from FIG. 1 , but additionally with a balance arranged thereon, having a needle head with four hollow needles which can be displaced with respect to one another as tool, the four hollow needles being at a minimum distance from one another;
FIG. 4 shows the tool holder with needle head from FIG. 3 , with the four hollow needles at a maximum distance from one another;
FIG. 5 shows the tool holder from FIG. 1 with a capsule-transporting head as tool;
FIG. 6 shows the capsule-transporting head from FIG. 5 when it is holding a capsule;
FIG. 7 shows the capsule-transporting head from FIG. 5 when a capsule is being placed in a reaction vessel arranged in a matrix;
FIG. 8 shows the tool holder from FIG. 1 with a matrix-capsule-transporting head as tool;
FIG. 9 shows a sectional view of a tool in the form of a capsule-handling head with hollow needle;
FIG. 10 shows the capsule-handling head from FIG. 9 on the tool holder from FIG. 1 with a closed capsule which has been picked up;
FIG. 11 shows the capsule-handling head with a capsule which has been picked up as shown in FIG. 10 during the addition of solvent after the capsule has been punctured by the hollow needle;
FIG. 12 shows the capsule-handling head with punctured capsule as shown in FIG. 11 when the capsule, which now contains dissolved substance, is being dispensed;
FIG. 13 shows the tool holder from FIG. 1 , but additionally with a balance arranged thereon, with a diagrammatically depicted matrix-capsule-handling head as tool and capsules arranged in a matrix;
FIG. 14 shows a sectional view of a tool in the form of a first exemplary embodiment of a capsule-dispensing head having a multiplicity of stored capsules at the tool holder shown in FIG. 1 ;
FIG. 15 shows a sectional view of a tool in the form of a second exemplary embodiment of a capsule-dispensing head having a multiplicity of stored capsules which can be opened in the capsule-dispensing head, at the tool holder shown in FIG. 1 ;
FIG. 16 shows the tool holder shown in FIG. 1 with a screw metering head as tool, with a diaphragm which has been pivoted away, in a partially sectional illustration;
FIG. 17 shows the tool holder with screw metering head from FIG. 16 with a diaphragm which has been pivoted under the screw, in a partially sectional view;
FIG. 18 shows the tool holder from FIG. 1 with a solids-metering head as tool;
FIG. 19 shows a tool holder with an alternative screw metering head with weighing unit, metering unit and drive unit as tool;
FIG. 20 shows the weighing unit of the screw metering head shown in FIG. 19 ;
FIG. 21 shows a perspective view of the metering unit of the screw metering head shown in FIG. 19 ;
FIG. 22 shows the metering unit of the screw metering head shown in FIG. 19 in an exploded view; and
FIG. 23 shows the drive unit of the screw metering head from FIG. 19 .
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1
A linear axis system for holding and displacing a tool holder 1 comprises two guide rails 6 , 61 , which run parallel to one another in the y direction and are anchored in a fixed position in a manner which is not illustrated. The first ends of the two guide rails 6 , 61 are connected by a rotary rod 7 , which can be rotated by means of a stepper motor 71 . An upper running rail 5 is secured to the two guide rails 6 , 61 in such a manner that it can be displaced in the y direction. The upper running rail 5 is fixedly connected to a lower running rail 51 by means of two end plates 52 , 53 . As a result of the rotary rod 7 being rotated by means of the stepper motor 71 , in each case one toothed belt in the interior of the guide rails 6 , 61 is driven, causing the running rails 5 , 51 to be displaced in the y direction. In the present context, the term displacement in the y direction is to be understood as meaning both a displacement in the +y direction and in the −y direction (the opposite direction).
A carriage 4 is secured to the two running rails 5 , 51 in such a manner that it can be moved in the x direction. In the present context, the term movement in the x direction is once again to be understood as meaning both a movement in the +x direction and in the −x direction (the opposite direction). The carriage 4 is driven by a stepper motor 54 via a toothed belt arranged in the hollow upper guide rail 5 .
A tool rod 3 is secured to the carriage 4 in such a manner that it can move in the z direction. In the present context, the term movement in the z direction is once again to be understood as meaning both a movement in the +z direction and in the −z direction (the opposite direction). In order for the tool rod 3 to be displaced, a stepper motor 31 is attached to it via a hollow plate 32 , and a toothed belt is arranged in the hollow plate 32 and the tool rod 3 .
At the lower end of the tool rod 3 there is a rotary drive 2 , to which the tool holder 1 is secured. The tool holder 1 can be rotated both ways about the z direction, as indicated by the arrow c, with the aid of a rotary motor 21 . In order to secure a tool, the tool holder 1 substantially consists of a permanent magnet, in which an electromagnet is arranged.
A camera 10 , which is directed downward in the z direction and can be used to film an area below the tool holder 1 , is attached to the tool holder 1 . The images which are filmed by the camera 10 are transmitted via a data line to an image-processing unit of a control computer 11 , which evaluates these images. The control computer 11 can then control the displacement of the tool holder 1 in the x, y, z and c directions by means of the motors 54 , 71 , 31 and 21 and the selection, securing or release of a tool on the basis of the evaluation results.
The following consideration applies to the whole of the remainder of the description. If a figure includes reference symbols which are provided for the purpose of clarity of the drawing but these reference symbols are not mentioned in the immediately associated text of the description, or vice versa, reference is made to the corresponding explanations given in preceding descriptions of figures.
FIG. 2
In this case, a needle head 100 is removably secured as the tool to the holder 1 by means of a permanent magnet 101 . The permanent magnet 101 of the needle head 100 and the permanent magnet of the tool holder 1 attract one another, so that when the needle head 100 is removed it can be secured to the tool holder 1 by being placed onto the latter, an operation which can be performed automatically, i.e. the needle head 100 does not have to be attached to the tool holder 1 manually. The needle head 100 is detached from the tool holder 1 by means of the electromagnet which is arranged in the tool holder 1 , cannot be seen and, when it receives a current pulse, cancels out the action of the attraction between the permanent magnet 101 of the needle head 100 and the permanent magnet of the tool holder 1 .
A linear drive 103 is attached to the permanent magnet 101 via a plate 102 . A hollow needle 105 is secured to the outer cylinder of the linear drive 103 by means of two holding parts 104 , which are provided with continuous receiving holes for the hollow needle 105 . With the aid of the linear drive 103 , the hollow needle 105 can be displaced in the z direction.
A hollow needle 105 of this type can be used, for example, to meter or remove liquid substances into or from reaction vessels. In particular, for this purpose a suction and/or blowing means can be connected to the top end of the hollow needle 105 .
Unlike in FIG. 1 , a balance 9 , which can be used to measure the total weight of the tool holder 1 , the needle head 100 and the substance which is present in the hollow needle 105 , is additionally arranged on the tool holder 1 below the rotary drive 2 . If the weight of the tool holder 1 and the needle head 100 is subtracted from this total weight, the result is the weight of the substance which is present in the hollow needle 105 . The weight of substance which has been taken up or dispensed can be determined by differential measurements.
FIGS. 3 and 4
The tool is in this case formed by a needle head 120 with four hollow needles 125 , which can be individually displaced in the z direction and the distance between which can be adjusted from a minimum distance a min to a maximum distance a max , the distance between each pair of adjacent hollow needles 125 always being identical. To this end, the hollow needles 125 are each secured to the outer cylinder of a linear drive 123 by means of two holding parts 124 which are provided with continuous hollow-needle receiving holes. The linear drives 123 which can be used to displace the hollow needles 125 individually in the z direction are for their part in each case attached to an associated plate 122 . The four plates 122 are arranged movably in two grooves in a permanent magnet 121 , the drive for this purpose being effected by means of two spindles which are driven by a motor and are located inside the permanent magnet 121 . The needle head 120 , as described in connection with FIG. 2 , is connected to the tool holder 1 via the permanent magnet 121 . Once again, the needle head 120 is detached from the tool holder 1 by means of the electromagnet (not visible) arranged in the tool holder 1 .
A needle head 120 of this type can be used, for example, to meter liquid to or remove liquid from a plurality of reaction vessels simultaneously. In particular, suction and/or blowing devices can be connected to the top end of the hollow needles 125 for this purpose.
Unlike in FIG. 1 , a balance 9 , which can be used to measure the total weight of the tool holder 1 , the needle head 120 and the substance which is present in the hollow needles 125 , is additionally arranged on the tool holder 1 below the rotary drive 2 . If the weight of the tool holder 1 and of the needle head 120 is subtracted from this total weight, the result is the weight of the substances which are present in the hollow needles 125 . The weight of substances which have been taken up or dispensed can be determined by means of differential measurements.
FIGS. 5 to 7
The tool is in this case formed by a capsule-transporting head 140 , by means of which a tightly closed capsule 150 , which is in the form of a small tube and contains a pulverulent substance 151 , can be picked up by suction. The capsule-transporting head 140 comprises a permanent magnet 141 , by means of which, as described in a corresponding way in connection with FIG. 2 , it is connected to the tool holder 1 . It can be released by means of the electromagnet arranged in the tool holder 1 . A suction tube 143 having a capsule-holding end piece 144 is attached to the permanent magnet 141 via a balance 145 and an intermediate part 142 . A reduced pressure can be generated in the suction tube 143 by means of a conventional suction means (not shown).
To pick up a capsule 150 , the capsule-transporting head 140 is moved such that the capsule-holding end piece 144 is above the top end of the capsule 150 , and then the capsule 150 is picked up as a result of a reduced pressure being generated in the suction tube 143 , as illustrated in FIG. 6 . Then, the capsule 150 is transported by the linear axis system to the intended location, in FIG. 7 a reaction vessel 171 arranged in a matrix 170 , where it is released into the reaction vessel 171 as a result of the reduced pressure in the suction tube 143 being eliminated.
The balance 145 can be used to measure the total weight of the intermediate part 142 , the suction tube 143 with the capsule-holding end piece 144 and the capsule 150 filled with substance 151 which it has picked up. If the weight of the intermediate part 142 and the suction tube 143 with the capsule-holding end piece 144 are subtracted from this total weight, the result is the weight of the capsule 150 filled with substance 151 . The weight of the substance 151 in the capsule 150 can be determined by differential measurements using an empty capsule 150 .
FIG. 8
The tool is in this case formed by a matrix-capsule-transporting head 160 which comprises a permanent magnet 161 , by means of which, as has been described in a corresponding way in connection with FIG. 2 , it is connected to the tool holder 1 . It is released by means of the electromagnet arranged in the tool holder 1 . Sixteen suction tubes 163 , which are arranged in the form of a matrix and each have a capsule-holding end piece 164 , are attached to the permanent magnet 161 via a balance 165 and a suction-tube plate 162 . A reduced pressure can be generated in the suction tubes 163 via the suction-tube plate 162 by means of a conventional suction means (not shown).
To pick up capsules 150 , the matrix-capsule-transporting head 160 is moved such that the capsule-holding end pieces 164 are above the top ends of the capsules 150 , and then the capsules 150 are picked up as a result of a reduced pressure being generated in the suction tubes 163 . Then, the capsules 150 are transported by the linear axis system to the intended location, in this case reaction vessels 171 arranged in a matrix 170 , where the capsules 150 are dispensed into the reaction vessels 171 as a result of the reduced pressure in the suction tubes 163 being eliminated.
The balance 165 can be used to measure the total weight of the suction tube plate 162 , the suction tubes 163 with the capsule-holding end piece 164 and the capsules 150 filled with substances which they have picked up. If the weight of the suction tube plate 162 and the suction tubes 163 with the capsule-holding end pieces 164 is subtracted from this total weight, the result is the weight of the capsules 150 filled with substances. The weight of the substances in the capsules 150 can be determined by differential measurements using empty capsules 150 .
FIGS. 9 to 12
In this case, the tool is formed by a capsule-handling head 220 , which comprises a cylindrical housing 221 which is divided into two compartments 223 and 224 by a partition 222 and is closed off at the top by an end wall 227 . At the open end of the bottom compartment 223 , in the cylindrical housing 221 , there is an air-filled sleeve 225 , for example made from rubber, which in the unladen state as shown in FIG. 9 has an internal diameter d min . In the upper compartment 224 there is a plunger 226 , to which a plunger rod 228 , which projects out through the end wall 227 and is provided at its top end with an outer push-button 229 , is attached. Between the plunger 226 and the cylindrical housing 221 and between the plunger rod 228 and the end wall 227 there is in each case an annular seal 230 , 231 . Between the plunger 226 and the partition 222 there is a coil spring 232 , which in the unladen state holds the plunger 226 in the position shown in FIG. 9 . Between the plunger 226 and the end wall 227 there is an air-filled space 233 , which is in communication with the interior of the sleeve 225 via an air line 234 .
In addition, the capsule-handling head 220 comprises a hollow needle 235 , to which an inner push-button 236 is attached. The inner push-button 236 is mounted movably in a recess 237 in the outer push-button 229 , a coil spring 238 being arranged in the recess 237 below the inner push-button 236 , which coil spring 238 , in the unladen state, holds the inner push-button 236 and the hollow needle 235 in the position shown in FIG. 9 . The hollow needle 235 passes through the plunger rod 228 , the plunger 226 and the partition 222 . It is in communication with the internally hollow inner push-button 236 , which can be fed, for example, with a solvent or another liquid via a feed line 239 .
FIG. 10 shows the capsule-handling head 220 after it has picked up a capsule 150 , an operation which can be effected by placing the capsule-handling head 220 onto the capsule 150 . The capsule 150 is held by the sleeve 225 , which now has an internal diameter d which corresponds to the external diameter of the capsule 150 and is greater than the internal diameter d min in the stress-free state.
FIG. 10 also illustrates that the capsule-handling head 220 comprises a balance 241 and a permanent magnet 240 , via which, as described in a corresponding way in connection with FIG. 2 , it is connected to the tool holder 1 . The capsule-handling head 220 is detached from the tool holder 1 by means of the electromagnet arranged in the tool holder 1 . Moreover, the figure diagrammatically indicates that the inner push-button 236 can be actuated by a rotary lever 242 and the outer push-button 229 can be actuated by a rotary lever 244 , the two rotary levers 242 , 244 being articulatedly mounted on a rod 243 , which is secured to the balance 241 by means of a bearing part 245 , in such a manner that they can rotate in the direction indicated by the arrows. The drives for the two rotary levers 242 , 244 , which are controlled by the control computer, are not shown. FIGS. 9 , 11 and 12 do not show the permanent magnet 240 , the balance 241 , the two rotary levers 242 , 244 , the rod 243 , the bearing part 245 and the tool holder 1 , for reasons of clarity.
The balance 241 can be used to measure the total weight of the capsule 150 which has been picked up by the capsule-handling head 220 and is filled with substance and of the capsule-handling head 220 with the exception of the permanent magnet 240 and the balance 241 itself. If the weight of the capsule-handling head 220 with the exception of the permanent magnet 240 and the balance 241 is subtracted from this total weight, the result is the weight of the capsule 150 filled with substance. The weight of the substance in the capsule 150 can be determined by differential measurements using an empty capsule 150 .
The coil spring 238 is compressed as a result of the inner push-button 236 being pushed downward, and as a result the hollow needle 235 is forced into the capsule 150 , as illustrated in FIG. 11 . As a result, the capsule 150 is opened and it can be supplied, via the hollow needle 235 , with a substance from the inner push-button 236 , which is fed via the feed line 239 . Alternatively, the feed line 239 could also be connected directly to the hollow needle 235 . The substance supplied, in particular a solvent, can be mixed with the substance which is already present in the capsule 150 , for example by the capsule-handling head 220 being shaken. If a sufficiently long hollow needle is used, the mixing could also be effected by the substances which are present in the capsule 150 being sucked up and discharged again a number of times.
If pressure is no longer being exerted on the inner push-button 236 , the coil spring 238 forces it back upward into the starting position.
In order for the capsule 150 to be released, the outer push-button 229 is pressed downward, as illustrated in FIG. 12 . In the process, the plunger rod 228 and the plunger 226 are moved downward so as to compress the coil spring 232 , with the result that the size of the space 233 between the plunger 226 and the end wall 227 is increased greatly and a reduced pressure is generated therein. This reduced pressure causes air to be extracted from the interior of the sleeve 225 via the air line 234 , with the result that the internal diameter of the sleeve 225 is increased to a maximum value d max , which is greater than the external diameter of the capsule 150 , so that the capsule 150 is no longer held by the sleeve 225 and drops downward under the force of gravity.
If pressure is no longer being exerted on the outer push-button 239 , the coil spring 232 forces it back upward into the starting position shown in FIG. 9 .
FIG. 13
The tool is in this case formed by a matrix-capsule-handling head 250 , which comprises a holding plate 255 which is removably connected to the tool holder 1 by means of a permanent magnet, in a manner which is not illustrated. The matrix-capsule-handling head 250 is detached from the tool holder 1 by means of the electromagnet which is arranged in the tool holder 1 and the power supply line 8 of which can be seen. Two rods 252 , 253 , which are fixedly connected to the holding plate 255 , extend upward in the z direction, i.e. vertically, from two diagonally opposite corner regions of the holding plate 255 . A release plate 254 , which can be displaced in the z direction and is guided by the rods 252 , 253 in two diagonally opposite corner regions, is arranged above the holding plate 255 . A trigger plate 251 located above the release plate 254 can likewise be displaced in the z direction and is guided by the two rods 252 , 253 . The vertical displacement of the release plate 254 and of the trigger plate 251 is effected by two motors (not shown), although in principle it could also be brought about manually.
Sixteen capsule-handling elements 256 are secured in the holding plate 255 . The capsule-handling elements 256 , which are only diagrammatically depicted in this figure, apart from the connecting part 241 and the permanent magnet 240 , are constructed in substantially the same way as the capsule-handling heads 220 shown in FIGS. 9 to 12 and each comprise, in addition to a cylindrical housing 221 , an outer push-button 229 and an inner push-button 236 . The inner push-buttons 236 with the hollow needles attached to them can be actuated jointly as a result of the trigger plate 251 being lowered. The joint actuation of, the outer push-buttons 229 is effected as a result of the release plate 254 being lowered. The matrix-capsule-handling head 250 can be used to take hold of sixteen capsules 150 arranged in a matrix 149 together, to open each of them by means of a hollow needle 235 and if appropriate to mix the substances contained therein with other substances and release them again.
Unlike in FIG. 1 , a balance 9 , which can be used to measure the total weight of the tool holder 1 , the matrix-capsule-handling head 250 and the capsules 150 , which have been picked up by it and are filled with substances, is additionally arranged on the tool holder 1 beneath the rotary drive 2 . If the weight of the tool holder 1 and of the matrix-capsule-handling head 250 is subtracted from this total weight, the result is the weight of the capsules 150 filled with substances. The weight of the substances in the capsules 150 can be determined by means of differential measurements using empty capsules.
FIG. 14
The tool is in this case a first exemplary embodiment of a capsule-dispensing head 280 , which comprises a balance 296 and a permanent magnet 295 , by means of which, as has been described in a corresponding way in connection with FIG. 2 , it is connected to the tool holder 1 . The removal of the capsule-dispensing head 280 from the tool holder 1 is effected by means of the electromagnet arranged in the tool holder 1 .
The capsule-dispensing head 280 comprises a substantially cylindrical housing 281 , the lower part of which narrows to form a neck 282 and in which a large number of capsules 150 , which each contain a substance 151 , are stored. One of the capsules 150 is held by an air-filled sleeve 283 , which is arranged in the neck 282 and is made, for example, from rubber. In a separate cylinder 284 there is a plunger 285 , to which a plunger rod 286 , which projects out through an end wall 287 of the cylinder 284 and is provided at its top end with a push-button 288 , is attached. Between the plunger 285 and the cylinder 284 and between the plunger rod 286 and the end wall 287 there is in each case an annular seal 289 , 290 . Between the plunger 285 and the base 291 of the cylinder 284 there is a coil spring 292 , which in the stress-free state holds the plunger 285 in the position illustrated. Between the plunger 285 and the end wall 287 there is an air-filled space 293 , which is in communication with the interior of the sleeve 283 via an air line 294 .
In order for the capsule 150 which is being held by the sleeve 283 to be released, the push-button 288 is pressed downward. In the process, the plunger rod 286 and the plunger 285 are moved downward so as to compress the coil spring 292 , with the result that the size of the space 293 between the plunger 285 and the end wall 287 is increased greatly and a reduced pressure is generated therein. This reduced pressure causes air to be extracted from the interior of the sleeve 283 via the air line 294 , with the result that the internal diameter of the sleeve 283 is increased to a value which is greater than the external diameter of the capsule 150 , so that the capsule 150 is no longer held by the sleeve 283 and drops downward under the force of gravity. At the same time, a second capsule 150 moves up to take the place of the first capsule 150 , it being important for the pressure on the push-button 288 to be released again sufficiently quickly, so that the coil spring 292 moves the plunger 285 back upward into the starting position, the size of the space 293 is reduced again and air is fed back to the sleeve 283 via the air line 294 sufficiently quickly for the capsule 150 to be gripped by the sleeve 283 .
Moreover, the figure diagrammatically indicates that the push-button 288 can be actuated by a rotary lever 297 , the rotary lever 297 being articulatedly mounted on a rod 298 in such a manner that it can rotate in the direction of the arrow, this rod in turn being secured to the balance 296 by means of a bearing part 299 . The drive of the rotary lever 297 , which is controlled by the control computer, is not illustrated.
The balance 296 can be used to measure the total weight of the capsules 150 which are present in the capsule-dispensing head 280 and are filled with substances and of the capsule-dispensing head 280 , with the exception of the permanent magnet 295 and the balance 296 itself. The weight of a capsule 150 filled with substance can be measured by measuring the weight difference before and after a capsule 150 has been dispensed. The weight of the substance in the capsule 150 can be determined by differential measurements using an empty capsule 150 .
FIG. 15
The tool is in this case a second exemplary embodiment of a capsule-dispensing head 300 , which comprises a balance 318 and a permanent magnet 317 , by means of which, as has been described in a corresponding way in connection with FIG. 2 , it is connected to the tool holder 1 . The removal of the capsule-dispensing head 300 from the tool holder 1 is effected by means of the electromagnet arranged in the tool holder 1 .
The capsule-dispensing head 300 comprises a substantially cylindrical housing 301 , which in its lower part narrows to form a neck 302 and in which a multiplicity of capsules 150 , which each contain a substance 151 , are stored. One of the capsules 150 is held by an air-filled sleeve 303 , which is arranged in the neck 302 and is made, for example, from rubber, while the other capsules 150 are arranged in the cylindrical housing 301 in a chamber part 315 which can rotate in the manner of a revolver as indicated by arrow E. In a separate cylinder 304 there is a plunger 305 , to which a plunger rod 306 , which projects out through an end wall 307 of the cylinder 304 and is provided at its top end with a push-button 308 , is attached. Between the plunger 305 and the cylinder 304 and between the plunger rod 306 and the end wall 307 there is in each case an annular seal 309 , 310 . Between the plunger 305 and the base 311 of the cylinder 304 there is a coil spring 312 , which in the stress-free state holds the plunger 305 in the position illustrated. Between the plunger 305 and the end wall 307 there is an air-filled space 313 , which is in communication with the interior of the sleeve 303 via an air line 314 .
In addition, the capsule-dispensing head 300 comprises a hollow needle 316 , which passes through the push-button 308 , the plunger rod 306 , the plunger 305 and the base 311 . As a result of the hollow needle 316 being forced downward, the capsule 150 which is located above the capsule which is held by the sleeve 303 can be punctured. If necessary, another substance, in particular a solvent, can be fed to the open capsule 150 via the hollow needle 316 .
In order for the capsule 150 which is being held by the sleeve 303 to be released, the push-button 308 is pushed downward. In the process, the plunger rod 306 and the plunger 305 are moved downward so as to compress the coil spring 312 , with the result that the size of the space 313 between the plunger 305 and the end wall 307 is increased greatly and a reduced pressure is generated therein. This reduced pressure causes air to be extracted from the interior of the sleeve 303 via the air line 314 , with the result that the internal diameter of the sleeve 303 is increased to a value which is greater than the external diameter of the capsule 150 , so that the capsule 150 is no longer held by the sleeve 303 and drops downward under the force of gravity. At the same time, the capsule located above this capsule 150 drops into the position which was occupied by the capsule 150 which has been released, it being important for the pressure on the push-button 308 to be released again sufficiently quickly, so that the coil spring 312 moves the plunger 305 back upward into the starting position, the size of the space 313 is reduced again and air is fed back to the sleeve 303 via the air line 314 sufficiently quickly for the next capsule 150 to be gripped by the sleeve 303 . Then, the chamber part 315 is rotated one step onward, so that a new capsule 150 moves into the position directly above the neck 302 . The rotation of the chamber part 315 may be effected externally, for example by hand, or may be triggered by the actuation of the push-button 308 . For this purpose, if necessary the cylindrical housing 301 has access openings.
Moreover, the figure diagrammatically indicates that the hollow needle 316 can be actuated by a rotary lever 319 and the push-button 308 can be actuated by a rotary lever 322 , the two rotary levers 319 , 322 being articulatedly mounted on a rod 321 , which is secured to the balance 318 by means of a bearing part 323 , in such a manner that they can rotate in the direction indicated by the arrows. The drives of the two rotary levers 319 , 322 , which are controlled by the control computer, are not shown.
A cuboidal housing, in which the capsules 150 are arranged in a plate which can be moved in the x direction and in the y direction, may also be provided instead of the cylindrical housing 301 and the chamber part 315 which can rotate in the manner of a revolver.
The balance 318 can be used to measure the total weight of the capsules 150 which are filled with substance and are present in the capsule-dispensing head 300 and of the capsule-dispensing head 300 with the exception of the permanent magnet 317 and the balance 318 itself. The weight of a capsule 150 filled with substance can be measured by measuring the weight difference before and after a capsule 150 has been dispensed. The weight of the substance in the capsule 150 can be determined by differential measurements using an empty capsule 150 .
FIGS. 16 and 17
The tool is in this case formed by a screw metering head 320 , which comprises a permanent magnet 321 , by means of which, as has been described in a corresponding way in connection with FIG. 2 , it is connected to the tool holder 1 . The removal of the screw metering head 320 from the tool holder 1 is effected by means of the electromagnet arranged in the tool holder 1 .
A motor part 326 is attached to the permanent magnet 321 by means of a balance 333 and a connecting part 322 , and an open tube 323 , in which a screw 324 , which can rotate forward and backward about the z direction as indicated by arrow F, with screw shaft 325 is mounted at its bottom end. The screw 324 is anchored by means of the screw shaft 325 in such a manner that it can be rotated by a motor arranged in the motor part 326 and is stable in the z direction. Rotation of the screw 324 results in a ram 327 which runs on the screw moving up or down. The lower, open end of the tube 323 can be closed off by means of a diaphragm 328 which is provided with holes 329 and is secured to two pivot arms 330 , 331 which are mounted pivotably in a suspension 332 on the motor part 326 . In FIG. 16 , the diaphragm 328 has been removed from the open end of the tube 323 and can be moved into the closed position illustrated in FIG. 17 by being pivoted in the direction indicated by arrow I.
To take up substance, the open end of the tube 323 is moved onto the substance with the diaphragm 328 in its pivoted-away position. Rotation of the screw 324 in the direction which moves the ram 327 upward causes substance to be carried upward directly by the screw 324 .
To dispense substance, the diaphragm 328 is pivoted under the screw 324 to cover the open end of the tube 323 . Then, the screw 324 is rotated in the direction which moves the ram 327 downward, with the result that substance is forced out downward through the holes 329 in the diaphragm 328 on the one hand directly by the screw 324 and on the other hand by means of the ram 327 . A stripper 334 , in the shape of a U-shaped wire, part of which bears against the underside of the diaphragm 328 , is, like the two pivot arms 330 , 331 , mounted pivotably on the suspension 332 . Pivoting the stripper 334 in the direction indicated by the arrow K ensures that any substance which has remained attached to the bottom of the diaphragm 328 is periodically stripped off, allowing more accurate metering.
The diaphragm 328 is responsible for continuous delivery of substance, but in principle metering is also possible without a diaphragm 328 .
The balance 333 can be used to measure the total weight of the substance which has been taken up by the screw 324 and of the screw metering head 320 with the exception of the permanent magnet 321 and the balance 333 itself. If the weight of the screw metering head 320 with the exception of the permanent magnet 321 and the balance 333 itself is subtracted from this total weight, the result is the weight of the substance which has been taken up. The weight of substance which has been additionally taken up or dispensed can be determined by differential measurements.
FIG. 18
The tool is in this case formed by a solids-metering head 350 , which comprises a permanent magnet 351 , by means of which, as has been described correspondingly in connection with FIG. 2 , it is connected to the tool holder 1 . The removal of the solids-metering head 350 from the tool holder 1 is effected by means of the electromagnet arranged in the tool holder 1 .
On the permanent magnet 351 there is a bearing part 352 , on which a carriage 353 is mounted in such a manner that it can move in the z direction. A holding plate 354 has been pushed laterally into the carriage 353 and has attached to it a metering housing 355 , the internal diameter of which decreases in steps toward the bottom and which has an intermediate base 371 with a conical metering opening which tapers upward. The holding plate 354 with the metering housing 355 can be detached from the carriage 353 by means of a horizontal movement involving little force.
A rotating metering shaft 357 , which drives a stripper 356 and can be displaced in the z direction, runs in the z direction centrally through the metering housing 355 and the conical metering opening in the intermediate base 371 . At the lower end of the metering shaft 357 there is a closure cone 372 which tapers upward and partially or completely closes off the conical metering opening in the intermediate base 371 depending on the z position, substance which flows downward when the metering opening is partially open being fed to the stripper 356 .
The rotating metering shaft 357 is fixedly connected to a co-rotating bearing part 368 , projects from below into a shaft 359 driven by a motor 360 and is rotated with the shaft 359 . A rotating stripper 358 which is arranged in the upper part of the metering housing 355 runs through the bearing part 368 and likewise projects into the shaft 359 from below. The stripper 358 can move in the z direction in the bearing part 368 and is driven, together with the metering shaft 357 , by the shaft 359 .
The displacement of the metering shaft 357 in the z direction is brought about by two electromagnets 362 and 363 , which are mounted on the holding plate 354 and bear a cover plate 366 via two support parts 364 , 365 . The cover plate 366 is connected to the bearing part 368 fixedly in the z direction, a ball bearing 361 enabling the bearing part 368 to rotate on the rotationally fixed cover plate 366 . On activation, the electromagnets 362 , 363 generate a force in the z direction and raise or lower the cover plate 366 and as a result the bearing part 368 and the metering shaft 357 .
The motor 360 and the electromagnets 362 , 363 are controlled by a control part 367 , which is arranged laterally on the bearing part 352 and to which the motor 360 is secured.
Moreover, a balance 369 with a minimum weighing range from 0 to 2 kg and an accuracy of 0.1 g, which is in contact with the carriage 353 via a pin 370 , is attached to the bearing part 352 . Balances of this type are commercially available, for example from Sartorius AG, 37070 Göttingen, Germany. However, it is preferable to use a more accurate balance with an accuracy of 0.1 mg.
If substance which is stored in the metering housing 355 is dispensed via the conical metering opening in the intermediate base 371 , the weight load applied to the carriage 353 is reduced and the carriage 353 is pulled downward less strongly, a fact which is measured by the balance 369 via the pin 370 .
A second balance 374 is secured to the control part 367 by means of a connecting part 373 . The balance 374 bears, via a rotary axle 376 extending in the z direction, a tiltable spoon 375 , the concave part of which is located vertically below the metering housing 355 .
Substance which has been dispensed by the metering housing 355 firstly drops into the concave part of the spoon 375 , so that its weight can be measured there by means of the balance 374 . If the measured weight corresponds to a quantity of substance which, by way of example, is to be metered to a reaction vessel, the substance is added to the reaction vessel as a result of the spoon 375 being tilted through 180° as indicated by arrow G. If the weight corresponds to a quantity of substance which is smaller than the quantity desired, either first of all the quantity of substance which is present is added to the reaction vessel as a result of the spoon 375 being tilted, and then the spoon 375 is rotated back into the receiving position and the differential quantity which is still missing is weighed out in a second step, and finally this quantity is added to the reaction vessel, once again as a result of the spoon 375 being tilted, or, as an alternative, more substance is fed direct to the concave part of the spoon 375 until the desired quantity is reached. On the other hand, if the measured weight corresponds to a quantity of substance which is greater than the desired quantity, either the concave part is, as a result of rotation of the rotary axle 376 and therefore of the spoon 375 attached to it in the direction of arrow H, rotated away, emptied, rotated back under the metering housing 355 and refilled with substance, or, as an alternative, the entire solids-metering head 350 is displaced over the tool holder 1 , the concave part is emptied, is guided back under the metering housing 355 as a result of displacement of the solids-metering head 350 and is refilled with substance.
The balances 369 and 374 can in each case either be used on their own or together in order to check one another, the balance 374 having the advantage of measuring a smaller total weight. In principle, however, it would also be possible for the rotary axle 376 to be mounted directly on the connecting part 373 and for it, together with the spoon 375 , to be controlled purely on the basis of the measurement results from the balance 369 .
As an alternative to the spoon 375 , by way of example a vessel, e.g. a funnel, which has a closable opening at the bottom, is also conceivable.
A solids-metering head of this type, but without magnet coupling to the tool holder 1 , without spoon 375 and without balances 369 and 374 arranged directly on the solids-metering head, is marketed by Auto Dose SA, CH-1228 Plan-les-Ouates.
FIGS. 19 to 23
In this exemplary embodiment, the tool is formed by a screw metering head 420 , which can be connected to a tool holder 401 , which is secured to the rotary drive 2 , by means of a bayonet connection. The bayonet connection comprises, on the tool holder side, an annular connecting part 411 with a connecting bolt 412 and, on the tool side, an annular connecting part 421 with a recess 422 for receiving the connecting bolt 412 . Moreover, on the tool side there is a mandrel 424 which is intended to engage in the annular connecting part 411 and stabilizes the bayonet connection.
Via eight contact locations 413 , which are distributed over the outer circumference, on the annular connecting part 411 on the tool holder side and eight contact locations 423 , which are distributed over the inner circumference, on the annular connecting part 421 on the tool side, the screw metering head 420 can be supplied with power via the annular connecting part 411 and data communication can take place. For its part, the annular connecting part 411 is connected via a cable 414 to the fixed part of the device.
The screw metering head 420 comprises a weighing unit with a housing 425 , in which the control electronics 426 and a balance 427 are arranged. It is preferable to use a balance with an accuracy of 0.1 mg. As can be seen from FIG. 20 , a bearing part 428 of the balance 427 projects out of the housing 425 . A metering unit 430 rests on the bearing part 428 via a drive unit 440 and in this way is weighed, together with the drive unit 440 , by the balance 427 .
To increase the weighing accuracy, a second balance, which measures the influence of any vibrations, which is then subtracted from the measurement result of the balance 427 , can be used in addition to the balance 427 .
A filling connection piece 450 is held removably beneath the metering unit 430 by a holder 451 which is fixedly connected to the housing 425 . The filling connection piece 450 does not touch the metering unit 430 and therefore does not have any adverse effect on the weighing operation. The fact that it is separate from the metering unit 430 means that the balance 427 is subjected to load from a lower weight, with the result that the weighing accuracy is increased. Moreover, the metering unit 430 and the filling connection piece 450 can be removed and stored separately from the drive unit 440 and the holder 451 , respectively.
Alternatively, it would also be possible to use a filling connection piece which is connected to the metering unit 430 , which would have the advantage that any residual substance which has remained in the filling connection piece would also be weighed.
The structure of the metering unit 430 can be seen from FIGS. 21 and 22 . The metering unit 430 comprises a storage vessel 431 , an extruder 432 having a screw part 4322 and a web part 4321 , a metering funnel 433 and a cover 434 which is provided with toothing. The screw part 4322 tapers from the top downward, i.e. away from the web part 4321 , with the result that when pulverulent substance is being metered, this substance does not clump together as it passes through the metering funnel 433 . The toothed cover 434 has an internal screw thread and is screwed onto a screw thread 4311 of the storage vessel 431 , the extruder 432 being clamped between cover 434 and storage vessel 431 . The clamping is effected by means of the web part 4321 , from which, moreover, strippers, which are not shown in FIG. 2 , preferably extend toward the screw part 4322 . The metering funnel 433 is held rotatably between cover 434 and extruder 432 and has lugs 4331 which, when the metering unit 430 is inserted in the drive unit 440 , engage in recesses 4411 of a metering-unit receiving part 441 of the drive unit 440 .
The drive unit 440 also comprises a motor 442 which is secured to a printed-circuit board 443 provided with control electronics and actuates a transmission gearwheel 444 . The transmission gearwheel 444 engages through a gap in the metering-unit receiving part 441 in the toothed cover 434 of the metering unit 430 and rotates the toothed cover 434 together with the storage vessel 431 and the extruder 432 , while the metering funnel 433 is held in a fixed position by the lugs 4331 engaging in the recesses 4411 . The resultant relative movement between metering funnel 433 and extruder 432 causes substance to be conveyed out of the storage vessel 431 through the metering funnel 433 into the filling connection piece 450 .
The motor 442 is fed by two storage batteries 445 and 446 , which, by way of example, can be recharged by the charging means 429 which is shown in FIG. 19 and is attached to the housing 425 . The charging device 429 is designed as a switch and is only in contact with the storage batteries 445 , 446 while they are being charged. During the weighing operation, the charging means 429 does not touch the storage batteries 445 , 446 , so that the weighing operation is not adversely affected.
Alternatively, the charging of the storage batteries 445 , 446 could also take place in a separate charging station which is separate from the screw metering head 420 , in which case the drive unit 440 , to this end, would simply have to be lifted off the bearing part 428 of the balance 427 and transported to the charging station.
The motor 442 is controlled by means of the printed-circuit board 443 , which for its part receives control signals from the control electronics 426 arranged in the weighing unit. The transmission of signals from the weighing unit to the printed-circuit board 443 is effected by means of light through an opening 4251 , which can be seen in FIG. 20 , in the housing 425 , so that mechanical contact between weighing unit and drive unit 440 is avoided and the weighing operation is not adversely affected.
The screw metering head 420 can be modified in various ways. In particular, by way of example, the storage vessel 431 can be fixed in such a way that it does not also rotate during the metering operation. In this case, it is also preferable for a driver to extend into the storage vessel 431 from the rotating extruder 432 .
The metering may generally take place continuously, but periodic additions of substance and a weighing operation between the individual addition operations are also possible. Moreover, it is conceivable for the storage vessel 431 to be shaken during the metering operation, so that the pulverulent substance contained therein is loosened.
It is possible to execute further design variations on the devices according to the invention which have been described above. Express mention should also be made of the following at this point:
In all the exemplary embodiments described, the balance or balances may be provided either on the tool or on the tool holder 1 . Arranging the balance on the tool holder 1 has the advantage that, in the event of a tool change, there is no need for each tool to have a balance. However, this solution means that the weight of the entire tool is always measured as well. By contrast, arranging the balance on the tool has the advantage that in each case a lower overall weight is measured. This tends to make the measurements more accurate. The connection between tool holder 1 and tool may also be formed in a different way than with magnets or bayonet connections. By way of example, screw connections or clamping connections are conceivable. However, it should be possible for the connection to be produced and released again automatically, i.e. not by hand. In addition to the tools described, it is also possible to use further tools which are equipped with a connection point to the tool holder and possibly a balance. | The invention relates to a device that comprises a tool holder that can be adjusted in an x-axis, a y-axis which is perpendicular thereto, and a z-axis that is perpendicular both to the x-axis and the y-axis and that can be pivoted about the z-axis. A dispense head for solid material is mounted on the tool holder as the tool. Two scales are disposed on the dispense head for solid material, said scales weighing the material which is or is to be delivered by the dispense head for solid material. The inventive design with two scales directly mounted on the dispense head for solid material allows for weighing of the material without the dispense head for solid material or the material having to be placed on separate scales. | 8 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] None
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] None
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] (1) Field of the Invention
[0004] The present invention relates to the preparation of pyrrolidines, preferably chiral, from tri-O-acetyl-ketopentulosonic acid methyl esters. In particular the present invention relates to the preparation of 3,4-dihydroxy-5-hydroxymethyl pyrrolidines (1,4-dideoxy-1,4-imino pentitols) which can be substituted or unsubstituted in the N position.
[0005] (2) Description of Related Art
[0006] Aza-sugar analogs of D-ribofuranosides are important targets for the synthesis of drugs that regulate nucleic acid synthesis. (3R,4R,5R)-3,4-dihydroxy-5-hydroxymethyl-2-pyrrolidone is an important aza-sugar intermediate.
[0007] The current routes (Fleet, G. W. J., et al., Tetrahedron 44(9) 2637-2647 (1988); and Fleet, G. W. J., et al., Tetrahedron 44 (9) 2649-2655 (1988)) to 1,4-dideoxy-l,4-imino-D-ribitol (a pyrrolidine) and its derivatives employ hexose sugars and require the removal of 1 carbon atom (usually by an oxidative process) that is difficult on large scale. One of the methods uses the L-gulono lactone which is a rare sugar and not a regular article of commerce available in significant quantities. There is no relatively simple and economic synthesis available.
OBJECTS
[0008] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide novel intermediates and processes for the preparation of hydroxylated pyrrolidines, preferably chiral, as analogs of D-ribofuranoside. It is further an object of the present invention to provide a process which is relatively easy to perform and economical. These and other objects of the present invention will become increasingly apparent by reference to the following description and the drawings.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The present invention relates to the preparation of a first intermediate to the pyrrolidines by a process for the preparation of a 2,3,5-tri-O-acetyl-4-ketopentulosonic acid-l-methyl ester which comprises:
[0010] (a) reacting a pentose sugar with methanol in the presence of an acid to form a 1-methyl pentose sugar;
[0011] (b) reacting the 1-methyl pentose sugar with acetic anhydride in the presence of an amine to form a 1-methyl-2,3,5-tri-O-acetyl pentose sugar; and
[0012] (c) reacting the 1-methyl-2,3,5-tri-O-acetyl 1-methyl pentose sugar with an oxidizing agent to form the 2,3,5-tri-O-acetyl-4-ketopentulosonic acid-1-methyl ester.
[0013] In particular the present invention relates to a process for the preparation of 2,3,5-tri-O-acetyl-D-erythro-4-pentulosonic acid methyl ester which comprises:
[0014] (a) reacting D-ribose with an acidic solution of methanol to form 1-methyl D-ribofuranoside;
[0015] (b) reacting the 1-methyl D-ribose with acetic anhydride in the presence of pyridine to form 1-methyl-2,3,5 tri-O-acetyl-D-riboside in the reaction mixture; and
[0016] (d) reacting 1-methyl-2,3,5-tri-O-acetyl-D-riboside with an oxidizing agent to form the 2,3,5-tri-O-acetyl-D-erythro-4-pentulosonic acid methyl ester. The oxidizing agent is preferably chromium trioxide in acetic anhydride. The process is specifically shown in Scheme III.
[0017] The present invention also relates to a process for the preparation of a second intermediate to the pyrrolidines which is a process which comprises:
[0018] (a) reacting tri-O-acetyl-4-pentulosonic acid methyl ester with hydroxylamine, an amine or an ammonium ion in the presence of pyridine with the hydroxylamine to form an oxime or imine of the formula:
[0019] wherein R is selected from the group consisting of acyloxy, alkyloxy, hydroxyl, alkyl, aryl and hydrogen and R 1 to R 3 are hydrogen or a protecting group;
[0020] (b) separating the oxime or imine from the reaction mixture. The reaction is conducted in a non-reactive solvent with an amine base at low temperatures −10° C. to 10° C. and then poured over ice containing an acid to trap the excess amine base or hydroxylamine. In this and the following reactions, R preferably contains 0 to 10 carbon atoms and R 1 contains 0 to 10 carbon atoms. R and R 1 are generally groups which are non-labile under the reaction conditions.
[0021] The present invention also relates to a process for the preparation of a third intermediate to the pyrrolidines which is a process for the preparation of a pyrrolidone lactam of the formula:
[0022] which comprises reducing an oxime or imine of the formula:
[0023] with a source of singlet hydrogen (H) or a hydride to form the pyrrolidone lactam, wherein R is selected from the group consisting of acyloxy, alkyloxy, hydroxyl, alkyl, aryl, and hydrogen, and wherein R 1 to R 3 are hydrogen or a protecting group and Me is methyl. The reaction is conducted in a non-reactive solvent, preferably methanol, at −10° C. to 30° C.
[0024] The present invention also relates to a process for the preparation of a 2,3,5-tri-O-acetyl-1,4-dideoxy-1,4-iminopentitol which comprises:
[0025] reacting a pyrrolidone lactam of the formula:
[0026] with a source of singlet hydrogen (H) or a hydride to form the pentitol, wherein R is selected from the group consisting of alkyl, aryl and hydrogen and R 1 to R 3 are hydrogen or a protecting group. The reaction is preferably conducted at −20 to 40° C.
[0027] The present invention also relates to a process for the preparation of a lactone which comprises:
[0028] (a) reacting in a reaction mixture 2,3,5-tri-O-acetyl-4-pentulosonic acid or ester with a hydride or hydrogen and a catalyst to produce 2,3,5-tri-O-acetyl-pentonic acid or ester in a reaction mixture; and
[0029] (b) reacting the 2,3,5-tri-O-acetyl-pentonic acid or ester with an acid in water to form a lactone. A preferred lactone is L-lyxono-γ-lactone.
[0030] The present invention also relates to a process for the preparation of a 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-imino pentitol which comprises:
[0031] (a) reacting tri-O-acetyl-4-pentulosonic acid methyl ester in methanol ammonium acetate and acetic acid in the presence of a hydride reducing agent to form an ammonium compound which spontaneously cyclizes to a lactam;
[0032] (b) reacting the lactam with a hydride to form 2,3,5-tri-O-acetyl 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-imino pentitol; and
[0033] (c) deacylating the tri-O-acetyl-1,4-dideoxy-1,4-iminopentitol to form the 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-iminopentitol.
[0034] The present invention also relates to a process for the preparation of 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-aminopentitol which comprises:
[0035] (a) reductive cyclization of tri-O-acetyl-4-amino pentonic acid methyl ester with a reducing agent to form 2,3,5-tri-O-acetyl 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-iminopentitol via an intermediate lactam; and
[0036] (b) deacylating the 2,3,5-tri-O-acetyl-1,4-dideoxy-1,4-iminopentitol to form 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-imino pentitol.
[0037] The present invention also relates to a pentulosonic acid methyl ester which comprises:
[0038] where R 1 to R 3 is a protecting group or hydrogen and Me is methyl.
[0039] The present invention also relates to a pentulosonic acid methyl ester oxime or imine of the formula
[0040] wherein R is selected from the group consisting of acyloxy, alkoxy, hydroxyl, alkyl, aryl and hydrogen, R 1 to R 3 are protecting groups or hydrogen and Me is methyl.
[0041] The present invention also relates to a pyrrolidone of the formula:
[0042] wherein R 1 to R 3 is a protecting group or hydrogen, and R is selected from the group consisting of acyloxy, alkyloxy, hydroxy,alkyl, aryl and hydrogen.
[0043] The present invention also relates to a pyrrolidine of the formula:
[0044] where R is selected from the group consisting of acyloxy, alkyloxy, hydroxy, alkyl, aryl and hydrogen and R 1 to R 3 is a protecting group.
[0045] The specific novel compounds are:
[0046] 2,3,5-Tri-O-acetyl-D-erythro-4-oximyl pentulosonic acid methyl ester.
[0047] 2,3,5-Tri-O-acetyl-D-erythro-4-pentulosonic acid methyl ester.
[0048] 3,4-Dihydroxy-5-hydroxymethyl-2-pyrrolidone.
[0049] (3R,4R,5R)-3,4-Dihydroxy-5-hydroxymethyl-2-pyrrolidone.
[0050] 2,3,5-Tri-O-acetyl-1,4-Dideoxy-1,4-imino-D-ribitol.
[0051] 2,3,5-Tri-O-acetyl-4-amino-4-deoxy-D-erythro-pentonic acid methyl ester.
[0052] N-benzyl (3R,4R,5R) 3,4-dihydroxy-5-hydroxymethyl 2-pyrrolidone.
[0053] 3,4-dihydroxy-5-hydroxymethyl-N-benzyl-2-pyrrolidone.
[0054] The present invention further relates to 2,3,5-tri-O-acetyl-L-lyxonic acid methyl ester.
[0055] The present invention also relates to lyxono-γ-lactone.
[0056] The present invention also relates to L-lyxono-γ-lactone.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0057] [0057]FIG. 1 is a proton NMR spectra for tri-O-acetyl-D-erythro-4-pentulosonic acid methyl ester 6.
[0058] [0058]FIG. 2 is a 13C NMR spectra for the compound 6 of FIG. 1.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
1,4-dideoxy-1,4-imino pentitols from triacetoxy keto pentonic acids (tri-O-acetyl pentulosonic acid esters)
[0059] The process preferably starts from the pentose D-ribose which is available in ton quantities and has the correct number of carbons and the correct stereochemistries. It is much shorter and more efficient than the other routes. Other pentoses could be used such as L-ribose, D or L arabinose, xylose or lyxose.
[0060] 1,4-Dideoxy-1,4-imino-D-ribitol is made from tri-O-acetyl D-erythro-4-pentulosonic acid methyl ester or a related molecule by one of several possible methods, the first two of which are:
[0061] (1) Reductive amination with an amine or ammonia to form 4-amino-4-deoxy pentonic acid compound that can then be cyclized to a lactam. Reduction of the lactam with borane or lithium aluminum hydride yields the desired 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-imino-D-ribitol.
[0062] (2) Formation of an oxime which can be reduced by one of several possible methods to yield a 4-amino-4-deoxy pentonic acid compound that can then be cyclized to the lactam. Reduction of the lactam with borane or lithium aluminum hydride will yield the desired 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-imido-D-ribitol.
[0063] The tri-O-acetyl D-erythro-4-pentulosonic acid methyl ester, the oxime and the lactam (in these examples (3R, 4R, 5R)-3,4-dihydroxy-5-hydroxymethyl-2-pyrrolidone and its N-alkyl derivatives) have not been previously described. Once these compounds can be prepared, the subsequent process step for transformation to the desired 1,4-Dideoxy-1,4-imino-D-ribitol is in the known art.
[0064] Tri-O-acetyl D-erythro-4-pentulosonic acid methyl ester, its oxime and (3R, 4R, 5R)-3,4-dihydroxy-5-hydroxymethyl-2-pyrrolidone and its N-benzyl derivative (formed if benzylamine is used instead of ammonia in the reductive amination) are new compounds.
[0065] The pyrrolidines are derived from an appropriately protected (R 1 to R 3 ) or unprotected R 1 to R 3 is hydrogen 2,3,5-trihydroxy 4-ketopentulosonic acid esters 1 by any of several routes as shown in Scheme I.
[0066] wherein R is OH. Steps 2 and 3 combine together, where R is hydrogen or alkyl, aryl, acyloxy, alkoxy then the process follows each of the steps. Generally R 1 to R 3 is acetyl. Other groups are benzoyl, propanoyl and trifluoroacetyl.
[0067] It should be noted that in the present application the compounds can be numbered using the carbohydrate system wherein the carboxyl group is 1 and the compounds are “pyrrolidines. Scheme I uses this carbohydrate system to show the position of the carbons. In the pyrrolidone system the N in the ring is 1 in naming the various compounds. The pyrrolidone system is preferred for purposes of claiming the compounds.
[0068] In this scheme the protected trihydroxy 4-ketopentulosonic acid ester 1 is reacted with ammonia or a primary amine or ammonium ion or with hydroxylamine to form an imine (in the former case) or an oxime 2 where R is OH which is then hydrogenated or reduced with a metal or a metal hydride reagent to form an amine 3. The amine spontaneously cyclizes to a lactam 4 which can be reduced with borane or a hydride reagent to the desired pyrrolidine 5.
[0069] Starting with the previously unknown compound tri-O-acetyl-D-erythro-4-pentulosonic acid methyl ester (R=methyl, R 1 to R 3 =acetyl in Scheme I) (6), direct syntheses of the tri and di hydroxypyrrolidines (9 and 10 respectively) is obtained with the D-ribo configuration (scheme II). The deoxygenation of the 5-position to form 10 was produced by reduction of the triacetate of the oxime (2) with hydrogen on palladium in acetic acid and thus this combination is not used as a reducing agent. Under these conditions the amino group was also introduced by reduction of the oxime 2. The amine cyclized to form the intermediate amide 8 (lactam) which was reduced to the pyrrolidine 10 with borane or lithium aluminum hydride. Deoxygenation of the 5-position did not occur if the molecule was deactylated first or if an imine was used instead of an oxime for introducing the nitrogen.
[0070] Tri-O-acetyl-D-erythro-4-pentulosonic acid methyl ester (6) was prepared by two routes as outlined in Schemes III and IV.
[0071] In the first route (Example 1, Scheme III), D-ribose is converted to a mixture of its α and β furanosides by treatment with methanol in the presence of a catalytic amount of sulfuric acid. The methyl glycosides are peracetylated and then oxidized with chromium trioxide in acetic anhydride (Example 2). This yields the Tri-O-acetyl-D-erythro-4-pentulosonic acid methyl ester (6) in very pure state as evidenced by the proton (FIG. 1) and 13C NMR spectra (FIG. 2).
[0072] In the second route (Example 6, Scheme IV) the peracetylated glycosides are oxidized with ozone to give the 2,3,5-triacetyl aldonic acid methyl ester which is then oxidized to the tri-O-acetyl-D-erythro-4-pentulosonic acid methyl ester 6 by treatment with DMSO and acetic anhydride or DMSO and trifluoroacetic anhydride.
[0073] The pentulosonic acid methyl ester 6 can be converted to the pyrrolidine nucleus by several routes:
[0074] (1) Conversion to the oxime 2 and reduction to the 4-amino-4-deoxy ester 3 with hydrogen Pd/C with concomitant deoxygenation at the 5 position followed by cyclization to form 10 (Scheme II) where R=H and R 1 =R 2 =Ac.
[0075] (2) Deacetylation by acid methanolysis, oxime 2 formation, and reduction with Pd/C to form 7 where R=R 1 =R 2 =R 3 =H.
[0076] (3) Reductive amination with ammonia and a reductant to form the 4-amino-4-deoxy ester 3 followed by cyclization to form 7 where R=H R 1 =R 2 =R 3 =Ac.
[0077] (4) Conversion to the oxime 2, deacetylation with hydrazine, reduction to the 4-amino-4-deoxy ester 3 with hydrogen Pd/C with concomitant deoxygenation at the 5 position followed by cyclization to from 7 where R=R 1 R 2 =R 3 =H.
[0078] (5) Reductive amination with benzylamine and a reductant to form the 4-amino-4-deoxy ester 3 followed by cyclization to form 7 where R=Benzyl and R 1 =R 2 =R 3 =Ac.
[0079] (6) Reductive amination with 2,4-dimethoxybenzylamine and a reductant to form the 4-amino-4-deoxy ester 3 followed by cyclization to form 11 where R=Benzyl and R 1 =R 2 =R 3 =Ac.
[0080] Tri-O-acetyl D-erythro-4-pentulosonic acid methyl ester 6 is thus a key intermediate in the synthesis of (3R,4R,5R)-3,4-dihydroxy-5-hydroxymethyl-2-pyrrolidone as a 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-imino-D-ribitol (9). These compounds are valuable intermediates in the synthesis of “aza-sugar” analogs of D-ribofuranose.
[0081] The transformation of tri-O-acetyl D-erythro-4-pentulosonic acid methyl ester 6 and its oxime 2 to 9 via 7 and its per-O-acetate was achieved via various chemical transformations. Typical strategies are:
[0082] (1) Reduction of the oxime to an amine and cyclization to the pyrrolidone with expulsion of methanol with reagents such as hydrogen and palladium, hydrogen and platinum, hydrogen and Raney nickel, zinc and acetic acid and sodium cyanoborohydride.
[0083] (2) Reductive amination of the ketone function of tri-O-acetyl D-erythro-4-pentulosonic acid methyl ester 6 with ammonia or an amine using reagents such as sodium cyanoborohydride, sodium borohydride or hydrogen and a catalyst followed by cyclization to the pyrrolidone. The pyrrolidone is reduced to the 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-imino-D-ribitol with reagents such as lithium aluminum hydride or borane.
EXAMPLE 1
[0084] Preparation of tri-O-acetyl D-erythro-4-pentulosonic acid methyl ester 6
[0085] There are two efficient routes to the preparation of tri-O-acetyl D-erythro-4-pentulosonic acid methyl ester 6. The first route is by the oxidation of tri-O-acetyl methyl α,β-ribofuranoside with chromium trioxide in acetic acid/acetic anhydride. The second method is by the oxidation of tri-O-acetyl methyl α,β-ribofuranoside with ozone to produce 2,3,5-tri-O-acetyl D-ribo-pentonic acid methyl ester which is then oxidized with a reagent such as DMSO/TFAA or DMSO/Ac 2 O.
Tri-O-acetyl methyl α,β-ribofuranoside
[0086] Procedure 1
[0087] D-ribose (100 g) was dissolved in methanol (1000 ml) and conc sulfuric acid (2 ml) added. The mixture was left at room temperature for 24 hours and then the solvent was removed at a bath temperature of less than 30-35° C. Pyridine (400 ml) was added and the mixture cooled in ice to ˜5° C. Acetic anhydride (300) was then added over a 20 minute period. The mixture was allowed to come to room temperature and left there for 10 hours after which the solvents were removed by rotary evaporation at a bath temperature of 45-50° C. The syrup was dissolved in ethyl acetate (1000 ml) and washed twice with cold saturated sodium chloride (200 ml) containing ˜30 ml of conc HCl. After 1 wash with cold saturated sodium chloride (100 ml), the solution was dried (sodium sulfate) and concentrated to an oil. The crude tri-O-acetyl methyl α,β-D-ribofuranoside that was so produced was used without further purification.
Tri-O-acetyl D-erythro-4-pentulosonic acid methyl ester
[0088] The tri-O-acetyl methyl α,β-ribofuranoside prepared from 100 g of D-ribose by procedure 1 above was dissolved in acetic acid (1500 ml) and acetic anhydride (330 ml) added. The mixture was cooled in ice to 0-5° C. and a stream of nitrogen passed over the surface. Chromium trioxide (130 g) was added over a period of 40 minutes and the temperature never allowed to exceed 10° C. The mixture was stirred at this temperature for 1 hour then allowed to reach room temperature over a 30 minute period. It was stirred at room temperature for 5 hours. The solvents were then rapidly removed under vacuum at a temperature not to exceed 50° C. It was then diluted with 2000 ml of ethyl acetate, stirred vigorously for 30 minutes and filtered. The filter cake was washed with a further 500 ml of ethyl acetate. The combined ethyl acetate extracts was washed with 2×300 ml of cold water, dried and the solvent removed to yield the desired product in over 92% yield (>92% pure by NMR spectroscopy). 1 H NMR in chloroform, 2.0-2.3 (3×3H singlets), 4.8 (dd, 2H, J=12 Hz), 5.61 (s, 1H), 5.71 (s, 1H). 13 C NMR 30-31 ppm (3 signals), 53.2, 66.8, 71.3, 76.0, 166.7, 169.5, 170.5, 197.8.
Preparation of tri-O-acetyl D-erythro-4-pentulosonic acid methyl ester oxime (2), where R=H and R 1 to R 3 =acetyl
[0089] [0089]
[0090] Tri-O-acetyl D-erythro-4-pentulosonic acid methyl ester (5.5 g) was dissolved in pyridine (16 ml) and the solution cooled to 0° C. Hydroxyamine hydrochloride (2 g, 29 mmol) was added and the mixture was kept at 0° C. for a further 15 minutes and then at room temperature for 2 hours. It was poured into ice containing 18 ml of concentrated HCl (sufficient to neutralize the pyridine) and extracted with 3 times with 60 mol of chloroform. The combined chloroform extracts were washed once with 15 ml of cold saturated sodium chloride, dried (anhydrous sodium sulfate) and concentrated to yield a colorless syrup which slowly formed white crystals. Yield-5.7 g (97%). 13 C NMR-(d-chloroform) 21.0, 53.5, 57.8, 62.0, 68.3, 70.8, 72.0, 151.6, 168.0, 170.1, 171.1, 172.0.
EXAMPLE 3
N-benzyl (3R,4R,5R)-3,4-dihydroxy-5-hydroxymethyl-2-pyrrolidone
[0091] Tri-O-acetyl D-erythro-4-pentulosonic acid methyl ester 6 (15.2 g) was dissolved in methanol (85 ml) and acetic acid (3.1 g) and benzylamine (5.4 g) added. Sodium cyanoborohydride (3.1 g) was then added and the mixture kept at room temperature for 24 hours to reduce the imine to an amine 3. Sodium bicarbonate (6 g) and water 20 ml was added and the mixture heated for 4 hours at 70° C. to effect cyclization to the lactam 7. The mixture was concentrated to a syrup and partitioned between ethyl acetate (300 ml) and cold saturated sodium chloride (100 ml). The ethyl acetate layer was recovered, dried (sodium sulfate) and concentrated to a syrup. The syrup was dissolved in methanol (200 ml) to which was added potassium carbonate 20 g and water 2 ml. The resulting mixture was stirred at room temperature for 14 hours, filtered, the filtrate concentrated and the resulting syrup dissolved in methanol (400 ml). Concentrated HCl (4.1 ml) was added. A white solid was formed. This was removed by filtration and the filtrate concentrated to dryness. Methanol was added again and the solution again concentrated. This was repeated one more time to give the crude N-benzyl pyrrolidone which can be converted to the pyrrolidine to reduction.
EXAMPLE 4
(3R,4R,5R)-3,4-dihydroxy-5-hydroxymethyl-2-pyrrolidone
[0092] Procedure 1
[0093] Tri-O-acetyl D-erythro-4-pentulosonic acid methyl ester 6 (15.2 g) was dissolved in methanol (100 ml) and ammonium acetate (3.0 g) and acetic acid (0.2 ml) added. Sodium cyanoborohydride (3.1 g) was then added and the mixture kept at room temperature for 24 hours to reduce the ammoniated compound to an amino group which are rearranged to the tri-acetylated product 4. The triacetylated product was deacetylated with potassium carbonate-methanol to form the pyrrolidone.
[0094] Procedure 2
[0095] Tri-O-acetyl D-erythro-4-pentulosonic acid methyl ester oxime wherein R=H and R 1 to R 3 =acetyl (3.1 g) was dissolved in methanol (40 ml) and Raney nickel (0.5 g) added. The mixture was hydrogenated at 2 atmospheres for 6 hours, filtered and concentrated to give the crude triacetylated product. The product was deactylated with potassium carbonate-methanol to form the pyrrolidone.
[0096] Procedure 3
[0097] The oxime derivative formed above was treated with 4 equivalents of hydrazine in methanol for 4 hours and then hydrogenated with 10% Pd/C in ethanol containing 10% acetic acid at 50 psi and room temperature for 5 hours. The product was deacetylated with potassium carbonate—methanol to form the pyrrolidone.
[0098] In these procedures, the intermediate steps of 3 and 4 Scheme I are by-passed to produce the tri-O-acetylated intermediate pyrrolidone and the intermediate tri-O-acetylate pyrrolidone is then deacylated and reduced to the pyrrolidine (pentitol 5 in Scheme I).
EXAMPLE 5
[0099] The following is an additional procedure (Scheme V) for using the tri-O-acetyl-D-erythro-4-pentulosonic acid methyl ester 6 to form the pyrrolidine.
[0100] In a typical step, the 4-pentulosonic acid (30 g) is dissolved in 150 ml of methanol and 0.5 molar equivalents of sodium borohydride is added after the solution is cooled to 0° C. The mixture is maintained at 0-5° for 2 hours and then 4 equivalents of acetic acid are added to decompose the borohydride. The methanol is removed by rotary evaporation. 200 ml of methanol is added and removed and this process of adding method and removing repeated four times to remove all borate esters. The product 11 is refluxed in 300 ml of methanol containing 1% HCl for 3 hours, to effect deacylation and concentrated to effect lactonization. The crude L-lyxono-γ-lactone 12 so obtained is converted to the iminopentitol 9 using procedures such as that described by Fleet et al, cited previously.
EXAMPLE 6
[0101] Methyl tri-O-acetyl-α,β, D -ribofuranoside (2 g) was dissolved in ethyl acetate (30 ml) and the solution was cooled to 0-10° C. Ozone was passed through for 2 hours at the rate of 20 mM per hour. The ethyl acetate was then removed and the product dissolved in dimethyl pentoxide (30 ml) and acetic anhydride (2 ml) added. The mixture was left at room temperature for 24 hours. The keto ester was isolated by concentration, and partitioning between water/ethyl acetate. The product was recovered from the ethyl acetate layer.
[0102] It is intended that the foregoing description be only illustrative of the present invention and that the present invention be limited only by the hereinafter appended claims. | Processes for the preparation of pyrrolidones (7 and 8) and pyrrolidines (9 and 10) from tri-O-acetyl-D-erythro-4-pentulosonic acid esters are described. The compounds are aza sugar analogs of D-ribofuranoside and are intermediates to drugs which regulate nucleoside and nucleic acid synthesis. | 2 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to aligning gears and, more particularly, to an aligning gear for adjusting a position of a circuit board that is to be fixed to a housing.
2. Description of the Background Art
With the explosive development of the electronic technology in recent years, an electronic device is able to provide much more functions. In order to upgrade the processing efficiency of the electronic device, e.g., servo, a variety of functional circuits are installed on a circuit board such as a mother board (MB) of the electronic device. For example, a bard disc drive, an optical disc driver, a battery, a modem, a network card and the like are installed on a front side of the MB. In result, the area of the circuit board becomes larger and larger.
When the circuit board is assembled, a locking component, e.g., screw, bolt and the like, is used to fasten the circuit board to a housing of the electronic device. Preferably, in order to position a fixing point of the circuit board at a corresponding fixing point of the housing as precisely as possible, an action flow for position-adjusting and positioning is performed in advance. Accordingly, a fixing device is installed on the circuit board and the housing to solve the position problem that the fixing point of the circuit board should be positioned at the fixing point of the housing precisely during a fixing procedure. With reference to FIGS. 1A and 1B , shown are structural schematic diagrams of a conventional fixing device. A first fixing section 10 is installed on a rear side of a circuit board 1 against a housing 2 . The first fixing section 10 comprises a lockhole 100 and a stroke slot 102 installed along a second direction and connected with the lockhole 100 . A slot width of the stroke slot 102 is a bit less than the diameter of the lockhole 100 . Accordingly, with reference to FIGS. 1B and 1C , a second fixing section 20 is installed on the housing 2 at a position corresponding to the lockhole 100 of the circuit board 1 . The second fixing section 20 has a structure of a locking lug 200 , similar to the structure of a screw. The locking lug 200 comprises a cap top 202 . When the circuit board 1 is assembled on the housing 2 , the action flow for position-adjusting and positioning is performed in advance. First, the action flow aligns the relation position between the lockhole 100 of the circuit board 1 and the locking lug 200 of the housing 2 corresponding to the lockhole 100 . Then the action flow posts the locking lug 200 into the lockhole 100 , and pushs the circuit board 1 to move along the second direction with a leveling thrust, making the locking lug 200 of the housing 2 be blocked into the stroke slot 102 by virtue of the stroke slot 102 of the circuit board 1 . Since the diameter of the cap top 202 of the locking lug 200 is larger than the slot width of the stroke slot 102 , the circuit board 1 , after being blocked into the stroke slot 102 , can be fixed to the housing 2 by a blocking member of the cap top 202 . Lastly, a first fastening section 12 such as a through hole of the circuit board 1 , together with a second fastening section 22 such as a threaded hole of the housing 2 and a locking component such as a screw, fixes the circuit board 1 onto the housing 2 .
As described above, the action flow is performed completely through the use of manpower and subjective action. However, the circuit board 1 is fully matched to a frame of the housing 2 , so it is quite inconvenient to adjust the relative position of the circuit board 1 and the housing 2 to fix the circuit board 1 onto the housing 2 during assembling. Moreover, the first fixing section 12 of the circuit board 1 is installed on the rear side of the circuit board 1 against the housing 2 , so a users can not efficiently observe the position where the first fixing section 12 is exactly located, and can do nothing but relies on his personal experience to fix the circuit board 1 onto the housing 2 , which requires a long period for practicing, thereby affecting the efficiency and performance to fixing the circuit board 1 onto the housing 2 .
Accordingly, there exists a strong need in the art for an aligning gear for aligning the position of the circuit board fixed to the housing to avoid the complex and inconvenient operation like the conventional technology, so as to quickly and exactly align the position for assembling reciprocally, which is provide for fixing and the subsequent fastening action.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an objective of the present invention to solve the aforementioned problems by providing an aligning gear, making the circuit and housing quickly and exactly align the fixing position.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide an aligning gear with a simplified action flow for operating.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide an aligning gear to promote the working efficiency.
In order to attain the object mentioned above and the others, an aligning gear according to the present invention is proposed. The aligning gear is applied to an electronic device including a circuit board having at least a first fixing section and a housing having at least a second fixing section. The aligning gear includes at least a first limiting member and at least a second limiting member, both of which are installed on the housing. The first limiting member limits the circuit board to move along a first direction, so as to make the first fixing section of the circuit board inosculate with the second fixing section of the housing along the first direction. The second limiting member limits the circuit board along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, so as to make the first fixing section of the circuit board inosculate with the second fixing section of the housing along the second direction. Thereby, the circuit board can be quickly and exactly aligned to the position where the circuit board is to be fixed to the housing, so as to fix the circuit board on the housing and finish the subsequent fastening action.
According to the preferred embodiment, the first fixing section has a lockhole structure. Preferably, the first fixing section includes a stroke slot. The second fixing section has a locking lug structure, and is used to be engaged with the lockhole structured first fixing section and entered into the stroke slot by a level thrust.
Preferably, the first limiting member is placed in a region inside of ends of both side mantles of the housing along the first direction, and is in the shape of a bulge for example; the second limiting member is placed in another region outside of the fixing position of the housing corresponding to the circuit board. The second fixing section includes a stopper for stopping the circuit board from being shifted and a connector for connecting the housing. Through the matching between the first limiting member and the second limiting member, the circuit board is limited to move nowhere but along the first direction and the second direction. Thereby, the circuit board can be quickly and exactly aligned to the position where the circuit board is to be fixed to the housing.
As described above, the aligning gear of the present invention aligns the fixing position of the circuit board that are to be assembled and the housing, thereby the circuit board and the housing can quickly and exactly align the fixing position, so as to fix the circuit board and finish the subsequent fastening action, and avoid the complex and inconvenient operation like the conventional technology, which results in erroneous operation and lower working efficiency.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1A depicts a structural schematic diagram of a circuit board according to a conventional fixing device
FIGS. 1B and 1C depict structural schematic diagrams of a housing according to the conventional fixing device shown in FIG. A.
FIG. 2 depicts a structural schematic diagram of a aligning gear according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 depicts a schematic diagram of the preferable exemplary embodiment according to the aligning gear of the present invention.
FIG. 4 depicts a schematic diagram of the using state after applying the aligning gear according to the present invention to the circuit board assembly
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The following description contains specific information pertaining to the implementation of the present invention. One skilled in the art will readily recognize other advantages and features of the present invention after reviewing what specifically disclosed in the present application. It is manifest that the present invention can be implemented and applied in a manner different from that specifically discussed in the present application. It should also be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular exemplary embodiments described herein, but is capable of many rearrangements, modifications, and substitutions without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Wherein, attention that the drawings according to the present invention are all simplified schematic diagrams should be paid to, i.e., they merely illustrate the components pertaining to the invention, and it is not limited to the components what illustrated, the number of the components, shape or proportion of size when actually implementing is a selective design, the layout of the component may be more complex.
The following embodiments further describe the technique means of the present invention in detail, but it is not used to limit the scope of the present invention.
With reference to FIG. 2 , shown is a structural schematic diagram of a aligning gear according to the present invention. The aligning gear is applied in a electronic device, e.g., a servo, a desktop computer, a notebook computer, and is used to align the electronic device, e.g., a relative position between the circuit board 1 and the housing 2 , so as to fix the circuit board 1 onto the housing 2 . A first fixing section 10 , e.g., a lockhole and a stroke slot, is installed on a rear side of the circuit board 1 . A second fixing section 20 , e.g., a locking lug, corresponding to the first fixing section 10 and is installed on the housing 2 . Since the conventional circuit board 1 is applicable object, its structure is not changed, for simplicity, in order to illustrate the feature and structure of the present invention in a more clear and concise, merely the structure directly pertaining to the present invention is illustrated, the other is left out.
As shown in FIG. 2 , the aligning gear is applied in an electronic device comprising the circuit board 1 and the housing 2 . The aligning gear comprises a first limiting member 3 and a second limiting member 4 . In this embodiment, the first limiting member 3 is a metal slope, and the second limiting member 4 is a plastic insulator.
The first limiting member 3 is placed in a region inside of two side mantles 21 , 21 ′ of the housing 2 along the first direction, for limiting a degree of shifting freedom of the circuit board 1 along a first direction. The first fixing section 10 of the circuit board 1 therefore inosculates with the second fixing section 20 of the housing 2 along the first direction. A width of a space of the first limiting member 3 along the first direction is preferably set to be equal to a width of the circuit board 1 . Therefore, the circuit board 1 can be assembled easily with the housing 2 . In the embodiment, the first limiting member 3 is a metal slope formed by the housing 2 to punch at the side mantles 21 , 21 ′ along the first direction. Certainly, one skilled in the art can realize that the structure of the first limiting member 3 is not limited to what described in this embodiment and can be changed as required. For example, the first limiting member 3 can be installed symmetrically, or be formed solely, without the punching process at the side mantles 21 , 21 ′.
The second limiting member 4 comprises a stopper 40 and a connector 42 . The stopper 40 has a blocking bar structure for example, and is placed in a region outside of the housing 2 corresponding to a mounting region of the circuit board 1 along the second direction, and has a stroke space reserved for the circuit board 1 to move along the second direction, so as to limit the degree of shifting freedom of the circuit board 1 along the second direction. Therefore, the first fixing section 10 of the circuit board 1 can inosculate along the second direction with the corresponding position of the second fixing section 20 of the housing 2 , and the circuit board 1 can be fixed to the housing 2 due to a certain leveling thrust along the second direction. The connector 42 has a split ring structure installed for a locking component, e.g., a screw, to fix the second limiting member 4 onto the housing 2 . Although the embodiment provides two second limiting members 4 on both side mantles 21 , 21 ′ of the housing 2 , other embodiments of the present invention can provide the second limiting member 4 with any number or different installation position. For example, a single second limiting member 4 is installed in a central region of the housing 2 , such a configuration achieving equivalent function.
When the first limiting member 3 is engaged with the second limiting member 4 , the circuit board 1 can be confined within a certain region, and the first fixing section 10 can inosculate with a corresponding position of the second fixing section 20 of the housing 2 , to accelerate an assembly process.
With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 , shown are schematic diagrams of the preferable exemplary embodiment according to the aligning gear of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 3 , the aligning gear according to the present invention is applied in an electronic device comprising a circuit board 1 having at least a first fixing section 10 and a housing 2 having at least a second fixing section 20 . The circuit board 1 is an MB for example. At least an electronic component, e.g., a hard disc, a CD-ROM, a battery, a data modern, a network card and the like, is installed on a front side of the circuit board 1 , while the first fixing section 10 , e.g., a lockhole, is installed on a rear side of the circuit board 1 . In accordance, the housing 2 comprises various side mantles and assembling surfaces for assembling the circuit board 1 . A second fixing section 20 such as a locking lug is installed on the assembling surface. As far as assembly is concerned, the first fixing section 10 , e.g., lockhole, of the circuit board 1 is aimed at the second fixing section 20 , e.g., locking lug, of the corresponding housing 2 , making the circuit board 1 fix on the housing 2 through the mutual function of the first fixing section 10 and the second fixing section 20 , then, by virtue of the first fastening section 12 , e.g., through hole, provided by the circuit board 1 , the second fastening section 22 , e.g., threaded hole, provided by the housing 2 and the locking component, e.g., screw, fastening the circuit board 1 to the housing 2 , so as to finish the assembling operation. The structure design and assembling method of the circuit board 1 which are not characteristic of the present invention or the patent feature of what to be applied are often applied in the conventional technology, so these will not be described again.
The aligning gear of the present invention aligns the relative position of the circuit board 1 , e.g., MB, and the housing 2 when the circuit board 1 and the housing 2 are assembled, so as to fix the circuit board 1 to the housing 2 . In practice, the circuit board 1 is placed in the assembling region of the housing 2 , and pushed along the second direction to lean against the second limiting member 4 . Since the space width along the first direction of the first limiting member 3 is designed to be equal to the width of the circuit board 1 , which is to be assembled along the first direction, the first fixing section 10 of the circuit board 1 can inosculate with the second fixing section 20 of the housing 2 or at least can be placed at the neighborhood after being lay down the circuit board 1 . Thus, it is not necessary to adjust again along the first direction; along the second direction, the first fixing section 10 , e.g., lockhole, of the circuit board 1 is also exactly inosculated with the second fixing section 20 , e.g., locking lug, corresponding to the first fixing section 10 of the housing 2 in the exemplary embodiment. The first fixing section 10 comprises a lockhole 100 and a stroke slot 102 , and the second fixing section 20 comprises a locking lug 200 and a cap top 202 . When the locking lug 200 is posting into the lockhole 100 , and then the circuit board 1 is leaving from the second limiting member 4 along the first direction due to the leveling thrust, since the diameter of the cap top 202 of the locking lug 200 is larger than the slot width of the stroke slot 102 , the locking lug 200 will enter into the stroke slot 102 and stop by the blocking of the cap top 202 , and in result the circuit board 1 is fixed to the housing 2 . Thus, the flow of fastening action for completing assembly is often applied in the conventional technology, and will not be described again, with reference to FIG. 4 , shown is a schematic diagram of the using state after applying the aligning gear according to the present invention to the circuit board assembly.
As described above, the aligning gear of the present invention aligns the fixing position of the circuit board to the housing through the use of a matching mechanism preformed by the first limiting member 3 and the second limiting member 4 . Therefore, the circuit board 1 and the housing 2 can be aligned to the fixing position quickly and exactly, so as to avoid the complex and inconvenient operation like the conventional technology, which results in erroneous operation and lower working efficiency.
By virtue of the above-discussed indicating system and method, the user can conveniently and exactly implement corresponding operation by the indicating function with multiple forms without complex ibulgeifying operation, and can adroitly grip the operating function of the electronic device.
The above-described exemplary embodiments are to describe various objects and features of the present invention as illustrative and not restrictive of the scope of the essential technical content according to the present invention, the essential technical content of the present invention is broadly defined in the appended claim, if the exemplary embodiments or method implemented by any one are completely identical to the following claim or only an equivalent change of the following claim, all that is considered to fall with the scope of the invention. | An aligning gear for an electronic device including a circuit board having at least a first fixing section and a housing having at least a second fixing section is disclosed. The aligning gear includes a first limiting member and a second limiting member, both of which are installed on the housing. The first limiting member limits the circuit board to move along a first direction only, while the second limiting member limits the circuit board to move along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, so as to make the first fixing section of the circuit board inosculate with the second fixing section of the housing along the first direction and the second direction respectively. Thereby, the circuit board is adjusted to a position where the circuit board is to be fixed to, so as to fix the circuit board on the housing and finish the subsequent fastening action. | 7 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hand lever coupled to a shaft for operating the wedge-type breechblock of an artillery gun.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A charging hand lever is disclosed by D'Andrea in U.S. Pat. No. 3,362,292. This lever is solidly attached to a crank and located at the side of the bottom of the gun. When the breechblock is in a closing position closed and locked, then the charging hand lever is in a vertical location and is located near the plane to the rearward front of the breech ring. The breechblock is opened by turning the lever by 90° downward. The lever is now in a horizontal position and protrudes far into the rear behind the bottom part. Even though the charging hand lever does itself not participate in the recoil motion of the weapon, it nevertheless represents a grave danger for the gun operator based on its horizontal position protruding into the operating area of the gun, while the breechblock is in open position.
1. Purpose of the Invention
It is an object of the invention to improve the structure of a hand lever for operating the wedge-type breechblock of an artillery gun in order to avoid the disadvantages set forth above and for effecting a rapid and safe breechblock motion.
It is another object of the invention to provide for an automatic release of the lever coupling with the shaft without the assistance of a person upon non-actuation for eliminating a possible safety risk to the gun-operating person.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become evident from the description which follows.
2. Brief Description of the Invention
According to the present invention a hand lever system initiating the motion of the wedge-type breechblock of an artillery gun is provided. A shaft located at the bottom of the gun is connected with the breechblock. A drive connects the shaft with the hand lever and provides a coupling between shaft and lever upon actuation of the lever and otherwise automatically releases the coupling between shaft and lever resulting in dropping of the lever upon discontinuance of the actuation.
The hand lever comprises a loose socket wrench capable of being coupled to the shaft. The cooperating parts of lever and shaft are formed such as to provide upon operation of the lever a coupling with the shaft in both directions of rotation. Upon non-actuation of the lever the coupling automatically disengages and the charging hand lever falls down.
In one aspect of the invention, the shaft is provided with a locking head ending at about the lever of the breech ring. The head is parted by a two-step slot with prismatic surfaces coverging toward the side of the shaft and open at the ends. The head is capable of receiving a two-step bolt located at the free end of the hand lever. The cooperation of one pair of the head and the bolts results in a coupling between head and bolt and the other pair of steps is provided with measures for releasing the coupling.
In another aspect of the invention, the inner step of the head is formed as a roof shaped wedged groove with a stop dog increasing from the middle to both outward sides in height. A corresponding engaging dog of the outer step of the bolt engages behind the stop dog upon actuation of the hand lever to provide a coupling with the shaft. Furthermore, the engaging dog of the outer step of the bolt is formed by inclined planes of the inner step which meet at the middle of both sides in the shape of a roof. Each of the two inclined planes has protruding the head of a pretensioned spring bolt, which exert a pressure against the planar surface of the outer step of the locking head for placing the bolt in a middle position relative to the head.
In one feature of the invention the charging hand lever system comprises a drive coupling between the lever and the end of the shaft. The drive comprises a socket having a two-step bolting slot and each step has prismatic surfaces converging toward the side of the crank. Said slot is open toward the outside at both ends of the slot. A head at the free end of the lever has a two-step bolt with one step of the bolt and the locking slot providing a coupling between the hand lever and the shaft. The other step of the bolt and locking slot have means for releasing the coupling. The hand lever system can have about the same level as the breech ring of the gun.
The inner step of the locking slot is a roof shaped wedge groove with a stop dog which increase in height from the middle towards the two outsides for engaging the corresponding engaging dog of the outer step of the bolt. The engaging dog of the outer step of the bolt is formed by roof shaped inclined planes which converge in the middle. The head of the pretensioned spring bolt protrudes from each of the two inclined planes. The spring bolt heads exert pressure upon the inclined planes of the socket for placing the bolt in a middle position with regard to the slot of the socket. The width of the bolt is in general smaller than the clear width of the slot of the socket at the point of the locking position.
Furthermore, the hand lever is by its length, its weight, and its center of gravity as well as the distance and the pretension of the spring bolts and by the shape of the bolt and of the relative locking head slot adapted for automatically separating through the middle position from the coupling with the shaft.
Thus, the new hand lever system is not only simple to operate, but simultaneously it is to a large extent safe from accidents, since even when the gun operator does not remove the hand lever after use, it separates automatically and falls to the floor.
The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements, arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the device hereinafter described and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the accompanying drawings in which is shown one of the various possible embodiments of the invention:
FIG. 1 is a view of a schematic diagram of the breech ring and the barrel of and artillery gun having a wedge-type breechblock and a hand lever for operating said breechblock;
FIG. 2 is a top view of the hand lever;
FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the hand lever;
FIG. 4 is a sectional view of spring bolts mounted in the hand lever;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the bolt attached to the charging hand lever before introduction into the locking slot of the shaft end;
FIG. 6 is an elevational view of the locking slot of the shaft with engaged bolt; and
FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the locking slot of the shaft with engaged and coupling bolt.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to FIG. 1 there is shown the breech ring 1 of an artillery gun with firmly screwed in barrel 2. A wedge-type breechblock 3 is movable in the vertical direction from the end of the chamber 2a and the barrel 2. An interior recessed inclined slot 3a is machined into the breechblock 3. The breechblock 3 can be opened by means of a lever system 5 connected to the hand lever 4 via the pin 6, which is rotatably mounted on the lever system 5 and which engages the inclined slot 3a.
The hand lever 4 has a certain length and is provided at its front end with a hand knob 4a and at its rear end with a handle 4b. Opposite to the hand knob 4a is placed a bolt 7 at the bearing 4c of the hand lever 4. The two front areas on the sides of the bolt have a cylindrical shape. The bolt 7 is derived from a cylindrical disc which by way of an upper and lower, parallel running circle segment results in a body of substantially rectangular shape.
The intersecting planes generated by the two circular segments are submitted to special treatment. Each of the two sectional planes comprises an outer and an inner step 7a and 7b, respectively. The outer step 7a is an inclined plane, but the inner step 7b is formed by two inclined planes coming together in the middle and shaped like a roof on both sides. Through the latter a sharp engaging step 7c is formed as delineation between the step pair 7a and 7b and the engaging step 7c increases in size going from the middle to the outsides. Since the bolt 7 is of a symmetrical shape there are present two outer steps 7a and two inner steps 7b and the steps 7a comprise one inclined planar surface and the step 7b comprise roof shaped, buckled inclined planes.
A spring bolt 8 is inserted in each of the buckled inclined planes, thus there are four spring bolts 8 present in the two inner steps 7b of the bolt 7. The spring bolts 8 are held in pairs with a joint pressure spring 9 under a certain pretension and they protrude when in free position so far from the inclined planes that they end about at the level of the engaging dog 7c.
The counterpart of the bolt 7 is a locking slot 12 which is machined from a locking head 12 located at the free end of crank 10. As shown in FIG. 6 the locking head 11 ends about at the level of the rear end of the breech ring 1. The locking slot 12 with a depth corresponding to the depth of the bolt 7 also has outer step 12a and an inner step 12b, which are successively machined in the prismatic recess of the locking slot 12.
The steps 7a and 7b of the bolt 7 match the steps 12a and 12b of the locking slot 12 such that the outer step 7a of the bolt 7 which runs in one inclined plane engages the inner step 12a of the locking slot 12 which comprises a roof shaped wedge groove with a stop dog 12c increasing in height from the middle to both sides.
On the other hand the inner step 7b of the bolt 7, which is formed like a roof and provided with a spring bolt 8 on each plane, corresponds to the outer step 12a of the locking slot 12, which in turn is one inclined plane.
The cooperation of the step pair 7a and 12b or 7b and 12a insures that in each case a planar and a roof shaped step are placed opposite to each other.
The hand lever operates as follows:
In normal position with closed breech-block 3 hand lever 4 with the bolt 7 in position b is introduced with the locking slot 12 of the locking head 11 of the shaft 10 by holding the lever with both hands at the hand knob 4a and at the handle 4b. Since the locking slot 12 is slightly wider than the width of the bolt 7, it is easy to introduce the bolt 7 to the middle position A as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.
After turning the hand lever 4 by means of the handle 4b upward by at least 10° into the position c, the engaging dog 7c of the bolt 7 enters so deeply into the wedge groove of the inner step 12b of the locking slot 12 that the engaging dog 7c grips behind the stop dog 12c. This provides the coupling between the hand lever 4 and the shaft 10 as shown in FIG. 7, position B. This lever position c is shown in FIG. 1. In order to be able to open the breechblock 3 the hand lever has to be turned by about 105° into the nearly vertical position (FIG. 1).
In general upon successive loading of a cartridge the ejectors are activated by the bottom of the cartridge. This releases the breechblock 3, i.e. the breech closing spring moves the breechblock again upwards which would entail simultaneous turning of the hand lever downwards.
It can be recognized from FIG. 1 that the hand lever 4 would suddenly pass through the space behind the gun and reserved for the gun operators and could cause personal injury to the persons operating the gun. In order to avoid this danger even in case when the gun operators by mistake neglect to remove the hand lever 4 from the shaft 10, the hand lever 4 after being released by the operators returns into the middle position A (FIG. 1 from f to e).
The hand lever based on its weight, its length and its center of gravity in connection with the construction of the bolt 7 and of the locking slot 11 provides for automatic disengagement of the hand lever 4 in the middle position and for its falling to the ground. This prevents any possibility of injuring the operators of the gun. The spring forces of the spring bolts 8 are practically not noticeable upon coupling the hand lever to the shaft. In addition to the above operating example, it can happen that the breech closing spring breaks during the operation of the gun. Again, in this situation the hand lever can be used reliably. When introduced the hand lever takes position e and is to be turned down to position a when the breechblock is completely closed. Both the hand lever and the spring bolt 8 operate also in opposite directions resulting in reliable disengagement of the hand lever 4 in the position b, which is the middle position A.
It thus will be seen that there is provided a device which achieves the various objects of the invention and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use. As various changes might be made in the embodiment set forth above, it is to be understood that all matter herein described or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. | A hand lever for operating the wedge-type breechblock of an artillery gun is disclosed. A breech operating shaft is placed near the breech ring of the gun and connected to the breechblock and is actuated through a drive by the hand lever. The drive couples shaft and hand lever upon actuation of the lever and otherwise automatically releases the coupling between shaft and hand lever resulting in dropping of the hand lever upon discontinuance of the actuation. | 5 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
The present application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/750,068 filed on May 17, 2007 now abandoned, which in turn claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/819,330 filed on Jul. 7, 2006.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to methods for stimulating hydrocarbon-bearing formations, i.e., to increase the production of hydrocarbon oil and/or gas from the formation and more particularly, to methods for monitoring fluid placement during matrix treatments. The invention also relates to increasing injectivity of an injector.
2. Related Art
Hydrocarbons (oil, natural gas, etc.) are obtained from a subterranean geologic formation (i.e., a “reservoir”) by drilling a well that penetrates the hydrocarbon-bearing formation and thus causing a pressure gradient that forces the fluid to flow from the reservoir to the well. Often, well production is limited by poor permeability either due to naturally tight formations or due to formation damages typically arising from prior well treatment, such as drilling.
To increase the net permeability of a reservoir, it is common to perform a well stimulation treatment. A common stimulation technique consists of injecting an acid that reacts with and dissolves the formation damage or a portion of the formation thereby creating alternative flow paths for the hydrocarbons to migrate through the formation to the well. This technique known as acidizing (or more generally as matrix stimulation) may eventually be associated with fracturing if the injection rate and pressure is enough to induce the formation of a fracture in the reservoir.
Fluid placement is critical to the success of stimulation treatments. Natural reservoirs are often heterogeneous; the fluid will preferentially enter areas of higher permeability in lieu of entering areas where it is most needed. Each additional volume of fluid follows the path of least resistance, and continues to invade in zones that have already been treated. Therefore, it is difficult to place the treating fluids in severely damaged and lower permeability zones.
In order to control placement of treating fluids, various techniques have been employed. Mechanical techniques involve for instance the use of ball sealers and packers and of coiled tubing placement to specifically spot the fluid across the zone of interest. Non-mechanical techniques typically make use of gelling agents as diverters for temporarily impairing the areas of higher permeability and increasing the proportion of the treating zone that goes into the areas of lower permeability.
Therefore, for evaluation and optimization of matrix treatments it is of interest to measure the placement of treating fluids. The present invention determines fluid placement in the reservoir by the measurement and interpretation of one or more of temperature, pressure, and flow rate of fluids injected into the wellbore and close to the fluid exit from an oilfield tubular, such as coiled tubing, using special diagnostic plots.
Some techniques have been proposed for tracking fluid movement in the wellbore such as temperature measurements, spinners and logging devices (for example gamma ray logs) used in combination with radioactive tracers in the fluids. Temperature measurement technologies have focused mainly on an array of temperature sensors (see published U.S. Patent Application Number 20040129418 A1) that allows one to obtain real time temperature profiles for interpretation to support the decision making and/or design modification process. To acquire the temperature profile, the current practice is to maintain the CT/optical fiber sensors stationary in the well to allow the well to stabilize, before taking a “snap shot” of the temperature profile of the well.
Published Patent Applications US20050263281, WO2005116388, US20050236161 and WO2005103437 describe technology to communicate between downhole sensors and the surface to enable real time decision making based on accurate (0.01% accuracy) bottomhole pressure and temperature (1% accuracy) gauges. The technologies outlined in these documents are primarily directed to the measurement and telemetry but not interpretation of the measured data.
The main problems with conventional stimulation/fluid diversion methods and systems are that interpretation of the measurements, whether gathered in realtime or delayed, may be difficult. In most cases, interpretation will come hours after the data is collected. If the telemetry system is not hardwired to the surface, the delay time/data time to the surface also becomes a hardship on timing for interpretation. Another problem with conventional stimulation diversion processes and systems is that the measurements were not designed to provide a qualitative answer to the service that is being performed. One of the many services is flow diversion of fluid into a reservoir section of a well. Another problem with conventional stimulation diversion processes and systems is that they were never designed to run on the end of oilfield tubulars such as coiled tubing. This is especially true for the logging tool flow meters which are designed to be run on the end of cable. This makes them vulnerable to damage. Existing systems also typically use a wired cable in the coiled tubing that increases weight while decreasing reliability.
From the above it is evident that there is a need in the art for new methods and new tools to perform the methods that allow monitoring of fluid placement in hydrocarbon-bearing reservoirs in real time.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, methods and systems (also referred to herein as tools or downhole tools) for practicing the methods are described that reduce or overcome problems in previously known methods and systems for determination of fluid flow in hydrocarbon reservoirs.
A first aspect of the invention are methods for stimulating a subterranean hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir, one method comprising:
(a) contacting the formation with a treating fluid, (b) monitoring the movement of said treating fluid in said reservoir by providing one or more sensors for measurement of temperature and/or pressure, wherein the sensors are disposed on a support adapted to maintain a given spacing between the sensors and the fluid exit.
Methods within the invention may further comprise adjusting the composition of the treating fluid and injection rates and/or pressure of the fluid in response to the measurements made; methods wherein the adjusting step is made in real time; methods wherein the support of sensors is coiled tubing; methods wherein the support extends substantially along the full length of the well; and methods wherein fluids are injected from different flow paths.
One set of methods within the invention comprises:
(a) inserting a tubular into a wellbore, the tubular comprising a section of tubing having at least one fluid injection port and at least one temperature sensor placed at a known location on the tubular; (b) injecting a fluid through the at least one fluid injection port; (c) generating, in real time or at a later time, diagnostic plot curves of temperature derivative with respect to time and temperature derivative with respect to coiled tubing depth, both obtained at a known fixed distance from the fluid injection port; and (d) interpreting shape of the curves to determine location of regions of a hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir exhibiting flow of the injected fluid, where the flow ranges from zero to a non-zero value.
Methods in accordance with this aspect of the invention allow for monitoring fluid placement during matrix treatments by measuring the temperature of the wellbore fluids at a fixed distance from the fluid injection point. Certain methods within this aspect of the invention rely on gathering bottomhole temperature and then using specialized diagnostic plots to estimate the placement of fluids. Certain methods employ plot curve interpretation algorithms for temperature and/or pressure to identify regions in cased or open-hole wells that are readily accepting fluids (i.e., flow is non-zero), when any of the fluid types, for example acid, brine, foams, and the like, are being pumped, using a tubular during a matrix treatment. This aspect of the invention proposes generating diagnostic plots of temperature derivative with respect to time and coiled tubing depth, t*dT/dt and D*dT/dD vs. time (T=Temp, t=time, D=CT Depth), optionally as the data is obtained in real time or non-real-time, optionally “smoothed” to reduce any “noise” in the data (if necessary), and then used to interpret the shape of the curve to determine “active” regions of the reservoir that are readily accepting, marginally accepting, or rejecting the injected fluids. Methods within the invention may be used with inert as well as reactive fluids, and while maintaining the tubular stationary as well as moving the tubular.
Another method of the invention comprises:
(a) inserting a tubular into a wellbore, the tubular comprising a section of tubing having at least one fluid injection port and at least one temperature sensor placed at a known location on the tubular; and (b) injecting a fluid through the tubular and through the at least one fluid injection port; (c) measuring time of arrival of the injected fluid at the temperature sensor.
Methods within this aspect include providing two or more temperature sensors and measuring the time for the injected fluid to travel between two temperature sensors. For example, if a slug of a fluid of low thermal conductivity (such as foam) is pumped through the tubular, the time of arrival of the low conductivity fluid can be observed at a sensor at a known distance upstream or downstream of the fluid injection point.
Another method of the invention comprises:
(a) inserting a tubular into a wellbore, the tubular comprising a section of tubing having at least one fluid injection port and at least one temperature sensor placed at a known location on the tubular; (b) injecting a first fluid through the tubular and through at least one fluid injection port, the first fluid having a first fluid property value; (c) injecting a second fluid through an annulus between the tubular and the wellbore, the second fluid having a second fluid property value that is different from the first fluid property value; and (d) measuring a differential between the first and second fluid property values.
Methods within this aspect of the invention may include tracking a fluid interface between two fluids when there are multiple injection paths in the wellbore. For example, there may be injection of acid through the tubular and injection of brine through the annulus defined between the tubular and production tubing. Methods within the invention include tracking the fluid interface based on the difference in the temperature of the fluids. If the interface is not at the desired location in the wellbore, the methods may comprise adjusting flow rate of one or both fluids to move the interface to a desired location.
Yet another method of the invention comprises:
(a) predicting a temperatures at one or more sensors placed at known locations on a tubular to be injected into a wellbore of a reservoir as a function of reservoir permeability distribution; (b) inserting the tubular into the wellbore, the tubular comprising at least one fluid injection port; (c) injecting a fluid through the at least one fluid injection port; (d) measuring actual temperatures at the one or more sensors; and (e) calculating error between the predicted and the measured temperatures, and minimizing the errors by iteratively adjusting the permeability distribution along the wellbore length.
In these latter methods, an inverse model may be to calculate the permeability distribution in the reservoir from a measured temperature response at one or more temperature sensors. Certain methods within this aspect of the invention may employ numerical simulation to predict the temperatures at the sensors as a function of reservoir permeability distribution. The error in the predicted and the measured values can be minimized by iteratively adjusting the permeability distribution along the well length.
In all methods and systems of the invention, while the discussion primarily focuses on use of coiled tubing (CT), the tubular may be selected from coiled tubing and sectioned pipe wherein the sections may be joined by any means (welded, screwed, flanged, and the like), and combinations thereof. Methods of the invention include those wherein the injecting of the fluid is through the tubular to a bottom hole assembly (BHA) attached to the distal end of the tubular. Other methods of the invention include determining differential flow by monitoring, programming, modifying, and/or measuring one or more parameters selected from temperature, pressure, rotation of a spinner, measurement of the Hall effect, volume of fluids pumped, fluid flow rates, fluid paths (annulus, tubing or both), acidity (pH), fluid composition (acid, diverter, brine, solvent, abrasive, and the like), conductance, resistance, turbidity, color, viscosity, specific gravity, density, and combinations thereof. Yet other methods of the invention are those wherein the measured parameter is measured at a plurality of points upstream and downstream of the of the fluid injection point. One advantage of systems and methods of the invention is that fluid volumes and time spent on location performing the fluid treatment/stimulation may be optimized.
Exemplary methods of the invention include evaluating, modifying, and/or programming the fluid diversion in realtime to ensure treatment fluid is efficiently diverted in a reservoir. By determining more precisely the placement of the treatment fluid(s), which may or may not include solids, for example slurries, the inventive methods may comprise controlling the injection via one or more flow control devices and/or fluid hydraulic techniques to divert and/or place the fluid into a desired location that is determined by the objectives of the operation.
Methods in accordance with the invention may be used prior to, during and post treatment, and any combination thereof, including during all of these.
Another aspect of the invention are systems, one system comprising:
(a) a tubular comprising a section of tubing having at least one fluid injection port and at least one temperature sensor placed at a known location on the tubular; (b) a pump for injecting a fluid through the at least one fluid injection port; (c) a unit for generating, in real time or at a later time, diagnostic plot curves of temperature derivative with respect to time and temperature derivative with respect to coiled tubing depth, both obtained at a known fixed distance from the fluid injection port; and (d) a curve shape interpreting unit for interpreting the curves to determine location of regions of a hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir exhibiting flow of the injected fluid, where the flow ranges from zero to a non-zero value.
Another system of the invention comprises:
(a) a tubular comprising a section of tubing having at least one fluid injection port and at least one temperature sensor placed at a known location on the tubular; (b) a pump for injecting a fluid through the tubular and through the at least one fluid injection port; and (c) a measuring unit for measuring time of arrival of the injected fluid at the temperature sensor.
Another system within the invention comprises:
(a) a tubular comprising a section of tubing having at least one fluid injection port and at least one temperature sensor placed at a known location on the tubular; (b) a first pump for injecting a first fluid through the tubular and through at least one fluid injection port, the first fluid having a first fluid property value; (c) a second pump for injecting a second fluid through an annulus between the tubular and the wellbore, the second fluid having a second fluid property value that is different from the first fluid property value; and (d) a measuring unit for measuring a differential between the first and second fluid property values.
Yet another system of the invention comprises:
(a) a prediction unit for predicting a temperature at one or more sensors placed at known locations on a tubular to be injected into a wellbore of a reservoir as a function of reservoir permeability distribution; (b) means for inserting the tubular into the wellbore, the tubular comprising at least one fluid injection port; (c) a pump for injecting a fluid through the tubular and the at least one fluid injection port; (d) a measuring unit for measuring actual temperatures at the one or more sensors; and (e) a calculation unit for calculating error between the predicted and the measured temperatures, and for minimizing the errors by iteratively adjusting the permeability distribution along the wellbore length.
Methods and systems of the invention will become more apparent upon review of the brief description of the drawings, the detailed description of the invention, and the claims that follow.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The manner in which the objectives of the invention and other desirable characteristics may be obtained is explained in the following description and attached drawings in which:
FIGS. 1 , 2 , 3 , and 4 are schematic diagrams of systems of the invention; and
FIGS. 5 , 6 and 7 are plots of curves useful in one or more methods of the invention.
It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings are not to scale and illustrate only typical embodiments of this invention, and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
In the following description, numerous details are set forth to provide an understanding of the present invention. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these details and that numerous variations or modifications from the described embodiments may be possible. In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of the description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As used herein “oilfield” is a generic term including any hydrocarbon-bearing geologic formation, or formation thought to include hydrocarbons, including onshore and offshore. As used herein when discussing fluid flow, the terms “divert”, “diverting”, and “diversion” mean changing the direction, the location, the magnitude or all of these of all or a portion of a flowing fluid. A “wellbore” may be any type of well, including, but not limited to, a producing well, a non-producing well, an experimental well, and exploratory well, and the like. Wellbores may be vertical, horizontal, some angle between vertical and horizontal, and combinations thereof, for example a vertical well with a non-vertical component.
As mentioned previously, to increase the net permeability of a reservoir, it is common to perform a well stimulation treatment. A common stimulation technique consists of injecting an acid that reacts with and dissolves the formation damage or a portion of the formation thereby creating alternative flow paths for the hydrocarbons to migrate through the formation to the well. This technique known as acidizing (or more generally as matrix stimulation) may eventually be associated with fracturing if the injection rate and pressure is enough to induce the formation of a fracture in the reservoir.
Fluid placement is critical to the success of stimulation treatments. Natural reservoirs are often heterogeneous; the fluid will preferentially enter areas of higher permeability in lieu of entering areas where it is most needed. Each additional volume of fluid follows the path of least resistance, and continues to invade in zones that have already been treated. Therefore, it is difficult to place the treating fluids in severely damaged and lower permeability zones.
In order to control placement of treating fluids, various techniques have been employed. Mechanical techniques involve for instance the use of ball sealers and packers and of coiled tubing placement to specifically spot the fluid across the zone of interest. Non-mechanical techniques typically make use of gelling agents as diverters for temporarily impairing the areas of higher permeability and increasing the proportion of the treating zone that goes into the areas of lower permeability.
Therefore, for evaluation and optimization of matrix treatments it is of interest to measure the placement of treating fluids. The present invention determines fluid placement in the reservoir by the measurement and interpretation of one or more of temperature, pressure, and flow rate of fluids injected into the wellbore and close to the fluid exit from an oilfield tubular, such as coiled tubing, using special diagnostic plots.
Methods in accordance with the invention may be used prior to, during and post treatment, and any combination thereof, including during all of these. Using one or more methods within the invention prior to reservoir treatment will allow estimation of formation damage in each layer of the reservoir from measurements of injection of an inert fluid, such as brine, along some or all of the entire length of the wellbore. The bottomhole temperature data gathered during the injection test can be interpreted in real time by the method proposed and “zones of interest” can be identified.
Use of one or more methods within the present invention during the treatment will allow monitoring and optimization of the treatment in real time. The data may be transmitted to the surface (such as, by a stream of optical signals) and may be displayed on a computer screen, personal digital assistant, cellular phone, or other electronic device for real time interpretation. Placement of fluids in the formation may be optimized in real time by the use of diversion agents such as foam, inflatable open hole packers, fibers, and the like, and combinations thereof, to divert the stimulation where desired to potential zones. For example, if one finds that a certain reservoir layer is not being treated the injection rate of the fluids or the diverter volume or type may be changed or adjusted to divert the treating fluids to that layer.
Post treatment use of one or more methods within the present invention will allow evaluation of the effectiveness of the treatment by monitoring the injection of an inert fluid (such as brine used for post flush) to evaluate the stimulation achieved in each zone. Alternatively the entire data set may be recorded and analyzed post treatment (such as when telemetry equipment is not available).
Methods of the invention allow for monitoring fluid placement during matrix treatments by measuring temperature of the wellbore fluids at a fixed distance from the fluid injection point. The methods of the invention rely on gathering temperatures and/or pressures, and in certain methods using specialized diagnostic plots to estimate the placement of fluids.
Systems of the invention are exemplified in four embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1-4 , wherein like numerals are employed to described like components unless otherwise noted. It should be pointed out that the system embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1-4 are illustrative only, and not intended to be limiting in any way. FIG. 1 illustrates embodiment 100 , including a tubular 2 inserted in a cased or uncased wellbore 3 in a formation 5 , tubular 2 comprising a section of tubing 4 having at least one fluid injection port 6 and at least one temperature sensor 8 attached at a known location on tubular section 4 . System 100 includes a pump 10 for injecting a fluid through tubular 2 , tubular section 4 , and the at least one fluid injection port 6 and into formation 5 . A unit 12 allows generating, in real time or at a later time, diagnostic plot curves of temperature derivative with respect to time and temperature derivative with respect to coiled tubing depth, both obtained at a known fixed distance from the fluid injection port. A communication link 7 connects temperature sensor 8 with unit 12 , and optionally other units not illustrated. Communication link 7 may be fiber optic, hard wire, or wireless. A curve shape interpreting unit 14 allows for interpreting the curves generating by unit 12 to determine location of regions of a hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir exhibiting flow of the injected fluid, where the flow ranges from zero to a non-zero value.
Referring now to FIG. 2 there is illustrated schematically another system embodiment 200 within the invention, comprising a tubular 2 inserted in a cased or uncased wellbore 3 in a formation 5 , tubular 2 comprising a section of tubing 4 having at least one fluid injection port 6 and at least one temperature sensor 8 placed at a known location on tubular section 4 . System 200 also includes a pump 10 for injecting a fluid through tubular 2 , tubular section 4 and the at least one fluid injection port 6 . System 200 includes a measuring unit 16 for measuring time of arrival of the injected fluid at temperature sensor 8 . A communication link 7 connects temperature sensor 8 with unit 16 , and optionally other units not illustrated. Communication link 7 may be fiber optic, hard wire, or wireless. Although communication link 7 is illustrated as traversing through tubular 2 and tubular section 4 , link 7 may traverse in the annulus between tubular 2 and wellbore or production casing 3 .
FIG. 3 illustrates schematically another system embodiment 300 within the invention, and includes a tubular 2 inserted in a cased or uncased wellbore 3 in a formation 5 , tubular 2 comprising a section of tubing 4 having at least one fluid injection port 6 and at least one sensor 8 placed at a known location on tubular section 4 . System 300 includes a first pump 10 a for injecting a first fluid through tubular 2 , tubular section 4 , and the at least one fluid injection port 6 , the first fluid having a first fluid property value, and a second pump 10 b for injecting a second fluid through an annulus between tubular 2 and the cased or uncased wellbore 3 , the second fluid having a second fluid property value that is different from the first fluid property value. System 300 includes a measuring unit 18 for measuring a differential between the first and second fluid property values. The first and second properties may be temperature, pressure, flow rate, conductance, or some other measurable parameter. A communication link 7 connects sensor 8 with unit 18 , and optionally other units not illustrated. Communication link 7 may be fiber optic, hard wire, or wireless. Although communication link 7 is illustrated as traversing through tubular 2 and tubular section 4 , link 7 may traverse in the annulus between tubular 2 and wellbore or production casing 3 .
FIG. 4 illustrates schematically a fourth system embodiment 400 within the invention, and comprises a prediction unit 20 for predicting temperature as a function of reservoir permeability distribution at one or more sensors placed at known locations on a tubular 2 injected into a cased or uncased wellbore 3 of a formation 5 . Tubular 2 comprises a tubular section 4 having at least one fluid injection port 6 ; a pump 10 for injecting a fluid through tubular 2 , tubular section 4 , and the at least one fluid injection port 6 , and a measuring unit 22 for measuring actual temperatures at the one or more temperature sensors 8 attached to or integral with tubular section 4 . System 400 further includes a calculation unit 24 for calculating error between the predicted and the measured temperatures, and for minimizing the errors by iteratively adjusting the permeability distribution along the wellbore length. A communication link 7 connects sensor 8 with unit 18 , and optionally other units not illustrated. Communication link 7 may be fiber optic, hard wire, or wireless. Although communication link 7 is illustrated as traversing through tubular 2 and tubular section 4 , link 7 may traverse in the annulus between tubular 2 and wellbore or production casing 3 .
Systems of the invention include those wherein the temperature sensors may be selected from thermally active temperature sensors and thermally passive temperature sensors, and wherein the flow meters may be selected from flow meter spinners, electromagnetic flow meters, pH sensors, resistivity sensors, optical fluid sensors and radioactive and/or non-radioactive tracer sensors, such as DNA or dye sensors. Systems of the invention may include means for using this information in realtime to evaluate and change, if necessary, one or more parameters of the fluid diversion. Means for using the information sensed may comprise command and control sub-systems located at the surface, at the tool, or both. Systems of the invention may include downhole flow control devices and/or means for changing injection hydraulics in both the annulus and tubing injection ports at the surface. Systems of the invention may comprise a plurality of sensors capable of detecting fluid flow out of the tubular, below the tubular and up the annulus between the tubular and the wellbore in realtime mode that may have programmable action both downhole and at the surface. This may be accomplished using one or more algorithms allow quick realtime interpretation of the downhole data, allowing changes to be made at surface or downhole for effective treatment. Systems of the invention may comprise a controller for controlling fluid direction and/or shut off of flow from the surface. Exemplary systems of the invention may include fluid handling sub-systems able to improve fluid diversion through command and control mechanisms. These sub-systems may allow controlled fluid mixing, or controlled changing of fluid properties. Systems of the invention may comprise one or more downhole fluid flow control devices that may be employed to place a fluid in a prescribed location in the wellbore, change injection hydraulics in the annulus and/or tubular from the surface, and/or isolate a portion of the wellbore.
The inventive systems may further include different combinations of sensors/measurements above and below, (and may also be at) a fluid injection port in the tubular to determine/verify diversion of the fluid.
Systems and methods of the invention may include surface/tool communication through one or more communication links, including but not limited to hard wire, optical fiber, radio, or microwave transmission. In exemplary embodiments, the sensor measurements, realtime data acquisition, interpretation software and command/control algorithms may be employed to ensure effective fluid diversion, for example, command and control may be performed via preprogrammed algorithms with just a signal sent to the surface that the command and control has taken place, the control performed via controlling placement of the injection fluid into the reservoir and wellbore. In other exemplary embodiments, the ability to make qualitative measurements that may be interpreted realtime during a pumping service on coiled tubing or jointed pipe is an advantage. Systems and methods of the invention may include realtime indication of fluid movement (diversion) out the downhole end of the tubular, which may include down the completion, up the annulus, and in the reservoir. Two or more flow meters, for example electromagnetic flow meters, or thermally active sensors that are spaced apart from the point of injection at the end of the tubular may be employed. Other inventive methods and systems may comprise two identical diversion measurements spaced apart from each other and enough distance above the fluid injection port at the end or above the measurement devices, to measure the difference in the flow each sensor measures as compared to the known flow through the inside of the tubular (as measured at the surface).
The inventive methods and systems may employ multiple sensors that are strategically positioned and take multiple measurements, and may be adapted for flow measurement in coiled tubing, drill pipe, or any other oilfield tubular. Systems of the invention may be either moving or stationary while the operation is ongoing. Treatment fluids, which may be liquid or gaseous, or combination thereof, and/or combinations of fluids and solids (for example slurries) may be used in stimulation methods, methods to provide conformance, methods to isolate a reservoir for enhanced production or isolation (non-production), or combination of these methods. Data gathered may either be used in a “program” mode downhole; alternatively, or in addition, surface data acquisition may be used to make real time “action” decisions for the operator to act on by means of surface and downhole parameter control. Fiber optic telemetry may be used to relay information such as, but not limited to, pressure, temperature, casing collar location (CCL), and other information uphole. As described therein, due to the large ID of a straddle tool, a measurement tool is placed inside the straddle tool housing. A hole is added to the bullnose, and a tube is run from below the lower seal to inside the measurement tool. The measurement tool may then measure treating pressure, bottomhole temperature, depth via casing collar location (CCL), or some other parameter, as well as pressure below the lower seal of the straddle, which may be measured in real-time. By measuring the pressure below the lower seal, the operator can tell if the lower seal is leaking, and also if there is cross-flow from one zone to another. This has the potential to change how the job is performed in real time and optimize the treatment. This data would be evaluated realtime to determine if another treatment of zone is necessary.
The inventive methods and systems may be employed in any type of geologic formation, for example, but not limited to, reservoirs in carbonate and sandstone formations, and may be used to optimize the placement of treatment fluids, for example, to maximize wellbore coverage and diversion from high perm and water/gas zones, to maximize their injection rate (such as to optimize Damkohler numbers and fluid residence times in each layer), and their compatibility (such as ensuring correct sequence and optimal composition of fluids in each layer).
The interpretation method proposed in the invention is illustrated by the following examples.
Example 1
Interpretation of Bottomhole Temperature Data
An acid stimulation treatment was performed in an openhole section of a horizontal well in a carbonate formation. The treatment objective was to remove drilling induced damage. By default, the injected treatment fluids take the path of least resistance and invade the regions that are more permeable than others. However, it was difficult to pin-point the regions where the fluids were being injected because the initial injectivity of the zones and how injectivity changes with time was not known. Therefore, monitoring of fluid placement was performed for evaluation and optimization of the treatment.
The plot in FIG. 5 shows bottomhole temperature data obtained during the acid stimulation treatment. The bottom curve, shaped like an “M” depicts the coiled tubing depth, whereas the second curve shows the bottomhole temperature. A temperature sensor was located in the bottomhole assembly on the end of the CT. Prior to start of the acid treatment, brine was pumped from the coiled tubing while running in the hole to the heel. During this phase of the treatment the well was open to the pit, where returns were monitored. During the main treatment the acid was continuously pumped with the CT moving up and down the lateral length at a rate of nearly 6 feet/min [1.83 m/min] and the injection rate was constant at nearly 2 bbl/min [0.32 m 3 /min]. At the start of the job (left part of the plot), one can see that as the pumping of acid began and the formation was exposed to the acid stimulation fluid, the bottomhole temperature started to decrease. However, the temperature increased as the CT traversed down the lateral section. This can mislead one into believing that the majority of the fluids invaded the heel of the lateral. Therefore, though temperature is a useful measurement which may hold the key to solving the problem, its representation alone in graphical format was insufficient to draw any meaningful conclusions as to where the fluid invasion was actually taking place in the open-hole formation.
The plot of FIG. 6 represents the data of “1st Acid” treatment in context with entire job data shown in FIG. 5 . A closer look at the data indicated that the rate of change of bottomhole temperature was not constant even though the CT was moving at a constant rate of 6 ft/min [1.83 m/min] and the acid injection was taking place at a near constant rate of 2 bbl/min [0.32 m 3 /min]. The bottomhole temperature sensor was placed a few feet before the distal tip of the CT, and thus a change in temperature (increase or decrease) was observed when the fluid came out of the CT, that had a different temperature than the surroundings. The injected acid fluid either passed over the sensor in a direction opposite to that of CT movement, or if the CT sensor entered a region which was invaded earlier, if the fluid flow was in the same direction as CT movement. The fact that the entire section of the well was completed as open hole meant that the fluid was free to take the path of least resistance; in this case it seemed to be somewhat away from the heel towards the toe of the lateral. The initial rapid reduction in bottomhole temperature indicated that the bottomhole temperature sensor was moving into a “cooler region”; where most of the fluid had already invaded ahead of the sensor and had cooled the region down before the sensor reached that point. In short, this example showed that the initial fluid movement was mostly in the direction of CT movement.
When the sensor reached the region marked “I” in FIG. 6 , there was little change in the value of bottomhole temperature, which was indicated by “flats” in the bottomhole temperature profile. This arrested rate of change of bottomhole temperature indicated that the majority of the region marked under “I” was at an identical temperature; the expanse of this region is easily seen from the difference in CT depth value from its curve. This lead to the first interpretation that sufficient fluid had penetrated this region to keep its temperature near constant over a length of nearly 75 ft [22.9 m] from 6175 ft to 6250 ft [1882 m to 1905 m]. In short, when looking at bottomhole temperature curves during acid stimulation treatment using point temperature measurement, one should try to identify “flats” or areas where bottomhole temperature shows little change with CT movement.
In FIG. 6 , a look at bottomhole temperature profile immediately after Region I suggested that as the sensor moved away from the previously encountered “colder” region, it started experiencing slightly warmer temperatures; the rate of change of bottomhole temperature had gained a positive value indicating a region where fluids may not have invaded. However, since the injection was continuously progressing, the fluid could go in the direction that offered lowest resistance. This may have been in the region that had been left “behind” the CT tip, the region “ahead” or both. For example, if there were no permeable zones after Region I, the bottomhole temperature would have continued to increase, although now the direction of fluid flow would have been opposite to CT movement because there would have been fewer favorable zones ahead of the CT. In such cases, as the tip moved further away from the receptive zone that was left “behind”, higher annular friction may have been encountered for fluid which had to traverse the greater distance. This change in bottomhole pressure could have been detected by monitoring the bottomhole pressure curve, which may be plotted alongside. In this example though, the recurrence of bottomhole temperature “flats” (rate of change of temperature close to zero) indicated that there were other regions that had cooled down as a result of acid fluid invasion, and arrested the rate at which temperature was increasing before the sensor crossed those regions. FIG. 6 shows an increase of nearly 2° F. [1.1° C.] to Region II and around 0.5° F. [0.28° C.] to the first part of Region III. Note that the initial bottomhole temperature encountered in Region III was less than the preceding temperature, indicating a “cool down”.
Example 2
The Use of Temperature Derivative Plots for Interpretation
In this example, data for the acid job presented in Example 1 is used to illustrate the use of temperature derivative plots for interpretation in accordance with a method of the invention. FIG. 7 shows the temperature derivative curve (lower curve) which distinctly shows the regions where rate of change of bottomhole temperature was near zero. This provided a better indication of quantifying the extent of fluid taking regions, rather than getting an estimate from the bottomhole temperature curve alone. As is evident from a comparison of FIGS. 6 and 7 , the temperature derivative curve was able to “split” the larger region estimated between 6175 and 6250 ft [1882 m to 1905 m] into several smaller regions. There were also a few other regions visible that were not clearly evident when using bottomhole temperature plot alone. Therefore, the temperature derivative curve generated using t*dT/dt and D*dT/dD vs. Time (or any (t+Dt)/Dt where T=temperature, t=time, D=CT Depth allowed much more accurate interpretation. Smoothing of the curve, as is seen in plot of FIG. 7 was performed by use of a standard, readily available algorithm.
Example 3
Fluid Invasion in the Reservoir
In this example data for the acid job presented in Examples 1 and 2 was used to illustrate how fluid invasion can be quantified. The solid bars shown in FIG. 7 represent the degree of fluid invasion across the various zones. Based on the nature of the slope of the derivative in the identified “zones”, this method of the invention determined and assigned the degree of invasion of fluid and represented the same in graphic format; FIG. 7 shows them as “bars” of varying dimensions based on perceived effectiveness of stimulation. The method estimated the degree of invasion by taking into account the angle of separation from a base line of 0 degrees; with the degree of invasion diminishing as the angle approaches 90 degrees.
Example 4
Quantification of Pre-Treatment Damage
This example demonstrates a method to compute pre-job skin on-the-fly based on Darcy's equation. Pre-stimulation treatment skin may be determined during the initial pass in this diagnostic method where an inert fluid is injected into the formation. Some of the inputs required for the calculation, i.e., pressure drop, rate of injection, height of pay (or region of invasion), volume factor, fluid viscosity, and the like are known values. Unknowns are reservoir pressure and an estimated value of permeability, which may be obtained from the client. Any change in the skin factor during the matrix acidizing treatment may then be computed with a better knowledge of fluid invasion profiles.
Example 5
Interpretation of Temperature History Along the Length of the Wellbore
In the acid job described in Example 1, locations in the reservoir section of the wellbore were visited multiple times ( FIG. 5 ). This data may be used to create temperature history for various sections of the reservoir. The rate of change in temperature at any location may be correlated with fluid invasion in the zone. Therefore, if the derivative and bottomhole temperature plots generated during various phases of the treatment are plotted together vs. depth along the wellbore, then the zones which show the most rapid change in temperature can be identified.
Although specific embodiments of the invention have been disclosed herein in some detail, this has been done solely for the purposes of describing various features and aspects of the invention, and is not intended to be limiting with respect to the scope of the invention. It is contemplated that various substitutions, alterations, and/or modifications, including but not limited to those implementation variations which may have been suggested herein, may be made to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims which follow. | Methods and systems are described for stimulating a subterranean hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir, one method comprising contacting the formation with a treating fluid, and monitoring the movement of the treating fluid in the reservoir by providing one or more sensors for measurement of temperature and/or pressure which is disposed on a support adapted to maintain a given spacing between the sensors and the fluid exit. In some embodiments the support is coiled tubing. | 4 |
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Not Applicable
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not Applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to medical devices for monitoring vital signs, e.g., respiration rate.
2. Description of the Related Art
Respiration rate (RR) is a vital sign typically measured in the hospital using either an indirect electrode-based technique called ‘impedance pneumography’ (IP), a direct optical technique called ‘end-tidal CO2’ (et-CO2), or simply through manual counting of breaths by a medical professional. IP is typically used in lower-acuity areas of the hospital, and uses the same electrodes deployed in a conventional ‘Einthoven's triangle’ configuration for measuring heart rate (HR) from an electrocardiogram (ECG). One of the electrodes supplies a low-amperage (˜4 mA) current that is typically modulated at a high frequency (˜50-100 kHz). Current passes through a patient's chest cavity, which is characterized by a time-dependent capacitance that varies with each breath. A second electrode detects the current, which is modulated by the changing capacitance. Ultimately this yields an analog signal that is processed with a series of amplifiers and filters to detect the time-dependent capacitance change and, subsequently, the patient's RR.
In et-CO2, a device called a capnometer features a small plastic tube that typically inserts in the patient's mouth. With each breath the tube collects expelled CO2. A beam of infrared radiation emitted from an integrated light source passes through the CO2 and is absorbed in a time-dependent manner that varies with the breathing rate. A photodetector and series of processing electronics analyze the transmitted signal to determine RR. et-CO2 systems are typically used in high-acuity areas of the hospital, such as the intensive care unit (ICU), where patients often use ventilators to assist them in breathing.
In yet another technique, RR is measured from the envelope of a time-dependent optical waveform called a photoplethysmogram (PPG) that is measured from the index finger during a conventional measurement of the patient's oxygen saturation (SpO2). Breathing changes the oxygen content in the patient's blood and, subsequently, its optical absorption properties. Such changes cause a slight, low-frequency variation in the PPG that can be detected with a pulse oximeter's optical system, which typically operates at both red and infrared wavelengths.
Not surprisingly, RR is an important predictor of a decompensating patient. For example, a study in 1993 concluded that a respiratory rate greater than 27 breaths/minute was the most important predictor of cardiac arrests in hospital wards (Fieselmann et al., ‘Respiratory rate predicts cardiopulmonary arrest for internal medicine patients’, J Gen Intern Med 1993; 8: 354-360). Subbe et al. found that, in unstable patients, relative changes in respiratory rate were much greater than changes in heart rate or systolic blood pressure, and thus that the respiratory rate was likely to be a better means of discriminating between stable patients and patients at risk (Subbe et al., ‘Effect of introducing the Modified Early Warning score on clinical outcomes, cardio-pulmonary arrests and intensive care utilization in acute medical admissions’, Anaesthesia 2003; 58: 797-802). Goldhill et al. reported that 21% of ward patients with a respiratory rate of 25-29 breaths/minute assessed by a critical care outreach service died in hospital (Goldhill et al., ‘A physiologically-based early warning score for ward patients: the association between score and outcome’, Anaesthesia 2005; 60: 547-553). Those with a higher respiratory rate had an even higher mortality rate. In another study, just over half of all patients suffering a serious adverse event on the general wards (e.g. a cardiac arrest or ICU admission) had a respiratory rate greater than 24 breaths/minute. These patients could have been identified as high risk up to 24 hours before the event with a specificity of over 95% (Cretikos et al., ‘The Objective Medical Emergency Team Activation Criteria: a case-control study’, Resuscitation 2007; 73: 62-72). Medical references such as these clearly indicate that an accurate, easy-to-use device for measuring respiratory rate is important for patient monitoring within the hospital.
Despite its importance and the large number of available monitoring techniques, RR is notoriously difficult to measure, particularly when a patient is moving. During periods of motion, non-invasive techniques based on IP and PPG signals are usually overwhelmed by artifacts and thus completely ineffective. This makes it difficult or impossible to measure RR from an ambulatory patient. Measurements based on et-CO2 are typically less susceptible to motion, but require a plastic tube inserted in the patient's mouth, which is typically impractical for ambulatory patients.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention provides methods, devices, and systems for use in measuring RR using multiple input signals, including IP, PPG, and ECG waveforms, and a signal processing technique based on adaptive filtering. After being measured with a body-worn system, these waveforms are processed along with those from an accelerometer mounted on the patient's torso (most typically the chest or abdomen). The accelerometer measures small, breathing-induced movements to generate a time-dependent waveform (ACC). With adaptive filtering, an initial RR is preferably estimated from the IP waveform, and alternatively from the PPG or ECG waveform. The initial RR is then processed and used to determine parameters for a bandpass digital filter, typically implemented with a finite impulse response function. This yields a customized filtering function which then processes the ACC waveform. The filtering function generates a relatively noise-free ACC waveform with well-defined pulses corresponding to RR. Each pulse can then be further processed and counted to determine an accurate RR value, even during periods of motion.
The body-worn monitor measures IP, PPG, ECG, and ACC waveforms with a series of sensors integrated into a comfortable, low-profile system that preferably communicates wirelessly with a remote computer in the hospital. The system typically features three accelerometers, each configured to measure a unique signal along its x, y, and z axes, to yield a total of nine ACC waveforms. In certain embodiments, the accelerometers are deployed on the patient's torso, upper arm, and lower arm, and may be embedded in the monitor's cabling or processing unit. Each ACC waveform can be additionally processed to determine the patient's posture, degree of motion, and activity level. These parameters serve as valuable information that can ultimately reduce occurrences of ‘false positive’ alarms/alerts in the hospital. For example, if processing of additional ACC waveforms indicates a patient is walking, then their RR rate, which may be affected by walking-induced artifacts, can be ignored by an alarm/alert engine associated with the body-worn monitor. The assumption in this case is that a walking patient is likely relatively healthy, regardless of their RR value. Perhaps more importantly, with a conventional monitoring device a walking patient may yield a noisy IP signal that is then processed to determine an artificially high RR, which then triggers a false alarm. Such a situation can be avoided with an independent measurement of motion, such as that described herein. Other heuristic rules based on analysis of ACC waveforms may also be deployed according to this invention.
Sensors attached to the wrist and bicep each measure signals that are collectively analyzed to estimate the patient's arm height; this can be used to improve accuracy of a continuous blood pressure measurement (cNIBP), as described below, that measures systolic (SYS), diastolic (DIA), and mean (MAP) arterial blood pressures. And the sensor attached to the patient's chest measures signals that are analyzed to determine posture and activity level, which can affect measurements for RR, SpO2, cNIBP, and other vital signs. Algorithms for processing information from the accelerometers for these purposes are described in detail in the following patent applications, the contents of which are fully incorporated herein by reference: BODY-WORN MONITOR FEATURING ALARM SYSTEM THAT PROCESSES A PATIENT'S MOTION AND VITAL SIGNS (U.S. Ser. No. 12/469,182; filed May 20, 2009) and BODY-WORN VITAL SIGN MONITOR WITH SYSTEM FOR DETECTING AND ANALYZING MOTION (U.S. Ser. No. 12/469,094; filed May 20, 2009). As described therein, knowledge of a patient's motion, activity level, and posture can greatly enhance the accuracy of alarms/alerts generated by the body-worn monitor.
The body-worn monitor features systems for continuously monitoring patients in a hospital environment, and as the patient transfers from different areas in the hospital, and ultimately to the home. Both SpO2 and cNIBP rely on accurate measurement of PPG and ACC waveforms, along with an ECG, from patients that are both moving and at rest. cNIBP is typically measured with the ‘Composite Technique’, which is described in detail in the co-pending patent application entitled: VITAL SIGN MONITOR FOR MEASURING BLOOD PRESSURE USING OPTICAL, ELECTRICAL, AND PRESSURE WAVEFORMS (U.S. Ser. No. 12/138, 194; filed Jun. 12, 2008), the contents of which are fully incorporated herein by reference.
As described in these applications, the Composite Technique (or, alternatively, the ‘Hybrid Technique’ referred to therein) typically uses a single PPG waveform from the SpO2 measurement (typically generated with infrared radiation), along with the ECG waveform, to calculate a parameter called ‘pulse transit time’ (PTT) which strongly correlates to blood pressure. Specifically, the ECG waveform features a sharply peaked QRS complex that indicates depolarization of the heart's left ventricle, and, informally, provides a time-dependent marker of a heart beat. PTT is the time separating the peak of the QRS complex and the onset, or ‘foot’, of the PPG waveforms. The QRS complex, along with the foot of each pulse in the PPG, can be used to more accurately extract AC signals using a mathematical technique described in detail below. In other embodiments both the red and infrared PPG waveforms are collectively processed to enhance the accuracy of the cNIBP measurement.
In certain embodiments, the electrical system for measuring RR features a small-scale, low-power circuit mounted on a circuit board that fits within the wrist-worn transceiver. The transceiver additionally includes a touchpanel display, barcode reader, and wireless systems for ancillary applications described, for example, in the above-referenced applications, the contents of which have been previously incorporated herein by reference.
In one aspect, the invention provides a multi-sensor system that uses an algorithm based on adaptive filtering to monitor a patient's RR. The system features a first sensor selected from the following group: i) an IP sensor featuring at least two electrodes and an IP processing circuit configured to measure an IP signal; ii) an ECG sensor featuring at least two electrodes and an ECG processing circuit configured to measure an ECG signal; and iii) a PPG sensor featuring a light source, photodetector, and PPG processing circuit configured to measure a PPG signal. Each of these sensors measures a time-dependent signal which is sensitive to RR and is processed to determine an initial RR value. The system features a second sensor (e.g. a digital 3-axis accelerometer) that attaches to the patient's torso and measures an ACC signal indicating movement of the chest or abdomen that is also sensitive to RR.
A body-worn processing system receives a first signal representing at least one of the IP, ECG, and PPG signals, and a second signal representing the ACC signal. The processing system is configured to: i) process the first signal to determine an initial RR; ii) process the second signal with a digital filter determined from the initial RR to determine a third signal; and iii) process the third signal to determine a final value for the patient's RR.
The processing system, as described herein, can include one or more microprocessors. For example, it can include first microprocessor embedded within a single ASIC that also measures IP and ECG, or mounted on a circuit board that also contains the ASIC or an equivalent circuit made from discrete components. In these cases the first microprocessor is mounted on the patient's torso. A wrist-worn transceiver can contain the second microprocessor. In embodiments, the first microprocessor mounted on the patient's torso determines a RR from multiple time-dependent signals; this value is transmitted to the second microprocessor within the wrist-worn transceiver as a digital or analog data stream transmitted through a cable. The second microprocessor further processes the RR value alongside data describing the patient's motion and other vital signs. The secondary processing, for example, can be used to generate alarms/alerts based on RR, or suppress alarms/alerts because of the patient's motion.
In embodiments, the digital filter used for adaptive filtering is a bandpass filter or low-pass filter. Typically the digital filter is determined from a finite impulse response function. The bandpass filter typically features an upper frequency limit determined from a multiple (e.g. 1-3×) of the initial RR. Such a digital filter is used to process time-dependent waveforms to remove noise and other artifacts to determine the initial version of RR. In this case the filter is not adaptive, and instead has a pre-determined passband. The final version of RR is determined from the adaptive filter, which as described above has a passband that depends on the initial version of RR.
In other embodiments, the processing system is further configured to determine both initial and final versions of RR by processing a filtered waveform with a mathematical derivative and then determine a zero-point crossing indicating a ‘count’ marking a respiratory event. Such counts are evident in the processed IP signal, which features a first series of pulses that, once analyzed by the processing system, yields the initial RR. Alternatively, the initial RR is determined from either an ECG or PPG, both of which feature a series of heartbeat-induced pulses with amplitudes characterized by a time-varying envelope, with the frequency of the envelope representing the initial RR. The waveforms used to determine the initial and final values for RR can be interchanged, e.g. the ACC waveform can be processed to determine the initial RR value, and this can then be used to design a digital filter that processes the IP, ECG, or PPG waveforms to determine the final RR value. In general, according to the invention, any combination of the above-described waveforms can be used in the adaptive filtering process to determine the initial and final RR values.
In another aspect, the invention provides a system for monitoring a patient's RR that also accounts for their posture, activity level, and degree of motion. Such patient states can result in artifacts that affect the RR measurement, and thus proper interpretation of them can reduce the occurrence of erroneous RR values and ultimately false alarms/alerts in the hospital.
In another aspect, the invention provides a cable within a body-worn monitor that includes an IP system, a motion sensor (e.g. accelerometer), and a processing system that determines RR from signals generated by these sensors. These components, for example, can be included in a terminal end of the cable, typically worn on the patient's torso, which connects to a series of disposable electrodes that attach to the patient's body. A mechanical housing, typically made of plastic, covers these and other components, such as sensors for measuring signals relating to ECG and skin temperature.
In embodiments, the cable includes at least one conductor configured to transmit both a first digital data stream representing the digital IP signal or information calculated therefrom, and a second digital data stream representing the digital motion signal or information calculated therefrom. In other embodiments these signals are processed by a microprocessor on the chest to determine an RR value, and this value is then sent in the digital data stream to another processor, such as one within the wrist-worn transceiver, where it is further processed. To transmit the serial data stream, the terminal portion of the cable can include a transceiver component, e.g. a serial transceiver configured to transmit a digital data stream according to the CAN protocol. Other properties, such as heart rate, temperature, alarms relating to ECG signals, and other information relating to the CAN communication protocol and its timing can be transmitted by the transceiver component.
In embodiments, both the IP and ECG systems are contained within a single integrated circuit. The ECG system can be modular and determine multi-lead ECG signals, such as three, five, and twelve-lead ECG signals.
In another aspect, the invention provides a method for determining RR during periods of motion. The method includes the following steps: (a) measuring a first time-dependent signal by detecting a modulated electrical current passing through the patient's torso; (b) measuring a second time-dependent signal by detecting respiration-induced movements in the patient's torso with at least one motion sensor; (c) determining a motion-related event not related to the patient's respiration rate value by processing signals from the motion sensor; and (d) collectively processing both the first and second time-dependent signals to determine a value for RR corresponding to a period when the patient's motion-related event is below a pre-determined threshold. For example, the motion-related event determined during step (c) can be the patient's posture, activity level, or degree of motion. Typically these parameters are determined from signals measured with an accelerometer mounted on the patient's torso. These signals are processed with an algorithm, described in detail below, that yields a vector indicating orientation of the patient's chest and their subsequent posture. Specifically, an angle separating the vector from a pre-determined coordinate system ultimately yields posture, as is described in detail below. Activity level (corresponding, e.g., to moving, walking, falling, convulsing) can be calculated from a mathematical transform of time-dependent variations of a motion signal that yields a frequency-domain spectrum. Portions of the spectrum (e.g. the power of specific frequency components) are compared to pre-determined frequency parameters to determine the activity level. Other operations, such as a mathematical derivative of the time-dependent motion signal, or a series of ‘decision rules’ based on a decision-tree algorithm, can also yield the activity level.
In another aspect, the invention provides a method for suppressing alarms related to RR by processing the patient's posture, activity level, and degree of motion as determined by the accelerometer. For example, the alarm can be suppressed if the patient is standing upright, or if their posture changes from lying down to one of sitting and standing upright. Or the alarm can be suppressed if their posture changes from either standing upright or sitting to lying down. In general, a rapid change in posture, which can be determined with the chest-worn accelerometer, may disrupt the signals used to determine RR to the point where a false alarm/alert is generated. In this embodiment, posture is determined from the vector-based analysis, described above.
In yet another aspect, the invention provides a system for monitoring a patient's RR featuring a sensor unit configured to be mounted on the patient's torso. The sensor unit features IP and motion sensors, as described above, and additionally attaches directly to an electrode that secures the unit to the patient's torso (e.g. chest or abdomen). Here, a housing comprising the IP and motion sensors additionally includes a connector featuring an opening configured to receive a metal snap on the exterior of a conventional disposable electrode. Other electrodes used for IP and ECG measurements connect to the unit through cables. The unit can additionally send a digital data stream including RR data over a CAN bus to a wrist-worn transceiver, which as described above can further process the RR value to account for alarms/alerts, motion, etc.
In all embodiments, the wrist-worn transceiver can include a display configured to display the patient's RR and other vital signs, along with a touchpanel interface. A wireless transceiver within the wrist-worn transceiver can transmit information to a remote computer using conventional protocols such as 802.11, 802.15.4, and cellular. The remote computer, for example, can be connected to a hospital network. It can also be a portable computer, such as a tablet computer, personal digital assistant, or cellular phone.
Many advantages are associated with this invention. In general, it provides an accurate measurement of RR, along with an independent measurement of a patient's posture, activity level, and motion, to characterize an ambulatory patient in the hospital. These parameters can be collectively analyzed to improve true positive alarms while reducing the occurrence of false positive alarms. Additionally, the measurement of RR is performed with a body-worn monitor that is comfortable, lightweight, and low-profile, making it particularly well suited for patients that are moving about. Such a monitor could continuously monitor a patient as, for example, they transition from the emergency department to the ICU, and ultimately to the home after hospitalization.
Still other embodiments are found in the following detailed description of the invention and in the claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1A shows a schematic view of a patient wearing accelerometers on their abdomen (position 1 ) and chest (position 2 ) to measure ACC waveforms and RR according to the adaptive filtering process of the invention;
FIG. 1B shows a schematic view of the accelerometers from FIG. 1 along with their three-dimensional measurement axes;
FIG. 2A shows a schematic view of a patient wearing ECG electrodes on their chest in a conventional Einthoven's triangle configuration to measure an IP waveform;
FIG. 2B shows a schematic view of ECG and IP circuits that simultaneously process signals from each ECG electrode in FIG. 2A to determine both ECG and IP waveforms;
FIGS. 3A-D each show an ACC waveform measured with the configuration shown in FIG. 1 after processing with no filter ( FIG. 3A ; top), a 0.01→1 Hz bandpass filter ( FIG. 3B ), a 0.01→0.5 Hz bandpass filter ( FIG. 3C ), and a 0.01→0.1 Hz bandpass filter ( FIG. 3C ; bottom);
FIGS. 3E-H show, respectively, time-dependent derivatives of the ACC waveforms shown in FIGS. 3A-D ;
FIGS. 4A-C show an ACC waveform filtered with a 0.01→0.1 Hz bandpass filter ( FIG. 4A ; top), an IP waveform ( FIG. 4B ), and a et-CO2 waveform ( FIG. 4C ; bottom) simultaneously measured from a supine patient undergoing slow, deep breaths;
FIGS. 5A-C show an ACC waveform filtered with a 0.01→0.1 Hz bandpass filter ( FIG. 5A ; top), an IP waveform ( FIG. 5B ), and a et-CO2 waveform ( FIG. 5C ; bottom) simultaneously measured from a supine patient undergoing fast, deep breaths;
FIGS. 6A-C show an ACC waveform filtered with a 0.01→0.1 Hz bandpass filter ( FIG. 6A ; top), an IP waveform ( FIG. 6B ), and a et-CO2 waveform ( FIG. 6C ; bottom) simultaneously measured from a supine patient undergoing very fast, deep breaths;
FIGS. 7A-C show an ACC waveform filtered with a 0.01→0.1 Hz bandpass filter ( FIG. 7A ; top), an IP waveform ( FIG. 7B ), and a et-CO2 waveform ( FIG. 7C ; bottom) simultaneously measured from a supine patient undergoing medium, shallow breaths;
FIGS. 8A-C show an ACC waveform filtered with a 0.01→0.1 Hz bandpass filter ( FIG. 8A ; top), an IP waveform ( FIG. 8B ), and a et-CO2 waveform ( FIG. 8C ; bottom) simultaneously measured from a standing patient undergoing medium, shallow breaths;
FIGS. 9A-C show an ACC waveform filtered with a 0.01→0.1 Hz bandpass filter ( FIG. 9A ; top), an IP waveform ( FIG. 9B ), and a et-CO2 waveform ( FIG. 9C ; bottom) simultaneously measured from a standing patient undergoing fast, deep breaths;
FIGS. 10A-C show an ACC waveform filtered with a 0.01→0.1 Hz bandpass filter ( FIG. 10A ; top), an IP waveform ( FIG. 10B ), and a et-CO2 waveform ( FIG. 10C ; bottom) simultaneously measured from a supine patient undergoing slow, deep breaths, followed by a period of apnea, followed by relatively fast, deep breaths;
FIGS. 11A-C show an ACC waveform filtered with a 0.01→0.1 Hz bandpass filter ( FIG. 11A ; top), an IP waveform ( FIG. 11B ), and a et-CO2 waveform ( FIG. 11C ; bottom) simultaneously measured from a supine patient undergoing very fast, shallow breaths, followed by a period of apnea, followed by relatively slow, shallow breaths;
FIGS. 12A-C show an ACC waveform filtered with a 0.01→0.1 Hz bandpass filter ( FIG. 12A ; top), an IP waveform ( FIG. 12B ), and a et-CO2 waveform ( FIG. 12C ; bottom) simultaneously measured from a walking patient undergoing fast, deep breaths;
FIG. 13 shows a flow chart along with ACC and IP waveforms used to determine RR using an adaptive filtering technique;
FIG. 14 shows a flow chart that describes details of the adaptive filtering technique shown in FIG. 13 ;
FIGS. 15A-E show graphs of an ACC waveform filtered initially with a 0.01→2 Hz bandpass filter ( FIG. 15A ; top), an IP waveform filtered initially with a 0.01→12 Hz bandpass ( FIG. 15B ), an ACC waveform adaptively filtered with a bandpass filter ranging from 0.01 Hz to 1.5 times the breathing rate calculated from the IP waveform in FIG. 15B ( FIG. 15C ), a first derivative of the filtered waveform in FIG. 15C ( FIG. 15D ), and the adaptively filtered waveform in FIG. 15C along with markers ( FIG. 15E ; bottom) indicating slow, deep breaths as determined from the algorithm shown by the flow chart in FIG. 14 ;
FIG. 15F is a flow chart showing the algorithmic steps used to process the waveforms shown in FIGS. 15A-E ;
FIGS. 16A-E show graphs of an ACC waveform filtered initially with a 0.01→2 Hz bandpass filter ( FIG. 16A ; top), an IP waveform filtered initially with a 0.01→12 Hz bandpass ( FIG. 16B ), an ACC waveform adaptively filtered with a bandpass filter ranging from 0.01 Hz to 1.5 times the breathing rate calculated from the IP waveform in FIG. 16B ( FIG. 16C ), a first derivative of the filtered waveform in FIG. 16C ( FIG. 16D ), and the adaptively filtered waveform in FIG. 16C along with markers ( FIG. 16E ; bottom) indicating fast, deep breaths as determined from the algorithm shown by the flow chart in FIG. 14 ;
FIG. 16F is a flow chart showing the algorithmic steps used to process the waveforms shown in FIGS. 16A-E ;
FIGS. 17A-E show graphs of an ACC waveform filtered initially with a 0.01→2 Hz bandpass filter ( FIG. 17A ; top), an IP waveform filtered initially with a 0.01→12 Hz bandpass ( FIG. 17B ), an ACC waveform adaptively filtered with a bandpass filter ranging from 0.01 Hz to 1.5 times the breathing rate calculated from the IP waveform in FIG. 17B ( FIG. 17C ), a first derivative of the filtered waveform in FIG. 17C ( FIG. 17D ), and the adaptively filtered waveform in FIG. 17C along with markers ( FIG. 17E ; bottom) indicating very fast, deep breaths as determined from the algorithm shown by the flow chart in FIG. 14 ;
FIG. 17F is a flow chart showing the algorithmic steps used to process the waveforms shown in FIGS. 17A-E ;
FIGS. 18A-B show graphs of an ACC waveform filtered initially with a 0.01→2 Hz bandpass filter ( FIG. 18A ; top), and an IP waveform filtered initially with a 0.01→12 Hz bandpass ( FIG. 18B ; bottom) measured from a walking patient;
FIG. 18C is a flow chart showing the algorithmic steps used to process the waveforms shown in FIGS. 18A-B ;
FIG. 19 is a graph showing correlation between respiratory rates measured with the adaptive filtering technique shown by the flow chart in FIG. 14 and et-CO2;
FIG. 20A is a graph showing an unfiltered ECG waveform measured from a resting patient;
FIG. 20B is a graph showing the time-dependent envelope of the ECG waveform shown in FIG. 20A ;
FIG. 20C is a graph showing an unfiltered PPG waveform measured simultaneously with the ECG waveform of FIG. 20A ;
FIG. 20D is a graph showing the time-dependent envelope of the PPG waveform shown in FIG. 20C ;
FIG. 20E is a graph showing an IP waveform measured simultaneously with the ECG waveform of FIG. 20A and the PPG waveform of FIG. 20C ;
FIGS. 21A-C show graphs of time-dependent ECG waveforms ( FIG. 21A ; top), PPG waveforms ( FIG. 21B ), and ACC waveforms ( FIG. 21C ; bottom) measured along the x, y, and z-axes for a resting patient;
FIGS. 22A-C show graphs of time-dependent ECG waveforms ( FIG. 22A ; top), PPG waveforms ( FIG. 22B ), and ACC waveforms ( FIG. 22C ; bottom) measured along the x, y, and z-axes for a walking patient;
FIGS. 23A-C show graphs of time-dependent ECG waveforms ( FIG. 23A ; top), PPG waveforms ( FIG. 23B ), and ACC waveforms ( FIG. 23C ; bottom) measured along the x, y, and z-axes for a convulsing patient;
FIGS. 24A-C show graphs of time-dependent ECG waveforms ( FIG. 24A ; top), PPG waveforms ( FIG. 24B ), and ACC waveforms ( FIG. 24C ; bottom) measured along the x, y, and z-axes for a falling patient;
FIG. 25 shows a schematic view of the patient of FIG. 1 and a coordinate axis used with an algorithm and ACC waveforms to determine the patient's posture;
FIG. 26A shows a graph of time-dependent ACC waveforms measured from a patient's chest during different postures;
FIG. 26B shows a graph of time-dependent postures determined by processing the ACC waveforms of FIG. 26A with an algorithm and coordinate axis shown in FIG. 25 ;
FIGS. 27A and 27B show, respectively, a three-dimensional image of the body-worn monitor of the invention attached to a patient during and after an initial indexing measurement;
FIG. 28 shows a three-dimensional image of the wrist-worn transceiver used with the body-worn monitor of FIGS. 27A and 27B ;
FIG. 29A is a schematic view of a patient wearing an alternate embodiment of the invention featuring a sensor unit for measuring IP and ACC waveforms that connects directly to the patient's abdomen with an electrode; and
FIG. 29B is a schematic, cross-sectional view of the sensor unit of FIG. 29A connected to the patient's abdomen with an electrode.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Sensor Configuration
Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B , a pair of accelerometers 12 , 14 attach, respectively, to the chest and abdomen of a patient 10 to predict RR through the patient's torso movement and an algorithm based on adaptive filtering. Each accelerometer 12 , 14 simultaneously measures acceleration (e.g. motion) along x, y, and z axes of a local coordinate system 18 . As shown in FIG. 1B , the accelerometers 12 , 14 are preferably aligned so the z axis points into the patient's torso. Within each accelerometer 12 , 14 is an internal analog-to-digital converter that generates a digital ACC waveform 19 corresponding to each axis. Waveforms are sent as a stream of digital data to a wrist-worn transceiver (shown, for example, in FIGS. 27A , B, and 28 ) where they are processed using an adaptive filtering algorithm described in detail below to determine the patient's RR. Alternatively, the adaptive filtering algorithm can be performed with a microprocessor mounted proximal to the accelerometers 12 , 14 on the patient's torso. Additional properties such as the patient's posture, degree of motion, and activity level are determined from these same digital ACC waveforms. As indicated by FIG. 1B , the axis within the accelerometer's coordinate system 18 that is aligned along the patient's torso (and thus orthogonal to their respiration-induced torso movement) is typically more sensitive to events not related to respiration, e.g. walking and falling.
In a preferred embodiment, digital accelerometers manufactured by Analog Devices (e.g. the ADXL345 component) are used in the configuration shown in FIG. 1A . These sensors detect acceleration over a range of +/−2 g (or, alternatively, up to +/−8 g) with a small-scale, low-power circuit.
Many patient's are classified as ‘abdomen breathers’, meaning during respiration their abdomen undergoes larger movements than their chest. A relative minority of patients are ‘chest breathers’, indicating that it is the chest that undergoes the larger movements. For this reason it is preferred that RR is determined using an ACC waveform detected along the z-axis with an accelerometer 14 positioned on the patient's abdomen. In alternate configurations the accelerometer 12 on the chest can be used in its place or two augment data collected with the abdomen-mounted sensor. Typically, ACC waveforms along multiple axes (e.g. the x and y-axes) are also modulated by breathing patterns, and can thus be used to estimate RR. In still other configurations multiple signals from one or both accelerometers 12 , 14 are collectively processed to determine a single ‘effective’ ACC waveform representing, e.g., an average of the two waveforms. This waveform is then processed using adaptive filtering to determine the patient's RR.
As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B , ECG waveforms are simultaneously measured with the ACC waveforms using a trio of electrodes 20 , 22 , 24 typically positioned on the chest of the patient 10 in an Einthoven's triangle configuration. During a measurement, each electrode 20 , 22 , 24 measures a unique analog signal that passes through a shielded cable to an ECG circuit 26 , which is typically mounted in a small plastic box 25 attached to the patient's chest. The ECG circuit 26 typically includes a differential amplifier and a series of analog filters with passbands that pass the high and low-frequency components that contribute to the ECG waveform 28 , but filter out components associated with electrical and mechanical noise. Also within the box 25 is an accelerometer 12 and, alternatively as described above, a microprocessor for performing the adaptive filtering algorithm. A conventional analog ECG waveform 28 , such as that shown in FIG. 20A , features a series of heartbeat-induced pulses, each characterized by a well-known ‘QRS complex’ that, informally, marks the initial depolarization of the patient's heart. To determine RR, a separate IP circuit 27 within the plastic box 25 generates a low-amperage current (typically 1-4 mA) that is modulated at a high frequency (typically 50-100 kHz). The current typically passes through electrode LL (lower left') 24 , which is located on the lower left-hand side of the patient's torso. It then propagates through the patient's chest, as indicated by the arrow 29 , where a respiration-induced capacitance change modulates it according to the RR. Electrode UR (‘upper right’) 20 detects the resultant analog signal, which is then processed with a separate differential amplifier and series of analog filters within the IP circuit to determine an analog IP waveform 30 featuring a low-frequency series of pulses corresponding to RR. Typically the analog filters in the IP circuit 27 are chosen to filter out high-frequency components that contribute to the ECG QRS complex.
In other embodiments, the plastic box includes a temperature sensor 33 , such as a conventional thermocouple, that measures the skin temperature of the patient's chest. This temperature is typically a few degrees lower than conventional core temperature, usually measured with a thermometer inserted in the patient's throat or rectum. Despite this discrepancy, skin temperature measured with the temperature sensor 33 can be monitored continuously and can therefore be used along with RR and other vital signs to predict patient decompensation.
In a preferred embodiment, both the ECG 28 and IP 30 waveforms are generated with a single application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or a circuit composed of a series of discrete elements which are known in the art. Preferably the ECG circuit includes an internal analog-to-digital converter that digitizes both waveforms before transmission to the wrist-worn transceiver for further processing. This circuitry, along with that associated with both the ECG and IP circuits, is contained within a single, small-scale electronic package.
Transmission of digital IP, ECG, and ACC waveforms, along with processed RR values, has several advantages over transmission of analog waveforms. First, a single transmission line in the monitor's cabling can transmit multiple digital waveforms, each generated by different sensors. This includes multiple ECG waveforms 28 (corresponding, e.g., to vectors associated with three, five, and twelve-lead ECG systems) from the ECG circuit 26 , the IP waveform 30 from the IP circuit 27 , and ACC waveforms 19 associated with the x, y, and z axes of accelerometers 10 , 12 attached to the patient's chest. Limiting the transmission line to a single cable reduces the number of wires attached to the patient, thereby decreasing the weight and cable-related clutter of the body-worn monitor. Second, cable motion induced by an ambulatory patient can change the electrical properties (e.g. electrical impendence) of its internal wires. This, in turn, can add noise to an analog signal and ultimately the vital sign calculated from it. A digital signal, in contrast, is relatively immune to such motion-induced artifacts. More sophisticated ECG circuits can plug into the wrist-worn transceiver to replace the three-lead system shown in FIG. 2A . These ECG circuits can include, e.g., five and twelve leads.
Digital data streams are typically transmitted to the wrist-worn transceiver using a serial protocol, such as a controlled area network (CAN) protocol, USB protocol, or RS-232 protocol. CAN is the preferred protocol for the body-worn monitor described in FIGS. 27A , 27 B.
Determining RR from ACC Waveforms
Accelerometers positioned in the above-described locations on the patient's torso can detect respiration-induced motion associated with the chest and abdomen, and can therefore be processed to determine RR. Digital filtering is typically required to remove unwanted noise from the ACC waveform and isolate signal components corresponding to RR. Good filtering is required since respiratory-induced motions are typically small compared to those corresponding to activities (e.g. walking, falling) and posture changes (e.g. standing up, sitting down) associated with a patient's motion. Often these signals are only slightly larger than the accelerometer's noise floor.
FIGS. 3A-3D show a common, normalized ACC waveform without any filtering ( FIG. 3A ), and then filtered with a progressively narrow digital bandpass filter generated from a finite impulse response function featuring 1048 coefficients. FIGS. 3E-3H show the first derivative of these waveforms, and feature a zero-point crossing corresponding to a positive-to-negative slope change of a single pulse in the ACC waveform. This feature can be easily analyzed with a computer algorithm to count the various pulses that contribute to RR. As shown in FIG. 3A (the top figure), an unfiltered ACC waveform typically includes a series of respiration-induced pulses characterized by a peak amplitude which, in this case, is roughly twice that of the noise floor. This poor signal-to-noise ratio yields a derivatized signal in FIG. 3E that has no discernible zero-point crossing, thus making it nearly impossible to analyze. As shown in FIG. 3B , a relatively wide bandpass filter (0.01→1 Hz) yields an ACC waveform with a significantly improved signal-to-noise ratio. Still, as shown in FIG. 3F , the derivative of this waveform features a primary zero-point crossing occurring near 25 seconds, and a series of artificial noise-induced crossings, both before and after the primary crossing, that could be erroneously counted by an algorithm to yield an artificially high value for RR.
FIGS. 3C and 3G show, respectively, an ACC waveform and corresponding first derivative that result from a relatively narrow 0.01→0.5 Hz bandpass filter. These signals have higher signal-to-noise ratios than those shown in FIGS. 3B , 3 F, but still include artificial zero-point crossings on both sides of the primary zero-point crossing. While small, these features still have the potential to yield an artificially high value for RR. The signals shown in FIGS. 3D , 3 H, in contrast, are ideal. Here, a narrow 0.01→0.1 Hz bandpass filter removes high-frequency components associated with artifacts in the ACC waveform, and in the process removes similar frequency components that contribute to sharp rising and falling edges of the individual breathing-induced pulses. This generates a smooth, sinusoid-shaped pulse train that once derivatized, as shown in FIG. 3H , yields a clean signal with only a single zero-point crossing. An algorithm can easily analyze this to determine RR. Importantly, as indicated by the alignment of the primary zero-point crossing in FIGS. 3F , 3 G, and 3 H, the finite impulse response function introduces little or no phase shift in the ACC waveforms.
As shown in FIGS. 4-9 , under ideal conditions RR determined from a filtered ACC waveform agrees well with that determined from IP, which is a signal used during the adaptive filtering algorithm described herein, and et-CO2, which represents a ‘quasi’ gold standard for determining RR. Data shown in each of these figures were collected simultaneously. ACC and IP waveforms were collected using an accelerometer mounted on a patient's abdomen, similar to that shown in FIG. 1A , and a trio of electrodes mounted in an Einthoven's triangle configuration, similar to that shown in FIG. 2A . The IP waveform is unfiltered, while the ACC waveform is filtered with a 0.01→0.1 Hz bandpass filter, as described with reference to FIGS. 3A , 3 H. et-CO2 was measured with a separate sensor positioned within the patient's mouth; signals from this sensor were not filtered in any way. In all cases breathing-induced pulses corresponding to RR were determined manually, and are marked accordingly in the figures. Numerical values within the markers indicate the exact number of counted pulses.
FIGS. 4-9 indicate that RR determined from both IP and ACC waveforms correlates well to absolute RR determined from et-CO2. The correlation holds for a variety of breathing conditions, ranging from slow, deep breathing ( FIGS. 4A-4C ); fast, deep breathing ( FIGS. 5A-5C ); very fast, deep breathing ( FIGS. 6A-6C ); and shallow, slow breathing ( FIGS. 7A-7C ). Data were measured under these conditions from a patient in a prone (i.e. lying down) posture. Additionally, the agreement continues to hold for a standing patient undergoing deep, slow breathing ( FIG. 8A-8C ) and deep, fast breathing ( FIG. 9A-9C ). Even with this range of configurations, RR determined from both ACC and IP waveforms agreed to within 1 breath/minute to that determined from et-CO2. In most cases the filtered ACC waveform appeared to have a superior signal-to-noise ratio when compared to the IP waveform, with the case for slow, deep breathing for a standing patient ( FIGS. 8A-C ) being the one exception.
As shown in FIGS. 10-11 , agreement between RR calculated from ACC, IP, and et-CO2 waveforms also holds before and after periods of apnea, as indicated by the shaded region 31 in FIGS. 10A-10C (lasting about 10 seconds), and region 32 in FIGS. 11A-11C (lasting about 30 seconds). As shown in FIGS. 10A-10C , for example, the patient exhibited slow, deep breaths before the period of apnea 31 , and fast, deep breaths afterwards. FIGS. 11A-11C show an opposing configuration. Here, the patient exhibited fast, shallow breaths before the period of apnea, and slow, shallow breaths afterwards. In both cases agreement between RR calculated from the three unique waveforms was maintained. These data, as described in more detail below, indicate that an adaptive filtering approach utilizing both ACC and IP waveforms can be used to predict a RR that correlates well to that measured with a gold standard, such as et-CO2.
One confounding situation occurs when the patient is walking, as shown in FIGS. 12A-C . Here, in the ACC waveform, signals corresponding to the walking motion overwhelm those corresponding to breathing, making it impossible to selectively determine RR. However, the walking motion results in a well-defined, periodic signal characterized by a very high signal-to-noise ratio. The IP signal, in contrast, is completely corrupted by random noise, presumably caused by a combination of movements associated with the electrodes and their wires, electrical noise due to motion of the underlying muscles, and general corruption of the underlying capacitance in the patient's torso. This makes it impossible to determine RR or any other mechanical/physiological state corresponding to the patient. In this case RR determined from the et-CO2 waveform is somewhat noisy, but still discernible.
While impossible to determine RR from the ACC and IP waveforms shown in FIG. 12A-B , the ACC waveform can be analyzed to determine walking, which it turn may be processed to avoid triggering a false alarm/alert that would normally be generated with a conventional vital sign monitor from the IP waveform, alone. For example, the ACC waveform shown in FIG. 12A , particularly when coupled with ACC waveforms corresponding to other axes of the chest-worn accelerometer as well as those from other accelerometers in the body-worn monitor, shows a clear signal indicative of walking. This determination can be corroborated with the IP waveform, which for a walking patient features an uncharacteristically low signal-to-noise ratio. Based on these signal inputs, an algorithm can determine that the patient is indeed walking, and can assume that their RR value is within normal limits, as a patient undergoing a consistent walking pattern is likely not in dire need of medical attention. For this reason an alarm/alert associated with RR is not generated. Similar alarms can be avoided when processing of the ACC waveforms determines that the patient is convulsing or falling (see, e.g., FIGS. 21-24 ), although in these cases a different type of alarm/alert may sound. In this way, collective processing of both the ACC and IP waveforms can help reduce false alarms/alerts associated with RR, while improving real alarms/alerts corresponding to other patient situations.
Adaptive Filtering
FIG. 13 illustrates in more detail how ACC and IP waveforms can be collectively processed to determine RR, activity levels, posture, and alarms/alerts associated with these patient states. The figure shows a flow chart describing an algorithm that would typically run using a microprocessor, such as that contained within a wrist-worn transceiver such as that shown in FIG. 28 . Alternatively, the algorithm could run on a microprocessor mounted on the patient's torso with the IP and accelerometer sensors or elsewhere. The algorithm begins with steps 54 , 56 that process all nine ACC waveforms, which are shown in the graph 69 on the left-hand side of the figure, to determine the patient's posture (step 54 ) and activity level (step 56 ). Both these processes are described in detail below. In general, determining posture (step 54 ) involves processing DC values of the ACC waveform generated by the accelerometer mounted on the patient's chest; such signals are shown in the initial and end portions of the graph 69 , which show changing DC values representing a posture change. Once sampled, the DC values are processed with an algorithm to estimate states corresponding to the patient such as standing, sitting, prone, supine, and lying on their side. This algorithm is also described with reference to FIG. 26A , 26 B, below.
Once posture is determined, the algorithm then analyzes AC portions of the ACC waveforms to determine the patient's activity level (step 56 ). This part of the algorithm, which is also described in detail below, can be performed in several ways. For example, the AC portions of the ACC waveforms, such as the oscillating portion in the graph 69 , can be processed with a Fourier Transform-based analysis to determine a frequency-dependent power-spectrum. Specific activity levels, such as walking and convulsing, involve periodic or quasi-periodic motions; these result in a well-defined power spectrum with frequency components between about 0 and 15 Hz (with this value representing the upper limit of human motion). Frequency bands in the power spectrum can be analyzed to estimate the patient's activity level. This analysis can also be combined with the posture determination from step 54 to refine the calculation for activity level. For example, a patient that is sitting down may be convulsing, but cannot be walking. Similarly, a falling event will begin with a standing posture, and end with a prone or supine posture.
Alternatively, the patient's activity level may be estimated with an algorithm based on probability and the concept of a ‘logit variable’, which considers a variety of time and frequency-domain parameters extracted from the AC portions of the ACC waveforms, and then processes these with a probability analysis that considers activity levels from a previously measured group of patients. An analysis based on a series of ‘decision trees’ can also be used to estimate the patient's activity level. Here, the decision trees feature steps that process both the AC and DC portions of the ACC waveforms to estimate the patient's activity level.
Algorithms that describe the patient's posture and activity level are described in detail in the following co-pending patent applications, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference: VITAL SIGN MONITOR FEATURING 3 ACCELEROMETERS (U.S. Ser. No. 12/469,094; filed May 20, 2009) and METHOD FOR GENERATING ALARMS/ALERTS BASED ON A PATIENT'S POSTURE AND VITAL SIGNS (U.S. Ser. No. 12/469,236; filed May 20, 2009).
The patient's overall state is preferably grouped into one of two categories once posture and activity level are determined with steps 54 and 56 . The first group involves relatively motion-free states, and includes categories such as patients that are: lying down with minimal motion (step 58 ), sitting up with minimal motion (step 59 ), and standing upright with minimal motion (step 60 ). Adaptive filtering that processes both ACC and IP waveforms will be effective in determining RR from this group of patients. The second group features patients that are undergoing some type of motion that will likely influence both the ACC and IP waveforms. Categories for this group include patients that are: lying down with significant motion, e.g. convulsing or talking in an animated manner (step 61 ), sitting up with significant motion (step 62 ), or standing upright with significant motion, e.g. walking (step 63 ). Here, the adaptive filtering approach is abandoned, as a pair of respiratory-influenced waveforms with high signal-to-noise ratios is not available. Instead, the second group of patients is processed with a series of heuristic rules, described above, to determine whether or not to generate an alarm/alert based on their posture, activity level, and vital signs (including RR).
Patients within the first group (steps 58 , 59 , 60 ) yield ACC and IP waveforms that are collectively processed with an algorithm based on adaptive filtering to determine RR. Representative waveforms are described above and are shown, for example, by graphs 70 , 71 , as well as those shown in FIGS. 4-11 . Details of the adaptive filtering algorithm are described below with reference to FIG. 14 . This technique yields an accurate value for RR (step 66 ). An alarm/alert is generated if this value exceeds pre-set high and low limits for RR for a well-defined period of time (step 67 ).
For the second group of patients undergoing motion (steps 61 , 62 , 63 ) it is assumed that RR is normal but cannot be accurately determined (step 65 ). The underlying theory is that a patient that is walking or talking likely has a normal RR, and that such activity levels may result in artificially high or low values of RR that may trigger a false alarm. Still, an alarm/alert may be generated depending on the patient's posture or activity level, coupled with other vital signs and a set of heuristic rules (step 68 ). For example, activity levels such as convulsing or falling will automatically generate an alarm/alert. In another example, during step 68 the algorithm may ignore vital signs that are known to be strongly affected by motion (e.g. RR, blood pressure, and SpO2), and process only those that are relatively immune to motion (e.g. heart rate and temperature). An alarm/alert may be triggered based on these parameters and the patient's motion and activity level. The set of heuristic rules used during step 68 , along with a general approach for generating alarms/alerts with the body-worn monitor described herein, are described in more detail in the following co-pending patent application, the contents of which have been fully incorporated by reference above: METHOD FOR GENERATING ALARMS/ALERTS BASED ON A PATIENT'S POSTURE AND VITAL SIGNS (U.S. Ser. No. 12/469,236; filed May 20, 2009).
FIG. 14 describes in more detail an exemplary adaptive filtering algorithm used during step 64 to determine RR from the IP and ACC waveforms. The algorithm involves collecting ECG, PPG, ACC, and IP waveforms using the body-worn monitor described in FIGS. 27A , B (step 81 ). ECG and PPG waveforms are processed with external algorithms to determine heart rate, blood pressure, and pulse oximetry, as described in more detail below. Additionally, as described with reference to FIGS. 20A-E , these waveforms feature envelopes that are modulated by respiratory rate, and thus may be analyzed to provide an initial RR value for the adaptive filtering algorithm. Once collected, the ECG, PPG, and IP waveforms are analyzed with a series of simple metrics, such as analysis of signal-to-noise ratios and comparison of extracted RR values to pre-determined limits, to determine which one will provide the initial input to the adaptive filtering algorithm (step 82 ). Ideally RR is extracted from the IP waveform, as this provides a reliable initial value. If during step 82 it is determined that IP does not yield a reliable initial RR value, the envelopes of both the PPG and ECG waveforms are extracted and analyzed as described above. If they are acceptable, RR values are then extracted from these waveforms and used for the initial value (step 89 ). The algorithm is terminated if each of the IP, PPG, and ECG waveforms fails to yield a reliable RR value.
If the IP waveform is deemed suitable, it is filtered with a finite impulse response filter with a bandpass of 0.01→12 Hz to remove electrical and mechanical noise that may lead to artifacts (step 83 ). Once filtered, the waveform is derivatized to yield a waveform similar to that shown in FIG. 3H (step 84 ), and then analyzed to find a zero-point crossing so that peaks corresponding to RR can be counted (step 85 ). During step 85 several simple signal processing algorithms may also be deployed to avoid counting features that don't actually correspond to RR, such as those shown in FIGS. 3F , 3 G. For example, prior to looking for the zero-point crossing, the derivatized waveform may be squared to accentuate lobes on each side of the crossing. The resultant waveform may then be filtered again with a bandpass filter, or simply smoothed with a moving average. In other embodiments only lobes that exceed a pre-determined magnitude are considered when determining the zero-point crossing.
Once determined during step 85 , the initial RR serves as the basis for the adaptive filter used in step 85 . Typically this rate is multiplied by a factor (e.g. 1.5), and then used as an upper limit for a bandpass filter based on a finite impulse response function used to filter the ACC waveform (step 86 ). The lower limit for the bandpass filter is typically 0.01 Hz, as described above. Filtering the ACC waveform with these tailored parameters yields a resulting waveform that has a high signal-to-noise ratio, limited extraneous frequency components, and can easily be processed to determine RR. During step 87 signal processing technique similar to those described above with reference to step 84 may be used to further process the ACC waveform. These yield a smooth, derivatized waveform that is analyzed to determine a zero-point crossing and count the resulting peaks contributing to RR (step 88 ).
FIGS. 15 , 16 , and 17 illustrate how the above-described adaptive filtering algorithm can be applied to both ACC and IP waveforms. In each of the figures, the graphs show the ACC waveform filtered with an initial, non-adaptive filter ( 15 A, 16 A, 17 A; 0.01→2 Hz bandpass), and the IP waveform filtered under similar conditions with a slightly larger bandpass filter ( 15 B, 16 B, 17 B; 0.01→12 Hz bandpass). Typically the IP waveform is filtered with the larger bandpass so that high-frequency components composing the rising and falling edges of pulses within these waveforms are preserved.
Once filtered, the IP waveform is processed as described above to determine an initial RR. This value may include artifacts due to motion, electrical, and mechanical noise that erroneously increases or decreases the initial RR value. But typically such errors have little impact on the final RR value that results from the adaptive filter. The middle graph ( FIGS. 15C , 16 C, and 17 C) in each figure show the ACC waveform processed with the adaptive filter. In all cases this waveform features an improved signal-to-noise ratio compared to data shown in the top graph ( 15 A, 16 A, 17 A), which is processed with a non-adaptive (and relatively wide) filter. Typically the narrow bandpass on the adaptive filter removes many high-frequency components that contribute the sharp rising and falling edges of pulses in the ACC waveforms. This slightly distorts the waveforms by rounding the pulses, giving the filtered waveform a shape that resembles a conventional sinusoid. Such distortion, however, has basically no affect on the absolute number of pulses in each waveform which are counted to determine RR.
The adaptively filtered waveform is then derivatized and graphed in FIGS. 15D , 16 D, and 17 D. This waveform is then processed with the above-mentioned signal processing techniques, e.g. squaring the derivative and filtering out lobes that fall beneath pre-determined threshold values, to yield an algorithm-determined ‘count’, indicated in FIGS. 15E , 16 E, and 17 E as a series of black triangles. The count is plotted along with the adaptively filtered waveforms from FIGS. 15C , 16 C, and 17 C. Exact overlap between each pulse in the waveform and the corresponding count indicates the algorithm is working properly. Data from each of the figures correspond to varying respiratory behavior ( 5 , 17 , and 38 breaths/minute in, respectively, FIGS. 15 , 16 , and 17 ), and indicate that this technique is effective over a wide range of breathing frequencies. The right-hand side of the figures ( FIGS. 15F , 16 F, and 17 F) show a series of steps 90 - 94 that indicate the analysis required to generate the corresponding graphs in the figure.
FIG. 18 shows data collected when the patient is walking. Here, the walking motion manifests in the ACC waveform in FIG. 18A as a series of periodic pulses which look similar to RR, particularly after the initial bandpass filter of 0.01→2 Hz. However, the IP waveform shown in FIG. 18B has a poor signal-to-noise ratio, and fails to yield an accurate initial value for RR. This is indicated by step 95 in the modified flow chart shown in FIG. 18C , which highlights an alternate series of steps that are deployed when motion is present. As shown in step 96 , in this case other ACC waveforms (e.g., those along the x and y-axes, indicated by ACC') are analyzed to determine that the patient is walking. In this case no value of RR is reported, and an alarm/alert is not triggered because of the above-mentioned heuristic rules (i.e. a walking patient typically has a normal RR, and is not in need of medical attention).
The efficacy of using adaptive filtering to determine RR from ACC and IP waveforms is summarized with the correlation graph in FIG. 19 . The graph shows correlation with et-CO2, which in this case represents a gold standard. Correlation is strong (r^2=0.99 for a RR range of 5-54 breaths/minute), and the graph includes data collected from patients in a range of postures (standing upright, lying down) and undergoing a range of breathing behaviors (deep breaths, shallow breaths). Bias calculated from these data was 0.8 breaths/minute, and the standard deviation of the differences was 1.6 breaths/minute. These statistics indicate adaptive filtering yields RR with an accuracy that is within the FDA's standards of +/−2 breaths/minute over a range of 0-70 breaths/minute.
Determining Respiratory Rate from ECG and PPG Waveforms
As described above, RR can additionally be determined from both the PPG and ECG waveforms by analyzing an envelope outlining heartbeat-induced pulses in these waveforms. Both PPG and ECG waveforms are collected with the body-worn monitor of FIGS. 27A , 27 B, where they are further analyzed to continuously determine cNIBP according to the Composite Technique, as described above. FIGS. 20A-E show representative data that indicate this technique. FIG. 20A , for example, shows an unfiltered ECG waveform featuring a train of pulses, each representing an individual QRS complex. The envelope of the QRS complexes is extracted by determining the maximum and minimum of each complex. Alternatively it can be determined with a series of digital filters that only pass very low frequencies. Comparison of the ECG envelope in FIG. 20B with the IP waveform in FIG. 20E indicates good agreement between these two approaches. Similarly, the PPG waveform shown in FIG. 20C features a train of pulses, each corresponding to a unique heartbeat, that typically follow the ECG QRS complex by a few hundred milliseconds. It is this time difference (typically called a ‘pulse transit time’, or PTT) that is sensitive to blood pressure changes, and is used during the Composite Technique to measure an absolute value for blood pressure. The PPG envelope, like the ECG envelope, is modulated by RR, and can be determined by extracting the maximum and minimum of each pulse. Alternatively this envelope can be determined with a low-pass filter similar to that used to extract the ECG envelope. As shown in FIG. 20D , the resulting envelope agrees well with the IP waveform, indicating it too is indicative of RR.
The body-worn monitor shown in FIGS. 27A , 27 B measures two separate PPG waveforms (generated with red and infrared radiation) to determine the patient's SpO2 value. The algorithm for this calculation is described in detail in the following co-pending patent applications, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference: BODY-WORN PULSE OXIMETER (U.S. Ser. No. 61/218,062; filed Jun. 17, 2009). In embodiments, envelopes from both PPG waveforms can be extracted and processed to determine an initial value of RR. This value may also be calculated from the ECG waveform alone, or from this waveform and one or both PPG waveforms. As described above, this method for determining an initial RR value for the adaptive filter algorithm is less preferred than one that uses an IP waveform. Such an algorithm would be used, for example, if an IP waveform featuring a good signal-to-noise ratio was not available.
Affect of Motion on ECG, PPG, and ACC Waveforms
A patient's activity level, as characterized by ACC waveforms, can have a significant impact on the PPG and ECG waveforms used to measure RR and cNIBP. For example, FIGS. 21-24 show time-dependent graphs of ECG, PPG, and ACC waveforms for a patient who is resting ( FIG. 21 ), walking ( FIG. 22 ), convulsing ( FIG. 23 ), and falling ( FIG. 24 ). Each graph includes a single ECG waveform, PPG waveform and three ACC waveforms. In all cases the PPG waveforms are generated with the infrared light source. The ACC waveforms correspond to signals measured along the x, y, and z axes by a single accelerometer worn on the patient's wrist, similar to the accelerometer used within the wrist-worn transceiver shown in FIG. 28 .
The figures indicate that time-dependent properties of both ECG and PPG waveforms can be strongly affected by certain patient activities, which are indicated by the ACC waveforms. Accuracy of RR and cNIBP calculated from these waveforms is therefore affected as well. FIGS. 21A-C , for example, shows data collected from a patient at rest. This state is clearly indicated by the ACC waveforms ( FIG. 21C ; bottom), which feature a relatively stable baseline along all three axes of the accelerometer. High-frequency noise in all the ACC waveforms shown in FIGS. 21-24 is due to electrical noise, and is not indicative of patient motion in any way. The ECG ( FIG. 21A ; top) and PPG ( FIG. 21B ; middle) waveforms for this patient are correspondingly stable, thus allowing algorithms operating on the body-worn monitor to accurately determine SpO2 (from the PPG waveform), along with heart rate and respiratory rate (from the ECG waveform), cNIBP (from a PTT extracted from both the ECG and PPG waveforms). Based on the data shown in FIG. 21 , algorithms operating on the body-worn monitor assume that vital signs calculated from a resting patient are relatively stable; the algorithm therefore deploys normal threshold criteria for alarms/alerts, described below in Table 1, for patients in this state.
The ECG and PPG waveforms shown, respectively, in FIGS. 21A and 21B also feature envelopes indicated by the dashed lines 97 a , 97 b , 98 that are modulated by RR. This modulation is similar to that shown in FIGS. 20A and 20C .
FIGS. 22A-C shows ECG ( FIG. 22A ; top), PPG ( FIG. 22B ; middle), and ACC ( FIG. 22C ; top) waveforms measured from a walking patient wearing the body-worn monitor. In this case, the ACC waveform clearly indicates a quasi-periodic modulation, with each ‘bump’ in the modulation corresponding to a particular step. The ‘gaps’ in the modulation, shown near 10, 19, 27, and 35 seconds, correspond to periods when the patient stops walking and changes direction. Each bump in the ACC waveform includes relatively high-frequency features (other than those associated with electrical noise, described above) that correspond to walking-related movements of the patient's wrist.
The ECG waveform measured from the walking patient is relatively unaffected by motion, other than indicating an increase in heart rate (i.e., a shorter time separation between neighboring QRS complexes) and respiratory rate (i.e. a higher frequency modulation of the waveform's envelope) caused by the patient's exertion. The PPG waveform, in contrast, is strongly affected by this motion, and pulses within it become basically immeasurable. Its distortion is likely due in part to a quasi-periodic change in light levels, caused by the patient's swinging arm, and detected by the photodetector within the thumb-worn sensor. Movement of the patient's arm additionally affects blood flow in the thumb and can cause the optical sensor to move relative to the patient's skin. The photodetector measures all of these artifacts, along with a conventional PPG signal (like the one shown in FIG. 21B ) caused by volumetric expansion in the underlying arteries and capillaries within the patient's thumb. The artifacts produce radiation-induced photocurrent that is difficult to distinguish from normal PPG signal used to calculate SpO2 and cNIBP. These vital signs are thus difficult or impossible to accurately measure when the patient is walking.
The body-worn monitor may deploy multiple strategies to avoid generating false alarms/alerts during a walking activity state that correspond to RR as well as all other vital signs. As described in detail below, the monitor can detect this state by processing the ACC waveforms shown in FIG. 22C along with similar waveforms measured from the patient's bicep and chest. Walking typically elevates heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure, and thus alarm thresholds for these parameters, as indicated by Table 1, are systematically and temporarily increased when this state is detected. Values above the modified thresholds are considered abnormal, and trigger an alarm. SpO2, unlike heart rate, respiratory rate and blood pressure, does not typically increase with exertion. Thus the alarm thresholds for this parameter, as shown in Table 1, do not change when the patient is walking. Body temperature measured with the body-worn monitor typically increases between 1-5%, depending on the physical condition of the patient and the speed at which they are walking.
TABLE 1
motion-dependent alarm/alert thresholds and heuristic rules
for a walking patient
Modified
Motion
Threshold for
Heuristic Rules for
Vital Sign
State
Alarms/Alerts
Alarms/Alerts
Blood Pressure (SYS,
Walking
Increase (+10-30%)
Ignore Threshold; Do
DIA)
Not Alarm/Alert
Heart Rate
Walking
Increase (+10-300%)
Use Modified
Threshold; Alarm/Alert
if Value Exceeds
Threshold
Respiratory Rate
Walking
Increase (+10-300%)
Ignore Threshold; Do
Not Alarm/Alert
SpO2
Walking
No Change
Ignore Threshold; Do
Not Alarm/Alert
Temperature
Walking
Increase (+10-30%)
Use Original Threshold;
Alarm/Alert if Value
Exceeds Threshold
To further reduce false alarms/alerts, software associated with the body-worn monitor or remote monitor can deploy a series of heuristic rules determined beforehand using practical, empirical studies. These rules, for example, can indicate that a walking patient is likely healthy, breathing, and characterized by a normal RR. Accordingly, the rules dictate that cNIBP, RR, and SpO2 values measured during a walking state that exceed predetermined alarm/alert thresholds are likely corrupted by artifacts; the system, in turn, does not sound the alarm/alert in this case. Heart rate, as indicated by FIG. 22A , and body temperature can typically be accurately measured even when a patient is walking; the heuristic rules therefore dictate the modified thresholds listed in Table 1 be used to generate alarms/alerts for a patient in this state.
Additionally, despite the patient's walking motion, the ECG waveform shown in FIG. 22A still features an envelope shown by the dashed lines 99 a , 99 b that represents the patient's RR. This indicates that RR may be determined from a walking patient by processing the ECG envelope, even when other signals (e.g. IP and ACC waveforms) are corrupted. Because of the motion-induced noise in these signals, RR is typically determined directly from the ECG envelope, without using any adaptive filtering.
FIGS. 23A-C show ECG ( FIG. 23A ; top), PPG ( FIG. 23B ; middle), and ACC ( FIG. 23C ; bottom) waveforms measured from a patient that is simulating convulsing by rapidly moving their arm back and forth. A patient undergoing a Gran-mal seizure, for example, would exhibit this type of motion. As is clear from the waveforms, the patient is at rest for the initial 10 seconds shown in the graph, during which the ECG and PPG waveforms are uncorrupted by motion. The patient then begins a period of simulated, rapid convulsing that lasts for about 12 seconds. A brief 5-second period of rest follows, and then convulsing begins for another 12 seconds or so.
Convulsing modulates the ACC waveform due to rapid motion of the patient's arm, as measured by the wrist-worn accelerometer. This modulation is strongly coupled into the PPG waveform, likely because of the phenomena described above, i.e.: 1) ambient light coupling into the oximetry probe's photodiode; 2) movement of the photodiode relative to the patient's skin; and 3) disrupted blow flow underneath the probe. Note that from about 23-28 seconds the ACC waveform is not modulated, indicating that the patient's arm is at rest. During this period the ambient light is constant and the optical sensor is stationary relative to the patient's skin. But the PPG waveform is still strongly modulated, albeit at a different frequency than the modulation that occurred when the patient's arm was moving, and the pulses therein are difficult to resolve. This indicates that the disrupted blood flow underneath the optical sensor continues even after the patient's arm stops moving. Using this information, both ECG and PPG waveforms similar to those shown in FIG. 23 can be analyzed in conjunction with ACC waveforms measured from groups of stationary and moving patients. These data can then be analyzed to estimate the effects of specific motions and activities on the ECG and PPG waveforms, and then deconvolute these factors using known mathematical techniques to effectively remove any motion-related artifacts. The deconvoluted ECG and PPG waveforms can then be used to calculate vital signs, as described in detail below.
The ECG waveform is modulated by the patient's arm movement, but to a lesser degree than the PPG waveform. In this case, modulation is caused primarily by electrical ‘muscle noise’ instigated by the convulsion and detected by the ECG electrodes, and well as by convulsion-induced motion in the ECG cables and electrodes relative to the patient's skin. Such motion is expected to have a similar affect on temperature measurements, which are determined by a sensor that also includes a cable.
Table 2, below, shows examples of the modified threshold values and heuristic rules for alarms/alerts generated by a convulsing patient. In general, when a patient experiences convulsions, such as those simulated during the two 12-second periods in FIG. 23 , it is virtually impossible to accurately measure any vital signs from the ECG and PPG waveforms. For this reason the threshold values corresponding to each vital sign are not adjusted when convulsions are detected. Heart rate determined from the ECG waveform, for example, is typically erroneously high due to high-frequency convulsions, and RR is immeasurable from the distorted waveform. Strong distortion of the optical waveform also makes both SpO2 and PPT-based cNIBP difficult or impossible to measure. For this reason, algorithms operating on either the body-worn monitor or a remote monitor will not generate alarms/alerts based on vital signs when a patient is convulsing, as these vital signs will almost certainly be corrupted by motion-related artifacts.
TABLE 2
motion-dependent alarm/alert thresholds and heuristic
rules for a convulsing patient
Modified
Motion
Threshold for
Heuristic Rules for
Vital Sign
State
Alarms/Alerts
Alarms/Alerts
Blood Pressure
Convulsing
No Change
Ignore Threshold;
(SYS, DIA)
Generate Alarm/Alert
Because of Convulsion
Heart Rate
Convulsing
No Change
Ignore Threshold;
Generate Alarm/Alert
Because of Convulsion
Respiratory Rate
Convulsing
No Change
Ignore Threshold;
Generate Alarm/Alert
Because of Convulsion
SpO2
Convulsing
No Change
Ignore Threshold;
Generate Alarm/Alert
Because of Convulsion
Temperature
Convulsing
No Change
Ignore Threshold;
Generate Alarm/Alert
Because of Convulsion
Table 2 also shows exemplary heuristic rules for convulsing patients. Here, the overriding rule is that a convulsing patient needs assistance, and thus an alarm/alert for this patient is generated regardless of their vital signs (which, as described above, are likely inaccurate due to motion-related artifacts). The system always generates an alarm/alert for a convulsing patient.
FIGS. 24A-C shows ECG ( FIG. 24A ; top), PPG ( FIG. 24B ; middle), and ACC ( FIG. 24C ; bottom) waveforms measured from a patient that experiences a fall roughly 13 seconds into the measuring period. The ACC waveform clearly indicates the fall with a sharp decrease in its signal, followed by a short-term oscillatory signal, due (literally) to the patient bouncing on the floor. After the fall, ACC waveforms associated with the x, y, and z axes also show a prolonged decrease in value due to the resulting change in the patient's posture. In this case, both the ECG and PPG waveforms are uncorrupted by motion prior to the fall, but basically immeasurable during the fall, which typically takes only 1-2 seconds. Specifically, this activity adds very high frequency noise to the ECG waveform, making it impossible to extract heart rate and RR during this short time period. Falling causes a sharp drop in the PPG waveform, presumably for the same reasons as described above (i.e. changes in ambient light, sensor movement, and disruption of blood flow) for walking and convulsing, making it difficult to measure SpO2 and cNIBP.
After a fall, both the ECG and PPG waveforms are free from artifacts, but both indicate an accelerated heart rate and relatively high heart rate variability for roughly 10 seconds. During this period the PPG waveform also shows distortion and a decrease in pulse amplitude. Without being bound to any theory, the increase in heart rate may be due to the patient's baroreflex, which is the body's haemostatic mechanism for regulating and maintaining blood pressure. The baroreflex, for example, is initiated when a patient begins faint. In this case, the patient's fall may cause a rapid drop in blood pressure, thereby depressing the baroreflex. The body responds by accelerating heart rate (indicated by the ECG waveform) and increasing blood pressure (indicated by a reduction in PTT, as measured from the ECG and PPG waveforms) in order to deliver more blood to the patient's extremities.
Table 3 shows exemplary heuristic rules and modified alarm thresholds for a falling patient. Falling, similar to convulsing, makes it difficult to measure waveforms and the vital signs calculated from them. Because of this and the short time duration associated with a fall, alarms/alerts based on vital signs thresholds are not generated during an actual falls. However, this activity, optionally coupled with prolonged stationary period or convulsion (both determined from the following ACC waveform), generates an alarm/alert according to the heuristic rules.
TABLE 3
motion-dependent alarm/alert thresholds and heuristic rules
for a falling patient Processing ACC Waveforms to Determine Posture
Modified
Motion
Threshold for
Heuristic Rules for
Vital Sign
State
Alarms/Alerts
Alarms/Alerts
Blood Pressure
Falling
No Change
Ignore Threshold; Generate
(SYS, DIA)
Alarm/Alert Because of
Fall
Heart Rate
Falling
No Change
Ignore Threshold; Generate
Alarm/Alert Because of
Fall
Respiratory Rate
Falling
No Change
Ignore Threshold; Generate
Alarm/Alert Because of
Fall
SpO2
Falling
No Change
Ignore Threshold; Generate
Alarm/Alert Because of
Fall
Temperature
Falling
No Change
Ignore Threshold; Generate
Alarm/Alert Because of
Fall
In addition to activity level, as described above and indicated in FIGS. 21-24 , a patient's posture can influence how the above-described system generates alarms/alerts from RR, cNIBP, and other vital signs. For example, the alarms/alerts related to both RR and cNIBP may vary depending on whether the patient is lying down or standing up. FIG. 25 indicates how the body-worn monitor can determine motion-related parameters (e.g. degree of motion, posture, and activity level) from a patient 110 using time-dependent ACC waveforms continuously generated from the three accelerometers 112 , 113 , 114 worn, respectively, on the patient's chest, bicep, and wrist. The height of the patient's arm can affect the cNIBP measurement, as blood pressure can vary significantly due to hydrostatic forces induced by changes in arm height. Moreover, this phenomenon can be detected and exploited to calibrate the cNIBP measurement, as described in detail in the above-referenced patent application, the contents of which have been previously incorporated by reference: BODY-WORN VITAL SIGN MONITOR WITH SYSTEM FOR DETECTING AND ANALYZING MOTION (U.S. Ser. No. 12/469,094; filed May 20, 2009). As described in this document, arm height can be determined using DC signals from the accelerometers 113 , 114 disposed, respectively, on the patient's bicep and wrist. Posture, in contrast, can be exclusively determined by the accelerometer 112 worn on the patient's chest. An algorithm operating on the wrist-worn transceiver extracts DC values from waveforms measured from this accelerometer and processes them with an algorithm described below to determine posture.
Specifically, torso posture is determined for a patient 110 using angles determined between the measured gravitational vector and the axes of a torso coordinate space 111 . The axes of this space 111 are defined in a three-dimensional Euclidean space where {right arrow over (R)} CV is the vertical axis, {right arrow over (R)} CH is the horizontal axis, and {right arrow over (R)} CN is the normal axis. These axes must be identified relative to a ‘chest accelerometer coordinate space’ before the patient's posture can be determined.
The first step in determining a patient's posture is to identify alignment of {right arrow over (R)} CV in the chest accelerometer coordinate space. This can be determined in either of two approaches. In the first approach, {right arrow over (R)} CV is assumed based on a typical alignment of the body-worn monitor i relative to the patient. During a manufacturing process, these parameters are then preprogrammed into firmware operating on the wrist-worn transceiver. In this procedure it is assumed that accelerometers within the body-worn monitor are applied to each patient with essentially the same configuration. In the second approach, {right arrow over (R)} CV is identified on a patient-specific basis. Here, an algorithm operating on the wrist-worn transceiver prompts the patient (using, e.g., video instruction operating on the wrist-worn transceiver, or audio instructions transmitted through a speaker) to assume a known position with respect to gravity (e.g., standing upright with arms pointed straight down). The algorithm then calculates {right arrow over (R)} CV from DC values corresponding to the x, y, and z axes of the chest accelerometer while the patient is in this position. This case, however, still requires knowledge of which arm (left or right) the monitor is worn on, as the chest accelerometer coordinate space can be rotated by 180 degrees depending on this orientation. A medical professional applying the monitor can enter this information using the GUI, described above. This potential for dual-arm attachment requires a set of two pre-determined vertical and normal vectors which are interchangeable depending on the monitor's location. Instead of manually entering this information, the arm on which the monitor is worn can be easily determined following attachment using measured values from the chest accelerometer values, with the assumption that {right arrow over (R)} CV is not orthogonal to the gravity vector.
The second step in the procedure is to identify the alignment of {right arrow over (R)} CN in the chest accelerometer coordinate space. The monitor determines this vector in the same way it determines {right arrow over (R)} CV using one of two approaches. In the first approach the monitor assumes a typical alignment of the chest-worn accelerometer on the patient. In the second approach, the alignment is identified by prompting the patient to assume a known position with respect to gravity. The monitor then calculates {right arrow over (R)} CN from the DC values of the time-dependent ACC waveform.
The third step in the procedure is to identify the alignment of {right arrow over (R)} CH in the chest accelerometer coordinate space. This vector is typically determined from the vector cross product of {right arrow over (R)} CV and {right arrow over (R)} CN , or it can be assumed based on the typical alignment of the accelerometer on the patient, as described above.
A patient's posture is determined using the coordinate system described above and in FIG. 25 , along with a gravitational vector {right arrow over (R)} G that extends normal from the patient's chest. The angle between {right arrow over (R)} CV and {right arrow over (R)} G is given by equation (1):
θ VG [ n ] = arccos ( R ⇀ G [ n ] · R ⇀ CV R ⇀ G [ n ] R ⇀ CV ) ( 1 )
where the dot product of the two vectors is defined as:
{right arrow over (R)} G [n]·{right arrow over (R)} CV =( y Cx [n]×r CVx )+( y Cy [n]×r CVy )+( y Cz [n]×r CVz ) (2)
The definition of the norms of {right arrow over (R)} G and {right arrow over (R)} CV are given by equations (3) and (4):
∥ {right arrow over (R)} G [n ]∥=√{square root over (( y Cx [n ]) 2 +( y Cy [n ]) 2 +( y Cz [n ]) 2 )}{square root over (( y Cx [n ]) 2 +( y Cy [n ]) 2 +( y Cz [n ]) 2 )}{square root over (( y Cx [n ]) 2 +( y Cy [n ]) 2 +( y Cz [n ]) 2 )} (3)
∥ {right arrow over (R)} Cv ∥=√{square root over (( r CVx ) 2 +( r CVy ) 2 +( r CVz ) 2 )}{square root over (( r CVx ) 2 +( r CVy ) 2 +( r CVz ) 2 )}{square root over (( r CVx ) 2 +( r CVy ) 2 +( r CVz ) 2 )} (4)
As indicated in equation (5), the monitor compares the vertical angle θ VG to a threshold angle to determine whether the patient is vertical (i.e. standing upright) or lying down:
if θ VG ≦45° then Torso State=0, the patient is upright (5)
If the condition in equation (5) is met the patient is assumed to be upright, and their torso state, which is a numerical value equated to the patient's posture, is equal to 0. The patient is assumed to be lying down if the condition in equation (5) is not met, i.e. θ VG >45 degrees. Their lying position is then determined from angles separating the two remaining vectors, as defined below.
The angle θ NG between {right arrow over (R)} CN and {right arrow over (R)} G determines if the patient is lying in the supine position (chest up), prone position (chest down), or on their side. Based on either an assumed orientation or a patient-specific calibration procedure, as described above, the alignment of {right arrow over (R)} CN is given by equation (6), where i, j, k represent the unit vectors of the x, y, and z axes of the chest accelerometer coordinate space respectively:
{right arrow over (R)} CN =r CNx î+r CNy ĵ+r CNz {circumflex over (k)} (6)
The angle between {right arrow over (R)} CN and {right arrow over (R)} G determined from DC values extracted from the chest accelerometer ACC waveform is given by equation (7):
θ NG [ n ] = arccos ( R ⇀ G [ n ] · R ⇀ CN R ⇀ G [ n ] R ⇀ CN ) ( 7 )
The body-worn monitor determines the normal angle θ NG and then compares it to a set of predetermined threshold angles to determine which position the patient is lying in, as shown in equation (8):
if θ NG ≦35° then Torso State=1, the patient is supine
if θ NG ≧135° then Torso State=2, the patient is prone (8)
If the conditions in equation (8) are not met then the patient is assumed to be lying on their side. Whether they are lying on their right or left side is determined from the angle calculated between the horizontal torso vector and measured gravitational vectors, as described above.
The alignment of {right arrow over (R)} CH is determined using either an assumed orientation, or from the vector cross-product of {right arrow over (R)} CV and {right arrow over (R)} CN as given by equation (9), where i, j, k represent the unit vectors of the x, y, and z axes of the accelerometer coordinate space respectively. Note that the orientation of the calculated vector is dependent on the order of the vectors in the operation. The order below defines the horizontal axis as positive towards the right side of the patient's body.
{right arrow over (R)} CH =r CVx î+r CVy ĵ+r CVz {circumflex over (k)}={right arrow over (R)} CV ×{right arrow over (R)} CN (9)
The angle θ HG between {right arrow over (R)} CH and {right arrow over (R)} G is determined using equation (10):
θ HG [ n ] = arccos ( R ⇀ G [ n ] · R ⇀ CH R ⇀ G [ n ] R ⇀ CH ) ( 10 )
The monitor compares this angle to a set of predetermined threshold angles to determine if the patient is lying on their right or left side, as given by equation (11):
if θ HG ≧90° then Torso State=3, the patient is on their right side
if θ NG <90° then Torso State=4, the patient is on their left side (11)
Table 4 describes each of the above-described postures, along with a corresponding numerical torso state used to render, e.g., a particular icon on a remote computer:
TABLE 4
postures and their corresponding torso states
Posture
Torso State
standing upright
0
supine: lying on back
1
prone: lying on chest
2
lying on right side
3
lying on left side
4
undetermined posture
5
FIGS. 26A and 26B show, respectively, graphs of time-dependent ACC waveforms measured along the x, y, and z-axes ( FIG. 26A ), and the torso states (i.e. postures; FIG. 26B ) determined from these waveforms for a moving patient, as described above. As the patient moves, the DC values of the ACC waveforms measured by the chest accelerometer vary accordingly, as shown in FIG. 26A . The body-worn monitor processes these values as described above to continually determine {right arrow over (R)} G and the various quantized torso states for the patient, as shown in FIG. 26B . The torso states yield the patient's posture as defined in Table 4. For this study the patient rapidly alternated between standing, lying on their back, chest, right side, and left side within a time period of about 160 seconds. As described above, different alarm/alert conditions (e.g. threshold values) for vital signs can be assigned to each of these postures, or the specific posture itself may result in an alarm/alert. Additionally, the time-dependent properties of the graph can be analyzed (e.g. changes in the torso states can be counted) to determine, for example, how often the patient moves in their hospital bed. This number can then be equated to various metrics, such as a ‘bed sore index’ indicating a patient that is so stationary in their bed that lesions may result. Such a state could then be used to trigger an alarm/alert to the supervising medical professional.
Hardware for Measuring Respiratory Rate
FIGS. 27A and 27B show how the body-worn monitor 200 described above attaches to a patient 170 to measure RR, cNIBP, and other vital signs. These figures show two configurations of the system: FIG. 27A shows the system used during the indexing portion of the Composite Technique, and includes a pneumatic, cuff-based system 185 , while FIG. 27B shows the system used for subsequent RR and cNIBP measurements. The indexing measurement typically takes about 60 seconds, and is typically performed once every 4 hours. Once the indexing measurement is complete the cuff-based system 185 is typically removed from the patient. The remainder of the time the monitor 200 performs the RR, SpO2 and cNIBP measurements.
The body-worn monitor 200 features a wrist-worn transceiver 172 , described in more detail in FIG. 28 , featuring a touch panel interface 173 that displays RR, blood pressure values and other vital signs. A wrist strap 190 affixes the transceiver 172 to the patient's wrist like a conventional wristwatch. A flexible cable 192 connects the transceiver 172 to a pulse oximeter probe 194 that wraps around the base of the patient's thumb. During a measurement, the probe 194 generates a time-dependent PPG waveform which is processed along with an ECG to measure cNIBP, SpO2, and possible RR. This provides an accurate representation of blood pressure in the central regions of the patient's body, as described above.
To determine ACC waveforms the body-worn monitor 200 features three separate accelerometers located at different portions on the patient's arm and chest. The first accelerometer is surface-mounted on a circuit board in the wrist-worn transceiver 172 and measures signals associated with movement of the patient's wrist. As described above, this motion can also be indicative of that originating from the patient's fingers, which will affect the SpO2 measurement. The second accelerometer is included in a small bulkhead portion 196 included along the span of the cable 182 . During a measurement, a small piece of disposable tape, similar in size to a conventional bandaid, affixes the bulkhead portion 196 to the patient's arm. In this way the bulkhead portion 196 serves two purposes: 1) it measures a time-dependent ACC waveform from the mid-portion of the patient's arm, thereby allowing their posture and arm height to be determined as described in detail above; and 2) it secures the cable 182 to the patient's arm to increase comfort and performance of the body-worn monitor 200 , particularly when the patient is ambulatory. The third accelerometer is mounted in a bulkhead component 174 that connects through cables 180 a - c to ECG electrodes 178 a - c . As described in detail above, this accelerometer, which can also be mounted closer to the patient's abdomen, measures respiration-induced motion of the patient's chest and abdomen. These signals are then digitized, transmitted through the cable 182 to the wrist-worn transceiver 172 , where they are processed with an algorithm as described above to determine RR.
The cuff-based module 185 features a pneumatic system 176 that includes a pump, valve, pressure fittings, pressure sensor, analog-to-digital converter, microcontroller, and rechargeable Li:ion battery. During an indexing measurement, the pneumatic system 176 inflates a disposable cuff 184 and performs two measurements according to the Composite Technique: 1) it performs an inflation-based measurement of oscillometry to determine values for SYS, DIA, and MAP; and 2) it determines a patient-specific relationship between PTT and MAP. These measurements are described in detail in the above-referenced patent application entitled: ‘VITAL SIGN MONITOR FOR MEASURING BLOOD PRESSURE USING OPTICAL, ELECTRICAL, AND PRESSURE WAVEFORMS’ (U.S. Ser. No. 12/138,194; filed Jun. 12, 2008), the contents of which have been previously incorporated herein by reference.
The cuff 184 within the cuff-based pneumatic system 185 is typically disposable and features an internal, airtight bladder that wraps around the patient's bicep to deliver a uniform pressure field. During the indexing measurement, pressure values are digitized by the internal analog-to-digital converter, and sent through a cable 186 according to a CAN protocol, along with SYS, DIA, and MAP blood pressures, to the wrist-worn transceiver 172 for processing as described above. Once the cuff-based measurement is complete, the cuff-based module 185 is removed from the patient's arm and the cable 186 is disconnected from the wrist-worn transceiver 172 . cNIBP is then determined using PTT, as described in detail above.
To determine an ECG, the body-worn monitor 200 features a small-scale, three-lead ECG circuit integrated directly into the bulkhead 174 that terminates an ECG cable 182 . The ECG circuit features an integrated circuit that collects electrical signals from three chest-worn ECG electrodes 178 a - c connected through cables 180 a - c . As described above, the ECG electrodes 178 a - c are typically disposed in a conventional Einthoven's Triangle configuration which is a triangle-like orientation of the electrodes 178 a - c on the patient's chest that features three unique ECG vectors. From these electrical signals the ECG circuit determines up to three ECG waveforms, which are digitized using an analog-to-digital converter mounted proximal to the ECG circuit, and sent through the cable 182 to the wrist-worn transceiver 172 according to the CAN protocol. There, the ECG and PPG waveforms are processed to determine the patient's blood pressure. Heart rate and RR are determined directly from the ECG waveform using known algorithms, such as those described above. The cable bulkhead 174 also includes an accelerometer that measures motion associated with the patient's chest as described above.
As described above, there are several advantages of digitizing ECG and ACC waveforms prior to transmitting them through the cable 182 . First, a single transmission line in the cable 182 can transmit multiple digital waveforms, each generated by different sensors. This includes multiple ECG waveforms (corresponding, e.g., to vectors associated with three, five, and twelve-lead ECG systems) from the ECG circuit mounted in the bulkhead 174 , along with waveforms associated with the x, y, and z-axes of accelerometers mounted in the bulkheads 174 , 196 . More sophisticated ECG circuits (e.g. five and twelve-lead systems) can plug into the wrist-worn transceiver to replace the three-lead system shown in FIGS. 27A and 27B .
FIG. 28 shows a close-up view of the wrist-worn transceiver 172 . As described above, it attaches to the patient's wrist using a flexible strap 190 which threads through two D-ring openings in a plastic housing 206 . The transceiver 172 features a touchpanel display 220 that renders a GUI 173 which is altered depending on the viewer (typically the patient or a medical professional). Specifically, the transceiver 172 includes a small-scale infrared barcode scanner 202 that, during use, can scan a barcode worn on a badge of a medical professional. The barcode indicates to the transceiver's software that, for example, a nurse or doctor is viewing the user interface. In response, the GUI 173 displays vital sign data and other medical diagnostic information appropriate for medical professionals. Using this GUI 173 , the nurse or doctor, for example, can view the vital sign information, set alarm parameters, and enter information about the patient (e.g. their demographic information, medication, or medical condition). The nurse can press a button on the GUI 173 indicating that these operations are complete. At this point, the display 220 renders an interface that is more appropriate to the patient, such as time of day and battery power.
The transceiver 172 features three CAN connectors 204 a - c on the side of its upper portion, each which supports the CAN protocol and wiring schematics, and relays digitized data to the internal CPU. Digital signals that pass through the CAN connectors include a header that indicates the specific signal (e.g. ECG, ACC, or pressure waveform from the cuff-based module) and the sensor from which the signal originated. This allows the CPU to easily interpret signals that arrive through the CAN connectors 204 a - c , such as those described above corresponding to RR, and means that these connectors are not associated with a specific cable. Any cable connecting to the transceiver can be plugged into any connector 204 a - c . As shown in FIG. 27A , the first connector 204 a receives the cable 182 that transports a digitized ECG waveform determined from the ECG circuit and electrodes, and digitized ACC waveforms measured by accelerometers in the cable bulkhead 174 and the bulkhead portion 196 associated with the ECG cable 182 .
The second CAN connector 204 b shown in FIG. 28 receives the cable 186 that connects to the pneumatic cuff-based system 185 used for the pressure-dependent indexing measurement (shown in FIG. 27A ). This connector 204 b receives a time-dependent pressure waveform delivered by the pneumatic system 185 to the patient's arm, along with values for SYS, DIA, and MAP values determined during the indexing measurement. The cable 186 unplugs from the connector 204 b once the indexing measurement is complete, and is plugged back in after approximately four hours for another indexing measurement.
The final CAN connector 204 c can be used for an ancillary device, e.g. a glucometer, infusion pump, body-worn insulin pump, ventilator, or et-CO2 delivery system. As described above, digital information generated by these systems will include a header that indicates their origin so that the CPU can process them accordingly.
The transceiver includes a speaker 201 that allows a medical professional to communicate with the patient using a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP). For example, using the speaker 201 the medical professional could query the patient from a central nursing station or mobile phone connected to a wireless, Internet-based network within the hospital. Or the medical professional could wear a separate transceiver similar to the shown in FIG. 28 , and use this as a communication device. In this application, the transceiver 172 worn by the patient functions much like a conventional cellular telephone or ‘walkie talkie’: it can be used for voice communications with the medical professional and can additionally relay information describing the patient's vital signs and motion. The speaker can also enunciate pre-programmed messages to the patient, such as those used to calibrate the chest-worn accelerometers for a posture calculation, as described above.
Other Embodiments of the Invention
RR can also be calculated using a combination of ACC, ECG, PPG, IP, and other signals using algorithms that differ from those described above. For example, these signals can be processed with an averaging algorithm, such as one using a weighted average, to determine a single waveform that can then be processed to determine RR. Or the ACC waveform can be used alone, without being integrated in an adaptive filtering algorithm, to determine RR without relying on IP. In this case the ACC waveform is filtered with a simple bandpass filter, e.g. a finite impulse response filter, with a set passband (e.g. 0.01→5 Hz). Similarly, multiple ACC waveforms, such as those measured along axes (e.g. the x or y-axes) orthogonal to the vector normal to the patient's chest (i.e. the z-axis), can be processed with or without adaptive filtering to determine RR. In this case the waveforms may be averaged together with a weighted average to generate a single waveform, which is then filtered, derivatized, and signal processed as described above with reference to FIG. 3 to determine RR. Similarly, envelopes associated with the ECG and PPG waveforms can be processed in a similar manner to determine RR. In still other embodiments, other sensors, such as ultra wide-band radar or acoustic sensors, can detect signals indicative of RR and used with ACC or IP waveforms and the adaptive filtering approach described above to determine RR. Here, the alternative sensors are typically used to replace measurement of the IP waveform, although they can also be used to replace measurement of the ACC waveform. An acoustic sensor suitable for this application is described, for example, in the following co-pending patent application, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference: DEVICE FOR DETERMINING RESPIRATORY RATE AND OTHER VITAL SIGNS (U.S. Ser. No. 12/171,886; filed Jul. 12, 2008).
In addition to those methods described above, the body-worn monitor can use a number of additional methods to calculate blood pressure and other properties from the optical and electrical waveforms. These are described in the following co-pending patent applications, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference: 1) CUFFLESS BLOOD-PRESSURE MONITOR AND ACCOMPANYING WIRELESS, INTERNET-BASED SYSTEM (U.S. Ser. No. 10/709,015; filed Apr. 7, 2004); 2) CUFFLESS SYSTEM FOR MEASURING BLOOD PRESSURE (U.S. Ser. No. 10/709,014; filed Apr. 7, 2004); 3) CUFFLESS BLOOD PRESSURE MONITOR AND ACCOMPANYING WEB SERVICES INTERFACE (U.S. Ser. No. 10/810,237; filed Mar. 26, 2004); 4) VITAL SIGN MONITOR FOR ATHLETIC APPLICATIONS (U.S.S.N; filed Sep. 13, 2004); 5) CUFFLESS BLOOD PRESSURE MONITOR AND ACCOMPANYING WIRELESS MOBILE DEVICE (U.S. Ser. No. 10/967,511; filed Oct. 18, 2004); 6) BLOOD PRESSURE MONITORING DEVICE FEATURING A CALIBRATION-BASED ANALYSIS (U.S. Ser. No. 10/967,610; filed Oct. 18, 2004); 7) PERSONAL COMPUTER-BASED VITAL SIGN MONITOR (U.S. Ser. No. 10/906,342; filed Feb. 15, 2005); 8) PATCH SENSOR FOR MEASURING BLOOD PRESSURE WITHOUT A CUFF (U.S. Ser. No. 10/906,315; filed Feb. 14, 2005); 9) PATCH SENSOR FOR MEASURING VITAL SIGNS (U.S. Ser. No. 11/160,957; filed Jul. 18, 2005); 10) WIRELESS, INTERNET-BASED SYSTEM FOR MEASURING VITAL SIGNS FROM A PLURALITY OF PATIENTS IN A HOSPITAL OR MEDICAL CLINIC (U.S. Ser. No. 11/162,719; filed Sep. 9, 2005); 11) HAND-HELD MONITOR FOR MEASURING VITAL SIGNS (U.S. Ser. No. 11/162,742; filed Sep. 21, 2005); 12) CHEST STRAP FOR MEASURING VITAL SIGNS (U.S. Ser. No. 11/306,243; filed Dec. 20, 2005); 13) SYSTEM FOR MEASURING VITAL SIGNS USING AN OPTICAL MODULE FEATURING A GREEN LIGHT SOURCE (U.S. Ser. No. 11/307,375; filed Feb. 3, 2006); 14) BILATERAL DEVICE, SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MONITORING VITAL SIGNS (U.S. Ser. No. 11/420,281; filed May 25, 2006); 15) SYSTEM FOR MEASURING VITAL SIGNS USING BILATERAL PULSE TRANSIT TIME (U.S. Ser. No. 11/420,652; filed May 26, 2006); 16) BLOOD PRESSURE MONITOR (U.S. Ser. No. 11/530,076; filed Sep. 8, 2006); 17) TWO-PART PATCH SENSOR FOR MONITORING VITAL SIGNS (U.S. Ser. No. 11/558,538; filed Nov. 10, 2006); and, 18) MONITOR FOR MEASURING VITAL SIGNS AND RENDERING VIDEO IMAGES (U.S. Ser. No. 11/682,177; filed Mar. 5, 2007).
Other embodiments are also within the scope of the invention. For example, other measurement techniques, such as conventional oscillometry measured during deflation, can be used to determine SYS for the above-described algorithms. Additionally, processing units and probes for measuring pulse oximetry similar to those described above can be modified and worn on other portions of the patient's body. For example, pulse oximetry probes with finger-ring configurations can be worn on fingers other than the thumb. Or they can be modified to attach to other conventional sites for measuring SpO2, such as the ear, forehead, and bridge of the nose. In these embodiments the processing unit can be worn in places other than the wrist, such as around the neck (and supported, e.g., by a lanyard) or on the patient's waist (supported, e.g., by a clip that attaches to the patient's belt). In still other embodiments the probe and processing unit are integrated into a single unit.
In other embodiments, a set of body-worn monitors can continuously monitor a group of patients, wherein each patient in the group wears a body-worn monitor similar to those described herein. Additionally, each body-worn monitor can be augmented with a location sensor. The location sensor includes a wireless component and a location-processing component that receives a signal from the wireless component and processes it to determine a physical location of the patient. A processing component (similar to that described above) determines from the time-dependent waveforms at least one vital sign, one motion parameter, and an alarm parameter calculated from the combination of this information. A wireless transceiver transmits the vital sign, motion parameter, location of the patient, and alarm parameter through a wireless system. A remote computer system featuring a display and an interface to the wireless system receives the information and displays it on a user interface for each patient in the group.
In embodiments, the interface rendered on the display at the central nursing station features a field that displays a map corresponding to an area with multiple sections. Each section corresponds to the location of the patient and includes, e.g., the patient's vital signs, motion parameter, and alarm parameter. For example, the field can display a map corresponding to an area of a hospital (e.g. a hospital bay or emergency room), with each section corresponding to a specific bed, chair, or general location in the area. Typically the display renders graphical icons corresponding to the motion and alarm parameters for each patient in the group. In other embodiments, the body-worn monitor includes a graphical display that renders these parameters directly on the patient.
Typically the location sensor and the wireless transceiver operate on a common wireless system, e.g. a wireless system based on 802.11, 802.15.4, or cellular protocols. In this case a location is determined by processing the wireless signal with one or more algorithms known in the art. These include, for example, triangulating signals received from at least three different base stations, or simply estimating a location based on signal strength and proximity to a particular base station. In still other embodiments the location sensor includes a conventional global positioning system (GPS).
The body-worn monitor can include a first voice interface, and the remote computer can include a second voice interface that integrates with the first voice interface. The location sensor, wireless transceiver, and first and second voice interfaces can all operate on a common wireless system, such as one of the above-described systems based on 802.11 or cellular protocols. The remote computer, for example, can be a monitor that is essentially identical to the monitor worn by the patient, and can be carried or worn by a medical professional. In this case the monitor associated with the medical professional features a GUI wherein the user can select to display information (e.g. vital signs, location, and alarms) corresponding to a particular patient. This monitor can also include a voice interface so the medical professional can communicate directly with the patient.
FIGS. 29A , 29 B show yet another alternate embodiment of the invention wherein a sensor unit 255 attaches to the abdomen of a patient 10 using an electrode 24 normally attached to the lower left-hand portion of the patient's torso. Specifically, the sensor unit 255 includes a connector 253 featuring an opening that receives the metal snap or rivet present on most disposable ECG electrodes. Connecting the connector 245 to the electrode's rivet holds the sensor unit 255 in place. This configuration reduces the number of cables in the body-worn monitor, and additionally secures an accelerometer 12 to the patient's abdomen. This is typically the part of their torso that undergoes the greatest motion during respiration, and thus generates ACC waveforms with the highest possible signal-to-noise ratio. Also contained within the sensor unit 255 are the ECG circuit 26 , the IP circuit 27 , and a temperature sensor 33 .
To measure IP and ECG waveforms, the sensor unit 255 connects through cables 250 a , 250 b to electrodes 20 , 22 attached, respectively, to the upper right-hand and left-hand portions of the patient's torso. This system measures RR using the adaptive filtering approach described above, and has the additional advantage of measuring a relatively large ACC signals indicating respiration-induced motions of the patient's abdomen. As described above, these signals are typically generated by the z-axis of the accelerometer 12 , which is normal to the patient's torso. ACC signals along the x and y-axes can be additionally processed to determine the patient's posture and activity level, as described above. Once RR and these motion-related properties are measured, a transceiver in the sensor unit (not shown in the figure) transmits them in the form of a digital data stream through a cable 251 to the wrist-worn transceiver for further processing.
Still other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims. | The invention provides a multi-sensor system that uses an algorithm based on adaptive filtering to monitor a patient's respiratory rate. The system features a first sensor which is selected from the group consisting of an impedance pneumography sensor, an ECG sensor, and a PPG sensor; and a motion sensor (e.g., an accelerometer) configured to attach to the patient's torso and measure therefrom a motion signal. The system further comprises (iii) a processing system, configured to operably connect to the first and motion sensors, and to determine a respiration rate value by applying filter parameters obtained from the first sensor signals to the motion sensor signals. | 0 |
BACKGROUND
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to phase-locked loops and, more specifically, to phase and frequency detection with little static phase error in phase-locked loop systems.
[0003] 2. Discussion of Related Art
[0004] Phase-locked loops (“PLLs”) are widely used in modern electronic devices due to their capability of generating an internal feedback clock signal that is phase aligned with an external reference clock signal. PLLs have been utilized in various applications including, for example, cross-chip communications, signal synchronization, data recovery, and frequency modulation.
[0005] A typical PLL integrates a phase and frequency detector (“PFD”), a charge pump, a low pass filter, and a voltage-controlled oscillator (“VCO”) in a negative feedback closed-loop configuration. The PFD in a PLL receives a reference clock signal and an internal feedback clock signal and generates two pulsed signals based on the detected phase difference between the reference clock and internal feedback clock signal. These pulsed signals drive the charge pump to adjust the control voltage provided to the VCO, thereby changing the frequency of the signal, output by the VCO. In current PFD implementations, the level of both pulsed signals generated by the PFD may be set to a high logic level during a period when no charge should be injected by the charge pump. In such an instance, if the source and sink current sources are perfectly matched, the net charge injected by the charge pump is ideally zero. Actual charge pump current sources, however, often exhibit some mismatch, causing the internal feedback clock signal generated by the VCO to shift in phase from its ideal location. Non-ideal phase shift attributed to mismatched charge pump current sources is called static phase error. Static phase error may be reduced by minimizing the period during which the charge pump source and sink current sources simultaneously inject charge.
[0006] It is desirable to develop a novel and improved PFD that reduces static phase error and relaxes matching requirements of charge pump currents.
SUMMARY
[0007] In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, a phase and frequency detector includes a first phase and frequency detector configured to generate first and second pulsed signals in response to a comparison between a defined occurrence of first and second input signals; and a pulse blocker that receives the first and second pulsed signals and provides first and second output signals, wherein a time period when both first and second output signals are asserted is substantially reduced from a time period when both first and second pulsed signals are asserted.
[0008] In some embodiments the first phase and frequency detector may comprise first and second D-type flip-flops, wherein the clocking terminals of the first and second D-type flip-flops receive the first and second input signals respectively, the D terminals of the first and second D-type flip-flops are set to an asserted state, and the Q outputs of the first and second D-type flip-flops provide the first and second pulsed signals respectively; and a reset signal generator for asserting a reset signal provided to the reset terminals of the first and second D-type flip-flops based on the state of the first and second pulsed signals. Further, in some embodiments, the pulse blocker may comprise first and second NAND gates, wherein the first NAND gate is enabled by the first pulsed signal and the output of the second NAND gate, and the second NAND gate is enabled by the second pulsed signal and the output of the first NAND gate; a first inverter configured to invert the output of the first NAND gate and provide the first output signal; and a second inverter configured to invert the output of the second NAND gate and provide the second output signal.
[0009] In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, a method for detecting the phase difference between a first and a second input signal includes generating first and second pulsed signals based on the first and second input signals, the first pulsed signal being switched to a second state from a first state in response to a defined occurrence of the first input signal, the second pulsed signal being switched to the second state from the first state in response to the same defined occurrence of the second input signal, and the first and second pulsed signals being switched from the second state to the first state after a certain delay period following both of the first and second pulsed signals reaching the second state; and generating first and second output signals based on the first and second pulsed signals respectively, such that in response to the first pulsed signal reaching the second state prior to the second pulse signal reaching the second state, the first output signal is switched to the second state from the first state for the period after the first pulsed signal reaches the second state and before the second pulsed signal reaches the second state, and in response to the second pulsed signal reaching the second state prior to the first pulsed signal reaching the second state, the second output signal is switched to the second state from the first state for the period after the second pulsed signal reaches the second state and before the first pulsed signal reaches the second state.
[0010] Further embodiments and aspects of the invention are discussed with respect to the following figures, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of a charge pump PLL in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention.
[0012] FIG. 2 a illustrates a schematic diagram of a PFD in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention.
[0013] FIG. 2 b illustrates an exemplary signal timing diagram of the PFD illustrated in FIG. 2 a in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention.
[0014] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary signal timing diagram of a PLL that utilizes the PFD shown in FIG. 2 a in locked status wherein the PLL charge pump current sources are mismatched, in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention.
[0015] FIG. 4 a illustrates a schematic diagram of a PFD that includes pulse blocking circuitry in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention.
[0016] FIG. 4 b illustrates an exemplary signal timing diagram of the PFD that includes pulse blocking circuitry illustrated in FIG. 4 a in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention.
[0017] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary signal timing diagram a of PLL that utilizes the PFD shown in FIG. 4 a in locked status, in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention.
[0018] In the figures, elements having the same designation have the same or similar functions.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0019] FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of a charge pump PLL 100 in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention. Charge pump PLL 100 includes PFD 106 , charge pump 112 , low pass filter 124 , and VCO 126 in a negative feedback closed-loop configuration. In some embodiments, charge pump PLL 100 may include frequency divider 130 in the feedback loop path between VCO 126 and PFD 106 .
[0020] PFD 106 receives reference clock signal 102 and internal feedback clock signal 104 , generating pulsed signals UP 108 and DN 110 . In some embodiments, the relative pulse width of signals UP 108 and DN 110 is proportional to the phase difference between reference clock 102 and internal feedback clock 104 as detected by PFD 106 . Charge pump 112 receives signals UP 108 and DN 110 from PFD 106 and injects charge using source current source 114 and/or sink current source 116 based on the levels of signals UP 108 and DN 110 . For example, when UP 108 is set to a high logic level, charge pump 112 switch 118 may cause source current source 114 to inject charge at PLL node 122 . Similarly, when DN 110 set to a high logic level, charge pump 112 switch 120 may cause sink current source 116 to inject negative charge at node 122 .
[0021] Charge injected by charge pump 112 into PLL node 122 is filtered by low pass filter 124 and fed to the control input of VCO 126 . VCO 126 generates VCO output signal 128 having a given frequency based on the voltage provided to the control input of VCO 126 . Frequency divider 130 divides the frequency of VCO output signal 128 by an integer N to generate internal feedback clock signal 104 . Internal feedback clock signal 104 is coupled to PFD 106 as an input signal, thereby forming a negative feedback loop. In some embodiments, VCO output signal 128 may be fed directly to PFD 106 as a reference input.
[0022] During PLL operation, if internal feedback clock signal 104 is not phase aligned with reference clock signal 102 , PFD 106 drives charge pump 112 via signals UP 108 and DN 110 to adjust the voltage provided to the control input 122 of VCO 126 . Charge pump 112 adjusts the voltage provided to the control input of VCO 126 accordingly until internal feedback clock signal 104 is phase aligned with reference clock signal 102 (i.e., phase locked). Once internal feedback clock signal 104 is phase aligned with reference clock signal 102 , VCO output 128 and/or internal feedback clock signal 104 may be used to synchronize system events with reference clock signal 102 .
[0023] FIG. 2 a illustrates a schematic diagram of a PFD 200 a in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention. PFD 200 a includes two D flip-flops (“DFFs”) 206 , 208 , AND gate 212 , and delay buffer 216 . The D input of DFF 206 is coupled to signal 202 set to a constant high logic level. Similarly, the D input of DFF 208 is coupled to signal 204 set to a constant high logic level. In some embodiments, a single signal set to a constant high logic level may be coupled to the D inputs of both DFFs 206 , 208 . The clock input of DFF 206 is coupled to PLL reference clock signal 102 . Similarly, the clock input of DFF 208 is coupled to internal feedback clock signal 104 provided by VCO 126 of PLL system 100 via the feedback loop.
[0024] PFD 200 a output UP 108 is provided by the Q output of DFF 206 . Similarly PFD 200 a output DN 110 is provided by the Q output of DFF 208 . PFD 200 a output signals UP 108 and DN 110 are coupled to AND gate 212 as inputs. Delay buffer 216 receives the output 214 of AND gate 212 and provides the reset signal 210 for DFFs 206 and 208 .
[0025] FIG. 2 b illustrates an exemplary signal timing diagram 200 b of PFD 200 a in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention. The operation of PFD 200 a is described below with reference to signal timing diagram 200 b . For illustrative purposes a situation where reference clock signal 102 leads internal feedback clock signal 104 is described. PFD 200 a , however, operates similarly when internal feedback clock signal 104 leads reference clock signal 102 . As described, DFFs 206 and 208 are configured to capture D inputs 202 and 204 at the rising edges of reference clock 102 and internal feedback clock 104 respectively. However, in some embodiments, DFFs 206 and 208 may be configured to capture according to the falling edges of their respective clock signals.
[0026] The Q output of DFF 206 , corresponding with PFD 200 a output signal UP 108 , captures the state of D input signal 202 at every rising edge of reference clock signal 102 . As DFF 206 D input signal 202 is set to a constant high logic level, at every rising edge of reference clock signal 102 , PFD output UP 108 is set to a high logic level after a period corresponding to the inherent capture delay time of DFF 206 . Similarly, the Q output of DFF 208 , corresponding with PFD 200 a output signal DN 110 , captures the state of D input signal 204 at every rising edge of internal feedback clock signal 104 . As DFF 208 D input signal 204 is set to a constant high logic level, at every rising edge of internal feedback clock signal 104 , PFD output DN 110 is set to a high logic level after a period corresponding to the inherent capture delay time of DFF 208 . The phase mismatch between reference clock signal 102 and internal feedback clock signal 104 , t 1 and t 2 , is shown with respect to their rising signal edges. Assuming that DFF 206 and DFF 208 exhibit the same inherent capture delay time, the phase mismatch between UP 108 and DN 110 , measured with respect to their rising edges will also be t 1 and t 2 .
[0027] When signals UP 108 and DN 110 are set to high logic levels by DFF 206 and DFF 208 respectively, AND gate 212 output signal 214 is set to a high logic level after a period corresponding to the inherent delay time of AND gate 212 . AND gate output signal 214 is delayed by delay buffer 216 and the delayed AND gate output signal 214 is provided to DFF 206 and DFF 208 as reset signal 210 . Once reset signal 210 is asserted and after the inherent reset delay time of the DFFs 206 and 208 , DFF 206 Q output UP 108 and DFF 208 Q output DN 110 reset to a low logic level. Output UP 108 and DN 110 and remain at this level until DFF 206 and DFF 208 capture the signal levels at inputs 202 and 204 at the next rising clock edges of reference clock signal 102 and internal feedback clock signal 104 respectively.
[0028] The differential width t 1 between PFD 200 a output UP 108 and DN 110 is proportional to the phase difference between reference clock signal 102 and internal feedback clock signal 104 . However, in this PFD implementation, output signals UP 108 and DN 110 are asserted simultaneously for a period corresponding to the cumulative delay time of AND gate 212 , delay buffer 216 , and the reset time of DFFs 206 and 208 . Due to current source mismatch in charge pump 112 , as described below with reference to FIG. 3 , when signals UP 108 and DN 110 are both asserted, charge pump 112 may inject charge when ideally no net charge should be injected.
[0029] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary signal timing diagram 300 of a PLL 100 that utilizes PFD 200 a in locked status wherein charge pump current sources 114 and 116 are mismatched, in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention. For illustrative purposes, a situation wherein charge pump 112 sink current source 116 is larger than source current source 114 is considered. PLL 100 utilizing PFD 200 a , however, operates similarly when charge pump source current source 114 is larger than sink current source 116 .
[0030] PFD output signals UP 108 and DN 110 are asserted simultaneously for time period t 2 , corresponding to the cumulative delay time of AND gate 212 , delay buffer 216 , and the reset time of DFFs 206 and 208 . During this period, both sink current source 116 and source current source 114 inject current into PLL node 122 . As sink current source 116 is larger than source current source 114 , a negative net charge is injected into PLL node 122 when both current sources 114 and 116 are injecting charge. This net negative charge causes internal feedback clock signal 104 to lag reference clock signal 102 by fixed period t 1 . During period t 1 , source current source 114 injects charge into PLL node 122 to cancel the negative net charge injected into PLL node 122 during period t 2 . In this manner, a static phase error occurs between reference clock 102 and internal feedback clock 104 despite PLL 100 being in a phase locked status.
[0031] FIG. 4 a illustrates a schematic diagram of a PFD that includes pulse blocking circuitry 400 a in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention. PFD with pulse blocking circuitry 400 a includes PFD 402 and pulse blocking circuitry 404 . PFD 402 includes two D flip-flops (“DFF”) 410 and 412 , AND gate 420 , and delay buffer 424 . Pulse blocking circuitry 404 includes two NAND gates 426 and 428 and two inverters 434 and 436 .
[0032] The D input of DFF 410 is coupled to input signal 406 which is set to a constant high logic level. Similarly, the D input of DFF 412 is coupled to input signal 408 which is set to a constant high logic level. In some embodiments, a single signal set to a constant high logic level may be coupled to the D inputs of both DFFs 410 and 412 . The clock input of DFF 410 is coupled to PLL reference clock signal 102 . Similarly, the clock input of DFF 412 is coupled to internal feedback clock signal 104 provided by VCO 126 of PLL system 100 via the feedback loop. DFF 410 Q output 416 and DFF 412 Q output 418 are provided as inputs to AND gate 420 . AND gate output 422 is delayed by delay buffer 424 and the delayed output is provided to DFFs 410 and 412 as reset signal 414 .
[0033] Q output 416 of DFF 410 is fed to one of the inputs of NAND gate 426 . The other input of NAND gate 426 is fed by the output 432 of NAND gate 428 . Similarly, Q output 418 of DFF 412 is fed to one of the inputs of NAND gate 428 . The other input of NAND gate 428 is fed by the output 430 of NAND gate 426 . NAND gate 426 output 430 is fed to inverter 434 which generates PFD 400 a output signal UP 108 . NAND gate 428 output 432 is fed to inverter 436 which generates PFD 400 a output signal DN 110 .
[0034] FIG. 4 b illustrates an exemplary signal timing diagram 400 b corresponding with PFD including pulse blocking circuit 400 a in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention. The operation of PFD including pulse blocking circuitry 400 a is described below with reference to signal timing diagram 400 b . For illustrative purposes, a situation wherein reference clock signal 102 leads internal feedback clock signal 104 is described. PFD 400 a , however, operates similarly when internal feedback clock signal 104 leads reference clock signal 102 .
[0035] The Q output 416 of DFF 410 captures the state of D input signal 406 at every rising edge of reference clock signal 102 . As DFF 410 D input signal 406 is set to a constant high logic level, at every rising edge of reference clock signal 102 DFF 410 Q output 416 is set to a high logic level after a period corresponding to the inherent capture delay time of DFF 410 . Similarly, the Q output 418 of DFF 412 captures the state of D input signal 408 at every rising edge of internal feedback clock signal 104 . As DFF 412 D input signal 408 is set to a constant high logic level, at every rising edge of internal feedback clock signal 104 DFF 412 Q output 418 is set to a high logic level after a period corresponding to the inherent capture delay time of DFF 412 . When Q output 416 of DFF 410 is set to a high logic level, output 430 of NAND gate 426 drops to a low logic level after a period corresponding to the delay time of NAND gate 426 . This in turn causes PFD 400 a output UP 108 to be set to a high logic level. Further, this keeps output 432 of NAND gate 428 set to a high logic level thereby preventing output DN 110 from being asserted.
[0036] Once Q output 416 of DFF 410 and Q output 418 of DFF 412 are both set to a high logic level, resetting of DFF 410 and DFF 418 initiates. AND gate 420 output 422 is set to a high logic level after a period corresponding to the inherent delay time of AND gate 420 . AND gate 420 output 422 is delayed by delay buffer 424 and the delayed AND gate output is provided to DFF 410 and DFF 412 as reset signal 414 . Once reset signal 414 is asserted and after the inherent reset delay time of the DFFs 408 and 410 , DFF 410 Q output 416 and DFF 412 Q output 418 reset to a low logic level. DFF 410 Q output 416 and DFF 412 Q output 418 remain at this level until DFF 410 and DFF 416 Q outputs 416 and 418 capture inputs 406 and 408 at the next rising clock edges of reference clock signal 102 and internal feedback clock signal 104 respectively. After Q outputs 416 and 418 reset to a low logic level, NAND gate 426 output 430 is reset to a high logic level, thereby causing PLL output UP 108 to also reset to a low logic level.
[0037] When reference clock signal 102 leads feedback clock signal 104 , only PFD output signal UP 108 is asserted. Similarly, when reference clock signal 102 lags feedback clock signal 104 , only PFD 400 a output signal DN 110 is asserted. By preventing PFD output signals UP 108 and DN 110 from simultaneously being set to a high logic level, the PFD utilizing pulse blocking circuitry 400 a shown in FIG. 4 a eliminates the effects of charge pump 112 current source mismatch and significantly reduces static phase errors.
[0038] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary signal timing diagram 500 of PLL 100 in locked status utilizing a PFD that includes pulse blocking circuitry 400 a , in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 5 , PFD output signals UP 108 and DN 110 are not asserted simultaneously by PFD with pulse blocking circuitry 400 a . Accordingly, only one of current sources 114 and 116 of PLL charge pump 112 injects charge at a given time, thereby significantly reducing any static phase error caused by mismatch of charge pump 112 current sources 114 and 116 . The net charge injected 502 by PLL charge pump 112 has equal magnitude but opposite polarities in every successive two periods, resulting in zero average net injected charge. Reference clock signal 102 and PLL internal feedback clock signal 104 lead each other alternatively by a period corresponding to remaining non-ideal phase shift t 3 . Non-ideal phase shift t 3 , attributed to static phase error between reference clock signal 102 and PLL internal feedback clock signal 104 , is greatly minimized. In some embodiments, non-ideal phase shift t 3 may be as small as sub-picoseconds.
[0039] Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, therefore, the invention is limited only by the following claims. | A method and circuit for phase and frequency detection having zero static phase error for use in a phase-locked loop system is presented. The phase and frequency detector utilizes a first phase and frequency detector configured to generate first and second pulsed PFD signals. Pulse blocking circuitry is utilized to provide first and second output signals based on the first and second pulsed signals respectively, wherein a time period when both first and second output signals are asserted is substantially reduced from a time period when both first and second pulsed signals are asserted. By reducing the time the first and second output signals are simultaneously asserted, the effects of charge pump current source mismatch are minimized and static phase error is reduced. | 7 |
[0001] They are first generation systems which are usually integrated in the dashboard of the motor vehicle in a central position coinciding mainly with the center axle of the vehicle above the central tunnel. Equipped with an on-board monitor of generous size, they show all the selected functions operating on an alphanumeric keyboard and other keys or small buttons.
[0002] These solutions, which provide the use of an integrated telephone in the vehicle, require the manual insertion of the SIM, or its duplicate, into the vehicular telephone.
[0003] More evolved systems can also provide a remote control which can sometimes be integrated in the steering-wheel. These systems fall within the typology of equipment that offered to reduce, as far as possible, the problem of driver distraction, even momentary, due to the search for function keys present on phone equipment, by giving the possibility of using of a remote control with base functions.
[0004] In the research for the safest positions for containing devices of the functions of the cellular phone, some have sensed that the fundamental requisite could be that of not lowering one's gaze but merely turning it sideways, and even raising it a little, yet always remaining facing the direction of the road. A conclusion was consequently reached, that in any case the sideways movement, for example towards the internal rear-view driving mirror, is generally faster and always allows one to be aware of what is happening beyond the windscreen panel.
[0005] In this way, US2002/0004416 (Baratono), aimed to realize a system, so-called hands-free, that combines a mobile phone or a telephone unit with a rear-view driving mirror for automobiles. More particularly, a housing is provided that incorporates, in the part directed towards the windscreen panel, a rear-view driving mirror, on the inside of which a cellular phone can be introduced, which is removable, to receive and make telephone calls. Said housing is provided with an electronic circuit to which the mobile phone must be physically connected by means of manual operation. The mirror integrates moreover: a loudspeaker, microphone and keyboard to render the telephone functions accessible to the driver.
[0006] GB2356312 (Abbas), describes a solution somewhat similar to the previous one. In more detail, one can affirm that the latter differs from the former by providing a different positioning of the keyboard, which in this case is obtained in a linear sequence along the lower side of the mirror. Alongside it, there is a display positioned lengthwise, to show information always in a linear way.
PRIOR ART CLOSEST TO THE INVENTION
[0007] ITTV2002A000072 (Collavo et al), describes a containing device with remote control of the cellular phone that is connected automatically to the latter (in a range of about 10 m). In this way, the driver is not required to handle his own telephone which can remain housed where it is (pocket, bag, and so forth). Said containing device consists of a container that preferably integrates also the rear-view driving mirror. In said container, on the side facing the occupants of the vehicle, the following are provided:
[0008] a microphone
[0009] at least one ON/OFF/Voice Activator switch
[0010] a display (optional) to visualize the phone number (incoming or outgoing)
[0011] and a base keyboard
[0012] a loudspeaker (optional)
[0013] a comprehensive electronic circuit of a bluetooth wireless reception/transmission system able to communicate with a cellular phone equipped with the same wireless technology.
[0014] U.S. Pat. No. 6,356,376 (Tonar et al), differently to the previous one, suggests a rear-view driving mirror which is provided with a display to visualize information, e.g. the temperature or the compass degrees, in such a way that the image crosses the rear-view driving mirror until appearing on its facade.
[0015] U.S. Pat. No. 6,412,959 (Tseng), proposes a rear-view driving mirror device which has a monitor or a visualizer, which mirror is positioned frontally with respect to the housing that is fixed onto a vehicle. A visualizer is positioned in the housing and behind the mirror element and it can be viewed through the mirror element when the visualizer is activated. An on-board circuit is joined to the visualizer and to an antenna to receive signals from the other facilities. The housing can have one or more extensions.
[0016] US2002/0141086 (Lang et al.) describes a lateral rear-view driving mirror which provides equipment for reproducing images, e.g. a monitor. The Monitor is connected to a video camera, which captures a field of vision at the side of or behind the vehicle.
[0017] US2002/0011927 (Lang et al.) also proposes a monitor combined with a lateral rear-view driving mirror, but differently to the previous, where at least one monitor, contained in the housing of the rear-view driving mirror, is visible through the reflecting surface of the mirror. U.S. Pat. No. 5,689,241 (Clarke et al.) describes a device for detecting the degree of attention of the driver. Said device could be placed around the rear-view driving mirror or on the dashboard.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0018] The object of this invention consists of the containing structure that integrates a rear-view driving mirror and a multifunction device to receive and send information also by means of a display or a monitor with a remote control device of the cellular phone of the type with bluetooth technology, which provides:
[0019] at least two vertical keys of generous size and visible in the dark, placed on the right-hand and left-hand side of the rear-view mirror respectively, with the simple functions ON and OFF, or alternatively both aligned one above the other on one of said two sides;
[0020] a microphone obtained along the profile of the rear-view driving mirror structure protruding at the driver side and almost directed perpendicularly to the mouth of the driver;
[0021] lighting devices able to show the status of the multifunction apparatus;
[0022] buttons with panic function laterally equipped with a device against undesired activation;
[0023] vents for ventilation as well as a connector for the power supply, the audio function and other, obtained on the underside of the containing structure with respect to that displaying the rear-view driving mirror;
[0024] an electronic card housed lengthwise inside the containing structure;
[0025] an alphanumeric display obtained on the driver side;
[0026] a monitor obtained on the driver side protruding from the lower side of the containing device;
[0027] an integrated monitor in the area corresponding to that of the reflecting surface;
[0028] a sleep detection device, which is obtained along the upper profile of the containing structure on the driver side.
[0029] Aims
[0030] This concerns a containing structure which, generically, with a simple touch to the structure that integrates the mirror, even in reduced visibility conditions, as is the case while driving at night, allows the activation or deactivation of the communication function, also by means of visualization of images, without removing one's gaze from the road, therefore maintaining suitable attention.
[0031] A first aim is the identification of an easier and more functional positioning of the on/off keys, which can be easily identified by touch also in the dark.
[0032] A second aim is the identification of the best position of the microphone as close to the driver as to qualitatively improve the audio which is not disturbed by the airflows along the window panels of the vehicle.
[0033] A third aim is the identification of the best position of the “panic” function keys on the driver side of the containing structure, in such a way to make them easily identifiable and prevent their accidental activation by means of lateral bars, which, as they protrude out of the containing structure at least as much as the protruding portion of the respective activation key, delimit the two lateral extremities.
[0034] A fourth aim is the identification of the best position of the sleep detection device, which in this case is much nearer the gaze of the driver and is obtained along the upper profile, on the driver side corner of the containing structure. In this way it observes each small variation with regard to set parameters including the movements of at least one eyelid and/or scanning of the eye to transmit it to a data processing device able to emit at least one alarm signal of the acoustic and/or visual type.
[0035] A fifth aim is the identification of the best position of the monitor/display, which is always placed on the driver side of the containing structure and along the lower profile, in such a way as to be easily visible.
[0036] The position of the keys as described above allows one to maintain a greater degree of attention during driving.
[0037] Finally, also the position of the connector, on the back of the containing structure very easily allows a fast connection with the power supply of the devices conventionally present on board.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0038] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the containing structure.
[0039] FIG. 2 is a perspective view with a hand activating the ON key and an arrow for movement.
[0040] FIG. 3 is another perspective view with a hand activating the OFF key and an arrow for movement.
[0041] FIG. 4 is a front elevation view of the containing structure.
[0042] FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the containing structure with the dash pattern dimension of the electronic card housed inside the mirror.
[0043] FIG. 6 is a side elevation view with an arrow on the movement of the glare proof lever, provided with a fixing to the support, a glare proof mirror inclination lever, and a microphone inclined towards the mouth of the driver.
[0044] FIG. 7 is a 3D rear perspective view of the containing structure, the connector towards the vehicle for the power supply, audio and vents for airing and ventilation.
[0045] FIG. 8 is a front elevation view of the containing structure, which is the object of this invention, with “panic” keys or other functions provided by accidental pressure prevention devices along the lower profile on the driver side adjacent to the microphone.
[0046] FIG. 9 is a front elevation view of the containing structure, which is the object of this invention, with, along the lower profile, a lengthwise protruding portion suitable to contain an alphanumeric display.
[0047] FIG. 10 is another front elevation view of the containing structure, which is the object of this invention, with, along the lower profile, a lengthwise protruding portion suitable to contain a monitor and in the part immediately above, along the lower profile of the mirror delimitation, an alphanumeric keyboard with function keys.
[0048] FIG. 11 is another front perspective view of the containing structure, which is the object of this invention, which integrates a monitor on the driver side of the reflecting surface.
[0049] FIG. 12 is a front perspective view of the containing structure, which is the object of this invention, which provides, along the lower profile, a lengthwise protruding portion suitable to contain an alphanumeric display and in the portion immediately above an alphanumeric keyboard with function controls.
[0050] FIG. 13 is a front perspective view of the containing structure, which is the object of this invention, which provides along the upper edge of the driver side a video camera also with a biometric function.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0051] The containing structure 1 that integrates a driving mirror 2 and a multifunction apparatus with an electronic card 3 to receive and send information also by means of visualization of the same through a display or a monitor, with a remote control device of the cellular phone of the type with bluetooth technology, consists of a container, essentially box-like typically in plastic material, to which, on the front side, a reflecting surface that constitutes the driving mirror 2 is joined or obtained. The containing structure provides at the back part a protuberance 100 that constitutes the housing seat of at least one multifunction apparatus with an electronic card 3 placed lengthwise and vertically. Along the sides 101 , 102 of the containing structure 1 two big buttons are provided, 103 and 104 respectively of 38 mm by 10 mm which are able to be activated with the function OFF/ON even without removing one's gaze from the road as they are very big and one is placed on the right-hand side (on) and the other on the left (off). The position of the keys 103 and 104 and the microphone 105 are ergonomically optimal. In particular the microphone 105 is placed close to mouth of the driver and perpendicular to it. The quality of the audio is better because there is no disturbance from the airflows along the window panels or the posts. The microphone 105 is therefore positioned on left-hand side of the containing structure 1 that integrates a rear-view driving mirror 2 (see FIG. 4 ) and is obtained providing the containing structure 1 with a rounded protruding portioned shape, along the profile of said containing structure 1 that is open on the driver side.
[0052] The containing structure 1 (see FIG. 7 ) is also provided at the back with a series of vents 106 which allow the airing of the electronics housed in it. A connector 4 enclosed in the back of the protuberance 100 is provided and positioned on the lower part to allow convenient connection to the power supply and transmission of possible data/information, and other. Centrally, a swivel support 5 similar to an integrated pin allows the spaced support of the containing structure 1 from the windscreen panel (not shown) of the vehicle.
[0053] On the front side of the containing structure 1 (see FIG. 4 ), integrated along the lower profile of the frame that delimits the rear-view driving mirror 2 , LED 6 and 7 are provided, which show the operative status of the multifunction apparatus.
[0054] In one variant of the containing structure 1 (see FIG. 8 ), a shaped protruding portion 107 is provided on the lower left-hand side of the frame that delimits the rear-view driving mirror 2 , which projects lengthwise and integrates the microphone 105 and two adjacent keys, 8 and 9 , which can have multiple operating functions, for example “panic”. In order to avoid accidental pressing, said keys 8 and 9 are laterally protected by vertical bars 108 with respect to the insertion direction of said keys 8 and 9 , said vertical bars protruding at a distance at least equal to that of keys 8 and 9 .
[0055] In the FIG. 9 variant, the containing structure 1 provides, on lower left-hand side of the frame that delimits the rear-view driving mirror 2 , a shaped protruding portion 109 which is projected lengthwise and which integrates an alphanumeric display 10 with alongside related symbolizing 11 .
[0056] The prospected solution in FIG. 10 continues the shape of the containing structure 1 provided in FIG. 9 . More particularly, along the lower driver side edge, a shaped protruding portion 110 is provided which projects lengthwise along and below the frame that integrates the rear-view driving mirror 2 . Said shaped protruding portion 1 10 integrates a monitor 12 which is also projected lengthwise and which allows the visualization of names, numbers, SMS, MMS, e-mails and different images e.g. those originating from a so-called rear-view camera. Along the lower border that constitutes part of the frame that delimits the rear-view driving mirror 2 an integrated alphanumeric keyboard 13 is provided and with relative function/option keys placed in such a way as to result aligned.
[0057] In FIG. 11 , a containing structure 1 is described which integrates in an area, preferably the driver side of the rear-view driving mirror 2 , a microphone 105 and a monitor/display 14 . Also in this case, on the right-hand and left-hand sides respectively, generously sized keys 103 and 104 and 111 are provided. In this case, on the right-hand side, above key 103 that has the function to activate the audio, a second vertically aligned key 111 of the same size as the one below is provided, whose aim is to allow the activation of the video function for video calls. For such purpose, a video camera 15 is provided, which is placed on the upper corner of the containing structure 1 , driver side, and is integrated inside a projection protruding from the upper profile of the frame that delimits the rear-view driving mirror 2 .
[0058] An evolution of the containing structure 1 shown in FIG. 10 consists of the solution illustrated in FIG. 12 in which, in addition to the monitor 12 integrated lengthwise into the projecting portion 110 , a monitor/display 14 integrated in the rear-view driving mirror is provided.
[0059] Finally, FIG. 13 shows a containing structure 1 that provides a “sleep detection” function. In more detail, it appears similar to the solution shown in FIG. 11 , but where, in place of the monitor 14 , a display 16 is provided, which has the function to show the relative information. More particularly, the video camera 15 , in this case, is provided with functions of the type suitable to carry out the scanning of the eye by means of facial biometrical data processing. A program of processing the data acquired by the video camera has the function to compare data previously archived during usual driving conditions with that scanned, in such a way that if not falling within the conventional parameters it constitutes the alert threshold. In this hypothesis, the display 16 , by means of the emission of a bright signal/writing, informs the driver also by emitting a sound signal if necessary. One possible function of the video camera 15 , of the antitheft type, is also to scan the facial biometry of the face in order to authenticate the presence on board of the person authorized to the start the vehicle.
[0060] University tests confirmed that this interface used by the driver (big buttons on the right+left 103 , 104 and the LED 6 , 7 of the indication of the status of the system), considerably reduces driving distractions connected to using the cellular phone in so far as they are not superimposed onto the function/direction of driving and at the same time they are not too remote like the traditional buttons on a dashboard or in the central tunnel (the driver is obliged to remove his eyes from the road for a few moments).
[0061] The automatic bluetooth connection with intuitive and ergonomic “anti-error” ON button, speech call and anti-error OFF button is provided, which optimizes the system with regards to “driving safety”, reducing distractions connected to using the cellular phone.
[0062] The following versions are also provided:
[0063] display to show/scroll the address book
[0064] monitor+keyboard to “remote” ones own cellular phone (obviously the use of the keyboard has to be carried out when the vehicle is stopped)
[0065] SOS version with “panic” buttons
[0066] version with videocalling and integrated monitor in the mirror
[0067] navigator version with simplified directions
[0068] sleep detection version: the lens scans the eye and launches an alarm if the driver is falling asleep. | The present invention includes a containing structure that integrates a rear-view driving mirror and a multifunction device to receive and send information also by means of a display or a monitor with a remote control device of the cellular phone of the type with bluetooth technology. The invention concerns a containing structure which, generically, with a simple touch to the structure that integrates the mirror, even in reduced visibility conditions, as is the case while driving at night, allows the activation or deactivation of the communication function, also by visualization of images, without removing one's gaze from the road, therefore maintaining suitable attention. | 1 |
FIELD
The present disclosure relates to manual transmission control systems and more particularly to a manual transmission control system and method which adjust a rate of clutch engagement to the current style of driving of the vehicle operator.
BACKGROUND
The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may or may not constitute prior art.
Manual motor vehicle transmissions have always been prized by driving enthusiasts for both their objective performance and their contribution to the subjective experience of driving. This is not to say, however, that certain aspects of manual transmissions cannot be improved by the application of modern computer and microprocessor technology.
A particularly beneficial application of technology involves shaft speed and clutch control and the concept of matching the clutch input speed, that is, the engine output speed, to the transmission input speed when the clutch is about to be closed to engage a new selected gear. Such speed or rev matching improves shift quality and greatly enhances the service life of the clutch.
Unfortunately, it is often necessary to substantially and rapidly increase or decrease the engine speed prior to clutch closure to achieve such zero cross clutch speed differential. When the vehicle is being driven in a aggressive, sporty manner such a rapid speed change may both be necessary and unnoticed but when this same speed change, especially a commanded rapid speed increase, occurs during casual driving it can be both disconcerting and annoying to the driver.
Accordingly, an engine control system that matches the rate of engine speed increase or decrease prior to clutch closure to the current style of driving, that is, competitive, aggressive, conventional or casual, for example, to achieve zero cross clutch speed differential would be desirable. The present invention is so directed.
SUMMARY
The present invention provides a variable speed or rev matching control system and method that matches the rate of engine speed increase or decrease to the current style of driving to achieve zero or negligible cross clutch speed differential at the moment of clutch engagement. As used throughout this document, it should be understood that the term “rev matching” is a shortened or abbreviated term meaning matching revolutions per minute of two rotating components, in this case, the output shaft speed of an engine with the input shaft speed of a manual transmission. In a vehicle having a manual transmission, various sensors such as pedal and gearshift position sensors and accelerometers provide data to a control module such as an engine control module. The control module includes a microprocessor which calculates derivatives, i.e., the rate of change (first derivative) or the rate of change of the rate of change (second derivative) or higher derivatives of the data from certain sensors. Based on these derivatives, the microprocessor classifies the current driving activity into one of two, three or more modes, for example, track, sport and touring. During a shift, from the data from the gearshift sensor, the microprocessor determines whether an upshift or downshift is imminent or in progress and decreases or increases the engine speed to achieve zero or negligible cross clutch speed differential upon clutch engagement, rapidly if in the first (track) mode, less rapidly in the second (sport) mode and less rapidly still in the third (touring) mode.
Thus it is an aspect of the present invention to provide a variable rev or speed matching control system that matches the rate of engine speed increase or decrease to the current style of driving to achieve zero or negligible cross clutch speed differential at the moment of clutch engagement.
It is a further aspect of the present invention to provide a variable rev or speed matching control method that matches the rate of engine speed increase or decrease to the current style of driving to achieve zero or negligible cross clutch speed differential at the moment of clutch engagement.
It is a still further aspect of the present invention to provide a variable rev matching control system that includes various sensors such as pedal and gearshift position sensors and accelerometers to provide data to a control module.
It is a still further aspect of the present invention to provide a variable rev matching control system that includes various sensors such as pedal and gearshift position sensors and accelerometers to provide data to a control module such as an engine control module (ECM) having a microprocessor.
It is a still further aspect of the present invention to provide a variable rev matching control system that includes a microprocessor which calculates a derivative, i.e., the rate of change (first derivative) or the rate of change of the rate of change (second derivative) or higher derivatives of the data from certain sensors.
It is a still further aspect of the present invention to provide a variable rev matching control system that includes a microprocessor that classifies the current driving activity into one of two, three or more modes, for example, track, sport and touring.
It is a still further aspect of the present invention to provide a variable rev matching control system that includes a microprocessor that determines whether an upshift or downshift is imminent or in progress and decreases or increases the engine speed to achieve zero cross clutch speed differential upon clutch engagement, rapidly if in a first (track) mode, less rapidly in a second (sport) mode and less rapidly still in a third (touring) mode.
Further advantages, aspects and areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
DRAWINGS
The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the relevant electric, electronic, electromechanical and mechanical components of a motor vehicle equipped with a manual transmission and the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a manual transmission shift lever and gear absolute position sensor assembly according to the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating the logic and computational steps of the variable rev or speed matching method according to the present invention; and
FIG. 4 is a graphical representation of the typical operation of the rev or speed matching achieved by the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses.
With reference to FIG. 1 , the relevant electric, electronic, electromechanical and mechanical components of a motor vehicle equipped with a manual transmission and the present invention are illustrated and generally designated by the reference number 10 . The significant mechanical components 10 include a prime mover 12 which may be a gasoline, Diesel or flex-fuel engine, or a hybrid or electric power plant. The prime mover 12 includes an output shaft 14 which drives a main friction clutch 16 which is typically engaged and dis-engaged by the vehicle operator (not illustrated). The main clutch 16 , which may be either mechanically or hydraulically operated, selectively provides drive torque to an input shaft 18 of a manual transmission 20 . The manual transmission 20 may be conventional and includes a housing 22 as well as shafts, gears, bearings and synchronizers (all not illustrated) which cooperatively provide, for example, four, five, six or more forward speeds or gear ratios and reverse. The transmission 20 includes an output shaft 24 which is coupled to a final drive assembly 26 which may include, for example, a propshaft, a differential assembly and a pair of drive axles.
The components 10 also include a plurality of electric and electronic sensors which provide real time data to an engine control module (ECM) or similar device. An electronic speed sensor (tachometer) 32 is disposed in sensing relationship with the output shaft 14 of the prime mover 12 and provides a signal representing the instantaneous speed of the prime mover 12 to the control module 30 . Likewise, an optional transmission input shaft speed sensor (TISS) 34 , disposed in sensing relationship with the input shaft 18 of the transmission 20 , provides a signal representing the instantaneous speed of the input shaft 18 to the control module 30 and a transmission output speed sensor (TOSS) 36 , disposed in sensing relationship with the output shaft 24 of the transmission 20 , provides a signal representing the instantaneous speed of the output shaft 24 to the control module 30 . The transmission input shaft speed sensor 34 is optional because the speed of the input shaft 18 can be computed by simple multiplication from the known speed of the output shaft 24 and ratio of the currently selected or about to be selected gear.
The transmission 20 includes a manual gear shift lever 42 which is manipulated by the vehicle operator to select a desired gear (or speed ratio) and is coupled to a gear absolute shift position sensor assembly 44 which preferably includes an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) 46 , the data output or which is supplied to the control module 30 and which indicates the current position of the shift lever 42 .
The mechanical and electro-mechanical components 10 include a clutch pedal 52 which is linked through a line 54 to the main clutch 16 and includes a clutch pedal position sensor 56 which provides a signal in a line 58 representing the instantaneous position of the clutch pedal 52 to the control module 30 . Likewise, a brake pedal 62 is linked to an anti-lock braking system (ABS) module 64 which provides braking signals and/or pressures to the four wheels of the vehicle and includes a brake pedal position sensor 66 which provides a signal in a line 68 representing the instantaneous position of the brake pedal 62 to the control module 30 . Additionally, in a typical and contemporary drive-by wire engine configuration, an accelerator or throttle pedal 72 includes a throttle pedal position sensor 74 which provides a signal in a line 76 representing the instantaneous position of the throttle pedal 72 to the control module 30 . This information, as well as other engine control signals according to the present invention, are provided in a line or lines 78 to one or more control devices 80 associated with the prime mover 12 . These control devices 80 adjust the speed of the prime mover 12 up or down and may include the throttle, active fuel management, that is, controlling the quantity of fuel to the engine or one or more cylinders, spark advance, as well as cam phasing, intake manifold tuning, port deactivation, exhaust gas recirculation, related methods and combinations thereof.
The pedal position sensors 56 , 66 and 74 may be any resistive, magnetic, PWM, linear variable displacement transformer (LVDT), permanent magnet linear contactless displacement (PLOD), Hall effect or other type of sensor providing an essentially analog, i.e., continuous, output from 0 to 100% of a variable as the pedal travels from an at rest (unactivated) position to a fully depressed (fully activated) position.
The components 10 may also include a driver interface 82 which generally includes those switches, controls and devices under the supervision of and operated by the vehicle operator. For example, a switch of the driver interface 82 may manually activate and de-activate the present rev matching system. Additionally, the vehicle may include lateral and longitudinal accelerometers 84 which provide data in real time regarding the instantaneous acceleration in the X-Y plane the vehicle is experiencing as well as a steering angle sensor 86 . Preferably, data and signals from the driver interface 82 , the lateral and longitudinal accelerometers 84 and the steering angle sensor 86 are provided to a body control module (BCM) 88 or similar control module which acts as a centralized operational destination for such signals and data and which provides selected signals and data to the control module 30 .
Referring now to FIG. 2 , the manual gear shift lever 42 is a component of a shift linkage 90 that includes a shift handle 92 and a shift ball or pivot 94 and a link 96 which couples the motion of the gear shift lever 42 to a shaft 98 extending into the transmission 20 which translates both axially and rotationally. The shift lever 42 is moveable through a virtual or actual shift gate or “H” pattern which facilitates selection of, separates and creates tactile feedback for a number of forward gears or speed ratios and reverse. The gear absolute shift position sensor assembly 44 includes a first arc magnet or ring 102 and an axially spaced apart second arc magnet or ring 104 , both secured to the shaft 98 . In the neutral position of the shift linkage 90 , a first Hall effect sensor 106 is disposed proximate the first arc magnet 102 and a second Hall effect sensor 108 is disposed proximate the second arc magnet 104 . The outputs of the first Hall effect sensor 106 and the second Hall effect sensor 108 are fed directly to the application specific integrated circuit 46 which may be fabricated and integrated with the sensors 102 and 104 into a unitary device.
Alternatively, a single arc magnet or ring and a proximate single three dimensional (3D) Hall effect sensor may be utilized in place of the two arc magnets 102 and 104 and the two Hall effect sensors 106 and 108 . In either case, it should be appreciated that the gear absolute position sensor assembly 44 provides instantaneous data or signals indicating the actual, current position of the shift lever 42 as it travels in the “H” shift pattern from one gear, through neutral, to another gear. That is, not only are data or signals regarding selected, discrete gears provided, but also data or signals indicating any and all current intermediate positions are provided.
As an alternative to Hall effect sensors, anisotropic magneto resistance (AMR), giant magneto resistance (GMR), permanent magnet linear contactless displacement (PLOD), linear variable displacement transformer (LVDT), magneto elastic (ME) or magneto inductive (MI) sensors may be utilized. Further details of the gear absolute shift position sensor assembly 44 and the shift linkage 90 may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 8,739,647 B2 which is incorporated herein by reference.
Referring now to FIG. 3 , a program setting forth the steps of the method of variable rev or speed matching according to the present invention is designated by the reference number 120 . The program 120 begins with an initializing step 122 that clears certain registers and undertakes other normalizing activities and moves to an process step 124 that polls or reads one or more of the sensors such as the throttle position sensor 74 , the brake position sensor 66 , the clutch position sensor 56 , the gear absolute shift position sensor assembly 44 , the lateral and longitudinal accelerometers 84 and the steering angle sensor 86 . The program 120 then moves to a process or computation step 126 in which first, second or higher order derivatives are calculated for one or more of the current values provided by the throttle position sensor 74 , the brake position sensor 66 , the clutch position sensor 56 , the gear absolute shift position sensor assembly 44 and the lateral and longitudinal accelerometers 84 . Typically, the value of the steering angle sensor 86 is not differentiated as will be explained below.
These first, second or higher order derivative values are then analyzed according to one of several schemes or hierarchies to arrive at a value or values that can be utilized to determine which of two, three or more operating modes should be selected to match the vehicle driver's current activity. For example, a first approach places primary importance on the data (derivatives) from the lateral accelerometer 84 , the clutch pedal sensor 56 and the gear shift sensor assembly 44 and less or little importance on the data (derivatives) from the remaining sensors.
A second approach provides a weighted average of this data, that is, the data (derivatives) from each sensor are weighted by multiplying them by a distinct predetermined factor and the values summed. In this way, greater significance may be accorded to certain data such as that from the gear shift sensor assembly 44 or the brake pedal position sensor 66 , somewhat less to, for example, the accelerator pedal position sensor 74 or the lateral accelerometer 84 and less still to, for example, the longitudinal accelerometer 84 or the clutch pedal position sensor 56 .
A third approach establishes one or more threshold values corresponding to the two, three or more operating modes of the system. When one or a defined number of the derivatives exceed a threshold value corresponding to one of the defined operational modes, that operational mode is selected by the program 120 . In yet another configuration, all or a selected plurality of the derivatives may simply be summed, the larger values contributing more to a total that is then utilized to determine the operating mode. It should be understood that undifferentiated data from the steering angle sensor 86 , when the indication is a significant or relatively marked front wheel angle to either the left or the right, may be utilized to override all other data and place the system in the least aggressive driving mode, i.e., “touring” in the present example.
Given these above-discussed computations, the program 120 enters a decision point 130 which enquires whether the selected, weighted or summed derivative value or values are greater than a first, predetermined value or values. If it or they are, the decision point 130 is exited at YES and a flag is set in a process step 132 indicating the system is operating in the most aggressive mode, here denominated “TRACK.” Setting the flag in the step 132 may provide a signal to other systems and modules in the vehicle such as the body control module 88 and may illuminate an indicator light or icon on the dashboard or instrument panel informing the driver that the system is operating in the “TRACK” mode. Next, the current speeds of the prime mover 12 and the output shaft speed of the transmission 20 are read in a process step 134 . Also, any further activity of the shift lever 42 such as motion into or out of a gear and the speed of such motion is read.
Then, another decision point 136 is entered and, depending upon the current activity of the shift lever 42 , the control module 30 determines that either an upshift or downshift is about to be undertaken. If an upshift is determined, the decision point 136 is exited at YES. If it is determined that a downshift is about to be undertaken, the decision point 136 is exited at NO. A YES response leads to a process step 140 which commands and completes a speed decrease of the prime mover 12 to achieve rev matching between the output shaft 14 of the prime mover 12 and the input shaft 18 of the transmission 20 within a first, shortest period of time. It should be understood that since the “TRACK” mode of operation is the most aggressive, this time period will be the shortest of the two, three or more rev matching times commanded and achieved by the present invention. While this time may change given the many variables between vehicles such as weight, horsepower, torque, transmission gears and drivetrain configuration, for example, for purposes of description and comparison a nominal value of 300 milliseconds and a range of from 200 to 400 milliseconds or more or less may be considered functional.
The program 120 then terminates at an end point 142 and may be repeated according to iterative cycle times established by, for example, the control module 30 or other vehicle control module or system.
If it is determined that an upshift is not taking place, that is, that a downshift is taking place, the decision point 136 is exited at NO which leads to a process step 144 which commands and completes a speed increase of the prime mover 12 to achieve rev matching between the output shaft 14 of the prime mover 12 and the input shaft 18 of the transmission 20 within the same first, shortest period of time. Again, it should be understood that since the “TRACK” mode of operation is the most aggressive, this time period will be the shortest of the two, three or more rev matching times commanded and achieved by the present invention. This first, shortest time period is subject to the same considerations recited above and will preferably have the same nominal value of 300 milliseconds and a range of from 200 to 400 milliseconds or more or less.
The program 120 then concludes at the end point 142 and may be repeated according to iterative cycle times established by, for example, the control module 30 or other vehicle control module or system.
Returning to the decision point 130 , if the selected, weighted or summed derivative value or values are less than a predetermined value or values, the decision point 130 is exited at NO and the program 120 enters another decision point 150 which enquires whether the selected, weighted or summed derivative value or values are greater than a second, smaller predetermined value or values. If it or they are, the decision point 150 is exited at YES and a flag is set in a step 152 indicating the system is operating in a less aggressive mode, here denominated “SPORT.” Setting the flag in the step 152 may provide a signal to other systems and modules in the vehicle such as the body control module 88 and may illuminate an indicator light or icon on the dashboard or instrument panel informing the driver that the system is operating in the “SPORT” mode. Next, the current speeds of the prime mover 12 and the output shaft speed of the transmission 20 are read in a step 154 . Any further activity of the shift lever 42 such as motion into or out of a gear may also be read.
Then, another decision point 156 is entered and, depending upon the current activity of the shift lever 42 , the control module 30 determines that either an upshift or downshift is about to be undertaken. If an upshift is determined, the decision point 156 is exited at YES. If it is determined that a downshift is about to be undertaken, the decision point 156 is exited at NO. A YES response leads to a process step 160 which commands and completes a speed decrease of the prime mover 12 to achieve rev matching between the output shaft 14 of the prime mover 12 and the input shaft 18 of the transmission 20 within a second, longer period of time. It should be understood that since the “SPORT” mode of operation is less aggressive than the “TRACK” mode, this rev matching time period will be longer than the period of time in the “TRACK” mode but shorter than the rev matching times in the additional, still less aggressive mode or modes described subsequently. While this time may change given the many variables between vehicles such as weight, horsepower, torque, transmission gears and drivetrain configuration, for example, for purposes of description and comparison a nominal value of 500 milliseconds and a range of from 400 to 600 milliseconds or more or less may be considered functional.
The program 120 then terminates at an end point 142 and may be repeated according to iterative cycle times established by, for example, the control nodule 30 or other vehicle control module or system.
If it is determined that an upshift is not taking place, that is, that a downshift is taking place, the decision point 156 is exited at NO which leads to a process step 164 which commands and completes a speed increase of the prime mover 12 to achieve rev matching between the output shaft 14 of the prime mover 12 and the input shaft 18 of the transmission 20 within the same second, longer period of time. Again, it should be understood that since the “SPORT” mode of operation is less aggressive than the “TRACK” mode, this rev matching time period will be longer than the period of time in the “TRACK” mode but shorter than the rev matching times in the additional, still less aggressive mode or modes. This second, longer time period is subject to the same considerations recited above and will preferably have the same nominal value of 500 milliseconds and a range of from 400 to 600 milliseconds or more or less.
The program 120 then concludes at an end point 142 and may be repeated according to iterative cycle times established by, for example, the control module 30 or other vehicle control module or system.
Returning to the decision point 150 , if the selected, weighted or summed derivative value or values are less than the second, smaller predetermined value or values, the decision point 150 is exited at NO and a flag is set in a process step 172 indicating the system is operating in a still less aggressive mode, here denominated “TOURING.” As stated above, setting the flag in the step 172 may provide a signal to other systems and modules in the vehicle such as the body control module 88 and may illuminate an indicator light or icon on the dashboard or instrument panel informing the driver that the system is operating in the “TOURING” mode. Next, the current speeds of the prime mover 12 and the output shaft speed of the transmission 20 are read in a step 174 . Any further activity of the shift lever 42 such as motion into or out of a gear may also be read.
Then, another decision point 176 is entered and, depending upon the current activity of the shift lever 42 , the control module 30 determines that either an upshift or downshift is about to be undertaken. If an upshift is determined, the decision point 176 is exited at YES. If it is determined that a downshift is about to be undertaken, the decision point 176 is exited at NO. A YES response leads to a process step 180 which commands and completes a speed decrease of the prime mover 12 to achieve rev matching between the output shaft 14 of the prime mover 12 and the input shaft 18 of the transmission 20 within a third, still longer (or longest) period of time. It should be understood that since the “TOURING” mode of operation is less aggressive than the “SPORT” mode, this rev matching time period will be longer than the period of time in the “SPORT” mode but shorter than the rev matching times in any additional, still less aggressive mode or modes. While this time may change depending upon the many variables between vehicles recited above, for purposes of description and comparison a nominal value of 800 milliseconds and a range of from 700 to 900 milliseconds or more or less may be considered functional.
The program 120 then terminates at an end point 142 and may be repeated according to iterative cycle times established by, for example, the control nodule 30 or other vehicle control module or system.
If it is determined that an upshift is not taking place, that is, that a downshift is taking place, the decision point 176 is exited at NO which leads to a process step 184 which commands and completes a speed increase of the prime mover 12 to achieve rev matching between the output shaft 14 of the prime mover 12 and the input shaft 18 of the transmission 20 within the same third, longest period of time. Again, it should be understood that since the “TOURING” mode of operation is less aggressive than the “SPORT” mode, this rev matching time period will be longer than the period of time in the “SPORT” mode but shorter than the rev matching times in any additional, still less aggressive mode or modes. This third, longest time period is subject to the same considerations recited above and will preferably have the same nominal value of 800 milliseconds and a range of from 700 to 900 milliseconds or more or less.
The program 120 then concludes at an end point 142 and may be repeated according to iterative cycle times established by, for example, the control module 30 or other vehicle control module or system.
It should be understood that while in the above description, three operating modes, “TRACK,” “SPORT,” and “TOURING” having decreasing degrees of aggressive rev matching have been disclosed and described, a system having additional rev matching time periods corresponding to four, five or more modes which provide correspondingly higher resolution of driver aggressiveness and prime mover response thereto are considered to be well within the scope of this invention and claims. In this regard, it should also be understood that the number of operating modes may be increased to the extent that the system operates essentially as a fully proportional system, matching, i.e., proportioning, the rev matching time period to the degree of driver aggressiveness sensed by the sensors 44 , 56 , 66 , 74 and 84 and determined by the control module 30 .
Referring now to FIG. 4 , a graphic and qualitative representation of speed or rev matching is illustrated. The Y axis represents speed (RPM) of a prime mover 12 and the X axis represents time. The dark line 190 represents the speed of the prime mover 12 over time as a manual transmission 20 undergoes first a downshift at a point 192 . The present invention commands an increase in the speed of the engine or prime mover 12 represented by the line 194 beginning at the point 192 and the speed increases in the time interval 196 to match, within an acceptable tolerance represented by the dashed lines 198 , the speed of the input shaft 18 of the transmission 20 . Subsequently, an upshift begins at a point 202 . The present invention commands a decrease in the speed of the engine or prime mover 12 represented by the line 204 beginning at the point 202 and the speed decreases in the time interval 206 to match, within an acceptable tolerance represented by the dashed lines 208 , the speed of the input shaft 18 of the transmission 20 .
The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention. | In a vehicle having a manual transmission, various sensors such as pedal and gearshift position sensors and accelerometers provide data to a control module such as an engine control module. The control module includes a microprocessor which calculates derivatives, i.e., the rate of change (first derivative) or the rate of change of the rate of change (second derivative) of the data from the sensors. Based on these derivatives, the microprocessor classifies the current driving activity into one of two, three or more modes, for example, track, sport and touring. During a shift, from the data from the gearshift sensor, the microprocessor determines whether an upshift or downshift is imminent or in progress and decreases or increases the engine speed to achieve zero or negligible cross clutch speed differential upon clutch engagement, rapidly if in the first (track) mode, less rapidly in the second (sport) mode and less rapidly still in the third (touring) mode. | 5 |
This application is a division of application Ser. No. 09/045,967, filed Mar. 18, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,076,671.
GOVERNMENT INTEREST
The invention described herein may be manufactured, licensed, and used by or for the U.S. Government.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a solid particle aerosol device and method for aerosol dispersal. More particularly, the device and method provide easy handling and dissemination of the solid particle aerosol material. Most particularly, the device and method permit the rapid and efficient dissemination of solid particle aerosol into the atmosphere for military and civilian purposes.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
Aerosols are the suspension of solid particles in the atmosphere. Aerosols are used in the military to defensively position and protect combat forces. In civilian use, aerosol dispersal is used by police for not control and by farmers for agricultural purposes. These solid particle payloads have included smokes, obscurants, riot control agents, insecticides, pesticides, fungicides, fertilizer, feed and other similar compounds.
The military has used a multitude of devices ranging from pneumatic spray tanks to high explosive (HE) grenades to disperse a variety of solid particle payloads into the atmosphere. During military operations, a military force may be targeted by visual means, ultraviolet, infrared (IR), and millimeter (MM) radar sensors. In countering this targeting, various types of filler payloads are used for aerosol dissemination. These payloads include carbon fiber payloads to block energy in the MM region of the electromagnetic spectrin, smokes to obscure military forces from visual detection, and brass flakes or graphite flakes which interfere with IR tracking and target acquisition devices.
Current military IR dispersion techniques require that military personnel load IR material from bulk bag containers. Personnel physically remove the filler material from large bags and place the filler into a separate hopper for dispersion. Generally, the filler is dirty to handle. The particles also may create hazardous toxic atmospheric dust during the loading phase, presenting a health risk to the personnel handling the filler. Typically, the materials include fillers such as pelletized graphite shipped in 30 pound bags, having a bulk density of 44 lb/ft 3 to 55 lb/ft 3 (0.7 g/ml to 0.8 g/mil).
In civilian use, aerosols are dispersed by police as a non-lethal means for crowd dispersal, riot control, personal protectants and/or incapacitating agents. Additionally, aerosols used for civilian commercial purposes include the dispersal of aerosols for agricultural uses, such as disseminating insecticides, pesticides, fertilizers or feed over a wide area. The dispersal of aerosol particles for both military and civilian use should have safe handling and activation characteristics.
In view of the foregoing, improvements in the dispersal of aerosols have been desired. In addition to improved safe handling, effective dissemination of aerosol particles is desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a particulate aerosol dissemination device comprising a shreddable belt defined by a length and width; a plurality of individual cells on the belt, being aligned along the belt length and which extend across or substantially across the belt width, the cells being separated by partitions extending between the cells across the belt width, the cells further being capable of holding an aerosol filler therein; and, a solid, particulate aerosol filler inside the cells. The aerosol filler may be selected from any number of materials depending upon the particular application. For example, obscurant or smoke generating materials, riot control agents, pesticides, insecticides, fingicides, fertilizer or feed may be used.
The invention also provides a method for disseminating a solid particle aerosol comprising the steps of providing a particulate aerosol dissemination device comprising a shreddable belt defined by a length and width, a plurality of individual cells on the belt, being aligned along the belt length and which extend across the belt width, the cells being separated by partitions extending between the cells across the belt width, the cells further being capable of holding an aerosol filler therein, and, a solid, particulate aerosol filler inside the cells; feeding said device holding the solid particulate aerosol filler into a dissemination apparatus; shredding said device holding the solid particulate aerosol filler within the dissemination apparatus; and, disseminating the shredded device and solid particulate aerosol filler into the atmosphere.
The invention further provides a process for manufacturing said aerosol belt device comprising the steps of providing a length of tubing having a zipper seal along or substantially near to an edge, heat sealing perpendicular to the length of tubing, wherein the perpendicular sealing forms cells along the length of the tubing; filling the formed cells with the a solid particulate aerosol filler; and, closing said zipper seal thereby forming cells, wherein the solid particulate aerosol filler is contained within the cells.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 illustrates the device of the present invention; and,
FIG. 2 illustrates a solid particle aerosol dispersal using the device in a dissemination apparatus.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present invention is a solid particle aerosol device and a method for disseminating the solid particle aerosol from the device. The device and method of solid particle aerosol dispersal permit easy handling and dissemination of the solid particle aerosol in combat and non-combat operations. The device and method also provide rapid and efficient dispersal of solid particle aerosol into the atmosphere for military and civilian purposes.
As seen in FIG. 1, the device 20 comprises a belt, or belt structure I having multiple individual packing cells 2 along a belt length 4 . The belt 1 provides a means for the rapid supply of several cells 2 to be loaded into and dispersed from a dissemination apparatus 30 . The width 3 and length 4 of the belt 1 are of such dimensions as to provide adjacent cells 2 along the belt length 4 , and to hold the cells 2 within the width 3 . The cells 2 are spaced apart by partitions 5 , which extend across the belt width 3 between the cells 2 . A zipper seal 6 , which may extend along the belt length 4 , is fixed between the cells 2 and a belt edge 15 on at least one side 7 of the belt 1 . The cells 2 contain an aerosol filler 8 , which is sealed inside of the cells 2 . The aerosol filler 8 comprises any solid particles which are capable of forming an aerosol.
The dimensions of the belt 1 are limited by a cutter size in the dissemination apparatus 30 . The cutter may be any mechanism which shreds the belt 1 holding the aerosol filler 8 . This includes rotary chopping mechanisms. Generally, the belt length 4 may be any convenient continuous length. The belt width 3 permits the alignment of adjacent cells 2 along the belt length 4 in a single uniform row. The invention also contemplates attached parallel rows. Preferably the belt width 3 is from about 1 inch to about 4 inches, more preferably from about 3 inches to about 3.5 inches, and most preferably from about 2 inches to about 2.5 inches. Larger belts 1 may be used to handle more material with larger cell 2 sizes. Smaller belts 1 also may be used, if desired. The belt 1 is constructed of any material which allows the belt 1 to be shredded in the dissemination apparatus 30 . Preferably, the belt 1 is a plastic or fabric construction, more preferably the belt 1 is plastic, and most preferably the belt 1 is polyethylene.
The belt 1 may be placed in a container or on a spool. When the belt 1 is packaged in a container, the belt width 3 is limited by the container width. Preferably, the belt 1 is layered in the container which is a rectangular box, more preferably the belt 1 is layered in a cardboard rectangular box. The belt 1 is easily accessed from the box, with the box conveniently placed inside a storage magazine as part of the dissemination apparatus 30 which allows the belt 1 to be loaded into the dissemination apparatus 30 .
In comparison with the currently known filler loading, the present aerosol dissemination device may be contained in a box having rectangular dimensions of 10.50 inches in height, 21.00 inches in length, and 2.80 inches in width which is approximately 500 in 3 (8193.5 cm 3 ) and weighs approximately 19 pounds (8626 grams) when filled with a belt 1 having brass aerosol filler 8 . With a weight of 8626 grams and a volume of 8193 cm 3 , the bulk density of the box is 1.053 g/mi. This provides a 20% to 30% increase in bulk density over the currently used methods. Additionally, the aerosol filler 8 is enclosed which prevents the aerosol filler 8 from spreading into the handler's atmosphere, such as the inside of a combat vehicle or tank, thereby providing a cleaner and safer environment.
The cells 2 along the belt length 4 may be attached to the belt 1 or may form chambers within the belt 1 which are filled with a desired amount of aerosol filler 8 . Preferably, the cells 2 form chambers within the belt 1 . The size of the cells 2 may be varied depending on the capacity of the dissemination apparatus 30 . The cells 2 are aligned along the belt length 4 and extend across-or substantially across the belt width 3 . Preferably, the cells 2 are from about 1 inch to about 5 inches in cell length 9 and from about 1 inch to about 5 inches in cell width 10 , more preferably from about 1.75 inches to about 3.5 inches in cell length 9 and from about 1.75 inches to about 3.5 inches in cell width 10 .
The cell length 9 and width 10 are such as to allow maximum cell thickness 11 while allowing the cells 2 and belt 1 to properly move through the dissemination apparatus 30 . The thickness 11 of the cells 2 is such as to effectively disperse the aerosol filler 8 into the solid particle aerosol. Preferably, the cell thickness 11 is from about {fraction (3/4)} th inch (0.75 inches) or less in thickness, more preferably from about {fraction (1/2 )}inch (0.5 inches) to about {fraction (1/16)} th inch (0.0625 inches) thickness, and most preferably from about 1 inch (0.5 inches) to about {fraction (1/8)} th inch (0.125 inches) thick.
Additionally, the cells 2 are fixed adjacent to each other along the belt length 4 and separated by partitions 5 to provide for rapid and consistent loading into the dissemination apparatus 30 . The partitions 5 extend across the belt width 3 perpendicular to the belt length 4 . Preferably, the partitions 5 provide an equal spacing between each of the cells 2 along the entire belt length 4 . However, the partitions 5 also may be configured with means to allow for a starting and stopping of a continuous belt 1 after being cut within the dissemination apparatus 30 without loss of aerosol filler 8 from leakage from a cut belt 1 . Preferably, the cells 2 are spaced from about 1 inch or less from each other, more preferably from about {fraction (1/2 )} inch (0.5 inches) to about {fraction (3/16)} th inch (0.1875 inches) from each other, and most preferably the partitions 5 between the cells 2 are from about {fraction (1/8)} th inch (0.25 inches) to about {fraction (1/4 )} inch, most preferably {fraction (3/16)} th inch (0.1875 inches) in width.
The cells 2 of the device 20 are made of any material which permits the shredding and dispersal of the aerosol filler 8 into the atmosphere as an aerosol. Preferably, the cells 2 are made from the same materials as the belt 1 , more preferably the cells 2 are a plastic material, and most preferably the cells 2 are polyethylene. This permits the aerosol filler 8 in the cells 2 to be heat sealed, providing an efficient construction process for cell 2 placement along the belt length 4 . The individual cells 2 are separated from each other by partitions 5 of thin plastic walls which may be created by heat sealing along periodic segments across the belt width 3 perpendicular to the belt length 4 .
The filler material or aerosol filler 8 of the cells 2 is any compound which may be used as the solid particle aerosol. The aerosol fillers 8 may be an obscurant, riot control agent, agricultural agent and the like. Obscurants include aerosol fillers 8 such as titanium dioxide, brass flakes, carbon flakes, carbon fibers, graphite flakes, chaff and the like. Brass flakes have a greater density than other IR screening materials, providing better maximum volume efficiency when packed into small cell units. Riot control agents include CS, Ortho-chlorobenzalmalononitrile and OC, N-((4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)methyl)-8-methyl-6-nonenamide, and similar compounds. Agricultural agents include pesticides, fertilizers, feed and the like. For military smoke generation applications, preferably the aerosol filler 8 comprises an obscurant, and more preferably the aerosol filler comprises an obscurant of brass flakes.
The zipper seal 6 along the belt edge 15 is used to contain a rapid and consistent supply of cells 2 filled with aerosol filler 8 . The zipper seal 6 is fixed along at least one side 7 of the belt 1 , between the cells 2 and the belt edge 15 . The zipper seal 6 extends a length to permit the loading of aerosol filler 8 into the cells 2 of the belt 1 . Preferably, the zipper seal 6 extends approximately the entire length of the belt 1 . The zipper seal 6 comprises any connection, such as a Zyploc® connection, which is compatible with use for loading and sealing the cells 2 .
As shown in FIG. 2, the device 20 is inserted into the dissemination apparatus 30 for dispersing the aerosol filler 8 into a solid particle aerosol 31 . The dissemination apparatus 30 may be any dissemination apparatus 30 known in the art which is effective to disperse aerosol filler 8 from the device 20 . The dissemination apparatus 30 provides a means for the rapid removal of the aerosol filler 8 from the belt 1 . The dissemination apparatus 30 preferably comprises a deagglomeration mechanism, or cutting blade section 34 . The dissemination apparatus 30 may further comprise a cutting roller mechanism or anvil section which automatically feeds the device 20 into a position to chop the belt 1 along the cell 2 sections. The dissemination apparatus 30 may further include an air supply 33 to disseminate the aerosol filler 8 into a solid particle aerosol 31 , said air supply may be supplied from the hot air exhaust of a vehicle. Once cut, the device 20 is disseminated in a solid particle aerosol 31 through a nozzle 36 . Preferably, the dissemination apparatus 30 includes such apparatus as the Millimeter Wave Obscurant Cutter, manufactured by Engineering Technology Inc. of Orlando, Fla. or a modified Model 80 Fiber Glass Roving Cartridge Cutter, manufactured by Finn & Fram, Inc. of Pacoima, Calif. which has been adapted to a pneumatic source. The dissemination apparatus 30 may be externally or internally attached to any military or civilian vehicle configured for mounting the dissemination apparatus 30 . Preferably, for military applications, the dissemination apparatus 30 is configured for placement on the rear section of a tank such as the M1 Abrams Main Battle Tank.
A process for manufacturing prototype aerosol belt segments was carried out by loading 3 inch wide and 4 millimeter thick zipper tubing, manufactured by U.S. Plastics or Long Branch, N.J., onto spools. After mounting the spools on the top bracket of a heat sealing machine, Pandyno, PD-400, the tubing may be feed through a slotted bracket near the top of the machine. Tubing may be fed vertically parallel to the line inscribed on the machine and heat sealed on red heat/maximum cool setting advancing the tubing to the inscribed horizontal line on the machine and sealed again. The process may be continued until the spool is completed, while taking up the sealed belt on the spool located under the machine. The sealed tubing may then be placed on a left side bracket near the heat sealing machine and feed horizontally across the machine, with the bottom of the tubing secured with small c-clamp brackets. After adjusting the machine to white heat/maximum cool setting, the bottom of the tubing may be heat sealed. The tubing may be continued to be feed horizontally while carefully matched up with the bottom heat seal. The bottom portion of tubing may be torn off while a completed 1-5 inch, more preferably 2 inch wide tubing is taken up onto a spool located on the right side of the machine. This would result in the tubing being sealed and sized, without any aerosol filler 8 .
Aerosol filler 8 may be prepared by forming a brass slurry mixture. Loose raw brass flakes having a volume of 4000 ml may be placed into 1.5 gallon containers with 250 ml of methanol slowly added to the containers, and stirring with a rod to allow the brass flake to settle. A whisk may be used to thoroughly mix the contents until a caulk-like consistency appears. After any storage time, the contents most likely must, or may, have to be whisked again prior to use. The contents should be used within 4 hours of mixing, as evaporation of the methanol would create a slurry too thick to be properly loaded.
The aerosol filler 8 of brass filler may be loaded into the empty tubing. Heat sealed tubing may be cut into 9 foot sections, with the cut occurring through a cell 2 for ease in splicing the section together in a later step. The zipper seal 6 may be gently opened over the entire length of the tubing, so as not to tear any seals. After centering the tubing sections in wooden racks, the belt may be clamped open at each clip location. A funnel may be used to load the slurry into a bulk load caulk gun, until full. Of course, other solid aerosol particle material such as pesticides or riot control agents may be loaded directly into the individual cells for other product applications.
The caulk gun having a 90 degree hose may be used to insert into the bottom of the cells 2 and pumped until the cells 2 are full. The caulk gun may be preset to fill each cell 2 with a pump. The process may be continued from cell to cell until the caulk gun is empty. The tubing may be sealed forming the device 20 by sealing the entire length of the zipper of the dried slurry loaded belt, being carefull not to allow the slurry to contaminate the zipper seal 6 , which should be continued until all sections are sealed. Obviously, this process may be automated for large scale production of the belt devices.
After loading, sealing, and drying, the brass loaded belt sections may be placed into a vacuum chamber having a vacuum of 20 in Hg. The belt sections should be left in the vacuum overnight. When the belt sections are removed from the chamber, tape may be used to quickly seal each end to prevent air from reentering the cells 2 . Each cell was sealed by making a mechanical connection of the zipper seal. Additional sealing was done by heat sealing the plastic directly above the zipper seal, thereby having a zipper and heat sealed configuration, which ran along the entire belt length.
The belt sections may be joined together by splicing. Belt sections may be aligned with the zipper seals 6 in the same orientation and removing the tape. A notch may be cut below the zipper seal 6 and above the bottom seal on one end in order to insert into another end. Packing tape 1 inch wide and 5 inches long may be placed over the overlap section to cover the tabs and gaps. This may be continued on other sections of belt, until the desired length is formed. The completed belt 1 may then be placed into a box.
In operation, the aerosol filler 8 is dispersed into a solid particle aerosol 31 by feeding the device 20 holding the aerosol filler 8 into the dissemination apparatus 30 . The device 20 holding the aerosol filler 8 is shredded within the dissemination apparatus 30 , which releases the aerosol filler 8 from the device 20 . The shredded device 20 and aerosol filler 8 are disseminated into the atmosphere through nozzle 36 . When used in combat, the aerosol filler 8 comprises an IR screening agent which hinders the acquisition radiation from IR weapons and sites. Additionally, when used in agriculture, the aerosol filler 8 comprises an agricultural agent. When used in police actions, the aerosol filler 8 comprises a riot control agent.
EXAMPLE 1
In operation, a belt having individual cells containing an aerosol filler was fed into a dissemination apparatus. The aerosol filler comprised a payload of brass flakes for obscuring IR spectrum radiation. The brass flakes were made in accordance with military specifications EA-B-1341. The belt was fed into the dissemination apparatus, which disseminated the aerosol filler by using rotary cutting equipment and an air supply. The solid particle aerosol device of the present invention creates a minimum IR smoke screen area of 7 meters in height and 50 meters in length from the military vehicle.
EXAMPLE 2
Example 1 was repeated with the exception that the aerosol filler comprised a payload of graphite flakes for obscuring IR spectrum radiation.
It should be understood that the foregoing summary, detailed description, examples and drawings of the invention are not intended to be limiting, but are only exemplary of the inventive features which are defined in the claims. | A particulate aerosol dissemination device comprising a shreddable belt is disclosed. The belt has a plurality of individual cells aligned along the belt length and which extend across the belt width. The cells are separated by partitions extending between the cells across the belt width. The cells are capable of holding a solid aerosol filler comprising any one of the following: obscurant or smoke generating materials; pesticides; insecticides; fungicides; riot control agents; fertilizer; and feed. A method for disseminating a solid particle aerosol using the belt and a process for manufacturing the aerosol belt segments is also disclosed. | 5 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/881,277 filed Apr. 24, 2013, which is a U.S. National Phase application of International Application No. PCT/GB2011/052084 filed Oct. 26, 2011, which claims the benefit of and priority to UK Patent Application No. 1018074.3 filed Oct. 26, 2010. The entire disclosures of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/881,277, International Application No. PCT/GB2011/052084, and UK Patent Application No. 1018074.3 are incorporated by reference herein.
BACKGROUND
This invention concerns improvements in and relating to fluid delivery devices including but not limited to taps. More especially the invention concerns a system and method for the installation of taps that allows the installation to be carried out from above a mounting surface on, for example a sink, washbasin, bidet, bath or the like.
When installing a tap, the incoming hot and cold water supplies must be isolated either centrally by closing off a stop-cock for the incoming water supply to the property or by closing isolating valves fitted either locally to a specific tap or to a group of taps. The tap is located on the mounting surface and an externally threaded shank extends through an opening in the mounting surface onto which a nut and washer is screwed to engage the underside of the mounting surface to locate and retain the tap in position. This is usually achieved by holding the tap in the correct orientation in one hand above the mounting surface and manually screwing the nut and washer onto the shank with the other hand from below the mounting surface with the other hand. The nut can be tightened with a spanner from below the mounting surface to firmly secure the tap in position. A supply pipe is then screwed onto the shank from under the mounting surface to connect the tap to a supply of hot or cold water. Mixer taps require separate connections to supplies of hot and cold water.
A disadvantage of the above method is that access to the underside of the mounting surface is often restricted. As a result, it can be difficult both to tighten the nut and washer so that the tap is firmly secured in position and to connect the supply pipe(s) to the tap in a fluid tight manner during installation. Furthermore, it can be difficult to rectify any leakage that occurs from the connection(s) following installation.
The present invention has been made from a consideration of the foregoing and seeks to overcome or at least mitigate one or more of the aforementioned problems and disadvantages of the prior art.
SUMMARY
According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a fluid delivery device for connection to a fluid supply through an aperture in a mounting surface, and a clamping assembly for securing the fluid delivery device to the mounting surface, the clamping assembly including retainer means adapted, in use, to pass through the aperture in a collapsed position and to move to an operative position after passing through the aperture, the retainer means being operable on tightening the clamping assembly from above the mounting surface to engage an underside of the mounting surface remote from the fluid delivery device and to engage a sidewall of the aperture.
By this invention, the clamping assembly can be fitted from above the mounting surface so that access to the underside of the mounting surface may not be required. The engagement of the retainer means with the underside of the mounting surface and with the sidewall of the aperture provides feedback to the installer of the clamping force while the clamping assembly is tightened. For example, the retainer means may engage the sidewall of the aperture after engaging the underside of the mounting surface so as to produce a step change in the force required to tighten the clamping assembly that provides feedback to the installer that the necessary clamping force has been achieved. In this way, the risk of overtightening the clamping assembly and causing damage to the mounting surface may be reduced.
In one preferred embodiment, the retainer means includes a pair of clamping arms. In other embodiments, the retainer means may comprise more than two clamping arms. The number and arrangement of clamping arms may be chosen according to requirements, for example the available space for installation, the type of fluid delivery device and fluid connections. The clamping arms may be disposed symmetrically with respect to the aperture so that the clamping force is distributed uniformly and evenly around the aperture.
Preferably, each clamping arm is connected to a clamping plate so as to pass through the aperture with the clamping plate from the topside of the mounting surface.
In one arrangement, each clamping arm is connected to the clamping plate for pivotal movement from the collapsed position to the operative position. In another arrangement, at least one clamping arm is fixed to the clamping plate in the operative position and at least one clamping arm is connected to the clamping plate for pivotal movement from the collapsed position to the operative position. Each pivotal clamping arm may move to the operative position under gravity. Alternatively or additionally a spring or other biasing member may be employed. In this way, each pivotal clamping arm automatically adopts the operative position after passing through the aperture.
Preferably, fastening means is provided to move the clamping plate towards the underside of the mounting surface to engage each clamping arm with the underside of the mounting surface.
Preferably, the fastening means includes an actuator such as a bolt threadably coupled to the clamping plate such that the clamping plate can move lengthwise of the bolt in response to rotation of the bolt. For example, the clamping plate may be prevented from rotating relative to the threadably coupled bolt so as to move towards the underside of the mounting surface as the bolt is rotated in one direction and to move away from the mounting surface as the bolt is rotated in the opposite direction.
Preferably, the bolt extends through the aperture and is rotatable to operate the retainer means from the topside of the mounting surface.
Preferably, each clamping arm is configured to provide feedback to the installer of the clamping force while the bolt is rotated. For example, each clamping arm may have a first portion that is engageable with the underside of the mounting surface and a second portion that is engageable with the sidewall of the aperture. The second portion may engage after the first portion so as to produce a step change in the force required to rotate the bolt that provides feedback to the installer that the necessary clamping force has been achieved. In this way, the risk of overtightening the clamping assembly and causing damage to the article providing the mounting surface, for example a basin or bath or sink, is reduced.
Preferably, at least one clamping arm, more preferably each clamping arm, is configured to grip the underside of the mounting surface and/or the sidewall of the aperture when the bolt is rotated so as to create locking forces that resist rotation of the clamping assembly. For example, one or more clamping arms may be provided with formations such as serrations or knurling that contact and grip the underside of the mounting surface and/or the sidewall of the aperture.
Alternatively or additionally, one or more clamping arms may be provided with a high friction material such as rubber, abrasive paper such as emery paper or other suitable elastomeric or polymeric material that contacts and grips the underside of the mounting surface and/or the sidewall of the aperture. The high friction material may be overmoulded on the clamping arm(s). The formations and/or high friction material can help to secure the fluid delivery device in a desired position and prevent the fluid delivery device rotating after installation. This may be of particular benefit where the mounting surface for the fluid delivery device is a ceramic or glass surface.
Preferably, the fluid delivery device includes a mounting element connectable to the fluid supply and a body element detachably connected to the mounting element.
Preferably, the mounting element is coupled to the clamping plate by the fastening means and is secured to the mounting surface when the fastening means is actuated to cause the clamping arms to engage the underside of the mounting surface as described previously.
Preferably, a more secure fixing of the fluid delivery device is provided by preventing or inhibiting relative rotation between the body element and each clamping arm. In one arrangement, relative rotation is prevented by each clamping arm co-operating with the mounting element. In another arrangement, relative rotation is prevented by each clamping arm co-operating with the body element. In either arrangement each clamping arm is preferably guided for axial movement relative to the mounting element or body element and is constrained from rotating relative to the mounting element or body element. For example, each clamping arm may be received in an axial keyway that allows the clamping arm to slide up and down without rotating.
The body element may comprise flow control means such as a tap or mixer housing a mechanism for controlling flow of water. The mounting element may comprise a fluid manifold base that is substantially concealed by the body element.
Preferably, the manifold base has an inlet connectable to the fluid supply and an outlet connectable to the body element.
Preferably, the mounting element includes an isolator valve assembly to isolate the fluid supply when the body element is detached from the mounting element.
Preferably, the isolator valve assembly is operable in response to attaching and detaching the body element.
Preferably, the body element is releasably attached to the mounting element by interengageable formations.
Preferably, the interengageable formations are engaged and disengaged by axial and rotational movement of the body element relative to the mounting element.
Preferably, the interengageable formations comprise a bayonet type connection.
Preferably the isolator valve assembly has an open position to connect the fluid supply to the body element when the body element is mounted on the mounting element and a closed position to isolate the fluid supply when the body element is removed from the mounting element.
Preferably, the isolator valve assembly moves between the open and closed positions in response to rotational movement of the body element relative to the mounting element.
Alternatively, the isolator valve assembly moves between the open and closed positions in response to axial movement of the body element relative to the mounting element.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of attaching a fluid delivery device to a mounting surface having a topside and an underside, the method comprising the steps of connecting the fluid delivery device to a water supply through an aperture in the mounting surface, providing a clamping assembly for securing the fluid delivery device to the mounting surface, positioning the fluid delivery surface on the topside of the mounting surface and passing retainer means of the clamping assembly through the aperture in a collapsed position to position the retainer means below the mounting surface whereupon the retainer means moves to an operative position, and operating the clamping assembly from the topside of the mounting surface to engage the retainer means with the underside of the mounting surface and with a sidewall of the aperture to secure and retain the fluid delivery device on the topside of the mounting surface.
Preferably, the clamping assembly is operable by rotating an actuator that extends through the aperture in the mounting surface.
Preferably, rotation of the actuator in one direction fastens the clamping assembly and rotation in the opposite direction unfastens the clamping assembly.
Preferably, the retainer means includes two or more clamping arms connected to a clamping plate and at least one clamping arm, more preferably each clamping arm, is pivotal between the collapsed position and the operative position for passage of the retainer means through the aperture in the collapsed position.
Preferably, the actuator comprises a rotatable member such as a bolt that threadably engages the clamping plate.
With this arrangement, each pivotal clamping arm can move to the operative position after passing through the aperture, for example under gravity or the action of a biasing member such as a spring, and the clamping plate is movable lengthwise of the rotatable member in response to rotation thereof to move the clamping arms towards the underside of the mounting surface.
Preferably, the clamping arms engage the underside of the mounting surface in a first stage of operation and engage the sidewall of the aperture in a second stage of operation. The sidewall acts as stop to limit movement of the clamping arms and results in an increase in force required to rotate the rotatable member that provides feedback to the installer of the required clamping force to prevent overtightening of the clamping assembly.
Preferably, at least one clamping arm, more preferably each clamping arm, is adapted to resist relative rotation between the clamping arm and the mounting surface. For example, the or each clamping arm may be provided with formations such as serrations or knurling and/or with a high friction material such as rubber to enhance the grip when tightening the clamping assembly.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided apparatus for connecting a fluid supply to a fluid delivery device, the apparatus including a connector for connection to a fluid supply and a clamping assembly for securing the connector to a mounting surface, the clamping assembly including retainer means adapted, in use, to pass through an aperture in the mounting surface in a collapsed position and to move to an operative position after passing through the aperture, the retainer means being operable on tightening the clamping assembly from above the mounting surface to engage an underside of the mounting surface remote from the connector and to engage a sidewall of the aperture to secure the connector to the mounting surface.
The connector may be connectable to individual supplies of hot and/or cold water and/or to a combined supply of hot and cold water. The connector is preferably secured on the upper surface or top side of the mounting surface and is adapted for attaching a fluid delivery device such as a tap or mixer.
The clamping assembly may be as described in connection with the previous aspects of the invention.
According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a fluid delivery device for connection to a fluid supply through an aperture in a mounting surface, and a clamping assembly for securing the fluid delivery device to the mounting surface, the clamping assembly being adapted, in use, to pass through the aperture in a collapsed position and to move to an operative position after passing through the aperture for engagement with an underside of the mounting surface remote from the fluid delivery device.
Preferably, the clamping assembly is arranged to produce a step change in an operating force required to tighten the clamping assembly that provides feedback to an installer that a required clamping force has been achieved. In this way, the risk of overtightening the clamping assembly and causing damage to the article providing the mounting surface, for example a basin or bath or sink, is reduced.
The clamping assembly may be as described in connection with previous aspects of the invention. The clamping assembly may move to the operative position under gravity.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of attaching a fluid delivery device to a mounting surface having a topside and an underside, the method comprising the steps of connecting the fluid delivery device to a water supply through an aperture in the mounting surface, providing a clamping assembly for securing the fluid delivery device to the mounting surface, positioning the fluid delivery surface on the topside of the mounting surface and passing the clamping assembly through the aperture in a collapsed position to position the clamping assembly below the mounting surface whereupon the clamping assembly moves to an operative position, and operating the clamping assembly from the topside of the mounting surface to engage the underside of the mounting surface to secure and retain the fluid delivery device on the topside of the mounting surface.
Preferably, the clamping assembly is arranged to produce a step change in an operating force required to tighten the clamping assembly that provides feedback to an installer that a required clamping force has been achieved. In this way, the risk of overtightening the clamping assembly and causing damage to the article providing the mounting surface, for example a basin or bath or sink, is reduced.
The clamping assembly employed may be as described in connection with previous aspects of the invention. The clamping assembly may move to the operative position under gravity.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a fluid delivery device comprising a mounting element for connection to a fluid supply and body element mounted on the mounting element for controlling discharge of fluid from the device, the body element being detachable from the mounting element without disconnecting the mounting element from the fluid supply, and the mounting element including an isolator valve assembly having an open position to connect the fluid supply to the body element when the body element is mounted on the mounting element and a closed position to isolate the fluid supply when the body element is removed from the mounting element, wherein the isolator valve assembly moves between the open and closed positions as the body element is attached to and detached from the mounting element.
Preferably, the body element is a push fit on the mounting element and is secured by rotating the body element relative to the mounting element.
Preferably, the body element is rotatable between a release position that allows the body element to be pushed on and lifted off the mounting element and a retained position that prevents the body element being lifted off the mounting element.
Preferably, the isolator valve assembly is opened and closed according to the direction of rotation of the body element at a position between the release position and retained position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will now be described in more detail by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a tap assembly according to a first embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a vertical section showing the manifold base and tap body in the normal operating position;
FIG. 3 is a vertical section showing the manifold base and tap body in the isolated position;
FIG. 4 is a vertical section showing the tap body detached from the manifold base;
FIG. 5 is a horizontal section showing the manifold base and tap body in the normal operating position;
FIG. 6 is a horizontal section showing the manifold base and tap body in the isolated position;
FIG. 7 is a horizontal section showing the manifold base and tap body in the tap release position;
FIG. 8 is a vertical section showing installation of the manifold base;
FIG. 9 is a vertical section showing the manifold base installed;
FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a tap assembly according to a second embodiment of the invention partially assembled; and
FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a tap assembly according to a third embodiment of the invention partially assembled.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring to FIGS. 1 to 9 of the drawings, a tap assembly 1 has a body element 3 detachably connected to a mounting element 5 connected to a pair of supply pipes 7 , 9 for hot and cold water. In this embodiment the body element 3 is a tap body provided with a flow control and/or mixing mechanism for the hot and cold water and the mounting element 5 is a fluid manifold base for delivering hot and cold water from the supply pipes 7 , 9 to the tap body.
The supply pipes 7 , 9 extend through an aperture 11 in a mounting surface 13 and engage inlets 15 , 17 in the underside of the manifold base 5 . The supply pipes 7 , 9 and inlets 15 , 17 may have mating screw threads to secure releasably the supply pipes 7 , 9 to the manifold base 5 . The supply pipes 7 , 9 may be provided with seals such as O-rings (not shown) mounted in grooves 19 , 21 co-operable with the inlets 15 , 17 to provide a watertight seal. Any other means of securing and sealing the supply pipes 7 , 9 may be employed. The mounting surface 13 may be a sink, washbasin, bidet, bath or any other suitable surface for mounting the tap assembly, for example a worktop. The mounting surface 13 may comprise a ceramic, glass, wood (including wood substitutes or composites) or any other suitable material for mounting the tap assembly 1 .
The manifold base 5 is seated on the topside of the mounting surface 13 and is releasably secured to the mounting surface 13 by a clamping assembly including retainer means for passage through the aperture 11 from the topside of the mounting surface 13 and operable on tightening the clamping assembly from the topside of the mounting assembly to secure the manifold base 5 to the mounting surface. As shown, the retainer means includes a clamping plate 23 and a pair of clamping arms 25 , 27 . The clamping plate 23 is located between the supply pipes 7 , 9 and the clamping arms 25 , 27 are pivotally connected to opposite ends of the clamping plate 23 . The clamping plate 23 has a central aperture 29 provided with a screw thread (not shown) that is engaged by a screw thread (not shown) on the lower end of a bolt 31 that extends through the manifold base 5 . The bolt 31 has a head 33 provided with a socket 35 for receiving a tool (not shown) to rotate the bolt 31 .
To secure the manifold base 5 to the mounting surface 13 , the supply pipes 7 , 9 are attached to the inlets 15 , 17 in the underside of the manifold base 5 . The clamping arms 25 , 27 are pivoted upwards to extend in the direction of the length of the bolt 31 to a closed or collapsed inoperative position in which the free ends of arms 25 , 27 are adjacent the bolt 31 and the manifold base 5 is then lowered towards the mounting surface 13 to pass the clamping plate 23 and clamping arms 25 , 27 through the aperture 11 in the mounting surface 13 in the direction of arrow A as shown in FIG. 8 .
When the clamping arms 25 , 27 clear the aperture 11 on the underside of the mounting surface, they pivot outwards under gravity in the direction of arrow B as shown in FIG. 9 to an open or extended operative position in which the free ends are spaced away from the bolt 31 and lugs 25 a , 27 a engage the mounting plate 23 to prevent further pivotal movement of the arms 25 , 27 . The clamping arms 25 , 27 are preferably configured so as to pivot to the operative position automatically on clearing the aperture 11 on the underside of the mounting surface 13 . For example, the shape and/or mass of the clamping arms 25 , 27 may be arranged so that the clamping arms 25 , 27 will adopt the operative position under gravity in the absence of a restraining force to retain the clamping arms 25 , 27 in the inoperative position. In a modification (not shown) the clamping arms may be urged towards the operative position by a biasing member such as a spring and movable to the collapsed position against the biasing force for passage through the aperture.
The free ends of the clamping arms 25 , 27 are provided with angle section formations 37 , 39 having faces 37 a , 37 b and 39 a , 39 b that extend normal to one another. In the open position, the faces 37 a , 39 a extend generally parallel to the underside of the mounting surface and the faces 37 b , 39 b extend generally normal to the underside of the mounting surface. The underside of the manifold base 5 is stepped to locate within the aperture 11 in the mounting surface 13 and a seal such as an O-ring (not shown) may be mounted in a groove 41 in the underside of the manifold base 5 to provide a watertight seal between the manifold base 5 and the mounting surface 13 around the aperture 11 .
The bolt 31 is then rotated to tighten the clamping assembly by inserting a tool (not shown) in the socket 35 . As the bolt 31 is rotated, the clamping plate 23 is prevented from rotating by the water supply pipes 7 , 9 with the result that the clamping plate 23 is lifted upwards in the direction of arrow C as shown in FIG. 9 towards the underside of the mounting surface 13 causing the clamping arms 25 , 27 to rise upwards until the faces 37 a , 39 a contact the underside of the mounting surface at the edge of the aperture 11 .
Further rotation of the bolt 31 to tighten the clamping assembly takes up any slack and a small sliding action of the clamping arms 25 , 27 occurs radially until the faces 37 b , 39 b contact the inner sidewall 11 a of the aperture 11 in the mounting surface 13 . The contact between the faces 37 a , 39 a and the underside of the mounting surface 13 and between the faces 37 b , 39 b and the inner sidewall of the aperture produces friction to prevent rotation of the manifold base 5 relative to the mounting surface 13 . Furthermore, contact between the faces 37 b , 39 b with the inner side wall 11 a of the aperture 11 locks the arms 25 , 27 and provides feedback to the user that the bolt 31 is sufficiently tight to secure the manifold base 5 in position. In this way, excessive tightening of the clamping assembly can be avoided. Controlling the clamping force may of particular benefit where the tap assembly 1 is secured to a surface that may be damaged by overtightening the clamping assembly, for example a ceramic or glass surface.
The grip to secure the manifold base 5 and resist relative rotation between the manifold base 5 and the mounting surface may be enhanced by appropriate design of the clamping arms 25 , 27 . For example, the contact faces 37 a , 39 a and/or the contact faces 37 b , 39 b may be formed or provided with a high friction material (not shown) to increase the grip. Where provided, the high friction material may be made of rubber or other suitable elastomeric or polymeric material or abrasive paper such as emery to increase friction. The high friction material may be overmoulded on the angle section formations 37 , 39 . Alternatively or additionally, where provided, the contact faces 37 a , 39 a and/or the contact faces 37 b , 39 b may be formed or provided with formations such as teeth, serrations or knurls (not shown) to increase the grip. The formations may be configured to penetrate the underside of the mounting surface 13 and/or the inner side wall of the aperture 11 to provide an interlock. The formations may be formed or provided in high friction material. Increasing the grip may be of particular benefit where the tap assembly 1 is secured to a ceramic or glass surface to prevent rotation of the tap assembly 1 after installation.
When the manifold base 5 is secured in position, the tap body 3 is lowered onto the manifold base 5 and secured by any suitable means. For example, a bayonet connection may be provided between the tap body 3 and manifold base 5 to secure releasably the tap body 3 to the manifold base 5 by a combination of axial and rotational movement of the tap body 3 relative to the manifold base 5 .
In this embodiment, a bayonet connection is provided by interengageable formations such as a lug 43 on the manifold base 5 that co-operates with a groove 45 in the inner surface of the tap body 3 . The groove 45 has a first section 45 a that extends in the axial direction from the end face of the tap body 3 to a second section 45 b that extends in the circumferential direction around the tap body 3 .
When connecting the tap body 3 to the manifold base 5 , the tap body 3 is positioned to align the first section 45 a with the lug 43 so that the lug 43 enters the first section 45 a as the tap body 3 is lowered onto the manifold base 5 . The lug 43 and groove 45 are configured so that the lug 43 aligns with the second section 45 b when the end face of the tap body 3 seats on the mounting surface 13 to cover and conceal the manifold base 5 . The tap body 3 is then rotated so that the lug 43 enters the second section 45 b to prevent the tap body 3 being lifted off the manifold base 5 . In this embodiment, the tap body 3 can be rotated through approximately 90 degrees until the lug 43 engages the end of the groove 45 . The groove 45 may be configured to provide any desired range of axial and/or rotational movement to engage the lug 43 to locate and retain the tap body 3 on the manifold base 5 .
When securing the manifold base 5 to the mounting surface 13 , the lug 43 is positioned so that, when attaching the tap body 3 to the mounting base 5 , the tap body 5 can be rotated to engage the lug 43 in the second section 45 b and locate the tap body 3 in the required position for discharge of water. The tap body 3 may be retained in the required position by frictional engagement between the tap body 3 and manifold base 5 . Alternatively or additionally, the tap body 3 may be locked in the required position by any suitable means, for example by tightening a grub screw 47 to engage a recess in the wall of manifold base 5 . The grub 47 could be replaced with any other suitable fastening means such as a roll pin, a dowel, a standard headed screw or a more complex system such as a locking ring provided with a lug which fits into grooves in the manifold base and the tap body to prevent rotation where linear movement of the ring disengages one of the lugs and allows rotation of the tap body relative to the manifold assembly.
When the tap body 3 is secured to the manifold base 5 , flow of hot water and cold water from the manifold base 5 to the tap body 3 is permitted and, when the tap body 3 is detached from the manifold base 5 , flow of water is prevented by any suitable means. For example, an isolation valve assembly may be provided in the manifold base 5 that is opened when the tap body 3 is connected to the manifold base 5 and closed when the tap body 3 is disconnected from the manifold base 5 . Alternatively, isolation valves may be provided in the supply pipes separate from the tap assembly to prevent fluid flow and allow the tap body 3 to be disconnected from the manifold base 5 .
In this embodiment, an isolation valve assembly is provided by an isolator plate 49 and an isolator plate seal 51 . The isolator plate 49 is mounted for rotation relative to the manifold base 5 between end positions defined by engagement of a lug 53 on the edge of the isolator plate 49 with opposite ends of a slot 55 in the sidewall of the manifold base 5 . The isolator plate 49 is retained by the bolt 31 and a bearing washer 56 is mounted on the bolt 31 between the isolator plate 49 and the bolt head to allow relative rotation between the bolt 31 and the isolator plate 49 . The isolator plate seal 51 seals between the underside of the isolator plate 49 and the manifold base 5 and is located in a channel 57 in the underside of the isolator plate 49 so as to rotate with the isolator plate 49 . The configuration of the isolator plate seal could be changed depending on the sealing requirements. The isolator plate seal could be replaced with a pair of ceramic plates.
Inlet ports 59 , 61 in the manifold base 5 connect the inlets 15 , 17 to a region between inner and outer rings 63 , 65 of the isolator plate seal 51 that prevent water leaking between the manifold base 5 and the isolator plate 49 at the inner and outer peripheries. The inner and outer rings 63 , 65 are joined together by a plurality of connecting webs. The webs seal around two outlet ports 67 , 69 in the isolator plate 49 and divide the region between the outlet ports 67 , 69 into three areas 71 a,b,c on one side of the ports and three areas 73 a,b,c on the other side. The outlet ports 67 , 69 extend above the isolator plate 49 and are received in a pair of inlet ports 75 , 77 in the tap body 3 when the tap body 3 is lowered onto the manifold base 5 so that the isolator plate 49 rotates with the tap body 3 . The outlet ports 67 , 69 are provided with seals such as O-rings (not shown) received in annular grooves 79 , 81 to provide a watertight seal with the inlet ports 75 , 77 in the tap body 3 . In this embodiment, the inlet ports 75 , 77 in the tap body 3 are provided with removable filters 83 , 85 that are retained in position by the outlet ports 67 , 69 of the manifold base 5 when the tap body 3 is lowered onto the manifold base 5 .
The isolator valve assembly controls the flow of water from the manifold base 5 to the tap body 3 . When the tap body 3 is connected to the manifold base 5 in the normal operating position shown in FIGS. 2 and 5 , the outlet ports 67 , 69 of the isolator plate 49 are connected to the inlet ports 75 , 77 in the tap body 3 and communicate with the inlet ports 59 , 61 in the manifold base so that water can flow freely from the manifold base 5 to the tap body 3 . The tap body 3 may be provided with a suitable mechanism (not shown) for discharge of hot water or cold water or a mixture of hot water and cold water.
If required, the tap body 3 can be detached from the manifold base 5 by rotating the tap body 3 relative to the manifold base 5 to align the first section 45 a of the groove 45 with the lug 43 on the manifold base 5 whereupon the tap body 3 can be lifted off the manifold base 5 . As the tap body 3 is rotated, the isolator plate 49 and isolator plate seal 51 rotate with the tap body 3 so that communication between the outlet ports 67 , 69 of the isolator plate 49 and the inlet ports 59 , 61 on the mounting base 5 is gradually reduced. After rotation of approximately 45 degrees from the normal operating position, the isolator plate seal 51 provides a fluid tight seal that isolates the outlet ports 67 , 69 from the inlet ports 59 , 61 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 6 to prevent flow of water from the manifold base 5 to the tap body 3 . In this position, the tap body 3 is still retained on the manifold base 5 by engagement of the lug 43 in the second section 45 b of the groove 45 and the inlet ports 59 , 61 open to sealed areas 71 a , 73 a between the manifold base 5 and the isolator plate 49 .
On continued rotation of the tap body 3 in the same direction, the lug 43 is aligned with the first section 45 a of the groove 45 . In this position, the inlet ports 59 , 61 open to sealed areas 71 b , 73 b between the manifold base 5 and isolator plate 49 as shown in FIG. 7 so that, when the tap body 3 is lifted off the manifold base 5 as shown in FIG. 4 , the isolator valve assembly is closed and prevents flow of water from the manifold base 5 . Confining the incoming supplies to the sealed areas between the outlet ports 67 , 69 when the isolator valve assembly is closed reduces the force of the inlet water pressure pushing the isolator plate 49 away from the manifold base 5 thereby reducing the risk of leakage between the isolator plate 49 and manifold base 5 .
The tap body 3 can be re-fitted by a reverse of the above procedure to remove the tap body 3 and the isolator valve assembly is opened and allows flow of water from the manifold base 5 to the tap body 3 as the tap body 3 is rotated relative to the manifold base 5 .
As will be appreciated, the clamping assembly is operated from the topside of the mounting surface and the isolator valve assembly is operated as the tap body is attached to and detached from the manifold base. This has a number of advantages including but not limited to
Access to the underside of the mounting surface to disconnect/reconnect the inlet water supplies and/or to unfasten/fasten the tap assembly may not be required The water supply to the tap assembly may not be required in order to service/replace the tap body. Separate isolators on the hot and cold inlets may not be required. Access to and operation of isolators in awkward places may not be required Removal of the tap body without isolating the inlet supplies may be avoided Additional tools or effort to isolate the water supplies may be avoided. Access to the serviceable items may be facilitated Access to filters for cleaning/replacement may be facilitated.
It will be appreciated that the clamping assembly may be employed without the isolator valve and two arrangements in which the isolator valve has been omitted are shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 . For convenience, like reference numerals are used to indicate similar features.
In FIG. 10 , the manifold base 5 has an integral sleeve 87 that extends within the aperture in the mounting surface (not shown) and is provided with opposed axially extending slots 89 (only one shown) in the outer surface in which the angle section formations 37 , 39 of the clamping arms 25 , 27 are received. The slots 89 provide a keyway for sliding movement of the angle section formations 37 , 39 in an axial direction while preventing relative rotation between the clamping arms 25 , 27 and the manifold base 5 .
In use, the angle section formations 37 , 39 slide upwards in the slots 89 to engage the underside of the mounting surface when the bolt 31 is rotated to fasten the clamping assembly as described previously. When the angle section formations 37 , 39 engage the underside of the mounting surface, further rotation of the bolt 31 causes the arms to slide outwards to engage the inner wall of the aperture as described previously and take up any slack so that the manifold base 5 is firmly located on the mounting surface. In this way, variations in the thickness (T) of the mounting surface can be accommodated.
Once the manifold base 5 has been secured, the tap body 3 is located on the manifold base 5 to prevent relative rotation and is axially secured to the manifold base 5 by any suitable means. For example, the tap body 3 may have one or more axial lugs (not shown) on the inner surface that locate in a corresponding recess 91 (only one shown) in the manifold base 5 to prevent relative rotation and may be axially secured by engagement of a grub screw (not shown) in an annular groove 93 in the manifold base 5 .
In FIG. 11 , the manifold base 5 has an integral sleeve 87 that extends within the aperture in the mounting surface (not shown) and is provided with opposed axially extending flats 95 (one only shown) in the outer surface and a pair of slots 97 , 99 providing access to the flats 95 from above the manifold base 5 . The slots 97 , 99 provide openings for four legs 101 (only three shown) that extend from the tap body 3 .
In use, the manifold base 5 is secured to the mounting surface (not shown) by rotating the bolt 31 to fasten the clamping assembly as described previously. The tap body 3 is then lowered onto the manifold base 5 so that the legs 101 pass through the slot 97 , 99 and extend either side of the angle section formations 37 , 39 to prevent rotation of the tap body 3 relative to the manifold base 5 . The tap body 3 may be axially secured to the manifold base 5 by engagement of a grub screw (not shown) in an annular groove 93 in the manifold base 5 .
As will be appreciated, restricting rotation of the tap body 3 as described and shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 provides a secure fixing for the tap body 3 . With this arrangement, the manifold base 5 has to be correctly positioned on the mounting surface as angular adjustment of the tap body 3 on the manifold base 5 to orientate the tap body 3 in the required direction is not permitted. However, it will be apparent that any adjustment to the mounted position of the tap body 3 can be achieved by detaching the tap body and releasing the clamping assembly sufficiently to rotate the manifold base to the correct position before re-tightening the manifold base 5 and attaching the tap body 3 .
It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the previously described embodiments which are capable of being modified without departing from the principles of the invention. For example, in the above embodiments, both clamping arms are pivotal between the collapsed position for passage through the aperture in the mounting surface to the operative position during installation. In a modification, one of the clamping arms may be pivotal between the collapsed position and the operative position and the other arm may be fixed for example, where sufficient clearance to pass through the aperture can be achieved. with one arm fixed and the other arm pivotal. Although in the above-described embodiments the clamping assembly is provided with two clamping arms, it will be understood that more than two clamping arms may be employed according to requirements. Where more than two clamping arms are provided, all the clamping arms may be pivotal between the collapsed position and the operative position or a combination of fixed and pivotal clamping arms may be employed. In the above-described embodiment, the fluid delivery device has a manifold and separate tap body attached to the manifold that allows the tap body to be attached to and removed from the manifold with the manifold secured to the mounting surface. It will be understood that this may not be essential and that the clamping assembly could be attached to the tap body to secure the tap body directly to the mounting surface without a separate manifold.
It will also be understood that the invention is capable of wider application. For example, in the previously described embodiment the tap assembly enables the user to select and discharge water having any temperature from full hot to full cold. However, the invention could easily be adapted for a tap which delivers only hot or cold water. This could be done by simply adding a sealing bung into the unwanted inlet port of the manifold base or by replacing the manifold base with one having only one inlet port. The invention could also be used for mounting other fluid delivery devices such as mixer valves for showers.
It will also be understood that the clamping assembly and isolator valve assembly may be provided together as shown and described in FIGS. 1 to 9 . Alternatively, the clamping assembly may be provided separate from the isolator valve assembly as shown and described in FIGS. 10 and 11 . Alternatively, the isolator valve assembly may be provided separate from the clamping assembly. The invention includes all such applications. | Apparatus and method for attaching a tap to a mounting surface ( 13 ) has a clamping assembly inserted through an aperture ( 11 ) in the mounting surface ( 13 ) and tightened from above the mounting surface ( 13 ). The clamping assembly has a pair of clamping arms ( 25, 27 ) that are mounted for pivotal movement from a collapsed position for passage through the aperture ( 11 ) to an operative position below the mounting surface ( 11 ). The clamping arms ( 25, 27 ) are operable on tightening the clamping assembly to engage in a first stage an underside of the mounting surface ( 13 ) remote from the fluid delivery device and to engage in a second stage a sidewall of the aperture ( 11 ) when continuing tightening. Thus a step change in an operating force is required that provides feedback to an installer that a required clamping force has been achieved. | 4 |
RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation of copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/696,235, filed on Oct. 28, 2003.
The present application is related to commonly owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/696,026, published as U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0088385 (“the '385 application”), entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PERFORMING IMAGE RECONSTRUCTION AND SUBPIXEL RENDERING TO EFFECT SCALING FOR MULTI-MODE DISPLAY”, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND
In commonly owned United States Patent Applications: (1) U.S. Pat. No. 6,903,754 (“the '754 Patent”) [Ser. No. 09/916,232] entitled “ARRANGEMENT OF COLOR PIXELS FOR FULL COLOR IMAGING DEVICES WITH SIMPLIFIED ADDRESSING,” filed Jul. 25, 2001; (2) U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0128225 (“the '225 application”) [Ser. No. 10/278,353], entitled “IMPROVEMENTS TO COLOR FLAT PANEL DISPLAY SUB-PIXEL ARRANGEMENTS AND LAYOUTS FOR SUB-PIXEL RENDERING WITH INCREASED MODULATION TRANSFER FUNCTION RESPONSE,” filed Oct. 22, 2002; (3) U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0128179 (“the '179 application”) [Ser. No. 10/278,352] entitled “IMPROVEMENTS TO COLOR FLAT PANEL DISPLAY SUB-PIXEL ARRANGEMENTS AND LAYOUTS FOR SUB-PIXEL RENDERING WITH SPLIT BLUE SUB-PIXELS,” filed Oct. 22, 2002; (4) U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0051724 (“the '724 application”) [Ser. No. 10/243,094], entitled “IMPROVED FOUR COLOR ARRANGEMENTS AND EMITTERS FOR SUB-PIXEL RENDERING,” filed Sep. 13, 2002; (5) U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0117423 (“the 423 application”) [Ser. No. 10/278,328] entitled “IMPROVEMENTS TO COLOR FLAT PANEL DISPLAY SUB-PIXEL ARRANGEMENTS AND LAYOUTS WITH REDUCED BLUE LUMINANCE WELL VISIBILITY,” filed Oct. 22, 2002; (6) U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0090581 (“the '581 application”) [Ser. No. 10/278,393] entitled “COLOR DISPLAY HAVING HORIZONTAL SUB-PIXEL ARRANGEMENTS AND LAYOUTS,” filed Oct. 22, 2002; (7) U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0080479 (“the '479 application”) [Ser. No. 10/347,001] entitled “IMPROVED SUB-PIXEL ARRANGEMENTS FOR STRIPED DISPLAYS AND METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR SUB-PIXEL RENDERING SAME,” filed Jan. 16, 2003, each of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety, novel sub-pixel arrangements are therein disclosed for improving the cost/performance curves for image display devices.
For certain subpixel repeating groups having an even number of subpixels in a horizontal direction, the following systems and techniques to affect proper dot inversion schemes are disclosed and are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety: (1) U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0246280 (“the '280 application”) [Ser. No. 10/456,839] entitled “IMAGE DEGRADATION CORRECTION IN NOVEL LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAYS”; (2) U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0246213 (“the '213 application”) [Ser. No. 10/455,925] entitled “DISPLAY PANEL HAVING CROSSOVER CONNECTIONS EFFECTING DOT INVERSION”; (3) U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0246381 (“the '381 application”) [Ser. No. 10/455,931] entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD OF PERFORMING DOT INVERSION WITH STANDARD DRIVERS AND BACKPLANE ON NOVEL DISPLAY PANEL LAYOUTS”; (4) U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0246278 (“the '278 application”) [Ser. No. 10/455,927] entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR COMPENSATING FOR VISUAL EFFECTS UPON PANELS HAVING FIXED PATTERN NOISE WITH REDUCED QUANTIZATION ERROR”; (5) U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0246279 (“the '279 application”) [Ser. No. 10/456,806] entitled “DOT INVERSION ON NOVEL DISPLAY PANEL LAYOUTS WITH EXTRA DRIVERS”; (6) U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0246404 (“the '404 application”) [Ser. No. 10/456,838] entitled “LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY BACKPLANE LAYOUTS AND ADDRESSING FOR NON-STANDARD SUBPIXEL ARRANGEMENTS”; and (7) U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0083277 (“the '277 application”) [Ser. No. 10/696,236] entitled “IMAGE DEGRADATION CORRECTION IN NOVEL LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAYS WITH SPLIT BLUE SUBPIXELS”.
These improvements are particularly pronounced when coupled with sub-pixel rendering (SPR) systems and methods further disclosed in those applications and in commonly owned U.S. Patent Applications: (1) U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0034992 (“the '992 application”) [Ser. No. 10/051,612] entitled “CONVERSION OF A SUB- PIXEL FORMAT DATA TO ANOTHER SUB-PIXEL DATA FORMAT,” filed Jan. 16, 2002; (2) U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0103058 (“the '058 application”) [Ser. No. 10/150,355] entitled “METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR SUB-PIXEL RENDERING WITH GAMMA ADJUSTMENT,” filed May 17, 2002; (3) U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0085906 (“the '906 application”) [Ser. No. 10/215,843], entitled “METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR SUB-PIXEL RENDERING WITH ADAPTIVE FILTERING,” filed Aug. 8, 2002; (4) U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0196302 (“the '302 application”) [Ser. No. 10/379,767] entitled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR TEMPORAL SUB-PIXEL RENDERING OF IMAGE DATA” filed Mar. 4, 2003; (5) U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0174380 (“the '380 application”) [Ser. No. 10/379,765] entitled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MOTION ADAPTIVE FILTERING,” filed Mar. 4, 2003; (6) U.S. Pat. No. 6,917,368 (“the '368 Patent”) [Ser. No. 10/379,766] entitled “SUB-PIXEL RENDERING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IMPROVED DISPLAY VIEWING ANGLES” filed Mar. 4, 2003; (7) U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0196297 (“the '297 application”) [Ser. No. 10/409,413] entitled “IMAGE DATA SET WITH EMBEDDED PRE-SUBPIXEL RENDERED IMAGE” filed Apr. 7, 2003, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
Improvements in gamut conversion and mapping are disclosed in commonly owned and co-pending United States Patent Applications: (1) U.S. Pat. No. 6,980,219 (“the '219 Patent”) [Ser. No. 10/691,200] entitled “HUE ANGLE CALCULATION SYSTEM AND METHODS”, filed Oct. 21, 2003; (2) U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0083341 (“the '341 application”) [Ser. No. 10/691,377] entitled “METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONVERTING FROM SOURCE COLOR SPACE TO RGBW TARGET COLOR SPACE”, filed Oct. 21, 2003; (3) U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0083352 “(the “352 application”) [Ser. No. 10/691,396] entitled “METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONVERTING FROM A SOURCE COLOR SPACE TO A TARGET COLOR SPACE”, filed Oct. 21, 2003; and (4) U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0083344 (“the '344 application”) [Ser. No. 10/690,716] entitled “GAMUT CONVERSION SYSTEM AND METHODS”, filed Oct. 21, 2003, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. All patent applications mentioned in this specification are hereby incorporated by reference.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in, and constitute a part of this specification illustrate exemplary implementations and embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain principles of the invention.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional signal processing pathway for a standard display/monitor/television unit displaying a television signal thereon.
FIG. 2 depicts one embodiment of the present invention wherein a standard television signal is processed and shown on a display/monitor/television that shows a reduction in bandwidth within the unit.
FIG. 3 shows one embodiment of a display/monitor/television architecture built in accordance with the principles of the present invention.
FIG. 4 depicts one possible embodiment of an architecture implementing a multi-mode operation on a display made in accordance with the principles of the present invention.
FIG. 5 shows a possible video sync and data timing signals to help effect a proper centering for letter box viewing.
FIG. 6 shows one embodiment of a EDID circuit to help enable multi-mode operation of a display system as controlled by a personal computer or the like.
FIGS. 7 and 8 show two alternate embodiments of architectures to effect multi-mode operation of a display system made in accordance with the principles of the present invention.
FIG. 9 shows one embodiment of a pixel doubler made in accordance with the principles of the present invention.
FIG. 10 shows one embodiment of a line doubler made in accordance with the principles of the present invention.
FIGS. 11 and 12 show yet another embodiment of a line doubler made in accordance with the principles of the present invention.
FIGS. 13 and 14 show yet another embodiment of a line doubler made in accordance with the principles of the present invention.
FIGS. 15 and 16 show a high level block diagram of an architecture that may support interpolation as well as data duplication and the effects of its output respectively.
FIGS. 17 and 18 show two embodiments of similar architectures, one that supports interpolation exclusively and another that supports interpolation and duplication modes.
FIGS. 19 and 20 show another embodiment of a interpolation/duplication block and one possible signal diagram respectively.
FIGS. 21 and 22 show yet another embodiment of a interpolation/duplication block and one possible signal diagram respectively.
FIGS. 23 and 24 show one embodiment of a two-channel input pixel interpolation block and a possible signal diagram respectively.
FIGS. 25 , 26 and 27 show one embodiment of a line interpolation/duplication block and timing diagrams for its interpolation mode and its duplication mode respectively.
FIGS. 28 and 29 show two embodiments of a two-channel input interpolation block, one that performs same color sharpening subpixel rendering and one that performs cross-color sharpening respectively.
FIGS. 30 and 31 show one embodiment of a two-channel input interpolation block and a possible timing diagram respectively.
FIGS. 32 and 33 show yet another embodiment of a two-channel input interpolation block and a possible timing diagram respectively.
FIG. 34 shows an alternative embodiment to the system of FIG. 4 .
FIG. 35 shows an alternative embodiment to the system of FIG. 18 .
FIG. 36 shows an alternative embodiment to the system of FIG. 25 .
FIG. 37 shows one possible timing diagram for the system of FIG. 36 .
FIG. 38 shows an alternative embodiment to the system of FIGS. 25 and 36 .
FIGS. 39 and 40 show possible timing diagrams for interpolation mode and duplication mode for FIG. 38 .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Reference will now be made in detail to implementations and embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.
Currently, there are a number of television broadcast standards in existence and several companies have attempted to create display systems that are capable of receiving a number of such broadcasts and rendering them onto a common display.
FIG. 1 is typical of some of the image processing pathways through these multi-mode displays. Pathway 100 starts by inputting one of any number of standard television signals at 102 —possibly in need of de-interlacing picture processing at 103 . As one example, the signal could be NTSC in 640×480 RGB format—i.e. having 640×3×480 resolution. An image processing block 104 accepts this data and upsamples the data to 1280×3×960 data for rendering on, for example, an RGB striped 1280×3×960 display. The signal leaving image processing block 104 is at approximately “high definition television” (HD) bandwidths and is input into at video processing block 106 , which typically incorporates frame buffers at approximately 1280×3×960 dimensioning. Any desired auxiliary for the display system—such as subpixel rendering, response time enhancement, or other image enhancement function—could be performed by the video processing block. The output of video processing block 106 is again of the order of HD bandwidth—which is received as, for example, 1280×960 input into the aforementioned display.
In accordance with the principles of the present invention, however, FIG. 2 shows one embodiment of a different image processing pathway that can occur to give similar image rendering performance—but with reduced memory and bandwidth requirements. Pathway 200 could accept one of any number of standard television signals at 202 (e.g. the same NTSC signal as in FIG. 1 ). This signal is of the order of NTSC bandwidth and is input into an optional de-interlacing picture processing block 204 (if de-interlacing is required of the signal). The output of this block is again of the order of NTSC bandwidth and is subsequently input into an interpolation/subpixel rendering (SPR) block 206 .
As will be further discussed below and as is further detailed in the co-pending related applications herein incorporated by reference, the interpolation/SPR block 206 does not need multiple frame buffers at 1280×3×960 dimensioning. Additionally, the signal that is output to the display 208 is on the order of one half of the bandwidth associated with HD—even though the rendered image is of HD quality. This is possible, in part, because display 208 employs one of a number of novel subpixel layouts disclosed in many of the commonly assigned applications incorporated by reference above.
FIG. 3 shows one possible embodiment of an architecture as made in accordance with the principles of the present invention. Display system 300 accepts one of a plurality of analog and/or digital signals for multi-mode processing—for example, NTSC, VGA or SXGA RGB data, HDTV, and other formats. The signal is fed into the interpolation and/or SPR block 302 where the input data may be appropriately scaled and subpixel rendered for display. In this example, the output of block 302 may be input into a timing controller 304 —however, it should be appreciated that, in other embodiments, the interpolation and SPR may be incorporated into the timing controller itself, may be built into the panel (particularly using LTPS or other like processing technologies), or may reside elsewhere in the display system (e.g. within a graphics controller). The scope of the present invention should not be particularly limited to the placement of the interpolation and/or subpixel rendering within the system
In this particular embodiment, the data and control signals are output from timing controller 304 to column drivers 306 and row drivers 308 . Data is then sent to the appropriate subpixels on display panel 310 . As shown here, panel 310 is formed by a substantially repeating subpixel grouping 312 , which is comprised—as seen in an expanded view—of a 2×3 subpixel unit wherein vertical striped subpixel 314 depicts the color red, horizontal striped subpixel 316 depicts the color blue, and the diagonally striped subpixel 318 depict the color green. It should be appreciated that the subpixels in repeating group 312 are not drawn to scale with respect to the display system; but are drawn larger for ease of viewing. One possible dimensioning for display 310 is 1920 subpixels in a horizontal line (640 red, 640 green and 640 blue subpixels) and 960 rows of subpixels. Such a display would have the requisite number of subpixels to display VGA, 1280×720, and 1280×960 input signals thereon.
Table 1 below is a summary of the possible display systems comprising panels having subpixel resolutions—e.g. 640×3×960 would indicate a panel having 640 red, 640 green and 640 blue subpixels in a row, comprising 960 such rows. Such a panel used in the present invention would have an effective maximum resolution of 1280×960—wherein each red and green subpixel could effectively be the center of luminance for an RGB pixel value. The last column indicates some of the modes that such a display system of the present invention could then support. For example, the above described panel and system could support VGA, SVGA, NTSC, PAL and 720 p video formats.
TABLE 1
Effective max
Subpixel resolution
resolution
Supported modes
640 × 3 × 960 (4:3)
1280 × 960
VGA (1:2), SVGA,
NTSC, PAL, 720p (1:1)
640 × 3 × 1024 (5:4)
1280 × 1024
VGA, SVGA, XGA,
SXGA (1:1), NTSC,
PAL, 720p
960 × 3 × 1080 (16:9)
1920 × 1080
WVGA, WXGA, 720p,
1080i (1:1)
852 × 3 × 960 (16:9)
1704 × 960
WVGA (1:2), WXGA
1280 × 3 × 1440 (16:9)
2560 × 1440
WXGA (1:2), 720p,
1080i
Note:
Possible aspect ratio included in column 1, and possible scaling ratio in column 3
As further disclosed in the related patent application incorporated herein, displaying a standard 640×480 television signal onto a panel as discussed herein—i.e. one that comprises 640×3×960 physical subpixels; but has greater image quality with subpixel rendering—may take advantage of interpolation followed by cross-color sharpened subpixel rendering to effectively scale the image to 1280×960 logical pixels. This reconstructs the image with reduced moire and aliasing artifacts since the interpolation serves as a low-pass reconstruction filter for the luminance signal while the sharpened subpixel rendering filter serves to remove any spatial frequencies that may cause chromatic aliasing, thus preserving the color balance and image constrast.
Also, shown in FIG. 3 , other subpixel repeating groups 320 , 322 , 323 , 324 , 325 and 326 are also possible for purposes of the present invention. These subpixel repeating groups and algorithms to drive them are further disclosed in the above applications incorporated by reference. The subpixel repeating group 320 depicts use of at least a fourth color—e.g. white, cyan, blue-grey, magenta or the like—which could expand the color gamut and/or brightness of the display over and above traditional 3 color primary systems. The other subpixel repeating groups could similarly comprise at least a fourth color as well. As with some of these subpixel repeating groups, the bandwidth and memory requirements are in a range that is less than what traditional RGB stripe systems require, and down to approximately one half of HD bandwidth. One of the reasons is the subpixel rendering as disclosed in the '612 application, the '355 application, and the '843 application boosts the effective resolution of the panels with these novel layouts in both horizontal and vertical axes. Thus, the subpixels in question may be resized to (for example) a 2:3 aspect ratio, as opposed to the standard 1:3 aspect ratio found in traditional RGB stripe displays. This resizing creates a display panel of comparable image display quality; but with approximately one half the number of subpixels in a horizontal direction. This reduces the bandwidth and memory requirements appropriately.
FIG. 4 shows one possible embodiment of a present interpolation/SPR block 302 . Block 302 is depicted here as one that may optionally support a multi-mode (i.e. accepts multiple video input formats and displays one or more output video formats) operation. It will be appreciated that, although FIG. 4 shows particular resolution specification numbers and other implementation details, these details are meant for illustrative purposes only and the present invention is not to be limited to particular numbers or formats specified in the Figures.
Input signal 402 arrives at interpolation/duplication block 404 and an input resolution detector 406 . As shown for illustration purposes, signal 402 could be 640×480 or 1280×960. Two pathways (Path A and B) are shown as one embodiment of multi-mode support. If the detector 406 detects the signal as a 1280×960 signal, then the interpolation/duplication block 404 is bypassed—e.g. by either disabling the block or, as shown, using a MUX 408 to select an alternate data path (e.g. Path B) for input into the SPR block 410 .
Interpolation/duplication block 404 could be implemented, as one embodiment, to either use interpolation (e.g. linear, bi-linear, cubic, bi-cubic and the like) or duplication (i.e. replicate horizontal pixel data to expand from 640 to 1280 pixel values and replicate line data to expand from 480 to 960 line values) to achieve appropriate scaling. It will be appreciated that other embodiments could employ either only interpolation or only duplication as opposed to having a choice among the two modes. In this embodiment, a doubling (interpolation or duplication) mode signal 412 could be supplied to block 404 and to a MUX 414 to select the appropriate filter kernel to the SPR block 410 .
Three such filters are shown 416 , 418 , 420 for illustrative purposes. Filter 416 could be a “unity” filter—which could be used with VGA input and in a duplication mode. Such a unity filter could be implemented with the following coefficients for all colors (R, G and B):
0
0
0
0
255
0
0
0
0
×
1
/
255.
Filter 418 could be a “sharpening” filter, designed to give improved image quality for video data; and could possibly be used for VGA input with an interpolation mode. One such sharpening filter might be implemented (for R and G colors) as:
-
16
32
-
16
32
192
32
-
16
32
-
16
×
1
/
255.
Filter 420 could be a “diamond” filter, designed to give improved image quality for text image data and could possibly be used for SXGA input. One such diamond filter might be implemented (for R and G colors) as:
0
32
0
32
128
32
0
32
0
×
1
/
255.
The blue color for the last two filters could be implemented as:
0
0
0
0
128
128
0
0
0
×
1
/
255.
A fourth filter 421 is shown to depict that N filters could be possibly employed by the subpixel rendering block. Such other filters might implement area resampling or a windowed sync function. As mentioned, the choice of which filter to apply could be determined by select signals applied to a MUX 414 with the select signals being a duplication (or interpolation) mode select signal and an input resolution detection signal. The duplication or interpolation mode select signal could be supplied by the user of the display system (e.g. depending upon whether the user wants to display primarily video or text images) or the select signal could be supplied by applications that are accessing the display system and are capable of automatically deciding which mode and/or filter to apply depending upon the state of the application.
Once subpixel rendering has occurred, the video output data can be supplied upon a Video Out line 422 and the sync signals could also be optionally sent to an optional centering sync block 424 . Centering sync block 424 could supply an output sync signal 428 depending upon the data (e.g. 640×480 or 1280×960) format being output. If the output data is 1280×960, then output display image does not need to be centered—e.g. as in a letter box format. If the input is 1280×720, it might be desirable to pad the scaled signal to be centered by appropriate introduction of black lines before and after the 720 active lines of data.
FIG. 34 is an alternative embodiment for the system of FIG. 4 . In FIG. 34 , the Input Resolution Detector sets a “bypass” signal and supplied to the Interpolation/Duplication block so that input signals may be passed through to the SPR block—directly in either serial (depending upon whether buffers are employed in SPR block) or via three data lines. FIG. 35 shows another embodiment of the present system which employs the bypass signal at a Mux 3502 and at Line Select to effect one possible bypass mode. FIG. 36 shows yet another embodiment in which bypass mode is effected to supply data on lines 3602 , 3604 and 3606 for such bypass mode of operation. FIG. 37 is one possible timing diagram for the bypass mode of FIG. 36 .
FIG. 38 is one embodiment of the present system that may be used in the Interpolation/Duplication block of FIG. 4 . A single Line Out may supply data to the SPR block that may, in turn, buffer the data. FIGS. 39 and 40 show possible timing diagrams for the Interpolation Mode and Duplication Mode respectively for the system of FIG. 38 .
FIG. 5 depicts the effect of applying the appropriate black line padding to a 640×480 scaled output signal for display—e.g. having 1280×1024 subpixels and displaying scaled VGA 1280×960 output data. As may be seen, the centering sync signal could be used to take a video stream bordered by a back porch (BP) delay and a front porch (FP) delay plus 64 lines to create a video stream that has the appropriate BP and FP delays that have a more equal distribution of padded black lines to center the image data on the display.
FIG. 6 depicts another optional aspect of the present invention. EDID selection circuit 600 could be implemented to inform another system—e.g. a personal computer (PC) or the like—regarding the display resolution capabilities of the display system. Typically in a display system, EDID comprises a plurality of ROM storage (e.g. 606 and 608 and possible other ROMS that are not shown) that informs a PC or other suitable system what the display capabilities are of the display via an I2C communications channel 610 . In a multi-mode display system, however, it may be important for the user or application accessing the display system to inform the PC or the like what the capabilities are and either could select ( 602 ) which signal to send to MUX 604 . Once the proper EDID data is selected (e.g. as shown VGA or SXGA or any other ROM to enable other modes as necessary), such data would be supplied to the PC via a graphics card or the like.
Other embodiments of the present system are shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 . FIG. 7 shows a system 700 that accepts a plurality of input signals at MUX 702 and depending upon what resolution detector 704 detects, the input data is sent to a plurality of paths (only two shown here as 480 p or 720 p data—of course, other data and their paths are possible). Each path may be sent into an SPR block (shown here as a 1:2 SPR and 1:1 SPR 714 , 716 respectively—of course, other SPR blocks that implement different scaling modes are possible). Depending upon the resolution of the input data set, the system could add lines ( 708 ) or double the number of lines ( 710 ), and possibly provide a centering block ( 712 ) for one or more resolution modes. The results of the SPR blocks may be multiplexed ( 718 ) according to which data is to be rendered upon the display 722 . Likewise, the line signals may be multiplexed ( 720 ) according to which data is to be rendered on the display. FIG. 8 is yet another embodiment of the present system that is similar to FIG. 7 . One difference is that a reduced number of SPR blocks are used in the system because one or more input data paths are interpolated ( 802 ) to provide a correct amount of data to the SPR blocks.
Now it will be shown some embodiments suitable to perform some desired interpolation upon image data. FIG. 9 depicts a pixel doubler block 900 that takes input data 902 and latches the input ( 904 ). Multiplies 906 , adder 908 effect the cubic interpolation scheme mentioned above. It should be appreciated that the given coefficients allow cost effective computation—for example, a divide by 1/16 is a right shift four times and multiplying by 9 can be done with a left shift three times and an add with the original value. On even outputs, one of the input pixels is output directly, on odd outputs, the interpolated value is produced—with even and odd outputs effected by Mux 910 .
FIG. 10 shows one embodiment of an odd line doubler 1000 . Odd line doubler inputs image data 1002 (as shown as a plurality of input lines of 640 pixels each—of course, other line widths are possible for other image data formats), and sends the pixel data to a pixel doubler (e.g. the one disclosed in FIG. 9 or the like) which doubles the width of the line. Three doubled lines are stored into line buffers 1004 (for another cubic interpolation step) and one is buffered 1006 so that the appropriate data is present in the multipliers 1008 and adder 1010 to produce the vertical interpolation. This interpolates between lines 2 and 3 . It should be noted that only the last 3 of these values need to be saved in latches 1012 —since those 3 (plus 3 values from line 2 above and 3 values from line 3 below are stored in 1012 ) are desired to do subpixel rendering (SPR) 1014 .
It should also be noted that SPR may be done with two line buffers. Combining cubic interpolation with SPR removes the requirement of separate line buffers. An additional line buffer is all that may be needed to do the cubic interpolation. It should additionally be noted that even with SPR, one more line buffer may be added to synchorize the input and output video streams. So, while typical SPR may require a total of 3 line buffers, the present system may make use of 4 line buffers to effect line doubling and cubic interpolation-SPR.
FIGS. 11 and 12 shows yet another embodiment of a full line doubler 1100 and 1200 respectively. FIG. 11 shows a system for generation even lines 1100 . Because the system outputs twice as many lines as it inputs, FIG. 11 shows the line buffers 1102 being recirculated such that the odd lines are generated with no new input pixels via multipliers 1104 and adders 1106 . Line 2 is output directly to the latches 1108 for SPR and two new interpolated lines are generated one between Line 1 and 2 and another between Line 2 and 3 .
FIG. 12 shows a system 1200 for generating the odd lines. Pixel doubler 1202 produces horizontally interpolated values which are stored in line buffers 1204 . Lines 1 - 4 output to multipliers 1206 and adder 1208 , similar to that shown in FIG. 10 . The output from adder 1208 plus the direct output from lines 2 and 4 are shifted through latches 1210 to supply the values desired for SPR. Line 4 could also serve as the synchorization buffer as discussed above. Line 0 is employed for saving the data to be used on the even lines as discussed in FIG. 11 above.
FIGS. 13 and 14 are yet another embodiment of a full line doubler. FIG. 13 shows an odd line doubler 1300 . Pixel doubler 1302 inputs data to a plurality of line buffers 1304 . Lines 1 , 2 , 3 and 4 are vertically interpolated to produce the center line of data stored in latches 1310 . The output from the adder 1308 is recirculated into a line between Line 1 and 2 , and called Line 1 A. The output of Line 2 and Line 3 are directly input into latches 1310 for SPR. FIG. 14 shows the even line doubler 1400 where the line bufferes 1402 are recirculated. Lines 1 , 2 , 3 and 4 are input into multipliers 1404 and adder 1406 to perform vertical interpolation, with the results input into the last buffer of 1408 for SPR. Lines 1 A and 2 are directly input into latches 1408 . It should be noted that the line buffers in FIGS. 13 and 14 may be shared between the even and odd doublers. During the odd line output, Line 1 A is filled in FIG. 13 and that line is used in the even lines in FIG. 14 . It should also be noted that the use of Line 1 A buffer in FIGS. 13 and 14 obviate the need of the extra multiply/adder as shown in FIG. 11 .
FIGS. 15 and 16 depict yet another embodiment of an interpolation block that may support both interpolation and duplication schemes. In an embodiment that effects multiple modes of resolution, two schemes—interpolation and/or duplication—may be used to effect these modes. For example, if the input resolution is 640×480, it is possible to use either interpolation or duplication to output 1280×960 resolution. Both interpolation and duplication have their own unique properties—interpolation generally makes images smoother; while duplication tends to keep images sharper than interpolation. It is possible to effect interpolation and duplication in one processing block for a more cost effective system. FIG. 15 shows a high level block diagram 1500 of such a system Video input 1502 is input into interpolation filter 1504 which effects an interpolation scheme (such as the one discussed above). One line of video input, however, bypasses the interpolation block and is supplied at the input of mux 1506 . Depending upon whether interpolation or duplication is desired (via Mode select), the output of the mux is shown in FIG. 16 .
FIGS. 17 and 18 depict how to migrate from a strictly interpolation block 1700 having a pixel interpolation unit 1702 and a line interpolation unit 1704 into a dual interpolation/duplication block 1800 . Dual mode block 1800 has similar pixel interpolation and line interpolation blocks as in FIG. 17 ; but with the addition of two Muxs 1804 and 1806 . These two Muxs are supplied a mode select signal that selects either the interpolation or the duplication mode.
FIGS. 19 and 20 show one embodiment of a pixel interpolation block of FIG. 18 . As shown, video data is input into a plurality of latches and subsequently sent to multipliers/adder to effect interpolation. Bypass 1902 is used, however, to effect pixel doubling via Mux 2 upon an appropriate mode select signal. FIG. 20 shows one possible signal timing diagram for the embodiment of FIG. 19 . FIGS. 21 and 22 shows an alternative embodiment of the pixel interpolation block with its associated timing diagram.
FIGS. 23 and 24 depict one embodiment of a two-channel input pixel interpolation block 2300 . Video Output A is a bypass mode to allow for native input data to bypass the processing in block 2300 . Video Output B is an output selected by Mux 2 depending upon a mode select signal. It should be noted that there are opportunities to efficiently design block 2300 to remove the need of a multiplier, as seen in FIG. 23 . FIG. 24 shows a possible timing diagram of the block of FIG. 23 .
FIGS. 25 , 26 and 27 depict one embodiment of a line interpolation block, with timing diagrams for interpolation mode and duplication mode respectively. As may be seen from FIG. 25 , Line Mux selects either interpolated lines or duplicated lines depending upon its mode select signal. The timing diagrams of FIG. 26 and 27 show the respective operations of this block. The Line Select operation is as follows: during odd line, Line Out 1 is Line Buffer 5 output, Line Out 2 is Line buffer 2 output, and Line Out 3 is Line MUX output; during even line, Line Out 1 is Line buffer 2 output, Line Out 2 is Line MUX output, and Line Out 3 is Line buffer 3 output.
FIGS. 28 and 29 are two embodiments of a two-channel input interpolation block, one that may perform same color sharpening subpixel rendering (SPR) and one that may perform cross-color sharpening SPR, respectively. In FIG. 29 , red and green image data are provided to red SPR and green SPR units together to perform the cross-color sharpening subpixel rendering.
FIG. 30 shows one embodiment of a two-channel input interpolation block. As may be seen in FIG. 30 , five input pixels input data into two interpolation units (i.e. multipliers and adder) and two outputs—Video Output A and B—are presented. As may be seen in one possible timing diagram of FIG. 30 , Video Output A outputs the native mode input data while Video Output B outputs the interpolated data
FIG. 32 shows yet another embodiment of a two-channel input interpolation block. As may be seen, the embodiment of FIG. 32 uses only three data latches, as opposed to five data latches used in FIG. 30 . FIG. 33 shows a possible timing diagram of the block shown in FIG. 32 .
While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims. | Systems and methods are herein given to effect a multiple mode display system that may accept multiple input image data formats and output several possible image data format. In a first embodiment, an image processing system comprises: an input that receives a plurality of source image data, said plurality of source image data further comprising a plurality of source image data formats; circuitry that resamples source image data from said source image data format to a plurality of target image data formats; and a display that renders target image data wherein the resolution of the display comprises approximately one half resolution of the largest of said plurality of target image data formats. | 7 |
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation-in-part of International Application PCT/US2006/00570, with an international filing date of Jan. 9, 2006.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/642,365 filed on Jan. 7, 2005, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to fluid pressure sensors (for both liquids and gases), and, more particularly, to wireless fluid pressure sensors.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Accuracy, versatility, ease of use, durability, and cost of manufacturing are important parameters for fluid pressure sensors. In the past hermetically sealed sensors have been used to provide a reference atmosphere for the pressure transducer (the pressure transducer providing an output indicative of a pressure differential on two surfaces of the transducer). A hermetic seal requires a container that is rigid and sealed well enough to withstand the normal wear and tear of a component which may be used in relatively instrument unfriendly industrial environments such as in chemical refineries and oil wells.
Such hermetically sealed pressure sensors provide a pressure measurement that is with respect to the environment inside the sensor package when the sensor was sealed. Sealing the sensor package in a vacuum increases the cost of manufacturing the sensor, while sealing the package at the factory ambient pressure prevents the accuracy of any direct absolute pressure measurement since moving the sensor to a different altitude will cause a pressure differential between the reference pressure of the sensor and the ambient air pressure. Either reference environment does not allow simple, direct measurement of both absolute and gauge pressure.
The use of a wireless pressure sensor allows easy relocation of the sensors and the easy addition of additional sensors as compared to more conventional wired pressure sensors.
What is needed is a fluid pressure sensor that is of high accuracy in an industrial operation while also being versatile, easy to set up and use, durable, and cost effective to manufacture.
It is a principal object of the present invention to a fluid pressure sensor that provides these needed parameters.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly described, a fluid pressure sensor has a pressure transducer and a closable passage between the air outside of said pressure sensor for the pressure transducer and the reference atmosphere inside said pressure sensor.
Also described is a method of improving the performance of a pressure sensor by opening a fluid passageway between the interior of a housing of the pressure sensor and the outside of said housing and closing the passageway prior to measuring a fluid pressure.
In a further aspect of the invention the pressure is transmitted using IEEE standard 802.15.4 with a ZigBee type of data structure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated into and form a part of the specification, illustrate several embodiments of the present invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. The drawings are only for the purpose of illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention and are not to be construed as limiting the invention. In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a fluid pressure sensor in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the pressure sensor shown in FIG. 1 ;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the wired pressure transducer with the temperature detection device in the pressure sensor shown in FIG. 1 ;
FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a portion of the fluid pressure sensor shown in FIG. 1 ;
FIG. 5 is a flow diagram for the calibration procedure of the fluid pressure sensor shown in FIG. 1 ; and
FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of the operation of the fluid pressure sensor shown in FIG. 1 in a customer application.
It will be appreciated that for purposes of clarity and where deemed appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated in the figures to indicate corresponding features, and that the various elements in the drawings have not necessarily been drawn to scale in order to better show the features of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Turning now to the drawings FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a wireless pressure sensor 10 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The sensor 10 has a pressure cap 12 with a pressure port 14 for receiving a fluid, a pressure equalizing or reference port 16 in the pressure cap 12 , a sleeve-like enclosure or body 18 , and an antenna 20 .
FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the sensor 10 showing various components of the sensor 10 . The body 18 is manufactured from two parts, a case 30 and an end cap 32 which is press fit into the case 30 to provide a flat surface for an O-ring 34 located between the body 18 and the antenna 20 . Female threads in the antenna 20 , manufactured by Antennex of Glaendale Heights, Ill., mate with male threads formed on a high tension aluminum frame 36 . The high tension aluminum frame 36 provides a rigid structure for the pressure gauge 10 . The frame 36 is fastened to the pressure cap 12 by screws 38 . A second O-ring 40 fits into a groove 42 in the pressure cap 12 , and the body 18 fits over the frame 36 and onto a lip 44 in the pressure cap 12 . The O-ring 40 forms an airtight and moisture tight seal between the body 18 and the pressure cap 12 . When the antenna is screwed onto the frame 36 , the O-ring 34 also forms an airtight and moisture tight seal between the antenna 20 and the body 18 such that the interior of the body 18 is sealed from the outside atmosphere when a reference port screw 46 is screwed into the reference port 16 .
The pressure port 14 connects to the other end of the pressure cap 12 at an opening 48 . The pressure inlet side of a pressure sensing element 50 , a model number P571 manufactured by Strain Measurement Devices of Meriden, Conn., is electron-beam welded to the opening 48 . The opposite side of the pressure sensing element 50 has a sputtered metal strain gauge formed on the pressure sensing element 50 in the form of a Wheatstone bridge thereby providing four electrical contacts to the strain gauge.
As shown in FIG. 3 a flexible wire harness 60 is attached to these four electrical contacts. A temperature measuring device 62 is mounted on the wire harness 60 in close proximity to the pressure sensing element 50 and connections to the temperature measuring device 62 are included in the wire harness 60 . In the preferred embodiment the temperature measuring device 62 is a model PCS 1.1302.1 platinum RTD temperature sensor manufactured by Jumo Process Control, Inc. of Canastota, N.Y.
Returning to FIG. 2 , an electronics board 70 is attached to the frame 36 by four bolts 72 , and a battery holder 74 is attached to the back of the electronics board 70 so that it projects through an opening 76 in the frame 36 . A battery 78 , which in the preferred embodiment is a lithium thionyl chloride battery, is mounted in the battery holder 74 . Other battery chemistries, such as lithium manganese, can also be used. The electronics board has four major components, a Zero Insertion Force (ZIF) connector 80 which receives one end of the flexible wire harness 60 , a barometric pressure sensor 82 for measuring the absolute pressure inside the pressure sensor 10 , a microcontroller 84 for controlling the operation of the pressure sensor 10 , and a ZigBee/IEEE 802.15.4 RF data modem 86 . The microcontroller 84 has an internal temperature sensor 87 . The RF data modem 86 is mounted onto sockets 88 , and the microcontroller 84 is located under the RF data modem 86 . The RF data modem 86 , which in the preferred embodiment is either a XBee or a XBee-Pro RF Module manufactured by MaxStream of Lindon, Utah, has an RF connector 89 attached to a coaxial cable 90 to connect the RF data modem 86 to a connecting conductor 92 held in a connecting insulator 96 of an RF feedthru system 94 which provides consistent characteristic impedance required for effective coupling of the RF data modem 86 to the antenna 20 .
FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the feedthru system 94 . The coaxial cable 90 has an outer insulator 110 , a braided shield 112 , an inner conductor 114 , and an inner insulator 116 between the shield 112 and the inner conductor 114 . The coaxial cable 90 passes through the frame 36 into a cavity 108 formed in the top of the frame 36 . The outer insulator 110 extends to the bottom of the cavity 108 , and the braided shield 112 is flattened onto the bottom of the cavity 108 . The inner insulator 116 is trimmed back a short distance from the end of the inner conductor 114 . The connecting insulator 96 of the feedthru system 94 is placed in the cavity 108 . The inner conductor insulator 116 and the inner conductor 114 pass through an opening 118 in the bottom of the connecting insulator 96 , and the bottom of the connecting insulator 96 presses the braided shield 112 against the bottom of the cavity 108 . A pipe structure 120 formed at the bottom of the connecting conductor 92 fits into the opening 118 and the inner conductor 114 is pressed into an opening 122 of the pipe structure 120 . The rest of the connecting conductor 92 sits in an opening 126 of the connecting insulator 96 and projects beyond the top of the connecting insulator 96 to make contact with the inner connector on the antenna 20 .
As shown in FIG. 2 , a 20 micron filter 100 is inserted in the passageway between the reference port 16 and the interior of the pressure sensor 10 to prevent dirt and other debris from entering the pressure sensor 10 .
FIG. 5 is a flow diagram 128 for the calibration procedure of the fluid pressure sensor 10 . The microcontroller 84 is first recalibrated by issuing a recalibration command to the microcontroller 84 as indicated by box 130 . Then the fluid pressure gauge 10 has zero gauge pressure applied to it at 21° C. (ambient temperature) as indicated by box 132 . The resistance of the temperature sensing device 62 is stored as indicated by box 134 . The pressure data from the pressure sensing element 50 is then read and stored as indicated by box 135 . The pressure applied to the pressure port 14 is then incremented by steps of 20% of the maximum pressure of the fluid pressure sensor 10 , and the data from the pressure sensing element 50 is read and stored until 100% of the maximum pressure applied to the pressure port 14 has been reached as indicated by boxes 136 and 138 . The temperature is changed to −40° C. as indicated by boxes 140 and 142 , and the above operations indicated by boxes 134 and 135 are repeated. The temperature is then changed to 85° C. as indicated by boxes 140 , 144 , and 146 , and the above operations indicated by boxes 134 and 135 are repeated. After the high temperature calibration process is completed, the calibration process ends as indicated by box 148 .
FIG. 6 is a flow diagram 150 of the operation of the fluid pressure sensor 10 in a customer application. The fluid pressure sensor 10 waits for a command for a pressure reading as indicated by box 154 . When a command for a pressure sensor reading is received, the microcontroller 84 then reads the temperature of the temperature sensor 87 to determine if the temperature of the microcontroller 84 has changed more than 20° C. since the microcontroller 84 was last calibrated as indicated by box 156 . If the temperature has changed more than 20° C., the microcontroller 84 is recalibrated by issuing a recalibration command to the microcontroller 84 as indicated by box 158 . Then the voltage of the battery 78 is measured by the microcontroller 84 as indicated by box 160 . The temperature of the pressure sensing element 50 is determined using electrical measurements from the temperature sensing device 62 which are then normalized using the measured battery voltage to compensate for decaying battery voltage and converted to a corresponding temperature using the ITS-90 table as indicated by box 162 . The pressure at the pressure port 14 is calculated as indicated by box 164 by interpolating the reading from the pressure sensing element 50 and the resistance of the temperature sensing device 62 based on the stored pressure and the resistance of the temperature sensing device 62 generated in the calibration process described above with respect to FIG. 5 . The internal barometric pressure of the pressure sensor 10 is calculated as indicated in box 166 from the output of the barometric pressure sensor 82 using data from the sensor manufacturer. The temperature of the microcontroller 84 is read using the microcontroller 84 as indicated by box 168 . Finally, the pressure at the pressure port 14 , the internal barometric pressure of the pressure sensor 10 , the temperature of the pressure sensing element 50 , the battery voltage, and the temperature of the microcontroller 84 are transmitted to a base station as indicated by box 170 . The fluid pressure sensor 10 returns to the state of waiting for another pressure reading command as indicated in box 154 .
The sending of the internal barometric pressure of the pressure sensor 10 along with the pressure at the pressure port 14 allows the user to determine the gauge pressure, the absolute pressure, and the true gauge pressure. The temperature of the temperature sensing device 62 provides an indication of the temperature of the fluid at the pressure port 14 , while the temperature of the microcontroller 84 provides the temperature of the interior of the pressure sensor 10 . The battery voltage provides an indication of the remaining effective life of the battery 78 .
In a customer application, the microcontroller 84 puts itself and the RF data modem 86 into a sleep mode for 10 second intervals in the preferred embodiment, although the sleep time can be changed by the customer at any time. At the end of the 10 seconds, the RF data modem 86 interrogates a base station located remote from the pressure sensor 10 for any requests or instructions for the pressure sensor 10 . If no data is to be transmitted and no action is to be performed by the pressure sensor 10 , the RF data modem 86 goes into the sleep mode for another sleep interval. If pressure data is requested from the pressure sensor, the RF data modem 86 wakes up the microcontroller 84 and the microcontroller 84 calculates the pressure of the fluid at the pressure port 14 and sends the data to the RF data modem 86 which transmits the data to the base station using the procedure described above with respect to FIG. 6 . Depending upon the instructions received by the RF data modem from the remote base station, the microcontroller 84 may perform other tasks such as configuration changes. Subsequent to any activity, both the RF data modem 86 and microcontroller 84 return to a sleep mode until the next wake-up event.
The reference port 16 can be opened by the customer at the site where the pressure sensor is to be used and the pressure sensor 10 can then provide absolute pressure, gauge pressure, or true gauge pressure which cannot be provided accurately by hermetically sealed pressure sensors.
The non-hermetically sealed pressure sensor of the preferred embodiment of the invention is less expensive to manufacture since a hermetic seal which will remain hermetic during normal use in industry requires specialized packaging materials and production steps that are not required by a non-hermetic sealed pressure sensor. The compensation of the pressure reading from the pressure sensing element 50 based on the temperature of the pressure sensing element 50 , the internal pressure inside the pressure sensor 50 , and the temperature of the electronic components provides greater accuracy in the pressure measurement than without taking into account these additional factors. The pressure sensor 10 is easy to use since only a wireless connection is needed to use the pressure sensor 10 . The compensation of the pressure sensing element 50 data by the effects of the temperature of the pressure sensing element 50 , the pressure inside the pressure sensor 50 and the temperature of the electronics is invisible to the user. The duration of the guaranteed accuracy of the pressure sensor 10 , and the life of the battery is one year in the preferred embodiment using the XBee RF module. This RF module has a data transmission range of about 100 feet indoors. If a greater range is required, the XBee-Pro can be used to provide about 300 feet of transmission indoors, but at a corresponding greater use of battery power during non-sleep operation of the RF data modem 86 . The use of the sockets 88 allows easy mounting of the type of RF data modem 86 needed by the customer.
During construction of the pressure sensor 10 one of several types of pressure transducers 50 are selected depending on the maximum pressure which will be applied to the pressure sensor 10 as specified by the customer.
Other embodiments according to the present invention include embodiments with an LCD display for visual reading of the pressure, the use of a larger battery to provide longer unattended service for the pressure sensor 10 , and modifying the preferred embodiment of the pressure sensor 10 to measure only the temperature of the fluid.
The embodiments described are chosen to provide an illustration of principles of the invention and its practical application to enable thereby one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Therefore, the foregoing description is to be considered exemplary, rather than limiting, and the true scope of the invention is that described in the following claims. | A battery powered wireless fluid pressure sensor has a sealed chamber which can be vented to the outside atmosphere through a re-sealable reference port to allow a user to set the reference atmosphere inside the pressure sensor enabling the pressure sensor to provide absolute, gauge and true gauge pressure readings. The sensor calculates and transmits the fluid pressure taking into account the temperature of the pressure transducer, the temperature of the electronic devices and the barometric pressure inside the sealed chamber to provide accurate pressure measurements over a wide range of operating conditions. | 6 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention concerns new tetramethylaminopiperidine derivatives, and more particularly to products of polyoxyalkylene diamine reacted with alkyl acrylate and further with 2,2',6,6'-tetramethyl-4-aminopiperidine, which are useful as photostabilizers.
2. Description of Related Information
Various synthetic polymers and other materials are light sensitive. When exposed to sunlight or other sources of ultraviolet light, such materials undergo a progressive change in physical properties, typically losing mechanical strength and changing color, resulting in softening, brittleness, discoloration and other undesirable consequences. Photostabilizers have been added to such materials to prevent or diminish their deterioration.
Derivatives of 2,2',6,6'-tetramethyl-4-aminopiperidine (TMAP) have been used as photostabilizers. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,526,972 (Speranza et al.) discloses TMAP derivatives made by hydrogenating the product of TMAP reacted with polyoxyalkylene polyamine. U.S. Pat. No. 4,847,380 (Speranza et al.) discloses TMAP derivatives made by reacting polyoxyalkylene diamine or diol with dicarboxylic acid or diisocyanate followed by reaction with TMAP to form TMAP dimer linked to polyoxyalkylene through amide, urea or urethane bonds.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/410,444 (Lin et al.) filed Sep. 20, 1989 discloses reacting alkyl acrylates with a molar excess of polyoxyalkylene polyamine to make polyamidoamines useful as epoxy curing agents, reaction-injection-molding (RIM) chain extenders and other polymer applications.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention concerns photostabilizers represented by the structure set forth in the Formula 1. ##STR2##
Bis(2,2',6,6'-tetramethyl-4-aminoethyleneamidopiperidyl) Polyoxyalkylenes
In Formula 1, each n is individually 2 or 3, R is hydrogen or hydrocarbyl having from 1 to about 16 carbon atoms and x is from 1 to about 60. Light stabilized compositions comprising an effective light stabilizing amount of such photostabilizer and at least one photosensitive material are provided. Processes for producing such photostabilizers by (1) reacting polyoxyalkylene diamine with a molar excess of alkyl acrylate to produce bis(alkylcarboxylatoethyleneamino) polyoxyalkylene intermediate; and (2) reacting the intermediate with TMAP compound which is unsubstituted or N-alkyl substituted, 2,2',6,6'-tetramethyl-4-aminopiperidine.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The bis (2,2',6,6'-tetramethyl-4-aminoethyleneamidopiperidyl) polyoxyalkylene of this invention can be made in two steps. In the first step, polyoxyalkylene diamine reacts with alkyl acrylate, through Michael addition, to produce bis(alkylcarboxylatoethyleneamino) polyoxyalkylene intermediate. This addition reaction is shown in Equation 1. ##STR3## In Equation 1, n and x are as defined in Formula 1 and R' is alkyl.
The alkyl acrylate can have any suitable alkyl substituent, R'. For example, R' can be straight or branched chain, saturated or unsaturated, cyclic or acyclic, unsubstituted or substituted, and have at least 1, preferably from 1 to about 4, and most preferably 1 or 2, carbon atoms. Typical alkyl acrylates include, among others, one or mixtures of the following: methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, propyl acrylate, butyl acrylate, methoxyethyl acrylate, and so on. Preferred alkyl acrylates are methyl acrylate and ethyl acrylate.
The polyoxyalkylene diamine can be polyoxyethylene diamine where all n in Equation 1 are 2, polyoxypropylene diamine where all n in Equation 2 are 3, or polyoxyalkylene diamine having mixtures of oxyethylene and oxypropylene where n values in Equation 1 are both 2 and 3. Polyoxyalkylene mixtures may contain random or block repeating units of oxyethylene and oxypropylene in any relative amount. The average number of oxyalkylene repeating units in the polyoxyalkylene diamine, defined by x in Formula 1 and Equation 1, is at least 1, preferably from about 1 to about 60, and most preferably from about 2 to about 6. The weight average molecular weight of the polyoxyalkylene diamine is typically from about 100 to about 2,000, preferably from about 140 to about 400, and most preferably from about 148 to about 192.
Suitable polyoxyalkylene diamines include, among others, one or mixtures of the following: JEFFAMINE® Polyoxypropylene D-Series or Polyoxyethylene EDR-Series, both from Texaco Chemical Company, Inc., such as D-230, D-400, D-2000, EDR-148, EDR-192, and the like.
The relative amount of acrylate to diamine is any amount sufficient to produce the diester intermediate. Generally, a slight excess of acrylate, i.e. of ethylenic unsaturation, is provided per mole equivalent of amine in the diamine. Preferably, the molar ratio of acrylate to amine is from about 1:1 to about 1.5:1, and most preferably from about 1:1 to about 1.1:1.
The addition reaction between acrylate and diamine may be conducted under any suitable, including known, conditions for reacting amine with ethylenic unsaturation. The reaction temperature may range from about 30° C. to about 120° C., preferably from about 60° C. to about 110° C. The reaction pressure may range from ambient, or less, up to about 100, and preferably is about atmospheric pressure.
TMAP, including N-alkyl substituted TMAP, reacts with the diester intermediate, by a condensation reaction of amine and ester, to make alcohol by-product (R'OH) and amide-containing, TMAP derivative, as shown in Equation 2. ##STR4## The variables in Equation 2, of n, x, R and R', are as defined previously in Formula 1 and Equation 1.
The TMAP starting material, with a structure shown as TMAP* in Equation 2, may be unsubstituted or have a substituent on the piperidyl ring nitrogen atom, designated by R, which is hydrogen for unsubstituted TMAP. The term "TMAP" is used in the specification both to describe either the specific compound 2,2',6,6'-tetramethyl-4-aminopiperidine, or when referring to a class of compounds to describe 2,2',6,6'-tetramethyl-4-aminopiperidine as well as corresponding N-substituted compounds. When other than hydrogen, the nitrogen substituent is generally alkyl, although any other substantial equivalent can be used. Typical hydrocarbyl substituents can be straight or branched chain, saturated or unsaturated, cyclic or acyclic, unsubstituted or substituted, and have at least 1, preferably from 1 to about 16, and most preferably from 1 to about 4, carbon atoms. R is preferably hydrogen.
The amine/ester condensation reaction may be conducted under any suitable, including known, reaction conditions effective for reacting ester with amine to produce amide bonds. Typical reaction temperatures and pressures are similar to those described previously for producing the intermediate.
If desired, other ingredients can be added before, during or after the addition or condensation reactions. Typical additives include, among others, one or mixtures of the following: catalyst; solvent; stabilizer; or other useful materials.
The TMAP derivative of this invention is useful as a photostabilizer. The compound can be added to polymeric or any other light sensitive material which undergoes a change in physical properties due to exposure to light. Light sensitive materials include, among others, one or mixtures of the following: synthetic polymers like polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyurethane, acrylonitrile/butadiene/styrene copolymer, and the like; and other light sensitive materials such as used in paints, coatings or elsewhere.
The amount of TMAP derivative added to such materials is an effective photostabilizing amount, i.e. any amount which is sufficient to reduce any physical changes due to light exposure. Typically, the amount of TMAP derivative ranges from about 0.035 to about 1, preferably from about 0.05 to about 0.5, and most preferably from about 0.06 to about 0.25, weight percent of the total, usually polymeric, light sensitive material.
Other photostabilizers or ingredients can be added. Typical additives include, among others, one or mixtures of the following: photostabilizers like other TMAP derivatives or materials, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,526,972 (Speranza et al.) and No. 4,847,380 (Speranza et al.), which are both incorporated herein by reference; heat stabilizers; antistatic agents; and any other useful materials.
The following examples present illustrative embodiments of this invention without intention to limit its scope. All percentages given in the disclosure and claims are in weight percent, unless otherwise stated.
______________________________________EXAMPLESTerms used in the examples have the following meanings:Term Designation______________________________________D-230 Polyoxypropylene diamine having a weight average molecular weight of 230, called JEFFAMINE ® D-230 from Texaco Chemical Co. Inc.EDR-148 Polyoxyethylene diamine, made with triethylene glycol initiator, having a weight average molecular weight of 148, called JEFFAMINE ® EDR-148 from Texaco Chemical Co. Inc.EDR-192 Polyoxyethylene diamine, made with tetraethylene glycol initiator having a weight average molecular weight of 192, called JEFFAMINE ® EDR-192 from Texaco Chemical Co. Inc.______________________________________
EXAMPLE 1
In this example, TMAP derivative of this invention is prepared using the following procedure. A 250-milliliter, 3-necked flask equipped with a thermometer, a Dean-Stark® trap, a stirrer and nitrogen-line is charged with 100 grams (1.0 mole) ethyl acrylate and 115 grams (0.5 mole) D-230. The mixture is heated to 60°-70° C. for 3 hours and then to 70°-100° C. for over 3 more hours. The resulting diester intermediate is a colorless liquid having an amine content of 5.4 milliequivalents per gram (meq/g) (5.0 meq/g calculated). A portion of this intermediate, 80.4 grams (about 0.2 mole), is added to a 250 milliliter, 3-necked flask followed by the addition of 62.4 grams (0.4 mole) of (unsubstituted) TMAP. The mixture is heated to 180° C. slowly and held at that temperature for about an hour. The recovered product is a light brown liquid having a structure as shown in Formula 2. The presence of amide is confirmed by hydrogen nuclear magnetic resonance analysis. ##STR5##
EXAMPLE 2
Another TMAP derivative of this invention is prepared following the procedure set forth in Example 1 except that the D-230 is replaced with EDR-192. The product has an amine content measured at 8.1 meq/g (6.6 meq/g calculated) and a structure as shown in Formula 3. ##STR6##
EXAMPLE 3
Further TMAP derivative of this invention is prepared following the procedure set forth in Example 1 except that the D-230 is replaced with EDR-148. The product has an amine content measured at 8.9 meq/g (7.0 meq/g calculated) and a structure as shown in Formula 4. ##STR7##
EXAMPLE 4C (CONTROL)
This example is conducted for comparison. A 250 milliliter, 3-necked flask equipped with a thermometer, a Dean-Stark® trap, a stirrer and nitrogen-line, is charged with 78 grams (0.5 mole) TMAP and then 21.5 grams (0.25 mole) methyl acrylate. The mixture is slowly heated to 200° C. over a 5 hour period. A soft, solid material is obtained, 84.5 grams, which by hydrogen nuclear magnetic resonance analysis is the di-TMAP adduct of the acrylate, having a structural formula as represented in Formula 5. ##STR8##
EXAMPLE 5C (CONTROL)
The procedure in Example 4 is repeated except that the amount of TMAP is reduced to 46.8 grams (0.3 mole) and the methyl acrylate is replaced with 15 grams (0.15 mole) of methyl methacrylate. The mixture is heated slowly to 200° C. and held for a little over an hour. The recovered yellow liquid is analyzed, by hydrogen nuclear magnetic resonance, as only starting material, such that no reaction occurs.
EXAMPLE 6C (CONTROL)
The reaction procedure in Example 5 is repeated except that the methyl methacrylate is replaced with 17.2 grams (0.1 mole) dimethyl maleate and using a reaction temperature of 200° C. The material recovered, 44 grams, is shown by hydrogen nuclear magnetic resonance analysis to have no olefin group remaining. The product is a black colored solid which is believed to have a structure as set forth in Formula 6. ##STR9## | Polyoxyalkylene diamines react with excess acrylate to form diesters which react with 2,2',6,6'-tetramethyl-4-aminopiperidines to give a product of formula 1, useful as photostabilizer for photosensitive materials. ##STR1## | 2 |
[0001] The invention relates to a novel, two-component initiator system having accelerators for curing polymerizable materials.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Two-component initiator systems for curing polymerizable materials are known:
1. Benzoyl peroxide/tertiary aromatic amine: Of the peroxides that can be initiated using amines, dibenzoyl peroxide exhibits the highest thermal stability. However, continuous heating of the preparations results in the rapid onset of spontaneous curing. In addition, the slow oxidation of the amines results in yellowish-brown discoloration and impairs the appearance, which is disadvantageous for dental applications. In an acidic environment, which is necessary in adhesives, the amine is immediately protonated in an acid/base reaction and is thereby deactivated. The two-component system cannot be used under such conditions. 2. Barbituric acid derivatives: Use of the barbituric acid initiator system is favored in dental applications because strong discoloration does not occur afterwards. The second component contains copper and chloride ions which catalyze decomposition of the barbituric acid. Since the system contains no amine, it can also be used under acidic conditions. On account of the low thermal stability the products must always be stored at cool temperatures. The initiator component cannot contain any reactive, crosslinking ingredients, or otherwise spontaneous polymerization occurs. 3. Cumene hydroperoxide/acetylthiourea: An endodontic sealant system has been described in US 2003/0134933 (Pentron). This system contains fairly large quantities (1-10%) of cumene hydroperoxide and acetylthiourea, and possibly traces back to the description of an adhesive in JP 58219281A (Mitsubishi). Very high thermal stability compared to a conventional system was described. However, readjustment of the composition showed unsatisfactorily slow curing kinetics in the lower concentration range. At the lower limit in the description (1% in each case) polymerization completely failed. 4. Cumene hydroperoxide/accelerators: An adhesive according to DE 195 01 933 (Henkel) contains a hydroperoxide as initiator, and as accelerator contains one of the following compounds: sulfimides, hydrazine derivatives, tertiary amines, and salts or complexes of copper. Drying agents may also be contained for accelerating the crosslinking. High reactivity is achieved in individual compositions, but these are strongly colored by the metal salts, display strong yellowing, or exhibit inadequate storage stability. 5. Peroxide/metal compound: A polymerizable composition containing a thermally stable peroxide is described in DE 696 21 500 (Dentsply). In addition to cumene hydroperoxide, the polymerizable system may also contain a metal compound in the form of a thiourea complex. Copper compounds, among others, are described as metal compounds. An acid and an amine must also be contained therein. A powder-liquid system was specifically described in the claims. Although the initiator system as described is apparently functional in an acid-containing environment, the amine contained therein can result in the typical discoloration of such products. 6. EP 1 479 364 A1 describes amine-free two-component dental compositions comprising a thiourea-hydroperoxide initiator system.
[0009] Accordingly, the object is to develop an improved system which has short inhibition times and low content of the initiator components, preferably containing no amine in order to prevent discoloration, and which ensures to the greatest extent possible the functionality under acidic conditions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] Surprisingly, it has been found that catalytic amounts of copper compounds markedly improve the initiator effect of such thiourea-hydroperoxide initiator systems. The object is therefore achieved by an initiator system according to claim 1 , and by compositions containing same according to claim 2 . The subclaims state advantageous embodiments.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0011] The combination of the redox partners cumene hydroperoxide and acetylthiourea in the presence of copper compounds has proven to be particularly suitable. The components, individually and in reactive monomers, can be stored for several months even at high temperatures around 50° C. The low proportions of copper (<0.1%) accelerate the initial redox process so greatly that a concentration of 1% or less of the redox partners is sufficient. Since amine is not contained therein, no subsequent color change has been observed. The pale yellow-green appearance of the polymer depends on the copper concentration, and remains unchanged. The functionality of the two-component system was not adversely affected by the presence of acids.
[0012] The system has the following advantages:
a) The composition represents a two-component initiator system having very high storage stability. The composition does not exhibit subsequent discoloration and is not impaired by acids. The inhibition time may be adjusted over a very wide range by varying the copper content. Numerous tests have been carried out for various combinations, and the respective inhibition times determined. The concentrations of cumene hydroperoxide, acetylthiourea, and copper salt were varied. Two copper salts (acetylacetonate, naphthenate) were tested which showed no apparent differences in reactivity. The inhibition times were determined under acidic conditions by combination with phosphoric acid ester (2%, 5%), 4-META (15%), and acrylic acid (5%). The storage stabilities of all preparations were tracked at 50° C. over a period of up to 3 months. The effect of the copper content on the coloration of the polymer was determined, and the color stability was monitored. b) The initiator system is universally applicable for all radically polymerizable systems. The very good storage stability and the low tendency toward discoloration are particularly advantageous for the production of medical or dental synthetic materials. The possibility of combining with acidic components may open up new fields of application (adhesives, self-etching preparations). c) Compared to the conventional two-component system composed of dibenzoyl peroxide and a tertiary aromatic amine, the inventive system is characterized by markedly better storage stability, may also be processed under acidic conditions, and exhibits improved color stability. d) The composition constitutes a redox system, and in the activated state contains a hydroperoxide as oxidation agent and a thiourea derivative as reducing agent. An initiator system as described is known from patents JP 58219281, US 2003/0134933, US 2003/0166740, and EP 1 479364.
[0017] It was unexpectedly found that the addition of soluble copper compounds results in an accelerator with greatly improved initiation. Addition of acids does not adversely affect the system, and can even lead to a further increase in the initiation activity. Through the addition of copper compounds it is possible to reduce both the concentration of the activating hydroperoxide component and the proportion of the thiourea derivative while still achieving a suitable inhibition time (processing time). The storage stability of the two-component initiator system is not adversely changed by a proportion of the copper compound, as shown in tests. The pale, yellowish intrinsic color of the polymers consistently remains unchanged.
[0018] The composition of the two-component initiator system according to the invention contains an organic hydroperoxide in one component, whereby the compound may also contain more than one hydroperoxide group. In addition to other compounds, t-butylhydroperoxide, t-amylhydroperoxide, benzene hydroperoxide, pinane hydroperoxide, 1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutylhydroperoxide, 5-phenyl-4-pentenylhydroperoxide, and p-diisopropylbenzene hydroperoxide are suitable, with isopropylbenzene hydroperoxide being particularly suitable.
[0019] A second component contains a thiourea derivative and at least one copper compound. The following are examples of such thiourea derivatives:
1-(1,1-Dioxotetrahydrothiophene-3-yl)-1-methyl-3-phenyl-thiourea 1-(1,2-Diphenylethyl)-3-(2,4-xylyl)-2-thiourea 1-(1,2-Diphenylethyl)-3-(4-ethoxyphenyl)-2-thiourea 1-(1,2-Diphenylethyl)-3-(ortho-tolyl)-2-thiourea 1-(1,2-Diphenylethyl)-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1,1′-(3,3′-Dimethylbiphenyl-4,4′-diyl)bis(3-(2-methylpropyl)-2-thiourea) 1,1,3-Triphenyl-2-thiourea 1,1′-(4,5-Dimethyl-1,2-phenylene)bis(3-phenyl-2-thiourea) 1-(1,5-Dime[thyl]-3-oxo-2-ph[enyl]-2,3-dihydro-1H-pyrazole-4-yl)-3-(2-methylallyl)thiourea 1-(1,5-Dime[thyl]-3-oxo-2-ph[enyl]-2,3-dihydro-1H-pyrazole-4-yl)-3-(3-trif[luoro]me[thyl]ph[enyl])thiourea 1-(1,5-Dimethyl-3-oxo-2-phenyl-2,3-dihydro-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)-3-phenylthiourea 1,1-Bis-(2-hydroxyethyl)-3-phenylthiourea 1,1-Diallyl-3-(3-chlorobenzo(b)thiophene-2-carbonyl)thiourea 1,1-Diallyl-3-(4-nitrophenyl)-2-thiourea 1,1-Diallyl-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1,1-Dibenzyl-3-(2,4-dichlorobenzoyl)thiourea 1,1-Dibenzyl-3-(2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-2-thiourea 1,1-Dibenzyl-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1,1-Dibutyl-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1,1-Diethyl-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1,1-Diisobutyl-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1,1-Diisopropyl-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1,1-Dimethyl-3-(2,6-xylyl)-2-thiourea 1,1-Dimethyl-3-(2-methoxyphenyl)-2-thiourea 1,1-Dimethyl-3-(3,4-xylyl)-2-thiourea 1,1-Dimethyl-3-(4-ethoxyphenyl)-2-thiourea 1,1-Dimethyl-3-(4-methoxyphenyl)-2-thiourea 1,1-Dimethyl-3-(alpha-(methylimino)benzyl)-2-thiourea 1,1-Dimethyl-3-(meta-tolyl)-2-thiourea 1,1-Dimethyl-3-(ortho-tolyl)-2-thiourea 1,1-Dimethyl-3-(para-tolyl)-2-thiourea 1,1-Dimethyl-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1,1-Dipropyl-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1-(1-Ethyl-3-piperidinyl)-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1-(1-Naphthyl)-2-thiourea 1-(1-Naphthyl)-3-(2-phenoxypropionyl)-2-thiourea 1,1-Pentamethylene-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1-(2,2-Dimethylpropyl)-3-(2-fluorophenyl)thiourea 1-(2-(2-Hydroxyethoxy)ethyl)-3-phenylthiourea 1-(2,4,6-Tribromophenyl)-2-thiourea 1-(2,4-Dichlorobenzoyl)-3-(1-naphthyl)-2-thiourea 1-(2,4-Dichlorobenzoyl)-3-(7-hydroxy-1-naphthyl)-2-thiourea 1-(2,4-Dichlorophenyl)-2-thiourea 1-(2,4-Difluorophenyl)-3-(2-fluorophenyl)-2-thiourea 1-(2,4-Difluorophenyl)-3-(4-phenoxyphenyl)-2-thiourea 1-(2,4-Difluorophenyl)-3-ethyl-2-thiourea 1-(2,5-Dichlorophenyl)-3-(2-phenoxypropionyl)-2-thiourea 1-(2,5-Dichlorophenyl)-3-dodecanoyl-2-thiourea 1-(2,5-Dichlorophenyl)-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1-(2,5-Dimethoxyphenyl)-3-(3-nitrobenzoyl)-2-thiourea 1-(2,5-Dimethoxyphenyl)-3-dodecanoyl-2-thiourea 1-(2,5-Dimethoxyphenyl)-3-methyl-2-thiourea 1-(2,5-Dimethoxyphenyl)-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1-(2,5-Dimethoxyphenyl)-3-propyl-2-thiourea 1-(2,5-Dimethylmorpholino)-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1-(2,6-Diethylphenyl)-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-thiourea 1-(2,6-Xylyl)-2-thiourea 1-(2-Bromo-4-methylphenyl)-3-phenylthiourea 1-(2-Bromophenyl)-2-thiourea 1-(2-Carboxyphenyl)-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1-(2-Chloro-4-methoxyphenyl)-3-cyclohexyl-2-thiourea 1-(2-Chloro-4-nitrophenyl)-3-(3,4-dichlorobenzoyl)-2-thiourea 1-(2-Chloro-4-nitrophenyl)-3-ethyl-2-thiourea 1-(2-Chloro-5-nitrophenyl)-3-dodecanoyl-2-thiourea 1-(2-Chlorobenzoyl)-3-(2,4-difluorophenyl)-2-thiourea 1-(2-Chlorobenzoyl)-3-(2,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2-thiourea 1-(2-Chlorobenzoyl)-3-(2-fluorophenyl)-2-thiourea 1-(2-Chlorobenzoyl)-3-(2-methoxy-5-methylphenyl)-2-thiourea 1-(2-Chlorobenzoyl)-3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-2-thiourea 1-(2-Chlorobenzoyl)-3-(3-chlorophenyl)-2-thiourea 1-(2-Chlorobenzoyl)-3-(4-nitrophenyl)-2-thiourea 1-(2-Chlorobenzoyl)-3-(5-chloro-2-methoxyphenyl)-2-thiourea 1-(2-Chlorobenzyl)-3-cyclohexyl-1-methyl-2-thiourea 1-(2-Chlorophenyl)-3-(2,4-dichlorobenzoyl)-2-thiourea 1-(2-Chlorophenyl)-3-dodecanoyl-2-thiourea 1-(2-Chlorophenyl)-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1-(2-Ethylphenyl)-3-methyl-2-thiourea 1-(2-Fluorobenzoyl)-3-(4-ethoxyphenyl)-2-thiourea 1-(2-Fluorobenzoyl)-3-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-thiourea 1-(2-(Hexadecylthio)phenyl)-2-thiourea 1-(2-Hydroxy-1-phenylethyl)-3-phenylthiourea 1-(2-Hydroxycyclohexyl)-3-phenylthiourea 1-(2-Hydroxyethyl)-3-(2,4-xylyl)-2-thiourea 1-(2-Hydroxyethyl)-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1-(2-Methoxy-5-methylphenyl)-1-methyl-3-(2-naphthyl)-2-thiourea 1-(2-Methoxyphenyl)-3-(2-methylbenzoyl)thiourea 1-(2-Methoxyphenyl)-2-thiourea 1-(2-Methoxyphenyl)-2-thiourea 1-(2-Methyl-2-morpholine-4-yl-propyl)-3-phenylthiourea 1-(2-Methylallyl)-3-(6-(3-(2-methylallyl)thioureido)pyridine-2-yl)thiourea 1-(2-Methylbenzoyl)-3-p-tolylthiourea 1-(2-Methylbenzoyl)-3-phenylthiourea 1-(2-Methylbenzoyl)-3-pyrimidine-2-yl-thiourea 1-(2-Morpholinoethyl)-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1-(2-Naphthyl)-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1-(2-Nitrophenyl)-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1-(2-Pyridyl)-3-(3,4-xylyl)-2-thiourea 1-(2-Pyridyl)-3-(ortho-tolyl)-2-thiourea 1-(3-(2-Mercaptoethyl)-3H-benzothiazole-2-ylidene)-2-me[thyl]isothiourea, hydriodide 1-(3,4-Dibromophenyl)-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1-(3,4-Dichlorobenzoyl)-3-(2,4-difluorophenyl)-2-thiourea 1-(3,4-Dichlorobenzoyl)-3-(2-fluorophenyl)-2-thiourea 1-(3,4-Dichlorobenzoyl)-3-(2-thiazolyl)-2-thiourea 1-(3,4-Dichlorobenzoyl)-3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-2-thiourea 1-(3,4-Dichlorobenzoyl)-3-(4-ethoxyphenyl)-2-thiourea 1-(3,4-Dichlorobenzoyl)-3-(4-nitrophenyl)-2-thiourea 1-(3,4-Dichlorobenzoyl)-3-(4-sulfamoyl)phenyl-2-thiourea 1-(3,4-Dichlorophenyl)-2-thiourea 1-(3,4-Dichlorophenyl)-3-(3,5-dinitrobenzoyl)-2-thiourea 1-(3,4-Dichlorophenyl)-3-(4-sulfamoylphenyl)-2-thiourea 1-(3,4-Dichlorophenyl)-3-(diphenylmethyl)-2-thiourea 1-(3,4-Dichlorophenyl)-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1-(3,4-Dimethoxybenzyl)-3-phenylthiourea 1-(3,4-Dimethoxyphenyl)-2-thiourea 1-(3,5-Dichlorobenzyl)-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1-(3,5-Dichlorophenyl)-2-thiourea 1-(3-Acetylphenyl)-3-allyl-2-thiourea 1-(3-Acetylphenyl)-3-ethyl-2-thiourea 1,3-Bis(2,6-dichlorophenyl)-2-thiourea 1,3-Bis(2-chlorophenyl)-2-thiourea 1,3-Bis(2-fluorophenyl)-2-thiourea 1,3-Bis-(2-methoxyphenyl)-2-thiourea 1,3-Bis(3-acetylphenyl)-2-thiourea 1,3-Bis(3-bromophenyl)-2-thiourea 1,3-Bis(3-cyanophenyl)-2-thiourea 1,3-Bis(3-iodophenyl)-2-thiourea 1,3-Bis(3-methoxyphenyl)-2-thiourea 1,3-Bis(3-nitrophenyl)-2-thiourea 1,3-Bis(3-pyridylmethyl)-2-thiourea 1,3-Bis(4-bromophenyl)-2-thiourea 1,3-Bis(4-chlorophenyl)-2-thiourea 1,3-Bis(4-cyanophenyl)-2-thiourea 1,3-Bis(4-(dimethylamino)phenyl)-2-thiourea 1-(3-Bromophenyl)-3-(2-methylbenzoyl)thiourea 1-(3-Bromophenyl)-3-(naphthalene-1-carbonyl)thiourea 1-(3-Bromobenzoyl)-3-(3-chlorophenyl)-2-thiourea 1-(3-Butoxypropyl)-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1-(3-Carboxyphenyl)-2-thiourea 1-(3-Chloro-2-methylphenyl)-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoyl)thiourea 1-(3-Chloro-2-methylphenyl)-3-(4-fluorobenzoyl)thiourea 1-(3-Chlorobenzo(b)thiophene-2-carbonyl)-3-(4-nitrophenyl)thiourea 1-(3-Chlorobenzyl)-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1-(3-Chlorophenyl)-2-thiourea 1-(3-Chlorophenyl)-3-(2-fluorobenzoyl)-2-thiourea 1-(3-Chlorophenyl)-3-(3,4-dichlorobenzoyl)-2-thiourea 1-(3-Chlorophenyl)-3-dodecanoyl-2-thiourea 1-(3-Chlorophenyl)-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1,3-Di-o-tolyl-2-thiourea 1,3-Di-o-tolyl-2-thiourea 1,3-Di-p-tolyl-2-thiourea 1,3-Di-tert-butyl-2-thiourea 1,3-Diallyl-2-thiourea 1,3-Dibenzyl-2-thiourea 1-(3-(Dibutylamino)propyl)-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1,3-Dicyclohexyl-2-thiourea 1,3-Didecyl-2-thiourea 1,3-Didodecyl-2-thiourea 1,3-Difurfuryl-2-thiourea 1,3-Diheptyl-2-thiourea 1,3-Dihexadecyl-2-thiourea 1,3-Dihexyl-2-thiourea 1,3-Diisopropyl-2-thiourea 1,3-Dioctyl-2-thiourea 1,3-Dipropyl-2-thiourea 1,3-Ditetradecyl-2-thiourea 1-(3-Fluorophenyl)-3-(3-nitrobenzoyl)-2-thiourea 1-(3-Fluorophenyl)-3-methyl-2-thiourea 1-(3-Hydroxyphenyl)-3-(4-nitrophenyl)-2-thiourea 1-(3-Hydroxyphenyl)-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1-(3-Methoxyphenyl)-3-(2-methylbenzoyl)thiourea 1-(3-Methoxyphenyl)-3-(naphthalene-1-carbonyl)thiourea 1-(3-Methoxypropyl)-2-thiourea 1-(3-Nitrophenyl)-3-(3-phenylacryloyl)thiourea 1-(3-Nitrophenyl)-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1-(3-Phenylpropionyl)-3-(2,3-xylyl)-2-thiourea 1-(3-Pyridyl)-2-thiourea 1-(3-(Trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-2-thiourea 1-(3-Trifluoromethylphenyl)-3-(2,3,4-trimethoxybenzoyl)thiourea 1-(3H-benzothiazole-2-ylidene)-2-benzylisothiourea 1-(4-Acetamidophenyl)-3-(2-butenoyl)-2-thiourea 1-(4-Acetamidophenyl)-3-(2-phenoxyacetyl)-2-thiourea 1-(4-Acetamidophenyl)-3-ethyl-2-thiourea 1-(4-Acetylphenyl)-3-methyl-2-thiourea 1-(4-Bromophenyl)-3-(2,4-dichlorobenzoyl)thiourea 1-(4-Chloro-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-3-(4-nitrophenyl)-2-thiourea 1-(4-Chloro-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-3-methyl-2-thiourea 1-(4-Chloro-2-methylphenyl)-3-(2-methyl-3-phenylacryloyl)thiourea 1-(4-Chloro-2-methylphenyl)-3-dodecanoyl-2-thiourea 1-(4-Chloro-7-methoxy-2-quinolyl)-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1-(4-Chlorophenyl)-3-(4-nitrobenzoyl)thiourea 1-(4-Chlorophenyl)-3-(naphthalene-1-carbonyl)thiourea 1-(4-Chlorobenzyl)-1-methyl-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1-(4-Chlorophenyl)-2-thiourea 1-(4-Chlorophenyl)-3-(2-pyridyl)-2-thiourea 1-(4-Chlorophenyl)-3-(4-diethylamino-ortho-tolyl)-2-thiourea 1-(4-Chlorophenyl)-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1-(4-Difluoromethoxy-2-formylphenyl)-3-(1,2,2-trimethylpropyl)thiourea 1-(4-Difluoromethoxyphenyl)-3-(1,2,2-trimethylpropyl)thiourea 1-(4-Difluoromethylsulfanylphenyl)-3-(1,2,2-trimethylpropyl)thiourea 1-(4-(Dimethylamino)phenyl)-3-(4-nitrophenyl)-2-thiourea 1-(4-(Dimethylamino)phenyl)-3-dodecanoyl-2-thiourea 1-(4-(Dimethylamino)phenyl)-3-(phenyl)-2-thiourea 1-(4-Ethoxycarbonyl)-3-ethyl-2-thiourea 1-(4-Ethoxyphenyl)-3-(1-naphthylcarbonyl)-2-thiourea 1-(4-Ethoxyphenyl)-3-(2-pyridyl)-2-thiourea 1-(4-Ethoxyphenyl)-3-(3-nitrobenzoyl)-2-thiourea 1-(4-Ethoxyphenyl)-3-ethyl-2-thiourea 1-(4-Ethylphenyl)-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1-(4-Fluorophenyl)-3-(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)-2-thiourea 1-(4-Fluorophenyl)-3-(3-nitrobenzoyl)-2-thiourea 1-(4-(Hexadecylsulfonyl)phenyl)-2-thiourea 1-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)-3-propyl-2-thiourea 1-(4-Iodophenyl)-3-(3-phenylpropionyl)-2-thiourea 1-(4-Me[th]o[xy]ph[enyl])-3-((4-me[th]o[xy]phenyl)-(toluene-4-sulfonylmethylimino)methyl)thiourea 1-(4-Methoxybenzyl)-3-phenylthiourea 1-(4-Methoxyphenyl)-3-(4-methylbenzoyl)thiourea 1-(4-Methoxyphenyl)-3-phenylthiourea 1-(4-Methoxyphenyl)-3-(2-pyridyl)-2-thiourea 1-(4-Methoxyphenyl)-3-(2-pyridyl)-2-thiourea 1-(4-Methylbenzyl)-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1-(4-Nitrobenzoyl)-3-pyridine-2-yl-methylthiourea 1-(4-Nitrophenyl)-2-thiourea 1-(4-Nitrophenyl)-3-(3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-2-thiourea 1-(4-Nitrophenyl)-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1-(4-Pyridylmethyl)-3-(2,6-xylyl)-2-thiourea 1-(4-tert-Butylphenyl)-2-thiourea 1-(4-Trifluoromethoxyphenyl)-3-(1,2,2-trimethylpropyl)thiourea 1-(4-Trifluoromethylsulfanylphenyl)-3-(1,2,2-trimethylpropyl)thiourea 1-(5-Anilino-1,2,4-thiadiazole-3-yl)-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1-(5-Bromo-3-methylpyridine-2-yl)-3-phenylthiourea 1-(5-Chloro-2,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-3-(2,4-difluorophenyl)-2-thiourea 1-(5-Chloro-2,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-3-(2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-2-thiourea 1-(5-Chloro-2,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-3-(2-fluorophenyl)-3-methyl-2-thiourea 1-(5-Chloro-2,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-3-methyl-2-thiourea 1-(5-Chloro-2-methoxyphenyl)-3-(3,4-dichlorobenzoyl)-2-thiourea 1-(5-Chloro-2-methoxyphenyl)-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1-(5-Hydroxy-1-naphthyl)-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1-Acetyl-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1-Allyl-3-(1,2-diphenylethyl)-2-thiourea 1-Allyl-3-(1,5-dimethyl-3-oxo-2-phenyl-2,3-dihydro-1H-pyrazole-4-yl)thiourea 1-Allyl-3-(1-naphthyl)-2-thiourea 1-Allyl-3-(1-naphthylmethyl)-2-thiourea 1-Allyl-3-(2-(1-hydroxyethyl)phenyl)-2-thiourea 1-Allyl-3-(2-ethoxyphenyl)-2-thiourea 1-Allyl-3-(3-chloro-2-methylphenyl)-2-thiourea 1-Allyl-3-(3-hydroxyphenyl)-2-thiourea 1-Allyl-3-(4-chlorobenzyl)-2-thiourea 1-Allyl-3-(4-chlorophenyl)-2-thiourea 1-Allyl-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-thiourea 1-Allyl-3-(diphenylmethyl)-2-thiourea 1-Allyl-3-morpholine-4-yl-thiourea 1-Allyl-3-o-tolylthiourea 1-Allyl-3-octadecyl-2-thiourea 1-Allyl-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1-(alpha-Methylbenzyl)-3-(4-pyridylmethyl)-2-thiourea 1-(alpha-Methylbenzyl)-3-phenylthiourea 1-Amidino-2-thiourea oxalate 1-Amidino-3-(4-bromophenyl)-2-thiourea 1-Amidino-3-benzoyl-2-thiourea 1-Amidino-3-methyl-2-thiourea p-toluenesulfonate 1-Amidino-3-(p-tolyl)-2-thiourea 1-Amidino-3-propyl-2-thiourea 1-Amidino-3-propyl-2-thiourea p-toluenesulfonate 1-Benzothiazole-2-yl-3-phenylthiourea 1-Benzoyl-3-(1,5-dimethyl-3-oxo-2-phenyl-2,3-dihydro-1H-pyrazole-4-yl)thiourea 1-Benzoyl-3-(1,5-dimethyl-3-oxo-2-phenylpyrazolidine-4-yl)thiourea 1-Benzoyl-3-(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)thiourea 1-Benzoyl-3-(2,6-dichlorophenyl)-2-thiourea 1-Benzoyl-3-(2-chlorobenzyl)thiourea 1-Benzoyl-3-(2-chlorophenyl)-2-thiourea 1-Benzoyl-3-(3,4-dimethoxyphenethyl)-2-thiourea 1-Benzoyl-3-(4-dimethylaminophenyl)thiourea 1-Benzoyl-3-(4-methoxy-2-nitrophenyl)-2-thiourea 1-Benzoyl-3-(4-morpholine-4-yl-phenyl)thiourea 1-Benzoyl-3-(4-nitrophenyl)-2-thiourea 1-Benzoyl-3-(4-oxothiazolidine-2-ylidene)thiourea 1-Benzoyl-3-(alpha,alpha,alpha-trifluoro-ortho-tolyl)-2-thiourea 1-Benzoyl-3-p-tolylthiourea 1-Benzoyl-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1-Benzoyl-3-pyridine-2-yl-methylthiourea 1-(Benzoylamidino)-2-thiourea 1-Benzyl-1-butyl-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1-Benzyl-1-ethyl-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1-Benzyl-2-thiourea 1-Benzyl-3-(2-methylbenzoyl)thiourea 1-Benzyl-3-(2-phenoxypropionyl)-2-thiourea 1-Benzyl-3-(4-chloro-2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-2-thiourea 1-Benzyl-3-(4-fluoro-3-nitrophenyl)-2-thiourea 1-Benzyl-3-(4-trifluoromethylsulfanylphenyl)thiourea 1-Benzyl-3-cinnamoyl-2-thiourea 1-Benzyl-3-cyclohexyl-1-ethyl-2-thiourea 1-Benzyl-3-furfuryl-2-thiourea 1-Benzyl-3-methyl-2-thiourea 1-Benzyl-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1-Butyl-2-thiourea 1-Butyl-3-(2-pyridyl)-2-thiourea 1-Butyl-3-(4-isopropylphenyl)-2-thiourea 1-Butyl-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1-Cinnamoyl-3-(4-ethoxyphenyl)-2-thiourea 1-Cinnamoyl-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-thiourea 1-Cyano-3-methylisothiourea, sodium salt 1-Cyclododecyl-3-(4-ethoxyphenyl)-2-thiourea 1-Cyclohexyl-1-methyl-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1-Cyclohexyl-3-(2-ethoxyphenyl)-2-thiourea 1-Cyclohexyl-3-(2-morpholinoethyl)-2-thiourea 1-Cyclohexyl-3-(4-ethoxyphenyl)-2-thiourea 1-Cyclohexyl-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1-Cyclopentyl-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1-Diphenylmethyl-3-(2-phenethyl)-2-thiourea 1-Dodecanoyl-2-thiourea 1-Dodecanoyl-3-(1-naphthyl)-2-thiourea 1-Dodecanoyl-3-(2-ethoxyphenyl)-2-thiourea 1-Dodecanoyl-3-(2-methoxy-4-nitrophenyl)-2-thiourea 1-Dodecanoyl-3-(2-methyl-4-nitrophenyl)-2-thiourea 1-Dodecanoyl-3-(2-methyl-5-nitrophenyl)-2-thiourea 1-Dodecanoyl-3-(2-naphthyl)-2-thiourea 1-Dodecanoyl-3-(2-pyrimidinyl)-2-thiourea 1-Dodecanoyl-3-(2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-2-thiourea 1-Dodecanoyl-3-(4-methoxyphenyl)-2-thiourea 1-Dodecanoyl-3-(4-(N-methylacetamido)phenyl)-2-thiourea 1-Dodecyl-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1-Ethyl-3-(2-fluorophenyl)-2-thiourea 1-Ethyl-3-(2-methoxy-5-methylphenyl)-2-thiourea 1-Ethyl-3-(3,4-xylyl)-2-thiourea 1-Ethyl-3-(4-nitrophenyl)-2-thiourea 1-Ethyl-3-(m-tolyl)-2-thiourea 1-Ethyl-3-(p-tolyl)-2-thiourea 1-Ethyl-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1-(Furan-2-carbonyl)-3-(2-trifluoromethylphenyl)thiourea 1-(Furan-2-carbonyl)-3-(5-methylpyridine-2-yl)thiourea 1-(Furan-2-carbonyl)-3-furan-2-yl-methylthiourea 1-Furan-2-yl-methyl-3-(2-methylbenzoyl)thiourea 1-Furan-2-yl-methyl-3-(4-(1,1,2,2,3,3,3-heptafluoropropylsulfanyl)-ph[enyl])thiourea 1-Furan-2-yl-methyl-3-(4-nitrobenzoyl)thiourea 1-Furfuryl-3-(1-naphthyl)-2-thiourea 1-Furfuryl-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1-Hexadecanoyl-2-thiourea 1-Hexadecyl-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1-(Hexamethyleneimino)-3-(3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-2-thiourea 1-Isobutyl-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1-Isopropyl-3-(1-naphthyl)-2-thiourea 1-Isopropyl-3-(3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-2-thiourea 1-(Isopropyl)-3-(4-methyl-3-nitrophenyl)-2-thiourea 1-Isopropyl-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1-Methallyl-3-methyl-2-thiourea 1-Methyl-1-(4-octyloxyphenyl)-2-thiourea 1-Methyl-3-(2,4,5-trichlorophenyl)-2-thiourea 1-Methyl-3-(2,6-xylyl)-2-thiourea 1-Methyl-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1-Methyl-3-propyl-2-thiourea 1-(Naphthalene-1-carbonyl)-3-m-tolylthiourea 1-(Naphthalene-1-carbonyl)-3-phenylthiourea 1-(Naphthalene-2-carbonyl)-3-(3-nitrophenyl)thiourea 1-(Naphthalene-2-carbonyl)-3-p-tolylthiourea 1-Octadecyl-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1-Phenethyl-3-phenyl-2-thiourea 1-Phenyl-3-(1,2,4)triazole-4-yl-thiourea 1-Phenyl-3-(2-(2-pyridyl)ethyl)-2-thiourea 1-Phenyl-3-(2-(3-phenylthioureido)cyclohexyl)thiourea 1-Phenyl-3-(2,6-xylyl)-2-thiourea 1-Phenyl-3-(2-pyridyl)-2-thiourea 1-Phenyl-3-(2-thiazolyl)-2-thiourea(2) 1-Phenyl-3-(3-pyridyl)-2-thiourea 1-Phenyl-3-(3-pyridylmethyl)-2-thiourea 1-Phenyl-3-(4-(3-phenylthioureido)phenyl)thiourea 1-Phenyl-3-(4-trifluoromethylbenzyl)thiourea 1-Phenyl-3-(5-phenyl-1,2,4-thiadiazole-3-yl)-2-thiourea 1-Phenyl-3-(p-tolyl)-2-thiourea 1-Phenyl-3-(p-tolylsulfonyl)-2-thiourea 1-Phenyl-3-propyl-2-thiourea 1-Phenyl-3-tetradecyl-2-thiourea 1-Pyridine-3-yl-methyl-3-(2-trifluoromethylphenyl)thiourea 1-tert-Butyl-3-phenylthiourea 2-(1,1-Dioxo-2,5-dihydro-1H-thiophene-3-yl-methyl)isothiourea,hydrochloride 2-(2-Aminoethyl)isothiourea 2-(2-Cyanoethyl)isothiourea 2-(3-Carbamimidoylsulfanyl-me[thyl]-2,4,6-trime[thyl]benzyl)isothiourea 2-(3-Carbamimidoylsulfanylmethylbenzyl)isothiourea 2-(3-Carbamimidoylsulfanylmethylbenzyl)isothiourea (2,3-Difluorophenyl)thiourea (2,3-Dimethylphenyl)thiourea 2-(3-Phenylbutyl)isothiourea (2,4,6-Trimethylphenyl)thiourea 2-(4-Carbamimidoylsulfanylmethylbenzyl)isothiourea 2-(4-Carbamimidoylsulfanylmethylbenzyl)isothiourea (2,4-Difluorophenyl)thiourea 2-(4-Hydroxy-1,1-dioxotetrahydrothiophene-3-yl)isothiourea 2-(4-Me[thyl]-1,1-dioxo-4H-thiophene-3-yl)isothiourea 2-(4-Methyl-1,1-dioxo-2,3-dihydro-1H-thiophene-3-yl)isothiourea 2-(4-Methyl-1,1-dioxo-2,5-dihydro-1H-thiophene-3-yl)isothiourea (2,5-Difluorophenyl)thiourea 2-(6-Carbamimidoylsulfanyl-me[thyl]naphthalene-2-yl-me[thyl])isothiourea (2,6-Difluorophenyl)thiourea 2-Benzoylisothiourea 2-Benzyl-1-(3-(2-mercaptoethyl)-3H-benzothiazole-2-ylidene)isothiourea 2-Hydroxy-3-iminomethyl benzoic acid, compound with thiourea (3,4,5-Trimethoxyphenyl)thiourea 3-(4-Chlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethyl-2-thiourea 3-(Adamantane-1-carbonyl)-1,1-diethylthiourea 3-Allyl-1-(3-chlorobenzyl)-1-methyl-2-thiourea 3-Benzoyl-1,1-diallyl-2-thiourea 3-Benzoyl-1,1-dimethylthiourea 3-Benzyl-1,1-dimethyl-2-thiourea (3-Dimethylaminopropyl)thiourea (3-Fluorophenyl)thiourea [3-(Trifluoromethyl)phenyl]thiourea (4-Ethoxyphenyl)thiourea (4-Fluorophenyl)thiourea Acetylthiourea Ethylene bis(isothiourea) N-(1,1-Dioxidotetrahydro-3-thienyl)-N′-(2-furoyl)-N-methylthiourea N′-(1,3-Dimethyl-2,4-dioxo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-5-pyrimidinyl)-N,N-dimethylthiourea N-((1,3-Dioxo-3,4-dihydro-2(1H)-naphthalenylidene)methyl)-N′-octadecylthiourea N-(1-(4-Br[omo]phenyl)ethylidene)-N′-(4-me[thyl]-6-oxo-1,6-dihydro-2-pyrimidinyl)thiourea N-(1-Methyl-2-phenylethyl)thiourea N-(1-Methyl-2-propenyl)-N′-(4-morpholinyl)thiourea N-(2-((1,1,2,2,3,3,3-Heptafluoropropyl)thio)ph[enyl])-N′-(2-thienylcarbonyl)thiourea N-(2-((2,4-Dichlorobenzyl)sulfonyl)-2-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)vinyl)thiourea N-(2,2-Dicyanovinyl)thiourea N-(2,2-Dimethylpropanoyl)-N′-(2-nitrophenyl)thiourea N-(2-(2-Oxo-1-pyrrolidinyl)ethyl)-N′-phenylthiourea N-(2-(3,4-Dimethoxyph[enyl])et[thyl])-N′-((2,4-dioxo-2H-coumarin-3(4H)-ylidene)me[thyl])thiourea N-(2,3-Dichlorophenyl)-N′-(2-methyl-3-furoyl)thiourea N-(2,3-Dihydro-1,4-benzodioxin-2-yl-methyl)-N′-(4-methylbenzoyl)thiourea N-(2,4,6-Trichlorophenyl)thiourea N-((2,4,6-Trioxotetrahydro-5(2H)-pyrimidinylidene)methyl)thiourea N-(2,4-Dichlorobenzoyl)-N′-(2-pyridinylmethyl)thiourea N-(2,4-Dichlorobenzoyl)-N′-(tetrahydro-2-furanylmethyl)thiourea N-(2,4-Dichlorophenyl)-N′-(2,2,2-trichloro-1-(formylamino)ethyl)thiourea N-(2,4-Dichlorophenyl)-N′-(2-methylbenzoyl)thiourea N-(2,4-Difluorophenyl)-N′-(2-methylbenzoyl)thiourea N-(2,4-Difluorophenyl)-N′-(3-methyl-2-furoyl)thiourea N-(2,4-Dimethylphenyl)-N′-(2-methyl-3-furoyl)thiourea N-(2,4-Dimethylphenyl)-N′-(2-methylbenzoyl)thiourea N-(2,4-Dimethylphenyl)-N′-(3-furoyl)thiourea N-(2,4-Dimethylphenyl)-N′-(3-methyl-2-furoyl)thiourea N-(2,4-Dimethylphenyl)-N′-(4-methylbenzoyl)thiourea N-(2,4-Dimethylphenyl)thiourea N-((2,4-Dioxo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-3-quinolinyl)methyl)-N′-hexylthiourea N-(2,4-Dioxo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-5-pyrimidinyl)-N′-(4-methylbenzoyl)thiourea N-((2,4-Dioxo-2H-coumarin-N-3(4H)-ylidene)methyl)-N′-octadecylthiourea N-((2,4-Dioxo-2H-coumarin-N-3(4H)-ylidene)methyl)-N′-phenylthiourea N-(2,5-Dichlorophenyl)-N′-(2,2,2-trichloro-1-(formylamino)ethyl)thiourea N-(2,5-Dichlorophenyl)thiourea N-(2,6-Dime[thyl]ph[enyl])-N′-((2,4-dioxo-1,4-dihydro-3(2H)-quinolinylidene)me[thyl])thiourea N-(2,6-Dichlorophenyl)-N′-(3-furoyl)thiourea N-(2,6-Dichlorophenyl)-N′-(5-methyl-2-furoyl)thiourea N-(2-Benzoyl-3-oxo-3-phenyl-1-propenyl)-N′-(2-tert-butyl-6-ethylphenyl)thiourea N-(2-(Benzylsulfinyl)-2-phenylvinyl)-N′-(2,4-dimethylphenyl)thiourea N-(2-(Benzylsulfinyl)-2-phenylvinyl)-N′-(2-tert-butyl-6-ethylphenyl)thiourea N-(2-(Benzylsulfinyl)-2-phenylvinyl)-N′-phenylthiourea N-(2-Bromobenzoyl)-N′-(2-furylmethyl)thiourea N-(2-Chlorobenzoyl)-N′-(5-(3-(2-furyl)acryloyl)-4-me[thyl]-1,3-thiazole-2-yl)thiourea N-(2-Chlorophenyl)-N′-((6-me[thyl]-2,4-dioxo-2H-pyrane-3(4H)-ylidene)methyl)thiourea N-(2-Fluorophenyl)-N′-(2-methyl-3-furoyl)thiourea N-(2-Fluorophenyl)-N′-(3-methyl-2-furoyl)thiourea N-(2-Fluorophenyl)-N′-(5-methyl-2-furoyl)thiourea N-(2-Furoyl)-N′-(4-methylphenyl)thiourea N-(2-Furoyl)-N′-(4-(trifluoromethoxy)phenyl)thiourea N-(2-me[th]o[xy]benzylidene)-N′-(4-me[thyl]-6-oxo-1,6-dihydro-2-pyrimidinyl)thiourea N-(2-Methyl-3-furoyl)-N′-(4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)thiourea N-(2-Methylbenzoyl)-N′-(2-pyridinyl)thiourea N-(2-Methylphenyl)-N′-(3-me[thyl]-5-thioxo-1,5-dihydro-4H-1,2,4-triazole-4-yl)thiourea N-(3-((1,1,2,2,3,3,3-Heptafluoropropyl)thio)ph[enyl])-N′-(2-thienylcarbonyl)thiourea N-(3,4-Dic[hloro]benzoyl)-N′-(5-(3-(2-furyl)acryloyl)-4-me[thyl]-1,3-thiazole-2-yl)thiourea N-(3,4-Dichlorophenyl)-N′-(3-methyl-2-furoyl)thiourea N-(3,4-Dichlorophenyl)-N′-(5-methyl-2-furoyl)thiourea N-(3,4-Dihydro-2H-pyrrole-5-yl)-N-phenylthiourea N-(3,4-Dimethoxybenzylidene)-N′-(4-me[thyl]-6-oxo-1,6-dihydro-2-pyrimidinyl)thiourea N-(3,4-Dimethylphenyl)thiourea N-(3,5-Bis(trifluoromethoxy)phenyl)-N′-(3-furoyl)thiourea N-(3,5-Dibromo-2-pyridinyl)-N′-(2-thienylcarbonyl)thiourea N-(3,5-Dibromo-2-pyridinyl)-N′-(4-methylbenzoyl)thiourea N-(3-Acetamidophenyl)thiourea N-(3-Br[omo]benzoyl)-N′-(5-(3-(3-br[omo]phenyl)acryloyl)-4-me[thyl]-1,3-thiazole-2-yl)thiourea N-(3-Carboxyphenyl)thiourea N-(3-((Difluoromethyl)thio)phenyl)-N′-(2-thienylcarbonyl)thiourea N-(3-Ethoxy-4-HO[sic]-benzylidene)-N′-(4-me[thyl]-6-oxo-1,6-dihydro-2-pyrimidinyl)thiourea N-(3-Fluorophenyl)thiourea N-(3-Furoyl)-N′-(4-iodophenyl)thiourea N-(3-Furoyl)-N′-(4-methoxyphenyl)thiourea N-(3-Furoyl)-N′-(4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)thiourea N-(3-Hydroxyphenyl)thiourea N-(3-Methoxyphenyl)thiourea N-(3-Methoxyphenyl)thiourea N-(3-Methyl-2-butenoyl)-N′-phenylthiourea N-(3-Methyl-2-furoyl)-N′-(3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)thiourea N-(3-Methyl-2-furoyl)-N′-(4-methylphenyl)thiourea N-(3-Methyl-2-furoyl)-N′-(4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)thiourea N-((3-Methyl-5-oxo-1-phenyl-1,5-dihydro-4H-pyrazole-4-ylidene)methyl)thiourea N-(3-Methyl-5-thioxo-1,5-dihydro-4H-1,2,4-triazole-4-yl)-N′-phenylthiourea N-(3-Methylphenyl)-N′-(3-me[thyl]-5-thioxo-1,5-dihydro-4H-1,2,4-triazole-4-yl)thiourea N-(3-Methylphenyl)-N′-(4-methyl-1-piperazinyl)thiourea N-(3-(Trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-N′-(1,2,2-trimethylpropyl)thiourea N-(4-(2-Thienyl)-1,3-thiazole-2-yl)thiourea N-(4-((4-Fluorobenzyl)thio)phenyl)-N′-(4-methoxyphenyl)thiourea N-(4-(4-Morpholinyl)phenyl)-N′-(2-thienylcarbonyl)thiourea N-(4-(4-Morpholinyl)phenyl)-N′-(4-nitrobenzoyl)thiourea N-(4-Acetamidophenyl)thiourea N-(4-Bromobenzylidene)-N′-(6-me[thyl]-5-oxo-4,5-dihydro-1,2,4-triazine-3-yl)thiourea N-(4-Bromophenyl)-N′-(3-furoyl)thiourea N-(4-Carboxyphenyl)thiourea N-(4-Chlorobenzylidene)-N′-(4-methyl-6-oxo-1,6-dihydro-2-pyrimidinyl)thiourea N-((4-Chlorophenoxy)acetyl)-N′-(2-nitrophenyl)thiourea N-(4-Chlorophenyl)-N′-(2,4-dichlorobenzoyl)thiourea N-(4-Chlorophenyl)-N′-(2-furoyl)thiourea N-(4-Chlorophenyl)-N′-(2-methyl-3-furoyl)thiourea N-(4-Chlorophenyl)-N′-(3-methyl-2-furoyl)thiourea N-(4-((Difluoromethyl)thio)phenyl)-N′-(2-thienylcarbonyl)thiourea N-(4-((Difluoromethyl)thio)phenyl)-N′-(phenylacetyl)thiourea N-(4-Ethoxyphenyl)-N′-(4-methyl-1-piperazinyl)thiourea N-(4-Ethoxyphenyl)thiourea N-(4-Fluorophenyl)-N′-(2-methyl-3-furoyl)thiourea N-(4-Fluorophenyl)-N′-(3-methyl-2-furoyl)thiourea N-(4-Fluorophenyl)-N′-(4-methylbenzoyl)thiourea N-(4-Fluorophenyl)-N′-(5-methyl-2-furoyl)thiourea N-(4-Fluorophenyl)-N′-(phenyl(((phenylsulfonyl)methyl)imino)methyl)thiourea N-(4-Fluorophenyl)thiourea N-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)thiourea N-(4-Iodophenyl)-N′-(2-methyl-3-furoyl)thiourea N-(4-Me[thyl]-6-oxo-1,6-dihydro-2-pyrimidinyl)-N′-(1-(4-nitroph[enyl])ethylidene)thiourea N-(4-Methoxybenzylidene)-N′-(4-methyl-6-oxo-1,6-dihydro-2-pyrimidinyl)thiourea N-(4-Methoxybenzylidene)-N′-(6-me[thyl]-5-oxo-4,5-dihydro-1,2,4-triazine-3-yl)thiourea N-(4-Methoxyphenyl)-N′-(2-methyl-3-furoyl)thiourea N-(4-Methoxyphenyl)-N′-(3-me[thyl]-5-thioxo-1,5-dihydro-4H-1,2,4-triazole-4-yl)thiourea N-(4-Methoxyphenyl)thiourea N-(4-Methyl-5-(3-(2-methylphenyl)acryloyl)-1,3-thiazole-2-yl)thiourea N-(4-Methyl-5-(3-(3-nitrophenyl)acryloyl)-1,3-thiazole-2-yl)thiourea N-(4-Methyl-6-oxo-1,6-dihydro-2-pyrimidinyl)-N′-(2-nitrobenzylidene)thiourea N-(4-Methylbenzoyl)-N′-(4-(1-piperidinyl)phenyl)thiourea N-(4-Methylphenyl)-N′-(phenyl(((phenylsulfonyl)methyl)imino)methyl)thiourea N-(4-Methylphenyl)thiourea N-(4-Nitrobenzoyl)-N′-(1,3-thiazole-2-yl)thiourea N-(4-Nitrobenzoyl)-N′-(4-nitrophenyl)thiourea N-(4-Sulfamoyl)phenyl)thiourea N-(4-tert-Butylphenyl)-N′-(2-methyl-3-furoyl)thiourea N-(4-tert-Butylphenyl)-N′-(2-methylbenzoyl)thiourea N-(4-tert-Butylphenyl)-N′-(2-thienylcarbonyl)thiourea N-(4-tert-Butylphenyl)-N′-(3-furoyl)thiourea N-(4-tert-Butylphenyl)-N′-(3-methyl-2-furoyl)thiourea N-(5-(2,4-Dichlorophenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole-2-yl)thiourea N-(5-(3-(2,4-Dichlorophenyl)acryloyl)-4-methyl-1,3-thiazole-2-yl)thiourea N-(5-(3-(2-Furyl)acryloyl)-4-methyl-1,3-thiazole-2-yl)-N′-hexanoylthiourea N-(5-(3-(2-Furyl)acryloyl)-4-methyl-1,3-thiazole-2-yl)-N′-palmritoylthiourea N-(5-(3-(2-Furyl)acryloyl)-4-methyl-1,3-thiazole-2-yl)-N′-propionylthiourea N-(5-(3-(2-HO[sic]-ph[enyl])acryloyl)-4-me[thyl]-1,3-thiazole-2-yl)-N′-(4-nitrobenzoyl)thiourea N-(5-(3-(3,4-Dimethoxyphenyl)acryloyl)-4-methyl-1,3-thiazole-2-yl)thiourea N-(5-(3-(3-Bromophenyl)acryloyl)-4-me[thyl]-1,3-thiazole-2-yl)-N′-isobutyrylthiourea N-(5-(3-(3-Bromophenyl)acryloyl)-4-methyl-1,3-thiazole-2-yl)-N′-propionylthiourea N-(5-(3-(4-Chlorophenyl)acryloyl)-4-methyl-1,3-thiazole-2-yl)thiourea N-(5-(3-(4-Methoxyphenyl)acryloyl)-4-methyl-1,3-thiazole-2-yl)thiourea N-(5-(4-Methylphenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole-2-yl)thiourea N-(5-Bromo-2-methoxybenzyl)-N-(4-isopropylphenyl)-N′-phenylthiourea N-(5-Methyl-2-furoyl)-N′-(2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)thiourea N-(5-(Phenoxymethyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole-2-yl)thiourea N-(6-(1,3-Dioxo-1,3-dihydro-2H-isoindole-2-yl)hexanoyl)-N′-(2-me[th]o[xy]phenyl)thiourea N-((6-Methyl-2,4-dioxo-2H-pyrane-3(4H)-ylidene) methyl)-N′-octadecylthiourea N-((6-Methyl-2,4-dioxo-2H-pyrane-3(4H)-ylidene)methyl)-N′-phenylthiourea N-((6-Methyl-2,4-dioxo-2H-pyrane-3(4H)-ylidene)methyl)thiourea N-(9-Anthrylmethyl)-N′-benzoyl-N-methylthiourea N-Allyl-N′-((2,4-dioxo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-3-quinolinyl)methyl)thiourea N-Allyl-N′-((2,4-dioxo-2H-coumarin-N-3(4H)-ylidene)methyl)thiourea N-Allyl-N′-(4-methyl-1-piperazinyl)thiourea N-Allylthiourea(2) N-Benzoyl-N′-(1-naphthyl)thiourea N-Benzoyl-N′-(2-nitrophenyl)thiourea N-Benzoyl-N′-(3-methylphenyl)thiourea N-Benzoyl-N′-(3-pyridinyl)thiourea N-benzoyl-N′-(4-chlorophenyl)thiourea N-Benzoyl-N′-(4-methyl-6-oxo-1,6-dihydro-2-pyrimidinyl)thiourea N′-Benzoyl-N,N-diethylthiourea N′-Benzoyl-N,N-dihexylthiourea N′-Benzoyl-N,N-diisobutylthiourea N-Benzyl-N′-((1,3-dioxo-1,3-dihydro-2H-indene-2-ylidene)methyl)thiourea N-Benzyl-N′-(1,3-thiazole-2-yl)thiourea N-Benzyl-N′-(2-pyridinyl)thiourea N-Benzyl-N′-(3-(4-br[omo]ph[enyl])-5-thioxo-1,5-dihydro-4H-1,2,4-triazole-4-yl)thiourea N-Benzyl-N′-(phenyl(phenylimino)methyl)thiourea N-Boc-thiourea N-Butyl-N′-((2,4-dioxo-1,4-dihydro-3(2H)-quinolinylidene)methyl)thiourea N-Cyclohexyl-N′-(1-phenylethyl)thiourea N′-Cyclohexyl-N,N-diisobutylthiourea N-Dansyl-N′-ethylthiourea N-Decyl-N′-(2-hydroxyethyl)thiourea N-Ethyl-N′-(3-methyl-2-butenoyl)-N-phenylthiourea N-Ethylthiourea (2) N-Hexanoyl-N′-(3-pyridinylmethyl)thiourea N-Methallyl-N′-methylthiourea N-Methylthiourea (2) N,N-Bis(2-cyanoethyl)-N′-hexylthiourea N,N′-Bis(4-ethoxyphenyl)thiourea N,N′-Di-boc-S-methylisothiourea N,N′-Di-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)thiourea N,N′-Dibutylthiourea(2) N,N′-Diethylthiourea N,N′-Dimethylthiourea N,N′-Diphenylthiourea N,N′-Diphenylthiourea N′-Octadecylfluorescein-5-thiourea N-Phenyl-N′-(phenyl(phenylimino)methyl)thiourea N-Phenyl-N′-(tetrahydro-2-furanylmethyl)thiourea N-Phenylthiourea N-Phenylthiourea N-(tert-Butyl)-N′-(3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)thiourea (Phenylphenyliminomethyl)thiourea Propylthiourea S-[(2-Guanidino-4-thiazoyl)methyl]isothiourea S-Benzylisothiourea S-Ethylisothiourea S-Isopropylisothiourea S-Methyl-N-(4-toluenesulfonyl)isothiourea S-Methylisothiourea Tetramethylthiourea Thiourea Toluene-4-sulfonic acid, 2-(2-(1-oxypyridine-2-yl)ethyl)isothiourea 1,3-Bis-(benzyloxycarbonyl)-2-methyl-2-thiopseudourea 1,3-Bis-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)-2-methyl-2-thiopseudourea 2-Benzyl-2-thiopseudourea 2-Ethyl-2-thiopseudourea 2-Imidazolidinethione 2-Imino-4-thiobiuret (Amidinothio)acetic acid Formamidine sulfinic acid S-(2-Aminoethyl)isothiouronium bromide
[0644] Primarily considered as copper compounds are salts and complexes of copper such as copper benzoate, copper di(methacrylate), copper acetylacetonate, or copper naphthenate, for example.
[0645] As monomers without an acid function, in addition to the vinyl and vinylcyclopropane monomers primarily acrylates and methacrylates are considered.
[0646] Monofunctional or crosslinking 1 (meth)acrylates may be monofunctional or polyfunctional (meth)acrylates which may be used individually or in mixtures. Examples of these compounds include methyl methacrylate, isobutyl methacrylate, cyclohexyl methacrylate, triethylene glycol dimethacrylate, diethylene glycol dimethacrylate, tetraethylene glycol dimethacrylate, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, polyethylene glycol dimethacrylate, butanediol dimethacrylate, hexanediol dimethacrylate, decanediol dimethacrylate, dodecanediol dimethacrylate, bisphenol-A-dimethacrylate, trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate, ethoxylated bisphenol-A-dimethacrylate, but also bis-GMA (2,2-bis-4-(3-methacryloxy-2-hydroxypropyl)phenylpropane) and the reaction products of isocyanates, in particular di- and/or triisocyanates and methacrylates containing OH groups, and the corresponding acrylates of all the above compounds. Examples of reaction products of isocyanates are the reaction products of 1 mol hexamethylene diisocyanate with 2 mol 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, of 1 mol (tri(6-isocyanatohexyl)biuret with 3 mol hydroxyethyl methacrylate, and of 1 mol trimethylhexamethylene diisocyanate with 2 mol hydroxyethyl methacrylate, which are also referred to as urethane dimethacrylates. Suitable monomers in each case are the monomers themselves, prepolymers prepared from same, and mixtures thereof. Crosslinking meth/acrylates by their nature are compounds containing 2 or more methacrylate groups in the monomer.
[0647] Examples of preferred crosslinker monomers are 2,2-bis-4-(3-methacryloxy-2-hydroxypropyl)phenylpropane) (bis-GMA), i.e., the reaction product of glycidyl methacrylate and bisphenol-A (containing OH groups), and 7,7,9-trimethyl-4,13-dioxo-3,14-dioxa-5,12-diazahexadecane-1,16-diyl-dimethacrylate (UDMA), i.e., the urethane dimethacrylate resulting from 2 mol 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and 1 mol 2-2,4-trimethylhexamethylene diisocyanate (containing urethane groups). Also preferred as crosslinker monomers are reaction products of glycidyl methacrylate with other bisphenols such as bisphenol-B (2,2′-bis-(4-hydroxyphenyl)butane), bisphenol-F (2,2′-methylenediphenol), or 4,4′-dihydroxydiphenyl, for example, and reaction products of 2 mol HEMA or 2-hydroxypropyl(meth)acrylate with in particular 1 mol of known diisocyanates such as hexamethylene diisocyanate, m-xylylene diisocyanate, or toluylene diisocyanate, for example.
[0000] Test Descriptions/Examples:
[0648] The two components, referred to below as base and catalyst component (B and C, respectively), were prepared according to a general production specification. For this purpose, the monomers were first blended into a homogeneous mixture. The initiator components were then added, and were dissolved by intensive stirring with a magnetic stirrer.
[0649] The special properties of the two-component initiator system according to the invention were investigated in greater detail for the following compositions. The components B1 in combination with C1 and C2 represent the reference system.
Base components B1 Bis-GMA 20.580 TEGDMA 8.820 DBPO 0.600 B2 Bis-GMA 20.790 TEGDMA 8.910 CHP 0.300 B9 Bis-GMA 20.37 TEGDMA 8.73 CHP 0.900 B10 Bis-GMA 19.347 TEGDMA 8.291 Acrylic acid 1.455 CHP 0.907 B122 Bis-GMA 17.64 TEGDMA 7.56 CHP 0.300 (1.00%) 4-Meta 4.500 (15.00%) B123 Bis-GMA 20.37 TEGDMA 8.73 CHP 0.300 (1.00%) Phosphoric acid ester 0.600 (2.00%) B124 Bis-GMA 19.74 TEGDMA 8.46 CHP 0.300 (1.00%) Phosphoric acid ester 1.500 (5.00%) Catalyst components C1 Bis-GMA 20.895 TEGDMA 8.955 DMPT 0.150 C2 Bis-GMA 20.895 TEGDMA 8.955 DHEPT 0.150 C3 Bis-GMA 20.790 TEGDMA 8.910 ATH 0.300 C3.1 Bis-GMA 20.51 TEGDMA 8.79 ATH 0.900 C3.4 Bis-GMA 20.769 TEGDMA 8.901 ATH 0.300 Cu(acac) 2 0.030 C3.5 Bis-GMA 20.348 TEGDMA 8.721 ATH 0.901 Cu(acac) 2 0.029 C15 Bis-GMA 20.348 TEGDMA 8.721 ATH 0.901 Copper (II) naphthenate 0.029 C121 Bis-GMA 20.782 TEGDMA 8.906 ATH 0.300 (1.00%) Cu(ac) 2 0.012 (0.04%) C122 Bis-GMA 17.632 TEGDMA 7.556 4-Meta 4.5 (15.00%) ATH 0.300 (1.00%) Cu(ac)2 0.012 (0.04%) C123 Bis-GMA 20.362 TEGDMA 8.726 Sipomer PAM100 0.6 (2.00%) ATH 0.300 (1.00%) Cu(ac) 2 0.012 (0.04%) C124 Bis-GMA 19.732 TEGDMA 8.456 Sipomer PAM100 1.5 (5.00%) ATH 0.300 (1.00%) Cu(ac) 2 0.012 (0.04%)
[0650] By introducing conventional fillers into the activated monomer resin mixtures, one skilled in the art may produce composites for various dental applications.
[0651] Suitable in particular as fillers are quartz powder and glass ceramic powder, aluminum oxides, and/or silicon oxides. Examples of particularly preferred fillers are glass powders such as barium glass, barium silicate glass, lithium, or aluminum silicate glass powders, and fine-particle silicic acids such as pyrogenic or precipitated silicic acids.
[0000] Testing of Gel Times
[0652] To determine processing times, both components were intensively mixed in a 1:1 ratio. The time required for the gel point to appear is referred to as the gel time, which may be observed for adjusting the maximum processing time. However, sensory perception is subject to individual fluctuation ranges which also depend on the curing characteristics of the system.
[0653] As an additional method for determining the initiation characteristics, the heat of reaction was calorimetrically recorded. The initial temperature increase was specified as the relevant measurement point.
[0654] The measurements showed a reliably adjustable processing time as a function of the copper content in the preparations. The variation range of the activity of the initiator system extends from extremely short inhibition times of <10 s for higher copper content (approximately 0.1%) to very long inhibition times, or even results in failure of polymerization in the absence of the copper compound.
[0000] Testing of Storage Stability
[0655] The individual components were placed in long-term storage at a temperature of 50° C. The change in processing times was documented over a maximum period of 5 months. The samples were tested using the second component, which likewise was stored at 50° C. or at room temperature (RT).
[0656] Whereas the base component of the conventional dibenzoyl peroxide-amine initiator system had spontaneously cured after 10 days, the components of the system according to the invention were still usable after 5 months. The curing was also reliably carried out in the presence of adhesive monomers under acidic conditions. The strong catalytic effect of the copper content on the activity of the initiator system was very evident in the tests. As a function of the proportion of a soluble copper compound, it was possible to demonstrably adjust much shorter processing times or to reduce the concentration of the redox partners. Both possibilities are particularly advantageous for use in dental materials, or synthetic materials for medical use, which require very brief processing times and the least possible toxicological potential.
Reference system: dibenzoyl peroxide-amine Reference - Storage of the peroxide component at 50° C. B1 1% DBPO 0 days 50 s 5 days 40 s 10 days polymerized Reference - Storage of the amine component at 50° C. B1 1% DBPO C1 0.5% DMPT 0 months 50 s 3 months 95 s 5 months — C2 0.5% DHEPT 0 months 380 s 3 months — 5 months 420 s
[0657]
System: cumene hydroperoxide-acetylthiourea derivative
Storage of both components at 50° C.
C3
C3.1
1% ATH
3% ATH
B9
3% CHP
0 months
480 s
280 s
3 months
390 s
120 s
5 months
200 s
B10
3% CHP
0 months
210 s
95 s
5% acrylic acid
5 months
225 s
230 s
Storage of both components at 50° C., with addition of copper
B2
1% CHP
C121
1% ATH
0 months
45 s
0.04% Cu(acac) 2
1 month
—
3 months
235 s
C3.5
1% ATH
0 months
35 s
0.1% Cu(acac) 2
1 month
70 s
3 months
345 s
C3.4
3% ATH
0 months
40 s
0.1% Cu(acac) 2
1 month
80 s
3 months
200 s
Storage of ATH components at 50° C., with adhesive monomer
and addition of copper
B2
1% CHP
C121
1% ATH, 0.04%
0 months
45 s
Cu(acac) 2
3 months
85 s
C122
1% ATH, 0.04%
0 months
110 s
Cu(acac) 2
3 months
160 s
15% 4-META
C123
1% ATH, 0.04%
0 months
50 s
Cu(acac) 2
3 months
70 s
2% phosphoric acid ester
C124
1% ATH, 0.04%
0 months
50 s
Cu(acac) 2
3 months
70 s
5% phosphoric acid ester
[0658]
Dependence of the inhibition time on copper content
Adjustment of the processing time to the copper content
B2
1% CHP
C3
1% ATH
0.00% Cu(acac) 2
No polymerization
0.01% Cu(acac) 2
135 s
0.02% Cu(acac) 2
75 s
C121
0.04% Cu(acac) 2
45 s
0.06% Cu(acac) 2
40 s
C3.5
0.10% Cu(acac) 2
35 s
[0659]
Effectiveness of various copper salts
B2
1% CHP
C3.5
1% ATH
0.10% copper (II)
35 s
acetonylacetonate
C15
0.10% copper (II) naphthenate
55 s
Coloration of polymers as a function of the copper content
[0660] The color of polymerized (meth)acrylates is affected by the content of copper ions, which by their nature are colored. The relationship between the intrinsic coloration of the polymer and the proportion of the copper compound was determined by color measurements on test specimens. Color stability was of particular importance.
[0661] For the determination, test specimens 1 mm in thickness were produced, and after 48-hour storage were measured. The CIELab values of the transparent polymer layers in front of a white background were recorded. The color stability was monitored after 7 days at a temperature of 40° C. No change in color of the layers was observed.
[0662] Even after longer storage there was no detectable change in color. Therefore, the initiator system according to the invention together with a copper compound also completely meets the esthetic demands placed on a dental material. | A two-component initiator system having accelerators for curing polymerizable materials comprising the following components: (a) a hydroperoxide compound containing one or more hydroperoxide groups that are bound to a tertiary carbon; (b) a thiourea derivative; and (c) as accelerator, a copper compound which is soluble in the preparation is preferably free of amine and is particularly suited for polymerizable dental compositions. | 0 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application 60/539,456, filed on Jan. 27, 2004, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] Not applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Since many plants and plant parts are of economic importance to people, people have learned to manipulate the life cycle of plants for their own purposes. Various chemical and biological agents have been used on commercially grown fruits and vegetables to control the timing of their ripening. Some agents are used to synchronize the ripening of fruits and vegetables for more efficient harvest. Other agents are used to prevent premature fruit drop. Some ripening agents have also been used to enhance color development in fruits and vegetables for better and more uniform color, as expected by retail consumers. In the United States, it is current practice to treat many types of fruits and vegetables with one or more such agents during the growing season and after harvest.
[0004] In recent years, naturally derived materials with good ripening effects have been identified. For example, certain phospholipids (such as lysophosphatidylethanolamine (LPE) and lysophosphatidylinositol (LPI)) have been shown to accelerate fruit ripening. Farag, K. M. et al., Physiol. Plant, 87:515-524 (1993); Farag, K. M. et al., HortTech., 3:62-65 (1993); Kaur, N., et al., HortScience, 32:888-890 (1997); Ryu, S. B., et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 94:12717-12721 (1997); U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,126,155 and 5,110,341; and WO 99/23889.
[0005] Besides ripening, it is also important to the plant industry to manipulate the size, weight, number, and other characters of various plant parts to enhance the production and to make the plant products more appealing to consumers. Therefore, agents that can affect the ripening, size, weight, number, and various other characters of various plant organs and tissues are desirable in the plant industry.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention provides new compounds and methods for delivering hormonal effects to plants or a part thereof to achieve various desirable effects.
[0007] In one aspect, the present invention relates to a compound having the formula R 1 OCH 2 —R 2 CH—CH 2 OP(O)(OH)O—CH 2 CH 2 N(R 3 )—COR 4 , wherein R 1 and R 3 are hydrogen or carbon chains of one to 24 carbons, R 2 is hydrogen or a group having the formula R 5 O wherein R 5 is hydrogen or a carbon chain of one to 24 carbons, and R 4 is hydrogen or a carbon chain of one to 23 carbons; the carbon chains can be saturated, unsaturated, linear, branched, cyclic, or polycyclic; and the carbon chains can have heteroatoms. In one embodiment of the invention, R 1 is a carbon chain and R 2 is R 5 O wherein R 5 is also a carbon chain. The corresponding compounds are named N-acyl phosphatidylethanolamines (N-acyl-PEs). In another embodiment, R 2 is R 5 O and either R 1 or R 5 , but not both, is hydrogen. The corresponding compounds are named N-acyl lysophosphatidylethanolamines (N-acyl-LPEs). In another embodiment, R 1 is a carbon chain and R 2 is hydrogen. The corresponding compounds are named deoxy N-acyl-LPEs. In another embodiment, R 1 is hydrogen and R 2 is R 5 O wherein R 5 is hydrogen. The corresponding compounds are named N-acyl glycerophosphorylethanolamines (N-acyl-GPEs). In another embodiment, both R 1 and R 2 are hydrogen. The corresponding compounds are named deoxy N-acyl-GPEs.
[0008] In another aspect, the present invention relates to a method of delivering an ethylene- or cytokinin-like effect to a whole plant or plant part by treating the plant or plant part with one or more of the compounds defined above in an amount effective to deliver the ethylene-like or cytokinin-like effect and optionally observing the effect. The ethylene-like effects that can be delivered include but are not limited to enhancement of ripening or maturation of a plant part, enhancement of color change of a fruit or leaf, size reduction in a plant or plant part, and promotion of cotton boll opening. The cytokinin-like effects that can be delivered include but are not limited to maintaining or enhancing plant vigor, increasing the number or size of a plant or plant part, chlorophyll retention, and enhancement of production of a plant part on a growing plant.
[0009] In another aspect, the present invention relates to a method for promoting growth, color development, or both in a plant or plant part by treating the plant or plant part with one or more of the compounds defined above in an amount effective to promote the growth of the plant or plant part and optionally observing the effect achieved.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] Not applicable.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0011] It is disclosed here that N-acyl-PEs, N-acyl-LPEs, deoxy N-acyl-LPEs, N-acyl-GPEs, and deoxy N-acyl-GPEs can deliver hormonal effects on plant growth that result in changes in the life cycle of growing plants and plant parts. In particular, the compounds as defined below can be used to mimic the effects of the plant hormones ethylene and cytokinin. This is demonstrated in the examples below using representative compounds N-acetyl phosphatidylethanolamine (NAPE-2, cytokinin-like activity) and N-acetyl lysophosphatidylethanolamine (NALPE-2, ethylene-like activity) and the art-recognized radish cotyledon bioassay. Further, the direct biological effects of some of the compounds as growth or color development agents are also demonstrated in the examples by their ability to promote cotyledon expansion (growth promotion), to increase the level of anthocyanin (a pigment in many plant parts), and to accelerate color development in fruits. Additional details on which of the two types of hormonal activities that other compounds of the present invention have can be readily determined by a skilled artisan through routine experimentation with the assay systems described in the examples or other systems with which a skilled artisan is familiar. For example, a skilled artisan can measure the effect of a particular N-acyl-PE, N-acyl-LPE, deoxy N-acyl-LPE, N-acyl-GPE, or deoxy N-acyl-GPE on cotyledon expansion. If the cotyledon expansion is enhanced, the compound is determined to have cytokinin-like activity. If the cotyledon expansion is inhibited, the compound is then determined to have ethylene-like activity. Similarly, additional details on the growth and color promoting activities of other compounds of the present invention can be readily determined by a skilled artisan through routine experimentation with the assay systems described in the examples or other systems with which a skilled artisan is familiar.
[0012] The N-acyl-PEs, N-acyl-LPEs, deoxy N-acyl-LPEs, N-acyl-GPEs, and deoxy N-acyl-GPEs that can mimic the effects of ethylene or cytokinins and can be used to promote growth and/or color development in a plant or plant part are defined by the formula R 1 OCH 2 —R 2 CH—CH 2 OP(O)(OH)O—CH 2 CH 2 N(R 3 )—COR 4 , wherein R 1 and R 3 are hydrogen or carbon chains of one to 24 carbons, R 2 is hydrogen or a group having the formula R 5 O wherein R 5 is hydrogen or a carbon chain of one to 24 carbons, and R 4 is hydrogen or a carbon chain of one to 23 carbons; the carbon chains can be saturated, unsaturated, linear, branched, cyclic, or polycyclic; and the carbon chains can have heteroatoms. Examples of heteroatoms that can attach to the carbon chains of R 1 and R 3 -R 5 include but are not limited to N, S, O and Cl. In one preferred embodiment, at least one of R 1 and R 3 -R 5 is an alkyl, alkenyl, or alkynyl substituted with at least one substituent selected from halogen, amino, alkoxy, carboxy, alkoxycarbonyl, alkylcarbonyl, or hydroxy. In another preferred embodiment, one or more of the carbon atoms in at least one of the R 1 and R 3 -R 5 groups is replaced by a constituent selected from an ester group, a nitrile, an amine, an amine salt, an acid, an acid salt, an ester of acids, a hydroxyl group, a halogen group, or a heteroatom selected from an oxygen, a sulfur, a nitrogen, or a phosphorus.
[0013] Ethylene is a plant hormone and is the only member of its class. All higher plants produce ethylene. The ethylene production varies with the type of tissue, the plant species, and the stage of development (Salisbury, F B and Ross, C W (1992) Plant Physiology, Belmont, Calif.: Wadsworth. pp. 357-407, 531-548; and McKeon, T A, et al. (1995) Biosynthesis and metabolism of ethylene, In P J Davies (ed) Plant Hormones: Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dordrecht: Kluwer. pp. 118-139, both of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety). Ethylene is known to be able to stimulate the maturation and ripening of a plant or plant part. For example, the production of ethylene has been manipulated to modulate fruit ripening and color change. Ethylene can also be used to reduce the size of a plant or plant organ. Ethylene is also known to stimulate leaf and fruit abscission, flower opening, Bromeliad flower induction, flower and leaf senescence, shoot and root growth and differentiation, adventitious root formation, release from dormancy, and femalesness in dioecious flowers (Davies P J (1995) Plant Hormones: Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic; Mauseth, J D (1991) Botany: An Introduction to Plant Biology, Philadelphia, Saunders. pp. 348-415; Raven, P H et al. (1992) Biology of Plants, New York: Worth. pp. 545-572; and Salisbury, F B and Ross, C W (1992) Plant Physiology, Belmont, Calif.: Wadsworth. pp. 357-407, 531-548, all of which are incorporated by references in their entirety). For field crops or parts in particular, such as cotton bolls, ethylene can promote opening.
[0014] It is expected that various N-acyl-PEs, N-acyl-LPEs, deoxy N-acyl-LPEs, N-acyl-GPEs, and deoxy N-acyl-GPEs that have ethylene-like activities can be used to mimic one or more of the effects of ethylene such as those described above. For example, one can use the N-acyl-PEs, N-acyl-LPEs, deoxy N-acyl-LPEs, N- acyl-GPEs, or deoxy N-acyl-GPEs to enhance the ripening or maturation of a plant or plant part, such as ripening or maturation of a fruit or vegetable, to enhance the color change of a fruit or vegetable, or to reduce the size of a plant or plant part, such as the pod or fruit size. The ripening or maturation of a plant part (e.g., a fruit, a flower, a seed, a leaf, a root, a stem, a tuber, or a bulb) can be enhanced regardless of whether the plant part is still on a growing plant or has been harvested from the plant.
[0015] Cytokinins belong to a class of plant hormones that can promote cytokinesis (cell division). There are over 200 natural and synthetic cytokinins. Structurally, cytokinins resemble adenine and are produced in plants by biochemical modification of adenine (McGaw, B A (1995) Cytokinin biosynthesis and metabolism, In P J Davies (ed) Plant Hormones: Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dordrecht: Kluwer. pp. 98-117, incorporated by reference in its entirety; and Salisbury, F B and Ross, C W (1992) Plant Physiology, Belmont, Calif.: Wadsworth. pp. 357-407, 531-548). Cytokinins have been found in almost all higher plants as well as mosses, fungi, and bacteria and also in tRNA of many prokaryotes and eukaryotes. The first identified cytokinin, kinetin, is a natural compound that is not made in plants. Although a natural compound, kinetin is sometimes referred to as a “synthetic” cytokinin by some people to indicate its non-plant origin. The most commonly made cytokinin by plants is zeatin, which was first isolated from corn ( Zea mays ).
[0016] In plants, cytokinin concentrations are the highest in meristematic regions and areas of continuous growth such as roots, young leaves, developing fruits, and seeds (Arteca, R (1996) Plant Growth Substances: Principles and Applications, New York: Chapman & Hall; Mauseth, J D (1991) Botany: An Introduction to Plant Biology, Philadelphia, Saunders. pp. 348-415; Raven, P H et al. (1992) Biology of Plants, New York: Worth. pp. 545-572; Salisbury, F B and Ross, C W (1992) Plant Physiology, Belmont, Calif.: Wadsworth. pp. 357-407, 531-548). This is consistent with the cytokinesis activity of the cytokinins. Besides promoting cytokinesis, depending on the particular cytokinin and plant species, some other physiological effects of cytokinesis include stimulation of morphogenesis (shoot initiation/bud formation), stimulation of the growth of lateral buds (release of apical dominance), stimulation of cell enlargement resulting in larger plant or organ size (e.g., larger pod size, leaf size or fruit size), stimulation of stomatal opening, promotion of the conversion of etioplasts into chloroplasts by stimulating chlorophyll synthesis, and retention of chlorophyll in mature plant parts such as leaves.
[0017] It is expected that various N-acyl-PEs, N-acyl-LPEs, deoxy N-acyl-LPEs, N-acyl-GPEs, and deoxy N-acyl-GPEs that have cytokinin-like activities can be used to mimic one or more of the effects of cytokinins such as those described above. For example, the N-acyl-PEs, N-acyl-LPEs, deoxy N-acyl-LPEs, N-acyl-GPEs, or deoxy N-acyl-GPEs can be used to maintain or enhance plant vigor, to enhance the number or size of flowers and fruits on a growing plant, and to maintain lawn or grass through green pigment retention.
[0018] In one aspect, the present invention relates to a method of delivering an ethylene-or cytokinin-like effect to a plant or plant part by treating the plant or plant part with one or more of the compounds of the present invention.
[0019] In another aspect, the present invention relates to a method for promoting the growth of a plant or plant part by treating the plant or plant part with one or more of the compounds of the present invention. The method can be practiced to increase the size and/or weight of a plant part. The size of a plant part refers to its volume. A skilled artisan knows how to measure and compare the size of a particular plant part. For example, for a substantially round fruit, diameter can be used as a measure of fruit size. For leaves that have similar thickness, the surface area can be used as an indication of leave size. The present invention is particularly useful for increasing the size and/or weight of various fruits, foliage, flowers, and tubers. The method can also be practiced to enhance root formation and development of roots on cuttings (increase the number of roots and/or overall length of the roots) and to enhance tuber or bulb formation (increase the number of tubers or bulbs). The method can further be practiced to stimulate turf grass growth (e.g., increase dry weight or biomass of turf grass).
[0020] In another aspect, the present invention relates to a method of promoting color development in a plant part by treating the plant part with one or more of the compounds of the present invention. In one embodiment, the method is practiced to promote color development in fruits or leaves. Examples of target fruits include but are not limited to grapes, plums, cherries, strawberries, apples, citrus, tomatoes, and peppers.
[0021] The ethylene- and cytokinin-like effects as well as the growth and color promotion effects of the compounds of the present invention are not limited to any particular plant or plant part. Treatment conditions for applying a compound of the present invention to a plant or plant part, such as treatment time, treatment temperature, and the amount of a compound used for a particular application, may vary depending on variables such as the specific compound used, the particular plant part treated, and the purpose of the treatment. Appropriate treatment conditions for any particular application can be readily determined by a skilled artisan through routine experimentation.
[0022] Any suitable method for applying an N-acyl-PE, N-acyl-LPE, deoxy N-acyl-LPE, N-acyl-GPE, or deoxy N-acyl-GPE to a plant or plant part can be used in the present invention. Preferably, a compound is provided in a solution for applying onto the plant or plant part. Suitable solvents for making the solutions include but are not limited to water and organic solvents such as alcohol solvents (e.g., isopropanol). Examples of concentrations of an N-acyl-PE, N-acyl-LPE, deoxy N-acyl-LPE, N-acyl-GPE, or deoxy N-acyl-GPE that can be used include those from about 1 mg/L to about 2000 mg/L, from about 10 mg/L to about 1000 mg/L, and from about 20 mg/L to about 500 mg/L. The term “about” is used in the specification and claims to cover concentrations that slightly deviate from a recited concentration but retain its essential function. For treating a target plant or plant part, the plant or plant part can be sprayed with or dipped into a solution described above. Other suitable methods of exposing a plant or plant part to an N-acyl-PE, N-acyl-LPE, deoxy N-acyl-LPE, N-acyl-GPE, or deoxy N-acyl-GPE can also be used.
[0023] By way of example, but not limitation, examples of the present invention are described below.
EXAMPLE 1
Synthesis of NALPE-2 and NAPE-2
[0024] Synthesis of N-acetyl lysophosphatidylethanolamine (NALPE-2). Acetyl chloride (296 μL, 4.16 mmol) in dry chloroform (10 mL) was added dropwise to a solution of lysophosphatidylethanolamine derived from egg lecithin (Doosan Biotech (Seoul, Korea); 1000 mg, 2.076 mmol) and magnesium oxide (1 g) in chloroform (20 mL). The reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature overnight. After filtration of the solution, the filtrate was concentrated in vacuo. The residue was purified by flash column chromatography, eluting with a gradient of chloroform /methanol (9:1) to chloroform /methanol (7:3) to give 618 mg of a waxy solid NALPE-2 (60% yield): R f (retention factor)=0.30 in chloroform /methanol/water (65:25:1); positive spot by phosphorus spay and negative by ninhydrin spray; Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) (neat) cm −1 3267, 2920, 2851, 1736, 1639, 1564, 1464, 1376, 1231, 1109, and 1049.
[0025] Synthesis of N-acetylphosphatidylethanolamine (NAPE-2). A solution of phosphatidylethanolamine isolated from soybean (Avanti Polar Lipids (Alabaster, Ala.); 500 mg, 0.698 mmol) and triethylamine (0.389 mL, 2.79 mmol) in dry chloroform (20 mL) was cooled in ice bath and acetyl chloride (99 μL, 1.40 mmol) in dry chloroform (10 mL) was added dropwise. The reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature overnight and concentrated in vacuo. The residue was purified by flash column chromatography, eluting with a gradient of chloroform /methanol (9:1) to chloroform /methanol (8:2) to give 330 mg of a waxy solid NAPE-2 (62% yield): R f =0.21 in chloroform /methanol (8:2); positive spot by phosphorus spay and negative by ninhydrin spray; FT-IR (neat) cm −1 2923, 2853, 1736, 1654, 1560,1459,1375,1235, 1106, and 1062.
EXAMPLE 2
Effects of NAPE-2 and NALPE-2 on Kinetin-Induced Cotyledon Expansion and Hypocotyls Anthocyanin Level
[0000] Methods
[0026] Radish cotyledon bioassay. The radish cotyledon bioassay was essentially as described by Letham D S (1971) Physiologia Plantarum 25:391-396, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. Seeds of Raphanus sativus L. cv. Cherry-Belle were germinated in darkness at 25° C. for 36 hours in Petri dishes containing filter paper wetted with distilled water. The smaller of the two cotyledons was excised, the fresh weight determined, and 10 cotyledons placed adaxial side down on filter paper in Petri dishes containing potassium phosphate buffer (2 mM, pH 6.0) with kinetin (0.2 mg/L, added to simulate natural growing conditions) and the compounds to be tested at 20 mg/L. Cotyledons were then incubated under continuous illumination up to 72 hours at 25° C. and the increase in fresh weight determined. Chlorophyll content was determined after extraction of tissue into 80% ethanol (containing butylated hydroxytoluene, 10 mg/L) and quantified spectrophotometrically using the equations Chl a=(13.95A 663 )−(6.88A 647 ) and Chl b=(24.96A 652 )−(7.32A 663 ) as described by Lichtenthal H K (1987) Methods in Enzymology 148:350-382, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
[0027] Radish hypocotyl bioassay for anthocyanins. An anthocyanin bioassay was developed using intact germinated seeds of radish ( Raphanus sativus L. cv. Cherry-Belle). Seeds of radish were germinated in darkness at 25° C. for 40 hours in Petri dishes containing filter paper wetted with distilled water. Whole seedlings were transferred to Petri dishes containing the test solutions in potassium phosphate buffer (2 mM, pH 6.0 containing 0.2 mg/L kinetin to simulate natural growing conditions). The seedlings were incubated under bright light for 28 h prior to extraction of hypocotyl tissue and spectrophotometric quantification of anthocyanins. Anthocyanin content was determined spectrophotometrically after tissue extraction into 99 parts ethanol and 1 part concentrated HCl. The absorbance of the acidic ethanol fraction was measured at 510 nm and the final anthocyanin content calculated using an extinction coefficient of 31.76 mmol cm −1 for raphanisuns (Ishikura N. and Hayashi K. Chromatographic separation and characterization of the component anthocyanins in radish root. Botanical Magazine Tokyo 76:6-13, 1963, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety).
[0000] Results
[0028] Effects of NAPE-2. NAPE-2 was prepared semi-synthetically as described in Example 1 and assayed using the radish cotyledon bioassay. The results in Table 1 show that NAPE-2 increased cotyledon fresh weight by about 10%. NAPE-2 treatment did not change the total amount of chlorophyll during radish cotyledon expansion.
TABLE 1 Effect of NAPE-2 on kinetin-induced expansion growth and chlorophyll content of radish cotyledons. Three cotyledons were incubated on filter discs wetted with 2 mM phosphate buffer (PB, pH 6.0) containing kinetin (0.2 mg/l) and NAPE-2 (20 mg/L). Cotyledons were incubated under continuous illumination in an incubation chamber at 25° C. for 72 hours and the change in fresh weight and chlorophyll content determined (n = 3). nd = not determined. Change in fresh Chlorophyll Chlorophyll weight a + b a + b Chlorophyll Treatment (mg) % of control (μg/cotyledon) (mg/g FW) a/b Control 17.04 ± 2.34* 100 31.00 ± 2.81 1.44 ± 0.03 1.80 NAPE-2 18.90 ± 1.74* 110 25.99 ± 5.15 1.09 ± 0.14 1.82 Control 19.84 ± 4.65* 100 nd nd nd NAPE-2 21.37 ± 1.09* 108 nd nd nd Control 20.78 ± 0.49* 100 nd nd nd NAPE-2 22.52 ± 3.42* 108 nd nd nd *Data are significant (p = 0.05)
[0029] Effects of NALPE-2. As shown in Table 2, NALPE-2 displayed inhibitory activity on expansion growth of radish cotyledons and the degree of inhibition was dependent upon the concentration of applied NALPE-2. In Table 3, it is shown that NALPE-2 enhanced the amount of anthocyanin pigment in radish hypocotyls.
TABLE 2 Effect of NALPE-2 on cotyledon expansion in radish. Cotyledons were incubated on filter discs wetted with 2 mM PB (pH 6.0) containing kinetin (0.2 mg/l) and incubated under continuous illumination in an incubation chamber at 25° C. for 72 hours and the change in fresh weight determined (n = 9). Change in fresh weight % of Treatment (mg) control Control 14.91 ± 4.10 100 NALPE-2 (0.2 mg/l) 13.68 ± 4.79 92 NALPE-2 (20 mg/l) 9.88 ± 4.93 66 NALPE-2 (200 mg/l) 8.64 ± 5.46 58
[0030]
TABLE 3
Effect of NALPE-2 on hypocotyls anthocyanin content of radish.
Whole germinated seedlings were incubated on filter discs wetted
with 2 mM PB (pH 6.0) containing kinetin (0.2 mg/l) and incubated
under continuous illumination in an incubation chamber at
25° C. for 28 hours. The change in hypocotyls anthocyanin
content was determined (n = 4).
Treatment
Anthocyanin (μg/hypocotyl)
% of control
Control
2.107 ± 0.001
100
NALPE-2 (15 mg/l)
2.637 ± 0.005
125
EXAMPLE 3
The Color Impact of NALPE-2 on Tomato and Hot Pepper
[0000] Methods
[0031] The color impact of NALPE-2 on tomato. Hydroponic tomatoes (var. Trust) in a commercial greenhouse located in Arena, Wis. were treated with NALPE-2 (50 mg/L) using a hand pump spray bottle. Five tomato clusters each with 3-5 fruit in the early ripening stages (breaker) were used. The clusters were sprayed such that little overspray left the immediate area as to not contaminate other vines. Ambient conditions in the greenhouse at the time of application were about 75° F. and 70% relative humidity, full sun. Drying time was approximately 0.5 hr. Fruit were harvested after 7 days and transported to the laboratory for visual color comparison.
[0032] The color impact of NALPE-2 on hot pepper. Potted ornamental peppers (var. Bolivian Rainbow Peppers) in laboratory greenhouses located in Middleton, Wis. were treated with NALPE-2 (50 mg/L). The plants were grown from seed and allowed to mature until the plant crown showed substantial fruit numbers. 40-50 fruits were tagged and labeled. The pepper color stage was noted prior to application and two plants were used. Ambient conditions in the greenhouse at the time of application were about 80° F. and 70% relative humidity. Drying time was approximately 0.5 hr. After 14 days the peppers were harvested and color group sorting was performed.
[0000] Results
[0033] As shown in Tables 4 and 5, NALPE-2 accelerated color development in tomatoes and hot peppers.
TABLE 4 Effect of NALPE-2 on color development of tomatoes. NALPE-2 (50 mg/L) was applied 7 days prior to harvest and visual color comparison. Color Stage Others 1 Light Red Red Treatment (%) (%) (%) Untreated control 47 20 33 NALPE-2 (50 mg/L) 16 17 67 1 Others: Tomatoes of breaker, turning, and pink stage.
[0034]
TABLE 5
Effect of NALPE-2 on color development of Bolivian Rainbow
Peppers. NALPE-2 (50 mg/L) was applied 14 days prior to
harvest and color group sorting. The order of color development for
Bolivian Rainbow Peppers is purple, blue, yellow, orange, and red.
Color Stage
Purple
Blue
Yellow
Orange
Red
Treatment
(%)
(%)
(%)
(%)
(%)
Untreated control
27
26
14
14
19
NALPE-2 (50 mg/L)
19
22
6
20
32 | The structures of N-acyl phosphatidylethanolamines, N-acyl lysophosphatidylethanolamines, deoxy N-acyl lysophosphatidylethanolamines, N-acyl glycerophosphorylethanolamines, and deoxy N-acyl glycerophosphorylethanolamines that can deliver an ethylene- or cytokinin-like effect to a plant or plant part are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods of using the compounds to achieve an ethylene- or cytokinin-like effect. | 0 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a device and methodology for controlling a motor that drives a belt in a treadmill. More particularly, this invention relates to a system for controlling a treadmill motor that drives a belt in response to a particular sequence of electrical signals by monitoring the timing sequence of those signals and by determining whether the treadmill is appropriately positioned for use.
With the recent increase in popularity of treadmill exercise machines, a variety of controls have been developed. For example, U. S. Pat. No. 5,368,532, issued on Nov. 29, 1994, shows an automatic speed control system for a treadmill. That speed control system operates depending upon the position of a user on the treadmill running surface. A pair of sensors are located under the running surface for producing digital signals that are indicative of the user's position on the treadmill.
One feature of the controller of the '532 Patent is that it has a timer-based shutoff control. A warm-up mode, where the motor drives the belt at a relatively low speed, enables a user to become comfortable and properly positioned on the treadmill before the treadmill operates at full speed. If the sensors below the treadmill running surface do not detect the presence of a user on the belt within a specific time during the warm-up mode, the belt is stopped. Such a shut-off system is useful for some applications, however, it is inadequate for others.
First, to implement a system as described in the '532 Patent requires relatively expensive components that effectively prohibits the use of such a system in many applications. Moreover, the above-described shut-off system fails to address a potential safety issue presented by some commercially available treadmills.
In some treadmills a user must turn the system on and then choose an operating speed by depressing two different buttons. Once the speed selection button is depressed, the belt begins to rotate at the selected speed. An undesirable drawback of such systems is that it is possible for one user to depress the "on" button and then leave the treadmill unattended. A second user then approaches the treadmill and may accidentally or intentionally press one of the speed selection buttons while not expecting the treadmill to operate. Because the "on" button has been pushed by a previous user, however, the treadmill unexpectedly moves at the selected speed, creating a potential safety hazard. For example, the user may be unexpectedly thrown from the treadmill if the belt suddenly operates at a high speed.
Other treadmills present further potential safety hazards. Some commercially available treadmills are foldable into upright, storage positions. It is important that such treadmills not operate in an upright condition because the moving belt can present a potential for injury to those standing near the treadmill.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a treadmill control that ensures that the treadmill will not operate unless it is properly positioned for use. Further, a treadmill control should require that a sequence of operating signals be generated within a preselected time in order to prevent the belt from unexpectedly accelerating rapidly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In general terms, this invention is a system for controlling a treadmill that has a motor that drives a belt including a control panel that has signal producing means for producing a plurality of signals. The plurality of signals include an initiation signal and a mode selection signal. A signal detecting means, coupled between the control panel and the motor, detects when each of the plurality of signals is produced by the control panel. A position determining means determines whether the belt is properly positioned for use. A preventing means prevents the motor from being powered to drive the belt when the belt is not properly positioned for use. A shut-off means is coupled to the signal detecting means and monitors the time period between production of the initiation signal and production of the mode selection signal. The shut-off means shuts off all power to the motor when the time period between production of the two signals exceeds a preselected maximum.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The various features and advantages of this invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiment. The drawings that accompany the detailed description can be described as follows.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a treadmill.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of selected components of a system designed in accordance with this invention.
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a presently preferred embodiment of a control circuit designed in accordance with this invention.
FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating the methodology associated with this invention.
FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of another embodiment of this invention in a use position.
FIG. 6 illustrates the embodiment of FIG. 5 in a non-use position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 illustrates a treadmill 10 having a control panel 12 including a signal producing means 14. The control panel 12 enables a user to operate the treadmill 10 in accordance with a desired exercise program. The signal producing means 14, for example, produces a plurality of signals that cause a motor, which is housed within a motor housing 16, to drive a belt 18 at a particular speed.
Referring to FIG. 2, the signal producing means 14 includes an "on" button 20 and an "off" button 22. The signal producing means 14 also includes a means 24 for producing a mode selection signal. In the illustrated embodiment the mode selection signal is generated by depressing one of the buttons 26, 28 or 30.
In order to operate the treadmill 10, a user first depresses the "on" button 20 to generate an initiation signal. The initiation signal effectively couples a motor 32 to a conventional power supply 34 but does not cause the motor to operate. The user then selects a speed, medium, for example, by depressing the button 28 to generate a mode selection signal. Once the mode selection signal is generated, the motor 32 operates at the selected speed, driving the belt 18 accordingly. The "off" button 22 can be depressed at any time to disconnect the motor 32 from the power supply 34.
A detecting means 36 and a shut-off means 38 are provided in order to reduce the possibility of a user being injured due to an unexpected rapid acceleration of the belt 18. The detecting means 36 includes a signal detector that determines when the initiation and mode selection signals are produced. The shut-off means 38 includes a shut-off timer circuit that turns off all power to the motor 32 in the event that the mode selection signal is not produced within a preselected time period after the initiation signal is produced.
A system designed according to this invention is particularly useful in commercial displays where a number of different people may sample a treadmill. It is possible that one user depressed the button 20 and then left the treadmill 10 unattended. A second user may step on the belt 18 and, assuming that the "on" button 20 has not been depressed, depress one of the buttons 26, 28 or 30. Because the initiation signal was earlier produced, generating the mode selection signal under these conditions will cause the motor 32 to drive the belt 18 according to the selected speed. If the second user was not expecting the belt 18 to accelerate suddenly, the user may fall down or be thrown from the belt 18 off of the treadmill 10. The shut-off means 38 prevents such an undesirable event by disconnecting all power from the motor 32 when a mode selection signal is not produced within a preselected time period after the initiation signal is generated.
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating circuitry useful for implementing this invention. The mode selection signal generating means 24 comprises a speed potentiometer. Adjusting the speed potentiometer 24 produces an analog mode selection signal along a signal line 40, which is supplied to the motor 32 in a conventional manner. The adjustment of potentiometer 24 can be accomplished by depressing one of the buttons 26, 28 or 30 or, alternatively by manually adjusting a rotatable knob or lever or any other conventional adjustable switching mechanism.
The mode selection signal is also conducted along a signal line 42 and input into a comparator 44. The comparator 44 compares the signal on the line 40 to a preselected nominal value, preferably ground, in order to determine whether the mode selection signal has been produced. The comparator 44 normally produces a high output signal along a line 46. (The terms "high" and "low" as used in this specification refer to logic signal values.) When the comparator 44 determines that a mode selection signal above the preselected nominal value has been produced, the output at 46 goes low. The output of the comparator 44 is propagated along a signal line 48 to an AND gate 50.
The AND gate 50 is also coupled through a signal line 52 to the "on" button 20. When the switch of the "on" button 20 is depressed and the mode selection signal is zero, the output of the AND gate 50 goes high. The output of the AND gate 50 is conducted along a signal line 54 to the set input of a flip-flop 56. When the flip-flop 56 is set its output is an initiation signal that is transmitted to the motor 32 along a signal line 58 in a conventional manner. The production of the initiation signal effectively couples the motor 32 to a conventional power supply.
The output of the flip-flop 56 is also coupled to an input 60 of an AND gate 62. The other input of the AND gate 62 is coupled to the output of the comparator 44. Therefore, when an initiation signal is produced and the mode selection signal is not produced, both inputs to the AND gate 62 are high. Accordingly, the output of the AND gate 62 goes high, thereby initiating a timer 64.
The timer 64 can be any conventional counter or other timing device that can be set to run for a preselected time period. The output of the timer 64 is low while the timer is running. After expiration of the preselected maximum time period, the output of the timer 64 goes high. This high signal is conducted along a signal line 66 to an OR gate 68. The OR gate 68, in turn, produces a high output along a signal line 70. The signal line 70 is coupled to the reset input of flip-flop 56 and the initiation signal along the line 58 is, therefore, terminated.
The timer 64 preferably is set to run only when the output of the AND gate 62 is high. Accordingly, when a mode selection signal is produced (i.e., the signal from the speed potentiometer 24 exceeds the preselected nominal value) the output of the comparator 44 goes low, in turn causing the output of the AND gate 62 to go low. Therefore, the timer 64 will be interrupted. Once the timer 64 is interrupted it stops counting, for example, and does not produce a high output at 66. Accordingly, if the mode selection signal is generated prior to expiration of the preselected maximum time, the flip-flop 56 is not reset, the motor 32 stays coupled to the power supply 34 and the motor operation proceeds according to the mode selection signal produced.
The above-described circuit operates assuming that the motor control logic requires a positive or high signal along the lines 58 and 42.
A user can manually terminate the operation of the motor 32 by depressing the "off" button 22, which causes the flip-flop 56 to be reset, thereby shutting off the signal along the line 58.
As can be appreciated, the method associated with this invention of controlling a treadmill includes four basic steps. First, a plurality of signals to cause the motor to drive the belt are produced. The plurality of signals includes an initiation signal and a mode selection signal. The time when each of the plurality of signals is produced is determined. The time period between the production of the initiation signal and the mode selection signal is monitored and all power to the motor is shut off when the time period between production of the initiation and mode selection signals exceeds a preselected maximum.
FIG. 4 is a flow chart diagram illustrating the methodology associated with this invention. The determination of whether the initiation signal has been produced is made in order to determine whether the motor 32 should be connected to the power supply 34 and whether the timer 64 should be initiated. An initiation condition exists once the initiation signal has been produced. Once the timer is initiated, the signal detector 36 determines whether a mode selection signal has been produced. An operation condition exists once the mode selection signal has been produced during the initiation condition. If the mode selection signal is not produced within the preselected maximum time period then the motor 32 is disconnected from the power supply 34. If the mode selection signal is produced within the preselected maximum time then the timer is interrupted and the motor is operated in accordance with the mode selection signal.
The timer 64 can be set to run for any reasonable amount of time. In one embodiment, the timer 64 is set to run for fifteen seconds. A time period of fifteen seconds allows a user to press the "on" button 20 and make a decision about the desired speed of the treadmill belt 18. A fifteen second interval also substantially decreases the likelihood that a second user will step onto the belt 18 and cause a mode selection signal to be generated while the motor 32 is coupled to the power supply 34, which would cause an unexpected acceleration of the belt 18. Shorter or longer time periods are possible provided that a user has a reasonable amount of time to make a mode or speed selection after causing an initiation signal to be generated.
Reffering back to FIG. 1, another feature of this invention is illustrated. An overtravel pedal 80 is provided at the rear of the belt 18. The pedal 80, which preferably is a plate, is located below the plane of the belt 18 to avoid inadvertent contact with the pedal 80. The pedal 80 is connected to a mechanical safety switch that is actuated by a person that is propelled off the rear of the treadmill when that person contacts the pedal 80. When the mechanical safety switch is thrown, all power is cut off from the motor 32. Accordingly, the belt 18 stops rotating immediately in the event that a user accidentally is propelled off the rear of the belt 18. This feature provides significant advantages in preventing further injury to a user that accidentally falls while using the treadmill 10. It is also within the scope of this invention to provide a conventional dynamic braking arrangement to facilitate stopping the belt 18 when the mechanical safety switch is thrown.
FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate another embodiment of a treadmill incorporating further safety features provided by this invention. The treadmill 10 of FIGS. 5 and 6 has the ability for moving the belt 18 about a pivot point 84 from a use position 86 (illustrated in FIG. 5) to a non-use or storage position 88 (illustrated in FIG. 6). It is important that the treadmill 10 not be operable when the belt 18 is in the storage position 88. Accordingly, this invention provides a sensor, which is mounted to the belt housing or the motor housing 16, that produces electrical signals indicative of the position of the belt 18. Any commercially available sensor or switching assembly will be suitable. Those skilled in the art will understand what types of sensor arrangements would be appropriate and, therefore, they need not be described further in this specification.
An additionally safety feature provided by this invention is a mechanical locking member 90. The mechanical locking member 90 preferably includes a moveable latching member for attaching to and maintaining the belt 18 in the non-use storage position 88. As an additional feature, the locking member 90 preferably is provided with a switch assembly that generates an electrical signal indicative of whether the locking member 90 is in a locking or non-locking position. Any commercially available locking member and switching system can be utilized.
The electrical signals produced by the position determining means 85 and the switching arrangement coupled to the locking member 90 preferably are processed by a microprocessor located within the control panel 12. The signals produced to indicate that the belt 18 is in a use position can be processed by the signal detector 36. When the position detector 85 and the locking member 90 indicate that the belt 18 is in the non-use position, the signal detector 36 allows the treadmill 10 to be operated, provided that the appropriate sequence of signals within prescribed time limits are generated by a user manipulating the control panel 14 as described above. When the locking member 90 is in a locking position, however, the signal detector 36 immediately and constantly prevents power from being transmitted to the motor 32. Similarly, when the position detector 85 indicates that the belt 18 is not in the use position 86, no power is supplied to the motor 32.
The switching feature of the locking member 90 also can be used as an auxiliary shutoff switch. For example, the locking member 90 preferably is mounted on the treadmill 10 to be within the grasp or reach of a user of the treadmill 10. In the event that the user wants to immediately shutoff the power to the motor 32, to thereby stop the belt 18 from rotating, the user could reach forward and move the locking member 90 into a locking position, thereby throwing the associated switch. Accordingly, providing a locking member 90 with a switch arrangement that produces a signal indicating that the power to the motor 32 should be cutoff provides more than one advantage.
Another feature of this invention is to provide a pressure sensor 92 in a folding leg 94. When the treadmill belt 18 is in the use position 86, the leg 94 supports one end of the belt 18 against the floor (or whatever surface the treadmill 10 is standing on). In the non-use position 88, the leg 94 does not serve a weight-bearing function. Accordingly, providing a pressure sensor 92 on the leg 94 serves as an additional indicator of whether the belt 18 is properly placed in the use position 86. Whenever a signal from the pressure sensor 92 within the leg 94 does not indicate that the belt 18 is properly supported in the use position 86, no power is supplied to the motor 32. Any known pressure sensor 92 can be incorporated on the leg 94.
The overtravel pedal 80 most preferably is incorporated into the embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6, and operates in the same manner as described above.
The preceding description is exemplary rather than limiting in nature. Variations and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art that do not depart from the purview and spirit of this invention. The scope of this invention is to be limited only by the appended claims where reference numerals are provided for convenience only and are not to be construed to be limiting in any way. | A device and methodology for controlling a treadmill motor (32) enhances user safety by providing an automatic shutoff of all power to the motor (32) under prescribed conditions. The treadmill motor (32) drives a belt (18) in response to a sequence of electrical signals being generated by the user through a control panel (14), for example. If there is a delay between the required signals that exceeds a preselected time period, all power is shut off to the motor (32) until the proper sequence of signals is restarted. In one embodiment, the treadmill running surface (18) is foldable from a use position (86) into a storage position (88). This invention prevents the motor (32) from being powered unless the belt (18) is in the use position. | 0 |
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/751,797, filed Jan. 11, 2013; the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to systems and methods for firearm components and, more specifically, to systems and methods for firearm receivers.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Receivers are present in nearly every firearm. Existing systems typically are based on single piece receivers.
[0004] Production methods for rifle and other firearm receivers vary. In common processes, a number of individual operations are undertaken to reduce a solid metallic block to a finished receiver. Integral to these processes is a heat treat process that anticipates the necessity of machining the intermediary product to a finished form. These processes also typically incorporate a final step to provide a structural form sufficient to contain axial loads transferred from the impulsive ignition sequence to and including interfacing receiver-bolt lugs as dynamic load transfer members to the shoulder of a shooter.
[0005] In some rifle and other firearm receivers, a tail section on a receiver body is provided as part of the receiver system. In the past, the receiver and corresponding tail were generally produced from a single block of metal. This may increase production costs and complexity due to machining of the final product. Furthermore, the structural and performance requirements of the receiver body and the tail may differ considerably, resulting in less than optimal design choices being made about materials and configuration of the receiver system and wasted costs due to production.
[0006] Needs exist for improved systems and methods for improving performance of a receiver and reducing manufacturing costs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] Embodiments of the present invention solve many of the problems and/or overcome many of the drawbacks and disadvantages of the prior art by providing systems and methods for firearm components.
[0008] Embodiments of the present invention may include systems and methods for firearm receivers. Systems may include a receiver body, a tail; and a connection for coupling the receiver body to the tail. The receiver body and the tail may be made from different materials. A receiver system coupling apparatus may include one or more protrusions on a receiver body; and one or more protrusions on a tail. The one or more protrusions on the receiver body may be coupled to the one or more protrusions on the tail to secure the receiver body to the tail. A method for producing a multiple component receiver system may include creating a receiver body from a first material; creating a tail from a second material; and coupling the receiver body to the tail with a connection.
[0009] Additional features, advantages, and embodiments of the invention are set forth or apparent from consideration of the following detailed description, drawings and claims. Moreover, it is to be understood that both the foregoing summary of the invention and the following detailed description are exemplary and intended to provide further explanation without limiting the scope of the invention as claimed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention and together with the detailed description serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:
[0011] FIG. 1A is a left side perspective view of an exemplary multiple component system for a rifle receiver in an operational arrangement.
[0012] FIG. 1B is a right side perspective view of an exemplary multiple component system for a rifle receiver in an operational arrangement.
[0013] FIG. 1C is a top view of an exemplary multiple component system for a rifle receiver in an operational arrangement.
[0014] FIG. 1D is a back end view of an exemplary multiple component system for a rifle receiver in an operational arrangement.
[0015] FIG. 1E is a front end view of an exemplary multiple component system for a rifle receiver in an operational arrangement.
[0016] FIG. 1F is a left side view of an exemplary multiple component system for a rifle receiver in an operational arrangement.
[0017] FIG. 1G is a bottom view of an exemplary multiple component system for a rifle receiver in an operational arrangement.
[0018] FIG. 2A is an exploded left side perspective view of an exemplary multiple component system for a rifle receiver in an exploded view.
[0019] FIG. 2B is an exploded right side perspective view of an exemplary multiple component system for a rifle receiver in an exploded view.
[0020] FIG. 3A is a left side perspective view of an exemplary tail system.
[0021] FIG. 3B is a right side perspective view of an exemplary tail system.
[0022] FIG. 3C is a top view of an exemplary tail system.
[0023] FIG. 3D is a back end view of an exemplary tail system.
[0024] FIG. 3E is a front end view of an exemplary tail system.
[0025] FIG. 3F is a left side view of an exemplary tail system.
[0026] FIG. 3G is a bottom view of an exemplary tail system.
[0027] FIG. 4A is a left side perspective view of an exemplary receiver system.
[0028] FIG. 4B is a right side perspective view of an exemplary receiver system.
[0029] FIG. 4C is a top view of an exemplary receiver system.
[0030] FIG. 4D is a back end view of an exemplary receiver system.
[0031] FIG. 4E is a front end view of an exemplary receiver system.
[0032] FIG. 4F is a left side view of an exemplary receiver system.
[0033] FIG. 4G is a bottom view of an exemplary receiver system.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0034] Systems and methods are described for firearm components. More specifically, firearms, such as rifles, may include a receiver system. While a rifle receiver system is described herein for exemplary purposes, it is understood that the present application may be applicable to any system that includes a receiver system. A receiver and bolt system is a basic component of any bolt action rifle. Fire control components, barrel, and magazine are all attached to the firearm in relation to the receiver and bolt, which allow for the feeding, lockup, firing, and extraction/ejection of a cartridge.
[0035] In certain embodiments of the present invention, the receiver system may be made of multiple components. FIGS. 1A-1G show an exemplary multiple component system for a rifle receiver in an operational arrangement. FIGS. 2A-2B show an exemplary multiple component system for a rifle receiver in an exploded view. FIGS. 3A-3G show an exemplary tail system. FIGS. 4A-4G show an exemplary receiver system.
[0036] Separating the receiver system into a receiver body and a tail may provide benefits over existing systems. For example, splitting the receiver system into two or more components may provide improved efficiency in a manufacturing process due to less wasted material and shorter machining cycle time. A multiple component system may also permit use of different technological processes for each component, e.g., machining the receiver body from a bar stock and using an investment casting for the tail, plus one or more secondary machining operations, if necessary. A multiple component system may also allow for different heat treatment of each component, creating a different hardness for each component. Furthermore, different materials may be used for each component. Different finishing processes may also be used for each component, e.g., polishing for the receiver body and leaving the tail as cast. A multiple component system may also provide for modular design, such as allowing use of different variants of the receiver body, including different lengths or aesthetic variants, with the same tail, or vice versa.
[0037] As shown in FIG. 1A , the receiver system 101 may include a receiver body 103 , a tail 105 and a connection 107 . In general, the receiver body 103 may include an ejection port 109 , a bolt stop location 111 , a scope attachment 113 , a bolt lug 115 , as well as other features. The receiver body may include a surface 116 for a mechanical lock with the tail 105 and/or a tail locating surface 118 .
[0038] A tail 105 may include an extension aft of the receiver body 103 . In certain embodiments, the tail extends in an aft direction central to the receiver body in a plane of rotation around which a bolt handle rotates to either open or close the action and proceeds rearward. A trigger group mechanism may be applied by fastener or other connection to a surface of the tail, such as the lower surface. A multiple component system could also be applied to other action designs like semi-automatics, rimfires, etc. In general, the tail may include a safety button location 117 , a sear pivot pin location 119 , a trigger sear pivot location 121 , a joining pin hole 123 , a sear spring location 125 , a bolt guiding surface 127 , a cocking piece groove with lead angle 128 , a bolt stop hole 129 , a spring pocket 131 , a trigger sear blocking lever pivot 133 , a safety spring pivot 135 , as well as other features.
[0039] The receiver body and the tail mechanism may be coupled together by a connection 107 . The connection may include one or more pins 137 . The one or more pins 137 may pass through joining pin holes 139 on one or more protrusions 141 on the receiver body 103 and/or through joining pin holes 123 on the one or more protrusions 143 on the tail 105 . In certain embodiments, the tail may include one, two, three or more protrusions. The one or more pins may extend through one of the protrusions, through a protrusion on the receiver body and couple to the second protrusion on the tail. Other types of connections may be used to couple the receiver body to the tail. In certain embodiments, the receiver body and the tail may be welded together or heat treated or induction shrink fitted. In other embodiments, no welding may be used to couple the receiver body to the tail. Other connection methods may include, but are not limited to, adhesives, screws, bolts, a mechanical lock created by geometry, such as, but not limited to, a dovetail, keyway, or interference fit, etc. Furthermore, combinations of the described connection methods may be used.
[0040] The receiver body and the tail may be manufactured from different materials and coupled together. In alternative embodiments, the receiver body and the tail may be manufactured from the same or similar materials, but coupled together. Materials for the receiver body and the tail may include heat treatable steels, with many different hardness characteristics and heat treat methods possible. The different characteristics may be inherent to the starting material or may result from heat or other types of treatments. For example, the different materials of the receiver body and the tail may be heat treatable steels with different hardness characteristics and/or be treated with different heat treatments. Preferably, the differences may result in different performance characteristics of the receiver body and the tail. Other materials for the tail may include, but are not limited to, aluminum, magnesium, titanium, plastic, or polymer depending on the interaction with the receiver body. Also, different receiver body material, such as, but not limited to, aluminum, titanium, plastic, or polymer may be used.
[0041] Each component of the receiver system may be manufactured from materials that have preferred characteristics for that component. For example, the receiver body and the tail may be manufactured from materials that have differing hardness values. In existing systems, it is difficult to address the various needs all components of a receiver system that are confined to a relatively small volume of material. Further, it may be important to consider structural integrity requirements of the various components of the receiver system. For example, heat treating the entire receiver system to achieve some minimum threshold value for meeting structural integrity requirements may be difficult owning to time requirements, expense and distortion and/or warping concerns upon quenching and tempering of a comparatively long slender member, such as the tail.
[0042] The receiver body may have structural requirements for housing the bolt and ensuring a necessary hardness to prevent galling given the bolt locking functions to the rear, together with structural requirements for the fore section of the receiver that incorporates the locking lugs and their vital role containing high load impulse. Therefore, the receiver body preferably is properly manufactured to provide wear resistance and make the receiver system load capable.
[0043] The tail may operate under an entirely different set of criteria. The tail may serve a function unrelated to that of the main body of the receiver in that it provides a platform for containment and mounting of the trigger mechanism and safety housing. Therefore, the structural requirements of the tail differ from those for the receiver body. For example, the tail may create a surface for the cocking piece to be operated against while turning the bolt and cocking the striker. The tail may also provide structural support and strength for the fire control components so that the operational integrity of the firearm may be retained, even in adverse conditions such as a jar, drop, or other unusual loading.
[0044] In addition, an exposed base of the tail may serve as a mounting interface to the stock and housing onto which the stock may be affixed to a rifle barrel.
[0045] Certain embodiments of the present invention may include processes for manufacturing of the multiple component receiver system described herein. The process for making the receiver body may include machining from bar stock material. An advantage of the multiple component system of the present invention is elimination of a large block of machining from the rear of the receiver body. This may allow for the possibility of using a turn-milling machine, which increases the throughput capacity for manufacture. A heat treatment process may be a local induction process and/or a global process. For example, the tail may be a cast part that is then machined. Alternatively, the tail may be fully machined. Furthermore, the tail may use metal injection molding or a powder metal process, or similar process, or a combination of processes. The heat treatment may be a case hardening for components or a global treatment or a combination.
[0046] Although the foregoing description is directed to the preferred embodiments of the invention, it is noted that other variations and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Moreover, features described in connection with one embodiment of the invention may be used in conjunction with other embodiments, even if not explicitly stated above. | Systems and methods for firearm receivers are described. Systems may include a receiver body, a tail; and a connection for coupling the receiver body to the tail. The receiver body and the tail may be made from different materials. A receiver system coupling apparatus may include one or more protrusions on a receiver body; and one or more one or more protrusions on a tail. The one or more protrusions on the receiver body may be coupled to the one or more protrusions on the tail to secure the receiver body to the tail. A method for producing a multiple component receiver system may include creating a receiver body from a first material; creating a tail from a second material; and coupling the receiver body to the tail with a connection. | 5 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] Not applicable.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH
[0002] Not applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The present invention is related to cut protection gloves made of a textile material with a cut resistant fibre.
[0004] Such cut protection gloves can protect the user against cutting injuries of all kinds, for instance when working with sharp-edged objects, tools, knives or other blades. The protection effect against cuttings is achieved in that special cut resistant fibres are contained in the material from which the glove is made.
[0005] Different materials are used as the cut resistant fibres, which have enhanced cut resistance compared with other frequently processed fibres, those from cotton, polyamide or polyester for instance. Fibres of glass, aramides, high density polyethylene, high density polymers or metals are frequently used. A multiplicity of such cut resistant fibres is known from the European Patent Document EP 0 435 889 B2, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference, among others.
[0006] In order to provide effective cutting protection, the cut resistant fibres and the textile materials made there from have a series of properties, which adversely affect a high wearing comfort of cut protection gloves made from these materials. Among these, there is a high stiffness in particular, which can limit the perfect fit, the dexterity and the tactility, and also a humidity take-up ability which is significantly reduced with respect to other textile materials, which can lead to increased sweating and to an unfavourable microclimate in the gloves. When using filament yarns in particular, the skin's sensorial ability is also deteriorated, because textile materials made from such yarns have a relatively smooth and closed surface structure, which sits closer to the skin than other textiles with a more open structure with small fibres sticking out. Thus, such cut protection gloves might stick more to skin which is wetted by sweat.
[0007] In the context of the generation of sweat taking place more severely with gloves from synthetic fibres, problems through bacterial contamination and the generation of disagreeable odour's might also occur.
[0008] Just with cut protection gloves for the professional field, which have frequently to be worn over longer periods of time, a high wearing comfort is very important. Insufficient comfort properties may even lead to safety risks in the practical use, because in this case, the users tend to do off the cut protection gloves for a while.
[0009] In order to increase the wearing comfort of cut protection gloves, it is known to combine the textile material having the cut resistant fibres with an additional textile material. The additional textile material is comprised of fibres with better comfort properties, of cotton for instance, and is processed to a liner or to an inside cladding. This liner is glued or sewed together with the cut protection material, so that the inner sides of such a glove are formed by the material with the better comfort properties. Various realisations of an inner cladding for gloves are known from the German utility document 20 2005 008 041 U1, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference.
[0010] Based on this, it is the objective of the present invention to provide a cut protection glove made of a textile material having a cut resistant fibre, which can be manufactured in a simple way and which has improved comfort properties.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] The cut protection glove of the present invention made from a textile material with a cut resistant fibre is characterised in that the textile material incorporates a bamboo fibre. The textile material can be an arbitrary material made up of fibres, a knitted fabric, a woven fabric or a tissue for instance, also designated with the general expression cloth in the common language. The textile material incorporates a cut resistant fibre, i.e. a fibre with an enhanced cut resistance compared to ordinary fibre materials. In this, the textile material and the cut resistant fibre are processed into one single textile material. Different cut resistant fibres can also be combined in the textile material. The content of the cut resistant fibre in the textile material is as high that even the textile material has an increased cut resistance. In addition, the textile material has a bamboo fibre. Thus, the cut resistant fibre and the bamboo fibre are processed into one single textile material. The material can also have further fibres. It is also possible that the cut protection glove has a further textile material, in the form of a reinforcement or a cushion, for instance.
[0012] Bamboo fibres are cellulose fibres which are obtained from the bamboo plant. The bamboo fibres are known as bast fibres and also as regenerated bamboo fibres. A regenerated bamboo fibre is preferably used. These fibres are very soft and have particularly good grip properties, which are comparable to those of viscose or silk. The fibres have a gloss giving the appearance of high value, and they are particularly long-living and wear-resistant. In addition, the fibres are particularly lightweight. Furthermore, the bamboo fibres have a particularly high take-up ability for humidity through their particular micro-structure, and they can release the once taken-up humidity particularly quickly again. Through the combination of the bamboo fibres with the cut resistant fibres into one single textile material, even a cut protection glove made from this material has substantially improved comfort properties. Through the take-up ability for humidity, the glove does not feel wet to the touch even at relatively strong sweating. At the same time, a pleasant cooling effect is achieved by the quick release of the humidity ingested by the textile material, which counter-acts excessive sweating. Due to the natural anti-bacterial properties of the bamboo plants, the same are normally cultivated without using pesticides, and a chemical antibacterial finish can be omitted. The danger of allergic reactions or skin irritations is substantially reduced by this. These favourable antibacterial properties remain conserved even after washing several times.
[0013] A further advantage of the combination of a cut resistant fibre with a bamboo fibre into one single textile material is that the production of the gloves made from this material is greatly simplified, because gluing or sewing together of different layer's of material is not necessary.
[0014] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the textile material has a cut resistant yarn with the cut resistant fibre and a bamboo yarn with the bamboo fibre. Thus, the cut resistant fibres and the bamboo fibres are each processed into one separate yarn, from which the textile material is produced by machine-knitting, weaving or entangling. The use of different yarns permits a particularly simple and targeted combination of the two fibres by conventional processing methods, like knitting machines, for instance. In doing so, the composition of the textile material can be influenced by corresponding processing of the two yarns, so that the content of cut resistant fibres is increased in the particularly stressed portions of the cut protection glove with respect to less stressed portions, for instance.
[0015] In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the inner side of the cut protection glove is formed by the bamboo yarn. Thus, it is provided to process the two yarns with each other to the textile material such that the material facing the skin is essentially the bamboo yarn. The advantageous comfort properties of the bamboo yarn, the pleasant skin feeling in particular, take optimally advantage by doing so. Preferably, the outer side of the cut protection glove is substantially formed by the cut resistant yarn, or it has an increased content of this yarn.
[0016] According to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the bamboo yarn and the cut resistant yarn form a two-layer knitted fabric. In this it is provided that an inner layer of the knitted fabric is formed by the bamboo yarn and an outer layer by the cut resistant yarn. Both yarns are combined with each other in the manufacture of the knitted fabric and are intricated into each other. By a suitable knitting method, one single textile material with the advantageous two-layer structure is produced in doing so, the so-called “double-face-structure”.
[0017] In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the bamboo yarn forms a cladding. The cladding is located on the inner side of the cut protection glove.
[0018] In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cut resistant fibre is processed in a core-sheath-yarn. By doing so, the properties of the cut resistant yarn formed by the core-sheath-yarn can be improved themselves.
[0019] According to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the core of the core-sheath-yarn is comprised of metal or a glass fibre. In this case, the core of the core-sheath-yarn contributes in particular to the enhanced cut resistance.
[0020] In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the sheath of the core-sheath-yarn is comprised of polyester, polyamide, high-density polyethylene, aramide or cellulose yarn. Thus, depending on the selection of the material, the sheath of the core-sheath-yarn can contribute to the enhanced cut resistance, when using aramide for instance, or the sheath can improve the comfort properties of the cut resistant yarn, by a wrapping with cellulose yarns for instance.
[0021] According to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the sheath of the core-sheath-yam is comprised of the bamboo fibre. In this case, the advantageous properties of the bamboo fibre can be integrated into the cut resistant yarn. Thus, it is possible to produce the textile fabric from one single yarn, which contains the cut resistant fibre as well as the bamboo fibre. However, it is also possible to process further bamboo fibres or a bamboo yarn made from the same to the textile material, in addition to a core-sheath-yam with the bamboo fibre which has an increased cut resistance. Thus, there are a manifold of possibilities to adapt the properties of the textile material to the respective requirements, the compromise between optimum wearing comfort and optimum cut protection properties in particular.
[0022] In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the textile material has a coating on the outer side. Preferably, the coating is comprised of nitrile, chloroprene or polyurethane. By means of the coating, additional protection properties can be imparted to the cut protection glove, tightness against liquids and resistance against chemicals for instance. The nitrile coating is liquid-tight and it may cover the cut protection glove completely or partially. Preferably, only the inner hand, the fingers and the thumb are provided with the coating, whereas the back of the hand remains uncoated. By doing so, the breathing activity of the cut protection glove is maintained at least partially.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] In the following, the present invention is explained in more detail by means of an example of its realisation depicted in three figures.
[0024] FIG. 1 shows a cut protection glove of the present invention;
[0025] FIG. 2 shows a cut-out of the textile material of the cut protection glove of FIG. 1 , in a cross-section.
[0026] FIG. 3 shows a core-sheath-yarn which is used as a cut resistant yarn in the textile material according to FIG. 2 , in a cross-section.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0027] While this invention may be embodied in many different forms, there are described in detail herein a specific preferred embodiment of the invention. This description is an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the particular embodiment illustrated
[0028] FIG. 1 shows a cut protection glove of the present invention, which has been knitted completely on a special glove knitting machine. The meshwork produced by the knitting machine has a “single-Jersey”-bonding. The subdivision of the knitting machine is thirteen gauge, i.e. thirteen needles per inch. Such knitting machines can process or knit together, respectively, different yarns from different yarn rolls at the same time. The structure depicted in FIG. 2 can be achieved by a special yarn guiding in this.
[0029] The material of the knitted glove depicted in a cross-section in FIG. 2 is comprised of three layers. The middle layer 14 has a cut resistant yarn on the side facing the hand, and it is knitted together with a further material layer 16 comprised of the bamboo yarn. The two layers 14 and 16 form a double-layer knitted fabric produced by the knitting machine. By means of a dipping method, the outer side of the glove is provided with a nitrile coating 18 after the knitting process. The inner side 17 of the double-layer knitted fabric facing the skin is formed exclusively by the bamboo yarn processed to the inner layer 16 . The bamboo yarn has a metric number of Nm 50/1. During the knitting process, the bamboo yarn is entangled with the cut resistant yarn of the outer material layer 14 of the knitted fabric.
[0030] In FIG. 3 , the structure of the core-sheath-yarn 20 is sketched out, which serves as a cut resistant yarn for the outer material layer 14 of the knitted fabric. The core-sheath-yarn 20 has a core 22 , which is comprised of a glass-fibre multifilament with a degree of fineness of 110 dtex. This glass fibre multifilament core is enveloped by a sheathing 24 of polyester yarn, two polyester yarns of fineness degree 110 dtex being used for this.
[0031] The above disclosure is intended to be illustrative and not exhaustive. This description will suggest many variations and alternatives to one of ordinary skill in this art. All these alternatives and variations are intended to be included within the scope of the claims where the term “comprising” means “including, but not limited to”. Those familiar with the art may recognize other equivalents to the specific embodiments described herein which equivalents are also intended to be encompassed by the claims.
[0032] Further, the particular features presented in the dependent claims can be combined with each other in other manners within the scope of the invention such that the invention should be recognized as also specifically directed to other embodiments having any other possible combination of the features of the dependent claims. For instance, for purposes of claim publication, any dependent claim which follows should be taken as alternatively written in a multiple dependent form from all prior claims which possess all antecedents referenced in such dependent claim if such multiple dependent format is an accepted format within the jurisdiction (e.g., each claim depending directly from claim 1 should be alternatively taken as depending from all previous claims). In jurisdictions where multiple dependent claim formats are restricted, the following dependent claims should each be also taken as alternatively written in each singly dependent claim format which creates a dependency from a prior antecedent-possessing claim other than the specific claim listed in such dependent claim below.
[0033] This completes the description of the preferred and alternate embodiments of the invention. Those skilled in the art may recognize other equivalents to the specific embodiment described herein which equivalents are intended to be encompassed by the claims attached hereto. | A cut protection glove, made of a textile material having a cut resistant fibre, characterised in that the textile material has a bamboo fibre. | 3 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a TV-IF circuit comprising a balanced video signal path arranged between an IF-input and a video signal output, and a balanced sound signal path arranged between the IF-input and a sound signal output, these paths including a video mixing stage and a sound mixing stage, respectively.
Such a TV-IF circuit is known as a TV-IF circuit for quasi-parallel sound processing and is described in the publication "Aufbereitung des Fernsehtonsignals mit den integrierten Schaltungen TDA 2545 und TDA 2546 nach dem Quasi-Paralleltonverfahren" pulbished in the series "Valvo Entwicklungsmitteilungen", November 1980.
An IF-TV signal applied to the known TV-IF circuit is separated therein into a video and a sound signal. To that end the TV-IF circuit comprises two filter circuits, connected to the IF-input, one filter circuit suppressing the sound carrier of the TV-IF signal and being included in the video signal path and the other filter circuit suppressing the video information with the exception of the picture carrier and being included in the sound signal path. As a result thereof the video signal path contains virtually no sound signal components which may disturb the video signal after demodulation in the video mixing stage and the sound signal path contains virtually no video signal components which may disturb the sound signal after intercarrier mixing of the sound carrier and the picture carrier in the sound mixing stage. During this intercarrier mixing, the frequency of the sound signal modulated on the sound carrier is converted into a sound intermediate frequency which corresponds to the picture-sound carrier spacing in the TV-IF signal. The IF-sound signal thus obtained is not affected by unwanted frequency shifts of the tuning oscillator.
Because of the separated signal processing, the video and sound output signals of the known TV-IF cirucit are disturbed to a lesser extent than those of a TV-IF circuit in which signal processing is effected which is used in common for video and sound signals. In such a so-called TV-IF circuits for intercarrier sound processing, which are also described in the above-mentioned publication, the whole TV-IF signal, optionally after partial suppression of the sound carrier, is applied to the video mixing stage. Thereafter mixing of the TV-IF signal with the picture carrier is effected in the video mixing stage, as a result of which the demodulation of the video signal and, simultaneously, a conversion of the sound signal frequency into the said sound intermediate frequency is obtained in response to an intercarrier mixing of the sound carrier and the picture carrier. In contrast with TV-IF circuits for quasi-parallel sound processing, the demodulated video signal and the IF sound signal are both available here at the same output of the video detector for further signal processing and, because of the common mixing in the video mixing stage, each of the two signals comprises residual components of the other signal.
TV-IF circuits for quasi-parallel sound processing are mainly used in TV-receivers which must satisfy high quality requirements as regards picture display and sound reproduction. Partly due to the high quality requirements which also the other receiver circuits must satisfy, such high-quality TV-receivers are generally comparatively expensive and are only sold in a limited number. Consequently, the production of TV-IF circuits for quasi-parallel sound processing is limited. As a result thereof and also because of the fact that the circuit itself if rather complicated, such circuits are in the present state of the art much more expensive than TV-IF circuits for intercarrier sound processing.
In contrast therewith, the TV-IF circuits for intercarrier sound processing are less complicated and particularly suitable for use in TV-receivers on which lower quality requirements are imposed. The lower quality requirements make it possible to use for the entire TV-receiver simple and cheap receiver circuits so that TV-receivers of this type can be much cheaper than the first-mentioned high-quality TV-receivers. The demand for the cheap TV-receivers is comparatively high and consequently also the production of the last-mentioned TV-IF circuits.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
On the one hand, the invention has for its object to increase the suitability for use of the known TV-IF circuits for quasi-parallel sound processing by making these TV-IF compatible with TV-IF circuits for intercarrier sound processing and, on the other hand, to provide a possibility to simplify the circuit and to improve the suppression of unwanted signal components in both signal paths.
According to the invention, a TV-IF circuit of the type described in the opening paragraph, is characterized by a matrix circuit having a balanced, non-inverting and a balanced, inverting input, as well as a balanced output, this matrix circuit being included via its non-inverting input and its output in one of the two signal paths between the IF-input and a signal input if the mixing stage in this signal path, the other signal path between the IF-input and a signal input of the mixing stage in the other signal path being connected to the balanced, inverting input of the matrix circuit and comprising between the IF-input and the matrix circuit a balanced first pair of terminals which may optionally be shortcircuited or remain open-circuited for connecting therebetween a resonant circuit having a resonant frequency which corresponds to a sound carrier frequency of the TV-IF signal applied to the IF-input.
The use of the measure in accordance with the invention provides, by connected or not connecting a resonant circuit between said balanced first pair of terminals, the possibility for a quasi-parallel or an intercarrier signal processing in the TV-IF circuit in accordance with the invention. The TV-IF circuit in accordance with the invention is consequently suitable for use in both the more expensive high-quality TV-receivers and the TV-receivers on which less stringent quality requirements are imposed. A large scale production of such TV-IF circuits is therefore possible. As a result thereof the price per unit can be lower than the unit price of prior art TV-IF circuits.
In addition, the use of the measure in accordance with the invention, when the TV-IF circuit in accordance with the invention is used for a quasi-parallel sound processing, results in that by the use of one resonant circuit both the sound signal components in the video signal path and the video signal components in the sound signal path can be suppressed. The use of several complicated filter circuits as required for the same signal separation, in the prior art TV-If circuit for quasi-parallel signal processing, are therefore superfluous.
A preferred embodiment of a TV-IF circuit in accordance with the invention is characterized in that the matrix circuit is included in the video signal path and the balanced first pair of terminals is included in the sound signal path, this first pair of terminals being short-circuited or interconnected via a resonant circuit having a band rejection characteristic.
By means of this measure, by an adequate adjustment of the signal amplitudes in the matrix circuit, the sound signal can be totally suppressed in the video signal path.
A further preferred embodiment of a TV-IF circuit in accordance with the invention, is characterized by a further balanced sound signal path an input of which is connected, via a further balanced pair of terminals for connecting therebetween a band rejection resonant circuit having a resonant frequency which corresponds to a further sound carrier frequency of the TV-IF signal being applied to the IF-input, to a further sound mixing stage, said input of the further sound signal path on the other hand being connected to the output of the matrix circuit and on the other hand via the further pair of terminals to an inverting input of a further matrix circuit, which further matrix circuit is connected via a non-inverting input to the IF-input and via an output to the video mixing stage.
This measure can be used with special advantage in the processing of more than one sound signal as it results in a significant reduction the mutual crosstalk between the sound signals to be processed.
A further preferred embodiment of such a TV-IF circuit in accordance with the invention is characterized by a push-pull amplifier connected to the IF-input, the output of this amplifier being connected to the balanced first pair of terminals and also to the base input of a balanced first pair of transistors, as well as by a balanced second pair of transistors also connected to the IF-input, the emitter output of the first transistor pair being connected via the matrix circuit to the collector output of the second transistor pair, which matrix circuit comprises two resistors which crosswise connect said emitter output of the first transistor pair to said collector output of the second transistor pair, also comprising a resistor which interconnects said two resistors.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will now be further described by way of example with reference to the Figures shown in the accompanying drawings.
Herein:
FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a first embodiment of a TV-IF circuit in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a second embodiment of a TV-IF circuit in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 3 shows a practical embodiment of the TV-IF circuit of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of a third embodiment of a TV-IF circuit in accordance with the invention for processing TV-signals having two sound carriers; and
FIG. 5 shows a block diagram of a fourth embodiment of a TV-IF circuit in accordance with the invention for an alternative processing of TV-signals having two sound carriers.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a TV-IF circuit in accordance with the invention, comprising a balanced video signal path A 5 , M, A 6 , VM connected between an IF-input 1, 1' and a video signal output 2, 2', and a balanced sound signal A 1 , A 2 , A 7 , SM connected between the IF-input 1, 1' and a sound signal output 3, 3'.
The video signal path A 5 , M, A 6 , VM comprises a matrix circuit M having a balanced, inverting and a balanced non-inverting input with terminals 4, 4' and 5, 5', respectively and a balanced output with terminals 6 and 6', as well as a synchronous video detector VM having a balanced signal input with terminals 7 and 7', a balanced carrier input with terminals 8 and 8' and a signal output connected to the video output 2, 2'. The IF-input 1, 1' is connected via an amplifier A 5 to the non-inverting input 5, 5' of the matrix circuit M, while the output 6, 6' of the matrix circuit M is connected to the signal input 7, 7' of the video detector VM via an amplifier A 6 .
The sound signal path A 1 , A 2 , A 7 , SM comprises a first balanced terminal pair 9, 9' between which a resonant circuit FSC is arranged when the TV-IF circuit is used for a quasi-parallel sound processing. This resonant circuit FSC has a resonant frequency which corresponds to the sound carrier frequency (33.4 MHz) of the TV-IF signal applied to the IF-input 1, 1'. The sound signal path A 1 , A 2 , A 7 , Sm also comprises a sound mixing stage SM having a balanced signal input with terminals 10 and 10', a balanced carrier input with terminals 11 and 11' and a balanced output, which is connected to the sound signal output 3, 3'. The IF-input 1, 1' is connected to the first terminal pair 9, 9' via a buffer amplifier A 1 . The first terminal pair 9, 9' is further connected via a buffer amplifier A 2 , on the one hand, via an amplifier A 7 to the signal input 10, 10' of the sound mixing stage SM and, on the other hand, to the inverting input 4, 4' of the matrix circuit M.
The balanced output 6, 6' of the matrix circuit M is connected via a buffer amplifier A 3 to a balanced second terminal pair 12, 12' between which a resonant circuit FVC is connected when the TV-IF circuit is used for quasi-parallel sound processing. The resonant circuit FVC has a resonant frequency which is equal to the picture carrier frequency (38.9 MHz) of the TV-IF signal to be processed. The second terminal pair 12, 12' is connected via an amplifier A 4 to the carrier input 11, 11' of the sound detector SM, and via an amplifier A 8 to the carrier input 8, 8' of the video detector VM.
The amplifiers A 4 to A 8 , inclusive, are predominantly used to set a proper signal amplitude, the buffer amplifiers A 1 to A 3 , inclusive, are predominantly used as separation stages to prevent, for example, a mutual shortcircuiting of the first terminal pair 9, 9' or of the second terminal pair 12, 12' from resulting in an unwanted shortcircuiting of the signal path connected in parallel therewith. A detailed description of the function of these amplifiers A 1 to A 8 , inclusive, is not necessary for an understanding of the invention and is therefore omitted for the sake of clarity.
A TV-IF signal applied to the IF-input 1, 1' is wholly applied to the non-inverting signal input 5, 5' of the matrix circuit M after adequate amplification in the amplifier A 5 , on the one hand, and, on the other hand, after having passed through the buffer amplifier A 1 when the TV-IF circuit is used for a quasi-parallel sound processing, is filtered in the resonant circuit FSC which is arranged between the two first pair of terminals 9, 9'. The resonant circuit FSC is tuned to the sound carrier frequency (33.4 MHz) of the TV-IF signal to be processed and realizes a very high impedance for frequencies at and near this sound carrier frequency and a low impedance to substantially a shortcircuit for the other frequencies. As the signals at the pair of terminals 9, 9' are mutually balanced, the resonant circuit FSC may be of a simple construction, for example in the form of a parallel LC circuit as shown in the drawing. Thus, the resonant circuit FSC effects a selection of the sound signal, modulated on the sound carrier, from the TV-IF signal, which sound signal, after passing the buffer amplifier A 2 , is applied to the inverting signal input 4, 4' of the matrix circuit M and also, after adequate amplification in the amplifier A 7 to the signal input 10, 10' of the sound detector SM.
In the matrix circuit M the sound signal applied to the inverting signal input 4, 4' is subtracted from the total TV-IF signal applied to the non-inverting signal input 5, 5'. As a result thereof, the video signal, that is to say the TV-IF signal with suppressed sound carrier is available at the output 6, 6' of the matrix circuit M with the same polarity as the TV-IF signal at the non-inverting signal input 5, 5'. This video signal is applied after adequate amplification in the amplifier A 6 to the signal input 7, 7' of the video detector VM and also, after passing the buffer amplifier A 3 , to the second pair of terminals 12, 12'.
The resonant circuit FVC arranged between this pair of terminals 12, 12' is tuned to the picture carrier frequency (38.9 Hz) and realizes a very high impedance for frequencies at and near the picture carrier frequency (38.9 MHz) and a low impedance to substantially a shortcircuit for the other frequencies. As a result thereof, the picture carrier is filtered from the video signal applied to the pair of terminals 12, 12', which picture carrier is applied to the picture carrier input 11, 11' of the sound mixing stage SM via the amplifier A 4 and to the picture carrier input 8, 8' of the video mixing stage VM via the amplifier A 8 .
In the sound mixing stage SM the intercarrier of the modulated 33.4 MHz sound carrier applied to the signal input 10, 10' and the 38.9 MHz picture carrier applied to the picture carrier input 11, 11' are mixed. As a result thereof a 5.5 MHz IF-sound signal is obtained at the sound signal output 3, 3', which sound signal is processed in a sound detector, not shown, into an audio-frequency mono or stereophonic sound signal.
In the video mixing stage VM a synchronous detection of the video-signal occurs which video signal is available in the basic frequency band at the video output 2, 2' for further processing in a video output stage, not shown.
In the embodiment shown, the sound signal is quasi-parallel processed. The separation between the sound and the video signals required therefor is achieved by means of the matrix circuit M and a simple resonant circuit FSC, which may be in the form of a simple parallel LC or RLC network. By means of a proper mutual adjustment of the signal amplitudes of the sound signal and the complete TV-IF signal at the input terminals 4, 4' and 5, 5', respectively, by means of the amplifier A 5 , and, optionally, the buffer amplifier A 2 , a full suppression of the sound signal in the video signal can further be obtained.
The selection of the picture carrier is effected by means of a simple resonant circuit FVC, which, as the resonant circuit FSC, may be in the form of a single parallel LC or RLC network. In addition, the selection of the picture carrier from the video signal is a guarantee that no residual components of the sound signal are present in the picture carrier signal at the picture carrier inputs 8, 8' and 11, 11' of the video mixing stage VM and the sound mixing stage SM, respectively, which residual components might have a disturbing influence on the output signal of these mixing stages.
For an intercarrier sound processing, the first pair of terminals 9, 9' must first be mutually shortcircuited, which results in no signal being applied to the sound mixing stage SM, while there is also no signal at the inverting signal input 4, 4' of the matrix circuit M. Thus, the sound mixing stage SM is inoperative and does not supply a signal at its signal output 3, 3'.
The TV-IF signal applied to the IF-input 1, 1' passes completely through the amplifier A 5 , the matrix circuit M and the amplifier A 6 and is demodulated in accordance with the intercarrier method in the video mixing stage VM. If synchronous demodulation is desired, then in the resonance circuit FVC, arranged between the second pair of terminals 12, 12', the picture carrier is selected from the TV-IF signal being applied via the signal output 6, 6' of the matrix circuit M, which picture carrier is applied to the picture carrier input 8, 8' of the video mixing stage VM, which now operates as a multiplicative stage. A multiplicative intercarrier mixing of the modulated sound carrier with the picture carrier and simultaneously a synchronous detection of the video signal then taking place in the video mixing stage VM. Thus, both the 5.5 MHz IF-sound signal and the baseband video signal are then available at the video output 2, 2' for further signal processing in sound and video output stages not shown.
If, for example, for reasons of competition, the use of a cheap non-linear envelope detector as a video mixing stage VM is desired, then also the second pair of terminals 12, 12' can be mutually shortcircuited. In the video mixing stage VM an additive intercarrier mixing of the modulated sound carrier with the detector carrier and simulataneously a non-linear detection of the video signal takes place, so that at the video output 2, 2' again both the 5.5 MHz IF-sound signal and the baseband video signal are available for further signal processing, not shown.
FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of a TV-IF circuit in accordance with the invention, the elements which corrrespond to the elements of the TV-IF circuit of FIG. 1 are given the same reference numerals.
When this TV-IF circuit is used for a quasi-parallel sound processing, a series resonant circuit FSC 1 must be arranged between the first pair of terminals 9, 9' and the parallel resonant circuit FVC between the second pair of terminals. As in the case of the TV-IF circuit of FIG. 1, also these resonant circuits are tuned to the 33.4 MHz sound carrier and the 38.9 MHz picture carrier, respectively. In contrast with the TV-IF circuit of FIG. 1, there is now, however, no separation of the TV-IF signal to be processed into separate video and sound signals by first selecting the sound signal from the TV-IF signal and by subtracting this sound signal thereafter in the matrix circuit M is first selected from the complete TV-IF signal, but by first selecting the video signal from the TV-IF signal and then this video signal is subtracted thereafter in the matrix circuit M from the complete TV-IF signal.
The video signal path then comprises the first pair of terminals 9, 9' between the IF-input 1, 1' and the video mixing stage VM, and between the first pair of terminals 9, 9' and the video mixing stage VM the video signal path being connected to the inverting input 4, 4' of the matrix circuit M.
Between the IF-input 1, 1' and the sound mixing stage SM, the sound signal path comprises the matrix circuit M, the non-inverting input 5, 5' thereof being connected via the amplifier A 5 to the IF-input 1, 1', and the output 6, 6' thereof via the amplifier A 7 to the signal input 10, 10' of the sound mixing stage SM.
The selection of the video signal is effected by suppressing, by means of the series resonant circuit FSC 1 , the modulated sound carrier of the TV-IF signal applied to the first pair of terminals 9, 9' via the buffer amplifier A 1 . This series resonant circuit FSC 1 realizes a low impedance to substantially a shortcircuit for frequencies at and near the sound carrier and a high impedance for other frequencies. Thereafter the video signal is applied via the amplifier A 2 to, on the one hand, the inverting input 4, 4' of the matrix circuit M, and subtracted therein from the complete TV-IF signal being applied via the amplifier A 5 to the non-inverting input 5, 5' of the matrix circuit M, and, on the other hand, to the video mixing stage VM via the amplifier A 6 . Thus, there is supplied at the output 6, 6' of the matrix circuit M, the sound signal which is applied to the signal input 10, 10' of the sound mixing stage SM via the amplifier A 7 .
The video signal at the first pair of terminals 9, 9' is also applied via the amplifiers A 2 and A 3 to the second pair of terminals 12, 12', where, by means of the parallel 38.9 MHz resonant circuit FVC, the 38.9 MHz picture carrier is selected. As was the case in the aforementioned TV-IF circuit, this picture carrier is applied via the amplifier A 4 to the carrier input 11, 11' of the sound mixing stage SM and via the amplifier A 8 to the carrier input 8, 8' of the video mixing stage VM, respectively, where, in the manner described in the foregoing, a synchronous detection of the video signal and intercarrier mixing, respectively, of the modulated 33.4 MHz sound carrier and the 38.9 MHz picture carrier is effected. Also here the baseband video signal is available at the video output 2, 2' and the 5.5 MHz IF-sound signal at the sound output 3, 3' for further processing in video and sound output stages, not shown.
For intercarrier sound processing, it is sufficient to omit the resonant circuit FSC 1 . No signal is then present at the output 6, 6' of the matrix circuit M. The sound mixing stage SM is then not operative. The TV-IF signal is now completely applied to the video mixing stage VM, where, in the manner described with reference to FIG. 1, an additive or multiplicative mixing of the TV-IF signal with the picture carrier is effected. As in the aforementioned TV-IF circuit, this results in a baseband video signal and a 5.5 MHz IF-sound signal at the video output 2, 2'.
FIG. 3 shows a practical embodiment of the TV-IF circuit of FIG. 1, which is particularly suitable for integration.
The elements corresponding to the elements of the TV-IF circuit of FIG. 1 are referenced correspondingly. The shown resistors without reference numerals have for their object to provide a correct working point of the circuit and are not important for understanding the invention.
The IF-TV circuit of FIG. 3 comprises two cascode-arranged pairs of transistors T 1 , T 2 and T 3 , T 4 , whose operation is similar to that of the amplifier A 1 of FIG. 1. The balanced base input of the pair of transistors T 1 , T 2 is connected to the IF-input 1, 1', the base input of the pair of transistors T 3 , T 4 is connected to a fixed operating voltage and its collector output is connected to a supply voltage via collector resistors R 1A and R 1B , respectively, and comprises the first pair of terminals 9, 9'. A resistor R 1C is arranged between the collector resistors R 1A and, R 1B and in association with these two collector resistors and with a degenerative resistor R 7 arranged between the emitters of the pair of transistors T 1 , T 2 , serves for a first setting of the gain of the amplifier T 1 -T 4 (A 1 ). The resonant circuit FSC, formed by a parallel network R 1 , L 1 , C 1 , is arranged between the pair of terminals 9, 9' and is tuned to the 33.4 MHz sound carrier of the TV-IF signal to be processed. The resistor R 1 is variable and is used for a fine setting of the gain of the amplifier T 1 -T 4 (A 1 ) for a correct substraction in the matrix circuit M, which will be described in detail hereinafter.
The pair of terminals 9, 9' is also connected to the base inputs of a balanced pair of transistors T 7 , T 8 , in which the 33.4 MHz sound signal selected by the resonant circuit FSC is amplified. The operation of the pair of transistors T 7 , T 8 from the base inputs to the emitter outputs is similar to the amplifier A 2 and from the base inputs to the collector outputs is similar to the combination of amplifiers A 2 and A 7 of FIG. 1. The emitter outputs of the pair of transistors T 7 , T 8 are interconnected via a degenerative resistor R 2 , and are also connected to the inverting input 4, 4' of the matrix circuit M, and the collector outputs are connected to the signal input 10, 10' of the sound mixing stage SM.
The IF-input 1, 1' is also connected to the base inputs of a balanced pair of transistors T 5 , T 6 , which form the amplifier A 5 of FIG. 1. The collector outputs of the pair of transistors T 5 , T 6 are connected to the non-inverting input 5, 5' of the matrix circuit M. The emitter outputs of the pair of transistors T 5 , T 6 are interconnected via a degenerative resistor R 6 , which resistor R 6 determines, in association with resistors R 3 -R 5 , still to be described hereinafter, of the matrix circuit M, the gain of the amplifier T 5 , T 6 (A 5 ).
The matric circuit M comprises a resistance network R 3 to R 5 , inclusive, the balanced emitter outputs of the pair of transistors T 7 , T 8 being crosswise coupled via the resistors R 3 and R 5 to the balanced collector outputs of the pair of transistors T 5 , T 6 , the resistor R 4 being arranged between the co llector outputs. In the resistor R 4 , the 33.4 MHz sound signal amplified by the pair of transistors T 7 , T 8 , is subtracted from the complete TV-IF signal which is amplified by the pair of transistors T 5 , T 6 . The result of this subtraction, i.e. the video signal, is available at the non-inverting input 5, 5' of the matrix circuit M, as a result of which the non-inverting input 5, 5' embodies, in the embodiment shown, at the same time the output 6, 6' of the matrix circuit M.
Thereafter, the video signal is coupled to the base input, of a balanced pair of transistors T 9 , T 10 , which is arranged in cascode with a pair of transistors T 11 , T 12 and forms in combination therewith the amplifier A 3 of FIG. 1. The bases of the pair of transistors T 11 and T 12 are connected to the beforementioned fixed operating voltage, to which also the bases of the pair of transistors T 3 , T 4 are connected. The balanced collectors of the pair of transistors T 11 , T 12 comprise the second pair of terminals 12, 12' between which the resonant circuit FVC is connected. The resonant circuit FVC is formed by a parallel network L 2 , C 2 which is tuned to the 38.9 MHz picture carrier frequency of the TV-If signal to be processed. Consequently, the 38.9 MHz picture carrier which, as shown in FIG. 1, is applied via the amplifier A 4 to the picture carrier input 11, 11' of the sound mixing stage SM and also, via the amplifier A.sub. 8 to the picture carrier input 8, 8' of the video mixing stage VM, is available at the second pair of terminals 12, 12'.
The operation of the pair of transistors T 9 , T 10 from the base inputs to the emitter outputs is similar that of the amplifier A 6 of FIG. 1, by means of which the video signal at the output 6, 6' of the matrix circuit M is amplified and applied to the signal input 7, 7' of the video mixing stage VM.
For an operation of the TV-IF circuit shown, based on the intercarrier principle, the first pair of terminals 9, 9' must be mutually shortcircuited and both the video-baseband signal and the 5.5 MHz intermediate-frequency sound signal are available at the video output 2, 2' of the video mixing stage VM for further signal processing. In the embodiment shown, the resistors R 1 to R 7 , inclusive had the following resistance values: 10KΩ, 150KΩ, 1KΩ, 1KΩ, 1KΩ, 520Ω, and 235Ω, respectively; the resistors R 1A , R 1B and R 1C have the values 5K, 5K and 6.5K, respectively; the coils L 1 and L 2 have the values 0.6 μH and 0.17 μH, respectively, and the capacitors C 1 and C 2 have the values 39 μF and 100 pF, respectively.
The embodiments described so far can be simply adapted for processing TV-IF signals having two sound carriers, which are located at, for example, the frequencies of 37.14 MHz and 33.4 MHz. This is, for example, accomplished by chosing the resonant frequency of the resonant circuit FSC to be located between the two sound carrier frequencies, for example at 33.27 MHz and by adjusting the quality factor sufficiently low to select the two sound carriers simultaneously from the complete TV-IF signal. A frequency conversion is then effected simultaneously in the sound mixing stage SM for the two sound carriers by multiplication by the 38.9 MHz picture carrier, one sound carrier being converted to a sound intermediate frequency of 5.5 MHz and the other sound carrier to a sound intermediate frequency of 5.74 MHz. The sound intermediate frequency signals thus obtained are thus both available at the sound output 3, 3' and can be separated from each other after selection and demodulated separately by means of frequency demodulators, not shown, into audio-frequency sound signals.
During the multiplying process in the sound mixing stage SM, crosstalk may, however, be introduced, inter alia owing to non-linearities between the two sound signals to be demodulated. Such a crosstalk is prevented from occurring when the TV-IF circuit in accordance with the invention is realized as shown in the FIGS. 4 and 5.
FIG. 4 shows a block circuit diagram of a TV-IF circuit in accordance with the invention, in which elements corrresponding to the elements of the TV-IF circuit shown in FIG. 1 have been given the same references.
In the embodiment shown a serial selection or suppression, respectively, of the two sound signals is effected from or in, respectively, the complete TV-IF signal. This selection or suppression, respectively, corresponds for each of the two sound signals to those as regards the sound signal in the TV-IF circuit of FIG. 1. For that purpose a circuit formed by A 1 ', A 2 ', A 5 ', FSC' and M' is arranged between the matrix circuit M and the amplifier A 3 , which circuit corresponds to the circuit formed by A 1 , A 2 , A 5 , FSC and M. The resonant circuits FSC and FSC' are tuned to the carrier frequencies 33.4 MHz and 33.14 MHz, respectively, of the two sound signals. The further processing of the second 33.14 MHz sound signal is effected via A 7 ' and SM' in correspondance with and separate from processing of the first 33.4 MHz sound signal, which is effected via A 7 and SM. Crosstalk between the two sound signals is then presented from occurring.
In the TV-IF signal at the output of the matrix circuit M, the 33.4 MHz sound signal does not occur and in the TV-IF signal or video signal at the output of the matrix circuit M' both the first 33.4 MHz and the second 33.14 MHz sound signals are missing. The 38.9 MHz picture carrier, selected by means of the resonant circuit FVC, consequently comprises substantially no components of the sound signals, so that, in addition, an interference-free demodulation or frequency conversion, respectively, of the video signal or the two sound signals, respectively, is ensured.
FIG. 5 shows a block circuit diagram of a TV-IF circuit in accordance with the invention in which the elements corresponding to the elements of the TV-IF circuit shown in FIG. 4 have been given the same references.
In this embodiment, a mutually separate, parallel selection of the two sound signals from the complete TV-IF signal is effected. By maintaining the mutual separation during the further processing of the sound signals, crosstalk between the two sound signals is prevented from occurring.
For the suppression of the two sound signals, in the TV-IF signal the two sound signals are first added together in an adder circuit S and subtracted together from the complete TV-IF signal in the matrix circuit M. The video signal thus obtained at the output of the matrix circuit M contains no components of the two sound signals, which, as in the aforementioned TV-IF circuit ensures, in addition, interference-free video and sound signals at the respective outputs 2, 2'; 3, 3' and 3", 3"'. It will be obvious that the idea on which the embodiments of FIGS. 4 and 5 are based is also applicable to the TV-IF circuit of FIG. 2. | TV-IF circuit comprising a balanced video signal path (A 5 , M, A 6 , VM) arranged between an IF-input (1, 1') and a video signal output (2, 2') and a balanced sound signal path (A 1 , A 2 , A 7 , SM) arranged between the IF-input (1, 1') and a sound signal output (3, 3'), these two paths comprising a video mixing stage (VM) and a sound mixing stage (SM), respectively for a quasi-parallel sound signal processing or an intercarrier sound signal processing. The compatability between these two modes of sound signal processing increases the range of applications compared with prior art TV-IF circuits and this is accomplished by a matrix circuit (M) comprising a balanced, non-inverting (5, 5') and a balanced, inverting (4, 4') input, as well as a balanced output (6, 6'), the matrix circuit (M) being included via the non-inverting input (5, 5') and the output (6, 6') in one (A 5 , M, A 6 , VM) of said two signal paths (A 5 , M, A 6 , VM or A 1 , A 2 , A 7 , SM) between the IF-input (1, 1') and a signal input (7, 7') of the mixing stage (VM) in this signal path (A 5 , M, A 6 , VM), the other signal path (A 1 , A 2 , A 7 SM) between the IF-input (1, 1') and a signal input (10, 10') of the mixing stage (SM) in the last-mentioned signal path (A 1 , A 2 , A 7 , SM) being connected to the balanced, inverting input (4, 4') of the matrix circuit (M) and comprising between the IF-input (1, 1') and the matrix circuit (M) a balanced first pair of terminals (9, 9') which may optionally be shortcircuited, remain open-circuited or for connecting therebetween a resonant circuit (FSC) having a resonant frequency which corresponds to a sound carrier frequency of the TV-IF signal applied to the IF-input. | 7 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This patent application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/216,740 filed on Sep. 10, 2015, and entitled “Agitator and Agitator Assembly for Use with Industrial Mixers”, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety and made part of the present U.S. utility patent application for all purposes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The described invention relates in general to an agitator, and more specifically to an agitator and dual agitator assembly for use in large industrial and commercial mixers used for mixing viscous materials such as cookie dough. The agitator and dual agitator assembly of the present invention provide rapid and uniform mixing of dough or other materials within the mixing bowl of an industrial or commercial mixer.
[0003] Certain known agitator assemblies for use in large-scale mixers include a pair of agitator shafts having a set of sweep blades mounted thereon. The rotation of the agitator shafts in these prior art systems often creates certain mixing discontinuities because the flow of material in the vicinity of the agitator assembly tends to be focused at the center of the agitator assembly. Accordingly, material at the periphery of a mixing bowl in which such an agitator assembly is positioned is often under-mixed and material at the center of such a mixing bowl is over-mixed. This non-uniform flow of material is not conducive to an efficient and rapid mixing operation. Thus, there is an ongoing need for an agitator and an agitator assembly that ensures that materials are mixed uniformly throughout the mixing bowl and there is also a need for an agitator design that improves mixing rates within a mixing bowl.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The following provides a summary of certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention. This summary is not an extensive overview and is not intended to identify key or critical aspects or elements of the present invention or to delineate its scope.
[0005] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a first agitator assembly for use with industrial mixers is provided. This agitator assembly includes at least two rotating agitators, wherein each rotating agitator includes an agitator shaft, wherein the agitator shaft defines an axis of rotation extending from a first end of the agitator shaft to a second end of the agitator shaft; and first, second, and third sweep blades mounted on the agitator shaft, wherein the pitch angle of each sweep blade relative to the axis of rotation of the agitator shaft is between 30-60°; and wherein the rotating agitators rotate in opposite directions relative to one another.
[0006] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a second agitator assembly for use with industrial mixers is provided. This agitator assembly includes at least two rotating agitators, wherein each rotating agitator includes an agitator shaft, wherein the agitator shaft defines an axis of rotation extending from a first end of the agitator shaft to a second end of the agitator shaft; first, second, third, and fourth hubs mounted on the agitator shaft at predetermined locations, wherein the distances between the first and second hub, the second and third hub, and third and fourth hub are substantially equal; a first sweep blade mounted between the first hub and second hub; a second sweep blade mounted between the second hub and third hub; and a third sweep blade mounted between the third and fourth hub; wherein the pitch angle of each sweep blade relative to the axis of rotation of the agitator shaft is between 30-60°, wherein the rotating agitators rotate in opposite directions relative to one another when in use, and wherein the agitator assembly is adapted for use in a mixing bowl.
[0007] In yet another aspect of this invention, a third agitator assembly for use with industrial mixers is provided. This agitator assembly includes at least two rotating agitators, wherein each rotating agitator includes an agitator shaft, wherein the agitator shaft defines an axis of rotation extending from a first end of the agitator shaft to a second end of the agitator shaft; first, second, third, and fourth hubs mounted on the agitator shaft at predetermined locations, wherein the distances between the first and second hub, the second and third hub, and third and fourth hub are substantially equal; a first sweep blade mounted between the first hub and second hub, wherein the first sweep blade is oriented with a forward sweep directionality; a second sweep blade mounted between the second hub and third hub, wherein the second sweep blade is oriented a forward sweep directionality; and a third sweep blade mounted between the third and fourth hub, wherein the third sweep blade includes a first section that is oriented with a forward sweep directionality and a second section that is oriented with a reverse sweep directionality; wherein the pitch angle of each sweep blade relative to the axis of rotation of the agitator shaft is fixed between about 30-60° and preferably at 45°, wherein the rotating agitators rotate in opposite directions relative to one another when in use, wherein the agitator assembly is adapted for use in a mixing bowl, and wherein the mixing bowl is a component of a large-scale industrial mixer.
[0008] Additional features and aspects of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading and understanding the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments. As will be appreciated by the skilled artisan, further embodiments of the invention are possible without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and associated descriptions are to be regarded as illustrative and not restrictive in nature.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated into and form a part of the specification, schematically illustrate one or more exemplary embodiments of the invention and, together with the general description given above and detailed description given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention, and wherein:
[0010] FIG. 1 is a top view of a dual or double arm agitator assembly in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention showing the position of the dual agitators relative to one another;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a side view of the agitator assembly of FIG. 1 ;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the agitator assembly of FIG. 1 ;
[0013] FIG. 4 is an end view of the agitator assembly of FIG. 1 ;
[0014] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of one of the individual agitator arms of the dual agitator assembly of FIG. 1 ;
[0015] FIG. 6 is side view of one of the individual agitator arms of the dual agitator assembly of FIG. 1 ;
[0016] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the dual agitator assembly of FIG. 1 properly positioned within the mixing bowl of an industrial mixer; and
[0017] FIG. 8 is an end view of the agitator assembly of FIG. 7 .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0018] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are now described with reference to the Figures. Reference numerals are used throughout the detailed description to refer to the various elements and structures. Although the following detailed description contains many specifics for the purposes of illustration, a person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that many variations and alterations to the following details are within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the following embodiments of the invention are set forth without any loss of generality to, and without imposing limitations upon, the claimed invention.
[0019] The present invention relates in general to an agitator, and more specifically to an agitator and dual agitator assembly for use in large industrial or commercial mixers used for mixing large volumes (e.g., 100-5000 pounds) of viscous materials such as cookie dough. The agitator and dual agitator assembly of the present invention provide rapid and uniform mixing of dough within a mixing bowl. The dual agitator assembly of this invention includes an advanced swept-blade design that creates a substantially circuitous flow pattern within the mixing bowl and that provides significant improvement over prior art designs with regard to uniformity of mixing. Each of the agitators in the dual agitator assembly of the present invention typically includes three individual mixing blades in each separate blade component that is mounted on each agitator arm rather than two mixing blades, which is common in prior art systems. In the embodiments shown in the Figures, the pitch of the mixing blades is typically fixed at 45° relative to the rotating axis of the agitator arm on which the blades are mounted, although other angles are possible.
[0020] With reference to FIGS. 1-8 , an exemplary embodiment of dual agitator system or dual agitator assembly 10 includes first agitator 100 and second agitator 200 , which are rotatably mounted within mixing bowl 20 . The general construction of first and second agitators 100 and 200 is the same; however, when mounted in mixing bowl 10 , second agitator 200 is mounted in an opposite orientation relative to first agitator 100 . In other words, second agitator 200 is flipped 180° relative to first agitator 100 . This arrangement results in first agitator 100 moving the material being mixed in a direction opposite the direction in which second agitator 200 is moving the material, thereby resulting in extremely thorough mixing of the material. As shown in FIG. 8 , when mounted in mixing bowl 10 , first agitator 100 is mounted slightly above second agitator 200 , which results in the material being mixed moving upward and downward in addition to moving left to right and right to left. Accordingly, the material being mixed is thoroughly circulated through mixing bowl 10 .
[0021] First agitator 100 includes first hub 110 , second hub 130 , third hub 150 , and fourth hub 170 , all mounted on agitator shaft 102 . Three agitator blade components are mounted between the four hubs. The first agitator blade component includes first leg 112 ; first agitator blade 114 , which is mounted in a forward sweep directionality; second leg 116 ; first support 118 (mounted on first leg 112 ), which includes cap 120 ; and second support 122 (mounted on second leg 122 ), which includes cap 124 . The second agitator blade component includes third leg 132 ; second agitator blade 134 , which is mounted in a forward sweep directionality; fourth leg 136 ; third support 138 (mounted on third leg 132 ), which includes cap 140 ; and fourth support 142 (mounted on fourth leg 136 ), which includes cap 144 . The third agitator blade component includes fifth leg 152 ; first section of third agitator blade 154 , which is mounted in a forward sweep directionality; second section of third agitator blade 155 , which is mounted in a reverse directionality; sixth leg 156 ; fifth support 158 (mounted on fifth leg 152 ), which includes cap 160 ; and sixth support 162 (mounted on sixth leg 156 ), which includes cap 164 .
[0022] Second agitator 200 includes first hub 210 , second hub 230 , third hub 250 , and fourth hub 270 , all mounted on agitator shaft 202 . Three agitator blade components are mounted between the four hubs. The first agitator blade component includes first leg 212 ; first agitator blade 214 , which is mounted in a forward sweep directionality; second leg 216 ; first support 218 (mounted on first leg 212 ), which includes cap 220 ; and second support 222 (mounted on second leg 222 ), which includes cap 224 . The second agitator blade component includes third leg 232 ; second agitator blade 234 , which is mounted in a forward sweep directionality; fourth leg 236 ; third support 238 (mounted on third leg 232 ), which includes cap 240 ; and fourth support 242 (mounted on fourth leg 236 ), which includes cap 244 . The third agitator blade component includes fifth leg 252 ; first section of third agitator blade 254 , which is mounted in a forward sweep directionality; second section of third agitator blade 255 , which is mounted in a reverse directionality; sixth leg 256 ; fifth support 258 (mounted on fifth leg 252 ), which includes cap 260 ; and sixth support 262 (mounted on sixth leg 256 ), which includes cap 264 .
[0023] In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the mixing blade pitch angle is substantially the same for all mixing blades mounted on the same agitator, as well as for all agitators being used in the mixing bowl, regardless of mixer size. As previously indicated, the pitch of the mixing blades may be fixed at 45° relative to the rotating axis of the agitator arm on which the blades are mounted; however, alternate embodiments include blade pitch angles of 30-60° relative to the rotating axis of the agitator arm on which the blades are mounted. A constant blade pitch angle used with various mixer sizes results in consistent mixing action within such mixers. The steeper pitch angle of the present invention (relative to prior designs that include pitch angles of 31 and 40°) incorporates individual ingredients within dough mixtures in shorter periods of time resulting in an overall decrease in required mixing time. Steeper pitch angles and shorter mixing times also incorporate fragile particulates in dough mixers more rapidly resulting in less damage to such particulates and an overall higher quality final product. Faster mix times also result in energy savings per batch of dough or other material.
[0024] The mixing blades of this invention, which are typically stainless steel (as are the other components), include a smooth sweep transition from vertical blade to vertical blade. The total length of each mixing blade varies for different mixer sizes (i.e., capacities). By way of example, the length range for each mixing blade may be about 20 inches by about 74 inches. The diameter of each mixing blade also varies for different mixer sizes. By way of example, the diameter range may be about 7 inches to about 36 inches. To physically obtain a smooth sweep transition while maintaining a constant blade pitch angle for the different agitator length and diameter combinations, the number of sweep blades and the vertical blade offset angle may be varied. Tables 1 and 2, below: (i) provide information regarding agitator design standards and list actual values for use with standard mixer product lines and; (ii) provide instructions for determining various relevant design aspects.
[0000]
TABLE 1
Agitator Design Standards
DESIGN GROUP
EAGLE
EAGLE
DG100/150
DG200/250
MODEL
EDA25
EDA70
EDA100
DA100
DA150
DA100HD3
DA150HD2
DA200
DA250
STD AGITATOR TYPE
2 SWEEP
2 SWEEP
2 SWEEP
2 SWEEP
2 SWEEP
2 SWEEP
2 SWEEP
2 SWEEP
2 SWEEP
BOTTOM RADIUS
6.500
9.000
11.000
11.000
11.000
12.000
12.000
13.000
13.000
BOWL INSIDE LENGTH
20.000
27.000
32.000
32.000
38.000
30.000
36.000
40.000
48.000
NUMBER OF SWEEPS
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
HUB TO BOWL END
1.000
1.000
1,000
1.000
1.000
1.000
1.000
1.000
HUB CENTERS
11.000
13.500
12.750
15.750
11.500
14.500
16.500
20.500
BETWEEN HUBS
8.000
10.500
8.250
11.250
6.500
9.500
11.500
15.500
BLADE PITCH ANGLE-ALL
45.0
45.0
45.0
45.0
45.0
45.0
45.0
45.0
BLADE OFFSET ANGLE
84
82
81
94
68
84
88
100
BASED ON MODEL
(SEE INSTRUCTIONS BELOW)
DESIGN GROUP
DG300/350
DG400/500
DG600
DG700
DG800
MODEL
DA300
DA350
DA400
DA500
DA600
DA700
DA800
STD AGITATOR TYPE
3 SWEEP
3 SWEEP
3 SWEEP
3 SWEEP
3 SWEEP
3 SWEEP
3 SWEEP
BOTTOM RADIUS
13.000
13.000
14.000
14.000
16.000
17.000
18.000
BOWL INSIDE LENGTH
52.000
58.000
58.000
69.000
69.000
69.000
74.000
NUMBER OF SWEEPS
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
HUB TO BOWL END
1.000
1.000
1.000
1.000
1.000
1.000
1.000
HUB CENTERS
15.000
17.000
17.000
20.667
20.333
20.333
21.667
BETWEEN HUBS
10.000
12.000
12.000
15.667
14.333
14.333
14.667
BLADE PITCH ANGLE-ALL
45.0
45.0
45.0
45.0
45.0
45.0
45.0
BLADE OFFSET ANGLE
77
88
82
94
86
82
85
BASED ON MODEL
(SEE INSTRUCTIONS BELOW)
[0000]
TABLE 2
Determination of Agitator Design Standards
ANGLE
ANGLE
FROM
FROM
POINT
X
Y
Z
VERTICAL
X
Y
Z
VERTICAL
SWEEP PROFILE (Sketch 5)
CORNER 1-LOWER FRONT
1.250
9.969
5.811
CORNER 2-LOWER REAR
2.311
9.969
4.750
CORNER 3-UPPPER FRONT
1.250
17.469
5.811
CORNER 4-UPPER REAR
2.311
17.469
4.750
SWEET GUIDE PATH-FIXED (3DSKETCH 1)
OUTSIDE
INSIDE
OUTSIDE RIGHT BLADE
1.780
17.469
5.280
1.780
9.969
5.280
RIGHT BLADE CENTER
−3.500
18.250
0.000
−3.500
10.750
0.000
INSIDE RIGHT BLADE
−7.000
17.911
−3.500
−7.000
10.411
−3.500
INSIDE LEFT BLADE
−21.667
5.048
−17.538
−21.667
4.394
−10.067
CENTER LEFT BLADE
−25.167
1.591
−18.181
−25.167
0.937
−10.709
OUTSIDE LEFT BLADE
−30.697
−3.993
−17.808
−30.697
−4.647
−10.336
OUTSIDE SWEEP GUIDE PATH-
CALCULATED
CALCULATED POINTS
6
6
INSIDE RIGHT BLADE POINT ANGLE
−11.057
−18.582
TOTAL ANGLE
62.89
47.84
ANGLE PER POINT
8.98
6.83
TOTAL DISTANCE
−14.667
−14.667
DISTANCE PER POINT
-2.095
−2.095
SWEEP RADIUS
18.250
10.984
POINT 1
−9.095
17.145
−6.254
−20.04
−9.095
9.921
−4.714
−25.42
POINT 2
−11.191
15.958
−8.855
−29.02
−11.191
9.289
−5.861
−32.25
POINT 3
−13.286
14.380
−11.238
−38.01
−13.286
8.526
−6.925
−39.08
POINT 4
−15.381
12.448
−13.345
−46.99
−15.381
7.641
−7.890
−45.92
POINT 5
−17.476
10.212
−15.126
−55.98
−17.476
6.648
−8.743
−52.75
POINT 6
−19.572
7.725
−16.535
−64.96
−19.572
5.560
−9.472
−59.59
[0025] While the present invention has been illustrated by the description of exemplary embodiments thereof, and while the embodiments have been described in certain detail, there is no intention to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to any of the specific details, representative devices and methods, and/or 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. | An agitator assembly for use with industrial mixers that includes at least two rotating agitators, wherein each rotating agitator includes an agitator shaft, wherein the agitator shaft defines an axis of rotation extending from a first end of the agitator shaft to a second end of the agitator shaft; and first, second, and third sweep blades mounted on the agitator shaft, wherein the pitch angle of each sweep blade relative to the axis of rotation of the agitator shaft is between 30-60°; and wherein the rotating agitators rotate in opposite directions relative to one another when the assembly is in use. | 1 |
GOVERNMENT INTEREST
[0001] The innovation described herein may be manufactured, used, imported, sold, and licensed by or for the Government of the United States of America without the payment of any royalty thereon or therefore.
BACKGROUND
[0002] During basic and advanced training, soldiers can be taught soldiering skills to make them more efficient and productive members of a military force. In one example, a soldier can be trained how to effectively drive a sports utility vehicle over rough terrain. However, this training can be limited if it does not properly simulate a real world situation for the soldier. Therefore, training can be tailored to vividly resemble a potential real world situation.
SUMMARY
[0003] In one embodiment, a system comprises a source speaker component and a destination speaker component. The source speaker component can be configured to emit a commencement sound that communicates an initiation of an object in travel. The destination speaker component can be configured to emit a conclusion sound that communicates a result of the object in travel. The source speaker component, the destination speaker component, or a combination thereof can be implemented, at least in part, by way of hardware.
[0004] In one embodiment a system comprises a source speaker component, a destination speaker component, and a housing. The source speaker component can emit a commencement sound that communicates an initiation of a first object in travel. The destination speaker component can emit a conclusion sound that communicates a result of a second object in travel, where the first object in travel and the second object in travel are not the same object in travel. The housing can retain the source speaker component and the destination speaker component.
[0005] In one embodiment, a non-transitory computer-readable medium configured to store computer-executable instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform a method. The method can comprise identifying an initiation command entered upon a graphical user interface for an audible sequence. The method can also comprise causing implementation of the audible sequence in response to identifying the initiation command, where the audible sequence comprises a firing audible portion and an impact audible portion.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] Incorporated herein are drawings that constitute a part of the specification and illustrate embodiments of the detailed description. The detailed description will now be described further with reference to the accompanying drawings as follows:
[0007] FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of a system comprising a firing emitter, an impact emitter, and two echo emitters;
[0008] FIG. 2 illustrates one embodiment of a system comprising a source speaker component and a destination speaker component;
[0009] FIG. 3 illustrates one embodiment of a system comprising the source speaker component, the destination speaker component, and an echo speaker component;
[0010] FIG. 4 illustrates one embodiment of a system comprising the source speaker component, the destination speaker component, a destination sensory component, and a source sensory component;
[0011] FIG. 5 illustrates one embodiment of a system comprising the source speaker component, the destination speaker component, a reception component, and a propulsion component;
[0012] FIG. 6 illustrates one embodiment of a system comprising the source speaker component, the destination speaker component, the reception component, the propulsion component, an analysis component, an identification component, a recognition component, and an implementation component;
[0013] FIG. 7 illustrates one embodiment of a system comprising the source speaker component, the destination speaker component, and a housing;
[0014] FIG. 8 illustrates one embodiment of a system comprising a processor and a computer-readable medium;
[0015] FIG. 9 illustrates one embodiment of a speaker component;
[0016] FIG. 10 illustrates one embodiment of an interface comprising a sound selection portion, a source selection portion, a destination selection portion, an echo selection portion, and a timing selection portion;
[0017] FIG. 11 illustrates one embodiment of an interface comprising an item selection portion and an impact selection portion;
[0018] FIG. 12 illustrates one embodiment of a method comprising two actions; and
[0019] FIG. 13 illustrates one embodiment of a method comprising five actions.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0020] Various sounds can be used to recreate a real-world experience, such as a commencement sound (e.g., firing sound), a conclusion sound (e.g., impact sound), and a reverberation sound. These sounds can be realistic, high fidelity sounds used in a realistic location for training purposes, therapy purposes, entertainment purposes, etc. For example, using gunfight sounds in soldier or police training can make the training more vivid and authentic, can better prepare soldiers and police for stressful environments they may encounter, etc. However, practicing these aspects can have the benefit of not actually placing the soldiers and police in danger and not using actual weapons that can be costly.
[0021] The following includes definitions of selected terms employed herein. The definitions include various examples. The examples are not intended to be limiting.
[0022] “One embodiment”, “an embodiment”, “one example”, “an example”, and so on, indicate that the embodiment(s) or example(s) can include a particular feature, structure, characteristic, property, or element, but that not every embodiment or example necessarily includes that particular feature, structure, characteristic, property or element. Furthermore, repeated use of the phrase “in one embodiment” may or may not refer to the same embodiment.
[0023] “Computer-readable medium”, as used herein, refers to a medium that stores signals, instructions and/or data. Examples of a computer-readable medium include, but are not limited to, non-volatile media and volatile media. Non-volatile media may include, for example, optical disks, magnetic disks, and so on. Volatile media may include, for example, semiconductor memories, dynamic memory, and so on. Common forms of a computer-readable medium may include, but are not limited to, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, a hard disk, a magnetic tape, other magnetic medium, other optical medium, a Random Access Memory (RAM), a Read-Only Memory (ROM), a memory chip or card, a memory stick, and other media from which a computer, a processor or other electronic device can read. In one embodiment, the computer-readable medium is a non-transitory computer-readable medium.
[0024] “Component”, as used herein, includes but is not limited to hardware, firmware, software stored on a computer-readable medium or in execution on a machine, and/or combinations of each to perform a function(s) or an action(s), and/or to cause a function or action from another component, method, and/or system. Component may include a software controlled microprocessor, a discrete component, an analog circuit, a digital circuit, a programmed logic device, a memory device containing instructions, and so on. Where multiple components are described, it may be possible to incorporate the multiple components into one physical component or conversely, where a single component is described, it may be possible to distribute that single component between multiple components.
[0025] “Software”, as used herein, includes but is not limited to, one or more executable instructions stored on a computer-readable medium that cause a computer, processor, or other electronic device to perform functions, actions and/or behave in a desired manner. The instructions may be embodied in various forms including routines, algorithms, modules, methods, threads, and/or programs including separate applications or code from dynamically linked libraries.
[0026] FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of a system 100 comprising a firing emitter 110 , an impact emitter 120 , and two echo emitters 130 and 140 . While two echo emitters 130 and 140 are shown more or less echo emitters can be used. The emitters 110 - 140 can work together to provide a sound experience that is realistic for a user 150 . In one example, the sound experience can be of a bullet being fired in the general vicinity of the user. The firing emitter 110 can emit a fire sound 160 that replicates a sound of the bullet leaving a rifle. The impact emitter 120 can emit an impact sound 170 that replicates a sound of the bullet impacting a target such as a hillside. The echo emitters 130 and 140 can produce echo sounds 180 and 190 respectively. Example echo sounds 180 and/or 190 can include a sound of a bullet passing by the head of the user 150 , reverberations from the rifle, and/or resonance from the bullet impacting the target. Thus, various parts of a sound experience can be produced by the system 100 .
[0027] FIG. 2 illustrates one embodiment of a system 200 comprising a source speaker component 210 and a destination speaker component 220 . The source speaker component 210 (e.g., firing emitter 110 of FIG. 1 ) can be configured to emit a commencement sound (e.g., fire sound 160 of FIG. 1 ) that communicates an initiation of an object in travel. The destination speaker component 220 (e.g., the impact emitter 120 of FIG. 1 ) can be configured to emit a conclusion sound (e.g., impact sound 170 of FIG. 1 ) that communicates a result of the object in travel (e.g., the object in travel has an initiation of a single fire, but a result of multiple fragments impacting a target at different times). Thus the system 200 can create a sound experience.
[0028] This sound experience can be used in various applications. In one example, the system 200 can create a sound experience for soldiers in training. While the soldiers are training they can hear sounds similar to that of combat which can make them more prepared to perform while under the stresses of combat. Similarly, in actual combat operations the sound experience can be used to confuse an enemy force or in a law enforcement operation to confuse captors in a hostage situation. Additionally, the system 200 can be used in a therapeutic environment for soldiers, such as to aid in treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) (e.g., use sounds to help patients disassociate sounds with trauma and to gradually desensitize patients from those sounds). In addition to military applications, aspects disclosed herein can be used in non-military applications. In one example, the system 200 can be used in an amusement park to make a ride seem more realistic. In this example, the source speaker component 210 can emit a sound of a lightning bolt coming from the sky and the destination speaker component 220 can emit a sound of the lightning bolt impacting a tree on the ground.
[0029] The source speaker component 210 can be retained by a first housing while the destination speaker component 220 can be retained by a second housing that is physically separate from the first housing. Therefore, the source speaker component 210 can be physically separate from the destination speaker component 220 , such as being on different sides of a listener. The destination speaker component 220 can emit the conclusion sound after a start of emission of the commencement sound as well as after the end of emission of the commencement sound. Therefore, the source speaker component 210 from the first housing can emit a sound of a weapon such as an artillery cannon firing a shell (e.g., from a speaker), and after a period of time the destination speaker component 220 from the second housing can emit a sound of the shell impacting a target such as an abandoned building.
[0030] In one embodiment, the first housing retains a transmitter (e.g., part of the source speaker component 210 ) while the second housing retains a receiver (e.g., part of the destination speaker component 220 ). The housings can each retain a transmitter and receiver. The transmitter can be configured to transmit to the receiver a message that provides information with regard to when in time the destination speaker component 220 should emit the conclusion sound (e.g., a set time, that the conclusion sound should be emitted after a set time, that no conclusion sound should be emitted, etc.). Therefore, the first housing and second housing can be in communication with one another. This communication can be used to coordinate time emission of the commencement sound and conclusion sound. In one example, the first housing can emit the commencement sound and send a message to the second housing that the commencement sound is emitted. The second housing can then emit the conclusion sound and send a message back to the first housing that the conclusion sound has been emitted. In response to receiving the message from the second housing the first housing can emit another commencement sound (e.g., the same commencement sound, a different commencement sound, etc.).
[0031] In one embodiment, the destination speaker component is configured to monitor emission of the commencement sound to produce a monitor result. The destination speaker component 220 can be configured to decide a time to emit the conclusion sound based, at least in part, on the monitor result. The destination speaker component 220 can be configured to emit the conclusion sound at the time. Therefore, as opposed to directly communicating with one another, the destination speaker component 220 can determine on its own when to emit the conclusion sound based on when the commencement sound is emitted.
[0032] The source speaker component 210 and the destination speaker component 220 can share speaker hardware or be hardware independent of one another. In one example, the source speaker component 210 and the destination speaker component 220 have their own individual speakers and share a speaker (e.g., each component has their own speaker and then share a speaker, thus each component can function with two physical speakers). In another example, a single speaker can be employed by both the source speaker component 210 and the destination speaker component 220 .
[0033] FIG. 3 illustrates one embodiment of a system 300 comprising the source speaker component 210 , the destination speaker component 220 , and an echo speaker component 310 . The echo speaker component 310 (e.g., the echo emitters 130 and 140 of FIG. 1 ) can be configured to emit a reverberation sound (e.g., echo sounds 180 and 190 of FIG. 1 ) that communicates the echo sound of the object in travel (e.g., echo that would result from the impact of the object on a target after travel completion).
[0034] In one embodiment, the reverberation sound is emitted later in time from the conclusion sound. In one example, the reverberation sound is the reverberation from the initiation of the object in travel (e.g., sound of artillery cannon vibration), from the result of the object in travel (e.g., dirt hitting the ground dislodged from cannon shell hitting a hillside), or from a collateral action (e.g., sound of bodies leaping to the ground to take cover). Therefore, the reverberation sound can be emitted later in time from the commencement sound and/or the conclusion sound.
[0035] FIG. 4 illustrates one embodiment of a system 400 comprising the source speaker component 210 , the destination speaker component 220 , a destination sensory component 410 , and a source sensory component 420 . The destination sensory component 410 can be configured to emit a conclusion non-sound sensory emission that communicates the result of the object in travel. The source sensory component 410 can be configured to emit a commencement non-sound sensory emission that communicates the initiation of the object in travel. Non-sound sensory emission can include visual emission (e.g., light flashes), touch emissions (e.g., dirt flying into the air that contacts the user 150 of FIG. 1 ), smell emissions (e.g., odor of gunpowder), and/or taste emissions (e.g., smoke released with a particular flavor). These non-sound sensory emissions can be used to make the sound experience more realistic.
[0036] FIG. 5 illustrates one embodiment of a system 500 comprising the source speaker component 210 , the destination speaker component 220 , a reception component 510 , and a propulsion component 520 . The reception component 510 can be configured to receive a sound instruction 530 , where the source speaker component 210 , the destination speaker component 220 , or a combination thereof emit their respective sound in accordance with the sound instruction 530 . The sound instruction 530 can include a sound file for use and/or be an instruction to use a sound file (e.g., a sound file retained locally, a sound file that should be downloaded, etc.).
[0037] The propulsion component 520 can be configured to cause movement of a housing that retains at least part of the system 500 to a location that is based, at least in part, on the sound instruction 530 . This movement of the system can be tele-operation (e.g., by way of an interface) or proactive (e.g., automatic). Thus, the system 500 can be mobile (e.g., employ wheels to drive, employ rotors to fly, employ a boat engine to travel by water, etc.). The sound instruction 530 can, for example, state that the sound should emit x feet from a right side of the user 150 of FIG. 1 , where x is a real number. The propulsion component 520 can cause movement of the housing such that a speaker of the source speaker component 210 and/or destination speaker component 220 is positions x feet away from the right side of the user 150 of FIG. 1 . As the user 150 of FIG. 1 moves, the housing can move along with her by way of the propulsion component. The housing can also be moved from a first location to a second location by the propulsion component 520 and remain in the second location for a set period of time.
[0038] FIG. 6 illustrates one embodiment of a system 600 comprising the source speaker component 210 , the destination speaker component 220 , the reception component 510 , the propulsion component 520 , an analysis component 610 , an identification component 620 , a recognition component 630 , and an implementation component 640 . The analysis component 610 can be configured to analyze the sound instruction 530 of FIG. 5 to produce an analysis result (e.g., analysis of the sound instruction 530 of FIG. 5 occurs after reception by the reception component 510 ). The identification component 620 can be configured to identify a sound file to use from a sound file set of two or more sound files based on the analysis result (e.g., the analysis component 610 and the identification component 620 work together to determine which sound file the instruction is telling the system 600 to use for emission). The recognition component 510 can be configured to read the sound file from a non-transitory computer-readable medium (e.g., the computer-readable medium 920 discussed below) to produce a sound file result. The implementation component 640 can be configured to cause emission of the commencement sound, the conclusion sound, or a combination thereof in accordance with the sound file result.
[0039] In one example, the system 600 can retain a memory chip that retains a set of sound files as well as an internal clock. The sound instruction 530 of FIG. 5 can designate which sound file to play at a certain time and this can be recognized by the analysis component 610 . In this example, the sound instruction 530 of FIG. 5 can be an instruction to play a commencement sound of an AK-47 firing. The identification component 620 can find an AK-47 sound file in the memory chip. More than one AK-47 sound file can exist and if the instruction does not specify then the system 600 can use internal logic to select a sound file to use. Alternatively, if no AK-47 sound file exists on the memory chip, the system 600 can improvise (e.g., identify a similar sounding sound file) or send an error message. The AK-47 sound file can include commencement, conclusion, and/or reverberation sound information (e.g., as one file, as three separate files, etc.). Once identified, the recognition component 630 can find the AK-47 sound file and thus give the system 600 access to the AK-47 sound file. The implementation component 640 can cause emission of the appropriate sound (e.g., send an instruction to the source speaker component 210 to play an AK-47 commencement sound from the sound file).
[0040] FIG. 7 illustrates one embodiment of a system 700 comprising the source speaker component 210 , the destination speaker component 220 , and a housing 710 . The housing 710 can function as the housing discussed above with regard to FIG. 5 . The housing 710 can retain components disclosed herein, such as the source speaker component 210 and/or the destination speaker component 220 . Other example components that the housing 710 can retain, such as along with the source speaker component and the a destination speaker component, can be the analysis component 610 of FIG. 6 , the identification component 620 of FIG. 6 , the recognition component 630 of FIG. 6 , and the implementation component 640 of FIG. 6 .
[0041] The source speaker component 210 can be configured to emit a commencement sound that communicates an initiation of a first object in travel. The destination speaker component 220 can be configured to emit a conclusion sound that communicates a result of a second object in travel. Thus, a single system (e.g., the system 700 ) can retain the capability of functioning as a source and destination for sound.
[0042] In addition to the source speaker component 210 and the destination speaker component 220 , the system 700 can comprise the echo speaker component 310 of FIG. 3 . The echo speaker component 310 of FIG. 3 can be configured to emit a reverberation sound that communicates an echo of a third object in travel (e.g., the first object in travel, the second object in travel, and the third object in travel are all different objects). The housing 710 can retain the echo speaker component. Thus, a single system (e.g., the system 700 ) can retain the capability of functioning as a source and destination for sound as well as supply reverberation sound.
[0043] In one example, the system 700 can comprise a single speaker along with a hardware and software combination (e.g., the system 800 discussed below can retain software). Depending on the instruction provided, the system 700 can emit the commencement sound, the conclusion sound, or the reverberation sound (e.g., of different objects or of the same object). Thus one system can function in different roles. Further, the source speaker component 210 and the destination speaker component 220 (e.g., along with the echo speaker component 310 of FIG. 3 ) can be one physical items that functions in different roles.
[0044] The first object in travel and the second object in travel are not the same object in travel (e.g., not the identically same object travelling at the same time) and the same can be said for the third object in travel. In one embodiment, the first object in travel and the second object in travel can be different object types (e.g., the first object is a bullet and the second object is an artillery shell). In one embodiment, the first object in travel and the second object in travel are different iterations of the same object type (e.g., the first object and second objects are both water crashing as a wave—one earlier in time and one later in time).
[0045] FIG. 8 illustrates one embodiment of a system 800 comprising a processor 810 and a computer-readable medium 820 (e.g., non-transitory computer-readable medium). The computer-readable medium 820 can be retained by the housing 710 of FIG. 7 . In one embodiment the non-transitory computer-readable medium 820 is communicatively coupled to the processor 810 and stores a command set executable by the processor 810 to facilitate operation of at least one component disclosed herein (e.g., the source speaker component 210 of FIG. 2 and/or the destination speaker component 220 of FIG. 2 ). In one embodiment, components disclosed herein (e.g., the source speaker component 210 of FIG. 2 and/or the destination speaker component 220 of FIG. 2 ) can be implemented, at least in part, by way of non-software, such as implemented as hardware (e.g., implemented by way of the processor 810 and/or computer-readable medium 820 ). In one embodiment the non-transitory computer-readable medium 820 is configured to store processor-executable instructions that when executed by the processor 810 cause the processor 810 to perform a method disclosed herein (e.g., the methods 1200 and 1300 discussed below).
[0046] FIG. 9 illustrates one embodiment of a speaker component 900 comprising an antenna 910 , a speaker 920 , the processor 810 , and the computer-readable medium 820 . The speaker component 900 can comprise mechanical hardware to facilitate movement. The speaker component 920 can function as the source speaker component 210 of FIG. 2 , the destination speaker component 220 of FIG. 2 , and/or the echo speaker component 310 of FIG. 3 depending on circumstances. The antenna 910 of the speaker component 900 can wirelessly communicate with a system (e.g., a central processing system, another speaker component, etc.) and receive am instruction for a sound to be broadcast. The speaker 920 of the speaker component can be used to broadcast the sound.
[0047] In one example, the antenna 910 can be in communication with a computer system that send an instruction to play ‘file A’ that is retained in the computer-readable medium 820 . The processor 810 can follow the instruction, access ‘file A’, and cause the speaker to play the sound associated with ‘file A.’ The speaker component 900 might not be informed if it is functioning as the source speaker component 210 of FIG. 2 , the destination speaker component 220 of FIG. 2 , or the echo speaker component 310 of FIG. 3 . To put another way, the speaker component 900 can function without knowledge of its own role. However, ‘file A’ may be designated as a conclusion sound and therefore the speaker component 900 may recognize that it is functioning as the destination speaker component 220 of FIG. 2 . In one embodiment, the computer-readable medium 820 can retain a sound file set for various situations, such as ‘file A.’ In addition, the computer-readable medium 820 can retain protocol for component operations, positional calculations, software for implementations of the graphical user interface, software for communicating with other entities (e.g., the central processing system).
[0048] In one example, the antenna 910 can receive the instruction from the computer as well as ‘file A’ from the computer. Therefore, as opposed to accessing a file retained in the computer-readable medium 820 the file can be received concurrent with the instruction. ‘File A’ can be retained in the computer-readable medium 820 for future use such that ‘file A’ is not required to be sent for every use of ‘file A’ by the speaker component 900 .
[0049] FIG. 10 illustrates one embodiment of an interface 1000 comprising a sound selection portion 1010 , a source selection portion 1020 , a destination selection portion 1030 , an echo selection portion 1040 , and a timing selection portion 1050 . The interface 1000 can be a graphical user interface that is displayed on a touch screen associated with the system 800 of FIG. 8 . The interface 1000 can be used by a person (e.g., an instructor) to direct the sound experience. This direction can be real-time or pre-loaded. For a pre-loaded example, a programmer can use the interface 1000 to set up a sound experience loop, such as a sound experience that is repeated for an amusement ride. For a real-time example, soldiers can be training in a complex tactical environment. This environment can have a variety of places where the soldiers can take cover. To simulate a real-world experience, enemy combatants may attempt to shoot in a direction where the soldiers are taking cover. Depending on where the soldiers take cover sounds can be selected by a training coordinator by way of the interface 1000 .
[0050] The sound selection portion 1010 can be used to select a sound to be emitted (e.g., single sound such as a single conclusion sound, sound set that comprises the commencement sound and conclusion sound, etc.). The source selection portion 1020 , the destination selection portion 1030 , and the echo selection portion 1040 can be used to select where the sound is to be emitted. This selection can be for a specific speaker or for an area to emit the sound (e.g., a component selects a best speaker in the area for use, or if no speaker is in the area then the component selects a speaker to move to that area via the propulsion component 520 of FIG. 5 ). The timing selection portion 1050 can be used to select when the sound is to be emitted. Portions of the interface 1000 can be multi-layered, such as the sound selection portion 1010 first asking whether a gun or cannon sound is to be used and if gun is selected then a second question can be which type of gun.
[0051] While the interface 1000 is shown, it is to be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art that the sound experience can be proactively created. In one example, the system 800 of FIG. 8 can retain an artificial intelligence component that can make inferences and decisions. Information can be gathered (e.g., soldier movement) and based on this information the artificial intelligence component can determine what sounds to emit, where to emit those sounds, when to emit those sounds, which speaker(s) to use, where to move at least one speaker, etc. The artificial intelligence component can be self-learning, such that can update logic base on effectiveness of a sound experience.
[0052] Furthermore, the interface 1000 can be implemented with fewer than the portions shown and/or be used with some portions being ignored. In one example, a person can select the sound and source by way of portions 1010 and 1020 and a component can selection the destination based on various factors (e.g., simulated wind speed, simulated rain, etc.). Once the interface 1000 gathers appropriate information and/or the component makes the appropriate selection(s) data the proper destinations can be identified and information can be sent (e.g., wirelessly). Example information are sound files themselves, instructions on what sound files to use, attenuation factors, time information, etc. In addition, different information can be sent to different components (e.g., a firing sound file sent to the source speaker component 210 and an impact sound file sent to the destinations speaker component 220 ).
[0053] As an example sequence, a person can enter data by way of the portions 1010 - 1050 . A component can calculate a plan for various components (e.g., components 210 and 220 of FIG. 2 ) and send to each component in use data such that the plan can be properly implemented. The components can then use this data to implement the plan.
[0054] FIG. 11 illustrates one embodiment of an interface 1100 comprising an item selection portion 1110 and an impact selection portion 1120 . As opposed to the detailed interface 1000 of FIG. 10 , the interface 1100 can be simpler with the two portions 1110 and 1120 . The item selection portion 1110 can be used to select an item (e.g., bullet, rifle, small arms, grenade, mortar, artillery, rocket, etc.) and the impact point selection portion 1120 can be used to select where the item would theoretically impact and thus indirectly select where sound is emitted, when sound is emitted, etc. In one example, the impact selection portion is a map where an administrator decides where impact should occur (e.g., anywhere on the map, select areas where a fixed speaker is located, etc.). A component can perform remaining tasks, such as deciding what physical speakers should be used to emit sound (e.g., which components to use), a timing pattern for sound emission, determining which sound file to use (e.g., three sound files that are selected—one for firing, one for impact, and one for echo), performing calculations based on administrator designations, initiate sound emission, etc. In one example, the administrator can select the item by way of portion 1110 , but portion 1120 can be used to request random impact.
[0055] FIG. 12 illustrates one embodiment of a method 1200 comprising two actions 1210 and 1220 . At 1210 there is identifying an initiation command entered upon a graphical user interface (e.g., the interface 1000 of FIG. 10 or the interface 1100 of FIG. 11 ) for an audible sequence (e.g., one or more sounds (e.g., command sound and commencement sound), multiple sounds and lights, etc.). At 1220 causing implementation of the audible sequence in response to identifying the initiation command can occur. In one embodiment, this identification can occur at a terminal that displays the graphical user interface and the causing is sending a command. In one embodiment, this identification can occur at a speaker component remote from the terminal and causing is performing the emission of the audible sequence local to the speaker component.
[0056] In one embodiment, the initiation command comprises a location command that identifies a location from which at least part of the audible sequence is emitted. Action 1220 can include causing at least part of the audible sequence to be outputted from the location. Also, action 1220 can include causing a hardware element to move to the location and causing the audible sequence to, at least in part, be outputted after the hardware is moved to the location.
[0057] The audible sequence can comprise a firing audible portion and an impact audible portion. The firing audible portion can is implemented at a first location while the impact audible portion is implemented at a second location. The second location is distinct from the first location (e.g., they are physically separate, they are remote from one another, etc.) and the firing audible portion can be implemented earlier in time than the impact audible portion. In addition to the firing audible portion and the impact audible portion, the audible sequence can comprise an echo audible portion. The echo audible portion can be implemented at a third location that is distinct from the first location and from the second location. The echo audible portion can be implemented later in time than the impact audible portion.
[0058] FIG. 13 illustrates one embodiment of a method 1300 comprising five actions 1310 - 1350 . By way of an interface, such as the interface 1000 of FIG. 10 , a user can enter location information for one or more source speaker component 210 of FIG. 2 , one or more destinations speaker component 220 of FIG. 2 , and/or one or more echo speaker component 310 of FIG. 3 and at 1310 this information can be recognized and sent (e.g., firing location information to the source speaker component 210 of FIG. 2 ). Robots that operate as these components can move to the indicated location and return a confirmation at 1320 . Once appropriate confirmations are received the interface 1000 of FIG. 10 can have an execute command portion become available, a user can press the portion, and in response to this pressing at 1330 the execute command can be selected, at 1340 an instruction to emit is transferred (e.g., with appropriate sound file information), and at 1350 emission can occur. If appropriate confirmations are not received, a component can perform corrective action (e.g., instruct another component to move, re-send the information, etc.). | Various embodiments associated with a commencement sound and a conclusion sound are described. The commencement sound can be a firing sound, such as a sound of a bullet exiting a rifle. The conclusion sound can be an impact sound, such as a sound of the bullet impacting a concrete wall. These sounds can replicate what it sounds like to have an experience around someone without actually subjecting that person to the experience. | 7 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an apparatus and method for feeding a metal refining furnace, and more particularly to a continuous feeding or charging mechanism for an electric arc steelmaking furnace.
Generally, the operation of an electric arc steelmaking furnace has been an intermittent operation, wherein the sequence followed is: charging of steel scrap and/or direct reduced iron, pig iron, slag formers and alloying elements; ignition or establishment of an electric arc between the electrodes in the furnace to create melting conditions for melting the charge and forming a molten metal bath covered by a molten slag; refining for a period of time during which the molten metal portion of the bath is refined to form steel having a desired composition and quality; and periodically raising the electrodes to remove them from contact with the bath and interference with the tapping procedure; then tapping the molten metal. In addition, slag can be removed by a slagging, or slag-off, operation as required.
Although this invention is shown and described in connection with an electric arc steelmaking furnace, it will be readily apparent that any electric powered steelmaking furnace, including but without limitation, plasma furnaces, DC furnaces, and induction furnaces, could be substituted for an electric arc steelmaking furnace with similar results. In the steelmaking practice known as "continuous charging" or "continuous melting", charge or feed materials are introduced to a furnace during the charging, melting and refining periods, then charging is interrupted and power input is interrupted for the tapping procedure. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,543,124, issued Sept. 24, 1985, an electric furnace operation was disclosed which allowed continuous operation without interruption of either charging or power input during the tapping procedure.
The procedure described above includes segregating prepared scrap, preheating prepared scrap, then feeding the scrap, direct reduced iron or other charge materials to an electric arc steelmaking furnace. This was accomplished by continuous feed means, disclosed as a charging conveyor which passes through a refractory tunnel, then into the furnace. In order to feed scrap continuously, it is advantageous to charge through the sidewall of the electric furnace. Small particles, such as direct reduced iron can be fed through the furnace roof.
I have invented a method and apparatus for feeding an electric arc steelmaking furnace, which incorporates continuous preheating and feeding, and results in an increase in productivity, and reduced operating costs.
The present invention provides means for charging materials from a conveyor, such as disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 787,959, filed Oct. 16, 1985, U.S. Pat. No. 4,609,400, into an electric arc steelmaking furnace having a charging opening in its sidewall. The apparatus is a connecting or charging car, which includes a vibrating pan which also acts as a chute within an enclosed chamber, which chamber can function as a combustion chamber. A chute portion of the apparatus protrudes into the furnace sidewall opening, and need not be removed when tilting the furnace for slagging or tapping. The chute and pan are preferably rotatable about a vertical axis through an arc of about 20°.
Within the furnace sidewall, and preferably incorporated into the furnace shell, is an inclined furnace feed chute, which further carries feed materials past the sidewall into the furnace.
When connected between a charge preheater and an electric furnace, the charging car chamber functions as a gas-tight connection between the furnace, which must be allowed to tilt about 5° toward the slag door and 10° toward the tapping spout, and the preheater which is stationary.
The charging car functions as a combustion chamber with a burner of variable air-fuel ratio to control oxygen contained in off gas from the furnace. It can direct the furnace off gas to the combustion chamber or divert it to a by-pass. It increases the feeding rate of the scrap delivered by the preheater, spreading it and therefore increasing heat transfer. It decreases the impact of the heavier scrap when reaching the steel bath by decreasing the length of the chute.
The vibrating pan follows the furnace when tilting minus 5° and plus 10°, allowing constant power on during the slagging and tapping procedures. The vibrating pan oscillates continuously at low speed to improve the scrap feed distribution when the furnace is in the vertical position during most of the tap-to-tap cycle.
The charging, or connecting, car can be disengaged from the furnace when the furnace is drained at the end of the campaign, or when the furnace operates in conventional (non-continuous) mode, so that the furnace off gas by-passes the preheater directly to a gas cleaner.
The charging car apparatus is movable into and out of the operative position, and is preferably track mounted.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is the principal object of the present invention to provide apparatus for continuously feeding of charge materials through the side wall of an electric powered melting furnace.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a feed chute for an electric arc furnace which can be moved from the operating position when required.
It is also an object of this invention to provide a feed chute for an electric arc furnace which includes a gas-tight enclosure between a stationary charge preheater and a tiltable furnace.
It is another object of this invention to provide an enclosed feeding means for an electric furnace which acts as a combustion chamber and preheater.
It is another object to provide a method of feeding an electric arc furnace which will feed materials of different mass and cause them to be moving at approximately the same speed upon reaching the bath within the furnace.
It is another object to provide a method of continuously feeding an electric melting furnace wherein the feed chute spreads the charge materials over a predetermined area within the furnace.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The foregoing and other objects will become more readily apparent by referring to the following detailed specification and the appended drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a cross section of a steelmaking furnace adapted for use with the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of an alternative embodiment of the invention, with the top removed, showing a generally straight line feed arrangement.
FIG. 3 is a vertical cross sectional of the invented charging apparatus of FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is a plan view of the invented apparatus, with the top removed, showing a 90° feed arrangement.
FIG. 5 is a vertical cross section of the alternative embodiment of FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is an exploded isometric view of the charging apparatus of the invention.
FIG. 7 is a plan view of an electric furnace, the invented connecting car apparatus, and a charge preheater connected in series.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring now to the drawings, an electric arc furnace 10 has a charge opening 12 in its sidewall 14. The sidewall opening 12 holds a flange 20, which lines the entire opening 12 and may extend from the sidewall 14 as shown. The flange 20 is preferably water-cooled. A feed chute 22 extends into the furnace from the flange 20.
The connecting charge car apparatus 24 includes a support frame 26 mounted on a carriage 27 having wheels 28 engageable with rails 30, an upstanding housing 34 mounted on the support frame 26, and a pivotally mounted material-receiving pan 36 mounted on a vibrating or driving unit and within the housing, which carries an integral discharge chute 38 on one side. The discharge chute is adapted to extend into the charging opening 12 in the furnace sidewall. The housing 34, which is of two pieces, upper housing 34A and lower housing 34B, has an opening 40 for chute 38, and a second opening 42 in its sidewall for receiving a material conveying chute or conveyor 44.
Beneath and connected to the material-receiving pan 36 is a vibrating mechanism 54 for vibrating both the pan 36 and the inclined discharge chute 38. A circular track 56 is fixed to the carriage 27, and is engaged by wheels 58 mounted on frame 26. Oscillating drive means, shown in FIG. 4 as a reciprocal drive cylinder 59 attached to the housing 34 and carriage 27, moves the pan 36 and chute in arcuate motion through an arc of from 5 to 20 degrees.
A mating flange 60, curved to match the radius of housing 34, and having a charging opening 62 therethrough, is fixed to the housing 34, and carries a flat flange 64 for mating with flange 20 of the furnace.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the invented charging car has an entry chute 70 positioned about 180° to the delivery chute 38 of the vibrating pan 36. The carriage 27 is oriented for movement normal to the furnace flange 20. Carriage drive means, such as retractable piston 72, is attached to the carriage 27 and to a fixed point 73. The piston can be operated hydraulically, or by any other desired means.
A retractable transition element 76 carries a flange 78 for mating with housing 34 to effect a gas-tight seal. The end of transition element 76 opposite the flange 78 extends into and is movable in telescoping relation to charge preheating chamber 80. Pneumatic cylinders, or other motive means, may be attached to flange 78 assure proper alignment and movement of the retractable element 76. Alternatively, flange 78 is attached to or carried by a frame member of car 24. In disengaging the charging car from the operative position, the housing 34 pushes the telescoping element 76 into the housing of charge preheater 80.
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, an alternative embodiment of the invented charging car has an entry chute 70 positioned at about a right angle to the delivery chute 38 of the vibrating pan 36. This necessitates only minor modifications in the connecting car apparatus 34. The carriage is oriented for movement parallel to the furnace flange 20 in this embodiment. The carriage drive means, retractable piston 72, is attached to the carriage 27 and to a fixed point, not shown. Alternatively, the entry chute 44 or 70 and its associated sidewall opening 42 can be oriented at any angle to the delivery chute 38 from about 90° to 180°. The orientation of the tracks 30 and wheels 28 are such that they are substantially aligned with the entry chute 44 or 70.
When engaging the charging car of the embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5, the vibrating pan 36 and discharge chute 38 must be rotated to a position wherein the chute 38 will not impact the flange 20 of the furnace sidewall opening while positioning the charging car 24. The chute is then rotated into the opening as soon as the nearer edge of the chute has reached the opening. Disengaging the car requires an opposite action, commencing rotation of the pan, then initiating movement of the car. At any alternative angle of entry chute from 90° to about 150°, such rotation of the pan may be required during positioning and removal of the car.
A wear plate 84 (see FIG. 3) can be provided on the working surface of either the inclined chute 38 or the pan 36, or both, if desired.
In operation of the embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 3, the connecting car or charging apparatus 24 is positioned adjacent the sidewall opening 12 of furnace 10, with flange 20 and flange 64 abutting to form a seal. The charging car 24 is positioned with wheels 28 against a pre-positioned stop, and a removable stop is then placed against its rear wheels. The charging conveyor 44 is activated, charge materials enter the housing 34 through opening 42, drop onto the vibrating pan 36, are moved by vibrating motion and gravity through chute 38 onto chute 22, then into the furnace, whereby the furnace is continuously charged.
The furnace wall opening 12 is sufficiently large, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 7, that up to about a 15° tilt in either direction will not necessitate removal of the inclined charging chute 38. The furnace tilts 5 degrees back to draw off the slag, and 10 degrees forward to tap the molten metal, so the charging apparatus need not be removed or repositioned for either the slagging or tapping procedure.
A slight gap is left between the flange 64 of the charge apparatus and the flange 20 of the furnace to reduce wear.
During charging, the pan and charging chute are oscillated slowly through an arc of from 5 to 20 degrees, but generally about 12°, to drop the materials being charged into a wider area onto chute 22 and promote better melting, as the materials will be better spread across the chute 22 upon entry into the furnace.
The angle and length of the chute 22 controls the speed and impact of all materials to the bath, so that they will enter the bath at approximately the same speed, regardless of whether materials of high mass such as large scrap, or materials of light mass such as small pellets are being charged, which can occur at the same time. The angle of chute 22 is about 20° to 35° from the horizontal, but is preferably 30°.
An electric furnace is normally pivotal about a horizontal axis. Many electric furnaces are pivotal about an off-center tilting axis. The present invention is particularly useful with the latter type of tilting furnace.
The chamber formed by housing 34 acts as a combustion chamber for the off gases from the furnace 10. The upper housing 34A is refractory lined, and has a water-cooled portion, which can also be refractory lined. One or more burners 82 (as shown in FIG. 3) may be provided in the housing wall or any opening in the housing to control combustion within the combustion chamber defined by the housing 34 to fully or partially burn the off gases as desired.
As shown in FIG. 7, electric arc steelmaking furnace 10 is fed by covered conveyor 44 within chamber 80, through charging car 24. For tapping purposes, a steel ladle 86 is provided on a transfer car 88 movable along track 89 for moving ladle 86 into and out of tapping, ladle metallurgy, and pouring positions. The ladle can be teemed directly into a continuous caster, not shown, if desired. Gas can be removed from the charging car chamber through gas pipe 90 to a gas cleaner, or to a location where its heat or its fuel value can be utilized, as in a preheater.
SUMMARY OF THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is readily seen from the foregoing that I have invented a new and useful connecting car charging apparatus which is particularly well suited for the continuous charging of an electric arc steel making furnace, which can be moved from the operating position when required, which includes a gas-tight enclosure, and which is capable of acting as a preheater. I have also provided a method of continuously feeding an electric arc furnace which will feed materials of different mass at approximately the same speed to the furnace bath, and wherein the feed chute spreads the charge materials over a predetermined area within the furnace. | An apparatus and method for charging a melting furnace having a charging opening in its sidewall, in which a closed housing contains a pivotally mounted receiving pan having a discharge chute on one side thereof, the discharge chute adapted to extend into the charging opening in the furnace sidewall; and means for moving the charging apparatus into the charging opening of the furnace and removing the apparatus to a position remote therefrom. A method for feeding the furnace over a predefined area, and continuously feeding the furnace during all phases of operation, including slagging and tapping, is also disclosed. | 5 |
RELATED PATENT DATA
Cross-Reference to Related Application
This application claims priority to PCT Patent Application Serial No. PCT/US2009/051422, which was filed on Jul. 22, 2009 which is herein included by reference in its entirety for all purposes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to flat-panel monitors, and more particularly to an adjustable modular stand for supporting a flat-panel display, such as an LCD or a plasma-type display.
With the advent of compact LCD displays there have been a plethora of new designs adapted for mounting the displays vertically or for supporting the displays for free-standing upright use on a desktop or table. These mounting mechanisms range in design from elaborate support apparatus, such as the multi-position articulating bracket shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,464,185, to very simple designs, such as the A-frame bracket shown in U.S. Pat. No. 7,251,125. Each would seem to have some advantage over the other whether in cost, size, appearance, or functionality. Some stands are free-standing while others are designed to be attached to the monitor itself and have their own base or other means of support. Those with telescopic support members or with articulating arms often provide continuous vertical adjustment to position the monitor at a particular height and tilt relative to the desktop or to the user. Still others provide rotational or swivel adjustment of the monitor screen for use in different multiple planes. All of these designs have different features to appeal to particular users. The more complex multi-functional designs are almost always more costly to fabricate than the simpler designs, even though the simpler designs often provide sufficient utility to many users.
For many purchasers of computer-type monitors, size, weight, cost, durability, and case-of-use are the primary factors in deciding on what type of monitor and support stand to purchase. Although style, appearance, and functionality often play a major part in selecting what type of monitor and stand a purchaser wants. Then for others, such as students or office workers, the physical “foot print” of the supporting stand and monitor is an important consideration along with its portability. Obviously there are many factors that go into the decision of what type or brand of monitor to purchase and it is also true that there is no single stand that fits everyone's needs.
Therefore, what is needed is a low cost, portable, compact, adjustable, modular stand for a flat-panel monitor that is easy to use while occupying a minimum amount of desk space and providing sufficient adjustment latitude for the majority of users.
While the following discussion and teachings focuses primarily on computer-type monitors, the invention has utility for other flat panel displays, such as electronic book readers (e-books/e-readers), digital picture displays, medical multi-function monitors, and other types of electronic display devices.
Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional approaches will become apparent to one skilled in the art, through comparison of such devices with a representative embodiment of the present invention as set forth in the remainder of the present application with reference to the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For a better understanding of the invention as well as further features thereof, reference is made to the following description which is to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:
FIG. 1A is a side view of a flat-panel monitor showing the supporting stand mounted to the rear of the monitor in accordance with a representative embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of the flat-panel monitor in FIG. 1A showing the support stand in greater detail as it mounts to the rear of the monitor in accordance with a representative embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view illustrating the flat-panel monitor with the stand shown in an extended position.
FIG. 3 is a partially exploded perspective view illustrating the rear of the flat-panel monitor 101 with the stand assembly shown detached from the monitor.
FIG. 4A is a side-perspective view illustrating the two major sections of the stand assembly shown disconnected from each other in accordance with a representative embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4B is another side-perspective view illustrating the two major sections of the stand assembly shown disconnected from each other and depicting an alternate variation of retainer clip 130 in accordance with another representative embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a bottom perspective view illustrating the two major sections of the stand assembly shown connected together to better illustrate how the retainer clip can attach to the rear monitor housing.
FIG. 6 is another bottom perspective view illustrating only the retainer clip 130 portion of the stand assembly in accordance with a representative embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is an end view of the supporting leg 120 illustrating the location of slots 128 a and 128 b in accordance with a representative embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a side view of the supporting leg 120 illustrating the preferred contour of the supporting leg and the other design aspects of this part in accordance with a representative embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Reference will now be made in detail to a representative embodiment of the present invention shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elements throughout. Furthermore, in the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art that the present invention can be practiced without these specific details
FIG. 1A is a side view of a flat-panel computer monitor 101 showing a supporting leg 120 mounted on the rear housing 110 of the flat-panel monitor. The display assembly enclosure 100 is preferably constructed of a hard durable molded thermoplastic, such as ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) plastic or PC (polycarbonate) plastic. The rear housing 110 is a hard plastic shell that covers the electronics portion of monitor 101 and is also preferably integrally molded into the plastic monitor housing itself. A removable retainer clip 130 , constructed of the same plastic material, is adapted to selectively engage openings in the rear housing 110 as is better shown in FIGS. 1B and 3 . The function of retainer clip 130 is to provide a support structure that attaches supporting leg 120 to rear housing 110 in such a way to permit supporting leg 120 to pivot about an AXIS shown in FIG. 1B . In the side view as depicted in FIG. 1A , supporting leg 120 is in an extended position to provide the maximum tilt of the monitor relative to the supporting desktop surface.
FIG. 1B shows a cross section of the supporting leg 120 and retainer clip 130 . Since supporting leg 120 pivots at the junction with rear housing 110 about the AXIS shown in FIG. 1B , the bottom portion of the leg can be manually pivoted closer to the bottom of monitor 101 thereby reducing the vertical tilt of the monitor. Rotation stops 131 a and 131 b , shown better in FIG. 3 , prevent supporting leg 120 from collapsing to the plane of the monitor, since that would cause the monitor either to be in a very unstable nearly vertical configuration or to collapse altogether. Alternatively the bottom portion of the leg can be manually pivoted farther from the bottom of monitor 101 thereby increasing the vertical tilt of the monitor. The range of tilt from a vertical posit (is typically from 10° to approximately 30°. And for storage purposes supporting leg 120 and retainer clip 130 can be removed from rear housing 110 by simply unclipping assembly snaps 135 a and 135 b (not shown in FIG. 1A or 1 B) from rear housing 110 . This is also advantageous for shipping the monitor and stand assembly 100 .
Referring now to FIG. 2 , the rear section of monitor 101 is shown with the stand assembly operationally connected to the rear housing 110 . Air vents 111 are typically provided in rear housing 110 to allow air to circulate thereby dissipating heat generated from within the monitor. The electrical power and signal cables (partially depicted as cables 201 and 202 respectively) can either be channeled through opening 122 or dressed completely around supporting leg 120 depending on the placement of a computer (not shown) and the location of a power outlet. The top or upper end portion 211 (as shown in FIG. 2 ) of supporting leg 120 that makes pivoting contact with monitor housing 110 has a rotating pivot mechanism to permit the bottom 123 of supporting leg 120 to be manually moved closer to the monitor or farther away to optionally change the vertical tilt of monitor 101 as desired by the user. As an option the bottom portion 123 that makes contact with the desktop or table can be fitted with a rubberized coating to provide some sliding resistance of supporting leg 120 on a hard surface such as a desktop. This is to add greater stability to the entire display assembly 100 . The width “W” of supporting leg 120 is depicted in FIG. 2 as approximately 30% of the width of the monitor. This is discretionary with the manufacturer, but less than 10% to 15% of the width of the monitor can potentially cause stability problems. Similarly the top portion 211 should be positioned to make contact with monitor housing 110 at least half-way up from the monitor base so that the center of gravity of the monitor is not above the connection ( 211 ) point with supporting leg 120 otherwise the monitor is apt to tip over backwards. (If the center of gravity of monitor 101 were below the midpoint of the monitor, then the connection point could be lowered accordingly without adding an instability to the overall structure.)
Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4A , FIG. 3 shows a rear perspective view of flat-panel monitor 101 in a face down orientation, with supporting leg 120 and retainer clip 130 shown detached from monitor rear housing 110 , FIGS. 4A and 4B show the same supporting leg 120 and retainer clip 130 but separated from each other and in a slightly different orientation to better illustrate details of both components. As is illustrated in these figures, the stand comprises two modular components: a retainer clip 130 and a supporting leg 120 . Retainer clip 130 is adapted to selectively engage positioning slots 302 and 301 in rear housing 110 when locator tabs 132 a and 132 b , respectively, are inserted therein. (Both retainer tabs 132 a and 132 b are shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 .) Supporting leg 120 has an integral elongated tubular section, defined by end plates 121 a and 121 b , designed to rotationally engage a similar mating tubular section in retainer clip 130 . In the joined configuration the tubular sections form a type of hinge mechanism permitting supporting leg 120 to pivot about the center-line axis CL depicted in FIGS. 3 , 4 A, and 4 B. And when the two components ( 120 and 130 ) are coupled together, the one end, 211 , of the supporting leg engages rear housing 110 within a semicircular elongated receiving trough 320 molded a housing 110 . Receiving trough 320 has a smooth bearing surface to permit contacting surface 127 of supporting leg 120 to slide within the shallow trough thus allowing supporting leg 120 to partially rotate back and forth about an axis CL. As is shown therein the elongated tubular section of supporting leg 120 extending from end plates 121 a to 121 b fits snugly within the shallow receiving trough 320 . Similarly the tubular portion of retainer clip 130 fits snugly within the tubular section of supporting leg 120 to engage therein a friction surface. By pressing the tubular section of supporting leg 120 into trough 320 , this allows the combination to function as a hinge mechanism permitting supporting leg 120 to partially rotate within the limits set by the apparatus. To increase the frictional forces on the inner surface 125 of the rotational well, a thin rectangular strip of a rubberize compound is affixed to the surface therein to add rotational resistance when supporting leg 120 is rotated back and forth within receiving through 320 . A pair of support ribs 129 a and 129 b are adapted to glide into slots 128 a and 128 b of retainer clip 130 when the two parts are interconnected. (These two slots are seen in FIG. 6 .) Support ribs 129 a and 129 b add torsional stability to supporting leg 120 . The dimensions of supporting leg 120 , retainer clip 130 , and slots 301 and 302 are such that when frilly assembled retainer clip 130 is forced tightly into the rotational well 125 to insure that supporting leg 120 cannot freely rotated therein without some amount of appropriate force applied to supporting leg 120 . And the depth of receiving trough 320 is sufficient to permit the base of the retainer clip 130 to sit flush on rear housing 110 while allowing partial rotation of supporting leg 120 within receiving trough 320 . FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B also show a plurality of additional support ribs 126 at strategic locations to provide additional strength and rigidity to overall frame of supporting leg 120 . The actual number and placement of these support ribs is a matter of design choice depending on the thickness of the molded plastic and other structural considerations.
Referring again to FIG. 3 , the rear monitor housing 110 is adapted to receive retainer clip 130 via four openings in the housing ( 301 , 302 , 310 , and 311 ). Openings 301 and 302 are positioned so that locator tabs 132 b and 132 a may be inserted into these openings, respectively, and slid against the outside walls of each opening. The inner walls of 301 and 302 accommodate two resilient elongated clips 135 b and 135 a , respectively, which are shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 . When inserted into the two holes on rear housing 110 a small inward-facing lip on both of these clips ( 135 b and 135 a ) grabs the inside of rear housing 110 for a secure holding relationship to hold the lower end of retainer clip 130 in place. (Since rear housing 110 is a thin shell, clips 135 a and 135 b hold onto the inside of the shell to keep retainer clip 130 held securely in place.) Due to their inherent flexibility both retainer clips can be manually pushed out as shown in FIG. 5 to unclip them from the housing allowing retainer clip 130 and supporting 120 to be removed when desired from rear housing 110 .
Retainer clip 130 and supporting leg 120 are shown in FIG. 5 from the bottom perspective and apart from the monitor housing 110 . Assembly tabs 133 a and 133 b , shown in both FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 , are a molded part of retainer clip 130 and, when connected to supporting leg 120 , extend outward through slots 128 a and 128 b the tubular portion of supporting leg 120 . When inserted into receiving trough 320 , the two assembly tabs 133 a and 133 b fit into slots 311 and 310 , respectively, to engage the inside surface of rear housing 110 and hold the other end of retainer clip 130 securely in place on the housing.
From a functional standpoint supporting leg 120 travels from an almost vertical position until rotation stops 131 a and 131 b prevent the supporting leg 120 from collapsing to the upper plane of retainer clip 130 . An alternate means of preventing supporting leg 120 from collapsing to the upper plane of retainer clip 130 is shown in FIG. 4B . An elongated plastic ridge 131 c extending across a portion of top plane of retainer clip 130 performs the same stopping function as the two rotations stops 131 a and 131 b , but has the advantage of providing a little more rigidity to the frame of retainer clip 130 . The other extreme travel position (the open position) of supporting leg 120 occurs when the leg is fully extended and the inclined face 212 of support leg 120 impacts the surface of rear housing 110 adjacent receiving trough 320 . Once the inclined face 212 impacts the surface of rear housing 110 , supporting leg 120 cannot rotate (counterclockwise as shown in FIG. 1B ) any further. The inclined face 212 is shown more clearly in FIGS. 5 and 8 . To increase the maxima amount of monitor tilt, one needs to reduce the depth of the trough 320 to increase the center-line AXIS above the back plane of housing 110 .
FIG. 8 is a side view of supporting leg 120 which shows a design feature of supporting leg 120 . In addition to being slightly tapered, the bottom end portion 123 has a slight bend to add more stability to the overall stand.
While aspects of the present invention have been described with reference to certain embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted without departing from the scope of the representative embodiments of the present invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation to the teachings of a representative embodiment of the present invention without departing from its scope. Therefore, it is intended that embodiments of the present invention not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed herein, but that representative embodiments of the present invention include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims. | A flat-panel display stand in accordance with the present invention includes a modular assembly for supporting a display on a horizontal surface so that the display tilt can be adjusted by the user. The stand has a modular design with only two modules: a retainer clip and supporting leg that are uniquely hinged together and connected to the rear of the display. | 5 |
BACKGROUND
[0001] The present invention relates to a heat exchanger for transferring heat between a first liquid fluid and a gaseous fluid such as, for example, ambient air, and more particularly to a heat exchanger which has a hollow housing through which one of the fluids flows and whose exterior is exposed to the other fluid.
[0002] Such heat exchangers are used as coolers in vehicles. For example, published German patent application DE10139315 describes a heat exchanger in an engine cooling circuit. In such heat exchangers the coolant flows through tubing in a fixed, thin-walled cooler. The cooler is normally a flat, slab-shaped body and includes openings through which ambient air is blown. The cooler separates the two media, air and coolant. In order to attain a good heat exchange there is an advantage in a high flow velocity of the two media, coolant and ambient air, a high heat conductivity of the cooler and a large surface area of the cooler. Since the heat exchange between a fluid and a fixed body, as a rule, is very much easier than the heat exchange between a gas and a fixed body, the latter determines the dimensions of the cooler required for the transfer of a given amount of heat. Ribs can be used to increase the surface area of the cooler. But, for agricultural applications in which the ambient air is highly contaminated, ribs can become contaminated very rapidly, Thus, reducing the transfer of heat.
[0003] A blower may be used to blow air through the heat exchanger. The heat transfer performance is determined primarily by the amount of air conveyed, the flow velocity and the temperature difference between the outer surface of the cooler and the ambient air. A pump may be used to convey the fluid through the heat exchanger.
[0004] The disadvantage of these heat exchangers is the requirement for a large surface area for the side of the heat exchanger that is in contact with the ambient air. This surface area is considerably larger than the surface area that is in contact with the fluid. As a result, the heat exchanger must be large. A considerable amount of energy is also required in order to convey the two fluids, particularly the ambient air, through the heat exchanger. Contamination is a considerable problem in an agricultural application. There is a high cost in components and configuration as a result of the requirement for a pump, a blower and a cooler.
SUMMARY
[0005] Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a heat exchanger which has small dimensions with a high heat transfer performance capability.
[0006] A further object of the invention is to provide such a heat exchanger which requires relatively little operating energy, contain few costly components and reduces the danger of contamination.
[0007] These and other objects are achieved by the present invention, wherein a heat exchanger exchanges heat between a liquid fluid and a gas fluid. The heat exchanger includes a rotating hollow housing through which one of fluids flows and whose exterior is exposed to the other fluid. Preferably, the fluid flowing through the hollow housing is preferably a liquid, the gas flows around the hollow housing. The high circumferential velocity which is possible with a rotating hollow housing produces high flow velocities along its outer or inner circumferential surface, and an effective heat exchange. Thus, the performance of the heat exchange can be increased with a reduced surface area and smaller unit size compared to common conventional heat exchangers. The danger of contamination is reduced since the contaminant particles are not deposited in narrow penetration channels, but are blown away. It is furthermore possible to combine the functions of cooler, pump and blower in a unit, resulting in a simple design in which separate drives for pump and blower are omitted and that require considerably less energy to operate.
[0008] Preferably, in order to provide a good heat transfer, the hollow housing consists of aluminum, for example, of cast aluminum. The hollow housing preferably includes an axial inlet opening and an axial outlet opening for fluid flowing through it, where one fluid is conducted into the hollow housing through a first axial tube and is conducted out through a second tube which is coaxially with respect to the first tube, thus forming an annular channel between the tubes. With such a coaxial unit, only a single seal and a one bearing are required. Fluid can be supplied through the inner tube and then drained out through the annular channel, although fluid may flow in the opposite direction.
[0009] Preferably, overflow ports in the inlet tube communicate fluid directly from the inlet opening to the outlet opening. Thus, the cross sectional areas of the inlet and the outlet are designed so that a part of the fluid flows directly from the inlet to the outlet and not through the interior of the hollow housing on the basis of differing flow velocities in the inlet and the outlet. Preferably, a section of the return line can be configured as an injector to reduce the diameter near the bearing and seal area, while maintaining the same volume flow in the outer cooling circuit.
[0010] An alternate embodiment includes a single undivided tube which extends axially through the hollow housing and forms inlet and outlet openings located outside the hollow housing. Radial ports are formed in the portion of the tube inside the hollow housing so that fluid can flow out of the tube, into the hollow housing and back into the tube.
[0011] Preferably, the hollow housing includes a closable filler opening in an outer surface through which the hollow housing can be filled and drained. An elastic membrane may be mounted in the interior of the hollow housing to separate a part of the volume enclosed by the hollow housing from the fluid. The membrane may be preloaded, for example, by a spring or by a pressurized gas to equalize volume changes of the fluid flowing through the hollow housing.
[0012] A pump impeller may be rigidly fastened to the interior of the rotating hollow housing, and bearings can support both the pump impeller and the hollow housing, so that no additional bearing support of the pump impeller is required. The pump impeller is used to convey the fluid through the hollow housing.
[0013] The hollow housing may be connected rigidly to an external blower impeller which rotates with the housing. A single bearing may support both the blower impeller and the hollow housing. The pump impeller conveys the gas which flows along the outside of the hollow housing.
[0014] Preferably, a non-rotating guide impeller or guide housing is provided inside or outside the hollow housing upstream or downstream of the pump impeller or the blower impeller. The guide impeller and the guide housing interact with the associated pump impeller or blower impeller in order to assure an optimum guidance of the fluid. If the guide impeller is located within the hollow housing it may be necessary to configure the hollow housing as a multiple piece component so that the hollow housing can be disassembled in order to make an installation of the guide impeller possible.
[0015] In order to increase the surface area available for heat exchange, projections and recesses are provided on a (preferably cylindrical) outer surface and/or on a (preferably cylindrical) inner surface of the hollow housing. Preferably, these projections are helical blades arranged at an angle with respect to the axis of rotation, so that they can help convey either of the fluids. A non-rotating guide impeller or guide housing may also be arranged upstream and/or downstream of the blades.
[0016] The hollow housing can be driven by drives such as, for example, spur gears, flat belts, toothed belts, V-belts, toothed V-belts or roller chains. It is also possible to drive the hollow housing electrically and, in particular, to connect it rigidly with the rotor of an electric motor. The electric motor and the housing can be supported by the same bearings.
[0017] Preferably, the hollow housing is connected to the rotor of an asynchronous motor and simultaneously forms a short circuit ring of the asynchronous motor. A collar formed onto the hollow housing may be used as short circuit cage for the asynchronous motor. The housing may be manufactured as a one-piece cast aluminum unit with the collar used as short circuit cage. A second short circuit ring can be poured simultaneously during this manufacturing process. The stator of the asynchronous motor is inserted into a housing of a material with high heat conductivity (for example, cast aluminum), where the housing is in good heat conducting contact with the fluid flowing through the hollow housing. The rotor of the motor is also cooled very well by the fluid flowing through the hollow housing. The asynchronous motor can be operated with a frequency converter at a variable speed, stopped completely and/or to be operated in the reverse direction.
[0018] The temperature of the first and/or second fluids can be sensed by temperature sensors at the inlet and the outlet. Temperature signals may be transmitted to a control unit which controls the rotational speed of the asynchronous motor and as a function of the temperature measurements.
[0019] Preferably, the hollow housing is configured as a one-piece component together with a pump impeller, blower impeller, or projections and recesses, impeller blades and the short circuit cage and the short circuit ring of an electric motor. This one-piece component can be manufactured by casting, die casting, pressure die casting, forging, sintering from a material with good heat conductivity such as aluminum, an aluminum alloy, copper, a copper alloy, zinc, a zinc alloy, glass-fiber or carbon fiber-reinforced plastic or ceramic.
[0020] The invention increases the velocity of fluid gas flow around the hollow housing because the hollow housing rotates about an axis.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of a heat exchanger;
[0022] FIG. 2 is a side view of the hollow housing of a heat exchanger according to the invention;
[0023] FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of heat exchanger according to the invention;
[0024] FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a third embodiment of a heat exchanger according to the invention; and
[0025] FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a fourth embodiment of a heat exchanger according to the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0026] FIG. 1 shows a cylindrical hollow housing 10 which includes an inlet port 12 and an outlet port 14 . The inlet port 12 is supported for rotation by bearings 16 on a non-rotating inlet tube 18 and is sealed by a seal 20 with respect to the inlet tube 18 . The outlet port 14 is supported for rotation by bearings 22 on a non-rotating outlet tube 24 and is sealed by a seal 26 with respect to the outlet tube 24 . Thus, the housing 10 is supported by bearings for rotation about the central axis 28 .
[0027] Inlet tube 18 forms an axial inlet opening 30 , through which coolant can enter into the housing 10 . Outlet tube 24 forms an axial outlet opening 32 , through which coolant can leave the housing 10 .
[0028] The housing 10 is driven by an asynchronous motor 34 . A short circuit cage 36 is formed onto the outlet side of the housing 10 concentric with the housing 10 , and cage 36 engages the rotor 38 of the asynchronous motor 34 . A portion of the housing 10 is used as short circuit ring 40 . A further short circuit ring 42 is formed onto the short circuit cage 36 . The housing 10 , short circuit cage 36 and short circuit ring 42 consist of a single component of cast aluminum. The stator 44 of the asynchronous motor 34 is inserted into a housing 46 of cast aluminum. The housing 46 is rigidly connected to the outlet tube 24 , which also consists of aluminum with good heat conductivity. By means of this configuration the components of the asynchronous motor are in good heat conducting contact with the fluid flowing through the housing 10 and are very well cooled by the fluid. The bearing 24 supports both the asynchronous motor 34 and the housing 10 .
[0029] The asynchronous motor 34 is connected to a control unit (not shown), that permits the asynchronous motor 34 to operate with variable rotational speed. Temperature sensors (not shown) are arranged near the inlet opening 30 and the outlet opening 32 to detect the inlet temperature and the outlet temperature of the fluid flowing through the housing 10 . Moreover, a temperature sensor (not shown) is located near the circumferential surface of the hollow housing, and detects the temperature of the ambient air flowing around the housing 10 . The signals of the temperature sensors are detected by the control unit and are utilized to control the rotational speed of the housing 10 .
[0030] The exterior surface of the housing 10 is exposed to a flow of surrounding ambient air which cools the fluid flowing through the housing 10 . The cooling effect depends on the dimensions of the housing 10 , particularly its wall thickness and its heat conducting characteristics. With a high circumferential velocity of the rotating housing 10 an effective heat exchange occurs at its outer surface with the surroundings. The heat exchange depends crucially on the size of the outer surface of the housing 10 that is exposed to the cooling air. Therefore, the outer circumferential surface of the housing 10 is provided with a multitude of projections 48 and intervening recesses 50 , that are in good heat conducting contact with the housing 10 and preferably are integral with the housing 10 . As shown in FIG. 2 , the projections 48 are configured as blades which are inclined with respect to the axis of rotation 28 which simultaneously operate to convey the cooling air and increase the cooling effect.
[0031] Referring now to FIG. 3 , a single undivided tube 52 extends axially through and is received by the housing 10 . Tube 52 forms at one end an inlet 30 and at its other end an outlet 32 . The tube 52 includes ports 54 near inlet 30 which communicates fluid out of the tube 52 into the housing 10 . Tube 52 also includes ports 56 near outlet 32 for communicating fluid from housing 10 back into tube 52 , as indicated by arrows. The central portion of the tube 52 located between the ports 54 , 56 is closed by a barrier (not shown), or is restricted by a throttling restriction (not shown) in order to prevent a flow of fluid through tube 52 . Bearings 16 and 22 and seals 20 and 22 are installed between the tube 52 and housing 10 .
[0032] To increase the effective surface in the interior of the housing 10 , a plurality of projections 58 and intervening recesses 60 are formed on the inner wall of the housing 10 . Projections 58 are in good heat conducting contact with the housing 10 , and are preferably integral with the housing 10 . The projections 58 are configured as blades which are inclined to the rotation axis 28 , so that they help convey the fluid.
[0033] A V-belt pulley 62 is fixed to the outlet port 14 for rotation with the housing 10 . Pulley 62 may be used to drive the housing 10 in rotation. The bearing 22 supports the pulley 62 and the housing 10 . Instead of pulley, the housing 10 could be driven by other elements, such as, for example, a gear, a flat belt pulley, a toothed belt pulley, a chain sprocket and the like.
[0034] A blower impeller 64 is fixed to the inlet port 12 for rotation with the housing 10 , and blows a flow of air across the surface of the housing 10 in order to cool the housing 10 . Thus, a separately driven blower or blower impeller is not required. The bearing 20 supports both the blower impeller 64 and the housing 10 . Non-rotating, non-rotating guide housings 66 , 68 are positioned upstream and downstream of the blower impeller 64 for guiding the flow of air. In many applications, a single guide housing ahead of or behind the blower impeller 64 may be sufficient.
[0035] Referring now to FIG. 4 , a pump impeller 70 is fastened to and rotates with a central portion of an inner surface of the housing 10 . The pump impeller 70 can be manufactured as a one-piece unit with the housing 10 in a pressure die casting process. The bearings 16 and 22 support both the pump impeller 70 and the housing 10 . The pump impeller 70 conveys the fluid through the housing 10 , so that a separate fluid pump is not required.
[0036] Non-rotating impeller fluid flow guides 72 , 74 are positioned upstream and downstream of the pump impeller 70 and are mounted on tube 10 . It may be sufficient to provide only one guide 72 ahead of the pump impeller 70 or only one guide 74 behind the pump impeller 70 . The housing 10 may be configured as a multi-piece component to permit assembly of the guides 72 , 74 .
[0037] Referring now to FIG. 5 , hollow housing 80 includes a port 82 on one side only that is concentric to the axis of rotation 81 . Two non-rotating concentric tubes 84 , 86 are mounted in port 82 . Coolant is supplied through the interior 85 of inner tube 84 into the housing 80 . Coolant flows out of housing 80 through an annular passage formed between tubes 84 and 86 . The port 82 is supported by a bearing 88 on the outer tube 86 and is sealed by a seal 90 against the outer tube 86 . Additional bearings and seals can be omitted.
[0038] The inner tube 84 includes radial overflow ports 92 which permit fluid to flow between the inlet and the outlet. Due to differing fluid flow velocities in the supply and the drainage, a portion of the fluid flows directly from the inlet through the overflow channels 92 into the annular outlet channel 87 and not into the interior of the housing 80 . Moreover the ends of the outer tube 86 are flared in a conical shape and the bearings and seals are located on the reduced diameter portion of tube 86 . The fluid pressure will be reduced as it exits out of flared end of tube 86 and this lower pressure helps draw fluid through radial ports 92 .
[0039] A filler opening 94 and a stopper 96 is located in the upper outer surface of the housing 80 , according to FIG. 5 . The filler opening 94 is used to fill and drain the housing 80 and the entire cooling arrangement with coolant. When being filled, the housing 80 is rotated into a position in which the filler opening 94 opens generally upward. When being drained, the housing 80 is rotated until the filler opening 94 opens downwardly.
[0040] As also shown in FIG. 5 , an elastic membrane 98 in the interior of the housing 80 separates the housing 80 into two separate chambers 99 and 101 . Chamber 101 is not exposed to fluid within housing 80 . The elastic membrane 98 is preloaded by a spring 100 which permits changes in the volume of the chambers 99 and 101 as a result of differing temperatures. Alternatively, or in addition to the spring 100 , chamber 101 could also be filled with a gas.
[0041] While the present invention has been described in conjunction with a specific embodiment, it is understood that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, this invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations which fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
Assignment
[0042] The entire right, title and interest in and to this application and all subject matter disclosed and/or claimed therein, including any and all divisions, continuations, reissues, etc., thereof are, effective as of the date of execution of this application, assigned, transferred, sold and set over by the applicant(s) named herein to Deere & Company, a Delaware corporation having offices at Moline, Ill. 61265, U.S.A., together with all rights to file, and to claim priorities in connection with, corresponding patent applications in any and all foreign countries in the name of Deere & Company or otherwise. | A fluid liquid/fluid gas heat exchanger includes a hollow housing through which one of the fluids flows and whose exterior is exposed to the other fluid. The housing rotates about one or more non-rotating tubes which form inlet and outlet openings. | 5 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention is within the field of molecular biology. More closely, it relates to modified nucleotides and nucleosides and the use thereof as building blocks for incorporation into oligonucleotides and oligonucleosides. These may, for example, be used for antisense therapy.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The recruitment by RNase H, an endogenous enzyme that specifically degrades target RNA in the antisense oligonucleotide (AON)/RNA hybrid duplex is an important pathway for the antisense action beside the translational arrest. RNase H hydrolyses the RNA strand in an RNA/DNA hybrid in a catalytic manner. It produces short oligonucleotides with 5′-phosphate and 3′-hydroxy groups as final products. Bivalent cations as Mg 2+ and Mn 2+ are found to be necessary cofactors for enzymatic activity. The enzyme is widely present in various organisms, including retroviruses, as a domain of the reverse transcriptase. The RNase H1 from Escherichia coli is the most characterized enzyme in this family.
[0003] RNase H promoted cleavage of the viral mRNA via formation of the duplexes with complementary oligo-DNAs (antisense strand) is one of the strategies to treat pathogen infections and other genetic disorders. Recent isolation of the human RNase H1 and RNase H2 highlights the importance of the development of the antisense drugs utilizing this mechanism of action.
[0004] It has been suggested that for eliciting the RNase H in AON/RNA hybrid, the AON part should retain the B-type DNA conformation with 2′-endo sugar (South-type, S), while the RNA moiety should retain its A-type helix character with 3′-endo sugar (North-type, N). To fulfill these requirements various modifications of sugar, base as well as of the phosphate backbone have been attempted and numerous reports are available about these modified AONs and their antisense action. Among these, AONs having one or more conformationally fixed (either in N- or S-form of the sugar pucker) nucleoside residues have been found to be promising candidates because when they are locked in the N-form, they exhibit high affinity to the target RNA. Recently, the locked nucleic acid (LNA), in which the sugar moiety is fixed in the North conformation, has shown unprecedented affinity towards RNA. LNA and other modifications which have the fixed N-sugar moiety drive the AON helix to the A-type resulting in RNA/RNA type duplex which accounts for their higher binding affinity, but this leads to the loss of RNase H action. The introduction of conformationally constrained N-methanocarba-thymidine residue in the N-form increased the thermodynamic stability of AON/RNA duplex, whereas in the S-form, a destabilizing effect was observed. It was later found that multiple introduction of (N)-methanocarba-thymidines, although increased the thermodynamic stability of the AON/RNA duplex, but failed to recruit any RNase H activity. It is now quite clear that all modifications that lead to preferential North-type sugar, including its constrained form, in an RNA-type AON result in the loss of RNase H activity, because they resemble RNA/RNA duplex, except when they appear at the termini or in the middle in the gapmer-AON. It has been so far assumed that probably three or four N-type conformational repeats are necessary to enhance the thermal stability of RNA-type AON/RNA duplex. Nobody however specifically knows how many North-constrained nucleosides are required to alter the conformational tolerance of the RNase H recognition, thereby its substrate specificity, owing to the local structural perturbations in an RNA-type AON/RNA hybrid. On the other hand, 2′-methoxy, 2′-F or 2′-O—CH 2 —CH 2 —OCH 3 based (and other analogous) antisense chemistry, used as a gapmer, promote RNA cleavage by RNase H at least three-fold less satisfactorily than the native. These 2′-O-alkoxy substituted nucleotides are incorporated in the antisense strand as a gapmer to promote complementary RNA cleavage by RNase H. These work better than many other compounds that are available in the literature, but they work less satisfactorily than the native in terms of RNA cleavage efficiency. The efficiency of these 2′-O-methoxy, 2′-F or 2′-O—CH 2 —CH 2 —OCH 3 based gapmers, “without exception cleaved at slower rate than the wild type substrate” (Crooke et al, Biochemistry, 36, p390-398 (1997)); they work (catalytically) at about 3-fold less efficiency as that of the native counterpart.
[0005] Arabino nucleic acids (ANA) have been recently tested for their ability to activate RNase H. Both the sequences tested had lower thermodynamic stability in comparison with the natural DNA/RNA hybrid duplex. CD spectra of these duplexes showed close resemblance to the native DNA/RNA duplexes. Although no quantitative data available, the duplexes formed by ANA and complementary RNA were found to be poorer substrates for RNase H assisted cleavage compared to the native counterpart. However when Mn 2+ was used instead of Mg 2+ in the reaction medium, nearly complete degradation of the target RNA was observed. The 2′F-ANA has also been explored for RNase H potency. Their hybrids with RNA showed higher T m than the native DNA/RNA hybrid duplex (ΔT m =+5° C.) and also exhibited global helical conformation similar to native DNA/RNA hybrids as revealed by CD spectroscopy. RNase H promoted cleavage of these 2′F-ANA/RNA hybrids were found to be similar to that observed for native DNA/RNA and DNA-thioate/RNA hybrids. No endonuclease resistance properties of these 2′F-ANA are however known.
[0006] Recently, cyclohexenyl nucleosides have been incorporated to AONs (CeNA), and found to have stabilizing effect with the target RNA. The CD spectra of CeNA/RNA hybrid showed close resemblance to the native counterpart. Incorporation of one, two, or three cyclohexenyl-A nucleosides in the DNA strand increases duplex stability with +1.1, +1.6, and 5.2° C. The stabilization effect as expected also depends on the site of introduction. But when tested for RNase H activity they were found to be a relatively poorer substrate for the enzyme in comparison with the native.
[0007] Boranophosphate oligothymidines (11mer borano-AON where one of the nonbridging oxygens is replaced with borane) were reported to support RNase H hydrolysis of poly(rA) with efficiency higher than non-modified thymidine oligos regardless of their poor affinity towards the target RNA. The borano modification produces minimal changes in the CD spectrum of the thymidine dimer compared to the native counterpart and both diastereomers adopt B-type conformation (the same as unmodified d(TpT) dimer). Unfortunately, there is no CD or any other structural data available on the hybrid duplexes of such borano-AONs with RNA, which makes it impossible to assess the structural background for the recognition of these duplexes as the substrates by the RNase H vis-à-vis natural counterpart.
[0008] Chimeric methylphosphonate based antisense oligos with 5-4-5 methylphosphonates-phosphate-methylphosphonates construct, in particular, having a T m of about 37° C., was at this temperature more than 4-fold effective at eliciting RNase H hydrolysis of mRNA than the natural congener of T m 51° C.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The substituted antisense oligonucleotides according to the invention, although show a drop of T m compared to the native counterpart, can recruit RNase H to cleave the complementary RNA at least as efficiently as the native. The engineering of 3′-exonuclease resistance is rather easily achieved by several means but it is rather difficult to engineer endonuclease resistance without sacrificing on the binding properties to the complementary RNA, or the RNA cleavage by RNase H. The present invention, on the other hand, can combine both of these properties (i.e. RNase H mediated cleavage of the complementary RNA strand, as well as the endonuclease resistance of the antisense strand). For example triple oxetane modified oligos show at least four times better endonuclease resistance to the antisense oligos without compromising any RNA cleavage property by RNase H, compared to the native counterpart.
[0010] The present inventors have found that the minor groove in AON/RNA duplexes should fulfill following requirements: (1) 1,2-constrained nucleoside derivatives when incorporated in to the AON give the corresponding AON/RNA duplex preferred helical structure such that the minor groove can accommodate the chemistry of the RNase H cleavage (cleavage site should at least have one B-type DNA conformation in the AON strand with the A-type conformation in the complementary RNA, as suggested by our engineering of the single-point RNA cleavage reaction by RNase H). (2) Such AON/RNA heteroduplexes should be also adequately flexible (as seen by the characteristic lower Tm values, compared to the native counterpart) to accommodate the conformational change required upon complexation with RNAse H—Mg 2+ in the minor groove for the RNA cleavage by RNase H. (3) The modifications in the minor groove or in its proximity, brought about by a specific 1,2-fused systems in to AON/RNA hybrids do not significantly alter the hydration pattern and secures the availability of the 2′-OH of the RNA for interaction with the active site of RNAse H and Mg 2+ .
[0011] In a first aspect, the present invention relates to modified nucleosides and nucleotides, enabling five-membered sugars or their derivatives to be conformationally constrained in the North/East region of the pseudorotational cycle, represented by the following formula:
[0012] wherein combinations of modifications with X, Y, Z, R or B are claimed:
[0013] X=O or S, or NH or NCH 3 , CH 2 or CH(CH 3 ),
[0014] Y=O, S, or NH or NCH 3 , CH 2 or CH(CH 3 );
[0015] Z=O, S, or NH or NCH 3 , CH 2 or CH(CH 3 )
[0016] R=O or S, or NH or NCH 3 , CH 2 or CH(CH 3 )
[0017] B=A, C, G, T, U, 5-F/Cl/BrU or —C, 6-thioguanine, 7deazaguanine;
[0018] α- or β- D - (or L ) ribo, xylo, arabino or lyxo configuration
[0019] In a second aspect the invention relates to reagents for the preparation of modified oligonucleotides and oligonucleosides by solid or solution phase synthesis:
[0020] wherein combinations of modifications with Y, Z, R or B are claimed:
[0021] X=O or S, or NH or NCH 3 , CH 2 or CH(CH 3 ),
[0022] Y=O, S, or NH or NCH 3 , CH 2 or CH(CH 3 );
[0023] Z=O, S, or NH or NCH 3 , CH 2 or CH(CH 3 )
[0024] R=O or S, or NH or NCH 3 , CH 2 or CH(CH 3 )
[0025] B=A, C, G, T, U, 5-F/Cl/BrU or —C, 6-thioguanine, 7-deazaguanine;
[0026] α- or β- D - (or L ) ribo, xylo , arabino or lyxo configuration
[0027] R 1 =5′-protecting group according to claim 2 .
[0028] R 2 =3′-phosphate, 3′-(H-phosphonate), 3′-phosphoramidate, 3′-phosphoramidite, 3′-(alkanephosphonate) according to claim 2 .
[0029] The different bases, B, may be varied as in claim 2 .
[0030] In a third aspect, the invention relates to oligonucleotides and oligonucleosides comprising the above modified compounds. These modified monomer blocks according to the invention are introduced (1-9 units) in, for example, antisense oligonucleotides for site-specific modifications, depending upon the length Thus, the invention provides novels antisense oligos, AON's. The native nucleotides are fully or partly substituted in the antisense strand by the modified analogs according to the invention.
[0031] The oligoribonucleotides and oligoribonucleosides can include substituent groups (both in the tethered and non-tethered form) for modulating binding affinity or artificial nuclease activity to the complementary nucleic acid strand as well as substituent groups for increasing nuclease resistance and for RNase H promoted cleavage of the complementary RNA strand in a site-specific fashion. The oligomeric compounds are useful for assaying for RNA and for RNA products through the employment of antisense interactions, and for the diagnostics, for modulating the expression of a protein in organisms, detection and treatment of other conditions and other research purposes, susceptible to oligonucleotide therapeutics. Synthetic nucleosides and nucleoside fragments are also provided useful for elaboration of oligonucleotides and oligonucleotide analogs for such purposes.
[0032] This invention relates for example to compounds based on the oligomeric compounds containing one or more units of 1′,2′-fused oxetane, 1′,2′-fused azatidine, 1′,2′-fused thiatane or 1′,2′-fused cyclobutane systems with pentofuranose or the cyclopentane moieties or with any other endocyclic sugar modified (at C4′) derivatives (thereby producing North-East) (N/E) conformationally constrained nucleosides), in either oligonucleotide or oligonucleoside form. These conformationally-constrained nucleosides and nucleotide derivatives (in the N/E constrained structures) in the oligomeric form, when form basepaired hybrid duplexes with the complementary RNA strand, can be useful for modulating the activity of RNA in the antisense therapy or DNA sequencing, in the diagnosis of the postgenomic function or in the design of RNA directed drug development.
[0033] In a fourth aspect, the invention relates to therapeutic composition comprising the modified oligonucleotides and oligonucleosides above together with physiologically acceptable carriers.
[0034] The main therapeutic use of the composition is antisense therapy of, for example, oncogenic and pathogenic sequences and genetic disorders. Another therapeutic use is to incorporate these blocks into Ribozyme (Catalytic RNA) in order to cleave the target RNA. These blocks can be transformed by nucleoside kinases to the triphosphate form by serving as acceptors from the phosphate donors such as ATP or UTP (J. Wang, D. Choudhury, J. Chattopadhyaya and S. Eriksson, Biochemistry , 38, 16993-16999 (1999). Because of their broader substrate specificities, these triphosphates can interfere with the DNA synthesis of various pathogen and oncogen (antivirals and antitumors).
[0035] In a fifth aspect, the invention relates to a diagnostic kit comprising the modified oligonucleotides and oligonucleosides as defined above.
[0036] The diagnostic kit is mainly intended for detection of single nucleotide polymorphism SNP and multiple nucleotide polymorphisms MNP. The diagnostic kit is for in vitro use on a human body sample, such as a blood sample. See the following website: http://www.genetrove.com/ of antisense technology for gene functionalization and target validation using 2′-O-alkyl based antisense technology, which is applicable (albeit more efficiently) with the present invention: 1,2-fused sugar technology.
[0037] Regulation of how and when genes are turned into proteins can occur at several levels, but RNA is by far the most important generator of complexity and has an enormous potential for creating variation because this go-between molecule stands at the crossroad between genes and proteins. The 1,2-fused system when incorporated in the antisense strand (the antisense technology with the help of RNase H) can be used for systematic studies of how an organism regulates this flexibility through the RNA synthesis and processing (splicing). Thus the antisense technology, using the 1,2-sugar fused nucleoside based chemistries (see the above Figure), is highly relevant to functional genomics—specifically, gene functionalization and target validation, which, in turn to facilitate the discovery and development of new drugs.
[0038] In a sixth aspect, the invention relates to a DNA sequencing kit comprising the modified oligonucleotides and oligonucleosides as defined above.
[0039] The standard Sanger's dideoxynucleotide sequencing strategy using DNA polymerase and the 2′,3′-dideoxynucleotide triphosphates is used (see: http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/newatg/Contolini/). See also the following website for details of the dideoxynucleotide sequencing strategy: http://www.ultranet.com/˜jkimball/BiologyPages/D/DNAsequencing.html
[0040] Under the procedure in the website, the 5′-triphosphate building blocks of 1,2′-fused-3′-deoxy-nucleoside (shown below)
[0041] wherein combinations of modifications with Y, Z, or B are claimed:
[0042] Y=O, S, or NH or NCH 3 , CH 2 or CH(CH 3 );
[0043] Z=O, S, or NH or NCH 3 , CH 2 or CH(CH 3 )
[0044] B=A, C, G, T, U, 5-F/Cl/Br-U; 7-deaza-G or hypoxanthine
[0045] α- or β-D-(or L) ribo, xylo , arabino or lyxo configuration
[0046] are used instead of the standard 2′,3′-dideoxynucleotide 5′-triphosphates. The use of 7-deza-guanine or hypoxanthine analog considerably. reduce the aggregation owing to the weaker basepairing with dCTP, which, in turn, helps to reduce “compression artifacts” in sequencing gels: http://www.usbweb.com/products/reference/index.asp?Toc_ID=8
[0047] In a seventh aspect, the invention relates to use of the modified nucleotides and nucleosides of the invention to produce aptamers (using SELEX procedures, see for example the following website: http://www.somalogic.com/) comprising the modified oligonucleotides and oligonucleosides as defined above. The aptamers may consist of one or several 1,2-modified nucleosides, as defined above, which bind directly to the target proteins or any other ligand, inhibiting their activity.
[0048] In an eighth aspect, the invention relates to use of the modified nucleosides, nucleotides and their oligomeric forms of the invention for drug development or in any form of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or in any molecular biology kit for diagnosis, detection or as reagent.
[0049] The present invention was based on the following observations:
[0050] 1. The introduction of one to five units (North-East) (N/E) conformationally constrained nucleoside(s), such as [1-(1,3′-O-anhydro-β- D -psicofuranosyl)thymine] ( T ), see claim 1 for a full list, in to an antisense (AON) strand does not alter the global helical structure of the corresponding AON/RNA hybrid as compared to the native counterpart.
[0051] 2. Despite the fact that a series of one to five units of N/E-constrained modified AON/RNA hybrid duplexes showed a drop of 2-6° C./modification in T m (depending upon the number of 1,2-constrained A, C, G or T moieties in the antisense oligo and the composition of sequence), they were cleaved by RNase H with comparable efficiency (or better) as compared to the native counterpart.
[0052] 3. It was also found that the target RNA strand in the hybrid AON/RNA duplex was resistant up to 5 nucleotides towards 3′-end from the site opposite to the introduction of the N/E-constrained unit in the AON strand, thereby showing the unique transmission of the N/E-constrained geometry of the N/E-constrained residue through the hybrid duplex (i.e. the 5-basepaired region has a putative RNA/RNA type duplex structure). An appropriate placement of two such N/E-constrained residues in the AON strand can thus produce a single cleavage site in the complementary RNA strand by RNase H.
[0053] 4. Despite the fact that some of these sugar-modified AON/RNA duplexes (with three modifications, for example) were destabilized by up to 20° C. compared to the native counterpart, they were found to be as good substrate for RNase H as the native hybrid duplex. The RNase H recruiting power of the oxetane-locked or similarly fused thiatane, azatidine or AONs/RNA hybrids suggests the importance of kinetics as well as relationship between the thermodyanamics of stability/flexibility of hybrid duplexes and the structure/dynamic vis-à-vis recognition, structural tolerance of the hybrid duplex-RNase H complex. Clearly, AON/RNA hybrids should possess certain degree of structural flexibility to undergo certain conformational readjustments upon complexation with RNase H and Mg 2+ in the minor groove, which is necessary for the cleavage reaction. Those hybrid duplexes which are highly stable have poor conformational flexibility, and are not capable of structurally adjusting themselves upon complexation to the RNase H and Mg 2+ to form an activated complex to give the cleavage reaction. This is why RNase H do not hydrolyse (or very poorly hydrolyze) those AON/RNA hybrid duplexes which are very stable. Since the RNase H cleavage of the complementary RNA is a slower process than the self-assembly of the AON/RNA hybrid, a smaller population of the hybrid duplex might be actually adequate to bind to RNase H and drive the complementary RNA cleavage to completion, thereby showing the importance of competing kinetics in the overall cleavage reaction This is expected to be the case under a non-saturation condition for hybrid duplexes with relatively low T m as in our oxetane- (or other similarly) modified fused systems.
[0054] 5. The thermodynamic instabilities of 1,2-fused sugar-modified (i.e. N/E-constrained) AONs/RNA hybrids were partially restored by the introduction of dipyridophenazine (DPPZ) moiety at the 3′-end (or at the 5′-end) of these AONs, which also gave enhanced protection towards 3′-exonucleases, and showed equally good RNase H cleavage property as the native counterpart. This was also applied to other 3′-substituents such as cholic acid, folic acid and cholesterol derivatives. AR of these tethered substituents were found to be non-toxic in various cellular assays.
[0055] 6. The loss in the thermodynamic stabilities of 1,2-fused sugar-modified (i.e. N/E-constrained) AONs/RNA hybrids with the corresponding oxetane-modified C and G derivatives is ca 2-2.5° C./modification. The actual thermodynamic stability of a given antisense oligo thus depend on the number and type of 1,2-fused sugar-modified A, C, G or T or any other nucleotide blocks
[0056] 7. The sugar-modified AONs were found to have 3-9 fold more endonuclease resistance compared to those for the native counterparts.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0057] The numerous objects and advantages of the present invention may be better understood by those skilled in the art by reference to the accompanying figures, in which:
[0058] [0058]FIG. 1 shows the chemical structure of modified T thymine ([1-(1′,3′-O-anhydro-β- D -psico-furanosyl)thymine).
[0059] [0059]FIG. 2 shows a typical synthetic scheme for the preparation of oxetane-fused nucleosides according to the invention. The following reagents were used: (i) 4-toluoyl chloride, pyridine, r.t., overnight; (ii) silylated base, TMSOTf, acetonitrile, 4° C., 1 h, r.t., 18 h; (iii) Ms—Cl, pyridine, 4° C., overnight; (iv) 90% aqueous CF 3 COOH, r.t., 20 min.; (v) NaH, DMF, 4° C., 9 h; (vi) methanolic NH 3 , r.t., 2 days; (vii) DMTr-Cl, pyridine, r.t., overnight;(viii) 2-cyanoethyl-N,N-diisopropyl-phosphoramidochloridite, N,N-diisopropylethyl-amine, acetonitrile, r.t., 2 h.
[0060] The following observations give an insight in to the behavior of various T modified AON/RNA hybrids towards RNase H cleavage as well as their stability toward endo and exonucleases:
[0061] (1) The extent of RNA cleavage in hybrid duplexes by E. coli RNase H1 in the native hybrid [DNA/RNA] was found to be 68±3%. The target RNA with all single T , double T and triple T modified AONs, were hydrolyzed under the same conditions with extend of 51-68±3%.
[0062] (2) In the AON/RNA hybrid duplexes with a single mismatch, the RNA was cleaved at a comparable rate as the native counterpart although the hybrid shows a loss of 10-11° C. in T m . owing to the mismatch. They also showed additional cleavage sites. These two observations therefore show that the recognition of the oxetane-based T vis-a-vis a mismatch in the AON strand by the target RNA is indeed different, most probably owing to the fact that T was perhaps partially hydrogen bonded
[0063] (3) The five nucleotide resistance rule to the RNase H cleavage of the RNA in the AON/RNA hybrids in all single T , double T and triple T modified AONs allowed us to engineer a single cleavage site in the target RNA by RNase H. The single RNA cleavage site has been earlier shown to occur in case of 2′-O-methyl modified chimeric AON/RNA duplex in which all the central 2′-deoxynucleotides except the middle nucleotide have been shown to adopt an RNA-type conformation by NMR spectroscopy. Since the CD spectra showed that all our T modified AON/RNA hybrid duplexes have global structure that corresponds to DNA/RNA type duplex (indicating that our AONs retain the B-DNA type helical conformation in the hybrid), we conclude that the 5-nucleotides resistance rule observed with our T modified AONs is owing to more subtle local microscopic conformational (and/or hydration) change, which is only detectable by the enzyme, not by the CD.
[0064] (4) The three T modified AONs gave the endonuclease stability (with DNase 1) almost 4 fold better (87% of AON remained after 1 h of incubation) compared to the natural counterpart (19% left), but their 3′-exonuclease stability was identical to that of the native AON. The 3′-exonuclease stability was however improved by using three T modifications along with the 3′-tethering of dipyridophenazine (DPPZ) moiety, in that 85% of AON was intact while the native AON was completely hydrolyzed after 2 h of incubation with SVPDE (note that the endonuclease resistance remained however unchanged). The RNase H promoted cleavage of this AON/RNA duplex (59±4%) remained very comparable to that of the counterpart with the native AON (68±3%) and with three T modified AON (61±6%), although a gain of 7° C. of T m was achieved by this additional 3′-DPPZ modification. This again shows that the rise of T m do not necessarily dictate the RNase H cleavage as was earlier found for some methylphosphonate chimeras and boranophosphates. It should be however noted that the presence of the 3′-DPPZ moiety produces an additional cleavage site. This is most probably owing to the stabilization of the terminal G-C hydrogen bonding by the 3′-DPPZ group (observed by NMR) as well as the recognition of the DPPZ by the enzyme both of which appears to be important for RNase H recognition, binding and cleavage. Interestingly, amongst all the T modified AONs studied so far, this is the only example where the 5-nucleotide resistance rule in the RNA strand is not obeyed.
[0065] Experimental Part
[0066] General Procedure for Preparation of Oxetane-Modified Antisense Oligonucleotides (AONs).
[0067] The title compound (7a) was prepared from 1,2:3,4-bis-isopropylidene-β- D psicofuranose (1) (FIG. 2) which was synthesized from D -fructose. Protection of 1 with 4-toluoyl group to give 2, which was coupled with O,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)thymine in the presence of TMSOTf as Lewis acid and acetonitrile as solvent to furnish (1:1) anomeric mixture of the protected psiconucleosides 3a (β-isomer) and the corresponding α-isomer in 67% yield. They were separated by careful column chromatography and the stereochemistry of C2′ in 3a was confirmed by means of NOE measurements. Methanesulfonylation of β-anomer 3a afforded 1′-mesylate 4a (98%) from which the isopropylidine was deprotected using 90% aqueous CF 3 COOH to yield 5a (92%). The oxetane ring formation was achieved by treatment of 5a with NaH in DMF at 0° C. for 9 h to give 6a (60%). Removal of the 4-toluoyl group from 6a furnished the desired 1-(1′,3′-O-anhydroβ- D -psicofuranosyl)thymine (7a), which was converted to phosphoramidite building block 9a (90%) through 6′-O-4,4′-dimethoxytrityl derivative 8a. The phosphoramidite 9a was then used for incorporation of T residue into AONs (3)-(6). Similarly, phosphoramidates 9b-9e were purified and incorporated into various AONs.
[0068] Typical Experiments
[0069] 6′-O-4-Toluoyl-1,2:3,4-bis-O-isopropyliene- D -psicofuranose (2).
[0070] The psicofuranose (1) (5.9 g, 22.5 mmol) was coevaporated with pyridine 3 times and dissolved in 100 ml of the same solvent. The solution was cooled in an ice bath and 4-toluoyl chloride (3.3 ml, 1.1 mmol) was added dropwise under nitrogen atmosphere. The mixture was stirred at the same temperature for 2 h. Saturated sodium bicarbonate solution was added and stirring was continued for further 2 h, and then extracted by DCM. The organic phase was washed with brine and dried over MgSO 4 , evaporated and coevaporated with toluene. Recrystallisation from methanol furnished 2 (7.7 g, 20.2 mmol, 90%). R f : 0.75 (System A). 1 H-NMR (CDCl 3 ): 7.9 (d, J=8 Hz, 2H), 4-toluoyl; 7.3 (d, J=7.9 Hz, 2H), 4-toluoyl; 4.8 (d, J 3,4 =5.7 Hz, 1H), H-4; 4.7 (d, 1H), H-3; 4.48-4.35 (m, 3H), H-5, H-6, H-6′; 4.33 (d, J 1,1′ =9.7 Hz, 1H), H-1; 4.1(d, 1H), H-1′, 2.41 (s, 3H), CH 3 ,4-toluoyl; 1.46 (s, 3H), 1.44 (s, 3H), 1.35, 1.33 (s, 2×3H) CH 3 , isopropyl. 13 C-NMR (CDCl 3 ): 166.3 (C═O, 4-toluoyl); 143.7, 129.8, 128.9, 126.8 (4-toluoyl); 133.6, 112.7, 111.6; 85.2 (C-3); 82.9 (C-5); 82.3 (C-4), 69.7 (C-1), 64.5 (C-6); 26.4, 26.2, 24.8 (CH 3 , isopropyl); 21.2 (CH 3 ,4-toluoyl).
[0071] 1-(3′,4′-O-Isopropyliene-6′-O-[4-toluoyl]-α- D -psicofuranosyl)thymine and 1-(3′,4′-O-isopropyliene-6′-O-[4-toluoyl]-β- D -psicofuranosyl)thymine (3a).
[0072] Thymine (3.7 g, 29.6 mmol) was suspended in hexamethyldisilazane (35 ml) and trimethylchlorosilane (5.6 ml) was added. The reaction mixture was stirred at 120° C. in nitrogen atmosphere for 16 h. The volatile material was evaporated and the residue was kept on an oil pump for 20 min. Sugar 2 (7.0 g, 18.5 mmol) was dissolved in dry acetonitrile and added to the persilylated nucleobase. The mixture was cooled to 4° C. and trimethylsilyl trifuromethanesulfonate (4.3 ml, 24 mmol) was added dropwise under nitrogen atmosphere. After being stirred at 4° C. for 1 h, the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 18 h. Saturated NH 4 Cl was added to the reaction mixture and stirred for 30 min. The organic layer was decanted and the aqueous layer was extracted 3 times with ether. The combined organic phase was washed first with saturated sodium bicarbonate solution and then with brine. It was then dried over MgSO 4 , filtered and evaporated. The resultant oil was carefully chromatographed using 0-3% MeOH-DCM yielding 3a and the corresponding α-anomer. 3a: (5.5 g, 12.3 mmol, 67%) R f : 0.5 (System B). (α-anomer of 3a): 1 HNMR (CDCl 3 ): 8.8 (s, 1H), NH; 7.95 (d, J=8.2 Hz, 2H), 4-toluoyl; 7.5 (s, 1H), H-6; 7.28 (d, J=8.4 Hz, 2H), 4-toluoyl; 5.22 (d, J 3′,4′ =5.9 Hz, 1H), H-3′; 4.83 (t, J 4′, 5′ =4.7 Hz, 1H), H-4′; 4.71 (dd, J gem =13.1 Hz, J 5′,6′ =7 Hz, 1H), H-6′; 4.55-4.38 (m, 2H), H-5′, H-6″; 4.29 (dd, J gem= 11.8 Hz, J 1′,1′OH =7.9 Hz, 1H), H-1′; 3.79 (dd, J 1″,1′OH =6.7 Hz, 1H) H-1″; 3.34(t, 1H), 1′-OH; 2.43 (s, 3H) 4-toluoyl; 1.92 (s, 3H), CH 3 ; 1.39, 1.34 (s, 2×3H), CH 3 . 13 C-NMR (CDCl 3 ): 166.6 (C═O, 4-toluoyl); 164.1 (C-4); 150 (C-2); 144.3 (4-toluoyl); 135.1 (C-6); 129.6, 129.2, 126.2 (4-toluoyl); 113.8 (C-5); 108.9 ( C —Me 2 ); 99.7 (C-2′); 83.7 (C-5′); 82.5 (C-3′); 80.7 (C-4′); 65.1 (C-1′); 63.7 (C-6′); 27, 25.3 (CH 3 , isopropyl); 21.5 (O C H 3 ); 12.5 (CH 3 , C-5 CH 3 ). 1D Diff. nOe shows 1.6% nOe enhancement for H6-H5′ and no other nOes expected between other endocyclic-sugar protons and H6 as found for the β-anomer (see below). (3a): 1 H-NMR (CDCl 3 ): 9.2 (s, 1H), NH; 7.71 (d, J=8.2 Hz, 2H), 4-toluoyl; 7.5 (s, 1H), H-6; 7.18 (d, J=7.9Hz, 2H),4-toluoyl; 5.44 (d, J 3′,4′ =6.2Hz, 1H), H-3′; 4.87 (d, 1H) H-4′; 4.85-4.82 (m, 1H), H-5′; 4.65 (dd, J gem =12.6 Hz, J 5′,6′ =2.4Hz, 1H), H-6′; 4.3-4.2 (m, J 5′,6″ =3.7 Hz, 2H), H-6″& H-1′; 3.8 (dd, J 1″,1′-OH= 6.4Hz, J gem =12.4 Hz, 1H), H-1″; 3.27 (t, 1H), 1′-OH, 2.4 (s, 3H), CH 3 , 4-toluoyl; 1.6 (s, 1H), CH 3 (thymine); 1.56, 1.4 (s, 2×3H), CH 3 , isopropyl. 13 C-NMR (CDCl 3 ): 165.6 (C═O, 4-toluoyl); 164.3 (C-4); 150.1 (C-2); 144.6 (4-toluoyl); 137.3 (C-6); 129.2, 128.9, 125.9 (4-toluoyl); 113.4 (C-5); 108.6 ( C —Me 2 ), 101.2 (C-2′); 86.1 (C-3′); 83.4 (C-5′); 81.7 (C-4′); 64.2 (C-6′); 63.7 (C-1′); 25.6, 24.1 (CH 3 , isopropyl); 21.4 (CH 3 , 4-toluoyl); 11.9 (CH 3 , thymine). 1D Diff. nOe shows 0.21% nOe enhancement for H6-H6′, 0.08% nOe for H6-H3′ and 0.4% nOe for H6-H4′ which are consistent for a β-anomer.
[0073] 1-(1′-O-Methanesufonyl-3′,4′-O-isopropyliene-6′-O-[4-toluoyl]-β- D -psicofuranosyl) thymine (5a).
[0074] Compound 3a (1.6 g, 3.5 mmol) was coevaporated with pyridine 3 times and dissolved in 25 ml of the same solvent. The mixture was cooled in an ice bath and methanesulfonyl chloride (0.75 ml, 9.7 mmol) was added dropwise to the mixture, continued the stirring for 15 min at the same temperature. The reaction was kept in at 4° C. for 12 h, then poured into cold saturated sodium bicarbonate solution and extracted with DCM. The organic phase was washed with brine, dried over MgSO 4 , filtered, evaporated and coevaporated with toluene giving compound 5a (1.89 g, 3.6 mmol, 98%). R f : 0.7 (System B). 1 H-NMR (CDCl 3 ): 7.75 (d, J=8.3 Hz, 1H), 4-toluoyl; 7.38 (d, J=1.3 Hz, 1H), H-6; 7.22 (d, J=8.4 Hz, 1H); 4-toluoyl; 5.39 (d, J 3′,4′ =6 Hz, 1H), H-3′; 4.96 (d, J gem =11.4 Hz, 1H), H-1′a; 4.94-4.88 (m, 2H), H4′ & H-5′; 4.7 (dd, J gem =12.6 Hz, J 5′,6′ =2.5 Hz, 1); H-6′; 4.39 (d, 1H), H-1″; 4.3 (dd, 5′, 6″ =3.4 Hz, 1H), H-6″; 2.98 (s, 3H), CH 3 ; OMs; 2.4 (s, 3H), CH 3 , 4-toluoyl; 1.7, 1.66 (s, 2×3H), CH 3 , isopropyl. 13 C-NMR (CDCl 3 ): 165.7 (C═O, 4-toluoyl); 162.9 (C-4); 150.2 (C-2); 145.1 (4-toluoyl); 135.5 (C-6); 129.1, 128.7, 125.6, (4-toluoyl); 114.2 (C-5); 110.1 ( C —Me 2 ); 98.3 (C-2′); 87.1 (C-3′); 84.2 (C-5′); 81.7 (C-4′); 69.9 C-1′); 64.1 (C-6′); 37.4 (CH 3 , 4-toluoyl); 25.8, 24.3 (CH 3 , isopropyl); 21.3 (CH 3 , mesyl); 12.3 (CH 3 , thymine)
[0075] 1-(1′-O-Methanesufonyl-6′-O-[4-toluoyl]-β- D -psicofuranosyl)thymine (5a).
[0076] Compound 4a (1.9 g, 3.5 mmol) was stirred with 10.5 ml of 90% CF 3 COOH in water for 20 min at r.t. The reaction mixture was evaporated and coevaporated with pyridine. The residue on chromatography furnished 5a (1.58 g, 3.3 mmol, 92.5%). R f : 0.3 (System B). 1 H-NMR (CDCl 3 +CD 3 OD): 7.75 (d, J=8.3 Hz, 1H), 4-toluoyl; 7.52 (d, J=1.24 Hz, 1H), H-6; 7.2 (d, J=8.4 Hz, 1H), 4-toluoyl; 4.81 (d, J gem =11.6 Hz, 1H), H-1′; 4.76 (d, J 3′,4′ =5.3 Hz, 1H), H-3′; 4.75 (dd, J gem =12.6 Hz, J 5′,6′ =3.5 Hz, 1H), H-6′; 4.62 (dt, 1H), H-5′; 4.58 (d, 1H); H-1′, 4.41 (dd, J 4′,5′ =3 Hz, 1H), H-4′; 4.33(dd, 1H), H-6″; 2.98 (s, 3H), CH 3 , OMs; 2.4 (s, 3H), CH 3 , 4-toluoyl; 1.73 (s, 3H), CH 3 , (thymine). 13 C-NMR (CDCl 3 +CD 3 OD): 165.9 (C═O, 4-toluoyl), 163.8 (C-4), 151.7 (C-2); 144.9 (4-toluoyl); 136.3(C-6); 129.2, 129, 126.1 (4-toluoyl); 110.4 (C-5); 97 (C-2′); 83.9 (C-5′); 79.8 (C-3′); 72.2 (C-4′); 69.3 (C-1′); 63 (C-6′), 37.5 (CH 3 , 4-toluoyl); 21.3 (CH 3 , mesyl); 11.9 (CH 3 , thymine)
[0077] 1-(1′,3′-O-Anhydro-6′-O-[4-toluoyl]-β- D -psicofuranosyl)thymine (6a).
[0078] To a stirred solution of 80% NaH (171 mg, 5.7 mmol) in 15 ml of DMF in an ice bath, solution of compound 5a (1.3 g, 2.6 mmol) in 15 ml of DMF was added dropwise. The reaction mixture was stirred at the same temperature for 9 h, quenched with 10% acetic acid solution in water and evaporated. The residue was coevaporated with xylene and on chromatography yielded 6a (602 mg, 1.5 mmol, 60%). R f : 0.5 (System C). 1 H-NMR (CDCl 3 ): 7.93 (d, J=8.1 Hz, 2H) 4-toluoyl; 7.25 (d, J=7.9 Hz, 2H) 4-toluoyl; 6.81 (s, 1H) H-6; 5.47 (d, J 3′,4′ =3.9 Hz, 1H) H-3′; 5.15 (d, J gem =7.9 Hz, 1H) H-1′; 4.79-4.72 (m, J gem =12.3 Hz, J 6′,5′ =2.55 Hz, 2H) H-1′ & H-6′; 4.55-4.42 (m, J 6″,5′ =2.9 Hz, J 4′,5′ =8 Hz, 3H), H-4′, H-5′, H-6″; 2.4 (s, 3H), CH 3 , 4-toluoyl, 1.8 (s, 3H) CH 3 , thymine. 13 C-NMR (CDCl 3 ): 166.6 (C═O, 4-toluoyl), 164.3 (C-4); 149.2 (C-2); 143.8 (4-toluoyl); 135.1 (C-6); 129.5, 128.8, 126.5 (4-toluoyl); 111.6 (C-5); 90.9 (C-2′); 87.3 (C-3′); 80.9 (C-5′); 78.1 (C-1′); 70.3 (C-4′); 63 (C-6′); 21.2 (CH 3 , 4-toluoyl); 11.8 (CH 3 , thymine)
[0079] 1-(1′,3′-O-Anhydro-β- D -psicofuranosyl)thymine (7a).
[0080] Compound 6a (570 mg, 1.5 mmol) was dissolved in methanolic ammonia (50 ml) and stirred at room temperature for 2 days. The solvent was evaporated and the residue on chromatography afforded 7a (378 mg, 1.4 mmol, 96%) R f : 0.3 (System D) 1 H-NMR (CD 3 OD, 600 MHz): 7.38 (d, J=1.25 Hz, 1H), H-6; 5.58 (d, J 3′,4′ =3.8 Hz, 1H), H-3′; 5.33 (d, J gem =8.1 Hz, 1H), H-1′; 4.9 (d, 1H), H-1″; 4.46-4.41(m, J 4′,5′ =8.4 Hz, J 5′,6′ =2.2 Hz, J 5′,6″ =5.24 Hz, 2H), H-4′ & H-5′; 4.11 (dd, J gem =12.4 Hz, 1H), H-6′; 3.9 (dd, 1H), H-6″; 2.1 (s, 1H), CH 3 , (thymine). 13 C-NMR (CD 3 OD): 166.8 (C-4); 151.7 (C-2); 138.4 (C-6); 112.7 (C-5); 93.2 (C-2′), 89.3 (C-3′); 85.3 (C-5′); 79.9 (C-1′); 71.9 (C-4′); 62.7 (C-6′); 12.1 (CH 3 , thymine).
[0081] 1-(1′,3′-Anhydro-6′-O-dimethoxytrityl-β- D -psicofuranosyl)thymine (8).
[0082] To a solution of 7a (353 mg, 1.3 mmol) in anhydrous pyridine (6 ml) was added 4,4′-dimethoxytrityl chloride (510 mg, 1.15 mmol), and the mixture was stirred at r.t overnight. Saturated NaHCO 3 solution was added and extracted with dichloromethane. The organic phase was washed with brine, dried over MgSO 4 , filterd and evaporated. The residue on column chromatography afforded 8 (647 mg, 1.13 mmol, 87%). R f : 0.5 (System B). 1 H-NMR(CDCl3): 7.4-7.1 (m, 12H), arom (DMTr)& H-6; 6.85-6.82 (m, 4H), arom (DMTr); 5.4 (d, J 3′,4′ =4.1 Hz, 1H), H-3′; 5.13 (d, J gem =7.9 Hz, 1H), H-1′; 4.76 (d, 1H), H-1″; 4.35 (dd, J 4′,5′ =8.3 Hz, 1H), H-4′; 4.28-4.21(m, J 5′,6′ =2.5 Hz, J 5′,6″ =4.7 Hz, 1H), H-5′; 3.98 (dd, J gem =12.4 Hz, 1H), H-6′; 3.81 (dd, 1H), H-6″; 3.8 (s, 6H), OCH 3 , DMTr; 1.92 (s, 3H), CH 3 , thymine. 13 -NMR (CDCl 3 ): 164.23, 158.1 (C-4); 149.5; 144.5 (C-2); 135.9, 135.3, 129.8, 128.9, 127.9, 127.5, 126.4, 112.8, (DMTr); 111.6 (C-5); 90.9 (C-2′); 87.6 (C-3′); 83.6 (C-5′); 78.2 (C-1′); 69.7 (C-4′); 60.8 (C-6′); 54.9 (DMTr); 11.9 (CH 3 , thymine).
[0083] 1-(1′,3′-Anhydro-6′-O-dimethoxytrityl-β- D -psicofuranosyl)thymine-4′-O-(2-cyanoethyl)-(N,N-diisopropyl)phosphoramidite (9a).
[0084] To a stirred solution of 8 (529 mg, 0.9 mmol) in 5 ml THF, 0.8 ml of N,N-diisopropyl ethyl amine was added under nitrogen atmosphere and stirred at r.t for 10 min. To this solution 2-cyanoethyl-N,N-diisopropyl phosphoramidochloride (0.4 ml, 1.8 mmol) was added and continued the stirring for 2 h. The reaction was quenched with methanol (3 ml) and the mixture was dissolved in DCM, washed with saturated NaHCO 3 solution and brine. The organic layer was dried over MgSO 4 , filterd and evaporated. The residue on chromatography (30-40% EtOAc, cyclohexane+2% Et 3 N) furnished 9a (632 mg, 0.81 mmol, 90%) R f : 0.5 (system B) The compound was dissolved in DCM 3 ml) and precipitated from hexane at −40° C. 31 P-NMR (CDCl 3 ):150.55; 150.46.
[0085] Synthesis, Deprotection and Purification of Oligonucleotides.
[0086] All oligonucleotides were synthesizesd on 1 μmol scale with 8-channel Applied Biosystems 392 DNA/RNA synthesizer. Synthesis and deprotection of AONs as well as RNA target were performed as previously described. 18 For modified AONs fast depropecting amidites were used and they were deprotected by room temperature treatment of NH 4 OH for 16 h. All AONs were purified by reversed-phase HPLC eluting with the following systems: A (0.1 M triethylammonium acetate, 5% MeCN, pH 7) and B (0.1 M triethylammonium acetate, 50% MeCN, pH 7). The RNA target was purified by 20% 7 M urea polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and its purity and of all AONs (greater than 95%) was confirmed by PAGE. Representive data from MALDI-MS analysis: AON (4) [M−H] − 4478.7; calcd 4478; RNA target (7) [M−H] − 4918.1; calcd 4917.1.
[0087] 1-(1′,3′-O-Anhydro-β-D-psicofuranosyl)uracil (7b)
[0088] [0088] 1 H-NMR(CD 3 OD): 7.48 (d, J 5,6 =8 Hz, 1H, H-6), 5.81(d, 1H, H-5), 5.49 (d, J 3′,4′ =3.1 Hz, 1H, H-3′),5.24 (d, J gem =8 Hz, 1H, H-1′), 4.8 (d, 1-H, H-1″), 4.38-4.3 (m, J 4′,5′ =8.1 Hz, J 5′,6′ =1.6 Hz, J 5,6″ =6 Hz, 2H, H-4′ and H-5′), 4.04 (dd, J gem =13 Hz, 1H, H-6′), 3.83 (dd, 1H, H-6″). 13 C-NMR (CD 3 OD): 166.4 (C-4), 151.4 (C-2), 143 (C-6), 103.6 (C-5), 93 (C-2′), 89.3 (C-3′), 85.4 (C-5′), 79.9 (C-1′), 71.8 (C-4′), 62.6 (C-6′).
[0089] 1-(1′,3′-O-Anhydro-β-D-psicofuranosyl)cytosine (7c).
[0090] [0090] 1 H-NMR(D 2 O): 7.28 (d, J 5,6 =7.3 Hz, 1H, H-6), 5.94 (d, 1H, H-5), 5.44 (d, J 3′,4′ =3.1 Hz, 1H, H-3′), 5.14 (d, J gem =8.3 Hz, 1H, H-1′), 4.76 (d, 1-H, H-1″), 4.29-4.23 (m, J 5′,6″ =4.9 Hz, 2H, H-4′ and H-5′), 3.9 (d, J gem =12.3 Hz, 1H, H-6′), 3.74 (dd, 1H, H-6″). 13 C-NMR (D 2 O): 166.5 (C-4), 156.1 (C-2), 141.9 (C-6), 96.4 (C-5), 91.8 (C-2′), 87.5 (C-3′), 82.6 (C-5′), 78.7 (C-1′), 69.6 (C-4′), 60.5 (C-6′).
[0091] RNase H Digestion Assays
[0092] DNA/RNA hybrids (0.8 μM) consisting of 1:1 mixture of antisense oligonucleotide and target RNA (specific activity 50000 cpm) were digested with 0.3 U of RNase H in 57 mM Tris-HCl; (pH 7.5), 57 mM KCl, 1 mM MgCl 2 and 2 mM DTT at 21-37° C. Prior to the addition of the enzyme reaction components were preannealed in the reaction buffer by heating at 80° C. for 4 min followed by 1.5 h. equilibration at 21-37° C. Total reaction volume was 26 μl. Aliquots (7 μl) were taken after 5, 15, 30, 60 and 120 min and reaction was stopped by addition of the equal volume of 20 mM EDTA in 95% formamide. RNA cleavage products were resolved by 20% polyacrylamide denaturing gel electrophoresis and visualized by autoradiography. Quantitation of cleavage products was performed using a Molecular Dynamics PhosphorImager. The experiment is repeated at least 4 times and average values of the % of cleavage are reported here.
[0093] Exonuclease Degradation Studies
[0094] Stability of the AONs towards 3′-exonucleases was tested using snake venom phosphodiesterase from Crotalus adamanteus . All reactions were performed at 3 μM DNA concentration (5′-end 32 P labeled with specific activity 50000 cpm) in 56 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.9) and 4.4 mM MgCl 2 at 22° C. Exonuclease concentration of 70 ng/μl was used for digestion of oligonucleotides (total reaction volume was 16 μl). Aliquots were quenched by addition of the same volume of 20 mM EDTA in 95% formamide. Reaction progress was monitored by 20% 7 M urea PAGE and autoradiography.
[0095] Endonuclease Degradation Studies
[0096] Stability of AONs towards endonuclease was tested using DNase 1 from Bovine pancreas . Reactions were carried out at 0.9 μM DNA concentration (5′-end 32 P labeled with specific activity 50 000 cpm) in 100 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5) and 10 mM MgCl 2 at 37° C. using 30 unit of DNase 1 (total reaction volume was 22 μl). Aliquots were taken at 60, 120, 180 and 240 min and quenched with the same volume of 20 mM EDTA in 95% formamide. They were resolved in 20% polyacrylamide denaturing gel electrophoresis and visualized by autoradiography. | The present invention relates to modified nucleotides and nucleosides and reagents to produce these. The modified nucleotides and nucleotides are assembled to larger oligonucleotides and oligonucleosides, which, for example, may be used for diagnostics of polymorphisms and for antisense therapy of various conditions. The oligonucleotides and oligonucleosides described in the invention have very good endonuclease resistance without compromising the RNA cleavage properties of RNase H wherein combinations of modifications with Y, Z, R or B are claimed: X=O or S, NH or NCH 3 , CH 2 Or CH(CH 3 ), Y=O, S, or NH or NCH 3 , CH 2 or CH(CH 3 ); Z=O, S, or NH or NCH 3 , CH 2 or CH(CH 3 ); R=O or S, or NH or NCH 3 , CH 2 or CH(CH 3 ); B=A, C, G, T; 5-F/cl/BrU or —C, 6-thioguanine, 7-deazaguanine; α- or β- D - (or L )ribo, xylo, arabino or lyxo configuration. | 2 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a double action agitator assembly.
Prior art fabric washers have sometimes included a double action agitator having an agitator body which oscillates back and forth rotationally and having an auger body rotatably mounted thereon for rotation in a single direction with step wise or ratcheted movements. The oscillating agitator body includes a lower skirt and an upper barrel or tube. The skirt carries vanes which agitate the fabrics being washed. The auger body is mounted on the agitator barrel and includes helical vanes which create a downward flow adjacent the agitator barrel so as to cause positive roll over of the clothes or fabrics being washed.
One problem encountered with prior art double action agitators is the need for an adequate bearing assembly to mount the auger body for rotation on the barrel of the agitator body. Prior art bearing assemblies for rotatably mounting the two together often permit a loose feel therebetween which can result in the auger wobbling as it operates.
Therefore a primary object of the present invention is the provision of an improved double action agitator assembly.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of an improved double action agitator assembly which includes an improved bearing assembly between the auger body of the agitator and the barrel of the agitator body.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of an improved bearing assembly which minimizes wobbling or looseness between the auger body and the barrel of the agitator body.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of an improved ratchet clutch mechanism for permitting the agitator body to rotate in an oscillating motion while at the same time permitting the auger body to rotate unidirectionally.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of an improved double action agitator assembly which is comprised entirely of plastic and which does not include metal parts.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of an improved double action agitator assembly which is economical to manufacture, durable in use, and efficient in operation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The foregoing objects may be achieved by an agitator assembly having an agitator body and an auger body. The agitator body includes an elongated agitator barrel having first and second opposite barrel ends and an outer barrel surface. The agitator body further includes a plurality of vanes circumferentially spaced apart from one another and extending radially outwardly from the agitator barrel adjacent one end thereof.
The auger body includes an inner auger tube surface forming an elongated auger tube bore extending through the auger body and having an outer auger tube surface containing a helical auger flighting thereon.
The auger body is telescopically fitted over the agitator barrel. A bearing assembly is provided between the outer agitator barrel surface and the inner auger tube surface for holding the inner auger tube surface free from contact with the outer agitator barrel surface while at the same time permitting relative rotational movement between the auger tube and the agitator body about an agitator axis.
Another feature of the present invention is the use of a bearing assembly having a first bearing surface and a second bearing surface which are spaced axially apart from one another along the agitator axis. These spaced apart first and second bearing surfaces minimize wobbling action between the auger tube and the agitator barrel.
Another feature of the present invention is the provision of first and second annular flanges on the interior auger tube surface and third and fourth cooperable spaced apart flanges on the outer agitator barrel surface. The first and second flanges and the third and fourth flanges being diagonally opposed and cooperative for engaging opposite ends of the bearing assembly to limit axial movement of the auger tube in either axial direction.
Another feature of the present invention is the provision of an outer auger tube surface which has a conical shape reducing in cross section adjacent the vanes of the agitator body and increasing in cross section adjacent the end of the agitator barrel which is telescopically received within the auger tube bore.
Another feature of the present invention is the provision of a unique clutch mechanism between the agitator body and the auger body. The clutch mechanism permits the auger body to rotate in only one direction relative to the agitator barrel. The clutch mechanism includes a plurality of axially extending tracks on either the agitator barrel or the inner auger tube surface, and a plurality of ratchet teeth on the other of the agitator barrel and the inner auger tube surface. The clutch mechanism also includes a plurality of balls each of which is contained within one of the tracks and is in engagement with one of the ratchet teeth.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the double action agitator assembly of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the double action agitator assembly shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the double action agitator assembly of FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 2.
FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, but showing rotation of the agitator body in a clockwise direction from what is shown in FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5, but showing the rotation of the agitator body in a counterclockwise direction relative to the auger body from what is shown in FIG. 5.
FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing the relative positions of the vertical tracks, the ratchet teeth, and the balls in the ratchet clutch mechanism.
FIG. 8 is a pictorial view of the track ring of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates the double action agitator assembly of the present invention. Assembly 10 includes an auger body 12 and an agitator body 14. Agitator body 14 includes a skirt 16 at its lower end. A plurality of fins 18 extend radially outwardly to the outer edge of the skirt 16. A set screw receptacle 20 is adapted to receive a set screw for attaching the agitator to a splined drive shaft (not shown) which causes the agitator body 14 to rotate in an oscillating motion. Extending upwardly from the fins 18 is a cylindrical agitator barrel 22 having an outer barrel surface 24 (FIG. 3) and an inner barrel surface 26 which surrounds an elongated agitator barrel bore 28. At the lower end of the barrel bore 28 are a plurality of fluid communication openings 30 which permit washing fluid to communicate freely between the interior and the exterior of the barrel bore 28. Protruding outwardly from the outer barrel surface 24 is an annular stop flange 32 which has an upwardly presented beveled surface. At the upper end of barrel 22 are four latching fingers 34 each of which have a latching pawl 36 thereon.
A bearing assembly 38 is adapted to be positioned between the auger body 12 and the barrel 22 for providing rotational movement therebetween (FIG. 2). Bearing assembly 38 (FIG. 3) includes a pair of spaced apart bearing rings 40 which rotatably support three bearings 42. Each bearing 42 is elongated and includes a plurality of annular bearing surfaces 44 thereon. While the number of bearing surfaces 44 may vary without detracting from the invention, it is preferred that at least two bearing surfaces 44 be provided, and that they be spaced apart adjacent the upper and lower ends of the bearings 42. At the extreme upper end of each bearing 42 is an upper tapered bearing surface 46, and at the extreme lower end of each bearing 42 is a lower tapered bearing surface 48.
A track ring 50 includes an interior annular flange 52 and a plurality of latching fingers 53 spaced approximately 120° apart and which are adapted to spring radially inwardly and outwardly. The spaces between the fingers 53 form vertical tracks 54 for receiving ball bearings 51. At the upper outer tips of the fingers 53 are latching pawls 55.
A ratchet gear 56 includes a plurality of ratchet teeth 58 which extend circumferentially around a cylindrically shaped collar 59. Each ratchet tooth 58 includes a ramp surface 60 and a vertical stop surface 62. Extending around the interior diameter of ratchet collar 59 is an upwardly facing annular shoulder 64.
Auger body 12 is comprised of an auger tube 66 which forms an auger tube bore 67 surrounded by an inner auger tube surface 68. Auger tube 66 also includes an outer auger tube surface 70 which is formed into a conical portion 72 and a cylindrical portion 74. The conical portion 72 of the outer auger tube 70 provides additional space adjacent the agitator 10 for allowing clothing to move in a generally circular rollover pattern. At the juncture between the conical portion 72 and the cylindrical portion 74 is a tapered flange 76 (FIG. 2). Extending around the outer surface 70 of the auger tube 66 is a helical flighting 78. On the inner auger tube surface 68 is an annular slot 80.
A funnel 81 includes a circular funnel top 82 having an annular O-ring 84 extending around its rim. Extending downwardly from the funnel top 82 is a drain tube 86.
Press fitted over the top of auger tube 66 is a softener housing 88 having a softener container 90 therein which is provided around its upper rim with a plurality of spill openings 92.
The assembly of the various parts of the agitator assembly 10 are shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Initially the auger body 12 is slipped over the agitator barrel 22 as shown in FIG. 2. Next, the bearing assembly 38 is slipped over the outer barrel surface 24 of agitator body 22 and positioned so that the lower tapered bearing surfaces 48 bear against tapered surface of the annular stop flange 32 and against the tapered flange 76. In this position the annular bearing surfaces 44 of bearing assembly 38 rotate on the outer barrel surface 24 of the agitator body 14.
The track ring 50 is then inserted into the interior of auger tube 66. The outer surface of track ring 50 is conically shaped so as to conform to the conical inner auger tube surface 68. Insertion of the track ring 50 to the position shown in FIG. 2 causes the pawls 55 of latching fingers 53 to spring into the slot 80 which extends circumferentially around the inner surface 68 of auger tube 66 as shown in FIG. 2. This causes the track ring 50 to be locked into retentive engagement with the interior surface 68 of the auger tube 66.
With the auger assembly in the position shown in FIG. 2, the interior flange 52 of track ring 50 engages the upper tapered bearing surface 46 at the top of bearing assembly 38 as can be seen in FIG. 2.
Next, the ratchet gear 56 is inserted into the auger tube bore 67 and is slipped over the latching fingers 34 at the top of agitator barrel 22 until the latching pawls 36 snap outwardly in retentive engagement over the annular shoulder 64 on the interior of the ratchet collar 59. This engagement of the pawls 36 with the shoulder 64 causes the ratchet gear 56 to be attached to the upper end of the agitator barrel 22 in the position shown in FIG. 2. In this posture, the annular flange 57 of the ratchet gear 56 cooperates with the interior flange 52 of track ring 50 for engagement of the upper tapered bearing surface 46. Six ball bearings 51 are placed between the track ring 50 and the ratchet gear 56 and are aligned in the six vertical tracks 54.
In this position, the auger body 12 is free to rotate about the outer surface 24 of the agitator barrel 22. The bearing assembly 38 separates the auger body 12 from the agitator body 14 so that there is no direct contact therebetween. The separation of the upper most bearing surfaces 44 from the lower most bearing surfaces 44 in bearing assembly 38 provides a positive rotational attachment of the auger body 12 with respect to the agitator barrel 22 and prevents any play or wobbling therebetween during rotation of the auger body 12 about the agitator barrel 22. Axial movement of the auger body 12 with respect to the agitator barrel 22 is limited by the engagement of the upper and lower tapered bearing surfaces 46, 48 with diagonally opposed flange pairs 32, 52 and 57, 76 associated with the interior auger tube surface 68 and the outer barrel surface 24.
The funnel 81 is then inserted into the auger tube bore 67 with the O-ring 84 providing a seal against the interior surface 68 of the auger tube bore 67. This provides an airtight seal within the auger tube bore 67 below the funnel top 82.
The combination of the ratchet gear 56, the track ring 50, and the six ball bearings 51 provides a ratchet clutch mechanism for causing the auger body 12 to rotate only in one direction relative to the agitator body 14. This ratchet clutch mechanism is illustrated in FIGS. 4 through 7. In FIG. 4 there are shown six ball bearings 51, each of which is positioned within one of the vertical tracks 54 of the track ring 50. Each of the ball bearings 51 rest upon the ramp surfaces 60 of the ratchet teeth 58. Two of the six ball bearings rest against the stop surface 62 of two of the ratchet teeth 58. Two additional ones of the ball bearings 51 are positioned midway between the two spaced apart stop surfaces 62, and the remaining two ball bearings 51 are positioned at the very upper edge of the ramp surfaces 60, closely adjacent and above the stop surface 62. These relative positions are illustrated best in FIG. 7 which schematically shows a linear representation of the circular array of ratchet teeth 58.
The agitator body 14 is adapted to be driven by a motor (not shown) in oscillating fashion, first rotating in a clockwise direction and then rotating in a counterclockwise direction. FIG. 5 illustrates the first step of the cycle wherein the agitator body 14 rotates in a clockwise direction. This rotational movement is for a circumferential distance of approximately 97°. During this movement, the inertia of the auger body 12 and the drag of the wash water and clothing being washed causes it to remain stationary, and the ball bearings 51 are free to roll up the inclined surfaces 60. Two of the ball bearings 51 fall downwardly when they reach the extreme upper end of ramp 60.
FIG. 6 shows the rotation of the agitator body in an opposite or counterclockwise direction 97°. Because two of the ball bearings 51 engage the stop surfaces 62 of two of the teeth 58, the auger assembly 12 is forced to rotate in a counterclockwise direction in unison with the agitator body 14.
As the agitator body 14 again reverses and rotates in a clockwise direction, the ball bearings 51 advance upwardly on the inclined surfaces 60, and two new ball bearings 51 fall downwardly into engagement with the stop surfaces 62. Thus there are always two ball bearings 51 engaging the stop surfaces 62, two ball bearings 51 midway up the ramp surface 60, and two ball bearings 51 at the very upper extreme end of the ramp surface 60. While the ratchet assembly of the present invention is shown with eight ratchet teeth 58 and six ball bearings 51, other combinations of ball bearings 51 and ratchet teeth 58 may be used without detracting from the invention.
Because the funnel 81 provides an airtight seal within the interior of auger tube bore 67, the water which surrounds the agitator assembly 10 cannot rise to a level within the auger tube bore 67 to permit it to come in contact with the bearing assembly 38. Line 94 in FIG. 2 shows the approximate level of water within the agitator barrel 22, even when the water level surrounding the agitator assembly 10 extends upwardly to the top of the auger flighting 78.
During the spin cycle of the washing machine, water softener within the container 90 spills upwardly by centrifugal force through the spill openings 92 and falls through the drain tube 86 down to the water which is within the interior of barrel 22. Ultimately this softener exits through the fluid communication openings 30 into the tub of the machine containing the fabrics for washing.
The present invention provides many advantages. The entire agitator assembly 10 can be constructed of plastic and can be molded so as to eliminate the need for metal parts. The bearing assembly 38 provides a solid positive rotational mounting of the auger body 12 with respect to the agitator body 14, and eliminates wobbling or play between the auger body 12 and the agitator body 14 during rotation. The ratchet assembly provided by the ball bearings 51, the ratchet teeth 58, the vertical tracks 54, and the collar 59 of the ratchet gear 56 permit the auger body 12 to rotate in only one direction with respect to the rotation of the agitator body 14. This causes the flightings 78 to force fabrics and clothing downwardly during the washing cycle thereby providing positive turnover of the fabrics being washed.
In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, these are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. Changes in the form and the proportion of parts as well as in the substitution of equivalents are contemplated as circumstances may suggest or render expedient without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as further defined in the following claims. | An agitator assembly for a fabric washer includes an agitator body having an elongated agitator barrel and a plurality of vanes extending radially outwardly from one end of the agitator barrel. An auger tube is telescopically mounted over the agitator barrel and includes a helical flighting on its outer surface. A bearing assembly is located between the outer surface of the agitator barrel and the inner surface of the auger tube, and holds the inner auger tube surface free from contact with the outer agitator barrel while at the same time permitting relative rotational movement between the auger tube and the agitator body. A ratchet clutch assembly is provided for permitting the auger tube to rotate only in one direction with respect to the agitator. The ratchet clutch assembly includes a circular array of ratchet teeth, and a plurality of ball bearings resting upon the ratchet teeth. The ball bearings move vertically in vertical tracks. | 3 |
BACKGROUND
The following description relates to information management systems and executing a query on a subset of data, for example, to facilitate a fast search with a very large result set.
An information management system may include a computer system and a data repository. A data repository includes data, such as documents, and may reside on a storage device. In a traditional database system, the data in the data repository typically are referred to as records. Information about the records may be available through an index of the data repository that includes properties, also known as attributes, of the records. In order to retrieve data from the data repository, a user may submit a search query through a computer system. The query may include criteria for searching, such as terms and operators. The information management system may execute the query by reviewing an index of the data repository to find entries in the index that match criteria in the query.
Depending on criteria specified in a search query and the processes used to execute a search query, the search may require the calculation of “intermediate results.” Intermediate results are results that when properly linked together, can be used to generate a set of final results matching the search criteria. For example, a search using the terms “John” and “Smith” with the Boolean operator “AND” placed between the terms may require a first search for “John,” which returns a first intermediate result, and a second search for “Smith,” which returns a second intermediate result. The intermediate results may be linked together to generate a final result set.
In some situations only a certain number of results may be desired. Such situations may include a query where only a certain number of results are requested, and/or in calculating intermediate results where one or more of the intermediate results require only a certain number of results. For example, a query may specify that only fifty results meeting the search criteria are requested.
In the case of calculating intermediate results, the execution time of a query typically correlates to the size of the intermediate results involved because generating the intermediate results and calculating the required links typically is very time-consuming. The execution of a query is also time-consuming if the results are sorted by an attribute and only a certain number of results are desired. For example, if only fifty results are desired and it is desired that those results are sorted, a query may be executed on all data, all results from that query may be sorted, and then fifty results may be selected.
SUMMARY
Described herein are methods and apparatus, including computer program products, that implement techniques for executing a query on a subset of data.
In one general aspect, the techniques feature a method of executing a query on a data repository. That method includes receiving a query for execution on data in the data repository; generating an estimate of a number of results of the query; defining a subset of data in the data repository; determining whether to execute the query on the subset of the data; executing the query on the subset of the data to generate a partial set of results if the query is to be executed on the subset of the data, otherwise executing the query on the data repository to generate a complete set of results; and providing query results.
Implementations may include one or more of the following features. Providing query results may include making the query results available to an application program. In that case, the method may further include the application program providing query results to a user interface. Determining whether to execute the query on the subset of the data may include determining whether a sufficient number of results will be generated by executing the query on the subset of the data. Determining whether to execute the query on the subset of the data may include estimating whether executing the query on the subset of the data would generate a desired number of results. In that case the method further includes receiving a value representing the desired number of results.
The method may further include receiving a value representing the desired number of results. In that case, the query is to be executed on the subset of the data if the estimate of the number of results of the query is greater than a weighted subset estimate generated in accordance with the following estimation function:
R * N stripeSize * F ,
where R is the number of results desired, N is the total number of possible results, F is an arbitrary number, and stripeSize is the size of the subset of the data; and determining whether to execute the query on the subset of the data includes generating the weighted subset estimate and determining whether the estimate of the number of results of the query is greater than the weighted subset estimate. The method may further include, in response to executing the query on an (N−1)th subset of the data, determining whether a sufficient number of results have been generated; and, if a sufficient number of results have been generated, defining an Nth subset of the data in the data repository and executing the query on the Nth subset of the data, otherwise executing the query on the data repository. Generating an estimate of a number of results of the query may be generated in accordance with the following estimation functions:
est ( NOT ) = N - est ( op ) , est ( AND ) = est ( op 1 ) * est ( op 2 ) N , and est ( OR ) = est ( op 1 ) + est ( op 2 ) - est ( op 1 ) * est ( op 2 ) N ,
where op is an operand, est( ) signifies an estimate of the operator or operand in the parenthesis, and N is the total number of possible results.
In another aspect, an information management system includes a data repository that is configured to store data and one or more processes for executing queries on the data repository. The one or more processes are operative to receive a query for execution on data in the data repository; generate an estimate of a number of results of the query; define a subset of data in the data repository; determine whether to execute the query on the subset of the data; execute the query on the subset of the data to generate a partial set of results if the query is to be executed on the subset of the data, otherwise execute the query on the data repository to generate a complete set of results; and provide query results.
Implementations may include one or more of the following features. The operation of determining whether to execute the query on the subset of the data may include determining whether a sufficient number of results will be generated by executing the query on the subset of the data. The operation of providing query results may include making the query results available to an application program. The operation of determining whether to execute the query on the subset of the data may include estimating whether executing the query on the subset of the data would generate a desired number of results. In that case, the processes may be further operative to receive a value representing the desired number of results. The one or more processes may be further operative to, in response to executing the query on an (N−1)th subset of the data, determine whether a sufficient number of results have been generated; and define an Nth subset of the data in the data repository and execute the query on the Nth subset of the data if a sufficient number of results have been generated, otherwise execute the query on the data repository.
In another aspect, a computer program product is tangibly embodied on an information carrier and the computer program product includes instructions operable to cause data processing apparatus to receive a query for execution on data in a data repository; generate an estimate of a number of results of the query; define a subset of data in the data repository; determine whether to execute the query on the subset of the data; execute the query on the subset of the data to generate a partial set of results if the query is to be executed on the subset of the data, otherwise execute the query on the data repository to generate a complete set of results; and provide query results.
Implementations may include one or more of the following features. The operation of providing query results may include making the query results available to an application program. The operation of determining whether to execute the query on the subset of the data may include determining whether a sufficient number of results will be generated by executing the query on the subset of the data. The operation of determining whether to execute the query on the subset of the data may include estimating whether executing the query on the subset of the data would generate a desired number of results. In that case, the computer program product further includes instructions operable to receive a value representing the desired number of results. The computer program product further include instructions operable to, in response to executing the query on an (N−1)th subset of the data, determine whether a sufficient number of results have been generated; and, if a sufficient number of results have been generated, define an Nth subset of the data in the data repository and execute the query on the Nth subset of the data, otherwise execute the query on the data repository.
The methods and apparatus, including computer program products, that implement techniques for executing a query on a subset of data may provide one or more of the following advantages. In scenarios where only a limited number of results or intermediate results are desired, query overhead may be reduced because the query need not be executed on all of the data. The overhead that is reduced may include overhead related to fetching data from a data repository and processor resources related to executing the query. Resources used in relaying the set of results may be reduced due to a smaller result set. Where results are sorted by an attribute, if only a limited number of results are returned from an execution of a query, sorting overhead may be reduced. In order to ensure the overall scheme optimizes resource usage of an information management system, limited portions of data may be searched only when it is estimated that those portions will return a sufficient quantity of results. The reduction of overhead and the optimization of an execution of a query may reduce the amount of time spent executing the query.
Details of one or more implementations are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features and advantages may be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other aspects will now be described in detail with reference to the following drawings.
FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a method of executing a query.
FIG. 2 is a data flow diagram of an information management system.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The systems and techniques described here relate to information management systems and executing a query on a subset of data.
FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a method of executing a query. At 110 the query is received at a computer system of an information management system that includes a data repository. The query may be received via a user interface, such as a graphical user interface of a computer system. The user interface need not be presented by a component of the information management system and may be presented separately from the one or more computer systems in the information management system. For example, a computer program that is a web-based application may forward queries to an information management and display results of those queries. The query includes criteria, which may include both terms and operators.
At 120 , an estimate of the number of results from an execution of the query on the data repository is generated. The estimate is generated based on the criteria in the query and may be generated using any of a number of techniques. In one technique, where Boolean operators NOT, AND, and OR are supported by the information management system, estimates of the occurrence of terms may be generated in accordance with any technique. Using those estimates, estimation functions for each operator may be used to estimate a total number of results. The following estimation functions may be used:
est
(
NOT
)
=
N
-
est
(
op
)
est
(
AND
)
=
est
(
op
1
)
*
est
(
op
2
)
N
est
(
OR
)
=
est
(
op
1
)
+
est
(
op
2
)
-
est
(
op
1
)
*
est
(
op
2
)
N
In those functions, op is an operand; est( ) signifies an estimate of the operator or operand in the parenthesis; N is the total number of possible results; and, the asterisks represent multiplication. An operand is a term, or a group of terms with operators, that is related to the Boolean operator. For example, in an example query “John AND Smith,” John and Smith are both terms and are also operands, whereas AND is an operator. The total number of possible results, N, represents the total number of results that might be returned as a result to a query. For example, if the data repository is composed of documents, each document is a possible result and N represents the total number of documents.
An example application of the estimate of a query using the NOT operator might be a query for “NOT Smith.” In accordance with the NOT estimation function above, the estimate of the total number of results from the query is the total number of possible results minus the estimate for the number of results of the operand, i.e. the total number of results matching the term Smith.
An example application of the estimate of a query using the AND operator might be a query for “John AND Smith.” In accordance with the AND estimation function above, the estimate of the total number of results from the query is the total number of results for the first operand, i.e. the total number of results matching John, multiplied by the estimate for the number of results of the second operand, i.e. the total number of results matching Smith, which is divided by the total number of possible results.
An example application of the estimate of a query using the OR operator might be a query for “John OR Smith.” In accordance with the OR estimation function above, the estimate of the total number of results from the query is the total number of results for the first operand, i.e. the total number of results matching John, added to the estimate for the number of results of the second operand, i.e. the total number of results matching Smith, minus the result of the rest of the estimation function. The rest of the function is the total number of results for the first operand, i.e. the total number of results matching John, multiplied by the estimate for the number of results of the second operand, i.e. the total number of results matching Smith, divided by the total number of possible results.
In alternative implementations other techniques and other estimation functions may be used to generate an estimate for the number of results, in addition to or instead of the techniques described above.
At 130 a determination is made as to whether the query should be executed on a stripe or on all of the relevant data in the data repository. A stripe is a subset of the relevant data in the data repository, as will be discussed later. If an insufficient number of results are expected or found to be generated based on executing the query on a number of stripes, it may be beneficial to execute the query on a greater portion of the relevant data.
The determination at 130 may include determining whether it is worthwhile to execute the query on a single stripe, or any number of stripes. For example, it may be beneficial to sequentially execute the query on all of the stripes, which is still a subset of the relevant data, rather than executing the query on all of the relevant data at once. Any technique may be used to make this determination. For example, an estimate of the total number of results for executing the query on the data repository may be compared against an estimate of the number of results that might be found in a single stripe. The estimate of the total number of results for executing the query on the data repository is the estimate that was calculated in 120 . The estimate of the total number of results that might be found in a stripe might be calculated in accordance with the function:
N
stripeSize
In that function, N is the total number of possible results and stripeSize is the size of a stripe. The size of a stripe may be a default value or chosen by other means to optimize the searching of the data repository. In order to compare the estimate of the number of results that might be found in a stripe against the estimate of the number of results that might be found in a search of the data repository, the estimate of the number of results that might be found in a stripe might be multiplied by R*F, such that the estimate of 120 is compared against
R
*
N
stripeSize
*
F
,
where R is the number of results desired, F is a safety factor, and the asterisks represent multiplication. R may be a number of final results requested. R may be a default value or a value that is input by a user as part of the query. F, the safety factor, is an arbitrary number and may be configured in a user interface. F may be used to compensate for the fact that data might not be evenly distributed in a data repository. F need not be completely arbitrary, and may, for example, be based on tests of different values for F. For example, tests may be run on a sample set of data in a sample data repository using various values for F and it may be determined that four is a desirable value for improving performance. The result of R multiplied by F, multiplied by the estimate for the number of results in a stripe is a weighted stripe estimate and is compared against the number of results estimated for executing the query on the data repository.
If the number of results estimated for executing the query on the data repository is greater than the weighted stripe estimate, i.e. if it is likely that there are R*F result documents in a single stripe, a determination may be made to execute the query on a stripe at 150 . Otherwise the query is executed on the relevant data at 140 .
The determination is made at 130 because, although data in the data repository might be distributed evenly such that each stripe should have a proportional number of results, there might not be a sufficiently even distribution to expect enough results to be found in the stripes. In order to offset an uneven distribution, the safety factor F may be set to bias in favor of performing the query on the relevant data set. Thus, for example, if there is a large enough discrepancy between the number of results expected in the repository and a weighted estimate of the number of results expected in the stripes, it may be more efficient to execute the query on the relevant data in the data repository rather than execute the query on the stripes.
A stripe is a subset of the data in the data repository. For example, a stripe may contain 50,000 records from a data repository that has 10 million records. In total, all of the stripes that are generated need not cover the entire data repository. For example, in one implementation, each stripe may contain 50,000 records of a data repository that has 10 million records and there may only be a total of 10 stripes. Thus, in that example, the stripes cover a combined 500,000 records of the 10 million records in the data repository. If the results to a query are to be sorted by an attribute, the stripes may be generated from a list of records that are presorted by the attribute (in ascending or descending order). Stripes may be generated in response to each query where the query is executed on the stripes, and all of the stripes may be held in memory such that a performance penalty may occur only for the first execution of the query on a stripe. Although each stripe may come from any section of the data repository, the stripe should not overlap with other stripes and the stripes may be of equivalent size. For example, a first stripe may include records 200 - 299 in a data repository while a second stripe includes records 300 - 399 in that data repository.
The query is executed on a stripe at 150 , such that results to the query match the criteria of the query. The query may be executed using any of a number of techniques and various implementations of the information management system may support any type of format and operators for executing the query. For example, the information management system may support Boolean language searching or natural language searching.
At 160 a determination is made as to whether the query should be executed on more stripes. The determination may be made in accordance with any number of techniques. For example, the determination may involve determining whether, based on the number of results generated by execution of the query on stripes so far, there is likely to be enough results in the remaining stripes to satisfy the desired number of results. The determination may allow for uneven distribution of the number of results in each of the stripes. For example, the determination may factor in the possibility that one stripe has a low number of results, which may be compensated by other stripes.
One technique for making this determination may include the use of the function:
R
*
numberOfEvaluatedStripesSoFar
totalNumberOfStripes
In that function, R is the number of results desired, totalNumberOfStripes is the total number of stripes that have been generated based on the data repository, numberOfEvaluatedStripesSoFar is the number of stripes on which the query has been executed already, and the asterisk represents multiplication. The result of the function may be compared against the number of results that have been generated by executing the query on stripes. If the number of results that have been generated already is less than the result of the function, a determination may be made that executing the query on one or more remaining stripes is unlikely to generate enough results to meet the desired number of results. Thus, it may be more beneficial to execute the query on the data in the data repository than on the stripes.
If the query should not be executed on stripes, the query is executed on the relevant data in the data repository at 140 . Otherwise, if the query should continue to be executed on stripes, a determination is made at 170 as to whether there are enough results already generated such that the query need not continue to be executed on stripes. If enough results are already generated, the results are returned at 180 . Otherwise, the query is executed on a stripe at 150 . The results may be in any format and include any degree of information. For example, in an information management system where records are documents, the results may be a list of documents or the results may be the documents. Each time the query is executed on a stripe, the query is executed on a different stripe. Thus, when results are returned, final results are a combination of the results for each stripe.
Although the information management system is discussed in FIG. 1 as including the data repository, in alternative implementations the information management system does not necessarily include the data repository. For example, the information management system may merely access a data repository. The processes of FIG. 1 may be performed on one or more computer systems, and may or might not be performed by the information management system. Although the method of executing a query is shown in FIG. 1 as being composed of several different processes, additional, and/or different processes can be used instead, and all the processes need not be part of a method of executing a query. For example, the query may be executed on stripes without having a determination, after each stripe is searched, as to whether the query should continue to be executed on the stripes. Also, for example, the processes at 110 , 120 , 130 , 140 , 150 , and 180 may be desirable as a method of executing a query. Similarly, the processes need not be performed in the order depicted. For example, the process at 170 may be performed prior to the process at 160 . Also, the processes need not follow the same decision paths. For example, if it is determined that there are not enough results at 170 , the next process may be process 130 .
FIG. 2 is a data flow diagram of an information management system 200 . The information management system 200 interacts with a user interface 210 and a data repository 220 . The components of FIG. 2 may be part of a single computer system, or they may be part of any number of computer systems. For example, the user interface 210 may be part of the same computer system that has the data repository 220 and that computer system may access a second computer system that includes the information management system 200 . The user interface 210 includes any combination of output and input devices. For example, the user interface 210 may include a display, such as a graphical user interface or a command-line interface, on a display device, in combination with a keyboard and a mouse.
The information management system 200 includes a search engine 230 , a query optimizer 240 , and an engine 250 . The search engine 230 manages the execution of queries. The search engine 230 receives queries from the user interface 210 and forwards queries, or parts of queries, to the query optimizer 240 for optimization. In response to forwarding a query, the search engine 230 may receive results from the query optimizer 240 . The results may be in any format and include, for example, records, a portion of a record, or a link to a record. In addition, the search engine 230 may manage queries by performing other tasks, such as linking results of intermediate searches for Boolean operators and preparing the results for a computer program that presents the user interface 210 .
The query optimizer 240 estimates the number of results that should be returned in response to a query, determines whether the query should be executed on a stripe, generates stripes, and executes the query on one or more stripes. For example, in response to receiving a query from the search engine 230 , the query optimizer 240 may generate an estimate for the number of results to that query. Based on that number of results, the query optimizer 240 can determine whether the query should be executed on a stripe. If the query optimizer 240 determines to execute the query a stripe, the query optimizer 240 can generate any number of stripes, each of which is subset of the records in the data repository 220 . The engine 250 accesses the records, thus the query optimizer 240 can receive portions of the records from the engine 250 as stripes. In alternative implementations the query optimizer 240 may determine whether the query should be executed on any number of stripes. The generation of estimates and determinations by the query optimizer 240 may be performed in accordance with the functions described in relation to FIG. 1 .
In alternative implementations the information management system need not include or be limited to including the search engine 230 , the query optimizer 240 , and the engine 250 . Also, in alternative implementations the techniques illustrated in FIG. 2 may be performed with more or fewer interactions and in varying order.
Although a few implementations have been described in detail above, other modifications are possible. Other implementations may be within the scope of the following claims. | Methods and apparatus, including computer systems and program products, for executing a query on a subset of data, for example, to facilitate a fast search with a very large result set. In one general aspect, a method of executing a query includes receiving a query for execution on data in the data repository; generating an estimate of a number of results of the query; defining a subset of data in the data repository; determining whether to execute the query on the subset of the data; executing the query on the subset of the data to generate a partial set of results if the query is to be executed on the subset of the data, otherwise executing the query on the data repository to generate a complete set of results; and providing query results. | 8 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a cutting apparatus for frozen food such as frozen ice-cream cake or the like.
Food of such type is likely to slide on a table on which it is placed, during cutting operation, and this makes it difficult to hold same suitable in position relative to a cutting blade moving up and down along a fixed path of movement. Moreover, cut pieces of the food may possibly jump sidewardly during cutting operation.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention provides a cutting apparatus which eliminates the difficulties enumerated above by the provision of gripping members placed around the side of a piece of frozen food, which gripping members are resiliently urged inwardly to restore the pieces of frozen food to their original positions after they have been displaced outwardly by the cutting blade. When the holding table is subsequently rotated, the frozen food is always centered under the cutting blade so that equal portions will be cut.
One preferred embodiment of this invention will now be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a vertical section showing a preferred embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory view illustrating the operation of the press plates.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing a cake as it is cut in equal parts.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing movement of a cutting blade as it is turned 45° clockwise.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing grasping members as they are positioned away from the periphery of the cake after cutting operation.
FIG. 7 is a vertical cross sectional explanatory view showing a cake as it is being cut by a conventional cutting apparatus.
FIG. 8 is a vertical cross sectional explanatory view showing a cake after it has been cut by a conventional cutting apparatus.
FIG. 9 is a plan view of a cake after it has been cut by a conventional cutting apparatus.
FIG. 10 is a plan view of the cut cake of FIG. 9 after it has been partially rotated in preparation for a second cut.
FIG. 11 is a plan view of a cake cut by the apparatus of this invention.
FIG. 12 is a plan view showing the irregular portions cut by conventional apparatus.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 shows an apparatus according to the invention in vertical section, and FIG. 2 presents a top plan view of same. As can be seen, a cutting blade 1 extends downwardly from an up-and-down movable plate 2 which is actuated by a mechanism not shown (e.g., a crank mechanism) to move downwardly and upwardly. Press plates 3, 3, provided for pressing a piece of frozen food or frozen ice-cream cake A on the top thereof, have resilient members, 4, 4 which are to come into direct contact with the top of cake A. Rods 5, 5 attached to the press plates 3, 3 are slidable through holes 7, 7 in the movable plate 2 via springs 6, 6 being provided with retainer heads 8, 8 at the top end. As FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate, therefore, during the downward movement of the movable plate 2, the press plates 3, 3 come into contact with the top of the cake A before the cutting blade 1 cuts into the cake A. During the upward movement of the cutting blade 1, the press plates 3, 3 leave the cake A to release it of pressure after the departure of the cutting blade 1 from the cake A. For the purpose of the above operation there is provided a distance L between the upper end of each press plate 3 and the tip end of the cutting blade 1 and further the springs 6, 6 are adapted to provide a suitable degree of resiliency so that the entire operation can be performed in an integral pattern. The table 9 for placing cake A is provided with a groove 10 into which the tip of the cutting blade 1 is introduced as it cuts the cake A.
Around the top portion of the table 9 there is provided an annular base plate 11 having grasping members 12 disposed so as to encircle cake A. The grasping members 12 are provided, on their inner side, with resilient members 13 which are to come in direct contact with cake A. Rods 14 for supporting the grasping members 12 are resiliently movably mounted, with the help of springs 17, on the upstanding portions of slide levers 16 which are radially outwardly slidable on the base plate 11 through air cylinders 15. At 18 there are provided support frames for supporting the slide levers 16. Designated by 14a are retainer heads for the rods 14. Above the movable plate 2 there is provided a turn shaft 19 which is interlocked with intermittent drive means 20 (e.g., ratchet mechanism), so that the cutting blade 1 can be intermittently caused to turn by means of the turn shaft 19 at the end of each reciprocal movement of the cutting blade 1.
As FIG. 1 illustrates, a piece of frozen ice-cream cake A, when placed on the table 9, is held in position with its periphery brought in resilient contact with the grasping members 12. With the downward movement of the movable plate 2 from which the cutting blade 1 extends downwardly, as can be seen from FIG. 3, the press plates 3, 3 press the cake A on the top thereof through the resilient members 4, 4 before the cutting blade 1 cuts into the cake A, because a distance L is kept between the press plates 3, 3 and the tip end of the cutting blade 1. The movable plate 2, as FIG. 4 shows, moved downward further until the tip of the cutting blade 1 enters the groove 10 on the table 9. Thereupon, the grasping members 12 are pushed outwardly against the force of the springs 7, 7 over a small distance corresponding to the thickness l of the cutting blade 1 which has cut into the cake A, while the press plates 3, 3 keep on pressing the top of the cake A through the resilient members 4, 4 under the force of the springs 6, 6. If the top side and/or periphery of the cake A are not supported by such press plates 3, 3 and/or grasping members 12, 2 when the cake A is cut, as FIG. 7 shows, the top of the frozen cake A, at both end portions thereof, is bound to be thrust upwardly in the direction of the arrows instantly the cutting blade 1 cuts into the cake A, so that the central bottom portion of the cake A may crack, as indicated at "a," instead of being cut before the cake A is fully cut by the cutting blade 1 into equal parts. And, as FIG. 8 illustrates, the cut portions of the cake A may be forced to jump in the sideward directions as indicated by the arrows before the cutting blade 1 cuts the cake A as completely as it enters the groove 10 on the table 9, with the result that the bottom portions of cut pieces of the cake A may have irregular cut surfaces b as shown which represent the traces of said crack a. Such happening is attributable to the thickness l of the cutting blade 1 and/or the hardness of the object to be cut. The present invention overcomes this difficulty by the provision of press plates 4, 4 and grasping members 12 which both arrest the force applied in the directions of the arrows shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, so that cake A can be neatly cut without the cut surfaces being damaged in any way.
After the cake A is completely cut by the cutting blade 1 as shown in FIG. 4, the movable plate 2 moves back upwardly. While, the press plates 3, 3 and grasping members 12 remain in resiliently pressing contact with the top side of the cake A and the periphery thereof respectively even after the movement of the cutting blade 1 away from the top side of the cake A. Thus, as FIG. 9 shows, the cake A as shown by the imaginary lines has been cut into two equal parts A1, A2 in such a way that a distance l corresponding to the width l of the cutting blade 1 is defined by and between them as shown by the full lines (also, see FIG. 4). When the movable plate 2 has moved upward to the extent that the cutting blade 1 is slightly apart from the top side of the cake, the press plates 3, 3 and grasping members 12 still remain in pressing contact with the top side of the cake and the periphery thereof; and as the movable plate 2 moves further upward, the force of the springs 6, 6 against the press plates 3, 3 become weak, and the pressing force of the grasping members 12 becomes relatively strong so that the cut pieces of the cake are brought into close contact with each other, filling up the distance l, with cut line c in between as shown in FIG. 9.
While the cake is so held in position with its periphery pressed by the grasping members 12, the movable plate 2 moves upward still further, and immediately upon the return of the press plates to the position as shown in FIG. 1, that is, to the state of their being positioned apart from the top side of the cake, the cutting blade 1 is actuated by the intermittent drive means 20 to turn several equal angles: for examples, four times 45° each as shown in FIG. 5.
By repeating intermittent turn of the cutting blade 1, a given degree of angle each time, while the cake A is held in position with its periphery pressed by the grasping members 12, it is possible to cut the cake A into several equal parts.
If the semi-circular cakes A1, A2 with a distance l corresponding to the width l of the cutting blade 1 between them as shown in FIG. 9 are further cut without their cut surfaces being brought in contact by means of the grasping members 12, and by rotating them (by means of a turnable, for example) as they have the distance l as shown in FIG. 10, the respective centers d, e of the semi-circular cakes A1, A2 are bound to deviate from the center f of the cut line c. Therefore, if the cakes as such are cut along the cut line c, the result is that eight cut cakes, slightly different in shape from one another, are obtained. On the other hand, if the center "f" of the cake A is always taken as the regular center with the help of the grasping members 12, the cake A can be cut in exactly eight equal parts. As FIG. 12 shows, however, where grasping members 12 are not provided, if cutting is made at center g, a center deviating from regular center f, while rotating the cakes, eight irregularly cut cakes A12 are obtained. The grasping members 12, as FIG. 11 shows, permit the center of the cake under cutting to be exactly determined, thereby serving to ensure that the cake will be cut without a deviation from the regular center.
It may be added that the cake A can be cut in several equal parts in various ways by changing the ratchet in the intermittent drive means 20 or selectively using a plurality of ratchets therein.
As above described, the apparatus according to the invention is so arranged as to prevent the slip and movement of frozen food to hold it in position during cutting operation. In accordance with the invention, therefore, it is possible to hold frozen food in position relative to the up-and-down reciprocating cutting blade, without the frozen food being allowed to slip or move on the table during cutting operation. Further, the apparatus eliminates the possibility of cut pieces of cake bouncing sidewardly or getting damaged during the cutting operation. | Apparatus for cutting frozen food is supported on a table provided with a series of grasping members surrounding the food and resiliently urged inwardly so that when a vertically reciprocable cutting blade cuts the frozen food, the severed pieces of food are restored to their original positions so that a subsequent cut made in an angularly related position in the food will subdivide the food in equal portions. A series of press plates are mounted for vertical movement with the cutting blade to resiliently bear against the top of the food while being cut to prevent upward tilting of the pieces being severed. | 8 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/110,002, filed Aug. 23, 1993 since abandoned.
This invention relates to improving the efficiency of boilers and reducing emissions of pollutants such as NOx and carbon monoxide. The most striking advantage of this invention is the ease of retrofitting existing boilers to meet NOx requirements. In addition, energy efficiency is dramatically improved due to the reduced speed of the combustion air fan to provide only the amounts of air needed by the burner to provide complete combustion, and only against as much pressure from the combustion air damper as is needed to dampen and prevent flame pulsations. The preferred embodiment of this invention has been reduced to practice in a variety of boilers ranging from Navy ship boilers to standard "D" type boilers with concentric cone burners, to small fire-tube boilers, -all quite successfully. In essence, NOx emission standards can be met without installing new burners. Essentially a 486 based computer is "piggy-backed" onto the existing flame safety system, and takes control of both air, fuel, and flue gas recirculation (FGR). A toggle switch allows operation to revert back to the existing combustion control system as during installation and service of the computer system. This feature gives extremely high reliability and freedom from downtime during installation of the system. Of course there is no requirement for new burners, rebricking the boiler, etc.
NOx pollutants are becoming recognized as the strongest contributors to smog; without NOx, organic solvents in the air do not form ozone which burns eyes, lungs and is very unhealthful. Therefore the 1990 Clean Air Act calls for dramatic reductions in NOx emissions nationwide. The present invention offers an economical means for reducing NOx while increasing boiler capacity and saving energy.
The preferred embodiment of the invention is quite simple. A duct directs stack gas (flue gas recirculation or FGR) into the inlet of the combustion inlet fan. A computer controller controls combustion air fan speed, and damper positions for combustion air and flue gas recirculation. Although not necessary for most burners, air deflection cones may also be installed to improve combustion efficiency and stability.
Cones fitted into the existing burners force combustion air to the outer edges of the burners, next to the gas distribution perforations in the outer walls of the burners. Placement of the cone within the burner just upstream of the ring of perforations creates turbulence which causes the gas to intimately mix with the combustion air. Typically the perforations are on a 22 inch diameter circle while the cone is 14 inches in diameter, occupying over 40 percent of the flow area of the combustion air. In this way the majority of the combustion air flows within 2 inches of the perforations, ensuring that the injected fuel gas penetrates and mixes thoroughly with the combustion air.
A number of burners are commercially available which use a disc in the center of the burner to shield the burner internals against the radiant heat of the boiler. These discs are often slotted and thus permit the passage of combustion air. Frequently the discs are placed just upstream of an oil injection nozzle which sprays in fuel oil for combustion. In most all cases, the discs block less than one half the area of flow of combustion air, and also allow significant amounts of combustion air to pass through slots in the disc, bypassing the gas ring, and failing to oxidize the injected gaseous fuel.
Large savings in energy is a major side benefit to using the invention to control emissions. Higher energy efficiency results from restricting combustion air intake to the minimum flow required. Typical boilers are operated with significant amounts of excess combustion air to ensure complete combustion of the fuel, freedom from carbon monoxide emissions, and to reduce the risk of explosions due to burner instability. Such excess combustion air is heated and discharged from the stack without serving the useful purpose of oxidizing the fuel. In this invention, a computer controls inlet air flow to admit only enough combustion air to complete combustion, without admitting any significant excess air or lowering boiler efficiency. Because all combustion air flows next to the injection rings, gas is thoroughly mixed with the combustion air to ensure complete combustion without excess air bypassing the combustion areas.
It is therefore an object of the invention to readily retrofit existing boilers for reducing emissions of NOx with a minimum of modifications to the existing boiler and without the need to replace the burners. Another object is to reduce the excess air requirements of the burners when operating on gaseous fuels and therefore to improve the fuel efficiency of the boiler. Yet another object is to create an extremely turbulent region at the point of injection of gaseous fuel into the stream of combustion air. Still another object is provide mixing of the air fuel mixture immediately downstream of injection. Yet another object is to shade the burner parts from radiant heat to reduce their temperature and prolong their life. Still another is to operate more efficiently on gaseous fuels while reducing emissions of NOx. Yet another object is to improve flame stability of the burners when the boiler is operating at low loads. Still another object is to eliminate the need for any additional fans to recirculate flue gas. Still another object is to reduce the energy consumption of the combustion air fan. Yet another object is to reduce the pressure drop of combustion air across the burner. Still another object is to prevent warping or melting of the burner parts due to heat. Other objects of the invention will become apparent in the detailed description of the invention.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the invention, a process is described for reducing emissions of nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide from natural gas fired boilers by computer control using flue gas recirculation. The computer controls the variable speed drive, FGR damper, and combustion air damper. In a few cases it may be necessary of slightly modify the burner. The modified burner has a simple design in which combustion air flows down a cylindrical duct and past a concentric cone partially blocking the end of the duct. Fuel gas is injected through a ring of perforations on the duct walls just downstream of the cone. The blocking action of the cone forces the combustion air to flow close to the perforations on the duct walls to intimately mix the air with the fuel gas. The resulting combustion produces very low levels of emissions and oxygen in the flue gas.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic depiction of an emission control system on a boiler including combustion air fan, recirculation duct, main fuel supply system, and pilot-ignitor fuel system.
FIG. 2 is a partially cut-away side view of the burner components suitable for the invention.
FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the burner components suitable for the invention.
FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic depiction of a combustion air system suitable for effectively consuming rendering gas.
FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic depiction of an emission control system on a boiler showing the functions of the computer controller, variable speed drive and dampers.
FIG. 6 is a graph depicting the computer map followed by the computer controller in controlling fan speed and damper positions as a function of boiler load.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 is a partially cut-away side view of the burner components suitable for the burner modification aspect of this invention. Combustion air 1 flows through the vanes 2, located in a cylindrical member, which impart swirl to the air to promote turbulence and subsequent mixing. The air then flows past the cone 3, after which the air mixes with fuel gas injected from the gas ring 4 through the perforations 5. Combustion air 1 flows through the annulus 6 which is bounded on the interior by the cone 3, and on the outside by the gas ring 4, which distributes fuel gas to the perforations 5. The entire burner assembly is a cylinder, through which combustion air flows, with the cone 3 placed concentrically within the cylinder. The cone 3 forces the combustion air to flow close to the perforations 4, creating turbulence for intimate mixing of the fuel gas with the combustion air. The perforated hollow cone 7 serves to further mix the gas with combustion air and also to shade internal parts of the burner from the intense heat radiating from inside the boiler. The cone 3 is preferably constructed of a solid sheet of high temperature metal alloy such as 304 or 310 stainless steel or inconel. Conventional burners sometimes employ small perforated plates to promote combustion of liquid fuel which is injected downstream of this plate. However the cone 3 is large, occupying at least 40 percent of the axial flow area of the cylinder, and preferably is solid to prevent combustion air from bypassing the gas injection zone near the perforations 4. The cone 3 is held in place by the rod 8 and may be adjusted forward and back by the actuator 9 pushing the rod 8.
FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the burner components suitable for the burner modification aspect of this invention. Combustion air 10 flows into the burner register 11, where vanes 12 on the outlet end of the register impart swirl to the stream of combustion air. The cone 13 on the rod 14 confines the flow of combustion air to the outer regions of the register so that the air flows close to the ring 15 where perforations 16 inject fuel gas into the combustion air stream. The perforated hollow cone 17 serves to further mix the fuel with the air to promote efficient combustion.
FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic depiction of an emission control system on a boiler including combustion air fan, recirculation duct, main fuel supply system, and pilot-ignitor fuel system. Fuel 18 supplies the ignitors 19, 20 and 21, through the solenoid valves 22, 23 and 24. The main regulator 25 supplies gas to the burners 26, 27 and 28 through the primary control valve 29 and the secondary control valve 30. As shown in FIG. 2, the computer controller 31 operates the boiler on one burner only -burner 28, by opening the primary valve 29 but closing the secondary valve 30. Thus higher turndown is achieved so that the boiler may operate at lower load levels without the need for cycling the boiler on and off which is inefficient and damaging to the boiler. In addition, while the controller operates the boiler on burner 28 only without operating the burners 26 and 27, the controller leaves the pilots burning on the burners 26 and 27, so that boiler operations are completely compatible with the existing flame sensing system on the boiler.
A portion 32 of the flue gas 33 from the boiler is induced into the stream of fresh air 34 and drawn into the combustion air fan 35 before flowing on to the burners. Great advantage is achieved in modulating the flow of combustion air by equipping the fan with a standard variable speed drive, completely eliminating the need for any other modulating damper, and saving a great deal of energy by allowing operation at slower fan speeds most of the time.
FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic description of the combustion air system suitable for the invention for effectively consuming rendering gas. The combustion air fan 36 draws flue gas 37 from the boiler 38 and blows the flue gas out the stack 39. A portion of the flue gas 40 recirculates by merging with the inlet fresh air 41 forming the combined stream 42 which is then drawn into the boiler 38 through the burners 43. In addition, rendering gas 44, which is primarily air, is also introduced to merge into the combined combustion air stream 42.
As stated earlier, the extremely efficient combustion achieved by the burners make them ideal for consuming rendering gas. Therefore gas with objectionable odors can be consumed entirely in the boiler and discharged without odor out of the boiler stack. In addition, several process advantages may be achieved through novel arrangement of the combustion air ducting to the boiler. While the rendering gases normally have very high dew points and low temperatures, the mixing of hot flue gas with the rendering gas, greatly reduces their tendencies to drop out moisture and corrode or gum up metal parts such as burners. The hot flue gas 40 mixes with the rendering gas 44, warming the combined stream and preventing condensation of corrosive liquids on metal parts. During start up of the boiler, before the flue gas warms up, rendering gas may be bypassed directly into the boiler fire box through the bypass duct 45. The damper 46 may be a one-way gravity damper which allows rendering gas to flow in one direction only into the boiler, and only when the rendering gas 44 is pressurized above the firebox pressure by at least 0.25 inches of water column. Therefore, shutting the damper 47 will allow automatic bypass of rendering gas into the boiler firebox.
FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic depiction of an emission control system on a boiler showing the functions of the computer controller, variable speed drive and dampers. Fuel gas 48 flows through the main pressure regulator 49, through the control throttle 50 and into the burner 51 where the gas burns, heating the boiler 52. Stack gases 53 flow up the stack 54. A sampling of stack gases 55 is drawn into the emissions analyzer 56. Signals 57 representing the composition of the stack gases are processed by the computer controller 58. A portion of the stack gases 53 are recirculated through a recirculation duct 59 into the inlet 60 of the combustion air fan 61, through the combustion air damper 62. The air fan 61 is driven by the motor 63, which in turn is driven by the variable frequency drive 64, which in turn is controlled by the computer controller 58. In case of failure of the computer or drive, power 65 bypasses the drive through the existing magnetic starter 66 through the bypass switch 67 to run the motor 63 at constant (full) speed. In this bypass mode where the computer also is no longer operating the throttle 50 and the combustion air damper 62, the throttle and damper may be reconnected by hand, if necessary, to operate on the original boiler control system. When fully operational, the computer may increase firing level of the boiler by increasing the gas pressure supplied by the main regulator 49 or by opening the throttle 50. The main regulator 49 normally operates by pilot pressure supplied to its main diaphragm 68 by the constant pressure pilot regulator 69. Gas bleeds out through the orifice 70 to reduce excess pressure on the diaphragm 68. Through the normally open solenoid valves 71 and 72, computer controls the gas pressure supplied to the diaphragm of the main regulator 49, and therefore the gas pressure of the main regulator. The computer may control gas pressure to any pressure less than constant pressure of the pilot regulator 69. When computer closes the solenoid valve 71, gas continues to bleed through the valve 72, reducing pressure. On the other hand, when the computer closes the valve 72, gas continues to flow to the diaphragm through the valve 71, restoring pressure. The computer can maintain constant pressure as monitored by the gas pressure transducer 73, by closing both valves 71 and 72 and periodically pulsing either open either to reduce or increase pressure. In case the computer fails, both valves open, restoring normal (maximum) operating pressure to the diaphragm from the pilot regulator.
The computer maintains proper rate of flow of combustion air into the fan inlet 60 to oxidize the fuel gas 48. The computer determines fuel flow rate by monitoring the pressure transducer 73, and plugging the value of the pressure signal into a nonlinear equation to compute fuel flow rate. In general the air flow is proportional to fan speed, so the computer generates and feeds a signal to the variable speed drive 64 which is proportional to the fuel flow. The computer fine tunes this proportionality constant by the absolute temperature of the air measured by the temperature probe 74. As flue gas is introduced through the recirculation duct 59, the computer increases the fan speed accordingly. The computer computes the fraction of flue gas recirculated (FGR) as the ratio of the (mixture temperature measured by the probe 75 minus the air temperature 74) divided by the (FGR temperature 76 minus the air temperature 74). The computer can fine tune the opening of the control damper 77 to achieve the desired fraction of FGR. While a large fraction of FGR reduces NOx significantly, it can also make the burner operate with a pulsating flame which can destroy the boiler. At the same time, restricting flow through the damper 62 while increasing the fan speed to maintain constant air flow serves to dampen flame pulsations. Significant energy savings (in the order of $10,000 to $50,000 for a typical boiler in a carpet mills in annual electric costs) is possible by operating the boiler at the minimum fan speed possible with the damper 62 closed just enough to dampen pulsations. The pressure and acceleration transducer 78 detects such pulsations so that the computer may shut down the boiler and/or further close the damper 62 to maintain stable flame.
The computer may also map out the ideal positions of the FGR and combustion air dampers and ideal fan speed for each firing level, by performing a preliminary mapping function in which the boiler is operated over the entire range of firing levels in which the computer opens the FGR damper 77 just enough to reduce NOx to the desired level, and in which the computer restricts the damper 62 just enough to prevent pulsations as detected by the transducer 78. The computer may perform this mapping function both when the boiler is hot and additionally before the boiler has warmed up completely. The computer then stores these (two separate sets of) values digitally. When NOx can not be reduced to the desired level without creating pulsations, the computer notes and stores the firing levels of such instability so that the FGR damper can be closed sufficiently to prevent pulsations at such firing levels and so that the boiler operates a minimum of time at these firing levels. When load would demand that the boiler operate at these levels or cross over these levels, the computer will cause the boiler cross over these levels as quickly as possible or operate at just above or below these levels so that net average NOx over time meets the desired limits.
FIG. 6 is a graph depicting the computer map followed by the computer controller in controlling fan speed and damper positions as a function of boiler load. This graph is stored as digital values in the computer memory so that very complicated relationships may be easily be followed by the computer for optimal operation of the boiler. As shown in the graph, the computer operates the fan starting at a constant low speed of about 35 percent of full fan speed, and then increases the fan speed proportionally to load starting at about 50 percent load as shown in the graph as the boiler load increases from 50 to 100 percent. The computer partially closes the combustion air damper as shown 79, so that pulsations in the flame are dampened at low fire, while the computer opens the damper completely at loads higher than 70 percent, to save fan energy. With a cold boiler, before warm-up, the FGR damper is opened 80 only as much as required to reduce NOx emissions to acceptable low levels. As the boiler fully warms up, the computer opens 81 the damper further to continue to control emissions. Different boilers require different speed and damper settings for different loads, so the values given on the graph are strictly examples, and not limiting to the claims.
Undoubtedly various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the following claims. Therefore the scope of the invention should only be limited by the following claims. | Process is described for reducing emissions of nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide from fuel gas fired boilers by using a computer to closely control the flow rate of combustion air and by installing a duct to allow flue gas to recirculate into the air intake of the boiler. In most cases strict emission standards can be met without making any other mechanical modifications to the boiler. A computer controller maps burner characteristics and controls both a variable speed drive and the damper on the combustion air fan, and a damper on recirculated flue gas to meet emission requirements over the various firing rates while maintaining a stable flame free of pulsations. In some burners a simple cone structure placed in the burner provides additional flame stability. | 5 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention concerns a test kit, based on a test strip for the chromatographic detection of an immune complex with the analyte.
STATE OF THE ART
[0002] Lateral-flow immunoassays synergically combine the speed of thin layer chromatography with the selectivity, specificity and sensitivity of immunological detection methods. They are available as test strips for the most wide ranging of applications. They allow a specific detection of antigenic substances and biomolecules. Proteins, peptides, antibodies, antigens, immunogens, autoimmune antigens, carbohydrates, pathogens and germs (bacterial, parasitic, viral, fungal, mycotoxic or toxic), nucleic acids, DNA, RNA, oligo- and polynucleotides, and PCR products may be cited as examples. The test strips are available with different sensitive detection systems, and integrated into systems which facilitate the evaluation of the analysis (see EP 0291194 B2 and references therein). The test strips are also used for the characterisation and identification of foodstuffs, for example in the determination of type and origin of fish (see WO 2002/042416 and references therein).
[0003] The test strips for the detection of hapten-antihapten complexes form a particular group, as described for example in US 2002/0119497-A1. In these test strips, a receptor against the first hapten is immobilised on the stationary phase of the thin layer chromatography in the so-called detection zone. Above the stationary separation layer—a thin layer of a very fine grained material, such as silica gel, diatomite, aluminium oxide, cellulose—an adsorption pad is arranged in the chromatographic travelling direction for the adsorption of the mobile phase, and, before that, a control zone with a receptor against the antihapten-antibody. The sample is applied in a region that has been prepared with a dye-labelled antihapten-antibody. The commercially available test packages comprise, apart from the test strip, vessels with antibodies against the analyte, which are conjugated to the corresponding reporter haptens. During the test, the sample is dispersed and taken up into a lysis or elution buffer. If necessary, this is followed by a partial purification of the analyte. Next, two antibodies against the sample analyte, which are coupled to different reporter haptens, are added and a sandwich-immune complex, labelled with two haptens, is formed, but only if there is any analyte present in the sample. The detection complex, doubly labelled with haptens, may then be detected within one minute on the test strip. A particularly common hapten-antihapten system uses biotin and digoxigenin as reporter haptens.
[0004] During the chromatographic separation on the test strip, the mobile dye-labelled antihapten antibodies impregnated in the pre-prepared labelling zone (for example monoclonal gold particle-labelled mouse-anti-digoxigenin-IgG) then bind to the detection complex in the detection zone, and then the coloured detection complex is concentrated in a coloured band by an antihapten receptor which is immobilised there, for example avidin or streptavidin, which binds the biotin in the detection complex. A detectable coloured band represents the presence of analyte in the sample. In the given example, polyclonal anti-mouse-Fcg-antibodies (goat-IgG-antibodies against the constant region of the gold-labelled mouse-IgG-antibody) would be immobilised in the control zone and the mobile gold-labelled anti-digoxigenin-antibodies are concentrated therein. The formation of a coloured band in the separation direction above the detection zone represents a successful chromatographic separation. The interpretation of the test strip is then in general carried out according to Table 1.
[0000]
TABLE 1
Labelling
Detection
zone
band
Control band
Result
Comments
+/−
—
—
No result
Wrong handling of test strip
—
X X X
X X X
Positive
High analyte concentration in the sample
+/−
XX
X X X
Positive
Sample contains analyte
+/−
X
XXX
Weakly positive
Low amount of analyte/unspecific formation of
detection complex
+/−
—
XXX
Negative
No analyte or no complex formation
+/−
—
XX
Negative/
No analyte or no complex formation
unclear
+/−
—
X
No result
Inhibition of formation of the detection complex
and/or inhibition of chromatography (pH,
inhibitors or chaotropic substances); sample
contains mouse-immunoglobulin
+/−
X
—
No result
Chromatography incomplete
Legend:
XXX intensive colouring:
XX strong colouring;
X weak colouring;
— no colouring;
+/− no or unspecific colouring.
[0005] It is not always easy to correctly judge colour and intensity of the bands, in particular, where there is an expectation for a specific result. The elimination of the human factor is extremely important for the practical reliability of a test, because the technically simple test strips shall also be used by untrained or partially trained persons. However, intensive training may not avoid human error, especially in the case of serial testing, high routine, under stress, distraction or sudden disruption. On the other hand, economic factors have to be considered and the cost and time expenditure for the control.
[0006] Therefore, a variety of coded frames are suggested in connection with test strips, which are designed to help avoid interpretation errors of the bands. Furthermore, it is suggested to design the colour bands as readable plus and minus-signs (+/−). Still, there remain many possibilities for errors, in particular during sample work-up and the production of the detection complex. The state of the art therefore constitutes a problem.
[0007] One object of the invention is to provide a test kit based on the mentioned test strips for a hapten-antihapten detection complex, in which errors in handling and interpretation are ruled out. In particular, one object is to provide a test kit, which uncovers systematic errors in the sample work-up and the formation of the detection complex. Furthermore, it is one aim of the invention to provide a test kit, which allows a follow-up analysis in case of doubt, and which in particular is suited for the quick analysis of foodstuffs for main allergens and germs according to the current EU directives.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The problem is solved by a test kit according to claim 1 and the process on which it is based. Preferred embodiments may be derived from the dependent claims.
[0009] The test kit comprises a chromatographic test strip with a labelling zone impregnated with mobile labelled antibodies or receptors against a reporter molecule, a detection zone in which a first receptor against a reporter molecule is bound to the stationary phase, and a control zone, which is arranged after the detection zone on the chromatographic line and in which a second receptor against the mobile labelled antibody or receptor is bound to the stationary phase, as well as first and second receptors coupled to reporter molecules for the formation of a detection complex. The test kit is further characterised in that it comprises first labelled vessels for the collection and positioning of chromatographic test strips and second labelled vessels for the collection and positioning of second chromatographic test strips, wherein the first labelled vessels each comprise a known amount of dry analyte, embedded in a water-soluble layer of trehalose, which is dried onto the wall of each first vessel as a thin layer in such a way that, during reaction of the sample with the receptors coupled to the reporter molecule, receptors against the analyte come into contact with the aqueous sample solution, that the water-soluble layer with the known amount of analyte is then immediately dissolved, and that in each first vessel a detection complex with the known amount of analyte is formed, which is detected during chromatographic analysis of the detection complex on the test strip and acts as an internal control for the sample work-up, the complex formation and the chromatographic separation, and wherein the second labelled vessels do not comprise any analyte.
[0010] The reporter molecule-coupled receptors against the analyte are preferably antibodies, preferably polyclonal antibodies or different monoclonal antibodies, which are coupled to the corresponding reporter molecules. Lectins may be used as receptors for the detection of glycoconjugates. The reporter molecules are preferably chosen from non-radioactive labels and haptens, such as biotin, digoxigenin, streptavidin, avidin, HRP (horseradish peroxidase), alkaline phosphatase, para-nitrophenol, Texas red, fluorochromes, such as fluorescein, rhodamine, coumarin, and so on.
[0011] An unlimited number of hapten-antihapten complexes may be envisaged. Haptens may be visualised with hapten recognising labelling reagents if hapten-coupled primary antibodies are used (or lectins for the detection of glycoconjugates). Exemplary labels are AMCA, TRITC FITC, Cy2, Cy3 and Cy5, and in particular gold particles. Gold-labelled antibodies against the relevant hapten or reporter molecule are particularly preferred. Streptavidin- and anti-biotin-conjugates may also be considered for the detection of biotinylated primary antibodies, while anti-digoxin conjugates easily cross-react with the aglycon digoxigenin and are hence useful for the detection of digoxigenated proteins (Härtig et al., J. Neurosci. Methods 1996, 67, 89-95). Hapten-antihapten processes are advantageous, among others when the use of secondary antibodies against mice would cause the unwanted detection of endogenous immunoglobulins.
[0012] In one preferred embodiment, the dye-labelled antibody or receptor in the labelling zone is a gold-labelled monoclonal mouse-antibody against digoxigenin. In the biotin-digoxigenin-system, the first receptor bound in the detection zone of the stationary phase is then streptavidin or avidin. The second receptor, bound on the stationary phase in the control zone, would then for example be a polyclonal goat-antibody against the constant region of mouse-immunoglobulin. The test kit then further comprises, apart from the prepared test strips, further digoxigenated and biotinylated antibodies against the analyte.
[0013] In an especially preferred embodiment, the first and second vessels of the test kit further comprise predetermined amounts of reporter molecule-coupled antibodies, embedded in a layer of trehalose on the interior walls of the vessels, which become the reaction vessels. The two hapten-coupled antibodies are preferably separated and also separated from the defined amount of control analyte, and each dried onto the wall of the sample vessel in a separate trehalose solution, under formation of glass-like layers. The respective vessels for the introduction of the aqueous samples with the analyte comprise on the wall defined amounts of hapten-coupled antibodies against the analyte, embedded in a thin glass-like trehalose layer. The hapten-coupled antibodies are preferably present in equimolar amounts, whereby differences in avidity, specificity and sensitivity of the antibodies may be compensated as the case may be, by adapting the amounts or the final concentration in the sample solution. The first vessel, the control vessel, further comprises a defined amount of control analyte, embedded in a layer of trehalose, in addition to the hapten-coupled antibodies.
[0014] For carrying out the test, the sample to be analysed is firstly dispersed and taken up into a lysis or elution buffer. If required, a further treatment or work-up of the sample or a partial purification of the analyte follows. Then, equal amounts of a sample solution are introduced into the first and second vessels, the control vessel and the test vessel, the two vessels are briefly shaken, such that the trehalose layers with the antibodies or with the control analyte are dissolved. After the predetermined incubation time with the antibodies, the two test strips are placed in the sample solution and the bands read after termination of the thin layer chromatography.
[0015] Alternatively, the hapten-coupled or digoxigenated and biotinylated antibodies against the analyte may be added to both sample solutions. This is less preferred, however, since the addition of two solutions to two reaction vessels is problematic in view of the elimination of the human factor. Serial testing with a high number of samples next to each other then requires extremely high concentration, and it happens all to easily that a reaction vessel is missed out, that a different reaction vessel obtains two additions, that a third vessel gets double amount of one reagent, but not the other one, and so on.
[0016] In the inventive test kit with the safety test vessels, such errors are ruled out, because in order to obtain a correct result, it only matters that the vessels receive an aqueous solution with the sample to be analysed. It will be easily seen whether or not a liquid was introduced into a vessel, and a lack of liquid in a sample vessel would be indicated by the chromatography without further work.
[0017] Until now, it was unknown to intelligently arrange the positioning and chromatography vessels for a lateral-flow immunoanalysis. So far, the hapten-labelled antibodies for the detection complex were always added to the vessel with the sample in liquid form. The logic of a follow-up analysis using thin layer chromatography is that the detection of the analyte, the detection complex, and the positioning vessel for the thin layer chromatography mentally already form part of the analysis. Furthermore, there was always a danger of solubility and stability problems in the case of dried, hapten-coupled anti-analyte antibodies, and a danger that the detection complex may not be formed. The drying of the hapten-coupled antibodies into the positioning vessel and their combination with a control vessel with a defined amount of control analyte are therefore an elegant solution to the problems.
[0018] During the thin layer chromatography, the labelled antibodies against the first hapten (for example, the gold-labelled monoclonal mouse-anti-digoxigenin-antibodies) from the impregnated labelling zone first bind to a detection complex, and then the gold-labelled detection complex is concentrated onto the test strip in the direction of the chromatographic separation in the detection zone by the receptor, which is immobilised there (for example streptavidin, which binds the biotin in the detection complex) in a typically gold-red colour band. The coloured band may then be read. In one band in the control zone, polyclonal anti-mouse-Fcg-antibodies are applied, for example goat-IgG-antibodies against the constant region of the mouse-IgG-antibody, which bind the gold-labelled anti-digoxigenin antibodies of the mobile phase. The formation of a coloured band in the control zone confirms that a separation was achieved on the test strip and that a liquid mobile phase was present in the positioning vessel. However, the band in the control zone only confirms that the chromatographic separation was in principle suitable for detecting a hapten-labelled sandwich complex. Only the control in the control vessel and on the control strip exposes systematic errors in the sample work-up and the formation of the detection complex. At the same time, errors in the carrying out are ruled out by the test kit, because the test in all its detection steps is designed such that all the steps are carried out in a visibly logical manner. In other words, despite the complexity of the test, all the steps appear logical, even to the untrained user, and they are physically visible, which enhances the trust in the test.
[0019] Also, the assessment of the experiment is clearer. The simultaneous assessment of a sample and a control strip does not allow for any gaps in the assessment, as opposed to the single-strip tests of the state of the art. The test kit with the sample vessels and the control vessels and the two test strips reveals every error in the formation of the detection complex and the sample work-up. Table 2 shows the assessment table of the claimed test kit.
[0000]
TABLE 2
Labelling
Detection
Test strip
zone
band
Control band
Assessment/comment
Test vessel
+/−
—
—
Wrong handling, no liquid sample,
Control vessel
+/−
—
—
negative reaction
Test vessel
—
X X X
X X X
Analyte in sample positive
Control vessel
—
X X X
X X X
Complexing and detection reactions
positive
Test vessel
+/−
XX
X X X
Analyte in sample positive
Control vessel
+/−
X X X
X X X
Complexing and detection reactions
positive
Test vessel
+/−
X
X X X
Analyte in sample weakly positive
Control vessel
+/−
X X X
X X X
Complexing and detection reactions
positive
Test vessel
+/−
—
X X X
Analyte in sample negative
Control vessel
+/−
X X X
X X X
Complexing and detection reactions
positive
Test vessel
+/−
—
XX
Error in sample work-up or presence of an
Control vessel
+/−
—
X X
inhibitor, since complexing and detection
reactions are negative
Test vessel
+/−
X
—
Error in sample work-up or detection
Control vessel
+/−
X
—
reaction, detection reaction negative
Legend:
XXX intensive colouring;
XX strong colouring;
X weak colouring;
— no colouring;
+/− no or unspecific colouring.
[0020] Hence, according to the invention, immunochromatography on the test strips and sample work-up are functionally and visually coupled in a test and a control vessel. While the inclusion of internal controls is known in analytical chemistry, it is new to couple the internal control with a vessel, which according to the user instructions and design is to be used as mechanical positioning device for a chromatographic test strip. Since the sample vessels or positioning devices of the especially preferred embodiments further comprise the essential detection reagents, including the internal control, errors through confusion and missing out of the addition of detection reagents are ruled out. Also, the sample vessels and control vessels may be arranged as vessel pairs, or the standard test strips may include colour codes or mechanical codes, such that they may only be used together with a specific (sample or control) vessel.
[0021] The drying of reporter molecule-conjugated antibodies, binding proteins or aptamers in stable form as a vitrified layer onto the wall of sample vessels is known in the art. While there are many possibilities to affix vitrified layers onto the wall of sample vessels (see for example U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,893 by Franks et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,669,963 by Kamping a et al.) or to render biomolecules more stable in glass-like sugar masses (see for example Rachamachandran et al. in 1 st Transdisciplinary Conference on Distributed Diagnosis and Home Healthcare, IEEE Piscataway, N.J., USA, 2006; U.S. Pat. No. 5,593,824 by Treml et al.), such processes in combination with thin layer chromatography of immune complexes are unknown.
[0022] The known amount of analyte or the required amounts of reporter molecule-conjugated receptors (antibodies, antibody fragments, binding proteins, RNA, DNA, aptamers) may be dried as a bead in a glass-like layer onto the interior wall of the sample vessel or control vessel from an aqueous solution, to which between 20 and 200 mMol/L trehalose had been added. The drying of the analyte or the receptor amount in a trehalose solution may be carried out at elevated temperature, preferably at a temperature between room temperature and 45° C., and if necessary at slightly reduced pressure, in order to accelerate the drying and vitrification. According to the state of the art, various sugars and macromolecules are also added, in order to suitably adapt the glass transition temperature (see Aksan et al. Isothermal Desiccation and Vitrification Kinetics of Trehalose - Dextran Solutions in Langmuir 2004, 5521-5529), or in order to obtain porous, easily soluble, glass-like reagent pearls (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,593,824 by Treml et al.)
[0023] The known processes are not suitable for all analytes, in particular not for temperature-sensitive binding molecules and antibodies. Furthermore, they often lead to layers which only dissolve slowly, or in which the desired biomolecules are present in modified form. According to the invention, solutions of the analyte and/or reporter molecule-conjugated receptors, comprising 20 to 600 mM trehalose, preferably 20 to 250 mM trehalose, are separately applied to the interior wall of the sample and the control vessel as droplets, then shock-frozen at −40° C., preferably at −70 to −100° C., such that the trehalose does not crystallise from the solution, and then the droplets are dried by warming to room temperature, wherein the moisture comprised in the droplets is sublimed. Thus, layers or beads of a glass-like, but porous structure are obtained on the interior wall, which firmly adhere to the interior wall of the vessel, and which do not separate or migrate from the wall during transport or shaking of the vessels while transporting and storing them. During the drying process, trehalose displaces the water molecules in the bridging hydrogen bonds with the biomolecules, and renders them stable on the vessel wall for long periods. The shock-freezing of the solution causes the formation of a glass-like trehalose layer, which firmly adheres to the vessel wall, without further procedural steps. The following sublimation of the moisture from the solid, vitrificated layer ensures that it is porous and that, when water or aqueous sample solution is added, it can immediately dissolve.
[0024] If the concentration of trehalose in the starting solution is set to a higher value, it may no longer crystallise out and the trehalose-drying also works without the freezing step. A simple drying of the trehalose-containing reagent solution at ambient pressure and 37° C. then gives best results regarding long-time stability and re-solubility of the antibody solutions. The optimum drying time is then about 4 hours. Longer drying times have shown to be detrimental.
[0025] Even though not preferred, the antibody solutions may also be dried in multiply concentrated salt and buffer solutions. Normally, antibodies also remain stable and avid after drying from a five-fold PBS-solution, at pH 7.4 (1×PBS=8 g NaCl; 0.2 g KCl; 1.44 g Na 2 HPO 4 ; 0.24 g KH 2 PO 4 in 1000 mL aqua dest; pH 7.4 with HCl). However, it must be ensured that no migration of the dry substance occurs, and that no insoluble phosphate complexes are formed.
[0026] A further variation is to render the reaction of the formation of the detection complex seemingly visible, for example by a parallel, independent colouring reaction of two side components. The two components of the accompanying colouring reaction are preferably dried onto the wall of the reaction and the positioning vessel, separately from the hapten-coupled antibodies. During dissolution of the hapten-coupled antibodies for the detection complex in the sample solution, the components for the accompanying colouring reaction are also dissolved and they may react together. The components of the accompanying colouring reaction are preferably chosen such that the resulting dye is not chromatographically active. If, for example, the chromatographic separation layer contains starch or amylose, the components for the accompanying colouring reaction may be iodine-pyrrolidone complex and amylose, which form a typically deep blue inclusion compound. Two-component dyes or developer dyes may also be used as accompanying components. In many cases, the inclusion of colour-intensive dyes into the trehalose layer will suffice, preferably dyes that have completely different migration behaviour in the chromatographic separation, such as perylene dyes.
[0027] By providing ready-to-use test vessels with all reagents and with or without a known amount of control analyte according to the invention, it is further possible to carry out a blind and a positive control, even after carrying out the test and obtaining a first result. This allows the comparing of unclear coloured bands from the experiment with the bands of the blind or the positive control, and allows the safe follow-up interpretation of the first result. Of course, the blind and positive control may be carried out from the start, which considerably facilitates the carrying out of serial tests. The positive and the negative blind tests are also important for the determination of detection limits. These also determine a defined amount of a control analyte on the wall of the control vessel.
[0028] Since the significance of consumer protection increases throughout Europe and the world, it is no longer sufficient to test foodstuffs for the presence or absence of one compound, rather the analysis always has to be carried out in a reference system. Also, legal requirements for quality control in the production and use of foodstuffs have consistently risen over the last years, and food producers and traders have to integrate extended quality surveillance procedures into their operational processes. This comprises both analytical testing and the implementation of hygiene and quality management systems.
[0029] The inventive test kit offers quick and simple assistance for many problems relevant for analysis and hygiene in the areas of foodstuffs, animal fodders, food additives, and organic products, since analytical limits are assertable for the user through the pre-set internal control and the detection limit, such that an assessment of foodstuffs and their marketability within the legal framework may be carried out with test strip systems. The test kit system according to the invention is therefore adaptable to marketability testing, chemical and microbiological testing, checking of legal declaration duties (whole milk, whole egg, hazelnut, almond, combination of hazelnut and almond, peanut, pistachio, cherry, chickpeas, beans, macadamia, walnut, cashew nut, mustard, celery, soybean, fish in general and specific species, crustaceans and molluscs, grains and cereals), production and routine testing, clearance analytics, microbiological testing for spoilage causing agents, pathogenic or product-specific microorganisms ( salmonella, helicobacter, norovirus, clostridium and so on), biomolecular testing (allergens, animal species, antibiotics, CNS and BSE through genetic probes and PCR techniques), mycotoxin analytics (detection of aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, DON, patulin, zearalenone).
[0030] Further uses are direct stool diagnostics (for example for salmonella, clostridium difficile A/B toxins, norovirus, helicobacter pylori, clostridium , coeliac disease, and so on) or urine analytics (for example legionella sertyp A-soluble protein and others). Apart from the definite determination and the presence of an internal control, one clear advantage of the inventive test kit system is its long shelf life. In particular, there is no danger of the reagents drying out. Furthermore, the test kit system offers the assurance that the reagents are always present in the correct amounts and the correct ratio during sample testing. During drop-wise addition of reagents, there was always the danger of overlooking, mis-counting, swapping or spillage of reagents.
[0031] The invention and its embodiments will now be described with the help of examples and with reference to the attached figures.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0032] FIG. 1 shows a photograph of three test strips, wherein test strip A tested a sample with an amount of control analyte from the wall of the positioning and sample vessel, test strip B tested the same sample without control analyte and test strip C is a negative sample (without analyte);
[0033] FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of the detection principle;
[0034] FIG. 3 a shows a photograph of two test strips with positive and negative blind samples, wherein the positive blind sample (test strip on the right) represents the lower limit (required-detection limit), and the negative blind sample (test strip on the left) does not contain any analyte;
[0035] FIG. 3 b shows a photograph of four test strips with a comparative pair of negative blind sample and negative sample (pair of test strips on the left) and a comparative pair of positive sample and impregnated positive sample (pair of test strips on the right).
[0036] FIG. 4 shows a photograph of two test strips representing the result of determination of the presence of pathogens in analytical samples using PCR, with a negative sample result (strip on the left) and a control strip (strip on the right).
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0037] The development of the reliable and quick test according to the invention in principally comprises the following steps: (i) immunisation of animals against the analyte and purification of the antibodies; (ii) coupling or conjugating of the purified antibodies with suitable reporter molecules such as biotin and digoxigenin; (iii) testing of the produced antibodies on standard test strips, for example biotin-digoxigenin test strips, and with various samples; and (iv) determination of the detection limit.
[0038] In principle, the establishment of a test strip system suffices, since the same reporter molecules (for example biotin and digoxigenin) may be used for the detection of various biomolecules. Therein lies the appeal of the hapten-antihapten system, or of a test strip system based on reporter molecules. Test strips for the detection of sandwich complexes with the haptens biotin and digoxigenin are commercially available. Similarly, packages are available for the biotinylation and digoxigenation of proteins, in particular of antibodies, or also of nucleotides and sugars. Both haptens, biotin and digoxigenin, are also used in the detection of DNA and RNA. In principle, the test according to the present invention may not only be used for the detection of a doubly hapten-labelled sandwich complex, but also for the detection of doubly hapten-labelled PCR products. In this case, the two primers for the PCR-reaction are each labelled with a hapten, for example one with biotin and one with digoxigenin, such that the PCR product carries both haptens. The nucleic acid-complex with the two haptens may then be detected within seconds using thin layer chromatography. In this case, the analyte is DNA or RNA. The reaction with the reporter molecule-coupled receptors corresponds to a DNA-PCR, during which hapten-labelled primers are incorporated into the PCR product.
[0039] Commercially available antibodies may of course also be employed against the many different analytes. However, in all cases a definition of the detection limits and the sensitivities, or of the coupling of the antibodies with the reporter molecules remains.
[0040] Further advantages and features of the invention may be derived from the following examples.
EXAMPLES
Example 9
Test Kit for the Determination of Whole Egg in Foodstuffs
[0041] EU-directives 2003/89/EC and 2005/26/EC require food producers to indicate on their products all ingredients, which may cause food allergies or intolerance, independently of their proportion in the food. So called main allergens are named in particular, including gluten-containing grains (wheat, rye, barley, oat, spelt, kamut and hybrids thereof), crustaceans, eggs and egg products, fish, peanuts, soybean, milk, various types of nuts (almond ( amygdalus communis I.), common hazelnut ( corylus avellana ), walnut ( juglans regia ), cashew nut ( anacardium occidentale ), pecan nut ( carya illinoiesis (Wangenh.) K. Koch), Brazil nut ( bertholletia excelsa ), pistachio ( pistacia vera ), macadamia nut and Queensland nut ( macadamia ternifolia ), celery, mustard, sesame seeds and their products, as well as sulphur dioxide. Furthermore, all ingredients have to be disclosed which represent more than 2% of the foodstuff. The choice of the ingredients to be labelled corresponds to the most commonly occurring food allergies and intolerances in Europe. Food allergens generally have to be indicated without any limit in their amount, even if present as traces.
[0042] As a representative example, a reliable and quick test for the detection of whole egg (eggs and egg products) in foodstuffs was developed. The development included the steps (i) immunisation of animals, obtaining of a specific antiserum and purification of the IgG fraction of the antiserum using affinity chromatography on a protein-G column; (ii) coupling and labelling of purified antibodies against the analyte with biotin and digoxigenin; (iii) testing of the obtained antibodies on prepared standard biotin-digoxigenin test strip quick tests with different samples; (iv) adaptation and calibration of the internal standard, the amount of analyte on the wall of the sample vessel, to the required detection limit of the test strip.
[0043] i) Production of the Antiserum. Industrial whole egg (100 mg in 1 mL aqua dest) was emulsified with 1 mL Freund's adjuvant, and used to immunise sheep three times in six-week intervals. Six weeks after the last immunisation, raw serum was collected, fatty constituents removed by delipidisation using Aerosil (1.5%), and the immunoglobulins precipitated using ammonium sulphate (2M). The dissolved precipitate was dialysed against 15 mM KPO 4 , 50 mM NaCl at pH 7.0, and followed by purification of the IgG fraction on a Nab-column (column and method by Pierce, Rockford, Ill. 61105, USA; Kat. Nr. 1940.1, “gravity-flow purification protocol”). The so-called Nab-columns carry immobilised bacterial proteins A, G, A/G and L, which bind mammalian immunoglobulins with high specificity. Finally, empirical testing showed which column was suitable for which type of antibody. In particular, the antibodies were diluted in binding buffer (0.1 M phosphate, 0.15 M NaCl, pH 7.2-protein-G-IgG-binding buffer, Pierce Kat. Nr. 21011), an affinity chromatography column (Nab Protein G Spin Column, Pierce Kat. Nr. 89957) was conditioned with binding buffer, the antiserum was diluted in binding buffer and applied to the column, then the column was washed with binding buffer and neutralised, and the IgG fraction was eluted with elution buffer (0.1 M glycine, pH 2-3: Gentle Ag/Ab elution buffer, Kat. Nr. 21027) and fractionated. The fraction with the highest IgG-content was photometrically determined at 280 nm, the affinity purified antibodies dialysed against PBS and subsequently the solution was set to a protein concentration of 1 mg/mL.
[0044] (ii) Coupling of the purified antibodies against whole egg with haptens digoxigenin and biotin. One portion of the purified polyclonal anti-whole egg-antibodies was labelled with digoxigenin and the second portion with biotin. Digoxigenation was carried out using a digoxigenin-labelling kit of Roche Diagnostik GmbH, Mannheim (DIG-Protein Labelling Kit Kat Nr. 11 367 200 001). In particular, digoxigenin-3-0-succinyl-ε-aminocapronic acid N-hydroxysuccinimide ester (DIG-NHS) was dissolved in 50 μL DMSO and added to the antibody solution (1 mL) in a molar ratio of 5:1 (1 antibody molecule per 5 molecules DIG-NHS). The reaction was stopped by addition of L-lysine, and the antibodies were separated by fractionation on a Sephadex-G-25 and dialysis of excess labelling reagent.
[0045] Biotinylation was carried out using a biotin labelling kit of Roche Diagnostik GmbH, Mannheim (Biotin Protein Labelling Kit Kat Nr. 11 418 165 001). In particular, D-biotinyl-ε-aminocapronic acid N-hydroxysuccinimide ester (biotin-7-NHS) was dissolved in DMSO and added to the antibody solution (1 mL) in a molar ratio of 5:1 (1 antibody molecule per 5 molecules biotin-7-NHS; 2 hours at room temperature). The reaction was stopped by addition of L-lysine, and the antibodies were separated by fractionation on a Sephadex-G-25, followed by a dialysis of excess labelling reagent. The digoxigenated and biotinylated antibodies were then set to 1 mg/mL PBS, 0.2% sodium azide and frozen.
[0046] (iii) Thin-layer test strips for immune chromatography. Anti-biotin/anti-digoxigenin quick test strips of Roche Diagnostik GmbH, Mannheim were used. On the test strip, the digoxigenin-hapten is dyed with gold-labelled anti-digoxigenin antibodies in the impregnated zone of the quick-test strip. The dyed sandwich complex may then be detected in the immuno-thin layer chromatography through its binding to streptavidin, as described above (see FIG. 2 ).
[0047] (iii) Testing of the biotinylated and digoxigenated anti-whole egg-antibodies on standard biotin-digoxigenin quick test strips. Different crushed food samples (each 0.5 g), with and without whole egg, were each homogenised in 40 mL PBS for 10 minutes at 60° C., extracted and the solid components removed by centrifugation. For each one, 400 μL supernatant was transferred into a reaction vessel and 2.5 μL each of biotinylated and digoxigenated anti-whole egg-antibody added to each. The sample was mixed and left standing for 10 minutes for the formation of the sandwich complex. Afterwards, quick test strips were positioned into the solution and the result read off after 4 minutes. The sensitivity was below 1 mg whole egg per kg sample (1 ppm) and was therefore clearly more sensitive than conventional ELISA. Main allergens in foodstuffs also have to be declared in the European Union from 1 ppm (see FIG. 1 ).
[0048] (iv) Adaptation and calibration of the internal standards to the required detection limit (1 mg whole egg/kg). Different food compositions from different matrices (nut-nougat cream, dough and baked goods, breadings, flour and potato dumplings, ready sauces, cream foods, vegetable ready-meals, zwieback, pasta dishes, ice cream, ginger bread, chocolate, sweet and sugar wares (candy), ready sauces, deep-freeze meatballs) were tested with regards to the declared and the actually present amount of whole egg. Whole egg standards were produced, corresponding to a content of 1 mg whole egg per kg sample, and adapted to each sample extraction as suggested. In the control vessel, about 10 to 100 ng whole egg (corresponding to 1 to 10 mg per kg foodstuff) was diluted in 5 μL PBS, 45 μL aqueous trehalose 100 mMol/L was added, the solutions mixed and shock-frozen at −60° C., and finally dried onto the base wall of the control vessel as a glass-like layer under warming at 40° C.
[0049] Then, in both the sample vessels and the control vessels, 2.5 μL biotinylated or digoxigenated antibodies, mixed with 22.5 μL trehalose 100 mmol/L, were dried upon the walls in a further glass layer through shock freezing at −60° C. and warming to 40° C. Since the differently labelled antibodies may form insoluble complexes together, they were dried separately onto the side wall and the lower surface of the lid of the reaction vessel. In order to render the antibody reaction visible, a trace amount of water-soluble polyvinylpyrrolidone-iodine complex was dried onto the lower surface of the lid next to the antibody solution, and a trehalose/amylose mixture onto the side wall of the vessel.
[0050] (v) Immunochromatography. 400 μL whole egg-sample extract was then added into the prepared sample and control vessels, which were closed and inverted several times, in order to dissolve the two antibodies from the walls, including the internal standard. The parallel formation of the characteristic blue colour of the iodine amylose inclusion compound as the vessels were inverted indicated that the reaction vessel with the sample had been inverted, that both antibodies had dissolved and that the sandwich complex for the subsequent detection in the thin layer chromatography was able to form. After a reaction time of 10 minutes, or after full development of the blue colour, the reaction vessels were opened and one test strip was positioned in each of the sample and control vessel in parallel. Since the stationary separation material of the quick test strip comprises starch, as well as diatomite, the blue iodine-amylose inclusion compound did not take part in the thin layer chromatography and could not disrupt the result. The presence of the detection complex could be determined according to Table 2.
Example 2
Test Kit for the Detection of Chickpea
[0051] Hazelnut pastes are traded globally on a large scale and are used in a wide variety of foodstuffs. Hazelnut paste and other oil seed products such as almond pulp and pistachio pulp are often blended and adulterated with chickpea pulp, since chickpeas are much cheaper than the oil seeds. A simple quick test would be of great interest to importers and food producers, in order to protect themselves from blending and adulteration. A sensitivity of at least 0.1% (0.1 g chickpea in 100 g oil seed product) was targeted.
[0052] i) Production of the antiserum. Fine chickpea flour (100 mg in 1 mL aqua dest) was emulsified with 1 mL Freund's adjuvant and used to immunise sheep three times in six-week intervals. Six weeks after the last immunisation, raw serum was collected and the antibodies isolated as in Example 1 and purified by chromatography on a column. The fraction with the highest IgG-content was determined photometrically, the affinity purified antibodies were dialysed against PBS and the solution set to a protein concentration of 1 mg/mL.
[0053] (ii) Coupling of the antibodies against chickpea with digoxigenin and biotin. One portion of the purified anti-chickpea antibodies was labelled with digoxigenin and one portion with biotin. Digoxigenation and biotinylation were carried out as shown in Example 1, with the digoxigenin and biotin labelling kits of Roche Diagnostik GmbH, Mannheim (DIG-Protein Labeling Kit Kat Nr. 11 367 200 001; Biotin Protein Labeling Kit Kat Nr. 11 418 165 001). The digoxigenated and biotinylated antibodies were then set to 1 mg/mL PBS, 0.2% sodium azide and frozen.
[0054] (iii) Thin layer-test strips for the immunochromatography. Anti-biotin/anti-digoxigenin quick test strips of Roche Diagnostik GmbH, Mannheim were used.
[0055] (iii) Testing of the biotinylated and diqoxiqenated anti-chickpea-antibodies on standard biotin-digoxigenin quick test strips. Different hazelnut pastes (each 0.5 g), with and without chickpeas, were each homogenised in 40 mL PBS each for 10 minutes at 60° C., extracted, and the solid components removed by centrifugation. For each, 400 μL supernatant was transferred into a reaction vessel and 5 μL each of biotinylated and digoxigenated anti-chickpea-antibody added. The sample was left for 10 minutes for the formation of the sandwich complex. Afterwards, quick test strips were put into the solution and the result read off after 4 minutes. The sensitivity was below 0.1 g chickpea per 100 g sample (0.1%).
[0056] (iv) Calibration of the internal standards to the required detection limit (0.1 g chickpea/100 g). Different hazelnut pastes were tested and chickpea standards were produced, which corresponded to 0.1 g chickpea per 100 g sample, and adapted to the suggested sample extraction. In the control vessel, about 1 μg chickpea absolute (corresponding to 0.1 g chickpea per 100 g hazelnut paste) was diluted in 5 μL PBS, 45 μL aqueous trehalose 100 mMol/L was added, the solutions mixed and shock-frozen at −60° C., and finally dried onto the base wall of the control vessel as a glass-like layer under warming at 40° C.
[0057] Then, in both the sample vessels and the control vessels, 5 μL each of biotinylated or digoxigenated antibodies, mixed with 22.5 μL trehalose 100 mmol/L, were dried onto the side walls and into the lid in a further glass layer through shock freezing at −60° C. and warming to 40° C. In order to also render visible the formation of the detection complex, a trace amount of water soluble polyvinylpyrrolidone-iodine complex was dried onto the lower surface of the lid, and a trehalose/amylose mixture onto the side wall of the vessel.
[0058] (v) Immunochromatography. 400 μL hazelnut paste extract was added to both the prepared sample and control vessels, which were closed and inverted several times, in order to dissolve the two antibodies and the standard from the walls. During inversion of the vessels, a blue iodine-amylose inclusion compound was simultaneously formed. After a reaction time of 10 minutes, the reaction vessels were opened and one test strip was positioned in each of the sample and control vessel with the standard, and after 4 minutes, the test strips were read according to Table 2.
Example 3
Determination of Clostridium difficile A-Toxin in Stool Samples
[0059] Clostridium infections are a great danger. Quick diagnosis requires direct detection in stool.
[0060] Therefore, a strip test for the detection of clostridium difficile A toxin in stool was developed. The development comprised the steps (i) purification of a commercial antiserum (antibody-online, polyclonal goat, 1 mg, ABIN113066) using affinity chromatography on a protein-G column; (ii) coupling of the antibodies with biotin or digoxigenin; (iii) testing of the labelled antibodies using standard biotin-digoxigenin quick test strips with different stool samples; (iv) adapting of the standard on the wall to the required detection sensitivity of the strip tests.
[0061] (i) Purification of the antiserum. The commercial antiserum was purified on a Nab-column (column and method by Pierce, Rockford, Ill. 61105, USA; Kat. Nr. 1940.1, “gravity-flow purification protocol”), and the IgG-fraction was isolated as in the previous Examples. The affinity-purified antibodies were dialysed against PBS and set to 1 mg/mL.
[0062] (ii) Coupling of the C. difficile A toxin-antibodies to digoxigenin and biotin. One portion of the purified anti- C. difficile A toxin-antibodies was coupled to digoxigenin and one portion to biotin. Digoxigenation and biotinylation were carried out as in Examples 1 and 2.
[0063] (iii) Thin layer-test strips for the immunochromatography. Anti-biotin/anti-digoxigenin quick test strips of Roche Diagnostik GmbH, Mannheim were used.
[0064] (iii) Testing of the biotinylated and digoxigenated anti- C. difficile A toxin-antibodies on standard biotin-digoxigenin quick test strips. Stool samples (each 0.2 g), with and without C. difficile A-Toxin, were dispersed in 40 mL PBS each for 10 minutes at 60° C., extracted, and then all solid constituents were removed by centrifugation. For each, 400 μL supernatant was transferred into a reaction vessel and 5 μL each of biotinylated and digoxigenated anti- C. difficile A toxin-antibody added to each. The sample was left for 10 minutes for the formation of the detection complex. Afterwards, quick test strips were put into the solution and the result read off after 4 minutes.
[0065] (iv) Adaptation and calibration of the standard to the required detection limit (1 to 5 μg C. difficile A-toxin/g stool). Different stool samples were tested and C. difficile toxin-A standards were produced. In adaptation to the suggested sample extraction, this required sensitivity corresponded to an amount of 4 to 20 ng C. difficile A-toxin absolute in the control vessel. This amount (4 to 20 ng C. difficile A-toxin) was diluted in 5 μL PBS, 45 μL aqueous trehalose 100 mMol/L was added, the solutions mixed and shock-frozen at −60° C., and finally dried onto the base wall of the control vessel as a glass-like layer under warming at 40° C.
[0066] Then, in both the sample vessels and the control vessels, 5 μL biotinylated or digoxigenated antibodies, mixed with 22.5 μL trehalose 100 mmol/L, were dried upon the walls and the lid in a further glass layer through shock freezing at −60° C. and warming to 40° C. as further glass layers.
[0067] (v) Immunochromatography. 400 μL stool extract were added to the prepared sample and control vessels, and the antibodies on the wall and in the lid (with and without standard) were dissolved therein, such that the detection complex for the detection in thin layer chromatography could form. After a reaction time of 10 minutes, test strips were positioned in the sample and the control vessel. The presence of the detection complex was read according to Table 2.
[0068] (vi) Follow-up determination and positive and negative blind sample: Because of the parallel reaction of the sample in the control vessel, a reference band was available, which could be directly compared to the band on the test strip. Therefore an interpretation of the result was always possible. Further, in cases of doubt, a comparison with the bands on a positive and negative blind test could be carried out. The positive and negative blind tests with 1×PBS instead of stool extract may be carried out after a certain time period, as a result of the standardisation of the sample vessels and the chromatographic test strips, which is a considerable advantage (see FIGS. 3 a and 3 b ). FIG. 3 a shows the comparison of a positive and a negative blind test, wherein the positive blind test (strip on the right) comprises analyte according to the required detection limit (4 ng C. difficile -toxin). FIG. 3 b shows comparisons of a negative stool sample and a negative blind test (comparison pair on the left) and a positive sample with an impregnated positive sample (comparison pair on the right). In the impregnated positive sample, no further band, apart from the control band and the detection band, was displayed, which represents an identification of the detection band. Through those comparisons or follow-up determinations, chromatographic ghost or shadow bands may easily be recognised, and they allow a quantitative assessment of the results.
[0069] Hence, there were always comparative bands available, namely (i) from a negative blind test (without analyte in PBS). The negative blind test ensures that the substance is not detected when it is not present. In the negative blind test, only the reagents of the detection process are submitted to the test, without adding them to the substance to be analysed. In this case, the reaction has to be negative. If the reaction happens anyway, the reagents are contaminated and unusable for this determination, or there is a systematic process error. (ii) from a positive blind test (analyte in PBS). The positive blind test ensures that the sought substance is detected if present. The double blind test, i.e. the combination of the positive and the negative blind test, ensures the reliability of the used process. (iii) from a real sample for comparison; and (iv) from a so-called impregnated real-test, in which the detection reaction must occur. If the detection reaction does not occur, the test is unreliable, because either the reagents are aged or because the mixture to be analysed (extract of stool sample) comprises components that inhibit the detection reaction. Since stool samples may be highly different, such a danger must always be considered, in particular for stool samples.
[0070] The combination of chromatographic test strips for hapten-antihapten complexes with adapted testing vessels, which comprise reagents as positive and negative blind tests for the formation of the hapten-antihapten complex in an amount determined by the required detection limit allows the provision of a test set, which is directly suitable for the detection of ingredients and germs in foodstuffs and fodders according to the legal requirements. Such a test kit also allows the testing of highly heterogeneous samples of varying consistency, and in particular of stool samples in diagnostics.
Example 4
Test Kit for the Biomolecular Determination of Salmonella in Foodstuffs, Fodders, Veterinary Samples and Other Products Using Probe-Hybridisation and Endpoint Determination on a Quick-Test Strip
[0071] Salmonella contaminations in foodstuffs occur globally and are the most common cause of diarrhea. Conventionally, determination of the presence or absence of salmonella is carried out by pre-enrichment and selective breeding on specific plates and normally takes 3 to 5 days. There is a high need for faster and more reliable test methods.
[0072] A reliable quick-test for the biomolecular determination of salmonella in foodstuffs using probe-hybridisation was developed. The development comprised the steps (i) identification of the primers and the probe; marking of a primer with biotin and of the probe with digoxigenin; (ii) testing of the PCR-product with standard biotin-digoxigenin quick strip tests with DNA standards and various samples; (iii) adaptation and drying of the labelled and unlabelled primer, of the labelled probe and two-fold concentrated amplification buffer (MasterMix); (iv) adaptation and drying of the labelled and unlabelled primer, the labelled probe, of salmonella reference-DNA and two-fold concentrated amplification buffer onto the vessel wall of a 0.2 mL PCR-reaction vessel for the control reaction.
[0073] (i) Identification of the primers and probe: The invA gene with the following primers and probe was selected for the determination of salmonella :
[0000]
Sal287 (primer):
5′-gTgAAATTATCgCCACgTTCgggcAA (26-mer),
Sal571_Biotin (primer):
5′-BIO-TCATCgCACCgTCAAAggAACC (22-mer),
Sal invA DIG (probe):
5′-DIG-CTCTggATggTATgCCCggTA (21-mer).
[0074] (ii) Testing of the PCR-product with standard biotin-digoxigenin quick-test strips with DNA-standards and various samples, and adaptation and drying of the labelled oligonucleotides onto the vessel wall: Anti-biotin/anti-digoxigenin quick test strips of Roche Diagnostik GmbH, Mannheim were used. On these quick-test strips, the digoxigenin-PCR-amplificate with gold-labelled anti-digoxigenin-antibodies was applied to the impregnated application zone of the quick strip test. The dyed PCR-product could then be detected in the TLC by its binding to streptavidin. The following method was used:
[0075] a) Enrichment of the Food Samples
[0076] 25 g sample (e.g. chicken or other foodstuffs, fodder, etc.) was pre-enriched in 225 mL buffered peptone water (e.g. Oxoid) and incubated for 18 to 22 h at 37° C. Selective enrichment in Rappaport-Vassiliadis Soya Peptone Broth (RVS; CM0866, Oxoid Limited, Basingstoke, UK) was carried out using 0.1 mL of the pre-enriched sample in 10 mL RVS-solution over 4 to 6 hours at 42° C.
[0077] Thermal lysis (release of the salmonella DNA): 1 mL of the enrichment product was transferred into a 2 mL reaction vessel and centrifuged for 5 minutes at 14000 rpm. The supernatant was removed and the pellet that had formed was introduced into 200 μL 0.1×EDTA-buffer, vortexed and lysated for 10 minutes at 95° C. After cooling for 1 to 2 minutes at 4° C., the sample was again centrifuged and the supernatant was again dissolved 1:10 in 0.1×EDTA-buffer solution.
[0078] b) PCR and Hybridisation
[0000] 284 bp
[0000]
cycler profile:
95° C.
10 min
95° C.
15 sec
30 cycles
67° C.
60 sec
95° C.
1 min
30° C.
1 min
Hybridisation Step
[0079]
[0000]
1×
amplification buffer 2 × (e.g. Taq)
12.5
μL
Sal287
10 μM
0.5
μL
200 nM
Sal571_Biotin
10 μM
0.5
μL
200 nM
Sal invA DIG k
10 μM
0.5
μL
200 nM
water
6
μL
total
20
μL
sample/standard DNA
5
μL
total in PCR-tube:
25
μL
[0080] After PCR, the PCR-tubes were opened and 150 μL phosphate buffered saline (PBS)-buffer (with 0.1% Tween-20) was directly pipetted in and mixed with the amplificate. A quick-test strip was dipped into the mixture and after 5 seconds, a further 150 μL PBS-buffer (with 0.1% Tween-20) was added. The result could be read after 1 to 2 minutes.
[0081] (iii) Adaptation and drying of the labelled and unlabelled primer, the labelled probe and two-fold concentrated amplification buffer: Next, 0.5 μL biotinylated forward primer, 0.5 μL reverse primer and 0.5 μL digoxigenin-labelled probe (each time dissolved in 10 μL trehalose 20 mmol/L) was dried as a glass-layer onto the side wall of a 0.2 mL PCR-reaction vessel at 40° C. over 4 hours. In principle, the two-fold amplification buffer (Taq PCR MasterMix, QIAGEN, Hilden, DE, Cat. Nr. 201443) could also be dried at this stage. This would best be done by freeze-drying, during which the mixture is first frozen to −20° C. and subsequently gently warmed to 10° C. under vacuum.
[0082] (iv) Adaptation and drying of the labelled and unlabelled primer, the labelled probe, a salmonella reference-DNA and two-fold concentrated amplification buffer for the control reaction: Next, 0.5 μL biotinylated forward primer, 0.5 μL reverse primer, 0.5 μL digoxigenin-labelled probe and 5 pg salmonella reference-DNA (each time dissolved in 10 μL trehalose 20 mmol/L) was dried as a glass-layer onto the side wall of a 0.2 mL PCR-reaction (control) vessel at 40° C. over 4 hours. In principle, the two-fold amplification buffer could also be dried at this stage. This would best be done by freeze-drying, during which the mixture is first frozen to −20° C. and subsequently gently warmed to 10° C. under vacuum.
[0083] 12.5 μL lysated sample or extracted DNA and 12.5 μL two-fold amplification buffer (or, if the amplification buffer has already been dried onto the vessel wall, 25 μL lysated sample) were introduced into the PCR-reaction vessel, and PCR and detection on the quick-test strip were carried out as described above. The detection limit was one salmonellum in 25 g sample. FIG. 4 shows a typical result of the reaction. The strip on the left represents a negative sample after reaction, and the strip on the right represents a positively doped sample (with 1 salmonellum per 25 g sample) after reaction, or a control reaction with salmonella reference-DNA pre-dried in the reaction vessel.
Example 5
Test Kit for the Biomolecular Determination of Campylobacter coli, lari and jejuni ( Campylobacter from Now Onwards) in Foodstuffs, Fodders, Veterinary Samples and Other Products Using Probe-Hybridisation and Endpoint Determination on a Quick-Test Strip
[0084] Campylobacter contaminations in foodstuffs occur globally and are one of the most common causes of diarrhea. Conventionally, determination of the presence or absence of campylobacter is carried out by pre-enrichment and selective breeding in specific dishes and normally takes 3 to 5 days.
[0085] A reliable quick-test for the biomolecular determination of campylobacter in foodstuffs using probe-hybridisation was developed. The development comprised the steps of Example 4, with campylobacter reference-DNA used in step (iv).
[0086] (i) Identification of the primers and probe: A 16S-rRNA gene with the following primers and probe was selected for the determination of campylobacter :
[0000]
Cam 18-1 (primer):
5′-TTCCTTAggTACCgTCAgAA (20-mer),
OT 1559-Bio (primer):
5′-BIO-CTgCTTAACACAAgTTgAgT (20-mer),
Cam16S-DIG1 DIG (probe):
5′-DIG-TATAgTCTCATCCTACACC (19-mer).
[0087] (ii) Testing of the PCR-product with standard biotin-digoxigenin quick-test strips with DNA-standards and various samples, and adaptation and drying of the labelled oligonucleotides onto the vessel wall: Anti-biotin/anti-digoxigenin quick test strips of Roche Diagnostik GmbH, Mannheim were used. On these quick-test strips, the digoxigenin-PCR-amplificate with gold-labelled anti-digoxigenin-antibodies was applied to the impregnated application zone of the quick strip test. The dyed PCR-product could then be detected in the TLC by its binding to streptavidin. The following method was used:
[0088] a) Enrichment of the Food Samples
[0089] A campylobacter -selective enrichment solution was produced according to supplier's instructions with Nutrient Broth No. 2 (Catalogue Nr. CM0067), Campylobacter Growth Supplement (Liquid; SR0084), PRESTON Campylobacter Selective Supplement (SR0117) and Lysed Horse Blood (SR0048; Oxoid Limited, Basingstoke, UK).
[0090] 25 g (mL) of a food sample was weighed into a sterile Stomacher-bag, diluted 1:10 (w/v) with Campylobacter Selective enrichment solution SR0117 “Preston” (Oxoid Limited, Basingstoke, UK) and incubated for 24 h at 42° C. under microaerophilic conditions.
[0091] For the DNA-isolation, 1 mL of the incubate was taken and worked-up using a QIAGEN Lambda purification kit (QIAGEN GmbH, Hilden, DE; .Catalogue Nr. 12523).
[0092] b) PCR and Hybridisation
[0000] 287 bp
[0000]
cycler profile:
95° C.
10 min
95° C.
15 sec
55° C.
30 sec
45 cycles
72° C.
30 sec
95° C.
1 min
30° C.
1 min
Hybridisation Step
[0093]
[0000]
1×
amplification buffer 2 × (e.g. Taq)
12.5
μL
Cam 18-1
10 μM
0.5
μL
200 nM
OT1559-Bio
10 μM
0.5
μL
200 nM
Cam16S-DIG1
10 μM
0.5
μL
200 nM
water
6
μL
total
20
μL
sample/standard DNA
5
μL
total in PCR-tube:
25
μL
[0094] After PCR, the PCR-tubes were opened and 150 μL PBS-buffer (with 0.1% Tween-20) was directly pipetted in and mixed with the amplificate. A quick-test strip was dipped into the mixture and after 5 seconds, a further 150 μL PBS-buffer (with 0.1% Tween-20) was added. The result could be read after 1 to 2 minutes.
[0095] (iii) Adaptation and drying of the labelled and unlabelled primer, the labelled probe and two-fold concentrated amplification buffer: Next, 0.5 μL biotinylated forward primer, 0.5 μL reverse primer and 0.5 μL digoxigenin-labelled probe (each time dissolved in 10 μL trehalose 20 mmol/L) was dried as a glass-layer onto the side wall of a 0.2 mL PCR-reaction vessel at 40° C. over 4 hours. In principle, the two-fold amplification buffer may also be dried at this stage. This is best done by freeze-drying, in which the mixture is first frozen to −20° C. and subsequently gently warmed to 10° C. under vacuum.
[0096] (iv) Adaptation and drying of the labelled and unlabelled primer, the labelled probe, a campylobacter reference-DNA and two-fold concentrated amplification buffer for the control reaction: Next, 0.5 μL biotinylated forward primer, 0.5 μL reverse primer, 0.5 μL digoxigenin-labelled probe and 5 pg campylobacter reference-DNA (each time dissolved in 10 μL trehalose 20 mmol/L) was dried as a glass-layer onto the side wall of a 0.2 mL PCR-reaction (control) vessel at 40° C. over 4 hours. In principle, the two-fold amplification buffer could also be dried at this stage. This would best be done by freeze-drying, during which the mixture is first frozen to −20° C. and subsequently gently warmed to 10° C. under vacuum.
[0097] Sample analysis was carried out as in Example 4. The detection limit was one campylobacter in 25 g sample. FIG. 4 shows a typical result of the reaction.
Example 6
Test Kit for the Biomolecular Determination of Enterobacter sakazakii in Milk-Based Baby Food Using Probe-Hybridisation and Endpoint Determination on a Quick-Test Strip
[0098] E. sakazakii was first described in 1989 as the cause of rare but serious neonatal meningitis, sepsis, or necrotic conditions of the enterocolitis. The highest risk group for E. sakazakii -infections are newborn babies and infants, in particular premature infants. Mortality of infants with meningitis is extremely high at 50 to 75%. In many cases, dry-milk baby food was described as the source of the pathogen.
[0099] A reliable quick-test for the biomolecular determination of E. sakazakii in baby food using probe-hybridisation was developed. The development comprised the steps of Example 4, with enterobacter reference-DNA used in step (iv).
[0100] (i) Identification of the primers and probe: The transition of the rpsU into the dnaG gene with the following primers and probe was selected for the determination of enterobacter sakazakii :
[0000]
Esak-F1 (primer):
5′-gggATATTgTCCCCTgAAACAg (22-mer),
Esak-R1 Bio (primer):
5′-BIO-CgAgAATAAgCCgCgCATT (19-mer),
Esak-S1 DIG (probe):
5′-DIG-gTAgTTgTAgAggCCgTg (18-mer).
[0101] (ii) Testing of the PCR-product with standard biotin-digoxigenin quick-test strips with DNA-standards and various samples, and adaptation and drying of the labelled oligonucleotides onto the vessel wall: Anti-biotin/anti-digoxigenin quick test strips of Roche Diagnostik GmbH, Mannheim were used. On these quick-test strips, the digoxigenin-PCR-amplificate with gold-labelled anti-digoxigenin-antibodies was applied onto the impregnated application zone of the quick strip test. The dyed PCR-product could then be detected in the TLC by its binding onto streptavidin. The following method was used:
[0102] a) Enrichment of the Food Samples
[0103] A food sample was weighed into a sterile Stomacher-bag, diluted 1:10 (w/v) with sterile deionised water (preheated to 45° C.) and incubated overnight at 37° C. (for example 25 g sample+225 mL water). 10 mL of this pre-incubate were then added to 90 mL enterobacteriaceae incubating solution and incubated for 24 h at 37° C.
[0104] For the DNA-isolation, 1 mL of the incubate was taken and worked-up using a QIAGEN Lambda purification kit (QIAGEN GmbH, Hilden, DE; .Catalogue Nr. 12523).
[0105] b) PCR and Hybridisation
[0000] 78 bp
[0000]
cycler profile:
95° C.
10 min
95° C.
15 sec
45 cycles
67° C.
60 sec
95° C.
1 min
30° C.
1 min
Hybridisation Step
[0106]
[0000]
1×
amplification buffer 2 × (e.g. Taq)
12.5
μL
Esak-F1
10 μM
0.75
μL
300 nM
Esak-R1 Bio
10 μM
0.75
μL
300 nM
Esak-S1 DIG
10 μM
0.5
μL
200 nM
water
5.5
μL
total
20
μL
sample/standard DNA
5
μL
total in PCR-tube:
25
μL
[0107] After PCR, the PCR-tubes were opened and 150 μL PBS-buffer (with 0.1% Tween-20) was directly pipetted in and mixed with the amplificate. A quick-test strip was dipped into the mixture and after 5 seconds, a further 150 μL PBS-buffer (with 0.1% Tween-20) was added. The result could be read after 1 to 2 minutes.
[0108] (iii) Adaptation and drying of the labelled and unlabelled primer, the labelled probe and two-fold concentrated amplification buffer: Next, 0.5 μL biotinylated forward primer, 0.5 μL reverse primer and 0.5 μL digoxigenin-labelled probe (each time dissolved in 10 μL trehalose 20 mmol/L) was dried as a glass-layer onto the side wall of a 0.2 mL PCR-reaction vessel at 40° C. over 4 hours. In principle, the two-fold amplification buffer could also be dried at this stage. This would best be done by freeze-drying, during which the mixture is first frozen to −20° C. and subsequently gently warmed to 10° C. under vacuum.
[0109] (iv) Adaptation and drying of the labelled and unlabelled primer, the labelled probe, an enterobacter reference-DNA and two-fold concentrate amplification buffer for the control reaction: Next, 0.5 μL biotinylated forward primer, 0.5 μL reverse primer, 0.5 μL digoxigenin-labelled probe and 5 pg enterobacter reference-DNA (each time dissolved in 10 μL trehalose 20 mmol/L) was dried as a glass-layer onto the side wall of a 0.2 mL PCR-reaction (control) vessel at 40° C. over 4 hours. In principle, the two-fold amplification buffer could also be dried at this stage. This would best be done by freeze-drying, during which the mixture is first frozen to −20° C. and subsequently gently warmed to 10° C. under vacuum.
[0110] Sample analysis was carried out as in Example 4. The detection limit was one enterobacter in 25 g sample. FIG. 4 shows a typical result of the reaction.
Example 7
Test Kit for the Biomolecular Determination of Helicobacter pylori in Stool Samples Using Probe-Hybridisation and Endpoint Determination on a Quick-Test Strip
[0111] Helicobacter pylori , which lives in the human gastric mucosa, is responsible for a number of gastro-duodenal illnesses, i.e. disorders of the gastro-intestinal tract. Disease patterns comprise chronic-atrophic gastritis and malignant conditions, such as stomach cancer or the MALT lymphoma. Direct determination in stool is often chosen for diagnosis.
[0112] A reliable quick-test for the biomolecular determination of helicobacter pylori using probe-hybridisation was developed. The development comprised the steps of Example 4, with helicobacter pylori reference-DNA used in step (iv).
[0113] (i) Identification of the primers and probe: Urease C gene with the following primers and probe was selected for the determination of helicobacter pylori :
[0000]
HPure-R (primer):
5′-gAAATggAAgTgTgAgCCgAT (21-mer),
HPureS_Biotin (primer):
5′-BIO-gACATCACTATCAACgAAgCAA (23-mer),
HPure-TM-DIG (probe):
5′-DIG-ggTCTgTCgCCAACATTT (18-mer).
[0114] (ii) Testing of the PCR-product with standard biotin-digoxigenin quick-test strips with DNA-standards and various samples, and adaptation and drying of the labelled oligonucleotides onto the vessel wall: Anti-biotin/anti-digoxigenin quick test strips of Roche Diagnostik GmbH, Mannheim were used. On these quick-test strips, the digoxigenin-PCR-amplificate with gold-labelled anti-digoxigenin-antibodies was applied to the impregnated application zone of the quick strip test. The dyed PCR-product could then be detected in the TLC by its binding onto streptavidin. The following method was used:
[0115] a) Extraction from Stool Samples
[0116] For DNA-extraction from a stool sample, the supplier instructions of a QIAGEN QIAamp DNA Stool Kit were followed (QIAGEN GmbH, Hilden, DE; .Catalogue Nr. 51504).
[0117] b) PCR and Hybridisation
[0000] 92 bp
[0000]
cycler profile:
95° C.
10 min
95° C.
15 sec
45 cycles
62° C.
60 sec
95° C.
1 min
30° C.
1 min
Hybridisation Step
[0118]
[0000]
1×
amplification buffer 2 × (e.g. Taq)
12.5
μL
HPure-R
10 μM
0.25
μL
100 nM
HPure-S-Biotin
10 μM
0.25
μL
100 nM
HPure-TM-DIG
10 μM
0.25
μL
100 nM
water
6.75
μL
total
20
μL
sample/standard DNA
5
μL
total in PCR-tube:
25
μL
[0119] After PCR, the PCR-tubes were opened and 150 μL PBS-buffer (with 0.1% Tween-20) was directly pipetted in and mixed with the amplificate. The quick-test strip was dipped into the mixture and after 5 seconds, a further 150 μL PBS-buffer (with 0.1% Tween-20) was added. The result could be read after 1 to 2 minutes.
[0120] (iii) Adaptation and drying of the labelled and unlabelled primer, the labelled probe and two-fold concentrated amplification buffer: Next, 0.5 μL biotinylated forward primer, 0.5 μL reverse primer and 0.5 μL digoxigenin-labelled probe (each time dissolved in 10 μL trehalose 20 mmol/L) was dried as a glass-layer onto the side wall of a 0.2 mL PCR-reaction vessel at 40° C. over 4 hours. In principle, the two-fold amplification buffer could also be dried at this stage. This would best be done by freeze-drying, during which the mixture is first frozen to −20° C. and subsequently gently warmed to 10° C. under vacuum.
[0121] (iv) Adaptation and drying of the labelled and unlabelled primer, the labelled probe, a helicobacter reference-DNA and two-fold concentrated amplification buffer for the control reaction: Next, 0.5 μL biotinylated forward primer, 0.5 μL reverse primer, 0.5 μL digoxigenin-labelled probe and 5 pg helicobacter reference-DNA (each time dissolved in 10 μL trehalose 20 mmol/L) was dried as a glass-layer onto the side wall of a 0.2 mL PCR-reaction vessel at 40° C. over 4 hours. In principle, the two-fold amplification buffer could also be dried at this stage. This would best be done by freeze-drying, during which the mixture is first frozen to −20° C. and subsequently gently warmed to 10° C. under vacuum.
[0122] Sample analysis was carried out as in Example 4. The detection limit was one helicobacter in 25 g sample. FIG. 4 shows a typical result of the reaction. | Test kit for the detection of an analyte in an aqueous solution, including chromatographic test strips for a hapten-antihapten complex and first and second standardized vessels for receiving and positioning test strips, which include first and second hapten-coupled receptors against the analyte dried onto the interior wall for the formation of the hapten-antihapten complex, where a portion of the standardized vessels further include a known amount of analyte embedded in a glass-like layer of trehalose, which are dried onto the interior wall of the control vessel so that they dissolve during reaction of the sample with the hapten-coupled receptors. Through this standardization, analytes in unknown samples may be safely detected by immunochromatography within minutes through a hapten-antihapten complex. | 1 |
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a method of adding streamlining elements to a cable or other long thin member to reduce drag forces when it is immersed in moving air, water or other fluid. The long member may be a cable, rope, pipe, wire, hose or similar shape. The drag forces act to stress the cable material and its supports and to impede flow of fluid and movement of the cable. A reduction by a factor of four or more in the forces due to drag can be achieved by streamlining the same size cable. Streamlining improves reliability and saves cost and repairs by reducing the drag forces.
For applications underseas (such as for cables or moorings subject to current) and for applications in high winds (such as for cross-country power lines) the cables presently must be designed to include major consideration of drag forces (often called water or wind resistance forces).
The streamlining elements of the present invention are added contiguously to the cable along its length, and they pivot independently and are self-aligning to orientations that present less drag than the naked cable. The elements themselves improve the smoothness of flow of fluid past the space occupied by the cable by eliminating the stagnation points ahead of and behind the cable which are responsible for drag.
The streamlining elements of this invention may also provide lift under some circumstances which will reduce further the stresses on the cable and supports.
These streamlining elements can be fabricated inexpensively by extrusion in long pieces which are chopped to size and finished on the ends.
BACKGROUND
1. Field of the Invention
When a cable, rope, hose or other long, thin member is suspended in air or another fluid like water, and there is a component of relative movement between the side of the cable and the fluid, there is a drag force due to the dynamic pressure created when the otherwise undisturbed streamlines of flow in the fluid are diverted to circumvent the cable. The suspended member, such as a cable which has a round cross-section, has stagnation points of flow both in front of and behind the cable, and is not ideally suited to allowing the fluid to flow by with minimum drag. The force due to an upstream stagnation point is not balanced by a force at the downstream stagnation point, and so drag occurs. The unbalanced drag force is proportional to fluid density and the square of the relative velocity for modest velocities.
Such a cable typically is held in tension in the fluid. Reducing the drag decreases the tension force on the cable and the stress in the supporting structure, so that both the cable and supports can be made lighter in weight, more reliable and less costly.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An Information Disclosure Statement accompanies this application.
Streamlining in fluid flow has been applied to long, thin members such as the struts on hydrofoils and older aircraft and to the guy wires used between the wings of biplanes, always by shaping the member itself to minimize the drag profile presented to the flow. The flow always came from the same direction, and so the streamlining did not need to, nor could it adapt to a changing flow direction.
Wiener (U.S. Pat. No. 2,859,836, 1958) discloses adding tear-drop shaped pieces to cables but strictly for the purpose of suppressing vibrations. The present invention avoids the vibration problem by using short pieces having a streamlined shape which are independently rotatable to prevent vibration modes.
Wiener does not claim a drag-reduction property, which is the main feature on this invention. Further, Wiener's pieces must be threaded onto the cable from the end before the cable is installed, whereas the present streamlining elements can be applied to a cable in place. Each of Weiner's pieces could rotate on the cable, though the pieces were clearly separated at isolated points along the cable. In the present invention contiguous independently rotatable elements surround the cable over the whole immersed length.
Wiener claims a blunt forward end which, when a mass is added, serves his invention by moving the center of gravity forward of the center of rotation to control vibration, whereas in the present invention these positions are reversed. In addition, the present invention specifically includes a pointed upstream end which acts functionally in a very different manner.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a plan view of the invention apparatus showing the series of streamlining elements assembled onto a cable immersed in flowing fluid.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the area between adjacent streamlining elements which shows how they rotate independently while accommodating cable curvature.
FIG. 3 presents a section view along line 3--3 of FIG. 2 of one streamlining element showing its shape, the cable location, the gap for installation onto the cable and some forces acting upon the element.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The present invention comprises one or more streamlining elements added onto a long thin round member which is immersed in moving air, water or another fluid, as a means to minimize drag forces. The long member may be a cable, rope, pole, pipe, rod, bar, wire, marine line, halyard, tube, hose or similar shape, hereafter referred to as "cable".
In FIG. 1, a plan view the invention, a drag-reducing combination 4 of streamlining elements 5 is installed on a cable or other long thin member 6 in a fluid whose direction of flow 7 relative to the cable is from top to bottom of the drawing. The independently rotatable elements 5 are shown adjacent to each other with ends abutting and surrounding the cable 6 continuously over the length immersed in the fluid flow. A longitudinal round hole 8 passes through nearly the center of each streamlining element for passage of the cable and as a center of rotation. The relative length 9 of each element compared to its width depends on the amount of curvature and/or flexing of the cable to be accommodated without the elements binding in their rotation on the cable. Different element lengths may be used at different points along the cable, depending on the local severity of curvature.
FIG. 2 is an enlargement of a portion of FIG. 1, specifically of the bearing area between the independently rotatable elements 5. Where the cable enters and/or leaves each streamlining element the element rubs together with its neighboring element, and so flat, smooth bearing surfaces 10 are provided in order that relative rotation is facilitated between elements.
In FIG. 2 beveling 11 can be seen at the ends of each streamlining element, where the beveling 11 allows independent rotation of the elements in spite of some misalignment of the longitudinal axes of two adjacent elements as may occur due to cable flexing or when the cable is in tension and is curved due to gravity or to the fluid's drag force. The severity of the beveling is chosen to be sufficient to accommodate the maximum severity of curvature expected, so as to prevent interference between the edges of adjacent independently rotatable elements.
In FIG. 3 an enlarged cross-section view of a streamlining element 5 is shown including its shape, how it relates to the cable 6 and the flow 7, and showing its upstream 12 and downstream 13 pointed (or sharply rounded) ends.
The shape 5 in FIG. 3 is generally symmetrical about a line passing through the two end points. The longitudinal round hole 8 passing through the element 5 is centered on the same line in this view. The hole's diameter is selected for the cable to be used, to permit free rotation even as the cable flexes. The center 14 of the cable 6 is the center of rotation for the streamlining element. The centerline 12-13 of the streamlining element will rotate automatically to align itself with the direction of fluid flow 7, and for either direction of flow the longer tail 13 always points downstream. This relationship occurs because the center of dynamic pressure 15 is deliberately placed downstream of the center of rotation 14; the further back the more stable. The position of the center of dynamic pressure is controlled for this purpose by making the distance from the upstream point 12 to the center of rotation 14 shorter than the distance from the center of rotation to the downstream pointed end 13.
In each streamlining element 5 a gap 16 is located in the side wall to allow passage sideways of the cable 6 from the outside into the hole 8, and vice versa, as a means to allow mounting the element onto a cable in place with its ends fastened. The size of this gap 16 is chosen large enough to allow forcing the cable into it from the side, but small enough not to allow the element to slip off the cable unintentionally. Naturally the streamlining element's relatively thin wall opposite the gap 16 must provide sufficient strength to hold the streamline shape with adequate rigidity.
FIG. 3 shows the orientation of the streamlining element 5 with respect to a horizontal fluid flow 7 indicating an angle of attack 17 which occurs in the presence of gravity when the element is heavier than the weight of the fluid it displaces. With fluid flow this angle 17 causes a pitching moment and a lift force 18, here directed generally upward acting through the center of dynamic pressure 15. The angle of attack 17 occurs with horizontal flow 7 because the weight 19 of the element acting through its center of gravity 20, which is deliberately downstream from the center of dynamic pressure 15, pulls the downstream end 13 of the element downward.
There is a net positive lift on the cable due to the streamlining element when the distance between points marked 14 and 20 is greater than the distance 14-15 minus the "distance" D. D is a non-real equivalent of distance which is calculated as the ratio of the moment available for restoring alignment by means of fluid flow divided by the lift force 18, where moment divided by force has the units of distance. This relationship was developed by summing the three principal moments about the center of rotation 14, and the relationship is derived in the Appendix. Small angles less than about 20 degrees are assumed. The positive lift occurs whether or not the element's material is more or less dense than the fluid, and the lift is stable.
When there is no flow the element's centerline is stable hanging in a vertical direction. The tail is down if the element is more dense than the fluid, or tail is up if less dense (buoyant). As horizontal flow begins the center line of the streamlining element pivots about the center of rotation 14 toward a horizontal direction. The moment due to flow alone is never quite sufficient to remove totally an angle of attack between the centerline and the horizontal, because this moment is proportional to the unbalance between the lift moment and the gravity moment. This residual angle represents a condition of equilibrium between the torque due to gravity and the torques due to lift and to flow tending to align the centerline with the flow.
The lift force is proportional to the angle of attack, the density of the fluid and the flow velocity squared for nominal flow. In this invention the lift force acts beneficially to counter the force of gravity on the cable, as a means to reduce further the tension force in the cable and the forces necessary to support the cable at its ends. The net amount of lift is controlled during design by choosing the lengths of the moment arms between the center of rotation 14 and (1) the center of gravity 20 and (2) the center of dynamic pressure 15, taking into account the D ratio determined by shape.
Manufacturing cost of the streamlining elements is important when they are used to cover cables of vast lengths, such as power transmission lines subject to high winds. The material might be all-weather plastic or aluminum. The elements can be fabricated in long strips by extrusion, and be cut and finished in appropriate length pieces. Finishing comprises beveling the streamlining elements' ends at angles which avoid interference between elements during independent rotation. Also, bearing areas are formed on the ends of each element in the vicinity of the hole as a means to bear longitudinal forces from adjacent elements and to permit the freedom of independent rotation. The flowing fluid provides lubrication for this bearing action, in the fashion of an air bearing.
APPENDIX
Derivation of Distance "D"
Referring to FIG. 3, identify the aero/hydrodynamic lift force ("L") 18 as the arrow upward from the center of lift at 15, and the force of gravity as the arrow 19 downward from the center of gravity 20. Each of these forces is per unit length of the streamlining element.
The three principal moments (also per unit length) acting about the center of rotation 14 are:
1. M 1 is a moment to restore alignment of the streamlining element with the fluid flow vector 7, because the tail 14-13 is longer than the length 13-14 which is ahead of the center of rotation. For small angles this moment is proportional to the angle of attack ("α") 17, so that using a positive proportionality constant k 1 ,
M.sub.1 =-k.sub.1 α (1)
where angle and moment are positive if clockwise.
2. M 2 is a moment due to aerodynamic or hydrodynamic lift force L acting with moment arm length ("l 2 ") 14-15, so that
M.sub.2 =-L*l.sub.2 (2)
3. M 3 is a moment due to weight force acting with a moment arm length ("l 3 ") 14-20. The weight force is actually the net resultant of weight per unit length of the streamlining element minus the buoyant force due to the fluid per unit length; call this net weight "ΔWt", then
M.sub.3 =ΔWt*l.sub.3 (3)
The sum of moments M 1 , M 2 and M 3 is zero for stable equilibrium, so that
M.sub.1 +M.sub.2 +M.sub.3 =-k.sub.1 α-Ll.sub.2 +ΔWtl.sub.3 =0 (4)
But the lift force L is itself proportional to angle of attack, α, so, using another proportionality constant "k 2 "
L=k.sub.2 α (5)
Combining terms from equations (4) and (5) ##EQU1##
Thus D equals the aligning moment, M 1 , divided by the lift force, L, which therefore is an equivalent of "distance" with the units of length.
Examining equation (7), in order to lift, L, to be greater than ΔWt (so that there is a net lift) ##EQU2## or, in FIG. 3,
Distance 14-20 must be>Distance 14-15-D. (13)
Since D is always positive, this condition for lift is normally met. | A series of streamlining elements surrounding a cable, pole, pipe or a similar long round member in a relatively moving fluid such as water or a high wind as an arrangement to reduce drag. Contiguous, independently rotatable elements are added easily to the cable to reduce drag forces by a factor of four or more and to provide some lift. | 5 |
CROSS-REFERENCES
The present application is a continuation-in-part application of my application Ser. No. 08/128,071 filed Sep. 28, 1993, entitled "Merry-Go-Round Agitation Fire Grate Module for Household and Industrial Waste Incinerator Furnaces," now abandoned. The present application is related to my application Ser. No. 08/373,959 filed Jan. 17, 1995, entitled "Fire Grate Having Fluctuational Profile In Circumferential Direction Thereof," now abandoned and to my another application Ser. No. 08/379,687 filed Jan. 26, 1995, entitled "Water-Cooled Air Supply Piping," now abandoned; Both of which are divisional applications of the parent application Ser. No. 08/128,071. This application is also related to application Ser. No. 08/162,465 filed Dec. 7, 1993, entitled "Apparatus for Complete Combustion by Use of Multi-Stage Multi-cycle Composite Air Water Pipings Inducing Complex Incineration/Combustion Node of Suction, Whirling Flow, Inversion, and Airborne Capturing," currently abandoned.
BACKGROUND
The present invention relates to a fire grate module having air supply function and optionally agent burning as well as agitational mechanism which can be installed underneath the cylindrical incineration chamber body of small and medium capacity incinerator furnaces of water jacket configuration.
Up to the present time, the fire grate used in the water jacket type small and medium size cylindrical refuse incinerator furnaces has been of basically plain circular plate type or square rectangular type one with circular holes or square lattice cavities thereon respectively to provide discharge passage to ash siftings of the dumped burning refuse in the upper incineration chamber and also to provide air passage therethrough from underneath to supply burning agent inclusive of air to the refuse dumps on the fire grate. The supply of air into the incineration chamber is not sufficient enough with this air supply design configuration even though there are air jet nozzles on the inner shell of the incineration chamber. Even with air supply devices in the square fire grate such as Korean pat. No. 18888, for example, air openings are prone to being plugged up as with coagulated plastic melt due to the vertical orientation of air jet openings. Further, that patent shows inconsistent ash shifting gap area with respect to time while agitator comb pulsates cyclically so that relatively big loaf of incompletely burnt combustibles can be discharged downward through the gap when the agitator comb is at its top and bottom dead centers.
On the other hand, there has been no central and/or radially arranged support devices for the fire grate of water-cooled cylindrical incinerator furnaces that is provided with reliable structural rigidity of the fire grate exposed to extreme heat of the incinerator furnace. Further negative aspects of the conventional circular-planform fire grate design comprise lack of air supply devices in the fire grate apparatus itself, lack of agitation function in the fire grate for preservation of agitational features for incineration of high water content gel type combustibles such as sludges as a means of providing more thorough air supply, and deterioration of structural integrity under elevated temperature condition as the diameter of the grate is increased. In this regard, provision of structural rigidity to the fire grate has been restricted to passive increase of the structural stiffness of the circular-planform fire grate in an endeavor to have greater incineration capacity as by increasing the diameter of the grate.
Due to the lack of rigorous agitation mechanism in the conventional fire grates, toxic gases as well as smokes are allowed to be generated resulting from inadequate supply of air during the process of incineration of waste materials stacked on the fire grate and insufficient refuse-air contact area compared with that of the present merry-go-round (hereinafter, "MGR") agitation fire grate with air supply.
Due to the above mentioned negative design features of the current fire grate configuration, scaling up of the diameter of the incineration chamber of the incinerator furnaces to take care of massive incineration of municipal and industrial refuses has been hindered such that the dimension of cylindrical incinerator furnaces of water jacket configuration is restricted to small size of the incineration chamber, say, 1 meter at best, which is mainly due to the deterioration of the structural rigidity at high furnace operating temperature. Additionally, accessability into the air piping or duct of the air supply devices of the conventional design has not been provided so that once accumulation of foreign stuffs blocking the air passage is made, then taking out of those unwelcome stuffs fed up in the air piping or duct is extremely hard to carry out and sometimes impossible for some design configurations. Under these circumstances, the advent of a fire grate provided with air supply function in the fire grate itself and selectively with positive agitational mechanism has been anticipated.
SUMMARY
The present invention is intended to overcome the above described disadvantages of the conventional fire grate of the cylindrical type small and medium size incinerator furnaces of water jacket configuration.
One version of the present invention is a modular fire grate apparatus with air supply and agitational mechanism, the apparatus comprising at least three air supply pipings, the cross section of which having two air passages and two water channels partly surrounding the two air pipings to prevent the air pipings from being heated up, an annular coolant water jacket divided into an upstream and downstream coolant water jackets by the air supply pipings and fan-shaped baffle plates, the upstream and downstream coolant water jackets being connected to each other through the two water channels of the air supply pipings, a first junction body being placed at the center of the apparatus and welded to each negative radial end of the air supply pipings circumferentially arranged in radial layout, an air plenum encircling the outer shell of the annular water jacket and for supplying pressurized air into the air piping of the air supply pipings, a moving grate having concentric fluctuational fin-shaped rib rings and an outermost ring provided with a fluctuational geared track thereon, idler shaft assemblies for supporting the moving grate, a drive shaft assembly for supporting the moving grate together with idler shaft assemblies and also for inducing a MGR agitational motion while maintaining the axis of the rotation of the moving grate when a drive shaft of the drive shaft assembly having a drive gear thereon is rotationally driven, rotational drive means secured to the drive shaft, and a stationary grate for supporting waste materials thereon, the stationary grate having concentric rings having fluctuational profile in the circumferential direction thereof, the stationary grate being mounted on the air supply pipings from above, whereby pressurized air is admitted underside and inside of the dumped refuse when the fin-shaped rib rings of the moving grate protrudes above the upper surface contour of the stationary grate while performing MGR motion through the gap between the two radially neighboring concentric rings of the stationary grate so that speedy incineration is achieved due to the increase of specific refuse-air contact area and that waste materials having high viscosity and water content may effectively be incinerated.
Another version of the present invention is an integral fire grate apparatus devoid of agitational features of the first version of the invention, the apparatus comprising at least three air supply pipings, a coolant water jacket divided into an integral upstream water jacket and the downstream water jacket, a second junction body placed at the center of the apparatus and welded to each negative radial end of the air supply pipings circumferentially arranged in radial layout and also to the bottom of the apparatus, the air plenum, and the stationary grate, whereby pressurized air is admitted underside of the dumped refuse on the stationary fire grate so that additional void space for pressurized air admission is provided due to the fluctuational profile of the upper surface of the stationary grate.
One of the distinctive features of the invented modular fire grate apparatus is about the cooling of the hollow idler shafts exposed to transverse load applied thereon on top of elevated furnace operating temperature. One version of the idler shaft cooling system comprises a cooling impeller for cooling of idler shafts supporting the moving grate, and cooling of the heated coolant lubricant in cooler tubings connecting each shaft housing by placing them in the cold water of the upstream coolant water jacket. Another version of the idler shaft cooling system is made by separating the cooling impeller plugged in the central axial cavity of the idler shaft into two pieces, an impeller for making radial flow of coolant lubricant with respect to the axis of rotation of the idler shaft in the hot chamber, and a trumpet-shaped divider plate which is essentially said cooling impeller devoid of blades thereon.
Another features of the invention comprises the provision of the control of pressurized air influx into and air piping cleaning opening on the air plenum, and the provision of agent-burning function to the water jacket type incinerator furnaces with burning-agent feed-in devices and cyclic feed-in method which can drive out burners in getting agent burning done for incinerator furnaces as for high water content sludges for which agent burning and agitation are required for successful incineration.
Accordingly, one purpose of this invention is to provide air supply function to the fire grate apparatus itself such that pressurized air is injected underneath the dumped refuse on the stationary grate of the fire grate module or integral apparatus.
Another purpose is to provide a MGR motion type agitation mechanism to the fire grate apparatus depending on the incinerator furnace design requirements so that ample amount of air is admitted into the incineration chamber and even inside the dumped refuse on the stationary grate of the fire grate module or apparatus.
Another objective is to have improved refuse fuel volume reduction ratio for the incinerator furnace with reduced clearance between the the spacing between the concentric rings of the stationary grate and the concentric rib rings of the moving grate of this invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other objects, features and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be appreciated more readily as the same become better understood from a reading of the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like parts in each of the several figures are identified by the same reference character selectively with lower case alphabetical characters suffixed thereto, and wherein:
FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a modular incinerator furnace wherein a four-cycle mode embodiment of the MGR agitational motion fire grate module of the present invention is installed;
FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a bird's eye view of an incinerator wherein a four-cycle mode embodiment of the MGR agitational fire grate module of this invention is assembled;
FIG. 4 shows perspective views of four-cycle mode preferred embodiments of a stationary grate, a skeletal MGR fire grate module, and a first moving grate according to the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a planform view of the first moving grate;
FIG. 6 is a longitudinal section of the first moving grate taken along the line 6--6 of FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is a top plan view of a four-cycle mode embodiment of the MGR agitation fire grate module pursuant to this invention;
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the four-cycle mode embodiment of the MGR motion fire grate module with the stationary and moving grates loaded on the module showing coolant water and pressurized air flows;
FIG. 9 is a circumferentially-developed schematic longitudinal sectional view showing four-cycle mode embodiments of the stationary grate, air supply pipings, and the first moving grate with first idler shafts having rolling contact groove thereon for simple supports and a drive shaft for rotational drive and support of the first moving grate;
FIG. 10 is a circumferentially-developed schematic longitudinal sectional view showing four-cycle mode embodiments of the stationary grate, air supply pipings, and the first moving grate with alternative embodiment of second idler shafts having an idler gear thereon for simple supports and a drive shaft for rotational drive and support of the first moving grate;
FIG. 11 is a circumferentially-developed schematic longitudinal sectional view disclosing another embodiment to the first moving grate and its second idler and drive shafts having an eccentric gear respectively thereon which can also create 4-cycle mode MGR agitational motion;
FIG. 12 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through plane 12--12 of FIG. 7;
FIG. 13 is a cross sectional view of the fire grate module showing layout of three idler shaft assemblies, a drive shaft assembly and four cooler tubings connecting them, and is taken through plane 13--13 of FIG. 12;
FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing a four-cycle mode preferred embodiment of the configuration of the air supply pipings, inner and outer shell portions of coolant water jacket, segmental air plenum, an air piping cleaning opening, a clean-up access blind flange, and a burning-agent spray nozzle assembly together with pressurized air and coolant water flow passages according to the present invention;
FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a burning-agent spray nozzle assembly with two burning-agent spray nozzles thereon;
FIG. 16 shows perspective view of an embodiment of the idler shaft having rolling contact groove thereon and of a cooling impeller being plugged into the central axial cavity of the idler shaft respectively according to this invention;
FIG. 17 discloses an alternative prefered embodiment of idler shaft assembly comprising the idler shaft housing, a fourth idler shaft having the idler gear thereon, an impeller, and a trumpet-shaped divider plate; and
FIG. 18 is a bird's eye view of an integral fire grate apparatus with air supply.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2 which is a top plan view and front elevational view of a modular incinerator furnace respectively which is constructed with a 4-cycle mode preferred embodiment of a modular fire grate apparatus with agitational mechanism performing MGR motion of the present invention and an embodiment of my application Ser. No. 08/162,465, filed Dec. 7, 1993, entitled "Apparatus for Complete Combustion by Use of Multi-Stage Multi-Cycle Composite Air Water Pipings Inducing Complex Incineration/Combustion Mode of Suction, Whirling Flow, Inversion, and Airborne Capturing," currently abandoned, pressurized air is generated by a fan blower 30, and supplied into an upper hoop air plenum, the front view thereof shown in FIG. 2, through a primary air supply piping 31, an upper air plenum 32, and two secondary air supply pipings 33a,33b. Some portion of the pressurized air in the air distribution hoop chamber is fed into the upper incineration chamber and the rest of the pressurized air in the upper hoop air plenum is driven through air intake pipings 1a,1b into an air plenum 2 wherein supplied air is admitted into the bottom and inside of the waste dump in the incineration chamber through a plurality of air openings 18a,18b (shown in FIGS. 4, 9, and 12) on air pipings 14a,14b of each of a plurality of air supply pipings. Here, a couple of air flow rate control valves 9a,9b play as air flow rate control regulators. On the other hand, cylindrical shell column on the right hand side is a cyclone separator unit enclosed in a water jacket together with an ancillary hot water storage/circulation reservoir and a chimney.
Referring to FIG. 3 which is a bird's eye view of an incinerator furnace wherein a four-cycle mode embodiment of the MGR agitational fire grate module of this invention is assembled, refuse material feed-in is made through a refuse feed door 46 and the primary ash and secondary dust sifting is made through an ash discharge door 46 and a dust discharge door 47 respectively. The flue gas exhaustion out of the incineration chamber is made through an exhaust duct 40 and is driven into the cyclone separator nested in the right hand side shell column. As for the coolant water circulation, the upper incineration chamber is enclosed by inner and outer water jacket shells with coolant water in between them so that the heated water is driven into a water jacket between the cyclone separator and outer cyclone separator shell through a coolant water circulation piping 41 by the pumping pressure of a coolant water circulation pump 42 connecting the water jacket of the right hand side cyclone separator unit and lower water jacket 6 (shown in FIG. 2) of ash discharge lower body. With this water jacket configuration, all units of the incinerators are water cooled so that the outer shell surface temperature can be kept as low as possible. As an additional teaching, the incineration waste heat transferred to the coolant water can be utilized by placing an heat exchanger in the flow circuit of coolant water circulation.
Referring to FIG. 4, perspective views of a four-cycle mode preferred embodiment of a stationary grate 19, a skeletal MGR fire grate module, and a first moving grate 20a show how the first moving grate 20a and the stationary grate 19 are assembled to make entire MGR motion agitation fire grate module. The first moving grate 20a is assembled from underneath the module and is supported by three idler shafts 21a,21b,21c and a first drive shaft 22. The stationary grate 19 is, however, just mounted on the four air supply pipings. Securing of the stationary grate 19 in place is done by placing the tipper incineration chamber body such that the upper plain-circular rim of the stationary grate 19 is to be mated and fitted in place by the lower flange of the upper incineration chamber body.
FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 is a planform view and longitudinal section of the first moving grate 20a taken along the line 6--6 of FIG. 5 respectively. The first moving grate 20a is supported by the three idler shafts 21a,21b,21c clearly shown in the longitudinal- and cross-sectional view of the module in FIG. 12 and 13 respectively, each idler shaft being supported by two bearings 24 (shown in FIGS. 12 and 17) enclosed in each of three idler shaft housings 10a,10b,10c, and by the first drive shaft 22 also supported by the two bearings 24 enclosed in a drive shaft housing 11, basically same housing as each of the three idler shaft housings 10a,10b,10c. The first drive shaft 22 in the drive shaft housing 11 is driven either by a lever type handle or by a drive motor 8 (shown in FIGS. 1-4,7 and 8) mounted on a bracket welded to the outer shell of the MGR agitation fire grate module. On the other hand, the upper surface of the outermost ring of the first moving grate 20a is of a sinusoidal profile in circumferential direction thereof and the lower surface of the outermost ring of the first moving grate 20a is gear-teethed on a sinusoidal profile so that when driven by the first drive shaft 22 with a drive gear 23 thereon, then MGR motion is made about the axis of rotation of the first moving grate 20a preserved by the support of the three idler shafts 21a,21b,21c and the first drive shaft 22. Additional feature of this embodiment of geared track machined on the lower surface of the outermost ring of the first moving grate 20a provides prevention of accumulation of waste materials in between the gear and the geared track of the first moving grate 20a.
Referring to FIG. 7, a top plan view of a four-cycle mode embodiment of the MGR agitation fire grate module in accordance with the invention is shown to reveal the planform views of the air plenum 2, upper ring-shaped flange having four exhaust coolant water outlet 34a,34b,34c,34d, and the stationary grate 19 in pair with the first moving grate 20a. As shown in this planform view, the inner diameter of the outermost ring of the first moving grate 20a is slightly greater than the outside diameter of the stationary grate 19, and downward ash sifting is made through the clearance made by pairing of each rib ring of the first moving grate 20a and the gap between the two radially neighboring concentric rings of the stationary grate 19.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the entire MGR motion fire grate module with the stationary grate 19, the first moving grate 20a, and all of the other elements of this invention loaded on the module with the first moving grate 20a at its top dead center of its MGR agitational motion. The figure also shows combustion air and coolant water in and out of the module and is denoted by "A" and "W" respectively. Detailed combustion air and coolant water flow inside the module is disclosed in FIG. 14.
FIG. 9 is a circumferentially-developed schematic longitudinal sectional view showing the structural connection between the four-cycle mode embodiment of the stationary grate 19, four air supply pipings, and the four-cycle mode embodiment of the first moving grate 20a with three idler shafts 21a,21b,21c having rolling contact groove thereon for simple supports and the first drive shaft 22 having a drive gear 23 thereon for rotational drive and support of the first moving grate 20a, and also showing how MGR agitational motion is made. Here, the abscissa and ordinate indicates angular and axial coordinate respectively and the view is taken from inside of the module towards outside. If driven by the twisting moment of the integral assembly of the first drive shaft 22 and the drive gear 23, then the first moving grate 20a is towed in theta direction together with fluctuations in z direction incurred by the rolling contact between the rolling contact groove of the idler shafts 21a,21b,21c and the rolling contact track on the outermost ring of the first moving grate 20a. If the drive gear 23 has the positive rotation vector in r direction (into the paper), then the first moving grate 20a has the negative rotation vector in z direction when the right hand screw law is adopted under the bevel gear meshing between the drive gear 23 and the geared track on the outermost ring of the first moving grate 20a. If sine curve is adopted for the geared track of the first moving grate 20a, and also for the upper surface of the stationary grate 19, then the upper surface of the concentric rib rings of the first moving grate 20a protrudes above the upper surface of the stationary grate 19 for an angular interval of 45 deg. from 22.5 deg. through 67.5 deg. in the first quarter of one revolution of the first moving grate 20a when the first moving grate 20a is at the top dead center of its MGR agitational motion. The angular interval of dynamic protrusion is, however, greater than just the magnitude of 45 deg. for each fluctuational cycle of MGR agitation. The idler shafts 21a,21b,21c make axis of rotation for the first moving grate 20a by rolling contact between the rolling contact groove of the idler shaft and the rolling contact track on the outermost ring of the first moving grate 20a together with the first drive shaft 22 having the drive gear enmeshed with the geared track on the outermost ring of the first moving grate 20a. The drive gear 23 and the first drive shaft 22 are fitted together to make an integral drive shaft as by serration or welding on the first drive shaft 22 to transmit the twisting moment applied thereon by rotational drive means. One important design requirement to be met is to keep the normal distance between the center of the idler shaft 21,21b,21c and the rolling contact track on the outermost ring of the first moving grate 20a the same as that between the center of the first drive shaft 22 and the pitch line of the geared track on the outermost ring of the first moving grate 20a at any angular position of the rotation of the first moving grate 20a in MGR motion. On the other hand, since each air jet vector of the air openings 18a,18b on the two air pipings 14a,14b of the air supply piping also clearly shown in FIGS. 4,10 and 14 makes certain angle with horizontal line (horizontal ones shown in FIG. 9) and is spaced radially such that the air jets hit the upper surface of the concentric rib rings of the first moving grate 20a so that they not only help burn the waste materials but also prevent waste materials from being stuck in between the lower surface of the air supply piping and the upper surface of the concentric rib rings of the first moving grate 20a when the grate is at its top dead centers of its merry-go-round agitational motion. Additionally, the upper surface profile of the stationary grate 19 is of a periodic profile, say sinusoidal profile as shown in FIGS. 4 and 10, extra air supply cavity is inherently provided compared with conventional plain circular plate type fire grate so that higher refuse-air contact area is provided for a specific fire grate planform area without having any agitational means.
FIG. 10 is a circumferentially-developed schematic longitudinal sectional view showing four-cycle mode embodiments of the stationary grate 10, air supply pipings, and the first moving grate 20a with alternative embodiment of second idler shafts 49a,49b,49c having an idler gear 44a,44b,44c thereon, the idler gear being essentially the same as the drive gear 23, for simple supports and the first drive shaft 22 having a drive gear 23 thereon for rotational drive and support of the first moving grate 20a.
Another alternative configuration of the support of the first moving grate 20a is made by employing the first idler shaft 21a,21b,21c and the second idler shaft 49a,49b,49c having the idler gear 44a,44b,44c thereon in a combinational fashion for simple support of the first moving grate 20a rather than having either the simple support of the first moving grate 20a using the first idler shaft 21a,21b,21c or that using the second idler shaft 49a,49b,49c having the idler gear 44a,44b,44c.
FIG. 11 is a circumferentially-developed schematic longitudinal sectional view showing alternative embodiment of the second moving grate 20b and three third idler shafts 37a,37b,37c and a second drive shaft 38 with four eccentric gears 39, three on the third idler shafts 37a,37b,37c and one on the second drive shaft 38 in synchronized orientation, thereby the MGR motion can be made. Here, one of the key design requirements to be satisfied is that the sum total of the number of gear teeth on the geared track on the outermost ring of the second moving grate 20b be the same as that of gear teeth on each of the eccentric gears 39a,39b,39c times the number of the eccentric gears 39a,39b,39c. One of the advantages of this embodiment of outermost ring of the second moving grate 20b over the preceding embodiment of the first moving grate 20a is that machining of the geared track on the outermost ring with no z fluctuation is easier than that with sinusoidal fluctuation in that direction while there are some cost-up factors arising from three more eccentric gears 39a,39b,39c together with some assembly complications.
FIG. 12 is a longitudinal sectional view of the MGR agitation fire grate module of FIG. 7 with the first moving grate 20a at the top dead center of its MGR motion and shows modular type fire grate apparatus of water jacket configuration. One of embodiments of the fire grate module in modulation of this fire grate module of this invention is to put exhaust coolant water outlets 34a,34b,34c,34d (shown in FIGS. 4, 7, and 8) and intake coolant water inlet 50a,50b,50c,50d (shown in FIG. 13) on the upper and lower ring-shaped flange of the module respectively. This longitudinal section of the modular fire grate apparatus discloses how annular water jacket is divided into an upsteam coolant water jacket 3a and a downstream coolant water jacket 3b and how the connection between the two coolant water jackets are made through the air supply pipings. Each of the air supply pipings comprises two air pipings 14a,14b with one end blocked and the other open, the two air pipings having a plurality of air openings 18a,18b thereon, a baffle strip 15 securing the two air pipings 14a,14b parallel to each other with the baffle strip 15 in between, and a water piping 13 having a closed cross section on one end and spaced-apart furcations on the other end, the integral body of the two air pipings 14a,14b and the baffle strip 15 being axially inserted, with the blocked ends of the air pipings 14a,14b ahead, into the open portion of the furcations and welded together such that the air supply piping has one water piping channel open on one end, a cross section having two water channels, lower water channel 16 and upper water channel 17, and two air passages in the middle, and two air pipings 14a,14b open on the other end, whereby coolant water in the upstream coolant water jacket 3a flows through the lower water channel 16 wherein coolant water flows in -r direction and the other upper water channel 17 wherein which coolant water flows in +r direction (cross section shown in FIGS. 9 and 10; perspective view in FIG. 14) thus coolant water is led from the upstream water jacket 3a to the downstream water jacket 3b through the lower water channel 16 and then the upper water channel 17 after hitting the junction body 12 and turning around. It is to be noted that there are four fan-shaped baffle plates 43 (also shown in FIGS. 9,10, and 14) at the same elevation of the baffle strip 15 which divide the upstream coolant water jacket 3a and the downstream coolant water jacket 3b. Referring temporarily to FIG. 2, the coolant water connection of the modular fire grate apparatus to the lower water jacket 6 of the ash discharge lower body and a upper water jacket 4 of the upper cylindrical incineration chamber body is made through four lower water channel brackets 7a,7b,7c,7d and four upper water channel brackets 5a,5b,5c,5d respectively with four pieces each of flat ring type washers for watertight seal in between a lower flange of the upper incineration chamber body and the upper ring-shaped flange of the module and between an upper flange of the ash discharge lower body and the lower ring-shaped flange of the module respectively in this embodiment of 4-cycle mode fire grate module. Also one each of ring type gasket is to be placed in each of the upper and lower flange coupling for hermetic seal as well as for watertightness. Meanwhile, a clean-up access blind flange 45 (shown in FIG. 14) at each junction of the axis of air supply piping and the air plenum 2 provides air piping cleaning capability and an air piping cleaning opening on the air plenum 2 can accept a burning-agent spray nozzle assembly (shown in FIGS. 1,4,7, and 14) comprising a burning-agent spray nozzle mounting bracket 36 and two burning-agent spray nozzles 35 for admission of burning agent into the incineration chamber through air openings 18a,18b on the air pipings 14a,14b of the air supply piping after replacing the clean-up access blind flange 45 with the burning-agent spray nozzle assembly on which two fuel spray nozzles 35 or one aggregate of two burning-agent spray nozzles are/is mounted such that the two nozzle tips align with the axis of each air piping 14a,14b of the air supply piping. The burning-agent supply rate into the incineration chamber may be controlled by the so-called percent ON time as well as by the variation of overall burning-agent flow rate. Burning-agent mists or droplets staying in the air plenum 2 caught on fire may be prevented as by cyclic fuel supply method such as the so-called percent ON time control for each burning-agent spray nozzle assembly. The burning as by burners adopted in conventional cincinerators can be eliminated with this burning-agent spray nozzle assembly and feed-in methods together with burning-agent pump.
The cross-sectional view of the lower portion of the MGR agitation fire grate module of which the top plan view and longitudinal sectional view shown in FIGS. 7 and 12 respectively is disclosed in FIG. 13. This figure reveals foru-cycle mode layout of the idler shaft housings 10a,10b,10c and the drive shaft housing 11 with each of the three first idler shafts 21a,21b,21c and an assembly of the drive gear 23 and the first drive shaft 22 fitted therein respectively, how the coolant lubricant is, after being heated up in each of the idler shaft housings 10a,10b,10c and the drive shaft housing 11, cyclically cooled down while passing through cooler tubings 28a,28b,28c,28d connecting the idler shaft housing 10a,10b,10c and the drive shaft housing 11 clockwise, and how they are interconnected in the upstream coolant water jacket 3a of this modular fire grate apparatus. Filtering for coolant lubricant can be made by placing a lubricant filter 29. Referring now back to a longitudinal sectional view in FIG. 12 showing the configuration of the idler shaft housing lob, the first idler shaft 21b, and a cooling impeller 25, together with a partially cut-away perspective view of the idler shaft 25a,25b,25c and a perspective view of the cooling impeller 25 shown in FIG. 16, the inside cavity of each of the idler shaft housing 10a,10b,10c is divided by the cooling impeller 25 into a cold chamber and a hot chamber, each having a lubricant intake port 26 to which cold end of the cooler tubing 28a,28b,28c is connected and a lubricant exhaust port 27 to which hot end of the cooler tubing 28a,28b,28c is connected respectively as with tube fitting so that cold coolant lubricant is fed by the pumping force of the cooling impeller 25 rotationally driven by the rotation of the first moving grate 20a into the cold chamber, driven along the the central capillary passage in the negative r direction of the cooling impeller 25, turned around and flown back in the positive r direction along the annular passage formed by fitting of the cooling impeller 25 into the central axial cavity of each of the idler shaft 21,49,37 while cooling the idler shafts, forwarded into the hot chamber, and then finally driven out through the lubricant exhaust port 27 to which hot end of each of the lubricant cooler tubings 28a,28b,28c,28d is connected as with tube fittings.
FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the air supply piping according to a four-cycle mode modular embodiment of the invention together with air and coolant water flow passages. The annular coolant water jacket of the fire grate module is divided into two coolant water jackets, the upstream coolant water jacket 3a and the downstream coolant water jacket 3b by four pieces of the baffle strip 15, the air pipings 14a,14b of the air supply pipings, and the four fan-shaped baffle plate 43 at the same elevation of the fan-shaped baffle plates. The temperature of the coolant water in the downstream coolant water jacket 3b is obvious to be higher than that in the upstream coolant water jacket 3a because the incineration waste heat is being transferred to the coolant water as the water flows through the lower channel 16 and the upper channel 17 due to the pressure difference between the upstream coolant water jacket 3a and the downstream coolant water jacket 3b caused by the pumping pressure of the coolant water circulation pump 42. On the other hand, the combustion air admission is made from the air plenum 2 into the incineration chamber above the stationary grate 19 through air openings 18a,18b on the pair pipings 14a,14b of the air supply pipings.
FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the burning-agent spray nozzle mounting bracket 36 with two burning-agent spray nozzles 35 mounted thereon. No conventional burners are used in this invention. Instead, the burning-agent spray nozzle assembly together with a burning agent pump having burning-agent distributing means replaces the conventional burner. The axis of each of the burning-agent spray nozzles 35 aligns with that of each of the two air pipings 14a,14b of the air supply piping so that when burning agent is sprayed through the burning-agent spray nozzle assembly, then the mixture of the combustion air and burning agent mists is supplied into the air pipings 14a,14b of the air supply piping and admitted into the incineration chamber through the air openings 18a,18b. The cyclic injection of burning agent into the interior of the air pipings 14a,14b of the air supply piping lessens the heat build-up of the air pipings 14a,14b of the air supply piping. In the four-cycle mode embodiment of the fire grate apparatus, 25 or less percent ON time injection is believed to be desirable. There are many parameters involved in this fuel feed-in method, say, burning-agent flow rate per assembly, percent ON time, multi-cyclic spray, etc. as the number of the MGR agitation cycle of the fire grate apparatus increases.
FIG. 16 shows perspective views of an embodiment of the first idler shaft 21a,21b,21c and of the cooling impeller 25 to be inserted therein. Since it is required that the shaft be cooled down in order to prevent bending in permanent set due to creep phenomenon when the idler shaft under lateral directional load is exposed to high furnace operating temperature for an elongated period of time, the idler shaft has been embodied hollow such that the cooling impeller 25 can be inserted therein so that the rotation of the idler shaft results in the rotation of the cooling impeller 25, thus producing pumping power for circulation of the coolant lubricant coming out of the central axial cavity of the idler shaft through the annular passage due to the centrifugal forces caused by the rotation of the cooling impeller 25 with a plurality of blades thereon.
FIG. 17 discloses an alternative preferred embodiment of idler shaft assembly comprising the idler shaft housing 10, a fourth idler shaft 49 having the idler gear 44 thereon, an impeller 53 being secured to open end of the idler shaft composed of the fourth idler shaft 49 and the idler gear 44, two bearings 24 for supporting the fourth idler shaft 49, a trumpet-shaped divider plate 52 being secured to the inside cavity of the idler shaft housing 10. This partially cutaway view discloses how the fourth idler shaft 49 having the idler gear 44 thereon and the two bearings 24 are cooled by coolant lubricant with an alternative embodiment to the cooling impeller 25 of FIG. 16 and also how the idler shaft housing assembly is cooled by coolant water in the upstream coolant water jacket 3a. The inside cavity of the idler shaft housing wherein coolant lubricant is filled up is divided into the hot chamber and the cold chamber by the trumpet-shaped divider plate 52. This figure also discloses how hot end of the cooler tubing 28 and cold end of another cooler tubing 28 is connected to the hot and cold chamber through the lubricant exhaust port 27 and the lubricant intake port 26 respectively.
Finally, FIG. 18 is a bird's eye view of an alternative four-cycle mode embodiment of an integral fire grate apparatus without agitational mechanism. This integral modular fire grate apparatus comprises three air supply pipings, coolant water jacket, a second junction body 12a, a second air plenum 2a encircling outer shell of the coolant water jacket, and a stationary grate 19 being mounted on the three air supply pipings from above.
According to the present invention as described above in detail, agitational function has been provided to the fire grate apparatus with constant magnitude of agitation in r direction as well as with semi-axisymmetry in circumferential direction on top of air supply function to the fire grate apparatus itself. More thorough air supply even into the dumped refuse is possible with this MGR agitational mechanism, resulting in increased incineration capacity, improved combustion efficiency, and the provision of improved angular symmetry of incineration, of distribution of thermal stresses in the inner shell material of the incineration chamber, and of burning with angularly scattered burning agent distribution. Another advantage of this invention over the conventional fire grate is that the waste volume reduction performance with this concentric fire grate structure is believed obvious to be significantly improved so that only ashes and incombustible substances contained in the refuse dump which are smaller in size than the ash sifting gap made when the stationary grate 19 and the moving grate 20a,20b are paired with each other, and liquid droplets are discharged downward. A more thorough angular symmetry is obtained as the number of cycles of MGR fluctuation a revolution of the moving grate 20a,20b is increased.
While the specific embodiment of the invention described is for four-cycle mode fire grate apparatus, it is believed obvious to those skilled in the art that the higher cycle mode MGR agitation or single grate type incinerator fire grate apparatus without agitational mechanism can readily be constructed for higher incineration capacity or for specific requirements of the characteristics of waste materials to be incinerated. Specifically, like conventional incinerator furnaces without agitational function for the fire grate, drive motor, MGR agitational structure comprising the moving grate, its drive and simple cantilever support idler shafts together with their housings, the cooling impeller, and the cooler tubings may be deleted so that there is only stationary grate remaining on the integral fire grate apparatus and ash discharge lower body combined.
Having described four-cycle mode embodiment of the fire grate apparati according to the present invention, it is believed obvious that other modifications and variations will be suggested to those skilled in the art in the light of the above teachings, it is therefore to be understood that changes may be made in the particular embodiment of the invention described which are within the full intended scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. | This invention provides a variety of incineration furnace with modular fire grate apparatus for cylindrical incinerator furnaces of water jacket configuration. The invented fire grate module is provided with refuse dump agitation capability from underside of waste fuel dump on the fire grate and also with air supply function in the fire grate apparatus itself. The fire grate module basically comprises radially laid out and circumferentially arranged air supply pipings at an angular interval, an upstream coolant water jacket and a downstream coolant water jacket of the fire grate module being connected through two water channels of the air supply pipings, a central junction body to secure said air supply pipings, an air plenum encircling the coolant water jackets for admission of pressurized air into the air pipings of the air supply pipings, a moving grate supported and rotationally driven by at least two idler shafts and one or more drive shaft, a stationary grate mounted on top of the air supply pipings, and a reducer-attached drive motor connected to the drive shaft so that when driven by the motor the moving grate will perform a fluctuational agitation of the merry-go-round motion, thus providing agitational effect, more thorough air admission into the uderside and inside of dumped refuses in the incineration chamber, improved incineration capacity and the combustion efficiency as well as the significant suppression of generation of toxic gases. | 5 |
BACKGROUND
[0001] The presently disclosed embodiments are directed toward methods and systems related to rendering images with hypochromatic or relatively low chroma colorants in addition to corresponding conventional or relatively higher chroma colorants such as the conventional cyan, magenta, yellow and black colorants. Using hypochromatic colorants, such as light cyan and light magenta in addition to the conventional colorants allow images to be rendered with smoother gradations and reduced texture and visual noise than is possible with conventional colorants alone. Embodiments will be described that reduce colorant consumption and allow for clustered shape halftone screens such as clustered dot and line halftone screens to be used in halftoning more than four separations.
[0002] Image rendering technologies are associated with physical restrictions. For example, display devices are limited in the amount of phosphor or the number of light emitting elements that can be included in the given area and/or in the dynamic range of the amount of light that can be produced by such elements. One physical restriction experienced in printing systems is referred to as an ink limit. For example, many electrophotographic or xerographic rendering devices exhibit ink limits of about 240-280%. That is, the print media, such as paper, can typically accept 2.4-2.8 layers of ink or toner. Attempts to apply amounts of colorant beyond the ink limit result in image quality degradation due to retransfer and fusing considerations. This is an issue even in conventional printing systems where there are four colorants and theoretically, it might be desirable to apply three or four layers of colorant (i.e., 300% or 400% inking). This issue is exacerbated when additional colorants, such as a first, second or third hypocolorant (e.g., light cyan, light magenta, and/or grey) is added to the pallette of available inks or toners.
[0003] Another issue related to the use of additional colorants is that of halftone screen selection. Each additional halftone screen required to render an image increases the likelihood of the generation of objectionable moiré. Stochastic screens can be used to mitigate this, however, stochastic screens can lead to a noisy or grainy appearance that is inappropriate for the high quality applications typically associated with hypochromatic colorants. Accordingly, clustered shape halftone screens such as, clustered dot or clustered line screens are preferred. However, as indicated above, if clustered screens are not selected carefully, the screens selected for each color separation may interact with one another to create objectionable moiré patterns. While solutions to the moiré issue have been found for the conventional colorants (i.e., CMYK) efforts to find methods for halftoning 5, 6, 7 or more colorants are ongoing. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,892,891 to Dalal et al. discusses using the same screen for a hi-fi colorant and its complementary colorant (e.g., cyan and orange). Those techniques are not applicable to hypocolorants. In “Halftone-Angle Combinations for N Color Separations”, M. Coudray suggests using the same screen for a lightened colorant and a different conventional colorant (e.g., light magenta and conventional cyan). However, in at least some instances this suggested technique could lead to significant moiré and color shifts for small registration errors between color separations.
[0004] Accordingly, there is a desire for color management techniques that are applicable to hypocolorant environments that intelligently use the available ink budget or limit. Additionally, there is a need for halftoning methods that allow for the use of hypocolorants in combination with the conventional colorants while minimizing any aggravation of the moiré issue.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION
[0005] A method for preparing to render a color image using a set of at least one hypocolorant in addition to other colorants can include receiving color contone pixel information, generating respective corresponding sets of contone colorant values and storing the generated contone values or using the generated contone values to make marking decisions.
[0006] Receiving color contone pixel information includes receiving color contone pixel information describing respective pixel portions of the color image.
[0007] Generating respective corresponding sets of contone colorant values can include generating respective corresponding sets of contone colorant values for the respective pixel portions based on the received contone pixel information wherein the set of corresponding contone colorant values is generated in a manner that ensures that, for a selected pixel portion, when a non-zero value is generated in regard to the black colorant, a zero value is generated for each hypocolorant of the set of at least one hypocolorant, and that when a non-zero value is generated in regard to any hypocolorant of the set of at least one hypocolorant, a zero value is generated in regard to a black colorant.
[0008] Constraining the color management processes to maintain this mutual exclusivity between the black colorant and at least one selected hypocolorant allows screen frequencies and angles to be shared between a screen selected for halftoning black colorant contone values and a screen selected for halftoning contone values associated with the selected at least one hypocolorant.
[0009] Therefore the method can further include selecting a first clustered shape halftone screen, the first clustered shape halftone screen being for use in making marking decisions regarding the black colorant, the first clustered shape screen being characterized, at least in part, by being based on a first set of fundamental halftone screen frequencies and a respective first set of halftone screen directions associated therewith and selecting a second clustered shape halftone screen, the second clustered shape halftone screen being for use in making marking decisions regarding the first hypocolorant of the set of at least one hypocolorant, the second clustered shape halftone screen being characterized, at least in part, by also being based on the first set of fundamental halftone screen frequencies and the respective first set of halftone screen directions associated therewith.
[0010] A system that is operative to prepare to render a color image using a set of at least one hypocolorant in addition to other colorants can include a contone value generator that is operative to receive color contone pixel information describing respective pixel portions of the color image and is operative to generate respective corresponding sets of contone colorant values for the respective pixel portions based on the received contone pixel information wherein the sets of corresponding contone colorant values are generated in a manner that ensures that, for a selected pixel portion, when a non-zero value is generated in regard to the black colorant, a zero value is generated for at least a first hypocolorant of the set of at least one hypocolorant, and that when a non-zero value is generated in regard to at least the selected first hypocolorant of the set of at least one hypocolorant, a zero value is generated in regard to a black colorant.
[0011] Some embodiment further include a halftone screen assignment mechanism that is operative to select a first clustered shape halftone screen for use in making marking decisions regarding the black colorant, the first clustered shape screen being characterized, at least in part, by being based on a first set of fundamental halftone screen frequencies and a respective first set of halftone screen directions associated therewith and is operative to selecting a second clustered shape halftone screen for use in making marking decisions regarding the first hypocolorant of the set of at least one hypocolorant, the second clustered shape halftone screen being characterized, at least in part, by also being based on the first set of fundamental halftone screen frequencies and the respective first set of halftone screen directions associated therewith.
[0012] A halftoner that is operative to halftone colorant values, from the respective sets of contone colorant values received from the storage device or communication mechanism, regarding the black colorant with the first clustered shape halftone screen, thereby making marking decisions regarding the black colorant and is operative to halftone colorant values from the respective sets of contone colorant values regarding the first hypocolorant of the set of at least one hypocolorant with the second clustered shape halftone screen, thereby making marking decisions regarding the first hypocolorant can also be included.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is a flow chart that outlines methods for preparing to render an image using at least one hypocolorant in conjunction with other colorants.
[0014] FIG. 2 depicts clustered dot screens.
[0015] FIG. 3 depicts clustered line screens.
[0016] FIG. 4 depicts an arrangement of halftone thresholds arranged in a clustered dot halftone screen cell.
[0017] FIG. 5 depicts marking decisions made according to the halftone cell of FIG. 4 as contone values increase.
[0018] FIG. 6 depicts a halftone screen fragment and aspects thereof.
[0019] FIG. 7 is a flow chart that outlines aspects of some embodiments of methods of FIG. 1 .
[0020] FIG. 8 is a block diagram outlining a system that is operative to perform methods of FIG. 1 .
[0021] FIG. 9 is a block diagram outlining a first set of embodiments of the contone value generator of FIG. 8 .
[0022] FIG. 10 includes diagrams illustrating thresholds that can be used in the processing of the contone value generator of FIG. 8 .
[0023] FIG. 11 is a block diagram outlining a second set of embodiments of the contone value generator of FIG. 8 .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0024] A method 110 for preparing to render a color image using a set of at least one hypocolorant, in addition to other colorants, can include receiving 114 color contone information for pixel portions of an image and generating 118 contone colorant values corresponding to the color contone information according to a constraint that prevents the use of black colorant and a hypocolorant in a given set of colorant values.
[0025] For example, receiving 114 color contone information for pixel portions of an image can include receiving color descriptions in terms of machine independent color descriptions such as L*a*b*, red, green and blue (RGB contone values; cyan, magenta, yellow and optionally black (CMY or CMYK); page description language color descriptions, or other forms of color contone information.)
[0026] Generating 118 contone colorant values corresponding to the color contone information according to a constraint that prevents the use of black colorant and a hypocolorant in a given set of colorant values can include generating respective corresponding sets of contone colorant values for respective pixel portions based on the received contone pixel information wherein the set of corresponding colorant contone values is generated in a manner that ensures that, for a selected pixel portion, when a non-zero value is generated in regard to the black colorant, a zero value is generated for at least one selected hypocolorant of the set of at least one hypocolorant. Additionally, following the constraint can include generating contone colorant values in a manner that ensures when a non-zero value is generated in regard to any hypocolorant of the set of at least one hypocolorant, a zero value is generated in regard to the black color.
[0027] In some embodiments, this mutual exclusivity constraint between the black colorant and at least one selected hypocolorant is extended to all the hypocolorants that are included in the set of at least one hypocolorant.
[0028] Following this color management constraint provides at least two benefits and can be achieved with little or no impact on image quality.
[0029] For example, where a prior art system may have transformed received 114 color contone information in a manner that called for colorant values that included non-zero amounts of both black and light cyan colorants, the contone colorant value generation 118 described herein would force the light cyan colorant value to zero and replace the light cyan colorant with a lesser amount of conventional cyan colorant. Additionally, the process might reduce the amount of black colorant called for to compensate for any extra darkness that might be provided by the use of conventional cyan. This intelligent selection of colorants can reduce the amount of colorant required to render a particular pixel portion of an image, thereby conserving the ink budget for use by other colorant separations of the pixel portion.
[0030] A second benefit of the method 110 for preparing to render a color image is related to halftoning. Since according to the method 110 contone colorant values are generated in a manner that make the black colorant and at least one selected hypocolorant mutually exclusive, for pixel portions where a selected hypocolorant is to be applied, the black colorant will not be applied. Therefore, the halftone screen selected for the black colorant, or at least the screen frequencies and directions of the screen selected for the black colorant (where the actual thresholds of the black screen selected for the black colorant are not appropriate for the selected hypocolorant) are available for halftoning the selected hypocolorant.
[0031] Accordingly, the method 110 for preparing to render a color image with a set of at least one hypocolorant can include selecting 122 a first clustered shape screen for halftoning coloring contone values related to the black colorant, selecting 126 a second clustered shape screen for halftoning colorant contone values related to a selected first hypocolorant, the second clustered shape screen having fundamental screen frequencies and directions in common with the first clustered shape screen, and halftoning 130 black colorant values with the first clustered shape screen and selected first hypocolorant values with the second clustered shape screen, thereby making marking decisions regarding the black colorant and the first hypocolorant.
[0032] The marking decisions can be stored 134 or used 138 to mark a medium, such as a print medium (e.g., paper or vellum). Similarly, the generated 118 contone colorant values can be stored 142 prior to or instead of being provided or made available for use in making marking decisions.
[0033] Selecting 122 the first clustered shape screen for halftoning colorant values related to the black colorant can include selecting the first screen to be compatible with other screens used for halftoning other separations (e.g., cyan, magenta, yellow) to be used in rendering the image. For instance, referring to FIG. 2 , the first clustered shape screen may be selected 122 to be a clustered dot screen (e.g., 214 ) having a screen frequency and orientation angle that combines compatibly with the screen frequencies and orientation angles of second and third clustered dot screens 218 , 222 that might be used to halftone colorant values associated with magenta and cyan colorants. Alternatively, with reference to FIG. 3 , the first clustered shape screen may be selected 122 to be a first line screen 314 that has a screen frequency and orientation angle that combines pleasingly with second and third line screens 318 , 322 that might be used to halftone colorant values associated with magenta and cyan colorants. While orthogonal screens are depicted, a non-orthogonal screen might also be selected 122 .
[0034] With reference to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 , as used herein, the phrase—clustered shape screen—refers to that class of halftone screens that are arranged so that as contone values change from light values to dark values marking decisions are made to mark spots in a clustered arrangement. For example, in an illustrative clustered dot halftone cell 414 , a lowest value threshold is associated with a spot location 418 that is surrounded by neighboring spot locations 422 - 436 . These neighboring spot locations 422 - 436 are associated with the second through ninth highest thresholds associated with the cell 414 . Accordingly, as depicted in FIG. 5 , as the cell is used to halftone progressively darker contone values, decisions are made to mark progressively more spots in a clustered manner. For example, if all of the spots associated with the cell are used to halftone a contone value of 20, then marking decisions are made such that only a single spot associated with the cell is marked (as depicted at 518 ). If the cell were used to halftone contone values above the threshold value of 28 but below the threshold value of 42 then, as depicted at 522 , two adjacent spots would be marked. If the cell 414 were used to halftone contone values above 42, but below 56 then three spots clustered together as depicted at 524 would be marked. As depicted at 526 - 540 , as the halftone cell 414 is used to halftone higher (or darker) contone values marking decisions are made to mark more spots and a cluster of marked spots grows larger. At 542 the decision to mark a spot 544 that is spaced from the main cluster 546 is depicted. In this regard, it is noted that the cell 414 is designed to be incorporated in a screen that is made up of a plurality of such cells. Accordingly, the depicted cell is oriented adjacent to other similar cells. Additionally, it is assumed that the contone values that are halftoned by one cell are similar to the contone values that will be halftoned according to an adjacent cell. That is, it is assumed that sharp edges occur only rarely in images that are to be halftoned. Therefore, the color or shade associated with one halftone cell will be similar to the color or shade associated with an adjacent halftone cell and will be represented by similar halftone values. Accordingly, if a decision is made to mark a spot as depicted at 544 adjacent spots associated with adjacent halftone cells will also be marked. For example, it is assumed that a cell to the immediate right of the spot depicted at 544 will be marked in a manner similar to those shown at, for example, 532 - 542 . Accordingly, the mark depicted at 544 will be clustered with marks of adjacent cells.
[0035] Similar principles are applied in the design and arrangement of thresholds in clustered line screens (e.g., FIG. 3 ) and screens based on other clustered shapes.
[0036] The phrases—non clustered shape screen—or—non clustered shape halftone screen—are meant to refer to all halftone screens and halftoning techniques that do not necessarily exhibit or are not designed to exhibit such clustering.
[0037] With reference to FIG. 6 , as indicated above, a halftone screen is made up of a plurality of halftone cells such as the cells 614 depicted in the illustrative screen fragment 622 . A distance between corresponding portions of adjacent cells is a period of the screen. The shortest such distance (e.g., 626 ) is a fundamental period in associated screen period directions (e.g., 630 , 634 ). Such directions can be measured from a standard or reference direction (e.g., the horizontal) and are therefore referred to as screen angles or directions.
[0038] Accordingly, as indicated above, selecting 122 the first clustered shape screen includes selecting a first clustered shape screen that can be characterized, at least in part, by being based on a first set of fundamental screen frequencies and a respective first set of halftone screen directions.
[0039] Since according to the method 110 for preparing to render a color image using a set of at least one hypocolorant in addition to other colorants contone colorant values are generated 118 in a manner that ensures that, for a selected pixel portion, when a non-zero value is generated in regard to the black colorant, a zero value is generated for at least a selected hypocolorant of the set of at least one hypocolorant, and that when a non-zero value is generated in regard to at least the selected hypocolorant a zero value is generated in regard to the black colorant, the screen selected 126 for halftoning values of the selected hypocolorant can have the same screen frequency and screen angle or direction as the first selected 122 clustered shaped screen without risking overlapping marks. Furthermore, since screen combinations including screens for halftoning black colorants in combination with conventional colorants (e.g., cyan, magenta and yellow) that do not generate objectionable moiré are known, using the screen directions and frequencies of an appropriately selected 122 black colorant halftoning screen for a screen used to halftone the selected first hypocolorant will also not generate objectionable moiré. Therefore, as indicated above, selecting 126 a second clustered shape screen for halftoning colorant contone values related to the selected first hypocolorant can include selecting the second clustered shape screen to have fundamental screen frequencies and directions in common with the first selected 122 clustered shape screen.
[0040] Since the colorant values generated 118 for a given pixel portion do not include non-zero colorant values for both the black colorant and at least the first selected hypocolorant, halftoning 130 black colorant values with the first clustered shape screen and halftoning 130 the selected first hypocolorant values with the second clustered shape screen includes halftoning black and first hypocolorant contone values associated with different pixel portions.
[0041] Colorant values associated with other colorants (e.g., cyan, magenta, yellow) may also be halftoned with halftone screens selected for the purpose.
[0042] Furthermore, with reference to FIG. 7 , since the method 110 for preparing to render a color image using at least one hypocolorant provides for the first hypocolorant separation to be rendered without further distortion or added moiré and without further consumption of the ink or colorant budget, some embodiments may include selecting 714 a third screen for halftoning colorant contone values related to a selected second hypocolorant and halftoning 718 the selected second hypocolorant values with the third screen, thereby making marking decisions regarding the second hypocolorant. As before, the marking decisions may be stored 722 or used 726 to mark a medium.
[0043] Known or yet to be disclosed techniques may be used to select 714 the third screen for halftoning colorant contone values related to the second hypocolorant. For example, if avoiding moiré is an important goal, a stochastic screen or other non clustered shape screen or halftoning technique (e.g. error diffusion) might be selected for halftoning the second hypocolorant (i.e., the sixth colorant to be included in the rendered image). Alternatively, since the sixth colorant is a light or hypocolorant, screen selection techniques that are normally applied to the selection of halftone screens for halftoning yellow separations may be applied to the selection 714 of the screen for the second hypocolorant. That is, a screen might be selected even though it may generate some moiré when combined with the other selected screens because the second hypocolorant is a light colorant and difficult to perceive. Therefore, in some applications or embodiments any moiré associated with the screen selected for the sixth colorant (i.e., second hypocolorant) will be difficult to perceive.
[0044] Referring to FIG. 8 , a system 814 that is operative to prepare to render a color image using a set of at least one hypocolorant in addition to other colorants can include a contone value generator 818 , a communications mechanism 822 and/or a storage device 826 .
[0045] For instance, the contone value generator 818 is operative to receive 114 color contone pixel information 820 describing respective pixel portions of the color image and to generate 118 respective corresponding sets of contone colorant values for the respective pixel portions based on the received contone pixel information. The contone value generator 818 generates 118 the sets of corresponding contone colorant values in a manner that ensures that, for a selected pixel portion, when a non-zero value is generated in regard to the black colorant, a zero value is generated for at least a selected hypocolorant of the set of at least one hypocolorant. Additionally, when a non-zero value is generated for the hypocolorant of the set of at least one hypocolorant, a zero value is generated in regard to the black colorant.
[0046] In some embodiments, the contone value generator 818 generates contone colorant values in a manner that ensures when a non-zero value is generated in regard to the black colorant, a zero value is generated for each hypocolorant of the set of at least one hypocolorant and that when a non-zero value is generated in regard to any of the hypocolorants of the set of at least one hypocolorant, a zero value is generated in regard to the black colorant.
[0047] Furthermore, in some embodiments, this mutual exclusivity is enforced between the black colorant and a selected subset of the set of at least one hypocolorant. For instance, where the set of at least one hypocolorant includes three colorants, in some embodiments, the contone value generator 818 generates contone colorant values in a manner that ensures that for a selected pixel portion, when a non-zero value is generated in regard to the black colorant, a zero value is generated for two selected hypocolorants of the set of at least one hypocolorant, and that when a non-zero value is generated in regard to either of those two selected hypocolorants, a zero value is generated in regard to the black colorant.
[0048] The storage mechanism 826 can be any known or later developed computer memory device, mass storage device or computer or communications network element useful for storing information such as the contone values generated by the contone value generator 818 . The communications mechanism 822 can be any known or later developed communications mechanism, such as a computer bus, computer or communications network, wireless or optical communications network or system appropriate or useful for communicating data such as the generated 118 contone colorant values. For instance, the communications mechanism can be used to communicate the generated 118 contone colorant values to the storage device 826 or to some other element.
[0049] For instance, in some embodiments the system 814 includes a halftone screen assignment mechanism 830 and a halftoner 834 .
[0050] For example, the halftone screen assignment mechanism 830 is operative to select 122 a first clustered shape halftone screen for use in making marking decisions regarding the black colorant. As indicated above, the first clustered shape screen is characterized, at least in part, by being based on a first set of fundamental halftone screen frequencies and a respective first set of halftone screen directions associated therewith. The halftone screen assignment mechanism 830 is also operative to select 126 the second clustered shape screen for halftoning colorant contone values related to a selected first type of colorant. As indicated above, the second clustered shape screen can be selected by the halftone screen assignment mechanism 830 to be based on the first set of fundamental halftone screen frequencies and the respective first set of halftone screen directions.
[0051] The halftone screen assignment mechanism 830 may also select screens for additional colorants. For example, the halftone screen assignment mechanism may select screens for halftoning separations associated with the other conventional colorants (e.g., cyan, magenta and yellow) and/or for separations associated with additional hypocolorants.
[0052] For instance, the halftone screen assignment mechanism 830 can select additional clustered or non-clustered shape screens for halftoning additional hypocolorants. For example, stochastic screening or error diffusion techniques can be applied to second or additional hypocolorant contone values. Alternatively, clustered shape screens can be selected where due to the lightness of the associated hypocolorants related moiré are deemed to be less objectionable than artifacts associated with other halftoning techniques.
[0053] Where the halftone screen assignment mechanism is aware of or actually makes screen selections with regard to the conventional colorants used in a particular system, the halftone screen assignment mechanism 830 may select 122 the first clustered shape screen for the black colorant separation to be compatible with the other conventional colorant screens.
[0054] The halftone screen assignment mechanism 830 can be implemented at system design time by system designers, at system commissioning by system installers, at run time based on an analysis of particular image or job to be processed.
[0055] For example, at system design time system designers may determine one or more sets of halftone screens for a particular embodiment of the system 814 and install those sets of screens into the embodiment of the system for use by the halftoner 834 . Alternatively, at system commissioning, system installers may select, configure or install one or more sets of screens that are appropriate for the kinds of images to be processed at the installed location.
[0056] Alternatively, a job by job analysis performed by a system operator and/or image analysis software (not shown) may manually, semi-automatically or automatically select or assign screens that are appropriate to both the particular embodiment of the system 814 and the particular images being processed.
[0057] The halftoner 834 is operative to halftone colorant values from the respective sets of contone colorant values that are generated 118 by the contone value generator 818 and are received from the storage device 826 or directly from the contone value generator 818 via the communication mechanism 822 . The halftoner 834 halftones contone colorant values regarding the black colorant with the selected 122 clustered shape halftone screen, thereby making marking decisions regarding the black colorant. Additionally, the halftone 834 halftones colorant values from the respective sets of colorant content values generated 118 by the contone value generator 818 regarding the first hypocolorant of the set of at least one hypocolorant with the selected 126 second clustered shape halftone screen, thereby making marking decisions regarding the first hypocolorant.
[0058] In some embodiments, the halftoner 834 also halftones contone colorant values associated with other colorant separations. For example, the halftoner 834 can halftone colorant values associated with conventional CMY colorant separations and/or second or additional hypocolorants, thereby making marking decisions regarding the additional colorant separations.
[0059] The marking decisions may be stored for later use in the storage 826 or in a second storage device 838 . For instance, the first storage device 826 may include a second portion for storage of marking decisions. Alternatively, portions of the storage 826 originally used to store contone colorant values may be reused to store marking decisions.
[0060] Additionally, or alternatively, the system 814 may include a rendering device 842 such as a display, electric paper, or printer, such as an inkjet, electrophotographic, xerographic, or lithographic printing system or press. In the case of printing presses, the marking decisions can be used to make printing plates or the like.
[0061] A variety of contone value generator 818 implementations are possible. For example, referring to FIG. 9 , the contone value generator 818 can include a lightness or luminance threshold comparator 914 and a grey color remover 918 . The grey color remover stage 918 can be followed buy a colorant value transformer 920 including one or more tone reproduction curves (e.g., 922 , 926 ).
[0062] For instance, with reference to FIG. 10 , the lightness or luminance threshold comparator 914 can apply a threshold (e.g., 1014 , 1018 ) to received 114 contone color information 820 . For instance, the threshold can be a constant threshold based on lightness (e.g., L*) or some similar parameter or metric of the contone color information 820 , such as, for example, luminance (e.g., Y). Alternatively, the threshold may be a function 1018 of hue and/or chroma or some other aspect of the contone color information 820 .
[0063] A result of the comparison can be delivered to the gray color remover 918 . The result of the comparison can be used to control the function of the grey color remover. For instance, for lightnesses beyond the threshold (e.g., for lightnesses of input contone color information 820 that describes a color that is lighter than the threshold (e.g., 1014 , 1018 ) value), grayness can be represented by proportional amounts of cyan, magenta, and yellow (CMY) and a contone value associated with the black colorant can be set to zero. For contone color information 820 describing relatively darker colors (e.g., darker than the lightness threshold (e.g., 1014 , 1018 ) some or all of the gray color can be represented in a non-zero contone value associated with the black colorant (K).
[0064] The contone value associated with the K colorant can be used as an input to one or more tone reproduction curves (e.g., 922 , 926 ) associated with other conventional colorants that are related to hypocolorants included in system 814 . Alternatively, the contone value associated with the K colorant can be used to switch between TRCs.
[0065] For instance, the contone value associated with a conventional colorant can be transformed into a conventional contone colorant value (e.g., C transformed to C′ or M can be transformed to M′) according to a calibration of a target rendering device. Alternatively, the conventional contone colorant value can be transformed to a combination of a conventional contone value and a hypocolorant contone value (e.g., C can be transformed to C′ and c; M can be transformed to M′ and m).
[0066] The contone value associated with the black colorant (K) can be used to select or switch between these kinds of transformations or TRCs. For example, if the contone value associated with K is zero, then it is permissible to use selected hypocolorant(s) (e.g., c and/or m) and TRCs or aspects of TRCs that transform conventional colorant contone values into non zero hypocolorant contone values of the selected hypocolorant(s) may be selected. Alternatively, if a contone value associated with K is non-zero, then transformation of a conventional colorant value into values that include non-zero hypocolorant values regarding the selected hypocolorant(s) is to be prevented and TRCs or portions of TRCs that only transform conventional contone values to other conventional contone values (and/or values of non selected hypocolorant(s)) are selected.
[0067] It is noted, that in some embodiments, the output of the lightness or luminance threshold comparator 914 may be used to select or switch between the TRCs or TRC portions, instead of using the contone value associated with K for that purpose.
[0068] Alternatively, referring to FIG. 11 in some embodiments, the contone value generator 818 includes a multidimensional transformer 1114 . The multidimensional transformer 1114 is operative to process the received color contone pixel information 820 according to a multidimensional transformation that prevents generating a non-zero value regarding the black colorant if the selected one of a lightness or a luminance represented in the received color contone color pixel information 820 is beyond a threshold lightness or luminance level. The threshold can be one of a constant (e.g., 1014 ) and a function (e.g., 1018 ) of a hue and/or chroma represented in received contone pixel information 820 . The multidimensional transformer 1114 includes transformation information either in the form of a multidimensional lookup table or in the form of a system of one or more equations or functions that generate output similar to the combined effect of the lightness or luminance threshold comparator 914 , grey color remover 918 and one or more TRCs (e.g., 922 and/or 926 ). Accordingly, the multidimensional transformer 1114 outputs a non-zero contone colorant value for the K colorant only if a selected one of a lightness or luminance represented in the received color contone pixel information is beyond a threshold lightness or luminance level and outputs a non-zero value for at least a selected hypocolorant (e.g., c and/or m) only when the contone colorant value associated with the K colorant has a zero value. In some embodiments, the multidimensional transformer 1114 is operative to generate non-zero values regarding only respective non-hypocolorants (e.g., conventional colorants such as CMY) if a non-zero value regarding the black colorant is generated and is operative to generate respective zero and/or non-zero values regarding corresponding hypocolorants and non-hypocolorants, if a zero value is generated with regard to the black colorant.
[0069] It will be appreciated that various of the above-disclosed and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different systems or applications. Various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations, or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the following claims.
[0070] The claims can encompass embodiments in hardware, software, or a combination thereof. The phrase “rendering device” as used herein encompasses any apparatus, such as a digital copier, bookmaking machine, facsimile machine, multifunction machine, electric or electronic paper, display device, etc. which performs a print or display output function for any purpose. | Color management constraints on the use of selected hypocolorant(s) and a black colorant in the rendering of a given pixel reduce ink or toner usage and/or reduce pressure on an ink limit. Additionally, the enforcement of this mutual exclusivity between the black and the selected hypocolorant(s) allows screen frequencies and angles to be shared between halftone screens used for the black colorant and a selected hypocolorant. This reduces the likelihood of objectionable moiré associated with the use of hypocolorant colorants in addition to the conventional CMY(K) colorants. In some embodiments, color management constraints prevent the use of black colorant for pixels beyond a threshold lightness or luminance. This constraint allows the use of the selected hypocolorants in the region of color space beyond the threshold. The threshold can be a function of hue and/or chroma. In some embodiments the threshold is a constant. | 7 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to the field of domestic appliances, such as dishwashers.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
[0002] Domestic appliances, such as dishwashers and ovens are often installed in cavities within surrounding cabinetry. Dishwashers, for example, are typically installed beneath kitchen worktops, adjacent to kitchen cabinets. Increasingly, refrigerators are also being installed in these locations.
[0003] If an appliance is not fixed to the floor or cabinetry in some way or counterbalanced, when it is opened, particularly if it is a drawer style appliance or it has a horizontally hinged door, it tends to tilt about its front bottom edge. This problem is particularly severe when a heavy load, such as a drawer full of crockery, is pulled out of the appliance.
[0004] One known solution to this problem is to provide a counterbalance in the appliance. A block of concrete is used to weigh the appliance down and prevent tilting.
[0005] Another solution to this problem is to fix the appliance in position. In the past, that has been done by fastening the appliance to the floor, worktop or to the surrounding cabinetry. However, each of these solutions has drawbacks. Screwing cleats into the floor into which the appliance slides damages the floor and requires accurate drilling of holes into various types of floor surface. Screwing the appliance into the cabinetry or worktop requires access to the interior of the appliance and usually requires partial disassembly of the appliance.
[0006] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a simpler way of securing an appliance within a cavity or at least to provide the public with a useful choice.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] In a first aspect the invention consists in an appliance comprising
[0008] an outer surface;
[0009] a friction member mounted to the outer surface and extending above the outer surface; and
[0010] adjustment means for adjusting the distance between a top surface of the friction member and a floor on which the appliance is positioned; such that
[0011] in use, the friction member contacts a surface above the appliance.
[0012] In a second aspect the invention consists in a method of installing an appliance under a bench or cabinetry, wherein the appliance includes a friction member mounted to an outer surface of the appliance, comprising the step of raising a top surface of the friction member so that it abuts an underside of the bench or cabinetry.
[0013] In a third aspect the invention consists in a method of installing an appliance under a bench or cabinetry comprising the steps of:
[0014] attaching a friction member to an outer surface of the appliance; and
[0015] raising a top surface of the friction member so that it abuts an underside of the bench or cabinetry.
[0016] In a fourth aspect the invention consists of a kit for installing an appliance under a bench or cabinetry, comprising:
[0017] a friction pad; and
[0018] a block,
[0019] wherein, in use, the friction pad is fixed to the appliance and the block is fixed to an underside of the bench or cabinetry at a position corresponding to the position of the friction pad.
[0020] In a fifth aspect the invention consists in an appliance comprising:
[0021] an outer surface, comprising upper and side walls;
[0022] a friction member mounted to the outer surface; and
[0023] adjustment means for adjusting the distance between an outer surface of the friction member and a surface adjacent to the appliance, in use, the friction member contacting a surface adjacent to appliance.
[0024] To those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. The disclosures and the descriptions herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025] Examples of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0026] FIG. 1 illustrates system for securing an appliance in accordance with the prior art.
[0027] FIG. 2 illustrates a first embodiment of the present invention.
[0028] FIG. 3 illustrates a second embodiment of the present invention.
[0029] FIG. 4 a to 4 e illustrates the operation of the friction pads of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 .
[0030] FIG. 5 illustrates the third embodiment of the present invention.
[0031] FIG. 6 illustrates a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
[0032] FIG. 7 illustrates a fifth embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0033] FIG. 1 illustrates a system for installing a dishwasher 10 into a cavity 13 in accordance with the prior art. Arrow 14 indicates where the dishwasher is to be finally positioned. The dishwasher 10 includes screw holes 11 , 12 in its outer chassis. Screws pass through these holes from the interior of the dishwasher and into the surrounding cabinetry. In the example shown in FIG. 1 , the dishwasher 10 is a drawer type dishwasher. In order to access the screw holes 11 , 12 from interior the dishwasher, at least one of the drawers must be removed.
[0034] The present invention offers a simpler way to secure an appliance within a cavity.
[0035] FIG. 2 illustrates a first embodiment of the present invention. The appliance 20 shown in FIG. 2 is drawer type dishwasher. The appliance is positioned underneath a kitchen worktop 21 , which is shown partially cut away. A pair of friction pads 22 , 23 is mounted on the top surface of the appliance chassis.
[0036] The friction pads 22 , 23 are positioned at the rear corners of the top surface of the appliance as this gives the installed appliance the greatest stability. However, it should be clear that any number of friction pads could be used positioned anywhere on the top surface of the appliance. Furthermore, as explained in greater detail with reference to FIG. 7 , friction pads could alternatively be placed on the side surfaces of the appliance instead of, or as well as, on the top surface.
[0037] In the example shown in FIG. 2 , the friction pads 22 , 23 abut the underside of the kitchen worktop 21 . The appliance is braced between the worktop 21 and the floor on which the appliance sits. The appliance includes feet 26 which are positioned between the appliance chassis and the floor. When the drawers 24 , 25 are pulled out of the chassis, the appliance will tend to tilt towards the front, using the front of the feet as pivot points. The friction pads counteract this tendency by abutting the underside of the worktop.
[0038] A wide variety of materials could be used for the friction pads. The clamping of the dishwasher between the floor and the worktop prevents tilting of the appliance and will provide some horizontal frictional force between the friction pads and the worktop whatever the material and shape of the friction pads. However, preferably, the fiction pads are formed of a material having a high coefficient of friction, such as a rubber, and in use have a significant surface area in contact with the underside of the worktop.
[0039] The method of installing the appliance shown in FIG. 2 will now be described. Firstly, the friction pads 22 , 23 are mounted to the top surface of the appliance. In this example, the friction pads are formed from an elastomeric rubber compound and are glued to the top back edge of the appliance chassis. The friction pads may be glued onto the chassis during manufacture of the appliance or subsequent to manufacture, by a user or installation engineer. The appliance is then positioned in the cavity under the worktop 21 . The feet 26 of the appliance are adjustable to level and to adjust the height of the appliance 20 off the floor. The feet are adjusted to urge the friction pads 22 , 23 into contact with the underside of the worktop 21 . The appliance may include a mechanism that allows each of the feet to be altered from the front of the chassis. Mechanisms of this sort are known in the art and are described in, for example, German patent publication DE3336375.
[0040] Alternatively height adjustment of the friction surface may be provided by a height adjustment between the friction pad and the machine chassis, or within the friction pad itself. For example the friction pad may be supported on a threaded rod engaged in a socket of the chassis. Or appliance “feet” may be provided on the upper side of the appliance.
[0041] FIG. 3 illustrates a second embodiment of the present invention. The appliance 30 and feet 34 are of the same type as the appliance shown in FIG. 2 . The appliance 30 is positioned under a worktop 31 , which is shown partially cut away. The friction pads 32 , 33 are attached the appliance at the back corners of the top surface of the chassis. The embodiment of FIG. 3 further includes two pairs of blocks 35 , 36 . The blocks 35 , 36 are mounted to the underside of the worktop 31 in positions corresponding to the position of the friction pads. The blocks 35 and 36 are adjustable in height, a preferred embodiment of the block is described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 4 a - 4 e . The blocks 35 , 36 may be screwed, glued, or fixed in any other suitable way to the underside of the worktop 31 .
[0042] FIG. 4 a shows a disc 37 . A pair of discs 37 , 38 as shown in FIG. 4 b corresponds to the block 35 shown in FIG. 3 . Each disc 37 , 38 may be identical, the discs may be formed of a rigid plastics material. Each disc is flat on one side. The thickness of each disc 37 varies as function of angular position in a stepped fashion so that the other side of the disc resembles a spiral staircase. The stepped surfaces of the two discs 37 , 38 are placed against one another to form a block 35 . The height of the block can be varied by rotating one disc 37 relative to the other disc 38 . FIGS. 4 b - 4 e show various configurations of the block 35 . The height of blocks 35 , 36 can be adjusted as desired prior to positioning the appliance in the cavity.
[0043] The appliance may be locked in place by then adjusting the feet of the appliance, with the blocks providing coarse adjustment to suit the height of the installation cavity. Alternatively height adjustment may be incorporated in the friction pads or between the friction pads and the appliance cabinet or chassis.
[0044] FIG. 5 shows a third embodiment of the present invention. The arrangement of appliance 20 , worktop 51 and friction pads 52 , 53 is the same as that in the first embodiment described with reference to FIG. 2 . The third embodiment includes a beam 54 that is attached to the underside of the worktop 51 . Similar to the blocks 35 , 36 of the second embodiment, the beam is positioned to contact the friction pads 52 , 53 and is adjustable in height prior to positioning the appliance in the cavity.
[0045] The height of the beam can be adjusted by various methods. For example, the beam may be made from an easily carved material. The beam may be asymmetric such that the height of the beam is dependent on its orientation. Alternatively, the beam may be formed from multiple stacked layers, so that the height of the beam can be adjusted by adding or removing layers.
[0046] FIG. 6 shows a fourth embodiment of the present invention. The arrangement of the appliance 60 and feet 61 in FIG. 6 is the same as that shown in FIG. 2 . The friction pad 62 is mounted over the top surface of the appliance, but is fixed to the back of the appliance using a bracket that allows the height of the top surface of the friction pad 62 to be adjusted relative to the body of the appliance 60 . The height of the top surface of the friction pad may be adjusted from the front of the appliance using any suitable mechanism 63 , such as a rack and pinion, following the positioning of the appliance in the cavity. In this way, the appliance can be easily positioned and the friction pad braced against the underside of the worktop subsequently.
[0047] FIG. 7 shows a fifth embodiment of the present invention. The arrangement of appliance 70 and worktop 71 shown in FIG. 7 is the same as shown in and described with reference to FIG. 2 . The friction pads 72 , 73 are attached to a side surface of the appliance and contact adjacent cabinetry. The friction pads provide resistance to any tilting of the appliance. The friction pads 72 , 73 may be adjustable in height. Preferably, corresponding friction pads are positioned on the opposite side surface and also abut adjacent cabinetry 74 . The embodiment shown in FIG. 7 might be used if there is no worktop. | An appliance includes a friction member mounted to the outer surface and extending above the outer surface. The height of the friction member is adjustable so that the friction member can engage an underside of cabinetry in which the appliance is located. The height adjustment may be in the friction member, or in the appliance—for example in the appliance feet, or between the appliance and the friction member. | 0 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS:
[0001] N/A
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT:
[0002] N/A
INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISK:
[0003] N/A
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The field of this invention is that of installing drag reducing fairings on vertical pipes in the ocean to reduce the side load on the pipes due to ocean currents. In deepwater offshore drilling, a riser pipe of approximately 20 inch internal diameter is used for a pathway down to the well bore to allow the control of the drilling pipes and the circulating fluids. Buoyancy material is added to these pipes to offset a majority of their weight and limit the top tension required for the system. The buoyancy on a drilling riser of this type will generally be in the range of 52 inch outer diameter.
[0005] In 2.5 to 3.5 knot currents on a 5000 foot long drilling riser can incur side loadings of up to 100,000 lbs. caused by currents. These side loadings require substantial horsepower to remain above the well below for drilling while the riser pipe is connected. During the drilling operations, a portion of the side load is taken by the vessel on the surface, and a portion of the side load is taken by the equipment on the ocean floor.
[0006] When attempts are made to retrieve the riser under these conditions, the side forces must all be taken by structures on the drilling rig at the surface. A 100,000 lb. load of the riser against the side of the rig structures will not only completely prevent the pulling of the drilling riser, but will destroy sections of the buoyancy material which impacts the rig structures.
[0007] Fairings are devices generally in the shape of an airplane wing which are pivotably mounted on a pipe such as a drilling riser. The flow around the round riser and the wing shaped trailing portion will reduce the drag on the riser by as much as 50 per cent. This does not cure all of the problems, but it beneficially increases the ocean current range in which a vessel can operate.
[0008] An additional problem surrounding drilling risers is the nature of current flow down stream of the riser. In some cases it will get swirls of water called vortexes alternating on one side of the riser and then the other. In addition to the drag loads, this induces a vibration referred to as vortex induced vibration. The smooth transition from the riser pipe diameter to a fairing profile will naturally tend to reduce the potentially destructive vortex induced vibrations.
[0009] A major problem with contemporary fairing systems is that in order to be manageable, each section is about 7 feet long at a maximum. This requires a multitude of sections to be installed on a deepwater riser drilling riser. When the drilling riser is being deployed, each 7 feet, the riser must be stopped and valuable rig time allocated attaching a fairing section. In running or retrieving a drilling riser, this operation can take an additional four or five days, with ten days for a round trip. At $400,000 per day, this is as much as a $4,000,000 expense simply to attach the fairings.
[0010] As the fairings have weight and must pivot around the riser to remain down current, they must be attached to the riser in a load bearing and pivoting fashion. As they are nominally 7 feet long, this special connection must be repeated every 7 feet. This represents both the time to stop and make the connections, but also likely a modification to the buoyancy material itself to accommodate the attachment.
[0011] On a 5,000 foot drilling riser, typically only 1,000 feet of fairing would typically be installed due to the fact that the high currents tend to be near the surface. Having fairings on the upper 1,000 feet of riser will allow the operator to release from the subsea wellhead. However, in retrieving the riser the fairings must be removed. Once the first 1,000 feet of riser are retrieved, the riser will again experience the high side forces.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] The object of this invention is to provide a fairing which can be installed on a riser and remain constant at the same depth as the riser is pulled.
[0013] A second object of the present invention is to provide a fairing system which can be installed independently of running or retrieving the riser.
[0014] A third object of the present invention is to provide a connection to a current drilling riser design without requiring special modifications to the drilling riser.
[0015] Another object of this invention is to provide a fairing system which will reduce the side drag forces and vortex induced vibration.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] FIG. 1 is a view of an offshore drilling system with a drilling riser extending down to a blowout preventer stack connected to a wellhead on the ocean floor.
[0017] FIG. 2 is a view of an offshore drilling system with a drilling riser extending down to the upper section (the lower marine riser package) of a blowout preventer stack which has been released from the lower section of the blowout preventer stack. .
[0018] FIG. 3 is a view of the offshore drilling system similar FIG. 1 with a drilling riser extending down to a blowout preventer stack on the ocean floor and fairing added to the upper portion of the riser.
[0019] FIG. 4 is a view of an offshore drilling system with a drilling riser extending down to the upper section (lower marine riser package) of a blowout preventer stack which has been released from the lower section of the blowout preventer stack and is having the fairings removed as the riser is being retrieved.
[0020] FIG. 5 is a view of an offshore drilling system with a drilling riser extending down to the upper section (lower marine riser package) of a blowout preventer stack which has been released from the lower section of the blowout preventer stack and is not raising the fairings removed as the riser is being retrieved.
[0021] FIG. 6 is a section of the fairings showing the external profile around a joint of riser pipe.
[0022] FIG. 7 is a section of the fairings showing the fairings opened to be installed on the rise pipe.
[0023] FIG. 8 is a section of the fairings showing rollers which allow the fairings to weathervane around the riser.
[0024] FIG. 9 is a section of the fairings showing the rollers which allow one section of fairings to support the next section of fairings.
[0025] FIG. 10 is a vertical half section of the fairings taken along lines “ 10 - 10 ” of FIGS. 8 and 9 .
[0026] FIG. 11 is an enlargement of the rollers showing perimeter wheels.
[0027] FIG. 12 is a vertical section of the fairings taken along lines “ 12 - 12 ” of FIG. 6 .
[0028] FIG. 13 is a view of one section of the fairings surrounding a riser pipe.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0029] FIG. 1 shows a typical offshore deepwater drilling system with the vessel 1 at the ocean surface 3 , ocean currents 5 with a profile which with higher currents near the surface and lesser currents at depths. A drilling riser 7 extends down to a lower marine riser package 9 which is landed on a lower blowout preventer stack 11 , which has a connector 13 attaching to a wellhead structure 15 . The sea bottom formations are shown at 17 .
[0030] FIG. 2 shows the riser system of figure no. 1 with the lower marine riser package 9 released from lower blowout preventer stack 11 , resulting with the drilling riser 7 being blown downstream by the currents. In all but modest currents, this means that the drilling riser cannot be pulled back to the surface.
[0031] FIG. 3 shows the riser system of FIG. 1 with fairings sections 31 added to the upper portion of the riser to reduce the side loadings on the drilling riser. As it is very expensive to run the fairings, fairings are typically installed only on the upper portion.
[0032] FIG. 4 shows the riser system of FIG. 3 having been released from the lower blowout preventer stack and fairing sections 31 being removed as the riser is brought up to the surface. Although the fairing sections 31 are removed, the current profile 5 is not reduced, so the beneficial low drag effects of the fairings are lost before the riser can be retrieved to the surface.
[0033] FIG. 5 shows the riser system of FIG. 1 with fairings 51 independently supported from the drilling rig 1 . Cables 55 are illustrated as supporting the fairings, but cylinders or other structures can be used to mechanically support the fairings 51 . In this case, although the drilling riser 7 is illustrated as being released from the lower blowout preventer stack 11 , all the riser can remain in place until the lower marine riser package 9 is elevated up to the bottom of the fairings 51 . At any time during the pulling of the drilling riser 7 , the fairings 51 can be pulled up by cables 53 or can simply be brought up by the lower marine riser package 9 . Fairings 51 are made of lower sections 54 and upper section 55 . Lower sections 54 are rotatably interconnected with a rotatable connection 56 and made of near neutrally buoyant material to allow for easy rotating. Upper section 55 is made of a heavy material so that it will hold tension on the cables 53 and position the lower sections 54 in the water at the desired level.
[0034] Smaller service vessel 57 might be used to install the fairings on the riser rather than being installed directly from a semi-submersible vessel as is shown at 1. This would be especially beneficial as a fully deployed riser will have equipment near the top such as a telescopic joint 58 and hose attachments 59 which make it not round as the lower portions of the riser are.
[0035] FIG. 6 shows a cross section thru a drilling riser and a fairing showing the dominant aerodynamic profile over the length of the fairing. The inner steel riser pipe 61 has an internal diameter 63 . Floatation material 65 is added to the outside of the riser. Along the length of the riser will be riser couplings (not shown) to allow the riser to be divided into sections which can be handled on the surface, usually about seventy feet long. A nose section is comprised of portions 67 and 69 , along with bolts 71 which fasten them together. The rear section 73 is comprised of halves 75 and 77 which are connected by an axle 79 . The front and rear sections are connected together by rings 81 , which will be described later.
[0036] FIG. 7 shows that the bolts 71 have been released and the two halves 83 and 85 have been opened to allow installation on or removal from the drilling riser 7 .
[0037] FIG. 8 shows a ring on the two halves 83 and 85 as discussed on FIG. 6 with ring 87 which houses a multiplicity of rollers 89 mounted on axles 91 which allow the fairing to weathervane about the riser 7 with low friction. The rollers 89 shown are indicated as simple rollers, but the preferred embodiment might be rollers such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,112,781 which has wheels around the perimeter of the roller to allow low friction moving along the length of the riser pipe. This is beneficial for the running and retrieving of the fairings along the length of the riser pipe.
[0038] FIG. 9 shows a multiplicity of rollers 93 about axles 95 which act as a rotatable connection between adjacent sections of fairing, as will be seen in FIGS. 10 and 11 .
[0039] FIG. 10 shows a half section showing ring 87 which houses rollers 89 about axles 91 . This combination of rollers and axles is repeated four times along the length of the fairing for support along the riser pipe, especially over interruptions in the riser floatation material which occurs at connections. Also seen are rollers 93 on axles 95 which are mounted on the inside 101 of the lower end 103 of each fairing section. The upper end 105 provides a groove 107 which is engaged by the rollers from the section fairing above to interconnect the fairings. This method provides for both connection and rotatability.
[0040] FIG. 11 shows a larger view of the area of the ring 87 with rollers 89 , showing a multiplicity of slots 111 cut across the roller 89 around the perimeter and wheels 113 on axles 115 inserted into the slots. This allows rolling movement along the riser using the small perimeter wheels 115 , while the main roller 89 provides rotation about the riser.
[0041] FIG. 12 shows a section of the fairing and riser taken at lines “11-11” on FIG. 6 and illustrates the interlocking of the rear sections 75 and 77 with axle 79 to allow the unit to be opened like a hinge.
[0042] FIG. 13 shows a section of the fairing surround a drilling riser 7 , upper groove 105 , rings 87 which house rollers 89 and connect the front sections 67 and 69 to the rear sections 75 and 77 , and a lower end 103 .
[0043] The particular embodiments disclosed above are illustrative only, as the invention may be modified and practiced in different but equivalent manners apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings herein. Furthermore, no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown, other than as described in the claims below. It is therefore evident that the particular embodiments disclosed above may be altered or modified and all such variations are considered within the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the protection sought herein is as set forth in the claims below. | The method of installing telescopic fairings system on a vertical pipe such as an oil or gas drilling riser to reduce the flow drag associated with said vertical pipe in the currents in an ocean, including providing a rotatable interconnection between fairing sections and supporting said interconnected fairing sections independently from said vertical pipe such that said vertical pipe can be partially removed from said ocean without removing said fairings. | 1 |
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/036,310 filed Jan. 29, 1997.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a filtration assembly which can be used for culturing microorganisms.
2. Description of the Related Art
A common method of investigating for the presence of microorganisms in a fluid is to pass the fluid through a filter element capable of capturing microorganisms larger than a certain size present in the fluid. After the completion of filtration, the filter element and any microorganisms captured by it are placed in a petri dish containing a nutrient solution. The nutrient solution permeates through the filter element to reach the microorganisms, enabling the microorganisms to be cultured atop the filter element.
The filtration of the fluid containing the microorganisms is typically performed using a filtration assembly including a fluid reservoir connected to a base on which a filter element can be removably disposed. A petri dish for receiving the filter element after filtration forms no part of the filtration assembly, so a separate petri dish is required in order for culturing of microorganisms to take place.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a filtration assembly which can be used both for filtering a fluid containing microorganisms and for culturing microorganisms removed from the fluid by the filtration.
The present invention also provides a method of culturing microorganisms.
According to one form of the present invention, a filtration assembly includes a chamber for holding a fluid sample to be filtered, a fluid port for filtrate in fluid communication with the chamber, a filter support arranged to support a filter element on a flow path between the chamber and the fluid port, and a cover assembly including a lower cover detachably mounted on the chamber and an upper cover detachably mounted on the lower cover. The cover assembly defines a petri dish into which a filter element can be placed for cultivating microorganisms present on the filter element. The ability of the cover assembly to be used as a petri dish makes the filtration assembly highly convenient to use and renders a separate petri dish unnecessary.
In one preferred embodiment, the assembly includes a sample reservoir which defines the chamber, and a base which includes a fluid port and the support surface. The sample reservoir and the base may be permanently connected to each other, or they may be detachable from each other to permit the base to be used separately from the sample reservoir with one of the covers as a petri dish.
In some embodiments, the filtration assembly includes a sample reservoir for holding a fluid sample, and a base for supporting the sample reservoir. The base may be detachably connected to the sample reservoir in a fluid-fight manner without use of a sealing member between the sample reservoir and the base. Because no sealing member is required between the sample and the base, the manufacturing costs of the filtration assembly can be reduced.
In some embodiments, the filtration assembly includes a sample reservoir for holding a fluid sample to be filtered and a base for supporting the sample reservoir. The base includes a fluid port and a skirt surrounding the fluid port for contact with a vacuum manifold of a vacuum filtration assembly. The skirt makes it unnecessary to provide a stopper or an adapter for connecting the base to a vacuum manifold, so the filtration assembly is easy to use.
According to another form of the present invention, a method of culturing microorganisms comprises introducing a fluid sample into a sample reservoir, passing the fluid sample through a filter element communicating with an interior of the sample reservoir to filter the fluid; after filtering the fluid, placing the filter element in a petri dish defined by a cover assembly mountable on the sample reservoir and comprising first and second covers; and incubating microorganisms in the petri dish.
In some embodiments, the method includes disposing a filter element on a filter support surface of a sample reservoir or a base, detachably connecting the sample reservoir to the base in a fluid-tight manner without using a sealing member, introducing a fluid sample into the sample reservoir, and removing fluid which has passed through the filter element from a fluid port of the base.
In some embodiments, the method includes placing a base of a filtration assembly on a vacuum manifold with a skirt of the base contacting an inlet tube of the manifold, and applying suction to an interior of the inlet tube to draw a fluid through a filter element within the filtration assembly and into the manifold.
These and other various aspects of the present invention will be explained in farther detail by the following description and the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an embodiment of a filtration assembly according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 .
FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the sample reservoir of the embodiment of FIG. 1 .
FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the base of the embodiment of FIG. 1 .
FIG. 5 is a top isometric view of the base.
FIG. 6 is a bottom isometric view of the base.
FIG. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the lower cover of the embodiment of FIG. 1 .
FIG. 8 is vertical cross-sectional view of the upper cover of the embodiment of FIG. 1 .
FIG. 9 shows two petri dishes stacked atop each other, each petri dish comprising a cover assembly like that of the embodiment of FIG. 1 .
FIG. 10 is a vertical cross-sectional view of two petri dishes stacked atop each other, each petri dish comprising a base and an upper cover like those of the embodiment of FIG. 1 .
FIG. 11 illustrates a vacuum filtering arrangement with which the embodiment of FIG. 1 can be used.
FIG. 12 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the base of the embodiment of FIG. 1 installed on a vacuum manifold using an adapter and a stopper.
FIG. 13 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the base of the embodiment of FIG. 1 directly engaging a vacuum manifold for vacuum filtration.
FIG. 14 is a bottom isometric view of the base illustrating a method of introducing a nutrient solution through the fluid port of the base.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIGS. 1-8 illustrate an embodiment of a filtration assembly 10 according to the present invention. As shown in these figures, the assembly 10 includes a sample reservoir 20 , a base 30 which is detachably engageable with the lower end of the sample reservoir 20 , and a cover assembly 50 which is detachably mounted atop the sample reservoir 20 . The sample reservoir 20 defines a chamber 22 which can hold a fluid sample which is to be filtered, while the base 30 serves to support the sample reservoir 20 as well as a filter element 45 through which the fluid sample is to be passed. In the present embodiment, the cover assembly 50 is designed to function as a petri dish by itself, or a portion of the cover assembly 50 may be combined with the base 30 to form a petri dish.
The sample reservoir 20 may have any structure which enables it to hold a desired volume of a sample fluid which is to be filtered. In the present embodiment, the sample reservoir 20 is a generally cylindrical member, i.e., a body of revolution, which is open at its upper and lower ends. It has an outer wall 21 which defines the outer periphery of the chamber 22 for the sample fluid. The outer wall 21 has a circular transverse cross-sectional shape and an inner diameter which linearly decreases from its upper to its lower end, but the shape of the outer wall 21 is not critical, and its diameter need not vary over its height. For example, the transverse cross-sectional shape may be polygonal or of a non-circular curved shape, and the inner diameter or other dimensions of the sample reservoir 20 may be constant or vary in any desired manner over the height of the sample reservoir 20 . The sample reservoir 20 may be equipped with gradations on its inner or outer surface to assist a user in measuring the amount of sample fluid being introduced into the sample reservoir 20 .
As best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, which are respectively a vertical cross-sectional view and a top isometric view of the base 30 , the base 30 includes a filter support surface 31 atop which a filter element 45 can be supported during filtration and a fluid port 38 through which filtrate which has passed through the filter element 45 can be discharged from the filtration assembly 10 . The filter support surface 31 is defined by the upper surfaces of a plurality of projections 32 which extend upwards from a bottom inner surface 33 of the base 30 . The projections 32 are spaced from each other to enable filtrate which has passed through the filter element 45 to flow between the projections 32 into the fluid port 38 . One or more drainage openings 39 for filtrate are formed in the projections 32 at the center of the base 30 to connect the interior of the fluid port 38 with the region of the base 30 containing the projections 32 .
In the present embodiment, the base 30 is a unitary member formed by injection molding, for example, with the filter support surface 31 being integrally formed with other portions of the base 30 . However, it is also possible for the base 30 to comprise a plurality of separately formed components. For example, the filter support surface 31 may comprise a perforated plate, a porous plate, or a mesh which is removably installed within the interior of the base 30 and has an upper surface which can support the filter element 45 .
The filter support surface 31 in the present embodiment is planar, but it may have any shape which enables to support the filter element 45 for filtration. For example, it may be dished, arched, or wave-like in shape
The filter support surface 31 is surrounded by a circular wall 34 extending upwards from the outer periphery of the filter support surface 31 , and a plurality of radial projections 35 extend upwards from a ledge formed atop the wall 34 , with the vertical, radially inner surface of each projection 35 being flush with the wall 34 . The wall 34 and the projections 35 serve to surround and position a filter element 45 disposed on the filter support surface 31 .
It is convenient if the filtration assembly 10 is capable of standing upright on a level surface without being supported. In the present embodiment, the base 30 includes an outer wall 41 extending around its entire outer periphery for supporting the base 30 on a table or other level surface. The outer wall 41 does not need to perform a sealing function, so it need not be continuous around the periphery of the base 30 and it need not be fluid tight. Members other than a wall can also be used to support the base, such as a plurality of legs. Furthermore, it is not necessary for the base 30 to be self supporting, and it may have a shape which does not stand upright by itself. For example, the bottom of the base 30 may be shaped like a funnel.
The sample reservoir 20 and the base 30 may be separately formed but permanently connected to each other, or they may be formed as a single member. However, in the present embodiment, the sample reservoir 20 is detachably engaged with the base 30 so that the base 30 can be used separately from the sample reservoir 20 as part of a petri dish. The manner of engagement between the sample reservoir 20 and the base 30 is preferably such that the engagement creates a fluid-tight seal without the need for a sealing member, such as an O-ring or a gasket, yet such that the sample reservoir 20 and the base 30 can be readily disengaged from each other by hand. The lower end of the sample reservoir 20 is also preferably shaped so that a fluid-tight seal is formed between the sample reservoir 20 and the upper surface of a filter element 45 disposed on the filter support surface 31 to prevent fluid from the sample reservoir 20 from bypassing the filter element 45 by flowing between the sample reservoir 20 and the filter element 45 .
In general, any type of detachable engagement providing intimate, sealing contact between the sample reservoir 20 and the base 30 around the entire inner periphery of the base 30 can be employed to detachably engage the two members. For example, there may be an interference fit between the sample reservoir 20 and the base 30 so that a radial force presses a peripheral surface of the sample reservoir 20 into sealing contact with an opposing peripheral surface of the base 30 , or opposing surfaces of the sample reservoir 20 and the base 30 may be pressed into sealing contact with each other by a compressive force acting in the axial direction of the filtration assembly. In the present embodiment, the sample reservoir 20 and the base 30 are engaged with each other by an interference fit which produces a fluid-tight seal between the outer peripheral surface of the sample reservoir 20 and the inner peripheral surface of the base 30 . The sample reservoir 20 and the base 30 may be structured so as to provide resistance to an axial force tending to pull them apart so as not to be inadvertently disconnected from each other during use. In the present embodiment, resistance to disengagement is provided by a snap fit in which the lower end of the sample reservoir 20 is received inside the upper end of the base 30 . As shown in the cross-sectional elevation of FIG. 3, the lower end of the sample reservoir 20 has a groove 24 and a radially outward projection 25 which extend continuously around its entire outer periphery. Similarly, as shown in FIG. 4, the base 30 has a groove 36 and a radial inward projection 37 extending continuously around its entire inner periphery at its upper end. The outer diameter of the lower end of the sample reservoir 20 and the inner diameter of the base 30 are preferably selected so that the projections 25 and 37 will snap into and fit snugly inside the grooves 36 and 24 , respectively, with an interference fit so that there is intimate contact, such as line contact or surface contact, between each projection and the corresponding groove around the entire circumference of the sample reservoir 20 . The sample reservoir 20 on be disconnected from the base 30 simply by flexing the two members with respect to each other, for example, to disengage the projections from the grooves. It is generally easier to disengage the two members if the groove 36 and the projection 37 are formed as close to the upper end of the base 30 as possible. For example, in the present embodiment, projection 37 immediately adjoins the upper end of the base 30 . The location of the sealing contact between the sample reservoir 20 and the base 30 is not critical as long as the contact can prevent fluid from leaking to the exterior of the filtration assembly 10 during normal use. For example, the sealing contact may be between the mating surfaces of the grooves 24 , 36 and the projections 25 , 38 , or it could be formed in a different location, with engagement between the grooves and the projections serving primarily to resist inadvertent disengagement of the sample reservoir 20 and the base 30 or to maintain an axial compressive force between the sample reservoir 20 and the filter element 45 to form a fluid-tight seal against the filter element 45 . In the latter case, the grooves and the projections need not be continuous members.
In the present embodiment, each groove is complementary in shape with the corresponding projection, i.e., it has substantially the same radius of curvature as the corresponding projection so that each groove and the corresponding projection are in surface contact, but the curvatures of the groove and the projection may be such that they are in line contact, for example. It is possible to form a seal between the sample reservoir 20 and the base 30 with a single projection formed on the surface of one of the two members and a single groove for engagement with the projection formed on the surface of the other two members, but a plurality of grooves and projections may create a seal of greater integrity.
Many other arrangements besides a snap fit can be used to resist disengagement between the sample reservoir 20 and the base 30 , such as a bayonet fit or threaded engagement. It is also possible to dispose tape around the joint between the sample reservoir 20 and the base 30 or to lightly weld or bond the two members to each other (such as by ultrasonic welding) around their peripheries to secure the members together while enabling them to be easily disconnected from each other when desired. Such a manner of connection can be employed instead of or in addition to the interference fit provided by the grooves and projections on the sample reservoir 20 and the base 30 .
The lower end of the sample reservoir 20 is formed with an annular sealing rim 26 which extends in generally the axial direction of the sample reservoir 20 around the entire periphery of the sample reservoir 20 . When the grooves and the projections of the sample reservoir 20 and the base 30 are engaged with each other, the sealing rim 26 is pressed downwards into sealing contact with the upper surface of the filter element 45 disposed atop the filter support surface 31 of the base 30 . The compressive force between the sealing rim 26 and the filter element 45 is maintained by the engagement between the grooves and the projections of the sample reservoir 20 and the base 30 . In the present embodiment, the sealing rim 26 is positioned on the sample reservoir 20 such that an annular air space is present between the outer periphery of the sealing rim 26 and the inner periphery of the base 30 around the entire circumference of the sealing rim 26 . It is thought that the air space may improve the integrity of the seal between the sample reservoir 20 and the base 30 by forming an air lock which prevents creeping of fluid by capillary action between the two members. However, the air space is not essential, and the sealing rim 26 may closely contact the inner periphery of the base 30 .
While the filter support surface 31 is part of the base 30 in the present embodiment, it is also possible for the filter support surface to be part of the sample reservoir 20 . For example, instead of the sample reservoir 20 being completely open at its lower end, it may have a perforated bottom surface for supporting a filter element 45 , and the base 30 may function as a funnel located beneath the sample reservoir 20 to collect filtrate which has passed through the bottom surface of the sample reservoir 20 .
The filter element 45 comprises a filter medium capable of removing microorganisms of interest from the fluid being filtered. The filter medium may be of any desired type, such as a microporous membrane of various materials, or filter paper, for example. A wide variety of filter media for microbiological studies are commercially available, and any such filter media can be employed with the present invention as the filter element 45 . Filter media for use in microbiological studies are frequently flat membrane discs, but the filter element 45 need not have any particular shape. For example, instead of being flat, it may have pleats to increase its surface area.
The filter element 45 may directly contact the filter support surface 31 of the base 30 , or it may rest upon an intermediate support member, such as a layer of mesh, paper, or fabric which is more porous than the filter element 45 and which provides mechanical support to the filter element 45 . When the filter element 45 is to be left on the base 30 during incubation, it may be convenient if an absorbent pad 46 for use in holding a nutrient solution during incubation is placed beneath the filter element 45 prior to filtration rather than afterwards to reduce the amount of handling of the filter element 45 after filtration. Furthermore, the absorbent pad 46 can provide support for the filter element 45 during filtration. It is also possible to place a prefilter, a protective sheet, or other member atop the filter element 45 .
It may be advantageous to place a resilient, compressible member between the lower surface of the filter element 45 and the filter support surface 31 in the region beneath where the sealing rim 26 contacts the filter element 45 . Such a member can compensate for variations in the axial length of the sealing rim 26 or in the smoothness of the opposing surfaces of the sealing rim 26 and the filter support surface 31 to maintain the sealing rim 26 in intimate, sealing contact with the filter element 45 , thereby enabling the manufacturing tolerances of the sample reservoir 20 and the base 30 to be less precise. The resilient member may be either permeable or impermeable to the fluid being filtered. For example, it may comprise a porous sheet or pad, and in the present embodiment, the absorbent pad 46 serves as the resilient member. Alternatively, the resilient member may comprise an impermeable gasket disposed beneath the filter element 45 . It is also possible to place a resilient sealing member, such as a gasket, between the top surface of the filter element 45 and the sealing rim 26 so that the sealing rim 26 does not directly contact the filter element 45 but is pressed into sealing contact with the sealing member, which in turn is pressed into sealing contact with the filter element 45 . Such a sealing member may be separate from or joined to the filter element 45 .
In the present embodiment, the wall 34 surrounding the filter support surface 31 preferably has a height such that when an absorbent pad 46 and a filter element 45 are mounted on the filter support surface 31 , the absorbent pad 46 will be surrounded by the wall 34 and disposed at least partially below the upper end of the wall 34 , while the filter element 45 disposed atop the filter element 45 will be positioned at or above the upper end of the wall 34 and will be surrounded by the radial projections 35 . For example, the wall 34 may have a height substantially the same as the thickness of the absorbent pad 46 . With the absorbent pad 46 located partially or entirely below the upper end of the wall 34 , when a user of the filtration assembly 10 wishes to transfer the filter element 45 from atop the absorbent pad 46 to a different location, it is easy for the user to pick up the filter element 45 using forceps without picking up the absorbent pad 46 as well. The spaces between the radial projections 35 provide easy access to the filter element 45 and facilitate its removal from the base 30 .
From the standpoint of ease of manufacture, it is preferable if the axial length of the sealing rim 26 of the sample reservoir 20 and the axial height of the radial projections 35 on the base 30 are such that when the sample reservoir 20 sealingly engages the base 30 and the sealing rim 26 of the sample reservoir 20 is pressed into sealing contact with the filter element 45 as shown in FIG. 2, there is an axial gap between the top surface of the radial projections 35 and the bottom surface of the sample reservoir 20 . If such a gap is present, the radial projections 35 and the sealing rim 26 do not need to be manufactured to as precise tolerances as when the upper surfaces of the radial projections 35 contact the bottom surface of the sample reservoir 20 .
The cover assembly 50 comprises a lower cover 60 and an upper cover 70 , which are best illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8, respectively. The lower cover 60 is shaped so as to detachably fit atop the upper end of the sample reservoir 20 , and the upper cover 70 is shaped so as to detachably fit atop the lower cover 60 or to detachably fit atop the upper end of the base 30 , thereby enabling the covers 60 , 70 to together form a petri dish and enabling the upper cover 70 and the base 30 to together form another petri dish. The upper cover 70 may also be shaped so as to detachably fit directly atop the upper end of the sample reservoir 20 with the lower cover 60 removed.
The lower cover 60 may engage with the upper end of the sample reservoir 20 in various manners. For example, they may engage each other with a snap fit, a bayonet fit, threaded engagement, a press fit, or a loose fit. Preferably, the engagement is such as to provide some resistance to disengagement of the lower cover 60 from the sample reservoir 20 so as to enable the filtration assembly 10 to be handled and transported without the cover assembly 50 falling off the sample reservoir 20 , while still permitting the lower cover 60 to be readily detached from the sample reservoir 20 . In the present embodiment, the lower cover 60 comprises a disc-shaped plate 61 having a continuous annular projection 62 extending upwards from its upper surface. When the cover assembly 50 is used as a petri dish, the projection 62 serves as an outer wall of the petri dish. The plate 61 also has a continuous annular projection 63 extending from its lower surface. A snap fit is formed between the annular projection 63 and a radially outward lip 23 formed around the entire outer periphery of the upper end of the sample reservoir 20 . The projection 63 on the lower cover 60 has a radially inward bulge 64 . The minimum inner diameter of the lower cover 60 measured at the bulge 64 in a relaxed (unstressed) state is smaller than the outer diameter of the sample reservoir 20 at the lip 23 in a relaxed state so that when the lip 23 is urged upwards past the bulge 64 , the bulge 64 will resist disengagement of the sample reservoir 20 and the lower cover 60 . The engagement between the lower cover 60 and the sample reservoir 20 may be of varying degrees of tightness. For example, the engagement may be sufficient to provide some resistance to disengagement without forming a seal, or the engagement may provide a fluid-tight seal between the two members. A fluid-tight seal between the lower cover 60 and the sample reservoir 20 is convenient when the sample reservoir 20 is to be used for temporary storage of a fluid sample prior to filtration. For example, in factories, it is common to collect a fluid sample in one part of the factory and then to carry the sample to a laboratory for analysis in a different part of the factory. In such cases, the provision of a fluid-tight seal between the cover assembly 50 and the sample reservoir 20 enables a fluid sample within the sample reservoir 20 to be transported from one location to another without fear of spilling or contamination, A fluid-tight seal can be formed by any suitable means, but preferably by one which does not require the use of a separate sealing member, such as an O-ring or a gasket. In the present embodiment, a fluid-tight seal is achieved between the lower cover 60 and the sample reservoir 20 with the assistance of an annular projection 65 which extends downwards from the lower surface of the lower cover 60 . The outer diameter of the projection 63 in a relaxed state is larger than the inner diameter of the upper end of the sample reservoir 20 in a relaxed state so that when the lip 23 of the sample reservoir 20 is placed into the space between the two projections 63 and 65 , the upper end of the sample reservoir 20 will be urged radially outwards by the inner projection 65 towards projection 63 . The upper end of the sample reservoir 20 is thereby pressed into intimate contact with at least projection 65 and possibly both projections 63 and 65 , resulting in the formation of a fluid-tight seal between the lower cover 60 and the sample reservoir 20 around the entire periphery of the sample reservoir 20 somewhere in the space between the two projections 63 and 65 .
The upper cover 70 likewise comprises a disc-shaped plate 71 . The plate 71 has a plurality of annular projections 73 , 74 extending downwards from its lower surface. A first projection 73 has an outer diameter so as to engage with the inner periphery of the projection 62 on the top surface of the lower cover 60 .
Like the fit between the lower cover 60 and the upper end of the sample reservoir 20 , the fit between the lower and upper covers 60 and 70 where they engage at projections 62 and 73 may have varying degrees of tightness, varying from a fluid-tight fit to a loose fit. In the present embodiment, projection 73 on the upper cover 70 snugly engages the inner surface of projection 62 of the lower cover 60 to prevent the upper cover 70 from being inadvertently dislodged from the lower cover 60 during handling but permitting the upper cover 70 to be easily removed from the lower cover 60 by hand when desired. Projection 73 need not extend continuously around the upper cover 70 , particularly when it does not need to seal against projection 62 on the lower cover 60 .
The lower cover 60 has another annular projection 74 which extends downwards from its lower surface concentric with and surrounding projection 73 As shown in FIG. 10, the upper cover 70 can be placed atop the upper end of the base 30 to serve as a cover for the base 30 , with the upper cover 70 and the base 30 together forming a petri dish. The inner diameter of projection 74 is selected so that the inner surface of projection 74 can snugly engage the outer peripheral surface of the base 30 to prevent the upper cover 70 from falling off the base 30 during handling or when the base 30 and the upper cover 70 are inverted. In this embodiment, the engagement between projection 73 and the outer periphery of the base 30 does not form a seal. However, a looser or tighter fit between the upper cover 70 and the base 30 (including a fit forming a fluid-tight seal) is possible.
When the cover assembly 50 is used as a petri dish, a filter element 45 and an absorbent pad 46 are typically placed in the space between the two covers 60 and 70 , and the covers are placed in an incubator to culture microorganisms present on the filter element 45 . The absorbent pad 46 placed between the covers is usually a different absorbent pad from the one which may be placed beneath the filter element 45 during filtration (although they may be identical to each other) so that the user does not need to transfer a wet absorbent pad from one location to another. In accordance with one method of culturing which may be employed, the petri dish defined by the cover assembly 50 is stored right-side up during incubation with the filter element 45 and absorbent pad 46 resting on the top interior surface of the lower cover 60 . However, in accordance with another method of culturing which may be employed, the petri dish is stored upside down during incubation with the lower cover 60 positioned atop the upper cover 70 and with the filter element 45 and absorbent pad 46 pressed against the interior surface of the lower cover 60 . To facilitate the use of the cover assembly 50 with this second culturing method, the upper cover 70 may be equipped with a retaining member on its lower surface for retaining a filter element 45 and absorbent pad 46 against the top surface of the lower cover 60 , with the weight of the filter element 45 and the absorbent pad 46 supported by the retaining member, when the cover assembly 50 is inverted. In the present embodiment, the retaining member comprises a projection 72 in the shape of an annular wall which extends downwards from the lower surface of the upper cover 70 towards the lower cover 60 . When the upper surface of projection 62 of the lower cover 60 abuts against the bottom surface of the upper cover 70 , the distance between the bottom surface of projection 72 and the top surface of the lower cover 60 is such that a filter element 45 and an absorbent pad 46 , if present, can be pressed against the top surface of the lower cover 60 by projection 72 and be prevented from falling down when the cover assembly 50 is inverted. Projection 72 does not need to form a seal against the filter element 45 , so it does not need to extend continuously around the entire periphery of the filter element 45 . Furthermore, a retaining member need not be in the shape of a wall. For example, it could be in the form of a plurality of pins or other projections extending downwards from the upper cover 70 towards the lower cover 60 . Preferably, the retaining member contacts the filter element 45 near the outer periphery of the filter element 45 so as to minimize interference with the growth of microorganisms on the filter element 45 , but if the filter element 45 is particularly heavy and needs support at locations other than around its periphery, the retaining member may contact the filter element 45 in locations other than the periphery. When the upper cover 70 is mounted atop the base 30 , the retaining member functions in a similar manner to retain a filter element and absorbent pad 46 against the filter support surface 31 of the base 30 when the upper cover 70 and base 30 are inverted. In situations in which the cover assembly 50 or the upper cover 70 and the base 30 are not expected to be inverted during culturing, the retaining member may be omitted. It is also possible to employ a retaining member which is formed separately from the upper cover 70 , such as a ring which can be inserted between the two covers 60 and 70 where projection 72 is formed in the present embodiment so as to be pressed against the top surface of a filter element 45 .
In order to save space, a plurality of petri dishes are typically stacked atop each other during incubation of microorganisms in the petri dishes. The present embodiment is arranged so that a plurality of petri dishes (each comprising one of the cover assemblies or else comprising an upper cover 70 and a base 30 ) can be stacked atop each other. FIG. 9 is a vertical cross-sectional view of two petri dishes, each comprising a cover assembly 50 , stacked atop each other. In this figure, projections 63 and 65 on the bottom surface of each lower cover 60 rest atop the top surface of the upper cover 70 of the cover assembly 50 located below it. If the stack of petri dishes is inverted, the top surface of each upper cover 70 rests atop projections 63 and 65 on the bottom surface of the lower cover 60 of the cover assembly 50 located below it. FIG. 10 is a vertical cross-sectional view of two petri dishes, each comprising a base 30 and an upper cover 70 , stacked atop each other. The outer wall 41 of each base 30 rests on the upper surface of the upper cover 70 of another petri dish located beneath it. Alternatively, if the petri dishes are inverted, the upper surface of each upper cover 70 rests atop the outer wall 41 of the base 30 of the petri dish located beneath it. Any number of petri dishes can be stacked atop each other in the manner shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. Furthermore, a stack of petri dishes can contain one or more petri dishes like those shown in FIG. 9 along with one or more petri dishes like those shown in FIG. 10 . In order to give a stack of petri dishes greater stability, each upper cover 70 may be equipped with a stabilizing structure which can resist lateral movement of an adjoining petri dish to prevent one petri dish from inadvertently being knocked off the petri dish located below it. In the present embodiment, the stabilizing structure comprises two annular ridges 75 and 76 which extend upwards from the top surface of the upper cover 70 . When the lower cover 60 of one petri dish sits on the upper cover 70 of another petri dish, the outer annular ridge 75 of the upper cover 70 is located between the two projections 63 and 65 on the lower surface of the lower cover 60 . When a lateral force is applied to one of the covers, the outer annular ridge 75 on the upper cover 70 contacts one or both of projections 63 and 65 on the lower cover 60 to resist relative lateral movement of the two covers. As shown in FIG. 10, when the base 30 of one petri dish sits on the upper cover 70 of another petri dish, the outer wall 41 of the base 30 contacts the upper cover 70 between the two annular ridges 75 and 76 , and lateral movement of the outer wall 41 relative to the upper cover 70 is resisted by one or both of the ridges. It is not necessary for the ridges 75 , 76 to form a seal against the portion of another petri dish which they contact, so they need not be continuous and they need not tightly engage the adjoining petri dish. Furthermore, a stabilizing structure is not restricted to the form of ridges. For example, a stabilizing structure could be in the form of pins, bumps, tabs, or other projections on the top surface of the upper cover 70 , or it could be in the form of a recess formed in the top surface of the upper cover 70 for receiving one or both of the projections 63 and 65 on the lower cover 60 or the outer wall 41 of the base 30 .
The filtration assembly 10 can be made from a wide variety of materials, including those conventionally used for funnels, reservoirs, petri dishes, and other laboratory equipment, such as metals, plastics, and glass, depending upon factors such as the desired strength, flexibility, heat resistance, and corrosion resistance and upon whether the filtration assembly 10 is intended to be reusable or discarded at the completion of use. Different portions of the filtration assembly 10 may be formed of different materials. For economy of manufacture, plastics which can be shaped by molding are particularly suitable for the filtration assembly 10 . Some examples of suitable plastics are polypropylene, nylon, and polyacrylate. In some instances, it is convenient if portions of the assembly 10 , such as one or both of the lower and upper covers 60 and 70 , are translucent or transparent to permit substances within the assembly 10 to be readily observed.
Filtration of a fluid sample in the sample reservoir 20 can be performed by a variety of conventional methods, including gravity filtration and vacuum filtration. In vacuum filtration, the filtration assembly 10 is mounted on a vacuum manifold, a filtration flask, or other device through which suction can be applied to the fluid port 38 to suck fluid in the sample reservoir 20 through the filter element 45 and out of the fluid port 38 . FIG. 11 is a schematic view of a vacuum filtration arrangement with which a filtration assembly 10 according to the present invention can be employed. The illustrated arrangement includes a vacuum filtration manifold 80 having a plurality of inlet tubes 81 , each of which can support a filtration assembly 10 . Any one of the inlet tubes 81 can be fluidly connected through the interior of the manifold 80 to a vacuum port 82 of the manifold 80 by a stopcock 83 . Suction can be applied to the vacuum port 82 by a vacuum pump 84 connected to it by a hose 85 . Depending on the structure of the pump 84 , a vacuum filtration flask 86 and a filter 87 for removing aerosols from air may be installed between the manifold 80 and the pump 84 to prevent the fluid being filtered from being sucked into the pump 84 . In order to perform filtration with this arrangement, a filtration assembly 10 containing a filter element 45 and possibly an absorbent pad 46 disposed on the filter support surface 31 of the base 30 is mounted on one of the inlet tubes 81 with the fluid port 38 of the base 30 fluidly communicating with the inlet tube 81 . The fluid port 38 may be connected to one of the inlet tubes 81 in a variety of manners. One way, schematically shown in FIG. 12, is to insert the fluid port 38 into the upper end of a hollow adapter 88 and to insert the lower end of the adapter 88 into the bore of a hollow rubber stopper 89 sized to fit into the upper end of one of the inlet tubes 81 . The adapter 88 , which may be either a rigid or flexible member, is sized so as to form line or surface contact with the outer surface of the fluid port 38 when the fluid port 38 is inserted into the adapter 88 with a sufficiently tight fit between the fluid port 19 and the adapter 88 to obtain a desired suction in the fluid port 38 when the vacuum pump 84 is operated. Alternatively, as schematically shown in FIG. 13, the base 30 of the filtration assembly 10 may also be shaped so as to directly engage with the inlet tube 81 of the manifold 80 without the need for an adapter 88 or a stopper 89 . In this embodiment, the base 30 includes an annular skirt 42 disposed between the fluid port 38 and the outer wall 41 and extending downwards from the lower surface of the base 30 . The outer periphery of the skirt 42 is shaped so as to be in line contact or surface contact with the inner surface of the inlet tube 81 around its entire periphery when the skirt 42 is inserted into the inlet tube 81 . The skirt 42 may but need not form a fluid-tight seal against the inlet tube 81 . The skirt 42 preferably engages the inlet tube 81 sufficiently tightly that the vacuum pump 84 can generate sufficient suction in the inlet tube 81 to suck fluid contained in the sample reservoir 20 through the filter element 45 . It may be easier to obtain a desired fit between the skirt 42 and the inlet tube 81 if the skirt 42 is somewhat flexible. The skirt 42 may also be shaped to directly contact filtration equipment other than an inlet tube of a vacuum filtration manifold, such as the mouth of a filtration flask. Either before or after the assembly 10 is mounted on the inlet tube 81 , a desired quantity of a fluid sample to be filtered is placed into the sample reservoir 20 . With the filtration assembly 10 mounted on one of the inlet tubes 81 , the vacuum pump 84 is operated to suck the fluid sample through the filter element 45 and into the filtration flask 86 . During operation of the pump 84 , the cover assembly 50 is usually removed from the sample reservoir 20 so that the interior of the sample reservoir 20 above the fluid being filtered will be at atmospheric pressure, thereby making filtration easier and preventing suction generated by the pump 84 from causing the sample reservoir 20 to collapse. When the fluid sample has been sucked out of the sample reservoir 20 and through the filter element 45 , the pump 84 is turned off. At this time, the filtration assembly 10 may be removed from or left mounted on the vacuum manifold 80 . When the cover assembly 50 is to be used as a petri dish, an absorbent pad 46 is placed atop the lower cover 60 within the region surrounded by annular projection 62 , and a suitable nutrient solution for culturing microorganisms is applied to the absorbent pad 46 in a conventional manner. The sample reservoir 20 is then detached from the base 30 by hand and the filter element 45 is removed from atop the base 30 with forceps, for example, and placed atop the absorbent pad 46 on the lower cover 60 . The upper cover 70 is then placed atop the lower cover 60 to form a petri dish, and the microorganisms in the petri dish are incubated in a suitable manner, such as by being placed into a conventional incubator. Incubation of a single petri dish may be performed, or a plurality of petri dishes can be stacked atop each other during incubation as shown in FIG. 10 .
If the base 30 and the upper cover 70 are instead to be used as a petri dish, after the completion of filtration, the sample reservoir 20 is detached by hand from the base 30 by releasing the snap fit between them, and the filter element 45 is left atop the base 30 while a suitable nutrient solution is applied to the absorbent pad 46 located beneath the filter element 45 , the absorbent pad 46 typically having been placed beneath the filter element 45 prior to filtration. The nutrient solution can be applied to the absorbent pad 46 either from above, through the filter element 45 , or from below via the fluid port 38 . A method of introducing the solution through the fluid port 38 is shown in FIG. 14 . The nutrient solution is usually contained in an ampule 90 having a tapered snout 91 which can be inserted into the fluid port 38 and from which the nutrient solution can be dispensed. Since the fit between the outer surface of the snout 91 of the ampule 90 and the inner surface of the fluid port 38 may be fairly tight, one or more air vents 40 may be formed in the fluid port 38 to enable air to escape from the fluid port 38 when the outer surface of the snout 91 of the ampule 90 is pressed tightly against the inner surface of the fluid port 38 to prevent the formation of an air lock which could impede the introduction of the nutrient solution into the fluid port 38 . In the present embodiment, the fluid port 38 has three air vents 40 , each comprising an elongated groove formed in the inner periphery of the fluid port 38 between the openings 39 in the fluid port 38 and its outer end. When the nutrient solution is being applied to the absorbent pad 46 through the fluid port 38 , the sample reservoir 20 or the upper cover 70 may be mounted on the base 30 to prevent the filter element 45 and absorbent pad 46 from falling off. Once the nutrient solution has been applied to the absorbent pad 46 and the upper cover 70 is mounted on the base 30 , the petri dish comprising the base 30 and the upper cover 70 are ready to be incubated. If desired, a closure, such as a cap or a plug, may be mounted on the lower end of the fluid port 38 to prevent fluid from leaking out of it during incubation. If the base 30 is disposed upside down during incubation with the fluid port 38 facing upwards, a closure may be unnecessary.
In general, a petri dish comprising the cover assembly 50 and a petri dish comprising the base 30 and the upper cover 70 are both highly satisfactory. However, in some situations, one type of petri dish may have advantages over the other. For example, it may be more convenient to use a petri dish comprising the base 30 and the upper cover 70 because it is not necessary to remove the filter element 45 from the base 30 at the completion of filtration, resulting in fewer steps to be performed and less wear on the filter element 45 . On the other hand, at the completion of filtration, the absorbent pad 46 beneath the filter element 45 on the base 30 may be saturated with filtrate. If the presence of the filtrate in the absorbent pad 46 is objectionable or if the filtrate excessively dilutes the nutrient solution which is added to the absorbent pad 46 in order for culturing to take place, it may be desirable to instead use the cover assembly 50 as a petri dish, since an absorbent pad 46 within the cover assembly 50 will not have been exposed to fluid during filtration. | A filtration assembly can comprise a chamber for holding a fluid sample to be filtered and a cover assembly defining a petri dish into which a filter element can be placed for cultivating microorganisms present on the filter element. A filtration assembly can also comprise a sample reservoir for holding a fluid sample and a base for supporting the sample reservoir detachably connected to the sample reservoir. One of the sample reservoir and the base can have a projection extending around its periphery and the other of the sample reservoir and the base can have a groove extending around its periphery and detachably engaging the projection in a fluid-type manner around its periphery. A filtration assembly can also comprise a sample reservoir for holding a fluid sample to be filtered and a base for supporting the sample reservoir. The base can include a fluid port and communication with an interior of the sample reservoir and a skirt surrounding the fluid port for contact with a vacuum manifold. A method of filtering a fluid may comprise disposing a filter element on a support surface formed on one of a sample reservoir and a base. The method can further comprise detachably connecting the sample reservoir to the base in a fluid type manner without using the ceiling member by engagement between a projection formed on one of the sample reservoir and the base and a groove formed in the other of the sample reservoir and the base. A method of using a filtration assembly can comprise placing a base of a filtration assembly on a vacuum manifold with a skirt of the base contacting an inlet tube of the manifold around the periphery of the skirt. A method of culturing microorganisms can comprise passing the fluid sample through a filter element and placing the filter element in a petri dish defined by a cover assembly mountable on a sample reservoir. | 2 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application cites under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/798,373, filed Mar. 15, 2013, which is currently pending, and which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND
[0002] A. Field of the Disclosure
[0003] The invention relates generally to automatic utility meter systems. More specifically, the invention relates to an RFID-enabled utility device interface unit configured to receive measurements from a utility meter.
[0004] B. Background
[0005] Meters that measure utility usage are widely used to keep track of the consumption of an end user. For example, utility companies that supply water to their customers typically charge for their product based on usage. Usage of water is typically measured by a meter that is installed for each individual customer on their respective water supply line. Traditionally, utility company employees periodically (usually monthly) manually collect readings from meters. These readings are usually cumulative, so the amount of usage for the present period is calculated by subtracting the reading from the previous period. Once the usage is calculated, the customer is billed for that amount of water used during that period.
[0006] Manually reading usage meters is labor intensive, time consuming, expensive, and subject to human error, especially for residential customers because each meter monitors relatively little usage as compared with larger, commercial customers. As a result, meters combined with electronics have been used to allow for quicker, more efficient, and more accurate collection of usage data along with other pertinent information such as leak information or reverse flow detection. The electronic portion is referred to as a “meter interface unit” (MIU). The meter may still measure usage by monitoring flow through a conventional, mechanical meter. The usage readings are stored electronically by the MIU and then transmitted via radio signals to a local transmitter/receiver (transceiver) operated by the utility.
[0007] The most common types of transceivers for this purpose are mobile transceivers and fixed networks. Mobile transceivers are generally handheld or vehicle mounted. A utility employee drives or walks within the transmission range of the meter and the meter data is received and stored. The use of mobile transceivers has the advantage of bringing the transceiver close to the meter, therefore allowing the MIU to broadcast using less energy; however, transporting the transceiver from place to place is laborious. Fixed networks have the advantage of saving the cost and labor of bringing the transceiver close to the MIU, but they require that the MIU transmit its data using more energy so it can reach a distant transceiver.
[0008] The MIU often cannot be practically connected to the power grid, so it must rely on an alternative source of power, such as a battery. Batteries of course hold only a limited amount of power, and when depleted the battery must be replaced or recharged. Replacing and recharging batteries has not yet been automated, and requires human labor. If batteries must be replaced, the cost of replacement batteries can be significant for the utility district in the aggregate. The growing popularity of fixed networks to read meters means that MIUs must transmit using more power, reducing battery life. When the battery is expended, the MIU cannot communicate with the transceiver and usage data is lost. Loss of power of course is not unique to batteries, and may occur even in situations in which the MIU receives power from the grid.
[0009] Consequently there is a need in the art for technologies to allow data to be safely stored and recovered from an MIU without the use of a separate battery power source.
SUMMARY
[0010] The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the claimed subject matter. This summary is not an extensive overview. It is not intended to identify key or critical elements or to delineate the scope of the claimed subject matter. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
[0011] The need described above, as well as others, has been solved by the inventor by providing a radiofrequency identification device (RFID)-enabled MIU configured to receive measurements from a utility meter. The RFID can be used to provide power to the MIU when the MIU's main power source (such as a battery) has failed. When used in conjunction with non-volatile memory, the device is able to save usage data to the non-volatile memory to prevent loss of data in case of loss of power, and transmit the usage data when the RFID is interrogated. As a result, loss of power will no longer cause data loss and preclude data transmission by the MIU. Some embodiments of the MIU could allow setting and configuration data to be read during installation or servicing without powering up the MIU.
[0012] A general embodiment of the RFID-enabled MIU comprises: a main power source; a memory storage device comprising non-volatile memory connected to receive power from the main power source, and configured to periodically record a measurement from the utility meter in the non-volatile memory when powered by the main power source; and an RFID connected to the memory storage device to read the memory storage device and to provide radiofrequency induction power to the memory storage device, configured to provide the radiofrequency induction power to the memory storage device in response to a signal from an interrogator, and configured to transmit the measurement that is recorded on the memory storage device in response to a signal from the interrogator.
[0013] A process is also provided for gathering utility usage data from an RFID-enabled meter interface unit. In a general embodiment, the process comprises recording a measurement from a utility meter on a memory storage device comprising non-volatile media while the memory storage device is powered by a main power source interrogating an RFID, the RFID connected to the memory storage device to read and transmit the measurement from the memory storage device and to provide radiofrequency induction power to the memory storage device; wherein, if the main power source is unavailable, said interrogation causes the RFID to power the memory storage device by radiofrequency induction, read the measurement from the memory storage device, and transmit the measurement to the interrogator.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 . This FIGURE illustrates an embodiment of the unit schematically.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
A. Definitions
[0015] With reference to the use of the word(s) “comprise” or “comprises” or “comprising” in the foregoing description and/or in the following claims, unless the context requires otherwise, those words are used on the basis and clear understanding that they are to be interpreted inclusively, rather than exclusively, and that each of those words is to be so interpreted in construing the foregoing description and/or the following claims.
[0016] The term “about” as used herein refers to a value that may vary within the range of expected error inherent in typical measurement techniques known in the art.
[0017] The term “storage device” as used herein refers to a machine-readable data storage device that retains data that can be read by mechanical, optical, or electronic means, for example by a processor. Such devices are sometimes referred to as “memory,” although as used herein a machine-readable data storage device cannot comprise a human mind in whole or in part, including human memory. A storage device may be classified as primary, secondary, tertiary, or off-line storage. Examples of a storage device that is primary storage include the register of a central processing unit, the cache of a central processing unit, and random-access memory (RAM) that is accessible to a central processing unit via a memory bus (generally comprising an address bus and a data bus). Primary storage is generally volatile memory, which has the advantage of being rapidly accessible. A storage device that is secondary storage is not directly accessible to the central processing unit, but is accessible to the central processing unit via an input/output channel. Examples of a storage device that is secondary storage include a mass storage device, such as a magnetic hard disk, an optical disk, a drum drive, flash memory, a floppy disk, a magnetic tape, an optical tape, a paper tape, and a plurality of punch cards. A storage device that is tertiary storage is not connected to the central processing unit until it is needed, generally accessed robotically. Examples of a storage device that is tertiary storage may be any storage device that is suitable for secondary storage, but configured such that it is not constantly connected to the central processing unit. A storage device that is off-line storage is not connected to the central processing unit, and does not become so connected without human intervention. Examples of a storage device that is off-line storage may be any storage device that is suitable for secondary storage, but configured such that it is not constantly connected to the central processing unit, and does not become so connected without human intervention. Secondary, tertiary, and off-line storage are generally non-volatile, which has the advantage of requiring no source of electrical current to maintain the recorded information. A storage device cannot be construed to be a mere signal, although information may be communicated to and from a storage device via a signal.
[0018] The term “processor” or “central processing unit” (CPU) as used herein, refers to a software execution device capable of executing a sequence of instructions (“program”). The CPU comprises an arithmetic logic unit, and may further comprise one or both of a register and cache memory.
[0019] The term “microprocessor” refers to a CPU on at least one integrated circuit. Modern microprocessors often comprise one integrated circuit.
[0020] The term “computing device” refers to a CPU, a memory storage device, and a bus connected to exchange information between the CPU and the memory storage device. The CPU may comprise one or both of a register and a cache. Additional peripherals may be present.
B. RFID-Enabled Utility Meter Interface
[0021] A general embodiment of the RFID-enabled MIU 100 comprises a main power source 200 ; a memory storage device 300 comprising non-volatile memory connected to receive power from the main power source 200 , and configured to periodically record a measurement from the utility meter in the non-volatile memory when powered by the main power source 200 ; and an RFID 400 connected to the memory storage device 300 to read the memory storage device 300 and to provide radiofrequency induction power to the memory storage device 300 , configured such that the RFID 400 provides the radiofrequency induction power to the memory storage device 300 in response to a signal from an interrogator 500 , and configured to transmit the measurement that is recorded on the memory storage device 300 in response to a signal from the interrogator 500 .
[0022] The main power source 200 may be any suitable power source; in some embodiments the power source will not be radiofrequency-induced power. The “power source” in this context will be a source of electrical current. Many such sources are known in the art. The power source may be a local power grid, which has the advantages of excellent reliability, unlimited lifespan, and never needs replacement. The power source may also be a battery 210 , which has the advantages of low voltage (requiring no transformer between the power source and the electronic components of the MIU 100 ), and availability in places where a power grid is not available. The power source may also be a local generator, for example a photoelectric generator, a fuel cell, an internal combustion generator, and a wind turbine. Such local generation has the advantage of being independent from a power grid. Solar cells and wind turbines have the further advantage of producing small amounts of power inexhaustibly (barring mechanical breakdown), and can provide power with enhanced consistency if used in conjunction with a rechargeable battery 210 .
[0023] Radiofrequency induction occurs when an alternating electromagnetic field is encountered by a conducting coil, which generates an electrical current in the coil. Induction will occur over a wide range of frequencies, depending on the conductive material used in the coil (which is sometimes called the antenna 700 ). In order to avoid interfering with other uses of the electromagnetic spectrum, frequencies of 5.875 GHz and below are generally used for radiofrequency induction (particularly in the case of RFID applications).
[0024] The memory storage device 300 contains non-volatile media for storing information. Such non-volatile media could conceivably include any known in the art, such as magnetic-core memory, mask ROM, programmable ROM, EPROM, flash memory, ferroelectric RAM, magnetoresistive RAM, tape, magnetic disk, optical disk, and magneto-optical disk. Some embodiments of the device comprise electronically addressed non-volatile memory, which has the advantage of consuming less power to access than mechanically addressed non-volatile memory (for example, ROM, flash memory, ferroelectric RAM, and magnetoresistive RAM). In a specific embodiment the memory storage device 300 is a flash memory device.
[0025] The memory storage device 300 is configured to periodically record a measurement from the utility meter when it is powered by the main power source 200 . For example, in a water meter the memory storage device 300 may be configured to record the current usage value from the meter periodically when the main power source 200 is providing power. The current usage value would be stored in non-volatile memory, and would persist even in the event of loss of power. The recording may be made at regular intervals, such as once per month, once per week, once per day, once per hour, etc. In a specific embodiment the recording is made once per hour. In some embodiments of the unit 100 the recording is made when a signal is received from the utility. The signal may be, for example, an interrogation signal from an RFID interrogator 500 or a query signal from a fixed network.
[0026] In further embodiments of the unit 100 the memory storage device 300 will record a measurement only when powered by the main power source 200 . Should the main power source 200 become unavailable, the measurement will not be recorded, even if the unit 100 is otherwise programmed to record a measurement at that time. In still further embodiments, a measurement will be recorded when the main power source 200 is not available, if radiofrequency induction power becomes available. For example, the unit 100 may be designed to wake up upon interrogation of the RFID 400 , power up the memory storage device 300 using induction power, and record a measurement from the meter.
[0027] The unit 100 comprises an RFID 400 . The RFID 400 is of the “passive tag” type, although there may be a battery assist. Such passive tags do not transmit unless a signal is received by an interrogator 500 . In the absence of auxiliary power (such as a battery assist system) the RFID 400 uses the power provided by radiofrequency induction from the interrogator signal to send an answering signal to the interrogator 500 . Some of this power may be channeled to other purposes, such as providing power to the memory storage device 300 . In the presence of auxiliary power, the passive tag will not transmit until interrogated, at which point the auxiliary power system will “wake up” and provide power to the RFID 400 and potentially other systems in the unit 100 .
[0028] The RFID 400 is connected to the memory storage device 300 to transmit power to the memory storage device 300 and to read the memory storage device 300 . The RFID 400 is configured to divert at least some of the radiofrequency induction power to the memory storage device 300 , such that an onboard microprocessor may read the measurement that is recorded on it. The microprocessor is also configured to transmit the measurement once it has been read from the memory storage device 300 .
[0029] If the RFID 400 has an auxiliary power source, the microprocessor may be configured to wake up the auxiliary power source when interrogated. The data storage device 300 may then be powered by the auxiliary power source. In such embodiments of the unit 100 the auxiliary power source is separate from the main power source 200 .
[0030] Regardless of whether an auxiliary power source is present, the measurement can be read and transmitted even if the main power source 200 has been lost.
[0031] The MIU 100 may comprise a computing device 600 in addition to the onboard microprocessor. The computing device 600 may, for example, control the memory storage device 300 . The computing device 600 may be the MIU 100 device controller. Alternatively the onboard microprocessor may control the memory storage device 300 . In a specific embodiment the memory storage device 300 may be controlled and read by either the onboard processor or the computing device 600 . In such an embodiment the memory storage device 300 may advantageously be a dual-port memory storage device 300 .
[0032] The computing device 600 may be configured to receive measurements from the meter, write to the data storage device 300 , read to the data storage device 300 , transmit information via a radio signal, and/or receive information via a radio signal. The computing device 600 may be configured to process data received by any of the foregoing means. The computing device 600 may be configured or programmed to designate certain memory addresses 310 on the memory storage device 300 as read-only, to re-designate such addresses 310 as writable, or both.
[0033] The utility meter may be of any type, such as an electricity meter, a water meter, a gas meter, or another type of fluid meter. Some embodiments of the unit 100 are configured to receive measurements from a fluid meter, such as a gas meter or a water meter. Some embodiments of the unit 100 are configured to read a meter than is not an electricity meter; electricity meters are unusual among utility meters, as they have ready access to electrical power. MIUs are known in the art for all types of utility meters.
[0034] The RFID 400 may comprise an antenna 700 . Some embodiments of the antenna 700 have a resonant frequency of up to about 5.875 GHz; further embodiments of the antenna 700 have a resonant frequency of about 450-470 MHz.
[0035] The unit 100 may also be configured to store and provide information in addition to the measurement. In such configurations, certain memory addresses 310 may be designated as write-only under certain conditions.
[0036] In some embodiments of the unit 100 , the memory storage device 300 comprises a plurality of memory addresses 310 , and wherein the RFID 400 is configured to receive a signal from the interrogator 500 that designates a memory address as write-protected. Information stored at the write-protected address cannot be overwritten until the address is re-designated as writable. In further embodiments of the unit 100 the RFID 400 is configured to receive a signal from the interrogator 500 that designates a memory address as write-protected against the recordation of any data not transmitted by an interrogator 500 . In such embodiments the interrogator 500 has authority to overwrite the information at the address, but the unit 100 cannot overwrite the information at the address absent instructions from the interrogator 500 . In further embodiments of the unit 100 , the RFID 400 is configured to receive a signal from the interrogator 500 that designates a memory address as write-protected against the recordation of any data not transmitted by an interrogator 500 unless a passcode is provided. In such embodiments only the interrogator 500 has authority to overwrite the address, but the unit 100 or a user may overwrite the address with the appropriate passcode. In still further embodiments of the unit 100 the RFID 400 is configured to receive a signal from the interrogator 500 that designates a memory address as write-protected against the recordation of any data, regardless of the source. In such embodiments the data is essentially permanent.
[0037] In embodiments of the unit 100 comprising a computing device 600 , the computing device 600 may be configured to designate a memory address as write-protected against the recordation of any data not transmitted by the computing device 600 . In some such embodiments, the computing device 600 is configured to designate a memory address as write-protected against the recordation of any data not transmitted by the computing device 600 unless a passcode is provided. In further embodiments of this type, the computing device 600 is configured to designate a memory address as write-protected against the recordation of any data.
[0038] Various types of information may be recorded on the unit 100 at the given memory address; of course, numerous pieces of information may be recorded at a plurality of memory addresses 310 , any of which may be designated as write-only according to the rules above. For example, the unit 100 may comprise a unit identifier 810 recorded in read-only non-volatile memory 800 . The unit identifier 810 may be a serial number, manufacture date, lot number, or a combination of these. Specific types of information that may be stored in non-volatile memory include: an activation key 830 , the unit's 100 manufacture date, the unit's 100 test results, a repair date, a repair type, a current owner identifier, a past owner identifier, a shipping recipient identifier, a shipping date, a warrantee date, and a warrantee identifier; the RFID 400 may be configured to transmit this information in response to a signal from the interrogator 500 .
[0039] An embodiment of the device is illustrated in FIG. 1 . A main power source 200 (“power source” in FIG. 1 ) provides power to a computing device 600 termed the device controller. The device controller switches power on and off to the memory storage device 300 , and is connected to read and write to the memory storage device 300 . The memory storage device 300 in this embodiment is of the dual-port type, so that it may receive power from either the main power source 200 or the RFID 400 . It may also be read or written by either the controller or the RFID 400 . Using an interrogator 500 a user may read and write various types of information to and from the memory. The type of information that may be written or read depends on the user's level of access. In this exemplary embodiment, any user with an interrogator 500 may read data relating to usage, configuration, logs, and error codes. Higher levels of authorization are required to write the device's configuration data (such as calibration data, operating parameters, and configuration commands). New programs can be uploaded to the device by a user with a certain authorization level with an interrogator 500 . Device function can be enabled or disabled by a user with another level of authorization. Authentication can be provided by passwords as is known in the art. A user may be authenticated to a certain authorization level simply by using an interrogator 500 that transmits a signal recognized by the RFID 400 .
C. Process for Gathering Utility Usage Data
[0040] Processes are provided for gathering utility usage data that are robust against loss of the primary power source for an MIU 100 . In a general embodiment the process comprises interrogating any of the RFID-enabled utility device interface units 100 described above.
[0041] In another general embodiment, the process comprises recording a measurement from a utility meter on a memory storage device 300 comprising non-volatile media while the memory storage device 300 is powered by a main power source 200 ; interrogating an RFID 400 , the RFID 400 connected to the memory storage device 300 to read and transmit the measurement from the memory storage device 300 and to provide radiofrequency induction power to the memory storage device 300 ; wherein, if the main power source 200 is unavailable, said interrogation causes the RFID 400 to power the memory storage device 300 by radiofrequency induction, read the measurement from the memory storage device 300 , and transmit the measurement to the interrogator 500 .
[0042] The utility meter, memory storage device 300 , main power source 200 , and RFID 400 may be any that are disclosed as suitable for the MIU 100 described above.
[0043] The RFID 400 may be interrogated by any means known in the art. The nature of the interrogator 500 is not critical, so long as it functions to transmit a radiofrequency transmission that is recognized by the RFID 400 . The interrogation signal will be at a frequency that matches the RFID 400 ; for example interrogation may comprise transmitting at a frequency of up to about 5.875 GHz; in another example interrogation may comprise transmitting at about 450-470 MHz. In some embodiments of the process the interrogator 500 will also have a radio receiver for receiving the return signal from the RFID 400 . It is possible that the receiver that receives the return signal will not be part of the interrogator 500 , although conventional interrogators incorporate both structures. In some embodiments of the method the interrogator 500 is a mobile interrogator 500 , for example a man-portable interrogator 500 or a vehicle-mounted interrogator 500 . One suitable form of a man-portable interrogator 500 is a handheld interrogator 500 .
[0044] In some embodiments of the process the interrogation signal causes the RFID 400 to power the memory storage device 300 by radiofrequency induction only when the main power source 200 is unavailable. If the main power source 200 is available, then the memory storage device 300 will continue to rely on the main power source 200 even if interrogation occurs. In some embodiments, if the main power source 200 is available, the RFID 400 will not read the measurement and transmit the measurement in response to interrogation. Embodiments are contemplated in which the measurement will be read and transmitted in response to interrogation when the main power source 200 is available, but the memory storage device 300 will be powered by the main power source 200 , not by radiofrequency induction as would occur if the main power source 200 were unavailable.
[0045] Some embodiments of the process comprise recording configuration data of the meter interface unit 100 on the memory storage device 300 while the memory storage device 300 is powered by the main power source 200 ; recording the difference between the measurement and a previous measurement on the memory storage device 300 while the memory storage device 300 is powered by the main power source 200 ; wherein the interrogation causes the RFID 400 to read the configuration data and difference from the memory storage device 300 and transmit the configuration data and difference to the interrogator 500 if the main power source 200 is unavailable. In further embodiments, only if the main power source 200 is unavailable will interrogation cause the RFID 400 to read the configuration data and difference from the memory storage device 300 and transmit the configuration data and difference to the interrogator 500 . In such embodiments the MIU's 100 last configuration and the usage since the last measurement was recorded are stored in non-volatile memory. If main power fails, the MIU 100 can provide the usage as of the time of the most recent measurement and it can provide its last configuration; the configuration data make it simple to restore the MIU 100 to its last configuration state prior to primary power loss.
[0046] In some embodiments of the process the interrogation causes the RFID 400 to power the memory storage device 300 by radiofrequency induction only when the main power source 200 is unavailable. In such embodiments the memory storage device 300 continues to run on main power if the RFID 400 is interrogated while main power is available. In some embodiments of the process the interrogation causes the RFID 400 to read the measurement from the memory storage device 300 , and transmit the measurement to the interrogator 500 only if the main power source 200 is unavailable. Embodiments are also contemplated in which, when main power is available, the memory storage device 300 continues to run on main power, and interrogation causes the RFID 400 to read the measurement from the memory storage device 300 and transmit the measurement to the interrogator 500 .
[0047] In some embodiments of the process the interrogation causes the RFID 400 to power the memory storage device 300 by radiofrequency induction only when the main power source 200 is unavailable, and the interrogation causes the main power source 200 to power the memory storage device 300 if the main power source 200 is available.
[0048] Some embodiments of the process comprise recording a plurality of measurements from the utility meter on the memory storage device 300 while the memory storage device 300 is powered by the main power source 200 , the plurality of measurements being recorded at regular time intervals. The regular time interval may be any that is suitable for gauging use. The time interval may coincide with a billing cycle, for example, monthly. Examples of the regular time interval include yearly, quarterly, monthly, weekly, daily, every 12 hours, every 4 hours, and hourly. The interval may be indicated by a clock that is part of the unit 100 . An alternative embodiment of the process comprises recording a measurement from the utility meter on the memory storage device 300 at regular temporal intervals, regardless of the power source used for the memory storage device 300 .
[0049] Some embodiments of the process comprise powering the memory storage device 300 from the main power source 200 ; reading the measurement from the memory storage device 300 , and transmitting the measurement to a receiver if the main power source 200 is available. In such embodiments transmission may occur by way of a transmission system that is separate from the RFID 400 ; it may be significantly more powerful than the RFID 400 to facilitate transmissions to relatively distant receivers. This may be necessary for example, if the MIU 100 communicates with a fixed network. In a further embodiment of the process the measurement is transmitted to an automated meter reading system.
[0050] In addition to providing access to usage data when the main power source 200 is not available, some embodiments of the process can be used to provide useful information about the MIU 100 to users. For example, the MIU 100 can be used to store an activation key 830 that is needed to initialize the MIU 100 in an automatic utility meter reading system. In some embodiments the activation key 830 is recorded in non-volatile memory. In one exemplary embodiment, the process comprises recording an activation key 830 in non-volatile memory in the unit 100 ; and transmitting the activation key 830 from the meter interface unit 100 to an automatic utility meter reading system; wherein said transmitting of the activation key 830 causes the automatic utility meter reading system to recognize the meter interface unit 100 .
[0051] The MIU 100 can also be used to store and transmit configuration data. For example, the process may comprise transmitting a signal to the RFID 400 prior to the initial activation of the meter interface unit 100 , the signal comprising a configuration packet, wherein the signal causes the RFID 400 to power the memory storage device 300 by radiofrequency induction and record the configuration packet on the memory storage device 300 . A further embodiment directed to this purpose further comprises and designates the memory addresses 310 when the configuration packet is stored as read-only. The configuration packet may then be read during installation or servicing of the meter using radiofrequency induction as the source of power.
[0052] In another exemplary embodiment, the RFID 400 is used to store and provide a unit identifier 810 . This embodiment comprises recording a unit identifier 810 on a non-volatile read-only memory device in the unit 100 , wherein interrogation causes the RFID 400 to power the memory storage device 300 by radiofrequency induction, read the unit identifier 810 from the memory storage device 300 , and transmit the unit identifier 810 to the interrogator 500 .
[0053] Other types of useful information can be recorded in the MIU 100 , as well. Further embodiments may comprise recording a datum 820 in read-only non-volatile memory 800 in the unit 100 , the datum 820 selected from the group consisting of: the unit's 100 manufacture date, the unit's 100 test results, a repair date, a repair type, a current owner identifier, a past owner identifier, a shipping recipient identifier, a shipping date, a warranty date, and a warranty identifier; wherein said interrogation causes the RFID 400 to read the datum 820 from the memory storage device 300 , and transmit the measurement to the interrogator 500 .
[0054] As described in the previous section, the memory storage device 300 may contain a memory address 310 (or more often a multiplicity of addresses 310 ) that is designated as read-only, at least under certain circumstances. Such embodiments allow certain data to be stored permanently in the MIU 100 , or until a user or system with a certain authorization level overwrites it. “Authorization” in this context may occur if the user or system accesses the MIU 100 using an interrogator 500 (any party with an interrogator 500 is authorized). One exemplary embodiment, wherein the memory storage device 300 comprises a plurality of memory addresses 310 , involves receiving a signal from the interrogator 500 that designates a memory address as write-protected. Alternatively, the process may comprise receiving a signal from the interrogator 500 that designates a memory address as write-protected against the recordation of any data not transmitted by an interrogator 500 . In another exemplary embodiment the process comprises receiving a signal from the interrogator 500 that designates a memory address as write-protected against the recordation of any data not transmitted by an interrogator 500 unless a passcode is provided. In a still further embodiment the process comprises receiving a signal from the interrogator 500 that designates a memory address as write-protected against the recordation of any data.
D. Conclusions
[0055] It is to be understood that any given elements of the disclosed embodiments of the invention may be embodied in a single structure, a single step, a single substance, or the like. Similarly, a given element of the disclosed embodiment may be embodied in multiple structures, steps, substances, or the like.
[0056] The foregoing description illustrates and describes the processes, machines, manufactures, compositions of matter, and other teachings of the present disclosure. Additionally, the disclosure shows and describes only certain embodiments of the processes, machines, manufactures, compositions of matter, and other teachings disclosed, but, as mentioned above, it is to be understood that the teachings of the present disclosure are capable of use in various other combinations, modifications, and environments and are capable of changes or modifications within the scope of the teachings as expressed herein, commensurate with the skill and/or knowledge of a person having ordinary skill in the relevant art. The embodiments described hereinabove are further intended to explain certain best modes known of practicing the processes, machines, manufactures, compositions of matter, and other teachings of the present disclosure and to enable others skilled in the art to utilize the teachings of the present disclosure in such, or other, embodiments and with the various modifications required by the particular applications or uses. Accordingly, the processes, machines, manufactures, compositions of matter, and other teachings of the present disclosure are not intended to limit the exact embodiments and examples disclosed herein. Any section headings herein are provided only for consistency with the suggestions of 37 C.F.R. §1.77 or otherwise to provide organizational queues. These headings shall not limit or characterize the invention(s) set forth herein. | A meter interface unit (MIU) is provided for a utility meter that uses RFID technology as both a source of backup power and as a means of transmitting utility usage data. Usage data is stored in non-volatile memory that will persist even if the main power source of the MIU is lost. Because an RFID generates electric current when it receives an electromagnetic signal from an interrogator, the RFID can provide power to the memory, read the usage data from the memory, and wirelessly transmit the usage data back to the interrogator without any other source of power. This can prevent data loss when the MIU runs out of power; for example, when its battery is expended. RFID technology can also provide many other benefits and uses when coupled with an MIU, in addition to serving as backup power and communication. | 8 |
This is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 08/276,708, filed Jul. 18, 1994 now abandoned.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an optical star coupler for distributing and coupling light signals transmitted by waveguides such as optical fibers.
In order to build a communication network, using optical fibers or the like, optical star couplers for distributing a light signal among plural optical fibers and coupling light signals from plural optical fibers into one optical fiber are necessary. A known optical star coupler achieving this object is shown in FIG. 11.
This is fabricated by binding together plural optical fibers 101-105, melting the bundle at a high temperature to form a welded portion 110, and mounting a reflector 120 at the front end of the welded portion 110. As an example, a light beam going out of the optical fiber 103 passes through the welded portion 110, is reflected by the reflector 120, again passes through the welded portion 110, and is distributed to other optical fibers.
Generally, a light beam emerging from an optical fiber has an intensity distribution such that the intensity is high around the center of the beam, while decreasing toward the peripheral region of the beam. Therefore, in the optical star coupler shown in FIG. 11, different areas of a light beam which emerges from a single optical fiber get distributed to other optical fibers, and so the light signals cannot be distributed uniformly. A light beam emerging from an optical fiber is propagated so as to become diffused. In the optical star coupler constructed as shown in FIG. 11, the outgoing light beam is simply reflected by a reflector. Therefore, a large portion of the light beam does not reach other optical fibers and hence a large loss takes place.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The problem to be solved by the present invention is the ability to substantially distribute light signals in a uniform manner, or to reduce loss.
In order to solve this problem, the present invention provides an optical star coupler for coupling N incident light beams transmitted by N waveguides, where N is an integer greater than or equal to 3 and each of the N waveguides has an end surface or face for emitting an incident light beam. The optical star coupler includes means for supporting the ends of the N waveguides; light-receiving means for receiving the N incident light beams to thereby form N illuminated regions on the light-receiving means, where the light-receiving means includes, at each of the illuminated regions, N-1 deflector means for dividing and deflecting each incident light beam into N-1 deflected light beams; and means for reflecting the deflected light beams. Each of the deflector means is optically coupled by the reflector means to deflector means at a different illuminated region. Preferably, the optical coupling intensity or strength between the pairs of deflector means is substantially equal.
In one embodiment, the deflector means are transmission-type diffraction gratings, and the light-receiving means is positioned between the supporting means and the reflector means. The deflector means may focus the deflected light beams onto the reflector means, or may emit the deflected light beams as parallel or collimated beams.
In a second embodiment, the deflector means are reflectors such as mirrors or reflection-type diffraction gratings, the supporting means has an inside face which faces the light-receiving means, and the reflector means forms part of the inside face of the supporting means. As with the first embodiment, the deflector means may focus the deflected light beams onto the reflector means, or alternatively, emit the deflected light beams as collimated beams.
In the above-described arrangements, the waveguides connected to the waveguide support portion are preferably arranged so that the end faces of the waveguides are arranged in a rotationally symmetrical relation about a point on the waveguide support, with the several adjacent waveguides being regularly spaced from each other. Regions of illumination which correspond to the waveguides can be formed on the light-receiving section in such a way that the illuminated regions are also arranged in a rotationally symmetrical relation about a point on the light-receiving portion, with the several illuminated regions being regularly spaced from each other. Consequently, the apparatus is easy to design and fabricate. In each of the above described arrangements, the light-receiving section can be fabricated to have overlapping illuminated regions in which the deflector means are mounted. In this way, the whole light-receiving portion can contain fewer than N·(N-1) deflector means, which enables miniaturization.
Every deflector means in an illuminated region is always optically coupled to at least one deflector means in another illuminated region. Furthermore, the strength of the optical coupling between them is preferably made substantially equal. Hence, light signals can be uniformly distributed. Each deflector means within the light-receiving section is optically designed so that when an incident light beam is divided into a plurality of deflected beams, the deflected beams are focused on a desired reflecting surface, or are collimated. As a result, loss of optical energy is reduced.
In a preferred further embodiment, a light deflector is combined with a lens. This is in the interest of minimizing optical dispersion loss in the divided deflected beams. The lens corrects for chromatic aberration, the latter being due to wavelength dependency of the angle of deflection by a light deflector. A resulting star coupler requires less tuning and is more robust in use.
Advantageously further, an optical star coupler is provided with an optical material filling the space between light deflectors and the mirror, thereby integrating the light deflectors and the mirror into a unitary composite. This, too, reduces the need for tuning.
Advantageously with a unitary composite, an optical star coupler is provided with a polymeric covering or coating of the unitary composite, covering it except for the lenses. This is in the interest of protection against moisture and other environmental hazards.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a schematic showing an example of a first embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 2 is a view illustrating the operation of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a schematic of an example of a second embodiment invention.
FIG. 4 is a view illustrating the operation of FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 is a schematic showing a modification of FIG. 1.
FIG. 6 is a schematic showing a modification of FIG. 3.
FIG. 7 is a schematic view of a specific example of a light-receiving section.
FIG. 8 is a schematic view of a second specific example of a light-receiving section.
FIG. 9 is a schematic view of a modified example of the deflector means.
FIG. 10 is a schematic view of an integrally fabricated structure.
FIG. 11 is a schematic view of a prior art structure.
FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a preferred further embodiment of the invention, comprising lenses.
FIG. 13 is a side-view schematic in correspondence with FIG. 12.
FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a preferred further embodiment of the invention, comprising a unitary composite.
FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a preferred further embodiment of the invention, comprising a protective coating.
FIG. 16 is a schematic of a preferred further embodiment of the invention, comprising reflecting deflector elements.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 is a schematic illustrating an example of the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a view illustrating the operation of FIG. 1.
In FIG. 1, there is shown waveguide support 1, light-deflecting section 2, and plane mirror 3. The waveguide support 1 is provided with openings 12a, 12b, 12c, and 12d (neither 12a nor 12d is shown). Optical fibers 11a, 11b, 11c, and 11d (neither 11c nor 11d is shown) are held in mounting holes formed in waveguide support 1. Thus, the end faces from which light beams in the optical fibers emerge are connected with the mounting holes. Light beams 13a, 13b, 13c, and 13d (neither 13c nor 13d is shown) emitted by optical fibers 11a, 11b, 11c, and 11d, respectively, pass through mounting holes 12a, 12b, 12c, and 12d, respectively, and impinge on illuminated regions 21a, 21b, 21c, and 21d (21d is not shown) of light-reflecting section 2.
Three light-deflecting devices, each consisting of a transmission-type diffraction grating are formed in each of the illuminated regions 21a, 21b, 21c, and 21d. For example, if light beam 13a from optical fiber 11a enters the illuminated region 21a, then light-deflecting device 201 existing in the illuminated region 21a deflects part of the beam by diffraction, causing the beam to emerge from the device in such a way that the deflected beam is brought into focus on the reflecting surface 31 of plane mirror 3. At this time, outgoing light beam 221 is reflected by reflecting surface 31 to impinge as light beam 222 on light-deflecting device 202 existing within the illuminated region 21b.
When light beam 13b from optical fiber 11b enters the illuminated region 21b, light-deflecting device 202 deflects part of the beam by diffraction and causes the beam to emerge from the device so that the deflected beam is brought into focus on reflecting surface 31 of plane mirror 3. At this time, outgoing light beam 222 is reflected by reflecting surface 31 to impinge as light beam 221 on light-deflecting device 201 existing within the illuminated region 21a.
Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, part of light beam 13a emitted from optical fiber 11a is deflected by light-deflecting device 201, reflecting surface 31, and light-deflecting device 202 in succession, to thereby propagate in a direction opposite to the direction in which light beam 13b travels, and enter optical fiber 11b. Similarly, part of light beam 13b emitted from optical fiber 11b is deflected by light-deflecting device 202, reflecting surface 31, and light-deflecting device 201 in succession, to thereby propagate in a direction opposite to the direction in which light beam 13a travels and enter optical fiber 11a. Thus, it can be seen that the light signal from optical fiber 11a can be passed to optical fiber 11b and that the light signal from optical fiber 11b can be passed to optical fiber 11a.
The other two light-deflecting devices existing within illuminated region 21a (excluding light-deflecting device 201) couple with the light-deflecting devices located inside illuminated regions 21c and 21d, and act similarly to the above-described light-deflecting devices 201 and 202. Therefore, light signals can be transmitted between optical fibers 11a and 11c and between optical fibers 11a and 11d.
The description made thus far centers on the light-deflecting devices existing inside the illuminated region 21a. The light-deflecting devices within the other illuminated regions can perform similarly. Consequently, if a light signal is emitted from any optical fiber connected with waveguide support 1, it can be transmitted to all the other optical fibers connected to support 1.
In FIGS. 1 and 2, the light-deflecting devices are transmission-type diffraction gratings. However, according to the second embodiment of the present invention the devices can also be of reflection type. FIG. 3 is a schematic illustrating an example of such an arrangement, and FIG. 4 is a view illustrating the operation of the arrangement shown in FIG. 3.
Optical fibers 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d (for 11a and 11b, refer to FIG. 4; 11c and 11d are not shown) connected to a waveguide support 1 emit light beams 13a, 13b, 13c, and 13d (only 13a and 13b are shown) and illuminate regions 21a, 21b, 21c, and 21d. Three light-deflecting devices (only 201' and 202' are shown), each consisting of a reflection-type diffraction grating are mounted in each of the illuminated regions 21a-21d.
For example, if light beam 13a from optical fiber 11a enters the illuminated region 21a, then light-deflecting device 201', existing within the illuminated region 21a, deflects part of the incident beam by diffraction and causes the beam to emerge from the device so that the beam is focused onto reflecting surface 31', of waveguide support 1, opposite to light-deflecting section 2. At this time, outgoing light beam 221 is reflected by reflecting surface 31' to impinge as light beam 222 on light-deflecting device 202' which exists inside the illuminated region 2lb.
If light beam 13b from optical fiber 11b enters the illuminated region 21b, then light-deflecting device 202' deflects part of the beam by diffraction and causes the beam to emerge from the device so that the beam is focused onto reflecting surface 31'. At this time, deflected light beam 222 is reflected by reflecting surface 31' to impinge as light beam 221 on light-deflecting device 201' which exists inside the illuminated region 21a.
Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, part of light beam 13a emitted by optical fiber 11a is deflected by light-deflecting device 201', reflecting surface 31', and light-deflecting device 202' in succession. Thereafter, the deflected beam propagates in a direction opposite to the direction of propagation of the light beam 13b emitted by optical fiber 11b and enters optical fiber 11b. Similarly, part of light beam 13b emerging from optical fiber 11b is deflected by light-deflecting device 202', light-reflecting surface 31', and light-deflecting device 201' in succession. This deflected beam then propagates in a direction opposite to the direction of propagation of light beam 13a emitted from optical fiber 11a to enter optical fiber 11a. Consequently, the light signal from optical fiber 11a can be transmitted to optical fiber 11b. Also, the light signal from optical fiber 11b can be transmitted to optical fiber 11a.
In the case of FIGS. 3 and 4, the foregoing focuses on the relation between the light-deflecting devices 201' and 202'. The same relation exists between other light-deflecting devices 203' and 204' (not shown). Accordingly, if a light signal is radiated from any optical fiber connected with waveguide support 1, then the signal can be transmitted to all the other optical fibers which are connected to support 1. In the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4, a mirror can be used as each light-deflecting device instead of a reflection-type diffraction grating.
FIG. 5 is a schematic of a modification of the arrangement shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 6 is a schematic of a modification of the arrangement shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.
Specifically, in FIGS. 1 and 2, a light beam transmitted between a light-deflecting device and the reflecting surface of the plane mirror is deflected by the light-deflecting device so that the beam is brought into focus on the reflecting surface. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 5, the light beam is deflected by a light-deflecting device so that the light beam transmitted between the light-deflecting device and a plane mirror is a collimated beam. For example, the light beam transmitted between light-deflecting device 202 and reflecting surface 31 is a collimated beam 222'. Similarly, the arrangement shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 may be designed as shown in FIG. 6.
In the arrangements of FIGS. 1-6 described above, each light-deflecting device has a circular light-deflecting region of the same size. In each illuminated region containing three light-deflecting devices, each light-deflecting device is disposed in a rotationally symmetrical relation with the other light-deflecting devices in the same illuminated region with respect to the center of that illuminated region. The distance between the center of the illuminated region and each light-deflecting device is the same within every illuminated region. Since the spatial intensity distribution of the light beam emitted from each optical fiber shows a rotational symmetry, if the intensities of the light beams emitted by the optical fibers are the same during illumination of the light-deflecting devices, then the intensities of the light beams incident on the light-deflecting devices are the same.
Furthermore, every light-deflecting device is formed in a plane parallel to the reflecting surface of the plane mirror. Consequently, the distance from each light-deflecting device to the reflecting surface is the same. Therefore, a light beam incident on a given illuminated region can be branched into three deflected light beams having the same intensity by the three light-deflecting devices which reside within the illuminated region, which are then deflected. In addition, these deflected light beams are caused to enter a second set of light-deflecting devices which pair with the light-deflecting devices of the given illuminated region with the same coupling efficiency. Then, the beams are deflected by the second set of light-deflecting devices, and enter the optical fibers which can illuminate their respective light-deflecting devices. In consequence, the intensities of the light beams can be made substantially uniform.
FIG. 7 is a schematic of a specific example of the light-deflecting section.
In this example, the illuminated regions 21a-21d exhibit a rotationally symmetrical relation with respect to the central axis 22 perpendicular to the plane of the sheet of this figure. The regions are so disposed that the distances between the adjacent illuminated regions are equal. Moreover, light-deflecting devices 201-215 are each disposed in a rotationally symmetrical relation with respect to the central axis 22 in each illuminated region.
Optical fibers emit light beams which impinge on the illuminated regions. Light signals are coupled between these optical fibers by the light-deflecting devices. 0f these devices, 201 and 202 make a pair. Devices 203 and 204 make a pair. Devices 205 and 206 make a pair. Devices 207 and 208 make a pair. Devices 209 and 210 make a pair. Devices 211 and 212 make a pair. In this light-deflecting section 2, three light-deflecting devices of the same shape are arranged in a rotation symmetry with respect to the central axis 22 in each illuminated region. Consequently, the intensities of the light beams can be made substantially uniform.
FIG. 8 shows another specific example of the light-deflecting section. Five optical fibers emit light beams which illuminate five regions, respectively. In each illuminated region, four light-deflecting devices are mounted.
The illuminated region 21a contains light-deflecting devices 201, 210, 211, and 215. The illuminated region 21b contains light-deflecting devices 202, 203, 211, and 212. The illuminated region 21c contains light-deflecting devices 204, 205, 212, and 213. The illuminated region 21d contains light-deflecting devices 206, 207, 213, and 214. The illuminated region 21e contains light-deflecting devices 208, 209, 214, and 215.
In this arrangement, if illuminated region 21a is illuminated with a light beam emitted by optical fiber 11a (not shown), then light-deflecting device 211 will deflect part of the light beam to produce an outgoing beam. The outgoing beam is then reflected by the reflecting surface of a plane mirror (not shown) to enter light-deflecting device 212 where it is deflected again, and enters optical fiber 11c (not shown) which is connected so as to illuminate illuminated region 21c.
Similarly, if illuminated region 21b is illuminated with a light beam emitted by optical fiber 11b (not shown), then light-deflecting device 211 will deflect part of the light beam to produce an outgoing beam. The outgoing beam is then reflected by the reflecting surface of the plane mirror (not shown) to enter light-deflecting device 215 where it is deflected again, and enters optical fiber 11e (not shown) which is connected so as to illuminate illuminated region 21e.
Light-deflecting device 211 has deflecting characteristics which permit this optical system. That is, light-deflecting device 211 acts to transmit light signals through two paths which extend between optical fibers 11a and 11c and between optical fibers 11b and 11e, respectively. Similarly, light-deflecting devices 212, 213, 214, and 215 serve to transmit light signals through two paths between optical fibers 11b and 11d and between optical fibers 11a and 11c, respectively, through two paths between optical fibers 11c and 11e and between the optical fibers 11b and 11d, respectively, through two paths between optical fibers 11d and 11a and between optical fibers 11c and 11e, respectively, and through two paths between optical fibers 11e and 11b and between optical fibers 11d and 11a, respectively.
In this way, the illuminated regions overlap each other. Due to this fact and because the light-deflecting devices are contained in the overlapping regions, the size of the light-deflecting section can be made smaller.
In the description made thus far, the light-deflecting region of the light-deflecting devices are circular and have the same size. However, the light-deflecting regions can be shaped into sectors as shown in FIG. 9, or take other forms.
In the arrangements described above, the waveguide support, the light-receiving section and the plane mirror require at least two separate components. However, as shown in FIG. 10, the waveguide support, the light-receiving section, and the plane mirror can be integrally fabricated out of an optically transparent material. The light-deflecting devices and the reflecting surface can be formed on the surface.
In FIGS. 12 and 13, parts similar to those in FIGS. 1 and 2 are designated by the same reference numerals. Certain reference numerals which are omitted in the figures are readily inferred in view of the description above. A waveguide support 1 has openings 12a, 12b, 12c and 12d. Optical fibers 11a, 11b, 11c and 11d are fixed to the waveguide support 1 with their end faces connected to the respective openings 12a, 12b, 12c and 12d.
Optical beams 13a, 13b, 13c and 13d radiated from the respective optical fibers 11a, 11b, 11c and 11d impinge through the openings 12a, 12b, 12c and 12d on respective lenses 20a, 20b, 20c and 20d of a light deflector 2. The light beams having passed through the lenses 20a, 20b, 20c and 20d illuminate respective areas 21a, 21b, 21c and 21d.
Three deflector elements, each consisting of a transmission-type diffraction grating, are disposed on each of the illuminated areas 21a, 21b, 21c and 21d. For example, a deflector element 201 located in the illuminated area 21a deflects by diffraction of a part of the light beam 13a that impinges through the lens 20a on the illuminated area 21a and focuses the deflected part of the light beam 13a on a reflection plane 31 of a plane mirror 3. The light beam 221 radiated from the deflector element 201 is reflected on the reflection plane 31 of the plane mirror 3 as a reflected beam 222 that impinges on the deflector element 202 disposed in the illuminated area 21b.
The deflector element 202 deflects by diffraction of a part of the light beam 13b that impinges through the lens 20b on the illuminated area 21b and focuses the deflected part of the light beam 13b on the reflection plane 31 of the plane mirror 3. The light beam 222 radiated from the deflector element 202 is reflected on the reflection plane 31 of the plane mirror 3 to be a reflected beam 221 that impinges on the deflector element 201 disposed in the illuminated area 21a. Thus, bidirectional communication is facilitated between the optical fibers 11a and 11b.
The other two deflector elements disposed in the illuminated area 21a are paired with two deflector elements disposed in the illuminated areas 21c and 21d, respectively, to be provided with the same function that a pair of the light deflectors 201 and 202 exhibits. Thus, transmission and reception of optical signals between the optical fiber 11a and the optical fiber 11c or 11d are facilitated. The other light deflectors disposed in any illuminated areas other than the illuminated area 21a have a similar function.
If the light beam exhibits substantially no wavelength dispersion like a laser beam, for example, the area ratios of the deflector elements are set based on the designed respective deflection angles for the deflected light beams so as to equalize the optical losses of the deflected beams. But if the light beam exhibits wavelength dispersion like a beam from a light emitting diode, for example, the lenses 20 serve for suppressing the optical loss dispersion caused by the chromatic aberration. For techniques which can be used in making lenses in this embodiment, see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,412,506, issued May 2, 1995 to A. Y. Feldblum et al.
In FIG. 14, parts similar to those in FIGS. 12 and 13 are designated by the same reference numerals. In this embodiment, a space between the light deflector 2 and the plane mirror 3 is filled with an optically transparent material 5 such as glass or plastic or the like, and the light deflector 2 and the plane mirror 3 are integrated into a unitary composite. The length of the optical material 5, i.e. the spacing between the light deflector 2 and the plane mirror 3, is determined by the focal length of the lenses 20, the optical parameters of the deflector elements, etc., and optical tuning of the optical star coupler is simplified on account of its unitary structure. Other structural features are as in FIGS. 12 and 13.
In FIG. 15, parts similar to those in FIGS. 12-14 are designated by the same reference numerals. In this embodiment, the light deflector 2 and the plane mirror 3 are integrated into a unitary composite with an optically transparent material 5 such as glass or plastic or the like interposed between the light deflector 2 and the plane mirror 3. The light deflector 2, the plane mirror 3 and the optical material 5 except the lenses 20 are covered, e.g., with a polymer material 6 including a silicone resin. By covering with the polymer material 6, a moisture-proof optical deflector is provided, with impoved resistance to environmental hazards. Other structural features are as in FIGS. 12-14.
Preferably, the illuminated areas are wide enough to facilitate mounting and optically orienting the respective deflector elements. Preferably also, the light beams radiated from the optical fibers diverge so that the light beams may impinge on the entire respective illuminated areas. Accordingly, for obtaining sufficiently expanded light beams on the illuminated areas, it is not recommendable and may even be detrimental to fill the space between the waveguide support and the light deflector. For the same reason, it is preferable not to cover the lenses disposed in front of the illuminated areas with a polymer material.
In FIG. 16, a reflection-type diffraction grating is used as a deflector element. Lenses 20a and 20b facilitate correction for aberration. Reference numerals 201' and 202' designate light deflectors, and reference numeral 31' a reflection plane of the plane mirror.
It can be expected that the present invention produces the following effects:
(1) Every light-deflecting device in an illuminated region is always optically coupled to at least one other light-deflecting device in the remaining illuminated regions. Furthermore, the optical coupling strengths between them are made substantially equal. Hence, light signals can be uniformly distributed.
(2) Each light-deflecting device of the light-receiving portion is optically designed so that when an incident light beam is branched and deflected into plural deflected beams, the device brings a part of each deflected beam into focus on a desired reflecting surface, or alternatively, collimates the beam. As a result, the loss of the optical energy can be reduced.
(3) The end faces of the waveguides connected to the waveguide support are arranged in a rotationally symmetrical relation so that the adjacent waveguides are regularly spaced from each other. In the light-receiving section, the illuminated regions corresponding to the waveguides are arranged in a rotational symmetrical relation so that the adjacent regions are equally spaced from each other. Consequently, the apparatus is easy to design and fabricate.
(4) The light-receiving section can be fabricated to have overlapping illuminated regions. Light-deflecting devices are mounted in the illuminated regions. The whole light-receiving section can thus contain fewer than N·(N-1) light-deflecting devices where N is an integer equal to the number of waveguides connected to the waveguide support. This permits miniaturization of the light-receiving section. | A light beam from an optical fiber held by a waveguide support is guided to an illuminated region of a light-receiving section. A light beam from one light-deflecting device inside this region is reflected by a reflecting surface and passed as a light beam through a second light-deflecting device in another illuminated region to arrive at a second optical fiber. A light beam from the second optical fiber takes the reverse route to the foregoing route. In this way, various light-deflecting devices in one illuminated region are optically coupled to light-deflecting devices in other illuminated regions with substantially equal optical coupling strength. Further for equalizing light-beam intensities and minimizing optical dispersion loss, lenses may be included with the light-deflecting devices. | 6 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field systems and methods that allow for two-way telematics applications, where the term telematics refers to the transfer of data to and from a moving vehicle.
2. Discussion of Related Art
It is well known in the art to implement one-way broadcasting media. An example of such one-way broadcasting media is the one-way system employed by Sirius Satellite Radio of New York, N.Y.
One embodiment of a known one-way broadcasting media is the system 100 shown in FIG. 1 . In the system 100 , two or more satellites (not shown) are positioned in orbit about the Earth so that their antennae can receive and send communication signals 102 and 104 . The two or more satellites form part of the satellite-air interface 106 . The satellite-air interface 106 also includes terrestrial gap-fillers and intermediate transmitters required to augment the coverage of the digital signal 104 to the customer. The satellite-air interface 106 is connected to a ground station 108 that is connected to a number of information sources, such as schematically represented by the blocks 110 , 112 labeled General Information, blocks 114 , 116 labeled Internet, block 118 labeled Services, block 120 labeled Web Access and block 122 labeled Profile Databases. As explained below, the information sources in combination with the ground station 108 and the satellite-air interface 106 allow customers to receive SDARS (satellite digital audio radio system) broadcasts, initiate and/or cancel their subscription, conduct billing, and modify customer profiles.
For example, a customer having an appropriate radio receiver 124 , receives one-way communication signals 104 from the satellites of the satellite-air interface 106 . The radio receiver 124 includes an antenna and SDARS receiver (not shown) similar to elements 214 and 216 of FIG. 3 described below. Preferably, the radio receiver 124 will be installed in a vehicle and will be connected to a radio tuner inserted in the console of the vehicle. The radio tuner preferably will have buttons that will allow the user in the vehicle to select either AM, FM or satellite radio. The tuner allows the user to select as many as one hundred different channels of programming available from the satellite radio. In the case of the user selecting satellite radio, the radio receiver 124 checks the signal 104 to see if the user is a subscriber to the satellite radio package. This is possible because the radio receiver 124 has a unique electronic serial number (ESN) assigned to at the time of manufacture. The programs heard on a satellite radio channel will be audio in nature and preferably include music and audio text that identifies the music being heard. The programs may also include audio advertisements. The music, audio text and advertisements are gathered from the storage areas labeled as General Content in boxes 110 , 112 shown in FIG. 1 . The digital signal 104 is one-way in nature in that data flows from the satellite-air interface to the radio receiver 124 and not vice versa. Thus, the user/customer is unable to interact with the system 100 via the satellite interface 106 . Instead, the customer would need to renew, initiate and/or cancel his or her radio satellite service by gaining access to the system 100 via an intranet site 114 , an Internet site 116 , a web site 120 or via contacting a services department 118 via telephone. The customer may also conduct billing and modify his or her personal profile through any of these access points as well.
Regarding the customer's personal profile, the system 100 can include a profile database 122 that contains information regarding each of its customers. The information can include the name, address, billing history of a customer and subscription status of customer.
One disadvantage of the above-described system is that it does not have a back-channel to allow interaction by the user/customer to the infrastructure of the system 100 via the satellite-air interface. This forces the customer to gain access to the system 100 outside the vehicle which can be inconvenient. In addition, many telematics services will not be available to a user/customer of system 100 without the use of a back-channel.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One aspect of the present invention regards a method of showing approval or disapproval of an item overheard on an audio system. The method includes sending an item via radio waves to an audio system, listening to the item on the audio system and activating a button to indicate approval or disapproval of the item.
A second aspect of the invention regards a method of unlocking a vehicle with a radio receiver that has a unique alpha-numeric identification name associated therewith. The method includes sending a first signal to a satellite digital audio radio system indicating that a vehicle with a receiver with a unique alpha-numeric identification name is locked, sending a radio signal from the satellite digital audio radio system to the receiver of the vehicle, wherein the radio signal is unique to the unique alpha-numeric identification name and unlocking the vehicle upon receipt of the radio signal by the receiver of the vehicle.
A third aspect of the present invention regards a method of performing location specific applications that includes sending a first signal to a satellite digital audio radio system from a vehicle requesting the performance of a location-specific application, sending information to the satellite digital audio radio system from the vehicle that represents a location of the vehicle at the time of sending the first signal. The method further includes determining the location of the vehicle and sending to the vehicle an answer to the location specific application based on the determining the location of the vehicle.
The first aspect of the present invention provides the advantage of providing customer feedback regarding various products and allowing advertisers and programmers to fine tune their advertisements and programming, respectively.
The second aspect of the present invention provides an easy and secure way for a driver to unlock his or her vehicle when the keys are accidentally left in the vehicle.
The third aspect of the present invention provides an improved way of determining a location specific application.
The present invention, together with attendant objects and advantages, will be best understood with reference to the detailed description below in connection with the attached drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a known one way broadcasting media;
FIG. 2 schematically shows an embodiment of a two way telematics application according to the present invention;
FIG. 3 schematically shows an embodiment of hardware to be used with the two way telematics application of FIG. 2 according to the present invention; and
FIG. 4 shows a flow chart that shows a mode of communication flow in the two way telematics application of FIG. 2 according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to the drawings, FIGS. 2-3 show an embodiment of a system 200 that allows for two-way telematics applications. The system 200 adapts the one-way broadcasting system 100 of FIG. 1 and adds appropriate hardware, software, and services to support two-way telematics applications. Comparing systems 100 and 200 reveals several differences. One difference is that a device transformation system 202 is added. The device transformation system 202 formats telematics applications to support varying hardware platforms that are out in the field. The device transformation system 202 may be modified such that it can support multiple client-side hardware. For example, telematics applications that are originally designed to be presented on a PC-radio platform with a display could be formatted by the device transformation system 202 to optimize the display so that a telematics service could be rendered on a single line “British-flag” radio. An example of such a PC-radio platform is the platform that includes a color reconfigurable display made and sold under the trade name of ICES (Information Communication Entertainment and Safety) by Visteon of Dearborn, Mich. It is not expected that the differences between different hardware would be very great (e.g. you wouldn't need a unique one for each radio type, model, feature). Instead, there would be some general categories of devices such as monochrome, color, image-capable, text-only, etc so that the device transformation system 202 can operate on a wide range of hardware devices.
Another difference between system 200 and system 100 is that system 200 further includes a back channel infrastructure 204 that supports two-way communication back from the telematics interface device 210 that is contained within the dashed lines of FIG. 3 . The back channel infrastructure 204 could either be a unique wireless interface owned by the service company or a leveraged existing service. For example, the back channel infrastructure 204 could be accomplished through the use of existing services such as the service sold by Bell South Wireless under the trade name RAM Mobile Data Service or through CDPD (Cellular Digital Pack Data) within a cellular phone service. In operation, the back channel infrastructure may take data that has come from the client and route it to the profile database 122 to confirm the customer's data request against his currently enabled services.
A third difference between the system 200 and the system 100 is that the system 200 includes a terrestrial air interface 208 that represents the actual air interface between the mobile client and the infrastructure 209 . It is expected that this communication link will be highly asymmetrical in that the amount of data moving from the client to the back-channel 204 and to the infrastructure 209 will be very small and represent the requests for telematics services and/or applications. This is consistent with current Internet data flow from the user's perspective. Although the terrestrial air interface 208 is indicated as terrestrial, it is not limited to terrestrial-only and could be realized via a satellite back channel, should one be a viable solution.
A fourth difference between systems 100 and 200 is that the receiver 124 is modified so as to be a telematics interface device 210 which includes a telematics user control 250 , an antenna 214 and an SDARS receiver 216 . As shown in FIG. 3 , the SDARS receiver 216 is connected with a receiver device partitioning system 212 that allows the customer to both receive data and broadcast information while interacting with the infrastructure to request specific data.
An embodiment of the telematics user control 250 and the receiver device partitioning system 212 is shown in FIG. 3 . This diagram represents the physical hardware that must be implemented within the customer's mobile vehicle to enable the telematics features described in this application. As shown in FIG. 3 , a satellite service delivers data at 2.3 GHz to an antenna 214 of the telematics interface device 210 . The data is then delivered to an SDARS receiver or down link processor 216 that decodes noted that there are many well-known embodiments for the down link processor 216 . The down link processor 216 generates left and right audio output signals 218 for use in the audio system 240 of the telematics user control 250 . The signal 218 can be either analog or digital. The down link processor 216 receives command and control signals 220 and 222 from the receiver device partitioning system 212 and the telematics user control 250 of the telematics interface device 210 , respectively. In addition, the down link processor 216 generates an output signal 224 that includes raw data stream (˜4 Mbps) which also contains the additional telematics data which must be processed separately by the receiver device partitioning system 212 to provide this data to the user. As describe above, the down link processor 216 provides the primary SDARS functionality to the user in a one-way manner.
The receiver device partitioning system 212 extracts the telematics-specific data from the ˜4 Mbps bit stream of output signal 224 . The functionality of receiver device partitioning system 212 is broken down into two sub-function systems: a data channel decoder 226 and a data service decoder 228 . The data channel decoder 226 conducts channel decoding on the data channels. The reasoning behind this is that data, being far more sensitive to errors that can corrupt the final result, must be encoded (and therefore decoded) with a much more powerful scheme than audio signals. A combination of channel-decoding and forward error correction optimizes the quality of the transfer of data while reducing the overhead.
The data services decoder 228 takes the raw, decoded telematics data and converts it to a format that is functionally usable for the telematics user control 250 . For example, if the raw data represents an image for display, the data services decoder 228 applies the appropriate source decoding algorithms to take the data and presents it to the telematics user control 250 in an image file format for display.
As shown in FIG. 3 , the data services decoder 228 generates a signal 230 that is delivered to a data cache 232 in the telematics user control 250 . The data cache 232 receives the signal 230 in a streaming mode (or in the background while using another function). The telematics user control 250 also includes a web-access system 234 , such as a micro-browser or a wireless application protocol feature, to engage the telematics options described below. The telematics user control 250 can also include a global positioning system 236 for location specific requests, and a voice activation system 238 to improve the interface between the customer and the service. The telematics user control 250 further includes the back-channel infrastructure 204 that supports two-way communication back from the telematics interface device 210 .
The telematics user control 250 represents the telematics-enabled device in the vehicle with which a customer interacts. At the lowest level, this could be a radio or a remote human machine interface bezel providing buttons and display. The telematics user control 250 can provide both classical audio functionality (radio controls, volume control, channel choice, presets) and new telematics-enabled functions. Examples of products that could accomplish this include the products made and sold by Visteon of Dearborn, Mich. under the trade names of ICES mentioned previously or VNR, also known as Visteon Navigation Radio. These products provide the two critical functions, reconfigurable displays and buttons, and a communication back-channel.
With the above described architecture in mind, an example of the communication flow starting from a customer request for a telematics application to final delivery is shown in FIG. 4 . In this example, the customer activates the SDARS system 200 by turning on the power of the telematics interface device 210 by turning on telematics user control 250 per step 300 . Next, the customer requests a particular telematics application per step 302 by selecting the telematics application that is displayed on a menu of the telematics user control 250 of the interface device 210 . Selection is accomplished by using buttons, mouse ball, pen or other well-known selection devices. After the particular telematics application is selected, data is sent via the back-channel infrastructure 204 to the information sources 110 , 112 , 114 , 116 , 118 , 120 and 122 described previously per step 304 . The data from the back-channel infrastructure 204 is sent to the profile database 122 that confirms whether or not the customer's service subscription is up-to-date per step 306 . Assuming that the profile database 122 confirms that the customer is currently a subscriber, then the data request by the customer is serviced by the services information source 118 , the Intranet information source 114 and the Internet information source 116 per step 308 , depending on the telematics application selected by the customer. After the information sources 114 , 116 and 118 are contacted and the desired data is retrieved, that data is encoded with the customer's unique ESN (electronic serial number) by the profile database 122 per step 310 . Next, the encoded data is sent to the device transformation system 202 per step 312 which formats the encoded data for use with the customer's telematics interface device 210 . Per step 314 , the formatted and encoded data is then transmitted over the satellite-air interface 106 to the antenna 214 of the telematics interface device 210 . The data is then delivered to the down link processor 216 that decodes the data and passes the data bit stream of output signal 224 to the receiver device partitioning system 212 per step 316 . The data channel decoder 226 of the receiver device partitioning (RDP) system 212 then decodes the data channel of output signal 224 per step 318 . Next, the data service decoder 228 decodes the data service per step 320 . The data is then stored in the data cache 232 per step 322 and then the data is sent from the data cache 232 to the display of the telematics interface device 210 per step 324 .
With the above process of FIG. 4 in mind, there are at least three telematics applications that could be implemented via the architecture of system 200 . In one telematics application, the display 242 of the telematics user control 250 of the interface device 210 can include a “Buy Button” 244 . In operation, a customer listens to an SDARS audio source. If the customer desires to purchase a song or album that he or she is presently listening to on the SDARS audio source, then the customer activates the “Buy Button” 244 . Activation of the “Buy Button” will result in a signal 245 being generated in back-channel 204 that is sent to antenna 246 and to infrastructure 209 . The signal 245 initiates a sales transaction and will derive credit card information and shipping information from the customer profile database 122 and results in the customer placing a purchase order for that particular song or album. In an alternative embodiment, pressing the “Buy Button” can result in formatted version of the song or album, such as MP3, being sent to the customer or a third party designated by the customer. The “Buy Button” 244 also can be used to purchase a product being promoted in an advertisement that is being currently heard by the SDARS audio source 240 . In an alternative embodiment, the “Buy Button” 244 can be altered so that activating the button allows the customer to show his or her approval or disapproval of a song or album being currently listened to on the SDARS audio source 240 to improve programming content. Note that in each of the embodiments described above, activation of the “Buy Button” results in data flowing from the back-channel 204 to a radio tower 246 or the like which in turn sends the data to the infrastructure 209 of the system 200 . The data is then sent to the services system 118 where the ordering of the song or album or the approval/disapproval vote is processed. The data could also be sent to the profile database 122 that records the order or vote.
A second possible telematics application that could be implemented via system 200 is to allow a customer access to his or her car when locked out of the car. This application takes advantage of the fact that each SDAR receiver 216 has a unique alpha-numeric name assigned to it known as an ESN (Electronic Serial Number) and so it is possible to access them separately. If the customer is locked out of his or her car, then the customer can use a touch-tone phone or a web interface to gain access to the SDARS infrastructure 209 by entering or providing a customer alpha-numeric name or identification number that indicates that the customer is currently enrolled for the system 200 . Once the customer gains access to the system 200 , he or she informs the system 200 that he or she is locked out of his or her vehicle. Next, the system 200 , via a person or automatic answering system, will inform the customer that the request is being processed and that the vehicle will be unlocked within a certain period of time. The system 200 then sends a door-unlock command that is unique to the ESN of the SDAR receiver 216 of the locked vehicle to the telematics interface device 210 via satellite-air interface 106 which then passes the command to the customer's vehicle's multiplex network (not shown). Note that if the customer does not gain access to infrastructure 209 within a certain time period, dependent on specific vehicle shutdown and wake-up capabilities, then it will not be possible to unlock the vehicle via the telematics interface device 210 .
A third possible telematics application is to allow the customer in his or her vehicle to perform location specific service applications. Two examples of location specific service applications are determining where the nearest gas station with respect to the vehicle is located or determining where the nearest traffic accident or traffic light failure is located with respect to the vehicle. In this embodiment, the global positioning system 236 allows the customer to request information regarding the nearest one of a certain type of commercial/public enterprise or event, such as the nearest gas station, post office, traffic light failure or traffic accident. The request and the global positioning information are then sent in a combined signal or separate signals via the back channel 204 to the infrastructure 209 via terrestrial antenna 246 . Since the data sent to the infrastructure 209 includes both the request and the global positioning system location of the vehicle from the global positioning system 236 , the infrastructure 209 interrogates its global position databases located at the general content 110 , 112 or internet 116 databases and sends a location-specific answer to the telematics interface device 210 via satellite-air interface 106 . Based on the location-specific answer, the customer can send another request to the infrastructure 209 via the back-channel 204 as to the most direct or best route to reach the location of the nearest commercial/public enterprise or the best route to avoid the location of the nearest event based on the vehicle's present position. The system 200 then sends an answer via the satellite-air interface 106 .
The foregoing description is provided to illustrate the invention, and is not to be construed as a limitation. Numerous additions, substitutions and other changes can be made to the invention without departing from its scope as set forth in the appended claims. | A method of showing approval or disapproval of an item overheard on an audio system. The method includes sending an item via radio waves to an audio system, listening to the item on the audio system and activating a button to indicate approval or disapproval of the item. | 7 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 263,275, filed Oct. 27, 1988, now abandoned. Ser. No. 263,275 was a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 806,706, filed Dec. 9, 1985, now abandoned.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a nuclear power plant with a water or liquid sodium coolant and a metallic component having surfaces coming into contact with the coolant.
2. Description of the Prior Art
While, due to special development work, the metallic materials used for the construction of nuclear power plants, primarily austenitic steels, are more corrosion-resistant and can be activated (for instance, by giving up cobalt content) less strongly or only for shorter periods of time as compared to the materials used in conventional technology, nevertheless it has been found that components of the metallic materials which come into contact with coolant do go into solution in the coolant even if only to a very small extent. In addition to the changes caused thereby, mostly detrimental to the original metallurgical properties, this leads in the area of the reactor cooling loop to an extensive deposit of radioactive materials in the overall loop, which limits its accessibility for servicing and repair. This may involve materials activated at their original location or materials which are activated only in the dissolved state when passing through the fission zone of the nuclear reactor.
Experts have heretofore attempted to counter these detrimental effects by the choice of particularly corrosion-resistant materials or by coating the surfaces subjected to the coolant. For nuclear power plants operated with liquid sodium as the coolant, it has been proposed, for instance, to make the components wetted thereby of a vanadium alloy. This, however, leads to the desired result only if a high degree of purity of the sodium coolant can be assured which necessitates considerable effort for its regular purification. Molybdenum has been used as the coating material, for instance, for the cladding tubes of nuclear fuel rods. However, due to diffusion effects between the coating and the base material (particularly at high temperatures), pores develop in time at the boundary surface between the base material and the coating, whereby the coating is damaged.
In order to facilitate the decontamination work usually required in servicing and repair work due to these effects, one strives from the start to make the surfaces concerned therewith very smooth. This necessitates increased manufacturing costs for the surface treatment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a nuclear power plant with water or liquid sodium coolant and a metallic component contacting the coolant, which overcomes the hereinafore-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known devices of this general type. Besides good adhesion to the base material, properties of a coating required for this purpose are high thermodynamic stability and a strongly diffusion-inhibiting effect.
With the foregoing and other objects in view, there is provided in accordance with the invention, a nuclear power plant with a water or liquid sodium coolant and a metallic component having surfaces coming into contact with the coolant, comprising a coating from the group consisting of titanium carbide (TiC), titanium nitride (TiN) or zirconium nitride (ZrN), or chromium carbide (CrC), titanium aluminum vanadium nitride (TiAlVN), tantalum nitride (TaN), zirconium carbide (ZrC) or tungsten carbide (WC) disposed on the surfaces of the metallic component.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the coating has a thickness of substantially from 0.1 to 20 μm; substantially from 0.1 to 3 μm; or substantially from 2 to 20 μm.
This is done in order to prevent corrosion and diffusion of activated or activatable elements from the structural material of nuclear power plants into the reactor coolant and vice versa.
The materials mentioned are resistant to water and sodium (i.e., the liquids most often used as coolants in nuclear power plants). Coating processes known per se have been used heretofore primarily to provide tools with a protective layer to reduce heavy wear. A somewhat greater layer thickness is naturally of advantage for achieving this effect.
On the other hand, an appreciably smaller layer thickness is sufficient for the purpose provided here of forming a layer impeding the diffusion from the coated base material into the coolant and vice versa, so that according to the invention a thickness of 0.1 to 3 μm is sufficient.
In view of the above-mentioned purpose of the coating to contribute to a reduction of the formation of radioactive products, an expert will naturally apply the coating according to the invention with a purity as high as possible. For this purpose, a number of known processes are available such as spraying-on, vapor deposition, sputtering-on and chemical precipitation; these processes permit the preparation of coatings free of pores.
Decontamination of the pertaining surfaces of the then still remaining radioactive materials coming from other sources can be carried out without difficulty. The surfaces are smooth and there is disposed thereon only adhering but not diffused-in radio nuclides which can be readily removed.
Specifically, in the case of a metal component encompassing a nuclear reactor fuel assembly having fuel rods containing nuclear fuel and structural parts formed of zirconium or a zirconium alloy, the utility of such a nuclear reactor fuel assembly can be improved according to the invention, and its service life in a water-filled pressure vessel of a nuclear reactor can be lengthened.
The invention is also based on the recognition that a surface coating of TiN, TiC, CrC, TiAlVN, TaN, ZrN, ZrC and/or WC on the outside of the zirconium or zirconium alloy structural parts is not only particularly corrosion-resistant in the water or steam at operating temperatures in the pressure vessel of a nuclear reactor, but the resistance of the structural parts to mechanical wear is improved as well. Such mechanical wear occurs not only when the as yet unexposed or unirradiated fuel assembly is assembled, but is also caused by relative motion of structural parts of the fuel assembly during operation in the pressure vessel of a nuclear reactor. In particular, scratching of the outside of zirconium or zirconium alloy cladding tubes of the fuel rods is avoided if these cladding tubes are retracted into the holes in the grid-like spacers while the fuel assembly is being assembled. Similarly, wear of the grid-like zirconium or zirconium alloy spacers during use of the fuel assembly in the pressure vessel of a nuclear reactor can be avoided.
With the objects of the invention in view, there is also provided a nuclear reactor fuel assembly in the form of a metallic component for a nuclear power plant, comprising fuel rods containing nuclear fuel, structural parts formed of zirconium or a zirconium alloy, the structural parts having surfaces coming into contact with a water or liquid sodium coolant, and a coating from the group consisting of titanium carbide (TiC), titanium nitride (TiN), zirconium nitride (ZrN), chromium carbide (CrC), titanium aluminum vanadium nitride (TiAlVN), tantalum nitride (TaN), zirconium carbide (ZrC) and tungsten carbide (WC) disposed on the surfaces of the structural parts.
In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the structural parts are cladding tubes of the fuel rods for the nuclear fuel and spacer grids for the fuel rods.
In accordance with a concomitant feature of the invention, the coating has a thickness of substantially from 0.1 to 20 μm; or substantially from 0.1 to 3 μm; or substantially from 2 to 20 μm.
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims,
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a nuclear power plant with water or liquid sodium coolant and a metallic component contacting the coolant, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
The invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of preferred embodiments.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 is a highly diagrammatic, side-elevational view showing a nuclear reactor fuel assembly according to the invention; and
FIG. 2 is a schematic circuit diagram of a pressurized water reactor.
Referring now to the figures of the drawing in detail and first, particularly, to FIG. 1 thereof, there is seen a nuclear reactor fuel assembly intended for a pressurized water reactor, which has two square retaining plates 2 and 3 made of steel. There are also seen two parallel steel retaining rods 4 and 5, such as control rod guide tubes, having longitudinal axes which penetrate the two mutually parallel retaining plates 2 and 3 at an angle of 90° and are each screwed firmly to one of the two retaining plates 2 and 3 at a respective end. Each of the two retaining rods 4 and 5 is guided through a hole in square grid-like spacers 6, which are located between the two retaining plates 2 and 3, as viewed in the longitudinal direction of the retaining rods 4 and 5, and are retained on the retaining rods 4 and 5 in a form-locking manner. A form-locking connection is one which is connects two elements together due to the shape of the elements themselves, as opposed to a force-locking connection, which locks the elements together by force external to the elements. Fuel rod 8 which are parallel to the retaining rods 4 and 5, are each guided through a respective one of other holes of the grid-like spacers 6. The fuel rods are substantially formed of a nuclear fuel-filled cladding tube closed in a gas-tight manner on both ends. The fuel rods 8 are not secured to either of the two retaining plates 2 and 3. The fuel rods are retained elastically, or in other words in a force-locking manner, by protrusions and springs of the grid-like spacers 6 in the holes of the grid-like spacers 6, and they have play in the direction of the longitudinal axis between the two retaining plates 2 and 3. The fuel rods can therefore expand in the direction of their longitudinal axes, that is, the longitudinal direction of the fuel assembly, without hindrance.
The grid-like spacers 6 and the cladding tubes of the fuel rods 8 are formed of a zirconium alloy, known by the trade name Zircaloy 4, which contains zirconium as well as additional alloy components of from 1.2 to 1.7% by weight of tin, 0.18 to 0.24% by weight of iron, 0.07 to 0.13% by weight of chromium and 0.1 to 0.16% by weight of oxygen, and in which the sum of the percents by weight of the alloy components of iron and chromium is in the range of from 0.28 to 0.37% by weight.
According to the invention, the grid-like spacers 6 and the cladding tubes of the fuel rods 8 have a surface coating of titanium nitride (TiN) on the outer surface thereof, having a thickness on the order of from 2 to 20 μm. Preferably, this thickness is 5 μm.
In order to test the coating, two samples of Zircaloy 4, only one of which had a titanium nitride surface coating with a thickness of 2 μm, were exposed for 116 days in an autoclave in water at a temperature of 350° C. and a pressure of 185 bar. After this period, the increase in weight from oxidation of the sample not having the surface coating was 27 mg/dm 2 , and that of the sample having the surface coating was only 16 mg/dm 2 . The corrosion speed for the sample having the surface coating is accordingly virtually only one-half as high as that of the sample lacking the surface coating, so that the service life of the fuel assembly in a nuclear reactor can be approximately doubled by means of the titanium nitride surface coating on structural elements made of Zircaloy 4.
FIG. 2 shows a pressurized water reactor having a pressure vessel 12, in which a reactor core of fuel assemblies 13 according to the invention and as shown in FIG. 1 are disposed. The fuel assemblies have a surface coating of titanium nitride, titanium carbide, chromium carbide, titanium-aluminum-vanadium nitride, tantalum nitride, zirconium nitride, zirconium carbide, or tungsten carbide on the outside of the zirconium or zirconium alloy structural parts. The fuel assemblies 13 are disposed in the reactor core with vertical longitudinal axes.
An outlet 14 of the pressure vessel 12 and thus of the reactor core for liquid water is connected to one end of a primary tube 16 of a steam generator 17, and an inlet 15 of the pressure vessel 12 and thus of the reactor core for liquid water is connected to the other end of the primary tube 16. The primary loop formed by the pressure vessel 12 and the primary tube 16 is closed, so that no steam can form in the primary loop and therefore in the reactor core. Steam does form on the secondary side of the steam generator, which has a delivery fitting 18 for feedwater 19 and an outlet fitting 20 for steam. The steam is carried from the outlet fitting 20 to a non-illustrated steam turbine, for instance. | A nuclear power plant has a water or liquid sodium coolant and a metallic component having surfaces coming into contact with the coolant. A coating is disposed on the surfaces of the metallic component, such as fuel rod cladding tubes or spacer grids. The coating is formed of titanium carbide (TiC), titanium nitride (TiN), zirconium nitride (ZrN), chromium carbide (CrC), titanium aluminum vanadium nitride (TiAlVN), tantalum nitride (TaN), zirconium carbide (ZrC), or tungsten carbide (WC). | 6 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is related broadly to home appliances that employ a heat-generating apparatus and, more particularly, to home appliances that use gas burners as a controlled heat source.
Home appliances such as ranges and cooktops may use gas burners as a source of heat for cooking. Cooking appliances that may employ gas burners include freestanding ranges that include an oven and a cooktop as well as built-in, stand-alone, wall-mounted ovens. With respect to the present invention, references herein to ranges and built-in ovens may be used interchangablely and both may act as a platform for gas burner use. In addition, while the present application focuses on ranges and ovens, the invention described herein may have applicability with other appliances employing heat such as laundry dryers and the like.
Gas burners utilize a gas supply such as natural gas or propane mixed with air to provide a combustible gas/air mixture for ignition by a resistive heater element. A user-controlled valve throttles the amount of gas available for the burner to thereby control the amount of heat energy applied by the burner flame to an oven cavity to raise the temperature within the cavity to a predetermined level for cooking.
In general, a gas-fired oven burner operates when a user first starts the oven or when a hot oven drops below a predetermined temperature. There, a user control or a thermostat switches power to an igniter and a gas valve circuit which are connected in series. It should be noted that the term “igniter” may also be presented as “ignitor”. Both spellings are valid and describe the same structure. As power flows through the igniter the current draw causes the igniter to produce heat. The igniter includes a resistive heater element joined to a base, usually ceramic, for mounting and connection to a power source. A heat shield or shroud keeps wiring and other undesirable matter away from the heater element.
Once the igniter draws a specific amount of current or achieves a pre-determined temperature; a gas valve opens to allow gas flow to the oven burner where the glowing hot igniter ignites the gas. Once the set temperature is achieved, the control stops all power to the ignition circuit which causes the igniter to dim and the oven gas valve to close thereby cutting off the burner flame. Cycling on and off continues in order to maintain the desired cooking temperature within the oven cavity.
Once the igniter is activated, it rapidly heats to glowing and the gas should light off quickly. However, with conventional shrouds such is not always the case.
As seen in FIGS. 7A and 8A , a prior shroud 100 includes a shroud body 102 that conforms generally to the base of the igniter and partially surrounds the heater element. The body 102 includes vented walls 104 having openings 106 formed therein to allow heat to escape from the igniter while still providing igniter protection. With reference to FIG. 8A , the heater element 110 is located generally centrally within the shroud 100 and partially surrounded by the vented walls 104 . The entire assembly 100 is in operational communication with a gas pipe 32 to produce a flame F. It should be noted that a flame F is shown in FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B for clarity. It will be understood that gas is emitted from the pipe prior to ignition.
As the heater element 110 is heated, convection heat is emitted, as illustrated in FIG. 8A by rings C. Given the configuration of the shroud 100 , air is effectively pushed away from the heater element 110 by convection action as the heat from the heater element 110 causes a general airflow away from the heater element 110 . This convection flow can also cause the gas from the gas pipe 32 to be blown away from the heater element 110 thereby directing the gas into a region of the temperature field created by the heating element 110 that is at a lower temperature than areas closer to the heater element 110 , and tending to disburse the gas, causing a lean gas/air mixture. Accordingly, lighting gas ignition for flame F production is delayed until the outer reaches of the temperature field created by the heating element 110 are hot enough to ignite the gas. This time can vary among individual igniters, but has taken as long as eight (8) seconds.
It is generally desirable to expect gas ignition within four (4) seconds or less after initiation of the ignition process. In addition, the Canadian Standards Association requires ignition within four (4) seconds or less before an appliance can be listed for sale in Canada. Prompt ignition is required to prevent accumulation of gas within the oven cavity which could prove dangerous. In addition to the initial heating of the oven, an unduly long wait for gas ignition can affect oven temperature stability and control, which can have a detrimental effect on appliance efficiency.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a gas igniter to counter the tendency of convection heat to move gas away from the igniter. There also exists a need to incorporate such structure into the existing structure of the burner assembly and more particularly, in an igniter shroud.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly the intention of the present invention to provide a home appliance with an improved igniter, and an improved igniter that will ignite a cooking flame in a short amount of time, preferably within four seconds or less after gas becomes available.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a home appliance with an improved igniter, and an improved igniter that will draw gas toward the heater element of the igniter to enhance the ability of the heater to rapidly ignite a cooking flame.
To those ends, the present invention is directed to a home appliance having an improved gas igniter. The home appliance includes an appliance body and at least one burner assembly supported in the appliance body to provide a heat source for cooking. The burner assembly includes a gas pipe and an igniter in operational communication with the gas pipe. The igniter includes a heater element and a shroud covering a portion of the heater element. The shroud includes a shroud body defining a chamber having the heater element therein, an inlet opening facing the gas pipe, an outlet opening facing away from the gas pipe, and a constriction intermediate the inlet opening and the outlet opening, thereby defining a fluid flow path through the chamber whereby a fluid stream is directed from the inlet opening, across the heater element, through the constriction to the outlet opening.
Preferably, the shroud body has two converging walls extending toward the constriction and two outlet walls extending away from the constriction. It is further preferred that the two outlet walls diverge to form a flared passageway defining a flue along the fluid flow path.
Preferentially, the igniter includes a base portion and the shroud body has an elongate generally rectangular portion with the converging walls extending along a long axis of the shroud body.
It is preferred that the constriction is in a corner of the elongate generally rectangular portion of the shroud body and the outlet walls extend from end portions of the converging walls.
A home appliance according to claim 1 wherein a portion of the shroud body is preferably juxtaposed with a base portion of the igniter.
The constriction preferably forms throat of a nozzle and the shroud body preferably has two converging walls extending toward the constriction and two outlet walls extending away from the constriction, whereby the shroud body forms a convergent/divergent nozzle.
It is further preferred that the constriction is intermediate joined portions of the converging walls.
The present invention can also be in the form of a gas igniter for a home appliance having least one burner assembly supported in the appliance body to provide a heat source for cooking. There, the gas igniter includes a heater element in operational communication with a gas pipe and a shroud covering a portion of the heater element. The shroud includes a shroud body defining a chamber having the heater element therein, an inlet opening facing the gas pipe, an outlet opening facing away from the gas pipe, and a constriction intermediate the inlet opening and the outlet opening, thereby defining a fluid flow path through the chamber whereby a fluid stream is directed from the inlet opening, across the heater element, through the constriction to the outlet opening.
Preferably, the shroud body has two converging walls extending toward the constriction and two outlet walls extending away from the constriction. The two outlet walls preferably diverge to form a flared passageway defining a flue along the fluid flow path.
It is further preferred that the igniter includes a base portion and the shroud body has a elongate generally rectangular portion with the converging walls extending along a long axis of the shroud body.
Preferentially, the constriction is in a corner of the elongate generally rectangular portion of the shroud body and the outlet walls extend from end portions of the converging walls.
Preferably, a portion of the shroud body is juxtaposed with a base portion of the igniter.
It is preferred that the constriction forms a throat of a nozzle and the shroud body has two converging walls extending toward the constriction and two outlet walls extending away from the constriction, whereby the shroud body forms a convergent/divergent nozzle.
Preferably, the constriction is intermediate joined portions of the converging walls.
By the above, the present invention provides a straightforward device that can be economically manufactured. Further, the present invention enhances safety during gas ignition and provides improved oven temperature stability and control.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side view of a home appliance in the form of a range according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the oven cavity illustrating the location of the gas burner assembly;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the oven cavity illustrating the location of the gas pipe and igniter;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the gas pipe and igniter illustrated in FIG. 4 ;
FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the gas pipe and igniter assembly;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an igniter according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 7A is a perspective view of a prior art igniter shroud;
FIG. 7B is a perspective view of an igniter shroud according to the present invention;
FIG. 8A is a diagrammatic end view of a prior art igniter and shroud;
FIG. 8B is a diagrammatic end view of an igniter and shroud according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an igniter shroud according a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Turning now to the drawings and, more particularly to FIG. 1 , a home appliance in the form of a range is illustrated generally at 10 and includes a generally rectangular, floor-standing range body 12 housing an oven 14 and a cooktop 20 . The oven 14 defines an internal oven cavity 16 for cooking covered by an access door 18 . The cooktop 20 is above the oven and provides a generally horizontal cooking surface. A vertically oriented backsplash 22 extends upwardly from the rear portion of the cooktop 20 and a first control panel 24 with an oven control 26 is mounted to the backsplash 22 . A second control panel 28 extends downwardly from the front portion of the cooktop 20 toward the oven 14 . A series of control knobs 30 is arranged linearly across the second control panel 28 and is provided for cooktop burner control.
FIG. 1 is shown broken open to illustrate the general location of the present invention within the oven cavity 16 . There, the burner assembly 30 is located near the base of the oven and is in fact underneath a panel that forms the bottom wall of the oven cavity 16 . The burner includes an elongate gas pipe 32 that is perforated with gas distribution holes 34 . A generally planar heat distributor 36 is disposed above the gas pipe 32 to receive heat from flames emitted from the gas pipe 32 and to distribute the heat within the oven cavity 16 for cooking purposes. An igniter 40 is shown in block form attached to an end portion of the gas pipe 32 , as will be seen in greater detail hereinafter, and is in electrical communication with the range power supply using electrical wiring 42 .
Turning now to FIG. 2 , the oven cavity 16 includes a well in which the burner assembly 30 resides. The well is illustrated uncovered in FIG. 2 to display the burner assembly 30 . During oven use, the well is covered with a generally planar panel (not shown) to separate the burner assembly 30 from the interior of the oven cavity 16 . The gas pipe 32 extends from back to front with respect to the oven cavity 16 . The heat distributor 36 is centered over the gas pipe and is formed in a shallow V-shape for proper heat distribution.
FIG. 3 illustrates the gas burner assembly 30 with the heat distributor 36 removed. Accordingly, the relationship between the igniter 40 and the gas pipe 32 is displayed, with the igniter 40 extending in a generally parallel manner with the gas pipe 32 . The igniter 40 includes a shroud 50 according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The structure of the present igniter shroud 50 will be discussed in greater detail hereinafter.
Turning now to FIG. 4 , the igniter 40 includes a shroud 50 according to the present invention and is mounted adjacent or directly to the gas pipe 32 across from the gas delivery openings 34 . The igniter 40 may be mounted to the gas pipe 32 in one of several different ways using the shroud 50 . FIG. 4 shows a bracket 41 that wraps around the pipe 32 and connects to the shroud 50 . Another bracket 43 may provide a different mounting location. Due to the relationship between the igniter 40 and the gas pipe 32 , gas from the gas pipe 32 is directed toward the igniter 40 .
FIG. 5 illustrates of the gas burner assembly 30 exploded to show the basic burner parts in their entirety. These parts include the L-shaped gas pipe 32 along with the igniter 40 including the shroud 50 and electrical wiring 42 . Proceeding inwardly from the gas pipe 32 , a vertical bracket 38 is provided to mount the gas burner assembly 30 to the walls within the oven cavity (not shown in FIG. 5 ). Finally, the heat distributor 36 is positionable over the gas pipe to evenly distribute the heat produced by the flame within the oven cavity, as described above.
Turning now to FIG. 6 , the igniter 40 includes a resistive heater element 46 formed in a serpentine manner and inserted in a ceramic base 44 . The base 44 is generally rectangular. Power is supplied to the resistive heater element 46 through electrical wiring 42 . The shroud 50 forms a cavity 54 that is configured for telescopic receipt of the base 44 with the elongated shroud body extending far enough away from the base to contain the heating element 46 .
The shroud 50 defines a working area for the resistive heating element 46 , and, as will be discussed in greater detail hereinafter, a fluid flow path 80 across the heater element 46 . The shroud 50 is configured and positioned to receive sufficient gas from the gas pipe 32 (not shown in FIG. 6 ) so that the resistive heater element 46 can ignite the gas being emitted from the gas pipe 32 to produce a flame for heat distribution by the heat distributor 36 and ultimate heating of the oven.
Continuing with reference to FIG. 6 , the shroud 50 has a generally rectangular shroud body 52 that includes a planar back wall 56 extending the length of the shroud body 52 . The back wall 56 forms a first converging wall that converges toward an imaginary junction with a second converging wall 58 , wherein both the back wall 56 and the second converging wall 58 are terminated before they meet. At the other end of the second converging wall 56 , a flange 60 projects approximately 90 degrees away therefrom and partially overrides the base 44 of the igniter 40 . A side wall 62 projects upwardly approximately 90 degrees away from the back wall 56 and parallels the second converging wall 58 , terminating in a flange 64 . The flange 64 projects away from the side wall 62 at approximately a 90 degree angle and partially overrides the base 44 of the igniter 40 at a position oppositely from the other flange 60 . An inlet opening 74 is defined between the edges of the flanges 60 , 64 for entry of air and gas into the cavity 54 .
An end wall 72 is formed from the material of the back wall and 56 and projects away therefrom at approximately 90 degrees. Optionally, a mounting bracket 43 may be formed from material of the side wall 62 and bent to extend away from the side wall 62 in a manner planar with the back wall 56 .
A first outlet wall 68 extends outwardly from the back wall 56 in a manner that is not coplanar therewith. Similarly, a second outlet wall 70 extends away from the second converging wall 58 at an angle that is not coplanar therewith. A passageway for fluid flow is thereby formed between the first outlet wall 58 and the second outlet wall 70 . The terminus of the outlet walls 68 , 70 forms the outlet opening 76 for the shroud 50 at the end of the fluid flow path defined by the shroud 50 . The outlet walls, 68 , 70 preferably diverge, but may also extend in a parallel manner. Together, the outlet walls 68 , 70 form a flue.
The back wall 56 and the converging wall 58 extend along planes that are approximately 90 degrees to one another yet never meet. The gap between the back wall 56 and the converging wall 58 forms a constriction 78 in the fluid flow path 80 .
The shroud 50 thereby defines the fluid flow path 80 extending from the inlet opening 74 across the resistive heater element 46 , through the constriction 78 , away from the constriction 78 intermediate the outlet walls 68 and 70 and, finally, out through the outlet opening 76 . Further, the back wall 56 , acting as a first converging wall, the second converging wall 58 , the constriction 78 and the two outlet walls 68 , 70 together form a converging/diverging nozzle with the constriction 78 acting as a throat.
Turning now to FIG. 7B , the fluid flow path through the shroud 50 is illustrated by arrows 80 . The generally rectangular shape of the shroud 50 allows flanges 60 , 64 to project away from the second converging wall 58 and the sidewall 62 to thereby define the inlet opening 74 . The heating element, illustrated in phantom at 46 , extends into the cavity 16 from the open end 48 of the shroud 50 and sits adjacent the inlet opening 74 . The fluid flow path 80 is defined by the back wall 56 and the second converging wall 58 , the constriction 78 located at one corner of the generally rectangular shroud 50 , and the outlet walls 68 , 70 projecting away from the back wall 56 and the second converging wall 58 at the constriction 78 , terminating at the outlet 76 . Accordingly, the gas/air mixture enters the inlet opening 74 to start along the fluid flow path 80 . From the inlet opening 74 the gas/air mixture flows across the heater element 46 . The gas/air mixture is guided toward the constriction 78 by the converging walls 56 , 58 and exits the chamber 16 through the constriction 78 . From there, the gas/air mixture flows outwardly toward the outlet opening 76 along a path between the outlet walls 68 , 70 until ignition.
In operation, and with reference to FIG. 8B , the heater element 46 is activated and heats the air within the chamber 16 . As the air turns hotter closer to the heater element 46 , convection, illustrated by convection lines C, causes airflow away from the heater element 46 . Heated air at the constriction 78 creates a low pressure region and air is thereby drawn from the inlet opening 74 along with gas being emitted from the gas pipe 32 , thereby forming the gas/air mixture for ignition and combustion.
Convection-driven fluid flow is then established wherein gas and air are drawn through the inlet 74 , across the heater element 46 , outwardly through the passageway or flue intermediate the outlet walls 68 , 70 and ultimately through the outlet opening 76 . Accordingly, the gas/air mixture is drawn into a region of higher temperature closer to the heater element 46 and therefore, ignition occurs sooner than it would occur in a prior appliance as hereinbefore discussed with reference to FIG. 8A .
Accordingly, the present igniter can ignite the gas in less than four (4) seconds which the current igniter as illustrated in FIG. 8A cannot light the gas in less than four (4) seconds. Therefore, the present home appliance with the improved igniter can operate more efficiently by using less gas and bringing the oven to temperature sooner than with prior igniters. Further, safety is enhanced since the chance of unburned gas collecting within the oven cavity is reduced.
The shroud 50 may be constructed from two or more separate pieces, each with its own mounting arrangement, or it can be formed from a single sheet blank. In either case, the preferred material is some form of metal. As seen in FIG. 9 , formation of the shroud 50 from a single sheet blank results in outer walls 68 , 70 that extend outwardly a distance equal to one-half the width of the constriction 78 and do not extend longitudinally the full length of the shroud body 52 . Accordingly, the back wall 56 and the second converging wall 58 are joined by junction portions 82 at either end of the shroud 50 . Optionally, such joined portions 82 could be placed anywhere along the shroud body 52 with multiple outlet walls projecting away from the respective back wall 56 and converging wall 58 . For maximum nozzle effect, it is preferable that the constriction 78 extend at least the length of the heater element 46 at a position adjacent to heater element 46 . Optionally, a number of small flues may be formed by a number of outlet walls with multiple individual constrictions and multiple joined portions of the converging walls. Finally, using multiple components, virtually any shape can be applied to the shroud between the inlet opening and outlet opening, provided the characteristics of a converging/diverging nozzle are achieved.
It will therefore be readily understood by those persons skilled in the art that the present invention is susceptible of a broad utility and application. While the present invention is described in all currently foreseeable embodiments, there may be other, unforeseeable embodiments and adaptations of the present invention, as well as variations, modifications and equivalent arrangements, that do not depart from the substance or scope of the present invention. The foregoing disclosure is not intended or to be construed to limit the present invention or otherwise to exclude such other embodiments, adaptations, variations, modifications and equivalent arrangements, the present invention being limited only by the claims appended hereto and the equivalents thereof. | A home appliance having an improved gas igniter (or ignitor) including an appliance body, at least one burner assembly supported in the appliance body to provide a heat source for cooking, with the burner assembly including a gas pipe, an igniter in operational communication with the gas pipe, the igniter including a heater element and a shroud covering a portion of the heater element, the shroud including a shroud body defining a chamber having the heater element therein, an inlet opening facing the gas pipe, an outlet opening facing away from the gas pipe, and a constriction intermediate the inlet opening and the outlet opening, thereby defining a fluid flow path through the chamber whereby a fluid stream is directed from the inlet opening, across the heater element, through the constriction to the outlet opening. | 5 |
[0001] The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/675,794, filed Apr. 27, 2005, which application is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to restraint systems and in particular to a latching restraint system which latches during a crash, and remains latched until a release is actuated.
[0003] Generally, automotive and FM shoulder strap type Inertial Reels (IRs) are of the lock/unlock type. That is, the IR will lock to protect the occupant at the onset of either vehicle motion or shoulder strap acceleration above a first higher preset acceleration level, and automatically unlock when the acceleration level drops below a second lower preset acceleration level. The acceleration levels are usually set at very low thresholds. The low thresholds insure consistent IR locking in crash situations. After the acceleration level event passes, the IR automatically unlocks to allow normal operation of the restraint system with flexibility for the occupant to move within the constraints of the maximum extension bounds of the restraint system.
[0004] Unfortunately, a problem may occur with lock/unlock type restraint systems in certain crash or other scenarios. The onset of multiple discreet lock (or crash) events and the ability to unlock between events could allow the occupant to move away from a protected position where his shoulders are held tightly to the seat back. A typical event is an extended crash scenario where second and third impacts occur following the initial impact, for example, a military vehicle involved in a bomb blast from underneath. The initial concussion causes the restraint to lock. The trajectory of the vehicle will allow the restraint system to unlock as the vehicle ascends and then returns to earth. While the restraint system is unlocked, the occupant may become displaced from the protected position. When the vehicle impacts the ground, the occupant is free to impact the vehicle interior. The risk of injury is significantly higher in such situations. Similar scenarios may be predicted for multiple independent crash events with civilian vehicles, particularly after an airbag deflates.
[0005] Additionally, vehicle seats often have occupant restraint systems mounted to the seat. As a result, the seats must bear crash loads through the structure of the seat. The resulting forces on the seat structures, and the forces at the seat to vehicle mounting points, are often significant, and substantial displacement of the vehicle occupants may result.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention addresses the above and other needs by providing a latching inertial reel which holds a belt reel in a locked position until a release is actuated. The belt reel is locked when a crash sensor experiences an acceleration over a threshold. A latch holds the belt reel in the locked position after the acceleration reduces to prevent subsequent injury from secondary impacts of a vehicle occupant with objects or surfaces in the vehicle. The latch may later be released to free the occupant. A vehicle seat may further include a seat inertial reel to provide support to the seat during a crash. The seat inertial reel may be attached to a floor mounting point, or to an elevated mounting point.
[0007] In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a locking inertial reel having a reel portion, a locking tooth mechanism connected to the reel portion, a locking portion, and a latching portion. The locking portion comprises a horizontally sensing crash sensor and a locking mechanism for locking the reel portion. The locking mechanism includes a locking lever having a pivot end and an engaging end for engaging the locking tooth mechanism to lock the reel portion. The locking lever is moveable to engage the locking tooth mechanism in response to the crash sensor. The latching portion includes a vertically sensing latching sensor and a latching mechanism. The latching mechanism is responsive to the latching sensor and cooperates with the locking lever to engage the locking tooth mechanism.
[0008] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a latching inertial reel. The latching inertial reel includes a reel portion and a locking portion. A locking tooth mechanism is connected to the reel portion and cooperates with a locking lever. The locking lever has a pivot end, and an engaging end which engages the locking tooth mechanism to lock the reel portion. The locking portion includes a locking mechanism including a ball residing in a ball seat having a sloped wall. The ball is displacable up the sloped wall by a horizontal acceleration, and the displacement of the ball up the sloped wall urges the locking lever to rotate about the pivot end to engage the engaging end with the locking tooth mechanism. The locking portion further includes a latching mechanism including the ball, the ball seat, a ball seat pivot, and a spring vertically supporting the ball seat. The locking lever pivot end is connected to the ball seat. Compressing the spring causes the ball seat to pivot about the ball seat pivot, the locking lever to pivot with the ball seat, and the locking lever to engage the locking tooth mechanism.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
[0009] The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following more particular description thereof, presented in conjunction with the following drawings wherein:
[0010] FIG. 1 is a side view of a seat and occupant.
[0011] FIG. 2A is a side view of a latching inertial reel according to the present invention.
[0012] FIG. 2B is an end view of the latching inertial reel according to the present invention.
[0013] FIG. 3A is a latching inertial reel according to the present invention in an unlocked position.
[0014] FIG. 3B is a latching inertial reel according to the present invention in a locked position.
[0015] FIG. 3C is a latching inertial reel according to the present invention in a latched position.
[0016] FIG. 4A is a prior art seat.
[0017] FIG. 4B shows the prior art seat bending during a crash.
[0018] FIG. 5 shows a seat with an inertial reel connected to a seat back of the seat to limit seat bending during a crash.
[0019] Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding components throughout the several views of the drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0020] The following description is of the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of describing one or more preferred embodiments of the invention. The scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the claims.
[0021] A side view of a seat comprising a seat back 10 and a seat bottom 12 , and an occupant 14 , is shown in FIG. 1 . The occupant 14 is held in the seat by a lap belt 16 b , and a shoulder belt 16 a (which may be one of two shoulder belts). The belts 16 a and 16 b are often connected to the seat, or other structure, using inertial reels. The inertial reels allow the belts 16 a and 16 b to be extended from or retracted into the inertial reel in the absence of accelerations, and prevent the extending of the belt 16 a or 16 b during accelerations, for example, during a crash. The inertial reel thus provides convenience and safety for the occupant. Unfortunately, known inertial reels unlock when accelerations subside, and may allow the occupant to be injured in the event of a second impact shortly following a first impact.
[0022] A front view of a latching inertial reel 19 according to the present invention in shown in FIG. 2A , and an end (or side) view of the latching inertial reel 19 is shown in FIG. 2B . The latching inertial reel 19 comprises a reel portion 18 , a locking portion 20 , and a release button 22 . A belt 16 (which may be the lap belt 16 b or the shoulder belt 16 a ) is wound inside the reel portion 18 , and in an unlocked position, the belt 16 freely extends from the reel portion 18 and retracts into the reel portion 18 . The locking portion 20 includes at least one inertial senor. When the inertial sensor experiences certain accelerations, the locking portion 20 locks the reel portion 18 preventing the extending and retracting of the belt 16 a or 16 b.
[0023] A detailed view of the locking portion 20 according to the present invention is shown in FIG. 3A in an unlocked and unlatched (or ready) position. A locking tooth mechanism 34 is attached to a reel in the reel portion 18 to control the extending and retracting of the belts 16 a or 16 b . A locking lever 32 is disengaged from the locking tooth mechanism 34 , and the locking tooth mechanism 34 is free to rotate in the unlocked position, and as a result, the reel portion 18 is free to release or take-up the belt 16 a or 16 b.
[0024] A detailed view of the locking portion 20 according to the present invention is shown in FIG. 3B in a locked and unlatched position. The locking portion 20 includes a locking mechanism comprising a crash sensor and the locking lever 32 . The crash sensor (or sensing circuit) comprises a sensor ball 30 residing on a ball (or sensor) seat 36 for sensing a normal onset event (i.e., a vehicle crash). The seat 36 includes a sloped wall 36 a sloping upward away from a ball resting point. The locking lever 32 has a lever pivot end 32 a and a lever engaging end 32 b . The lever engaging end 32 b is configured to engage the locking tooth mechanism 34 in a crash event to lock the reel portion 18 .
[0025] Comparing FIG. 3B to FIG. 3A , the sensor ball 30 reacts to an acceleration (e.g., a vehicle movement or crash event) by climbing the sloped wall 36 a and urging the locking lever 32 to pivot about the lever pivot end 32 a from the unlocked position (in FIG. 3A ) into the locked position in contact with the locking tooth mechanism 34 (in FIG. 3B .) The sensor ball 30 , sloped wall 36 a , locking lever 32 and locking tooth mechanism 34 thus provide the locking mechanism. Specifically, the sloped wall 36 a of the ball seat 36 resides 360 degrees around the ball 30 . The slope of the sloped wall 36 a is designed to couple a horizontal acceleration of a vehicle into a diagonal (both horizontal and vertical) motion of the ball 30 up the sloped wall 36 a , which motion of the ball 30 causes the locking lever 32 to pivot about lever pivot end 32 a and to engage the toothed mechanism 34 and thereby lock the reel portion 18 . More specifically, the cooperation of the locking lever 32 with the locking tooth mechanism 34 acts to lock the reel portion 18 from further payout. Such known operation concept is embodied in, for example, Modular M-2K Belt Retractor Assembly ball and lever arm system for locking seat belt reels made by Key Safety Systems, Inc. in Detroit, Mich., and others. The sensing circuits are typically set at a very low acceleration level to keep the occupant 14 close to a seat (see FIG. 1 ) during the onset of a potential crash, and to help the occupant 14 remain in position to keep control of a vehicle during bumps or maneuvers.
[0026] The locking mechanism of the locking portion 20 may include elements based on known operational concepts for locking an inertial reel 18 during an onset event, and the locking mechanism described in FIG. 3B is an example of a preferred locking mechanism. However, a locking portion 20 including any locking mechanism is intended to come within the scope of the present invention.
[0027] In the case of known restraint systems, the occupant 14 is held from further movement during the onset event (i.e., while the crash sensor senses a horizontal acceleration). As soon as the acceleration subsides to a level less than a pre-calibrated acceleration level, a known inertial reel unlocks, and allows free movement of the occupant 14 . The acceleration level for an onset event is preferably set to between approximately 0.3 Gs to approximately 6 Gs, and more preferably set between approximately 0.4 Gs to approximately 0.7 Gs, and most preferably set to approximately 0.7 Gs for an on the road vehicle and most preferably set to approximately 5.5 Gs for aircraft.
[0028] In addition to providing locking during an onset event, the locking portion 20 of the present invention further includes a latching mechanism providing a capability to latch the inertial reel 19 as shown in FIG. 3C . The latching mechanism includes the locking lever 32 and a latching sensor comprising the ball 30 , the ball seat 36 , and a calibration spring 40 . The latching sensor responds to an acceleration level established by the spring 40 residing under the ball 30 and the ball seat 36 . The latching sensor (and thus the latching mechanism) preferably responds to a positive (or upward) vertical acceleration between approximately 1 G and approximately 15 Gs. In this instance, the acceleration sensed is primarily a vertical acceleration, not a lateral (or horizontal) acceleration, although there may be some mechanical coupling between elements resulting in a lateral acceleration affecting the latching sensor. When a high vertical acceleration is experienced, the ball 30 and ball seat 36 are forced downward compressing the spring 40 . If the vertical acceleration (or the vertical component of any acceleration) sufficiently compresses the spring 40 , the ball seat 36 (still holding the ball 30 ) pivots down in a counter-clockwise rotation about a ball seat pivot 38 , and a stop 31 slides against a cooperating surface 36 a on the ball seat 36 to hold the ball seat 36 in the counter-clockwise rotated position. The lever 32 rotates counterclockwise with the ball seat 36 around the pivot 38 , wherein the lever 32 engages the locking tooth mechanism 34 , thereby locking the inertial reel 10 , and also latching the inertial reel 19 which will remain locked until reset. The inertial reel 19 may be manually unlatched after a latching event by pressing a simple unlatch device 42 to release the stop 31 and reset the locking portion to the ready position. The Latching mechanism will remain latched until the device 42 is pressed. The unlatch device 42 may be a simple membrane covering an end of the stop 31 .
[0029] The acceleration level classified as a crash, which would latch the inertial reel in the locked condition, can be set individually depending on the vehicle and engineering requirements. A typical crash may involve an acceleration event from a low of approximately 3 Gs to approximately 4 Gs to well over 10 Gs. The spring 40 may be selected to provide latching of the inertial reel at acceleration levels above non-crash events, such as experienced on a bumpy road or driving off road. Different requirements are stipulated for on-road vehicles as well as civilian and military aircraft. The inertial reel can be manually unlocked at a later time by the occupant or optionally by maintenance personnel after a vehicle inspection has verified the vehicle and restraint are in operational condition.
[0030] While the latching sensor is described above as comprising the ball 30 , the ball seat 36 , and the spring 40 , the latching sensor may in general comprise a mass, a pivoting member, and a spring, wherein the mass and pivoting member rotate about a pivot to compress the spring when under vertical acceleration, and a locking lever connected to the pivoting member rotates with the pivoting member and latches the reel portion.
[0031] While the locking and latching mechanisms described above are mechanical apparatus, a hybrid mechanical and electronic locking and/or latching mechanism is also contemplated. In the instance of such hybrid mechanism, the sensor may be replaced by a one or more axis accelerometer, and/or the lever 32 may be replaced by a servo mechanism.
[0032] A prior art seat having a seat back 110 is shown in FIG. 4A in a rest position and the prior art seat is shown in FIG. 4B during a crash. As can be seen, the occupant 14 and the seat back 110 move significantly during the crash. The resulting occupant 14 contact with vehicle interiors is a major contributor to crash related injuries. Because of the need to minimize weight in vehicles, the use of heavy load bearing components is not desirable. The heavy load bearing components might be avoided by using multiple mounting points for the seat to distribute crash loads, but the issue then becomes the complication required to allow seat adjustability for vehicle operation or occupant comfort, and to allow for a folding seat for access to areas behind the seat.
[0033] An inertial reel seat restraint according to the present invention is shown attached to the seat in FIG. 5 , during a crash event. A flexible link to the seat is provided by a seat inertia reel 122 and a webbing strap (or belt) 120 attached from the vehicle structure at floor mounting point 116 or elevated mounting point 118 to the seat back 110 . The inertia reel 122 would allow full seat adjustability under normal conditions, wherein the inertial real 122 is unlocked. This allows the webbing strap 120 to extend and retract as required. A retractor spring would keep a slight tension on the webbing strap 120 to insure a close coupling between the seat 110 and the mounting points 116 or 118 . The inertia reel 122 would automatically lock in a crash and reduce or prevent the seat 110 from moving. The additional restraint in seat movement will also restrain seat occupant 14 displacement. Less occupant 14 displacement will reduce the opportunity for the occupant 14 contact with interior vehicle components. A suitable seat inertial reel 122 is the Modular M-2K Belt Retractor Assembly made by Key Safety Systems, Inc in Detroit, Mich., or may be a latching inertial reel as described above.
[0034] While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments and applications thereof, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention set forth in the claims. | A latching inertial reel temporarily holds an inertial reel in a locked position during a lateral acceleration and resetably holds the reel in a latched position as a result of a vertical acceleration. The reel is latched when a latching sensor experiences a vertical acceleration above a threshold. A latch holds the reel in the latched position after the acceleration reduces to prevent subsequent injury from secondary impacts of a vehicle occupant with objects or surfaces in the vehicle. The latch may later be reset to release the reel. A vehicle seat may further include a seat inertial reel to provide support to the seat during a crash. The seat inertial reel may be attached to a floor mounting point, or to an elevated mounting point. | 1 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/613,341, filed Nov. 14, 1990, now abandoned.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to conveyor assemblies and particularly to a conveyor apparatus used in the patterned application of dyestuff or other liquids to carpeting that is in preferably the form of tile.
One major problem with current conveyors used for this application is the inability to align the carpet tiles properly on the conveyor to produce precise repeatable results when being sprayed by electronically controlled gun bars in the form of intricate patterns. One reason for this is the use of dual chains on each side of the conveyor that align and position the carpet tiles on the conveyor. These chains can expand and become misaligned, which causes the slats to be no longer perfectly perpendicular with the longitudinal axis of the conveyor thereby patterning either earlier or later then required for repeatable precise patterned carpet tiles.
The present invention solves the above problem and others in a manner not disclosed in the known prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A conveyor apparatus used primarily in processing products such as applying liquids such as dyestuff by means of a patterned application of a moving stream of dyestuff, having a first planar portion and an endless flexible element adjacent said first planar portion and a second planar portion adjacent said endless flexible element, where said flexible element has a series of slats mounted thereon that precisely coordinate the processed item underneath the processing element that provides patterned application of dyestuff in order to achieve precise repeatable results.
It is an advantage of this invention to be able to maintain processed material, i.e., carpet tiles, in a fixed location perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the conveyor for repeatable precise processing.
It is another advantage to remove processed material by means of lifters and a take-off conveyor so that there is no load placed on the alignment slats.
These and other advantages will be in part obvious and in part pointed out below.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above as well as other objects of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, which when taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the conveyor apparatus of the present invention used in the patterning of textile materials by the application of dyestuff;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the isolated conveyor mechanism and dual support members;
FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the conveyor mechanism;
FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on line 4--4 of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the lifter mechanism;
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6--6 of FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view taken along line 7--7 of FIG. 5;
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 8--8 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of the take-off conveyor assembly;
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 10--10 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 11 is a top plan view of the carriage lock assembly;
FIG. 12 is a front elevational view of the carriage lock assembly;
FIG. 13 is a right side elevational view of the carriage lock assembly;
FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 14--14 of FIG. 13;
FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 15--15 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 16--16 of FlG. 15;
FIG. 17 is an isolated top plan view of the conveyor assembly including a missing tile detector sensor assembly and a process initiation sensor assembly;
FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 18--18 of FIG. 17;
FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 19--19 of FIG. 17;
FIG. 20 is a top plan view of a conveyor plate;
FIG. 21 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 21--21 of FIG. 20;
FIG. 22 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 22--22 of FIG. 20;
FIG. 23 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 23--23 of FIG. 2; and
FIG. 24 is a cross sectional view taken on line 24--24 of FIG. 23.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring more specifically to the drawings, FIG. 1 discloses an overall side elevational view of the apparatus for conveying material to which the present invention pertains. As shown and will be described, the apparatus is particularly adapted for transporting pile carpet material that is processed by the application of dyestuff in the form of a pattern. However, it will be understood that this conveyor assembly could be employed for transporting a variety of material in a wide spectrum of applications. All of the mechanical attachments in this invention may be accomplished by any of a wide variety of conventional hardware, adhesives, and so forth.
The conveyor apparatus shown in FIG. 1 comprises a main conveyor apparatus generally indicated by numeral 1 with the conveyor mechanism proper indicated by numeral 10. There is a main support frame assembly 14 that is identical on both the left side and the right hand side, which includes horizontal base I-beam supports 56 supporting upper horizontal rails 18 by means of vertical I-beam supports 9 and 16, respectively. There are two ancillary vertical supports 15, 13 that also connect the horizontal base I-beam support 56 with the upper horizontal rail 18. Ancillary vertical support 13 has two transverse members 20 extending from the lower portion thereof on both sides to the upper horizontal rail 18. There is a horizontal support member 362 extending between the transverse member 20, which is on the right of ancillary vertical support 13 in FIG. 1, and vertical I-beam support 9. The conveyor mechanism 10 has a support system numerically delineated as numeral 11 comprising of dual horizontal support I-beams 22 forming the carriage weldment assembly with a longer rear vertical support member 24 and a comparatively shorter front vertical support member 26. There is a lateral support member 568 extending between the upper portions of vertical support members 24 and 26. Both vertical support members 24 and 26 have a leveling pad adjustment mechanism 28 that attaches to the conveyor mechanism 10. The leveling pad adjustment mechanism 28 comprises of a combination of hex head cap screws, hex head jam nuts and washers that are connected to an angle support bracket and is used to level the conveyor mechanism 10. The conveyor mechanism support system 11 and the main support frame assembly 14 are interconnected by means of a rail system indicated generally at numeral 30. Rail system 30 includes carriage I-beam tracks 99 located on the left and right hand side of the main conveyor apparatus 1 and running longitudinally along its length and attached to the vertical I-beam supports 9 and 16 by means of support brackets 98. Cylindrical rails 31 are attached to each of the carriage I-beam tracks 99 by means of rail support spacers 34. The conveyor mechanism support system 11 can move along the cylindrical rails 31 by means of four Thomson® pillow block bearings 36, which are in effect open linear bearings and available from Thomson Industries of Port Washington, New York which surround and ride the cylindrical rails 31 and that are located on each side of the main conveyor apparatus 1 with one mounted underneath and outward from horizontal support I-beam 22 and below and outward from rear vertical support member 24 and the other pillow block linear bearing 36 also mounted underneath horizontal support I-beam 22 and below and outward from front vertical support member 26, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 13.
The dyeing apparatus shown generally as numeral 40 is supported by a main dye applicator support frame 42. There is a main dye apparatus forwardly slanting support member 96 with a relatively longer rear dye apparatus vertical support member 97 and a relatively shorter front dye apparatus vertical support member 100 attached thereto. The front dye apparatus vertical support member 100 is attached to horizontal base I-beam support 56 at the base of the main conveyor apparatus 1. The rear dye apparatus vertical support 97 is also attached to the carriage I-beam track 99 by means of support bracket 98. There is a horizontal support beam 360 extending between rear dye apparatus vertical support 97 and vertical I-beam support 9.
The dyeing apparatus 40 is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,393,411, U.S. Pat. No. 3,894,413, U.S. Pat. No. 3,942,343, U.S. Pat. No. 4,019,352, U.S. Pat. No. 4,202,189, U.S. Pat. No. 4,033,154, U.S. Pat. No. 4,034,584, U.S. Pat. 4,116,626, U.S. Pat. No. 4,309,881, U.S. Pat. No. 4,434,632, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,584,854. The subject matter disclosed in each of the eleven U.S. Patents identified hereinabove is hereby incorporated by reference into the instant disclosure.
Positioned above and spaced along the length of main conveyor mechanism 10 are a plurality of dye applicator members, or gun bar assemblies 44, which extend in parallel, spaced relation across the width of the conveyor mechanism 10. There are hand rails 46 on each side of the gun bar assemblies 44 supported by vertical members 47 and having an intermediate support member 33 in parallel with the hand rails 46. For pattern dyeing broadloom carpets the gun bar assemblies 44 are each provided with a different color dye in order to apply a colored pattern to the carpet. The length of the conveyor may vary depending on the number of gun bar assemblies used. There is an access platform 48 attached to the main dye apparatus slanting support means by vertical bracket 39 and angle bracket 49. There are two lateral bracing members (not shown) found at the rear of the main conveyor apparatus for support.
Referring now to FIG. 2 which isolates the conveyor mechanism 10, the main conveying means of this invention is an endless loop of conveyor plates 86 that are connected by linking pin joints 88 that rotate in a hinge-like manner to provide flexibility. The main portion of the conveyor mechanism 10 has an upper layer 434, intermediate layer 132 and lower layer 135. There is a transport link return guidance assembly 66, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 15, for the underside of the conveyor to maintain the conveyor plates 86 in lateral alignment along the longitudinal axis. There are slats 402 that can be removedly attached to conveyor plates 86 and travel along slat support runners 68 with associated channel plates on the underside of the conveyor, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 4, and 9. There are eight "U" shaped support brackets 78 that hold the slat support runners in 1 position. The main conveyor mechanism 10 is stabilized by the upper and lower interconnecting stabilizers denoted by numerals 83 and 82, respectively, which are connected by any attachment means such as hex head cap screws and flat and locking washers located at numeral 101. Each opposing longitudinal end of the conveyor mechanism 10 has an upper and lower pin wheel 72 and 73 respectively. Each pin wheel 72, 73 has seven sides and is mounted on a respective shaft 70, 71 that rotates within a respective pillow block linear bearing 60, 61. Pillow block linear bearing 60 is mounted on a mounting bracket assembly 74, while pillow block linear bearing 61 is mounted directly to the front of conveyor mechanism 10. The upper pin wheel 72 is protected from access by a stand-off load station guard 62. The pin wheels 72, 72 guide and rotate the conveyor plates 86 that travel the longitudinal length through the lateral center of the conveyor mechanism 10.
Referring now to FIGS. 3, 4 and 15, there are panels 90 on each side of the moving conveyor plates 86. These panels 90 are made from a product manufactured by E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Company of Wilmington, Del. called CORIAN® that is traditionally used as a material for countertops and can be categorized as a type of plastic. However, a wide variety of materials may be used as a conveyor surface as well as a surface may be used underneath such as a quarter of one inch of aluminum. These panels are attached to the top of the conveyor mechanism 10 by means of bolts 92 or other attachment means. The moving conveyor plates 86 have linear pillow block linear bearings 105, 106 mounted underneath the moving conveyor plates 86 that ride on and enclose cylindrical shafts 103, 104, as shown in FIG. 4. The longitudinal shafts 103, 104 are mounted on support rails 107, 108 that extends longitudinally with said shafts 103, 104. The conveyor plates 86 have numerous tapped holes with inserts 401 upon which can be attached a slat 402 or plurality thereof that extends across the width of the conveyor mechanism 10 and can accommodate a variety of product of various lengths, i.e., carpet tile.
The upper and lower pin wheels 72 and 73, respectively, have two parallel plates 53 and 57 that are separated by cylindrical spacers 58 attached by an associated screw and nut. There is an interconnection member 351 between adjacent spacers 58, as shown in FIG. 4. There is a pin wheel support bar 374, 375 located at each end of the conveyor mechanism 10 located at the rear and front of the conveyor mechanism respectively. There is also a left hand mounting bracket 380 and a right hand mounting bracket 381 for the upper pin wheel 72. As shown in FIG. 4, there is both a left hand drip shield 390 and right hand drip shield 391 positioned underneath the longitudinal shafts 103 and 104 respectively. Located at the rear of the conveyor mechanism 10 is a slat protector 342 and mounting angle 343.
Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, the mechanical lifter 110 is a means to flip objects from out the end of the bottom end of the conveyor mechanism 10. The lifter 110 is connected to a shaft 114 by means of an attachment mechanism 112. The attachment mechanism 112 is called a Trantorque® unit that is manufactured by Fenner Manheim of Manheim, Pa. and is connected to the shaft 114. The attachment mechanism 112 will rotate in place around the shaft 114 if opposed by more than 1800 inch/pounds of torque. This will protect the lifters 110 if they come into contact with any slats 402 mounted to the conveyor plates 86. The shaft 114 is held in a fixed position by a combination of a two piece clamp collar 121 and thrust bearing 126. The shaft 114 is rotatively mounted in a sleeve bearing 120 having the trademark Rulon® and is manufactured by Dixon Industries Corporation of Bristol, Rhode Island that is connected to a mounting bracket 122 that is attached to the conveyor mechanism 10 by a series of four bolts 426 at an intermediate level 132. The conveyor mechanism 10 has a lower layer 135 that connects to the intermediate layer 132 by means of vertical support members 133. There are u-shaped members 128 with rectangular blocks 134 affixed thereto that is attached as a unit to the top of the intermediate layer 132. Please note that the upper layer 434 comprising of panels 90 on top of a one-quarter inch of aluminum as shown in FIG. 7, is not shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. There is a flat cover plate 130 that conceals the middle of shaft 114.
There is a fiber optic sensor assembly generally indicated as numeral 532 comprising a fiber optic sensor 145 utilized to detect the presence of an object, such as a carpet tile, on the end of the conveyor 10 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 15. The sensor 145 is connected to a mounting plate 146 by means of a hex head cap screw and washers that is then attached to a spacer 149 that is attached to the conveyor mechanism 10 by means of a socket head cap screw. There is an adjustment rod 148 attached to the mounting plate 146 by means of cup point socket set screw that moves within an adjustment block 150 that is mounted to the side of the conveyor 10 by means of hex head cap screws and washers. This allows for positioning of the sensor by means of the longitudinal positioning of hexagonal nuts 151.
Referring now to FIG. 7, the mechanical lifter 110 is actuated by means of a cylinder 137 with preferably a one and one-half inch bore and a two inch stroke. The cylinder 137 is pivotally attached to the end of the conveyor mechanism 10 by means of a mounting bracket 139 and pivot pin 141. The lifter 110 is attached to the cylinder 137 by means of a clevis 143 using a hexagonal jam nut.
The conveyor assembly base generally indicated as numeral 155, as shown in FIG. 8, has dual longitudinal support members 56 between two end members 158 and 159. The conveyor mechanism support system 11 with interacting cross beams 161 allows the conveyor mechanism 10 to be able to move away from and underneath the gun bar assemblies 44. This movement is actuated by means of a motor 162, also shown in FIG. 1, such as a one horsepower, 1750 r.p.m., 240 volt d.c. motor operating in conjunction with a c-face, triple reduction, parallel reducer at a 129:1 ratio, which has a carriage drive pulley 163 that winds and unwinds a cable 164 that is stretched between two cable clips 165 and 166. There is an air cylinder 152 attached to cable clip 165 that is fastened to the longitudinal support member 56 by means of bracket 153. There are shock absorbers 260 and 261 mounted on L-shaped mounting brackets and located at each end of relative travel of the conveyor support system 11. There are two members 167 and 168 that interconnect and are perpendicular to longitudinal support members 56. There are also three support members 170, 171 and 172 that interconnect members 168 and 159 and a horizontal support beam 360 that interconnects and is perpendicular to lateral support members 167 and 158.
Referring now to FIGS. 9, 10, and 15, the take-off conveyor is shown generally by numeral 174, as well as in FIGS. 1 and 15, is mounted to the end of the conveyor mechanism 10 by mating L-shaped mounting brackets 502. Tiles are sensed by fiber optic sensor 145, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 10, and then placed on the take-off conveyor 174 by mechanical lifter 110 in conjunction with a triangular tile transfer bar 501, with the lifter 110 being actuated by a cylinder 137 that is fixedly attached to the end of the conveyor by mounting bracket 139. The pin wheels 72, 73 guide the endless loop of conveyor plates 86 with linking pin joints 88 around the conveyor mechanism 10. The take-off conveyor 174 is powered by a pulley 175 driven by a one-fourth horsepower, 3-125 r.p.m., 90 volt DC motor (not shown) that is mounted by angle bracket 518 to the front end of the conveyor mechanism. The pulley 175 drives another pulley 177 by means of a continuous belt 176, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. Pulley 177 is connected to drive shaft 178 that traverses the width of the take-off conveyor 174 and is held in position by flange bearings 179 and 180 that are held in position by side plates 181 and 182 respectively. There is a flat face idler 184 that is used to maintain pressure on the belt 176 and is connected to a shaft by means of a tightener (not shown). Toward the center of the side plate 181 as well as side plate 182 is an idler shaft 183 that is rotatable held in position by flange bearings 185 and 186 respectively. Positioned on each side of the idler shaft 183 are positioning rods 187 that extends between side plates 181 and 182 and is connected only by bolts and not bearings. At the end of take-off conveyor 174 is a belt tensioning shaft 188 held in position by bearings 189 and 190 that are also mounted on side plates 181 and 182 respectively. There are eight continuous belts 191 that rotate around the take-off conveyor 174 by means of shafts 178 and 188 while rotating shaft 183. There are eight support ribs 192 positioned longitudinally along the width of the take-off conveyor 174. On both the front and back of the take-off conveyor 174 and from left to right, there are belt spacers 202, 193, 194, 195, 196, 197, 198, 199, 200, and 201. This allows the continuous belts 191 to travel in predefined paths.
Referring now to FIGS. 1, 11, 12, 13, and 14, the conveyor mechanism 10 can be adjusted to process various heights of carpet tile by moving the conveyor mechanism support system 11 to numerous fixed points underneath the slanting gun bar assemblies 44 by means of a locking assembly generally indicated as numeral 461. Conveyor mechanism support system 11 comprises vertical support members 24 and 26 mounted on the horizontal support I-beam 22 that is connected to Thomson® pillow block linear bearings 36 that ride on the cylindrical rail 31 that is attached to the rail support spacers 34 that are connected to the carriage I-beam track 99. A main component of the locking assembly 461 is a helical gear reducer 203 operated by a handwheel 209. The helical gear reducer 203 controls a locking cam 205 by encircling a bearing 207 that is attached to a hydraulic lubricating fitting and associated bar 206 by means of hex jam nuts 278. This encirclement of the bearing 207 is what locks the conveyor mechanism support system 11 in place. As shown in FIG. 14, the locking cam 205 has an elevated rim 208 around approximately three-quarters of its circumference. The locking cam is attached to the helical gear reducer by a socket set cup point 220. There is a cam lock switch target 234 attached to the side of the locking cam 205 by two socket head cap screws.
The helical gear reducer 203 is attached to the main cover mounting angle 210 that has Thomson® pillow block linear bearings 211 attached to the underside thereof, which ride on dual index shafts 222 held in position on each side of their three (3) inch length by support blocks 212 that are attached to an index block 213. The index block 213 is attached to a L-shaped index base 214 that is connected to a lateral index support member 283 that connects vertical I-beam support 16 and ancillary vertical support 15. There is an outer index block 225 having fifteen (15) separate locations for varying heights of carpet or other processed articles that connect to holes in inner index block 226 by means of an expanding pin 223 that holds the locking assembly 461 in a fixed location with relation to the index shafts 222.
There is a sensor 270 that is triggered when a carriage sensor switch target 217 passes beneath it. The carriage sensor switch 217 is connected to the bar 206 and comprises a spacer and socket head cap screw. Sensor 270 is attached to a mounting bracket 267 that is attached to a mounting plate 265 that connects to a mounting post 266 that is connected to the lateral index support member 283. The signal from the sensor 270 goes to the control system that regulates by slowing down the motor 162 of FIG. 8. Closer to the helical gear reducer 203 is another sensor 271 which is also triggered by the carriage sensor switch target 217, but this time the control system stops the rotation of motor 162.
There is a cam unlock sensor 272 that is located on the right of the locking cam 205 in FIG. 11 and looks toward the cam 205. There is a cam unlock switch target 291 that is attached to the locking cam 205 that triggers the sensor 272. The cam unlock sensor 272 has a mounting bracket 253 attached to mounting angle 210. The mounting bracket 254 for sensor 271 is attached to mounting bracket 253. There is cam lock sensor 273 that is located on the left of the locking cam 205 and looks toward the cam and is triggered by the cam lock switch target 234. Cam lock sensor 273 is mounted on mounting bracket 286.
Referring now to FIGS. 1, 15 and 16, that disclose the transport link return guidance assembly 66, in which there are two dual wheels 230 on the underside of the conveyor mechanism 10 to hold the conveyor plates 86 in horizontal alignment with respect to the longitudinal axis of the conveyor mechanism 10. Both wheels 230 are mounted on a wheel guide base plate 307. Each wheel 230 has a bearing assembly 231 with a shaft 309 within a bearing housing 310 and attached by means of a bolt 311 to the base plate 307. The guide wheel base plate 307 is attached to the conveyor mechanism 10 by means of bolt and nut combination 312. There are two ball bearings 316 and 314 with ball bearing 314 being held in place by retaining rings 313 and 315 on each side. On the upper part of the conveyor mechanism 10 is a series of five guide rollers (not shown) to maintain the longitudinal alignment of the conveyor plates 86. FIG. 16 also reveals a conveyor plate 86 with associated slat 402 being aligned by a wheel 230.
Referring now to FIGS. 3, 15, 17, 18, 19, and 25, there are a pair of effector switch sensors 240 mounted underneath the conveyor mechanism 10 and held to the underside of the conveyor mechanism 10 by means of a clamp and associated cap assembly 34 and held into position by a series of screws and washers 388 and is directed upward on each side of the conveyor to detect the presence of carpet tiles or any other processed article and thereby feed this information into the control system of the processing equipment. The location of sensors the 240 is toward the rear of the conveyor mechanism 10, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 15. There is a start print sensor assembly is generally indicated at numeral 250 that actuates the control system in order to enable the computerized dyeing process. This start print sensor assembly 250 utilizes a high speed reflective sensor 382 and has a surrounding guard 299 to protect it and is mounted to the conveyor mechanism 10 by means of a base and clamp combination 345 that is attached to a mounting bracket 298 by means of conventional hardware 344 such as a shoulder bolts and/or cap screws. The mounting bracket 343 has oval holes through which shoulder bolts and cap screws connect to the conveyor mechanism 10. The mounting bracket 343 can be positioned by means of an adjustment rod 347 that is threadedly connected to an adjustment block 346. The adjustment block 346 is bolted to the side of the conveyor mechanism 10. The adjustment rod 347 is connected to extension of the mounting bracket by means of a set screw 348. There are nuts on each side of the adjustment rod 347 that alters the position of the mounting bracket 343.
The conveyor plates 86 travel along a defined path along the center of the longitudinal path of the conveyor mechanism 10. As shown in FIGS. 20, 21, and 22, the conveyor plate is shown in detail with numerous tapped holes with assorted inserts 401 for the attachment of slats 402 at various positions depending on the size of carpet tile being processed. There is a longitudinal row of button head cap screws 503 positioned slightly off-center and to the right on the conveyor plate 86, in FIG. 20, that holds a rack gear 507 onto the underside of the conveyor plate 86. There are a pair of pillow block linear bearings 105, 106 that were previously disclosed in FIG. 4. There is also a retainer 505 that is held in place by a hex head screw and washer or equivalents thereof. There are linking and protruding interconnection portions 504 that are held in place by cup point socket set screws and serve to interconnect the conveyor plates 86 by linking pin joints 88. The rack gear 507 is an integral part of the drive means for the conveyor mechanism 10.
Referring now to FIGS. 23 and 24, the conveyor plates 86 are powered by a drive gear 520 that is located toward the rear of the conveyor mechanism 10, as shown in FIG. 2 and interconnects with the rack gear 507 to power the conveyor mechanism 10. The drive gear 520 is fixedly attached to a drive shaft 522 by means of a retaining ring 521. There are a pair of bearings 523 mounted in bearing housings 524 on each side of the drive gear 520. The housings 524 are bolted 534 or equivalent means thereof to the intermediate level 132 of the conveyor. The bearings 523 are lubricated by a series of conduits 526 which run from the bearing housings 524 to a grease fitting generally indicated as numeral 525 including a block 527 and male connectors 528. The drive shaft 522 is also connected to an optical incremental encoder 529 with a rawhide seal 530 and encoder seal 531, from left to right as shown on FIG. 23. The encoder 529 also has a mounting bushing 561 as well as cover 533 and torque arm 535. The opposite side of shaft 522 is connected to a gear reducer 543 that has a 60:1 ratio with a guard bracket 542 and a lower mounting bracket 540 that is attached by means of bolts 541 to the conveyor mechanism 10 and the gear reducer 543. There is a motor 550, preferable a 240 volt, 2 horsepower, 1750 r.p.m. electric motor, which is connected to the gear reducer 543 by means of an adaptor 551 and partially housed in a main drive cover 552.
Referring now to FIG. 24, the optical encoder 529 has a mounting base 570 as well as an o-ring 560 to mount thereon. The encoder 529 has a spring stud 562 with a spring 563 attached thereto that connects to and controls the torque arm 595. There is also an encoder junction box 565 as well as a torque arm stud 535.
Therefore, it is not intended that the scope of the invention be limited to the specific embodiment illustrated and described. Rather, it is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. | A conveyor apparatus used primarily in processing products such as applying liquids such as dyestuff by means of a patterned application of a moving stream of dye, having a first planar portion and an endless flexible element adjacent said first planar portion and a second planar portion adjacent said endless flexible element, where said flexible element has a series of slats mounted thereon that precisely coordinate the processed item underneath the processing element such as an element that provides patterned application of dye in order to achieve precise repeatable results. | 3 |
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application 61/902,614, filed Nov. 11, 2014, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates to the fields of water filtration systems and storm water control systems.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The present invention is designed to control and filter runoff water in storm drains. Drain water frequently carries trash, organic matter, suspended solids, hydrocarbons, metals, nutrients and bacteria collected from paved surfaces and other areas into a storm drain inlet, then sent into a storm water drain pipe system. Drain water often carries oil collected from the streets.
[0004] Various water bodies including ponds, rivers, and oceans can tolerate a certain amount of pollutant loading, but the amount allowed to flow into these collection areas should be minimized. The present invention is an in-line storm water drain filter system having a series of separation chambers for removing larger material followed by an upflow filter for smaller and dissolved material. The filter box is installed within a storm water drain pipe; this pipe directs drain water through the separation chambers and upflow filter to the storm water drain passing through an outfall into a lake, pond or retention area. There is an upflow filter between the separation chambers and the outflow to address collection of fine particulates and organics. A hydrocarbon collecting boom in a cage is placed at the last separation baffle on the influent side to absorb hydrocarbons.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The inline partitioned separator and upflow filter system is installed inline with the drain water flow path, and can be buried underground with access ports. The filter system includes a housing having an inlet and an outlet and a plurality of separation chambers formed therein. The separation chambers collect various densities of sediment for later cleaning. A housing cover allows access into the housing and a plurality of separation chambers and media cages.
[0006] An oil collection boom is removably mounted on one or more of the baffles near the outlet for collecting hydrocarbons in the drain water entering the system.
[0007] The separation chambers closest to the outflow are each equipped with an upflow filter. The upflow filter has two main components: the filter housing and the filter media. The filter housing is constructed of a cage that holds the media. It has top doors that open to allow the media to be changed out.
[0008] The media is a filter that removes fine TSS, nutrients, metals, bacteria, and emulsified hydrocarbons from the drain water as it flows upward through the last separation chamber.
[0009] One of the unique features of this system is that fall between the inflow and outflow pipes is not necessary as with downward flow systems. The internal weir, located on the side of the upflow filter opposite of the outflow pipe allows water pressure to build behind it which drives water through the upflow filter.
[0010] A standard 2 chambered separator works well enough to provide the necessary drain water pretreatment to prevent larger particles and solid pollutants from prematurely clogging the upflow filter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0011] FIG. 1 . Cut-out, side view of an embodiment of the invention in low flow configuration.
[0012] FIG. 2A . Side view of an embodiment of a filter cartridge of the invention.
[0013] FIG. 2B . Top view of an embodiment of a bottom panel of a media filtration unit of the invention.
[0014] FIG. 3 . Cut-out, side view an embodiment of the invention in high flow configuration.
[0015] FIG. 4 . Cut-out, side view of an embodiment of the invention in low flow configuration.
[0016] FIG. 5 . Cut-out, side view of an embodiment of the invention in low flow configuration.
[0017] FIG. 6 . Cut-out, side view of an embodiment of the invention in low flow configuration.
[0018] FIG. 7A . Cut-out, side view of an embodiment of the invention in low flow configuration.
[0019] FIG. 7B . Cut-out, side view of an embodiment of the invention in after flow configuration.
[0020] FIG. 7C . Side view of an embodiment of a filter drain cartridge of the invention.
[0021] FIG. 8 . Cut-out, outflow-end view of an embodiment of the invention.
[0022] FIG. 9 . Offset, elevation view of an embodiment of a partitioned separator water treatment system with an upflow filter assembly and a hydrocarbon filtration unit.
[0023] FIG. 10 . Offset, iso view of an embodiment of an upflow filter assembly.
[0024] FIG. 11 . Offset view of an embodiment of a filter cartridge-filtration medium assembly coupler.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0025] Referring to FIG. 1 , a cut-out, side view of an embodiment of a partitioned separator water treatment system with an upflow filter assembly is shown. The system comprises rectangular box 200 having inflow end 204 that comprises inflow opening 300 in inflow end wall 207 and outflow end 203 that comprises outflow opening 350 in outflow end wall 208 . Inflow opening 300 is configured to receive water from stormwater conveyance system infrastructure, such as pipes or channels. Box 200 comprises primary separation chamber 400 and secondary separation chamber 460 , established by separation chamber weir 420 . Separation chamber weir 420 is in sealed connection with floor 202 and lateral walls (not shown) of box 200 , but not the ceiling 206 of box 200 . The top of primary separation chamber weir 421 is positioned below the bottom of intake opening 300 . This configuration results in water entering inflow opening 300 , filling primary separation chamber 400 , and flowing over the top of primary separation chamber weir 421 into secondary separation chamber 460 . In the process, sufficiently dense and heavy waterborne sediment and debris is deposited in primary separation chamber 400 for later removal. Box 200 possesses access hatches comprised of openings in ceiling 206 of and removable covers 121 .
[0026] The system further possesses a bypass weir and an upflow filter assembly. The upflow filter assembly comprises media filtration unit 610 and filter cartridges 700 . Media filtration unit 610 is in sealed connection with outflow end wall 208 , lateral walls (not shown) of box 200 , and bypass weir 500 . Bypass weir 500 is in sealed connection with lateral walls (not shown) of box 200 , but not the floor 202 or the ceiling 206 of box 200 . Media filtration unit 610 is configured to support filter cartridges 700 in a manner that permits water to flow from secondary separation chamber 460 into outflow chamber 470 only by passing through filter cartridges 700 and then media filtration unit 610 itself.
[0027] Filter cartridges 700 each comprise a sheet of filter material, such as porous plastic, paper, or fiberglass, folded back into a series of pleats 702 formed into a hollow cylinder, the ends of the cylinder closed by bottom end 703 that is water impermeable and top end 704 that is only permeable to water through orifice 705 ( FIGS. 1 and 2A ). Bottom end 703 and top end 704 are made from strong, durable material such as metal, plastic, or fiberglass. Filter cartridges 700 are operative to remove, from water flowing therethrough, waterborne particulate matter such as large and fine sediments and debris. Media filtration unit 610 comprises top panel 611 made of strong, durable material(s) such as metal or plastic in a water permeable configuration capable of inhibiting the passage of filtration media 800 therethrough, such as grate or screen configurations ( FIG. 10 ). Referring again to FIG. 1 , top panel 611 is sealingly fitted to solid side walls 613 (the central region of which is not illustrated to show filtration media 800 ) of media filtration unit 610 . Media filtration unit 610 comprises bottom panel 612 made of strong, durable materials such as metal or plastic. Bottom panel 612 comprises a water impermeable configuration other than inline orifices 614 (shown from a top view perspective in FIG. 2B ) for each of the filter cartridges 700 . Media filtration unit 610 is loaded with inorganic filtration media 800 such as zeolite, expanded aggregates, lava rock, oxide-coated inert material, alumina, activated carbon, perlite, stonewool, rockwool, and pumice. Media filtration unit 610 is operative to remove, from water flowing therethrough, waterborne particulate matter such as fine sediments and particulates and dissolved pollutants.
[0028] In the process of performing its filtration functions, the upflow filter assembly impedes the flow of water from secondary separation chamber 460 into outflow chamber 470 . This impedance makes possible conditions in which water enters inflow opening 300 at a rate greater than it flows from secondary separation chamber 460 into outflow chamber 470 . Under such conditions, the water level 900 can rise in the portion of box 200 frontward of bypass weir 500 to the point where water flows over the top 501 of bypass weir 500 , into outflow chamber 470 , and out outflow opening 350 , as shown in FIG. 3 .
[0029] FIG. 4 shows a cut-out, side view of an embodiment of a partitioned separator water treatment system with an upflow filter assembly that differs from the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 by comprising a second separation chamber weir 420 and a second primary separation chamber 400 .
[0030] FIG. 5 shows a cut-out, side view of an embodiment of a partitioned separator water treatment system with an upflow filter assembly that differs from the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 by comprising a hydrocarbon filtration unit 550 mounted on bypass weir 500 .
[0031] FIG. 4 shows a cut-out, side view of an embodiment of a partitioned separator water treatment system with an upflow filter assembly that differs from the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 by comprising a bypass filtration basket 570 suspended in proximity with bypass weir 500 by posts 571 extending from ceiling 206 of box 200 .
[0032] FIG. 7A shows a cut-out, side view of an embodiment of a partitioned separator water treatment system with an upflow filter assembly that differs from the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 by having a filter drain cartridge 975 mounted on bottom panel 612 between outflow opening 350 and the lateral side wall 613 that faces the outflow endwall 208 of the box 200 and by having bottom panel 612 positioned higher in box 200 , even with the bottom of outflow opening 350 . This configuration results in water draining from media filtration unit 610 when water is not entering inflow opening 300 , as shown in FIG. 11B , by flowing through filter cartridges 700 , drain filter cartridge 975 , and outflow opening 350 . Filter drain cartridge 975 comprises a sheet of filter material, such as porous plastic, paper, or fiberglass, folded back and forth to form a series of pleats 977 formed into a closed cylinder, the ends of which are sealed closed by solid bottom end 978 and top end 979 that is solid other than orifice 976 ( FIGS. 7A , 7 B, and 7 C). Filter drain cartridge 975 is smaller than filter cartridges 700 and therefor has a lower filter rate capacity, which is a preferred configuration because it reduces the amount of water that does not flow through filtration media 800 prior to flowing through outflow opening 350 during periods of low or high flow. A filter drain cartridge can, however, be of comparable or even greater size and or filtering capacity as compared to a filter cartridge. Once flow into box 300 recedes the water level in the media filtration unit will drop as water continues to pass through drain filter 975 until the water level in chamber 600 is equal with the bottom of outflow opening 350 . This allows the filter media 800 to dry out between periods of operation.
[0033] FIG. 8 shows a cut-out, outflow-end view of an embodiment of a partitioned separator water treatment system with an upflow filter assembly in which a section of top panel 611 of media filtration unit 610 is configured as an openable hatch that provides access to the center of media filtration unit 610 for purposes of loading and removing filtration media 800 and cartridges 700 .
[0034] FIG. 9 shows an offset, elevation view of an embodiment of a partitioned separator water treatment system according to the invention with an upflow filter assembly and a hydrocarbon filtration unit.
[0035] FIG. 10 shows an offset, elevation view of an embodiment of an upflow filter assembly according to the invention.
[0036] FIG. 11 shows a coupler 708 that connects the filter cartridge 700 and its orifice openings 704 to inline orifices 614 contained within the bottom filtration panel 612 (also see FIG. 2B ). Coupler 708 seats into the orifice of the cartridge 704 and the inline orifices 614 to form a water tight seal. Water is passed from the filter cartridge to an area above the bottom panel 612 by the coupler opening 709 .
[0037] In some embodiments, filter cartridges comprise rigid housings made of strong, durable material such as metal, plastic, or fiberglass loaded with filtration material such as fiberglass, glass wool, and steel wool or filtration media and possessing screened or grated openings that permit water to pass through the filter cartridges and retain the filtration material or media within the filter cartridge housing. In some embodiments, filter cartridges are permanently attached to the bottom panel of a filtration media unit. In such embodiments, filter cartridges can be equipped with lids or hatches that provide access to the filtration media for removal or cleaning. In some embodiments, filter cartridges are reversibly mountable onto the bottom panel of a media filtration unit by, for instance, friction fittings, threaded fittings, bolts, screws, nails, clamps, and the like.
[0038] The content of U.S. Pat. No. 8,496,814 is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
[0039] The apparatus and methods described are the preferred and alternate embodiments of this invention, but other methods are possible and are within the contemplation of this patent. | A system designed to control and filter runoff water in storm drains is presented. Drain water frequently carries trash, organic matter, suspended solids, hydrocarbons, metals, nutrients and bacteria collected from streets and parking lots into a storm drain inlet, which enters storm water drain pipe systems.
The present invention supplies a series of baffle boxes inserted in the drain water stream with a final box possessing an upflow filter comprising filtration media and filter cartridges. The system can also support a storm flow bypass that directs high-flow storm runoff water directly to the outlet to protect the filter system. | 4 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to pulp manufacturing processes and equipment, and more particularly to an apparatus for fluffing high consistency pulp in the presence of a gaseous bleaching agent for promoting intimate contact between pulp and bleaching reagent. A related invention is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/335,282, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,630,909, to the same inventor.
Also, more particularly, the present invention relates to a means of manipulating wood pulp fibers within a rotary pin type fluffer to extend the fluffing time in the presence of a gaseous bleaching agent.
As is known, wood pulp is obtained from the digestion of wood chips, from repulping recycled paper, or from other sources and is commonly processed in pulp and paper mills in slurry form in water. Recently there have been many efforts to use ozone as a bleaching agent for high consistency wood pulp. Although ozone may initially appear to be an ideal material for bleaching lignocellulosic materials, the exceptional oxidative properties of ozone and its relatively high cost in the past have limited the development of satisfactory devices.
The primary characteristic of pulp slurries which changes with the consistency of the slurry is the fluidity. Wood pulp in the high consistency ranges (above 18-20% oven-dry consistency) does not have a slurry like character, but is better described as a damp, fibrous sold mass. High consistency pulp can be fluffed, in the same way that dry fibrous solids such as cotton or feathers can be fluffed, to give the pulp a light and porous mass, the inner fibers of which are accessible to a chemical reagent in gaseous form.
The characteristic of compressibility of fluffed pulp, however, makes it difficult to move or transport in conventional solids bulk handling equipment without increasing the bulk density and reducing the porosity (void volume).
To realize fully the advantages of the gas phase reaction in a multistage bleaching of cellulosic fibrous pulp, the comminution of the pulp to produce the fluffed pulp must be of a specific nature so as to produce fragments which independent of their size are of low density, and of porous structure throughout and substantially free from any highly compressed portions, i.e., compacted fibre bundles. Only when this form of comminuted pulp is achieved can the gaseous reactants reach all parts of the comminuted pulp fragments, and thus ensure that the reaction of the gaseous reagent with the fluffed pulp proceeds rapidly and uniformly. The concern for uniformity of contact between the fluffed pulp and the bleaching reagent gas, in the case of ozone bleaching, is fostered by the rapid reduction in the concentration of ozone gas in contact with the fluffed pulp. This reduction is attributable to the extremely fast reaction rate of ozone with wood pulp. Since the reaction rate is concentration dependent, this characteristic increases the non-uniform bleaching results attendant upon the variable permeability of the pulp.
As described hereinabove, the fluffed pulp mass is easily compressed by the action of bulk solids handling equipment to form wads and clumps having much higher density and much lower gas permeability. Bleaching gas flows much more slowly through such wads and clumps and much more rapidly through the wad-to-wad contact areas. The result is overbleached contact areas and underbleached wad cores. Thus, it has been found that bleaching systems which employ conventional bulk materials handling equipment to move high consistency fluffed pulp through a bleaching retention chamber while bleaching it with ozone gas cannot successfully produce uniformly bleached pulp fiber.
Pin shredders and fluffers are used in pulp and paper manufacture and in many other industries for shredding sheet material or fluffing fibrous materials. The size of the particle produced by such a pin shredder depends on several factors such as the size and spacing of the pins, the speed of rotation, retention time, and housing clearance.
An example of such a machine is a fluffer used in high consistency bleaching experiments, and which is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,725,193 to De Montigny. However, while this machine, and other similar machines, may have operated with varying degrees of success, these machines suffer from a plurality of shortcomings which have detracted from their usefulness.
For example, a disadvantage of using a screen (as suggested in De Montigny) to retain the coarse particles within the housing arises from the fibrous and floccular nature of moist wood pulp. For the flocs to pass through screens, the apertures or slots must be undesirably large, which will result in permitting unfluffed particles of similar size to pass.
Another class of known pin rotor machines used in pulp and paper manufacture consists of a cylindrical housing containing stationary pins on the inside which interleave with pins disposed on a rotor. Such high speed pin rotor machines have operated with varying degrees of success in the low to medium consistency ranges for processing wood pulp, for example as a steam mixer. However, these machines do not operate satisfactorily when processing high consistency pulp, because at high consistency the pulp fibers cling to the base of the stationary pins as they are thrown against them by the rotating pins and by the centrifugal forces of the rotating pulp mass, and the fibers build up to form a plugging condition in the housing, impeding thru flow of the wood pulp being processed.
The foregoing illustrates limitations known to exist in present machines for fluffing and manipulating high consistency wood pulp. Thus, it is apparent that it would be advantageous to provide an alternative directed to overcoming one or more of the limitations set forth above. Accordingly, a suitable alternative is provided including features more fully disclosed hereinafter.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one aspect of the present invention, a suitable alternative is accomplished by providing a fluffing contactor comprising a cylindrical shell having a solids inlet adjacent one end and a solids outlet adjacent an opposite end and a gaseous reagent inlet for introducing the reagent into the shell; a cylindrical rotor mounted for rotation within the shell of sufficient diameter to form a restricted annular space of convenient axial length; the rotor being further provided with a plurality of pin-like radially extending projections for imparting a circumferential swirl to solid, fibrous material introduced within the shell; the shell being further provided with a plurality of guide foils projecting into the annular space intermediate the rotary paths subscribed by the pin-like projections and oriented generally parallel to the rotary paths for a first combing portion and at an arcuate angle to the rotary paths for a second axially directing portion, the guide foils designed so as to be less expensive to manufacture than designs previously utilized.
Also, in accordance with the present invention, a device is provided for optimizing the reaction between a gaseous bleaching reagent and a volume of high consistency wood pulp by fluffing the pulp in the presence of the reagent gas for a sufficient period of time to assure the production of good fluff which has been intimately contacted with the reagent gas by the repeated mechanical action of the fluffer in an extended action path.
The foregoing and other aspects will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus according to the prior art and wherein an apparatus housing is illustrated in cross-section to expose a pin rotor rotatably mounted therein;
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention shown in FIG. 2, taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a graph showing the calculated increase in retention time for a given power input for the present invention vs. pilot plant results for a conical surface of the prior art and calculated values for the diverging angle foil described in Ser. No. 08/335,282;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating one possible embodiment of the apparatus of FIGS. 2 and 3, illustrating the longitudinally disposed guide vanes formed on the housing interior;
FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of an embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention taken in the area indicated on FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is a plan view of a guide foil according to the present invention; and
FIG. 8 is a side elevation view of a guide foil according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
A rotary pin type fluffer contactor has been described in patent application Ser. No. 08/125,053 assigned to the same Assignee as the present invention. A vertical axis version (shown in FIG. 1) uses a conical surface to control the motion of the fibers passing through the machine.
As shown in FIG. 1, a conventional fluffer is comprised of a generally conical housing 1 having an inlet 2 and an outlet 3 for receiving and discharging pulp fiber respectively. A pin rotor 4 is shown which is also generally conical in section and is mounted for rotation within the housing 1 on a shaft 5 which extends through the housing. The rotor is further provided with a plurality of pin-like projections 6 which extend from the rotor to a point proximate the internal wall of the housing.
Pulp fibers enter the machine through inlet 1, where they are then caused to be spun about the circumference of the machine by the combing action of the rotor 4 and pins 6. In a vertical machine, the centrifugal force of the pulp fiber mat 7 acting against the conical surface 8 causes the downward motion of the pulp fiber mat due to gravity to be retarded. This conical surface also can be used to provide a means of traversing the pulp fibers through a horizontal machine.
For a given rate of rotation of the pulp fiber mat and a given radius of rotation, there is a conical angle of the housing that will cause an upward force on the pulp mat just equal to the downward force of gravity. To achieve a controlled downward flow of pulp the rotational speed of the rotor is adjusted to a slightly slower speed than the "equilibrium" speed. This is a delicate balance, and in practice the downward velocity increases toward the bottom of the housing as the radius gets smaller, so that the mat thickness becomes thinner as shown in FIG. 1.
There is a maximum thickness of pulp mat which can be properly agitated and fluffed by a pin rotor. An uneven pulp mat causes the fluffer to be inefficiently loaded, resulting in the need for a larger and less economical machine. The conical shape of the machine is not space efficient.
FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate a contemplated commercial embodiment of an apparatus 10 embodying the present invention, which is designed for continuously fluffing a high volume of high consistency wood pulp, and for continuously promoting intimate contact between the high consistency pulp and a gaseous bleaching reagent. A housing is formed in two parts, each having a radially outwardly extending flange to form a flange connection 32 between the lower housing 12 and upper housing 13. The upper housing 13 receives a continuous stream of high consistency wood pulp from a feeding and gas seal forming device (not shown) which compacts the high consistency wood pulp into a gas tight plug. The plug is introduced in the fiber inlet 22. A pin rotor shaft 15 rotatably supports and drives a pin rotor drum 14. The upper portion of the pin-rotor drum 14 is provided with helical shredder vanes 26 having teeth-like surfaces (not shown) around the outer periphery thereof, which break up the plug into small pieces and convey the pieces into the lower housing 12 for fluffing and contacting with a gaseous bleaching reagent.
The helical formed shredding vanes 26 also impart an internal circumferential velocity to the pulp particles. Pins 16 comb through the annulus of pulp which forms against the interior housing surface. The action of the pin rotor and pins 16 on the pulp fiber mat causes the mat to rotate and behave as a fluidized solid as it begins to fluff.
A series of guide foils 25 according to the present invention is used to control and direct the motion of the fluidized pulp fiber mat thus formed. Rows of guide foils also provide another surface for combing of the pulp mat, which increases fluff quality. Additionally, any bridging of pulp fibers between adjacent rotor pins 16 is cleared by the guide foils.
Each guide foil 25 consists of a flat "mat immersion" surface 33 and a lifting surface or tab 28. The guide foils may be disposed about the internal peripheral surface in an arrangement as shown in FIG. 5, wherein a number of the guide foils are mounted to a mounting plate 31, and aligned in an axially vertical arrangement to intercept the circumferentially induced flow of the fluffed pulp fiber mat.
The thus induced and controlled advance, turbulent, circumferential flow progresses under the force of gravity from the inlet 22 to an outlet 24. A reactant gas may be added at gas inlet 23, resulting in a turbulent mixture of gas and pulp for an extended circumferential path through the fluffer. The gas contact during fluffing results in extremely rapid and thorough gas contact with individual fibers, thereby allowing reaction to take place in a most efficient manner.
As shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, a radial leading edge 30 is provided on each guide foil, which is set at a substantially right angle from a tangent of a surface of the cylindrical shell. The number of guide foils 25 placed around the circumference of the housing 12 is selected to provide sufficient surface interruption to assure the combing and shredding action effected by the rotating pins. Applicant has determined that a guide foil having leading edge substantially at right angle to a tangent of a surface of the shell provides unexpected results, as will be more fully described hereinbelow.
In addition, the guide foils 25 are used to control and direct the motion of the fluidized pulp mat in its circumferential path about the interior of the housing. This is accomplished by providing each guide foil with a flat mat immersion surface portion 33, followed by a lifting surface portion 28 which acts substantially in the nature of an aircraft wing elevator or aileron, by imparting a slight lift to the direction of the flowing mat between rows of guide foils. As the pulp mat slides pass the guide foils, an upward velocity is imparted. The mat continues to travel around the interior circumferential surface of fluffer housing 12 while the upward component of the velocity is dissipated by gravity, and the mat begins to drop. The mat accelerates downward, and reaches a vertical distance just below the point where it was lifted by the first foil.
At this point another guide foil will lift the mat repeating the process. This parabolic motion of the pulp fiber mat in the vertical orientation is repeated along the length of the machine. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,630,909, previously mentioned, a guide foil is described which has a leading edge set on an inwardly diverging angle from a surface of the foil attached to a cylindrical shell and a second foil surface being structured to impart a slight lifting as the pulp flows past the surface. It has been determined that the long leading edge with the diverging angle design limits the number of foils that can be spaced around the circumference of the cylindrical shell. The overall lifting effect of a mat of fiber in this design is limited by the number of foils that are placed around the circumference of the cylindrical shell. In certain sized fluffing contactors, in order to counteract the gravitational acceleration of the rotating, fluffed fiber mass, a greater lifting effect is needed than that provided by the design described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,630,909.
With the radial leading edge 30 of the present invention, the guide foil is designed to be half the length of the guide foils described in the Applicant's related Application U.S. Pat. No. 5,630,909 mentioned above in the circumferential direction, and adjacent guide foils are spaced closer together than the guide foils described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,630,909, which results in more total lifting effect to counteract the gravitational acceleration of the rotating fluffed fiber mass. Additionally, the radial leading edge will result in less axial dispersion of the pulp fibers than the diverging angle leading edge of U.S. Pat. No. 5,630,909, which is an advantage when using contactors according to the present invention. The diverging angle leading edge of U.S. Pat. No. 5,630,909 tends to move a portion of the rotating pulp fiber mat radially inward, which in turn results in some pulp being displaced downward and some upward as the pulp moves through the fluffing contactor with an overall result that the axial dispersion of the pulp is increased. In applications such as ozone bleaching, the pulp fibers should move through a contactor in such a way that all fibers are exposed to the bleaching agent for equal amounts of time, to be uniformly bleached. Less axial dispersion of the pulp fibers provides just such a result.
The guide foils allow the fluffer to be cylindrical rather than conical, which, apart from the advantage outlined above, results in a machine that has a lifting mechanism that does not change with the length of the machine. This results in a constant lifting force and thus a constant rate of through put and mat thickness.
A preferred circumferential spacing of between 12 and 20 inches between guide foils has been simulated; however, a wider range also is believed to be useful. Forming the lifting surface upward about a 30 inch radius for a length of 2 to 3 inches has proved effective in test apparatus. A four (4) inch mat thickness spacing between the drum 14 and the inner surface of the drum 12 has also proven effective. The above dimensions can be varied depending on equipment size, speed of rotation of the drum, degree of fluffing required and desired retention time.
It should also be appreciated by one skilled in the art that any desirable degree of lifting can be achieved in any section of the vessel. For example, greater lift may be effected at the top of the vessel during acceleration, and a reduction of lift accomplished in the lower portion of the vessel as the volume of fluff mat increases due to the fluffing action involved. During operation of the apparatus 10, the annulus of high consistency wood pulp mat moves axially through the housing. This may be accomplished by a variety of techniques; for example, in the vertical orientation, gravity accomplishes the movement. In orientations other than vertical, the guide vanes may be used to either assist or retard the flow in a particular direction, as may be required.
Additionally, axial movement of the pulp may be achieved by using the flow of a gaseous bleaching reagent introduced, for example, in inlet 23 to blow the fluff pulp through the housing. These actions, of course, will work in conjunction with the guide vanes to produce and control the flow through the housing, thereby producing a fluffed pulp having traversed an elongated, essentially parabolically varying spiral path through the fluffer from inlet to outlet. This action, in the presence of a reagent gas produces an intimate mix of the reagent gas, with the pulp being fluffed, for a time sufficiently long that substantial portions of the bleaching reaction occur, as, for example, the reaction that occurs when ozone gas, chlorine gas, or peroxide gas is utilized as a bleaching agent. The intimately mixed gas and fiber may thereafter be conveyed to a degasification vessel, wherein the gas reagent may be effectively separated.
In the prior art, one method for accomplishing separation is a fixed bed device wherein the pulp bed is allowed to compact and thereby assist in the pressing out of the residual reacting gas. This type of vessel has also proved to be an effective and efficient device for allowing the intimately contacted reactant gas to complete its reaction without mechanical induced fiber degradation.
FIG. 4 shows the substantial increase in retention time effected by a device according to the present invention as compared to a device having a conical surface only and a device having the diverging angle foil described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,630,909, for example, for a given horsepower.
High retention time for a given energy input is important for several reasons. It has been found in the laboratory that a total energy input into the pulp of 0.4 Hp/O.D.TPD is sufficient to create good quality fluff, as measured by image analysis. Increasing the total input energy results in little additional fluff quality, and can cause fiber damage and high machine wear rates. Low energy transfer rates result in a preferred, gentle combing action. High total energy input also increases the pulp stream discharge temperature, which is detrimental to the bleaching process.
In the pilot plant using a two degree cyclone, the effectiveness of the guide foils was readily apparent, showing increases in retention time of, for example, 4 to 7 seconds and a decrease in energy transfer rate of 0.209 to 0.115 Hp/sec/O.D.TPD for a single row of guide foils. Two rows of guide foils cause a still larger increase in retention time and a corresponding decrease in energy transfer rate. Analytical models based on pilot plant results predict that a cylindrically shaped machine with 4 rows of diverging angle guide foils will result in energy transfer rates of 0.02 Hp/sec/O.D.TPD, which gives a total energy input of 0.4 Hp/O.D.TPD at 20 seconds retention time. As previously mentioned, more foils produce more lift. However, the number of diverging angle foils like those described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,630,909 placed around the circumference of a cylindrically shaped machine is limited because of the length of foil needed to create the diverging angle. Not only do more foils produce more lift, i.e., the square leading edge of the present invention, more foils produce a given retention time at a lower horsepower.
For the two degree prior art cyclone contactor used to generate the graphs of FIG. 4, the flat section of the foil is 18 degrees long and the curved or lifting section is 12 degrees. Computational results show that using a maximum of 4 rows of these foils produces a space of 54 degrees between the foils. According to the present invention, shortening the flat section 33 to 6 degrees, five rows of foils are installed with the same amount of space between the foils. Based on these calculations, the retention time will increase by 17%.
Thus, calculations show that a cylindrically shaped machine with 5 rows of square leading edge foils will result in energy transfer rates of 0.017 Hp/sec/O.D.TPD. In other words, more foils cause an increase in retention time and a corresponding decrease in energy transfer rate.
While this invention has been illustrated and described in accordance with a preferred embodiment, it is recognized that variations and changes may be made therein without departing from the invention as set forth in the following claims: | A guide vane is provided in a pin fluffer to assist in pulp mat retention during fluffing by providing a cyclic lift component to the mat as it passes over the vane thereby also further increasing retention time obtained in the fluffer. | 3 |
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Typical semisubmersible platforms used in offshore drilling operations are subject to pronounced heave resonance. Such resonance occurs as the platform is subjected to the natural wave action of the sea when anchored on site, and is also described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,167,147. The aforementioned patent teaches stabilization of such platforms by velocity damping of platform oscillatory displacement by applying an anti-heave force that is a function of heave velocity of the platform. The reference also cites numerous other types of apparatus and methods for controlling stability and minimizing motion of floating platforms.
According to the present invention, heave resonance can be suppressed by resonant heave dampers comprising tanks mounted in or on the columns of the platform approximately where the ambient waterline intersects the columns. Each tank has a duct leading from its bottom to a point at the bottom of the platform pontoon. The ducts may also be terminated just above or on the side of the pontoon. The tanks are in continuous communication with the water via the duct, and are in continuous communication with the atmosphere above the ambient surface of the water therein via vent holes in the top thereof. Water flowing into and out of the tanks via the ducts also has resonant characteristics. The resonant period of the damper is designed to be approximately equal to the resonant heave period of the platform.
Resonant heave dampers constructed according to the present invention are passive since natural wave action and platform motion causes water to flow into and out of the tanks via the ducts. The cross-sectional area of the ducts is substantially smaller than the cross-sectional area of the tanks, and is selectively varied at each end to increase or decrease the damping characteristics of the damper. Such dampers may also be installed on the outside of the platform column. In that configuration, they should be distinguished from the control force tanks described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,176,614, which require an air pump connected to the tank above the ambient surface of the water therein.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a side view of a typical semisubmersible platform, with which the present invention may be employed.
FIG. 2 is a top view of the platform of FIG. 1.
FIGS. 3A and 3B are a side view and a top view, respectively, of a passive heave damper constructed according to one embodiment of the present invention in one column of the platform of FIG. 1.
FIGS. 4A and 4B are a side view and a top view, respectively, of a second embodiment of the heave damper of the present invention.
FIGS. 5A and 5B are a side view and a top view, respectively, of a third embodiment of the heave damper of the present invention.
FIGS. 6A and 6B are a side view and a top view, respectively, of a fourth embodiment of the heave damper the present invention.
FIGS. 7A and 7B are a side view and a top view, respectively, of a passive heave damper constructed according to another embodiment of the present invention on one column of the platform of FIG. 1.
FIGS. 8A and 8B are a side view and a top view, respectively of a sixth embodiment of the heave damper of the present invention.
FIGS. 9A and 9B are a side view and a top view, respectively of a seventh embodiment of the heave damper of the present invention.
FIGS. 10A and 10B are a side view and a top view, respectively of an eighth embodiment of the heave damper of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2, a typical semisubmersible platform comprises platform deck 14, coupled to pontoon 10 by column 2. Frequently, such a semisubmersible platform includes four columns on two pontoons.
Referring now to FIGS. 3A and 3B, a resonant heave damper constructed in accordance with the present invention comprises tank 30 having airvent 36 for outflow and intake of air above water line 15 and duct 32 extending from the bottom of the tank through pontoon 10 where it opens to the water at 34. In the preferred embodiment, duct 32 extends through pontoon 10.
The cross-sectional area of duct 32 is substantially less than the cross-sectional area of tank 30, being typically on the order of 15% of the cross-sectional area of tank 30, and shaped, gently tapering to a smaller cross-section from the bottom of tank 30 to the bottom of pontoon 10 at opening 34. Vent 36 permits intake and outflow of air as the water level therein fluctuates. Water enters tank 30 only via opening 34 through duct 32.
The flow of water in and out of tank 30 via smaller cross-sectional duct 32 has resonant characteristics. Damping is achieved by designing the resonant period of the damper to be approximately equal to the resonant heave period of the entire semisubmersible platform and by designing the ducts to dissipate energy by controlling pressure losses owing to friction and turbulence of water in and around the duct.
The natural period of oscillation of a heave damper for a semisubmersible platform constructed in accordance with the present invention is related to the cross-sectional area of the tank, the cross-sectional area of the duct and its length. However, the damping effect of the tank-duct system on the platform is related to the energy dissipated by turbulence set up in the water at or near the ends of the duct and, to a lesser extent, the flow of water into and out of the tanks. For a duct uniform cross-sectional area, the turbulence created would typically dissipate too much energy for good damping performance. Turbulence can be reduced, however, to optimal level by shaping the duct at one end or, in some cases, both ends. Such shaping, also known as flaring, causes the flow velocity of the water in the flared portion of the duct to be less, which results in reduced turbulence.
The energy dissipation for the duct consists of three factors: the entrance loss, f ent ; friction loss, f p ; and exit loss, f ex . Expressed as a fraction of the kinetic head in the duct, the factors range in value as follows: f ent =0.05-0.23, f p =0.15-0.22, f ex =1.0. Thus, for a total dissipation of 1.2-1.45, the exit loss is the major contributor. f ex is also the easiest to control. Such control is achieved by exploiting the diffuser effect. If the duct area increases uniformly to the exit so that the equivalent cone angle is less then 7°, the kinetic head associated therewith is converted into pressure head. Since the exit losses vary as the square of the velocity, if the exit area is doubled, the effective exit loss is reduced to about 0.25.
The one-way diffusers shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B and 4A and 4B are effective only for water flow in one direction. However, in most cases, this is sufficient to reduce the dissipation to the desired value. Note that some level of energy dissipation is required for optimal suppression of heave motion.
The effective duct length, one of the parameters in tuning tank resonance is reduced by flaring the duct. By adjusting the ratio of the smallest cross-sectional area of the duct to cross-sectional area of the tank, the loss of effective duct length can be compensated for.
In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the cross-sectional area of opening 44 at the bottom of duct 42 is approximately twice the cross-sectional area of duct 42 near its connection with tank 30. The enlarged area of opening 44 is achieved by flaring the shape of the duct as it approaches opening 44. The amount of flare to duct 42 can be on the order of 5 to 6 degrees.
Referring to FIGS. 5A and 5B, another embodiment of the present invention comprises tank 30, mounted at a point where the ambient water line 15 intersects column 12, having air vent 36 above the ambient water line 15, and having shaped duct 52 extending down column 12 to opening 64. In this configuration, the duct comprises a two-way diffuser, effective for flow of water in both directions.
Referring now to FIGS. 6A and 6B, still another embodiment of the present invention comprises tank 30, located at the intersection of ambient water line 15 with column 12, having air vent 36 located above ambient water line 15, and having duct 62 extending down column 12 to opening 64, below the surface of the water, but above pontoon 10. It should be noted that the heave damper system of the present invention, comprising tank 30 with its respective vents, ducts and openings can also be mounted on the outside surface of column 12 so long as they ae mounted in the same relationship to the water line as shown in FIGS. 3A, 4A, 5A and 6A. It should also be noted that, while square tanks and columns are shown in this specification, the tanks may be of any convenient shape suitable for adapting to the inside or outside shape of the non-square columns. Thus, a shaped tank with duct extending from the bottom can be retrofit to the outside surface of a platform column. As for example see FIGS. 7A to 10B. | A heave resonant damper for semisubmersible platforms includes tanks and ducts constructed so that their resonant period approximately equals the resonant heave period of the platform, wherein the ducts have selectively varied cross-sectional area to optimize damping. | 1 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] Bupropion hydrochloride is a common antidepressant sold in immediate release, modified release, and extended release tablet forms. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,819,706 and 3,885,046. As with many pharmaceuticals, the stability of bupropion hydrochloride is affected by a number of factors including formulation microenvironments and storage conditions.
[0002] One formulation of bupropion hydrochloride is taught by Ruff et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,358,970 to prevent or inhibit degradation of bupropion hydrochloride using one of the stabilizers L-cysteine hydrochloride, glycine hydrochloride, malic acid, sodium metabisulfite, citric acid, tartaric acid and L-cystine dihydrochloride. These solid dosage forms were prepared using alcohol granulation technology. However, granulation technology is labor intensive and costly. In addition special procedures are necessary to address safety and environment issues involving the use of alcohol.
[0003] Accordingly, stable bupropion hydrochloride formulations prepared by safe, cost effective methods are greatly desired. The present invention provides such stable bupropion hydrochloride formulations.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0004] In accordance with the present invention is provided a pharmaceutical composition comprising bupropion hydrochloride and a pharmaceutically acceptable stabilizer.
[0005] Bupropion Hydrochloride is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,819,706 and 3,885,046 and the Merck Index, Twelfth Edition, entry no. 1523.
[0006] Stabilizer, as the term is used herein, means a compound which inhibits or prevents the degradation of bupropion hydrochloride so that it can be used in a pharmaceutical formulation while retaining much of its potency. Stabilizers useful in accordance with the present invention retain at least about 80% of the potency of bupropion hydrochloride and preferably over 90% of potency after one year of storage at room temperature (59-77° C.) at 35-60% humidity. Thus, a tablet containing 100 mg of bupropion hydrochloride should retain at least 80 mg and preferably more than 90 mg of bupropion hydrochloride at the end of 1 year in the presence of stabilizers of the present invention.
[0007] Suitable stabilizers have an aqueous suspension pH of from about 0.9 to about 4.0 at a concentration of about 6% w/w. Further, said stabilizers have solubility in water at 20° C. of less than about 10 g stabilizer/100 g water.
[0008] The stability of the formulation was tested in accordance with industry standards by storage for four to twelve weeks at about 40° C. and about 75% relative humidity. Formulations containing stabilizers of the present invention stored under these conditions retain at least 80% of the bupropion hydrochloride in the composition at the time of storage. In many instance formulations of the present invention retain more than 85% and ideally retain at least 90% of bupropion hydrochloride in the composition at the time of storage. Standard procedures such as HPLC may be used to determine the amount of active ingredient remaining after storage.
[0009] The aqueous suspension pH of the stabilizers of this invention is determined by adding 3.75 grams of stabilizer to 60 grams of deionized water in a Pyrex® beaker. The resulting mixture is stirred for approximately 5 minutes, using a stir plate and a magnetic stir bar. The resulting suspension or dispersion is examined using a Corning® pH Meter Model 355. Suspensions are stirred with a magnetic stir bar during analysis. Measurements are performed in duplicate and the average thereof is used.
[0010] Stabilizers of the present invention include dicarboxylic acids meeting the aforementioned criteria and more specifically include, but are not limited to, oxalic, succinic, adipic, fumaric and phthalic acids, or combinations thereof. Fumaric acid is a preferred stabilizer.
[0011] Pharmaceutical compositions of the present invention may optionally include any conventional ingredients for improving the physical properties, visual appearance or odor of the pharmaceutical. Examples include, but are not limited to, lubricants such as talc; binders such as starch, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose and polyvinylpyrrolidone; diluents such as microcrystalline cellulose and lactose; disintegrants such as sodium starch glycolate, crospovidone and croscarmellose sodium; and colorants.
[0012] The total amount of inactive ingredient in the formulation, including the amount of stabilizer, is preferably more than 50% of the weight of bupropion hydrochloride in the composition and less than 650% of the weight of bupropion hydrochloride. The amount of stabilizer may be from about 10% to 100% of the weight of bupropion hydrochloride and is ideally about 10% to about 40% of the weight of bupropion hydrochloride in the composition. Most preferably, the amount of stabilizer is from about 15% to about 30% of the weight of bupropion hydrochloride. Furthermore about 1% to about 40% of the total weight of the tablet or capsule may be stabilizer. More preferably, stabilizer accounts for about 3% to about 6% of the total weight of the composition. The suitable amount of stabilizer is based on the label strength of bupropion hydrochloride in the pharmaceutical formulation in solid dosage form and can be determined by one skilled in the art.
[0013] Pharmaceutical compositions of the present invention generally contain 25 mg to 500 mg of bupropion hydrochloride. More preferred compositions of the invention contain 50 mg, 75 mg, 100 mg or 150 mg of active ingredient and may be in the form of tablets, caplets or capsules. Immediate release, modified release, and extended release profiles, or combinations thereof, are encompassed by the present invention.
[0014] Pharmaceutical compositions of the present invention are prepared by dry blending followed by direct compression. For instance, the ingredients are screened and blended in an industrial blender such as a Gemco® Double Cone Blender. The blended materials are milled such as with a Model D-6 Fitzmill®. Blending may be performed to achieve semi-geometric dilution. Thereafter, the ingredients are directly compressed into tablets using, for instance, a Kikusui Libra® tablet compression machine.
[0015] The following examples are illustrative, but are not limiting of the present invention. Throughout the examples, NF and USP are designations for standards published in the National Formulary and U.S. Pharmacopoeia, respectively.
EXAMPLES
Example 1
[0016] The formulation contained the following ingredients in the following amounts:
Weight per Tablet (mg) Ingredient 75 mg potency Bupropion Hydrochloride 75.0 Cellulose, Microcrystalline, NF 332.0 Talc, USP 23.0 Fumaric Acid, NF 18.0 Hydroxypropyl Cellulose, EXF, NF 10.0 Core Weight 458.0 Chromatone ® P DDB8361-W 12.56 Polyethylene Glycol 400, NF 1.10 Polysorbate 80, NF 0.14 Purified water USP 0.1 mL TOTAL 471.8
[0017] The powder ingredients were weighed out for a 56,000 tablet batch size.
[0018] The following ingredients were sifted through a clean #20 mesh screen:
[0019] Cellulose, Microcrystalline, NF
[0020] Bupropion Hydrochloride
[0021] Hydroxypropyl Cellulose, EXF, NF
[0022] Fumaric Acid, NF
[0023] The screened material was transferred into a Gemco Double Cone Blender and blended for ten (10) minutes. Thereafter, the remaining Cellulose Microcrystalline NF was transferred into the Gemco Double Cone Blender and blended for ten (10) minutes. The blended material was milled through a Model D-6 Fitzmill equipped with a #1 plate, knives forward at medium speed. Talc, USP was passed through a #30 mesh screen into the milled material. The material was transferred into the Gemco Double Cone Blender and blended for ten (10) minutes. The blended material was compressed on a Kikusui Libra tablet compression machine at a weight of about 0.458 grams per tablet.
[0024] The coating solution was prepared as follows:
[0025] Purified water USP was added to a clean manufacturing tank equipped with a clean Mixer.
[0026] The following ingredients were added to the manufacturing tank:
[0027] Polyethylene Glycol 400, NF
[0028] Polysorbate 80, NF
[0029] The mixer was turned on.
[0030] Chromatone® P DDB8361-W was slowly added to the manufacturing tank. After the ingredients were added, the mixing was continued until a uniform suspension was achieved. The pan load amounts and solution amounts were calculated for solution application using the Hi Coater 60.
[0031] The tablet cores were loaded into the pan coater. The tablet bed was preheated until the exhaust air temperature was between 37° and 48° C. (approximately 43° C.). The pan speed was adjusted to approximately 8 RPM before starting the spray cycle. The spray cycle was activated. The exhaust temperature was maintained between 37° C. and 48° C. throughout the cycle. After the proper amount of solution was applied, the coated tablets were dried. Tablets were coated to an approximate weight gain of 24 mg per tablet.
[0032] Product stability data were obtained for this formulation stored for 12 weeks at 40° C., 75% relative humidity. Potency was determined using HPLC. Product stability data are presented in Table 1.
TABLE 1 Weeks Potency (%) 0 99.9 4 97.1 12 95.8
Example 2
[0033] The formulation contained the following ingredients in the following amounts:
Weight per Tablet (mg) Ingredient 75 mg potency Bupropion Hydrochloride 75.0 Cellulose, Microcrystalline, NF 334.0 Talc, USP 23.0 Fumaric Acid, NF 18.0 Hydroxypropyl Cellulose, EXF, NF 10.0 Core Weight 460.0 Coating Chromatone ® P DDB8440-OR 12.56 Polyethylene Glycol 400, NF 1.10 Polysorbate 80, NF 0.14 Purified water USP 0.1 mL TOTAL 473.8
[0034] The powder ingredients were weighed out for a 500,000 tablet batch size.
[0035] The blended material was prepared as described in Example 1.
[0036] The blended material was then compressed on a Kikusui Libra tablet compression machine. Tablets were compressed at a weight of about 0.460 grams per tablet. Compression was performed in a room with temperature between 55°-85° F. and low humidity (approximately 30% Relative Humidity).
[0037] The coating solution was prepared as follows:
[0038] Ninety-eight percent (98%) of purified water USP was added to a clean manufacturing tank equipped with a clean Chemineer Mixer with a four-inch blade. The Chemineer mixer was turned on and the setting was adjusted to 2-10 psi.
[0039] The following ingredients were added to the manufacturing tank:
[0040] Polyethylene Glycol 400, NF
[0041] Polysorbate 80, NF
[0042] After the ingredients were added, the mixer setting was adjusted to 1-4 psi to minimize foaming. The Polyethylene Glycol and Polysorbate 80, NF containers were rinsed using remaining 2% of Purified Water USP and the rinse water was added to the tank. Mixing was continued for approximately ten (10) minutes. The mixer setting was adjusted to 30-60 psi. Mixing was continued for approximately twenty (20) minutes.
[0043] Chromatone® P DDB8440-OR was added to the manufacturing tank. The mixer setting was reduced to 1-4 psi to reduce foaming and mixing continued for thirty (30) minutes. The pan load amounts and solution amounts were calculated for solution application using the Hi Coater 130.
[0044] The spray guns were installed in the pan coater unit as follows:
[0045] Spray Gun Nozzle Size: Air Cap 025-R, Liquid Nozzle 012.
[0046] Hi Coater 130:
[0047] Atomizing Air: 140 to 150 SLPM
[0048] Pattern Air: 190 to 200 SLPM
[0049] Four guns to equal 250-500 ml/min.
[0050] Solution was stirred with the mixer setting of 1-2 psi at all times.
[0051] The tablet cores were loaded into the pan coater. The tablet bed was preheated until the exhaust air temperature was between 37° C. and 48° C. (approximately 43° C.). The pan speed was adjusted to 5-9 RPM before starting the spray cycle. The spray cycle was activated. The exhaust temperature was maintained between 37° C. and 48° C. throughout the cycle. After the proper amount of solution was applied, the coated tablets were dried for approximately two (2) minutes. Steps were repeated for all pans to coat all tablets in the batch. All tablets were coated to an approximate weight gain of 13.8 mg per tablet.
[0052] Product stability data were obtained for this formulation stored for 12 weeks at 40° C., 75% relative humidity. Potency was determined using HPLC. Data are presented in Table 2.
TABLE 2 Weeks Potency (%) 0 100.8 4 94.9 8 92.5 12 91.0
Example 3
[0053] The formulation contained the following ingredients in the following amounts:
Weight per Tablet (mg) Ingredient 100 mg potency Bupropion Hydrochloride 100.0 Cellulose, Microcrystalline, NF 442.0 Talc, USP 30.7 Fumaric Acid, NF 24.0 Hydroxypropyl Cellulose, EXF, NF 13.3 Core Weight 610.0 Coating Chromatone ® P DDB8440-OR 16.8 Polyethylene Glycol 400, NF 1.5 Polysorbate 80, NF 0.2 Purified water USP 0.14 mL TOTAL 628.5
[0054] The powder ingredients were weighed out for a 42,001 tablet batch size and prepared as described in Example 1. The blended material was compressed on a Kikusui Libra tablet compression machine at a weight of about 0.610 grams per tablet. Tablets were coated according to the procedure described in Example 1. Product stability data were obtained for this formulation stored for 12 weeks at 40° C., 75% relative humidity. Potency was determined using HPLC. Product stability data are presented in Table 3.
TABLE 3 weeks Potency (%) 0 97.7 4 91.3 8 93.4 12 88.1
Example 4
[0055] The formulation contained the following ingredients in the following amounts:
Weight per Tablet (mg) Ingredient 100 mg potency Bupropion Hydrochloride 100.0 Cellulose, Microcrystalline, NF 445.0 Talc, USP 30.7 Fumaric Acid, NF 24.0 Hydroxypropyl Cellulose, EXF, NF 13.3 Core Weight 613.0 Coating Chromatone ® P DDB8440-OR 16.8 Polyethylene Glycol 400, NF 1.5 Polysorbate 80, NF 0.2 Purified water USP 0.14 mL TOTAL 631.5
[0056] The powder ingredients were weighed out for a 375,000 tablet batch size and prepared as described as in Example 2. Tablets were compressed at a compression weight of about 0.613 grams per tablet. Tablets were coated as described in Example 2 to an approximate weight gain of 18.5 mg per tablet.
[0057] Product stability data were obtained for this formulation stored for 12 weeks at 40° C., 75% relative humidity. Potency was determined using HPLC. Product stability data are presented in Table 4.
TABLE 4 weeks Potency (%) 0 98.7 4 94.4 8 93.9 12 92.1
Example 5
[0058] The formulation contained the following ingredients in the following amounts:
Weight per Tablet (mg) Ingredient 75 mg potency Bupropion Hydrochloride 75.0 Cellulose, Microcrystalline, NF 332.0 Talc, USP 23.0 Fumaric Acid, NF 18.0 Hydroxypropyl Cellulose, EXF, NF 10.0 TOTAL 458.0
[0059] The powder ingredients were weighed out for a 45,000 tablet batch size. The composition was prepared as described in Example 1. Tablets were compressed at a compression weight of about 0.458 grams per tablet. Tablets were film coated as described in Example 2 to an approximate weight gain of 4.25% (19.5 mg).
[0060] Product stability data were obtained for this formulation stored for 12 weeks at 40° C., 75% relative humidity. Potency was determined using HPLC. The following product stability data shown in Table 5 were obtained for this formulation.
TABLE 5 Weeks Potency (%) 0 98.5 4 95.0 8 93.0 12 89.8 | Novel, stable formulations of bupropion hydrochloride are provided which will maintain at least 80% of initial bupropion hydrochloride potency after one year. Methods of inhibiting degradation of bupropion hydrochloride and methods of preparing stable formulations of bupropion hydrochloride are also provided. | 0 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Technical Field
[0002] The present invention relates generally to solenoids and circuits for monitoring their operation. More particularly, the invention relates to a system for monitoring the solenoid flyback voltage spike which can be implemented within a vehicle based controller.
[0003] 2. Discussion
[0004] Solenoids are electromechanical force actuating devices that may be combined with a computer system to provide control over hydraulic or mechanical equipment. Electrical signals from the computer instruct the solenoids to open or close a valve or mechanical linkage providing fine-tuned control over the operation of the equipment. With the continued decrease in the cost of microprocessors, the use of solenoids to control equipment has increased. Some examples of solenoid controlled equipment include: automotive transmissions, fuel injectors, A/C systems, aircraft control systems, and industrial manufacturing equipment.
[0005] The increasing usage of solenoids has brought with it the attendant concern of how to identify failed solenoid circuits and more importantly solenoid circuits that are just beginning to degrade. Prior to the rise of computers, solenoids typically provided basic control over equipment, either enabling or disabling the equipment. The power of computers has led to the increasing usage of solenoids to provide fine-tuned control over the performance of equipment. For example, in some automotive transmissions multiple solenoids are used to control complex hydraulic bypass and interconnection paths based upon various engine and drivetrain parameters. As a result of using multiple solenoids, incremental control over all aspects of the transmission is maintained, permitting superior gear shifting, and smoother, more responsive performance. However, using solenoids to provide incremental increases in performance greatly increases the difficulty of identifying which particular devices are failing.
[0006] Typically, solenoids are located a significant distance from the computer system that transmits the controlling signals. Signals from the computer are transmitted through wires that are part of a larger wire bundle that is passed through metal enclosures and around tight corners in harsh environmental conditions. Possible failure modes of solenoid circuits include: increased series resistance caused by corroded wires or connections, electrical shorts to chassis caused by insulation breakage, and decreased solenoid inductance. Such a failing circuit can have various effects on equipment performance ranging from intermittent decreases in performance, to continuous performance degradation, and finally to complete failure of the equipment.
[0007] When solenoids are used for basic on/off control of equipment, the failure of a device is relatively easy to ascertain since failure of the device normally would result in the equipment not working. However, when solenoids are used to provide incremental increases in performance the failure of a device might result in the equipment still working, although at a lower level of performance. More difficult yet is when a device or the circuit connected to it begins to fail intermittently. The operator perceiving a reduction in performance will take the equipment in for repair. But often, the equipment will not exhibit the reduced performance during the few moments that the repair person inspects it. This starts a cycle wherein the un-repaired equipment is returned to the operator who continues to use the defective equipment. Eventually, the device fails completely, causing the equipment to become inoperative, at which time the repair person is able to diagnose the problem. Unfortunately, sometimes waiting until the solenoid circuit fails completely will lead to the failure of the larger, more costly assembly of which it is a part. As will be appreciated, repairing solenoid circuits by first waiting until the circuit fails continuously has proven to be costly in a number of ways, such as: the operator's lost time from multiple attempts at repair, the resulting failure of the encompassing assembly, and more lost time from downtime while waiting for the assembly to be repaired.
[0008] The difficulty involved in diagnosing and repairing defective solenoid circuits is that many times the circuit will go through a period of reduced performance before complete failure. Conventional methods of diagnosing solenoid circuits entail looking for substantial changes in the electrical waveforms of the circuit. During the period of reduced performance, the electrical waveforms for a solenoid circuit will display subtle differences from normal waveforms, but nothing remotely similar to the substantial changes the repair person is looking for. The exhibited subtle differences are often similar enough to normal waveforms to be indistinguishable. However, waiting for the circuit to degrade to the point that substantial changes in the waveforms occur results in the aforementioned problems with cost, reduced equipment performance, failure of encompassing assemblies, and lost time while attempting to convince a repair person the equipment is defective.
[0009] In view of the above, it is desirable to provide a system for detecting changes in the electrical characteristics of a solenoid circuit that is still functional.
[0010] It is further desirable to provide a system for determining when a solenoid circuit has completely failed.
[0011] Finally, it is desirable to provide a low cost system for detecting changes in the electrical characteristics of a functioning solenoid circuit, which can be implemented in conjunction with a microprocessor.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] The present invention offers a method of diagnosing a solenoid circuit to determine if the circuit has begun to degrade. By measuring characteristics associated with the electrical waveform it can be determined if the characteristics of a solenoid circuit are different from the previously measured characteristics of the circuit, or of a known functioning circuit.
[0013] A solenoid flyback voltage signal is shaped by a suitable wave shaping circuit for defining the leading edge and trailing edge of the signal. Accordingly, the relative timing of the flyback voltage signal is more important than the peak voltage levels of the signal.
[0014] A solenoid driver circuit controls the switching function of the solenoid. When the solenoid is switched off, the solenoid produces the flyback voltage signal. A solenoid control signal from the solenoid driver circuit is output on a first port to a flyback voltage monitoring circuit. The analog flyback voltage signal is processed by a waveshaping circuit and is output on a second port to the flyback voltage monitoring circuit. The waveshaping circuit transforms the analog voltage signal to an approximately square wave logic level signal which is suitable for processing by a logic circuit of the flyback voltage monitoring circuit.
[0015] Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood however that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are intended for purposes 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
[0016] Additional objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
[0017] [0017]FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the interaction between the solenoid switching circuitry and the flyback voltage monitoring circuit in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
[0018] [0018]FIG. 2 is a waveform diagram showing the relative timing between the solenoid [driver] control signal (port A) and the solenoid flyback voltage signal (port C);
[0019] [0019]FIGS. 3A and 3B provide a schematic diagram showing the leading edge detection state machine associated with the flyback voltage monitoring circuit of the present invention;
[0020] [0020]FIGS. 4A and 4B provide a schematic diagram showing the trailing edge detection state machine associated with the flyback voltage monitoring circuit of the present invention; and
[0021] [0021]FIG. 5 is a waveform diagram showing three exemplary wave forms associated with the control/monitoring port of the flyback voltage monitoring circuit in accordance with the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0022] Referring to FIG. 1, the solenoid control and monitoring system 10 is shown according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. The solenoid control and monitoring system 10 includes a solenoid driver switching circuit 12 for operating one or more electronic solenoids 14 . The solenoid switching circuit 12 receives its switching control information from an external controller, such as the electronic transmission control module (not specifically shown) via a control line or bus 16 . The solenoid 14 , or a group of solenoids are preferably used for operating a valve or mechanical linkage associated with an electronically controlled automatic transmission. However, one skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the monitoring system 10 and solenoids 14 of the present invention can be utilized in a variety of applications.
[0023] A wave shaping circuit 18 is connected between the solenoid driver circuit 12 and the solenoid 14 . The wave shaping circuit 18 functions to sample the voltage signal produced by the operating characteristics of the solenoid 14 and provide a cleaned up digital signal having a leading edge and a trailing edge that can be further sampled and processed by the flyback voltage monitoring circuit 20 of the present invention. As shown, the flyback voltage monitoring circuit 20 includes port “C” 22 which receives the flyback voltage signal PCx from the wave shaping circuit 18 , and includes port “A” 24 which receives the solenoid control signal PAAx passed on by the solenoid driver circuit 12 . A processor 26 , which may be part of the electronic transmission control module, communicates bi-directionally with the flyback voltage monitoring circuit 20 . The components and function of the monitoring circuit 20 are described in greater detail with regard to FIGS. 3 and 4.
[0024] Turning now to FIG. 2, a waveform diagram shows the different time variables which can be measured by the monitoring circuit 20 with respect to the port A signal PAAx and the port “C” signal PCx. More specifically, at time t=0 the port A signal (PAAx) transitions from a high state to a low state to switch off the solenoid 14 . A short period of time (t1) after the t=0 transition of the port A signal, the port C signal or flyback voltage signal PCx will transition from a high state to a low state. A period of time (t2) after this PAAx high to low transition, the port “C” signal will transition from the low state back to the high state.
[0025] The amount of time which elapses between time t=0 (port A high to low transition 30 ) and the leading edge transition 32 of the port C signal is represented by the variable LECNTx (equal to t 1 ). The amount of time which elapses between the port A transition 30 and the port C trailing edge transition 34 is represented by the variable TECNTx (equal to t 2 ). FIG. 2 also shows two windows of time which are defined around the leading edge transition 32 and the trailing edge transition 34 of the port C signal. More specifically, the window of time around the leading edge transition 32 is defined by the variables LEMINR and LEMAXR which are predefined minimum and maximum lead edge time variables measured from the port A transition 30 (time t=0). The window of time around the trailing edge transition 34 is defined by the variables TEMINR and TEMAXR which are also predefined minimum and maximum trailing edge time variables measured from the port A transition 30 . As will be described below, the variables LEMINR, LEMAXR, TEMINR and TEMAXR are stored in memory registers as count values prior to the monitoring of the port C signal transitions. Count values representing the LECNTx and TECNTx variables are also stored in memory registers. The various count values once stored in their appropriate registers can then be quickly analyzed by the state machines associated with the present invention of the solenoid 14 and can detect and flag back to the transmission controller if a fault condition exists.
[0026] With reference to FIGS. 3A and 3B the leading edge processing circuit 40 associated with the flyback voltage monitoring circuit of the present invention will be described. The leading edge processing circuit 40 includes a leading edge window detect state machine 42 which processes the leading edge transition value LECNTx as well as the variables LEMINR, LEMAXR to detect a fault condition with regard to the leading edge window detect processing circuit 40 . The data bus 16 communicates with a leading edge minimum window boundary register (LEMINR) 44 which is an 8-bit read/write register containing the minimum window boundary for the port C leading edge window detect. The leading edge minimum window boundary register 44 is universal to all leading edge window detect values PC 0 :PC 6 .
[0027] A leading edge maximum window boundary register (LEMAXR) 46 is connected to the data bus 16 . The leading edge maximum window boundary register 46 is an 8-bit read/write register containing the maximum window boundary for the port C leading edge window detects. The leading edge maximum window boundary register is universal to all PC 0 :PC 6 leading edge window detects. If the leading edge minimum boundary register 44 is greater than the leading edge maximum window boundary register 46 , then improper operation of timer flags will result.
[0028] A leading edge window detect count register (LECNT 0 :LECNT 6 ) 48 also communicates with the data bus 16 . The leading edge window detect count registers 48 include 7 individual 16-bit port C leading edge window detect count registers containing the last completed timeout value at which time the leading edge of the corresponding port C flyback voltage (PCx) value is detected. These are read-only registers and the data in these registers are undefined on reset. Bits 0 - 7 are the leading edge window detect count value for the flyback voltage tie-back timer. Bits 8 - 14 are all 0's and bit 15 (RSx) is the status of the count value in bits 0 - 7 . The run status bit (RSx) is a live flag indicating whether a timeout is in progress or not. The RSx bit gets set by the associated PAAx falling edge. The RSx bit gets cleared by the leading edge of the associated flyback voltage after the solenoid control signal PAAx falling edge or the event when port C tie-back timeout counter reaches its predetermined maximum value, which ever comes first.
[0029] A leading edge window detect status register (LEWSR) 50 is an 8-bit read/write status register containing the port C leading edge out of limit error status. The leading edge window detect status register 50 sets bits LEIF 0 :LEIF 6 upon detection that the corresponding flyback voltage leading edge is out of leading edge minimum or maximum window boundary. The logic reads from the leading edge window detect status register (LEWSR) 50 bits LEIF 0 :LEIF 6 are zero if there is no leading edge window detect error detected since last cleared and non-zero if a flyback voltage leading edge window detect error has occurred since last cleared. Writing a logic one to a particular leading edge window detect status register bit location shall clear that bit if it is set and writing a logic zero has no effect.
[0030] A leading edge window detect control register (LEWCR) 52 communicates with the data bus 16 and is a 16-bit read/write register containing the interrupt enable status of the port C leading edge window detect and flyback voltage (PCx) input polarity configuration control bits. The leading edge window detect circuit 40 has the capability of generating an interrupt request 54 to the transmission controller if any bit of the leading edge window detect error values LEIF 0 :LEIF 6 in the leading edge window detect status register (LEWSR) 50 is set. The values LEIE 0 :LEIE 6 in the leading edge window detect control register (LEWCR) 52 control the interrupt enable/disable of the corresponding bit of the LEIF 0 :LEIF 6 in the leading edge window detect status register (LEWSR) 50 . If the value LEIEx=0, the IRQ logic block 54 disables the LEIFx interrupt request to the transmission controller. If the LEIEx value is 1 , the LEIFx interrupt request to the transmission controller is enabled and when the LEIFx bit is set, an interrupt will be generated.
[0031] The PL 0 :PL 6 bits in the leading edge window detect control register (LEWCR) 52 control the polarities of the port C inputs PC 0 :PC 6 to allow the port C circuitry to detect either positive pulses of the diagnostic signal at port C or negative pulses of the diagnostic signal at port C. If PLx=0, then the flyback voltage PCx accepts negative pulses and the leading edge of the flyback voltage signal PCx is the first falling edge and the trailing edge is the first rising edge. If the PLx bit is a 1, then the flyback voltage value PCx accepts positive pulses and the leading edge of the flyback voltage PCx signal is the first rising edge and the trailing edge is the first falling edge.
[0032] Shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, each port C tie-back circuit PCx (PC 0 :PC 6 ) is capable of providing a timer function which is always and only initiated upon the falling edge detect of the corresponding solenoid control signal PAAx output pin (PAA 0 :PAA 6 ), and completed upon either the detection of the first flyback voltage (PCx) leading edge as determined by the polarity select bit PLx after triggered by a PAAx falling edge. At which time the value of the timer is placed into the leading edge window detect count register (LECNTx) 48 . The completion of the timer is triggered by the leading edge of the corresponding port C input for the flyback voltage (PCx) (The output to the internal state machine of the port C input can be filtered to avoid noise coupled into the system.) Or the timer function can be completed upon completion of the timer count to a predetermined maximum value if a flyback voltage (PCx) leading edge is not detected after the timer is triggered by a PAAx falling edge, at which time the predetermined maximum value is placed into the leading edge window detect count register (LECNTx). The timer is retriggerable by each PAAx falling edge. If PAAx falls while a timeout is in progress, then the timeout progress is truncated and a new timeout begins (i.e. LECNTx is reset to 0). No further errors from the previous timeout period are flagged. The logic level of PAAx and the rising edge of PAAx after the timer has been triggered does not affect the timer function.
[0033] The following shows the operations of the leading edge window detects:
[0034] 1. When the minimum and maximum boundary detect are both enabled (LEMINR ( 44 )=$00−$FE, LEMAXR ( 46 )=$01−$FF):
[0035] a. At the PAAx falling edge, if PCx is logic high when PLx=0, or PCx is logic low when PLx=1:
[0036] If LEMINR>LEMAXR, then the LEIFx bit in the LEWSR register 50 shall be set regardless of LECNTx.
[0037] If LEMINR<=LECNTx<=LEMAXR, no error flag is set.
[0038] If LECNTx<LEMINR<=LEMAXR then the corresponding LEIFx bit in LEWSR register 50 shall be set to a logic one at the time when the leading edge is detected.
[0039] If LECNTx>LEMAXR and LEMINR<=LEMAXR then the corresponding LEIFx bit in LEWSR register 50 shall be set to a logic one at the time when the leading edge is detected or the completion of the leading edge timer (timer completion value=$FF), whichever occurs first.
[0040] b. At the PAAx falling edge, if PCx is logic low when PLx=0, or PCx is logic high when PLx=1:
[0041] The corresponding LEIFx bit in the LEWSR register 50 shall be set to logic one.
[0042] 2. When the minimum boundary detect is disabled and maximum boundary detect is enabled (LEMINR=$FF, LEMAXR=$01−$FF):
[0043] If LECNTx<=LEMAXR, no error flag is set.
[0044] If LECNTx>LEMAXR, then the corresponding LEIFx bit in the LEWSR register 50 is set to logic one at the time when the leading edge is detected or the completion of leading edge timer (timer completion value=$FF), whichever occurs first.
[0045] 3. When the minimum boundary detect is enabled and maximum boundary detect is disabled (LEMINR=$00−$FE, LEMAXR=$00):
[0046] a. At the PAAx falling edge, if PCx is logic high when PLx=0, or PCx is logic low when PLx=1:
[0047] If LECNTx>=LEMINR, no error flag is set.
[0048] If LECNTx<LEMINR, then the corresponding LEIFx bit in the LEWSR register 50 is set to logic one at the time when the leading edge is detected.
[0049] b. At the PAAx falling edge, if PCx is logic low when PLx=0, or PCx is logic high when PLx=1:
[0050] The corresponding LEIFx bit in LEWSR register 50 shall be set to logic one.
[0051] 4. When the minimum and maximum boundary detect are both disabled (LEMINR=$FF, LEMAXR=$00):
[0052] No error flag shall be set regardless of LECNTx.
[0053] If subsequent PCx leading edges arrive before another falling edge of PAAx, the edges are ignored. The LEIFx bit is cleared by writing a logic one to its location and cleared upon reset. A possible interrupt request to the transmission controller unit 16 on the setting of this flag (LEIFx) may be obtained by setting a corresponding interrupt enable bit LEIEx in the LEWCR register 52 .
[0054] When the leading edge window detect timeout is in progress, writing to register LEMINR 44 , LEMAXR 46 or LEWCR 52 (PL 0 :PL 6 ) shall not affect the operations of the window detect state machine and the tieback time count shall be stored to LECNTx as normal operations. However, the error flags in LEWSR shall not be set in any fault condition for this timeout progress.
[0055] With reference to FIGS. 4A and 4B a trailing edge processing circuit 140 will now be described. The trailing edge processing circuit 140 includes a trailing edge window detect state machine 142 which processes the trailing edge transition value TECNTx as well as the variables TEMINR, TEMAXR to detect a fault condition with regard to the trailing edge window detect processing circuit 140 . The data bus 16 communicates with a trailing edge minimum window boundary register (TEMINR) 144 which is a 16-bit read/write register containing the minimum window boundary for the port C trailing edge window detect. The trailing edge minimum window boundary register is universal to all trailing edge window detect values PC 0 :PC 6 .
[0056] A trailing edge maximum window boundary register (TEMAXR) 146 is connected to the data bus 16 . The trailing edge maximum window boundary register 146 is a 16-bit read/write register containing the maximum window boundary for the port C trailing edge window detects. The trailing edge maximum window boundary register is universal to all PC 0 :PC 6 trailing edge window detects.
[0057] A trailing edge window detect count register (TECNT 0 :TECNT 6 ) 148 also communicates with the data bus 16 . The trailing edge window detect count registers include 7 individual 16-bit port C trailing edge window detect count registers containing the last completed timeout value at which time the trailing edge of the corresponding port C flyback voltage (PCx) value is detected. These are read-only registers and the data in these registers are undefined on reset. Bits 0 - 12 are the trailing edge window detect count value for the flyback voltage tie-back timer. Bits 13 - 14 are all zeroes and bit 15 (RSx) is the status of the count value in bits 0 - 12 . The run status bit (RSx) is a live flag indicating whether a timeout is in progress or not. The RSx bit gets set by the associated PAAx falling edge. The RSx bit gets cleared by the trailing edge of the associated flyback voltage (PCx) after the solenoid control signal (PAAx) falling edge or the event when the port C tie-back timeout counter reaches a predetermined maximum value, which ever comes first.
[0058] A trailing edge window detect status register (TEWSR) 150 is a 16-bit read/write status register containing the port C trailing edge out of limit error status and solenoid driver fault status. The trailing edge window detect status register (TEWSR) sets bits TEIF 0 :TEIF 6 upon detection that the corresponding flyback voltage trailing edge is out of trailing edge minimum or maximum window boundary. The logic reads from the trailing edge window detect status register (TEWSR) bits TEIFO:TEIF 6 are zero if there is no trailing edge window detect error detected since last cleared and non-zero if a flyback voltage trailing edge window detect error has occurred since last cleared. Bits VD 0 :VD 6 are set when a pulse that is less than twenty system-clock/32 clocks on the corresponding filtered port C input is detected, which indicates the solenoid driver fault condition. If VDx equals zero, no fault has been detected with the solenoid driver which is tied to PCx. If VDx equals one, a fault has been detected with the solenoid driver which is tied to PCx since last cleared. Writing a logic one to a particular trailing edge window detect status register (TEWSR) bit location shall clear that bit if it is set and writing a logic zero has no effect.
[0059] A trailing edge window detect control register (TEWCR) 152 communicates with the data bus 16 and is a 16-bit read/write register containing the interrupt enable status of port C trailing edge window detect and solenoid driver fault detect. The trailing edge window detect circuit 140 has the capability of generating an interrupt request 154 to the transmission controller if any bit of the trailing edge window detect error values TEIF 0 :TEIF 6 or VD 0 :VD 6 in the trailing edge window detect status register (TEWSR) 150 is set. The values TEIE 0 :TEIE 6 in the trailing edge window detect control register (TEWCR) 152 control the interrupt enable/disable of the corresponding bit of the TEIF 0 :TEIF 6 in the trailing edge window detect status register (TEWSR) 150 . VDIE 0 :VDIE 6 control the interrupt enable/disable of the corresponding bit of VD 0 :VD 6 in the trailing edge window detect status register (TEWSR) 150 . If the value TEIEx=0, the IRQ logic block 154 disables the TEIFx interrupt request to the transmission controller. If the TEIEx value is one, the TEIFx interrupt request to the transmission controller is enabled, and if the TEIFx bit is set, an interrupt will be generated. If the value VDIEx equals zero, the VDx interrupt request to the transmission control unit is disabled. If the value VDIEx equals one, the VDx interrupt request to the transmission controller is enabled, and if the VDx bit is set, an interrupt will be generated.
[0060] Shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, each port C tie-back circuit PCx (PC 0 :PC 6 ) is capable of providing a timer function which is always and only initiated upon the falling edge detect of the corresponding solenoid control signal PAAx output pin (PAA 0 :PAA 6 ), and completed upon either: (1) the detection of the first flyback voltage (PCx) trailing edge as determined by the PLx polarity select bit after triggered by a PAAx falling edge. At which time the value of the timer is placed into the trailing edge window detect count register (TECNTx) 148 . The completion of the timer is triggered by the trailing edge of the corresponding C input for the flyback voltage (PCx), (the output to the internal state machine of the port C input can be filtered to avoid noise coupled in the system.); or (2) the timer function can be completed upon completion of the timer count to a predetermined value if a flyback voltage (PCx) trailing edge is not detected after the timer is triggered by a PAAx falling edge, at which time the predetermined maximum value is placed into the trailing edge window detect count register (TECNTx). The timer is retriggerable by each PAAx falling edge. If PAAx falls while a timeout is in progress, then the timeout progress is truncated and a new timeout begins (i.e., TECNTx is reset to zero). No further errors from the previous timeout period are flagged. The logic level of PAAx and the rising edge of PAAx after the timer has been triggered does not affect the timer function.
[0061] The following shows the operations of the trailing edge window detects:
[0062] 1. When the minimum and maximum boundary detect are both enabled (TEMINR=$0000−$1FFE, TEMAXR=$001−$1FFF):
[0063] If TEMINR>TEMAXR, then TEIFx bit in the TEWSR register 150 shall be set regardless of TECNTx.
[0064] If TEMINR<=TECNTx<=TEMAXR, no error flag is set.
[0065] If TECNTx<TEMINR and TEMINR<=TEMAXR then the corresponding TEIFx bit in the TEWSR register 150 shall be set to logic one at the time when the trailing edge is detected.
[0066] If TECNTx>TEMAXR and TEMINR<=TEMAXR then the corresponding TEIFx bit in the TEWSR register 150 shall be set to logic one at the time when the trailing edge is detected or the completion of the trailing edge detect timer (timer completion value=$1FFF), whichever occurs first.
[0067] 2. When the minimum boundary detect is disabled and maximum boundary detect is enabled (TEMINR=$1FFF, TEMAXR=$0001−$1FFF):
[0068] If TECNTx<=TEMAXR, no error flag is set.
[0069] If TECNTx>TEMAXR, then the corresponding TEIFx bit in the TEWSR register 150 is set to a logic one at the time when the trailing edge is detected or the completion of the trailing edge detect timer (timer completion value=$1FFF), whichever occurs first.
[0070] 3. When the minimum boundary detect is enabled and maximum boundary detect is disabled (TEMINR=$0000−$1FFE, TEMAXR=$0000):
[0071] If TECNTx>=TEMINR, no error flag is set.
[0072] If TECNTx<TEMINR, then the corresponding TEIFx bit in the TEWSR register 150 is set to a logic one at the time when the trailing edge is detected.
[0073] 4. When the minimum and maximum boundary detect are both disabled (TEMINR=$1FFF, TEMAXR=$0000):
[0074] No error flag shall be set regardless of TECNTx.
[0075] If subsequent PCx trailing edges arrive before another falling edge of PAAx, the edges are ignored. TEIFx bit is cleared by writing a logic one to its location and cleared upon reset. A possible interrupt request to the transmission control unit 16 on the setting of this flag (TEIFX) may be obtained by setting a corresponding interrupt enable bit TEIEx in the TEWCR register 152 .
[0076] When the trailing edge window detect timeout is in progress, writing to register TEMINR 144 , TEMAXR 146 or TEWCR 152 (PL 0 :PL 6 ) shall not affect the operations of the window detect state machine 142 and the tieback time count shall be stored to TECNTx as normal operations. However, the error flags in TEWSR 150 shall not be set in any fault condition for this timeout progress.
[0077] As shown in FIGS. 4 A- 4 B, each port C tie-back circuit PCx (PC 0 :PC 6 ) shall be capable of providing a timer function which will set VDx bit in the TEWSR register 150 to a logic one when the PCx (PCx can be filtered to avoid noise coupled into the system) transitions from a logic high to a logic low level, and then transitions to a logic high level when the PLx bit in the LEWCR register 50 is a logic zero, or, a logic low to a logic high level, and then transitions to a logic low level when PLx bit in the LEWCR register 50 is a logic one within twenty system-clock/32 clocks at any time. The Solenoid Driver Fault Detect circuit shall be independent of port C tie-back window detect circuits.
[0078] When the solenoid driver fault detect timeout is in progress, writing to register LEWCR (PL 0 :PL 6 ) 52 shall not affect the operations of state machine. However, the corresponding error flag(s) in TEWSR (VD 0 :VD 6 ) 152 shall not be set in any fault condition for this timeout progress.
[0079] Refer to FIG. 5 for examples of solenoid driver fault detect. The examples show the timing of PCx negative pulse with PLx=0.
EXAMPLE 1
[0080] PCx pulse is 7 system clock/32 wide and detected by Solenoid Driver Fault Detect logic. The corresponding VDx is set in this example.
EXAMPLE 2
[0081] If a filter is used to filter Port C to avoid noise coupled into the system, a PCx pulse is 7 system clock wide and filtered out by a port C input filter. No VDx is set.
EXAMPLE 3
[0082] PCx pulse is 21 system clock/32 wide and rejected by Solenoid Driver Fault Detect logic. No VDx is set.
[0083] The foregoing discussion discloses and describes exemplary embodiments of the present invention. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from such discussion, and from the accompanying drawings and claims, that various changes, modifications, and variations can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims. | A method is provided for diagnosing a solenoid circuit to determine if the circuit has begun to degrade. By measuring characteristics associated with the electrical waveform, it is determined if the characteristics of a solenoid circuit are different from the previously measured characteristics of the circuit, or of a known functioning circuit. | 8 |
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is a continuation of PCT Application No. PCT/CN2006/001625, filed on Jul. 10, 2006, which claims a priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 200510035719.X, filed on Jul. 8, 2005. All of these applications are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to access technology in a wireless communication network, and more specifically, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for discovering a network service provider when a user side device accesses a wireless communication network.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] As the development of wireless communication technology, new forms of wireless communication networks are continuously emerging, for example, currently fast-developed Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access Forum (WiMax) network, Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) and so on. Generally, the wireless communication networks include user side devices, Network Access Providers (NAPs) operated by different operators, and Network Service Providers (NSPs). The WiMax network based on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.16 standard, which can provide higher accessing rate, is used hereinafter as an example for illustration.
[0004] Referring to FIG. 1 , it is a schematic diagram of the WiMax network reference model in non-roaming situation. In non-roaming situation, an Access Service Network (ASN) 110 is connected to a Connection Service Network (CSN) 120 , and a Subscriber Station/Mobile Subscriber Station (SS/MSS) 130 accesses the CSN 120 via the ASN 110 .
[0005] Referring to FIG. 2 , it is a schematic diagram of the WiMax network reference model in roaming situation. In roaming situation, the ASN 110 is connected to a Visited CSN 121 , and the Visited CSN 121 is connected to a Home CSN 122 . The SS/MSS 130 is authenticated on the Home CSN 122 via the ASN 110 and the Visited CSN 121 , and enjoys services provided by the Visited CSN 121 and the Home CSN 122 .
[0006] Generally, the ASN is operated by the NAP and the CSN is operated by the NSP. In practical deployment, the NAP, a Visited NSP and a Home NSP may be operated by different operators, and the same area may be covered by several ASNs and each ASN may be connected with several NSPs. Currently, in the WiMax network, there are two different deployment modes: one is “NAP+NSP” mode, that is, there is an one-to-one correspondence between the NAPs and the NSPs; and another is “NAP+Sharing” mode, that is, one NAP has a roaming agreement with a plurality of NSPs and shared by the plurality of NSPs.
[0007] FIG. 3 shows a possible deployment mode in a WiMax network.
[0008] An ASN 111 of a NAP_ 4 and an ASN 112 of a NAP_ 6 both have coverage in the same area. A CSN 1201 of a NSP_ 1 , a CSN 1202 of a NSP_ 2 and a CSN 1203 of a NSP_ 3 share the ASN 111 of the NAP_ 4 . The ASN 112 of the NAP_ 6 is bound with a CSN 1204 of a NSP_ 6 . An SS/MSS 131 and an SS/MSS 132 visit the network via the ASNs 111 and 112 respectively.
[0009] As for the mode in which the ASN is shared, a user side device may encounter an issue of how to know by which NSPs the current ASN is shared, that is, how to know which NSPs can be used through the current ASN. This is the NSP selection issue in a wireless communication network, that is, how does the network side provide currently available network information for the user side device, so that the user side device can select one NSP from the information of all accessible NSPs at the current position to access the network.
[0010] Currently, there are two mechanisms to discovering a NSP in a wireless communication network.
[0011] One mechanism is to derive information of an available NSP list mainly by using the “Operator ID” in a DL_MAP message. This mechanism is suitable for not only the “NAP+NSP” mode, but also the “NAP+Sharing” mode. For the “NAP+NSP” mode, it is convenient for the user side device to obtain information of the NSPs supported by the NAP according to the correspondence between the NAPs and NSPs. For the “NAP+Sharing” mode, however, the correspondence between the NAPs and NSPs is more complicated, and it is more difficult to be reflected in time in the user side device after being updated.
[0012] Another mechanism is the so-called dynamic NSP discovering mechanism. A Base Station (BS) broadcasts information of the NSPs supported by the current NAP, and the user side device receives relevant broadcasting messages to obtain information of the NSPs during initial scanning. Such a mechanism is more suitable for the “NAP+Sharing” mode, but for the “NAP+NSP” mode, it may cause waste of resources and time.
[0013] Moreover, since the broadcasting cycle of the relevant NSP information is long, it takes long time to wait in the NSP discovering. In addition, the relevant messages need to be broadcasted, and sometimes user side devices need to initiatively request for broadcasting messages, which will occupy uplink and downlink air interface resources.
[0014] Therefore, how to combine the above two mechanisms in existing wireless communication networks to utilize the network resources effectively is an issue in the art currently.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0015] The present invention provides a method and apparatus for discovering a network service provider, which may improve the utilization ratio of network resources and efficiency of NSP discovering in conjunction with the currently available different NSP sharing modes.
[0016] The method for discovering a network service provider of the present invention is used to be utilized in a wireless communication network which includes a network access provider, a user side device and a network service provider. The method includes:
[0017] issuing, by a network side, information that identifies a network access provider sharing mode;
[0018] discovering the network service provider by the user side device in a manner corresponding to the information that identifies a network access provider sharing mode, when the user side device accesses the network.
[0019] The issuing by the network side information that identifies the network access provider sharing mode includes: carrying the information via a downlink message issued by the network side.
[0020] Optionally, before the discovering the network service provider by the user side device, the method includes:
[0021] receiving, by the user side device, the downlink message issued by the network side;
[0022] obtaining a logic field of a network access provider identifier NAP_ID in the downlink message;
[0023] determining the network access provider sharing mode utilized by the network access provider according to the logic field of the network access provider identifier NAP_ID.
[0024] Optionally, before the discovering the network service provider by the user side device, the method includes:
[0025] receiving, by the user side device, the downlink message issued by the network side;
[0026] obtaining a message element that identifies the network access provider sharing mode in the downlink message;
[0027] determining the network access provider sharing mode utilized by the network access provider according to the message element that identifies the network access provider sharing mode.
[0028] The downlink message may be a downlink mapping message DL_MAP.
[0029] The network access provider sharing mode may include a “NAP+NSP” mode and a “NAP+Sharing” mode.
[0030] The discovering the network service provider corresponding to the “NAP+NSP” mode includes:
[0031] obtaining information of the network service provider supported by the network access provider according to a correspondence between the network access provider and the network service provider;
[0032] adding the obtained network service provider information into information of available network service providers.
[0033] The discovering the network service provider corresponding to the “NAP+Sharing” includes:
actively requesting or passively receiving information of the network service provider corresponding to the network access provider, wherein the information is issued by the network side;
[0035] adding the obtained information of the network service provider into the information of available network service providers.
[0036] The discovering the network service provider corresponding to the “NAP+Sharing” mode includes:
[0037] determining, by the user side device, whether there has been stored information of the network service provider corresponding to the current network access provider; if yes, obtaining the information of the network service provider corresponding to the network access provider stored by the user side device; otherwise, actively requesting or passively receiving the information of the network service provider corresponding to the network access provider issued by the network side.
[0038] The network side transmitting apparatus of the present invention includes:
[0039] an information transmitting apparatus, used to transmit, on the network side, information that identifies a network access provider sharing mode.
[0040] The information transmitting apparatus may include:
[0041] a message encapsulating apparatus, used to encapsulate the information that identifies the network access provider sharing mode into a downlink message to be issued by the network side.
[0042] Accordingly, the network discovering apparatus for a user side device of the present invention is used to be utilized in a wireless communication network which includes a network access provider, a user side device and a network service provider. The apparatus includes:
[0043] a receiving means, used to receive information issued by a network side that identifies a network access provider sharing mode, when the user side device accesses the network;
a discovering means, used to discover a network service provider in a manner corresponding to the information issued by the network side that identifies a network access provider sharing mode.
[0045] The receiving means includes:
[0046] a first message receiving unit, used to receive a downlink message issued by the network side;
[0047] a first obtaining unit, used to obtain a logic field of a network access provider identifier NAP_ID in the downlink message;
[0048] and the discovering means includes:
[0049] a first determining unit, used to determine the network access provider sharing mode utilized by the network access provider according to the logic field of the network access provider identifier NAP_ID;
[0050] a first discovering unit, used to discover the corresponding network service provider according to the determined network access provider sharing mode.
[0051] The first discovering unit includes:
[0052] a “NAP+NSP” mode discovering unit, used to obtain information of the network service provider supported by the network access provider according to a correspondence between the network access provider and network service provider, and add the obtained information of the network service provider into information of available network service providers;
[0053] a “NAP+Sharing” mode discovering unit, used to actively request or passively receive information of the network service provider corresponding to the network access provider issued by the network side, and add the obtained information of the network service provider into the information of available network service providers.
[0054] The receiving means includes:
[0055] a second message receiving unit, used to receive a downlink message issued by the network side for the user side device;
[0056] a second obtaining unit, used to obtain a message element in the downlink message that identifies the network access provider sharing mode;
[0057] and the discovering apparatus includes:
[0058] a second determining unit, used to determine the network access provider sharing mode utilized by the network access provider according to the message element that identifies the network access provider sharing mode;
[0059] a second discovering unit, used to discover the corresponding network service provider according to the determined network access provider sharing mode.
[0060] The second discovering unit includes:
[0061] a “NAP+NSP” mode discovering unit, used to obtain information of the network service provider supported by the network access provider according to a correspondence between the network access provider and network service provider, and add the obtained network service provider information into information of available network service providers; and
[0062] a “NAP+Sharing” mode discovering unit, used to actively request or passively receive information of the network service provider corresponding to the network access provider issued by the network side, and add the obtained information of the network service provider information into the information of available network service providers.
[0063] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages:
[0064] in the present invention, NSP discovering is performed in a manner corresponding to the information of the NAP sharing mode issued by the network side when the user side device accesses the network. Thus the user side device can perform NSP discovering according to different NAP sharing modes. For example, in the case that “NAP+NSP” mode can be utilized, the discovering is performed according to the correspondence. On one hand, it is possible to avoid message communication between the user side device and the network side to a great extent during the NSP discovering, so as to avoid extra consumption of air interface resources. On the other hand, in a normal situation, it can effectively reduce time consumption in the network discovering and selecting. Thus, it may greatly improve the utilization of network resources and the efficiency of NSP discovering.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0065] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a WiMax network reference model in non-roaming situation in the prior art.
[0066] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a WiMax network reference model in roaming situation in the prior art.
[0067] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a WiMax network deployment mode in the prior art.
[0068] FIG. 4 is a flow chart for discovering a NSP according to the present invention.
[0069] FIG. 5 is a flow chart of a first embodiment of the present invention.
[0070] FIG. 6 is a flow chart of a second embodiment of the present invention.
[0071] FIG. 7 is a flow chart of a third embodiment of the present invention.
[0072] FIG. 8 is a flow chart of a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
[0073] FIG. 9 is a schematic construction diagram of an embodiment of the network side transmitting apparatus of the present invention.
[0074] FIG. 10 is a schematic construction diagram of an embodiment of the user side network discovering of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0075] The user side device referred to in the present invention is generally a mobile subscriber station (MSS) or a subscriber station (SS).
[0076] Generally, for a user side device to select a suitable network access, it needs to go through four stages as follows.
[0077] In a stage of discovering a NAP: the SS/MSS discovers all NAP networks accessible from its current position (the coverage areas of the NAP networks include the current position of the SS/MSS).
[0078] In a stage of discovering a NSP list for the current NAP: for each accessible NAP network, the NSPs which can be accessed through the NAP network are discovered.
[0079] In a stage of obtaining and selecting all currently available NSPs: all the NSPs that can be accessed by the SS/MSS from the current position are enumerated to form a list, and a suitable NSP is selected from the list according to a certain rule.
[0080] In a stage of accessing the network according to the selected NSP: a suitable NAP is selected (if a NSP may be accessed through two or more NAPs) according to the selected NSP and an initial accessing is performed.
[0081] The improvement of the present invention mainly relates to the above mentioned stage of discovering a NAP and the stage of discovering a NSP list for the current NAP.
[0082] Referring to FIG. 4 , it is a flow chart of a method for discovering a NSP according to the present invention. The method mainly includes the steps as follows.
[0083] In Step 11 , the network side issues information that identifies the network access provider sharing mode. According to a specific network situation, the information that identifies the network access provider sharing mode can be carried by a corresponding downlink message, such as a downlink mapping message DL_MAP issued by the network side, or other messages that can carry corresponding information, which will not be described here.
[0084] In Step 12 , when the user side device accesses the network, the network service provider is discovered in a manner corresponding to the information of the network access provider sharing mode issued by the network side.
[0085] Now specific embodiments will be described for illustration.
[0086] Referring to FIG. 5 , it is a flow chart of a first embodiment of the present invention.
[0087] In this embodiment, different values of a logic field of the network access provider identifier NAP_ID in the downlink mapping message DL_MAP are utilized to identify the network access provider sharing modes, that is, description on the structure of the logic field of the NAP_ID is introduced, so that the NAP_ID can reflect whether the NAP corresponding to the NAP_ID is using the “NAP+NSP” mode or the “NAP Sharing” mode. For example, when the first bit of the NAP_ID has a value of 0, it means that the “NAP+NSP” mode is used, and when the first bit of the NAP_ID has a value of 1, it means that the “NAP Sharing” mode is used.
[0088] When the SS/MSS performs a network discovering, it judges the relevant information in the NAP_ID. The specific process is as follows.
[0089] In Step 101 , downlink synchronization is established.
[0090] In Step 102 , a DL_MAP message is received, and information of the NAP_ID is obtained from “Operator ID”.
[0091] In Step 103 , it is determined according to the NAP_ID whether the current NAP uses the “NAP+NSP” mode or the “NAP Sharing” mode; if the “NAP Sharing” mode is used, the process proceeds to Step 104 ; otherwise, the process proceeds to Step 105 .
[0092] In Step 104 , information of NSPs corresponding to the NAP is obtained from a BS by actively requesting or passively receiving, and the process proceeds to Step 106 .
[0093] In Step 105 , the information of a NSP supported by the NAP is obtained according to the correspondence between the NAP and the NSP.
[0094] In Step 106 , the NSP(s) corresponding to the current NAP is/are stored to an available NSP list (temporary), and the network discovering process for the BS terminates.
[0095] Referring to FIG. 6 , it is a flow chart of a second embodiment of the present invention.
[0096] In this embodiment, the message element which identifies the network access provider sharing mode is carried in the downlink mapping message DL_MAP, that is, a message element is added in the DL_MAP message. The message element can reflect whether the corresponding NAP uses “NAP+NSP” mode or “NAP Sharing” mode. For example, when a certain message element (TLV) is included in the DL_MAP message, it means that the “NAP sharing” mode is used, and when the corresponding message element is not included in the DL_MAP message, it means that the “NAP+NSP” mode is used.
[0097] When the SS/MSS performs network discovering, it judges relevant information in a DL_MAP message, and detailed process is as follows.
[0098] In Step 201 , downlink synchronization is established.
[0099] In Step 202 , the “Operator ID” in the DL_MAP message is parsed and the NAP_ID is obtained; a sharing identifier of the NAP to which a current BS pertains is obtained from a relevant TLV.
[0100] In Step 203 , it is determined according to the NAP sharing identifier whether the current NAP uses the “NAP+NSP” mode or the “NAP Sharing” mode; if the “NAP Sharing” mode is used, the process proceeds to Step 204 ; otherwise, the process proceeds to Step 205 .
[0101] In Step 204 , information of NSPs corresponding to the NAP is obtained from the BS by actively requesting or passively receiving.
[0102] Step 205 , information of a NSP supported by the NAP is obtained according to the correspondence between the NAP and the NSP.
[0103] Step 206 , the NSP(s) corresponding to the current NAP is/are stored to an available NSP list (temporary), and the network discovering process for the BS terminates.
[0104] Referring to FIG. 7 , it is a flow chart of a third embodiment of the present invention.
[0105] Based on the first embodiment, it is further determined for the “NAP Sharing” mode whether there is information of the NSP list supported by the current NAP stored in the SS/MSS; if yes, use the stored list information; otherwise, receive relevant information from the network side.
[0106] When the SS/MSS performs network discovering, it judges the relevant information in the NAP_ID; in the “NAP Sharing” mode, it is determined whether the SS/MSS has stored the information of the NSP list supported by the current NAP. The detailed process is as follows.
[0107] In Step 301 , downlink synchronization is established.
[0108] In Step 302 , a DL_MAP message is received, and information of the NAP_ID is obtained from “Operator ID”.
[0109] In Step 303 , it is determined according to the NAP_ID whether the current NAP uses the “NAP+NSP” mode or “NAP Sharing” mode; if the “NAP Sharing” mode is used, the process proceeds to Step 304 ; otherwise, the process proceeds to Step 308 .
[0110] In Step 304 , it is determined whether the NAP_ID is stored in NAP/NSP configuration information; if not, the process proceeds to Step 305 ; otherwise, the process proceeds to Step 307 .
[0111] In Step 305 , information of NSPs corresponding to the NAP is obtained from the BS by actively requesting or passively receiving.
[0112] In Step 306 , the obtained NSP/NAP correspondence is stored, and the process proceeds to Step 309 .
[0113] In Step 307 , information of NSPs corresponding to the ASN is obtained from the stored information in the SS/MSS, and the process proceeds to Step 309 .
[0114] In Step 308 , the information of a NSP supported by the NAP is obtained according to the correspondence between the NAP and the NSP, and the process proceeds to Step 309 .
[0115] In Step 309 , the NSP(s) corresponding to the current NAP is/are stored to an available NSP list (temporary), and the network discovering process for the BS terminates.
[0116] Referring to FIG. 8 , it is a flow chart of a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
[0117] Based on the second embodiment, it is further determined for the “NAP Sharing” mode whether there is information of the NSP list supported by the current NAP stored in the SS/MSS; if yes, use the stored list information directly; otherwise, receive relevant information from the network side.
[0118] When the SS/MSS performs network discovering, it judges the relevant information in an DL_MAP message; in the “NAP Sharing” mode, it is determined whether the SS/MSS has stored the information of the NSP list supported by the current NAP. The detailed process is as follows.
[0119] In Step 401 , downlink synchronization is established.
[0120] In Step 402 , the “Operator ID” in the DL_MAP message is parsed and the NAP_ID is obtained; the sharing identifier of the NAP to which the current BS pertains is obtained from a relevant TLV.
[0121] In Step 403 , it is determined whether the current NAP is using the “NAP+NSP” mode or the “NAP Sharing” mode according to the sharing identifier of the NAP; if the “NAP Sharing” mode is used, the process proceeds to Step 404 ; otherwise, the process proceeds to Step 408 .
[0122] In Step 404 , it is determined whether the NAP_ID is stored in NAP/NSP configuration information; if not, the process proceeds to Step 405 ; otherwise, the process proceeds to Step 407 .
[0123] In Step 405 , information of NSPs corresponding to the NAP is obtained from the BS by actively requesting or passively receiving.
[0124] In Step 406 , the obtained NSP/NAP correspondence is stored, and the process proceeds to Step 409 .
[0125] In Step 407 , information of NSPs corresponding to the ASN is obtained from the stored information in the SS/MSS, and the process proceeds to Step 409 .
[0126] In Step 408 , information of a NSP supported by the NAP is obtained according to the correspondence between the NAP and the NSP.
[0127] In Step 409 , the NSP(s) corresponding to the current NAP is/are to the available NSP list (temporary), and the network discovering process for the BS terminates.
[0128] Referring to FIG. 9 , it is a schematic construction diagram of an embodiment of the network side transmitting apparatus of the present invention.
[0129] The network side transmitting apparatus in the embodiment of the present invention includes:
[0130] an information transmitting apparatus 21 , used to issue, on the network side, information that identifies a network access provider sharing mode.
[0131] In a specific implementation, the information that identifies a network access provider sharing mode can be packaged into a message, for example, can be carried by a DL_MAP message. The information transmitting apparatus 21 in the present invention may include:
[0132] a message encapsulating apparatus, used to encapsulate the information that identifies a network access provider sharing mode into a downlink message (for example, the DL_MAP message) to be issued by the network side.
[0133] The network discovering apparatus for a user side device in the present invention will be illustrated below. Referring to FIG. 10 , the network discovering apparatus for a user side device in the present invention mainly includes:
[0134] a receiving means 22 , used to receive information issued by a network side that identifies a network access provider sharing mode, when the user side device accesses the network;
[0135] a discovering means 23 , used to discover a network service provider in a manner corresponding to the information issued by the network side that identifies a network access provider sharing mode.
[0136] In a specific implementation, the receiving means 22 in an embodiment of the present invention may include:
[0137] a message receiving unit, used to receive a downlink message issued by the network side, wherein referring to the previous description, the downlink message in the present invention may be a downlink mapping message DL_MAP;
[0138] an obtaining unit, used to obtain a logic field of a network access provider identifier NAP_ID in the downlink message.
[0139] In addition, the discovering means 23 in the present invention may include:
[0140] a determining unit, used to determine a network access provider sharing mode utilized by the network access provider according to the logic field of the network access provider identifier NAP_ID;
[0141] a discovering unit, used to discover a corresponding network service provider according to the determined network access provider sharing mode.
[0142] In addition, in another embodiment of the present invention, the receiving means may include:
[0143] a second message receiving unit, used, for the user side device, to receive a downlink message issued by the network side;
[0144] a second obtaining unit, used to obtain a message element in the downlink message that identifies a network access provider sharing mode;
[0145] the discovering means includes:
[0146] a second determining unit, used to determine a network access provider sharing mode utilized by the network access provider according to the message element that identifies a network access provider sharing mode;
[0147] a second discovering unit, used to discover a corresponding network service provider according to the determined network access provider sharing mode.
[0148] In addition, for different network access provider sharing modes, the discovering unit of the present invention may include:
[0149] a “NAP+NSP” mode discovering unit, used to obtain information of a network service provider supported by the network access provider according to a correspondence between the network access provider and network service provider, and add the obtained network service provider information into information of available network service providers; and
[0150] a “NAP+Sharing” mode discovering unit, used to actively request or passively receive information of network service providers corresponding to the network access provider, which information is issued by the network side, and add the obtained network service provider information into the information of available network service providers.
[0151] Above description is only preferred embodiments of the present invention, and they are not meant to limit the protect scope of the present invention. Any modifications, alternatives and improvements within the spirit and scope of the present invention should be included in the scope of the claims of the present invention. | A method for discovering a network service provider, a network side transmitting apparatus and a network discovering apparatus for a user side device are disclosed. The method is used in a wireless communication network which includes a network access provider, a user side device and a network service provider. The method includes: issuing, by a network side, information that identifies a network access provider sharing mode; discovering the network service provider by the user side device in a manner corresponding to the information that identifies the network access provider sharing mode, when the user side device accesses the network. The present invention discovers a network service provider by incorporating different network access provider sharing modes into the existing wireless communication networks, and thus can utilize network resources effectively. | 7 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/427,240, which was filed on 30 Apr. 2003.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates generally to bag hanging and storage devices, and more particularly to an apparatus for storing and hanging handle bags and the like for receiving refuse.
[0004] 2. Discussion of the Related Art
[0005] There are various devices for holding handle bags open for the purpose of receiving refuse. Some of these devices stand on a flat surface, while others are mounted on a vertical surface. However, one common aspect is that the bag is held open so that refuse can be deposited inside.
[0006] Several of the known devices also have hinged or collapsible arms for holding the open bag. These arms may be notched or grooved for placement and holding of the handle. The arms can be folded inward for storage of the device when not in use. This is particularly advantageous where the device is mounted on the inside of a cabinet door, for example.
[0007] However, no known device also provides for sufficient storage of bags when not in use. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present invention provides a bag holding and storage apparatus for retaining a recyclable or disposable handle bag, which bag may be of the type referred to as “plastic” in retail stores. It provides a means to store bags when not in use and to conveniently access and position them in an open position for receiving refuse. The apparatus is preferably mounted in a convenient location, for example, on the inside of a cabinet door. When not in use, the arms of the apparatus can be folded down to minimize the space it occupies.
[0009] The apparatus has a receptacle shaped and configured to store a plurality of bags. In some embodiments, a cover or lid is provided on the receptacle and can be placed in an open or closed position. The receptacle has first and second ends and front and back sides. A first side arm member having a top surface is also provided. This member is rotatably connected at the first end of the receptacle and is capable of extending forward from the front side when in a receiving position and extending downward when in a stored position. A second side arm member having a top surface is provided. This member is rotatably connected at the second end of the receptacle and is capable of extending forward from the front side when in a receiving position and extending downward when in a stored position. Securing means are located on the first and second ends of the receptacle for securing the first side arm and the second side arm, respectively, in a receiving position. A bag handle engaging means on the top surface of each side arm member, is adapted to positively retain the handle of the bag, thereby holding the bag open for receipt of refuse.
[0010] In one embodiment, the bag handle engaging means includes hooks that project upward and preferably slightly away from the center of the apparatus. The hooks are formed on a longitudinal axis of the top surface of the side arm members and are configured to engage the handles of the bag and retain the bag in an open position. In a preferred embodiment, there are at least two hooks on the top surface of each side arm member.
[0011] In another embodiment, the bag handle engaging means have slots therein for receiving a bag handle. In a further preferred embodiment, each slot has semi-spherical bumps therein to further aid in retaining the bag handle. The two slots on each side arm member form a central section therebetween. The slots are particularly adapted to positively retain the handle of the bag in a manner holding the bag open for receipt of refuse.
[0012] In the embodiments disclosed herein, the side arm members are rotatable through approximately 90 degrees so that they are movable between an approximately horizontal position and an approximately vertical position.
[0013] In the embodiments disclosed herein, the securing means further has a locking tab means. The locking tab means has a tab and a bulbous body portion so that, when in an engaged position, the body portion prevents rotation of the side arm, and when in a disengaged position, it allows rotation of the side arm.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0014] The objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art after considering the following detailed description, when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:
[0015] [0015]FIG. 1 is perspective view of an embodiment of the invention;
[0016] [0016]FIG. 2 is a front view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;
[0017] [0017]FIG. 3 is an end view of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;
[0018] [0018]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the invention;
[0019] [0019]FIG. 5 is a detailed view of the handle securing means of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4;
[0020] [0020]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an additional embodiment of the invention;
[0021] [0021]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 with the cover in an open position;
[0022] [0022]FIG. 8 is an end view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 6; and
[0023] [0023]FIG. 9 is a detailed partial perspective view of the handle securing means of the embodiment shown in FIG. 7.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0024] Throughout this description, the embodiments and examples shown should be considered as exemplars, rather than as limitations on the present invention. In the following paragraphs, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail by way of example with reference to the attached drawings.
[0025] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a bag storage and hanging device in accordance with one embodiment of the invention is illustrated and designated generally by the numeral 10 . The device has receptacle 12 that is generally shaped and configured to store a plurality of bags when they are not in use. Those skilled in the art understand that the size of the receptacle may vary depending on various factors including the overall space to be occupied by the apparatus and also the number of bags to be stored. The receptacle also has means 22 for attachment to a solid support, for example, usually a vertical surface or the inside wall or door of a cabinet. Means 22 can be a screw, or other appropriate form of attachment well known to those skilled in the art. Hole 24 is provided on a front side of the receptacle, thereby allowing a screwdriver, for example, to be used to secure the receptacle to the support. Opening 20 , which is near or at the bottom portion of the receptacle, serves as convenient means for access and withdrawal of bags from the receptacle. It is preferable to withdraw the bags from the bottom of the receptacle in this manner since they will be more likely withdrawn one at a time. If a bag is removed from the top of the receptacle, it is quite possible that more than one bag will come out at a time.
[0026] Receptacle 10 has a front and back, as well as a first end and a second end. First side arm member 14 is rotatably connected at the first end of the receptacle by pivot connection 15 , which may be a bolt or dowel. Other well-known forms of connection are also contemplated herein. Member 14 is capable of extending forwardly from the front side to receiving position 17 . It is also capable of extending downwardly to storage position 19 (indicated in dashed lines). The path of rotation of member 14 is indicated by arrow “a” in FIG. 1. Second side arm member 16 is rotatably connected at the second end of the receptacle and operates in a similar manner.
[0027] Securing means 18 , located on the first and second ends of the receptacle, secures each side arm member in receiving position 17 . In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the securing means is a locking tab, made up of a tab and a bulbous body portion, which when in an engaged position, prevents rotation of the side arms, and when in a disengaged position allows rotation of the side arm.
[0028] As shown in FIG. 2, by pressing securing means 18 away from the side arm, or toward the center of the receptacle, as shown by arrow “b,” bulbous body portion 28 is withdrawn from an interior space or detent of the side arm, thereby allowing the side arm to rotate. Means 18 is tensioned so that in a relaxed state it is in an engaged position. Phantom lines adjacent to means 18 in FIG. 2 show the disengaged position of the securing means.
[0029] Side arm members 14 and 16 also have bag handle engaging means 26 on their top surfaces. The bag handle engaging means are adapted to positively retain the handle of the bag, thereby holding the bag open for the receipt of refuse. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the bag handle engaging means is formed as raised lip 26 on a longitudinal axis of the top surface of side arm members 14 and 16 . The lip extends upward and slightly away from the center of the apparatus, thereby being configured to engage the handles of the bag and retain the bag in an open position.
[0030] [0030]FIG. 3 is an end view of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Arrow “a” shows the movement of the side arm from engaged position 17 to disengaged position 19 . When the side arm is in the disengaged position, it is generally flush with the front surface of the receptacle.
[0031] [0031]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment 30 of the present invention. Horizontal edges 31 and 32 of side arm members 33 and 34 , respectively, have a pair of spaced notch means or grooves 38 and 39 , respectively, formed therein in a spaced relationship. Notches 38 and 39 are dimensioned for receiving opposing sides of inverted U-shaped handles, which are disposed on opposing sides of a plastic grocery bag, for example. Thus, the bag is held open when the handle sides are inserted into the notches. In other respects, this embodiment 30 is similar in design and operation to previous embodiments. The spaced notch means form a central section therebetween in each side arm member. The notches are also adapted to positively retain the handle of the bag when the handle extends partially around the central section when looped from outside inwardly over the central section.
[0032] [0032]FIG. 5 is a detailed view of the notches shown in the embodiment of FIG. 4. Formed within notches 39 are irregularities 40 to facilitate positive engagement of the handle. In one embodiment, the irregularities are bumps or semi-spherical ridges. These bumps or ridges may be arranged in an alternating fashion on opposite faces of the notches. Although only one is shown in each notch, there could be more than one ridge or bump, preferably two, in each notch. The ridges or bumps therefore serve to further secure the bag handle within the recesses and to prevent the handle from coming out of the notches unintentionally.
[0033] Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, a bag storage and hanging device in accordance with another embodiment of the invention is illustrated and designated generally by the reference numeral 50 . As in the previous embodiments, the device has a receptacle that is generally shaped and configured to store a plurality of bags when they are not in use and an opening, which is near or at the bottom portion of the receptacle, to serve as convenient means for access and withdrawal of individual bags from the receptacle. It is preferable to withdraw the bags from the bottom of the receptacle in this manner since they will be more likely withdrawn one at a time. If a bag is removed from the top of the receptacle, it is quite possible that more than one bag will come out at a time.
[0034] As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the receptacle has cover or lid 51 over the opening of the receptacle. The cover serves to contain bags inside the receptacle during storage. The cover is preferably hinged and can be lifted up, as shown in FIG. 7, so that bags can be placed inside. In addition, the cover serves to prevent trash material from entering the receptacle when a bag is placed in a hanging position on the device.
[0035] Side arm member 53 is rotatably connected in the manner described in previous embodiments. Member 53 is capable of extending forwardly from the front side of the receptacle to a receiving position, which is approximately horizontal. It is also capable of extending downwardly to storage position 57 (indicated in dashed lines). The path of rotation of member 53 is indicated by arrow “a” in FIGS. 6 and 7. A second side arm member is rotatably connected at the second end of the receptacle and operates in a similar manner.
[0036] Securing means are located on the first and second ends of the receptacle, securing each side arm member in a receiving position. The securing means are substantially the same as in previous embodiments described herein.
[0037] Each side arm member also has bag handle engaging means 52 on its top surface. The bag handle engaging means are adapted to positively retain the handle of the bag, thereby holding the bag open for the receipt of refuse. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the bag handle engaging means is formed as upwardly projecting hooks on a longitudinal axis of the top surface of each side arm member. The hooks extend upward and preferably slightly away from the center of the apparatus, thereby being configured to engage the handles of the bag and retain the bag in an open position. In a preferred embodiment, the hooks have slots 58 formed therebetween.
[0038] [0038]FIG. 8 is an end view of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. Arrow “a” shows the movement of the side arm from the engaged horizontal position to an approximately vertical disengaged position. When the side arm is in the disengaged position, it is generally flush with the front surface of receptacle 54 .
[0039] [0039]FIG. 9 is a detailed perspective view of the embodiment 50 of the present invention. As described above, each side arm member has a pair of spaced upwardly projecting hooks 52 formed therein in a spaced relationship. Slots are formed in hooks 52 for receiving opposing sides of inverted U-shaped handles, which are disposed on opposing sides of a plastic grocery bag, for example. Thus, the bag is held open when the handle sides are inserted into the slots. In other respects, this embodiment 50 is similar in design and operation to previous embodiments. On the top surface of each side arm member the spaced-apart hooks form a central section therebetween.
[0040] Formed within the slots are irregularities 55 to facilitate positive engagement of the bag handle. In one embodiment, the irregularities are bumps or semi-spherical ridges. These bumps or ridges may be arranged in an alternating fashion on opposite faces of the slots. The bumps therefore serve to further secure the bag handle within the hooks and to prevent the handle from coming out of the slots unintentionally.
[0041] Certain preferred embodiments have been described above. It is to be understood that a latitude of modification and substitution is intended in the foregoing disclosure, and that these modifications and substitutions are within the literal scope, or are equivalent to the claims that follow. Accordingly, the following claims should be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the intent and scope of the invention herein described. | A bag storage and holding apparatus for a recyclable or disposable handle bag. The apparatus has a receptacle for storing handle bags for future use and in some embodiments it has a cover over the open top portion of the receptacle. The cover can be opened or closed. On each end of the receptacle is a rotatably mounted side arm, which can swing up or down through approximately 90 degrees. When the arms are in an approximately horizontal position, the apparatus is positioned for receiving a handle bag and maintaining it in an open position. Securing means, in the form of a locking tab, are provided to secure the side arms in an upward position. Each side arm has handle engaging means, preferably in the form of at least two upwardly projecting hooks with slots therein for retaining the bag in an open position for receipt of refuse. | 1 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/051,929, filed May 9, 2008, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Chemical vapor deposition grown diamonds can be difficult to distinguish from mined diamonds using conventional techniques. Detection of CVD diamond is of importance to the diamond industry to prevent the fraudulent sale of CVD diamond as natural diamond, and to enable the detection of CVD diamond for the purpose of ensuring that there is no misrepresenting natural as CVD diamond. Further, the detection of CVD diamond may be useful for protecting intellectual property rights.
[0003] The detection of CVD diamond is difficult and laborious due to the fact that multiple instruments are needed. Such instruments are used to first determine that the diamond in question is a type II A. Colorless cvd diamonds currently are type II A which indicates a very low nitrogen level. The instruments are then used for testing for the presence of N-V centers, which are a substitutional nitrogen atom adjacent to a carbon vacancy. Finally, instruments are used to microscopically view diamonds for features such as strain. All of these tests are required to raise the certainty that a diamond is natural or cvd. None of these tests are complete in themselves, as the presence of N-V centers is rare in natural diamonds, but does occur. Such N-V centers fluoresce at red-orange wavelengths due to it's two main emission peaks centered at 575 and 637 nm. The purer the diamond the weaker the fluorescence. The fluorescence can also be seen by illuminating the diamond with short wavelength ultraviolet light in an expensive instrument such as the “Diamond View”. The detection process is long and difficult for large pure stones and nearly impossible for small stones.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system for detecting CVD grown diamonds in a retail setting according to an example embodiment.
[0005] FIG. 2 is a graph illustrating photo luminescence (PL) of white, brown and pink cvd diamonds.
[0006] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an alternative system for detecting CVD grown diamonds in a retail setting according to an example embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0007] In the following description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments which may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural, logical and electrical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The following description of example embodiments is, therefore, not to be taken in a limited sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims.
[0008] A system 100 in FIG. 1 may be used to detect CVD grown diamond. System 100 may be formed in a size that is compatible for deployment in a jewelry retail store and be operated by relatively unskilled personnel. System 100 may utilize the presence of an N-V center in a CVD grown diamond. At 110 , a radiation source provides short wavelength light. The short wavelength light may be provided by a green or blue laser, such as a commercially available semiconductor laser which emits at 405 or 532 nm. Many other wavelengths may be used that cause fluorescence of diamonds with N-V centers, such as wavelengths in the 400 to 550 nm range, and may include portions of the UV range of 10 to 400 nm, or at least the upper portions of the UV range. Other sources that provide suitable wavelength light may also be used.
[0009] A fiber optic delivery system or lens 120 may be used to provide short wavelength radiation to a holder 125 to position a table of a gemstone 130 at a predetermined distance from the light. The holder 125 may be adapted with suitable fixtures such as clamps or platforms with indentations to hold a loose gemstone or gemstones, as well as a piece of jewelry containing one or more gemstones such as diamonds. The laser in one embodiment is highly focused on the crystal surface of the gemstone. A filter(s) (or spectrometer) 140 may be used to separate the laser light from the PL light (photo-luminescence).
[0010] The presence of N-V centers would result in emission bands centered at about 575 and/or 637 nm, and the filters can be used to allow detection of these wavelengths. A detector 150 may be positioned to receive and detect the PL light. In one embodiment, a thermoelectric cooler 160 may be used to cool the gemstone. The cooler 160 may be integrated with the holder 120 in one embodiment. Alternatively to a thermoelectric cooler, a cooling media such as liquid nitrogen or dry ice may be positioned proximate to the gemstone to cool the gemstone.
[0011] Detector 150 may contain suitable electronics and metering to indicate the nature and type of the diamond from the detected PL light. Detector 150 may be used in conjunction with microscopic examination to confirm the natural or CVD origins of the gemstone. Further filtering of wavelengths may also be used to detect treated natural stones or high pressure high temperature created stones. In a further embodiment, handling of the stones may be automated so that they could be continuously measured and recorded without human handling.
[0012] In further embodiments, filters or an inexpensive spectrometer may be used to separate wavelengths to ensure that the laser light and the PL light are separated. A suitable covering may be used to eliminate stray room light from entering the detector and laser light from straying to the outside. Safety interlocks may be provided to shut down the laser in the event the cover is removed. Holder 125 may be made large enough to hold several sizes of stones. Control circuitry and sensors may be included to indicate a pass, fail, or further inspection notice for the tester.
[0013] FIG. 2 is a graph illustrating photo luminescence (PL) of white, brown and pink cvd diamonds.
[0014] Some embodiments may be made fairly inexpensive and have a fairly small footprint, and may be easy to operate, making them suitable for use and operation by a store clerk in a retail store.
[0015] FIG. 3 is an alternative system 300 may be used to detect CVD grown diamond. System 300 may be formed in a size that is compatible for deployment in a jewelry retail store and be operated by relatively unskilled personnel. System 300 may utilize the presence of an N-V center in a CVD grown diamond. At 310 , a light source provides short wavelength light to an optical fiber 315 that may be optimized to transmit the short wavelength light. The short wavelength light may be provided by a green or blue laser, such as a commercially available semiconductor laser which emits at 405 or 532 nm. Many other wavelengths may be used that cause fluorescence of diamonds with N-V centers, such as wavelengths in the 400 to 550 nm range, and may include portions of the UV range of 10 to 400 nm, or at least the upper portions of the UV range. Other sources that provide suitable wavelength light may also be used.
[0016] The optical fiber 315 provides the light from light source 310 to a sample holder 320 to position a table of a gemstone at a predetermined distance from the light. The sample holder 320 may be adapted with suitable fixtures such as clamps or platforms with indentations to hold a loose gemstone or gemstones, as well as a piece of jewelry containing one or more gemstones such as diamonds. The light from light source 310 in one embodiment is highly focused on the crystal surface of the gemstone.
[0017] In one embodiment, CVD diamonds will fluoresce, producing a PL light. This produced light is returned back to the optical fiber 315 , which branches into a second type of fiber 325 optimized to transmit wavelengths corresponding to the PL light.
[0018] The presence of N-V centers would result in emission bands centered at about 575 and/or 637 nm, and the second type of fiber 325 may be used to carry such emissions to a spectrometer 330 to perform detection of these wavelengths. The fibers 315 and 325 diverge at a junction 335 such that each may carry it corresponding light independently of the other.
[0019] In one embodiment, a thermoelectric cooler may be used to cool the gemstone. The cooler may be integrated with the holder 320 in one embodiment. The spectrometer 330 may contain suitable electronics and metering to indicate the nature and type of the diamond from the detected PL light. In some embodiments, the spectrometer 330 may be used in conjunction with microscopic examination to confirm the natural or CVD origins of the gemstone. Further filtering of wavelengths may also be used to detect treated natural stones or high pressure high temperature created stones. In a further embodiment, handling of the stones may be automated so that they could be continuously measured and recorded without human handling.
[0020] In further embodiments, a light splitter may be used at 335 to separate wavelengths in fibers 315 and 325 to ensure that the light from light source 310 and the PL light from the diamond fluorescence are separated. In one embodiment, the components are mounted on a substrate, such as a board or other supportive material, and a suitable covering may be used to eliminate stray room light from entering the system, and keep laser light from straying to the outside. Safety interlocks may be provided to shut down the light source in the event the cover is removed. Holder 320 may be made large enough to hold several sizes of stones. Control circuitry and sensors may be included to indicate a pass, fail, or further inspection notice for the tester.
[0021] FIG. 4 is a cross section representation of combined fibers 315 and 325 from FIG. 3 represented generally at 400 . In one embodiment, fiber 315 is represented as a single fiber at 410 , surrounded by multiple fibers 325 , as represented with reference number 420 . This cross section illustrates the combined fibers taken along lines 4 - 4 in FIG. 3 . The fibers are then separated at junction 335 to provide independent paths for the generated and emitted light.
[0022] The Abstract is provided to comply with 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b) to allow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature and gist of the technical disclosure. The Abstract is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. | A system includes a radiation source to provide short wavelength light. A holder positions a table of a gemstone to receive the light. A detector is positioned to receive fluorescent light from the gemstone when the gemstone is a CVD grown gemstone. | 6 |
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of international application number PCT/EP2005/000630, filed on Jan. 22, 2005, which claims the benefit of German patent application number 10 2004 018 432.1, filed on Apr. 6, 2004, which are both incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention relates to a binder for coating slips, in particular water-based coating slips, which are used for coating base paper in inkjet paper production, to coating slips which contain such binders as well as to inkjet papers produced in this way and to a method for producing them.
[0003] A wide variety of inkjet papers of different qualities and based on different paper coatings are known. Photographic papers especially have received particular attention in the development of inkjet papers, but are very expensive and, as a result, are not suitable for “normal” color prints, as are frequently required for everyday office purposes, for reasons of cost.
[0004] On the other hand, standard papers often produce only inadequate color depths in inkjet printing, have excessively long drying times and/or lack satisfactory edge definition.
[0005] In addition, photographic papers generally have a basis weight that is too high for customary office applications.
[0006] BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] It is an object of the invention to propose a binder for coating slips that allow the production of inexpensive inkjet papers which exhibit relatively high color depths with inkjet inks and consequently can in many cases replace the higher-grade and expensive qualities of inkjet photographic papers.
[0008] This object is achieved according to the invention in the case of a binder of the type described at the beginning by the binder having a solids content of gelatine and one or more further binder components, the binder comprising a first binder component providing the solids content of gelatine in the binder; one or more further binder components which are selected from vinyl alcohol polymers, vinyl alcohol copolymers, carbohydrates and carbohydrate derivatives, the one or more further binder components providing, summed together, the solids content of the one or more further binder components in the binder; the solids content of the gelatine in the binder being greater than the solids content of the one or more further binder components in the binder.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0009] Although gelatine has already been used in many cases for ink accepting layers of photographic papers, they are complicated to produce and consequently are correspondingly expensive.
[0010] Gelatine as a binder in ink accepting layers does ensure an excellent color depth, but the edge definition on matt papers is not always satisfactory.
[0011] Similarly, ink accepting layers based on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) are known, but often have only low color depth.
[0012] Binders in which gelatine represents the main element of the binder, as provided by the invention, amazingly show very good results with respect to color depth and are optimized with regard to edge definition when the gelatine is mixed with the other components of the binder.
[0013] This makes it possible to produce coating slips that allow the production of inexpensive qualities of paper for inkjet printing which are at least of moderate quality with respect to color depth and require only low coating weights for this.
[0014] This ultimately has the consequence that relatively low-cost installations can be used for paper production, which gives the paper further cost advantages and consequently a broader range of applications in inkjet color printing.
[0015] In combination with the main constituent gelatine, not only vinyl alcohol polymers and copolymers, but also carbohydrates and their derivatives, can be used to improve the edge definition and the processing behavior of the coating slip without the color depth that is ensured by the gelatine being markedly impaired as a result.
[0016] Preferably the one or more further binder components comprise polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and/or partly hydrolyzed polyvinyl alcohol.
[0017] Polyvinyl alcohol/polyalkylene oxide copolymers are also a preferred further binder component.
[0018] Carbohydrates, particularly starch, and carbohydrate derivatives, particularly starch derivates, are preferred further binder components.
[0019] When carbohydrate derivatives, in particular starch derivatives, are used as further components of the binder, hydroxyalkylated starch derivatives, such as, for example, hydroxypropyl starch derivatives, are preferred.
[0020] The solids content of gelatine in relation to the solids content of the one or more further binder components is preferably used in a ratio of from 1.1:1 to 2.5:1.
[0021] On the other hand, in order to optimize the processability of the coating slip, the fraction of carbohydrate or carbohydrate derivative(s) as a proportion of the solids content of all the binder components, i.e., also the binder component gelatine, is preferably at least 5% by weight, more preferably a solids content fraction of the carbohydrates and/or the carbohydrate derivatives as a proportion of the solids content of all the binder components of about 8 to 11% by weight is used.
[0022] As already stated at the beginning, the invention also relates to a coating slip for coating base paper in inkjet paper production, which comprises a binder of the present invention and one or more inorganic pigments.
[0023] The binder/pigment ratio is preferably 1:1 to 1:3, in particular 1:1.3 to 1:2.5.
[0024] For further improvement of the color fixing, the coating slip may also comprise a cationizing agent.
[0025] Already distinct color fixing is obtained by the use of gelatine alone in the binder, representing a polyelectrolyte, so that ultimately optimization can be further achieved by means of the cationizing agent.
[0026] The cationizing agents are preferably selected from cationic polyacrylates, chitosan products and derivatives of chitosan, poly-DADMAC, polyamines, polyamides other than gelatine and polyimines.
[0027] In the coating slip, the cationizing agents are preferably used in an amount of 2 to 17% by weight with respect to the solids content of the coating slip.
[0028] To allow the use of coating installations in which complicated preparation of the coating slip is not possible, an agent for stabilizing the inorganic pigment or pigments in the binder is preferably added to the coating slip. This stabilizes the suspension of the pigments in the binder. One way of doing this is simply by a fraction of carbohydrate or carbohydrate derivative. Specific stabilizing agents for stabilizing the suspension of the pigments in the binder are preferably selected from propylene oxide/ethylene oxide block copolymers and polyvinyl pyrrolidone.
[0029] About 0.5 to 2% by weight with respect to the pigment content is generally adequate for stabilizing the pigment suspension.
[0030] The pigments themselves are preferably selected from aluminum silicates, amorphous silica, calcium carbonate, bentonite, zeolites, talc, barium sulfate, calcium sulfate, titanium dioxide, satin white, aluminum hydroxide and kaolin (clay).
[0031] The invention also relates to an inkjet paper in which the coating slip according to the invention is applied to one side or both sides of the base paper. Coating weights per side of up to 15 g/m 2 and more are possible, although coating weights of up to 7 g/m 2 , in particular up to 6 g/m 2 , on each side of the paper are adequate for the qualities aimed at less expensive market segments.
[0032] The coating slips of the present invention are aqueous systems with solids contents of about 25 to 50% by weight. Deviations below and above these are readily possible. The viscosity is preferably set in the range from 700 to 2500 mPas. Deviations from this range, below and above it, are not particularly critical.
[0033] The present invention shows that gelatine is a binder that is very well suited for the production of inkjet coating slips.
[0034] The special properties of gelatine as an organic and fully biodegradable binder, which as a regenerative raw material also satisfies ecological requirements, provide possibilities for the production of low-cost inkjet coating slips for the production of improved office papers that can produce at least moderate quality in color printing.
[0035] In this case, the amphoteric character of the gelatine plays a special role, the pronounced tendency toward gel formation and the resultant immobilization of the coating slip and inkjet printing ink on the surface of the paper allowing the use of low-cost pigments, such as for example precipitated calcium carbonate or zeolite, with good results. Such very inexpensive pigments have not previously been successfully used in inkjet paper production, in particular in the production of photographic papers that can be printed on by inkjet printers.
[0036] In the case of higher coating weights, the quality level of the paper can be increased significantly further, up to qualities which correspond to the high-quality conventional inkjet papers.
[0037] Finally, the invention relates to a method for producing inkjet papers. Simply by coating base paper (on one or both sides) with the coating slip according to the invention, it is possible to produce an inkjet paper that delivers a print of at least moderate quality.
[0038] In addition, the coating slip according to the invention can be applied to the paper by so-called film presses, and it is consequently possible to accomplish a production process in which the base paper can be coated after its production with coating weights of up to 7 g/m 2 directly and if need be on both sides. In comparison with application of the coating with a blade, this saves an additional working step and an additional drying step, in the case of papers coated on both sides indeed a further additional coating step and drying step. It is likewise possible to dispense with treatment of the paper by means of a size press.
[0039] The coating in the film presses generally takes place at temperatures around 60° C., temperatures at which the gelatine does not yet gel. This additionally simplifies the application of the gelatine-based coating slip concept according to the invention.
[0040] Comparably low-cost and high-quality prints are not possible with other binders, such as, for example, polyvinyl alcohol or gelatine on its own.
[0041] These and farther advantages of the invention are explained in more detail below on the basis of examples.
EXAMPLES
[0042] The exemplary embodiments 1 to 4 that are compiled in Table I show that significantly superior inkjet printing results can be achieved with low-cost coatings according to the invention of a base paper as compared with conventional general-purpose office papers (photocopy/laser and inkjet printing papers for monochrome applications).
TABLE 1 Binder component Pigments Starch/starch Wetting and CaCO 3 Solid Exam- derivative stabilizing Cationizing SiO 2 / preci- content Viscosity ples Gelatine Emsol K55 PVA agent agent Al 2 O 3 pitated Bentonite Zeolite [% by weight] [mPas] 1 30 20 1 6 30 70 30 1350 2 30 20 1 9 100 29 1360 3 30 20 1 6 100 29 1450 4 30 20 1 9 100 31 1660 Unless otherwise specified, all numerical values are in parts by weight
The following properties in particular are improved in comparison with general-purpose papers:
color densities and edge definition; folding endurance.
[0045] These advantages are also found in comparison with special conventional inkjet papers of moderate quality (for example papers coated with PVA binder), which serve here as a comparative example.
[0046] The examples show at the same time that these results can be achieved not only with high-grade pigments, in the form of amorphous precipitated silica (for example Sipemat 570) or silicon dioxide with aluminum oxide fractions (for example Aerosil Mox 170) in the coating (grouped together in the tables as SiO 2 /Al 2 O 3 ), but also with very inexpensive pigments, such as for example precipitated Ca carbonate, bentonites (for example Jetsil SK 50) and zeolites (for example zeolite 4A).
[0047] In all the examples 1 to 14, a low-bloom gelatine (Gelita® image1 NP) was used as the gelatine, modified potato starch ether Emsol K 55 (low viscosity) was used as the starch or starch derivative and Moviol 4-98 was used as the PVA binder component.
[0048] The aforementioned gelatine is a type B gelatine, of low bloom, obtained from bone material. Other low-bloom gelatine types can similarly be used, while slight adaptations of the formulations (concentration; viscosity) are to be recommended if high-bloom gelatine types are used.
[0049] Lumiten PR 8540, a polyvinyl pyrrolidone, was used as the wetting and stabilizing agent.
[0050] The cationizing agents used are either Catiofast CS or Induquat ECR 69L, a cationic polyacrylate.
[0051] The color densities were determined by means of a densitometer (Getrag SPM 50).
[0052] The light fastness was tested after accelerated aging in a so-called Xenotester (irradiating intensities of 1154 W/m 2 ) at 23° C. and 50% relative humidity over 24 h.
[0053] In some applications, however, an excessively pronounced tendency toward linting is found when formulations of the examples in Table 1 are used, an indication that pigment on the surface is not adequately bound by the binder matrix.
[0054] The examples compiled in Table 2 suppress Tinting by their formulations to such an extent that even applications that are critical in this respect can be covered by the coated papers. A small fraction of a starch preparation, such as for example Emsol K115 (potato starch ether of medium viscosity), is sufficient to help here.
TABLE 2 Binder component Pigments Ex- Starch/starch Wetting and CaCO 3 Solid Vis- am- derivative Emsol stabilizing Cationizing SiO 2 / preci- content cosity ples Gelatine K55 or K115 PVA agent agent Al 2 O 3 pitated Bentonite Zeolite [% by weight] [mPas] 5 35 5K 25 1 10 30 70 30 808 6 35 5K 25 1 9 30 70 30 1580 7 30 20 + 5K 1 9 100 28 1350 8 30 20 + 5K 1 6 100 29 1240 9 30 5K 20 1 9 100 31 1650 Com- 50 1 10 100 25 1130 par- ison Unless otherwise specified, all numerical values are in parts by weight K = Emsol K115 additive
The additive was not found to cause any impairment of the advantageous properties already achieved with the examples of Table 1.
[0055] Papers were tested with respect to various properties with the formulations given as examples in Table 2 in comparison with a PVA standard paper (comparison paper) and the reference paper (866 INKJET PAPER DT PLOT, 100-120 g/m 2 , made by the Cham Paper Group), which represents a very high-grade matt inkjet paper. The test results are compiled in Table 3.
[0056] Likewise on the basis of the basic formulations of Table 1, formulations that are suitable for application to the base paper by means of a film press were developed. The formulations of these further examples are compiled in Table 4.
[0057] Applying the coatings with the film press instead of with a doctor blade has several advantages, making it possible in particular for production to be carried out more efficiently, in that the coating can be applied to the base paper coming directly from production, if desired on both sides in one working step. This dispenses with laborious repeated handling of the paper between separate working steps and similarly does away with multiple drying steps and the use of a size press.
[0058] With the papers produced with the formulations of the examples of Table 4, the test values compiled in Table 5 are obtained.
[0059] The coating weights that can be achieved by means of a film press are generally entirely adequate to obtain very high-grade inkjet papers that can be produced very cost-effectively. As can be seen from Table 5, the printing quality does not in any way suffer as a result, on the contrary it is possible to obtain papers which are only of a slightly lower quality than the high-grade reference paper. If the amount of the coating is increased, further increases in quality can be achieved.
TABLE 3 Coating Color density comparison Folding weight Examples Black Yellow Magenta Cyan ΣΔ endurance Light fastness [g/m 2 ] Miscellaneous Reference 1.66 1.50 1.34 1.50 0 ++ Reference Reference 5 1.31 1.12 1.04 1.13 1.40 ++ Slightly 4-6 inferior 6 ++ Comparable 4-8 7 + Comparable 4-10 8 + Comparable 4-7 9 ++ Comparable 5-7 Comparison 1.39 1.11 1.03 1.21 1.26 ++ Comparable 3-5 Inferior coating adhesion and water resistance ++ very good + good no entry: no data available
[0060]
TABLE 4
Binder component
Starch/starch
Pigments
derivative
Wetting and
CaCO 3
Exam-
Emsol K55
stabilizing
Cationizing
SiO 2 /
preci-
Solid content
Viscosity
ples
Gelatine
or K115
PVA
agent
agent
Al 2 O 3
pitated
Bentonite
Zeolite
[% by weight]
[mPas]
10
30
20 + 5K
1
10
100
28
1430
11
30
5K
20
1
15
100
31
1320
12
40
25
1
15
100
28
1400
13
40
5K
25
1
15
30
70
31
1050
14
40
25
1
15
30
70
31
760
Unless otherwise specified, all numerical values are in parts by Weight
K = Emsol K115 additive
[0061] TABLE 5 Coating Color density comparison Folding weight Examples Black Yellow Magenta Cyan ΣΔ endurance Light fastness [g/m 2 ] Miscellaneous Reference 1.66 1.50 1.34 1.50 0 ++ Reference Reference 10 1.50 1.23 1.17 1.35 0.75 + Somewhat 3-5 Very good coating adhesion inferior and water resistance 11 1.27 1.08 0.97 1.10 1.54 ++ Comparable 3-5 Good coating adhesion and water resistance 12 1.46 1.11 1.11 1.31 1.01 + 3-5 13 1.27 1.05 1.02 1.14 1.52 3-5 14 1.14 1.02 1.02 1.09 1.53 3-5 Comparison 1.39 1.11 1.03 1.21 1.26 ++ Comparable 3-5 Inferior coating adhesion and water resistance Office 1.10 0.93 0.89 1.00 2.08 ++ very good + good no entry: no data available
The above examples were all produced with the same base paper suitable for inkjet printing. A comparison with results achieved using other base papers does show certain differences, but always the same trend, so that when alternative base papers are used it is possible by making slight modifications to the formulations for them to be adapted to the different properties of the other base paper. | A binder for coating slips is disclosed comprising a first binder component, the first binder component providing the solids content of gelatine in the binder, one or more father binder components which are selected from the group consisting of vinyl alcohol polymers vinyl alcohol copolymers, carbohydrates, and carbohydrate derivatives, the one or more further binder components providing, summed together, the solids content of the one or more further binder components in the binder; the solids content of the gelatine in the binder being greater than the solids content of the one or more further binder components in the binder. | 2 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Ever since Pasteur discovered the property of optical activity displayed by chiral compounds, the resolution of racemic mixtures into their enantiomeric components has posed a challenge. Substantial progress in separating enantiomeric pairs has been achieved since Pasteur's laborious hand separation of the enantiomeric crystals of racemic sodium ammonium tartrate, yet methods of resolution, and the materials used therefor, remain a formidable obstacle to commercial production of optically active organic substances.
A traditional method of resolution comprises reacting a racemic mixture with a second optically active substance to form a pair of diastereomeric derivatives. Such derivatives generally have different physical properties which permit their separation by conventional means. For example, fractional crystallization often permits substantial separation to afford at least one of the diastereomers in a pure state, or largely so. An appropriate chemical transformation then converts the purified derivative, which was formed initially solely to prepare a diastereomeric pair, into one enantiomer of the originally racemic compound. This traditional method is exemplified by the reaction of naturally occurring optically active alkaloids, for example, brucine, with racemic acids to form diastereomeric salts, with release of an optically active organic acid from a purified diastereomer upon acidification of the latter.
Such traditional methods suffer from many limitations. Generally, only one of the enantiomeric pairs can be obtained, so yields are necessarily less than 50%. The separation of the material so obtained usually is incomplete, leading to materials with enhanced rather than complete optical purity. The optically active materials used to form the diastereomers frequently are expensive and quite toxic--the alkaloids as a class are good examples--and are only partially recoverable. Regeneration of optically active material from its derivative may itself cause racemization of the desired compound, leading to diminution of optical purity. For example if optically active benzyl alcohols are prepared through their diastereomeric ester derivatives, subsequent acid hydrolysis of the latter to regenerate the alcohol may be accompanied by appreciable racemization.
With the advent of chromatography diverse variations on the basic theme of separating diastereomers became possible. These approaches undeniably represent substantial advances in the art, yet fail to surmount the basic need, and associated problems, to prepare diastereomeric derivatives of the desired compound and to transform such derivatives after separation to the optically active compounds of interest.
Chromatographic methods of separating diastereomers offer advantages of general application, mild conditions which generally preclude chemical or physical transformation, efficiency of recovery and separation which are limited only by the number of theoretical plates employed and the capability of utilization from a milligram to kilogram scale. Translation from a laboratory to industrial scale has proved feasible, and commercial processes employing chromatographic separation occupy an important position in the arsenal of available industrial methods. For such reasons, methods based on chromatographic separation remain under intensive exploration.
To circumvent the disadvantage of separating diastereomeric derivatives of a compound while retaining the advantage of chromatographic separation, recent advances in the art have employed chiral, optically active compounds in association with the chromatographic support. The theory underlying this approach is that chiral material will have differential weak interactions with enantiomers, for example, hydrogen bonding, or acid-base interactions generally. Such weak interactions lead to reversible formation of entities which we refer to as complexes, and the equilibrium constant characterizing complex formation will be different for each member of the enantiomeric pair. The different equilibrium constants manifest themselves as a differing partition coefficient among the phases in a chromatographic process, leading ultimately to separation of enantiomers.
Thus, enantiomers of some chromium complexes were resolved by chromatography on powdered quartz, a naturally occurring chiral material. Karagounis and Coumolos, Nature, 142, 162 (1938). Lactose, another naturally occurring chiral material, was used to separate p-phenylene-bis-iminocamphor. Henderson and Rule, Nature, 141, 917 (1938). However, despite this knowledge substantiating theoretical considerations, advances in the art have been tortuous at best.
A major obstacle has been development of a chiral solid phase capable of resolving, at least in principle, a broad class of racemic organic compounds, with a stability which permits repeated usage, and with adequate capacity to make separation feasible on a preparative scale. Gil-Av has made a major contribution toward one kind of solution by gas-liquid phase chromatographic resolution of enantiomers using columns coated with N-trifluoroacetyl derivatives of amino acids, di-and tri-peptides. Gil-Av and Nurok, "Advances in Chromatography", Volume 10, Marcel Dekker (New York), 1974. However, the advances suffer practical limitations originating from the need to have volatile substrates and the inability to scale up the methods employed.
Another advance is represented by the work of Baczuk and coworkers, J. Chromatogr., 60, 351 (1971), who covalently bonded an optically active amino acid through a cyanuric acid linkage to a modified dextran support and utilized the resulting material in column chromatography to resolve 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine. A different approach is exemplified by polymerization of optically active amides with the resulting polymer used as a solid phase in liquid-solid chromatography. Blaschke and Schwanghart, Chemische Berichte, 109, 1967 (1976).
More recently it has become an accepted reality that enantiomeric medicinals may have radically different pharmacological activity. For example, the (R)-isomer of propranolol is a contraceptive whereas the (S)-isomer is a betablocker. An even more dramatic and tragic difference is furnished by thalidomide where the (R)-enantiomer is a safe and effective sedative when prescribed for the control of morning sickness during pregnancy whereas the (S)-enantiomer was discovered to be a potent teratogen leaving in its wake a multitude of infants deformed at birth. This has, in part, provided the motivation for developing additional tools for chiral separations. Chromatographic processes, especially liquid chromatography, appear to offer the best prospects for chiral separations. One variant of the latter utilizes achiral eluents in combination with chiral stationary phases (CSPs), which has the critical aspect that a variety of chiral stationary phases be available to the practitioner. In recent years substantial progress has been made by developing a class of chiral stationary phases based upon derivatized polysaccharides, especially cellulose, adsorbed on a carrier such as silica gel or a modified silica gel. This recently has been summarized by Y. Okamoto, J. Chromatog., 666 (1994), 403-19.
However effective may be the aforedescribed supports based on polysaccharides, there remains a need for chiral stationary phases where chirality is imparted by a monomer rather than by oligomers or polymers as represented by the polysaccharides. To be optimally useful the chiral monomer should have a plurality of chiral sites, so as to offer several chiral recognition sites and afford the potential of being broadly used in chiral separations. An appropriate monomer also should afford a CSP based both on adsorption of the chiral monomer as well as covalent linkage of the monomer to the underlying carrier. Covalently attaching the chiral monomer to a carrier virtually eliminates leaching, regardless of the mobile phase. This permits the use of many more types of mobile phases, as well as permitting switching from forward to reverse phase eluents using the same column without fear of destroying the CSP due to leaching or plugging of the column. This benefit makes the CSPs much more effective for traditional single pass chromatography, for recycle-type chromatography, for simulated moving bedbased chromatography, and simple preferential adsorption of one enantiomer over the other.
The use of a monomeric chiral host containing several chiral centers providing a plurality of potential chiral interactions offers the possibility of a chiral stationary phase manifesting broad chiral discrimination. Yohimbinic acid is a chiral material with several easily derivatizable sites making this chiral host readily modifiable to "tune" its selectivity according to the racemate to be resolved. Furthermore, the use of this monomer should lead to chiral stationary phases with good mass transfer properties more similar to brush-type stationary phases, whereas CSPs based on high carbon-loaded derivitized cellulosics show impaired mass transfer properties. Yohimbinic acid-based CSPs according to our invention described within may be expected to be effective in both analytical and preparative chromatography, especially simulated moving-bed chromatography.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The purpose of our invention is to prepare a variety of chiral stationary phases based on yohimbinic acid manifesting broad chiral discrimination. An embodiment comprises a passivated silica gel coated with yohimbinic acid or a derivative thereof. In a more specific embodiment, the derivative is a yohimbinic acid ester. In another specific embodiment the derivative is an ether of yohimbinic acid. Another embodiment is a yohimbinic acid or a derivative thereof covalently bonded to an underlying silica carrier via an aminoalkylsilyl spacer. A specific embodiment of this variant is one where the amino group is the covalent link bonding yohimbinic acid to the spacer molecule. In a more specific embodiment the CSP is yohimbinic acid amide of 3-aminopropylsilanized silica. Other embodiments will be apparent from our ensuing description.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The need for broadly-effective, "general-purpose" chiral stationary phases reflects the need for chiral stationary phases having 1) an organic monomer as the chiral recognition agent, 2) the potential to have broad chiral discrimination associated with a plurality of chiral sites, and 3) both a coated and covalently-bound analog based on the same underlying chiral organic material. Our invention fills these needs by using yohimbinic acid and its derivatives as the chiral organic material with a multiplicity of chiral recognition centers. Yohimbinic acid and its derivatives may be used merely as a coating on carriers of porous refractory inorganic oxides, or they may be covalently bound to the underlying carrier via an aminoalkylsilyl spacer. Because yohimbinic acid has multiple functionality, several sites may be derivatized independently to alter and customize chiral recognition for optimum resolution of specific enantiomeric pairs.
The chiral stationary phases of our invention consist of a carrier, which is a refractory inorganic oxide, and yohimbinic acid or a derivative thereof, where the yohimbinic acid or derivative thereof is present either as a coating on a carrier (i.e., "ionically" bound) or is covalently bound to the carrier via a spacer.
The carriers of our invention are refractory inorganic oxides which generally have a surface area of at least about 35 m 2 /g, preferably greater than about 50 m 2 /g and more desirably greater than 100 m 2 /g. There appears to be some advantage to working with materials having as high a surface area as possible, although many exceptions are known which preclude making this a general statement. Suitable refractory inorganic oxides include alumina, titania, zirconia, chromia, silica, boria, silica-alumina and combinations thereof. Of these, silica is particularly preferred as a carrier in chromatographic separations. Where the chiral stationary phase is merely a coated carrier, the carrier can be "passivated" by prior treatment with a suitable silane. This aspect of the procedure is well documented and does not need to be reviewed in any detail at this time; see, for example, Okamoto et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,818,394 for a representative procedure. Passivation frequently is performed by treatment with an aminopropylsilane although other passivating agents, such as octadecyltriethoxysilane or phenyltriethoxysilane, can be substituted for aminopropyltriethoxysilane in many cases.
Where the chiral stationary phase is yohimbinic acid or a derivative thereof covalently bonded to the underlying carrier, it is required that the carrier have bound surface hydroxyl groups, so that the latter may form one end of a tether which results from reaction of the bound surface hydroxyl groups with a silane functionality on a compound to form a covalent OSi bond as part of the structure, carrier--OSi--(CH 2 )--NH--spacer. The progenitor of the spacer portion of our invention has the formula (AO) x SiHal y (CH 2 ) n --NH--. The silane part of our spacer progenitor contains either halogen, Hal, or alkoxy groups, AO, either alone or in combination. Chlorine is by far the most common halogen which may be used in the practice of our invention, although bromine also may be used equally well. As for the alkyl group of AO, A may be any alkyl group, but preferably is a lower alkyl having from 1 through about 6 carbon atoms, with 1 and 2 carbon alkyl groups particularly desirable. The silicon atom is separated from the nitrogen atom by a chain of methylene groups, CH 2 . The length of this chain is given by n which is an integer between 2 and about 10, with n=2 to 4, especially desirable. The subscripts x and y also are integers where their sum is equal to 3.
Yohimbinic acid and its derivatives in all cases constitute the chiral organic material in the chiral stationary phase of our invention. For convenience, yohimbinic acid itself is given by the formula, (R 1 =OH,R 2 =R 3 =H). ##STR1## One notes that yohimbinic acid contains three centers which are easily substituted or derivatized, giving rise to the variables R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 . R 1 is selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl, amido, and alkoxy moieties containing from 1 up to about 20 carbon atoms, and aryloxy and aralkyloxy moieties containing from 7 up to about 20 carbon atoms. R 2 and R 3 may be different with each being selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl moieties containing from I up to about 20 carbon atoms, alkylaminocarbonyl moieties having 2 to 10 carbon atoms, arylaminocarbonyl moieties having 6 to about 10 carbon atoms, and acyl moieties containing from 2 up to about 20 carbon atoms.
When used as a coating, the passivated carrier is merely allowed to contact a suitable solution of yohimbinic acid or a derivative thereof for a time effective to adsorb the latter onto the passivated inorganic oxide and form a coating thereon. Typically, the amount of yohimbinic acid or its derivatives adsorbed on the underlying passivated carrier amounts to from about 0.2 up to about 8 wt. % relative to the final product.
Where the chiral organic phase is covalently bonded to the underlying carrier, covalent bonding occurs via the carboxylic acid portion of the yohimbinic acid. A generalized representation of the resulting covalently bonded chiral stationary phase is given below: ##STR2## The groups R 2 and R 3 are the same as have been defined above for the coated variant of our invention and need not be repeated here. In the covalently bonded variant of our invention, the yohimbinic acid or a derivative thereof may be present in an amount from about 0.2 up to about 8 wt. % based on the finished chiral stationary phase.
The examples which follow merely illustrate some specific embodiments of our invention, which is not limited thereto. Other variants and embodiments will be clear to the skilled artisan.
EXAMPLE 1
Ionically-Bound (+)-Yohimbinic Acid. A commercial analytical HPLC column (4.6 mm I.D. by 25.0 cm long) containing 3-aminopropyl-silanized silica gel (5 micron, Adsorbosphere NH 2 from Alltech Associates) was attached to a liquid chromatograph and equilibrated with 10% 2-propanol in hexane at 1.0 mL/min. To insure that the support was in its free-base form, it was equilibrated sequentially at 2.0 mL/min with 25 mL of dry THF, 1.2 g of triethylamine in 25 mL of THF, and 30 mL of THF. The column was then treated with a mobile phase prepared by dissolving 0.51 g of (+)-yohimbinic acid monohydrate (Aldrich Chemical Company) in 150 mL of THF. The clear, colorless solution was pumped through the column at 2.0 mL/min. The column then was flushed with 40 mL of pure THF, then equilibrated with 10% 2-propanol in hexane at 1.0 mL/min.
EXAMPLE 2
Covalently Bound (+)-Yohimbinic Acid. To a 100 mL, three-necked, round-bottomed flask equipped with a reflux condenser, a thermometer (attached to a Therm-o-watch temperature controller), a Teflon-coated stirring bar, and a heating mantle, was added 1.00 g (2.790 mmol) of (+)-yohimbinic acid and 40 mL of a mixture of dry pyridine and benzene (Aldrich Chemical Company). To the top of the condenser was attached a 10 mL equilibrated dropping funnel and a nitrogen line. To the dropping funnel was added 0.726 g (2.790 mmol) of 3-isocyanatopropyltriethoxysilane (95%, Huls America) dissolved in about 10 mL of dry pyridine. The flask contents were stirred, heated to 80° C., and the isocyanate slowly added over a 15 minute period. The benzene was distilled from the reaction until the temperature reached 90° C., then the reaction was allowed to proceed for about 24 hours more. After 24 hours, the contents (now containing the amide product from the reaction of the acid moiety of the yohimbinic acid with the isocyanate group of the organosilane) were stripped of a portion of the pyridine. The pyridine removed was replaced with dry benzene.
Stripping may be carried out using a stream of dry nitrogen or by pouring the contents into a 100 mL, single-necked, round-bottomed flask and stripping the pyridine from the reaction mixture using a rotary evaporator (set at 85° C.) and reduced pressure. The residue was returned to the same 100 mL reaction apparatus, which was equipped as before except the dropping funnel was removed and a Dean-Stark trap was added between the flask and the condenser. The nitrogen line was attached to the top of the condenser.
To the reaction residue were added 60 mL of benzene followed by 4.00 g of 5 μ silica gel. The slurry was gently stirred and the reaction mixture brought to reflux. Periodically, about 20 mL of benzene were removed from the trap and replaced with fresh, dry benzene.
At the end of 16 hours, the reaction was stopped and the contents filtered on a 60 mL (M) sintered glass funnel. The filter cake was washed sequentially (3×30 mL) with pyridine, acetone, methanol, acetone, and pentane then air dried in the funnel. The modified silica gel was fully dried in a vacuum oven at 5 torr for 3 hours at about 60° C. The yield was 4.23 g of very pale yellow powder.
EXAMPLE 3
Covalently-Bound, Derivatized (+)-Yohimbinic Acid. The modified silica gel product made using the method of Example 2 may be further treated in the following manner to enhance its chiral discrimination.
To a 100 mL, three-necked, round-bottomed flask equipped with a reflux condenser with a nitrogen line attached, a thermometer (attached to a Therm-o-watch temperature controller), a Teflon-coated stirring bar, and a heating mantle, were added 5.00 g of the (+)-yohimbinic-modified silica gel of Example 2 and 70 mL of dry dichloromethane (Aldrich Chemical Company). While gently stirring the reaction slurry, 0.71 g (6.963 mmol) of triethylamine (Aldrich) was added to the slurry followed by 2.11 g (8.70 mmol) of 3,5-dinitrobenzoyl chloride. The formation of hydrogen chloride gas was almost immediate. The slurry quickly thickened, but stirring became easier as the reaction progressed. After 24 hours, 0.18 g of additional triethylamine was added and the reaction was brought to reflux for one hour. At this time, the reaction was stopped and the modified silica gel was filtered on a sintered glass funnel and washed (3×20 mL) sequentially with dichloromethane, acetone, methanol, acetone, and pentane. The modified silica gel was dried in vacuo for 2 hours at 60° C. to yield a powder.
EXAMPLE 4
Covalently-Bound, In Situ-Derivatized (+)-Yohimbinic Acid. The same product of Example 3 may be obtained by first packing the product of Example 2 into an HPLC column, then derivatizing the stationary phase in situ.
The modified silica gel support prepared according to the procedure in Example 2 was slurry-packed into a stainless steel HPLC column 4.6 mm I.D. by 25.0 cm long. The HPLC column was attached to a liquid chromatograph for in situ derivatization. Through the HPLC column (previously equilibrated using 10% 2-propanol in hexane) were pumped 40 mL of pure hexane, followed by 40 mL of 50:50 hexane/dichloromethane, and then 40 mL of pure dichloromethane--all at a flow rate of 2.0 mL/min. While maintaining the flow rate at 2.0 mL/min, a solution of 2.11 g (8.70 mmol) of 3,5-dinitrobenzoyl chloride (Lancaster) in dry dichloromethane was pumped through the HPLC column. Upon completion, the column was flushed with 40 mL of pure dichloromethane. The final flushing used 20% 2-propanol in hexane until a constant baseline is obtained. The following tables summarize our results.
TABLE 1______________________________________Separation of Racemates on Ionically-Bound(+)-Yohimbinic Acid.sup.aRacemate t.sub.R1.sup.b t.sub.R2 .sup.b k'.sub.1.sup.c k'.sub.2.sup.c α______________________________________9-MAC.sup.d 17.05 (R) 17.71 (S) 4.79 5.02 1.05Benzoin 11.59 (S) 12.42 (R) 2.94 3.22 1.10Flavanone 4.79 4.91 0.628 0.668 1.06Indanol 6.32 (R) 6.65 (S) 1.14 1.24 1.09α-Methyl-2-naphthalene- 7.71 8.37 1.62 1.85 1.14methanol1-Phenethyl alcohol 5.76 (R) 6.07 (S) 0.958 1.06 1.11______________________________________ .sup.a Mobile phase was 10% 2propanol in hexane at 1.0 mL/min; UV Detecto set at 254 nm .sup.b Retention time (minutes) of enantiomers .sup.c Capacity factor of each enantiomer .sup.d 2,2,2Trifluoromethyl-1-(9-anthryl) ethanol.
TABLE 2______________________________________Comparison of Ionically-Bound (+)-Yohimbinic Acid onAminopropyl-Silica Gel with Two Commercial Columns.sup.a (+)-Yo.sup.b Chiralcel OD.sup.c Whelk-O 1.sup.dRacemate α, (k'1) α, (k'1) α, (k'1)______________________________________9-MAC.sup.d 1.05 3.06 1.12 (4.79, R) (2.58, S) (1.50, S)Phenethyl alcohol 1.11 1.21 1.04 (0.96, R) (1.04) (0.80)Benzoin 1.10 1.58 -- (2.94, S) (2.98)Flavanone 1.06 1.44 -- (0.63) (1.73)Indanol 1.10 1.14 -- (1.15, R) (1.14, S)α-Methyl-2-naphthalene- 1.14 1.00 1.00methanol (1.62) (2.59) (3.10)______________________________________ .sup.a Columns: 4.6 mm I.D. by 25.0 cm long; Eluent was 10% 2propanol in hexane, flow rate 1.0 mL/min., with Detector (UV) at 254 nm .sup.b α is a separation factor; k is capacity factor .sup.c Chiralcel OD (Daicel Chemical Industries, LTD) is a derivatized cellulose ionicallybound to aminoproylsilanized silica gel .sup.d WhelkO 1 (Regis Technologies, Inc.) is a covalentlybound stationar phase based on 4(3,5-dinitrobenzamido)-tetrahydrophenanthrene 2,2,2trifluoromethyl-1-(9-nthryl) ethanol
TABLE 3______________________________________Separation or Enrichment of Racemates onIonically-Bound (+)-Yohimbinic Acid.sup.aRacemate t.sub.R1.sup.b t.sub.R2.sup.b k'.sub.1.sup.c k'.sub.2.sup.c α______________________________________Flavanone 5.22 5.42 0.903 0.977 1.08Benzoin 19.42 20.48 6.09 6.47 1.062,2,2-Trifluoro-1- 16.96 18.14 5.19 5.62 1.08phenylethanol______________________________________ .sup.a Column: 4.6 mm I.D. by 25.0 cm long, 5 μ particle size, 2% 2propanol in hexane eluent, flow rate 1.0 mL/min, detector (UV) at 254 nm .sup.b Retention time (minutes) of enantiomers .sup.c Capacity factor of each enantiomer
TABLE 4______________________________________Evaluation of Covalently-Bound (+)-Yohimbinic Acid onto SilicaGel Using the Method of Example 2.sup.aRacemate t.sub.R1.sup.b t.sub.R2.sup.b k'.sub.1.sup.c k'.sub.2.sup.c α______________________________________9-MAC.sup.d 15.95 16.67 4.85 5.11 1.05Benzoin 9.74 10.10 2.57 2.70 1.05______________________________________ .sup.a Column: 4.6 mm I.D. by 25.0 cm long, 5 μ particle size, 10% 2propanol in hexane eluent, flow rate 1.0 mL/min, detector (UV) at 254 nm .sup.b Retentino time (minutes) of enantiomers .sup.c Capacity factor of each enantiomer .sup.d 2,2,2Trifluoromethyl-1-(9-anthryl) ethanol. | A set of chiral stationary phases is based on yohimbine and its derivatives. One set of chiral stationary phases is based on a coating of yohimbine and yohimbine derivatives, and another set is based on covalent linkage of the chiral organic material to the underlying support. Both sets are effective in resolving enantiomeric mixtures. | 1 |
This is a continuation of international application No. PCT/US03/05391, filed Feb. 21, 2003, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an article carrier, for example a basket type, adapted to accommodate a plurality of articles, such as bottles and to a blank for forming the carrier. In particular, the invention relates to a retractable handle for an article carrier.
Normally article carriers include a handle structure by which the carrier can be lifted and carried and the bottles are arranged in rows on either side of the handle structure. A problem associated with such carriers is that as the handle protrudes above the bottle tops it makes it harder to stack the carriers during transit because the handle arrangement may become deformed or may even tear if another carrier is mounted on top. Accordingly, known article carriers are not suited to stacking.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention and its preferred embodiments seek to overcome or at least mitigate the problems of the prior art.
A first aspect of the present invention provides an article carrier for carrying one or more articles for example bottles, comprising a plurality of panels for forming the opposed sides and ends of the article carrier including a pair of laterally spaced top wall panels hingedly connected to opposed side wall panels and a carrying handle hinged to the top wall panels wherein the handle is movable between a retracted position when the handle does not extend above the top of the articles and a deployed position whereby the handle protrudes above the article tops.
Preferably, the top wall panels are sized and hingedly connected to the handle such that each side wall panel flexes in a resilient manner. The arrangement is such that the top wall panels are put into tension during initial lifting or lowering movement of the handle and are relaxed by further movement of the top panels to cause a pop-up effect when lifting the handle and a retracting effect when lowering the handle.
Optionally, the pop-up effect occurs when the top wall panels move upwardly above the horizontal plane containing the upper edges of the side walls and the retracting effect occurs when the top wall panels move downwardly below the horizontal plane containing the upper edges of the side walls.
According to an optional feature of this aspect of the present invention there further comprises an intermediate panel hingedly connecting each top wall panel to the handle. The intermediate panel is adapted to move from downward orientation in the retracted position to an upward orientation in the deployed position so as to enable the handle to flex relative to the top wall panels.
According to another optional feature of this aspect of the present invention each of the top wall panels further comprises one or more apertures to receive an upper portion of an article.
Preferably the aperture is ellipsoidal in shape so as to be circular in diameter in both the deployed and retracted positions.
According to an optional feature of this aspect of the present invention the carrier is a basket type carrier.
A second aspect of the present invention provides a blank for forming an article carrier for carrying one or more articles comprising a plurality of panels for forming the opposed sides and ends of the article carrier hingedly connected together and a pair of laterally spaced top wall panels hingedly connected to the respective side wall panels and a handle panel hinged to the top wall panel.
Preferably the top panels are sized and hingedly connected to the handle such that each side wall flexes in a resilient manner in a set up article carrier, the arrangement being such that the top wall panels are put into tension during initial lifting or lowering movement of the handle and are relaxed by further movement of the top panels to cause a pop-up effect when lifting the handle and a retracting effect when lowering the handle.
According to an optional feature of this second aspect of the present invention there further comprises an intermediate panel hingedly connecting each top wall panel to the handle, the intermediate panel is adapted to move from, downward orientation in the retracted position to an upward orientation in the deployed position so as to enable the handle to flex relative to the top wall panels in a set up article carrier.
According to another optional feature of the second aspect of the present invention the top wall panel further comprises one or more apertures to receive an upper portion of an article.
Preferably the aperture is ellipsoidal in shape.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Exemplary embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a unitary blank from which an article carrier according to one aspect of the invention is formed;
FIGS. 2 , 3 and 4 illustrate the construction of the article carrier from the blank shown in FIG. 1 ;
FIG. 5 illustrates the article carrier in a set up and loaded condition with the handle in a deployed position;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the article carrier shown in FIG. 5 with the handle structure in a retracted position; and
FIGS. 7 , 8 and 9 are cross-section views of the article carrier shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrating the pop-up effect of the handle structure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to the drawings and in particular FIG. 1 , there is shown a blank 10 for forming an article carrier, which blank is formed from paperboard or other suitable foldable sheet material. The article carrier formed from the blank is adapted to accommodate a plurality of articles, for example six bottles arranged in two rows of three bottles each. It is envisaged that the carrier can be adapted to accommodate a different number and/or configuration of articles according to user requirements.
The blank 10 comprises a plurality of panels for forming the opposed sides, ends and base of an article carrier. In this embodiment there comprises a first end wall panel 12 , first side wall panel 14 , second end wall panel 16 and second side wall panel 18 hingedly connected one to the next in series along fold lines 20 , 22 and 24 respectively.
In FIG. 1 , an ‘arrowhead’ style basket carrier is formed, whereby the opposing ends are pushed together to separate the opposing side wall panels. In order to achieve this, the end wall panels are divided into two parts so that first end wall panel 12 comprises first part 26 and second part 28 hingedly connected together along fold line 30 . Similarly second end wall panel 16 comprises first part 32 and second part 34 hingedly connected together along fold line 36 . Of course, it is envisaged that in other embodiments, a ‘parallelogram’ style of basket carrier can be used without departing from the scope of invention.
One or more securing flaps 38 , 40 and 44 are hingedly connected to an end edge of one of the end wall panels 12 to be secured to the opposing end of the carrier blank during construction of the carrier, described below.
Base wall panels 46 and 50 are provided which are, preferably, hingedly connected to first and second side wall panels 14 and 18 respectively along fold lines 48 and 51 .
A handle structure H is provided and is connected to the sides or ends of the article carrier by means of one or more top wall panels, so that top wall panel 52 is hingedly connected to first side wall panel along fold line 54 and second top wall panel 68 is hingedly connected to second side wall panel 18 along fold line 70 .
In FIG. 1 , the handle structure H is provided by a pair of handle panels 62 and 76 which are hingedly connected to the respective one of the top wall panels 52 , 68 along fold lines 64 and 78 respectively. Each handle panel is provided with a hand aperture 65 a , 65 b and one or more handle flaps 66 a , 66 b to provide a more comfortable handle arrangement. The top wall panel(s) 52 , 68 further comprise one or more apertures 56 a , 56 b struck from their respective top wall panels 52 , 68 . The apertures may be elliptical in shape and viewed from above they are circular so as to receive an article, although other shapes are envisaged, without departing from the scope of the invention. The shape of the apertures in FIG. 1 enable the top panels to move from deployed to retracted positions, described in more detail below.
There may further comprise one or more protruding tabs 57 a , 57 b extending from the respective ones of the side wall panels 14 , 18 respectively. In use, the protruding tabs provide additional protection for the upper portions of the articles.
In one class of embodiments, the handle structure H is allowed to flex relative the top wall panels 52 , 68 and, to this end, intermediate panels 58 and 72 hingedly interconnect top wall panels 52 and 68 to the respective handle panels 62 and 76 along fold lines 60 , 64 and 74 , 78 .
It is envisaged that the construction of the article carrier can be formed by a series of sequential folding and gluing operations in a straight line machine, so that the carrier is not required to be rotated or inverted to complete its construction. The folding process is not limited to that described below and may be altered according to particular manufacturing requirements.
FIGS. 2 , 3 and 4 illustrate the forming process of the carrier. The first stage of construction is to form the side and end walls so that panel 26 is folded inwardly along fold line 30 and in to face contacting arrangement with panel 28 , shown in FIG. 3 . Thereafter, second side wall panel 18 is folded inwardly about fold line 36 to replace overlapping arrangement with first side wall panel 14 . Second side wall panel 18 is' secured to the securing flap 38 by glue G ( FIG. 3 ) or other suitable means known in the art. Thus the carrier is in a flat collapsed condition as shown in FIG. 4 , ready to be supplied to the user or bottling plant for loading and final construction.
In some embodiments, handle panels 62 and 76 are secured together by glue G or other suitable means known in the art.
In order to erect the carrier of FIG. 4 the opposing end edges defined, at least in part, by fold lines 30 and 36 , are pushed in an inward direction so as to separate panels 34 , 18 and 26 from opposing panels 32 , 14 and 28 respectively. Articles, for example bottles B 1 , B 2 and B 3 are loaded into the article carrier by relative vertical movement between the article carrier and the bottles, as is well known, and the outer portions of the bottles are inserted through the apertures 56 a and 56 b . Base panels 46 and 50 are folded inwardly and are secured together in overlapping arrangement, by glue or other suitable means, for example a locking tab arrangement, as is known in the art. The article carrier is then in a set up and loaded condition as shown in FIG. 5 .
In order to complete the construction of the carrier so that the article carriers can be shipped or stacked, the handle arrangement is pushed in a downward direction X, as shown in FIG. 6 .
The top wall panels 52 , 68 are sized and hingedly connected to the handle H such that each side wall panel 14 , 18 and/or each top wall panel 52 , 68 flexes in a resilient manner when the handle is moved downwardly. This causes the top wall panels 52 , 68 to be put into tension during the initial lowering movement of the handle H.
As the lower edge E ( FIGS. 7 and 8 ) of the handle H drops beneath the horizontal plane P ( FIG. 8 ) containing the upper side edges of the side walls 14 , 18 the tension in the top panels forces the handle structure H downwards providing a automatic retracting effect so that the handle H is positioned below the tops of the bottles B 3 , as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 .
To assist in this handle movement, intermediate panels 58 , 72 may be provided to act as articulating parts so that the handle H can move relative the top wall panels 52 , 68 . This results in the intermediate panels 58 , 72 moving from an upwardly oriented position shown in FIG. 9 to a downwardly oriented position shown in FIG. 7 and reduces the prospect of the top panels creasing, or tearing.
Conversely, in order to move the handle H into a deployed position from the position in FIG. 7 , the end user lifts the handle causing the top panels to be moved upwardly and the side wall panels 52 , 68 and in some embodiments, the intermediate panels 58 , 72 flex. As the lower edge E of handle H passes through the horizontal plane P shown in FIG. 8 , the side walls 52 , 68 force the handle structure upwards to cause a pop-up effect.
The ‘pop up’ and ‘automatic retracting’ effects are caused by making the width W 1 and W 2 of top panels (and optionally the intermediate panels) greater than the width of the end wall W 3 thereby creating an imbalance effect in the horizontal plane P.
One advantage of employing the present invention is that the loaded carriers can be stored or shipped by stacking the carriers without destroying the integrity of the handle structure.
The present invention and its preferred embodiments relate to an arrangement for providing a retractable handle structure in a basket style carrier. However, it is anticipated that the invention can be applied to a variety of carriers, for example wrap around or fully enclosed cartons and is not limited to those of the type hereinbefore described.
It will be recognised that as used herein, directional references such as “top”, “base”, “end”, “side”, “inner”, “outer”, “upper” and “lower” do not limit the respective panels to such orientation, but merely serve to distinguish these panels from one another. Any reference to hinged connection should not be construed as necessarily referring to a single fold line only: indeed it is envisaged that hinged connection can be formed from one or more of one of the following, a score line, a frangible line or a fold line, without departing from the scope of invention.
It should be understood that various changes may be made within the scope of the present invention, for example, the size and shape of the panels and apertures may be adjusted to accommodate articles of differing size or shape, alternative base closure structures may be used. The article carrier may accommodate more than one article in different arrays. | An article carrier and a blank for forming an article carrier for carrying one or more articles comprising a plurality of panels for forming the opposed sides and ends of the article carrier including a pair of laterally spaced top wall panels hingedly connected to the opposed side walls. A carrying handle is hinged to the top wall panels. The handle is movable between a retracted position when the handle does not extend above the top of the articles and a deployed position whereby the handle protrudes above the article tops. | 1 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/275,286, filed on Aug. 27, 2009, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH
[0002] Not Applicable
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The present invention relates to hydrogels applicable to biofilm-retarding surfaces, food coatings, implant coatings, tissue engineering, and household applications.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0004] Infection associated with orthopedic implants is one of the major reasons for the failure of joint replacement surgeries. Infection from bacterial biofilms can be caused by a pre-existing infection in the body pre-operation or from the surgery, and can arise anytime after the procedure. There are about 200,000 hip implant and 300,000 knee implant surgeries performed in the United States alone each year and about 3% of these implants have to be replaced due to Staphylococcus aureus ( S. aureus ) bacterial infection or failure of the host to integrate the implant. Corrective surgery for such replacements costs around 1.5 billion U.S. dollars every year. It has been observed by several researchers that the attachment of bacteria on implants occurs within the first 48 hours after surgery, leading to biofilm formation and, therefore, failure of the implant.
[0005] Infections can also occur from bacteria residing on hospital attire or equipment, where attachment of bacteria and protein (e.g., from blood or other sources) can occur. Reducing the potential for such attachment would reduce the frequency of infections associated with Staphylococcus epidermidis ( S. epi ) which grows on skin or open wounds. Approximately, 250,000 cases of infection associated with contaminated catheters, attire and tools for surgery are reported each year in the United States alone.
[0006] Different methods for preventing bacterial biofilm attachment and infection are currently being developed. Simple prevention methods include treating patients with antibiotics at very high concentrations. Although seemingly efficient, this method has been shown to have little beneficial effect, as well as being toxic to the liver and spleen.
[0007] Recent publications disclose the application of certain types of hydrated polymer-based coatings to prevent bacterial adhesion. However, these coatings cannot uniformly coat surfaces or discourage cell attachment and proliferation. Therefore they are inefficient in preventing bacterial infection and may inhibit integration of host cells. In order to avoid this situation, hydrogel-based systems, usually based on polyethylene glycol (PEG), have been used to coat surfaces to prevent bacterial adhesion. However, the use of such systems also limits the potential for tissue ingrowth.
[0008] Chitosan, which is a biodegradable polysaccharide, has been evaluated for several biological applications ranging from tissue engineering to retardation of biofilm formation on surfaces. However, most of these techniques do not use the chitosan as a hydrogel, but instead used freeze-dried chitosan scaffolds. Also, in cases where a hydrogel is used, particularly for tissue engineering applications, the hydrogels that were formed are opaque, and do not allow easy visualization of cells encapsulated inside the scaffolds. Also, such hydrogels are not as effective as PEG-based coatings in retarding biofilm formation on surfaces.
[0009] Dextran-based hydrogels have also been formed using freeze-drying techniques, UV-crosslinking or, in some cases, introduction of double bonds that render dextran cross-linkable by UV radiation. However, dextran by itself cannot retard biofilm formation or even bacterial attachment. Also, dextran is generally not an effective scaffold material for tissue engineering owing to its brittle nature and the ease with which it dehydrates.
[0010] Some of the standard techniques used to form of chitosan-based hydrogels include the promotion of electrostatic interactions. For example, such hydrogels have been formed by electrostatic interaction with negatively-charged polymers such as polyacrylic acid, hyaluronic acid, or even dextran sulfates that are inherently negatively charged.
[0011] Chen et al. (Biomaterials 29 (2008) 3905-3913) describes an in-situ gellable hydrogel composed of N-carboxyethyl chitosan and oxidized dextran that is non-cytotoxic for tissue engineering applications. However, the reported gelling system is only capable of forming a gel at 37° C. (Biomacromolecules 2007 April; 8(4): 1109-1115), making it unfeasible to use such gels in applications outside of the body. Further, Chen et al. describes cell encapsulation as well as promotion of surface attachment of the cells, which, for the reasons stated above, is undesirable. Chen et al. prepared the modified chitosan using acrylic acid, which is a non-biodegradable compound and is cytotoxic when accumulated in the body. So, such modified chitosans may not be safe for long-term use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] This present invention comprises a composite hydrogel for biomedical applications, such as providing a coating in implants and protecting against bacterial infection. The hydrogel incorporates chemically-modified dextran and chitosan.
[0013] In a first embodiment, the present invention is applied as a coating to reduce the likelihood of bacterial attachment and biofilm growth. In some instances of the first embodiment, the coating is applied to implants, such as orthopedic implants for hip or knee replacement or vascular implants (e.g., stents), for its bacteriostatic properties and to promote host integration through cell attachment, proliferation and differentiation inside the hydrogel. In other instances of the first embodiment, the coating is applied to hospital attire or medical implements to reduce the potential for bacterial growth on their surfaces.
[0014] In a second embodiment, the hydrogels are used in tissue engineering applications, to prevent tissue ingrowth from the outside of the hydrogel as well as resist bacterial attachment to the hydrogel surface. In some instances of the second embodiment, the hydrogels are transparent and are used to cover the region surrounding the eye after surgery, allowing for better vision and greater enhanced patient comfort than the opaque plasters that are currently in use. In other instances of the second embodiment, the hydrogels are provided with active agents, such as drugs or growth agents, that are incorporated within the hydrogels and released over time.
[0015] In a third embodiment, the hydrogel components are provided in a spray that may be used to uniformly coat surfaces such that the hydrogel forms in situ, rendering the surfaces bacteriostatic and resistant to attachment of proteins. In some instances of the third embodiment, the spray is used to coat produce to prevent spoilage from bacteria, allowing storage of produce for longer periods of time. In other instances of the third embodiment, the spray is used to thinly coat household surfaces including kitchen countertops, bathroom sinks, and numerous other items. This will prevent bacterial attachment to such surfaces for a prolonged period, as compared to products that only kill bacteria at the time they are used.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES
[0016] The patent or application contains at least one drawing executed in color, which includes a color photograph. Copies of this patent or patent application publication with color drawings will be provided by the Office upon request and payment of the necessary fee.
[0017] FIG. 1 is a graph showing the gelation times of dextran-chitosan hydrogels according to an embodiment of the incorporating dextrans having various degrees of oxidation;
[0018] FIG. 2 is a graph showing the gelation times of dextran-chitosan hydrogels according to an embodiment of the present invention prepared with various amounts of dextran and chitosan;
[0019] FIG. 3 is photograph of a dextran-chitosan hydrogel according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 4 is a bar chart comparing the gelation (“gelling”) times of a hydrogel according to an embodiment of the present invention at various ratios of a modified dextran (DexCHO) to a chitosan;
[0021] FIG. 5A is a photograph at a magnification of 10× of chondrocytes growing within a hydrogel according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0022] FIG. 5B is a photograph at a magnification of 25× of chondrocytes growing on the outside of a hydrogel of the same type as the hydrogel of FIG. 3A ;
[0023] FIG. 6A is a live/dead image of chondrocytes within a hydrogel according to the present invention;
[0024] FIG. 6B is a live/dead image of chondrocytes about 100 microns beneath the surface of a hydrogel of the same type as the hydrogel of FIG. 4A ;
[0025] FIG. 7 is a graph showing cytotoxicity of dextran-chitosan hydrogels according to an embodiment of the present invention using a first cytotoxicity test method;
[0026] FIG. 8 is a graph showing cytotoxicity of dextran-chitosan hydrogels using a second cytotoxicity test method;
[0027] FIG. 9 is a bar chart comparing the results of cytotoxicity assays performed on inoculated hydrogels according to the present invention and tissue culture plate controls;
[0028] FIG. 10 is a bar chart of assayed cell numbers in hydrogels according to an embodiment of the present invention having different ratios of dextran to chitosan;
[0029] FIG. 11 is a graph showing the release of bovine serum albumin (BSA) overtime from dextran-chitosan hydrogels according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0030] FIG. 12 is a graph showing the release of vancomycin overtime from dextran-chitosan hydrogels according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0031] FIG. 13 is a chart of the release of bovine serum albumin (BSA) from hydrogels according to the present invention having different ratios of dextran to chitosan;
[0032] FIG. 14 is a bar chart of cell number (MTS) assays comparing cell growth on socks with and without coatings of a hydrogel according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0033] FIG. 15 is a group of photographs showing the effects of a hydrogel coating according to an embodiment of the present invention on bacterial growth on socks, wherein photographs labeled “A” and “B” respectively show cotton-based socks and nylon socks, and photographs labeled “1”, “2” and “3” respectively show non-inoculated socks without a hydrogel coating, inoculated socks without a hydrogel coating, and inoculated socks with a hydrogel coating, all of which have been subjected to an MTS assay;
[0034] FIG. 16 is a group of photographs showing the effects of a hydrogel coating according to an embodiment of the present invention on bacterial growth on socks, wherein photographs labeled “A” and “B” respectively show cotton-based socks and nylon socks, and photographs labeled “1”, “2” and “3” respectively show non-inoculated socks without a hydrogel coating, inoculated socks without a hydrogel coating, and inoculated socks with a hydrogel coating, wherein the socks are stained with methylene blue;
[0035] FIG. 17 is a bar chart of bacteria number estimated by MTS assays comparing growth on tissue culture plates coated with different ratios of dextran-chitosan hydrogel compositions according to an embodiment of the present invention, uncoated surfaces, and thin films of chitosan, as well as inclusion of proteins in selected hydrogels;
[0036] FIG. 18 is a graph showing in vitro swelling overtime of a cross-linked hydrogel according to an embodiment of the present invention; and
[0037] FIG. 19 is a graph showing in vitro degradation overtime of a cross-linked hydrogel according to an embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0038] Embodiments of the present invention include hydrogels that comprise dextran and chitosan, which may be chemically modified as needed for specific applications. Such hydrogels have the property of being self-gelling, allowing in-situ formation of hydrogels within 3-10 minutes, depending on the ratio of dextran to chitosan. Therefore, surfaces can be uniformly coated with solutions of the hydrogel components which will then gel quickly to form a barrier coating. Once the coating has formed, the hydrogel discourages cells, proteins and bacteria from attaching to the coated surface, thus retarding biofilm formation. However, when cells are added to the solutions prior to gelling, along with an appropriate growth medium, they are encapsulated into the hydrogel and, therefore, stay alive and aid in the production of a matrix for host integration and tissue re-growth. Another major advantage of the system is that it involves an in-situ gelling mixture, which, if processed prior to gelling, can be molded or extruded to form plugs, tubes or other shapes. Once gel formation is complete, the hydrogel exhibits good mechanical stability. Further, dextran-chitosan hydrogels of the present invention may form at all ambient environmental temperatures, in contrast to prior art gels that form only at temperatures near 37° C. Thus, the hydrogels of the present invention can be used in many applications outside of the human body.
[0039] Hydrogels made according to embodiments of the present invention have various functional groups that aid binding of proteins, such as fibronectin, which promote attachment of cells and growth of cellular matrix inside of the hydrogels. Hydrogels made according to embodiments of the present invention can also be loaded with growth factors or bacteriostatic proteins, such as bone morphogenic proteins (BMPs) and vancomycin, which will then be released in a controlled fashion. Since the chitosan and dextran from which some of the hydrogels of the present invention are made are natural materials, they have very low immunogenicity and very high biocompatibility.
[0040] The examples presented herein describe the formation and characterization of hydrogels made according to an embodiment of the present invention. These examples describe representative embodiments of the invention and are in no way intended to limit the range of embodiments encompassed by the present disclosure. A person skilled in the relevant arts may make many variations and modifications of the hydrogels discussed herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
[0000] Hydrogel Formulations: The selection of hydrogel formulations, according to embodiments of the present invention, depends on multiple factors, including: the degree of chemical modification of the hydrogel components (i.e., dextran and chitosan), concentration of the components in the aqueous solution, and ratios of the two components. The usefulness of the hydrogel formulation is mainly characterized by its gelation time which is the time required to form a solid, complete hydrogel after mixing the two hydrogel components.
[0041] The degree of chemical modification of each of the hydrogel precursors is responsible for the characteristics of the hydrogel. Exemplary chemical modifications of chitosan include deacetylation; for dextrans, an exemplary modification is oxidation of the reactive groups on the polymer. Chitosan having different degrees of deacetylation are commercially available, with a common range from 50% to 100% deacetylation. A series of degrees of oxidization of dextran to dextran aldehyde (DA) can be prepared by varying the amount of oxidizing agent used in the oxidizing reaction. Through a standard trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) assay, DA with degrees of oxidization ranging from 10%-80% have been prepared. Experiments suggest that carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC) with a degree of deacetylation from 50% to 100%, more preferable from 70% to 90%, are useful in forming hydrogels according to the present invention. Experiments also suggest that DA with degrees of oxidization ranging from 10% to 80%, more preferably from 50% to 80% are useful in forming hydrogels according to the present invention. Generally, the higher extents of modification, which in turn lead to higher densities of crosslinking, will lead to faster gelation. In an experiment, a chitosan component with 75-85% deacetylation at constant concentration formed hydrogels with a series of DA having different degrees of oxidization in a 1% solution (w/v). Gelation times were calculated to determine how the degree of oxidization affected the gelation process. Results are shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 .
[0042] The concentrations of both aqueous hydrogel precursors also greatly influence the gelation process. Higher concentrations imply higher densities of macromers in a certain volume of solution, which in turn implies higher densities of crosslinking between the dextran and chitosan macromers. In a series of experiments, freeze-dried CMC macromer was rehydrated in PBS to reconstitute CMC solutions with concentrations ranging from 0.5% w/v to 4.0% w/v, and freeze-dried DA macromers were rehydrated in PBS to reconstitute DA solutions with concentrations ranging from 0.5% w/v to 10.0% w/v. Solutions of CMC and DA at different concentrations were mixed, and their gelation times were recorded. Generally, higher concentrations of DA and/or CMC lead to faster gelation, with CMC solution contributing more to gelation.
[0043] The ratio of DA and CMC plays an important role in determining the gelation time of hydrogels according to the present invention. In a preferred embodiment, CMC and DA were prepared as a 2% w/v solution separately. Different ratios between CMC and DA were used to formulate hydrogel. Generally, hydrogels can be formed in a range of CMC:DA 9:1 to CMC:DA 1:9, more preferably in a range of CMC:DA 7:3 to CMC:DA 3:7. Any ratios within this range will lead to the formation of a hydrogel according to the present invention.
[0044] Other chitosan than CMC can be used, but they are not usually water soluble and the acids used for dissolution might have an adverse effect when it comes in contact with human tissues. Other dextrans can be used, but they typically should be aldehyde functionalized. In fact, any large molecule with the hydroxyl group converted to aldehyde can be used to form a hydrogel with modified hydrogels. Depending on the molecular weight, the solution concentrations will have to be adjusted. The concentrations of the component play a role in the consistency of the gels, loading and release of drugs and other similar effects of the hydrogels of the present invention.
[0045] A CMC-DA system can be used as a fundamental hydrogel system according to the present invention with further chemical modification being possible. For example, introducing other small molecules or polymers can confer new physicochemical or biological properties to the hydrogel that are absent in hydrogels of CMC and DA alone. Therefore the CMC and DA provide a versatile hydrogel system which allows further modification by taking advantage of their high reactivities.
[0046] Since both CMC and DA components have reactive functional groups on their backbones, further chemical modifications are possible on each of the two components. The further modifications on the original CMC and DA components are primarily, but not limited to, covalent bond formation, through, preferably, but not limited to, EDC coupling, DCC coupling, or Schiff base formation. Other modifications based on electrostatic interaction are also possible. These modifications on either CMC or DA introduce small molecules or polymers having reactive functional groups, for example, but not limited to, amino groups, carboxyl groups, hydroxyl groups, thiol groups.
[0047] Other amino-containing molecule such as, amino acids, peptide, antibody, 3-amino-9-ethylcarbazole, 4-aminophthalhydrazide, trizma base, rhodamine, cystathionine, luminal, amino-terminated PEI, other aldehyde containing molecules such as, glutaraldehyde, phthaldialdehyde, dodecyl aldehyde, lauric aldehyde, tiglic aldehyde, formaldehyde, resorufin, dexamethasone, other carboxyl-containing molecules such as, amino acid, peptide, acrylic acid, methylacrylic acid, ascorbic acid, anthranilic acid, acid-terminated PEG, decanoic acid, quinic acid, and other reactive molecule such as, FITC, allyl isothiocyanate, 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate, 2-hydroxyethyl methylacrylate, thiocholesterol, 1-thioglycerol can also be used to form hydrogels according to the present inventions, according to the principals discussed above.
[0048] Examples of reactive molecules that bind to the DA backbone include: other amino containing molecule such as, amino acids, peptide, antibody, biotin hydrazide, formic hydrazide, benzyl carbazate, 2-hydroxyethyl carbazate, 2-aminoacridone, rhodamine, 2-aminopyridine, amino-terminated polyethyleneglycol (PEG), and polyethylene imides (PEI).
[0049] In a further embodiment, any combinations of modified CMC and DA with additional components might lead to the formation of hydrogels conferred with the new property brought by newly introduced molecules, such as increased hydrophilicity or hydrophobicity, increased swelling behavior, fluorescence, radioactivity, all of which might make the CMC-DA system more favorable for a specific biomedical application.
[0000] Formation of a Hydrogel: A hydrogel according to an embodiment of the present invention was formed from chitosan and dextran that had been chemically modified to CMC and dextran aldehyde, respectively. CMC was prepared by reacting chitosan in excess sodium hydroxide solution (50% (w/v)) overnight. The alkalized chitosan was collected by vacuum filtration and chloroacetic acid (10 g) dissolved in isopropanol (25 mL) was added drop-wise over a period of 20 min. The reaction was allowed to take place for 6 hrs at 50° C. The mixture was then filtered to remove the solvent and the filtrate was dissolved in water (100 mL). Concentrated HCl was used to adjust the pH to 7. The solution was centrifuged for the removal of the precipitate and the supernatant was added to chilled ethanol (200 mL). The product precipitated from the solution and was collected through vacuum filtration and washed several times using ethanol. The product was vacuum dried at room temperature and dialyzed to remove all excess reagents before further use.
[0050] DA was prepared by reacting 2.5% (w/v) dextran in deionized water with 1.65% (w/v) sodium periodate overnight under agitation. The reaction mixture was then quenched with polyethylene glycol (PEG) and dialyzed for one day against deionized water. Solid DA was collected after freeze drying.
[0051] Both CMC and DA were separately reconstituted in deionized water at a concentration of 10 mg/ml. To prepare the gels, the DA solution was added to the CMC solution, thoroughly mixed, and stored away from light as this step is a light sensitive process. The resulting hydrogels were then tested as described hereinbelow.
[0052] The resulting hydrogels showed good mechanical stability. FIG. 3 shows a transparent hydrogel formed by the method described above. The hydrogel does not flow freely and maintains its shape well. Mechanical properties of the hydrogel can be controlled by altering the concentration ratio between the dextran and chitosan components.
[0053] The gelling time for the hydrogels can be controlled by varying the ratio between the dextran and chitosan components. Variations in gelling time at different component ratios are shown in FIG. 4 , where “DexCHO” represents DA.
[0000] Cell Growth: Chondrocyte growth was investigated to determine whether the DA-CMC hydrogels would allow for cell growth. Chondrocytes (1×10 5 cells) were seeded within the first of two hydrogels by incorporating them in the DA-CMC mixture before the hydrogel formed. Chondrocytes were seeded on the surface of the second hydrogel. FIG. 5A shows a photograph of chondrocytes growing inside of the first hydrogel at a magnification of 10×. The chondrocytes are distributed throughout the hydrogel. FIG. 5B is a photograph of chondrocytes growing on the surface of the second hydrogel at a magnification of 25×. The chondrocytes are growing normally, but are not attaching to the surface or spreading across it. FIGS. 6A and 6B are live/dead images of the chondrocytes within the first hydrogel, taken with a confocal microscope. FIG. 6A is a Z-stack image of chondrocytes within the hydrogel, and FIG. 6B is an image of chondrocytes about 100 microns beneath the surface of the same type of hydrogel of FIG. 6A . The respective scale bars indicate 50 microns. The green color in both images indicates that most of the cells are indeed alive and growing. Both of the microscopic images indicate that chondrocytes can live normally within the matrix of the hydrogel of the present invention while not attaching to the surface of the hydrogel. Thus, they retain their spherical morphology.
[0054] Other cells that can be encapsulated into the hydrogels of the present invention include, but are not limited to, stem cells, marrow cell, bone cells, hepatocytes, keratinocytes, chondrocytes, osteocytes, endothelial cells, epithelial cells, and smooth muscles cells.
[0000] MTS Assay Procedure and Cytoxicity Studies: The cytotoxicity of this composition hydrogel has been investigated using osteoblasts as model cells. The results of the cytotoxicity tests show that the hydrogels of the present invention possess non-to-minimal cytotoxicity to osteoblast.
[0055] The cytotoxicity of hydrogels according to the present invention is measured in vitro by two methods, namely an extract method and a direct contact method.
[0000] Extract method: The extract procedure was performed according to ISO10993. Hydrogels with volumes of about 1 ml were prepared at various ratios of CMC and DA. Hydrogels were formed in wells of a 24-well plate and allowed to gel for 10 mins in an incubator at 37° C. After incubation, each hydrogel was taken out of the original plate and placed in one well of a 6-well plate. 5 mL of DMEM (90% DMEM, 10% FBS, 1% Penicillin and streptomycin) medium was added to extract the hydrogel under 37° C., 95% humidity and 5% CO 2 . 1 ml of hydrogel was extracted to make 5 mL of pretreated media. Osteoblast cells were seeded in wells of a 24-well plate at a density of 4×10 4 cells per well. After incubation with non-pretreated medium for 24 hours, the medium was discarded and replaced with 1 mL of the aforementioned pretreated medium. Referring to FIG. 7 , cell viability was examined at Day 1 and Day 4 using MTS for quantitative measurement.
Direct Method: Hydrogels with various ratios of CMC to DA were prepared in wells of a 24-well plate. The volume of each hydrogel was 1 mL. After incubation for 10 mins at 37° C., each hydrogel was taken out of its well and cut into four pieces. Osteoblasts were seeded in a 24-well plate at a density of 5×10 4 cells/well in 1 mL of medium and cultured for 24 hours. Previously prepared hydrogels were cut into 4 pieces and each piece was put into one well and incubated with osteoblasts. TCP serves as the control group. Referring to FIG. 8 , cell viability was measure at day 1 using a MTS/assay. Before the MTS assay, incubated medium and pieces of hydrogel were discarded and the wells refilled with fresh medium.
Cytotoxicity Study: The cell cytoxicity test ws extened to chondrocytes. Chondrocytes (1×10 5 cells) were seeded within the hydrogels, and allowed to grow. Cell growth was determined through an MTS assay which was performed in the manner described above. Assays were performed in triplicate at days 1, 4 and 7 in order to study chondrocyte attachment and proliferation. As a control, wells without the hydrogels, or tissue culture plates (TCPS), were used. The hydrogels show no cytotoxicity compared to the control, as shown in FIG. 9 .
Effect of Dextran-Chitosan Concentration Ratios on Cell Growth: Three hydrogels were made at DA-CMC concentration ratios of 50:50, 75:25, and 25:75, each of which was prepared with chondrocytes (1×10 5 cells) before gelling. Cell growth was determined through an MTS assay which was performed in the manner described above. Assays were performed in triplicate at days 4 and 7 in order to study chondrocyte attachment and proliferation. The 50:50 DA-CMC hydrogel showed the greatest cell proliferation of the three hydrogels, as shown in FIG. 10 .
Effects of Dextran-Chitosan Concentration Ratios on Drug Release: One or a combination of some bioactive agents can be entrapped in the hydrogel compositions for controlled release. The term bioactive agents describes chemical agents that are introduced into an animal or human subject to produce a biological, therapeutic or pharmacological result. Exemplary bioactive agents which may be introduced according to the present invention to include, for example, angiogenic factors; growth factors; hormones; anticoagulants, for example heparin and chondroitin sulphate; fibrinolytics such as tPA; amino acids; peptides and proteins, including enzymes such as streptokinease, urokinase and elastase; steroidal and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents such as hydrocortisone, dexamethasone, prednisolone, methylprednisolone, promethazine, aspirin, ibuprofen, indomethacin, ketoralac; antibiotics, including noxythiolin and other antibiotics to prevent infection; prokinetic agents to promote bowel motility; anti-cancer agents; neurotransmitters; immunological agents including antibodies; nucleic acids including antisense agents; fertility drugs, psychoactive drugs; and local anesthetics.
[0056] A wide variety of active agents can be incorporated into the hydrogel. Release of the incorporated additive from the hydrogel is achieved by diffusion of the agent from the hydrogel, degradation of the hydrogel, and/or degradation of a chemical link coupling the agent to the polymer. An “effective amount” refers to the amount of active agent required to obtain the desired effect.
[0057] Three significant methods by which active agents can be incorporated into the hydrogel composition are described herein. First, active agents with appropriate functional groups can be conjugated to the backbone of CMC to form an active agent-CMC conjugate which further forms a hydrogel with a DA component. In such an embodiment, dexamethasone is first conjugated to the CMC macromer taking advantage of Schiff base formation chemistry. Then, this dexamethasone-CMC conjugate is mixed with DA, hydrogel appears upon mixing the two components together. In such a case, the release of the active agents conjugated on CMC components greatly relies on the hydrolytic cleavage of the covalent bond that binds the agent to CMC, therefore the diffusion of active agent is subjected to the hydrolysis rate of such a bond and the degradation of the entire polymeric structure, not just the free diffusion of the small active agent. The mechanism of release ensures a more sustainable release than just physically encapsulating active agents in the internal matrix of the hydrogel.
[0058] In a second method, active agents with appropriate functional groups can be first conjugated with DA to form an active agent-DA conjugate which further forms a hydrogel upon mixing with a CMC component. In one such embodiment, bovine serum albumin (BSA) is first mixed with a DA solution to allow Schiff base formation between BSA and DA which results in a BSA-DA conjugate. The BSA-DA conjugate is then mixed with CMC to form a hydrogel upon mixing. In such a case, the release of the active agent is subject to the hydrolysis of the covalent bond that binds the agent and DA together and the degradation of the entire polymeric architecture. When compared to free diffusion of other physically encapsulated molecules, this agent-macromer conjugate provides a more sustainable release behavior.
[0059] One special property of the active agent-DA conjugate is that the chemical linkage of the agent to the water-soluble polymer can be manipulated to hydrolytically degrade, thereby releasing biologically active agent into the environment in which they are placed. When implanted into a tissue, the controlled-release matrix will release the agent-polymer conjugate, which will release active agent molecules to treat the area of the tissue in the immediate vicinity of the polymer. The agent-polymer conjugates will also diffuse within the tissue, reaching a great distance from the matrix because of their low rate of clearance from the tissue. As the agent-polymer conjugates diffuse, the bond between the polymer and the agent will slowly degrade in a controlled, pre-specified pattern. Other variables which affect conjugate release kinetics are: component ratio, degree of substitution, type of covalent bond, contact surface and so on.
[0060] In the third method, non-bonding active agents can be incorporated into the hydrogel by mixing them with the dextran and chitosan. For water soluble active agents, a solution of the agent may be mixed with the dextran and chitosan solutions. For water insoluble active agents, a suspension of the agent may be mixed with the dextran and chitosan solutions. In an embodiment of the present invention, the chemically inert bactericide vancomycin is encapsulated into the hydrogel composition, and the release thereof is controlled by diffusion. Release by diffusion is typically more rapid than the release of covalently-bonded or conjugated compounds. In still a further embodiment, active agents complexed with nanoparticles, micelles, microspheres, liposomes, or other microscale or nanoscale structures can be also loaded into the CMC-DA hydrogel allowing a sustained release of such complexes.
[0061] To investigate how the ratio and concentration of dextran and chitosan can vary the release profile of both BSA and vancomycin were tested as models for the release of a protein drug and a hydrophobic drug, respectively. Referring to FIGS. 11 and 12 , the results of these tests imply that the ratios, as well as concentrations of the dextran and chitosan affect the hydrodynamic properties of the hydrogel, thus further controlling the release process of the entrapped drugs.
[0062] The methods of incorporating bioactive agents described above have been extended to conjugating bioactive agents with hydrogel macromers prior to hydrogel formation. In this way, many bioactive agents containing reactive functional groups can be conjugated to the macromer through a covalent bond that is susceptible to hydrolysis, and then be released through the cleavage of the bond in a sustainable manner. For example, dexamethasone can be first conjugated to the CMC backbone and this dexamethasone-CMC conjugate can be mixed with DA to form a dexamethasone-loaded hydrogel that releases dexamethasone in a sustained manner.
[0063] The species of bioactive agents useful with the hydrogels of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above and can be extended to many other species. In the meantime, the release profile of each individual bioactive agent is not solely dependent on the ratio and characteristic of the hydrogel, but also relies on the hydrophilicity, hydrophobicity and hydrodynamics of the agent itself.
[0064] Bovine serum albumin (BSA) was used to show the drug release properties of the DA-CMC hydrogels. Three hydrogels were made at DA-CMC concentration ratios of 50:50, 75:25, and 25:75, each of which was prepared with BSA (2 mg/mL) before gelling. The hydrogels were kept at 37° C. with 1 mL of PBS added to each sample. PBS was periodically collected and replaced with fresh PBS over a 14 day period. The BSA in the collected PBS was quantified using a Bio-Rad™ protein assay kit (Bio-Rad Laboratories, Hercules, Calif.), with absorbance read at 570 nm. At least three gels were sampled at each time point and quantified for the amount of BSA in PBS, with the BSA concentrations reported as the mean concentration±standard deviation. It appears that as DA crosslinks with CMC, it also has the ability to crosslink with BSA itself. Therefore, a higher concentration of DA within the hydrogel causes a lower rate of release of BSA. This trend is clearly illustrated in FIG. 13 . Overall, a high rate of drug release is shown for all DA-CMC hydrogels tested.
[0065] The BSA was used as a model protein as it has a molecular weight similar to other growth factors and is easily detectable using simple assays. The BSA controlled release results can be extended to all growth factors, proteins and antibacterials.
[0000] Determination of Bacteriostatic Properties: Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) was the bacteria used to study the resistance of the DA-CMC hydrogels to bacterial attachment. Two different types of sock samples, one cotton-based (“A”) and the other nylon (“B”), were used in this study. Each sock was tested in triplicate for each of the following cases: sock sample with no bacteria (“1”); sock sample with bacteria (“2”); and hydrogel-coated sock sample with bacteria (“3”). All of the sock samples were sterilized using 70% ethanol and set up in a 24-well plate. Socks for case 3 were coated with the hydrogel by dipping each sock first in a CMC solution and then in a DA solution. E. coli were cultured in Luria broth (LB broth), and a 500 μl suspension of the culture was added to each of the appropriate wells. Three samples were prepared for each sock type in each case. The samples were incubated overnight to allow for attachment and proliferation of the bacteria.
[0066] After incubation, an MTS assay was performed on each sock sample using the procedure outline above. The hydrogel-coated samples showed a 50% reduction in bacterial attachment when compared with non-coated inoculated samples, as shown in FIG. 14 . Photographs were taken of each sock sample showing the difference in color due to the MTS assay. These photographs are shown in FIG. 15 , wherein photographs labeled “A” and “B” respectively show cotton-based sock samples and nylon sock samples, and photographs labeled “1”, “2” and “3” respectively show non-inoculated sock samples without a hydrogel coating, inoculated socks without a hydrogel coating, and inoculated socks with a hydrogel coating.
[0067] After the MTS assays, the sock samples in the wells were washed with methanol to fix the bacteria, and stained with methylene blue for further quantification. FIG. 16 shows photographs of each type of sock sample, arranged in the same manner as the sock samples of FIG. 16 , with the difference in color reflecting the differing degrees of bacterial attachment.
[0000] Determination of bacteriostatic action against S. Aureus bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus ( S. aureus ) was used to study the resistance of selected dextran-chitosan hydrogels of the present invention to bacterial attachment and biofilm formation. Six different types of gels, having different chitosan-to-dextran ratios, proteins and bactericidal drugs, with six replicates each, were prepared in 96-well plates under sterile conditions. FIG. 18 is a bar chart showing the relative extent of bacterial growth, as estimated by MTS assay, for the various cases studied.
[0068] The chitosan and dextran solutions used in this study were prepared as described above. With reference to the labels used in FIG. 17 , hydrogels were prepared with chitosan-dextran ratios of 1:1 (“1:1”), 2:1 (“2:1”) and 3:1 (“3:1”). Wells with chitosan sheets alone (“CS”), empty wells (“10̂8”), wells with vancomycin alone (“10̂8+VMC”) and wells with PBS alone (“PBS”) were used as controls. Additional hydrogels having chitosan-dextran ratios of 2:1 were prepared with fibronectin (“2:1+FN”), vancomycin (“2:1+VMC”) or both (“2:1+FN+VMC”) were also studied to understand the effect of drug loading and release on bacterial colony formation.
[0069] For the study, triplicate plates of each combination were seeded with S. aureus at a concentration of 1.0×10 8 bacteria/ml. The bacteria were allowed to attach and grow overnight (16 hours). The same protocol was followed for the MTS assay.
[0070] Results for each of the hydrogels showed substantially less bacterial growth and biofilm formation as compared to chitosan based sheets (“CS”) or the tissue culture plate (“10̂8”). It is evident that the hydrogels resisted bacterial attachment. Especially, attachment to the “2:1” and “3:1” hydrogels was significantly less than the “1:1” hydrogels. It is also clearly shown that the addition of fibronectin (“2:1+FN”) did not significantly change bacterial attachment relative to the “2:1” hydrogels. It may be noted that osteoblast cell attachment (results not shown) is significantly changed when fibronectin is added to the hydrogels.
[0071] It can also be seen that vancomycin reduced bacterial colony formation, whether or not a hydrogel was present, however some bacterial attachment did occur. However, vancomycin should be steadily released from the hydrogel over time resulting in a sustained bacteriostatic or bacteriocidal effect.
[0072] The chitosan and dextran ratios can be altered to alter the mechanical property of the hydrogels. They can be made to very viscous flowable hydrogels or strong hard hydrogels based on the ratios of chitosan and dextran used.
[0000] Effects of CMC-DA Ratio's on Hydrogel Properties: The ratio of the two components forming the hydrogel plays an important role in determining the properties of the resulting hydrogel, including gelation time, mechanical strength, swelling behavior, degradation rate, release behavior, cytotoxicity, inhibition of bacterial and epithelial adhesion, and so on. In an embodiment of the present invention, CMC and DA were prepared as a 2% w/v solution separately. Different ratios between CMC and DA were used to formulate the hydrogels. Generally, a hydrogel will form in a range of CMC:DA=9:1 to CMC:DA=1:9, more preferably in a range of CMC:DA=7:3 to CMC:DA=3:7. Any ratios within this range will lead to the formation of a hydrogel.
[0073] The effects of CMC-DA ratios on the properties of the resulting hydrogels were characterized in terms of gelation time, mechanical strength, swelling behavior, degradation, and so on, as discussed herein below.
[0074] The gelation time of the hydrogel composition can be varied from 5 seconds to as long as 10 minutes, and longer if desired. The gelation time will generally be affected by the ratio of the two components. Generally, a greater proportion of CMC to DA will lead to shorter gelation time. To be useful in most medical applications, the hydrogel should form within one hour after introduction of the mixed components into the mammalian body, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 .
[0075] The firmness or mechanical strength of the hydrogel will be also determined in part by the crosslink density between the two components. The maximum crosslink density is obtained by employing the ratio CMC:DA=1:1. Generally, a maximally optimized crosslink between the two components will lead to the toughest mechanic strength of the hydrogel. As the crosslink density deviates from its maximum, the mechanical strength of the hydrogel get weaker.
[0076] The swelling of the hydrogel is inversely proportional to the crosslink density which, in turn, is determined by the ratio of dextran and chitosan. Generally, higher crosslink density results in less swelling.
[0077] The degradability of the hydrogel is also determined by the ratio of dextran to chitosan. Generally, an optimized ratio will make the hydrogel more stable under physiological conditions and more resistant to hydrolytic cleavage, which leads to slower degradation in the body or in a biomimetic environment.
[0000] Mechanical strength: A dynamic material analyzer was employed to test the compressive modulus of a sample hydrogel. Compressive modulus of elasticity was measured in the elastic region of the hydrogels. Sample hydrogels were prepared by incubating the DA and CMC mixture in a 24-well plate for 30 min to obtain columnar hydrogels, typically with a height between 6 to 7.5 mm. Measurements were conducted at 25° C., and a constant strain rate of 0.01× height up to 60% strain was applied to samples.
[0000] Mechanical strength of hydrgels with various ratios and concentation Concentration Compressive Yield (% w/v) Ratio (DA:CMC) modulus (kPa) point (kPa) 3% 5:5 22.7664 ± 4.1592 5.768 2% 7:3 5.779255 ± 0.45535 1.632 2% 5:5 8.604 ± 0.41777 2.742 2% 3:7 6.28875 ± 1.037112 1.495 1% 1:1 1.253 ± 0.098517 0.372
In vitro swelling test: The hydrogels were lyophilized and their dry weights are measured. Dried hydrogel samples made from various ratios of dextran to chitosan were immersed in PBS (pH 7.4) and incubated at 37° C. in order to allow them to reach the swelling equilibrium, each hydrogel occupying a well in a 6-well plate. Every three days, the PBS for incubation was replaced with fresh PBS. At predetermined time intervals, (e.g., days 1, 2, 4, 8, 16 and 24), a swollen hydrogel was taken out of the well. Residual water on the exterior surface of the hydrogel was carefully blotted with paper. FIG. 19 depicts the values obtained during the process which are the average of 4 samples at days 1, 2, 4 and 8. The swelling ratio (Q) was calculated by Q=W s /W d , where W s is the wet weight of the hydrogel and W d is the initial dry weight of the hydrogel.
In vitro degradation test: Biodegradation is a process in which polymeric material depolymerizes or decomposes (e.g., by enzymatic digestion or hydrolytic degradation under physiological conditions), and the resulting small molecules are either absorbed by body or secreted. The prevailing mechanism of degradation is hydrolysis of the hydrolytically unstable polymer backbone. Biodegradability is a desired property for many biomaterials employed in various biomedical applications, such as a scaffold in bone and cartilage engineering, where such scaffolds are temporarily used to support and maintain a specific architecture of cells and need to be absorbed after some extent of regeneration has been achieved. Deposition of non-degradable material can be toxic to the entire body, in which case the implanted material needs to be removed by surgery.
[0078] The biodegradability of the hydrogels of the present invention was investigated gravimetrically in PBS (pH 7.4) at 37° C. to mimic physiological conditions. Freeze-dried CMC-DA samples were measured and incubated in PBS. At predetermined times, three samples were taken out of the PBS and weighed after being freeze-dried. Biodegradation was indicated by the weight lost from the hydrogel.
[0079] As the results suggested, this CMC-DA hydrogel system degrades in biomimetic environment at an acceptable rate. As shown in FIG. 20 , a desired degradation rate can be obtained by varying the ratio and concentration of the two components.
[0000] Contrast agent: In some embodiments of the invention, a contrast agent may be included in the hydrogel compositions. A contrast agent is a biocompatible material capable of being monitored by, for example, radiography. Water soluble or water insoluble contrast agents may be used. Examples of water soluble contrast agents include metrizamide, iopamidol, iothalamate sodium, iodomide sodium, and meglumine. Examples of water insoluble contrast agents are tantalum, tantalum oxide, barium sulfate, gold, tungsten, and platinum. These are commonly available as particles preferably having a size of about 10 um or less.
[0080] The contrast agent can be loaded to the hydrogel composition prior to administration. Both solid and liquid contrast agents can be simply mixed with dextran and chitosan solutions. Contrast agents are desirably added in an amount of about 10 to 40 weight percent, more preferably about 20 to 40 weight percent.
[0000] Biofilm Inhibition: Microrganisms adherent on implant surfaces can grow to form biofilms which are encased in a hydrated matrix of extracellular polymeric substances. These types of biofilms on implants represent a substantial challenge for successful medical treatments and often require implant device removal followed by systemic antimicrobial therapies to clear infections at substantial cost and morbidity. Most often, infection persists until the implant is removed, while the prospects of a revision surgery are lower than those of any primary implant because the surrounding tissue may remain compromised by bacterial presence. In an effort to reduce the incidence of biofilm, a vast number of antiadhesive and/or antimicrobial coatings continue to be reported to minimize microbial adhesion and subsequent biofilm formation on biomaterials surfaces.
[0081] Broadly, the biofilm-inhibiting composition coating for a medical device inhibits the growth or proliferation of biofilm microorganism on at least one surface of the medical device. Preferably the device is an implantable device such as drug delivery pump, a pacemaker, a cochlear implant, an analyte sensing device, a catheter, a cannula or the like.
[0082] Typically, compositions that are suitable for use as coatings on medical devices are applied to the surface of an implantable device by methods such as dipping, spraying or immersing. In a spraying method, the medical device is sprayed with mixed hydrogel precursors prior to gelation. In an immersion method, the medical device is immersed into the mixed hydrogel precursor while the hydrogel is forming. The choice of the method to be used is dependent on the type of device and other considerations. If desired, coating techniques can be repeated or combined to build up the polymeric coating to a desired thickness.
[0083] The biofilm-inhibiting composition coating for medical devices may be formulated to substantially prevent the colonization of device by biofilm-forming microorganisms, for example by killing and/or removing substantially all of the microorganisms on the surface of medical devices. Biofilm microorganisms include any one of the wide variety of microorganisms which form biofilms during colonization and proliferation on the surface of medical devices, including, but not limited to, gram-positive bacteria (such as Staphylococcus epidermidis ), gram-negative bacteria (such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa ), and/or funge (such as Candida albicans ). Preferred embodiments of the invention typically target organism including Pseudomonad species, Streptococcus species, Haemophilus species, Escherichia species, Enterobacteriaceae, Proteus species, Staphylococcus species, Blastomonas, Sphingomonas, Methylobacerium and Nocardioides species as well as yeast species such as Candida albicans etc.
[0084] In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the bactericidal vancomycin is used in combination with a CMC-DA hydrogel mixing it with the precursor solutions of the hydrogel prior to forming the coating. The vancomycin molecule will stay within the coating and release from the coating after the coating is placed at the desired site. Suitable biocidal agents that may be included in the coating include, but are not limited to, antimicrobial, antibiotics, antimyobacterial, antifungals, antivirals, and the like. Preferred antimicrobial agents include, but are not limited to, chlorhexidine, polymyxins, tetracyclines, aminoglycosides, rifampicin, bacitracin, neomycin, chloramphenicol, miconazole, quinolones, penicillins, nonoxynol 9, fusidic acid, cephalosporins, mupirocin, metronidazole, cecropins, protegrins, bacteriocins, defensins, nitrofurazone, mafenide, lincomycins, pefloxacin, nalidixic acid and combination thereof. Besides vancomycin, anti-bacterial agents may include, but are not limited to, penicillins, cephalosporins, cephamycins, carbopenems, carbopenems, monobactam, teicoplanin, macrolides, tetracyclines, aminoglycosides, chloramphenicol, sodium fusidate, azole, quinolones.
[0085] In still another embodiment of the invention, lectin and/or phosphorcholine are/is incorporated into the composition coating. Lectin and phosphorcholine are reported to help to retard the adhesion of bacterial from the surface of medical devices. While lectins and phosphocholine are used in certain embodiments of the invention, other molecules which act in an analogous manner are also suitable for use with the hydrogel coatings of the present invention.
[0000] Double-chamber syringe: The hydrogel composition can be prepared using a double-chamber syringe configuration wherein the dextran and chitosan solutions are maintained in individual chambers prior to the simultaneous introduction of the contents of each chamber to desire site of surface. Suitable syringes for this purpose are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,609,371, 4,359,049, and 4,109,653, or are commercially available. The aqueous hydrogel precursors may also be conveyed though the syringe or with a variety of other common mechanical devices including, but not limited to, syringe pumps, peristaltic pumps, piston pumps, diaphragm pumps and the like.
Cell delivery: Dextran-chitosan hydrogels of the present invention may be utilized to deliver living cells to a desired site in a mammalian body. Examples of such cells include, but are not limited to, stem cells, marrow cell, bone cells, hepatocytes, keratinocytes, chondrocytes, osteocytes, endothelial cells, epithelial cells, and smooth muscles cells. Thus, the hydrogel of the present invention can be used in certain tissue engineering applications, by functioning as adhesion substrates, anchoring cells to be transplanted to affect the survival, growth and, ultimately, grafting and or anchoring of the transplanted cells to normal cellular tissue.
[0086] As was described with respect to FIGS. 7A and 7B , chondrocytes have been entrapped in this composition hydrogel by pre-mixing the cells with the hydrogel precursors to form a homogenous cell-containing solution. A cell-containing hydrogel is then formed by mixing the two aqueous hydrogel precursor with the live cells therein, and allowing gelation to occur. Such a method can be used to form cell-bearing implants.
[0000] Barrier against postoperative adhesion: The term adhesion is used to describe abnormal attachments between tissues or organs or between tissues and implants which form after an inflammatory stimulus, most commonly surgery, and in most instances produce considerable pain and discomfort. When adhesions affect normal tissue function, they are considered to be a complication of surgery. These tissue linkages often occur between two surfaces of tissue during the initial phases of post-operative repair or part of the healing process. Adhesions are fibrous structures that connect tissues or organs which are not normally joined. Common post-operative adhesions to which the present invention is directed include, for example, intraperitoneal or intraabdominal adhesions and pelvic adhesions. Adhesions may produce bowel obstruction or intestinal loops following abdominal surgery, infertility following gynecological surgery as a result of adhesion forming between pelvic structures, restricted limb motion following musculoskeletal surgery, cardiovascular complications including prolonging the operative time at subsequent cardiac surgery, infection and cerebrospinal following many surgeries, especially including spinal surgery which produces low back pain, leg pain and sphincter disturbance.
Coating for implant lens: Cataract surgery currently is a well-established ophthalmologic procedure. In cataract surgery, the diseased, clouded lens is replaced by an artificial, non-accommodating lens. Although this operation is a mature procedure, a major, severe complication of the implantation of an intra-ocular lens is the occurrence of posterior capsular opacification (PCO) caused by a proliferation of remaining epithelial cells. A polymeric coating on the surface of the implant lens is expected to retard the adhesion of remaining epithelial cell, which in turn to alleviate the posterior capsular opacification after implantation.
[0087] Typically, methods that are suitable for coating the implant lens with this composition coating include, but not limited to, dipping, spraying or immersing. All of these methods are familiar to those people who are skilled in this art. The choice of the method is dependent on the type of implant lens and other considerations. If desired, coating techniques can be repeated or combined to build up the polymeric coating to the desired thickness.
[0000] Preserving coating for food: Chitosan itself is reported to be antimicrobial, and several studies have investigated on its effect when used to coat on the surface of fruit and vegetable as a preservative due to its great biocompatibility. Typically, methods that suitable for coating the fruit and vegetable with this composition coating include, but not limited to, dipping, spraying or immersing. All these methods are familiar to those people who are skilled in this art. If desired, coating techniques can be repeated or combined to build up the polymeric coating to the desired thickness.
[0088] In an embodiment of the present invention, strawberries were treated with a CMC-DA coating through an immersing technique. After drying at room temperature, the hydrogel coating was not obviously detectable. The coating did not repel water. The coated strawberries showed an extended preservation period relative to its uncoated counterpart. The mechanism of this extended preservation time is hypothesized to be a slowed respiration rate of the fruit and/or better prevention of bacterial adhesion to the surface of the fruit.
[0089] One advantage of the dextran-chitosan hydrogel coating is that no other aqueous crosslinkers or initiators are needed which might be poisonous or add an abnormal taste to the fruit or vegetable, which would render the coating technique less valuable. A taste panel detected no-to-slight taste abnormalities for those strawberries coating with the CMC-DA composition of the present invention.
[0090] This composition coating is not only suitable for vegetables or fruit, but also can be applied to meat. The coating was applied to a meat sample in a similar manner, and the coating showed a comparable effectiveness for the meat as for the strawberries.
[0091] In further embodiments of the invention, this edible hydrogel coating can serve as carriers for a wide range of food additives, including various antimicrobials that can extend product shelf-life and reduce the risk of pathogen growth on food surface. In this embodiment, antimicrobials which are generally recognized as safe may be incorporated into processed meat formulations, applied as dipping solution or sprayed on the surface of the sample.
[0092] The examples presented herein describe representative embodiments of the invention and are in no way intended to limit the range of embodiments encompassed by the present disclosure. A person skilled in the relevant arts may make many variations and modifications of the hydrogels discussed herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims below. | A biodegradable hydrogel comprises a water-soluble dextran having aldehyde groups cross-linked with a water-soluble chitosan. Various chemical agents may be encapsulated in the hydrogel or bonded thereto for controlled release. The hydrogel may be applied as a coating to reduce the likelihood of bacterial attachment and biofilm growth; used in tissue engineering applications to prevent tissue ingrowth; or used as a matrix in which cells may proliferate. The components of the hydrogel can be applied sequentially as a spray or by immersion and will gel spontaneously at environmental or physiological temperatures. | 0 |
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
The present application is a divisional application of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/106,155 filed Apr. 13, 2005 which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/683,659 of Benjamin M. Rush et al., filed on Oct. 9, 2003, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,916,159 on Jul. 12, 2005, which is related to and claims priority based on U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/417,464, entitled “Disposable Pump for Drug Delivery System,” filed on Oct. 9, 2002, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/424,613, entitled “Disposable Pump and Actuation Circuit for Drug Delivery System,” filed on Nov. 6, 2002, each of which is hereby incorporated by this reference in its entirety. The present application is related to U.S. application Ser. No. 11/105,711, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,727,181, of Benjamin M. Rush, entitled “Fluid Delivery Device with Auto Calibration,” and U.S. application Ser. No. 11/106,256, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,399,401, of Benjamin M. Rush, entitled “Devices and Methods For Use in Assessing a Flow Condition of a Fluid,” each of which was filed Apr. 13, 2005 and are hereby incorporated herein, in their entirety, by this reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is generally related to portable insulin or other liquid delivery systems and more specifically related to a pump for use in such systems.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Insulin pumps are widely available and are used by diabetic people to automatically deliver insulin over extended periods of time. Many currently available insulin pumps employ a common pumping technology, the syringe pump. In a syringe pump, the plunger of the syringe is advanced by a lead screw that is turned by a precision stepper motor. As the plunger advances, fluid is forced out of the syringe, through a catheter to the patient. The choice of the syringe pump as a pumping technology for insulin pumps is motivated by its ability to precisely deliver the relatively small volume of insulin required by a typical diabetic (about 0.1 to about 1.0 cm3 per day) in a nearly continuous manner. The delivery rate of a syringe pump can also be readily adjusted through a large range to accommodate changing insulin requirements of an individual (e.g., basal rates and bolus doses) by adjusting the stepping rate of the motor. While the syringe pump is unparalleled in its ability to precisely deliver a liquid over a wide range of flow rates and in a nearly continuous manner, such performance comes at a cost. Currently available insulin pumps are complicated and expensive pieces of equipment costing thousands of dollars. This high cost is due primarily to the complexity of the stepper motor and lead screw mechanism. These components also contribute significantly to the overall size and weight of the insulin pump. Additionally, because of their cost, currently available insulin pumps have an intended period of use of up to two years, which necessitates routine maintenance of the device such as recharging the power supply and refilling with insulin. These syringe type pumps, even if described as disposable, are simply too expensive to be truly disposable, or are alternatively disposed at a very high cost to patients and insurance companies alike.
Shape memory alloys are a part of a class of materials that change shape when power is applied to them but that return to their natural state when the power is removed. The materials can be used to form an actuator by harnessing this unique attribute of the materials. A pump can be made with a shape memory alloy actuator. However, a shape memory alloy does not have the inherent accuracy and repeatability of the precision stepper motor used in a syringe pump. Although price is always important, precision is also essential in a pump used to deliver insulin or other drugs. It is therefore necessary to provide a system to precisely control and actuate a pump utilizing a shape memory material as an actuator.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
The present invention employs a cost effective yet precise pumping system and method to deliver insulin or other liquid to a user. Unique physical design aspects and an intelligent control system employed in the present invention allow for a shape memory alloy to actuate a pumping mechanism with excellent reliability and repeatability.
The present invention allows for not only a cost effective pumping system, but also for a robust, precise, light weight, and fault tolerant system. Although the pumping system is precise, light weight, and fault tolerant, in the medical applications where the pump will be most advantageous, numerous reasons may make it desirable to dispose of and replace portions of the pumping system relatively frequently. The low cost of the pumping mechanism of the present invention allows for such disposable usage, while at the same time the pump is able to provide precision doses throughout the life of the pump. Stresses in the pump are minimized with the control system, and warnings can be generated if the pump is not primed properly or if an occlusion is detected within the pumping system. The reduction of stresses within the pump provides for a smaller and lighter weight pump with a longer lifetime, which is of obvious benefit to a user of the pump. Furthermore, the intelligent control system allows the pump to operate even if a fault is detected. For example, if the full stroke of the pump is unavailable for some reason, a lesser stroke can be utilized (at a higher frequency) and the pump can continue to provide the necessary dosage to the user.
Additional aspects, advantages and features of the present invention are included in the following description of exemplary examples thereof, which description should be taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures, and wherein like (and similar) numerals are used to describe the same feature throughout the figures. While the prefix of a numbering element may change based upon the figure number, if the remainder of the numbering element is the same in the various embodiments, the component is the same or similar to that described regarding an earlier described embodiment. For example, capacitor 304 of FIG. 3 is the same or similar to capacitor 504 of FIG. 5 . When this is the case, the element will not be described again, and reference should be made to the description of the earlier figure ( FIG. 3 in this example). All patents, patent applications, articles and other publications referenced herein are hereby incorporated herein by this reference in their entirety for all purposes.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIGS. 1A , 1 B, and 1 C illustrate pump 100 at various stages of operation.
FIG. 1D is a block diagram of pumping system or “pump” 150 .
FIGS. 2A , 2 B, and 2 C illustrate pump 200 at various stages of operation.
FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate different embodiments of pump drive circuits for use with pump 200 or other pump embodiments.
FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate pump 400 at various stages of operation.
FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of a pump drive circuit for use with pump 400 or other pump embodiments.
FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate pump 600 at various stages of operation.
FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrate pump 700 at various stages of operation.
FIG. 8 illustrates an embodiment of a pump drive circuit for use with pump 700 or other pump embodiments.
FIGS. 9A and 9B illustrate pump 900 at various stages of operation.
FIGS. 9C , 9 D, and 9 E illustrate different embodiments of position encoding utilized for linear feedback.
FIG. 10 illustrates an embodiment of a pump drive circuit for use with pump 900 or other pump embodiments.
FIG. 11A is a graph of a pump operating in an unprimed state.
FIG. 11B is a graph of a pump operating in a primed state.
FIG. 11C is a graph of occlusion detection within a pump.
FIGS. 12A and 12B are graphs of pump operation over time.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present invention employs a cost effective yet precise pumping system and method to deliver insulin or other liquid to a user. Unique physical design aspects and an intelligent control system employed in the present invention allow for a shape memory alloy to actuate a pumping mechanism with excellent reliability and repeatability.
The present invention allows for not only a cost effective pumping system, but also for a robust, precise, light weight, and fault tolerant system. Although the pumping system is precise, light weight, and fault tolerant, in the medical applications where the pump will be most advantageous, numerous reasons may make it desirable to dispose of and replace portions of the pumping system relatively frequently. The low cost of the pumping mechanism of the present invention allows for such disposable usage, while at the same time the pump is able to provide precision doses throughout the life of the pump. Stresses in the pump are minimized with the control system, and warnings can be generated if the pump is not primed properly or if an occlusion is detected within the pumping system. The reduction of stresses within the pump provides for a smaller and lighter weight pump with a longer lifetime, which is of obvious benefit to a user of the pump. Furthermore, the intelligent control system allows the pump to operate even if a fault is detected. For example, if the full stroke of the pump is unavailable for some reason, a lesser stroke can be utilized (at a higher frequency) and the pump can continue to provide the necessary dosage to the user.
As mentioned briefly above, a shape memory alloy is used to actuate a pump made in accordance with the present invention. In the process of undergoing a dimensional change, the shape memory material goes through a reversible phase transition or transformation, or a reversible structural phase transition, upon a change in temperature. Generally, such a transition represents a change in the material from one solid phase of the material to another, for example, by virtue of a change in the crystal structure of the material or by virtue of a reordering of the material at a molecular level. In the case of nitinol, for example, the superelastic alloy has a low temperature phase, or martensitic phase, and a high temperature phase, or austenitic phase. These phases can also be referred to in terms of a stiff phase and a soft and malleable phase, or responsive phase. The particular phase transition associated with a particular alloy material may vary. Shape memory materials are well understood by those of ordinary skill in the art.
Pump 100 , an embodiment of a pump (or a portion thereof) of the present invention, is shown in the inactive state in FIG. 1A , the fully activated state in FIG. 1B , and the stress-loaded state in FIG. 1C . The pump body comprises a case 101 , a top cap 102 , and a plunger cap 103 . Within the pump is a plunger 104 that is normally (in the inactive state) held against the plunger cap 103 by a plunger bias spring 105 . Similarly, an overload piston 106 is normally (in inactive state) held against the top cap 102 by an overload piston spring 107 which is stronger (has a higher spring constant k) than the plunger bias spring 105 . The plunger 104 is connected to the overload piston 106 by a shape memory alloy wire 108 which contracts when heated by a pulse or pulses of current flowing from the V+ 109 contact to the V− 110 contact through the shape memory alloy wire 108 where the V− 110 contact may be the system ground (GND) reference. The power in each pulse is determined by the voltage applied to the shape memory alloy wire 108 through the V+ 109 and V− 110 contacts. It is worth noting that the case is made of an insulating material while the plunger 104 and overload piston 106 are either made of a conductive material (e.g. metal) or are coated with an appropriately conductive material. The top cap 102 and plunger cap 103 may be made of insulating or conductive material as is best suited to a given design.
FIG. 1A shows the pump in the inactive state where the shape memory alloy wire 108 is not contracted, the plunger 104 is held against the plunger cap 103 by the plunger bias spring 105 and the overload piston 106 is held against the top cap 102 by the overload piston spring 107 . This is the state to which the pump 100 returns after each activation or pumping cycle.
FIG. 1B shows the pump in the fully activated state where the shape memory alloy wire 108 has contracted enough to pull the plunger 104 up against a stop built into the case 101 without moving, while overload piston 106 which is held against the top cap 102 by the overload piston spring 107 . This state realizes a full stroke of the plunger 104 .
FIG. 1C shows the pump in the stress-loaded state where the shape memory alloy wire 108 has contracted sufficiently to pull the overload piston 106 up against a second stop built into the case 101 . In this state the case 101 , plunger 104 , overload piston 106 , and shape memory alloy wire 108 are under maximum stress.
The design of the basic pump 100 is such that there is no feedback to the circuit driving the pump (open loop) and the action of the pump after the fully activated state shown in FIG. 1B is accommodated by the design margin to ensure that the pump reaches a fully activated state. If the pulse or pulses of current applied to the shape memory alloy wire 108 are reduced to the minimum value required to achieve the fully activated state under worst case conditions, such as a cold wire, then the action of the basic pump 100 under best case conditions, such as a warm wire, will drive the pump toward the stress-loaded state shown in FIG. 1C . The design of the pump 100 , and the selection of the overload piston spring 107 is driven by the differences between the worst-case and best-case conditions. Under normal operating (non-fault) conditions the pump always completes the full stroke (the fully activated state) as shown in FIG. 1B and operates reliably over the expected life of the pump because excess contraction and the resultant stress are minimized (as seen in the stress-loaded state shown in FIG. 1C ). Considerations for the worst-case and best-case conditions include operating temperature range, the minimum pumping rate (e.g. the minimum basal delivery rate), and the maximum pumping rate (e.g. the maximum bolus rate).
It is important to note that the open-loop design of pump 100 lacks feedback and thus cannot adaptively accommodate faults as they are not sensed. For example, a pump failure such as a jammed plunger 104 could cause a reduced or zero insulin delivery output and the pump would be assumed by the user (patient) to be operating correctly when an improper dose was delivered.
FIG. 1D is a block diagram that shows the overall system of which the various pump embodiments are a part. The overall system 150 comprises a microprocessor 150 A, drive circuitry 150 B, and pump element 150 C. All of these components can be considered to form the pump, even though pump element 150 C alone is also sometimes referred to as the pump among those skilled in the art. Many different embodiments of the pump 150 C and of a portion of the drive circuitry 150 B are described in detail below, and throughout the application. In an insulin delivery system 150 , all of the components (that are shown) may be packaged together or alternatively they may be grouped separately. For example, it may be desirable to group the pump and drive circuitry together while remotely locating the pump element. Other components such as user input devices and a display are not shown, but are all controlled by the processor in conjunction with the pump and drive circuitry.
Another embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 2 . The design shown in FIG. 2 comprises feedback that indicates the completion of the fully activated state but is otherwise similar to the pump shown in FIG. 1 . The pump 200 incorporates feedback from a switch (“PISTON_NC 211 ”) that indicates that the overload piston 206 is at the top of the pump or in contact with top cap 202 . A switch, such as switch 211 (that provides feedback) may alternatively be referenced for the feedback it provides in the following description. The pump with PISTON_NC 211 feedback shown in FIG. 2 is constructed and operates in a similar fashion to the basic pump 100 shown in FIG. 1 . The feedback comes from a normally-closed (NC) switch that indicates the overload piston 206 is in contact with the top cap 202 as in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B . When the pump 200 enters the overload state as shown in FIG. 2C then the switch opens and feedback is fed to the drive circuit. If the feedback is not received during the maximum pulse period used for pump 200 then an error has occurred and pump 200 operation can be discontinued. The PISTON_NC 211 feedback is shown as connected directly to the top cap 202 which indicates that the top cap 202 is either made of a conductive material (e.g. metal) or is coated with an appropriately conductive material. If the design of a given pump requires the top cap 202 to be made of an insulating material then the PISTON_NC 211 feedback can be moved to the inner surface of the top cap 202 so that the PISTON_NC 211 feedback is in direct contact with the overload piston 206 in the inactive state as shown in FIG. 2A .
An advantage of pump 200 is fault detection based on the feedback from (normally closed) switch 211 (if the switch is not activated in the maximum pulse duration). The pump also saves energy because it terminates the activation pulse when full pump action is achieved. Minimizing energy consumption is extremely important for a portable insulin pump, as it maximizes the time the pump can be used without inconveniencing the user.
FIG. 2C shows the pump in the stress-loaded state where the shape memory alloy wire 108 has contracted sufficiently to pull the overload piston 206 down, but not up against a stop built into the case 201 . In this state, the case 201 , plunger 204 , overload piston 206 and shape memory alloy wire 208 , are under stress. However, that stress is limited to the spring constant (k) of the overload piston spring 207 and is thus reduced as compared to the stress-loaded state shown in FIG. 1C where the overload piston 106 is against a hard stop of the case 101 . The method used to further reduce the already minimized stress is the termination of the pulse or pulses of current that are flowing from the V+ 209 contact to the V− 210 contact through the shape memory alloy wire 208 . This causes the shape memory alloy wire 208 to stop contracting and thus reduces the stress on the pump 200 .
There are two primary methods to terminate the pulse or pulses to the shape memory alloy wire 208 as shown in FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B . The actual drive circuits are identical and the only difference between FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B is in the Voltage Output (Vout) and feedback connections as discussed below. Each drive circuit is connected to a power source VCC 301 and to the system ground GND 302 . Each has a pull-up resistor R 303 from the feedback to VCC 301 and an optional filtering or “debounce” capacitor C 304 from the feedback to GND 302 . The feedback is digital and detects a logic ‘0’ when approximately 0V or GND 302 is present (i.e. the switch is closed) and a logic ‘1’ when a voltage approximately equal to the supply voltage or VCC 301 is present (i.e. through the function of the pull-up resistor R 303 when the switch is opened). If the optional filtering or “debounce” capacitor C 304 is not present then the feedback may oscillate briefly when the switch opens or closes due to mechanical vibration related to the switch contact. If the optional filtering or “debounce” capacitor C 304 is present then the feedback actually detects the voltage on the capacitor C 304 which can not change instantaneously. When the switch closes the capacitor C 304 will be discharged quickly to approximately 0V or GND 302 ; when the switch opens the capacitor will be charged at a rate proportional to the values of the resistor R 303 and the capacitor C 304 to approximately the supply voltage or VCC 301 . For example, a resistor R 303 value of 10,000 Ohms (10 kΩ) and a capacitor C 304 value of 100 pF would have a time-constant of one microsecond (1 μsec) and the state of the feedback would change from a logic ‘0’ to a logic ‘1’ in about two microseconds (2 μsec) without any oscillations (noise) on the feedback that could be acted upon by the drive circuit inappropriately.
The first method as shown in FIG. 3A is to connect the PISTON_NC 211 to the feedback to gate the drive signal Vout that is created by the drive circuit and which is connected to the pump V+ 209 contact. When the drive circuit receives feedback that the overload state is entered as shown in FIG. 2C then the pulse or pulses can be terminated and both the stress is reduced and power is saved. The second method as shown in FIG. 3B is to provide power to the pump 200 through the PISTON_NC 211 contact rather than the V+ 209 contact. This method automatically removes power from the shape memory alloy wire 208 whenever the PISTON_NC 211 switch opens as shown in FIG. 2C . If the feedback is ignored (i.e. the drive circuit is simplified to remove the feedback), then the overload piston 206 may oscillate between the states shown in FIG. 2B and FIG. 2C until the pulse or pulses from the drive circuit are terminated and only a partial power saving is realized. If the feedback is utilized as in FIG. 3A then when the drive circuit receives feedback that the overload state is entered as shown in FIG. 2C , the pulse or pulses can be terminated to prevent oscillations, and maximum power saving is realized as in the first method.
Addition of the PISTON_NC 211 feedback reduces the overall forces generated within the pump and allows the pump to be made smaller and lighter with improved reliability. Unfortunately, if the plunger 204 jams then the overload piston will begin moving and provide feedback that indicates the pump is operating properly. Again, a jammed plunger 204 could cause a reduced or zero insulin delivery output, but in this situation the pump would be assumed by the user (patient) to be operating correctly when in fact an improper dose may have been delivered.
Another embodiment of the invention is seen in pump 400 of FIGS. 4A and 4B . Pump 400 incorporates feedback that (more directly) indicates the completion of the fully activated state. Pump 400 uses (PLUNGER_NO) switch 411 to indicate that the plunger 404 is against the upper stop. This switch is used in place of (or in conjunction with) switch 211 , and all of the feedback control and stress limitation features described with respect to pump 200 are present in pump 400 . Drive circuit 500 seen in FIG. 5 is similar to drive circuit 300 , as previously described. Pump 400 can also detect a fault with the pump if the plunger is not where it is expected to be based upon the potential applied to the actuator, as was also described previously. Similarly, the pump can detect a jam if the plunger is not where it is expected to be based upon the potential applied to the actuator.
Another embodiment of the invention is seen in pump 600 of FIGS. 6A and 6B . Pump 600 is functionally the same as pump 400 but lacks overload piston 406 and overload spring 407 . Because of the lack of these items, the top cap 607 preferably has some amount of compliance and acts as a simplified spring. Pump 600 has fewer parts and is thus lighter and smaller than pump 400 . Fewer parts also generally result in improved reliability over the life of the pump.
Yet another embodiment of the invention is seen in pump 700 of FIGS. 7A and 7B . Pump 700 is similar to pump 600 with the added advantage of feedback switch 710 (PLUNGER_NC) that directly indicates the completion of the fully activated state and return to the inactive state (at the completion of a pump cycle). Because pump 700 “knows” when a pump cycle is completed (and when it should be completed) it therefore “knows” when there is a fault, and can accommodate for the fault in what is known as a fault tolerant design. The fault tolerance is in both the direct measurement of the plunger 704 action and in ensuring that the plunger is resting in the fail safe state after the maximum permissible pump cycle time (this may also indicate a major occlusion in the pump system). If the power (GND) to the V− 708 contact is switched (via a series switch) to provide additional fault tolerance as is done in some pump systems, then the added feedback will also indicate the state of the V− 708 switch (not shown for clarity sake) as the value of switch 710 (PLUNGER_NC) will be 0V (GND) when the series power switch is closed and VCC when the series power switch is open. The pump can also detect an occlusion if the plunger does not return to the fully down state in the maximum pump cycle time.
The PLUNGER_NC 710 feedback is shown as connected directly to the plunger cap 703 which indicates that the plunger cap 703 is either made of a conductive material (e.g. metal) or is coated with an appropriately conductive material similar to the top cap 202 of FIG. 2 . If the design of a given pump requires the plunger cap 703 to be made of an insulating material then the PLUNGER_NC 710 feedback can be moved to the inner surface of the plunger cap 703 so that the PLUNGER_NC 710 feedback is in direct contact with the plunger 704 in the inactive state as shown in FIG. 7A . Drive circuit 800 illustrated in FIG. 8 is similar to the drive circuits previously described. The pump 700 and drive circuit 800 comprise the minimum configuration for a fault tolerant system. All of the linear feedback techniques described below add fault resolution and improve fault tolerance at the expense of added cost and complexity.
Linear Feedback
Embodiments of a pump as previously described may also comprise linear feedback that directly indicates the position of the plunger. The linear feedback may be analog or digital and is used to detect the position of the plunger. The linear feedback may also indicate if there is a fault based upon the position of the plunger during various phases of operation of the pump. The linear feedback system can employ conductive encoding marks. This is a simple and economical way to detect the position of the plunger. Alternatively, optical position sensing utilizing optical encoding marks may be employed. This is more precise but is also more complex and expensive.
FIGS. 9A and 9B illustrate pump 900 , another embodiment of the present invention. Pump 900 is similar to pump 700 but employs direct linear feedback in addition to the feedback provided by the switches. This feedback is contained in a linear feedback signal (“LINEAR_FB”) 911 shown in the figures. Linear feedback may also be used to detect priming of the pump, which will be described later with regard to FIG. 11 .
FIG. 9C illustrates one possible embodiment of position encoding, one way of providing linear feedback. In this embodiment the encoding scheme utilizes conductive encoding marks. One way to create the encoding grid is with insulating paint silk-screened onto a conductive surface so as to insulate certain areas. This conductive coating would be on the side of the moving part. For example, it could be directly on the piston or on an attachment to the piston. The black areas of the grid are the metal surface without paint on top of them. The white areas of the grid are covered with the insulating paint. The black row (long conducting strip) at the top is a reference ground. When contacts 930 touch the black squares then they are shorted to ground. When shorted to ground they are said to form a “1” whereas when they are not they form a “0.” This logic can be inverted if desired.
In the position depicted in FIG. 9C , the ground contact is insulated from the most significant bit (“MSB”) contact and the least significant bit (“LSB”) contact. Therefore it is at position 0 (binary position 00). As this moving part slides left under the contacts 930 , then position 1 (binary position 01) will next be sensed. When the part slides left again position 2 (binary position 10) will next be sensed etc. . . . . FIG. 9C illustrates 4 positions, that is 2 bits of encoding for illustrative purposes. However, this can be extended to any number of positions. For example, 32 positions would require 5 bits. This digital position sensing can be used for digital feedback and control of the piston, and thus can be used to control position of the piston and the amount of insulin delivered.
Optical encoding may be employed instead of the conductive encoding described above. Instead of shorted contacts, an optical sensor (an LED+photocell, for example) is used to sense if the shiny metal is present or if light absorbing black paint is present.
A minor modification to the encoding shown in FIG. 9C is shown in FIG. 9D . In FIG. 9D the encoding marks or bits are laid down in a Grey code. That is, only one bit change is allowed per position. Grey codes have several desirable properties that are well known in the art.
Degradation of the contacts and various other parts can occur over time. For example, contacts can be dirty, worn, or broken, and contamination may cause faulty contact readings, etc. This would normally cause an error or misread. There are various ways to minimize the errors and to correct any errors that may occur. In one method, additional bits are added to the surface. A single bit (called a parity bit) can be added to detect some kinds of errors. Multiple bits can be added for even more error protection. With several added bits errors can be both detected and corrected. A measure of this is the Hamming distance, which is well known in the art. Briefly stated, the Hamming distance can be interpreted as the number of bits which need to be changed to turn one string into the other. Sometimes the number of characters is used instead of the number of bits.
Error detection and correction theory is a well known science used as a part of radio communications theory, and can be applied to the encoding and position recognition mechanisms of the present invention. This includes BCH codes, parity codes, and Reed-Solomon codes, etc. The system of FIG. 9E includes a parity bit that can be used for error correction encoded on the moving object.
Analog sensing of position can be made by plating two plastic, insulated surfaces with metal, or alternatively simply providing two metal surfaces. The two surfaces are used as capacitor plates—and together form a capacitor. One capacitor plate would be stationary, while the other capacitor plate would be part of the moving assembly including the piston. The measured capacitance is proportional to the distance between the plates, and therefore can be used to measure the position of the piston. This analog position sensing can be used for feedback and control of the moving part.
Analog sensing of position can also be achieved with magnetic measurements by adding a magnet to the moving part and sensing on the stationary part. Similar to the capacitance measurement described above, the magnetic field will vary depending on the distance between the moving and stationary parts. Therefore, the magnetic sensor may be used to measure the position of the piston and this type of analog position sensing can be used for feedback and control of the moving part. One type of well known magnetic sensor is a Hall Effect sensor, but any magnetic sensor may be utilized.
Resistance measurements may be used to implement analog linear feedback. Similar to a potentiometer, the piston will have different resistance values the further a measurement is taken along the length of the plunger. In other words, the resistance will increase with distance a current must travel.
Usage of the linear feedback has many advantages. One advantage of employing the feedback is that the drive circuit can “servo” the plunger or control the position or stroke of the plunger with a relatively high degree of accuracy. Thus, a partial plunger stroke may be used to give finer dose delivery, and that dose can be any fraction of the pump cylinder volume. By measuring and controlling the plunger movement variable size rather than only discrete volume doses may be administered. Additionally, a partial plunger stroke may not only be detected when it is undesirable (as in pump 700 ), but the volume of the partial stroke may be measured and compared to the expected volume thus adding fault resolution. For instance, if a full stroke was supposed to take place and deliver a certain volume, the system can detect that less than the desired volume was pumped and make up for the missing volume or indicate a failure condition with a measure of the error being reported. A pump having position detection and control is more fault tolerant than a pump without it. For example, if a certain portion of the full stroke range is unavailable for some reason, the pump can control the stroke to only use the available range. This could provide invaluable additional operating time in what would otherwise be a malfunctioning or inoperative pump. For a diabetic who must have insulin the value of this is potentially life-saving.
Priming, Fault tolerance, and Servo Control
Another improvement to the basic pump design is to monitor the feedback as an indication of the operation of the entire pump system and not just the proper functioning of the plunger. FIG. 11A shows a pump prior to being “primed” where there is air in the pump system leading to the patient including the tubing and infusion set (the portion attached to the user where insulin is delivered to the user's tissue).
Using pump 900 as an example, although application in other embodiments such as pump 700 is also possible, at time t=0 (the initial time reference) the pump 900 is activated (the V− 908 switch is enabled if present and power is applied to the V+ 907 contact by the drive circuit 1000 ) as is shown in FIG. 9A . At time t=1 the plunger 904 begins to move and PLUNGER_NC 910 changes state from a Logic ‘0’ to a Logic ‘1’ to indicate plunger 904 movement. At time t=2 the plunger 904 activates the PLUNGER_NO 909 contact which changes state from a Logic ‘1’ to a Logic ‘0’ to indicate the plunger 904 has achieved a full upward stroke as is shown in FIG. 9B . This causes power to be removed by the drive circuit 1000 via the feedback (FB_NO) and shortly thereafter the plunger begins to fall and the PLUNGER_NO 909 contact changes state from a Logic ‘0’ to back to a Logic ‘1’ as affirmed by the drive circuit 1000 feedback. At time t=3 the plunger 904 has completed a full pump cycle and PLUNGER_NC 910 changes state back from a Logic ‘1’ to a Logic ‘0’ to indicate the completion of a full pump cycle as shown again in FIG. 9A (at this time the V− 908 series power switch is disabled if present to prevent possible pump “misfires” due to noise or other system errors). The digital feedback provides a simple and clear indication of a fault.
The same cycle is shown in FIG. 11B where the pump system is fully primed and operating as compared to the unprimed state shown in FIG. 11A . The time from t=1 to t=2 is shorter in FIG. 11A than in FIG. 11B as the pump 900 , specifically the plunger 904 , is pulling air from the reservoir versus insulin. This may be due to the initial priming where air is being purged from the system or due to a reservoir failure. Similarly the time from t=2 to t=3 is shorter in FIG. 11A than in FIG. 11B as the pump 900 , specifically the plunger 904 , is pushing air through the tubing and infusion set versus insulin. In fact, the time from t=2 to t=3 may be used to detect a fully primed pump that is ready for insertion. If the tubing or infusion set were to break after insertion then the time from t=2 to t=3 would decrease and a fault could be detected. This phenomenon is similar to the affect of having air in brake hydraulic lines on an automobile where the brake feels soft due to the compressibility of air versus fluid. Priming the pump is analogous to “bleeding” the brakes. When the pump is primed it takes more energy to push the fluid through the tubing and infusion set. This pressure may increase even more when the insulin is pushed into the user's body (tissue). Since the plunger 904 is driven by the plunger spring 906 , the extra force becomes related to time and is measured as the time from t=2 to t=3.
In fact, the priming techniques described above may be used to automatically prime a pump under the control of the microprocessor 150 A. Rather than have the user prime the pump manually, and stop when fluid, such as insulin, begins to emerge from the tip of an infusion set (not shown), the pump can use the feedback described above to prime the pump automatically and optionally ask the user to confirm that priming is complete. The priming can include the entire infusion set or other attachment to the pump, and not just the pump itself. This enhancement is especially important for young pump users and those who are vision impaired or otherwise have poor eyesight. Those users can rely on the automatic priming and can (optionally) confirm the priming by feeling the liquid as it exits the final point to be primed.
This automatic priming technique also applies in a similar fashion to other pump systems. For example, on a syringe pump system with a stepper motor, the power to the motor when monitored is an indication of the work done by the motor in a fashion analogous to work done by the plunger spring 906 . The work would be monitored by a shunt resistor used to measure the motor current, or alternatively the droop in the battery or power supply would be monitored to indicate power used by the motor and thus work done by the pump.
FIG. 11C illustrates the occurrence and detection of an input occlusion (increase in time from t=1 to t=2) and output occlusion (increase in time from t=2 to t=3). This system preferably accounts for circuit variation and battery voltage droops so that these conditions are not erroneously interpreted as an input or output occlusion.
The actuation of the plunger or piston can be modified or servo controlled to make the pump operate more efficiently and to reduce stress on the pump. This would allow for a smaller and lighter pump with improved reliability.
FIG. 12A is a graph illustrating pumping operation over time. The times in FIG. 12A correspond to the times shown in FIG. 11B . The rate of change of the position, as indicated by linear feedback signal 911 increases over time until the piston reaches the top of its travel at time t=2. This will result in significant stress when the piston hits the hard stop.
FIG. 12B is a graph illustrating pumping operation over time where the piston movement is modulated to reduce the acceleration and velocity of the piston before it hits the hard stop. This will reduce the amount of stress encountered by all of the moving parts of the pump. At time t=0.5 the power from the drive circuit 1000 is reduced to reduce the stress (impact) at time t=2. This can include pulse width modulation (“PWM”) of the potential applied to the shape memory element. For example, the PWM rate may be modified to a new value or changed per a specified profile. Similar modification to the action of the piston could modify the profile leading to t=3 by adding occasional small pulses of energy to slow the descent of the plunger 904 .
Although the various aspects of the present invention have been described with respect to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood that the present invention is entitled to protection within the full scope of the appended claims. | A portable pumping system provides insulin or other drugs to a user. A shape memory element is used to actuate the pump and an intelligent system controls the actuator in order to minimize stresses within the system and provide accurate and reliable dosage delivery. The control system utilizes various types of feedback to monitor and optimize the position of the pumping mechanisms. Physical design aspects also minimize stress and the combination of the physical design aspects and the intelligent operation of the system results in a lightweight and cost effective pump that may be used in a disposable fashion if desired. | 5 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Axial flow air turbines can have various uses. One significant use is in an air drive unit incorporated in modern day wide-body aircraft such as the Boeing 747, 767 and 777 aircraft to augment engine driven hydraulic pumps during peak demand periods. The air drive unit also serves to provide hydraulic power during emergency conditions when one or more of the primary engine driven hydraulic pumps are inoperative. An air drive unit includes a turbine gearbox assembly, a modulating valve, a hydraulic pump, and other ancillary components such as a muffler, ducting, controller, and clamps. The turbine gearbox assembly contains the axial flow air turbine, inlet volute, nozzle, exhaust diffuser, gearbox assembly, and hydraulic pump interface.
In operation, engine bleed air flows through the inlet volute and turbine nozzle and drives the axial flow turbine. The turbine power generated by the engine bleed air is transmitted to the hydraulic pump interface through the gearbox. The gearbox allows the turbine to rotate at a much higher speed than the hydraulic pump, thus maximizing turbine efficiency without adversely effecting pump life. It is generally desirable to operate the turbine at nearly constant speed during all operational conditions. Since the engine bleed air pressure and hydraulic load vary during operation, a method for controlling the flow entering the turbine is required for stable, constant speed operation. Flow control currently is typically exerted in one of the following two ways:
1. Bleed air is metered by a modulating valve located upstream of the air turbine inlet volute. This system of control typically utilizes a fixed area nozzle to accelerate air into the axial flow turbine.
2. Bleed air is modulated by variable inlet guide vanes which serve as a variable geometry nozzle to accelerate air into the axial flow turbine. With this method the turbine speed is maintained constant by varying the nozzle area under varying power conditions.
The first system, utilizing a modulating valve, is far simpler than the second, utilizing variable inlet guide vanes. Only one moving part is typically utilized in an air modulating valve, whereas variable inlet guide vanes necessitate synchronized rotation of every nozzle vane. In addition to the actuating mechanism, each of the typically more than twenty nozzle vanes in a variable inlet guide vane system must contain suitable bearing surfaces, a timing gear, and precision shafts. Consequently initial cost of a system employing variable geometry is far greater than that of a system employing a modulating valve. In addition, the reliability of a variable inlet guide vane system is inherently lower than systems employing a modulating valve for turbine control due to the increased complexity and the increased number of parts.
The benefit of using a variable inlet guide vane system is reduced air consumption at normal operating conditions, especially at the sea level take-off condition. At this condition, maximum power must be delivered by the air drive unit to quickly retract the landing gear. At the same time, maximum engine thrust is required, and maximum engine bleed pressure is available. Since engine bleed air is taken directly from the engine compressor, which reduces the available engine thrust, it is desirable to minimize the bleed air consumption when maximum engine thrust is required.
The air drive unit can produce the required power at the sea level take-off condition by utilizing the high pressure supply air and using a small nozzle area to accelerate the flow into the turbine. This approach minimizes the required engine bleed flow rate, and is thus the most desirable in terms of engine performance. However, a primary role of air drive units is to provide power during emergency conditions. The emergency requirement that typically sizes the machine is a low pressure (typically 25%-50% of the sea level take-off pressure), high power condition. To produce high power at low pressure requires a large nozzle area and consequently high bleed air flow consumption.
Since the nozzle area in a variable inlet guide vane system can be controlled, the area is minimized for the sea level take-off condition to minimize bleed air consumption, and maximized for low pressure emergency conditions to produce the required power. Systems employing a modulating valve, however, normally use a fixed area nozzle. Since the low pressure emergency condition requires the largest nozzle area of all operational conditions, the fixed nozzle area in these systems is sized for this requirement. As a result, during the sea level take-off condition, and most operational conditions, systems employing a modulating valve for flow control have a much larger nozzle area than required. As a result, these systems consume more bleed air than similar variable inlet guide vane systems at the same condition (up to 40% more at the sea level take-off condition).
The inlet nozzle air control apparatus invention for an axial flow air turbine solves the problem of excessive air consumption in fixed nozzle systems without the added complexity and cost of a variable inlet guide vane system. Use of the inlet nozzle air control apparatus invention results in optimal flow consumption at two design points, as opposed to the single optimal design point of a fixed area nozzle, and performance equivalent to that of a variable inlet guide vane system at those design points, with far less complexity since only one additional moving part is required. The reduced complexity means improved reliability with equivalent performance. This invention can be successfully employed whenever optimal performance of an axial flow turbine is required at more than one operating condition.
The inlet nozzle air control apparatus invention offers automatic (self actuated) optimal nozzle area selection, with minimal complexity. This allows an axial flow turbine to operate optimally, thus reducing air flow consumption, at more than one design condition. This inlet nozzle air control apparatus invention allows multi point design optimization at a fraction of the cost of variable inlet guide vane systems, and with far greater reliability. Thus, simplicity and cost comparable to the fixed nozzle, modulating valve controlled system, and performance comparable to the complex variable inlet guide vanes controlled system is achieved using the inlet nozzle air control apparatus invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to axial flow turbines and more particularly to axial flow turbines having increased flexibility.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide inlet nozzle air control apparatus for an axial flow turbine.
It is an object of the invention to provide inlet nozzle air control apparatus for an axial flow turbine that increases the flexibility of the axial flow turbine.
It is an object of the invention to provide inlet nozzle air control apparatus for an axial flow turbine that permits optimal performance of the axial flow turbine.
It is an object of the invention to provide inlet nozzle air control apparatus for an axial flow turbine that permits optimal performance of the axial flow turbine at more than one turbine operating condition.
It is an object of the invention to provide inlet nozzle air control apparatus for an axial flow turbine that permits optimal performance of the axial flow turbine at a plurality of turbine operating design points.
It is an object of the invention to provide inlet nozzle air control apparatus for an axial flow turbine that permits optimal performance of the axial flow turbine at at least two turbine operating design points.
It is an object of the invention to provide inlet nozzle air control apparatus for an axial flow turbine that reduces air consumption.
It is an object of the invention to provide inlet nozzle air control apparatus for an axial flow turbine that permits a reduced nozzle area.
It is an object of the invention to provide inlet nozzle air control apparatus for an axial flow turbine that is reliable.
It is an object of the invention to provide inlet nozzle air control apparatus for an axial flow turbine that has few parts.
It is an object of the invention to provide inlet nozzle air control apparatus for an axial flow turbine that has only one moving part.
It is an object of the invention to provide inlet nozzle air control apparatus for an axial flow turbine that is simple in its operation.
It is an object of the invention to provide inlet nozzle air control apparatus for an axial flow turbine that is easy to operate.
It is an object of the invention to provide inlet nozzle air control apparatus for an axial flow turbine that has reduced complexity.
It is an object of the invention to provide inlet nozzle air control apparatus for an axial flow turbine that has reduced weight.
It is an object of the invention to provide inlet nozzle air control apparatus for an axial flow turbine that has reduced maintenance.
It is an object of the invention to provide inlet nozzle air control apparatus for an axial flow turbine that is easy to manufacture.
It is an object of the invention to provide inlet nozzle air control apparatus for an axial flow turbine that has a low manufacturing cost.
These and other objects will be apparent from the invention that includes inlet nozzle air control apparatus for an axial flow air turbine having an inlet nozzle for air entering the turbine and an associated turbine inlet housing for channeling air to the inlet nozzle comprising means for at least partially blocking air flow from the turbine inlet housing to the turbine inlet nozzle and control means associated with the air flow blocking means for controlling the operation of the blocking means.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will be hereinafter more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective sectional view of a portion of an axial flow turbine with the inlet nozzle air control apparatus invention installed and in the non-blocking position;
FIG. 2 is a view of a portion of the structure set forth in FIG. 1 taken in the direction 2 — 2 thereof;
FIG. 3 is a view of the structure set forth in FIG. 2 with the inlet nozzle air control apparatus invention in the blocking position; and
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of the structure set forth in FIGS. 1 through 3 .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring first to FIG. 1, the inlet air control apparatus invention is illustrated and is designated generally by the number 10 . The inlet nozzle air control apparatus 10 is illustrated installed in a conventional axial flow air turbine that is designated generally by the number 12 . It will be appreciated that a number of parts that would normally be part of the complete axial flow air turbine have been omitted from the figures that illustrate the axial flow turbine 12 for clarity and since they are not necessary for an understanding of the invention.
The air turbine 12 , as illustrated, has an air turbine inlet housing 14 with a hollow curved tubular shaped interior 16 with an annular exit 18 , an adjacent annular shaped turbine entrance nozzle 20 that has an inner annular entrance area 22 and an outer annular entrance area 24 that are separated by a circular ring 25 and an air turbine rotor 26 with its circumferentially located blades 28 that are located adjacent to the inlet nozzle 20 . The air turbine inlet housing 14 has an outer portion 30 and inner portions 32 and 34 . The portions 30 , 32 , and 34 are secured together in a conventional manner to form the air turbine inlet housing 14 with the interior 16 .
The inner portion 34 has an outer circumferential recess 36 . This recess 36 is partially closed by an inner cylindrical surface 38 on the inside of inner portion 32 and by the inner surface 40 on the outer end 42 of the inner portion 32 . The circumferential recess 36 houses a generally ring shaped slider member 44 that is movable axially in the direction of the axis of rotation A of the rotor 26 .
A circumferential spring 46 is located adjacent to the slider member 44 in position to normally bias the slider member 44 into its open position. The slider member 44 has a forward cylindrical closure portion 48 that is sized and shaped to slide axially back and forth within the cylindrical shaped slot 50 that exists between the inlet housing inner portions 32 and 34 . This slot 50 is located directly adjacent to the annular exit portion 18 of the inlet housing 14 and also, as is apparent in FIG. 2, this slot 50 is located substantially opposite the inlet housing exit portion 18 from the circular separator ring 25 located in the annular entrance area 22 of the entrance nozzle 20 .
In addition to the cylindrical closure portion 48 , the slider member 44 also has an adjacently located cylindrical portion 52 that is smaller in diameter than the cylindrical closure portion 48 . The inner end surface 54 provides a resting surface for one end 56 of the spring 46 . The other end 58 of the spring 46 rests on the wall 60 of the recess 36 in the outer circumferential surface of the inlet housing portion 34 . The fact that the end 58 of the spring 46 rests on the wall 60 and the other end rests on the surface 54 of the movable slider member 44 is the reason why the slider member 44 is biased by the spring 46 to its open or rearward position as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.
A port 62 is provided in the outer end 42 of the inner portion 32 that is threaded to receive the hose fitting 64 that is in turn connected to the hose or conduit 66 . This hose or conduit 66 is in turn connected to the source of compressed air 68 that in the preferred embodiment would be aircraft engine bleed air. This arrangement permits compressed air to pass from the source of compressed air 68 through the hose 66 , through the fitting 64 that is secured in the port 62 and into the circumferential recess 36 where it exerts pressure on the cylindrical surface 70 of the slider member 44 that can overcome the spring force that is exerted by the end of the spring 56 on the cylindrical surface 54 of the slider member 44 .
The force of compressed air on the cylindrical surface 70 of the slider member 44 can compress the spring 46 and cause the slider member 44 to have to move to the left so that its closure portion 48 passes through the slot 50 and into the annular exit portion 18 of the air turbine inlet housing 14 so that the closure portion 48 of the slider member 44 blocks air flow from the exit portion 18 of the inlet housing 14 into the inner annular entrance area 22 of the turbine entrance nozzle 20 as illustrated in FIG. 3 . When the slider member 44 is in this position, it is clear that its closure portion 48 essentially only permits air to flow from the exit portion 88 of the air turbine inlet housing 14 into the outer entrance area 24 of the turbine entrance nozzle 20 .
A vent 72 is provided from the recess 36 through inner portion 34 of the inlet housing 14 to its interior surface 74 . This vent 72 vents the area of the recess 36 that is occupied by the spring 46 to the outside ambient air. It will also be apparent that a series of sealing rings are provided to be in contact with the slider member 44 . In this connection, the inner portion 34 of the inlet housing 14 has circumferentially located seals 76 and 78 and the inner portion 32 of the inlet housing 14 has a sealing ring 80 . The seals 76 and 80 are located to contact and seal the closure portion 48 of the slider member 44 and the other seal 78 is located in the cylindrical surface of the recess 36 in position to contact the slider member 44 .
FIG. 4 illustrates in greater detail the previously described slider member 44 and the return spring 46 that are important parts of the air inlet control apparatus invention 10 . As illustrated, the slider member 44 has the cylindrical closure portion 48 that is a hollow cylinder. The cylindrical closure portion 48 is also connected to an adjacently located larger diameter hollow cylinder 52 that is sized and shaped to be located around the circular return spring 46 with the end 58 of the spring 46 resting on the wall surface 60 .
The inlet nozzle air control apparatus 10 is manufactured in the following manner. In order to manufacture the inlet nozzle air control apparatus 10 , only relatively minor changes are necessary to the axial flow air turbine 12 . Basically, the only changes are to the air turbine inlet housing 14 . In this connection, the inner portion 34 of the inlet housing 14 is suitably cast and/or machined to provide the outer circumferential recess 36 and the inner portion 32 of the inlet housing 14 is suitably cast and machined to provide the surfaces 38 and 40 so that when these parts 32 and 34 are assembled they provide the closed recess 36 for the slider member 44 and the circular slot 50 for the cylindrical closure portion 48 of the slider member 44 . The inner portions 32 and 34 of the air turbine inlet housing 14 are also suitably machined to accept the sealing rings 76 , 78 , and 80 .
The slider member 44 is typically machined from aluminum using conventional machinery and techniques. The spring 46 is manufactured in a conventional manner from standered spring steel. The circular seals 71 , 78 and 80 are conventional seal rings or piston rings. The assembly of the inlet nozzle air control apparatus 10 is accomplished during assembly of the turbine inlet housing 14 . Prior to the inner portions 32 and 34 being installed the seals 76 , 78 and 80 are installed and then when the portions 32 and 34 are installed the cylindrical slider member 44 and the cylindrical spray are installed in the recess 36 . Also, the fitting 64 of the conduit 66 is threaded into the threaded hole 62 so that pressurized air can be supplied through the conduit 66 to move the slider member 44 .
The air inlet control apparatus invention 10 is used in the following manner. As previously indicated, the air turbine inlet nozzle vanes 28 contain a cylindrical element 25 that separates the inlet nozzle flow area 20 into an outer flow area 24 and an inner flow area 22 . The cylindrical slider member 44 which is incorporated in the adjacent portion of the inlet housing 14 is movable axially from the normally open position as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 to the closed position as illustrated in FIG. 3 . When the slider member 44 is in the open position, air flow passes through the both the inner and outer sections 22 and 24 of the turbine entrance nozzle 20 . When the slider member 44 is in the closed position, flow can only pass through the outer section 24 of the entrance nozzle 20 .
The slider member 44 is activated by the ambient to bleed air pressure differential since the vent 72 is exposed to ambient air and the port 62 is exposed to pressurized bleed air through the conduit 66 . The slider member 44 is normally in the open position due to the force exerted by the spring 46 and hence the slider member 44 allows full air flow into the air turbine inlet nozzle 20 through both the inner and outer sections 22 and 24 of the nozzle 20 . The slider member 44 is held in this position by the force of the return spring 46 . The pressure differential at which the slider member 44 strokes is controlled by the spring 46 pre-load. Thus, when the pressure differential exceeds the set point pressure determined by the spring 46 , the slider member 44 closes, and air flows only through the outer nozzle area 24 . The outer nozzle area 24 is sized to produce the maximum required power when high bleed air pressure is available to minimize bleed air consumption. The pressure set point is chosen by selecting the appropriate spring 46 such, that all operational requirements are met.
Although the invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to a certain preferred embodiment, it will be understood that variations or modifications may be made within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. | Nozzle control apparatus for an axial flow air turbine having an inlet nozzle for air entering the turbine and an associated turbine inlet housing for channeling air flowing to the inlet nozzle for at least partially blocking air flow from the turbine inlet housing to the turbine inlet nozzle. The nozzle control apparatus uses an axially movable annular slider member that is biased to its open position by an annular spring and is moved axially by bleed air pressure exerted on a portion of the annular slider member. | 5 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The subject of the invention is a method for the identification of weak and/or strong branches of an electric power transmission system comprising at least one generator and nodes, interconnected by transmission lines, useful especially for the determination of the weak branches of the analyzed system. The method for the determination of the weak branches of a power system employs known methods of determining the voltage stability of the whole system and predicts the voltage stability margin in specific branches of the power system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
From U.S. Pat. No. 5,745,368 there is known a method of voltage stability analysis in electric power systems. That description discloses a method which is appropriate for low and high voltage applications as well as differing types of loads and load variations. In that method, a nose point of a P-Q curve showing functional relation between voltage and power is found, from which the distances to points characterizing the reactive, active and apparent power are calculated, while a generalised curve fit is used to compute the equivalent or surrogate nose point. The determination of that point is achieved by approximating a stable branch and creating a voltage versus power curve, determining a plurality of stable equilibrium points on the voltage and load curve, using the plurality of determined stable equilibrium points to create and fit an approximate stable branch, calculating an approximate voltage collapse point and thereafter a voltage collapse index. The value of that index allows for predicting the occurrence of expected voltage collapse under specific conditions.
From a European patent application No. EP 1 134 867 there is known a method for the assessment of stability of electric power transmission networks. The method comprises the measurement of vector quantities for voltage and current in numerous points in the network, transfer of those data to the system protection center, transfer of information regarding the operating condition of equipment in the substations of that network, and, on the basis of the acquired data, determination of at least one stability margin value of the transmission network. The measured vectors may be represented by quantities such as voltage, current, power, or energy connected with phase conductor or an electronic system.
The method for the identification of weak and/or strong branches of an electric power system according to the invention can be possibly employed as a useful solution for the assessment of stability of power networks, for example, in the solution presented in the application EP 1 134 867, although the identification of weak branches in networks is made apart from the methods of network stability assessment as presented in the state of the art, and the method as such is not yet known.
On the other hand, from U.S. Pat. No. 5,796,628 there is known a dynamic method for preventing voltage collapse in electric power systems. In the presented solution “weak areas” in networks are identified. These areas are defined as those parts of the network which do not withstand additional load. The solution introduced in that description consists in monitoring the power network through the surveillance of real-time data from the network, forecasting the near-term load of each branch of the network as well as the power demand in that branch on the basis of those data, and in order to estimate the system stability, such that each of the branches would be able to withstand the expected load, the amount of the margin of reactive and/or active load is defined. The proposed value of this load as well as the proposed voltage profiles are determined on the basis of the known power flow technique and the saddle-node bifurcation theory.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The method for the identification of weak and/or strong nodes of an electric power transmission system according to the invention, which employs known computational methods regarding power flow in the nodes and branches of the electric power transmission system, and in which functional relations between active and reactive loads for that system are analyzed, consists in subjecting the characteristic electric parameters of nodes and branches of the power system to computational treatment to achieve power flow equations for all that system's nodes with assumed 100 percent value of the system's basic load, and calculating complex voltage values in those nodes. Then an electric model of a system branch located between two receiver nodes is assumed, and a limiting curve P-Q showing the functional relation between active load and reactive load for the assumed electric model of the branch is constructed, and a base load point for that branch is assumed. Then the branch coefficient of voltage stability is determined for the analyzed system branch, thereafter the total system load is increased to overload the system up to 120% of the base load, and all steps relating to the determination of the voltage stability coefficient for the analyzed branch at the predetermined overload of the system are repeated. The numerical value of the voltage stability coefficient is compared with the threshold value considered to be a safe margin for maintaining voltage stability in the analyzed branch, the value of the difference between the values of the branch voltage stability coefficients determined for both types of system load is checked, i.e. whether it is more than, equal to, or less than zero, and on the basis of those comparisons the analyzed branch is identified as weak or strong.
The branch coefficient of voltage stability is preferably calculated from the following relation:
c vc =d vc ·(1 −p vc ),
where:
d vc =√{overscore (p cr −p b ) 2 +( q cr −q b ) 2 )}{overscore (p cr −p b ) 2 +( q cr −q b ) 2 )}—is the distance between the base point of branch load and the critical point on the P-Q curve, and p vc = 1 - ∫ P min - Q min 1 - X b B b 2 + 0.25 ( 1 - X b B b 2 ) 2 ( - ( 1 - X b B b 2 ) P 2 + + 0.25 1 - X b B b 2 - Q min ) d P ( P max - P min ) · ( Q max - Q min )
—is the probability of
occurrence of voltage instability in the analyzed branch.
Preferably, the analyzed branch is considered weak where the value of the branch voltage stability coefficient for 100% system load is less than 0.125 and at the same time the difference between the coefficient determined for the given node at total system load equal to 100% and the coefficient determined for the given node at total system load equal to 120% is more than zero, or the analyzed branch is considered strong where the value of the branch voltage stability coefficient for 100% system load is less than 0.125, the difference between the coefficient determined for the given node at total system load equal to 100% and the coefficient determined for the given node at total system load equal to 120% being less than or equal to zero.
The advantage of the inventive method is the ability to determine weak and/or strong branches of an electric power transmission system without the need for making a multivariant analysis of power flow in the power system considering the critical loads and cutouts of individual system elements.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The method according to the invention will be presented more closely by its embodiment and a drawing, where FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of the power system structure, FIG. 2 —a diagram of an electric model of the power system branches, FIG. 3 —an exemplary diagram, in relative units, of the relation between active load P and reactive load Q for a branch with indicated base load point N and critical point C, FIG. 4 —an exemplary diagram showing the relation between active load P and reactive load Q for the branch with indicated voltage stability area, and FIG. 5 —the set of operations necessary to realise the method.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In the schematic presentation in FIG. 1 the electric power transmission system is a network formed by feed generators G connected with generator nodes W G which in turn are connected to at least one receiver node W O by means of appropriate transmission lines. At least one of the generator nodes W G is connected through a transmission line with a flow node W S which in turn is connected to at least one receiver node W O . Further on in the description, all transmission lines are called system branches.
For the network system formed as shown above, in the first stage of the realisation of the method, electric parameters in the system's nodes and in its branches are measured. In generator nodes W G voltage V G and active load P G are measured. In receiver nodes W O voltage V O , active load P O and reactive load Q O are measured. In flow node W S voltage V S is measured. In branches connecting the analysed generator nodes W G with flow node W S and with receiver nodes W O resistance R b , reactance X b and susceptance B b are measured.
Measurement data are fed to a control device, not shown in the drawing, which is a computer provided with suitable software, where the data are stored in its memory in a suitable digital form.
Operations regarding data preparation are shown in FIG. 5 as block 1 .
When all the necessary data have been collected, the control device computes the equations of power flow in all nodes W G , W O , and in node W S of the system, using known mathematical methods suitable for such purposes, such as, for instance, the Newton's method. For the computation, 100% total system load is assumed. The result of the conducted calculations concerning power flow are complex values of voltages in all nodes of the system.
The computing operations concerning the standard calculation of power flow, with a 100% system load, are shown in FIG. 5 as block 2 .
Then, in stage two, an electrical model of the branch located between the receiver nodes W o (FIG. 2) is assumed, to which branch reactance X b and susceptance B b are applied, and active load P and reactive load Q which apply a load on the branch in one receiver node W o are assumed. Between the receiver nodes W o and the earth half susceptance B b value is applied.
For the model assumed as described above a limiting curve of relation between active load P and reactive load Q is plotted, so called P-Q curve, which is presented in a cartesian coordinate system (FIG. 3) and described in relative units by the following equation: q = - cp 2 + 0.25 c , / 1 /
where: c = 1 - X b B b 2
—coefficient in the equation of the P-Q curve plotted in relative units.
Operations connected with the assumption of the electrical model of the branch and the construction of the limiting curve P-Q are indicated in FIG. 5 as block 2 .
Next, for the base load point N, indicated in the coordinate system with the curve P-Q, defined by coordinates (p b , q b ), which characterizes the base load of the branch, we determine the minimum distance between the point N and the critical point C of coordinates (p cr , q cr ) situated on the previously plotted curve P-Q. This distance is found by determining the perpendicular to the tangent to the curve P-Q in the given critical point (p cr , q cr ) situated on the P-Q curve, which perpendicular is defined by the following relation: q - q cr = - 1 q . ( p cr ) ( p - p cr ) , / 2 /
where:
p and q—are active and reactive load as the variables of that equation,
p cr and q cr —are the values of the coordinates of active and reactive load in the branch during critical operating conditions at the the voltage stability limit.
By differentiating the equation of the limiting curve P-Q in the point (p cr , q cr ) we receive the following relation:
q ( p cr )=−2 cp cr /3/.
The equation of the straight line passing through any two points can take the following form: q - q cr = q b - q cr p b - p cr ( p - p cr ) , / 4 /
after which, by inserting the relations presented in formulas /3/ and /4/ into the equation /2/ we receive the following equation:
2 cp cr ( q cr =q b )=( p cr −p b ) /5/.
Then, inserting the equation /1/ into the equation /5/ and transforming it in a suitable manner, we receive a relation from which we can determine the value of the coordinate p cr of the critical point C, which has the following form: p cr 3 + ( q b c + 1 4 c 2 ) p cr - p b 2 c 2 = 0. / 6 /
The solution of the above equation /6/ is the value of the coordinate p cr of the critical point C, which is: p cr = - - p b 2 c 2 2 + ( q b c + 1 4 c 2 3 ) 3 + ( - p b 2 c 2 2 ) 2 3 + - - p b 2 c 2 2 - ( q b c + 1 4 c 2 3 ) 3 + ( - p b 2 c 2 2 ) 2 3 . / 7 /
Then the value of the coordinate q cr of the critical point C is determined from the following relation: q cr = - cp cr 2 + 0.25 c . / 8 /
Having determined the coordinates of the critical point C, we determine the minimum distance between the base point N of coordinates (p b , q b ) and the critical point C of determined coordinates (p cr , q cr ) situated on the limiting curve P-Q from this relation:
d vc =√{overscore ((p cr −p b ) 2 +( q cr −q b ) 2 )}{overscore ((p cr −p b ) 2 +( q cr −q b ) 2 )} /9/,
where:
d vc —is the distance between the base point N of branch load and the critical point C on the curve P-Q,
p cr —is the values of the coordinates of active load in the branch during critical operating conditions at the voltage stability limit,
q cr —is the values of the coordinates of reactive load in the branch during critical operating conditions at the voltage stability limit,
p b —is the values of the coordinates of the base point of active load in the analysed branch,
a q b —is the values of the coordinates of the base point of reactive load in the analysed branch.
In the next stage, using the previously determined limiting curve P-Q, in the analysed branch of the system, admissible variations in the branch active load P within the range P min ≦P≦P max are assumed, and admissible variations in the branch reactive load Q within the range Q min ≦Q≦Q max are assumed, and for so assumed loads the probability of occurrence of voltage instability is calculated. Moreover, it is assumed that all base points situated within the area formed by the branch limiting loads P min , P max , Q min i Q max , and at the same time situated below the limiting curve P-Q, conform with stable operating conditions of the branch. On the other hand, the remaining base points of the branch situated within the area formed by the branch limiting loads P min , P max , Q min i Q max , and at the same time situated above the limiting curve P-Q, correspond to unstable operating conditions of the branch /FIG. 4 /.
In this way, for each branch of the system the probability of occurrence of voltage instability is determined using the geometrical definition of probability as: p vc = 1 - S in S , / 10 /
where:
S—is the area of the quadrilateral ADEF defining the admissible variations in active load P and reactive load Q in the branch,
A—is the point of the coordinates (P min , Q min ),
D—is the point of the coordinates (P min , Q max ),
E—the point of the coordinates (P max , Q max ),
F—the point of the coordinates (P max , Q min ),
S—(P max −P min )(Q max −Q min ),
S in —is the area of figure ABC formed as a common part of the quadrilateral ADEF and the area below the limiting curve P-Q.
The area S in of the figure ABC can be calculated from the following relation: ∫ P min Q min 1 - X b B b 2 + 0.25 ( 1 - X b B b 2 ) 2 ( - ( 1 - X b B b 2 ) P 2 + 0.25 1 - X b B b 2 - Q min ) d P . / 11 /
By inserting the relation /11/ into the equation /10/ the probability of occurrence of voltage instability is determined, which takes the the following form: p vc = 1 - ∫ P min Q min 1 - X b B b 2 + 0.25 ( 1 - X b B b 2 ) 2 ( - ( 1 - X b B b 2 ) P 2 + 0.25 1 - X b B b 2 - Q min ) P ( P max - P min ) · ( Q max - Q min ) , / 12 /
where:
P max —is the maximum value of the coordinates of active load in the branch during critical operating conditions at the voltage stability limit,
P min —is the minimum value of the coordinates of active load in the branch,
Q max —is the maximum value of the coordinates of reactive load in the branch during critical operating conditions at the voltage stability limit,
Q min —is the minimum value of the coordinates of reactive load in the branch.
Operations relating to the determination of the minimum distance d vc between the base point N and the critical point C and those relating to the determination of the probability of occurrence of voltage instability p vc are indicated in FIG. 5 as block 4 .
Then the branch voltage stability coefficient c vc is calculated from the following relation:
c vc =d vc ·(1 −p vc ) /13/.
The calculation of the branch voltage stability coefficient is presented as block 5 in FIG. 5 .
In the next operation, the total system load is increased to overload the system to 120% base load and the power flow equations for all nodes W G , W O and for the system node W S are_recalculated, using known mathematical methods suitable for such purposes, such as, for instance, the Newton's method. The result of the conducted calculations concerning power flow are complex values of voltages in all nodes of the system.
Then operations from stage two, consisting in the determination of the branch voltage stability coefficient c vc for the total system load increased to 120%, are repeated.
In the next operation, presented in FIG. 5 as block 6 , the system branch is identified by comparing the numerical value of the coefficient c vc determined for the given branch at total system load equal to 100% with the assumed threshold value of 0.125, and at the same time it is determined whether the numerical value of the difference between the numerical value of the coefficient c vc(100%) , determined for the given branch at total system load equal to 100%, and the numerical value of the coefficient c vc(120%) , determined for the given branch at total system load equal to 120%, is more than, less than or equal to zero.
Where the value c vc ≦0.125 for total system load equal to 100% and the determined difference between the values of coefficients c vc for 100% and 120% total system load is more than zero, the examined branch is considered weak.
If c vc ≦0.125 and c vc(100%) −C vc(120%) ≦0 then the examined branch is considered weak.
Where the value c vc ≦0.125 for total system load equal to 100% and the determined difference between the values of the coefficients c vc for 100% and 120% total system load is less than or equal to zero, the examined branch is considered strong.
If c vc ≦0.125 and c vc(100%) −c vc(120%) ≦0 then the examined branch is considered strong.
Where c vc ≧0.125 for total system load equal to 100%, the examined branch is considered strong. | The subject of the invention is a method of identification of weak and/or strong branches of an electric power transmission system. In the inventive method electrical parameters characterizing the nodes and branches of an electric power transmission system are subjected to computational treatment in order to obtain equations of power flow in all nodes of the system at assumed 100 percent system load value. Then an electric model of a branch is assumed and a curve P-Q is constructed which shows the functional relation between active and reactive load in the system. For the assumed branch model a branch voltage stability coefficient is determined. Then the analysed system is overloaded by increasing the total system load up to 120% base load and the branch voltage stability coefficient is determined again. The numerical values of the appropriately determined coefficients are compared with threshold values considered to be a safe margin for the maintenance of voltage stability for the given branch. | 7 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for connecting one end of a boot to a ski.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a binding for attachment of one end of a boot or shoe to a ski.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a binding for use in skiiing where the skier lifts one end of the shoe or boot off of the ski.
These and other objects are fulfilled by means of the ski binding of the invention in combination with a boot or shoe adapted to be secured to a ski by the binding. The binding comprises a support element adapted to be mounted on the ski which comprises an abutment zone. The binding further comprises a latching element comprising a transverse bit. The latching element is mounted on the boot. The combination further comprises a moveable latch adapted to exert a force for forcing a support zone provided on the boot against the abutment zone.
The invention is further directed to the ski binding alone as well as to the shoe or boot alone or in combination with the ski binding.
In its broadest sense the ski binding for binding a boot or shoe having a support zone to a ski comprises a support element and a moveable latch. The support element comprises an abutment zone adapted to mate with the support zone of the shoe or boot.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
With reference to the annexed drawings, illustrating non-limiting embodiments of the invention:
FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a first embodiment of a device of the invention during insertion of the boot;
FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the device of FIG. 1 before locking.
FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in the locked position during skiing;
FIG. 4 is a top view of the device in the position illustrated in FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the device of FIGS. 1-4 during the boot insertion procedure;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the assembly in the locked position corresponding to FIG. 3;
FIGS. 7-9 schematically illustrate partial exploded views showing the locking procedure, specifically:
FIG. 7 illustrates the initial phase of boot insertion;
FIG. 8 illustrates the passage phase of the elbow joint;
FIG. 9 illustrates the locked position;
FIG. 10 illustrates one alternative embodiment of the latch;
FIG. 11 is an alternative latch embodiment in partial cross section;
FIG. 12 shows another alternative embodiment of the latch;
FIG. 13 illustrates one embodiment of the support element and the front of the boot (the latch not being shown);
FIG. 14 illustrates an alternative support element;
FIG. 15 illustrates yet another support element;
FIG. 16 illustrates a longitudinal cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view illustrating another embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 18 is a perspective view illustrating the end of the boot used in conjunction with the embodiment of FIG. 17;
FIG. 19 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 20 is a perspective view of the end of the boot utilized in conjunction with the embodiment of FIG. 19;
FIG. 21 is a perspective view of the contour of the support element shown in FIG. 19;
FIG. 22 illustrates a lateral elevational view of another embodiment of the invention;
FIGS. 23-30 illustrate the mounting of the support element with respect to the ski, specifically:
FIGS. 23 and 24 illustrate a first embodiment in which the support element is rigidly mounted on the ski specifically;
FIG. 23 is a lateral elevational view of a first embodiment;
FIG. 24 is a side elevational undetailed elevational view on a reduced scale illustrating the raising of the heel of the shoe or boot.
FIG. 25 illustrates a partial lateral elevational view of a second embodiment of the invention in which the support element is integral with a flexible portion;
FIG. 26 is a non-detailed elevational view on a reduced scale, illustrating how the heel of the boot or shoe is raised when the support element is integral with a flexible portion;
FIG. 27 is perspective view illustating an alternative preferred embodiment of the mounting of the flexible portion with the support element being integral with the flexible portion;
FIG. 28 is a lateral view illustrating how the shoe or boot pivots as the heel is lifted with the support element being integral with the flexible portion;
FIG. 29 is a perspective view of a third embodiment in which the support element is pivotably mounted around a transverse axis;
FIG. 30 is a lateral elevational view illustrating how the shoe or boot is raised off of its heel;
FIG. 31 illustrates alternative elevational views of the support element alone according to another embodiment;
FIG. 32 is an lateral elevational view of yet another embodiment of the support element alone;
FIG. 33 is a lateral perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the latch;
FIG. 34 illustrates a lateral perspective view of yet another latch embodiment;
FIG. 35 is lateral perspective view of yet another latch;
FIG. 36 is a perspective view illustrating an alternative mounting of the retention system;
FIG. 37 is a perspective view of yet another alternative embodiment of the support element;
FIG. 38 is a lateral elevational view of the support element for the shoe or boot;
FIG. 39 is a schematic representation illustrating how the front of the shoe or boot is supported; and
FIG. 40 is a force diagram showing the reaction force of the support element on the latching element.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Although the device of the invention may be used as an element connecting the front and/or the rear of the shoe or boot in ski assemblies used for downhill skiing, the device of the invention is more particularly adapted as disclosed in the instant application as a binding adapted to connect the front of the shoe or boot to the ski, while the heel of the boot may be freely lifted as is the case in cross-country or mountaineering type skiing (ski de fond and ski de randonnee in French) as well as in ski jumping.
In its most general aspect, the device of the invention is a connecting device in which:
(a) the shoe comprises, arranged along its longitudinal axis, a latching element rigidly connected to the front end of the boot, this latching element having a bit arranged transversely to the longitudinal axis of the boot, and is fixed with respect to the front end and spaced therefrom;
(b) a support element for the end of the boot is connected to the ski and is adapted to engage itself between the transverse bit of the latching element and the front of the boot. The support element has, on the side of the boot, an abutment zone for the end of the boot being held; and
(c) moveable latch for exerting a bias or pressure on the latching element assuring the application of the end of the boot being held in abutment against the abutment zone of the support element.
Advantageously, the latching element comprises a stirrup made out of steel wire which may, for example, have a circular cross section, whose transverse bit is parallel to the upper surface of the ski.
According to one aspect of the invention, the support element extends substantially perpendicularly to the upper surface of the ski and transversely to the longitudinal axis of the ski while the latching element has the shape of a buckle such that the positioning of the foot before locking is accomplished by vertical movement from top to bottom of the front of the foot for assuring the introduction of the support element into the latching element. As a result, there is no risk of the ski slipping on the snow during insertion of boot as would be the case if insertion occured in a plane parallel to the ski.
The support element may thus be fixed in a rigid fashion with respect to the ski, either by means a flexion element or mounted pivotably with respect to the ski.
As has been previously indicated, the front of the boot is held against the support element by virtue of a latch.
Advantageously, the latch of the invention comprises a journaled mounting and a moveable element journaled on the mounting, and further comprises at least one pressure nose adapted to cooporate with bit of the latching element. The latch can be displaced between inactive and active positions in which the pressure nose is elastically applied against the bit of the latching element by virtue of the tensioning of a deformable elastic portion of the latch system.
The elasticity of latch allowing for its latching may be achieved by various techniques. For example, one may use an elastically deformable mounting which may comprise a curved shaft having a U-shape whose median member acts a journal for the pressure element (which may in this case be a rigid element) and whose lateral arms are shaped so as to elastically deform along their length. Alternatively, the elasticity may be achieved using a mounting comprising links which are journaled but non-deformable. In this instance, it is a portion of the pressure element which is elastically deformed. According to yet another embodiment, both the mounting and the pressure element are both adapted to be elastically deformed. Similarly, a spring independent of the mounting may be provided to assure the bias of the mounting.
According to a preferred embodiment, the front zone of the boot supported against the support element has a contour which engages the support element. In effect, to achieve good retention of the front of the boot with respect to the support element, it is necessary to eliminate any possibility of rotation of the boot around the transverse bit of the latching element.
According to the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-3, the boot 1 comprises at its front portion, a latching element or portion 3 molded therein whereby it is rigidly fixed to the shoe. This element extends outwardly from the front of boot. The latching element preferably comprises a cylindrical steel wire in the shape of a ring (see FIG. 4). The latching element compises a transverse bit 4 and two lateral arms 4a and 4b which may be fixed to the boot, for example, by being molded therein. The transverse bit 4 is spaced from the front of the boot and extends therefrom to provide an opening 5 (see FIG. 5) adapted to be engaged over a support element 6 during the insertion of boot onto the ski which is performed by a vertical displacement of boot as is shown in dashed and continuous lines in FIG. 1. The support element 6 is advantageously in the form of a projection extending transversely above the surface of the ski 2. The support element is connected to the ski 2 either so as to be fixed with respect thereto (FIGS. 23-24), or in an elastic fashion (FIGS. 25-28), or in a manner so as to be pivotable on the ski (FIGS. 29-30). In FIGS. 1-22, the support element is shown as being integral with the ski 2, but it is quite obvious that all different types of support elements can be connected to the ski by means such as are illustrated in FIGS. 23-30 without leaving the scope of the invention.
Support element 6 may be in the form of a projection having an inverted-V shape extending between bit 4 and front 2 of the boot being positioned in opening 5 reserved for this reason. The support element extends transversely between arms 4a and 4b of the latching element which thereby assures the lateral retention of the boot by virtue of the cooperation of the lateral arms with the lateral surfaces 7 and 8. Furthermore, the support element comprises an abutment zone 9 cooperating with the corresponding support zone 10 of the front of the boot. Additionally, the support element comprises an incline or support zone 11 adapted to cooperate with the transverse bit of the latching element. The two zones 9 and 11 are preferably planar and form a dyhedral between them.
The boot is maintained with respect to the support element by virtue of a retention system or latch comprising journaled mounting 12 and pressure element 13 journaled on the mounting. The mounting comprises a stirrup having a generally U-shape made out of a shaped cylindrical steel wire. This stirrup has two lateral arms 14, connected by a transverse member 15 on which the pressure element 13 is rotatably mounted. The lateral arms 14 have their free end 16 curved and engaged in a pivotable fashion in the bore of geometrical axis 17, appropriately provided in the support element 6. As may be seen in the drawings, lateral arms 14 are curved so as to allow for the elastic deformation of the mounting which is necessary for latching. The moveable pressure element comprises a pressure portion or nose 18 adapted to cooperate with transverse bit 4 of the latching element 3.
Nose 18 advantageously extends transversely as may be seen in FIG. 6. Furthermore, the pressure element comprises a bore 19 providing a geometrical axis 20 for bit 15 of the stirrup.
FIGS. 10 and 11 illustrate alternative embodiments of pressure noses which may be used in conjunction with the moveable pressure element. Beyond the axis 20, the pressure element comprises a projection or extension 21 acting as a lever for the manipulation of the element. The moveable element is adapted to hold the latching element to bias the front 10 of the boot against the support element. To ensure this retention, the retention system or latch is of the "elbow" type comprising the stirrup 12 and the moveable element 13. This type of device makes it possible to achieve elevated pressures for elastic systems which are simple and which have a relatively low energy.
The boot is inserted within the binding by engaging the latching element 3 above and over the support element 6 (see FIG. 1). The support element is thus positioned between the transverse bit 4 and the front of the boot 10 in the opening 5 provided for this purpose. The moveable pressure element 13 and particularly the pressure nose 18 is subsequently brought adjacent to the bit 4 (FIG. 2). The device is then locked (FIG. 3) by drawing lever 21 towards the rear in the direction of the arrow F. FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 schematically illustrate the principle behind this type of latch.
FIG. 7 illustrates on a magnified scale, the position shown in FIG. 2. The instantaneous axis of rotation of moveable element 13 is designated as 22. It will be noted that axis 22 of the pressure nose is positioned to the right of the plane defined by the axes 20 and 17 as shown in the Figures. In effect the distance a o separating the axes 20 and 17 is shorter than the sum b+c which are the distances separating the axis of rotation 22 from the axis 20 on the one hand and the axis of rotation 22 from the axis 17 on the other hand.
FIG. 8 illustrates the device in the intermediate position, i.e., the position corresponding to the passage of the dead point of the elbow joint against the force of the elastic system which, in the embodiment shown, comprises the stirrup. In this position, it will be noted that a 1 which is the distance between 17 and 20 is greater than a and that a 1 is equal to b+c 1 , c 1 being substantially equal to c. In this position, the axis 22 is in the plane defined by the axis 20 and 17. The retention system in thus considered to be in an unstable equalibrium state. In order to latch the device, lever 21 need only be further pivoted to the rear in the direction of arrow F to place it in the position of FIG. 9. In this position, it will be seen that the axis 22 has moved to the left of the plane defined by the axes 20 and 17 (with reference to the drawings) and that the face 23 of the element 13 is supported against the face 11 of the support element; element 13 thus being in an equilibrium position.
In this position, the elastic element comprising stirrup 12 biases mobile element 13 in the direction of arrow F 1 (downwardly) while the pressure nose 18 is abutted against, on the one hand bit 4 of the latching element, and on the other hand, against face 11 of the support element. At the point of contact 24 between the nose 18 and the bit 4 pressure element 13 biases bit 4 in the direction of arrow F 2 which is inclined towards the front of the ski and downwardly towards the ski.
The horizontal component of bias F 2 which is illustrated by arrow F 3 is oriented parallel to the ski and it extends along the longitudinal axis of the boot in the direction of the end of the ski comprising the extension of the latching element, i.e., towards the front of the ski in the examples shown. This component F 3 thus causes the advancement of the boot which causes the front of the boot to be forced against the support element and thus to flatten the face 10 of the front of the boot against the face 9 of the support element. On the other hand, the vertical component F 5 of the bias F 2 has a tendency to squeeze the support element in the opening 5, the support element thus acting as a wedge.
FIG. 10 illustrates another embodiment of the moveable retention element or latch 13. In this embodiment the pressure nose comprises a transverse cross section having a hollow region 25 which cooperates in the course of insertion of the boot particularly with the bit 4.
FIG. 11 illustrates an alternative embodiment where the moveable element is a roller 13 rotatable mounted on the stirrup and comprising a plurality of pressure noses 18. A maneuvering lever 210 in this embodiment is integral with the stirrup.
FIG. 12 illustrates another embodiment in which the maneuver lever 21 of the moveable retention element or latch is supported against a portion of the boot 26.
According to a preferred embodiment the abutment surface 9 of support element is planar and forms an angle α which is between 0° and 90° with the surface of the ski while the inclined surface 11 of the support element is also planar and forms an angle β between 0° and 90° with the surface of the ski (see FIG. 12).
FIG. 13 illustrates an alternative support element wherein angle α is equal to 90° and angle β is between 0° and 90°.
FIG. 14 is another embodiment in which α is between 90° and 180° and β is between 0° and 90°.
FIG. 15 illustrates yet another embodiment wherein α is between 90° and 180° and wherein β is equal to 90°.
It should be noted that the front face 10 of the boot must be flattened against the face of the support element and must for this reason have the same angle of inclination with respect to the ski.
Naturally, it should be understood that both α and β can be equal and may both be equal to 90°.
FIG. 16 is an alternative embodiment of FIG. 12 wherein the moveable retention element or latch 13 is supported on the transverse bit 4 and equally on the boot in front of the boot and laterally on both sides of the support element at 27 respectively.
FIG. 17 illustrates another embodiment of the latching element integral with the boot. In this embodiment, the buckle extends vertically at 27 and laterally at 28 to form an opening 5 extending vertically. The assembly may be integral with the boot as shown. The moveable latching element is supported on the boot at 26 as shown in FIG. 12 and at 29 on the latching element by means of cam 30 provided on the retention element 13.
FIGS. 19, 20 and 21 illustrate another embodiment in which the support element 9 has a substantially pyramidal shape. It will be noted that the moveable element can be supported at 26 or at 261.
FIG. 22 shows an alternate embodiment in which the support element comprises two support zones 9 and 9' for the boot. The force F 2 of the retention element or latch 13 on the bit 4 has a horizontal component F 3 and causes the frontward displacement, in the direction of the arrow F 4 , of the boot to flatten the front of the boot against the support element at 9 and 9'.
It should be noted that the bit 4 is in contact on the surface 32 of the support element by virtue of the action of force F 2 which is downwardly directed. The bit 4 is biased toward the surface 32 at a force equal to F 5 (F 5 being the vertical component of F 2 ). The horizontal component F 3 is the force which tends to bias the front of the boot against the support element.
FIGS. 23 and 24 illustrate a first linkage embodiment between the support element and the ski. In these arrangements, the support element 6 is connected to the ski 2 in a rigid and fixed fashion by virtue, for example, of screws as shown in FIG. 23. The lifting of the heel in the direction of the arrow F 6 results from the flexion of the boot at 34 (see FIG. 24).
FIGS. 25, 26, 27 and 28 illustrate another linkage embodiment between the support element and the ski. In this second embodiment, the support element is connected to the ski by means of a mounting in the form of a element. Thus, the support element 61 is integral with a flexion element 35 fixed to the ski by screws 33. To this end the flexion element 35 comprises holes 36 for the passage of the screw 33 provided at the opposite end to the end where the support element 61 is located. The raising of the heel of the boot in the direction of the arrow F 6 occurs by flexion of the flexion element 35, the support element itself thus being raised from the surface of the ski (FIGS. 26 and 28).
Preferably, the support element 61 and the flexion element 35 are unitarily constructed and are made out of a single piece of elastic material. However, the arrangement may be varied, such as, the support element can be metallic and can be fixed on a flexion blade 351 made out of steel (see FIG. 31). One can also provide a metallic insert 351' in the monobloc elastic structure discussed above (FIG. 32).
FIGS. 27 and 28 illustrate one preferred mounting of the flexion element. To this end an intermediate element or metallic base comprising two lateral vertical edges 37 and 38 is provided for laterally retaining the flexion element 35 while permitting the raising or lifting as shown in FIG. 28. Furthermore, two flaps 39 and 40 of the metallic base are horizontally folded over to retain the screws 33 more rigidly. A third screw 41 fixing the base itself to the ski can also be provided while the two screws 33 retain the base and the end of the flexion element 35 on the ski.
FIGS. 29 and 30 illustrate another mounting means for linking the support element to the ski. In this embodiment, the support element 6 is pivotably connected to the ski such that it can pivot around a transverse axis to shaft shaped 42. To this end, the suppport element is mounted on an intermediate element or baseplate 43 screwed onto the ski by means of screws 33 and two vertical upstanding members 44 and 45 provided with a hole for the passage of the shaft 42. The support element comprises two lower extensions 46 and 47 which are frontwardly directed and which have a hole for the passage of the shaft 42. A torsion spring 48 is mounted around the shaft 42 and comprises two ends. End 49 is supported on the base plate 43 while end 50 is supported on the face 11 of the support element. The spring biases the support element 6 in the direction of the arrows F 7 . The shaft 42 can be riveted at its two ends.
In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 25-30, by virtue of action of the spring 48, the heel of the ski is raised along the direction of the arrow F 6 (FIG. 30) to press itself against the heel of the boot.
FIGS. 33, 34 and 35 illustrate two alternative embodiments of elbows comprising the latch 13. In these embodiments, the elastic bits 14 of the preceeding embodiments are replaced by links 141 which are rigid and wherein the necessary elasticity for the latching is provided by an element other than the links. In FIG. 33, the elasticity results from a spring 52 arranged in a slit 53 of element 13 which biases the transverse member 15 of the links 141 on which the pressure element pivots.
As shown in FIG. 34, the elasticity results from element 13 itself which comprises a depression 54 which provides the necessary flexibility to the pressure nose 18 when this nose is in contact with the latching element.
In FIG. 35 a spring 520 is arranged in the support element 6 and serves to bias the arms 160 of the links 141.
FIG. 36 illustrates an embodiment wherein the axes 16 do not pivot in the support element but rather in an intermediate element 56. The support element and intermediate element assembly are mounted on the ski 2 either on the flexion element 35 or in rotation around a shaft 42.
In the preferred embodiments of the invention the support zones 9 and 11 of the element are advantageously planar. However these zones may assume other forms and particularly the forms shown in FIG. 37 wherein the support occurs at two ridged edges 58 and 59 which are substantially vertical. This means may be used for the face 9 or for the face 11 or both. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 38 the edges can be horizontal.
It should be noted that the moveable pressure element may comprise one or more holes so that it may be manipulated with the end of a ski pole as shown in FIG. 36.
As was discussed above, to achieve good retention of front of the boot, it is necessary that the support element be rendered integral with the boot in an efficacious fashion. The boot must, therefore, be prevented from turning around the transverse bit in particular. To accomplish this, the support zone of the boot supported against the support element must have contour which fully engages the support zone of the support element as completely as possible.
FIG. 39 illustrates on magnified scale an elevational view of a support element 6 with the front of the boot and the transverse bit. As may be seen from this figure, one realizes what occurs when one walks with the ski, i.e., when the heel of the boot is raised. If one considers the point 100 of the face 10 of the front of the boot, it will be noted that its circular trajectory 101 centered around point 400 (the center of the bit) of the radius r100 cuts the abutment zone 9 corresponding to the support element at B which means that the boot abuts against the support element at B without being able to escape. It will also be noted that the lower point 200 of the front of the boot has a circular trajectory 201 which is centered at 400, radius r200, which is spaced from the support surface 9 corresponding to the support element. It will be noted that the support zone which is best suited for retaining the front of the boot is the zone ab situated above the plane passing through the axis of the transverse portion of the latching element and perpendicular to the support plane (or at the tangent of the support zone if this zone is curved). In summary, the points must have an engaging form with respect to the support element to avoid that the boot turns around the transverse bit and is, on the contrary, integrally held with respect to the support element.
FIG. 40 shows how the horizontal biasing of the boot occurs when the reaction force of the latch is essentially vertical. This condition corresponds to a force in the direction of arrow F 6 . Under these conditions the reaction force of face 11 of the support element on bit 4 is F 7 which has a vertical component F 9 equal to F 6 but in the opposite direction. F 8 is the horizontal component which biases the shoe frontwardly.
While the invention has been described with respect to both shoes and boots, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to any one form of shoe and encompasses instead all shoes, boots and the like used in conjunction with bindings of the type disclosed and without limitation to the materials of construction.
Furthermore, while the invention has been described with specific reference to particular support elements, latches, and the like it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to those specifics disclosed but extends to all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims. | A ski binding in combination with a boot or shoe adapted to be secured to a ski by the binding. The binding comprises a support element having an abutment zone and a latching element having a transverse bit. The latching element is adapted to be mounted on the boot and a moveable latch is provided which is adapted to exert a force for forcing a support zone provided on the boot against the abutment zone. A ski binding for securing one end of a boot or shoe comprising a support zone and comprising a latching element having a transverse bit to a ski. The binding comprises a support element adapted to be secured to the ski. The support element comprises an abutment zone and is adapted to be engaged between the transverse bit and the zone. The binding further comprises a moveable latch adapted to exert a force for forcing the support zone against the abutement zone. A shoe or boot for attachment to a ski with a binding. The shoe or boot comprises a support zone at one end thereof and a latching element. The latching element comprises a transverse bit. The shoe or boot is adapted to be secured to the ski with a binding which comprises a latch and a support element. The latching element is spaced from a support zone provided on the shoe or boot. The space provided is adapted to fit over the support element whereby the support zone and the abutment are pressed to rigidly mate against one another. | 0 |
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/901,360 filed on Sep. 17, 2007, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/567,282 filed on Dec. 6, 2006, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/455,049, filed on Jun. 16, 2006.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
[0002] This disclosure relates to ceramic-containing armor composites for articles, supports and vehicles, including aircraft vehicles, such as helicopters, and the fabrication methods. More particularly, the disclosure relates to polymer infiltrated felts and polymer-derived ceramics used for combat vehicle armor. Still more particularly, the disclosure relates to ceramic armor composites having a hard phase combined with an energy absorbent structure and the fabrication methods. One embodiment of this disclosure contains a hard outer surface and an energy absorbent inner core.
[0003] In the combat environment there is a continuing and ongoing need to provide improved ballistic protection to various vehicles, e.g., aircraft and helicopters. During combat, helicopters are extremely vulnerable to sniper attacks. Current armor technology is capable of providing Type IIIA protection, and typically contains fiber-reinforced polymer composite, for example, glass or Kevlar® reinforced thermoplastic.
[0004] In heavily armored helicopters, components are designed to withstand 12.7 mm rounds, with vital engine and rotor components designed to be capable of withstanding 23 mm or larger fire. Enhanced armor, such as that offering Type IV protection, is often a composite structure that incorporates a thick, solid metal plate or a dense ceramic phase to produce the desired degree of hardness. Such armor is often heavy (which is undesirable for example in flight vehicles), difficult to manufacture in a cost effective manner, and limited to simple geometries such as flat structures with minimal curvature. During use, the impact force of projectiles is often inadequately distributed in such armor because the hard phases in the composite are poorly integrated with a more compliant structure or flexible backing component. Such backing components are generally fabricated with layers of organic polymer fiber-based cloth or fabrics to provide strength and toughness. In practice, armor is designed so that the hard face breaks upon impact with the incoming round, thereby damaging the round, and the compliant backing structure provides additional resistance to travel by the broken hard face or damaged round.
[0005] Ceramics presently in use for armor are of a composite nature having the ceramic hard surface and the more deformable polymer based backing. The ceramic surface is generally silicon carbide (SiC), boron carbide (B 4 C), alumina (Al 2 O 3 ), zirconia (ZrO 2 ), silicon nitride (Si 3 N 4 ), spinels, aluminum nitride (AlN), tungsten carbide (WC), titanium diboride (TiB 2 ) and combinations thereof. The materials used for the backing are often fibrous and include materials such as glass, polyimide (Kevlar®) and polyethylene (Spectra®, Dyneema®).
[0006] The methods for manufacturing such composites have numerous limitations. Currently, their fabrication methods limit the armor configurations to flat plates or simple planar geometries or modestly curved shapes. Such armor is very heavy and can negatively impact maneuverability of the vehicle. The associated fabrication methods typically require high temperatures, e.g., above 1500° C., and often above 2000° C., and pressures above 2000 psi. Such fabrication requirements are costly, energy consuming, slow and not generally suitable for mass production. For example, complex and expensive tooling or die sets are generally required to form such armor structures. As a result, lightweight, highly curved armor configurations with Type IV protection derived from ceramic composites are not presently available.
[0007] Accordingly, there is a need for lightweight, highly curved ceramic composites that offer ballistic or blast protection that can be easily fabricated using a wide variety of composite architectures suitable for different combat applications.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present disclosure provides for a ceramic based armor component having a lightweight, highly curved configuration.
[0009] The present disclosure also provides for a polymer derived ceramic based armor capable of providing ballistic protection to a combat vehicle, including to the leading edges of combat vehicles' blades.
[0010] The present disclosure further provides for a lightweight refractory ceramic composite armor that is infiltrated with polymer to create a felt reinforced structure.
[0011] The present disclosure still further provides for a lightweight polymer derived ceramic based matrix armor capable of providing ballistic protection.
[0012] A method of making a shell of refractory ceramic armor capable of conforming to a complex geometry is provided. The shell is formed by forming a mold to replicate the surface area; arranging a ceramic core on the mold; and removing the mold to leave said ceramic core. The ceramic core is in the shape of the complex surface area.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 a illustrates a schematic diagram describing generally the method of making the refractory ceramic when structured primarily as a filler core according to the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 1 b is a photograph of a fibrous ceramic felt of FIG. 1 a.
[0015] FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a method of making the refractory ceramic of FIG. 1 ;
[0016] FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a method of making a further refractory ceramic of FIG. 1 ;
[0017] FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a method of making a further refractory ceramic of FIG. 1 ;
[0018] FIG. 5 illustrates a schematic diagram describing the refractory ceramic when structured primarily as a matrix, according to the present invention;
[0019] FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a method of making the refractory ceramic of FIG. 5 ;
[0020] FIG. 7 illustrates a schematic representation of a graded ceramic composite of FIG. 6 ;
[0021] FIG. 8 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a method of making a further refractory ceramic of FIG. 5 ;
[0022] FIG. 9 illustrates a schematic representation of a ceramic matrix composite with a hard outer layer of FIG. 8
[0023] FIG. 10 illustrates a schematic diagram describing the forming of refractory ceramics into the armor shell for an aircraft, according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0024] Referring to FIG. 1 a , a schematic diagram describing the reinforcement structures including fibrous ceramic felts and particulate based cores, hereinafter, reinforcement cores, of the present invention is provided and generally referred to by reference numeral 10 . Referring to FIG. 1 b , fibrous structures 5 have voids 20 and struts 15 as a feature of its architecture. Generally fibrous structures 5 are highly porous. Voids 20 between struts 15 , permit flowing of preceramic polymers (i.e. those polymers intentionally designed to convert to desired ceramic phases), or particles (ceramic, metal or polymer) dispersed in a liquid medium throughout fibrous structures 5 .
[0025] Fibrous structures 5 are generally carbon based and can be formed of for example, fibers derived from carbon pitch or polyacrylonitrile resins, chopped carbon fibers, carbon nanotubes, activated carbon fibers or the like. Other felts or filler structures may be boron, aluminum, silicon or molybdenum based. The benefit of these fibrous structures 5 is that they provide an excellent substrate through, and on which, preceramic polymers can flow for subsequent processes such as heating. Further, they exhibit favorable properties at high temperatures such as relatively high strength, low density, tailorable thermal conductivity, electrical resistivity, oxidative resistance and controlled thermal expansion. In addition to felts, fibrous structures may also include carbon, boron, aluminum and silicon-based refractory ceramics 6 such as, but not limited to porous particulate combinations, single crystal whiskers, chopped fibers, and mixtures of varying degrees of porosity. Particulate matter is selected based on particle geometry, particle size, size distribution and overall ability to be located within the porous structure of the fibrous structures 5 .
[0026] Fibrous structure 5 is infiltrated with a source of the desired preceramic phase(s), including carbon, in step 8 . The carbon source can be any suitable carbon source such as, but not limited to pre-ceramic polymers that create carbon in addition to refractory phases such as carbides, oxycarbides, nitrides, carbonitrides, oxides, oxynitrides, borides or borocarbonitrides, phenolic precursors to glassy carbon, particulate carbon powder, and any combinations thereof, including mixtures of different pre-ceramic polymers. After infiltration, fibrous structures 5 are exposed to one or more heat processing steps 9 . Heat can be delivered through any number of methods include thermal (e.g. furnace heating) or radiation (e.g. exposure to infrared or microwave radiation) processes. Such processing steps can include one or more infiltration steps 8 or pyrolysis cycles 9 required for adequate material phase development, densification and hardening. Pyrolytic conversion occurs generally between approximately 250° C. and 1100° C. Crystallization generally occurs between approximately 1150° C. to approximately 200° C., with crystal size and percent crystallinity generally increasing with exposure temperature and time. Depending upon the desired characteristics, including hardness or residual porosity, additional polymeric infiltration can take place followed by pyrolysis cycles 9 . The resultant product is a ceramic matrix composite shell 12 .
[0027] Referring to FIG. 2 , a method of making a first embodiment of the fibrous structure 5 is shown and generally referred to by reference numeral 40 . In this example, a silicon-containing fiber core, such as silicon carbide (SiC) 45 is infiltrated with a polymer during the infiltration step 50 . Infiltration is generally accomplished by immersing the silicon-containing fiber core 45 in a liquid polymer or polymer-containing liquid chosen to provide the matrix phase of the composite. For example, an immersed SiC fiber core is heated during step 55 to temperatures ranging from to approximately 250° C. to approximately 2000° C. Step 50 and step 55 may be repeated depending on the desired properties of the end product. By altering the volume of polymer that is infiltrated during step 50 , modifying the process conditions, such as temperature, of step 55 , and varying the cooling times, the properties of the resultant SiC felt reinforced ceramic matrix composite 60 can be varied.
[0028] Referring to FIG. 3 , a method of making a second embodiment of the core reinforcement 10 is shown and generally referred to by reference numeral 70 . In this example, a boron carbide (B 4 C) particulate core structure 75 is used to provide reinforcement to form a ceramic matrix composite shell 95 . During step 80 B 4 C particle core structure 75 is infiltrated with polymer. Similar to process 40 , the infiltrated B 4 C core enters the pyrolytic phase 85 and is heated to temperatures ranging from approximately 250° C. to approximately 2000° C., depending on the type of polymer selected and the desired matrix phase(s). During step 90 , the B 4 C core structure can be optionally cooled or treated (e.g. to enhance crystallization of the converted polymer phase) prior to a further infiltration step 80 . Steps 80 through 90 may be repeated depending on the desired properties of the end product. By altering the volume of polymer that is infiltrated during step 80 , the processing conditions, such as temperature profile, of step 85 , or the time and temperature profile during step 90 , the properties of the end product can be customized for the ballistic application.
[0029] Conventional densification of boron carbide panels to full theoretical density is commonly done by hot pressing or hot isostatic pressing and typically requires temperatures greater than approximately 2000° C., pressures above 2000 psi, and highly controlled processing techniques. The use of boron carbide particulate, in combination with polymer infiltrants that convert to ceramics below approximately 1600° C. offers several processing advantages. For example, the desired hardness of the boron carbide phase is provided by the particulate, and when preceramic polymers to either B 4 C or SiC are used, the voids initially between the boron carbide particles are filled with additional B 4 C or SiC, respectively, at relatively lower temperatures. Thus, a relatively dense structure, desirable for ballistic protection, is provided at temperatures below those required by conventional means.
[0030] Referring to FIG. 4 , a method of making a third embodiment of reinforcement core 10 of FIG. 1 is shown, and generally referred to by reference numeral 100 . In this example, a ceramic foam 125 is formed and used as the reinforcement phase to form a ceramic foam reinforced ceramic matrix composite 140 . In step 110 , an organic polymer foam 105 (e.g. polyurethane) is infiltrated with powder slurry 115 . Powder slurry 115 is formed by mixing very fine and hard ceramic powders with water, solution, or another medium such as a mixture of preceramic polymer and particulate, or combinations thereof. Powder slurry 115 may also contain sintering or densification aids. During step 120 , infiltrated polymer foam 105 is heated to burn out the organic polymer foam 105 , partially dry the structure and generally increase its rigidity. Alternate means of removing the polymer foam are also contemplated, such as solvent removal. After step 120 , a ceramic foam core 125 remains having a porous structure. Ceramic foam 125 is infiltrated with a preceramic polymer in step 130 and heated in step 135 . During step 135 , the infiltrated ceramic form core 125 is subsequently heated to temperatures ranging from approximately 250° C. to approximately 2000° C. or greater, depending on the type of polymer selected and the desired matrix phase(s). Step 135 may be repeated depending on the desired properties of the end product. By altering the volume of polymer that is infiltrated during step 130 , and the time, temperature and atmosphere used in step 135 , the properties of the ceramic foam reinforced ceramic matrix composite 140 can be customized for the ballistic application.
[0031] Referring to FIG. 5 , a schematic diagram describing the refractory ceramic of the present invention, when structured primarily as a matrix phase, is provided and generally referred to by reference numeral 150 . Refractory matrix 150 is generally not as porous as the fibrous structures of FIGS. 1 through 2 . Refractory matrix 150 is, for example, a ceramic, glass, glass/ceramic mixture, polymer-derived ceramic phase(s) or combinations thereof, and may include oxides or silicon carbide or boron carbide ceramic phase(s). For example, silicon carbide and boron carbide matrix materials 155 are conveniently derived from grinding hardened preceramic polymers to produce a powder. Glass powders 155 such as silica-based glasses, including borosilicates may be selected based on their desired viscosity at a given temperature, such that they will flow into at least a portion of voids with processing and thereby increase the overall density of the structure. Mixtures prepared by combining ground, hardened powders derived from preceramic polymers with liquid forms of preceramic polymers can also be used. Generally, these preceramic polymers can be further successively hardened in step 156 and crystallized when exposed to higher temperatures and extended times, such that resultant ground powders have a very dense crystalline structure and are extremely hard. Such powders are exposed to temperatures ranging from approximately 250° C. to approximately 2000° C. or greater, depending on the type of polymer selected and the desired matrix phase(s). Proper control of the ratio of powder to liquid polymer, as well as the number, type and duration of successive heating steps, provides the ability to tailor both the amount of porosity, as well as the hardness, of the resulting structure. Such control is important to create a composite 158 with appropriate ballistic protection.
[0032] Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7 , the method of making a graded ceramic composite 200 is shown, and generally referred to by reference numeral 160 . Graded ceramic composite 200 is distinguished in that it provides differing degrees of hardness in a single ceramic composite. Graded ceramic composite 200 features regions of differing hardness, such as a very hard outer coating or top layer 205 , an intermediate layer 210 of reduced hardness relative to the harder top layer and a somewhat softer layer 215 . Layer 205 is particular suited for deflecting, damaging and defeating ballistic impacts because if its immense hardness. In contrast, layer 215 is suited to absorb some of the impact of the ballistic impact due to its relative softness, compressibility and greater toughness relative to the harder top layers. It is important that the various layers are substantially bonded to one another, that is that the topmost layer is well bonded to the intermediate layer(s) and the intermediate layer(s) are sufficiently bonded to the inner most layer(s). This bonding is important to maintain communication between the topmost layer and the innermost layers, i.e. to effectively dissipate impact energy to the layers of the graded composite.
[0033] Layers 205 and 210 are formed from a mixture of ceramic powders and a dispersive liquid 165 that form a slurry 170 . The dispersive liquid can be water, a water based solution, or an organic or inorganic based liquid or solution. The dispersive liquid may also contain a preceramic polymer. Solutions can also contain various dispersion agents and surfactants as necessary. Slurry 170 is heated during a processing step 175 to form hard outer layers 205 and 210 . Slurry 170 is heated to temperatures ranging from approximately 250° C. to approximately 2000° C., depending on the type of ceramic selected and the composition of the slurry components, as well as the structure and composition of the desired matrix phase(s). Hard outer or top layer 205 and intermediate hardness layers 210 are optionally reheated in step 175 and further hardened to the desired hardness to form the harder layers of the graduated composite 200 . Hard outer or top layer 205 may be heated to a greater degree (higher temperatures/longer exposure) than intermediate hardness layer 210 to ensure additional hardness. Layers 205 and 210 can be alternatively formed by modifying an existing layer. For example, residual porosity in a layer 205 can be reduced by filling this porosity with desired phase(s) using a variety of methods. Specifically, voids volume can be reduced by deposition of ceramic phase from the vapor (physical or chemical vapor deposition), from electrophoretic or electrostatic deposition from an additional ceramic slurry, by infiltration with ceramic-filled polymer pastes, and combinations of these or similar methods.
[0034] Layer 215 is formed from an inorganic or organometallic polymer or polymer blend 180 that is heat processed in step 185 in a controlled atmosphere and converted into one or more ceramic phase(s) 215 . Preferably the ceramic phase(s) 215 contain additional reinforcement structures such as particulate or fibrous structures 5 , such that a polymer-derived ceramic matrix composite 215 results. This (Polymer Infiltration and Pyrolysis) PIP-derived CMC 215 , layer 205 and layer(s) 210 are bonded to form graduated ceramic composite 200 . While discrete steps to create a bonded graduated ceramic matrix composite 200 have been described, this disclosure includes the formation of a similarly graded PIP CMC which can be bonded to harder layers 205 and 210 . The benefit of such a graduated ceramic composite structure is that it offers multiple functionality in a single armor component. The integral structure of the hard upper surface and energy absorbent softer sub layers allow integration of what was previously accomplished by two separate components. Accordingly, the graduated ceramic structure is stronger and lighter than a similarly sized piece of armor that was previously available. The lightness is achieved because prior armor structures were monolithic in nature and did not offer graduated hardness or density. Further, the integrated structure reduces the need for a separate flexible layer proximate the surface of the aircraft to absorb the energy of a ballistic impact.
[0035] Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9 , the method of forming an alternate ceramic matrix composite structure 300 , generally referred to by reference numeral 250 , is shown. Ceramic matrix composite 300 is formed having a hard top or outer layer 275 and a much softer preceramic polymer-derived lower or internal composite layer 295 . Ceramic matrix composite 300 is produced in a similar fashion as the graded ceramic of FIGS. 6 . and 7 except that it does not contain intermediate layer 210 . A slurry 270 is formed and is heated during a processing step such as a heating step 265 to form hard top or outer layer 275 . Slurry 270 is heated to temperatures ranging from approximately 250° C. to approximately 2000° C., depending on the type of ceramic selected and the composition of the slurry components, as well as the structure and composition of the desired matrix phase(s). Hard outer layer 275 is optionally reheated in step 265 and further hardened to the desired hardness to form the harder layer of the composite 300 . Hard outer layer 275 may be heated to a greater degree (higher temperatures/longer exposure) than layer 295 to ensure additional hardness. Residual porosity in a hard outer layer 275 can be reduced by filling this porosity with desired phase(s) using a variety of methods. Specifically, voids and void volume can be reduced by deposition of ceramic phase from the vapor (physical or chemical vapor deposition), from electrophoretic or electrostatic deposition from an additional ceramic slurry, by infiltration with ceramic-filled polymer pastes, and combinations of these or similar methods.
[0036] Softer layer 295 is formed from a prepolymer, preceramic polymer or blend 280 that is processed with desired heat, pressure, atmosphere conditions in step 285 and infiltrated during step 290 . Steps 285 and 290 are repeated until the desired hardness and/or phase(s) of pyrolytic derived composite matrix composite 295 is achieved. Layers 275 and 295 are bonded to form the composite consisting of a hard ceramic top layer and the polymer infiltrated pyrolytic and composite matrix composite. Individual layers can be bonded together through chemical or mechanical means or a combination of bonding methods. For example, a thin adhesive can be used to bond the hard top coat to the underlying polymer-derived composite structure. In practice, it is preferred if the layers are strongly bonded together. One means to bond the layers together is to fix the topmost layer to the composite structure and to inject a glass, glass/ceramic or ceramic forming polymer into voids intentionally left in the structures. In this manner, glass/ceramic would fill at least a portion of the voids, and further processing could be used to crystallize the ceramic phase. Also in this manner, the injected preceramic polymer would fill at least a portion of the voids, and further processing could be used to convert the polymer into additional ceramic phase(s). Thus, the layers would be mechanically joined and integrated. Similarly, following fixturing of the layers adjacent one another, a vapor deposited phase could be introduced into the residual porosity, thereby creating a bonding mechanism. In addition, a molten metal or glass phase could be introduced into residual porosity in a layered structured, followed by cooling to solidify the molten phase in place. In one embodiment for a layered composite consisting of a hard face and a polymer derived composite, a molten glass could be forced into the residual porosity of both layers, and the structure then cooled to solidify the glass phase and rigidly join the layers in an integrated fashion. Glass compositions would be chosen to minimize reaction with the existing composite phases. Some glass compositions could be further processed to create ceramic/glass mixed phases.
[0037] The filler and matrix materials and structures described above are excellent for forming ballistic protection, e.g., for articles, supports and vehicles, including aircraft vehicles, and particularly for helicopters in the form of ceramic-containing armor shells. The ceramic armor shells can be formed in any three-dimensional shape of the surface of the helicopter. Of course, it is most desirable to produce the armor shells with minimal thickness to maintain reduced weight while still providing for a sufficiently hard surface for ballistic protection.
[0038] In operation, the molding process suitable for creating the disclosed ceramic armor shells will be described with respect to the polymer infiltration and pyrolysis and ceramic matrix composite (PIP-CMC) material as shown in FIG. 10 , and generally referred to using reference numeral 400 . In a first step 410 a mold is formed to replicate the outer geometry of the helicopter components targeted for protection. The fibrous structures 5 or particulate based structures 4 to be infiltrated are positioned within, around, upon or against mold or temporary tooling in step 420 during shell formation. Following partial rigidization in step 425 , the mold or temporary tooling is removed in step 430 leaving the reinforced structure in the desired shape with remaining porosity. Iterative impregnation and/or heating (or alternate processing) steps 440 are effected until the desired density, phase composition(s), mechanical properties and residual porosity are achieved. The armor 450 is removed and trimmed as desired in step 460 . Molds and temporary tooling can be fabricated using any known methods including machined metal or plastics, rapid prototyping (metal, ceramic, polymer and combinations thereof), waxes, and the like. Similar processing can be used to fabricate the other architectures. For example, separate structures for multiple layered composites (e.g. harder and softer layers) can be fabricated independently and subsequently joined using the methods described above.
[0039] Further, placement of the variably shaped armor components 450 can be placed as desired over the helicopter structure. The most vulnerable regions of the helicopter can be protected with armor having the most resistant architecture. Further, parts of the helicopter such as the blades can also be protected against ballistic firing. Protective armor shell articles can be attached to the aircraft structure in a variety of ways known in the art, including adhesives, bonding, mechanical fixturing, inserts, etc. Separate armor components can be positioned adjacent, overlapping or both relative to other armor components, and can be configured to have alignment or interlocking features to aid positioning and increase ballistic protection.
[0040] While the present disclosure has been described with reference to one or more exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the disclosure without departing from the scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the present disclosure not be limited to the particular embodiment(s) disclosed as the best mode contemplated, but that the disclosure will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims. | A refractory ceramic composite for an armor shell, comprising a ceramic core that is formable to replicate a portion of a three dimensional surface, e.g., of an aircraft, to provide ballistic protection. A method of making a shell of refractory ceramic armor capable of conforming to the geometry is provided. The shell is formed by forming a mold to replicate the surface area; arranging a ceramic core on the mold; and removing the mold to leave said ceramic core, and heat treating the ceramic core to a desired hardness. The ceramic core is in the shape of the surface area. | 1 |
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